RTHK: China sends 71 tons of medical aid to Venezuela A second plane from China carrying medical supplies including medicine arrived in Venezuela on Monday as part of a "humanitarian technical" cooperation agreement between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the Asian powerhouse. A Boeing 747 carrying 71 tonnes of medicines and surgical material arrived in the capital Caracas, the government said in a press statement. It included supplies for pregnant women and drugs to treat respiratory conditions. "With this second shipment, as well as that which we already received from the Russian Federation, the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent" some 166 tons of medicines and supplies have arrived in the country, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said. A previous shipment of 65 tonnes of aid arrived from China on March 29. Crisis-wracked Venezuela is suffering from serious shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines after five years of recession. The United Nations says almost a quarter of its population of 30 million is in urgent need of humanitarian aid. The country has also been gripped in a political crisis since January when parliament speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself acting president - quickly receiving backing from more than 50 countries in a direct challenge to Maduro's authority. Guaido attempted to force in stockpiles of US-supplied aid from Colombia, Brazil and Curacao but Venezuela's military, on Maduro's orders, prevented him from doing so. Maduro blames US sanctions for Venezuela's problems and claims they have cost the country's economy US$30 billion. Last month, Maduro allowed in an aid shipment from the Red Cross, which has called on both sides in the power struggle to avoid politicising the issue. China's ambassador to Venezuela, Li Baorong, said he hoped this medical aid shipment would reduce "the damage done by foreign sanctions." Maduro's government is supported by China and Russia while the US is backing Guaido. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong: HK Laureate Forum launched Chief Executive Carrie Lam today attended a ceremony at Government House Ballroom to celebrate the launch of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum. Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Lam said innovation and technology has topped her Government's policy agenda since she took office. If Hong Kong is to realise the compelling promise of I&T, we must ensure a sustainable flow of talent. And that, ladies and gentlemen, means providing and promoting science and technology education in our schools at every level, from primary and secondary through our post-secondary institutions and technical colleges. Mrs Lam added the forum could build an interest and enthusiasm for science among the younger generation by creating opportunities for direct exchange and inspiring dialogue with some of the brightest minds in science. She also witnessed the signing of two pacts, including a sponsorship agreement between the Council of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum and its principal sponsor Lee Shau Kee Foundation, and a memorandum of understanding between the council and the Shaw Prize Foundation. The forum aspires to be a world-class academic exchange event to connect the current and next generations of scientific leaders. It aims to inspire young scientists from around the world through participation in a week-long programme comprising world-class seminars, dialogues and workshops and will provide ample opportunities for exchanges with Shaw laureates. The inaugural forum will be held in November 2021 in Hong Kong and applications to attend the event are expected to start next year. This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Wang Yang (back, 2nd R), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), presides over a biweekly session of the CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese political advisors gathered Monday to discuss the revision of the country's copyright law during a biweekly session in Beijing. Held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the session was presided over by Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Wang noted that copyright law was the pillar of legislations on intellectual property, and significant to the creation and distribution of cultural and intellectual products, improving Chinese people's literacy in science and culture, and building the country into a global leader in innovation. He called for adherence to a people-oriented philosophy of development to properly deal with the relationship between the creation, protection and utilization of copyright, and establishing a copyright system with Chinese characteristics in the new era. A total of 12 CPPCC members and scholars put forward their suggestions on the revision, while over 160 political advisors shared their thoughts via the mobile platform of the top advisory body. With the rapid development of the economy, the society and science and technology, especially with the popularity of the Internet, the current copyright system faces a lot of new circumstances and problems, which makes the revision of the law imperative, according to the political advisors. Some stressed the importance of both taking into consideration China's national conditions and learning from the common practice abroad in the revision, and asked for the balance of speed and quality in legislation, as well as the proper handling of the relationship between copyright creators, distributors and users in terms of interests. Others suggested tougher punishment against infringement of copyright, with the establishment of a punitive compensation system, to solve problems such as the low costs of violations of the law, and the high costs for copyright protection. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] May 14, 2019 Advertising is the lifeblood of an e-commerce company. Over $220 billion was spent on U.S. advertising media in 2018 alone. Any savvy entrepreneur will tell you: building an e-commerce business means advertising the hell out of it. This critical step is not-so-straightforward for one burgeoning industry. The legal cannabis market, valued at $10.6 billion not including ancillary companies, finds itself without access to the most commonly used advertising channels from social media marketing to paid display ads. When traditional online advertising platforms arent an option, how do you advertise your business? Just ask Smoke Cartel co-founders Sean Geng and Darby Cox (News - Alert). This entrepreneurial pair experimented and overcame the hurdles of advertising cannabis accessories they successfully retail to consumers on a growing number of web domains including SmokeCartel.com, MindCBD.com, and ClubLifted.com most popularly. Despite not selling cannabis itself as a leading online head shop worth nearly $6 million with a 26,000 square-foot warehouse and stock ticker of its own (SMKC), the store continues to jump through extra hurdles in advertising, banking, commercial real estate, and credit card processing. Growing an Online Business without Online Ads There may be an international shift from black market to mainstream, but many of the companies that stand as a conduit to consumers are holding down hard lines against advertising cannabis or cannabis-related material. The National Cannabis Industry Association reports that only Nebraska and Idaho continue to fail to make legal accommodations for THC and CBD products as of April 2019. Ten states offer recreational adult use laws with an additional twenty-three U.S. states protecting medical rights. Regardless of state law, major companies like Facebook (News - Alert) and Google still regard marijuana as a federally prohibited substance. While Facebook has started discussions in preparation for full legalization (as already seen in Canada, Georgia, South Africa, and Uruguay), companies still cannot use their online ad services for cannabis and cannabis-related products in the meantime. So what is an online business to do when they cant run Facebook or Google (News - Alert) Ads like their friends in other industries? Grassroots promotion, organic SEO and social media engagement, direct customer relationship-building, trade show appearances, and a few other creative workarounds. Smoke Cartel is an online head shop that sells bongs, dab rigs, vaporizers, cannabis-themed apparel (for both people and pets!), torches, and pretty much anything else you might want or need to enjoy cannabis and tobacco products. From the companys 2013 launch, organic grassroots connections have played a key role in its growth strategy. Fortunately the innovation and quality of these products keep people talking. But as a tech-driven cannabis accessory company, the team wasnt about to give up on online outreach that easily. A strong brand identity powered by Brand Director, Angelica Sorauf, made Smoke Cartel products instantly recognizable -- and desirable -- in the social media community. This sparked natural engagement on unpaid posts that had people re-sharing, tagging their friends, and eventually led to social media influencer partnerships. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) captured the attention of people already curious and in the market for the products the company carried. Potential and existing customers are also added to an email list that helps the company maintain each relationship. Email marketing provides opportunities to educate people on products and the culture that surrounds it while stirring up excitement for new releases, re-stocks, and cannabis-themed holiday promotions. It should be noted, strong 24/7 customer service is what kept its early-adopters coming back for more as Smoke Cartels proprietary warehouse management technology, Warely, kept things operating smoothly during the expansion into wholesale, drop-shipment, and new product line acquisitions. [May 14, 2019] Addiction Treatment Center Pathway Healthcare Now Accepting Alabama Medicaid Pathway Healthcare, a leading provider of office-based medical and behavioral treatment for drug and alcohol addiction and dependency, announced today that it is now accepting Alabama Medicaid. With five office locations across the state in Birmingham, Daphne, Hamilton, Huntsville and Mobile, Pathway Healthcare is working to increase access to effective addiction treatment for all Alabamians. In the past two years, Alabama Medicaid provided services to more than one million Alabama residents according to the Alabama Medicaid Agency's most recent report. Furthermore, 25 percent of the state's citizens are eligible for Medicaid at least one month of the year. "Each month, hundreds of thousands of people across Alabama rely on state-run Medicaid for their medical expenses, including addiction treatment and mental health services," said Scott Olson (News - Alert), CEO of Pathway Healthcare. "At Pathway, we are dedicated to improving access to care for people suffering from substance use disorders. Adjusting our insurance policy to incorporate Alabama Medicaid was crucial for us, and we hope this enables more people to receive the help they need." Drug and alcohol addiction is a persistent problem across the country, and Alabama is no exception, with the state currently attempting to combat opioid addiction. In 2017, according to a summary from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were 422 overdose deaths involving opioids in Alabama. Additionally, Alabama providers wrote 107.2 opioid prescriptions for every 100 persons - the highest prescription rate in the country and almost twofold greater than the average U.S. rate of 58.7 prescriptions. "The devastating effects of the opioid epidemic are being felt in almost every state, including Alabama," said Dr. Brent Boyett, Chief Medical Officer of Pathway Healthcare, who is based in Birmingham. "With more than 400 opioid-related deaths reported in Alabama in 2017 alone, it's imperative that we take action to help curb this nationwide crisis. Too many Alabama residents continue to suffer from substance use disorders simply because they do not have the means to access effective treatment. At Pathway, our goal is to provide care for as many patients as possible, and we believe this change in our insurance policy will help us achieve that." Pathway Healthcare has plans to further expand in Alabama this year, with its newest office slated to open in Athens, AL over the summer. The addiction treatment center specializes in treating substance use disorders through a proprietary care model, known as MAT Plus, which combines medication assisted treatment with behavioral counseling. About Pathway Healthcare Pathway Healthcare, LLC is a team of specialists committed to helping patients suffering from drug and alcohol addiction and dependency. Pathway's proprietary MAT Plus program combines medication assisted treatment and behavioral counseling in a professional and convenient office based outpatient setting. Learn more at www.pathwayhealthcare.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005100/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Digital Medicine Society Now Accepting Members BOSTON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), a Massachusetts nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) application pending, has launched. DiMe is a new professional society serving individuals at the intersection of the global healthcare and technology communities. It supports the development of digital medicine through interdisciplinary collaboration, research, teaching, and the promotion of best practices. "Cross-discipline cooperative networks are needed to unlock the full potential of digital medicine to improve human health," said DiMe Executive Director Jennifer Goldsack. "DiMe provides the only professional home for individuals across digital medicinefrom regulators to white-hat hackers, ethicists to engineers, and clinicians to citizen scientists. We look forward to welcoming a diverse membership to DiMe and, together, driving scientific progress and broad acceptance of digital medicine to enhance public health." Experts from across digital medicine disciplines sit on DiMe's Scientific Leadership and Strategic Advisory Boards: "As the FDA developsframeworks to promote the development of safe and effective medical devices that use advanced algorithms, the agency is looking to collaborate with interdisciplinary experts," said Bakul Patel , director of the division of Digital Health at FDA and founding member of the DiMe Scientific Leadership Board. "DiMe complements our efforts to unify people, information, technology, and connectivity to improve health care and health outcomes." "DiMe is championing digital medicine as an evidence-based field," said Edmondo Robinson , chief transformation officer at Christiana Care Health System. "By convening experts and providing the infrastructure for evidence development, it will help clinical decision-makers and end users better identify digital tools that are safe and effective for patients." "The EMA recognizes the need for constructive engagement and dialogue with the diverse stakeholders being convened by DiMe," said Francesca Cerreta , principal scientific officer at the European Medicines Agency. "This is critical for progress on the evidence requirements and operational elements specific to the application of digital technology to the approval and monitoring of medicines." "Digital medicine requires an unprecedented level of interdisciplinary collaboration," said Luca Foschini , cofounder and chief data scientist at Evidation Health. "Through its dynamic resources and opportunities, DiMe will support and foster a thriving, experienced workforce, which is critical to the success of the field." The Digital Medicine Society The Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) is a professional society serving the digital medicine community. Together, we drive scientific progress and broad acceptance of digital medicine to enhance public health. Media Contact Michelle Sechser [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-medicine-society-now-accepting-members-300848402.html SOURCE Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] First American Title and Taylor Morrison Complete 500 Hybrid eClosings First American Title Insurance Company, a leading provider of title insurance and settlement services and the largest subsidiary of First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), and Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE: TMHC), a leading national homebuilder and developer, through Taylor Morrison Home Funding, today announced they have completed 500 hybrid eClosings using First American's eClosing solution. The hybrid eClosings took place in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida and Texas. First American's eClosing solution is part of the company's efforts to help transform real estate settlement, enhancing the digital home buying and mortgage experience for consumers. In a hybrid eClosing, home buyers can review and eSign many real estate transaction closing documents from a computer at home or on a mobile device in advance of the closing appointment, while some documents must be wet signed in person at the appointment. "After more than 500 completed hybrid eClosings, we're consistently seeing closing appointments reduced to an average of 20 minutes and home buyers are grateful for the ability to preview documents in advance and to have a shorter, more convenient signing event," said Joe Tavarez, president at First American Title's Homebuilder Services Division. "Equally important, lenders appreciate the ability to offer home buyers the convenience of a hybrid eClosing with minimal process changes and no additional fees. We expect to aggressively ramp up hybrid eClosing transaction volume in the months ahead." First American offers hybrid eClosing through its eClosing solution for no additional settlement fee to homebuilders, their lender partners or home buyers. With First American's eClosing solution, First American facilitates the digital settlement process and provides title insurance. The company also maintains the flexibility to support homebuilders and lenders that prefer to use their own third-party eClosing solution. "We can offer our customers a new level o service, transparency and peace of mind by allowing them to preview their closing documents in advance of the close date. The speed and simplicity of e-signing exceeds customer expectations as they complete the final steps in their home buying journey," said Tawn Kelley, President of Financial Services and Executive Vice President at Taylor Morrison. First American's eClosing solution includes a mobile-friendly interface, consumer document preview, digital scheduling for mobile notary meetings, consumer appointment confirmation, and eSignatures for hybrid eClosings. The solution will also manage "eVault-ready" loan documents, including fully executed eNotes, and is ready to support a lender's MERS eRegistry and eVaulting workflows. First American's Guide to eClosing and eSigning Real Estate Transactions provides helpful information, infographics and background on the shift toward digital settlement, including the benefits and different types of eClosings, as well as a state-by-state guide to remote online eClosing. About First American Title Insurance Company First American Title Insurance Company, the largest subsidiary of First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), traces its history to 1889. One of the largest title insurers in the nation, the company offers title services through its direct operations and an extensive network of agents throughout the United States and abroad. First American Title provides comprehensive title insurance coverage and professional services for real estate purchases, construction, refinances and equity loans. For more information, visit www.firstam.com/title. About Taylor Morrison Home Corporation Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE: TMHC) is a leading national homebuilder and developer that has been recognized as America's Most Trusted Home Builder by Lifestory Research from 2016 to 2019. Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., the company operates under two well-established brands, Taylor Morrison and Darling Homes. Taylor Morrison serves a wide array of consumer groups from coast to coast, including first-time, move-up, luxury, and 55-plus buyers. In Texas, Darling Homes builds communities with a focus on individuality and distinctive detail while delivering on the Taylor Morrison standard of excellence. For more information about Taylor Morrison and Darling Homes, please visit www.taylormorrison.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005294/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] First-ever Canadian Paytech Report Offers Insight on Emerging Canadian Paytech Market Fintech Growth Syndicate (FGS) and Paytechs of Canada report maps rapid change in paytech landscape and its economy-boosting potential TORONTO, May 14, 2019 /CNW/ - FGS and Paytechs of Canada, today co-released an in-depth report on the Canadian Paytech landscape, offering the first ever comprehensive overview of the impact and pace at which technology is driving disruptive change. The Canadian Paytech Report provides a data-driven view on Paytech in Canada, analysis and deep insights on all participants in the payments ecosystem. The report highlights innovation in the payments space, emerging trends in Canada [and globally], and includes future considerations for tech giants, non-financial companies and traditional financial institutions. "The Canadian financial services market is experiencing a dramatic increase of fierce competition driven by the availability of new technology. There is sustained pressure coming from consumers and business for the industry to innovate," says Sue Britton, CEO & Founder of FGS. "With great confidence, I can say that the majority of incumbent companies, given their size, are unaware of the scale and speed of change happening around them, nor are they able to move quickly enough to respond." FGS and Paytechs of Canada, the newly formed trade group for Paytechs in this country, wanted to provide information about the Paytech ecosystem to create awareness, conversation and ideas for collaboration. Together they believe, Canada needs more bold moves and less incrementalism by financial institutions to continue to be viable long term and support the acceleration of innovation in Canada. The report aims to shed light on Canada's current position in the payments ecosystem, and introduce ideas for future opportunities. "Payment innovation has and will continue to pave the way for FinTech adoption in Canada. Little is known about the group largely driving that innovation - Paytech," says Ben Harrison, Partne, Head of Partnerships & Policy at Portag3 Ventures. "We recognize that a lot of great work has been done so far but there's still work to do. This report gives us a benchmark to start tracking progress at an industry level." Highlights of the report include: The number of Paytech Companies in Canada has increased by 136% in the last 5 years (2014-2018) and by 233% in the last 10 years (2009-2018). has increased by 136% in the last 5 years (2014-2018) and by 233% in the last 10 years (2009-2018). There are 633 Paytech companies in Canada - including startups, incumbents, tech giants, non-financial entrants and challenger banks. - including startups, incumbents, tech giants, non-financial entrants and challenger banks. Of these 633 companies, 420 are headquartered in Canada . The rest are Canadian subsidiaries of companies headquartered elsewhere. . The rest are Canadian subsidiaries of companies headquartered elsewhere. These 633 companies employ more than 80,000 people in Canada . . The report analyzed the global tech giants with a Paytech offering and found that 12 out of the 14 tech giants analyzed have a Paytech product for the Canadian market. FGS research located public data on 244 deals for a total of $2.86 billion funding into Paytech companies in Canada . funding into Paytech companies in . There have been 28 acquisitions of Paytech companies in Canada since 2010. since 2010. The use of digital, demand for convenience, choice and increased need for access to financial services by all Canadians is driving new entrants to the Canadian market. There are now more than 25 Challenger Banks operating in Canada . Overall, the objective is to inform Canadians, as well as broad financial and non financial institutions, such as retailers and telcos, on how to adapt and embrace emerging opportunities to stay competitive. FGS and Paytechs of Canada also believe this report will be incredibly helpful for those outside the payments industry, particularly key government stakeholders like the Dept of Finance, and Bank of Canada to understand changes to date and where Paytech is going. At its core, the FGS, Paytechs of Canada report uncovers a Canadian payments market in the midst of numerous changes, all of which are indicators of positive movement towards innovation. The newly announced Paytechs of Canada is a harmonized voice of Paytechs working to improve payment experiences for Canadians by creating competition and innovation through solutions-oriented advocacy and education. To download the Canadian Paytech Report visit: https://www.fintechgrowthsyndicate.com/paytechreport To learn more and/or sign up, visit Paytechs of Canada: www.paytechs.ca About FinTech Growth Syndicate: FinTech Growth Syndicate helps corporations innovate while keeping a pulse on Canada's FinTech ecosystem. Deeply connected to the FinTech community and stakeholders, FGS, helps organizations find partners and build awareness within the FinTech ecosystem, to foster the acceleration and advancement of innovation for incumbents. Learn more at: www.fintechgrowthsyndicate.com About the Paytechs of Canada: The Paytechs of Canada aims to achieve the best possible payment experiences for Canadians. The Paytechs of Canada is a harmonized voice of Paytechs working to improve payment experiences for Canadians by fostering competition through solutions-oriented advocacy and education. Learn more at: www.paytechs.ca SOURCE FinTech Growth Syndicate [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Government of Canada creates Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence Leading researchers, academics and business executives will advise on how to build on Canada's strength in artificial intelligence in a way that reflects Canadian values OTTAWA, May 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of complex and powerful technologies that will touch or transform every sector and industry in Canada. It has the power to help us address some of our most challenging problems, from improving Canadians' health to fighting climate change. It will also introduce new sources of job creation and sustainable economic growth. Canada has already started harnessing AI through the AI supercluster, based in Montreal. Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced the launch of the Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence. This is the next step in the Government of Canada's comprehensive approach to supporting this important new sector. The Minister announced the creation of the Council while in Paris for the G7 meeting of Digital Ministers. The theme of this year's meeting is "Building Digital Trust Together." Participants will reflect on the parameters required to foster innovation while building trust in digital societies and economies. The council will advise the Government of Canada on how best to build on Canada's AI strengths, identify opportunities to create economic growth that benefits all Canadians and ensure that AI advancements reflect Canadian values. The Government is committed to promoting a human-centric approach to AI, grounded in human rights, transparency and openness. These values will ensure that we can increase trust and accountability in AI while protecting our democratic values, processes and institutions. Specifically, the council will establish a working group on commercializing value from Canadian-owned AI and data analytics, building on the work started by the Digital Industries Economic Strategy Table. It will also provide advice on how best to advance the goals laid out in the Canada-France Statement on Artificial Intelligence and will support Canada's participation in various international engagements such as the G7, the G20, the OECD and the World Economic Forum. The advisory council will be co-chaired by Foteini Agrafioti, Chief Science Officer for the Royal Bank of Canada, and Yoshua Bengio, Scientific Director of the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms. Members of the advisory council also include: Pierre Boivin , President and CEO, Claridge , President and CEO, Claridge Ntalie Cartwright , Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Finn AI , Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Finn AI Marc-Antoine Dilhac, Canada Research Chair in Public Ethics and Political Theory, Universite de Montreal Eli Fathi , Co-Founder and CEO, MindBridge Analytics Inc. , Co-Founder and CEO, MindBridge Analytics Inc. Geoffrey Hinton , Chief Scientific Advisor, Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence , Chief Scientific Advisor, Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence Ian Kerr , Canada Research Chair in Ethics, Law and Technology, University of Ottawa , Canada Research Chair in Ethics, Law and Technology, Jordan Kyriakidis , Co-Founder and CEO, QRA Corp. , Co-Founder and CEO, QRA Corp. AJung Moon, Director, Open Roboethics Institute Mona Nemer , Canada's Chief Science Advisor , Chief Science Advisor Teresa Scassa , Canada Research Chair in Information Law and Policy, University of Ottawa , Canada Research Chair in Information Law and Policy, Elissa Strome , Executive Director of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy , Canadian Institute for Advanced Research , Executive Director of the Pan-Canadian , Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Richard Sutton , Chief Science Advisor, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute , Chief Science Advisor, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute Genevieve Tanguay, Vice President of Emerging Technologies, National Research Council Canada Quotes "Artificial intelligence is more than just a new product or service. It has the potential to help us solve some of the most difficult challenges we face, create jobs and growth across all industries, and improve the lives of all Canadians. The advisory council will help us capitalize on Canada's leadership in AI in ways that upholds Canadian values of inclusiveness and diversity so that all Canadians can participate in and benefit from the digital economy." The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development "Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to help us design the responsive digital services that Canadians demand, but it must be used ethically and responsibly. The Advisory Council on Artificial intelligence will give us essential expertise from across industry, academia and government to make sure we use AI in a way that is transparent, deliberate and accountable." The Honourable Joyce Murray, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government Quick facts Canada has a strong foundation in AI to build on, with strengths in science, skills and talent, and clusters, as well as a thriving start-up ecosystem. Canada is home to more than 800 AI companies, and the number of Canadian AI start-ups is growing by approximately 28% year over year. has a strong foundation in AI to build on, with strengths in science, skills and talent, and clusters, as well as a thriving start-up ecosystem. is home to more than 800 AI companies, and the number of Canadian AI start-ups is growing by approximately 28% year over year. Artificial intelligence is an important contributor to Canada's economy. In 2018, $548 million in venture capital was invested in Canadian AI companies, an increase of approximately 50% from 2017. As well, Canadian job opportunities in the field of AI grew by nearly 500% between June 2015 and June 2017 . economy. In 2018, in venture capital was invested in Canadian AI companies, an increase of approximately 50% from 2017. As well, Canadian job opportunities in the field of AI grew by nearly 500% between and . The government selected five superclusters that represent more than 450 businesses, 60 postsecondary institutions and 180 other participants. These superclusters are all planning to support projects that will promote the development or use of AI in their respective industries. The AI-Powered Supply Chains Supercluster (SCALE.AI) will be the supercluster with the biggest focus on AI, undertaking activities to develop next-generation AI-powered supply chain platforms and create over 16,000 jobs for Canadians. The Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy supports AI research and talent attraction and retention in Canada , promotes collaboration between Canada's main centres of AI expertise, and positions Canada as a leading destination for companies in this sector. , promotes collaboration between main centres of AI expertise, and positions as a leading destination for companies in this sector. The Government of Canada's support for the Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence will be led by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Privy Council Office, as well as other federal departments and partners. support for the Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence will be led by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Privy Council Office, as well as other federal departments and partners. On November 22, 2018 , at the Digital 9 Summit in Israel , Canada and the other D9 member nations agreed on a shared approach to the responsible implementation and use of AI by governments. Related products Terms of Reference of the Government of Canada Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence Biographies of the members of the Government of Canada Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence Stay connected Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED. Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media. Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: CanadianInnovation, Instagram: @CDNinnovation and LinkedIn SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] IGEL to Feature Next Gen Edge OS for Cloud Workspaces at Citrix Synergy 2019 SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IGEL, provider of a next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces, will be demonstrating how it is teaming with its ecosystem partners, channel partners and customers to disrupt the end user computing (EUC) space in Booth #204 at Citrix Synergy 2019, taking place May 21-23 in Atlanta. "At this year's Citrix Synergy, IGEL is looking forward showcasing our next gen OS for cloud workspaces," said Jed Ayres, President and CEO, IGEL North America. "Available on any device, any cloud and anywhere, IGEL has unprecendented visibility in the EUC space with this next gen OS that helps our partners and their customers solve many challenges including the migration to Windows 10." Citrix Ready Solutions on Display IGEL has been working with Citrix for more than 15 years, and as a Citrix Ready partner, remains committed to developing new and innovative ways in which to collaborate with Citrix to enhance the end-user computing experience. During Citrix Synergy 2019, IGEL will demonstrate the very latest version of IGEL OS IGEL OS 11, as well as the IGEL UD Pocket (UDP) and Universal Management Suite (UMS). They will also be showcasing the new IGEL UD2 in the booth along with the IGEL UD7 . "One of the most exciting attractions for attendees will be the opportunity to drive a 'virtual' race car," continued Ayres. "This year, IGEL will again be running the popular Forza Motorsport 7 racing video game to demo the powerful capabilities of IGEL's software-defined solutions." IGEL Innovation Theater Returns with Thought Leaders from Across the EUC Space Back by popular demand is the IGEL Innovation Theater which will feature a series of presentations by IGEL ecosystem partners, channel partners and technical experts from across the EUC space. The sessions will take place every half-hour during show floor hours and speakers include: Dale Ludwig , Business Development Manager, Cherry , Business Development Manager, Carl Webster,Technology Professional specializing in Active Directory, Citrix, Documentation, and PowerShell; Senior Solutions Architect, Choice Solutions Bryan Hilton , Global VDI Technical Solutions Architect, Cisco , Global VDI Technical Solutions Architect, Patricia Diaz , Head of Product Marketing, Lakeside Software , Head of Product Marketing, Phil Johnson , IT Senior National Sales Manager, LG , IT Senior National Sales Manager, Kevin Cooke , Product Director, Liquidware , Product Director, Mark Plettenberg , Senior Product Manager, LoginVSI , Senior Product Manager, John Fanelli Vice President, Virtual GPU Products, NVIDIA Vice President, Virtual GPU Products, Alexander Ervik Johnsen, Senior Systems Engineer, Nutanix Garrett Helmer , Senir Vice President, Channels, PrinterLogic , Senir Vice President, Channels, John Poole , Vice President, Channels and Alliances, Qumu , Vice President, Channels and Alliances, Dane Young , Owner/Entrepeneur, YoungTech , Owner/Entrepeneur, Patrick Coble , Senior EUC and Security Architect, Patrick Coble Consulting IGEL Customers and partners are also invited to stop by the IGEL EUC TV suite, located adjacent to IGEL Booth #204 and share their insights on industry trends and key take-aways from Citrix Synergy 2019. Engagement and Education at Citrix Synergy Throughout Citrix Synergy 2019, IGEL will be hosting invitation-only meetings and VIP luncheons with customers and partners from the North America and EMEA regions. Citrix Synergy attendees are also invited to register for the following IGEL technical training sessions taking place throughout the week: IGEL Certified Engineer (ICE) Base training on Monday, May 20 from 11am - 4:30pm . This session will provide all the information and beginning experience needed to configure, install, and manage IGEL-powered software-defined endpoints. from . This session will provide all the information and beginning experience needed to configure, install, and manage IGEL-powered software-defined endpoints. ICE Pack: UMS Expert training on Monday, May 20 from 2pm - 4pm . This training will offer a technical deep dive based on several practical examples and many use cases around IGEL Universal Management Suite. from . This training will offer a technical deep dive based on several practical examples and many use cases around IGEL Universal Management Suite. ICE Pack: Cloud Architect session on Wednesday, May 22 from 3pm - 5pm . This training will feature a deep dive based on several practical examples of how to get the most benefit from IGEL solutions running in cloud-based environments. For more information on these sessions or to register, visit igel.com/synergy. IGEL's Douglas Brown and Simon Townsend will also be participating in a "Meet the Experts" session on "Best Practices for Transforming the Desktop Experience for the 'Future of Work'." The session will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center, Level 1, Synergy Park, Hall C2, Meet the Experts Theater #1 at 4pm on Wednesday, May 22. Additionally, Douglas Brown will also present a breakout session with Roberto Perez, IT Architect for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines featuring insights on how the world's second largest cruise line operator was able to re-purpose many of its aging endpoints leveraging IGEL's software-defined endpoint solutions. This breakout session will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center, Level 3, Room C302 at 11:30am on Thursday, May 23. The IGEL Community will be hosting a Happy Hour on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30pm to 7pm at Der Biergarten located at 300 Marietta Street NW in Atlanta. To Register for this event, visit igel.com/synergy. On Thursday, May 23, IGEL will also be hosting a "Porsche Driving Experience" for top performing partners and their customers at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta. Challenging Everything with IGEL in 2019 Citrix Synergy attendees will have the opportunity to enter IGEL's "I Challenge Everything" sweepstakes. Following the completion of a short survey and attending an in-booth presentation in the IGEL Innovation Theater, they will be entered to win the all-new electric Porsche Taycan. The winner for this sweepstakes will have the option of a cash equivalent prize ($85K) or donating the prize money to his or her charity of choice. Winner will be announced on December 31, 2019. IGEL is also extending its successful Customer Challenge Award contest in 2019, where IGEL customers can qualify to participate for a chance to win $20,000 by submitting their testimonial story. For more information on IGEL at Citrix Synergy 2019, visit igel.com/synergy. Connect with IGEL at Citrix Synergy 2019 using the hashtags #IGEL, #IGELOS, #DISRUPTEUC and #CITRIXSYNERGY and get a free hat at the IGEL booth. IGEL on Social Media Twitter: www.twitter.com/IGEL_Technology Facebook: www.facebook.com/igel.technology LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/igel-technology YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/IGELTechnologyTV IGEL Community: www.igel.com/community About IGEL IGEL provides a next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces. The company's world-leading software products include IGEL OS, IGEL UD Pocket (UDP) and Universal Management Suite (UMS). These solutions comprise a more secure, manageable and cost-effective endpoint management and control platform across nearly any x86 device. Easily acquired via just two feature-rich software offerings, Workspace Edition and Enterprise Management Pack IGEL software presents outstanding value per investment. Additionally, IGEL's German engineered endpoint solutions deliver the industry's best warranty (5 years), support (3 years after end of life) and management functionality. IGEL enables enterprises to save vast amounts of money by extending the useful life of their existing endpoint devices while precisely controlling all devices running IGEL OS as well as Windows OS from a single dashboard interface. IGEL has offices worldwide and is represented by partners in over 50 countries. For more information on IGEL, visit www.igel.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/igel-to-feature-next-gen-edge-os-for-cloud-workspaces-at-citrix-synergy-2019-300849710.html SOURCE IGEL [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Integration Partners Named East Mobility Partner of the Year 2019 at 2019 Aruba Americas Partner Summit Integration Partners today announced that it was honored as Aruba's 2019 East Mobility Partner of the Year 2019 at the Aruba Americas Partner Summit, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 1-3, 2019. The annual Top Channel Partner (News - Alert) awards recognize the achievements of the leading Americas channel partners and distributors for Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, in the areas of sales, expertise in delivering Aruba solutions, and commitment to customer service. "Our customers are seeking our expertise with architecting and deploying secure devices, networks and cloud deployments all while applying appropriate security controls and visibility to quickly identify and stop threats. HPE / Aruba's commitment to this end enables our teams to deliver this goal to our customers in an automated and integrated platform approach," said Patrick Zanella, Security Practice Leader for Integration Partners. <> "Aruba's annual awards program is a chance to celebrate the achievements of our world-class partners, who are some of the very best in the business," said Jim Harold, vice president of North America channels for Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. "As organizations continue to adopt mobility, cloud and IoT, they need access to not just industry-leading solutions, but also to resources that understand their unique business and technology challenges, and who are committed to finding creative ways to solve them. We congratulate Integration Partners for being named a 2019 Aruba Top Channel Partner, and thank them for their dedication to their customers' success." About Integration Partners Integration Partners is a Platinum Aruba Networks (News - Alert) partner specializing in solutions that are open, scalable and drive to greater productivity and competitiveness for our clients. Our solutions and services portfolio provide enterprises with Cloud, Security, Collaboration, Core Infrastructure, and Managed Services. Integration Partners is a privately held company headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts. www.integrationpartners.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005033/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Local 10-digit dialing and a new area code coming to New Brunswick in 2020 Residents and businesses encouraged to begin preparing early for new 10-digit dialing FREDERICTON, May 14, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Starting August 13, 2020, local 10-digit dialing will be introduced in New Brunswick. Residents will need to dial 10 digits the area code followed by the seven-digit phone number for all local calls. The introduction of 10-digit dialing is the result of a decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and will pave the way for the addition of a new area code, 428, in November 2020, as the 506 area code reaches capacity. The ever-growing use of communications services is driving the increase in demand for phone numbers in the region, which means 10-digit local dialing will be required for all wireline and wireless local calls. This dialing method allows for the introduction of a new area code that will create a large supply of new phone numbers. The Telecommunications Alliance, a group of major Canadian telecommunications companies, is leading a public awareness campaign to inform residents and business customers across New Brunswick about local 10-digit dialing and the new area code. "Most regions in Canada have already transitioned to local 10-digit dialing and we are confident these changes will be seamless for residents and businesses in New Brunswick," said Edward Antecol, General Manager of the Canadian Numbering Administrator. "In order to ensure a successful transition, we recommend that people start reprogramming their equipment for 10-digit local dialing now, as most telecommunications companies are already able to support 10-digit dialed calls. By adopting 10-digit dialing early, residents and businesses will be well-prepared by August 2020." How to prepare for 10-digit dialing Residents will need to add the 506 area code to programmed numbers in all of their communications devices and equipment (including phones, auto dialers, fax machines, computers and lifeline equipment) and verify that their alarm systems are compatible with local 10-digit dialing. Companies that use numerous communications systems and devices should also take the necessary steps to update their equipment. All adjustments need to be completed before August 13, 2020. Additional information is available on the Telecommunications Alliance website at dial10.ca. New area code Starting on November 21, 2020, the area code 428 will be added in New Brunswick using the overlay method. This means the 428 area code will coexist with the current 506 area code and will cover the same geographic area. Customers with telephone numbers that include the 506 area code will retain their numbers. Numbers with the new 428 area code will only be assigned to customers when the existing inventory of 506 numbers is depleted. Introducing a new area code does not affect local calling areas in any way. Adding a new area code to a calling region requires changes in local dialing habits. Since the same phone number can now exist in both area codes, 10-digit local dialing the area code followed by the seven-digit phone number is necessary in order for local calls to be connected and reach their destinations. The Telecommunications Alliance Canada's major telecommunications service providers have joined forces to develop a communications campaign informing the public about the introduction of 10-digit dialing and new area codes in certain calling areas. For more information, please visit dial10.ca. SOURCE Telecommunications Alliance [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Medicrea Hosts Second Annual Meeting Focused on Artificial Intelligence and Analytics in New York, USA The MEDICREA Group (Euronext Growth Paris: FR0004178572 - ALMED ; OTCQX Best Market - MRNTF), pioneering the transformation of spinal surgery through Artificial Intelligence, predictive modeling and patient specific implants with its UNiD ASI (Adaptive Spine Intelligence) proprietary software platform, services and technologies, announced today that it hosted the second edition of its annual Medicrea Artificial Intelligence and Analytics (MAIA) Meeting in New York, NY, USA from April 26-27. The MAIA group is an ongoing collaboration between surgeons and industry that is the first of its kind to focus on the role of Artificial Intelligence in the treatment of complex spinal deformities. During this second edition, the company also demonstrated the advancements made to its proprietary UNiD ASI (Adaptive Spine Intelligence) technology. Since the FDA clearance of UNiD rods in November 2014 followed by the FDA clearance of Medicrea's proprietary digital platform in May 2017, a tool based on Artificial Intelligence with the goal to assist surgeons in building precise surgical planning in order to help them improve their patient's outcomes, 3700 patients have benefited from this unique technology and have received UNID Patient Specific Rods. "Medicrea just concluded a highly successful and educational meeting in New York", stated Dr Chris Ames, MD, Director of spinal tumor and spinal deformity surgery at UCSF Medical Center, CA (News - Alert). "Participants heard thought leading presentations and took part in stimulating round-tables focused on new AI based technics and methods applied to spine care". MAIA was chaired by renowned surgeons in spine surgery, including Dr Chris Ames, MD; Dr Vedat Deviren, MD, Professor of Orthoepedic Surgery at the UCSF Spine Center, CA; and co-chaired by Dr Evalina Burger, MD, Professor and Vice Chair of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado. The faculty also featured 3 additional leaders, including Dr Rajiv Sethi, MD, Spinal Surgeon, Neuroscience Institute, and Medical Director, Neuroscience Institute at Virginia Mason, WA; Dr Themi Protopsaltis, Chief, Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone, NY; and Dr Han Jo Kim, Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery, NY. Dr Vijay Yanamadala, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY said "I was really impressed by how far Medicrea has already come regarding application of artificial intelligence to spine. They've developed an A.I. platform accessible through a user-friendly interface called the UNiD HUB. The system digests scientific data to generate intelligent surgical planning through machine learning while simultaneously allowing you to perform detailed, custom analyses of your cases and manage the entire workflow from start to finish. Not only does it chage the clinical workflow, it makes it more efficient and increase productivity." During this course, Medicrea also shared follow up data regarding rod breakage incidence. By simulating surgical strategies using proprietary data and algorithms taking into consideration patients' optimal sagittal alignment and compensatory mechanisms, Medicrea produces a patient-specific rod industrially pre-bent to precisely match the optimal individual surgical simulation. This process preserves the rod's full integrity, and limits stress points that could lead to rod fracture once implanted into the patient. "Medicrea is the first spine company to make custom rods for precise correction of spinal deformity. The company's R&D efforts have leveraged its intelligent pre-operative surgical planning to become the only manufacturer able to streamline inventory required for a surgery as well as provide patient-specific devices. I can only wonder what they will come with next" stated Dr Jad Khalil, MD, attending spine surgeon at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. "Medicrea is proud to have welcomed some of the world's most prestigious spine surgeons to its second annual MAIA." said Denys Sournac, Chief Executive Officer of Medicrea. He also added "The first 2019 quarter has seen a 68% growth of the artificial intelligence-based surgeries using the UNiD ASI technology in the US. We are on the path to change the standard of care for spine patients and we are excited to work with this amazing group of surgeons to bring our spine A.I- based solutions to the rest of the world.". About MEDICREA (www.medicrea.com) Through the lens of predictive medicine, MEDICREA leverages its proprietary software analysis tools with big data and machine learning technologies supported by an expansive collection of clinical and scientific data. The Company is well-placed to streamline the efficiency of spinal care, reduce procedural complications and limit time spent in the operating room. Operating in a $10 billion marketplace, MEDICREA is a Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME) with 200 employees worldwide, which includes 50 who are based in the U.S. The Company has an ultra-modern manufacturing facility in Lyon, France housing the development and production of 3D- printed titanium patient-specific implants. For further information, please visit: medicrea.com. Connect with MEDICREA FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE MEDICREA is listed on EURONEXT Growth Paris ISIN: FR 0004178572 Ticker: ALMED LEI: 969500BR1CPTYMTJBA37 MEDICREA is traded on OTCQX Best Market Tickers: MRNTF View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005961/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] NetBrain Technologies Expands Product Sales to Japan NetBrain Technologies, provider of the industry's leading network automation platform for more than 2,200 enterprises worldwide, today announced the launch of its flagship network automation product in Japan through a partnership with Kanagawa-based NTT (News - Alert) Advanced Technology Corporation (NTT-AT). Through NTT-AT, Japanese customers will now be able to deploy NetBrain's solutions - under the brand "NetworkBrain" - to combat the increasing complexity of today's network environments due to the popularity of virtualization and software-defined networking (SDN). As part of the partnership, NTT-AT (News - Alert) established a NetworkBrain laboratory and plans to provide pre-sales support to customers including online demonstrations, proof of concept (PoC), consulting and installation services, as well as local language support. "Japan is an important market for us as we continue to expand our global reach and accelerate the adoption of just-in-time network automation worldwide," said Lingping Gao, chairman and chief executive officer at NetBrain Technologies. "Through this strategic partnership with NTT-AT, we are excited to be able to mae our award-winning automation solution available to IT teams in Japan." NTT-AT provides enterprises with a variety of network security products and services. By adding NetBrain's solutions to their lineup, they now will be able to offer customers advanced automation solutions for network operations, combined with existing networking and security products. NetBrain provides mapping and diagnostic automation for any IT workflow including: Dynamic documentation: allowing IT teams to eliminate manual methods of documenting network topology, design, and playbooks. allowing IT teams to eliminate manual methods of documenting network topology, design, and playbooks. Troubleshooting automation : triggering a diagnostic response of a detected event or anomaly in real-time. : triggering a diagnostic response of a detected event or anomaly in real-time. Security automation : isolating the crime scene and helping teams identify the impact radius of a threat. : isolating the crime scene and helping teams identify the impact radius of a threat. Automation for SDN operations : helping teams demystify software-defined networks and operate them with confidence. : helping teams demystify software-defined networks and operate them with confidence. Enhanced collaboration: stopping finger pointing between network, application, and server teams during a troubleshooting event. NTT-AT is expected to begin sales of NetBrain's solutions this month. About NetBrain Technologies Founded in 2004, NetBrain is the market leader for network automation. Its just-in-time automation platform provides network engineers with dynamic visibility across their hybrid networks and automation for key tasks across their IT workflows. Today, more than 2,200 of the world's largest enterprises and managed service providers use NetBrain to automate network documentation, accelerate troubleshooting, and strengthen network security-while integrating with a rich ecosystem of partners. NetBrain is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with offices in Sacramento, California; London, United Kingdom; Munich, Germany; Toronto, Canada; and Beijing, China. For more information, visit https://www.netbraintech.com/. NetBrain, NetworkBrain and the NetBrain logo are registered of trademarks of NetBrain Technologies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005068/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Nextdoor Secures $123 Million to Continue Rapid Growth and International Expansion SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Nextdoor, Inc. ( nextdoor.com ) announced $123 million in funding led by Riverwood Capital, with participation from existing investors Benchmark, Tiger Global Management and Kleiner Perkins, and new participation from a large global asset manager. This will cement Nextdoor as the essential local platform for neighbors around the globe. Chris Varelas, co-founder and managing partner of Riverwood Capital, will join the company's board of directors. The funding comes at a time of accelerating growth for the company. Nextdoor is extending its reach into Sweden and Denmark, adding to its current footprint in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Australia. Today, neighbors in over 236,000 neighborhoods are using Nextdoor to get connected, stay informed, and help each other get things done in their everyday lives. The launch of two new European countries is yet another exciting milestone for the company, with Nextdoor growing three times faster across Europe this year than it did in 2018. "We believe Nextdoor represents the future of local community and commerce this investment reflects our collective belief in the power and opportunity in this space, and the Nextdoor team," said Chris Varelas, co-founder and managing partner of Riverwood Capital. "We're excited to be a part of this growing local platform and the much needed strengthening of communities that Nextdoor is enabling around the world." Nextdoor will continue to invest in building out its world-class team, adding to the bench of recent strategic hires including Tatyana Mamut, head of product, Bryan Power, head of people, and Craig Lisowski, head of data, information systems and trust to focus on ensuring the product best serves neighbors, local businesses, public agencies, and advertsers. "Around the world, there is a universal yearning for the connectedness of proximity. Neighbors everywhere still love and care about belonging and contributing to a tangible, real place as evidenced by Nextdoor's continued growth and expansion throughout the US, Europe and Australia," said Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor. "We're thrilled and honored to partner with these forward-looking investors to catalyze neighbors' ability to connect with relevant local conversations, organizations, and businesses, engage in real world interactions, and unlock the global power of local." "Nextdoor has proven itself as the clear leader in local, with its ability to not only bring back a sense of community to neighborhoods everywhere, but also transform the local economy," said Bill Gurley, general partner of Benchmark. "We are excited to continue to support Nextdoor's growing global footprint as a crucial part of neighbors' lives." For more information on Nextdoor's global social impact, visit the blog or www.nextdoor.com . About Nextdoor, Inc. Nextdoor is the world's largest social network for the neighborhood. Nextdoor enables truly local conversations that empower neighbors to build stronger and safer communities. Building connections in the real world is a universal human need. That truth, and the reality that neighborhoods are one of the most important and useful communities in our lives have been guiding principles for Nextdoor. Today, neighbors rely on Nextdoor in more than 236,000 neighborhoods around the world in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Australia, with many more to come. Nextdoor is a privately-held company based in San Francisco with backing from prominent investors including Benchmark, Shasta Ventures, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Riverwood Capital, Axel Springer and others. For additional information and images: nextdoor.com/newsroom About Riverwood Capital Riverwood Capital is a private equity firm that invests in high-growth, middle-market companies in the technology, technology-enabled, and other related industries. Riverwood offers a unique combination of operational, strategic, technology, and financial insight to portfolio companies that typically need growth capital and expertise to scale globally. The firm invests in established businesses with dynamic management teams, a proven technology and business model, and the proper fit in terms of culture and values. Riverwood invests globally and participates in both minority and control deals. The firm has offices in Menlo Park, CA; New York, NY; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Please visit www.riverwoodcapital.com . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nextdoor-secures-123-million-to-continue-rapid-growth-and-international-expansion-300849307.html SOURCE Nextdoor, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Red Mortgage Capital, Related Companies and Texas Housing Foundation Close $22 Million Rural Affordable Portfolio Red Mortgage Capital, a division of ORIX Real Estate Capital, LLC, recently closed a $22 million portfolio with a joint venture between Related Affordable, a division of Related Companies, and the Texas Housing Foundation (THF). The funding will enable Related to substantially rehabilitate 14 properties located in 12 rural Texas communities, preserving the affordability of 556 housing units. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005084/en/ David Bonomo, RED Capital Group (Photo by Laura Schmidt Photography) The loans were made using the USDA Rural Development program. All of the properties had existing USDA 515 debt outstanding, which, pursuant to USDA 538 program guidelines, was restructured as part of this long-term preservation initiative. "Related Affordable has preserved tens of thousands of affordable housing units across the country and has never taken a single unit to market rate. This is a promise we will once again make to our community partners in Texas," said Matthew Finkle, President at Related Affordable. "Related takes great pride in building neighborhoods, and it is because of partners like the Texas Housing Foundation and RED that we are able to provide long-term affordable housing to those who need it most." RED and Lancaster Pollard, both owned by ORIX Corporation USA, recently merged, combining the expertise and experience of both companies. Multifamily transactions are currently being executed under the da of Red Mortgage Capital. Related selected RED Based on their distinguished track record of underwriting, funding and servicing USDA RD loans. Red Mortgage Capital is one of the top five lenders in the RD program. "Coordinating the complexity of closing of 14 properties into one portfolio was a true team effort," said David Bonomo, Director at RED. "We are proud to be Related's partner as they expand their affordable presence into the state of Texas." "As a very active USDA, Fannie Mae and FHA -Affordable housing lender, RED Capital provides a comprehensive menu of affordable and workforce housing financing options nationwide. It was our pleasure to work with Related Affordable on this Texas portfolio," said Trent Brooks, President of Red Mortgage Capital. The portfolio includes properties in the following communities throughout Texas, some with populations below 2,000: Albany, Bastrop, Baytown, Burkburnett, Castroville, Electra, Elgin, Evant, Hondo, Lampasas, Beeville, Pflugerville, and Round Rock. ABOUT RED MORTGAGE CAPITAL Red Mortgage Capital is a division of ORIX Real Estate Capital, LLC, a Fannie Mae DUS, MAP- and Lean-approved FHA, and Freddie Mac small balance lender. ORIX Real Estate Capital Holdings, LLC is headquartered in Columbus, OH and is a wholly owned subsidiary of ORIX Corporation USA. ORIX Real Estate Capital has 16 offices nationwide and approximately 330 employees. Securities, Investment Banking and Advisory Services are provided through OREC Securities, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. ABOUT RELATED COMPANIES: Related Companies is the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States. Formed over 40 years ago, Related is a fully-integrated, highly diversified industry leader with experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisitions, management, finance, marketing and sales. Headquartered in New York City, Related has offices and major developments in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Florida, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi and London, and boasts a team of over 3,500 professionals. With over $50 billion in assets owned or under development including the 28-acre Hudson Yards neighborhood development on Manhattan's West Side, Related was recently named to Fast Company Magazine's list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World. For more information about Related, please visit www.related.com. ABOUT RELATED AFFORDABLE: Related Affordable is the division of Related Companies that develops, acquires and preserves affordable housing throughout the nation. Affordable housing laid the foundation of Related Companies, and its broad portfolio of award-winning affordable and mixed-income developments demonstrates the company's continuing ability to create affordable housing opportunities in a variety of geographically, economically and socially diverse neighborhoods. Related owns and operates a portfolio of more than 45,000 affordable and workforce housing units. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005084/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Siklu MultiHaul(TM) cTU, the Next Generation TU, is Now Available SAN JOSE, Calif., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Siklu, the global market leader in 5G mmWave wireless solutions, announced today the general availability of its new Terminal Unit for its industry-leading PtMP MultiHaul series: the MultiHaul compact TU (cTU) T201. With the cTU, the customer premise side of the system has been reduced over 85% in total volume when compared to the standard TU, while maintaining the same gigabit performance. A pocket size package only 6.5"x3.1"x1" (165mm x 80mm x 25mm), a light half lb. weight (250gr), together with a selection of colors will blend the cTU into existing surroundings to further reduce the sight lines of deployed cTUs. The MultiHaul cTU is inherently interference-free and secure under any circumstances thanks to a unique combination of narrow pencil beams operating over the uncongested 60GHz frequency spectrum, coupled with embedded AES encryption, exactly the same as the standard TU. Multiple subscribers and services can be connected on the same mmWave wireless gigabit network simultaneously with complete isolation based on physical port, VLAN ID and/or a Terminal Unit. The cTU smart package is designed for a quick and simple, one-person installation. The integrated Anymount allows for pole or wall attachment, and the installation is completed with a single CAT5e cable into the premise where the cTU gets standard POE power from an Ethernet device. An optional POE injector is included in the package to guarantee power in non-standard installations. The narrow-beam is aligned automatically, and provisioning from the BU is automatic for any Terminal Unit (TU and cTU). The cTU compact and slim form-factor is available in multiple color options allowing installation everywhere, eliminating costly site preparations and long cable runs. The solution is also supported by Siklu's SmartHaul software management tools for automated network design and planning with Siklu radios. "With the cTU Siklu has broken new ground, delivering the same gigabit performance as the TU but in a form factor that is dramatically smaller. This product represents the first of several advances Siklu will be introducing over the next 12 months enabling a complete self-install experience for our customers" said Eyal Assa, Siklu's CEO. "Siklu continues to the deliver the most comprehensive portfolio of end2end mmWave solutions in the market and a rich portfolio of advanced software management apps." Siklu's cTU solution will be showcased at CommunicAsia 2019, 18-20 June, Singapore at the Israel Export Institute booth #1E-02, Stand #5 and at IFSEC International, 18-20 June, ExCeL, London, booth # IF3328. About Siklu Siklu delivers multi-gigabit wireless fiber connectivity in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Operating in the mmWave bands, Siklu's wireless solutions are used by leading service providers and system integrators to provide 5G Gigabit Wireless Access services. In addition, Siklu solutions are ideal for Smart City projects requiring extra capacity such as video security, WiFi backhaul, and municipal network connectivity all over one network. Thousands of SIKLU carrier-grade systems are delivering interference-free performance worldwide. Easily installed on street-fixtures or rooftops, these radios have been proven to be the ideal solution for networks requiring fast and simple deployment of secure, wireless fiber. www.siklu.com. Press Contacts Shiri Butnaru Dave Sumi Director of Marketing, Siklu VP Marketing, Siklu [email protected] [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886615/cTU_GA_pr_01B.jpg SOURCE Siklu [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] The Standard and its Employees Contributed $6 Million to Nonprofits in 2018 The Standard Charitable Foundation, Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) and its employees contributed $6 million last year to nonprofits. The contributions prepared children for success in the classroom, broadened access to the arts, helped people with disabilities thrive independently and supported families facing significant challenges. The Standard provides philanthropic support annually through its corporate giving program and The Standard Charitable Foundation. During the company's annual Employee Giving Campaign, 70 percent of employees and retirees made donations that were matched 2-for-1 by The Standard and parent company Meiji Yasuda. Proceeds from the Employee Giving Campaign benefitted more than 1,800 nonprofits in communities where employees and customers of The Standard live and work. "If you work at The Standard, you want to make a difference - it's that simple," said Greg Ness, chairman, president and CEO of The Standard. "Since our founding in 1906 in Portland, Oregon, we've focused on helping our communities and our neighbors reach higher," Ness added. The Standard encourages and supports employee volunteerism in a variety of ways, including paid time off so employees can volunteer at their local schools and nonprofits. Here are a few other ways that The Standard supports our employees, so they can make a difference year-round: Leo Award - The award recognizes four exceptional employee volunteers, one per quarter, who exemplify the community spirit of company founder Leo Samuel. Nonprofit board training - The company offers training each year to provide interested employees with the expertise they'll need to be successful board members. Day of Caring events - Th Standard hosted 30 volunteer events to focus support on community partners such as Trillium Family Services and Habitat for Humanity. Jeans Days program - Employees have the option to wear jeans on Thursdays and Fridays in exchange for a $100 donation to a nonprofit partner. View the 2018 Community Engagement Report here. Since 2007, The Standard Charitable Foundation, The Standard and its employees have contributed more than $38 million in grants and social investments. Additional information about corporate community involvement and The Standard Charitable Foundation is available here. About The Standard The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping you achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. In business since 1906, we are a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individuals. Our products include group and individual disability insurance, group life, dental and vision insurance, voluntary (employee-paid) benefits, absence management services, and retirement plans and annuities for employers and individuals. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries: Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Mortgage Investors, Inc., StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., StanCorp Real Estate, LLC, and StanCorp Equities, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005066/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 13, 2019] Sumitomo Life Announces a PoC With VYMO - Acceleration of Digital Innovation aiming to enhance efficiency and productivity of sales activity - SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, JAKARTA, Indonesia and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sumitomo Life Insurance Company ("Sumitomo Life", Head Office: Osaka; President and CEO: Masahiro Hashimoto) and ABeam Consulting Ltd. ("ABeam Consulting", Head Office: Tokyo; President and CEO: Toshinori Iwasawa) will conduct proof-of-concept (PoC) research on a new smartphone application with VYMO (Head Office: Bangalore, India; CEO: Yamini Bhat), a start-up whose Asia-Pacific hub is located in Singapore. VYMO's solution utilizes locational information from GPS to realize efficient sales activities of corporate sales representatives. It also increases productivity of marketing through centralized management of information on client companies and sales activities. In addition, VYMO's solution offers a function which suggests the most suitable sales route and action using artificial intelligence (AI) technology which is planned to be verified in view of implementation in the future. VYMO has been adopted by various global insurance companies in Singapore and Sumitomo Life is the first in Japan to execute PoC with VYMO. VYMO's Japanese partner ABeamConsulting, which has a wealth of consulting experience in the insurance industry will support the implementation process. About Sumitomo Life Digital Innovation Labs In April 2018, Sumitomo Life opened Sumitomo Life Digital Innovation Labs in Tokyo and Silicon Valley as hubs to accelerate innovation of businesses and offer services in the era of digital transformation. In the U.S., they have been collaborating with their wholly owned subsidiary Symetra to accelerate network building in the region. Going forward, Sumitomo Life continues to aim creation of innovative businesses and services by collecting the latest technologies and swiftly executing PoCs. For more information, please visit the news release of Sumitomo Life at http://www.sumitomolife.co.jp/english/newsrelease/pdf/nr20180213.pdf About ABeam Consulting ABeam Consulting provides business transformation services that create strategic advantages, improve business processes, leverage technology innovation, and enhance organizational performance for leading multinational and domestic companies worldwide. ABeam partners with clients to diagnose and solve their real challenges with solutions that combine industry and operational best practices with technical expertise. Pragmatic approaches ensure that clients gain measurable value more quickly. Headquartered in Tokyo, ABeam's 6,000 professionals serve clients throughout Asia, the Americas and Europe. For more information on VYMO, please visit their website at https://getvymo.com/ ABeam and its logo are registered trademark of ABeam Consulting, Ltd., in Japan and other countries. and other countries. All company and product names appearing in the news release are registered names, trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders. For more information, please visit the website of ABeam at https://www.abeam.com/jp/en Know more about Vymo Website - https://www.getvymo.com Watch Vymo in action - http://bit.ly/2HbE54x Schedule a demo - https://www.getvymo.com/demo Contact: [email protected] +65-800-492-2421 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9saePnvir4M [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Telia Carrier Brings Cloud Connect to SUPERNAP in Milan Telia Carrier announced today a new Cloud Connect PoP in the SUPERNAP Italia data center near Milan, Italy. Telia's Cloud Connect service enables customers to connect directly to cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure and IBM Cloud, with high performance, low latency, reliability and security across Telia Carrier's extensive global network. With so many companies choosing to use the cloud to hold business critical data, host applications, or deploy their own enterprise apps, reliable, scalable and low-latency connectivity has become a mission-critical issue. Cloud Connect enables businesses to connect directly to the industry-leading Telia Carrier fibre backbone, and accelerate cloud services connectivity, wherever they may be in the world. With multiple redundant and geographically diverse connections to the major clouds and the security of dedicated MEF (News - Alert) CE2.0 certified Ethernet circuits, Cloud Connect offers unparalleled control, flexibility and scalability. "The SUPERNAP data center is an ideal location for our Milan PoP," explained Davide Binaghi, Managing Director Telia Carrier Italy. "The facility's unparalleled resiliency, reliability and security matches the commitment we have to our own infrastructure. We believe its customer base will greatly benefit from Telia Carrier's Cloud Connect service and we are excited to work with them." SUPERNAP Italia is a Tier 4, modular, carrier-neutral colocation data center in Siziano, 20 kilometersfrom central Milan. It opened its first sector in 2016 and continues to grow, providing colocation and connectivity to small-medium Italian enterprises, large international corporations, OTTs, and cloud and managed service providers, all cooperating within what's known as the SUPERNAP Ecosystem. "Telia has been a carrier at our data center since it opened and is a valued member of our Ecosystem, which enables our customers to innovate and grow their businesses," said Philip Tohme, CEO SUPERNAP Italia. "We are pleased to collaborate with Telia to enhance our multi-cloud connect offering and provide our clients a secure, reliable and affordable solution for direct cloud connection in our hyper-scalable environment." Telia Carrier Cloud Connect services are available immediately at SUPERNAP Italia on a range of competitively priced and flexible tariffs. Customers will be able to manage their Cloud Connect services through a user-friendly interface, allowing them to monitor bandwidth and usage in real-time with complete transparency. Top-ranked global backbone For more than two decades Telia Carrier's global fibre backbone has grown organically, without acquisitions. It was the first network to successfully transmit 1 Tb/s in super channels on its U.S. network and recently announced the first real-time transmission of 600Gb/s wavelengths in a live production network. According to Dyn (News - Alert) Research's global backbone rankings, Telia Carrier's global IP backbone, AS1299, is currently ranked number one. The company enables worldwide connectivity by connecting more than 280 Points of Presence (PoPs) across Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East. About Telia Carrier Telia Carrier owns and operates one of the world's most extensive fiber backbones. Our mission is to provide exceptional network infrastructure and services - empowering individuals, businesses and societies to execute their most critical activities. By working close to our customers, we make big ideas happen at the speed of fiber. Discover more at teliacarrier.com. About SUPERNAP Italia The SUPERNAP Italia data center opened in 2016 in Siziano (Pavia), just 20 kilometers from the economic heart of Italy: Milan. The modular facility provides reliable colocation, connectivity and in-house security, 24x7x365 and is based on the design and operations of the Switch SUPERNAP facilities in the US. SUPERNAP Italia has been recognized as the most advanced data center in Southern Europe and guarantees 100% uptime to its wide-ranging clients. Visit supernap.it for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005130/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Tyler Technologies Signs $7.2 Million Appraisal Services Agreement with The Commonwealth of the Bahamas Tyler Technologies Inc. (NYSE: TYL) announced today that it has signed an agreement with The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Department of Inland Revenue, Real Property Tax Valuation Unit for data collection and services with Tyler's CLT Appraisal Services. The project, scheduled for completion in early 2021, includes data collection and entry, as well as valuation services for residential and commercial parcels. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is already a Tyler client, having selected its iasWorld appraisal and tax administration software in 2014. Following an on time and on budget implementation, The Commonwealth contracted with Tyler for its CLT Appraisal Services in 2016 to gather street-level images of all residential and commercial properties on the island of New Providence, as well as conduct a pilot reappraisal project of 6,600 properties on the island. With the success of these services, Tyler and The Commonwealth agreed to continue their partnership on a reappraisal project of the entire island of New Providence. Tyler will collect and verify property data to bring base values up to date for fair and equitable taxation. Tyler follows a thorough process for residential field data collection, using field personnel to inspect residential properties and note unique characteristics of each parcel; this informs the overall parcel valuation. Similarly, Tyer will perform a commercial and industrial field data collection to gather property characteristics such as address, land uses, business name, building size, and condition. After the CLT team completes all field work, they will enter data into Tyler's iasWorld CAMA property assessment software, which manages all property data and every phase of the property appraisal process. New values will be reviewed and assigned, culminating in a modernized Real Property Tax regime. "We are pleased to be selected once again to provide appraisal services to The Commonwealth of the Bahamas and bring fair and equitable taxation to its residents," said Jake Wilson, vice president and general manager of appraisal services for Tyler. "Tyler offers the only national mass appraisal service in the U.S., and we're looking forward to extending that expertise internationally." Tyler's CLT Appraisal Services is the nation's oldest mass appraisal solution and has been used to appraise nearly 35 million parcels of residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial properties. In addition to traditional mass appraisal services, Tyler offers technology-driven appraisal services using Tyler Verify software, which meets International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) standards for desktop review. Tyler's CLT Appraisal Services solution has been used in 46 U.S. states, The Bahamas, British Columbia, Canada, as well as in 26 capital cities. The Bahamas consists of more than 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean and is located north of Cuba. About Tyler Technologies (News - Alert), Inc. Tyler Technologies (NYSE: TYL) is the largest and most established provider of integrated software and technology services focused on the public sector. Tyler's end-to-end solutions empower local, state, and federal government entities to operate more efficiently and connect more transparently with their constituents and with each other. By connecting data and processes across disparate systems, Tyler's solutions are transforming how clients gain actionable insights that solve problems in their communities. Tyler has more than 21,000 successful installations across 10,000 sites, with clients in all 50 states, Canada, the Caribbean, Australia, and other international locations. A financially strong company, Tyler has achieved double-digit revenue growth every quarter since 2012. It was also named to Forbes' "Best Midsize Employers" list in 2018 and recognized twice on its "Most Innovative Growth Companies" list. More information about Tyler Technologies, headquartered in Plano, Texas, can be found at tylertech.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005050/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] White Castle Celebrates National Slider Day, Gives Free Sliders to All COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 15, White Castle invites Cravers to celebrate National Slider Day in restaurants and grocery aisles across the country. As the holiday's official sponsor, White Castle expects to give away tens of thousands of free sliders in nearly 400 restaurants throughout the day. Also on May 15 and every Wednesday while supplies last, customers can sport western attire from bolo ties to boots to receive two free BBQ Original Sliders with any purchase. And in grocery aisles, Cravers can receive $1 cashback when they buy two boxes of any four or six count sliders via the Checkout51 app. "At White Castle, we take tremendous pride in the 2x2 inch sliders we've been serving and perfecting for nearly 100 years," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "We invented National Slider Day as a special tribute to the fans who share that appreciation for the slider and share their Cravings with us. We hope everyone will have the opportunity to bite into a tasty slider on May 15." To kick off the celebration, Cravers can receive one free slider (excludes doubles) and small Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage with a coupon posted to whitecastle.com on May 15. Fans far and wide can also enjoy $1 cashback through the end of May when they buy two boxes of any four or six count sliders using the Checkout51 app in grocery and convenience stores across the country. "Slider accessibility is a priority at White Castle so we're proud to offer our signature sliders in frozen aisles from coast to coast," said Richardson. Every Wednesday is "Western Wednesday" at the Castle, offering customers the opportunity to enjoy two free limited-time BBQ Original Sliders with any purchase when they wear their wild west apparel to a restaurant. The BBQ Original Slider joins the BBQ Brisket Slider and BBQ Impossible Slider in White Castle's new limited-time BBQ Bash lineup. Fans can also showcase their Crave on social media by entering the Capture the Crave contest by posting their favorite White Castle photo on Instagram using #CaptureTheCrave, #Contest and @WhiteCastle. One lucky Craver will have the chance to win free sliders for a year and 15 others can win prizes like Visa Gift Cards, Bluetooth speakers and more. The contest is open until May 31 and terms and conditions can be found at capturethecrave.com. For more information, or to find a restaurant or retail location near you, visit whitecastle.com. About White Castle White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain based in Columbus, Ohio, has been making Bold Moves as a family-owned business for more than 98 years. The company was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921 serving The Original Slider which was named the most influential burger of all time in 2014 by Time. Today White Castle owns and operates nearly 400 restaurants in 13 states. All White Castle Sliders are made from 100 percent USDA inspected beef. White Castle's commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants and bakeries as well as three frozen food processing plants. The retail division markets White Castle signature products in grocery, club stores, convenience stores, vending operations and concessions across the United States and in a growing number of international locations, including military base exchanges around the world. Cravers on-the-go can access sweet deals and place a pick-up order any time in the official White Castle app. Download the app today from the iTunes App Store or Google Play. For more information on White Castle visit www.whitecastle.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-castle-celebrates-national-slider-day-gives-free-sliders-to-all-300849868.html SOURCE White Castle [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Wiley Education Services Partners with Northern Illinois University Wiley Education Services, a division of Wiley (NYSE:JWa) (NYSE:JWb), and Northern Illinois University (NIU) have entered into a partnership to support and expand NIU's online program offerings. The first phase of the three-year agreement will focus on launching six programs online: a Master of Science in Digital Marketing, a Master of Science in Data Analytics, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for RNs, a Master of Science in Nursing, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Master of Public Health. The partnership with Wiley and expanded online offerings are part of NIU's Five Year Strategic Enrollment Plan to attract and retain students. Administrators recognized an opportunity for growth by expanding NIU's high-quality programs and reach through new online offerings. To fully develop this initiative, they sought a proven partner with resources and expertise in launching and managing online programs, as well as the ability to do so in a way that aligned with NIU's mission and values as a public university. "NIU is committed to offering students an exceptional educational experience wherever they are. We're investing in our online programs to best meet the needs of working professionals who want to broaden their career path," said NIU President Dr. Lisa C. Freeman. "Wiley has the experience, strategy and tools to help us develop new audiences and offerings." Wiley was the only higher education services partner that was able to provide its complete menu of services to NIU as part of a fee-for-service arrangement-a result of Wiley's flexible partnership models that are based on each institution's specific needs and objective. Under the agreement, Wiley will support NIU with services in marketing, recruitment and enrollment and student retention. NIU will also take advantage of Wiley's Ranku platform, a streamlined and searchable online presence, to support all online and hybrid programs. The initial length of the contract is for three years, with two one-year renewal options. "NIU created a solid strategy for its future growth, and we are very pleased that Wiley will play a part in helping to achieve its goals," said Matt Hillman, Co-President of Wiley Education Services and Learning House, a Wiley brand. "By offering a greater range of the University's programs online, we will support the success of the institution, help more students meet their career goals and assist employers by filling skills gaps in a wide range of fields." About Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Hoffman (News - Alert) Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 courses of study while serving a diverse and international student body. For more information, visit niu.edu. About Wiley Education Services Wiley Education Services, a division of Wiley, is a leading, global provider of technology-enabled education solutions to meet the evolving needs of institutions and learners. With the addition of Learning House, a Wiley brand, we partner with more than 60 institutions across the US, Europe and Australia, and support over 800 degree programs. Our best-in-class services and market insights are driven by our deep commitment and expertise-proven to elevate enrollment, retention and completion rates. For more information visit edservices.wiley.com. About Wiley Wiley is a global leader in research and education. Our online scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, and our digital learning, assessment, certification and student-lifecycle services and solutions help universities, academic societies, businesses, governments and individuals to achieve their academic and professional goals. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The Company's website can be accessed at www.wiley.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005637/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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. [May 13, 2019] Acasta Enterprises Inc. Reports First Quarter of 2019 Results Acasta Enterprises Inc. (TSX: AEF) ("Acasta" or the "Company") today announced the release of its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and management discussion and analysis (MD&A). These documents will be posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All values in this news release and the Company's financial disclosures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. Financial Highlights Net income for three months ended March 31, 2019 was $1.4 million from continuing operations compared to a loss of $26.4 million in the comparative period. Total comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $1.4 million compared to a total comprehensive loss of $168.8 million in the comparative period. The comparative period total comprehensive loss includes losses of $142.4 million from discontinued operations (Stellwagen and JemPak). The Company didn't incur any losses from discontinued operations in the three months ended March 31, 2019 and does not expect additional losses from discontinued operations going forward. Acasta's reported revenues of $41.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to $42.3 million in comparative period. All reported revenues are from Apollo's Consumer Products business. Debt totalled $76.5 million at March 31, 2019. The Company's commercial bank credit facility matures on June 1, 2019 and its U.S. credit facility on September 1, 2019. The Company is working with its lenders to extend debt maturities and improve lending terms. Please refer to our Management' Discussion & Analysis which will provide additional detail on the Company's results from operations. Corporate Highlights The Company is pleased to report that its efforts to rationalize expenses combined with the realization of production efficiencies resulted in a return to profitability in the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company is focused on streamlining its operations and reducing its cost structure and debt with a view towards enhancing shareholder value over the medium to long term. The Company will continue to explore various alternatives to achieve these ends. Advisories: Cautionary Note Concerning Forward Looking Statements This news release includes forward looking statements. All such statements constitute forward looking information within the meaning of applicable securities law and are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions of applicable securities laws. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to statements about other anticipated future events or results, including comments with respect to Company's future financial performance and condition. Forward looking statements are statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions and are identified by words such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" or similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Such statements are based on current expectations of the Company's management and inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including economic factors. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is presented for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding the Company's business and strategic priorities and objectives. A number of risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause actual outcomes or financial results to differ materially from the forward looking statements contained in this news release, including, among other factors, those referenced in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2018, a copy of which is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile. Forward looking statements contained in this news release are not guarantees of future outcomes performance and, while forward looking statements are based on certain assumptions that the Company considers reasonable, actual events could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward looking statements made by the Company. Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully when making decisions with respect to the Company and to not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Circumstances affecting the Company may change rapidly. Except as may be expressly required by applicable law, Acasta does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These cautionary statements expressly qualify all forward looking statements in this new release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005908/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 13, 2019] ClickAcademy Asia launches Certified Blockchain Professional Programme in Singapore SINGAPORE, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ClickAcademy Asia is launching the Certified Blockchain Professional Programme (C|BP) in Singapore, developed by the Institute of iBusiness Council (IIB Council). The IIB Council is a division of International Council of E-Commerce Consultants, also known as EC-Council, one of the world's largest cyber security technical certification bodies. The course has course fee funding of up to 90% from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), to support the Singaporeans and Permanent Residents in the ICT workforce in keeping pace with technology shifts, through the continuous and proactive training of technical skills sets, in order to remain relevant and productive. The C|BP Programme aims to bring practitioners up to speed with the industry requirements while forming the global standards in the Blockchain Professional Skillset Industry, one of the fastest growing disciplines. The C|BP course consists of three knowledge and competency areas in Blockchain Technology: Development, Implementation and Strategy. The course can be attended by developers, coders and programmers for a full 5 days training that will grant them access to CBP exams and the chance to obtain the global certification. In addition to having developed the certification program with industry experts, the programme is developed in line with the prestigious ANSI standards. The first intake is due to start on 27th May 2019. Participants get to go through lab assignments and a capstone project, developing the ability to build powerful and highly secure, decentralized applications using Ethereum and Solidity as well as create smart contracts, facilitate trusted in-app transactions and monitor blockchain projects. ClickAcademy Asia's Managing Director, Jefrey Gomez said, "We are thrilled to launch the Certified Blockchain Professional programme in Singapore. Singapore has a conducive landscape for cryptocrrencies and blockchain technology to flourish due to its superb communications network, its global reputation as a financial hub, non-interference by regulators, and growing interest in FinTech. However, there is a dearth of proper education on how blockchain works or its potential applications, not just in finance, but in areas like supply chain, government, medicine and education. The Certified Blockchain Professional programme aims to fill the knowledge and the skills gaps in the blockchain industry." IIB Council CEO, Jay Bavisi, said, "The IIB Council was created to train and certify business professionals on knowledge, technical and digital skills that are highly demanded in the job market. ClickAcademy Asia shares the same purpose and has helped thousands of professional talents upgrade their skills for many years. We trust that they will work well with industry partners to ensure that professionals in blockchain have the right frameworks, knowledge and skills to build sustainable and scalable blockchain infrastructures for their organisations." Click here for more details on the Certified Blockchain Programme: https://mailchi.mp/clickacademyasia/cbp_may2019 About ClickAcademy Asia Pte Ltd ClickAcademy Asia specializes in providing digital marketing training, covering the full spectrum from new media marketing to leadership and communication courses. ClickAcademy works with professional associations and bodies and world-class content providers, focusing on enabling Asia's professionals to continuously upgrade their skills. Participants in our public courses, boot camps and certification courses will connect and learn from industry veterans and passionate experts. The courses can be customized and conducted in-house to suit any need and purpose. ClickAcademy Asia is a leading practitioners' digital marketing academy powered by Econsultancy of London, UK, the world's leading digital marketing best practice community and publisher with 500,000+ members. To date, ClickAcademy Asia has trained over 13,000 PMEBs (professional, managers, executives and businessmen), 6,000+ local and global companies (including NGOs and Government agencies) and conducted workshops for participants from over 30 countries. The academy is also a Google Partners Academy in both Singapore and Malaysia. Call or email us to find out more: +65 6909 9150 or [email protected] About IIB Council IIB Council (Institute of iBusiness Council) is a division of International Council of E-Commerce Consultants, also known as EC-Council, one of the world's largest cybersecurity technical certification body. ECC operates in 145 countries globally and is the owner and developer of the world-famous Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (C|HFI), Certified Security Analyst (ECSA), License Penetration Testing (Practical) programs, among others. We are proud to have trained and certified over 220,000 information security professionals globally that have influenced the cybersecurity mindset of countless organizations worldwide. The IIB division is dedicated towards developing the world's first Business Technology and Enterprise Digital Transformation Professional Training and Certification Programs. The programs aim at revolutionizing traditional approach in business operations. IIB's Smart Education includes Certification Programs in Digital Marketing Management, Smart Project Management, Blockchain and Financial Technology Management (FinTech). SOURCE ClickAcademy Asia Pte Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Technology Evangelist Rana el Kaliouby, PhD, Tells Business Leaders to Bring Emotion Back into Digital Experiences at SAP Ariba Live in Barcelona SAP Ariba adds Rana el Kaliouby, PhD, technology evangelist and pioneer in emotional artificial intelligence, as a keynote speaker at SAP Ariba Live in Barcelona. She will take the stage to discuss the power of emotion and its connection to intelligent spend management and the intelligent enterprise. The premier global commerce conference will take place at the Barcelona International Convention Centre in Barcelona, Spain, 4-6 June. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005867/en/ Rana el Kaliouby, PhD, pioneer in artificial emotional intelligence to deliver keynote at SAP (News - Alert) Ariba Live in Barcelona telling business leaders how to humanize digital experiences. (Photo: Business Wire) Dr. el Kaliouby is a pioneer in artificial emotional intelligence; technology evangelist, inventor and research scientist and co-founder & CEO of Affectiva, an emotion measurement technology company that grew out of MIT's (News - Alert) Media Lab. In her popular Ted Talk: Rana el Kaliouby: This app knows how you feel - from the look on your face, she talks about her mission to bring emotion back to our digital experiences. At SAP Ariba Live in Barcelona, she will address thousands of business leaders, procurement, supply chain, finance and IT professionals from Europe and beyond to explain artificial emotional intelligence, what it is and why it matters. She will share the practical applications of artificial emotional intelligence today and where they will go in the future, including consumer insights, social robotics, automotive, education, gaming, retail and more. Recently, Dr. el Kaliouby has been named the 2018 Thinkers50 Radar lit of management thinkers most likely to shape the future of how organizations are managed and led. Fortune magazine named her to its 2018 40 Under 40 list of the most influential young people in business. Forbes America named her as one of the Top 50 Women in Tech. Inc. named her to their Female Founders 100 list. She believes our emotions influence every aspect of our lives - how we learn, how we communicate, and how we make decisions - and yet they are absent from our digital lives because the devices and apps we interact with have no way of knowing how we feel. Dr. el Kaliouby aims to change that. For more information on this premier global commerce conference, visit www.aribalive.com. About SAP Ariba & SAP Fieldglass SAP Ariba & SAP Fieldglass is how companies connect to get business done and spend better. With SAP Ariba & SAP Fieldglass, businesses can manage the buying process across all categories of spend - from direct and indirect goods and services to external workforce. On Ariba Network, buyers and suppliers from more than 4.1 million companies and 190 countries discover new opportunities, collaborate on transactions, grow strong relationships, and build healthy supply chains. It's where more than $2.8 trillion in commerce gets done every year. SAP Fieldglass is used by organizations in more than 180 countries to find, engage and manage flexible workforces that include non-payroll workers and service providers. With SAP Ariba & SAP Fieldglass, companies are transforming how they manage all categories of spend with improved operational efficiency and compliance, increased agility and accelerated business outcomes. To learn more visit www.ariba.com and www.fieldglass.com. About SAP As the cloud company powered by SAP HANA, SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software, helping companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world's transaction revenue touches an SAP system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers' businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want - without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enable more than 413,000 business and public customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people's lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com. Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. 2019 SAP SE. All rights reserved. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx#trademark for additional trademark information and notices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005867/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] ReneSola provides 5.4MW of mono PERC modules to Helexia in Belgium SHANGHAI, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ReneSola, a Bloomberg Tier 1 module manufacturer with 3.5GW capacity, announced today that it has signed an agreement to provide 5.4MW of 310W mono PERC modules to Helexia for deployment on rooftop solar projects in Belgium. Helexia, an energy equipment and solutions provider, currently operates more than 150 photovoltaic power plants with a combined power output of 60MW and is enjoying fast growth in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium. ReneSola has been selected as a key module supplier to Helexia. Mr. Li Xianshou, CEO, Renesola, says: "European investors and EPC firms for utility scale and commercial solar parks have been our core customers for more than 10 years. We will keep adaping our production with new technologies to continue to reduce the levelized cost of energy in a fast and reliable way." Mr. Pierre-Yves Sizaire, Vice-President of Europe, ReneSola, says: "We are honored to supply Helexia with 5.4MW of our low carbon mono PERC modules for its projects. ReneSola has supplied more than 7GWp of high quality modules to Europe since 2005. We are proud to continue contributing to the drive towards clean energy in Europe." ReneSola will attend Intersolar Munich 2019 from May 15-17 and can be found at Booth No.: C1, 270B. To learn more about our products, please contact [email protected] or visit http://www.renesola.com. --ENDS-- About ReneSola Founded in 2005, ReneSola is listed No. 12 on the Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panels manufacturer ranking with annual production capacity of 3.5GW. Leveraging its global presence and solid experience in the industry, ReneSola is increasing capacity and improving the production technology each year to supply Utility scale investors. For more information, please visit www.renesola.com. SOURCE ReneSola [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Most Hong Kong executives view GBA cities as attractive places to work, KPMG survey finds, with job prospects brightest in technology and financial sectors Nearly three in four C-level or HR respondents plan to expand or maintain existing headcount, while 71% of all respondents expect salary increase of 20 percent or more when changing jobs HONG KONG, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- KPMG today released its third annual Hong Kong Employment Trends Survey and Salary Outlook showing that global economic uncertainty is having a limited impact on the city's employment market, which is buoyed by the development of the Greater Bay Area, government incentives for innovation and technology and the completion of key infrastructure projects. 72% of respondents working in C-level positions or in human resources said they planned to increase (35%) or maintain (37%) existing headcount 37% in financial services and 45% in innovation and technology said they would increase headcount, although the figure last year was higher (46%) for financial services Felix Lee, Head of KPMG Executive Search and Recruitment Services, says: "The dip in prospective headcount increases in the financial services sector may relate to accelerating digital transformation and the application of artificial intelligence in engaging customers and dealing with risk management." Opportunities abound in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) 53% of respondents said they would consider working in other GBA cities, with Shenzhen , Macau and Guangzhou being the top three choices , and being the top three choices The top four considerations for respondents to work in these three cities were higher pay (58%), better career and industry prospects (56%), broader work exposure (54%) and travel convenience (52%) The top four industries in which respondents thought the GBA development would create more jobs were innovation and technology (46%), financial services (36%), professional services (31%) and trade and logistics (29%) "The GBA is well-positioned to become a major economy and mega-metropolis which will create significant opportunities for businesses across all sectors in particular in finance, trade and professional services, for which Hong Kong is renowned," Lee adds. "The free flow of talent should improve existing synergies and create greater opportunities." Recent KPMG analysis found tax incentives to be instrumental in facilitating the free movement of people within the GBA, especially for high-income individuals working within the region. In early 2019 various exemptions from China's new personal income tax were introduced, allaying Hong Kong residents' concerns over a reduction in post-tax income when working on the mainland. Start-ups appeal, but with caution Overall the most attractive sectors in which to join a start-up were financial technology (47%) and e-commerce (33%), but respondent at C-level appear much more risk-averse than those working at other levels Respondents at C-level were more likely to opt for organisations in the charity/social wellbeing or healthcare and life sciences sectors The most attractive factors for working in a start-up were a company's growth potential (56%) and earning potential (38%), while for C-level respondents the top reason was job satisfaction The most common deterrent by far to working in a start-up was 'uncertain business prospects and sustainability' Hong Kong government should go some way to alleviating concerns people have in establishing or joining a start-up," Lee says. "And beyond Hong Kong , the GBA is an ideal stepping stone for these businesses to expand across the region." Recruitment and salary outlook in Hong Kong Talent retention Overall, salary and compensation (68%) was by far the top incentive when looking for a new job, followed by career progression and promotion (53%) and work flexibility and work-life balance (35%). For those in Assistant Manager positions or below, 'workload and work pressure' came above 'work flexibility and work-life balance' as a reason to seek a new job. Michelle Hui, Director, KPMG Executive Search and Recruitment Services, says: "Remuneration factors have remained as a top motivator, however it is interesting to see that work flexibility and work-life balance are almost as important as career progression and promotion for most employees. This is something employers can emphasise more and an area where they can be more creative." Talent attraction The three most important non-monetary reasons that would attract a job seeker to a company were job satisfaction (60%), career progression and promotion (59%) and work flexibility and work-life balance (56%) Respondents at C-level (73%) and department heads (66%) rated job satisfaction as the most significant non-monetary factor when considering new opportunities. For those at Senior Manager or Manager level, the biggest driver was career progression and promotion (67%), and for those at Assistant Manager or below it was work flexibility and work-life balance (57%), although very closely followed by career progression and promotion. "A better understanding of these drivers will help employers allocate resources more effectively and generate a more appealing value proposition to employees at different stages of their career," Hui adds. Salary expectations Nearly 71% of respondents expect 20% or more increase in salary when moving jobs, while 25% expect a 30% jump in salary Although 32% of C-level respondents expect 30% or more increase, 25% said they would accept a similar compensation or consider a reduction in pay when making a career move. "The significant gap in salary expectations among the C-level executives could reflect the varying growth prospects for different sectors in Hong Kong," Hui says. About KPMG China KPMG member firms and its affiliates operating in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are collectively referred to as "KPMG China". KPMG China is based in 21 offices across 19 cities with around 12,000 partners and staff in Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Foshan, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. Working collaboratively across all these offices, KPMG China can deploy experienced professionals efficiently, wherever our client is located. KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 153 countries and territories and have 207,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. In 1992, KPMG became the first international accounting network to be granted a joint venture licence in mainland China. KPMG was also the first among the Big Four in mainland China to convert from a joint venture to a special general partnership, as of 1 August 2012. Additionally, the Hong Kong firm can trace its origins to 1945. This early commitment to this market, together with an unwavering focus on quality, has been the foundation for accumulated industry experience, and is reflected in KPMG's appointment for multi-disciplinary services (including audit, tax and advisory) by some of China's most prestigious companies. About KPMG Executive Search and Recruitment Services We are a business unit of KPMG with over 20 years of experience serving clients across a wide range of functions and industries. This sets us apart from the competition, as we are able to draw on the firm's professional expertise and deep knowledge base. Working alongside a professional group of advisors, we provide recruitment services as well as insights on the latest human resources and market developments across a variety of businesses and professions. SOURCE KPMG [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Christian Aid Chooses Ceridian to Manage Global HR Needs Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (NYSE: CDAY; TSX: CDAY), a global human capital management (HCM) company, announced today that Christian Aid will deploy Dayforce, its cloud-based platform, to integrate all aspects of their employee lifecycle worldwide. Helping people across the world is no easy task, and for charitable organisations like Christian Aid, technology can be key to ensure they stay on course to improve the lives of those in need. Christian Aid, a charity dedicated to ending poverty, employs staff in some of the world's most vulnerable communities within Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean, often in remote locations where infrastructure and internet access are not always reliable. It was looking for a HCM solution with a strong mobile offering to enable remote employees, volunteers, and managers to perform their day-to-day roles effectively and with ease on the device of their choice. From employees having the freedom to record their time without being tied to a physical location, to managers communicating with colleagues in multiple languages through the message centre, the Dayforce mobile app met all their needs. "We wanted a solution that would help simplify our organisation's increasingly complex HR practices and compliance requirements - and Dayforce ticked all the boxes," said Nicola Williams, Head of People, UK and Ireland, Christian Aid. "To find a product in the marketplace that allows our team to manage staff across 35 countries, from a single system at any time, is really exciting. We plan to leverage insights acoss Dayforce to ask better questions and make more informed decisions." "With workers' expectations of their employers increasing, and companies operating across borders dealing with elevated levels of regulatory complexity, charities like Christian Aid are realising that technology can help them navigate the changing world of work," said Ross Tracey, Managing Director, Ceridian Europe. "Today's employee wants to engage with their employer from anywhere with any device and, with Dayforce, Christian Aid is getting a modern platform and unified suite that was built to ensure the employee experience is very intuitive." For more than seventy years, Christian Aid has been working in some of the world's poorest communities where there is a great need, regardless of religion, to provide urgent and effective humanitarian assistance, advocacy, and development. Christian Aid will be presenting its Dayforce journey at the Ceridian HCM Executive Summit in London on 22nd May. For more information and to register for the Summit, visit: Ceridian.com/HCMSummit/London. About Ceridian Ceridian. Makes Work Life Better. Ceridian is a global human capital management software company. Dayforce, our flagship cloud HCM platform, provides human resources, payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management functionality. Our platform is used to optimize management of the entire employee lifecycle, including attracting, engaging, paying, deploying, and developing people. Ceridian has solutions for organizations of all sizes. Visit Ceridian.com or follow us @Ceridian. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005075/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] New Study Reveals UK Acoustics Industry Contributes 4.6 Billion to the Country's Economy, Employs Over 16,000 People MILTON KEYNES, England, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A groundbreaking piece of research on the impact of the acoustics industry in the UK was presented at the leading industry conference Acoustics 2019 on 13 and 14th May. The research was carried out by the UK Acoustics Network (UKAN) in conjunction with the Institute of Acoustics (IOA) and demonstrates that: The industry contributes 4.6 billion turnover nationwide, generated by more than 750 different companies The largest concentration of acoustics industrial activity is in the North West, Scotland and South East regions and South East regions The industry is made up of over 98% small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), although the 7% of medium and large operations generate over 80% of acoustics revenues The acoustics industry is underpinned by a vibrant knowledge base with over 200 active research grants, worth in total more than 150 million and involving over 47 separate UK universities Acoustics feeds into many major global markets, including the $10 billion market for sound insulation materials in construction, the $7.6 billion ultrasound equipment market and the potential $31 billion market for voice recognition. Professor Barry Gibbs, President of the Institute of Acoustics, commented: "We became involved in this seminal research becaue for the first time, we have a way to demonstrate that acoustics is heard above the noise to inform policy, support agencies, researchers, career decisions and wider industry about the scale of acoustics capability available in the UK." Gibbs added, "The four Grand Challenges identified in the 2017 UK Industrial Strategy will all require acoustics innovation. Challenge leaders are encouraged to engage with the UK acoustics community through the Institute of Acoustics (3000 members) and the EPSRC UK Acoustics Network (over 600 members) as a priority to ensure that acoustics innovation is built into solutions at the earliest opportunity." Acoustics is a vibrant field that touches so many industries, and the UK is a world leader. It is vital to industries such as in developing new airplanes, manufacturing plants, naval vessels, cars and buildings, and underpins most major developments in our modern society. The research findings were presented for the first time at Acoustics 2019 held this year in Milton Keynes. For more information, visit www.ioa.org.uk, alternatively, contact the IOA at +44 (0)300 999 9675 or [email protected] or write to: The Institute of Acoustics, Silbury Court, 406 Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2AF, England. Note to editors: Institute of Acoustics (IOA) The Institute of Acoustics is the UK's professional body for those working in acoustics, noise and vibration, representing some 3,000 members who span a rich diversity of backgrounds, with engineers, scientists, educators, lawyers, occupational hygienists, architects and environmental health officers among their number. UK Acoustics Network (UKAN) The EPSRC UK Acoustics Network (UKAN) is open to any researcher, practitioner or end-user in acoustics, giving access to the entire pool of acoustics expertise across the UK. Contacts: Please contact us for a full copy of the report: Alex Shaida (PR contact at IOA) +44 (0) 300 999 9675 or email: [email protected] Allan Chesney (CEO at IOA) +44 (0) 300 999 9675 or email: [email protected] Professor Barry Gibbs (President of the IOA) can be contacted through either of the above. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] SafeCharge Welcomes the World Famous Italian Fashion Company Mandarina Duck as a Customer SafeCharge payment technology enables seamless customer check-out experience for Mandarina Duck online customers LONDON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SafeCharge (AIM: SCH), the partner of choice for businesses who demand more from payments technology, is successfully supporting a growing number of retailers achieving a smooth online check-out experience, including now the Italian fashion brand Mandarina Duck. It has chosen SafeCharge to expand sales internationally with seamless online payments. Mandarina Duck is an iconic brand specializing in leather goods and travel items since 1977. The company was acquired in July 2011 by E-Land, the well-known Korean group. In a marketplace that is increasing its online presence, Mandarina Duck was looking for a partner who could help them increase conversion rates while protecting their ecommerce platform from fraud by dynamically routing users for 3D Secure checks when relevant or required. Mandarina Duck selected SafeCharge because of its proven track record in helping merchants preventing fraud, and its growing reputation as a preferred payment solution in the retail industry. By using SafeCharge Chekout Page, a customisable payment page designed to give online shoppers a smooth online and mobile payment experience, Mandarina Duck now provides a frictionless user experience. "A seamless online payment process with the right technology is crucial for a successful customer experience. SafeCharge enables payment pages to be optimised for conversion, and in just a few weeks, we are already seeing increased payment success rates," explains Umberto Corridori, SVP Sales EU at SafeCharge. Mandarina Duck checkout page connects to SafeCharge Payments Engine to smoothly process transactions and manage risk without compromising the user experience. Fraudulent transactions are quickly detected and only the seemingly suspicious transactions are routed for additional authentications. "Our goal is to guarantee more sales in a safe environment and the first round of feedback is extremely positive," adds Corridori. "SafeCharge Checkout Page includes innovative features that are designed to create a frictionless payment experience for customers. From one-click payments for returning customers, decline recovery, and Dynamic 3D Secure, SafeCharge Checkout Page ensures an improved performance at the checkout and a visible decrease in abandonments." About SafeCharge SafeCharge International Group Limited, is the payment service partner for the world's most demanding businesses. SafeCharge provides global omni-channel payments services from card acquiring and issuing to payment processing and checkout, all underpinned by advanced risk management solutions. This fully featured proprietary payment platform connects directly to all major payment card schemes including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Union Pay as well as over 150 local payment methods. With offices around the world, SafeCharge serves a diversified, blue chip client base and is a trusted payment partner for customers across a range of vertical markets. The company has been listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market since 2014. For more information see: http://www.safecharge.com/ Media Contact Savannah O'Hare/Francesco Tius PR for SafeCharge [email protected] +44-20-7559-5614 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] StaffConnect Releases New eBook: "How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global Employee Engagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion Deskless Employees" LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StaffConnect , the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions for the deskless workforce , today announced that its new eBook, entitled How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global Employee Engagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion Deskless Employees , is now available. The new eBook examines why individuals often become disengaged, pointing to the statistic that 80 percent of the global workforce (consisting of 2.7 billion deskless employees) are deployed remotely and offsite, according to Emergence Capital1. The eBook outlines how mobile technologies can inspire employee engagement and turn this trend around. Deskless employees face more limitations than those onsite in terms of communication and access to company systems, which negatively impacts their level of engagement and, as a result, bottom line success. The Bureau of National Affairs reports that $11 billion is lost each year due to employee turnover a consequence of employee disengagement. The gig economy and a subsequent increase in remote working over the last decade go hand-in-hand with a shift toward a more mobile workforce based in varied locations, which often precipitates inadequate reach to deskless employees. While telecommuting and other forms of remote working need not lead to out-of-the-loop workers if the right technology tools and platforms are used, many businesses havent prioritized a systematic approach for facilitating reliable two-way communication with their deskless staff to increase engagement. Often these deskless workers lack even the basics when it comes to internal communication. As a result, the vast majority (84 percent) of deskless employees receive too little communication to perform their jobs effectively, according to Tribe Inc.2 These individuals may find themselves dealing with: Limited or no access to desktop or laptop computers No company email address or limited access to email No access to a company intranet No or infrequent access to company notice boards Printed company newsletters are infrequently produced and quickly become out of date Limited communication/collaboration with peers in other locations Limited feedback or communication from line manager No access to corporate documents on the go Limited or no access to company news and updates The business benefits of full-company engagement are numerous and clear. When employees feel invested in an organization and are ommitted to helping the company reach its mission and goals, it bolsters brand advocacy. Engagement also improves mutual trust, feelings of credible leadership, employee job/career satisfaction, and accountability, with more focused staff keen to take up new challenges and adopt a problem-solving attitude. This positivity can lead to better performance, increased productivity, and higher profit for the entire organization. The eBook describes how new mobile engagement technologies such as StaffConnects platform offer a solution for driving up engagement levels, and can help deskless workers in a number of ways, including the ability to: Access company information 24/7 using a mobile app, regardless of role or location Receive real-time updates from the company and CEO Feel connected to the organizations goals/mission, understanding how their role affects the companys success and becoming its best brand advocates Share best practices with their peers Have a voice in the company Communicate within communities by sharing content and comments with their peers, having visible support, and knowing who to ask when they have questions Instantly access relevant corporate documents, videos, and reference information for training and knowledge attainment, which improves processes and efficiencies (e.g., better onboarding, access to safety and compliance procedures, and crisis communications if the networks go down) In a world thats increasingly digitally driven and focusedcombined with a shift toward a workforce that is now primarily desklessthe key to increasing employee engagement is integrally connected to technology, said Geraldine Osman, CMO, StaffConnect. To effectively drive engagement across the entire organization, businesses need to implement mobile-enabled apps that are capable of reaching every employee and delivering an engaging user experience. This prevents the silos between office and field-based employees and facilitates a more unified and positive culture that ultimately leads to better performance, retention and customer satisfaction. To download and read, How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global Employee Engagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion Deskless Employees, visit: https://www.staffconnectapp.com/download-the-deskless-workforce-ebook/ Video Links: The Deskless Workforce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PInhpPdo5rc The Impact of Employee Disengagement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZdk-Zx3OY Tweet this: [email protected] publishes new eBook How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global #EmployeeEngagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion #DesklessWorkforce https://www.staffconnectapp.com/latest/press-releases/ About StaffConnect StaffConnect is the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions for the deskless workforce. The StaffConnect platform transforms the employee experience by enabling enterprises to connect, communicate and engage their entire workforce, especially remote, deskless employees. The customer-branded mobile app gives employees a voice - with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target that content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. From offices in London and San Francisco, StaffConnects platform and domain expertise are supporting large businesses around the world to inspire their workforces to deliver better performance, improved customer experiences and greater shareholder value. For further information, please visit: www.staffconnectapp.com . Media Resources (logos, screenshots, etc.): https://www.staffconnectapp.com/media-resources/ PR Contact: Sabrina Sanchez The Ventana Group for StaffConnect (925) 785-3014 [email protected] 1 http://desklessworkforce2018.com 2 http://blog.tribeinc.com/category/non-desk/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] PowerSphyr Finalist at 2019 Red Herring Top 100 North America DANVILLE, Calif., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerSphyr has been selected as a finalist for Red Herring's Top 100 North America award, one of the technology industry's most prestigious prizes. Finalists for the awards are among the continent's brightest and most innovative private ventures. Their place among North America's tech elite has been chosen by Red Herring's editorial team, during a months-long process that takes into account criteria including disruptive impact, proof of concept, financial performance, market footprint and quality of management. For over two decades Red Herring's team has seen through the tech sector's hype to select brands that have become industry benchmarks. Previous Top 100 finalists have included Alibaba, Facebook, Google, Skype, SuperCell, Spotify, Twitter, and YouTube. The Top 100 North America has become not only a springboard for some of tech's biggest names, but a valued and trusted tool for venture capitalists, experts and analysts predicting trends at the industry's sharpest edge. "Selecting finalists for this year's Top 100 has proved more difficult than ever," said Alex Vieux, pulisher and chairman of Red Herring. "North America has been tech's beating heart for yearsbut never have I seen such an exciting, disruptive and innovative generation as we have in 2019." "PowerSphyr fully deserves its place among our finalists, and I've every confidence it will make a significant impact in the tech world," added Vieux. Finalists are invited to present their winning strategies at the Red Herring Top 100 North America conference in Pasadena, May 13-15, 2019. The Top 100 winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on the evening of May 15 at the event. About PowerSphyr Providing wireless power solutions to build a Connected World, Unplugged. PowerSphyr delivers end-to-end innovative wireless power charging solutions for the automotive, consumer and industrial markets. PowerSphyr supports the three key industry standards for wireless power charging: Magnetic Induction; Magnetic Resonance; and RF Energy Harvesting. For more information visit www.powersphyr.com . Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerSphyr or Twitter at www.twitter.com/powersphyr and find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/powersphyr-inc. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/powersphyr-finalist-at-2019-red-herring-top-100-north-america-300849306.html SOURCE PowerSphyr [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Syncordis Announces Global Strategic Partnership with Temenos Syncordis S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Infotech (News - Alert) (LTI), today announced a strategic global partnership with Temenos, the banking software company. This partnership will enable Syncordis to seamlessly offer an array of Temenos certified services to banks across the globe. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005422/en/ Equipped with an exclusive focus and comprehensive expertise, Syncordis has established itself as a specialist in implementation of Temenos T24 Transact, the next generation platform for core banking and Temenos WealthSuite. Through the global partnership, Syncordis will attain enhanced capabilities to offer a wide range of services across Temenos product portfolio and manage migration, training, testing and upgrade requirements of Temenos clients worldwide. Guillaume Desjonqueres, CEO, Syncordis said, "We are excited to partner with Temenos, the market leader in cloud-native, cloud-agnostic banking software, and confident that we will be able to deliver outstanding services and experiences to our customers through this strategic alliance." Nachiket Deshpande, COO, LTI said, "As the Financial Services industry undergoes transformation, organizations must co-innovate to solve tough problems for their customers. Syncordis and LTI will partner with Temenos to address this demand, deliver innovation and improve business performance for our global clients in the Banking and Wealth Management space." Neal McLoughlin, Head of Partners & Operations, Temenos, said, "At Temenos, we understand the power of partnerships and we have built the most dynamic community in the banking industry. We are delighted to expand our partnership with Syncordis to a global strategic alliances and value their commitment. Together, we will leverage the power of our cloud-native, cloud-agnostic banking software to transform the banking industry." Syncordis has deeloped industry-leading accelerators that help with faster and consistent Temenos implementations and capture the fast-growing market opportunities for banking modernization services. This partnership will establish Syncordis as a trusted Temenos partner for end-to-end implementation, platform upgrades and enhancements for performance tuning. About Syncordis: Syncordis S.A., a Luxembourg based LTI Company, delivers high-quality end-to-end implementation and system integration projects with an exclusive focus on Temenos banking software. With 12 offices across the globe and 300+ experts, Syncordis enables its international clients to master their digital transformation and succeed in this ever-changing market. Having recently merged with NIELSEN+PARTNER, Syncordis now combines the business and technical expertise and experience of 15+ years in Temenos T24 Transact and SaaS (News - Alert) solutions and production support services with 24+ years in Temenos WealthSuite, Temenos Infinity and DataSource. This makes Syncordis one of the wealth management specialists and one-stop partners for Temenos clients worldwide. For more information please visit www.syncordisconsulting.com. About Temenos: Temenos AG (SIX: TEMN), headquartered in Geneva, is the world's leader in banking software, partnering with banks and other financial institutions to transform their businesses and stay ahead of a changing marketplace. Over 3,000 firms across the globe, including 41 of the top 50 banks, rely on Temenos to process both the daily transactions and client interactions of more than 500 million banking customers. Temenos offers cloud-native, cloud-agnostic front office and core banking, payments, fund management and wealth management software products enabling banks to deliver consistent, frictionless customer journeys and gain operational excellence. Temenos customers are proven to be more profitable than their peers: over a seven-year period, they enjoyed on average a 31% higher return on assets, a 36% higher return on equity and an 8.6 percentage point lower cost/income ratio than banks running legacy applications. For more information please visit www.temenos.com. About LTI: Larsen & Toubro Infotech (NSE: LTI, BSE: 540005) is a global technology consulting and digital solutions Company helping more than 300 clients succeed in a converging world. With operations in 30 countries, we go the extra mile for our clients and accelerate their digital transformation with LTI's Mosaic platform enabling their mobile, social, analytics, IoT and cloud journeys. Founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited, our unique heritage gives us unrivalled real-world expertise to solve the most complex challenges of enterprises across all industries. Each day, our team of more than 28,000 LTItes enable our clients to improve the effectiveness of their business and technology operations, and deliver value to their customers, employees and shareholders. Find more at www.Lntinfotech.com or follow us at @LTI_Global. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005422/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Mount Comfort "Corridor of the Future" Vision Takes Shape Following Urban Land Institute Study GREENFIELD, Ind., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Four nodes along Mount Comfort Road, from New Palestine to McCordsville, will make up the Mount Comfort Corridor, driving the vision under consideration by Hancock County business and government leaders following the release of a study by the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The four nodes along the 13-mile stretch include McCordsville, Hancock Health Center, Cumberland and New Palestine. These nodes eventually will include beautiful town gateways, walkable town centers and quality-of-life amenities that attract both businesses and residents. Click to tweet. The Mount Comfort Corridor is in an enviable position right now to proactively plan for the growth we know is coming, said Randall Sorrell, executive director of Hancock Economic Development Council, and a member of the Coalition for Smart Growth, a group of business leaders advocating for thoughtful growth in the Mount Comfort Corridor. We know that people and businesses invest in locations based on the quality of place, so the vision of the Coalition is to thoughtfully plan areas that are attractive places to live, work and recreate. The ULI study identified several opportunitiesfor optimizing growth in the corridor: Upgrading Mount Comfort Road as a boulevard with landscaped rights-of-way, roundabouts at major intersections, high-quality lighting, consistent signage, and a trail system that provides opportunities to walk and bike. Making stunning first impressions at town and corridor gateways with landscaping, public art and high-quality signage. Focusing economic development efforts to take advantage of the areas rural heritage and convenient location, including agri-tech, agri-tourism, animal biomedical and advanced manufacturing. Allowing each node to focus on the unique aspect of the location. For example, leveraging the I-70 interchange and Hancock Healths facilities to attract higher quality business amenities, such as a hotel, conference center and sit-down restaurants. Encouraging new residential, commercial and mixed-use development in the four nodes, including a mix of housing that will attract a broader range of residents and talent. Cluster development, cottages and bungalows, agrihoods, and other housing alternatives will be considered. All of the building blocks are falling into place in Hancock County to ensure these corridor communities will be importers of jobs and great places to live, said Michael Burrow, president of NineStar Connect, which provides utility infrastructure solutions to the area, including urban-grade fiber connectivity. Already, Hancock County is the most wired county in the state. ULI has long been recognized as one of the worlds most respected and widely quoted sources of objective information on community land-use planning, growth and development. Its Advisory Services program deploys teams of experts to help find creative, practical solutions for issues such as downtown development and redevelopment, land management strategies, evaluation of development potential, growth management and community revitalization. Sponsors of the study included Hancock County Commissioners; the towns of McCordsville, Cumberland and New Palestine; NineStar Connect; Hancock Health; Greenfield Banking Company; Hancock County Redevelopment Commission; Mt Vernon Community School Corporation; Hancock County Economic Development Corporation; Hancock County Community Foundation; Indy Partnership; BAGI Hancock County Builder's Council; Vectren; Duke Energy; and Aqua Indiana. Details of the study recommendations can be found at http://hancockedc.com/connectivity . Linda Muskin, 847-432-7300 [email protected] Mara Conklin, 847-816-9411 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Chalice Financial Network Partners With Riskalyze, NRS And WeWork To Enhance Technology And Business Solutions For Advisors SAN DIEGO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chalice Financial Network ("Chalice," "CFN" or "the firm"), a first of its kind Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based member-benefit organization for independent financial advisors, today announced new strategic alliances with the industry-leading platforms Riskalyze, NRS and WeWork, which greatly enhance CFN's ability to connect wealth management practices with the best portfolio analysis, compliance support and office space providers on the market. Derek Bruton, the President of Chalice Financial Network, said, "This host of new offerings is about building mutually beneficial relationships that create unprecedented value for independent advisors, and connecting them through our digital marketplace, the Chalice Advisor Exchange (CAEx). We chose to partner with Riskalyze as our exclusive choice in the risk analysis category because growth-oriented advisors need access to the most advanced tools that allow them to manage client portfolios safely and at scale. Our alliance with NRS reflects our belief that advisors benefit from the strongest options available to align with rules and regulations efficiently, while adding WeWork demonstrates our commitment to supplying business enterprise solutions that advisors sorely need." Advisors who pay the $99.99 monthly fee to be CFN Members can then receive discounts on their a la carte purchases of services available on the CAEx digital marketplace. Through this most recent series of partnerships, CFN Members can gain discounted access to: Riskalyze: The leader in automated risk analysis software for independent wealth managers offers Chalice Members popular tools including Autopilot for automating trades across client accounts, Riskalyze Retirement Solutions for 401(k) planning, and Compliance Cloud for the changing fiduciary landscape. NRS: The provider of comprehensive support for compliance, regulatory exam and registration services for RIAs, broker-dealers and investment companies offers Chalice Members three tiers of service Basic, Premium and Plus that includes consulting, technology and training solutions. WeWork: The provider of flexible workspace solutions in more than 100 cities worldwide offers Chalice Members state of the art office space on a month-to-month basis, allowing advisors to instill confidence in clients with impressive surroundings, while testing new markets before signing a long-term lease. Aaron Klein, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Riskalyze, and a member of the Chalice Advisory Board, said, "We're excited for Riskalyze to be a part of the incredible value proposition for the advisors joining the Chalice Financial Network. Thanks to Chalice, the economies of scale that a billion dollar firm can achieve are accessible to $50 to $250 million advisors. Riskalyze has served that kind of advisor for its entire history, and we look forward to expanding that through this partnership with CFN." John Gebauer, President of NRS, said, "Abiding by compliance requirements is a crucial function for any financial advisor practice. NRS is excited to partner with Chalice to make this absolutely imperative set of services available to Members. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration as we help advisors raise theircompliance capabilities to the next level." Mac McCann, WeWork Senior Program Manager, said, "Having an inspiring workplace is an important step for any business seeking to connect with clients and employees. At WeWork, we aim to build communities that allow companies of all shapes and sizes to grow their networks and ultimately build their businesses. Chalice Members are exactly the kind of business owners we want to help, and we look forward to welcoming many of them into the WeWork community." Mr. Bruton concluded, "Chalice is overjoyed that Riskalyze, NRS and WeWork see the benefits of becoming our partners. These alliances, along with our other great services such as steeply discounted group health insurance for your entire team, are the latest signs that the Chalice Financial Network is fast growing into a major solutions provider for independent financial advisors of all types who run their own businesses." About Chalice Financial Network Chalice Financial Network ("Chalice") is a San Diego-based, leading provider of third-party technology, asset management, wealth management and business enterprise solutions for independent financial advisors across the country, delivered through an exclusive membership structure. Chalice is the Holy Grail for Wealth Advisors due to its ability to aggregate and integrate all the tools and technology, products and services a wealth advisor needs throughout the lifecycle of a successful independent business, by accessing Chalice Advisor Exchange, its single sign-on shared services digital marketplace and fintech platform. For more information, please visit www.chalicefn.com . About Riskalyze Riskalyze is the company that invented the Risk Number, which powers the world's first Risk Alignment Platform, empowers advisors to automate client accounts with Autopilot, delivers the first risk-centric 401(k) experience with Riskalyze Retirement Solutions, and enables enterprises to develop real-time visibility, increase revenue, spot issues and navigate changing fiduciary rules with Compliance Cloud. Advisors, broker-dealers, RIAs, asset managers, custodians and clearing firms use the Riskalyze platform to empower the world to invest fearlessly. To learn more, visit riskalyze.com . About NRS Owned by the RELX Group, National Regulatory Services (NRS) is part of Accuity, the global standard for payment efficiency and compliance solutions. NRS is the US leader in compliance and registration products and services for investment advisers, broker-dealers, hedge funds, investment companies and insurance institutions. NRS has the practical expertise, proven capability and unparalleled reach to deliver integrated and effective compliance solutions to a wide range of users within the financial services industry. NRS delivers these solutions through three interrelated offerings comprehensive education, best-in-class technology and expert consulting services enabling our clients to meet their regulatory requirements and minimize risk. For more information, visit www.nrs-inc.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Chalice Media Contacts Joseph Kuo / Chris Latham Haven Tower Group 424 317-4850 ext 851 or ext 856 [email protected] or [email protected] Riskalyze Media Contact Jessica Torchia FiComm Partners [email protected] 908-872-7319 NRS Media Contact George Nikanorov NRS Marketing Manager [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chalice-financial-network-partners-with-riskalyze-nrs-and-wework-to-enhance-technology-and-business-solutions-for-advisors-300846183.html SOURCE Chalice Financial Network [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] PsiKick and Thermaxx Partner on Smart Steam System Solution to Drive Energy Efficiency & Savings PsiKick, Inc., the company pioneering wireless, batteryless Internet of Things (IoT) systems, today announced it has partnered with Thermaxx, LLC to jointly deliver smart, IoT-based industrial steam system monitoring and energy efficiency solutions. Thermaxx specializes in designing and manufacturing custom removable insulation covers for commercial and industrial insulation applications. Uninsulated steam systems and steam trap failure leads to significant energy waste, downtime, and potential safety hazards. Thermaxx will integrate PsiKick's batteryless sensor system into its Smart Jackets, delivering an all-in-one solution for insulation, measurement and verification, and real-time steam trap failure detection. The solution provides instant energy savings by retaining what would normally be waste heat, while also alerting facility operators to failed steam traps that would otherwise purge steam energy until the next manual inspection. PsiKick's sensors stream data via an IoT gateway every 60 seconds to its cloud interface, where that data is analyzed to determine trap-state and generate real-time alerts and notifications. The combined solution also handles the measurement and verification process to prove out energy savings so that facilities can receive energy efficiency rebates and incentives. In total, the two companies quote a less-than-one-year payback for the solution, with tens of thousands of dollars or more in annual savings thereafter. "Many facilities already depend on Thermaxx's insulation jackets to save energy and money; by switching to our batteryless sensor technology, these customers can now realize even more savings with a truly maintenance-free real-time monitoring solution," said Brian Alessi of PsiKick. "We're pleased to be working with Thermaxx and look forward to seeing this partnership grow." "Energy conservation is key to our customers when installing our Smart Jacket insulation blankets, but they have also asked for more information about the components our jackets are covering. To be able to deliver that without adding the maintenance headache of battery replacement is an ideal situation," said Philip Johns, CEO of Thermaxx. "The PsiKick STM system is enirely synergistic to our products and becomes a great way to add value for our clients. We've already installed the PsiKick STM into large sites in Manhattan and look forward to continued success with the product." Dan Pugliese, Vice President of Engineering at Hines in New York, emphasized that "the technology plays right into our corporate goals of implementing telemetry driven maintenance where applicable. Now only are we now providing thermal insulation to devices that we didn't do before, but also providing technology that alerts us to failures. We are looking to implement this product nationally." Traditional thermal insulation can become damaged over time, so Thermaxx provides removable insulation jacket to insulate steam system components that are periodically inspected or repaired. The removable insulation jackets help reduce energy waste, improve workplace safety, employee comfort, and facility appearance. PsiKick's proprietary batteryless sensors are powered exclusively from miniscule amounts of harvested energy. For example, two degrees Celsius temperature differences or 100 Lux (less than that of most dimly lit facilities) can generate all the power required for PsiKick's devices to measure, process, and wirelessly transmit data. For more information, visit https://www.psikick.com and https://www.thermaxxjackets.com/. About PsiKick, Inc. PsiKick, Inc., is a venture-backed startup pioneering wireless, batteryless IoT systems for industrial environments. Leveraging groundbreaking technology developed at the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan, PsiKick approaches self-powered systems from multiple angles, combining energy harvesting nodes with overhauled wireless communication and ultra-low power radios. These technologies form the foundation for batteryless sensors and end-to-end solutions designed to deliver critical insights from a wealth of new data streams. The company is based in Santa Clara, CA (News - Alert), with design centers in Charlottesville, VA, and Ann Arbor, MI. For more information, visit https://www.psikick.com. About Thermaxx, LLC Thermaxx, LLC was founded with a single purpose: to help clients save energy with reusable insulation jackets. The company provides an energy audit and recapture solution for commercial, district, and industrial steam system components - together representing almost 10% of U.S. energy consumption. Most projects provide a return on investment in under two years. Thermaxx jackets for steam, hot water, acoustic, and chilled applications are reducing utility bills in hospitals, college campuses, government buildings, and commercial/industrial facilities throughout North America. Thermaxx is based in West Haven, CT, where all jackets are manufactured under an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System. For more information, visit https://www.thermaxxjackets.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005190/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Executive Compensation Veteran Re-Joins Pay Governance Executive compensation consulting firm Pay Governance (www.paygovernance.com) announces Jaime Pludo has re-joined the firm as a Partner. In her role, Pludo will be responsible for firm development, as well as working with clients on a wide variety of executive compensation issues. Pludo brings to Pay Governance more than 25 years of experience in the industry, including extensive background in all aspects of executive compensation consulting and business strategy, as well as experience in building and leading dynamic teams. She will be based in Philadelphia. "We are pleased towelcome Jaime back to Pay Governance and are excited about the contributions she will bring to our firm and our clients," said Managing Partner Richard Meischeid. Previously, Pludo was a Partner with Pay Governance in its Philadelphia office and the founder and CEO of a healthcare start-up. Prior to joining Pay Governance as a Partner in 2010, Pludo was a Partner with Towers Watson and Towers Perrin. Pay Governance LLC is an independent consulting firm focused on delivering advisory services to Compensation Committees. The consultancy also advises company management in situations in which the firm does not serve as the independent committee advisor. Pay Governance has locations throughout the United States in New York, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Cleveland, Charlotte, St. Petersburg, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The firm also has strategic affiliate relationships with Pay Governance Japan and Pay Governance Korea. For more information, visit www.paygovernance.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005177/en/ [May 14, 2019] Videostrong and SURE Universal Announce IoT Smart Home Solution SHENZHEN, China, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Videostrong Technology Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of Android media players and Set-Top Boxes, and Sure Universal, a leading provider of IoT platform solutions, announced that their new IoT Smart Home gateway is now in production. The SURE Smart Home gateway is certified by the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF), the world's largest consortium for Smart Home and IoT, ensuring device interoperability both today and in the future. The new gateway was presented at the Sirida IoT Technology Solutions Summit in Shenzhen. Together, Videostrong and SURE Universal offer the only end-to-end, open-standard Smart Home Solution. The solution uses Videostrong's Android Set-Top Box as a central gateway for the smart home as well as SURE Universal software remote and SURE IoT cloud. The Set-Top Box includes a pre-installed infrared (IR) blaster that enables IR control of traditional legacy devices. Additional unique features include support for Baidu Voice, Google Assistant, and SURE local voice control. The SURE Videostrong Smart Home solution combines best-of-breed hardware and software, while ensuring interoperability with a variety of IoT communication protocols. The solution was launched at the Sirida IoT Technology Solutions Summit on May 10, 2019, which took place at the 5th China Smart Home Exhibition.The Summit addressed trends and solutions in the market such as AI, communications, embedded OS, and sensors, and will be attended by the leading manufacturers in the field. "Videostrong is committed to developing innovative products," said Rock Lee, the company's CEO. "Through our partnership with SURE Universal, we are able to deliver the most advanced Smart Home solution available, that combines ease-of-use with interoperability," he added. "SURE Universal is committed to providing our users with a comprehensive software-defined IoT solution for their smart homes," said Dr. Viktor Ariel, CEO of SURE Universal. "We were honored to have the opportunity to work with Videostrong and leverage their industry-leading Set-Top Boxes to create a complete, interoperable solution for smart homes." About Videostrong Videostrong Technology Co., Ltd. is one of the leading manufacturers of Android players, Set-Top boxes and HD media players. The company has a research and development team of over thirty members that is committed to providing customers all around the world with the most advanced technologies. Through years of hard work and dedication, Videostrong has become a key player in the Set-Top Box market. Learn more at http://www.videostrong.com/index.html. About SURE Universal SURE Universal Ltd. has developed an innovative software-defined IoT solution that enables the interoperability of smart devices no matter the brand or manufacturer. SURE was the first software platform to receive OCF certification. Their solution brings IoT hardware to life so their customers can get the most out of their smart homes. Learn more at http://www.sureuniversal.com/. Contact: Viktor Ariel [email protected] +972-3-754-1111 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/videostrong-and-sure-universal-announce-iot-smart-home-solution-300849661.html SOURCE SURE Universal Ltd.; Videostrong Technology Co., Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Intrinsyc (TSX: ITC and OTCQX: ISYRF) Reports First Quarter Results VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation (TSX: ITC and OTCQX: ISYRF) (Intrinsyc or the Company), a leading provider of edge computing solutions for the development of intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) products, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. Intrinsyc achieved Revenue of US$6.1 million (CDN$8.2 million) with EBITDA of US$155,559 (CDN$206,817). We had delays, both in the expected launch of 2 new development platforms and production client orders due primarily to component shortages and client financing that negatively impacted Q1 revenue, stated Tracy Rees, Chief Executive Officer, Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation. We believe that these issues will be resolved during the second quarter through the introduction of the new development platforms which are expected to add over $2 million in revenue over the next 12 months and the production launch of 5 new client products that will use the Companys edge computing modules. These developments should lead to revenue growth in the second half of 2019. Intrinsyc is helping to take Internet of Things products to the next level - building artificial intelligence and advanced analytics directly into the devices and systems where insights are needed in real-time, added Rees. Known as Edge Computing, this trend is creating opportunities for businesses seeking to deliver enhanced levels of service across a wide range of industries; autonomous vehicles, intelligent cameras, smart home hubs, smart cities, robotics, and industry 4.0 applications, to name a few. Intrinsycs portfolio of computing modules with their high-performance multi-core processors and built-in artificial intelligence capabilities are ideal platforms for creating the next-generation of intelligent Internet of Things products. Quarterly Business Highlights In early January 2019, the Company announced orders from multiple clients that are in aggregate valued at $748,000. Orders were received from a combination of existing and new clients. The largest order was a product development services project for an outdoor surveillance camera valued at $375,000. In addition to the camera project, clients are utilizing Intrinsycs advanced-performance, Open-Q computing modules and expert product development services to build a variety of innovative Industrial and Consumer IoT devices. Announced the addition of the following platforms to our Edge Computing portfolio: Open-Q 835 SOM (micro System on Module) and Development Kit. Open-Q 660 SOM (micro System on Module) and Development Kit. The Company increased design wins of companies developing their products or shipping commercial devices using our computing modules, from 59 to 62. Clients in production remained constant at 24, as there were 3 new production clients, offset by 3 clients with discontinued products. Financial Highlights Three Month Comparative Results The Company reported first quarter revenue of US$6.1 million (CDN$8.2 million), down 14% over the prior period of US$7.1 million (CDN$9.4 million) and up 1% over the same period in the prior year of US$6.1 million (CDN$7.7 million). The decrease in revenue over the prior period was due primarily to decreased revenue from the sale of hardware products and services. Gross margin1 in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 was 32%, which was lower than the 35% gross margin in the prior quarter and 33% gross margin in the same period in the prior year. The decrease in gross margin over the prior quarter was due to a decrease in service revenue which has a higher gross margin. EBITDA was as follows: Three months ended March 31, 2019 Three months ended December 31, 2018 (Restated)2 Three months ended March 31, 2018 (Restated) Operating income (loss) US$ ($32,178) CDN$ ($42,780) US$ $485,712 CDN$ $641,332 US$ $153,003 CDN$ $193,503 Add back: Other operating expenses 187,737 249,597 179,699 237,275 196,791 248,882 EBITDA $155,559 $206,817 $665,411 $878,607 $349,794 $442,385 Financial Position as at March 31, 2019 Working capital3 as of March 31, 2019 was US$10.1 million (CDN$13.0 million) inclusive of cash and short-term investments of US$4.2 million (CDN$5.4 million). This is compared to net working capital of US$10.3 million (CDN$14.1 million) as at December 31, 2018 inclusive of cash and short-term investments of US$6.0 million (CDN$8.1 million). Financial Statements and Management Discussion & Analysis Please see the audited consolidated financial statements and related Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) for more details. The audited consolidated financial statements for the three ended March 31, 2019 and related MD&A have been reviewed and approved by Intrinsyc's Audit Committee and Board of Directors. Intrinsyc recognizes that the majority of its investors are now accessing Intrinsyc's corporate and financial information either through pushed news services, directly from www.intrinsyc.com or SEDAR. Thus, Intrinsyc has prepared this truncated news release to alert investors to its results and that a more detailed explanation and analysis is readily available in the MD&A. These reports have been filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and also posted at www.intrinsyc.com . Conference call The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its fiscal first quarter 2019 financial results at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (6:00 a.m. Pacific Time) today. On the call, Tracy Rees, Chief Executive Officer and George Reznik, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the financial results announced. This conference call may be accessed, toll-free, by dialing 1-800-319-4610, and internationally by dialing 1-604-638-5340 approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. This conference line is operator assisted and an access PIN is not required. The conference call will also be broadcast live over the Internet and available for replay on the Companys Investor Relations Conference Calls web page ( http://www.intrinsyc.com/company/investors/ ). Analysts and investors are invited to participate on the call. Questions may be submitted to [email protected] prior to the call. Financial information is reported in United States dollars and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Non-IFRS Measures The following and preceding discussion of financial results includes reference to Gross Margin, EBITDA and Working Capital, which are all non-IFRS financial measures. The measure of gross margin is provided as management believes this is a good indicator in evaluating the operating performance of the Company. EBITDA is defined as operating income (loss) less other operating expenses. The measure is provided as a proxy for the cash earnings from the operations of the business as operating loss for the Company includes non-cash amortization and depreciation expense and share-based compensation which are classified as other operating expenses. The measure of working capital is provided as management believes this is a good indicator of the operating liquidity available to the Company. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements which, to the extent that they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements or information may include financial and other projections as well as statements regarding the Company's future plans, objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or the company's underlying assumptions. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect," "anticipate," "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate" and "believe" or other similar words and phrases may identify forward-looking statements or information. Persons reading this press release are cautioned that such statements or information are only predictions, and that the Company's actual future results or performance may be materially different. Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the need to develop, integrate and deploy software solutions to meet the Companys customer's requirements; the possibility of development or deployment difficulties or delays; a customers decision to cancel or fail to proceed with a commitment to purchase units of the Companys products contained in an executed purchase order; the dependence on the Companys customer's satisfaction; the timing of entering into significant contracts; customers continued commitment to the deployment of the Companys solutions; reliance on products manufactured by other companies for resale or distribution and reliance on third-party suppliers; the performance of the global economy and growth in software industry sales; market acceptance of the Companys products and services; the success of certain business combinations engaged in by the Company or by its competitors; possible disruptive effects of organizational or personnel changes; technological change, new products and standards; risks related to international expansion; concentration of sales; international operations and sales; dependence upon key personnel and hiring; reliance on a limited number of suppliers; industry growth; competition; intellectual property; product defects and product liability; currency exchange rate risk; and other factors described in the Companys reports filed on SEDAR, including its Annual Information Form and financial report for the year ended December 31, 2018. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Companys forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by this cautionary statement and there can be no assurance that actual results or developments anticipated by the Company will be realized. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. About Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation Intrinsyc provides comprehensive product development services, as well as the industrys highest-performance edge computing modules, to enable rapid commercialization of intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) products. Intrinsyc has successfully delivered over 1,400 client projects including sophisticated consumer and industrial IoT products like: robotics, connected cameras, smart displays, augmented reality, smart buildings, wearables, in-vehicle infotainment, and many others. Intrinsycs Open-Q System on Modules incorporate the industrys most advanced processor technology, and help OEMs to rapidly bring industry leading products, with rich functionality and high performance, to market. Intrinsyc is publicly traded (TSX: ITC and OTCQX: ISYRF) and is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada; with additional product development centers in Taipei, Taiwan, and Bangalore, India. For more information, please contact: George W. Reznik, CPA-CA, CBV, CFE Chief Financial Officer Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation Email: [email protected] Phone: +1-604-678-3734 1 Gross Margin is a non-IFRS measure that does not have a standard meaning and may not be comparable to a similar measure disclosed by other issuers. Gross margin referenced herein relates to revenues less cost of sales. 2 These numbers have been restated to account for the impact of IFRS 16. Additional details on IFRS 16 are discussed in the Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates section of the MD&A and Note 3 to the Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. 3 Working Capital is a non-IFRS measure that does not have a standardized meaning and may not be comparable to a similar measure disclosed by other issuers. This measure does not have a comparable IFRS measure. Working capital is defined as current assets less current liabilities. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Replicon to Showcase the Future of Global Time and Gross Pay REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and LONG BEACH, Calif., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Replicon, the Time Intelligence company, is changing the way the payroll industry thinks about time--putting its Time Intelligence Platform on display at the American Payroll Association's 37th Annual Congress this week in Long Beach, California. Replicon will be showcasing its innovative workforce management platform that provides a single source of truth for enterprise time. Offering enhanced configurability, scalability, and agility, Replicon's solution is built to meet all requirements around global, mobile, complex time, and gross pay compliance. Time and Attendance has evolved, and businesses relegating the entire industry to the basic "punch in/punch out" mindset is a gross oversimplification. With diverse internal business policies, varied time use cases, labor compliance challenges, and the rise of deskless and mobile workers, there are simply too many complex scenarios around time requiring deeper capabilities and broader understanding than what purpose-built applications today provide. "Shifting workforce and business dynamics underscore the need for a comprehensive time and gross pay solution to take part in the digital transformation of large, global enterprises," said Raj Narayanaswamy, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Replicon. "Our continued success as an innovative workforce management platform is a testament to the fact that Replicon has stayed ahead of the curve when it comes to solving global, mobile, and complex time and gross pay compliance challenges. We are proud to be showcasing these capabilities at the APA Conference this year." Replicon will be demonstrating how their Time Intelligence Platform is transforming global time and gross pay : Time & Attendance Gets A Single Source of Truth With Replicons Global Time and Gross Pay Automation solution, global businesses get a centralized, scalable, single source of truth for their time and gross pay across diverse, multi-locational offices - improving visibility, accuracy, and control. Businesses are able to ensure management over employee scheduling, productivity, and overtime. A comprehensive time off system allows for simplified and straightforward self-service management of multi-location employee calendars; handling all vacations, sick days, and local holidays. Mobile & Deskless Workforce Management Replicon's platform provides unobtrusive, uncomplicated, and accessible remote time management using our native Android and iOS application. Cutting-edge technologies are included to make deskless workforce management a breeze; such as Face ID, geo-fencing, chatbots, and intelligent time clocks. Replicon's crew timesheets help to better manage field-based teams working on projects and jobs to ensure efficient utilization. Businesses can use this centralized, state-of-the-art system to gather detailed data about the activities performed, as well as associated costs and locations, keeping all departments on the same page. Local and Global Compliance, Built-in With a continually updated, preconfigured rules library for more than 60 countries, Replicon's workforce management platform ensures compliance to global pay rules, time off and absence rules, and work/break time enforcements by design. Replicon frees multi-location HR and payroll teams from the search for manual solutions or local vendors to manage labor laws in each country, region, or city. Over-the-air updates together with a compliance dashboard and real-time rule monitoring keep businesses up-to-date on adherence to all policies. Truly Automated Complex Gross Pay The need to create custom workflows and customizations for each use case is obsolete. With Replicon's platform, businesses can handle any and all complex gross pay situations such as job costing , collective bargaining and enterprise agreements, and unionized workforces. Businesses can capture as many additional attributes as needed to make sure their gross pay information is accurate and interface with business ecosystems such as Payroll, HRMS, or ERP without causing disruption to the processes already in place. Replicon's Global Time and Gross Pay solution will be on display at the Exhibitor Demo Suite on Thursday, May 16th from 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm. Replicon is a platinum sponsor for the event, hosting the "Pay on the Edge, Play on the Edge" party on May 16th, from 7:30 to 11:30 pm. For more information, Replicon will be available at Booth #315 to talk about transforming global time and gross pay. About Replicon Replicon, the Time Intelligence company, has over 20 years of industry leadership and is pioneering a new approach to time management. Time Intelligence elevates time as a strategic asset within an organization, to improve operational productivity, performance, and profitability. Replicon's Time Intelligence Platform offers solutions for global time and gross pay compliance, enterprise time management for ERP, professional services automation, and an SDK for continued development expanding the company's award-winning portfolio of cloud-based products, including complete solution sets for client billing, project costing, and time and attendance. Replicon supports thousands of customers across 70 countries, with over 400 employees around the globe including the United States, Canada, India, Australia, and the United Kingdom. To learn more, visit www.replicon.com . Media Contact: Dan Capawana Resound Marketing for Replicon [email protected] (609) 279-0050 x109 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/replicon-to-showcase-the-future-of-global-time-and-gross-pay-300849470.html SOURCE Replicon [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Elastifile's Success in the Cloud Leads to Executive Leadership Expansion Elastifile, the pioneer of enterprise-grade, scalable file storage for the public cloud, today announced the appointment of David White (News - Alert) to the newly established position of Vice President of Cloud Operations, responsible for leading the company's service-centric operations and ensuring customer success. He reports directly to Elastifile CEO Erwan Menard. Capitalizing on the successful launch of Elastifile's fully managed, scalable file storage service on Google Cloud, the company is now further enhancing its operational infrastructure with additional tools, resources, and personnel, as evidenced by the addition of White. White's strong track record of delivering operational efficiency and customer satisfaction made him ideally suited to lead Elastifile's cloud operations and to support the continued growth of its unique service offering. "Joining Elastifile represents a unique opportunity to provide operational leadership within a company that itself has become a leader in the burgeoning market for cloud file storage," said White. "I am excited to contribute my energy and expertise to support Elastifile's continued success." White has nearly 30 years of experience in technology and has worked in a variety of industries, including United Nations / NGOs, pharmacy, behavioral healthcare and artificial intelligence. He comes to Elastifile from Sentient Technologies, where he served as VP Technical Operations, managing all technology functions, including networking, cloud services, customer service, business development and globally distributed compute, among others. Prior to Sentient, White was the COO/CIO of PipelineRx/Pipeline Healthcare; IT Director at Sars Behavioral Health Group; and Director of IT Operations at Posit Science; Director IT Strategy Curative Health; among others. White holds a Master of Arts in Linguistic Anthropology from UC Davis and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Washington and Jefferson College. "We are fortunate to have someone of David's caliber leading our cloud operations and supporting the evolution of our service offerings," said Menard. "His experience managing cloud environments and optimizing service-centric infrastructure is invaluable and further augments Elastifile's unique expertise in delivering cloud-native, scalable file storage solutions." Elastifile is generally available on Google (News - Alert) Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and bare metal on-premises environments, with Microsoft Azure availability coming soon. To try Elastifile as a fully-managed storage service on Google Cloud, visit the Google Cloud Platform Marketplace or, to learn more about Elastifile's products and technology, visit https://www.elastifile.com. Follow Elastifile: https://twitter.com/elastifile https://www.linkedin.com/company/elastifile https://www.facebook.com/Elastifile/ About Elastifile Elastifile helps organizations adapt and accelerate their business in the cloud era. Powered by a dynamically scalable, enterprise-grade distributed file system with intelligent object tiering, Elastifile augments existing public cloud services and facilitates frictionless cloud adoption. With Elastifile, organizations can deploy and manage cloud-native file storage themselves and/or benefit from the advantages of fully-managed file storage services, eliminating the need for manual storage management and CapEx-intensive IT forecasting. Elastifile's unique combination of features and flexibility empowers organizations to seamlessly integrate cloud resources, with no application refactoring required...thereby modernizing their infrastructure and achieving their crucial IT agility and efficiency goals. Elastifile is based in Santa Clara, California and Herzliya, Israel, with global Sales and Marketing offices in North America and Europe, and R&D in Israel. Founded in 2013, Elastifile is backed by Battery Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, CE Ventures, and seven strategic investors from the cloud, data center, and storage industries, including Dell (News - Alert) EMC, Cisco, and Western Digital. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005212/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Xandr Creates Community Xandr, AT&T's (News - Alert) advanced advertising and analytics company, has announced the formation of Community, a curated marketplace of publishers that enables advertisers to reach their audiences at scale in a brand-safe, privacy-protected, premium video environment. Community is built on Xandr's powerful technology and consumer insights, enabling buyers and sellers to drive better business outcomes. This new marketplace is the first-step towards the future convergence of linear TV and digital. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005493/en/ Xandr Creates Community (Photo: Business Wire) Community simplifies and improves an advertiser's ability to connect with hard-to-reach audiences, regardless of how they engage with content across traditional TV, connected TV, OTT, mobile, and online. Community also offers controls to programmers and publishers to achieve better yield on their premium multiplatform inventory. "After only eight short months since the launch of Xandr, Community delivers on our promise of a brand-safe, insight-driven, premium video marketplace," said Brian Lesser, CEO of Xandr. "Building on one of the largest technology platforms in the industry and integrating Xandr's unique audience insights from AT&T, we created the foundation of Community. Now, with the incredible inventory from our inaugural Community partners, the marketplace is open." Community is a Multi-Screen Premium Video Marketplace Increasingly, marketers are looking for simpler ways to connect with audiences across digital, video, and television. Xandr is committed to providing advertisers access to scaled, brand-safe, premium content with unique insights across wireless, broadband, and video. By aggregating inventory across publishers and creating multi-seller deals, publishers can increase the value of their inventory and improve monetization, while advertisers have the benefit of better access to content and increased scale. WarnerMedia (including Otter Media), Vice, Hearst Magazine, Newsy (News - Alert), Philo, Tubi, and Xumo join as inaugural Community partners, adding more than 15 premium content providers to the marketplace and reaching more than 50 million active monthly users on streaming services. In addition to WarnerMedia's portfolio across CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, B/R Live, Warner Bros., Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth and VRV, Community will also encompass additional premium video content from other AT&T owned-and-operated properties including DIRECTV NOW and AT&T WatchTV. "Community's vision aligns perfectly with our long-term strategy of pairing our high-quality cotent with breakthrough insights to deliver better ad experiences and drive results for advertisers," said Donna Speciale, president of WarnerMedia Ad Sales. "As a launch partner, we are excited to be able to offer clients extended digital audience opportunities through Community, and we look forward to working with Xandr on enhanced addressable solutions with our live national linear television inventory in the near future." Added Henry Embleton, head of ad products and strategy, Ellation (part of Otter Media), "We rely on our programmatic partners to deliver the best possible ad supported experience for our fans at Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and VRV, however, that information is not always accurate or reliable. Xandr is going to be a programmatic game changer - delivering deep, rich, dependable data from AT&T to enhance our user experience, paired with an expansive reach to help us grow our bottom line." "We're pleased to be working through Community to pair the largest free ad-supported movie and TV audience with unique addressable targeting through AT&T data," said Mark Rotblat, chief revenue officer, Tubi. "At Philo, we want to offer the best experience for both our subscribers and advertisers. By partnering with Xandr, we build upon our seamless programmatic solutions that allow advertisers to reach their audiences via the Philo platform," said Reed Barker, Philo's head of advertising. Community is Cross-Screen Addressable Increasingly, marketers are looking for ways to buy media across multiple touchpoints to connect with hard-to-reach audiences as digital, video, and TV converge. To better power advertising experiences across screens for consumers, Xandr's Cross-Screen Addressable solution is now integrated within Community, allowing advertisers to combine the power of addressable TV with the precision and scale of digital. Xandr's Cross-Screen Addressable solution enables advertisers to define their audience and identify the households that match their desired attributes. Then, through Community, advertisers can serve relevant messages to that same audience across screens to amplify the impact of their campaign. Community is Accountable Using Xandr's data, based on AT&T's first-party consumer insights, Community will improve the efficacy and efficiency of media buying. Community is layered with Xandr Audience (News - Alert) Segments that are built from AT&T's 170 million direct-to-consumer relationships. Community's privacy-forward approach to attribution will enable advertisers to reach their audiences based on intent, interest, and lifestyle attributes. Similar to the insights advertisers can glean from a Cross-Screen Addressable campaign, Xandr's unique consumer analytics will help marketers determine the effectiveness of their media buys, including the impact on brand health and the ability to aid in frequency capping of a given brand message. Using these powerful attribution tools, marketers will have the ability to gain greater insights and become more effective with each campaign they run within Community. Community is Reaching Consumers Where They Are Xandr recently released original, consumer-centric research, called the Relevance Report. The report surveyed more than 3,000 people to learn how they consume content and their advertising preferences. Consumers are spending more time than ever engaging with content. The report revealed 68% of consumers spend the majority of their free time engaging with content, and 76% said content enriches and enhances their lives, with 72% stating their day wouldn't be complete without it. Despite this engagement with content, consumers, especially younger audiences, have become proficient at tuning out content and advertising that they do not perceive as immediately relevant to them. About 57% of respondents say they do not want to engage with ads because they are not relevant to them and, most importantly, 66% wish advertisements were more relevant to them and their lives. Community is Making TV More Data-Driven Xandr is the leader in advanced TV advertising*. Community builds on the expertise of more than 3,000 addressable and advanced TV campaigns, and will begin to incorporate robust TV management tools. Using its technology and data analytics, Community will create more relevant advertising opportunities and help optimize yield management of inventory for live, playback, and VOD on traditional linear TV. Community is Privacy-Protected Xandr is committed to protecting data and privacy, while providing valuable and relevant advertising to consumers. Responsible data usage has been part of AT&T's DNA for more than 143 years, always giving customers the power of choice to opt in or out of relevant advertising. About Xandr Xandr is creating a better solution for advertisers and publishers to find and reach specific audiences at scale in trusted, premium content environments. As a current leader in advanced TV advertising with the one of the best technology platforms, AppNexus, we help advertisers deliver the right message, at the right time, on almost any device. We are rooted in a tradition of responsible data usage. For more than 143 years, AT&T has used data and technology to inform and improve the customer experience. *Source (News - Alert): The Myers Report Survey on Media Company B2B Relationships, Services and Value, Q1 2019. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005493/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] POSaBIT Data Reveals Integrated Loyalty Programs are Essential for Repeat Cannabis Sales As the cannabis industry continues on its growth trajectory, dispensaries with an integrated loyalty solution in place have a true competitive advantage, according to POSaBIT (CSE: PBIT), a leading financial technology and point-of-sale (POS) provider serving cannabis retailers. POSaBIT analyzed hundreds of thousands of transactions across more than 120 stores in California, Washington, and Colorado and found that dispensaries with a loyalty program integrated into their POS saw more than a marked increase in customer-spend in-store. "Regardless of sector, it's universally recognized that the more you know your customer, the better you can deliver to them and grow your business," said POSaBIT Co-founder and CEO Ryan Hamlin. "This industry matures and competition thickens between dispensaries with every new state that legalizes cannabis, so it's crucial for stores to move beyond piecemeal solutions to integrated all-in-one solutions that can serve up business intelligence across its payments, online ordering, loyalty, and POS." POSaBIT analyzed a portion of its proprietary ata and today made public some of the black-and-white benefits to an integrated loyalty program, including: Stores that offer loyalty and online ordering together see higher sales than stores that don't offer, or connect the two Washington has been a first mover toward integration across solutions, showing the state's maturing at a faster clip than others Customers that are loyalty rewards program members have a 28 percent higher average ticket value and also visit more frequently "During the greenrush, merchants needed to move fast and implement solutions, like a loyalty program, regardless of whether they were integrated," said Hamlin. "The competition is fierce between stores and store owners can't afford any downtime or loss of data by integrating their solutions. That's where we're proud to offer the white-glove treatment that combines valuable data-gathering to import the data that these legacy solutions have yielded while ensuring the stores do not have to experience any interruption." "Like their POS system, the POSaBIT loyalty program is simple to use and allows us to easily text sales and promotions to today's mobile-centric customer," said High Point Cannabis General Manager Derek Christensen. "As a result, we've seen a huge increase in the volume of customers that come in since we started leveraging these cutting-edge tactics." About POSaBIT POSaBIT (CSE: PBIT) is a financial technology company that delivers unique and innovative, blockchain-enabled payment processing and point-of-sale systems for cash-only businesses. POSaBIT specializes in resolving pain points for complex, high-risk, emerging industries like cannabis with an all-in-one solution that is compliant, user-friendly and utilizes top-of-the-line hardware. POSaBIT's unique solution provides a safer and transparent environment for merchants while creating a better overall experience for the consumer. For additional information, visit: www.posabit.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005369/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Arrival of Chard Richard Signifies Continued Southeast Growth for Alliant Longtime Baton Rouge employee benefits leader Chard Richard has joined Alliant as Executive Vice President and Managing Director. Richard will play a key strategic role in the expansion of Alliant's Employee Benefits Group both in the Bayou State and the greater Southeast Region. "The Southeast, with its strong economic fundamentals and continued demographic growth, remains a fertile ground for the expansion of our benefits footprint," said Kevin Overbey, Senior Executive Vice President and Senior Managing Director, Alliant Employee Benefits. "Chard has a strongcommand of the region and understands specifically what its diverse range of employers need from their benefits team." A veteran of the employee benefits industry, Richard has an extensive track record of success as a visionary strategist and seasoned producer with experience servicing a range of mid-to-large-sized clients. Richard joins Alliant with more than 30 years of experience within the Baton Rouge employee benefits community. Prior to joining Alliant, he was Area President, Gulf States with a national employee benefits and consulting firm where he built the firm's regional employee benefits practice from scratch into a $35 million operation. Richard holds a bachelor's degree in political science and business administration from Louisiana State University. He can be reached in the Baton Rouge office of Alliant at (225) 236-9670 or at [email protected]. About Alliant Insurance Services Headquartered in Newport Beach, CA (News - Alert), Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. provides property and casualty, workers' compensation, employee benefits, underwriting, surety, and financial products and services to clients nationwide, including public entities, tribal nations, healthcare, energy and marine, law firms, real estate, construction, financial institutions, agriculture, aviation, and environmental. More information is available on the company's website at www.alliant.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005229/en/ [May 14, 2019] Sugarmade Begins Development of Artificial Intelligence Based Hemp Cultivation Monitoring Systems MONROVIA, California, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD), a major supplier to the growing hydroponic cultivation sector, today announces a new corporate initiative to develop cultivation monitoring systems for hemp and other agricultural commodities. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven devices will be placed at various locations within hemp fields to gather vital information about soil moisture, temperature, humidity, etc. and will be data linked back to central control systems. This monitoring system will allow hemp cultivators to actively monitor conditions in real time. Sugarmade has entered into a joint venture with an engineering group to develop and commercialize the technology. "Hemp is becoming one of the world's most valuable crops. Cultivators and investors are actively seeking ways to monitor the health of the crop to ensure maximum yields. This platform, which will be based on AI software from some of the world's leading technology companies. will not only provide real time tracking of field conditions, but will also make active recommendation to mitigate issues. We have launched this initiative to meet the pressing needs for cultivation monitoring of this valuable agricultural commodity," commented Jimmy Chan, CEO of Sugarmade. The new cultivation monitoring technology will be based on narrowband Internet of Things technology, often referred to as NB-IoT, which is a cellular communications technology that provides wide-area coverage to gather and disseminate information. The main advantages of this technology are the long battery life of the data collection devices, low complexity of the network and the significant coverage extending well beyond existing cellular technologies. For these reasons, NB-IoT is practically well suited for use as a networking technology for hemp cultivation monitoring systems. Sugarmade believes this will be the first system to be developed for this unique application. January 2019 report issued by Arcview Market Research, the worldwide consumer market for cannabis during 2018 was valued at approximately $12.8 billion , up significantly from the 2017 estimated value of $9.5 billion . The market is expected to to grow at approximately 27% compounded annually through the year 2022. About Sugarmade, Inc. Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD): Sugarmade, Inc. is a product and brand marketing company investing in products and brands with disruptive potential. Sugarmade's brands include Zenhydro.com, AthenaUnited.com, CarryOutSupplies.com, and BudLife Cannabis Storage Solutions. For more information on the Company's products visit http://www.Sugarmade.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by the Company and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management's current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "would," "could," "will" and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for products and services of the company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report. For inquiries please contact Jimmy Chan at (888)982-1628 or [email protected]. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sugarmade-begins-development-of-artificial-intelligence-based-hemp-cultivation-monitoring-systems-300849418.html SOURCE Sugarmade, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Verve Reaffirms Commitment To Fraud-Free Media With Pixalate Partnership And TAG Recertification NEW YORK, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Verve, the leading platform for location-powered programmatic video and display marketing, today announced the implementation of Pixalate's MRC-accredited invalid traffic detection solutions across the full expanse of the Verve Velocity platform. The new partnership with Pixalate coincides with Verve's recent recertification for the 2019 TAG Certified Against Fraud seal from the Trustworthy Accountability Group. Integration of Pixalate's technology, coupled with Verve's renewed status as a TAG certified provider for the second year running, underscore a strong commitment to delivering valid traffic and high-quality inventory to its customers. Concerns about fraud, particularly regarding programmatic, loom large for U.S. marketers; in a July 2018 survey of US media professionals conducted by Advertiser Perceptions, 37% cite non-human traffic as their foremost programmatic buying concern. According to a Q4 2018 study from Pixalate , mobile is especially vulnerable with global fraud rates reaching 20.4% for in-app display and 29.6% for in-app video. For Verve, integration with Pixalate is a strategic move designed to safeguard clients' steadily increasing investments in programmatic mobile advertising. "The fight against ad fraud is pervasive and never-ending no screen is impervious to bad actors," said Jalal Nasir, CEO of Pixalate. "We are proud to offer partners like Verve comprehensive fraud detection across all devices. It's an opportunity to foster transparency and trust between media buyers and sellers that is unprecedented in our industry." Renewed standing as a TAG compliance partner also plays an essential role in combating the threat of invalid traffic. A recent analysis commissioned by TAG and conducted by the 614 Group reveals more than 84% reduction in fraud within TAG certified distribution channels versus the industry average, a highly reassuring statistic for buyers and sellers alike. Verve is in rarified company with a limited number of sellers, buyers, and intermediaries able to meet the stringent requirements of TAG certification and the company is dedicated to leading the charge for high standards in the digital advertising supply chain. "Verve delivers the highest possible degree of transparency to our clients and publisher partners," said Mark Fruehan, EVP, General Manager, at Verve. "We view our partnership with Pixalate and continued achievement of TAG Certification as indispensable elements of doing business in good faith in an increasingly crowded and complex market, fraught with fraudulent and invalid traffic." Verve's announcements come at a point in time when a clearly articulated strategy to combat fraud isn't just a hallmark of authenticity but a vital component of survival. A November 2018 study conducted by Integral Ad Science reveals that 36.8% of brand marketers and 45.3% of agency respondents view ad fraud as a priority in 2019. Those buyers and intermediaries that invest significantly in the tools to provide reassurance are likely to face a much-narrowed playing field in 2020. About Verve Verve powers mobile marketing through Movement Science, successfully connecting brands with their customers across smartphones, digital out-of-home, connected TV, and the many emerging screens of the modern consumer journey. Our proprietary location intelligence, patented technology, premium mobile inventory, and analytics capabilities empower marketers to reach consumers with compelling mobile advertising experiences that drive engagement and sales in both the digital and physical worlds. Headquartered in New York City, Verve has offices in San Diego, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles. For more information on Verve, visit verve.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. About Pixalate Pixalate is an omni-channel fraud intelligence company that works with brands and platforms to prevent invalid traffic and improve ad inventory quality. We offer the only system of coordinated solutions across display, app, video, and OTT for better detection and elimination of ad fraud. Pixalate is an MRC-accredited service for the detection and filtration of sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) across desktop and mobile web, mobile in-app, and OTT advertising. About TAG Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) is a first-of-its-kind cross-industry accountability program to create transparency in the business relationships and transactions that undergird the digital ad industry while continuing to enable innovation. A joint marketing-media industry program, TAG was created with a focus on four core areas: eliminating fraudulent digital advertising traffic, combating malware, fighting ad-supported Internet piracy to promote brand integrity, and promoting brand safety through greater transparency. Verve Media Contact: Julie Bernard Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] Pixalate Media Contact: Amy King Vice President, Product Marketing [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verve-reaffirms-commitment-to-fraud-free-media-with-pixalate-partnership-and-tag-recertification-300849676.html SOURCE Verve [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Outlier Announces Automated Business Analysis Platform for Government Agencies OAKLAND, Calif., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Outlier , a pioneer in Automated Business Analysis, today announced a strategic partnership and an investment from In-Q-Tel, Inc. (IQT). IQT is the not-for-profit strategic investor that identifies and accelerates the delivery of innovative technology solutions to support the mission of the U.S. intelligence and defense agencies that keep our nation safe. This strategic partnership reinforces that Outlier is a leader in Automated Business Analysis. It further validates the companys artificial intelligence platform in supporting the operational requirements of U.S. government agencies for analysis of cloud-based and on-premise data sets. Outliers platform takes a differentiated approach to leveraging artificial intelligence to surface unexpected patterns and changes in time-series data, which can enable agencies to make informed decisions more quickly, said Divya Sudhakar, Principal, Investments at IQT. Otlier has proven a unique ability to provide high fidelity insights without requiring users to commit significant time and resources to analyze their data. Being chosen by IQT is a major milestone for Outlier and confirms the effectiveness of our Automated Business Analysis platform, said Sean Byrnes, Co-Founder and CEO of Outlier. We expect this partnership and other government partnerships to address the need to analyze billions of data points daily and present stories that will help enhance national security. About Outlier Outlier identifies unexpected changes across business data so that marketing, data scientists and analysts can make more informed decisions quickly. As an Automated Business Analysis platform, Outlier discovers hidden patterns and relationships that are impossible to find manually with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. Adding any integration only takes minutes, and each integration helps global organizations learn more about different aspects of their business. Most recently, Outlier was named a 2018 Cool Vendor in Analytics by Gartner for being innovative, intriguing, and impactful1, honored as one of CRNs The Coolest Business Analytics Companies of the 2019 Big Data 100, and took first place honors during the Pharmaceutical R&D Information Systems Management Executives Forum (PRISME Forum). _______________________ 1 Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted by its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartners research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Media Contact: Jennifer Ellard [email protected] 1-510-468-6996 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kony Quantum Powers New Qualifacts' CareLogic MobileTM Application For Behavioral Healthcare Kony, Inc., the fastest-growing, cloud-based digital banking and omni-channel low-code platform solutions company, today announced that Qualifacts, a leading supplier of behavioral health and human services provider tools, has leveraged Kony Quantum to launch the new CareLogic MobileTM application. CareLogic MobileTM is an offline-compatible module of the CareLogic electronic health record system (EHR). CareLogic MobileTM is designed to help behavioral healthcare providers address the widespread barriers associated with delivering community-based care. As the demand for behavioral healthcare continues to increase, more providers are extending the reach of their support by assisting individuals on-site in schools, prisons, foster homes and hospitals. CareLogic Mobile addresses the critical challenges that behavioral healthcare workers face when delivering care outside of their facility - especially in areas without cellphone coverage or Wi-Fi access. Instead of forcing providers to wait to document patient care after hours, the Kony Quantum (News - Alert) platform enables the CareLogic Mobile application to operate in an off-line environment. CareLogic Mobile's SureSync feature allows providers to access and update patient care information, even with no connectivity, knowing all updates and changes will be automatically, accurately and securely uploaded to the CareLogic system when an internet connection becomes available. Qualifacts' decision to partner with Kony came down to the Kony Quantum platform's ability to enable constant innovation. "What sets CareLogic Mobile apart is our unique collaboration with Kony which enables us to essentially 'future-proof' our mobile capabilities and protect our customers' investment in CareLogic," said Qualifacts' Chief Technology Officer Tom Keen. "We built our mobile solution on the Kony Quantum application development platform, which is the industry's leading framework." "We are excited to partner with Qualifacts as they continue to accelerate the pace of innovation in behavioral healthcare," said Burley Kawasaki, executive vice president of Products, Kony, Inc. "Kony is committed to enabling leading-edge digital features that allow the CareLogic app to evolve rapidly. Given the complexity of behavioral healthcare delivery, Qualifacts clients need a flexible, powerful and secure digital-first solution. Kony Quantum supports Qualifacts' unique requirements to deliver a highly configurable low-code solution and will enable their digital innovation without limits." The Kony Quantum platform has allowed Qualifacts to create an offering that significantly differentiates itself in the marketplace. The three unique benefits that set CareLogic Mobile apart from other EHR providers: 1. Efficient Workflow - The simple, clean user-focused workflows in CareLogic Mobile will help to increase the efficiency of providers' mobile field workforces as they extend care in their communities. The off-line accessible SureSync feature will allow for a dramatic improvement in the workflow and efficiency of healthcare providers; 2. Full-Native Power of Both iOS and Android (News - Alert) Tablets - As iOS and Android release new features and functionality, the CareLogic Mobile application will always be up to date and able to utilize the full potential of all new innovations on both platforms - and for any new platforms or technologies coming down the road. This ability to always be on the leading edge of digital innovation essentially "future-proofs" Qualifacts customers' investment in the solution; and 3. Harnessing Digital Technology - Using technology such as Global Positioning Systems from mobile device-type enables providers to quantify the location of where and when services are provided. These key features are designed to support the six federal requirements for Electronic Visit Verification (EVV). With EVV becoming mandatory for many Medicaid PCS services in 2020 or earlier, it will be critical for providers of these services to leverage technology that supports these requirements. CareLogic Mobile is currently generally available for behavioral healthcare agencies. For more informationabout CareLogic Mobile, visit https://qualifacts.com/carelogic-ehr-platform/mobile/ or call (866) 386-6755. Kony Quantum combines the ease of use and speed of low-code application development with the power of the leading enterprise-grade digital experience development platform. Kony Quantum enables businesses to build mission-critical web and mobile solutions for both employees and consumer-facing apps on a unified platform, resulting in greater speed and productivity. Kony has been named a "Leader" in The Forrester (News - Alert) Wave: Digital Experience Development Platform, Q2 2018 report and The Forrester Wave: Low-Code Development Platforms for AD&D Professionals, Q1 2019. Kony has also been recognized as a "Leader" in the IDC (News - Alert) MarketScape: North America Digital Banking Customer Experience Platforms 2019 Vendor Assessment Report. About Kony, Inc. Kony is a fast-growing leader in digital experience development platforms and the omni-channel low-code platform market; and a recognized leader in digital banking. Kony Quantum provides low-code without limits, a next-generation low-code app development platform that delivers rich digital experiences. Kony DBX is the banking and financial services arm of Kony, Inc. and is a globally recognized leader in digital banking transformation. With a portfolio of modern, frictionless applications powered by the industry's most recognized platform, Kony DBX enables banks and credit unions of any size to accelerate innovation - without compromising what's critical. For more information, please visit www.kony.com. Connect with Kony on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. About Qualifacts Qualifacts is one of the most trusted technology providers of Electronic Health Records (EHR) for behavioral health and human services organizations. Qualifacts' EHR technology and services simplify the increasing complexities facing these providers, enabling them to quickly adapt to the accelerating pace of change. As a strategic partner, Qualifacts and its EHR platform, CareLogic, helps customers focus on what is most important - client care - by optimizing efficiency and productivity while also keeping them ahead of the ever-changing regulatory landscape to maximize reimbursements. For more information, visit www.qualifacts.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005209/en/ [May 14, 2019] AEye Expands Business Development and Customer Success Team to Support Growing Network of Global Partners and Customers Artificial perception pioneer AEye today announced the expansion of its business development team to address the global market opportunity for AEye's iDAR system. The company has hired BD directors in the Americas, Europe, and Japan to support the growing network of AEye automotive partners and customers worldwide. In addition, AEye announced that former Quanergy executive Akram Benmbarek has joined AEye as VP of strategic initiatives. Meeting Global Market Demand AEye's new global team of BD directors will provide in-region, full lifecycle support for the company's OEM and tier 1 partners deploying ADAS and autonomous vehicle systems in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In the Americas, AEye has hired Ashika Schroll. Previously the senior manager of technology and business development for automotive programs at Flex (formerly Flextronics (News - Alert)), Ashika worked with automotive OEMs, startups and Tier 1s to enable autonomous, connectivity, electrification and smart technologies. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from Northwestern. Peter Szelei will oversee AEye's European business from Berlin. Previously, he managed business development, as well as led the global automotive business team at navigation solution provider NNG, where he worked closely with OEMs and Tier 1s to create best-in-class solutions. He holds a masters in Management and Entrepreneurship, as well as Management and Leadership. In Asia, Itohru Iwama will be focused on Japan. He comes to AEye from Denso, where he was a business development manager. Iwama is a veteran tech and automotive executive with 20+ years of product/project management experience in automotive, electronics and software. He holds a BA in Foreign Studies and an MS in Management, and is fluent in Japanese, Chinese, German and English. "Our unique opportunity to define the market has attracted an exceptional group of professionals who know the automotive industry, are excited about the technology, and have a proven track-record in helping Tier 1s and OEMs integrate leading-edge technologies into their products," said Ji Robnett, AEye's VP of automotive business development. Extending into New Markets In response to market demand and to facilitate commercialization of AEye's iDAR technology into markets beyond automotive, AEye also announced today that former Quanergy executive Akram Benmbarek has joined the executive team as VP of strategic initiatives. Benmbarek is responsible for responding to growing demand for AEye's iDAR platform in industries ranging from transportation automation to industrial automation, IoT and mapping. Benmbarek comes to AEye from Quanergy, where he was charged with growing the company's application of LiDAR across non-automotive verticals, including robotics, IoT smart spaces and security. Prior to Quanergy, Akram spent 16 years in Silicon Valley as both an entrepreneur and investment banker. He has a BA in Applied Economics, and an MBA from USC. "I am very excited to join such an experienced and focused team," said Benmbarek. "There is real value in leveraging the unique software definable features of the iDAR platform to markets that require intelligent robotic vision, and I look forward to leading that charge." "While our near-term priorities are automotive ADAS and mobility, we have seen increasing interest in our iDAR platform from other industries and markets," said Luis Dussan, co-founder and CEO of AEye. "Akram has deep experience commercializing LiDAR technology across different verticals, and he'll be a great asset as he helps AEye's customers do the same." 2019 Sees Continued Success for AEye AEye's iDAR Artificial Perception platform combines software extensibility, artificial intelligence and smart, agile sensors to deliver intelligent data collection at the sensor level. The company's AE110 product features the industry's only software-definable LiDAR, creating an open platform for perception innovation that allows software engineers to optimize data collection to best meet their needs. The AE200 system is designed to address the needs of modular, high-performance sensors, and is optimized for size, weight, power and cost. Both will be available commercially during the second half of this year. AEye and iDAR have been increasingly recognized by technology, automotive and other industry organizations. In 2019 alone, AEye has been honored as "Best Up-and-Coming Company" by Image Sensors, "Outstanding Innovation in LiDAR" by ILMF and LiDAR Magazine, "Innovation Award for AI and Machine Learning" by SXSW (News - Alert) and "ACES" award for Autonomy and Sensing by Autonomous Vehicle Technology. In addition, AEye was named to CB Insights AI 100 list as well as their Top Startups Revolutionizing Auto with AI for 2019. About AEye AEye is an artificial perception pioneer and creator of iDAR, a perception system that acts as the eyes and visual cortex of autonomous vehicles. Since its demonstration of its solid-state LiDAR scanner in 2013, AEye has pioneered breakthroughs in intelligent sensing. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and backed by world-renowned investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Taiwania Capital, Hella Ventures, LG Electronics, Subaru-SBI, Aisin/Pegasus Tech Ventures, Intel (News - Alert) Capital, Airbus Ventures, and others. For more information, please visit www.aeye.ai View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005438/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Cannabis Industry Going High-tech to Improve Cultivation Operations Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary PALM BEACH, Florida, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannabis growers, like other agriculturalists, are turning to Internet-of-things (IoT) technologies, to bring new efficiencies to their cultivation operations, and improve yields and profits. The impact has been called "seismic" by industry insiders. A recent article in "IoT for all" said: "With more and more states legalizing or decriminalizing recreational or medicinal marijuana use every year, the cannabis market is exploding in popularity. This market is taking advantage of cutting-edge connected technologies (such as hydroponics) to optimize everything from crop management to distribution. This market is the perfect ecosystem for cutting-edge technologies, especially when looking at the agricultural and business aspects of the market. Large-scale operations are also ramping up to meet the demand and are looking to tech to improve their crop output." The article continued: "Cultivating marijuana plants is difficult work. There are many factors that can go awry and cause a plant either to die or to produce male flowers (male flowers can be used for hemp; only female flowers produce buds with the cannabinoid compounds sought by medical and recreational users). Active Healthcare companies in the markets this week include: Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD), TILT Holdings Inc. (CSE: TILT) (OTC: SVVTF), CannTrust Holdings Inc. (TSX: TRST) (NYSE: CTST), Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), Frelii, Inc. (OTC: FRLI). Entrepreneurs are retrofitting many existing IoT technologies, such as (hydroponic sensors) agricultural sensors and connected farming systems, to manipulate environments specifically for cannabis growing. The temperamental nature of these plants requires a lot of attention to detail and rigid schedules things that can be ameliorated with connected technologies. With a connecting growing system, growers can add thermostats, temperature controls, humidity sensors and controls, scheduled light cycles and more to ensure the optimal conditions that keep plants in both the growing and blooming stages. This helps maximize yield and minimize the loss of viable plants. Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB:SGMD) BREAKING NEWS: Sugarmade, a major supplier to the growing hydroponic cultivation sector, today announces a new corporate initiative to develop cultivation monitoring systems for hemp and other agricultural commodities. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven devices will be placed at various locations within hemp fields to gather vital information about soil moisture, temperature, humidity, etc. and will be data linked back to central control systems. This monitoring system will allow hemp cultivators to actively monitor conditions in real time. Sugarmade has entered into a joint venture with an engineering group to develop and commercialize the technology. "Hemp is becoming one of the world's most valuable crops. Cultivators and investors are actively seeking ways to monitor the health of the crop to ensure maximum yields. This platform, which will be based on AI software from some of the world's leading technology companies. will not only provide real time tracking of field conditions, but will also make active recommendation to mitigate issues. We have launched this initiative to meet the pressing needs for cultivation monitoring of this valuable agricultural commodity," commented Jimmy Chan, CEO of Sugarmade. The new cultivation monitoring technology will be based on narrowband Internet of Things technology, often referred to as NB-IoT, which is a cellular communications technology that provides wide-area coverage to gather and disseminate information. The main advantages of this technology are the long battery life of the ata collection devices, low complexity of the network and the significant coverage extending well beyond existing cellular technologies. For these reasons, NB-IoT is practically well suited for use as a networking technology for hemp cultivation monitoring systems. Sugarmade believes this will be the first system to be developed for this unique application. Read this and more news for Sugarmade at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-sgmd/ Other recent developments in the healthcare, biotech industries: TILT Holdings Inc. (CSE: TILT.CN) (OTCQB: SVVTF) Developments: Jupiter Research LLC, a leader in inhalation and vaporization technology and wholly owned subsidiary of Tilt Holdings Inc., has further expanded distribution of its proprietary, high performance technologies in California through its integration with Tilt's software and supply chain services. The expansion allows Jupiter to establish a physical presence with increased geographic reach throughout California, enabling Tilt to develop stronger customer relationships and deliver Jupiter products to B2B (business to business) customers more quickly than ever before. Tilt acquired Jupiter in early 2019 to further expand its technology ecosystem and B2B reach across the supply chain. Through this acquisition, Jupiter has accelerated its growth with additional distribution opportunities leveraging Tilt's software, logistics and supply chain services provided by Blackbird Logistics and Baker Technologies Inc. The integration of Tilt's operations and software solutions, combined with its robust distribution services allows Jupiter to provide support to its more than 640 customers in California with just-in-time inventory fulfillment and services. CannTrust Holdings Inc. (TSX: TRST) (NYSE: CTST) recently announced it has finalized a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Societe quebecoise du cannabis ("SQDC") to provide Quebec with high quality cannabis for the recreational market. "This LOI signifies the first step towards a long and impactful relationship with the SQDC and consumers in Quebec. This is an important milestone as we have secured national distribution across all ten provinces for our adult-use products," said Peter Aceto , Chief Executive Officer, CannTrust. "This will allow us to develop our brand presence in Quebec at a time when consumers are beginning to develop their preferences." The LOI will serve as an introduction of CannTrust's recreational brands to the Quebec market beginning with two of the Company's most established strains that will be available through SQDC later this year. "Like our partners at SQDC, CannTrust encourages safe and responsible consumption of cannabis by both medical patients and legal age recreational consumers," said Mr. Aceto. "To this end we support laws that make the underage sales and purchase of cannabis illegal." Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTCPK: MJNA) recently announced that the company had its the largest-ever (unaudited) sales bookings month in its history in April 2019. The company also reached major milestones in its business operations. "We are proud to announce our impressive growth in April," said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO Dr. Stuart Titus. "It was just announced by analysts at The Green Fund that the global cannabis industry is positioned to be the world's most lucrative sector and we're excited to be at the forefront of cannabidiol (CBD) as a segment of this profitable business." Frelii, Inc. (OTCQB: FRLI) recently announced that it has signed a contract and licensing agreement with Optivida Health (Optivida), one of the nation's leaders in advanced hemp extract for the consumer market. Optivida will leverage Frelii's proprietary DNA Kit Packages to ensure Optivida customers can realize the optimal benefits of which specific Optivida products best suit their unique DNA profile. "Historically, the only approach to using hemp extract, hemp oil, CBD and other cannabinoid products effectively has been through trial and error," said Ian Jenkins, CEO of Frelii. "Now, through the power of Frelii's proprietary DNA Kit Packages, Optivida customers can have their whole DNA sequenced and analyzed, whereby they will be given the ability to know what hemp, CBD and other products are most appropriate and what precision dose will work most effectively for their own specific needs." DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated forty six hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by Sugarmade, Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Contact Information: Media Contact email: [email protected] +1(561)325-8757 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] ITCloud.ca and ZEROSPAM are proud to announce a Canadian distribution deal MONTREAL, May 14, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - ITCloud.ca and ZEROSPAM proudly announce that ZEROSPAM, the solution for email security, is now available on the ITCloud.ca Marketplace. As announced on May 4 at ITCloud.ca's Annual Congress Altitude 2019, ZEROSPAM email security solution is available on the ITCloud.ca Marketplace in Canada since May 13, 2019. As a result of a signed agreement: with just a few clicks, ITCloud.ca business partners and resellers will be able to quickly provision ZEROSPAM, a highly efficient, easy to use cloud email security solution. David Latulippe, Executive Vice President of ITCloud.ca declared "At ITCloud.ca, we only integrate solutions that are among the best in their class and for which there is a real need. The addition of ZEROSPAM to our offering will help our business partners and resellers increase the recurring revenue derived from the sale of Office 365 licenses and better protect their customers". David Poellhuber, President and CEO of ZEROSPAM Security said "With email being the vector of choice for cyberthreats, MSPs around the world are actively searching for ways to offer their customers better protection. Our presence on the ITCloud.ca Marketplace now gives business partners and resellers the combined convenience of on-line purchases and automated provisioning". ZEROSPAM offers superior detection of all email-borne threats, including ransomware and spearphishing, and is the ideal Office 365 add-on. In the fast-growing cybersecurity market, SMB business partners and resellers are constantly looking for cloud solutions to add to Office 365 or to any other email provider. About ITCloud.ca.ca ITCloud.ca (IT Cloud Solutions) is an Authorized Microsoft Multi-Tier distributor for CSPs and a Bitdefender Cloud Distributor in Canada. They have also been distributing their own supervised cloud backup solutions for 14 years. Born in the cloud, ITCloud.ca was established in 2005 to provide cloud backup services in the form of supervised cloud solutions to Canadian MSPs. Boasting a network of over 850 partners-resellers country-wide and tens of thousands of daily cloud backups, this organization is among the top service providers of secured cloud backup and AV solutions as well as Microsoft cloud services in Canada. For more information, visit http://www.ITCloud.ca ABOUT ZEROSPAM The AI-driven email security solution ZEROSPAM is a 100% cloud AI-driven email security solution. Deadly accurate and utterly simple, it has a proven catch-rate of 99.9% against all forms of email-borne threats and includes a unique spearphishing module that offers unmatched protection against CEO fraud. ZEROSPAM delivers efficient detection of email-borne threats and superior protection against advanced threats including ransomware, phishing and spearphishing. It has a very low FP (False Positive) rate, it is very user-friendly and backed by Elite technical support that serves over 3,500 customers through a large global network of over 300 partners. For more information, visit http://www.zerospam.ca SOURCE ZEROSPAM Security [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] CBRS Alliance to Highlight OnGo Deployments and Industry Innovators at Connect (X) 2019 SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The CBRS Alliance, an industry organization focused on driving the development, commercialization, and adoption of OnGo shared spectrum solutions, announced its participation at Connect (X) in Orlando, May 20-23, 2019. At the event, the CBRS Alliance will host a workshop highlighting the status of the OnGo market as well as current deployment stories. Visit the OnGo Technology Pavilion, a section of the exhibit floor for where vendors will showcase their innovative technologies in support of the ever-growing OnGo ecosystem serving a wide variety of vertical market needs in broadband. Produced by the Wireless Infrastructure Association , Connect (X) is North Americas leading technology convention and exhibition focused on the infrastructure for ubiquitous 5G connectivity and the stakeholders who make next generation networks possible. As progress in the FCC authorization process for use of the 3.5 GHz CBRS band accelerates, the wireless market can soon take advantage of new spectrum to deliver on use cases like network densification, IoT, neutral host networks, private LTE networks, and by 2020, 5G. Join the CBRS Alliance at Connect (X) to learn more about the imminent opportunity of OnGo: Session Title: Ready, Set, OnGo: Launch Update from the CBRS Alliance Date/Time: Monday, May 20, 2019, 1:00 5:00 pm ET 1:00 pm State of the OnGo Market Dave Wright, President, CBRS Alliance 1:30 pm The Economics Driving OnGo Kyung Mun, Mobile Experts 1:45 pm OnGo Device Update Alan Ewing, Executive Director, CBRS Alliance 2:00 pm OnGo Deployment: Fixed Wireless Jon Pederson, CTO, Midco 2:30 pm Break 3:00 pm OnGo Deployment: Managed Services Dan Parsons, COO, Landmark Dividend/Dallas Rapid Transit 3:40 pm OnGo Deployment: Industrial IoT Ken Hosac, VP Industrial IoT, Cradlepoint 4:00 pm Whats Next for OnGo? Q&A Panel Moderated by Walter Piecyk, Managing Director, BTIG 4:45 pm CBRS Alliance Overview Chris Stark, Chair, CBRS Alliance Exhibit Floor: OnGo Technology Pavilion ( Booth B ) Date/Time: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 12:30 6:00 pm ET Wednesday, May 22, 2019 12:00 5:00 pm ET Exhibitors: Acceleran, ADRF, American Tower, Athonet, Baicells, BEC Technologies, Boingo, Comba Telecom, CommScope, Corning, Crown Castle, Druid Software, Ericsson, Federated Wireless, Geoverse, ip.access, JMA Wireless, Motorola, MultiTech, Nokia, Pierson Wireless, Qucell, Ruckus Networks, Sercomm, Star Solutions, Virtualnetcom, Westell, ZenFi, Zinwave For more information on the CBRS Alliance, and a full list of member companies, please visit www.cbrsalliance.org . To register for Connect (X), please visit www.connectivityexpo.com . About OnGo OnGo is uncompromised connectivity. An innovative approach to maximizing mobile broadband, OnGo is a technology that puts the power of wireless networks into the hands of those that rely on them to empower and expand business opportunities. OnGo presents nearly limitless options for enhanced customizability and allows users to tailor networks to a specific set of needs, such as Private LTE, neutral host and Industrial IoT applications. OnGo Certified is a recognized seal of approval that indicates a products ability to meet a high set of quality, interoperability and security standards when tested by an independent, OnGo-Authorized test laboratory. Both the OnGo brand and the OnGo Certification Program are managed and maintained by the CBRS Alliance. About the CBRS Alliance The CBRS Alliance believes that LTE-based solutions in the CBRS band, utilizing shared spectrum, can enable both in-building and outdoor coverage and capacity expansion at massive scale. In order to maximize CBRS full potential, the CBRS Alliance aims to enable a robust ecosystem towards making LTE-based CBRS solutions available. The mission of the CBRS Alliance is to evangelize LTE-based CBRS technology, use cases and business opportunities while simultaneously driving technology developments necessary to fulfill the mission, including multi-operator LTE capabilities. The Alliance will also establish an effective product certification program for LTE equipment in the US 3.5 GHz band ensuring multi-vendor interoperability. For more information, please visit www.cbrsalliance.org and follow the CBRS Alliance on LinkedIn and Twitter . CONTACTS CBRS Alliance Caitlin Haskins, 10Fold Communications Email: [email protected] Phone: 925-271-8219 www.cbrsalliance.org [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] AXIM Biotechnologies to Present at Cannastocks 2019 Q1 Conference NEW YORK, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: AXIM) (AXIM Biotech, Axim, or the Company), a world leader in cannabinoid research and development, today announced that the Company will be attending and presenting at Cannastocks 2019 Q1 Conference , taking place in New York on May 15, 2019. AXIMs Chief Executive Officer John W. Huemoeller II will bring his expertise to this years event, presenting on the Companys updated business strategy, proprietary controlled-release technology and patent on all chewing gum containing cannabinoids, including the Companys patented flagship chewing gum products. His presentation is scheduled to take place from 4:00 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. ET. The presentation will be available online to non-attendees as well for up to 90 days following. I look forward to introducing Cannastocks 2019 Q1 attendees to AXIMs updated business strategy and educating them on what sets AXIM apart in cannabis research and development, Huemoeller said. The company has recently made a lot of advancements and updated its pipeline to reflect our shift in business goals while maintaining our reputation as an industry leader. AXIM Biotech will be one of eight publicly traded companies presenting at the conference. Mr. Huemoeller will also be available for one-on-one meetings for those interested in learning more about AXIM while at the conference. The Cannastocks 2019 Q1 Conference is a live-stream inestor conference. The event will feature presentations by public companies, providing insight on innovation, consolidation, international expansion and specialization in the fast-growing cannabis industry. A copy of AXIMs management presentation can be found at: https://ir.aximbiotech.com/presentations . For more information about the event, please visit: https://www.virtualinvestorconferences.com/events/event-details/cannastocks-2019-q1-conference . To learn more about AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc., please visit http://aximbiotech.com/ . About AXIM Biotechnologies AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM) is a world leader in the research and development of cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. Along with building a robust intellectual property portfolio, AXIM is focused on clinical development programs that bring more efficacy and/or lower side effects than existing alternatives and require small to medium budgets and timelines to bring to market which presents a high added-value to the pharmaceutical field. AXIM's flagship products include MedChew with dronabinol, which is planned to undergo a bioequivalence study to fast track through FDA as an alternative to approved Marinol; MedChew RL, which is planned to undergo clinical trials for treatment of restless leg syndrome; and MedChew Rx, a combination cannabidiol (CBD)/tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) functional, controlled-release chewing gum that is planned to undergo clinical trials for the treatment of pain and spasticity associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). For more information, please visit www.AXIMBiotech.com. Public Relations Contact: Andrew Hard Chief Executive Officer CMW Media P. 858-264-6600 [email protected] www.cmwmedia.com Corporate Contact Info: North American Address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, 20th Fl. New York, NY 10111, USA P. 844 294 6246 European Address: Industrieweg 40, Unit B4 3401 MA IJsselstein Netherlands FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. LEGAL DISCLOSURE AXIM Biotechnologies does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Faction Appoints Key Executives to Drive Hypergrowth and Industry Leadership in Multi-Cloud Services DENVER, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faction , the leading multi-cloud Managed Service Provider, today announced key appointments in the executive leadership team to deliver the next phase of company expansion. The additions to the executive team bring decades of business leadership experience in high tech and managed service industries. These changes come at a critical time as Faction readies to scale further into global locations, deepen key alliances, and deliver portfolio expansion for multi-cloud. These additions follow closely behind a recent $14M financing round . Two of Factions leaders are transitioning into new positions. Sean Charnock is taking over the CEO role. Luke Norris, Factions Founder and original CEO, is moving to Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer. They are joined by Pete Bell, SVP of Sales, and Duan van der Westhuizen, VP of Marketing. With this leadership team, the company is poised for significant growth in 2019 and beyond. Charnock takes on the CEO position following his time as President, which he took on late in 2018, when he moved from Factions board into an operating role. Sean and I have a great history together and this is a long-formed aspiration of ours. Joining as a board member and investor in early 2018, Seans impact was immediate. Our shared vision for the opportunities in front of us makes this partnership between the two of us extremely exciting, says Norris. Charnock has a proven track record of extensive leadership experience in the high-tech industries spanning infrastrcture as a service (IaaS), cyber security, and telecommunications. His career includes prior executive leadership positions at ISIGHT (FireEye), The Planet, and Efficient Networks (Siemens). As one of the founders of Softlayer, he helped grow the company to one of the biggest privately held cloud infrastructure providers in the world. Softlayer was acquired by IBM in 2013 to underpin a new IBM Cloud Services Division, recently renamed to IBM Cloud. I am extremely excited to be leading the Faction team, said Charnock. The company is significantly outpacing our competition with rapid product innovation. The advances with our key partners will continue to increase this divide over the next 12 to 24 months. Multi-cloud continues to be the dominant model for enterprise IT. I look forward to working alongside Luke and the entire Faction staff to capitalize on the amazing opportunity in front of us. Norris has been the driving force behind Factions expansion from a hosted private cloud provider to a leader in multi-cloud services. With Charnock on board, Norris focus transitioned away from daily operations. He continuously drives Factions vision and innovation, emphasizing Factions key partnerships and technology portfolio. Pete Bell joins Faction as SVP of Sales. Bell will lead all aspects of sales, including Factions revenue growth strategy and sales operations. He has more than 25 years of successful global sales leadership experience in North America, Europe, and Asia. Bell has built, recruited, managed, and grown sales operations in cloud, colocation, and network solutions. Duan van der Westhuizen joins Faction as VP of Marketing. Van der Westhuizen will have ownership of all areas of marketing, including go-to-market strategy, brand, demand generation, and product marketing. He brings more than 15 years of cloud and managed services experience in the UK and US. Prior to joining Faction, van der Westhuizen was the General Manager for Microsoft Azure Managed Services at Rackspace. To learn more about the Faction portfolio of multi-cloud services, please visit www.factioninc.com . About Faction Faction is a leading managed services provider for VMware Cloud on AWS, including disaster recovery and production deployments, and a provider of attached storage to VMware Cloud on AWS. Faction helps customers migrate to multi-cloud, powered by patented technology that provides low latency, high throughput connections to all the major clouds, including AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Factions private and multi-cloud platforms give clients the ability to move, access, scale and protect data between clouds, without the fear of cloud lock-in. Faction is recognized as an Advanced AWS Consulting Partner and VMware Premier Cloud Provider. Follow Faction on Twitter (@FactionInc ) and LinkedIn . For more information, please visit www.factioninc.com . Media contact: For Faction: Jenny Good [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Rackspace and Telos Team Up to Accelerate the FedRAMP Journey SAN ANTONIO, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rackspace today announced a new program that provides affordable FedRAMP compliance for SaaS providers, Rackspace Inheritable Security Controls (RISC), powered by Telos Corporations Xacta. Leveraging the power of FedRAMP inheritance and Rackspaces existing Joint Authorization Board (JAB)-authorized platform-as-a-service, RISC significantly shortens the time and reduces the cost required to achieve Authorization to Operate (ATO) for independent software vendors (ISVs) selling software-as-a-service (SaaS) to the federal government. The standard process of hiring hourly consultants to obtain a new SaaS ATO can take more than two years and cost over two million dollars. This high-risk journey can make it virtually impossible for ISVs to make the internal business case for working with the government. This prevents the government from receiving the same cloud-enabled innovations that are easily accessible to the private sector. RISC has achieved federal ATOs in a fraction of the time, with cost savings of up to 70 percent. Our joint approach to the FedRAMP process represents a significant departure from traditional, consultant-led engagements typically required to provide federally compliant solutions, said Raymond Kalustyan, vice president and general manager of Rackspace Government Solutions. Through enhanced automation and cyber risk management capabilities, RISC helps ISVs bring cloud solutions to the government quickly and with a much lower investment than previously required. Think of it as FedRAMP-as-a-Service. Aligning efforts with Telos, provider of continuous security solutions for the worlds most security-conscious organizations, RISC is leveraging Telos Xacta, a first-of-its-kind cyber risk management solution that automates the necessary FedRAMP authorization package, including documentation, registration of projects, assessments, authorizations and continuous monitoring. Also participating in the RISC program are SecureIT, an accredited Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO), delivering full lifecycle FedRAMP assessment and advisory solutions, and Carahsoft, a public sector distributor for Rackspace. Rackspace, Telos, SecureIT and Carahsoft offer ISV customers a simplified path through FedRAMP via an affordable three-step program that includes: An interactive workshop with subject matter experts from Rackspace, Telos and SecureIT, including 30-day access to Xacta 360, designed to create a plan of action and uncover major impediments before making serious time and resource commitments. A 3PAO led gap assessment by SecureIT that quickly identifies showstopper remediations necessary for an ISV to pursue FedRAMP authorization. A FedRAMP Ready/In-Process SaaS environment, leveraging the JAB-authorized RISC platform and an Xacta-powered Body of Evidence and System Security Plan. Navigating the FedRAMP process can be a daunting task for ISVs, said Steve Horvath, vice president of strategy and vision for Telos. Using our proven cyber risk management solution, Xacta, Rackspace has made it easier for organizations to tackle the FedRAMP process, fast-tracking their ability to sell to the federal government. Rackspace provides 24x7x365 hybrid-cloud management, operational support and security services as a packaged, on-demand, audited and pay-as-you-go service. Whether organizations are looking for assistance with FedRAMP, FISMA, DFARS or other security and compliance needs, Rackspace offers a team of unbiased experts across a range of leading cloud and infrastructure technologies built on a compliance-ready framework and backed by ongoing managed operations, continuous monitoring, security services, living compliance documentation and audit assistance. Rackspace is a trusted government solutions partner, from business case through ATO. For additional information on the new RISC, powered by Xacta offering, please visit www2.telos.com/risc-fedramp-workshop. About Rackspace At Rackspace, we accelerate the value of the cloud during every phase of digital transformation. By managing apps, data, security and multiple clouds, we are the best choice to help customers get to the cloud, innovate with new technologies and maximize their IT investments. As a recognized Gartner Magic Quadrant leader, we are uniquely positioned to close the gap between the complex reality of today and the promise of tomorrow. Passionate about customer success, we provide unbiased expertise, based on proven results, across all the leading technologies. And across every interaction worldwide, we deliver Fanatical Experience. Rackspace has been honored by Fortune, Forbes, Glassdoor and others as one of the best places to work. Learn more at www.rackspace.com or call 1-800-961-2888. About Telos Corporation Telos Corporation empowers and protects the worlds most security-conscious organizations with cyber, cloud and enterprise security solutions for continuous security assurance of individuals, systems, and information. Telos offerings include cybersecurity solutions for IT risk management and information security; cloud security solutions to protect cloud-based assets and enable continuous compliance with industry and government security standards; and enterprise security solutions to ensure that personnel can work and collaborate securely and productively. The company serves military, intelligence and civilian agencies of the federal government, allied nations and commercial organizations around the world. The company is a recipient of the prestigious James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award from the Defense Security Service (DSS), awarded to less than .03% of eligible organizations. For more information, visit www.telos.com and follow us on Twitter @TelosNews. Contacts: Mikala Ferguson Rackspace [email protected] 210.550.6452 Ashley Howard Merritt Group (for Telos) [email protected] 703.598.1174 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] SparkPost Introduces the Industry's First Predictive Email Intelligence Platform SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkPost (www.sparkpost.com), the #1 email delivery and analytics service, today announced SparkPost Signals, the first predictive email intelligence platform which analyzes the behavior of trillions of emails to predict email engagement and delivery health. It allows marketers to optimize their email delivery based on predictive analytics and machine learning to maximize revenue and avoid costly outages. Signals represents a major advancement in email analytics, as SparkPost works to transform the email delivery and deliverability market with data. Customers include Zillow, The New York Times, Booking.com, Ebates and Zynga. Signals is powered by the industry's largest email data footprint, based on SparkPost sending more than 37% of the world's B2C and B2B email. Signals is available today for SparkPost's three industry-leading email delivery platforms: SparkPost Cloud, and PowerMTA and Momentum on-premises email software. "Current email analytics products sit outside the delivery process and don't have access to ISP behavior and industry-wide sending data, two factors that are essential for finding delivery problems before they occur," said Rich Harris, CEO of SparkPost. "Signals leverages the world's largest email data footprint to predict email sending problems and provide actionable recommendations before they impact your business." Email deliverability management and analytics is complex and costly to maintain. Using a predictive model that leverages the SparkPost cloud data footprint, Signals provides email teams with real-time insights into deliverability and performance ssues, actionable delivery health alerts, and recommendations to optimize email engagement and performance. Mailbox providers like Gmail closely monitor recipient engagement to determine inbox placement, making their engagement a critical part of your email health. Signals is the first platform to offer predictive engagement alerts to email health problems before they cause business interruption, delivery problems or email outages. Email senders also can learn from and benchmark their own performance against the industry-specific aggregate data generated by senders across the entire SparkPost platform. "SparkPost Signals gives us a holistic view of our campaigns across all of our brands," said Justin Farris, director, product management at Zillow. "Visibility into our email health score means we don't miss critical changes in performance and can quickly take action when issues arise." Core features of the new platform include: Health Score and Alerting : Proactively monitors email delivery health in comparison to other senders in the SparkPost Cloud. It allows customers to track their health by inbox provider and sends alerts to customers when a delivery health problem arises so they can take immediate action. : Proactively monitors email delivery health in comparison to other senders in the SparkPost Cloud. It allows customers to track their health by inbox provider and sends alerts to customers when a delivery health problem arises so they can take immediate action. Spam Trap Reporting : Hitting spam traps has a strong negative impact on email performance. SparkPost Signals provides the industry's broadest visibility across multiple commercial and non-commercial spam trap networks. Spam Trap Monitoring helps reduce risk and remedy problems before they cause sending outages. : Hitting spam traps has a strong negative impact on email performance. SparkPost Signals provides the industry's broadest visibility across multiple commercial and non-commercial spam trap networks. Spam Trap Monitoring helps reduce risk and remedy problems before they cause sending outages. Engagement Insights : SparkPost Signals monitors engagement data, unsubscribes, spam trap hits, bounces and complaints to highlight the impact of sending to various cohorts of recipients, such as engaged vs. non-engaged recipients. : SparkPost Signals monitors engagement data, unsubscribes, spam trap hits, bounces and complaints to highlight the impact of sending to various cohorts of recipients, such as engaged vs. non-engaged recipients. Integration with SparkPost Email Platforms: Signals integrates seamlessly with the SparkPost cloud email delivery service, as well as Momentum and PowerMTA on-premises software. For more information about SparkPost Signals, please visit: http://sparkpost.com/signals About SparkPost SparkPost is the world's #1 email sender, trusted by customers like Zillow, The New York Times, Booking.com, Ebates and Zynga to dramatically increase email performance. SparkPost sends more than 37% of the world's business to consumer email, more than 5 trillion messages a year. SparkPost's unmatched data footprint and email analytics help leading enterprises break through the email noise to drive top-line results. Follow us on Twitter @SparkPost or visit http://www.sparkpost.com . Contact: Terri Douglas Catapult PR (303) 581-7760 [email protected] @tddouglas View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sparkpost-introduces-the-industrys-first-predictive-email-intelligence-platform-300849553.html SOURCE SparkPost [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] GlobalSign Partners with Taiwan Startup Big Good on Newly Released IoT Security Product, G-Shield BOSTON and TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GMO GlobalSign GlobalSign (www.globalsign.com), a global Certificate Authority (CA) and leading provider of identity and security solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), today announced a successful technology partnership with Big Good Intelligent Systems, Inc. via the launch of Big Good's new product G-Shield. G-Shield is an integrated circuit (IC) chip programmer that enables manufacturers to directly and physically write digital certificates into semiconductor IC chips. G-Shield secures the identity of smart products from the very origin of their existence at the component level for use throughout the device's lifecycle. G-Shield uses GlobalSign's IoT Identity Platform for a secure, PKI-based framework and IoT Edge Enroll enrollment software to provision certificates individually or in batches. GlobalSign's technology expertise and developer friendly API facilitated the integration, helping Big Good launch its G-Shield product faster than anticipated. Big Good uses G-Shield to provision digital certificates into IC chips, which the company refers to as 'crypto chips' for its own smart home products as well as makes the crypto chips available to smart product manufacturers looking for secure ICs to build into its smart products. The G-Shield chip programmer is also available to chip manufacturers interested in securing their own types of security chips, set by customized software. "As smart IoT technologies advance, it is increasingly important that security be part of the design from the very beginning," said Roger Wu, Chief Executive Officer, Big Good Intelligent Systems. "Security should start at the component level (chips) and be supported by a strong, stable and secure PKI infrastructure at the device, gateway and cloud layers. GlobalSign's easy API, collaborative approach and secure IoT identity Platform enables us to be first-to-market in delivering our security solution from chip to cloud." The first company planning to implement G-Shield is Realtek Semiconductor Corporation, a global provider of an integrated circuit for communications networks, computer peripherals, and multimedia applications. Realtek Semiconductor is working with GlobalSign and Big Good to research and embed G-Shield technology in its production process to improve the security of their high-performance connected devices and products. GlobalSign's next-generation IT Identity Platform delivers exceptional device identity security. The Platform is flexible and scalable enough to issue and manage billions of identities for IoT devices of all types and integrates simply with developer friendly, RESTful APIs. Using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) as the core identity mechanism, the IoT Identify Platform can serve the varied security use-cases of the IoT across all verticals, including semiconductor, manufacturing, agriculture, smart grid, payments, IoT gateways, healthcare, other industrial ecosystems and more. The Platform supports the full device identity lifecycle, from initial certificate provisioning (both greenfield birth certificates during manufacturing and local, brownfield identity deployments) to certificate lifecycle management and final sunsetting, including decommissioning or transfer of ownership. Giving each device or endpoint a unique identity allows them to get authenticated when they come online and then throughout their lifetime, prove their integrity, and securely communicate with other devices, services, and users. IoT Edge Enroll is a full-fledged enrollment client used to provision and manage PKI-based identities to IoT devices of all types. IoT Edge Enroll provides a flexible and scalable way to deploy these identities and maintain them throughout the full device lifecycle, with added features such as device Registration Authority (RA), certificate lifecycle management and expanded protocol support. GlobalSign can issue certificates at unprecedented speed and volume more than 3,000 per second the fastest in the CA industry. "Working with Big Good and Realtek is an exciting venture. With our certificates embedded directly into chips this should be a leap forward for semiconductors and the OEMs that buy them," said Lancen LaChance, Vice President, IoT Solutions, GlobalSign. "The opportunity to work with semiconductor makers is another important stepping stone for GlobalSign, which underscores our value and leadership in the IoT device security marketplace." About Big Good Intelligent Systems Big Good constantly pursues encryption security solutions for smart homes and the Internet in the global market by partnering with the overseas business of Atte, a company established under O-film Group in Shenzhen, China, for the purpose of expanding the smart home business. Big Good provides ideal services to satisfy the needs of the customers by utilizing Big Data and the features of smart homes that realize safe and comfortable daily lives. To learn more visit www.biggoodiot.com About Realtek Realtek Semiconductor Corporation is a world-leading IC provider that designs and develops a wide range of IC products for communications network, computer peripheral, and multimedia applications. Products include 10/100/1000/2500M Ethernet Controllers/PHYs, 10/100/1000M, Ethernet Switch Controllers/Media Converter Controllers/Gateway Controllers, Wireless LAN Controllers & AP/Router SoCs, xDSL, VoIP Solutions, Bluetooth, xPON, IoT Solutions, Automotive Ethernet Solutions, High Fidelity Audio Solutions for Consumer and PC Applications, Card Reader Controllers, Web/IP Camera Controllers, LCD Monitor/ATV/DTV Controllers, and Digital Home Center Controllers. With advanced design expertise in RF, analog, and mixed-signal circuits, and with strong manufacturing and system knowledge, Realtek offers full-featured, high-performance, and competitive total solutions. More information on Realtek can be found on the website at www.realtek.com About GMO GlobalSign GlobalSign is the leading provider of trusted identity and security solutions enabling businesses, large enterprises, cloud-based service providers and IoT innovators around the world to conduct secure online communications, manage millions of verified digital identities and automate authentication and encryption. Its high-scale PKI and identity solutions support the billions of services, devices, people and things comprising the Internet of Things (IoT). The company has offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit https://www.globalsign.com About GMO Cloud KK GMO Cloud K.K. (TSE: 3788) is a full-service IT infrastructure provider focused on cloud solutions. Established as a hosting company in 1996, the company has managed servers for more than 130,000 businesses and now has 6,500 sales partners throughout Japan. In February of 2011, the company launched GMO Cloud to enhance its focus on cloud-based solutions. Since 2007, the company has also grown its GlobalSign SSL security brand through offices in Belgium, U.K., U.S., China and Singapore. For more information, visit http://ir.gmocloud.com/english/. About GMO Internet Group GMO Internet Group is an Internet service industry leader, developing and operating Japan's most widely used domain, hosting & cloud, ecommerce, security, and payment solutions. The Group also includes the world's largest online FX trading platform, as well as online advertising, Internet media, and cryptocurrency related services. GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.gmo.jp/en/. GlobalSign Media Contact Amy Krigman Public Relations Manager Phone: (603) 570-7091 Email: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/globalsign-partners-with-taiwan-startup-big-good-on-newly-released-iot-security-product-g-shield-300848990.html SOURCE GlobalSign [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Infotools Releases "Rise of the Trust Economy: Top Three Things Market Research Must do to Keep Up" AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Infotools , a global leader in market research analysis solutions, has released a new white paper that will help guide readers through the new market research ecosystem driven by trends in the trust economy. The free publication, called " Rise of the Trust Economy: Top three things market research must do to keep up ", outlines the basic premises of the trust economy and how market research must start to embrace this new reality. "Consumers are seeking control, information, transparency and accountability in every aspect of their lives, creating what some refer to as a trust or sharing economy," said Ant Franklin, CEO of Infotools. "It's foolish to think that market research can operate in traditional ways that don't take these sweeping societal and economic changes into account. Our new paper takes a closer look at these trends, and outlines ways that we can respond to achieve quality outcomes." " Rise of the Trust Economy: Top three things market research must do to keep up " recognizes that important outside factors are driving change in market research at a fundamental level. Theindustry can start to meet these changes by addressing the way we approach client relationships and our role in the research process. Making investments in both client relationships and technology that allows us to achieve goals for speed, quality and transparency are good places to start. The three top recommendations in the paper include: Encouraging strong partnerships from the start of the relationship, including having a plan, carving out significant meeting time and gaining a deep understanding of goals. Complementing this with methods for building visibility into processes and creating a feedback loop can achieve alignment with the principles of the trust economy. from the start of the relationship, including having a plan, carving out significant meeting time and gaining a deep understanding of goals. Complementing this with methods for building visibility into processes and creating a feedback loop can achieve alignment with the principles of the trust economy. Giving clients more control over the process. Demands for transparency and control are changing the way we approach research with collaborative tools and DIY technologies, it's time to start using them. over the process. Demands for transparency and control are changing the way we approach research with collaborative tools and DIY technologies, it's time to start using them. Offering nimble technology that allows the level of participation craved in today's world, and speeds up mundane tasks can help provide the time needed to feed natural curiosity and dig into the data to uncover new truths. Franklin continued, "We are an industry that is significantly influenced by outside trends, both in technological advances and consumer behavior shifts. As our economy undergoes massive changes, it's important we educate ourselves in ways that we can keep up with expectations that are soon becoming our new normal." Download the free white paper here: https://web.infotools.com/rise-of-the-trust-economy-market-research-whitepaper About Infotools Infotools is an award-winning software and services provider, with particular expertise in processing, analyzing, visualizing and sharing market research data. The company offers a powerful cloud-based software platform, Infotools Harmoni, which is purpose-built for market research data, together with the services of data experts who can drive research design and management, data design and organization, and insights discovery, analysis, visualization and reporting. Established in 1990, and with a presence in the US, Europe, South Africa and New Zealand, Infotools works with some of the world's best-known brands, including Coca-Cola, Orange, Samsung and Mondelez, as well as boutique and large research agencies such as MDI , Nielsen and Ipsos. For more information, visit www.infotools.com or follow on Twitter @infotools. Media contact: Marie Melsheimer, [email protected], +1-541-815-3951 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/infotools-releases-rise-of-the-trust-economy-top-three-things-market-research-must-do-to-keep-up-300849722.html SOURCE Infotools [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Nodin Acquires Data Analytics Company, Will Expand Platform To Deliver Weather-Related Business Insights DENVER, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nodin has completed an acquisition that enables the company to expand its AI-driven augmented analytics platform with business insights about weather-related factors that have impacts on numerous industries. This acquisition of Denver-based HeadsUp brings Nodin a proven analytics solution, technical expertise, and vertical industry relationships that HeadsUp developed through real-world testing of its solution. "Weather plays an enormous role in the profitability of companies in industries ranging from retail to hospitality to construction. Understanding that relationship and accurately predicting how that will impact customer behavior allows companies to make more informed decisions about staffing, supply chain management, pricing, revenue opportunities and more," said Jeff Allen, CEO of Nodin. "Weather-driven insights are one of the most fascinating and impactful ways that AI-driven analytics can help companies run their businesses, doing far more than is possible with weather apps, weather APIs and previous tools." Weather-related insights are big business. The American Meteorological Society estimates that weather causes a $600 billion dollar variance in the U.S. economy each year, and HeadsUp's research underscores that withfindings that up to 86% of a retail store's revenue can fluctuate on a daily basis due to weather factors. This acquisition also expands Nodin's leadership team by bringing HeadsUp Founder and CEO Rob Seigel on board as Vice President of Engineering. "Rob earned a PhD in Atmospheric Physics prior to founding HeadsUp, and he has a strong vision for the role augmented data analytics can have in making companies more agile and profitable," said Allen. "I am excited to bring the power of the HeadsUp solution to the Nodin platform," said Siegel. "Together, we have a comprehensive offering to help companies truly understand the root cause of why their business changes." Nodin recently completed a $5 million round of initial funding and is in the final stages of preparing for the general availability of its AI-driven augmented analytics platform. The Nodin platform delivers a set of capabilities that have never been available to executives and business analysts providing clear, automated business insights about what is happening in a business, why it is happening, and what to do next. Financial terms of the HeadsUp acquisition are not being disclosed. About Nodin Nodin makes it possible for companies to make faster, better-informed decisions by using AI to automate the delivery of business insights. Nodin's platform doesn't simply tell you what is happening with your business. It is the only platform that tells you why it is happening and gives you the guidance you need to decide what to do next. Nodin's SaaS offering delivers real-time business insights that were not previously available to executives and business analysts, and it does so at a speed and with a level of automation that is transforming how businesses make data-driven decisions. For more information, visit www.nodin.ai . Media Contact Rich Miller Miller Strategic Communications, Inc. Phone: 303-877-3966 Email: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nodin-acquires-data-analytics-company-will-expand-platform-to-deliver-weather-related-business-insights-300849555.html SOURCE Nodin [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MCEDC Launches New Bio Lab Pilot The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) launches a year-long pilot program designed to help small biotech companies fund wet lab space in Montgomery County, Maryland. The Bio Lab Pilot project will assist the County's growth-stage life sciences companies with their infrastructure needs. The successful applicant must agree to be headquartered in the County for three years, and lease wet lab space that is 5,000 SF or less. The grant award will provide $10 per SF of lab fit-out costs, up to $30,000 per company. "Young BioHealth companies are not always able to obtain conventional financing. These grants are designed to help fill the funding gap associated with wet lab costs," said David Petr, President and CEO of MCEDC. MCEDC will fund the pilot project with $250,000 from its FY19 budget, which includes $50,000 in funding from the Maryland Department of Commerce. "Maryland Commerce is pleased to support this project, which will help offset the cost of wet lab space and encourage more small biotech companies to grow in Montgomery County," said Kelly M. Schulz, Maryland's Commerce Secretary. Expanding local companies, new start-up companies, and relocating companies are eligible to apply for Bio Lab Pilot unds to fit-out newly leased lab space. Developers and building owners are ineligible to receive pilot program grants. The threshold criteria for a pilot award will be the demonstrated evidence of a funding gap that prevents the company from completing its new lab fit-out. The application is available at Bio Lab Pilot. The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) is the official public-private organization representing Montgomery County, Maryland. The organization was created in 2016 to help businesses start, grow, and relocate in Montgomery County by providing access to top talent, business and market intelligence and prime locations. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005563/en/ [May 14, 2019] Independent Proxy Advisory Firms, ISS and Glass Lewis, Support Approval of the Acquisition of Espial by Enghouse Systems Limited Espial (News - Alert) Group Inc. ("Espial"), (TSX: ESP) is pleased to report that, in respect of the upcoming annual general and special meeting of Espial's shareholders ("Shareholders"), being held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time), Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. ("ISS") and Glass, Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis") have each recommended that Shareholders vote in favour of the proposed plan of arrangement, (the "Arrangement"), whereby Enghouse (News - Alert) Systems Limited (the "Purchaser") will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Espial (the "Common Shares"). ISS and Glass Lewis are two leading, independent proxy advisory firms who provide corporate governance analyses and make voting recommendations to their subscribers who are Espial investors. Recommendation to Shareholders In reaching its conclusion, ISS noted that, "The Arrangement makes sense as the purchase price represents a significant premium, and the cash consideration provides immediate liquidity and certainty of value. Furthermore given, the Purchaser's financial capability and the absence of any financing or purchaser shareholder approval condition, there is certainty of completion. As the market reaction was favourable and there are no significant governance concerns, shareholder approval of this resolution is warranted." Glass Lewis noted in its report, "The proposed consideration constitutes an attractive exit for the Company's disinterested shareholders following significant corrections in the Company's trading price, reflecting the realities of its revenue model transition and cost structure. In light of the foregoing factors, as well as the committee and board's unanimous support, we believe the proposed acquisition is in the best interests of shareholders." YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT - PLEASE VOTE TODAY The proxy voting deadline is Thursday, May 16, 2019, at 5 p.m. (Eastern Time)./b> Shareholders are encouraged to vote today using the internet, telephone or facsimile. The Espial board of directors UNANIMOUSLY recommends that Shareholders vote FOR the proposed resolutions. Shareholder Information and Questions Espial Shareholders who have questions about the Circular or require assistance with voting may contact Espial's Proxy Solicitation Agent: Laurel Hill Advisory Group North America toll-free: 1-877-452-7184 International Collect Calls: 1-416-304-0211 Email: [email protected] About Espial Espial is a public software company, established in 1997 and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. Espial solutions are used by over 100 video service providers and device manufacturers across US, Canada, Europe & Asia. Espial's solution portfolio includes client, server and cloud software products along with system integration services to help service providers launch next generation video offerings. Espial's customers have deployed over 50 million devices, and are serviced through Espial's global sales, support, and innovation centers. Espial has partnered with leading companies like Netflix, Amazon and Google among others for its Elevate SaaS solution, which is powers cable, IPTV (News - Alert) & App-based IP video services for over 30 video service providers. For more information on Espial's solutions, visit www.Espial.com. For more information about Espial Elevate cloud IPTV platform, visit www.Espial.com/elevate. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" about the proposed Arrangement within the meaning of applicable Canada securities legislation. These forwarding-looking statements in this news release are related to, but are not limited to, matters with respect to the timing, completion, approval and results of the Arrangement. Forward-looking statements typically contain statements with words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "foresee", "could", "estimate", "goal", "intend", "plan", "seek", "strive", "will", "may" and "should" and similar expressions. There can be no assurance that the Arrangement will occur or that the anticipated benefits described in the information circular delivered to shareholders will be realized. The Arrangement is subject to shareholder and court approvals and the fulfilment of certain conditions, and there can be no assurance that any such approvals will be obtained and/or any such conditions will be met. If such conditions are not met, the Arrangement could be terminated. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect Espial's expectations, based on reasonable assumptions, only as of the date of this news release. Espial disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005537/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] The founder of AI-T Education and Technology Na Tian was awarded "Top Ten Leaders in China's Private Education Industry in 2019" BEIJING, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Salute the times and strive for the future! On April 27, 2019, the Second Summit of Leaders of Private Education in China, held by the Chinese Academy of Management Science, ceremoniously opened at the Beijing Convention Center. At the Glorious Ceremony of the 2019 Chinese Private Educators Spirit "Endeavor Award", held during the summit, founder and CEO of AI-T Education and Technology Na Tian, as an outstanding entrepreneur in the field of education selected from the whole country, was awarded two awards, namely the "Top Ten Leaders in China's Private Education Industry in 2019" and the "Private Education Special Contribution Award for the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China". As a young entrepreneur in the field of education and technology, Na Tian originally advocated the notion of "using artificial intelligence to make complex language learning simple and interesting". Because of his unique innovative ideas, special contributions to the combination of technology and learning, outstanding talents in language teaching, and distinctive entrepreneurship, he won a number of national and international awards including "China's Outstanding People of Management Innovation in 2018" and "French Tech F2 Talents 40 global innovators in science and technology under age of 40". AI-T Education and Technology, founded by Na Tian, was selected as one of the enterprises in he enterprise case base of Tsinghua-MIT Entrepreneurial Strategy Course because of its pioneering concept of "Learn English with Best Teacher and Better AI". AI-T Education and Technology has been awarded the title of "Golden Seed Enterprise of Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone", "Zhongguancun High-tech Enterprise" and the "60th Anniversary of Artificial Intelligence - 2016 China Artificial Intelligence Innovation Company Award", awarded by China Electronic Information Industry Development Research Institute, and completed 10 million RMB financing in just three years. Now, AI-T Education and Technology is on its way to become the new leading enterprise in the industry of education and technology. At the summit, Zhang Tianbao, as the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education of China, highly appreciated and praised the outstanding achievements of Na Tian. As a language educator with outstanding teaching ability and years of professional experience, Na Tian has a deep understanding of the language learning process. As a student, he also went through a process of struggle to transform from a mediocre student to be able to win the "National English Speech Contest Champion" and score full marks on a number of domestic and foreign exams. In that process, Na Tian profoundly realized the great role and value of high-quality teaching, scientific learning methods and smooth learning experience. In the interview after the award ceremony, Na Tian also said that the purpose of founding AI-T Education and Technology is to use high-quality content, top-level teaching, and cutting-edge technology to upgrade the process of language learning, so that more people can learn language quickly and efficiently, and open up a larger world for their lives. As a practitioner of technology in the field of language learning, Na Tian, graduated from Tsinghua University, built a strong technology team that includes graduates from Tsinghua University, Cambridge University and Northeast University. Since the establishment of the team, it has been focusing on the application and research of artificial intelligence technology in the field of language learning. The company's first spoken English learning APP based on artificial intelligence technology was awarded the "60th Anniversary of Artificial Intelligence - 2016 China Artificial Intelligence Innovation Product Award" by China Electronic Information Industry Development Research Institute. Nowadays, AI-T Education and Technology has acquired many patents and software copyrights on algorithms, software architectures, and adaptive learning systems. Na Tian, as the only guest speaker, delivered a special speech on the theme of "How AI Helps English Learning", which was highly praised by the industry experts and scholars. It is reported that the Summit of Leaders of Private Education in China is an annual national top event attended by Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Vice Chairman of the National Political Consultative Conference and well-known experts and scholars. After being awarded the "Top Ten Leaders in China's Private Education Industry in 2019", Na Tian said, "This honor is affirmative and even spurring. I will continue to devote myself to the front line of language education, never forget the original intention of "upgrading education with technology", strive to realize the vision of "using artificial intelligence to make complex language learning simple and interesting", and make greater contributions to the industry of education and technology". View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-founder-of-ai-t-education-and-technology-na-tian-was-awarded-top-ten-leaders-in-chinas-private-education-industry-in-2019-300849593.html SOURCE Institute of Educational Science, Chinese Academy of Management Science [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Productive Edge Achieves Microsoft Gold Partner Status Productive Edge has achieved Gold Partner Status with Microsoft (News - Alert) for its Cloud Platform capabilities. This designation recognizes Productive Edge's strength in delivering cloud services, including machine learning, data streaming, IoT data collection, hosting, support, and more. Through these services, Productive Edge helps clients rapidly adopt technology to drive business outcomes and migrate applications and data to the cloud. The Microsoft Gold-Certified Partnership signifies that Productive Edge has achieved the highest level of Microsoft's widely-recognized partnership program. As a member of this program, Productive Edge will work closely with Microsoft to remain at the forefront of the latest technology developments through access to the newest products and services, as well as ongoing enablement and training. "We are honored and excited to be named a Microsoft Gold-Certified Partner," said Wyatt Kapastin, CEO at Productive Edge. "This important designation recognizes that our certified associates are at the lading edge of cloud knowledge and are able to offer clients the best technical guidance and solution execution available." For clients, collaborating with a Microsoft Gold-Certified Partner means working with proven solution experts who possess real-work experience. Using the latest software and technologies available, Productive Edge provides professional solutions to develop digital systems that meet their clients' unique needs. This type of investment in specialized training and certification is a hallmark of Productive Edge's success as a technical solutions provider. For more information about Productive Edge's capabilities as a Microsoft Gold-Certified Partner, visit www.productiveedge.com. About Productive Edge: Productive Edge partners with enterprise clients to develop transformative digital strategies, design engaging customer experiences, and strives to deliver these by applying Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Intelligent Automation (IA), and Cloud Native technologies. Our digital business consulting and technology solutions are focused on measurable business outcomes. Our culture is built upon our values of commitment, constant improvement, and pride without ego. Our team members are masters at their craft and down-to-earth people who believe in working hard, playing hard, and celebrating joint successes. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005083/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Andersen Global Expands in Africa Botswana-based law firm Moribame Matthews has entered into a collaboration agreement with Andersen Global. Moribame Matthews marks Andersen Global's first presence in Botswana, and Botswana is the eleventh country in Africa in which Andersen Global has a presence. Founded in 2007, Moribame Matthews provides corporate and commercial law, conveyancing and securities, intellectual property, debt collection, litigation and arbitration services to both businesses and individuals. The firm provides these services in the following sectors: banking, healthcare, hotel and tourism, engineering, construction, mining, energy, property, capital markets and finance. "We knew that Andersen Global set a higher bar, so to collaborate with the high caliber and reputation of the Andersen Africa team is both an honor and responsibility," said Kgaotsng Matthews, the Office Managing Partner for Moribame Matthews. "For the past 12 years, we have prided ourselves on providing professionalism, agility and premier client service in this unique market, and we're going to take it further now, broadening our service and reach across the globe." "Moribame Matthews adds another dimension to our Africa strategy and bolsters our ability to deliver broad and seamless service to our clients both in Africa and across the world," said Mark Vorsatz, Andersen Global Chairman and CEO of Andersen Tax LLC. "This collaboration addresses an important market and positions us for continued opportunities." Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax and legal professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 4,500 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 140 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005004/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Plex Systems Debuts Industrial IoT Solution Suite DETROIT, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Plex Systems, the leader in manufacturing cloud ERP and MES, today announced at PowerPlex 2019 the release of Plex Industrial IoT, a suite of solutions designed to solve business challenges generating from the shop floor. Plex Industrial IoT connects machines to the cloud, manages the resulting data streams, and contextualizes the information in real time. The first available offering will focus on asset performance management (APM), helping companies avoid manufacturing disruption caused by common problems like unplanned downtime, diminished machine performance, and substandard quality output. "Operational excellence is foundational to a manufacturer's ability to meet quality requirements, efficiency goals and productivity measures," said Richard Murray, chief product officer of Plex Systems. "Plex is lowering the barrier to entry for manufacturers to realize the benefits offered by IIoT by creating a plug-and-play offering. This solution suite will level the playing field for big and small manufacturers alike." Plex Makes the Industrial Internet of Things Real Plex's new solution enables manufacturers to implement and leverage connectivity in the era of Industry 4.0, breaking own siloes created by varying protocols and data types used by equipment and sensors by simplifying the connection to machines and the contextualization of data. Plex Industrial IoT grants access to the underlying machine intelligence, delivering to manufacturers timely and accurate insight in a single solution, eliminating operational surprises. According to IDC analysts, by 2021, 90 percent of manufacturers will leverage real-time equipment and asset performance data to self-diagnose issues in advance and trigger a service intervention to avoid unplanned downtime.1 Plex Industrial IoT delivers: Continuous improvement through access to historical IIoT data: The first solution within the suite focuses on asset performance management (APM), starting with an understanding of current and historical activity. This real-time assessment empowers shift supervisors and plant managers with the data to understand behaviors, trends, and diagnose root cause of common challenges like machine failures, efficiency dips, or substandard quality output. The first solution within the suite focuses on asset performance management (APM), starting with an understanding of current and historical activity. This real-time assessment empowers shift supervisors and plant managers with the data to understand behaviors, trends, and diagnose root cause of common challenges like machine failures, efficiency dips, or substandard quality output. Improved productivity with real-time asset dashboards: Plex Industrial IoT helps manufacturers monitor what is happening with any asset, in any facility, from any connected device with comprehensive pre-built dashboards. Customizable and real time, these dashboards deliver access to up-to-the-minute metrics and analytics. The information delivered by the dashboard enables manufacturing leaders to respond to live data immediately and accurately to improve operator performance or overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) mid-shift. Plex Industrial IoT helps manufacturers monitor what is happening with any asset, in any facility, from any connected device with comprehensive pre-built dashboards. Customizable and real time, these dashboards deliver access to up-to-the-minute metrics and analytics. The information delivered by the dashboard enables manufacturing leaders to respond to live data immediately and accurately to improve operator performance or overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) mid-shift. Minimized operational disruptions by predicting and preempting unplanned downtime: Data collected over time with Plex Industrial IoT, analyzed against historical trends and contextualized against MES and ERP data from the same facilities, will expose an unprecedented quality of shop floor to top floor insights. This reduces operational disruptions to help manufacturers better plan for the previously unanticipated. "Plex Industrial IoT will provide us a direct view into the status and overall performance of assets, and we are really excited about the ability to tie quality and part-level performance expectations to asset performanceinformation that has traditionally been extremely difficult to generate," said Bob Bierwagen, vice president of digital strategy, MPI Corporation. "With this information available we can both correlate dataas well as understand causality in order to make the operational improvements that will positively impact our bottom line." Plex Industrial IoT will be available in July 2019. This is Plex's initial Industrial IoT offering following the acquisition of IIoT leader DATTUS in July 2018. Future releases will focus on part quality and manufacturing efficiency. 1. Source: IDC, IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Manufacturing 2019 Predictions, doc # EMEA43135818, Oct 2018. About Plex Systems Plex Systems delivers industry-leading ERP and manufacturing automation to more than 600 companies across process and discrete industries. Plex pioneered cloud solutions for the shop floor, connecting suppliers, machines, people, systems, and customers with capabilities that are easy to configure, deliver continuous innovation and reduce IT costs. With insight that starts on the production line, the Plex Manufacturing Cloud helps companies see and understand every aspect of their business ecosystems, enabling them to lead in an ever-changing market. Learn more at www.plex.com. 2019. Plex Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Plex Manufacturing Cloud and the Plex logo are registered trademarks of Plex Systems, Inc. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plex-systems-debuts-industrial-iot-solution-suite-300849756.html SOURCE Plex Systems [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Jessica Edwards Named Director of Customer Experience at MCN Healthcare DENVER, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MCN Healthcare is pleased to announce our new Director of Customer Experience, Jessica Edwards. Coming from a long history of bridging the gap between technology and customer support, Jessica will lead an already successful customer experience team in exceeding customer expectations. "Having Jessica join the management team will enable us to continue to improve our software, take customer experience to the next level and launch new products," said Amanda Valeur President and Founder of MCN Healthcare/MCN Learning. While working for the US Army as an Information Systems Analyst, Jessica learned early on the importance of serving those that serve others. Venturing into the world of enterprise hospitality, Jessica managed the technical side of multiple hotel properties, as well as implementing technology policies to improve communication with customers. Before joining the team at MCN Healthcare, she returned to her roots, overeeing the technical support teams for EHR software companies and providing solutions to health and safety providers. Jessica has gained over a decade of technical customer support experience, concentrating on both internal and external customer satisfaction to create a wholistic experience. "As the liaison between our customers, products, services, and sales teams, I am honored to help improve the experience of those who serve and save lives," says Jessica. She will continue this vision at MCN Healthcare by thinking outside the box to aid in our customers' success in what they do best: helping others. About MCN Healthcare MCN Healthcare, Inc. is the leading provider of document compliance management and web-based learning solutions built specifically for the healthcare industry. With over 30 years of healthcare experience, customers worldwide rely on MCN's Policy Manager, Policy Library, StayAlert!, e-Learning and Contract Manager to confidently maintain compliance and manage documents. With MCN Healthcare, you reduce risk, streamline workflows, and create a safer environment of care. Contact: Senija Paich 800.538.6264 www.mcnhealthcare.com Related Images image1.jpg View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jessica-edwards-named-director-of-customer-experience-at-mcn-healthcare-300849505.html SOURCE MCN Healthcare [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Representative from Dalton Investments Invited to Join the Board of Directors of T&K Toka Dalton Investments LLC, a registered investment advisor based in Santa Monica, California, announced today that its senior analyst, Kota Isogai, has received an invitation from T&K Toka ("the Company"), a manufacturer of ink and synthetic resin for printing, painting and adhesives, to be nominated to the Board of Directors at the Company's upcoming annual general meeting in June. Dalton's clients currently own more than twenty percent (20%) of T&K Toka. The Company recommended the appointment of Mr. Isogai as an Independent Director in order to enhance the alignment of interests between the Board, management and shareholders. Mr. Isogai intends to focus his efforts on working with his fellow directors to improve the Company's capital allocation. "We believe that shareholder representation on the Boards of Dalton's porfolio companies will improve corporate allocation of capital and enhance value for all shareholders," stated Mr. Isogai. "Japan's corporate governance initiative has greatly improved the opportunity for large shareholders to voice their recommendations and Dalton has a successful history of constructive, private engagement with management and, if necessary, through shareholder resolutions to be voted on by all shareholders." Mr. Isogai joined Dalton after graduating with his Master's degree in Business Administration from New York University's Stern School of Business in 2015, where he was a student of Dalton's Founder, James B. Rosenwald, III in his class, "Global Value Investing." Prior to joining Dalton, Mr. Isogai worked in valuation and modelling at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and prior to that, as an auditor at Deloitte (News - Alert). About Dalton Investments Dalton Investments LLC is a value-focused investment management firm with expertise in Asia and global equities. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, with subsidiary offices in Tokyo and Mumbai, Dalton manages $3.7 billion (as of February 28, 2019) in actively managed long-only and long/short strategies for pensions, endowments, foundations, financial institutions and family offices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005287/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Adlucent Strategically Expands Leadership Team with Industry Veterans Adlucent, a leading digital marketing and analytics agency, announced today the addition of Sue Krieg as Senior Vice President of Client Services and John Tawadros as Senior Vice President of Business Development. Both roles are new for the company. The addition of the two roles to Adlucent's leadership team is in response to the continued rapid growth the Austin agency is experiencing. Stepping into the roles as digital advertising veterans, Krieg and Tawadros have the combined experience of leading teams across industry big names including Performics and iProspect, both internationally recognized digital marketing agencies. Together they will focus on navigating scalability for the company during this crucial time. "Building a successful company isn't just about growth - it's about scale," says Ashwani Dhar, CEO of Adlucent. "As Adlucent continues to push past milestones, we knew we had to take the right steps to ensure we continue to deliver the high-quality work our company is known for. Adding Sue and John to our leadership team is a big win for us." Bringing 20 years of experience to the role, Krieg's goal is to bring strategic growth to both clients and the Adlucent team. For clients, Krieg will focus on helping navigate the shifting ecosystem of digitl marketing by delivering strategy across paid search, programmatic, paid social, Amazon services, co-op marketing and more to solve their business challenges and deliver omnichannel growth. Within Adlucent, her focus is to scale the client services team by establishing effective operational processes and talent development opportunities. Prior to Adlucent, Krieg served as the SVP of Client Solutions at Performics, a performance marketing agency in Chicago. She has expertise across all aspects of integrated marketing, from mobile product development for the Local Commerce and Innovation Team at Sears Holdings Corporation to omnichannel campaigns for household brands such as Home Depot and Williams-Sonoma at Experian Marketing Services, a leading global information services company. Joining Adlucent, Tawadros will oversee the entire new business team. He is responsible for further accelerating new partner acquisition through strategic planning into new sectors and maintaining overall partner success. With proven success in managing multi-faceted businesses, leading cross-functional teams and improving organizational efficiencies, Tawadros has been an integral part of growing and scaling companies. Prior to Adlucent, he was a part of building three different ecommerce startups, which all resulted in successful exits. Most recently he served as COO of Everquote, a leading online insurance marketplace in the U.S. Tawadros was also one of the founding principals at iProspect where he served as COO for 10 years and built and led the Service, Technology and Training groups. "Adlucent's unique position as a thought leader in the ecommerce industry and their reputation for exceptional results is what drew me to the company," says Krieg. "John and I are excited to push Adlucent towards continued growth that best serves our clients and our team." Adlucent, an Advantage Marketing Partners company, is a performance-driven digital marketing and analytics agency. Adlucent's team of experts pair their talents with our unparalleled Deep Search digital marketing and shopping analytics technology designed in-house. From paid search to Amazon services, our completely customized ad management algorithms and dashboards help innovative brands acquire new customers across channels while profitably growing revenue. To learn more about Adlucent and our team, visit www.adlucent.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005523/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Infrastructure Deal Must Address Crisis in Rural Broadband The lack of reliable internet service in rural America is creating a dangerous opportunity gap that needs to be addressed in the infrastructure deal being fashioned by Congress and the White House, says Jeff Smedsrud, Chairman of public policy organization Communicating for America (CA (News - Alert)). "While bridges and roads are crucial in an infrastructure deal," said Smedsrud, "we cannot let America's rural citizens lag behind when it comes to high-speed broadband." Smedsrud called on political leaders formulating the infrastructure deal to get serious about putting a stop to the destructive expansion of the digital divide between urban and rural Americans. He pointed to a Federal Communications Commission report saying that roughly 39 percent of rural Americans lack access to high-speed broadband, compared with just four percent of urban Americans. "Without high-speed internet service in rural areas, our rural citizens right now are losing opportunities for jobs, telecommuting, telemedicine and education," he said. "This country does not need a rural underclass; we need an even playing field when it comes to economic and social opportunities that technology provides," Smedsrud said. "Our organization thinks of access to high-speed internet as a fundamental human right for rural Americans because of its reach into economic development, healthcare and education." Smedsrud said the wrangling will be intense when an infrastructure bill is readied for Congressional action, but that rural Americans and their representatives must speak out loudly now. "To fully participate in the world digital economy, rural Americans must fight now to be included in the infrastructure debate," said Smedsrud. How the funding for rural broadband is delivered is up for debate, he said, but there should be no debate about the need for the $40-50 billion in funding that must be delivered soon in the interest of fairness and equity for rural people. CA, a membership organization with agricultural roots, advocates for rural people and their rights for economic justice. Link to a summary of CA's public policy study. About Communicating for America Communicating for America, Inc. (CA) is a nationwide nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents about 100,000 small businesses, self-employed and agricultural members across America. Since 1972 CA has been working on small business, tax, healthcare and agricultural policy issues on behalf of its members. For more information visit www.communicatingforamerica.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005316/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] D2L'S BRIGHTSPACE SAVES TIME FOR EDUCATORS AND HELPS INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH STUDENTS Kitchener, Waterloo, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (May 14, 2019) Global learning technology leader D2L today announced Indigo the newest release of its Brightspace learning platform one that further evolves the platform for all users by making it more intuitive and engaging while saving them time. The Indigo release provides education users with the following capabilities. NEW GRADING EXPERIENCES MORE IMPACTFUL FEEDBACK & ASSESSMENTS IN LESS TIME Provide feedback faster across all courses. Its easy to find and prioritize student submissions with the new Quick Eval tool . Make feedback relevant and impactful for students with annotations . Seamlessly evaluate and assess students with easy-to-create rubrics in Brightspace . Instructors and teachers save time by performing outcomes assessments right in Brightspace. ENGAGE STUDENTS MORE DEEPLY The reimagined student experience includes intuitive and clear navigation, full-screen viewing, and progress and completion status all accessible from any device. Instructors can empower students to share their voice by allowing them to create posts in the activity feed creating a collaborative and engaging classroom experience. Students can drive their own learning by being able to search, discove r and self-enroll in courses in Brightspace. and self-enroll in courses in Brightspace. Keep students engaged and motivated with the new awards widget, available as an add-on, that shows them what awards theyve earned and what they can earn next. DATA THAT MAKES SENSE Quickly get answers to the questions that are most important to your organization with new interactive dashboards from Performance Plus. Educational administrators can see clearlyhow Brightspace is being used, by whom and in what ways with the new Adoption Dashboard to celebrate successes and determine where to invest. to celebrate successes and determine where to invest. Educational advisors can identify at-risk and succeeding groups and individuals to take appropriate action by using the new Engagement Dashboard. Educators and Instructional Designers can quickly evaluate the effectiveness of quizzes and quiz questions with the Assessment Quality Dashboard. As D2L enters its 20th year of helping change the way the world learns, our team is more focused, more innovative and more responsive to the needs of our growing global community of educators and learners than ever before, said D2L President and CEO John Baker. This latest release of Brightspace is evidence that we are leading the way as we enter our third decade of working with educators, on the mission of reaching every learner. WHAT OUR USERS ARE SAYING Oh, Im getting feedback from my students now too ... they love it! No more deciphering cryptic text comments in the feedback box. I think you hit a home run with this one! Thanks for the continued improvements and for listening to your customers!! - Lori Wendt, Parkland College I LOVE the improvements that theyve made to rubrics. I mean really LOVE. The editor is very user-friendly, and Im no longer dreading creating or updating rubrics! - Jana Carter Parsons, English Department at Great Falls College, Montana State University ABOUT BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace is a cloud-based learning platform built by educators, for educators that works on any device. Its secure, worry-free technology that puts customers first allowing you to create engaging courses within your existing technology to fit your unique needs. With Brightspace, you can easily set up individualized learning paths for your students, keep them on track with automated nudges, provide them with personalized feedback and increase their engagement through gamification, social tools, video and other powerful features. Brightspace is the only learning platform chosen as a partner of the National Federation of the Blinds Strategic Nonvisual Access Partnership program, which has been redesigned as their Centre of Excellence in Nonvisual Access. Brightspace was named the #1 LMS in Higher Ed by Ovum Research and #1 in Adaptive Learning by eLearning Magazine. Aragon Research also included D2L in its highly coveted Hot Vendors In Learning list. To learn more, visit the Higher Education and K-12 pages on our website. ABOUT D2L D2L believes learning is the foundation upon which all progress and achievement rests. Working closely with organizations globally, D2L has transformed the way millions of people learn online and in the classroom. Learn more about D2L for schools, higher education and businesses at www.D2L.com. D2L PRESS CONTACT Christine DAngela, Director of Awareness, D2L Corporation, [email protected] Twitter: @D2L 2019 D2L Corporation. The D2L family of companies includes D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd, D2L Australia Pty Ltd, D2L Europe Ltd, D2L Asia Pte Ltd, and D2L Brasil Solucoes de Tecnologia para Educacao Ltda. All D2L marks are trademarks of D2L Corporation. Please visit D2L.com/trademarks for a list of D2L marks. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Las Vegas Rescue Mission to be Renovated during AEC Cares Blitz Build on June 5 CINCINNATI, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ConstructConnect, one of the leading providers of construction information and technology solutions, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and Hanley Wood Media have selected the Las Vegas Rescue Mission (LVRM) as the recipient of AEC Cares' ninth annual blitz build, projectVegas, which will take place on June 5, 2019, the day before AIA's Conference on Architecture. AEC Cares' blitz build is an annual building project that provides community support for worthwhile projects across the U.S. Over 100 volunteers and sponsors from the AEC community will converge for the one-day build to renovate and make repairs to LVRM's chapel and gym. When finished, the LVRM will have updated spaces to provide vital services to Las Vegas' most underserved. "We are honored to partner with the Las Vegas Rescue Mission for this year's blitz build," explained Dave Conway, ConstructConnect CEO and president of AEC Cares. "The LVRM provides critical support to those in need in the Las Vegas community. It is a privilege to bring together sponsors and volunteers from the AEC community for this worthy endeavor." Founded in 1970, LVRM has been tranforming the lives of homeless and hungry men, women, and children. In 2018, they provided 373,269 hot meals, 53,611 beds overnight, clothing to 6,505 individuals, and recovery programs to 307 individuals. Its goal is to provide redemption, recovery, and reentry to independent living. "The Las Vegas Rescue Mission is beyond excited and appreciative of the AEC Cares efforts to help our facility and the homeless," said Las Vegas Rescue Mission CEO Heather Engle. "This fantastic group of professionals will bring their talents to the mission and help create newly renovated space that is much-needed here. We are grateful for their hard work and dedication." To sponsor, donate, or volunteer for AEC Cares' projectVegas or for additional information, visit aeccares.com. About ConstructConnect ConstructConnect is a leading provider of construction information and technology solutions in North America and is committed to transforming the way the construction industry does business by providing its customers the tools, information, and connections needed to drive their success. For more information, visit constructconnect.com. About AEC Cares AEC Cares is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation supported by ConstructConnect, the AIA, Hanley Wood, generous sponsors, donors, and volunteers. Bringing together architects, contractors, manufacturers, and industry professionals, AEC Cares works to create positive change through meaningful projects that benefit a new community every year. To learn more, visit aeccares.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/las-vegas-rescue-mission-to-be-renovated-during-aec-cares-blitz-build-on-june-5-300849772.html SOURCE ConstructConnect [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Virgo receives first patent and celebrates 30,000th gastroenterology procedure recorded with cloud video platform SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgo Surgical Video Solutions, Inc. , a San Francisco based digital health company, received its first patent and celebrated the 30,000th gastroenterology procedure recorded with the Virgo cloud video platform. Every year in the United States, there are more than 45 million video-based medical procedures including colonoscopies, endoscopies, laparoscopic surgeries, and more. Historically, video from these procedures has not been documented as part of the medical record due to challenges with technical feasibility and data storage. Virgo's proprietary cloud video platform solves these challenges, creating a new best practice for endoscopic video recording. The two-year-old company was recently granted its first patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for an Automated System for Medical Video Recording and Storage. The granted patent, expected to issue in early July, covers the core functionality of Virgo's cloud video recording system specifically the ability to trigger video recording automatically using advanced computer vision and neural networks. "Rceiving our first patent is a tremendous milestone for Virgo and representative of the hard work and technical contributions from our team. We look forward to building our intellectual property portfolio further with new advancements in endoscopy," said Matt Schwartz, Virgo co-founder and CEO. With a strong focus on security, Virgo also encrypts and transfers videos to cloud storage using state of the art protocols. Users access their videos using Virgo's HIPAA compliant web portal, which allows them to stream, download, edit, and share videos with colleagues. By moving data storage to the cloud, Virgo enables cost-effective video recording at scale. Virgo launched in May 2018, and leading medical centers around the country are rapidly incorporating Virgo into their practices. Earlier this month, the company celebrated the 30,000th gastroenterology procedure recorded on its cloud video platform. Doctors are using videos recorded with Virgo for a variety of risk mitigation, research, training, and quality improvement initiatives. Virgo is exhibiting at the upcoming conference, Digestive Disease Week , in San Diego, CA, from May 18-21, 2019. They will be providing live demonstrations of their technology at booth #4832. Please visit the Virgo website to book a demonstration time slot. To learn more about Virgo, visit www.virgosvs.com , follow us on Twitter @virgosvs , or contact [email protected] . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virgo-receives-first-patent-and-celebrates-30-000th-gastroenterology-procedure-recorded-with-cloud-video-platform-300849372.html SOURCE Virgo Surgical Video Solutions, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] New Data: Facebook and Google Trounce Amazon for D2C Brand Ad Spend LAS VEGAS, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As more brands focus on their own eCommerce sites as a direct touchpoint to consumers, " The State of D2C Marketing " is a new report that provides a candid look at related marketing, advertising, and eCommerce investments propelling the success of many of today's direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. The report reveals trends across verticals and company size, including that 52% of respondents are increasing investment in Facebook ads, compared to 18% investing more in Amazon Ads. Produced by leading commerce marketing provider Yotpo , in partnership with Magento, an Adobe company, the report debuted at Magento Imagine 2019, currently underway in Las Vegas, Nevada. The State of D2C Marketing is based on an online survey conducted March-April 2019 of more than 500 eCommerce and marketing leaders at D2C brands, 41% of whom are brand founders. The respondent base represents online merchants in a variety of verticals from across the globe, with online stores built on eCommerce platforms including Magento, Shopify, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, SAP Hybris, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and more. The State of D2C Marketing 2019 uncovers new industry insights, including: Key Marketing Priorities The leading priorities for today's D2C brands are eCommerce sales [60%], customer acquisition [54%], and conversion rates [53%]. However, priorities differ depending on company size. Brands with under $5 million in annual revenue are looking to drive revenue growth (eCommerce sales). in annual revenue are looking to drive revenue growth (eCommerce sales). Mid-sized brands between $5 - $100 mllion care about both market penetration (customer acquisition) alongside revenue growth (eCommerce sales). - care about both market penetration (customer acquisition) alongside revenue growth (eCommerce sales). Meanwhile, the largest companies (over $100 million ) generally aim to optimize their marketing efforts (conversion rates). Marketing and Ad Spend 2019 vs 2018 To fuel customer acquisition, the majority of respondents [52%] are increasing investment in Facebook ads, compared to only 18% investing more in Amazon Ads. Once again, investments diverge for the different segments: Small brands, who count social media as their primary customer acquisition channel, are investing in Instagram Ads at higher levels than the industry overall. Mid-sized brands with higher brand recognition likewise attract customers via social media but also through SEO and direct traffic. Accordingly, this segment-- notably more than any other in the industry--is increasing spend with Google, in both Ads (60%, +13 percentage points above average) and Shopping Ads (42%, +10 higher). The largest, most established brands report social media as a lesser acquisition channel compared to SEO and direct traffic. While these brands with their budget firepower outpace the industry in increasing spend in every channel, Facebook dominates as the largest investment (63%, +11 above average). Optimizing eCommerce Sales In today's digital-first commerce environment, D2C brands consider customer reviews as foundational for their sites, with nearly 3 of 4 brands [73%] having implemented the feature. Segments have a different approach to implementing other forms of user-generated content like customer photos and customer videos: Small brands are the most advanced in adopting those community-building features, outpacing the industry in the planned implementation of customer photos (36% vs. 32% industry average) and customer videos (43% vs. 39%). Mid-sized brands outperform the industry in implementing customer photos (40% vs. 36%) with more than a third 35% looking to deploy customer videos. Large brands, potentially late to considering eCommerce as a top priority, are currently underinvested when it comes to reviews (68% vs 73% industry average) and so is planning to implement the feature accordingly (25% vs 20%). In the report, Tomer Tagrin, CEO & Cofounder of Yotpo, comments on the central role eCommerce plays in brand growth and survival: "In the D2C approach, the website is both the brand and the store: story, mission, style, products, transaction, and service. Unlike the limitations of physical stores, eCommerce can give businesses access to a wider and global base of potential customers. Additionally, the lower overhead can provide the resources for businesses to persist amidst changing market conditions." The State of D2C Marketing 2019 is available in both print and digital formats. To access the full study which features additional analyses on referrals, loyalty programs, and findings by industry verticals, visit the Yotpo blog . About Yotpo Yotpo's suite of integrated solutions for user-generated content marketing, loyalty, and referrals helps commerce companies accelerate growth by enabling advocacy and maximizing customer lifetime value. With Yotpo, brands can effectively leverage social proof to increase trust and sales, cultivate loyal customer advocates, and make better business decisions based on customer feedback. Yotpo proudly serves thousands of brands including Away Travel, Glossier, and MVMT. An official partner to Google, Facebook, Shopify and Magento, an Adobe company, Yotpo has raised $101 million in funding and employs over 300 employees globally. For media inquiries contact: Cristina Dinozo | [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-data-facebook-and-google-trounce-amazon-for-d2c-brand-ad-spend-300849834.html SOURCE Yotpo [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Horoscope.com Announces Re-Brand, Re-Design And Release Of Its Mobile App, Sun Signs, And Opt-In Subscription Service, Sun Signs Premium SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Horoscope.com, the most comprehensive collection of personalized Astrological, Tarot and Horoscope content online since 1999, officially released its newly re-designed and re-branded Sun Signs mobile app. The app, available via the App Store or Google Play, easily enables users' access to daily, weekly, monthly and yearly horoscopes based on their astrological sign, as well as the ability to dive deeper within specific horoscope topics including love, career, finances and health. New to the app is Sun Signs Premium, a monthly subscription for more in-depth personal information based solely on celestial activity and planetary movements and interactions. Sun Signs Premium is available for $9.99 per month. An app subscription provides: Free Birth Chart Report A personal roadmap for each user based on the celestial alignment at the exact time and place of their birth A personal roadmap for each user based on the celestial alignment at the exact time and place of their birth Detailed Monthly Horoscope An in-depth monthly horoscope report identifies "Power Days" and highlights how each month's aspects will affect relationships, career and more An in-depth monthly horoscope report identifies "Power Days" and highlights how each month's aspects will affect relationships, career and more Monthly Moon reading A monthly report that outlines the impact of lunar activity, empowering subscribers with recommendations on how to harness the moon's powerful energy A monthly report that outlines the impact of lunar activity, empowering subscribers with recommendations on how to harness the moon's powerful energy Ad-free User Experience - A seamless and uninterrupted app experience for self-examination Horoscope.com operates under Horoscope.com Inc., an established and recently revitalized brand in the mystical services industry. Horoscope.com Inc.'s marquee sites, Horoscope.com and Astrology.com generated 38% revenue growth from 2017-2018 and together the sites boast 15M users and 190M pageviews monthly. Strong revenue growth allowed the digital media publisher to re-invest substantially in product innovation, modernizing and expanding the app's already robust content. All Sun Sign content is curated by an expert network of astrologers that Horoscope.com has collaborated with for years. "Horoscope.com is a trusted resouce in mystical services and we have been for two decades," stated Josh Jaffe, GM of Horoscope.com Inc. "We were the first to recognize the exponential growth potential in the Millennial market. A thoughtful and thorough mobile app redesign with a subscription option was a clear starting point, but that wasn't enough." Jaffe continued, "Our goal was to leverage our extensive industry experience something VC-funded newcomers can't compete with - and create a customized, immersive mobile option for those passionate about deep self-examination and exploration." The impetus behind the app redesign and premium in-app content offering was two-pronged, influenced by both internal and external factors: Internally, the decision was based on user data and recurring premium content purchases via desktop. Most active users purchased multiple readings over the course of the year, prompting the decision to provide monthly, premium content accessible via mobile which expands the site's already impressive reach. Externally, interest in astrology, horoscopes and New Age spiritual practices is becoming more mainstream. An independent research study of 1,000 American adults 18+ conducted by Wakefield Research in December '18 revealed: 91% of Americans feel that some aspects of spirituality are more appealing than organized religion 62% value spirituality over traditional religion within their daily lives 66% of Americans have engaged in New Age or non-traditional practices Top three spiritual habits / New Age practices that Americans engage in include reading horoscopes (42%), meditating (33%) and pulling tarot cards (16%) Women report that spirituality is more important to their daily lives 67% of American women compared to 57% of American men Outside of its premium content, there are other improved features of the app available due to a complete overhaul of the frontend user experience and a modernized backend, completed in the summer of 2018. These include sun sign, love, career, money and health horoscopes, four types of Tarot readings, seven astrology and horoscope themed games, a 2019 yearly horoscope and a 2019 Chinese horoscope. About Horoscope.com Inc. Horoscope.com Inc. is based in San Francisco and is the Media division of Ingenio, a curated collection of online destinations where women find spiritual guidance on love, relationships, and life. Horoscope.com Inc. operates four lifestyle sites Astrology.com, Horoscope.com, Astrocenter.com and Horoscopo.com. Featured content includes personalized, positive messaging on zodiac signs, love compatibility, career, money and more. For more information, visit Astrology.com or Horoscope.com or download their available apps on the App Store or Google Play. Follow Astrology.com on Facebook (facebook.com/astrologycom), Instagram (@astrologydotcom) and Twitter (@astrology_com). Follow Horoscope.com on Facebook (facebook.com/horoscopedotcom), Instagram (@horoscopedotcom) and Twitter (@horoscopedotcom). View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/horoscopecom-announces-re-brand-re-design-and-release-of-its-mobile-app-sun-signs-and-opt-in-subscription-service-sun-signs-premium-300849669.html SOURCE Horoscope.com Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Accelerance Announces Partnership with Applaudo Studios CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerance, Inc. announces a new partnership with Applaudo Studios. Accelerance , a US-based consulting firm announces the acceptance of Applaudo Studios of San Salvador, El Salvador as an Accelerance Certified Partner. Applaudo Studios now joins the elite 3% of proven software development companies worldwide known as the Accelerance Global Network . Accelerance Partner Showcase Page Provides Verified Findings to Clients Looking for the Best Software Outsourcing Companies Accelerance published all of their investigative findings in the Applaudo Studios Partner Showcase. This showcase provides in-depth company reviews, interviews with key company leaders on topics such as: capabilities, processes, and company reviews. Applaudo Studios is comprised of highly skilled nearshore software developers focused on creating custom software development that meets quality and innovation for their clients. Founded in 2013, Applaudo Studios is headquartered in San Salvador, El Salvador and in Austin, Texas. Applaudo Studios is a leading provider in Staff Augmentation, Nearshore Software Development, Mobile Development, App Development, Android Development, iOS Development, Web Development, Web and Server Development, Project Management, Web Design, and UX/UI Design, Development and Quality Assurance, Applaudo Studios is an outstanding addition to the Accelerance Global Network. Applaudo Studios combines transparent communication, real time collaboration and experienced tech individuals to deliver quality work and teams that are ready to be your technology partner. One of Applaudo Studios' goals is to create multiple jobs for developers. They created a Training Program so engineers can train and opt for a better future in the technology industry. In the short term, they will hire 100 of the most talented young professionals in the software development industry to focus on the quality of their work to be supported by a world-class software development process. Applaudo Studios signed an alliance to work on economic cooperation projects with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2018, with which they hope to improve the competitiveness of the sector by expanding competition in the internal and export markets and, therefore, the creation of jobs of high added value. Applaudo Studios maintains relationships with the education sector, MRO facilities and local businesses that seek to improve the local economy. "El Salvador's workforce is highly productive and this is recognized outside of the Salvadoran borders for its diligence and commitment in everything it does, becoming an added value to the service provided by Applaudo Studios to its customers, of which 95% are international," said Darwin Romero, co-founder of Applaudo Studios. About Accelerance, Inc.: Accelerance provides professional guidance for planning, sourcing and managing global software teams. Our approach significantly reduces risk for clients by examining internal preparedness in 3 key areas (business, management and technology.) Accelerance provides quality, focused attention to SMBs with trusted Advisors who walk Clients through every aspect of software outsourcing. Through our Company's efforts, Clients are able to mitigate risk and receive high quality software development. CONTACT: Marketing Department: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/accelerance-announces-partnership-with-applaudo-studios-300849788.html SOURCE Accelerance [May 14, 2019] Horizon Names Zach Hill Global Macro Strategist; Clark Allen Joins as Assistant Portfolio Manager Horizon Investments, a goals-based asset management firm, announced today that Zachary Hill has joined the firm as Global Macro Strategist. Clark Allen was named Assistant Portfolio Manager. Both will be based in Charlotte, N.C. Prior to joining Horizon, Hill served as a Portfolio Manager for Cold Spring Asset Management in New York and was a director, foreign exchange option trading, with Wells Fargo (News - Alert). In his new role, he will provide investment insight and opinions on a broad range of asset allocation decisions for the firm from a global macro and derivatives perspective. Allen comes to Horizon from Bronx West/Simon Equity Partners, where he was an Investment Manager. At Horizon, he will focus on portfolio allocation and strategy. "Having Clark and Zach on board will deepen our expertise in derivatives and global macro investing as well as in foreign exchange and ESG (environmental, social and governance)," said Scott Ladner, Chief Investment Officer at Horizon. "As we launch more strategies and enter new markets, we plan to continue to grow our investment management team and add new capabilities." Allen and Hill join an investment team whose expertis includes fundamental stock picking, quantitative analysis, equity and fixed income derivatives, computer science and machine learning, and global macro investing. Their addition to the team reflects the ongoing growth at Horizon, driven by the continued adoption of the firm's goals-based asset management strategies by the financial advisor community. Over the last decade, Horizon has pioneered the creation of outcome-driven investment portfolios and technology tools aligned with the three major stages along the wealth curve: accumulation, preservation, and distribution. Its GAIN PROTECT SPEND strategies are built around a series of actively managed global portfolios, designed to provide a path for advisors to help clients reach retirement, lifestyle, and philanthropic goals. Award winning strategies Horizon has been recognized by the industry for its innovative approach to helping clients achieve their investing and lifestyle goals. In 2018, the firm was named Asset Manager of the Year ($25 billion in AUM or less) by the Money Management Institute (MMI) and Barron's. In addition, Horizon was recognized as "2018 Asset Manager of the Year" and "2018 Strategist of the Year" by Envestnet and Investment Advisor Magazine. About Horizon Horizon is a pioneer in providing modern goals-based investment management. With a focus in goals-based investment strategies, Horizon is dedicated to helping financial advisors and their clients improve the investment experience relative to real world, prioritized financial goals. Horizon's investment process balances quantitative expertise with a qualitative perspective, including economic, fundamental and geopolitical analysis. Financial advisors turn to Horizon for innovative risk mitigation and retirement income strategies. Rooted in a global active investment approach, Horizon's GAIN PROTECT SPEND framework, combined with its investment management methodology, has been a cornerstone of Horizon's portfolio construction process for over a decade. All investing involves risk, and clients may lose money. Award information is not complete without the following: horizoninvestments.com/awards/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005776/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Bulloch Technologies and Motion Pay Form Canadian Payments Partnership Bulloch and Motion Pay to deliver unified Chinese Payment solutions to Canadian Petroleum and Convenience Retailers TORONTO, May 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Bulloch Technologies, Canada's leading provider of point of sale and payment systems, Motion Pay, the North American leader in Chinese payment services, have formed a business partnership to enable Chinese payments across Bulloch's extensive Canadian network. Motion Pay is Canada's leading payment processing partner for AliPay, WeChat Pay and Union Pay. The global Chinese community is the world's largest user of mobile payments with over 1B active users of Chinese payment services. Motion Pay empowers payments for the significant Chinese market which includes permanent residents, visiting students, and tourists. "Our customers prefer to visit merchants who support AliPay, WeChat Pay or Union Pay. This agreement with Bulloch allows Motion Pay to extend the convenience of mobile payments to over 6,000 Canadian petroleum and convenience stores served by Bulloch." Riven Zhang, founder and CEO of Motion Pay, said. "We are working together to integrate frictionless Chinese payments in the store, and at the pump. This partnership is another industry firt for both Motion Pay and Bulloch." Bulloch is installed in approximately 60% of combined c-store and gas stations in Canada and processes over 500M transactions annually. "Our partnership with Motion Pay empowers customer loyalty, speed and convenience for many of our clients," said Dave de la Plante, Strategy and Program Director at Bulloch. "Motion Pay enables our retailers to offer Chinese payments to their customers as easily as traditional credit and debit transactions. With Motion Pay, the Canadian petroleum and c-store industry continues to lead in innovation and the digital transformation. Motion Pay is a champion of industry standard QR code technology to ensure payments are secure, simple and frictionless. Through its partnerships with AliPay, WeChat and Union Pay, Chinese customers receive the benefits of real time payments, loyalty and special promotions in China and internationally. About Motion Pay Motion Pay Technology Inc is the first Canadian company to introduce Chinese QR code mobile payment solutions in Canada. As the leading company to introduce one single solution to Canadian businesses with every top ranked mobile way to pay in China, Motion Pay is truly simplifying Chinese customer's shopping experience in-store and on-line, and producing more sales opportunities for Canadian merchants. For more information, please visit: www.motionpay.ca. About Bulloch Bulloch Technologies is the software integrator of virtually everything required to operate national, regional and local c-store / gas stations for major brands and smaller independents clients. Bulloch has partnered with the industry's leading technology vendors to integrate loyalty, gift cards, mobile apps, mobile and traditional payments, back office, car wash and fuel pricing for its clients. Follow us at www.bullochtech.com SOURCE Motion Pay Technology Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Algorithmia Raises $25M Series B to Accelerate Enterprise AI Adoption Algorithmia announces it has raised $25 million in new capital, which the company will use to expand its AI automation platform. Norwest Venture Partners led the Series B with participation from Madrona, Gradient Ventures, Work-Bench, Osage University Partners and Rakuten Ventures. Rama Sekhar, a partner at Norwest, has joined Algorithmia's board of directors. Algorithmia, whose AI Layer platform automates DevOps for ML applications, is targeting enterprises and government agencies that are ready to deploy ML at scale. The AI Layer is already being used by the United Nations, multiple US intelligence agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and over 90,000 engineers and data scientists. "Productionizing machine learning models manually was a serious challenge before we found Algorithmia. The AI Layer gave us the tech stack to smoothly deploy and manage our machine learning lifecycle and their team goes above and beyond to ensure that our efforts are successful," said Michael Fischer, Chief of Innovation, MS&AD a Toyota affiliated company. Despite the optimism around AI, adoption is being slowed by manual IT infrastructure management tasks. An Algorithmia survey of 500 data scientists in 2018 found that 75% of their time is spent deploying, connecting, scalingand managing ML models manually. AI Layer solves this problem by automating the ML DevOps lifecycle, allowing data scientists and ML teams to collaborate and manage their portfolios of models. Data scientists gain efficiency and can focus on building models rather than managing infrastructure. "Machine Learning requires a very different infrastructure and lifecycle than traditional software," said Diego Oppenheimer, CEO of Algorithmia. "This investment allows us to continue to be laser-focused empowering them to deploy and iterate their models at full speed." Algorithmia, which raised a $10.5 million Series A in 2017, will use the new capital for product development, engineering talent, sales, marketing, and international expansion. Algorithmia's growth over the past two years, coupled with the size of the global AI market - $4 trillion by 2022, according to Gartner (News - Alert) - prompted the latest investment. "AI is creating a fundamental shift in technology that is as big, if not bigger than mobile and cloud," said Rama Sekhar, Partner at Norwest Venture Partners. "Every Fortune 500 CIO has an AI initiative but they are bogged down by the difficulty of managing and deploying ML models. Algorithmia is the clear leader in building the tools to manage the complete machine learning lifecycle and helping customers unlock value from their R&D investments. We're thrilled to lead this investment and back the incredible team at Algorithmia." About Algorithmia Algorithmia is the leader in Machine Learning deployment and management. Its AI Layer deploys and manages models in large enterprises and government agencies worldwide. Nearly 90,000 engineers and data scientists are deploying models on the AI Layer. For more information, visit www.algorithmia.com. About Norwest Venture Partners Norwest is a premier multi-stage investment firm managing more than $7.5 billion in capital. Since inception, Norwest has funded 600+ companies and currently partners with more than 140 active companies across its venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early to late stage businesses across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise, and healthcare. The Norwest team offers a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. The firm has offices in Palo Alto (News - Alert) and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in India and Israel. For more information, please visit www.nvp.com. Follow Norwest on Twitter (News - Alert) @NorwestVP. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005372/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Military Wearables Market Worth $6.4 Billion by 2025 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report on the "Military Wearables Market by End User (Land, Airborne, and Naval), Technology (Communication and Computing, Connectivity, Navigation, Vision & Surveillance, Exoskeleton, Power & Energy Management), Wearable Type, Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Military Wearables Market is projected to grow from USD 4.2 billion in 2019 to USD 6.4 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 7.17% from 2019 to 2025. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=105612791 Growing demand for military wearables due to increased spending of countries on soldier modernization programs, rising instances of cross-border conflicts, and increasing incidences of asymmetric warfare across the globe are major factors driving the growth of the military wearables market. "Increasing defense spending and ongoing soldier modernization programs are key factors fueling the growth of the military wearables market across the globe." Growing adoption of military wearables due to rising instances of asymmetric warfare and increasing demand for improved and efficient military wearables to reduce troop casualties across the globe are expected to fuel the growth of the military wearables market. Decline in defense spending and procurement of conventional warfare systems rather than advanced military wearables by emerging economies are expected to restrain the growth of the market during the forecast period. "Based on end user, the airborne forces segment of the military wearables market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period." Based on end user, the military wearables market has been segmented into land forces, naval forces, and airborne forces. The airborne forces segment of the military wearables market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Military forces of different countries across the globe have increased the use of military wearables to enhance the warfighting capabilities of their soldiers. "The bodywear segment is projected to lead the military wearables market from 2019 to 2025." Based on wearable type, the military wearables market has been segmented into headwear, eyewear, wristwear, earables, and bodywear. The eyewear segment of the market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The demand for different types of wearables is increasing across the globe depending on their use and adoption in various military missions. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) based eyewear products are expected to witness increased demand from defense forces worldwide for warfare and training activities. "The North America military wearables market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period." The North America military wearables market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2019 to 2025. The growth of the market in this region can be attributed to the rising demand for military wearables from defense forces of different countries of the region. The North American region has the presence of countries such as the US and Canada, which are investing in the development of modern integrated wearable technologies. Moreover, increasing product developments and investments in the military wearables ecosystem by defense research agencies, large Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and start-ups are leading to the growth of the military wearables market in North America. Browse in-depth TOC on "Military Wearables Market" 80 Tables 49 Figures 164 Pages Request Sample pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=105612791 Major companies profiled in the report are Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), BAE Systems Plc. (UK), Elbit Systems Ltd. (Israel), Aselsan A.S. (Turkey), Saab AB (Sweden), General Dynamics Corporation (US), Harris Corporation (US), L3 Technologies (US), Rheinmetall AG (Germany), and Safran (France), among others. Please Explore Relevant Reports: Soldier Systems Market by End User (Military, Homeland Security), Type (Personal Protection, Communication, Power and Transmission, Surveillance and Target Acquisition, Navigation and Health Monitoring, Vision), Region - Global Forecast to 2023 Military Battery Market by Platform (Aviation, Land, Marine, Space, Munition), End User (OEM, Aftermarket), Type (Rechargeable, Non-Rechargeable), Offering, Power Density, Energy Consumption, Application, Composition, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/military-wearable-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Muscular Dystrophy Association Awards 26 Grants Totaling More Than $7.5 Million for Neuromuscular Disease Research NEW YORK, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced today the awarding of 26 new MDA grants totaling more than $7.5 million toward research focused on a variety of rare neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), including Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), congenital myopathies, distal myopathy, Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DBMD), Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), Friedreich's ataxia (FA), giant axonal neuropathy (GAN), inclusion body myopathy (IBM), mitochondrial myopathy, myotonia congenita (MC), myotonic dystrophy (DM), Pompe disease, and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This round of grant funding reinforces MDA's unwavering commitment to the progress of neuromuscular disease research and builds on the more than $1 billion MDA has already invested in research to uncover new treatments and cures for NMDs since its inception. "MDA awards grants to the world's best scientists investigating promising theories and therapies that may accelerate treatments and cures for families living with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related neuromuscular diseases," says Grace Pavlath, PhD, senior vice president and chief research officer at MDA. "Each award will build upon the swift advances that have taken place in research and drug development technologies in the last several years." Answering crucial questions to speed therapy development The newly funded projects will promote research discoveries and development of new therapies on several fronts. The awarded grants will fund studies that aim to clarify the causes of NMDs, develop new therapeutic approaches, and improve the way clinical trials are conducted. MDA is also committed to maintaining a robust pipeline of promising early-stage scientists who will make the important discoveries of the future. Therefore, this latest round of funding also includes three development grants awarded to investigators at the beginning of their careers and who are on the brink of becoming independent investigators, along with 23 research grants awarded to established, independent investigators. MDA previously announced funding eight new grants this year totaling more than $2 million toward research focused on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease in which muscles become weak and eventually nonfunctional. For a complete list of individual awards for this grant cycle, visit MDA's website and explore the Grants at a Glance section. Highlights from the grant awards for this grant cycle include: Alan Beggs, PhD, professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and director of the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Children's Hospital Boston, has been awarded a research grant totaling $300,000 over three years to continue his previous research on the molecular genetics of congenital myopathies. In this project, Dr. Beggs will use whole genome sequencing methods to discover the disease genes and genetic mutations that cause congenital myopathy in patients and families where the underlying cause has not yet been identified. Then, to better understand the biological pathways that lead to disease and search for effective therapies, Dr. Beggs will develop animal models with these mutations to understand how these new mutations lead to disease and screen for new drugs to treat these conditions. It is hoped that this work will have translational and clinical application cross many diseases. Kevin Flanigan, MD, attending neurologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, was awarded a clinical trial grant totaling $528,798 over two years to conduct a pilot clinical trial in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) boys aged 4 to 7 years old to study treatment with spironolactone relative to prednisolone. The mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone is an approved drug that has been shown to protect skeletal and cardiac muscle function in DMD mice. Because traditional glucocorticoid steroids like prednisolone can have harmful side effects, this work will be an important step toward finding an alternative treatment by repurposing an already-approved drug. Davide Gabellini, PhD, head of the Gene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan, Italy, was awarded a research grant totaling $297,738 over three years to study the role of Matrin 3 protein (MATR3) in decreasing double homeobox 4 protein (DUX4), the protein known to cause facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. In this study, Dr. Gabellini aims to clarify the DUX4 biological pathway and the mechanism by which DUX4 causes cell death, thereby advancing drug target identification for this disease. All other grant awards for this grant cycle include: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) Charles Abrams, MD, PhD University of Illinois, Chicago Research grant, $300,000 Mechanisms of pathogenesis in CMT1X Distal myopathy Aikaterini Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos, PhD University of Maryland School of Medicine Research grant, $300,000 Novel mutations in MYBPC1 resulting in myopathy with tremor Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DBMD) Justin Boyer, PhD Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Development grant, $210,000 The role of Erk1/2 signaling in satellite cells Diego Fraidenraich, PhD Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Research grant, $300,000 Rescue of DMD-cardiomyopathy in mdx:utrophin mice by mutant phospho-connexin-43 Chad Heatwole, MD University of Rochester Medical Center, N.Y. Human clinical trial grant, $200,000 Development of disease-specific PRO measures for DMD therapeutic trials M. Carrie Miceli, PhD University of California, Los Angeles Research grant, $300,000 CyTOF immune phenotyping of DMD muscle-infiltrate & PBL for biomarker discovery Foteini Mourkioti, PhD Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Research grant, $300,000 Telomeric protein requirements in cardiac dystrophy Roger Stromberg, PhD Karolinska Institute, Sweden in collaboration with Annemieke Aartsma-Rus, PhD Leiden University Medical Center Research grant, $200,000 Delivery of enhanced oligonucleotide therapeutics for Duchenne muscular dystrophy Steven Welc, PhD University of California, Los Angeles Development grant, $210,000 The role of Klotho in fibro/adipogenic progenitor cell fate in dystrophic muscle Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) Tyler Kirby, PhD Cornell University Development grant, $210,000 DNA-PK hyperactivation in the progression of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) Jeffrey Miller, PhD Boston University School of Medicine Research grant, $300,000 Pathogenesis and therapeutic targets in FSHD Friedreich's ataxia (FA) Sanjay Bidichandani, PhD University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Research grant, $300,000 Epigenetic silencing in Friedreich's ataxia Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) Puneet Opal, MD, PhD Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago Research grant, $304,601 Understanding pathophysiological mechanisms underlying giant axonal neuropathy Inclusion body myopathy (IBM) Ming Guo, MD, PhD University of California, Los Angeles Research grant, $300,000 Investigation of defects in disease models of inclusion body myopathy Mitochondrial myopathy Luis Lopez Garcia, PhD University of Granada, Spain Research grant, $289,865 New therapeutic molecules for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases Giovanni Manfredi, MD, PhD Weill Cornell Medical College Research grant, $300,000 A novel knock in mouse model to study CHCHD10 mitochondrial diseases Luca Scorrano, MD, PhD University of Padova & Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Italy Research grant, $286,935 Enhancing Opa1-dependent cristae structure to combat mitochondrial diseases Myotonia congenita (MC) Mark Rich, MD, PhD Wright State University, Ohio Research grant, $300,000 Block of TRPV4 channels as a novel approach to therapy of myotonia congenita Myotonic dystrophy (DM) Thomas Cooper, MD Baylor College of Medicine Research grant, $325,571 Pathogenic mechanisms of the cardiac manifestations of DM1 Matthew Disney, PhD The Scripps Research Institute, Florida Research grant, $300,000 Designer small molecules that cleave the RNA that causes DM2, r(CCUG)exp Steven Zimmerman, PhD University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Research grant, $289,301 Advancing new therapeutic agents for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) Pompe disease Ellen Roche, PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research grant, $300,000 Development of a soft robotic implantable ventilator Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Stephen Meriney, PhD University of Pittsburgh Research grant, $302,587 Targeting deficits in ASO treatment of SMA using a calcium channel agonist About the Muscular Dystrophy Association MDA is committed to transforming the lives of people affected by muscular dystrophy, ALS and related neuromuscular diseases. We do this through innovations in science and innovations in care. As the largest source of funding for neuromuscular disease research outside of the federal government, MDA has committed more than $1 billion since our inception to accelerate the discovery of therapies and cures. Research we have supported is directly linked to life-changing therapies across multiple neuromuscular diseases. MDA's MOVR is the first and only data hub that aggregates clinical, genetic and patient reported data for multiple neuromuscular diseases to improve health outcomes and accelerate drug development. MDA supports the largest network of multidisciplinary clinics providing best in class care at more than 150 of the nation's top medical institutions. Our Resource Center serves the community with one-on-one specialized support, and we offer educational conferences, events, and materials for families and healthcare providers. Each year thousands of children and young adults learn vital life skills and gain independence at summer camp and through recreational programs, at no cost to families. For more information visit mda.org. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/muscular-dystrophy-association-awards-26-grants-totaling-more-than-7-5-million-for-neuromuscular-disease-research-300849856.html SOURCE Muscular Dystrophy Association [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] GEICO Board Elect, Elevate Officers The GEICO Board of Directors has announced the election of two new officers and the promotion of two other officers. The changes take effect May 25. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005814/en/ David Longley (Photo: Business Wire) David Longley was elected assistant vice president and will oversee staff counsel operations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana (excluding New Orleans). Michele El-Gamil was elected internal auditor. Longley, a graduate of the University of Florida and the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, began his legal career representing insurers, including GEICO, throughout the state of Florida. He joined GEICO in 2007 as the insurer's managing attorney in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2014, he was promoted to director of staff counsel for GEICO's Southeast regional operations. In 2016, he assumed responsibility as director of staff counsel operations in Florida. El-Gamil first joined GEICO in 2005 as an auditor in the internal audit division. In 2007, she was accepted into the controller management program and rotated through various departments within the controller division. After completing the program in 2011, she was named manager of financial controls and compliance. She was named payroll manager in 2014, a position she held until her promotion to director of treasury operations in 2017. A Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor, El-Gamil has a BS degree in accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park. In addition, the Board promoted officers: Hollis White to controller. She had served as treasurer since 2014. White first joined GEICO in 1994 as a Leo Goodwin Scholar while studying for her accounting degree at the University of Maryland, College Park. After graduation, she worked in statutory accounting, where she helped the company adopt the PeopleSoft system. She was named manager of financial controls and compliance in 2004 and played a key role in GEICO's adherence to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In 2011, she was promoted to director of corporate financial reporting. White is a Certified Public Accountant. to controller. She had served as treasurer since 2014. White first joined GEICO in 1994 as a Leo Goodwin Scholar while studying for her accounting degree at the University of Maryland, College Park. After graduation, she worked in statutory accounting, where she helped the company adopt the PeopleSoft system. She was named manager of financial controls and compliance in 2004 and played a key role in GEICO's adherence to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In 2011, she was promoted to director of corporate financial reporting. White is a Certified Public Accountant. Neal Craig to treasurer, succeeding White. He joined GEICO as an accountant at he company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in 1986. A year later, he was promoted to senior financial administrator for GEICO's investment company GEIVEST. In 1990, after GEIVEST was sold, he was named a senior accountant in the treasury department. In 1991, Craig completed a management rotation at GEICO's regional office in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he held management positions in sales, service and underwriting. In 1997, he moved to Iowa to serve as branch manager of the company's new office in Coralville. In 2001, he moved to the company's Lakeland, Florida, regional office to serve as a director. Craig returned to GEICO headquarters in 2006 to work in the internal audit division. He was elected a GEICO officer and named the company's chief audit executive in 2010. Craig has a degree in business and finance from Mount St. Mary's College. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor. About GEICO GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles. To make changes, report claims, print insurance cards and purchase additional products, policyholders can access their insurance policy here, connect via GEICO Mobile, phone or by visiting a GEICO local agent. Homeowners, renters, condo, flood, identity theft and term life coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial auto and personal umbrella coverages are also available. Visit www.geico.com for a quote or to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005814/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Call for Submissions Announced for the 2020 Hearst Health Prize Recognizing Outstanding Population Health Programs Hearst Health, a division of Hearst, and the Jefferson College of Population Health, part of Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), today announced that the call for submissions is now open for the 2020 Hearst Health Prize. The annual award recognizes outstanding achievement of organizations managing or improving population health in the United States. The winner will be awarded $100,000 and up to two finalists will each be awarded $25,000. "Over the past five years, the Hearst Health Prize has become a showcase for population health programs across the nation to submit their evidence-based results and improved patient outcomes," said Hearst Health President Gregory Dorn, MD, MPH. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight more organizations committed to improving population health again this year. We are continually impressed by the breadth of programs that are transforming the way healthcare is delivered in the United States." The Hearst Health Prize evaluates implemented projects that demonstrate improved population health outcomes; it is not a grant program. The deadline for submissions is August 9, 2019. Up to three finalists will be named in January 2020, and the winner will be announced on March 31, 2020 at the 20th annual Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia. For full details, including eligibility, submission criteria, application and rules, please visit: www.jefferson.edu/HearstHealthPrize. "We are honored to provide a national program for organizations to share their best practices for improving population health. We encourage all organizations committed to this mission to apply for this year's award and to share the results of their programs with us," said David B. Nash, MD, MBA, dean of the Jefferson College of Population Health. "Through the Hearst Health Prize, we identify leading innovators that have made an impact in their communities and provide them the opportunity to positively impact more people with funding and exposure from this award." Applications will be evaluated by faculty at the Jefferson College of Population Health and a distinguished panel of judges. Each submission will be scored based on the program's: Population health impact or outcome, demonstrated by measurable improvement Use of evidence-based interventions and best practices to improve the quality of care Promotion of communication, collaboration and engagement Scalability and sustainability Innovation Key Dates for the 2020 Hearst Health Prize: August 9, 2019: Closing date for submissions at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT January 2020: Finalists notified March 30, 2020: Finalists will present their work at a poster session at the 20 th annual Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia annual Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia March 31, 2020: Winner of the $100,000 Hearst Health Prize will be announced at the Population Health Colloquium Past Hearst Health Prize winners: 2019: Sharp Transitions - A home-based palliative care program for patients with advanced and progressive chronic illness who are not ready for hospice care 2018: Masachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance - A permanent supportive housing program for people experiencing chronic homelessness 2017: Intermountain Healthcare - A mental health integration program that makes mental health evaluation and service part of the routine care for all Intermountain patients 2016: Community Care of North Carolina - A transitional care program for Medicaid patients www.jefferson.edu/HearstHealthPrize . About the Hearst Health Prize The Hearst Health Prize is an annual $100,000 award honoring outstanding achievement in improving population health in the U.S., funded by Hearst Health and administered by the Jefferson College of Population Health. One winner is awarded $100,000 and up to two finalists each receive $25,000. The Hearst Health Prize provides a national platform to showcase successful programs and to proliferate best practices more rapidly. For additional information about the Hearst Health Prize, please visit www.jefferson.edu/HearstHealthPrize. About Hearst Health The mission of Hearst Health is to help guide the most important care moments by delivering vital information into the hands of everyone who touches a person's health journey. Each year in the U.S., care guidance from Hearst Health reaches 85 percent of discharged patients, 205 million insured individuals, 77 million home health visits and 3.2 billion dispensed prescriptions. The Hearst Health network includes FDB (First Databank), Zynx Health, MCG, Homecare Homebase, MHK (formerly MedHOK-Medical House of Knowledge) and Hearst Health Ventures (www.hearsthealth.com). Hearst also holds a minority interest in the precision medicine and oncology analytics company M2Gen. Follow Hearst Health on Twitter (News - Alert) @HearstHealth or LinkedIn (News - Alert) @Hearst-Health. About the Jefferson College of Population Health Established in 2008, JCPH is part of Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), a leader in interdisciplinary, professional education, and home of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce. JCPH is dedicated to exploring the policies and forces that define the health and well-being of populations. Its mission is to prepare leaders with global vision to examine the social determinants of health and to evaluate, develop and implement health policies and systems that will improve the health of populations and thereby enhance the quality of life. JCPH provides exemplary graduate academic programming in population health, public health, health policy, healthcare quality and safety, and applied health economics and outcomes research. Its educational offerings are enhanced by research, publications and continuing education and professional development offerings in these areas. Follow JCPH on Twitter @JeffersonJCPH or LinkedIn @Jefferson College of Population Health. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005792/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Spring and summer is the ideal season for certain types of music reggae music being one of them! This week youre in luck because reggae-influenced alternative rock band Iration is close by on their Live From Paradise! tour. They are performing with special guests Pepper, Fortunate Youth and Katastro. By tapping some unparalleled aloha spirit, these acts are combining forces to spread nothing but good vibes, creating a truly serene and exclusive environment at each of their 43 tour stops, including Cincinnati on Wednesday, May 15 at Bogarts. Were very proud to present to you Live From Paradise! a night of music intended to transport you to your happy place, shares lead vocalist/guitarist Micah Pueschel. Four amazing bands, all unique, all bringing the fire. Come out and join us this spring and summer; lets experience paradise together. Hawaiian-bred, California-based Iration features Micah Pueschel [lead vocals/guitar], Adam Taylor [bass], Joe Dickens [drums], Cayson Peterson [keyboards], Micah Brown [guitar/vocals] plus touring member Drake Peterson [trumpet]). They are touring behind their latest self-titled album, released May 2018 via their own Three Prong Records. The 17-track album, the bands sixth full-length, features guest appearances from Slightly Stoopid, J Boog and Tyrones Jacket and the singles Hit List, Fly With Me, Danger, Borderlines and latest singlePress Play. To check out their music, click here. How to Go? Iration along with special guests at Bogarts (2621 Vine St, Cincinnati) Doors 6pm. Show starts at 6:30pm. Tickets: $27.50 plus fees All ages are welcome. General Admission standing room only. [May 14, 2019] 30 Events on Four Continents in Six Weeks: FireMon Hits the Road FireMon today announced its participation at a series of worldwide events to promote industry insights that will advance the network security policy management (NSPM) market beyond the firewall and help organizations achieve continuous security and compliance across dynamic, hybrid environments. With a presence at 30 events, spanning four continents, over the next six weeks, FireMon experts will deliver thought-provoking presentations directed at the needs of security leaders: enabling compliance, ensuring network visibility for sprawling hybrid environments, and making automated policy enforcement at scale a reality. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005817/en/ Join FireMon in its trade show collection drive to benefit Noah's Bandage Project. (Photo: Business Wire) FireMon also announced the introduction of a trade show collection drive for its chosen corporate charity, Noah's Bandage Project. FireMon has hosted several drives for employees and will extend the collection efforts at four select trade shows during the month of June. FireMon will join technology alliance partners and channel partners in a variety of field events, from Bogota to Baltimore and Hong Kng to Miami. FireMon will kick-off the collection drive in Austin, Texas, and continue to San Diego and National Harbor, Maryland, and will end the month in Boston. For more information on where FireMon experts will be speaking, to schedule a meeting, or to make bandage donations to Noah's Bandage Project, follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @FireMon. "At FireMon, we break the mold. Our presence at so many global events over the next several weeks underscores our strength in executing the best practices of the network security policy management industry, while also acting as a champion to spearhead the next generation of security operations, services and applications," said Tod Klubnik, FireMon's Chief Operating Officer. "We also recognize that FireMon employees are a force for good. We are proud of the work we have done at our offices over the years and are excited to extend support of Noah's Bandage Project to our industry peers." FireMon for Good - Noah's Bandage Project The mission of Noah's Bandage Project is to end childhood cancer through awareness, support and the gift of hope. Noah's Bandage Project does this in two ways: by collecting cool, fun bandages and giving them to kids that need them and raising money to fund pediatric cancer research. Since its inception four years ago, the Noah's Bandage Project has supported its community: $700,000 given to Children's Mercy Hospital (CMH) of Kansas City for pediatric cancer research 210,000 boxes of bandages collected and distributed around the world; that's over 5.5 million individual bandages of bandages collected and distributed around the world; that's over 5.5 million individual bandages The 4th annual Noah's Crown Town 5K featured 1,300 registered racers, which allowed Noah's Bandage Project to present a check to CMH for $300,000, after one year of fundraising About FireMon FireMon is the #1 network security management solution for hybrid enterprises. FireMon delivers continuous security for multi-cloud enterprise environments through a powerful fusion of vulnerability management, compliance and orchestration. Since creating the first-ever network security policy management solution, FireMon has continued to deliver real-time visibility into and control over complex network security infrastructures, policies and risk postures for more than 1,700 customers located in nearly 70 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.firemon.com and follow us on Twitter at @FireMon. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005817/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Bell Canada to redeem Series M-27 and Series M-37 debentures due June 2020 MONTREAL, May 14, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell Canada (Bell) (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) today announced it will redeem, on June 13, 2019, prior to maturity, all of its outstanding $1 billion principal amount of 3.25% Debentures, Series M-27, due June 17, 2020 (the "Series M-27 Debentures"). The Series M-27 Debentures will be redeemed at a price equal to $1,011.945 per $1,000 of principal amount of debentures plus $15.849 per $1,000 of principal amount for accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the date of redemption. In addition, Bell will redeem, on May 24, 2019, (the "M-37 Redemption Date"), prior to maturity, all of its outstanding $400 million principal amount of 3.54% Debentures, Series M-37, due June 12, 2020 (the "Series M-37 Debentures"). The Series M-37 Debentures will be redeemed at a price equal to the greater of the "Canada Yield Price" and the principal amount of the Series M-37 Debentures, together in each case with accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the M-37 Redemption Date (in the aggregate, the "M-37 Redemption Price") as indicated below. Pursuant to the terms of the Series M-37 Debentures, the "Canada Yield Price" means a price equal to the price of the Series M-37 Debentures calculated to provide a yield to maturity equal to the Government of Canada Yield plus 0.42% on the third business day prior to the date fixed for redemption. he "Government of Canada Yield", on any date, means the yield to maturity on such date, compounded semi-annually, which a non-callable Government of Canada Bond would carry if issued, in Canadian dollars in Canada, at 100% of its principal amount on such date with a term to maturity equal to the remaining term to maturity of the Series M-37 Debentures. The Government of Canada Yield used to calculate the M-37 Redemption Price will be the average of the rates calculated by two registered Canadian investment dealers selected by Bell. Notice of redemption was delivered to the registered holders of the Series M-27 Debentures and the Series M-37 Debentures in accordance with their terms. About Bell Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing advanced broadband wireless, TV, Internet and business communication services throughout the country. Bell Media is Canada's premier content creation company with leading assets in television, radio, out of home and digital media. Founded in Montreal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca. The Bell Let's Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's Talk Day and significant Bell funding of mental health care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk. Media inquiries: Marie-Eve Francoeur 514-391-5263 [email protected] Investor inquiries: Thane Fotopoulos 514-870-4619 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bell-canada-to-redeem-series-m-27-and-series-m-37-debentures-due-june-2020-300849908.html SOURCE Bell Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] NRL Introduces Newly Acquired Aircraft for Airborne Research WASHINGTON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Navy's premier science and technology research squadron, Scientific Development Squadron ONE (VXS-1), unveiled the UV-18 "Twin Otter" as the newest addition to the squadron's unique fleet of aircraft research platforms, May 11. The UV-18 is the military equivalent of the DeHavilland DHC-6 a high-wing, unpressurized twin engine turbine powered aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear. "The Twin Otter is a safe, highly maneuverable and extremely versatile aircraft," said Cmdr. Erik Thomas, commanding officer for VXS-1. "The fact that it is unpressurized simplifies modifications and will accelerate our ability to get projects airborne for the Naval Research Entrprise." The aircraft compliments the VXS-1 "Warlocks" fleet by providing an affordable and stable research platform with slow flight capabilities and an operational payload of up to 3,000 pounds. The performance capabilities of the UV-18 aircraft offer customers a slow flight speed of 85 mph, a maximum cruise speed of 190 mph, a nominal service ceiling of 13,000 feet (higher with supplemental oxygen), and a six-hour flight duration dependent on payload and flight configuration. In addition to the UV-18, VXS-1 operates a varying range of aircraft that include three NP-3C and P-3C Orions, an RC-12 King Air, and 12 TigerShark Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The fleet of unique squadron aircraft are operated and maintained by the men and women of VXS-1 and contain an S&T framework to provide power, Ethernet, and GPS feeds as required for temporary project installations and to quickly conduct airborne research. The squadron has a self-contained configuration and project shop to assist prospective customers with rack designs, gear installations and flight clearances. "Using our squadron's aircraft, scientists and engineers can install and test the latest technology they are developing in an operational environment anywhere in the world. We truly turn their ideas into reality," Thomas said. Providing proof of concept for the latest technology, VXS-1 enables operational fleet commands to receive time pertinent technological advances to better execute their missions and fill critical capability gaps in their theatre. Historically the squadron has supported a broad spectrum of research projects, which include magnetic variation mapping, hydro-acoustic research, bathymetry, electronic countermeasures, gravity mapping, electro-optical and radar research, and remote measuring of water contained in snow for NASA. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory provides the advanced scientific capabilities required to bolster our country's position of global naval leadership. With more than 2,500 personnel scientists, engineers and support staff, it has served the U.S. Navy and the nation for nearly 100 years, advancing research further than you can imagine. For more information, visit the NRL website and join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Editor Contact: Daniel Parry, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Public Affairs [email protected] 202-767-2326 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nrl-introduces-newly-acquired-aircraft-for-airborne-research-300849916.html SOURCE U.S. Naval Research Laboratory [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Tauriga Sciences Inc. to Commence Initial Production Run of Blood Orange Flavored Version of Tauri-Gum New York, NY, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a revenue generating Company that operates through the development, distribution, and licensing of proprietary products as well as the evaluation of potential acquisition opportunities and equity investments, today announced that it will commence an initial production run of blood orange flavored version Tauri-Gum, during this current operating quarter (1st fiscal Quarter of 2020 or the Period: April 1, 2019 June 30, 2019). After recent consultations with its Manufacturer, the Company is ready to proceed with the first production run of this new flavor all previous production of Tauri-Gum has been exclusively completed in MINT flavor. The Company will incorporate two unique GS1 barcodes into the final package designs, for both the blister pack and retail display box. The initial production run will be comprised of 8,750 blister packs or 875 retail display boxes. Similar to the existing MINT flavor product, the blood orange version of Tauri-Gum will be certified as Kosher and classified as Vegan. The Company expects that its blood orange product version will be available on its E-Commerce site (www.taurigum.com) priced at $17.99 per blister pack! ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES INC. Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating Company that operates through the development, distribution, and licensing of proprietary products as well as the evaluation of potential acquisition opportunities. One such opportunity on which the Company has acted, involves the Company having entered into the cannabidiol (or CBD) infused chewing gum product business, as more fully described above ad in prior press releases. This CBD infused chewing gum product has been branded under the following name: Tauri-Gum. The product is currently available in MINT flavor, with blood orange and pomegranate flavors confirmed as Coming Soon! See also our periodic reports filed by us with the SEC for a more complete description of our business and material agreements that we have entered into. Further, the Company continues to identify and evaluate additional potential opportunities to generate revenue, as well as shareholder value, and leverage its resources and expertise to build a diversified and sustainable business model. Please visit our corporate website at www.tauriga.com . In addition, on March 11, 2019, the Company announced the official launch of its E-Commerce site - as part of its Tauri-Gum commercialization strategy. This site can be accessed by visiting the following URL address: www.taurigum.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. CONTACT INFORMATION Tauriga Sciences, Inc. 555 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor New York, NY 10022 Chief Executive Officer Mr. Seth M. Shaw Email: [email protected] cell # (917) 796 9926 www.tauriga.com Attachment Tauri-Gum [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Alabama Virtual Academy at Eufaula City Schools Highlights Graduates with In-Person Commencement Ceremony Alabama Virtual Academy at Eufaula City Schools (ALVA-ECS), an online public-school serving students in grades K-12 throughout the state, will celebrate the Class of 2019 during an in-person commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 16th. The ceremony will take place at the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center in Prattville. Many assume that attending an online public school like ALVA means that students miss out on "real" high school experiences, but this in-person graduation proves quite the opposite. This year, ALVA will graduate almost three dozen students; about 60% of whom are graduating with honors. Student Robert Blum is one of them. He is this year's valedictorian who has earned several noteworthy honors such as the President's Endowed Scholarship at Texas A&M University, National Merit Recognition, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Charger Distinction Scholarship. Collectively, the Class of 2019 reports it has been offered more than $200,000 in scholarships and have been accepted to trade schools, colleges and universities across the country, including: Wallace Community College, Maine College of Art, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Shelton State Community College, Chattahoochee Valley Community College, Full Sail University, Troy University, Auburn University at Mntgomery, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Montevallo, University of Washington, University of Florida, and Texas A&M University. "ALVA-ECS students have worked so hard to get to where they are," says Head of School, Kayleen Marble. "I know that the lessons they've learned and the relationships they've formed in online school have laid a solid foundation that will extend far beyond high school." Students enroll in ALVA for a number of reasons-some are looking to escape bullying, some may have fallen academically off track, and others are looking for an alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar classroom setting. ALVA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects of math, science, English language arts, history, art and music as well as a host of electives. These live virtual classes are taught by Alabama certified teachers. Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows: WHAT: Alabama Virtual Academy at Eufaula City Schools 2019 Graduation Ceremony WHEN: Thursday, May 16, 2019 11:00 AM CST WHERE: Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center, 2500 Legends Circle, Prattville, AL 36066 About Eufaula City Schools Established in 1872, Eufaula City Schools is the oldest city school district in Alabama and is the heartbeat of this beautiful southeast Alabama city. Eufaula City Schools is a progressive district providing many academic, enrichment, and technical opportunities for students and teachers while maintaining the values and traditions of the best in public schools. For more information on Eufaula City Schools, visit https://www.eufaulacityschools.org, and for specific information on the Alabama Virtual Academy, visit https://alva.k12.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005868/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Joint Press Statement On Behalf Of Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai And Techdirt, Michael Masnick, And Leigh Beadon LOS ANGELES, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai and Floor64, Inc. aka Techdirt.com, its founder and CEO Michael Masnick, and its Editor Leigh Beadon (collectively, "Techdirt") are pleased to announce that they have reached a settlement of the defamation lawsuit filed by Dr. Ayyadurai against Techdirt in U.S. District Court in Boston, Massachusetts (the "Lawsuit"). The lawsuit concerned statements made in 14 articles published at Techdirt.com between September 2014 and November 2016 that challenged Dr. Ayyadurai's claim that he invented the modern system of email (collectively, the "14 Articles"). On September 6, 2017, largely on First Amendment grounds, the District Court granted Techdit's motion to dismiss the case; however, Techdirt's motion under California's Anti-SLAPP law to strike Dr. Ayyadurai's complaint and award attorneys' fees was denied. The parties filed cross-appeals with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (the "Appeal"). To resolve this dispute on non-financial terms, without the need for further involvement of the U.S. court system, the parties have now agreed: (1) that Techdirt shall post a hyperlink reading "Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai's Response to this Article and Statement on the Invention of Email," at the top of each of the 14 Articles, which will link to a statement titled "Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai's Statement on the Invention of Email: A Response to the 14 Articles About Him at Techdirt.com (posted Sept. 2014 to Nov. 2016)" (the "Dr. Ayyadurai Statement"), and (2) all parties shall execute mutual releases, jointly dismissing with prejudice the Appeal and the Lawsuit, with each side agreeing to be responsible for his/its own legal fees and costs. The parties are pleased to have resolved this matter. Source: Harder LLP, legal counsel for Dr. Ayyadurai [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Parsons Corporation Announces Full Exercise and Closing of Underwriters' Over-Allotment Option in Initial Public Offering CENTREVILLE, Va., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Parsons Corporation ("Parsons"), a provider of technology-driven solutions in the defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure markets, today announced the closing of the issuance of an additional 2,777,775 shares of its common stock pursuant to the exercise in full of the underwriters' over-allotment option in connection with its initial public offering (the "IPO"). The additional shares were sold at the IPO price of $27.00 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions. Parsons estimates its net proceeds from the sale of the additional shares to be approximately $70.9 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, bringing the total net proceeds from the IPO to $533.8 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. Parsons' shares of common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol "PSN." Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BofA Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley served as joint lead book-running managers for the offering. Jefferies and Wells Fargo Securities served as Senior Co-Managers and Cowen, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, MUFG and Scotiabank served as Co-Managers for the offering. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the U.S. Securiies and Exchange Commission and was declared effective on May 7, 2019. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained from any of the following sources: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, via telephone: 1-866-471-2526, or via email: [email protected] ; 10282, via telephone: 1-866-471-2526, or via email: ; BofA Merrill Lynch, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department or via email: [email protected] ; or 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department or via email: ; or Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Parsons Corporation Parsons is a leading provider of technology-driven solutions focused on the defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure markets. Celebrating 75 years of operations, Parsons provides technical design and engineering services and software to address our customers' challenges. Parsons has differentiated capabilities in cybersecurity, intelligence, defense, military training, connected communities, physical infrastructure and mobility solutions. Parsons' combination of talented professionals and advanced technology enables a safer, smarter and more interconnected world. Investor Relations Contact: Dave Spille Parsons Corporation 571.655.8264 [email protected] Media Contact: Brian Schaffer Prosek Partners 646.818.9229 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parsons-corporation-announces-full-exercise-and-closing-of-underwriters-over-allotment-option-in-initial-public-offering-300849967.html SOURCE Parsons Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina Executes Lease for Headquarters at Raleigh's Brier Creek Corporate Center AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina, a managed care organization that is slated to begin serving North Carolina Medicaid enrollees in November 2019 and is part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, announced that it has executed a lease for its headquarters at 8041 Arco Corporate Drive in Raleigh. The space, located at Brier Creek Corporate Center, will be the home base for more than 300 of AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina's associates, including its senior leadership team and its member and provider contact centers. It offers an on-site fitness center and is within walking distance of two hotels and additional dining options. AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina has begun work to set up the 82,000-square foot space. Associates are expected to begin working in the space this month. "This space will enable us to provide best-in-class care coordination, membr outreach, and other services which address the socioeconomic factors that influence health," said AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies Regional President Rebecca Engelman. "We look forward to our new North Carolina associates using the capabilities of this space and their knowledge of North Carolina's Medicaid enrollees and providers to help build healthy communities throughout the state." In addition, AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina plans to open wellness centers throughout the state that will serve as health and wellness resource hubs for their respective communities. The wellness centers will also include office space for locally-based associates from community education, provider network management, and additional areas who will work directly with regional providers, members, and other stakeholders. About AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina is a managed care organization that will offer a standard benefit plan to eligible North Carolina Medicaid enrollees, with coverage slated to begin in November 2019. AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina will help North Carolinians get care, stay well, and build healthy communities by addressing the acute and broader social factors that drive health outcomes. About AmeriHealth Caritas AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation's leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 11 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves more than 5 million Medicaid, Medicare, and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members through its integrated managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services, and behavioral health services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven organization with more than 35 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations. AmeriHealth Caritas is part of the Independence Health Group in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com. Any reference in this press release to any person, organization, activity, or services related to North Carolina Medicaid does not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005862/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] IDenta Corp - 2019 Annual Meeting JERUSALEM, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IDenta Corp (OTC: IDTA), a worldwide leader in the development of field drug and explosive detection kits and unique forensic products, will hold its 2019 Annual Shareholders' meeting on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 8 p.m. at its headquarters at 120 Bethlehem Road, Jerusalem 9342001, Israel. Amichai Glattstein, CEO of IDenta Corp said, "We are excited about the coming annual meeting, and we look forward to seeing all the attendees." About IDenta Corp. Since 2002, IDenta Corporation and its subsidiary IDenta Ltd has been recognized as a worldwide leader in the development of proprietary on-site Drug, Drug Precursor and Explosive Detection kits. IDenta Corp. develops, manufactures and distributes revolutionary products for both the professioal and civil markets which consistently pass the highest qualifications and testing procedures of law enforcement and security agencies around the world. Safe Harbor Statement Certain of the statements contained herein may be, within the meaning of the federal securities laws, "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations as of the date hereof, and the company does not undertake any responsibility to update any of these statements in the future. Company Contact Information: Public Relations Tel: +972-2-5872220 E: [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/identa-corp--2019-annual-meeting-300849954.html SOURCE IDenta Corp [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Accusoft Hosts Beginner to Advanced Node.js Meetup TAMPA, Fla., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 6 - 8 p.m., Accusoft will host the Node.js meetup group at their East Annex Technology Center on 829 W. Martin Luther King Blvd in Tampa, Florida. "The presentation is geared toward anyone from the novice node.js developer through advanced developers who know their stuff," says Eric Gee, Software Development Manager at Accusoft. The presentation will start with a demonstration on how to set up a node project that uses native modules. Building from this foundation, the presenters will then move into performance comparisons of executing a program as a native module, a child process, or a multi-threaded node program. The exploration will continue as the presenters consider which aproaches make the most sense for a given set of use cases. The presentation will be led by Charlie Davis, Software Engineer III of Accusoft and Shayne Fitzgerald, Software Engineer II of Accusoft. Networking with food and beverages begins at 6 p.m. and the presentation starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. There will be time for a short Q&A after. Node.js is an open group dedicated to developers that are interested in learning more about Node.js and related coding techniques. The group is open to anyone that's interested with no experience necessary. Accusoft welcomes anyone who wants to learn more about Node.js and welcomes participants to share their knowledge with the group. If interested, please sign up for the event here. About Accusoft Founded in 1991, Accusoft is a software development company specializing in content processing, conversion and automation solutions. From out-of-the-box and configurable applications to APIs built for developers, Accusoft software enables users to solve their most complex workflow challenges and gain insights from content in any format, on any device. Backed by 40 patents, the company's flagship products, including OnTask, PrizmDoc and ImageGear, are designed to improve productivity, provide actionable data, and deliver results that matter. The Accusoft team is dedicated to continuous innovation through customer-centric product development, new version release, and a passion for understanding industry trends that drive consumer demand. Visit us at www.accusoft.com CONTACT: Megan Brooks Director of Marketing 4001 N Riverside Drive Tampa, Florida 33603 +1 (813) 875-7575 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/accusoft-hosts-beginner-to-advanced-nodejs-meetup-300849979.html SOURCE Accusoft [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Sutter Health and Alignment Healthcare Team up in Northern California for Medicare Beneficiaries Today, Sutter Health, a not-for-profit integrated health care system, and Alignment Healthcare, a Medicare Advantage insurance provider, announced the signing of an agreement that allows the two organizations to work together to offer more health care and insurance coverage options for Medicare-eligible residents in Northern California in 2020, pending regulatory approval. Alignment has filed an application with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand its Northern California service area. If the application is approved, Alignment and Sutter would begin offering new Medicare Advantage plans in the approved counties in October 2019 and members could seek "in-network" care with Sutter-affiliated and aligned physicians and facilities on Jan. 1, 2020. "Sutter has a long history of launching new and innovative health care solutions for the benefit of patients and our communities," said Phil Jackson, Sutter's CEO of Health Plan Products. "This collaboration is designed to introduce new Medicare Advantage plans for eligible individuals and to help them shop for plans, find affordable coverage, and gain access to high-quality health care." Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private health insurance companies approved by CMS and must cover everything included in traditional Medicare - hospital costs, doctors' visits and outpatient care. These plans often include extra benefits like prescription drug coverage, vision, dental and hearing exams. Every year, Medicare enrollees can review their health plan options in October and make changes to coverage beginning the following January. Managed care delivery models such as Medicare Advantage make it easier for health care providers to coordinate care and practice preventive medicine, avoiding emergency room visits and more costly treatment plans. According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group1, Medicare Advantage patients pay less in out-of-pocket costs than patients in traditional Medicare and, on average: Are twice as likely to receive preventive care Are half as likely to go to the emergency room Go home from the hospital one day earlier Are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital after discharge, and Use fewer health care services, allowing providers to care for others in need The Congressional Budget Office estimates that approximately 40 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries will be enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans by 2020.2 Of the approximately 2 million Medicare-eligible residents in Northern California, an estimated 850,000 are currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, according to MS. "The collaboration between Sutter Health and Alignment Healthcare is centered on our customers," said Dawn Maroney, Alignment's consumer president. "We are coming together to offer Medicare-eligible individuals in Northern California more choice, designing health plan products that will provide access and flexibility for specific population age groups in most of Sutter's existing service areas in Northern California." Founded in 2013, Alignment Healthcare has created a model of health care delivery that combines high-touch care coordination with AVA, its proprietary command center technology, to improve quality of care and eliminate waste in the care system. The central nervous system of Alignment Healthcare, AVA provides real-time reporting and predictive analytics that allow care specialists to anticipate care, often before it's even needed. Now serving more than 60,000 members across three states, the Orange (News - Alert), Calif.-based company is supported by industry-leading investors and endorsed by influential parties including former CMS administrators and best-in-class hospital systems and health plans. "Alignment is thrilled about this relationship with Sutter Health," said John Kao, Alignment Healthcare founder and CEO. "By working together, we have the opportunity to offer more communities more access to care and implement population health strategies that improve care and lead to better health." About Sutter Health Sutter Health is more than 60,000 people strong thanks to its integrated network of physicians, employees and volunteers. Rooted in Sutter Health's not-for-profit mission, these team members partner to deliver exceptional care that feels personal. From physician offices to hospitals to outpatient care centers and home services, they proudly support the more than 3 million people in their care-nearly 1 percent of the U.S. population, in one of the most diverse and innovative regions in the world. Sutter team members adopt new technologies, make novel discoveries and embrace creative thinking to help patients and communities achieve their best health. From its street nurse program that provides check-ups for homeless people, to telemedicine-aided specialist consultations, to walk-in care clinics, to smart glass technology, the Sutter Health team goes beyond traditional models to make care more convenient and to nurture and empower people throughout their medical journey. For more information about the Sutter Health network visit: sutterhealth.org | facebook.com/sutterhealth | youtube.com/sutterhealth | twitter.com/sutterhealth. About Alignment Healthcare Alignment Healthcare is redefining the business of health care by shifting the focus from payments to people. We've created a new model for health care delivery that cuts costs and improves lives by unraveling the inefficiencies of the current system to drive patients, providers and payers toward a common goal of wellness. Harnessing best practices from Medicare Advantage, our innovative data-management technology allows us to commit to caring for seniors and those who need it most: the chronically ill and frail. With offices and care centers across the country, Alignment Healthcare provides partners and patients with customized care and service where they need it and when they need it, including clinical coordination, risk management and technology facilitation. Alignment Healthcare offers health plan options to California residents through Alignment Health Plan, and partners with select health plans in North Carolina and Florida to help deliver better benefits at lower costs. For more information, please visit www.alignmenthealthcare.com. 1 https://www.bcg.com/publications/2013/health-care-payers-providers-alternative-payer-models.aspx 2 https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/44205-2015-03-Medicare.pdf View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005156/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] iTether Launches New Site to Showcase ROI for Health and Justice Organizations PHOENIX, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- iTether Technologies Inc. has announced the launch of its new website, offering visitors more insight into how the company partners with leading health and justice organizations to digitally transform care management through continuous patient engagement and proactive treatment when and where patients need it. iTether's patient-centered approach delivers improved quality of care while reducing overall medical spend. iTether's new website includes a variety of interactive features including a 'ROI Calculator' and the 'Resources' page, to offer service provider organizations the opportunity to explore how iTether's solution will improve ROI and increase evidence-based outcomes. Using a data-driven approach to evaluate patient progress and provider workflow, iTether focuses on improving care for chronic populations, aligning payment incentives with performance goals, and building accountability for high-quality care from which population analytics are predictive of future healthy communities. "We are excited about having an online presence thatrepresents our innovative solutions that create value for health and justice organizations and the populations that they serve. Not only do we provide organizations with information related to their business, we offer an interactive experience that is specific to their own needs," said Co-Founder & CEO, Sean Gunderson. The site offers an individual webpage for Behavioral Health Providers, Health Plans, and Government and Justice Organizations, addressing how to solve their major pain points via iTether's digital health tools. For more information, visit 'How iTether Works' to see a breakdown of the process, implementation, and key features of the platform. The new iTether website also features a range of industry trending topics covered in blogs, case studies, news articles, and whitepapers. If you are interested in a demo of the iTether Care Management Solution, please email [email protected] or get in touch using the contact form provided on the website. About iTether Technologies Inc. iTether Technologies Inc. provides simple and effective mobile-enabled solutions for changing health behaviors. Our HIPAA compliant care-management system integrates across all levels of care and incorporates continuous monitoring, relevant evidence-based interventions, ongoing assessments, and measures of satisfaction. Through integrated health, patient engagement, and the ability to track measurable and equitable patient outcomes, we deliver evidence that supports value-based care and performance-based payments. iTether raises the standards for behavior modification services and improves long-term success rates. Learn more at www.iTetherTech.com. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Press Contact: Chelsey Canto [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/itether-launches-new-site-to-showcase-roi-for-health-and-justice-organizations-300850026.html SOURCE iTether Technologies Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] ExxonMobil, Employees and Retirees Donate More Than $50 Million to U.S. Colleges and Universities ExxonMobil said today that 806 accredited colleges and universities in the United States will receive a total of $50.4 million as part of the ExxonMobil Foundation's 2018 Educational Matching Gift Program. Nearly 4,000 ExxonMobil employees and retirees contributed more than $17 million to institutions of higher education in 2018, which will be matched with over $32 million in unrestricted grants from the foundation. ExxonMobil's program matches individual donations to accredited colleges and universities in the United States. The American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and United Negro College Fund are also eligible to reeive donations as part of the matching gift program. ExxonMobil has donated nearly $700 million to U.S. institutions of higher learning since the program began. "Supporting higher education, particularly in the areas of engineering, math and science, is critical in improving individual livelihoods as well as driving broader societal growth," said Kevin Murphy, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation. "We've long supported programs that improve educational outcomes and provide teachers with the tools they need to inspire our next generation of leaders and innovators." Although ExxonMobil's educational matching grants are unrestricted, colleges and universities are encouraged to designate a portion of the funds they receive to engineering, math and science programs. About the ExxonMobil Foundation The ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) in the United States. The foundation and corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, with a focus on math and science in the United States, promote women as catalysts for economic development and combat malaria. In 2018, the ExxonMobil Foundation, together with Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, along with employees and retirees, provided more than $211 million in contributions worldwide, of which over $75 million was dedicated to education. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005570/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Montrose Environmental Group Acquires Target Emission Services and Expands into International Markets Montrose Environmental Group, Inc. ("Montrose"), a high-growth environmental services company, and Target (News - Alert) Emission Services, Inc. ("TARGET"), a market leader in fugitive emission detection in the U.S. and Canada, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Montrose will acquire TARGET. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "TARGET's unparalleled expertise in the growing market of leak detection and repair (LDAR) will accelerate our growth and facilitate our expansion into international markets," said Erick Mirabella, Senior Vice President of Montrose Air Quality Services. "With TARGET, Montrose gains a complementary capability that will enhance our existing LDAR business, increase our geographic footprint, and expand our capabilities for our clients in North America." TARGET's innovative approach has enabled it to capitalize on industry growth in the potentially $5.5 billion addressable market for LDAR services. Along with their specialized expertise in optical gas imaging, which is transforming the industry, TARGET brings extensive program development experience, regulatory support, and measurement capabilities. For more than 12 years, TARGET has partnered with many of the world's largest oil and gas producers to deliver accurate, safe, and cost-effective detection and measurement of hydrocarbon fugitive emissions. Terence Trefiak, Managing Director of TARGET, sid, "We are excited to join forces with Montrose, one of the leading environmental services companies. This transaction will enable us to achieve our next stage of development and expand our capabilities and platform for the benefit of our employees and customers." About Target Emission Services, Inc. TARGET provides an innovative approach to fugitive emission management focused on the use of modern equipment and technology. The company's clients benefit from an unmatched level of experience and quality throughout its portfolio of services. This quality translates to the high level of confidence clients enjoy knowing their emission compliance needs are being met accurately, efficiently, and safely. TARGET's proven process consistently transforms LDAR and FEMP programs from a perceived financial burden into a valued facility investment. TARGET has U.S. locations in Pittsburgh, PA, Houston, TX, as well as in Calgary, Canada. For more information, please visit: http://www.targetemission.com/. About Montrose Environmental Group, Inc. Montrose Environmental Group, Inc. ("Montrose") is an environmental services provider offering planning and permitting services, measurement and analytical services as well as environmental resiliency and sustainability solutions to clients across a wide array of sectors. Montrose's qualified engineers, scientists, technicians, associates, and policy experts are proud of their collective expertise and the collaborative nature of our approach to helping clients. Montrose strives to optimize environmental resiliency in a way that effectively complements its clients' decision-making and operations and efficiently fulfills their project requirements. Headquartered in Orange (News - Alert) County, California, Montrose has over 50 offices across the country and over 1,200 employees nationwide. For more information, visit www.montrose-env.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514006009/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Ballantyne Strong Reports First Quarter 2019 Operating Results Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (NYSE American: BTN) (the "Company"), a holding company with diverse business activities focused on serving the cinema, retail, financial, advertising and government markets, today announced financial results for the period ended March 31, 2019. The Company conducts its operations through three operating segments: Strong Cinema, Convergent and Strong Outdoor. First Quarter 2019 Highlights Total revenue decreased 9.6% to $14.3 million for the first quarter of 2019 as revenue growth at Convergent and Strong Outdoor were offset by lower revenue generated by Strong Cinema as our production facility was closed for several weeks in the quarter due to weather-related damage. The facility resumed production and shipping in March, and we are rebuilding the damaged section of the facility which was fully covered by insurance. Gross profit decreased 7.2% to $2.6 million for the first quarter of 2019 as favorable contributions from Convergent, where revenue growth was accompanied by an increase in gross profit margins from 14.5% to 28.3%, were offset by the flow through of decreased revenue at Strong Cinema from the temporary plant closure. The favorable trend at Convergent is due to the combination of growth in high margin recurring revenue and cost reduction initiatives. Operating loss improved by $0.5 million for first quarter of 2019 to $2.6 million as improved operating performance at Convergent and reductions in administrative expenses were partially offset by increased investment in start-up operating expenses at Strong Outdoor and by the lower contribution from Strong Cinema. Net loss was $4.2 million ($0.29 per share) for the first quarter of 2019 as compared to $3.8 million ($0.26 per share) in the prior year as improved operating performance was offset by non-cash fair value adjustments and equity method investment losses. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, improved to negative $1.6 million for the first quarter of 2019 from negative $2.1 million in the prior year due to operating improvements at Convergent and reduced administrative expenses. Kyle Cerminara, Chairman and CEO commented, "We continued to see strong performance from our Convergent business, which has turned around significantly over the past few quarters. Strong Cinema was impacted by weather damage to our facility in Quebec, and we stopped shipping for several weeks during the first quarter. The facility resumed operations in March, and we are fully insured for property and casualty and business interruption. We expect insurance recoveries to be approximately $5 million CDN, which will positively impact future quarters as those claims are finalized. "The Convergent team has done a tremendous job accelerating high margin recurring revenue growth while also significantly lowering their operating costs. Strong Outdoor is building out its sales leadership team and we expect to see growth accelerating in the second half of 2019." Conference Call The Company will host a conference call on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time. Investors and analysts are invited to access the conference call by dialing 877-407-3982 (domestic) or 201-493-6780 (international) and providing the operator with conference ID number: 13690794. A replay will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call until Friday, June 14, 2019 by dialing 844-512-2921 in the U.S. and Canada and 412-317-6671 internationally and entering the conference ID number: 13690794. Use of Non-GAAP Measures Ballantyne Strong, Inc. prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company discloses information regarding Adjusted EBITDA, which differs from the term EBITDA as it is commonly used. In addition to adjusting net income (loss) to exclude taxes, interest, and depreciation and amortization, Adjusted EBITDA also excludes share-based compensation, impairment charges, equity method income, fair value adjustments, severance and transactional expenses and other non-cash charges. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of performance defined in accordance with GAAP. However, Adjusted EBITDA is used internally in planning and evaluating the Company's operating performance. Accordingly, management believes that disclosure of these metrics offers investors, bankers and other stakeholders an additional view of the Company's operations that, when coupled with the GAAP results, provides a more complete understanding of the Company's financial results. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net loss or to net cash used in operating activities as measures of operating results or liquidity. Our calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies, and the measures exclude financial information that some may consider important in evaluating the Company's performance. A reconciliation of GAAP net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is included in the accompanying financial schedules. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation, or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are (i) they do not reflect our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments, (ii) they do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs, (iii) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on our debt, (iv) although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future, and EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements, (v) they do not adjust for all non-cash income or expense items that are reflected in our statements of cash flows, (vi) they do not reflect the impact of earnings or charges resulting from matters we consider not to be indicative of our ongoing operations, and (vii) other companies in our industry may calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. We believe EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period by isolating the effects of some items that vary from period to period without any correlation to core operating performance or that vary widely among similar companies. These potential differences may be caused by variations in capital structures (affecting interest expense), tax positions (such as the impact on periods or companies of changes in effective tax rates or net operating losses) and the age and book depreciation of facilities and equipment (affecting relative depreciation expense). We also present EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA because (i) we believe these measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry, (ii) we believe investors will find these measures useful in assessing our ability to service or incur indebtedness, and (iii) we use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA internally as benchmarks to evaluate our operating performance or compare our performance to that of our competitors. For further information, please refer to Ballantyne Strong, Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about May 15, 2019, available online at www.sec.gov. About Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (www.ballantynestrong.com) Ballantyne Strong and its subsidiaries engage in diverse business activities including the design, integration and installation of technology solutions for a broad range of applications; development and delivery of out-of-home messaging, advertising and communications; manufacturing of projection screens; and providing of managed services including monitoring of networked equipment. The Company focuses on serving the cinema, retail, financial, advertising and government markets. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information in this press release, it includes forward-looking statements which involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the "Risk Factors" section contained in Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and the following risks and uncertainties: the Company's ability to expand its revenue streams, potential interruptions of supplier relationships or higher prices charged by suppliers, the Company's ability to successfully compete and introduce enhancements and new features that achieve market acceptance and that keep pace with technological developments, the Company's ability to successfully execute its capital allocation strategy, the Company's ability to maintain its brand and reputation and retain or replace its significant customers, the impact of a challenging global economic environment or a downturn in the markets, economic and political risks of selling products in foreign countries, risks of non-compliance with U.S. and foreign laws and regulations, potential sales tax collections and claims for uncollected amounts, cybersecurity risks and risks of damage and interruptions of information technology systems, the Company's ability to retain key members of management and successfully integrate new executives, the Company's ability to complete acquisitions, strategic investments, entry into new lines of business, divestitures, mergers or other transactions on acceptable terms or at all, the Company's ability to utilize or assert its intellectual property rights, the impact of natural disasters and other catastrophic events, the adequacy of insurance and the impact of having a controlling stockholder. Given the risks and uncertainties, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement and should recognize that the statements are predictions of future results which may not occur as anticipated. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and from historical results, due to the risks and uncertainties described herein, as well as others not now anticipated. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Except where required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting such forward-looking statements. Ballantyne Strong, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except par values) March 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 (unaudited) Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,989 $ 6,698 Restricted cash 350 350 Accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,624 and $1,832, respectively) 12,394 13,841 Inventories, net 3,615 3,490 Recoverable income taxes 735 281 Other current assets 1,876 1,663 Total current assets 23,959 26,323 Property, plant and equipment (net of accumulated depreciation of $8,687 and $9,046, respectively) 10,298 14,483 Operating lease right-of-use assets 9,588 - Finance lease right-of-use assets 839 692 Equity method investments 10,450 11,167 Intangible assets, net 1,748 1,795 Goodwill 894 875 Notes receivable 3,455 3,965 Other assets 326 337 Total assets $ 61,557 $ 59,637 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 4,092 $ 4,724 Accrued expenses 2,709 2,782 Short-term debt 3,340 3,152 Current portion of long-term debt 923 1,094 Current portion of operating lease obligations 1,833 - Current portion of finance lease obligations 181 160 Deferred revenue and customer deposits 2,323 2,310 Total current liabilities 15,401 14,222 Long-term debt, net of current portion and debt issuance costs 3,645 10,053 Operating lease obligations, net of current portion 8,042 - Finance lease obligations, net of current portion 590 427 Deferred revenue and customer deposits, net of current portion 1,171 1,167 Deferred income taxes 2,577 2,516 Other accrued expenses, net of current portion 87 254 Total liabilities 31,513 28,639 Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock, par value $.01 per share; authorized 1,000 shares, none outstanding - - Common stock, par value $.01 per share; authorized 25,000 shares; issued 17,313 and 17,237 shares at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively; outstanding 14,519 and 14,443 shares at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively 169 169 Additional paid-in capital 41,717 41,474 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss): Foreign currency translation (5,051 ) (5,308 ) Postretirement benefit obligations 127 125 Unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities of equity method investment (286 ) (195 ) Retained earnings 11,954 13,319 48,630 49,584 Less 2,794 of common shares in treasury, at cost (18,586 ) (18,586 ) Total stockholders' equity 30,044 30,998 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 61,557 $ 59,637 Ballantyne Strong, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (In thousands, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Net product sales $ 5,579 $ 8,639 Net service revenues 8,727 7,189 Total net revenues 14,306 15,828 Cost of products sold 3,523 5,812 Cost of services 8,138 7,166 Total cost of revenues 11,661 12,978 Gross profit 2,645 2,850 Selling and administrative expenses: Selling 1,228 1,225 Administrative 3,929 4,709 Total selling and administrative expenses 5,157 5,934 Loss on disposal of assets (64 ) - Loss from operations (2,576 ) (3,084 ) Other income (expense): Interest expense (119 ) (45 ) Fair value adjustment to notes receivable (510 ) (42 ) Foreign currency transaction (loss) gain (143 ) 104 Other income (expense), net 36 (10 ) Total other (expense) income (736 ) 7 Loss before income taxes and equity method investment loss (3,312 ) (3,077 ) Income tax expense 141 698 Equity method investment loss (697 ) (10 ) Net loss $ (4,150 ) $ (3,785 ) Basic loss per share $ (0.29 ) $ (0.26 ) Diluted loss per share $ (0.29 ) $ (0.26 ) Ballantyne Strong, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In thousands) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ (4,150 ) $ (3,785 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Provision for doubtful accounts, net of recoveries (310 ) 103 Provision for obsolete inventory 53 44 Provision for warranty 67 79 Depreciation and amortization 795 524 Amortization and accretion of operating leases 579 - Fair value adjustment to notes receivable 510 42 Equity method investment loss 697 10 Recognition of contract acquisition costs - 57 Loss on disposal of assets 64 - Deferred income taxes 50 87 Stock-based compensation expense 243 255 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 1,819 (178 ) Inventories (145 ) 537 Other current assets 2 5 Accounts payable (592 ) 256 Accrued expenses (13 ) 429 Operating lease obligations (590 ) - Deferred revenue and customer deposits 11 704 Current income taxes (444 ) 36 Other assets (71 ) (796 ) Net cash used in operating activities (1,425 ) (1,591 ) Cash flows from investing activities: Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 86 - Dividends received from investee in excess of cumulative earnings - 23 Capital expenditures (257 ) (356 ) Net cash used in investing activities (171 ) (333 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 237 - Principal payments on short-term debt (79 ) - Principal payments on long-term debt (245 ) (16 ) Payments on capital lease obligations (49 ) (53 ) Net cash used in financing activities (136 ) (69 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 23 471 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash (1,709 ) (1,522 ) Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 7,048 4,870 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 5,339 $ 3,348 Components of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash: Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,989 $ 3,348 Restricted cash 350 - Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 5,339 $ 3,348 Ballantyne Strong, Inc. and Subsidiaries Summary by Business Segments (In thousands) (Unaudited) Quarters Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Strong Cinema Revenue $ 7,853 $ 11,450 Gross profit 2,415 3,385 Operating income 1,159 2,325 Adjusted EBITDA $ 1,343 $ 2,692 Convergent Revenue $ 5,538 $ 4,607 Gross profit 1,569 666 Operating income (loss) 752 (1,025 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ 1,163 $ (776 ) Strong Outdoor Revenue $ 1,093 $ 62 Gross loss (1,416 ) (1,265 ) Operating loss (2,012 ) (1,497 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (1,911 ) $ (1,452 ) Corporate and Other Revenue $ (178 ) $ (291 ) Gross profit 77 64 Operating loss (2,475 ) (2,887 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (2,176 ) $ (2,571 ) Consolidated Revenue $ 14,306 $ 15,828 Gross profit 2,645 2,850 Operating loss (2,576 ) (3,084 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (1,581 ) $ (2,107 ) Ballantyne Strong, Inc. and Subsidiaries Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA (In thousands) (Unaudited) Quarters Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Strong Strong Corporate Strong Strong Corporate Cinema Convergent Outdoor and Other Consolidated Cinema Convergent Outdoor and Other Consolidated Net income (loss) $ (348 ) 579 $ (2,034 ) (2,347 ) $ (4,150 ) $ 1,862 (1,125 ) $ (1,497 ) (3,025 ) $ (3,785 ) Interest expense, net 35 92 23 (31 ) 119 14 9 - 22 45 Income tax expense 23 68 - 50 141 653 45 - - 698 Depreciation and amortization 219 423 100 53 795 224 295 45 45 609 EBITDA (71 ) 1,162 (1,911 ) (2,275 ) (3,095 ) 2,753 (776 ) (1,452 ) (2,958 ) (2,433 ) Stock-based compensation expense - - - 243 243 - - - 255 255 Fair value adjustment to notes receivable 510 - - - 510 42 - - - 42 Equity method investment loss (income) 841 - - (144 ) 697 (103 ) - - 113 10 Loss on disposal of assets 63 1 - - 64 - - - - - Severance and other - - - - - - - - 19 19 Adjusted EBITDA $ 1,343 $ 1,163 $ (1,911 ) $ (2,176 ) $ (1,581 ) $ 2,692 $ (776 ) $ (1,452 ) $ (2,571 ) $ (2,107 ) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514006006/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Report 2019: Market is Expected to Reach US$ 61.9 Mn in 2027 from US$ 30.6 Mn in 2018 DUBLIN, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market to 2027 - Regional Analysis and Forecasts by Product, Application and Country" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Asia pacific Metagenomics market is expected to reach US$ 61.9 Mn in 2027 from US$ 30.6 Mn in 2018. The market is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 8.5% from 2018-2027. The growth of the market is driven by the factors such as increasing demand for genomics, growing demand for metagenomics over traditional methods and various applications of metagenomics, in the Asia pacific region. Whereas, expensive techniques of metagenomics is likely to have a negative impact on the growth of the market in the coming years. In Asia Pacific, the government is supporting more for the genomics and with the support from the government the Chinese players are investing more into the genetic research. The genomics in this region is booming due to the increasing demand for the genetic sequencing. The rise in the Asia's genomics market is driven by the factors such as rise in the geriatric population, significant growth of the healthcare system and rise in the income of the population. The Chinese government has made compulsion for the data banking of its citizens, the population's includes genomic data of the people. In addition, a data provided by the Chinese genetics leader BGI states that in China market size of the genetic testing has grown by five times of a market share which is approximately to US$ 925 billion in between 2012 to 2016. Moreover, near around 330 million people of age of 65years and above are anticipated in 2025, therefore the rise in the personalized medicine is expected to grow the market in coming future. Also, investments in the field of genomics is rising; for instance, in 2016, the Chinese Academy of Sciences had launched the initiative for precision medicine. Whereas it invested approximately US$ 9 billion to a project that will sequence over 100 million human genomes by 2030. Recently in December 2017, the China's Ministry of Science and Technology has joined with a human genome research projec to document the genetic makeup of 25,000 people. Owing to growing demand for genomics by the market leaders that enables the access to the metagenomics studies are likely to propel the growth of the market in the forecast period. China is anticipated to lead the adoptions of Metagenomics across the Asia Pacific region through the forecast period. The metagenomic market in china is anticipated to witness significant growth in the forecast period owing to the extensive conduction of metagenomics. For instance. a project titled as 'Metagenomic Analysis of Flaviviridae in Mosquito Viromes Isolated From Yunnan Province in China Reveals Genes From Dengue and Zika Viruses' was conducted. This project was funded by some Chinese entities which include the National Program on Key Research Project of China , Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest, National Natural Science Foundation of China and others. This project utilized Illumina sequencing to conclude its results. Key Topics Covered Part 1. Introduction 1.1 Scope of the Study 1.2 Report Guidance Part 2. Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market - Key Takeaways Part 3. Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market - Market Landscape 3.1 Overview 3.2 Market Segmentation 3.3 Pest Analysis Part 4. Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market - Key Market Dynamics 4.1 Key Market Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Investments In the Field of Metagenomics 4.1.2 Benefits of Metagenomics Over Traditional Methods 4.1.3 Diverse Potential Applications of Metagenomics 4.2 Key Market Restraints 4.2.1 High Cost Associated With Metagenomics 4.3 Key Market Opportunities 4.3.1 Precision Metagenomic Analysis In Personalised Medicine 4.4 Key Market Trends 4.4.1 Growing Trend of Molecular-Based Approaches 4.5 Impact Analysis Part 5. Metagenomics Market - Asia Pacific Analysis 5.1 Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Revenue Forecasts and Analysis 5.2 Market Positioning 5.3 Performance of Key Players - Illumina Inc. - Qiagen 5.4 Expert Opinions Part 6. Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Analysis - by Product 6.1 Overview 6.2 Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market, by Product, 2018 & 2027 (%) 6.3 Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Revenue and Forecasts To 2027, by Product (US$ Mn) 6.4 Instruments & Software Market 6.5 Consumables Market Part 7. Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Analysis - by Application 7.1 Overview 7.2 Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market, by Application, 2018 & 2027 (%) 7.3 Clinical Diagnostic Market 7.4 Drug Discovery Metagenomics Market 7.5 Others Market Part 8. Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Revenue and Forecasts To 2027 8.1 Overview 8.2 Asia Pacific Metagenomics Market Revenue and Forecasts To 2027, by Country (%) 8.3 US Metagenomics Market Revenue and Forecasts To 2027 (US$ Mn) 8.4 Canada Metagenomics Market Revenue and Forecasts To 2027 (US$ Mn) 8.5 Mexico Metagenomics Market Revenue and Forecasts To 2027 (US$ Mn) Part 9. Metagenomics Market -Industry Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Growth Strategies In the Metagenomics Market, 2015-2018 9.3 Organic Developments 9.4 Organic Growth Strategies In the Metagenomics Market, 2015-2018 9.5 Product Launch 9.6 Product Approval 9.7 Expansion & Others 9.8 Inorganic Developments 9.9 Inorganic Growth Strategies In the Metagenomics Market, 2015-2018 9.10 Acquisitions 9.11 Agreements 9.12 Partnership & Collaboration Part 10. Metagenomics Market - Key Company Profiles 10.1 Merck KGaA 10.2 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 10.3 Agilent Technologies Inc. 10.4 Qiagen 10.5 Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. 10.6 Perkin Elmer Inc. 10.7 Illumina Inc. 10.8 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. 10.9 Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd. 10.10 Pacific Bioscience of California Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vg9bem Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asia-pacific-metagenomics-market-report-2019-market-is-expected-to-reach-us-61-9-mn-in-2027-from-us-30-6-mn-in-2018--300848962.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] NASA Awards $106 Million to US Small Businesses for Technology Development WASHINGTON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Managing pilotless aircraft and solar panels that could help humans live on the Moon and Mars are among the technologies NASA is looking to develop with small business awards totaling $106 million. In all, NASA has selected 142 proposals from 129 U.S. small businesses from 28 states and the District of Columbia to receive Phase II contracts as part the agency's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. "Small businesses play an important role in our science and exploration endeavors," said Jim Reuter, acting associate administrator of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. "NASA's diverse community of partners, including small businesses across the country, helps us achieve our mission and cultivate the U.S. economy. Their innovations will help America land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024, establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface a few years later, and pursue exciting opportunities for going to Mars and beyond." NASA selected the proposals based on a range of criteria, including technical merit and feasibility, as well as the organizations' experience, qualifications, and facilities. Additional criteria included effectiveness of proposed work plans and the commercial potential of the technologies. The selected proposals will support the development of technologies in the areas of human exploration and operations, space technology, science, and aeronautics. The proposals offer a breadth of applications, including: Solar panels that deploy like venetian linds. The technology behind these panels can be used as a surface power source for crewed missions on the Moon and Mars. It offers benefits such as efficient power generation, lower procurement costs and reduced mass and stowed volume. Sensor technology for autonomous entry, descent and precision landing on planetary surfaces a critical advancement for next generation human lunar landers. A type of permanent magnet that creates a bonding force between two halves with no moving parts, enabling in-space assembly of large platforms. A high-resolution X-ray instrument to analyze surface rocks and core samples on planets and asteroids. This technology could advance our understanding of the Moon, Mars and even Earth by providing unique analysis and reconstruction of samples. A suite of technologies for managing autonomous aircraft. The proposed solution aims to have a single dispatcher simultaneously monitor multiple flights, leading the way for future airspace and vehicle concepts. $750,000 . The SBIR program is a three-phase program. Phase I work and results provide a sound basis for the continued development, demonstration and delivery of the proposed innovation in Phase II and follow-on efforts. Phase III is the commercialization of innovative technologies, products and services resulting from either a Phase I or Phase II contract. The SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs encourage small businesses and research institutions to develop innovative ideas that meet the specific research and development needs of the federal government. The programs are intended to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, increase the commercial application of research results, and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged companies and women-owned small businesses. Since the 1970s, small businesses have created approximately 55 percent of all jobs in the United States. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the SBIR and STTR programs for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). STMD is responsible for developing the cross-cutting, pioneering new technologies and capabilities needed by the agency to achieve its current and future missions. For more information about the SBIR and STTR programs, including the selection list, visit: https://sbir.nasa.gov/ For more information about NASA's investment in space technology, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/spacetech View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-awards-106-million-to-us-small-businesses-for-technology-development-300850189.html SOURCE NASA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] The Government of Canada Announces Winners of the Smart Cities Challenge OTTAWA, May 14, 2019 /CNW/ - By driving innovation in communities across the country, the Government of Canada is empowering communities to address the most pressing needs of their residents through data and connected technology. Today, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and his Parliamentary Secretary Marco Mendicino, announced the four winners of the country's first-ever Smart Cities Challenge, a pan-Canadian competition that encourages communities of all sizes to harness the potential of connected technology and data to improve the lives of Canadians. The winners will receive prizes worth a total of $75 million, which will be used to implement their visions. The winners are: Town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia $5 million prize for its proposal to reduce energy poverty. prize for its proposal to reduce energy poverty. Nunavut Communities, Nunavut $10 million prize for its proposal to use a life promotion approach to suicide prevention. prize for its proposal to use a life promotion approach to suicide prevention. City of Guelph and Wellington County, Ontario $10 million prize for its proposal to create a Circular Food Economy. prize for its proposal to create a Circular Food Economy. City of Montreal, Quebec $50 million prize for its proposal to improve mobility and access to food. When the Challenge was launched in November 2017, communities from across Canada responded in great numbers. From the largest metropolitan areas to some of the smallest towns, to Indigenous communities, communities from across the country demonstrated that innovation and technology-enabled change can improve local realities in meaningful ways. Over the past year, 20 finalists have been working intensely with their residents and partners to turn their bold ideas into real, practical plans. They have defined the smart city concept in a truly Canadian manner, and have come up with homegrown solutions that will benefit communities across the country as they develop their own visions. All communities that have participated in this Challenge are winners; they have innovated and developed plans and partnerships to further their smart cities visions. An independent Jury of 13 members assessed and evaluated the final proposals based on detailed criteria. The four winners will implement their smart cities approaches over the next five years. Updates on their implementation will be posted on Infrastructure Canada's website, where their proposal summaries are currently posted so they can inspire communities across the country on their own smart cities journeys. Quote "Congratulations to finalists and winners of Canada's first-ever Smart Cities Challenge. The work you have put into developing your proposals and to improving the lives of your residents is huge. You are all winners! Your efforts will benefit your communities, and also communities across the country who may be facing similar challenges. You are shining examples of Canadian ingenuity and innovations at its best and I am immensely proud." The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Quick Facts More than 200 communities, large and small, from across Canada responded to the Smart Cities Challenge, which was launched in November 2017 . responded to the Smart Cities Challenge, which was launched in . Of the 130 applications received, 20 were selected as finalists on June 1, 2018 , and received grants of $250,000 to develop their proposals into fully-implementable business proposals. , and received grants of to develop their proposals into fully-implementable business proposals. These final proposals were submitted on March 5, 2019 , and were evaluated and assessed by the independent Smart Cities Canada jury based on the criteria set out in the Smart Cities Challenge Finalist Guide. , and were evaluated and assessed by the independent Smart Cities Canada jury based on the criteria set out in the Smart Cities Challenge Finalist Guide. This was the firt of three competitions of the Challenge. Related product Backgrounder Smart Cities Challenge aims to improve the lives of Canadians through data and connected technology The Challenge In November 2017, the Government of Canada challenged communities across the country to develop bold and ambitious ideas to improve the lives of their residents using data and connected technology. Over 200 communities, large and small, urban and rural, from across Canada rose to the Challenge. They submitted innovative ideas that have the potential to advance progress on issues such as improving economic opportunity for Canadians, imagining the future of transportation, and improving the health outcomes of Canadians, among others. An independent panel of 13 jury members assessed and evaluated the 130 eligible submissions based on the criteria set out in the Applicant Guide. The Finalists Last June, 20 finalists were selected to move on to the next step of the Challenge. These finalists each received a $250,000 grant to develop their project proposals. These proposals outline the design, planning, privacy, data protection and project management components of their plans. The grant enabled each finalist to fund activities in support of the development of their proposal. Such activities included professional services, feasibility assessments, capacity building, pilot projects, community engagement and communications, and research. On March 5, 2019, each finalist submitted a final proposal for consideration. The Smart Cities Challenge jury assessed and evaluated these final submissions using the criteria outlined in the Smart Cities Challenge Finalist Guide and recommended four winners to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. The winners were announced on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, by Canada's Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne and his Parliamentary Secretary, Marco Mendicino. The Winners $5 million prize Community: Town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia Challenge Statement: Our community will lift its residents out of energy poverty, starting by reducing the energy poverty rate by 20% by 2025. Final Proposal: https://www.bridgewater.ca/town-services/planning/planning-programs/bridgewater-smart-cities Video: https://www.bridgewater.ca/town-services/planning/planning-programs/bridgewater-smart-cities Contact Information: Jessica McDonald, Director of Community Development [email protected] 902-541-4368 Leon de Vreede, Sustainability Planner [email protected] 902-541-4390 $10 million prize Community: Nunavut Communities, Nunavut Challenge Statement: Our communities will implement protective and preventative measures to reduce the risk of suicide in Nunavut, which is ten times the national average, and increase the amount and accessibility of peer support networks, educational resources and creative outlets that promote positive Mental Health to all Nunavummiut. Final Proposal: https://katinnganiq.com/proposal/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq-YZU9_xpU&feature=youtu.be Contact Information: Maria Coates, Development Manager [email protected] 647-998-9649 Community: City of Guelph and Wellington County, Ontario Challenge Statement: Guelph/Wellington will become Canada's first technology-enabled Circular Food Economy, reimagining an inclusive food-secure ecosystem that increases access to affordable, nutritious food by 50%, where "waste" becomes a resource, 50 new circular businesses and collaborations are created, and circular economic revenues are increased by 50%: 50x50x50 by 2025. Final Proposal: http://foodfuture.ca/wp-content/uploads/Smart-Cities-Proposal.pdf Video: http://foodfuture.ca/wp-content/uploads/Smart-Cities-Proposal.pdf Contact Information: Cathy Kennedy, Manager, Policy and Intergovernmental Relations, City of Guelph [email protected] 519-822-1260 ext. 2255 226-821-3701 $50 million prize Community: Montreal, Quebec Challenge Statement: The Montreal community is shaping an efficient and dynamic neighbourhood life by innovating mobility and access to food. Through a co-creation and citizen participation process, the accessibility of services and the well-being of Montrealers are increasing significantly. Final Proposal: https://www.realisonsmtl.ca/defi (available in French only) Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmLNKm3hGZY Contact Information: Aldo Rizzi, Head of Telecom Strategy and Partnerships [email protected] 438-922-2416 Associated links Smart Cities Challenge: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/cities-villes-eng.html Impact Canada: https://impact.canada.ca/en/challenges/smart-cities Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Web: Infrastructure Canada SOURCE Infrastructure Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Silicon Valley Blockchain Society Chooses seriesOne to Provide its Members With an Easy Way to Manage Deals, Investors, and Investments NEW YORK, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- seriesOne, the global digital security fundraising platform led by executives with traditional investment-banking experience, announced today at Consensus 2019 (taking place at the New York Hilton Midtown ) that Silicon Valley Blockchain Society (SVBS) will use its platform for managing deals, investments, and investors (both accredited and non-accredited). SVBS, an invite-only, member-driven network of global investors and dealflow in the decentralized ecosystem, will rely on the seriesOne platform to power its SVBS.one investment portal. SVBS.one is designed to ensure that SVBS members can track capital investments across their portfolio companies. "SVBS brings seriesOne a tremendous pipeline of issuers and investors from their deep and trusted community of partners," said seriesOne CEO, Michael Mildenberger. "By bringing the SVBS community together with the complete investment and digital security platform -- backed by the industry's best technology." As an end-to-end platform for fundraising and issuing digtal securities, seriesOne enables investors to put a new (digital) wrapper around traditional assets through private placements. This expands the market for investment, and makes it easier to customize and manage the offerings of these assets-- in a regulation-compliant way. "The seriesOne platform will help streamline SVBS members' ability to track capital investments within our portfolio of companies," said SVBS President, Amit Pradhan. "Simplifying members' ability to identify and participate in SVBS originated transactions within our investment portfolio, whether with digital assets or equity, advances SVBS's charter to unlock the investing potential that will drive the future social benefit of blockchain." The SVBS.one investment portal will do the following for SVBS members: Provide easy activation of account dashboards on a seriesOne-enabled platform, to show users the companies they invested in, are interested in, and/or have had interactions with. Enable capital investment in portfolio companies to be represented in crypto assets (securities offerings), or in company equity and/or private debt. Create new companies in the system that are open to investment; and control access to the deal room and data room, where all company documents can be uploaded. Offer an interface for investors to interact with the issuing companies and invest capital; and see who is investing, communicating, and interested in which companies. To learn more about seriesOne, visit here: www.seriesone.com . About seriesOne seriesOne is a leading blockchain based FinTech company formed by industry veterans with decades of expertise across technology, investment banking, venture capital, and financial compliance. The firm enables digital security offerings by providing a combination of key technology, strategic consulting, fundraising infrastructure and access to a network of investors worldwide. All seriesOne services are designed to comply with applicable securities regulations, enabling companies to register, market, and escrow their fundraising initiatives. For more information, please visit https://seriesone.com. About Silicon Blockchain Society SVBS is a global, invite-only, member-driven network of global investors and global dealflow in the decentralized ecosystem. The SVBS platform is entirely focused on bringing institutional capital, angels, family offices, corporate & venture capital and cross-stage expertise in technology, governance, policy, markets, legal, finance and marketing to the long-term future of decentralization. To learn more about the SVBS, please visit http://svbsociety.com/ . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/silicon-valley-blockchain-society-chooses-seriesone-to-provide-its-members-with-an-easy-way-to-manage-deals-investors-and-investments-300850214.html SOURCE seriesOne [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] United Technologies Chairman & CEO Gregory Hayes Presents at Electrical Products Group Conference FARMINGTON, Conn., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A webcast of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) Chairman & CEO Gregory Hayes speaking at the Electrical Products Group Conference is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The presentation will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.utc.com and will be archived on the website afterward. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. To learn more about UTC, visit www.utc.com or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC. UTC-IR Contact: Media Inquiries, UTC (860) 493-4149 Investor Relations, UTC (860) 728-7608 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-technologies-chairman--ceo-gregory-hayes-presents-at-electrical-products-group-conference-300850032.html SOURCE United Technologies Corp. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi, Russia, on May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi) SOCHI, Russia, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China, Russia and the United States should keep expanding cooperation and jointly contribute to the world stability and global development, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. Facing ever-increasing global challenges, China, Russia and the United States, which are all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and among the most influential countries, should engage in positive interaction with an inclusive mindset, Wang told journalists after meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. He underlined that the three countries need to get rid of unnecessary suspicion and misunderstanding and continuously expand cooperation with each other, while safeguarding world peace and stability as well as promoting global development and prosperity. The China-Russia relationship, in particular, has set an example for the international community in this regard, Wang said. "We are ready to settle differences and strengthen cooperation with other countries including the United States on the basis of mutual respect, so as to strive for more peace, security and stability for the world," he added. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] PLAINVILLE A Hartford man faces charges after police said he exposed himself at Kohls last week. Marcus Hodges, 31, of 59 Seyms St., Hartford, was charged May 10 with public indecency and second-degree breach of peace. On May 10 around 7:45 p.m., police responded to Kohls, 200 New Britain Ave. An employee reported that they saw a man, later identified as Hodges, on the security cameras exposing himself near a female employee, according to a police report. Police spoke with Hodges, who denied the accusation, the report said. Hodges was released on $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Bristol Superior Court on May 28. Lauren Sellew [May 14, 2019] Invictus International Consulting's Game Changing Cyber IDIQ ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In April 2018, Invictus announced that it was one of five companies awarded a $950,000,000 shared ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract through the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in Rome, NY. Agile Cyber Technology (ACT) 2 provides a focused yet flexible, rapid contracting vehicle between AFRL, its products centers, and the operational community to support rapid research, development, prototyping, demonstration, evaluation, and transition of cyber capabilities. "Since being awarded ACT 2 in 2018 we have been able to rapidly scale full-spectrum cyber operations support to clients across the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community," said VP of Growth, Sage Cesspoch. "This contract has empowered government clients to acquire a vast range of cybersecurity support within weeks to meet immediate, real-time operational needs rather than suffering through an arduous and lengthy contracting lifecycle." One of the first clients to utilize the ACT 2 contract was United States Marine Corps (USMC) where they are leveraging Invictus' unique expertise in developing and enhancing the national cyber mission in accordance with US Cyber Command and government operational requirements. "Invictus has a unique capability of building strong, unstoppable teams that, when combined, offer a catalog of over 300 mission ready operational cyber capabilities," said Jim Kelly, Invictus CEO. "We bring together leading cyber labs, live testing environments, modeling and simulation, attack environments, specialized capability procurement, and rapid prototyping for operational deployment and testing. Needless to say -- Invictus is able to scale a full-spectrum of cyber capabilities through this vehicle." To learn more about the ACT 2 contract, [email protected] About Invictus International Consulting Invictus is an award-winning cybersecurity services and technology solutions company that provides elite cyber talent to the Intelligence, National and Homeland Security communities, and commercial clientele. Invictus is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) based in Virginia and started by military veterans. www.InvictusIC.com, @InvictusIC View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/invictus-international-consultings-game-changing-cyber-idiq-300850187.html SOURCE Invictus International Consulting [May 14, 2019] Druva Sets Sights on Rapid Expansion in Asia Pacific Druva, Inc., the leader in cloud data protection and management, today announced the opening of its new office in Singapore to support Asia-Pacific enterprises increasingly turning to the cloud to protect and manage their most critical asset - data. Focused on expanding its headcount and tripling revenue in the region, Druva will deliver enhanced support through focused, local expertise and a partner network of more than 600 existing customers in Asia-Pacific. The Asia-Pacific region boasts one of the fastest growing technology markets in the world, with market research firm IDC (News - Alert) forecasting* a 32.6 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for cloud services revenue between 2016-2021, exceeding the worldwide average of 21.9 percent. As enterprises embrace cloud technology to meet the growing demands of data, Druva is helping IT teams streamline management, visibility and compliance of swelling data sets - all without the burden of unnecessary hardware, capacity planning, or software management. "Emerging businesses in Asia-Pacific, and around the globe, understand that an effective way to grow quickly and meet market demands is by deploying technology that can scale with your business," said Jaspreet Singh, CEO and founder, Druva. "Our new Singapore office will support our goal to provide every business with a better and simpler way to manage their most valuable IP, enterprise data." China Aviation Oil Corporation is the largest physical jet fuel trader in Asia-Pacific and the key supplier of imported jet fuel to China's civil aviation industry. "We welcome Druva's expansion in Asia-Pacific," said Wayne Choe, IT Infrastructure Manager, China Aviation Oil Corporation. "Our IT team already relies on Druva to protect our data, restore files, and meet any regulatory needs and we are excited to have a local team that can also support us as our data demands continue to grow." Comprised of eight schools and colleges, Nanyang Technological University is the second largest university in Singapore with more than 33,000 students and 10,000 faculty. "The use of cloud-based technology like Druva's comprehensive backup and recovery has bee critical to protecting the data of our faculty, employees and students," said Alan Loe, Deputy Director, e-Learning and IT services, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University. "Druva offers rapid restores, scalability and cost-effectiveness that exceeds our expectations and we look forward to strengthening our relationship with Druva in Singapore." Druva has also secured SG:D Accreditation from the Singaporean government; a recognition of Druva exceeding stringent technology and industry standards. With this certificate, Druva will also be able to service the country's government agencies and top organizations "We are very pleased to work with Druva as it scales in the APAC region through the opening of the new Singapore office," said Edwin Low, Director of [email protected] Digital. "Druva's innovative de-duplication technology coupled with its cloud-native architecture makes the company a global leader in the market. As we've seen, the shift to cloud infrastructure enables organizations, across government and industry, to reap significant gains." Additional information Learn more about Druva's offerings Explore career opportunities at Druva Connect with Druva on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram *IDC, Worldwide and Regional Public IT Cloud Services Forecast, 2018-2021, doc #US43625818, March 2018 About Druva Druva delivers data protection and management for the cloud era. Druva Cloud Platform is built on AWS and offered as-a-Service; customers drive down costs by over 50 percent by freeing themselves from the burden of unnecessary hardware, capacity planning, and software management. Druva is trusted worldwide by over 4,000 companies at the forefront of embracing cloud. Druva is a privately held company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and is funded by Sequoia Capital (News - Alert), Tenaya Capital, Riverwood Capital and Nexus Partners. Visit Druva and follow us @druvainc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005960/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Vietnam War Refugee Tells Of His Journey 50-Years Later, To Find The Father He Thought Died In Battle, On "Brad Show Live" NEW YORK, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hugh Nguyen safeguards millions of records, including marriage, birth and death certificates, as the county clerk recorder for Orange County, CA. Despite Hugh's knowledgeable position, serving 3.3 million residents, for 50-years of his life, he did not know who his own father was. Hugh is one of the estimated 25,000 Amerasians that were born to American soldiers during the Vietnam War. His South Vietnamese mother told Hugh that his father died in combat. Raised by his aunts and grandparents, Hugh and his relatives escaped the war torn country when he was just 7-years-old. "I heard a lot of shooting," Hugh recalled of leaving Vietnam in an interview on Brad Show Live. "Soldiers were bleeding; injured... I slept on the concrete floor [of the airport]. It was scary. We didn't know if we were going to leave our country because we were stuck at the airport." The next day, helicopters arrived to transport almost 4,000 refugees to the USS Midway. The Naval aircraft carrier went to the Philippines and Guam before doking at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. For two months, Hugh and his family stayed at Camp Pendleton before being sponsored by a church in El Centro, CA. "My two aunts picked up odds jobs from working at a motel to sewing," Hugh described of his childhood in America. "We were the first Vietnamese family to come to El Centro, CA." Five decades later, Hugh has a family of his own and is the first Vietnamese-American County Clerk Recorder in the nation. Despite his accomplishments, a void in his life remained: his father. Nearing his fiftieth birthday, Hugh turned to ancestry.com to see what he could find. Although he faced setbacks in the process, Hugh eventually located and connected with his Tennessee-born American soldier father, Roy Patterson. "After 50 years to find my Dad, and he is still alive, is an amazing feeling," Hugh said of reuniting with his long lost father. Since their meeting, Hugh has met his half-siblings and extended family. Catch the full interview on YouTube and Facebook with host Brad Bernstein! Brad Show Live is a 2019 webby honoree that airs Monday-Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET! https://www.facebook.com/SparBernstein/ https://www.youtube.com/user/sparandbernstein/featured Contact: Jill Gould, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vietnam-war-refugee-tells-of-his-journey-50-years-later-to-find-the-father-he-thought-died-in-battle-on-brad-show-live-300850272.html SOURCE Brad Show Live [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Sylogist Ltd. Announces Intention to Make a Normal Course Issuer Bid /THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./ CALGARY, May 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Sylogist Ltd. ("Sylogist" or the "Company") - (TSX-V:SYZ), a provider of enterprise information management solutions, announced today that it intends to give the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. ("TSXV") its Notice of Intention to have a normal course issuer bid ("NCIB") in place effective May 21, 2019. The NCIB will commence only on acceptance and approval of the TSXV. Sylogist believes that from time to time the market price of the Sylogist Common Shares may not reflect their underlying or intrinsic value and that, at such times, the purchase of Common Shares for cancellation will increase the proportionate interest of, and be advantageous to, all remaining holders of Common Shares. As of the date hereof, there are 22,023,394 Common Shares issued and outstanding, 20,079,133 of which shares constitute the public float. Under the NCIB, Sylogist is seeking approval to purchase up to 2,007,913 Common Shares, which is 10% of the public float. Sylogist, through its broker at BMO Nesbitt Burns, will purchase the Common Shares on the open market through the facilities of the TSXV. The price which Sylogist will pay for any Common Shares purchased will be the prevailing market price of such Common Shares on the TSXV at the time of purchase. Decisions regarding purchases of Common Shares pursuant to the NCIB will be made by Sylogist. The NCIB, if approved, will terminate on the earlier of: (i) one year from inception; or (ii) when permitted purchases thereunder are completed. Sylogist may otherwise elect to terminate the NCIB at any time. About Sylogist Sylogist is a technology innovation company that, through strategic acquisitions, investments and operations management, provides intellectual property solutions to a wide range of Public Sector customers. We are an industry-leading publisher of mission-critical software products that satisfy the uniue and sophisticated functionality requirements of Public Sector entities, including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and government agencies, as well as public compliance driven and funded businesses. Our Company delivers highly scalable, multi-language, multi-currency software solutions, which serve the needs of an international clientele. Full financial statements together with Management's Discussion and Analysis are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company's stock is traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol SYZ. Information about Sylogist can be found at http://www.sylogist.com. Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and regulations. These statements typically use words such as expect, believe, estimate, project, anticipate, plan, may, should, could and would, or the negative of these terms, variations thereof or similar terminology. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with respect to Sylogist's purchase of Common Shares for cancellation increasing the proportionate interest of, and be advantageous to, all remaining holders of Common Shares. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific in nature. It is therefore possible that the beliefs and plans and other forward-looking expectations expressed herein will not be achieved or will prove inaccurate. Although Sylogist believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it provides no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Additional information regarding some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors may be found under in the management's discussion and analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 and other documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Material assumptions and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include Sylogist's ability to attract and retain customers and to realize on its investments. Although Sylogist believes that the material assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur. Sylogist disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Certain information set out herein may be considered as "financial outlook" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The purpose of this financial outlook is to provide readers with disclosure regarding Sylogist's reasonable expectations as to the anticipated results of its proposed business activities for the periods indicated. Readers are cautioned that the financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes. - Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release- SOURCE Sylogist Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 14, 2019] Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Nokia Bell Labs, Franklin Templeton, City National Bank, Artron Ventures Inc. and Kilpatrick Townsend Join EvoNexus Board Directors EvoNexus, Southern California's premier technology incubator, today announced six industry sector executives were elected to its Board of Directors; three were elected in Q1 and three on May 10. The new Directors hail from well-established international organizations including: Franklin Templeton, one of the world's largest asset managers; City National Bank, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada, one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies with offices in Canada, the United States and 33 other countries; Kawasaki Heavy Industries (USA), a technology corporate group with about 100 group companies in Japan and overseas sending diverse products into wide-ranging fields; Nokia Bell Labs (News - Alert), providing technology, products, services and licensing to connect the world via 5G and the IoT; Artron Ventures Inc., a subsidiary of TOA Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. the worldwide electronic parts distributor; and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP law firm that provides counsel to companies and brands from around the globe. "We continue to attract accomplished business leaders and their companies from diverse sectors to EvoNexus," said Rory Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of EvoNexus. "Our new board members bring varied domain expertise, energy and strategic partnerships to EvoNexus and our startup portfolio." Moore continued, "The convergence of industries and hyper-connectivity is blurring traditional business boundaries providing opportunities for new collaboration, innovation and competition. The potential of technologic applications is widening, which is reflected in our strategic partnerships, board members and portfolio of disruptive startups that are expanding into new sectors. Startups typically enter markets with disruptive innovation. This is occurring within agriculture, chemicals, healthcare, automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial equipment to name a few, as well as new technology acceleration within banking, finance and insurance with a plethora of emerging FinTech startups." About the New Elected EvoNexus Board Directors Linda Duncombe, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Product Strategies, City National Bank, is a member of the company's Executive Committee. Prior to joining City National, she was global head of design for Citibank's Global Consumer Bank and the chief marketing officer and head of growth for Citi FinTech. Ms. Duncombe, born in Australia, began her career with National Australia Bank and later served as the head of customer franchise with Citi in Australia. She earned her bachelor's degree from Western Sydney Univrsity. She is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program and completed Citi's Women's Leadership Development Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Active in community and civic affairs, Ms. Duncombe serves on the board of the Global Retail Management Association. Takaki Morihara/Chief Operating Officer, Artron Ventures Inc., is leading the discovery of new technology and startups. He has more than 15 years of experience in the hardware industry with multiple responsibilities in sales, marketing and engineering for several markets including consumer, automotive, semiconductor and optical communications. Mr. Morihara began his career as an acoustic engineer for automotive speakers at Foster Electric managing sales to SONY, Alpine and Samsung (News - Alert). He has previously held new business development branch manager positions for TOA Electrical Industrial in both California and Texas. Richard Christiansen/Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, a multi-practice international law firm, focuses his practice on patent prosecution and transactional intellectual property for a broad range of technologies in software, mechanical and electrical spaces for clients in all lifecycle stages from multinationals to early startups. Mr. Christiansen has helped clients receive patents for medical devices, AI, online security and content delivery, FinTech, clean technology, electromechanical systems and heavy equipment. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Christiansen was a design engineer at Raytheon (News - Alert) Missile Systems. He has been involved with many startups and new companies, including as a founder and mentor. Mr. Christiansen obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law. Masanori Hamamatsu/Technical Director of Strategic Research Department, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (USA), is responsible for Kawasaki R&D projects. He is currently working on Research & Technology Scouting, Business Development and Investment deal scouting of IIoT/AI applications/Robotics/Mobility/Energy related to Kawasaki current and future businesses. He started his career at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in 1991. He holds a bachelor's degree in Control Engineering from Osaka University, Japan. Joe Boerio/Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Franklin Templeton (FT) [NYSE:BEN], leads Investment Management Data Science, FinTech and Rapid Development for Franklin Templeton Investments. As CTO he is responsible for setting and executing the firm's strategic technology direction for Investment Management, Data Science and Cyber Security including FT's internal FinTech venture. Mr. Boerio is a strong visionary leader with 30+ years of proven execution results in enterprise IT, operational excellence and global business enablement. He is the Chair of the Investment Company Institute Technology Committee based in Washington, D.C. and serves on the Board of the FinTech Sandbox in Boston. He earned his bachelor's degree in information systems management from the University of San Francisco. Nitin Shah, PhD/Principal Innovator, Nokia Bell Labs, is responsible for leading technology incubation and commercialization. Based in Silicon Valley, he is an innovator and inventor with a record of developing technologies and architecture for mobile networks from concept to commercialization. He has experience with multi-national corporations, startups and solo consulting in the mobile communications and digital media industries. His primary focus is on roadmaps and market disruptions to drive profitable innovation in mobile networking. Dr. Shah holds a BA and MA in Natural Sciences and a PhD in Microelectronics from the University of Cambridge in England. He holds 15 patents in the areas of mobile networks, digital media and quantum engineering. His past clients/inhouse positions include AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Ericsson (News - Alert), Nokia and DoCoMo. About EvoNexus EvoNexus is Southern California's leading startup incubator with locations in San Diego and Irvine. We enable motivated entrepreneurs to turn their transformative technologies into fundable, commercially-viable companies. Since 2010, $1.7B in funding and acquisition outcomes have been achieved by EvoNexus startups. A total of 26 EvoNexus startups have been acquired since 2013. EvoNexus is supported by strategic corporate sponsors in technology, life science and leading sector service providers. EvoNexus companies enjoy incubation of up to two years in Class A offices and dry lab spaces to create complex products, secure investor funding and launch their inventions into important markets. For more information, please visit evonexus.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514006113/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (Image credit: Shutterstock) Updated 10:08 EST - We've posted instructions on how to update WhatsApp for Android and iOS. A serious WhatsApp loophole has allowed the installation of spyware on iOS and Android devices via a phone call, with a few cases of highly invasive software being successfully injected already confirmed. WhatsApp, which has 1.5 billion users, learned of the vulnerability earlier in May, and informed the US Department of Justice during the week beginning May 6. After working to fix the problem on its own servers, it then released an update for users on May 13 which fixes the issue on the client side. The code, according to a source speaking to the Financial Times, was developed by NSO Group, a company based in Israel. It worked by calling the target phone via WhatsApp. Whether or not the user of that phone answered, the software would be injected. MORE: Best Encrypted Messaging Apps NSO Group develops spyware for use by Middle Eastern and western governments, with its main product, Pegasus, being capable of turning on a phones camera and microphone, reading emails and messages, and sending location data. Speaking to the Financial Times, NSO Group said it was not involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology. NSO would not, or could not, use its technology in its own right to target any person or organization, it continued, going on to refer to a specific case in which a human rights lawyer based in the UK was targeted by the exploit in question. This anonymous lawyer has represented clients from Mexico and Saudi Arabia who have sued NSO Group. The cases of these journalists and anti-government critics argue that NSO should take responsibility for the actions of the clients to whom it sells its technology. Facebook, owner of WhatsApp, has published a brief summary of the problem on its security pages, and which versions of the app are susceptible to it. While it has begun an investigation into the vulnerability, WhatsApp has yet to estimate how many people were affected or targeted. In a statement on the matter, WhatsApp did not mention NSO Group, but did state that This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company known to work with governments to deliver spyware that reportedly takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems. While it appears that this spyware was only targeted at limited numbers of specific individuals, its still worth making sure your app is secure by checking if your device has the most recent version of WhatsApp downloaded. Laptops, tablets and phones may be affected by tariffs on goods imported from China. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Finished electronics have avoided the Trump administration's tariffs on goods imported from China, but soon that may not be the case. Reuters reports that laptops and smartphones are on the list of items that may be subject to tariffs, along with a number of other items, including clothing, food, books and toys. The U.S. Trade Representative's Office said that there will be a public hearing on June 17 to discuss its new list of 3,805 product categories that, if approved, could be affected by tariffs as high as 25%. The tariffs would go into effect at the end of June, close to U.S. President Donald's Trump's next meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 leaders summit in Japan. If approved, this proposal would affect effectively any consumer product that wasn't hit by previous rounds of tariffs. This could have a great effect on companies that manufacture their laptops, smartphones, tablets or other electronics in China, such as Apple and Microsoft, as well as one company based overseas that ships to the U.S. to sell their products. A representative for a major laptop manufacturer told Tom's Hardware that the company had been spending the past six months studying backup solutions to their current laptop manufacturing in China. The company had already moved some items subject to tariffs into Taiwan. The person said that this will "for sure affect the retail selling price" in the short term. Over the weekend, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow contradicted Trump, suggesting it's the U.S. that will pay for tariffs on goods coming into the U.S., as opposed to China. Lenovo's First Foldable-Screen Laptop. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) Lenovo today announced the first PC with a foldable screen, a ThinkPad X1-branded device with no final name or price. This full-on laptop is scheduled for release sometime in 2020. Theres very little in the way of specs just yet. Lenovo has revealed the device will be Windows-based and use some form of Intel technology for processing, though thats under wraps (I would imagine that this is enabled by Lakefield, but thats speculation). We do know that it has a 13.3-inch 2KOLED screen in a 4:3 ratio made by LG Display that can fold in half. Lenovo is also promising two USB Type-C ports, stereo speakers and an IR camera for Windows Hello, as well as a vague all-day battery life claim, though no numbers are available yet. (Image credit: Toms Hardware) The company is suggesting that this will be a primary device to completely replace a laptop aimed primarily at executives and heavy travelers, as well as enthusiasts who want to try a new form factor. Lenovo said it is doubling the number of hinge cycles it uses on its laptops to test the foldables torque hinge. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) In a hands-on with an early prototype, I was able to fold it in half, plant it on a table like a laptop and type on the touch screen. The hinge on the early device felt solid, and I opened and closed it several times without worrying about it breaking. I saw an option where one could use a Bluetooth keyboard and prop up the unfolded device for a more traditional experience. You can also read from the device while holding it as if it were a book, and, if you want to draw, lay the unfolded device flat like a tablet and use its Wacom stylus. The demo I saw was running Windows 10, though the company is being coy about what operating system will actually run on the final product. This did make typing without an external keyboard somewhat difficult, but theres always time to improve the touchscreen keyboard before launch. (Image credit: Toms Hardware) Lenovo has been developing the foldable for three years and is launching it after the February announcement of Samsungs Galaxy Fold, a smartphone that faced a number of issues (including straight up not working) while reviewers tested it. But with a different display manufacturer in LG and one of the biggest names in portable business machines behind it, Lenovo is looking to foldable screens to reinvent the PC instead. The device seems promising (and, if the Galaxy Fold is any indication, will be very expensive). Were looking forward to learning more in 2020. KCK police make more than 200 arrests in effort to cut down on violent crime For the past few weeks, law enforcement agencies in Kansas City, Kansas, have been involved in an operation to cut down on crime.Operation Lateral Storm resulted in 219 arrests and the seizure of 37 pounds of drugs."The message to criminals is" Get out of our city. The presser du jour is a celebratory report about yet another round-up on KCK.so this might or might not be impactful.What the media doesn't emphasize is thatand these cases will have to be processed by local courts, lawyers, prosecutors and administrative staff . . . Which is kinda boring and not nearly as fun as po-po putting on a bit of community theater with their chests puffed out.Checkit: THE BODY PARTS ARE STILL MISSING!!! Man charged with murder, dismemberment of corpse after Northland fire SOURCE: KMBC Clay County prosecutors have charged an individual in connection with the death of Matthew Calkins after finding his body in a burning home. Colton Stock has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of Calkins, 35.Police said officers were called the home 5600 block of Northeast Poe Avenue on a report of gunfire. Moreover . . .Amid rising crime across the metro, the allegations on the nice side of the bridge stand out as exceptionally brutal. Take a look: Carmakers across Europe are striving to meet a 2020 EU target of average car CO2 emissions of 95g per kilometer. To avoid the fines, the EU allows automakers to pool their fleets together and purchase credits from other automakers with a surplus. Last month, Financial Times revealed a deal between Tesla and Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) worth hundreds of millions of euros. According to the Financial Times , the understanding is now worth around 2 billion ($2.3 billion USD). The deal with FCA is expected to be an extremely great boost of money for Tesla but FCA should keep in mind that the sale of emission credits will not last forever. The new regulations while helping Tesla financially are pushing other carmakers to release their own all-electric vehicles as nobody in the industry is ready to keep dispensing billions to their own competitors. Why Does FCA Need to Buy Emissions Credits? In 2018, FCAs average CO2 emissions was estimated at 123 grams per kilometer, moreover, the automaker was sued by the US Department of Justice in 2017 for allegedly using software to mislead regulators into thinking its cars were compliant. FCA resolved those charges for $800 million, but it also recently recalled almost 1 million cars in the U.S. for violating emissions standards. Lately, FCA reached a deal with Tesla to pool together their fleet in Europe and avoid emission requirement fines. Last month, Financial Times revealed that the deal with Tesla worth hundreds of millions of euros, but the publication is now reporting that FCA will actually give Tesla around to 2 billion ($2.3 billion USD): Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has said it will pay electric carmaker Tesla close to 2 billion to help it meet tough new emissions targets and has reported a 29 percent drop in first-quarter profits. From a few hundred million dollars, Tesla went quickly to a few billion dollars, moreover, money seems to be coming as soon as next year. The deal also arrives at a great time, as Tesla is supposed to be under a meaningful cash crunch following a dark first quarter in 2019. Teslas sales of emission credits have been extremely valuable to increase its financial situation over the years. According to a recent financial filing, the electric automaker made $103 million selling emissions credits in 2018, $280 million in 2017, and $215 million in 2016. This new deal with FCA is expected to give a remarkable aid to Tesla and accelerate some of its projects. However, Tesla should keep in mind that the sale of emission credits will not last forever. Even if FCA is definitively behind the rest of the electric car industry, it is planning its own lineup of EVs that will likely make the automaker completely independent, with no need of Tesla's fleet by 2022. The regulations, in favor of EVs, are helping Tesla with financial boosts but are also pushing FCA, as well as other automakers, to release all-electric vehicles, since its clear that no-one likes to dispense billions of dollars to their own competitors. Further Reading Read our full review on the 2019 Tesla Model S. Read our full review on the 2019 Tesla Model X. Read our full review on the 2019 Tesla Model 3. Read our full review on the 2020 Tesla Model Y. Google is looking to enter the automotive infotainment operating system market with Android Automotive OS, not to be confused with Android Auto, a system that is already included in the infotainment system of most new cars and allows users to display their phone operating system on a cars infotainment system. Android Automotive OS is different, and it is actually a fully-fledged operating system specially designed to have all the functions weve come to expect from automotive infotainment solutions. What is Android Automotive OS? With Android Automotive OS, you wont have to plug your phone into the car to have Android come up on the cars screen, because some cars will come with an automotive version of Android pre-installed. And, this is good news because not only are many current infotainment systems quite bad but also because not all offer the option to use your phones operating system instead. Android Auto works really well on cars that support it, but it would be even easier to just have the system come with the car. The first car this system will be commercially available on is the Polestar 2, the upcoming Tesla Model 3, and Model Y rival from Volvos electrified performance arm, Polestar. Polestar 2 is the second model under the new sub-brand and the first all-electric model, and it will come with Android Automotive from day one when it launches late this year or early in 2020. Some automotive and tech journos have had a chance to try the system out on a pre-production Polestar 2 and what they report is very encouraging. The system works fluidly, it is intuitive, and has additional features compared to Android Auto. There were few flaws to report, and it really shows that the system was developed specifically not to be used on a smartphone where many constraints affect the way apps are designed and ultimately run. So if this is a purpose-built automotive Android OS, then apps can be designed specifically for it, without the constraints associated with mobile devices - usually battery-related constraints. It will also be made to receive over-the-air updates from Google, much in the same way Tesla sends wireless updates to its current models. And, since the system is designed for automotive uses, it will have climate functions, safety features, and other car-related features that are not present when you run Android Auto through your phone. Another big feature pushed by Google with Android Automotive is the Google Assistant which does exactly what all other similar pieces of software do. However, here it is seamlessly integrated into a series of apps, like Spotify, and you can ask it to play a specific track without having to touch the screen. Work is still being carried out on the system right now, and many features and the interface may still change between now and when the Polestar 2 EV officially hits the market. Further reading Read our full review on the 2020 Polestar 2. Read our full review on the 2018 Tesla Model 3. Read our full review on the 2020 Tesla Model Y. Driving to the center of America With a touch gas and a few open roads, you'll drive into the heart of the North American nation, each virtually and figuratively. Here are 5 journeys that are strictly American; escapes from franchised contemporaneity and generic suburbs to authentic places that outline the state and produce life to the enduring pictures of your imagination. San Francisco to Redwood Park California's road one could be a vastly common drive. Traveler head south from the port of entry to geographic region and on the far side, however, those that head north can fancy a drive like no alternative. little coastal cities dot a route past wild beaches and sheer cliffs. Start with associate degree painting crossing of the strait Bridge, then take road one north. At purpose poet National coast, breakers that started within the Pacific Ocean pound the sand with metronomic regularity. Four Corners to the Grand Canyon Whether it's a Duke Wayne picture, a Western or a Road Runner cartoon, Monument depression is visual shorthand for each comment of the yank west. high spires of rock alternate with topped buttes and stark vistas; you expect to listen to the cavalry charging within the distance. St Joseph Louis Barrow to New Orleans From the nation's center to the terrible heart of the Old South, this drive is associate degree only-in-America spectacle of music, food, and culture from beginning to end. St Louis, famed for its blues, options entryway Arch, that honors the pioneers UN agency touched west. however flip south and follow the watery artery of the nation: the Mississippi. Boston to Acadia Park It begins with MA-1A taking you northeast out of Hub of the Universe toward Salem, Massachusetts. spiritual beliefs have forever vied a powerful role in North American nation life, but in 1692, Salem became the center of non-secular mania, as fears unfold that the town's ladies were witches. the next historic trials had deadly consequences, a reason for visiting the city nowadays. Miami to Town Head south from the palm-fringed urban pleasures of Miami for the string of pearls stretching into the Caribbean known as the coral reef. The road here (US road 1) is named the Overseas road and it's simply that: a made-up ribbon that spends longer on bridges over the attractive blue waters than ashore. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Most folks go see a pic or pay another day on the ski slopes. however, there is at least one worthy presidential factor to try and do in each state of the USA. Alabama Harry S President Truman has no web site here. 'Dixiecrats' opposing his civil rights legislation managed to stay him off the presidential ballot, as associate incumbent, in 1948. Learn additional at the deposit of the Alabama Department of Archives & History. Alaska The first president to go to AK, Chief Executive arrived in 1923 to drive the ultimate golden spike of the AK Railroad at Mears Memorial Bridge at Nenana (between Denali and Fairbanks); some say he incomprehensible the spike on his 1st 2 tries. A period later Harding died. Arizona Hoover Dam, Boulder Dam, dike - that is additional or less however the naming of this hanging if arguably, a dam at the Arizona/Nevada border has gone. FDR, by some accounts, had 'Hoover' stricken from its name out of spite; Hoover's name was restored (after FDR's death) in 1947. By the way, the Arizona facet has free parking, however, Nevada's has the 'Dam t-shirt' search, tours and unhealthy low. Arkansas In Little Rock, the William J Clinton Presidential Center - for the guy additionally called Bill - has eighty million pages of documents, 2 million photos and, hey, one amongst Lance Armstrong's jerseys. Bill's birthplace a hundred compass point of Little Rock within the city of Hope was recently else to the parkland System because of the wordy-named President William President of the United States Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic web site. California Just quarter-hour from funfair may be a presidential web site too intriguing to drive by Richard Nixon's birthplace, deposit, and library, in Yorba Linda. However, will such an area handle most likely the smallest amount sleek job exit in USA political history? Colorado The rotunda of the state capitol in Denver options portraits of all USA presidents. Connecticut The only president born within the Constitution State was martyr W Bush, UN agency was born in New Haven, and lived (briefly) within the big apple town suburbia of the borough, Connecticut. A ridiculous range of alternative noted folks have lived there, though none in log cabins. Delaware Brandywine Springs Park in Wilmington is that the location wherever full general and Marquis DE Lafayette met to debate the Battle of Brandywine attack set up. ought to have stuck around longer: the Americans got whipped, going away Philadelphia hospitable British attack. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Continuing Central Hotels collaboration with UNICEF, Abdulla Al Abdulla, Chief Operating Officer (C.O.O.) (TRAVPR.COM) UAE - May 13th, 2019 - Continuing Central Hotels collaboration with UNICEF, Abdulla Al Abdulla, Chief Operating Officer (C.O.O.) of Central Hotels and member of UNICEF Gulf Area Office Leadership Circle of Champions for Children and Young People, recently joined the UNICEF delegation to Azraq Camp. Azraq is home to 40,615 Syrian refugees out of which nearly 22 per cent are under 5 years old. Of the total, 60 per cent are children, including 240 unaccompanied or separated kids. UNICEF is working closely with the Ministry of Education to provide quality, inclusive education and safe learning environments for all children in Jordan. As a result, thousands of Syrian refugee children will have access to quality preschool education at Azraq refugee camp as part of UNICEFs support to the Government of Jordan to achieve universalization of KG2 in Jordan by 2025. Mr. Abdulla, stated, We are committed to support UNICEFs great cause to Make a difference in a childs life. The Azraq camp is an outstanding humanitarian initiative where UNICEF and various other organisations have been doing incredible work. The visit to the camp has given us a renewed sense of purpose. Children are our greatest asset and at Central Hotels we are determined more than ever to give back to the community in every way we can. The Azraq camp management is co-ordinated by Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate (SRAD) and UNHCR that works with several Governmental and humanitarian partners. About UNICEF UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything it does. Together with its partners, the organization work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. The UNICEF Gulf Area Office works in the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain in partnership with the respective governments supporting national policy development, sector level strategies and approaches, and generating knowledge products for the survival, development and protection of children within the region. www.unicef.org About Central Hotels Central Hotels has very quickly established itself as a reputed hotel management group in the UAE with its flagship property First Central Hotel Suites located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road. Building up on this amazing success, the brand is now poised to expand its footprint targeting the UAE as the primary market for growth in addition to other lucrative destinations in the Middle East. The group has recently added to its portfolio spectacular new 5-star hotels such as Canal Central Business Bay and Royal Central The Palm followed by Central House Citywalk focused on millennials, Beach Central The Palm, Diamond Central - Business Bay, and Island Central in Dubai. For more information visit www.central-hotels.com For Media Contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR M: +971 50 6975146 | T: +971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com ### Central Coast YMCA is gearing up for summer by hosting two events, National Employee Health & Fitness Day on May 15, 2019, and the Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson, on June 20, 2019. (TRAVPR.COM) CA - May 13th, 2019 - Salinas, CA, May 12, 2019 Central Coast YMCA is gearing up for summer by hosting two events, National Employee Health & Fitness Day on May 15, 2019, and the Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson, on June 20, 2019. National Employee Health and Fitness Day will be celebrated from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, at Salinas YMCA Family Center, 117 Clay St., in Salinas. National Employee Health and Fitness Day was created to promote the benefits of physical activity for individuals through their work site health partnerships. The Salinas YMCA will hold a health fair with vendors offering health information, free screenings, and exercise classes for all employees. Get a free guest pass and enter the raffle to win an on-site lunch & learn session for your company. Free exhibits include: Blood Pressure Screening Lung Screening Vision & Hearing Screenings Dental Care Information Nutritional Taste Testing Body Composition Testing Shoe Samples Healthy Recipes Freebies and Raffles Free classes include: 7:30 a.m. Pilates 9:15 a.m. Zumba 12:10 p.m. Strength Train Together 4:00 p.m. Strength & Stretch Yoga 5:30 p.m. Cardio Pump 6:35 p.m. Zumba The YMCA is teaming up with Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) to offer free swimming lessons on a large scale at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Salinas Aquatic Center, 1 East Bernal Derive, Salinas. TEAM WLSL will celebrate its 10th anniversary by sending the message that swimming lessons save lives to millions of kids and adults. WLSL events will take place at hundreds of locations in more than 20 countries on five continents over the course of 24 hours. The Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson, created by the World Waterpark Association in 2010, is a global public relations event supported by aquatic facilities, waterparks, pools, swim schools, YMCAs, among others. The WLSL event serves as a platform to help the global aquatics industry work together to build awareness about the fundamental importance of teaching children to swim to prevent drowning. For more information on the swim event, contact Joey Barrera at 831-758-7301 or by email at jbarrera@ymcacentralcoast.org. For more information, call the Central Coast YMCA at 831-758-3811 or go to www.centralcoastymca.org. CCYMCA is located at 500 Lincoln Ave. in Salinas. About the Central Coast YMCA Formed in 1989, the Central Coast YMCA began with the merger of two independent YMCAs; the Salinas Community YMCA (founded in 1921) and the Watsonville Family YMCA (founded in 1898). Originally a USO built in 1941, with the purpose of supporting American troops during World War II, the YMCA of the Monterey Peninsula joined the association in 1990. In 1998 the South County YMCA became the fourth branch in the association, extending its service area to the residents of south Monterey County. The YMCA of San Benito County became the fifth and most recent addition to the association in 1999. CCYMCA is an independent, private, nonprofit corporation, a part of the YMCA of the USA, but responsible for its own policies, programs, and budgets. It employs 27 full-time employees, about 225 part-time employees, and 120 volunteers who impact approximately 40,000 people in Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties. Contact: Marci Bracco Cain Chatterbox PR Salinas, CA 93901 (831) 747-7455 http://www.centralcoastymca.org ### Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) TRENTON A week after Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver urged city leaders to stop the nonsense, Mayor Reed Gusciora got the message loud and clear. His interpretation of stopping the nonsense was to countersue Trenton councilwomen Kathy McBride, Marge Caldwell-Wilson and Robin Vaughn seeking a court-ordered injunction preventing them from hiring the Colts Neck-based law firm Manfredi & Pellechio on the citys dime. Unlike the councilwomen, the mayor actually hired an attorney, Edward Florio out of Lyndhurst, to bring the suit, which was filed in Mercer County Superior Court. The case is before Assignment Judge Mary Jacobson, who is also overseeing the councilwomens lawsuit against Gusciora and the state to try to prevent the Department of Community Affairs from imposing the administrations $215 million spending plan. This action seeks to restrain and enjoin the council of the city of Trenton from taking further illegal, unilateral action to award a $40,000 contract to the law firm of Manfredi & Pellechio in violation of the Faulkner Act and the code of the city of Trenton, the complaint says. The lawsuit further accuses McBride of attempting to usurp the mayors statutory power. McBride signed her name on the mayors signature line for a waiver request sent to DCA seeking approval of the contract for the law firm to represent the councilwomen in the lawsuit. Records obtained by The Trentonian show a fill-in state monitor Edward Sasdelli of the Division of Local Government Services already appeared to strike a fatal blow to that request. In his denial of the McBride-signed waiver request, which was returned May 10, Sasadelli said hiring a law firm for council to sue the DCA and the mayor could not be considered essential services as construed by the Memorandum of Understanding, which also required the contract to be put up for public bidding. Unfortunately, I could not approve this waiver, he wrote. However, DLGS looks forward to continuing to assist the city of Trenton and working with its elected and appointed officials to move the city forward and to improve the fiscal condition of the city. The mayor said he was required to respond to the councilwomens lawsuit after Judge Jacobson relaxed the court rules to allow them to fix deficiencies in their initial complaint. The lieutenant governor said to cut out the nonsense. Were going to court to essentially put a quash on the lawsuit. McBride appeared to satisfy the requirements laid out in the judges ruling, according to court records, and the matter is set for a hearing Thursday. The councilwomen brought the pro-se lawsuit because they believe the 11 cent increase in the tax rate, amounting to $114 more a year for residents owning homes worth $100,000, is too steep after a property re-assessment already hugely inflated Trentonians tax bills a couple years ago. Gusciora countered in his suit that McBride has effectively elected herself mayor of Trenton by taking actions only he can take to appoint special counsel for the legislative body. The council voted 5 to 2 to disqualify city law director John Morelli from representing the councilwomen in the budget lawsuit. The mayor says in his complaint the council has not adequately satisfied the four corners of the law to justify Morellis disqualification and appoint of special counsel. There must be a determination that the city attorney is disqualified; the mayor, not the council president, is the one who appoints special counsel; the city council must approve the mayors appointment; and the special counsel is to represent the city, not the city council, the lawsuit states. Gusciora hoped the citys legal costs for conflict counsel Florio wouldnt be too much. He didnt have an exact figure. Morelli couldnt represent the mayor in this matter because he normally advocates for both the executive and legislative branches, in his official capacity, in a city torn by an un-civil war. HAMILTON Another day and still no charges in the townships Mothers Day murder. Authorities identified the slain woman stabbed to death early Sunday morning as 32-year-old Leydi Lemos-Delagado. Last word from the Mercer County Prosecutors Office was that the 37-year-old man who was found stabbed inside the Steward Street apartment was still in the hospital. There was no update on his status Tuesday. No charges have been announced against anyone nor have prosecutors elaborated on the circumstances that fueled the bloody crime only calling it an isolated incident that posed no more threat to the public. Lemos-Delgados death was the townships first homicide since Matthew J. Dukes, 28, of Trenton, was shot multiple times while driving in the township in August 2018. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 14 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday said it had received final approval from the US health regulator for generic version of AstraZenecas Nexium, used to treat acid reflux. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc, USA, has been granted final approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) for Esomeprazole Magnesium delayed-release capsules USP in the strengths of 20 mg and 40 mg, the company said in a BSE filing. The approved product is a generic version of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Nexium delayed-release capsules. Citing IQVIA sales data, Glenmark said, Nexium delayed-release capsules, 20 mg and 40 mg achieved annual sales of around USD 395.1 million in the 12-month period ended March 2019. The company said its current portfolio consists of 153 products authorised for distribution in the US and 58 ANDAs pending approval with the USFDA. Shares of Glenmark Pharma were trading 0.46 per cent higher at Rs 594.35 apiece on BSE. PTI Regional Indian High Commissioner to Bdesh calls on Tripura CM AGARTALA, MAY 14 (AGENCIES) | Publish Date: 5/14/2019 10:59:51 AM IST Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb met the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das in Agartala Monday and discussed a wide range of subjects pertaining to the progress of projects being undertaken on Tripura-Bangladesh border, reports Northeast Now news. Among the other three key issues that were brought forth during the discussion were expediting the work of inland waterways between India and Bangladesh. Both the dignitaries were of the opinion that the work on the same needs to be completed as per prescribed time limit and the same must be taken up with the Bangladesh government accordingly. Furthering the Agartala-Akhaura rail project was also discussed. The Agartala-Akhaura Rail project work is a significant component of the Hira model of development envisaged by Prime Minister Modi for development of Tripura as the logistical hub of entire north-eastern region. The High Commissioner apprised the chief minister that due to some reasons in the Bangladesh side, the work has been delayed by around one year time but all concerns with regards to the completion deadlines of the work shall be duly taken up with Bangladesh government so that the important rail project work can be completed as per the set time limit of completion. The Tripura chief minister also raised the issue of ease of travel for Bangladeshi passport holders through Tripura. Currently, a large number of Bangladeshi citizens come to India through Akhaura route and undertake journey to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other parts of the country for medical tourism, and various business and tourism-related activities. But there is a compulsion for those Bangladeshi Nationals who enter through Akhaura route to return from the same route and they cannot exit from India from any other port such as Delhi or Kolkata or Bengaluru. This causes severe inconvenience for the passengers and makes it less viable for them to undertake their journeys through Tripura. Tripuras geographic location in such a scenario is not optimally utilized and the benefits of economics of externalities is not received which plays an important role in boosting local trade, tourism and commerce in the State. The chief minister had earlier raised this issue with the government of India so that like the rules or system prevailing on the West Bengal side, could be applied to Tripura port of entry also for Bangladeshi nationals. The High Commissioner has responded that the said matter shall also, be taken up and positive decision shall be taken in the best interests of the people of Tripura. editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, May 13 Diversified ITC Group today announced elevation of MD Sanjiv Puri as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of the firm, two days after its long-serving chairman YC Deveshwar passed away. Puri (56), who had taken over as managing director from May 16, 2018, was appointed as a director on the Board of ITC on December 6, 2015. He became CEO on February 5, 2017 after the company split the role of the executive chairman between chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) as part of succession planning in the company. The Board of Directors of the company at the meeting held today appointed Sanjiv Puri, managing director, also as the chairman of the company with effect from May 13, 2019. Consequently, Puris new designation is chairman and managing director of the company, ITC said. His elevation comes after Deveshwar (72), who remained as non-executive chairman, passed away on Saturday. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Chandigarh, May 14 Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said his party was ready to join hands with a non-BJP front at the Centre to keep the saffron party out of power. The deputy chief minister of Delhi also accused the BJP of playing divisive politics and termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron partys chief Amit Shah as the biggest danger to the country. The Modi-Shah duo is the biggest danger to this country. They promote divisions in society and want to capture power by dividing the society. In this backdrop, we fear that if Modi and Shah come to power again, then riots will increase in the country. The situation in the country will become like Afghanistan and Syria, he told reporters here. Therefore, it is necessary to defeat them, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said. To keep Modi and Shah out of power, we are ready to join hands with a non-BJP, non-Modi government at the Centre, he said when asked about what role the AAP could play in government formation at the Centre once the Lok Sabha results are declared on May 23. The AAP has fielded former Union Minister Harmohan Dhawan from the Chandigarh seat, which goes to polls in the general elections final phase on May 19. Dhawan had joined the Arvind Kejriwal-led party six months back. Replying to a question, Sisodia said, Modi is campaigning in the entire country, lets see how many seats he gets. The BJP is fighting the poll in Modis name. The ruling party (at the Centre) is not talking about issues, the deputy chief minister said. Sisodia said his party is fighting the polls on the basis of its work and performance. To another question, he said everyone knows the condition of institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Reserve Bank of India under the present BJP-led NDA government. On Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal being shown black flags in Punjab, Sisodia said, It is not the public, but the (AAPs) political rivals who are doing so. On BJPs sitting MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher, he claimed that she does not have much to show on the performance front. In the last general elections, the people of Chandigarh elected her, but madam remained busy in doing advertisements and shooting (for films), he alleged. Sisodia evaded a direct reply to a question on the AAPs Chandigarh unit apparently remaining inactive after actor-turned-politician Gul Panag, who had contested the 2014 general elections from here as an AAP nominee, lost. What should she have done according to you? No, she did not run away anywhere. You may feel the party unit here is defunct, but we are active, he said. PTI harinder@tribunemail.com Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 13 The Election Commission (EC) has asked the cyber cell of the Chandigarh Police to trace the sender of bulk messages circulated against MP Kirron Kher, BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha poll from the city. The EC took the step after the convener of the election cell of the BJP filed a complaint asking the commission to check the spread of the messages, which contain five questions, and take strict action against the sender. In the complaint, filed by Sudhir Dhir, convener of the election cell of the BJP, it has been alleged that on May 10, bulk messages were sent to city residents on their mobile phones, which contained derogatory content against Kher. Sources said the messages were sent with the title, sawal karo. In the messages, the residents have been asked to question Kher on what she has done in the past five years. The questions relate to the dumping ground at Dadu Majra, the slip in the ranking of the city to the 20th spot in sanitation, increase in crime against women, hike in taxes and increase in electricity rates. The BJP said the messages were sent without taking permission from the media certification committee. harinder@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 13 Less than eight months after the Indian Air Force claimed that safety and other concerns regarding the Chandigarh international airport had virtually been given the go-by, the state of Punjab today received another rap from the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the issue surfaced before it once again. The Bench was told that a stadium had been constructed over a natural drain in the vicinity and the deadline for allocating work for providing additional drainage facility was almost over with little progress. The Bench was also told that encroachments on the approach road made it tough for fire engines to ply and to provide other emergency facilities in case of an untoward incident. The existence of an unauthorised structure along the airport wall and the lack of coordination between different wings of the government were also brought to the notice of the Bench. A visibly miffed Bench made it clear that it had summoned the Chief Secretary in the past and would not hesitate to do so again in case the issues were not resolved. The case also saw the summoning of the Mohali Deputy Commissioner. The Bench asserted that conflict between different departments of the state was an indication of the failure of the state machinery. The Bench also expressed surprise that the authorities concerned were indulging in blame game, instead of resolving the issues and added that the responsibility of carrying out different tasks was required to be decided outside the court. The Bench was only required to be informed which body would execute what. The Bench minced no words to say that the authorities concerned did not want to work, but wanted the court to decide matters. They, rather, waited for court orders. The Bench also asked an officer from the Zirakpur MC whether he wanted to go to jail directly from the High Court for hampering work of public interest. As the case came up for hearing before Bench of Chief Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Arun Palli, counsel for the Air Force and Assistant Solicitor-General of India Chetan Mittal indicated that troubles could pour during the monsoon for the airport. Mittal submitted that the Punjab Government had assured allocation of work for providing the drainage system at the airport within three months. However, the matter was stuck at the design stage with the drainage department and the Zirakpur MC face to face on the issue. Mittal also submitted that the issue of unauthorised construction along the wall was raised by them, but it was a matter of dispute between the MC and GMADA on the issue of jurisdiction. Mittal stated that the Defence Ministrys permission was essential for embarking upon the work of installing the CAT-III facility and southern taxi track. However, the file was with the ministry and status report would be submitted on the next date of hearing. Keki Daruwalla Keki Daruwalla Poet and Novelist Age gets a lot of respect in south Asia. More so in India. Perhaps, because of the feet-touching ritual in the majority community. Social interaction is littered with da and di. I remember our President SD Sharma touching the feet of Aruna Asaf Ali. Of course, if some religious sanctity is added to age, then it becomes a win-win situation. We saw during the Karnataka elections last year Amit Shah banging his massive head on the floor in front of Lingayat saints. That had nothing to do with votes. It was just reverence in front of the unbeatable combine of age and religion-based awe. Moreover, Lingayats stood out as a minority section among the Hindus and hence Shah, ever so mindful of minority sensitivities, was paying his respects. The question arises: why must we flop before age? The older you get, the more scatterbrained you are, memory takes liberties with you and with facts. You get weaker, you dodder, and words dont come to mind (excepting insults, as shown during our elections). What on earth makes them so worthy of respect? The Prime Minister set a very good example by the 75-year bar for office in his own party, and prohibited his admirers from touching his feet. In contrast, the Behenji of UP seems pleased as punch when Brahmin and Thakur aspirants for a BSP ticket tap her feet. This trait has a flip side. The oldies raise their arms to bless, as if they are saints and the youngsters their devotees. The aged also start looking condescendingly at the younger lot and, at times, make fun of youth. Both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav have faced these barbs. The PM himself called Akhilesh babua while Mayawati was called bua (aunt). The phrase Rahul baba is often used by the BJP. These worthies should be reminded of the famous riposte to Horace Walpole, brother of the then PM, administered by the young William Pitt (1708-78), later Earl of Chatham. Pitt, who entered Parliament in 1735 at the age of 26, had declaimed furiously against the Bill. Horace Walpole, brother of Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole, who had moved the Bill replied: Formidable sound and furious declamation may affect the young and inexperienced, and perhaps the gentleman may have contracted his habits of oratory by conversing more with those of his own age than with such as have more opportunities of acquiring knowledge. Pitts reply was classic. He started by saying that, The atrocious crime of being a young man which the honourable gentleman has with such spirit and decency, charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with wishing that I may be one of those whose follies may cease with their youth, and not of that number who are ignorant in spite of experience. He added for good measure that, surely age may become justly contemptible if the opportunities which it brings have passed away without improvement and vice appears to prevail when the passions have subsided. Much of the above is wasted on us. None of the protagonists I have mentioned above would have known of Chatham (or Chatham House) or Walpole. England's history had some lessons for us, how the people did not stick to dogma alone. Its culture, beliefs, its body politic moved with the times. As George Bernard Shaw stated humorously in his play The Man of Destiny, You will never find an Englishman in the wrong. He does everything on principle. He fights you on patriotic principles, he robs you on business principles, he enslaves you on imperial principleshe supports you on loyal principles and cuts off his kings head on republican principles. Our parties are stuck in a time warp. The Congress with its socialism and non-alignment, and the BJP with its opposition to Article 370, majority-pampering, in a word most things penned down by Savarkar as he propounded his creed. Let some fresh breeze blow in these dust-and-cobwebbed sanctums. John F Kennedy was just 43 when he became President and caught the imagination of the world. Western culture suddenly seemed to flower. Later, of course, the Vietnam war and his assassination cast a shadow, as also did the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Johns brother Robert Kennedy. Both Jesus and Alexander were young; they also died young. The moral of the story is that youth is not something to be scorned. Judiciary & speed Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has gladdened our hearts with its speed. To relate from personal experience, a zamindar travelling with a minister in her official car, fired and killed a college student. Students were raining stones on the car, egged on by the leader of the Bharatiya Kranti Dal. The same night, I reported to the UP Government who had shot the student. I was called for evidence exactly eight years later. Hence, I was absolutely delighted to see the news about the Supreme Court In-house Inquiry Committee report (sealed forever from public view) and how their Lordships and Ladyships went about it, in regard to the allegations of sexual harassment made by a Supreme Court staffer. The entire enquiry was completed in four days! It sounded like the four-minute-mile barrier being broken by Roger Bannister in the 1950s. The best part of it was that the dismissal of the staffer took hardly two days (as press reports make it) followed by denial of a lawyer to the complainant. If only our police could do likewise, procedurally I mean, our conviction figures would mount, and the jails would be full. May I also offer a salute to the Delhi Police, for suspending relatives of the complainant. Capital stuff. monicakchauhan@gmail.com New York, May 14 An Indian-origin woman in the US has been convicted by a jury of killing her nine-year old stepdaughter in 2016 and faces up to life in prison at sentencing. Shamdai Arjun, 55, of Queens, New York was convicted Friday of second-degree murder by a jury that deliberated for less than one hour before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder, who indicated that he would sentence her on June 3. Arjun faces up to 25 years to life in prison. RT ABC7NY: RT CeFaanKim: Shamdai Arjun charged with murdering her 9 year-old stepdaughter in Richmond Hill. Girl w pic.twitter.com/scUeTYH63A Bx Fern! (@BXFern) August 21, 2016 Arjun was convicted for the August 2016 strangulation death of her nine-year-old stepdaughter Ashdeep Kaur, who was left in her care. This is a horrifying case of a defenseless nine-year-old child, who was to be cared for by her stepmother but was instead strangled to death by her. Her actions are truly incomprehensible and deserve the maximum punishment allowed under the law, Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan said. According to trial testimony, on the evening of August 19, 2016, Arjun was observed by an eyewitness leaving her apartment in Queens along with her ex-husband Raymond Narayan, and her two grandchildren ages 3 and 5. When asked about the nine-year-old victim's whereabouts, Arjun informed the eyewitness that the child was in the bathroom and was waiting for her father to pick her up. The eyewitness, who observed that the bathroom light had been on for several hours, called the victim's father Sukhjinder Singh and was instructed to break through the bathroom door, at which time she found Kaur's lifeless naked body in the bathtub. There were several bruises on her body. A report filed by the Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of death was manual strangulation. In 2016, Queens Assistant District Attorney Michael Curtis had said that Arjun repeatedly and on numerous occasions threatened to kill the young girl. Kaur's relatives had also said that the young girl had been previously abused by Arjun, who had been entrusted with her care while Singh worked in a local restaurant. Kaur had arrived in the US from India just three months before she was killed in August 2016 and was living with her father and Arjun in an apartment in Queens that was shared with another couple. The housemate had seen Kaur go in the bathroom with Arjun, who later came out alone and left the building. She allegedly said that Kaur was taking a bath. New York Police Depratment detectives had then gone to Narayan's residence and found him, Arjun and the two grandchildren inside the apartment. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Faridabad, May 13 The police have arrested a polling agent on the charge of duplicate voting, booth capturing, and interference in the electoral process at a booth at Asavati village in the Prithla segment of the Faridabad Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday. The action comes after a video went viral on social media on Sunday evening showing an agent in the booth pressing the button of the EVM on behalf of some voters. The first FIR in connection with poll irregularities in the constituency was also registered. Meanwhile, the election authorities have ordered a re-poll at the booth at Asavati village on May 19. Congress candidate Avtar Singh Bhadana had demanded re-poll at four booths located at Mewla Maharajpur, BN Public School in NIT, Newada and Asavati village in the constituency. The guilty agent, who was arrested Sunday night, got bail this noon, however. A case under Section 171 C, and 188 of the IPC and Section 135 of the Representation of People Act 1951 was registered against him on a complaint by the presiding officer of the booth number 88 located at Asavati village. The accused poll agent has been identified as Giriraj, a local resident. He was the poll agent of the BJP in the booth and he pressed the EVM button on behalf of some voters, as is visible in the video, said Bhadana, who claimed that a complaint had been lodged. He alleged that BJP agents sitting outside booths were displaying the party symbol prominently, and were also giving voter slips having the photos of the BJP candidate and party leaders to influence voters. A team of senior election officials visited Asavati village on Monday to verify the allegations and inquire into the failure of election officials, including the presiding officer, to prevent the incident, said sources in the district administration. BJP candidate Krishan Pal Gurjar denied the charges of booth capture or violation of the code of conduct. Meanwhile, BB Gogia, assistant returning officer of the Prithla Assembly segment, has recommended registration of an FIR against the presiding officer of booth number 88 at Asavati village. In a letter to the police, Gogia said that after watching the video multiple times, the behaviour of Amit Atri, presiding officer of the booth, was found to be suspicious that encouraged malpractices, amounting to dereliction of duty and breach of official duty under Section 134 of the Representation of People Act 1951. The police are requested to lodge an FIR against him and take necessary action. This letter was issued late this evening. Congress presses for FIR against BJP minister Grover Rohtak: The Congress has alleged that the Rohtak district administration and the local police are not taking any concrete action against Haryana Minister of State for Cooperation Manish Grover in an alleged booth-capturing case owing to the pressure of the state government. It has demanded registration of an FIR against the minister. Congress leaders had lodged several complaints against Grover alleging that the minister, along with a number of musclemen, illegally entered polling booths on Sunday and intimidated polling officials and voters while the voting process was on, which amounted to booth capturing. Former Congress MLA from Rohtak Bharat Bhushan Batra, addressing mediapersons here today, said no action had been taken as yet against Grover, who was the main conspirator. tns uttara@tribuneindia.com Sunit Dhawan Tribune News Service Rohtak, May 14 Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has written to the Election Commission of India accusing Haryanas Minister of State for Cooperatives Manish Grover of voter intimidation, two days after the state voted in the sixth phase of general elections. The Congress has been accusing Grover of forcing his way into polling booths with 50 goons and intimidating voterscomplaints that led election officials to restrict the ministers movements until voting ended on May 12. Azad, who is leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha and the All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Haryana, has demanded appropriate action, says he was surprised that despite such misuse of power in order to terrorise the polling process, no action was taken. His letter reads: "I was completely shocked to hear the set of circumstances enumerated before me by a delegation (of District Congress Committee, Rohtak). I have seen the videos shown to me by the delegation, I was completely taken aback by brazen misuse of muscle power by Shri Manish Grover, Minister of State, Government of Haryana, along with fifty goons and a history-sheeter namely Ramesh Lohar, in 10 cars who were carrying arms, two fake number-plates, 15 cartridges of .32 bore entered in booth numbers 142, 143, 145, 146, 149 and 150 of Rohtak city in 7-Rohtak Parliamentary Constituency along with official police commandos in order to sabotage and influence the ongoing polling for Parliamentary elections in Rohtak city. Here is the full text of his letter. A delegation of local leaders from the District Congress Committee Rohtak met me today evening as I was busy in campaigning for Parliamentary Electionsin Uttar Pradesh (Eastern) and returned to New Delhi only in the evening today. I am the General Secretary in charge of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee. I was completely shocked to hear the set of circumstances enumerated before me by the delegation. l have seen the videos shown to me by the delegation, l was completely taken aback by the brazen misuse of muscle power by Shri Manish Grover, Minister of State Government of Haryana, along with fifty goons and a history sheeter namely Ramesh Lohar, in 10 cars who were carrying Arms, 2 fake number plates, 15 cartridges of .32 bore entered in Booth no. 142, 143, 145, 146, 149, 150 of Rohtak City in 7-Rohtak Parliamentary Constituency along with the official Police Commandos in order to sabotage and influence the ongoing polling for Parliamentary Elections in Rohtak City. The Additional Director General of Police, Haryana tweeted about the same from his official twitter account. A copy of the same is enclosed with this memorandum. Several complaints have been already made to ECl along with videos, bringing to your kind notice the terror atmosphere created during the ongoing polling on 12.5.2019. A complete set of complaints made by the election agent of Shri Deepender Singh Hooda, Congress Candidate along with a USB drive containing the videos of the incident are enclosed for your kind perusal. An FIR was registered vide no. 0287 of 2019 Police station Shivaji Colony. Rohtak. against Ramesh Lohar along with one other under sections 25,5459 of. the Arms Act 1959 and sections 34, 188, 420, 483 of lPC. Ramesh Lohar was arrested from the spot on 12.05.2019 from the place of occurrence itself, but was surprisingly and shockingly released on 13.05.2019 by granting him police bail under the influence of the present incumbent BIP Govt of Haryana without even producing him in the court It is also surprising that even after such a brazen misuse of power in order to terrorize the whole polling process of election by entering the polling booth with fifty armed goons, no action till date has been taken against Sh. Manish Grover as a result of which it has sent a wrong signal to the voters of Haryana. In view of the above, I hereby request with all humility at my command that incase no action is taken against such acts against the Minister of State, it will be a murder of democracy. The exemplary situation requires stringent action by CEC. Alleged 'booth-capturing' by Haryana Minister of State for Cooperatives Manish Grover along with musclemen at Rohtak on polling day snowballs into a major row, with AICC general secretary and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad writing to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, demanding stringent action against Minister Grover. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent UNA, May 13 District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Prajapati honoured 106-year-old Kashmir Singh of Ispur village at his house today and invited him to cast vote on May 19. Kashmir Singh is one of the centenarians from the district, who are made ambassadors by the district administration of the voter awareness campaign. He was also given a citation. Born in 1913, Kashmir Singh had joined the Dogra Regiment and participated in the Second World War. He told Prajapati that he was a prisoner of war and jailed in Japan for a long time. After he returned, he continued to serve in the Army. He said he had voted in every elections after Independence and would vote this time too. Prajapati said 103 centenarian voters were registered in Una district and all of them would be honoured. He said special arrangements had been made at polling stations to facilitate the elderly and the specially abled persons. International North Korea demands release of cargo ship seized by US Seoul, May 14 (IANS) | Publish Date: 5/14/2019 11:09:10 AM IST North Korea on Tuesday demanded that the US should release a cargo ship seized on suspicions of violating UN sanctions, denouncing the seizure as an outright denial of the spirit of last years first summit between leader Kim Jong-un and American President Donald Trump. The latest US act constitutes an extension of the American method of calculation for bringing North Korea to its knees by means of maximum pressure and an outright denial of the underlying spirit of the June 12 Joint Statement that has committed to establish new bilateral relations, Yonhap News Agency quoted a spokesperson for the North Foreign Ministry as saying. The US should ponder over the consequences its heinous act might have on the future developments and immediately return our ship, the spokesperson said in a statement carried by the Norths official Korean Central News Agency. The North also said that the time when the US held sway over the world at its own free will is gone long ago, and it would be a biggest miscalculation if the US thought that North Korea is among the countries where the American-style logic of strength might work for. We will carefully watch every move of the US hereafter, the statement said. The US Justice Department said last week that the 17,061-tonne Wise Honest, one of the Norths largest bulk carriers, was intercepted by Indonesian authorities last year after being loaded with coal in Nampo, North Korea, in violation of sanctions on the regime. The ship is currently in US possession. The department said the North was found to be concealing the origin of the Wise Honest to export tonnes of high-grade coal to foreign buyers and import heavy machinery to the North. editorial@tribune.com Dipender Manta Tribune News Service Mandi, May 13 Linger village in tribal district Lahaul-Spiti has only 37 voters 20 male and 17 female. According to Election Commission information, Linger polling booth under Jobrang panchayat in the district will cater to the minimum number of voters. Lahaul-Spiti district has a total of 92 polling booths, out of which 29 are in Spiti and 63 in Lahaul. The total numbers of voters in the district is 23,641. There are 11,876 males and 11,765 female voters, who will exercise their franchise in the Lok Sabha election on May 19. The tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti also has the highest polling station in the world at Tashigang village at a height of 15,226 feet. Lahaul Spiti district, which falls under Mandi parliamentary constituency, is difficult to access for political campaign even in the month of May because of the closure of mighty Rohtang Pass due to excessive snow. The Rohtang Pass, gateway to Lahaul on the Manali-Leh highway, receives heavy snowfall during winter, which cuts off the tribals from the rest of the state, for six months every year. Confirming the report, Deputy Commissioner Lahaul Spiti Ashwani Kumar Chaudhari said that Linger is indentified as polling booth having minimum number of voters in the state. He said that the district administration was struggling hard to link each polling booth with road facility. The roads leading to these polling booths were blocked since December because of heavy snowfall. The Deputy Commissioner stated that a majority of polling booths in Lahaul Spiti have been connected with road facility, while efforts were on to restore the road toward two polling booths at Khanjar and Naingar. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent NURPUR, MAY 13 After addressing six nukkar meetings in Nurpur Assembly constituency, Kishan Kapoor, BJP candidate from Kangra parliamentary constituency, held a road show in the town this evening. Accompanied by local MLA Rakesh Pathania, Kapoor sought support from the electorate. Hundreds of BJP workers holding party flags joined the road show which was taken out from Chogan Bazaar to Niazpur. Seeking votes at nukkar meetings in rural areas of Nurpur assembly constituency, Kapoor said the Congress had no issue for the Lok Sabha elections and was perturbed after completion of six rounds of the elections. He said the Congress was divided and faction ridden and most of senior party leaders were keeping away from electioneering in support of party candidates whereas the BJP was all united and would sweep all four Lok Sabha seats. Kapoor said there was pro-Modi wave across the country and in Himachal Pradesh the pro-people policies and programmes of the Modi government at the Centre and the Jai Ram government in the state were appealing to the people. Briefing Modi governments performance, he said every section of society benefited from government programmes. Lambasting Congress leaders for the malicious campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kapoor said the people would never forgive them. The meetings were also addressed by MLA Rakesh Pathania. sanjiv@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 13 The Army Training Command (ARTRAC), based in Shimla, may be shifted out and based in Meerut, some 70 km east of Delhi. The Army has already inspected the land and buildings in Meerut needed for such a move. Sources said Meerut has been confirmed, a formal order is awaited from the government. Sources said ARTRAC is proposed for amalgamation with the Directorate General of Military Training (DGMT), which requires more space. This merger is part of the restructuring of the Indian Army to merge wings whose duties overlap. ARTRAC was moved from Mhow in Madhya Pradesh to Shimla in March 1993. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said he would meet both Prime Minister and Defence Minister to ensure that the prestigious Army Training Command was neither merged, nor shifted from Shimla. In the past, the issue of shifting ARTRAC has been raised in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. TNS ITS SIGNIFICANCE ARTRAC deals with the formulation and dissemination of concepts and doctrines of warfare in the fields of strategy, operational art, tactics, logistics, training and human resource development rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 14 Delhi Police have arrested an alleged militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh from Srinagar, officials said on Tuesday. The accused has been identified as Abdul Majeed Baba, a resident of Magrepora district of Sopore, they said. The arrest was made on Saturday evening from Soura in downtown Srinagar, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. Baba would be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar and brought to Delhi on transit remand, police said. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 13 All parties Hurriyat Conference, while seeking exemplary punishment for the accused involved in the rape of a 3-year-old child in Bandipora, has demanded establishment of a fast track court into the matter. The Hurriyat also warned against sectarian elements, urging the Kashmiri Muslims to maintain unity. Fervent appeal to all people of Kashmir to maintain unity and vigil, especially in view of mischievous forces waiting to create a sectarian divide out of this most reprehensible crime against a child, which is indeed a crime against all humanity. All of Kashmir stands in unison (sic), Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar tweeted. The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (Joint Council of Islamic Scholars), headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also sought exemplary punishment to the guilty. The MMU, an amalgam of all religious bodies, including Shia, Suni, Barelvis, Ahlihadith and others sects in Islam, said the act had once again shown in which direction Kashmir, that was once a religious society, was heading. Lawyers suspend work The Kashmir High Court Bar Association abstained from work on Monday to show solidarity with the rape victim and her family. The bar has also demanded an investigation by a SIT, headed by an SP-rank official, adding that the challan of the case must be put up before a fast track court immediately and the proceedings thereof be conducted on day-to-day basis so that exemplary punishment is awarded to the accused. Parties condemn incident The J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) while condemning the rape incident as shameful, heinous and a blot on the rich culture of Kashmir has sought exemplary punishment to the culprit on fast track basis to send across a strong message. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while expressing anger and pain over the incident, has pitched for exemplary punishment to the culprit. PDP vice president Abdul Rahman Veeri termed the incident as most gruesome and heinous, stating that if the culprit was allowed to go scot-free, Kashmir would soon turn into the most unsafe place for women. Peoples Conference general secretary Imran Reza Ansari also demanded severe punishment for the accused, while seeking action against the school for issuing fake date of birth of certificate to show that he was a minor. Condemning the incident, CPM leader MY Tarigami said the gruesome incident is a slap on the social fabric of Kashmir. He said there should be no room for those who shield criminals under one garb or the other. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 13 Widespread protests rocked the Kashmir Valley over the heinous incident of rape of a thee-year-old girl from Bandipora on May 9. A partial shutdown was observed across the Valley. Stone-pelting incidents were reported at many places on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway, leaving more than 10 civilians and 47 security personnel injured, the Baramulla police said in a statement. Despite several requests by the administration, the protesters did not pacify. Educational institutions across the Valley also lodged protests. At the University of Kashmir and the Islamic University of Science and Technology, students took out rallies and sought justice for the victim. Security personnel were deployed outside degree colleges here to prevent the spread of protests. In Srinagar, more than 20 demonstrations were reported. Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement, led by Shah Faesal, staged a protest at the Srinagar press enclave and demanded stern stern punishment for the accused. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bandipora, Rahul Malik said they had constituted a special investigation team for a speedy investigation into the case. Itehadul Muslimeen, a religious organisation, had called for a complete shutdown across the Valley today. In a statement here, Itehadul Muslimeen president Moulana Masroor Abbas Ansari termed the rape as a blot on the face of humanity. The presence of people with such ill intentions is proving a rot for society known for upholding its moral values for centuries. There is a dire need for evolving a joint strategy to deal with these elements, he said. Several areas across central Kashmir, North Kashmir and Srinagars commercial hub witnessed a shutdown. The accused should be given an exemplary punishment so that no one dares to repeat it, said Aqib Sultan, a student from Anantnag. Another student, Tamana Sheikh, said, The incident has brought shame to the Valley. We must join hands to ensure that this does not happen in the future. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan has appealed to people to maintain law and order. The inquiry into the incident is being conducted on fast-track basis and monitored by me as well, he said in a statement. Governor wants stern punishment for culprit Srinagar: Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed shock and pain over the incident. He spoke to IGP, Kashmir zone, Swayam Prakash Pani and took a detailed review of the ongoing investigations into the case. He directed the police officials to work swiftly and ensure that the culprit gets exemplary punishment. The Governor also talked to religious leaders of various communities and asked them to appeal to people to remain calm and not let anti-social elements disturb peace and harmony, said a spokesperson for Raj Bhawan. Meanwhile, the Budgam DC called an urgent meeting of members of the Shia-Sunni Coordination Committee, Budgam, in the backdrop of widespread protests across the district. TNS gspannu7@gmail.com New Delhi, May 14 A week after a cancer patient urged Ajay Devgn to stop advertising tobacco products, the Bollywood actor on Tuesday said he makes a conscious effort to not promote anything that impacts the society negatively. Nanakram, a 40-year-old cancer patient from Rajasthan, had made a public appeal to Devgn to discontinue his association with tobacco products in the interest of the society. The patients family said that he was a fan of the actor and used the same product which the actor advertises for, but now realises that tobacco has had an adverse effect on his life. Devgn told PTI he is in touch with the fan and even contractually maintains he will not promote tobacco. I have always maintained in my contracts that I am not promoting tobacco. Whatever the ads are, they are of ilaaichi (cardamom) and my contract says it will be non-tobacco. So if the same company is selling something else, I dont know what to do, he said. The actor added at the most he can try his best not to smoke on screen if his character does not demand it. In my latest film, De De Pyaar De, Im playing a regular man who does not smoke. But if Im playing a Malik bhai in a film like Company, how will it be without smoking? Without taking any names, we were playing somebody (real) who smoked. So it would have been wrong to not show it as it would not be true to the role, Devgn told PTI. Also featuring Tabu and Rakul Preet Singh, De De Pyaar De is slated to be released on Friday. PTI shalender@tribune.com Celebrity chef-turned-filmmaker Vikas Khanna will join a masterclass Life Through A Different Lens with Academy Award-winning actress Julianne Moore and others at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival. Khanna will walk the red carpet of the gala on its opening night on May 14, and he will take part in the masterclass a day later with Moore, German film director Werner Herzog, actor Xavier Dolan and others. This will be followed by a special screening of his directorial debut movie The Last Color at Marche Du Film Section at the film jamboree on May 16. Khanna will also be a part of Power of Imagination In Conversation With Vikas Khanna At The India Pavilion. Talking about his itinerary at the gala this year, Khanna said in a statement: I am looking forward to walking the red carpet at the opening night of the 72nd Festival De Cannes. I feel honoured to be a part of Life Through A Different Lens along with Julianne Moore and other eclectic filmmakers and artists despite just being one film old. Diana Penty to debut Actress Diana Penty will make her debut at the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival, and she is thrilled about it. India has seen great recognition and appreciation at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in recent years. I am excited to be invited by the brand to be part of the event this year and I look forward to celebrating the experience with the global icon of luxury in the country of its origin, Diana said in a statement. Apart from Diana, Kangana Ranaut and Huma Qureshi will be seen at the Cannes red carpet for the brand this year. Diana began her modelling career in 2005. She made her acting debut in 2012 with the romantic-comedy film Cocktail. ians uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune Web Desk New Delhi, May 14 Two years after his neech aadmi remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw him being politically sidelined, senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar may have got his own back. In an I-told-you-so opinion piece he recently wrote in newspaper Rising Kashmir, also reproduced in news portal The Print, Aiyar gleefully points out Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent claims in interviews and election speeches that, as it turns out, drew criticism, even ridicule, from several quartersincluding former defence force officers. The first instance Aiyar speaks about is the recent radar in the clouds statement that the prime minister made in a recent interview to a television channel. This, the article he said, was an insult to the armed forces, because radar wasnt a telescope whose vision can be clouded over. Did Modi take his senior-most Air Force officers for fools that he could trot out such ridiculous unscientific rubbish before them? And were they so pusillanimous that they dared not correct such a vacuous Prime Minister, he writes. The other instance of insult he referred to was when Modi said at a public meeting in Delhi at Rajiv Gandhi, a former prime minister, used INS Viraat on a private holidaya claim since debunked by former officers of the armed forces. Toward the end of the piece, Aiyar writes: Modi needs to be warned that he is guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of our army and CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign; of defaming the Indian Air Force by portraying them as complaisant idiots in his scientific illiteracy; and the Indian Navy as being packed at its highest echelons with traitors who would acquiesce in unauthorised foreigners being allowed to board a top of the line defence vessel. But then, why bother? Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic? Later, in an interview to news agency ANI, Aiyar said hed written all that he wanted to say in the opinion piece, and that he stood by his remarks. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Mumbai, May 13 Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on Monday replied to Union Minister Piyush Goyal who accused the late politician of being busy with film producers for his actor-son while the deadly 26/11 terrorist attack took place in the city in 2008. Riteish took the social media and tweeted, "Honourable Minister, It is true that I had visited the Taj/Oberoi but untrue that I was there while the 'Shooting and Bombing' was happening as you claimed. It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film." The actor 'Housefull' famed actor also wrote, "He never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast me in film & I take pride in that. You have every right to question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself. A bit late, 7 years ago - He would have replied to you. My best wishes with your campaign Sir. Love & regards, Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh". Last week, during an event in Ludhiana, Goyal addressed the business community and said, "You might remember the 26/11 terror attack. The then Congress government was weak and could not do anything. The then chief minister (Vilasrao Deshmukh) had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel while shooting and bombing were going on inside." "The CM was concerned about getting his child a film role," it read. IANS shalender@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 13 The BJP today asked BSP president Mayawati to apologise for her remarks on the personal life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also about women. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, addressing a press conference on behalf of her party said it was wrong for Mayawati to speak ill of PM. We are all safe and secure and have a professional relationship in our party. Sitharaman was responding to Mayawati who claimed that women legislators in the BJP fear that if PM Modi meets their husbands, they will leave their wives as PM Modi did. In the BJP, married women leaders get scared when they see their husbands around PM Modi. They fear that this Modi will separate them from their husbands, Mayawati claimed in a press conference. Maywati was frustrated as she knew that her alliance was getting nowhere in UP. The PM had just asked her to withdraw support from the Congress in Rajasthan due to the Ajmer rape case where a Dalit girl was raped and the police awaited the polls for registering an FIR. She should apologise for having commented on the private life of PM and about women in BJP, Sitharaman said. rchopra@tribunemail.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 14 With just nine days to go before the country declares its verdict on the general election, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the kind of personal attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to face in these elections was unprecedented. Addressing a press conference here, Singh spoke on issues ranging from the successful tenure of the Modi government to Mani Shankar Aiyars latest remarks against the Prime Minister. Abusing someone cannot be categorised as freedom of speech, he said, asking the Congress to explain its stance on his latest views. About the SC order on BJP activist Priyanka Sharma on her meme against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, he said it was the courts verdict but the kind of attacks the BJP leaders had to face was also there for all to see. Singh said he had addressed around 110 rallies across the country in these elections, and expressed the confidence that the BJP would get more than what it had got in 2014--282 out of the 543 seats. Our party will get more seats than what it got in 2014. The possibility of the NDA getting two-thirds majority also cannot be ruled out. In 2014 people had hope in Narendra Modi but in the past five years they have seen it fructify, turning it into a belief and satisfaction in his work. There is a certain undercurrent in these elections and there is the belief that he should be given another chance, Singh said speaking on his analysis of the trends ahead of the results on May 23. The Modi government has been successful on the economic front, containing price rise, curtailing corruption and giving the country a safe and secure atmosphere. The opposition should tell who will lead the country in case they form the government, he said. Singh said there had been a drop in the deaths of civilians as well as security forces in the past five years, adding that in the next five years the government would be able to purge the country of Naxalism. Except J&K there has been no major case of terrorism in other parts of the country. The PM has been able to bring the entire world on board with India on the issue of terrorism but the sad part is that some leaders of the Congress have tried to dilute these efforts. The Congress gave a new theory of Hindu/bhagwa terror while its PM Manmohan Singh said that not just India but Pakistan was also a victim of terror. All these statements weaken Indias efforts, he said. Speaking on the prospects of the SP-BSP mahagathbandhan, he said, Wind has been taken out of the sails of the SP-BSP mahagathbanbdhan. We got 73 seats in UP in 2014 and it will not be surprising if we get 74 this time. Jo khud doobe hain woh kaise keh sakte hain kiski naiyya doob rahi hai, he said. The first slogan of the PM was Sabka saath sabka vikas, he said, dismissing a report in an international magazine terming him as a divider. Dividers were those who tried to create fear in the minds of people, he said. Economy is on track. There has been no discrimination on the basis of caste or creed. All his policies have been devised keeping in mind Sabka saath sabka vikas, he added. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 14 Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took a dim view of Pakistan Premier Imran Khans remark that a win for Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha election would revive hopes for Indo-Pak peace, saying he should instead ensure that terrorism is wiped out completely from his country. Singh said India would extend all help to Pakistan in fighting terrorism if it showed sincerity in eradicating the menace emanating from its soil. Asked during an interview to the PTI on Sunday whether the recent statement by Khan that it would be good for peace between India and Pakistan if the BJP and Modi returned to power showed he was a fan of the Indian premier, Singh said, Only he (Khan) can reply to that. After a brief pause, Singh smilingly said if Khan was so serious of wanting Modi to return to power and normalise relations with India then he should first announce that terrorism would neither be nurtured nor allowed to thrive in Pakistan and take effective steps to stamp put terrorism. Pakistan should announce that terrorism will be wiped out completely from their country and, if need be, help of India can be taken. If such a statement comes from Pakistan, we will believe that Imran is really a Modi fan and wishes to normalise relations with India, he said. To a question whether India would be willing to help Pakistan, Singh said, India will wholeheartedly support such a step. A day before the first phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on April 10, Khan met a group of foreign journalists for an interaction in Islamabad during which he expressed the hope that India-Pakistan peace had a better chance under Modi. The BJP veteran also accused the Congress of diluting Indias stand on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. In 2004, (Gen Pervez) Musharraf had agreed for a statement that Pakistans soil would not be used for terrorism. A year later, during the Congress rule a statement was made by New Delhi that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism as India...this was a blunder. He also defended Modis decision to invite the then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014 and also for making an unscheduled visit to his home in Lahore. We wanted to experiment but things did not work the way we wanted. Asked whether an invitation will again be extended to the Pakistani premier if the NDA retains power, Singh said, Its too early to say who will be called and who will be kept away. On Balakot air strike in February this year, Singh said the Congress should have refrained from repeatedly questioning the government about the number of terrorists killed in the attack. However, Singh side-stepped a reply to a pointed question that the figure of 300 terrorists being killed was first stated by BJP chief Amit Shah. But he hastened to add, Now see even a foreign journalist has said that nearly 170 were killed. Singh was apparently referring to a claim by an Italian journalist earlier this month that the Balakot air strike killed 130-170 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. Asked for clarity on the number of deaths since several weeks had now passed after the air strike, he said, I will only say that it was an intelligence-based successful anti-terror operation which has been unheard of in the history of the nation. PTI shalender@tribune.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, May 13 In a rare personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP chief Mayawati today said he could not be expected to respect others sisters and wives as he had abandoned his own wife for political gains. Mayawatis scathing personal attack comes as the Lok Sabha poll gets into the final and fiercest phase where Modi himself is in the fray from Varanasi. In an interview to a news agency, she accused Modi of playing dirty politics on the Alwar rape case, saying that he was silent till she spoke on it. She said the PM wanted to benefit from a rape case too in the poll season, which was shameful. She said: Mujhe toh yeh bhi maloom chala hai ke BJP mein, khas kar vivahit mahilayen, apne aadmiyon ko Shri Modi ke nazdeek jate dekh kar yeh soch kar bhi kafi zyada ghabrati rehti hain ke kahin yeh Modi apni aurat ki tarah humein bhi apne pati se alag na karwa de (I have also come to know that in BJP, married women get nervous when their husbands go near Modi fearing that like him their husbands too may leave them). Her attack comes a day after Modi, during two rallies in Kushinagar and Deoria on Sunday, had accused Mayawati of shedding crocodile tears over the Alwar rape case and had not withdrawn support from the Rajasthan Government. She said the PMs show of sympathy for Dalits rang hollow as he would have acted against those responsible for Dalit atrocities like Una in his state and against people responsible for the death of Rohith Vemula, she said. According to Mayawati, Modi has been cleverly trying to break the alliance. She said earlier he always addressed her as Behenji but when he realised that the alliance was not falling apart, he started addressing her as bua. Sanskari people in the country address me as Behenji. Even my parents address me as Behenji and so does Akhilesh Yadav, she pointed out. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Lucknow, May 14 Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday said people across India know Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's "boat is sinking and RSS is also deserting it". "Even the RSS seems to have stopped supporting the BJP in the middle of elections and 'swayamsevaks' (RSS volunteers) are no longer seen working in the field," she pointed out. She said: India needs 'pure PM' who can run the country in accordance with welfare spirit of the Constitution. She said that people know the ground reality and she can sense the change in thinking of people. Mayawati also asked the Election Commission to include the expenses of roadshows in the candidates account and ban temple visits. She said that holding roadshows and visiting temples have become a 'fashion' during elections and a huge amount of money is spent on this. She demanded that media should be banned from covering these roadshows and temple visits. Mayawati said that this was a clear violation of the model code of conduct and the leaders who take part in such activities should be banned from campaigning. The BSP chief is one of the few leaders who has never held a roadshow in her entire political career. Even the BSP candidates are not allowed to hold roadshows in their constituencies. PTI/IANS sanjiv@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 13 Ahead of counting of votes for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Opposition Congress today said the question of prime minister-ship was open and would be decided by non-BJP parties that will sit together after elections. We have clearly said more than once that we are quite happy to accept whatever the leaders of the non-BJP parties decide on who shall be the PM. When I say non-BJP, I include the Congress also, Congress veteran and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram told The Tribune. Chidambaram said the question of prime minister-ship is always open and that is the case on the BJP side too. PM-ship is always open. Even in the BJP, let me tell you. Dont rule out a BJP-led government with a different PM though it is very unlikely that the BJP will form the government. I think a non-BJP government will be formed, Chidambaram said, when asked if the Congress was flexible on PM-ship and was keeping it open. The former FM said the talks about disunity in the Opposition ranks were mere perceptions and non-BJP parties will sit together post-poll and decide the formation of the next government. After the elections. I think the non-BJP parties will get together. I think they will realise that the non-Congress, non-BJP parties cannot form the government on their own. So actually there are only two options a BJP government or a non-BJP government. After the elections, non-BJP parties will get together, they will read the situation correctly and will make every effort to form the government and I sincerely hope they will succeed in forming a non-BJP government, Chidambaram said. Asked if he was ruling out a Congress-led government among the likely scenarios on May 23, Chidambaram said, The non-BJP government could be led by the Congress. The senior Congressman, who headed the partys Lok Sabha manifesto committee, also said emissaries had been appointed by the party to engage non-BJP outfits ahead of counting day and the Opposition leaders were already in touch with each other. I think there are a number of people who are in touch with each other. I can off-hand name TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Sharad Pawar. I am sure the Congress may have also appointed emissaries to keep in touch with other political parties, Chidambaram said to a question on Congress post-poll strategy. Asked if Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad was the partys pointsman to engage the Opposition, the former FM said, Quite possible. On the issue of Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitrodas hua toh hua comments about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Chidambaram said people knew the Congress had apologised for the killings in the best manner possible and the matter was over. ON who heads... Quite happy to accept what the leaders of non-BJP parties decide on who shall be the PM. P Chidambaram shalender@tribune.com Anup Dutta Bhopal, May 13 Playing on PM Narendra Modis tapasya comment, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today remarked: Modi ji ek bahut badey tapaswi hai, jinhoney 50 saal tapasya ki. paanch saalon mein tapasya dwara hi kitney badey badey kaam kar daley (Modi ji is a great tapasvi who has done tapasya for 50 years. In the past five years, all works were done through his tapasya). She was addressing her first-ever public meeting in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, after being made AICC general secretary. She alleged the tapasvi PM ignored the sufferings of farmers, youth, the weak and others sections. Modi reaches out to you only during rallies. He did not find five minutes in five years to visit the home of a poor person or farmer in his constituency Varanasi. The PM in an interview with a leading newspaper had said that his image was not the creation of the Khan Market gang (in Delhi), but his 45-year tapasya (hard work). Priyanka alleged that Modi governments five-year tenure witnessed only prachar and prasar and no work. She told the gathering to question representatives and leaders of their areas and cautioned the people, especially women, not to be influenced by those who made fake promises.You are being used politically. It is you who make politicians. Understand your strength. Your vote is important, dont waste it, she urged. Earlier, Priyanka visited Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, the fourth member of the Gandhi family to do so. She later held a roadshow in Indore to drum up support for Congress candidate Pankaj Sanghvi. PM Modi, also addressing a public meeting in Ratlam, reiterated Sam Pitrodas Hua toh hua remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to corner the Congress. He recalled the sacrifice of Lieutenant Commander Dharmendra Singh Chouhan, a Ratlam native who was killed while fighting a blaze aboard INS Vikramaditya recently. On the other hand is the naamdars family, who used a warship for picnic. When questions are raised about it, they shamelessly say hua toh hua, he remarked. The Ratlam Lok Sabha seat is part of the Malwa- Nimar region which is seen as the nerve centre of electoral politics. It is said that Madhya Pradesh election results (both Assembly and parliamentary) are decided in MalwaNimar, that elects eight MPs and 66 MLAs. In 2014, the BJP won all eight seats in the region while in the Assembly elections, the Congress won 35 seats and formed government after 15 years. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 14 The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered immediate release of West Bengal BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma who was arrested for sharing the morphed picture of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook. However, a Vacation Bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sanjiv Khanna ordered that at the time of her release Sharma will tender an apology in writing for putting up/sharing the pictures complained of on her Facebook account. Twenty-five-year-old Sharma who was arrested on the basis of a criminal complaint filed by TMC leader Vibhas Hazrawas on Saturday produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Howrah, who had sent her to 14-day judicial custody. It is made clear that this order is being made in the special facts and circumstances of this case and shall not operate as a precedent, the Bench said while keeping open the issues raised in the petition challenging the BJP activists controversial arrest. Directing the petitioner to serve a copy of her petition to the counsel appearing for the state of West Bengal for filing a formal response, the Bench posted the petition for hearing after summer vacation. Initially, the Bench had made Sharmas release subject to the young BJP leader tendering an apology, but later it called back senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the petitioner, and clarified that she has to be released immediately. This is wrong...Your right to free speech ends where another persons begins, it said. But is sharing a meme enough for that (arrest)? This is something like caricature, Kaul submitted. We do not see that there should be any difficulty for you in apologising for your post on social media. We are not asking you to apologise for others. Let her tender an apology we will forthwith grant bail. You take instruction. Since you are member of BJP the insinuation is different. The other side may have taken it differently. Had you been a common person, then may be it could have been no problem, the Bench said. Kaul said the provisions of IT Act and IPC under which she was arrested does not apply in this case. Referring to the courts 2015 verdict in Shreya Singhals case in which it declared Section 66A of the IT Act unconstitutional, Kaul said Sharma has been arrested by the police under the scrapped provision as well. You are a member of a political party. Elections are going on. We understand all these things, the Bench said, adding, You cannot put anybodys face on anybody... It is wrong. Kaul said such an apology would have a chilling effect on free speech as tomorrow West Bengal Police can arrest anybody for four days for giving a statement and then demand an apology. If you say sorry, it does not bring you down. We are not going on the angle of freedom of speech and expressions, the Bench said. The controversy surrounding Sharmas arrest by the West Bengal Police for allegedly posting a meme of Chief Mamata Banerjee on Facebook had finally reached the Supreme Court on Monday with the young BJP leader seeking her release on bail. On Monday, the Vacation Bench had agreed to take up her bail plea on Tuesday after senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul submitted that her plea against arrest needed urgent hearing. She was arrested on May 10 by the state police under Section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and certain other provisions of the Information Technology Act. Kaul said the BJP Yova Morcha activist was forced to move the top court as there was complete strike in local courts in West Bengal since April 25 following a brutal attack on lawyers in Howrah court by the state police. Because of the strike, the petitioner had no option of availing of any legal remedy in the state, and she was forced to approach the top court, he said. Sharma allegedly shared on Facebook the photo in which Banerjees face has been photo-shopped on to actor Priyanka Chopras picture from the MET Gala event in New York. editorial@tribune.com Box Taking on dragon US severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 to recognise Beijings One China policy But three days ago, US passed a law supporting increased defence spending by Taiwan Taiwan has been seeking similar support from India and others in various fields Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 12 Increasing tensions between China on one hand and Taiwan and the US on the other have started lapping Indian shores. Three days after the US House of Representatives passed a law which supports increased defence spending by Taiwan, Taipeis local mission here appealed for Indian help to get it back on a global health body from which it was excluded after a Independence-minded President took office three years ago. China has been pressurising countries to sever all diplomatic ties with Taiwan ever since the US did a similar thing in 1979 and recognised only Beijing under the One China policy. As a result, Taiwan has formal embassies only in 17 countries while the rest are called Taipei Economic and Cultural Centres. Head of the Indian Centre, Chung-kwang Tien made the case for Taiwans inclusion in a World Health Organisation conference on grounds that no country should be excluded from such a critical sector where his country had much to contribute. India has a substantial relationship with Taiwan despite having no formal ties and Chung made no effort to hide it while taking pot-shots at China. Our Indo-Taiwan trade is balanced unlike another country where India is in the red by $55 billion, he said in a reference to Sino-Indian trade. Taiwan, he said, is considered a soft power unlike other sharp powers, he said in another broadside at Beijing. At the same time, Chung acknowledged that China had considerably more heft and said we will not ask for too much while appreciating the presence of Ronald Sapa Tlare, MP, as a signal of political support to the Taiwanese cause. Dr Anamika, a Taiwan expert, offered a solution: the WHO DG could extend an invite to Taiwan if its participation as an Observer non-member state is problematic because of lack of agreement on whether it is a state or not. But this faux fight over Taiwans attendance at a WHO meet (the registration deadline got over on May 6) is a thinly veiled cover for the tensions over the American law (Taiwan Assurance Act) which has raised Chinas hackles. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wants Independence from China that has since spiked tensions and a stark warning from Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chung termed the US law as a strong shot in the arm at the right time and urged other countries to follow suit. China has gone too far by sticking its nose into everyones business, he observed. Chung also defended Taiwans support to the China-containment policy in the Indo-Pacific. We are strategically placed. If Taiwan is not included, there will be a missing link, he said while declaiming any intention of indulging in a power game. shalender@tribune.com Canning/Barasat (WB), May 13 BJP president Amit Shah on Monday dared West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to arrest him for chanting Jai Shri Ram, claiming that the TMC supremo can stop him from attending rallies in Bengal but not BJPs victory march in the state. Addressing a rally at Canning in Joynagar Lok Sabha constituency, he said Banerjee has turned sonar Bangla (golden Bengal) into kangal (pauper) Bangla. Mamata didi gets angry if someone chants Jai Shri Ram. I am chanting Jai Shri Ram here today, if you (Mamata) have the guts, arrest me. I will be in Kolkata tomorrow. A video clip showing Banerjee fuming at people for chanting Jai Shri Ram in Ghatal Lok Sabha seat went viral on social media recently. Hitting out at the TMC government for denying him permission to land his chopper at Baruipur in Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat, Shah said, The Mamata Banerjee government is visibly perplexed. She wants to stop me from attending rallies. Can you (Banerjee) prevent your defeat this way? The TMC can stop me from attending rallies but cant stop the victory march of the BJP in Bengal, he maintained. Shahs scheduled rally in Jadavpur was called off on Monday after the state government denied him permission to land his chopper and hold the public address at Baruipur area. We will restore the glory of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has turned Sonar (golden) Bangla into Kangal (pauper) Bangla. Lashing out at the Chief Minister for allegedly running a syndicate raj in the state, the BJP president claimed that the TMC works to benefit the CMs nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. PTI shalender@tribune.com KV Prasad Tribune News Service Chandauli (UP), May 13 Known as the cereal-producing bowl in these parts, the constituency acquires a profile since incumbent MP Mahendra Nath Pandey is the BJP state party chief. At a time when the BJP is contesting election on Phir ek baar, Modi sarkar (Modi government once more), the state unit chief is entangled in triangular contest in this constituency on the plank of implementing infrastructure projects in the area versus the usual caste factors at play. Development is taking place and it takes time to do so, our vote is for PM Modi, Kuldeep Singh, an employee of a leading corporate house, said. Yet for the farmers, the grouse of inadequate compensation for wheat procurement and inadequate power to reach water at the tail-end remains an issue, while for government employees scrapping of the old pension system continues to haunt. The local MP was found wanting for his inability to prevent the shifting of sanctioned medical college during CM Akhilesh Yadavs time to neighbouring Mirzapur, constituency of Union Health Minister of State Anupriya Patel. Pandey is facing challenge from BSP-SP-RLD Gathbandhan candidate Sanjay Chauhan, whose OBC community once backed the BJP, but with major votes coming from the Dalits, Yadavs and Muslims alters the equation. Adding to the BJP woes is the presence of Congress-backed Jan Adhikar Partys Shivkanya Kushwaha, wife of Babu Singh Kushwaha, who broke away from the BJP after being a minister. While both Kushwaha and Chauhan have the damage potential for the BJP, another factor would be the attitude of Om Prakash Rajbhar, who snapped Suhedev Bharatiya Samaj Partys ties with the BJP last month and fielded Baijnath Rajbhar from this seat. Pandey is banking on Modi to consolidate his position. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Tribune News Service Bathinda, May 14 Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday mocked Narendra Modi for suggesting that cloud cover helped IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strike, saying the truth about the prime minister is now on the people's radar. Addressing an election rally in Bathinda, the Congress general secretary accused PM Modi of indulging only in propaganda and making big promises, while projecting that no development took place in the past 70 years. Priyanka Gandhi referred to a recent interview by Modi in which he said there was cloud cover over Balakot when the air strikes were being planned. Modi reportedly said he felt that the crowd cover will help Indian Air Force planes evade Pakistani radars. The truth about him has now come on the people's radar, Priyanka Gandhi said at the rally in support of Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. She accused PM Modi of not keeping his promise of creating two crore new jobs. She claimed 12,000 farmers committed suicide during the last five years and accused the PM of ignoring them. The Congress leader said these parliamentary elections are for saving democracy and the country. She attacked the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government in Punjab over the desecration of scriptures in 2015, claiming that this happened for political gain. Punjab is going to the polls on May 19, the last phase of elections In his adderss, Congress star campaigner and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said he would return to Bathinda on May 17 to deliver a knockout punch to the Badals. He also said that he would hold 10 rallies on May 17 if Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring asks me to do so. Sidhu made a brief speech during Priyanka Gandhis rally, where he said: "I will quit politics, if I cannot uphold the honour of Guru Granth Sahib. He flayed the Badals for allegedly ruining Punjab's youth through terrorism, drugs and now brain drain. He said the elections were fought for next generation and not for next elections. In his trademark style, Sidhu said, "Here comes Sidhu on May 17, bhag Badal bhag." Crowd-puller Sidhu was conspicuously absent from Congress chief Rahul Gandhis two election rallies in Punjab on Monday. . With PTI inputs uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service Gaggar Majra (Khanna), May 13 Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that senior party leader Sam Pitroda should be "ashamed" of his comments on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. Gandhi, who was addressing a rally at Gaggar Majra village in Fatehgarh Sahib constituency, said he had asked Pitroda to apologise publically for his remarks. He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his National Democratic Alliance government of cheating the country through demonetisationwhich he said hit the purchasing power of the common manand reneging on its promise of providing 2 crore jobs each year. As he has done many times before, he accused the prime minister of waiving loans for big industrialists but ignoring poor farmers and small traders. Gandhi also spoke about the Congress partys promised Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, promising that it would be unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modis promised Rs 15 lakhreferring to a 2014 election promise made by the BJP. The Congress partys proposed minimum income support scheme envisions crediting Rs 72,000 annually to the poorest 20 per cent of the country. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed during the 2014 general elections that rooting out black money would bring back significant amount of money. Pitroda, a Congress leader in charge of the partys overseas units and considered a close aide of the Congress president, said of the 1984 riots in a recent interview: What happened, happened. Why talk about that now? Talk about what youve (BJP) has done in the last five years. Pitrodas remarks drew widespread condemnation, and left the Congress party red-faced. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also addressed the rally. editorial@tribune.com Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Sangrur, May 13 Within sometime of the start of the roadshow of national convener of AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from Khanauri town, locals greeted him and other leaders of his party with black flags. He also faced black flags in Sunam. Protesters alleged that Kejriwal defamed the state by dragging its name in drugs, while others alleged that the AAPs Punjab chief and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann had failed to fulfil his promises. We wanted to question him, but he did not stop as he has no answer. He has defamed the state by dragging the name of Punjab in drugs. If he had levelled true allegations, then why did he apologise later? Kejriwal knows the mistakes of Mann, who has spoiled the AAP in Punjab, but he does not have guts to take action against him, said Kultar Singh, a protester. The police were caught napping as they didnt expect immediate protest. Punjab Campaign Committee chief of the AAP and Sunam MLA Aman Arora and Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema accused the Congress leaders of organising protests against their leader without any valid reason. These are the hired protesters of the Congress to disrupt our roadshow and everyone knows it, said Mann. Kejriwal attacked PM Narendra Modi and CM Capt Amarinder Singh saying that both had not fulfilled even a single poll promise made to people. The Congress and SAD will face defeat in the coming General Election, said Kejriwal. editorial@tribune.com Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, May 13 Congress Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar on Monday reminded BJPs Sunny Deol that every Indian was a desh bhakt (patriot) and that nobody was a traitor. The Congress MPs retort came after the actor addressed himself as a desh bhakt in almost every gathering he attended recently. Patriots do not forget episodes like the Balakot air strikes. By remaining ignorant of the incident, which otherwise has been etched in the memory of every Indian, you (Deol) have proved beyond reasonable doubt that you are probably the only patriot in the entire country who does not know what happened in Balakot. This means you have no right to call yourself a desh bhakt. Please stop pulling the wool over gullible voters eyes, he said. To this, Deol said he didnt require any proof from anyone about his patriotism. As the high-stake battle for this seat is slowly reaching its climax, the verbal duels between both the protagonists are getting intense with each passing day. Could you show me a roadmap of what you intend to do for the people of this constituency? Your party is building a narrative based on nationalism and the Balakot strikes, but you are killing it with your lack of knowledge. Jakhar reminded the actor that the crowd at the latters gatherings should not be construed as votes. All that glitters is not gold. Wait till May 23 when the results will be declared. The MPs delusions will be punctured that day, Deol retorted. Senior BJP leaders now make it a point every morning to inform the actor about the latest developments in the constituency and the country before he starts roadshows. uttara@tribuneindia.com Perneet Singh Tribune News Service Bathinda, May 13 Taking on the Congress over its overseas unit chiefs controversial remarks regarding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the party was struggling to win 50 seats because the Congress leaders are confused and their thinking is diffused". Addressing a rally in support of SAD candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal here, he said Sam Pitrodas hua toh hua remark reflects the arrogance of the Congress, while accusing it of rewarding its leaders, facing serious charges in the 1984 riots, with plum ministerial and party posts. The Congress had once appointed a leader as the partys Punjab affairs incharge, but had to backtrack after the people in Punjab resented the move for his alleged involvement in 1984 riots. However, the same leader was appointed as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh a few months back. Accusing the Congress of resorting to a dilly-dallying approach to deny closure to the victims, he said he had already sent one of the guilty to the gallows while others have got the life term. The PM also targeted the Congress for what he called its historic blunder of leaving the holy shrine of Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan during Partition, while terming it their insensitivity towards the symbol of Sikh faith. He also lashed out at Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for betraying the farmers with his farm debt waiver scheme, stating that everyone knows the truth behind it. He said the NDA government had promised to double the farmers income by 2022 and theyve already initiated measures in this direction by increasing the MSP of various crops. He said his government has also worked towards boosting the connectivity between all five Takhts of the Sikh faith. He mentioned AIIMS, Bathinda, and the Ayushman scheme as their big initiatives in the health sector. He exhorted people to vote for the SAD, saying vote for Akali Dal is a vote for Modi before a dust storm forced him to wrap up his speech quickly. Modi said the Congress leaders are confused and the partys thinking is diffused. They have come out with a manifesto that talks of diluting the AFSPA, which is tantamount to weakening our armed forces. Addressing the gathering, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal took on the Congress government over the sacrilege issue: A sacrilege incident has been reported at Malerkotla yesterday. Now, should we blame the Congress government for it just the way they blamed us when it happened under our previous regime? He questioned Rahul Gandhis Bargari rally on May 15, reminding people that it is the same Congress which attacked their holiest shrine in 1984. He reiterated that he would pray that the Almighty may wipe out the clan of those involved in sacrilege and also those resorting to dirty politics over the sensitive issue. Bibi Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in the Sajjan Kumar case, also addressed the people and exhorted them not to vote for the Congress, as a vote for the Congress is a vote for the Gandhi family. She said she would lodge an FIR against the Gandhi family for shielding the accused in 1984 riots, besides seeking action against Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath. SAD senior vice-president Jagmeet Brar accused Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of giving a clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 riots during his campaign for Lok Sabha polls in 2014. Takes on punjab CM Nothing can be more tragic than the fact that the farmers of Punjab, who feed the entire nation, are today committing suicides. I would like to tell Captain (Amarinder) that people can forgive your mistakes, but not your betrayals. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister editorial@tribune.com Jalandhar, May 13 Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot today exhorted the electorates not to vote for the divisive BJP, which had been running away from talking about real issues for the past five years. Pilot said, I am surprised at PM Narendra Modis lectures. He doesnt discuss what he did in the past five years. Nor does he discuss the hike in LPG, petrol and diesel prices. He only talks about communal issues. At a rally in Balachaur in support of Anandpur Sahib candidate Manish Tewari, he said, Congress chaar dharmon ki party hai, chhattis kaumon ki party hai, sabko saath leke chalegi (The Congress is a party of four religions and 36 communities. It will take everyone along). He alleged that PM Modi had talked of ending naxalism, separatism and terrorism after demonetisation, but did nothing. We will defeat them with respect. Our discourse is not divisive. Please dont vote for those who cause tension in society, who talk of battles, who poison the atmosphere and make brothers fightwith each other. TNS sanjiv@tribunemail.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 13 Punjab will be rendered a desert within 25 years if the exploitation of its underground water resources continues at the current rate, a draft report of the Central Ground Water Board (North-Western region) has warned. At the current rate of extraction, all available groundwater resources till the depth of 300 metres in the state will end in 20-25 years," it says, adding that all available groundwater resources at a depth of 100 metres will end within 10 years. Confirming the noting in the draft report, prepared every four years, Punjabs Agriculture Secretary Kahan Singh Pannu said the latest reports on the declining water level in Punjab, including by the Central Ground Water Board, are alarming. It looks as if we are staring at the end of our world. Simply put, it is a red alert period and the hooter for saving water is blaring out of concern. Eminent agriculture economist Dr SS Johl said, The main culprit of the falling water levels is the rice crop. Farmers got free water and wastage was rampant. Water should be priced. At the same time, no agriculture can survive without subsidy under existing circumstances. But, it should not be on water. The subsidy amount should be increased to Rs 20,000 crore from the existing Rs 8,000 crore. It should be distributed equally even to farmers who have no tubewells." As per a Punjab Agricultural University study regarding groundwater fluctuations over the span of 28 years (1988-2016), there has been an average fall of 51 cm annually. Separate reports by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, and Indian Institute of technology (IIT) Kharagpur, at different points of time have highlighted the concern over non-renewable loss in ground water volume. PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Baldev Dhillon said, Farmers need to be compensated for not planting paddy. There is good reason in the demand for de-notifying long-duration paddy varieties. Our university is promoting early maturing varieties. Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal said, Farmers dont have a way out than using the underground water under existing conditions. Why is the state water being given to other non-riparian states? Unless Punjab was given its share of water or the government facilitates alternative crops by assuring a fixed price, Punjab will be doomed. EXTRACTION FIGURE UP SUBSTANTIALLY gspannu7@gmail.com Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 14 In what could be a warning for thousands of young Punjabi students looking for greener pastures in Canada, an international student hailing from Punjab Jobandeep Sandhu was arrested for working too hard beyond the stipulated hours and faces deportation. He was stopped by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on December 13, 2017, during a routine check up while he was found to be driving a commercial vehicle between Toronto and Montreal on the Highway 401. After a few minutes and with little explanation, he claims he was arrested, handcuffed and placed in the back seat of an OPP squad car. While the background check of Sandhu showed he had no criminal history till the time of his arrest, the perusal of his driver log book revealed that he had worked way beyond the stipulated 20 hours a week allowed to any international student in Canada by the Canadian government. The Canadian rules stipulated that the international students studying in Canada could work up to 20 hours a week off campus without a separate work visa. During summer vacations and scheduled breaks, they are, however, allowed to work full time. While Sandhu has pleaded that by working full time he could afford his studies, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has said he was inadmissible to Canada for having breached the terms of his study permit and that the decision regarding his impending deportation was even upheld by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. He has been pleading he had committed no crime in Canada except for working and had never lied about it. To save himself from the impending deportation, Sandhu has urged the government of Canada that too high tuition and living costs of roughly 27,000 (CAD) per annum had made him work beyond the allocated work hours. He has pleaded before the Canadian authorities that he did not work initially after landing in Canada as his parents had covered his expenditure by exhausting their lifetime savings and they even had to attain loans from private lenders at a high rate of interest. He said he had started working full timeroughly up to 35-40 hours a weekonly when he had switched colleges and when his schedule had undergone a change. He has also pleaded that he had to work more than stipulated hours for he had to bear the tuition and expenses of his brother who too had landed in Canada as an international student. On the other hand, the stance of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been that limiting off campus work to 20 hours per week during session was aimed at offering an opportunity to students to gain valuable workplace experience in the country and to earn some money as well. When Sandhu was arrested he was just 10 days away from finishing his diploma mechanical engineering at Mississauga-based Canadore College. Experts in the field of study abroad say though it was not unusual for any police official to report suspected immigration breaches to the CBSA, the authorities went beyond the brief if Sandhus case was seen from the law enforcement angle. The Ontario Provincial Police, however, has not responded to Sandhus claims. Before 2006, international students in Canada were only allowed to work on campus. But, after a number of pilot projects by the then Stephen Harper-led Conservative government, it had launched the Off-Campus Work Permit Programme allowing foreign students to apply for permits for working up to 20 hours a week after having completed six months of their studies. In 2014, the Harper government had further relaxed the rules by waiving the condition of a separate work permit thus allowing students to start working as soon as they arrived in Canada. The experts however, have cautioned that anyone wanting to work full time in Canada should apply for a work visa and not a study permit. gspannu7@gmail.com Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 14 The non-resident Indians of Punjab have refrained from participating or canvassing in the Lok Sabha elections in the state this time around. It was for the first time that the expatriates have failed to show any interest in Lok Sabha elections in the state even as they were seen striving hard in the past to ensure that their voices were heard. They have deserted almost all political parties and for that matter even their motherland if their suddenly eroded interest in the Punjab politics was any indication. Interestingly, the NRIs were invited and kept at forefront by almost all major political parties the SAD-BJP, the Congress and even the left in the past and they used to be an integral part of the poll strategy targeting their relatives living here and particularly in Doaba regionthe NRI heartland of Punjab. The trend to involve the NRIs began when the Congress had formed its government post-militancy in the state in 1992. There was a time when the overseas-based supporters of the SAD and the Congress would setup their Deras in Punjab one or two months in advance, held late night parties all with the lone objective to persuade their near and dear ones to vote for their party of choice. The two-decade long trend had touched its peak in 2017 when they had headed to Punjab in droves with an objective to extend their support to the Aam Adami Party (AAP). The AAP fever had gripped the Canada-based party fans to such an extent that they had chartered a flight from Toronto to New Delhi on January 19, 2017 under its Chalo Punjab programme. Without losing a single moment, they had kick-started their campaign from the IGI, New Delhi, itself on the beats of dhol and dagga for they were sure that AAP was going to form the next government in Punjab. From Delhi they had straightway headed to Punjab in chartered buses and cars in large numbers to spend one to two months for campaigning for the AAP candidates. The situation is starkly different this time. Dhols are missing and so are the NRI laden vehicles. While there is hardly any poll din and hullabaloo in Punjab, the NRIs were not seen campaigning for any party here. They are fed up with Punjab style politics wherein hollow promises are extended to woo the voters. NRIs have been dreaming to bring about a positive change in their motherland but, they have realised the existing political system will not allow their dreams to come true, rued Deepak Punj, the director of Toronto-based Radio Frontline. Satnam Singh Chahal, the executive chairman of the North American Punjabi Association, said there was a paradigm shift in the vision of the NRIs. For them the AAP was the only hope. But it has lost its sheen. They have tried and tested all other political outfits. So they have preferred to sit home than to waste their money and energy on a futile exercise, said Chahal. Beantbir Singh, a Brampton-based realtor, said Punjab will no longer see big participation of the NRIs in the poll campaigns of any party in the times to come. The NRIs have been trying and pinning their hopes on one or the other party. But, almost all have failed to deliver and to fit their standards. So, why should people leave their work here in Canada and go to Punjab to waste their resources and energy, he said. vermaajay1968@gmail.com NEW DELHI, May 13 (UNI)Mr. S.K. Patil and Mr. V.K. Krishna Menon, rejected by their traditional Bombay constituencies in the 1967 General Election, were today returned to the Lok Sabha with massive majorities from constituencies separated by almost the entire breadth of the country. Mr. Patil (Congress) trounced 1967 Swantantra winner Manubhai Amarsey in Banaskantha, Gujarat, by a margin of 1,00,149 votes in a triangular contest. The third candidate, Left-backed Independent Himmatsinhji, forfeited his deposit. Mr. Menon, Independent backed by the ruling United Front, overwhelmed Congress nominee Krishnadas Roy in Midnapore, West Bengal, by a majority of 108,767. Here too, the third candidate lost his deposit. Circumstances conspired to bring Mr. Patil and Mr. Menon one-time Cabinet colleagues-turned-political foes, into Parliament almost simultaneously after an absence of more than two years. rchopra@tribunemail.com Karachi, May 14 A powerful remote-controlled bomb blast near a mosque in Pakistans Balochistan province has killed four policemen and injured 11 others, the second major attack to rock the restive region in the last three days. The explosion occurred on Monday night when people were assembling for prayers near the mosque in the provincial capital Quettas Satellite Town area. The attack took place shortly after a police van arrived at the site to provide security to the people offering prayers at the mosque. The police vehicle carrying personnel for mosque security was targeted in the blast in which our four personnel of Rapid Response Group (RRG) lost their lives, while the condition of another was stated to be serious, said Quetta Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Razzaq Cheema. Eleven people were injured in the attack, Provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langov said. This was the second major terrorist attack in Balochistan within the last three days. Three heavily-armed militants on Saturday stormed a luxury hotel in Pakistans port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, killing eight people, including a Pakistan Navy soldier and three militants. An improvised explosive device planted in a motorcycle went off close to the police van. Sources said unidentified people parked the explosive-laden motorbike near the mosque in Satellite Town area and detonated it by remote control when the police van arrived there, the Dawn reported. Three police officials among the injured died soon after being brought here at the hospital, officials at a health care facility said. Many vehicles parked in the area were damaged and windowpanes of nearby buildings were shattered due to the powerful blast, though the mosque remained safe in the attack. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace those involved in the blast. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the motorcycle bomb blast targeting the police vehicle, the report said. Prime Minister Imran Khan has strongly condemned the targeted attack. Khan has sought a report on the blast and said the country was fully committed to completely eliminating terrorism. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Colombo, May 14 One of the Easter Sunday suicide bombers, who attempted to bomb the luxury Taj Samudra hotel here, was radicalised by British-Pakistani radical preacher Anjem Choudary while he was studying at a university in London, according to a media report. Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, 37, who hailed from a wealthy family involved in the tea trade, reportedly met the radical preacher while studying at Kingston University, the BBC reported. Choudary, 52, is considered one of the UKs most influential and dangerous radical preachers. He was convicted and jailed in 2016 for inviting support for the Islamic State group but was released in 2018. Counter-extremism experts early this year had warned that Choudarys extremist group al-Muhajiroun network was regenerating itself. Jameel, a father of four children, was the link between local radicals and IS or other Islamist groups based abroad, Sri Lankan security officers told the BBC. Jameel was one of the nine bombers who carried out a series of blasts targeting three churches and three hotels in Colombo in which nearly 360 people were killed. Jameels target on April 21 Easter bombings was the Taj Samudra hotel of Tata Groups hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL). But his bomb probably failed and he was seen leaving the premises. He later blew himself up at a motel in the suburb of Dehiwala, killing two guests. Jameel studied in the UK and Australia before he tried to go to Syria. Several years ago, his family became concerned about his hardline views and enlisted the help of a security official. A security official told the BBC: He (Jameel) was completely radicalised and supported the extremist ideology. I tried to reason with him. When I asked him how he got into this he said that he attended the sermons of the radical British preacher Anjem Choudary in London. He said he met him during the sermons. PTI sanjiv@tribunemail.com Colombo, May 13 The Sri Lankan authorities on Monday enforced a six-hour countrywide curfew as communal violence spread to new areas in the island nation in the latest fallout from the Easter Sunday suicide bombings, which killed nearly 260 people. The curfew has been imposed from 9 p.m. tonight to 4 a.m. tomorrow, a police spokesperson said. Army chief Mahesh Senanayake said the troops have been instructed to deal very strictly with those who defy the curfew. The army will shoot on sight if anyone defy the order, he added. Earlier in the day, the police reimposed a curfew, few hours after it was lifted, on four towns of Kuliyapitiya, Bingiriya, Dummalasuriya and Hettipola in the north western region till 4 am tomorrow following a communal clash in the area. It was later extended to the entire North Western Province as violence continued to spread.b Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also appealed for calm after the unrest broke out, especially in Kurunegala district targeting Muslims, and appealed to the public not to be swayed by false information. "I appeal to all citizens to remain calm and not be swayed by false information. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Sri Lanka soldiers patrol areas hit by anti-Muslim violence Kottampitiya (Sri Lanka), May 14 Sri Lankan soldiers in armoured vehicles on Tuesday patrolled towns hit by sectarian violence this week as residents recalled how Muslims had hid in paddy fields to escape mobs attacking their homes and shops. Authorities said the situation in the worst-affected northwestern parts of the Indian Ocean island nation was under control after anti-Muslim mobs appeared to have moved from town to town starting on Sunday. A man was stabbed to death and crowds attacked mosques and burned Qurans in violence targeting Muslims for the Easter bombings that killed more than 250 people in churches and hotels, mostly in Colombo. "The Muslim community huddled in nearby paddy fields, that's how no one died," said one of a group of men gathered outside a white-and-green mosque with smashed windows and doors in the town of Kottampitiya. A group of about a dozen people had arrived in taxis and attacked Muslim-owned stores with stones just after midday on Monday, they said, with the mob soon swelling to 200, and then 1,000. Besides the main mosque, the mob attacked the main mosque, 17 Muslim-owned businesses and 50 homes, witnesses said. Abdul Bari, 48, told Reuters his small brick shop had been burned down with a petrol bomb. "The attackers were on motorbikes, armed with rods and swords," he added. Others blamed the police for failing to disperse the crowd. "The police were watching. They were in the street, they didn't stop anything. They told us to go inside," said Mohamed Faleel, 47, who runs a car paint business. "We asked police, we said stop them. They didn't fire. They had to stop this, but they didn't," he added. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera rejected allegations that police had stood by while the violence unfolded. He said the security situation was under control and the perpetrators would be punished. "All police officers have been instructed to take stern action against the violators, even to use the maximum force. Perpetrators could face up to a 10-year jail term," Gunasekera told Reuters. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said late on Monday he had given powers to the security forces to take strong action against those responsible for anti-Muslim violence. Muslims form nearly 10 per cent of Sri Lanka's 22 million people who are predominantly Sinhalese Buddhists, with a sprinkling of minority Hindus and Christians. Most Muslims are concentrated in the east, with scattered pockets in the west. Reuters sanjiv@tribunemail.com Stockholm, May 13 Sweden reopened an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday and will seek his extradition from Britain, potentially delaying efforts by the United States to bring him to its courts to face trial over a huge release of secret documents. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said at a news conference she would continue a preliminary investigation that was dropped in 2017 without charges being brought because Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. Assange was arrested in Britain last month after spending seven years hiding inside the embassy. The United States is also seeking his extradition on conspiracy charges relating to the public release by Wikileaks of a cache of secret documents, including assessments of foreign leaders, wars and security matters. The Swedish prosecutor said it would request Assange be detained in his absence on probable cause for an allegation of rape and that it would issue a European arrest warrant the process under which his extradition would be sought. The 47-year-old Australian who denies the allegations is currently in a London prison serving 50 weeks behind bars for jumping bail when he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012. The decision to reopen the investigation poses the question of whether Assange will be moved to Sweden or to the United States. I am well aware of the fact that an extradition process is ongoing in the UK and that he could be extradited to the US, Persson said. A British judge has given the US government a deadline of June 12 to outline its case against Assange. The statute of limitation for rape in Sweden is 10 years a deadline which would be reached in mid-August next year for the alleged incident involving Assange leaving prosecutors pressed for time should they decide to file any formal charge.Everything depends on how this will be handled by the British authorities and courts, said Mark Klamberg, a professor of international law at Stockholm University. There is a possibility, or risk depending on how you see it, that this is going to take a long time, he said, adding that a US extradition of Assange would likely rule out him being tried in Sweden due to the statute of limitation. Reuters WikiLeaks founder is in london jail serving 50-week sentence rchopra@tribunemail.com Sochi, May 14 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday meets US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the highest-level talks between the rival powers in nearly a year as they see if they can make headway on a raft of disagreements from Venezuela to Iran to arms control. Pompeo will visit Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi less than two weeks after President Donald Trump voiced optimism about improving relations with Moscow during a more than one-hour telephone conversation with the Russian leader. The renewed diplomacy followed the long-awaited report in the United States by investigator Robert Mueller which found that Russia interfered in the 2016 election but that the Trump campaign did not collude with Moscow, partially lifting a cloud that had hung over the mogul-turned-president for two years. Pompeo is the highest-ranking US official to see Putin since July when Trump met him in Helsinki and stunned the US political class by appearing to accept the Russian leaders statement at face value that he did not meddle in the US election. Trump on Monday announced that he expected a very fruitful meeting with Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Japan, only for Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to deny Washington had requested such a meeting and say there were no agreements so far. Trumps enthusiasm for courting Putin has little support in Washington, even within his own administration, which has kept up a campaign of pressure, including sanctions on Russia over alleged election meddling and Moscows support for armed separatists in Ukraine. Pompeo, despite his close relationship with Trump, left little doubt on where he stood in remarks on Saturday in California. Addressing the conservative Claremont Institute, Pompeo said that US policymakers in recent decades had drifted from realism and chastised them for believing that enfolding the likes of China and Russia into a so-called rules-based international order would hasten their domestic evolution towards democracy AFP FOR a second year the occupancy rate at hotels in Tobago over the Christmas holiday seems to be low, as a result of the ongoing battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking with the Express yesterday, Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association president Christopher James said, while he does not have the figures from the various hotels, villas and guest houses as yet, the reports the association has been receiving are that bookings are slow. A CHRISTMAS Day shooting on Independence Square, opposite the Brian Lara Promenade in Port of Spain, has claimed the lives of two men. A third man was injured in the attack and remained in serious condition at the Port of Spain General Hospital last night. The incident took place around 3.45 p.m. in the vicinity of New City Mall, said investigating officers. Visitors are seen on the Germany Day of Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, on May 13, 2019. The expo welcomes Germany Day on Monday. With a theme of "seeding the future," Germany's Pavilion presents how green initiatives and projects helped restore the environment after pollution, with pictures and videos highlighting the historic changes to Essen city, the Emscher River and the buffer zone of the inner-German border. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) 5 1 [ Editor: WPY ] Court records have revealed grieving Ghanaian actor Chris Attoh's wife was married to two men before her sudden death. Chris and his late spouse Bettie Jennifer walked down the aisle in October 2018 but she allegedly had not sought a divorce from her incarcerated husband Kedrick Jennifer. READ ALSO: Government to spend KSh 114 billion to hire 95k teachers READ ALSO: Mama na mtoto wapokea shahada katika chuo kimoja ingawa walisomea vyuo tofauti According to the DailyMail, Bettie's divorce proceedings only began in April 2019 meaning she and Kedrick were still legally married. TUKO.co.ke understands Kedrick was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2016 after being charged for distributing drugs. READ ALSO: MP Otiende Amollo claims residents kicked out group that heckled Raila in Muhoroni The so called kingpin lived a lavish lifestyle before being locked up and owned a fleet of high end cars that were seized after his arrest, It is understood Chris's deceased wife and the alleged drug dealer lived together in the US at Bowie, Maryland. Greenbelt police now believe Bettie's death was not random and might have been a planned assassination. Police spokesperson George Matthews said someone most likely wanted the lady dead and authorities are still rummaging through information to get to the bottom of the heinous killing. "Somebody wanted her dead," George said. The actor's wife was killed at a parking lot as she left her office on Friday, May 10. A gunman described as thin and dressed in khaki pants then followed her and fired a couple of times before injuring her in the head, Bettie died at the scene. Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Feared to reformed Gangsters of Kariobangi Source: TUKO.co.ke Former Machachari actor Ian Munene, alias Almasi has reignited rumors that he might be attracted to the same sex after he shared an extremely suggestive message on his Instagram. Almasi has been the subject of controversy for the past few years ever since he left the child-show and moved to England where he has tried his best to just be himself. READ ALSO: Machachari actor Almasi downs a huge bottle of beer while smoking like coal train (photos) Being himself has at times played against him, however, as he has been constantly attacked for the way he chose to portray himself on social media. Almasi was previously heavily criticised for sharing a demonic-like photoshoot. Photo: Ian Nene Source: Instagram READ ALSO: Tears flow as mother and son receive degrees from the same university From gobbling down beer and sharing on social media to cross-dressing in bizarre fashion, Almasi definitely knows how to rattle fans who initially came to love him as an adorable little kid from the show Machachari. On the question of whether he is attracted to people of the same sex, he has consistently maintained he is as straight as they come while at the same time reiterating he was free to live however he deemed right. Despite denying gay allegations, his latest photo seemed to once again leave fans questioning whether he was sure of his sexual orientation. In the photo seen by TUKO.co.ke, the young lad is hanging out with a Caucasian man and the caption left a lot of questions than answers. READ ALSO: Former Machachari actor Almasi explains how he deals with heavy criticism of his lifestyle READ ALSO: Ugandan police launch manhunt for Kenyan forex dealer who disappeared with over KSh 53 million Get you someone who makes you laugh like this, the caption read. Now this may simply be an innocent caption but no one gave netizens the memo as they were quick to place the message in context. Usually the Get yourself someone who reference is usually used in the context two lovers as a form of praising a certain trait of ones better half. In that sense, it was interpreted that Almasi was over the moon because he found someone who could make him overly hysterical with laughter. The manner in which he posed in the photo was also very suggestive and netizens were unforgiving in their assumptions. Do you have a life-changing story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Raila Odinga's die hard fan: Source: TUKO.co.ke Lupita Nyong'o's brother Junior Nyong'o has come out guns blazing to deal with people who have been having problems with his sexual preference. Junior who is also a thespian recently flew off the hinges after a random Twitter user took to the platform to express how the politician's son disappoints his father with his gay tendencies. READ ALSO: Lupita Nyongo's brother defends decision to wear dress to Blankets and Wines festival READ ALSO: Lupita Nyong'o's brother surprises revelers after stepping out in dress at Blankets and Wines festival In a tweet shared on Friday, May 10, the young man claimed Junior had morphed into a woman with his sister Lupita turning into a man. The user based his argument on the fact that Junior has severally revealed he is gay, with unconfirmed reports that his sister Lupita is now lesbian spreading fast like bush fire. According to the critic, Junior and his sister were stressing out their politician father who is already battling cancer. READ ALSO: The fabulous life of Governor Anyang Nyongo's son as told in 16 photos ''Kisumu governor Anyang' Nyong'o's son is a woman and his daughter is a man. What a bizzare scenario. So they have decided to finish up their father and cancer is knocking. Money at times can come with misery. I rather die than live to see my kids emulating that western culture,'' the Twitter user wrote. In a quick rejoinder, Junior clapped back at the critic in the best way possible. READ ALSO: Mwigizaji wa zamani wa kipindi cha Machachari ajishebedua na Mzungu, mashabiki wamshuku kuwa shoga In a calm demeanor, the young lad told the critic off adding that he did not even have the guts to face and tell him whatever he wrote on Twitter. Junior held that he is happy and leads a confident life filled with self love and satisfaction unlike most people like the said ''hater''. Lupita's brother sensationally claimed his hater was just a hater who hates seeing other people enjoying their lives in ways he cannot. ''You did not even have the courage to talk to me. At least I live my life with the self love and confidence you'd only dream about. Simply hate to see it,'' he wrote. Read more Kenya latest news on Tuko and be aware of the current updates. Do you have a life-changing story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Raila Odinga's die hard fan: Source: TUKO.co.ke The Owasso and Collinsville fire departments recently received a generous donation from the Cherokee Nation. The organization gave nearly half a million dollars to 136 rural Oklahoma fire departments during the tribes annual Volunteer Firefighter Ceremony at the new Cherokee Casino Tahlequah last week. Each year, rural fire departments rely on fundraisers, membership dues and the help of good Samaritans to maintain their operations. To honor them, Cherokee Nation provided each department, including Owasso and Collinsville, with a check for $3,500, totaling $476,000. The funding is set aside in the tribes budget each year to help with equipment, fuel or other items needed to protect the lives and properties of families in rural northeastern Oklahoma. Volunteer fire departments and the men and women volunteer firefighters who serve in them are protecting lives and property each and every day, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker said. Indie Bride: Bridal Show & Market The Indie Bride: Bridal Show & Market is set from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at The Bond, 608 E. Third St. Tickets are $10. The event will feature locally owned and operated businesses, from florists and caterers to bakeries, photographers and more. Food trucks will be available in the parking lot. For more, visit indiebrideok.com . Oklahoma Renaissance Festival Step back in time to the 16th century with Queen Elizabeth I of England, King James of Scotland and more than 600 costumed performers and artisans as they create the boisterous village of Castleton at the annual Oklahoma Renaissance Festival. Held at the Castle of Muskogee, 3400 W. Fern Mountain Road, Muskogee, this festival features a royal court, jousters and jesters, magicians, musicians and minstrels. Browse more than 135 booths for one-of-a-kind handcrafted items. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through June 2, as well as Memorial Day. For tickets and more information, visit okcastle.com. The eastbound lanes of the southern leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop downtown will close Tuesday or Wednesday for several months, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said. Also, all lanes of northbound U.S. 75 on the east leg of the IDL will close between Seventh Street and the Interstate 244 junction at the northeast corner of the IDL until further notice. The Seventh Street exit will remain open for motorists traveling westbound from the Broken Arrow expressway into downtown. Motorists needing access to northbound U.S. 75 downtown should follow the west and north legs around the IDL, the agency said. The lane closures are part of an ongoing $25 million project that involves reconstructing the pavement on the south leg and bridge work on both the south and east legs. Basically, lanes that were closed in a clockwise direction around the east and south legs of the IDL will now be open, with workers closing lanes in the counter-clockwise direction in most of the affected area, ODOT spokeswoman Kenna Mitchell said. Work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, weather permitting. A Sand Springs man was arrested in Arizona after police discovered his dead wife in the passenger seat of his car during a traffic stop. A detective pulled over Rodney Lynn Puckett, 70, along Interstate 10 in Eloy, Arizona, on Monday and discovered a dead woman in the passenger seat, according to a news release posted to the Eloy Police Departments Facebook page. Puckett told police that his wife, Linda Puckett, 74, died at a hotel in El Paso, Texas, while they were on a trip and that he moved her into the car to continue the journey, the release states. Puckett was booked into a county jail on a complaint of abandonment or concealment of a body, and he could face more charges, according to the release. A Silver Alert was issued for Puckett in Oklahoma on April 24 when he reportedly left home in Sand Springs without his medication for back pain and bipolar disorder before he was located that same day. I am not sure where that fear is coming from, and if there is the fear and there quite possibly is it is because we have done a terrible job of communicating the fact that if you need law enforcement services, you need not fear that you are undocumented or what color your skin is or what your religion is; we will help you, regardless of any of that, and we will not question you, he said. NORMAN Waiting on a ride home, Jayla Hurd found a shady spot under a tree outside of Price Hall on the University of Oklahoma campus. Hurd, who just graduated with a business administration degree this weekend, said she had just finished discussing with friends the news thats causing all the buzz on campus the announcement that President James L. Gallogly is retiring after less than a year on campus. Include north Tulsans As a landowner in the Greenwood/Crosbie Heights development plan, I write to express my extreme alarm and disappointment that the city is trying to acquire property legally owned by the people who live, work and pay taxes in the community. Tearing down homes in the name of progress may be progress for some but devastation for others. Taking our land in the name of eminent domain is unfair and disastrous for the neighborhood that has existed and lived in communion for decades. I also find it mysterious, in the age of technology and social media, that the citizens affected by this plan were not notified in a timely manner, and that efforts were lacking to make sure everyone who was interested could attend or have representation at meetings on their behalf. It appears that these secret meetings, secret plans and silent media outreach was put into play to once again fool the citizens of north Tulsa. In the future, more efforts should be directed at getting north Tulsans involved in the process since the plan impacts us the most and appears to benefit us the least. Jacqueline E. Lee, Tulsa President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, strengthening security in the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and pressure on Russia to release captured sailors. Petro Poroshenko underscored the inalterability of the legally determined path of Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, which enjoys powerful support in Ukrainian society, the press service of the Head of State reports. The President expressed hope that the Allies would support the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine that is ready to start the implementation of the NATO Membership Action Plan even today. The parties emphasized the importance of the next NATO Summit in London for formalizing the Euro-Atlantic ambitions of Ukraine. In addition, the importance of further development of practical cooperation between Ukraine and NATO was also underscored, primarily to enhance security in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In addition, the parties stressed the need for increased pressure on Russia to release the captured Ukrainian sailors. The leaders also discussed the preparations for the visit of the North Atlantic Council representatives to Ukraine scheduled for July this year. Petro Poroshenko thanked Jens Stoltenberg for his consistent consolidated support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as practical assistance in strengthening the country's defense capability, the press service reports. Jens Stoltenberg praised the reforms in Ukraine carried out under the leadership of President Petro Poroshenko, including those that brought Ukraine closer to the NATO membership. As reported, on May 13-14, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko makes a working visit to Brussels to participate in the 10th Eastern Partnership anniversary celebrations. ol By Lisa Soronen Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt (Hyatt III) is a win for state sovereignty, albeit an obscure victory. In this case, the Supreme Court overturned precedent to hold 5-4 that states are immune from private lawsuits brought in courts of other states. Since 1993, Gilbert Hyatt and the Franchise Tax Board of California (FTB) have been involved in a dispute over Hyatts 1991 and 1992 tax returns. The FTB claims that Hyatt owes California taxes from income he earned in California. Hyatt claims he lived in Nevada during the relevant time period. Hyatt sued the FTB in Nevada claiming the board committed a number of torts during the audit. In the cases third trip to the Supreme Court, the FTB claimed it cant be sued in Nevadas courts. In Nevada v. Hall (1979) the Supreme Court had held that a state may be sued in the courts of another state without its consent. In short, in Hyatt III, the FTB asked the Supreme Court to overrule Nevada v. Hall, which it did. The Supreme Court had deadlocked 4-4 on this question in 2016 in a previous iteration of this case, shortly after Justice Antonin Scalia died. Hyatt argued that before the Constitution was ratified, states had the power of fully independent nations to deny immunity to fellow sovereigns, meaning other states could be sued in a states courts, and that the Constitution didnt alter that balance among the still-sovereign states. A majority of the Supreme Court disagreed. According to Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority: The problem with Hyatts argument is that the Constitution affirmatively altered the relationships between the states, so that they no longer relate to each other solely as foreign sovereigns. Each states equal dignity and sovereignty under the Constitution implies certain constitutional limitation[s] on the sovereignty of all of its sister states. One such limitation is the inability of one state to haul another into its courts without the latters consent. The Constitution does not merely allow states to afford each other immunity as a matter of comity; it embeds interstate sovereign immunity within the constitutional design. Though the Supreme Court has agreed to consider overturning precedent in four cases this term, it is rare for the court to do so. Thomas spent a mere page explaining why a majority of the justices were rejecting stare decisis (let the decision stand) in this case. How big of an impact will this case have on states? Hyatt claimed that since Hall was decided there have been very few cases in which state governments had been sued in the courts of other states. But (possibly a record) 44 states joined an amicus brief asking the court to overturn Nevada v. Hall. Lisa Soronen is executive director of the State and Local Legal Center and a regular contributor to the NCSL Blog. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has a clear guideline on an average wage by 2021 - it should reach USD 620. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman said this when signing a new trilateral framework agreement with trade unions and employers, the Government portal reports. Economic growth is one of the most important tasks of the Government. The economic progress will give people a new quality of life by increasing their income. Our Government has already created mechanisms that tripled the minimum wage and doubled the average wage over the past three years. The Government has a clear objective regarding the average salary raise in Ukraine in 2021. In dollar terms, it makes up USD 620, which is an absolutely real figure that will help increase the motivation of Ukrainians to work for their own economy, Groysman said. Separately, Groysman focused on the development of the middle class in Ukraine. "For me, it is a matter of principle to have a developed middle class in Ukraine, to which a Ukrainian teacher, doctor, worker should belong. In the next few years, we will exert every effort to perform this task," the prime minister stressed. It should be noted that in the new agreement, the Government focuses on promoting the domestic producer in the domestic and foreign markets. For the first time, the agreement contains separate commissions of employers directly related to ensuring an adequate level of protection and working conditions, treatment and rehabilitation of employees. ish After a nine-year break, Ukraine and Bulgaria should resume the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. First Vice Prime Minister Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv said this following a meeting with Vice Prime Minister for Economic and Demographic Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria Mariana Nikolova, the press service of the Economic Development Ministry reported. "After a nine-year break, we should restore the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Ukraine and Bulgaria, which will strengthen the practical cooperation between our countries," Kubiv said. He recalled that the Ukrainian-Bulgarian relations had a thousand-year history and significant potential. Mutual economic interest was confirmed by the growth of trade. "Thus, in 2018, the trade turnover between Ukraine and Bulgaria grew by almost 25% and amounted to more than USD 773 million. The trend continued in January-February 2019, since the volume of trade in goods reached almost USD 155 million. This is a third more than in the same period of last year," the first deputy prime minister noted. During the meeting, Kubiv stressed the strategic nature of the partnership between Ukraine and Bulgaria, and thanked Bulgaria for supporting Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as Ukraines course towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration. The official outlined promising areas of cooperation between Ukraine and Bulgaria, including infrastructure and transport, energy, innovation and industrial cooperation, and tourism. ish Kenya expresses readiness to become an entry point for Ukraine to the Eastern and Southern Africa market, and is also open to Ukrainian agricultural technologies and innovative products. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman stated this during a meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya Hon. Justin Muturi, the Government portal reported. "Eastern Africa is a large market, while Kenya is the gateway to the Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. In addition, Kenya is tea, coffee and 40% of the flower market. We are ready to work together on projects that will be beneficial to both countries," Hon. Justin Muturi said. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been established since 1993. At the various levels, the sides consider about a dozen bilateral agreements on trade, economic and investment cooperation, interaction between chambers of commerce and industry, in the sectors of education, tourism, the legal sphere, the establishment of a joint trade and economic commission, mutual protection of investments, avoidance of double taxation, etc. Two years ago - after an extreme drought in Africa - our country exported to Kenya some 180,000 tonnes of maize, which greatly contributed to the strengthening of food security of Africa. Now Kenya enters the list of the most promising markets for Ukraine - both in the regional and global context. "We are interested in developing bilateral relations because we have a number of important economic opportunities that can be used. And this visit is another step in the right direction," Groysman said. "We now have about USD 70 million in turnover. This is not enough. We have a lot of areas of mutual interest. Therefore, we are open to business circles. I invite a delegation of the Kenyan Government to visit Kyiv as well, so that we can exchange opportunities. It's not just about export-import operations, but also about the functioning of the full-fledged Embassy of Kenya in Kyiv, as well as direct flights. We are ready to cooperate in the areas of mutual interest," he stressed. In turn, Hon. Justin Muturi noted that he had visited historic places connected with different milestones of Ukrainian history, including the recent history. "Moreover, I want to assure that Kenya firmly supports the territorial structure of Ukraine and the principles of the inviolability of borders. We believe that the borders of countries, in particular of Ukraine, cannot be violated. We remain resolute in this stance. And we would like to call on all countries of the world to adhere to the rules of inviolability of borders and maintaining peace," the speaker of the Parliament of Kenya said. As known, this is the first visit of the Kenyan high-ranking official to Ukraine and the first opportunity to discuss the details of cooperation between the two countries. ish Violence in eastern Ukraine and Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea should be stopped immediately, and EU sanctions are needed to make that happen. Claudia Gamon, a deputy of the National Council of Austria who heads the list of the NEOS party at the May elections to the European Parliament, said this in an exclusive comment to an Ukrinform correspondent. "NEOS demands an immediate end of the violence in the east of Ukraine and an end to the illegal occupation of Crimea which is a dire breach of international law. Neither the principles of international law nor human rights are negotiable in our opinion. That is why we strongly support the European Union's sanctions against Russia," she said. According to her, the only way "we would agree to lifting the sanctions would be if Russia takes considerable steps to return to respecting international law and the territorial integrity of Ukraine." "So far, we can't see any efforts in this respect on Russia's side," Gamon said, expressing hope that the situation will change in the future. At the same time, she emphasized the threat of harmful information influence from Russia. According to her, it is necessary "to invest in media literacy of all Europeans to avoid being manipulated by Russia as we saw in the past that the [Russian] Federation uses disinformation, cyberattacks, troll factories and more to attack our trust in democracy and our institutions." She also commented on Ukraine's EU integration aspirations: "In terms of further integration of Ukraine with the European Union, we stand by the treaties of the European Union. Any European state which commits to and upholds the European values and fulfills the criteria of accession may apply for membership." At the same time, "with regard to the special situation Ukraine finds itself in" NEOS "would however be happy to deepen our relationship with Ukraine outside of membership since Ukrainians are Europeans and therefore share our European future." op President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko stresses that Ukraine should continue taking steps to free its sailors captured by Russia during the aggression in the Black Sea. "We have to continue acting decisively for the liberation of our sailors," the head of state told reporters in Brussels on Monday, his press service informed. Poroshenko reminded that pursuant to his instruction a group had been formed to represent the position of our state in the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and there was already ongoing consideration of the case. "There were hearings in Hamburg and we are waiting for the decisions by the end of this month," the president said. He emphasized that the decisions on the case should be binding for Russia. "The decisions must be binding for the Russian Federation, which does not have any jurisdiction over our troops captured as a result of the act of aggression in the neutral waters of the Black Sea. The decision of the tribunal will be a requirement for the immediate release of Ukrainian sailors," the head of state said. ish | By Chris Zang There have been some interesting groups that have gathered in the Gladhill Board Room in the Health Sciences and Human Services Library over the years. Perhaps the most eclectic group of 90 met there on May 10 to celebrate the launch of 1807: An Art & Literary Journal. The School of Medicines Marianne Cloeren (right) shows a colleague the necklace shes wearing that is in the 1807 journal. The 73 artists whose work was displayed among the more than 250 submissions came from faculty, staff, and students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) as well as Medical Center employees and our West Baltimore neighbors. The breadth of diversity among both artists and types of art (writing, visual arts, photography, and varied media) was pointed out by Maryland First Lady Yumi Hogan, honorary chair of UMBs Council for the Arts & Culture and an artist herself, whose painting Natures Breath adorns the cover of the 60-plus-page journal. In art, it doesnt matter where you come from or what you do, we are all one and the same as artists, said Hogan, who is an adjunct professor at Maryland Institute College of Art. UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, expressed his excitement about the launch, giving special thanks to 1807 editor-in-chief Jennifer Litchman, MA, senior vice president for external relations, and creative director/managing editor Dana Rampolla, senior marketing specialist, Communications and Public Affairs. This has been a long time in coming, more than four years, and you all made it happen, he said to the room filled with those who created the art and those who turned it into a glossy, attractive, full-color journal. Its incredible to me and very reinforcing to me how many of our people here at UMB leave work each day and go home to another life a life of art, and reflection, and creative expression. Thank you for letting us see this other side of you this beautiful, artistic side of you. I wrote, because I dont have qualifications otherwise, an afterword for this journal, Perman said to laughter from the audience. I said that at UMB, we are more than our science. We are more than our legal argument. We are more than our evidence-based practice. I said that all of us have the capacity for creativity and analysis both, and that creativity can make us better providers, better researchers, better lawyers, better social workers, and probably better people. Because art and culture illuminate our universal human experience as people. They help us connect with one another. They help us empathize and understand, which is at the core of our professions. Those assembled enjoyed each others artwork that rotated on TV screens around the room, as well as food and drinks. I made these, housekeeper Rita Boone said proudly, showing a colleague the circular metallic earrings labeled Plum Passion on page 31 in the journal. Im so excited. I didnt think anything of mine would be picked but here I am! Kate Tracy, PhD, vice chair of the School of Medicines Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, was more low-key but obviously pleased. Her Lessons from Glassblowing on page 50 are a release from her daily research duties, she explained. The point is I spend my entire day thinking, operating like a scientist. I wanted to learn something new and creative, she said. So I got into an intensive glassblowing experience in Corning, N.Y. its like meditating, its so completely out of your body. She described in a text block next to her glassblown art in 1807. Physical creativity is transformative: Working with my hands for hour after hour, day after day to learn glassblowing was mentally absorbing, meditative, challenging, and tiring. It lifted me completely out of my academic head and left me feeling a different kind of confidence. Spend time making things and staying connected to your body. Maryland Secretary of Education James Fielder Jr., PhD, was on hand as a journal contributor. Described by Perman as a poet laureate, Fielder agreed that art rounds out a person. Each of you penetrates so many parts of the community because you do so many important things, he said, adding that STEM courses are now STEAM courses because art has been added to the traditional science, technology, engineering, and math. The more that you can bring creativity to each of those fields, the more we can move forward. Litchman, founder of the Council for the Arts & Culture, closed out the presentations by reminding the artists to sign several journals for the archives and to consider adding their art to a campus exhibit this summer. The journal can be seen online and can be purchased for the fitting price of $18.07 (also the date of UMBs founding). So in closing, Litchman said, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for exhibiting, for being here today, for being supportive. Thank you! | By Laura Lee U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, carries a tube of naloxone spray with him everywhere he goes to emphasize one of his main public health priorities: addressing the opioid crisis. MPH candidate Mehren Mehtab explains her research at Public Health Reseach Day at Maryland 2019. During the opening of his keynote address at the seventh annual Public Health Research at Maryland Day, held at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), Adams held up the tube of naloxone while quoting former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, who once said, Everyones got a plan, until they get punched in the mouth. The opioid crisis which killed close to 50,000 Americans in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the punch in the mouth weve all received, said Adams. According to Vice Admiral Adams, that punch is not a knockout but rather a call to action. Its an opportunity to bring folks together, he said, to broaden the conversation beyond overdoses to address upstream factors like mental health that lead to substance abuse. Public Health Research Day at Maryland provided that opportunity by bringing together more than 600 students, faculty, and administrators from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and UMCP as well as a number of other universities, including the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Morgan State, Towson, and American. The event, which has been growing each year since its debut in 2013, also attracted staff from the U.S. Public Health Service, Maryland Department of Health, and several local health departments all eager to discuss public health from a variety of different perspectives. The daylong event was made possible by the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State and was organized by the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMPH) and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). Acknowledging the days theme of Health and Well-Being for All: Working Together Across Sectors. UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, noted the vital importance of MPower. When we leverage each others assets and expertise, he said, we put a new lens on these intractable problems of public health that were all committed to solving. UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, agreed. Quoting an African proverb, he noted, If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. He continued, Todays event is emblematic of that adage. When working together, we can go much further than we would if we worked by ourselves in public health research. The day kicked off with a keynote speech by the surgeon general followed by a trio of panels with experts from diverse disciplines from UMCP and UMB, including Sustainability at the Nexus of Food, Energy, Water Climate and Health, co-moderated by William Piermattei, JD, managing director, Environmental Law Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, and Amy R. Sapkota, PhD, MPH, professor, Maryland Institute of Environmental Health, UMPH; and Health Technology and the Impact on Communities, co-moderated by Wendy Camelo Castillo, MD, MSc, PhD, assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, and Susan Winter, PhD, MA, associate dean for research, UMCP College of Information Studies; and Action for Prevention of Violence, Human Trafficking and More, with co-moderators Susan G. Esserman, JD, founder and director, SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, and visiting professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work, and Kevin Roy, PhD, associate professor and director of graduate studies, Department of Family Health, UMPH. Students got in on the action by showcasing their public health research in a robust poster contest that detailed their research and findings. The students projects were placed side-by-side in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, giving visitors the opportunity to view and discuss their work. Mehren Mehtab, who is working toward a masters degree in public health at UMSOM, said Public Health Research Day was a great opportunity to learn from other dedicated public health advocates. There are a lot of public health problems that people dont realize exist, but when we come together and we see each other, we see that there are problems, she said. There are problems that I didnt know existed in the research just next to me, she added, nodding toward a colleagues research detailing the negative effects of chemicals on hair salon workers. Mehtab said she is proud of the impact her research has had on Head Start centers by improving the environmental health and air quality of the centers for their small patrons. Based on her research and recommendations, six of the seven centers involved in her study improved their air quality by making simple fixes like using soap and water to clean toys instead of harsh chemicals that can lead to asthma and diarrhea. These are changes you make in the short term, but the effect is long term since theres a behavior change, she explained. Sydney Hathaway, a senior in the University of Maryland School of Dentistrys dental hygiene program, was eager to share her teams findings from a pilot program at Pauls Place designed to provide oral care to Baltimores homeless population. During the pilot, dental hygiene students worked interprofessionally with nursing students to address multiple health issues confronting their vulnerable patients. I think a lot of our health disparities come from the separate silos of the medical field and the dental field, she said. If were able to bridge the gap and work together, we can have better health care outcomes, and it all starts with integrating that into our education at UMB. 05/13/2019 This is a notice of upcoming events, photo opportunities and story ideas at UMass Lowell. This is the last edition of UMass Lowell this Week for the academic year. For more, visit www.uml.edu/pressroom Sources of the week UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss: The debate in communities around the country about whether to allow retailers to go cashless and accept only credit or electronic payment; The job outlook for the Class of 2019, what employers are looking for and other workforce trends. Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject. E vent Marks Expansion of Student Entrepreneurship Program When and where: Friday, May 17, 2 p.m. DifferenceMaker Central, Lydon Library, North Campus, 84 University Ave., Lowell What: A program including speakers and a ribbon-cutting will be held to honor UMass Lowell alumnus Brian Rist and his wife Kim, whose support recently helped UMass Lowell establish the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute, significantly expanding the DifferenceMaker Program, which teaches students entrepreneurship skills to start businesses and nonprofits. The institute will support new student co-ops, fellowships student teams in the program and an award in the annual DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge. Brian Rist is a Stoughton native who founded and grew Florida-based Storm Smart Industries into the largest manufacturer and installer of hurricane-protection products in the U.S. The couple pledged $5 million to the university, the largest single gift to UMass Lowell, earlier this year to support student scholarships and initiatives including DifferenceMaker. Commencement Eve Salutes 2019 Student Medal Winners When and where: Friday, May 17, 5:30 p.m. University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell What: UMass Lowells Commencement Eve Celebration will honor outstanding graduating seniors from each of the universitys schools and colleges who have excelled in academics, diversity and inclusion, and service to the campus and community. The event, which is a fundraiser for student scholarships, features the presentation of the Chancellors Medals for Distinguished Academic Achievement, Student Service, Community Service and Diversity and Inclusion; University Scholar-Athlete Award; and Trustees Key awards, which recognize students who have maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average over eight semesters at the university. Honorees are from Acton, Billerica, Boxboro, Braintree, Chelmsford, Dracut, Foxboro, Lexington, Lincoln, Lowell, Methuen, North Andover, Saugus, Swansea, Tewksbury, Waltham, Westford, and Woburn, along with Grand Rapids, Mich., Hayward, Calif., Nashua, N.H., and Lake Grove, N.Y. The annual event has raised millions of dollars for student scholarships since 2008. Record number to receive degrees at Commencement ceremonies When and where: Friday, May 17, 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18, 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. What: What: More than 4,500 graduates the largest number in UMass Lowells history will receive degrees at three Commencement ceremonies. Delivering Commencement addresses will be U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan (Saturday morning); Jack Wilson, former UMass system president and founder of UMass Lowells Jack M. Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship (Saturday afternoon); and Meg Bond, UMass Lowell Distinguished University Professor and director of UMass Lowells Center for Women and Work (Friday). Honorary degrees will be presented at the Saturday afternoon ceremony to Wilson, Gerald Colella 78 and Joyce Colella 77 and the Chancellors Medal for Public Service and Engagement will be presented to Jack OConnor and Therese OConnor. On Saturday morning, the following will be presented: the Distinguished Alumni Award to Brian Rist 77 and the Chancellors Medal for Outstanding University Support to Kim Rist. Members of the media interested in covering Commencement should contact UMass Lowell media relations for credentials and details on check-in and parking. Art and Design Degree Candidates Showcase Senior Projects When and where: Exhibit runs through Saturday, May 18 in University Gallery, Mahoney Hall, South Campus, 870 Broadway St., Lowell and Dugan Hall, lower level, South Campus, 883 Broadway St., Lowell. What: UMass Lowell art and design majors who will graduate this month will showcase their senior thesis projects at a free artists reception and exhibit for the campus and public. Works in a variety of media will be displayed by more than 35 students from communities across the region. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, May 18, 6 to 8 p.m. Members of the public who would like more information should contact UMass Lowell art and design majors who will graduate this month will showcase their senior thesis projects at a free artists reception and exhibit for the campus and public. Works in a variety of media will be displayed by more than 35 students from communities across the region. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, May 18, 6 to 8 p.m. Members of the public who would like more information should contact Deborah_Santoro@uml.edu Forum Explores How Computing Drives New Technologies When and where: Tuesday, May 21, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell What: Virtually every important scientific breakthrough relies in part on computing technology and resources. Cutting-edge research by UMass Lowell faculty and others in the field will be featured during High-Performance Computer Day, a sold-out conference for researchers and the public. Speakers are scheduled to include IBM executive and engineer Kirk Jordan, whose keynote address at 10 a.m. will focus on the computing behind artificial intelligence, and Noah Van Dam, a UMass Lowell mechanical engineering professor and expert on propulsion, who will speak at 2:40 p.m. on how computing assists in testing the performance of engines. IBM Exec and Marketing Guru to Headline Leadership Conference When and where: Tuesday, June 18, 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell Madame President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my pleasure to participate in this timely discussion on progress in achieving equality towards inclusive development. We could have called 2019 the World Inequality Year. We have just had, in February, a thorough discussion on the question, during the 57th Commission on Social Development -CSD; then today, at this General Assembly- GA high level thematic debate; then in July during the High-level Political Forum; it will again be the center of the 45th G7 Summit, in Biarritz, France, in August; and later in September during the SDG Summit. And it is the topic of UNDPs Human Development Report, which will be launched during the 4th quarter of this year. The latest report of the UN Secretary General on the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a call for renewed global commitment and accelerated action. It does recognize, that progress is being made, overall, but at a very slow tempo. It notes that inequalities within and among nations continues to be a significant concern despite progress and efforts in narrowing disparities of opportunity, income and power. Income inequality continues to rise in many parts of the world, even if the bottom 40% of the population in many countries have experienced growth rates. The science of inequality is yet very clear. That disease of our modern civilization, as President Jimmy Carter called it, is principally rooted in injustice. And it does affect all parts of societys wellbeing; including mental health and the health of the biosphere. Although it disproportionately affects the poor; we have seen now the middle class under siege and shrinking in many countries. And this is a worrisome development; as societies move to the extremes, it is hard to find a common ground, posing a serious challenge to peace, security and the very social contract of nations. Inequality is then an existential threat. Our solutions, in general, have tended to be very economicist and very often fiscal policy centric; and not transformative enough; but rather tweaking at the margin. Yet inequalities are intrinsically structural. The SDGs offer a viable policy platform to address inequalities, structurally. First, with its embedded and most powerful doctrine of Leave No One Being- LNOB, we have in the 2030 Agenda, a most effective framework for action. We will not be able to bend the curve of inequalities, unless we deliberately invest significant portion of our resources, including from national budgets, on people that have been marginalized such as women, youth, indigenous groups, persons with disability, older persons; and seeing them not just as beneficiaries, but also as agents of change in their communities. Hence UNDPs policy of ensuring that all its programs have LNOB markers. Some countries are along that path. Bhutan, in its 12th five-year plan, has identified 14 vulnerable groups through a vulnerable Base Line Assessment, and which will be specifically targeted through dedicated policies and special programs. Second, most experts, across different fields and organizations, recognize the centrality and even the primacy of SDG 10 in the landscape of the 2030 Agenda. Because SDG 10 epitomizes the syncretism of all the goals; it then requires integrated policies to deal with it. Only solutions that are integrated in nature will have a gravity pull on inequalities. For instance, investing in nature-based solutions, such as FAO and other UN partners support to agroecology has deep impact on multiple SDGs (including those related to food, health, climate, biodiversity, women and youth) and hence culminating in reducing inequalities in, for example, countries such as India, Senegal, Mexico. We must search for and invest in those solutions. Third, and as inequalities have most often a territorial dimension (spatial exclusion), optimal policies to reduce inequalities must have the ability to go sub-national and local. And as the place of highest inequalities, and the site of both economic opportunity and disparity, cities have a critical role to play in tackling inequality. They should be encouraged to form a Global Alliance Against Inequality. That would be an investment with a high return in reducing inequalities. Fourth, a fundamental deterrent in our fight against inequalities is the very structure of our production patterns, with the share of labor progressively diminishing compared to the share of capital; and with the advent of the 4th industrial revolution and the surge of Artificial Intelligence, this trend may be further accentuated hence deepening inequalities. A global governance is needed to help mitigate such a potential risk. The UN would be the natural locus for such an inclusive governance. Ladies and Gentlemen, As our session today will show, we are not short of ideas to tackle inequality. We need only strengthen our resolve with a greater sense of ambition! May the 74th session of the UN General Assembly be that historic moment ! I thank you. Refugees from several different countries wait at a Gathering and Departure Facility in Tripoli, Libya, ahead of an evacuation flight to Niger, April 2019. UNHCR/Mohamed Alalem UNHCR remains concerned at the security situation in Tripoli, with clashes and airstrikes taking place in and around the city. Over the past few days, airstrikes and artillery shelling have been carried out in Ain Zara, Tajoura and near to Tripoli International Airport. Thousands of civilians are moving on a daily basis to safer locations in cities along the coast and towards the Nafusa Mountains. Humanitarian needs are rising as food and medicines are limited and movement within the city is difficult. UNHCR is continuing to monitor the needs of the displaced, and is distributing blankets, sleeping mats and other core relief items. UNHCR is very concerned for the safety of some 3,300 refugees and migrants being held in detention centres. In several detention centres, particularly in the western area, people are in urgent need of medical treatment. Food is in short supply as catering companies are facing difficulties with access. Water and sanitation facilities are in disrepair. On 9 May, UNHCR transferred 239 refugees from Azzawya, Al Sabah and Tajoura detention centres to the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF). Two days earlier, an airstrike struck a facility close to Tajoura detention centre. UNHCR is in a race against time to urgently move refugees and migrants out of detention centres to safety, and we urge the international community to come forward with offers of evacuation, humanitarian corridors, whatever it takes to get people out of harms way. In the past week, some 944 people have departed from the Libyan coast in boats. 65 drowned off the coast of Tunisia. Of the survivors (879), 65% were returned to Libya. UNHCR reiterates that no one should be returned to Libya. A two-pronged approach is needed that sees an increase in search and rescue capacity from NGO and State vessels, and an immediate increase in humanitarian evacuations for refugees and migrants out of detention centres in Tripoli. NGO boats have played a vital role in saving lives at sea, and we urge states to lift legal and logistical restrictions to their operations. We also call on States to offer safe and legal pathways to accessing asylum to prevent people from having to set foot on boats in the first place. Media contact: By Express News Service BENGALURU: The BJP on Monday lodged a complaint against former CM Siddaramaiah with the election authorities accusing the latter of calling PM Narendra Modi a traitor. They demanded that the Election Commission ban Siddaramaiah from campaigning for the next 72 hours. The saffron party, in the complaint, said Siddaramaiah had made the remark at a rally in Chincholi recently. Siddaramaiah called Modi a traitor. He also said Modi had gone abroad misusing public funds. He called Modi a person who divides people along religion and caste lines. He also called Modi a liar and his only job is to bluff. The word traitor is a personal attack not concerning any policy and therefore is an offence, the complaint read. The BJP added that his statements are a gross violation of the MCC. Opponents of the new pipeline say it hurts the EU's cohesion and weakens the blocs energy union strategy aimed at integrating gas and power markets, diversifying energy supplies and improving security. Two U.S. senators plan to introduce a bill targeting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would take natural gas from Russia to Germany, according to two people familiar with the plans. Texas Republican Ted Cruz and New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, drafted the measure to increase pressure on Russia and one of its most important exports, according to Bloomberg. The gas pipeline has divided the European Union, with nations led by Poland concerned about Russias Gazprom PJSC tightening its grip on the region if the new pipeline comes online. U.S. President Donald Trump has also criticized the project, calling for the bloc to diversify its energy supply sources and buy liquefied natural gas from North America. A draft version of the bill would target vessels that lay the pipeline and would deny visas to executives from companies linked to those vessels. It also would block transactions in U.S.-based property or interests belonging to those individuals and would penalize entities that provide insurance to the project. Read alsoEU finally approves amendments to Gas Directive set to complicate Nord Stream 2 Nord Stream 2 supporters argue that a new pipeline is needed to guarantee supplies will continue to flow in the coming decades as EU import needs rise. Opponents of the project say it hurts the blocs cohesion and weakens the blocs energy union strategy aimed at integrating gas and power markets, diversifying energy supplies and improving security. Uniper SE, Engie SA, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, OMV AG and BASF SEs Wintershall are European partners of Gazprom, the Russian gas export monopoly, in financing the project to expand the existing Nord Stream by 55 billion cubic meters a year. Trump has made opposition to the Nord Stream pipeline a signature issue in relations with Europe and, in particular, Germany. He has said the pipeline will give Russia too much influence over Europes biggest economy. Read alsoNaftogaz: If Ukraine loses transit role, it will forgo security barrier to Russian aggression The natural gas industry will be one of the main beneficiaries of German Chancellor Angela Merkels effort to close the coal and nuclear plants that currently generate half of the nations electricity. While the government is seeking to spur renewables, industry executives, energy forecasters and investors say that more gas will be needed to balance the grid when power flows ebb from wind and solar farms. If the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, bypassing Ukraine, succeeds, Kyiv fears it will lose has transit fees worth EUR 3 billion a year and, even more importantly, media say, it may lose a bargaining chip against further Russian aggression. Ukraine's antitrust watchdog rejects Energoatom's claim on "Rotterdam Plus" formula 15:40, 14.05.19 3972 Despite the different rate of tariff growth for different electricity producers, the AMCU concluded that there was "no negative impact of Resolution No. 289 on economic competition." Ukraine opens anti-dumping probe into steel pipe imports from China 16:20, 14.05.19 1590 The growth in imports of seamless hot-rolled steel pipes from China amounted to 356% in 2018 against 2015. The spox did not reveal who had been tasked with settling the issue. Dmytro Razumkov, a spokesman for Volodymyr Zelensky's headquarters, said that it was from media reports that the president-elect learned about the plans of Donald Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani to arrive in Ukraine. "The fact that Rudolph Giuliani Zelensky was set to arrive was something Zelensky learned from the media, and the fact that he's not coming was also something he learned from the media. That is why the reports that emerged in the U.S. media claiming someone from the team gave some comments on certain pitfalls surprises me. This is not true. Let us hope that this misunderstanding will be settled in the relations between Team Zelensky and U.S. representatives," the representative of Zelensky's headquarters told ICTV, according to Ukrayinska Pravda. When asked if someone from the Team Zelensky was working on settling the issue, Razumkov replied: Read alsoZelensky being pulled into domestic political conflict in U.S. media "I think such issues should remain confidential, this is No. 1, and No. 2 is Zelensky is ready to hold such meetings not only with official representatives of the United States, but also with representatives of certain political forces or those not affiliated with politics who will be interested in further deepening relations between the two countries, those with a positive attitude, helping us in our struggle for independence." As UNIAN reported earlier, The New York Times said Giuliani, who had intended to arrive in Kyiv and meet with President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, called off the visit amid harsh criticism of such intention. He was accused of seeking help abroad for Donald Trump's re-election campaign in 2020. In turn, Giuliani accused the Democrats of trying to distort the purpose of the trip. Earlier, The New York Times reported that Giuliani had allegedly intended to call on Zelensky to continue to investigate in Ukraine cases that, according to White House allies, could shed more light on the two issues in which Trump was interested. Read alsoGiuliani cancels Ukraine trip, says he'd be 'walking into group of people that are enemies of U.S.' NYT One of these issues concerns the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller regarding Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Another one concerns the son of former U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden. Hunter Biden was a member of the board of directors of a gas company owned by Ukrainian businessman Mykola Zlochevsky, Burisma Holdings Limited. The publication noted that the goal of Giulianis trip to Kyiv was to tar Muellers investigation and potentially harm Joseph Biden, who is now seen as the Democrats' favorite for presidential nomination. The detainees will be held in custody until August 15. The Taganrog city court and Leninsky district court in Russia's Rostov-on-Don region on May 13 extended the custody period for seven defendants in the Simferopol's "Hizb ut-Tahrir case" detained during mass searches carried out in the occupied Crimea March 27. According to Krym.Realii, Seyran Murtaza, Enver Ametov, Medzhit Abdurakhmanov and Rustem Sheihaliev, as well as Riza Izetov, Ruslan Suleymanov, and Shaban Umerov will remain in the pre-trial detention center until August 15. "Everything was standard, according to a template: standard phrases about the need to extend the preventive measure and remand them in custody amid interrogation of 15 witnesses and a number of investigative measures underway. The only motion that was granted was to allow relatives to be present at the hearing," said lawyer Ayder Azamatov. He added that the trial in Taganrog was held behind closed doors as the court claimed information was to be announced that could not be revealed to the public. However, other similar hearings in Rostov-on-Don were held transparently. Read alsoRussia intensifies repression against Crimean Tatars to squeeze them out of Crimea: rights activists FSB and prosecutors demanded to further keep the Crimean Tatars behind bars claiming they could "escape from the investigation and trial, threaten witnesses, destroy evidence" or "continue to engage in illegal activities that encroach on public safety." At the same time, the prosecutors provided no proof to substantiate their claim. Defense requested that the court rule house arrest. The Crimean Tatar men deny charges, while one of the detainees, Shaban Umerov, said he deemed his transfer hundreds miles away from Crimea "deportation." As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian law enforcers in illegally occupied Crimea on March 27 conducted massive searches in homes of 25 Crimean Tatars, having taken a number of detainees to the FSB office in Simferopol. The FSB press service claimed the searches were part of the investigation into the Hizb ut Tahrir organization, which is outlawed in Russia. Russian law enforcers later reported on the detention of 22 individuals. Three more Crimean Tatars have been detained in Russia's Rostov-on-Don. "Their houses were searched yesterday in their absence," NGO Crimean Solidarity reported on Facebook on March 28. Hizb ut-Tahrir has not been banned in Ukraine. Ukrainian diplomats are in contact with Ukraine's foreign partners over the new wave of repression against Crimean Tatars in the occupied peninsula on the part of the Russian Federation. The European Union has called on Russia to stop putting pressure on Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The U.S., UK, and Poland have also addressed the issue, condemning repression, including searches and arrests, and other human rights abuse, and calling on Russia to release Crimean Tatar detainees. Poroshenko met with the President of the European People's Party. During a working visit to Brussels, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko met with President of the European People's Party Joseph Daul, who assured him the European Union and his party would continue supporting Ukraine. The President of the European People's Party highly appreciated the efforts of the Ukrainian authorities in ensuring free and democratic presidential elections and confirmed continued support of Ukraine by the European Union and the European People's Party "on its path to peace, prosperity and welfare," the presidential administration's press service wrote. Read alsoPoroshenko awards EC President Tusk with Prince Yaroslav the Wise Order Poroshenko expressed gratitude to the EPP leadership for the "unwavering strong support of Ukraine, which the political family of the EPP has demonstrated over the recent years in the rapprochement with the European Union, strengthening democratic institutions, implementing reforms and counteracting Russian aggression." During the meeting, Petro Poroshenko and Joseph Daul discussed the issue of enhancing inter-party cooperation in the context of preparations to the parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The "bill on president," if passed, poses a risk of the country shifting toward a parliamentary Republic, the spokesman suggests. Dmytro Razumkov, a spokesman for Volodymyr Zelensky's headquarters, has said the decision of President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky on whether to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, will depend on "what the parliament's actions will be." "If we are talking about parliament dissolution, it's about what the parliament's actions will be," he told a Svoboda Slova [Freedom of Speech] panel show on Ukraine's ICTV channel, according to Hromadske. Razumkov said an example of a negative step by the lawmakers was a bill on president, which Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Oksana Syroid at a meeting on April 22 urged to pass. Read also"Non-working Rada must be dissolved": Zelensky's advisor on models of president-parliament interaction According to Razumkov, such a law would significantly limit Zelensky's powers and prevent him from fulfilling promises made to voters. "Certain lawmakers, representatives of the parliament's leadership said it was possible to try to pass this law, which in fact not only restricted the rights and duties of the president, but also to a certain extent violated the Constitution. After all, many of these functions, which they wanted to streamline with a potential law, belong to the constitutional powers of the president and thus the institution of presidency would be liquidated, almost to an extent of shifting to a parliamentary Republic," Razumkov said. According to Tymoshenko, the question is whether the current parliament is ready for the changes that "people expect." Leader of the Batkivshchyna faction Yulia Tymoshenko has called on parliamentary factions to create a new coalition and appoint a new government. Speaking at a parliamentary meeting, Tymoshenko said her faction supported the move to hold the inauguration of President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky as soon as possible, according to an UNIAN correspondent. She said the question is whether the current parliament convocation is ready for the changes that "people expect." Read alsoZelensky says coalition with ex-Party of Regions, Poroshenko off the table "If everything remains as before, then you shouldn't be offended with 73% of our people seeking an early dissolution of parliament," she said. "We call for the consolidation of all factions to create a completely new coalition, a new government, and a national commission to investigate corruption at the highest level starting with Poroshenko and his entourage, and ending with all the others," Tymoshenko said. At the same time, she expressed hope that the parliament "is still capable of doing something, and we can do a lot for Ukraine." The head of state expressed gratitude to EU envoys and institutions for their effective cooperation with Ukraine. Incumbent President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has advised President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky that he follows in his steps. "[I advise him] to follow the path started by President Poroshenko," he said at a conference in Brussels on May 14 during celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, answering the question on what advice he would offer his successor. In addition, Poroshenko expressed gratitude to envoys and institutions of the European Union for their effective cooperation with Ukraine. Read alsoPoroshenko interested in early inauguration of Zelensky According to the president, Ukraine is counting on the consistent support on the part of members of the European Parliament. As reported earlier, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, proposed that Zelensky's inauguration be held on May 28. The probe into the case started in December 2017. Former Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, Colonel General Yuriy Allerov has been detained on charges of possible involvement in a flat scam. "The ex-commander of the National Guard was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code on suspicion of committing a crime under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement of property or seizure through abuse of official position)," Press Secretary of the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) Olha Postoiuk told an UNIAN correspondent. By the end of Tuesday, May 14, he will be served with charge papers, she added. According to her, a probe into his case is under way. SAPO is to lodge a motion on Wednesday, May 15, for Kyiv's Solomyansky district court to select a pretrial measure of restraint. Allerov is charged with possible involvement in fraud schemes of building apartments for National Guardsmen, she added. Read alsoPoroshenko dismisses Ukraine's National Guard Commander Sixty-five flats were built in a remote district in Kyiv instead of originally planned 50 flats in the city's central Pechersky district. The probe into the case started in December 2017. As UNIAN reported earlier, President Petro Poroshenko dismissed Allerov from the post of commander of the National Guard of Ukraine on May 7, 2019. He was appointed chief guardsman on December 30, 2015. The National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said on Facebook on May 14 that its detectives were conducting searches in offices and houses of a number of National Guard officials, as well as in offices of certain private companies. "The raid has been authorized and is being held as part of an investigation into a real estate corruption scheme, as a result of which the General Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine, according to the investigators, has lost assets worth UAH 81.64 million, or US$3.12 million," NABU said. Bala Chauhan By Express News Service BENGALURU: The process of extradition of fugitive underworld don Ravi Pujari has reportedly begun in the Republic of Senegal, where a special court will hear Indias plea to extradite Pujari on May 15, sources on condition of anonymity told TNIE. This is the first step towards Pujaris extradition to India. He has the right to appeal in higher courts, said the officer. Pujari, against who multiple Red Corner Notices (RCNs) were issued by the Interpol was arrested from a barber shop in Dakar in Senegal on January 21 by local police with the help of a vital tip-off from the then additional director general of police, Intelligence, Karnataka, Amar Kumar Pandey. The officer is currently posted at the State Human Rights Commission and is handling Pujaris cases in Karnataka, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had earlier announced. A former aide of Indias most wanted criminal and master mind of 1993 serial Mumbai blasts - Dawood Ibrahim, Pujari has multiple criminal cases registered against him in Karnataka, Maharashatra, Gujarat and Kerala. Karnataka police had sent a comprehensive dossier of over 15 criminal cases translated in French in which Pujari has been chargesheeted but has not stood trial to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala police have also sent files of chargesheeted cases against Pujari to the MHA. The files were further submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA had sent the police dossiers to Senegal, where they are being processed by the Justice Department.The case has been posted for hearing on May 15. The process may take some time as India does not have an extradition treaty with Senegal but under the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) the extradition of the fugitive don can be drawn out between the two-member countries, the source added. Pujaris lawyers have argued that he is Anthony Fernandez from Burkina Faso as mentioned in his passport and not the fugitive don. But the ghost of a 1994 murder case, of a builder in Mumbai in which Pujari was arrested and later enlarged on bail has allegedly got him in. Soon after being released on bail, Pujari had fled the country and went to South Africa before moving on to Dubai, Australia and back to West Africa. The Maharashtra police had approached the Interpol to issue an RCN against him. The RCN was issued and it contained Pujaris fingerprint, which was collected from the time, when he was in prison in Mumbai.When Pujari was identified in Senegal in January this year his fingerprints were matched with the one in the RCN and they reportedly matched, said the officer. The 50-year-old don originally from Malpe in coastal Karnataka, who has been on the run for more than two decades has been chargesheeted in several criminal cases under concerned sections of the Indian Penal Code for extortion (384), kidnapping for ransom (364), murder (302) and criminal intimidation (506) among other IPC sections. There are 98 criminal cases registered against Pujari in Karnataka alone. out of which at least 46 are registered in Bengaluru. Pujari was chargesheeted for his alleged involvement in a fatal shoot-out against builder Subbaraju in 2001 in Bengaluru. In February 2007 on his alleged behest, an assailant walked into the office of Shabnam Developers in Jayanagar and shot down the office receptionist after mistaking him for Shabnam owner K Samiulla. There are more cases of extortion and shootouts at prominent builders and realtors allegedly by the henchmen linked with Pujari in the city, Mangaluru and Udupi. Congress MP from Bengaluru Rural D K Suresh, Congress MLA Tanveer Sait and Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala have claimed that they have received threat calls from the gangster. In April, their detention was extended until the end of August 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called on the Russian Federation to free 24 Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait in November 2018. "We would in particular welcome the release of the Ukrainian crewmen detained near the Kerch Strait last year," Pompeo said following talks with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi, Russia, on May 14. Read alsoPompeo urges not to compare situation with Golan Heights and Crimea UNIAN memo. On the morning of November 25, 2018, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol. The Ukraine Navy Command noted that the Russian side had been informed of the plans to re-deploy the vessels in advance in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. The Russian coast guard ship "Don" rammed the Ukrainian tugboat, damaging the Ukrainian vessel. As the Ukrainian boats were heading back in the Odesa direction after being rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them. All 24 crew members on board were captured and later remanded in custody for two months, being charged with "illegal border crossing" (the sailors are facing up to six years in prison). Three crewmen were wounded in the attack. Russian-controlled "courts" in occupied Crimea ruled that all 24 detainees should be remanded in custody, after which they were transferred to the Moscow-based Lefortovo and Matrosskaya Tishina detention centers. Moscow's Lefortovo district court in the middle of January 2019 decided to hold the Ukrainian sailors on remand until the end of April 2019. In April, their detention was extended until the end of August 2019. Crimea was illegally annexed in March 2014. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has reiterated that the Trump Administration does not recognize Russia's attempted annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. "The Trump Administration has been clear we do not recognize Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea. And we hope that we can continue to move forward. Our sanctions have remained in place," Pompeo said after talks with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi, Russia, on May 14. Read alsoU.S. Secretary of State Pompeo in Sochi calls on Russia to free 24 Ukrainian sailors "I urged Russia to reach out to Ukraine's new president [Volodymyr Zelensky] to demonstrate leadership by taking step towards breaking the stalemate," he said. According to Pompeo, the parties also talked about implementation and "how we might move forward in obtaining a ceasefire in the Donbas region." Crimea was illegally annexed in March 2014, after which Russia unleashed war in the east of Ukraine and occupied certain districts in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The war has not ended yet. She was elected to replace controversial judge of the CCU Stanislav Shevchuk. Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU) Natalia Shaptala has been tapped to head the court, yet she will stay in office until September as her nine-year term is expiring soon. "Natalia Shaptala has been elected new CCU chairperson with 12 votes in her favor," a source in the court told UNIAN. Read alsoUkraine's Constitutional Court could declare unconstitutional criminal liability for falsified income data She was elected to replace controversial judge of the CCU Stanislav Shevchuk, who, prior to his dismissal on May 14, 2019, was CCU chairman since February 21, 2018. Shaptala, born in Donetsk on April 18, 1959, is a Ukrainian lawyer with a PhD in Law. She was appointed to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine during Viktor Yanukovych's presidency. UNIAN memo. The Constitutional Court on February 26 ruled that Article 368-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal enrichment) was unconstitutional. On March 15, CCU judges Mykola Melnyk, Serhiy Sas and Ihor Slidenko announced that Shevchuk's further stay in office could destroy the court and constitutional justice as a whole. The judges also said Shevchuk "focused on using the capabilities of [his] high public office to achieve personal goals and satisfy his own ambitions." According to the Anticorruption Action Center, Shevchuk's U.S. visa has been scrapped lately over the ruling on the legal enrichment article. On April 17, the CCU Standing Committee on Rules and Ethics concluded there were grounds for dismissing Shevchuk from the position of a judge of the Constitutional Court over a significant disciplinary offense, gross and systematic neglect of his duties. The committee said it was incompatible with the status of a judge of the Constitutional Court and disqualified him. Under Clause 3 of Paragraph 13 and Paragraph 27 of the CCU Rules of Procedure, the chairman of the court or his deputy, if he is absent, shall convene a special plenary court meeting no later than the seventh working day from the date of conclusions by the Standing Committee on Rules and Ethics to consider the dismissal of a judge. Shevchuk, in turn, called his dismissal "a serious crime" and anti-constitutional "coup." According to him, "behind this crime is the main beneficiary [outgoing President Petro] Poroshenko, who is making every effort to retain power by maintaining control over the main state institutions." Shevchuk said he would challenge his dismissal in court. The rating was developed by the ILGA-Europe human rights group. Ukraine has ranked 35th in the Rainbow Europe Country Rating, which monitors the situation with the protection of the LGBTI rights. The rating was developed by the ILGA-Europe human rights group. It includes 49 countries. It is reported ILGA-Europe track each country using a wide range of indicators; covering indicators from equality, family issues and hate speech to legal gender recognition, freedom of expression and asylum rights. Read alsoLGBTI activists gather in central Kyiv for 'March of Equality' media In the overall standings, Ukraine ranked 35th with a score of 21.52% out of 100%, followed by Italy with 21.53%. Malta ranks 1st with 90.35%, Belgium is 2nd with 73.08%. In addition, Luxembourg (70.4%), Finland (69.27%), and Denmark (67.86%) are among TOP5 of the rating. The bottom of the list hosts Russia (10.2%), Armenia (6.4%), Turkey (5.16%) and Azerbaijan (3.33%). With the creation of the OCU, a spat emerged between Filaret and Epifaniy over the influence on the church. On Tuesday, St Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kyiv is hosting a prayer celebration in honor of the hieromartyr Makariy. The event, traditional for the UOC-KP Patriarchate, was in the center of the scandal amid reports on Filaret's intentions to resume operations of the UOC-KP despite the creation of a new Orthodox Church of Ukraine greenlighted by Constantinople. Invitation to the celebration were printed on the lanks of the Kyiv Patriarchate and signed by "Patriarch of Kyiv and All Russia-Ukraine" Filaret, the BBC reports. Moreover, the invitations said that the holiday was celebrated by the UOC-KP, while not a word was mentioned about the OCU. Head of the OCU Epifaniy did not immediately receive his invitation. Filaret sent it him only after information about the event appeared in the media. Read alsoPatriarch Filaret admits split in newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine With the creation of the OCU, a spat emerged between Filaret and Epifaniy over the influence on the church since honorable patriarch Filaret is not content with his purely symbolic status and is trying to get a decisive influence on the church. Some considered the planned celebration as a kind of "parade of forces," where Filaret had to check how many hierarchs would support his idea of restoration of the UOC-KP. And this is supposedly one of the stages on the way to the revolutionary events in the church the Council, on which Filaret, supposedly, seeks to formally restore the Kyiv Patriarchate, to restore the statute and the synod of the UOC-KP, with him governing the church as a patriarch. In this scenario, Epifaniy would supposedly be only given the role of church representation abroad. According to BBC sources, the Ecumenical Patriarchate unequivocally supports Epifaniy and even does not rule out the abolition of tomos in the event of the implementation of a scenario for the restoration of the Kyiv Patriarchate. Read alsoZelensky posts "peace message" of Ukraine's religious leaders to residents of occupied Crimea, Donbas On the eve of the celebration, a number of eparchies of the OCU made open statements in support of Epifaniy. At the same time, the number of supporters of such a scenario, obviously, was insignificant. In response to the invitation to the celebration, only four bishops of over 60 arrived: Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea Klement, as well as a group of hierarchs from the former parishes of the UOC-KP in Russia, Metropolitan of Belgorod and Oboyansk Ioasaf, his vicar Peter, and Bishop Adrian. According to BBC sources, Klement came out of his respect for Filaret. One of the most influential hierarchs of the OCU, Metropolitan Mykhail, who at the unifying council was Epifaniy's main rival for chairmanship in the new church, did not arrive. Earlier, sources named him one of Filaret's possible allies. Metropolitan Epifaniy did not arrive at the Cathedral either. On this day, he has a scheduled visit to Mariupol. During the liturgy, Filaret mentioned in the diptych of the primates of the local Orthodox churches Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epifaniy. This means Filaret recognizes Epifaniy's reign. The rally is held amid an ongoing spat between Filaret and Epifaniy. Ukrainian activists have called on Honorable Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Filaret and Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epifaniy to reach understanding. A rally was held by members of the "Corps of Defenders of the Revolution of Dignity" public organization on Pushkinska Street in Kyiv outside the residence of Patriarch Filaret, according to an UNIAN correspondent. The activists were seen holding posters saying "We call for unity!", "United Orthodox Church means united Ukraine," and "Orthodox Church of Ukraine basis of national security." They read out a letter calling on the clergy to reach understanding and unity. Read alsoFailure of Filaret's "coup"? Only 4 bishops accept invitation: BBC "Recently, we have received alarming news on an attempt to 'restore' the Kyiv Patriarchate and the convening of separate meetings for changing the statute of the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine." "We emphasize the discord in the finally created united Ukrainian Orthodox church poses a threat to national security and that it would be the best gift to the Kremlin. Millions of Ukrainian believers may become hostages to misunderstandings of Ukraine's top clergy. Therefore, today we call on all church representatives to reach understanding and unity for the sake of preserving the Orthodox Church of Ukraine," the letter says. No one came out of the residence to receive the letter. A participant in the rally, Olesia Horiainova, said this letter would be sent to Filaret by email and by post. Read alsoPatriarch Filaret admits split in newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine Horiainova also said she and her public organization do not intend to assess what is happening in relations between Patriarch Filaret and Metropolitan Epifaniy, only urging the two church leaders to reach understanding. "We ask both Honorable Patriarch Filaret and Metropolitan Epifaniy to find a common language and show unity because times have not been easy for Ukraine, while internal discord could play into the hands of the enemy. We came with no demands, but a simple request," she said. Ukraine Army reported no casualties over the period under review. Russia's hybrid military forces on May 13 mounted nine attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas. "Ukraine Army reported no casualties over the past day. According to intelligence reports, one invader was killed and another two were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on May 14, 2019. Read alsoUkrainian military repel enemy Russian infantry attack on newly gained positions in Donbas (Video) During the period under review, Russian occupation forces opened fire from 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms to attack the Ukrainian positions near the towns of Avdiyivka and Maryinka, and the villages of Lebedynske, Bohdanivka, Novotroyitske, Novotoshkivske, Luhanske, and Stanytsia Luhanska. "Since Tuesday midnight, Russian-led forces haven't attacked Ukrainian positions yet," the report said. It is highly uncertain whether Mr. Trump, who has sought to disentangle the United States from Afghanistan and Syria, ultimately would send so many American forces back to the Middle East. At a meeting of U.S. President Trumps top national security aides last Thursday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, administration officials said. The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John R. Bolton, Mr. Trumps national security adviser. They do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops, officials told The New York Times. The development reflects the influence of Mr. Bolton, one of the administrations most virulent Iran hawks, whose push for confrontation with Tehran was ignored more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush. It is highly uncertain whether Mr. Trump, who has sought to disentangle the United States from Afghanistan and Syria, ultimately would send so many American forces back to the Middle East. Read alsoSaudi Arabia says two oil tankers damaged in "sabotage attack" off UAE coast It is also unclear whether the president has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans. On Monday, asked about if he was seeking regime change in Iran, Mr. Trump said: Well see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. There are sharp divisions in the administration over how to respond to Iran at a time when tensions are rising about Irans nuclear policy and its intentions in the Middle East. Some senior American officials said the plans, even at a very preliminary stage, show how dangerous the threat from Iran has become. Others, who are urging a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions, said it amounts to a scare tactic to warn Iran against new aggressions. More than a half-dozen American national security officials who have been briefed on details of the updated plans agreed to discuss them with The New York Times on the condition of anonymity. The size of the force involved has shocked some who have been briefed on them. The 120,000 troops would approach the size of the American force that invaded Iraq in 2003. Deploying such a robust air, land and naval force would give Tehran more targets to strike, and potentially more reason to do so, risking entangling the United States in a drawn out conflict. It also would reverse years of retrenching by the American military in the Middle East that began with President Barack Obamas withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 2011. Several oil tankers were reportedly attacked or sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates over the weekend, raising fears that shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf could become flash points. "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens," Mr. Trump said on Monday, asked about the episode. Emirati officials are investigating the apparent sabotage, and American officials suspect that Iran was involved. Several officials cautioned, however, that there is not yet any definitive evidence linking Iran or its proxies to the reported attacks. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called it a "regretful incident," according to a state news agency. The Iranian government has not threatened violence recently, but last week, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would walk away from parts of the 2015 nuclear deal it reached with world powers. Mr. Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement a year ago, but European nations have urged Iran to stick with the deal. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Not unlike an Agatha Christie whodunnit, Rachakonda police identified a man, accused of raping and murdering a minor boy, through his haircut and the colour of the slippers he was holding in his hand while fleeing from the scene of the crime. Four days ago, Balapur police had found the body of a seven-year-old boy murdered near Jalpally lake. During the investigation, it was ascertained that the boy had left his house at 9pm to purchase a soft drink. The accused, Omer Bin Hassan (24), nabbed the boy and managed to take him to an isolated place to rape him. As the boy resisted and tried to raise an alarm, the accused panicked and hit him with a large rock. A woman, who was offering namaz (prayers) nearby heard the cries. However, before she could do anything, the accused killed the boy with another blow. While fleeing from the scene of crime, he had a pair of red slippers in his hand. This hurried manner of walking was what helped the police close in on accused. However, in the video, the accused could only be seen from the behind. A task force police official said, A witness who observed him (accused) running away gave us a description of what he was wearing. The witness said his slippers were bright red. During our enquiry, we found a man who fit this description. Once we cross-referenced his haircut to the one we saw in the video, we were able to confirm his identity. Kakoli Mukherjee By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In Hyderabad, haleem is not a dish. Its an emotion. In todays fast and instant world, the process of making haleem on slow fire for hours is a sort of aberration. Despite the fact that the delicacy is available throughout the year now, people wait patiently for the Ramzan month when various haleem counters mushroom in the city. Pista House, a popular eatery chain in the city, has been synonymous with Hyderabadi haleem for years. With branches in the USA and Qatar, they have brought the dish global recognition. However, behind the phenomenal popularity of the dish are the labour and sweat of hundreds of workers who are recruited especially for preparing haleem. We visit Pista Houses haleem making unit in Nanalnagar and find out what goes behind the scenes. The visit was arranged by Novotel Hyderabad Airport. The process Work starts at the crack of dawn at 4 am when the mutton, sourced from local vendors, are put on boil with green chillies on the freshly-made bhattis. The bhattis are ovens made from bricks and red mud. A huge cauldron is put inside the bhatti with only the opening remaining outside. This is done to ensure that ample heat, generated by firewood in this case, reaches all the sides of the vessel. The meat is boiled for 7-8 hours and then put on dum for some two hours. The whole process is accompanied by frequent rounds of mashing the meat which is done with big wooden ladles called ghota. This is where the hard work of the workers comes in. At a time, two or three workers work in tandem to mash the ingredients with the ghota, eventually giving the dish its meaty and paste-like texture. The process is called kunda maarna locally. The work not only requires physical strength, but an ability to bear the blazing heat generated by the bhattis which have been lighted since early morning. When I ask a worker how he puts up with the heat, he smiles and says, We are used to it. Outside the production unit, a couple of coolers have been installed. Workers sit in front of the coolers after each vigorous session of working the ghotas. A few men are seen peeling ginger and garlic to be used in the preparation later. There are around 20 bhattis in the haleem manufacturing unit, which is a shed made in the open. Each cauldron can accommodate 100 kg of mutton and other ingredients.C Naresh, who is a supervisor at the unit, says: We have 300 workers in the unit. They have been hired exclusively to make haleem this month. They come from various professional backgrounds like tailoring, carpentry etc. Once the work is done, they return to their native places. We have people from city outskirts like Shadnagar and other states including Karnataka and Maharashtra. A person needs to be fit for this kind of work. A few of them have been coming here for the last 15-20 years. If we find that someone is not fit to work the ghota, we assign him some other work. The ingredients Mohammed Ibrahim Iqbal, an executive in Pista House, says: In one cauldron, there are 100 kg mutton, 18kg wheat rawa, one kg rice, eight litres of sunflower oil and eight litres of ghee. We also add Urad dal, Tur dal and Chana dal, along with spices. We use only mineral water, and from this year, we have started using Manipuri black rice to make haleem. This variety of rice, which is known to have high nutrition value, is being introduced in collaboration with the Northeast Foundation. Throwing light on the spice mix, he adds, The spice mix has salt, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, Shah jeera, rose buds and other ingredients. It is added to the mix before the cauldron is put on dum. Putting on dum After the ingredients have been mashed sufficiently and all the spices have been added, the haleem mix is put on dum. This is done by first putting out the fire with water. Then the opening in the bhatti, through which firewood is introduced, is sealed with a tin sheet and wet mud. This is done to ensure that the heat does not escape the oven. The haleem is then kept that way for a couple of hours. After that, there is another session of masticating the mix. Then it is transferred into airtight canisters and transported to different outlets in the city. 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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 By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As far as films are concerned, language is no barrier. The foreign films screened at the International Children's Film festival of Kerala (ICFFK) have proved to be a big hit among the young film enthusiasts. In the week-long film festival, around 160 films are being screened, out of which more than 20 are international films. Foreign films include all-time classics such as 'The Lion King' directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, 'The Kid' directed by Charles Chaplin, 'Laurel and Hardy Package' and also international short films like 'We are Family' and 'Even more Animation for Kids'. International films such as 'Power to the Children' directed by Anna Kersting have been well-received by the children at the festival and have had multiple screenings. Films from Germany, China, Spain were also much appreciated by the delegates. "Foreign films help us understand other cultures whilst being simultaneously informative. They are also entertaining. We saw 'The Bogeyman' which is an Indian classic but we couldn't enjoy it much. Out of all the genres, we enjoyed international films most, " said Kashinathan S D, a Class VI student of Christ Nagar. He added that it was his first time at the fest and would attend the entire event. Thrissur-based Karthika M said, "Film festivals provide us an opportunity to watch foreign films which have unique themes. Foreign films have almost perfect visuals, in comparison to Indian films." Indian films like 'Chuskit' which portrays the life of a girl child and her struggles were received well by film enthusiasts. Despite language barriers, 'Kauwboy', a Dutch film directed by Boudewijn Koole attracted a large crowd to the theatres. " Films like these should be screened in festivals. Animation movies loaded with themes are more intriguing, " said Niranjana, a Class IX student. However, there were few who felt the foreign films screened during the first edition were better. "I participated in the first edition of the International Children's film festival of Kerala which featured some of the best foreign films. It wasn't the same this season. The themes weren't satisfactory," said Virat Krishnan, a Class XII student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom. 'Guppy' star Chethan Jayalal enthralls the audience Children who arrived for the screenings at Kairali, Nila and Sree theatres were thrilled to see Chethan, the child artist of the film 'Guppy' who arrived for the 'Meet the Artist' session. Chethan shared his experiences of films and as a child actor how he was able to explore the world of cinema. "Films are the best medium to learn something new and interesting," said Chethan. Before leaving the venue, the child artist gave a dance performance. Tovino Thomas was also a speaker in a session held at Tagore theatre. By PTI MUMBAI: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has shared the story behind the title of his 1978 blockbuster "Don", saying that many industry veterans were not happy with the choice of the film's name. On Sunday, the 76-year-old actor celebrated the 41st anniversary of the release of "Don", which is one of the most popular characters essayed by him. "'Don' was a name title that no one in the market approved of. They never understood what it meant and never felt that a name such as 'DON' was material for the title of a Hindi film. In fact, if truth be told for many it was quite an amusing title," Bachchan wrote on his blog. The "Badla" star also shared a funny anecdote on the film title's comparison with a "very popular brand of vests". "They were carrying the name 'DAWN'. DON phonetically sounded much like that brand of undergarment in the market. There was consternation in titling a film that conveyed an undergarment," he added. The actor revealed after the release of Hollywood classic "Godfather", the title 'Don' became "respectable". "Much later, of course, with the 'Godfather' series the word garnered enough publicity and reckoning, to be respectable enough. But till then, initially, it was in the realm of humour." The film was written by popular writer duo Salim-Javed and directed by Chandra Barot. It also starred Zeenat Aman, Iftekhar, Helen and Pran. Due to its popularity, it was again rebooted in 2006 with a star cast of Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, with Arjun Rampal, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Boman Irani, Isha Koppikar, and Om Puri appearing in supporting roles. The movie was directed by Farhan Akhtar. By Express News Service A Jodethu, meaning a pair of bulls, was a word uttered by Darshan at actor-politician Sumalathas press conference. Ever since, it has been the talk of the town. In fact, a few filmmakers had immediately rushed to register the title at the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC). The lucky person to have bagged this title is producer M G Ramamurthy. Confirming the news, Ramamurthy says the title has been registered under the Chitra Kuteera banner. Since I was the first to apply for the title request at the Film Chamber, I was able to bag it, says Ramamurthy, who is putting together a team of writers from Bengaluru and Chennai to work on a story that will suit the title. According to the producer, it will be a multi-starrer with Darshan in the lead. If things go as planned, this could be their 55th film together. If the team comes up with a good story that suits the title, and if Darshan agrees, Jodethu might be our 55th film together. Otherwise, it will one of our future projects to be made with the actor, Ramamurthy says, adding that the other hero will be decided after Darshan makes his decision. Right now, we are working on the script. It is going to be a commercial film from our end. Whether it will have political element or not is something we will know after the story board is done, he adds. Darshan is waiting for the release of Muniratna Kurukshetra and Odeya, while at present, he is shooting for Tharun Sudhirs Roberrt. The Challenging Star also has Rajendra Singh Babus historical drama, Gandugali Madakari Nayaka which will be produced by Rockline Venkatesh. No political connection to Ganeshs Elidiyappa While Nikhil Elidiyappa was another title much in demand, producer A Ganesh has decided to get rid of the name, and has decided to go ahead with Elidiayappa for his next productional venture. I wanted to register this title two months ago, since I was looking for a coloquial and catchy title. I want to clarify that it is no way connected to politics or politicians, says Ganesh, who formally launched the title on May 13. He adds that the story based on father-son sentiments--is getting ready. This will be a commercial thriller, made with a Rs 17 crore budget. I am planning to rope in a star cast, and I am in talks with a well-known director from the Telugu industry, he says. While he initially wanted to wait for the poll results to make this announcement, he decided to not wait considering the demand for any form of the name. Right now, he has actors Rakshit Shetty, Sriimurali and Ravi Chandran in mind. In fact I am keen to have Shivarajkuamar on board and plan to approach him soon. It will depend on the dates, he says. Kalethu bagged by producer Vijay Kumar Yet another title that was in demand was Kalethu (meaning a pair of bulls who are thieves). This was bagged by Vijay Kumar, a producer and syndicate member of KFCC. However, the producer wants to wait before starting work on the project. Nikhil Elidiyappa title registered under KFCC Title Nikhil Elidiyappa has been registered under Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce, an alternate body that was established in 2015. Krishne Gowda, the president of this new film chamber wants to produce and direct the film. Guests launch the opening ceremony during the celebration for the 150th anniversary of the completion of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad at the Golden Spike National Historical Park at Promontory Summit, the United States, May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ying) by Xinhua writers Sun Ding, Tan Jingjing, Xia Lin SALT LAKE CITY, the United States, May 13 (Xinhua) -- One hundred and fifty years ago, the completion of the United States' first transcontinental railroad drew attention of the whole nation and marked the start of an economic boom that lasted for generations. One hundred and fifty years later, as people in the state of Utah, where the eastern and western segments of the engineering feat connect, and the rest of the nation celebrate the historic moment, they also honor thousands of Chinese workers who made great contribution and sacrifice to make the project possible. The transcontinental railroad could not be completed without the sacrifice of Chinese workers, as local residents, politicians, and researchers told Xinhua. More importantly, that part of history, shared by both China and the United States, shows that the two peoples can cooperate to do great things, even make the impossible possible. TRANSFORMING UTAH The first U.S. transcontinental railroad, originally known as the Pacific Railroad, was completed on May 10, 1869, when the last spike, praised as the Golden Spike, was ceremonially driven in at Promontory Summit, an area of high ground roughly 100 km northwest of Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah State, to join the tracks of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific lines. The Central Pacific Railroad, which broke ground on the railroad in 1863 and worked eastward out of Sacramento, California, hired 12,000 or more Chinese migrant workers, who became the backbone of the Central Pacific Railroad Co.'s labor force. The working conditions were unimaginable. One example repeatedly cited is how Chinese workers blasted and chiseled their way through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains. "Using manual hammer drills, pick axes and explosives, they dug 15 tunnels through hard granite," U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao told a commemorative event at Promontory Summit's Golden Spike National Historical Park on the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad's completion. "Snow fell so deeply in the mountains that they had to build roofs over 37 miles (roughly 60 km) of track so supply trains could make it through," Chao said. "The conditions were merciless, dangerous and harsh. An estimated 500 to 1,000 Chinese workers lost their lives." Their contribution and sacrifice made the transcontinental railroad a reality, which reduced the travel time to cross the United States from months to about a week and allowed goods, including produce and natural resources, to move more quickly and cheaply from coast to coast, as the nation and its economy recovered from the Civil War. "In the years that followed, this tremendous engineering feat helped revolutionize interstate travel and commerce," according to a presidential message released by the White House. "The completion of the transcontinental railroad catalyzed our country's development, empowered greater settlement of the American West, and expanded prosperity from the Atlantic to the Pacific," it stressed. Gary Herbert, governor of Utah, said the railroad had transformed Utah from an isolated post to a crossroads of the West. HONORED, REMEMBERED On the transcontinental railroad's 100th birthday, the Chinese workers were not honored. Fifty years later, many highlighted their role so that the mistake would not be repeated. "They were quiet and paid less, and the American society knew little about them back then," Val Potter, member of the Utah House of Representatives, told Xinhua at Promontory Summit, who was among tens of thousands of people attending a three-day celebration at the Golden Spike National Historical Park, with many dressed in clothing from the period. "Chinese workers were so dedicated and hardworking, focused to get their work done," said the lawmaker. "It is important to celebrate their great accomplishments." The celebration, which started on Friday, included speeches, music and a historical re-enactment of 1869's ceremonial driving of the Golden Spike, as well as two full-size working replicas of the two steam engines seen facing each other, nose to nose, in an iconic picture from that day, with crewmen around the locomotives toasting the occasion with whiskey. Scholars and historians previously believed that there were no Chinese workers in this photo, but researchers from San Francisco-based Stanford University identified two of them in the crowd, who were part of the crew that laid the transcontinental railroad's last rails. "Without the Chinese migrants, the transcontinental railroad would not have been possible," Gordon Chang, co-director of the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project, a Stanford research program, and professor of history of the Center for East Asian Studies at the renowned university, recently told Xinhua. As part of a state-wide commemoration in Utah, Stanford curated a photo exhibition, captioned both in English and Chinese, to tell the story of the Chinese railroad workers whose life details had remained largely unknown until Chang and other scholars launched the project in 2012. The exhibition is now running in Park City, east of Salt Lake City, and will travel to other parts of Utah. "People from all over the country and even the world have stopped in to see this exhibit," said Kate Mapp, a librarian of the Park City Library. "It aims to highlight the contributions of Chinese railroad workers, and let the public know more about that history." BEYOND THE RAILROAD In a video-recorded speech, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai called the transcontinental railroad "a telling example of how the Chinese and American people can come together to get things done, and make the impossible possible." Besides forging a path through and over the West's mountain ranges, a team of workers consisting mainly of Chinese set a record by building 10 miles (16 km) of track in a single day. "While we reflect the impact of the railroad, we should also look to the future," said Governor Herbert, while urging people of Utah to dream big, and remember that great things can be envisioned and accomplished even in difficult times. Howard Stephenson, former member of the Utah State Senate, said he thinks the Golden Spike celebration can have a profound effect on expanding the state's substantial cooperation with China. "It is a wonderful incubator for greater win-win results," said Stephenson, adding that he thinks "China is perhaps the most important nation for Utah's future and America's future." According to the World Trade Center Utah, China is one of Utah's most important trading partners and the state's trade with China totaled about 4 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. Chinese tourists bring more than 140 million dollars into Utah's economy each year, while Utah is a pioneer in Chinese language education in the United States. "Strong people-to-people ties are important all the time," said Miles Hansen, president and CEO of World Trade Center Utah. "Policymakers in national capitals make trade policy, while citizens across countries build the relationship that make it easier for commonsense solutions to be found for the challenges that exist." "China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture and it is important that we remember that our two countries always stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation," Ambassador Cui said in a message to the Utah-China Trade and Investment Forum, which concluded in Salt Lake City at the past weekend. "There is no better option than continued cooperation. We need to work together to ensure the sound and steady development of China-U.S. relations continues along the right track," he added. (Xinhua reporters Zhang Yongqing and Ye Zaiqi also contributed to the story.) (Video reporters: Zhou Saang, Xia Lin, Zhang Yongqing, Sun Ding, Tan Jingjing; Video editor: Zhao Xiaoqing) 8 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Arunkumar Sekhar By Express News Service Sonia Agarwal has had back-to-back releases this month Thanimai and Ayogya but little is known about the former. Few theatres released that film. Sonia, who rarely uses Twitter to share her thoughts, took to it to vent her frustration about the limited release of Thanimai. These tweets have since been deleted though. I was angry and shared my grief in the heat of the moment. I deleted it because I did not want to come across as a person who indulges in the blame game. There is enough negativity in the industry without me having to contribute more. She doesnt see this negativity as coming from the audience. Even now when I step out to watch, say, an IPL game, I can see the amount of love people have for me. I have lived here for 15 years and consider this as my home. But the close-minded nature of some in the industry makes me wonder if I should go back to Mumbai instead. Her irritation begins to sputter forth. Thanimai was produced and directed by Sivaraman, who has done five films so far, largely with newcomers. This was his first with an established actor like me. And yet, he had an easier time releasing those films than this one, she laments. The theatres returned the rental amount at the last moment refusing to screen Thanimai. I dont know if that was a business decision from their side, but what made me angry were the rumours that the problems were caused by its A certification and my participation in this film. She doesnt understand why people would lie about the films censor certificate. We got a U! Some malicious person has started this. Just because the biggest hits of my acting career (Kadhal Konden and 7G Rainbow Colony) were A-rated, doesnt give anyone the right to categorise me as a person who acts only in such films. Another cause of irritation is the stories and roles that come her way. Thanimai is a beautiful story of a Sri Lankan refugee who, after giving birth to a child in India, gets taken to Malaysia. She fights her way back to India for her child. During this journey, she understands through her strife what it is to be lonely amidst a crowd. But I hardly get such stories. She laments getting mother roles of a different kind though. Directors want me, a 36-year-old, to play the mother of a hero, who is nearly my age. I can understand if you ask me to play the role of a mother of a five-year-old but to a middle-aged man? Seriously? Is that why she took up Thadam, which sees her play the mother of a younger Arun Vijay? The interesting thing about Thadam is that when it came my way, I almost did not take it up. When director Magizh Thirumeni narrated it, I told him that I understood the importance of what he was doing, but that it would likely not succeed. Here is a mother who goes daily to a gambling den filled with men. I wasnt sure it would be appreciated, but I accepted it because the role connects all the threads of the film really well. Sonia says that these trying times have been helpful. She has made up her mind that she will only act her age in films, and avoid character roles and cameos. She even considers her role in the Temper remake, Ayogya, to be a cameo. If Ayogya is a hit, it wont be seen as a Sonia Agarwal film. It will be seen as a Vishal film and rightly so. This is why I am clear that if I take up a role, it should be either central to the plot or it should be seen as a Sonia Agarwal film. You can see that in my upcoming films: Dasharatha in Kannada with Ravichandran, Adukkalayil Paniyundu in Malayalam, Kaadhalai Thedi Nithya Nandha in Tamil with GV Prakash and the web series directed by Gautham Menon in which I play mother to Anikha of Viswasam-fame. May 14 2019 Glasgow City Council has tabled plans to erect a 54-bed extension to an existing homelessness assessment centre by the Forth & Clyde Canal at Rodney Street, Port Dundas. The expansion has been necessitated by the planned closure of an existing hostel at Clyde Place in Tradeston and will replace temporary cabins which have been in use since September last year. Phase two plans drawn up by Project Management and Design will create a permanent facility directly connected to the phase one building, allowing the temporary cabins to be dismantled upon completion in 2020. In a statement, the design team wrote: PMD have consciously approached the design with a view to referencing many of the characteristics of the existing building. The proposed extension is intended to appear less like a later stage addition and as though it was always part of the original design. Facilities provided by the new space will include offices, meeting areas and a medical treatment room. A self-contained studio flat for disabled service users will also be provided alongside a new public entrance and private internal courtyard. Algeria strongly condemned Monday the acts of sabotage against four ships near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates, UAE ALGIERS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 14th May, 2019) Algeria strongly condemned Monday the acts of sabotage against four ships near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates, UAE. ''We strongly condemn these acts of sabotage which yesterday targeted four ships near the UAE territorial waters,'' the spokesman of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdelaziz Benali Cherif, was quoted by Algeria Press Service as saying. He said these criminal acts threaten freedom and safety of marine navigation and transport. Tiar Salah Eddine, the president and founder of the Algeria Youth Ambassadors non-profit organization, told Sputnik the results of a recent Arab Youth Survey, which revealed that the majority of young people in the Arab world considered Moscow but not Washington as the major ally, were well-justified, mostly because the United States offers nothing to the young people besides internship or training programs, while Russia organizes youth forums and international events MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2019) Tiar Salah Eddine, the president and founder of the Algeria Youth Ambassadors non-profit organization, told Sputnik the results of a recent Arab Youth Survey, which revealed that the majority of young people in the Arab world considered Moscow but not Washington as the major ally, were well-justified, mostly because the United States offers nothing to the young people besides internship or training programs, while Russia organizes youth forums and international events. The annual survey, released last week by the Dubai-based PR company ASDA'A BCW and based on 3,300 face-to-face interviews with young people aged between 18 and 24, showed that 64 percent of those questioned saw Russia as an ally, while only 36 percent considered it an enemy. As for the United States, it was viewed as an ally by 41 percent and as an enemy by 59 percent, compared to 32 percent five years ago. "The Arab Youth Survey is completely fair, as certain Arab states like Algeria and Syria already are strategic partners of Russia for many decades. It's very logical that the young Arabs consider Russia their major ally, also since the US has offered nothing to the young besides their programs (leadership, internship, scholarships and training) in the embassies in MENA (The middle East and North Africa) region," Tiar said. He praised the fact that Russia was hosting various summits and forums dedicated to youth from all over the world. The president of Algeria Youth Ambassadors said he first visited Russia back in 2017 when he took part in the World Festival of Youth and Students in the resort city of Sochi. "[Russian President] Vladimir Putin is investing in promoting a good image of Russia by organizing forums and international events, with programs specially dedicated to young leaders and entrepreneurs in order to rectify what the western states did to smear the image of Russia," he stressed. According to Tiar, the United States "always thinks how to drain the natural resources" of countries like Venezuela, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, while Russia "invests in human resources, notably the youth of their ally countries." "As for the media, [US President] Donald Trump himself declared that 'CNN is Fake news' at the moment when RT [broadcaster] is the only media that covers the yellow vests demonstrations [in France] since the beginning. The difference between Sputnik, TASS [news agencies], RT and the American media is that the first broadcast information as it is, while the latter falsify information which serves the White House's agenda in order to influence the public opinion," the president of Algeria Youth Ambassadors pointed out. The Algeria Youth Ambassadors is a non-profit organization providing cultural and educational programs for young leaders in Algeria and across the globe. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2019) The post of Senegal's prime minister was officially abolished after ratification of the respective constitutional law by Senegalese President Macky Sall on Tuesday, according to a statement published on the president's official website on Tuesday. In April, Sall instructed the government to start the process of reforms in the country, including the abolition of the prime minister's post. "The president of the Republic today promulgated the Constitution Act, which, inter alia, abolished the post of the prime minister," the statement reads. The statement adds that Sall also adopted a decree on the composition of the government, reiterating his support to ministers and secretaries of state before the constitutional reform. Sri Lanka introduced another 12-hour curfew on Tuesday in its North Western Province in the wake of unrest that occurred in the region over the weekend, local media reported NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2019) Sri Lanka introduced another 12-hour curfew on Tuesday in its North Western Province in the wake of unrest that occurred in the region over the weekend, local media reported. An initial curfew was imposed in North Western Province on Sunday following civil unrest in the city of Chilaw that was reportedly ignited by an inflammatory Facebook post meant to incite racial tensions. Several messaging applications, such as Viber, WhatsApp and Facebook, were blocked on Monday to prevent "false propaganda. " According to the Sri Lankan Ada Derana news portal, the new curfew started at 6:00 p.m. (12:30 GMT), and will end on Wednesday at 6:00 a.m. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since a string of deadly bombings devastated the country on April 21. Over 250 people were killed and hundreds more were injured nationwide, and dozens have been detained as the result of a massive anti-terrorist operation and investigation. The Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks. The United States has singled out a Nicaraguan student protest leader who was jailed on bogus terrorism charges as part of a broader demand for the release of all dissidents imprisoned under similar circumstances, the US Department of State said in a statement on Monday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2019) The United States has singled out a Nicaraguan student protest leader who was jailed on bogus terrorism charges as part of a broader demand for the release of all dissidents imprisoned under similar circumstances, the US Department of State said in a statement on Monday. "Amaya Coppens is a young student leader currently imprisoned under the Ortega regime in Nicaragua for her role in pro-democracy demonstrations," the State Department said via Twitter. "She, along with countless youths like her, have been wrongfully charged with terrorism. We call for their immediate release." Coppens, a fifth-year medical student, was detained on September 10, 2018, in apparent retaliation for her participation in a nationwide protest movement against the government of President Daniel Ortega, according to the Scholars at Risk network on social media. In the year since Ortega's crackdown on demonstrations demanding his ouster, more than 300 protesters have been killed, at least 700 jailed - many on terrorism charges - and more than 60,000 have fled the country, according to published reports. Aneetta Kuriakose A bioengineering doctoral student is representing The University of Texas at Arlingtons excellence in research that advances health and the human condition on a national stage. Aneetta Kuriakose of the College of Engineering was awarded a pre-doctoral fellowship by the National Institutes of Health that will support her research into a new minimally invasive treatment for peripheral artery disease. She is the first UTA student to receive this prestigious award. This award gives me my first taste of independent success as a researcher, Kuriakose said. Being able to work with my own funding gives me confidence and a sense of what it will be like to act as a principal investigator throughout my career. Kuriakose is a research assistant for Kytai Nguyen, professor of bioengineering, whose lab is investigating a new method for treating peripheral artery disease, a circulatory condition in which narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs, causing chronic pain, numbness or weakness. The method involves combining the balloon devices used during angioplasty procedures with therapeutic nanomedicine to treat the blood vessels without leaving behind foreign objects, such as a stent. Such objects can lead to thrombosis and other complications. Kuriakose said she hopes her work will expand currently limited treatment options for patients with peripheral artery disease and that the method will someday have applications for other cardiovascular diseases and injuries. Not many people are given the opportunity Ive received with this fellowship, Kuriakose said. I am grateful to Dr. Nguyen for encouraging me and her other students to write our own proposals and pursue our own grant funding. She spent a great deal of time with me throughout this process to ensure I had what I needed to be successful. It was Nguyens research portfolio in tissue engineering and hands-on, supportive method of mentorship that interested Kuriakose when she first had the opportunity to work with the professor while completing the dual Biology/Biomedical Engineering Degree Program at UTA. Aneetta is a hard-working doctoral student who attends to her studies while remaining persistent in achieving her career goals, Nguyen said. She demonstrated remarkable independence and tenacity as she wrote this fellowship proposal. After a few rounds of rejection, she continued to pursue this NIH award, whereas many researchers might have given up. I have told my students they should look up to Aneetta as a role model in our department. She is a great scientist and student, while balancing being a mother to a young son. Aneetta shows us all that we should not let challenges or distractions deter us from reaching our higher education and career goals. While Nguyen praises Kuriakose for her independence, Kuriakose insists the support of the Department of Bioengineering faculty and staff was essential. Dr. Nguyen and the faculty and staff in the Bioengineering Department are incredibly supportive, Kuriakose said. This department is very strong and continues to improve. The faculty have incorporated tools that give students hands-on experience while helping them discover what interests them within the field. Michael Cho, professor and chair of the UTA Department of Bioengineering, praised Kuriakose for her strong work ethic and said her accomplishment shows that UTAs bioengineering students are highly competitive within the national research and bioengineering communities. It shows her fellow graduate students that, with great commitment and work ethic, it is possible to achieve and win major awards that will lay the foundation for future career success, he said. Cho added that it was a goal of his to elevate bioengineering students to succeed on a national level when he became department chair in 2015. Additionally, he encouraged the departments faculty to compete for grants that would fund the studies of graduate students. As another example, Kristofor Pas, undergraduate biomedical engineering major, was one of just 16 students in the nation selected for the NIH-sponsored Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program. The Department of Bioengineering has 54 doctoral candidates, including Kuriakose, all of whom are financially supported by various funding mechanisms, including research grant awards. The joint biomedical engineering program with UT Southwestern Medical Center has served North Texas for more than 40 years, with research strengths in bioinstrumentation, biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics, medical imaging and nanomedicine/nanotechnology. In 2017, the department won a NIH T-32 grant to subsidize and train doctoral students in health care applications for nanotechnology, specifically to develop tools to battle cardiovascular and pulmonary ailments. By IANS KOLKATA: Predicting that the BJP-led NDA would fall short of the majority mark of 272 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Trinamool Congress has said regional parties will have a "big say" in the formation of next government but remained evasive on the issue of Prime Ministership. Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien, while expressing confidence that his party would have the third largest tally, also predicted that the NDA would break after the elections and "many" non-BJP parties would work together to form a government at the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "trying to create an impression that he is ahead" which is nothing but a defensive tactic being projected as an "offensive" one, O'Brien, TMC's Parliamentary Party leader in the Rajya Sabha, told IANS here. "The reality is that NDA is not even close to 272 (the majority mark). This is all actually defensive tactics but he (Modi) is trying to pretend that he is being on the offensive," he said. TMC and the BJP are locked in a direct fight for the 42 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal, with the saffron party giving a big push to its campaigning to ensure it bags a substantial number of seats here at the cost of ruling party. The Prime Minister and BJP President Amit Shah have addressed several rallies in West Bengal over the last few weeks in a bid to raise the party's poll prospects in the state where polling has already been held in 18 seats in four phases. Speaking about the likely poll-poll scenario, O'Brien insisted that the BJP will not be able to lead the NDA to form a government in New Delhi. "There are many parties which do not want to be (with them), especially the smaller and northeast parties, which always stay with those forming the government," the 58-year-old famous quizmaster-cum-author-cum-ad man said. "The NDA will break up after the results and maybe, all the north east parties will go," he predicted and asked, "Why can't these parties work with us?" In such a backdrop, all parties, which are not with the NDA, would work together, he added. "All I am telling you now is that the regional parties will have a big say (in forming an anti-BJP government)," he asserted. Asked whether the Congress would be part of the alternate coalition, the TMC leader said, "Our position is very clear. We work with all to defeat the BJP". He went on to add, "The Congress and the CPI-M are working to defeat the Trinamool in Bengal. There is a Bengal match to be played and there is another match in Delhi and we understand there is difference between the two." On whether his party would extend support to Rahul Gandhi for the Prime Ministership if the Congress does well, O'Brien said, "Such questions are to be answered after May 23. If the Congress gets 272 seats (in the 543-seat Lok Sabha), they will choose whoever they want as PM." FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Asked to respond to Modi and Shah regularly ridiculing TMC chief Mamata Banerjee over her purported ambition to become the Prime Minister by contesting so few seats, O'Brien said, "We are100 per cent certain that we will continue to be the third largest party after the ongoing polls. We acknowledge two parties (BJP and Congress) may have bigger numbers than us." Attacking the Prime Minister, he said, "I am not surprised at Modi's remarks, as he does not believe in the Constitution of India that says 272 MPs will elect the leader. " He went on to add, "He has to go. All of us are very clear that he will have to go." Lambasting the Modi government, the TMC leader said it was destroying all institutions. "Parliament's principal job is to legislate and scrutinise bills. 70 per cent of bills were scrutinised in India before the BJP came to power. But under Modi, only about 20 per cent of bills get scrutinized," the Rajya Sabha member said. O'Brien did not agree that the contours of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) envisaged at the January 19 Brigade Parade ground rally had failed to crystalise. "Everything is fine and Mahagatbandhan is absolutely in place. The BJP wants to pretend that it is not in place," he said. O'Brien, who had worked for years as a creative head of an advertisement agency, quoted legendary advertisement guru David Ogilvy to punch a hole in the BJP campaign. "Ogilvy said if you have a good product, it may sell with bad advertising. The BJP sold a bad product with good advertising in 2014... They have sold all the dreams in 2014. Had they delivered even half of what they promised, they would have got three-fourth majority. But they have been an all-round failure," he said. The funeral has been held Monday of a priest and five parishioners killed in a devastating attack on a Church in Burkina Faso. Vatican News Vatican City; Agenzia Fides Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso "Fr. Simeon Yampa was a humble person and obedient and full of love. He loved his parishioners," writes the newly ordained Bishop of Kaya in Burkina Faso, Theophile Nare, in a tribute, to the young parish priest who died in the attack. Fr. Simeon and five parishioners were killed when Jihadists attacked the Church of Dablo after Sunday Mass on 12 May. The attack occurred between 9am and 10 am in Dablo, a village 90 km from Kaya, in the province of Sanmatenga, north-central of Burkina Faso. The armed militants also burned down the Church building, nearby shops and a health centre. Fr. Simeon Yampa was born on 19 February 1985. He was ordained priest on 7 July 2014 in Kaya. Jihadists aim to disrupt Christian Muslim relations Attacks against Christian communities are on the increase in Burkina Faso. Jihadists seek to drive a wedge between Christians and Muslims who have lived in peace for ages. On 28 April, at the end of the celebration in Silgadji, in the province of Soum, a Protestant pastor was murdered along with five other members of the Church. In mid-February, a Spanish priest and four customs officers were killed in a Jihadist attack in eastern Burkina Faso. And there is still no news of the whereabouts of Fr. Joel Yougbare, the parish priest of Djibo, who disappeared in the north of the country on Sunday, 17 March, this year. Episcopal Conference Secretaries General meet in Ouagadougou. In the meantime, Episcopal Conference Secretaries-General of the region are meeting in a plenary assembly in Ouagadougou from 13 May to 20 May. The meeting is being held in the context of terrorism and religious extremism in the region. The General Secretaries of the national episcopal conferences within the West African region known as Inter-territorial Conferences of West Africa are meeting under the auspices of RECOWA-CERAO. The government must tackle religious extremism Fr. Donald Zagore, of the Society for Missionaris of Africa (SMA), told Agenzia Fides that, "Still today, in the name of Allah the merciful, people kill. But the truth is that Allah does not send anyone to kill on his behalf. Those who kill in the name of Allah are only criminals who deserve to be arrested and judged according to the laws in force, he said. Regional Church united against terrorism According to Fr. Zagore, today more than ever, the Church of West Africa wants to show the world that the Christians of Burkina Faso are not and will never be alone in this fight against religious extremism. The SMA priest says the fight against extremism will be won because we are aware of the fact that evil will never have the last word in our lives. The priest has since called on the Burkinabe authorities to find practical and concrete ways of tackling the challenge of religious extremism. Regional Governments need to tackle terrorism as one Fr. Zagore further says, "It is time for our regional governments to truly unite, deploying the necessary means to put an end to this human tragedy. In unity and solidarity we will overcome religious extremism," he said. By IANS NEW DELHI: Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of throttling democracy and said BSP chief Mayawati's personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed she was unfit to hold any public post. Jaitley said democracy had become a casualty in West Bengal. The Minister tweeted: "Mamata Didi - Democracy has become a casualty in Bengal. Opposition workers are murdered, candidates are attacked, polling booths are captured and Opposition leaders are not entitled to organise rallies." A rally of BJP President Amit Shah was axed after the landowner who had rented out his property withdrew his consent. In an interview to a news agency, Mayawati mounted a scathing personal attack on the Prime Minister saying that he could not be expected to respect other's sisters and wives when he had left his own wife for political gains. Jaitley tweeted: "Behan Mayawati - She is firm on becoming a Prime Minister. Her governance, ethics and discourse stoops to an all-time low. Her personal attack on the Prime Minister exposes her as unfit for public life." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too hit out at Banerjee for not allowing Amit Shah's chopper to land and let him hold an election rally in Jadavpur. Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said Banerjee was "crushing" democracy and the people will give her a befitting reply through the ballot. "Amit Shah was to hold a rally in Jadavpur. Permission regarding the rally was sought four-five days ago. They (administration) suddenly denied permission at 8.30 p.m. on Sunday without citing any reason. At around 11.30 p.m. on Sunday, they also denied permission for landing of the BJP President's chopper there," Javadekar said. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE He urged the Election Commission to take note of what the West Bengal government had done. Javadekar said Banerjee was so rattled that she was seeing the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel as members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). "She is desperate." The decision to ban plastic bags or Kaveera, as plastic is known in the main local language, was communicated to the media over the weekend in Ugandas capital, Kampala. English Africa Service Vatican City Ugandas Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa, the Bishop of Kiyinda Mityana Diocese who is also President of the Uganda Catholic Episcopal conference has said that starting from this years Uganda Martyrs Day on 3 June, the use of plastic bags in and around the premises of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Namugongo, will not be allowed. Bishop Zziwa said plastic contaminates the environment hence the ban by the Bishops. Food packed in Kaveera, single use polythene will not be tolerated The Kiyinda Mityana Bishop told journalists that the decision by the Bishops had been taken to protect the environment and humanity from the harmful effects of polythene bags. He said food wrapped or packed in single-use Kaveera will also not be tolerated at the Shrine adding that pilgrims should use paper bags and other biodegradable bags for carrying their belongings to the Shrine. The Bishops of Uganda say they eventually intend to ban Kaveera bags at all Catholic Shrines and institutions in the country. Green dustbins will be deployed at main entrances and exits into the Namugongo Shrine to collect all Kaveera or polythene bags that pilgrims may unknowingly carry to the Shrine. Speaking at the same event, to reporters, Dr Tom Okurut, the Executive Director of National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) said the campaign against plastic was an opportunity for educating and recruiting pilgrims as ambassadors for the protection of the environment. Polythene bags are known to take over 400 years to decompose when disposed to the environment. Dr Okurut says the scope of the damage that Kaveera has done to the environment is unimaginable adding that communities should be more concerned now that there is a global consensus on the abolition of the use of Kaveera. The spokesman for Nicaraguas Bishops Conference says crisis talks with the government of Daniel Ortega have stalled, ahead of a deadline to release political prisoners. By Devin Watkins Bishop Mata Guevara, of Diocese of Esteli, has told the Fides news agency that the government of President Daniel Ortega has demonstrated no desire to resolve Nicaraguas year-old crisis. We have said it several times: this regime does not have the political will to reach an agreement for the good of the country, the Bishop says. Political prisoners The Catholic Church is helping to mediate talks between the opposition and Ortegas government, and has repeatedly called for the release of political prisoners. President Ortega promised the National Dialogue, as the talks are known, to free them within 90 days. The deadline expires on June 18th. Opposition leaders claim more than 640 people are being held for political motives. Most were arrested during anti-government protests. Unrest has wracked Nicaragua since demonstrations broke out against the government in April 2018. Some 325 people have died and more than 50,000 have fled the country. Listen to our report Talks at standstill Despite the situation, Bishop Guevara says the government has no intention of seeking a peaceful solution to the socio-political crisis. President Ortega, the Bishop notes, is the only one responsible for the crisis in the country. Bishop Guevara also claims Ortega is gumming up the work of the National Dialogue. He is responsible for all the strikes in the country, for the violation of freedom of expression, for not allowing changes for the good of the citizenry, and for international sanctions, the Bishop says. Vice President Rosario Murillo has denied the claims of obstructing crisis talks, saying the government is doing its part at the negotiating table. Meanwhile, the Ortega regime has reportedly removed its delegates from the talks for the past two weeks, and has cancelled an agreement that would have sped up the release of political prisoners. A Catholic priest is wounded during an attack on his parish in the Diocese of Niamey in the West African nation of Niger, where Catholic communities are increasingly under threat. By Linda Bordoni Missionaries in Niger said a group of unidentified persons attacked Dolbel Parish on Monday wounding Father Nicaise Avlouke. The parish belongs to Niamey diocese and is located some 200 km from the capital city, in the Songhay-Serma area. Missionary sources said they had been alerted to the possibility of an attack against the parish and in particular against Catholic priests. They pointed out that this event is yet another confirmation of the fact that the security situation on the border area with Burkina Faso continues to deteriorate. New stage of terrorism in the Sahel It came as the latest attack on a Catholic Church in Burkina Faso left six dead on Sunday. Security forces appear unprepared for this new stage of terrorism in the Sahel, they said. Meanwhile, there has still been no news regarding Father Pier Luigi Maccalli of the Society of African Missions, who was kidnapped in Niger on 17 September 2018. The nation is still reeling from a spate of anti-Christian attacks in January 2015 during which 45 churches, as well as schools and orphanages, were attacked and set on fire in Niamey, Zinder and Goure. These attacks were carried out in response to the Charlie Hebdo front-page cartoon of a weeping Muhammed, published the day after an Islamist attack that killed twelve people, including nine journalists in France. Promoting interreligious dialogue and understanding A Christian project to promote interreligious understanding and brotherhood, called Together with Mary, has since been implemented in the region. It foresees regular meetings that allow Christians of all denominations and Muslims to get together and learn about each other. The meetings feature talks by Christian and Muslim leaders on the theme of interreligious dialogue as well as moments of prayer and discussion. However, organizers say, a lot of mistrust remains. For long-term success, companies in Vietnam involved in the sale of goods require a comprehensive distribution network. Choosing the right model is crucial as some platforms will allow companies to study the consumer market with limited control over their distribution partners, while others will give more control to the investors, but will lead to higher costs. Foreign companies need to decide the most suitable model based on their requirements and capabilities, such as the product or services offered, target market, capital requirements, costs, quality control, and flexibility of its operations. There are three types of entities that can help foreign companies create a distribution platform in Vietnam: Representative Office; Service company (Limited Liability Company); and Trading company (Limited Liability Company). Each of these models differs from each other and the most suitable model for investors will depend on their goals and scope of operations. We cover the defining characteristics of each of these platforms in this section. Representative Office Representative Offices (ROs) are the most inexpensive and simple model to establish in Vietnam. ROs are mostly used for: Acting as a liaison for the parent company; Maintaining relations with existing distributors; Coordinating parent companys activities; and Quality control. ROs are typically a dependent unit of their respective parent company, forbidden to generate their own profits and prevented from entering contracts directly. ROs have no legal status in the country and can only indirectly interact with Vietnamese business in contract with their parent company. ROs may recruit local and foreign employees directly or through an agency, lease office space restricted to only one office in a province or city, equip themselves with facilities necessary for operations, obtain their own company seals, and open local bank accounts for operational purposes. ROs are better suited for companies looking to gain a better understanding of the market and acting as a liaison for its parent company. ROs are a low-cost entry model as there are no specific capital requirements. However, companies need to show that their capital contributions are sufficient to fund their operations. A minimum of US$10,000 is a suitable amount of investment. While an RO is relatively easy to establish and operate, they are very limited in terms of operational scope as they cannot issue invoices or sign contracts. However, this is an advantage as it reduces the compliance burden related to accounting and taxes, thus keeping operating costs low. Despite the limitations, foreign investors often choose ROs as it allows them to keep their cost low, understand the market, and coordinate activities with existing distributors. Limited Liability Company A foreign-invested limited liability company (LLC), unlike an RO, can be involved in profit-generating activities and issue local invoices in Vietnamese dong (VND). However, they cannot issue shares. In addition, the liability of the shareholders is limited by their assets in the business. They can also employ local staff directly. The members of an LLC are only liable for the debts of their partnership limited to their capital contribution that they invested in the company. There is no minimum capital requirement for companies to set up an LLC; however, one needs to make sure that it is a reasonable amount based on the scale and scope of the project. Certain industries such as banking, real estate, and audit services do have a fixed amount of charter capital. For distribution purposes, they are two types of LLCs: Service company; and Trading company. Service company An LLC rendering services to third parties is a service company. Investors use this model for research activities, quality control, product development, design, and logistical services. It is the simplest form of an LLC, as it requires a shorter time and a lower capital requirement to set up the entity, compared to a trading or a manufacturing company. Although ROs are the easiest to set up, a service company is a great alternative when the operations and cost of an RO begin to rise. A service company will increase the entitys operational flexibility. Trading company If a company wants to engage in import and export activities in addition to domestic distribution (that is, retail, wholesale, and franchising) in Vietnam, the most common method is establishing a trading company. Generally, setting up a trading company provides foreign companies more operational control in areas, such as sourcing, quality control, and distribution. Compared to ROs and service companies, investments in a trading company are larger, as it needs to be involved in import and export activities and work closely with suppliers as well as distributors. The licensing process for establishing a trading company can take between four and six months from the date of submitting the application dossier to the relevant authorities. Under World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, around 95 percent of goods can be distributed by businesses that are 100 percent foreign-owned. Winning Vietnams Consumer Market Market observers note that foreign products are generally perceived highly in terms of quality, safety, and reliability. Awareness of brands comes from word of mouth, the internet, market promotions, and advertising. Location is another factor. Companies selling products related to Vietnams infrastructure development, such as energy, aviation, communications, and so on focus in the area around Hanoi, which houses several large state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Further, the proximity of several government departments makes it convenient when seeking approvals. This is fueled by the demand in these industries by SOEs as well as the proximity of several government demands for approvals. Businesses should also note that product information should be provided in Vietnamese to local agents and distributors with a local website if possible. Commercial success in the country requires a hands-on approach. With Vietnams economy growing rapidly, local agents and distributors are handling multiple brands that want to enter the Vietnamese market. A good relationship with local distributors allows foreign enterprises to keep up with changes and developments in the local market. Ultimately, businesses may consider a professional service to assist them in developing their distribution strategy. An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2018-19 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam.... By Express News Service SRINAGAR: At a time when the Valley is seething with anger over the rape of a three-year-old girl in north Kashmir's Bandipora district comes the news that another teenage girl was raped - this time in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district. The accused was arrested by the police. A police official said the police station in Ganderbal received a complaint from a family that their teenage daughter was raped by a youth on May 12. He said the accused identified as 20-year-old Muhammad Aasif Wani was arrested. Police has registered a case under FIR no 98/2019 under RPC 376, 451 RPC Sec-4 and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and has taken up the investigation. The official said a special team has been formed to fast-track the investigation in a professional manner. He said medical examination of the victim has been conducted. The victim's family has demanded justice and called for the hanging of the rapist. Meanwhile, protests continued in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley against the rape of three-year-old girl in north Kashmir's Bandipora district. The students of different educational institutions including the University of Kashmir, Amar Singh (AS) College Srinagar, Women's College Srinagar, Kashmir Law College, SKIMS Medical College, Degree College Kangan and Higher Secondary School, Uri took to the roads today and staged protests. The protesting students were demanding that stern punishment be awarded to the culprit, who has been arrested by the police. "The rapist should be hanged to death. He should not be shown any kind of mercy," the protestors said. The students of AS College clashed with the police and paramilitary personnel, who fired teargas shells to disperse them. The clashes between the two sides continued for some time. On the evening of May 8, a three-year-old girl of Tiragam, Sumbal in north Kashmir's Bandipora district was raped by her neighbour Tahir Ahmed Mir, 20, after she was lured to the washroom of a nearby school. Her family alleged that the accused lured the child with candy, abducted her and then raped her in washroom of a school. The accused was arrested by the police and has been sent to police remand by the court. As a precautionary measure, authorities had ordered the closure of many educational institutions in central, south and north Kashmir. The rape of the three-year-old girl has caused outrage in the Valley with mainstream and separatist politicians, religious parties, civil society members, traders and youth denouncing the incident and demanding stern punishment for the rapist. The administration has ordered a fast-track investigation in the case with PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti saying that Islamic Shariah law seems apt so that such paedophiles are stoned to death. Advisor to Governor K Vijay Kumar said speedy investigation is going on in the rape case and the culprit will be given exemplary punishment. Separatists have launched an armed campaign in Cameroon's two anglophone regions and the government has responded with a crackdown. (AFP/MARCO LONGARI) At least 4.3 million people are in need of aid - a 30 per cent increase from last year in what Mark Lowcock described as an "under-reported" crisis in the central African country. Cameroon is wracked by a conflict between separatists and government forces in its English-speaking west, combined with an influx of refugees from the Central African Republic and Nigeria. "Both the humanitarian and the security situation continue to deteriorate and run the risk of spiraling out of control," Lowcock, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told the council. "The level of the crisis today is more alarming than ever." More than 560,000 people have been driven from their homes since 2017 including 32,000 who have fled to Nigeria. The violence from the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria has spilled over to Cameroon. The United States, joined by Germany, Britain and the Dominican Republic, organized the meeting on Cameroon, but African countries made clear they were skeptical of the new focus. Equatorial Guinea's Ambassador Anatolio Ndong Mba, speaking on behalf of the three African countries on the council, warned that the humanitarian crisis should not be "politicised". The crisis is not a threat to international peace and "the situation should therefore be tackled by the government of Cameroon with genuine support from the international community," said Mba. China and Russia also warned against UN meddling in Cameroon's affairs. NEGLECTED CRISIS Rights groups have accused the United Nations of ignoring the conflict in Cameroon, where separatists in English-speaking regions are pushing for independence from the majority French-speaking country. The government has responded with a crackdown, deploying thousands of soldiers. More than 200 members of the security forces and at least 500 civilians have been killed, according to figures from the International Crisis Group, a think-tank. Cameroon's Ambassador Michel Tommo Monthe defended his government's handling of the conflict, saying Yaounde was "facing secessionism, facing terrorism" but was "on its feet, standing tall." Cameroon's Prime Minster Joseph Dion Ngute traveled to the anglophone region last week, offering dialogue but making clear that independence was not an option. Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council and a former UN aid chief, said the crisis in the English-speaking part of Cameroon was "one of the world's most neglected". "The lack of information and international political attention has allowed the situation to deteriorate from peaceful demonstrations to the atrocities committed by both sides," he told the council. Egeland called for scaling up diplomatic efforts to prevent the violence from worsening and a "massive injection" of funds to support relief work. Cities in Vietnam will benefit from smart initiatives already finding success elsewhere Over the last decade, the urban population in Vietnam has grown at an annual average of nearly 3 per cent, the fastest in Southeast Asia. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which have grown 3.8 and 4 per cent per year respectively, will need substantial changes in order to promote sustainable living. Increasing population density is also adding pressure to aging infrastructure and is impacting the environment. Vietnam has 800 urban areas in which the rate of urbanisation increased from nearly 24 per cent in 1999 to 37 per cent in 2017. The figure is expected to climb by 50 per cent by 2025. This rapid urbanisation is not without its challenges, as it has implications for important issues such as city congestion, water and air quality, poverty, rising inequalities, the urban-rural divide, and the security and safety of citizens. As a result, the Vietnamese government has approved a sustainable smart city development plan for the 2018-2025 period, and towards 2030, with a view to improving the lives of city residents. Under the plan, four chains of smart cities will be formed in Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho. The plan aims to build smart cities based on green growth and sustainable development, utilising the strength and potential of these cities in order to raise the living standards of locals. New technologies create opportunities to develop new urban services that improve the operational performance of cities, provide greater transparency and more interaction with citizens, and reduce the local environmental impact. By making use of data from connected objects such as sensors, probes, and the Internet of Things, real-time water quality can be measured, network losses can be reduced, waste collection and treatment can be managed in real time, and the energy performance of urban services can be improved while also preserving resources. From small to mega cities, groups such as Swiss robotics multinational ABB are helping modern cities deal with the increasing pressure of rising populations and aging infrastructure by working with governments and citizens to implement initiatives on smart utilities, smart buildings, smart transportation, and smart industries. ABB Ability has a portfolio of digital services that turn cities into smart ones. The platform combines cross-industry digital expertise and includes devices, systems, solutions and services that, for example, connect utilities and link the individual subsystems of urban infrastructure. ABB Ability alone currently includes over 200 digital solutions. For example, the ABB Ability Optimax energy management solution helps companies make the transition to new business models easier by providing transparent insight into the energy consumption of industrial, commercial, and utility companies while helping to reduce both environmental impact and costs. The Smart City Cockpit, meanwhile, creates a common operating environment. For example, the district heating network, heat and power generation, and water supply including pumps can be bundled in a model that continuously calculates the cost-optimised operating point of the overall system. With regard to energy supply, Smart City Virtual Power Pool software can automatically monitor generation units, energy storage, and controllable loads. If, for example, the city electric bus fleet is charged at the most favourable time, consumption of renewable energies is optimised. Continuous data analysis shortens response times in the event of unforeseen events, cloud-based automation solutions bring numerous benefits to cities, and the efficiency of networked supply systems increases which in return reduces costs. Quality and accessible data aligned to robust architecture and state-of-the-art analytics are fundamental to mapping, visualising, and optimising these relationships and dependencies at scale. 5G networks are often seen to be critical to the future of the industrial Internet of Things and therefore to the integrated smart city proposition. ABB has cited that its products and solutions are at the heart of a citys critical infrastructure, relied upon for everything from the supply of power, water and heat, to the automation of the factories and buildings people work in. The technology corporation has been partnering with major players in key technology fields for many years such as Microsoft, Ericsson, IBM, and Hewlett Packard, in an attempt to meet complex and challenging requirements. Smart city initiatives are built on a bedrock of strong partnerships and agile processes, said Guido Jouret, chief digital officer of ABB Global. We have built a unique position in this space with founding experience in weaving together technology and infrastructure partnerships across the world, whilst simultaneously helping to shape government policies and standards. Reflecting the diversity of the market, the multinational has been involved in regeneration projects from Sydney to Shanghai, with smart city applications at the heart of new commercial and domestic real estate projects. These include transport electrification across Europe, advanced electric vehicle charging technology in China, solar plants in north Africa, and a smart water system in Ho Chi Minh City. Vasteras, Swedens fifth-largest city, provides an example of how a conventional location can become a smart city. Energy supplier Malarenergi, along with ABB, is currently digitising the citys infrastructure. Malarenergi operates several hydroelectric power stations, the local power grid, the local fibre-optic network, a waste-fired combined heat and power plant, district heating networks, water treatment and wastewater treatment plants, and the water supply system for the citys 150,000 inhabitants. A key objective of the project is to combine the monitoring facilities of the various automated systems into a single control centre from which all services will be operated. ABB has a great example of a waste water project in Hong Kong where the authorities launched an initiative to improve the water quality in Victoria Harbour, as the existing wastewater treatment facility for Kowloon and Hong Kong Island was releasing excessive untreated wastewater inflow into the sea. The ABB Ability solution for HATS 1 and 2 consisted of a sophisticated unified distributed control system (DCS) with a total of about 43,000 I/Os installed on both the original and the expanded part of the plant. The DCS supervises the entire sewage works, providing operators with full control over the older and newer parts of the plant. ABB executed the installation of the new control system during normal plant operations and without requiring unscheduled shutdowns. Here in Vietnam, ABB Ability Symphony Plus SCADA is deployed in Ho Chi Minh City to reduce the loss of 30 per cent (150 million cubic metres) of clean water through leaking and damaged pipes. The project, commissioned by Saigon Water Corporation, included expansion of the current network capacity, integration of more isolated sections, reduction of water leakage, and real-time control and monitoring of the network conditions to prevent major disruptions. The result will be a rise in the volume of water delivered to households and industries, as well as minimising an estimated 500,000m3 of non-revenue water lost per day, according to ABB. Real estate was the most attractive sector for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Ho Chi Minh City in the first four months of the year. (Photo: cafef.vn) According to the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, the British Virgin Islands was the largest investor by pouring 71.59 million USD into the sector, accounting for 43.5 percent of realty investment. The Republic of Korea came second with 19.5 percent, followed by Japan (10 percent), Singapore (5.7 percent) and Chinas Hong Kong (3.4 percent). In the four-month period, foreign businesses bought shares and contributed capital to state-owned enterprises, with total capital mounting to 1.83 billion USD, up 30.6 percent year on year. The realty sector was the largest recipient at 24 percent of the total. Experts said foreign cash flow to the sector will increase in the near future, especially after Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said at the recent investment promotion forum that the city is seeking foreign investment in 29 urban development projects, including several condominium projects. Chairman of the HCM City Real Estate Association Le Hoang Chau said foreign investment in infrastructure and urban area development improves the local transport system and speeds up urbanisation rate. However, local authorities should work to put forth investment procedures and shorten time for land clearance so the projects can be carried out soon. Meanwhile, Director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Le Thi Huynh Mai said administrative reform is a key to facilitate investments of foreigners. Science and technology firms will play an important role in Vietnams future plans The new slogan Make in Vietnam has been announced by the Vietnamese government as part of the efforts to show support to all businesses in Vietnam and turn the country into a regional technology hub. The announcement was made at last weeks national forum on developing Vietnamese technology companies in the presence of more than 1,000 delegates, including government officials, experts, and leaders of leading technology firms like FPT Group, Bkav and VCCorp. The event aimed to disseminate the governments directions in developing technology companies and gather policy feedback. In recent years, Vietnam has seen breakthroughs in technology thanks to giants like Vingroup which last year gained global publicity by developing its own VinFast automobiles and VinSmart smartphone brand, and Viettel Group which is planning to roll out its 5G network next year. Within less than six months, VinSmart has launched four smartphones and plans to offer 12 more devices in 2019. The company is constructing a manufacturing facility in the northern city of Haiphong with the annual capacity of 100 million devices and has partnered up with a US partner to develop 5G-ready phones. Le Thi Thu Thuy, chairwoman of VinFast said, About 10 years ago, there was only one tech company (Microsoft) among the 10 most successful companies in the world, but now only one of the 10 largest companies does not deal in technology. Vingroup is the biggest Vietnamese company to incorporate technology as one of the three pillars of its operation, next to industry and trade services, with the goal of becoming the regions leading technology corporation within 10 years. Vingroup has already developed factories that sport capacities and levels of automation that turn corporations over the world green with envy, while Viettel is developing 5G equipment, making Vietnam the fifth in the world to develop such capabilities. These Vietnamese companies not only caught up to the region and the globe in technology, but are actually leaving many a step behind. However, such companies are a miniscule portion of nearly 400 local tech businesses and 15,000 startups. Potential still to be reached The latest data from the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) showed that last year, the local IT sector reached $98.9 billion in revenue, up 8 per cent on-year, including $88 billion from hardware, $4.3 billion from software, $5.7 billion from technology services, and $800 million from digital content. The industry also contributed nearly VND50 trillion ($2.17 billion) to the state budget and created more than one million jobs. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), estimated the value of Vietnams digital economy at $9 billion in 2018, forecasting it to reach $30 billion by 2025. Accordingly, Vietnams GDP will increase by $162 billion in 20 years if the digital transformation is successful. Recognising the role of tech firms, over the past few years, the government has provided capital and come up with many supporting policies to nurture them. Specifically, Decree No.13/2019/ND-CP providing new incentives for science and technology companies took effect on March 20. It gives sci-tech firms exemption from corporate income tax for the first four years and a 50 per cent exemption for the next nine years. The decree also stipulated that sci-tech companies are eligible for exemption or reduction of land and water surface rental fees. In addition, the MoST in 2015 also launched the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF) with a budget of VND1 trillion ($43.48 million) to support sci-tech firms. Despite the governments efforts, these firms still have limited access to support, according to Nguyen The Tan, CEO of VCCorp. Speaking at the forum, Tan said that while China actually has negative tax rates for Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu, and in the US, Amazon is subject to 0 per cent tax, established Vietnamese firms like VCCorp often pay 15-20 per cent on tax. Value-added and corporate income taxes are very high, Tan added. He said that the digital economy should be considered a key economic sector, with taxes aimed to incentivise development, not milk firms dry. The government should appreciate Vietnamese technology companies and enable them to export products and services to international markets. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc Technology is the foundation of economic growth, escaping the middle-income trap, and enabling Vietnam to become a developed country. Vietnam targets to become a prosperous industrial country with more than half of the population in the middle class by 2045. In my opinion, taking advantage of Industry 4.0, technological and scientific achievements, and developing technology corporations will help us reach the target. In the time coming, Vietnam will not only absorb and master technology, but also strengthen innovation and creativity. This is the only way we can become a prosperous country. We will use technology from over the world to resolve Vietnams problems, and then local technology companies will provide solutions for the globe. We consider technology companies the key for the country to become a dragon by 2045. With the exciting trends of Industry 4.0 and digital economy, they will play an important role in the countrys socio-economic development. Natural resources and cheap labour are no longer advantages, so innovation is vital for the businesses and the economy. For example, e-commerce has contributed around $3.5 billion to the economy, equivalent to 1.7 per cent of the GDP, which is expected to grow to $42 billion by 2030 thanks to boosting digital technology in order to increase labour productivity and reduce production costs. These figures should increase multiple times in the decades after. There are nearly 50,000 active businesses in the ICT sector now, making a total revenue of $100 billion. We target to have 100,000 businesses by 2030, as well as transfer from outsourcing to making Vietnamese products. Industry 4.0 is a good opportunity for innovative ideas to change the way of doing business. Economies will shift from a model whose growth is driven by traditional inputs such as low-cost labour, land, and natural resources to another model whose growth created by high technology and innovation. Thereby, labour-intensive industries will lose their competitive advantage and narrow production scale. But there will be opportunities from the efforts of Vietnamese businesses trying to overcome the challenge, while maximising the advantage of Vietnam in the digital era. Breaking limitations Pham Hai Van, director of Haravan Technology JSC in north Vietnam, told VIR that Vietnamese firms have yet to acquire the financial strength of global firms and cannot afford producing new technology and train human resources. Therefore, in addition to tax incentives, policies resolving capital shortage should also be issued. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, lecturer in public policy at Fulbright University, also told VIR, It is necessary to create open policies for all sides playing a part in the development of local tech firms. According to Thanh, schools should be free in selecting curricula instead of being limited to the one prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training. Besides, private businesses should be involved deeper in developing technology parks for domestic players and startups because they know better what those companies need. In addition, it is essential to extend loans to startups. The most difficult times for startups and sci-tech firms are the ones directly after establishment when they commonly accept losses in hopes of future gain. Therefore, they need a certain amount of capital to support them before they grow up. Eric Sidgwick, the Asian Development Banks country director for Vietnam, said that Vietnam should harness the digital economy to rapidly raise productivity, and a key task for this will be fostering tech startups. He advised the government to develop technology parks focusing on regional and global markets, as well as promote innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education. Vietnam still needs to adapt to the technology era and work out suitable policies. There are not only problems with governance, but also with startups and tech firms, which also need time to grow up, according to Van from Haravan Technology. Piloting new policies on a small scale could help the government to avoid risks. They can be extended if they work and there is little harm if they do not hit the mark, Van said. Buoyed by increasing interest in taking up loans for purchases among the Vietnamese population, recent years saw an impressive growth of personal finance companies in Vietnam, with FE Credit, Viet Credit, SHB Finance, and Easy Credit, among others, joining the market. The market is expected to thrive with some newcomers backed by giant Oriented Commercial Joint Stock Bank (OCB) and Asian Commercial Bank (ACB). It is interesting that many of the current businesses are an extension of the retail banking business of some banks. Their business network, IT, and risk control system, as well as strong capital foundations, bear the marks of commercial banks. For example, FE Credit, a consumer lending company of VPBank and one of the largest players in the industry, announced that its revenue made up 30 per cent of VND9.2 trillion ($400 million) of VPBanks overall pre-tax profit. With its return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) of 2.5 and 22.9 per cent, respectively, the firm is VPBanks frontline penetrating the consumer credit market. Meanwhile, HD Saison generated VND900 billion ($39.1 million) in profit, which is 73 per cent higher than in 2017. The firms revenue also accounted for 25 per cent of HDBanks pre-tax profit last year. With activism rising across the country, the number of companies in the field is no longer limited to a few local players. New-age financial services have a huge opportunity to make credit accessible to individuals, boosting the harsh competition among consumer lending companies. The consumer finance sector is forecasted to witness double-digit growth in the next few years, luring both local and foreign players. The case of Lotte from South Korea wholly acquiring Techcom Finance of Vietnam can epitomise these trends perfectly. MB Bank and Shinsei Bank signing an agreement on consumer lending co-operation Besides wholly acquiring deals, some local finance companies have found overseas partners to strengthen their operations, such as the marriage between Shinhan Bank and ANZ Vietnam's retail banking arm, or Shinsei Bank (Japan) acquiring 49 per cent of MCredit from MBBank. It is noted that local consumer credit firms like FE Credit and HD Saison still outweigh international rivals in profit thanks to their better understanding of Vietnamese customers. These local companies are not only backed up by Vietnamese banks as shareholders but also innovate to optimise operations based on Vietnamese consumers characteristics. However, overseas firms hold advantages of their own in their global and international network and ability to offer a wider suite of products to their customers. The burgeoning purchase power of Vietnamese people attracts more and more firms each year Vietnams population is expected to reach 100 million in 2025, according to a recent forecast issued by the Institute of Public Policy and Management. Hence, the market potential is still very large as Vietnams GDP is the second highest in the ASEAN, while 70 per cent of the population is of working age, said Dmitry Mosolov, general director of Home Credit Vietnam. This means a big hitherto untapped white space of consumer lending could open up many great potentials for finance firms. However, some hidden dangers have gradually emerged during the rapid development and the corresponding restrictive policies should be introduced. Reacting to the booming growth of consumer finance, Vietnam Investment Review recently held a conference to find alternatives to loan shark activities and shadow banking In a bid to mitigate risk and fraud, Vietnam is tightening regulations on the consumer finance market by issuing Circular No.43/2016/TT-NHNN limiting the maximum amount of cash loan to 30 per cent of total loans. It could pose many challenges to both financial firms and their customers, finance and banking expert Nguyen Tri Hieu stated. For instance, unlicensed companies, which often receive less supervision and have diversified business models, will face great uncertainty. A manufacturing line in the factory of Ladophar Nguyen Kim has published the information about the purchase of an additional 1.36 million shares at Ladophar from existing 2.6 million shares to increase the holding in Ladophar to 51.15 per cent. The company has yet to disclose the valuation of the deal, however, previously, Nguyen Kim offered VND25,600 per share, VND6,000 lower than the listed value of Ladophar, thus the deal is estimated at VND35 billion ($1.52 million). Ladophar is an affiliate of Nguyen Kim, which already holds 24 per cent of the drug companys charter capital. Nguyen Kim started investing in pharmaceuticals in 2014 after purchasing a 10 per cent stake in Ladophar. After that, it increased its capital in the company to 24 per cent. Starting in 2017, Nguyen Kim proposed buying more Ladophar shares to turn it into a subsidiary, however, its previous bids for the State Capital Investment Corporations portion of the pharmaceutical firm were unsuccessful. In order for this latest deal to succeed, the company has repeatedly tried raising its ownership in Ladophar to above 51.14 per cent. At the previous proposals, Nguyen Kim committed that if the deal succeeded, it would join the management of the core business lines of the pharmaceutical company, including oriental medicine production, commercial medicines, medical equipment and importing drugs. Nguyen Kim committed that if the deal succeeded, it would join the management of the core business lines of the pharmaceutical company, including oriental medicine production, commercial medicines, medical equipment and importing drugs. During its time as a subsidiary of Nguyen Kim, Ladophar reported bleak business results in 2018 and the first quarter of this year. Notably, in 2018 the company acquired VND435 billion ($18.9 million) in revenue, down 18 per cent on-year while its gross profit also decreased from VND76 billion ($3.3 million) to VND58 billion ($2.5 million). Meanwhile, sales expenditures soared. This year, the company targets to earn VND460 billion ($20 million) in revenue and VND5 billion ($217,391) in pre-tax profit, however, at the end of the first quarter of this year, Ladophar reports a loss of VND2.4 billion ($104,347). In addition to Ladophar, Nguyen Kim also poured dozens of billions of dong into FT Pharma. According to Business Monitor International (BMI), the 2017 revenue of the Vietnamese pharmaceuticals sector was $5.2 billion (VND117.52 trillion), which it forecasts will rise to $7.7 billion (VND174.02 trillion) in 2021. The demand for pharmaceutical products rapidly expanded as a consequence of high economic growth, rising per capita income, and a higher population. However, domestic companies satisfy only 50 per cent of the market demand, while the rest of the pharmaceuticals have to be imported. The Vietnamese pharmaceutical market continues to turn heads across the globe and will turn up the heat in the market, which is good news for investors. In recent years, many electronics companies have moved into the distribution of drugs, including Mobile World Groups investment in the Phuc An Khang drug chain or FPT Digital Retail Companys investment in Long Chau Pharmacy. This promising market has many retail chains, such as Mobile World (1,065 stores), FPT (519), and Nguyen Kim (58). These technology retailers may apply their store chain management format for the pharmaceutical business, which could help them take large market shares. Thail SMEs showcasing their products at Top Thai Brands 2019 Around 500 Vietnamese firms have signed agreements and deals with Thai companies at the recent Top Thai Brands 2019 expo. Banjongjitt Angsusingh, director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under the Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, said that the department has aided many small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enter the Vietnamese market. Thai banks also set up a presence in Vietnam to provide financial support for Thai SMEs expanding in Vietnam. Top Thai Brands 2019 has attracted more than 200 exhibitors to explore the possibility of doing business in Vietnam. The expo showcases a wide range of quality branded products and services from Thailand, ranging from food and beverages, home appliances and household products, and beauty products and cosmetics to health and well-being. She noted that more Thai brands are visiting Vietnam to look for business opportunities. Some brands have learnt of the taste of Vietnamese consumers and then altered their products to meet the local demand. The products at Top Thai Brands 2019 were created through new production technology with natural ingredients to protect consumers health. According to Angsusingh, it would be very easy to build on Vietnam and Thailand's proximity and close, cordial relations. At present, trade and investment relations between the two countries are strong and keep growing. Bilateral trade turnover in 2018 has reached $18.7 billion. Thailands accumulated direct investment in Vietnam also amounted to more than $10.4 billion until now, placing among the top ten largest foreign direct investors in Vietnam. Those figures are expected to surge up with our leaders having reaffirmed at the latest Thailand-Vietnam Joint Cabinet Retreat the two sides' commitment to promote enhanced partnership for peace and prosperity. Also, both sides agreed on achieving the bilateral trade turnover target of $20 billion by 2020 with an emphasis on the promotion of trade facilitation and investment. Top Thai Brands 2019 will feature 160 booths The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the Office of Commercial Affairs of the Thai Ministry of Commerce, the Royal Thai Embassy in Hanoi, in co-operation with Vinexad, will organise Top Thai Brands 2019 in Hanoi during May 23-26, 2019 at the Hanoi International Exhibition Center (I.C.E), Friendship Cultural Palace, 91 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoan Kiem district. Notably, Top Thai Brands 2019 in Hanoi will set aside half a day on May 23, 2019 for trade, while the following three and a half days from May 23 afternoon to May 26 will be open for the public. This special arrangement means to create good conditions for trade promotion and business matching (B2B) to introduce Thai products and services significantly expanding business networking from previous years. Top Thai Brands 2019 will exhibit a multitude of Thai products and services Around 160 booths of Thai companies and their largest agents in Vietnam will exhibit their high-quality products and services across various categories, including food and beverage (F&B), household products, baby products, fashion products, electronic appliances, automotive products, healthcare and beauty products, and trade services, among others. As usual, in order to support the main activities, the event will also feature fruit and vegetable carving, Thai cooking demonstration and food tasting, and traditional dance performances by professional dancers from Thailand. Returning to Hanoi one more time, Top Thai Brands 2019 is expected to not only promote bilateral trade and investment between Thailand and Vietnam, but also to enhance locals understanding of the rich culture of neighbouring Thailand. Cashless payment is anticipted to develop rapidly in Vietnam. - Photo vtv.vn Under a draft circular about intermediary payment services the State Bank of Vietnam recently made public, e-wallet daily transaction limits were set at VND20 million (US$850) for individuals and VND100 million for organisations. The monthly transaction limits were set at VND100 million and VND500 million, respectively. Pham Tien Dung, director of the State Bank of Vietnams Payment Department, said at a conference late last week that setting daily and monthly transaction limits for e-wallets aimed to prevent them being used for illegal purposes like tax evasion or money laundering. Dung pointed out that transaction value via e-wallets in Vietnam is currently modest, averaging about VND200,000 per transaction. Can Van Luc, a senior economist of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, said setting inappropriate monthly transaction limits would hinder the development of e-payment, adding that the limit for individuals should be increased to VND150 million-VND200 million. More consideration should be given on the transaction limits for e-wallets, Luc said. He said limits should be set based on income per capita and consumption demand. E-payment has significant potential in Vietnam, given the countrys young population, high rate of smartphone users (55 per cent) and rapidly growing e-commerce segment, Luc said. Nguyen Ba Diep, CEO of e-wallet company Momo, said transaction limits should be set at higher levels to prepare for the anticipated rapid development of e-payment. Diep said monthly limits for individuals should be increased to VND200 million while no limits should be set for organisations. According to Nguyen Thanh Hung, chairman of Vietnam e-Commerce Association, Vietnams e-commerce industry has been predicted to develop rapidly, reaching a value of $33 billion by 2025 from $8 billion today, but this would depend on the development of online payments. Hung said it was necessary to create favourable conditions for the development of e-payment to drive a boom in e-commerce. Hung said transaction limits should be flexible, adding that those with demand for higher limits should be allowed to have them. Tran Quang Huy, head of Fintech Club under the Vietnam Banks Association, proposed e-wallet transaction limits should be removed. E-wallets were not meant for only small transactions, experts said. Experts also said careful consideration should be given to regulations on the procedures to open e-wallets and the number of e-wallets one could own. According to Dung, it was important to create a favourable environment for e-payment but risks must be kept under control. Vietnam is seeing rapid development of fintech companies and system security and safety is the first priority, Dung said. Dung stressed that the State Bank of Vietnam wants to develop policies and regulations which would promote cashless payment and keep risks under control. The central bank's statistics showed that as of February, 2019, Vietnam had 29 non-bank companies with licenses to provide intermediary payment services. The annual general shareholders' meeting of Vietnam Airlines Speaking at the meeting, Nguyen Thi Phu Ha, vice chairwoman of the Committee for State Capital Management (CMSC), said: Vietnam Airlines (VNA), as the national airline, has made great efforts to fulfil its plan, contributing to the overall development of the domestic aviation industry. During the four years of operations as a joint stock company, VNAs production and business results were always higher than in the previous year. In 2018, VNA has also achieved its targets. Pham Ngoc Minh, VNA chairman, said: Although the aviation market continues to have many challenges, 2019 is an opportunity for VNA to confirm its position in the aviation market and in the business community. We will focus on implementing the tasks assigned by the AGM, ensuring safe operations, continuing the programme of reforming our aircraft fleet, and improving business administration towards sustainable growth. Pham Ngoc Minh, chairman of VNA VNA shareholders discussed and voted to approve important issues such as the company's report on the business results in 2018 and main targets of production and business plan in 2019, audited financial report for 2018 and plans to distribute profit and dividend, plan to strengthen the Board of Control as well as developing the fleet in 2021-2025, the investment policy to buy 50 narrow-body aircraft in the period 2021-2025, and some other important contents. Duong Tri Thanh, general director of VNA The shareholders appreciated VNAs many achievements in 2018. Consolidated revenue was at a record, reaching VND98.95 trillion ($4.3 billion), up 1.9 per cent compared to the plan. The aviation company also achieved the largest consolidated pre-tax profit so far with VND3.3 trillion ($143.5 million), exceeding the plan by 36.8 per cent. In particular, the parent company contributed VND73.227 trillion ($3.18 billion) in revenue and VND2.418 trillion ($105.13 million) in pre-tax profit, exceeding the target set by the 2018 AGM by 23.4 per cent. The debt to equity ratio has reached 2.58, lower than at the beginning of 2018 and the set target. In 2018, VNA successfully performed over 141,300 flights, safely transporting nearly 22 million passengers, maintaining four-star international service standards and its on-time performance (OTP), with improving labour productivity, income, and welfare for workers. With good business and production indexes, VNA has been rising on the UPCoM and is appreciated for its high liquidity and large market capitalisation at approximately $2.6 billion. Since May 7, 2019, VNA has completed procedures to officially list HVN shares on HSX. The listing on HSX created favourable conditions for the corporation to improve its reputation, transparency of information, increase the liquidity of stocks, and access many sources of new capital. Previously, VNA also completed the plan to offer shares to shareholders to increase its charter capital. As a result, the companys capital value increased by VND1.9 trillion ($82.6 million), bringing its charter capital to VND14.18 trillion ($616.5 million). VNAs efforts to improve and enhance its brand continue to be recognised by the domestic and international community through a series of prestigious awards. This is the third consecutive year that Skytrax, the international air transport rating organisation, recognises VNA as a four-star international airline. With the brand value of $416 million, according to Brand Finance, VNA also advanced one rank among the Top 10 strongest and most valuable brands in Vietnam in 2018. With such impressive business results, VNA will pay 10 per cent dividends for 2018 in cash (equivalent to over VND1.418 trillion $61.7 million), 2 per cent higher than in 2017. This ratio is consistent with the business results of 2018 and the regulations of the state, ensuring the balance of cash flows and financial balance for the expanded investment, production, and business activities of the corporation in 2019 and the following years. Regarding the 2019 business and production plan approved by the AGM, VNA strives to reach the target of 24.9 million total passenger transport volume. The consolidated revenue target is more than VND111.7 trillion ($4.86 billion), in which the parent company reached over VND82.5 trillion ($3.59 billion). The consolidated pre-tax profit target is nearly VND3.4 trillion ($147.83 million), of which the parent company expects to reach nearly VND2.7 trillion ($117.4 million). In the first quarter of 2019, VNAs business activities continued to be positive, with total consolidated revenue of nearly VND26 trillion ($1.13 billion), consolidated pre-tax profit of VND1.58 trillion ($68.7 million), reaching 45 per cent of the whole year plan. The parent company reached VND19.3 trillion ($840.52 million) in revenue, up 5.5 per cent over the same period and VND1.28 billion ($55.61 million) in pre-tax profit, up 36.6 per cent over the same period. SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service VIENA: In a renewed effort, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) has offered India an 'Observer' status and access to state-of-art International Monitoring System (IMS) data. More than 20 years have passed since the CTBT opened for signature in 1996, with the objective of banning all nuclear explosions everywhere and by everyone. Till today, it has not been able to become a global law because it is considered as 'discriminatory' by countries such as India. In a free-wheeling chat with a group of Indian journalists at its headquarters in Vienna in Austria, CTBTO Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo said he fully understood the concerns of India. "I am not asking India to ratify the treaty, but it can become an Observer, allowing India to attend our meeting; see how CTBTO works and takes the time needed in making the decision." To start with, he invited India to participate in the science and technology conference scheduled for next month, which will bring together around 1,000 scientists, technologists, academics and CTBTO policy-makers. The conference will be addressed by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on June 24. "The conference is intended to bring the countries that are not signatories to the CTBT. India can come and participate in scientific and technological discussions where you can see what is up there....and make a decision whether to join us as an observer or not. That is all am hoping for. Am not asking India to ratify," Zerbo said. Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson and Joint Secretary of the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), has not responded to the e-mail sent by Express seeking a response to the CTBTO's outreach. However, W Selvamurthy, former Chief Controller, Research and Development (Life Sciences and International Corporation), Defence Research and Development Organisation, said there was nothing wrong with India exploring the possibility of becoming an Observer in the CTBTO. "India is an emerging a global superpower. It is now a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) with a clear nuclear programme. India has always championed the cause of a nuclear weapon-free world, but being a sovereign nation with the hostile neighbourhood, it should be prepared to protect itself. That does not mean we should not engage in dialogue. India can become a CTBTO Observer," Selvamurthy said. To a specific question from Express whether the CTBTO was proactive enough to bring India onboard post-1996 failed talks, Zerbo said a few years ago, a delegation was sent to Pakistan as well as India offering Observer status. While Pakistan accepted, the delegation could not even meet Indian authorities. Benefits of becoming an Observer Zerbo said India can benefit immensely from becoming a CTBTO Observer. Over the years, the organisation setting has changed a lot. "We are making data available to people who were not traditionally getting it." For instance, the virtual Data Exploitation Centre (vDEC) provides scientists access to IMS data to conduct research and to publish new findings. The strong relationship between the scientific and technological community and the CTBTO helps ensure that the IMS remains at the forefront of technological innovation and that no nuclear explosion goes undetected. He said the earlier CTBTO had task leader for data confidentiality, which does not exist anymore. It is an established fact that IMS, consisting of 337 facilities worldwide, is the most sophisticated system. "The benefit of such a system has to go to all countries. India has a lot to gain. In 2006, North Korea has conducted a one-ton yield nuclear test which was detected by IMS which was only 50 per cent then. Now, over 90 per cent of the facilities are already in operation. I will fight for India getting access to IMS data even if it is just an Observer and does not ratify the treaty." Why not put pressure on China & US to ratify? When asked why the CTBTO was not putting pressure on the United States, China, North Korea and Pakistan to ratify the treaty, the official said China had been taking small steps and in the last 15 years, five IMS stations had been certified in China. The United States has not cut the funds. "A small step for a country like India would mean huge international community," Zerbo said. About The Treaty The 1996 CTBT bans all nuclear explosions, everywhere and by everyone. Before the CTBT can enter into force, all of the 44 countries listed in Annex 2 of the Treaty must ratify. These countries possessed nuclear power or research reactors when the CTBT was negotiated. Eight of the Annex 2 States have not yet ratified the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the State of Israel, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the United States of America. The Verification Regime The IMS consists of 337 facilities worldwide which monitor the planet for signs of nuclear explosions. Over 90% of the facilities are already in operation, and the IDC in Vienna continuously processes this data stream. Both raw data and analysis results are made available to all 184 States Signatories of the CTBT. (This correspondent was in Vienna on the invitation of Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) and James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), USA) Leaders of the Medicine Preventive Centre of the MoH, NICVB, NIHE, the Swiss Ambassador, Zuellig Pharma, and province representatives at the eZCooler Kick-off Meeting Every three months, 38-year-old Ng Phuong has to take a three-hour journey from Moc Chau district in the northern province of Son La to Hanoi to get her son vaccinated. After a typical hour and a half wait, the work is complete and they return home. I have to go to Hanoi for fear of low-quality vaccines in Son La, which often faces shortage of vaccines, said Phuong. Although the road to Hanoi is now smoother, it is quite far and uncomfortable for my son. But ultimately, I have no choice but to go for safety reasons. According to the Son La Centre for Disease Control, it is difficult to ensure vaccinations for children, especially those located in the most remote areas in Vietnam. As shown in a 2018 survey, about 464 out of a total of 3,323 villages across 101 communes do not have access to the Vietnam Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). Furthermore, even in areas where vaccination is available, refrigerators and other freezing facilities in the cold chain are spoilt or not maintained well, hence failing to ensure quality of vaccines stored here. Like Phuong, many mothers in Son La and other provinces in such remote areas are facing the same situation. This has become a problem for the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other relevant agencies. It is believed that a solution to this could potentially involve co-operating with the private sector. Advantages of the eZCooler that outweigh traditional cold chain storage solutions Rigorous compliance: By restricting the storage temperature of a product to an allowed threshold, the eZCooler allows pharmaceutical products in transit to be stored at the manufacturer's required temperature and allows for close guidance by medical authorities throughout the entire chain. Product integrity: All six sides of the eZCooler contain vacuum insulation panels to ensure a stable internal storage temperature, no matter the external environment and without any reliance on external energy sources. Environmentally friendly: By completely eliminating the use of disposable foam containers and replacing them with the reusable eZCooler, the project will contribute to reducing waste and carbon emissions. Economically friendly: With regular maintenance, the eZCooler can continue to provide temperature-controlled transportation for vaccines for years. Custom volumes: The eZCooler is developed in a range of sizes, which is suitable for the volume required by each destination. eZCooler Recently, a $600,000 project to support the EPI through the use of the eZCooler was officially launched in partnership between Zuellig Pharma, the National Institute for Control of Vaccines and Biologicals (NICVB), and the National Institute of Hygiene & Epidemiology (NIHE). The project, to be carried out by 2020, will benefit the six northern provinces of Hai Duong, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Ha Giang, Son La, and Yen Bai, which are all facing challenges to ensure quality of the cold chain for vaccines. As part of the project, Zuellig Pharma will co-operate with the NICVB and the NIHE to provide training to employees of their Medical Prevention Departments, on international standards and goods storage practices for cold chain supply management and usage of the eZCooler. The eZCooler is Zuellig Pharmas innovative packaging solution, which ensures the integrity of the product quality in the supply chain through the critical last stages of delivery. It has helped increase access to healthcare across Asia, especially in very remote or rural areas. With eZCooler, we can minimise the risk of cold chain breakdowns by maintaining stable product temperatures for up to five days, more than double the performance of standard packaging solutions used today, said John Davison, CEO of Zuellig Pharma. This technology therefore goes a long way towards eliminating the risk of damage from supply chain delays or changes in the external environment. Moreover, integration with digital temperature monitoring technology also provides further peace of mind to healthcare professionals and patients using these important products. With this project, the drug giant shares its expertise and technology with the Vietnamese government in its effort to expand access to vaccines nationwide. It also proves how effective public-private partnerships are in benefiting locals and how investments into digital health and commercial solutions further the goal of making healthcare more accessible. One of the key challenges facing the healthcare industry in Asia is the handling of vaccines, and other temperature sensitive medicines. According to the World Health Organization, more than half of all vaccines manufactured globally are destroyed during the storage and delivery process, a very serious and complex issue. Vietnam is not an exception as provinces in remote, mountainous, or island areas are still unable to ensure cold chain quality for vaccines. In these areas, cold chain infrastructure under the EPI funded by the government is being downgraded. Furthermore, employees of the Medical Prevention Departments in these areas are not properly trained in vaccine management and preservation. Zuellig Pharma owns and operates some of the eZCooler solution in other cities and provinces across the country in an attempt to increase vaccine access. According to Business Monitor International, Vietnams healthcare expenditure was estimated at $16.1 billion in 2017, representing 7.5 per cent of its GDP. The figure will grow at 12.5 per cent a year to $22.7 billion by 2021. Vaccines and cold chain products make up a significant part of this expenditure. Vietnam has, for decades, made great strides in the implementation of the countrys Expanded Programme on Immunisation, initiated by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in 1981, becoming a bright spot in the Southeast Asian region with regards to nationwide coverage. So far, the programme has benefited millions of women and children, with 95 per cent of children under a year old being vaccinated. The MoH has now set the goal to improve the proportion of vaccinations in areas that are at high risk of outbreaks, and in locations which are geographically difficult to reach. Longer partnership Zuellig Pharma has grown to become a $13 billion business with over 13,000 employees serving over 350,000 medical facilities in 13 markets across Asia. Coming into existence in 1999, Zuellig Pharma Vietnam is one of the largest multinational pharmaceutical service providers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. They have also been involved in numerous corporate social responsibility activities, and the group works closely with the MoH to promote the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Vietnam. For the last 17 years, Zuellig Pharma Vietnam has supported the Nguyen Van Huong scholarship programme, committing to help thousands of young medical students continue their dreams to eventually become medical professionals. As of 2019, the Nguyen Van Huong scholarship fund has raised over VND8.5 billion ($370,000) and suppored for over 1,600 medical students and nurses in various communes and villages across Vietnam. Helping to build the pool of professional medical talent in any market is a key part ensuring patients can access and adhere to treatment. We have realised that there is constant demand for medical professional in Vietnam and we will continue to contribute to the Nguyen Van Huong scholarship programme to help students complete their education and join the medical workforce, said a representative of Zuellig Pharma. The eZCooler project is the first or many initiatives that show the healthcare services companys long-term business commitments to Vietnam, and its strong focus on Asia. More recently, the company also launched its Zuellig Health Solutions Innovation Centre to develop new services and address some pressing healthcare needs in Asia. Since then, Zuellig Pharma has been focused on creating data, offering disease management solutions, supporting patients with chronic conditions, and helping payors manage healthcare costs. Cambodias King Norodom Sihamoni departed for a three-day visit to Beijing Monday, according to a state news agency. He is attending an international cultural event organized by the Chinese government and reportedly met with President Xi Jingping. The visit will see him miss the official birthday events in Cambodia. The monarch turns 66 on May 14 when Cambodians will enjoy an annual three-day holiday to celebrate his birthday. The king has reigned for 15 years since his popular father, the late King Norodom Sihanouk, abdicated to make way for his son in 2004. King Sihamoni generally does not address the nation during his birthday. The monarch attended a small ceremony Sunday at the Khemarin Residence in Phnom Penhs Royal Palace to celebrate his birthday. It included blessings from the Buddhist supreme patriarchs, the courts Hindu Brahmins, royal family members, including the Queen Mother Norodom Monineath, and state officials. Bilateral meeting The king flew Monday morning on a special flight to Beijing where he was invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, according to Agence Kampuchea Presse. He is scheduled to return on May 16. Some 1,500 attendees from 47 countries in Asia, including government leaders and heads of state, have been invited to the two-day conference, Chinese media reported. President Xi Jinping is due to address the conference, which has the theme exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations and a community with a shared future. In Beijing, King Sihamoni held a bilateral meeting on Tuesday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, telling the Communist Party leader that Cambodian people will stand firmly with the Chinese people under any circumstances, according to Chinese government news agency Xinhua. Xi called on the two countries to implement an action plan for building a community with a shared future for China and Cambodia, Xinhua reported. Government spokesman Phay Siphan said he had no further details on the monarchs itinerary. He is there representing Cambodian culture and civilization in engaging others across the region to build a foundation of Asian values, he told VOA Khmer by phone. History of Relations Cambodias royal family has a history of good relations with the Chinese communist government going back to the reign of King Sihanouk. The government he led as Prince Sihanouk recognized China in 1958 and he enjoyed its support during the early 1970s after he was ousted in a coup detat by General Lon Nol. After his return to the throne of a constitutional monarchy in Cambodia in 1993 King Sihanouk remained a frequent guest of the Chinese government and he died in 2012 during one of his prolonged stays in Beijing. King Sihamoni and the Queen Mother still have access to medical care and a residence gifted to the late King Sihanouk by the Chinese government. In recent years, the Hun Sen government has developed close relationships with China and has shored up its rule with Chinese economic and diplomatic support, while relations with Western governments have soured over a crackdown on opposition parties. Last year, the government introduced a lese-majeste law that punishes any criticism or insult of the king with a prison term of up to five years, a move that was condemned by human rights groups who said authorities could use the law to stifle freedom of speech. Several people have been arrested since on accusations of lese majeste. Exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this month for claiming that King Sihamonis public letter urging people to vote in July last year was issued under duress from Prime Minister Hun Sen. Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Nepalese counterparty K.P. Sharma Oli on Tuesday encouraged business communities in their countries to explore mutual trade and investment opportunities, while the countries also signed two agreements that would foster such trade. Nepals premier is on an official three-day visit to Cambodia and both leaders spoke at a Cambodia-Nepal Business Forum in Phnom Penh, which was attended by businesses representatives from the two countries. Hun Sen made a pitch for business opportunities in Cambodia, which he said has, Political and macroeconomic stability, an open economy for investors without discrimination, a labor force that is diverse and young, and Cambodia is in a strategic location in ASEAN. Hun Sen urged Cambodian businessmen to also seek out opportunities in Nepal. K.P. Sharma Oli said he would welcome Cambodian investors to his Himalayan country. On Monday, Cambodian and Nepalese officials signed a Framework Agreement on Trade and Investment, while the Chamber of Commerce of Nepal and the Chamber of Commerce of Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation. Nepal has a GDP slightly bigger than Cambodias at $24 billion, according to World Bank figures, while it has nearly double its population at 29 million inhabitants. Like Cambodia, international tourism is a major industry, but unlike Cambodia, Nepal lacks garment or manufacturing industries and is landlocked and situated in the Himalayan Mountains. Trade between the countries remains very small. From 2014 until the first six months of 2018, bilateral trade between the two countries totaled just $170,000, of which Cambodian exports of textile products and clothes were worth $120,000, according to Cambodias Ministry of Commerce figures. Chheang Vannarith, a regional affairs analyst, told VOA that, nonetheless, there is some potential for trade and investment, for example by Cambodian entrepreneurs who could invest in Nepals tourism and microfinance, sectors that are well developed in Cambodia. In recent years, Cambodian microfinance institution Acleda Bank has opened offices in Myanmar, another low-income country. "Nepalese entrepreneurs look less developed than Cambodians, but it can be a joint venture [between them] Like between Myanmar and Cambodia, the trade potential is low, but it is a starting point. It is a new trend, the flow of trade between two poor countries, Chheang Vannarith said. Ex-Soviet republic Uzbekistan unblocked a dozen news and rights websites known for critical coverage of the Central Asian country, a top media official said, citing the government's commitment to freedom of information. Komil Allamjonov, head of the country's Information and Mass Communications Agency said that Uzbekistan had taken measures to eliminate "certain technical issues" to provide local users access to the websites, some of which had been blocked for over a decade. The British Broadcasting Company's Uzbek service, Voice of America, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders' websites were among those listed in a Facebook post on the matter. In a May 11 post on Twitter, Allamjonov said the blocks had been lifted after his agency had "carefully studied the facts of inhibited access to some news web resources" raised by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's media freedom representative Harlem Desir. Allamjanov did not mention when Desir had raised the issue with the government. "I would like to note that the President of Uzbekistan constantly emphasizes the need to ensure freedom of speech and information in #Uzbekistan," Allamjonov tweeted. The move to unblock the websites is likely to be viewed as another step in authoritarian Uzbekistan's cautious opening following the death of long-ruling strongman President Islam Karimov in 2016. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who served as prime minister for 13 years before ascending to the presidency, has trimmed some of his predecessor's repressive excesses while keeping the authoritarian system intact. The Russia-based Fergana news agency focused on the Central Asian region was another website that Allamjonov said had been unblocked. Fergana reported Karimov's death before any other media in 2016 but only had its correspondent re-accredited by the government in April after a 14-year hiatus. The tweet did not mention the popular Uzbek-language service of US-funded Radio Free Europe, which has been unavailable in Uzbekistan. Many media and rights organizations were effectively barred from Uzbekistan after the bloody suppression of protests in the eastern city of Andijan in 2005 -- when hundreds of opposition demonstrators are believed to have been gunned down in a massacre. Brian Hook, U.S. Special Representative for Iran answered Radio Farda's questions in Brussels in an interview with RFE/RL correspondent Rikard Jozwiak. RFE/RL: We've seen the initial reports from U.S. military intelligence saying that it might be Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies states attacks on these four ships anchored in the United Arab Emirates. Can you confirm this? Can you expand on this a bit? Hook: I can't confirm it. None of our ships were attacked. It was two Saudi vessels, a Norwegian vessel and an Emirati vessel. These four boats were anchored off the coast of Fujairah and then you had four sabotage operations. The Emiratis have asked the United States military forensics teams to go in and do a site survey to try to figure out what exactly happened. We assume that those countries that were sabotaged that they will be making some announcement about it. We are very concerned and I think we're right to be concerned there's been a lot of intelligence threat reporting, very credible threat assessments that the Iranian regime has been plotting attacks in the Middle East. So, we'll have to see what the investigation produces. But we're very concerned about instability in the Middle East. RFE/RL: But do you suspect that Iran or Iranian-backed proxy that have done this. Hook: We don't know yet. And we don't like to jump to conclusions. The Middle East can be very volatile. There's no need to sort of pour gasoline on it. So we're going to let those investigations play themselves out. But we are very concerned about obviously acts of sabotage in the Gulf against the oil vessels (which) seem to be designed to scare some people. And so we've got to figure out who did it and why? RFE/RL: and what would the U.S. move be if it is confirmed that it is Iran? Hook: Well, we've put in place military assets so that if the United States is attacked by the Iranian regime that we will respond with military force. We are not looking for a fight. We're not looking for a war with Iran or with anyone. But we know that the world does have an interest in a peaceful and stable Middle East that includes our European friends here that we met with yesterday. So we are putting in place defensive measures, prudential moves to ensure that if we're attacked we can respond but that's only if. RFE/RL: And it's the USS Abraham Lincoln and the bombers on it part of that response, would they be engaged in a military conflict? Hook: Yes, the USS Abraham Lincoln and some of the fighters that we've put into place in the region are just simply designed to ... it's really a defensive move in light of all the multiple plot vectors that our intelligence community was seeing coming out of Iran. And if we didn't put in place assets to defend ourselves that would be negligent. But all we're doing, we're not spoiling for a fight. We would like the Middle East to be peaceful and stable. The Iranian regime has been exporting violence and revolution for 40 years, not only around the Middle East but in Europe. We've had recent bomb plots and assassinations in Europe, but it's been a 40-year history of Iran trying to destabilize the Middle East because it's a revolutionary regime. This is what revolutionary regimes do. So we're trying to deter Iran. We're just trying to restore deterrence. That was Secretary Pompeo his message here in Brussels yesterday. RFE/RL: But we've seen reports, for example in the New York Times last week, about the acting defense secretary Shanahan coming up with some sort of military plan involving 120,000 U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. Can you confirm that there is such a military plan and would that deter Iran as well? Hook: I think that was a New York Times article that was talking about interagency deliberations. We don't as an official matter comment on interagency deliberations. We have a lot of military forces in the region. They're there now. We have been adding more publicly, we've announced that in order to make sure that we're prepared if attacked and we're always prepared if attacked. But in light of the very credible threat reporting that we were saying it was important that we do this. RFE/RL: You mentioned that Secretary Pompeo was here yesterday speaking to his counterparts, his French, German and U.K. counterparts. It seems to be a bit of a divergence. Mr Heiko Maas, the German foreign minister, said afterwards that we seem to be taking different courses on this does. Does this mean that the Europeans don't share your threat assessment? Hook: We do have a very similar threat assessment. It's no secret that we disagree about the Iran nuclear deal. The United States was in that deal for some period of time. We decided to get out of the deal because we thought that being outside of the deal allowed us to achieve the goal of the deal which is to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon. So we had great meetings yesterday with Heiko Maas, with Jeremy Hunt, with French Foreign Minister Le Drian, Federica Mogherini. Very good meetings yesterday. The secretary is very diligent about sharing information with our allies as threats to peace and security warrant. And given all the information that we've been receiving about Iran, we wanted to share that and we also wanted to sort of go behind the intelligence and to explain to them why we've been doing what we're doing in the Middle East and very good meetings, very productive. I don't think anyone would be surprised to learn that we disagree about the Iran nuclear deal. But Europe is a stakeholder. Europe wants to see a peaceful Middle East. Very hard to do that without a peaceful Iran. RFE/RL: So they do agree with the threat assessment as well? And the intelligence that you shared with them yesterday? Hook: Well, just look at what Europe has done over the last year. They have recalled ambassadors from Iran. They have expelled Iranian diplomats. They have written many letters to the UN Security Council condemning Iran space launches, the missile testing. The EU just a few months ago sanctioned the Iranian Intelligence Ministry for its terrorism attempts in Europe. So, if you look at the record it's very clear that Europe is also concerned about Iranian aggression. They would like Iran to knock it off. They would also like Iran to stay in the Iran nuclear deal so that they never acquire a nuclear weapon. We just think being outside the deal gives us better odds than that. RFE/RL: So the deal is dead? Hook: For us we've been out for a year and about five days. We had the one year anniversary of us leaving the deal. We've been able to do a lot during that year. our oil sanctions and our banking sanctions have denied Iran tens of billions of dollars. That's money that they would otherwise spend on Hezbollah, on the Houthis in Yemen, on Assad in Syria, on Hamas in the Palestinian territories. We had the leader of Hezbollah recently announce, he made an appeal for charity for public donations because they don't have the money that they used to. You have Shia fighters in Syria saying that Iran doesn't have the money that it used to. That's because our sanctions are working. And it's really good. Iran had to make a 29% cut in its military spending in this year's budget. And that means our sanctions are making a difference and the less money that Iran has to spend on its proxies and its military in the Middle East, the better. RFE/RL: At the same time INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) is up and Federica Mogherini said we will have the first transactions in the next coming weeks. What do you think about the timing of her announcement? Hook: Well it's sort of up. The Iranians have not set up their side of the mechanism. This mechanism has two pieces, the European side, which is the UK France and Germany and then the Iranian side. The Iranians have not put in place the transparent financial system that allows this to be operational. So, I'm not sure it will ever get off the ground. The second thing is there's no corporate demand for this vehicle. So if you're the CEO of BMW and you are given a choice between selling BMWs in the United States or selling BMWs in Iran you are as a matter of economic necessity you're going to choose the United States market. That's the case for every significant European company that does sort of global financial work. So we don't see any corporate demand for it. And we haven't seen Iran do its part of the mechanism. RFE/RL: President Trump said that recently that he heard little things about Iran. What does he mean by that? And was he talking about these attacks on the ships in the United Arab Emirates? Hook: I think he was referring to the various intelligence reporting, the threat streams that we have been analyzing now for some number of days that suggests that Iran is plotting attacks against American interests. And so, the President has made clear that Iran should not miscalculate and decide to attack the United States. It would be a big mistake. And that's the message of deterrence that Secretary Pompeo shared here when he was meeting with our European allies. RFE/RL: You think Iran can actually attack American interests? Hook: Well, Iran has been attacking American interests. They've also been attacking European interests as recently as the last year or two. So this Iran regime is the last revolutionary regime on earth and they use terrorism as a tool of statecraft. And they've been using it all over the world for 40 years. So we would like Iran to behave more like a normal nation and less like a revolutionary cause. And if Iran can do that, we're going to have a lot a lot more peaceful Middle East. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that an antitrust lawsuit against Apple can proceed. Consumers are suing the company, alleging Apple overcharges when downloading iPhone applications at the companys App Store. Conservative Judge Brett Kavanaugh joined with the four liberal judges in the 5-4 decision, agreeing with the plaintiffs that the 30% commissions Apple charges violate federal antitrust laws. Consumers allege Apple has monopolized the market by requiring apps be sold only through their stores. Apple argued it is just a conduit between app developers and customers and that it is the developers who set the prices. "We're confident we will prevail when the facts are presented and that the App Store is not a monopoly by any metric," a company statement said. Apple is also under scrutiny by Dutch antitrust authorities over complaints about commissions in European markets. The sound of gunfire echoed late into the night in Khartoum on Monday evening, as security forces clashed with demonstrators almost immediately after Sudan's ruling military council announced it had reached an agreement with protest leaders on a transitional authority. Firing tear gas and live bullets and beating protesters, armed men in uniform descended on barricades set up by protesters, witnesses said, killing several and wounding dozens. Sudans ruling Transitional Military Council blamed unidentified elements for the attack and said one military police officer an army major was among the victims. But it was unclear who was responsible for the shooting. On Nile Street, protesters set up rows of consecutive roadblocks of stone and metal, burning tires and pressing north against their heavily armed adversaries. Meanwhile, soldiers on trucks mounted with machine guns patrolled among the protesters creating confusion as to who the men in uniform are. Yassir Mohamed, a lawyer, spoke to VOA after fleeing gunfire on Nile Street just before midnight. "Unfortunately, I can't say who attacked us," he said. "But from what I've seen and experienced, it was [likely] shadow soldiers and National Security who caused this massacre." National Security Agency Sudan's notorious National Security agency is loyal to former President Omar al-Bashir, who was in power for 30 years until a military junta toppled him in April following months of street protests against his often dictatorial rule. Sudans regular army has defended protesters who have camped out in a massive sit-in against previous attacks by Bashir loyalists nearly all protesters say they support the army soldiers who have stood with them. But besides the army and National Security personnel, there are also military police and a heavily-armed Darfuri militia the Rapid Support Forces linked to ousted President al-Bashir. Many protesters also say there is a "shadow force" also loyal to Bashir. Adding to confusion is the belief among protesters that these various groups may be wearing each other's uniforms. The military took power after ousting al-Bashir on April 11 from three decades of rule. The coup followed four months of anti-government protests sparked by fuel and food shortages in which dozens were killed in clashes with security forces. Protesters have erected barricades and blocked roads around Sudans Defense Ministry, where they have been ever since demanding the military hand power to civilians. They expanded their barricades in recent days as confrontation with security forces became more frequent. Those with gunshot wounds were taken to nearby hospitals. Others were treated on the street before being rushed to a field clinic set up by protesters, dozens of injured people streamed in as gunfire crackled outside. Medical workers struggled to make space for the incoming wounded in the makeshift hospital. Many of the injured people suffered from inhaling tear gas that security forces fired at protesters. Others had head wounds and say they were beaten with thick welts and scars along their backs from blows by sticks, whips, and rifle butts. One of them was Yusuf el-Sair, who said a member of the Rapid Support Forces who was in uniform beat him under the Blue Nile Bridge on Nile Street, a flashpoint for confrontation in recent days. "Gunfire is usually normal but, people started running, and Rapid Support Forces started coming under the bridge," he said. "I tried to hide since I have a disability and can't run, but an RSF soldier started beating me. I yelled, "I'm hurt! I'm hurt!", he said, but the soldier didn't listen and just kept beating." Guns for hire El-Sair accused the Rapid Support Forces of being an undisciplined militia. The RSF was created by al-Bashir to put down insurgencies in Darfur and other areas, and has also patrolled borders to stop migrants from heading toward Europe. The commander of the RSF is now the deputy head of the Transitional Military Council. "They are militias of gun for hire, there's no doubt," el-Sair said of the RSF. "Because anybody who would kill or hit people for money without reason is just a mercenary." Monday's violence came as a surprise as the ruling military council has been in talks with protest leaders for the past few weeks on forming an interim government. But the field clinics Dr. Iman el Tijani said the situation appears to be escalating. "The first days of the sit-in there was a lot of violence to be honest from the forces, and then there was a stillness or calmness afterwards for almost a little bit less than a month," she said. "And now recently, especially today, there's been a relapse into the violence." Monday nights violence seemed timed to upset progress in talks between Sudans military and protest leaders on a transitional authority. The attacks came just hours after the military council announced they had reached a deal. Sudans prosecutor general's office had also declared former President Omar al-Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters. As the night wore on, the body count rose. In one section of the sit-in, men carried the body of one person killed in the clashes, chanting songs and waving Sudanese flags as ambulance sirens whined nearby. The military council and protest leaders have said the violence will not stop them from forming a transitional government before holding elections. But with attacks on them increasing, protesters have to figure out which troops are with them and which are against them. Burgeoning numbers of Cubans are trying to get into the U.S. by way of the Mexican border, creating a big backlog of people waiting on the Mexican side for months for their chance to apply for asylum. The surge over the past several months has been propelled in part by loosened travel restrictions in Central America and deteriorating living conditions in Cuba. As a result, about 4,500 asylum seekers, the vast majority of them Cuban, have descended on Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas an influx that has raised tensions with some locals. "It's a bottleneck with an opening that is getting smaller," said Enrique Valenzuela, an official of Mexico's Chihuahua state, which manages Juarez's waiting list. "People keep coming." For decades during the Cold War and beyond, Cubans tried to reach the U.S. by air, land and sea, many of them crossing the 90 miles to Florida in dangerously rickety boats and rafts. In January 2017, though, the U.S. ended its "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy of almost automatically admitting any Cuban who managed to reach American soil. For many Cubans, their best option is going to the U.S.-Mexican border and claiming asylum. For many years, Cubans entering through the southern border generally flew to South America and tried to come into the U.S. at Laredo, Texas. But now many are using a relatively new and shorter route: They fly to Panama or Nicaragua, pay smugglers to help them reach the U.S. border, and seek to come across at El Paso. Jump in numbers In the seven-month period from October through April, 4,737 Cubans without legal status entered the U.S. at crossings in Customs and Border Protection's El Paso field office, compared with 394 in the previous 12 months. Along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, 10,910 Cubans came through official crossings between October and April, versus 7,079 in the previous 12 months. Migrants applying for asylum are often released into the U.S. while their cases make their way through immigration courts, which can take years. But for Cubans, it's easier to settle in the United States than for others. Communist Cuba refuses to fully cooperate with the U.S. on deportations, meaning that if the migrants lose their asylum cases, Cuba generally doesn't take them back. The U.S. then has little choice but to let them stay. For Cubans and others, one of the biggest obstacles is simply getting an opportunity to apply for asylum. Over the last year, the Trump administration has sharply limited the number of asylum claims it processes at land crossings, forcing people to wait their turn in Mexico. At the current processing rate, the wait in Juarez is now up to five months, compared with only a few days as recently as February. Panama's role Panama became known in recent years as a relatively easy source of visas for Cubans who could make a convincing case that they only wanted to shop and return to sell goods in Cuba. Panama has a free trade zone where Cubans splurge on everything from shampoo to air conditioners and electric motorbikes. Also, in October, Panama began issuing $20 tourist cards to Cuban business people and certain others, replacing a longer, more difficult process that often ended in rejection. In January, Nicaragua made it faster and easier for Cubans to obtain a visa in Havana by eliminating the requirement that applications be approved in Nicaragua's capital. Meanwhile, a drop in Venezuelan aid and the U.S. hardening of the trade embargo against Cuba have created food shortages and a sense of crisis on the island. Young people in particular are lining up outside any embassy that will grant them a visa. Long wait in Mexico Friends told Yaneisi Hernandez of Havana that Juarez was safer than other Texas crossings, that it had a strong network of charitable groups and, most important, that the wait to claim asylum in the U.S. was comparatively short. After flying to Nicaragua and paying a smuggler to reach the U.S. border by bus, taxi, on foot and on horseback, she was disappointed to find 3,500 names ahead of hers. "I can't even think about working here because I might get deported," said Hernandez, 39, after spending her first night in Juarez sleeping with other Cubans on a patch of grass outside the government office where asylum-seekers are assigned numbers while they wait. Cubans arriving in Juarez last month said they paid smugglers about $2,000 to reach the U.S. border, plus $150 to $400 in the southern Mexico border city of Tapachula for a lawyer to obtain a court order allowing them to travel legally through Mexico. They waited about three weeks in Tapachula for legal permission to stay in Mexico. The surge of Cubans has been so big that Juarez restaurants have added Cuban favorites like roast suckling pig and black beans with rice to their menus. Unlike Central Americans, many of whom are fleeing extreme poverty and arrive with little more than the shirts on their backs, many Cubans can afford a cheap hotel or rented room if migrant shelters don't have space, aided by relatives in the U.S. They buy cellphones for their short time in Mexico, which they use to check a Facebook group that gives twice-daily updates on the waiting list. Cuban men can be distinguished by their spotless sneakers, track suits and aviator sunglasses. Ban on Cubans Some Juarez residents are wary. Casa del Migrante, which houses up to 1,000 people in its shelter, banned Cubans earlier this year because they didn't mix well with Central Americans and didn't follow the rules, said manager Blanca Rivera. "They didn't like our food," she said. "You have to make exceptions for them. They want rice, meat sandwiches, they want pizza. ... That attitude is not welcome in migrant shelters." Some Cubans are also souring on Juarez. About 10 Cubans pursuing asylum gathered near a phone-charging bank one Friday night at the El Paso airport to wait for a 6 a.m. flight to Miami. After flying to Panama and reaching Juarez in early February, Arnoldo Garcia, a Havana electrician, said he waited only two days to claim asylum in El Paso. After about two months in U.S. detention, Garcia, 47, was released with an appointment slip for immigration officials in Miami. He said he wouldn't recommend Juarez to anyone contemplating the journey. "There are too many people," he said. "It's become a lot more complicated." Designating Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization could pit the United States against new potential enemies in the Muslim world, experts say. Analysts argue the designation could hamper U.S. Middle East diplomacy and efforts to promote democratic change in the region. "For America to write off this important part of politics in the Middle East is really to hobble any kind of intellectual debate and the freedom of American diplomats to operate in this region," said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. "America is going to throw a major spanner [wrench] into the works of any kind of democratic and political evolution in the Middle East if it does this," he told VOA. The reaction came after the White House recently said President Donald Trump is mulling over designating Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization. "The president has consulted with his national security team and leaders in the region who share his concern, and this designation is working its way through the internal process," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in an email to reporters. Egypt's efforts The U.S. announcement came nearly three weeks after a visit by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to the White House. El-Sissi, who toppled former President Mohammed Morsi in 2013, has outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood and thrown Morsi and many of the group's leaders in jail. Morsi was the first Muslim Brotherhood president who came to power after winning the 2012 presidential elections in Egypt. Morsi had led the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. But since assuming power, el-Sissi has been urging U.S. officials to label the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two Sunni powers in the Middle East, also have been lobbying Washington to designate the Islamist group. 'Neo-conservative team' During the first weeks of his administration in 2017, Trump had considered the designation but then dropped the idea. The current U.S. national security team, however, has been in favor of targeting Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, some analysts charge. "President Trump has got this new national security team with [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo and [National Security Adviser John] Bolton. This is a much more neo-conservative crowd than the first year of Trump's [presidency]," Mideast expert Landis said. "So it's possible that they could actually entertain the idea of supporting Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates in sanctioning the Muslim Brotherhood and designating them," he added. Fawzi Soufiane, a Tunisia-based expert on Islamist movements, says there are more radical groups in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East that the U.S. should consider targeting. "For example, there are Salafis in Egypt who are much more radical than the Muslim Brotherhood. So clearly any potential designation of the Muslim Brotherhood won't be effective in terms of combating terrorism in the Middle East," he told VOA. "The Muslim Brotherhood is perhaps the least violent group when it comes to the political spectrum of Islamist parties," Soufiane said. Extremist ideology The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 in Egypt, is a social, religious and political organization that promotes a governance system run by Islamic law. The Sunni Muslim group has dozens of affiliates across the Muslim world. Although it has used violence to achieve its political objectives in the past, the group currently eschews such actions. But some experts believe that the Islamist group continues to promote its agendas through violence by aligning itself with more extremist organizations. The Muslim Brotherhood "has been funding and supporting extremist groups through an extensive network of humanitarian and political organizations in Syria, Libya and elsewhere," said Majdi al-Daqaq, editor-in-chief of October magazine, a pro-government publication in Cairo. "Even if we assumed that Muslim Brotherhood is not involved in armed violence, it is still active in promoting extremist political ideology throughout the region," he told VOA in a phone interview. Al-Daqaq added that the Muslim Brotherhood "also has direct ties with the Palestinian militant group Hamas," which is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Financial networks Designating Egypt's oldest Islamist movement a foreign terrorist organization would allow Washington to impose sanctions on any individual or group with links to the Muslim Brotherhood. Experts say targeting the group's financial networks overseas could undermine its activities in the Middle East. "If the U.S. could target the Muslim Brotherhood leadership by sanctioning powerful individuals who have been working with the organization in Middle East, Europe and North America, then the group would be harmed significantly," said Shafeeq Mamdouh, a political commentator based in Alexandria, Egypt. "This is a group that heavily relies on funding and donations from Muslim groups in and outside the Middle East. So their financial transactions abroad need to be disrupted," he added. What next If the White House decides to label the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization, it must prove that the group engages in terrorist activity against the U.S. or its interests. The secretary of state then would have to consult with the attorney general and the treasury secretary before making the designation official. U.S. Congress would have seven days to review the designation, choosing either to block or allow it. European Union foreign ministers are calling for an immediate cease-fire in Libya and for the warring parties in the strife-torn North African state to return to negotiations to resolve their differences. Meeting in Brussels Monday, the ministers warned that the fighting raging around Tripoli, which began last month when forces loyal to the country's would-be strongman, Khalifa Haftar, launched an assault on the Libyan capital, threatens international peace and security. Their call for a cease-fire came as local reports mounted of rival regional powers stepping up their supplies of arms to the warring parties. In a statement, EU foreign ministers urged all parties to immediately implement a cease-fire and to engage with the United Nations to ensure a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities. But to the frustration of the U.N.-backed government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, the EU ministers noticeably didnt call on Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) to withdraw to positions occupied before an offensive on the Libyan capital was launched on April 4. The notable omission previously the EU had been calling on the Gadhafi-era general to withdraw his forces from the outskirts of Tripoli is being taken by Haftars supporters as a diplomatic win for the LNA and as an indication that European support for Fayez al-Serraj is weakening. The EU ministers statement, according to Sami Zaptia, an analyst and owner of the English-language newspaper Libya Herald, failed to call on Haftar to return his forces to their point of origin and equated Haftar with Serraj, which Serraj had requested the international community not do. The ministers also didnt offer the unequivocal condemnation that al-Serraj has been seeking of Haftars month-long assault on Tripoli. The internationally-recognized al-Serraj, whos backed by a loose alliance of battle-hardened militias from the capital and nearby town of Misrata, has been touring European capitals in recent days trying to shore up support in the face of an offensive that derailed already struggling U.N.-mediated peace talks. Al-Serraj's tour came in the wake of signs that U.S. President Donald Trump might be considering reversing Washington's support for the Tripoli government. In a phone call last month with Haftar, the U.S. leader praised the general for his fight against Islamic State and other jihadists. Bloomberg News reported Trump told Haftar he supported an attack on Tripoli. State Department officials have told VOA that U.S. policy remains the same: Only a negotiated settlement can end conflict in Libya. Before Trump spoke with Haftar, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had called for a cease-fire and for Haftars forces to withdraw from Tripoli. More than 440 people have died and tens of thousands displaced since Haftar ordered his forces to march from the east of the country to Tripoli, according to U.N. officials. The attack on Tripoli is the latest serious flare-up of violence in a country that has struggled to establish stability and end lawlessness since the ouster in 2012 of Col. Moammar Gadhafi in a NATO-backed popular uprising. Since Gadhafis toppling and death on a desert road outside the coastal city of Sirte, Libya has seen a series of governments fail to piece together the fractured country. The current conflict is pitching forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord and Haftar, whos aligned with a rival administration in Libyas east. The former Gadhafi general, who broke with the autocrat and lived in exile in the United States for many years, has the backing of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and Saudi Arabia, all of whom reportedly have supplied arms, ammunition, aircraft and drones. Haftar claims his opponents in Tripoli are militant Islamists, jihadists and terrorists a claim firmly rejected by supporters of the GNA. The GNA has the backing of Turkey and Qatar. Local reports suggest there has been a noticeable increase in flights in recent days from Istanbul and Ankara to Misrata and from the Gulf to eastern Libya. Mohamed Eljarh, an analyst at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, tweeted on Tuesday: Turkey/Qatar on one side & UAE/Saudi Arabia on the other stepping up their efforts in #Libya to support their respective partners/proxies in the Libyan conflict. weapons/ammunition continue to flow, drone technology supplied + frequent unscheduled flights on all sides. The flow of arms into Libya contravenes a U.N. embargo imposed in February 2011 on Libya. Ghassan Salame, the United Nations' special envoy for Libya, briefed the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday about the situation in Libya. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters in New York that Salame stressed that more than a month after the outbreak of fighting, it is becoming clear to everyone that a military solution cannot replace a political solution, and that it is high time now to return to the negotiating table. He said the U.N. remains extremely concerned about the mounting impact of the fighting on civilians in and around Tripoli. Haq said, Nearly 67,000 people have now been driven from their homes, while an estimated 100,000 more people are thought to remain in front-line areas. By PTI HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Tuesday (May 14) said a federal front of regional parties proposed by its supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is open to taking support from the Congress to form a government at the Centre, as long as they dont ask for the drivers seat. Rao has been pursuing his idea of a federal front of non-Congress, non-BJP regional parties since last year, and TRS spokesman Abid Rasool Khans statement that his party is ready to do business with Rahul Gandhi-led outfit is seen as significant, ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results next week. KCR (as Rao is popularly known as) is very firm that the Federal Front should be in the drivers seat and run the government, Khan told PTI. In case the front falls short of numbers to form the government, the option of the Congress supporting it from outside would be explored, he said. But, the government would be of the federal front and Congress will have to extend support from outside. We are very firm that regional parties should be in the drivers seat. The Prime Ministers post should go to one of the constituents of the Federal Front. The prime ministerial candidate will be a consensus candidate from among the constituents (of the Federal Front), Khan said. We are open to talk to them (Congress), and see whether they support us to form government. If they do, regional parties are not averse as long as they (Congress) dont come into the drivers seat, he said. However, the proposed Federal Front is not going to align in any way with the BJP, Khan said. We are averse to the BJP. We do not want to have anything with the BJP, neither to support them or take their support. Most of the constituents speaking with KCR are also of the same opinion that they will not have any truck with the BJP, he said. The TRS leader said KCR had taken up an outreach programme to regional parties based on the inputs that they are going to win substantial number of seats in the Lok Sabha elections. He said parties such as the SP, BSP, YSRCP, DMK and TRS would do well in the elections, but the Congress would not cross the 100-seat mark. If the Congress does not win 180-200 seats on its own, its allies like the DMK would see no fun in being with it and would come to the Federal Front, Khan said. JDS will have an upper hand in Karnataka. We have started speaking to Communist parties, expecting they will do well in Kerala and some other places, he said. As tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, Europe has urged all sides to avoid further escalation. The United States has deployed a naval strike group to the Middle East region, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. B-52 bombers have also arrived at the U.S. air base in Qatar, designed to counter what the Trump administration says are "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. forces. Military analyst Jack Watling of the London-based Royal United Services Institute says the deployments are not unusual. There hasnt been a massive change in U.S. force posture in the region. What there has been is a very significant change in messaging. And combined with that the U.S. is putting more and more pressure on Iran economically. So the question comes, how is Iran going to push back? How are they going to show the United States that if you keep pressing us, we can respond? And at that point, if they get that wrong, there is a risk of runaway escalation, Watling told VOA. Europe believes that risk is dangerously high, a point made clear to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he arrived in Brussels for talks Monday with European Union Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini. We are living in a crucial, delicate moment where the most relevant attitude to take - the most responsible attitude to take - is we believe should be that of maximum restraint and avoiding any escalation of the military side, Mogherini told reporters after the meeting. Washington pulled out of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran a year ago. Up to now, Europe has urged Tehran to stick with the deal and effectively wait out the Trump administration, says analyst Jack Watling. What weve seen over the last week is the U.S. administration putting an awful lot of pressure on the viability of that policy. And in pushing the Iranians to the point where they have walked away from a key component of the deal, it essentially underscores the fact it might not be possible to continue in that direction. So, Europe will have to decide. Much depends on whether Tehran decides to block nuclear inspectors from entering the country to verify the enrichment freeze. That would be very escalatory because Israel would suddenly feel quite threatened, and at that point the deal would be completely dead, adds Watling. Meanwhile, the United States continues to tighten the economic noose. India was a major importer of Iranian oil, but stopped purchases this month in the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions. Visiting Delhi Tuesday, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was questioned on the U.S. military deployments in the Gulf region. Unfortunately [the] United States has been escalating the situation unnecessarily. We do not seek escalation, but we have always defended ourselves, Zarif said. Analyst Watling says any conflict with Iran would quickly engulf the region. It has to fight essentially a regional deep battle. Which means activating a lot of the assets theyve developed potentially in Lebanon, in Iraq, and conducting ballistic missile strikes. Fear of such a conflict has rattled Europe, caught between the demands of its U.S. ally to abandon the nuclear deal and warnings from Tehran that such a move would lead to a resumption of its nuclear program. As tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, Europe is urging both sides to avoid any further escalation. The European Union is trying to salvage a nuclear deal struck with Tehran in 2015, amid mounting pressure from Washington to abandon the agreement. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, Europe fears Iran is being pushed into a corner and that its response could have dangerous consequences for the region. If you're fuzzy on next-generation 5G wireless connectivity, you aren't alone. Powerful U.S. lawmakers who help shape the legal framework for America's technological advances on Tuesday admitted ignorance and confusion about the highly-anticipated broadband system already being deployed in parts of the world. "I actually know very little about 5G," said Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Today, we're going to talk about something that I'm by no means an expert on," the panel's chairman, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, said at a hearing where America's top cybersecurity officials testified on 5G's promise and looming perils. "It's really hard for people to get their heads around what we're talking about here," Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska said. "First of all, what is it?" Witnesses said the fifth generation of wireless technology, or 5G, will bring eye-popping data transmission capacity and spur a new age of digital device connectivity that will revolutionize many people's daily lives, as well as America's economic output. "5G is going to be about machine-to-machine communication, the internet of things," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Cyber and International Communications Robert Strayer. "Advances in 5G will support greater bandwidth, capacity for billions of sensors and smart devices, and ultra-low latency [minimal data delays] necessary for highly-reliable critical communications," said the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, Christopher Krebs. "Autonomous vehicles, critical manufacturing, medical doctors performing remote surgery, and a smart electric grid represent a small fraction of the technologies and economic activity that 5G will support." Added Strayer: "The massive amounts of data transmitted by Internet of things devices on 5G networks will also advance artificial intelligence." Lawmakers signaled they are coming to grips with the anticipated impact. "I'm told 5G is expected to provide not only 20 times faster network performance, but also generate 12.3 trillion [dollars] in global sales activity by 2035," Feinstein said. "I'm told it's going to create millions of new jobs and launch entirely new industries." With such an impact, including a new era of ultra-connectivity, will come a need to protect the network from foreign interference or manipulation and to guard against espionage and data theft, according to U.S. officials. "With all the critical services relying on 5G networks, the stakes for safeguarding them could not be higher. A disruption to that underlying 5G network will disrupt all of those critical services. That's why this is so fundamentally different and so much more important that we get the security right," Strayer said. "When we talk about [interruptions to] 5G, we're talking about autonomous vehicles not being able to operate," Krebs said, adding that such a scenario constitutes "a life-safety issue where things won't work as designed." Lawmakers focused on China, which has emerged as an early global leader in producing 5G infrastructure. "The Chinese government has invested more than $400 billion in development. It has supported Chinese industry efforts in international standard-setting bodies," Feinstein said. She added that Chinese law requires companies like telecommunications giant Huawei to assist and cooperate with state security entities. "Fundamentally, the private sector in China is an extension of the government, and so if our allies decide to trust Huawei, they are deciding to trust the Chinese government with their big data," Sasse said. Witnesses echoed the apprehensions. "We are concerned that China could compel actions by [5G] network vendors to act against the interests of our citizens or citizens of other countries around the world," Strayer said. "They [vendors] could be ordered to undermine network security, steal personal information or intellectual property, conduct espionage, disrupt critical services or conduct cyberattacks." The United States bans Chinese companies from critical telecommunications infrastructure and has warned allies against Huawei's participation in building their 5G networks. "We must protect our critical telecom infrastructure, and the United States is calling on all our security partners to be vigilant and to reject any enterprise that would compromise the integrity of our communications technology or national security systems," Vice President Mike Pence said earlier this year. "Our success will depend on engagement with international allies," Krebs said at the hearing. "Ultimately, our goal, our vision is to enable that broader collective defense against cybersecurity threats, where the government and industry understand the risks we face and are prepared to defend against them." "The United States will be a leader in 5G deployment, and we will do so using trusted vendors to build our networks," Strayer said. "Through our engagements, many other countries are now acknowledging the supply-chain risks and beginning to strengthen their security alongside the United States." A few U.S. carriers have activated initial 5G systems in several U.S. cities. Coverage and carrier participation are expected to grow exponentially in coming years. Police in Somalia say four people were killed Tuesday when a suicide bomber hit offices in the Warta Nabadda district of Mogadishu. Witnesses told VOA's Somali service that a Toyota Noah vehicle filled with explosives was driven into the district headquarters during food distribution for Ramadan. Police say at least nine people were injured in the blast, but witnesses put the number of injured at 30. The targeted building is near the Somali presidential palace, Villa Somalia, also located in Warta Nabadda district. Al-Shabab militants claimed responsibility for the attack. On Monday, the deputy leader of al-Shabab, Mahad Karate, cautioned his militants to avoid shedding Muslim blood. The speech contradicts the group's usual tactics of targeting civilian areas in Mogadishu, including hotels and restaurants. In a separate incident, two soldiers were killed Tuesday after a roadside explosion hit a military vehicle near Siinka Dheer area just outside Mogadishu. Witnesses told VOA Somali that the soldiers were returning from the funeral of a government soldier who as killed in Mogadishu last night. For the third time in less than a year, a jury has ruled the main ingredient in a popular weed killer caused cancer in its users. A San Francisco jury Monday awarded more than $2 billion to a couple in their 70s who say glyphosate in Roundup weed killer gave them non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The couple say they used Roundup for 35 years. Attorneys for the couple say numerous scientific studies show glyphosate led to cancer in both animal and human populations. The World Health Organization has classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and last month, Vietnam said it would stop importing Roundup and other weed killers with the ingredient. Bayer, Roundups manufacturer, argued that hundreds of other scientific tests show glyphosate is safe and that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determined that when used as directed, glyphosate is not dangerous. Bayer says it is disappointed by Monday's verdict and plans to appeal. Two other juries in March and last August awarded multimillion-dollar settlements to Roundup victims, and thousands of other cases are pending against the company. The Wall Street Journal reports the price of shares in Bayer has dropped 30% since its first courtroom defeat in August. The newspaper also says shareholders are angered the German-based company bought Monsanto last year when it sells a product suspected of causing cancer. A United Nations fact-finding mission is urging that countries cut off all business with Myanmar's military as part of efforts to hold the army accountable for human rights abuses. The U.N. Human Rights Council said in a statement on Tuesday that there has been no progress toward resolving the crisis over Myanmar's mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, more than 1 million of whom have fled military "clearance operations'' in the northwest Rakhine region. "The situation is at a total standstill,'' said Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. Myanmar authorities have razed deserted Rohingya villages and those remaining in the country live in displacement camps and in fear of further military reprisals. "Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military - to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence,'' Christopher Sidoti, a member of the mission said in the statement. The mission found that the military has committed atrocities against many ethnic groups living within Myanmar. It also faulted armed ethnic groups for committing human rights abuses. Myanmar denies allegations of human rights violations, saying its security forces have not targeted civilians and have taken action only in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. U.N. officials and others have likened the actions to ethnic cleansing, or even genocide. The Fact-Finding Mission is to hand its findings to a new group of the Human Right Council, the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar, in September. That organization was set up to handle criminal prosecution of violations of international law. The crisis in Rahkine has soured Myanmar's relations with the United States, which had rolled back economic sanctions over the past decade to support political change in the country as it transitioned toward democracy. The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on Myanmar security forces and Washington has barred Myanmar military officials involved in the Rakhine operations from U.S. assistance. Britain has also cut some support. The UN and independent rights advocates want governments to do more to hold the military accountable. North Korea accused the United States of robbery Tuesday and demanded the immediate return of a cargo ship seized for allegedly violating international sanctions. In a statement in the official Korean Central News Agency, North Koreas foreign ministry warned of unspecified consequences in response to the U.S. seizure of the vessel. The U.S. should carefully deliberate what consequences will follow in the current situation derived by their robbery and promptly return our ship, the Tuesday statement read. The KCNA statement claimed the seizure violates the 2018 agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to improve bilateral relations. The United States announced last week it had seized the Wise Honest, which was originally detained in April 2018 by Indonesian authorities. The 17,000-ton vessel, North Koreas second-largest cargo ship, had been used to export North Korean coal in violation of international sanctions, U.S. officials say. It is the first time that U.S. officials seized a North Korean vessel. The move further strained ties between North Korea and the United States, which appear to be re-entering a period of hostility after a year of nuclear talks. In recent weeks, North Korea has resumed testing ballistic missiles after refraining from such launches for a year-and-a-half. U.S. officials have shrugged off the three short-range missile tests, saying the door remains open for talks with the North. At their first summit in June 2018, Trump and Kim vowed to improve relations and to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The talks broke down when a second Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam in February failed to result in a deal. At that summit, Kim offered to dismantle a key North Korean nuclear site in exchange for the United States easing sanctions that are hurting the Norths economy. Trump insisted he would not ease sanctions until North Korea agrees to abandon its entire nuclear weapons program. The seizure of the Wise Honest is part of what U.S. officials have described as a campaign of maximum pressure against the North. Under a series of U.S. and United Nations sanctions, North Korea is prohibited from a broad range of economic activities, including exports of materials such as coal. North Korea has evaded the sanctions, in part by using dozens of ships such as the Wise Honest to conduct ship-to-ship transfers of raw materials. When it was detained in 2018, the Wise Honest was carrying about 25,500 tons of coal -- a load valued at around $3 million at the time. U.S. officials believe North Korea uses the money from coal sales to fund its weapons program. The ship arrived this week at the port of Pago Pago in the U.S. territory of American Samoa. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Russian leaders Tuesday that President Donald Trump "is committed to improving" relations between the two superpowers "I hope this good faith effort on the part of each of our two nations as directed by President Trump and President Putin will stabilize the relationship, and put it back on a trajectory that I think would be good for not only each of our two countries and each of our peoples, but for the world as well," Pompeo said before meeting with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi, Russia. Lavrov said he expected a "sincere conversation" with Pompeo, including trying to find out how the Trump administration planned to resolve tensions with Iran, which Lavrov said the U.S. side created on its own. Ahead of the meeting, State Department Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook told reporters Iran "plays a destabilizing role in Syria" and that Iran using Syria "as a missile platform to advance its foreign policy objectives" goes against Russian goals of bringing stability to the Syria. Russian forces have been aiding the Syrian military since 2015, while Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar al-Assad, giving support and training to Shi'ite militias. Tuesday's Sochi meeting comes after Pompeo shared intelligence and details with European allies about what the United States calls Iran's recent "escalating threat," blaming Tehran for failing to choose talks over threats. "The secretary wanted to share some detail behind what we have been saying publicly. We believe that Iran should try talks instead of threats. They have chosen poorly by focusing on threats," Hook said. Top officials from the European Union are calling on the United States to use "maximum restraint" and avoid military escalation with Iran. "[U.S. Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo heard very clearly from us -- not only from myself but also from the other ministers of EU member states -- that we are living in a crucial, delicate moment where the most relevant attitude to take -- the most responsible attitude to take -- is and we believe should be that of maximum restraint and avoiding any escalation of the military side," Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said Monday in Brussels. Mogherini, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany spoke with Pompeo after he canceled a stop in Moscow. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday the United States has been unnecessarily escalating the situation. "We do not seek escalation, but we have always defended ourselves," he said. UAE claim Pompeo also discussed while in Brussels reported attacks on several oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, said Hook, who declined to comment when asked if the United States believes Iran is behind those attacks. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate. Monday, Saudi Arabia said two of its oil tankers were among those attacked and described it as an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid tensions between the United States and Iran. "We discussed what seemed to be attacks on commercial vessels that were anchored off of Fujairah," Hook said. "We have been requested by the UAE to provide assistance in the investigation, which we are very glad to do." Iran nuclear deal Britain, France and Germany also voiced new support on Monday for the international pact to curb Iran's nuclear weapons program. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called for "a period of calm." "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident with an escalation that is unintended on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," Hunt said. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin "still regards this nuclear agreement as the basis for Iran not having any nuclear weapons in the future and we regard this as existential for our security." He said Germany is "concerned about the development and the tensions in the region, that we do not want there to be a military escalation." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the U.S. move to increase sanctions against Iran to curb its international oil trade "does not suit us." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned last week that Tehran could resume uranium enrichment at a higher grade if the European powers, China and Russia did not develop a plan to thwart punitive U.S. sanctions on Iran's banking and energy sectors. The United States, which withdrew from the 2015 international deal to curtail Iran's nuclear ambitions, has moved the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and four B-52 bombers to the Middle East region, in response to concerns Iran may be planning an attack against American targets. The Pentagon announced on Friday its intent to move additional firepower into the Middle East, including the USS Arlington and a Patriot missile battery. Pompeo's trip comes a few weeks ahead of a Group of 20 summit meeting in Osaka, Japan, with both Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump expected to attend. Trump said on Monday that he will meet with Putin on the sidelines of G-20 summit. Saudi Arabia says an oil pipeline was attacked by drones Tuesday west of the capital, Riyadh. Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attacks amid rising tensions in the Middle East. The rebels said they fired seven drones against vital targets in Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen to the north. Saudi Arabia has launched almost daily airstrikes against the rebels and their allies since a war between the two sides began in March 2015. The government-controlled oil company Saudi Aramco said the drone strikes caused minor damage and that it temporarily closed the pipeline as a precaution. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih vowed the production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam said Tuesday the strikes are a clear message to the Saudi Kingdom. "Stop your aggression," he said. Al-Falih said the attacks reaffirm the need for the global community to confront groups like the Houthis. The strikes demonstrated the increased risks in the Middle East, a region that is vital to world energy supplies. Tensions heightened following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and world powers and the reimposition of U.S. sanctions to weaken Iran's economy. More than one million plant and animal species are likely to become extinct due to human activity, according to a new report by the United Nations. That threat to Mother Earth and other climate change concerns inspired folks at Washington's recent Smithsonian Craft Show -- one of the most prestigious events of its kind in America -- to highlight and reward artists who are creating environmentally sustainable work. Art that's good for the planet In recent years we've noticed that the artists in our shows have been working with more renewable materials and methods that are environmentally safe, said JoAnn Symons, president of the Smithsonian Womens Committee. So weve decided we would reward those efforts by offering the Sustainability Award every year in our show. In this year's show, 120 crafters from across the country presented art in 12 different media, from basketry, leather and glass, to ceramics, wood and decorative fiber. Twenty-one of them met the sustainability criteria and were eligible to compete for the Honoring the Future Sustainability Award, which included a cash prize of $1,000. Barns into birdhouses Michigan woodworker John Guertin is one of the artists who met the requirements. Each of his painstakingly crafted birdhouses is made with wood he recovers from the remains of old barns that have fallen into disrepair. If you can use recycled material from old sources to bring new generations of birds into the world -- and other creatures -- it makes a wonderful statement about our purpose in the world, that we dont just exploit it, but rather we give something back, he explained. Many of his creations, which include homes for bats and owls, have a Victorian theme. Former President Gerald Ford commissioned a birdhouse with a stars and stripes theme. Other boxes are replicas of real buildings, including one created for the Mission San Luis Rey Museum in Oceanside, California, which resembles the Spanish-style building. If you look at the real design of the mission, it has a rose window exactly in the position perfect for a birdhouse, Guertin pointed out. His artistic goal is simple. Make collectible bird houses that are functional, architectural and scientific works that will serve the needs of songbirds and other cavity-nesting species such as owls and bats, that will hopefully make some small impact on the environment, he said. Whimsical whirligigs and hipster characters Shes a mix of new and reclaimed fabrics, says Mimi Kirchner, as she holds up a cloth dog doll that's sporting a mustard-colored cashmere scarf and a tiny matching felt satchel filled with shreds of recycled paper. The Massachusetts artist qualified for the sustainability category because she makes art toys made out of used and rescued fabrics. They come from thrift stores, and peoples collections, she explained, so a lot of it is vintage, and I give it a new life. I have always been most interested in depictions of people - in any art, she once wrote on her blog. Painting, sculpture, life-drawing. Those elements come together nicely in her work, whether shes making one-of-a-kind animal characters, whimsical people figures, or intricate Tiny World pin cushions which fit perfectly into a tea cup. Shaking things up Tim Arnold's wooden boxes are inspired by the Shakers, a religious group known for its sturdy and simply designed furniture. "These are items that the Shakers used to store dry goods back in the 19th century, he said, pointing to a collection of oval boxes made with thin, light-colored wood. Similar to modern-day Tupperware sets, the Shakers also produced boxed sets "to sell to what they referred to as the world, which was everybody outside their communities," Arnold said. The Nashville, Tennessee artist says he tries to honor that tradition, but at the same time, interject a little bit of my own personality into some of the boxes, particularly on the tops. Arnold adds to those tops some interesting objects, like a pair of magnetized scissors for a box designed for sewing, and uses unusual materials, like exotic wood, copper and animal skins. I'm buying python skins from the bounty hunters that are trying to eradicate the pythons in the Everglades, he said, which makes him feel part of the solution to a huge python crisis in that area of Florida. Wearable art Textile artist-designer Mary Jaeger, who works in a 1920 factory in Brooklyn, New York, blends the time-honored elegance of Japanese textiles with contemporary Western designs. She won the Honoring the Future Sustainability Award for her stylish silks, which she makes by hand using leftover materials from bolts of fabric, and past projects. Those repurposed products include custom cut and hand-dyed cotton shirt dresses, accordion scarves, and coats and jackets with 3D textures and hand-dyed Shibori patterns. When I look at these beautiful silks that I've acquired over the years of designing, I wanted to repurpose them into something that was truly beautiful, but completely different than the original product that I purchased them originally to construct, she said. The award comes from Honoring Our Future, a nonprofit organization that was launched to harness the power of art to educate and engage the public on climate change, says its director, Fran Dubrowski. Were trying to encourage the craft artist to really discuss sustainability with the visitors to their show, not just practice it at home, she said. They're in constant contact with the public, and I think they can be wonderful ambassadors for climate education. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday extended for five years the ban on terror group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying it continued to be a grave threat to the country. In a notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the LTTEs objective of a separate homeland (Tamil Eelam) for all Tamils threatened the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and its disruptive activities were prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty of India. The group continues to adopt a strong anti-India posture and also continues to pose a grave threat to the security of Indian nationals, said the notification, while banning the LTTE, the group that was behind the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The ban has been extended under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and comes in the backdrop of the Easter blasts in Sri Lanka. Though the LTTE had no connection with the Easter attacks, intelligence agencies had warned the government of LTTE undertaking propaganda activities, sources said. Although the outfit is based in Sri Lanka, it has some supporters, sympathisers and agents in India. The separatist Tamil chauvinist groups and pro-LTTE groups continue to foster a separatist tendency amongst the masses and enhance the support base for the LTTE in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, the MHA said. It will ultimately have a strong disintegrating influence over the territorial integrity of India, hence, the strong need continues to exist to control all such separatist activities by all possible lawful means, the notification said. Even after its military defeat in May 2009 in Sri Lanka, the LTTE has been clandestinely working towards this cause by undertaking fundraising and propaganda activities, and the remnant LTTE leaders or cadres have also initiated efforts to regroup the scattered activists and resurrect the outfit locally and internationally, according to the notification. The MHA said that cases were registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, against LTTE, pro-LTTE elements and chauvinist groups between May 2014 and May 2019, besides cases under the provisions of Explosive Substances Act 1908 and Indian Penal Code, etc. Four Sudanese protesters and an army major were shot dead Monday in the capital, hours after protest leaders and the ruling generals reached a breakthrough agreement on transitional authorities to run the country. The latest developments came as the prosecutor general's office said ousted president Omar al-Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters during anti-regime demonstrations that led to the end of his rule last month. The major and a protester were killed at a sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum where thousands of protesters remain camped for weeks, demanding that the army generals who took power after ousting Bashir step down. Three soldiers and several protesters and civilians were also wounded when "unidentified elements" fired shots at the Khartoum sit-in, the ruling military council said. The committee later said three more protesters had been shot dead, but did not specify if they were actually killed at the sit-in. The umbrella protest movement the Alliance for Freedom and Change said Monday's violence was to "disturb the breakthrough in the negotiations" with army generals as it blamed the bloodshed on the former regime's militias. Earlier on Monday, the generals and the protest movement said a breakthrough had been reached in their talks over handing of power to a civilian administration. "At today's meeting we agreed on the structure of the authorities and their powers," Taha Osman, a spokesman for the protest movement, told AFP. "The authorities are as follows -- the sovereign council, the cabinet and the legislative body," he said. Osman said another meeting would be held on Tuesday "to discuss the period of transition and the composition of the authorities." The military council confirmed an accord had been reached. "We agreed on forming the transitional authority on all three levels -- the sovereign, the executive and the legislative," council spokesman Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi told reporters. "Tomorrow we will continue to discuss the percentage of participation... and the transitional period." The generals insist the transitional period should be two years, while protesters want it to be four years. The crucial talks between the two sides follow a deadlock in negotiations. The apparent breakthrough came as Sudan's acting prosecutor general Al-Waleed Sayyed Ahmed said Bashir "and others have been charged for inciting and participating in the killing of demonstrators". The charges form part of an investigation into the death of a medic killed during a protest in the capital's eastern district of Burri, his office said in a statement. Ninety people were killed in protest-related violence after demonstrations initially erupted in December, the doctors' committee said last month. The official death toll is 65. Mass protests which drove Bashir from office on April 11 are still being held outside the army headquarters, vowing to force the military council to cede power. Prior to Monday's talks, dozens of protesters blocked Nile Street, a major avenue in the city, for the second consecutive day, an AFP correspondent reported. Pressing their demand for a handover to civilian rule, protesters also blocked a road leading to the capital's northern district of Bahari. Three protesters were wounded by "live ammunition" when security personnel tried to dismantle blockades put by demonstrators in parts of the capital, the doctors' committee said. "We reject using force against the civilians ... we are calling on the military council to take its responsibility in protecting the peaceful protesters," the Alliance for Freedom and Change said. Following a deadlock in negotiations, the protest alliance on Saturday said the army generals had invited the movement for a new round of talks. The generals in earlier talks had proposed the new council be led by the military, while the protest leaders want a majority civilian body. Late last month, the alliance -- which brings together protest organisers, opposition parties and rebel groups -- handed the generals its proposals for a civilian-led transitional government. But the generals pointed to what they call "many reservations" over the alliance's roadmap. They have singled out its silence on the constitutional position of Islamic sharia law, which was the guiding principle of all legislation under Bashir's rule. Demonstrators converged on the military complex last month seeking the army's help in ousting Bashir. Days later the army ousted the veteran leader, but a 10-member military council took power and demonstrators have kept up their sit-in against the generals. Although crowds have dwindled during the day due to the scorching heat, protesters gather in their thousands after breaking the daytime fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. VOA Persian's Shahla Arasteh contributed from Washington. PENTAGON The United States ordered its non-emergency employees to leave Iraq on Wednesday, a move that comes as the Trump administration warns of potential threats against American forces in the Middle East from Iran or Iranian-backed proxies. A statement posted by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said the order applied both to staff there and at the U.S. Consulate in Irbil. U.S. embassies in Iraq, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Turkmenistan all warned American citizens to maintain a "high level of vigilance." Germany and the Netherlands said they are suspending military training operations in Iraq, although Berlin said it had no signals of its own that a threat against Western interests in Iraq was imminent. The Dutch government cited an unspecified security threat in curtailing its training operations. Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham asked that State and Defense officials brief lawmakers about the threat top government officials say that Iran poses. Graham said he has "no idea what the threat stream is beyond what I read in the paper." U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday rejected a report that he is considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran, but didn't rule out deploying "a lot more" soldiers in the future. "I think it's fake news," Trump said of a New York Times report that the White House is considering a plan to send 120,000 troops to the region. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump said. The Pentagon has already dispatched an aircraft carrier and nuclear-capable bomber planes to the region in the last few days, with a Patriot missile battery and a landing platform dock ship on the way. The Patriot system offers protection from aircraft and missiles, while the LPD carries Marines and the aircraft, hovercraft, or boats needed to put them ashore to fight in distant places. According to the Times report, the 120,0000 troops under consideration would not be used to invade Iran, something that planners say would require much bigger numbers. Meanwhile, a senior officer in the U.S.-led military coalition combating Islamic State said Tuesday he had seen no greater recent threat to its troops in Iraq or Syria from forces backed by Iran. "There's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," British Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika told reporters at the Pentagon in a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad. "We're aware of their presence, clearly, and we monitor them, along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in." The statement was in contrast to comments from the Trump administration and the Pentagon, who have asserted for more than a week that they have detected potential threats against U.S. forces in the Middle East. Capt. Bill Urban, lead spokesman U.S. Central Command, said the recent comment from British Maj. Gen. Ghika runs counter to the U.S.'s perceived threat from Iranian-backed forces. "U.S. Central Command, in coordination with Operation Inherent Resolve, has increased the force posture level forall service members assigned to OIR in Iraq and Syria. As a result, OIR is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to U.S. forces in Iraq," Urban said in a statement. U.S. Senate Democrat Chris Coons said it is hard to determine whether a significant, new U.S. troop deployment to the Middle East is justified. Answering a VOA Persian question at a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington on Tuesday, Coons said there has been no articulated strategy or briefing by the Trump administration to lawmakers on committees other than intelligence, regarding threats from Iran. Coons called for continued U.S. dialogue with Washington's European allies on Iran. "I would urge the Trump administration to work as hard diplomatically as they seem to be from the defense perspective, in terms of planning and developing a strategy and communicating it to Congress and the world." A senior military official told reporters at the Pentagon Friday that the Iranian threat was both "on land and sea" and included commercial dhows (small ships) that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a branch of Iran's armed forces, loaded with "potential military hardware to include missiles." "It's important that Iran understand that an attack on Americans or its interests will be met with an appropriate response," Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan said Friday. "We're in the Middle East to defeat terrorism, fight and build security ... but we will protect ourselves." But when asked to square his statements with U.S. assertions that the threat to U.S. troops in Iraq from the militias is increasing, Ghika insisted he was "on exactly the same page." "I don't think we're out of step with the White House at all," Ghika said. WATCH: US Military prepare for confrontation Yuni Salim, Mike Bowman, and Katherine Gypson contributed to this report. THE WHITE HOUSE U.S. President Donald Trump called it his "great privilege" to welcome ambassadors and diplomats from Muslim-majority nations to the White House for an iftar dinner Monday marking the end of fasting observed by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. He highlighted Ramadan as "a time of charity, of giving and service to our fellow citizens," and one in which to become closer as families and communities. "Ramadan is a time when people joined forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance, and peace. It is in this spirit that we come together tonight," Trump said. This is the presidents second iftar. In 2017 Trump broke the tradition that President Bill Clinton started in 1996 and did not host a reception. Like last year, American Muslim organizations and lawmakers were not part of the guest list. WATCH: Another White House Iftar Without US Muslim Organizations 'We would have declined anyway' During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump called for a complete ban on all Muslims entering the United States and has signed multiple executive orders restricting immigration from Muslim-majority countries. American Muslim groups claim they feel targeted by the presidents rhetoric and policies, and say they would have declined had they been invited. It would be very, very awkward for us to be there, in the presence of a president who is anti-Muslim, anti-immigrants, who supports white supremacy, and racist policies against communities of color and minorities, said Nihad Awad, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), America's largest Muslim civil liberties advocacy organization. American Muslim organizations have attended past iftars under Clinton, Bush and Obama, although many of them boycotted during the start of the Iraq war. Members of Congress of the Islamic faith have been present in past iftars, but lawmakers Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were absent Monday night. In the past month, Trump has tweeted attacks on Omar and Tlaib, the first two American Muslim women to win Congressional seats. Engie Mohsen, Policy Program Manager of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a national American Muslim advocacy and public policy organization said the absence of American Muslim groups and lawmakers demonstrates how the president does not see American Muslims as part of America. Mohsen accused the administration of purposefully portraying American Muslims "as an other and the administrations statements and actions repeatedly spread falsehoods about Muslims and Islam. Mohsen and Awad pointed to the rise in hate crimes since Trump took office. Awad said CAIR has tracked unprecedented hate against Muslims, claiming Islamophobia has been legitimized and normalized through this president and his administration's policies. Despite tense relations with the nation's Muslim community, Trump closed his remarks by saying America is a nation founded on the belief that citizens of all faiths can live together. A U.S. official says military experts believe explosives blew holes in four ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates Sunday, and suspects Iran may be involved but they have no proof. Two of the oil tankers belong to Saudi Arabia, which says the ships suffered "significant damage" in what it and the UAE calls sabotage. Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih said the attack was meant to undermine "the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world." One of the others was a Norwegian-flagged vessel and fourth belongs to the UAE. No one was hurt and no oil spilled from the damaged ships. U.S. officials have so far given no details on exactly what happened to the ships and have no proof of who was responsible. But one official says Washington suspects Iran. "This is what Iran does... the sort of thing you could see Iran doing... it fits their modus operandi," the official told Reuters. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Monday the attacks "are alarming and regrettable." He called for "further investigation," warning the incident may have been "part of a plot by parties trying to create havoc in the region." The U.S. official says Iran is "trying to muddy the waters" with such comments. The U.S. Maritime Administration warned last week of what it called the "increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against U.S. and partner interests ... by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers or U.S. military vessels." Asked at the White House about the incident, President Donald Trump responded: "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake. The Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan all condemned the attack. A U.S. labor agency has concluded that ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc's drivers are independent contractors and not its employees, which could prevent them from joining unions. The National Labor Relations Board's general counsel, in a memo released on Tuesday, said Uber drivers set their hours, own their cars and are free to work for the company's competitors, so they cannot be considered employees under federal labor law. San Francisco-based Uber in a statement said it is "focused on improving the quality and security of independent work, while preserving the flexibility drivers and couriers tell us they value." Uber shares were up 6.4 percent at $39.46 in late trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The memo dated April 16 came in an NLRB case against Uber that has yet to reach the five-member board, which is independent of the general counsel. Under the National Labor Relations Act, independent contractors cannot join unions and do not have legal protection when they complain about working conditions. In January, President Donald Trump's appointees to the NLRB adopted a new test making it more difficult for workers to prove they are a company's employees. Uber, its top rival Lyft Inc, and many other "gig economy" companies have faced scores of lawsuits accusing them of misclassifying workers as independent contractors under federal and state wage laws. Employees are significantly more costly because they are entitled to the minimum wage, overtime pay and reimbursements for work-related expenses under those laws. Uber, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week, said it would pay up to $170 million to settle tens of thousands of arbitration cases with drivers who claim they were misclassified. Uber denied any wrongdoing, but said settling the cases was preferable to drawn-out litigation. The company has agreed to pay an additional $20 million to end long-running lawsuits by thousands of drivers in California and Massachusetts. The U.S. Department of Labor in a memo released last month said an unidentified "gig economy" company's workers were not its employees under federal wage law because it did not control their work. The company, which appeared from the memo to provide house-cleaning services, had a similar relationship with its workers as Uber does with drivers. The memo signaled a shift from the Obama administration, which maintained that most workers should be considered companies' employees. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is pledging the world body will lead efforts to combat online hate speech in the aftermath of the deadly New Zealand mosque shootings. Guterres made the vow Tuesday during a visit to the al-Noor and Linwood mosques in the city of Christchurch where 51 worshippers were massacred in a shooting spree on March 15 by a self-described white supremacist from Australia. I know there are no words to relieve the hurt and sorrow and pain, the secretary-general said after his visit to the al-Noor mosque, but I wanted to come here personally to transmit love, support, and total and complete admiration." Warning that hate speech is spreading like wildfire in social media, Guterres said he has asked Adama Dieng, his special advisor for the prevention of genocide, to form a team to develop a global plan of action in response. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who received international praise for her response to the Christchurch massacre, is planning to co-host a global meeting in Paris this week to drum up support to combat online expression of violence. The U.N. warned Monday that Cameroon has become one of the fastest-growing displacement crises in Africa, and that the security and humanitarian situations are deteriorating and risk spiraling out of control. Last year, 160,000 people were estimated to need humanitarian assistance in the Northwest and Southwest regions, U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told an informal meeting of the Security Council. Today, there are not 160,000, but more than 1.3 million people at least eight times as many in need. The countys English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions have been wracked with instability since fighting broke out in 2017. More than 1,500 people have been killed and a half-million internally displaced. The violence has impacted livelihoods, but also left more than 600,000 children out of school and disrupted the health sector, rendering 40% of health facilities not operational in some areas. The U.N. and nongovernmental groups have scaled up humanitarian assistance, but Lowcock said more funding is urgently needed. This year, the U.N. and NGOs are looking for $300 million to reach 2.3 million people, including one-third of them in the Northwest and Southwest regions, Lowcock said. Only $38 million has been received so far. Cameroon also faces humanitarian situations in two other parts of the country in the far north, it hosts Nigerian refugees fleeing Boko Haram militants from the Lake Chad region, and in the east, it has hosted refugees from the neighboring Central African Republic since 2013. Unrest in the Northwest and Southwest was sparked in 2017 by English-speaking teachers and lawyers protesting Francophone dominance. Armed rebels took over the movement, demanding independence for an English-speaking state they call "Ambazonia." Their demands were met with a government crackdown. Cameroons U.N. ambassador objected to Mondays informal council session, which was held in a conference room and included two speakers from Cameroon civil society. Organizers intended it to raise awareness of the worsening situation. The very subject under consideration namely the humanitarian situation in Cameroon in no way constitutes a threat to international peace and security, Ambassador Michel Tommo Monthe said. He warned that some wanted to use the session to tarnish Cameroon as hellish country of unspeakable ills. With the Trump administration locked in an escalating trade war with China, much of the media focus is on the immediate impact of decisions by leaders on both sides to impose sharp tariffs on goods flowing between the two countries. But while consumers and exporters in both countries will suffer in the near-term, an even more disruptive possibility looms in the long term: a decoupling of two massive economic systems that have become deeply interdependent over the past several decades. At the root of the dispute is a U.S. effort to force China to bring its trade policies in line with other major industrialized countries. Specifically, the U.S. wants to see China stop subsidizing domestic firms to help them compete on the world stage, eliminate the widespread theft of intellectual property by Chinese businesses, and open its markets to foreign competition. The U.S. is also putting pressure on specific Chinese telecommunications firms, out of concern that they could be used by the Chinese government to spy on global rivals. In recent days, the two countries have both ratcheted up economic pressures. As negotiations over a major trade deal stalled last week, President Trump announced that he would direct his administration to hike tariffs to 25% on Chinese goods that accounted for $200 billion in imports last year. He indicated that he would eventually move to place that same levy on all $540 billion of annual Chinese imports. The Chinese government retaliated Monday with the imposition of tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods that flow into its country, and indicated that it will take more drastic steps if necessary. While many experts believe that the two countries will strike a deal before the new tariffs really start to bite, there is increasing concern that strife between the worlds two largest economic powers could persist, forcing a disruptive overhaul of global supply chains that would echo around the world. In fact, there is evidence that companies are already taking the first steps in a significant reorientation of global supply chains. According to Paul Triolo, practice head for Geo-Technology at the Eurasia Group, there already has been a significant amount of decoupling by companies in the information and communications technology industries, as well as furniture, apparel, and agricultural products. US technology companies are already withholding new investment in manufacturing facilities based in China, and shifting parts of supply chains as feasible to southeast Asia and beyond, he said in an interview. There is a spectrum of potential options here, and so far most of the easy stuff has been moved. The equation becomes much more complicated for things like advanced electronics. Understanding why this would be so disruptive requires digging below the surface of most discussions of US-China trade. Political rhetoric about trade, much of it originating in President Trumps Twitter feed, tends to oversimplify and frequently misrepresent the reality of global trade flows. The exchange of goods between the two countries is portrayed as a zero-sum game, in which U.S. consumers face a simple choice between buying widgets manufactured in China and buying competing products manufactured in the U.S. Bilateral trade, intermediate goods The truth is far more complex. Combined exports and imports between the two countries totaled $650 billion in 2018, according to U.S. government figures. Goods moving from China to the U.S. make up just under two-thirds of that total, and they are not limited to the cheap clothes and toys that made up a large portion of Chinese exports a generation ago. Smartphones, appliances, computers and other goods travel in a constant stream across the Pacific to U.S. markets. Importantly, though, those finished goods often contain key elements, like microchips, that were originally manufactured in the U.S. and exported to China. These intermediate goods represent a huge market for U.S. technology firms. Similarly, intermediate goods made in China find their way into finished products that bear the Made in the U.S.A. stamp. As a whole, intermediate goods make up between 60% and 65% of all global trade flows, which further illustrates the complexity of worldwide supply chains. Restructuring supply chains These complex manufacturing relationships have grown up over decades, and are very much baked into the way companies in both countries do business. Now, as the trade war escalates, they are facing the real possibility that ongoing conflict between Washington and Beijing could require companies to restructure global supply chains in a way that will provide more certainty and stability in the future. But doing so would be a long and difficult process, experts warn. These value chains, or supply networks are both highly specialized and quite idiosyncratic, said Scott Miller, a senior adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy said in an interview. Company A and Company B might be in the same business, but the way they organize their supply network could be quite different. The idea of decoupling, well, if youre in a business that requires assembly at scale, youre going to find it hard replacing China, Miller said. It can be done, but its real work. The problem is even worse if a company has developed a network of qualified suppliers in China. Replacing them is not like flipping a switch, he said. It takes time, energy and capital to develop suppliers, Miller said. Should it come to that, economists warn, the effects on both countries, at both the macro- and microeconomic levels, could be immense. Cost of tariffs Within the U.S. alone, the potential damage from the proposed tariffs would be huge, warned Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. Writing in a note to investors on Wednesday, he said, The hit from 25% tariffs on all imports would be at least 0.6% of GDP, and probably much more as companies would have to rebuild entire supply chains. The hit to earnings growth would be of the order of 10%. It is also apparent that many of the supposed benefits of decoupling won't necessarily accrue to the United States. President Trump has suggested that his trade policies will bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., but by all indications, the manufacturers who are already starting to move away from China are relocating to other low-wage countries, like Vietnam and Mexico. As grim as some of these predictions are, there is a school of thought in which the divisions between the U.S. and China, and their global impacts, become much, much worse. Worst scenario In an appearance on the television program Face the Nation on Sunday, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson warned that if China and the U.S. successfully isolate themselves from one another particularly in the realm of technology the result could be a bifurcated global system that will devastate economic relationships. The real risk is that both countries through their actions will throw up or create an economic iron wall which means we'll be decoupling global supply chains, right? said Paulson, who also served as CEO of the investment bank Goldman Sachs. We'll be having two systems with incompatible standards and rules," he added. "And so as I look at it the defining strength of America is innovation and we need to protect our technology, need to protect our innovation. But if we close ourselves off from other, you know, other innovative economies and entrepreneurs, we jeopardize our leadership position in the world and we're much less attractive as a destination for foreign investment. Triolo, of the Eurasia Group, gave voice to a concern that fewer commentators are willing to discuss out loud, but which must lurk in the back of many business leaders minds. Many companies are now for the first time factoring in the potential for the trade and tech conflict to morph into a real shooting conflict, either by accident or miscalculation or deliberately, he said. The potential for actual conflict has now gone way up for the period 3-5 years out, and this has to be taken into account when multinationals are looking at global supply chain risk. The best case scenario, a trade truce with China making some limited concessions, will not necessarily improve this dynamic, he said. U.S. focus on the nature of Chinas political system, the control of the Party over information, [Chinese President] Xis unwillingness to cede more state control of the economy, etc. are all contributing to the clash of civilizations meme which is gaining traction among the extreme factions on each side, diminishing the room for rebuilding trust, which is now arguably at an all time low. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to work to normalize strained relations and restore bilateral channels of communication following talks Tuesday at the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Although Pompeo and Lavrov discussed a wide range of bilateral and international problems, including the situations in Iran, North Korea, Ukraine, Syria and Venezuela, they didn't have major breakthroughs on any of those issues. At the joint news conference with Lavrov following the talks, Pompeo said Washington is willing to rebuild its relationship with Moscow, but it expects its Russian counterparts to act on it with all seriousness. "President Trump's made it clear that his expectation is that we have an improved relationship between our countries. This will benefit each of our people. And I think that our talks here today were a good step in this direction", said Pompeo. It is Pompeo's first visit to Russia as Secretary of State. After his meeting with Lavrov, the American diplomat met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader said he had spoken to U.S. President Donald Trump several days ago, and he got the impression that Trump indeed "intends to rebuild U.S.-Russian relations and contacts in order to solve the issues of mutual interest." "On our behalf, we have said it multiple times that we also would like to rebuild fully fledged relations, and I hope that right now the conducive environment is being built for that," Putin said to Pompeo. Putin then brought up the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference by calling it "exotic work." Putin denied any collusion between his government and the current U.S. administration. Earlier, during the joint press conference after talks with Lavrov, Pompeo issued a few stern warnings to Moscow, saying it should refrain from interfering in the 2020 U.S election, free captured Ukrainian sailors and try to make peace with Kyiv. He also said the two sides disagree on Venezuela and urged Russia to end its support for President Nicolas Maduro. Washington and 50 other countries have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim leader. Tuesday's Sochi meeting came after Pompeo shared intelligence and details with European allies about what the United States calls Iran's recent "escalating threat," blaming Tehran for failing to choose talks over threats. "And we want to make sure (Europeans) understood the risks as we saw them, and I shared that with them in some detail. As for our policy, it's been consistent now for the entire Trump administration and the decision to withdraw from the JCPOA [Iran nuclear deal], now just over a year ago, made clear what our objectives are", said Pompeo about his stopover in Brussels en route to Sochi. The top U.S. diplomat called on the Iranian regime to "behave like a normal country" and accused its leadership of conducting "assassination campaigns throughout Europe" and "supporting the Hezbollah." Before the meeting, State Department Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook told reporters Iran "plays a destabilizing role in Syria" and that Iran's use of Syria "as a missile platform to advance its foreign policy objectives" goes against Russian goals of bringing stability to the Syria. Russian forces have been aiding the Syrian military since 2015, while Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar al-Assad, giving support and training to Shi'ite militias. Analysts say they did not expect any surprise breakthroughs on Iran in Sochi. "Tehran is an important strategic ally of Moscow in Syria," said Gleb Pavlovsky, the president of the Moscow-based Russia Institute. "I do not anticipate any changes there, because Russia without Iran in the Middle East would be naked. Something should have been offered to Moscow. I am hoping (Pompeo) came to offer some kind of exchanges, tradeoffs political or economic." The head of the Russian International Affairs Council, Andrey Kortunov, said Washington should not seek support on its Iran foreign policy in Moscow for a number of reasons. "How can they reach any compromise here? Russia cannot support the U.S. sanctions toward Iran for a number of reasons, primarily because it is under such pressure itself. Trump, of course, would have liked if Russia used its leverage over Iran's behavior in the region," says Kortunov. Experts believe the meetings in Sochi demonstrated that even in cases when U.S. and Russian interests overlap in certain parts of the world, it should be viewed as a mere coincidence, rather than a pattern. "We are talking about some situational convergence, and not about a unified vision of the global picture," concludes Kurtunov. Pompeo's trip comes a few weeks ahead of a Group of 20 summit meeting June 28-29 in Osaka, Japan, with both Putin and President Trump expected to attend. Trump said on Monday he will meet with Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 summit. A veteran Palestinian negotiator said Monday she had been denied a U.S. travel visa for the first time, and viewed it as retaliation for her criticism of the Trump administration and Israel. Asked about Hanan Ashrawi's allegations, a U.S. State Department official did not comment directly, but said visas are not refused on the grounds of an applicant's politics if those political statements or views would be lawful in the United States. Since they boycotted the Trump administration over its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in late 2017, the Palestinians have seen cuts to U.S. funding that have contributed to their economic distress in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. "It is official! My US visa application has been rejected. No reason given," Ashrawi said on Twitter. She is a member of the executive committee of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and took part in interim peace talks with Israel dating back decades. She posited that "this administration has decided I do not deserve to set foot in the U.S." and gave as possible reasons her "vocal critic(ism) of this administration & its underlings" and her "(zero) tolerance for the Israeli occupation in all its manifestations as a most pervasive form of oppression, dispossession & denial." Peacemaking process The rancor between the United States and the Palestinians has deepened as Washington prepares to unveil a long-awaited plan for restarting peacemaking, possibly next month. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said last week that the United States seems to be crafting a plan for a Palestinian surrender to Israel instead of a peace deal. Ashrawi has sparred publicly with Jason Greenblatt, a Trump envoy and an architect of the peace plan, saying on Twitter on Sunday that he is a "self-appointed advocate/apologist for Israel." In February, Greenblatt tweeted that Ashrawi was "always welcome" to meet him at the White House. A month later, after Ashrawi condemned Israeli military strikes in Hamas-ruled Gaza, he tweeted to her: "Stop hurting Palestinians w/bad judgment." Speaking to Reuters, Ashrawi said she had applied for a B-1/B-2 visa, which is for either business or tourism travel to the United States. She described the rejection as a first for her. "Most of my life, I've been going back and forth, meeting people, speaking everywhere. This is new," she said. "They (the Trump administration) are trying to punish us." U.S. visa rules A State Department official declined to respond to a Reuters query about Ashrawi's statements, citing confidentiality for visa records. But the official said: "U.S. law does not authorize the refusal of visa based solely on political statements or views if those statements or views would be lawful in the United States. Visas may be denied only on grounds set out in U.S. law." Those grounds, the State Department website says, include concerns about an applicant's health, criminal or security background, his or her labor status or incomplete documents. Last month, Omar Barghouti, a Palestinian leader of an international campaign to boycott Israel, said he was refused a U.S. travel visa as "part of Israel's escalating repression." U.S. officials declined to respond to his allegations. By PTI AHMEDABAD: Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday accused the Gujarat government of being "casteist" and failing to ensure the safety of Dalits after some of their marriage processions were targeted by members of other communities. He said the Vijay Rupani government in the state was a "mute spectator" while Dalits were facing discrimination. "A serious situation has arisen in Gujarat where Dalits cannot take out their marriage processions. Chief Minister Rupani has not uttered a single word on the incident," Mevani told reporters here. He said it was Rupani's responsibility to appeal to people to stop behaving in a "hateful manner" against Dalits. "The Rupani government has become a mute spectator of the entire incident. Whatever happens to Dalits, we were going to do nothing, such is the casteist, callous and indifferent attitude of this government," he said. On Sunday, a Dalit wedding procession was blocked by members of an upper caste community at Khambisar village in Aravalli district, after which stones were pelted, leading to tension in the village. In a similar incident at Sitvada village in Sabarkantha district, the wedding procession of a Dalit groom had to be provided police protection on Sunday after members of the OBC Thakor community opposed it. Last Friday, the Thakor community members objected to a wedding procession as the groom was riding a horse on way to the marriage venue at Lhor village in Mehsana district. Dubbing such incidents as "shameful and painful," Mevani said, "In all such five incidents, Dalits had informed the police in advance. But despite that, the police, the BJP government could not ensure peaceful procession and that the Dalit groom could ride a horse. " The Dalit leader, who is an Independent MLA from Vadgam, said neither Rupani nor state social justice minister Ishwar Parmar met the affected people. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being silent on atrocities against Dalits in Gujarat even as he referred to the Alwar gangrape incident in one of his public meetings. "Modiji is busy cornering the Congress government of Rajasthan over the Alwar gangrape incident, but is not ready to say a word on what all is happening here," he said. Mevani also accused the police of failing to protect Dalits in the state. Referring to a video clip in which Aravalli's Deputy Superintendent of Police Falguni Patel was allegedly seen abusing Dalits at Khambisar village after clashes erupted over the Dalit marriage procession, he demanded action against her. Mevani said Dalit leaders will organise a meeting on May 18 in the affected villages. Human rights activist Martin Macwan called such incidents as cases of "anarchy and lawlessness". "The BJP leaders say the issue should not be politicised. But this is a political question because the chief minister has remained silent even when the incidents took place despite the police having been informed well in advance," said the Gujarat-based activist. Pro-government statements are the norm in Chinhoyi, the hometown of former president Robert Mugabe. But that was not the case at a public meeting Saturday, as Zimbabweans grappling with poverty amid the flailing economy are using every chance they can to voice to their anger. Doug Taylor Freeme, a former leader of the predominantly white Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union, was among those who spoke. "When the president came into power, he made an appeal: 'Please, can all those financial institutions come into Zimbabwe and bring investment here.' Our president has no need for him to be traveling all over the world looking for the money. It's here. We just need the right documentation so that we can put the right security in place and I can promise, overnight, there will be a huge change," Freeme said. When he speaks of documentation, Freeme is talking about giving farmers the legal right to their land. Most white commercial farmers were pushed off their land in the early 2000s by the government and replaced by black peasant farmers. Those new farmers have no guarantee they will be allowed to stay, and no collateral to use to borrow money from banks. Without those, Freeme argues, the farms cannot be productive. Even blacks who benefited from the land reforms, like tobacco farmer Ronnie Masango, say unless the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe addresses chronic shortages of cash and finds a way to preserve the value of the local currency, the bondnote, the southern African country's economy will not recover. "I hear people keep on saying parallel market, parallel market" he said, referring to a black market. "Where is that money coming from? At the banks, I cannot access my money. But in the streets I see people using cash. ... We want cash in the banks. Not in the streets. So you will soon see commotion in the streets since the traders show off. Parallel market is the source of our economic problems. That is where corruption starts." Ziyambi Ziyambi, Zimbabwe's justice minister, says only patience will help as the country goes through what President Emmerson Mnangagwa calls "austerity for prosperity" measures to reverse years of recession under former president Mugabe. "To be fair to the reserve bank, the reserve bank does not create a parallel market. A parallel market, or black market, is caused by shortages," Ziyambi said. "So what we are coming up is austerity measures. The moment we have a scenario where our production increases, we kill the parallel market. We have to acknowledge [that] we had 20 years or so where there was no development." It remains to be seen if the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe can assure citizens that the economy will stabilize, but the opposition has indicated more protests will materialize unless the situation improves. Police in a Washington suburb are searching for the killer of Bettie Jenifer, wife of popular Ghanaian actor Chris Attoh. Police say Jenifer was shot and killed Friday afternoon in Greenbelt, Maryland, as she left the office building where she worked. Witnesses say Jenifer saw a man with a gun standing in the parking lot. As she tried to run away, the gunman chased her, shooting her twice. Police say they believe she was the victim of a targeted killing and that the gunman is at large. Attoh was in Los Angeles working on a film and immediately flew to Maryland. Reports say investigators are studying Attoh's social media posts after he deleted all photographs of him and Jenifer together on his websites -- leading to speculation in Ghana that the couple was splitting up. Attoh and Jenifer were married for just seven months. The first allocation of funds availed by the Zimbabwe government to compensate some of the commercial white farmers displaced during the 2000 land invasions, may be in the accounts of many, by the end of May, said Ben Gilpin, director of the Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe (CFU). We anticipate within the next week, certainly before the end of the month, said Gilpin. About 860-white farmers have applied for compensation, but only a handful of those considered to be in financial distress, will get first preference of the annual RTGS$53-million, the local Zimbabwe currency, allocated for compensation. The government of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced last month that it had started the registration process for the displaced white farmers, to compensate them for the improvements made to the land, but not the land itself. Gilpin applauded the government for keeping its word. Certainly we are grateful that the dialogue has been positive and certainly the movement with regard this interim relief is certainly positive and well received, but its a very small part of a bigger picture, said Gilpin. Government itself has made a commitment to going back to when the president was inaugurated first, and secondly when he was re-inaugurated, he made a commitment to get this done quickly, he added. The government said it was following through on its commitment to compensate white farmers in adherence to the countrys constitution, but also in response to pressure from western governments as a condition to normalize relations, that could include the lifting of sanctions. The issue of compensation has however been controversial, and has drawn criticism from some Zimbabweans who argue that compensation is a reversal on governments commitment to empower blacks. While many of the estimated 4,000 white farmers who were forced off their land left the country and started new lives elsewhere, of those who remained, many still want to farm, and Gilpin said if land was made available, many would return to farming and help rebuild the economy. Certainly theres a lot of underutilized land in the country and it would make a lot of sense if theres an aim of getting the country back, functional and getting the economy going, that those that are interested, regardless of race, and have got skills, should be able to get access to land and use it productively, Gilpin. Though some of the farmers welcome the opportunity to return to farming, reports of fresh invasions on various white owned farms, have revived fears of the violence that occurred during 2000 land invasions. Former First Lady Grace Mugabe has been dragged to court on allegations that she assaulted a housekeeper who accepted a wedding gift from former president Robert Mugabe. According to the privately-owned NewsDay newspaper, Mrs. Mugabe accused Shupikai Chiroodza of allegedly milking the former president by obtaining the gift behind her back. The newspaper reports that Chiroodza claims that Mrs. Mugabe assaulted her with clenched fists and shoes and only stopped beating her up when a visitor arrived at the familys Blue Roof Mansion in Harare. Chiroodza, who filed the court case in Harare, claims that she was unfairly dismissed by the Public Service Commission in 2017 following her physical encounter with the former first lady. She claimed the assault happened soon after she was summoned by PSC officials who then indicated that Mrs. Mugabe was waiting for her at the Blue Roof Mansion. Chiroodza claims that all hell broke loose when she arrived at the Blue Roof. She is quoted by the newspaper as saying, She (Grace) seized me by the neck and pulled me inside the house and locked the door. She started beating me with clenched fists shouting, unoda kuzviita ani pano? (who do you think you are here?) you are milking my husband behind my back. I did not utter a word as I was terrified. She removed her shoes and continued assaulting me with it and blood started gushing out of my forehead, mouth and nose. The assault continued for about 20 minutes. Chiroodza further claims that Mrs. Mugabe threatened to kill her if she reported the matter to the police or anybody. She was not available for comment as her aide was not responding to calls on her mobile phone. Mrs. Mugabe also facing similar claims following reports that she assaulted South African, Gabrielle Engels, whom she found with her two sons at a hotel near Johannesburg in 2018. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The ensuing war of words between PM Narendra Modi and BSP chief Mayawati is far from over as both trained guns at each other in their respective poll rallies on Tuesday. Realising the electoral realities on ground in eastern UP, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept his discourse focused on caste claiming himself to be one among the most backwards while addressing a poll rally in Ballia, the BSP supremo, in adjoining Salmepur parliamentary seat, minced no words in claiming the Dalits had been at the receiving end in five-year Modi rule of arrogance and tyranny. Reiterating his mahamilawati jibe at SP-BSP gathbandhan inclusive of Congress and accusing them of being busy in abusing him, PM Modi claimed the statements of opposition leaders in UP were a reflection of their defeat and dejection after six phases of election. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE There is no day when they do not abuse Modi. All their expletives are welcome. My countrymen will pay them back by supporting the Lotus, said the PM. Ballia will go to polls in seventh phase along with 13 seats including Varanasi and Gorakhpur on Sunday, May 19. Raking the issue of his caste yet again in Purvanchal which throws a complex demographic equation and realising the underlying challenges, PM Modi charged the opposition especially SP and BSP with dabbling in caste politics. They seek votes in the name of caste and replenish their own coffers, build bungalows and palaces for themselves and their relatives. They have betrayed the poor and deprived who have gifted power to them, he said adding that he had only one caste which was "poverty." That is why I have rebelled against poverty. I am trying my best to ensure honour to women, poor and those standing at the lowest rung of society, he said. I have fought many elections but have never sought votes in the name of my caste to sail through. I live and fight for a bright future of this country. I dont want the children coming from deprived sections to fall in the trap of poverty, averred the PM. READ MORE | RSS has abandoned BJP for not fulfilling poll promises: Mayawati's latest jibe at PM Modi Modi launched a scathing attack on gathbandhan leaders over the issue of corruption saying they had plundered the poor and deprived on pretext of being one among them. They are under scanner of government agencies over the properties and money amassed by them, he said and challenged the opposition to show if he had any benami property, farmhouse, shopping complex or money in any foreign bank. On the other, the BSP chief upped the ante against the PM claiming he had lost the support of even RSS for failing to keep his promises of 2014. Prime Minister Modi governments ship is sinking, even the RSS has stopped supporting them. In view of unfulfilled election promises and the public agitation, their swayamsevaks are not being seen putting in the work, it has made Shri Modi nervous, the BSP chief said while interacting with the media. In a strong rebuff, Mayawati claimed that the country had enough of sevaks, chaiwalas , chowkidars, now it was craving for a person who could govern it in consonance of the genuine spirit of Constitution. She also raised the issue of reservation to attack Modi government claiming its half hearted implementation following which dalits and deprived were not able to reap the benefits properly. In promotions reservation was not implemented fully and in private sector there was no reservation because of which Dalits are still not a part of mainstream, claimed Mayawati in her Salmepur rally. The BSP chief also underlined how minorities and poor upper castes were also suffering due to flawed implementation of demonetisation and GST in Modi rule. Mayawati also urged the Election Commission to put a stop on candidates temple trips during ban due to the violation of the model code of poll conduct. She also urged the EC to monitor the money candidates were spending on road shows and temple trips. By PTI INDORE: A man has been arrested for allegedly inserting the plastic grip of a motorcycle handle into the private part of his wife almost two years ago after a quarrel over infidelity in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, police said. Doctors at the state-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital said a complex surgery of four hours had to be performed Tuesday to remove the plastic grip which had been pushed right up the 30 -year-old woman's uterus, urine bladder and small intestine. A statement from the MY Hospital added that infection had spread in the area since the grip remained stuck in the uterus for a long time and it could have spread further to other parts of the body if the operation was not carried out promptly. "The victim's husband, Prakash Bhil alias Rama (35) put the grip into her private parts two years ago after a quarrel over his relationships with other women. She did not disclose it to anyone till the pain became unbearable," Chandan Nagar police station in charge Rahul Sharma said. He said following the woman's complaint, the man was arrested on Sunday. Any delays are due to negotiations with national-brand tenants and not misgivings about construction along the interstate, Fuller said. Buzzard Billys, the Cajun and seafood restaurant on I-35 near Lake Brazos, has bounced from the frying pan and into the fire, it might be suggested, having survived construction of McLane Stadium but now faced with years of lane closings, detours and heavy equipment digging near its patio. Salve for the burn may come in knowing 140,000 vehicles pass daily. So far it has not been a major problem, though traffic does back up on the access road, and people dont like that, said manager Mel Wallace, speaking by phone. The restaurant also sits kind of low, between the highway and the river, and some not familiar with the area say they have trouble seeing our sign. If you miss your exit, a turnaround is necessary. Such maneuvering, she indicated, will become more challenging. But Buzzard Billys, said Wallace, is not waving the white flag. Charles Baker said Spencer accelerated toward him and his wife. He told police he was able to jump out of the way of the speeding truck but his wife was pinned between the vehicles. Spencers truck began sliding sideways toward the black Chevrolet, and the passenger side of Spencers truck struck the passenger side of the black vehicle, crushing Anita Baker, who was standing by the black vehicle, according to reports. Another man also was struck by Spencers truck but was not injured seriously. After striking Anita Baker with his truck, Spencer sped away from the parking lot but returned shortly and pulled up near a group of people who were trying to help Baker. Several from the crowd pulled Spencer from his truck, beat him and held him until police arrived, according to police reports. Russ Hunt, Spencers attorney, called the incident a real tragic situation. In accepting the guilty pleas, U.S. Magistrate Jeffrey C. Manske told Bohanan the maximum sentence for the bank robbery charge is 25 years on each count and a maximum fine of $250,000. The three weapons counts carry mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years that are required to be served consecutively, for a total of 30 years. U.S. District Judge Alan Albright will sentence Bohanan in mid-September. Bohanan also faces state charges from the Hewitt incident that include aggravated assault on a public servant and evading arrest in a vehicle. He has not been indicted on the state charges. Bohanans attorney, Russ Hunt Jr., has said Bohanan is really broken-hearted and super remorseful about what he did. Hewitt police have said Bohanan exchanged gunfire with Hewitt police officer Clint Brandon after Bohanan exited PointWest Bank at 420 Hewitt Drive on Feb. 5 and Brandon confronted him. A former staff member at the Methodist Childrens Home pleaded guilty Monday to having sex with a 17-year-old student at the home. Prosecutors recommended that Garrett Eucolia Nunley, 27, be placed on deferred probation for eight years and attend education courses in exchange for his guilty plea to second-degree felony improper relationship between educator and student. Judge Ralph Strother of Wacos 19th State District Court will sentence Nunley on July 8 after reviewing a report from probation officers. A second-degree felony is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Mr. Nunley regrets his bad decision and has learned from this, said Nunleys attorney, Thomas West. He has accepted responsibility for his inappropriate actions and is moving forward to be a positive member of the community. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and Waco police launched investigations after reports that Nunley had sex with a 17-year-old student at the Methodist Childrens Home in February 2016 while he was a staff member. The statute to which Nunley pleaded guilty does not require him to register as a sex offender, officials said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Wang Yang (R), a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with a delegation of personages from various circles in Taiwan led by Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Top political advisor Wang Yang met with a delegation of personages from various circles in Taiwan led by Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, here on Monday. Wang is a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Wang said he appreciates Hung's long-term adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence" as well as her contributions to the development of relations across the Taiwan Strait. "National rejuvenation and the reunification of the motherland have a bearing on the future of Taiwan and the Chinese nation," he said. Wang said people across the Strait should take safeguarding the interests and well-being of the whole nation as the goal of developing cross-Strait relations, take upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence" as the banner to unite people on both sides, and regard jointly exploring a new road of integrated development as an important way to jointly seek national rejuvenation. "On the common political basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing 'Taiwan independence,' we are willing to conduct dialogues and consultations with various political parties, organizations, and personages in Taiwan in various forms and on wide-ranging topics to build consensus and iron out differences," Wang noted. Hung said people on both sides of the Strait should uphold the 1992 Consensus and oppose "Taiwan independence," promote exchanges, enhance mutual trust, and contribute to the integrated cross-Strait development and the realization of peaceful reunification. 3 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Attacking 'abhineta' Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "pseudo nationalism", AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday asked the people of Gurdaspur if they wanted a Prime Minister who does politics on martyrs or wanted to make a martyrs son (Rahul Gandhi) the Prime Minister. ALSO READ | Teach 'arrogant' Harsimrat a lesson for misdeeds, says Priyanka Gandhi Leading a roadshow, along with Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, in Pathankot today in support of Congress partys Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar, Priyanka said Modi was the biggest `abhineta (actor) who had spent the last five years campaigning with lies and falsehoods, and not paring even martyrs or ex-servicemen. She lashed out at Modi for politicising the services of the ex-servicemen by claiming One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP) to be a gift to them. She introduced Jakhar as the asli neta of the people. In a snide to Modis theatrics and lies, she said the people had voted an `abhineta to power and he fooled them for five years. Modi does not talk about India or its people. He only talks about Pakistan, she quipped, accusing that he spent the last five years only campaigning and feeding lies to the people. A bustling Bathinda comes roaring to show support for Congress and Smt.@PriyankaGandhi, who addressed a huge gathering, speaking about Party's development initiatives in Punjab under Hon'ble CM @Capt_Amarinder Ji's leadership and future plans! pic.twitter.com/eg2vxHuLbc Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) May 14, 2019 Priyanka said those who destroyed Guru Granth Sahib were destroying the soul of Punjab a sin that the Akalis had committed. While Baba Nanak always said `tera tera, for the BJP and SAD, it had always been a case of `mera mera, she said, recalling that when Punjab was fighting for Indias freedom, the RSS was prostrating themselves before the British to save their own lives. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE She said that as the wife of a Punjabi, she felt at home in Punjab and appreciated the valour of Punjabis and their ability to remain happy in all circumstances and among its people. Priyanka cornered the Akalis on the issues of sacrilege and the mafia rule that prevailed during their regime. The council has been very, very supportive and encouraging with Danny and Ive gotten some really good feedback from the community about Danny, Zakhary said. He has made some pretty dramatic moves already that has streamlined operations, but he has said that he is not looking to do this full-time. Last week, Smith promoted Sgt. Brenda Kinsey to administration lieutenant, while keeping her in her roles as department spokeswoman and community policing supervisor. Smith has also restructured the department and met with officers to address any concerns they may have moving forward, Zakhary said. The police chief will have to continue with community policing, being very involved in the community and recognize that the most important aspect is the employees, Zakhary said. Applicants include retired law enforcement officers and current police officers from a variety of states including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Carl Franklin Gulebian, 35, readily admits he was a wild child growing up in Waco. As a rebellious teen and the only white family in the neighborhood, he took to running the streets and getting into trouble. On his brothers birthday, there was a hostage situation across the street; thats how wild it was. I was a horrible child, Gulebian said. I grew up in a rough neighborhood. Despite this, he graduated from A.J. Moore Academy but ended up strung out on meth and homeless. Thats when he saw a billboard for the military and decided to join up. After all, many of his family members had joined in various branches, including both grandfathers. Thus, Gulebian joined the Marines at age 17 but didnt get in until he was 18. Although he had second thoughts, he found himself at the Marine Corps Recruitment Depot in San Diego in 2002. His specialty training at the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton originally was in infantry, but due to a shortage of mortarmen, he was reassigned halfway through. The committees findings were released to the public in June 1860, just months before the presidential election, and proved to be incredibly damaging to the Democratic Partys reputation, even though Buchanan was not running again. Its detailed accounts of the misdeeds of the Democratic administration, which circulated throughout the North, gave the Republican Party substantial evidence with which to persuade the public that the United States could not afford the continued reign of the rotten and dishonest Democratic politicians. In the ensuing campaign, Abraham Lincolns supporters in Michigan emphasized at a Republican Party meeting that until the Democratic party are hurled from power, can all the cesspools of rottenness and corruption in which the public money has been sunk be brought to light. The Democrats could no longer be trusted to serve in the interests of the people. The Covode report was evidence as to why. By ANI NEW DELHI: After a deep internal review of the recent conflict with Pakistan, the Indian Army is planning to deploy a number of its air defence units close to the border to thwart aerial threats emanating from Pakistan. "Some of the fighting formations including air defence and other defensive formations are now planned to be moved closer to the borders," top Army sources said. "With these air defence units deployed closer to the border, we would be able to tackle any possible aerial strike from enemy side and thwart it close to the border itself," they said. The sources said the location of the air defence units deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan were reviewed by the force and it was felt that a number of them can be moved to forward locations to thwart enemy aerial strikes close to the borders itself. The air defence assets of the Indian Army include the indigenous Akash air defence missile systems along with the Russian Kvadrat and other old legacy systems. The force is also set to receive the latest MR-SAM air defence system which has been produced by the DRD-Israel joint venture. After India hit the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot town of Khyber Pakhtunwa province of Pakistan, the neighbouring country launched a big aerial attack in Jammu sector along the Line of Control. Even though the attack was thwarted by the Air Force air defence fighters including the MiG-21s and the Su-30MKIs and one Pakistani F-16 was also shot down, it was felt that presence of air defence units in the area could have caused more damage to the Pakistanis. Due to the aggressive response of the Air Force, the Pakistanis could come only a couple of kilometres inside the Indian territory. The Pakistani air attack on February 27 was in response to the Balakot hits by the Indian Air Force a day earlier. This past year was not massively better than 2020, but at least it was different. A variant, so to speak. And like any year, it had both highs and lows. No, we take that back. It was pretty much all lows. The development on hemp comes as Republicans and Democrats continue to negotiate on the disaster bill, which includes aid for everything from California wildfires and midwest flooding to an earthquake in Alaska and hurricanes and tornadoes in the south. Even as lawmakers have grown increasingly frustrated over their inability to reach a deal, GOP negotiators have struggled to find a balance that satisfies Democrats demands for more generous funding for Puerto Rico and Trumps reluctance to provide more aid to the island. By AFP MUMBAI: As India's best-known female private eye, Rajani Pandit has posed as crazy, blind and deaf to solve murders and unmask unsuitable fiances. But election time is boom time for the woman dubbed "Miss Marple". In the world's biggest election ending on Sunday, Pandit and others like her are in high demand from political parties to dig up dirt on the opposition and make sure their own candidates are squeaky clean. "It's confidential but whenever a party finds one of its own candidates or an opposition candidate suspicious they ask us to investigate them," Mumbai-based Pandit told AFP. "Often we are asked to look into their finances and how they have procured money to fund their campaigns. We try to maintain a low profile," the 57-year-old added. - Inundated - Prime Minister Narendra Modi is up against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the world's largest democratic exercise, which is awash with cash. Some experts say the polls could cost $10 billion. Pandit says her team has been busy "integrating" themselves into political parties since January, inspecting finances and attending rallies before submitting reports to their clients. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "There's usually a surge of cases ahead of the elections. We've been inundated with requests and were only able to take on a few," she said. Kunwar Vikram Singh, chairman of India's Association of Private Detectives and Investigators, said "there's a lot of due diligence". "(A candidate's) local reputation, influence, his stance in his own caste... all these things are looked into," Singh told AFP. - Magnifying glass - Private detective agencies are popular in India, with sleuths tasked with solving everything from petty household thefts to business deals gone wrong. Pandit has been conducting covert operations across India for over 30 years out of her small office in the Asian giant's financial capital. The investigator -- who does own a magnifying glass -- was dubbed India's first female private detective by media outlets when she began cracking cases in the early 1980s. She has been featured in countless newspaper articles, often referred to as India's "Miss Marple" or "Nancy Drew", Agatha Christie's fictional spinster sleuth and the ever-evolving US amateur detective. This has encouraged scores of women in male-dominated India to follow in her footsteps. Several women-dominated investigative firms now operate in the country, such as Lady Detectives India and Venus Detective which are both headquartered in the capital New Delhi. "Clients are open a lot more to having a female investigator. They feel we are more empathetic and that they can talk to us," Lady Detectives CEO Tanya Puri told AFP. - A suitable boy - Pandit first started snooping as a 22-year-old at college, informing the parents of a fellow student that their daughter was drinking, smoking and hanging out with boys. Her most difficult case was when she worked undercover for six months as a maid for a woman who was suspected of poisoning her husband to death and then killing her son through a hitman. She gathered evidence and handed it over to police who arrested the hitman and the woman. Pandit has won numerous awards, written two books, and says she has completed more than 80,000 cases -- most of them pre-matrimonial investigations. Parents in the ultra-conservative country seeking a suitable husband or wife for their offspring will ask her to investigate the potential spouse and their family. She looks into whether they have the job they say they have and tries to find out if there is anything in their past that might be deemed to bring shame to the family they are marrying into. Pandit has had to be the master of subterfuge to gather evidence, including donning "various disguises". But she says she received no formal training. "Detectives are born, not made. I will keep doing this job until I am no longer alive," she said. Now their members in states that really need the help are saying to Mitch McConnell, Get something done! Schumer said. So I think the fact that they realized that they were not going to be able to get a good bill done without treating Puerto Rico fairly has awakened them to the fact that they have to do the right thing, and thats why were closer today than we were. Although 70 percent of U.S. taxpayers are eligible to file free of charge, fewer than 2.5 percent actually use the program. The reason for this stark discrepancy, the plaintiffs allege, is due in no small part to an array of deceptive practices employed by TurboTax (and its competitors) to prevent lower-income taxpayers from utilizing the program in favor of its paid product offerings. By PTI NEW DELH: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held "constructive" talks with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and conveyed to him that India will take a decision on import of Iranian oil after the Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind its commercial, economic and energy security interests. The talks between the two foreign ministers came 12 days after the US ended six-month-long exemptions from sanctions to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran. Zarif's visit here came amid escalating face-off between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear programme. In a tweet, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described the discussions between Swaraj and Zarif as "constructive". "EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan," he said. Relations spanning millennia EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/bF04by3HLj Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2019 Official sources said Swaraj reiterated the position that a decision will be taken after the elections based on commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests. In the meeting, Zarif recalled the steps announced by President Hassan Rouhani on May 8 including decisions linked to the export of enriched uranium and heavy water, the sources said. The Iranian Foreign Minister also mentioned that 60 days timeline has been given to EU-3 and other parties to Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA for restoring Iran's oil and banking channels, the sources said. ALSO READ | Iranian Foreign Minister arrives in Delhi to hold talks with Sushma Swaraj In a televised address, Rouhani had on May 8 said that Iran would suspend some parts of its "commitments" to the JCPOA, but will not fully withdraw from it. In the meeting with Zarif, the Indian side reiterated its position on JCPOA and said New Delhi would like all parties to continue to fulfill their commitments and that they should engage constructively to the issues peacefully, the sources said. They said the visit took place at Zarif's own initiative to brief India on the Iranian approach to the recent developments in the region, including on JCPOA, and to review bilateral cooperation. "This was part of their consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the last few days," said a source. In the meeting, Swaraj and Zarif shared their views on the situation in Afghanistan and agreed to maintain close coordination on the evolving situation, the sources said. They said both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of the interim contract on the Chabahar port between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO). The US sanctions on Iran is unlikely to impact the Chabahar port project. In May last year, the US had brought back sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was struck in 2015. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India. The waiver ended on May 2. India, the world's third-biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of its total needs. Indo-Iran ties have been on an upswing in the past few years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand India's ties with West Asia. During the visit, India and Iran signed nearly a dozen agreements, centrepiece of which was a deal on development of Chabahar port. Later, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement providing for transport of goods among the three countries through the port. Maria Rizzo was as big a winner as anyone, snaring the award for supporting actress in a Hayes musical in Anything Goes and for her leading turn as Roxie Hart in the Keegan Theatres Helen-categorized revival of Chicago. Rizzos lead win was a tie with Debora Crabbe of the musical version of As You Like It, also at Keegan (ties are commonplace at the Hayes Awards). Natsu Onoda Power also won twice, for script adaptation and set design (with co-winner Danny Carrs projections) in The Lathe of Heaven from Spooky Action Theatre and Georgetown University. According to seven current and former Department of Homeland Security officials, the administration wanted to target the crush of families that had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border after the presidents failed zero tolerance prosecution push in early 2018. The ultimate purpose, the officials said, was a show of force to send the message that the United States was going to get tough by swiftly moving to detain and deport recent immigrants including families with children. Julianne Snyder, 29, a preschool teacher in Madison, Wis., bought an iron when she moved in with her boyfriend (now husband), Nick, four years ago. I just thought it was something every house had. And we probably needed one once and didnt have one, she says. Snyder says her husband, a music marketer who lives in band T-shirts and hoodies, uses the iron several times a year when he presses a formal shirt to go to a wedding. She might iron a tablecloth and napkins a few times a year. My mom taught me to iron, and when I was little I loved the smell of the steam and spray starch, she says. As I got older, I realized it was just another chore. After launching her career at Congressional Quarterly as a six-month temp, she wrote for the New Yorker for almost two decades, the last as Washington correspondent. She is the author of 14.5 books the .5 being the expanded 40th anniversary edition of Washington Journal: Reporting Watergate and Richard Nixons Downfall. She was a fixture on PBS and early political chat shows. A clip of her interrogating then-Attorney General Richard Kleindienst makes a cameo in the movie All the Presidents Men. She did stints at the Atlantic and the New York Review of Books. She has been fired a couple of times, she told the audience. The best perks in Kirby Dennis Johnsons life were his daily romps off-leash across the hills of historic Congressional Cemetery each morning and night. After his death in July at age 12, Johnson remained devoted to the black Labrador retriever as she spread a portion of his cremated ashes along the beach of her native Cape Cod, Mass. And she often talks to the ashes she keeps in her home in the Trinidad neighborhood. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Describing Punjab as the land of the Gurus, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a reference to the Akalis that those who destroyed the Guru Granth Sahib were destroying the soul of the state. While Baba Nanak always said 'tera tera', for the BJP and the Akali Dal, it had always been a case of 'mera mera', she said, adding that when Punjab was fighting for Indias freedom, the RSS was prostrating themselves before the British to save their own lives. Addressing her first public rally in Bathinda, in support of Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Priyanka asked the people to teach a befitting lesson to both the BJP and the Akalis for the victimisation and harassment meted out to them. She appealed to the people to strengthen the Congress with their vote in this battle for the future of India and to teach the 'arrogant' Harsimrat, the Akali Dal candidate from Bathinda, a lesson for their misdeeds. She cornered the Akalis on the issues of sacrilege and the 'mafia rule' that prevailed during their regime. Priyanka said that as the wife of a Punjabi, she felt at home in Punjab and appreciated the valour of Punjabis and their ability to remain happy in all circumstances. Unlike PM Modi and his BJP, Rahul and the Congress do not play the politics of votes but believed only in pursuing the politics of truth, she said, adding that her party wanted not to hide problems but to root them out. Meanwhile, Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu in his brief speech said, "I will quit politics if I cannot uphold the honour of Guru Granth Sahib." In his trademark style, he said, "Here comes Sidhu on May 17, bhag Badal bhag." What scared the bejesus out of me was this girl sitting in the lotus position right on the edge of the area near these rocks, Pamela wrote. When she got tired of the view she stood up without using her hands . As much as I admired her strength, I almost woofed my cookies because a tiny bit of dizziness or just a wee motion to catch her balance could have had her off the edge. I think I speak for most people around here when I say, Yeah, it is noisy, but this is democracy. We all believe these people especially the Venezuelan people have every right to protest, Mariani said. On the one hand, there is this element of inconvenience, but on the other hand, we all feel sympathetic to whats going on here. The incident at the center of the trial occurred at around 11:30 p.m. on a Friday in November 2014. Douglas Matthews then a state corrections officer was driving home from a meeting at the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge and hit two unoccupied parked cars, court records show. Matthews testified Tuesday that he fell asleep at the wheel after working long shifts at two jobs. He had trouble using the brakes, he testified, and continued to drive the remaining few blocks to his home. Gates pleaded guilty in February 2018 to conspiracy and lying to the FBI, becoming one of the first targets to cooperate in Muellers investigation. His name appears more than 100 times in Muellers 448-page report, released last month, with his statements to investigators often cited in footnotes. Goldson said the pay hikes would be spread over three years, and would be in addition to regular step increases negotiated by the teachers union. The first years funding would come from cuts to central office spending that Goldson has identified; funding the second and third years could require program cuts, she said. In a 1994 Post profile, Dr. Rivlin was criticized as having a political blind spot. An anonymous congressional source, recalling her time at the CBO, said she tended not to anticipate such questions as: What are the political ramifications of this? Whos going to be [teed] off? Do you give a heads-up here or there? Some things are so clear to her that she thinks surely everyone must think this way. A detective later learned Alfaro Castillo had been texting with a contact listed as Denis El Salvatruco in the early morning hours of May 25, according to the search warrants. Cellular data also placed the phone that Alfaro Castillo had been texting with near the home of Alfaro Castillos mom. The phone number was later traced back to Castillo Hernandezs father. Officers pulling over a vehicle for a suspected infraction do not know whether a driver has a valid license until after the stop. The ACLU says it was able to get a racial breakdown only of those arrested and not of all drivers stopped by police. The group said that makes it impossible to assess whether more black drivers are pulled over for possible traffic infractions. The driver of the SUV remained at the scene, the statement said, and told police that a second vehicle struck Petty as he lay in the roadway. Police said that driver may not have known that he or she struck the man. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 301-731-4422. By PTI NEW DELHI: Children born to teenage mothers are more likely to be undernourished than children of adult mothers, explained a new study which examined links between teenage pregnancy and child undernutrition in India. The authors of the study, which was published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health recently, analysed data for 60,097 mother-child pairs and examined the extent to which teenage pregnancy is associated with child undernutrition. They also explored potential social, biological and programmatic factors linking early pregnancy to child undernutrition. 'Social, biological and programmatic factors link adolescent pregnancy to early childhood undernutrition: a path analysis of India's 2016 National Family and Health Survey', is co-authored by IFPRI's Phuong Hong Nguyen, Samuel Scott, Sumanta Neupane, and Purnima Menon and Lan Mai Tran of FHI360, a non-profit. India is home to more stunted children than any other country and is one of the ten countries with the largest burden of teenage pregnancy. Although marriage before 18 years is illegal in India, the 2016 National Family and Health Survey (NFHS)-4 revealed that 27 per cent of girls are married before their 18th birthday and further, 31 per cent of married Indian women give birth by the age of 18. "Reducing adolescent pregnancy in India can hasten our progress towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to poverty, health, nutrition, general wellbeing, equity, and education," said Nguyen, also a research fellow with International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The study found that stunting and underweight prevalence were 10 percentage points higher in children born to adolescent mothers than in children born to adult mothers. Compared to adult mothers, teenage mothers were shorter, more likely to be underweight and anaemic, less likely to access health services and had poorer complementary feeding practices. They also had lower education, less bargaining power and lived in poorer households with poorer sanitation, Scott said. "The strongest links between adolescent pregnancy and child stunting were through the mother's education, her socio-economic status, and her weight," said. Policies and programmes to delay marriage can potentially help break the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition through many routes. "Unfortunately, in India, early marriage and subsequent pregnancy is often not a deliberate choice, but rather the result of an absence of choices, and of circumstances beyond a girl's control," said Menon, a senior research fellow with IFPRI. "Continuing schooling, exploring employment opportunities, and delaying marriage and pregnancy are challenges for India's girls that are reinforced through patriarchy and social norms," she said. "We are very encouraged by the decline in the prevalence of early marriage over the last decade but also puzzled by why it is high in states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana," she added. Menon said further investments in appropriate interventions targeting young people, both men and women, can contribute to a further decline in early marriage and early childbearing in India. A review of interventions to prevent child marriage in low and middle-income countries shows that interventions including unconditional cash transfers, cash transfers conditional on school enrolment or attendance, school vouchers, life-skills curriculum and livelihood training had a positive impact on increasing age at marriage, the study said. Olivia Gans Turner, president of Virginia Society for Human Life, said in a statement that her group welcomes the action of Judge Hudson to reverse his own ruling, thereby respecting the laws in Virginia. It is critical that the states rights to pass such protective regulations regarding abortion be upheld. By ANI RATLAM: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen climbing a wooden barricade into a sea of people to meet her supporters after an election rally in Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency on Monday. Priyanka, dressed in a red saree, made an impromptu jump into the crowd, after which her Special Protection Group (SPG) guards swung into action to make way for the leader. However, Priyanka, paying no heed to this, hugged her supporters and even clicked selfies with some of them. This is not the first time the Congress leader has shown amiability towards the crowd. After casting her vote on May 12 in Delhi, Priyanka waded through the crowd to take the blessing of an elderly woman sitting across the road on a cot. Breaking the security protocol, she had also posed for a picture with two young women who displayed their inked fingers. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Priyanka has even stopped her cavalcade numerous times in the past to greet supporters. On May 13, while on her way to address an election rally in Indore, she got out of the car to shake hand with people raising pro-Modi slogans and said: "Aap apni jagah aur mai apni jagah (You are where you are and I am where I am). All the best." At a rally in Assam last month, amid chants of "Priyanka Gandhi Zindabad," Priyanka had willingly obliged for a selfie with the crowd. #WATCH Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) hops over a barricade to meet supporters during a public meeting in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. (13.5.19) pic.twitter.com/9pPnxOJn1k ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 On March 29, the Congress leader turned good Samaritan and helped a worker who was injured while giving a portrait of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to her. The party worker, identified as Vishal Sonker, had come all the way from Prayagraj to gift Priyanka a portrait of Indira Gandhi. The glass broke while he was gifting the portrait, thus injuring Vishal. On seeing him bleed, Priyanka, who is also in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, applied cream and put a bandage on the wound. She also asked the ambulance accompanying her convoy to treat him. The last phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held on May 19 and counting of votes will take place on May 23. The Carter Center said in a statement that Carter, 94, was leaving his home in Plains to go turkey hunting when he fell. He is recovering at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus after surgery that his surgeon said was successful. His wife, Rosalynn, is with him. Marsh asked the women to keep praying for him as he navigates a contentious fight that could put Alabama on the leading edge of the antiabortion push to get a state law in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. He, like many other Republicans here, has long been against abortion and wants the court to overturn Roe v. Wade and he embraces the strategy of a bill that will force the issue. But he also long has been accepting of three exceptions to bans on abortion: cases that involve rape, incest or when the mothers life is in danger. Iranian woman receives 10 years on spying charges: Iran's judiciary said an Iranian national has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of spying for Britain, the semiofficial Iranian Students' News Agency reported. A judiciary spokesman said the woman had worked for the British Council, a nonpolitical organization, and cooperated with British intelligence. He said she had been jailed for the past year while her case was under investigation. The spokesman did not name the woman but said she had been studying in Britain and was recruited there. By Express News Service BHOPAL: Congress national president Rahul Gandhi made it clear on Tuesday that he would never insult Prime Minister Narendra Modis parents and kin, despite the PM repeatedly attacking his former PM father, grandmother and great grandfather. Addressing three election rallies in Ujjain, Neemuch and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, the AICC president said Narendra Modiji talks the language of hatred. He insults my father, grandmother and great grandfather, but Ill never insult his parents or family members. Ill die, but will never insult Modijis parents or family members, because I dont belong to RSS or BJP, but am from the Congress. We defeated Narendra Modi in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan with love and were going to defeat him again, now in 2019 with the same love and bear-hug, said Gandhi. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The Congress president while addressing the rally in Neemuch forming part of Mandsaur constituency, also took a dig at PM Modi recent suggestions in an interview, about clouds that helped Indian fighter planes escape the Pakistani radars during the Balakot strikes. "Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all aircraft disappear from the radar," said Gandhi. He also mocked at Modis non-political interview to film actor Akshay Kumar, Modiji you taught us about how to eat mangoes, about cutting the sleeves of your kurta and about the cloudy weather and radar, but when will you tell the country, what you did with your promises made in 2014, including jobs, fair prices to farmers for their crops, demonetization and corruption. On Tuesday, the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters, also blamed the council. The group said the council did not provide the necessary protection for the protesters. The group called for an independent committee to investigate the violence. It said peaceful protests would continue until power is transferred to civilians. As with many Washingtonians, I regularly attend the Fourth of July celebration, and, like many, Ive found a somewhat secret though public place from which to watch. (No, I wont say where it is!) Im always struck by how few Caucasian people are in the crowd around me. The Fourth of July celebration reminds me annually that the United States is a melting pot and that those disparate elements can unite in a common pleasure. I guess some of the people around me are undocumented. I dont care. Republicans, of course, are too cowardly to challenge Trump on much of anything. But Democrats, particularly those angling for the presidency, should be shouting from the rooftops. They should be sharing soybean-farmer sob stories and damning stats with any voter still considering following Trump off the protectionist cliff. Especially given academic research finding that Trump Country has been hurt most by his trade conflicts. When several tankers were damaged off the United Arab Emirates this week, perhaps by an Iranian mine, the New York Times reported that the administration had updated plans to send as many as 120,000 U.S. troops to the region if necessary. But as always with Trump, there have been mixed signals: The White House is exploring whether to refer the tanker incident to the United Nations, and Trump has said hes waiting for a call from Iranian leaders. Its easy to say murder should not be streamed live on the worlds biggest social media platforms, but its much harder to stop that without also stopping some of what has made the Internet invaluable. Harsh speech regulation not only offers cover to autocrats seeking not to protect citizens but to repress them: It creates a less free environment even in democracies trying to do the right thing. The Christchurch Call asks the world to acknowledge there is a problem. It is just as important to acknowledge there are no simple solutions. Countries may have reason to clamp down on an unrestrained Internet, but they should also be thoughtful, honest and cautious about what they are giving up. Rachel Held Evans is a blogger and the author of Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church. Bass reverberates through the auditorium floor as a heavily bearded worship leader pauses to invite the congregation, bathed in the light of two giant screens, to tweet using #JesusLives. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafts in from the lobby, where you can order macchiatos and purchase mugs boasting a sleek church logo. The chairs are comfortable, and the music sounds like something from the top of the charts. At the end of the service, someone will win an iPad. This, in the view of many churches, is what millennials like me want. And no wonder pastors think so. Church attendance has plummeted among young adults. In the United States, 59 percent of people ages 18 to 29 with a Christian background have, at some point, dropped out. According to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, among those of us who came of age around the year 2000, a solid quarter claim no religious affiliation at all, making my generation significantly more disconnected from faith than members of Generation X were at a comparable point in their lives and twice as detached as baby boomers were as young adults. In response, many churches have sought to lure millennials back by focusing on style points: cooler bands, hipper worship, edgier programming, impressive technology. Yet while these arent inherently bad ideas and might in some cases be effective, they are not the key to drawing millennials back to God in a lasting and meaningful way. Young people dont simply want a better show. And trying to be cool might be making things worse. Youre just as likely to hear the words market share and branding in church staff meetings these days as you are in any corporate office. Megachurches such as Saddleback in Lake Forest, Calif., and Lakewood in Houston have entire marketing departments devoted to enticing new members. Kent Shaffer of ChurchRelevance.com routinely ranks the best logos and Web sites and offers strategic counsel to organizations like Saddleback and LifeChurch.tv. Increasingly, churches offer sermon series on iTunes and concert-style worship services with names like Vine or Gather.The young-adult group at Ed Youngs Dallas-based Fellowship Church is called Prime, and one of the singles groups at his fathers congregation in Houston is called Vertical. Churches have made news in recent years for giving away tablet computers, TVs and even cars at Easter. Still, attendance among young people remains flat. [How to take Christ out of Christianity] Recent research from Barna Group and the Cornerstone Knowledge Network found that 67 percent of millennials prefer a classic church over a trendy one, and 77 percent would choose a sanctuary over an auditorium. While we have yet to warm to the word traditional (only 40 percent favor it over modern), millennials exhibit an increasing aversion to exclusive, closed-minded religious communities masquerading as the hip new places in town. For a generation bombarded with advertising and sales pitches, and for whom the charge of inauthentic is as cutting an insult as any, church rebranding efforts can actually backfire, especially when young people sense that there is more emphasis on marketing Jesus than actually following Him. Millennials are not disillusioned with tradition; they are frustrated with slick or shallow expressions of religion, argues David Kinnaman, who interviewed hundreds of them for Barna Group and compiled his research in You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church . . . and Rethinking Faith. My friend and blogger Amy Peterson put it this way: I want a service that is not sensational, flashy, or particularly relevant. I can be entertained anywhere. At church, I do not want to be entertained. I do not want to be the target of anyones marketing. I want to be asked to participate in the life of an ancient-future community. Millennial blogger Ben Irwin wrote: When a church tells me how I should feel (Clap if youre excited about Jesus!), it smacks of inauthenticity. Sometimes I dont feel like clapping. Sometimes I need to worship in the midst of my brokenness and confusion not in spite of it and certainly not in denial of it. When I left church at age 29, full of doubt and disillusionment, I wasnt looking for a better-produced Christianity. I was looking for a truer Christianity, a more authentic Christianity: I didnt like how gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people were being treated by my evangelical faith community. I had questions about science and faith, biblical interpretation and theology. I felt lonely in my doubts. And, contrary to popular belief, the fog machines and light shows at those slick evangelical conferences didnt make things better for me. They made the whole endeavor feel shallow, forced and fake. While no two faith stories are exactly the same, Im not the only millennial whose faith couldnt be saved by lacquering on a hipper veneer. According to Barna Group, among young people who dont go to church, 87 percent say they see Christians as judgmental, and 85 percent see them as hypocritical. A similar study found that only 8% say they dont attend because church is out of date, undercutting the notion that all churches need to do for Millennials is to make worship cooler. In other words, a church can have a sleek logo and Web site, but if its judgmental and exclusive, if it fails to show the love of Jesus to all, millennials will sniff it out. Our reasons for leaving have less to do with style and image and more to do with substantive questions about life, faith and community. Were not as shallow as you might think. If young people are looking for congregations that authentically practice the teachings of Jesus in an open and inclusive way, then the good news is the church already knows how to do that. The trick isnt to make church cool; its to keep worship weird. You can get a cup of coffee with your friends anywhere, but church is the only place you can get ashes smudged on your forehead as a reminder of your mortality. You can be dazzled by a light show at a concert on any given weekend, but church is the only place that fills a sanctuary with candlelight and hymns on Christmas Eve. You can snag all sorts of free swag for brand loyalty online, but church is the only place where you are named a beloved child of God with a cold plunge into the water. You can share food with the hungry at any homeless shelter, but only the church teaches that a shared meal brings us into the very presence of God. What finally brought me back, after years of running away, wasnt lattes or skinny jeans; it was the sacraments. Baptism, confession, Communion, preaching the Word, anointing the sick you know, those strange rituals and traditions Christians have been practicing for the past 2,000 years. The sacraments are what make the church relevant, no matter the culture or era. They dont need to be repackaged or rebranded; they just need to be practiced, offered and explained in the context of a loving, authentic and inclusive community. My search has led me to the Episcopal Church, where every week I find myself, at age 33, kneeling next to a gray-haired lady to my left and a gay couple to my right as I confess my sins and recite the Lords Prayer. No ones trying to sell me anything. No ones desperately trying to make the Gospel hip or relevant or cool. Theyre just joining me in proclaiming the great mystery of the faith that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again which, in spite of my persistent doubts and knee-jerk cynicism, I still believe most days. One need not be an Episcopalian to practice sacramental Christianity. Even in Christian communities that dont use sacramental language to describe their activities, you see people baptizing sinners, sharing meals, confessing sins and helping one another through difficult times. Those services with big screens and professional bands can offer the sacraments, too. But I believe that the sacraments are most powerful when they are extended not simply to the religious and the privileged, but to the poor, the marginalized, the lonely and the left out. This is the inclusivity so many millennials long for in their churches, and its the inclusivity that eventually drew me to the Episcopal Church, whose big red doors are open to all conservatives, liberals, rich, poor, gay, straight and even perpetual doubters like me. Church attendance may be dipping, but God can survive the Internet age. After all, He knows a thing or two about resurrection. Twitter: @rachelheldevans Read more from Outlook and follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter. With the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group dispatched to the Persian Gulf and a possible confrontation with Iran, it is worth reflecting how we got here [U.S. cites Iran in bolstering forces in the Middle East, Politics & the Nation, May 6]. In 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to ensure that Irans nuclear program would be exclusively peaceful. This arrangement was far from perfect, but it was a starting point and might have led to negotiations on missiles and other subjects, including Iranian support of Hezbollah and its presence in Syria. But President Trump walked away from the JCPOA a year ago. IN THE abstract, it might seem fitting for the president of the United States to deliver an address to the country as part of the Fourth of July festivities in the nations capital. It is, after all, the countrys birthday; why shouldnt the nations highest officeholder lead the celebration? There is even some precedent with Ronald Reagan in 1987 at the Jefferson Memorial (on July 3, in point of fact) and Zachary Taylor in 1850 at the Washington Monument (though that didnt turn out well; he reputedly ate a bowl of cherries and cold milk left in the hot sun and died after becoming ill in the following days). One can get happily lost imagining how George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or John F. Kennedy might have graced such an occasion. Trump and other Republicans have argued that the FBI spied on Trumps campaign by surveilling former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page under a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Pages communications were surveilled in late 2016 and early 2017, after he left the Trump campaign. Barr has said government spying occurred on the Trump campaign, though he has insisted he did not intend the word to carry a pejorative meaning. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday said women security has been the "biggest casualty" under the BJP as it accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Yogi Adityanath led government in Uttar Pradesh of being insensitive towards women. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said both the prime minister and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister have been busy campaigning and do not have the time to address the challenge of women security as they have "failed" to provide justice to the Hapur rape victim. The woman was "sold" for Rs 10,000 and allegedly raped by many men. She had set herself on fire after Uttar Pradesh Police officials allegedly refused to register her complaint. The woman is now admitted to a Ghaziabad hospital with 80 per cent burn injuries. Shergill said Prime Minister Modi should visit the rape victim in hospital and explain to her why there was laxity in providing justice to her despite several complaints made by her, including that to the chief minister's helpline. "Women security has become the biggest casualty under the BJP. The Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh had been insensitive towards women security," he told reporters while attacking Modi and Yogi government for the failure to help even register an FIR on the Hapur rape victim's complaint. "Will the women BJP ministers, who are otherwise very active on social media, now question why justice was not provided to the Hapur rape victim," he asked. Shergill alleged that either the BJP is lax in giving justice to rape victims or its own people are found involved in such crimes as he cited Unnao and Kathua rape incidents. Something I heard him say was that he realized he was a guy with white privilege and so he also felt he needed a female to run with him. Well, my question is: What makes you think she wants to be your vice president? Why would you think she needed you to do that? Goldberg asked, referring to a comment that ORourke made that he would be open to having a female running mate. You have to be careful with privilege like that because things slip out your mouth, so youve got to really sort of clamp down before you open it and have foot inserted. Trump has vowed to repeal President Barack Obamas signature health-care law and maintains that Republicans will come up with a replacement. The GOP voted dozens of times to repeal and replace the 2010 law during Obamas two terms. When Trump took office and Republicans controlled the Senate and House in 2017, they failed to produce an alternative to the law. The point of this meeting is simply just to reinforce the strategic relationship between allies, NATO allies of U.S. and Hungary, one official said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the session, not necessarily just thrash out every issue on the bilateral agenda, which we have been doing constantly for the last two years. Theres, you know, theres a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors Palestinians who lost their land, and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, had been wiped out . . . all of it . . . in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews. On our behalf, we have said it multiple times that we also would like to rebuild fully fledged relations, and I hope that right now the conducive environment is being built for that, Putin said through an interpreter as he greeted Pompeo. For all of special counsel Muellers exotic work, he carried out an impartial investigation and confirmed the lack of any trace and any collusion between Russia and the acting administration which we from the very beginning characterized as utter nonsense. Trump praised the roughly 10,000 employees at the Cameron LNG plant, where natural gas is supercooled into liquid form to be shipped abroad. To an enthusiastic crowd, the president also mocked the Green New Deal, telling the crowd of plant workers that they would lose their jobs under the plan advanced by some Democrats and saying: Thats a hoax, like the hoax I just went through, an apparent reference to the probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Given the political discourse turning into chaos between coalition partners JDS and Congress on a daily basis, the Congress seems to be bracing for a showdown and Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah has become a rallying point. The state leadership of the Congress has shown signs of standing up for each other in a rare action not seen over the last one year. This comes a day after JDS state president H Vishwanath launched an attack on Siddaramaiah. In what could be the first sign of Congress closing its ranks, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwaras uncharacteristic defence of Siddaramaiah on Monday has come as a surprise to many. Parameshwara, who is often touted as Siddaramaiahs rival within the party, vehemently defended Siddaramaiah after the latter came under severe criticism of State JDS president H Vishwanath. ALSO READ | We Are Family, Says HDK On JDS-Congress Relationship The growing clamour within the Congress for Siddaramaiah to become Chief Minister once again is the reason for the spat between the former and Vishwanath. Parameshwara even preached coalition dharma to the JDS. He (Vishwanath) and Siddaramaiah may have personal rivalry but politically, we are in a coalition government and making such statements as the State chief of our ally against the coordination committee chief is not right. Such remarks should not be made in future either from our side or theirs. Such statements wont help the coalition function healthily, said Parameshwara. He added that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda should take note of such incidents. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE While Vishwanath refused to withdraw his statements, the sharpest retaliation came from Siddaramaiah himself. Siddaramaiah openly declared that he was keeping quiet only for the sake of coalition despite JDS leaders taking turns to attack him. The alliance government bound by coalition principles has forced me to remain silent. I refuse to react in detail to Vishwanaths remarks who is notorious for making such mischievous statements, Siddaramaiah tweeted. Attacking JDS leaders in a thread of three tweets, Siddaramaiah said that he would take up the matter in the next coordination committee meeting. First it was G T Devegowda and now Vishwanath. I dont know who is next. It is best if senior leaders of the JDS pay attention to such remarks against me, Siddaramaiah added. Siddaramaiahs tweets come on the day AICC general secretary K C Venugopal is in Karnataka to supervise the campaign in Kundgol and Chincholi. Congress insiders said that some leaders have even complained to Venugopal over JDS senior leaders refusal to rein in their leaders. If the everyday bickerings between the coalition leaders are any indication of what to expect post-May 23 results, the picture doesnt look pretty for them. Meanwhile, the BJP has chosen to allow the drama to flow its course. Vishwanaths statements are not his alone. Kumaraswamy, through Vishwanath, is conveying all that he wanted to say, said BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa. Siddaramaiah and Vishwanaths attack on each other comes on a day Kumaraswamy finally campaigned for the Congress candidate in Kundgol. Rampant Republican election fraud robbed thousands of North Carolinians of the right to vote that Dan McCready fought to defend in uniform, Rep. Cheri Bustos (Ill.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement. Dan McCreadys record of service and his commitment to fighting for lower health care costs and better job opportunities for North Carolina is why hes clearly the best candidate in this race. As a judicial nominee, it would be inappropriate for me to offer comments on any political matters, Truncale told the panel. I can commit to you and the committee, however, that as a United States District Court judge, I would put all of my personal political views aside and fulfill my duty to administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties incumbent upon me. There are places that our two countries can find where we can be cooperative, we can be productive, we can be accumulative, we can work together to make each of our two peoples more successful and frankly the world more successful, too, Pompeo told Putin at the start of their meeting. President Trump wants to do everything we can. The Asian Film and TV Week, as part of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), will be held from May 16 to 23 in China. Themed "promoting mutual learning and exchanges among Asian civilizations through Film and TV," the Asian Film and TV Week comprises the launch ceremony, Masters in Conversation, Asian Film Week 2019 and Broadcasting of TV Programs, according to the organizers. A total of 60 selected Asian films from 30 Asian countries will be shown in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an and Guangzhou. Film specialists from China, Japan, India, Vietnam and other Asian countries are expected to discuss the role and significance of Asian films in cultural inheritance, mutual learning among civilizations and bonding between peoples, the organizers said. The CDAC will focus on cultural diversity, exchanges and mutual learning. Uma Shankar Kar By Express News Service BHAWANIPATNA: The indigenous rice varieties will gain popularity and help farmers economy in Kalahandi and Koraput region. A research conducted by Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station (RRTTS), Bhawanipatna, which is rediscovering lost varieties of native rice, has raised hope among the farmers. Once famous for short aromatic rice in Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and some parts of Ganjam districts, the indigenous rice varieties are on the verge of extinction. Many varieties are not available in the areas due to adoption of high yield rice varieties. Assistant Director of Research, RRTTS Dr Chandramani Khanda said traditional scented rice varieties like Kalikati, Kalajeera, Parbatjeera, Jubaraj, Karpurakranti, Badabhog, Jabaphoola, Basapatri, Acharmati, Ganagaballi, Kalaheera, Mugajai, Makarakanda, Suragaja, Jaiphoola, Parijat, Barikunja, Dubraj, Dangar, Basmati, Khosakani, Kanakachampa, Kukudajata, Ratnasundari, Kalamani, Karpurajeera, Mahul Kunchi, Magura, Basnapatra, Kalia, Sirimuli, Nalidhan, Lajakulibadan, Kalajauvan, Laxmibilas and Makarakanda were commonly found in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Ganjam districts. These traditional aromatic rice varieties, grown by local farmers, are more than thousand years old. Though these varieties possess excellent grain quality and aroma, those are comparatively low yield, he added. Set up in 1983, the RRTTS is functioning under Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and doing advance research on cotton, aromatic rice, castor, soyabin and evaluating different agro technologies for the region. Last year, it got the status of Centre of Excellence for its research work. Under the guidance of Dr Khanda, Junior Scientist-cum-Plant Breeder Suvasri Das is looking after the research on traditional varieties of aromatic rice. Collection, documentation and evaluation of 110 aromatic rice varieties have already been done. Screening of 40 aromatic rice varieties for yield under moisture stress conditions, aroma content and cooking qualities is being carried out for the last two years. The genotypes with high aroma content are selected for further genetic improvement through breeding programmes. Dr Khanda also informed that screening of all the collected genotypes for aroma and yield is going on in the research station. These unique varieties are developed for high yield and superior grain qualities. Similarly, screening for drought and flood-resistant varieties is underway in the research station involving molecular breeding approach, he added. In response to inquiries from Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), Barr promised within his first 90 days in office to provide lawmakers with a list of all consent decrees the department had withdrawn from since Sessions imposed the policy. He said he would similarly provide a list of all decrees from which he withdrew and meet with civil rights leaders within his first 120 days to hear their concerns. A Justice Department official said that a listening session has been scheduled with civil rights leaders on June 4 and that invitations have been distributed. Trump Jr. is expected to face questions in six broad categories, whittled down from an original list of 10, according to people familiar with the deal to secure his testimony including his participation in the June 2016 meeting, as well as his knowledge of the presidents efforts well into his campaign to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, according to people familiar with the deal to secure his testimony in June. In his prepared remarks, Rosenstein said that Trump did not tell me what reasons to put in my memo, but noted what the special counsel report had said. He said he did not include what Trump wanted because it was not relevant, and he did not have personal knowledge of what Comey had told Trump. While the State Department can hardly afford to lose another senior leader, it is not clear that Assistant Secretary Poblete was contributing to the advancement of arms control in a helpful or substantive way, said Alexandra Bell, senior policy director at the Center for Arms Control and nonproliferation and a former Obama administration official. The recent debacle involving the sloppy and politically charged summary of the unclassified 2019 Compliance Report is an example of that. By Express News Service CHENNAI: An invitation to support the Federal Front, if neither BJP nor Congress secures enough seats to form a government, was reportedly the main agenda of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Raos meeting with DMK chief MK Stalin, on Monday. Rao is also understood to have stressed the importance of southern regional parties having better leverage in the next Union Government. Stalin, however, according to sources, conveyed his partys commitment to Congress. He urged Rao to extend support to the Congress-led alliance to form the government, said sources. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE While a DMK spokesperson called the hour-long meeting a courtesy call, most DMK leaders were tight-lipped on what was discussed. A senior DMK leader said: Stalin was the first to propose Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate of the alliance. Stalin is also hoping to capture power in the State if our party wins all the 22 seats in Assembly bypolls. The support of eight Congress MLAs will be crucial for this. CM K Chand-rasekhar Rao visits Ranghanatha Swami Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu on Monday | Express Any wrong signals, the DMK leader said, would cost DMK-Congress alliance dearly in the four Assembly seats that will face bypolls on May 19. DMK sources also clarified that Congress was informed in advance about the meeting. This is why the date of the meeting could not be confirmed though Telangana CM had announced he would meet Stalin on Monday, sources said. BJP was swift in reacting to the development. The DMK has a reputation of changing colours, said Tamilisai Soundarajan. K Chandrasekhar Rao, Telangana Chief Minister, leaves the DMK chief MK Stalin's residence on Tuesday evening. | (D Sampathkumar | EPS) Reacting to it, Congress leader KS Alagiri said: Even if Rao, as assumed by Tamilisai, discussed the possibility of a third alliance, we are sure Stalin would have persuaded him to join the Congress alliance. The TRS chief is believed to be making efforts to unite regional parties to form a non-Congress, non-BJP front ahead of the declaration of the Lok Sabha poll results. Recently, he held meetings with his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Winners of Mondays vote will allow Duterte to consolidate power and push through some of his most controversial policies allowing children as young as 12 to be tried as adults and continuing a brutal war on drug peddlers and users despite international condemnation. The president himself was not running, but he had made his picks clear. Twelve Senate seats, 200 seats in the lower house and thousands of other positions were up for grabs. The United States is backing the Saudi coalition with intelligence and logistical support, as well as billions of dollars in weapon sales. The United Nations has described the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where millions are on the brink of starvation and tens of thousands of civilians have died, as the worlds most severe. The U.S. Congress voted to withdraw American support to the coalition earlier this year, but President Trump vetoed the measure. By PTI CHENNAI: The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Tuesday sought the removal of a Tamil Nadu minister who said party chief Kamal Haasan's tongue should be cut off for commenting that independent India's "first extremist, Godse was a Hindu". MNM general secretary A Arunachalam strongly condemned senior AIADMK leader KT Rajendra Bhalaji's comments, saying it showed that the minister lacked "political ethics and personal dignity". "As the elected representative of the people and the minister for milk and dairy development, Mr Rajendra Bhalaji has broken the promise he made when he took oath as a minister. So he must be removed from his post immediately," Arunachalam said in a statement. On Monday, Bhalaji had said Haasan's tongue should be cut off for saying that free India's "first extremist was a Hindu". "His tongue should be cut off. He has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian," the minister had said. Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. The actor-turned-politician's remarks had drawn condemnation from the BJP, which accused him of indulging in "divisive politics", but found the backing of the Congress and the Dravidar Kazhagam. Haasan had said he was one of those "proud Indians" who desires an India of equality and where the three colours in the Tricolour, an obvious reference to different faiths, "remained intact". "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he had said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi. A Waterford Girl Guide leader has received a 50-year service award in recognition of the five decades of service she has given to the Irish Girl Guides (IGG). Margery Godinho is an Outdoor Advisor for the South East Region and a Trainer, enabling IGG Leaders to gain the necessary qualifications to take Guides on overnight trips, both indoors and under canvas. She was presented with her 50-year service pin at IGGs National Council, which was held in The Plaza Hotel, Tallaght, recently. Over the past five decades, Margery has volunteered as a leader with Brownies (IGG members aged 7-10), Guides (aged 10-14) and Senior Branchers (aged 14-30). She started as a leader with Harcourt Brownies in Dublin in 1969. She then acted as Lieutenant of Tallaght Guide Company in 1970 and subsequently became Captain of the unit in 1972. When Margery moved to Waterford, she acted as Captain of Waterford Rangers from 1980-1983 and as District Commissioner for Waterford District in the late 1980s and as Captain of Suir Company, Waterford, from 1990-1999. She also served as Area Commissioner for the Waterford Area from 1990-1997 and as Captain of Suir Rangers from 1994-1995. Irish Girl Guides welcomes new youth members from age 5-30 and volunteer leaders from age 18+. To find out more, seewww.irishgirlguides.ie or tel: 01 6683898. A former Perth foster carer has denied sexually abusing six children placed under his care two of whom were sent to live with him after authorities first became aware of allegations he had raped an eight-year-old girl. Desmond Gore went on trial in the Perth District Court on Tuesday, denying all 21 charges against him and claiming the abuse never occurred. The court heard the man allegedly abused six children under his care. Credit:File Image The 73-year-old is accused of raping three eight-year-old girls and sexually abusing several other children over a four-year period when he and his wife were approved foster carers with the Department of Child Protection. In 2013, the department suspended Mr Gore's foster carer status and launched a review into his conduct after a case worker stumbled across an old box filled with the belongings of one of his alleged victims. With South Korea and the United States going live with their 5G networks last month, and Australia set to follow in June, the 5G era has kicked off in earnest. A slew of new 5G-ready devices are ready to hit the market, designed to take advantage of the faster speeds and low latency that the next generation mobile network promises to deliver. While smartphones mostly dominate the conversation when it comes to 5G, they're far from the only devices that'll use the network. PCs will also be getting 5G, opening the door to a whole new world of possibilities that could reshape the way we use computers. Most of the 5G excitement is around phones, but mobile PCs will also greatly benefit from the new networks. Credit:AP Evolution of the always connected PC Firstly, before we get into why 5G will be such a game changer for PCs, it's important to understand what 4G connected laptops currently offer. Helsinki: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was put on the defensive on Tuesday while visiting Estonia to unite Europe's right-wing populists, calling persistent questions about whether her party had links to the Kremlin and took Russian money "insulting." Leader of the French National Front Marine Le Pen speaks during a news conference in Tallinn, Estonia. Credit:AP A meeting of an alliance of far-right parties preparing for this month's European Union Parliament elections brought Le Pen to Estonia. Representatives from Italy, Finland and Denmark joined Le Pen and the leader of the nationalist, anti-immigrant Estonian Conservative People's Party. At a news conference in the capital Tallinn, an Estonian journalist asked Le Pen about French news reports about a loan her party received from a Czech-Russian bank in 2014 and allegations that Russia supported her 2017 presidential campaign. "I'm not under the control of any foreign country. I do not depend on anyone," a visibly irritated Le Pen said. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasans remarks that free Indias first terrorist was a Hindu has evoked a mixed response. While the BJP leaders criticised him, Congress and Dravida Kazhagam leaders supported Haasan and said he is justified in making such a statement. Haasan, who is president of Makkal Needhi Maiam, was campaigning in Aravakurichi assembly constituency on Sunday, for the partys bypoll candidate when he made the statements. I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free Indias first terrorist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (terrorism, apparently) starts, he said. Good Indians desire for equality and want the three colours in the tricolour to remain intact. I am a good Indian, will proudly proclaim that, he said. TNCC president KS Alagiri, speaking to reporters on Monday said, The BJP is destroying the countrys harmony through RSS, Jansangh and Hindu Maha Sabha. The RSSs actions are just similar to what ISIS is doing among Muslims. I agree with what Kamal Haasan said 1000 per cent. BJP leader H Raja tweeted saying, This poisonous plant should be nipped in the bud. He said Haasan is defaming Hindus just for the votes of the Muslim population. K Veeramani, president of Dravidar Kazhagam, said, BJP has even now chosen Pragya Singh Thakur (an accused in a terrorist bomb blast case) as its candidate in Madhya Pradesh. They (BJP) have been supporting terrorism from the beginning. Both the leaders were responding to queries from reporters on Haasans statement. While other political parties maintained silence on the issue, the BJP leaders heavily criticised Haasan. BJPs Tamil Nadu unit president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said Haasans statements amount to inciting communal violence. While she agreed that the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi cannot be justified, she said Kamals statement is merely aimed at vote bank politics. Though he talks of taking forward a new kind of politics, he is indulging in the old, mischievous, poisonous and divisive vote bank politics, she said in her statement on Monday. BJP submits petition to EC The BJPs legal wing state president R Soundararajan has submitted a petition with the Chief Electoral Officer, urging action against the actor for his remarks By Express News Service CHENNAI: In a shocking case, a man was hacked to death right in front of his wife and family members by an armed gang on Sunday night. His wife, who tried to stop the attack, has been injured. Just two weeks ago, the deceased had intervened and stopped a child marriage in his locality in Ayanavaram. Police are probing whether he was murdered as revenge for stopping the child marriage. Jebaseelan, 48, was an auto driver and resident of Aynavaram. He was headed for his daughters wedding reception when an armed gang intercepted and attacked him, just a few metres away from his house. The attack happened in full public view and his relatives watched helplessly while he was murdered, say the police. Earlier, on April 17, Jebaseelan saw posters announcing the wedding of a 16-year-old girl. Since he knew the girls age, he alerted the police about the matter. He also accompanied the police for inquiry and stopped the wedding from taking place. Two days ago, Jebaseelans daughter got married in Tirupati. The reception was scheduled to happen on Sunday evening, said a police officer. We suspect that Vinodh, who was supposed to marry the 16-year-old girl, was angered by the news of Jebaseelans daughter getting married. We are probing whether Vinodh took help of his friends to eliminate Jebaseelan, said the officer. The reception was to be held in Minjur. On Sunday around 7.45 pm, when Jebaseelan, his wife Priscilla and other relatives had just left from their house in Thikkakulam area, a bike-borne gang surrounded them. They started assaulting Jebaseelan. Priscilla tried to save her husband but sustained injuries in the process. She is currently undergoing treatment in hospital, said the officer who is part of the investigation. The police have booked a case of murder and are searching for Vinodh. By Express News Service NAGERCOIL: Senior politician Pazha Nedumaran on Tuesday condemned the government for banning LTTE in India. Addressing media persons, Nedumaran said that LTTE had not involved in any terrorist activities in India. While European countries revoked the ban on LTTE, the BJP government banned it. He condemned the ban and said that extending the ban is against Tamil Eelam. This is a murder of democracy. LTTE fought for Eelam for Tamils in Sri Lanka. They were not requesting for Tamil desam in Tamil Nadu. The Indian government is not showing concern towards the Tamil cause. Even the release of seven prisoners in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case is pending. Steps should be taken to release them, he added. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Talabkatta resident Ghousia Begum has been stuck in Saudi Arabia for the last two months after she was allegedly cheated by fake travel agents in the city. Ghousia was approached by a Riyadh resident, for a job. Since she did not have her passport, the agents got her a fake one. She is treated very badly their and want to come back to India, said her sister. We want the Indian Embassy to rescue her as soon as possible" she added. Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia, claim that they are looking into the matter and would revolve it soon. By Associated Press COLOMBO: Mob attacks on Muslim communities in Sri Lanka's northwest have left one person dead and dozens of shops and mosques destroyed, a government minister said Tuesday, as communal violence worsened in the wake of Easter bombings that killed more than 250 people. A Muslim man was hacked to death in Monday's violence in which members of the country's largely Buddhist majority ethnic Sinhalese attacked Muslim-owned shops and homes in several towns, said Rauff Hakeem, a Cabinet minister and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. With communal violence also reported in Sri Lanka's west, the government imposed a nationwide curfew Monday and temporarily blocked social media and messaging apps. ALSO READ | Sri Lankan police impose nationwide curfew as communal violence continue to spread Tensions have been running high in the Buddhist-majority Indian Ocean island nation since the April 21 attacks by seven suicide bombers who struck two Catholic and one Protestant church and three luxury hotels. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, carried out by a local radicalized Muslim group. Sri Lanka has a dark history of communal tensions. For more than a quarter century it was embroiled in civil war as Tamil Tiger rebels fought to create an independent state for or ethnic minority Tamils. When the conflict ended 10 years ago the U.N.'s conservative estimates said about 100,000 people had been killed. @UNHumanRights We muslims are in sri lanka are being attacked even under curfews conditions, The army police and the stf are supporting the racist, we are need of help, we are in need of food and medical support immediately. Please consider this situation before it turns worst.. pic.twitter.com/QaTQ59E0tc ABDUL BASITH (@ABD48ABD) May 13, 2019 Two United Nations advisers warned that the latest attacks against Muslims if could escalate further if not stopped immediately. "The country is trying to move forward from a traumatic period of inter-ethnic armed conflict, but these attacks are pushing Sri Lanka backwards. If not adequately dealt with, the recent violence has the potential to escalate even further," the advisers said in a statement. The joint statement was released by Adama Dieng, the U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, and Karen Smith, the U.N. special adviser on the responsibility to protect. By PTI COLOMBO: Sri Lankan government has banned three Islamist extremist groups, including the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that carried out the country's worth terror attack on Easter Sunday in which over 250 people were killed. President Maithripala Sirisena issued an extraordinary gazette banning a number of extremist organisations on Monday. He also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. ALSO READ: One Muslim man hacked to death in fresh violence According to the Gazette the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), the Jamaathe Millaathe Ibrahim (JMI), and the Willayath As Seylani (WAS) organisations have been banned. On April 21, nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels, killing 258 people, including 44 foreigners 10 Indians, and injuring over 500 others. The Islamic State terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ). ALSO READ | Sri Lankan police impose nationwide curfew as communal violence continue to spread Over 1,000 have been arrested since the attacks. Sri Lanka's police say they have either killed or arrested all those responsible for the bombings. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. On Monday, the Sri Lankan government enforced a countrywide curfew and blocked social media platforms to stop people inciting violence as communal violence spread to new areas in the island nation in the worst unrest since Easter Sunday bombings. Police also fired tear gas at mobs attacking mosques and shops owned by Muslims in various parts of the country. ALSO READ: Ramzan is 'very special,' says Trump, condemns New Zealand, Sri Lanka terror attacks Meanwhile, Sirisena has also prohibited the use of drones in the country until further notice. "The navigation of an unmanned aircraft or drone in or over the territory of Sri Lanka by any person other than a member of Triforces or police is prohibited until further notice," another Gazette notification said. Earlier, Sri Lankan Civil Aviation Authority banned the use of drone and unmanned aircraft following the devastating terror attack on Easter Sunday. BRIDGEPORT - Accused killer James Taylor was minutes from being released Tuesday to live with his son, Bridgeport Board of Education member Chris Taylor - in Fairfield. Following a hearing Tuesday morning, Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin allowed the 75-year-old Taylor to post his $2 million bond on the condition that he live at his sons Bronson Road home under house arrest. But a review of court records by Hearst Connecticut Media found the Bronson Road home, owned by Chris Taylors mother, is being foreclosed on, the occupants perhaps days from being evicted. I guess that remains to be seen, said Chris Taylors lawyer. The judges order on Tuesday adds to the controversy over where Chris Taylor actually lives. For the purposes of continuing to serve on the Board of Education, he has insisted he lives in a makeshift apartment on property he owns on Davenport Street in Bridgeport. To support this, he even gave a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter a tour of what he said were his living quarters there. But the state Elections Enforcement Commission has opened a case on whether Taylor really lives full time in Fairfield, based on evidence compiled by fellow school board member Maria Pereira. James Taylors lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Jared Millbrandt, told Judge Devlin on Tuesday that Chris Taylor lives at the Bronson Road address in Fairfield and that his client would be living there as well when released on bond. James Taylor is charged with murder, home invasion, criminal attempt to commit murder, first-degree burglary, illegal discharge of a firearm and third-degree assault for allegedly fatally shooting his ex-wife. Police said that around 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, James Taylor broke into the home of his stepson, Donald Garamella, 45, on Catamount Road and fatally shot Catherine Taylor, 70, with a .22-caliber rifle. He was attempting to reload and shoot Garamella when, police said, the younger man tackled Taylor and managed to get the gun away. According to court documents, Chris Taylor is posting his fathers $2 million bond through a bail bondsman. Generally, that means that Chris Taylor has to pay the bail bondman 10 percent of the bond, or $200,000. Court documents show that Christopher Taylors company, ACG Contracting LLC, is bankrupt. Chris Taylor was not in court on Tuesday. Last week, he tried to post his Davenport Street property for his fathers bond but that effort appeared doomed when Devlin noted that the property had been appraised by the city at $635,000. Criminal defendants dont usually have to come into court to post surety or bonds through bail bondsmen, however in this case Devlin insisted James Taylor appear before him first. This man is here on a $2 million bond and is represented by a public defender; I believe that deserves special attention, the judge said. In addition to the house arrest, Devlin ordered James Taylor to wear a GPS monitoring anklet and not to go more than 500 feet from the Bronson Road house with the exception of doctors appointments. He must also stay 2,500 feet from the home of his stepson. Christopher Taylors lawyer, Mark Balaban, told the judge that his client has a pistol permit but will not keep a gun at his home in Fairfield while his father is living there. Senior Assistant States Attorney Joseph Corradino told the judge he had reservations about Taylor being released on bond, pointing out that the day before the murder, James Taylor withdrew a substantial amount of money, telling a bank teller that he was going to Costa Rica. But Millbrandt told the judge that his client has an expired passport. Devlin added that Taylor cannot apply for a new passport and continued the case to May 22. BRIDGEPORT The 2019 Connecticut Teacher of the Year and local music teacher will now be teaching in a music wing that bears her name. The city school board voted to name a portion of the new Harding High School the Sheena Graham Performing Arts Center. The vote was 3 in favor and 6 abstentions. Board members Maria Pereira, Sybil Allen and Joseph Lombard voted yes. Board Chairman John Weldon, among those who abstained, said his non-vote had nothing to do with Graham but with an uncomfortableness about naming a school or part of a school after a current employee in the district. Graham was named last fall as the state teacher of the year and late last month represented the state in Washington, D.C. with other state Teacher of the Year recipients from around the country. Shaun Smith, an assistant principal at Harding, said Graham rose to the top of a short list of finalists in naming the brand new high schools performing arts wing. Another top contender was jazz musician Duke Ellington. The vote left Graham confused. Because a majority of the board abstained from voting, Graham said she was led to believe the vote failed. Board members on Tuesday insisted it passed. Graham has taught music in the district since 1983. She was at Harding from 1998 to 2008 before transferring to Central High School then back to Harding. During her tenure she has brought choirs to music competitions call Fiesta-val, earning dozens of trophies. In addition to being recognized as a top teacher in the state, she has won local awards, including the citys Theodore and Margaret Beard Excellence in Teaching Award and has performed twice for Michelle Obama at the White House with the Turnaround Arts Program. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck By PTI UNITED NATIONS: India has expressed support to Nigeria's Ambassador to the UN Tijjani Muhammad-Bande as the next president of the General Assembly and called him to make the body more 'action-oriented' to deal with the global scourge of terrorism. The current President of the General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa presided Monday over an informal interactive dialogue with Muhammad-Bande, nominated by Nigeria, where Member States got an opportunity to discuss his vision statement and question him on his priorities and plans if elected as President of the 74th session of the 193-member General Assembly. The dialogue aims to contribute to the transparency and inclusivity of the selection process. India expressed support for the Nigerian Ambassador, describing him a great friend and a well-known son of Africa, with Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin tweeting that India is looking forward to Muhammad-Bande's election by acclamation on June 4. India joins in support of this effort, he said. During the interactive dialogue, Akbaruddin highlighted that in his vision statement, Muhammad-Bande spoke about the issue of terrorism. Akbaruddin drew Muhammad-Bande's attention to the long-pending global convention on international terrorism and called for action in the UN body to adopt it, emphasising that terrorism is antithetical to everything that the UN stands for. "Terrorism is antithetical to everything that we here at the UN stand for. It is antithetical to peace and security, to development and to human rights. Yet all of us seem contented only to condemn terrorism and not do anything more," Akbaruddin said, underlining the need for the General Assembly to be more action-oriented rather than talk-oriented. The Indian Ambassador asked his Nigerian counterpart what plans he has to make the General Assembly more action-oriented to deal with the global scourge of terrorism. I'd like to draw his attention to the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT). This is being lying with the General Assembly for years, in fact for decades. Would we see any initiative by him on this important issue, Akbaruddin said. India proposed a draft document on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN in 1986 but it has not been implemented as there is no unanimity on the definition of terrorism among the member states. The Nigerian diplomat replied that there is nothing as urgent as dealing with terrorism because what it has done, like my friend Syed stated, it goes completely contrary, counter to all that this organization stands for. He stressed the necessity for the international community to really work as one, not only as UN but as Member States to see why we have to really continue to collaborate very deeply with others in dealing with this matter. Muhammad-Bande said the UN has many mechanisms and has created a whole office - the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism - to focus efforts on countering terrorism. He added that sometimes nations are not able to find means of communicating on the issue because often the traditions of different countries stand in the way in a matter that is so urgent and everyday affects countries regardless of region, size or economic circumstance. He stressed that the office of the PGA will support the Secretary General by getting Heads of State and Government to really appreciate deeper the need and importance of sharing information and the issue of efforts to deal with education relating to countering extremism. With little headway in any action to adopt the CCIT, India is reviving discussion on the Convention at the world organisation amidst increasing terror attacks on places of worship across the globe. Earlier this month, India had given a clarion call at the UN for strengthening efforts to adopt the long-pending global convention on international terrorism. India's call to adopt the CCIT came just a day after it won a massive victory in the fight against terrorism with the designation of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. The blacklisting of the JeM chief came 10 years after India first moved a proposal in the UN body to sanction him. Speaking at a solemn commemorative event for victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, Akbaruddin had said that as a tribute to the victims in Sri Lanka, "we can all try and strengthen efforts to achieve that objective of a putting in place a global legal framework to counter a global scourge." STAMFORD A Stamford man who pleaded guilty to drugging and molesting a man he met in a New York City bar now says his attorney forced him to make the guilty plea. Jarion Castillo-Martinez told a Stamford judge he wants to renege and have the conviction vacated. The judge ruled Monday that Castillo-Martinez will have to return to court in early June for a hearing on the matter. Castillo-Martinez, 42, was was arrested in June 2017, six months after a police complaint was filed on him. According to the complaint, a 20-year-old homeless man said he went to Castillo-Martinezs West Side apartment after meeting him in Grand Central Station. Castillo-Martinez told the man he would help find him a place to stay in Stamford and the two took the train to Stamford on the evening of Jan. 4. He said Castillo-Martinez, who at the time was a bartender at a trendy Towne Street bistro, bought some beers on the walk back to his Wilson Street apartment. The man told police he had a few beers at the apartment, but the last one tasted funny and he passed out after drinking it. When he woke up 7:30 a.m. Castillo-Martinez was performing oral sex on him, according to an arrest affidavit. The man ran out of Castillo-Martinezs apartment and called police before returning and throwing rocks, breaking windows and screaming that he had just been date raped, the affidavit said. At the time police said they had received a nearly identical complaint about Castillo-Martinez from another man just two months earlier. They charged him with first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault of someone who was physically helpless and purchasing liquor for a minor. Castillo-Martinez, a native of Nicaragua who is being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer, has remained in jail since, unable to raise a $150,000 court appearance bond. Castillo-Martinezs attorney, Jerome Larracuente, was able to negotiate with Assistant States Attorney Michelle Manning to get the charges whittled down to one count of second-degree sexual assault of someone who is physically helpless. Castillo Martinez pleaded guilty to the charge in February and in exchange was to be given a suspended sentence and put on the sex offender registry. But in early April, Castillo-Martinez filed a motion to withdraw and vacate his guilty plea, claiming improper and ineffective assistance of counsel. According to the motion, Castillo-Martinez said he was coerced into pleading guilty and that he did not understand what his attorney was doing. Castillo-Martinez insists that he wanted a trial and that his requests for a trial were completely disregarded by Larracuente. Larracuente shortly thereafter filed his own motion to withdraw from the case because Castillo-Martinez filed a complaint against him to the Statewide Grievance Committee and refused to speak with him. Larracuente did not return a call for comment. During Castillo-Martinezs appearance on Monday, Judge Gary White refused to remove Larracuente from the case entirely but appointed a public defender to represent him. White said that when Castillo-Martinez returns to court on June 4 he will hold a hearing on the matter while examining the transcripts of the hearing at which Castillo Martinez made his guilty plea. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com WILTON All About Color is the aptly named exhibition that opened May 10 at Wilton Library. The walls of the gallery, reading room and reference area are filled with works of art large and small that burst forth with color. The eight artists responsible are Ridgefielders Sally Aldrich, Hans Fischer, and Nancy Moore; Rich Alexander of Mt. Kisco, N.Y.; Sharon Cavagnolo of Chappaqua, N.Y.; Jennifer Mone Hill of Danbury; Erin Nazzaro of Redding; and Kris Davenport Toohey of Westport. Whether the artists have embraced their passion from their early days, through their college lives, or more recently become immersed in the discipline, their works highlight a range of styles, subject matter and media choices that are bold and impressive. I was fortunate to see this group of artists in an exhibition in Ridgefield last year and I was taken by their collective works, said Ed MacEwen, the librarys art chair. I thought they would be well-received by the Wilton community and their paintings would show very well in the gallery throughout the library. A retired art teacher, Aldrich has intensified her study of pottery and sculpture while she continues to teach at her studio. A former president of the Katonah Museum Artists Association, she writes its newsletter and works on the Hammond Museums exhibition committee. Her work is exhibited in galleries in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Alexander is a trained draftsman and owned and operated a sign company, hand lettering signs and trucks with letter enamels. He became a New York City firefighter and during his 21-year career, he designed, built and painted dozens of firehouse tables and murals. Ten years ago he took up portraiture, oil painting and landscapes. He now paints at the Ridgewood Art Institute. Cavagnolo has studied with Larry Rivers, Elaine de Kooning and Jane Wilson, and has exhibited in numerous solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions in Connecticut, Westchester and New York City. Fischers artistic talents took him into careers in industrial design, interior architecture, graphic design, art direction and corporate communications and management. He established his own graphic design firm in the late 1980s. Over the past 15 years, he has been able to concentrate on his love of art. His work is in galleries and private collections in the U.S. and abroad. Hill worked as a commercial photographer for over 20 years but painting is now her greatest passion. Her work has been in recent exhibitions at the Mattatuck Museum, Rene Soto Gallery, Carriage Barn Arts Center, and Ridgefield Guild of Artists. Last year, Moore exhibited her work in four museums: the Katonah Museum (Katonah), the New Britain Museum of American Art (New Britain), the Mattatuck Museum (Waterbury), and the Fuller Craft Museum (Brockton, Mass.). She is an artist guild member of the Silvermine Arts Center (New Canaan), Ridgefield Guild of Artists, Katonah Museum Artists Association, Surface Design Association, and Artists Collective of Westport. Nazzaro started out working with pencil and moved to paint in the 1980s when color changed everything for her. Her next big influence was traveling to the American Southwest where she embraced the people, their beautiful families and the land they lived and worked on. The artist noted that she appreciates all the swirling bright colors so integrated into the landscape, fabrics, dress and folk art. Her work is driven by this energy. Toohey is a landscape painter who works primarily in oils. She is an exhibiting member of The Rowayton Arts Center, winning first place in oils at the 2018 Marine & Coastal Show, as well as an active member of the Artists Collective of Westport and the Ridgefield Guild of Artists. For information and directions, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org or call 203-762-6334. A visitor consults at the UK counter at China Education Expo in Beijing in October 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily] The phenomenon that the salary of overseas returnees may not cover their study expenditures has stirred up debate on whether it's worth it to study overseas. Now, a white paper on the topic has provided more nuance. Nearly 70 percent of those with overseas learning experience said the value of overseas study should not be evaluated only by earnings, as the enrichment it brings to their lives is even more important. This comes per the 2019 White Paper on Overseas Study published by New Oriental Education and Technology Group, the largest provider of private educational services in China. Data from the Ministry of Education shows 662,100 people went overseas for study in 2018, up 8.83 percent year-on-year. As the number of students applying for overseas study grows, this group has been getting more and more attention. New Oriental has published white papers on overseas study since 2015, trying to depict the overseas students group and the market. "The perception on the value of learning overseas by students has changed as we compared the data year after year," said Li Jun, a person on the New Oriental overseas study team. More and more people consider overseas study a way to self-actualize, Li said. Wan Yu, a sophomore at China Agricultural University, is working on getting admitted to an exchange program in the US. "I'd like to experience the teaching style and academic atmosphere there, and more importantly broaden my vision," Wan said. According to the white paper, the percentage of people valuing self-improvement has grown in the last three years. More than half of students want to broaden their vision, enrich their life experience and acquire cutting-edge knowledge by going overseas. The percentage of students who say obtaining a degree is their top priority is falling. At the same time, the possibility of immigrating to other countries after studying there weakens as domestic economy grows. More students consider overseas study an educational experience. The white paper shows the percentage of students who come back to China as soon as they graduate has increased over the past five years. "One reason is the job market in foreign countries is nearly full, another is that the purpose of some students study abroad is to increase their competitiveness at home," Li said. Overseas returnees increased by 38,500 or 8 percent in 2018 year-on-year, according to data from the Ministry of Education. The white paper also shows 89 percent of employers acknowledge the value of overseas study. Professional skills and creativity are two things employers value most in overseas returnees. By PTI LONDON: An Indian woman suffering from a rare disease, which left her in a coma after a major surgery, is fighting to stay in the UK and avoid being deported to India. Bhavani Espathi, who came to Britain as a student, suffers from Crohn's Disease, a digestive tract disorder, for which she requires a specific immunosuppressant that she says is currently unavailable in India. "The only thing keeping me somewhat 'healthy' besides constant medical attention are immunosuppressants such as Ustekinumab, which is currently unavailable in India, the country that the British Home Office believes is a place I should return for 'palliative care' instead of living in the UK," says the 31-year-old, who has launched an online campaign to seek support for her case. The UK Home Office recently issued a letter stating that her application for leave to remain in the UK had been refused and that she was liable to be forcibly removed. The letter arrived as she lay in a coma after a major operation and her fiance, Martin Mangler, appealed against the decision while she was still unconscious. Medical letters from her doctors stated that her life would be at risk if she were to travel. The Home Office's refusal letter to Espathi's appeal, issued in December last year, states: "Whereas it is accepted that the healthcare systems in the UK and in India are unlikely to be equivalent, this does not entitle you to remain here. "Should it be the case that your illness deteriorates, or you are unable to access treatment, you have not shown a lack of palliative care or family support available in India. "I thought there was no way they could dispute my application. I wasn't expecting them to say that even if the drugs aren't available then you could receive palliative care," she told The Independent newspaper. "All of this is making my condition worse. You're meant to avoid stress, but I can't help my body's reaction to certain things. I'm currently in hospital and haven't been able to put on weight - stress is a big part of it," she said. London-based Espathi had to be admitted to hospital again last month due to bowel-related complications. She currently relies on a drip and has to have a bag attached to her stomach and is waiting to undergo further surgery in the coming months. "This decision should be immediately reviewed and Ms Espathi should be allowed to stay in the country which has become her home, where she can get the medical care she desperately needs," said Chai Patel, legal director at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI). A UK Home Office spokesperson said: "In March 2019, the Home Office was made aware of fresh evidence in this case and this is currently being reviewed." Canadian cryptocurrency president Gerald Cotten had died of Crohn's Disease in India It must be recalled that earlier this year, a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange was granted bankruptcy protection after its president Gerald Cotten took passwords for accounts containing Can$180 million ($137 million US) to his grave when he died suddenly. Cotten (30) had died of complications from Crohn's Disease on December 9, 2018 while volunteering at an orphanage in Jaipur, India. Express had spoken to the Fortis Escorts Hospital in Jaipur where he was admitted. An official spokesperson had confirmed Cotten's death saying, "he was brought in an extremely critical condition." It was also found that Cotten was on monoclonal antibody therapy ( targeted therapy used to treat colon cancer) every 8th week. (With Online Desk inputs) By Online Desk WASHINGTON: NASA's ambitious plan to put the first woman on the Moon by 2024 has been named Artemis. It was set in motion following an additional increase to the agency's budget. NASA's plans for the first woman on the lunar surface ever comes nearly five decades after the men set their foot there. Artemis is the Greek goddess of the Moon and twin sister of the god Apollo. The Apollo program famously put the first men on the lunar surface in the 1960 and 70s, the CNN reported. Trump announced on Monday that he was adding $1.6 billion to NASA's budget "so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!" said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars," he tweeted. The budget increase is on top of the initial $21 billion budget request from NASA to accelerate the return to the lunar surface. Only 12 humans, all male, have so far walked on the Moon and they were all American, according to Bettina Inclan, NASA Communications Director. "The last person walked on the Moon in 1972," Inclan told CNN in a statement. "No woman has ever walked on the lunar surface." "This investment is a down payment on NASA's efforts and will allow us to move forward in design, development and exploration," Bridenstine said. "The first woman will be an American on the surface of the moon in five years," Bridenstine had said in April during the Space Symposium conference in Colorado Springs. "That is an extreme declaration and a charge that we are going to live up to at NASA." The Artemis program is still very much in its infancy, the CNN report added. While NASA has been developing a rocket and crew capsule to take people into deep space, those vehicles still have yet to actually carry any astronauts. IT Analyst, Data and Information Management, Washington, United States Organization: The World Bank Country: United States City: Washington, United States Office: World Bank HQ Washington Closing date: Sunday, 19 May 2019 IT Analyst, Data and Information Management Job #: req2616 Organization: World Bank Sector: Information Technology Grade: GE Term Duration: 2 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Washington, DC Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 5/19/2019 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC Description About the World Bank Group: Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the worlds largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally. The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients. The WBG is one of the worlds largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate ground breaking knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data. Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) enables the WBG to achieve its mission of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity in a sustainable manner by delivering transformative information and technologies to its staff working in over 130 client countries. ITS services range from: establishing the infrastructure to reach and connect staff and development partners; providing the devices and agile technology and information applications to facilitate the science of delivery through decentralized services; creating and maintaining tools to integrate information across the WBG, the clients we serve and the countries where we operate; and delivering the computing power staff need to analyze development challenges and identify solutions. By PTI WASHINGTON: Ramzan is a "very special" month during which people seek tolerance and peace, US President Donald Trump has said as he hosted an iftaar party at the White House and expressed grief over the gruesome terrorist attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Ramzan is a holy month for Muslims here in the US and all across the world, Trump said as he hosted his second Iftaar as President for eminent Muslim members from his administration and top diplomats from various countries on Monday night. "Ramadan is a time of charity, of giving, and service to our fellow citizens. Ramadan is a very special time. It's a time to draw closer as families, neighbours and communities," Trump said. ALSO READ: One Muslim man hacked to death in fresh violence "Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace. It is in this spirit that we come together tonight for Iftaar, the traditional Ramadan meal that breaks the daily fast," he said in his brief address in the State Dinning Room of the White House. During Ramzan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown and focus on prayers and spiritual life. "This evening, our thoughts are also with the religious believers who have endured many trials and hardships in recent weeks. It's been a very rough period of time. Our hearts are filled with grief for the Muslims who were killed in their mosques in New Zealand, as well as the Christians, Jews and other children of god who were slain in Sri Lanka, California and Pittsburgh," Trump said. Fifty people were killed and several others injured when a white supremacist attacked two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand on March 15. ALSO READ | Sri Lankan police impose nationwide curfew as communal violence continue to spread In Sri Lanka's worst terror attack on Easter Sunday targeting churches and luxury hotels, 258 people were killed and over 500 others injured. He resolved to defeat the "evils of terrorism" and religious persecution so that all people can worship without fear, pray without danger and live by the faith that flows from their heart. "We thank god that America is a place founded on the belief that citizens of all faiths can live together in safety and live together in freedom," he said. Every year, the US president hosts an Iftaar party for invited guests in the holy month of Ramadan. By PTI COLOMBO: Nearly two dozen people were arrested on Tuesday even as parts of Sri Lanka were under indefinite curfew after a man was killed by majority Sinhalese mobs who set on fire Muslim-owned shops and vehicles and vandalised mosques in an escalating backlash following the Easter terror attacks. The government on Tuesday relaxed nationwide night curfew in all areas except the northwestern province where the Muslim man was killed by a mob on Monday. Sri Lanka Police imposed an island-wide curfew on Monday as anti-Muslim violence broke out in the northwestern province spread to other areas in the country as well. Majority Sinhalese mobs set fire to Muslim-owned shops and vehicles. Homes and mosques were also vandalised by large groups of people armed with sticks and weapons. ALSO READ | Sri Lankan police impose nationwide curfew as communal violence continue to spread The government also reimposed a ban on social media following the violent clashes. The government which blocked Facebook and WhatsApp on Tuesday extended the blockade to Twitter. The social media blockade is meant to prevent the spread of rumours and hate comments, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said. The recent violence is a fresh backlash from the Easter attacks where nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and injuring over 500 others. Police said they have arrested at least two prominent instigators along with nearly 20 others for violence. "The police will take stringent action against the rioters. They will not be given bail and could spend 10 years in prison," police chief Chandana Wickremaratne said. Muslims said that rioters went about destroying their properties and setting fire to them even after curfew hours. They accused the security forces and the police for becoming silent watchers to the rioting. Muslim political parties said at least one person died in the riots but the security officials have refused to confirm the death. In an address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the military has been asked to quell the anti-Muslim riot and urged public cooperation to the security forces to bring the situation under control. Wickremesinghe said the violence by a handful of people only hampered the ongoing investigations into suicide bomb attacks by local Islamic extremist group National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ). Main opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa blamed the government for its inability to control the violence. Sri Lanka Army Chief Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake warned anyone instigating violence and destroying property that the armed forces would not hesitate to use maximum force to stem any violence. He said the armed forces will ensure that the country will not be getting back to a situation of violent activities and the violence in terms of radicalisation and the terrorists. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena has issued a gazette notice banning three Islamic extremist organisations, including National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that was blamed for the Easter bombings. The other two banned organisations are the Jama'athe Milla'athe Ibrahim (JMI) and the Willayath As Seylani. He also prohibited the use of drones in the country until further notice. By PTI COLOMBO: One of the Easter Sunday suicide bombers, who attempted to bomb the luxury Taj Samudra hotel here, was radicalised by British-Pakistani radical preacher Anjem Choudary while he was studying at a university in London, according to a media report. Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, 37, who hailed from a wealthy family involved in the tea trade, reportedly met the radical preacher while studying at Kingston University, the BBC reported. ALSO READ: One Muslim man hacked to death in fresh violence Choudary, 52, is considered one of the UK's most influential and dangerous radical preachers. He was convicted and jailed in 2016 for inviting support for the Islamic State group but was released in 2018. Counter-extremism experts early this year had warned that Choudary's extremist group al-Muhajiroun network was regenerating itself. Jameel, a father of four children, was the link between local radicals and IS or other Islamist groups based abroad, Sri Lannkan security officers told the BBC. Jameel was one of the nine bombers who carried out a series of blasts targeting three churches and three hotels in Colombo in which which nearly 360 people were killed. Jameel's target on April 21 Easter bombings was the Taj Samudra hotel of Tata Group's hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL). ALSO READ | Sri Lankan police impose nationwide curfew as communal violence continue to spread But his bomb probably failed and he was seen leaving the premises. He later blew himself up at a motel in the suburb of Dehiwala, killing two guests. Jameel studied in the UK and Australia before he tried to go to Syria. Several years ago, his family became concerned about his hardline views and enlisted the help of a security official. A security official told the BBC: "He (Jameel) was completely radicalised and supported the extremist ideology. I tried to reason with him. "When I asked him how he got into this" he said that he attended the sermons of the radical British preacher Anjem Choudary in London. He said he met him during the sermons." (Special) - For younger people it's often referred to as the "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO) while for older ones it's commonly known as "Keeping up with the Jones'." Both are very real human impulses and tendencies, but no matter how you define them they are helping to put Canadians in debt. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. (Special) - For younger people it's often referred to as the "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO) while for older ones it's commonly known as "Keeping up with the Jones'." Both are very real human impulses and tendencies, but no matter how you define them they are helping to put Canadians in debt. FOMO is a belief that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent, a social anxiety characterized by a desire to stay connected with what others are doing, a fear of regret which may lead to a compulsive concern that one might miss an opportunity for social interaction, a novel experience, a profitable investment, or other satisfying events. Keeping up with the Jones' is an idiom in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one's neighbours as a benchmark for social class or the accumulation of material goods. Failing to keep up is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority. A recent survey from credit score agency Credit Karma found that half of Canadian millennials admit to going into FOMO debt by at least $500, mostly for vacations, weekend trips and after-work dinner or drinks. Overspending on FOMO is leaving them feeling guilty half of the time, shameful 24 per cent of the time and angry or resentful 20 per cent of the time. Sixty three per cent of those who went into debt to keep up with what their friends were doing typically kept the debt a secret and 35 per cent said they don't feel comfortable saying "no" when a friend suggests an activity they can't afford. "FOMO is all about experiences and momentary satisfaction not about assets like Keeping Up with the Jones', which is more about getting a bigger home or more expensive car," Monisha Sharma, head of development for Credit Karma in Canada, said in an interview. "At the end of the day once that meal with drinks is over, no matter how enjoyable what has it really done for your future?" While FOMO spending is mostly about experiences, it is not entirely about trips or nights out with friends. To keep up with their peers many young Canadians feel pressured to go into debt to buy clothes (32 per cent), electronics (29 per cent), cars (13 per cent) and homes (11 per cent). Thirty per cent said they spend money on an item or experience at least a few times a year just so they can post about it on social media. "Young adults clearly care about maintaining strong friendships and social live, which is great, but it shouldn't come at the cost of your financial stability," Sharma said. The first thing people should do to try and avoid FOMO spending and keep on budget is to be honest about their finances. The survey found that 69 per cent of young adults in Canada think their friends make more money than they do, but in reality far fewer (41 per cent) actually know how much their friends make. 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. Sharma says sticking to a budget doesn't have to mean not having fun with friends. Consider cheaper alternatives to going out for dinner and drinks or a fancy vacation by having a potluck supper, going for a hike in the park, having a party at home and taking a stay-at-home vacation. Also, leave the credit cards at home to help avoid overspending. Consider keeping a separate savings account that you can use for short-term spending and consider taking cash or a card linked to that account when you go out so you have a fixed amount you can spend. The survey showed that 32 per cent of respondents went into debt of $100 or less to keep up with their friends, 17 per cent went into $101 to $250 of debt, and 18 per cent $251 to $500 and 33 per cent went into debt of more than $500. These are not large amounts, but over time they can compound and throw you off your budget and financial plan. Talbot Boggs is a Toronto-based business communications professional who has worked with national news organizations, magazines and corporations in the finance, retail, manufacturing and other industrial sectors. Copyright 2019 Talbot Boggs TOKYO - Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that its annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa speaks during a press conference at its Global Headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) TOKYO - Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that its annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward. Nissan Motor Co.'s profit for the fiscal year that ended in March totalled 319.1 billion yen ($2.9 billion), down from 746.9 billion yen the previous fiscal year its worst showing since the global financial crisis a decade ago. Nissan said profit for the fiscal year through March 2020 will drop to 170 billion yen ($1.5 billion), as its earnings are slammed by restructuring and product development expenses combined with currency-related losses and rising material costs. "This is a very critical situation," Nissan's chief executive, Hiroto Saikawa, told reporters at its headquarters in Yokohama. He said efforts were underway to reshape Nissan's business, especially in North America, where profits have dropped because of incentives and over production. Nissan's sales for the fiscal year totalled 11.6 trillion yen ($105 billion), down 3% from the previous fiscal year. Vehicle sales for the fiscal year slipped 4% to 5.5 million. Nissan did not break down quarterly results. Saikawa promised that Nissan's business will be turned around over the next two or three years. He blamed what he called an overly aggressive sales growth strategy spearheaded by Ghosn, though Saikawa himself has faced criticism over his leadership since he became CEO in 2017. Saikawa apologized to customers and shareholders for the shoddy results, giving a short bow rather than the usual deep bow held for nearly a minute by Japanese executives apologizing for corporate wrongdoing. Ghosn, who led Nissan and its alliance with Renault SA of France for two decades, was arrested in November on financial misconduct charges. He has been accused of under-reporting retirement compensation, having Nissan shoulder investment losses and diverting Nissan money for personal gain. On Tuesday, Tokyo prosecutors said they had amended one of their indictments against Ghosn to include an allegation that he received $20 million from a Saudi Arabian businessman in connection with a currency swap deal cited in a charge of breach of trust. He says he is innocent. He says the compensation was never paid or agreed upon, the losses were never suffered and the payments were for legitimate services. Ghosn has expressed concern over Nissan's operations, saying its current leadership lacks vision. The scandal over Ghosn's arrest and dismissal added to Nissan's problems. It logged 9.2 billion yen ($83 million) in costs for the fiscal year through March from alleged underreporting of Ghosn's compensation. Some analysts say the brand has been tarnished. It is unclear when Ghosn's trial will start, as preparations in Japan take months. Prosecutors wanted Ghosn kept incarcerated during the preparation, but he was released on bail in March, rearrested and then released again in April. The latest release forbids Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, from contact with his wife, a restriction that prosecutors have defended as necessary to prevent evidence tampering. Saikawa brushed off speculation that Renault may be pushing for a merger, saying Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, who recently joined Nissan's board, agrees that fixing Nissan comes first. 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. Renault owns 43% of Nissan. Nissan, which makes the Leaf electric car, March subcompact and Infiniti luxury models, owns 15% of Renault. Saikawa also brushed off a reporter's question about his resignation. He said he planned to hand over the reins to another leader "when the timing is right." For now, he said, he needs to focus on a turnaround. ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en MONTREAL - Aimia Inc. is seeking to seize on targeted advertising trends and buy up smaller rewards firms in order to reach adjusted profitability in 2020 as it looks to the future without the Aeroplan loyalty program. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An AIMIA logo is shown at the company's annual general meeting in Montreal, Friday, May 4, 2012. Loyalty rewards company Aimia Inc. reported a profit of $1.05 billion in its latest quarter as it completed the sale of its Aeroplan business. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Aimia Inc. is seeking to seize on targeted advertising trends and buy up smaller rewards firms in order to reach adjusted profitability in 2020 as it looks to the future without the Aeroplan loyalty program. Rife with cash from the program's sale to Air Canada in January, the company's expressed confidence in future earnings due to the global potential of rewards programs and in spite of the recent loss of "a bunch of contracts" from Fortune 500 companies, chief executive Jeremy Rabe said. "Longer term, this is an industry thats growing at over 20 per cent per year...and expected to continue," Rabe said on a conference call with investors Tuesday. The shift away from mass media advertising and toward "more direct, targeted, personalized marketing methods" online bodes well for loyalty solutions companies like Aimia, he said. "Companies, I think, realize that it may not make sense for them to develop their own technology," Rabe added. "Thats where we're also seeing a strong appetite for outsourcing." Some analysts wondered whether Aimia's goal of merely tipping adjusted earnings back into the black next year was suitably aggressive, with BMO Capital Markets' Tim Casey saying it is "not a terribly ambitious target." Rabe said bolt-on acquisitions also offer a key path to profitability, "in most cases integrating those directly into our existing loyalty solutions business." Last quarter Aimia signed a new fee-for-service contract with HSBC, its main partner in Air Miles Middle East, through 2022. Restructuring saw the number of Aimia employees fall by one-third year over year to 590 from 890 as of March 31. 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 Montreal-based company reported a record profit of $1.05 billion in its latest quarter as it completed the sale of its Aeroplan business, which wrapped up Jan. 10. Profits amounted to $6.85 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31 compared with a profit of $21.4 million or 11 cents per diluted share a year ago, Aimia said. Its loss from continuing operations totalled $3.2 million or five cents per diluted share compared with a loss of $9.2 million or nine cents per diluted share in the same quarter last year. Revenue fell to $34.7 million compared with $45 million in the first three months of 2018. The company's other assets include Air Miles Middle East, a stake in the Club Premier program in Mexico that it jointly controls with Aeromexico, and an investment with Air Asia in a travel technology company that operates BIG Loyalty. Companies in this story: (TSX:AIM, TSX:AC) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - An oil pipeline that runs across Saudi Arabia was hit Tuesday by drones, the Saudi energy minister said, as regional tensions flared just days after what the kingdom called an attack on two of its oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - An oil pipeline that runs across Saudi Arabia was hit Tuesday by drones, the Saudi energy minister said, as regional tensions flared just days after what the kingdom called an attack on two of its oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. While both U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said they were not planning for conflict, the volatility was felt in oil markets with benchmark Brent crude trading over $71 a barrel, up more than $1 on the day. This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Emirati-flagged bunkering tanker A. Michel off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) The pipeline that runs from the kingdom's oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea port was shut down, but Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih Al-Falih vowed that the production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. The Houthis, who are at war with Saudi Arabia, said earlier Tuesday they launched seven drones targeting vital Saudi installations, without elaborating. They later claimed responsibility for the pipeline attack in comments broadcast by Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari. In a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, al-Falih called the pipeline attack "cowardly," saying recent acts of sabotage against the kingdom were targeting not only Saudi Arabia but also the safety of the world's energy supply and global economy. The attacks demonstrated the increased risks in a region vital to global energy supplies amid heightened tensions following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and the subsequent re-imposition of U.S. sanctions to cripple the Iranian economy. Iran has since said it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels by July 7 if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. The Saudis did not immediately assign blame for the drone assaults, which targeted two oil pumping stations west of the capital supplying the pipeline that runs from the east of Saudi Arabia to the Yanbu Port on its western coast. Still, al-Falih in his statement named Yemeni rebel Houthis as a group that must be internationally confronted and accused them of being backed by Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival. Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Houthis and their allies in Yemen since March 2015, targeting the Iranian-allied rebels with near daily airstrikes. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Al Marzoqa off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image A2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) "This is a message to Saudi Arabia: Stop your aggression," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam told The Associated Press. "Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing everyday against the Yemeni people." Saudi Aramco, the government-controlled oil company, said that as a precaution, it temporarily shut down the East-West Pipeline and contained a fire, which caused minor damage to one pumping station. It added that Saudi Aramco's oil and gas supplies were not affected. Saudi Arabia said the two petroleum pumping stations that were struck by drones are located in the greater region of Riyadh, home to the landlocked capital. The stations, targeted around the same time early Tuesday, are located in al-Duadmi and Afif, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) west and 400 kilometres (250 miles) west of Riyadh city, respectively. Saudi Arabia built its pipeline in the 1980s amid fears that the Iran-Iraq war would cut off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The 1,200-kilometre (746-mile) pipeline is actually two pipes that have a total capacity of 4.8 million barrels of crude oil a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The two oil pumping stations are over 800 kilometres (500 miles) from Yemen's northern border with the kingdom. Saudi Arabia says its oil tankers were attacked Sunday off the coast of UAE port city of Fujairah.; The drone strikes reflect how the Houthis have tried to expand their capabilities during the four-year war. The rebels have targeted Riyadh with missiles and used drones to disrupt air traffic at Saudi airports near the Yemen border. Iran has been accused by the U.S. and the U.N. of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis, which Tehran denies. In Washington, Trump told reporters he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops to the Middle East, but that he's not planned for that and hopefully won't have to plan for that. While Trump dismissed a report in The New York Times that the White House is reviewing military plans against Iran that could result in sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons, he said if the U.S. was going to get into a military conflict with Iran, "we'd send a hell of a lot more" troops. Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader who has final say on all state matters, was quoted by state TV as telling senior officials that his country won't negotiate with the United States, calling such talks "poison." But he also said, "Neither we, nor them is seeking war. They know that it is not to their benefit." At a Tuesday evening gathering, he reportedly added: "This is not a military confrontation, because no war is going to happen." In this picture released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting with governmental officials in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Khamenei said his country won't negotiate with the United States and there will be no war between the two countries. A portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini hangs at rear. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) Washington recently deployed an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. The U.S. has recently warned ships that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. Meanwhile, the details around alleged acts of sabotage to four oil tankers, including two belonging to Saudi Arabia, off the coast of the UAE's port of Fujairah remain unclear. Satellite images obtained Tuesday by the AP showed no visible damage to the vessels, and Gulf officials have refused to say who they suspected was responsible. The MT Andrea Victory, one of the alleged targets, sustained a hole in its hull just above its waterline from "an unknown object," its owner Thome Ship Management said in a statement. Images of the Norwegian ship, which the company said was "not in any danger of sinking," showed damage similar to what the firm described. Satellite images provided to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies showed a boom surrounding the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible damage from above. 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 U.S. official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told AP that a U.S. military team's initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation and thus spoke on condition of anonymity. Speaking in New Delhi, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad said he spoke with Indian officials about concerns of "suspicious activities and sabotage in the region." "We announced that we had previously predicted these sorts of activities aimed at escalating tension in the region," he said. Also Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates that was part of a U.S.-led fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of the mounting tensions. The Ministry of Defence said the Mendez Nunez, with 215 sailors aboard, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf with the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Spanish frigate was the only non-U.S. vessel in the fleet. ___ Associated Press writers Maggie Michael and Samy Magdy in Cairo and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed. SELKIRK Selkirk may be a small city, but when it comes to clean energy, its in Manitobas big league thanks to its rec centre. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SELKIRK Selkirk may be a small city, but when it comes to clean energy, its in Manitobas big league thanks to its rec centre. On Monday, Mayor Larry Johannson flipped the switch on Selkirk Recreation Complexs new 200-kilowatt solar energy system. "Its the largest rooftop solar panel array in Manitoba," Johannson said at a press conference in the city of 10,278. In neighbouring Winnipeg, a city of 750,000, no city-owned property has anything nearly as large as Selkirks solar energy system, a city spokesman said Monday. "Were happy to be sucking up the suns energy not just today, but for years into the future," Johannson said, while there wasnt a cloud in the sky. Selkirk successfully applied for a $200,000 grant for the project from Manitoba Hydros two-year solar energy pilot program before it expired, Selkirk chief administrative officer Duane Nicol said, and the city covered the remaining $430,000. The solar energy will provide 16 per cent of the electricity needed by the large rec complex. The system was installed by the Winnipeg firm Sycamore Energy Inc. The 676 solar panels which will last 30 years and pay for themselves in 17 are in an optimal place to soak up the sun, Nicol said. The south-facing panels are not obscured by any buildings or trees. A meter keeps track of how much solar and hydro power is used. Any extra solar power thats produced will be sold back to Manitoba Hydro. Nicol said theyre saving on electricity and Hydro rates that are expected to continue to rise. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitobas largest rooftop solar array was unveiled Monday at Selkirk Recreation Complex. "Its an investment in hedging against future electrical increases," Sycamore Energy co-founder and CEO Justin Phillips said. "Rates are going up." The Manitoba Hydro pilot program helped boost solar energy in the province, and Phillips said Sycamore is working in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It has installed several 200 kilowatt solar arrays many in agriculture in addition to Manitobas largest rooftop solar panel collection in Selkirk. Solar panels are not the only energy-saving feature at the city-owned complex, which opened in 1992 and has a 2,751-seat arena and a 500-person banquet hall. Selkirk has made several improvements to the complex in recent years, including geothermal upgrades to the ice plant to reduce energy bills. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Its making one of the largest rec centres almost completely off the grid," Johannson said on Monday. The upgrades to Selkirks rec complex are part of the citys strategic plan, which is to provide the best recreational opportunities for its residents, take active management of Selkirks capital assets and firmer control of the citys economic destiny, Nicol said. Having the huge rec complex almost "off the grid" is also part of Selkirks emergency plan, Nicol said. It can serve as a refuge with its own electricity source if disaster strikes and people need to seek shelter. Money saved on energy costs can be invested back into in the community, he said. As the rec centres energy bill shrinks, so does its carbon footprint. Thats something that makes the mayor of the little city north of Manitobas capital swell with pride. "We are leaders in climate change adaptation," Johannson said. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA - RCMP investigators say they're not sure why the Mark Norman case collapsed because they haven't seen the new evidence that led to the stay of a breach-of-trust charge against the naval officer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman arrives to court in Ottawa on Thursday, March 28, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - RCMP investigators say they're not sure why the Mark Norman case collapsed because they haven't seen the new evidence that led to the stay of a breach-of-trust charge against the naval officer. The Mounties also suggested that former Conservative ministers a possible source of the fresh evidence given to defence counsel could have come to the RCMP with the information at any time. In an interview Tuesday with The Canadian Press, two RCMP officers involved with the Norman probe emphasized the importance of independence in their work, even as opposition MPs continued to accuse the Trudeau government of orchestrating the investigation. "We follow the evidence and we seek the truth," said Supt. Mike MacLean, criminal operations officer for the RCMP's national division. Norman, a vice-admiral who served as the military's second-in-command, was charged with breach of trust in 2018 following a two-year criminal investigation into the alleged disclosure of classified government information. The case revolved around a November 2015 decision by the newly elected Liberal government to reconsider a $700-million contract the Harper Conservatives awarded to Quebec-based Davie Shipbuilding. Davie was hired to convert a civilian vessel, the MV Asterix, into a temporary resupply ship that would be leased until a permanent replacement was ready. While the plan to revisit the contract was supposed to remain secret, court documents showed the RCMP suspected Norman of being upset with the decision over concerns the government would cancel the project. Norman was commander of the navy at the time and, according to the documents, allegedly worked with Davie to pressure the government to keep the project afloat. In staying the charge last week, prosecutor Barbara Mercier said the Crown believes some of Norman's actions, including his communications, were inappropriate. However, the ultimate conclusion that those actions did not cross the threshold of criminality were informed by fresh material she had received from the defence. It's up to the federal prosecution service to decide whether to share the information with the RCMP, MacLean said. "Unfortunately, we have not seen that evidence yet," he said. "We'd like to get the totality of the information and do a proper analysis." As a result, MacLean said, it is premature to comment on whether he now sees the Norman probe differently. The case's collapse has prompted questions about why the Mounties did not interview ministers in the former Conservative government of Stephen Harper, including Jason Kenney and Peter MacKay, both of whom spoke to the defence. But the RCMP suggests the former cabinet members could just as easily have approached the police force with details casting Norman's actions in a different light. "The door is always open," said MacLean. Staff Sgt. Denis Beaudoin said people contact the RCMP about various files "all the time." "It's anybody's right to come forward to talk to police," he said during the interview. The Mounties insist their work on the Norman file was thorough, independent and highly professional. But the case's demise comes as the RCMP faces a lawsuit from Sen. Mike Duffy, stemming from the dismissal of fraud, breach of trust and bribery charges against him. 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 force points to successes on other high-profile, sensitive investigations from the conviction of former Stephen Harper aide Bruce Carson for influence peddling to the imprisonment of a Royal Canadian Mint worker for stealing $190,000 worth of gold. The case of a public servant accused of leaking cabinet secrets about the naval contract continues, with a preliminary hearing set for October. Matthew Matchett, a suspended Public Service and Procurement Canada official, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of breach of trust. Meanwhile, the House of Commons national defence committee is slated to meet Thursday to discuss a request from opposition members to study the government's conduct in the Norman investigation. Justice Minister David Lametti said Tuesday that each component of the justice system did its job in the Norman case. The prosecution service, in particular, took evidence, evaluated it, decided to lay charges and then elected to stay those charges in light of new information, he said. "I think that's indicative that the system works." Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter Two days before he died of cancer, Garry McLean was on the phone, trying to secure a settlement he'd spent the past decade striving toward. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Two days before he died of cancer, Garry McLean was on the phone, trying to secure a settlement he'd spent the past decade striving toward. McLean's dream was realized Monday, as dozens of survivors from across the country travelled to Winnipeg to be part of a three-day federal court hearing that aims to determine whether a proposed class-action settlement is fair to the thousands of former students who were physically and sexually abused at Indian day schools. SUPPLIED Garry McLean who died in February, was the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit that is expected to involve 120,000 to 140,000 former students. McLean, a member of Lake Manitoba First Nation, who died in February, was the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit that is expected to involve 120,000 to 140,000 former students who could each be compensated at least $10,000 if the settlement is approved. His legacy was invoked throughout the day, as Federal Court Justice Michael Phelan heard from those who support the terms of the federal government's settlement and from some of those who object to it. "For Garry, his long-time dream is becoming reality. It is reality it's just technicalities, legalities, that have to be worked out," Delma McLean, Garry's sister, said after Monday's hearing. "I was elated, but sad, because Garry wasn't with us. He was with us in spirit." It's up to Phelan to decide whether the settlement is fair to former day school students. It's been in the works since McLean launched his lawsuit in 2009. All students who attended one of more than 700 of the federally-run schools as far back as the 1920s are eligible for compensation under the proposed agreement. They would have 2 1/2 years to submit their claims, according to updated terms of the agreement announced Monday. That's an improvement from the year-long timeline previously proposed, but some objectors said it's still not long enough to ensure the most vulnerable people affected by day school abuses get the compensation they deserve including those who are currently hospitalized, incarcerated or disabled. Observers filled the small federal courtroom on Broadway for the first day of the hearing, spilling over into additional rooms that hosted a live broadcast of the video feed. Cultural support workers held eagle feathers and smudged a Delta Hotel conference room where some former students gathered to watch the court hearing. They clasped hands, passed boxes of tissues and shared stories about their day school experiences. Brenda Beardy, who went to Lake St. Martin day school for eight years starting in 1956, drove in from Kenora, Ont., to witness the hearing. She was one of the people McLean phoned personally to let her know about the hearing dates. "It means everything. We lost a lot of things as First Nations our language, our self-esteem," she said. "What I see is, they wait for a lot of us to die before they make a settlement, and I hope this is not going that way, because a lot of us are elders already. And how long do we still have to wait? "Are we going to see this settlement fund come through or is it going to (go on) like this year after year until most of us are gone?" In McLean's honour, the proposed settlement would establish a $200-million "legacy fund" to offer cultural and wellness programs in Indigenous communities. Mary Thomson is leading the class-action for the Gowling WLG law firm. It has been in contact with about 65,000 potential claimants and consulted with 60 Indigenous communities about the proposed settlement. Some of those who object to the settlement say there hasn't been enough consultation. 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. Thomson said it's likely everyone who attended an Indian day school would be eligible for the baseline compensation of about $10,000 each, which they would be able to claim by filling out a form. As part of the proposed settlement, $1.27 billion to $1.4 billion has been devoted to those claims, and there is no proposed limit to financial compensation for those who suffered the most serious physical and sexual abuse. Former students can choose to opt-out of the class-action settlement and pursue their own individual claims. The proposed settlement would forbid non-lawyers from being paid to help claimants fill out forms. Thomson said she and her team heard "time and time again" about the "destructive" claims process that was created with Canada's residential schools settlement a process in which survivors were cross-examined on the abuses they suffered before they could receive compensation. This proposed settlement aims to avoid that, she said. Former students of day schools were excluded from the 2007 settlement the federal government agreed to for those who attended residential schools. The physical and sexual abuse students encountered was similar, Phelan heard Monday, except day school students were able to sleep in their own beds at night. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba's Icelandic community marks an important milestone this week, highlighted by a Winnipeg convention expected draw an estimated 300 attendees. Iceland President Gudni Th. Johannesson and Canadian-born first lady Eliza Reid are expected in the city Thursday through Sunday as visiting dignitaries for the 100th anniversary of the Icelandic National League of North America, a continent-wide organization founded in Winnipeg in 1919. The centenary at the downtown Fairmont hotel will feature music, sagas and cultural events. Presentations are to range from subjects as diverse as history and textile design; displays will include artifacts from ancient manuscripts to modern publications and information about genealogy and Icelandic studies. Musicians, including local artist Sol James, Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx from British Columbia, and Icelandic troubadour Svavar Knutur, are booked for performances. "This is as large a convention as we would typically get, but I don't know what was happening 75 years ago when people were more engaged," said the league's second vice-president, Stefan Jonasson of Winnipeg, referring to the deep roots of Icelandic descendants in Manitoba, now six generations removed from the first migrants. Organized mostly by the second generation of Icelandic North Americans, the league was formed a century ago partly from a desire to have a secular organization to represent their interests, and as an alternative to church groups, Jonasson said. The timing coincided with the aftermath of the First World War, when Icelandic-Canadian veterans were returning home and Iceland's securing home rule, though not full independence, from Denmark. DMITRI LOVETSKY / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Iceland's President Gudni Th. Johannesson People had been talking for years about creating an umbrella organization for the Icelandic community and it just came to fruition at that point because of some of these outside factors. There was also a strong desire to preserve the Icelandic language and to build relationships between Iceland and the second and third generation here," said Jonasson, a Unitarian minister, newspaper editor and one of the centenary organizers. The largest single group of Icelandic people to settle in North American arrived in Manitoba in 1875, establishing themselves along the western shore of Lake Winnipeg, then just beyond the provincial boundary, in an area since known as New Iceland. Despite hardships, the migrants put down roots, founding the lakeside town of Gimli. Successive waves of migrants settled in the area through 1914. 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. Decades of work have established the culture on this continent while still burnishing bonds with the land of their ancestors, Jonasson said Tuesday. Manitoba is home to several Icelandic cultural institutions, including the most important chair in Icelandic language and literature outside of Iceland (located at the University of Manitoba), as well as the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba (Islendingadagurinn) and the New Icelandic Heritage Museum in Gimli. Jonasson is the editor of Logberg-Heimskringla, the oldest ethnic publication in Canada published continuously since 1886. "There (are) still many activities with an Icelandic connection even though we're dealing with, in many cases, six generations since the immigration. There's still a great love of Iceland," Jonasson said. "And, of course, there is a great mystic about Iceland. A tiny country on the top of the world which produces amazing literature, wonderful music, and has a rich and an ancient culture." alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca By PTI ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: The US will deport over 70 "illegal" Pakistani nationals and a special chartered plane will bring them back on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Tuesday. Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Qureshi said all these individuals were detained and prosecuted for immigration violations, criminal conduct and other serious charges. "The United States is going to deport over 70 illegal Pakistanis. Pakistan has asked the United States to fulfil legal requirements about the Pakistanis being deported," Geo News quoted Qureshi as saying. "These Pakistanis will return to the country via a special charter plane tomorrow," he said. Qureshi rejected reports of the US imposing visa restrictions on Pakistan but acknowledged that three Pakistani officials have been banned by the Trump administration from travelling to America. "The US has banned visit visa for three officials due to some reasons. These include joint secretary, additional secretary interior and DG passport. This is restriction is not on Pakistan and the clarification for this has been given by both the sides," he said. "The foreign ministry will only issue that many visas that the US does," Qureshi said. "If the US issues visas for five years, then Pakistan will issue it for five years as well," the foreign minister was quoted as saying by Geo News. But The News reported that the deportation of the Pakistani nationals comes two weeks after the Trump administration imposed visa sanctions on Pakistan. The decision to deport the Pakistani nationals came on the heels of a warning issued late last month that the imposed visa sanction policy might also withhold visas of Pakistani senior officials and not just of ordinary travellers, the newspaper reported from Washington. Pakistan was the latest to join the list of 10 countries that are facing such sanctions under a law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers could be denied America visas, it said. The US State Department had not clarified the extent of these sanctions, though it said that it was a bilateral issue of ongoing discussion between the two countries. A senior Pakistani official at the embassy said that the discussions to resolve the matter was ongoing, but claimed that the reports of sanctions regime were misleading. "Visa matters are dealt with on the basis of reciprocity," the official said, adding that both countries remain engaged in talks to refine the visa-related policies. He said the situation was being monitored and had improved as a result of which Pakistan had revised its visa policy and included the United States in its list of countries whose businessmen can avail themselves of long-term visas and even on-arrival visa facilities. The embassy official also said there were no such sanctions imposed, but the matter was about some individuals and after which both sides had clarified their positions and since have been in discussions to resolve the issue. Baby boomers are living longer, healthier lives, but their golden years arent always happy ones, according to a new study from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Baby boomers are living longer, healthier lives, but their golden years arent always happy ones, according to a new study from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. One in three seniors reported more stress and anxiety than by the same age group in the previous generation. Doctors reported the same finding, diagnosing about 30 per cent of seniors with a mood or anxiety disorder. DARREN STONE / TIMES COLONIST FILES Doctors reported diagnosing about 30 per cent of seniors with a mood or anxiety disorder. The study is based on health-care data from 2005-15; the last such study was conducted in the 1990s. "On average, at age 65, men can expect to live outside an institution until age 82, and women until age 85," the studys principal researcher, Dan Chateau, said Monday from the centres offices at the University of Manitobas downtown Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. "The baby boomer generation (defined by Statistics Canada as being born 1946-65) has brought some changes with it," Chateau said at a news conference to release the report. "First... the physical health of older adults is improving and mortalitys decreased. There are fewer heart attacks, fewer strokes." Those finding were paired with a drop in emergency room visits and hospital stays, compared to stats from the parents of baby boomers. At the same time, visits to family doctors soared: there was an annual increase of roughly 44,000 visits from 2010 to 2015 the equivalent work of 10 full-time doctors. "All these things are telling us things are getting better," Chateau said. "On the other hand, when it comes to mental health status, we see the opposite picture. "We see higher rates of depression, higher rates of dementia. We see older people rating their mental health lower, lower cognitive status, and more reporting that they are more stressed." Some of the findings, while a departure from the previous generation, may be the result of public awareness campaigns that have lowered the stigma around mental health, or possibly because this particular demographic is more vocal about demanding services, Chateau said. The higher demand for mental health services could also be related to the fact seniors are living on their own longer, the researcher said. "More adults are staying home and theyre living longer, so perhaps conditions like these are allowing for the rates of depression, and dementia... maybe (from) living alone. Certainly, social isolation can contribute to mental health issues." Advocates say the study is important for health-care planners, partly because of the size of the baby boomer generation. The numbers of seniors in the 65-plus age group jumped dramatically, to more than 190,000 from 170,000 in the first five years of the study period. The study looked at health-care records of 200,000 Manitobans over two five-year periods: 2005 to 2010 and 2010 to 2015. The records were keyed to three age groups: 65-74, 75-84 and 85-plus. It also included a self-reporting component collected through the Canadian Community Health Survey. The project was documented in 262-page report that painted a comprehensive picture of the health status and health-care system use. It focused on seniors outside institutions, who live in their own homes or in retirement residences. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Its very timely. Right now, the baby boom generation has entered into the youngest age group of older adults, from 65 to 74. Theyre just starting to turn 75 and older, so its important now to take a look at what changes they may be bringing to this demographic, what kind of demands or what benefit they offer to the system," Chateau said. The number of seniors is swelling. Statistics Canada figures project those 65-plus could represent approximately 25 per cent of the total population by 2036. "If generations coming in behind this leading edge of the baby boom show the same need for an increase in mental health services, then, as a province, we need to plan for that," Chateau said. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca It appears a long-simmering dispute between neighbours erupted into violence outside a Tyndall Park home Saturday when a shouting match in a back lane turned fatal, leaving one man dead and another in police custody. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It appears a long-simmering dispute between neighbours erupted into violence outside a Tyndall Park home Saturday when a shouting match in a back lane turned fatal, leaving one man dead and another in police custody. The incident was a toxic mix of neighbourhood dispute and road rage, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jay Murray said at a Monday news conference, characterizing it as one of the most "senseless" killings hes seen. The deceased has been identified as Calvin Chan, 66. Police have charged Dennis Lloyd Jr. Penner, 24, with manslaughter. Hes been detained in custody. The incident marks Winnipegs 15th homicide of 2019. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Terry Hlady is a neighbour to Calvin Chan that had many run-ins with the deceased, some so bad that she called the police after she felt threatened. Investigators believe Chan was backing his fishing boat into his garage outside his home in the area of Burrows Avenue and Albina Way when Penner tried to pull his vehicle into the shared back lane. Unable to pass, Penner exited his vehicle and an argument broke out, police said. Penner is accused of throwing a single punch that connected with Chan and resulted in the man falling and hitting his head on the pavement. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead several hours later. The Free Press was told by two sources Monday a video of the dispute exists filmed by the accuseds mother and has been turned over to police. The WPS would not confirm if it had possession of any such footage. "While I cant comment on specific evidence obtained in this case, detectives routinely seek and use video surveillance to assist with investigations," Murray said. Chan had a decades-long history of conflict with neighbours, area residents told the Free Press often stemming from disputes over parking. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Investigator with the Winnipeg Police Service outside the home of a witness to the fatal altercation which took place on Sunday afternoon. In December 2015, the situation with Chans next-door neighbour reached a boiling point and she filed a police report against him. No charges were laid and the incident was resolved after officers were dispatched to mediate, police said. Terry Hlady whose home is sandwiched between the house Chan shared with his partner and the house Penner shares with his parents claimed Chan repeatedly instigated disputes with herself, Penner, and other residents. She filed the police report in 2015, fearing for her life, she said. "I had to make a report because I thought, What if something happens? He scared the hell out of me. This is the story that no ones hearing. If he didnt like you, he was coming at you," Hlady said Monday. "I think it could have been anybody, because he was constantly doing this, constantly starting things. Ive been afraid for my life." On more than one occasion, Hlady said, Penners father had to mediate disputes between her and Chan. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Rudy Cabato, a neighbour of Calvin Chan's, in the back lane behind Burrows Ave at Albina Way. "Hed come out and said, Look, what are you guys yelling about? Youre going to have to go through me to get to her, so dont even be touching her," Hlady said. "Its been ongoing for years. This has literally been years in the making." On Monday afternoon, homicide investigators could be seen canvassing the neighbourhood. In the back lane where Chan was struck, his partner gathered with area residents to discuss the incident. As they stood over the spot where Chan fell to the ground, his daughter could be heard in the backyard, sobbing loudly. The family declined comment when approached by the Free Press. 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. Murray said the fact investigators charged Penner with manslaughter indicates they do not believe he intended the blow to be fatal. Murray also said investigators uncovered evidence to support claims there was a "history between the deceased victim and the suspect," that indicated they did not "like each other." "You look at what the ramification of this are and theyre devastating consequences not only for the victim, the family, friends, people who were there," Murray said. "A single punch can have devastating consequences Now, you have a 24-year-old male who wasnt previously known to police who faces the charge of manslaughter." ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe When Health Canada announced in mid-April that an ultrasound would no longer be required to obtain a medical abortion, advocates hailed the decision as a win for reproductive health care in rural communities. While these changes are good news for pregnant people seeking abortion access, there is still much more work to be done to ensure full reproductive health care is equitable. National restrictions around how and who can perform abortions ensure the barriers run deeper than ultrasounds. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion When Health Canada announced in mid-April that an ultrasound would no longer be required to obtain a medical abortion, advocates hailed the decision as a win for reproductive health care in rural communities. While these changes are good news for pregnant people seeking abortion access, there is still much more work to be done to ensure full reproductive health care is equitable. National restrictions around how and who can perform abortions ensure the barriers run deeper than ultrasounds. There are two types of abortion, surgical and medical; the latter uses the medication Mifegymiso. Currently, only physicians and some nurse practitioners can prescribe Mifegymiso, the brand name for the combination of the medications mifepristone and misoprostol that work together to end a pregnancy. To fill the gaps, the Canadian Association of Midwives is looking at expanding services in the province to include prescribing Mifegymiso. Several countries in the European Union, including France and Sweden, have successfully broadened the scope of midwifery to include prescribing and performing medical abortions. Manitoba offers medical abortions free of charge at three institutions in the provinces two largest cities, Winnipeg and Brandon. For pregnant people who do not have a valid Manitoba health card, external health insurance or Non-Insured Health Benefit (NIHB) coverage, the cost of the medication would need to be paid out of pocket. 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. For pregnant people who do not live within driving distance to a clinic, travel expenses, and potentially the cost of accommodations, also need to be factored into the cost. Additionally, both clinics in Winnipeg require clients to be close to appropriate emergency care before they will issue a prescription, a policy that can exclude rural Manitobans from accessing a medical abortion. In Manitoba, midwives already provide a full spectrum of choices around reproductive health, including prescribing birth control, inserting intrauterine devices and providing pre/post-natal care. Expanding their scope of practice to prescribing Mifegymiso would reduce stigma and remove some of the barriers Canadians face when trying to access abortion services. For instance, many rural clinics only offer abortion services on specific days, meaning patient confidentiality can be compromised if they are seen entering a clinic on the day its offering abortion services. Allowing people to see midwives for all reproductive health care can help protect patient confidentiality. Midwives dedication to their client-centred approach and continuity of care and the fact that they are already in place, providing services in rural and urban areas of Manitoba makes them perfect providers to deliver abortion care. Midwives are health-care professionals trained to provide the right care at the right time, and expanding their services would improve reproductive health care for all. Claire Renic is a member of the Choice Working Group at Womens Health Clinic. With a host of transformational challenges putting pressure on labour markets today, a line from Robert Atkinson and Jeffrey Browns latest paper struck me: Nothing about the future of work is inevitable. Their paper, The Future of Work: A Guide for TransAtlantic Policymakers, is intended to reaffirm that in the face of structural change, coming impacts can be mitigated through dedicated effort and smart policy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion With a host of transformational challenges putting pressure on labour markets today, a line from Robert Atkinson and Jeffrey Browns latest paper struck me: "Nothing about the future of work is inevitable." Their paper, The Future of Work: A Guide for TransAtlantic Policymakers, is intended to reaffirm that in the face of structural change, coming impacts can be mitigated through dedicated effort and smart policy. This lesson is a critical one for those working in higher education because the challenges surrounding the future of work are deeply intertwined with education. These complex challenges require shifts from the traditional, and for higher-education, this means embracing the fact that there is no longer a traditional student. Learning is a lifelong endeavour that must be delivered across the whole of the adult population. Governments, employers, and educational institutions need to be working more closely together in order to make mid-career training widely accessible. Heres why: currently, Canadas adult retraining and upskilling systems lag those of our OECD peers. In a recent report from the Public Policy Forum, Daniel Munro highlights deficits in Canadas adult training ecosystem and finds, paradoxically, that those with the lowest skills or whose jobs face the highest threat of disruption from automation are the least likely to access training. Munros conclusions related to access are even more disconcerting if the recent findings of MIT economist David Autor, regarding labour market polarization in the United States, are also true of Canada. According to Autor, the U.S. labour market is effectively splitting in two jobs are increasingly either high-skill and high-paying or low-skill and low-paying. The middle of the labour market, which has traditionally provided the middle class with well-paid jobs that require mid-level skills (think manufacturing, office administration and sales), is fast falling away. Those being displaced face a choice: upgrade skills to compete for high-end jobs or accept a cut to earnings and quality of life in lower-skill roles. The challenge now in front of educators is to create and deliver programs flexible enough for those at mid-career to access, and tightly enough aligned to labour market demand that retraining provides a direct pathway back to employment. One way to speed up training and minimize absence from the labour market is to capture prior education and job experience, then use that information to deliver modular training that fills the gaps. To this end, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is an important tool. One the best examples of PLAR can be found at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, which hosts the National Advanced Placement and Prior Learning Program (N-APPL). N-APPL maps competencies developed in previous employment against academic programs and allows veterans, newcomers, tradespeople, first responders and others at mid-career to obtain advanced standing in their programs. Government is well placed to reduce barriers to retraining by creating incentives to fund it. While the newly announced Canada Training Benefit which will provide eligible workers $250 per year, up to a lifetime limit of $5,000 for training fees is moving Canada in the right direction, more should be done. 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. For example, the Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) could be modified to allow indefinite government contributions as well as deductions to support the training of any family member adults included. Its an idea thats gaining traction in big banks like CIBC. Or as Munro suggests, the federal government could add horsepower to the Registered Retirement Savings Plans Lifelong Learning Plan by giving employers the means to contribute more and match worker and employer contributions. Both changes have the positive effect of increasing an individuals access to training dollars. We also need to find creative ways to keep all major players higher education, government and employers connected so that individual impact can be amplified. Only together can the actors share skills data and labour market intelligence, pool resources and build collaborative programs. This is needed to de-risk training. There are examples of this happening in Canada today, through the likes of the Superclusters and Economic Strategy Tables (ESTs) but efforts could be scaled. Canada would benefit from sectoral consortia beyond those currently served by ESTs, but that are also critical to our future economy, like green construction and aerospace. When we work together, we may quickly discover that the challenges surrounding the future of work are easier to remedy than we first imagined. Daniel Komesch is the director of policy at Polytechnics Canada. It is getting increasingly hard to believe Dr. David Peachey actually believes what he is saying. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It is getting increasingly hard to believe Dr. David Peachey actually believes what he is saying. The architect of a controversial plan to reorganize Winnipeg hospital services, Peachey made himself available to journalists late last week to declare the Progressive Conservative government of Manitoba may need to slow down the process of emergency department closures at Concordia (scheduled for end of June) and Seven Oaks General (September). To some extent, it was an anti-climatic statement: Premier Brian Pallister and his cabinet ministers have been signalling for weeks now deadlines for the ER closures may not be set in stone. However, what Peachey lacked in hard news, he more than made up for in total nonsense. After conceding Concordia is not ready to meet its early summer deadline, Peachey maintained he was confident his original vision for Winnipeg hospitals was still on target: "The timelines may be off, but the plan is right." That is the exact moment when, if you look closely at Peachey as he addressed reporters, it gets harder and harder to believe he believes what he just said. In fact, he begins to look less like an independent consultant and more like a political prisoner being forced to read a rebel manifesto under threat. How else can we explain the claims he made? With a straight face, Peachey argued the schedule for ER closures he proposed more than two years ago has been disrupted by recent changes in demographics: a rise in elderly people (generally less healthy) and a decline in younger people (generally more healthy). True to those trends, the five ERs that remain open in Winnipeg have recorded spikes in patient visits. There are some huge problems with this analysis. First, the trends he refers to have been at work in Manitoba and Canada long before Peachey first proposed the closure of three city ERs. He acknowledged the threat posed by demographics in 2017, when he delivered his final report to the Tory government, writing "an overall increasing population and, in particular, an increasing older population" would lead to "a continuing increase in the demand for inpatient and ambulatory internal medicine services." MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Last week Dr. David Peachey declared the government of Manitoba may need to slow down the process of emergency department closures at Concordia and Seven Oaks General. At the time, there were six ERs in Winnipeg. Peachey's theory was fewer, better-outfitted ERs would outperform a larger number of poorly equipped ERs. On its face, and given the performance of Winnipeg ERs in national assessments for wait times, that theory is essentially sound. The trick was always going to be finding the sweet spot: the right number of ERs for a city that is growing and changing. His comments last week suggest he has swung and missed. The problem here is not the timeline, it is capacity. In other words: the plan is not right. A delay in executing the hospital reorganization can only help produce a better outcome if it is accompanied by other changes such as (theoretically) cancelling the closure of Concordia's ER. Without an adjustment to the plan to address capacity, it seems unlikely the original blueprint will ever produce its desired results. There are other concerns to consider. The biggest problem for the architects of reorganization (and one of the reasons why the timelines are messed up) has been a failure to get a buy-in from nurses. The shuffling of the hospital deck has meant huge changes in how, where, and when nurses will be expected to work. Angry about the disruption, and what they claim is a lack of consultation, nurses are pushing back. The results are dangerous staffing shortages and skyrocketing overtime. If this continues, it would make the hospital reorganization as envisioned by Peachey nearly impossible to achieve. The level of anger in the nursing community should not come as a surprise. On May 2, more than 1,000 nurses gathered at the Manitoba legislature to protest hospital reorganization. The anger continued last week, when several hundred protesters gathered outside Concordia to demand its emergency department remain open. Dan Lett | Not for Attribution A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world that is sent every Tuesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Remarkably, despite clear evidence nurses are mad as hell, Peachey had the temerity to claim last week there was "an absolutely consensus" among hospital administrators and front-line staff "that the plan is right." Peachey is not misreading the people he talked to; he appears to be misrepresenting them for political purposes. That is going to continue to erode both his credibility and the credibility of his vision for the Winnipeg hospital system. It is hard to know where things will go from here. Rumours abound Pallister, keen to pull the trigger on a snap election, may indefinitely delay ER closures at Seven Oaks and Concordia out of fear it will leave his Winnipeg MLAs vulnerable. You can expect more announcements related to hospital reorganization this month, maybe even this week, as the premier tries to find a position he can defend on the campaign trail. Pallister has repeatedly promised his Tory government would be known as the only one with the courage to heal the health-care system. Given recent events, the premier should be a little concerned his government will instead be known as the one that weakened an already weak system. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca In Ottawa this week, the opposition parties are eager to establish that the messy unravelling of the breach-of-trust case involving Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is just another example of business as usual for the Trudeau government. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In Ottawa this week, the opposition parties are eager to establish that the messy unravelling of the breach-of-trust case involving Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is just another example of business as usual for the Trudeau government. Conservatives and New Democrats will argue that, just as was the case with the SNC-Lavalin affair, the sudden decision to stay the charges against Mr. Norman is a result of misconduct by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other senior government officials. Ultimately, they might have a point. But in pursuing this opportunity to condemn the current federal government for its overreach into judicial matters that are supposed to be free from political interference, the opposition parties might also end up reminding Canadians that business as usual in Ottawa is business as usual regardless of which party is in power. Four Conservative MPs and one NDP member last week signed a letter to the clerk of the House of Commons national defence committee, requesting an emergency meeting of the committee and a formal review of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Norman, a highly respected naval officer whose reputation was tarnished by the case that was abruptly abandoned last week. SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Vice Admiral Mark Norman was accused of leaking classified government information regarding a contract with Quebec-based Davie Shipbuilding. At issue in the case was an allegation that Mr. Norman, then second in command in Canadas military, had unlawfully leaked classified government information in the hope of influencing a cabinet decision regarding a $668-million contract with Quebec-based Davie Shipbuilding for converting a civilian container ship into a navy supply vessel. The letter to the defence committee states that Mr. Trudeau influenced the case in 2018 by indicating he thought the RCMPs investigation would lead to a conviction, which suggests he had access to inside information. The MPs complaint also refers to the federal governments efforts to stymie Mr. Normans lawyers by blocking access to documents necessary for his defence. The request for a review of the case includes a list of individuals who should be called to testify, including Mr. Norman, Mr. Trudeau, several cabinet ministers, the PMs chief of staff, former Privy Council clerk Michael Wernick and the PMs former chief secretary, Gerald Butts. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said its necessary to have those associated with the Norman case answer questions in order to ascertain "what went so wrong here." 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. Mr. Scheers interest in getting to the bottom of things presumably extends only as far as the Trudeau governments involvement, but the shipbuilding contract at the centre of the case dates back to the former Conservative government of Stephen Harper, which in 2015 changed rules of procurement to allow Davie to secure the contract without a formal bid process. ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer know winning in Quebec is one of the keys to winning a federal election. And the reason for the change was to protect a Quebec business at a time when crucial Quebec votes were going to largely determine the outcome of a federal election. Mr. Harpers government was defeated anyway, before the Davie deal was completed, and Mr. Trudeaus Liberals quickly signed the contract after taking office. In the Norman case and the SNC-Lavalin affair alike, government meddling sought to deliver a desired result to a Quebec enterprise out of fear that failing to do so would bring a stern rebuke from voters in that province. Opposition MPs will point to this as a failing of the Liberal government, but history suggests the Conservatives would likely have done exactly the same things if faced with the same challenges. The NDPs higher-ground claim is based on never having formed government and therefore never having faced the prospect of losing Quebec. Business as usual, indeed. Bay State Milling employees and supporters who packed the city council chambers Monday night celebrated an early victory for their companys Winona expansion project, as the planning commission directed city staff to draft a resolution that will pave the way for rezoning. A mainstay of the Winona industrial community, the 120-year-old operation seeks to demolish the former Godfathers restaurant as well as the Park Brewing Company/Peerless Chain building on the riverfront to construct a warehouse that would hold their new product, a high-fiber wheat flour called HealthSense. The first step toward the warehouse is the approval of an amendment to the citys comprehensive plan, which would change the designation of the property from downtown mixed-use to industrial riverfront. Hundreds of people signed a petition circulated by Bay State in support of the amendment. Commissioners voted 6-2 to kickstart that process, which they will need to vote on again at their May 28 meeting to officially send the recommendation to the city council. Peter Shortridge and Brian Buelow voted against. We need to get rid of the extra steps in the manufacturing process to make sure Bay State can be competitive moving forward, said plant manager Allen Simanovski. The company currently hauls product between their plant and their Watkins warehouse, and claims that the new location would reduce their downtown truck traffic by 80 to 100 trips per day. The new warehouse would also boast public art on its Levee Park-side exterior, and Bay State would support a bike trail on the riverfront edge, Simanovski said. Bay State wrote in its application that should the request be denied, it may be forced to expand operations elsewhere, which a handful of naysayers at Mondays public hearing said they viewed as a threat from the company. But others disagreed. When we talk about the real risk of losing a company like Bay State, thats truth, thats not a threat, said Winona Area Chamber of Commerce president Della Schmidt. The controversy for commissioners, who took over an hour to debate the request, was not over the alleged threat but over the railyard that lies in front of Levee Park. Shortridge said the railroad company has left the yard untouched for years with the lingering claim that Bay State could use it again someday. He moved to delay the nights vote and ask Bay State representatives to clear the issue up with the railroad, a motion met with criticism from other commissioners and members of the audience. Its not right to hold Bay State hostage over the railyard, commissioner Brad Ballard said. They dont own it. In the next two weeks city staff will draft a resolution allowing for the comprehensive plan amendment. City planner Carlos Espinosa said in a staff analysis of the request found that the change would actually have a positive effect on public health, safety and welfare, due to the business expansion and reduction of truck traffic. The planning commission will need to approve the resolution at its next meeting, after which it will go to the city council for final approval. The next step for Bay State Milling will be to pursue a zoning change. Update May 15, 2019, 11:51 a.m.: A prior version of this article incorrectly stated that Bay State would finance the riverfront bike trail. Bay State plans to collaborate with the community to make it possible. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Wegnerlann Dairy Farm LLC, increased its herd from 500 cows to 800 in 2016, before the market turned. At the time, farm owners Jeff and Betty Wegner of rural Ettrick decided to add to their herd because they wanted their son, Tom Wegner, to have the opportunity to make a good living as a dairy farmer. Thats why many family farms decide to expand, because they want all family members to have a role, said Annaliese Wegner, a fifth-generation farmer and Toms wife. If you just had 100 cows, it might be hard to provide an income for every family member. At the time [milk] prices were looking really good, Tom said. The farm took out loans to purchase the new additions to their herd, but when it came time to pay the bank back, milk prices started to plummet, and their business began to feel the impact of the market fluctuation. Its hard to make a profit, Annaliese said. Wegnerlann Dairy LLC produces conventional milk, which is shipped through Dairy Farmers of America and bottled and sold to Kemps in Rochester and surrounding towns. Sales of conventional milk dropped 4.5% nationwide in March, compared to 2018, while milk production increased 0.4% in Wisconsin when compared to the previous year, according to USDA reports. You have to make cuts where you can, when you can, Tom said. The farm had to put off repairs and the purchase of new equipment. Were just getting by, really. Trying to do the best we can with what we have and wait for the milk price to go back up, Annaliese said. In 2018, Wegner Dairy Farms collected close to $50,000 through USDA subsidy programs. Of that, $30,000 was from the Margin Protection Program for dairy, which is meant to support producers when the difference between the milk price and the feed cost falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer, according to the USDA. The remaining $20,000 the farm received was from the Market Facilitation Program, implemented to help agriculture and dairy producers who were impacted by the 2018 trade war between the U.S. and China. Regardless, the subsidy programs have had minimal impact on the industry, Tom said. I think the general public sees the [total amount paid out to subsidy recipients] as wow, farmers are getting all these millions of dollars from the government to keep themselves going but really were not, divided amongst us all it doesnt add up to much, he said. Toms parents, Jeff and Betty Wegner, built their business in 1986 in a shallow valley. Tom, a second-generation farmer, and Annaliese, who was raised on a dairy farm in Baldwin, began working Wegnerlann in 2011 after they graduated from UW-River Falls with degrees in dairy science. Today, Wegnerlann Dairy can milk 16 cows at one time, with the help of new technology, and each of the 800 cows is milked three times a day. Nine full-time employees work and live on the farm in addition to the four members of the family and one part-time employee. It takes roughly eight hours to milk the entire herd. The Wegners get feed for the cows from a custom harvester as their land is dedicated to maintaining and raising the herd. Calves are born on the Wegner farm, and once theyre weened at 8 weeks, theyre assigned to a pen where they eat grain and drink water until they reach a certain age. The family works in partnership with a custom heifer raiser who cares for the calves at a separate facility not owned by the dairy, where they mature in a pasture. Its just another way to make things easier on us, Annaliese said. Less labor for us, less land-based need for a herd, less feed you need to have on hand, Tom said. Despite market setbacks, Tom is confident the price of milk will go back up. It has to he said, and sees evidence of a price increase to take place during the second half of 2019. Annaliese and Tom attribute that possible market price increase to a decrease in milk supply due to area dairy farmers who were forced to sell off their herd and abandon the dairy business after experiencing income loss year over year. Many dairies have sold or quit milking cows in the state of Wisconsin last year, so theres less milk on the market and thats helped increase the price a little bit, Tom said. Love 0 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... Later in life, Earl enjoyed spending winters in Florida, a cross-country trip through Canada, adventures to the east and west coasts with his brother Leon, many good times fishing, and spending Memorial Day weekend with family at the cabin in Tomahawk. His primary hobby in retirement was genealogy and he has thoroughly documented much of the family history. He also enjoyed building puzzles and going to car shows with his 1919 Model T. Earl will forever be remembered for his easygoing manner and being a top-notch handyman there wasnt much he couldnt build or figure out how to make any engine work. His work ethic and grit were second to none; he not only survived getting shot down in the war, but also survived being caught in two tornadoes, a bridge giving out as he drove over it with a propane tank truck, falling through a roof on a construction site, and getting struck by lightning. Thats enough excitement for one life. By AFP SAN FRANCISCO: A security flaw in WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, allowed sophisticated attackers to install spyware on phones, the company said Tuesday, in the latest trouble for its parent Facebook. The vulnerability -- first reported by the Financial Times, and fixed in the latest WhatsApp update -- allowed hackers to insert malicious software on phones by calling the target using the app, which is used by 1.5 billion people around the world. The FT cited a spyware dealer as saying the tool was developed by a shadowy Israel-based firm called the NSO Group, which has been accused of helping governments from the Middle East to Mexico snoop on activists and journalists. Security researchers said the malicious code bore similarities to other tech developed by the firm, according to The New York Times. The latest exploit -- which impacts Android devices and Apple's iPhones, among others -- was discovered earlier this month and WhatsApp scrambled to fix it, rolling out an update in less than 10 days. "WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," a spokesperson said in a statement to AFP. The firm did not comment on the number of users affected or who targeted them and said it had reported the matter to US authorities. The breach is the latest in a series of issues troubling WhatsApp's parent Facebook, which has faced intense criticism for allowing its users' data to be harvested by research companies and over its slow response to Russia using the platform as a means to spread disinformation during the 2016 US election campaign. The WhatsApp spyware is sophisticated and "would be available to only advanced and highly motivated actors", the company said, adding that a "select number of users were targeted". "This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company that works with a number of governments around the world" according to initial investigations, it added but did not name the firm. WhatsApp has briefed human rights organizations on the matter but did not identify them." The Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto, said in a tweet it believed an attacker tried to target a human rights lawyer as recently as Sunday using this flaw, but was blocked by WhatsApp. The NSO Group came to prominence in 2016 when researchers accused it of helping spy on an activist in the United Arab Emirates. Its best-known product is Pegasus, a highly invasive tool that can reportedly switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, and access data on it. The firm said Tuesday that it only licenses its software to governments for "fighting crime and terror". The NSO Group "does not operate the system, and after a rigorous licensing and vetting process, intelligence and law enforcement determine how to use the technology to support their public safety missions", it said in a statement to AFP. "We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system." Schrofer said training often with various fire and rescue workers, physicians and state authorities has helped prepare him for emergency rescue situations. I dont know what wed do without this team, Schrofer said. Its nice to be able to help. Stieve said the department holds cliff rescue training about 12 times between spring, summer and fall every year. By offering those refreshers to firefighters and rescue teams alike, Stieve said the department as a whole can be better prepared to respond to rescue calls. Mondays training also gave UW Med flight pilots an idea of what happens before injured patients are hauled onto a chopper to be flown to a hospital. Willer said some cliff rescue calls can take upward of three hours between gearing up, reaching the persons location and delivering them to a Med Flight chopper. On average, the Baraboo Fire & Rescue teams respond to five such cliff rescue calls every year. While rescue calls might come from other hiking locations, such as Gibraltar Rock near Lodi in Columbia County, a majority of cliff rescues occur in Devils Lake State Park. Victim A spoke in court. She said she avoids Fox Lake and stores where Lynch might be so she will not run into him. Its an open wound for 10 years because of the justice system, Victim A said. Hell never get the justice that I think he deserves. Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Shelly Rusch said it is a resolution of an extremely long and painful case for the victim. The case originally appeared before circuit court Judge Andrew Bissonnette in 2010. In a pre-trial motion, the defense requested a review of the mental health treatment and counseling records of Victim A. The circuit court found that Lynch demonstrated there was a reasonable likelihood the information enclosed in the privileged records is necessary for a fair trial. Victim A refused to release her records until a decision was made by a higher court. The court of appeals upheld the decision made by the circuit court that her records would be necessary for a fair trial in 2012 and the woman appealed to the State Supreme Court. The State Supreme Court split on the issue, so the decision reached by the court of appeals was upheld. RANDOLPH Two Madison men made their initial appearance in court Monday for allegedly robbing a Randolph man Saturday afternoon in an alley in the village of Randolph. Casheon M. Beal, 21, is charged with theft and possession of narcotics. Beal could face up to 13 years in prison and a $35,000 fine if convicted of the two offenses. Torrence M. Rodgers, 19, is charged with theft and could face 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Both men appeared before Dodge County Court Commissioner Steven Seim. Beal was placed on a $2,500 cash bond. He shall not have any direct or indirect contact or communication with the victim. He may not use, possess or control any controlled substance or drug paraphernalia nor be in the presence of anyone who does. Rodgers was placed on a $500 cash bond. He also He shall not have any direct or indirect contact or communication with the victim. According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the alley near Williams Street at 2:15 p.m. A Randolph man reported two men had robbed him. According to the victim, physical force was used to take money from him. No weapons were displayed and threats of weapons were not made. From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by SSM Health Reedsburg School District over the biennium would see an increase of $2 million, which Evers said is a lot of money. Not only would that positively impact the education of kids with disabilities, but (it) really helps loosen up resources for the rest of the population, Evers said. Its money that our schools need thats been going to referendum the last several years. People are saying that if the state is not doing their share, then we are going to do it our way and increase property taxes, and that is not sustainable. Republicans have argued against changes in the budget to the formula used for school finances, that under Evers budget increases the amount schools receive through general aid while removing the school levy tax credit, the first dollar credit, and removing restrictions on the number of referendums schools can hold in a one-year period. Republicans claim that these changes will increase property taxes significantly. Evers said the increase is under 4 percent for property taxes, with most of the increase due to prior referendums passed by school districts because the state hasnt done their share. Sauk Prairie will get a glimpse of one of the two eclipses that will occur over the next thirty days. The total solar eclipse is only visible over the Atlantic Ocean ending toward the North Pole on March 20, and the total lunar eclipse is best seen in western North America on April 4. However, the partial phase of the lunar eclipse will greet those who rise before the sun on the morning of April 4. The Full Moon occurs on April 4 at 7:05 a.m., but the moon sets just before this, around 6:40 a.m., as the partial eclipse is ongoing. The partial phase begins around 5:17 a.m., as the moon slips into the deeper part of Earths shadow and begins to turn a bit red. The moon will become close to completely eclipsed around 6:34 a.m., just as it is setting. This will make for a strange and wondrous view for those awaking to the day to find a blood red moon setting in the west. At the same time that the moon is setting, the sun is rising in the east. Sunrise will continue to arrive earlier every morning and sunset later every evening from the spring equinox on March 20 through June. Spring arrives precisely on March 20 at 5:45 p.m. Spring planets and constellations On March 21, a day after the new moon and eclipse graces the far north, a crescent moon returns to the sky just after sunset. The moon will be right beside Mars, and the next night the moon rises a bit higher to float beside Venus. On March 29 the moon will be high in the sky and not far from Jupiter. The moon and Saturn keep close quarters around April 8, but they dont rise until after midnight. Back in the west, Venus draws attention as it shines at magnitude -4 and stays above the horizon for three hours. In early April, Venus closes in on the star cluster the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus. This grouping of stars is setting in the west while the spring constellations rise in the east. Leo, Virgo, and Libra rise up from the horizon, carrying along a slew of distant galaxies that can be viewed through large telescopes. Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, is taking on its spring look, with the bowl of the dipper turning upside down as it sends spring showers to Earth. EAST HARLEM, NY (WPIX) -- Armando Markaj, a waiter at Patsy's Pizzeria in East Harlem for nine years, returned a cashiers check worth nearly $424,000 to the retired social worker who lost it even though she failed to tip him after her meal. While Markaj was working last Saturday, May 4, the woman, who was eating lunch at the restaurant, had an issue with the restaurant's famed photo wall, he told PIX11 News. "She goes, 'Question. Why is there not too many women on the wall?'" Markaj recalled. Not sure how to react, Markaj said he jokingly replied to the woman, "Well, maybe women don't eat pizza. Summer is coming." The customer apparently didn't find Markaj's response amusing. When he returned to clean off the table he discovered she had stiffed him on the tip, writing "well women don't tip, either," on the bill. Markaj also found a bank envelope left behind on the table. The waiter ran outside but the customer was gone. He opened the envelope and got a shock, seeing the cashiers check worth nearly half a million dollars. The waiter said he brought the check to the restaurant's owner. At first they waited for the woman to return looking for the check, but when she didn't, they managed to track her down a few days later. A relieved Karen Vinacour was reunited with her check on Wednesday. It contained proceeds from her apartment sale, earmarked for a down payment on a new home. "She got here within 10, 15 minutes. She was here actually crying, she was like, nervous," the owner told PIX11. Vinacour had not tipped the waiter after her meal. She tried to rectify that but he graciously declined. "She apologized. The apology was accepted," said Markaj, who's working his way throughs school. "She offered to tip me, but it was... You know what, I did it for the sake of myself, so I'm not taking the tip now," he added. PIX11's Alicia Nieves spoke to the woman who lost the check and she said last Saturday was a stressful day for her. She said she regrets not tipping the waiter, but is very grateful that he did the right thing. The woman added that, in a twist of fate, she thinks she'll now be friends with the waiter for life. In a move that stunned the states top homeless advocates, Republicans on the Legislatures budget-writing committee Tuesday voted against a plan to combat homelessness crafted primarily by fellow Republicans and embraced by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. In a separate vote, the committee set aside $7.5 million over the next two years for anti-homelessness measures, slightly more than Evers sought. But the manner in which the money was provided could delay its distribution to Wisconsin homeless shelters by several months, potentially past the winter months when theyre most needed, according to Joseph Volk, director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness. One of the Legislatures leading advocates of the homelessness prevention measures, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, said he sympathizes with advocates concerns but said there shouldnt be a delay in distributing the money. Volk likened Tuesdays vote in the Legislatures Joint Finance Committee to Giannis going for the slam dunk and missing it, referring to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. This was one of the few opportunities they had to actually have a 14-0 vote, and they screwed it up, Volk said. The Columbia County Sheriffs office is seeking help to find a man who allegedly blinded a deputy with pepper spray after a traffic stop and then made a getaway. Columbia County Sheriff Roger Brandner said in a press release that at 12:13 a.m. Monday a Columbia County Sheriffs deputy stopped a tax Chevy pickup truck with an extended cab. The vehicle was stopped on Highway 60 at OConnor Road in the town of Westpoint. As the deputy approached the vehicle, the driver sprayed a liquid substance into the deputys face and eyes, disabling and temporarily blinding the deputy. Brandner said the substance might have been oleoresin capsicum, or pepper spray. The deputy described the driver as a white male between 20 and 30 years of age with dark hair, scruffy facial hair and wearing a black T-shirt while holding a red sweatshirt. Brandner said the driver fled the scene, and the deputy could not give pursuit. Responding officers found the vehicle abandoned in the Westpoint subdivision of Sellwood. Brandner said it was later discovered the vehicle had been stolen from somewhere on Lee Road in Dane County prior to the traffic stop. Gov. Tony Evers could appoint a new Columbia County district attorney any day now, but it could be midsummer before the appointee actually takes office, the County Boards Judiciary Committee learned Monday. Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg, who is overseeing the Columbia County prosecutors office on an interim basis, told the panel he has heard that six people applied for the post by the April 26 deadline. An email inquiry about the status of the Columbia County district attorney appointment directed to Melissa Baldauff, one of Evers deputy chiefs of staff was not answered Monday. If the appointee is currently a government attorney, Klomberg said, he or she might be able to assume office within a week or two. But if the appointee is in private law practice, then it could easily take a month to close down the practice meaning that an appointment made at the beginning of June would likely mean a start date in early July. However, Clifton Lawson, who identified himself as a 91-year-old civil engineer who has lived in Portage about nine years and worked here on and off since the 1950s, took the opposite stance. He wondered why the utility took so long to increase rates. I see the city water department pinching pennies a lot and how they have been able to keep going with an old, dilapidated distribution system is a wonder, he wrote recommending the increase. The PSC noted that Portages water bills under the new rates are slightly below average for similar-sized utilities in the state. The utilitys last comprehensive rate increase was in January 2011, an 18% rate hike for residential customers. In 2015, the PSC authorized a 3% increase under the simplified rate increase process. Mohr said the city council has discussed having more frequent, but smaller increases in the future. The new rates will increase utility annual revenue by a projected $314,953 from $1.85 million to $2.27 million. After estimated expenses of $1.72 million, the utility should have a net income of $522,725 and earn a 5.6% rate of return of the value of its infrastructure investment. Under current rates, the utilitys net income would have been $207,772 and a 2.23% rate of return, according to the rate order. Caseys General Store in Reedsburg is scheduled to open June 13, said Vice President of Marketing and Advertising Mike Richardson. Richardson said construction crews are completing the landscape and laying concrete at 1030 East Main Street. The construction of the 4,517 square foot convenience store and 2,200 square foot double bay car wash are complete. Weather slightly delayed the project from the original construction time frame of May. The Caseys General Store in Reedsburg will contain ten gas pumps and a convenience store carrying the Iowa based chains pizza, subs, prepared food and bakery items, he said. Richardson said the average store hires about 25 to 30 people and 18 to 20 of those jobs are full-time positions. We think Wisconsin is a great state for us, Richardson said. We think our model works well there, were happy with the way weve been received by the communities. The city approved the site plan for the project last March. The location was home to East Main Plaza, a strip mall containing four businesses: Health Habitat, Rural Insurance, H & R Block and MCT Salon. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 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. iShares 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond ETF's stock was trading at $42.91 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, SHYG stock has increased by 5.6% and is now trading at $45.31. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF's stock was trading at $52.50 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IEFA stock has increased by 41.5% and is now trading at $74.31. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. BRUSSELS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Europeans Union (EU) and member states' foreign ministers told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any escalation on the military side with Iran, the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini said. "Mike Pompeo heard that very clearly from us, not only from myself, but also from the other ministers of EU member states, that we are living in crucial, delicate moments, where the most responsible attitude to take is -- and we believe should be -- maximum restraint, and avoiding any escalation on the military side," she told an evening press briefing. During a meeting between France, Germany and the United Kingdom, "we discussed the ways in which we can further advance on for instance the operationalisation of INSTEX to have first transactions in the hopefully next few weeks," Mogherini added. INSTEX, short for the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges, is established by three shareholders -- France, Germany and the United Kingdom -- and backed by the EU to overcome U.S. sanctions and conduct trade with Iran. "There is full determination on the EU side, and also all the member states expressed that today very clearly, on continuing to implement in full the nuclear deal with Iran," she said. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said in the White House that "What they (Iran) should be doing is calling me up, sitting down; we can make a deal, a fair deal." Pomepo didn't request the Europeans to tell Iran to make phone calls to the U.S., Mogherini said at the press briefing when asked by a reporter. Earlier on Monday morning, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned in Brussels that the standoff between Iran and the United States could trigger an unintended conflict. "We are very worried about a conflict, about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended on either side," Hunt told reporters, adding "I think there is a real concern that escalation is unintended could end up with a much more serious situation." Tensions have been rising lately in the Gulf, with the U.S. sending an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region. The U.S., under President Trump, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. The deal, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, was reached in 2015 between Iran, China, France, Russia, Britain, United States, and Germany. The European signatories still support the deal and have vowed to sidestep U.S. sanctions re-imposed after its withdrawal. Nabors Industries Ltd. engages in the provision of platform work over and drilling rigs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. The U.S. Drilling segment includes land drilling activities in the lower 48 states and Alaska, as well as offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment consists of land-based drilling rigs in Canada. The International segment focuses in maintaining a footprint in the oil and gas market, most notably in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. The Drilling Solutions segment offers drilling technologies, such as patented steering systems and rig instrumentation software systems that enhance drilling performance and wellbore placement. The Rig Technologies segment comprises Canrig, which manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools. The company was founded by Clair Nabors in 1952 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. (post 4/18/06 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada LP, Whirlpool Canada Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Chile Limitada, Whirlpool Colombia S.A.S., Whirlpool Comercial Ltda., Whirlpool Company Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Company Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool Croatia Ltd., Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A., Whirlpool Ecuador S.A., Whirlpool Eesti OU, Whirlpool El Salvador, Whirlpool El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Electrodomesticos S.A., Whirlpool Eletrodomesticos AM S.A., Whirlpool Enterprises, Whirlpool Enterprises LLC, Whirlpool Europe B.V., Whirlpool Europe Coordination Center, Whirlpool Europe Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Ev Aletleri Pazarlama Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Finance B.V., Whirlpool Finance Center Corp., Whirlpool Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Finance Overseas Ltd., Whirlpool Financial Corporation, Whirlpool Financial Corporation International, Whirlpool Floor Care Corp., Whirlpool France Holdings SAS, Whirlpool France SAS, Whirlpool Germany GmbH, Whirlpool Global B.V., Whirlpool Global Investments B.V., Whirlpool Greater China Inc., Whirlpool Guatemala, Whirlpool Guatemala S.A., Whirlpool Hellas S.A., Whirlpool Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool Home Appliances B.V., Whirlpool Home Appliances Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool Hungarian Trading Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool India Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Insurance Company, Whirlpool Insurance Company Ltd., Whirlpool Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool International GmbH, Whirlpool International Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool International Manufacturing S.a r.l., Whirlpool Ireland Appliances Limited, Whirlpool Ireland Limited, Whirlpool Italia Holdings S.r.l., Whirlpool Italia S.r.l., Whirlpool Japan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc.. Premium Brands Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes food products primarily in Canada and the United States. It operates in two segments, Specialty Foods and Premium Food Distribution. The company provides meat products and snacks, deli products, beef jerky and halal, sandwiches, pastries, specialty and gourmet products, salads and kettle products, entrees, panini, wraps, subs, hamburgers, burgers, muffins, breads, pastas, and baking and sushi products, as well as processed meat products. It is also involved in the distribution of food products, including meat, seafood, and halal food products, as well as operation of retail/convenience store and concessionary, and provision of food and seafood processing services. The company operates under the brand names of Harvest Meats, Hempler's, Grimm's Fine Foods, Piller's, Freybe, Isernio's, Expresco, SJ Fine Foods, McSweeney's, Made Rite, Fletcher's, Deli Chef, Belmont Meats, Conte Foods, SK Food Group, Oven Pride, Hygaard, Quality Fast Foods, HQ Fine Foods, Creekside Custom Foods, Stuyver's Bread, Bread Garden Express, Audrey's Patisserie, Duso's, Gourmet Chef, Island City Baking, Skilcor, Leadbetter's, Mclean Meats, Buddy's Kitchen, Raybern's, Partner's Crackers, Shaw Bakers, Oberto, Concord Meats, Country Prime Meats, The Meat Factory, and Golden Valley Farms. It serves chains and large format retailers, independent and specialty retailers, foodservice operators, foodservice distributors, and other food manufacturers and food brokers. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada. Read More Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. engages in global investment banking, securities, and investment management, which provides financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The Investment Banking segment serves public and private sector clients around the world and provides financial advisory services, help companies raise capital to strengthen and grow their businesses and provide financing to corporate clients. The Global Markets segment serves its clients who buy and sell financial products, funding and manage risk. The Asset Management segment provides investment services to help clients preserve and grow their financial assets. The Consumer & Wealth Management segment helps clients to achieve their individual financial goals by providing a wealth advisory and banking services. The company was founded by Marcus Goldman in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited. Vedanta Ltd. is a natural resource company, which engages in the exploration, extraction, and processing of minerals, oil, and gas properties. It operates through the following segments: Copper, Aluminum, Iron Ore, Power, and Oil & Gas. The Copper segment focuses in custom smelting and also include a copper smelter, a refinery, a phosphoric acid plant, a sulphuric acid plant, a copper rod plant, and three captive power plants. The Aluminum segment comprises refinery and a captive power plant at Lanjigarh and a smelter, a thermal coal based captive power facility at Jharsuguda both situated in the State of Odisha in India. The Iron Ore segment explores, mines, and processes iron ore, pig iron, and metallurgical coke. The Power segment consists 600 MW thermal coal-based commercial power facility at Jharsuguda in the State of Odisha in Eastern India. The Oil and Gas segment involves in the exploration and development and production of oil and gas. The company was founded by Dwarka Prasad Agarwal on June 25, 1965 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India. Read More POLAND, N.Y. -- After a fire at the Poland Central School classes are being cancelled for the next two days. The fire started in the basement early Tuesday morning. Classes were canceled Tuesdayand will be cancelled Wednesday and Thursday, as well. The fire started in a storage area under the sixth grade classrooms at about 2:30 a.m. The cause is still under investigation. A trigger notified 911 by a monitoring system when detectors sensed smoke or heat. Smoke is the primary reason in the school closing. As for sports and other programs, the school released the following information: "As a safety precaution and to extend the time for initial clean-up, the district will be closed on Wednesday, May 15 and will not transport to programs at other schools. The Poland campus will also be closed on Thursday, May 16; transportation will be provided to programs at other schools on Thursday. Plans for Friday will be determined after initial clean-up and announced to our school community. Upcoming sporting events will continue whenever possible." Reporter Lyndsay Jones is a reporter covering education at The News-Gazette. Her email is ljones@news-gazette, and you can follow her on Twitter (@__lyndsayjones). LEBANON, Ind. (AP) The family of a 12-year-old boy who alleges he was sexually abused by a central Indiana pediatrician has filed a civil lawsuit. The Indianapolis Star reports the child's parents, identified in court records as Jane Doe and John Doe, are seeking damages from 41-year-old Dr. Jonathon Cavins of Jamestown. Cavins' attorney in the civil case isn't commenting on the lawsuit, due to pending litigation. Cavins is awaiting trial and now faces accusations from five accusers. Cavins is charged with child molestation involving a 12-year-old boy and sexual misconduct with a minor involving two other teenage boys. The 12-year-old came forward in February, accusing Cavins of fondling him. In April, a judge approved a motion from prosecutors to add two additional counts of child seduction. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI/Purdue University) - Purdue scientist Michael Rossmann, known for his 1985 discovery of the structure of the common cold virus using X-ray crystallography, and later the structures for insect-carrying disease, died Tuesday. Rossmann died in West Lafayette at the age of 88, according to a news release from Purdue. Rossmann's discovery gained worldwide attention. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany and immigrated to England in 1939. He joined the Purdue faculty in 1964 and served the university for more than 50 years. He became the Hanley Distinguished Professor in Biological Sciences and was named a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of London. Michael Rossmann (right), and Richard Kuhn stand with the cryo-electron microscope used to determine the structure of the Zika virus. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) Michael Rossmann (right), and Richard Kuhn stand with the cryo-electron microscope used to determine the structure of the Zika virus. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) Purdue President Mitch Daniels notified the campus community Tuesday. "As I confirm the sad news of the passing of one of Purdues most legendary and distinguished scientists, Michael G. Rossmann, I know I speak for all of Purdue when I say few in our history have accomplished the significant scientific breakthroughs that Michael reached during his decades of dedication to the field of structural biology. Still vital, still curious, still in his lab at age 88, his was a life as rich in personal example as it was in scientific achievement. Dr. Rossmann was a giant in the field of structural biology, said Richard Kuhn, Purdues Trent and Judith Anderson Distinguished Professor in Science, with whom Rossmann often collaborated. His work has made a real impact across the globe, and the world is safer from infectious viruses because of his dedicated work. Few people can say they contributed as much to humanity, and I will miss him very personally. Rossmann teamed with Kuhn for two of his biggest discoveries. In 2002, the two worked with their research group to determine the structure of the dengue virus. That opened the possibility of developing new vaccines and antiviral agents to fight a host of insect-borne diseases. Rossmann and colleagues again made international headlines in 2016 when they became the first to determine the structure of the Zika virus. At the time, the mosquito-borne virus had been declared an epidemic and scientists were frantically trying to stop its spread. Two years later, they created the most accurate picture of Zika to date, and with it, the potential for antiviral compounds and vaccines. Rossmanns accolades in science were numerous. Among the more notable, he was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1978 and a member in 1984. He was awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in 1990, and received the Gregori Aminoff Prize, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in 1994. He received the Purdue Medal of Honor in 1994 and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and served as a presidential appointee to the National Science Board from 2000-06. Supporting Zambia's campaign against HIV/AIDS Sharing AidData's experience Emilie Efronson of AidData, the program manager for Zambia, joined the project at the one-year mark. She built a relationship between AidData and Zambias National HIV/AIDS Council and shepherded the building of the final tool that provides information on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, broken down by age and gender. Photo by Brenda Seng, JSI Exchanging lessons In May, Emilie Efronson appeared at the National Press Club with representatives from the U.S. Department of State, Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy, and other youth ambassadors from the DREAMS Innovation Challenge to discuss results from their projects. Photo by Brenda Seng, JSI Photo - of - Hide Caption AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, proved to be up to the DREAMS Innovation Challenge to prevent HIV/AIDS, and adolescent girls and young women in Zambia stand to benefit the most. In 2017, 630,000 of the 1.1 million people aged 15 and over living with HIV in Zambia were women. At 5.7 percent, HIV prevalence among young women was more than double that of young men. Zambias National HIV/AIDS Council was desperate for a system that would provide information on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment broken down by age and gender and that could be used to make more informed future decisions. In 2016, Samantha Custer, Jacob Sims and Alexander Wooley of AidData submitted a grant proposal to the DREAMS Innovation Challenge, a public-private partnership led by the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The proposal won a two-year, $1.1 million grant for AidData to develop innovative solutions to protect vulnerable young women in sub-Saharan Africa from HIV infection. The project plan was to build a tool that would help the National HIV/AIDS Council collect and centralize information on HIV/AIDS activities, but we discovered that there were already dozens of tools people were using, and they lacked data on young women and girls, Sims said. In the end, AidData responded to the councils needs by upgrading their existing paper-based data collection process into an automated, digital one. AidData also improved the councils online portal so that data could be broken down by age and gender and visualized in interactive dashboards. It was AidDatas first foray, Sims said, into in-country implementation work as opposed to just research. Emilie Efronson, the AidData program manager for Zambia, was critical to the projects success. Although she joined the project at the one-year mark, she built a relationship between AidData and Zambias National HIV/AIDS Council and shepherded the building of the final tool. {{youtube:medium|tQBx0KgUrEE Efronson details the project (begins 1:15)}} Most of AidDatas work revolves around research seeking new, innovative methods for targeting and evaluating development projects, Sims said. This was different. Our DREAMS project responded to a specific need from a country to address a problem that they wanted help solving, and we were able to use AidDatas technical capabilities to do that. On May 7, Efronson and Sims traveled to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to join representatives from the U.S. Department of State, Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy, and other youth ambassadors from the DREAMS Innovation Challenge to discuss their results and the lessons they learned. We were selected to present as we were one of four projects focusing on applying data to increase impact, Efronson said. From these four projects we were able to demonstrate probably the strongest results of our innovation. Efronson told the audience at the Press Club that with the revamped portal, Zambias National HIV/AIDS Council and its partners can now input and access timely data on where and which HIV/AIDS prevention activities have been done across all 116 districts. In addition to building the tool, AidData trained 29 council officials on the new system, who went on to train hundreds of district AIDS coordinators and local partners in Zambia. And theyre not done. Although AidData handed off the tool to the Council at the end of the two-year grant, the organization has asked for AidData representatives to return to the country to explore additional partnership activities. We succeeded in our goal, which was to develop a system with Zambias National HIV/AIDS Council that would provide those working to end HIV/AIDS with better information for evidence-informed decision-making, Sims said. 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). The Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul is in the Midwestern part of the country. It encompasses 357,125 square km and is home to a population of 2,505,088 individuals. It is the 6th most extensive and the 21st most populous state in Brazil. It is known for its abundant natural wealth and is a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists. The state experiences a warm, hot, and humid climate. Several tributaries of the Parana River cross the state. Capital Of Mato Grosso do Sul Campo Grande is the capital of the state. The city covers an area of 8,096.05 square km and has an average elevation of 592 m. The location of the city in the interiors of South America subjects it to a harsh tropical savanna climate. Floods during periods of intense rain is another major problem associated with Campo Grande. It has reddish-brown colored soil that gives it the name Cidade Morena. Demography Of Campo Grande The capital city is home to a population of around 796,252 as of 2011. The metropolitan area of the city houses approximately 991,420 people. Several ethnic communities reside in the city including Portuguese, Germans, Spaniards, Paraguayans, Amerindians, Afro-Brazilians, Asians, and others. All these ethnic groups have contributed to the rich and unique culture of the city. History Of Campo Grande Two farmers arrived from Minas Gerais after the Paraguayan War to establish the village of Santo Antonio de Campo Grande in 1877. It was the beginning of the modern-day Campo Grande. The village was located at the confluence of two streams and near the cliffs of Serra de Maracaju. A church was built in the village in the same year. Soon, people from nearby regions started immigrating to the village drawn by its relatively favorable location and climate. On August 26, 1899, the Government of the state recognized it as a municipality. It was then renamed Campo Grande. Economy Of Campo Grande In 2013, Campo Grande had a GDP of about US$ 9,59 billion and a per capita GDP of around US$ 11,511. It ranked as the third richest city in Brazils Central-West region the same year. Meat export is a major economic activity in Campo Grande. Other food processing and agribusiness activities are also well-established in the city. A variety of crops are grown in agricultural fields surrounding the city. About 1,300 industrial and 11,657 commercial enterprises operate in the city. Bulgaria is a country located in southeastern Europe in the Balkan Mountains region. The country has a rich heritage characterized by music, crafts, traditional dances, and costumes. The country is the 16th largest in Europe and also a member of the European Union. Its capital city is Sofia. The economy of Bulgaria operates within a free market whereby the private sector forms the bulk of the market. The country was not shielded from the effects of the 2007-2010 financial crisis which resulted in a 5.5% dip in its economic growth rate. However, it quickly recovered by achieving a 0.2% economic growth in 2010. Much as the country experienced another season of weak economic growth afterward, the country has been experiencing rapid economic growth in the recent past. It has also been attracting significant amounts of Foreign Direct Investments since 2001. In 2014, the GDP of Bulgaria was $123.9 billion (PPP). The Biggest Industries In Bulgaria Categorized as an upper-middle-income economy by the World Bank, the biggest industries in Bulgaria are mining, industry, agriculture, and tourism as discussed below: Industry Sector The industry sector in Bulgaria primary deals with metallurgy and machine building. In fact, the country contributes to the manufacture of about 10% of the hydraulic machinery used in the world. Regarding metallurgy, the metal processing of iron and steel began after World War II and has been operational to this day. However, over the years, Bulgaria has engaged in the processing of other metals as well. The processed metals include iron, lead, zinc, copper, sulfuric acid, and steel in different parts of the country such as Pirdop, Kremikovtsi, and Kurdzhali. Besides metal, other products manufactured include machine tools, caustic soda, nuclear energy, military hardware, munitions, food, beverage, tobacco, textiles, and sugar. Bulgarias major industrial exports include iron, steel, machinery, clothes, and refined fuels. Another big part of the industry sector is the shipbuilding business located in areas like Varna, Sofia, Plovdiv, Ruse, and Pernik. Mining Sector The industry sector in Bulgaria largely depends on the mining sector. The country prides itself in having many mineral resources. Iron ore deposits are located in northwest Montana while mining deposits of copper, lead, and zinc occurs in Balkan, Rhodope, and Sredna mountains. Bulgaria is among the worlds largest producers of zinc, copper, and lead. Black coking coal reserves have also been discovered in Kremikovtsi near Sofia. About 40 coal basins have been identified through exploration ventures; amounting to three billion tons worth of coal reserves that are mainly lignite. Lignite is a mineral resource which is widely utilized as a source of energy for most of the manufacturing industries in Bulgaria. It also facilitates the powering of thermal stations located in Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, and Pernik. The country also has small deposits of natural gas and oil. However, it mostly depends on Russia for its oil supply. Other less valuable minerals found in Bulgaria are dolomite, rock salt, kaolin, barite, asbestos, limestone, and gypsum. Agriculture Sector Bulgaria is among the leading exporters of tomatoes and grapes in the world. However, besides these products, the country also grows cereals such as maize, barley, rye, rice, oats, and soybeans. Sunflower, majorly grown in the north, is used for the production of oil whereas the pulp is used to manufacture cattle feed. In the south, farmers grow the Oriental type of tobacco which is high quality. Bulgarian farmers also rear animals such as sheep, poultry, and pigs. Besides, fishing and fish breeding is also quickly becoming a significant component of the agricultural sector in Bulgaria. Tourism Sector The tourism sector in Bulgaria has undergone tremendous growth since the 1960s. In 2005, government records indicated that the number of tourists who visited the country was 750,000. 12 years later in 2017, the World Banks records indicated that the number of tourists had risen to 8.8 million. Majority of foreign tourists who visit Bulgaria are from Germany, Greece, Romania, Russia, and Turkey forming a total of about 50% of the total number of tourists that the country receives yearly. Bulgaria is internationally famous for its winter and seaside resorts. It also has about 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites that form part of the many tourist attractions in the country. Other tourist destinations include the Black Sea and Pirin National Park. In 2014, the tourism sector employed 150,000 workers and contributed 15% of Bulgarias GDP. Major Challenges Faced by Bulgarias Economy The economy of Bulgaria enjoys a track record of fiscal prudence as well as attractive markets for foreign investments. However, there are several challenges faced by the country which has slowed down the pace of economic growth. These limitations include inadequate research and development financing, lack of clear economic growth and development policy, persistent corruption, and continuous political instability. Cameroon is an independent nation located in Central Africa, bordering Chad, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Congo. In 2008, the country's GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity was approximately $2,300, and it is among the top 10 highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Cameroon is aiming to be an emerging economy by 2035. In the initial aftermath of independence, the country had strong economic growth with the GDP growing at an average of 4% annually. Between 2004 and 2008 the country managed to reduce public debt from 60% of the GDP to less than 10% and its official reserves have doubled tenfold to more than $3 billion. In 2014 the unemployment rate in the country at about 4.4% and almost a third of the country's population was living below the poverty line of under $1.25 a day. Cameroon started following programs as advised by the IMF and World Bank starting from the 1980s which promoted privatization of industries reducing poverty, and increasing economic growth. The country has taken steps to encourage the growth of tourism in the country. The major industries in Cameroon include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, trade, and transport among others. Agriculture In Cameroon, there has been a gradual decline in the significance of agriculture as a contributor to the GDP, mainly due to the growth of the oil industry which began in the 1980s. However, the agriculture industry is still playing a significant role in the country, and in the 1970s approximately 9/10 of the country's working population were employed in agriculture, and 30 years later the ratio has fallen to about half. Earnings from agriculture and forest products were about one-third of the total export earnings in the country. Some of the major export items include cocoa, cotton, coffee, and sawn wood. Small-scale farming contributes to the majority of agricultural exports. The primary subsistence crops in Cameroon include oil palm, corn, cassava, potatoes, peanuts, millet, beans, and plantains. Cameroon is among the leading producers of cocoa beans in the world which are cultivated primarily in the Southern part of the country. Robusta coffee is the main cultivated variant of the crop in the western parts of the country as well as the southern region. Manufacturing The manufacturing industry in Cameroon has been growing steadily since the late 20th century, and by the year 2000, the industry was accounting for about one-fifth of the country's GDP. The manufacturing industry depends on the processing of agricultural products which include sugar refining, tobacco processing, cotton spinning, textiles, ship repair, light consumer goods manufacturing, and food processing. Some of the industries in the country include Edea aluminum smelter which imports most of the bauxite and smelts to finished products. The country also refines oil and Petroleum in Limbe. The government has been playing a significant role in trying to industrialize the country particularly through the Societe Nationale dinvestissement, and as a result of the privatization which was adopted in the 1990s the role of the government agency has significantly reduced. Finance And Trade Cameroon, along with other nations in Central and West Africa, use a single currency of CFA franc which is pegged to the Euro. Following the economic crisis that was experienced in the late twentieth century the country's banking system had to be restructured with several of them being privatized, merged, or liquidated. By 1997, the commercial banking sector in the country had become profitable and extra commercial banks in the country were opened. By the year 2000, there were numerous commercial banks in the country, and a stock exchange opened in 2003 in the city of Douala. Most of the trading partners of Cameroon are the countries in Europe, but in the 21st century, the emerging markets for most of the Cameroonian products are in Asia. France has always been the major trading partner although currently, it has diminished slightly, and other countries that take up most of the Cameroonian products include Portugal and Spain, while Nigeria has been the leading source of imports. Challenges Facing The Cameroonian Economy Beginning in the 1980s, there was colossal mismanagement of Cameron's resources. The falling prices worsened this in the countrys export commodities, particularly cotton, cocoa, and oil. All these factors plunged the country into one of the worst recessions. By the late 1980s, huge budget deficits forced the country to resort into borrowing and accepting the intervention from the IMF in what was known as the structural adjustment programs. The country is still heavily reliant on the international market for its products and fluctuations in the global market prices of the country's main items such as cocoa and petroleum has made the economic environment unpredictable. Similarly, persistent corruption has significantly affected economic development in Cameroon. The Argentine Sea is situated on the southeastern shores of the Argentine mainland. The Argentine Sea has a salinity of approximately 3.5%. Numerous rivers including Deseado River, Colorado River, and the Rio Negro among others drain into the Argentine Sea. Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina are situated on Argentines Seas basin. The Limits of the Argentine Sea The Argentine Sea is part of the South Atlantic Ocean, and it extends from the Argentine coast southwards towards Tierra del Fuego. The Argentine Sea is roughly 500 miles north of Antarctica. The maximum depth of the Argentine Sea is 7,296 feet while its average depth is 3,952 feet. It is one of the worlds biggest seas and it occupies an area of about 390,000 square miles. The sea widens as it extends southwards with the platform of plateaus. The Argentine Seas platform is composed of numerous plateaus that descend eastwardly. Due to its stair-shaped platform, it resembles the Extra-Andean Patagonia morphologically. Biodiversity The Argentine Sea has 12 regions that are identified as areas of great diversity. The Argentine Sea has 18 provincial protected areas as well as one national and one international protected areas. It is one of the worlds most temperate seas and it receives the warm Brazilian Current from the northern side and cool Falkland currents from the Antarctic in the south. Some of the animals found in the Argentine Sea include sea lions, dolphins, whales, cormorants, fur seals, and Burmeisters porpoise. These animals feed on the anchovies, sardines, crustaceans, planktons, and algae that are found in the Argentine Sea. Territorial Claims Argentinas territorial water extends 12 nautical miles from the line between San Jorge and the San Matias gulfs to the external limits of Rio de la Plata. Their Exclusive Economic Zones stretches 200 nautical miles after the Argentine territorial waters. The Argentine EEZ overlaps with the claims which the United Kingdom has maintained for the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands territorial claim begins at the midpoint between the islands and the Argentine mainland before stretching 200 nautical miles to all other sides. Mining and fishing in the region were administered by a joint commission that was formed between the UK and Argentina from 1990 to 2005 and decided to use an aggressive stance on its claim. Territorial Dispute over the Argentine Seas Islands Both Argentina and the UK claim the Falkland Islands. Argentina claims that they acquired the islands from the Spanish after gaining their independence in 1816. However, the UK expelled their settlers and authorities from the islands in 1833 and barred them from resettling in the Falkland. The United Kingdom based their claim on their continuous administration of the region since 1833. The British Prime Minister informed the Argentine president in a meeting that was held in 2009 that there would be no negotiations over the independence of the islands. The islands had a referendum on their political status in 2013, and over 99.8% of the islanders voted in favor of remaining under the UK. Argentina does not recognize the locals as partners in the talks over the islands sovereignty. 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. Turkmenistan is a landlocked country bordered by Iraq, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is the countrys largest inland water body. It also forms Turkmenistans longest border as its border with the Caspian Sea is 1,768 kilometers long. The capital, as well as the largest city in Turkmenistan, is Ashgabat. The country has a land area of approximately 491,000 square kilometers with a population of about 5.7 million people. Turkmenistan is dominated by Islam. The nation is famous for holding the worlds 6th largest reserves of natural gas. Most parts of the country are located within the Karakum Desert. The climate of Turkmenistan is continental and dry. Turkmenistans Climate Since deserts and plains cover most parts of Turkmenistan, the countrys climate is categorized as a cold desert climate. The countrys annual average temperature is 18C. Rain in the country is rare. Apart from the desert areas, the other parts of Turkmenistan experience mild weather. These areas are the Caspian Sea coastlines and mountainous regions. Winters In Turkmenistan Turkmenistan experiences mild and dry winters which run from December to February. The temperatures range from 8-9Celsius. The lowest temperatures ever recorded was -32C. During winter, the country receives light frosts at temperatures of -15C. In Turkmenistan, it mostly rains in winter making the northern parts cold and damp. Autumn in Turkmenistan runs from October to November. It is mostly dry with daily temperatures being 20C in October and 14C in November. Visitors may enjoy excursions during autumn as the weather is moderate. Summers In Turkmenistan Turkmenistan experiences long summers which commence in May to September. It is hot and dry. The highest temperatures were recorded in July 1983 as 51.7C. Nonetheless, today the daytime temperatures range from 40-45C. It rarely measures below 35C. Sometimes the weather becomes too hot that the locals desert the streets and stay indoors. The hottest month is September. In the night, the temperatures go as low as 14-18C. Mountainous regions and the coastline of the Caspian Sea experience moderate temperatures during summer making them more comfortable. Thus, the diurnal temperature fluctuations are high. Spring is believed to be the best time to visit Turkmenistan. This period starts in March and ends in April. It is characterized by light showers. Rainfall Received In Turkmenistan Generally, Turkmenistan receives low amounts of rainfall most of which fall in winter during the months of December to March. However, in some rare cases, the country experiences heavy downpours. The average rain received per year is 80 mm. The mountainous regions receive slightly higher rainfall than the desert regions. The annual rainfall in the mountainous regions is 300-400 mm. In the capital city of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, the average annual rainfall is 225 mm. the towns temperatures range between 17.1C and 12.8C. Although it rarely rains in the summer, occasionally the country experiences heavy rains that are accompanied by thunderstorms. What To Wear On Your Visit To Turkmenistan? Those who travel to Turkmenistan during summer should carry lightweight clothes, headdress, sunglasses, and sunscreen. On the other hand, winter visitors need to carry rain boots, umbrellas, and warm clothes. Vermont is one of the six states of the New England region of northeastern United States the others being Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. Vermont is the sixth-smallest state by area and the second smallest by population. Its capital Montpellier is the least populous state capital in the country. The state is the leading producer of maple syrup in the country and was ranked the safest state in 2016. Vermont joined the Union on March 4, 1791, as the 14th state. Settlement Of Vermont Native Americans first settled Vermont between 7000 and 1000 BC. The Algonquian tribes including the Abenaki and Mohican people settled in west Vermont where they traded in bows and arrows. The Cowasucks settled in north Eastern Vermont while the Sokoki settled in the southern regions. The French were the first Europeans to explore Vermont where they established the first European settlement at Fort Sainte Anne in 1666. In 1724 the first British settlement was established at Fort Dummer. The tension between the French and the Native Americans escalated into an armed conflict sparking the French and Indian War of 17551761. Vermont Becomes A State The 13 colonies seeking independence from Britain were too focused on the Revolutionary War to notice that Vermont was seeking independence of its own. The Continental Congress and the state of New York rejected the idea of establishing a new state, forcing the territory to exist as an independent state from 1777 to 1791. The British tried severally to negotiate with the United States over the possibility of the territory becoming part of the British province of Quebec, but the Americans rejected the idea. In 1791 Vermont paid $30,000 dollars to the state of New York as compensation for the land and was after that allowed to join the Union as a state. On March 4, 1791, Vermont was officially admitted as the 14th state of the United States and the first state to be admitted outside the original 13 colonies. The American Civil War In 1854 Vermont passed a resolution abolishing the slavery movement in the state while questioning how the government could let people enslave others. A majority of the citizens supported the abolishment of slavery and in 1860 overwhelmingly voted for Abraham Lincoln. About 28,000 Vermonters served in the United States Navy and Army during the Civil War. About 1,800 men were either killed or mortally wounded during the war while a further 2,200 were taken as prisoners of war. The Atlantic Ocean is an S-shaped ocean extending from the Arctic to Antarctica. It is located between the Americas to the west and Africa and Europe to the east. The ocean has numerous seas or arms of varying sizes, of which 40 seas span at least 15,000 km2. The English Channel, also known simply as the Channel, is the Atlantics 30th largest arm, covering approximately 75,000 km2. It is one of the worlds busiest shipping areas, linking southern England, the United Kingdom to northern France. The current name, English Channel, dates back to the 18th century. Before then, the English mostly referred to the waterway as a Narrow Sea. However, there was no fixed name for the English Channel in either French or English. The current name may have been derived from the channels designation as Engelse Kanaal in Dutch Sea Maps. But the modern Dutch sea map refers to it as Het Kanaal, without the mention of the word English. The English Channel was also known by several other names, including British Sea, British Channel, Oceanus Britannicus (by Ptolemy), and Canalite Anglie ("English Channel" by the Italians). The French refer to the Channel as la Manche because of its sleevelike shape. Where Is The English Channel? English Channel The English Channel is located between the Isle of Great Britains southern coast and Frances northern coast and separated from the North Sea on the north by the Strait of Dover. The Strait of Dover is the Channels narrowest point at just 34 km2 from Cape Gris-Nez to Dover. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the English Channels western limit as a line running from Lands End, England to Isle Vierge, France. The eastern limit is defined as the North Seas southwestern limit. Some towns on the English Channel are Calais, Dover, Isle of Wight, and the Island of Jersey. Geography Mont St. Michel, France, is an island in the English Channel. The English Channel is a shallow waterway with a maximum depth of 174 m in the Hurd's Deep underwater valley and an average depth of 63 m. It is 560 km long, with a varying width between 34 and 240 km at the widest point between Saint-Malo Gulf, France and Lyme Bay, England. Several islands dot the English Channel, with the major ones including the Isle of Wight, Mont Saint-Michel, the Channel Islands, and Chausey. The channel has strong tides ranging from less than one meter to over six meters. The strongest tides are observed on Brittanys north coast, Channel Islands, and the Cotentin Peninsulas west coast. The central parts experience semidiurnal tides (two highs and two lows per day), which facilitates the movement of ships at Southampton. Before the end of the most recent ice age, the British Isles were joined to continental Europe, forming one large mass. Ice covered the entire British Isles and the North Sea, with the sea level being 120 m lower than the current level. As the ice sheet melted, a lake formed in the Doggerland area (North Seas southern part). Two catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods, between 450,000 years and 180,000 years ago, breached the ice, resulting in the English Channel formation. The channel was widened further by the erosion of white cliffs, a process that is still ongoing. Climate The English Channels climate can be described as a temperate maritime climate, with warm summers and cold winters. The channel does not experience an extreme climate, meaning that it can be visited at any time of the year. August is the channels warmest month, while the coldest month is January. However, November is the wettest month, with December and January being the driest months. The surface temperature varies, ranging from 45 F in February to 61 F in September. Annual precipitation averages 700-1000 mm. Although gales can blow in any direction, they commonly originate from the west or southwest. Economic Importance Passenger ferries docked at Dover, Kent, UK on the English Channel. The English Channel is the worlds busiest shipping route, serving over 500 ships daily. It accounts for up to 20% of the global maritime trade and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea. The channel serves both freight and passenger traffic. The intensity of the ship traffic and frequent accidents have led to the installation of the Dover Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in 1967. Sandy beaches, favorable climate, and availability of ferry services have facilitated tourism growth on the English Channel. Coastal areas such as Deauville (France) and Brighton (England) have fashionable resorts dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Channel-hopping is a popular tourism activity that involves channel crossing for leisure. Channel Crossing As a narrow waterway, several people have crossed the English Channel using various inventive technologies. However, numerous ferry routes connect England to France, of which the shortest is Dover-Calais. Several people also cross channel using an underground Channel Tunnel. The tunnel passes beneath the channel and connects the two countries by rail. Its construction began in 1974 and was opened to the public in 1994. The channel was first crossed by air in 1785 by John Jeffries and Jean-Pierre Blanchard using a hot air balloon. A century later, Matthew Webb became the first person to swim across the channel, taking 21 hours and 45 minutes. On August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle swam across the channel in 14 hours, breaking the previous record by two hours. She was also the first woman to swim across the channel. Also known simply as the Confederacy, the Confederate States of America was an unrecognized nation that existed in North America between 1861 and 1865. Abbreviated as CSA or CS, the Confederacy was initially formed by only seven states that still permitted slave ownership. The initial states were South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida. Aside from allowing owning of slaves, the states economies were heavily dependent on agriculture, which was fueled by slaves. The capital city of the Confederacy was Montgomery, Alabama although it was later replaced by Richmond, Virginia. Formation And Disintegration The Confederacy was formed in 1861 in a hasty manner by the seven initial states just before Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the president. After that, the Confederacy added other states until they had 11 states by July 1861. The other four states that joined were North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Each state decided to secede from the United States, which was later known as the Union, after Abraham Lincoln won the election on a slave-abolishing ticket. The Union then deemed the new Confederacy as illegal, which is when The Civil War started. On an international level, foreign governments did not acknowledge the new Confederacy as an independent nation. The first attack of The Civil War was carried out on April 12, 1861, after Confederate forces attacked Fort Summer, which belonged to the Union. The War went on for four years and ended in the early stages of 1865. In the end, it is estimated that between 620,000 and 850,000 fighters died before the Confederacy finally disintegrated. South Carolina South Carolina was actually the first state to cut off ties to the Union in December 1860. Interestingly, however, it was the sixth state to be admitted to the Confederacy back on April 3, 1861. The state was a major source of troops for the Confederacy war against the Union. However, it was also a major source of troops for the Union as most former slaves joined the Union. Aside from military personnel, it also provided textiles and other war materials for The Civil War. Some of the war leaders from the state included Wade Hampton III, James Longstreet, and others. Alabama Alabama was the fourth state to secede from the Union back in January 11, 1861. However, Alabama is interesting because it was the first state to join the Confederacy back on March 13, 1861. For this reason, it is usually considered as the home of the CSA. Unsurprisingly, therefore, Alabama was pivotal during the Civil War. An important thing to note is that Alabama was always rebellious towards the rule of the Union even before the succession. However, the secession vote was largely divided with some people siding with the Union. Consequently, just like South Carolina above, the state ended up distributing forces and resources to both the Confederacy and the Union during the war. After The War Following the end of The Civil War, some 14,000 petitioned for a pardon from the Union, which was granted. A general amnesty was also given to participants of a later Civil War in 1868. Some people, like Jefferson Davis, were tried for treason and released while others like Henry Wirz were tried and executed. The Hui people are an ethnoreligious group mainly found in East Asia. The group is composed of ethnically Sinitic adherents to Islam and are mainly found throughout China, specifically in the Zhongyuan Region and Northwestern provinces. In China alone, there are approximately 11 million Huis, with the majority being Chinese-speakers who practice Islam. However, some of the Hui people in the country also practice other religions. A considerable number of Hui people are also found in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan where they are called Dungan people. In China, the group is of the officially recognized ethnic groups. The Huis have a distinct culture which developed from practices of Islam. For instance, whereas pork is the common meat in China, this group rejects its consumption. Ancestry of the Hui People When the Peoples Republic of China was founded, the word Hui was used by the government to refer to one of the countrys 10 historical Islamic minorities. However, the term was used in the Song Dynasty to refer to foreign Muslims who moved into China. Later, Chinese-speakers with foreign Muslims ancestry were referred to as Hui. The Huis are of different ancestry. The majority are direct descendants of Silk Road travelers and expatriates whose ancestors include the Arabs, the local Han Chinese, and the Central Asians. Past Chinese dynasties such as Song and Tan Dynasties supported immigration, especially Muslims from Central Asia who over time mixed with the Chinese to form the Hui people. Culture The culture of the Hui people is not only evident in their practices but also in the construction of mosques. The traditional Huis constructed mosques that resembled Chinese temples while the modern mosques resemble Middle Eastern Arab style mosques. One of the stringently observed practice was the ban on the consumption of pork. During worship, the Huis barn incense. Hui marriage ceremony resembles the Chinese ceremony, except for the use of traditional Chinese ritual. They mainly marry among themselves and rarely from other Muslim sects. Intermarriages are also allowed with the condition that one converts to Islam before marrying a Hui. While circumcision is mandatory among Muslims, the rate is much lower among the Hui, owing to their interactions with the non-Muslim Chinese. The American Civil War was a war between the United States and the Confederate states. Between 1861 and 1865, the Confederate States of America had formed a country with the main goal of safeguarding the institution of slavery. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was president. Jefferson Davis was the leader of the Confederate States. The practice of slavery had been mainly concentrated in southern states where slaves were used as laborers in farms. Plantation farming, with the use of cheap slave labor, was central to the southern economy. In the industry-driven north, many people believed that the practice of slavery was wrong and immoral. The southern states felt threatened by the beliefs of the northerners and were convinced that slavery was going to be abolished by the common government. The states that left the Union were Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Texas. The civil war began when South Carolina bombarded Fort Sumter which was among a number of forts in the southern states that had soldiers from the United States. The United States won the American Civil War in 1865. Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln's early years can be traced back to a log cabin in Kentucky where he grew up. In his early career years, he worked as a shopkeeper and a self-taught lawyer before joining politics. Soon after his election as president in 1860, the southern states seceded due to his anti-slavery stance. His goals during his tenure were to abolish slavery and keep the United States as one country after the southern states left the Union. He, therefore, declined to recognize the independence of the Confederate States of America. In April 1865, he was assassinated by a southern sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth. Jefferson Davis Jefferson Davis was born eight months earlier and 100 miles away from the birthplace of President Abraham Lincoln into a military family. He had a distinguished military career where he served as a Lieutenant under Colonel Zachary Taylor, his father in law and the Future President of the United States. In 1845, he was elected and joined the US House of Representatives before resigning shortly after in 1846 to serve as a colonel in the Mexican-American War where he gained fame as a hero. He also served as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce before returning to the Senate. Jefferson Davis was chosen as Provisional president of the Confederacy in a Confederate convention in Alabama. He was the only President of the Confederate states during the course of the war. The Threat To Civil War Battlefields By Development In the course of the war, 384 battles have been identified as having a notable effect on the greater war. A significant number of the battlefields have however been developed and turned into housing developments and shopping malls. Veterans and concerned citizens are advocating for the preservation of all battlefields where Americans fought and died. UI at 150 and Beyond: 'Earl Neal never let us down' Swedens reopening of an investigation into a long-discredited rape allegation made against Julian Assange in 2010 deepens the US-led conspiracy to discredit and silence the WikiLeaks founder. Julian Assange Swedens deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, announced at a press conference Monday that the preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Assange would be reopened and a European Arrest Warrant issued to the UK for Assanges extradition. The decision, she claimed, was made because, After reviewing the preliminary investigation carried out so far, I find that there still exist grounds for Julian Assange to be suspected on probable cause of the charge of rape. Everything about the latest move is based on lies, including the pretence that Persson has acted out of concern for Assanges accuser. No new evidence is cited by Persson, and the preliminary investigation over the previous seven years failed to produce a shred of credible evidence. Assange has, moreover, already been questioned twice by Swedish prosecutors and further questioning will add nothing to what is known. The only conclusion to be drawn from the failure to bring charges is that Swedens legal authorities long ago decided there was no evidence on which a prosecution could be mounted. Persson gave tacit acknowledgment to this in her statement yesterday, in which she said, I would like to make the following very clear: my decision to re-open the preliminary investigation is not equivalent on whether or not to file an indictment with the courts. This is the matter well have to revisit. Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer representing the woman accusing Assange of rape, told a separate press conference that prosecutors would be forced to take steps quickly to ensure that we have time to get a potential criminal charge in this case. [emphasis added] None of this stopped the BBC and other news sources from referring to the charges against Assange, as part of the medias ongoing disinformation campaign. WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said of Swedens decision, Since Julian Assange was arrested on 11 April 2019 there has been considerable political pressure on Sweden to reopen their investigation, but there has always been political pressure surrounding this case. This case has been mishandled throughout. After the Swedish prosecutor refused to question Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy for years, it was only when forced by Swedish courts that she travelled to London to finally question Assange. Then Sweden wanted to drop its arrest warrant for Assange as early as 2013. It was the British government that insisted that the case against him continue. Since the investigation was closed in 2017, we have received reports of the destruction of records and correspondence on behalf of UK and Swedish authorities, surely an impediment to a thorough investigation. He concluded with a defiant statement: Assange was always willing to answer any questions from the Swedish authorities and repeatedly offered to do so, over six years. The widespread media assertion that Assange evaded Swedish questioning is false. This investigation has been dropped before and its reopening will give Julian a chance to clear his name. Answering the lie that Assange hid in the Ecuadorian embassy to avoid Swedish justice, Assanges legal team have noted: The initial Swedish preliminary investigation in 2010 was dropped after the chief prosecutor of Stockholm concluded regarding the consensual sexual encounters with the two women that the evidence did not disclose any evidence of rape and that no crime at all had been committed. Assange stayed in Sweden for five weeks and only left Sweden after the prosecutor told him that he was free to do so, as he was not wanted for questioning. The reopening of the provisional investigation in September 2010 took place after WikiLeaks published the Iraq Collateral Murder video in April and the Afghanistan war logs in July. US grand jury proceedings had already begun against Assange in June, with officials telling the Daily Beast that the State Department was pressing Britain, Germany, Australia, and other allied Western governments to consider opening criminal investigations of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Assange sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012 to avoid being extradited to the US from Sweden because Stockholm refused to provide assurances that it would not do so. After years of refusing to question Assange at the embassy, Swedens director of public prosecutions, Marianne Ny, was forced to relent in 2016. The Court of Appeal ruled that that she had breached her duty, because a preliminary investigation must either be open and active leading to a charge, or closed. Ny must have concluded that there was no basis for charging Assange when she closed the investigation in May 2017. There was no technical impediment preventing her from filing charges. Britains Home Secretary Sajid Javid must now eventually decide whether to prioritise Swedens claim, or the extradition warrant issued by the US. The US warrant is framed over charges of a conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, based on the claim that Assange gave technical advice to whistleblower Chelsea Manning, and could result in a prison term of up to five years. However, this charge is only being levelled so that Washington can claim Assange will not face decades in prison or the death penalty under the Espionage Act. This creates major political and legal difficulties for the UK, which would be obviated by sending Assange to Sweden based on its prior claim, and rape being the more serious offence than that officially cited by the US. Assange is now ensnared in a horrifying extra-legal process in which his fundamental legal and democratic rights are being destroyed. He has spent seven years arbitrarily detained under terrible conditions in the Ecuadorian Embassy. He is now serving a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh maximum-security prison in near-total isolation. A legal battle in Sweden would extend his incarceration still further, before Sweden might then provide a backdoor for Assange to be extradited to the US and still more brutal treatment. The main political advantage for UK Prime Minister Theresa Mays government in prioritising the Swedish warrant is that it would guarantee the support of the Labour Party for Assanges extradition. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn now bears direct political responsibility for the fate of the WikiLeaks founder. Within days of Assange being snatched from the Ecuadorian embassy on April 11, more than 100 MPs, mostly right-wing Labourites, signed a cross-party letter to Javid and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, demanding they champion action that will ensure that Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden. The letter was sent after Abbott and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn broke years of silence to make a pro-forma statement opposing Assanges extradition to the US. After they were attacked by the Blairites for doing so, both immediately fell in line, with Corbyn telling ITV News that if the Swedish case was reinstated, then obviously he must answer those questions and those demands about the accusations made against him by people in Sweden. Labour, under Corbyns leadership, has formulated an alternative plan to silence Assange on behalf of British and US imperialism. If it is implemented, then Corbyn will be praised to the skiesnot only by the Blairites but by Britains main pseudo-left groups, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party, which have insisted, Assange should face trial in Sweden if the woman who made the complaint continues with it. Underscoring the monstrous criminality of Assanges treatment, Spains El Pais reported that Ecuador is to hand over all of his documents, cellphones, digital files, computers, memory drives and CDs to the US and allow a search of his room in its embassy on May 20. Baltasar Garzon, Assanges lawyer, denounced an absolute violation of the institution of asylum by Ecuador It is incomprehensible that the country that afforded him protection is now taking advantage of its privileged position to turn over his belongings to the country that is persecuting him. These belongings will be seized without a court warrant, without protecting the rights of political refugees, without respecting the chain of custody. For the past week, the Socialist Equality Party (Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, SGP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) have campaigned throughout Berlin for this Saturdays rally to demand the freedom of persecuted whistleblower and journalist Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. The rally on Saturday will take place in front of the British embassy in Berlin at 11 a.m. local time and feature international speakers, including SEP (UK) National Secretary Chris Marsden, as well as leading members of the SGP in Germany. As part of the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals (ICFI) European election campaign, the rally follows the meeting held in London last Sunday in defence of Assange and Manning, organised by the Socialist Equality Party (UK), which was attended by 150 people. Campaigners have distributed thousands of leaflets across Germanys capital city and put up hundreds of posters in workplaces, universities, and shopping centres, and have won an extremely positive response. The great majority of those we have spoken to have expressed their support and appreciation for Assange, Manning and WikiLeaks. Casey Casey, who is studying in Berlin on exchange from the United States, became involved in the campaign after attending an IYSSE meeting at Humboldt University in defence of Assange last month. Im participating in this campaign because I believe its important to get out as many people as possible to show support for Assanges rights, which will send a message to the elite that the working class will not be so easily intimidated by their tactics, she said. WikiLeaks was created to act as a source of true information because the mainstream media wont. All the imperialist countries are using Assange as an example, to say that if you try to speak out, we will use our system not only to silence you but maybe kill you. The whole point of the Espionage Act is to silence people. Its supposed to apply during times of war, but the United States is constantly at war. She added that it was important to raise awareness about the persecution of Assange and Chelsea Manning because it has either been ignored or obscured in the media, creating a lot of confusion around who Assange and Manning are, what theyve done, and why the working class should be concerned about their persecution. This went hand in hand with the efforts to demonise him and make it seem like it doesnt matter if he is persecuted anyway, which was the reason for the Swedish sexual assault allegations that were officially re-opened yesterday. The response on campuses thus far has been largely positive, Casey said. Many of the people Ive encountered have expressed support for Assange and Manning, and those people Ive encountered who had not heard of Assange are shocked to learn that he is being targeted for his actions, once the situation is explained to them. This is a manifestation of the system of capitalism because it needs to silence people so that it can operate, she concluded. While we mobilise people to defend Julian Assange, I think we must seek to channel this toward a movement of people connected by their class and opposed to exploitation under capitalism. Alex Alex, 21, is studying at Technical University in central Berlin. He spoke to an IYSSE campaign team yesterday. Assange should be free, he said. I heard about the video in Iraq that was published by WikiLeaks. Its been in the back of my head ever since. He said, As I understood it, Manning may have been under confidentiality, so it was illegal for her to publish this. But it was for the causeit was righteous because the cause was so significant. There was a similar case around the Pentagon Papers. The public pressure to defend the publishers was even bigger then because people were on the streets and fighting against the war. So, if Assange gets the backing of the people, its possible he will be freed. It should be that way. This is what the media is for. If they dont expose the crimes like this, who is supposed to? Alex had just heard about the re-opening of sexual assault allegations by Swedish prosecutors that day, and said it was a very strange correlation that he had been accused of assaulting someone right after publishing files showing US crimes in military operations. What I credit Assange for is that he lays open information that shows governments say one thing to the public and do another to get a reason to go into a war. We need journalists who will risk their own lives to expose such things. If I was in that position, I dont know if I could have done the sameit was extremely brave. Carsten Carsten, who is studying engineering at the Technical University of Berlin, said he was for everything that Assange has done. Im also in favour of Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers. Its important to protect them in this day and age. The Iraq video was the first time I heard about him, he said. I saw the aftermath of what happened in Iraq. They were torturing civilians. The US government is doing this because theyre afraid. Theyre afraid of WikiLeaks. They want to make clear that if you publish true facts, then bad things will happen to you. At the Free University of Berlin, IYSSE campaigners spoke with Razar and Anahita. They both are studying in sociology on exchange from Iran. Razar (left) and Anahita Its important for freedom of speech, and all activists in the world have to support Assanges freedom, Razar said. We need such people, rather than [Facebook CEO] Mark Zuckerberg. I saw the video that he and WikiLeaks published of an American helicopter in Iraq attacking ordinary people. Razar also said he is concerned about the growing war danger in the Middle East: People like [John] Bolton and others are trying to do something. The Iranian people are now used to this situation, but I hope that this is not going to lead to a war. Jay Jay, 26, who is studying philosophy and political sciences at the Free University, said: What Assange did was no crime. He was telling the truth. Why is telling the truth a crime? I saw the video of Collateral Murder. This is why we are supposed to have the separation of powers, and the fourth part is supposed to be the media. But the media today is being used in the wrong way and not performing that role. Back in the day, 40 years ago, the journalists of the New York Times and Washington Post were not arrested for publishing the Pentagon Papers, he added. It is hypocrisy that they do not support Assange today. The IYSSE and SGP urge all students, young people and workers, and all those committed to the defence of democratic rights, to attend this Saturdays rally in Berlin, and to take a stand in defence of free speech and against militarism and war. Share the event on Facebook here. Details: Freedom for Julian Assange Rally Saturday, May 18, 11:00 a.m. British Embassy in Berlin Wilhelmstrasse 70/71, 10117 Berlin, Germany Two former Boeing engineers have spoken out against cost-cutting measures by the aerospace giant that may have led to a Lion Air crash last October that killed 189 people and an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March that killed a further 157. Both flights were 737 Max 8s, a model first brought into service in 2017. No Boeing executives have been arrested or even charged in connection with the two crashes, which took a combined 346 human lives. The interviews with Rick Ludtke and Adam Dickson, published last week by Bloomberg Businessweek, confirm that the company subordinates all considerations, including passenger safety, to the drive for profit. From the outset, the design and production of the 737 Max 8, which was introduced to compete with European rival Airbus 320neo aircraft, were carried out to minimize costs. As Ludtke describes in his interview, a key aspect of the focus on reducing costs was ensuring that pilots switching from older 737 models to the Max 8 never had to participate in Level D training. Ludtke recalled, We showed them all these scenarios, and then wed ask, Would this change equal Level D? Level D refers to the highest standard of flight simulators used by commercial airline pilots. These devices fully simulate every aspect of flying a particular type of aircraft. Pilots are typically required to train hundreds of hours on such simulators for each type of airplane they wish to fly before they are allowed to enter a real cockpit. They generally have to retrain on them every six months to maintain their qualification. In order to cut down training time and reduce costseach Level D simulator costs up to $15 millionBoeing claimed that the changes it made required only Level B training, which could be done in an hour on a tablet. The company worked closely with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in order to ensure that no one from that agency would challenge Boeings decisions. [Stacey Klein] had no engineering background, her airplane experience was very limited, Ludtke said, suggesting that the head of the FAA team in charge of overseeing the development of the Max 8 training requirements was not particularly qualified to do so. It was just an impossible scenario, he added. The very fact that one of the formal requirements of the FAA, as well as the European Aviation Safety Agency, for someone to fly an aircraft might be a mere hours worth of work on a computer speaks to the level of integration between the airline regulatory agencies and the companies they are supposed to oversee. Moreover, the outcry from pilots after learning about the previously unknown Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), the software likely responsible for both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, shows that the training given by Boeing was insufficient. Many have said they were unaware of the system, an automated anti-stall mechanism that in both crashes repeatedly forced down the nose of the airplane, overriding the pilots efforts to right their aircraft. Pilots complain that MCAS was not even mentioned in manuals or in the Max 8 flight training. This is despite the fact that Boeing was aware months before the Lion Air crash of design flaws, including MCAS, that were hidden from pilots, airline companies and the regulatory agencies. The most recent exposure of flaws involves the cockpit design of the Max 8. The report notes that switches that trigger manual or automatic control of the aircrafts horizontal stabilizer were changed from previous 737 aircraft, making it more complicated to turn off automated systems such as MCAS in the event of an emergency. It is not clear at this time if this change was included in Boeings training documents for its new jet. The second interview in Bloomberg Businessweek was given by Adam Dickson, who managed fuel systems engineering on the Max 8. He retired partly in protest over the rush to bring the new plane into service. It was engineering that would have to bend, he said. Company executives in 2018 warned in very direct and threatening ways that the salaries of Dickson and others were at risk if they didnt meet performance targets. These targets included keeping the selling price of 737 Max 8s for delivery four years out to levels that were not feasible from an engineering standpoint, forcing managers such as Dickson to cut corners in order to drive down costs. This was bound up with a 7 percent cut imposed by Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg in the companys workforce, removing more experienced engineers and technicians in favor of junior employees less likely to dig in their heels. How long do you want to keep polishing that apple? was a phrase Dickson repeatedly heard managers toss at engineers who wanted to continue testing longer than the company demanded. Boeing categorically denies that it prioritizes costs over safety. At no time did our performance targets reward or encourage a trade off against safety, it said in a statement. This is belied by the companys current plan to move some 900 inspectors to other jobs, replacing them with electronic safety checks. Some 451 inspectors will be cut this year and a similar number next year, cutting by a third a second layer of inspections used to oversee Boeings commercial aircraft operations in the Seattle area. This plan has not yet been endorsed by the FAA. Such cuts are part of the incentive plans for Boeing executives. Dickson stated that a managers annual evaluation of an engineer said, Ideas [sic] are measured in dollars. No doubt Muilenburg and previous Boeing CEO James McNerney agree, after having made a combined $209 million since 2012, a portion of this the result of continually imposing cost-cutting measures across the company. There is a fear among Boeings leadership that the continued exposures of its internal practices will impact its bottom line. The two Max 8 crashes have already cost the company $1 billion, both from the lack of aircraft sales and from settlements with the crash victims families. Boeing is poised to lose billions more in profits if airlines defer or cancel their Max 8 orders, or if regulatory agencies do not approve the Max 8, grounded since March 13, for flight. The companys stock has fallen 20 percent since the Ethiopian Airlines crash, though it is still up 10 percent from the start of the year. Below is the speech delivered by Socialist Equality Party (UK) National Secretary Chris Marsden to the May 12 meeting in London in defence of jailed WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and courageous whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Chris Marsden speaking at the meeting Sometimes the most difficult thing is to understand the times you are living through. It is always easier for historians, because they have the benefit of hindsight. But we are living through a sea change in world politics. Events spanning only the last few days, underscore why Julian Assange is locked up in Belmarsh prison facing extradition to the United States. Not the self-serving lies of the Trump administration and the May government, or the fake news spewed out by the British and American media. The real reason. Chris Marsden's speech in London. Video taken from the livestream published by Gordon Dimmack, available at: https://youtu.be/Sjo3tpe3xLk Last weekend, the Israeli government was raining down bombs on Gaza and carrying out targeted assassinations. Sixteen Palestinians were killed including a pregnant mother and her 14-month-old baby. On Sunday evening, US National Security Adviser John Bolton announced that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and nuclear-capable B52 bombers were being deployed to threaten Iran. He warned that any attack on United States interests or those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force. That same evening, President Trump re-tweeted a post by evangelist Jerry Falwell Jr. calling for him to extend his term from four years to sixa de facto threat to cancel the 2020 elections. Throughout the rest of the week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was lashing out in every directionthreatening enemies and allies alike. We will hold the Iranians accountable for attacks on American interests, he declared Monday, at a conference of countries with territory in the Arctic. While there, Pompeo also denounced China for pursuing national security aims, Russia for a pattern of aggressive behaviour and declared Canadas claim on the Northwest Passage to be illegitimate. He then pointedly cancelled a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, flying instead to Iraq to underscore the US threat to plunge the Middle East into war. The full gravity of these events was highlighted by Saturdays announcement that the US was also sending a Patriot missile-defence system to the Middle East. The threat of war has never been more real nor more imminent. The audience at the meeting I ask you all: How similar does this sound to the run-up to the Iraq War in 2003, with talk of weapons of mass destruction and of an unspecified threat to US forces? The US is, of course, the real aggressor in the Middle East. Even ABC News was obliged to note that the US Navys 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain, that Saudi Arabia is home to over 7,000 American troops, Qatar 10,000, Kuwait 13,000 and the UAE 5,000. Dubai is also the largest port of call for the US Navy outside of America. And the war danger is not confined to the Middle East. A May 5 Foreign Policy article is entitled, How to win Americas next war. It cites the statement by then-Defense Secretary James Mattis in 2018 that great power competitionnot terrorismwas now the Pentagons priority and called for this perspective to be fleshed out. Russia, and especially China, are the primary targets cited for military aggression, but the article speaks of the US having an enduring interest in open access to the worlds key regionsprimarily Asia and Europeto ensure their latent power is not turned against it. The article continues: For a generation, the Pentagon operated on what might be called the Desert Storm model, under which the United States exploited the enormous technical advantages it had developed, starting in the 1970s, to build a military capable of dominating any opponent in the 1990s and 2000s, a time when it lacked a peer competitor The problem today, however, is the approach that worked so well against these so-called rogue state adversaries will fail against China or Russia To make this strategy work will require a force posture that is much more lethal, agile, and ready. This new and more aggressive turn to war is why the US wants Julian Assange in its clutches. While in the UK, Pompeo warned the May government to back off from plans to involve Chinas Huawei in its 5G network, explaining: The US has an obligation to ensure the places where we operate, places where US information is, places where we have national security risks, that they operate within trusted networks and that is what we will do. There you have it. First the US threatens to respond to national security threats anywhere in the world. Second, Pompeo stresses that in order to pursue its global interests unchecked, the US needs and demands trusted networks. The main threat to US imperialisms predatory ambitions, and those of its junior partner Britain, is nether Beijing, nor Moscow, but an informed and politically mobilised working class. That is why Julian Assange and WikiLeaks must be silenced. That is why a terrible example must be made of whistleblower Chelsea Manning. What does WikiLeaks represent? To answer that question, I want to quote Assanges acceptance speech of the Sydney Peace Foundation Gold Medal at the Frontline Club in London in 2011. This was made at a time when no one would have dared to question whether Assange deserved a major prize for journalism, let alone declare that he was not a journalist at all! This is what Assange said: I always keep in mind something that was said by the great poet and novelist May Sarton: you have to think like a hero in order to act like a merely decent human being We are objective, but we are not neutral. We are on the side of justice. Objectivity is not the same as neutrality. We are objective about the facts when it comes to reporting and not distorting facts. But we are not neutral about what kind of world we would like to see. We want to see a more just world. For my staff and me, WikiLeaks will always strive to be an intelligence agency of the people. And we will always as long as whistle-blowers are willing to act as heroes act like merely decent human beings. These are more than fine words. They are a mission statement. WikiLeaks has indeed acted as an intelligence agency of the people and at great personal cost to Assange. It is why he is so hated by the worlds rulers. Two articles published immediately after Assange was seized by British police confirm this fact. They show what has led to the US vendetta. And it is not the baseless lie that Assange and Chelsea Manning imperilled US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. On April 11, Buzzfeed ran an exclusive on never-before seen Department of Defense damage assessment reports, made after WikiLeaks released Mannings cache of classified documents. One report on leaked documents on Afghanistan specifically states that they would not result in a significant impact to US military operations. Another states with high confidence that disclosure of the Iraq data set will have no direct personal impact on current and former US leadership in Iraq. The real problem they identified was that leaking details of tens of thousands of previously concealed civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq could be used by the press or our adversaries to negatively impact support for current operations in the region. That is, WikiLeaks might politically galvanise anti-war sentiment all over the world. The next day, April 12, US National Public Radio issued its list of how WikiLeaks threatened national security. It noted, as one major example, the disclosure that the CIA could use state-of-the art television as a listening device even when it was turned off. It cited a former top intelligence operative complaining that this creates situations where the US intelligence community is going to have to expend resources and going to have to spend both dollars and people to develop new methods. Now that is a crime that must be punishedto cost the secret state so much money! The paid flunkeys of the ruling class in parliament and the media of course know all of this and choose to conceal it. Those journalists who rail against Assange and portray him in the vilest terms imaginable, the likes of the Guardians Suzanne Moore and Hadley Freeman, are themselves vile. They are part of the official media lie machine, unabashed purveyors of fake news. They would happily sell their souls to the highest bidder if such a bargain could be struck. And the price would be cheap. And when political leaders who claim to be opposed to Assanges extradition to the US, like Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, then do nothing, they too are guilty. The same holds true for those who adopt a pose of impartiality on Swedens threat to renew demands for Assange to be extraditedand who pretend to believe that the spurious allegations against him are credible and have nothing to do with the US efforts to silence him. Anyone who is not an active partisan in the struggle to secure freedom for Assange and Manning is not only betraying fundamental democratic principles; they are complicit in the ongoing offensive of the imperialist powers against the workers and oppressed peoples of the world. Make no mistake, the price for such a betrayal will be coined in blood. The Socialist Equality Party views the defence of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning as the spearhead of an emerging global struggle against imperialism. We have all lived through truly dark timesdecades of uninterrupted wars, not only in Afghanistan and Iraq, but the Balkans, Rwanda, Libya, Syria, Yementhe list goes on. Accompanying this explosion of colonial-style war has been the assault on democratic freedoms carried out in the name of the war on terror, including the mass surveillance exposed by that other heroic whistleblower, Edward Snowden. This eruption of imperialist militarism and break with democratic forms of rule, together with the cultivation of far-right forces, is too fundamental a shift to be explained away as the actions of criminal political elements in the ruling elite, such as Trump. They are the malignant symptoms of a global capitalist system that is in terminal crisis. The conflict between rival powers for control of markets and resources has become so acute in the increasingly globalised world that the regulatory political and economic mechanisms set up in the aftermath of World War II have broken down. As a result, the world in which we live once again resembles that viewed by the generation of the 1930sone beset by trade war, rearmament, colonial wars and fascist reaction. But this crisis is also unleashing a powerful counterforce upon which an entirely different world can be built. The ruling class has spent decades systematically hiking up the brutal exploitation of the working class, slashing wages and destroying essential servicesnot only to more effectively compete for global economic dominance, but to funnel more and more of societys wealth into the coffers of a super-rich oligarchy. Because of the collapse of the Soviet Union and all the old workers parties and trade unions, and the political confusion this generated, the ruling classes thought they could do this forever. They were wrong. The Socialist Equality Party, the International Committee of the Fourth International and the World Socialist Web Site base our struggle to free Assange and Manning on the international working class. Standing in the tradition of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky, we understand that the fight to defend these heroic figures is the spearhead of the struggle against imperialism and for socialism. This perspective now emerges as the only way forward for humanity. For the past two years, we have seen an extraordinary growth in the class struggle in country after country. Workers suffering unbearable hardship for decades are coming to the bitter conclusion that they must take the fight to those who have ruined their lives and who deny a future to the younger generationwhatever the cost to themselves. And to such people, those coming into struggle against the existing social order, Assange and Mannings heroic stand on principles is an inspiration. To make this clear, these are some of the comments the WSWS has received on Assange: From the UK: Assange is in the forefront of the fight for freedom of speech against corrupt governments, especially by revealing US state security secrets. Assange is guilty of being a hero, guilty of telling the truth, guilty of exposing US war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. From Australia: Its a great shame that Assange is labelled a criminal when hes highlighting the true criminals in our society He is the voice of the voiceless at the moment and we should all be fighting for what hes fighting for. If you can convince workers to band together, people will listen. When someone stands up, it gathers momentum. Workers here should support Assange, because we need more of him in the world. From the US The jailing of Assange is an attack on the entire working class The capitalists and the powers-that-be are desperate. They dont want workers to know the truth. They recognize that the working class is more powerful than we recognize ourselves, and they are afraid of us. This is the voice of the future speaking and we must give it political expression and leadership. There has been a lot of discussion about history today. That is in the nature of our meetings. We are a historically based party. But I want to make this very clear. Everybody in this room is making history. They are on the right side of history because they are involved in the fightback against imperialism. And to conduct that struggle means the defence of Chelsea Manning, it means the defence of Julian Assange, and it means building a new revolutionary leadership in the working class. PART ONE| PART TWO This is the first article in a two-part series drawing a balance sheet of five years of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. April 25 marked the fifth anniversary of the Flint, Michigan water crisis. On that day in 2014, the mayor of Flint, Michigan, Dayne Walling, ringed by a coterie of state and local officials, pushed the button that disconnected the city from its reliable source of treated drinking water. For 50 years, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) had supplied Flints water directly from its Fort Gratiot Treatment Plant on the shores of Lake Huron through a 65-mile pipeline capable of delivering 400 million gallons each day. With that fateful act, improperly treated water drawn from the polluted Flint River began to surge through the citys lead-lined pipes. The water was acidic, and because it was not treated to control corrosion of the pipes, in violation of federal safe drinking water requirements, lead and other particulates leached into the tap water of homes and businesses. Residents immediately protested against the murky and smelly water coming from their faucets. The water was so corrosive that the General Motors engine plantone of the few remaining GM facilities in the cityquietly switched back to Detroit-supplied water after only five months, having discovered that auto parts surfaces were being eaten away and no longer fit properly. No such concern was shown for the damage being done to the skin, lungs and brains of men, women and children in the largely working class and low-income city. The citys residents were not officially informed of GMs switch back to Detroit water, and state and local officials continued to answer their protests about the tap water with lies, claiming that the water complied with federal standards and was perfectly safe to drink. Meanwhile, more and more Flint residents were developing rashes, breathing problems and other illnesses. The poisoning of a population Flints population, some 100,000 people, including 9,000 children, was poisoned for 18 months before the official lies were exposed and the city returned to its original water source. During that time, Flints water infrastructure was progressively eaten away from the inside. The long-term health consequences of the protracted exposure to lead and other toxins are incalculable. Lead is a highly dangerous neurotoxin that can attack any system in the body when ingested, even in low dosages. Once in the system, it cannot be removed. It can stunt growth and cause neurological damage, leading to emotional and behavioral issues in children, who are the most vulnerable to lead poisoning due to the rapid development of their bodies. The use of polluted water and the lack of corrosion control were also responsible for one of the largest outbreaks in US history of Legionnaires Disease, a deadly respiratory illness. In Flint, nearly 100 people were sickened and 13 died from the disease. A recent study suggests that some of the 119 deaths attributed to pneumonia during the time the city relied on Flint River water were likely due to undiagnosed Legionnaires Disease. The lead poisoning caused as many as 276 miscarriages, according to a 2017 study. Lead has been known to be detrimental to pregnancy and has historically been used to abort unwanted pregnancies. The fertility rate in Flint fell by 12 percent, according to the same study. Adults and children were sickened in countless other ways, suffering from diseases of the digestive, endocrine, renal and immune systems, as well as the heart and lungs. Flint and GMs war on workers What made matters worse was the widespread poverty in Flint, the result of the citys abandonment by General Motors. The former center of GMs auto empire, the city has been turned into an industrial wasteland, pockmarked by toxic waste dumps where booming factories once stood. General Motors was founded in Flint in 1908. The city had already acquired the nickname Vehicle City from decades of production of horse-drawn wagons in the latter part of the 19th century. In the year of GMs birth, the first Model T Fords were being produced in Detroit. The 1936-37 Flint sit-down strike, led by socialist-minded militants, forced the worlds biggest industrial company at the time to grant recognition to the United Auto Workers, opening the floodgates for a wave of sit-down strikes and militant class battles that in the space of a year forged the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and established industrial unions in auto, steel, rubber, electrical, communications and other basic industries. GMs operations grew in Flint after World War II until the 1970s. The giant Buick City factory complex brought the citys population to 200,000 at its peak. But the breakdown of US global economic dominance, sharply reflected in the decline in market share of the US Big Three auto makers and the rise of European and Asian competitors, produced a brutal escalation by the auto giants of their war against the workers. Beginning in the late 1970s, GM, Chrysler and Ford carried out a wave of plant shutdowns and mass layoffs, accompanied by wage cuts and speed-up. In this offensive, the companies had the full support and collaboration of the UAW, which virtually abandoned the strike weapon and helped impose the companies demands for concessions on the basis of a nationalist and corporatist program of defending American jobs by making the US auto corporations more competitive against their overseas rivals. The number of GM employees in Flint has gone from 80,000 in 1979 to 8,000 today. GMs scorched earth policy left the city financially insolvent. This was seized upon by state and local officials to appoint so-called emergency managers to implement the bankers program of austerity and the looting of public assets. A man-made public health disaster The wall of lies that was erected against the demands and protests of Flint residents finally tumbled in late summer 2015, when residents allied themselves with scientists to prove their case. LeeAnn Walters, a Flint mother of twin boys, would not accept the claim of water officials that the medical diagnosis of lead poisoning in one of her boys was due to lead being introduced into tap water by the pipes in her own house. She knew better, since all the pipes in her home had been replaced when she purchased it. With the help of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 water expert Miguel Del Toral, who had been muzzled by his superiors at the EPA, she turned to Professor Marc Edwards, who headed the civil engineering department at Virginia Tech University and had been instrumental in exposing the lead-in-water crisis in Washington DC some 10 years earlier. Edwards assembled a team of trained student volunteers who traveled over 500 miles to Flint to organize an independent sampling of the citys water, obtaining the participation of some 300 intensely concerned residents. The results revealed a serious lead-in-water problem, with 90 percent of the homes tested showing almost double the action level mandated by EPA regulations. Flint pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha responded to the crisis by carrying out a study of Flint childrens blood-lead levels (BLLs), to determine the harm that had been done. Dr. Hanna-Attishas study showed that the number of Flint children with elevated BLLs had doubled during the period that Flint River water was used. The exposure of the Flint water crisis shocked the world. Flint became a symbol of the indifference and rapacity of the government and big business toward the working class. Who is to blame? The Flint River was the citys water source for 18 months, until October 8, 2015. Residents had been protesting and fighting over the water for virtually that entire time period. The questions that millions asked about the Flint catastrophe included: How was it possible that such a reckless and irresponsible decision could be made, depriving 100,000 citizens of their safe source of water? How was it that the agencies tasked with overseeing and monitoring water safety not only failed to do their job, but deliberately falsified testing and lied to the public about the state of the water? In 2016 and 2017, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed criminal indictments against 15 state and local officials. At a Flint press conference in April, 2016, Schuette declared that the prosecutions had the sole purpose of obtaining justice for the people of Flint. However, hearings proceeded at a snails pace, making it clear that the prosecutions were an electoral stunt designed to boost Schuettes 2018 run for governor, which proved unsuccessful. As it presently stands, seven of those indicted have plea-bargained to misdemeanor charges. The cases of eight defendants are in abeyance due to the shift in control of the state house from the Republican administration of Rick Snyder to the Democratic administration of Gretchen Whitmer. The World Socialist Web Site produced a series of articles in May, 2016 titled Whos who in the Flint water crisis, which presented sketches of 13 of the major known players. Below are some of those examined: Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright A Democrat, Wright established the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) in 2009 to realize his long-planned project of building a new pipeline from Lake Huron. The decision by the state in 2013 to allow Flint, a city under the quasi-dictatorial control of state-appointed emergency managers, to commit to 33 percent of the KWAs $285 million construction cost for a new untreated water pipeline was economically irrational and driven by fraud and greed. Wrights scheme relied on Flint using its long-dormant water treatment plant to treat the raw water that would be delivered through the pipeline. It never included any proposal to make the necessary overhaul to the plantwith a price tag likely above $100 million. Today, despite the disastrous consequences of the KWA scheme for the people of Flint, Wright has his pipeline, which supplies untreated water for agricultural and industrial purposes in rural regions in Genesee, Lapeer and Sanilac Counties. The wealthy bondholders who backed him are raking in money as a result of a thirty-year deal signed two years ago by Flints Democratic mayor, Karen Weaver, with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Departments successor organization, guaranteeing a $7 million annual payment to the KWA bondholders. Wright has not been charged with any crime. Former Governor Rick Snyder The governor who presided over the poisoning of Flint is a multi-millionaire Republican and former venture capitalist. His administration redrafted the states emergency manager law to establish de facto dictatorial rule over economically depressed municipalities in order to monetize (plunder) their assets and slash the jobs, wages, pensions and social services of their working-class residents. He claims to this day that he was unaware of problems with Flints water until 18 months after the switch. Snyder has not been charged with any crime. Former Flint Emergency Manager Ed Kurtz Appointed by Snyder in 2012, he served until August 2013. He signed the contract committing Flint to the KWA deal and sanctioned the use of the Flint River as the water source pending completion of the KWA pipeline. He has not been charged with any crime. Former State Treasurer Andy Dillon Dillon was the Democratic speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives before being appointed state treasurer by Snyder. A former business manager and venture capitalist, he assisted in drafting Public Act 4, the redraft of the emergency manager law that provided the legal cover for wealthy financial interests to plunder municipal assets. He authorized signing Flint onto the KWA pipeline project, even though the financial feasibility report he himself contracted deemed it inadvisable and the Detroit water system had made a new offer that would have saved $800 million, making it 20 percent less expensive than the KWA proposal. He has not been charged with any crime. Former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling Another Democrat, Walling was an ardent promoter of the KWA and served as its first president. He pushed the button to begin drawing water from the Flint River. He has not been charged with any crime. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman Appointed by Obama in 2010 to head the Midwest division of the EPA, which includes Michigan, Hedman was responsible for muzzling field expert Del Toral and suppressing his concerns that the Snyder administration in Lansing was lying to the EPA and the public about the water samples and the lack of corrosion control. She has not been charged with any crime. Former UAW Region 1-C Director Norwood Jewell Jewell, who between 2010 and 2014 was UAW Region 1-C director, covering Flint, pled guilty last month to taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from Fiat Chrysler to push through the sellout 2015 contract after he became vice president of the union in charge of its Chrysler department. In Flint, he became known as a major political player and gave the UAWs endorsement and financial backing for Democrat Dayne Walling, a promoter of the KWA scheme, to become mayor. In March of 2013, Jewell pitched the KWA to the Flint City Council as a dollars and cents issue, arguing that the city should no longer allow itself to be held hostage by Detroit. To be continued. Estimates from a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) survey reveal that 1.1 million people lost their health insurance coverage in 2018. Last year, over 30 million people did not have health insurance at the time of the study, including 13.3 percent of adults aged 18 to 64 and 5.2 percent of children aged 0 to 17. After decreasing or leveling off in past years, the number of uninsured is on the rise. The National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative study, asked participants about both their current health insurance status and whether they have had health insurance in the past year. The reports results are presented by income status, demographics, and by states that opted or refrained to expand Medicaid under Obamacare. As with other basic necessities, the ability to afford healthcare is deeply connected to income. In 2018, among adults aged 18 to 64, more than 27 percent of those who were poor (with family incomes at or below the poverty line) and about 25 percent of those who were near-poor (with family incomes between 100 and 200 percent of the poverty line) did not have health insurance. Meanwhile, only about 8 percent of those who were not poor (with family incomes over 200 percent the poverty line or higher) were uninsured. This means that poor or near-poor were more than three times as likely to be uninsured than the non-poor. For all age groups, the percentage uninsured at the time of the interview and the percentage uninsured for at least part of the year increased from 2017 to 2018. Some 9.4 percent of individuals lacked health insurance coverage at the time of their interview in 2018, compared to 9.1 percent in 2017. More than one in ten individuals reported being uninsured for at least part of the year, with this group also increasing from 2017 to 2018. Some 12.9 percent of individuals of all ages reported being uninsured in 2018, while this figure was 12.4 percent in 2017. This means that over 40 million people were uninsured for at least part of the year in 2018. In 2018, 6 million children aged 0 to 17 did not have healthcare coverage for at least part of the year, and 3.8 million were not insured at the time of the interview. Children who are poor or near-poor were more than 50 percent as likely as children who were not poor to be uninsured. In 2018, 6.4 percent of poor children did not have health insurance at the time of the interview, compared to 6.3 percent for near-poor children and 4.2 percent for non-poor children. The number of uninsured people has fallen particularly in the 37 states that opted to expand Medicaid coverage under Obamacare. In these states, the percentage of uninsured adults decreased from 18.4 percent in 2013 to 9.9 percent in 2018. In other words, the percentage of uninsured adults aged 18 to 65 in these states decreased roughly by half. Meanwhile, there are more uninsured adults in states that did not expand Medicaid. Between 2013 and 2015 the percentage of uninsured adults in these states decreased from 22.7 to 17.5 percent, but it increased between 2015 and 2017 from 17.5 to 19.0 percent. In 2018, the percentage of uninsured adults aged 18 to 64 in non-expansion states was 18.7 percent, or more than twice the rate as in the states that chose to expand Medicaid. While the released report does not detail why individuals lost their health insurance, media reports have pointed to the repeal of the Affordable Care Acts (ACA) so-called individual mandate by the Trump administrations tax bill in 2017. No longer able to enforce the financial penalty of being uninsured, many individuals may have chosen to drop their healthcare coverage. Legal challenges to the ACA are currently being decided by appeals courts after a federal district judge in Texas ruled that Obamacare was unconstitutional in December of last year. Between 20 and 25 million people would lose their healthcare coverage if the law that established Obamacare is struck down. While many people became insured under ACA, the healthcare plans awarded under Obamacares insurance marketplaces or state-based exchanges were known for their high deductibles, large out-of-pocket expenses, and limited choice of insurers. In practice, this meant that while families and individuals were forced to buy health insurance, many were still unable to afford decent medical care. Rising healthcare costs and an attack on benefits has prominently featured in a series of major struggles over the past two years, including strikes by teachers in the US and the ongoing strike by 2,000 nurses in Toledo, Ohio. However, workers that are entering into struggle must be warned: the fight to establish a high-quality and free healthcare system will not be granted by Medicare-for-All or proposed fixes to Obamacare by Congressional Democrats. As long as the giant insurance companies and the tiny oligarchy that controls every aspect of social life remain in place, healthcare will remain a privilege for the few, rather than a social right for all. What is needed is a socialist policy for universal healthcare, through nationalizing the healthcare industry into a publicly owned and democratically controlled utility run to meet the needs of the population, not maximize the profits of the corporations. The abrupt trip staged by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Brussels to push Washingtons hard line against Iran, combined with the deployment of still more US military assets to the Persian Gulf, point to Washingtons calculated escalation of a war crisis in the region. Late Monday, the New York Times posted an article under the headline White House Reviews Military Plans Against Iran, in Echoes of Iraq War. The article cited as sources more than half a dozen national security officials and reported that a meeting of President Trumps top national security aides last week discussed a plan to send as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East. The spark for an all-out conflict can come from any one of a number of staged provocations, including the alleged sabotage of two Saudi oil tankers and two other vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported on Sunday. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih stressed that one of the Saudi tankers that was allegedly damaged was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States, a detail apparently highlighted to make the case that US interests were at stake in the incident. Pompeo, national security adviser John Bolton and other US officials have repeatedly vowed to take swift and decisive military action in defense of US interests in the oil-rich region. They have threatened to unleash unrelenting force against Iran in retaliation for any action alleged to be carried out by a wide array of forces dubbed by Washington as Iranian proxies, ranging from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the Houthi rebels in Yemen and various Shia militias in Iraq and Syria. The alleged sabotage of the four vessels took place in the Gulf of Oman, east of Fujairah, a major oil port that lies approximately 85 miles south of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which passes roughly one-third of the worlds oil transported by sea. Saudi and UAE officials indicated that there were no casualties and no oil spills resulting from the alleged sabotage. A video posted online showed a hole torn into the hull of a Norwegian-owned ship at its waterline. The timing of the incident dovetailed neatly with the US escalation of tensions in the region. It came just days after the May 9 warning issued by the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) that commercial ships, including oil tankers, could be targeted in the growing buildup to war. Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or US military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, or the Persian Gulf, the MARAD statement said. Iranian officials expressed concern over the incident. Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Moussavi described the incident as lamentable and worrying and called for a thorough investigation. Moussavi also warned countries of the Persian Gulf to stay vigilant in the face of potential adventurism by foreign players or any conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers to undermine maritime security. There has been no clear explanation from either the UAE or the Saudi monarchy of what exactly took place in the Gulf of Oman. The involvement of covert operations aimed at creating the pretext for war, either on the part of Washington or its two principal regional allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia itself, both of which have long sought to bring the US into a war with Iran, is a very real possibility. One thing is certain. Nothing coming from the US government or its propaganda servants in the corporate media regarding the crisis in the Persian Gulf can be believed. The pretexts for war this time around will prove as fabricated as Iraqs weapons of mass destruction or the lies about a US warship being attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin that were used to justify the War in Vietnam. The Trump administration has continued to escalate its military intervention in the region, dispatching a Patriot missile battery to the Persian Gulf along with a Navy amphibious assault ship. This follows last weeks arrival in the Red Sea of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group, as well as the landing of a bomber strike wing consisting of four B-52s at the US Al Udeid airbase in Qatar. The Pentagon announced on Monday that the B-52s had carried out their first mission to defend American forces and interests in the region, consisting of operations near Iranian airspace. Such is the war threat that even a White House reporter questioned Trump during his Monday appearance with the far-right prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban: Are you at war with Iran? Are you seeking regime change there? Trump did not deny the looming war threat, declaring: If they do anything, they will suffer greatly. Well see what happens with Iran. Underscoring the brazen recklessness of the US drive to war, Secretary Pompeo abruptly shifted his travel plans for the second time in a week, canceling a trip to Moscow to fly to Brussels and effectively crash a scheduled meeting of European foreign ministers called to discuss their response to the Persian Gulf crisis. The US military buildup as well as the tightening of US sanctions described by the Trump administration as maximum pressure against Iran, designed to suffocate the countrys economy and drive its oil exports down to zero, have sharpened tensions between Washington and its erstwhile European allies. Since the beginning of the month, Washington has withdrawn waivers that had allowed China, South Korea, Japan, India and Turkey to continue purchasing oil from Iran, and has imposed a new round of sanctions aimed at halting all exports of Iranian iron, steel, aluminum and copper. The US and the major European powers have been divided since Trump unilaterally abrogated the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the US, Russia, China, Germany, the UK and France. Washington reimposed sanctions that are tantamount to a state of war. The European governments, as well as the UN nuclear inspection agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, have insisted that Iran has remained in compliance with the agreement, which was supposed to combine strict limits on the Iranian nuclear program with the lifting of economic sanctions. The issue for the Trump administration, however, has never been the nuclear deal, but rather the drive for regime-change, i.e., the restoration of a US-backed puppet dictatorship in the oil-rich country like that of the Shah. As Bolton, one of the architects of the current military buildup, put it a year before becoming national security adviser: The declared policy of the United States should be the overthrow of the mullahs regime in Tehran The behavior and the objectives of the regime are not going to change and, therefore, the only solution is to change the regime itself. Pompeos meetings in Brussels with the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the foreign ministers of Germany, France and the UK only underscored the transatlantic tensions over Iran. Mogherini said the European representatives had stressed that the crisis in the Persian Gulf had produced a crucial delicate moment in which maximum restraint and avoiding any escalation on the military side was necessary. She said the European ministers continue to fully support the nuclear deal with Iran, meaning the normalization of trade and investment. She added that this included the operationalization of the so-called Instrument in Support of Trade Exchange (INSTEX), which is supposed to create a non-dollar direct payment channel with Iran to circumvent US sanctions. Transactions through this exchange, she claimed, would begin within the next few weeks. Tehran last week put the European signatories to the accord on notice that it would resume uranium enrichment at a higher grade within 60 days unless they took measures to allow Iran to export its oil and access financial markets. European companies and banks, which had previously seen an opportunity for exploiting the countrys oil wealth, have withdrawn in the face of threats to be frozen out of the US market. The European powers opposition to the US drive toward war against Iran is based not on any concern for the fate of 80 million Iranians, but rather on the pursuit of their own imperialist interests in the region. The conflict exposes fault lines that point to the danger of a new military conflict in the Persian Gulf becoming the antechamber of a third, nuclear, world war. On Monday afternoon, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was welcomed by US president Donald Trump at the White House. It was the first time in 20 years, since Bill Clinton welcomed Orban in 1998, that the leader of the Hungarian far-right government has met with a US president in Washington. At a brief session with reporters after the discussion with Orban, Trump praised the latter saying the Hungarian leader had done a tremendous job in so many ways, and that he was a tough man, that had done the right thing ... on immigration. Trump continued, asserting that Europe had tremendous problems because other governments had handled immigration differently than the prime minister. Orban added, We are proud to stand together with the United States on illegal migration, on terrorism, and in helping Christian communities all around the world. Both Trump and Orban stressed that the primary goal of their meeting was to strengthen our strategic alliance. The visit, following an invitation by the White House, took place just 11 days before the European elections in which far-right parties like Orban's party Fidesz are expected to make significant gains. More than any other head of government in Europe, Orban is associated with the rise of far-right, authoritarian movements in Europe over the past decade. Under his second term as prime minister since 2010, the Hungarian government has cracked down on freedom of the press and freedom of speech, significantly expanded the powers of the prime minister and president and undertaken far-reaching efforts at falsifying history. The glorification of the fascist Horthy regime, which was in an alliance with Hitler's Nazi Germany during World War II, has become official state policy. The government-sponsored House of Terror in Budapest deliberately minimizes the Nazi genocide of 6 million European Jews, including about half a million Hungarian Jews, in World War II, claiming instead that Communist occupation was in fact worse than the crimes of the Nazis and those of the Horthy regime and insinuating that the Communist movement was led above all by Jews. Since 2015, the Orban government has spearheaded far-right rhetoric against and attacks on refugees by governments and parties throughout Europe. Orban has publicly endorsed the anti-Semitic conspiracy theory of The Great Replacement, widely promoted within European and international far-right and fascist circles, that claims that the white Christian population of Europe is being replaced by Muslims coming from Arab countries and Africa. This theory is considered one of the main ideological influences on Brenton Tarrant, the fascist perpetrator of the recent terrorist attack in New Zealand, who named his manifesto The Great Replacement. In a speech last year, Orban said: We must state that we do not want to be diverse. We do not want our own color, traditions and national culture to be mixed with those of others. Trumps meeting with Orban was a deliberate signal that his administration is actively endorsing and promoting the European far-right in the upcoming elections and the coming period more generally. In the US itself, the Trump administration has been systematically fostering fascistic forces, seeking to build an extra-parliamentary movement that could be mobilized against the working class. The visit also indicates that Steve Bannon, the one-time head of Trumps 2016 campaign and later a top White House aide, remains a central figure in his counsel. After leaving the White House in 2017, Bannon turned much of his attention to building what he calls The Movement, an attempt at an alliance of the different far-right parties and forces in Europe. Orban has explicitly endorsed Bannons initiative. In the fall of 2018, Bannon announced that he would be Orbans advisor in the European elections, and that both already worked with the same pollster, John McLaughlin. Bannon argued that the European elections would evolve around a clash between pro-EU members like Germany and countries like Hungary with EU-skeptic, extreme nationalist governments. Apart from Bannon, another former Trump adviser, Sebastian Gorka, also maintains close ties to the Hungarian far-right. In early 2018, Trump appointed his close friend David Cornstein as US ambassador to Hungary, who has since openly defended the Orban government. In addition, the news website Politico reported a number of organizations funded by the Hungarian government in Washington are working with circles around the Trump administration. The shift of the Trump administration toward a much closer strategic alliance with the far-right Hungarian government is bound up with its push toward a war with Iran, which puts the US at loggerheads with leading imperialist powers in Europe like Germany, and the preparations for war with China. (See also: Iran conflict intensifies transatlantic tensions) When asked a mildly-worded question about Hungary's democratic backsliding, Trump interjected while Orban beamed: Theyre a member of NATO, and a very good member of NATO, and I dont think we can really go into too much of a discussion, unless thats mentioned. Mondays meeting follows an earlier visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Budapest in February, where he dined with Orban just before he flew to Warsaw for a war summit, that was directed against Iran and held with the support of the far-right Polish Law and Justice (PiS) government and Israels Benjamin Netanyahu. In the spring, the US and Hungary renewed the Defense Cooperation Agreement on the sidelines of events marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO. During his visit in Budapest, Pompeo emphasized the dangers of Chinese influence in the region and said: Too often in the recent past, the United States was absent from Central Europe. Thats unacceptable. Our rivals filled those vacuums. Hungary has developed extensive economic ties with both Russia and China in recent years. Hungary is considered a key country in Europe for the realization of Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative, which US imperialism regards as a major challenge to its geopolitical and economic interests. In April, Orban travelled to Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum where he met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Orban stressed that Hungary was ready to resist all outside ideological pressure and continue the cooperation with the Chinese project. The countries foreign ministers also signed a five-point development plan to advance bilateral relations. The journal Foreign Policy stressed earlier in May that persuading Hungary to move away from China was a central objective of the meeting of Trump with Orban at the White House. The US administrations efforts to develop a strategic alliance with the Orban government is part of its orientation toward building an alliance of far-right government throughout Eastern and Central Europe as a counter-weight to not only Russia and China, but also to Germany. This alliance stands in the tradition of the so-called Intermarium strategy (or Between the Seas) which was pursued by right-wing governments in that region in the pre-World War II period. In June 2017, Donald Trump explicitly endorsed this strategy in a visit to Warsaw, where he not only praised the far-right policies of the ruling PiS-government, but also visited the government-funded Three Seas Initiative (referring to the Baltic, Black and Adriatic seas). As discussed by strategists and foreign policy pundits of US imperialism, this alliance would include Poland, Romania, the Baltic States, Croatia and Slovakia as well as Ukraine and Hungary. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) organised a rally on Saturday in defence of WikiLeaks Julian Assange, in the working-class Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows. The event drew a small but determined crowd of SEP members and supporters, local workers, and WikiLeaks supporters, one of whom drove for nearly an hour and a half to be involved. The rally was organised ahead of an SEP public meeting in Broadmeadows yesterday, and upcoming meetings in Sydney and Brisbane this Wednesday, May 15. Held a week before the May 18 federal election, the rally was addressed by SEP candidates Peter Byrne, standing for the lower house seat of Calwell, of which Broadmeadows is a part, and Tessa Pietsch, the partys lead Senate candidate in Victoria. SEP National Committee members Sue Phillips and Patrick OConnor also spoke. Tessa Pietsch Pietsch told the rally: Julian Assange and his media organisation, WikiLeaks, has played a profound role in the politicisation of an entire generation. The revelations of imperialist war crimes, governmental spying, and the deep corruption within the capitalist profit system seriously impacted the way that young people see and understand the world. WikiLeaks, through its publishing of government spying, war crimes, and deep-rooted corruption, taught our generation that the government does not always tell the truth. In fact, the government purposely and consciously works to conceal the truth from its citizens. So-called national security and humanitarian intervention by the US and her allies, including Australia, have been outed as complete and utter lies. Patrick OConnor Byrne spoke of the social crisis within the Calwell electorate, with the Broadmeadows area having an official unemployment rate of 25 percent. He noted that thousands of residents were Iraqi, Syrian, and Kurdish refugees, victims of US imperialist operations in the Middle East that WikiLeaks had helped expose. Julian Assange is widely regarded as a hero by working people, he said. The sustained smear campaign against him, taken as good coin within certain middle-class circles, has gained little traction within the working class. Byrne appealed to workers and young people to support the SEPs campaign ahead of the May 18 vote. We call on you not just to support and vote for us, but to join our party and take up the fight for international socialism. Rally participants spoke with World Socialist Web Site reporters. Peter Byrne Catherine, an administrative worker from the eastern suburb of Hawthorn, attended the rally after learning about it on Facebook. I have been following the situation with Julian Assange since he was taken so brutally out of the Ecuadorian embassy last month, she explained. I was so shocked watching what happened. I could not believe it was the same person. I have to plead a little bit of ignorance that I only had a rudimentary knowledge of who he was. When I saw this old man dragged out of the embassy, I was thinking, is that the same quite suave WikiLeaks guy from a few years ago? I couldnt believe it was the same person and that has led me to learn more and more. Ever since then I have been absolutely devastated about what has happened to him. I now have a real passion to do what I can. As a normal citizen I feel I have limited ability to do much but I want to do whatever I can do. Catherine (right) with SEP candidate, Peter Byrne Catherine continued: I didnt follow anything when he was in the embassy, I am quite new to it. I remember things back in 2009-2010, it was huge, the WikiLeaks revelations, but then it seemed to all go a bit quiet. I wasnt conscious of what was happening and it kind of got shushed up a bit and I didnt have the curiosity to explore further. Unless you wanted to know you werent going to be told. I fear the situation once again is going to get buried. I think most Australians would care about this if they knew. I think it is our job to let people know, lets get people out on the street, lets have a public outcry because that is the only thing that will get listened to. If this all gets swept under the carpet god knows what is going to happen to him. Alan Since the scenes at the Ecuadorian embassy I have been immersed. Every day I have come home from work I have read articleseverything I can get my hands on. My take away from today is that there is only one party that has the guts to talk about this in the elections, only one party. That has given me something to think aboutI definitely got a lot out of the rally today. Alan said: Julian Assange should be given the protection of the Australian government and brought home to save him from the American persecution thats surely going to happen if they get hold of him for exposing their murderous actions on unarmed civilians overseas. I thought it was out of order the way he was dragged from the embassy It smacks of bullying and discouraging whistleblowers. You can see journalists around the world being jailed for the same sort of thing. Its what guilty governments would do. The media has gone all out in blackening Assanges nameits certainly not justified, he should be getting a medal for his exposures. Torrick Torrick, whose father was born in Lebanon, is an electrician who resigned membership of the Labor Party in 2003 in protest over its collaboration with the US-led, illegal invasion of Iraq. WikiLeaks showed us many, many things, he explained. The destructive power of the regimes you know the Iraqi massacres, the American governments willingness to carry out atrocities. With Edward Snowden as well, these are people who have always been heroes. Always in history, the people who have the courage to stand up knowing that there could be consequences to pay, yet they stand up for the community to let people know. The authors also recommend: SEP election meetings in Sydney and Brisbane Vote Socialist Equality Party! No to War and Austerity! For Socialism and Internationalism! Authorised by James Cogan for the Socialist Equality Party, Suite 906, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. On the orders of the Sri Lankan government, the police declared an island-wide curfew yesterday from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., amid violence being unleashed against the Muslim community. Under the draconian state of emergency imposed by the President Maithripala Sirisena, police have been vested with sweeping powers, including to declare curfew. The anti-Muslim violence is a product of systematic communal propaganda by the government, opposition, the security forces and the police following the suicide bomb attacks on three churches and hotels that killed 250 innocent persons on April 21. The terrorist attack was apparently carried out by the Islamic fundamentalist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, coordinating with the Islamist group National Thowheeth Jammaath in Sri Lanka. This has been seized on to blame the Muslim community for the bombings. On Sunday, police imposed a curfew in Chilaw in North Western province, 80 kilometres from Colombo, after Sinhala mobs attacked an abandoned Thowheeth Jammaath mosque and two shops owned by Muslims. Later the curfew was extended to Kuliyapitiya, Dummalasuriya, Bingiriya and Hettipola in the same province. Yesterday the curfew was lifted at 4 a.m. but re-imposed in these areas, except in Chilaw, as the attacks continued. Video footage showed an extensive attack in Minuwangoda in Gampaha district in Western province and adjacent Muslim villages. People have fled or gone into hiding to save their lives. The full extent of the damage is not known. The subsequent island-wide curfew supposedly is to prevent violence. However, the anti-Muslim attacks, carried out by well-organised mobs armed with clubs, continued even after the curfew was imposed. This indicates that the police and security forces turned a blind eye, as they have in the past during similar communal attacks on Tamils, Muslims and also Christians. In Chilaw, the thugs reportedly asked police to act against a Muslim youth over what they alleged was an incriminating Facebook post. The Island claimed that the slow reaction by police led to a mob attack. In reality, it was police sympathy for the mob that gave the goons time to attack. While Muslim youth have been arrested, none of the thugs is being held in custody. At Bingiriya, a Sinhala mob surrounded the police station and demanded the release of several arrested goons. TV footage showed that the local MP in the area and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera went to the police station and secured their release under police bail. On Sunday evening, the government slapped a ban on social media for the third time since the April 21 terror attack. Government information director Nalaka Kaluwewa said it was temporary, but the bans are part of broader campaign to censor and restrict the use of social media. From the outset, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) warned that the Colombo political establishment would exploit the April 21 bombings to further undermine democratic rights and fuel anti-Muslim sentiment to divide the working class. Government leaders and the security forces ignored an advance warning from a foreign intelligence agency about the attacks. President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted later that the warning contained a specific date, places and the Islamist group that planned to carry out the bombings. The document has not been made public and no one has explained why the warning was ignored. The SEP has warned that the draconian powers now in force under the state of emergency and the massive deployment of security forces will inevitably be used against the struggles of the working class and to suppress unrest among the rural poor and youth. Last year saw mounting social struggles against the governments austerity measures that have severely undermined the living conditions of working people. Last December 100,000 plantation workers stopped work for nine days to demand a doubling of their poverty-level daily wage. In March, 200,000 teachers across the island held a one-day strike for a wage hike. Under the state of emergency, the military and police have far-reaching powers, including to arrest people without charge and carry out searches without a warrant, to ban processions, restrict publications, seize property and issue essential service orders used to ban strikes and protests by workers. All the political parties of the establishment have given their approval to these anti-democratic regulations. In the name of fighting terrorism, the government and state apparatus have stepped up their anti-Muslim propaganda. Security forces have detained Muslim suspects and have publicised finds of weapons and explosives, camouflage uniforms and Islamist publications. In some cases, the media has corrected obviously false information but in other cases has just ignored the lies and half-truths. President Sirisena has used the state of emergency to ban women from wearing the burqa and niqab. Muslim preachers have been told not to read sermons using loudspeakers so as not to annoy Sinhala Buddhists. All political parties have declared that Muslims have a responsibility to inform on any terrorists. These measures only encourage anti-Muslim hysteria and violence. Various Sinhala-Buddhist extremist groups, with the backing of major political parties, have targeted Muslims in recent years. Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balaya, Sinhale and similar groups, led by Buddhist monks, carried out attacks on Muslims in June 2014 at Aluthgama and in March 2018 at Digana, destroying property and killing several people. In a nationwide address yesterday, the Prime Minister Wickremesinghe declared that the security forces and police have been given all necessary powers to restore peace and stability to the country. Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse issued a statement, saying: The entire country should be brought under one law, and it should be enacted on a policy which gives prominence to national security. Every section of the ruling elite is preparing the ground for autocratic forms of rule and the use of police-state measures against the working class. Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake yesterday told the News First TV channel: [If there is] anyone who is trying to destroy or dishonor the orders given by the government or the armed forces, we will take stern action. Chief of Defence Staff Major General Ravindra Wijegunaratne called on people to give their support to the armed forces. He said the army has deployed not only uniformed soldiers to control the situation but also undercover personnel in civilian clothes. A creeping dictatorship is being developed under emergency rule on the pretext of containing the communal violence. Following the terrorist attacks, the military is working closely with foreign intelligence agencies, police and military, particularly from the US. Working class must oppose the communal violence against Muslims and fight for the unity of workers across ethnic lines. They should form independent action committees and defence committees in large estates, workplaces and neighbourhoods and call for the support of youth and the rural poor so as to defend the democratic and social rights of all. Democratic rights can only be defended in a struggle against capitalism on the basis of socialist policies and the fight for a workers and peasants government as part of the struggle for international socialism. The urgent political task is to build the SEP as the leadership needed to lead this struggle. Ahead of the European elections on May 26, the ruling class intends to intensify internet censorship and silence critical viewpoints. This was plain for all to see in the speech given by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to open the re:publica 2019 conference in Berlin last week. With cynical references to Germanys Basic Law and the right to freedom of speech contained within it, Steinmeier called for new censorship measures and appealed to the major technology firms to enforce already existing guidelines more aggressively. He stated, The upcoming 70th anniversary of the German Basic Law reminds us of a connection that pre-dates online and offline: liberty needs rulesand new liberties need new rules. Furthermore, freedom of opinion brings with it responsibility for opinion. He stressed that he knew there are already many rules, among which he mentioned the notorious Network Enforcement Law (Netz DG), but it will be necessary to argue over others. He then added, Anyone who creates space for a political discussion with a platform bears responsibility for democracy, whether they like it or not. Therefore, democratic regulations are required, he continued. Steinmeier said that he felt this is now understood in Silicon Valley. After a lot of words and announcements, discussion forums, and photogenic appearances with politicians, it is now time for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Co. to finally acknowledge their responsibility for democracy, finally put it into practice. Steinmeiers understanding of freedom and democracy underscores the kind of authoritarian spirit that predominates in the ruling elite 74 years after the downfall of the Third Reich. For Germanys head of state, freedom of opinion is not a human right anchored in the Basic Law as a fundamental right in opposition to state power. For Steinmeier, who is speaking for the entire ruling class, political positions are only deemed to be responsible or democratic if they are in line with those of the established parties and mainstream media outlets. Positions that deviate from this must be regulated, i.e., censored and suppressed. This applies, for example, to the issue of transparency. As long as the quick lie and the serious news item, the confirmed fact and the pure opinion, as long as reason and agitation appear undifferentiated alongside each other in news feeds, demagogues will certainly have an easy time, railed Steinmeier. It is necessary to have crystal clear labels of origin for information, above all when political advertising is involved! Anyone who deliberately places political messages tailored to data must be forced by the operator and possibly even lawmakers to show their face. Steinmeier was not more specific about what he meant by agitation and unserious news, or the political messages and advertising he wants to control. But it is obvious what he is talking about. Five years ago, when he was foreign minister, Steinmeier banned any criticism of Germanys militarist foreign policy in the lead-up to the 2014 European elections. When a few protesters described him as a warmonger at the SPDs central rally at Alexanderplatz in Berlin for his role in the right-wing coup in Ukraine and the NATO offensive against Russia, he insulted them as thugs who wanted to damage Europe, and yelled at them, You have no right. Since then, the ruling elite has intensified its policies of military rearmament and the social spending cuts required to pay for it, while working feverishly to suppress the widespread opposition among workers and young people. In the name of the struggle against hate speech, fake news and disinformation on the internet, left-wing and progressive websites and opinions have been the main target for censorship. Facebook has repeatedly blocked accounts that criticise war or police violence. In Germany, thousands of posts have been deleted under the same pretext since the coming into force of the Network Enforcement Law. And after extensive consultations with German government officials, Google is censoring the World Socialist Web Site . The current Secret Service report commissioned by the grand coalition also resorts to the use of terms like disinformation to criminalise left-wing opposition to official politics. In the section propaganda and disinformation, it states, Television, radio and internet channels broadcasting around the world are conducting propaganda and disinformation campaigns. In another part of the report, the intelligence agency boasts that preventative measures led to increased attention to potential disinformation and stronger protective measures. The declared goal of the Secret Service, which cooperates closely with the far-right Alternative for Germany, is the persecution of socialists. One example of this is the Secret Service reports reference to the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) for the first time as a left-wing extremist party and an object of observation. The only reason given by the report for this is the SGPs political opposition to the existing state and social order invariably slandered as capitalism, against the EU, supposed nationalism, imperialism and militarism, as well as against Social Democracy, the trade unions, and the Left Party. Current developments increasingly resemble the darkest period of European history. For over a month, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been confined to the high security Belmarsh prison in London with the silent approval of the German government. His only crime is that WikiLeaks exposed the war crimes of US imperialism and its European allies. For this, he now faces the threat of being extradited to the United States and possibly the death penalty. The SGP refuses to be intimidated by these developments. The party is taking legal action against the Secret Service report, and organising meetings and a central rally to demand the freedom of Assange. The SGP views Steinmeiers speech as a declaration of war. Already last autumn, Chancellor Angela Merkel (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) threatened parties with sanctions if they failed to stick to the prescribed political line during the European election campaign. Steinmeier now warns, It is comparatively small groups who are making a disproportionately loud noise. Dont give up online political spaces to the raging paper tigers! The reason for the German presidents hysterical outburst is not hard to understand. The ruling class fears that the SGPs socialist programme will find mass support. Already in 2016, a Yougov survey found that more people in Germany have a positive view of socialism than capitalism. The working class has radicalised further since then. Over recent months, hundreds of thousands have protested against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the governments right-wing policies, new police powers, and internet censorship, and for the expropriation of major hedge funds and property owners. In February, tens of thousands joined public sector strikes against terrible working conditions and low pay. In March, thousands of transport workers went on strike in Berlin and shut down the city. Strikes and protests are on the rise throughout Europe and internationally. The SGP and its sister parties in the International Committee of the Fourth International provide the sentiments driving these struggles with a clear political perspective and orientation. We call upon everyone who wants to fight the return of German militarism, the rise of poverty and the far-right, and the growing danger of a third world war to support our election campaign and take the conscious decision to join the SGP and take up the fight for socialism. A New York Times expose published last Wednesday featured an analysis of the tax returns of President Donald Trump between 1985 and 1994. Over this 10-year period, Trump reported $1.17 billion in losses, a sufficiently high amount to legally except Trump from paying income taxes for eight of those 10 years. The Times reporters were able to piece together the data from information in Trumps tax returns that was provided by a source, who, according to the newspaper, had legal access to the information. They then found matching results in an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) public database providing information on top earners. Last weeks article follows a Times expose published last October that focused on the tax-dodging machinations of the Trump business under Donald Trumps father, Fred C. Trump. Donald Trump had blamed the 1990 recession for a series of reversals and bankruptcies that hit his business empire in the early 90s. However, it now is evident that he had incurred significant losses well beforehand. In 1985, Trump reported $46.1 million in losses. These mainly stemmed from his casinos, hotels and retail business. Every subsequent year, he lost more money than almost every other individual taxpayer in the US. His losses in 1990 and 1991, over $250 million each year, were more than double the losses of the nearest taxpayers in the top earner category. The report provides insight into Trumps main sources of income over this period. There were large winnings on the stock market, a $67.1 million salary earned one year, and $52.9 million in windfall profits. Each year, however, his losses vastly outweighed his earningsmeaning that most of his income was not taxed at all. Trumps earnings on the stock market underscore the corrupt and unstable character of the financial parasitism that developed during the 1980s, culminating in the 2008 financial meltdown and continuing unabated today. Between 1986 and 1988, while his core businesses remained deep in the red, Trump made millions by making a pretense of planning the takeover of companies. By the end of 1988, however, his gains plummeted as most investors realized it was idle talk. Trump slammed the Times story last week in a series of tweets, which included the following astonishing admission: Real estate developers in the 1980s & 1990s, more than 30 years ago, were entitled to massive write-offs and depreciation which would, if one was actively building, show losses and tax losses in almost all cases. Much was non-monetary. Sometimes considered tax shelter, you would get it by building, or even buying. You always wanted to show losses for tax purposes almost all real estate developers didand often re-negotiate with banks, it was sport. Additionally, the very old information put out is a highly inaccurate Fake News hit job! The Times story can be interpreted in one of two ways. It may very well expose the fraud of Trumps supposed genius for business, of which he routinely boasted throughout his 2016 presidential campaign. Or, if Trump is telling the truth, it provides data on the vast scale of tax fraud and evasion carried out by the current occupant of the White House. An unnamed senior official in a statement issued to the Times wrote: The president got massive depreciation and tax shelter because of large-scale construction and subsidized developments. That is why the president has always scoffed at the tax system and said you need to change the tax laws. You can make a large income and not have to pay a large amount of taxes. While the recently released information provides some insight into Trumps sordid dealings in the business underworld, little is known about his activities after 1994. It is entirely possible that he has dodged taxes for many more than just eight years. He has repeatedly refused to release his tax returns, a departure from the past 40 years of presidential tradition and an expression of Trumps contempt for democratic norms. Following Trumps order that administration officials ignore a string of subpoenas issued by the House Democrats, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rebuffed a summons from the House Ways and Committee for six years of Trumps tax returns. Just prior to assuming office, Trump made clear that he would not sever ties with his vast business empire as president. The Emoluments Clause (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8) of the US Constitution bars any person holding office in the US government from receiving any sort of present, salary, fee or profit from a foreign state. Trump has business interests in real estate, management and branding in no less than 18 foreign countries, spanning virtually the entire globe. They are: Canada, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, Bermuda, French Antilles, Scotland, Ireland, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Israel, South Africa, Indonesia, India and China. Over the course of his 16-month election campaign, he registered eight new companies based in Saudi Arabia. The Donald J. Trump Foundation also admitted in IRS filings that it broke federal rules against self-dealing, a provision intended to prevent charitable organizations from using funds to help their leaders families or business interests. Trump was fond of using the foundations funds to settle his legal disputes. He appears to have spent some $260,000 in foundation funds on legal battles. The foundation reportedly also bought high-priced luxury items only to gift them to Trump. If true, this would represent yet another component of the long history of tax evasion and fraud upon which Trumps business empire was built. The expose published last October by the Times presented a factual case that Trump and his siblings benefited from tax fraud to the tune of at least half a billion dollars. It found that Fred and Mary Trump transferred well over $1 billion in wealth to their children, paying a total of $52.2 million in federal taxes, an effective rate of about 5 percent. The actual estate and gift tax rate at the time was 55 percent, meaning the Trumps paid less than 10 percent of the $550 million they owed to the government. Even within the context of tax laws that are riddled with loopholes, some, if not all, of the tax dodges used by the Trumps to evade hundreds of millions of dollars (or more) in tax payments were very likely illegal. The picture of criminality and corruption that emerges from the Times reports is one that characterizes not just the Trump clan, but the corporate-financial oligarchy as a whole. The author also recommends: NY Times expose on Trump fortune: An empire built of tax evasion and fraud [6 October 2018] The case of Sydney Schanberg: How the NY Times shielded Trump and the Manhattan real estate mafia [11 October 2018] University students and staff alike are paying a terrible price for the worsening under-funding and de facto privatisation of Australias public universities by successive Liberal-National and Labor governments. Ever-larger class sizes, soaring student fee debts, rampant casualisation and corporate restructuring have increasingly dominated campuses for decades. More than 63 percent of staff at universities in the state of Victoria are now in insecure work. Leading the way, Melbourne and Monash universities have over 72 percent of their staff on casual or fixed-term contracts. As at January 2019, the total level of outstanding domestic student fee (HELP) debt was $62 billiona five-fold increase since 2005-06. Over that period, the average level of debt has more than doubled to $21,557. More than 200,000 young people have debts exceeding $50,000. These two statistics alone indicate the nature and extent of the crisis. Facing a lifetime of debt, students are under huge financial pressure to work long hours while they are still at university, making it very difficult to properly study. At the same time, university teachers like myself are being told to take larger and larger classes, such as tutorials of 70, which make a further mockery of genuine teaching and learning. University vice-chancellors and other top managers have become highly-paid corporate executives, driven by ruthless cost-cutting and profit-making plans. They ride roughshod over the concerns of educators and researchers, as well as students. This assault has accelerated at a great pace over the past 10 years since the last Labor government imposed its pro-market education revolution. Labors scheme has transformed the universities into business-dominated institutions, heavily dependent on corporate partnerships and competing desperately with each other to enrol students, primarily in business and vocational courses. While boasting of having lifted caps on student enrolments, the Greens-backed Labor government of Julia Gillard cut $2.7 billion from tertiary funding in 2013, initiating a cost-cutting drive that the Liberal-National Coalition government has intensified ever since. Yet, the student and staff unions are again imploring their members to campaign and vote for another big business Labor government. According to the election scorecard issued by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), only Labor and the Greens tick the boxes for defending higher education, by contrast with the Coalition. These are the sole choices offered by the union. This is a fraud, and a complete rewriting of history. The truth is that the Socialist Equality Party is the only one calling for the vast redistribution of wealth needed to secure the basic social rights of all, including free, high-quality public education at all levels, from kindergartens to universities and technical colleges. Mike Head with campaign team members at Inala in the Oxley electorate As we explain in our election statement, this means expropriating the major banks and corporate giantsincluding the proliferating private education conglomeratesand placing them under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class. The NTEU is deliberately obscuring its own role. While the trade unions claim to have opposed the assault on students and staff, union-negotiated enterprise agreements have helped managements casualise their workforces to one of the highest levels in any industry. As a result, education workers often spend several months of the year without employment or knowing whether they will be re-employed. Students inevitably suffer as well, with less access to consultation with teachers and support staff. Because of the cuts imposed by Labor and Coalition governments alike, students, both domestic and international, are paying ever-higher fees. Full fee-paying overseas students, often being charged more than $30,000 a year, have become cash cows for financially-starved universities and related businesses, injecting more than $32 billion per year into the coffers of Australian capitalism. While the crisis has been intensified by a two-year-old funding freeze and cuts to research grants by the current Coalition government, Labor governments have laid the basis for it. The offensive began in the late 1980s, when the Hawke Labor government reintroduced fees, first for international students and then for their domestic classmates. This was part of its restructuring of the entire economy, dictated by the corporate and financial elites, at the direct expense of the working class. Even worse is to come. Regardless of whether Labor or the Coalition heads the next government, new performance targets will make any funding increases depend on universities realigning their course offerings to be more in tune with the requirements of the corporate elite. Last year, Labor Party deputy leader Tanya Plibersek announced another once in a generation review of post-secondary education, just 10 years after Labors last onethe Bradbury reviewwhich led to the pro-market revolution. A panel packed with corporate representatives, including Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott, will seek to further tie universities and technical colleges to the needs of business, churning out graduates tailor-made for major employers. In February, Plibersek bluntly declared that in return for lifting student enrolment caps, supposedly generating an extra $10 billion in fee revenue over 10 years, a Labor government would require universities to meet community expectations specified in signed funding agreements. For community expectations read corporate expectations and other national priorities like military-linked research. In an exclusive interview with the Australian Financial Review on May 2, Plibersek put universities on notice that they would not get any extra money for research. She also demanded stronger university-industry linkages and greater commercialisation of research. All this is anathema to the very concept of universities as institutions of higher learning and critical inquiry, encouraging and allowing young people to develop deeper understandings of history, society, the earths environment and the universe. To fight for the fundamental social right of all young people to a free, first-class education and the right of all staff to decent, well-paid and secure positions, university workers and students need to make a decisive political break from Labor and the Greens, along with the NTEU and all the other education trade unions. What is required is a fight for a workers government and a socialist perspective, aimed at the complete reorganisation of society in the interests of all, not the profits of the wealthy few. We urge all those who want to take part to contact the Socialist Equality Party and the Committee for Public Education it has established to lead this struggle. Authorised by James Cogan for the Socialist Equality Party, Suite 906, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. Highways Department Senior Engineer Cheng Chung-shan says the LED lights use less energy thereby reducing carbon emissions. The lamppost is fitted with energy saving features including light-emitting diode or LED lights with a Smart Lighting Management System. Most of the smart devices are housed within the lampposts protective donut casing. Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Senior Systems Manager Dantes Tang says the pilot scheme enhances city and traffic management. The smart lampposts are undergoing tests and are expected to come into operation at the end of June. The first 50 smart lampposts under a government pilot scheme are being installed in selected road sections in Kwun Tong and the Kai Tak Development Area, and are expected to come into operation at the end of June. Equipped with sensors, data networks and related digital facilities, the smart lampposts can enhance city management through collection of real-time data like weather, environment and traffic. Multiple benefits Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Senior Systems Manager Dantes Tang noted the lampposts are suitable for installing microcell stations of fifth generation (5G) mobile communications services and providing Wi-Fi and future 5G services to the public and tourists. To complement the development of 5G in Hong Kong, we have reserved spaces for the mobile network operators to install their microcell base stations into the smart lampposts. Some of the smart devices are housed within the lampposts protective donut casing. The technology was developed locally by the Logistics & Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre, universities, startups, and small and medium enterprises. It also incorporates energy saving features including light-emitting diode or LED lighting with a Smart Lighting Management System. Highways Department Senior Engineer Cheng Chung-shan explained that LEDs use less energy and therefore emit less carbon dioxide. (Compared with) the road light, it is about a 30% reduction in energy. Matched with our smart control system, the energy saving can be further enhanced. Because perhaps after midnight the illumination is not required to be so bright, we can dim it to a certain degree to save more energy. Under the Multi-functional Smart Lampposts pilot scheme, the Government will progressively install about 400 smart lampposts in the next three years in four urban locations: Central and Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Kwun Tong and the Kai Tak Development Area. The schemes performance will be evaluated next year. U.S. President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) in June. "I will be meeting with President Putin," Trump told reporters at the White House during his meeting with visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The announcement of their meeting at the G20 summit, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, at the end of June, came as the two countries are still at odds over issues including arms control, Venezuela, Ukraine and Iran. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to meet with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday, after skipping a stopover in Moscow for meetings with European and NATO officials in Brussels over Iran. Pompeo will discuss "the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges" with Putin and Lavrov, said the U.S. State Department last week. In early May, Trump spoke over phone with Putin for more than an hour, a conversation which Trump touted later in a tweet as "very productive." Trump canceled a formal meeting with Putin in Buenos Aires in December last year, citing mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The Government has reached a consensus with pork traders over the cull of pigs at Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse where a pig tested positive for African swine fever (ASF). At a meeting between Under Secretary for Food & Health Chui Tak-yi, and live pig buyers and meat trade representatives today, three points were agreed on. Dr Chui said after the meeting that a consensus was reached on first, starting the culling and disinfection process as soon as possible, and if everything goes smoothly, the whole process will start tomorrow and be completed in one week. The Government will also communicate with the Mainland's General Administration of Customs and co-operate with the buyers and traders to resume the live pig supply to Tsuen Wan Slaughterhouse as soon as possible. Thirdly, it was agreed that the Government will continue to discuss with the pig trade, refining the scope of the live pig cull at the slaughterhouse in case ASF is detected again. Representatives of the Food & Environmental Hygiene and Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation departments also attended the meeting. Chief Executive Carrie Lam will lead a government delegation to attend the 21st Plenary of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference in Guangzhou on May 16. The meeting will be the first joint conference held after the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was promulgated. Both sides will deliberate on the plans implementation and further collaboration between the two places. Mrs Lam will be joined by Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip, Secretary for the Environment K S Wong, Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah and Secretary for Innovation & Technology Nicholas Yang. After the meeting, Mrs Lam and Mr Nip will visit three bay area cities, where she will meet leaders of Foshan, Zhaoqing and Jiangmen municipal governments. She will tour youth innovation and entrepreneurship bases as well as I&T, medical services and cultural facilities. She will also learn about the cities urban planning and inspect transportation infrastructure. Before concluding the visit, Mrs Lam and Mr Nip will attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area media summit opening ceremony in Guangzhou on May 19. The Hungarian Tourism Agency has announced that it will present its unified Hungarian wine brand concept in Budapest next Monday, May 20. The concept has been created to strengthen the position of Hungarian wine domestically and on the global market. The Budapest stage of a series of events revolving around the introduction of the brand concept will be held in Societe Budapest (1051 Budapest, Sas u. 15), according to a press release. The concept was revealed to the general public on March 1 at the ProWein Dusseldorf wine expo in Germany via a stand built along the lines of the concept. Hungary aims to strengthen its strategic alliance with the United States, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said at a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Hungary and the US have similar approaches to a variety of global political issues, Orban said in the Oval Office, mentioning illegal immigration, the fight against terrorism and the protection of Christian communities. Asked about Hungarys democratic reforms, the prime minister said his government was operating on the basis of the constitution approved in 2011. He noted that his government had won multiple elections, adding that we are happy to serve our nation. Trump praised Orbans efforts to preserve Hungarys security, saying the Hungarian prime minister was respected all over Europe. He called Hungary a very good member of NATO. Trump also praised Orbans handling of illegal migration. You look at some of the problems that they have in Europe that are tremendous because they have done it a different way than the prime minister, Trump said. The meeting lasted significantly longer than originally planned, and began with a closed-door meeting that was also attended by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and US National Security Advisor John Bolton. MTI Photo: Koszticsak Szilard Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau will attend trade meetings in Chile and France, and strengthen bilateral relations between Hong Kong and the UK in London. He will first attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Vina del Mar, Chile from May 17 to 18 to join discussions with ministers of other member economies on various topics and sign an agreement between Hong Kong and Mexico. Mr Yau will then visit London from May 20 to 21 to meet senior government officials and parliamentarians to explore further co-operation on bilateral trade and creative industries development. He will deliver a keynote speech at a seminar on Hong Kong creative industries and design and will speak on Hong Kongs latest economic and trade situation as well as its role in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt & Road Initiative at a roundtable discussion. On May 22 and 23, Mr Yau will attend the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development in Paris. He will attend a ministerial dinner hosted by the Slovak Republic and join a session on digital trade. Mr Yau will also attend the World Trade Organization Informal Ministerial Gathering to discuss issues relating to the organisations reform and achievable outcomes for the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference next year. He will return to Hong Kong on May 24. Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan will be Acting Secretary during Mr Yaus absence. Six Hungarian universities will offer training for nuclear power plant engineers from the fall, CEO of Paks II Atomeromu Istvan Lenkei announced on Monday. The first co-operation agreement was signed with the University of Pecs, while other universities which will also host the so-called Paks II Academy are located in Budapest, Debrecen, Miskolc, Dunaujvaros and Veszprem. Experts completing the two semesters of training are likely to work on building and operating the new blocks of the Paks nuclear plant, Lenkei said. The curriculum was devised jointly by the company in charge of the plants expansion and the six higher education institutions. The training at Pecs University will begin with 100 engineers, rector Attila Miseta said. MTI Photo: Soki Tamas After two decades Infected Mushroom has earned their reputation as a groundbreaking legend within electronic dance music. Twice ranked amongst the worlds 10 Best DJs by DJ Magazine, with streaming numbers in the tens of millions and a cult following of die-hard fans, the LA-based, Israeli-bred duo has created one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world of electronic music. After six long years on the 12th July they will return to the stage of Budapest Park and they will bring their unearthly rhytms and psychedelic melodies as well as their brand new album that came out last December. And this is not the end: after Infected there will be the two superstar DJs (also from Israel) Skazi, who began his carreer as a punk rocker and then turned to the direction of psychedelic music and Yahel, who has reached the top of the global charts. Date and time: 12 July, 6 pm Tickets: HUF 6,999 Venue: Budapest Park 1095 Budapest, Soroksari ut 60. More: budapestpark.hu Alyssa Milano Explains Her Controversial 'Sex Strike' to Fight Anti-Abortion Laws: 'It Got the Country Talking' Why Alyssa Milano Proposed Sex Strike After Abortion Ban Alyssa Milano reiterated her controversial call for women to go on a sex strike to protest Georgias extremely restrictive new abortion law, which is set to take effect next year. In a CNN op-ed published on Monday and co-written with Waleisah Wilson, the actress and activist acknowledged the mixed reaction to her position. But, she wrote, It got the country talking about the GOPs undeniable war on women. And lets face it, with so much going on every day in the news, sometimes we need an extreme response to get national attention. (Abortion opponents argue such measures are about protecting pregnancies and not about targeting women.) Our reproductive rights are blatantly and systematically being stripped away before our very eyes, Milano, 46, wrote in her column. The time for national engagement on this issue is long overdue. We must collectively reject these restrictions on our basic human rights and dignity in every way that we can. On Friday, she called for women to stop having sex until we get bodily autonomy back. Her message sparked almost immediate debate. Critics said Milanos proposed strike ignores the LGBTQ community, minorities, and sexual violence and supports, if inadvertently, a patriarchal view of the world in which womens bodies are something that have value only in relation to men. I know this is well-meaning but the WHOLE. ENTIRE. POINT. of these horrifying laws is to punish women for daring to have and enjoy non-procreative sex, Andi Zeisler wrote on Twitter. You think people who *already* believe women have no right to their own bodies are going to respect partners who say no? Alyssa Milano speaks with reporters before the Senate confirmation hearing on Brett Kavanaugh in September | MICHAEL REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty RELATED: Production Companies Say They Wont Film in Georgia Due to Controversial New Abortion Law Zeisler continued: You think people who *already* believe women have no right to their own bodies are going to respect partners who say no? Story continues Anti-gun violence activist Shannon Watts tweeted: A #SexStrike wont bring back our rights. Voting, supporting women candidates, running for office, and fighting like hell will. Meanwhile The View co-host Meghan McCain, who is against abortion, said on Mondays show that people like Alyssa Milano need to understand that women arent just one section of the population like her. I always feel like pro-life women are completely left out of conversations like this. Milanos call to action came just days after Georgias Republican governor, Brian Kemp, signed the so-called heartbeat bill. The law bans most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks. Alyssa Milano | Owen Hoffmann/Patrick McMullan via Getty The ban will allow for legal abortions if the pregnancy seriously risks the health of the woman or if the fetus would not survive outside the womb, and it has exceptions for cases of incest and rape as long as the woman files a police report. Emboldened by a more staunchly conservative majority on the Supreme Court, abortion opponents nationwide have pushed increasing restrictions hoping to force a reversal of Roe v. Wade. Polling has consistently shown a majority of Americans support abortion access in most cases. But the issue is extremely divisive among different political and religious groups, including conservative women. A legal challenge to Georgias new law is imminent, and the courts are expected to ultimately have to decide whether such a ban is unconstitutional. RELATED: Busy Philipps Opens Up About Having an Abortion at 15 Every Woman Deserves Compassion and Care On Monday, Milano expanded on her sex strike proposal in her CNN column. She wrote that the new Georgia law was not unique in America, pointing to similar restrictions being considered or already passed in places like Alabama and Ohio. A #SexStrike is another way for people who have the potential to get pregnant to call attention to this systematic onslaught and assert the power to change our own destinies, she wrote. This flood of anti-abortion legislation is completely outrageous and an equally bold response is required, she wrote. A #SexStrike is a way to target straight, cisgender men so they may feel the physical consequences of our reproductive rights being systematically eliminated. Milano cited what she said were previous historical examples of successful sex strikes, arguing that this form of protest has the potential to raise the issue far beyond the usual groups engaged in debates about reproductive health. In an opposing column for CNN on Monday, Peggy Drexler countered Milano, writing: Taking a stand against restrictions on womens reproductive, or any other, rights is important. But calling for everyone to do so in this way misses the point and risks alienating more people than it unites. There are other ways to protest the Georgia law, including donating to Planned Parenthood or another organization working to protect womens rights, calling your representatives, and voting, which too many people do not do, Drexler wrote. Instead of withholding sex from the men in your lives, and from yourself, try talking to them about whats at stake for women and why it matters to them, too. How often do you say to yourself on Wednesday, Wow, this week isnt over yet? Well, stop crying because at least youre not John Wick! Dont get me wrong, Ive had some rough weeks during my time on Earth, but late-nights at the office and another awkward Bumble date has nothing on everything that Mr. Jonathan Wick experienced throughout John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2. Hell, Id even argue that no one has ever had a longer week than our favorite pencil-using assassin. Lets start from the beginning: We literally meet him as hes bleeding and on the verge of death. I bet youve never had a Monday morning like that! I guess technically neither has John, since that was more like his Wednesday. We jump back a few days to John burying his late wife (Bridget Moynahan, who keeps cashing these checks despite having never been alive in these films). On second thought, that might be an even worse start to a week. But things are looking up when, courtesy of his wife, an adorable puppy is delivered to help him deal with his grief. And those good times lasted for one whole night. His house is soon broken into, hes beaten, his car is stolen, and, in the most vicious crime of all, his dog is killed. And then those savages dragged poor Daisys body right next to a passed out John. Now, this pales in comparison, but with his car stolen (and apparently no clean clothes), a bloodied shirted John has to ride the bus to track down his stolen ride. And yet, that is still not one of Keanus two most interesting bus rides. John, a.k.a. the Boogeyman (cant imagine he gets much sleep with that nickname), subsequently learns that hes now at war with a Russian crime syndicate. That brings even more intruders into his home, but this time he kills them all, leaving a mess that requires a cleaning crew, which cant be cheap. Also, theres no way they are getting all of that blood out! Adding insult to injury is that hes now forced to go stay at a hotel, an assassin hotel at that, meaning when he finally tries to get some sleep, he cant because hes dealing with gunshots from inside and outside his room (does a do not disturb sign mean nothing these days?). And if that isnt annoying enough, the hotel doesnt even have good enough laundry services to get the blood out of his clothes. Story continues Needing some air (and dead Russians), John leaves the Continental and is forced to spend his night at a Russian club/bathhouse. Have you ever tried killing someone while listening to house music? I havent, but I cant imagine its pleasant. I also cant imagine that its pleasant having to kill people in a church, and thats what John has to do later. On the bright side, it seemed like more a criminal front than a real church. John soon pays a physical toll as hes hit by a car and suffocated with a plastic bag over his head. But, hey, at least he gets to say an all-time badass line: People keep asking if Im back, and I really havent had an answer. But now, yeah, Im thinking Im back. And if Im one of these goons, Im like, Wait, this dude has been killing our crew with ease and he wasnt even back yet? F. Thankfully, John makes it out of the bag alive because of his assassin friend Marcus (Willem Dafoe). Not thankfully, that ends up getting Marcus killed. And Im guessing that John isnt a guy with a huge friend circle. He gets his revenge by taking out seemingly the entire Russian population in New York City, while being left hurt himself (picking up where we first met him). But, we have a happy ending as he happens to stumble upon an animal clinic and rescues a dog that was set to be euthanized. Could this be A Dogs Purpose situation and Marcus is the dog? Wow, Im glad that crazy week is over because Im exhausted and I was only the one telling the story. Wait, John Wick: Chapter 2 picks up only four days later?! So were only at like Humpday?! Okay, then lets keep going. At least we start on a good note here with John getting his car back, although he does then damage it so much that John Leguizamos mechanic says it wont be ready until like 2030 (I dont want to know the cost of labor on that job!). Returning home, John immediately buries all of his assassin stuff back underground. And literally five seconds later, Italian mafia boss Santino (Riccardo Scamarcio) shows up and demands that John kill his sister for him. You know what, I blame John. Why the rush to bury your gear? Take a little bit of me time first. John refuses Santinos request, resulting in the bad guy blowing up Johns house. That sucks, but, looking glass half-full, maybe he now doesnt have to work as hard to unbury the assassin stuff? With John and his puppy barely surviving the blast, its back to hotel life. And it sure seems like they have to walk there has John been banned from buses after the last film? Its a short stay at the NYC Continental as hes off to the Rome Continental, leaving his dog behind (and surely a hefty pet deposit with it). As someone who probably doesnt get to travel much, its a bummer that John surely wont get to enjoy any of the sights. Instead, its all business, which doesnt include killing the pope, but does include killing an innocent lady. Shes a member of the High Table, so shes probably not that innocent, but she didnt do anything to John! And technically he doesnt kill her, she kills herself but this one is still going on his conscious. Post-kill, he again has to deal with this damn house music; why do all his targets love places like this?! Also not part of the exit plan is having to run away from Common and being betrayed by Santino and Ruby Rose (no character names needed, theyre just Common and Ruby Rose to us). And when it finally looks like he got away, boom, hit by another car. This leads to an all out brawl between John and Common in the streets of Rome until they go flying through the window at the Continental, meaning they cant kill each other there because its against hotel rules (if only good laundry services was part of their business model). Its then back to New York for John, who has a $7 million hit out on him, so hes having to fend off constant assassination attempts. And as if the NYC transit system could get any worse, John and Common have another fight on the train. John wins the fight but is injured (how many stab and gunshot wounds does he have this week?), prompting him to seek the help of underground crime lord the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). While he was already kind of homeless, hes now officially homeless with this crew. Eventually, John tracks Santino to the Continental and breaks the hotels rules by killing him on the grounds. Bad news: This leads to John being deemed excommunicado and the contract on him being raised to $14 million. Good news: Hes given an hour head start and one marker for future use. Declaring that he will kill anyone who comes for him, John and his dog immediately start runningright into John Wick 3 since it picks up immediately after John Wick 2 ends. Let hell week continue! So next time youre like, Is it Friday yet?, think about Johnand his dead wifeand his destroyed houseand both of his dogsand all his internal bleedingand his laundry bill. John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum opens in theaters on Friday. Related content: A 23-year-old Arizona man is charged with manslaughter after his infant daughter died in a hot car while he allegedly went to visit a friend on Saturday. Ty Martin of Lake Havasu is accused of leaving his daughter for nearly an hour to visit the friend, who himself is accused of having a marijuana growing operation in his house. On the day of the pairs arrest, officers with the Lake Havasu City Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive child. Upon arrival, officers learned that Martin had allegedly left his infant daughter unattended in his car for approximately 45 minutes to an hour while visiting his friend Noah Grabowski, 23, the statement says. MAN ARRESTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN DEATH OF HIS INFANT DAUGHTERhttps://t.co/jCxAiD4FCt pic.twitter.com/cMPTX7wHYW Lake Havasu City PD (@lhcpd) May 13, 2019 Officers immediately began performing CPR on the baby until the fire department arrived and rushed her to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead a short time later. 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. In addition to the manslaughter charges against Martin, Grabowski is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and cultivation of marijuana after a search warrant related to the manslaughter investigation was served at his house. This incident is tragic for everyone involved and completely avoidable, police say in the statement. The Lake Havasu City Police Department would like to remind everyone that it is never acceptable to leave a child unattended inside of a motor vehicle. Temperatures inside of a car can spike rapidly, even with the air conditioner running, the statement says. Martin and Grabowski are both being held without bond. They have not yet entered pleas. It is unclear whether they have retained attorneys who can speak on their behalf. Photo credit: Nancy Lane - Getty Images From Esquire From Politico, we learn... "Objection, Your Honor. Assumes facts not in evidence." Sustained. "I just think there is a way, and the thing that will fundamentally change things is with Donald Trump out of the White House. Not a joke. You will see an epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends," Biden said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire. "It's already beginning in the House now ... If we can't change, we're in trouble. This nation cannot function without generating consensus. It can't do it." That's a murderous quote, in that it causes your consultants and campaign officials to throw themselves into the outgoing tide. In 2008, you may recall, during his last, doomed presidential campaign, Joe Biden used to crack wise about how the Republican Party was not your father's Republican Party. Since then, he was vice president for eight years in an administration that was sabotaged at every turn by an intractable Republican legislative majority. Photo credit: Win McNamee - Getty Images In 2014, President Obama offered the Republicans the Grand Bargain of a lifetime that included a partial abandonment of Social Security and the Republicans threw it back because they didn't want to raise taxes on their donor base. Biden was one of the administration's primary brokers in that farce. In 2016, the Republican legislative majority simply refused to recognize President Obama's right to nominate a new Supreme Court justice. And, ever since the 2016 presidential election, they have fallen in giddy lockstep behind a president* whose insane stewardship in the office Biden himself says was the primary reason Biden got into the race at all. That is one murderous quote to hang around your neck in 2019. An epiphany? Lord, no. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: Getty Images From Esquire Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached. Donald Trump could be the third. (Knock on wood.) But as detailed in Brenda Wineapples riveting and definitive new history, The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation, the two presidents shared more than just a talent for pissing off congress. Both were/are paranoid, vindictive, stubborn, bigoted, arrogant, self-righteous, autocratic, volatile, vainglorious, divisive, indifferent to constitutional niceties, and prone to giving long, rambling, non-sequitur-filled speeches in which they threatened opponents and spoke about themselves in the third person. Official portraits also show a kindred propensity for glowering. And heres one more quality the two share: tenuous legitimacy. In Johnsons case this was because he was the first vice president to succeed an assassinated president, his authority further compromised by the fact that the slain Abraham Lincoln was a Northern Republican and Johnson a Southern Democrat (albeit one loyal to the Union). In Trumps case, it is because he lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes while welcoming the electoral meddling of a hostile foreign government. That, and the fact that hes manifestly unfit for office. Frederick Law Olmstead, the designer of Central Park, spoke for many of his fellow citizens in the late 1860s when he dismissed Johnson as a so-called president, just as an angry LeBron James did a century and a half later when he called Trump the same, following the fatal white supremacist riots in Charlottesville. There were, of course, important differences between the two presidents. Johnson was a heavy drinker-he showed up plastered for his vice-presidential inauguration-while Trump is a teetotaler. Johnson was also a self-made man; his father, a constable and stables keeper, died when Johnson was three and was thus unable to float him financially for decades. In fact, Johnson, who spent his boyhood as an indentured servant, never owned even a single overleveraged casino that needing bailing out. Story continues But Wineapples deeply researched book is full of observations about Johnson from his contemporaries that, but for proper nouns and the occasional musty adjective, could just as easily have been said or written today about Trump. A sampling: Full of pomp and swaggering vanity. Frederick Douglass, author and abolitionist Very vindictive and perverse in his temper and conduct. James K. Polk, former president Proud and sensitive, firm to obstinacy, resolute to fierceness, intelligent in his own sphere (which is narrow) often mistakes the intensity of his own convictions for strength of evidence. Henry Ward Beecher, abolitionist minister Johnson is suspicious of everyone. John Sherman, Republican senator from Ohio If Andrew Johnson turns out everyone who despises his recent course, he will have naught left to fill the offices. unidentified political observer in the Chicago Tribune The Ravings of a Besotted and Debauched Demagogue Chicago Tribune headline, describing a Johnson speech Whoever heard of such a Presidential Ass? unidentified college officer Is there no way to arrest the insane course of the President? Thadeus Stevens, Republican representative from Pennsylvania He is nominally a President of a republic, but in reality an absolute ruler issuing decrees. William Shipman, federal judge Johnsons more intimate pals talk as if he contemplated a coup detat. George Templeton Strong, lawyer and diarist Photo credit: Getty Images Our president is a bad man. Search history and I am sure you will find no ruler who, during the same space of time, had done so much mischief to his country. Charles Sumner, Republican senator from Massachusetts What a muddle we are in politically! Was there ever such a madman in so high a place as Johnson? Henry Raymond, founder of the New York Times The queerest man who ever occupied the White House. Shelby Moore Cullom, Republican representative from Illinois Johnson is an exception to all rules. Moorfield Storey, lawyer and civil rights activist But wait, there's more! Johnson was charged with eleven articles of impeachment. The tenth, as Wineapple writes, accused him of "disgracing the presidential office" during a series of raucous rallies he held in the summer of 1866. Or, as Article 10, put it: Johnson, "unmindful of the high duties of his high office and the dignity and proprieties thereof," let loose with "certain intemperate, inflammatory and scandalous harangues," not to mention "loud threats and bitter menaces"-all delivered "amid the cries, jeers, and laughter of the multitudes then assembled." In other words, MAGA! ('You Might Also Like',) IndieWire reached out to the cinematographers whose feature films are premiering at the Cannes Film Festival to find out which cameras and lenses they used and, more importantly, why these were the right tools to create the visual language of their films. Page 1: Competition (Palme dOr Contenders) Page 2: Out of Competition & Special Screenings Page 3: Un Certain Regard & Critics Week Page 4: Directors Fortnight Related stories Bill Murray Says He's Ready to Do Another 'Ghostbusters': 'It Paid For My Son's College' Cannes: Jim Jarmusch Confronts the End of the World Amid Faint Praise for His 'The Dead Don't Die' (Films are in alphabetical order by title.) Competition Atlantics Dir: Mati Diop, DoP: Claire Mathon Format: Digital, 1.66 aspect ratio, post production was done in 2K Camera: Red Epic 5K and Panasonic Varicam35 4K Lens: Angenieux 45/120 and 25/250, and Zeiss lenses T1.3 Mathon: We chose the Red Epic to shoot daytime, to give romance to images that were captured in a documentary way, and to enhance the sun-drenched sets. We wanted to make a film that was visually arresting but remained very grounded in reality We chose Varicam at night for its great sensitivity that allowed us to visibly film neighborhoods of Dakar almost plunged into darkness. The texture is a bit matte, and the rendering of flares and shine, especially on the skin, work with the fantastical dimension of the film while still capturing the soul of the Senegalese capital. We wanted the viewer to feel the dust, humidity and the ocean spray. Atlantics is a movie of ghosts. The work on the materials, the elements (setting sun, ocean, etc.) and the ability to capture black skin in the night was very important. The lightness of the chosen tools allowed me to shoot the film either on my shoulder with an easyrig (mostly) or on foot with a very long focal length, in a documentary approach: I could turn fast, catch things on the fly, and improvise in the moment. Story continues Bacurau Dir: Kleber Mendonca Filho & Juliano Dornelles, DoP: Pedro Sotero Format: 3.4K Open Gate Arriraw Camera: ARRI Alexa Mini Lens: Panavison Anamorphic C and E series, Angenieux 11:1 Panavision rear-mounted anamorphic zoom. Sotero: Since the beginning of my conversations with [directors] Juliano and Kleber about the look of Bacurau, we all agreed that the film should have a classic widescreen image and a set of Panavision C Series Anamorphic lenses seemed to be the perfect match to the image we desired to achieve. The idea of shooting a near future Brazilian western, shot in very rough isolated locations, with the lenses that shot 70s and 80s classics like Raiders of Lost Ark, Deliverance and The Thing, but with a modern 4:3 open gate digital sensor of a very compact and reliable camera as the Alexa mini, seemed to be the best way to go for the film. The film is set in the Sertao, a drought stricken region in the Northeast of Brazil, which is well known for its role in important chapters in Brazilian history (War of Canudos, the Cangaco), literature and cinema (Antonio das Mortes, by Glauber Rocha, Central Station by Walter Salles and many others. Its also a region known for its strong people, very harsh sunlight and a dry, gray and hostile landscape. We decided to put a twist on this classic Brazilian imaginary for the look of Bacurau, incorporating a less known, greener and livelier landscape that is the regions raining season, but completely respecting its arid and rough inherent nature. Shooting in very extreme locations and light conditions of the Brazilian Sertao, day and night for 8 weeks, it was important to count on the extra latitude and color space that arriraw provides, to keep the rich skin tones, strong high lights and dense skies of the region. The Dead Dont Die Dir: Jim Jarmusch, DoP: Frederick Elmes Format: ProRes 4.4K Camera: Arri Alexa LF Lens: DNA prime lens set, Angenieux EZ Zoom lens and 28-76mm zoom with extender Elmes: Taking advantage of the cameras larger image size, using wider focal length lenses and shallow depth of field, we kept the camera close to our characters to help us feel we were there with them, experiencing the world going haywire. This also emphasized the frightful looks of our ghouls when they appeared on screen. I also wanted to take advantage of the mismatched qualities inherent in the DNA lenses. Each has a unique quality some are less contrasty, some not quite so sharp at the edges which when combined with some simple diffusion netting and special flair filters we built, added an unpredictable element to our visual style. I enhanced the growing sense of unease in the story by mixing multiple light sources and shooting many night scenes during daylight hours. The Alexas color space gave me the assurance I would have enough stretch in the image to do what I needed later and the information to complete the visual effects seamlessly. The LF Cameras large sensor provided the stretch necessary to capture the range of exposure and contrast I wanted to work with on this movie. And the Alexa color space gave me the assurance I would have the control necessary in post production to seamlessly complete the visual effects. Frankie Dir: Ira Sachs, DoP: Rui Pocas AIP Format: 2.8K ARRIRAW; 1.66:1 aspect ratio Camera: ARRI Alexa Mini Lens: Cooke S4; Angenieux Optimo 24-290mm Pocas: The choice of the camera and lenses were driven by the vision we wanted for the whole movie: A natural feel like the one we could get in some 70s and 80s French color movies. Also we wanted a versatile lightweight camera that was easy to operate. I rated the camera at 800 ISO as it seemed the best choice for the average light conditions and the kind of image we were looking for. The Cooke lenses have a great soft felling and for that reason we chose the Cooke S4, which are subtle for capturing the skin tones. According to the specific cinematic approach developed with Ira Sachs in the preparation, we framed Frankie in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio using mostly the 35mm and the 50mm lenses, which we felt conveyed the kind of approach we wanted for the audience. The camera follows the action at a human distance but doesnt obey any desire to get closer or change the point of view. The characters actions simply take place in front of us and it is not up to the camera to point out any detail or dramatically underline a given situation. I chose the Alexa sensor because we knew that it would give us a full range in latitude and true color. Also, one of our ideas in making this film was to create images in the most pure and natural way possible in both lighting and composition. This movie was Ira Sachs first feature in digital and Arri Alexa was the best choice for the job. A Hidden Life Dir: Terrence Malick, DoP: Jorg Widmer Format & Camera: RED Epic Dragon 6K, we switched to RED Epic-W Helium 7K for the winter scenes, always 2 camera bodies, one equipped with Skintone Highlight, the second with Low Light. OLPF [Optical Low Pass Filters], all shot in RAW Lens: We used the ARRI Masterprimes 12mm as main lens, 16mm as our long lens and sometimes the Ultraprime 8R Widmer: The director Terrence Malick wanted us to be explorers, able to shoot like a documentary crew, mostly with natural light. We were always looking for backlight, for which we needed lightweight cameras with lenses, which could take a lot of contrast without flaring and with a huge range of latitude. The actors should be able to move quite freely and keep their energy. We prepared the cameras in a setup, which allowed us to change from steadicam to slider or handheld in less than a minute. The takes could last from 4 to 40 minutes without a break. In interiors, we switched to the low light camera to capture as much as possible of the dark interiors in the rural homes, stables and prison cells. The RED IPP2 pipeline allowed us in postproduction to preserve the details in the bright skies and windows as well as in the dark parts of locations and faces, which was surprising considering the fact that there was hardly any artificial lighting for most of the movie. Les Miserables Dir: Ladj Ly, DoP: Juilien Poupard Format: 3.2K Arriraw Camera: Arri Alexa mini Lens: Zoom angenieux optimo (15-40/28-76/45-120) Ladj Ly: We were looking for a device that would make the film look like a documentary, to be attentive to all possible situations and improvisation. We were looking for a human point of view, as if the camera could be a film character. For this we chose a lightweight camera and zoom. Matthias and Maxime Dir: Xavier Dolan, DoP: Andre Turpin Format: Kodak 5219 and 5213 Super35 mm, Kodak 500 T 5219 65mm, Kodak 7219 500T (super 8) Camera: Arricam LT, Arri 765 for one sequence, Arri Alexa Mini for one drone shot and one underwater shot Lens: Master Primes, Angenieux lightweight zooms, Arri large format lenses from the eighties. Turpin: I primarily use Master Primes for their sharpness and speed. Xavier also wanted to do fast, quirky, and nervous zoom movements for the handheld work to accentuate the spontaneity and chaotic feel of the frenzied overlapping dialogue between the boys. For that, my camera operator Yves Belanger (who happens to be a wonderful cinematographer) and I (I operated the occasional 2nd camera), used the Angenieux lightweight 28-76 zooms. When he was not acting, Xavier would operate the remote controls himself and surprise and destabilize us with quick in and out zooms. We also used the 65mm format for a climactic love scene to have it emerge from the rest of the film. Very satisfying of course. Matthias and Maxime has a different aesthetic if you compare it to Dolans previous work. Its more natural, fresh, and simple, not as lit, flashy, colorful or contrasting. Oh Mercy! Dir: Arnaud Desplechin, DoP: Irina Lubtchansky Format: 1.85, digital. Camera: Red Monstro, 6K, color IPP2 Lens: Panavision Primo lenses 70MM with Panavision primo ZOOM (25/275) Desplechin: As soon as I finished the script, I started shooting in scope, which I loved so much. I knew I was going to film the deprived people and the splendor, the emphasis of 2.39 did not fit the film I wanted to do. One of my biggest influences on this film was Hitchcocks The Wrong Man. So I came back to the format 1.85, more modest and conventional. We shot the film in six weeks, so quickly, with four players, and the inhabitants of Roubaix, this ruined city 1.85 in 4K, we did not like the ratio of the focal (VS Scope 2.39). We tried the 6K and 8K on Red Monstro with its new sensor. I wanted to get a lot of reality in the camera, this is a more realistic movie romance. We realized that the distance between the camera and the actors was better suited for 6K, less close, less intrusive than 8K. In 8K, I realized, with the camera on my shoulder , I was stuck under the nose of the actors! And it was not possible for me. We were able to enjoy the wide latitude in shadows of the Monstro camera, a very soft noise rise and good color rendering. The camera is very sensitive and has allowed us to work with a little more depth of field and be more comfortable with this large sensor in wide shots. Primo 70mm were technically suited to this large sensor. They seduced us with their rendering and weight, resolution fineness (fuzzy fine), and smooth in contrast. So we could have a sharp image, but not too hard. They go very well together with the Primo lenses. Pain and Glory Dir: Pedro Almodovar, DoP: Jose Luis Alcaine Format: 3.4K ARRIRAW Camera: ARRI ALEXA ST Lens: COOKE S4 Alcaine: I choose the Cooke S4 lenses because, for Pedro and me, these were the best color natural skin rendering of all the lenses we tried. Another thing we considered was wanting to have as much depth of field as possible, as I think that if you have a good depth of field on the screen there will be a lot more of information and the audience can chose where to look and in a certain way be more part of the film. The tendency of the current cinematography is to have a point of focus through the use of the 1.3, 2., or 2.8 [iris] diaphragm throughout the film. This tendency was created in the 90s for the TV ads, and is employed now by a large number of cinematographers. And with this technique the moviegoers are not involved in the stories shown on the screen. They remain cold and no emotion arrives to them. So, after talking with Pedro who was absolutely O.K. with this, I choose to go, on the contrary, on a very high [iris] diaphragm, from 11 to 22, whenever possible. And by the way, with these diaphragms, the colors have a corporeality unattainable at others openings. The colors became rich, bright, and in a certain way enhanced like if they had relief in themselves. Even if I have a lot of light on the set, I tried always to have a natural, and credible light, all along the movie. Anyway we finished the shooting one week earlier than the scheduled time. My light came from the art of painters like Rembrandt, Velasquez, Vermeer, Hooper, etc I.E. at the home cave, Eduardo, the young worker, has the light of some Francis Bacon paintings, (he was like a kind of God for Salvador). Portrait of a Lady on Fire Dir: Celine Sciamma, DoP: Claire Mathon Format: Digital, 1:85 aspect ratio, post-production was done in 4K Camera: Red Monstro 7K Lens: Leica Thalia Mathon: The choice of shooting format was discussed at a very early stage. Tests combining a 35mm/Leica Summilux and a Red Monstro/Leica Thalia gave an analogue reference for the grading of the digital images and made us choose the Red Monstro for the personification and presence that emerged from the first faces filmed. Even though Celine Sciammas film relates to the memory of a love story that took place in the 18th century, we did not want to highlight this dimension but, on the contrary, invent our own 18th century (our 2018th century) with a contemporary echo. The precision and very rich colors give a pictorial dimension to the film. The rendering of the skin tones was essential in my work on this film full of faces and portraits. Inspired in particular by Corots intimate portraits, I sought both softness and a slightly satiny, unrealistic rendering while remaining natural and very vibrant. Sibyl Dir: Justine Triet, DoP: Simon Beaufils Format: ArriRaw 3,4k Full Frame aspect ratio 2.39 Camera: Arri Alexa Mini Lens: Hawk Anamorphic V and V+ lenses Beaufils: Justine Triet and I wanted Sibyl to go further in mise en scene, play with cinemas codes, rules, try sophisticated shots to enhance scenes, and at the same time to be really discrete, not showy. I felt the 2.39 was the good ratio for this. I like to shoot in anamorphic, especially with a video camera, to have a softer texture. Hawk V lenses are a bit heavy, especially when you go on the top of a vulcano!! But with Alexa, it was a really good combination, to have subtle nuances on skins, nice vivid colors, without being too sharp. I went into low light many times to be a bit grainy, even in daylight situations. I like the feeling of Alexas grain, when you are a little bit too low. Skins texture, landscapes, become suddenly more organics. Sorry We Missed You Dir: Ken Loach, DoP: Robbie Ryan Format: We shot on Arri 16mm Camera: Arri416 16mm Lens: We used mainly Arri ultra 16 primes mixed with masterprimes Ryan: Well Ken always likes to shoot on film as it best visualises the story he wants to tell. We usually shoot 35mm 4perf, but we couldnt afford that route this time due to the Kodak stock prices going up sadly! So we decided to shoot 16mm, which suited the story as we were shooting in a delivery van quite a bit, so the smaller size of the camera made it easier to work in the more confined spaces. 16mm is a fantastic format because it has an inherent organic filmic feel to it a very honest format for a very honest filmmaker. The Whistlers Dir: Corneliu Porumboiu, DoP: Tudor Mircea Format: ARRIRAW 3.4K Open Gate Cameras: Arri Alexa SXT, Sony A7SII Lens: Zeiss Master Anamorphic Mircea: We did a lot of scouting of our locations and research into movies and artists that inspired us. The landscapes in La Gomera inspired us to go for the anamorphic format. We choose Arri Alexa for the wide latitude that allowed us to explore different looks, and for the simple way of working with this camera. After testing we decided to tell the story using Zeiss Master Anamorphic lenses for the cinematic look, high contrast, high speed, the nice focus fall-off and distortion-free image. It is also a beautiful format for portraiture. The challenge was to find our own visual language, having in mind Edward Hopper, Hitchcock movies and film noir. We also placed a great deal importance on our set, especially the color. The production designer, art director and costume designer worked together closely to find the right colors for our story. I used a different camera for the surveillance cameras in the movie, to give a different texture to the picture while making use of the high sensitivity that small Sony camera is offers. The Wild Goose Lake Dir: Diao Yinan, DoP: Dong Jinsong Format:8K FF 1.89:1 Camera: RED Monstro 8K VV Lens: Cooke s7i Prime Lenses Focal Length: 32mm 40mm 50mm 75mm 100mm Jinsong: The humid and stuffy summer nights, sound and silence, turnings of life, souls with temperatureAll the abstract text should be presented by images, but how? 80 percent of the scenes were shot at night, and they have different spaces and atmospheres. How should we deal with the overall atmosphere to engrave the details? How can we ensure that the camera could breakthrough the restrictions from the narrow space and accomplish the directors mise-en-scene? And how do we consider the poetic expression? How can we use the heavy machinery to achieve a smart and fluid impression? Based on the above ideas, I chose the full-frame camera and the Cooke lenses to present an immersive feeling of viewing. We kept a high color saturation with rich levels so that the black details in the dark part of frame have been well retained. Young Ahmed Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne Format: 4K, 1.85 Camera: Arri Alexa mini Lens: Serie ZEISS T2.1 Dardennes: We chose this camera and lens for its maneuverability when it is mounted on the shoulder. Next Page: Out of Competition/Special Screenings Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. There is probably nothing that defines movies or cinemabetter or more purely for cineastes than Cannes. And as we embark on the 72nd edition of this iconic film festival, the definition of what really is a movie has never been a hotter topic of discussion, from Hollywood to the French Riviera and all points in between. It has been a key argument in the so-called Netflix debatewhat constitutes a theatrical film as opposed to a television movie?to the point where even the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences created a committee to try and define what should be eligible for an Oscar in the new era of streaming services. Netflix, for its part, is muddying the waters further by trying to have its cake and eat it, in terms of debuting movies day and date on their platform as well as in theaters, in order to prove that they are not out to destroy theatrical exhibition. It is a slippery slope, and Hollywood and the French continue to take sides, particularly those in the exhibition community. Related stories Robert De Niro & Martin Scorsese On 'The Irishman', Paradise Lost In 'Casino', & Lessons Learned During 'King Of Comedy' - Tribeca Cannes appears to be the last outpost of resistance thanks to Frances stringent rules, which require three years before a film can ever see the light of a TV screen (in America it is generally 90 days between theaters and SVODStreaming Video On-Demand). This seems dreamily appropriate for the place considered the birth of cinema, and Cannes festival toppers are hamstrung by this standoff in France whether they like it or not. But are they tilting at windmills? For the second year in a row there will be no streaming movie in Competition from either Netflix or Amazon, althoughsomewhat ironicallythe latter does have a television show (quel scandale!) in the official selection: Too Old to Die Young, from frequent Cannes fixture Nicolas Winding Refn. Two episodes from the series will be shown out of competition, which debuts in June. The issue was more acute with Netflix, which had two controversial Competition slots in 2017Bong Joon-hos Okja and Noah Baumbachs The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)from world-class directors. Neither won an award but both caused an uproar leading to a new Cannes rule forbidding any film not adhering to the strict French exhibition policy to be outlawed from competition slotsa key sticking point for Netflix, which wants to play in every sandbox it can in order to win awards. Thus, among other titles, Cannes lost the opportunity to debut Alfonso Cuarons Oscar-winning Roma last year (it eventually went to Venice where it won the Golden Lion), and this year there is also nothing from the streaming giant, neither in or out of competition (Babak Anvaris Wounds appears in the unofficial sidebar Directors Fortnight). Story continues It remains to be seen whether Netflix, which is sending its acquisition team, will turn one of the Competition films into a streaming product as they did in 2018 when they plucked Alice Rohrwachers Happy as Lazzaro and Un Certain Regard winner Girl for their distribution platform and awards season plansindeed, no one can stop the wolf from profiting from this particular hen house. Still, I have to side with the French cinema establishment on this one: they have clearly defined what constitutes a movie for their purposes and are sticking to it. Good for them, but they are probablysadlyalone. The ever-evolving business has other ideas. Venice, Sundance, and other major festivals have no problem welcoming Netflix, Amazon and other streamers, as long as they deliver the goodsand the starsto the red carpet. Netflix clearly doesnt want to play by anyones rules other than its own. For them, it isnt black and white, but rather a gray area that defines theatrical versus television movies. They want to put everything on one service at one time (the larder as director Paul Schrader describes it), unlike movie studios and TV networks, which clearly delineate a divide between theaters and television, Oscars and Emmys. Netflix wants to be in both arenas, when and where it suits. They want to win in Cannes and to win at the Oscars on their own terms. Roma The strategy of luring A-list filmmakers like Cuaron and Martin Scorsese (his upcoming gangster epic The Irishman will be a lightning rod in this argument come the fall), giving them endless budgets and creative freedom, is undeniably effective. With Roma they almost pulled off a Best Picture win this year, and thats when the industry and many in the Academy got very nervous. It would have been a game-changing, Earth-shattering eventbut isnt it inevitable at some point down the line? This is why, following the Cannes Film Festivals example, it was urgent for the motion picture Academy to make a clear definition of what is a movieand therefore what is eligible for an Oscarand the Academy chose to stand pat, even though AMPAS president John Bailey said they would continue to study the profound changes in our industry, as well as have further discussions with their members on the issue. So what exactly is the definition of a movie? Is it simply sitting in a theater and sharing the collective experience of what we are seeing on the screen? Certainly, that is what defines a theatrical movie. But times change and people consume film in so many different ways. Is sitting in your house watching a TV screen or your laptop the same thing? Can a movie that debuts in a streaming format be compared favorably to one designed to first play in theaters, a tradition as old as movies itself? Should everything be eligible for Oscars as long as it adheres to fulfilling a one-week qualifying run in LA, as it is now? Thats an easy one for deep-pocketed streamers. Steven Spielberg, on the other hand, made waves last year in an interview with ITV, in which he attempted to simplify it for everyone. Fewer and fewer filmmakers are going to struggle to raise money, in order to compete at Sundance and possibly get one of the specialty labels to release their films theatrically. And more of them are going to let the SVOD businesses finance their films, maybe with the promise of a slight, one-week theatrical window to qualify for awards. But, in fact, once you commit to a television format, youre a TV movie. Finally, he made his point even clearer. I dont believe that films that are just given token qualifications, in a couple of theaters for less than a week, should qualify for the Academy Award nominations. The famed director, whose company DreamWorks was one of the entities behind this years Roma-upsetting Best Picture winner, Green Book, went on to opine that these streaming movies deserved an Emmy, not an Oscar. It is interesting to note that before he hit theatrical pay dirt with The Sugarland Express and Jaws, Spielberg got his directing start in episodic TV and then a much lauded 1971 TV movie called Duel, which won an Emmy for its sound editing and ran 74 minutes as an ABC Movie of the Week. However, when a distributor wanted to release it theatrically overseas, Spielberg went back into production, added several scenes and 16 minutes to the runtime, which is the version that now appears on the DVD releasehe took his TV movie and turned it into a theatrical movie for different audiences around the world. Duel is still defined on IMDb by its roots, a TV movie. So what is it? Or is a movie just a movie no matter where and how you see it? It would seem that Spielberg and Martin Scorsese are on opposite sides of the Netflix debate, but both are about as fervent believers in the theatrical experience as its possible to be. They recently teamed with Scorseses Film Foundation to sponsor a new 4K restoration of Don Siegels 1964 cult classic The Killersstarring Angie Dickinson, Lee Marvin and Ronald Reaganwhich played at the 2018 Venice Film Festival in the Classics Section and recently played in early April to a packed turn-away crowd at the popular TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. Why do I bring this up? Well, Universal originally shot The Killers intending it to be the first ever movie made for television, but finally deemed it too violent, releasing it in theaters instead. Before the TCM showing, Dickinson, now 87 and never dreaming that she would still be talking about this film 55 years later at the Graumans Chinese Theatre, explained they all thought they were making a B-movie, one she defined in this instance as being for television. Clearly that wasnt the case and the film (also given special treatment by the Criterion Collection) continues to be discovered in theaters. That is how I saw it for the first time, and how I will remember itas a theatrical experience like no other, the way I personally define a movie. Others have their own definition, and that is what makes it all such an interesting debate: one mans movie palace is another mans Netflix. By the way, Universal did make the actual first movie for television later that year and it debuted on NBC in October 1964. It starred John Forsythe and was called See How They Run. No one talks about that movie and no one is restoring it. Like so many films in the larder, as Paul Schrader put it, it was quickly lost in the crowd. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Bill Murray, Chloe Sevigny, Adam Driver and Tilda Swinton will be among the slew of Hollywood stars ascending the Palais des Festivals red-carpet this evening for Jim Jarmuschs opening film The Dead Dont Die, one of several studio titles at Cannes 72nd edition that has been preceded by chatter about changing dynamics between the fest and the U.S. film industry and its pull in launching movies toward the Oscars. Last year I joked, Well schedule Cannes in September, because people were obsessed with the Oscars. But that was a joke, obviously, Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux told Variety last month after announcing the bulk of this years lineup. He went on to add that Cannes is in May, and we do show American films, and we are still paying attention to the Oscars. Related stories Cannes Jury President Alejandro G. Inarritu Blasts Trump's Wall, Defends Movie Theaters Against Netflix Elton John's Husband-Producer Says 'Rocketman' Captures 'Madness' of Singer's Early Life Indeed, while in recent years Cannes has been overtaken by Venice in terms of attracting prestige pics with awards season buzz, at this years Oscars it was the second most-represented fest, after the Lido, with 13 nominations for feature films that launched from the Croisette, out of 106, up from a low of four last year. These included most notably Spike Lees BlacKkKlansman, which went on to a win, and Pawel Pawlikowskis Cold War. Of course being able to premiere a movie after walking up the montee des marches continues to be tremendously enticing for global film executives. And for directors, such as Jarmusch, whose careers have been forged by the fest. Focus chairman Peter Kujawski notes how along with Jim, so many collaborators on this film have also walked up the steps of the Palais, so it just made perfect sense to bring this film that celebrates and subverts one of cinemas greatest genres. Story continues Kujawski also underlines that Focus and Universal have a long and wonderful relationship with Thierry and Cannes and that being the opener gives it an incredible launching pad as we head into its summer release. Its a brave choice to open the festival, says maven British publicist Charles McDonald, who is in charge of publicity on The Dead Dont Die, and last year handled Cold War, which he cites as the perfect example of how Cannes can offer a less crowded platform ahead of that whole late Autumn mad panic for awards hopefuls, but also for titles that chose to not put all their eggs into the awards season basket. No matter what youve done, whatever Oscars youve won; Cannes is Cannes, McDonald adds. Its an extraordinarily important imprimatur in a filmmakers career. But he goes on to point out that the studios are increasingly becoming a bit nervous about the expense of Cannes, not that Venice is cheap, and about whether they can keep the momentum going. Participant Media CEO David Linde, a Cannes veteran who last year launched Alfonso Cuarons Roma from Venice says its a huge honor to get into either fests, but notes that whats happening in the Internet age is that distributors are becoming more intensely focused on timing. You go to Cannes; you are revealing your film, by definition, to the world. The presentation has begun. Do want to be engaged in a nine-month campaign? Or do you want to be involved in a six-month campaign?, he says. The cadence and costs involved in presenting a movie are becoming more crucial, which explains Venices rise. Things have changed since Lindes first Cannes, in 1993, when as a Miramax exec he was on the Croisette with both The Piano and Farewell My Concubine, which tied for the Palme dOr that year and went on to awards-focused releases. These days, due to Internet and social media amplification, when you premiere a movie you are no longer just premiering it to festival aficionados and journalists, he notes. Regarding Roma, which of course went on to win three Oscars after last years Lido launch, Linde says they didnt decide to go to Venice versus Cannes (where the film had been invited before it was bought by Netflix). More simply the decision was made to launch the film in the Fall. Fremaux when asked at the Paris linuep presser to address the current incompatibility between Netflix movies and Cannes which requires all competition films to be guaranteed a French theatrical release quipped that Roma was a Cannes Film Festival film; but one [that] we showed in Venice. The two fests different policies vis-a-vis Netflix are widely considered to be boosting Venices status. For Cannes one of the more pressing questions going forward is how it will come to terms with not just with Netflix, but also with the other big U.S. streamers such as Disney Plus, Apple, NBCUnversals service and Warner Media that are expected to be up and running by the fests next edition. The rules in France are not about Netflix, a top U.S. exec pointed out. How are these streaming services going to address Cannes?, the exec wondered. At this stage its anybodys guess. However Cannes president Pierre Lescure at the lineup presser said he expected that Frances windows system, which dictates the festival rules, will change in the next three to five years. The current Cannes rules are not an issue for curated boutique arthouse streaming service MUBI that has landed a slot in Un Certain Regard this year with its first original Port Authority, by U.S. director Danielle Lessovitz, a transgender love story set in New York produced by Martin Scorseses Sikelia Productions, among other companies. MUBI founder and CEO Efe Cakarel said hed like to see the film have a proper broad theatrical release which is why from the outset MUBI engaged French sales company MK2 to sell it internationally. We are good friends with Cannes because Cannes is looking at us very differently from Netflix. They are looking at us and saying: These guys are here to champion the kind of cinema that we championand they are completely committed to theatrical, Cakarel boasted. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It was the shot Chinese-American director Ren Wen had spent an entire day of his short 15-day shoot preparing for: a long take in which a supposedly sweet old woman brutally kicks the protagonist of the film out of the car, leaving him to die in the freezing night of a future world where the sun has flamed out. But when Chinese censors handed Last Sunrise back to Ren with the single, vague piece of feedback that the film showed too much of the darkness of humanity, he realized the shot had to go. The problem is theyre not specific, so we just had to cut whatever we thought they might find too dark or violent about four minutes of material, he says. More experienced Chinese colleagues had counseled him to cut more than he thought necessary. Not removing enough shows that you have an attitude problem, which will make the second round 10 times harder to pass, he says he was told. Related stories Cannes Jury President Alejandro G. Inarritu Blasts Trump's Wall, Defends Movie Theaters Against Netflix Elton John's Husband-Producer Says 'Rocketman' Captures 'Madness' of Singer's Early Life Chinas notorious film censorship apparatus is as opaque as it is stringent, and has become even more difficult to fathom since last year, when the ruling Communist Partys propaganda department took on oversight of the medium. Confusingly, its whims appear to be becoming simultaneously more lenient and stricter, with films on once-banned subjects hitting the theaters in droves even as others get yanked from high-profile festivals. You cant say that the governments management style is improving, since thats not right, but it is developing. They still want to tightly control content, but they know they cant do so in the crude manner they did before, independent film festival organizer Li Dan says. If the movies are all overly positive, nobody will watch them and their control is useless, because people will just illegally download or stream others from abroad to watch whatever they want. They now have to win over these audiences, and so must very cleverly create a bit more space for expression thats still within the scope of their control. Story continues Typically, films that touch on sensitive issues like foreign affairs, the military, police or public security organs, ethnic minorities or religion pass through additional special channels of censorship, sources tell Variety. For instance, Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster Arrival needed special approval from the Chinese military before it hit mainland theaters because it featured a Chinese general. But one way or another, topics once beyond the pale now regularly appear in theaters nationwide. Among them are scathing rebukes of the one-child policy (Wang Xiaoshuais So Long, My Son; Liu Jies Baby), depictions of the countrys petitioning system (Feng Xiaogangs I am Not Madame Bovary) and brutal stories of child abuse (2017s Angels Wear White). Religion has always been a touchy subject, but films like Pema Tsedens Jinpa, currently in theaters, have been able to depict Tibetan life and Buddhist rituals with surprising candor. At least the censors didnt use the excuse of the film reflecting a backwards state of poverty as a reason to stop the film and others like it, says Zhang Xianmin, one of Chinas leading indie producers, who explains that censorship tightens and loosens in periodic waves over the years. The trend hasnt been limited to smaller arthouse titles. Last years mega-blockbuster Dying to Survive featured protest scenes, while A Cool Fish, another top 2018 title, dealt with real estate corruption. Chinas highest-grossing film of all time, 2017s Wolf Warrior II, opens with scenes of forced demolitions a topic off-limits just a few years ago that has now been treated in numerous works, including Cathy Yans Dead Pigs and Lou Yes recent The Shadow Play. But when it comes to historical subjects, especially from the Chinese revolutionary period, and LGBT issues, there has been a notable rise in restrictions, Zhang says. China has essentially banned LGBT material grouped into what it calls abnormal sexual behavior from TV and online content, but its stance on homosexuality in film has never been formally stated. In March, 20th Century Foxs Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was granted a surprise limited theatrical release, though around three minutes of scenes with male kissing, cross-dressing and gyrating crotches had been cut, as well as uses of the word gay. When asked why the Oscar-winner had been imported despite its homosexual content, a source closely tied to the decision tells Variety: If this film were about that subject, if it were a gay film, then it wouldnt have been imported. It was brought in because its a music film a subject authorities hoped to promote. When a film rubs censors the wrong way, China does not shy away from the blowback of halting it in its tracks. Animated thriller Have a Nice Day premiered in the main competition for Berlins Golden Bear in 2017, only to be abruptly pulled out of the Annecy animation festival five months later at officials request. Two more were pulled from Berlin this past February: Better Days, Hong Kong director Derek Tsangs edgy story about disgruntled youth, and Zhang Yimous new Cultural Revolution-era picture One Second. Technical reasons were cited as the reason for the latter, but the message was clear: The long arm of Chinese censorship can descend on anyone, no matter how prominent, at any moment. Zhangs film had already obtained its dragon seal of censorship approval, but many speculate that it was later viewed again by another censor who took issue with its content. Such an individual would likely have been brought on board last March when, in the wake of the abolition of term limits for Chinese president Xi Jinping, film was moved directly under the control of the Propaganda Bureau, a department much higher up in the Communist Party pecking order. Many say the move elevated cinema above other mediums like radio or TV. Autocrats love film, jokes China scholar Graeme Smith. But it could also be that the shift was intended to throw the bureau a bone as its influence wanes in comparison to the Cyberspace Administration, whose power has grown as Chinese citizens move more online. Film might have been kind of a consolation prize, a bauble to play with to stop them from whining, Smith says. It is not yet clear what the moves long-term impact will be. While some outspoken critics such as former journalist Li Datong describe Chinas system of ideological control over content as basically like [that of] Nazi Germany, many others remain unconcerned or even optimistic. Given that the new film overseers have more authority and leverage in the current political system, the shift will increase efficiency and make it possible to push more ambitious policies that might ultimately support content creation, one movie theater industry professional says. She adds that, as the final arbiter, the Propaganda Bureau knows best where the line is, and now can pull the trigger themselves on key censorship decisions without so much inter-departmental back-and-forth. Another source says that awkward situations would at times arise back when the film bureau had less clout, such as the need to wait a very, very long time for the opinions of other government sections before moving forward with its work, or having its approvals later reversed by other displeased bureaus. Now there wont be those kinds of problems because everything goes directly through the propaganda department, which no one dares to contradict, he says. They still need opinions from other departments, but no one will be too slow about it. Lately, its an unusually long lineup of sensitive anniversaries that is giving the film industry headaches, more so than any administrative changing of the guards. This year marks 100 years since the May 4, 1919, anti-imperialist student protests; 60 since the uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet; 20 since the launch of a brutal campaign against the Falun Gong religious sect; and 10 since ethnic riots in Xinjiang. Each date will be accompanied by heightened government surveillance and censorship. The most sensitive periods of them all will be around June 4, the 30th anniversary of the 1989 government crackdown on student protesters in Tiananmen Square, and the first week in October, when the country will be on a weeklong holiday to fete the 70th year of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. One source tells Variety that he was told itd be best if his companys summer blockbuster wasnt marketed as a disaster movie, since authorities couldnt bear to have the term disaster associated with such a politically important year for the party. His team went back and shot more material so that the film could be repositioned as a more acceptable rescue film. Another says he is purposely waiting until after Octobers 70th anniversary celebrations to submit to censors a completely apolitical Canadian childrens film hed acquired, by which time he hopes the heightened period of political sensitivity will have passed. Canada has come under fire for its arrest of Huawei CEO Meng Wanzhou following U.S. charges of fraud, and its filmmakers appeared to have been caught in the crossfire when a Canadian directors invite to the Beijing Intl. Film Festival was rescinded in March in the wake of the incident. Many in the industry ultimately shrug when asked whether the censorship environment is improving or growing worse. A producer sums it up: Nothing makes much of a difference. Its still and always has been the Communist Party in control. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Colombian-raised and French-educated Franco Lolli is returning to familiar territory at Cannes Critics Week to world premiere Litigante, his second directorial feature. In 2014 his debut feature Gente de bien also competed in the Semaine de la Critique before going on to win the prestigious San Sebastian Horizontes Latinos award and the Colombian Academy Macondo Awards for best feature, director, screenplay, editing and actress. Related stories Cannes Jury President Alejandro G. Inarritu Blasts Trump's Wall, Defends Movie Theaters Against Netflix Elton John's Husband-Producer Says 'Rocketman' Captures 'Madness' of Singer's Early Life With Litigante, Lolli takes an intimate look at the life of a single mother and lawyer in Bogata, Colombia. Silvia is balancing raising a son on her own, taking care of her ill-tempered mother battling lung cancer, and dealing with the stresses of a high-stakes job at a law firm currently involved in a corruption scandal case. On the verge of break down, Silvia sparks an sometimes begrudging relationship which could prove too much, or exactly what she needs. The film features strong performances from non-professional actresses in Carolina Sanin and Lollis own mother, Leticia Gomez. Its produced by Lollis Bogota-based Evidencia Films, with Srab Films and Les Films du Worso in France. Paris-based Kinology is handling international sales; Ad Vitam will distribute in France. Variety talked with Lolli in the lead-up to Critics Week about his filmmaking process, directing his mother in a traumatic role and telling the every-day stories of Colombians. The film is led by two incredibly strong performances from its leads. Can you talk about casting those parts? Neither are actresses in real life. Carolina is a writer with a PhD from Yale in Spanish literature and is a very important writer in Colombia. My mother is a retired lawyer but she always wanted to act. I often work with non-actors. I know there are people in life that they can act, and if they are close to the character and I love them enough, I know I can direct them. Story continues So far youve only filmed in Colombia, but you studied and lived in France. Do you have a desire to film in other parts of the world? I think sometime Im going to make a film in France. I already have an idea here. I have been to L.A. a couple of times and I love that city. Sometimes, if I had the chance to live there a while well, you never know what might happen. Interesting, so do you think you need to live somewhere a while before making a film there? I think its essential. You have to know what youre talking about and understand it. I really believe in research. For instance, my mother is a lawyer, I know a lot of lawyers, but Im not a lawyer. I had these legal scenes in the film which revolve around a corruption scandal, so I did a lot of research and had a legal consultant with me. I wrote and filmed in a way that if a lawyer sees the film, she can say this is what its like in real life. What was it like directing your own mother in the role of a long-suffering cancer patient? It was horrible. I cried a lot while shooting this film. I had to put her in a terrifying situation for me. I really like to have the scenes as authentic as possible, and I believe my actors, even if they are non-professional, should use a method process; that they live their life as the character. There was a confusion of feelings through the whole shooting of the film that was really difficult for me. I was happy to shoot the film, but I really suffered while doing it. The film feels very personal, where did the narrative come from? Many places. My mom had cancer herself, and that inspired me in a way. For Silvia Im not entirely sure where I came up with this very strong single mother. Shes a combination of many people that Ive met. The casting process was nine months long, so during casting I was re-writing while meeting real lawyers and single mothers. So did Carolina influence the character too? I think she co-created the character in a way. I give a lot of freedom to my actors. I dont give them a script with dialogues, we do it with improvisation and through a scene that I have in mind, and we find the final words together. I have the final say, but I think Carolina was very smart and directed her own character. There were scenes where she wanted to act one way that I hadnt planned, but in the end it worked. You can only direct an actor to a point then, they have to be free to do whatever they want. Your film eschews the typical violent, narco-trafficking narratives so popular in Colombian productions lately. I imagine thats intentional? Someone else asked me that in France where I do my post-production. I told him not that much actually. As Colombia is a young industry, I think we feel obligated to touch on big subjects, but why not make films like Woody Allen? My film isnt a comedy like Woody Allens, but it has that kind of intimacy which is important for me. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. UPDATED with Bob Iger statement. Disney and Comcast announced today that Disney will assume full operational control of Hulu, adding a crucial chess piece in one of the most serious efforts by a traditional media player to take on Netflix. The companies entered into a put/call agreement regarding NBCUniversals 33% ownership interest in Hulu. The deal puts a minimum future valuation on Hulu of $27.5 billion, with control transferring to Disney immediately and the financial transaction slated to take effect in 2024. Related stories Stan Lee's Ex-Manager Hit With Elder Abuse Charges; Arrest Warrant Issued Reporters gathered in New York for the Disney upfront press conference were startled by the news, announced verbally by a Disney rep as the event was beginning and the press release was hitting the wire. At the same time, it had also been widely expected given Disneys strategic push into streaming and its description of Hulu as one of three legs of the stool along with Disney+ and ESPN+. Disney+ is set to launch in November. The $7 price point of Disney+ and the lowering of Hulus basic, ad-supported service to $6 a month are both noteworthy moves in an industry-wide bid to slow the momentum of Netflix. Hulu represents the best of television, with its incredible array of award-winning original content, rich library of popular series and movies, and live TV offerings, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. We are now able to completely integrate Hulu into our direct-to-consumer business and leverage the full power of The Walt Disney Companys brands and creative engines to make the service even more compelling and a greater value for consumers. (Iger later elaborated on the deal in an appearance at an investor conference.) Hulu, which managed to evolve since its 2007 creation despite an unusual multi-company ownership structure, has seen dramatic subscriber growth of late, reporting earlier this month 28 million total subscribers across its live-TV and on-demand offerings. Its advertising revenue has also surged, with half of subscribers opting for the basic, ad-supported tier of Hulu on demand. Story continues The $71.3 billion transaction that saw Disney acquire Foxs Hulu stake along with studio and network assets, which closed in March, set things in motion for a full roll-up of Hulu. The streaming services original programming, highlighted by the Emmy-winning Handmaids Tale, and vast library of film and TV titles, including catch-up titles that hit the streaming service soon after linear premiere, make it a valuable chess piece for Disney. Given the family-friendly nature of Disney+, more adult-oriented fare created under Disneys ownership including potentially film franchises like Deadpool will find a home on Hulu. Under the put/call agreement, as early as January 2024, Comcast can require Disney to buy NBCUniversals interest in Hulu and Disney can require NBCUniversal to sell that interest to Disney for its fair market value at that future time, the companies said. Hulus fair market value will be assessed by independent experts but Disney has guaranteed a sale price for Comcast that represents a minimum total equity value of Hulu at that time of $27.5 billion. Disney and Comcast have agreed to fund Hulus recent purchase of AT&T Inc.s 9.5% interest in Hulu, pro rata to their current two thirds/one third ownership interests and, going forward, Comcast will have the option but not the obligation to fund its proportionate share of Hulus future capital calls and will be diluted if it elects not to fund. Shortly after Disney bought AT&Ts stake in April and before the month was out, reports surfaced of talks with Comcast about consolidating the remainder. For Disney, the move makes strategic sense, as it looks to control its streaming destiny and explore bundling with ESPN+ and Disney+. For Comcast, the decision to sell has no doubt been influenced by the companys debt load, which swelled at the end of 2018 after the $40 billion acquisition of Sky. In addition to the put/call agreement, Comcast has agreed with Hulu to extend the Hulu license of NBCUniversal content and the Hulu Live carriage agreement for NBCUniversal channels until late 2024 and to distribute Hulu on its Xfinity X1 platform. NBCUniversal can terminate most of its content license agreements with Hulu in three years time. In one year, NBCUniversal will have the right to exhibit on its own OTT service certain content that it currently licenses exclusively to Hulu in return for reducing the license fee payable by Hulu. On Monday, at the NBCU upfront presentation, ad sales chief Linda Yaccarino said several recognizable titles would be coming home to NBCU as the company prepares the launch of a free, ad-supported streaming service in 2020. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Before tonights episode even started, rose lovers, Hannah B. had already gone on quite a journey but this one had nothing to do with finding love. No, Hannahs journey was more about her characters narrative arc. On The Bachelor, she went from bitchy, gossipy former beauty queen hellbent on taking down her rival, Caelynn to generally inoffensive blonde woman to relatable heartbroken romantic who just wants someone to choose her every damn day. Man, Im exhausted for her! And we havent even gotten to her new character traits, which Chris Harrison lists for us during the premieres trying-too-hard intro. Shes a Bachelorette like weve never had before! Shes sincere! Shes totally honest, which is somehow different from sincere! And shes ready to tell it like it is! ABC To be fair, that is totally honest. The truth-telling continues during the how we got here montage, as Hannah awkwardly leans against a rundown wooden structure and declares, I dont know what to do with my hands! Nor does she have any idea how to look natural while strolling dreamily through a wheat field. ABC Now that shes been dumped on TV, Hannah says shes a changed woman. She no longer feels the need to be perfect. I know who I am to my core, she says. I want my time as the Bachelorette, my experience here to feel different because I am different. Note to producers: Telling us Hannah is different 100 times will not, in fact, make it true. Lets meet some of Hannahs potential husbands! Tyler, 25: This general contractor from Jupiter, Florida, describes himself as outgoing and expressive. Dont just take his word for it ABC One reassuring thought: Tyler was almost a dance minor at Wake Forest, but then he thought better of it and got a real job. Peter, 27: Hes a pilot, which gives me unpleasant flashbacks to Jake Pavelkas season but Peter does not seem like a sociopath. Yet. Mike, 31: Holy crap, I cant get over this guys smile. Story continues ABC Dayum! Plus, Mikes an Air Force vet, he currently has an actual job (portfolio manager), and he worships his great-grandma. Is it too early to say I love him? Joe, 30: Hey, its another regular Joe from Chicago! Unfortunately for this guy, he does not possess the effortless charm or dazzling good looks of his predecessor, Grocery Joe. But this Joe can sell you a box. Any box. Matt Donald, 26: (Old) Matt Donald has two parents with a farm (e-i-e-i-o), though his occupation is medical device salesman. Matts parents and brother are deaf, and everyone in the family loves two things: The Bachelor franchise and Alabamas Crimson Tide. Connor, 28: This car salesman (excuse me, district sales manager for one of the biggest automotive brands in the country) has a bi-racial background (his dads white, his mom is Chinese) and a can-do attitude. Im also wondering if his grandma would cook me dinner because that looks really good. ABC Luke P., 24: I like to think Im a good-looking guy, drawls Luke, in between clips of him lifting weights and doing push-ups. When I was in college, a lot of the girls around me thought so, too, and I definitely took advantage of that. After a while, though, all the meaningless sex left poor Luke feeling empty inside. Then one day, in the shower ABC God was speaking to me, says Luke. I realized that I wasnt the man that I wanted to be. Now this Import/Export Manager is ready to find a sacred love with someone other than Jesus. Time to get moving, other nameless men! The sun is about to set, the flagstones are about to be hosed down, and Chris Harrison is about to give Hannah one last good-luck hug. Let the limo exits begin! Up first is Garrett, a 27-year-old golf pro from Birmingham, Alabama. I wanna be your hole-in-one, he tells Hannah, because honestly what other golf pun is there? Mike with the beautiful smile is next, and he comes armed with the code he lives by, the 5 cs: Character, Charm, Charisma, Consistency, and Compassion. I dont think things like charm and charisma really qualify as values to live by, but hey, did I mention Mike has a great smile? And here comes Jed the 25-year-old singer/songwriter (a.k.a. unemployed dude) from Nashville. He is not wearing socks, and his shoes are a little too shiny for my taste. I cant wait to get to know your heart, he tells Hannah. Blech. Tyler C. the dancing contractor is next, followed by Dylan, a 24-year-old tech entrepreneur who is serving some Mr. Rourke realness in that white dinner jacket. ABC Looks like Connor S. drew the short straw and was tasked with the inevitable jumping the fence intro. (Unlike Colton, though, the 24-year-old investment analyst from Dallas likely had a little help from a step-ladder, or one of the Bachelor Interns giving him a boost). This gag is followed quickly by the first virgin joke of the night, courtesy of Devin, a 27-year-old talent manager. (Rest easy, Hannah Devin is not a virgin, but he is a virgin to this experience.) Now all we need is for someone to announce he hates wearing underwear, and the Colton trifecta will be complete. Please welcome the nights biggest douche canoe: 24-year-old John Paul Jones. When hes not cosplaying as Steff from Pretty in Pink, John Paul Jones spends his time telling people that you should call him John Paul Jones. ABC While John Paul Jones apparently only knows three words (those would be John, Paul and Jones), the next guy a 30-year-old math teacher named Brian is so nervous hes barely able to speak at all. Software engineer Scott, 28, manages to spit out a few pleasantries You just have this awesome personality while Matteo, 25, tells Hannah that she takes his breath away. Daron, 25, is the first to walk the wrong way around the fountain on his way into Casa Bachelorette, and Tyler G. reveals that hes been dreaming about Hannah for weeks (totes not creepy). Thomas the 27-year-old pro basketball player is polite and pleasant, while Matthew, 23 (what the heck is a car bid spotter? Anyone?) gets a blink-and-youll-miss-him hello. A string of boring intros usually means some stupid s is about to happen. ABC Hannah, this package isnt complete without you! bellows The Box King, before strutting inside. Joey, 33, arrives with an infant car seat that holds a bottle of champagne. Connor J. compliments Hannah in French; Ryan takes the roll tide bullet and wobbles up on roller skates; Hunter the pro surfer asks Hannah to tie the knot of his tie, ha ha. Then comes Grant, who talks to Hannah while chewing a mouthful of hot dog (Its a sausage party tonight, he gurgles). Not only that, producers dont even give him a cute job title, like Roller Boy (for Ryan) or John Paul Jones (for John Paul Jones). Grant is simply Unemployed. And were not done with the goofy intros yet! Jonathan, 27, arrives with a pizza and asks Hannah for a pizza my heart (oy); Kevin, 27, drops a bunch of footballs and then jokes that he fumbled his introduction (oy again); and Luke P. the hot Christian climbs out of the roof of the limo growling like a beast (get it? oy to the third power). We then segue into the rest of the guys who met Hannah on After the Finale Rose: Other Luke, 29 (a.k.a. Guy Who Looks Like Nick Viall); Dustin, 30; and of course Cam the White Rapper, who earned the very first rose of the season for some reason I will never understand. (Old) Matt Donald arrives on a tractor, sporting a straw hat and singing a version of the barnyard nursery rhyme that includes the lyrics, Heres a bro, theres a bro, everyones a bro bro. (Fun fact: Everyones a Bro, Bro was the original title of The Bachelorette.) The second pilot of the night is named Chasen (not a name), and he brings Hannah a paper airplane and a corny pun. Our relationships about to take off. Not to be outdone, Peter arrives in his full pilots uniform, and even unpins the gold wings from his chest and gives them to Hannah as a gift. (That paper airplane is looking pretty chintzy about now, huh Chasen? Also, Chasen is not a name. Thank you.) Once all the limos have arrived, Hannah pauses for a moment of prayer before entering the mansion. Lord, in your goodness and your love, make me patient, she whispers to herself. Give me the words, help me feel worthy, help me feel smart. Call me a sucker, but I think this will probably wind up being one of the most honest and sincere moments of the season. At last, its party time. Luke P. grabs Hannah first, which means nows as good a time as any to discuss his magically delicious tri-color ensemble. ABC A pink pocket square, purple tie, and blue jacket! All hes missing are the yellow moons but who knows, maybe theyre on his socks. Luke P. comes on very strong: He tells Hannah that when he saw her on Coltons season he said that could be my wife, and even though he doesnt know her that well (read: AT ALL), Im really, really into you. Luke, buddy, what would Jesus do in this situation? Answer: Hed tell you to take it down a notch. The first activity of the evening is what Connor J. calls a Bachelorette party. Im pretty sure hes never been to one, though, because Connor then asks Hannah to strap a tissue box full of ping-pong balls to her waist via some type of fanny-pack situation need I go on? Long story short, alls well that ends with a crown. ABC Im clearly out of shape, pants a breathless Connor J., after shaking all the junk out of his trunk. Man, scoffs Hannah. Tighten up! Thats right, chump DO BETTER! Weve reached the Chris just brought out the First Impression Rose so things are getting real portion of the evening, and you know what that means: Its time for Jed to bust out his guitar! ABC Ugh. Wheres John Belushi when you need him? Go peddle your poor mans Jason Mraz act elsewhere, buddy. If youre wondering how weve gotten this far into the season premiere without the standard, time-wasting advice from previous contestants segment, wonder no longer. Suddenly, the camera cuts to Demi and Katie Hannahs fellow contestants from Coltons season of The Bachelor sitting in a surveillance van in the Casa Bachelorette driveway. It seems Hannah invited her TV friends to scope out the guys tonight. But really, Demi is here to propel the nights biggest drama: Earlier today, someone reached out to me on social media saying one of the guys here has a girlfriend, she reports. I want to do some further investigating to get to the bottom of it. One by one, Demi examines and then exonerates the suitors while on the hunt for Girlfriend Guy. She rules out Matt, The Box King, Peter, and then ABC Wait, THAT guy? Yes, Demi is certain that Scott the software sales exec from Chicago is the culprit. With the investigation complete, Harrison pulls Hannah from the party and brings her to Demi, who fills the Bachelorette in on all of the sordid details: I read messages between the girlfriend and her friends, [with] her talking about how they saw each other Monday before he came. He told her theyre going to be together when this is all over, and that theyre going to go on a trip together. Survey says: The Bachelorette does NOT love it. ABC Hannah storms back into the mixer room and lets her displeasure be known. Hey Scott we need to talk, she snaps. Come on! Once theyre alone, Hannah demands to know the truth, and Scott bless his dumb, dumb heart tries to spin the situation. At first, Scott denies that the Other Woman is his girlfriend, but after listening to Hannah harangue him for being shady, he crumbles like a saltine cracker. Yes, I was dating a girl before I got on the show, up until Monday if you want me to be completely honest, yes, he admits, sounding more irritated than he has any right to be. If that bothers you, Im sorry. But do I think that this is someone who Im going to marry long term? No, I dont. Oh, it bothers her, buddy. And bringing up Colton You were just madly in love with him, grumbles Scott is definitely not the way to go. You are such a jerk! huffs Hannah. Its time for you to head out. With that, she marches him to the door and waves him away with disgust. The only thing left for her to do is storm back into the mixer room and inform the assembled suitors that if theyre not here for the Right Reasons, they need to get the eff out, too. When none of the guys raise their hands, Hannah excuses herself so she can go cry alone by the pool. Though she said she wanted time alone, Luke P. takes it upon himself to step up and go comfort Hannah. After all, ladies dont really know what they want, do they? I am here for you, Luke P. assures Hannah. I am here to win your heart. Eventually, all the remaining guys get their one-on-one time and Connor S. even gets the second kiss of the night. (The first one went to Cam the White Rapper, in yet another inexplicable move by Hannah.) The third kiss of the night goes to Luke P., who also gets the First Impression Rose. ABC Tink tink tink! Chris Harrison and his Butter Knife of Bad has arrived. As it turns out, several men didnt get the chance to talk to Hannah, because the Scott drama somehow took up a full hour. Will those be the dudes who get sent home? Lets find out. Rose ceremony roll call: Mike, Connor S., Matthew (not to be confused with Matteo or Old Matt Donald), Connor J., Jed, Dustin, Joey, Devin, Peter, Dylan, Matteo (not to be confused with Matthew or Old Matt Donald), Jonathan, Tyler C., Tyler G., Daron, Luke S., Garrett, Grant, Kevin, and John Paul Jones, along with Cam and Luke P., all advance to the next round of TV dating. And so we must say fare-thee-well to Old Matt Donald, Brian, Chasen (not a name), Hunter, The Box King, Ryan, and Thomas. Are any of them interesting enough to wind up on Paradise? (LOLOLOL just kidding.) Speaking of interesting, how about that this season on promo? Naked bungee jumping! Hannah calling a condom a rubber! Premature declarations of love! Hannah sobbing in Chris Harrisons arms! (Fan fiction alert.) F-bombs! An ambulance! And perhaps the single greatest quote ever to be uttered on this show: I have had sex, and Jesus still loves me. Testify! How did Hannah do, rose lovers? Do you like/like to hate any of the guys in particular? And is there anything more annoying than ABC Always Be Cam? Post your thoughts below, and Ill see you back here next week. The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. Related content: Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton made one fans day after sending an F1 race car over to terminally ill 5-year-old Harry Shaw. The boy from Surrey had sent Hamilton a good luck message on Instagram from his hospital bed before Hamilton won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday in Barcelona, the BBC reported on Sunday. Hello Lewis Hamilton. Good luck winning the race in Spain and thank you for the gifts. Lots of love from Harry and goodbye, Harry said in the video. That good luck message resonated with the Formula One driver, who at first had his team send Harry some signed photographs and a Mercedes hat. It just went from there, really, Charlotte Shaw, Harrys mother, told the BBC. Its brought smiles into his life at a time when theres a limited amount of fun to be had, to be perfectly honest. Its just got bigger and bigger and better and better and the smiles have got broader and broader, she said of Hamiltons gifts for Harry. Its so special to see Harry enjoying himself. Harry, who has Ewings sarcoma, was surprised with an actual Formula One Mercedes race car upon returning to his home for his final days. Charlotte and her husband James were told Harry had just one week left to live back in April, according to the BBC. I dont know Lewis, but I think what weve seen is what a genuine, decent, lovely person he is, James said of Hamilton. That was a heartfelt message he did and he won that Grand Prix for Harry and that means a lot. Story continues RELATED: Former F1-driver Jacques Villeneuve welcomes baby boy The Formula One driver described the boy as his spirit angel, dedicating Sundays victory to him while arranging for Mercedes to fly out one of its race cars to Harrys home in Redhill, Surrey. Hamilton is expected to present his grand prix trophy to his biggest fan, as well. Today, I was just super-inspired by this kid that sent me a message, Hamilton said following his victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, according to the BBC. He was my spirit angel. Hamilton also posted a heartfelt message to Harry after seeing the boys good luck message on Instagram. Harry, you dont know how much this message means to me buddy. Thank you so much, you are my inspiration today Harry. I will try to make you proud. You are such a strong boy, I wish I was as strong as you, I wanted the world to see how strong you are and ask everyone to send their best wishes and prayers to you during this hard time. Sending you love Harry. God bless you. Your friend, Lewis #keepfighting #nevergiveup #wewinandwelosetogether, Hamilton captioned the video. The Shaw family has raised over 15,000 ($19,235) for research into the disease after setting up a charity page online. Mercedes later tweeted that they were supporting the fundraiser as well. For Harry This brave, inspiring young man was diagnosed with cancer in August 2018 and hes not stopped fighting since! Were supporting @HarrysPledge5 to raise money for research into Ewings Sarcoma and other childhood cancers Pledge your support https://t.co/qQGXZIywYK pic.twitter.com/A13UmWSM1o Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) May 12, 2019 Hamilton is a five-time Formula One World Champion who races for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. [Editors Note: The following contains spoilers from Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5, The Bells.] What is dead may never die, according to the religion of the Drowned God, but on the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones, Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbaek) makes his final exit, extra salty to the very end. The character entered the show in Season 6 with much fanfare after killing his own brother and besting his own niece to become the king of the Iron Islands. By the end of the series, hes made an alliance with Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) to rule Westeros together and build a dynasty starting with their first child. Related stories Game of Thrones: The Shows Third Insane Twist Is Coming, and It Better Be a Doozy Game of Thrones: Leonardo Da Vincis Crossbow and a WWII Machine Gun Inspired Eurons Giant Weapon Design The only problem? He never realizes that Cersei was already pregnant by her brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and doesnt even catch on when Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) mentions the pregnancy during the parley before the war for Kings Landing. IndieWire spoke with Asbaek about Eurons character development and how he couldve missed the clues about the babys true parentage. I can tell you the truth because I dont have to lie about how its going to end. When we did that scene, you have to remember Lena and I and The Mountain, everyone was standing 85 meters away from Peter. Peters not a guy who likes to shout, said Asbaek. I couldnt hear a word of what he said. So I had no idea that he mentioned the baby. Because if I had or if I had read the script, I wouldve looked at Cersei, like What? Hey, how can he know? Whats going on? No one could be that stupid, except an actor who hadnt read the script, probably. I only read my own lines. I did the Michael Caine method. Asbaek acknowledges that this plot just wasnt a focus for showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who had written the episode. Story continues I wanted to be surprised when I watched it. I wanted to be seduced by it like the rest of the world, he said. That said, that that wasnt a plotline for Dan and David to follow up because they didnt think that was important. It was more important that he had nothing to lose when he met Jaime Lannister on the beach and Jaime had everything to lose because the world is burning and [he] has become a good guy. Euron is just like, I want to see the world burn. I dont give a shit. In the episode, the two men in Cerseis life engage in an all-out brawl that includes punching, wrestling, and lots of stabbing. And even though Euron is ultimately left lying on the rocks dying, he knows that he got in enough jabs with his dagger that Jaime also will soon perish. With his triumphant dying breath, he looks into the camera and declares, Im the man who killed Jaime Lannister. I had no idea I was looking into the camera, Asbaek admitted. Youve been fighting two days on the beach and youre tired and its emotional because you realize its the last days on Game of Thrones and [Nikolaj] is a fellow Dane. Were good friends. Youre wearing leather and its wet and its watery. Miguel [Sapochnik], who directed that episode, he was like, just say it and you look up, and youre like, Ah, what a beautiful day. Ah, life is beautiful. Apparently I must have been like, Ah, thats the camera. I killed Jaime Lannister. They mustve liked it because they wouldnt have used it. Asbaek feels that Euron breaking the fourth wall in that way is in keeping with his rule-breaking ways. Its the ultimate fuck you guys to the audience because the character is like that, he said. Hes a guy who doesnt give a shit about anyone or anything. And the only person that he might have cared a little bit about is a woman who has lied to him about a baby. Looking back, Asabaek is grateful to have played Euron, even though hes aware that some viewers didnt like the character, especially since it diverged from the mystical madman as depicted in the books. I know I divided the audience. Some people love it. Some people hate it. I thought it was fun, said Asbaek. Ive done so many heroes in Denmark and in Europe that I just wanted to go old school villain. Thats also how Dan and David wrote it. What I would change with Euron? I wish we couldve seen not the seducing side, not the I want to fuck the queen side but something different. Maybe something more dark, more mysterious. It would have been fun to see that side because its closer to the books. As for the big finale, Asbaek was at the table read for the episode so he knows how itll end. But unlike some loose-lipped cast members, he hasnt told anyone the ending. God no. Not even my wife, he said. [This show] was passion that became professional. It became my job. And I dont want to discuss my job when Im at home Its boring. Game of Thrones airs its series finale on Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. on HBO. Launch Gallery: 'Game of Thrones': Looking Back at Season 1 (When Everyone Was So Young) Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has postponed a Los Angeles-based event to promote the Georgia film industry after intense backlash over the states recently-passed anti-abortion bill, Kemps spokesperson Cody Hall told TheWrap. Originally scheduled for May 22 at the West Hollywood Sunset Tower Hotel, Georgia Night in L.A. has now been rescheduled for the fall. In the meantime, the Governor will be touring production studios in GA to meet with employees and reaffirm his commitment to the film industry in our state, Hall said. The Georgia Film Office and the West Hollywood Sunset Tower Hotel did not immediately respond for a request for comment. Also Read: Alyssa Milano Calls for 'Sex Strike' in Response to Georgia's Anti-Abortion Law Last week, Kemp signed into law House Bill 481, which bans abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat has been detected, which could be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, except when needed to save the life of the mother or for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest if the mother files a police report. The law would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020 unless it is blocked in the courts. Legal challenges are expected. Passage of the bill sparked a huge backlash in Hollywood. The Wire creator David Simon, Killer Films CEO Christine Vachon, Mark Duplass of Duplass Brothers Productions and Neal Dodson of CounterNarrative Films all said they would boycott the state. Meanwhile, J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele said that while their show Lovecraft Country will still film in Georgia, they will donate their fees for producing the season to two Georgia-based organizations opposed to the law. Over a decade ago, Georgia passed a tax credit in which productions can collect up to 30% of its budget if filmed in the state, according to the Washington Post. Also Read: Jordan Peele's, JJ Abrams' Production Companies to Donate 'Lovecraft Country' Fees to Fight Georgia Abortion Law Shows like Ozark, The Real World and The Walking Dead all film in the state, according to ExploreGeorgia.org, the states official tourism website. Among other projects to film there include the sequel to Jumanji, Steven Spielbergs Amazing Stories and Will Smiths Bad Boys for Life. Avengers: Infinity War was also shot there. Story continues Film and television production in Georgia supports more than 92,000 jobs and brings significant economic benefits to communities and families, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) spokesman Chris Ortman said in a statement in response to calls for boycotts. 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. Beatrice Verhoeven contributed to this report. Read original story Georgia Film Event in Los Angeles Postponed as Backlash Over Anti-Abortion Bill Continues At TheWrap After simmering in Outworld for a couple of years, James Wans Mortal Kombat will finally go into pre-production this month in Adelaide, Australia for New Line Cinema. Steven Marshall, premier of South Australia, confirms the news in a press release, calling it the largest film production in South Australias history. Described as an epic action film, the film marks the directorial debut of Simon McQuoid, who works off a screenplay by Greg Russo. Production will kick off later this year. The last film adaptation was 1997s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, a sequel to Paul W.S. Andersons 1995 original. In 2010, a short film titled Rebirth offered up a gritty reimagining and spawned a web series in Mortal Kombat: Legacy that ran for two seasons on YouTube. Earlier this year, it was also rumored that Warner Bros. had been developing an animated feature with Joel McHale and Jennifer Carpenter. Since then, there has been no further development, though has had their hands full with Mortal Kombat 11, which dropped this past April Regardless, Wans film is going down, and you can read the full press release about the entire forthcoming production below. John Oliver began Sundays episode of HBOs Last Week Tonight by taking on Georgias controversial heartbeat bill legislation signed into law last week by Gov. Brian Kemp. Scheduled to take effect in 2020, it represents one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation, and groups including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood have vowed to fight it in the courts. Some Hollywood entities have also been speaking up against the law, saying they either would not shoot in the state (home to lucrative film and TV production tax credits) or if they did, they planned to donate profits to groups fighting the law. Related stories J.J. Abrams & Jordan Peele Will Shoot HBO Drama 'Lovecraft Country' In Georgia But Donate Profits To Fight 'Heartbeat' Law The law bans most abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detected which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women. are even aware that theyre pregnant. And it didnt stop there, said Oliver in the show first minutes. He showed footage of a news segment reporting that the bill gives the fetus natural person status, which entitles the fetus to child support, to be claimed as a dependent on tax returns, and included in the states population. A couple thing there, Oliver said on the other side. Tax breaks begin at conception may be the most Republican law ever created. And second, its pretty egregious to only make an exception for rape or incest where a police report was filed. I guess thats to separate the incest that theyre talking about from your run of the mill cousin-f*cking or, as its more commonly known, a Giuliani marriage. Oliver also played a clip of Georgia state Rep. Darlene Taylor delivering a speech on the statehouse floor. Who speaks for the baby named Fetus? Well today Im going to, she said. To quote Baby Fetus, I deserve to have the right too. Some may squirm in their seats, or turn their backs, but I will speak today. Story continues Said Oliver: OK, so lets walk through this. First, she explicitly says shes speaking not on behalf of fetus but on behalf of a baby whose name is Fetus. Second shes is somehow quoting this made-up baby Fetus, despite the fact that babies cant speak or write. So, she has no source material from which to quote. I actually think my feelings on this might best be summed up by Baby Fetus seminal 1973 autobiography All the Things I Didnt Say Because Im Not Real, he continued, holding up said faux book. He then quoted from it: A fetus is not a baby. In fact, at six weeks a fetus isnt even a fetus; its an embryo the size of a pomegranate seed. Oliver, continuing quoting the book (apparently the author is a fan of The Office): Also on an unrelated note, it may be the sex that Jim and Pam have is fine but I bet the sex that Pam and Roy used to have was better. This is the hill I would die on, were I not too fictional to die. Baby Fetus. Oliver: Thats a direct quote from Baby Fetus in 1973. Oliver noted other states including Alabama and Ohio are considering similar legislation, with the latter states proposed restrictions, per another news report shown by Oliver, include keeping insurance companies from providing insurance for anything related to abortions, making abortions more difficult to afford. Why stop there? Why not pass a bill saying all women seeking an abortion in Ohio must first tie up all the remaining plot threads on Game of Thrones in one single episode of television?, Oliver quipped about his fellow HBO series. Everyone know that simply cant be done, and frankly I feel terrible for any network stupid enough to try! He also noted that some opponents of the Ohio bill are concerned it would also prevent insurance companies from covering some forms of birth control and contraception. He played a clip of a news report in which the bills author was asked if that was the case. He said, I dont know, and that he would leave it to the experts to figure out. I dont know if the bill written by that not-smart-enough man will pass, Oliver said. Its complete f*cking nonsense but you never know. And if youre sensing a pattern here that might be because, just this year, states introduced more than 250 bills restricting abortion access. Its pretty clear now, with a conservative Supreme Court, lawmakers are taking every step they can to get a case that night end up overturning Roe v. Wade and theyre going to keep trying. Which is why it is incumbent on all of us to pay close attention to this issue, he continued. If I may address those lawmakers in the words of an unexpectedly literate baby: Listen, Im not a constitutional scholar Im not anything but if I were, Id tell you that laws like these deny women agency over their own bodies, and your actions put their health and lives at risk. But hey, why not ask the women affected what they think? Because theyre actual people, unlike me, a f*cking fictional baby named Fetus. Deadlines Lisa de Moraes contributed to this report. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Josiah Duggar is honoring his wife Lauren (Swanson) Duggar in the sweetest way. In celebration of Mothers Day on Sunday, Josiah, 22, dedicated a touching tribute to Lauren, who suffered a miscarriage in October. To my dear Lauren Happy 1st Mothers Day! Josiah wrote in an Instagram post alongside a smiling photo of himself and Lauren. I have seen you love, protect, and how much you have given without getting anything in return, he wrote. I wish our sweet baby couldve seen just how wonderful a mother you are. Josiah continued by acknowledging that although they werent able to meet their angel baby, Lauren was still a mother to their child. Not all mothers arms get to hold their little one, or get to hear their babys laughs and cries. You may have missed out on these things since our baby was called home to be with Jesus, but you ARE a mother. I love you Lauren! -Si he continued. He added the hashtags: #mothersday #happymothersday #mamatoanangelbaby. The couple got engaged in March 2018 and married on June 30 of last year at John Brown University Cathedral of the Ozarks in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Back in February, the TLC stars opened up about their miscarriage in PEOPLEs exclusive sneak peek from the new season of Counting On. Story continues RELATED: Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Honeymoon in Vienna: The Sweet Reason They Chose Austria Lauren and I were actually preparing for a trip to go to a friends wedding, Josiah said in the clip. She started feeling really sick and started noticing some different things. Mrs. Swanson was there, so she was able to help her out. I didnt know exactly what was going on. I wasnt feeling well, Lauren recalled, breaking down in tears. I was cramping really, really bad, which was quite strange because I normally dont. I was thinking maybe I had something that had gluten in it. It was late at night and I went to use the restroom and there was the baby. Gone. I couldnt believe it and I was hoping it wasnt true. She went on to explain that she wanted to talk about her heartbreak to let yall know that youre not alone. Nobody really talks about it, she said, adding she couldnt have gotten through the pain without the support of her family. It was the worst day of my life, really. At the end of March, she thanked fans for the support theyve sent her following her miscarriage and reflected on the loss. RELATED: Pregnant Jessa Seewald Shares 25-Week Bump Photo as She Grieves Lauren Duggars Miscarriage I just want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers, support, and for all you mamas out there for sharing your angel baby stories, Lauren wrote, captioning a photo taken of a piano in her home, on which her wedding photos were placed. Its easy to share those happy times in our lives, but sharing something hard, like losing a baby can be like putting salt to a wound, she added. I know by yall sharing your stories it has not only helped me, but many other women who have gone through the same trials. Lauren ended her post by quoting Psalm 147:3 in the Bible. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. As has become an upfront tradition, ESPNs Kenny Mayne gave a blistering presentation, poking fun at advertisers who still think 30-second commercials are the best way to spend billions of ad dollars. And this year, he used an analogy of a black hole to describe where that money was headed. You give us your money and its never fing coming back. Its gone, Mayne said during Disneys upfront presentation in New York on Tuesday afternoon. It will feel like a million light-years away. But you do get a 30-second spot on color TV. Later, well bring out some charts with our best guess about how many people actually saw your ad. Then were even.Also Read: Jimmy Kimmel Signs New 3-Year Deal With ABC for 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'ESPN, which used to hold its own upfront, was rolled up into Disneys company-wide upfront this year. Mayne even joked that he was related to the JV stage at Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall, which is across the street from the Geffen, where the rest of the event was taking place. You think Bob Iger is showing up for this bulls, he continued. Bob Iger is trying to figure out what in the f this reorganization is about.Mayne joked frequently that even he doesnt understand how Disney works now, fresh off its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Foxs film and TV assets, which resulted in a reorganization for the company. I could sooner memorize the New York City phone book then explain to you what the hell is going on here.Mayne ended with summing what were pretty sure was not Igers approved sales pitch: We are postmodern and we are transparent. So much so, that you can probably see through our bulls. Hold on to your wallets, close your eyes and just enjoy the ride.Read original story Kenny Mayne Leads ESPNs Pitch for Ad Dollars: Give Us Your Money, And Its Never Fing Coming Back At TheWrap As has become an upfront tradition, ESPNs Kenny Mayne gave a blistering presentation, poking fun at advertisers who still think 30-second commercials are the best way to spend billions of ad dollars. And this year, he used an analogy of a black hole to describe where that money was headed. You give us your money and its never fing coming back. Its gone, Mayne said during Disneys upfront presentation in New York on Tuesday afternoon. It will feel like a million light-years away. But you do get a 30-second spot on color TV. Later, well bring out some charts with our best guess about how many people actually saw your ad. Then were even. Also Read: Jimmy Kimmel Signs New 3-Year Deal With ABC for 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' ESPN, which used to hold its own upfront, was rolled up into Disneys company-wide upfront this year. Mayne even joked that he was related to the JV stage at Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall, which is across the street from the Geffen, where the rest of the event was taking place. You think Bob Iger is showing up for this bulls, he continued. Bob Iger is trying to figure out what in the f this reorganization is about. Mayne joked frequently that even he doesnt understand how Disney works now, fresh off its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Foxs film and TV assets, which resulted in a reorganization for the company. I could sooner memorize the New York City phone book then explain to you what the hell is going on here. Mayne ended with summing what were pretty sure was not Igers approved sales pitch: We are postmodern and we are transparent. So much so, that you can probably see through our bulls. Hold on to your wallets, close your eyes and just enjoy the ride. Read original story Kenny Mayne Leads ESPNs Pitch for Ad Dollars: Give Us Your Money, And Its Never Fing Coming Back At TheWrap EuropaCorp, the European movie studio founded by Luc Besson, has resumed talks with junior lender Vine Alternative Investments to have it take over the company.The deal, which was first reported by French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, is still being finalized between Vine and EuropaCorps senior lender, JP Morgan, and comes after EuropaCorp previously opened talks to sell a majority stake in the studio to Pathe, EuropaCorps film distributor in France. According to Dimanche, a deal with Vine is the studios current preferred choice.As part of the deal to take over the studio, the 80 million debt owed by EuropaCorp to Vine would be converted into a stake in the company, and Vine may also move to take full ownership of the studios film library.Also Read: Luc Besson's Financially Troubled EuropaCorp Placed Under Court Protection in FranceThe new talks come two months after EuropaCorp was placed under a six month court protection in France in order to reorganize its finances after it reported a $125 million loss for the 2018-19 financial year.The studio currently has no projects in production after its latest release, Anna, flopped at the box office with just a $3.6 million domestic opening and $10.9 million grossed worldwide after four weekends in theaters. The poor performance has been attributed both to weak reviews from critics and multiple accusations of sexual abuse against Besson. A nine-month investigation into accusations by actress Sand Van Roy ended with a dismissal in February.A possible deal between EuropaCorp and Vine depends not only on agreements with senior lenders but also on the approval of a safeguard plan by Frances commercial courts, so no timetable has been set.Read original story Luc Bessons EuropaCorp In Takeover Talks With Vine Alternative Investments At TheWrap Luc Bessons production company EuropaCorp has been placed under court protection in France for six months so that the company can reorganize financially, Europe 1 reported. A court of commerce in Bobigny, France, ruled on Monday that the company will be put on safeguard for an initial period of six months to make it possible to negotiate the terms of a reorganization of the financial situation, according to Europe 1, adding that all public trading of the company was suspended as of May 6. According to Europacorp, as of Tuesday, the company was added back to the stock market. Between 2017-18, EuropaCorp lost 82.5 million Euros ($92.4 million) following the U.S. failure of Bessons pricey 2017 sci-fi epic Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. The film, budgeted at $177 million, grossed just $41 million in North America and $185 million in foreign markets. Also Read: Luc Besson Rape Accusation Dismissed by French Court for Lack of Evidence The company then lost an additional 89 million Euros in the first half of the fiscal year of 2018-19 and has now been losing money for three years straight. The failure of Valerian forced the company to downgrade the number of English-language films EuropaCorp distributes in North America each year to just two or three films. EuropaCorp also announced in March that the company sold 500 films in its catalog to the French company Gaumont to refocus on its core business of production and distribution. In December, the 10-year-old company announced a partnership with Pathe Films as another cost-cutting measure, with Pathe Films agreeing to release three EuropaCorp-produced or co-produced films per year, including Bessons upcoming film Anna. Read original story Luc Bessons Financially Troubled EuropaCorp Placed Under Court Protection in France At TheWrap Man Who Worked with Traveling Carnival Allegedly Murdered Three Women in Three Weeks Man in Traveling Carnival Allegedly Murdered 3 Women in 3 Weeks A Virginia man is accused of murdering three women he met while traveling with a carnival and authorities say there could be more victims. James Michael Wright, 23, has been charged with three counts of capital murder for the deaths of Elizabeth Vanmeter, Joycelyn M. Alsup and Athina Hopson, Washington County Sheriff Fred Newman said at a press conference Monday. Newman said Wright could be considered a serial killer. Wright, who was arrested on Thursday, worked with James H. Drew Exposition, a carnival that travels around the South and East Coast. He is believed to have met the women while traveling with the carnival. Vanmeter and Hopson were from northern Tennessee and Alsup was from Georgia. The murders took place over the course of three weeks. 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. In an interview with authorities, Wright allegedly claimed he had killed the women accidentally, revealing that the first death occurred on Feb. 28 at his Washington County home. Wright told investigators he fatally shot 22-year-old Vanmeter during a fight. According to WBIR, Vanmeters caretaker claimed she was cognitively disabled and had the mental capacity of a 13-year-old. The second victim, Alsup, 17, was killed on March 9. Wright allegedly said he accidentally shot her while shooting at an animal in the woods. He hit her by mistake, according to an arrest warrant, WBIR reports. Wright told investigators he met the 17-year-old through her father who also worked in the carnival. He claimed the pair had sex before Wright shot her and dumped her body in woods near his home. The body of Wrights third known victim, Hopson, has not yet been found. He allegedly told investigators he killed her on March 17 after tripping and accidentally shooting her in the head, according to the warrant. Wright said he put her body in the back of his truck but it fell out while he was driving. Wright then claimed he dumped her body in a local river, Newman said. Story continues James Michael Wright | AP/REX/Shutterstock Johnson City, Tennessee, authorities investigating Hopsons case found she had last been seen with Wright, which led to a search warrant of his truck. Her cell phone was reportedly found in the vehicle. Two bodies believed to belong to Vanmeter and Alsup have been found on Wrights property. The .22 caliber rifle Wright allegedly used was found on his grandfathers property. Newman said investigators are now reaching out to authorities in the places where the traveling carnival visited to ask about any open missing-person cases in those areas. Wright does not appear to have a criminal background. He wasnt certainly on our radar of being in any type of criminal activity, Newman said. Wright remains behind bars in Virginia without bond. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. Meek Mill is asking a judge to let him off in the case accusing him of being responsible for a man killed outside one of his shows, saying the evidence shows the victim was a participant in the shooting. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Meek is denying all allegations of wrongdoing for [] Meek Mill Meek Mill is asking a judge to let him off in the case accusing him of being responsible for a man killed outside one of his shows, saying the evidence shows the victim was a participant in the shooting. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Meek is denying all allegations of wrongdoing for the 2016 shooting outside one his concert that killed a man named Jaquan Graves. The rapper also denies Graves family claim that at the time of the shooting, Graves was unarmed and did not contribute to, incite or in any fashion participate in the melee. He claims the police reports state the victim was an instigator and/or participant in the melee. Meek Mill claims police found gunshot residue on the decedent, which indicate that he discharged a firearm during the melee. The rapper also says there was no way he can be expected to control random third parties, including the two men who were caught by cops for the shooting. He is asking to be dismissed from the entire case immediately. Back in 2017, Meek Mill was hit with three separate lawsuits over a shooting that went down outside his 2016 Connecticut concert. One of the suits came from the estate of Jaquan Graves who sued for wrongful death. The estate of Graves has offered to settle the entire case for $3 million. The three lawsuits accused Meek along with the Oakdale Musical Theatre Company and Live Nation of being negligent in the handling of security of the concert. One suit even pointed to Meeks lyrics claiming they incite violence and described how Meeks concert have had shootings in the past. The lawsuits are ongoing. The post Meek Mill Says Man Killed Outside His Concert Fired a Gun During Shootout, Wants Out of Wrongful Death Suit appeared first on The Blast. The body of a Florida woman missing for nearly six years has been found in an upright freezer that wound up in the warehouse of a scrap business leaving authorities to investigate who put her there and how she died. Heather Anne Lacey was 30 years old when she was last seen on November 21, 2013, according to The Charley Project, which tracks cold-case missing persons cases In March, Lilian Argueta found Laceys body when she opened the freezer that had been delivered to her business in Margate from an apartment in Hollywood, Florida, reports the Sun-Sentinel. I thought it was a witch, or a mannequin, Argueta told the newspaper, explaining that she screamed. I thought, It cant be a person. But there was a bad odor. The Broward County Medical Examiners Office identified the remains by Laceys fingerprints. Still unknown, according to the medical examiners office, is how or when Lacey died. Argueta said the business that she owns with her husband had acquired the discarded and unopened freezer to be used for scrap, according to NBC Miami. Lacey had a history of drug abuse, and last was spotted in the area of Deerfield Beach, according to The Charley Project, which notes that many law enforcement agencies list the date of her disappearance as June 10, 2013. She was a mother of two whose family said her descent into addiction began with painkillers after a difficult Caesarean section surgery during the birth of one of her children, reports the Sun-Sentinel. Arrests for drug possession and prostitution followed, and she served time in prison for a conviction of forgery and identity theft. 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 was a very smart girl and had a lot going for her and unfortunately, her downfall was getting into drugs, doing drugs and being addicted, Laceys mother Patti Palumbo told the newspaper. It put us in a cycle that led us here. Story continues Before it turned up in the scrap warehouse, the freezer had been located in the Hollywood apartment of man who had been found dead in that apartment last February. Jonathan Escarzaga, 36, was discovered dead in his apartment Feb. 17 after a neighbor complained of foul odor. But the decomposition of his body prevented the medical examiner from determining his cause of death. The building manager who had the apartment cleaned out said he didnt know how long the freezer had been inside, according to the Sun-Sentinel. He had an appliance refurbishing company remove the appliances, and the freezer later wound up at the warehouse of the scrap company owned by Argueta and her husband, Pedro Rodriguez. Laceys family members said they did not know Escarzaga, and police have not publicly revealed any connection between the two, reports the Sun-Sentinel. The discovery nonetheless ends Laceys familys hopes for a different outcome. Theyd taken over care of Laceys children and, despite her struggles, had kept in regular touch with her until she disappeared. I didnt realize how much grieving I had to start doing, said Palumbo. Now it hits home, it opens it all up again. Pippa Bianco doesnt take awards for granted. At this years Sundance Film Festival she premiered her debut feature Share and hopped back on a flight to her native New York. I was back at work when we got the call that we needed to come back for the awards ceremony, she recalls. I was not anticipating that part at all. The story of a young girl, Mandy (Rhianne Barreto), who wakes up after a boozy party to find that a compromising video has gone viral, Share picked up not one but two prizes at the indie festival, one for Biancos thoughtful script and another for her star, who received a special jury prize. In Cannes, where Share won the 2015 Cinefondation prize in its original 13-minute form, the director is eligible for the Camera dOr. Given her past form, she may well win it. Related stories 'Share' Director Says Film Engages In The Where did the story for Share come from? Its so hard for me to say. I had a friendtwo friends actuallywhod been involved in something sort of similar as perpetrators. Men whod made videos. And one in particular was a very good friend of mine. I wasnt involved personally, he was just a friend who confessed to me that hed done something similar, although the situation was different. The sex was consensual. It wasnt the same [as the situation shown in the film]. But he wasnt someone who fit any kind of stereotype of the kind of person who could do that to somebody. I was struck by how easy it is to be outside yourself when youre behind a camera, and how easy it is to dehumanize somebody else, and objectify themto be so distanced from your own ethical decision-making. Im not excusing that behavior in any way by saying that. But why does it happen so frequently? That question stuck in my mind: how does someone who is good friends with women and loves womenhow can that person do this to someone they care about? So why did you choose to tell the story from the girls point of view? Story continues Its much easier to see a way into a story about a perpetrator than a victim, because theyre much more obviously activethey do something to somebody. Its much easier to tell a story, or structure a story, around someone who is very apparently an active protagonist. So, to me, the interesting thing was the person on the other end of that equationto tell the story from the perspective of the person who is experiencing it without using any kind of artificial device, like a revenge story or a detective story. And from there I began interviewing a lot of people who have gone through a similar experience. How did you find those people? I made the choice to only seek out people who had already been looking for a public platform. There were obviously people whose cases had been publicized, but who wanted to remain anonymous, and I didnt think it would ethical to approach people who wanted their privacy. At that point in time when I made the short [2014], there were fewer girls willing to do that, but obviously the world changed quite a bit once I was making the feature. How did you get into filmmaking in the first place? In college Id gone for fine arts, studying painting and photography. But I was just really lonely [laughs]. I was like, Ill be working alone forever. Because you shoot alone, you print alone, you show aloneits a very solitary lifestyle. So I thought, Whats an artform that involves more people? One I can actually do, because Im not musical. I thought, Well, I guess filmmaking has a lot more people. I like being in a team. So I applied for some PA jobs on Craigslist, and that was it. I really fell in love with it. The short won the Cannes Cinefondation Award in 2015, didnt it? Yeah, we won the first prize there, which was very lucky and random. When you went back to make the feature version of Share, did you start from scratch or did you refer back to the original? I had two images in my mind. I knew how the film would end, and I knew how it would start. The start I kept from the short, so I had those two things intact. But the middle? Didnt have it [laughs]. Still, I knew who I wanted this person to be. And I had the guiding principle that I was not going to use any elevated devices to make this a more interesting, or more entertaining, or more active story. I forced myself to find active choices in what people might often dismiss as passive choices. She was not going to go after this guy, or kill herself, or become a detective, if you know what I mean. How did you find Rhianne Barreto, who plays the girl? I think we went through 500 girls or something. And I just couldnt find anybody. You know, I thinkespecially in the U.S.theres so much pressure from the star system on young actresses to be actresses/models/pop stars/Instagram influencers, and so I find that, often, young people look and perform in a certain way. My casting director, Avy Kaufman, was like, For what youre looking for, youre going to find the talent in the U.K., or Australia, or somewhere where theater is the underpinning of the craft, not necessarily fame. That was definitely true, I think. And Rhianne came out of that. Is it true that she couldnt get a work visa? Yeah, we tried. We had three appeals. We applied for the work visa, each time she was granted it based on her qualifications, and then when she went for the interview her heritage was at issue. Her father was born in Iraq, and they said things to her like, You dont look British to us. Do you speak Arabic? She was mysteriously denied every single time we tried. By the second or third appeal we had Congressional support. We had letters from Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warrenall the New York senators. Which was incredibly kind of them. But even still, we were denied. We appealed all the way up to Homeland Security and were denied. So then you decided to move the shoot to Canada? Yeah. I mean, I did try to shoot in America. I tried very hard. But then it was like, are we going to fire Rhianne and penalize her for the way she looks and where her father was born? Or are we going to figure it out in some other way? It became a much more complicated production at that point, but everybody felt like, Well, if we dont support this kind of immigration policy, we shouldnt cave to it. Luckily, Canada gave us all work visas, and it worked out fine in the end. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Seth Meyers took a moment during his Late Night show Monday to praise Rep. Rashida Tlaib, telling her in an interview that her Palestinian background made her unique in Congress and that media coverage often did not reflect that perspective.Its nice, I think, to have someone in Congress as a Palestinian who has a platform because obviously it happens very rarely, Meyers said. Certainly in the media. you dont get the Palestinian perspective.Tlaib was on set to offer an explanation of remarks she made on Yahoos Skullduggery podcast last week, in which she said the memory of the Holocaust gave her a calming feeling and that her Palestinian ancestors created a safe haven for Jewish people fleeing World War II. Tlaib told Meyers that critics had been twisting her words out of context.Also Read: Meghan McCain Calls Out Seth Meyers to His Face Over Ilhan Omar Defense: 'Are You Her Publicist?'I got a text message from a friend, whos like, next time really clarify, maybe talk like a fourth grader because maybe the racist idiots would understand you better, she said, prompting audience applause. I will continue to speak truth to power.Meyers seemed inclined to agree.I actually think it wouldnt hurt for all of us to talk about the history of that part of the world on a fourth grade level because I actually dont think a lot of us here understand it, he said.The interview was mostly friendly, and lacked the sort of firm fact checking that CNNs John King offered on the same day. On the set of his Inside Politics, King offered a forceful pushback.Calming is at best an awkward word choice in any sentence referencing the Holocaust, King said. She (Tlaib) also fails a critical fact and context test. Yes, as she said, Palestinians lost land in the creation of Israel. But, she ignored the fact that Palestinian leaders at the time allied themselves with Hitler and that total war was how the Arab world reacted to the declaration of Israeli independence.Meyers has shown a willingness to grill his guests, however, when he feels the occasion calls for it. Last week, he engaged in a testy exchange with The View host and conservative Meghan McCain, repeatedly attempting to defend another congresswoman, Rep. Ilhan Omar, against McCains charges of anti-semitism.Are you her publicist? Are you her press person? McCain ultimately snapped at him. I am not sure what would make you happy coming out of my mouth right now. I am genuinely curious.A rep for Meyers did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap.Read original story Seth Meyers Praises Rep Rashida Tlaib for Helping People Understand the Palestinian Perspective At TheWrap Seth Meyers took a moment during his Late Night show Monday to praise Rep. Rashida Tlaib, telling her in an interview that her Palestinian background made her unique in Congress and that media coverage often did not reflect that perspective. Its nice, I think, to have someone in Congress as a Palestinian who has a platform because obviously it happens very rarely, Meyers said. Certainly in the media. you dont get the Palestinian perspective. Tlaib was on set to offer an explanation of remarks she made on Yahoos Skullduggery podcast last week, in which she said the memory of the Holocaust gave her a calming feeling and that her Palestinian ancestors created a safe haven for Jewish people fleeing World War II. Tlaib told Meyers that critics had been twisting her words out of context. Also Read: Meghan McCain Calls Out Seth Meyers to His Face Over Ilhan Omar Defense: 'Are You Her Publicist?' I got a text message from a friend, whos like, next time really clarify, maybe talk like a fourth grader because maybe the racist idiots would understand you better, she said, prompting audience applause. I will continue to speak truth to power. Meyers seemed inclined to agree. I actually think it wouldnt hurt for all of us to talk about the history of that part of the world on a fourth grade level because I actually dont think a lot of us here understand it, he said. The interview was mostly friendly, and lacked the sort of firm fact checking that CNNs John King offered on the same day. On the set of his Inside Politics, King offered a forceful pushback. Calming is at best an awkward word choice in any sentence referencing the Holocaust, King said. She (Tlaib) also fails a critical fact and context test. Yes, as she said, Palestinians lost land in the creation of Israel. But, she ignored the fact that Palestinian leaders at the time allied themselves with Hitler and that total war was how the Arab world reacted to the declaration of Israeli independence. Story continues Meyers has shown a willingness to grill his guests, however, when he feels the occasion calls for it. Last week, he engaged in a testy exchange with The View host and conservative Meghan McCain, repeatedly attempting to defend another congresswoman, Rep. Ilhan Omar, against McCains charges of anti-semitism. Are you her publicist? Are you her press person? McCain ultimately snapped at him. I am not sure what would make you happy coming out of my mouth right now. I am genuinely curious. A rep for Meyers did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap. Read original story Seth Meyers Praises Rep Rashida Tlaib for Helping People Understand the Palestinian Perspective At TheWrap Tim Conway has died at the age of 85. He passed away at 8:45 a.m. in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, his rep Howard Bragman confirms to PEOPLE. Prior to his death, he suffered complications from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) and had no signs of dementia or Alzheimers. Conway is survived by his wife of 35 years, his stepdaughter, his six biological children and two granddaughters. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would like donations to be made to The Lou Ruvo Brain Center at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada. The beloved actor is best known for his work on TheCarol Burnett Show, winning viewers over with characters like the Oldest Man and Mr. Tudball, whose accent he has said was inspired by his Romanian mother. He was known to ad-lib his sketches even surprising his scene partners and won a Golden Globe Award for the series in 1976, along with Emmys in 1973, 1977 and 1978. At a 2013 event promoting his memoir, Whats So Funny? My Hilarious Life, Burnett, now 86, painted her collaborator as an on-set prankster. Tims goal in life was to destroy [costar] Harvey Korman, she told the crowd, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Harvey wet his pants, Conway bragged. Its an anecdote he also recalled in a 2013 interview with the Los Angeles Times. Harvey never saw what I was going to do until he was actually doing the sketch, he said. As a matter of fact in the dentist sketch you can actually see Harvey wet his pants from laughing. Tim Conway | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Before making his mark in Hollywood, Conway studied TV and radio at Bowling State University and enlisted in the Army, where is goofiness already shone through. In the L.A. Times interview, he remembered misplacing his rifle before a 4 a.m. drill. I looked in the garbage and there was this long neon tube, he remembered. So I took that. As the lieutenant came around the corner. I said, Halt. I am pointing this bulb at him and he said What is that? I said, Its a light bulb and if you come any closer, Ill turn it on. He had very little sense of humor. I spent an extra two weeks [in the service] painting rocks in Seattle. Story continues After his military service, he worked at a local station in Cleveland. I had no professional training. I had a sense of humor and had been in front of a microphone, Conway said of his show business beginnings on an episode of The Interviews: An Oral History of Televisionin 2004. He appeared as a guest star on The Carol Burnett Show for eight seasons before becoming a regular in 1975. They used to do 33 shows a year on Burnett, he told the L.A. Times. She said why dont you just be a regular on the show? I said I will tell you what. I will do 32 shows and leave one week open at the end, so I can guest on somebodys show. I always guested on her show, but I did have the right to go somewhere else. My job on every show was to break everybody up. His own sitcom, The Tim Conway Show, had lasted one season in 1970. His variety show of the same name aired from 1980-81. Conway also starred on McHales Navy, voiced Barnacle Boy on Spongebob Squarepants and even made a special appearance on the second season of 30 Rock, for which he received an Emmy. Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway on McHale's Navy | ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Conways death comes after his daughter Kelly and wife Charlene had been fighting over his care. Kelly filed court documents asking to be appointed conservator of her father in order to be in charge of his medical treatments in in August 2018. She alleged that Charlene was planning to move him out of the excellent skilled nursing facility he is currently at and place him into a lesser quality home. She claimed her father could not properly provide for his personal needs for physical health, food, and clothing and is almost entirely unresponsive. Days later, Kelly sought a temporary restraining order to stop the move. But in March, Charlene was appointed conservator of her husband. Before his wedding to Charlene in 1984, Conway was married to Mary Anne Dalton from 1961-78. Together they share seven children: sons Jaime, Tim Jr., Pat, Corey and Shawn and daughter Jackie and Kelly. WASHINGTON The White House dismissed criticism from human rights activists and members of Congress concerned that President Trumps Monday meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban represented a stamp of approval for the authoritarian leader. President Trumps meeting with Prime Minister Orban is about affirming our alliance and defending the freedom and prosperity we enjoy as democracies. This visit is part of our overall strategy to reengage in Central Europe, a senior Trump administration official told Yahoo News when asked if the meeting was an expression of support for Orbans anti-immigration agenda that has explicitly aimed at maintaining ethnic and religious purity in Hungary. Trump briefly acknowledged the drama swirling around Orban as they sat together in the Oval Office before a bank of reporters and cameras. Viktor Orban has done a tremendous job in so many different ways. Highly respected. Respected all over Europe, Trump said, adding, Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but thats OK. Thats OK. Youve done a good job and youve kept your country safe. The president added that hosting Orban was a great honor. While Hungary became a member of NATO in 1999, in more recent years the Central European country has received a cool reception in Washington. Hungarys prime minister last visited the White House in 2005. Orban met with Vice President Dick Cheney in 2001 during his first stint as prime minister. He has not had a meeting with a U.S. president or vice president since being reelected in 2010 and launching efforts to curb the judiciary and quash the power of political rivals. Orban was largely shunned during the administration of President Barack Obama. In a series of tweets, Ben Rhodes, a former top Obama adviser, blasted Trumps meeting with Orban as contrary to Americas longstanding efforts to promote democracy abroad. Trump is not the leader of the free world. Incredibly damaging and dangerous to have a U.S. President using the power of his office to give momentum to authoritarians, Rhodes wrote, adding, Theres zero interest advanced by heaping praise on Orban unless your foreign policy is to rollback democracy. Story continues Human Rights Watch, a nonprofit that advocates against violent, discriminatory and undemocratic policies, has accused Hungary of failing to respect the rule of law Sarah Margon, the groups Washington director, told Yahoo News that Hungary is one of the countries she is most concerned about in Europe. She said Trumps decision to allow Orban into the White House was particularly alarming since it came as the Hungarian leaders political party, Fidesz, is promoting a far-right alliance in the European parliamentary elections being held later this month. I think that its pretty clear that one of the things that Orban really wants to get in a sense is the blessing of President Trump. He got that, Margon said, adding, With the European parliamentary elections like a week away, even if it wasnt intentional and even if it wasnt explicit, theres no question that President Trump is endorsing the ultranationalist conservative right agenda by supporting him like that at this particular time. President Trump welcomes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. (Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) In March, Fidesz was suspended from the center-right European People's Party, which leads the European Unions parliamentary body, after Orbans group mounted an anti-immigration ad campaign that mocked European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. However, Orban has suggested his party could be readmitted to the EPP if it performs well in the upcoming European Parliament elections. Orban has also proposed an alliance between the EPP and far-right groups in the Parliament, including the Northern League, which is led by Italys Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Margon described Orbans efforts to influence the European Parliament as part of the Hungarian leaders desire to promote his ideology abroad. The Fidesz Party would like to see a stronger Europe, but it is one that is more Christian, more anti-immigrant, more xenophobic, and less inclusive. It is, in my mind, a very nativist approach, Margon said. Orban regularly touts his philosophy as illiberal democracy. Along with cracking down on political institutions, Orban has violently blocked immigrants with measures including a barbed wire border barrier and detention camps. He has also cracked down on abortion and, in February, rolled out a Family Protection Action Plan that included incentives designed to encourage women to have more babies. Orban framed that policy as an alternative to declining European birthrates rather than immigration. We need Hungarian children, Orban said. The senior Trump administration official rejected the notion the meeting with Orban was an expression of support for either Fidesz or a conservative alliance in the European Parliament elections. No, this meeting was focused on U.S.-Hungary bilateral issues and as our relationship as NATO allies, the official said. However, Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief White House strategist, said the meeting sent a clear signal ahead of the European Parliament elections. Coming as it is 10 days from voting, the optics are great. Orban and Salvini are the one-two punch for the populist nationalist sovereignty movement. Having Orban on the world stage in the Oval Office sends a strong signal, Bannon told Yahoo News. Bannon has traveled extensively in Europe in support of right-wing nationalist-populist parties since leaving the White House in August 2017. A source close to Bannon said he met with Orban twice in the past year. However, the source said Bannon did not push to get the prime minister a White House visit and that he believes the meeting came about thanks to the close friendship between Laszlo Szabo, Hungarys ambassador to the U.S., and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Yahoo News asked the White House if Szabo had lobbied Trump and Pompeo for the meeting. Without directly addressing the question, the senior Trump administration official suggested the sit-down was part of a broader foreign policy strategy. Hungary is a NATO ally, and the United States government is committed to strengthening our alliance with the countries of Central Europe, including with Hungary, whom we have not hosted at the White House for 15 years. This is why the meeting came about, the official said. Orbans office did not respond to a request for comment on this story. However, both he and Trump dismissed concerns about his record when a reporter asked about democratic backsliding in Hungary during their appearance in the Oval Office. Well, people have a lot of respect for this prime minister. Hes a respected man. And I know hes a tough man, but hes a respected man. And hes done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration, Trump said. Orban described his government as from the people, by the people, for the people, noting that it had been elected by the Hungarian people several times. On May 10, a bipartisan group of four senior members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent a letter to Trump ahead of Orbans visit expressing concerns about Hungarys downward democratic trajectory and the implications for U.S. interests in Central Europe. It asked Trump to bring up these issues in a meeting with Orban. We recognize that Hungary has an important security role in NATO. We urge you, however, to not diminish the importance of democratic values in our bilateral relationship with Budapest, the senators wrote. A readout released by the White House said that in their meeting Trump and Orban reaffirmed their commitment to the NATO alliance and to their democratic systems of government, which safeguard the freedom and cultivate the prosperity that the United States and Hungary enjoy. The White House also indicated the pair talked about unchecked global migration and to address Chinas unfair trade and investment practices. And the senior official suggested the Trump administration might have a more complex posture towards Hungary in private than in public, where the two presidents appeared to be all smiles. The United States government does not shy away from raising concerns with our allies, the senior administration official said. We raise our concerns with NATO allies through diplomatic channels, rather than through the press. Additional reporting by Melissa Rossi. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: A Virginia woman was found face down in her bathtub with a bloody knife nearby, and police are asking the public for help solving the homicide case. At 11:07 p.m. Thursday, the Richmond Police Department performed a welfare check to the home of Suzanne Fairman and found the 53-year-old unresponsive, according to a press release from the department. After speaking with family members, detectives hope providing a photo of Ms. Fairman will prompt people to come forward with any information they may have on the case, said Major Crimes Capt. James Laino. Any information, no matter how small the detail may be, could assist in solving the case. According to a search warrant obtained by local TV station WTVR, Fairman was discovered in the tub of her homes main bathroom with the water running and a bloody knife visible on the counter. Police said she was pronounced dead at the scene and have classified the investigation as a homicide. The medical examiners office said Fairmans cause of death was asphyxia, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The paper also reported that detectives collected computers, bedding, gloves, a bandana and knife among other items, according to the warrant. 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. Scott Fairman, Suzannes son who is a sergeant in the North Carolina Air National Guard, told local TV station WWBT that he returned from duty and headed to his mothers house on Friday. Its still not real to me, Scott Fairman told the news station. We were incredibly close. We had each other and only each other. She was the most positive and inspirational person I knew who impacted the lives of anybody she met. In an interview with WTVR, Fairman described the killing as a horrible crime, and added, Every little bit of information is vital to every part of this even if people think this is irrelevant. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call Major Crimes Detective J. Baynes at (804) 646-3617 or contact Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. One month after filing for divorce from Kevin Hunter, Wendy Williams is happily ready for the next stage of her life. Williams, 54, told her live audience on the The Wendy Williams Show Tuesday that despite her very public separation, she is enjoying life as a single woman following 21 years of marriage. I am working on my divorce pleasantly, she told the audience. I am a single woman, running around New York. I go out a lot, Im a good time girl I like to have fun. Williams honesty garnered huge applause from the crowd. She also gave an update on her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., 18, for the first time since the split. Kevin Hunter and Wendy Williams | Johnny Nunez/WireImage RELATED: Wendy Williams Slams Women Who Cheat with Married Men in the Wake of Her Divorce We do have our son, and he is away in college, and hes home from college break, he sees me, he sees his dad, she said. Previously residing in her New Jersey home with Hunter, 46, and then a sober house, Williams described her new home as the ultimate bachelorette pad high atop everything. I have a really good view and I am reclaiming my life, she continued. Williams, who had shied away from discussing her deteriorating marriage on her talk show, brought the topic front and center after photos surfaced over the weekend of her with a man. However, she said he was only a member of her security team, and that she is currently single. Wendy Williams RELATED: Wendy Williams Husband Kevin Hunter Requests Child and Spousal Support Amid Divorce: Report I dont have a boyfriend, but I must admit I am rediscovering my love of men, she told the audience. I do date and I date pretty often. Williams and Hunters separation came amid the news that he had allegedly fathered a child with his mistress. Hunter broke his silence on the split in a statement to PEOPLE, addressing the cheating scandal and admitting he was not proud of my recent actions. According to a source, theyve had zero contact since then, and Williams has nothing to say to him. Williams has also cut ties with Hunter professionally: He was removed as executive producer of The Wendy Williams Show. Photo credit: Mark Wilson - Getty Images From Esquire Is there any doubt that, while El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago undoubtedly is dumb enough to blunder into a war with Iran on his own, he certainly is dumb (and pliant) enough to be led into one by a combination of Mohammed bin Salman, Bibi Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, and John Bolton, the mustachioed maniac who is his National Security Adviser? The New York Times channelled some voices of sanity from inside the administration* who would like us all to know how crazy things really are getting around the Situation Room. At a meeting of President Trumps top national security aides last Thursday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, administration officials said. The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John R. Bolton, Mr. Trumps national security adviser. They do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops, officials said. The development reflects the influence of Mr. Bolton, one of the administrations most virulent Iran hawks, whose push for confrontation with Tehran was ignored more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush. Imagine this president* actually running a war. If he runs a shooting war like he runs a trade war, he's liable to order an air strike on Kansas. Obviously, a wagging-the-dog scenario is equally plausible as an excuse for this plan leaking out, but I think they're serious. Bolton certainly is. His fervent chickenhawk heart has been pounding with desire for this bloodshed throughout what we can laughingly call his public service. Some senior American officials said the plans, even at a very preliminary stage, show how dangerous the threat from Iran has become. Others, who are urging a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions, said it amounts to a scare tactic to warn Iran against new aggressions. European allies who met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said that they worry that tensions between Washington and Tehran could boil over, possibly inadvertently. Story continues And if that chapter of the ol' playbook doesn't work, there are more recent strategies on which to call. The high-level review of the Pentagons plans was presented during a meeting about broader Iran policy. It was held days after what the Trump administration described, without evidence, as new intelligence indicating that Iran was mobilizing proxy groups in Iraq and Syria to attack American forces. Photo credit: WIN MCNAMEE - Getty Images Let's sit down on this pile of aluminum tubes for a second and catch our breath. The people on the ground, according to CNN, are not convinced. UK Major Gen. Chris Ghika told Pentagon reporters that the Iran-backed groups are one of many threats faced by the coalition, but said there has been no increase in the dangers they pose. Unnamed US officials have said there has been an increased threat from Iran and Iranian-backed forces against US forces in the Middle East, including Iraq and Syria. "There are a range of threats to American and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria," Ghika said. "We monitor them all. Iranian backed forces is clearly one of them and I am not going to go into the detail of it, but there are a substantial number of militia groups in Iraq and Syria and we don't see an increased threat from many of them at this stage." Oh, wait. CNN reports that the president* has something to say to make things worse. Trump denied the report on Tuesday, dismissing it as "fake news." "Now would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," he told reporters at the White House. "Hopefully, we're not going to have to plan for that, and if we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." Imagine this guy running a war. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) 6 confirmed dead after midair plane crash over Alaska originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Six people died and 10 others were hospitalized after two aircraft collided in midair over Alaska on Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Alaska State Troopers confirmed the identities of the deceased after notifying their next of kin. They are: Simon Bodie, 56, of Tempe, New South Wales, Australia Louis Both, 46, San Diego Randy Sullivan, 46, of Ketchikan, Alaska, one of the aircraft's pilots Cassandra Webb, 62, of St. Louis Elsa Wilk, 37, of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada Ruan Wilk, 39, of Utah The Canadian and Australian consulates have been notified, according to state troopers. As of early Tuesday, the search was ongoing for two travelers after four bodies had been recovered following the incident. "There are two people that we're still searching for at this time," Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios told ABC News in an interview that aired Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "Our crews are out there searching diligently alongside our partner agencies and some good Samaritans. They've been searching throughout the day, by both air and by sea." (MORE: Myanmar National Airlines flight miraculously lands safely with no front landing gear) The deadly collision took place Monday afternoon in Coon Cove, Alaska, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people on board and a de-Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11 people clashed in midair "under unknown circumstances," the FAA said in a statement Monday. Ten people with injuries from the incident were taken to PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, according to hospital spokeswoman Mischa Chernick. Three of the patients were listed in serious condition, while seven were in fair condition, Chernick told ABC News. PHOTO: Emergency response crews transport an injured passenger to an ambulance at the George Inlet Lodge docks, Monday, May 13, 2019, in Ketchikan, Alaska. (Dustin Safranek/Ketchikan Daily News via AP) Both planes were on sightseeing tours, carrying guests from the Royal Princess cruise ship, which is on a seven-day voyage that departed Vancouver on May 11 and is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday, according to Princess Cruise Lines. Story continues The aircraft collided approximately eight nautical miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The two people who had been listed as missing, the Australian and the Canadian travelers, both were guests on the Royal Princess cruise ship, which has since departed the area and continued on its voyage, according to Princess Cruise Lines. "All of us at Princess Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragic news and we are extending our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the traveling companions of the guests involved," Brian O'Connor, a spokesman for the cruise line, said in a statement Tuesday. "We immediately activated our Princess Care Team employees in the region and sent additional team members to Ketchikan overnight to assist the families impacted." (MORE: Viking Cruises faces class-action lawsuit after high-seas nightmare off Norway) One of the planes was operated by Taquan Air, which said it has suspended all scheduled flights and is cooperating fully with investigators. "We are devastated by this news and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families," the airline said in a statement Monday. The Coast Guard, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are all investigating the incident. ABC News' Mya Green, Marilyn Heck, Alex Stone, Matt Stone and Jim Vojtech contributed to this report. CANNES, France Were going very Hollywood, very glamour, very chic. Im not really about stunt dressing; people think of me as pushing the envelope, but I never think that I dress like that thats more Tildas department. Shes more esoteric in her choices, says Chloe Sevigny, who tonight flanked by her costars Tilda Swinton, Adam Driver and Bill Murray will mount the red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals to present the world premiere of the Cannes International Film Festivals opening movie, Jim Jarmuschs The Dead Dont Die. Her choice of outfit at press time: one of two custom-made looks by Muglers Casey Cadwallader. Once in her seat, following the opening ceremony that presents the festival jury headed by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Sevigny will watch the finished film for the first time alongside a room full of industry heavyweights. Related stories Gong Li to Receive Women in Motion Prize in Cannes 'Game of Thrones' Actor Jacob Anderson on the Trials of Being Raleigh Ritchie Maya Erskine Breaks Out With a Little Help From Her Friends Theres not much risk of it being panned, though, given indie stalwart Jarmuschs track record and the rock n roll supporting cast spanning Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Selena Gomez, Luka Sabbat and the Wu-Tang Clans RZA. Sevigny was given the opportunity to attend a pre-screening of the movie, which is billed as a zombie-apocalypse comedy with environmental and political messages, but opted to stay in my ignorant bliss and wait until Cannes. Its such an experience to have it play there, and the adoration and applause and whatnot afterward usually, that is, she quips during a phone interview a few days before the event. I forgot I was even acting. I was just watching her, says the actress on the experience of working with Swinton, who plays a Scottish mortician with a thing for Japanese swords. Shes so gentle as a human to be around. Very encouraging a beautiful creature. Story continues Sevigny, alongside Driver and Murray, plays one of three bespectacled local cops trying to defend the sleepy town of Centerville in New York State from flesh-eating zombies, and the film marks her third time working with the director after Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet in 2002 and Broken Flowers in 2005. With two shorts under her belt and a third White Echo competing for the short film Palme dOr at the festival, Jarmuschs is a career shed like emulate. He sent me the script and said, I have this part. Shes the scream queen, shes not like the feminist, powerful women in the story. Shes the trope of the girl in distress. Being a big fan of his and hearing about the other cast members, and reading the script, I wanted to be involved. It feels good to be spoken of in the same breath with people like that, Sevigny says. Regarding what differentiates Jarmusch from other director greats in terms of the tone on his sets and the delivery of lines, theres just a real disconnect thats very specific to him, she says, adding wryly about the films zombie-comedy tag, If you know his sense of humor, its easy to wrap your head around. Being in the festivals opening night film has meant having myriad fashion houses vying to dress Sevigny, when there is in fact lots of other stuff to attend, says the disciplined dresser, who is coming prepared for the week. Its a lot of work in a short time, a big push, says the actress, who will be traveling with just a carry-on and having her wardrobe shipped as gluttonous and disgusting as it sounds, she adds with a laugh. Despite having risen to indie fame as a pre-street-style natural-born influencer, for big events she now works closely with stylist Haley Wollens. It just takes some of the stress off. Ive done it my whole career myself and its just like, finally meeting someone [who] gets me, that I can put my trust in. Its really collaborative between us, Sevigny says. As for her current mood: I think, being 44, its like that transitional phase. I want to go for chic but still a bit alternative. She confesses a case of Cannes jitters, even if her films presented at the festival over the years have been of the carapace-forming variety. None of the cast was present for the screening of her first film, Larry Clarks Kids at the festival in 1995 They wanted to maintain this idea of us all still being out there on the street but in 2003, Sevigny had to face the flak after a non-simulated graphic scene between herself and costar and director Vincent Gallo in The Brown Bunny caused uproar. She has been consistently unorthodox in her role choices, with among her other Cannes films Lars von Triers Dogville and the R-rated Demonlover. Helmed by Olivier Assayas, the neo-noir thriller featured a soundtrack by Sonic Youth, which cast the actress in its 1993 video for Sugar Kane, marking her first appearance on film. (It sees a crop-haired Sevigny walking the streets of New York before entering the Perry Ellis studio, where she strips off and gatecrashes a fashion show butt naked albeit with her private parts barred surrounded by models dressed in Marc Jacobs notorious grunge collection. Shortly before that, Sevigny was spotted on the streets by Andrea Lee Linett, the fashion editor of Sassy magazine, who asked her to star in a commercial they were shooting for The Jane Show. I was outside of Washington Square Park in some crazy hat, wingtip steel-toe Doc Martens and overalls, recalls Sevigny, who went on to intern for the magazine. I was spotted by other people on the street, too, and did a shoot for, like, i-D magazine. That kind of kept happening just because I dressed so crazy, adds the actress, who still keeps her stack of old Faces and i-Ds from the Nineties at her moms, even if she doesnt really look at magazines anymore. Growing up in Darien, Conn., her parents encouraged her and her brother DJ, club owner and artist Paul Sevigny to pursue their interests in the arts. I was very into costumes and wearing, like, only a Wonder Woman swimsuit all day, every day, and sequins and crazy outfits. I came out of the womb into adornment. Its an innate thing Ive been exploring my whole life, says Sevigny, who despite being very much focused on film is still intensely enamored with fashion. She walked in Simone Rochas fall 2019 show last February, has a bag launching with Chopard in Cannes and a denim collection for Opening Ceremonys Tokyo store in the works, while other undisclosed projects are in the pipeline. My mother got me a Fisher Price sewing machine when I was a kid. I was interested in dolls clothes, but I just had a thing for style. My father was always stylish, as were my mom and my brother, she says. There was always a thing around taste, being exposed to things. I always dressed kind of wacky. I was into other people [who] did, and into style and things I hadnt seen before, and things that I could identify as being other than the norm. Where I grew up was very homogeneous, so it was more about things outside of that realm that interested me, Sevigny continues, adding that while growing up her towns proximity to New York, only 45 minutes away, was very freeing. She still returns to her hometown regularly, and maintains a connection with the place, even if she was destined for bigger things. I got voted Most Changed in the senior year book, and I hadnt really changed. Id just been consistently changing since fifth grade, exploring different styles and scenes. It didnt surprise anyone that that was my trajectory, and I still go back all the time. I go to every high school reunion, Sevigny says. My mother lives in town. My brother lives there now. On reports of her being a descendant of the French aristocrat, the Marquise de Sevigny, she replies, with a chuckle: It hasnt been proven, but my brother desperately wants it to be true. In the #MeToo era, where women actors are challenging the system, whats sure is that Sevignys star continues to rise. Among her upcoming releases is the directorial film debut of Melina Matsoukas Queen & Slim, due out later this year. Its a socially conscious movie, very entertaining, and I think its going to be wild, Sevigny says. But as she prepares to face the Cannes spotlight, Sevigny still has lots more to give. You always want bigger and better roles. Maybe this will come, she says. Ditto for her work behind the camera. For Sevigny, shorts serve as a vehicle for ideas she wants to explore. (Building on the message of her first two shorts, she described White Echo, a 15-minute-long vampire film, as being about a woman and her desires, and wanting to be recognized for something. And to recognize it in herself and be comfortable with that, and also have recognition from another.) But she also sees her shorts as calling cards through learning more about camera, working with actors, how to tell a story for her first feature film, which shes building up to. White Echo is deliberately conventional in the sense that I wanted to show that I could tell a story that people could grasp and it would be effective, in a more commercial way, she says. Unfortunately, I dont have an idea for a feature yet, but Im reading a lot, looking at a lot of things and trying desperately. But you know, ideas you never know when where they come from. Im waiting patiently for that, but also trying to encourage it. Launch Gallery: Chloe Sevigny on Opening Cannes Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Photo credit: Pinterest From CR Fashion Book This is CR Muse, a series dedicated to the remembrance of important artists and idea-makers from our past who have shaped culture as we know it today. From traditional creators to those of conceptual thought, we celebrate these women known not only for their work but their confident, eccentric style as well. Surrealist, comedian, fashion visionary-there are many ways to define Elsa Schiaparelli. Her singular take on design is both extremely influential and unmatched. To her, clothing could be fun. Clothing could be art. Clothing could be an extension of ones personality. But arguably, Schiaparellis biggest impression on fashion has nothing to do with design itself: She invented the artist collaboration.Working with artistsgave one a sense of exhilaration, Schiaparelli once said. One felt supported and understood beyond the crude and boring reality of merely making a dress to sell. Photo credit: Pinterest By far, Schiaparellis best-known collaborator was Surrealist artist Salvador Dali. Their first creation together was a compact makeup case that resembled a telephone dial. It was a small item, but its humorous and unexpected design was indicative of what was to come. Nothing was off-limits. They worked together on gowns-one featured a lobster painted on it (famously worn by socialite Wallis Simpson), while another was made out of fabric that was painted to look as though it had been ripped. Her dresses were even featured in some of his paintings. Dali also created advertisements for her, and even designed a perfume bottle for her. While the Spanish painter often drew inspiration from Schiaparelli, she was equally inspired by Dali's work. Her famous shoe hat, for instance, was based off a photo of Dali with a womans shoe on his head. Their minds complimented each other in ways that were mutually beneficial-and groundbreaking. Photo credit: Philadelphia Museum of Art Dali wasnt the only artist who captured Schiaparellis attention. Sculptor Meret Oppenheim designed a fur-covered bracelet that was included in her 1936 winter collection. Painter and costume designer Leonor Fini also created a bottle for her Shocking perfume, and illustrated many of her collections. Photographers Cecil Beaton, Horst P. Horst, and Man Ray all captured her pieces, with the latter (along with Pablo Picasso) even creating art based off her patterns and clothing. For Schiaparelli, working with artists wasnt only about how introducing their talent into the world of fashion. It was a give-and-take relationship, with her own creativity stimulating others. Her career is proof that fashion is a creative endeavor in and of itself. What's even more interesting, though, is her unusual journey to becoming a designer. Story continues Photo credit: Pinterest Elsa Luisa Maria Schiaparelli was born in Rome in 1890. Her mother was a descendant of the Medici family, the Italian aristocrats who were famous patrons of Renaissance artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Her father was a professor and director of the Lincei library. Meanwhile, her uncle was a famous astronomer. Despite all the opportunity surrounding her, Schiaparelli seemed adrift in her youth. Her first passion was acting, but she studied philosophy. She wrote poetry in her free time. At 23 she went to London, supporting herself by caring for her friends child. There she met her first husband. They married in 1914 and eventually had a daughter, Yvonne. Due to money issues, Yvonnes illness, and her husband being absent, Schiaparelli filed for divorce and returned to Europe. It was on her return trip that she met and befriended Gabriele Picabia, French art critic and wife of Dadaist Francis Picabia, who would later introduce her to art-world social circles. Photo credit: Philadelphia Museum of Art By pure chance, she once found herself waiting for a friend in Paul Poirets shop in Paris. He was completely taken with her, and though she couldnt afford to pay him, he lent her clothes. It was her first entry to the world of high fashion, and it became the perfect avenue her creative pursuits. By the mid-1920s, Schiaparelli was working as a designer. Her first hit was a sweater with a trompe loeil bow on the front. By the 1930s, her couture house was in full swing. She had numerous celebrity fans, from Katharine Hepburn to Vivien Leigh, and she even became the first female fashion designer to cover Time magazine. But her success was short-lived. During World War II, Schiaparelli left her business in the hands of a trusted assistant and moved to New York. As Italy was a German ally at the time, her presence in Paris was risky, but she continued to help the French people from afar. Though she returned to Paris when the city was liberated and eventually found popularity and acclaim again, the mood had changed in the world of couture. Schiaparelli closed her house for good in 1954. Photo credit: Pinterest She died in 1973, at age 83. In 2007, Italian business mogul Diego Della Valle quietly acquired the brand, and in 2013, Schiaparelli fully revived under the helm of current designer Marco Zanini, who also restored houses Halston and Rochas. Schiaparelli's legacy is still very much alive, most notably through her lasting influence on Surrealism in fashion. One only has to visit the Mets latest exhibit, Camp: Notes on Fashion, to see numerous examples of how designers have injected an element of humor into fashion. But arguably, Schiaparellis most innovative strength was in her ability and desire to work with others. When Raf Simons works with Sterling Ruby, when Supreme taps Cindy Sherman, when Louis Vuitton partners with Jeff Koons, we have Schiaparelli to thank for opening our eyes to the idea that art and fashion go hand in hand. 5 Dead and 10 Injured After 2 Floatplanes Carrying Cruise Ship Passengers Collide in Alaska Floatplanes in Alaska Crash Into Each Other Leaving Five Dead At least five people have tragically died after two floatplanes crashed off the coast of southeastern Alaska on Monday afternoon. The incident took place just after 1 p.m. in the George Inlet area near Ketchikan and involved a small floatplane, carrying 10 guests and a pilot from the cruise ship Royal Princess, Princess Cruises spokeswoman Alivia Owyoung tells PEOPLE. The flight was returning from a Misty Fjords tour. The second plane was occupied by four guests, from the Royal Princess, and a pilot, Owyoung says. The plane was embarking on an independent tour. At this time, the U.S. Coast Guard and local search and rescue teams have confirmed that nine of the guests have been rescued and are currently receiving medical attention with the condition of one guest still unknown, Owyoung says. Owyoung confirms that a pilot is among the five people dead. A total of 16 people were on the two planes. The fate of the one other individual is unclear. We are deeply saddened by to report this news and our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by todays accident, Owyoung said. Princess Cruises is extending its full support to traveling companions of the guests involved. Ketchikan, Alaska | Google Maps RELATED: Teen Falls to Death from Cruise Balcony After Attempting to Climb Into Room Because He Forgot Key It is believed that the planes a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (carrying four guests) and a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 (carrying 10 guests) collided in mid-air, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, Anchorage Daily News reported. The assumption is they had a mid-air collision, incident commander Chris John with the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad told the outlet. RELATED: Florida Man Dies After Falling on Bahamas-Bound Cruise Ship During His Bachelor Party Is it not immediately clear as to what led to the collision. The beaver then crashed on a rocky shoreline, John told the outlet. RELATED: Joel Taylor of Discovery Channels Storm Chasers Dead at Age 38 Story continues The plane landed upside down, submerged in the water, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The weather in the area at the time of the incident was partly sunny with winds at 9 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. The names of the victims have not yet been released. Photo credit: Theo Wargo/NBC - Getty Images From Oprah Magazine Julia Roberts's husband Daniel Moder shared a photograph of himself and the Pretty Woman star alongside all three of their children. In his Mother's Day Instagram tribute, Moder appears with a smiling Roberts and the kids: Hazel, 14, Phinnaeus, 14, and Henry, 11. Roberts and Moder have been married since 2002. As a Hollywood A-lister, Julia Roberts is understandably private about her home life with husband Daniel Moder and their children. But thanks to Moder, fans just got to see a rare family photograph. In a sweet Mother's Day tribute posted to Instagram on Monday, Moder shared a picture of himself, Robert, and their three children, Hazel, 14, Phinnaeus, 14, and Henry, 11. "That pretty mama in the middle," Moder wrote in his caption. "We love you so much." Roberts and Moder met in 2000 on the set of the movie The Mexican, in which Roberts starred and Moder worked as a cameraman. After Moder's divorce from his wife at the time, he and Roberts were married in a July 4th ceremony in 2002 at her ranch in New Mexico. In a 2003 interview with O the year after her marriage, Roberts told Oprah that meeting Moder had transformed her perspective on life. "I think it's not so much that I'm happier now than ever; it's that I'm more content. I'm in the harbor of my life," she said. "A huge part of it is my marriage. My husband, Danny, has really shined the light for me. Because of being married, I've met people and experienced all these little things that have nurtured my life-not so much changed it, just nurtured it in a way that's astounding." When Oprah asked how the pair originally got to talking on set, given Roberts's fame, she explained, "On the set, I get pretty relaxed. These guys see me at 5 in the morning, when I come stumbling onto the set like "What the hell is goin' on?" In those circumstances, you can see what a person's really made of. Some great friendships can be formed because you see one another at your best and worst." Story continues It's clear from quotes like this just why Roberts and Moder have been able to maintain a strong, long-lasting marriage in Hollywood. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. Photo credit: Lacey Adams From Women's Health As a mom of a newborn and two very active toddler boys, cancer was the absolute last thing on my mind when I went in for my postpartum checkup that day in 2009. In fact, it was so far out of the realm of possibility that, even though I had noticed the new dark mole on my thigh, I almost forgot to mention it to my ob-gyn. Surely it was nothing. It was so tiny! But I had just had a baby and didnt want to take any chances with my health, no matter how silly it seemed at the time. So I asked her about it, and she told me it was probably nothing. But to be safe, she removed it. It wasnt nothing. It was skin cancer. And not just skin cancer, but melanoma-one of the deadliest . I was shocked. I shouldnt have been so surprised, honestly. I was a pale blond who wanted a golden tan throughout my teens and 20s, and I would lay out in the sun for hours. At 14 years old, I started using indoor tanning beds regularly-my friend even had one in her house that we both used at least once a week. Now, I know that tanning beds are one of the biggest risks for all skin cancers , including melanoma. But back then, it was just something all of my friends did. We all wanted a healthy glow, a phrase that, in hindsight, makes me want to scream. My diagnosis that May was shocking but not terrifying. Wed caught it early, and all I needed was a minor surgery to remove surrounding tissue near where the mole had been. I had the surgery a couple of weeks later. When I tested clear for cancer in my scans over the next year, I was told to visit the dermatologist once a year to monitor my skin health but not to worry about it anymore. Crisis avertedright? For the next decade, I focused all my energy on raising my children and supporting my husband, Jerome Adams, as his career reached new heights. In September 2017, he was sworn in to the demanding position of United States Surgeon General . Hed been an MD for years, but as the nations doctor and head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he would now be the spokesperson for all matters of public health in the United States. Story continues I was so proud of him and excited for him, even though it would mean a huge change for our family. We were living in our home state of Indiana (and Ill always be a Midwest girl at heart); but in January 2018 we packed up the kids, the dog, and the house, and moved to Washington D.C. Photo credit: Lacey Adams Moving halfway across the country with kids is a huge endeavor, even if your husband has a more typical day job. Add in the extra red tape that comes with working for the government, and my husband's schedule was intense. Getting my kids settled and our new home established became my full-time job. That's why cancer was nowhere on my radar when I felt some weird lumps in my groin while shaving my bikini line. I mentioned it to my husband in passing-he is a doctor, after all-but while dealing with all the hecticness in our lives we both forgot about it. A few months later, the lumps were still there, so I mentioned them to a friend who also happens to be a doctor. Her face went from bubbly to serious in seconds. Are they on the same side as your mole was? I remember my friend asking me. Yes. You need to go to the doctor today. Now. She was right to be concerned. Fortunately, I was able to get in right away to see a primary care doctor, who ordered blood work and PET and CAT scans. Before I could even wrap my mind around what was happening I had my answer: melanoma, again. This time, the cancer was much worse. I got the news sitting in the carpool line, waiting to pick up my kids from school. My whole body went numb. Jerome was out of town and my friends and family were more than 10 hours away. I was utterly wrecked and had never felt so alone. We made an appointment for the next day at the cancer center at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. After undergoing a half-dozen different tests, we learned that those lumps Id felt were lymph nodes where the cancer had spread. It had metastasized to a small area of tissue, meaning my cancer was stage 3C . For some perspective, stage 4 melanoma has a survival rate of about 24 percent, according to the American Cancer Society , and even at a 3, my diagnosis was possibly fatal. As my doctors and my husband debated my treatment plan, I floated on in a strange sense of denial. I felt totally fine-nothing hurt and I was the picture of good health from the outside-yet a cancer was growing inside me that could potentially kill me. Whats more, I had no idea when exactly it had come back over the last 10 years, nor did my doctors. Or, it was possible that it had been there all along. We still dont know. What would I tell my kids, who were 13, 12, and 8 and very much still needed their mother? I was only 41, how was this even real? Time was of the essence and I needed to start treatment immediately. I didnt have time to wrap my head around everything. At the end of March 2018, I had surgery to remove 12 cancerous lymph nodes and their surrounding tissue. Then I started immunotherapy , a newer type of cancer treatment that uses parts of your bodys own immune system to destroy cancer cells. I got immunotherapy drug infusions regularly for a year. Photo credit: Lacey Adams Immunotherapy replaced chemotherapy for me (although some people may receive multiple types of treatment), and I didnt suffer from many of the common side effects you might associate with cancer treatment. I didnt lose my hair, my weight stayed stable, and I didnt throw up constantly. My side effects seemed mild: I got an acne-like rash on my torso, dry mouth, and was very fatigued. Perhaps the most annoying side effect was the extreme swelling in my left leg (which my doctors thought was probably a consequence of having my lymph nodes removed rather than from the immunotherapy). Im still dealing with that, but otherwise, I have been able to carry on with my normal daily life-I even put on a fancy dress and heels to attend a formal State dinner just one month after my surgery-something people with cancer even 10 years ago couldnt even imagine. I got my last immunotherapy treatment on May 9, 2019. I feel pretty great, physically. All my scans and blood work are cancer-free. Emotionally, however, its been a tougher recovery. Ive always struggled with depression and anxiety, and this experience took a serious toll on my mental health, which has affected my recovery. I started having panic attacks, crying sessions in the shower, and I started waking up in the middle night feeling wrecked. It's just not fair, damn it, I thought. I would break down privately but then put on my makeup and try to present a happy face in public. I want people to know that while I am doing better now, it has taken hours of therapy, medication adjustments, and a lot of patience from my family to get through this year. We often think cancer survivors are supposed to be happy and just grateful to be alive. The reality is, we're not Instagram quotes-we're people, and people are allowed to feel upset, angry, and even seriously depressed. Ive also had a lot of survivor guilt. If wed caught my cancer even a few weeks later, I might not be here to share my story. I am grateful I had access to quick and high-quality health care and I feel strongly that everyone should have this available to them. I keep thinking of a woman I knew back in Indiana who had had a similar melanoma to mine; she was not diagnosed as quickly and she died. I know I am blessed, that God has a purpose for this, and I am grateful to be alive and with my family. But I also know that, because Ive been given so much, I have a responsibility to help others. Now Im on a mission to increase awareness of skin cancers, particularly in young women, and to help women with melanoma get diagnosed sooner and have access to cutting-edge treatments like I had. As women, we often prioritize everyone elses needs above our own. I want other women to remember that its so important to take care of their health too. Dont downplay your symptoms, trust your intuition if you feel something is wrong, and get medical attention right away. Dont worry about inconveniencing people, or about making your spouse worry or having to put off your kids activities. You are important, and what they want and need most is for you to be happy, healthy, and in their lives for a very long time. Photo credit: Lacey Adams I was reminded of this the other day when my daughter, Millie, looked up at me with her big, dark eyes and asked, Arent you done with this cancer thing yet?! Ah, the blunt honesty of kids. Im almost done with my cancer treatments, I told her. But Ill never be completely done with cancer. And thats a good thing: It means Ill always be fighting for better cancer care for women everywhere. How can you help protect yourself? By remembering these melanoma facts... ...straight from the US Surgeon General. My husband, Jerome, shared the following facts and rules to live by that are crucial for lowering your risk of developing skin cancer: Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in women 25 to 30 years old, but its almost entirely preventable with good sun safety habits. Melanoma has doubled in the U.S. over the past 30 years, with young women showing the largest increases. Remember: Tan skin is damaged skin! Theres no such thing as a healthy glow, and using a tanning bed makes you eight times more likely to get melanoma. Hats should be one of your favorite fashion accessories. Wearing a hat outdoors is a great way to protect yourself from sun damage. Know your ABCDEs: Any mole that shows Asymmetry, an irregular Border, uneven or changing Color, has a Diameter bigger than a pencil eraser, or is Evolving (changing) needs to get checked out by a dermatologist right away. Its worth pointing out that there are risk factors that may put you at a higher risk that may be out of your control (family history, for example), though that doesnt mean you will get melanoma. But knowing these facts can hopefully help remind you just how important sun protection is, and potentially even save your life. To read more about Laceys experience, check out her blog. ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: Jean Baptiste Eugene Reverdy, Portrait of Ana Maria de Sevilla, XIV Marchioness of Camarasa, 1861 Property of the Fundacion Casa Ducal de Medinaceli, Palacio de Oca, Pontevedra, Spain Fundacion Casa Ducal de Medinaceli. Pearl courtesy of Christie's From Town & Country When is a single pearl worth millions? First, it has to be natural. Natural pearls are the exceedingly rare and basically extinct species that yield prices in the millions at auction. In 2011 a natural pearl known as La Peregrina sold at Christies for $11 million. In 2007 the famed Baroda natural pearls went for $7 million. On May 15 Christies will offer an especially large strand of natural pearls with an estimate of $2.5 million. And then there is The Ana Maria Pearl with an estimate of $1.5 million. The Ana Maria, which dates from the early 16th century and has been in a noble Spanish family for centuries, is a remarkable and possibly once in a lifetime jewelry specimen. Photo credit: Courtesy Christie's What exactly is a natural pearl? The natural pearl, is quite simply, the kind that occurs without any human interference in the water, and is formed organically within the mollusk. They are in contrast to cultured pearls, created by a process pioneered by Mikimoto in the early 1900s, where a foreign bead is inserted into the oyster, and the layers of pearl forms around that bead. For centuries the most prized natural pearls were discovered in the Persian Gulf by teams of divers who plunged into the waters searching for treasures. They called pearls the tears of the mermaids, and pearls became the jewel most sought after by royals and aristocrats and all those who wanted to adorn themselves with a jewel symbolizing rarity, and taste, and power. Photo credit: Courtesy Christie's By the early first part of the 20th century the supply of natural pearls sharply declined. Divers had become intrigued by a booming oil industry, and the allure of black gold replaced the desire to retrieve the tears of the mermaids. The oil industry also polluted the waters and altered the ecosystem, and all but destroyed the oyster population. Meanwhile, cultured pearls, also beautiful and not as costly, came on the market. But its the natural pearl that has remained the prize at auction. Natural pearls have become extremely rare, one dealer of some of the worlds finest natural pearls tells T&C. Story continues I am sure you know the story of how the Cartier mansion was exchanged for a natural pearl necklace, says the dealer, referencing the bargain brokered between Pierre Cartier and Morton Plant for a natural pearl necklace in exchange for the Plants' townhouse on 52nd and Fifth. The value then? About $1.5 million. (Cue New York real estate watchers gasping in disbelief.) Photo credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) Natural pearls evoke a certain feeling and connection to the organic form of the piece. Like a great piece of art. No wonder they were prized by royalty. King Charles V of Spain is believed to have passed the original Ana Maria pearl in a brooch set on to his Secretario Universal and his spouse Maria de Mendoza and Pimentel, daughter of the Count of Ribadavia. According to Christies, which will sell the Ana Maria pearl on May 15 in Geneva, it was reset into an emerald and diamond brooch watch later but remained with the family. For something so precious to have survived hundreds of years, staying in the same noble family is truly remarkable, says one jewelry expert. Photo credit: Courtesy Christie's Part of what's remarkable about this pearl is the cutting edge science that went into verifying its age and provenance. The pearl has undergone a new verification process that can guarantee its historical provenance from the early 16th century. This is a first for a historic natural pearl offered at auction," says Jean-Marc Lunel, senior jewelry expert at Christies Geneva. "The scientific innovation provided through radiocarbon age-dating is a critical addition to the extensive work we do on documenting the provenance of exceptional items such as the Ana Maria Pearl. To find a natural treasure with such an illustrious history is incredibly rare." The Ana Maria will have an enormous impact on the verification process itself, especially with natural pearls where origin is not clear to the naked eye, or behind the loopor even under a microscope, says Dr. Michael Krzemnicki, director of the Swiss Gemological Institute (SSEF). Photo credit: Nick Briggs "The Ana Maria Pearl is a perfect example to show how scientific analyses can add supporting evidence to a documented historical provenance of a jewel," Krzemnicki says. "The SSEF is a world authority for scientific testing of pearls and gemstones. Based on recent scientific research, the SSEF offers radiocarbon age dating of pearls as a new service to our clients in collaboration with the Federal Institute of Technology. This method uses the slow decay of radiocarbon in biogenic materials (e.g. pearl) as a physical clock, by which its age can be calculated." It is, quite simply, the real deala pearl from a Spanish Princess. And science can now back that up. You Might Also Like Only Hattie Jones could make being 99 years old look like a walk in the park. Jones, who turns 100 in September, not only still drives and exercises every day, she also still works. The spritely senior has been the coat checker at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, for about 40 yearssince she retired from IBM. And she doesnt plan on retiring again anytime soon. Army Navy Country Club general manager Patrick King told WUSA9 that Jones personality is infectious. "She has more energy than somebody half her age. She's unbelievable. I don't what the secret sauce is, but I want some of it," he said. Jones has three children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren, but being a great grandma hasnt stopped her from breaking it down on the dancefloor. Dancing is one of her favorite things, and she has the flexibility to prove it. "I just bring them [arms] over my head and touch the wall," Jones told WUSA9 of her daily exercise routine. WATCH: Hes 103, Shes 100, and They Just Celebrated 82 Years of Marriage Her youngest son Clarence McGill, 69, believes that staying active may be his mother's fountain of youth. He also admitted that "it's impossible" to keep up with his mother. "She's very sassy. If you will, McGill told WUSA9. "She has a character that will not allow giving up. Go get em, Miss Hattie! Photo credit: REX/Shutterstock From ELLE After a five-year-engagement and months of wedding planning, hairstylist-to-the-stars William "Jordan" Blackmore and his heiress fiancee, Andi Potamkin, jetted off to Utah in a private plane to tie the knot. The stylish couple's ultra-lavish $1 million desert wedding took place in a gorgeous hideaway resort in Canyon Point, just a stone's throw away from the Grand Canyon. Guests like actresses Elizabeth Olsen and Alexis Nichole Smith were also flown in on jets and stayed in suites costing up to $4,300 a night. The bride wore Dior and Oscar de La Renta for the four-day fete, and requested her 60 invitees dress only in desert colors, like parchment and dune ecru" and "eucalyptus" to match the scenery. The weekend included horseback riding, zip lining, hiking, late-night poker games, karaoke, outdoor movies, yoga sessions, and watercolor classes. Coveteur magazine dubbed it "the dreamiest desert wedding you've ever seen." But according to a new lawsuit, the extravagant affair was a total and complete scam, right down to the I do's. In court papers obtained by ELLE.com, Blackmore says he was duped by Potamkin into having the over-the-top wedding as a "public relations stunt." The documents, filed in a Brooklyn federal court earlier this month, allege the union was never legal: Potamkin allegedly told the wedding officiant, a yoga instructor friend, not to get ordained, because they "intended to get 'officially' married in New York before traveling to the Utah ceremony, and that the officiant therefore did not need to be, and should not be, legally authorized to marry the couple." Blackmore claims he had no idea they were never officially wed. "The truth was that Andi never wanted to marry Jordan," according to the documents. "She just wanted a lavish wedding experience." Potamkin's father Alan, co-owner of the familys namesake $150 million car dealership business, allegedly had a hand in the scheme. According to the suit, Blackmore was slow to sign a prenuptial agreement and so Alan "actively participated in and assisted the fraud" out of concern for his daughter's assets. Blackmore did sign the prenup, according to the suit, and is seeking $2 million in damages. Story continues After the wedding, the newlyweds "lived together as husband and wife" for three years. In December 2018, Potamkin allegedly broke off the relationship after having an affair with a man while on a cruise to Vietnam. According to the court papers, she came home and placed her engagement and wedding rings on the coffee table and told Blackmore, We have to break up. When she handed Blackmore a draft separation agreement, which referred to their marriage as "symbolic," he was shaken to his core by the discovery of what Andi and Alan Potamkin surreptitiously did to him," his lawyer told The New York Post. Potamkin told the Post that Blackmore's lawsuit includes tons of untrue and irrelevant information about my family, included for no purpose other than to attempt to publicly embarrass us" and that they consciously uncoupled. Her lawyer told New York Magazine that "while it is unfortunate that the marriage has ended, the failure of a marriage does not justify Mr. Blackmores use of the legal process as a manifestation of his disappointment. The couple is now reportedly trying to make their marriage official in Utah-so that they can divorce. According to the Post, both sides have filed papers to get their 2015 nuptials recognized so they can settle the terms of the prenup, which Blackmore wants invalidated, and end their union. ('You Might Also Like',) Is it ethical to post photos of your kids to social media? At least at first, anyway, most parents treat Instagram or other social media the same way previous generations did frames, scrapbooks, or carousel slide shows: as a way of capturing a fleeting moment of joy they want to remember and share with others. Often this evolves, whether consciously or not, into posting adorable photos of their kids to get the dopamine rush of likes that come soon after, or as a form of posturing. These days a photo of a child can be posted a badge of honor, a means of personal branding to show off a different side of oneself, a way to get LOLs from friends and family members, or even a way to generate revenue. No matter the internal or external motivation, posting a picture of your kid online is, of course, far more complicated than framing a photo. A social media post isnt as simple as a printed photograph. Photographs are physical objects that can only be seen in person. They cant be mined for data. And if the child in the photo later became embarrassed or upset by the image, theyd be thrown away and forgotten (or to hide away until theyre adults to look at and laugh) instead of hanging on a worldwide digital platform in perpetuity. Sharing pictures of kids on social media is so common, however, that it feels strange when a fellow parent doesnt. And with technology and media, its often hard to distinguish between real and imaginary concerns especially when it comes to our kids. But is it unethical to post photos of your kids without their consent? Is it dangerous? Or could it be a good thing? The question of whether or not parents should post photos of their children to Instagram, Facebook, and other such social media sites is a complex one to say the least. So, to make sense of it, we reached out to four experts a philosophy professor, a clinical psychologist, an attorney, and a media psychologist about the ethics of posting images of kids online. Heres what they said. Story continues The Expert: Norvin Roberts Expertise: The University of Alabama philosophy professor emeritus literally wrote the book on ethical parenting (2010s The Ethics of Parenthood). What are parents ethical obligations with children? Obviously youve got to help the child stay alive while the child is still a child. But you have obligations to them as the adults theyre going to become. So the standard thing to say is you want to equip them to live autonomously, if theyre capable of doing that. We sometimes think of childhood as a sort of prep school for becoming an adult. Thats a mistake because childhood is an important time of life in its own right. You also have obligations to help the child have a childhood. The interesting question is how to put those two things together. Something that would be good for him as a child might not be a good thing for him in terms of the adult hes going to become. I would guess that a lot of posting on social media is done by parents who are just thinking that the kid is incredibly cute are not really thinking of either obligations. I wouldnt say that makes it wrong. You know, it isnt like if youre going to be a parent, everything you do with your child has to be goal directed in some way. That would be be grim and formal. The obvious worry is youd posting something the child wouldnt want posted if the child were capable of making the choice herself. I taught a course that concerned privacy and parenthood. And I remember thinking about these photographs of kids who are just completely naked? You know they are on a rug and arent they cute and so on. But if Im the kid and I get to be a teenager, I might think I dont want to have pictures of my body out there for people to look at. Maybe I dont even like the idea that it was done and the idea that I was exhibited in that way. Most kids are not going to grow up to be famous so you wouldnt worry about people digging up this stuff when they ran for president or when theyre movie stars or whatever. And you dont have any way to know if the child will resent it or disapprove of it later. Parents used to take photographs of their children and put them in albums and then when the kid came home with the boyfriend or the girlfriend might show those photographs and embarrass the heck out of a kid and have a good laugh if a kid and that kind of humor within families is very common. Theres so much you dont know when youre a parent because its so far in the future that you dont want to fixate on one interpretation of it. But if you have some really skewed sensibilities and you dress up your kid weird or had some sort of very idiosyncratic or odd or out of step with the common culture kind of religious beliefs or cultural belief. Suppose you had a male child and you like to dress him up in girls clothing. I would say thats a landmine. I dont want to speculate about any consequences for the child of having been dressed that way. But putting photographs out there on Facebook, and saying isnt he cute in his dress would be outrageous. Embarrassment is not one of the major harms or a bad turn of events for us. But I think I would still not want to embarrass my child. The Expert: Dr. Chloe Carmichael Her Expertise: Dr. Chole Carmichael is a clinical psychologist with a bustling New York City practice, by virtue of her media appearances as Dr. Chloe. Shes also a mom who, with caution and consideration, posted two pictures of her son on her Instagram feed. Its just like any other type of activity whenever youre going to be in public. Its a good idea to be mindful and careful about your children. Every parent is different, but I personally think it would be a little extreme to take that to mean that you should never, ever post any images of your child on social media. There are many concerns. Theres the childs right to privacy. Theres exposing the child in view of, you know, potentially dangerous or pedophilia people of course. If youre starting to turn your child into an accessory thats designed to help get you views or getting you public attention, it feels like youre almost exploiting your child in a commercial sense or even just a personal social sense. I think that can be damaging to a child. If its really just a personal social account, then I think it would be the same thing that drives them to print photos of their child and hang them on the wall because they want to display photos of people that they love and that theyre proud of. And it allows friends and family who might be far away, who arent necessarily in your actual living room to be able to stay connected. If youre coming from a place of wanting to share a moment in your life, thats fine. You just want to share it with people. Theres nothing really wrong with that. But if it takes on almost an exhibitionist quality, where youre deriving a sense of validation from that and all of these views, likes, and re-shares are affirming your worth, thats where youre probably going off track. When you put out an image and people respond, it gives a sense of validation to see other people feeling positively about what you are enjoying. And theres nothing wrong with wanting external validation, but just like any of these things when theyre taken to an extreme, that would be in the exhibitionist sense, when the exhibitionist becomes over-focused on external validation to the point where theyre not even really enjoying a moment for any other real value except for the sheer knowledge that its bringing eyeballs to them. And thats a sad enough thing for an individual to go through. But if that quality extends to your child, it could hurt the quality of the time with your child. The Expert: Ken Krayeske Expertise: Krayeske is a Connecticut attorney has worked with clients concerned about privacy (full disclosure: hes also a friend of the writer). Through his former journalism career, his legal practice and marriage to a Hartford City Councilmember, he has a high profile in New England politics and media but keeps his daughters image almost completely off the internet. Number one, I want my daughter to have her own ability to create her own digital footprint. Number two, I have had terrible experiences in my own life with posts being misconstrued and things that I have said online being taken incorrectly and I do not want to do anything to impact her in that way. I want her to have complete control. And finally, I dont want her to hate me in 20 years when Ive posted the classic picture of, you know, the half naked baby in the bubble bath. Ive come to realize is theres an intense amount of joy that comes with raising a child. A lot of that joy is a private familial joy that doesnt have to be shared with the world. And I think thats what makes families so powerful is that these are experiences shared only by a few people. And there is joy and optimism and hope that comes with a 12-month-old little person who is learning the ropes and especially one whos objectively cute. But at the same time, shes got a right to privacy. The thing is, I dont know what Facebook is doing with the data. I dont know what Twitter is doing with the data. I dont know what the NSA is doing with data. I dont know what people are doing with the data. That concerns me more than anything else. The Expert: Pamela Rutledge Expertise: Rutledge is the director of the Media Psychology Research Center and a psychology faculty member of Fielding Graduate University. As a psychologist, she specializes in the influence social media and technology have on human behavior. You have to be very careful. Having children and sharing things about your children has always been an intrinsic part of parenthood and its sort of how we normalize the experience of parenting. But we are now in an environment where if you dont know and understand the technology, you are having a potential impact on your children. That was never the case before. You need to understand the fact that these various social media sites, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. You need to understand their search functions. You need to be really aware of who owns that data, where it lives, how long its there. I dont want to be a fearmonger, but you could be providing too much information to people with evil intentions by having your kid standing in front of your house with the address showing in a world where we have Google maps. To me the real issue is violation of privacy at a point where its meaningful to the child. There are children now who tell their parents they have to show me pictures before posting. Youre opening your child up to potential bullying or feeling embarrassed or feeling like they arent in control of themselves. I personally think the job of a parent is to raise their children and part of that is protecting them and honoring, respecting them as individuals, which means that you have to put your childrens well-being ahead of your own financial goals. I think you need to be really aware of who owns that data, where it lives, how long its there. I mean, college admissions people could find it. And its complicated because were also creating an environment where every eight year old wants to be a youtuber. [Parents] have to have some level of media literacy and its your obligation to train your children with some level of media literacy. You know, you dont hand them the car keys and say have at it. You will want to be careful about how much sort of information you put up this, its one thing to post #funsummerday. Its another thing to detail that were in Newport beach and ate tuna sandwiches at this restaurant at this time. Youre giving them content that they can use. As a researcher, I know that there are certain social posts that are just very hard to get any information out of. Youre really trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip. Related Articles: The post The Problem with Posting Instagram Photos of Your Kids appeared first on Fatherly. Photo credit: Netflix From Cosmopolitan [Warning: This post contains spoilers for Netflixs The Society.] You need to know something about Alex Fitzalan, who stars in Netflixs latest bingeable teen drama The Society: Hes Australian. I bet you didnt think Harry, the spoiled rich boy who pretty much screws over everyone in New Ham, could get any hotter. Welp, add an Aussie accent (and a way less problematic personality) and youve got the potential for another K. J. Apa. If you need a little bit of a recap, The Society follows a group of teens who are stranded in a closed-off replica of their town and forced to create their own form of government, find a way home, and, most important, survive. Harry doesnt make this easy. When HBIC Cassandra (Rachel Keller) attempts to rally the hordes of scared kids, Harry fights her for power every step of the way. Once shes killed and her little sister Allie (Kathryn Newton) steps up, its the same deal until he eventually teams up with literal psychopath Campbell (Toby Wallace) for a violent overthrow. But theres more to him than a hunger for power. Hes suffering from depression and an opioid addiction. By the end of the series, he hardly seems like a vicious adversary. Maybe its the hair, but theres something about this antiPeter Kavinsky that is impossible to ignore. Cosmo spoke to Alex about season 2, Harrys hate-on for Cassandra, and why he almost gave up on Hollywood right before The Society. Set the record straight: Is Harry a good guy or a bad guy? I dont think hes either. I dont think hes either a good guy or a bad guy. Its up to the viewer to decide, because everyone has a different moral view. Just generally speaking, he fits into a really gray area, where some things he does are good and some things he does are bad. And thats a really interesting place to sit because were not sure how to feel about him. So that was a lot of fun. Story continues Why did Harry hate Cassandra so much? Before the show kicks up, Harrys been promised a lot. He was born into a family of privilege with a silver spoon in his mouth, so hes come to expect a lot before we meet him. And part of that comes with an air of arrogance that he thinks hes on top. And when someone challenges that, its quite confronting. So for him to deal with that in a healthy way is almost impossible. His relationship with Cassandra, someone who challenges him in school and ultimately beats him in a lot of things, is really difficult for him to process because he doesnt know how. Hes used to getting what he wants ever since he was a kid. Theres a theory that they dated and it didnt go well, right? [Laughs] Yeah. I never actually [pictured] it that way. I think theres potentially an attraction, because in most of the scenes we had together, I noticed there was this kind of, like, tit for tat, almost flirtatious energy, but it was in a negative way. I dont think they dated. I think they were mainly rivals in high school. Photo credit: Netflix If you get to season 2 and it comes back, how do you think Harry is going to be as a de facto leader? Photo credit: Cosmopolitan I think hes completely unstable by the end of the series. Hes trying to keep it all together, but its going to come around and bite him in the ass because theres a way that anyone can be led astray in the position hes in. He is not recovered, hes just putting on a facade-theres no way he can think and make decisions and ultimately lead. He has depression, right? Its such a prevalent issue...and an opioid addiction. When you take these drugs, they almost make you feel better up until a certain point, then they stop working, so you need to take more and more. We didnt really get to explore that, we only got small glimpses of it. I guess in the end, he never overcomes it. If we ever do pick up for season 2, thats where itll begin from, this issue hes going through that he never really resolved. Hes just distracting himself from the real problem. Im probably the only one, but I really care about Harry. He feels guilty for what has happened to Cassandra and its eating him up. This scene was really painful. You cant just tell someone with depression to get your shit together & get up, thats not how it works #thesociety pic.twitter.com/1ruGhRVfGO - mila (@boranbulbeni) May 11, 2019 How would you react if you were in a situation like the New Ham kids? Oh my gosh, I have actually not thought of that. Let me think. How could you not think of that?! It wouldnt go down well. I would be incredibly anxious the entire time. In my life, like Harrys life, Ive been told things are laid out, you know, we have a plan. You finish high school and you go to college, and then youre brilliant. Once you have a degree, you get to work. I think this would just send me in the same direction as Harry-hopelessness that there is nothing that can be done. My sense of purpose would just escape me entirely and I would be very afraid. So, what will we see in season 2? Its my theory, and I think its the right theory: Theres a way back. There definitely is, and I dont know whether we find it or not, but I think itll be very interesting to watch us try and find it. You might not have noticed, but Netflix has a way of launching some actors to teen heartthrob status: Noah Centineo, Jacob Elordi, the whole cast of 13 Reasons Why...are you prepared to be a teen heartthrob? It kind of scares me a lot...stuff like that. Im just a kid from Brisbane and I found myself in Boston and we just made this thing. I got a call that I got the show when I was about to move back to Australia, because I was hitting so many roadblocks in the process of, you know, trying to live in another country and establish myself. Ive had a lot of false starts. Ive trained myself not to allow myself to accept something unless its really happening. So I did three pilots. And all of those didnt get picked up. This is my fourth pilot, and its actually happening. So yeah, Im very anxious to see what people think. ('You Might Also Like',) An occasional tiny mole or freckle is usually no reason to be alarmed. But one womans small blemish turned out to be a deadly form of skin cancer. Last June, Megan DiDio, a 22-year-old from Red Bluff, California, noticed that a mole on her left cheek began to look abnormal. Because of her fair complexion, DiDio always took good care of her skin. The change was so noticeable, though, her father pointed it out to her and advised her to see a dermatologist. RELATED: 5 Signs of Skin Cancer Other Than an Abnormal Mole During her doctor appointment, her dermatologist told her that the mole "looked fine." Upon first glance, the derm told me that it didn't look irregular given that it was all one color and the edges were defined, DiDio tells Health. However, she mentioned that we could monitor and check back in the next six months, as opposed to [doing] a biopsy. The dermatologist identified the mole as a deep penetrating nevus, a type of mole that can look like melanoma. DiDio was about to move halfway across the country to Chicago, so even though her dermatologist advised her to wait six months and return for another check, she wanted to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. "I decided to go ahead and have it tested, even though the dermatologist was okay with just watching it, since I wanted to know and not have this situation linger into my move to Chicago," says DiDio. "I didn't really realize the mole might be cancerous until I got the diagnosis." After her biopsy, DiDIo was told that she melanomathe most lethal form of skin cancer. Doctors told her that she had stage two, and she had her cancerous mole removed shortly after receiving the diagnosis. She didn't need additional treatment, luckily. After the surgery, her medical team told her there was no indication of any of the cancer remaining behind. A follow-up test put her odds of the melanoma returning at 7%. Story continues To make sure she stays cancer-free, DiDio explains that she gets her skin checked every three months, and she'll also receive ultrasounds and x-rays twice a year to detect any hard-to-see sign of cancer. Her brush with a deadly disease has also made her more vigilant about preventing sun damage in the first place. "Sun protection and health are much more near and dear to my heart now," says DiDio. "It's easy to overlook prevention measures that can be an inconvenience, but now I never leave the house without sunscreen and am a strong advocate of all methods of sun prevention." RELATED: What Is Ocular Melanoma? This Rare Eye Cancer Has Struck 36 Graduates of Auburn University Mexico City (AFP) - Amnesty International said Tuesday it believes the Venezuelan authorities have committed crimes against humanity in their crackdown on anti-government protests, and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate. The rights group said President Nicolas Maduro's government responded with "a systematic and widespread policy of repression" in late January, when anti-government protests swept the country after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president. Maduro opponents were tortured and killed during the protests, it said. "The nature of the attacks... the level of coordination by the security forces, as well as the signs of similar patterns in 2014 and 2017, leads Amnesty International to believe that the Venezuelan authorities committed crimes against humanity," Amnesty said in a statement. Guaido is locked in a bitter power struggle with Maduro, who has presided over a spiraling political and economic crisis in Venezuela since taking over from late leftist leader Hugo Chavez in 2013. Maduro was re-elected to a second term in May 2018, in a vote boycotted by the opposition and rejected by much of the international community. Guaido, the leader of Venezuela's opposition-controlled legislature, declared himself acting president on January 23, calling Maduro's re-election illegitimate. The opposition leader has since been recognized by more than 50 countries, led by the United States. Amnesty sent a fact-finding mission to the country in February to research the crackdown on the anti-government protests that preceded and followed Guaido's swearing-in. - Torture, executions - The London-based rights group said at least 47 people were killed during the protests from January 21 to 25. At least 33 were shot dead by the security forces, and six by government supporters. "Eleven of these deaths were extrajudicial executions," said Erika Guevara, Americas director for Amnesty International, who presented the report in Mexico City. Story continues "State forces identified people who had been prominent in the protests in their communities, located them and shortly afterwards killed them.... Some of them were tortured before they were killed," the report said. More than 900 people, including children, were arbitrarily detained over the same period, it said. It called on the UN Human Rights Council and International Criminal Court to investigate. Amnesty's team found that crimes and human rights violations were committed in "an attack planned and led by the security forces against individuals identified as or perceived to be opponents, particularly in impoverished areas." Maduro himself "knew about these public and appalling acts and took no measures to either prevent or investigate them," it said. Despite economic collapse and international isolation, Maduro has so far retained the support of Venezuela's powerful military. Guaido has meanwhile been fighting to keep up the pressure on the embattled socialist leader since the opposition's bid to spark a military uprising fizzled on April 30. Quito (AFP) - Ecuador confirmed Tuesday it would hand over to the United States documents and computer hardware belonging to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, insisting it was complying fully with the law. The prosecutor's office in Quito would determine "what goods should or should not be shared," said Foreign Minister Jose Valencia, who confirmed the handover in an interview with Ecuador's ECTV. He said the delivery of Assange's documents would take place "in full compliance with the law." Assange's lawyers said Monday they had received an e-mail from prosecutors informing them of the planned handover of items left behind by Assange when his seven-year stay at the London embassy ended in his arrest last month. Prosecutors have authorized police to carry out a search next Monday of the room which the Australian occupied and seize his personal belongings. Valencia defended the handover, saying: "This is derived from a very clear order from a competent judicial authority." "It will be the Prosecutor's office that decides what goods should or should not be shared with the United States authorities and which are personal effects that must be returned to its owner," he said. The belongings, including computers, mobile phones, memory sticks and other electronic devices, will be sent to the United States as part of Ecuador's response to a request from the US Department of Justice for cooperation into its investigation into Assange, according to an e-mail cited by the Australian's legal team. Assange's legal team in Ecuador has filed a petition seeking to block the handover, and failing that, at least allowing Assange to be present at the search. Assange, 47, is currently in a London jail. A US indictment charges him with "conspiracy" for working with former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password stored on Department of Defense computers in March 2010. By Eric Onstad LONDON (Reuters) - Global automotive supplier Bosch expects platinum to play only a minor role in its new fuel cells, giving precious metal markets scant benefit even as the technology gains momentum for pollution-free transport. According to Reuters calculations, Bosch would only need a tenth of the platinum used in current fuel cell vehicles. Hopes of reviving demand and prices of platinum increasingly hinges on widespread uptake of fuel cells in vehicles, ships and trains to make up for dwindling amounts used in each device, analysts say. The spot price of platinum has shed more than 40 percent in the last five years, burdened by persistent oversupply, before rebounding slightly in recent months. But hopes that fuel cells will boost long-term demand may be dampened after Germany's Robert Bosch GmbH told Reuters that platinum was expected to play only a "minor role" in its plans to mass produce fuel cells. Privately-owned Bosch, which last month signed a deal with Powercell Sweden AB to mass produce fuel cells, said its fuel cell design was not finalised, but it expects them to use only as much platinum as a diesel catalytic converter. A catalytic converter in a diesel passenger vehicle typically uses three to seven grammes of platinum compared with around 30-60 grammes currently needed for a fuel cell for the same vehicle, according to analysts. "There has been lots of optimisation work concerning platinum in fuel cells," Achim Moritz, product manager for mobile fuel cells at Bosch, told Reuters. "If you look at a diesel catalytic system, there is about the same amount of platinum content you need for a fuel cell," he added. He declined to give specific estimated figures for the S3 fuel cell system it is developing with Powercell and expects to launch by 2022, citing commercial sensitivities. TOYOTA ALSO SLASHES PLATINUM Bosch's fuel cell deal with Powercell, announced last month, was another signal that the technology is poised to be rolled out more widely as governments toughen emissions regulations. Story continues China is leading the way, targeting 2 million fuel cell vehicles by 2030. Fuel cells generate electricity through a chemical reaction using hydrogen as a fuel and platinum as a catalyst, but comprise only a fraction of the electric vehicle (EV) market even though they allow vehicles to travel much longer distances between charges than battery powered cars. For years, fuel cells were expected to boost platinum demand dramatically, but doubts have increased due to reports that scientists have found ways to cut the amount of platinum they contain. The best selling fuel cell vehicle, Toyota's Mirai, is expected to cut platinum by two-thirds to around 10 grammes per vehicle in its next version, down from 30 grammes in the current model, according David Hart, director of E4tech consultancy, based in Lausanne. "They (fuel cell makers) all have a pathway of using less platinum, which is fairly clear," Hart said. Toyota Motor Corp declined to comment. Hyundai Motor Co has cut the amount of platinum needed for the fuel cell stack in the latest edition of its NEXO, released last year, to 56 grammes from 78 grammes previously, a company spokesman told Reuters. Hyundai plans to invest over 6 billion euros to make 700,000 fuel cell systems annually by 2030. WIDER UPTAKE? Fuel cells give EVs longer ranges and recharging takes a matter of minutes, a fraction of what is needed for batteries. Hyundai's NEXO has a range of 380 miles compared to 226 miles for the best-selling battery electric vehicle, Nissan's Leaf. That is especially useful for heavy goods vehicles and buses, which are expected to be the primary market for fuel cells initially. "The heavy duty truck side is the biggest initial opportunity for fuel cells because they are very hard to electrify with batteries," said Marten Wikforss, a consultant for Sweden's Powercell. Batteries would take up more space in a heavy goods truck and would take hours to recharge. Once costs come down, fuel cells may also appeal to car buyers who do not want to worry about frequent and time-consuming recharging. If fuel cells catch on in ships and trains as well as road vehicles, platinum demand may get a boost despite the lower loadings due to the sheer numbers, some analysts said. Global demand for platinum for all fuel cells from vehicles is forecast rise to 366,000 ounces by 2030 but to surge to 965,000 ounces when including other fuel cell and hydrogen uses, said Jonathan Butler, head of business development at Mitsubishi Corp. (Reporting by Eric Onstad; Editing by Veronica Brown and Jane Merriman) Motley Fool Russia, you see, keeps threatening to pull out of the project and take its space station modules with it -- and right now, ISS can't operate without them. On the other hand, Russia's Roscosmos space agency also just announced that it will launch up to four space tourism flights to the station annually for the foreseeable future, hoping to replace revenues lost when American astronauts switched from flying on Russian Soyuz rockets to flying on SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft instead. Roscosmos plans to increase the production of #Soyuz spacecrafts to four per year to launch more space tourists. Uber Shares in ride-sharing firm Uber (UBER) plunged a further 9% as the US stock market opened on Monday, following on from a disastrous debut. Ubers near-8% slide on its first day of trading on Friday, May 10, offers a timely reminder of the difficulties faced by investors in tech unicorns. The ride-sharing firms misfortune was to be one of the most hotly anticipated listings since Facebook (FB) during a time of high stock market volatility and the firm carried a weight of expectations after a strong run for US stocks in recent months. Uber's share price is now below the IPO price of $45 a price that was already at the lower end of a range that could have reached $50 per share in more benign market conditions. Ubers float follows that of Lyft (LYFT), which launched at just over $78 and is now trading just below $50 per share. Uber was expected to be valued at around $100 billion on flotation but this valuation has been revised down to below $70 billion after a Friday to forget for its investors. Yet despite the cautious valuation, shares have disappointed in their first days of trading. Jake Robbins, manager of the three-star rated Premier Global Alpha Growth fund, says: "Ultimately Uber's long-term share price will be driven by its ability to take large market shares around the world and eventually turn that dominant position into a profit." However, he cautions that with such "intense competition" it could be "many years" before the winners in the field emerge. Robbins adds: "Uber shares are likely to be wildly volatile as sentiment swings about." Many analysts, however, are quick to warn that a first day or days trading cannot accurately measure a companys prospects after all Twitter (TWTR) surged over 70% on its first day but is still below its IPO price more than five years later, while Lyft was up over a quarter in the first few hours of trading in New York. A recent article on Morningstar.co.uk looked at the long-term performance of IPOs over 40 years. According to data run by UBS, the average float saw the share price rise by around 18% on the first day of trading, but subsequent performance of shares didnt match the first days exuberance. Story continues Mark Hargreaves, head of global equities at Axa Framlington, says investors need to be patient when investing at IPO. He says: "While being an early investor can offer some initial or short-term upside, not all opportunities will be profitable. By waiting to see how well a company can translate innovation into a commercially viable business model and ultimately into profits, you can potentially separate the winners from the losers in any given area. The Morningstar View Morningstar analyst Ali Mogharabi initiated coverage of Uber with a fair value estimate of $58 per share last week. After rival Lyft debut in March, he said Uber's initial pricing looked to be on the "conservative side". Mogharabi says: "The IPO price [was] more than 22% below our fair value estimate and we recommend allocating capital to this name if Ubers stock trades at the $45 IPO price or lower." The analyst believes the firm, which benefits from first-mover advantage in its field, could become profitable and generate excess returns on invested capital in the future. He expects it to maintain around a 30% share of the ride-sharing market over the next 10 years. The business has also quicky grabbed market share in the food delivery industry with the advent of its UberEats app, an area he believes "there is strong growth potential". Mogharabi adds: "We expect Uber's total net revenue to grow at a 19% 10-year compound annual growth rate to over $64 billion by 2028. Also, we expect Uber to become sustainably profitable by 2024." GENEVA, May 12 (Reuters) - The United States has started a psychological war in the region, the commander of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards said in a parliament session on Sunday, according to a parliamentary spokesman. The U.S. military has sent forces, including an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, to the Middle East to counter what the Trump administration says are clear indications of threats from Iran to U.S. forces there. The USS Abraham Lincoln is replacing another carrier rotated out of the Gulf last month. "Commander Salami, with attention to the situation in the region, presented an analysis that the Americans have started a psychological war because the comings and goings of their military is a normal matter, the spokesman for the parliamentary leadership, Behrouz Nemati, said, summarizing the Guards commander's comments, according to parliament's ICANA news site. Major General Hossein Salami was appointed as head of the Guards last month. (Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Toby Chopra) SOCHI, Russia (AP) Russia and the United States voiced hope Tuesday that badly strained relations could begin to improve despite wide differences on multiple fronts and deep mutual suspicion deepened by Russian meddling in American elections. With tensions running high over Iran, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed vindication from the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and said he thought it was time to move on. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo conveyed President Donald Trump's interest in restoring better ties. In the highest-level face-to-face contact between the two countries since special counsel Robert Mueller's report was released last month, Putin told Pompeo he hoped relations with the U.S. would now improve. Still, his claim of vindication covered only allegations that Russia and the Trump campaign colluded to hurt Hillary Clinton's candidacy. Putin did not address Mueller's conclusion that Russia actively interfered in the election. "However exotic the work of special counsel Mueller was, I have to say that on the whole he has had a very objective investigation and he confirmed that there were no traces whatsoever of collusion between Russia and the incumbent administration, which we said was absolutely fake," Putin said as he opened the meeting with Pompeo in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. "As we said before there was no collusion from our government officials and it could not be there. Still, that was one of the reasons for the certain break in our inter-state ties," he said. "I'm hoping today that the situation is changing." Though Putin said the Mueller report did not find collusion, the report explicitly notes that collusion is not a legal term and that prosecutors instead searched for evidence of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mueller's team ultimately concluded that the evidence did not establish such a conspiracy. Story continues Pompeo did not specifically mention election meddling in his brief reply to Putin, although he did say the Trump administration would "protect our nation's interest." Earlier, though, Pompeo made clear that any repeat of the 2016 meddling would not be tolerated. "Interference in American elections is unacceptable," Pompeo told reporters at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "If Russia were to engage in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it is. We have encouraged them not to. We wouldn't tolerate that. Our elections are important and sacred and they must be free and fair." After meeting with Putin, Pompeo told reporters: "So it's not about moving on. It's about trying to find solutions, compromises, places where there are overlapping interests you can make progress unlocking some of the most difficult problems that are facing us." Putin told Pompeo his recent telephone conversation with Trump raised hopes for an improvement in relations. "As you know, not long ago, a few days ago, I had the pleasure of talking with the president of the United States by telephone," he said. "For me, it created the impression that the president intends to restore Russian-American connections and contacts to resolve joint issues that present mutual interests." Pompeo spoke of "truly overlapping interests" that the two countries "can build on, and most importantly, President Trump very much wants to do that." He cited cooperation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism more broadly, but also a shared goal of getting North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons. But he also told Putin that "just as you will, we'll protect our nation's interest." Venezuela was a key point of discussion and difference, with the U.S. firm in its commitment to support opposition figure Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate leader and Russia equally firm in its backing of embattled President Nicolas Maduro. Pompeo and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton have repeatedly accused Russia, along with Cuba, of propping up Maduro and demanded that Russian and other foreign troops, intelligence officers and security forces leave the country. "On Venezuela, we have disagreement," Pompeo said. "We want every country that's interfering in Venezuela to cease doing that." Lavrov defended Russia's position and said the threats Maduro's government is receiving from U.S. officials, coupled with Guaido's seeming support for a foreign military intervention, "bear no relation to democracy." Iran was another critical agenda item amid spiraling tension between Washington and Tehran that some fear could lead to conflict. The U.S. has accused Iran of threatening to attack American interests in the Middle East and suggested that Iran or Iranian proxies are behind incidents of alleged sabotage on Emirati, Norwegian and Saudi tankers in the Persian Gulf. To deter those threats and counter any possible attack, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East, heightening already high levels of unease caused by the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Tehran following Trump's withdrawal of the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal last year. Pompeo sought to alleviate some of the concern but made clear the U.S. would respond to attacks. "We fundamentally don't seek war with Iran," Pompeo said. "But we've also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." Lavrov said Russia is hoping for a positive response from the United States about extending the New START arms control treaty, which is due to expire in 2021, "but we really have some concerns which are related to the re-equipping of launchers of Trident submarines and heavy bombers announced by the United States." A day after Trump said he would meet with Putin at the Group of 20 summit of leaders in Japan in June, Lavrov said Russia has not received a formal proposal. "If such a proposal is received, we will respond to it in a positive way," he said. Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said later that the Kremlin is prepared to agree to any format for a Putin-Trump meeting. __ Heintz reported from Moscow. Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Washington (AFP) - NASA's next mission to the Moon will be called Artemis, the US space agency announced Monday, though it's still looking for the money to make the journey happen by its accelerated 2024 deadline. In March, US President Donald Trump's administration moved the date for the next American lunar mission up by four years from its original goal of 2028 while pledging to get a female astronaut to the Moon's surface for the first time. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told reporters the agency would need an additional $1.6 billion to pay for the new ground and space vehicles needed to meet the deadline. "This additional investment, I want to be clear, is a downpayment on NASA's efforts to land humans on the Moon by 2024," he said. Bridenstine said the mission was named Artemis after the Greek mythological goddess of the Moon and twin sister to Apollo, namesake of the program that sent 12 American astronauts to the Moon between 1969 and 1972. NASA's total annual budget is approximately $21.5 billion, and in the 2019 fiscal year, the agency spent about $4.5 billion on developing the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System (SLS) heavy rocket and a new lunar orbital mini-station, three elements essential to the Artemis mission. But many experts and lawmakers are concerned that NASA cannot meet the accelerated deadline, especially given the major delays in development of the SLS, which is being built by aerospace giant Boeing. Asked how much the new mission would cost in total, Bridenstine demurred, telling a reporter: "I would love to tell you that." By Noah Browning LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday after top exporter Saudi Arabia said explosive-laden drones launched by a Yemeni armed movement aligned to Iran had attacked facilities belonging to state oil company Aramco. Brent crude futures were at $71.02 a barrel at 1335 GMT, up 79 cents or 1.12%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.68 per barrel, up 64 cents or 1.05%. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said Aramco had halted pumping on the East-West pipeline until the damage was evaluated, but that production and exports were continuing without disruption. "These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran," Falih said, calling the attack an "act of terrorism" that targeted the world's global oil supply. Saudi Arabia said earlier that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, incidents which ratcheted up tensions in the world's top oil-exporting region. A U.S. official said Iran was the likely culprit. Iranian officials denied responsibility. Yemen's Houthi group, which has been at war with the kingdom for over four years, said it had launched drone attacks on Saudi installations, without identifying the targets or time of the attacks. Tehran has been embroiled in an escalating war of words with the United States over stricter U.S. sanctions, which have cut its oil exports and tightened global supply. A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz from Middle East crude producers to global markets. "With rising tensions between Iran and the U.S., and with significant naval build-up in the region, markets are sensitive to news and can be tipped by the smallest signs of a conflict," said Mihir Kapadia, CEO of Sun Global Investments. The market was also holding out some hope for flagging U.S.-China trade talks as both sides expressed positive sentiments, which may signal the negotiations are not yet dead. Story continues The talks appeared headed towards success last week but have largely unravelled over U.S. accusations that Beijing sought vast, last-minute changes. China on Monday ignored a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump and moved to impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods including liquefied natural gas. "Price volatility is set to remain the theme in oil market over the coming sessions as ongoing trade spat between the United States and China ratchets up," said Abhishek Kumar, head of analytics at Interfax Energy in London. (Editing by Dale Hudson and Jason Neely) Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer says Labout MPs demand a confirmatory vote on any deal (Picture: PA) A cross-party Brexit deal will need to include a second referendum in order to receive the backing of Labour MPs, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The shadow Brexit secretary warned it was "impossible" to see how an agreement between the Conservatives and Labour could clear the Commons unless it guaranteed the deal would be put back to the public for a "confirmatory vote". Sir Keir made the comments ahead of crunch talks between Cabinet ministers and senior Labour figures on Monday, although speculation was growing over whether the negotiations will succeed. Speaking to The Guardian, the leading Labour negotiator said his colleagues and the party leadership would have to decide "in the coming days" if it was worth continuing with the talks. Meanwhile, The Times reported that the Prime Minister has been urged by Cabinet ministers to pull out of the talks and move to indicative votes by MPs. Chancellor Philip Hammond is said to be among those who have lost faith with the plan to strike a cross-party deal, while on Sunday Education Secretary Damian Hinds expressed support for finding a "stable majority" by allowing MPs to vote on different options. On Monday, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt seemed to rule out including a second referendum in any cross-party deal. Prime minister Theresa May has reportedly been urged to break off Brexit talks with Labour (Picture: PA) "From a Conservative point of view, we've always said that we think that would be a betrayal of what people voted for, and we want to implement the first referendum, he said. "But let's see where these talks go to. We are talking to the Labour leadership, and we have had very, very detailed discussions. "People have been pessimistic right from the outset that these discussions weren't going to go anywhere, but they have actually continued. "So we have to see what happens this week. This is a crunch week." DUP leader Arlene Foster warned a confirmatory Brexit referendum would place democracy at risk. She also criticised Mrs May for lacking the vision of a strong United Kingdom post-Brexit. Story continues "What people want to see is democracy being respected, said Mrs Foster. Unfortunately it hasn't been respected and we have a Remain parliament, therefore parliament has not been able to deliver on Brexit in the way it should have been delivered upon. "We have a prime minister frankly who doesn't have the vision for the United Kingdom post Brexit that we all want to see. We want to see a United Kingdom that is strong post-Brexit and has a close relationship with Europe." DUP leader Arlene Foster at the launch of the party's manifesto for the European election in Belfast (Picture: PA) "We have to deliver on the wishes of the people - democracy is at risk here if we do not respect the wishes of the people in the referendum," she said. Labour MP Stephen Kinnock told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "What would be a real shame is if the talks are failing because they are being torpedoed by an additional red line that Labour is bringing in around a second referendum. "If you try to insert a second referendum into these talks they won't get through because the Conservatives will not whip their MPs to support it." In the wake of dire local election results for the Tories and Labour and looming European elections - which could see Nigel Farage's newcomer Brexit Party make unprecedented gains - both parties are under pressure to make progress on Britain's EU departure. Read more Brexit Party overtakes Tories for first time in general election poll Police slam time-waster for dialling 999 about a wasp in her house Mum left shocked after buying loaf of bread full of crusts "I've made it clear that at this stage, at this 11th hour, any deal that comes through from this government ought to be subject to the lock of a confirmatory vote," Sir Keir said. The shadow minister said that "probably 120 if not 150" of the party's 229 MPs could vote against the deal unless it was linked to a second referendum. "If the point of the exercise is to get a sustainable majority, over several weeks or months of delivering on the implementation, you can't leave a confirmatory vote out of the package," he said. Sir Keir signalled that Labour expects movement from the Government this week in order to keep the talks on track, telling the paper it "would be wrong in principle to use up much more time simply exploring each other's positions". "I do think we do probably in the coming days need to make that assessment." The issue of a confirmatory referendum has been an internal battleground within Labour ranks, with Sir Keir pushing for one but shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, also part of the negotiating team, less keen. Labour's negotiating team, from left to right: Rebecca Long-Bailey, Sir Keir, shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman (Picture: PA) Sir Keir highlighted how the party lost 200 lost seats in this month's council elections, which he said were a sign Labour was losing the trust of Remain as well as Leave voters. The party's deputy leader, Tom Watson, is expected to call for a second vote in a speech on Monday. Mr Watson will reportedly invoke the late Labour leader John Smith, saying the heavyweight would have backed a "people's vote as a way out of this destructive mess". The Sun says Mr Watson will tell the Fabian Society that Mr Smith, who was tipped to become prime minister before his death 25 years ago, saw "anti-EU sentiment" as "wrong-headed". The BBC reported that Mr Watson will "plead" with voters to back Labour in next week's European Parliament elections, despite the party's Brexit stance. "There are only two forces that can win this election - that nasty nationalism of the Farage Brexit Party, or the tolerant, compassionate outward-looking patriotism of the Labour Party," he will say. Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is expected to do well at this month's European Elections (Picture: PA) A ComRes general election poll published on the weekend found Mr Farage's Brexit Party had overtaken the Tories for the first time, taking a one-point lead. That level of support would see the Brexit Party win 49 seats, becoming the UK's second biggest party after Labour, with 137. Speaking to the BBC Radio 4 Westminster Hour on Sunday night, the Chancellor's parliamentary aide, Huw Merriman, said the Tories will suffer "an absolute mauling" in next week's European Parliament elections. "The public will blame the Conservative government because we were the party that brought forward the referendum," said Mr Merriman, who backs a second referendum. "And so for those that didn't want it and wanted Remain, they'll blame us for having tried to take us out. And for those that voted to leave, they'll blame us for having not got the country out of the EU. "We're at the perfect storm, so yes, I think we'll get an absolute mauling." Damascus (AFP) - The UN envoy for Syria held "substantial" talks Sunday in Damascus with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on efforts to find a political settlement to the country's eight-year-long war. "We have had very detailed substantial discussions," Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen told reporters after the meeting. "We are now addressing all the issues so all the issues are at the table," he said, without specifying. The envoy said he was set to hold more talks with Syrian officials later in the day. "Let's see how we are able to proceed later this afternoon," he added. State news agency SANA said Pedersen and Muallem discussed ongoing efforts to advance Syria's political process, including moves to form a committee tasked with drawing up a post-war constitution. They also spoke about the envoy's diplomatic activities since his last visit to Damascus in March, SANA added. Pedersen arrived in Damascus on Saturday, in his third official visit to the country since assuming his post in January. He became the fourth UN negotiator aiming to resolve Syria's conflict following the resignation of his predecessor Staffan de Mistura. Since early January, he has travelled extensively to meet with the government, opposition and others. The UN Security Council remains deeply divided over the way forward in Syria. Veto-wielding Russia, a key backer of President Bashar al-Assad, has taken a lead role in diplomatic efforts through the so-called Astana group with Iran and Turkey that has largely sidelined UN diplomacy. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011. The regime has made a military comeback with Russian military support since 2015, and now holds almost two-thirds of the country. 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 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. An unnamed Hamas official said in an interview with the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper that his organization sent a message to Israel through negotiators, stating that it still didn't fulfil all obligations that the organization demanded in the ceasefire deal. The source said that allowing the Qatari funds into the Gaza Strip was only one of the obligations Israel made, and that the organization has also made demands in regard to Hamas prisoners, jailed in Israel; he added that if Israel doesn't respect its obligations, another clash between the two sides could follow. The official also said that his organization is pleased about the Qatari funds instalment, and that it would help keep the calm. He added that negotiating parties assured his organization that Israel would keep its obligations and will soon initiate other projects like infrastructure and electrical works in the Strip. Democrats from Congress to the 2020 presidential campaign trail on Monday demanded that Republicans apologize to Rep. Rashida Tlaib for mischaracterizing her remarks about the Holocaust in the latest uproar over Muslim House members and their remarks about Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Michigan Democrat told a Yahoo News podcast over the weekend that she gets a calming feeling when she thinks of the tragedy of the Holocaust, the suffering of her Palestinian ancestors and the new state of Israel. Rep. Rashida Talib (Photo: AFP) The remark instantly ignited an online fight, with Republicans incorrectly describing Tlaibs words as reflecting her feelings about the genocide itself that cost millions of lives, including those of 6 million Jews. Before the day was out, progressive allies key to Democrats hopes for election gains in 2020 were fundraising off the notion that Republicans had used the Holocaust for a cheap, racist and political attack. But the blowback against the GOP came from the top of Democratic ranks. Republicans desperate attempts to smear @RepRashida & misrepresent her comments are outrageous, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted. President @realDonaldTrump & House GOP should apologize to Rep. Tlaib & the American people for their gross misrepresentations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Photo: AFP) Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a White House hopeful, added: Mr. President: Stop dividing the American people up by their religion, their race or their country of origin--and stop your ugly attacks against Muslim women in Congress. You are taking Rep. @RashidaTlaibs comments out of context and should apologize. Bernie Sanders (Photo: AFP) The issue had its roots in Tlaibs remarks on the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery, in which she was asked about her backing of a one-state solution to the conflict over Israel. She replied by noting the U.S. recently commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day. Theres a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors Palestinians who lost their land, and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, had been wiped out, Tlaib, one of the first Muslims to serve in Congress, said around the halfway point in the 55-minute podcast dated Friday. I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time. She continued: I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away, right? And it was forced on them. And so, when I think about one-state, I think about the fact that, why couldnt we do it in a better way? Republicans pounced on a two-word phrase from that statement calming feeling and suggested they described Tlaibs feelings about the Holocaust itself. And that, they argued, is part of a pattern of anti-Semitism on which Pelosi and other Democratic leaders should clamp down. President Donald Trump tweeted Tlaib obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. That echoed earlier comments by House Republicans, who called on Democrats to stand against what House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney called anti-Semitism. Rep. Rashida Talib and Rep. Ilhan Omar (Photo: AFP) All of us, regardless of party, must stand as Americans against the evil of anti-Semitism, Cheney, R-Wyo., said in a statement. If the Democratic leadership continues to stand by in silence, they are enabling the spread of evil. Democrats, who earlier this year rebuked Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota for her words questioning Israels influence in Washington, sharply disputed that Tlaibs comments were bigoted. Progressive groups fired out tweets and an email noting that Cheney is considering a run for Senate next year. MoveOn.org slammed Cheney, Trump and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise for trying to politicize the Holocaust. Please help her fight back and keep this bold progressive fighter in Congress. Donate $3 to Rashidas campaign today, wrote the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in an email to what it said were nearly 1 million members. Democratic lawmakers staunchly defended Tlaib. If you read Rep. Tlaibs comments, it is clear that President Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking them out of context, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. They must stop, and they owe her an apology. Obviously I dont think that she hates Israel or hates Jews, said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Michigan, on Fox News. Shes not a hateful person. Shes not a bigoted person. Tlaib shot back in a tweet and a statement that Republicans were twisting her words. Policing my words, twisting & turning them to ignite vile attacks on me will not work, she said. All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably. I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda. The truth will always win. The US embassy in Israel issued a security alert late Monday evening, urging all American citizens in Israel to exercise caution and avoid travelling to areas affected by rocket fire in the latest deadly flare-up between Hamas and Israel. The warning comes ahead of the anniversary of US Embassy opening in Jerusalem - which coincides with the week-long Eurovision festivities. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Terrorist groups may choose the anniversary, which coincides with the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv and Nakba Day, to conduct violent protests or an attack, said the statement posted on US Embassys official site. On Sunday, Israel officially kicked off the Eurovision week in Tel Aviv, with thousands of police, Magen David Adom medics and stewards being deployed to the Eurovision village as some 300,000 tourists expected to visit the city during the week-long event. Hosts of Eurovision ahead of first semi final (Photo: EPA) Security incidents can occur well beyond Gaza and at any time, as demonstrated by the May 3-5 rocket attacks in southern Israel, including the cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Beer Sheva, and the March 14 and March 25 rocket attacks in central Israel, it said. In last weeks round of cross-border fighting, which erupted last weekend, Palestinian militants fired more than 700 rockets into Israel, killing four Israeli civilians, the first Israeli fatalities from rocket fire since the 50-day war in 2014, known in Israel as Operation Protective Edge. Israel Defense Forces retaliated with massive airstrikes on Gaza, killing 25 Palestinians, most of whom are believed to be militants. Rockets being launched from Gaza into Israel (Photo: Reuters) "As security incidents, including rocket fire, often take place without warning, US citizens are strongly encouraged to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness," the statement added. "In the event of mortar and/or rocket fire, a Red Alert siren may be activated. Treat all such alerts as real; follow the instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. "US government personnel and their family members may be restricted from traveling to areas affected by rocket activity, sirens, and/or the opening of bomb shelters." The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday ahead of Nakba Day, accusing Israel of becoming the main factor behind all the regional crises. Israel is a real threat to international peace and security The illegitimate Zionist regime was born under the auspices of the Americans and it continues to exist through war, occupation and crimes," said the statement. Benjamin Netanyahu's attorneys have asked Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit to pass them the materials on the corruption investigations into the prime minister. The request came after Netanyahu reached an agreement with his advocates regarding a down payment on their fees. On Sunday, the attorneys declined to accept the material when Mandelblit attempted to hand it over. The teenage suspect in the murder of a Palestinian woman in the West Bank will remain in jail until Thursday, a judge ruled, and will then be placed on house arrest. According to the indictment, Aisha Rabi, a 45-year-old mother of nine, was killed when the 16-year-old resident of a West Bank settlement hurled rocks at her car as her family was returning home from a celebration in October 2018. Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of phones, the company said late Monday. The Financial Times identified the actor as Israel's NSO Group, a high-tech company based in Herzliya whose technology has already been linked to the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter A WhatsApp spokesman said that the company is "certainly not refuting any of the coverage you've seen." NSO Group offices (Photo: Orel Cohen) The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone via the app's voice calling function, the spokesman for the Facebook subsidiary said late Monday. An unknown number of people -- an amount in the dozens at least would not be inaccurate -- were infected with the malware, which the company said it discovered in early May, said the spokesman, who was not authorized to be quoted by name. The WhatsApp application John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack "a very scary vulnerability." "There's nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app," he said. The WhatsApp spokesman said the attack had "all the hallmarks of a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware that has the ability to take over mobile phone operating systems." The spokesman said WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. He said WhatsApp also provided information to U.S. law enforcement officials to assist in their investigation. NSO in the spotlight Weaving a cyber web Ronen Bergman It helped bring down drug lords, thwart terror attacks and stop pedophiles, but despite its determination to paint itself as the enemy of 'bad guys,'NSO Group is facing some unsavory claims. Weaving a cyber web He said the flaw was discovered while "our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls" and that engineers found that people targeted for infection "might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them. In the process of calling, this code gets shipped." "We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities," WhatsApp said in a statement. Spokespeople for NSO Group did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. The revelation adds to the questions over the reach of the Israeli company's powerful spyware, which can hijack smartphones, control their cameras and effectively turn them into pocket-sized surveillance devices. NSO's spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year and whose body has never been found. Slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (Photo: EPA) Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are currently suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking. Monday, Amnesty International -- which said last year that one its staffers was also targeted with the spyware -- said it would join in a legal bid to force Israel's Ministry of Defence to suspend NSO's export license. That makes the discovery of the vulnerability particularly disturbing because one of the targets was a U.K.-based human rights lawyer, the attorney told the AP. The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons, said he received about several suspicious missed calls over the past few months, the most recent one on Sunday, only hours before WhatsApp issued the update to users fixing the flaw. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his future coalition are working on legislation that could grant him immunity from expected corruption charges. The new laws are set to revolutionize the Israeli legal system and will likely be implemented once the new government is sworn in. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter While the prime minister presented the new legislation as form of strengthening governability and empowering the people, other unnamed political figures were convinced his agenda was first and foremost protecting himself from future prosecution. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: EPA) Netanyahu is suspected of corruption in three separate cases. Earlier this year, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit recommended bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges in Case 4000, in which Netanyahu is suspected of receiving favorable coverage on the Walla! News website in return for regulatory benefits to telecommunications giant Bezeq, which owned the site. The attorney general also called for charges of fraud and breach of trust in both Case 1000, in which Netanyahu and his family are suspected of receiving illicit gifts from wealthy donors such as Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, and Case 2000, in which Netanyahu allegedly tried to negotiate favorable coverage in the Yedioth Ahronoth daily (Ynetnews' sister publication) in return for promoting legislation against rival paper Israel Hayom. Netanyahu means to anchor in coalition agreements the passage of two controversial pieces of legislation that the Supreme Court overruled in the previous government's term: the anti-infiltration law, aimed at facilitating the deportation of African migrants, and the expulsion bill, that will allow the deportation of the families of convicted terrorists from their homes. The prime minister said earlier this month the Knesset's summer term will be longer than usual, to facilitate important legislation. Political watchers suggest that Netanyahu will first work to push a bill allowing the Knesset to overturn Supreme Court rulings with just a simple majority. That will allow all other controversial legislation to push forward particularly a law to guarantee the prime minister's immunity from prosecution while he is office. "My policy has always been to keep the court strong and independent, but it doesn't mean that it can do whatever it wants," Netanyahu wrote in Hebrew on Facebook on Monday, and blamed the media for falsely presenting his legislation initiatives in order "to prevent changes from taking place and to create fear." "These laws are what the public expects of us: the deportation of terrorists' families, the deportation of infiltrators, and a death penalty for terrorists," said the prime minister. "I'm determined to fearlessly work for you, the citizens of Israel. That's why you voted for me," he said. But an unnamed senior member of the incoming coalition said he believes that Netanyahu's legislation blitz is solely to ensure his immunity from prosecution. He said that the prime minister "is preparing the public opinion to support the dramatic changes that he'll execute once the government is sworn in." President Rivlin gives Netanyahu a two-week extension for forming the new government on Sunday (Photo: GPO) A hearing on Netanyahu's indictments is set to take place before July 10. However, the prime minister is expected to get an extension and the hearing will be set for in September. Netanyahu is thus racing against the clock to pass the immunity law before his hearing, and needs the Knesset to extend its summer term as much as is necessary to facilitate the legislation. Many in the Israeli legal system say they are follow the unfolding events with trepidation, but are unable to make any comments due to the sensitive nature of their role. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Esther Hayut broke the policy of silence on Tuesday, warning that the independence of the legal system "one of the cornerstones of democracy." "We are used to many years of incitement against us and our role in Israeli society, which harm the public's faith in the court," said a judge who asked not to be named. "The fact that we cannot comment on the distorted things politicians say makes us face preposterous accusations all the time." The judge added: "Supreme Court justices are democratic patriots who put the welfare and prosperity of Israeli society first, no less than any politician. We live in the Israeli reality and understand its needs, and have no intention of taking over or intentionally dismissing decisions by the Knesset and the government." The Tel Aviv Opera house was the unlikely venue recently for a 10pm concert on a Friday night -- although the performing artist was certainly no stranger to prestigious concert halls the world over: Achinoam Nini, this time and Friends, presenting her latest show, Letters to Bach. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The friends accompanying Nini (aka Noa, her stage name abroad) in concert were an international mix. On her right, I Solis di Napoli, a classical string quartet from Naples, with whom she has had a long professional relationship; and on her left, guitarist Gil Dor, her veteran arranger and musical collaborator, along with two other Israeli musicians, percussionist Gad Seri and bass guitarist Or Lubianiker. Achinoam Nini (Photo: Zvika Tishler) Following two opening numbers sung by by Noa in Italian, she launched into some of her familiar favorites -- e.g. Mishaela and Uri -- culminating in the hypnotic Boi Cala, which had the audience singing along, as Noa herself energetically played the conga drums. Johann Sebastian Bach was the centerpiece of the program, led off by an instrumental version of Art of the Fugue. The letters were songs written in English by Noa herself -- she spent her formative years in New York -- set to Bach compositions. Her flawless rendering of the lyrics while navigating the intricate, timeless baroque scoring was brilliant testimony to the divas talent and professionalism. The final third of the concert alternated among songs in Italian, instrumental interludes played by the visiting string quartet, and newer songs in Hebrew, some performed solely by the duo Noa and Dor. And in conclusion, as expected, not one but two encores, in response to the audiences ovations. Noas next performance of Letters to Bach is scheduled for June 6 in Tel Avivs Charles Bronfman Auditorium (Zucker Hall). Avi Singolda rocks Zappa in Herzliya Avi Singolda is one of Israels best guitarists. But dont take my word for it: I suggest relying on George Martin -- also sometimes referred to as the fifth Beatle, for his contributions to catapulting that legendary band to fame -- who tapped Singolda to play a guitar solo when guest conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Avi Singolda on stage (Photo: Yaron Brener) Judging from the overflow crowd at Singoldas Passover concert at the Zappa Supper Club and live music venue in Herzliya, Martins opinion is shared by quite a few fans in Israel. Moreover, as the audience was soon to discover, Singolda knows how to surround himself with other talented musicians. The concert was billed as Singolda and Friends; and on the stage supporting the lead guitarist were a keyboardist, a drummer, a bass guitarist, and a violinist, plus a male and female vocalist (the violinist was also a second female vocalist). The show had no title, but Singolda informed us at the outset that there would be a lot of music inspired by his guitar idols, as well as classic non-Israeli numbers. And indeed, the evening started off with well-known songs of James Taylor and The Eagles (Hotel California) -- the difference being Singoldas versions of both were punctuated by his mesmerizing guitar riffs. The rest of the evening alternated between Hebrew and English numbers, with the audience often joining in singing along, in both languages. There was also quite a bit of patter by Singolda, much of it revolving around his early life and career, but it never sagged or interfered with the flow of the music. The highlights of the show included performances by the outstanding male (Black Magic Woman) and lead female (Aretha Franklins Say a Little Prayer) vocalists, as well as a phenomenal rendition of Stairway to Heaven -- probably the best I have ever heard apart from the original. A nice gesture by Singolda was his custom of inviting promising young teenage guitarists on stage to perform a solo: on this evening, an impressive young man playing Dire Straits. Towards the end of the concert, Singolda urged the audience to dance, and most of us were happy to oblige. The next Singolda and Friends concert is scheduled for May 17 at Zappa Tel Aviv. Wang Yang (R), a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with a delegation of personages from various circles in Taiwan led by Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Top political advisor Wang Yang met with a delegation of personages from various circles in Taiwan led by Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, here on Monday. Wang is a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Wang said he appreciates Hung's long-term adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence" as well as her contributions to the development of relations across the Taiwan Strait. "National rejuvenation and the reunification of the motherland have a bearing on the future of Taiwan and the Chinese nation," he said. Wang said people across the Strait should take safeguarding the interests and well-being of the whole nation as the goal of developing cross-Strait relations, take upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence" as the banner to unite people on both sides, and regard jointly exploring a new road of integrated development as an important way to jointly seek national rejuvenation. "On the common political basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing 'Taiwan independence,' we are willing to conduct dialogues and consultations with various political parties, organizations, and personages in Taiwan in various forms and on wide-ranging topics to build consensus and iron out differences," Wang noted. Hung said people on both sides of the Strait should uphold the 1992 Consensus and oppose "Taiwan independence," promote exchanges, enhance mutual trust, and contribute to the integrated cross-Strait development and the realization of peaceful reunification. CABINET has approved a joint venture between the Cold Storage Company (CSC) and a United Kingdom firm, Boulstead Beef (Pvt) Limited, which will see the investor injecting US$130 million into the meat processing firm. This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa during a post- Cabinet Press briefing yesterday. Cabinet was informed by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube that the CSC is to be revitalised through a Concession Agreement under Rehabilitate, Operate and Transfer (ROT) terms, said Minister Mutsvangwa. She said under the agreement, Boustead would raise and invest a minimum of US$130 million into CSC over five years. The funds will be for capital expenditures and working capital for the business. It will also pay off CSCs financial debts totalling US$42 530 597 and pay rentals of US$100 000 per annum during the first five years of the concession agreement. Boustead will also take over and manage CSC ranches in Maphaneni, Dubane, Umguza, Chivumbuni, Mushandike, Willsgrove and Darwendale for an initial period of 25 years. Minister Mutsvangwa said Boustead will take over and run CSC abattoirs in Bulawayo, Chinhoyi, Masvingo, Marondera and Kadoma for an initial period of 25 years. It will also take over and manage CSCs distribution centres and residential properties in Harare, Gweru and Mutare for the same period. Minister Mutsvangwa said the benefits to accrue to Zimbabwe from the investment agreement include, increased capacity utilisation at CSC ranches and abattoir plants; increased prospects for restoration of the enterprises viability and higher throughput; stemming of further deterioration of equipment which is currently lying idle, and the growth of the local livestock and beef industry. Asked if 25 years was not too long while CSC was being operated by the private investor, Prof Ncube said the period was sort of a standard across the world, and can stretch to 35 years, since they are funded by debt. Prof Ncube said 25 years would allow the investor to recoup their US$130 million and then give the CSC back to Government. He said there are numerous advantages which include bringing back abattoirs to full functionality, providing raw materials to industry such as fat for soap making, and setting up out-growers. Boustead Beef also plans to export products to countries like China, Botswana, and Angola, said Prof Ncube. So the benefits are incredible for the economy. We are happy with the progress so far and as Government are supporting them to make sure that they can really resuscitate CSC to its former glory, said Prof Ncube. He explained that Boustead Beef is already on the ground and has audited CSCs infrastructure. In the first year, Boustead is expected to invest US$45 million, with US$10 million set to be channelled towards the purchase of cattle to replenish the stock. The herd had dwindled to 341 animals across the country as of March 2017. Boustead will invest US$6 million into abattoirs refurbishment, canning factory, distribution infrastructure, working capital and IT systems while US$500 000 plant equipment has been ordered and paid for. The equipment is ready for shipping and would be installed upon arrival. The investor has started paying employee salaries from February this year and is also cleaning its facilities. Boustead has also started buying cattle from South Africa and is also looking at restocking through facilities in Botswana, while some tenants who were occupying CSC ranches without permission have been relocated. Illegal hunting in CSC ranches is also being stopped. Willowvale Motor Industries would assemble Bousteads vehicles, creating backward and forward linkages. The tanker attacks off the coast of the United Arab Emirates were "Israeli mischief," an Iranian parliamentary spokesman said Tuesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). "The events that took place in the Emirates were Israeli mischief," Behrouz Nemati said, without providing any details on what role Israel may have played in the attacks. Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the Emirates and described it as an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid tensions between the United States and Iran. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. It did not describe the nature of the attack or say who was behind it. Israel's government went on a spending binge in its West Bank settlements following the election of President Donald Trump, according to official data obtained by The Associated Press. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Both supporters and detractors of the settlement movement have previously referred to a "Trump effect," claiming the president's friendlier approach to the settlements is leading to additional West Bank construction. Ma'ale Adumim settlement (: ) While the new Israeli figures obtained in a freedom of information request do not prove a direct connection, they indicate this process may already be underway, showing a 39% increase in 2017 spending on roads, schools and public buildings across the West Bank. new construction in settlements (Photo: AFP) Hagit Ofran, a researcher with the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now, said it appears that Trump's election has emboldened Israel's pro-settler government. US President Donald Trump with Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters) "They are not shy anymore with what they are doing," she said. "They feel more free to do whatever they want." Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, offered even sharper criticism. "This proves that the current U.S. administration encouraged settlement activities," he said. Since capturing the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, Israel has settled some 700,000 of its citizens in the two areas. The Palestinians, who claim both the West Bank and east Jerusalem as parts of their future state, consider the settlements illegal land grabs. Scores of fast-growing settlements control strategic hilltops and swaths of the West Bank, making it increasingly difficult to partition the territory. For decades, the international community and the U.S. have expressed concern over the settlements while doing little to halt their construction. But since taking office, Trump, whose inner circle of Mideast advisers have longstanding ties to the settler movement, has taken a different approach. The White House has urged restraint but refrained from the blanket condemnations of its Republican and Democratic predecessors. Israeli construction in E. Jerusalem (Photo: EPA) "The Trump administration is undoubtedly the most friendly American administration of all time," said Oded Revivi, the chief foreign envoy of the Yesha settlers' council. "In contrast, the Obama years were extremely hard for Israel. Now we are making up for lost ground." The government statistics, released by Israel's Finance Ministry, showed Israeli spending in the West Bank in 2017, Trump's first year in office, rose to $459.8 million, from over $530.8 shekelsThe 2017 figures were the highest in the 15 years of data provided by the Finance Ministry, though spending also climbed in 2016. At the time, President Barack Obama, a vocal critic of the settlements, was a lame duck, and relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were cool. The ministry released the data after two years of requests from the AP, which received backing early this year from "The Movement for Freedom of Information," a legal advocacy group that assists journalists. The figures include only government spending, so construction and purchases of private homes are not included. Israel also does not include items like police, education, health and military spending, saying such services are provided to all Israelis regardless of where they live. In addition, spending in east Jerusalem is excluded. Israel considers the area part of its capital. The areas with the strongest growth in 2017 were in school construction, which jumped 68%, and road construction, which rose 54%. Revivi, who is also mayor of the Efrat settlement near Jerusalem, said the spending was badly needed. He said that school spending was legally required because of the fast-growing population. He also said that roads in the West Bank have been in "dire condition" for years, and there is a drastic need for improvements. Netivei Yisrael, the public company that oversees road construction, said it carries out its projects at the instruction of the Transportation Ministry. In the West Bank, these projects often allow settlers to bypass Palestinian villages to minimize friction. Road block near Hebron (Photo: Yoav Zitun) In a statement, the company said it is "proud to lead a long line of projects throughout Israel, including Judea and Samaria, with the goal of improving safety for travelers and saving lives." But Peace Now's Ofran said that road construction has deeper implications. She said new roads bring easier commutes and a better quality of life for settlers, drawing more people. "We see it very immediately, after the opening of a road, a big boom in construction along the road," she said. "I think the investments we have these years in the roads are dramatic and will allow the expansion of settlements dramatically. That is very much worrying." After winning re-election last month, Netanyahu is in the process of forming a new coalition that also is expected to have close ties with the settlers. In recent months, both Peace Now and settler advocates have released reports claiming that Trump's policies have laid the groundwork for a settlement boom in the near future. In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem repeated the White House policy. "While the existence of settlements is not in itself an impediment to peace, further unrestrained settlement activity doesn't help peace," it said. The new data added to Palestinian distrust of the U.S., boding poorly for a new peace plan the administration says it is preparing. The Palestinian Authority cut off ties with the White House after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved the American Embassy to the contested city. U.S. cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians have further poisoned the atmosphere. Claiming the Trump administration is unfairly biased, the Palestinians already have said they will reject any U.S. peace plan. Abu Rdeneh, the Palestinian spokesman, said the numbers are "another reason why we think that the U.S. plan is unfair." The Finance Ministry data is collected each year and shared with the U.S., which under a policy going back to President George H.W. Bush deducts the sum from loan guarantees for Israel. It also includes a small, but unspecified sum spent in the Golan Heights. Just a few thousand Israeli settlers live in the Golan, and Peace Now said the sums spent there were "not significant." Normally, there is no need to be alarmed by constitutional changes, and not even by a proposed law allowing members of Knesset to overturn the Supreme Court ruling with only a simple majority. This time, however - contrary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declarations - the Israeli public should start panicking. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Because this time, its not just bickering between the officials, its not a fight for governance and its not justified criticism of judicial activism. This time it is a lethal, dangerous, and anti-constitutional mixture of a new law protecting his immunity from prosecution and a push for a legislation to overturn Supreme Court decisions. In other words - Erdoganization. These pieces of legislation are still being promoted but the recent statements made by some Likud MKs - as well as the close ties between Netanyahu and the future justice minister, Bezalel Smotrich - indicate the passing of these laws is only a matter of time. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Emil Selman) The law allowing members of Knesset to overturn the Supreme Court ruling is only needed in order to pass the - coveted by the prime minister - law granting him immunity from prosecution. Furthermore, the law will most likely also grant immunity to other public officials suspected of being involved in criminal activity. These proposals have been circulating in the Knesset for awhile, but those who have been warning us about them were accused of crying wolf. Well, now the wolf is at the door, and lets hope the public realizes how terrifying this wolf is, because turning the Knesset into a safe haven for criminals, crosses all red lines. The prime minister is allowed to criticize the Supreme Court, because in some cases that criticism is warranted. He can also make an argument that everyone should respect the will of the voter. However, the Likud leaders - including Netanyahu himself - on the eve of the elections claimed they wouldnt try to pass any piece of legislation that would exempt the prime minister from facing criminal proceedings. Thus, dear Likud MKs, please dont manipulate us with the majoritys will rhetoric, because its incredibly deceptive. Netanyahu said on Monday it's a matter of governance, and the potential Erdoganization is not on the agenda. These sort of statements should undoubtedly raise a red flag with the Israeli public. Currently we are at a crossroads, because if these pieces of legislation pass, Israel will be in a constitutional crisis. The clash between the Supreme Court and the Knesset will be unavoidable. This time the Supreme Court needs to be strong not in order to impose the will of the minority on the majority, but rather the will of the majority on the minority. One hero stood out at the torch lighting event during Independence Day. Marie Nachmias, the righteous woman who was chosen to light one of the 12 torches, wasn't daunted by the Nation-State Law and spoke directly about equality and unity in Israel between Jews and Arabs, Druze and Christians, and even mentioned the forbidden word "peace" during her speech. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Peace - that traitorous, foul word - wasn't mentioned anywhere else this year outside of a regularly recited Jewish prayer: "May the one who makes peace above make peace upon us." Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu during the torch lighting ceremony on Independence Day (Photo: GPO) Another important statement was made a day earlier during a Memorial Day ceremony by IDF commander Brig. Gen. David Zini, who said that "we must remember that our enemies are the enemies of the Lord, and our protectors are His protectors; any attempt to separate them is a left-over malady from before there was an Israel." Excuse me, general? Do you read me, over? You're wrong. The State of Israel was created to give a national expression to the Jewish people, not a religious one. It was created so that the faith of the Jewish people would no longer be in the hands of the heavens, but in the hands of men our hands. Religion was the people's savior during exile, and now it's time for sane, intelligent policies to take care of us. Commander, are we so short of war that you would inflict upon us a religious conflict on top of the one with our neighbors? On a parallel trajectory, we are constantly being scared, threatened and nagged with claims that Iran and its nuclear weapons are upon us. Yes, the proxies of Iran in the region are responsible for terror and for stirring up tensions. But the real danger the long-term danger - is the fact that Iran's scientific activities are heavily sponsored by the state and are thriving. Scientific publications in Iran are on the rise, whereas in Israel it is a different story. Last week a State Comptroller's report stated that most math teachers in Israel dont even have a mathematics degree. Teachers are under-qualified and sometimes have no relation whatsoever to the subject they teach. The head of Israel's prestigious Technion - Israel Institute of Technology warned of a future collapse of scientific research, while higher education is in a state of constant decline. The government, out of narrow political calculations, funds ignorance and supports the lagging behind of entire sectors. While the stability of the coalition is a holy value, the national stability is at the bottom of its list of priorities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a government meeting on early May (Photo: EPA) An Egyptian general who was chief of staff during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and a brigadier general during the 1967 Six-Day War, was once asked how his mighty army lost to tiny Israel. "It's not the number of residents that counts," he said. "It's the amount of educated people, and in Israel there are more educated people than in Egypt." Since then, Israel has changed its attitude towards education and knowledge, and now regards them with contempt, while "elites" and "left-wing" have become popular curse words. Elite means a group of people that contributes to the state far more than its actual size. And the left are the people who founded this country, to whom Israel owes much of its survival. The race for a precious foreign passport is never ending, and Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews, rightists and leftists are doing everything they can to get one. This is motivated by obvious reasons, such as long queues in the airport, free education for the children or tax exemptions. But there's also one unspoken reason: the loss of hope. People don't believe that multi-ethnic, multi-national, Haredi, Jewish Israel with a distorted political itinerary will be able to survive for very long. Even those who regularly vote for the ruling party fear for the continuation of Israel. The heads of state and heads of the Likud Party used to always put the good of the country and its future before their personal gain and their base's interests. Menachem Begin rushed to ask the Labor Party for support in order to sign the peace treaty with Egypt in 1979. Yitzhak Shamir had two opportunities and Ariel Sharon had one to form a narrow, right-wing Haredi government, and in all three cases a unity coalition was chosen instead. Netanyahu used to say that the government he established with the Labor Party was the best one he ever had. But now he has this small problem of indictments, and to solve it he's establishing a radical, ultra-Orthodox government and concocting a scheme to castrate Israel's judicial authority. It's not the criminal cases against Netanyahu that are on the line. It's the fate of the third Jewish temple the modern State of Israel. The tanker attacks off the coast of the United Arab Emirates were "Israeli mischief," an Iranian parliamentary spokesman said on Tuesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, says a different attack on its oil interests was conducted using drones launched by Iranian-backed group. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "The events that took place in the Emirates were Israeli mischief," Behrouz Nemati said, without providing any details on what role Israel may have played in the attacks. An image showing a gas flame behind pipelines in the desert at Khurais oil field, about 160 km from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Details of the alleged sabotage to two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati oil tanker on Sunday remained unclear, and Gulf officials have declined to say who they suspected was responsible. Saudi Arabia, however, said drones - most likely launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels - were responsible for a separate attack on one of its oil pipelines as other assaults targeted energy infrastructure elsewhere in the kingdom on Tuesday, shortly after Yemen's rebels claimed a coordinated drone attack on the Sunni power. In a statement carried on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that drones attacked a petroleum pumping station supplying a pipeline running from its oil-rich Eastern Province to the Yanbu Port on the Red Sea. A fire broke out and firefighters later brought it under control, though the state-run Saudi Aramco stopped pumping oil through the pipeline. Saudi Aramco (Photo: Reuters) The kingdom's state security body also said that two oil infrastructure sites in the greater region of Riyadh, home to its landlocked capital, were targeted at the same time. The statement described it as a "limited targeting" of petroleum stations in areas al-Dudami and Afif in the Riyadh region, without elaborating. The attacks demonstrated the raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies as tensions are increasing between the US and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. The US has warned sailors of the potential for attacks on commercial sea traffic, and regional allies of the United Arab Emirates condemned the alleged sabotage as the tankers were off the coast of the UAE port city of Fujairah. A US official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told the AP that an American military team's initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation, agreed to reveal the findings only if not quoted by name. The US Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast and operates from a base in Fujairah, has repeatedly declined to comment. USS Abraham Lincoln (Photo: US Navy) The US already had warned ships that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. America is deploying an aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. On Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates that's part of a US-led combat fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of mounting US-Iran tensions. The Ministry of Defense said the ship, with 215 sailors on board, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf together with the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Spanish frigate was the only non-US vessel in the fleet. Citing heightened tensions in the region, the United Nations called on "all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace, including by ensuring maritime security" and freedom of navigation, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. Tensions in the region have risen since Trump withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and restored US sanctions that have pushed Iran's economy into crisis. Last week, Iran warned it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels in 60 days if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. The oil tankers were visible in satellite images provided Tuesday to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies. A boom surrounded the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible major damage from above. A delegation from Israel's Ministry of Social Equality, scheduled to visit Poland this week, was told to stay home after the Warsaw government discovered the purpose of the trip was to secure restitution for Polish Holocaust survivors and their descendants. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter As a native of Poland, I am embarrassed that these officials thought they would deal with the restitution question, and I ask them not to speak on my behalf. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, Getty Images) The subject of restitution should have been raised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year, when he and Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki signed a shameful joint statement that caused outrage in Israel, with the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum releasing a harsh condemnation of a declaration it called "historically inaccurate." The statement included controversial wording such as: "we reject the actions aimed at blaming Poland or the Polish nation as a whole for the atrocities committed by the Nazis and their collaborators." As early as 2009, post-Soviet Poland was among the signatories of the Terezin declaration on compensation for confiscated assets in the Holocaust era, which recognized the importance of restituting communal and individual property that belonged to the victims of the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi persecution. Over the years, all East European countries besides Poland agreed to pay a symbolic sum in compensation. The Jews did not become rich from it and these countries did not become poor. Poles protest restitution for Jewish Holocaust survivors Attempts to legislate some form of restitution by Polish governments since then have failed. The latest attempt by the current right-wing, nationalist government of Mateusz Morawiecki discriminates against 95% of Polish Jews who will not be able to seek restitution at all. American Jewish organizations, primarily the Claims Conference, tried to insert into the potential Polish law a declarative line stating that property owned by Jews will be treated honorably. But even that evoked the ire of Polish nationals, and was therefore rejected. Heading into the European parliamentary elections later this month, and the Polish general elections later this year, Jews are now being singled out as the enemy, intent on robbing the people of Poland and forcing them to pay a king's ransom in compensation. Jews and survivors participate in the March of the Living at Auschwitz death camp in Poland (Photo: Yossi Ziegler) That is a lie. The total amount in restitution for Jewish property (schools, synagogues and the like) in Poland is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars only, to be paid over a period of many years, by government issued bonds. Meanwhile, private legal proceedings to recoup individual family property are proceeding in the courts. But the Polish government insists on ignoring the spirit of the Terezin Declaration as well as the concepts of morality and justice, while promoting fear from the "greedy Jews". Israel's voice should have been heard loud and clear on this legislation, long ago. The Jewish state kept silent for reasons of political expediency, and a low-level delegation should not be tasked with putting any of this right. Executed for standing up against Adolf Hitler's dictatorship and then denied graves so as not to become a rallying point for others, the partial remains of 300 Nazi resistance fighters were laid to rest Monday in a solemn ceremony in a downtown Berlin cemetery. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The small wooden box lowered into the square granite-edged plot included remains of Erika von Brockdorff, who was beheaded in the Nazis' notorious Ploetzensee Prison on May 13, 1943 -- exactly 76 years ago -- for her involvement in the famous Red Orchestra resistance movement. Saskia von Brockdorff throws soil on a box containing the remains of political prisoners executed by the Nazis (Photo: AFP) "I'm just happy that there is now this place," reflected her daughter, 81-year-old Saskia von Brockdorff, after sprinkling handfuls of earth into the grave. "We always drove with my sons to Ploetzensee, but that is really a place of execution even if it is not what it was then, and I'm glad I can come here now." The remains -- fragments of tissue -- were discovered two years ago by descendants of Hermann Stieve, the former director of the Berlin Institute of Anatomy at the Charite hospital. Stieve wasn't a member of the Nazi party himself, but was complicit in their crimes, said Johannes Tuchel, director of the German Resistance Memorial Center, who was involved in the investigation into the remains and organizing their burial. Among other things, Stieve reached a deal with Nazi authorities to quickly receive the bodies of victims who had been executed for his research, in exchange for agreeing to leave no traces of their bodies behind. "The Nazis worried that the graves of the resistance fighters could become martyrs' cemeteries, so to speak, and they wanted to avoid this," Tuchel told The Associated Press. Stieve's main focus was on female menstrual cycles, and he wrote papers on how stress affected the female reproductive system. Saskia von Brockdorff, daughter of executed German resistance fighter Erika von Brockdorff (Photo: AFP) The tissue samples discovered by Stieve's heirs were primarily taken from women, aged 20 to 40, and the doctor would have certainly known that they didn't die of natural causes, Tuchel told relatives and others who packed the small chapel at the Dorotheenstaedtischer Cemetery for a multi-denominational service by Protestant and Catholic priests and a Jewish rabbi before the burial. "It was clear they were involved in the resistance and were executed for their activities," he said. Overall, more than 2,800 people were executed by hanging or guillotine at the Ploetzensee prison during the Nazi era. Not all of the 300 tissue samples, which were on a collection of microscope slides, were identified and Tuchel said the families asked that the names of the identified victims not be released. Von Brockdorff, however, agreed to talk with the AP about her story after the service. She and more than 15 others sprinkled dirt into the grave, across from a memorial to some of the prominent leaders of the failed 1944 attempt to kill Hitler, while some placed flowers and said silent prayers. Tuchel praised the courage of the Stieve family for coming forward with their discovery, knowing it would open new discussion and questions about their ancestor, who died in 1952. "Now we can give those murdered back their dignity," he said. The heiress of a German biscuits empire has stirred outrage after she appeared to play down the hardship suffered by dozens of people forced to work at the family business under Nazi rule. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Verena Bahlsen, whose father owns the Bahlsen company that makes some of Germany's most famous biscuits, told the mass-selling Bild newspaper that the firm, which employed some 200 forced laborers during World War Two, "did nothing wrong" then. Most of the forced laborers at Hanover-based Bahlsen were women, many from Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Verena Bahlsen "This was before my time and we paid the forced laborers exactly as much as German workers and we treated them well," the 25-year-old Bahlsen, one of four children of company owner Werner Bahlsen, told Bild. German politicians criticised her remarks and some social media users called for a boycott of Bahlsen biscuits. "If you inherit such a large estate you also inherit responsibility and should not come across as aloof," Lars Klingbeil, secretary general of the centre-left Social Democrats, told Bild. In a statement, Bahlsen, which also makes the Leibniz butter cookies brand and has annual sales exceeding 500 million euros ($562 million), said it was aware of the moral responsibility that comes with being one of dozens of German companies that used forced labor during the Nazi dictatorship. "The company is aware of the big suffering and injustice experienced by forced laborers and many more people at the time and recognises its historical and moral responsibility," said the statement, issued following Verena Bahlsen's remarks. Bahlsen says it voluntarily paid some 1.5 million deutschmarks (about 750,000 euros) in 2000-2001 to a foundation set up by German firms to compensate 20 million forced laborers used by the Nazis. Former forced laborers have failed in individual lawsuits to obtain compensation from Bahlsen. German courts have cited statute of limitations laws. Germans voiced anger at the heiress on social media. "Bahlsen is now officially the official snack food of the AfD," one Twitter user wrote, referring to the far-right Alternative for Germany party that won its first seats in parliament at the last national election in 2017. "The Bahlsen package is rather blue," the user added, referring to the blue colour of both the biscuit box and the AfD party flag. Other Twitter users called for a boycott of the Bahlsen brands. "never buy #Bahlsen," tweeted Walter Petermann. Verena Bahlsen was earlier criticised for boasting about her wealth and her love of conspicuous consumption. "I own a fourth of Bahlsen and I am very happy about that," she said at a business event in Hamburg earlier this month. "I want to earn money and buy a sailing yacht." A Jewish woman in her sixties was stabbed in the Swedish city of Helsingborg Sweden and is in critical condition. Local reports say that she is the wife of the secretary of the local Jewish community. Police are searching for the suspect. Saudi Araba said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines as other assaults targeted energy infrastructure elsewhere in the kingdom on Tuesday, shortly after Yemen's rebels claimed a coordinated drone attack on the Sunni power. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The assaults marked the latest incidents challenging Mideast security after the alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates earlier this week amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Aramco oil pipeline A fire broke out and firefighters later brought it under control, though the state-run Saudi Aramco stopped pumping oil through the pipeline. The kingdom's state security body also said that two oil infrastructure sites in the greater region of Riyadh, home to its landlocked capital, were targeted at the same time. The statement described it as a "limited targeting" of petroleum stations in areas al-Dudami and Afif in the Riyadh region, without elaborating. This comes after four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged by what Gulf officials described as sabotage, though satellite images obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed no major visible damage to the vessels. Sattelite image of moment ship was sabotaged Details of the alleged sabotage to two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati oil tanker on Sunday remained unclear, and Gulf officials have declined to say who they suspected was responsible. But it demonstrated the raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies as tensions are increasing between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. The U.S. has warned sailors of the potential for attacks on commercial sea traffic, and regional allies of the United Arab Emirates condemned the alleged sabotage as the tankers were off the coast of the UAE port city of Fujairah. A U.S. official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told the AP that an American military team's initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation, agreed to reveal the findings only if not quoted by name. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast and operates from a base in Fujairah, has repeatedly declined to comment. USS Abraham Lincoln The U.S. already had warned ships that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. America is deploying an aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. On Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates that's part of a U.S.-led combat fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of mounting U.S.-Iran tensions. The Ministry of Defense said the Mendez Nunez, with 215 sailors on board, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf together with the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Spanish frigate was the only non-U.S. vessel in the fleet. Citing heightened tensions in the region, the United Nations called on "all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace, including by ensuring maritime security" and freedom of navigation, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. Tensions in the region have risen since Trump withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and restored U.S. sanctions that have pushed Iran's economy into crisis. Last week, Iran warned it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels in 60 days if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. The oil tankers were visible in satellite images provided Tuesday to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies. A boom surrounded the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible major damage from above. An Islamic Jihad official said that throngs of Gazans will march Wednesday to mark Nakba Day commemorating the "catastrophe" of the Arab loss in 1948. He called on Palestinians to focus on the refugees' "right of return" and oppose normalization with Israel, adding that he hoped there would be no loss of life at the marches. She does have an extensive criminal history that goes back 15 years, said George Welch, special prosecutor from the Nebraska Attorney Generals office. That history includes violent assault involving a firearm. But it is also important to note she did participate in this serious attack, there was a plan in place, she kicked her, the assault was violent. And frankly, it is lucky the victim is alive. The court also needs to balance out the positive thing she did in this case she did come forward, she worked with the investigation and testified truthfully at trial. In doing so, she put herself in a precarious position during her time in prison. What she did was absolutely wrong, but the court needs to consider that as well. AT A MONDAY evening hearing on a proposed ordinance in relation to recreational marijuana facilities, Marenisco Township supervisor Richard Bouvette addresses the crowd, which filled the community room of the Marenisco Township Hall. By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO - Close to 100 people filled the community room of the Marenisco Town Hall for a Monday evening public hearing on a proposed marijuana ordinance that would allow recreational marijuana enterprise. "There will be no catcalls," said Marenisco supervisor Richard Bouvette while opening the floor to questions and comments. Although the hearing allowed the public to vent its concerns, Bouvette said members of the township board then would be the ones to vote for or against the ordinance. "The township board may not institute an election according... PINE LAKE, Wis. - Ronald W. Hill, 68, of Pine Lake (Town of Oma), died Tuesday, May 7, 2019, after a lengthy and courageous battle with metastatic melanoma. Ron was born on March 27, 1951, in Wakefield, Mich., the son of Elmer and Pearl Hill. He attended Wakefield Schools, graduating in 1969. He married Diane Lanctoe on Jan. 13, 1973. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Michigan University in December 1973. In 1981, he earned an associate degree in drafting and design technology from Gogebic Community College. Ron joined the U.S. Army and was a biological science assistant at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington D.C. from 1975 to 1978. After a few career moves, he started as a project engineer at Ironwood Plastics in 1984 and worked there until starting his own business, Pine Lake Design, in 1990. He retired in 2014. Ron loved to ride on recumbent bike and took both his sons on a 500-mile bike tour. He also loved hunting, camping, and spending time at Pine Lake. Ron and Diane always loved to travel and spent winters in South Padre Island, Texas, Mazatlan, Mexico, and Orange Beach, Ala., in their motorhome starting in 2009. They also spent a lot time visiting their sons and their families in Helena, Mont. Ron was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, and prior to that Salem Lutheran Church where he was on the council and taught Sunday school. He was also a member of the Ironwood American Legion Post 5, even serving as its commander. Later, he became a member of the Wakefield American Legion Post 11, where he served on the Color Guard. Along with Diane, surviving are two sons, Dan (Susan) Hill, Helena, Mont., and their children, Dylan, Amanda and Sophia, and Nick (Anna) Hill, Helena, Mont., and their children, Katie and Tristan; three sisters: Glenda (Chuck) Zielinski, Ontonagon, Mich., Barbara (Lee) Carlson, Appleton, and Carol (Dale) Jacobs, Blaine, Minn .; and brothers- and sisters-in-law, Rick (Lori) Lanctoe, Debbie Keski, Robert Lanctoe and Nancy (Jamie Giannunzio) Lanctoe, all of Ironwood, Mich. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, and special friend John Keski. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant brother; his father-in-law, Francis (Fritz) Lanctoe; his mother-in-law, Kathleen (Kay) Lanctoe; his nephew, James Zielinski; and brother-in-law, John Lanctoe. Funeral services will be held at Zion Lutheran Church on May 25. Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. until the start of the service at 2 p.m. Lisa Ubbelohde will be officiating. Military rites will be conducted by members of the Wakefield American Legion and Wakefield VFW posts. The Hill family requests that memorial gifts be designated to support melanoma research. Gifts can be mailed directly to: Mayo Clinic, Department of Development, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905. Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be made at lakesidememorialchapel.com. The Coalition is lowering the required home-loan deposit from about 20% to 5%, in line with its commitment to helping first home buyers save for a deposit sooner than the current waiting time. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement in Coalition's official campaign launch, a few days before the election. He was joined by his mother and young family, as well as the Coalition's front bench, at the event. At present, if a prospective homeowner is not able to raise the industry-standard deposit, banks require them to take out mortgage insurance. Under the Coalition's planned scheme, eligible first-home buyers would not have to pay mortgage insurance. Instead, the government would guarantee the difference between the lower deposit (as low as 5%) and the industry standard (about 20%), said abc.net.au. "It's hard to save for a deposit. Especially with the banks pulling back and larger deposits of 20% now being standard. It is not getting easier," Morrison said. "We want to help make the dreams of first-home buyers a reality. This will make a big difference, cutting the time taken to save for a deposit by at least half and more." The prime minister also said that government support would be kept in place for the life of the loan. "This isn't free money. This scheme will be available to buyers with an income of up to $125,000 or a couple with $200,000, where they are both first-home buyers," Morrison said. Notably, though, the scheme is open to only owner-occupiers and not to investors. The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has welcomed the initiative. REIA President Adrian Kelly said the scheme initially announced by the government and now supported by the opposition will start on Jan. 1 next year. Not only will the scheme see first-home buyers achieve their home ownership much earlier, it will save them a considerable amount of around $10,000 by not having to pay lenders mortgage insurance," Kelly said. The scheme addresses two hurdles facing first-home (buyers) the deposit gap and transaction costs, which include mortgage insurance in a practical way." First home buyers currently represent 17.9% of total housing loan approvals at the beginning of this year. The measure will be a timely boost not just for first-home buyers but for the building sector and the economy in general, according to Kelly. "It is direct assistance like this rather than changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax which provide better outcomes for all, he said. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Snow during the morning will give way to a mixture of rain and snow during the afternoon. High 36F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 100%. Snow accumulation of a foot or more.. Tonight Rain...mixing with snow late. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Latest News Washington, DC - The National Institutes of Health has facilitated a data-sharing and use agreement between the Navajo Nation and NIH grantees of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, which was ratified today in a ceremony at the Navajo Nation Head Start Center in Leupp, Arizona. The agreement was signed by the Navajo Nation, Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Baltimore, and RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. It enables the Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS) to continue as part of the ECHO program and NBCS individual participant data to be shared with ECHO consortium members, but does not cover genetic data or sharing of biospecimens. The agreement was created to respect Navajo Nation cultural beliefs, Tribal sovereignty and community values. It is the first Tribal data-sharing agreement for a nationwide research consortium creating a large-scale database, and lays the groundwork for discussion with other Tribal Nations considering participation in biomedical research programs. HHS is pleased that this collaboration has resulted in a data-sharing and use agreement that respects the traditions and culture of the Navajo people and we hope will build trust in research, said U.S. Deputy Secretary for Health and Human Services Eric Hargan, who participated in the event. It is exciting that the Navajo Nation will contribute to a major nationwide research program in child health that is poised to benefit Navajo mothers and children as well as moms and kids across the United States. Navajo Nation leadership, and representatives from ECHOs Data Analysis Center at JHU and RTI International were present at the event. Officials from HHS and NIH, including Mr. Hargan and NIH Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., were also in attendance. This agreement is the culmination of two years of discussion facilitated by NIH. Through this agreement I am confident that data sharing will benefit our Navajo people and allow us to further understand the relationship between uranium exposure, birth effects and childhood development, said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. I am optimistic that through this partnership, the Navajo Birth Cohort Study will continue to progress and clarify the environmental impacts on our childrens health. A Mother's Love. Mallery Quetawki (Zuni Pueblo). University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy-Community Environmental Health Program. Led by the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, the NBCS is investigating the effects of environmental exposure to uranium and other toxicants on pregnancy outcomes and child development on the Navajo Nation. The provisions in the Navajo Nation agreement are over and above the data sharing policy for all other ECHO cohorts. The U.S. biomedical research community has traditionally been slow to involve American Indian and Alaska Native people in research in a way that respects their beliefs and customs or improves their health, said Dr. Tabak. Todays agreement is an important step in establishing trust with the Navajo Nation to ensure that they benefit from the research in which they are participating. Launched in 2016, ECHO aims to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. The program consists of 71 existing and ongoing observational studies, now including the NBCS, as well as a pediatric clinical trials network. Research conducted through ECHO focuses on five key pediatric outcomes that have a high public health impact: pre-, peri- and postnatal outcomes; upper and lower airway health; obesity; neurodevelopment; and positive health, such as happiness and a sense of wellbeing. Latest News Washington, DC - By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Policy. There are presently more than 20 million people of Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent residing in the United States, which amounts to more than 6 percent of the population. The AAPI population is the most rapidly growing ethnic group in the country and is expected to increase to over 40 million individuals by 2060. At that time, people of AAPI descent are projected to be more than 9 percent of the Nations population. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped build a strong and vibrant America. Generations of AAPI individuals, families, and communities are composed of diverse and varied ethnicities, languages, and cultures, and include residents of United States Pacific Island territories and freely associated states. They play an important economic role, having started businesses and generated jobs that pay billions of dollars in wages and taxes, including founding some of our Nations most successful and innovative enterprises. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made important contributions to science and technology, culture and the arts, and the professions, such as business, law, medicine, education, politics, and economics. Their shared accomplishments and legacies are an inspirational, significant, and celebrated part of the American experience. While we celebrate the many contributions of the AAPI communities to our Nation, we also recognize that AAPI communities and enterprises encounter challenges accessing economic resources and opportunities. Many of the more than 1.9 million AAPI-owned enterprises are small sole-proprietorships that need assistance to access available resources such as business development counseling, small-business loans, and government procurement opportunities. Todays AAPI workforce is the largest it has been in American history, and we will continue striving toward furthering AAPI advancement in employment and workforce development as well as increasing AAPI participation and representation in the upper levels of leadership in the public and private sectors. The purpose of this order is to establish the Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Each will work to broaden access by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities, thus empowering AAPIs to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy. Additionally, each will work to advance relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis for AAPI populations, subpopulations, and businesses. Sec. 2. Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (the Commission) is established in the Department of Commerce. (a) Mission and Function of the Commission. The Commission shall provide advice to the President, through the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Transportation, who shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Initiative described in section 3 of this order, on: (i) the development, monitoring, and coordination of executive branch efforts to broaden access by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities; (ii) strategies for encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in AAPI communities, empowering the economic growth of AAPI enterprises and communities, and increasing AAPI business diversification, including through general reductions in regulatory and tax burdens; (iii) strategies for increasing Federal procurement opportunities for AAPI enterprises; (iv) strategies for increasing participation of AAPI enterprises in partnerships between the public and private sectors; (v) economic strategies for AAPI enterprises and communities to employ existing knowledge and relationships in order to pursue trade and investment opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region; (vi) opportunities to empower students and families with the freedom to pursue the educational opportunities that best prepare them for success in life and work; (vii) strategies for increasing the diversity of our workforce with greater inclusion of AAPI employees through better recruitment, training, educational workshops, career development, advancement, vocational training, or other appropriate and effective means; (viii) the compilation and analysis of research and data related to AAPI populations, subpopulations, and businesses; and (ix) an analysis of the economic condition of the United States Pacific Island territories and freely associated states in an effort to devise strategies for helping each island develop and maintain a strong and diversified economy that supports its residents. (b) Membership of the Commission. The Commission shall consist of members appointed by the President who are United States citizens or nationals, or who are citizens of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia who are subject to an applicable compact of free association with the United States, and shall include individuals having a history of engagement and involvement with AAPI communities and enterprises. The President shall designate one member of the Commission to serve as Chair. (c) Administration of the Commission. (i) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall designate an Executive Director for the Commission. The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Commission to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations, and shall, as necessary and appropriate under section 1535 of title 31, United States Code, enter into one or more agreements to obtain goods or services from the Department of Transportation in support of the Commission. The heads of other executive departments and agencies shall assist and provide information to the Commission, consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out its functions. Each executive department and agency shall bear its own expenses of assisting the Commission. (ii) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 57015707). Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.) (the Act), may apply to the administration of the Commission, any functions of the President under the Act, except that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services. (d) Termination Date. The Commission shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order, unless renewed by the President prior to that date. Sec. 3. White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. There is established the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (Initiative), a Federal interagency working group whose members shall be selected by their respective agencies. The Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation shall serve as the Co-Chairs of the Initiative and shall convene regular meetings of the Initiative, determine its agenda, and direct its work pursuant to the guidance and direction of the President. The Executive Director established in section 2(c) of this order shall serve in the same role for the Initiative and shall report to the Co Chairs, or their designees, on Initiative matters. (a) Mission and Function of the Initiative. The Initiative shall work to broaden AAPI access to economic resources and opportunities and thus empower AAPIs to improve the quality of their lives, raise the standard of living of their families and communities, and more fully participate in our economy. The Initiative shall advise the Co-Chairs on the implementation and coordination of Federal programs as they relate to AAPI access to economic resources and opportunities. (b) Membership of the Initiative. In addition to the Co Chairs, the Initiative shall consist of senior officials from the following executive branch departments, agencies, and offices: (i) the Department of State; (ii) the Department of the Treasury; (iii) the Department of Defense; (iv) the Department of Justice; (v) the Department of the Interior; (vi) the Department of Agriculture; (vii) the Department of Labor; (viii) the Department of Health and Human Services; (ix) the Department of Housing and Urban Development; (x) the Department of Energy; (xi) the Department of Education; (xii) the Department of Veterans Affairs; (xiii) the Department of Homeland Security; (xiv) the Office of Management and Budget; (xv) the Environmental Protection Agency; (xvi) the Small Business Administration; (xvii) the Office of Personnel Management; (xviii) the Social Security Administration; (xix) the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs; (xx) the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; (xxi) the White House Office of Public Liaison; (xxii) the National Economic Council; (xxiii) the Domestic Policy Council; (xxiv) the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (xxv) the Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator; and (xxvi) other executive branch departments, agencies, and offices as the President may, from time to time, designate. The heads of each of the foregoing executive branch departments, agencies, and offices shall designate the senior Federal officials who will serve as their respective representatives on the Initiative. At the direction of the Co Chairs, the Initiative may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Initiative members or their designees under this section, as appropriate. To the extent permitted by law, members of the Initiative, or their designees, shall devote the time, skill, and resources necessary and adequate to carry out the functions of the Initiative. Each executive department, agency, and office shall bear its own expenses for participating in the Initiative. (c) Administration of the Initiative. The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Initiative to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations, and shall, as necessary and appropriate under section 1535 of title 31, United States Code, enter into one or more agreements to obtain goods or services from the Department of Transportation in support of the Initiative. Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) This order supersedes section 1(s) of Executive Order 13811 of September 29, 2017 (Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory Committees), and Executive Order 13515 of October 14, 2009 (Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Federal Programs). (b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (c) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (d) For purposes of this order, the term Asian American includes persons within the jurisdiction of the United States having origins or ancestry in any of the original peoples of East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia; and the term Pacific Islander includes persons within the jurisdiction of the United States having origins or ancestry in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or other Pacific Islands. (e) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. Latest News Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - In the aftermath, and from the ashes of December 7, 1941, which propelled the United States into World War II, rose a new call and opportunity to serve in the Navy, the Naval Construction Battalions. Today, they are known as Seabees. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Navy used civilian contractors to construct and support bases and other locations. However, with an increasing need to be able to defend and resist against military attacks, civilians could no longer be used. According to the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park, under international law it was illegal to arm civilians and have them resist the enemy. If they did they could be executed as guerrillas. On January 5, 1942, Rear Adm. Ben Moreell received approval to organize the Naval Construction Force. In a matter of days, the first naval construction unit deployed. Today, with seven rates ranging from Builder (BU) to Engineering Aide (EA) to Utilitiesman (UT), Seabees are a fully-functioning construction crew. They are strategically placed, ready to deploy at a moments notice, and able to build, erect and salvage in various types of environments. Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 Detachment Pearl Harbor is one such unit. CBMU 303 Detachment Pearl Harbor has the unique opportunity to assist and service the land from which they were birthed. One of their current projects is assisting Jim Neuman, History and Heritage Outreach Manager at Commander Navy Region Hawaii, and his team with the USS Arizona Relics Program. The USS Arizona Relics Program was born in 1995 when Congress authorized the Navy to move pieces of the wreckage out to educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations, said Neuman The program is currently focusing on a part of the Arizona that was removed in the 1950s due to corrosion and safety concerns. Before its removal it acted as a foundation for a makeshift platform where visitors to the Arizona could stand and where ceremonies could be conducted. It was a precursor to the white memorial structure known and visited today. The Seabees and Neuman have taken on the responsibility to cut sections of the previously removed portion of the Arizona and ship them to various approved locations. Mostly people come to us. We have a lot of Pearl Harbor survivors that know about this [effort], said Neuman. They will reach out to local museums and share what they would like to see. As long as you are a legitimate educational institution or not-for-profit and the piece will be on public display, you can acquire a piece. A sentiment both the Seabees and Neuman have in common is the need to share a piece of history with others. Because of the amount of time [the section] has been out here, we want to make sure we get as much of it out to the public as possible, said Neuman. It doesnt help for it to sit here and no one get a chance to see it. Builder 1st Class Christian Guzman, attached to CBMU 303 Detachment Pearl Harbor, who has helped lead the Seabees in this project, appreciates the opportunity for he and his team to recover sections for the public worldwide. We have a special tie to Pearl Harbor and World War II because thats how we began. It is of historical significance that we, as Seabees, are able to work on the USS Arizona, said Guzman. Neuman explained that the Seabees were the obvious choice when considering how to satisfy the different request through the program. It is Navy history, Navy legacy, so it made sense that if we were going to have somebody actually cutting pieces of the [Arizona] wreckage we should have the Seabees do it, said Neuman. Because of their legacy, what they do historically and their mission, they have enthusiastically embraced it, which I really appreciate. To date, the Seabees of CBMU 303 Detachment Pearl Harbor have completed three phases of the project. Those phases consisted of cutting and shipping out various sized pieces to: Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Arizona, the Panhandle War Memorial in Texas, and the World War II Foundation in Rhode Island. They are currently working on phase four which will be shipped to the Imperial War Museum in London, England. Britain was an ally in World War II. When the Empire of Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945, on the USS Missouri, they didnt only surrender to the U.S. they surrendered to the allies as well. They all signed the document so Im thrilled that the museum sees the significance, said Neuman. They want to tell the whole story of World War II, not just the part they played. Visitors to the museum will be able to see part of the USS Arizona, and I think thats great. The Seabees and Neuman will continue to partner together, work on the removed section of the Arizona and ship pieces out until there is nothing left. The Seabees are proud to be a part of this undertaking as well as other jobs they execute around the island of Oahu. We have a whole spectrum of skill sets. This project only showcases a snippet of our diverse capabilities, stated Guzman. 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. Social media is lit and people are drooling after a photo of Ghanas first female pilot, Melody Millicent Danquah, pops up in an old fashion style. An inspiring photo of first Ghanaian female pilot in 1964, Melody Millicent Danquah, has surfaced on social media and some Ghanaians cant have enough of her brilliance and fashion sense. Well, not much to remark about her style because she wore what appears to be the official outfit. The photo has sent chills down the veins of some commentators who have already described her as brave. READ ALSO: Ghanaian US-based assistant professor charged with kidnapping two women Melody Millicent Danquah was born in Larteh Akuapem on 6 January 1937 to Ibinijah Rexford Addo-Danquah, who was a respected Court Registrar and Arbitrator of Larteh. And her mother was Selina Gyamfi Melody. While others have touted her confidence and urged young girls to pursue their ultimate, another social media user sought to shame other women with Millicents extraordinary feat achieved over half a century ago. READ ALSO: 15-year-old Emmanuel Frank builds excavator with wood, syringe and drip set Millicent Danquah was chosen among the first three women towards the end of 1963 to be trained into the Ghana Air Force as pilots. She successfully made the grade and the subsequent basic military training at the Ghana Military Academy. On 22 June 1964, Flt. Cadet Danquah flew solo for the first time in a de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk aircraft, becoming the first Ghanaian to fly an aeroplane solo. READ ALSO: University confers mother and son with degrees after she skipped her graduation to attend his Ghana Nti: Why is the introduction of new uniforms a priority of GES? | #Yencomg READ ALSO: Meet Tererai Trent immortalized in NYC for championing gender equality Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page with your stories, photos or videos. Source: YEN.com.gh New Delhi: The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Tuesday arrested at least five Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, including a woman, from Guwahati railway station. Initially, the woman and two men were apprehended by the GRP team and based on their interrogations, two other Rohingyas were also nabbed from the station. The team recovered Myanmar-made cigarettes and tobacco products from their possession. During routine checking, a GRP team found the woman carrying a court order granting her bail, following her arrest in Manipur. The men had train tickets to Delhi while the woman had a platform ticket. According to officials, documents obtaining Refugee Certificates from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in New Delhi were recovered from them. Fake Aadhaar cards and Myanmar-made white coffee were also recovered from their possession, they said. Preserved fruit packets, sweets and other items made in Myanmar were also seized. During the interrogations, they confessed that they had plans to go to Delhi and settle down there. They also revealed that in 2018, they were arrested during an attempt to enter the country through Manipur. After spending a year in jail, they were granted bail by the court. Debt-ridden Jet Airways on Tuesday announced that its CFO and deputy CEO Amit Agarwal has resigned from the company citing 'personal reasons'. "We wish to inform you that Mr. Amit Agarwal, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company has resigned from the services of the Company due to personal reasons, with effect from 13 May 2019," Jet Airways said in a statement to the stock exchanges. Jet Airways is running into a debt of more than Rs 8,500 crore and the airlines has shut down operations temporarily after lenders decided not to extend emergency funds for its survival. On Thursday, mortgage lender HDFC has put up the office space of Jet Airways for sale with a reserve price of Rs 245 crore. The move is seen as an attempt by HDFC to recover its outstanding dues. "The borrower (Jet Airways) has failed to repay the amount (Rs 414.80 crore) due to HDFC Ltd. Accordingly, HDFC Ltd has become entitled to enforce its mortgage over the immovable property," HDFC had said in a public notice. Live TV Jet Airways lenders decided to look out for bidders for the cash-strapped airline after existing shareholder Etihad Airways refused to raise its stake beyond the current 24%. Sources said that Etihad has expressed its interest in infusing Rs 1,400 crore in Jet Airways and keep its stake in the airline at the current level. Jet Airways, which had over 120 planes in its fleet, has defaulted on various payments, including salaries to employees. In order to revive the ailing airline, State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders have sought bids for stake sale in Jet Airways and Etihad Airways, TPG Capital, Indigo Partners and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) have shown interest in picking up stake in the distressed carrier. In a shocking incident, a father was stabbed to death in the national capital for raising an objection against indecent remarks towards his daughter and trying to save her. The incident took place on Saturday night when four of his neighbours attacked him with stones and knives around 1.30 am in Delhi's Basai Darapur under Moti Nagar Police Station. The four accused have been arrested. Live TV A resident of Basai Darapur, Dhruv Raj Tyagi alias Raju Tyagi, was bringing his daughter home from the hospital when the men made lewd comments. He reached home, dropped his daughter and went back to make the guys understand when they attacked him with stones and knives. After the father raised an objection, a quarrel ensued following which the men started attacking Tyagi with stones. According to eyewitnesses, the women in their family then brought knives to the men and then they started stabbing Tyagi. They also attacked Tyagi's son, Anmol Tyagi, with knives when he came to the aid of his father. While Tyagi passed away on Sunday, his son is undergoing treatment in the hospital, in a critical condition. The four accused have been identified as--Jahangir Khan (45), Mohammad Alam (20), Aliaas and Raja. While Jahangir is the father, the three others are his son. Two amongst them are juveniles. According to people, the family has earlier been involved in fights. According to the people in the area, the situation is always tense after 8 pm in the locality. Though intoxicated people roam around the streets, the police take no steps even after registering complaints. NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry Tuesday issued a fresh notification extending the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another five years over its strong anti-India posture and the threat it poses to the nation. ...the LTTE's objective for a separate homeland (Tamil Eelam) threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and amounts to cession and secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union and thus falls within the ambit of unlawful activities, said the Ministry of Home Affairs in a notification on May 14. The ministry added that LTTE has been clandestinely working towards Tamil Eelam, a proposed independent state for Tamils, and undertaking fundraising activities for the same. In the notification, the MHA adds: (i) the activities of the LTTE remnant cadres, dropouts, sympathisers, supporters who have been traced out recently in the State of Tamil Nadu suggest that the cadres sent to Tamil Nadu would ultimately be utilised by the LITE unlawful activities (ii) the activities of pro-LTTE organisations and individuals have come to notice of the Government of India that despite the ban in force, attempts have been math by these forces to extend their support to the LTTE (iii) the LTTE leaders, operatives and supporters have been inimically opposed to India's policy on their organisation and action of the State machinery in curbing their activities. ...the LTTE continues to adopt a strong anti-India posture as also continues to pose a grave threat to the security of Indian nationals, it is necessary to declare LTTE as an unlawful association with immediate effect, it said. A total of 41 terrorist outfits, including the LTTE, have been banned under the first schedule of the unlawful activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al-Qaida, Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) are some of the other organisations included in the list. New Delhi: In mounting trouble for Kamal Haasan, a criminal complaint was filed against him in Delhi's Patiala House Court for 'hurting religious sentiments' with his recent remarks on Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Haasan has been under fire since his Sunday comment when he referred to Godse and said 'independent India's first terrorist was a Hindu.' "Independent Indias first terrorist was a Hindu. His name is Nathuram Godse. Im not saying this because this is a locality with a sizeable Muslim population, Im saying this in front of a Gandhi statue," he had said at an election rally for his party candidate in Aravakurichi assembly constituency, which is scheduled to witness bypoll on May 19. (Full report here) For this, a criminal complaint has now been filed against the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder. It is alleged in the complaint that Haasan has 'hurt religious sentiments of Hindus by associating terrorism with Hindu religion in Tamil Nadu on May 12.' The actor-turned-politician is also facing heat from political rivals with the Bharatiya Janata Party approaching the Election Commission on Monday. " It is necessary to state that the statement was made deliberately in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain, which is clearly a corrupt practice under Section 123(3) the Representation of the People Act 1951," the BJP said in its complaint letter to EC. "Mr. Kamal Hasaan is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of Harmony and brotherhood, which is an offence under Section 153A of the IPC." (Full report here) Tamil Nadu minister Rajendra Balaji also reacted sharply to Haasan's comment and said that his tongue should be chopped off for saying what he had. Congress' Tamil Nadu unit has, however, supported Haasan with KS Alagiri saying he found nothing wrong in what had been said. Meanwhile, security at Haasan's residence in Chennai was increased on Tuesday. (Reporting from New Delhi by Sumit Kumar/Zee Media Bureau) New Delhi: Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, is in the national capital, and will be meeting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday. He arrived in Delhi late on Monday night. The focus of his meet will be to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The visit is also significant as tensions rise in West Asia due to Tehran-Washington showdown. The Iranian foreign ministry in a release said, "Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, will travel to the Indian capital of New Delhi..to hold talks with Indian officials." Live TV During his tour, the Iranian FM will also visit other foreign capitals and brief about the deal, from which the US withdrew in 2018. Tehran is banking on the European Union (EU) to save the deal now. Replying to a question, EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini on Monday said, "As long as Iran remains compliant, we remain committed to implementing the Nuclear Deal and our stand is that the IAEA remains the only body to verify on Iran's compliance." Import of Iranian oil will also be up for discussion when Zarif meets Sushma since US waivers to Delhi on Iran sanctions came to end earlier in May. Iran is one of the supplier of crude oil to India. The India-Iran bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2016-17 was USD 12.89 billion with India importing USD 10.5 billion worth of goods mainly crude oil. But this is likely to change soon as New Delhi along with other countries has been asked by the US to bring oil imports from Iran to zero. This is Zarif's second visit to India this year. He met Minister of State External Affairs Gen VK Singh in Doha at the ministerial meeting of Asian Cooperation Dialogue on May 1. Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Abdul Majeed Baba has been arrested from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and will be produced before the Srinagar Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM). The absconding terrorist, with Rs 2 lakh reward on his head announced by Delhi Police, will then be brought to the national capital on transit remand. Live TV He was arrested on May 11, after tracking for a long time. The team of Special Cell south-western range had been working on the inputs to trace Baba, a resident of Magrepora village near Sopore town of Baramulla district. A Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) was issued by the Delhi High Court. The team of Special Cell managed to track him in Srinagar and he was arrested in the evening May 11 from Downtown Srinagar. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday to review the prevailing security situation in the Valley. The Army Commander, accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen KJS Dhillon, visited the hinterland formations in south Kashmir. He was briefed by local Commanders on the existing security situation and the measures instituted to ensure close coordination with all government agencies towards maintaining vigil and peace in the Valley. The creation of an empowering atmosphere for the public to observe normalcy during the holy month of Ramzan was also emphasised. Expressing his satisfaction over the synergetic conduct of the entire security apparatus, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh stressed on the need to continue the same and urged the forces to take necessary steps to ensure adequate domination and security of the lines of communication so as to keep them open and safe for the general public. New Delhi: After a deep internal review of the recent conflict with Pakistan, the Indian Army is planning to deploy a number of its air defence units close to the border to thwart aerial threats emanating from Pakistan. "Some of the fighting formations including air defences and other defensive formations, are now planned to be moved closer to the borders," top Army sources told ANI. "With these air defence units deployed closer to the border, we would be able to tackle any possible aerial strike from enemy side and thwart it close to the border itself," they said. The sources said the location of the air defence units deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan were reviewed by the force and it was felt that a number of them can be moved to forward locations to thwart enemy aerial strikes close to the borders itself. The air defence assets of the Indian Army include the indigenous Akash air defence missile systems along with the Russian Kvadrat and other old legacy systems. The force is also set to receive the latest MR-SAM air defence system which has been produced by the DRD-Israel joint venture. After India hit the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot town of Khyber Pakhtunwa province of Pakistan, the neighbouring country launched a big aerial attack in Jammu sector along the Line of Control. Even though the attack was thwarted by the Air Force air defence fighters including the MiG-21s and the Su-30MKIs and one Pakistani F-16 was also shot down, it was felt that presence of air defence units in the area could have caused more damage to the Pakistanis. Due to the aggressive response of the Air Force, the Pakistanis could come only a couple of kilometres inside the Indian territory. The Pakistani air attack on February 27 was in response to the Balakot hits by the Indian Air Force a day earlier. The Anti-FICN (Fake Indian Currency Note) team of STF, Kolkata, on Monday, arrested two Tamil Nadu based FICN racketeers from near Shaheed Minar in Kolkata. The police have seized counterfeit Indian currency notes amounting to Rs 2,00,000/- of denominations (Rs 2000/- 100 pcs) in total from their possession. The arrested persons are identified as Mani Govindan and Velu Mallappan. In April too, Kolkata Police had seized FICN of Rs 5 lakh face value and had arrested two persons in connection with this case. The two FICN racketeers were arrested from the crossing of Gosto Paul Sarani and Leslie Claudius Sarani in Central Kolkata. It may be recalled that Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) district secretary Ambar Mitra had recently claimed that Kaliachak in West Bengal has always been the entry gate of fake currency in India. Mitra also remarked that the situation has remained unchanged despite demonetisation. "Kaliachak is the corridor through which fake currency enters India. During demonetisation sufficient fake notes of rupees two thousand reached people. Kaliachak became infamous because of this business," Mitra had told ANI. Official sources told ANI that out of 17 authentic features in a currency note, the counterfeiters have managed to replicate 10 features successfully. NEW DELHI: More than 7.3 billion people living in developing countries should not be deprived of the benefits of growth, said Union civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu said at World Trade Organization's ministerial meeting of developing countries which concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting is taking place at a time when trade tensions show no signs of abating and protectionist tendencies are on the rise which makes it very essential to collectively debate and discuss the way forward in a multilateral framework, added Prabhu. The commerce minister added that the New Delhi ministerial meeting is an initiative by India to facilitate a free and frank exchange of views on all issues of common interest, particularly of the developing countries and will explore how to collectively address the challenges emerging from suggestions on WTO reform. One of our shared goals is to make @wto a much better organization, forward-looking, vibrant, encompassing everyone's interests, ensuring that development happens through trade as well. And to achieve that we must ensure that WTO would address the concerns of developing countries pic.twitter.com/EaPKC8M668 Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) May 14, 2019 The Director-General of WTO, Roberto Azevedo, said that the reform process will mitigate the current crisis at WTO and talk about destroying the existing system is not the correct way and may not have the desired outcome. He further said that the dispute settlement crisis is a deep crisis and all countries have to look for a resolution, adding that business as usual approach is not an option anymore and all members should work for a solution. Azevedo said that plurilateral should not be seen as a division between developed and developing countries as they contain members from both sides. He further said that the special and differential treatment mechanism must be innovative in order to address the impasse. If left unaddressed it may go either way, he said. The ideal way is to have a bench mark because the differentiation is already happening and is essential for small developing countries. DG, WTO further added that the best way forward is to have a trade-facilitation-agreement-type model where countries may set their own benchmarks. WTO #MiniMinisterial Meeting at #Delhi is for like-minded nations and not against any country or group of countries. The reality of challenges that developing countries face should be borne in mind while tenets of global trade are being negotiated.@wto Chowkidar Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) May 14, 2019 "The multilateral trading system is the collective responsibility of all countries who have a stake in it. It is the duty of countries to successfully address conflicting interests, motives and ideologies, in order to preserve and strengthen this valuable institution," Prabhu added. The principles of non-discrimination, predictability, transparency, the tradition of decision-making by consensus and, most importantly, the commitment to development, underlying the multilateral trading system, are too valuable to lose, he said. The approach of the New Delhi Ministerial Meeting is to re-energise and strengthen multilateralism and put in place a more inclusive decision - making process. Towards this end, it is essential that the collective view of as many Developing Countries as possible is formally articulated in submissions on WTO reforms. India had organised an informal WTO Ministerial Gathering last year, in which more than 50 members both developed and developing- had participated. In the March 2018 gathering in New Delhi it was emphasized that there is a need to preserve and enhance the functioning and credibility of the rules-based multilateral trading system as embodied in the WTO. Commerce Minister hoped that the New Delhi Ministerial Meeting will re-endorse the centrality of development in WTO negotiations and provide suggestions for WTO reforms with development at its core. The ministerial meeting of developing countries began on Monday evening with a dinner hosted by Prabhu. Chennai: Just a day after MK Stalin met TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao in what was termed a 'courtesy visit', Tamil Nadu State BJP President and Tuticorin parliamentary constituency candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan said that the DMK President is in talks with the BJP. While addressing reporters in Tuticorin, she responded to a question on DMK being in touch with he BJP by saying, "It is true, on the one side it is Rahul Gandhi, on the other it is KCR and then Modi. Everyone knows that the DMK changes colors. They are speaking via someone, they are establishing a connection (with us)", she elaborated on the DMK's outreach to the saffron party. This comment by Tamilisai gains significance as Stalin was the first to endorse Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister and revive the UPA-era alliance between the parties. The DMK has also been campaigning vociferously against what they call the 'anti-people' and 'fascist' Modi Government. Ideologically too, the Dravidian, rationalist, Tamil nationalist roots of the DMK do not match with BJP and the two parties have been at loggerheads except for their alliance during the Vajpayee-NDA years. Expressing confidence about a BJP victory, Tamilisai stated that everyone knows that BJP is winning and K Chandrasekhar Rao is trying to bring some sort of a change on 23rd May - the day votes would be counted. Quoting unspecified opinion polls, Tamilisai said that the Narendra Modi is coming back to power as Prime Minister. Speaking on Stalin's meeting with Telangana Chief Minister KCR, she said, "KCR met Stalin, but it won't make a difference. How many ever fronts emerge, it will only benefit the BJP." She questioned Stalin on why he did not firmly say that Rahul Gandhi would become the Prime Minister post his meeting with KCR. Responding to Tamilisai's comments, DMK spokesperson Manuraj S said, "The comments of Dr Tamilisai don't warrant a response from a the DMK unless she acts in a manner that is responsible and worthy of the position that she holds in her party." He also added that the DMK would not comment until the BJP state president mentioned the specific details of who had contacted the BJP, and called Tamilisai's comment a 'cooked-up story.' For Lok Sabha election 2019, DMK is in an alliance with the Congress, Left parties, and the Congress is contesting in 10 seats across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The AIADMK is in an alliance with the BJP, PMK and DMDK, with the saffron party candidates contesting from five parliamentary constituencies. Kolkata: Amit Shah on Tuesday lashed out at Mamata Banerjee after his roadshow in Kolkata was blemished by incidents of violence. TMC workers allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, using sticks and damaging public property in a bid to disrupt Shah's roadshow in the city. Thousands of BJP supporters had gathered along the route of the roadshow which began from Dharmatala in the afternoon. While the roadshow was largely peaceful and a show of BJP's strength, it turned chaotic by the time it reached College square. "The attack was carried out by TMC workers, they carried out arson," Shah told Zee News. "Mamata is frustrated as she is fearing defeat. This is a step taken because of their frustration." Kolkata Police had to resort to lathi charge after TMC workers clashed with supporters of BJP. At least two vehicles were set ablaze and Shah was eventually unable to enter Swami Vivekananda's house at Simla Stree - the pre-planned culmination of BJP's roadshow here. A statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was vandalised at Vidyasagar College as well. Live TV It was a turbulent end to a day which had begun on a rather anarchic note with TMC workers pulling down and tearing apart BJP posters. "Mamata ji's goons and police removed all the posters and flags. They escaped soon after we reached here," Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP national secretary, had said. He later told Zee News that BJP will complain about the violence during Shah's rally to the Election Commission. Shah too pointed to the violence in the state of West Bengal and said that democracy must be restored here. "The people are seeing everything. They are angry with Mamata and will give her a befitting reply in Lok Sabha election." TMC has however hit back and claimed that BJP is painting a false narrative. Desperate BJP goons from outside Bengal smash statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar inside the college.Violent mob of BJP outsiders in presence of Pukeworthy Shah. How little you know about Bengal, its rich history, its culture. Bengal will never forgive for what you did today. https://t.co/WrFXP6bmJl Derek O'Brien | ????? ???????? (@derekobrienmp) May 14, 2019 West Bengal has seen poll-related violence in each of the six phases of voting in Lok Sabha election 2019. Kolkata: Amit Shah on Tuesday took the electoral battle against TMC to Mamata Banerjee's bastion and held a massive roadshow in Kolkata ahead of final phase of voting in Lok Sabha election 2019. Thousands of well-wishers and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party came out on the streets to greet party president Shah who repeatedly punched the air and showed the victory sign. "We have to revive democracy in West Bengal. Only this state has seen poll-related violence. People here are extremely angry with Mamata Banerjee and the support for us is for all to see here," he said. The roadshow began from Dharmatala after Kolkata Police had denied permission to the original starting point in Sahid Minar Maidaan, stating that BJP had tried to set up a stage here. The change in the starting point hardly dissuaded BJP workers and supporters from coming out in large numbers in what was a massive show of strength and intent. There were also reports of TMC workers allegedly throwing sticks at BJP supporters even as the roadshow progressed on its pre-planned route. (Full report here) Flower petals rained on Shah through the entire course of the roadshow which proceeded to Esplanade, Lenin Sarani, Wellington Square, Boubazar, College Square, Amharst Street, Kali Badi and Swami Vivekananda's house on Simla Street. Shah, however, said he was unable to enter the house because of the ruckus created by TMC workers. Live TV Kolkata appeared to have replaced the hues of blue and white - colours of TMC - with saffron through the entire course of Shah's roadshow. There were tableaus from 20 states accompanying Shah with cultural events organised at various points. Interestingly, one of the tableau also had people dressed as Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita. Chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' has been a major point of BJP's attack against TMC. Mamata had reportedly been angered when a group of people had chanted 'Jai Shri Ram' while she was en route an election rally earlier this month. This had prompted PM Narendra Modi to ask if chanting Lord Ram's praise was a crime. Shah too had dared Mamata to have him arrested for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. Why is DIDI so upset with chants of JAI SHRI RAM & why does she call it "GALAGALI"? pic.twitter.com/dTrBqrS6Oo BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) May 4, 2019 Tensions have been high and Kolkata, earlier on Tuesday, had witnessed scenes of chaos when BJP alleged TMC workers had torn posters they had put up along the route of Shah's roadshow. "Mamata ji's goons and police removed all the posters and flags. They escaped soon after we reached here," Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP national secretary, had told news agency ANI. BJP and TMC have been engaged in an intense political tussle this election season with Mamata claiming that BJP would be unable to gain a foothold in West Bengal. BJP has countered by exuding confidence and pointing to Mamata's misrule in the state. Each of the six phases of voting in West Bengal has witnessed poll-related violence. Of the 59 parliamentary constituencies that vote in the final phase this Sunday, there are nine in West Bengal. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come out all guns blazing in the aftermath of violence in Kolkata during Amit Shah's roadshow here. Blaming Trinamool Congress for violating law and order in the city, BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and demanded strong action against TMC and its chief Mamata Banerjee. Shah's rally in Kolkata on Tuesday afternoon drew thousands of supporters. BJP's show of strength, however, was marred by violence towards the end of the route when TMC workers allegedly resorted to stone pelting and arson. While TMC shirked any blame, Shah said it showcased Mamata's frustration at her impending defeat in Lok Sabha election 2019 In Delhi, BJP leaders rushed to the EC and lodged a strong protest against TMC. A delegation, which also had MA Naqvi and Nirmala Sitharaman, demanded that EC takes note and penalises TMC as well as Mamata. "We demanded EC that disturbing elements and history-sheeters be arrested immediately, central forces' flag march be conducted and CM Mamata Banerjee be barred from campaigning for instigating her supporters," Naqvi later told reporters. Live TV Earlier, Shah told Zee News that the violence and arson was a brazen display of TMC's hooliganism even as TMC leaders rushed to save face. Mamata, at a rally in Behala shortly after the violence, said Shah had brought in party workers from other states to garner support for his party in Kolkata. Both TMC and BJP have been engaged in an intense battle this election season with workers of both parties clashing frequently. There have also been poll-related violence in West Bengal in each of the six phases of voting in Lok Sabha election 2019. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win fewer seats in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh than what it had secured in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. The popular Dalit leader from Maharashtra said that BJP could lose 10-15 seats in Uttar Pradesh due to the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance. It may be recalled that in 2014, BJP and its allies Apna Dal had won 73 out of 80 seats at stake in Uttar Pradesh with the SP, BSP and RLD fighting separately. But the three parties joined hands before the Lok Sabha election 2019 and are hop[eful of making a dent in the BJP seat tally, Athawale also predicted that the BJP is on course to lose 5-6 seats which it had won in 2014 Lok Sabha poll in Maharashtra. In 2014, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance had performed very well in Maharashtra, winning 42 out of 48 seats in the state. Athawale, however, noted that in 2014, Raju Shetty of Swabhimaani Shetkari Sanghata was with the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance but this time he is supporting Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance. Athawale said that the BJP will make up for the losses in these two states by winning a number of seats in West Bengal and Odisha propelling Narendra Modi to the prime minister's post once again. West Bengal and Odisha have 42 and 21 Lok Sabha seats respectively. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena is unwilling to speak anything on the number of seats which the BJP is expected to win in this Lok Sabha election. Talking to Zee Media, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that BJP-led NDA will get a clear majority. Raut's statement is also a signal that the Shiv Sena is hoping that the BJP will fail to get a majority of its own and will need the help of its allies in forming the next government. Earlier, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav had also hinted that the BJP may not touch the majority mark on its own in this election. But the BJP is not taking Athawale's assessment seriously. Maharashtra BJP leader Keshav Upadhaya said that the BJP will perform well in this election and the party will win more seats than it had in 2014. When the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi turned down the post of the Prime Minister in 2004, former finance minister Manmohan Singh 'humbly' took the mantle to lead the United Progressive Alliance government. Though Singh, who is credited for the liberalisation of the Indian economy, had never won a Lok Sabha election, he was widely respected for his clean image in politics. Singh led the UPA government from 2004 to the completion of the 14th Lok Sabha in 2009. During his tenure as the Prime Minister, the Indian economy continued to remain on the upward curve and even touched its highest GDP growth rate in 2007. Several projects taken up by his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government in the previous term like the Golden Quadrilateral and the highway modernisation program were taken forward by the UPA government. He also continued the peace process with Pakistan that Vajpayee had initiated. Also Read: History of Lok Sabha elections One of the biggest takeaways from the term was the signing of the nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States under which India would gain access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel. On the other hand, India agreed to place its civil nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. "It is an Agreement between two States possessing advanced nuclear technologies, both parties having the same benefits and advantages. The significance of the Agreement lies in the fact that when brought into effect, it will open the way for full civil nuclear energy cooperation between India and the United States," Singh had said while briefing Parliament in 2007. As the Lok Sabha term was nearing completion in 2009, the Election Commission seemed to have been split over the poll dates. This was the only election which was held under two Chief Election Commissioners. While the first phase was held under N Gopalaswami on 20 April 2009, the remaining four phases were held under his successor Navin Chawla. The coalitions that were formed before the 2004 election continued for the 2009 election too. While the Congress steered the UPA and the Bharatiya Janata Party led the National Democratic Alliance. Projecting itself as a secular party, the Congress said in its agenda that the party has "been the bulwark against the four 'isms' that threaten to tear our country apart -- communalism of all kinds, linguistic chauvinism, regional parochialism and casteism." It argued that it has an inclusive vision as against the BJP's "narrow and communal nationalism" which it claimed denied equality and equal rights to large sections of our people. It had also called the Third Front to be "a grouping of opportunistic parties which neither have consistency nor clarity. They have neither competence nor commitment. This Front, grounded in the politics of convenience, is nothing but a platform for personal ambitions," the Congress had said its manifesto. It also brought to people the achievements of the UPA government in the last five years. Congress said that it had fulfilled the promises that it had made in 2004 like the creation of more jobs, economic growth, primary education; brought legislations like Right to Information Act, 2005, enacted National Rural Employment Guarantee Act; launched National Rural Health Mission. There were speculations that the then Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will be the PM candidate of the UPA after Singh underwent a heart surgery. However quelling all rumours, Sonia announced that Singh will yet again be the face of the UPA. On the other hand, former prime minister Vajpayee was no longer the NDA's prime ministerial candidate for the 2009 election. After the NDA's defeat in the 2004 election, Vajpayee in 2005 had announced that he would not contest the next parliamentary election. The NDA had announced BJP veteran LK Advani as its PM face in early 2009 in view of his "lifelong service to the nation, vast political and parliamentary experience, and unimpeachable record of integrity". The BJP hit out at Singh's government alleging that the government mismanaged the economy. Advani promised that persons earning less than Rs 300,000 a year and those over the age of 60 will be exempt from paying income tax if the BJP comes to power. The election was taking place just months after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which at least 170 people were killed and more than 300 injured. Hence, the BJP targeted the incumbent government for not taking enough counter-terrorism measures. The BJP vowed to have a tougher law to enhance the security of the country. In a direct faceoff expected between the UPA and the NDA for the 15th Lok Sabha, pollsters had predicted a hung Parliament with neither of the coalitions in a position to win a majority. When the results were announced in May, the Congress surpassed expectations and emerged as the single largest party with 206 seats as against the 145 seats it had won in 2004. It bagged the most number of 33 seats in Andhra Pradesh, followed by 21 in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in Rajasthan, 17 in Maharashtra, 13 in Kerala, 12 in Madhya Pradesh and 11 in Gujarat. The UPA comfortably won 261 seats, paving way for the alliance to form the next government with the support of other parties. HOW CONGRESS FARED HOW BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY FARED Andhra Pradesh 33 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 1 Arunachal Pradesh 2 Assam 4 Assam 7 Bihar 12 Bihar 2 Chattisgarh 10 Chandigarh 1 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 1 Chattisgarh 1 Daman & Diu 1 Goa 1 Goa 1 Gujarat 11 Gujarat 15 Haryana 9 Himachal Pradesh 3 Himachal Pradesh 1 Jharkhand 8 Jammu & Kashmir 2 Karnataka 19 Jharkhand 1 Madhya Pradesh 16 Karnataka 6 Maharashtra 9 Kerala 13 Punjab 1 Lakshadweep 1 Rajasthan 4 Madhya Pradesh 12 Uttar Pradesh 10 Maharashtra 17 West Bengal 1 Manipur 2 Meghalaya 1 Mizoram 1 NCT OF Delhi 7 Orissa 6 Puducherry 1 Punjab 8 Rajasthan 20 Tamil Nadu 8 Uttar Pradesh 21 Uttarakhand 5 West Bengal 6 TOTAL 206 116 While the Congress improved its tally as compared to the 2004 election, the BJP's numbers dipped. From 138 in the past election, the saffron party under Advani's leadership bagged 116 seats. It won the most number of 19 seats in Karnataka, 12 in Bihar, 16 in Madhya Pradesh, 15 in Gujarat and 10 in Uttar Pradesh. Along with the BJP, the other partners took the NDA's tally to 159. The Third Front, which was led by Communist Party of India (Marxist), bagged 78 seats. The other parties in the Third Front included the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, the Forward Bloc, the Janata Dal (Secular), the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the Telugu Desam Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. The Communist Party of India bagged 4 Lok Sabha seats - 1 each in Orissa and Tamil Nadu and two in West Bengal. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) secured 16 seats - 9 in West Bengal, 4 in Kerala, 2 in Tripura and one in Tamil Nadu. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won 21 seats, 2 more than the last election. The AIADMK won 9 seats, all from Tamil Nadu; the JDS bagged 3 seats; the Forward Bloc and TRS 2 seats each. With the support of Samajwadi Party, three members of the Janata Dal (United), several independent members as well as the BSP which was a part of the Third Front, Singh staked claim to form the government in 2009. He took oath as the Prime Minister of India, becoming the first since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term. Kolkata became the epicentre of the electoral tussle between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as Amit Shah's roadshow here on Tuesday was blemished by incidents of violence. While BJP has squarely blamed TMC and Mamata for the unrest, TMC has said that it is the BJP which sparked it off. It was a tense Tuesday to begin with in the capital city of West Bengal, a state that has witnessed poll-related violence in each of the six phases of voting in Lok Sabha election 2019. With Amit Shah scheduled to hold a rally here, there were reports that TMC supporters had begun tearing posters and hoardings in the city which showed PM Narendra Modi and party president Shah. BJP national secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya accused TMC of resorting to dubious means in order to disrupt proceedings. "Mamata ji's goons and police removed all the posters and flags. They escaped soon after we reached here," he said. Shortly after, Kolkata Police denied permission for Shah's roadshow to begin from Shahid Minar Maidaan, stating that BJP had tried to set up a stage here. As a result, the roadshow eventually began from Dharmatala. Thousands of people came out to greet Shah as the roadshow proceeded from here, through Esplanade, Lenin Sarani, Wellington Square and Boubazar. Flower petals rained on participants of the roadshow as Shah waved, punched the air and showed the victory symbol. Following him were tableaus from 20 states and cultural events too were organised at different points of the route. Just when it began appearing that the roadshow served its intended purpose - to stamp BJP's popularity here, violence erupted. It has been alleged that TMC's student wing waved black flags near Vidyasagar college and were also displaying anti-BJP placards. When confronted by BJP supporters, violence erupted. Stones were thrown, lathis were used and several vehicles were set on fire. Even as Kolkata Police eventually resorted to lathi charge to restore order, Shah was unable to enter Swami Vivekananda's house at Simla Street - the intended place for the culmination of the rally. Speaking to Zee News, Shah blasted Mamata. "The attack was carried out by TMC workers, they carried out arson. Mamata is frustrated as she is fearing defeat. This is a step taken because of their frustration," he said. (Full report here) Live TV Mamata, however, refuted the charge and countered by saying BJP had brought in party workers from other states in a bid to show they enjoyed mass support in West Bengal. She also visited the Vidyasagar College where a statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar had been damaged. Here, she declared that TMC will hold a protest rally on Wednesday. "Students were attacked. These are dangas (riots). I have never seen anything like this. BJP hired goons from Bihar, UP. They spent crores to flex muscles and put up posters. After their rally, why did BJP attack Vidyasagar College?" she said. "Tomorrow we will hold a protest rally. This matter will be investigated." Almost around the same time, a BJP delegation led by MA Naqvi and Nirmala Sitharaman met officials of the Election Commission of India in Delhi. The delegation made a series of demands which, essentially, spoke of action against TMC for Tuesday's violence in Kolkata. "We demanded EC that disturbing elements and history-sheeters be arrested immediately, central forces' flag march be conducted and CM Mamata Banerjee be barred from campaigning for instigating her supporters," Naqvi told reporters. (Full report here) Tuesday's roadshow, and the subsequent violence, have deepened the already very clear battle lines drawn between TMC and BJP this Lok Sabha election 2019. With voting in the final phase - scheduled for Sunday (May 19) - still to go and with nine parliamentary seats in West Bengal still to vote, the tussle between the two parties could well spiral into even more chaos. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday justified his remark in which he had called PM Narendra Modi 'neech aadmi'. The senior Congress leader said that he was 'prophetic' in his description of PM Modi and added that voters would show the door to Modi on May 23. Launching a scathing attack on the prime minister, Aiyar dubbed PM Modi as the 'most foul-mouthed' prime minister of India. "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed Prime Minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" Aiyar said in an article for a English website. It may be recalled that Aiyar had made the 'neech' remark in the run-up to the Gujarat Assembly polls in December 2017. "Ye aadmi bahut neech kisam ka aadmi hai, is mein koi sabhyata nahi hai, aur aise mauke par is kisam ki gandi rajniti karne ki kya avashyakta hai?" Aiyar had said. Aiyar also lashed out at PM Modi for running a 'dirty election campaign'. "Modi needs to be warned that he's guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on sacrifices of Army & CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign," he wrote. The Congress leader also took a dig at PM Modi for lying about his educational qualification. "Why lie about one's educational qualifications - or lack of them? Unless, of course, such lying is a compulsive psychological disorder," he said. Aiyar also hit out at PM Modi for his claim that Indian Air Force fighter jets were helped by cloud cover during the airstrike in Balakot". "He [Modi] thumped his 56-inch chest and saw that heavy cloud cover was actually good for the Indian Air Force because Pakistani radar would not be able to penetrate thick black clouds. This is to insult our brave airmen," Aiyar wrote. Live TV BJP has hit back at Aiyar with the party's IT cell chief Amit Malviya saying that Aiyar was upset that another Congress leader Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention and that's why he has reiterated the controversial remark to remain in news. "Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitrodas foot out of his mouth... Reiterates and justifies his Neech comment for PM!" tweeted Malviya. Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitrodas foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his Neech comment for PM! pic.twitter.com/0oUcjegjp3 Chowkidar Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 14, 2019 "So finally ...the Jewel() of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the Politics of Love of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His Neech comment on Modi ji as prophetic," said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra. So finally ...the Jewel() of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the Politics of Love of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His Neech comment on Modi ji as prophetic ... Chowkidar Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 14, 2019 Calling Mani Shankar Aiyar 'abuser-in-chief', BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao said, "Aiyar returns to justify 2017 'Neech' jibe at @narendramodi Ji. Aiyar then apologised and hid behind poor Hindi excuse. Now he says he was prophetic. Congress revoked his suspension last year for filthy outburst. Double speak & arrogance of Congress display again!" Bathinda: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday blamed BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal for the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, an emotive issue in Punjab. In her first election rally in Punjab for the Lok Sabha polls, Priyanka also mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for suggesting that a cloud cover had helped IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strikes. "The soul of Punjab will be lost if anything happens to Guru Granth Sahib. Their (BJP's) own ally indulged in sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib for political gains and votes," she said at the rally in Bathinda, an Akali Dal bastion where Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal is contesting against the Congress' Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The Congress and the SAD have been trading barbs over the 2015 sacrilege of religious scriptures and police firing incidents. Priyanka invoked the teachings of Guru Nanak -- 'tera, tera' (yours, yours) and 'sarbat da bhala' (welfare of everybody). "But their (BJP's) ally was only for 'mera mera' (mine, mine)," she said, without naming the SAD. The Congress leader also spoke in Punjabi to strike a chord with the crowd. "I am happy to be here. My husband (Robert Vadra) is a Punjabi. He has always faced each challenge with a smile. "I salute the land of Punjab and the Punjabi community. The Punjabi community always faces challenges with a strong will and always remains happy and in a state of 'chardi kala' (optimism)," she said. Priyanka pointed out that she had come to know about Modi holding a rally in Bathinda a day ago. "I have also learnt that the clouds of Bathinda gave answers to his spate of lies," she said, referring to the strong winds that had uprooted some tents in the prime minister's rally. "Whether it is strong winds or storm or cloudy weather, but the truth about him has now come on the people's radar," the Congress leader said. Priyanka also accused Modi of spreading propaganda and lies. "When you hear his propaganda, then you will feel as if no development took place in the past 70 years. All the development took place only in five years (of his tenure)," she said. "Perhaps his radar should be on his promises," she said, while taking a jibe at Modi's "unkept" promises of depositing Rs 15 lakh in people's bank accounts, doubling farmers' income and creating 2 crore jobs. She alleged that land, sand, liquor, transport mafias and 'chitta' (drugs) flourished under the erstwhile SAD-BJP rule. Priyanka accused Modi of visiting a number of countries, but not having time to meet the poor and farmers in his constituency, Varanasi. "The PM has visited America, hugged Obama ji (the then US president Barack Obama), went to Japan and played drums there. Africa, Europe, whichever name you take, China, Pakistan -- where he had biryani," she said. Later at a roadshow in Pathankot, Priyanka again hit out at Modi, accusing him of doing politics in the name of martyrs. She asked voters to choose between him and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, also her brother, who she dubbed "son of a martyr". "Do you want the country to progress or the country to be misled through them (BJP people)? Do you want a PM who is doing politics on martyrs or you want son of a martyr (as PM). You decide," she said. Priyanka described Modi as the "biggest 'abhineta'" (actor), who, she said, had spent the last five years campaigning with "lies and falsehoods". NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, son of late Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, on Monday hit back at Union Minister Piyush Goyal for his claim that Vilasrao failed in discharging his duty during 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008 and was more focused about getting his son a role in a movie when the city was under attack by Pakistani terrorists. "Honourable Minister, you have every right to question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself. It is true that I had visited Taj/Oberoi hotel but untrue that I was there while the shooting and bombing was happening as you claimed. It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film. He never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast me in a film and I take pride in that, Riteish tweeted. He added,A bit late, 7 yrs ago He would have replied to you, added the Bollywood actor. Earlier on Sunday, Goyal had launched a scathing attack on Vilasrao Deshmukh, saying, "I am from Mumbai. You might remember the 26/11 terror attack. The then Congress government was weak and could not do anything. The then Chief Minister (Vilasrao Deshmukh) had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel while shooting and bombing was going on inside. CM was concerned about getting his child a film role. Live TV Goyal also attacked the UPA government led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, dubbing it a "coward government" for failing to respond to 26/11 attacks. The Union Minister added that Indian armed forces wanted to avenge the Mumbai terror attacks but they were not given permission by the Central leadership. "Our Armed Forces were capable then too but the decision was to be taken by the leadership. The security forces kept hoping that they would be allowed to give a befitting reply but they were not allowed to take action. That was a coward government," the Union Minister was quoted as saying by ANI. In an indirect attack on the BJP and Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati on Tuesday said that roadshows and visiting temples and other religious places have become a fashion during elections, adding that parties spent a lot of money on these things. The BSP chief demanded that the Election Commission (EC) should also add this expense to total expenditure limit of the candidate. "Roadshows and offering prayers has become a fashion during elections, where a lot of money is spent. Election Commission should add this expense to the candidate's total expenditure limit," Mayawati said at a press conference. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati: Roadshows and offering prayers has become a fashion during elections, where a lot of money is spent. Election Commission should add this expense to the candidate's total expenditure limit. pic.twitter.com/bdCKTFpDjI ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 14, 2019 The BSP chief also said that the EC should also pass an order stopping media from showing the candidates while they visit public places or offer prayers when the Model Code of Conduct is in place. "During a ban on a candidate for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC), if they go to a public place or offer prayers at a temple & it is shown in media, it should be stopped. Election Commission should take action on it," she said. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati: During a ban on a candidate for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC), if they go to a public place or offer prayers at a temple & it is shown in media, it should be stopped. Election Commission should take action on it. https://t.co/5wUQ3zASSy ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 14, 2019 Mayawati also launched a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that PM Modi is set to lose this election and now even RSS is not supporting the BJP candidates. She added that the RSS workers are not campaigning for the BJP candidates because they know that the Modi government has failed to fulfil the promises it had made in 2014. "PM Modi's government is losing this election, it appears that even RSS has stopped supporting them. In view of unfulfilled election promises & the public agitation, their swayamsevaks are not being seen putting in the work, it has made Shri Modi nervous," remarked Mayawati. The Supreme Court Tuesday ordered the immediate release of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma, who was arrested last week for sharing a morphed photo of West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee. The top court also waived off the earlier condition asking Sharma to submit an unconditional apology in writing immediately after coming out of jail. Live TV The SC further issued a notice to West Bengal government seeking its response on whether a political leader can be prosecuted for sharing an alleged objectionable post which is a kind of a political satire. A vacation bench, comprising of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna, observed that a person's freedom of speech is non-negotiable. However, the freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights". Expressing happiness over SC's decision, Sharma's mother Raj Kumari Sharma told news agency ANI, "I can't express how happy I am. I am awaiting my daughter's return." Sharma was arrested by West Bengal police for allegedly sharing a morphed photo of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook. A complaint against her was lodged at Dasnagar Police station on May 10 by local Trinamool Congress leader Vibhas Hazra. The West Bengal police said that Priyanka allegedly uploaded and shared morphed picture of Mamata Banerjee in her Facebook timeline. The BJP activist had morphed Banerjee's face on to the image of Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas at the recently held MET Gala event. The theme for this year's MET Gala was 'Camp: Notes on Fashion'. Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had denounced Priyanka's arrest saying such arrest should not happen otherwise there will be no freedom of speech in this country. "The reign of terror of @MamataOfficial would embarrass even worst tyrants of world! To lend moral support, I met Smt Rajkumari Sharma, mother of @BJP4Bengal worker Ms Priyanka Sharma, arrested for making a meme on Mamata Didi. We're seeking judicial intervention for her release," tweeted Sarma. Security has been beefed up outside Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) office at Alwarpet in Chennai following intelligence inputs that some Hindu groups might stage protests in response to MNM chief Kamal Haasan's controversial remark on Nathuram Godse. MNM sources said that Kamal Haasan is not in Chennai as he is out for campaigning in Thirupparankundram for the upcoming by polls, scheduled for Sunday. On Sunday, Kamal Haasan sparked a political row by saying that independent India's first terrorist was a 'Hindu' and he was Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. The MNM founder made the statement while speaking at an election rally for his party candidate in Aravakurichi assembly constituency. The bypoll for this constituency is scheduled to take place on May 19. Independent Indias first terrorist was a Hindu. His name is Nathuram Godse. Im not saying this because this is a locality with a sizeable Muslim population, Im saying this in front of a Gandhi statue, said Haasan. The MNM chief added that he is the great-grandson of Gandhi in his conscience. I am here to question that murder today. Consider it that way, he added. Meanwhile, the BJP took strong objection to Kamal Haasan's remark and accused the actor-turned-politician of misusing religion for electoral gains. " It is necessary to state that the statement was made deliberately in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain, which is clearly a corrupt practice under Section 123(3) the Representation of the People Act 1951," the BJP said in its complaint letter to EC. "Mr. Kamal Hasaan is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of Harmony and brotherhood, which is an offence under Section 153A of the IPC," added the EC's letter. Haasan, however, also got support from KS Alagiri of Congress, who said that he fully agreed with the views of the MNM chief. "I support and agree with Kamal Haasan's statement not only 100%, but 1000%," Alagiri said. CHENNAI: A flying squad of the Election Commission of India on Tuesday searched several vehicles, including DMK's campaign vehicles, in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin over the alleged movement of unaccounted cash. The raids were carried out at Tuticorin's Sathya Resorts after intelligence inputs reported the movement of several vehicles from the retreat. DMK president Stalin is scheduled to check-in at the resort later on Tuesday (May 14), and resume electioneering for four Assembly constituency by-poll which will be held on May 19. The development comes a day after Stalin held talks with K Chandrashekhar Rao to forge a 'Federal Front' after the declaration of Lok Sabha Election 2019 result on May 23. As per reports, the proposed alternative front appeared to be a non-starter. A huge amount of unaccounted money has been recovered in raids by authorities across the country since Model Code of Conduct came into effect with the announcement of the poll dates on March 10. Income Tax officials along with EC's static surveillance team also carried out a joint search at the house of DMK Lok Sabha candidate K. Kanimozhi in Tuticorin on April 16. "Nothing objectionable was found and the teams returned after conducting the inquiry that was allowed by Kanimozhi after the officials showed their official IDs," a senior I-T officer told PTI. In April, the EC stopped Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's vehicle to conduct a check on the highway while he was on his way to Hassan in Karnataka. Kolkata: In a charged-up political atmosphere in Kolkata on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress workers clashed with supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party during Amit Shah's roadshow in the city. Thousands had come out to greet the BJP president as he began his roadshow from Dharmatala in the afternoon. In what was a show of strength from the BJP, there were also incidents of clashes with TMC workers allegedly throwing sticks at Shah's truck. This was followed by the TMC workers clashing with supporters of BJP near College Square - one of the routes of the roadshow. It is reported that TMC student's wing had been holding black flags and anti-BJP placards here which were questioned by BJP supporters. This led to clashes with many resorting to throwing stones and using lathis to damage BJP hoardings along the route of the roadshow. Some of them even resorted to damaging public property and at least two vehicles were set ablaze. West Bengal: Latest visuals from BJP President Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata after clashes broke out. pic.twitter.com/KvS7wlwRky ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 While TMC has said that BJP supporters who began the commotion, the counter-charge is that TMC workers were using violent means to undermine the roadshow. Kolkata Police eventually resorted to lathi charge to bring the situation under control. Amit Shah, however, blasted the state government for indulging in violence and accused it of deliberately trying to disrupt the roadshow. "The attack was carried out by TMC workers, they carried out arson," he told Zee News. "Mamata is frustrated as she is fearing defeat. This is a step taken because of their frustration." (Full report here) Live TV This is not the first time that supporters of the two parties have clashed although Kolkata has so far not seen incidents of violence. West Bengal has seen poll-related violence in each of the six phases of voting so far in Lok Sabha election 2019. At his Tuesday's roadshow, Shah pointed to the state of affairs in West Bengal and said people here would give a befitting reply to Mamata Banerjee. "West Bengal has seen violence in every phase of voting. Why is that? Democracy must be restored in the state," he said. Shah's roadshow in Kolkata is seen as BJP's final push to take the electoral battle to Mamata's bastion. Mamata, however, is confident of a strong TMC showing. In a shocking incident, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker in West Bengal has alleged that he was brutally assaulted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters for voting against the party. TMC's Chandan Patra has alleged that the BJP supporters beat him up with rod and sticks, critically injuring his head. The incident took place on Monday night in Balidangri village under Dantan police station in West Midnapore district of the state. Live TV The TMC leader, who is in a critical condition, has been admitted to the Dantan hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. The TMC has alleged that the BJP was pressing to vote for its party and when it did not happen, it assaulted the Trinamool worker. However, the BJP has dismissed these allegations. Chennai: MK Stalin on Tuesday hit back at Tamil Nadu state BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan's claim that DMK had reached out to her party for talks. He even claimed that he would quit politics if the claim was backed with proof. Soundararajan has said earlier in the day that not much should be read into Stalin-K Chandrashekar Rao's Monday meeting. "It is true, on the one side it is Rahul Gandhi, on the other it is KCR and then Modi. Everyone knows that the DMK changes colours. They are speaking via someone, they are establishing a connection (with us)"," she had said. The reaction from DMK chief was scathing. " If Tamilisai or Modi can prove that I have been in talks with them to form an alliance, then I am ready to quit politics," he said in a statement issued by his party. "But if they fail to prove it, are they ready to quit politics?" Stalin also exuded confidence that the result of Lok Sabha election 2019 will be a befitting reply to BJP and PM Narendra Modi. Live TV Interestingly, Stalin in March had hailed Rahul Gandhi as the future of PM of the country. In his response, the Congress president had called Stalin the future CM of Tamil Nadu. (Full report here) And while Tamilisai says that none of this would manifest to reality, DMK remains hopeful. For Lok Sabha election 2019, DMK is in an alliance with the Congress, Left parties, and the Congress is contesting in 10 seats across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Kolkata: On a day BJP President Amit Shah's meeting was cancelled in West Bengal, party national secretary Sunil Deodhar said that permission for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath`s election meeting in South Kolkata has been withdrawn. "Democracy is a joke in West Bengal. Permission cancelled at the last moment for @AmitShah Ji's rally at Jadavpur. Once again, Yogi Adityanath Ji's rally permission cancelled in South Kolkata. Both DM and CEO are working as agent of ruling Trinamool Congress," Deodhar said in a tweet. BJP sources said the local administration had withdrawn permission for Adityanath's May 15 rally in Behala's James Long Sarani after initially giving the go-ahead. Earlier in the day, Shah's scheduled rally in Baruipur under Jadavpur parliamentary constituency was cancelled after the landowner who had rented out his property withdrew his consent, a party spokesperson said here. The land was rented out for the rally as well as for setting up a helipad. "The landowner who had rented out the land for the meeting and also for the helipad, withdrew his permission, citing that the property was earlier rented out to another political party for organising a rally," said sources privy to the development. The saffron party alleged that they were forced to cancel the meeting due to the "autocracy" of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government. "Mamata Banerjee is running autocracy in Bengal. Today (Monday) Amit Shah was supposed to hold a rally in Jadavpur (Baruipur is in the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency) for which we sought the permission 4-5 days ago. That time we were given a hope, but it was suddenly denied yesterday (Sunday) at 8.30 p.m.," the party said in its Twitter handle. "This is a murder of democracy. The Election Commission must take action against it," it said. New Delhi: The Railway Police of Mumbai has come out with a unique suggestion to curb the growing menace of thieves at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj railway station and has suggested to switch off all the fans at the platforms. The thieves mostly target the passengers who wait for the the station after midnight for their late night or early morning trains. According to the Railways, passengers prefer to spend their nights asleep on the premises of the station, thus risking their belongings being stolen by the people with mischievous minds. And thus, to control this, the Railways have suggested to switch off the fans so that the passengers don't stay back at the station for their early morning trains. In a letter to Central Railway, a copy of which is available with Zee News, the Government Railways Police said, "The ceiling fans on the platforms and concourse area on both local and mainline sections are kept switched on through the night. This is the reason why outstation passengers, who need to catch trains during late night or early morning hours, stay back at CSMT along with their luggage. But once the passengers doze off, unscrupulous elements take advantage of the situation and steal their belongings." The GRP said it believed that if fans at stations are turned off after local train services halt for the night, passengers would not be staying back for their early morning trains. In 2018, RTI activist Shakeel Sheikh reported that on average, at least 90 mobile thefts were reported at CST station in comparison to three thefts in the year 2013. In the last six years, almost 60,000 mobile phones were stolen from the station, worth nearly Rs one crore. When contacted, Central Railway chief PR Sunil Udasi said they do not have any such information about the GRP's latest suggestion. He, however, said that switching off the fans at the station would not make any difference on thefts as the station is very close to the sea and hence the sea breeze will reach well inside the premises, making the atmosphere pleasant. New Delhi: Bollywood beauty Deepika Padukone is gearing up for her Cannes appearance this year. The stunner of an actress is busy pumping up the iron ahead of visiting the French Riviera. She took to her Instagram handle and shared pictures of her working out at the gym. The actress, who is immensely popular on social media shared her ravishing work-out pictures. Check it out: The 72nd Cannes Film Festival begins from May 14 to 25 of this month. Besides Deepika, several other Bollywood beauties will be seen making an impact at the red carpet. From Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor to Kangana Ranaut, first timer Diana Pentyall will put their best foot forward this year. On the work front, Deepika is busy with Meghna Gulzar's 'Chhapaak'. The film is based on the life of the acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. Deepika will also produce the biopic. Vikram Massey plays the lead opposite Deepika. The film is slated to hit the screen on January 10, 2020. New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee called for a protest rally on Thursday against the vandalisation of the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during a clash at the rally of BJP president Amit Shah in Kolkata today. Launching a scathing attack on BJP president Amit Shah, Mamata asked if the former thinks of himself as a God and that no one can protest against him. "What does Amit Shah think of himself? Is he above everything? Is he God that no one can protest against him? If you lay your hands on Vidyasagar, what will I call you other than a goonda? I hate your ideology, I hate your ways," the TMC supremo said. Live TV The Trinamool supremo further attacked the BJP chief, questioning him if he knew the culture of Calcutta University. "Does he know the heritage of Calcutta University? Is he aware of the famous personalities who have studied here? He should be ashamed of this attack," she said, adding that there will be a protest rally on Wednesday. "They are so uncultured that they have broken the bust of Vidyasagar. They are all outsiders. The BJP had brought them to be used on the day of the polls," she said. The TMC leader also criticised the poll panel for not taking proper action against the BJP for spending a huge amount of unaccounted money in the election campaigning. Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajesh Kumar said more than 100 people were taken into custody and that no one involved in the incident would be spared. Clashes broke out between BJP supporters and Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) activists after stones were pelted at Amit Shah's convoy as it passed through College Street. A college named after Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, a key figure in the Bengal renaissance, was ransacked and a bust of the 19th-century social reformer shattered during the clash. The Biman Bangladesh national airlines re-established its direct Dhaka-Delhi-Dhaka flight, after a gap of nearly 5 years. The flight which took off from Dhaka on Monday carried 150 passengers from Dhaka and returned from Delhi with another 87 passengers. Live TV The Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Syed Muazzem Ali, received the incoming passengers and wished bon voyage to the departing ones at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in the national capital. As the flight landed at the IGI airport it was greeted by an arch of a water cannon. BEIJING/WASHINGTON: China and the United States have agreed to keep talking about their trade dispute, the Chinese government said on Tuesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he thought recent discussions in Beijing would be successful. The slightly more optimistic comments came after both sides ramped up their trade war, with China announcing details of new tariffs against U.S. imports on Monday, following the United States` move last week to target Chinese imports. The U.S. Trade Representative`s office said it planned to hold a public hearing next month on the possibility of imposing duties of up to 25% on a further $300 billion worth of imports from China. Cellphones and laptops would be included in that list but pharmaceuticals would be excluded, the office said. The prospect of global economy being derailed by the United States and China sliding into a fiercer, more protracted dispute has rattled investors and led to a sharp selloff on equities markets in the past week. "My understanding is that China and the United States have agreed to continue pursuing relevant discussions. As for how they are pursued, I think that hinges upon further consultations between the two sides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing, without giving details. But China will not be bullied, he added. "We hope that the U.S. side does not misjudge the situation and not underestimate China`s determination and will to safeguard its interests." Sources have said talks stalled after China tried to delete commitments from a draft agreement that its laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers. Geng said China had shown sincerity by still sending a high level delegation to the United States for talks last week and that China has remained calm in the face of pressure. He put the blame on Washington for going back on its word in some previous rounds of talks, including last May, when the two reached an agreement in Washington but then the United States backed out a few days later. "So you absolutely can`t put the hat on China of reversing positions and going back on one`s promises," Geng said, adding China has shown goodwill in the talks and has kept its promises. PROPAGANDA PUSH The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.7% and the blue chip CSI 300 was 0.6% lower on Tuesday. But both indexes rebounded from opening down 1%, supported by suspected state-backed purchases. However, the onshore yuan weakened 0.1% to its lowest level since December 27, 2018, trading at 6.8874 per dollar, after the foreign ministry said it hopes the United States does not underestimate its determination to defend its interests. Chinese state media on Tuesday kept up a barrage of nationalistic commentary. The ruling Communist Party`s official People`s Daily said in a commentary that the United States needed to "give it a rest" with the complaints that it was losing out to China in the trade relationship. China is not to blame of the huge trade deficit the United States runs, and China is a hugely profitable market for U.S. companies, the paper said, in commentary published under the pen name "Zhong Sheng", meaning "voice of China". "U.S. consumers, farmers, businesses and so on have become the victims of the trade frictions provoked by the United States. They are not victims of China`s `unfair competition.`" Trump, who has embraced protectionism as part of an "America First" agenda, said he would talk to Xi at a G20 summit in late June. "Maybe something will happen," Trump said in remarks at the White House on Monday. "We`re going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan and that`ll be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting." Speaking several hours later at a dinner gathering at the White House, Trump said it should be clear in "three or four weeks" if a U.S. trade delegation`s trip to Beijing two weeks ago was successful. COLOMBO/AHMEDABAD: A Sri Lankan software engineer suspected by authorities in Sri Lanka of having provided technical and logistical support to the Easter Sunday suicide bombers was monitored by Indian intelligence agencies three years ago for links with Islamic State suspects, investigators said. Four sources in Sri Lankan investigating agencies said they believed Aadhil Ameez, a 24-year-old, was the link between two groups that carried out the attacks on churches and hotels that killed more than 250 people and wounded hundreds more. Aadhil has been arrested and is in police custody, the sources said. His arrest has not been made public, but when asked by Reuters, Ruwan Gunasekera, the main spokesman for the Sri Lankan police, confirmed Aadhil was taken into custody on April 25, four days after the attacks. The spokesman declined to give more details. A police official at India`s National Investigation Agency (NIA) and another police official in Gujarat said they were providing assistance to Sri Lankan authorities. Aadhil, who describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as a senior engineer/programmer/web designer with a masters degree in computer science and a bachelors in political science from U.K. universities, could not be reached for comment. He does not yet have a lawyer and under Sri Lanka`s tough new emergency laws imposed after the attacks, he can be held indefinitely. His father, M. Ameez, who lives in Aluthgama, a town south of Colombo, denied that Aadhil was involved with the plotters and said such "allegations are lies". The Indian investigators said they had been monitoring Aadhil since 2016 and named him in two chargesheets filed in Indian courts against suspected Islamic State operatives as being one of their contacts. According to one of the chargesheets, reviewed by Reuters, he showed up in Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram chats with two of the suspects who are on trial for plotting an attack on a synagogue in the Ahmedabad. The two suspects Ubed Ahmad Mirza, a lawyer, and Stimberwala Mohamed Kasim, a hospital technician, were accused of planning "lone-wolf" attacks, according to the chargesheet. Lawyers for both men rejected the allegations and said they were innocent. Both lawyers declined to comment on the possible role of Aadhil. Aadhil has also been named in another chargesheet filed in court by the NIA for providing propaganda and online material to three Indians arrested in early 2016 for promoting Islamic State. The three men, Sheikh Azhar ul-Islam, Adnan Hassan and Mohammed Rafiq Sadique Shaikh are on trial in a special Delhi court facing charges of criminal conspiracy to propagate the ideology of Islamic State, recruit, raise funds and facilitate the travel of people to Syria, according to the chargesheet. Sheikh Mohammad Munawar, a cousin of ul-Islam, said the charges were fabricated and that he had no criminal record ever. Families of the other two accused could not be reached. Their lawyers were not immediately available for comment. Reuters was unable to determine when the Indians informed Sri Lankan authorities of the surveillance. The two officials declined to say whether they continued to keep Aadhil under surveillance after they completed investigation of the cases in India. Indian intelligence services warned Sri Lankan authorities of a possible attack at least three times in April alone, officials have said. LINK BETWEEN GROUPS Sri Lankan authorities have said two local Islamist groups - the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) led by radical preacher Zahran Hashim and the Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI) - were involved in the synchronised blasts in Colombo, the island nation`s capital, and two other towns. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Two sources in Sri Lanka`s police Criminal Investigation Department and two military officials said Aadhil was the link between the two groups. The groups used the dark web and WhatsApp to communicate, they said. However, investigators don`t know yet whether Aadhil was simply a facilitator for the bombers, or if he was also one of the ring leaders involved in planning and executing the attacks. Last week, police raided IT firm Virtusa, where Aadhil had interned in 2013, according to his profile. One current employee has been detained for questioning in connection with the attacks, police say, but no other details have been provided. ONLINE CHATS India, with one of the world`s largest populations of Muslims, has claimed success in foiling several Islamic State cells, mostly in southern and western India. Court documents reviewed by Reuters show that the online conversations between the Sri Lankan and the two Indians in western India, began in the summer of 2016 and lasted until the arrest of the two Indians in late 2017. The documents describe how Aadhil Ax, as he called himself online, asked the Indians if they had heard about the atrocities being committed against Muslims in Sri Lanka by the majority Buddhist community. He talked about his own experiences: that he had been in jail, that his house had been torched and that he limped because of beatings, the documents seen by Reuters show. Investigators and neighbours in Sri Lanka say none of these were true. The Sri Lankan investigators interviewed by Reuters say Aadhil made claims he was a journalist and a PhD candidate in some of his online postings, which also were false. They said they believed Aadhil, operating largely from his home, was a key part of the Easter bombings plot and helped in communications and training. "He was the main technology person for them," said one of the CID sources involved in the investigation. The source said Aadhil was helped in this by Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, one of the eight suicide bombers who detonated his explosives at a guesthouse after failing to do so at Colombo`s luxury Taj Samudra hotel. About a week before the bombings, Aadhil met Jameel, Zahran the extremist preacher, and Inshaf Ibrahim and Ilham Ibrahim, the two brothers from a family engaged in the spice trade in Colombo, the other sources said. The latter three men blew themselves up in five-star Colombo hotels. The CID source said that Aadhil, Zahran and the Ibrahim brothers had leased land in Wanathawilluwa town in the north and set up a training camp. Police raided the place in January this year and discovered a large amount of explosives, but did not know at the time who had leased it. When police raided Aadhil`s home four days after the bombings, all his computer files were found to have been deleted. "He seems to have played an important role in setting up communications for the attackers, helping organise meetings and training camps," said one of the military sources. LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May was under pressure from her own party on Tuesday to abandon a bid to find a Brexit compromise with the opposition Labour Party. Nearly three years since the United Kingdom voted 52 per cent to 48 per cent to leave the European Union, there is still no agreement among British politicians about when, how or even if the divorce should take place. Live TV It was due to have left the European Union on March 29, though May has been unable to get her divorce deal approved by parliament so she has turned to the Labour Party, led by socialist Jeremy Corbyn, in a bid to court his support. Thirteen of Mays former cabinet colleagues as well as Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers, wrote to May to ask her not to agree Labour`s demand for a post-Brexit customs union with the EU. "You would have lost the loyal middle of the Conservative Party, split our party and with likely nothing to show for it," the letter said. "We urge you to think again." "No leader can bind his or her successor so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worst illusory," said the letter which was signed by Gavin Williamson, who was sacked as defence secretary earlier this month, and former foreign minister Boris Johnson. The BBC`s political editor said on Twitter an unidentified Downing Street source had stated that May would not sign up to a permanent customs union. "We are trying to find a compromise on customs as interim position or stepping stone," the BBC`s Laura Kuenssberg quoted the source as saying. "Both sides agree no parliament can bind future govt + most EU trade deals have a 6-12 mnth exit clause." Labour Party leader Corbyn said last week that May had made no big offer on Brexit and had not moved her "red lines". May`s chief Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, is due in Brussels to discuss changes to the political declaration on the UK`s future relationship with the EU. Robbins will explore how quickly changes could be made to the political declaration if the government and Labour can come to an agreement, the BBC said. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. If the world of anime has taught us anything, itas that no idea is off limits and thereas a niche market for everything under the sun. And just when we thought wead seen everything, with the appearance of a moe-fied Goeppels in a Nazi parody and the adventures of Butt Detective, a talking butt that solves crimes, itas time to take a look at a new series, centred around the world of tights. Called Miru Tights, the new anime series is based on an original story by Yomu, a Japanese illustrator whose work commonly features women in stockings, and it debuted on Nico Nico Channel and dAnime Store on 11 May. The focus is on the tights just as much as it is on the schoolgirls, making them a character all on their own. And as the anime opens with the three main characters arriving at school on a rainy day in April, with cherry blossom petals floating in the puddles outside, they each have to deal with their wet stockings in their own special ways. RTHK: Pompeo tells Russia to stay out of elections Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday warned Russia not to interfere in next year's US election and said Moscow needs to show that its purported meddling is over. If Russia interferes in the 2020 election, "it would put our relationship in an even worse place," Pompeo told a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, calling on Russia "to demonstrate that these types of activities are a thing of the past." Meanwhile Lavrov dismissed as "fiction" speculation that US President Donald Trump had colluded with Moscow in his election campaign. "It's clear that such insinuations are absolute fiction," he said after talks with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo. The pair also discussed the situation in Venezuela, US tensions with Iran, and the question of Ukraine during talks in the Russian city of Sochi. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting Monday, deciding that an education campaign on the theme of "staying true to the Party's founding mission" will start in June. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting. The top-down campaign among all Party members will be conducted in two separate batches, especially targeting officials at and above the county level, according to a statement issued after the meeting. The statement stressed the importance of the campaign, saying it is a major arrangement by the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core to "command the great struggle, great project, great cause, and great dream." The fundamental task of the campaign is to conduct in-depth studies on and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, forge the political character of loyalty, integrity and a keen sense of responsibility, and unite the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and lead them to strive together for the realization of the great dream. Fighting formalities for formalities' sake and bureaucratism should be taken as an important part of the education, it read. Leading organs and officials should set an example in the campaign, it demanded. The evaluation of the campaign's effect should be based on improving the quality of officials, solving problems, and the appraisal and opinion of the general public, according to the statement. The statement called for efforts to make good use of the experiences and practices in the education campaign to improve the Party system. A plan for integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta was also reviewed at the meeting. As one of the regions boasting the most robust economic growth, the highest level of opening up and strongest innovation capability, the Yangtze River Delta plays an essential role in promoting the Chinese economy, according to the statement. The Yangtze River Delta should play an exemplary role in seeking regional integration and high-quality development to boost the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and east China and build a regional cluster of high-quality development. It stressed that elevating the integration plan to a national strategy is a significant policy decision by the CPC Central Committee. Shanghai Municipality and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui should strengthen cooperation in various spheres, making solid steps towards integrated development, it added. Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 50-year-old man over the alleged rape of a female university student whom he drugged beforehand, reports the Sankei Shimbun On the night of March 14, Koji Imada, of no known occupation, mixed a sleeping powder into an alcoholic drink consumed by the woman, aged in her 20s, at a karaoke parlor in Toshima Ward. The suspect then took her to a hotel where he is alleged to have sexually assaulted her while she was passed out. The following morning, she fled the hotel. Imada, who has been accused of quasi-coerced intercourse, admits to the allegations, according to the Ikebukuro Police Station. aThis was the only way I could think of to engage in sex with her,a the suspect was quoted. The suspect and the victim became acquainted at a bar employing her in October. The sleeping powder was added to her drink after she momentarily left her seat at the parlor. The arrest is the second for Imada. Last month, police accused him of sending nude photographs of the woman to her mobile telephone. aI will sell the photos if you continue to ignore me,a he reportedly threatened her. Tokyo Prosecutors have added allegations related to another inappropriate fund transfer to the indictment of former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn. The prosecutors say Ghosn's fund management company received about 18 million dollars from a Saudi Arabian businessman's company. They have already indicted Ghosn on charges of aggravated breach of trust. They allege that he inappropriately transferred about 15 million dollars from a Nissan subsidiary to the Saudi Arabian man's company. The investigators had suspected that the improper flow of funds happened after the businessman helped Ghosn to the tune of about 27 million dollars to cover a personal investment loss. Ghosn had incurred latent losses of about 16 million dollars after the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008. But prosecutors now believe that Ghosn's fund management company received the 18 million dollars before then. Preparatory court procedures are to begin on May 23, before the trial begins. Attention is focused on how Ghosn's attorneys will address the charges. BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged more efforts to enhance employment services and boost entrepreneurship to add more jobs. Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a written instruction to a video and telephone conference on national employment and entrepreneurship work on Monday. Supporting employment and entrepreneurship, especially for college graduates, is an important guarantee for achieving sustainable and healthy development of the economy, improvement in people's livelihood, as well as social stability, Li said. Noting that the country faces employment pressure this year as the number of college graduates is set to hit a new high, Li said the country will implement the "employment first" policy, put stable employment in a more prominent position, and ensure that the employment target for the year is met. The country should enhance employment services and take targeted measures to assist college graduates, veterans, and migrant rural workers in finding jobs, Li said. China will also push entrepreneurship to develop new industries in a bid to create more jobs, Li stressed. Sun Chunlan and Hu Chunhua, both vice premiers and members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the conference and made remarks. The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has berated the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for insisting th... The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has berated the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for insisting that political godfathers in Lagos State must be retired. El-Rufai, who recently said he overcame the carnage of godfatherism in his state, urged Lagos State to replicate same, a comment that drew mixed reactions from Nigerians, especially the political class. Despite the condemnations that greeted his comment, the governor yesterday insisted that he owed nobody an apology for asking people of the state to disregard godfatherism. But in a swift reaction last night, Lagos State chapter of APC lambasted the governor, saying talk was cheap, adding Tinubu remained their leader. A statement by the states spokesperson, Joe Igbokwe read: They want to be like Asiwaju, they want to command respect, they want the world to accept them the way they have accepted Asiwaju, they want to get great followers like Asiwaju BAT, they want to be admired the way people admire Asiwaju, they want the people to love them the way they love Asiwaju, they want to stand tall anywhere they go like Asiwaju, they want to attract attention like Asiwaju, they want to be celebrated and honored like Asiwaju, they want to be worshiped the way Asiwaju great followers worship him, they want be lifted up the way God has lifted Asiwaju up, they want to be noticed like Asiwaju, they want to stand out like Asiwaju and they want to influence decisions at all levels like Asiwaju, etc. Talk is cheap, anybody can make any statement. They want to be like Asiwaju, they want to command respect, they want the world to accept them the way they have accepted Asiwaju, they want to be admired the way people admire Asiwaju. Tinubu lauds Nigerians on Buharis re-election says he will continue anti-corruption fight But in actions and deeds, they are not like Asiwaju. In character and intolerance, they are not like Asiwaju. In commitment and hard work, they are not like BAT. In grace and empathy, they are not like BAT. In temperament and love for humanity, they are not like Asiwaju. They cannot surrender their home to the people the way BAT has been doing. They cannot fight for others the way BAT does. They cannot deny themselves freedom for the sake of others the way BAT does. They cannot stand for ordinary people the way Asiwaju does. They cannot be trusted the way we trust BAT. They cannot give the way BAT does. They cannot sacrifice what BAT has sacrificed for humanity for close to 40 years. They cannot live for others the way Asiwaju has done for years. I can go on and on but he who must lead others must first lead himself. We follow our leader, Asiwaju, because he works for us, even when we are sleeping. We follow and honour our leader because he breaks his back for us. We follow him because he cares for all of us. We follow him because he knows where he is going. We follow BAT because he has earned our trust for decades now. We follow him because he has never disappointed us. We follow Asiwaju because he is focused and dynamic. We follow Asiwaju because he has not failed us. We follow him because he is dependable. A young final year student of the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka, Chukwuemeka Akachi has committed suicide. Akachi who was a... A young final year student of the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka, Chukwuemeka Akachi has committed suicide. Akachi who was a student of English and Literary Studies and reportedly a first-class student took his own life after dropping a suicide note on Facebook. It is gathered that Akachi consumed two bottles of a poisonous substance and it was the second time he would be attempting suicide in recent times. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) authorities say they are yet aware of alleged seal-off of houses believed to belong to... Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) authorities say they are yet aware of alleged seal-off of houses believed to belong to President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki. Acting Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr Tony Orilade, told newsmen in Abuja on Monday that his office was unaware of the issue. I have not been briefed; so, I dont have any information on it, he said. The alleged sealed property are multiple residential houses located in highbrow Ikoyi, Lagos. Saraki had recently come under pressure from the anti-graft agency. The EFCC had confirmed reports that it had opened a fresh investigation into Sarakis stewardship as President of the Senate as well as a probe of his earnings as governor of Kwara from 2003 to 2011. Orilade had in a statement said that EFCC was obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and had supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone. It is in the interest of the public, and for Sarakis personal good, that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so. Indeed, all the instances in which the EFCC have had cause to sleuth into his financial activities either as a former governor or President of the Senate were driven by overarching public interest and due process of the law, he said. He added that with indicting petitions and other evidence available to EFCC, even Saraki will agree with the Commission that putting him through a legitimate forensic inquiry is the legitimate route to establish his integrity as public servant. In his reaction, Saraki insisted that the action of the EFCC was a witch-hunt. Our attention has been drawn to the fact that the EFCC has marked certain property belonging to President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, obviously under the claim that they are subject of investigation. The action of the EFCC only reinforced our earlier stated position that their current investigation is mischievous, contrary to the tenets of the rule of law and only aimed at settling scores. This position is founded on the fact that these same buildings were the subject of earlier investigations by the EFCC as well as the case initiated by the Federal Government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Also, the case went all the way to the highest court in our country, the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In that case, Saraki was discharged and acquitted because the courts believe the government has no case. The EFCCs move to investigate him is a mere witch-hunt exercise, aimed at settling scores, laced with malicious and partisan motives, Sarakis Media Adviser, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, said in a statement. President Muhammadu Buhari says the elite might be failing Nigerians when it comes to education. Buhari made this comment when he ... President Muhammadu Buhari says the elite might be failing Nigerians when it comes to education. Buhari made this comment when he hosted Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, ministers, service chiefs, heads of security agencies and chief executives of federal government agencies and institutions to iftar (breaking of fast) at the presidential villa on Monday. Making reference to Almajiris, the president said he is upset with the level of poverty in the land. As at October 2018, Nigeria had 13.2 million out-of-school children according to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Nigerian government. Buhari said the elite should be able to execute projects that would guarantee basic education for Nigerians irrespective of their financial situation. He, however, commended the school feeding initiative, saying it has increased childrens enrolment in schools. When I drive around the country what upset me very much is the status of our poor people in this country you see young people, the so-called Almajiris with tore dresses, with plastic bowl. They are looking basically for what to eat, Buhari said. The question of education (to them) is a luxury. I think Nigerian elite we are all failing because I think we should have a programme that will at least guarantee some basic education for our people no matter how poor they are. So, I welcome the Vice-President for initiating the School feeding programme. If you check in your localities the enrolment into schools improved because a lot of children can get at least one good meal a day. This is the position of this country. Commenting on Trader Moni, Buhari said he had initially kicked against the scheme for fear that the vice president would be mobbed. This `market money I warned the Vice-President I dont like him to be mobbed, especially the way I see hefty women coming and confronting him, he should be very careful, he said. was quite reluctant but I must admit that they are very good programmes and they endear this government to a lot of poor people because of these N5,000 or N10,000 being given to them as loans. These are very good initiatives. Initially, Iwas quite reluctant but I must admit that they are very good programmes and they endear this government to a lot of poor people because of these N5,000 or N10,000 being given to them as loans. They are fantastic programmes and I have to admit quite honestly that the Vice-President was ahead of me by insisting on them. But he knows me if he insists I will say `okay go and do what you like. He did it and Im very pleased as he is being very successful. Indications emerged on Tuesday that Senate President, Bukola Saraki may have activated his exit plan ahead of the valedictory session ... Indications emerged on Tuesday that Senate President, Bukola Saraki may have activated his exit plan ahead of the valedictory session of the Eight Assembly scheduled for the first week of June. Findings showed that Saraki has already directed his legislative aides to turn in their handover notes. It is also gathered that the Senate President stimulated his exit plan from the upper chamber to ensure a smooth transfer of power to his successor next month. It is learnt that the valedictory session to mark the end of the Eight Senate will be conducted in the first week of June while the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly is billed to hold on 11th of June. A letter by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, titled Handover Notes addressed to Sarakis legislative aides directed them to submit within one month their handover notes. The letter said that the aides were required to submit comprehensive documents detailing records of individual mandates and assignments to help the leadership of the Ninth Senate take off smoothly. Almost all the legislative aides are said to have complied with the directive. It is gathered that this is the first time aides of outgoing Senate President are preparing handover notes to assist those that would take over from them. The letter reads: You are aware that the life of the 8th Senate will terminate in June, 2019, after the inauguration of the 9th Senate. The 9th Senate will benefit from a comprehensive document detailing records of our individual mandates and assignments, major activities are undertaken, as well as advice on the consolidating achievements of the office of the President of the 8th Senate. You will please therefore prepare brief handover notes that should include the following: Name, rank/designation, basic responsibilities, key achievements under your mandate/responsibilities, assignments you are currently engaged in, any other matter you may wish to place on record that will assist the new Senate. Saraki has not disclosed who out of the three front line runners for the Ninth Senate Presidency he is backing. The leading contenders for the Senate Presidency include Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, who is yet to officially declare his intention to run for the position. Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday said the ongoing investigation of the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, is not personal. Magu stressed that contrary to allegations that Saraki was being witch hunted, his investigation was no different from others as the EFCC only invite people who have committed crime, people who are corrupt. He said this while receiving award for Outstanding Leadership in Public Service by Euro Knowledge Group. The Euro Group Award is a highest recognition for individual achievement and is awarded annually. The award acknowledges and celebrates exemplary leaders that have made signicant contribution and positive impact in their specic industry. No, no, its not personal. I am not after anybody. Please, I dont want you to personalise this. It is not different from other investigations we are doing, he said. When asked to comment on the statement by Saraki that he was being witch-hunted, Magu said never. You invite people who have committed crime, people who are corrupt. If you are not corrupt, you are not here. We do our homework very well: sometimes we conduct preliminary investigations for up to six months and such persons wont even know we are investigating them, Magu said. He described corruption as a national disaster and mother of all evils. If you remove disaster (corruption), you have a peaceful country. He said banditry, Boko Haram nuisance and other crimes were caused by corruption and sustained by corruption. It is being funded by stolen and laundered funds, thats why it is being sustained. The acting chairman, however, said that if corruption was tackled, banditry and kidnappings would be sorted out. He called on Nigerians and stakeholders to take ownership of the fight against corruption, saying that it was not a job for one individual alone. Magu expressed gratitude for the award saying it would spur him to do more in the fight against corruption. Mrs Olayinka Fayomi, Chairman, Foreign Investment Network (FIN), who presented the award on behalf of Euro Knowledge, said the award was in recognition of those who had impacted the economy. It is also in recognition of those who have impacted the system from which ever sector they are operating from, and the EFCC is one of them. Ever since the period Magu had been acting, there has been a tremendous improvement in the fight against corruption, she said. She said that with the award, Magu had become one of the African Change Agents. Saraki had recently come under pressure from the anti-graft agency. The EFCC had confirmed reports that it had opened a fresh investigation into Sarakis stewardship as President of the Senate as well as a probe of his earnings as governor of Kwara from 2003 to 2011. Tony Orilade, acting spokesman, EFCC, said in a statement that EFCC was obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and had supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone. It is in the interest of the public and for Sarakis personal good that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so. Indeed, all the instances in which the EFCC have had cause to sleuth into his financial activities either as a former governor or President of the Senate were driven by overarching public interest and due process of the law, he said. In his reaction, Saraki insisted that the action of the EFCC was a witch-hunt. Our attention has been drawn to the fact that the EFCC has marked certain property belonging to President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, obviously under the claim that they are subject of investigation. The action of the EFCC only reinforced our earlier stated position that their current investigation is mischievous, contrary to the tenets of the rule of law and only aimed at settling scores. Popular Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike has revealed that she wants to get a new boob on her birthday which comes up on June 9. In a... Popular Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike has revealed that she wants to get a new boob on her birthday which comes up on June 9. In a post on her Instagram page, @tontolet, on Tuesday, the mother of one posted her desire in the form of prayers to God. She wrote: Dear Lord Jesus, I have all I want for now. My birthday wish is that you make my schedule and that of Dr Ayo align so I have my new boobs in Jesus name I pray!! Thanks, daddy Lord. #KINGTONTO #KINGTONTOBIRTHDAYWISH #JUNE9TH #BUYING ME A NEW BREAST #BOOBSWISH #GEMINIBABY. Recall that Tonto Dike had in 2017 undergone cosmetic surgery in an unknown hospital. The 33-year-old revealed that she had not been confident of her body. My body has been something that I have always been extremely ashamed of, she revealed. Also, on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 Dikeh thanked her surgeon for the work he did on her body and wished him and his team a happy new year. According to series of posts on her Instagram in 2018, she did the first surgery for five million naira while the second surgery went for four million naira. In November 2018, she hinted on getting another plastic surgery. The Vice-Chairman of Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Galadima, on Monday said bandits killed six members ... The Vice-Chairman of Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Galadima, on Monday said bandits killed six members of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the area, adding that the council pays the hoodlums ransoms daily. Galadima said this when he received the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdurrahman Dambazau, who was in the state to assess the security threat being posed by banditry and listen to the challenges facing the people. Dambazau also visited the Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, in his palace where stakeholders expressed their travails at the hands of bandits operating in the state to the minister. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Galadima after highlighting the challenges being faced by the people of his local government area as a result of banditry said every day we pay ransom to bandits. He said, Six members of the Civilian JTF were attacked and killed on Sunday by the bandits after receiving their pay from Shinkafi town and were on their way back to their villages. Even yesterday (Sunday), these bandits sent a letter to the district head of Shinkafi town (saying) that they were coming to attack the town. This ugly situation is very disheartening; every day we pay millions of naira in ransom to these bandits. We really need governments urgent support to end this problem. Our women also suffer a lot (because) the bandits attack communities and abduct ladies from their parents homes. People no longer sleep with their two eyes closed in the night in Shinkafi LGA. We want the government to resolve the issue of shortage of troops and police. We only have 19 soldiers in this town. We need urgent intervention from the government; we are not satisfied with the efforts and strategies of the security agencies. We all know the camps where these bandits stay; even the security men are aware of these camps; our major concern is that security personnel are not getting to these bandits.We are hoping that with this visit, this problem will come to an end. According to Galadima, at least 98 communities in Shinkafi LGA have been deserted due to the activities of bandits in the state. Dambazau said, This is not my first visit to Zamfara; we started this process to ensure lasting solutions to these problems, not only in Zamfara State. President Buhari asked me to visit Shinkafi and Anka emirates in Zamfara to carry out the assessment and discuss these issues. The President also expresses his condolence over loss of lives and destruction of properties as a result of insecurity. It is the responsibility of government to ensure lives and properties are secure. That is why we must do everything possible to ensure the end of this situation. We commenced this process by meeting with the leaders of Miyetti Allah; we are going to consult with traditional rulers and governors of the most affected states. The Emir of Shinkafi, Alhaji Muhammad Makwashe-Isah, who praised the minister for the visit, urged the Federal Government to do more in fighting banditry in the state. Act fast, we cant go to farm again, Emir tells FG At Anka, the stakeholders bore their minds on the security situation in the state to Dambazau. that no fewer than 13,000 people had fled villages in his domain because of attacks by bandits. The Emir of Anka and Chairman of Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, told the minister, who paid him a condolence visit over the killings in his domain,that no fewer than 13,000 people had fled villages in his domain because of attacks by bandits. The traditional rule said the Federal Government must act fast to enable the people to farm this season. He stated, We are happy that the Minister of Interior has come here to see us and to condole with us over the tragedy we are experiencing. Now that you are here, our hope of getting rid of these criminals has been rekindled. We have witnessed a lot of killings and abductions of our people. As I am talking to you now, we have more than 13,000 people who have left their villages and relocated here (to Anka town). There are many others at different towns and villages. Some of them have even left the state. So, the issue of farming is not possible because the people have deserted their villages and unless Federal Government does something urgent and in time, many people would not have the chance to farm. The minister warned the bandits operating in Zamfara to either surrender immediately or be killed. Dambazau said the Federal Government had made adequate arrangements on how best to tackle banditry and other insecurity issues affecting the state. The minister maintained that the Federal Government would soon deploy adequate security personnel to root out bandits from Zamfara. He told the emir that President Buhari was very much worried over what was going on in the state and promised to get rid of the bandits within the shortest possible time. President Buhari is much worried about what is currently happening in Zamfara and that is why he sent me to visit you, Dambazau said. He explained that the Federal Government had mapped out strategies on how best to tackle the security issues in the state, calling on the people of the state to have patience. Once again, warn the bandits to either surrender or face the wrath of the law. I want to assure the people of Zamfara State that the Federal Government would very soon end the killings and kidnappings in the state.Once again, warn the bandits to either surrender or face the wrath of the law. Meanwhile, some survivors of banditry and kidnapping, who are taking refuge in various internally displaced persons camps in the North-West, have explained how their communities were attacked. While most of the IDPs in separate interviews claimed their attackers were Fulani, others stated that bandits levied villagers to avoid attacks. In Plateau State, although the survivors were not in the IDPs camps, they also claimed their attackers and abductors were Fulani. Bandits attacked our village because we didnt accommodate them Warwanna village, said security officials failed to arrest the bandits when the villagers complained about their activities. In Sokoto at the Gandi Primary School IDP camp in Rabah, Salish Ibrahim fromWarwanna village, said security officials failed to arrest the bandits when the villagers complained about their activities. Ibrahim, who is a member of the vigilante group in the village, said, The bandits attacked our village because we did not cooperate with them nor accommodate them. There were times they came to buy foodstuffs, petrol, call cards and other items. but no arrest was made. That was the only problem we had with them. Our people stopped selling these things to them when we discovered their identities and we reported to the government. The government sent security officialsbut no arrest was made. That was the only problem we had with them. We are left with no option but to form a vigilante group because in our village we dont have any security presence. Also at the camp, Ahmed Sidi, a resident of the Kursa village, lamented his idleness as the planting season approaches. Sidi said he was returning from farm when his village was attacked, adding that When we saw them in large numbers armed with guns, nobody told us to take to our heels. We cannot return home for now because those that attacked us are still loitering around our villages. Bandits asked five villages to pay N20m to avoid attacks Resident But a resident of the Aljimma village in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents that the bandits levied five villages in the area N20m. He said the bandits asked the villages to pay the money to avoid attacks. He stated, They would send a representative to our communities asking us to pay a certain amount of money running into millions of naira as a condition for living in peace. It has happened to our village and other neighbouring communities. Let me give you a breakdown of villages and the ransoms paid. They placed N10m ransom on Gora community, N5m on Faru village, N1.5m on Gidan Isah community, the people of Ilankwai village had to pay N2m while Gidan Baushe village was levied N2.5m . All the villages paid the levy but Im not sure whether Gora people were able to meet the demand. I was part of the team that took the ransom put on our village to the bandits inside the forest. We had to mobilise ourselves by going from house to house to collect the money in order to meet the demand. Failure to do so would be very calamitous on us. My son was with bandits for many days Journalist Narrating his ordeal, a journalist working with Zamfara Radio, Mallam Adamu Kanoma, revealed hat his son, Nura, spent many days with the bandits because of non-payment of ransom. He expressed happiness that the boy finally escaped from his abductors. On how to tackle banditry, the Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said all stakeholders must be involved in solving the banditry problem. Everyone, including the security agencies, government and traditional rulers, must play a role aimed at bringing this criminality to an end. Failure or otherwise cannot be attributed to the security agencies alone, he said. My abductors are Fulani Plateau nurse In Plateau State, investigations by one of our correspondents showed that in the past one month, over eight kidnapping cases were reported in Jos metropolis alone. The Village Head of Dong in Jos North Council Area, Augustine Agwom, in an interview said, We have not recovered from the shock of the kidnap incident of an 11-year-old boy at Barkin Ladi only for us to hear again of the abduction of Master Obedience Ishaya, a pupil of the Government Primary School, Dong. Im not happy that since his disappearance more than one month ago, he has not been found. Also residents of Rukuba Road community in Jos North said nearly every night, bandits struck and kidnapped people. A nurse in the community, Naomi Ezekiel, explained how she was kidnapped and released after her husband paid ransom to her abductors. She said, We were already sleeping in the house around 12.30 am when we were woken up by a loud sound at the door. Before I knew what was happening, three men, two of them bearing AK-47 rifles had entered our house. They demanded money and when my husband and I gave them all the money we had with us in the house, they said it was not enough. They said they would go with my husband claiming that they were sent by somebody to kill him, but my husband, who had agreed to go with them, escaped before they left the compound and they came back to the house and abducted me. We trekked from the compound to the bush and after we passed the School of the Deaf; they took me deeper into the bush. I slept on a mountain inside the bush. The people that abducted me were Fulani from the way they were looking. I dont like to mention the amount we paid them to release me but it was in hundreds of thousands of naira, which my husband provided. In Zamfara, it was gathered that the local governments worst hit by the menace were Maru, Maradun, Zurmi, Shinkafi, Gusau, Kaura-Namoda and Anka. A resident of Maru, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, the bandits that were attacking his people were Fulani herdsmen. Many of them are non-Nigerians living in the forest areas of the state. Although some of the Fulani are indigenes of the state, the majority of them come from neighbouring countries of Niger, Mali and Cameroon, he added. He reasoned that the Fulanis decision to join banditry could be blamed on cattle rustling. He said. One reason is the stealing of their animals by rustlers, who are also Fulani people from other countries. Many Fulani lost almost all their animals to rustlers, as such they were left with no option but to join the bandits since they could not farm or do any other business to survive. The kidnappers have become so daring nowadays. They send letters to villagers demanding huge amount of money. They go to collect the money knowing full well that nobody would dare them. Kidnappers are not Fulani but bandits Miyetti Allah But the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has denied the allegations against its members that they demand money from communities to avoid being attacked. The National Secretary, Miyetti Allah, Mr Saleh Alhassan, in an interview, said herdsmen should not be confused with bandits. Alhassan said, I dont think its true. Where? Who? Was it reported to any security agency? With all this misinformation going on, is it from a reliable source? Is it the DPO of a village or a local chief? Are the so-called Fulani herdsmen with herds of cattle or are they referring to bandits and nobody knows their identity? We must be careful because there is this stereotyping going on. Do we have ungoverned places in this country? I am not aware and I dont think its true because every inch of this country has leadership, either traditional, the DPOs or local government chairmen. We have councillors. We must be very careful with the kind of information we take as serious news. If somebody says someone is paying to access his land, where? Which northern community? People just want to raise unnecessary information but we know its all part of the larger politics. African Action Congress (AAC) National Executive Committee (NEC) has explained that it removed Omoyele Sowore as National Chairman... African Action Congress (AAC) National Executive Committee (NEC) has explained that it removed Omoyele Sowore as National Chairman of the party for alleged corruption. The party also confirmed the installation of Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the Acting National Chairman. Comrade Oladele Ade, Acting Director Communication, in a statement said Dr Nzenwa was until March 27 the National Secretary of the party. The party recalled that at its second NEC meeting in Abuja, Sowore and nine other NEC members of the party were accused of corruption and anti party activities. It said: NEC had in a letter inviting the former National Chairman of the party dated March 13, 2019 accused him of misappropriation of funds and failure to comply with the statutory requirements of the party to hold NEC meeting over a long period of time. The party in the said seven day notice asked him to appear before the NEC to clear himself of the said allegation. The notice of seven day summon was in accordance with article 51 (i) (ii) and Article 52 (n) of the party constitution. Sowore was alleged to have enjoyed inflow of foreign funds into the party and retaining same personally in contravention of section 225, (3) (4) of the 1999 constitution. The party leadership had also in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dated April 25 confirmed the suspension of Mr. Omoyele Sowore and nine others in accordance with Article 52 (k) of the party. The party has, therefore, asked INEC and any other persons or group of persons to, henceforth, recognise Dr. Nzenwa as its Acting National Chairman. The Acting National Chairman of the party and other members of the new NEC were sworn in today 13th May, 2019 at the 3rd NEC meeting of the party. The Acting National Chairman in a remark shortly after his inauguration however extended the olive branch to the former national chairman of the party and other suspended members. I hereby urge the former National Chairman of our great party and others to see the change of guard as a timely action taken in the best interest of the party. He said the party would no longer tolerate indiscipline, corruption and any other anti party activities by members. Dr. Nzenwa assured that his new team would reposition the party for greater Electoral fortunes adding that it will be no longer be business as usual A TD220 unmanned aerial vehicle with coaxial main rotor blades is exhibited at the 2018 National Mass Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week at Zhongguancun Science Park, Beijing, Oct. 9, 2018. Photo: Peoples Daily Online Chinas increasing investment in R&D is paying off as the country spares no effort to implement its innovation-driven development strategy. Zhongguancun Science Park, the first hi-tech industry pilot zone in China, achieved outstanding performance in the first quarter of this year. High-tech firms above designated level based in the zone saw total revenue of 1.3 trillion yuan ($189.62 billion), up 14.9 percent year on year. Income from technical sales also experienced rapid growth, increasing 23.7 percent from a year ago to 217.16 billion yuan. Major high-tech industries such as electronic and information, advanced manufacturing, as well as new material and its application saw growth of 17.4 percent, 11.4 percent and 11.3 percent respectively. Enterprises in the zone invested 50.84 billion yuan in R&D, up 20.9 percent from a year ago. Science and technology serve as a new driver of the long-term and stable economic development, and the performance of the Zhongguancun Science Park is a miniature. According to statistics released by the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of China's Ministry of Science and Technology, enterprises in Chinas 168 high-tech development zones achieved total revenue of 4.9 trillion yuan in the first two months of 2019, up 9.3 percent year on year. These enterprises paid total tax of 290.96 billion yuan, 12.4 percent more than they did a year ago, with a profitability standing at 6.1 percent. 46,000 enterprises were newly registered during this period, up 11.6 percent. By the end of February, the fixed assets investment of Chinas high-tech industrial zones has grown 7.4 percent to 441.96 billion yuan, 1.3 percentage points higher than the national average. The increased input in R&D of a country signals the improvement of its innovation capability. From 2013 to 2016, Chinas expenses on R&D saw an average annual growth of 11.1 percent, the highest in the world, and much higher than that of the US, the European Union (EU) and Japan. In 2017, China invested over 1.76 trillion yuan in R&D, up 12.3 percent year on year. The growth was 1.7 percentage points higher than that in 2016. The investment accounted for 2.13 percent of the countrys annual GDP, setting a historical high. The record was further renewed last year, with over 1.95 trillion yuan invested in the R&D sector, or 2.15 percent of the GDP, higher than 15 countries from the EU. In addition, China has also further optimized its R&D investment structure and resource allocation. Whats more, Chinese enterprises are not only expanding their R&D investment, but also extending their investment coverage from technical development to fundamental researches. Since 2018, technical giants including Alibaba, Tencent and Huawei have all established their respective research institutions, hoping to cement their position in fundamental researches. For a tree to grow tall and luxuriant, its roots must run deep and strong. The enhanced efforts to reinforce fundamental researches will no doubt lay a solid foundation for enterprises to make breakthroughs in core technologies and improve core competitiveness. If we compare innovation to a new engine of Chinas development, reform is the igniter of the engine is. By making huge efforts to reform the management system for science and technology, China has got rid of the institutional barriers that impeded innovation. The bold reform in project management and the use of funds relieves the burden for research staff and further stimulates their energy for innovation. Besides, the country has boosted the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, devolved the right to dispose the achievements, and simplified the approval procedure. As a result, the research staff can acquire more profits from their scientific achievements, which has greatly improved the enthusiasm of colleges and institutions to transform scientific achievements and the motion of scientific personnel to make innovations. In February, the science and technology innovation board was officially launched, opening a new gate of financing for scientific startups that acquire core technologies and possess huge potentials. By May 8, some103 companies have been listed on the board, raising a total fund of over 100 billion yuan. It will give a larger role of the capital market in the innovation-driven economy, and inject new impetus to the innovation of enterprises. In the January-March period, China received 341,000 invention patent applications, and 116,000 of them were approved. A total of 503,000 applications of patents on utility models were filed in the same period, and 375,000 were registered. In addition, 119,000 out of the 157,000 applications for design patents were granted. Both the numbers of approvals and ownerships of applications of invention patents and the patents on utility models saw different levels of growth, reflecting the enhanced enthusiasm and improved capability of innovation. The Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress recently amended the trademark law, outlining that the amount of compensation for malicious infringement of trademarks should be up to five times the amount of actual losses, compared with three times before the amendment. It also said the compensation upper limit should be raised from 3 million yuan to 5 million yuan. These revisions will take effect Nov 1. Such high compensation is rare even in the global context, which indicated Chinas resolution to enhance the protection of intellectual property rights. Seeds sowed in spring may result in a big harvest in autumn. Science and technology development, an increasingly stronger driving force, will make Chinese economy more stable, long-term, high-quality and efficient. Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, says the state could diversify its economy by tapping into the marijuana market. In a twee... Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, says the state could diversify its economy by tapping into the marijuana market. In a tweet on Monday, Akeredolu explained that with an estimated value of $145 billion in 2025, the state would be shortchanging itself if it ignores the marijuana business. We all know that Ondo State is the hot bed of cannabis cultivation in Nigeria, he wrote. We know how to grow it and it thrives well in the Sunshine State. With an estimated value of $145 Billion in 2025, we would be shortchanging ourselves if we failed tap into the Legal Marijuana Market. Our focus now is Medical Marijuana cultivation in controlled plantations under the full supervision of the @ndlea_nigeria. I strongly implore the FG to take this seriously as it is a thriving industry that will create 1000s of Jobs for our youth & spur Economic Diversification. We all know that Ondo State is the hot bed of cannabis cultivation in Nigeria. We know how to grow it and it thrives well in the Sunshine State. With an estimated value of $145 Billion in 2025, we would be shortchanging ourselves if we failed t tap into the Legal Marijuana Market https://t.co/qUtER7gUtI May 14, 2019 We all know that Ondo State is the hot bed of cannabis cultivation in Nigeria. We know how to grow it and it thrives well in the Sunshine State. With an estimated value of $145 Billion in 2025, we would be shortchanging ourselves if we failed t tap into the Legal Marijuana Market https://t.co/qUtER7gUtI May 14, 2019 The governor and Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), visited Thailand to learn more about extracting cannabis. At a programme held in Thailand on Monday, Akeredolu said they came to study how cannabis can be of more advantage to the state and Nigeria at large just the way Thai Government has done. Cannabis is used for medical purposes; how can it be cultivated for specific purposes and not be abused? Abdallah said that the current trend in the world is to look into the advantage of cannabis in the making of food and drugs. During the electioneering, Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), had said Nigeria will export marijuana if he gets elected as president of the country. He said people are making billions from the plant while Nigeria is lagging behind. We have to start taking care of our weed (Igbo), such that we can also contribute to the GDP of the world, he had said. In November 2018, most stores in Canada were reportedly struggling to meet the demand for cannabis, two weeks after the Canadian government had approved it for recreational use. Wang Junzi exchanges with his apprentice Song Zhaobing on the traditional firing skills of Ru porcelain at the heritage site of Ru porcelain kiln in Qingliangsi Village, Baofeng County of central China's Henan Province, May 8, 2019. Ru porcelain, one of the five famous kinds of porcelains during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in ancient China, is known for its azure color, light body, filmy grain and gentle textile. Wang Junzi, born in 1960, is a Ru porcelain firing craftsman in Qingliangsi Village of Baofeng County in central China's Henan, where the ancient official Ru porcelain kiln in Song Dynasty is located. In order to reproduce the beauty of "celestial blue" of Ru porcelain, Wang Junzi has devoted himself to tackling the key problems for more than 30 years. Influenced by his family and the culture of Ru porcelain, Wang Junzi has devoted himself to studying Ru porcelain since young. In order to solve a series of technical problems such as the preparation of azure glaze, Wang Junzi went to many porcelain producing places for advice, and through thousands of experiments, finally grasped the key technology of Ru porcelain firing and formed unique technical characteristics. Now he has gained the unique skills of Ru porcelain firing and has become the representative inheritor of firing skills of Ru porcelain, a national intangible cultural heritage. In order to carry forward the culture of Ru porcelain and inherit its skills, Wang Junzi has successively accepted nearly 20 apprentices since 2003. He has taught young people the traditional technological processes and methods of firing Ru porcelain, such as manual casting, glaze ingredients preparing, glazing and firing. With his efforts, Ru porcelain culture has become a symbol for the development of local cultural industry. "My dream is to recover, pass on and carry forward the art of firing Ru porcelain." Said Wang Junzi. (Xinhua/Li An) Zambia's first President Kenneth Kaunda (C) and other guests lay the foundation for the construction of a memorial park in Chongwe, Zambia, on May 13, 2019. Zambia on Monday held a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the construction of a memorial park that will commemorate the Chinese who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun) CHONGWE, Zambia, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Monday held a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the construction of a memorial park that will commemorate the Chinese who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA). The TAZARA Memorial Park will be constructed on a land about two hectares in Chongwe district of Lusaka Province. The ceremony was attended by both Zambian and Chinese government officials, including Zambia's first President Kenneth Kaunda and China's Minister of Veteran Affairs Sun Shaocheng. In his remarks, the Chinese minister commended the Chinese workers who sacrificed their lives and died during the construction of the project. Sun said about 50,000 Chinese workers at the time came to Africa to work in various projects and worked hard despite harsh conditions. He said Zambia and China have never forgotten the sacrifice of the martyrs, adding that their sacrifice to duty will motivate the two countries to work harder to cement the ties. According to Sun, the decision of the two governments to embark on a joint project to construct the memorial park was a mark of genuine friendship between the two countries. China, he said, was committed to making joint efforts with Zambia to carry forward the spirit of TAZARA and collaborate more in various areas for a shared future. Li Jie, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, said in his remarks that over 160 workers, including 69 Chinese nationals, sacrificed their lives during the construction of the 1,860-km railway line and deserved to be well remembered by the younger generation of the two countries. "In order to permanently commemorate the Chinese heroes who sacrificed their lives in Zambia and the history of friendly cooperation between China and Zambia, through friendly consultations, our two governments have decided to build a TAZARA memorial park." "We highly value the gesture of the Zambian government and people to make this great project happen," Li said. The Chinese envoy said the memorial park will be a history book for the younger generation of the two countries and that once completed, it will be a free park open to all and will also become a new landmark building to promote tourism. According to Li, TAZARA deserves to be regarded as an enduring monument as it has made indelible, historical monument contributions to the anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggles and to the development and revitalization of eastern and southern Africa. Li said in building TAZARA, the people of the three countries forged the great TAZARA spirit which has left an invaluable asset for the future generations. Kaunda said Zambia will never forget the sacrifice shown by China over the years and that the southern African nation will forever be grateful. Kaunda said the memorial park will go a long way in reminding people of the two countries of what happened in the past and that it will act as a symbol of enhanced cooperation between the two countries. Zambian President Edgar Lungu commended the collaborative efforts of the two countries to construct the memorial park, saying it shows the unwavering relations between the two countries. Lungu said in a speech read by Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji that the construction of the memorial park was a hallmark in the history of the friendship between the two countries. The Zambian president said the people of Zambia will always be grateful and remember the selflessness and generosity exhibited by China by providing various assistance. The president commended Chinese nationals who died during the construction of the railway line, adding that it was appropriate that a tribute was paid to them through the construction of the memorial park. 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. Ahead of her visit to China for the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, Singaporean President Halimah Yacob gave an interview to Peoples Daily. Singaporean President Halimah Yacob (Photo/www.istana.gov.sg) The Asian Civilizations Dialogue Conference is a timely opportunity for world leaders, academics and community leaders to come together to exchange experiences and share perspectives on how we can celebrate unity in diversity and promote harmony, peace and prosperity. Halimah said that cultural exchanges have taken place in Asia over a long period of time. With globalisation, this has expanded beyond Asia to the rest of the world, creating even more opportunities for mutual exchanges of experiences and knowledge, thereby boosting global development and innovation. Such exchanges have stimulated the cross-fertilisation of science, technology and ideas as well as spurred trade and investment. They have also helped countries to understand one another better, so that despite significant differences in cultures and social norms, all can appreciate one another, cooperate, and coexist peacefully for mutual benefit. When talking about Chinese culture, she said, "Chinese people have made great contributions to humanity since ancient times. For example, China was known for its Four Great Inventions the compass, paper, printing and gunpowder. During the Tang dynasty, the capital Changan was a cosmopolitan city. Many travellers came from all over Central Asia, and beyond. In the other direction, over the centuries Chinese philosophy and thinking have spread abroad, especially in East Asia, and adapted to local circumstances. The evolution of Confucian thought in different Asian societies provides an interesting illustration of this process of adaptation. I hope to see more such interactions across Asia that would promote an appreciation for one anothers cultures. This would enrich all of us. Singapore is an example of a harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious society. Halimah said, Race, language and religion have been fundamental issues for Singapore from the very beginning of our nationhood. Singapores founding fathers held firmly the vision of a multi-racial and multi-religious society, and enshrined it in our Constitution. Their goal was to build a united Singapore for all races, providing all Singaporeans with full and fair opportunities to fulfil their aspirations and improve their lives. Harmony is not achieved easily or by chance. It is the result of continuous hard work and deliberate policies. Although the different races in Singapore continue to maintain their own cultural and religious practices, Singaporeans also see the value of developing a national identity based on our core values such as equality, fairness, meritocracy, inclusivity and care and compassion. We see our diversity as our strength. The different races and perspectives are seen as adding value and providing better and more creative solutions to the challenges we face in a fast changing world. We are especially concerned that the minority communities, who are non-Chinese, are not marginalised, discriminated against, or put at a disadvantage by the majority. Singapore is unique our population is majority ethnic Chinese, but we see ourselves as a multi-racial country. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore. When talking about the relationship between the two countries, Halimah said, Singapore and China share a long tradition of close friendship and cooperation. In 2015, Singapore and China established an All Round Cooperative Partnership Progressing with the Times' to elevate bilateral cooperation to a higher level. Our cooperation is strong, multi-faceted, and forward-looking. Bilateral economic cooperation continues to make good progress. When we concluded the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (CSFTA) in 2008, it was the first comprehensive bilateral FTA between China and an Asian country. We upgraded the agreement last year. About bilateral cooperation, she said, Singapore is an early and strong supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative. Our three Government-to-Government projects with China the Suzhou Industrial Park, Tianjin Eco-City, and Chongqing Connectivity Initiative are making good progress. We look forward to working with China to enhance our existing cooperation and expand into new areas, such as smart city twinning and third party cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. Close and mutually beneficial relations between China and Singapore will show the world that China is able to cooperate with countries big and small, taking advantage of cultural similarities and yet appreciating the differences in their ethnic and religious compositions, and respecting the diverse world views and priorities of countries that result from their different populations, cultures, histories, and strategic perspectives, she said. Guo Weimin, vice minister of the State Council Information Office of China. (Photo/China Report) Aiming to strengthen people-to-people connectivity between China and ASEAN countries, the 2019 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum took place in Beijing on Tuesday, serving as a warm-up for the upcoming Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilisations. The event, which has attracted political figures, media representatives and scholars from China and all ASEAN countries, focuses mainly on Chinas media cooperation with ASEAN nations, after Chinese President Xi Jinping commended the role of the media in promoting the relationship between China and ASEAN nations in a congratulatory letter sent to the opening ceremony of the 2019 China-ASEAN Year of Media Exchanges in February. China and ASEAN countries share a cultural affinity and enjoy a long-standing relationship. For the past few years, media outlets from both sides have deepened their cooperation, jointly producing multi-language documentaries and articles, as well as sharing resources and materials, said Guo Weimin, vice minister of the State Council Information Office of China. 2019 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum kicks off in Beijing. (Photo/China Report) According to Guo, media outlets from both sides should take the responsibility to promote peaceful cooperation and dialogue in the region, as well as tackling issues hindering regional stability. Echoing Guo, AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, noted that strengthened media cooperation between China and ASEAN nations would further promote regional stability, as well as helping the public from both sides better understand each other. I believe that media outlets from China and ASEAN nations can cooperate in areas such as upgrading media skills, improving media effectiveness, as well as boosting engagement with citizens from both sides, said Mochtan. The forum organizers have pledged to build a platform for international communication and cultural exchange, inviting young media professionals from ASEAN nations to China, as well as strengthening technological cooperation in the media sphere. These days, a watch has to be precise, sometimes extremely precise. Why? No one really knows. It probably has something to do with elegant engineering and horological research. But if were honest, the fact that a watch might lose a few seconds each day has exactly zero effect on the day in question! Our smartphones, which everyone consults when they need to know the time, dont even show seconds, and as far as Im aware there has been no great outcry. But attitudes havent always been so relaxed. In centuries past, the quest for precision to the second was of paramount importance. In the 18th century, when the great seafaring nations, primarily England and France, were competing to accurately measure longitude, it was because a handful of seconds either way could result in navigation errors of dozens of nautical miles, which could lead to entire days wasted. Four minutes, nine deaths In the early 19th century, timekeeping precision became vital once again. This time the application was not on sea but on land, where the railway timetables had to be synchronised. The potentially terrible consequences of a lack of punctuality were forcibly brought home to watchmakers on 19 April 1891 in Cleveland, Ohio, when two trains collided head-on. The reason for the collision was that one of the drivers did not have the correct time, and started down the track before the previous train had had time to clear it. His watch was four minutes slow. He thought he had seven minutes to reach the next junction, but in fact he had only three. Nine people died. A defining event This tragic event is generally seen as the trigger for the creation of the railroad watch, a professional watch for the use of train drivers. In fact, it was one of the very first professional watches, and a distant precursor of the diving watches and military models that emerged during the Second World War, some 50 years later. Even today, few people are aware of the railroad watchs status as the worlds first tool watch. The birth of the RR watch Many brands weighed in on the creation of pocket watches that could be stamped with RR for railroad, denoting a certain level of precision. In fact, it was a jeweller based in Cleveland that became the first person to lay down a stringent set of guidelines. In 1891, Webster Clay Ball started the Ball Watch Company, a brand that still exists today. His criteria included accuracy to within 30 seconds per week the equivalent of four seconds per day, which was quite a feat for the time. Another requirement was that the watch be inspected every two weeks by a qualified watchmaker. The guidelines served their purpose. On 19 July 1891, the head of the Great Lakes railway appointed Webb C. Ball as Chief Time Inspector. His inspection system formed the basis of the vast Ball network, which would eventually cover 75% of North Americas railways, or over 280,000 km of track. A human and technological achievement No fewer than 37 brands were declared in compliance with the guidelines, including Hamilton, Longines, IWC, Omega and Zenith, as well as American brands Elgin and Waltham, since vanished. Louis Moinet Today, Ateliers Louis Moinet is reinventing the format with a subscription-based limited series to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad in the US, linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. It was opened after a six-year effort to cross the Sierra Nevada, avoiding Death Valley, and skirting around the mountains of Yosemite and the canyons and rapids of Missouri. East and West shook hands when the final rail was laid at Promontory Summit on 10 May 1869. To symbolise the event, a Golden Spike was driven in (later replaced by a regular steel crampon). Today, the Golden Spike is carefully preserved at the Stanford University museum in California. Louis Moinets reinvention Louis Moinet, the inventor of the chronograph, is now unveiling the Transcontinental. An ingenious automaton has been designed to reproduce the coupling rods used by the Jupiter and 119, the two locomotives that met on Promontory Summit in 1869. The rods are connected to the famous Golden Spike, which animates the centre of the piece with its up-and-down motion, recalling the thousands of crampons that were driven into the ground along the route. Hours and minutes are read from the centre of the watch, with the seconds in a subdial at 6 oclock, suggesting the front of a locomotive. To commemorate the year 1869, there will be 18 watches in 18K rose gold, and a further 69 in two-tone steel and 18K rose gold. Egypt's Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat met on Tuesday with head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission in Egypt Subir Lall to discuss the country's efforts to develop the tourism sector as part of its structural reform programme. El-Mashat told the head of the IMF mission and an accompanying delegation that Egypt's political leadership has been keen to support the tourism sector. During the meeting, the minister spoke about the economic development Egypt has achieved in all sectors. The minister said that the political leadership is approaching the tourism sector from an economic perspective. El-Mashat said that structural reform is difficult and takes a long time to achieve, but ultimately puts countries on a sustainable path of development and eliminates obstacles that any sector may face. The minister said Egypt's structural reform programme focuses on achieving sustainable tourism development in line with the goals of sustainable development adopted by the United Nations. The minister stressed the importance of the tourism sector in the economic growth of countries as one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world economy, accounting for 30 percent of service exports. El-Mashat said that the tourism sector accounts for 20 percent of Egypt's gross domestic product and employs 3 million people. The minister noted the remarkable rise in the number of tourists coming to Egypt in 2019 and 2018, pointing out that the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) has given President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi the organisation's shield in recognition of his effective support of tourism through the launch of the structural reform programme to develop the tourism sector. She explained that the ministry is now targeting several international partnerships such as cooperation with CNN International and Beautiful Destination to promote Egypt in an innovative way through its digital platforms on social networking sites. The minister also said that the under construction Grand Egyptian Museum will present a great opportunity to diversify tourism programmes and bolster cultural tourism. The IMF mission praised the economic reform measures witnessed in Egypt in recent years as well as the structural reform programme reviewed by the minister. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt strongly condemned attacks by explosive-laden drones on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Egypt expresses solidarity with and support for the brotherly government and people of Saudi Arabia against any attempts targeting the security and stability of the kingdom, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It highlighted the firmly-established brotherly bonds and coordination at the highest level between the two nations in face of joint challenges and to confront terrorism and all threats targeting their national security and security of the Arab world and the entire region. Saudi Arabia said earlier on Tuesday that two pumping stations on the East-West pipeline were attacked by terrorist drones which caused a fire and minor damage to Pumping Station No. 8. The fire has since been contained, Minister of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources Khalid bin Abdel Aziz al Falih said. The East-West pipeline transports Saudi oil from the Eastern Province to Yanbu port. Saudi Aramco Company has taken all necessary measures and temporarily shut down the pipeline to evaluate its condition, the minister also said. The company is working on restoring the pumping station prior to resuming operations, he added. Al-Falih confirmed that Saudi Arabia condemns this cowardly attack, emphasizing that this act of terrorism and sabotage in addition to recent acts in the Arabian Gulf do not only target the Kingdom but also the security of world oil supplies and the global economy. "These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran," he said. The minister concluded the statement by asserting that Saudi oil production has not been interrupted. Search Keywords: Short link: From counseling to the commissary, how the private sector shapes 'offender-funded justice' Fines and fees are standard procedure in the criminal justice system -- and the greater an accused person's involvement, from challenging a traffic ticket to a felony conviction, the higher the costs. What's more, the entities levying those fines and fees aren't always the public agencies in charge. Private companies often contract to provide the very services that citizens are required to pay for: a bail bondsman after an arrest, a drug and alcohol assessment for a DUI, phone calls and video chats while in prison. Put simply, these private companies are profiting from a captive population, and at the direction of the government, said Alexes Harris, a University of Washington professor of sociology. Harris, who is leading a national study of legal financial obligations, has demonstrated the disproportionate impact of court-imposed fines and fees on the poor and on people of color. In Washington state, for example, African Americans are 2.3 times more likely than whites to be sentenced to fines and fees, and carry about three times the debt from unpaid monetary sanctions, according to a preliminary analysis of data that Harris presented last spring with her then-UW colleague Frank Edwards, who is now at Rutgers University. In a paper published May 13 in the journal Criminology and Public Policy, Harris and two research assistants, Tyler Smith and Emmi Obara, use two Washington state examples as case studies of what they see as the extensive reach of the private sector into an already discriminatory system. One is Seattle Municipal Court's use of a private fee-collection agency, as well as various penalty expenses associated with a DUI case, such as the installation of an ignition interlock device. The other is the contract between the Washington state Department of Corrections and a prison technology company called JPay, which handles financial accounts for inmates and provides music players and video-chat capabilities. Both arrangements, Harris said, demonstrate how the private sector is embedded in the system of fines and fees. "We're raising the question: To what extent is this more efficient and effective? These kinds of fees -- probation fees, private electronic monitoring, DUI services -- become barriers to certain individuals who can't afford to pay," Harris said. "When you overlay that with private entities who are in the business to make a profit, we should ask: Is there a less expensive way to levy punishments where private entities aren't making profits off of people?" In the article, Harris and her colleagues describe how the connection between public and private has grown over time. As tougher crime laws in the late 20th century led to higher inmate populations, a concurrent interest in managing costs led lawmakers around the country to open the door to private prison-management firms. As of 2015, about 126,000 people who were incarcerated were being held in privately run prisons, an 83 percent increase since 1999. Other researchers have termed this trend the "corrections-commercial complex," the offloading of traditionally public responsibilities to private providers in the name of cost savings and revenue generation, and the levying of financial penalties "offender-funded justice." In the case of DUIs in Seattle Municipal Court, people may face a series of financial obligations, based on the conditions imposed by a judge. They may be required to post bail; to install an ignition interlock device on their car (and pay a monthly calibration fee); participate in electronic home monitoring; attend Alcohol and Drug Information School; submit to periodic urine tests, and more. These costs can run into the hundreds of dollars -- all court-mandated expenses, and all paid to private entities. It's not unreasonable for people to have to pay some penalty for their role in a crime, Harris pointed out. But when legal financial obligations far exceed a person's means -- while, at the same time, people who can afford to pay can more easily fulfill their court-mandated requirements -- that creates a "two-tiered system of justice." "We should consider how to make financial punishments proportionate to the crime and to people's ability to pay," she said. Recently the Washington State legislature passed a bill that amended how legal financial obligations are sentenced. Among the changes S.B. 1783 prospectively eliminated was the interest on fines and fees sentenced, though 12% interest remains on any restitution imposed on defendants. The legislation requires judges to use an existing state law to determine whether a person is indigent for the purposes of imposing and enforcing the collection of legal financial obligations. In their article, Harris and her colleagues identify a national prison tech firm, JPay, as an example of a virtual monopoly within the walls of a prison. For the Washington state Department of Corrections, JPay manages inmate financial accounts, through which people who are incarcerated can buy items at the prison commissary and pay for phone calls and other services. Transferring money to an inmate's account from outside carries a fee, as does a transfer from a general account to a special JPay Media Account, which is established strictly for purchasing JPay's preprogrammed music players, and video chats. With a contract to provide all the available goods and services, JPay-- or any company with such an arrangement -- essentially has a monopoly inside the prison, Harris said. There's no incentive to lower prices, she added. State policymakers should examine such contracts and ask not only whether there is a less costly way of providing services, but also how the services are being evaluated -- starting with whether the people who use the services are happy with them. There are signs of movement on the issue of legal financial obligations. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Constitution's Eighth Amendment, which prohibits excessive fines, fees and forfeitures, along with "cruel and unusual punishment," also applies to the states. The question, Harris added, is how states will define "excessive." In Washington, the state Supreme Court in April ruled that a person's Social Security benefits could not be used to satisfy legal financial obligations, however courts may still sentence people who receive such benefits to mandatory fines and fees. Previous rulings have defined indigence and how that definition can apply to a person's ability to pay certain court-imposed fines and fees. And at the local level, Kitsap County in April and May held "Legal Financial Obligation Reconsideration Days," when people could appear before a judge and argue for debt forgiveness. An estimated 1,000 turned out. These sorts of developments can rally people around the issues of legal financial obligations, and the entities that charge and collect them, Harris said. "These systems force a frequently captive audience, literally and figuratively, to pay these private fees for required court sentences and ways to maintain connections to their families," Harris said. "Can we have a conversation about punishment that addresses the unequal nature of our system of justice, one that creates a lifelong financial burden for people who are poor, and allows private companies to profit?" ### Co-authors on the article were Smith, a graduate student in the UW Department of Sociology and Obara, a doctoral candidate in the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. For more information, contact Harris at yharris@uw.edu or 206-685-4763. This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain left Cairo on Tuesday afternoon concluding a three-day visit to Egypt during which he had talks with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on means of promoting joint Arab action, especially in light of current challenges faced by the Arab region. Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement on Sunday that talks between the two leaders come as part of their bilateral meetings to probe ways of fostering Egyptian-Bahraini cooperation in different fields, the spokesman added. President El-Sisi and the Bahraini monarch also reviewed a number of regional files of common concern, the spokesman noted. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed the importance of Sudan's stability and security to the chairman of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki during a meeting in Cairo. In an official statement, Egyptian presidency spokesman Bassam Rady said that El-Sisi discussed Egyptian efforts to support Sudan, especially through a consultation summit hosted by Cairo for Sudan's regional partners last April. The summit aimed to bolster regional consultation and determine the grounds for clear understanding from the regional parties with a stake in the developments in the country. Sudan has been witnessing instability after the ouster last month of longtime ruler Omar Al-Bashir. El-Sisi also discussed providing aid to Sudan to help the country complete its transitional phase successfully and fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the Sudanese people. Mbeki, a former president of South Africa, hailed Egypt's significant role in ensuring peace and security in Africa, especially during its current presidency of the African Union, Rady added. Mbeki said that Egypt assumed the AU chairmanship during a critical period in the bloc's history, highlighting the key role Egypt plays in supporting cooperation within Africa. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Al-Azhar strongly condemned attacks by explosive-laden drones on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Al-Azhar said that such "abhorrent"attacks aim to undermine the stability and security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are rejected by the Abrahamic religions. The Islamic religious institution called on the international community to unite its efforts to combat terrorism. Egypt's foreign ministry also released a statement expressing solidarity and support with Saudi Arabia in the face of any attempts to undermine the security and stability of the country. Saudi Arabia said earlier on Tuesday that two pumping stations on its East-West pipeline were attacked by drones, causing a fire and minor damage to one of the stations. The East-West pipeline transports oil from Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province to Yanbu port. Saudi oil company Aramco has temporarily shut down the pipeline to evaluate its condition, according to Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources Khalid bin Abdel-Aziz Al-Falih. Al-Falih said that Saudi Arabia condemns this "cowardly attack," calling it an act of terrorism and sabotage that not only targets the kingdom, but also the security of world oil supplies and the global economy. Search Keywords: Short link: Self-styled Queen of swag, Pokello Nare has told female university graduates to dump their academic degrees and focus on things that would help them break from their current unemployment misery in a harsh economic environment. Pokello Tells Loafer Varsity Graduates To Dump Their Useless Degrees The 33-year-old former Big Brother Africa housemate was a speaker at a Saturday Sheroars held at the University of Zimbabwe.Sheroars is a local platform that gathers young women to celebrate their successes and also share some inspiring testimonials on their achievements.Pokello said the Zimbabwean economy was not any yielding to employment seekers from the countrys universities.The outspoken mother of two boys said she has since put aside her own degree in Business Management and Media to focus on promoting her business empire.I am a brand influencer for seven brands locally and in South Africa. What that means is, when you guys cannot get fuel, I get it for free as I advertise that brand, she said.She added, I do voice-overs for a lot of radio commercials and I still model and I think I am one of the oldest models in the country.These degrees that you are studying for are going to accumulate dust on walls.The showy socialite said the nature of the countrys economy demanded individuals who were more innovative than wait for elusive jobs to come from somewhere.The Zimbabwean economy right now needs you to be more innovative because chances of you having a job are almost zero.The rate of unemployment in the country is going to force you to think outside the box, follow your passion and do things that you like in the Zimbabwean economy.If you are thinking you are going to get a job, I am going to be working 8 to 5 pm, you are fooling yourself. I dont want to beat about the bush; trust me.Start your own businesses. Start from zero, go up and down because that is Zimbabwe today.Pokello has over half a million followers on Instagram and over 300 000 followers on other platforms which she said she uses to advertise her products and those of other companies. Return Of The Dutch Grand Prix Posted by: ASkyler on May 14, 2019 - 06:36 AM Return Of The Dutch Grand Prix The return of the Dutch Grand Prix came as a surprise to very few today. Talks have been in the works for a while, and the dunes of Zandvoort will once again reverberate to the sound of a Formula One car next year. Or rather, 20 Formula One cars. Zandvoort has been a regular stopping point for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing in recent years, with the Live Demo team entertaining Grand Prix sized crowds at the Jumbo Racedagen event with everything from extreme caravan racing to synchronised donuts down the start finish straight. Impatient as we are, weve decided not to wait until next year and so well be back in Zandvoort this weekend with Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly and our RB7s to provide a full measure of donuts, burnouts and speed runs before we head to the Riviera and the Monaco Grand Prix. Unsurprisingly, Max is familiar with the track and blitzed a 1:19.511 in an RB8 to set an unofficial lap record, beating the former by almost three seconds. "Its just an iconic, historic track" he commented. "I have raced there before with F3 and it was a lot of fun. I compare the track a little bit with Suzuka because its designed by the same person so I can understand that the characteristics are a bit similar. Its a pretty quick track and its always good and exciting to have new ones on the calendar. Ive done a few laps and donuts in an F1 car there too and the track was actually pretty challenging because you have a few banked corners, some places are very narrow and theres no run off. Its very cool, and with no run off, its quite hard to find the limit. On some other tracks its a bit easier but that also makes it more exciting." Still fresh from his ice karting experience earlier this year with Max in Biddinghuizen, Pierre is looking forward to returning to the Netherlands. "Its cool to have a new track in the calendar" he said. "Ive been to Zandvoort before in Formula Renault and its a really cool and challenging track with the banking. Just the fact that its super narrow makes it quite exciting so I like it. I havent been there often but Im excited to go back and Turn 6, the really fast right hander, must be pretty amazing in an F1 car with the downforce. I think, like everything in life, when you have something new youre always excited to discover what its like. Zandvoort is an iconic track so lets see how it goes. It will be a busy season but Im happy." PaddockTalk Perspective It's officially scamming season. Hot on the heels of the Anna Delvey conviction comes a new elaborate scam, this time starring a super rich heiress, a celebrity hairstylist, and a fake wedding. William Jordan Blackmore, founder of the Three Squares Studios in Chelsea who counts Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth Olsen, and Selena Gomez among his clients, married his longtime girlfriend Andi Potamkim in 2015 in a lavish $1 million ceremony in Utah. Except Blackmore claims the whole thing was a sham put on by his would-be wife. Potamkim, whose family owns the Potamkin Auto Group, had her yoga instructor friend officiate the ceremony during four days of extravagant celebrations that reportedly included horseback riding, zip lining, hiking, yoga, watercolor classes, karaoke, a BBQ and s'more buffet, lunching by the pool and "movies under the stars." Additionally, the happy couple apparently had the guests flown in on private jets and put up in the expensive Amanigiri Resort, where suites cost up to $4350 a night. Suffice to say, it was pretty insane. Only the yoga instructor was never ordained, the marriage was never registered, and hence it was never legal. And now Blackmore wants restitution. The hairstylist has filed a lawsuit against Potamkin, alleging that she, along with father Alan Potamkin, planned the entire elaborate ceremony as a PR stunt to get attention and never intended to "officially" marry him in the first place. The groom is now seeking $2 million in damages and to have the prenup declared not binding. Potamkim reportedly broke up their relationship earlier in December, claiming they were "consciously uncoupling" a la Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. The breakup was accompanied by a "draft separation agreement" by Potamkim alluding to their wedding as "symbolic." "The truth was that Andi never wanted to marry Jordan; she just wanted a lavish wedding experience, a public-relations stunt and the attention that came with it," the lawsuit says. According to Blackmore, the "stunt" was planned by the family, who were reportedly concerned about Potamkin's "financial future" after Blackmore appeared reluctant to sign a prenup. Although he eventually did sign it, he claims that the Potamkim family went ahead with their scheme anyway and the father "actively participated in and assisted the fraud." Related | New York Grifter Anna Delvey Convicted of Fraud The New York Post's initial report says that Potamkin denied the allegations, saying that the lawsuit "includes tons of untrue and irrelevant information about my family, included for no purpose other than to attempt to publicly embarrass us." But according to a recent twist in the saga, both Potamkin and Blackmore have mutually agreed to legally register their marriage in Utah before officially filing for divorce. "Both parties agree that they had a beautiful destination wedding, that they were very much in love, and that they lived together as husband and wife," Potamkin's lawyer, Jennifer Altman told the outlet. "Indeed, both parties have filed to recognize the marriage in the state of Utah. There is a prenuptial agreement that sets forth the terms under which the assets will be distributed upon divorce." Blackmore's attorney, however, claims the sudden change of heart hints at Potamkin's guilt. "Andi Potamkin's current change of position is all too convenient an effort to distance herself from the fraud." Apparently, all is fair in love and scams. In one of his first moves as chief creative officer of Burberry, Riccardo Tisci sought to bring the storied British fashion house into the 21st century by revamping the brand from the ground up. Enlisting the aid of graphic designer Peter Saville, Tisci looked to bridge the gap between Burberry's rich heritage and a sleek, new, future-facing direction with the launch of a new logo and monogram pattern that interweaves the two visions. Burberry is merely days away from the launch of their new Monogram Collection, the first collection designed by Tisci for the house, and has now unveiled superstar model Gigi Hadid as the sole face of their new campaign. Shot by Nick Knight, it is Hadid's first campaign for the brand following her appearance in their Fall 2019 runway show and it sees her inhabiting all four characters that comprise the Burberry family: the girl, the boy, the lady, and the gentleman. The collection features a range of versatile looks that span from the casual to the formal, day to evening, the youthful and the refined, all wallpapered with the brand's new letters. "I have always loved and respected Riccardo's work, and I feel so honored and grateful that he trusted me with this project," Hadid said about working with Tisci in a release. "The timing just felt perfect. It gave us our first opportunity to really get to know each other. The second I heard the creatives for this shoot, I understood how I wanted to bring that to life and show different sides of myself through each character." The Monogram Collection goes on sale May 22 and will be available to shop online and in select Burberry locations worldwide. Photos Courtesy of Burberry Egypt's National Coordinating Committee on Preventing and Combating Illegal Migration (NCCPIM) plans to launch a national awareness campaign on human trafficking on Tuesday evening. The campaign, to be launched under the theme: "Together against human trafficking," comes in pursuance of the 2016-2021 National Strategy on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking, NCCPIM Chairperson Naela Gabr told MENA on Tuesday. The national campaign aims at increasing public awareness about all forms of human trafficking, Gabr added. It will also urge citizens to report any activities related to human trafficking and will brief them on the legal penalties against traffickers. Search Keywords: Short link: Iran Parliament allows Iranian mothers to pass citizenship to children 05/13/19 Source: Mehr News Agency Lawmakers overwhelmingly ratified details of a bill today which allows Iranian mothers to pass on citizenship to their children. The bill was approved in Monday's open session of the Parliament by 170 votes in favor, 21 votes against, and 4 abstentions out of 213 MPs in attendance. Source: Iranian daily Etemad The general outlines of the bill had been ratified yesterday which allows Iranian citizenship to be granted to children born to foreign fathers and Iranian mothers. According to the bill, mothers can pass on citizenship to their children before the age of 18. However, after that age, children themselves should submit the request which will be agreed to if the Ministry of Intelligence approves their case. The bill notes that the security inquiry process should not exceed more than three months and that the Iranian police should issue a visa for the foreign father during this period. The bill will be next addressed in the Guardian Council and if approved, will become law. Parliament revokes act on obligatory permits for Iranian women marrying foreigners Lawmakers also revoked an act that obliges Iranian women to obtain a permit from the government for their marriage to foreign national men. The MPs on a Monday session at the Parliament revoked Article 1060 of the civil code, which obliges Iranian women to obtain a permit from government for their marriage to foreigners. Speaking to Mehr correspondent, MP Alireza Rahimi said with the amendment to the law, Iranian women no longer need to obtain a permit from government for marrying a foreigner, but they still need to register their marriage in the Iranian embassies. Foreign ministry backs granting citizenship to children with foreign fathers Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi on Monday quashed the rumors about the ministry's disagreement with granting citizenship to children with foreign fathers. "The bill on giving Iranian citizenship to children born of foreign fathers and Iranian mothers was prepared and submitted to the Parliament with cooperation of the foreign ministry," the spokesperson said. PCCs Director of Student Equity, Dr. Michaela Mares-Tamayo, unveiled her new three-year plan to improve data for five key metrics in the college experience to the Associated Students (AS) on April 24. It is named the Student Equity Plan (SEP). This comprehensive document tracks student data through five critical steps (the lifecycle) in their time at PCC; enrollment, retention, transfer-level English and math, completion (certificate or degree), and transfer. The data, lifecycle metrics and student groups were defined and provided by the California Community College Chancellors Office in Sacramento. We received our data in March of this semester [2019], Mares-Tamayo told the Academic Senate. Admittedly, [it] is a huge assortment of data having passed it through the Student Success Committee (SSC) and done some work on making sense of it. The slick but sobering overview shows the lifecycle and metrics where actual student data falls below baseline data. Each difference represents an equity gap. The plan establishes corrective strategies and projected numbers for each gap by 2022. Disadvantaged students facing these gaps experience a more difficult time pursuing education. The report identifies six groups of disadvantaged students. including students of two color ethnicities (African American and Latinx), students with disabilities, foster youth, students self-identified as LGBT, and veterans. Most notably, transfer-level English and math is troublesome. Actual data fell below baseline data in this metric for all groups. Math assistant professor Linda Hintzman strongly supports the plan. As a member of the SSC, she has a particular insight into the transfer-level math life cycle metric. Hintzman compared PCCs data to broader statewide data of community college students. Our long pipeline of remedial courses was not, at all, facilitating completion of transfer It was a death trap for our students, Hintzman said. They just werent getting through those courses. In a recent strategy, PCC removed many of the remedial non-transferable level 400 and 100 courses, in both math and English. It took effect this academic year. I truly believe that based on the data that were seeing, that we will continue to see increased completion, Hintzman added. So I dont think removing those courses is going to damage our students. I think its going to give them access. They come to college, we tell them theyre college ready, and they will believe us. Yarenni Reyes, AS Vice President of Cultural Diversity, appreciated Mares-Tamayos visit. I was actually very impressed by the data that she showed us, Reyes said. The LGBTQ students were way down Thats very shocking to me, and thats something that I think we should start working on as soon as possible. What data cannot effectively capture is the actual human experience. Reyes immediately saw a potential correlation between the LGBTQ data and daily life on campus. They dont feel like they were being welcomed when they register for their classes, Reyes said. The Queer Alliance president talked to me, and she was saying that in the WiFi Lounge, theres been rude comments made to the queer community. The lifecycle metrics may show equity gaps, though the data itself may not explain why gaps are happening. Some students are scared of speaking up, and I totally understand that, Reyes said. And now that we look back into what she [Mares-Tamayo] presented, it totally makes sense. PCCs African American students also faced equity gaps at each metric in the lifecycle in Mares-Tamayos slides. She mentioned how, for African Americans, its because theres a really small population here at PCC, Reyes said. I think maybe thats why they dont have enough data I think that once we get a higher number of students, I think it will look better. The plans executive summary indicates planned increases by 2022 for African American students. According to the summary, highest increases are anticipated in enrollment, transfer-level English and math, and completion. The AS did not see the executive summary. It is a document with 16 pages of paragraphs and tables. Mares-Tamayos presentation was based on the summary. Both documents were included when Mares-Tamayo presented to the Academic Senate on May 6. The summary includes a variety of strategies within each metric, designed to improve the current results. Costs for these strategies will be paid through state funds in the Student Equity and Achievement Program. For 2018-2019, SEAP had $475 million available to community colleges statewide. The SEP has a deadline of June 30, 2019. The Academic Senates approval of it at the first reading on May 6 moved the plan forward. Mares-Tamayo is co-chair of the Student Success Committee, which is overseeing the plan. According to the SSCs page, no new meetings have been scheduled in May. The Ghana National Bureau will on Wednesday, 29th May, 2019, celebrate the ECOWAS Brown Card Day in Accra. It would be under the theme: The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme: A Catalyst for Trade Facilitation and Regional Integration. The Executive Committee of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme declared 29th May of every year as ECOWAS Brown Card Day to be celebrated in each member state. The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme Protocol was signed on 29th May, 1982 in Cotonou, Benin by ECOWAS Heads of State. Commenting on the upcoming ECOWAS Brown Card Day, the CEO and General Secretary of the Ghana Bureau of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme, Patrick K. Agyekum, said various addresses shall be presented by major stakeholders of the Scheme including the Commissioner of Insurance. With the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration billed as the guest of honour, the Secretary General of the Council of Bureaux of ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme in Togo, Winfred Dodzih will also grace the occasion, as well as CEOs of member insurance companies of the Brown Cards Scheme. The event would be chaired by Emmanuel Baba Mahama, a seasoned insurer, accountant and corporate governance expert. The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme was established by Protocol A/P1/5/82 in Cotonou to aid free movement of persons and goods and services across national boundaries of ECOWAS member states. It serves as a common insurance cover against third party liabilities that visiting motorists may incur while they drive across various national boundaries in the ECOWAS Region. 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 Elsewhere in this edition, there is a bad story about the police: an Inspector and his subordinates beat up a colleague cop in Winneba in the full glare of onlookers. Not even his self-identification that he is a colleague cop saved him from the assault of his colleagues, who eventually dragged him, as it were, to the Winneba District Police Station. Sadly the attackers officers from the Rapid Deployment Force beat up the Inspector under the watch of their superior officer, an Assistant Superintendent of Police. Notwithstanding beating him up, their side of the coin was wrong. The act of pulling the victim from a taxi and assaulting him is a pointer to how much indiscipline has become a feature of the law enforcement agency in the country. It is regrettable that the law enforcement institution should be showing such moral fault lines. It is strange that police officers would do what they did to a colleague. Were the man to be a civilian perhaps they would kill him and claimed that he attacked them with an imaginary weapon. We expect that those involved in this shameful act would be brought to book in consonance with Service Orders. What moral authority would such cops have to attempt restoring public order when this is being breached in town? Of course, they have lost this important condition of policing self control. As for their commander, the Assistant Superintendent of Police, we wonder whether he must continue being a commissioned officer. He should either be sacked or demoted to the rank of a Corporal. Assuming that the assaulted cops did what the superior officer claimed he did obstructing the police from doing their work was watching his men assault a human being the way it happened the right thing to do? A commander is expected to exude discipline by proper control of his men and certainly not encouraging them to be disorderly and to conduct themselves in a manner not commensurate with the standards of policing. We expect the RDF men who were deployed for duties at the Aboakyir Festival in Winneba and who are at the centre of the shameful act to be put on orders immediately. They are unfit to don the uniform of police officers. They do not understand what policing is about and cannot be counted upon to be good ambassadors of the Ghana Police Service. The efforts at changing the image of the police can only start when such bad nuts are identified through their bad conduct and eliminated from the Service. Ghana needs a new crop of police officers and superior officers alike and not the like of the RDF officers who disgraced themselves and the Ghana Police Service near a Winneba taxi rank. In an age of social media driven pictures, we would not be surprised if pictures of the brawl were taken and distributed across the world. Shame unto the officers! We expect the PR outfit to come out with a statement on this incident and what actions are being preferred against the defaulters. We have had too much of such indiscipline from the police. Tags: Editorial\, Ghana Police Service Source: Editorial/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 A 22-year-old Nigerian man has been hauled before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a six-year-old girl at Lomnava in Accra. It is the case of the prosecution that Vitalis Obiajuru had anal sex with the girl and also inserted his fingers into her vagina in April this year. The accused pleaded not guilty to two counts of defilement and indecent assault and was granted bail in the sum of GH20,000 with three sureties, two of which must be Ghanaians. The court, presided over by Rita Abrokwah Doko, also ordered him to deposit his passport with the court registry. Hearing continues on June 3, 2019 Alleged incident Presenting the prosecutions case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Agnes Boafo said Obiajuru is a barber who lives in the same neighbourhood with the girl and her mother. She said in April this year, Obiajuru lured the girl who was playing behind a shop into his shop. Obiajuru took off the girls pants and forcibly had anal sex with her. After satisfying himself, he gave the girl GH1 to make her to keep quiet over the matter, the prosecutor said. Later in the month, DSP Boafo further stated, Obiajuru saw the girl playing with her siblings and lured her into his shop again. This time round, he inserted his fingers into the girls vagina and after satisfying himself he again gave her GH1, she said. According to the prosecutor, the girl disclosed her ordeal to her siblings who in turn informed their mother. On April 28, this year the girls mother lodged a complaint with the police and Obiajuru was arrested. 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 United Kingdom women's wing of the New Patriotic Party led by Madam Shirley Kyei has donated isorted items to the Dzorwulu Special School as part of the mother's day celebration. The Dzorwulu Special School were presented with items including bags of rice, cartons of soft drinks, sachets of water and soaps, toilet roll and cooking oil. The United Kingdom women's organizer of the New Patriotic Party(NPP)madam Shirley Kyei said the group decided to support them as part of the mother's day celebration and children who have lost thier mothers and also due to the hardships they were facing. She said the group, whose members include workers, students, businessmen and women and market women, would continue to contribute to support children who are facing alot of challenges as well as mothers so that they can also feel as a family. Maame Shirley Kyei said the children, through no fault of theirs, had been abandoned and it behoved on society to support the good people who had taken pains to care for them. She assured the children and staff of the Dzorwulu Special School that they will continue to support them if they call for thier aid and also urged other stakeholders and entrepreneurs to support the needy. She was accompanied by other party executives, Awo Akufo, (milton Keynes, women organizer, UK), Nana Akosua Nyamekye (NPP Belgium women Organiser), Gifty Asare, (Dept communication Driver, Spain), Juliet Ofori Atta, (Ayawaso West Wougon women's organizer). Receiving the items of behalf of the school, the assistant head master, Mr. Fred Tetteh thank the United Kingdom women's wing of the New Patriotic Party for thier kind gesture and called on other entrepreneurs,stakeholders to support them as well. 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 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) has said. 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: 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 It has emerged that the 43-year-old Chinese woman who jumped bail last week after being caught in possession of large quantities of rosewood has over 30 containers of the banned product. Police sources say Helen Huang, who is at large after being granted police enquiry bail, wrote in her statement that there are between 30 and 40 containers of rosewood currently around Tumu in the Upper West Region. Police intelligence indicated that Helen Huang escaped to Togo after jumping bail in Tamale but has been frequenting Tumu. A police source said she has been spotted in Tumu. She said in her statement that she has between 30 and 40 containers of rosewood in Tumu. Already, Mohammed Bondirigbum, a freelance journalist, who stood surety for Helen Huang, has been granted bail. The Tamale Circuit Court, presided over by Justice Twumasi, granted Mohammed Bondirigbum bail with two sureties. The court said the sureties should be individuals who are government workers earning GH3,000 each or with landed property worth about GH130,000. The judge ordered the police to offload the rosewood and transport the two trucks to the court premises. He subsequently adjourned the case to May 22. Drama unfolded at the court when the surety pleaded with the judge to allow him a month to produce the suspect. The judge was disappointed that the surety did not know anything about the suspect but was in a hurry to stand surety for her. The 43-year-old Chinese woman was arrested by the Tamale Regional Police Command for allegedly possessing large quantities of rosewood illegally on May 7. She was arrested with two trucks carrying four containers of rosewood, which has been banned. The Northern Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Otuo Aceampong, confirmed that Helen Huang had defied an order to report to the police station. Following the arrest of Helen Huang for illegal possession of Rosewood, the Savannah Regional Minister, Salifu Adam Braimah, shut down Brivywells Company, a logging company near Damongo, which is said to belong to Helen Huang. 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. 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 A 10-member delegation from the African Union (AU) has arrived in the country to ascertain Ghanas preparedness to host the headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) secretariat. Ghana is among six countries bidding to host the secretariat. The other countries are Senegal, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Ethiopia and eSwatini. CFTA The CFTA is a planned free trade area outlined in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among the 49 AU nations to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments. The 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2012, adopted the decision to establish the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by 2017. The secretariat is intended to be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the agreement, and to be an autonomous body within the AU system and the Council of Ministers responsible for trade. Arrival The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who met the delegation at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra yesterday, told journalists that the secretariat would provide about a hundred job opportunities locally, if established in Ghana. He said it would also afford the country the opportunity to be at the forefront of the CFTA agenda. Ghana has for decades been at the forefront of making this argument for a free trade area, and so if a secretariat is to be set up, we think it is important that Ghana hosts the secretariat so that we can continue to be at the forefront of championing this agenda, he said. He said the delegation would spend about a week in the country where they would be taken to offices, residential accommodations and facilities that were required to host the headquarters. Delegation The head of the delegation, Ambassador Rosette Nyirinkindi Katungye, who is the AU Advisor on Regional Integration/Bureau of Chairperson, expressed the hope that Ghana would contribute in actualising the objective and aspiration of the African continent. 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 Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), is organizing a five-day workshop training programme for Teachers on the new standard-base curriculum. The new curriculum for basic schools is expected to be implemented in September this year. Speaking on Okay FM's Ade Akye Abia Morning Show with host Kweme Nkrumah Tikese, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Ekow Vincent Assafuah said the New Curriculum is important as it serves as a link between things thought in the class room and the field of work. According to him, "the things thought in classroom sometimes differ from fieldwork but the new curriculum is base on sustainable development which includes quality education that has always been the vision of the president and Ghanaians". He also said the participants (master trainers), drawn from the GES, the NaCCA and other sectors, will in turn train all 152,000 basic school teachers in the country before the curriculum is rolled out for the 2019/2020 academic year. The programme is anticipated to train about 150 participant which will in turn to train about 30,000 Regional, Metropolitan, Municipal and District team so that they can also train 152,000 kindergarten teachers, he said. He explained that the training workshop will feed into a system of continuous professional development that will keep our teachers fully abreast at every stage on the demands of the new curriculum and any changes in professional needs that arise. Education strategic plan will help the ministry to establish it plans concerning educational system in Ghanaeverything about education must come from Educational Strategic plan, it is a guiding principle for Ghana education service and the ministry of education for them to be able to go out and teach the students, he stressed. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[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 Sudans transitional military council said that one military police officer had been killed and a large number of protesters wounded in clashes in Khartoum late on Monday. In a statement, it accused armed groups unhappy with progress toward a political deal of opening fire at protest sites and inciting violence. Search Keywords: Short link: The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has charged cocoa farmers to be business minded in operating their farms and to partake fully in the various programmes introduced by COCOBOD to ensure good farm yields and to increase profits. "Good farming practices, like pruning, the timely application of fertilizers and proper pests control are essential at all times," he said. Joseph Boahen Aidoo stated this while interacting with farmers in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions, on the first day of his week-long tour of cocoa farms across the county. He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Executive of Operations at COCOBOD, Dr Emmanuel Opoku, as well, as Directors and Research Scientists from COCOBOD. The tour is aimed at assessing the level of farmer participation in the various farm productivity improvement programmes implemented by COCOBOD; it is also to gathering first hand knowledge of the challenges facing farmers at different parts of the cocoa producing areas; and to hold farmer rallies to interact with farmers. "As a cocoa farmer, you need to think of your farm as a business," Mr. Aidoo advised while interacting with Joe Bafour and his farm employees, during a stop over on his 8 acre cocoa farm in the Ashante Region. And as a business person, you should always invest a portion of your profits back into your business," that is how you stay profitable for a long time. "If you properly prune the crops, apply the right fertilizer at the right time and practice hand pollination. An acre of cocoa trees can yield 20bags worth of cocoa. Make sure to invest the cost of at least two bags back into the farm. One bag can pay for your fertilizers and another bag for pollination. You will still have 18 bags left. That is good business," he advised. He asked the farmers to take full advantage of the fact that the government of Ghana has subsidized fertilizers for cocoa farmers while the licensed cocoa buying companies also have fertilizer credit faculties to make access to fertilizers a lot easier for farmers. Ghana is the only country where we have subsidized fertilizers for our cocoa farmers by more than half the cost, Mr. Aidoo stated, adding that, the subsidy aims to remove the cost barrier to accessing fertilizers in a timely manner. The farmers expressed their gratitude for the visit and the chance to interact with the COCOBOD officials. They testified to the yield improvements that have resulted from the mass spraying exercise and particularly the hand pollination exercise on their farmers. The COCOBOD Boss was thankful to the farmers for their hard work and profound contribution to the nation. He encouraged them to implement all of COCOBODs productivity programmes to increase their produce. 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 The President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, says his outfit is in talks with the government for the latter to pay all paramount chiefs in Ghana a monthly salary. According to him, their demand is based on the fact that paramount chiefs contribute meaningfully to the development of the country, and, therefore, deserve a reward from the state. Checks done by The Chronicle revealed that paramount chiefs in the country were on state-sponsored allowances, but this was not coming as frequently as it should. The Chronicle could, however, not tell whether these allowances have now ceased coming or not. Togbe Afede, who was speaking at General Meeting of the Asogli Traditional Council in Ho recently, did not make reference to the nonpayment of the allowances and why chiefs are now forcing the government to place them on her payroll. Togbe Afede, who is also President of the Asogli Traditional Council, was also quiet on the amount they are demanding from the government as a monthly salary. The Chronicle investigation reveals that there about 366 paramount chiefs in Ghana. The regional breakdown is as follows: Ashanti 60, Volta/Oti 64, Western and Western North 22, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo 50, Upper East 18, Central 34, Greater Accra -13, Upper West 32, Northern, Savana and North East 62. Eastern 11, (Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, Akyem Bosome, Akuapim, Kwahu, Boso, Anum, Yilo, Manya, Akwamu, and New Juabeng.) If these chiefs are to be paid the same amount as members of Parliament (MPs) are currently receiving, the government would be compelled to fork-out thousands of Ghana cedis every month to take care of them. But this is not the only demand being made by the National House of Chiefs. According to Togbe Afede, the chiefs are also pushing hard for laws to be formulated to restore powers that had been taken away from them. He, however, explained that such powers, when given back, would be exercised only by paramount chiefs. The President of the National House of Chiefs further told his people that his outfit was working hard to ensure that all traditional areas have documentation on succession plans, which should be made available to the various regional houses of chiefs and copies sent to the National House of Chiefs. According to Togbe Afede, in the preparation of the document, the principle of fairness and honesty must be observed. I am appealing to traditional areas to take time and ensure consultations, in order to ensure a credible succession line in the chieftaincy institution, and a situation where only two persons would hide themselves and prepare such document would not help the purpose for which we want the documentation, he said. He stressed the need for the various traditional councils to cooperate with the National House of Chiefs in adopting strategies that would eliminate chieftaincy conflicts in the country. Togbe Afede disclosed that the National House of Chiefs had also established a Common Fund for all the 16 regional houses of chiefs. He, however, explained that chiefs in the newly-created regions would still be attending meetings in their former regions until the formation of their respective regional houses of chiefs. He pointed out that the common fund for the chiefs is to help bring financial freedom to the various regional houses of chiefs. This means the houses of chiefs would no longer depend on the government for financial support before carrying out their programmes and activities. Togbe Afede continued that the National House of Chiefs was working hard to ensure that the Attorney Generals Department becomes responsible for the selection of counsel for the various regional houses of chiefs and the corresponding payments, adding that the House is also making the necessary efforts to ensure that the government pays paramount chiefs a monthly salary for the work that they do. Source: The Chronicle 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 President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged farmers to help his government stamp out the smuggling of fertilisers meant for cocoa farmers in the country. According to him, it is not right for a few individuals to stab the nation in the back because of their selfish interest in smuggling fertilisers to Burkina Faso and Cote dIvoire and other nearby countries. Explaining to the farmers the disservice these smugglers do to the entire nation, President Akufo-Addo noted that such behaviour hurt the citizens, whose sweat, in the form of taxes paid, were used to subsidise the fertilisers. The President made the appeal when he met the Ghana Coffee Cocoa Sheanut Farmers Association at Jubilee House last Friday. Indicating that cocoa farmers were the primary beneficiaries of the fertiliser subsidy programme, President Akufo-Addo saw the meeting as very appropriate to make the appeal. He said: But, as far as it concerns you, I want to make an appeal to you. We take the taxpayers money to subsidise fertiliser and import. Its not correct that few people for their selfish interest will then take these [fertilisers] which has been subsidised by the hardworking sweat of Ghanaian farmers, and go and smuggle it to Burkina Faso; smuggle it to Cote dIvoire. It is not right, and I want you to help me stamp out smuggling of fertiliser in our country. When we do that we are hurting ourselves. The fertiliser subsidy is not coming from Akufo-Addos pocket. I dont have that kind of money. It is coming from the coffers of the state. Then a few criminal elements, because they want to make more money, will then smuggle this across. If we are all eager and focus, we can stop it, he asserted. Last year, the fertiliser subsidy programme targeted 500,000 farmers, and provided farmers with fertiliser for all year round farming. This year, the coordinators have a target of one million tonnes. News broke last week that some 50,000 bags of fertiliser meant for farmers under the Planting For Food and Jobs (PFJs) were last year smuggled across to the neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger and Mali. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has taken a step to curb the smuggling menace by introducing a new technological system to monitor the fertiliser subsidy programme and farming inputs given farmers. The system requires every farmer who wants to benefit from the subsidy to be biometrically registered. It will be able to track all fertiliser bags and inputs from suppliers all the way to the end user, which is the farmer. At the Presidents encounter with the Ghana Coffee, Cocoa, Sheanut Farmers Association, he expressed happiness over the support farmers had given Operation Vanguard, which is helping to protect the nations lands from destruction. He also reiterated the governments commitment to support farmers in the country and ensure they got value for their inputs. Source: The Chronicle 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 Operation Vanguard personnel from their Forward Operating Base in the Eastern Region have arrested 39 suspected illegal miners. The suspects were apprehended in the Atiwa West District. A statement issued to the Ghana News Agency by Captain Andy Sowatey, PRO OP VANGUARD, said the arrests, which were made in two separate locations within the general area of Sankubenase, was based on a tip-off from an informant. The statement said the suspected illegal miners were made up of 33 Ghanaians and six Nigeriens. "The suspected illegal miners, 33 Ghanaians were currently in the custody of the Anyinam, Osino and Kwabeng District Police pending processing with the six Nigeriens in the custody of Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining. "3 Minelab gold detecting machines were also seized from the miners. "Operation Vanguard is still admonishing the general public to be forthcoming with any information that can assist the taskforce in curtailing activities of illegal miners", the statement said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) will begin a multi-staged Trial Census from 26 May 2019, with 2nd June 2019 as the Trial census night as part of the preparations for the 2020 Population and Housing Census. The districts chosen for the trial census, are Dormaa West District (Bono Region), Bunkpurugu District (North East Region), and Ashiedu Keteke, Ledzokuku, Osu Klottey, Ayawaso West, Okaikoi sub metros all in the Greater Accra Region. A Statement from the Service signed by Professor Samuel Anim, the Government Statistician, said the conduct of the Census is in accordance with the Statistical Service Law, 1985 (PNDCL 135), which empowers the Government Statistician to conduct statistical surveys and any census in Ghana. The Trial Census is also in line with the United Nations recommendations guiding the conduct of Population and Housing Censuses worldwide. The statement said for the first time, GSS would adopt the use of electronic data collection with other geo-spatial technologies, which has been recommended by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) for the 2020 round of Population and Housing Censuses. Consequently, the trial phase has been put into various stages with each stage testing a specifically different process. The Population and Housing Census is an essential national exercise that takes count of every person residing in Ghana at the time of the census, and establishes other important demographic details about every individual in the country. In this regard, the 2020 Population and Housing Census will provide the current population of Ghana, by age, sex, educational level, marital status, literacy, educational attainment, occupation, type of economic activity, and geographic area of residence. The count will also cover access to social amenities such as water, health care, educational infrastructure and housing conditions. The information collected will be for district, regional and national governance as well as for business decision-making, it will also be for industry, media, academia, research institutions and international organizations as the basis for informed decision making, effective planning and policy decision-making, the statement said. Starting from 26th May, 2019, a week prior to the Trial Census Night, census officials from GSS appropriately identified will start visiting the communities that have been selected for the Trial Census to identify and number houses and other structures which precedes the enumeration of the households after the census night. This is to ensure that there is complete coverage of all households in the selected areas during the trial census. The statement entreated all persons residing within the selected communities to cooperate with the census officials in order to ensure a successful Trial Census. This means that persons living only within the selected areas will be enumerated in the Trial Census, it added. 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 Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Foundation led by Dominic Kwesi Eduah (PhD) as part of its mandate is sending 200 Ghanaians to the Republic of Cuba to be trained as medical doctors/Health professionals. The aforementioned group comprises 170 graduates and 30 specialists. According to Dr. Dominic Eduah the future of this nation belongs to the youth and the solid foundation we lay as leaders of today will help them develop their intellectual capacity and abilities as leaders of tomorrow which will make or unmake Ghana tomorrow. In a brief interaction with beneficiaries before their departure today 14th May, 2019, Dr. Dominic assured them of the Foundation's commitment to making their stay and comfort abroad enjoyable and creates the enabling environment for both self and professional development. He further stated that the Foundation's commitment to institutionalizing a resourceful, effective and efficient Scholarship Management System to address mishaps of the past and ensure a prompt payment to beneficiaries. "Learn hard, work hard, stay focused, be disciplined and make Ghana proud. We are fervently counting on you", he stressed. Other dignitaries present to grace the occasion were Hon. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, Minister of Health, His Excellency Pedro Luiz Despaigne Gonzalez, Cuban Ambassador to Ghana and the Director of the America Bureau. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[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 Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea has hinted that his ministry is working hand-in-hand with the Finance Ministry to create a national mortgage fund for Ghanaians to make the vision of affordable house project achievable. He said the initiative is targeted at availing flexible terms of funding mostly to the ageing working population in Ghana to make the acquisition of homes easier. This, he believes will help address Ghanas housing deficit and boost government investments into the real estate sector in partnership with the private sector. In the Meet-The-Press series on Tuesday, 14 May 2019 at the Information Ministry, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South constituency was confident that the innovative mortgaging fund would tone down the plight of many Ghanaians who have difficulty in accessing funds for either personal or private housing projects in line with safeguarding the fundamental human rights of citizens. The fund will be a special-purpose vehicle to leverage private capital into housing and infrastructural investments and also enable the Ministry of Works and Housing channel long term appropriate price financing towards the housing sector. The fund will create, for the first time, the financial space [and] a credible mortgage regime in Ghana to enable majority of our people, especially workers [to] have their own homes in the evening of their years, he disclosed. He said the sources of the funds will be from pension funds, housing bonds, grants, insurance companies, primary reserve of the central bank, treasury single account and tax. He stressed the ministry will embark on a redevelopment scheme which has been revised to renew old neighbourhoods by demolishing some of these houses often located on prime lands and replacing them with modern houses on the same plots of land. We are ready for developers, for those who will be building houses and we have also informed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to look for a way where people will build houses because we cannot get money to build houses but government has to give them either guarantee or LC; whatever he will do for the developers to build those houses is what we need, he mentioned. He emphasised that success of the national housing and mortgage fund will take care of the 2 million housing deficit in the country; thus, the affordable houses project will reach the target low and middle income earners as they cannot dip their hands into their pockets to buy a house outright. ...the mortgage arrangement the government wants to create will make the affordable house project achievable even if it will take 20 years, he assured. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/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 Six pupils standing trial for the murder of their teacher at Asiakwa in the Eastern Region have been remanded into prison custody. The accused persons allegedly assaulted their 55-year old teacher who died a few days after he was sent to the hospital. The suspects Hezekiel Boadu, Evans Aboagye, Richard Anani, Emmanuel Mireku, Philip Okodie and Paul Boadu have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder. The deceased teacher, George Somuah who is a Twi and Religious and Moral Education teacher at the Asiakwa Salvation Army Basic School was assaulted by the accused persons on April 25, 2019, and he died on May 4 at the hospital. Lawyer for the accused persons, Peter Nimako prayed the court to grant his clients bail, but the Kibi District judge Alice EfuaYirenkyi remanded them into prison custody to re-appear before the court on June 25. Some teachers and members of the national leadership of the Ghana National Teachers Association were at the court to give their solidarity. Teachers of the Asiakwa Salvation Army Basic School have refused to teach following the death of their colleague. The teachers say they fear for their lives, and are calling for maximum security both at the school premises and at home before they return to the classroom. 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 Ghanas first lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo is optimistic that a successful execution of the National Acceleration Plan for Paediatric HIV Services will fast-track the implementation of critical services and ensure that 90% of adolescents and children living with HIV receive treatment by 2020. To this end, the First Lady indicated that in collaboration with Ghana AIDS Commission, working under the OAFLAD Chapter, has held Health Outreaches to advocate for accelerated elimination of mother to child transmission through the National Acceleration Plan for Paediatric HIV Services. The First Lady made this known on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, when she delivered the keynote address of the Co-Chairs of the 13th INTEREST conference in Accra. According to the First Lady, the implementation of Health Outreaches in Ghana to advocate for accelerated elimination of mother to child transmission during the 2018 World AIDS Day were successful enough to be used as a case study by ABOTT to get other countries to conduct similar outreaches. In addition, she said, we launched the Free to Shine Campaign, in January this year with the objective to accelerate the pace of elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, end AIDS in children and keep mothers alive and healthy. She, however, stated that whilst there have been remarkable progress against HIV and HIV related deaths, children seem left behind as figures in 2017 estimated that 180,000 new infections among children occurred globally. The First Lady held that making anti-retroviral drugs available to all HIV positive pregnant women, is a key step to eliminating mother to child transmission and called for support for these women with regards to adhering to their medicines to prevent transmission to their babies. She also pointed out that, pregnant women who are HIV negative early in the pregnancy should be retested before delivery. This will ensure women who seroconvert and become HIV positive later in the pregnancy, receive appropriate treatment. It is well known that HIV seroconversion later in pregnancy is associated with high transmission rate to the baby. She continued that, every child born to an HIV positive mother, should also be screened for HIV within the first six weeks of life and followed up according to national protocol. Any child who tests positive at any time, during the follow-up, should be initiated on antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible. I charge the Ghana Health Service, to have a reporting system that identifies every single infant who is infected with HIV. We need to understand whether the mother attended antenatal clinic, tested for HIV, was offered and adhered to antiretroviral drugs and practiced exclusive breastfeeding. This will fine tune our programme, as we move towards elimination of paediatric HIV, she added. Whilst appealing to members of participating countries to adopt the Ghana example, the First lady was confident that several other activities planned by stakeholders with regard to this campaign to be rolled out in the course of the year in 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 Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr., the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper has urged the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to respond to the invitation of the CID. Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo has been invited by the police to answer to allegations of kidnapping and arson. However, the NDC and their Chairman say they will not respond to the invitation describing the CIDs invitation as a form of intimidation. According to him, this will let him know the details of the case as well as his accusers. Kweku Baako who was speaking on Joy Newsfile Programme, said: I think he should adhere to it . . . he should accept it go there to know which kidnapping and which fire outbreak (hes being accused of)." Ofosu Ampofo Already Met CID Some reports that emerged indicated that Ofosu-Ampofo had 'swerved' an NDC meeting to meet the CID secretly. However, the NDC says the reports were fake. It is unfortunate that such a scurrilous and misleading story should find its way into the public domain through such a medium. Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo is a faithful servant of the National Democratic Congress and intends to continue as its Chairman based on the interests of the party. By this statement, the party is, therefore, requesting its teeming supporters and all well-meaning Ghanaians to ignore that publication, a statement signed by the Director of Communications Kakra Essamuah said. 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 'We need to do a thorough investigation to understand what happened, why it happened, and then come up with reasonable responses short of war,' Ambassador John Abizaid told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh The U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia said Washington should take what he called "reasonable responses short of war" after it had determined who was behind attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Iran was a prime suspect in the sabotage on Sunday although Washington had no conclusive proof, a U.S. official familiar with American intelligence said on Monday. Iran has denied involvement. "We need to do a thorough investigation to understand what happened, why it happened, and then come up with reasonable responses short of war," Ambassador John Abizaid told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh in remarks published on Tuesday. "It's not in (Iran's) interest, it's not in our interest, it's not in Saudi Arabias interest to have a conflict." Four commercial vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged on Sunday near Fujairah, one of the seven emirates of the UAE and a bunkering hub just outside the Strait of Hormuz. UAE authorities did not say who was behind the attack. Distancing Tehran from the incident, Iran's Foreign Ministry called it "worrisome and dreadful". Iran is embroiled in a war of words with the United States over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region. Washington has increased sanctions on Tehran, saying it wants to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero, after quitting the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and global powers last year. The U.S. Maritime Administration said last week that Iran could target U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through Middle East waterways. Tehran has called the U.S. military presence "a target" rather than a threat. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared information on what he called escalating threats from Iran during meetings with EU counterparts and the head of NATO in Brussels on Monday, the U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook said. Hook declined to say whether he believed Iran played a role in the attacks off Fujairah or if Pompeo blamed Iran. He said the UAE had sought U.S. help in the investigation. Cool heads must prevail Newspapers in the UAE ran editorials urging caution in responding to the attack, which risks undermining the Gulf Arab state's image as a regional bastion of stability and security. "While further details are yet to emerge about this worrying incident, cool heads must prevail, and proper measures should be taken to ensure that this situation does not spin out of control," wrote the editorial board of Abu Dhabi-based The National. Gulf News, a state-linked Dubai daily, said "rogue actors must be brought to book". Saudi Arabia's energy minister said on Monday that the attack aimed to undermine security of global crude supplies. A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz from Middle East crude producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. The narrow waterway separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula. Oil prices were up slightly on Tuesday, though checked amid an escalation in the trade war between the U.S. and China. Gulf Arab stock markets rebounded in early trading. The Saudi index was up 1.4 percent after two days of heavy losses and Dubai stock index was trading 2.4 percent higher after its biggest one-day loss in years on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to force Tehran to agree a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what U.S. officials have said are threats to U.S. troops in the region. Iran's Revolutionary Guards, designated a terrorist organisation by Washington, threatened last month to close the Hormuz chokepoint if Tehran was barred from using it. Search Keywords: Short link: Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Hon. Freda Prempah has heavily descended on the National Women Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hannah Bissiw for doing propaganda with the missing girls in Takoradi, Western Region. According to Hon. Prempah who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Tano North Constituency, it is absolutely insensitive on the part of Mrs. Bissiw to add insult to injury of the missing girls and their families. The womens wing of the opposition NDC is demanding the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah to produce the missing girls or resign. Addressing a press conference to mark Mothers Day, NDC Womens Organizer Dr. Hannah Bissiw noted that the party will begin collecting signatures in the next seven(7) days to bring pressure on government to rescue the girls. Mrs. Bissiw further hinted the CID Boss may face the wrath of the opposition party if she fails to do due diligence to the case. The CID boss, Tiwaa Addo-Danquah must produce the 3 kidnapped Takoradi girls in the next 14 days or resign from office she stressed. But Hon. Freda Prempah reacting on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Programme, said Hannah Bissiw together with the NDC has no credibility to talk about the issue. She warned Mrs. Bissiw not to play political games with an issue as sensitive as three girls going missing and was hopeful the Police are making frantic efforts to locate their whereabouts. If we all say we are going to politicize every issue, then we will never move forward as a country because we were in this country [that] when Hon. JB Danquah Adu was murdered in his residence, their own DC was murdered in cold blood at their tenure of officetheir time there were countless killing and murder cases; so it is wrong to politicize everything. This is not the time to do propaganda but a time to unite and cry and pray to God to help us locate the whereabouts of our children, because the second lady of the land is a mother. I am a mother and we equally share the Taadi girls parents grief, she stressed. She also reposed her confidence in the CID Boss and the Police Service to rescue the girls. She asked the opposition party to allow the police to do their job. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[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 It has emerged that former Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Charlotte Osei was on the verge of breaching the terms of transmitting results of the 2016 elections, which could have plunged the country into an avoidable strife. Following the claim by former President John Dramani Mahama that the EC used the manual transmission of results and the electronic mode among other integrity charges, there have been a number of responses, all of which have been anything but inuring to the quality of the commissions performance during the 2016 contest. Both directors of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Peoples National Convention (PNC) have made revealing statements which suggest that Mrs. Osei nearly contravened the terms of the agreement on how to transmit the results. Faxed Transmission Not Electronic Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, then Director of Elections of the NPP, in his reaction on Oman FM, an Accra-based radio station yesterday, said that parties and the EC agreed upon on the faxed mode of transmission. That Charlotte Osei sought to rely on the electronic mode of transmitting results suggested that she was on her own and ready to renege on the terms of the agreement on the subject, he said. We all met on the issue of transmission of results, including the then Director Of Elections of the EC Samuel Tettey, Ken Ofori-Atta, John Attafuah, former head of Airports Authority. We agreed on the faxed mode of transmission, he said. Close to Elections Mr. Korsah recalled that the issue of the mode of transmission of the results cropped up three weeks to elections, adding we wrote to Mac Manu on the subject. I am yet to come to terms about why she wanted to throw away the faxed system. He said we called for a discussion about the modalities for the transmission of election. She told us about two companies she was going to engage for the electronic transmission but we said no. We said the results must be declared at the polling stations and transmitted from there with the appropriate signatures. He added that we were shown a presentation on the electronic transmission, but we settled upon the manual transmission. It was unclear the motive for the electronic transmission as suggested by Charlotte Osei. Hacked Results Allegation Turning to the allegation of hacking of the electoral system, Mr. Korsah quizzed: So on what basis was Charlotte Osei going to announce the results of the polls? She was on her own. Throwing Challenge The 2013 elections ended in court after the NPP unearthed evidence to that effect that the polls had been rigged. He charged the NDC to do same regarding the polls the former President is discrediting. I cannot understand them. They are just looking for an excuse. We shall hold former President John Mahama to strict proof. The 2013 election and matters arising from it have enabled us to improve upon elections in the country following the court the appearances. We shall continue to strive for improvement in subsequent elections, he said. No Collation He said the NDC did not collate the results of the 2016, something the partys officials attributed to the non-payment of their allowances. If election results were not collated, how did you arrive at the conclusion that the polls were rigged? he queried. NDC Will Lose Mr. Korsah said the NDC will lose the 2020 elections because we are focused. They will suffer another blow. We shall strive for the improvement of the electoral system in the country. PNCs Position An official member of PNC, Henry Haruna Asante, confirmed that the parties did not agree on electronic transmission. He recalled how the figures the parties were recording during the receipt of results were not tallying with that of Charlotte, saying at a time we received 240 results but the EC had 92. He also recalled Amadu Sules position that the EC was not bound by the suggestions of the political parties. He asked that the issue raised by the former President rather belatedly be probed to establish the truth. Charlotte Osei As Ghanaians waited for the declaration of the presidential results by the presiding officer, Charlotte Osei, she made the grim announcement that the system of the EC had been compromised and that an instance of hacking could have occurred. That nonetheless, she assured the nation that the 2016 election results could not be manipulated. 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 President Akufo-Addo left Accra yesterday to begin a six-day working visit to the newly created Oti, North East and Savanna regions. The tour, which will begin at Jasikan in the Oti Region this morning, is the second phase of the presidents working visit of the newly created regions in the country. In April, this year, the president visited the Ahafo, Western North and Bono East regions. On Tuesday, May 14, 2019, President Akufo-Addo will cut the sod for the construction of the Jasikan-Dodi Pepesu road under the Sinohydro deal after attending a durbar of the chiefs and people of Jasikan, Kadjebi and Biakoye in the Buem Constituency. At Kpassa, the president is expected to cut the sod for the construction of the Kpassa-Mama-Akura road in the Nkwanta South Constituency and interact with tutors and students of Nkwanta SHS. He will also cut the sod for the construction of a classroom and dormitory at the school. The president will also meet the chiefs and people from Nkwanta North and South at a durbar at Nkwanta. On Wednesday, May 15, 2019, he will inspect work on the Nkwanta-Dambai road at Nkwanta. He will also visit the proposed site for the Regional Coordinating Council at Dambai, the regional capital and attend a durbar of the chiefs and people of Krachi in the Krachi and Nchumuru constituencies. President Akufo-Addo will move to the North East Region on Thursday, May 16 to attend a durbar of chiefs and people of Nalerigu at Nayiri Naa Bohugu Abdulai Mahami Sherigas palace. He will also inspect a water project and visit the proposed site for the Regional Coordinating Council at Nalerigu in the Nalerigu/Gambaga Constituency. During a brief stop at Sakogu, he will commission a Community Day SHS and interact with tutors and students of Nakpanduri SHS, where he will commission a 120-bed capacity dormitory. He will also cut the sod for the construction of the town roads in Bunkpurugu and a durbar with the chiefs and people of Chereponi. He will, on Friday, May 17, 2019 proceed to the Yagaba Koubori and Walewale constituencies to attend a durbar at Yagaba. The president will also commission a warehouse and inspect an IWAD 1000 hector irrigation project under the planting for food and jobs programme. The president will climax his tour of the North East Region at Walewale with a durbar of chiefs, after an inspection of a water project. On Saturday, May 18, 2019, he will pay a courtesy call on the paramount chief of Wasipe and interact with Daboya Smock Weavers to herald the beginning of the presidents tour of the Savanna Region. He will interact with tutors and students of Sawla SHS and inspect the district hospital at Sawla. President Akufo-Addo will attend an inter-denominational church service at Damongo on Sunday, followed by a courtesy call on the overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura Tumtumba Boresa I. He will inspect the site for the construction of the Regional Coordinating Council, attend a durbar of the chiefs and people of Yapei at the Yapeiwuras Palace and inspect the Yapei Water Extension Project in the Yapei Kusawgu Constituency. The president is scheduled to return to Accra on Sunday, May 19, 2019. 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 Greater Accra Regional Chapter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Loyal Ladies celebrated Mothers Day with wives and mothers of Fishermen on 12th May, 2019. The occasion was to afford the group join in showing their appreciation for the important role of mothers in their lives, as well as enhance the already existing cordial relationship between the NPP and residents along the coast line of Accra. Led by their Regional Captains, the group presented items including bags of Rice and cooking oil to about five hundred (500)mothers. They also refreshed the mothers with some local delicacies and beverages. Volunteer health officers who accompanied the NPP Loyal Ladies took mothers and pregnant women through some medical screening, while offering advice on malaria prevention and ante-natal check-ups among others. The group also took time to interact with the fisherfolk on some of the laudable policies being implemented by the Akufo-Addo led NPP administration such as the on-going National Identification exercise, the Marine Drive project and the Free SHS policy, which they urged mothers to take full advantage of, by ensuring that their daughters benefit fully from the policy. Present to grace the august occasion were the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP, Hon, Divine Agorhom, Minister for Fisheries, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, Mayor of Accra, Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah, Chief Executive of the Coastal Development Authority, Hon, Jerry Ahmed Shaib and Hon. Nii Lante Bannerman, Chairman of the Premix Fuel Committee. The programme was organised under the auspices of the Office of the Greater Accra Regional Youth Organizer of the NPP, Prince Obeng, in collaboration with V20, a volunteer campaign group working towards NPP Victory 2020. 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 An aspiring NPP Womens Organizer in the newly created Oti Region, Patience Asabea Kholi has donated a brand new laptop and printer to the Krachi West Constituency to enhance their work. This comes after Patience Asabea announced her withdrawal from the constituency election and pledged her support to the winner. She said the NPP in the Oti Region has proven beyond doubt that they are capable of beating the NDC any day in the next election. Mamaga Epe as she is affectionately called in politics also pledged to raise the necessary resources and logistics for the NPP in the Oti Region and empower the various constituencies in the Region for Victory 2020 and beyond. She was very grateful to President Nana Akufo-Addo for the creation of the Oti Region which has been the dream of her father, the late Krachiwura Nana Akenten I, who was in the forefront of this movement. Mamaga Epe said the development of the Oti Region and empowerment of women is a priority that should not be toyed with and therefore called on the Chiefs and people of the newly created Region to rally behind President Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP to consolidate power and roll out more developmental policies and projects for the Region and Ghana. She however advice the NPP not to be complacent but to know that it is important to unite and work very hard to win at least 5 out of the 8 Parliamentary Seats in the newly created Region. 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 Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress NDC, John Dramani Mahama has described the presidency as stressful and a venture he would rather forgo and spend more time with his family if he had his own way. Speaking at the said Business School of the Oxford University in the UK last Friday at the schools Distinguished Speaker Seminar in collaboration with African Studies Centre, he said he would rather live a life of less protocol and formality if he never became a President, but the exigencies of the office do not permit so. Asked why he still wants to become president, he said he tried all his best to rest and continuing serving his country as a statesman but members of his party kept pressurizing him to put himself up for the post. No its stressful; Im serious. If you really come to the presidency to work, you dont get a nights sleep; my hair was jet black . I mean; so Im looking forward to spending time with my family, a more easy life, Im a very private person, I like my privacy, he said amid laughter when he was asked about how nice it must be to be president. On presidential courtesies and other protocol, the former president said, once you get to office, all the protocol; I dont like too much protocol; where you must sit, where you must pass, security and all that, it can be a bit stressful. I had hoped that my party will select somebody else, but try as I did, the insistence was that I should run again; I believe in public service; I believe that if you have the talent and you have the ability, you must place your talent at the disposal of your nation and so I didnt think it was right for me to deprive my party of my services if they really wanted it, he said in justification of his decision to run for the presidency again. On the issue of vigilantism and his recent boot for boot comment, he admitted that he went overboard and indicated that he would rather have a peaceful election process than to clash with his political opponents. He accused the government of recruiting party militia into the national security setup, thereby resulting in the eyesore that marred the beauty of the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye election in January this year. Source: Daily Post 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 private Legal Practitioner and member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe has described the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu as "reckless" to have published a list of some persons he is investigating. According to him, it is very wrong for the Special Prosecutor to have put out a list. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that by the law, the Special Prosecutor is not supposed to publish the list without prior investigations into the list. He explained that, how do you hold those mentioned in the list liable over mere allegations leveled against those people by some faceless people. "It will be very reckless and without merit for the Special Prosecutor to bring out such a list when indeed he has not gotten the necessary or adequate information about the said allegations leveled against them," he added. He therefore asked the Special Prosecutor to work within the remit of the law and not work out of emotions or by personal vendetta The Board Chairperson of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Linda Ofori Kwafo, has however questioned the authenticity of a list of 25 cases purported to be cases of interest that the Special Prosecutor had started investigating. It has been widely reported in the media that former President John Dramani Mahama; ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddy Blay; Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, among others have come under the radar of the Special Prosecutor in a total of 25 cases with one currently in court. But at a press conference organized by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) Monday, Mrs Ofori Kwafo said the list is not authentic. According to her, though the office is currently working on some cases of corruption, it is news to her that there is such a list in the public space, indicating she also heard of the said list in the media. I dont speak for the OSP [Office of the Special Prosecutor], I dont speak for that office but I just want us to all know that as much as we all want corruption dealt with and people investigated properly and sanctioned when the need arises we should also make sure the office works according to its procedures, she advised. 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 Member of Parliament [MP] for Lower Manya Constituency in the Eastern Region, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi has criticized the National Communication Authority (NCA) for closing down Radio Gold and XYZ at a time both were broadcasting a press conference being held by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The NCA on May 9 shut down two Accra based radio stations, Radio Gold 90.5 FM and Radio XYZ 93.1 FM. A statement issued by the NCA said: "Radio stations operating without valid authorizations as determined by the 2017 FM Broadcasting Audit are being shut down with immediate effect as an enforcement action in view of the decision of the Electronic Communications Tribunal." Speaking on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Terlabi slammed the NCA saying they lacked good judgement and that "they could have waited, after the programme then you take action, it was very very wrong, the motivation was also wrong." Watch the full discussion below Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has cautioned those calling for Martin Amidu to prosecute corrupt officials to be careful. "While you are calling for people to be prosecuted; be very careful . . . very soon it will be your turn," he said while discussing Martin Amidu and matters arising on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Tuesday. Watch Kwesi Pratt's submission A report by the Daily Guide newspaper indicated that Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has reportedly released a list of individuals that 'are being investigated' or 'are to be investigated' over allegations of corruption and abuse of public office.The purported list contains about 26 high-profile individuals belonging to the current and previous administrations.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has asked the Attorney Generals office to within three weeks file legal arguments justifying the appointment of Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Chinese Government has officially handed over the 300 Communities Satellite TV Project to the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communications. The project, which forms part of the Chinese governments Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages Project, was successfully executed through its agency, Star Times Ghana, a Chinese multinational media company. In all, the project has provided free satellite TV to over 300 Ghanaian communities across the country. 46 communities in the Eastern Region received free satellite TV devices; Ashanti Region had 57, Northern Region 31, Central Region 37, Greater Accra 35, and Volta Region 18. 22, 28, 18 and 8 communities from the Western, Brong Ahafo, Upper East and Upper West regions received free satellite TV devices respectively. Speaking at the official handing over ceremony, Vice President of StarTimes Group, Mr Xue, said, This project indeed offers an opportunity for China and Ghana to deepen our relationship. It also accords us an invaluable opportunity in ensuring that the African continent and media development transitions to the next level He added that, in modern times when information technology provides a wide range of opportunities for one to gather, process, store, retrieve and transmit knowledge and information, I believe this project has come at a good time to help less privileged communities meet the digital standard. He explained that apart from free satellite TV provided to over 300 Ghanaian communities across the country, public areas in the communities were given a bouquet of 20 channels for free and 20 households a 6-month offer to enjoy over 30 channels for free. Each community has so far received 20 decoders with dishes and accessories installed in selected individual homes, 2 projectors TVs and a StarTimes TV with backup solar light installed at public areas consisting of schools, hospitals and communities centers he noted. For his part, Deputy Minister of Communications, Honourable George Andah said, For Government, television remains an important platform for communicating and disseminating vital information to the general public, predominantly through the news and public sensitization campaigns. He commended the Chinese Government for the initiative, saying that, in the digital broadcasting environment, the proliferation of satellite TV across the country would offer an opportunity for local and international content providers to develop exciting, relevant and quality programming that would appeal to a range of audiences. Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Shi Ting Wang, said the project so far has provided more than 660 jobs to Ghanaians across the country. He stressed that, the project will go a long way in ensuring that the African continent and media development progresses to the next level. He further charged the Government of Ghana to properly manage the project to ensure that it serves its right course. 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 Spain said on Tuesday it had temporarily withdrawn a frigate from a U.S.-led combat group in the Gulf amid rising tensions between Washington and Iran. The Defence Ministry did not give reasons for the pullout of the 215-sailor Mendez Nunez from the group led by U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. But acting defence minister Margarita Robles was to explain the motives later on Tuesday at a news conference in Brussels, a spokesman said. The United States sent the aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a move U.S. officials said aimed to counter threats from Iran to American forces in the region. President Donald Trump is also seeking to cut off Iran's oil exports to pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear program and its support for proxies in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. While the European Union shares some U.S. concerns, including over Iran's involvement in Syria, it still backs a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran that Trump withdrew from. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Traffic makes its way to Ambassador Bridge that connects Canada to the United States Windsor Ont. on Friday June 15, 2012. Ontario is proposing to eliminate an enhanced driver's licence that allows people to enter the United States at land and water border crossings without a passport. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Spowart The modest 5% increase for NASA proposed next year, although a welcome bump, does not indicate a serious commitment to landing humans on the Moon in 2024. Today's announcement lacked details regarding the long-term cost of the accelerated program. It did not even detail how much additional funding would be required over the next 5 years, which is the standard planning period for NASA programs. In the weeks leading up to this announcement, I spoke with an experienced aerospace engineer and manager who is intimately familiar with NASA. I asked them, what's a good gut-check budget for landing on the Moon by 2024? They and I independently estimated that it would require $4 to $5 billion per year for 5 years, or between $20 billion and $25 billion total, to get NASA astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024. Eric Berger at ArsTechnica reported that some internal estimates at NASA were upwards of $40 billion. This supplemental budget, assuming it represents the start of an annual commitment that grows at 1% per year (consistent with NASA's previous budget proposal), suggests that the White House is willing to add a mere $9 billion over 5 years to achieve this accelerated goal. That's not nothing, but a return to the Moon in 2024 it ain't. I was initially disappointed by this proposal. I've mellowed a bit as I've considered it further, however. Taken individually, the proposed investments could be productive (though your feelings on the value of further investment in SLS and Orion may differ). The investments make sense in the context of a decade-long lunar return commitment. I am pleased that no other NASA programs were proposed to be cut to enable Project Artemis. The White House's budget office has to adhere to budget caps, however, so any increase to NASA's budget has to be "offset" by proposing cuts somewhere else. That somewhere else is apparently the Pell Grant fund, which helps low-income students attend college. The fund is technically running a surplus so no current participants would be affected, but the optics of such a proposal are, at best, terrible. This political framing, which is not only provocative to the administration's political opposition but also fundamentally unnecessary, is a mistake that will undermine the Administration's effort to succeed at the Moon. Even more worrisome, by proposing to use funds from a popular education program important to the Democratic party, it could incite new partisan opposition to space exploration, an outcome that any space advocate should abhor. Fortunately, Congress does not have to abide by their own spending caps. In fact, Congress has waived them every year since 2013. If Congress once again raises these caps, we can have Pell Grants, fully funded scientific research across the government, and a modest increase to human spaceflight efforts. The White House would be wise to support a bipartisan deal on more equitable domestic spending in order to secure its priorities in lunar exploration. There is another political stumbling block facing NASA. A Democratic House of Representatives is loath to provide a political "win" of a Moon landing in the final year of President Trump's second term (should he win re-election). Practically speaking, if Congress grants this budget increase to NASA as proposed, the likelihood of a successful 2024 landing is so low as to effectively remove a 2024 Moon landing as a political issue. Congress is free to evaluate this proposal on its merits: as an investment in human spaceflight beyond Earth. Despite the soaring rhetoric, this is a modest proposal that, as proposed, consumes funding from unpalatable sources. It need not be so. Ironically, the very attention bestowed upon Project Artemis by the White House acts to undermine its chances of success. Had this been proposed within the regular budget request in March, it would have been considered within the normal process of congressional appropriations. Hopefully, it still will be seen as the positive, uplifting, and unifying opportunity that it is, and not as a target its opponents will cast it to be. Saudi Arabia said armed drones had struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a "cowardly" act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The energy minister of the world's largest oil exporter said the attack caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil production or exports of crude and petroleum products. Oil prices spiked on news of the attack on the stations, more than 200 miles (320 km) west of the capital Riyadh. Brent crude futures rose 1.38% to trade at $71.20 by 1114 GMT. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, in comments run by state media, said the drone attack and Sunday's sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi tankers, off Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub, threatened global oil supplies. "These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran," Falih said in an English-language statement issued by his ministry. Houthi-run Masirah TV earlier said the group had launched drone attacks on "vital" Saudi installations in response to "continued aggression and blockade" on Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis for four years in Yemen to try to restore the internationally recognised government. The Houthis have repeatedly launched drone and missile attacks on Saudi cities, but two Saudi sources told Reuters this was the first time an Aramco facility was hit by drones. State-run Aramco said it had temporarily shut down the East-West pipeline, known as Petroline, to evaluate its condition. The pipeline mainly transports crude from the kingdoms eastern fields to Yanbu port, which lies north of Bab al-Mandeb. The attacks occur amid a war of words between Washington and Tehran over sanctions and U.S. military presence in the region. The Saudi stock index, which suffered two days of heavy losses, opened 1.5% higher but was trading down 0.3% at 1200 GMT. A Saudi-based banker told Reuters that state funds were supporting local stocks to limit the downside. Iran in focus The UAE has not revealed details about the nature of the attack on ships near Fujairah port, which lies just outside the Strait of Hormuz, or blamed any party or country. Iran was a prime suspect in the sabotage on Sunday although Washington had no conclusive proof, a U.S. official familiar with American intelligence said on Monday. Iran has denied involvement and described the attack on the four commercial vessels as "worrisome and dreadful". It has called for an investigation. The U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia said Washington should take what he called "reasonable responses short of war" after it had determined who was behind the attacks near Fujairah. "We need to do a thorough investigation to understand what happened, why it happened, and then come up with reasonable responses short of war," Ambassador John Abizaid told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh in remarks published on Tuesday. "It's not in (Iran's) interest, it's not in our interest, it's not in Saudi Arabias interest to have a conflict." The U.S. embassy in the UAE advised its citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance on heightened tensions in the region. Washington has increased sanctions on Tehran, saying it wants to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero, after quitting the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and global powers last year. The U.S. Maritime Administration said last week that Iran could target U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through Middle East waterways. Tehran has called the U.S. military presence "a target" rather than a threat. A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz from Middle East crude producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. The narrow waterway separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula. Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened last month to close the chokepoint if Tehran was barred from using it. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to force Tehran to agree a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what U.S. officials have said are threats to U.S. troops in the region. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: Japanes companies mull investing hundreds of billions of forints in Hungary Portfolio Save article Share Hungarian An administrative state secretary of Hungarys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has held talks with Japanese companies that plan investments worth several hundred billion forints combined. Levente Magyar said on Tuesday that several companies operating in the automotive and renewable energy sectors have started official talks with Hungary about terms and objectives of their potential investments in the country. He noted that more than 160 Japanese companies operate in Hungary, and they bring outstanding added value to the local economy, particularly in industries that are affected the most by the transformation labelled as the fourth industrial revolution. Japan is the home of technological developments, and the companies setting up shop here adopt these technologies in Hungary, as well. The situation of Hungarys food exports was a key subject at the talks held in Japan, said Magyar. He reminded that the sector suffered great damages in the last few years, mainly over the swine flu and the bird flu. Japan is the largest Asian export market for Hungarian food products. As Hungary wants to improve the relationship also in this area and expand the co-operation with the island country, it is conducting negotiations with large Japanese food consumers, e.g. restaurant chains on the supply of Hungarian raw materials, as they could purchase large quantities. This would be a major help for local producers and the Hungarian processing sector, added Magyar. The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) and the American Muslim Leadership Council (AMLC) are alarmed by the distribution of an anti-Muslim flyer that mocked and degraded Prophet Mohamed. The flyers content is very offensive to Muslims. The hatful flyer was distributed and put on the customers cars windshields at the parking lot of the Costco Wholesale located at 13700 Middlebelt Road in Livonia, Michigan. According to one customer who reported this incident the flyer was put on cars on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 around 5:45 pm. The customer was offended and reached out to one of Costcos managers asking them to do something about the distribution. The manager instead asked the customer to call the police and report it as the matter is not Costcos responsibility. We salute the customer who notified Costco requesting action to stop the distribution of the flyer. AHRC communicated with Livonia Police Department who and requested immediate investigation related to this most despicable act of hate and anti-Muslim propaganda. In addition, AHRC and AMLC representatives visited Costco on Friday, May 10, 2019 and relayed the serious concerns regarding the lack of action from Costco management to address this sensitive matter that spreads hate against many of their customers. The parking lot is Costcos private property. It is a matter of grave concern that the Costco staff asked the customer to call the Police as they have no control over the parking lot. It is Costcos responsibility to keep their property safe and welcoming to all. During the brief meeting, Costco management noted that they do not recall the incident, they do not condone such acts, they cant release employee information, camera footage except to authorities and that they will fully cooperate with the Police investigation. The American Human Rights Council (AHRC) and the American Muslim Leadership Council (AMLC) trust that the Livonia Police Department will pursue its investigation that will hopefully reveal the identity of those behind this flyer and the rhetoric of hate it included. AHRC & AMLC demand that Costco make every effort to keep their property safe and welcoming to everyone. We ask them to treat anti- Muslim bigotry with the same urgency and alarm that they would treat hate directed against any other faith or group. Disrespect to one faith is a disrespect to all faiths, and such advocacy of hate mongering against Muslims or/and others is not accepted and should be met with swift action. We simply ask any business or government to treat anti- Muslim bigotry the way they treat any other bigotry, said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. We are disappointed that Costco did not deal with this hateful act the way we expect a great American corporation to act, added Hamad. Costco, in word as well as in deed, needs to assure all its customers, including Muslims, that it values them and would react swiftly when its property it used to spread and promote hate, concluded Hamad. The flyer is bigotry. Its appalling to see such piece of hate around, said Abdallah Sheik, AMLC President. We are very disappointed that Costco disregarded the customers concern and did not act promptly, continued Mr. Sheik. Hate is our common enemy and any advocacy of hate against the Islam or any other faith is not unacceptable and should not be tolerated, concluded Mr. Sheik. For more information call the AHRC office at 313-790-8453 or the AMLC office at 313-586-4610. Source: AHRC 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: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Ex-Deputy Culture Ministers detention upheld in $7 mln embezzlement case RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 10:47 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has extended detention of ex-Deputy Culture Minister Grigory Pirumov charged with 450-million-ruble (about $7 million) embezzlement until August 16, according to the courts press service. Detention of another defendant in the case, head of Rospan company Nikita Kolesnikov, was extended as well. Investigators believe that Pirumov, Kolesnikov, wanted ex-director of the Culture Ministrys department of property management and investment policy Boris Mazo and their accomplices have stolen at least 450 million rubles (about $7 million) allocated for the construction of the Hermitage Museums buildings. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. In October 2017, the Dorogomilovsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Pirumov to 1.5 years in a penal colony. The court took into consideration the time Pirumov spent in detention and freed him in the courtroom. On December 19, the Moscow City Court toughened punishment for Pirumov. The court imposed a 1-million-ruble (about $15,000) on ex-official and deprived him of the second-class medal of the Order of Merit for the Motherland. However, prosecutors again filed an appeal against Pirumovs sentence demanding a 5-year prison term for him. Investigators claimed that between 2012 and 2016 Pirumov, Mazo and several other defendants embezzled over 160 million rubles ($2.4 million) allocated on restoration of the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, Ivanovsky Convent in Moscow and other objects across Russia. Pirumov was relieved of his post in December 2016 on an order Chairman of the Russian Government Dmitry Medvedev. Deposit insurance agency loses bid to seize ex-banker Motylevs $60 mln assets RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 09:57 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) The Moscow District Commercial Court has dismissed an appeal filed by the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) against lower courts refusal to seize assets worth 3.9 billion rubles (about $60 million) from ex-owner of the Russian Credit bank Anatoly Motylev, according to court records. The Moscow Commercial Court dismissed the DIAs motion in November. An appeals court upheld the ruling concerning the 3.9-billion-ruble claim in February. Moreover, a similar DIAs claim in the amount from 5.5 to 6.5 billion rubles in relation to four other managers of the bank was also rejected. The motions have been lodged as part of the DIAs demand to collect damages worth over 12 billion rubles from the former Russian Credit top managers. According to the applicant, the defendants have granted loans to companies, which have not had adequate return and property to service debts. Russian Credit was declared bankrupt in October 2015. In May 2018, the bank filed a claim to include nearly 33.3 billion rubles (about $500 million) in the creditors demands list against former head of the banking group Motylev. Motylev, who currently lives abroad, is a former owner of several Russian banks including Russian Credit, M Bank, AMB B and Tulsky Industrialist. In July 2015, the Central Bank of Russia revoked licenses of the financial organizations. Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in mysterious "sabotage attacks" that have inflamed Gulf tensions amid a standoff between the United States and Iran. In the face of growing international concern, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow and headed to Brussels instead for talks Monday with European officials, as Britain warned of the danger of conflict erupting "by accident" in the Gulf. Turning up the pressure on Tehran after the United States deployed B-52 bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in the region, President Donald Trump warned that Iran would "suffer greatly" were it to "do anything" to threaten US interests. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake," Trump warned at the White House. "If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan proposed a revamped military plan at a meeting with senior national security aides that would send up to 120,000 US troops to the Middle East were Iran to attack American forces or speed up nuclear weapons development, The New York Times reported. Other options have been floated, and this one includes the highest number of troops. Tehran meanwhile called for an investigation into Sunday's "alarming" attacks off the Emirati coast and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel. Saudi Arabia, the Islamic republic's regional arch-rival, condemned "acts of sabotage" and a "criminal act", a foreign ministry official said. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE gave details on the nature of the attacks or accused anyone of responsibility. Exercise restraint No link has officially been drawn between the incidents and US accusations that Tehran was planning "imminent" attacks against US interests in the region. Asked whether the United States believed Iran played a role, Brian Hook, the US special envoy for Iran, declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would be assisting the investigation at the request of the UAE which has called the incidents "deliberate sabotage." Describing Pompeo's talks with his European counterparts, Hook said they had discussed "what seemed to be attacks on commercial vessels." Underscoring the international concern, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he used his one-on-one with Pompeo to stress that "we are concerned about the development and the tensions in the region, that we do not want there to be a military escalation". British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt called for "a period of calm". "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident with an escalation that is unintended on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," he said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. And in New York, the United Nations called on all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace." Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom's two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there were no casualties or any oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the tanker had a hole in the hull area "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". The crew were unharmed and the ship was in no danger of sinking, it said. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. "If, and it's an 'IF', there really has been a deliberate attempt to damage these oil tankers, then it's possibly a warning from Iran about the consequences of anybody taking military action against Iranian targets anywhere in the region," said Middle East analyst Neil Partrick. Oil prices rose on world markets on Monday but stocks fell. The spike in tensions came after Tehran said Wednesday it had stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal that has since been abandoned by Washington. Iran sees plots Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi called the incidents "alarming and regrettable". He "warned against plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security" and "called for the vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements", a statement said. Almost all the oil exports of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran itself, at least 15 million barrels per day, are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Karen Young, a resident scholar at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute think tank, said the incidents were "clearly... more than a one off attack, but something more coordinated." "Tensions are high and have been escalated by the US as well. We have to be wary of tit for tat provocations, and those that may be misinterpreted or even false flag actions," she told AFP. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council -- which includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- condemned the incident while Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit denounced "criminal acts". Shia-majority Iran rivals Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia for influence in the Middle East, with the two taking opposing sides in multiple regional conflicts including in Yemen. Search Keywords: Short link: Journalist joined as third party to Komi ex-head's defamation suit against newspaper RIA Novosti, Yevgeny Odinokov 11:56 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI, Nikita Shiryayev) Journalist Yekaterina Barova has been joined as a third party to the defamation suit filed by ex-head of Russias Komi Republic Vyacheslav Gaizer against Arguments and Facts (Argumenty i Fakty) newspaper, RAPSI reports from Moscows Basmanny District Court. The next hearing will be held on May 27. In his lawsuit Gaizer, who is currently charged with taking bribes and gang organization, demands to declare information distributed in the newspapers article about corruption of February 2018 untrue. The article tells of $1 million watch and documents for offshore companies and a private plane seized from Gaizer during the searches. According to the plaintiff, the publication creates the impression that these assets are proceeds of crime. However, the official insists that the published materials are refuted by judicial inquirys papers. The media outlet disputes the claim. According to the defendant, when writing the article journalists relied on the official video delivered by the Investigative Committee. On June 10, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow will pass sentence on Gaizer in a case over bribery and organizing a criminal network. A prosecutor in March demanded a 21-year imprisonment with a 500,000-ruble fine (about $8,000) for the defendant. Investigators believe that a criminal gang involving Gaizer, another Komi Republics ex-head Vladimir Torlopov, ex-deputy head Alexander Chernov, ex-Chairman of the Republican State Council Igor Kovzel and 10 other people, was organized in 2006. Depending of their involvement and role in crimes, they are charged with taking bribes, embezzlement and money laundering. According to investigation, gang leaders and members committed crimes aimed at occupation of the regions highly profitable enterprises or instituting control over them for the purposes of unlawful enrichment. They allegedly caused a 4.5-billion-ruble (about $70 million) damage to the republic. Investigators also accuse the gang members of taking bribes totaling to 160 million rubles in 2013. Moreover, Gaizer himself received 37.5 million rubles in bribes for assignment of a person identified by investigators to the post of the Syktyvkar liquor producers director. In August 2016, one of the defendants, businessman Anton Faershtein died in a Moscow detention center. One year of detention: Russian ombudsman again calls for release of journalist Vyshinsky The ombudsman's press service 16:31 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) Tomorrow marks the year-long detention of Kirill Vyshinsky in Ukraine; and Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova again expresses a hope that Ukrainian authorities will take steps to the treason case termination and release of the journalist. The editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti Ukraine news agency Vyshinsky, who has Ukrainian and Russian citizenship, was arrested in Kiev on May 15, 2018 on suspicion of treason and placed in detention. The journalists detention has been repeatedly extended ever since. Moskalkova assumes that Vyshinsky was arrested because of RIA Novosti Ukraines publications about events held on May 9, 2018, in commemoration of the Great Patriotic War victory despite radicals provocations, she told RAPSI. The human rights commissioner believes that the journalist is prosecuted for his professional activity and the right to think and speak freely, in other words for the dissenting view, in contradiction to the standards of international law and common sense. According to Moskalkova, the OSCE and its Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir endorse Russias efforts to release Vyshinsky. Moskalkova earlier repeatedly requested international organizations including UN, Council of Europe and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to speak in defense of the Russian journalist. According to the ombudsman, the case against Vyshinsky and his detention are illegal. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said that Vyshinsky was arrested and detained for his professional journalistic activities. He also called this policy of Ukrainian authorities unprecedented and inadmissible. Businessman Deripaska and MP Zyuganov settle defamation dispute amicably 17:11 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) - Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska and the Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov have signed an amicable agreement in their defamation dispute, RAPSI reports from Moscows Tverskoy District Court. The businessmans lawyer Denis Arkhipov said the action must be compromised and supplementary execution is not required. The settlements details have not been revealed. Deripaska filed the lawsuit seeking one million rubles ($15,000) in compensation for moral harm from Zyugankov in late January. The businessman demanded compensation for disparaging remarks about his activity allegedly issued by Zyuganov during the State Duma plenary session on January 9. According to the Communist leader, the statements were aimed not at insulting Deripaska but at the initiation of a parliamentary inquiry into certain circumstances of the tycoons activity. Russia's Federation Council drafts bills to advance e-economy RIA Novosti, Vladimir Fedorenko 17:57 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) The Federation Council members along with the government have drafted a package of bills to advance the digital economy. Amendments, as said on the official website of the parliaments upper house, are proposed to the Personal Data Law and several other legislative acts of the Russian Federation. The bills are aimed to create conditions for the development of e-economy and touch the use of electronic signature and stipulate introduction of the concept of the electronic digital profile of a citizen, according to a deputy chair of the Federation Council and head of the upper houses Council for digital economy development Andrey Turchak. The draft laws also envisage coming of the term personal data anonymization into use and provide that data received as a result of this process may be processed freely as this information disallows identification of its owner. Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/14/2019 --Grant Marketing is excited to announce that they now have a presence on the West Coast of the United States. Senior Brand Strategist at Grant Marketing, Adele Pollis, is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and is actively helping the agency expand their business into the region. Adele has extensive B2B marketing, communications, and branding experience. She leads Grant Marketing's brand development service, helping clients define their corporate brand while creating compelling messaging that engages and inspires their customers. Grant Marketing looks forward to helping local California B2B companiesas well as other regional manufacturing entities optimize their brand strategy and inbound marketing to increase traffic, convert leads, and accelerate growth. Bob Grant, President of Grant Marketing, said "Adele has helped many of our B2B clients as well as non-profit organizations with brand development and brand strategy initiatives. With our headquarters in Boston, our creative services office located in North Carolina, and Adele's office in California, we have the geographical reach to service companies and organizations throughout the United States." For more information on Grant Marketing and its inbound marketing services, visit www.grantmarketing.com. About Grant Marketing Grant Marketing is a multi-disciplinary, integrated marketing communication agency serving the B2B market, which includes manufacturing, technology, and medical device manufacturers. Based in Boston, Grant Marketing applies its many years of experience to help clients grow their businesses. Grant Marketing provides the latest marketing technologies with a full spectrum of traditional, digital, and inbound marketing services. From brand development to marketing strategy and marketing implementation, Grant delivers client expectations shaped by thorough research and analysis of both the business and the marketplace. MDI biological laboratory receives $30,000 to support organoid course BAR HARBOR, MAINE -- The MDI Biological Laboratory has announced that it has received more than $30,000 in cash and in-kind awards in support of its second annual "Applications of Organoid Technology" course, to be held May 26 through June 1 at the institution's Bar Harbor campus. The awards include contributions from Baker, Bio-Techne, Biological Industries, Corning, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Fisher Scientific, Greiner Bio-One, Leica Microsystems, Nikon, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., STEMCELL Technologies, ThermoFisher Scientific and Vertex. The week-long biomedical innovation course is among the first to provide extensive hands-on training in organoid culture, course director Hugo de Jonge, Ph.D., a professor at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, has said. De Jonge has been a visiting scientist at the MDI Biological Laboratory since 2008. The course is offered in partnership with Hubrecht Organoid Technology (The HUB), a non-profit organization based in Utrecht, Netherlands. The HUB was founded to implement the pioneering work of Hans Clevers, M.D., Ph.D., who discovered methods to grow the stem cell-derived three dimensional mini-organs from patient tissues. "Organoids have applications in basic research, drug discovery and regenerative medicine," said Jane E. Disney, Ph.D., director of education at the MDI Biological Laboratory. "By offering in-depth training in organoid culture, we are accelerating the adoption of an emerging technology that offers huge potential for human health." The course attracts advanced graduate students, post-doctoral trainees and researchers from universities, medical schools, research institutions and technology companies interested in using organoids to study disease, for pre-clinical drug development and to predict a patient's reaction to a drug or drug combination. The course will use cultures from the Living Biobank at The HUB, including organoids from patients with cystic fibrosis and cancer. The students will also develop their own organoids from mouse cells. A 2019 addition will be a module on kidney organoids led by Leif Oxburgh, D.V.M., Ph.D., of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute. "We would like to make organoid technology available to everyone," course director Sylvia F. Boj, Ph.D., scientific director at The HUB, has said. "But it is easier learned from training than from a lab protocol. The good news is that once participants have mastered the technique, their knowledge can benefit their entire home institutions." Organoids grown from organ-specific adult stem cells, which is what are used in the course, maintain the genetic make-up and properties of the patient's diseased tissue. They provide a platform for investigation that is truer to the disease than conventional two-dimensional cell cultures, but simpler than working with a patient. The course grew out of research by de Jonge on cystic fibrosis in organoids derived from biopsies of human intestinal tissue. De Jonge was drawn to the use of organoids as a substitute for cells from the dogfish shark, which he had formerly used to study the disease. Another benefit of organoids is that they can replace animal models. ### For inquiries about the course, please email education@mdibl.org. About the MDI Biological Laboratory We are pioneering new approaches to regenerative medicine focused on developing drugs that slow age-related degenerative diseases and activate our natural ability to heal. Our unique approach has identified potential therapies that could revolutionize the treatment of heart disease, muscular dystrophy and more. Through the Maine Center for Biomedical Innovation we are preparing students for 21st century careers and equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to turn discoveries into applications that improve human health and well-being. For more information, please visit mdibl.org. This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday that "extremist individuals" in the U.S. government were pursuing dangerous policies, amid a war of words with Washington over sanctions. Mohammad Javad Zarif was in New Delhi for talks with Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj after New Delhi stopped purchases of Iranian oil this month in the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions. Tensions have risen again after Saudi Arabia said armed drones had struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a "cowardly" act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A U.S. official familiar with American intelligence said Iran was a prime suspect in the sabotage although Washington had no conclusive proof. Iran has rejected the allegation and Zarif said the issue had figured in the talks with Indian leaders. "In this meeting there was also discussion of the worries about the actions and suspicious sabotage in the region ..." Zarif told the official Islamic Republic News Agency. "And we announced that we had predicted these kinds of actions for provoking tension in the region before." Zarif said he discussed the regional situation with his Indian counterpart. "In today's meeting we discussed regional issues and the dangers of the policies, extremist individuals in the American government and the region are trying to impose on the region," Zarif told IRNA. Washington wants to block Iran's oil exports after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear programme. India, which was Iran's top oil client after China, has suspended imports of Iranian oil from this month after Washington withdrew waivers to eight nations, including India, which had allowed them to import some Iranian oil from November. "There is an expectation from their (Iranian) side that we will continue to buy oil," an Indian government official who attended the meeting said. A second Indian government source said New Delhi would decide on resuming purchases of Iranian oil keeping in mind its commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests. Zarif's visit to New Delhi was part of Iran's consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the past few days. The sanctions have more than halved Iran's oil exports to 1 million barrels per day (bpd) or less, from a peak of 2.8 million bpd last year. Exports could drop to as low as 500,000 bpd from May, an Iranian official told Reuters this month. But Iran insists on exporting at least 1.5 million bpd of oil, triple May's expected levels under U.S. sanctions, as a condition for staying in an international nuclear deal, sources with knowledge of Iran-EU talks said. Search Keywords: Short link: The US embassy in Khartoum on Tuesday blamed Sudan's ruling military council for the deaths of six people in violence that rocked a sit-in protest in the capital. "The tragic attacks on protesters yesterday that led to the deaths of at least six Sudanese and potentially one hundred or more injured were clearly the result of the Transitional Military Council trying to impose its will on the protesters by attempting to remove roadblocks," the US embassy said in a statement posted on its Facebook page. "The decision for security forces to escalate the use of force, including the unnecessary use of tear gas, led directly to the unacceptable violence later in the day that the TMC was unable to control." Five protesters and a Sudanese army major were killed on Monday just hours after the council's generals and protest leaders said the two sides had reached a breakthrough agreement on transitional authorities to run the country. The six were killed by gunshots, which the protest leaders blamed on militias of the former regime of ousted president Omar al-Bashir. Prior to Monday's talks between the military rulers and protest leaders, groups of demonstrators had blocked Nile Street, a major avenue in the city, for the second consecutive day. Witnesses said angry protesters blocked the avenue after police initially stopped them from going to the sit-in outside the army complex from that road. The military council condemned the protesters for blocking the avenue. "It is totally unacceptable what is happening on the Nile street as it creates chaos and makes life difficult for citizens," the council said in a statement on Sunday. In its statement, the US embassy said the two sides "should not allow yesterday's events to prevent them from building on yesterday's progress to rapidly conclude negotiations to establish a civilian-led transitional government". "We encourage the people of Sudan to continue to express their desire for a peaceful and democratic Sudan in a non-violent manner and to not to be provoked by the actions of those who oppose change," it said. Washington has consistently pushed the army generals to reach a deal with the protest leaders on handing over power. Last Wednesday, US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan spoke by telephone with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chairman of the military council, and voiced support for "the Sudanese people's aspirations for a free, democratic and prosperous future," the State Department said. Sullivan encouraged the military leader to "move expeditiously toward a civilian-led interim government" and to reach an agreement with the Alliance for Freedom and Change protest group. Search Keywords: Short link: Army thanks honorable people, collaborators in region with them in Success Great Air Attack in saudi depth [14/May/2019] div style="text-align: left;">SANAA, May 14 (Saba) - The Yemeni armed forces Tuesday confirmed the successfully great operation launched in the "ninth of Ramadan" which targeted vital installations deep inside the Saudi enemy. The armed forces in Yemen said in a statement obtained by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) that the military operation, is the largest among the operations launched in the saudi depth since the beginning of US-saudi coalition attack launched on country. The statement added that this successful military operation was accomplished after careful monitoring and cooperation from the honorable people of those areas, which led to the complete cessation of pumping oil through the pipeline and directly affected the economy of the enemy. The vital installations of the Saudi enemy were targeted in the provinces of Dawadmi and Afif in Riyadh, read the statement. The statement added that the attack was carried out by seven aircraft belonging to the Air Force and targeted the two pumping stations in the main oil pipeline 8-7, which connects the area of Rass Al-tnura and Yanbu and pumps three million barrels of oil per day. "This qualitative operation comes within the framework of the legitimate response to the crimes committed against our dear people, our great country, the continued economic siege and the fulfillment of the promise of Leader of the Revolution to target vital installations sensitive to the enemy in case the aggression does not stop," the statement added. The General Command of the Armed Forces affirms the readiness of the armed forces, with all types and formations of combat, to carry out other qualitative operations in the event of continued aggression, crimes and violating by the coalition to the national sovereignty. The armed forces warn the countries of aggression against the continued siege and starvation of our dear and steadfast people, plundering their wealth and targeting all Yemenis, including state employees, via constantly stopping paying salaries. The General Command of the Armed Forces also confirms its ability to carry out broader and larger operations in the depth of the countries of US-UAE-saudi coalition aggression, affirming that the solution in the region is to stop the aggression against Yemen. AA Saba The Congress on Monday described the BJP as 'Bharatiya Jinnah Party' two days after its party's Ratlam Jhabua Lok Sabha candidate Guman Singh Damor stirred a controversy saying that the Partition could have been avoided if Jawaharlal Nehru had allowed Muhammad Ali Jinnah to be the first Prime Minister. The Congress also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for participating in a public meeting of Damoh and demanded an apology. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "Those who earlier created a furore over Jinnah's photograph at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) are now campaigning for the people who have praised Jinnah." He said the BJP candidate's statements have exposed the thinking of the BJP as well as of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). Khera said Damor had hoped that Jinnah would be the first Prime Minister. "Either this is hatred for Nehru or they have shown their love for Jinnah," he said. His remarks came soon after the Prime Minister addressed a public meeting in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam where election is due on May 19 in the seventh phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. On Saturday, while addressing a gathering in his Lok Sabha seat, Damor praised Jinnah and said, "Jinnah was an advocate and a learned man. If a decision was taken to make him the Prime Minister, then India would not have been divided." Hitting out at the BJP, Khera said, "We condemn the statement and demand an apology from the Prime Minister, Shah, Jaitley and senior leaders of the BJP." Supreme Court (file photo) The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma, arrested for a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The court also ordered that upon her release, she should tender an apology. Initially, the court had ordered Sharma to be released on bail on the subject that she should tender an apology. Sharma's counsel Neerak Kishan Kaul vehemently argued that an apology would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech. The court modified its order stating that upon her release, she will tender an apology. During the arguments, Kaul said that political satire cannot be penalised. "It will set up a wrong trend." The Bharatiya Janata Party leader was accused of sharing on social media a photo of the Trinamool Congress supremo photo-shopped on a picture of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra from last week's MET Gala event in New York City. She was arrested on May 10 and remanded to 14 days judicial custody. Portland, OR -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- The Almond Oil Market by Type, Application and Distribution Channel: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2023, the global almond oil market was valued at $1,118 million in 2016, and is projected to reach $2,680 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 13.2% from 2017 to 2023. The sweet almond oil segment dominated the market in 2016, with more than half share, in terms of revenue. Download Request Sample @: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/3087 Almond oil is extracted from kernels of Prunus Dulcis tree using cold-pressed method. Presence of various vitamins such as Vitamin E, Vitamin B, and vitamin A; minerals; proteins and omega fatty acids make this oil an all-purpose essential and carrier oil which is utilized in food preparation, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The demand of almond oil is on an increase across the globe due to its health benefits and high nutritional value. Major Players: - AOS Products Private Limited - Ashwin Fine Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals - Blue Diamond Growers Inc. - Caloy Quality Natural Oils - Eden Botanicals - Jiangxi Baicao Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. - Jiangxi Xuesong Natural Medicinal Oil Co. Ltd. - Liberty Vegetable Oil Company - Mountain Ocean - NOW Foods - Proteco Oils. Make an Enquiry before Buy @: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/3087 Rise in demand of aromatherapy products and growth in use of almond oil in cosmetic formulations due to increase in preference for natural ingredients are the primary factors that drive the almond oil market across the globe. Almond oil is widely utilized in the production of face creams, body lotions, hair oils, and various other cosmetic products for moisturizing and cleansing. Rapid urbanization, growth in applications in pharmaceutical industry, and changes in lifestyle are other factors that supplement the market growth. However, high price of almond oil, especially bitter almond oil as it is extracted from exotic species hinder the market growth. Nevertheless, growth in demand for almond oil from emerging economies such as India and China and favorable government regulations, which encourage use of natural ingredients in cosmetic formulations provide great potential for market expansion. The demand for almond oil is anticipated to increase among luxury brand manufacturers of personal care and cosmetic products as currently these manufacturers are concentrating on production of products containing natural and organic ingredients. Cosmetic segment holds the largest share, in terms of revenue, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.5%. Use of almond oil is increasing in cosmetic formulations due to rise in preference of consumers toward organic and healthy ingredients. Favorable government regulations, which encourage the use of natural ingredients in these formulations also assist in supplementing the growth of the cosmetic segment. Sweet almond oil accounted for more than half of the market, in terms of revenue, in 2016 as it is being widely utilized in pharmaceutical, skin care, and color-cosmetic industries owing to its healthy moisturization properties and natural stability. It can be utilized as reepithelization agent, excipient, and sebum restoring agent in cosmetic industry. Sweet almond oil is rich in fatty acids, which favor restoration of skin lipid balance and thus is utilized in various skin treatments. Key Findings of the Almond Oil Market: - North America is expected to lead the market during the forecast period in terms of revenue, followed by Asia-Pacific. - Sweet almond oil market volume is projected to grow with a CAGR of 12.5%, in terms of volume during the forecast period. - The cosmetic segment is expected to show highest growth, registering a CAGR of 12.9% in terms of volume. - Turkey accounted for 6.58% share in the LAMEA almond oil market in 2016. - Mexico is projected to grow at a fastest rate in the North America almond oil market, registering a CAGR of 13.8%. - Germany accounts for 10.20% share in the Europe almond oil market in 2016. Access full report@: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/almond-oil-market About Allied Market Research Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies client's insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free (USA/Canada): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1?855?550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Coccidiosis is a widespread disease caused by a single cell parasite that can be seen only with the help of a microscope. Every livestock species as well as wild animals can be infected by coccidiosis, which is particularly prevalent when animals or birds are grouped together in significant numbers. The disease results in lower egg production in chickens and is responsible for mortality in the flock. Commonly, three to four species of coccidian are responsible for the outbreak of the disease. The severity of the disease depends on the number of oocyte ingested and on the species of coccidia. Anticoccidial drugs are those entities that combat the progression of coccidiosis in animals or birds. Anticoccidials are administered in the feed to prevent disease and minimize the economic loss often associated with sub-acute infections. Prophylactic use of anticoccidial drugs is preferred many a times as most of the damage occurs before clinical signs become apparent. Browse Report Summary: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/anticoccidial-drugs-market.html The anticoccidial drugs market can be segmented based on action, drug entity, and region. In terms of action, the anticoccidial drugs market can be classified into coccidiostatic and coccidiocidal. Based on drug entity, the anticoccidial drugs market can be categorized into ionophores and synthetic anticoccidials. The ionophores segment can be further divided into monovalent, monovalent glycoside, and divalent. Ionophores are the fermentation products of fungi species. They are extensively used as anticoccidial agents. Salinomycin, lasalocid, and monensin are the most commonly used ionophores. In terms of geography, the anticoccidial drugs market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounts for a significant anticoccidial drugs market share in terms of revenue, due to a well-established infrastructure in immunological research, highly organized farming, increased demand for animal protein, high pet ownership, greater emphasis on prevention and wellness by veterinarians, and rise in spending on medicine. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, poultry is the fastest growing meat product in the organic products anticoccidial drugs market in the U.S.. The size of the poultry segment is around US$ 56 Mn. The segment expanded at an annual growth of 33% through 2008 (USDA, 2008). The high consumption of meat is expected to propel the anticoccidial drugs market in North America. Europe is a prominent region of the anticoccidial drugs market, owing to a highly developed health care industry, high government funding for the development of veterinary medicines, increased awareness among people, and high consumption of meat. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) donated GBP 5.7 Mn for the development of poultry vaccines to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in December 2015. Browse In-Depth TOC on the Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=49314 The anticoccidial drugs market in Asia Pacific is expanding at a robust pace due to high rate of development in veterinary medicines and increase in government initiatives. Nowadays, major pharmaceutical companies are outsourcing their drug development services to various countries such as China, Singapore, Malaysia, and India, which is eventually propelling the growth of the anticoccidial drugs market in this region. The global anticoccidial drugs market is witnessing considerable growth owing to a rise in disposable income of people in emerging countries. Disposable income is increasing in emerging countries such as India and China, which results in a change in lifestyle and high demand for animal protein foods such as meat, milk, etc.. Increase in disposable income is likely to boost demand for veterinary pharmacies. Middle East and Latin America are expected to be the prospective regions of the anticoccidial drugs market in the near future due to rapidly developing pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Some of the major players operating in the anticoccidial drugs market are Bayer Animal Heath, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva Sante Animale, Elanco, Novartis Animal Health, Merck Animal Health, Merial, Virbac S.A., and Zoetis. Download PDF Brochure of the Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=49314 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- According to a new market research report "Autonomous Agents Market by Deployment Type (Cloud and On-premises), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical (BFSI, IT and Telecom, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Transportation and Mobility), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024" published by MarketsandMarkets, the Autonomous Agents Market expected to grow from USD 345 million in 2019 to USD 2,992 million by 2024, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 54% during the forecast period. The major factors driving the Autonomous Agents Market include the growing adoption of AI-based applications and increased availability of parallel computing resources. Browse in-depth TOC on "Autonomous Agents Market" 31- Tables 29- Figures 95- Pages Browse Detailed Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/autonomous-agents-market-201425821.html The on-premises segment to hold the highest market share in the global Autonomous Agents Market during the forecast period On-premises deployment of autonomous agents solutions requires initial high investment by organizations, though it does not require incremental costs throughout the ownership, as in the case of cloud deployment type. Moreover, security concern associated with private data of customers is a major reason for the adoption of on-premises deployment over the cloud. These types of deployments are popular across large-sized enterprises. SMEs to grow with the fastest CAGR during the forecast period Autonomous agents assist Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to automate the business process that reduces the necessity for humans to perform the tedious task. Cost-effectiveness is an essential need for SMEs, as they are always constrained by limited budgets, which leaves them with limited ways to market themselves and gain visibility. To compete with large organizations, SMEs are expected to adopt autonomous agents at a higher rate during the forecast period, to enhance operational productivity. North America to have the largest market size during the forecast period North America is expected to hold the largest market size during the forecast period in the Autonomous Agents Market, owing to the early adoption and host to innovative initiatives for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Machine Learning (ML). Though the trend is observed globally, in North America, it has prevailed due to the presence of the following factors affecting the development and growth of autonomous agents: state-of-the-art infrastructure, high funding opportunities, widespread customer base across several industries, conducive environment for innovation, and availability of highly-skilled workforce. Furthermore, autonomous agents companies in this region are targeting higher revenues and business expansions due to the stiff competition and demand prevailing across the North American region. In addition, the US and Canada contribute majorly toward the adoption and growth of new technologies, both being the most developed economies in the region. With a well-established economy and advanced technological development, funding opportunities in autonomous agents and related technologies have been the highest in these countries. Major vendors offering Autonomous Agents Market across the globe include Oracle (US), IBM (US), SAP (Germany), AWS (US), SAS (US), Infosys (India), Nuance Communications (US), FICO (US), Fetch.AI (UK), Affectiva (US), Intel (US), Salesforce (US), Aptiv (Ireland), Google (US) and Microsoft (US). About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, and strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: 1-888-600-6441 Email:sales@marketsandmarkets.com Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- The report "Baggage Handling System Market by Mode (Airport, Marine, Rail), Solution (Check-In, Screening & Load, Conveying & Sorting, Unload & Reclaim), Check-In (Assisted, Self), Conveying (Conveyor, DCV), Tracking (Barcode, RFID) and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", The global baggage handling system market is projected to reach USD 13.7 billion by 2025 from USD 8.4 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 7.28%. The growing focus on improving air connectivity and the development of intermodal transport will drive the baggage handling system market. Additionally, the rising smart city projects and growing maritime industry are also expected to drive the demand for baggage handling systems. Factors such as complex architecture and high level of initial investments are restricting the growth of this market. However, an increase in passenger and cargo traffic with a limited airport space provides new growth opportunities for the market players. Browse 76 market data Tables and 45 Figures spread through 163 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Baggage Handling System Market" Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=222241953 "Conveying and sorting to be the largest segment, by solution." The conveying and sorting segment is projected to lead the baggage handling system market, by solution. According to primary insights, sorting is the heart of the total baggage handling system. The exponential increase in air and marine passenger volume for domestic and international travels worldwide has encouraged baggage handling system manufacturers to find ways to improve existing baggage handling technologies with automated sorting. According to Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques (SITA), with a rise in automation reflected in increasing use of conveyor systems, the rate of baggage mishandling reduced in 2018 compared to 2017. "RFID system to be the fastest growing segment for baggage handling system market, by tracking technology." The airline industry is a customer service oriented industry, which leads to immense competition. Today, the key challenge for the airport industry is to reduce baggage mishandling. Baggage mishandling can lead to customer dissatisfaction. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, between November 2016 and June 2018, domestic Indian airlines received 763 grievances related to baggagethe fourth highest after complaints about flight delays, ticket fares, and check-in and boarding. In response to that, companies and authorities are focusing on the development of an effective baggage handling system. For instance, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been working toward 'Resolution 753'. RFID systems have a better coverage area than barcode systems and do not need to be positioned in the line of sight for scanning. The RFID system segment is expected to show strong growth in the coming years, with Resolution 753 mandates. However, according to primary insights, Resolution 753 will never discard barcode systems completely Request Sample Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=222241953 "Asia Oceania to be the largest market for baggage handling systems." Asia Oceania is expected to provide lucrative opportunities in the baggage handling system market. Factors such as strong economic growth, increasing focus on development of smart cities, and favorable government policies for improving air connectivity have triggered the demand for baggage handling systems in the region. Due to the ever-growing air passenger traffic, China accounts for the highest market share of the total Asia Oceania baggage handling system market. Additionally, with a significant focus of the government on development of new airports, India is expected to play a key role in the baggage handling system industry in the Asia Oceania region. For instance, the Indian government plans to construct 100 new airports with an investment of about USD 60 billion in the next 1015 years. On the other hand, Europe and the Americas have matured markets for the baggage handling systems. The baggage handling system market is dominated by few global players and comprises several regional players as well. The key players in the baggage handling system market are Siemens (Germany), Vanderlande Industries (Netherlands), Daifuku (Japan), Pteris Global Limited (Singapore), BEUMER (Germany), and SITA (Switzerland). Don't miss out on business opportunities in Baggage Handling System Market. Speak to our analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow. View Detail TOC @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/baggage-handling-system-market-222241953.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA : 1-888-600-6441 sales@marketsandmarkets.com London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/13/2019 -- The new research from Global QYResearch on Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Market Report for 2019 intends to offer target audience with the fresh outlook on market and fill in the knowledge gaps with the help of processed information and opinions from industry experts. The information in the research report is well-processed and a report is accumulated by industry professionals and seasoned experts in the field to ensure of the quality of research. The research is backed by extensive and in-depth secondary research which involves reference to various statistical databases, national government documents, relevant patent and regulatory databases, news articles, press releases, company annual reports, webcasts, financial reports, and a number of internal and external proprietary databases. This estimated data is cross-checked with industry experts from various leading companies in the market. After the entire authentication process, these reports are shared with subject matter experts (SMEs) for adding further value and to gain their insightful opinion on the research. With such robust process of data extraction, verification, and finalization, we firmly endorse the quality of our research. With such extensive and in-depth research and comprehensive coverage of information, it is always a possibility of clients finding their desired information in the report with enclosure of key components and valuable statistics in all regards. We can provide sample pages for the better understanding of this report. Request Sample of This Report at: http://globalqyresearch.com/download-sample/620612 Bekaert accounted for 27.66 % of Thailand Tyre Bead Wire sales volume market share in 2017. Other players accounted for 24.12%, 20.87% and 12.87 % including Kiswire, Rajratan and Shandong Daye. On the basis of product type, the 0.78~1.60 mm wire diameter Tyre Bead Wire segment is projected to account for the largest sales volume share during the forecast period; this segment was estimated to account for 83.88 % volume share in 2017. In the applications, the Radial Tire segment was estimated to account for the highest sales volume share of 86.70 % in 2017 and is expected to gain significant market share by the end of 2026. This industry study presents the global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) market size, historical breakdown data (2014-2019) and forecast (2019-2026). The Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) production, revenue and market share by manufacturers, key regions and type. The consumption of Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) in volume terms are also provided for major countries (or regions), and for each application and product at the global level. Market share, growth rate, and competitive factors are also evaluated for market leaders Bekaert, Kiswire, etc. The following manufacturers are covered in this report: Bekaert Kiswire Rajratan Shandong Daye Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Breakdown Data by Type 0.78~1.60 mm 1.65~1.83 mm Above 1.83 mm Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Breakdown Data by Application Radial Tire Bias Tire Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production by Region United States Europe China Japan South Korea India Other Regions Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Region North America United States Canada Mexico Asia-Pacific China India Japan South Korea Australia Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Europe Germany France UK Italy Russia Rest of Europe Central & South America Brazil Rest of South America Middle East & Africa GCC Countries Turkey Egypt South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa View Detail Report With Complete Table of Content, List of Table and Figure: http://globalqyresearch.com/global-bead-wire-tyre-bead-wire-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 Ask Query Here: edwin@globalqyresearch.com or sales@globalqyresearch.com Table of Contents 1 Study Coverage 1.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Product 1.2 Key Market Segments in This Study 1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered 1.4 Market by Type 1.4.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Market Size Growth Rate by Type 1.4.2 0.78~1.60 mm 1.4.3 1.65~1.83 mm 1.4.4 Above 1.83 mm 1.5 Market by Application 1.5.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Market Size Growth Rate by Application 1.5.2 Radial Tire 1.5.3 Bias Tire 1.6 Study Objectives 1.7 Years Considered 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Market Size 2.1.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 2014-2025 2.1.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 2014-2025 2.2 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Growth Rate (CAGR) 2019-2025 2.3 Analysis of Competitive Landscape 2.3.1 Manufacturers Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) 2.3.2 Key Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Manufacturers 2.3.2.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters 2.3.2.2 Manufacturers Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Product Offered 2.3.2.3 Date of Manufacturers Enter into Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Market 2.4 Key Trends for Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Markets & Products 3 Market Size by Manufacturers 3.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production by Manufacturers 3.1.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production by Manufacturers 3.1.2 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production Market Share by Manufacturers 3.2 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue by Manufacturers 3.2.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 3.2.2 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019) 3.3 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Price by Manufacturers 3.4 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans 4 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production by Regions 4.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production by Regions 4.1.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production Market Share by Regions 4.1.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue Market Share by Regions 4.2 United States 4.2.1 United States Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 4.2.2 United States Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 4.2.3 Key Players in United States 4.2.4 United States Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Import & Export 4.3 Europe 4.3.1 Europe Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 4.3.2 Europe Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 4.3.3 Key Players in Europe 4.3.4 Europe Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Import & Export 4.4 China 4.4.1 China Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 4.4.2 China Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 4.4.3 Key Players in China 4.4.4 China Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Import & Export 4.5 Japan 4.5.1 Japan Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 4.5.2 Japan Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 4.5.3 Key Players in Japan 4.5.4 Japan Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Import & Export 4.6 South Korea 4.6.1 South Korea Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 4.6.2 South Korea Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 4.6.3 Key Players in South Korea 4.6.4 South Korea Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Import & Export 4.7 India 4.7.1 India Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production 4.7.2 India Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue 4.7.3 Key Players in India 4.7.4 India Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Import & Export 4.8 Other Regions 5 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Regions 5.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Regions 5.1.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Regions 5.1.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Market Share by Regions 5.2 North America 5.2.1 North America Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Application 5.2.2 North America Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Countries 5.2.3 United States 5.2.4 Canada 5.2.5 Mexico 5.3 Europe 5.3.1 Europe Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Application 5.3.2 Europe Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Countries 5.3.3 Germany 5.3.4 France 5.3.5 UK 5.3.6 Italy 5.3.7 Russia 5.4 Asia Pacific 5.4.1 Asia Pacific Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Application 5.4.2 Asia Pacific Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Countries 5.4.3 China 5.4.4 Japan 5.4.5 South Korea 5.4.6 India 5.4.7 Australia 5.4.8 Indonesia 5.4.9 Thailand 5.4.10 Malaysia 5.4.11 Philippines 5.4.12 Vietnam 5.5 Central & South America 5.5.1 Central & South America Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Application 5.5.2 Central & South America Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Country 5.5.3 Brazil 5.6 Middle East and Africa 5.6.1 Middle East and Africa Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Application 5.6.2 Middle East and Africa Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Countries 5.6.3 GCC Countries 5.6.4 Egypt 5.6.5 South Africa 6 Market Size by Type 6.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production by Type 6.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue by Type 6.3 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Price by Type 7 Market Size by Application 7.1 Overview 7.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Breakdown Dada by Application 7.2.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption by Application 7.2.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Market Share by Application (2014-2019) 8 Key Industry Players 8.1 Bekaert 8.1.1 Bekaert Company Details 8.1.2 Production and Revenue of Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) 8.1.3 Bekaert Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Product Description 8.1.4 SWOT Analysis 8.1.5 Bekaert Economic Activity & Plans 8.2 Kiswire 8.2.1 Kiswire Company Details 8.2.2 Production and Revenue of Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) 8.2.3 Kiswire Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Product Description 8.2.4 SWOT Analysis 8.2.5 Kiswire Economic Activity & Plans 8.3 Rajratan 8.3.1 Rajratan Company Details 8.3.2 Production and Revenue of Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) 8.3.3 Rajratan Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Product Description 8.3.4 SWOT Analysis 8.3.5 Rajratan Economic Activity & Plans 8.4 Shandong Daye 8.4.1 Shandong Daye Company Details 8.4.2 Production and Revenue of Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) 8.4.3 Shandong Daye Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Product Description 8.4.4 SWOT Analysis 8.4.5 Shandong Daye Economic Activity & Plans 9 Entry Strategy for Key Countries 9.1 Entry Strategy for United States Market 9.2 Entry Strategy for China Market 9.3 Entry Strategy for India Market 10 Production Forecasts 10.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production and Revenue Forecast 10.1.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production Forecast 2019-2025 10.1.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue Forecast 2019-2025 10.2 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production and Revenue Forecast by Regions 10.2.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue Forecast by Regions 10.2.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production Forecast by Regions 10.3 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Key Producers Forecast 10.3.1 United States 10.3.2 Europe 10.3.3 China 10.3.4 Japan 10.3.5 South Korea 10.3.6 India 10.4 Forecast by Type 10.4.1 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Production Forecast by Type 10.4.2 Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Revenue Forecast by Type 11 Consumption Forecast 11.1 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Application 11.2 Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Regions 11.3 North America Market Consumption Forecast 11.3.1 North America Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Regions 2019-2025 11.3.2 United States 11.3.3 Canada 11.3.4 Mexico 11.4 Europe Market Consumption Forecast 11.4.1 Europe Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Regions 2019-2025 11.4.2 Germany 11.4.3 France 11.4.4 UK 11.4.5 Italy 11.4.6 Russia 11.5 Asia Pacific Market Consumption Forecast 11.5.1 Asia Pacific Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Regions 2019-2025 11.5.2 China 11.5.3 Japan 11.5.4 South Korea 11.5.5 India 11.5.6 Australia 11.5.7 Indonesia 11.5.8 Thailand 11.5.9 Malaysia 11.5.10 Philippines 11.5.11 Vietnam 11.6 Central & South America Market Consumption Forecast 11.6.1 Central & South America Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Regions 2019-2025 11.6.2 Brazil 11.7 Middle East and Africa Market Consumption Forecast 11.7.1 Middle East and Africa Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Consumption Forecast by Regions 2019-2025 11.7.2 GCC Countries 11.7.3 Egypt 11.7.4 South Africa 12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors 12.1 Market Opportunities 12.2 Market Challenges 12.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 13 Key Findings in the Global Bead Wire (Tyre Bead Wire) Study 14 Appendix 14.1 Research Methodology 14.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach 14.1.1.1 Research Programs/Design 14.1.1.2 Market Size Estimation 14.1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation 14.1.2 Data Source 14.1.2.1 Secondary Sources 14.1.2.2 Primary Sources 14.2 Author Details 14.3 Disclaimer The report is readily available and can be dispatched within 4hr after payment confirmation. 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Contact Us: Unit1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London, E182AN, United Kingdom Contact: +44 20 3286 1546 Cheshire, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Benon's Catering, the most popular caterers in the UK are pleased to launch a new service. The Sunday Roast Delivery Service is to be launched across U.K's major towns and cities. Sunday Roast needs no introduction and it has been a part of British Culture for centuries now; so much so that it is the most preferred thing that the English love to do on Sundays apart from other things. If there is any other thing that is as majestic and traditional as a Christmas dinner, it is Sunday Roast. And Benon's Catering wishes to make it grandeur by serving a delightful and mouthwatering platter including roasted meat, Yorkshire Pudding, Cauliflower Cheese, Roast Potatoes, Roast Parsnips, Brussel Sprouts name it and they have it. They are not just any caterers but professionals who aim at delivering a magnificent dining experience in the form of flame grilled BBQs, hot and cold buffets, fork buffets, platters, corporate buffets, baby showers, Christmas menus, themed cuisines and more. These professionals are ready for any occasion or event irrespective of the number. From children's party food to anniversary parties, weddings to afternoon tea parties, customers can book for any kind of catering service with a choice of menu. Available 7 days a week, these caterers offer world cuisines on a platter to deliver not just tasty food but great food experiences. "Had Benon's cater a bbq for my daughters 18th, amazing food & service, huge thank you", says Leanne (Wigan). The company has built a strong network with other brands and delivery partners such as River, Canal Trust, Uber, DHL, Aldi, NHS, FA and many others. Be it funerals or corporate events, the aim of the company is to help their customers concentrate on the event and leave the food arrangements to the best. Be it customized menus or themed menus, they are ready to offer what their customers need irrespective of the occasion or event. The Sunday Roast delivery service is just another feather in the cap and aims at helping friends and families bond over an amazing platter of delicious food served with love. To book a service visit https://www.benonscatering.co.uk/ About Benon's Catering Benon's Catering, https://www.benonscatering.co.uk/ based at Cheshire, United Kingdom is a professional catering company. The company was started by professionals with over 25 years of combined experience in the F & B industry. These caterers have spread their wings throughout and have a scrumptious presence across the length and breadth of the country. Benon's offers the widest catering services ranging from buffet food, business lunches, catering for corporate events, special occasion, regular meetings, training sessions, barbeque nights, hog roasts, potato pie nights, etc. They have a distributed network of kitchens designed by an in-house team to offer high quality, delicious, fresh and safe food prepared under the most hygienic conditions. Media Contact Benon's Catering Address: Unit 5B, The Lodge, Compstall Mills, Compstall, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 5HN Phone: 03333-22-0123/ 07494-797303 Email: Info@benonscatering.co.uk Website: https://www.benonscatering.co.uk/ Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- FactMR has published a fresh study titled "Big Data Analytics in Healthcare Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking Global Market insights 2017 to 2026", to its broad online repository. The primary purpose of this assessment is to pilot readers about the different projections associated to the global big data analytics in healthcare market. The confidence put in by several healthcare organizations towards big data analytics is already supporting the development of the concerned market. Based on this valuation, the global big data analytics in healthcare market is likely to exhibit 17.7% CAGR during 2017-2026. Furthermore, over US$ 45,000 Mn revenues is expected to be secured from worldwide sales during the stated forecast period. Request For a Free Sample Report - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=369 Precision medicine has the potential to swing from the one-size-fits-all approach with the use of patient-specific therapeutics as well as utilizing large amount of data seized from tools such as mobile biometric sensors, genomics, and smartphone apps. With the availability of health data, doctors are gaining capacity to build predictive models along with better patient profiles assisting effective anticipation, diagnosis and treatment of different diseases. Furthermore, leading partnerships and collaborations among healthcare organizations and researchers have led to active developments in data pools that can be later used for assembling improved personalized healthcare models. APEJ Region to Remain Profitable during Forecast Period According to this FactMR study, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is likely to continue as the fast-expanding and advantageous market for big data analytics in healthcare. Furthermore, North America and Europe are also showing signs to emerge as lucrative regions in the near future. The big data analytics in healthcare market across Latin America and Japan are expected to showcase relatively higher CAGR as compared to those recorded in North America and Europe, even though accounting for moderately lower revenues during the stated forecast period. Browse Full Report on Big Data Analytics in Healthcare Market with TOC- https://www.factmr.com/report/369/big-data-analytics-healthcare-market Government Engagement Paving Positive Path for Big Data Analytics in Healthcare Market The inclination and dependency towards electronic medical records, along with favorable government policies has significantly motivated the implementation of big data analytics in healthcare sector. However, most of the medical professionals do not hold the necessary skill set for leveraging information provided by big data analytics. This aspect behaves as a major restraint for the development of the target market. In order to make corrections, government and healthcare organizations are focusing on suitable training of professionals so as to make them capable to utilize the obtained data in an evocative manner and smartly draft healthcare policies. Competitive Landscape With the conclusion of the report study, readers can receive quick insights associated to the competitive scenario active across the global big data analytics in healthcare market. Considering the present status of the target market surrounding mergers and partnerships among prominent players, the road to development is surely golden. Talking about new marker entrants, there can be several barriers like high deployment cost as well as difficulty to handle the pressure from well-established players on the grounds of quality and innovation. Some of the prime market players mentioned in the report are IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corp, OptumHealth Care Solutions, McKesson, Verisk Analytics, MedeAnalytics, Oracle Corp, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Cisco Systems Inc., Zephyr Health, Infosys, Alteryx, SAP SE, SAS Institute and Denodo Technologies Inc. Have Any Question? Ask Our Industry Experts - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=369 About FactMR FactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us FactMR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ President Emmanuel Macron wants to meet Libyan eastern commander Khalifa Haftar to push a ceasefire and resume peace talks, France's foreign minister said on Tuesday. Macron last week called for a ceasefire in the month-long battle for Libya's capital Tripoli after meeting U.N.-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. Tripoli is home to the recognised administration but some European countries such as France have also supported eastern military commander Haftar as a way to fight militants in a country in chaos since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. A day after meeting Macron, the internationally recognised government asked 40 foreign firms including French oil major Total to renew their licences or have their operations suspended. "The situation in Libya is extremely worrying because the proposed U.N. roadmap to both parties - and which almost reached a positive conclusion - ... has today failed on the one hand because of Field Marshal Haftar's initiative and Serraj's non-initiative," Jean-Yves Le Drian told lawmakers. "It's for this reason that the president wanted to meet one and the other to support the U.N. initiative." A French diplomatic source could not confirm when the meeting could take place or whether Paris' objective was to bring the two men together as it has done twice previously. The French presidency did not respond immediately. Search Keywords: Short link: Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Major players operating in the global camera bags market are Case Logic, Crumpler Pty Ltd, M Billingham & Co Limited (Trading as Billingham), Tiffen, Altura Photo, Vitec Imaging Distribution Inc., Tenba, Artantik LTD, JENOVA, Vitec Group Italia Spa (Italy), kieselbags.com, Peak Design, Gura Gear, LLC, Lap Shun Manufacturing Co Ltd., Think Tank Photo, Inc., and others. A camera bag is an accessory which protects the camera from physical damage such as breakage and from dirt. A camera bag keeps the photography kit safe for a longer duration. Camera bags are also available with a rain cover for waterproof protection; with adjustable and padded shoulder strap; multiple compartments; and other features. Manufacturers use durable and flexible material which makes the camera bag stylish and easy to use. All these features increase the demand for camera bags from both professional and non-professional photographers. Camera bags are available in different sizes, colors, features, and price range. For More Details, Request A Sample Report @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=62652 In addition, camera bags are designed in such a way that one can easily carry a laptop, tablet, and documents all in one bag. All these features are expected to accelerate the global camera bag market during the forecast period. The photography market is reshaping the whole camera bag market. Various factors in the market accelerates the growth of camera bags such as increasing disposable income in middle class families, increasing population, growing participation in photography, and increasing adoption of Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras and point-and-shoot cameras across the world. However, rapid volatility in raw material prices is expected to hamper the growth of the global camera bags market. The global camera bags market can be segmented on the basis of product type, material, size, end-user, distribution channel, and geography. Based on product type, the market is segmented into bag pack, messenger bag, shoulder bag, holster & cases, and others. Holster & cases bags are used to carry point-and-shoot cameras. In terms of material, the global camera bags market is classified into polyester, velvet, silicone, leather, cotton, and others. Based on size, the market is segmented into small, medium, and large. On the basis of end-use, the market is classified into professional photographers and non-professional photographers. The professional photographer segment is expected to be the most attractive during the forecast period. Based on distribution channel, the camera bags market can be classified into online distribution channel and offline distribution channel. The offline distribution channel is further sub segmented into hypermarkets/supermarkets, specialty stores, and others. Hypermarkets/supermarkets is expected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. Request For Custom Research Report @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=62652 In terms of geography, the global camera bags market is classified into Asia Pacific (India, China, Japan, and Rest Of Asia Pacific), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., and Rest of Europe), North America (U.S, Canada, and Rest of North America), Middle East & Africa (GCC, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa), and South America (Brazil and Rest of South America). Europe is anticipated to hold a large share in the camera bags market. This is primarily due to the presence of key market players and relatively faster adoption; hence the higher market share as compared to other regions. The camera bags market in Asia Pacific is expected to see fast growth rate followed by North America. The rising demand for premium products among the young population across Asia Pacific and North America is expected to accelerate the camera bag market during the forecast period. South America and Middle East & Africa is also anticipated to contribute to the camera bags market during the forecast period. West Chester, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Carosella & Associates is proud to announce that we now offer multilingual services to our Spanish-speaking clients. We value the diversity and presence of Spanish-speakers in our Eastern Pennsylvania community and believe that language should not be a barrier to obtaining top-notch legal representation. Attorney Timothy J. Trott speaks, reads, and writes Spanish and brings a unique variety of legal and business experience to our practice in the areas of social security disability, criminal, family, business, wills and trusts, estate planning, and bankruptcy law. Mr. Trott's wide range of valuable skills helps clients communicate more effectively and ensures they get the legal assistance they need. Our law firm is committed to making our Spanish-speaking clients feel comfortable and confident that they have an attorney who effectively communicates with them and works toward the best possible outcome for any legal issues they may be facing. Mr. Trott possesses the necessary language skills to relay important information and facts to Spanish-speaking clients so they are aware of all the legal benefits and options pertaining to their case. Whether a client needs to draft a will or is dealing with business matters that need to be resolved, having a Spanish-speaking lawyer provide legal counsel and representation ensures that they fully understand complex legal issues and processes every step of the way. Having a lawyer who speaks our clients' language also builds trust and gives them peace of mind, knowing that their rights and interests will be properly represented and protected. Carosella & Associates is dedicated to talking a problem-solving team approach. Our lawyers who practice in the areas of immigration, family law, criminal law and real estate law work closely with Mr. Trott to ensure Spanish-speaking clients get effective, friendly quality legal representation. As we continue to expand our scope of legal offerings, we look forward to serving an even more diverse range of clients. About Carosella & Associates For more than 20 years, the dedicated team of attorneys, paralegals, firm administrators, administrative assistants and legal secretaries at our West Chester law firm has provided top-quality legal representation for matters in myriad aspects of the law. Several attorneys at Carosella & Associates are licensed to practice law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Reconnaissance commercial satellite launch service market is expected to hold around 36% of the revenue share by 2024. Introduction of new farming techniques such as precision farming, utilizing the satellite imagery for improving farming will play a key role for the industry growth. Geographical Information System (GIS) tools and online web resources with the help of UAVs for farmers are spurring the segment growth. Continuous R&D activities for cost reductions will aid developing countries such as India to strengthen its position., In 2018, ISRO launched 31 satellites and is planning for around 3000 in next ten years. Rising satellite manufacturing facilities will strengthen the commercial satellite launch service Market over the forecast period. For instance, in 2017, Airbus commissioned factory to manufacture One-Web SATs with annual investment of around USD 17 billion. Request for Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2600 Prohibitive cost may hinder the commercial satellite launch service market growth during forecast period. In addition, launching challenges, quality control, absence of proper launch facility, and distribution channel may restrict the industry growth. However, declining price owing to technological advancements thereby reinforcing Industry. The micro commercial satellite launch service market will experience more than 6% of growth rate during the projected time span. This growth rate can be credited to rising developments for enhancing affordability and reliability of the launching vehicles. Micro SATs penetration is observed in various industries owing to compact size Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2600 Communication commercial satellite launch service Market will dominate industry volume share owing to increasing usage of wireless technology and rising connectivity among various countries. Reconnaissance segment is anticipated to hold over 35% of overall revenue share owing to utilization of imagery SATs for improving farming techniques. Online web sources and GIS tools for farmers will further spur segment revenue over the forecast period. North America is predicted to dominate commercial satellite launch service Market and will be worth over USD 2.5 billion by 2024. This dominance can be credited to availability of robust infrastructure in the region and presence of multiple space organizations including SpaceX and NASA. Expansion of navigation industry demand to locate destinations is contributing significantly in regional revenue generation. Asia Pacific is anticipated to register robust growth owing to low launching cost offered by organizations such as ISRO. LEO segment of commercial satellite launch service market will exhibit CAGR of around 3.2% during forecast period owing to less deploy time and low launching cost in comparison with other orbits. Additionally, the segment is the positive gateway for expanding connectivity in remote areas. Browse Complete Report @ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/commercial-satellite-launch-service-market Proliferating use of GPS and communication-based facilities will require additional launches thereby boosting commercial satellite launch service Market from 2018 to 2024. Rising sales of passenger vehicles with built-in navigation facility has increased adoption of this facility in various sectors including information & technology, electronics, and automobile. Companies in oil and gas sector trace the fuel tankers and vehicles for monitor the on-shore facilities that requires well established communication network. Increasing public spending and availability of financial investment is spurring the use of smart appliances, such as smart televisions and web streaming which in turn will fuel commercial satellite launch service Market. Soaring smart phone sales along with internet usage among youngsters is enhancing web-based applications such as AccuWeather, Google search, Facebook, and Instagram. Commercial satellite launch service market players are Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Space Exploration Technology, Boeing, Axelspace Corporation, and Orbital ATK. Industry players are adopting mergers and acquisition strategy to enhance their industry share. In January 2018, ULA acquired Atlas division of Lockheed to reduce cost and enhancing business efficiency. About Global Market Insights: Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Contact us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone:1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Web: https://www.gminsights.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- A defibrillator device depolarizes a critical part of a heart muscle thereby helping in restoration of normal heart rhythm. If SCA victims receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation within 5 to 12 minutes of cardiac arrest, many lives can be saved. Growing incidences of cardiovascular disease and increasing healthcare infrastructure in the Middle East and Africa are the major factors expected to boost the growth in demand for defibrillators in the region. However, despite an excellent market opportunity in the Middle East and Africa, lack of awareness pertaining to operating of a defibrillator during emergency and unfavorable government intervention to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places are the key restraints for the growth of market in the Middle East and Africa. The Middle East and Africa defibrillators market was valued at USD 209.6 million in 2013 and is expected to reach an estimated value of USD 347.8 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 7.6%. Obtain Report Details @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/middle-east-africa-defibrillators-market.html The Middle East and Africa defibrillators market has been segmented on the basis of product type, by end-users and by geography. On the basis of defibrillator type, the market is categorized into automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and advanced life support (ALS) defibrillators. Advanced life support defibrillators are used by medical and paramedical professionals, and emergency medical team. These defibrillators are also called as monitor/defibrillators since they possess an ability to monitor different kinds of bodily functions such as blood oxygen levels, pulse and heart rhythm. In 2013, the ALS defibrillators market accounted for the largest share by revenue in the market. The Middle East and Africa defibrillators market has also been segmented by end-user into hospitals, public access, emergency medical services and business workplaces. The defibrillators market in the region was dominated by hospitals as an end-user category accounting for more than 80% of the total market. Such high demand for defibrillators from hospitals is due to the continuous demand for ALS defibrillators as well as installation of AEDs at large hospitals. Request for Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4459 The Middle East and Africa defibrillators market is also segmented by major countries in the region, namely, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa. In 2013, Saudi Arabia and U.A.E. dominated the Middle East defibrillators market while South Africa led the Africa defibrillators market. The overall rise in the health care infrastructure in these countries along with the increasing awareness about the utility of defibrillators in cardiac arrest has driven growth in the demand for defibrillators. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are the fastest growing markets in the Middle East and Africa defibrillators market. The increasing awareness about utility of defibrillators in the Middle-East, especially in U.A.E and the support from government is contributing to growth of the market in this region. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4459 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companyas exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRas experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Contact Us Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website:www.transparencymarketresearch.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Global Endocrine Testing Market: Snapshot Endocrine testing refers to a group of tests performed to assess the overall function of the patient's endocrine system. The release of hormones is linked to a variety of diseases, which makes them a solid indicator to reveal the nature and extent of diseases. The rising awareness about the solid connection between hormones and diseases has led to steady growth of the global endocrine testing market in the recent past. The market is expected to rise to a valuation of US$12.8 bn by the end of 2023, exhibiting a robust 8.50% CAGR between 2015 and 2023. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/endocrine-testing-market.html Rising Incidence of Diabetes to Propel Demand for Endocrine Testing One of the key drivers for the global endocrine testing market is the rising number of patients suffering from diabetes. The crucial role played by insulin in the development and post-diagnostic management of diabetes makes it the key segment of the global endocrine testing market. The prevalence of diabetes is driven by the rising consumption of sugary foods across the world, accompanied by the widespread adherence to a sedentary lifestyle, particularly in developed regions such as North America and Europe. The rising prevalence of obesity is another major factor contributing to the growth of the global endocrine testing market. Obesity can often be caused by hormonal imbalance, the treatment for which requires endocrine testing. Obesity is also a contributing factor to the rising incidence of diabetes, as it promotes a sedentary lifestyle and is usually accompanied by excessive consumption of high-sugar food. On the other hand, the high costs of some advanced endocrine testing technologies are a major restraint against the global endocrine testing market. Despite their utility in the diagnosis of a variety of diseases, endocrine testing remains unaffordable for a significant part of the population in developing regions, which is unlikely to change in the near future. The lack of general awareness about healthcare in underdeveloped regions has also held back the growth of the global endocrine testing market. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1645 Rapid Growth of Endocrine Testing Market Expected in Asia Pacific Geographically, the global endocrine testing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. The presence of leading healthcare industry players in North America and Europe has resulted in steady dominance of these two regions in the global endocrine testing market. The rising awareness among the general population in countries such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, etc. regarding the importance of endocrine testing is likely to keep these the two leading regional endocrine testing markets in the coming years. Nevertheless, the endocrine testing market is expected to exhibit rapid growth in Asia Pacific in the coming years. The rising prevalence of diabetes in Southeast Asia is a major driver for the endocrine testing market in Asia Pacific. In addition to this, the rising government support to the healthcare sector in countries such as India, Thailand, China, Australia, Japan, and South Korea is likely to be a key factor in the development of the Asia Pacific endocrine testing market. By end use, commercial laboratories are likely to remain the dominant segment of the global endocrine testing market in the coming years. Hospitals, physician offices, ambulatory care centers, and home-based testing are the other significant end uses of endocrine testing techniques. The convenience of outsourcing testing procedures to commercial laboratories is the key factor driving their demand in the global endocrine testing market. Request a Sample of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1645 Key players in the global endocrine testing market include Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Agilent Technologies, Biomedical Diagnostics, Abbott Laboratories, LabCorp, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Siemens AG. Of these, Abbott Laboratories and F. Hoffman-La Roche are likely to continue as the dominant leaders in the global endocrine testing market through the forecast period. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled, "Fertility Testing Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026". According to the report, the global fertility testing devices market was valued at US$ 420 Mn in 2017, and it is projected to expand at a CAGR of more than 5% from 2018 to 2026. Rise in awareness toward fertility testing and increase in infertility rates are projected to drive the global market during the forecast period. North America and Europe are anticipated to dominate the global fertility testing devices market in the next few years owing to the rise in obesity, improvement in technology, and rise in trends of POC testing. The fertility testing devices market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a rapid pace from 2018 to 2026. This is attributed to the increase in population, increase in awareness about fertility testing, and high usage of the testing devices in developed countries such as Japan and Australia. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a CAGR of between 5% to 6% from 2018 to 2026. Request a Sample of Fertility Testing Devices Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=18689 Increase in infertility rate to drive global market Increase in infertility rate across the globe is a major factor that is estimated to fuel the global fertility testing devices market during the forecast period. Rise in obesity and fertility-related problems such as PCOS is expected to propel the global market during the forecast period. Furthermore, delayed child bearing due to financial instability, technological advancements in fertility testing devices, and increase in awareness toward fertility testing primarily in developing countries are other factors that are likely to drive the market during the forecast period. However, ever-increasing cost of fertility testing devices, reluctance to undergo fertility testing in several developing countries, and lack of awareness are some factors that are likely to restrain the global fertility testing devices market during the forecast period. Ovulation prediction kit segment to dominate global fertility testing devices market The report offers detailed segmentation of the global fertility testing devices market based on product type, gender, distribution channel, and region. In terms of product type, the fertility testing devices market has been segmented into ovulation prediction kits, male fertility testing kits, fertility monitors, and others. The fertility monitors segment has been further sub-segmented into saliva-based monitors and urine-based monitors. The ovulation prediction kits segment is expected to account for a leading share of the global market during the forecast period. Higher share held by the segment is attributed to easy availability of the kits via OTC and online sales. Based on gender, the global market has been classified into female and male fertility monitoring devices. The female monitoring devices segment is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period, owing to increase in fertility related problems in females. Based on distribution channel, the global market has been segregated into drug stores and pharmacy, gynecology and fertility clinics, e-commerce, and others. The drug stores & pharmacy segment dominated the global market, accounting for more than 40% share in 2017, due to the rise in OTC sales, and trending POC testing of fertility. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18689 Asia Pacific market to expand rapidly In terms of region, the global fertility testing devices market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America held a major share of the global market, in terms of value, in 2017. It is projected to dominate the market during the forecast period. The market in the region is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of between 4% to 5% from 2018 to 2026. Rise in awareness about fertility testing, increase in rate of infertility, and easy usage of the systems are likely to drive the market in the region during the forecast period. Europe is projected to follow North America, in terms of share of the global fertility testing devices market, by 2026. The market in the region is anticipated to expand at a significant CAGR from 2018 to 2026. Rise in infertility rates and high health care spending are expected to fuel the market during the forecast period. The fertility testing devices market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace from 2018 to 2026. The market in the region is likely to expand at a CAGR of more than 5% during the forecast period. Increase in population, rise in prevalence of fertility-related problems such as PCOS, increase in awareness toward fertility testing, and rise in rates of invitro-fertilization are expected to boost the market in the region. Australia, Japan, India, and China are highly lucrative markets for fertility testing in Asia Pacific. The market in China is expected to expand at a notable CAGR during the forecast period due to rise in population and availability of inexpensive prediction kits in the country. The fertility testing devices market in Latin America is projected to expand at a steady pace from 2018 to 2026. Investment by major players is anticipated to propel the market in the region. Key players Key players in the global market are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, technological developments, and geographic expansion in order to capture significant market position. Major players operating in the global fertility testing devices market include Church & Dwight Co., Inc., bioZhena Corporation, Geratherm Medical AG, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Emay (HK) Limited, Alfa Scientific Designs, Inc., Piramal Enterprises Ltd, Ava Science Inc., and Hilin Life Products. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research titled 'Industrial Agitator Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20192027, the global industrial agitator market is expected to reach US$ 2,324.9 Mn by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2019 to 2027. In terms of volume, the global industrial agitator market is expected to reach 424.8 '000 units by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period. Based on region, the global market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America. North America is the second-largest market for industrial agitator in the world. Various end-use industries, ranging from oil, gas and petrochemical to water and wastewater treatment, utilize industrial agitators for mixing purposes. In North America, the U.S. is a prominent market for industrial agitator, followed by Canada. The U.S. is a major producers of natural gas, including shale gas, in the world. Browse The Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/industrial-agitator-market.html As per the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in December 2018, the U.S. produced about 65 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas (shale gas and tight oil), which is about 70.0% of total U.S. natural gas production. Furthermore, in December 2018, the country produced about seven million barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil, which is 60.0% of the total U.S. oil production. Compared to production a decade ago, in December 2008, natural gas (shale gas and tight oil) accounted for 16% of total U.S. gas production and about 12% of U.S. total crude oil production. Thus, a rise in the demand for shale gas across the U.S. is boosting the demand for industrial agitators across North America. Europe is the third-largest market for industrial agitator in the world. Among the various end-use industries that use industrial agitators across Europe, food & beverage is a prominent end-user. The food & beverage industry is a prominent manufacturing industry in Europe, in terms of gross value added to the economy and number of people employed. Germany, the U.K., and France are major markets for industrial agitator in Europe. In terms of value addition by the food & beverage sector, Germany is a notable market in Europe. Therefore, a rise in the demand for food & beverage products is driving the production of food & beverage, which is subsequently propelling the demand for industrial agitators in Germany. Request a Sample of Industrial Agitator Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=7421 Asia Pacific is a significant market for industrial agitator in the world. In Asia Pacific, China is a major market for industrial agitator, followed by Japan and India. As per the CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Council), China increased its share of global chemical sales from 14.8% in 2007 to 37.2% in 2017. Both South Korea and India increased their share of global chemical sales from 3.3% and 2.1% in 2007, respectively, to 3.5% and 2.9% in 2017, respectively. On the other hand, the share held by Japan of the global chemical sales declined from 6.8% in 2007 to 4.4% in 2017. Therefore, a rise in the demand for chemicals across the countries in Asia Pacific is propelling the demand for industrial agitators in the region. Middle East & Africa (MEA) is a relatively minor market for industrial agitator in the world. GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, which include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, is a prominent market for industrial agitator in the region. South Africa is the second-largest market in MEA. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- The global demand for oil refining pumps is expected to surpass 3 million tons by 2018 end, according to a latest Fact.MR report on oil refining pumps market. Rising oil and gas production, and increase in petroleum-based power generation are driving oil refining pumps demand. The oil supply has sharply increased from Russia, Middle East, and the US, compensating for fall in oil production in Iran and Venezuela. The demand for centrifugal pumps is constantly rising in upstream oil and gas industry in multiphase or tri-phase pumping application. With the increasing demand for oil, especially in developing regions, transporting a large amount of liquid has become necessary to ensure operational efficiency. This is driving the demand for centrifugal pumps to transport a significant amount of liquid in a short period. Request Sample Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2434 APAC to Continue Strong Position in Oil Refining Pumps Market The Fact.MR study projects that APAC continues to register significant growth in the oil refining pumps market and is likely to account for over 40% of total demand by 2018 end. The positive outlook in the region can be attributed to the growing demand for diesel and gasoline in emerging nations like India and China. The upgradation of existing oil refineries and robust investment in the construction of new oil refineries is fueling the growth in the oil refining pumps market in the region. Rising oil demand and faced with strict emission regulations, India is also moving towards development of new and modern refineries. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA's) latest World Outlook Projection, India's refining capacity is likely to grow by two-thirds in the next 25 years. This is expected to make India world's third largest refining center by 2040, following the US and China. Major oil companies in Southeast Asia are also investing in increasing their refining capacity. Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand are likely to see growth in new refining capacity in the coming years. The development of new and advanced oil refineries in APAC is expected to create growth opportunities for oil refining pumps manufacturers. Energy Transition Emerging as Serious Challenge for Oil Companies and Oil Exporting Countries Global oil companies and oil exporting countries are likely to face a challenge with the rise in energy transition. The biggest challenge for oil companies make changes in their business model and integrating low-carbon assets in their portfolios. With the growing trend of renewable energy sources, oil exporting countries with good reserves-to-production ration are facing the risk of loss in export revenues and monetizing their large reserve base. Penetration of renewables has increased in Europe to meet the energy demand, resulting in reduced oil demand. Moreover, regulation by national governments and European Union is likely to further reduce refined oil demand in the region. Oil refineries in Europe are unable to find buyers, resulting in constant drop in profit margins. Inability to find buyers and drop in profit margins is forcing oil refinery operators to shut down the plants. Browse Full Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/2434/oil-refining-pumps-market More refinery plants shutdown expected in the coming years in Europe is likely to impact the oil refining pumps market in the region. Moreover, key oil companies across various regions are also planning to invest more in low-carbon energy sources with aim to reduce carbon footprints. The Fact.MR report tracks the oil refining pumps market for the period 2018-2028. According to the report, the oil refining pumps market is expected to reach 2.9% CAGR during 2018-2028. Table of Contents Covered in this report are: 1. Oil Refining Pumps Market- Executive Summary 1.1. Market Overview 1.2. FMR Analyzed 1.3. Oil Refining Pumps Market Opportunity Assessment 1.3.1. Winning and Losing Components 1.4. Market White Spaces Analysis and Wheel of Fortune Opportunity Analysis You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/2434/S 2. Global Oil Refining Pumps Market Introduction 2.1. Introduction & Definition 2.2. Market Taxonomy 3. Market Dynamics 3.1. Key Market Trends and Drivers 3.2. Key Challenges 4. Associated Industry Assessment 4.1. Global Pumps Market Overview 4.1.1. Global Pumps Market Analysis (US$ Mn and Units) and Forecast, 2013-2028 4.1.2. Global Pumps Market Analysis and Forecast by Region, 2018 & 2028 4.1.3. Global Pumps Market Analysis and Forecast by Product Type, 2018 & 2028 4.1.3.1. Centrifugal Pumps 4.1.3.2. Reciprocating Pumps 4.1.3.3. Rotary Pumps 4.1.4. Market Attractiveness Analysis by Product Type 5. Key Indicator Assessment 5.1. Supply Chain 5.1.1. Oil Refining Pumps Manufacturers 5.1.2. Pumps Manufacturers 5.1.3. Distributors/Suppliers 5.1.4. End Users 5.2. Cost Structure 5.3. Macro-Economic Factors Influencing Demand 6. Global Oil Refining Pumps Market Analysis (2013-2017) and Forecast (2018-2028) 6.1. Global Market Outlook 6.1.1. Market Value (US$ Mn), Volume (Units) Forecast and Y-o-Y Growth, 2013-2028 6.1.2. Market Absolute $ Opportunity, 2013-2028 And Continue.... San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Package leak detectors are widely used to add quality control to packaging applications. These machines run several testing methods to check if seals, seams or closures on packages have leaks or pressure issues that may result into damaged or spoiled product through faulty seals or packaging. Seal integrity of packaging products can be compromised due to various factors including transportation hurdles, misalignment of heating element, and others, resulting in loss of protective atmosphere, reduced shelf life of products, and costly returns. Package leak detectors allow the detection of even the smallest leaks and have been established as an integral part of quality assurance for various packaging applications. Growing trends of adopting such equipment in wide range of industries including food processing, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, electronics and appliances to ensure seal integrity and product quality has led to development of global package leak detectors market. Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=5357 Package Leak Detectors Market Notable Developments In May 2019, AMETEK MOCON, a leading player in package leak detectors market, announced the launch of two analytical instruments, Dansensor LeakPointer 3 and LeakPointer 3+, to detect leaks in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) packages by measuring escaping carbon dioxide from packages tested in closed control environment. In October 2018, Sepha launched Sepha Multi-Q, its latest innovation for rigid and flexible packaging, at Pack Expo Chicago. The new multi-functional, non-destructive leak system offers all-in-one solution to test the integrity of all kinds of rigid and flexible packaging such as pouches, sachets, bottles, bags, trays, and devices. In August 2018, Emerson introduced Rosemount CT4215 Food and Beverage Leak Detection System, designed to help assure quality and safety, maximize production volume, and to reduce waste for food and beverage products. The new equipment uses laser technology to detect leaks at a sensitivity as low as 0.3mm and automatically rejects any defective package without slowing down the production. Oxipack Leak Detection Founded in 2010, Oxipack Leak Detection is headquartered in Houten, Netherlands, and offers support to the packaging industry worldwide, with unique, accurate leak testing equipment and solution. The company specializes in non-destructive leak detection in vacuum or airtight packaging for food and pharmaceutical industries. TM Electronics Inc. Founded in 1961, TM Electronics Inc. is headquartered in Devens, Massachusetts, and manufacturers a range of automated, high technology leak testers, leak and flow testers, and package testers. The company develops product line to offer measuring equipment for improving quality and productivity in various industries. Haug Quality Equipment Founded in 1995, Haug Quality Equipment is based in Morgan Hill, CA, and is the leading supplier of package leak detectors and quality assurance equipment for the food packaging industry. The company Pack-Vac Detectors with Electronic Controller for Altitude Simulation is ideal solution for testing packages for burst strength. Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=5357 Package Leak Detectors Market Dynamics Package Leak Detectors Market to Grow, as Efforts to Improve Seal Integrity Increase Package leak detectors have been witnessing increasing demand, underpinned by growing efforts to reduce the risks of product damage across several industries. Rising trends of automation in industrial sector along with growing demand for new machinery from developing markets continue to influence growth of package leak detectors market. In packaging process, if seal integrity issues go undetected, problems are likely to arise with product resulting in potential damage and unwanted returns to the supplier. This, coupled with increasing focus on quality assurance of products has led to surge in the demand for package leak detectors. Further, rising scope of application in packaging of processed food & beverages, pharmaceutical products, medical devices, automotive components, electronics, and certain industrial components will continue to boost the expansion of package leak detectors market. Package Leak Detectors to Witness Significant Demand in Pharmaceutical Industry Growing popularity and adoption of leak detection in pharmaceutical packaging for increasing quality control procedures to ensure product stability and overall shelf life have been a key growth influencer of the package leak detectors market. Manufacturers are continuously focusing on implementation of advanced technologies in their products to generate more accurate results, eliminate waste, and to integrate with quality systems of pharmaceutical industry, which in turn is likely to create potential growth prospects of the package leak detectors market. Package Leak Detectors Market Dynamics Based on control systems, package leak detectors market can be segmented into: Manual Semi-automatic Fully automatic Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/package-leak-detectors-market About TMR Research TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in today's supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients' conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- According to Fact.MR's research report on the global peptide based infection therapeutics market, the market is anticipated to show a robust growth rate during the forecasted period of 2017-2022 and expected to reflect a value a bit less than US$ 1.5 Bn. As antibiotic resistance soar globally, there is an escalating pressure to come up with novel classes of antimicrobial compounds to fight infectious diseases. The application of slow release or efficient targeting drug delivery system in line with a therapeutic peptide may mitigate or reduce the need for excessive modification. As such, liposomal systems provide increased circulatory time of the encapsulated therapeutics and at the same time allowing targeting, at sites of infection or tumor growth. This has been used for the delivery of anticancer drugs which may have benefits for delivery of peptides therapeutics. For More Details - A sample of this report is available upon request here - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=188 In order to effectively treat an infection, manufacturers are focusing on composition or chemical modification, thereby enhancing its pharmacokinetic properties. Therapeutic peptide is expected to be more efficacious in vivo when it is used in conjunction with the delivery system that can underpin longevity and enhance targeting to the site of infection. The Fact.MR report provides segment-wise analysis and forecast for covering the wide scope of global peptide based infection therapeutics market. Drug type, distribution channel and region are key segments that define the growth of the global market for peptide based infection therapeutics. In this segmentation analysis, a detailed country-wise forecast across all key market parameters is also included. Browse Full Report with ToC Here: https://www.factmr.com/report/188/peptide-based-infection-therapeutics-market Peptide Based Infection Therapeutics Market: Overview The report provides an apt assessment on the peptide based infection therapeutics market with quantitative and qualitative analysis. Further, the report offers a clear picture with respect to dynamics of peptide based infection therapeutics market, including drivers, trends, opportunities, and restraints. These aspects are indispensable and possess potency to impact the growth of the peptide based infection therapeutics market. Besides, the report delves into the segregation of the peptide based infection therapeutics market to provide a robust picture of peptide based infection therapeutics market. APEJ to Show Tremendous Activity as Compared to Europe The Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region is expected to show a rapid growth rate and is expected to register a CAGR of 8.7% during the period of forecast. The main reasons for this kind of growth is the strict government regulations for the upcoming players, higher number of pharmaceutical companies, increased foreign direct investment and development of technologies. Moreover, the government encourages to increase the investment in the healthcare industry to discover and invent new methods and technologies to better the health of the patients and enhance patient outcome. Following Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region, Europe regions also shows good growth rate in the global peptide based infection therapeutics market. Validation of the information in the report is done through primary sources, including in-person interactions, surveys, view of seasoned analyst, interviews and in-person interactions and insights of analyst coupled with secondary sources incorporating trade journals, verified paid sources, resourceful databases and trade journals. Absolute dollar opportunity analysis has also formed basis for the robust analysis of the report. Peptide Based Infection Therapeutics Market: Competitive Landscape The report also profiles companies that are expected to remain active in the expansion of the global peptide based infection therapeutics market through 2022, which include Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Merck & Co., Inc. and Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals. Have Any Query?? Ask Our Industry Expert https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=188 About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States sales@factmr.com www.factmr.com Lebanon's coalition government aims to agree the draft 2019 state budget by Wednesday night, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil told Reuters on Tuesday, as it tries to tame a gaping fiscal deficit. "There is a direction to achieve the budget and approve it tomorrow in a session before noon and a session at night," said Ali Hassan Khalil. "We are on the right path and we are moving towards a positive result," he added. The government is seeking to finalise a budget that Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri says may be the most austere in Lebanese history to address one of the world's heaviest public debt burdens, equivalent to about 150% of GDP. Reports in the Lebanese media that the budget would include cuts to the state wage bill have prompted several strikes and protests by public sector workers, pointing to the difficulties Hariri faces in pushing through reforms. The cabinet has met almost daily to discuss the draft budget since the start of the month. After it is agreed by the cabinet, the budget must be discussed and approved by the parliament. Search Keywords: Short link: Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- According to the new market research report "Remote Towers Market by Operation Type (Single, Multiple, Contingency), System Type (Airport Equipment, Remote Tower Modules, Network Solutions), Application (Communication, Information & Control, Surveillance), and Region Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Remote Towers Market is projected to grow from an estimated USD 63 million in 2019 to 392 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 35.53% during the forecast period. Increasing cost savings, efficiency, and safety, as well as the increasing number of airports, are expected to drive the growth of the market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=202956087 Based on operation type, the contingency segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2019 to 2025. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the high demand for remote towers due to increasing air traffic at tier 1 airports. London's Heathrow Airport has a contingency remote tower which can control 70% of air traffic in case of emergency or very heavy traffic flow. Based on system type, the airport equipment segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2019 to 2025. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the increased need for sophisticated airport equipment for high quality input data transfer to remote towers, as the transfer of error-free data and voice communication to a remote tower is crucial for the functioning of remote virtual towers. APAC is expected to be the fastest-growing remote towers market during the forecast period. APAC is expected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the upcoming new regional airports in countries such as China and India. Increasing air traffic is also expected to drive the growth of the remote towers for contingency operations in the region. Saab and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in January 2019 to conduct research on air traffic management automation systems for airports under the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme for India. Additionally, India plans to review for 50 new regional airports in the next two years. Similarly, China's LES Information Technology is developing a remote tower technology. The country has planned for 200+ new airports by 2035. Browse in-depth TOC on "Remote Towers Market" 65 Tables 34 Figures 132 Pages Request Sample pages of the Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=202956087 Major players operating in the remote towers market include Frequentis (Austria), Saab AB (Sweden), Searidge Technologies (Canada), Indra Sistemas (Spain), Avinor (Norway), and Thales Group (France), among others. These players offer various remote tower solutions covering both, hardware components as well as software services, as well as the integrators of these solutions. These companies have well-equipped manufacturing facilities and strong distribution networks across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- An investor, who purchased South Carolina Public Service Authority Mini-Bonds, filed a lawsuit in over alleged violations of Federal Securities Laws by Santee Cooper in connection with certain allegedly false and misleading statements between May 1, 2014 and July 31, 2017. Investors who purchased South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) Mini-Bonds between May 1, 2014 and July 31, 2017 have certain options and for certain investors are short and strict deadlines running. Deadline: June 14, 2019. South Carolina Public Service Authority Mini-Bonds investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 - 1554. Each May South Carolina state-owned utility Santee Cooper issued Mini-Bonds. The Mini Bonds were "sold directly by the South Carolina Public Service Authority (the "Authority") only to residents of the State of South Carolina (the "State"), customers of the Authority, members of electric cooperatives organized and existing under the laws of the State, and electric customers of the Bamberg Board of Public Works, South Carolina and the City of Georgetown, South Carolina." The Mini-Bonds were sold pursuant to "Official Statements." In May 2008, SCANA Corporation and Santee Cooper reached agreement as joint owners to build two new 1,117-megawatt AP1000 nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer site. Then, in July 2017 Santee Cooper abandoned its V.C. Summer nuclear power plant project. The plaintiff claims that the Official Statements were materially false and misleading because, as described in the Complaint, Santee Cooper knew that SCANA's primary subsidiary, South Carolina Electric & Gas was not providing adequate oversight of the Nuclear Project, that Santee Cooper's own attempts to supervise the Nuclear Project were failing, and that the Nuclear Project was already hopelessly behind schedule and unlikely to be completed, if at all, prior to the deadlines to earn financially necessary tax credits under the Energy Policy Act. Those who purchased shares of South Carolina Public Service Authority Mini-Bonds) have certain options and should contact the Shareholders Foundation. Contact: Shareholders Foundation, Inc. Michael Daniels 3111 Camino Del Rio North - Suite 423 92108 San Diego Phone: +1-(858)-779-1554 Fax: +1-(858)-605-5739 mail@shareholdersfoundation.com About Shareholders Foundation, Inc. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is a professional portfolio monitoring and settlement claim filing service, , which does research related to shareholder issues and informs investors of securities class actions, settlements, judgments, and other legal related news to the stock/financial market. Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is in contact with a large number of shareholders and offers help, support, and assistance for every shareholder. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is not a law firm. Referenced cases, investigation, and/or settlements are not filed/reached and/or related to Shareholders Foundation. The information is provided as a public service. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon. Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2019 -- Wealth Management Market is characterized in different product portfolios such as transaction management, portfolio management, revenue management, client management, and financial investment planning & reporting. Transaction management solution accounts for the majority share in the market. Transaction management helps in keeping track of transactions through its lifecycle phases such as initiation and execution, reconciliation, settlements, and corporate actions. Process simplification, cost reduction, and reduction in paperwork are major factors leading to the widespread adoption of this service. Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2650 The Asia Pacific wealth management market is also expected to grow at a substantial rate due to the rising innovations in the fintech sector. Firms and wealth management companies have increased the use of social media and are using mobile applications to offer customized product offerings to their clients. For instance, Citibank has partnered with Thomas Reuters to provide customers with various stock market insights. They are also leveraging on data analytics for prospecting clients by tracking the customer database and browsing data. browsing data. The North American market is the dominating region in the wealth management market and this trend is expected to continue during the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the rise of high net worth Individuals. Furthermore, higher disposable incomes of the population have also fostered the market growth. Wealth Management Market is growing at a high pace due to the reduction in the brokerage fees across the fintech industry. For instance, 20 years ago, the transaction charges for 100 shares at a full-service brokerage firm such as Merrill Lynch would be USD 80 to USD150, which will now be substantially lower at 1/100th of the cost. In addition, the explosion in the capabilities of the access points, such as smartphones and other mobile devices, has resulted in the widespread adoption of wealth management services. For instance, it offers customers with personalized product offerings. Furthermore, online wealth management platforms have provided businesses with the opportunity to maximize their customer base, which is hard to resist in a competitive market. Request for customization of this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/roc/2650 Blockchain is another technology, which found its applications in the wealth management market by introducing the real-time settlement models and reducing the transaction costs dramatically. This reduction in transaction fees will affect the industry as transaction fees are the major sources of income. The Middle East region is expected to grow substantially due to supportive government policies. For instance, the efficient tax system of the UAE coupled with sustainable economic model makes it a lucrative wealth management destination for High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs)). The attractive investment opportunities, stability across the region, and the low tax environment are some of the key factors for the wealth management market growth. Some of the major vendors in the wealth management market are Accutech Systems, Appcrown, Apsida360, BaseVenture, Globacom Technologies, IQCIO, Marstone, MMxCHANGE, Thomas Gold Solution, Dorsom, Objectway, Comarch, FIS, Profile Software, and WealthBot. The companies operating in the market are focusing on partnerships and collaboration strategies to expand the customer base and get an edge over competitors. For instance, in October 2017 InvestEdge, a cutting-edge wealth management solutions provider partnered with the Applied Finance Group (AFG), an equity research and consulting firm. Through this partnership, AFG's smart compliance tools will also be available through the InvestEdge ecosystem. Browse Full Reports: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/wealth-management-market About Global Market Insights Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology. Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels shut down one of Saudi Arabia's major oil pipelines Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers. The White House however played down tensions, despite days earlier deploying bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in one of the world's most sensitive waterways as it exchanged barbs with Saudi arch-rival Iran. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter and OPEC kingpin, said two pumping stations had been targeted early Tuesday. They lie on the East West Pipeline, able to pump five million barrels of oil a day from the oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea export terminal. The announcement came hours after Yemen's Houthi rebels said they had targeted vital installations in Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against them. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said Saudi Aramco had "temporarily shut down" the pipeline to "evaluate its condition" but added that oil production and exports had not been interrupted. He said the incident was an "act of terrorism... that not only targets the kingdom but also the security of oil supplies to the world and the global economy". Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam wrote on Twitter that the attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against the Yemeni people. In a statement carried by rebel-run Al-Masirah TV, the Houthis warned of other "unique operations... if the aggressors continue with their crimes and blockade". "We are capable of executing unique operations on a bigger and wider scale in the hearts of the enemy countries," they said. 'Sabotage attacks' Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war to bolster the internationally recognised government's efforts against the Houthis in March 2015. The 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) pipeline reportedly hit Tuesday serves as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the US. The reported pipeline attacks came after the UAE said four ships were damaged in "sabotage attacks" off the emirate of Fujairah, on the mouth of the Hormuz, on Sunday. Washington and its Gulf allies did not immediately blame Riyadh's regional arch-rival Tehran for the sabotage, but US President Donald Trump has warned Iran against doing anything to harm US interests. The attacks came after the United States deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault vessel, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers, triggering fears of a possible military confrontation. However, Trump later denied a New York Times report that he is considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump told reporters. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." 'Exercise restraint' A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel. No casualties were reported and none of the vessels sank. The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said the Emirates would probe the "deliberate sabotage". Saudi Arabia said its two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there was no oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the ship's hull had been pierced "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". Asked whether the US believed Iran played a role in the attacks, Washington's Iran envoy Brian Hook declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would help the investigation at the request of the UAE. The United Nations urged all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace". Oil prices initially spiked in response to news of the attacks, but were largely flat in trading on Tuesday. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran and the US have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. Search Keywords: Short link: Iran and the United States have reached one of the most crucial turning points in the history of their 40-year non-diplomatic relations since Irans revolution in 1979. American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has passed through the Suez Canal and four B-52 bombers are stationed at the US military base in Qatar. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that there is reliable information that Iran is preparing to launch an attack against US forces in the region. There have been reports claiming that Iran is attempting to move its midrange missiles on speeds boats, or is possibly instigating attacks by their militant allies, such as the Houthis in Yemen and Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi in Iraq, against US personnel and interests in the Gulf of Aden or in Iraq. While there is no clear information about the threats the Americans are preparing to confront, the escalation warns of the potential for confrontation. On 12 May, Iranian lawmakers held a closed door meeting with the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) commanders to hear the country's defence strategy. The situation is under control and there will be no war since Israel is in our grip, Ali Motahari, a well-known PM, told reporters after the briefing with the IRGC commanders, adding that Trump will be the one who decides whether to start a war. However, so far both sides are denying that they have taken a confrontational stance. Trump said in recent remarks that he wants to talk to Iranand that he can help their economy get back to great shape. But the regime in Tehran knows that if they agree to talk to Trump, his demands will not be limited to Iran giving up its nuclear programme. It would cover everything from releasing detained US citizens to ending its support for proxy militias in the region and its advanced missile programme. For a country with normal diplomatic relations with the US, the Trump question would seem easy and straightforward, but it is very difficult for a regime that feels insecure and has created a hierarchy based on anti-imperialism and anti-US sentiment. The United States has repeatedly made it clear that it would hold Iran responsible for any attack carried out by its proxies. The maximum pressure strategy here makes sense if it intends to pressure Tehran to deter its militant allies from making any moves against the US and its allies, perhaps including Saudi Arabia, Israel, and other small Persian Gulf countries. It will be interesting to see if this strategy will affect a drastic change from Yemen to Iraq and whether it will cause the militias associated with Tehran to change their course from violence to diplomacy. Some of these groups, such as Hezbollah, are believed to have a huge arsenal of missiles. Others, like the Houthis in Yemen, often use mid-range missiles which, according to UN investigators, were imported from Iran. Regardless of what Iran's Ayatollahs have in mind regarding what diplomatic strategy to pursue to safeguard their national security interests, Trump wants to achieve his goals by carrot or stick. Trump is keen to sort out the Iranian disturbance and ends its regional interference, irrespective of the IRGCs ego, the nuclear deal card played often by Iran's foreign minister, or the country's politicians attempting to shame Trump for dishonesty or for violating the international agreement to end Iran's nuclear programme. "What I'd like to see with Iran, I'd like to see them call me," the US president said. "What they should be doing is calling me up, sitting down; we can make a deal, a fair deal .... We're not looking to hurt Iran," Trump said on Thursday. Trumps simple offer to talk to Iran on the phone prompted many Iranians inside and outside the country to post online humorous video clips about lovey-dovey telephone calls, including parody songs like 'Hello, this is me Hassan.' Social media broke the cold, confrontational atmosphere even before the two countries leaders could start any talks. When Iranians woke up on 10 May and learned that the US had given Iran Trumps direct phone number via the Swiss embassy in Tehran, Iranians reacted with their famous sense of humour, insisting that if Ivanka Trump were appointed as the liaison between the two countries, there would be a queue of visitors outside the embassy bearing bouquets of flowers and sweets. These jokes recalled last years visit by Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who was in Tehran in August and visited Irans parliament. Images were widely circulated of mesmerised Iranian officials lined up to take selfies with her, and were mocked by the public as "gentlemen prefer blondes," causing a huge local and international embarrassment. US navy ships and the B-52s are waiting to hear Iran's preference. With the economic crisis and the increase in sanctions, the truth is that Iran cannot resist for too long. Search Keywords: Short link: UAE Ambassador in Cairo Jumaa Mubarak Al-Junaibi said Monday his country's direct investments in Egypt exceeded $6.6 billion in 2018. Meeting UAE investors in Egypt, the ambassador added that economic relations between Abu Dhabi and Cairo have developed in recent years. The volume of trade exchange between the two countries hit about $ 3 billion in 2018 January to October, Junaibi said. The UAE companies operating in Egypt reached 1,065 in March 2019, compared to 923 companies in 2017, he added. The UAE ambassador said his country has been ranked first globally in terms of foreign direct investment in Egypt. He praised efforts exerted by the Egyptian government to improve the investment climate and offer promising investment opportunities in the country. Junaibi described the UAE-Egyptian ties as distinguished and based on mutual respect. Search Keywords: Short link: Nespolis story, as he told it to Ahram Online, is one 'of fascination and determination; of hope that is stopped at no limits, and of chasing ones dreams way beyond the skies above' He was mesmerised with TV images of the first man walking on the moon and he became an astronaut. He liked the view the Giza Pyramids from outer space and he came to have his picture taken with them. He is Italian astronaut Paolo Angelo Nespoli, who was born in a small Italian village in April 1957, where it would have seemed impossible for the son of an ordinary family to make it to become an astronaut. Nespolis story, as he told it to Ahram Online, is one of fascination and determination; of hope that is stopped at no limits, and of chasing ones dreams way beyond the skies above. This was how I came to realise my childhood dream to become an astronaut, and how I came to Egypt to fulfill a top wish on my bucket list of seeing the Pyramids in real life, and they are as magnificent from nearby just as they are stunning from afar, he said. Nespoli spoke during a visit earlier in April to Cairo to take part in an exhibition that the Italian Embassy in Cairo organised to display pictures taken from a constellation of satellites. This constellation is there to take pictures and acquire data for the Mediterranean Basin. These pictures should be able to help the countries of the Mediterranean explore their resources and their potentials to deal with all sorts of problems, ranging from high levels of pollution to a shortage in water resources, Nespoli said. In addition to taking part in the event that was widely attended by members of the science community in Egypt, Nespoli gave a lecture to a group of university students, essentially of science disciplines. The objective of the talk, he said, was not just to reflect on matters of science, but also to talk about matters of life. When I think about it today, as I am retiring from the European Space Agency as an astronaut and engineer, I think of the path that I had walked since that day when I was watching on TV pictures of the landing of the first man on the moon, back in July 1969, until my first trip to outer space as an astronaut in 2007. I would say that it has been quite a path, Nespoli said. Being in no financial position to attend university after finishing high school in the l970s, Nespoli went for what was then obligatory military service. Having finished his service, he chose to stay on with the army and join the Special Forces, where he made a successful career. I was really doing well, professionally and financially. However, It was in the 1980s that I thought I wanted to go back to my childhood dreams that I had put aside but never really abandoned, Nespoli recalled. This meant he needed to study English and to join university in the US. I did it; it was not easy but I did it, and in 1989 I was ready to apply to join the space agency, he said. It was not easy again, because demand was high and there were only two openings. Nespoli assumed an engineers job until he finally was admitted in as an astronaut, only when I was 40. We go to space because we want to make life better for people on earth; because in the space we can learn better about earth and we can try to see our land from afar and see its potentials and its problems. It is part of our nature to pursue knowledge and to learn more and more, Nespoli said. During his path as an astronaut, Nespoli had often thought that it would not have been possible for him to be there without having faith. He also thought that for the universe our land is simply a grain of sand in a huge desert. But what is most significant for me from my time in outer space is that, in the end, our land is for all of us. This is what you see when you look at it from space. When we are here, we think of countries and continents. But from above we realise that this land is for all of us, and it is for all of us to work together make it a better place. Because it cannot be good for some and not for all not for long anyway, Nespoli said. During his visit to Cairo, Nespoli underlined the need for continued scientific cooperation between Egypt, that has a space agency in the initial phases, and Italy, that has considerable experience to share. Search Keywords: Short link: ZPMC said that the RTGs are of a new type with anti-swing trolley of complete functions, featuring anti-swing, light weight and environment protection, providing a strong support for the operation of terminals. The project will support China to establishment of a new trade route to Europe. With the new contract ZPMCs footprint has expanded to encompass 102 countries. The deepsea port of Anaklia is located along the coastline of the Black Sea in Georgia. It is a hub for the shortest seaway from China to Europe, and will be developed to be a gateway for central Asian countries. An Egyptian archaeological mission working at the Tell El-Kedwa site in North Sinai has uncovered the ruins of the northeastern and southeastern towers of a military fortress from ancient Egypt's 26th Dynasty. The fortress is built of mud brick, and was uncovered during excavation work carried out by an Egyptian mission as part of the Sinai development project. Secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Moustafa Waziri said that the mission has excavated the fortress' southern wall, which extends for 85 metres. Its eastern wall was discovered in 2008. "It is considered one of the oldest fortresses to be discovered," Waziri said, adding that "on its remains another fortress was built in a later period in antiquity." Nadia Khedr, head of the Central Department of Lower Egypt Antiquities, said that the walls of the old fortress measure almost seven metres in width and have four towers. The walls of the newer fortress are 11 metres wide and have 16 towers. She continued that the old fortress has chambers full of sand, which likely served to relieve pressure on the walls. Khedr also suggested that these rooms might have been used as water banks, which a distinguished feature of 26th Dynasty architecture. Hisham Hussein, director-general of North Sinai antiquities, said that the excavations also revealed an entrance to the fortress, which is a side gate located in the northeastern part of the excavated wall. The mission also discovered remains of a security room east of the gate, where soldiers would monitor the entrance and exit of the fortress. Remains of houses that had been built on the western side of the fortress were also discovered, as well as a faience amulet bearing the name of King Psmatik I inside one of the houses. "Therefore, initial studies suggest that the fortress most probably dates back to the first half of the 26th Dynasty, specifically the era of King Psmatik I," Hussein pointed out, adding that excavation is still ongoing. Search Keywords: Short link: Press Release May 14, 2019 IPU cites De Lima among 187 persecuted parliamentarians worldwide The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has renewed its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima, whom it cited as one of the 187 persecuted members of parliament (MPs) worldwide. During its 140th assembly in Doha, Qatar last April 6-10, the IPU adopted a resolution urging the Philippine government to drop all politically-motivated charges against De Lima that were based on unsubstantiated statements of convicted felons. "In the Philippines, the IPU remains concerned that, more than two years after her arrest, Senator Leila de Lima is still in detention despite the absence of any corroborated evidence to justify the charges against her," its statement read. "The IPU calls on the authorities to release her immediately and for the legal proceedings against her to be dropped," it added. The resolution was submitted by the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians during the 140th IPU Assembly participated in by IPU statutory bodies, including the Governing Council, Standing Committees, Committees on Middle East Questions, the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the Forum of Young MPs. According to the IPU human rights panel, 84 percent of the 187 persecuted MPs across the world are members of the opposition. In several countries with records of human rights violations against MPs, it noted that 25 percent are women. Should the government insist on refusing to drop the charges against De Lima, the IPU said the Duterte administration, at the very least, should finally allow an IPU trial observer "to monitor the legality and fairness of any trial proceedings" involving her. In October 2017, the IPU adopted its Human Rights Committee's report and recommendation for IPU to send a trial observer to monitor De Lima's legal proceedings to get an unbiased view of the trumped-up cases of illegal drug trade filed against her. In a resolution adopted at the 139th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland last Oct. 18, the IPU reiterated its resolve to send an official mission to the Philippines to inquire into De Lima's political persecution even as it called on the Senate to take a firm stand on her case. Such a stance did not sit well with some of De Lima's colleagues, particularly Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who criticized the global organization for allegedly "meddling" on the Senator's case. After repeated calls from the IPU for her right to a fair trial, De Lima said she hopes that the government "can finally realize that the IPU is merely appealing to the sense of fairness and justice of the court to get a fair view of my case." It may be recalled that Australian lawyer Mark Trowell has sent a formal communication to the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 to allow him as a trial observer to attend the resumption of the hearing on De Lima's case set last May 3. However, the scheduled hearing was called off on short notice, and Trowell's letter has remained unacted upon to date. IPU's Committee on Human Rights President Fawzia Koofi (Afghanistan), along with MP Fazle Karim Chowdhury (Bangladesh) and Rogier Huzienga, IPU Human Rights programme manager, visited the Senator in detention last May 2017 to check on her condition and get first-hand information about her case. Vodafone New Zealand's incoming shareholder wants the country's biggest mobile carrier free to pursue a domestic strategy rather than be beholden to the dictates of a multinational owner. Infratil has been seeking out a high-quality telecommunications investment since chief executive Marko Bogoievski joined the infrastructure investor more than a decade ago. The firm, managed by HRL Morrison & Co, finally found one in the form of the $3.4 billion Vodafone New Zealand deal, which Bogoievski said reflected current market pricing. Infratil will pay $1.03 billion for a 49.9 percent stake, matched by partner Brookfield Asset Management, while Vodafone New Zealand will be saddled with $1.34 billion of debt. Brookfield's involvement helped Infratil attract the attention of the global telecommunications carrier, which has been keen on selling its New Zealand subsidiary. Bogoievski said Infratil entered the deal with a very long-term view, and that Vodafone can benefit from a bit of "love and attention and capital". "Expect this thing to be safely tucked into our portfolio, outperforming for a very long time," he told investors at a briefing today. Infratil will pay its share of the purchase price by raising up to $400 million in an underwritten equity raise, draw on a $400 million debt facility for acquisitions, and use up the headroom left in its existing bank facility. The company's shares fell as much as 6.1 percent, and were recently at $4.47, down 2.8 percent. Greg Smith, head of research at Fat Prophets, said the acquisition looked like a full price, but that the prospect of an equity raising was probably weighing on the stock price. "That said, Vodafone New Zealand's got good positioning, and it's not like the chance to get one half of a duopoly comes along very often," he said. Infratil's strategy for Vodafone echoes much of the strategy in its successful purchase and redevelopment of Shell's New Zealand retail fuel business. That business, acquired in partnership with the NZ Superannuation Fund in 2010 and listed in 2013, moved away from Shell for imported product supply, implemented projects stalled by a lack of funding from group headquarters, challenged industry infrastructure arrangements, and abandoned the Shell brand in favour of local branding as Z Energy. Infratil exited in 2015. Infratil wants to free Vodafone's management team from the constraints placed on them by the global group, something Vodafone New Zealand chief executive Jason Paris welcomed in being free to pursue a 100 percent New Zealand strategy. Paris told investors he's confident the telecommunications group will be able to generate single-digit revenue and earnings growth, and has been focused on stripping out costs to get the biggest bang for the company's buck. Vodafone will pursue extracting more value from existing customers, rather than simply fighting to acquire its rivals' clients. "The best and most profitable way for us to grow is selling more to those customers," Paris said. The company will keep using, and paying for, the Vodafone brand "for as long as we think its the right value," he said. Bogoievski, a former chief financial officer at Telecom Corp, said Infratil's ambitious about where Vodafone can outperform, and acknowledged it will be a "slugfest" in some areas. "Its a competitive industry where its hard to make a buck," he said. Infratil hasn't used "heroic" assumptions about revenue, and doesn't need new income streams to hit its business case, Bogoievski said. The investment case is "solid mid-teens-type equity returns" with the downside scenario operating on high-single-digit returns, he said. The upside scenarios take a more optimistic view on the industry structure, how infrastructure sharing might benefit the company and revenue growth. Bogoievski said he thought regulators, policymakers and Vodafone's customers understood the need for the need to cooperate and share new technology, rather than needlessly duplicate investment. Vodafone has been lobbying for lower prices in the unbundling of Chorus's fibre network, and has set up a joint venture with Vocus Group to buy fibre access at a wholesale price then repackage it for consumers to allow greater innovation for consumers. (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 Discount fuel retailer Waitomo Group expects to open five to six new outlets annually as it builds out its national network. The Hamilton-based company yesterday opened its southern-most fuel stop in Upper Hutt. It will open an outlet in Wellington in July, and in Christchurch later this year. That adds to unstaffed fuel stops established this year in Hamilton Central, Papamoa, Rotorua and under construction in New Plymouth. Director Jimmy Ormsby says openings this year follow a bit of a lull in 2018. But he says the company now has a more consistent pipeline of potential sites in development and should be able to deliver up to half a dozen new sites annually. Refining its retail offering in recent years and taking a more disciplined approach to site selection has enabled the company to take a more cookie-cutter approach on new outlets. Its taken quite a lot to get to this stage, he told BusinessDesk. Youre never going to see a fuel stop on every corner but there is still ample room for growth, he said. Competition in the retail fuel market is currently being investigated by the Commerce Commission. The government ordered the market study after last year, accusing the major firms of fleecing consumers. But more than 20 brands operate in New Zealand with smaller players, like Waitomo and Caltex Australia-backed Gull, adding 35 new sites nationally during the past year, Z Energy noted earlier this month. That added about 2 percent to retail capacity at a time petrol volumes fell. Waitomo, started in 1947 to supply commercial customers, now has about 65 mostly upper North Island outlets including diesel-only truck stops. It sells more than 200 million litres of fuel annually, which continues to be supplied by former shareholder Mobil. About half that volume is sold to commercial customers and that remains an important part of the business. Ormsby says the firms initial expansion outside its home region was due to demand from its business customers, which had also grown and needed wider coverage for their operations. Providing broader coverage for the firms commercial fuel card holders remains a factor in its selection of new sites, as does a genuine desire to develop a nationwide offering. Volume and margin remain key drivers of any fuel business and the firm will continue to expand its commercial sales as it offers cheaper fuel to householders, who like the convenience of self-service, lower prices and buying from a New Zealand firm, Ormsby said. Maintaining a consistent North Island price except places like Auckland where the regional fuel tax applies also makes life easier for commercial customers. Its important to retain a strong commercial offering, Ormsby said. Chief operations officer Simon Parham says the firm has five to 10 potential sites at various stages of investigation. While the firm remains under-represented in the lower North Island, Parham says there is still room for growth in greater Auckland. The firm will open more outlets in the South Island, but the smaller population and longer travelling distances there mean it will likely focus on metropolitan areas first. Well-located sites, with high traffic volumes and safe road access, are not easy to find and the firm is strict in selection and development to make sure new capacity doesnt add to overheads, he said. Thats how we can offer a good consistent, sustainably competitive price to our customers. (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 Zealand shares fell as infrastructure investor Infratil flagged it will raise new equity to help fund its share of the $3.4 billion takeover of Vodafone New Zealand. The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 56.48 points, or 0.6 percent, to 10,070.35. Within the index, 29 stocks fell, 18 rose, and three were unchanged. Turnover was $155.6 million. Infratil fell as much as 6.1 percent, and ended the day at $4.48, down 2.6 percent on a bigger volume than usual of 2.1 million shares. The investment firm will pay $1.03 billion, matched by partner Brookfield Asset Management, for Vodafone New Zealand, which will also take on $1.3 billion of debt. Infratil will pay its share of the purchase price by raising up to $400 million in an underwritten equity offer, draw on a $400 million debt facility for acquisitions, and use up the headroom left in its existing bank facility. Chief executive Marko Bogoievski said Infratil and Brookfield paid the market price, something Fat Prophets head of research Greg Smith viewed as a full price, and potentially weighing on the stock. James Lindsay, a senior portfolio manager at Nikko Asset Management, said Vodafone chief Jason Paris was confident about rebasing costs in the business. "It's a reasonably easy and transparent playbook about what they need to do," Lindsay said. Paris also talked up Vodafone's prospects of pushing into fixed wireless broadband, something rival telco Spark New Zealand has done to reduce its reliance on Chorus's fixed-line network. Lindsay said that may have weighed on Chorus, which was down 2.9 percent at $6.10. Spark rose 0.8 percent to $3.715 on a volume of 3.8 million shares. Infratil also noted the potential competition concerns the Commerce Commission may raise over its controlling stake in electricity generator-retailer Trustpower, which has branched out into broadband services. Trustpower led the market lower, down 3.5 percent at $6.95 on a volume of 91,000 shares. Fonterra Shareholders' Fund units fell 1.2 percent to $4.25 on a volume of 206,000 units. Fonterra yesterday announced the sale of its Tip Top business for $380 million, some $100 million above book value. Fonterra's farmer-owned shares were also down 1.2 percent at $4.25. Lindsay said the rest of the market was pushed around by fears over the US-China trade stoush, which has seen the resumption of tit-for-tat tariffs. Exporters were among those sold off today, with Vista Group International down 1.8 percent $5.58. The cinema analytics firm was the most heavily traded stock on a volume of 4.9 million shares. Synlait Milk fell 1.9 percent to $10, Air New Zealand declined 1.3 percent to $2.715 and Pushpay Holdings dropped 1.3 percent to $3.95. Of other companies trading on volumes of more than a million shares, Z Energy slipped 0.3 percent to $6.21, Fletcher Building fell 2.2 percent to $4.95, Oceania Healthcare declined 1.9 percent to $1.03, Meridian Energy decreased 0.4 percent to $4.185, and Kiwi Property Group increased 0.3 percent to $1.54. Goodman Property Trust, which reports annual earnings tomorrow, rose 0.9 percent $1.785. Vital Healthcare Property Trust rose 2.2 percent to $2.36 on a volume of 122,000 units, posting the biggest gain on the benchmark index. (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 is a tad weaker but largely range-bound as markets await further US-China trade developments. The kiwi was trading at 65.72 US cents at 8am in Wellington from 65.83 at 5:20pm. The trade-weighted index was at 72.22 from 72.49. Sentiment improved after US President Donald Trump referred to the escalating trade war with China as a little squabble, adding that there is a "good dialogue going. "It was risk-on night overnight," said Westpac Bank head of NZ market strategy Imre Speizer. He said the kiwi stuck to the middle of the range, having already "jumped very quickly yesterday afternoon" in Wellington when the US stock market futures turned positive. "It had a very sharp bounce that really pre-empted the whole thing." Any US-China news will continue to drive sentiment but the New Zealand central bank's easing bias is also playing a part. "If the RBNZ sees evidence global or domestic activity is slowing, then the chance of another official cash rate cut will rise and the NZD will fall," Speizer said. The kiwi also remains firm against the Aussie, with both currencies weighed by a possible slowdown in the economy of key trading partner China. It was trading at 94.66 Australian cents versus 94.63 late yesterday. Speizer said the kiwi is benefiting from the policy positions of the two central banks. While the Reserve Bank of Australia kept rates on hold last week, they are likely to cut in August and November, while the RBNZ is more likely to remain on hold for some time, said Speizer. He also noted some uncertainty around this weekend's federal election. Looking ahead, he said investors will be keeping a close eye on China data today including retail sales and industrial production. The kiwi was trading at 4.5174 Chinese yuan from 4.5190, at 50.91 British pence from 50.78, at 58.61 euro cents from 58.55, and at 72.04 Japanese yen from 72.17. (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 Fewer students than expected have taken up the government's offer of free fees for tertiary education, allowing nearly $200 million over four years to be redirected into a revamp of vocational skills training, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in his first major speech ahead of the May 30 Budget. Dubbed the 'well-being' Budget because of its new focus on policies that should improve individual and social well-being as much as economic growth, Robertson announced that at least some new initiatives would be funded from $1 billion of savings over the next four years on low-priority spending programmes that ministers had identified. "I can announce today that one example of this was under-spending on the Fees Free programme due to enrolments not meeting initial forecasts," said Robertson. "This funding, some $197 million, is now to be redirected to the implementation of the Reform of Vocational Education, which Education Minister Chris Hipkins is working through." The fees-free policy, an election promise, has been attacked by the government's political opponents as an unnecessarily expensive form of 'middle class welfare' that has not made any difference to levels of enrolment in higher education. "The proposals are still being finalised but the reprioritisation of funding that I have announced today is an initial indication of our commitment to making this work," said Robertson to a Wellington Chamber of Commerce audience at Parliament. He cited announcements last week by Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis to reduce Maori imprisonment rates as a prime example of the collaborative, all-of-government approach that the well-being focus would produce across numerous policy areas. "Former Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman noted that previous responses to addressing the incarceration rate for Maori have largely been individualised, ineffective, and guided by non-Maori world views," said Robertson. "The new pathway will enable people to experience a Maori and whanau-centred approach for all of their time with Corrections, from pre-sentence to reintegration and transition in their community. It will initially focus on Maori men under 30 years of age, as this group has the highest reconviction and reimprisonment rates. "This initiative acknowledges that our system does not work for Maori. The answer is not just another programme. This is a system change, a culture change inside our prisons to adopt a strengths-based approach to rehabilitation", using evidence and expert advice. "This is a great example of the well-being approach in action: multiple agencies coming together to address a long-term challenge with an evidence-based and expert-informed approach. The payoff will be a long term one that will have massive social and economic benefits," said Robertson. He reiterated the first priorities of the well-being approach that the Budget would tackle, but said policy-making based on well-being would remain a work in progress and did not amount to the government writing "a blank cheque". "Fiscal sustainability is an inherent part of a well-being approach," said Robertson. "Its about making sure we meet the challenges of today without compromising the ability of future generations to do so." This year's Budget priorities were: "creating opportunities for productive businesses, regions, iwi and others to transition to a sustainable and low-emissions economy; supporting a thriving nation in the digital age through innovation, social and economic opportunities; reducing child poverty and improving child well-being, including addressing family violence; supporting mental well-being for all New Zealanders, with a special focus on under 24-year-olds; and lifting Maori and Pacific incomes, skills and opportunities". Robertson noted that although global growth was slowing and the US-China trade war was creating additional uncertainty for businesses worldwide, the New Zealand economy was forecast to outperform the US, UK, Japan, Canada, the Eurozone and Australia over the next three years. However, he had baulked when he had heard the expression 'rock-star economy' revived in recent economic commentary when one of the defining issues of the 2017 election had been the extent to which many New Zealanders had felt left out of the country's economic good news story. "This gap between rhetoric and reality, between haves and have-nots, between the elites and the people, has been exploited by populists around the globe," said Robertson. "It is a long-term view of mine, and the parties that make up this government, that we need to close this gap in an inclusive, not exclusive way, because it is the right thing to do and because we need to do so to ensure the public keep faith and trust in government." (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 Vishal is planning to begin the sequel of his detective thriller Thupparivaalan from August 15. Sources say that the films director Mysskin is planning to shoot Thupparivaalan 2 in exotic foreign locales like Turkey, London, and various other parts of the world. The first part of the film was largely shot in Chennai but the sequel will be an upmarket detective thriller shot in foreign countries. Vishal is currently on a break for the promotions of his recent release Ayogya and he is expected to soon resume the shoot of his big-budget action entertainer with Sundar C. The yet-untitled film also has Tamannaah Bhatia and Aishwarya Lekshmi in pivotal characters. High-tech pets designed to care for seniors It's no secret that pets bring joy to their owners' lives. Caring for animals keeps us active, gives us purpose, provides stress relief and builds a loving bond -- studies show pets can even increase people's lifespans. For some older populations, having a pet isn't possible. Perhaps they can't care for an animal or their retirement community doesn't allow it. Robotic companions have entered the market to fill that void, and one University of Cincinnati professor is reimagining these high-tech pets to not only provide companionship, but care. Claudia Rebola is an associate professor and graduate studies coordinator in UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Together with graduate students from DAAP and UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science, Rebola is giving an existing line of robotic pets a makeover inside and out so they look and feel more realistic and offer expanded capabilities, like checking a user's vital signs. Rebola's work combines design, science and technology to create innovative, interactive health products. Innovation is a cornerstone of UC's strategic direction, Next Lives Here. Rebola also is an expert on aging and researches disabilities, health, technologies, robotics and applying accessible design, from wearables to user experiences, tailored to the older adult population. In 2017, while working at Rhode Island School of Design, Rebola wrote a grant for a project called ARIES -- or Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support -- with researchers from Brown University and Butler Hospital and industry partner Hasbro, one of the largest toymakers in the world. The team received a $1 million National Science Foundation grant to reenvision an acquired Hasbro brand, Joy For All Companion Pets, purchased by a new company, Ageless Innovation, created by former Hasbro executives. On the market since 2015, these robotic cats and dogs feature simple, toylike designs, sounds and movements to provide comfort, companionship and fun for elderly users. Rebola's team is setting out to reimagine the pets from appearance to function, creating the next-generation robotic intelligence that provides psychosocial support for older adults. Working collaboratively with industrial design and engineering graduate students, Rebola focuses on human factors, such as "understanding the user, their needs and how to translate those needs into unique design opportunities for these pets," she says. Part of that research involves pilot studies and focus groups with older adults and their caretakers in the community to get feedback on the robots to better improve the design. Cincinnati area communities, including Scarlet Oaks Retirement Community and Episcopal Retirement Services, are currently participating in a longitudinal study of the existing robotic pets, and Rebola has recruited members from UC's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) to evaluate their new ideas along the way. "You are the experts," Rebola told participants at a recent focus group, "not us. We are just the enablers." Feedback from these sessions led the class to concentrate on redesigning the robot dog, which resembled a cartoonish yellow stuffed animal and had the most room for improvement. They found that users wanted a dog with more realistic features from its fur to movements, so they modeled the new prototype after the Yorkshire terrier -- one of the most popular breeds among older adults they discovered. Rebola hopes that in the future buyers can order custom breeds and colors to perhaps resemble a pet they used to have. The class sourced high-quality faux fur from Donna Salyers' Fabulous Furs in nearby Covington, Kentucky, making the new dog "more pettable and lifelike," as described by focus group participant Kathi Lawrence. As a dialysis patient, she thought she could benefit from a robotic pet during her treatments. "I'm amazed that you made the dog as lifelike as the cat," she said. "It's not rigid like the other dog. The fur and color are wonderful." Students also redesigned the body to make it less mechanical and more flexible, like a lapdog, and refined features like the eyes, nose and paws, all while being mindful of the technology that also must be incorporated in the body.While some students worked on improving the physical components of the dog, others centered on the caregiving possibilities. The result is four areas of care: detecting/preventing falls, connecting users to caregivers and loved ones, checking vital signs and providing helpful reminders. The class envisions a smart collar for the robotic pets that can enable these functions. To prevent falls, the pet could promote activity and detect risky situations such as low light. If a user did experience a fall, it would alert emergency services or a caregiver. For connectedness, loved ones could communicate through the pet, track the user's activity and interaction and even use it to serve as an audiodiary. The pet could monitor a user's vitals by way of a simple hug, while also monitoring sleeping, medication intake or emergencies, all while sharing the health data with caregivers. Finally, a memory function could act as a smart alarm clock, reminding users to make doctor's appointments, take medicine or charge the robot, while helping them find misplaced objects and detecting intruders. The students were mindful of the costs that would be added with these technologies while also making the monitoring as unobtrusive as possible -- they didn't want this to feel like an intrusive Big Brother. "I'm very proud of my students for working on this for months when it takes years to work on robotics." UC geriatric medicine physician Dr. Jeffrey D. Schlaudecker sees the advantages of these robot pets for his patients. "A robotic pet that combines the benefits of companionship with the opportunities for tech-based monitoring for older adults, especially those with cognitive impairment, is an idea with huge potential," he says. "My patients affected with memory disorders can really benefit from the sensory aspects of a robotic pet -- touch, sight and sound can all create a real consecutiveness. This companion could help ease transitions as well. For example, a visit to a provider's office or a hospitalization can be very traumatic for a person with cognitive impairment. The presence of a known companion that can be transported easily anywhere can be a great addition to smoothing these sometimes bumpy transitions." Rebola and her team will continue to fine-tune the prototype this year and hope to give Ageless Innovations a robust, improved pet to be launched in the market in 2020. "Ten years ago I was exposed to an organization that gave me funding to do a project for a retirement community. I fell in love, [reminding me] about why I was doing design and the role of technologies to really help people's lives. Now I cannot stop. Whenever I can write a grant or work with students, it's all about giving something meaningful for the older adult population, improving or saving their lives." This project is just one of many Rebola is working on to better the community through design. Another is AntiOD, a smart lifesaving naloxone-dispensing device and an educational campaign to inform the public about the opioid epidemic and how to help. AntiOD will soon be installed in Cincinnati's public library downtown and on May 16, the State of Ohio's Drug Abuse Heroin Unit will honor Rebola for her work on the field at Great American Ballpark when the Cincinnati Reds take on the Chicago Cubs. As the robotic pet class's final session came to an end, participant Candas Stacey, who has worked as a caregiver, shared a story about a former patient who passed away shortly after her cat died. She saw great potential in the project. "You are saving lives," she affirmed. ### This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Markets and educational institutions were shut and most transport went off the roads as protests broke out in all 10 districts of the Valley with those taking to the streets seeking death for the young man, Tahir Ahmed Mir, who allegedly raped the girl in Bandipora on May 9. Srinagar : The Kashmir Valley erupted in anger on Monday against the rape of a three-year-old minor, with 74 people injured in widespread clashes between the security forces and protesters. The incident occurred when Muslims were breaking their daily fast during the ongoing holy month of Ramadan. Forty-seven security personnel were injured in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district when stone pelting mobs went on the rampage. An official statement said an Assistant Commander of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was hit on the head by a stone and he sustained a critical injury. The accused, Tahir Mir, has been arrested. A police statement said: "Miscreants pelted stones on security forces deployed on National Highway at Mirgund, Chainabal, Harthrath, Singhpora, Jheel bridge, Kripalpora Payeen and Hanjiwera areas of Baramulla, resulting in injuries to 47 security forces personnel including one Assistant Commandant of SSB 2nd Battalion who was hit on his head. "Utmost restraint was maintained by the forces on ground. However about seven miscreants got injured (and) are all stable." Clashes also occurred at a dozen other places between the security forces and stone throwing mobs during the day. In Badgam district, 20 youths were injured in clashes with the security forces. Students of Kashmir University, Central University and the Islamic University of Science and Technology boycotted classes and held protests. Members of the High Court Bar Association stayed away from courts to express solidarity with the victim. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik sought exemplary punishment to the rapist, "Governor has expressed deep shock and pain over the extremely heinous incident of rape of a 3-year-old girl from Bandipora," a Raj Bhawan statement said. It said the Governor spoke to S.P. Pani, Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Kashmir, and directed him "to work swiftly in the case and ensure that the culprit gets exemplary punishment for this shameful act". The Governor asked religious leaders of different communities to deplore this gruesome incident and appealed to the people to remain calm and not let "anti-social elements disturb peace and harmony in the society". Former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, separatist leaders as well as a number of social, religious and political groups expressed shock over the incident. Mehbooba Mufti has said that the guilty of such a heinous crime should be stoned to death by invoking the Muslim Sharia laws. Preliminary medical examination of the Bandipora rape accused has proved that he was not a minor. "Doctors have said that the accused is around 20 years old," a police officer said. A controversy had arisen about the age of the accused after a private school issued a date of birth certificate that said the minor was born on July 23, 2009. Police suspected the genuineness of the certificate from the very beginning. They have lodged an FIR against the principal of the private school. Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been set up to fast-track the probe. Trump, who recently had a lengthy conversation with Putin over phone, is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart in Japan next month on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. The summit would be attended by leaders of the top 20 economies, including India. : It makes sense for the United States to get along with Russia, US President Donald Trump said on Monday on the eve of the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I'll be meeting with President Putin also," Trump told reporters at his Oval Office of the White House. "I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia," he said. Responding to a question, Trump asserted that none of his predecessors had sanctioned Russia like he had. "Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it's very unfair -- having to do with the United States and NATO," he said. "There has been nobody that's ever done - and if you really look at something big, our energy business - we're now the biggest in the world. We're bigger than Russia. We're bigger than Saudi Arabia. We're bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I've become president because I've made it so that you can do that. And we're taking in a lot of money," he said. America, Trump said, was doing really well. "We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue. We have tremendous signs," he said. Pompeo is scheduled to meet Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi on Tuesday. The State Department Monday said Pompeo would not travel to Moscow and would fly directly to Sochi, where he would discuss a full range of global issues, including Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, Syria and North Korea, along with the challenges in the bilateral relationship. "President Trump has asked me to go to Russia to talk about a broad range of issues. We have lots of places where I hope we can find overlapping interests with Russia. It may be the case that we can't, and where we can't, we'll go our own ways. But it's important," Pompeo told CNBC in an interview. "I remember as CIA Director, I worked closely with the Russians on counter-terror. I am convinced that those efforts were important to them. They saved American lives and Russian lives," he said. The alleged Russian interference in US elections would also be a topic of discussion, Pompeo added. Ahead of the meeting, top Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who is a Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter, urged Pompeo to increase pressure on Moscow for its continued brazen aggression against the US and other democracies around the world. "For the sake of our national security, I implore the administration not to return to 'business as usual' with Russia in the wake of the Mueller Report," wrote Menendez. "This is not a time for reset with the Russian Federation. The US must be firm and abide by its national security commitments to the American people and our allies," he said. Chennai : Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrashekhar Rao's bid to rope in Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in his proposed alternative front appeared to be a non-starter with the Dravidian party chief M K Stalin urging the Telangana chief minister to extend TRS's support to the Congress. Continuing his efforts to bring together regional parties, Rao called on Stalin at his residence here and discussed with him his proposal for a federal front, DMK sources said. In the meeting that went beyond an hour, Stalin conveyed to Rao that his party was in a pre-poll alliance with the Congress and he had also pitched the name of Rahul Gandhi for the office of the prime minister. "Thalaivar (Stalin) urged Rao to extend Telangana Rashtra Samiti's support for a Congress-led government at the Centre," DMK sources told PTI. Rao, who had days ago called on his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, exuded confidence in the deliberations that regional parties would emerge as a powerful force with a significant number of seats and neither the Congress, nor the Bharatiya Janata Party would have adequate numbers to form a government. In such an eventuality, the TRS chief told the DMK president that a government could be propped up by the regional parties with the support of 'national parties', a reference perceived to include the Left parties as well. Possible 'post poll scenarios' that may merge and how a federal front could help regional parties and 'southern states', were put forth by Rao, sources added. To this,the DMK side,which was also represented by senior leaders Duraimurugan and T R Baalu, felt the situation was conducive only for a Congress-led government at the Centre. Also, the Dravidian party pointed out that toying with the idea for a regime steered by regional outfits at the Centre may not work in view of divergent state specific positions of some parties. The TRS is opposed to both Congress and Telugu Desam Party in Telangana. While Rao did not meet waiting reporters, DMK said the meeting was only a 'courtesy', call. Rao had in April 2018 called on Stalin and then DMK chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at the ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tiruchirappalli. On May 10 he visited the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram after going to Kanyakumari. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri downplayed the meeting between the two leaders and asked journalists 'why accord importance to the meeting...in India a third front is not possible and not practicable; State parties from Kasmir to Kanyakumari know this very well'. BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan wondered what was Stalin's 'hesitation' in his meeting with Rao to assert that he only supported Rahul Gandhi. Taking a jibe at Stalin, she said the DMK top leader had faced a similar hesitation when he was in West Bengal to take part in a rally held by Mamata Banerjee. She alleged the DMK had a reputation of changing colours, adding there was no transparency. Many MPs mainly government MPs, brought in many allegations of abuse against the police. She dismissed them with the following words: "If not for the police, none of you will be here talking ill of them." by Gamini Gunawardane The speed with which the Police, STF and Armed services swung into action following the explosions, despite their initial failing, is commendable. They seemed to know where to strike no sooner than the green light was given. Within hours, the police visited the most vulnerable spot in Dematagoda, and the three police officers and also the pregnant wife and children of the prime suspect blew themselves into smithereens. Security Forces with STF then raided the right places in Sammanthurai, Kalmunai and Katthankudy with devastating results. All this is good and no doubt that the Forces are in good health and kicking yet, despite the beating they got from the government for being efficient. But the immediate problem however is, who will monitor and follow this through, to a conclusion? Who co-ordinates all this work and give directions? We do not see outwardly the existence of such an institution in place right now. With regard to co-ordination and direction, one needs concurrent activity in so many areas from the word go. (a) Examination of so many deadly items recovered from so many places for investigation and intelligence reconstruction purposes. (b) Case preparation and prosecution. (c) Interrogation of so many suspects arrested, and following up on what they reveal and connect the dots (d) matters of custody and relations with Prisons Department. (e) Sifting and co-ordination of exchange of information among intelligence and investigation people, to piece together for the whole picture to emerge. (f) Relations with foreign intelligence and enforcement agencies. (g) Need to trace the financial sources of the Terrorists, and many more. There is also the need to co-ordinate with the AGs Department and Justice Ministry, the need for new laws in terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 of 2001 as pointed out by Neville Ladduwahetty in his article in The Island of 3/5. The need to take immediate strategic action regarding Sharia Law, and the Sharia University; and correct many other political blunders done for short term political gains. What are the long term political decisions to be made now, while things are hot and before the sense of urgency is lost with time? There are so many other things to do; the list is too long to be given here. If we are keen to learn from history, we have a fine model to look at; in the way the then government handled efficiently the crisis that arose from the 1971 JVP Insurgency, which was totally a new experience then. When the crisis hit the ceiling when JVP struck on the night of 5th April 71 the big political guns went into hiding. One couldnt be surprised as they did not know what had hit them, in those peaceful albeit some post-election violence. It was unprecedented. The Opposition UNP got to a side, did not obstruct and engage in the blame game. Only two people stood fast, like the rock of Gibraltar. That was Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike and her cocky young nephew Felix Dias Bandaranaike, the brilliant lawyer and Minister of Justice, finest speaker in Parliament, disliked by all. It is said that on the night of the 5th it was Mrs. B herself who served coffee to the top officials who manned Ops Room which was hastily set up at the Temple Trees. No wonder that Sir John described her cynically as "the only man in the Cabinet!" They immediately re-called IGP Stanley Senanayake who had gone to England and replaced the acting IGP Leel Gunasekera, a Civil Servant whom they had earlier appointed, in their euphoria after the 2/3 victory at the recent election. They scrapped the Janatha Committees that they had appointed to oversee the top administration, following their romantic escapade with socialism. Mrs. B. immediately brought in as Additional Secy. Defence, a totally new idea, Mr. S.A. Dissanayake, Rtd. IGP. He had helped them in the 62 Coup case, again an unprecedented investigation, as DIG CID where his brother was the 1st accused. Mr. Tyrell Gunatilleke, the then Director CID described to me the following discussion that took place between the top two immediately thereafter. Mrs. B.: Jingle who else do you need on board? S.A.D.: Eleric Abeygunawardane as Additional. (The brilliant IGP who had retired immediately after the election). Mrs. B.: Will he come? SAD. : Madam, if you personally talk to him, he might. She did. And he came in. (Note here the respect with which they treated the Police top brass then.) Mr. Abeygunawardena set up his office in a Government Bungalow in either Wijerama Mawatha or in Longdon Place, my memory is not clear here, to monitor and direct operations then on. That relieved the IG to restore the police stations which were in shambles after the unprecedented simultaneous attack. The Police station OICs and ASPs were asked to send their investigation files direct to this office. Under Emergency Regulations, admissions made to ASPs by suspects were made admissible in courts. Mr. Abeygunawardanes office had a few Senior State Counsels like Ranjith Abeysuriya, Kenneth Seneviratne and some others to prepare cases for prosecution and advise the police officers on further investigations. Thus cases were filed in courts without delay. Mr. A had a few CID and Intelligence officers attached to him, who continued to monitor and direct operations to arrest the balance rebel leaders who were hiding. India loaned us Gurkha soldiers to guard Katunayake Air Port. On 8th April a full day curfew was declared and a load of ammunition was air lifted here, as we had run short of ammunition! The important thing is all this was done logically and on time. Then Mrs. B declared a ten day amnesty Thousands surrendered to local DROs and temples. They were all accommodated in detention camps in the closed University campuses, under army volunteer officers. Middle level Public Officers were detailed to ferret out the chaff from the paddy, and the rest were released. FDB, Minister of Justice then set up a new Court called the Criminal Justice Commission, chaired by three Supreme Court Judges. Rohana Wijeweera and the top leaders numbering 42(?) suspects were charged here and convicted. It was called the Maha naduwa. Parallely, we in the CID were asked to probe whether and how the JVP was funded. Mrs. B also had a long term strategy. She declared that we were sitting on a powder keg, and proceeded to take several radical steps. She brought in the unpopular Land Reforms Act, Nationalization of Tea, Rubber estates, Oil companies, Insurance trade, import & export trade and so many which was thought socialist reforms, to take the sails off the JVP thinking. Of course there were abuses. She got another arm of the CID to investigate such cases, and the Kataragama Beauty Queen case was the well-known conviction obtained against an Army volunteer Captain and a Sergeant. When the Parliament finally met, many MPs mainly government MPs, brought in many allegations of abuse against the police. Mrs. B dismissed them with the following words: "If not for the police, none of you will be here talking ill of them." Mr. J.R. Jayewardene, when he came to power had the JVP convicts released from prison on the grounds that CJC was bad in law. He had the return 20 years later. Messaging app discovers vulnerability that has been open for weeks by Mehul Srivastava in Tel Aviv A vulnerability in the messaging app WhatsApp has allowed attackers to inject commercial Israeli spyware on to phones, the company and a spyware technology dealer said. WhatsApp, which is used by 1.5bn people worldwide, discovered in early May that attackers were able to install surveillance software on to both iPhones and Android phones by ringing up targets using the apps phone call function. The malicious code, developed by the secretive Israeli company NSO Group, could be transmitted even if users did not answer their phones, and the calls often disappeared from call logs, said the spyware dealer, who was recently briefed on the WhatsApp hack. WhatsApp is too early into its own investigations of the vulnerability to estimate how many phones were targeted using this method, a person familiar with the issue said. As late as Sunday, as WhatsApp engineers raced to close the loophole, a UK-based human rights lawyers phone was targeted using the same method. Researchers at the University of Torontos Citizen Lab said they believed that the spyware attack on Sunday was linked to the same vulnerability that WhatsApp was trying to patch. NSOs flagship product is Pegasus, a program that can turn on a phones microphone and camera, trawl through emails and messages and collect location data. NSO advertises its products to Middle Eastern and Western intelligence agencies, and says Pegasus is intended for governments to fight terrorism and crime. NSO was recently valued at $1bn in a leveraged buyout that involved the UK private equity fund Novalpina Capital In the past, human rights campaigners in the Middle East have received text messages over WhatsApp that contained links that would download Pegasus to their phones. WhatsApp said that teams of engineers had worked around the clock in San Francisco and London to close the vulnerability. It began rolling out a fix to its servers on Friday last week, WhatsApp said, and issued a patch for customers on Monday. This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company known to work with governments to deliver spyware that reportedly takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems, the company said. We have briefed a number of human rights organisations to share the information we can, and to work with them to notify civil society. WhatsApp disclosed the issue to the US Department of Justice last week, according to a person familiar with the matter. A justice department spokesman declined to comment. NSO said it had carefully vetted customers and investigated any abuse. Asked about the WhatsApp attacks, NSO said it was investigating the issue. Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, the company said. NSO would not, or could not, use its technology in its own right to target any person or organisation, including this individual [the UK lawyer]. The UK lawyer, who declined to be identified, has helped a group of Mexican journalists and government critics and a Saudi dissident living in Canada, sue NSO in Israel, alleging that the company shares liability for any abuse of its software by clients. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Torontos Citizen Lab, said the attack had failed. We had a strong suspicion that the persons phone was being targeted, so we observed the suspected attack, and confirmed that it did not result in infection, said Mr Scott-Railton. We believe that the measures that WhatsApp put in place in the last several days prevented the attacks from being successful. Other lawyers working on the cases have been approached by people pretending to be potential clients or donors, who then try and obtain information about the ongoing lawsuits, the Associated Press reported in February. Its upsetting but not surprising that my team has been targeted with the very technology that we are raising concerns about in our lawsuits, said Alaa Mahajne, a Jerusalem-based lawyer who is handling lawsuits from the Mexican and Saudi citizens. This desperate reaction to hamper our work and silence us, itself shows how urgent the lawsuits are, as we can see that the abuses are continuing. On Tuesday, NSO will also face a legal challenge to its ability to export its software, which is regulated by the Israeli ministry of defence. Amnesty International, which identified an attempt to hack into the phone of one its researchers, is backing a group of Israeli citizens and civil rights group in a filing in Tel Aviv asking the ministry of defence to cancel NSOs export licence. NSO Group sells its products to governments who are known for outrageous human rights abuses, giving them the tools to track activists and critics. The attack on Amnesty International was the final straw, said Danna Ingleton, deputy director of Amnesty Tech. The Israeli ministry of defence has ignored mounting evidence linking NSO Group to attacks on human rights defenders. As long as products like Pegasus are marketed without proper control and oversight, the rights and safety of Amnesty Internationals staff and that of other activists, journalists and dissidents around the world is at risk. Additional reporting by Kadhim Shubber in Washington System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee143c28)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee69ee30)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee143c28)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee69ee30)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee22f010)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee69ee30)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee69ee30)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fed9623c8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fee8bf248)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fee8bf248)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee1b3400)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2df838)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee1b3400)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2df838)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee31a5d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2df838)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2df838)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fed962290)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fee361950)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fee361950)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee1a6b50)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2e1370)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee1a6b50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2e1370)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fee27dcb0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2e1370)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fee2e1370)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fed961290)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fee27f4d0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fee27f4d0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Some of the firefighters from Campbell County and Melbourne who turned out in Silver Grove. Provided Every one of us has faced situations where you see someone you dont know in need and you have to make the decision whether to get involved. Felicia Huesman faced just such a moment three years ago and decided she couldnt just overlook it. The realtor from Alexandria had no idea the path she was starting down would lead to helping thousands of veterans and, most recently, producing one of the more unusual street scenes that Silver Grove has witnessed this year. Huesmans instinct to help led to her becoming the founder and president of the Barracks Project, an organization that took shape based out of her own experiences as the wife of a Kentucky National Guard member. As she recalls, she was serving her husbands unit as the Family Readiness Group leader, which helps keep Army and Navy spouses connected during deployment. What Huesman was discovering through her training, though, was that too many soldiers were faltering during their transition out of the military. The home in Silver Grove under renovation. Veteran support was out there, but for the most part it didnt kick in until their civilian lives had completely collapsed into issues like homelessness and addictions. Huesman decided she wanted to do whatever she could to step into the breech for those on the brink. Everyone told me I was crazy at the time, she says. People were telling me that I wouldn't make a difference. I said, Listen, if I can help one veteran, I will be happy. That would be amazing. And I will be satisfied at that point. Her instinct that there was a gap that needed addressing proved correct. The Barracks Project has grown exponentially year upon year, touching the lives of at least several thousand veterans, gaining a following of volunteers that numbers in the hundreds now with operations in California and a new headquarters that has opened in a renovated house in Covington, which doubles as an apartment for temporary living for veterans. Many of those they have helped are in Northern Kentucky, but the project is open to helping with veteran requests from anywhere. I send service members to Felicia probably once a week on average, says Robin Pruitt, a Family Assistance Specialist for the Kentucky National Guard who focuses on 15 counties in Northern Kentucky, where she estimates there are 1,200 National Guard members. Theres not a lot of information that is given about getting out, or what is out there (to help) once you are out, Pruitt adds. If you are a guardsman and you havent deployed or been active duty for at least 181 days, you are not by law considered a veteran and dont qualify for veterans assistance programs. But for Felicia and her group, as long as you have an honorable discharge and youve worn the boots, theyre going to try to help you. The Barracks Project tries to be flexible in how it helps veterans, because many times they find that government agencies such as the Veterans Administration are limited by regulations in whom they can help. I started with this because I was hearing different horror stories of our soldiers coming back and just the lack of resources available for those who were fulfilling their contract, Huesman says. There was nothing to be found when youve served your time and are ready to go back to civilian life. The Barracks Project offers a spectrum of services, including emergency financial assistance, manpower for service projects, career assistance, hygiene and food items, care packages to deployed soldiers, and veteran outreach. For veterans who struggle to readjust, homelessness is one of the scariest risks. The Barracks Project can help if staying in a home comes down to finding money for an overdue mortgage payment or a utility bill. Huesman says she was working this week on a typical case with a veteran at risk at the breaking point where he was about to become homeless, but wasnt to that point yet. Hes in that gray area where none of the programs can help him, because he isnt homeless yet. So should we just let him slip into full-blown homelessness? No, of course not, but to get help you either have to be full-out functional or full-out homeless, she says. Adds the Kentucky National Guards Pruitt: There's not very much out there to help veterans not become homeless. If I send a service member to somebody like a community support agency, they will often not help financially until there's a disconnect notice or an eviction notice. A lot of times, thats too late. We needed that in-between resource, which is what Felicia does, and it is just a godsend. That flexibility in being able to help and problem-solve is at the center of the growth the Barracks Project has seen. Even as an organization that is run only by volunteers and where 100 percent of money brought in goes directly to programming, they have reached landmarks in recent months that have blown away Huesman's initial modest expectations. Last year, a Navy veteran who owned a home in Covington contacted the group. What Huesman initially thought would be a request for help turned out to be the woman offering to donate the house, which became both their first headquarters and the apartment space for temporary housing. Soon after moving in last fall, another opportunity presented itself in Silver Grove. Barry Jolly contacted Silver Groves city leadership about a house on Mary Ingles Highway that he wished to donate to the city. As the city pondered what to do with the home, the idea surfaced from Timmy Bedel, a dedicated Barracks Project volunteer and son of Silver Grove Mayor Neal Bedel, that it could potentially be a resource for veterans. Firefighters from Melbourne training inside the Silver Grove home. After talks with the city, the house was gifted to the Barracks Project for total renovation. When finished, it will become a home for a deserving veteran and their family with no mortgage, just responsibility for utilities, Huesman says. That decision was just finalized in April, and already, the project has gained huge momentum through community support. Last week, dozens of firefighters from the Campbell County and Melbourne fire departments turned out to both help and at the same time gain a rare training opportunity. With fire trucks gathered all along Route 8, the firefighters went in as teams and practiced with their captains all the various techniques for venting and taking down walls and ceiling tiles that they face in actual fires. When the work was done, the Barracks Project had its house project taken down to the studs on the interior, ready to begin the process of making the residence clean and livable. They were showing them like, Okay, here's how we would check to see if there's a fire in the wall. Some of the walls were plaster, some were drywall. Some of the ceiling tiles had insulation, some had foam, and they were telling them, Okay, see, we open this and its this material and here's what you want to do. They said it was very productive and a very beneficial training for them, Huesman says. Now progress on the home is moving ahead rapidly. What Huesman thought could be a year-long effort could finish much sooner than that. Work on the interior can now begin. Donated material is showing up from area businesses familiar with the project. On May 30, dozens of members from St. Elizabeth Healthcares finance staff will volunteer at the site as part of a team-building exercise. When the house is ready and the Barracks Project takes a huge step forward by helping a veteran and their family never to have to worry about housing again, Huesman knows the moment will leave her in awe. People do great things, but you dont always hear about them, she says. You hear about the downside to things. When you start helping people, you just realize that everything you do does have a reaction in the world, and you might as well make it a positive one. Uber extends losses following last week's rocky debut New York, May 13 (AFP) May 13, 2019 Uber stocks went into a fresh skid Monday -- more bad news for the global ride-hailing giant, which endured steep declines in its hotly anticipated market debut last week. Shares in the company tumbled more than 11 percent to $36.96 mid-afternoon on the second day of trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Valued at some $82 billion in one of the biggest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the technology sector, Uber's debut Friday was a major disappointment, losing 7.6 percent. Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi urged employees to look past the rough patch of road on Wall Street and stay focused on better days ahead, according to a copy of an internal email seen by AFP. "Remember that the Facebook and Amazon post-IPO trading was incredibly difficult for those companies," Khosrowshahi said in the message. "And look at how they have delivered since. Our road will be the same." He noted that Monday was a tough day for the stock market overall, not just for the San Francisco-based ride-share company with visions of becoming the "Amazon of transportation." Khosrowshahi acknowledged that there were plausible versions of Uber's future in which the company does not prosper as hoped, but warned against being distracted by pessimistic voices. "Sentiment does not change overnight, and I expect some tough public market times over the coming months," he said in the email. "We will be judged long term on our performance, and I welcome that." - Troubled road ahead - Richard Windsor, an analyst who writes the Radio Free Mobile tech blog, said Uber and Lyft had been pressured by their high valuations and intense competition. Uber and Lyft are "engaged in a life or death struggle to become the dominant ridesharing platform in the USA," Windsor said. "It is this reality combined with the very high valuations at which they have been listed that is putting the pressure on these companies." Lyft shares fell six percent to $47.87, and have given back some 30 percent since the company's market debut in late March. Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities said he expected the "valuation digestion process" to take some time and that he remained upbeat on Uber even if it will take three to four years to reach profitability and despite competition with Lyft. "We believe there is a large enough ocean for two boats as the ridesharing market domestically in the US is roughly $1.2 trillion and $5.7 trillion globally," Ives said. "We expect ridership, drivers and the monetization opportunities for Uber to increase markedly over the coming years. A core tenet of our bull thesis on Uber is around the company's ability to morph its unrivaled ridesharing platform into a broader consumer engine." Thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers turned off their apps in a US-wide strike last week over pay and working conditions. Strikes that took place 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. 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. "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." alb-rl-gc/ft Facebook Lyft Snapchat chief says EU regulators helping Google, Facebook London, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 The head of Snapchat warned European regulators on Tuesday that their efforts to protect user data were entrenching the positions of internet giants such as Google and Facebook. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel's comments in London came three months after the UK parliament published a scathing report accusing Facebook of acting like "digital gangsters" who brazenly violate privacy rules. The European Union took the lead last year by implementing a strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy making platforms' access to customer data more transparent and easier for users to control. Spiegel called the European approach well-meaning but potentially self-defeating. "I think that some of the regulation like GDPR, for example, may end up entrenching very large players," he told a business conference organised by The Wall Street Journal. "If you're a small publisher today and you want to run ads on your website, it's very very hard to do that because you are not at scale, you don't have a giant ads platform, so you might want to plug into Google, for example, or Facebook," he said. "And if you do that, you're basically going to have to tell your customers that you are selling your data to Google or Facebook." Snapchat is a picture and video sharing tool especially popular among teens. Spiegel said the mobile phone app is regularly used by 75 percent of all 13- to 34-year-olds in the United States. It now has 190 million daily users -- about 60 million more than Twitter -- but is still operating at a loss. The Financial Times estimated that the company will have to raise new capital in three years if it continued burning through cash at current rates. Snap's inability to make a profit reflects other platforms' struggles to generate ad revenue. The industry is going through a thorough re-think that tries to balance growth with a rising backlash against how personal details are bought and sold for targeted ads. zak/dt/jh Facebook Luxembourg and US agree to deepen cooperation in space Luxembourg (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 an ... read more Erdogan accuses Syria regime of undermining Turkey-Russia deal Ankara, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Syrian regime of "seeking to sabotage" Ankara's relationship with Russia through its latest offensive in the northwest of the war-torn country. Clashes in Idlib province in northwestern Syria have killed at least 42 fighters in 24 hours, a monitor said Monday, and the regime bombardment on the region has devastated health services. Idlib's three million inhabitants are supposed to be protected by a buffer zone deal signed last September by Russia and Turkey. Erdogan told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during a phone call late on Monday that the offensive by President Bashar al-Assad's forces "sought to sabotage Turkish-Russian cooperation," according to Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, on Twitter. The readout of the phone call made no mention of the fact that Russian forces are involved in the Syrian government's offensive. Russia and Turkey are on opposing sides of the conflict, with Moscow strongly supporting Assad, while Ankara has called for his ouster and supported Syrian rebels in the civil war since it began in 2011. But Turkey and Russia have worked closely, along with Iran, to find a political solution to the conflict. Erdogan lamented that "the regime's ceasefire violations targeting the Idlib de-escalation zone over the last two weeks have reached an alarming dimension." He said it was impossible to explain it as a counter-terror effort given the number of casualties and damage to health services. The Turkish leader also warned that the attacks risked undermining the fate of the political process in Syria. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar also spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoygu on Tuesday to discuss "measures to de-escalate tensions" in Idlib, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 loyalists and 19 jihadists died between Sunday and Monday in clashes in the area of Jabal al-Akrad in Latakia province, which lies on the bastion's northwestern edge. Russian and regime aircraft bombarded the area on Monday, while they also hit southern parts of the jihadist stronghold, said the Britain-based war monitor. HTS and its allies launched a counter-attack late Monday, bombing areas in the north of the province and sparking fierce clashes on the ground, according to the Observatory. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Row as France remembers troops slain in hostage raid Paris, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 France paid its emotional final respects Tuesday to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue four hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week that has sparked a row over the risks taken by the freed tourists. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured at a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. Crowds joined soldiers, firefighters and veterans in lining the bridge leading up to the imposing 17th-century building as the motorcade carrying their coffins made its solemn procession through a sun-lit Paris. "France is a country that does not abandon its children, no matter the circumstances," a visibly emotional Macron said in his speech during a 45-minute ceremony attended by tearful family members and masked fellow special forces. "We're here today, before these coffins draped in the colours of the country, to honour the suffering of your families," Macron continued. "We're here to affirm, with all the force this anger and sadness gives us, that we will never retreat from the fights for which you committed yourself and gave your lives." - 'Warning to tourists' - The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, who were seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin close to the border with Burkina Faso. An American citizen and South Korean tourist -- both women whose presence was a total surprise to the French forces -- were also sprung from captivity in the operation overnight on Thursday-Friday. The kidnapping has shone a spotlight on the rising instability in the vast Sahel region that lies south of the Sahara desert, where Islamist groups aligned to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have been gathering in strength. There has been an outpouring of grief in France over the sacrifice of the two soldiers, but also criticism of the French tourists who were visiting an area subject to a travel warning by the foreign ministry. Leading French daily Le Figaro in an editorial Monday said the freeing of the tourists had "left a bitter taste". "This tragic event should serve as a warning to our tourists. Our forces are in Africa for a hard and long war and not to pay the price of carelessness," it wrote. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reprimanded the freed men, aged 51 and 46, for taking "significant risks" by visiting an area that was considered a "red" no-go zone under travel advice issued by his ministry. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen also criticised Macron over the weekend for going to a military airport south of Paris to meet the tourists off the plane when they arrived back from Burkina Faso. "The president shouldn't have gone to greet them almost as if they were heroes," Le Pen told the BFM news channel in an interview. - Essential travel? - French officials have argued that the raid came in a key window of opportunity as the hostage-takers were planning to transfer their victims to Islamist groups in Mali aligned to either Al-Qaeda or Islamic State. Lassimouillas admitted that he and Picque should have taken into account the foreign ministry advisories, in a statement read out as the men arrived back in France. France's special forces units were in attendance for their fallen brothers in arms on Tuesday, prompting warnings to broadcasters not to show any faces that could jeopardise their safety. Relatives of the slain soldiers held photos of the men as a visibly moved Macron spoke with their tearful partners and parents in the vast cobbled courtyard of the Invalides complex, accompanied by his wife Brigitte. The hostages were snatched by an armed group while visiting the Pendjari National Park in Benin which borders Burkina Faso. The border area was considered a red "no-go" zone, while the whole of the park was classed in the intermediate "orange" category by the French foreign ministry, meaning only essential travel was recommended. The deaths were a reminder of the risks encountered in the region by French forces, who have been deployed in the Sahel since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. A total of 26 French soldiers have died in the deployment including de Pierrepont and Bertoncello. Spain pulls its frigate from US military build-up in Gulf Madrid, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 Spain has recalled a frigate accompanying a US aircraft carrier to the Middle East because of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, the defence ministry said Tuesday. "For the moment the frigate Mendez Nunez has left the combat group of the USS Abraham Lincoln," a ministry spokesman told AFP, confirming a report in the Spanish daily El Pais. "It's a temporary withdrawal, decided by Defence Minister Margarita Robles, as long as the American aircraft carrier is in this zone," the spokesman added. He said the Spanish frigate had joined the aircraft carrier's strike group for a military exercise. "No possible confrontation or warlike action is envisaged (by Spain) and it is for this reason that the participation is suspended for the moment," he added. On May 5, the United States announced it was deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in response to a "credible threat" from Iran. Last Friday, the Pentagon announced the deployment of the amphibious assault ship the USS Arlington and a Patriot missile battery to the region. Washington reiterated that intelligence reports suggested Iran was planning some sort of attack in the region. Robles later told reporters in Brussels that the US decision to deploy the aircraft carrier to the Gulf "went beyond what was scheduled in the terms of a cooperation agreement that placed the Mendez Nunez frigate with he US fleet for training. "This is not a problem of discrepancies with Iran or.. It's a question of interpretation of a techno-military agreement," she added. The Spanish frigate is currently in Mumbai, the minister said. The spike in tensions between the United States and Iran comes a week after Tehran announced it was suspending some of its commitments under the 2015 nuclear agreement. That came a year after President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord and slapped tough sanctions on the Islamic republic. On Sunday and Monday, US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said oil tankers belonging to them were damaged in "sabotage attacks" in the Gulf. Neither country released further details. No link has officially been drawn between the incidents and US accusations concerning "imminent" attacks by Tehran against US interests in the region. Britain, France and Germany on Monday urged the US not to further escalate tensions over the Iran nuclear deal. lbx/jj-ds/mg/pvh NATO chief warns Britain over Huawei risk London, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 The head of NATO told Britain on Tuesday it must preserve secure mobile networks as it weighs the risks of allowing China to help develop its 5G infrastructure. Jens Stoltenberg's comments in London came in the middle of a furious British government debate over whether to let Huawei roll out its next-generation mobile service. The private Chinese firm currently has the most advanced and cheapest 5G capacities in the world. But the United States has warned its close ally that it might have to limit security and intelligence sharing with Britain if it allowed China to play a significant role. Washington's broader geopolitical concerns have been heightened by a law enacted by Beijing in 2017 obliging Chinese companies to aid the government on national security issues. Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting later Tuesday with British Prime Minister Theresa May that network security remained of utmost importance to the Western military alliance. "Huawei and 5G network is extremely important," Stoltenberg told a London business conference. He conceded that Britain and all other NATO members had the right to make their own decisions about China and 5G. "Having said that, of course, what matters for NATO is that these decisions are made in a way that makes sure that they have secure networks," Stoltenberg said. "There is no way we can escape addressing those issues," he added. "We are going to make sure our networks are safe." The Huawei debate has pushed Britain into the heart of China's heated battle for global dominance with the United States. It has also splintered May's cabinet between those who view China as a vital trade partner in Britain's post-Brexit future and ministers who side with Washington's view of Beiging as a threat. May fired defence minister Gavin Williamson -- one of the cabinet's big critics of China -- earlier this month over a leak alleging that her government will allow Huawei to play a limited 5G role. US warns EU over 'poison pill' defence plans Brussels, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 The United States has sent a stern warning to the European Union that its plans to boost defence cooperation within the bloc could unravel decades of transatlantic cooperation and damage NATO. A May 1 letter from two of President Donald Trump's top defence officials, obtained by AFP, is the latest sign of deep misgivings in Washington about the EU's push to make its military spending more coherent. The letter to EU diplomatic and security chief Federica Mogherini says "poison pills" embedded in proposed rules would shut third country allies such as the United States out of European projects. And a cover letter accompanying the warning, from US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland and also obtained by AFP, demands a rapid response from Mogherini and warns of reciprocal US sanctions. "I would appreciate your response by June 10, 2019," Sondland wrote, in language European officials saw as undiplomatic. "I hope we can avoid contemplating similar courses of action," he warned. Mogherini told reporters the EU was preparing a "clear and complete reply" to the letter and insisted the EU would remain open to American defence manufacturers. "The EU is actually at the moment much more open than the US procurement market is for the European Union companies and equipment," she told reporters. "In the EU there is no 'buy European' act and around 81 percent of international contracts go to the US firms in Europe today." - 'Strategic autonomy' - The concerns focus on the European Defence Fund (EDF), a seven-year 13-billion euro ($14.6 billion) pot approved by the European Parliament last month, and the EU defence cooperation pact known as PESCO. "The draft EDF regulation and PESCO general conditions represent a dramatic reversal of the last three decades of increased integration of the transatlantic defence sector," the letter to Mogherini says. The proposed rules "would not only damage the constructive NATO-EU relationship we have built together over the past several years but could potentially turn the clock back to the sometimes divisive discussions about EU defence initiatives that dominated our exchanges 15 years ago," the letter warns. Along with the warnings, the US officials also make a veiled threat to hit back, saying the EU would object to similar US restrictions "and we would not relish having to consider them in the future". EU countries launched PESCO in late 2017 to try to harmonise a highly fragmented approach to defence spending. Under the pact, countries cooperate on projects to develop new military equipment such as fighter planes and drones, and on support systems such as military hospitals and training centres. The US letter chimes with bitter divisions within the bloc on what rules to set for non-EU allies such as the US, Norway -- and for Britain after Brexit -- who want to contribute to projects. A group led by France wants to set tough rules, arguing the aim is to improve cooperation within Europe and achieve "strategic autonomy" -- ending the historic reliance on the US to guarantee the continent's security. A rival grouping led by the Netherlands and Sweden favours a more inclusive approach, arguing that Europe should not shut out longstanding allies with strong defence expertise, like the US. Washington argues that shutting out third countries by making the rules too tough will ultimately lead to more money being wasted and make it harder to ensure European and US military systems can operate together in NATO. - Double lock - European defence officials say there is some misunderstanding of their plans in Washington, insisting that close cooperation with NATO is in place to ensure projects dovetail with the alliance's priorities. They also note that the money available under the EDF -- 13 billion euros over seven years -- is little more than loose change in the defence sector. But there is also sympathy in some quarters for US concerns about PESCO. A government official from one EU member said Europe should not have "a complete open door" but warned against closing it too far. "There's a difference with some other countries in the union or within PESCO like France or Spain, who really want to put ten locks on this door and prevent everybody from coming in," the official said. Huawei chairman says ready to sign 'no-spy' deal with UK London, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 Chinese telecom giant Huawei is willing to sign a "no-spy" agreement with countries including Britain, the firm's chairman said on Tuesday, as the head of NATO said Britain must preserve secure mobile networks. Liang Hua visited Britain as the government weighs the risks of allowing the Chinese company to help develop its 5G infrastructure. "We are willing to sign 'no-spy' agreements with governments, including the UK government, to commit ourselves, to commit our equipment to meeting the no-spy, no back-door standards," Liang told reporters. The British government is in the middle of a furious debate over whether to let Huawei roll out its next-generation mobile service. The private Chinese firm currently has the most advanced and cheapest 5G capacities in the world. But the United States has warned its close ally that it might have to limit security and intelligence sharing with Britain if it allowed China to play a significant role. Washington's broader geopolitical concerns have been heightened by a law enacted by Beijing in 2017 obliging Chinese companies to aid the government on national security issues. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who was also visiting Britain, said network security remained of utmost importance to the Western military alliance. "Huawei and 5G network is extremely important," Stoltenberg told a London business conference. He conceded that Britain and all other NATO members had the right to make their own decisions about China and 5G. "Having said that, of course, what matters for NATO is that these decisions are made in a way that makes sure that they have secure networks," Stoltenberg said. "There is no way we can escape addressing those issues," he added. "We are going to make sure our networks are safe." The Huawei debate has pushed Britain into the heart of China's heated battle for global dominance with the United States. It has also splintered May's cabinet between those who view China as a vital trade partner in Britain's post-Brexit future and ministers who side with Washington's view of Beijing as a threat. May fired defence minister Gavin Williamson -- one of the cabinet's big critics of China -- earlier this month over a leak alleging that her government will allow Huawei to play a limited 5G role. British general in Iraq says no elevated Iran threat Washington, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 The international coalition in Iraq and Syria said Tuesday its troops were not feeling any intensified threat from Iran in the region, seemingly contrary to Trump administration warnings. "There has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," Major General Chris Ghika, a British spokesman for the force, told reporters via teleconference at the Pentagon. "We've seen no change in the posture or laydown" of the Shia Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi paramilitary group with close ties to Tehran, Ghika said. "Of course PMF is a very broad range of groups. Many of the are compliant and we have seen no change in their posture since the recent exchange between the US and Iran." Ghika denied he was contradicting recent alarms raised by top officials in US President Donald Trump's administration that Iran was plotting some sort of attack in the Gulf region, perhaps targeting US forces in Iraq and Syria. To meet the threat the Pentagon has accelerated the deployment of an aircraft carrier task force to the Gulf and accompanied it with several B-52 bombers, a Patriot missile battery and an amphibious assault ship. "I don't think we're out of step with the White House at all," Ghika said. "Am I concerned about the danger? No, not really. We take a range of force protection measures for operating in this part of the world against a range of threats," he said, adding that those measures at this point in time are "completely satisfactory." He said the coalition's mission in Iraq and Syria is focused on the Islamic State group and not Iran. "I have no part of Iran in any of my orders, in any of my directives or in any of my planning documents. Iran is not part of our mission," he said. Grief, questions as France remembers troops slain in hostage raid Paris, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 A grieving France paid its respects Tuesday to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue four hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week, under the shadow of a row over risks taken by two of those freed. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured with a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. Crowds joined soldiers, firefighters and veterans in lining the bridge leading up to the imposing 17th-century landmark as the motorcade carrying their coffins made its solemn procession through a sun-lit Paris. "France is a country that does not abandon its children, no matter the circumstances," a visibly emotional Macron said in his speech during a 45-minute ceremony attended by tearful family members and masked fellow special forces. "Those who attack French citizens should know that our country will never give way and that they will always encounter our army, our elite troops and our allies," he added. Meanwhile, Benin opened a probe into the kidnappings, prosecutors said. - 'Warning to tourists' - The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, who were seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin near the border with Burkina Faso. A US citizen and South Korean tourist -- both women whose presence was a total surprise to the French forces -- were also sprung from captivity in the overnight Thursday operation. The kidnapping has shone a spotlight on rising instability in the vast Sahel region lying south of the Sahara desert, where Islamist groups aligned to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS) have been gathering in strength. Along with an outpouring of grief in France over the sacrifice of the two soldiers, there has been criticism of the French tourists who were visiting an area subject to a travel warning by the foreign ministry. Leading French daily Le Figaro said in an editorial Monday that the freeing of the tourists had "left a bitter taste". "This tragic event should serve as a warning to our tourists. Our forces are in Africa for a hard and long war and not to pay the price of carelessness," it wrote. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reprimanded the freed men, aged 51 and 46, for taking "significant risks" by visiting an area that was considered a "red" no-go zone under travel advice issued by his ministry. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticised Macron meanwhile for meeting the tourists at the plane that brought them back. "The president shouldn't have gone to greet them almost as if they were heroes," Le Pen told the BFM news channel in a weekend interview. - 'Fulfilled their destiny' - French officials have argued that the raid came in a key window of opportunity as the hostage-takers were planning to transfer their victims to Islamist groups in Mali aligned to either Al-Qaeda or IS. Lassimouillas admitted that he and Picque should have taken into account the foreign ministry advisories, in a statement read out as the men arrived back in France. But Macron insisted that the men's lives had not been sacrificed. "A life that is halted, even in full youth, is not a life that is lost," he said. "Someone who dies in combat, fulfilling their duty, has not just fulfilled their duty but their destiny." He decorated both men posthumously as members of the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest honour. France's special forces units were in attendance for their fallen brothers in arms on Tuesday, prompting warnings to broadcasters not to show any faces that could jeopardise their safety. The hostages were snatched, and their local guide killed, by an armed group while visiting the Pendjari National Park in Benin which borders Burkina Faso. The deaths were a reminder of the risks encountered in the region by French forces, who have been deployed in the Sahel since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. A total of 26 French soldiers have died in the deployment including de Pierrepont and Bertoncello. US does 'not seek a war with Iran': Pompeo Sochi, Russia, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Tuesday said his country is not seeking war with Iran, despite a spike in tensions that has seen the Pentagon dispatch nuclear-capable bombers to the region. Pompeo's comments came during his first official visit to Russia, a key backer of Tehran which has blamed the current crisis on Washington's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Pompeo said in a joint press conference following talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. But he added: "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." "We are looking for Iran to behave like a normal country," Pompeo said, pointing in part to Tehran's backing of Huthi rebels in Yemen who are under attack from US ally Saudi Arabia. Huthi rebels "are launching missiles into areas where there are Russians and Americans travelling. These missiles could easily kill a Russian or an American," Pompeo said. For his part, Lavrov said Moscow would work "to ensure this situation does not descend into a military scenario." "I hope that reason will triumph," Lavrov said, adding that he hoped reports in the US media that President Donald Trump is planning to send 120,000 troops to counter Iran turn out to be wrong. Trump himself rejected the New York Times report, saying it was "fake news" but did not rule out deploying "a hell of a lot more" soldiers in the future. - US 'maximum pressure' campaign on Iran - Pompeo was set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at his residence in Sochi later in the evening, for the countries' highest-level bilateral talks in nearly a year. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier Tuesday slammed what he called Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, saying it would only drive Tehran into a corner. Pompeo cancelled a stop in Moscow Monday to instead have an unscheduled meeting in Brussels with European foreign ministers, who have been uncomfortable with the hawkish direction of the US on Iran. Washington last year pulled out of a nuclear deal backed by Europe, Russia and China, which curbed Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Since then it has slapped sweeping sanctions on Iran in an all-out effort to reduce Tehran's regional clout. The US has recently ramped up the pressure, deploying an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to counter vaguely described threats from Iran. UN inspectors have said Iran is complying with the deal, and Moscow last week denounced new US sanctions on the country's mining industry, calling for new talks to save the nuclear accord. - Disagreements on meddling, Venezuela - Going into the Sochi talks, Pompeo and Lavrov both said they wanted to see ties between Washington and Russia improve. But the pair had little to agree on in their statements to the press some three hours later. Pompeo warned Russia not to meddle in the US presidential election next year, calling on Moscow "to demonstrate that these types of activities are a thing of the past." Lavrov however repeated Moscow's denials of interference and said it was "absolute fiction" that Russia had colluded with the Trump campaign. The exchange follows the publication of the Mueller report, which found that Russia interfered in the 2016 US election but did not conclude that the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow. Pompeo meanwhile said he had urged Lavrov to end Russia's support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. But Lavrov flatly rejected the request, denouncing US and opposition "threats" against the Maduro government. The talks also touched on arms control and the conflict in Syria, in which Russia and the US back opposing sides. The US administration has kept up a campaign of pressure including sanctions on Russia over the alleged election meddling and Moscow's support for armed separatists in Ukraine. sct-mp-tm/pvh Netanyahu stands by Trump against Iran 'aggression' Jerusalem, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday reiterated his support for US President Donald Trump's stance against Iranian "aggression", as tensions mount between Washington and Tehran. "Israel and all the countries of the region and all the countries who seek peace in the world should stand together with the United States against Iranian aggression," Netanyahu said at a ceremony to mark one year since the opening of the United States embassy in Jerusalem. That controversial move came just days after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran, a decision celebrated by Iran's archfoe Israel. "We have to keep on strengthening the state of Israel and keep on strengthening the indispensable alliance with America," Netanyahu said Tuesday, according to a statement published by his office. His comments came as Washington deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to the Gulf, to counter vaguely described threats from Tehran. But despite the spike in tensions, both sides on Tuesday stated they did not want a war. Netanyahu has been a vocal supporter of Trump's Middle East policy, which has broken with years of consensus. The US embassy move to Jerusalem was followed by just one other country -- Guatemala -- as the international community considers the city's fate should be left to negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Pulling out of the landmark nuclear deal, meanwhile, angered Europe, Russia and China who have stood by the agreement. But as US sanctions on Iran take their toll, Tehran said last week it would abandon limits on its nuclear activities agreed under the 2015 accord. The announcement prompted Netanyahu to vow he would not let Iran obtain a nuclear weapon, an objective denied by Tehran which insists its ambitions are civilian only. Venezuelan security services block lawmakers from parliament Caracas, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 Venezuelan security forces blocked opposition lawmakers from entering the National Assembly Tuesday, ramping up pressure on supporters of Juan Guaido two weeks after his failed uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. Deputies said members of the National Guard, who provide security for the building, along with police and SEBIN intelligence agents blocked access to the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The move came as Amnesty International said it believes the Venezuelan authorities have committed crimes against humanity in their crackdown on anti-government protests, and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate. "SEBIN agents, using the excuse that there's an explosive device within the facilities, took over the federal palace. We're surrounded by intelligence agents," lawmaker Manuela Bolivar told AFP. Opposition leader Juan Guaido tried to incite an uprising against Maduro on April 30 but only around 30 members of the armed forces joined him, and the revolt quickly petered out. It did however spark two days of deadly clashes between protesters and security forces. Since then, the Maduro regime has ramped up pressure on Guaido's allies and supporters. Deputy parliament speaker Edgar Zambrano was arrested by SEBIN agents last week and stands accused of "treason, conspiracy and civil rebellion." He is one of 14 opposition lawmakers -- the latest four on Tuesday -- charged by the regime-dominated Supreme Court over the failed rebellion and branded as traitors. One of the 10, Luis Florido, fled to neighboring Colombia while three other lawmakers sought refuge in diplomatic facilities. Guaido -- the National Assembly president -- has accused Maduro of trying to dismantle the legislature. "They're trying to hold the legislative power hostage while the dictator entrenches himself alone in a palace where he shouldn't be," Guaido said on Twitter. He has previously accused the socialist leader of terrorism for his heavy-handed response to demonstrations. - 'Systematic repression' - Amnesty said Maduro's government responded with "a systematic and widespread policy of repression" in late January, when anti-government protests swept the country after Guaido declared himself acting president. The London-based rights group said at least 47 people were killed during the protests from January 21 to 25. At least 33 were shot dead by the security forces, and six by government supporters. "Eleven of these deaths were extrajudicial executions," said Erika Guevara, Americas director for Amnesty International, who presented a report in Mexico City, following February's fact-finding mission to Venezuela. Some Maduro opponents were tortured while 900 people, including children, were arbitrarily detained, Amnesty said. "The nature of the attacks... the level of coordination by the security forces, as well as the signs of similar patterns in 2014 and 2017, leads Amnesty International to believe that the Venezuelan authorities committed crimes against humanity." Maduro himself "knew about these public and appalling acts and took no measures to either prevent or investigate them," Amnesty added in its statement. Guaido's declaration that he is the country's legitimate acting president, which has been supported by more than 50 countries, plunged Venezuela into a political crisis. It came about after the National Assembly branded Maduro a usurper over his controversial re-election last year in polls widely regarded as fraudulent. - 'Recurring theme' - The oil-rich, cash-poor country has been stricken by recession and a humanitarian crisis in which almost a quarter of its 30 million population is in urgent need of aid, according to the United Nations. The UN also says that more than 2.7 million people have fled the country since 2015. Those remaining behind face shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines, and failing public services including water, electricity and transport. From early Tuesday, the security services cordoned off the building housing the National Assembly. Bullet-proof vehicles and a tow truck were parked in the surrounding streets. "This is a recurring theme. It's not the first time it's happened," said Bolivar, who claimed this was part of "a policy to weaken the Assembly" and "intimidation" related to the power struggle between Guaido and Maduro, who retains the support of the armed forces. The National Guard previously reported finding explosives when congress opened for the year on January 5. "Whether it's in a square, in the annex buildings, under a bridge, the Assembly will sit and there will be a session," said congressman Luis Stefanelli. US, Russia 'share same objective' on N.Korea: Pompeo Sochi, Russia, May 14 (AFP) May 14, 2019 The United States and Russia share the same goals on North Korea as Washington tries to negotiate a nuclear deal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after talks with President Vladimir Putin. "I think we share the same objective and I hope that we can find ways that we can work together," Pompeo told reporters after the talks late Tuesday in the Russian resort of Sochi. "He understands that the US is going to be in the lead, but I think there are places we can work together," Pompeo said. During their nearly two-hour talk in Putin's summer home, Pompeo said they spoke at length about North Korea, weeks after Putin held a summit with leader Kim Jong Un in the Far Eastern port city of Vladivostok. Kim used the occasion to accuse the United States of acting in "bad faith" after his second summit with President Donald Trump ended in stalemate in Hanoi. Pompeo, who visited Pyongyang four times last year, has taken a leading role in seeking to negotiate an accord with North Korea under which the authoritarian state will give up its nuclear arsenal. In a key point of contention, Pompeo has rebuffed demands from North Korea, which has the backing of Russia and China, for an early lifting of sanctions before a final deal. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Sri Lanka's previous record on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency isn't good: The government alienated the Tamil population through brutal actions, which served to increase support for the LTTE and strengthen this insurgent/terrorist group. The government should not make the same mistake with its Muslim populations. by Nilantha Ilangamuwa Sri Lanka is passing through one of most sensitive periods of her history in the aftermath of brutal assault on the nation targeting countrys churches and luxury hotels by a group of terrorists on Easter Sunday. In this exclusive interview, I have communicated with Jonah Blank, a Principal Investigator and Senior Political Scientist for the RAND Corporation to understand his points of view on prevailing situation in the country as well as jihad movements. RAND was established almost 70 years ago to strengthen public policy through research and analysis. According to the available history on RAND, On May 14, 1948, Project RANDan organization formed immediately after World War II to connect military planning with research and development decisionsseparated from the Douglas Aircraft Company of Santa Monica, California, and became an independent, nonprofit organization. Significantly, on the same day, the State of Israel was declared by David Ben-Gurion. RAND as one of the top research centres consisted of over 1900 staff and was maintained in locations spreading across 50 countries has continuously demonstrated that rigorous research and analysis can help address some of the world's most challenging problems. Jonah Blank, a Principal Investigator and Senior Political Scientist at RAND Corporation Graduated from Harvard, he has taught anthropology and politics at Harvard, Georgetown, and George Washington University's Elliot School for International Affairs. Since 2003, he has been a Professorial Lecturer at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Before joining the RAND, Jonah Blank served as Policy Director for South and Southeast Asia on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the United States of America. At various times, his Senate portfolio also included Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. In this interview, Jonah has observed two significant issues on the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka. First, the attack was a result of political negligence than its accounting as intelligence failure by many parties. Second, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) didnt choose Sri Lanka, but the Sri Lankan extremists have chosen ISIS. Meanwhile suggesting how to solve the political crisis in the country, he says, When the nation's two top officials are locked in open conflict, they can't cooperate to ensure the safety of the citizens. Following are the excerpts; Question: Jonah, Thank you for joining us. First of all, let our readers know about you; your academic background, present engagements and so on? Answer: I'm a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, focusing on South & Southeast Asia. I'm an anthropologist by training, currently based in Indonesia. I am the author of two books: "Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God," which retraces the epic Ramayana through India and Sri Lanka, and "Mullahs on the Mainframe," which explores Islam and modernity. Q: Currently, you are based is in Jakarta, Indonesia, a country suffering mainly from two enemies, first, natural disaster and second, jihad extremism. Therefore, Indonesia's long prevailing moderate Islam is slowly but surely crumbling and shattering as the as fundamentalists seizing the popular moments, though movements such as Indonesia's Nahdlatul Ulama opposes Wahhabism. We would like to know your finding? A: I think this overstates the issue: Islam in Indonesia is indeed changing and becoming more globalized-- but that's true for Islam (and all religions) everywhere. Violent Islamist groups were far more active in Indonesia in the half-decade after the fall of Suharto than they are now: the main local terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, has essentially been disbanded (or, at least, it's just a shadow of its former self). This is not to say that extremism is itself gone-- merely that its terrorist fringe is more controlled now than it was fifteen years ago. Q: Let's talk about Sri Lanka. What is your view on recent suicide attacks by so-called local branch of the self-identified Islamic State's (IS/ISIS) in Sri Lanka? A: This set of attacks is unimaginably tragic-- and utterly unexpected. Sri Lanka has endured a horrific civil war, and a huge amount of terrorism associated with it, but it had never before seen this type of action. That is, the terrorism it had experienced in the past was almost entirely based on politics and ethnic identity, not on religion. Christians had never before been targeted for their faith, and global terrorist groups like ISIS had never been active. Q: Why do they choose Sri Lanka? A: It appears that ISIS didn't choose Sri Lanka, but that a group Sri Lankans chose ISIS. It could have happened anywhere, but in this case the terrorists happened to be Sri Lankan, and they got their skill-set and training (apparently) from ISIS. Q: Do you think the ISIS' Lone-Wolf strategy was used in this attack? A: No, this was the opposite of a "lone wolf" attack: A lone wolf attack is typically when an individual (not a group) simply plans and executes an attack with no external support from ISIS apart from ideological inspiration. Usually, this is something very simple: Driving a car into a crowd, or opening fire with firearms. The Sri Lanka attacks were the opposite of this: They were very carefully planned and executed, most likely with external assistance from ISIS. Q: What are the differences between the armed rebellions led by LTTE ended in 2009 and the prevailing threat of jihad extremism in Sri Lanka? A: The two are not linked. The LTTE occasionally targeted Muslims, but it did so for political rather than ideological reasons ( i.e, when Muslim groups refused to advance LTTE aims). In terms of impact, the LTTE was (until 2009) a far greater threat to Sri Lanka than any Islamist group might be. But the Easter Attacks do show just how much damage a small group of dedicated terrorists can cause. Q: Many argued there is gross intelligence failure has led to success in the attack. But if we go back to history, we could see many intelligence agencies warnings had gone unheard. What do you think? A: It's always easy to second-guess after the fact. But in this case it does appear as if there was a political failure which led to a poor government response. The warnings from an external intelligence agency (almost certainly India) were reportedly relayed to the office of President Sirisena. It seems as if these warnings were not acted on sufficiently-- and were not relayed to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. There are two reasons for this: First, the President does not trust the Prime Minister (he tried to have him ousted in October 2018), and there is bad blood between them. Second, the President believes that India favors the Prime Minister over him, so he may have discounted the intelligence on these grounds. Q: There are some reports suggesting that foreign intelligence agencies did not share the important details about Sri Lankan youths who were motivated by radical thoughts during their higher studies abroad. What do you suggest? A: There is so much raw intelligence floating around that it would be foolish to assume any particular pieces of it might have unlocked the puzzle. Yes, there was genuine and important intelligence out there-- but how is one to find it in the mass of incorrect information also floating around? Q: Do you have any suggestion to prevent such attacks in the future? A: A few suggestions, for Sri Lanka: 1. End the political stalemate between the President and Prime Minister: When the nation's two top officials are locked in open conflict, they can't cooperate to ensure the safety of the citizens. If necessary, hold new elections-- or just find a way of working together better. 2. Cooperate with other nations on intelligence-sharing regarding counterterrorism. India's intelligence was not acted on, this time, and India (with its large Tamil population-- most of Sri Lanka's Muslim citizens are ethnic Tamils) has a lot of information to offer. The US, Britain and other nations do as well. 3. Work with the Sri Lankan Muslim communities. Sri Lanka's previous record on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency isn't good: The government alienated the Tamil population through brutal actions, which served to increase support for the LTTE and strengthen this insurgent/terrorist group. The government should not make the same mistake with its Muslim populations. Q: Some of the intelligent and well-read youths are fighting for IS and turning into human bombs by leaving their lavish lifestyles. What is your reading on this social phenomenon as an anthropologist? A: It is now widely accepted within academic and policy circles that economic deprivation is not the primary driver of terrorism: It's quite common for terrorists (including suicide bombers) to be relatively well-educated and at least middle or lower-middle class. It is unusual for them to be wealthy-- but Osama bin Laden was a billionaire. Q: In addition to other countries, the United State too is being blamed for causing the mushrooming of the jihad terror groups. Do you think the US foreign policy and its strategies need to be re-structured? A: I think there are many aspects of US foreign policy that could benefit from considerable reformulation. Q: Thank you for your time and valuable thoughts, Jonah. Hope to talk to you again. One last query here. Please share with us your message to the general public, policymakers, and members of the law enforcement agencies in Sri Lanka on curbing radicalised minds and eliminating jihad terrorism? A: Thank you for asking me. The best way to combat terrorism (in Sri Lanka and elsewhere) is through careful intelligence-sharing/gathering and close cooperation with the communities in which terrorists recruit. The Sri Lanka bombers, after all, had already been shunned by the local Muslim communities they'd come from. If the government had been cooperating better with its own Muslim citizens, it might have known about these individuals before it was too late. Nilantha Ilangamuwa is former editor of Sri Lanka Guardian Joint Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and Karen Smith, United Nations Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, on attacks against religious minorities in Sri Lanka Recalling their recent statements against violent extremism and hate speech, the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, and the United Nations Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, Karen Smith are alarmed about the growing acts of violence on the basis of religion, including attacks against homes, places of worship and businesses, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The Special Advisers noted a recent spate of attacks against Muslim and Christian communities in Sri Lanka, a majority Buddhist country. The attacks committed on this weekend of 11 May follow deadly attacks carried out on Easter Sunday of 21 April 2019, against churches and hotels in various parts of the country in which more than 200 people were killed and hundreds were injured. The recent violence in Sri Lanka has highlighted a growing influence of nationalist and extremist views of identity in the Asia region, putting religious minorities at risk. The Special Advisers stated that it is in the interest of all ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka, as well as the Government, the opposition, civil society and the security sector, to work collaboratively in taking appropriate action and immediately stop these hateful attacks. The country is trying to move forward from a traumatic period of inter-ethnic armed conflict, but these attacks are pushing Sri Lanka backwards. If not adequately dealt with, the recent violence has the potential to escalate even further. The Special Advisers acknowledged and welcomed the swift response of the Government, including by deploying the security forces to protect affected communities and addressing the spread of false information and incitement to violence. They also encouraged the Government to make sure that these and other past similar attacks are fully investigated and those responsible for instigating or committing these violent acts are brought to justice and made accountable. They added that the Government needs to give the example that it will not tolerate the spread of prejudice and hate among groups within its population. This needs to be done at national and local level, by putting an end to local discriminatory practices that perpetuate religious intolerance and violence. Mr. Dieng and Ms. Smith also offered their support to work with the Government on inter-faith and inter-religious harmony and inclusivity. China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Tuesday met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in Beijing Wang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, called on the two sides to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, enhance practical cooperation within the framework of jointly building the Belt and Road, strengthen mutual learning of civilizations and exchange of development experience, and continue working together to lift China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership to new levels. Wang said China firmly supports the Sri Lankan government in maintaining national safety and stability, and stands ready to strengthen security cooperation with the Sri Lankan side to jointly address the threat of terrorism. Sirisena said Sri Lanka is willing to work with China to strengthen dialogue and exchange of civilizations, jointly advance the Belt and Road development, and continue to consolidate and deepen friendly cooperation in various fields. ( Xinhua) We Sri Lankans are still in a state of shock and fear for being the target of such cowardice and horrific attacks as on the holiest day in our Christian calendar. by Amaranath Cumaraswamy As a person who has worked in the hospitality industry for the past 45 years, and from 1970-2019, I have witnessed all civil unrest, ethnic violence, bloodshed, war and economic destruction in our country. I was just 19 years of age when the JVP insurgency started in 1970 and I have seen the death and destruction and the severe impact it had on our societies and economy, when tourism in our country was just picking up. In 1972 I joined the first five-star hotel, The Ceylon Intercontinental, and there were only a handful who joined the tourism sector. With the liberalisation of the economy in 1976 more five-star hotels were opened and there was a boom in this sector. However with the war in the north and the communal violence in July 1983 the tourism industry was badly affected and it took some time for recover. I have worked in five-star hotels during these turbulent times and the agony and stress felt by the management and staff is enormous. After end of the civil war in 2009 there was a rapid boom in the tourism industry and 2018 it was at its peak with more five-star class hotels opening and new hotels under construction and this year the tourist arrivals were close to 2.5 million with an aim to reach three million at the end of this year. Then disaster struck on Easter Sunday morning; I was in the Church of the Upper Room, Wattala, celebrating the Easter Sunday service and when the Holy Communion was in progress, messages started coming in about these brutal, inhumane attacks on churches and five-star hotels. None of the worshippers and guests in the hotels would have never thought that they would have to sacrifice their precious lives in a most brutal manner inside churches and hotels on Easter Sunday morning. Families were completely wiped out. It was complete bloodshed, mayhem and manslaughter inside these churches and hotels. I am ashamed and angry that we could not save the lives of the innocent worshippers and foreign tourists who came to our country to spend their holidays with the loved ones and had to lose their precious lives in this brutal manner. I was watching CNN news with agony and frustration when Danish billionaire Andrew Holos and his wife paid an emotional farewell to their three little children. I could see the tears in their eyes and look of extreme pain and agony on their faces as they comforted each other as they watched the three small coffins arrive in three hearses. Their loss was utterly incomprehensible. I felt guilty because these three little angels lost their tender lives on our soil. We Sri Lankans are still in a state of shock and fear for being the target of such cowardice and horrific attacks as on the holiest day in our Christian calendar. Sri Lanka is a resilient nation; there was violence against caste, creed, ethnicity and religion and finally we fought 30-year civil war with our own people. Still we survived all that. Sri Lankans have the grit and capacity to face these challenges. We believe we can rise against from the ashes and we will overcome. Finally I quote few verses from the Holy Bible: Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices. You will grieve but your grief will turn to joy John 16V29 Forgive the people that hurt you, God will pay you back with double the joy and double the victory. (The writer is a lecturer at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management.) Do whatever you could do but believe me Karma will turn on you and on your progenies by A Sri Lankan in London No one will benefit from this unrest and instability in Sri Lanka today. Each Sri Lankan will have to pay the price for this chaotic condition. We all know that some so-called Muslim radicals have done these barbaric attacks on Easter Sunday. The entire Muslim community condemned it. Moreover, the Sri Lankan Muslim community did not approve the bodies of those suicide bombers to be buried in the Muslim graveyard. This, Muslim community has nothing to do with these radical suicide bombers. Muslim clerics, politicians, and academics have explicitly explained to public about these many times, through media, social networks and newspapers. Yet, these racist Sinhalese gangs cannot understand this. Despite all clarifications that are made by Muslim political and religious leaders, anti-Muslim violence has been increasing for the last two weeks. Why cannot government and law enforcement agents bring peace and instability into the country? Who are going to lose out by all these chaos and anarchies? What do these Sinhalese racists want to get out of these violent attacks on innocent Muslim communities? what will they get at the end of the day? What message you want to send to the world by these violent activities? Whose properties and assets they are destroying now? Arent they national properties and assets of Sri Lanka? What worries me more is the silence of the majorities of Sinhalese community? Why do not Sinhalese community leaders come out and condemn these racial attacks on innocent Muslim community? Why cannot they demand the government to do something to stop this anarchy? All what takes place in Kurunegala district is appalling and inhuman. It is estimated more than 86 small villages are in this district. Muslims are scarcely scattered in this district. Some of Muslim villages have less than 50 Muslim families surrounded completely by Sinhalese villages. These Sinhalese mobs have chosen weakest link among Sri Lankan Muslim community to attack with knives and wood sticks. 500 to 1000 mobs were going to village to village attacking mosques, shops and houses of Muslims in these villages. What crime these innocent Muslims have done to do this? All those connected with Sunday Easter attacks have been detained and jailed. Now do these mobs law in their hands? What message this sends about Sri Lanka today? Most Muslim traders make their date to date living through these petty business and retail trading? Why do these racists enjoy in inflicting harm and damage on others? Is it what Jesus told you to do? Is it what Lord Buddha told to you? How did these youths descend into this level of unkindness? Where is the human consciousness of these people? I too strongly condemn so called Muslim radicals who committed barbaric suicidal attacks on innocent people. yet, why should Sinhalese youths follow them in their barbarism? Do not these racists think that they are damaging ecology and environment of Sri Lanka by burning down houses, properties and mosques? Why do they target mosques? I do not think that these are carried out by Sinhalese Roman Catholics of Sri Lanka? Some appalling reports are coming out now about these attacks and intimidation. Many Sri Lankan Muslims have been harassed, insulted, told off and affronted in many places across Sri Lanka. They have been ill-treated in government offices, hospitals, public transports, and many places? Yet, no action has been taken yet. For the last 8 years BBS has been unleashing violence against the Sri Lankan Muslim community. All their atrocities are well documented and recoded in audio and video records and yet, the Sri Lanka government apparatuses including judiciary has been silent on these collective crimes against the entire Muslim community. Why this indifferent attitude to the Muslim community now? Is it because of our faith and belief? If you do not like Muslims, why do you send more than 3 million Sri Lankans to Muslim countries to earn your foreign currencies? Why do you get aids and loans from Muslim countries? What a thanksgiving is this? What an ungratefulness is this? Im sorry to say that there are some crafty political motives behind these all attacks. Some politicians want to catch fish in trouble waters. They want to make use of these tense situations to isolate minority communities in order to increase their votes banks from the majority communities. Moreover, they want to send a message that this government is weak and powerless to control the situation so, send them home so that we could give you the stability in the country. Im dismayed to see that all these attacks took place while the security forces and police were doing nothing to stop these mobs. It is reported that many of these attacks took place while curfew was imposed. What does this tell us? It tells us some elements of Sri Lankan police and military are directly supporting these Sinhalese racists? Why can not they stop these racists from burning houses, shops and mosques? Suppose if any other ethnic groups burn Sinhalese shops or houses, will they stay idle like this doing nothing? Recently STF shoot dead some Muslims during the riot at Aluthgama. Yet, when these racist mobs were attacking Muslim shops and mosques there was no shooting at least at sky to disperse these racists. This is nothing but an utter discrimination. This is nothing but to do maximum financial damage to the Muslim community. Do whatever you could do but believe me Karma will turn on you and on your progenies. What will this bring to Sri Lanka. Far reaching consequences and repercussions of these attacks will be manifolds. It will tarnish a good name of Sri Lanka internationally. As a result of this we will see a dramatic decrease in tourist arrivals. Sri Lankan economy will suffer dramatically. Sri Lankan business sectors will suffer enormously. International investors will think twice before they invest anything in Sri Lanka. A lot of friends who want to visit Sri Lankan during the summer have already decided not to book any tickets to Sri Lanka this year. What about local trades and business? All will be affected by this violence and yet, some Sri Lankan police and STF were looking at these rioting people doing nothing? What kind of stupidity is this? Can you expect this kind of behaviour from any professional police force or military in the world? police in African countries will do better than Sri Lankan police. I think these racial elements among Sinhalese communities are real enemies of Sri Lanka. They destroy national wealth of Sri Lanka. How could they be loyal citizens of this nation? It is a duty of judiciary to find them all and put them all behind bars to teach them a lifetime lesson. These racists are destabilising law and order in Sri Lanka. There is no doubt about this. Do you need any more evidence for this? So, apprehend them all and put them behind the bar. Their criminal behaviours are not acceptable at all. whither Sri Lanka today? so bad to see this unfolding barbarism? narvikk/iStock(NEW YORK) -- The Dow was down 617 points at closing on Monday afternoon after China said it would raise tariffs on roughly $60 billion worth of U.S. imports as retaliation for additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Trade talks between the United States and China ended without a deal Friday afternoon. President Donald Trump announced last week he would raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. Shortly before markets opened Monday, China announced it would implement the new tariffs starting June 1. Trump fired off a series of tweets in which he repeated a false claim that the U.S. consumer does not need to pay for tariffs. In reality, tariffs would cause prices on many consumer goods to increase. The president also appealed to Chinese President Xi Jinping in his tweets, claiming China will be "hurt very badly" if he doesn't make a deal. The U.S. and China had been making progress toward a final trade deal but a tentative agreement all but fell apart last week after the Chinese sought to make revisions to the deal, the White House said. It's not clear when the trade representatives will meet again. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement Two ZTD-05 advanced amphibious assault vehicles (AAAVs) attached to a brigade under the PLA 74th Group Army fire at mock targets during a live-fire training exercise on May 10, 2018. Photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn China recently conducted a maritime exercise featuring what is being hailed as the world's most advanced medium-sized amphibious assault vehicle, the ZTD-05s, a weapon that can join amphibious landing ships in land assault missions. With the ZTD-05s and other domestically designed hardware, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is well positioned to deal with Taiwan secessionists and potential island disputes, analysts said on Monday. The evaluation exercise, conducted by the 74th Group Army of the PLA, was held recently in the eastern part of South China's Guangdong Province. Multiple types of amphibious vehicles entered the sea and ran through various training exercises, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday. Multiple ZTD-05 amphibious assault vehicles took part in the exercise. The ZTD-05 is a domestically made, high-speed amphibious assault vehicle and is the most advanced medium-sized amphibious assault vehicle in the world, CCTV reported. Equipped with a 105-millimeter tank cannon and capable of firing while at sea, the ZTD-05 is highly stable and can reach speeds of 40 kilometers an hour on water, china.com.cn reported. The highly mobile vehicle has very lethal fire power, CCTV said. The ZTD-05 can be dispatched for land assaults, or join the PLA Navy's amphibious landing ships for other types of military operations, the broadcaster's report noted. The PLA Navy also has the Type 071 amphibious transport dock and Type 072 landing ship. China is reportedly also developing the Type 075 amphibious assault ship. The exercise came after a US Department of Defense report released earlier this month. It said China lacks adequate amphibious capabilities. Some Western reports claimed that the Chinese mainland is not capable of launching an assault on the island of Taiwan. China's amphibious landing capabilities may indeed lag behind those of the US, but this will not impact China's ability to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, told the Global Times on Monday. There would be no problem for the mainland to crush Taiwan secessionists' scheme should they attempt to separate from the mainland, Zhang said. The PLA holds an overwhelming advantage over the island's military forces, military experts say. (About the author: Senior Colonel Lv Guoying is a writer, literary critic, director of the Culture Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily and editor-in-chief of the Long March Supplement and a senior editor. He has written and published many literature works, commentaries, monographs and hundreds of art reviews. His monographs such as Art of the Three Poles, Road to Future Art (Chinese and English bilingual version), Pottery Madman, Shen Diao and Amazing Chinese People have been reprinted for many times. His commentaries such as Password of Jia's Landscape, Only Crazy Heart Makes Artist and Noble Character helps to enter Fantastic Realm have been reposted by lots of media. Many of Lv Guoyings works have won important national or military awards.) By Lv Guoying I Qi Mo (literally, ink as vital energy) and Ling Xiang (literally, spiritual form) are the core themes and soul of this book, which represent new topics in the research of art theories. Needless to say, the concepts of Qi Mo Ling Xiang had never before appeared in any cultural discourse and art theory, making themselves out of the reach of humanities studies. Growing out of nothing, Qi Mo Ling Xiang are analects that mark the new dawn of art. As a completely new theoretical creation, the art theory about Qi Mo Ling Xiang is mysterious, unfamiliar, and unknown to many people; some even have doubts on it. Interpreting strangeness and dissolving doubts not only help the construction of the theory, but also represent the essential meaning of the theory. However, what do Qi Mo Ling Xiang respectively mean? What does Mo in Qi Mo refer to, as well as Xiang in Ling Xiang? What does it mean if Qi Mo Ling Xiang are connected together? Where did Qi Mo and Ling Xiang originate? How are they evolving? And what values do they have? These are the questions that the book must first answer. So, what is the relationship between form and spirit? How does ink become Qi (vital energy)? Why can spirit be reflected by form? How does ink carry the spirit? How can Qi Mo Ling Xiang be inseparably integrated? These are inevitable questions that the book must ponder over. Why does Ling Xiang represent the tomorrow of form? What does Qi Mo display the future of ink? How does Qi Mo depict Ling Xiang? Why does Ling Xiang become Qi Mo of ink? What are Qi Mo Ling Xiang coherent both physically and in nature, and why do they demonstrate the content and form of each other? These are the key questions that the book tries to interpret. How does artistic Ling Xiang reveal the essential law of art and what universal meaning does it have? Why does it need great knowledge and morality to achieve Qi Mo Ling Xiang? How do the concepts of Qi Mo Ling Xiang guide art creation? How should we understand the statement that beauty stems from Qi Mo Ling Xiang? Why do artists and spectators both advocate great beauty? These are the questions that the book specially discusses. II The value of theory lies not only in its function to look in and interpret phenomena, but also in its capacity to perceive and conform to law, especially to discover trends and foretell the future. In face of chaos and disorders in the realms of art and literature, the art theory of Qi Mo Ling Xiang aims to retrieve the initial aspiration of art, review the evolution of aesthetics, and look ahead into the future of beauty and the soul of goodness. It goes without saying that after millennia of evolution, art and literature ever reached the peak of perfection with unprecedented glory and also ever suffered from declines and depressions. However, declines and depressions incubate new opportunities. Usually, new art and literature rise at the cost of the decline of old ones. The current malpractices and chaos in the realm of art and literature all demonstrate that a historic turning point is approaching. Looking back at the history of art and literature, we can find that at the end of the 20th century and in the early 21st century, Western avant-gardism has gained popularity alongside the commercialization of art and literature, resulting in the chaotic situation that the three vulgarities destroy the three outlooks (namely, world outlook, outlook on values, and outlook on life) in the field of art and literature. Those chaos and malpractices featuring negative energy, vulgar taste, and low morality involve various aspects and have multifaceted manifestations, of which the most noticeable are corruption in art and literature administration, creative subjects, and creation environment, vicious expansion of selfish desire, and avoidance and even rejection of artistic responsibilities. In terms of artistic forms and languages, there are plagiarism and copied reproduction; in terms of aesthetics, some confound right and wrong, good and evil, as well as beautiful and ugly, creating lots of cultural and artistic garbage; in terms of the art market, some evaluate an artwork according to the position and title of its creator, and some artists are keen on self-adulation or joint speculation through organizing false auctions or auctioning counterfeits; and in terms of art criticism, some critics take advantage of institutional platforms to tout themselves and flatter those in influential positions by bragging them shamelessly with lavish praises that lack common sense. Those chaotic phenomena and malpractices reinforce each other, forming a vicious circle that continues to evolve to the critical point. The fundamental reason for this problem is that art and literature administrators and creators shirk their responsibility for art with the increase of their greed, and the root lies in their impetuous and flighty mentality, which make them fall into ideological confusion and lose direction. The West has developed the theory about the end of art, while China has the idiom meaning dead end. The former stemmed from logical aesthetics, which was gradually absorbed into art practice and became a curse severely undermining easel painting. The debate on the latter (between survival and doomsday) began with painting, and then expanded to the realm of art and literature, which remains ongoing today. The two similar conceptions either fuel the disorders in the realm of art and literature or pessimistically predict that art will come to an end. On the surface, this issue reflects conceptual differences and academic disputes, but in nature, it is rooted in low-dimensional (dimensional space) positioning and logical dilemma. That is to say, such theories observe art merely through a three-dimensional, two-dimensional, or even single-dimensional perspective and discuss art in abstract logic, which naturally results in misunderstandings and even wrong cognitions of superficial phenomena and inherent laws,let aloneforeseeing the future. The art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang attempts to see through the chaos and disorders in the field of art and literature, and hopes to explore the law of art evolution. Especially, it eyes on the far side of beauty to achieve an ultimate future. III The establishment of any theory not only depends on the inheritance of traditions, the originality of argumentations, and the completeness of relevant systems, but also relies on the integration of classics, the openness of concepts, the combination of Chinese and Western theories, and of course, the transcendence of its thoughts, the universality of its meaning, as well as the ultimacy of its foresightedness. As the core and soul of the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang, its argumentation section consists of several parts, including respective review, integrated review, comprehensive review, supplementary review, and extended review. Those parts have different reasoning and argumentation, but at the same time integrate with each other and go forward into the deep and the far. As the interpretation and extension of the art theory, its explanation section works in concert with the argumentation section, not only clearing up doubts and further expanding the scope of the theory from both macro and micro perspectives but also responding to subjects such as art inheritance, integration, openness, and fusion. From the perspective of their inheritance and originality, every single word in Qi Mo and Ling XiangQi (vital energy), Mo (ink), Ling (spirit), and Xiang (form)represents an important philosophical, aesthetical, or artistic concept in traditional culture, and has been included and explained in Chinese and foreign classics concerning literature, calligraphy, painting, aesthetics, and art accomplishment. However, neither Qi Mo nor Ling Xiang had ever been mentioned or discussed in the circles of philosophy, aesthetics, as well as literature and art, from ancient to modern times and whether at home or abroad. Qi Mo and Ling Xiang are totally new concepts. In particular, as an art theory, aesthetical conception, and philosophical and aesthetical topic, they grow out of nothing and have epoch-making significance. In terms of its completeness, the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang faces up with the current malpractices of art and literature and concludes that chaos is external symptoms and the crucial reason lies in outdated and decayed thoughts and concepts. To solve the problem, finding a roadmap and scaling height are important, and finding the right direction is particularly crucial. Behind this, the logic is that Ling Xiangrepresents the tomorrow of form, Qi Mo displays the future of ink, and the two concepts together showcase ultimate beauty of aesthetics. Only those with great knowledge and morality can appreciate ultimate beauty, and only through the push-pull force can the great art be formed. In a word, Qi Mo and Ling Xiang represent the beauty of the future. In terms of its integration, openness, and combination, the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang observes the evolution of art and looks into the future of art via concepts such as ink carrying form and form bearing ink. It not only involves ink rituals such as linear ink, imagery ink, splash ink, and unsophisticated ink, but also integrates states of artistic forms such as representation, imagery, abstract, and real form and incorporates art theories of such schools as naturalism, realism, and modernism. In a word, the art theory spans the past and the present and combines Chinese and Western cultures. Just as harmony between man and nature and fusion of nature and humankind have no end, the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang represents the ultimate future, namely, the pinnacle of the ultimate and the final destination of the future. In terms of its transcendence and ultimacy, the limitlessness and foresightedness of the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang are demonstrated by the fact that the theory transcends itself and walks towards ultimacy. This not only demonstrates the space and time of the theory, but also clarifies the orientation of practice. In terms of its universality, in Qi Mo and Ling Xiang, Mo refers to ink, a material and tool used as the carrier of art in art creations, and Xiang refers to form, namely, the embodiment of art in art creations. Thus, the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang is applicable to not only fine arts and calligraphy, but also literature and drama. Moreover, it provides a reference for other literary and artistic forms. IV The significance of any theory lies in the fact that it can dissolve doubts, reveal the nature of things, lead the development of practice, inspire wisdom, awaken spirit, and further form new thoughts and transcend existing concepts from a higher dimension. The latter is the core goal and fundamental value of theories. The art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang focuses on exploring the essential connotations of aesthetics, art, appreciation, accomplishment, and purity, in a bid to free the mind, pacify the spirit, and inspire wisdom through painstaking efforts and from a higher perspective. Great ideas steam from high vision. Artistic innovation is vital to the renaissance of art and literature. Ideological and conceptual innovation serves as the foundation of all other kinds of innovation. This is because ideas and concepts have always served as the leader and soul and played a dominating and leading role, compared with artistic practices and elements such as forms, subjects, techniques, and methods. The art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang bears the responsibility of fostering high vision and playing the leading role. Soul is the only and ultimate goal. The beauty created by art aims to comfort the soul. The essential meaning of art lies in creating ultimate beauty, displaying aesthetics, and demonstrating the spirit and form of life and ideal. Qi Mo and Ling Xiang convey and showcase the spirit of all living beings, thus responding to aesthetical needs and displaying great beauty through realizing the value of life and ideal spiritually. Boundless mind leads to accomplishment. Art is a special being of culture, as well as an important carrier of culture. Cultural integration is an irresistible general trend, so is artistic integration. Qi Mo and Ling Xiang promote a kind of spiritual art that integrates the past and the present and combines Chinese and Western cultures. Only through such ultimate integration and combination can art display the state of boundlessness and ultimate beauty. The more dimensions, the more beautiful. The beauty of the single-dimensional world lies in lines; the beauty of the two-dimensional world lies in planar graphics; and the beauty of the three-dimensional world lies in space. Obviously, dimensionality determines the space of beauty. High-dimensional space can put beauty on full display. Qi Mo and Ling Xiang derived from physical ink lines, then were enriched by ink imagery and splash-ink abstractionism, and eventually reached the future of art. In the process, these concepts have crossed spatiotemporal barriers of history and culture, transcended the integration of philosophy, aesthetics, and art, and demonstrated the most beautiful art forms with ultimate spirit and from the perspective of aesthetical dimensions. V For the practice of any theory, knowing the truth is the prerequisite; following the truth is the foundation; explaining the truth is indispensable; and understanding the truth is the ultimate goal. Through integrating knowing the truth and following the truth and aligning explaining the truth with understanding the truth, one can combine knowledge and practice to achieve the goal of ultimate goodness. The art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang is both a theory of art creation and a theory of aesthetical accomplishment. It not only involves philosophy and aesthetics, but also is related to art and culture. It discusses the creation of artists and the artistic mentalities (aesthetical needs and spiritual aspiration) of audience, which influence and push forward each other and form an integrated system that transcends the circle of life. Obviously, art is a kind of ability, in which thoughts and concepts play a crucial and decisive role. Thus, advanced art thoughts and concepts undoubtedly make up the primary force of art. Artistic strength would not exist without right artistic thoughts and concepts. If carelessly, blindly, or obstinately implementing wrong artistic conceptions, the behavior will only lead to an anti-art force, evidenced by current chaos in the realm of art. Culture enlightens people; thoughts are formed through thinking; and conceptions need to be pondered over. Only when Qi Mo and Ling Xiang become thoughts and conceptions, they can occupy a high position in art and then become the primary force of art. This goal can only be achieved through knowing the truth, explaining the truth, following the truth, and understanding the truth. As its name suggests, the art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang has Qi Mo as the ink and Ling Xiang as the form. Whether art and literature can revere the divinity of the heaven and the earth, understand the spirituality of all living beings, sense the spirit of nature, achieve the purity of art, and accomplish the mission of obtaining eternal redemption through aesthetics and finding inner peace depends on artists spirit and aesthetical accomplishments, as well as their dedication to regulating the family and ruling the state and the world. Such accomplishment and dedication require deep understanding of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature and the integration between the heaven and humanity, which cannot be achieved without coincidence reached through quantum entanglement and heart-to-heart unison. In other words, artists not only need enlightenment and comprehension, but also need to be entangled with the spirit of the subjects they depict and reach a state of spiritual entanglement. Only in this way can they gain the primary force of art and create the true form of Ling Xiang. It is needless to say that the value of art lies in its uniqueness and non-reproducibility. Its uniqueness stems from multiple facets and elements in art creation. Once an artwork takes shape, it becomes a being and enters history. Any form of reproduction or copying blasphemes or has reactionary impact on art, causing the decadency, decline, and retrogression of art. The art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang represents the future of art and aesthetics, and even the future of the futures, and the ultimate of the ultimate. Looking ahead into the future, Qi Mo and Ling Xiang will result in the revival of art and lead it to march toward ultimate perfection. Simply speaking, culture enlightens people, so does art. Indeed, art is a universal privilege for everyone, whether he is poor or wealthy.British art historian E.H. Gombrichever said, There really is no such thing as Art. There are only artists.German conceptual artist Joseph Beuysbelieved that everyone is an artist. Indeed, in humans spiritual world, aesthetics is the soul and art is the carrier. A persons spiritual accomplishment mirrors his or her aesthetical accomplishment, while a persons aesthetical accomplishment determines his or her artistic accomplishment. The artistic accomplishment bears the state of the mind. Everyone desires peaceful and tranquil mind, so as to achieve inner peace. The art theory of Qi Mo and Ling Xiang erects a peak in the realm of art and advocates great beauty, which enables artists to reach the zenith of their art creation by themselves and their audience to obtain the push-pull force, thus urging each other to transcend the circle of life. This also makes knowing, following, explaining, and understanding the truth have both internal aspiration and external driving force, thus forming an energy space-time that erects beauty with great art and advocates aesthetics with ultimate beauty. Therefore, Qi Mo Ling Xiang represent the great art of faithful practitioners. Therefore, Qi Mo Ling Xiang showcase the ultimate beauty of those who understand the truth. Beijing, May 13, 2019 Experts of the Hainan Hospital of the PLA General Hospital conduct physical examination for sailors through remote ultrasonic equipment in Sanya City, south Chinas Hainan Province. (Photo by Bo Lin) By Wang Wen and Li Kun SANYA, CHINA, May 13 (ChinaMil) -- Based on 5G (the 5th generation wireless systems) signal transmission technology, the first 5G-assisted remote ultrasound clinic, which can provide high-level ultrasonic diagnosis and medical treatment for military members stationed in remote areas or areas short of medical resources, was recently opened at the Hainan Hospital of the PLA General Hospital (PLAGH) on April 17. It has been operating for nearly one month, effectively strengthening the medical support for military members stationed on remote islands and reefs. As of now, 62 military and civilian people have benefited from the 5G-assisted remote ultrasound clinic, among which 58 military personnel stationed on the Xisha Islands have received abdominal, gynecological examinations and emergency consultation without having to leave their battle positions. According to introducing, due to the lack of ultrasound doctors on the islands and reefs of the South China Sea, patients with an acute abdomen must be sent out the island for further treatment in the past. However, it usually took a long time to reach the base hospital by boat. Patients with acute abdominal diseases such as urethral calculus cannot take analgesic-antispasmodic drugs to ease the sharp pain until a clear diagnosis is made. As a result, they have to suffer a lot. After the opening of the 5G-assisted remote ultrasound clinic, diagnosis can be conducted immediately, and the doctor can recommend appropriate medicine to greatly relieve the patients pain. Lyu Faqin, head of the Ultrasound Department of Hainan Hospital, said that the clinic solved the problem of sonologist shortage in remote grassroots units, allowing officers and soldiers stationed there to receive advanced ultrasonic treatment and therapy without leaving their base. In case of trauma and severe illness, military personnel on the remote islands and reefs can receive emergency diagnosis and treatment within 24 hours. In even worse case, the patients can get real-time monitoring and professional first-aid guidance through remote control equipment during the aircraft transport. Recently, in an effort to support the daily military training, the Hainan Hospital has also planned to carry out long-distance ultrasonic examination for training injuries by using remote medical robotic system. An injured sailor receives a physical examination through the remote ultrasonic equipment in a hospital in Sansha, south Chinas Hainan Province. (Photo by Zhou Sihong) The Wyandotte Police Department has three new faces on its force of 35 sworn officers. Michael Powers, Kristofer Wilson and Aaron Worley were sworn in May 7. Powers is a veteran police officer who spent 26 years with the Lincoln Park Police Department. Hes a graduate of Schoolcraft College and attended the Wayne County Regional Police Training Academy. Officer Powers has extensive training, experience and knowledge in the law enforcement field and will be a great asset to our department, said Police Chief Brian Zalewski. Wilson is a graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He graduated May 2 from the Wayne County Regional Police Training Academy. Worley is a graduate of Wayne County Community College. He also graduated May 2 from the Wayne County Regional Police Training Academy. According to Zalewski, the hiring of these officers filled vacancies from former officers moving on to other departments in law enforcement, federal agencies and police agencies in Macomb County. We are excited to welcome these officers to our department, Zalewski said. Each new officer will be assigned to a Field Training Officer for three months. The duties of an FTO involve being a role model, clearly communicating the expectations of training, teaching the trainee the policies of the department, correctly applying concepts learned in the classroom to field training operations, and evaluating the trainee on his or her progress in the program. Ultimately, an FTO is responsible for making sure shift duties are performed properly and completely, Zalewski said. The new officers start this week. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today A few snow showers scattered about the area this morning, otherwise a good deal of clouds. High near -1C. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low -14C. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. One of the three female minesweepers in the 18th Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon is in demining training. (Screenshot) YUXI, Yunnan, May 14 (ChinaMil) -- On May 10, the 18th Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon was inaugurated in an engineering and chemical defense brigade of the 75th Group Army of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). During the ceremony, six female peacekeepers were particularly eye-catching, three of which will perform mine-sweeping operations during the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. Zhang Cunning, demining supervisor from the 18th Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon, said: This is the first time Chinese military has sent female demining operators to the international peacekeeping battlefield, which is in response to the UNs appeal for more female participation in peacekeeping operations to achieve gender parity. It is reported that the 18th Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon, with a total of 410 personnel and comprised of a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment, will be transported in two echelons to Lebanon for the first time by the PLA Air Force transport aircraft in late May. In the following one-year mission period, they will be tasked with missions such as mine-sweeping, project construction, fence planting along the Blue Line, humanitarian assistance, and others. Gao Chaoning, commanding officer of the 18th Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon, told reporters that they had carried out a closed intensive training over two months before the expedition, encompassed with relevant subjects including demining qualification certification, three-dimensional and plane construction, emergency defense, rules of engagement, war wound treatment, UN policies and regulations, Middle Eastern custom tradition and the foreign affairs etiquette. According to statistics, since the first batch was sent in 2006, Chinas peacekeepers to Lebanon have detected and cleared nearly 2 million square meters of suspected minefields and over 14,000 meters of patrol roads, discovered and cleared more than 11,000 pieces of landmines and explosives of various kinds, completed more than 12,000 project support tasks, repaired over 300 kilometers roads for local residents, and carried out 9 humanitarian rescue missions with a cumulative total of 76,700 people having received assistance. The professionalism and enthusiasm of Chinas peacekeeping forces to Lebanon in various fields have won high praise from the UN, the Lebanese government and the local people. Officials in charge of quality supervising said that this is world-class construction technology! MBABANE - African Oxygen Limited (Afrox) has succeeded in its appeal against a decision of the High Court dismissing its application to enforce a restraint of trade agreement on its former branch manager. Tony Coster was employed by African Oxygen but he resigned and joined Elcor Industries (Pty) Limited. According to African Oxygen, Costers act of joining Elcor Industries was in direct breach of the Restraint of Trade Agreement he and his former employer signed when he was employed in 2014. These companies are in direct competition and they sell and distribute liquid petroleum gas. In terms of the agreement, Coster was not to disclose to any person whatsoever any information of a confidential or protected nature without the prior consent of African Oxygen. He was also not expected to engage in business with African Oxygens competitors in which he may use his specialist knowledge to the disadvantage of his former employer within a period of six months from the termination of his employment contract and within a radius of 100km from the branch for which the company was responsible. According to African Oxygens submission, when Coster resigned from African Oxygen, he informed the company that he intended to join his stepfather in their timber business. However, he joined Elcor Industries, which is located a stones throw from Oxygen Africa, in direct breach of the Restraint Trade Agreement. African Oxygen told the court that at the end of June 2018, it was surprised to learn that Coster was actively pursuing its customers to do business with Elcor Industries by offering low prices than those that were offered by his former employer. They submitted that Coster was able to do this because he had intimate knowledge of the customers requirement, the pricing and trade secrets since he had gained same during his course of employment with the former. First respondent (Coster) is unlawfully and constantly utilising the information he got from his employment by the appellant (African Oxygen) to the benefit of second respondent (Elcor Industries) which information constitutes trade secrets of the appellant, argued African Oxygen. Coster denied this and submitted that he had gained his skills and working knowledge in his 23 years experience. He also denied breaching the Restraint Trade Agreement and submitted that the agreement was unreasonable in so far as it relates to the 100km radius. He further denied using the information to the prejudice of his former employer. In the High Court, Judge Maxine Langwenya dismissed African Oxygens application to restrain Coster from breaching the trade agreement. The judge considered that the agreement banished Coster from finding employment in the country. African Oxygen filed an appeal of the decision and Supreme Court Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini said the High Court viewed Costers freedom to trade as more important than his contractual obligations. In his reasoning, Dlamini JA stated that the judge in the High Court considered the lack of employment caused by the 100km radius. This, according to Dlaminin JA, does not seem justified in light of the nature of the interest the applicant established it has. Dlamini stated that African Oxygens interests were purely contractual arising from the restraint of trade agreement. NHLANGANO A South African man has died while consulting a local traditional healer, after developing a sickness as punishment for sleeping with another mans wife. The man lost the battle to this strange ailment at around 3pm on Monday, two days after arriving at the popular inyangas place which is situated around Jabulani, towards the north-west of Eswatinis southern town of Nhlangano. It is understood that the local healer had previously helped the same man, who is believed to be in his 30s, when he initially approached him seeking help for his condition two years ago. Information gathered was that the man developed a strange illness, which at times caused him to hallucinate, after he was allegedly caught cheating with another mans wife back at his home area, which is located in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal. Spells He was then referred to the local traditional healer, who was known to be good at undoing such spells. During that time, the healer was indeed able to cure the illness, which was blamed on witchcraft. However, after administering treatment, the inyanga reportedly gave the man a stern warning before releasing him back home; he was expected to give a wide berth to the married woman in order for the treatment to work properly. Reports are that the South African national somehow got healed and the man had been reportedly living a normal life, until he recently fell into temptation again. The man is said to have gone back to seek happiness in the arms of the married woman, and there were consequences again. Things reportedly took a drastic turn when he began hallucinating again, and this time around the sickness was said to be so severe that even his relatives gave up on him. In some way, the man ended up finding his way back to the same traditional healer who once assisted him. Crying Information gathered was that the man came to the traditional healer crying on Friday, asking for help again. The inyanga, who also noted that the illness had become severe, reportedly tried all he could to undo the spell but all efforts were in vain. The man eventually succumbed to his illness on Monday afternoon. He lost consciousness while relaxing in the yard on Monday afternoon. I tried to wake him up but his body remained unresponsive, narrated the shocked traditional healer during an interview yesterday. MBABANE Government is considering exploring other means of funding free primary education. This is contained in the Eswatini Strategic Road map under priority focus number five, which is the Social Safety Net. The Cabinet stated that to improve administration, coverage and to target core social protection programmes, there needed to be some actions to be taken. The Social Safety Net focus will be spearheaded by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister and supported by the ministries of Health, Education and Training and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. In its medium-term focus, the policy is to revisit the education funding framework and its effectiveness. The expected outcome, according to the strategic road map, is a reduced fiscal burden. This, according to government, would be achieved by exploring other means of funding, including a revolving education fund from primary up until tertiary level. Currently, the government or taxpayers foot the bill for FPE while government funds some tertiary students who qualify for a scholarship. Another target under the Social Safety Net is that of improving quality of life for underprivileged emaSwati. This would be through the streamlining of social grants through census, improved access through mobile or EFT payments and increased social grants. Another government policy in the pipeline is the review of the National Health Care System, fees and fine with the expected outcome being the reduced fiscal burden. Government plans to introduce a National Health Insurance Fund system in light of pending legislation. Meanwhile, most governments do not find fault within themselves, however, the Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini-led Cabinet has admitted to several weaknesses which hinder the countrys progress. One of the main weaknesses highlighted by government in the Strategic Road Map 2019 2023 was the lack of implementation on key national priorities. In its SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, the government further stated that it was weak or limited in tracking progress on implementation and outcomes. The PM, when presenting the Road Map at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre, also stated that the lack of policy coherence was also hampering implementation. He said there were also disjointed programmes hampering implementation and that the lack of commitment and decision making was also stalling progress. Dlamini said there were areas of improvement which needed to be addressed as the country repositions itself for growth and these were under human capital and diversity. He said there was a need or an opportunity to conduct a skills audit to determine human capital development needs, including the need to identify skills requirements in areas that would drive job creation outside government. NGCULWINI - Parents leaving after a meeting with Ministry of Education and Training officials at Mhubhe High School yesterday. (Pic: Sibusiso Zwane) NGCULWINI - Mhubhe High School Head teacher Agrippa Dlamini has been stopped from setting foot at the school until further notice. The school administrator has not been present during official meetings of the school, amid claims that he had been put on ice. An impeccable source narrated to this publication that on Monday, the staff members had a meeting with the Ministry of Education and Training inspectors at the school. However, the insider alleged that the head teacher was not present. The source alleged that when they inquired about Dlaminis absence, the inspectors informed them that he had been requested to stay put at his residential premises until further notice. Questions However, the source said despite the fact that the inspectors answer left them with unanswered questions, the matter was not discussed further. Also, yesterday the Ministry of Education and Training, through Manzini Regional Education Officer (REO) Mlimi Mamba and his team, had a meeting with parents and teachers at the school but the head teacher was not present. Meanwhile, insiders within the ministry stated that there were orders given to the head teacher. However, they referred further questions to the schools managers office. The Schools Manager, Macanjana Motsa, said the head teacher had not been suspended as some could perceive. She said: From the ministrys side, due processes were ongoing. Dlamini, on the other hand, confirmed that the ministry had advised him to remain at home for safety reasons. However, he said he would work with the school committee to get quotations of the damages at the school as it had to be fixed. The school was closed indefinitely last Wednesday following a violent protest by the pupils, who allegedly set the administration block alight and broke windows of several structures; including classes, other offices and the guardhouse. They also dismantled the main gate of the institution. Following the mayhem, six pupils were arrested and charged with malicious damage to property (E44 140) and theft of E10 650 uniforms. Comment The much awaited Eswatini Strategic Road Map 2019 - 2023 was finally launched by Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini on Monday, which provides us with a clearer picture of how the new government intends to embark on the required economic transformation. Some bold and ambitious targets have been put forward, which will need strong political will and determination to ensure that they do not suffer the fate of previous strategies that had equally vital areas of delivery but fell short of implementation. The PM has put his head on the block and assured on execution. To do so, he has realised he need to address the governance issue that would allow government to do what it ought to focus on governing. He has challenged his team to deliver on good governance and promised to promote the independence of the three arms of government so that they can function more effectively while setting a target of scoring above the African average on the Mo Ibrahim Index on governance. This is critical because our government deserves to be managed a lot better in order to maximise on the abundance of highly qualified human resource, which is more than capable of delivering on many of the set goals if given the opportunity to do so. The strategy also seeks to create a dynamic private sector by returning the economy to its rightful place in the hands of business. The private sector development target ticks a very important box in the transformation agenda which should allow government to concentrate on facilitating a conducive investment environment, to not only attract the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that we need, but to help SMEs grow and thrive in business in a corrupt-free society. Achieving this requires greater attention than what has been put forward in the strategy. Ultimately, if the PM and team are to succeed where others have failed, then execution on corruption remains the biggest test of them all. By Azernews By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade There is a rich tradition and great potential for the development of cotton growing in Azerbaijan. Further expansion of cotton growing in the country gives impetus to the development of the textile industry. Sakina Babayeva, director of Baku Textile Factory, has told Trend that finished textile products of the company will be exported under the trademarks Alpar and Banu. She said that there is a plan to launch supply of finished product to external markets, because some samples of the companys products, which were presented in the Trading Houses of Azerbaijan, aroused interest among partners in Russia and Arab countries. Babayeva noted that the UAE has already sent an application to the company for exports and cooperation. Baku Textile Factory has already sent some types of textile products and is currently waiting for the results. The director stressed that the factory is also considering other areas of export supplies. She also said that Baku Textile Factory employs 300 people and 7 production lines are involved at the factory. Baku Textile Factory was put into operation in 1939. It was the first factory in weaving not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the entire Caucasian region during the Soviet period. The main purpose of establishing the company was cotton production and demand for it. Cotton was one of the vital resources of Azerbaijan during the Soviet period. In 1991, after the Soviet Union collapsed, serious changes took place at Baku Textile Factory. The enterprise abandoned the planned principles of the Soviet economy and rebuilt its activity based on world standards and global market principles. Today the company uses the best raw materials and technologies from Germany, Italy, Holland, Japan and Turkey. Currently, more than 5,000 different types of high quality textile products are produced in the company, which meet world and European standards. Baku Textile Factory production profile includes special-purpose garments, promo clothing, school uniform, medical clothing, sportswear, underwear, stockings etc. By Trend A brief conversation between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was held in Brussels, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend on May 14. The meeting was held as part of the event dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, he said. As for Pashinyans statement, Hajiyev said that the main reason for the unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is Armenias aggressive policy. "After Armenia stops to occupy Azerbaijani territories, progress in the conflict settlement and ensuring peace in the region may be achieved, he said. As for the format of the negotiation process, there are two parties to the conflict, namely, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the negotiations are being held in this format." 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. By Trend A 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership High-level conference has kicked off in Brussels, the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is attending the conference. EaP10 - achievements and challenges in delivering concrete results to citizens panel has started its work as part of the conference. You have reached a premium content area of TOL. To read this entire article please login if you are already a TOL subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). A Bahraini delegation highlighted the latest FinTech developments in Bahrain, including the launch of open banking; robo advisory, cryptocurrency regulations, insurtech and an onshore regulatory sandbox at a roadshow in the UK. The delegation attended the renowned Innovate Finance Global Summit (IFGS), where senior executives from the Central Bank of Bahrain, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), National Bank of Bahrain, Bank ABC and Al Salam Bank hosted a number of events and spoke on a variety of panels. IFGS was attended by over 2,000 FinTech leaders from around the world, offering Bahrain an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the Kingdom as the destination of choice for FinTech in the Middle East. Rasheed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), who led the delegation, spoke at a panel discussion on RegTech the future of financial services regulation. Noting the significant progress in developing an agile and pro-innovation regulatory system in Bahrain, he noted: Our role as regulators is to inspire, lead and remove any roadblocks to innovation and we in Bahrain would like to lead growth in this sector in the Mena region. We have ambitious plans to disrupt the insurance sector, by focusing and enabling insurtech through enhancing the ecosystem that will allow the evolvement of the sector. At the CBB we have made great progress in designing a regulatory system that achieves exactly that. But, there is always more to accomplish, and we must always be looking to the future when regulating our financial services today, he added. The EDB also hosted a roundtable debate on the importance of diversity in driving future growth in FinTech. As demonstrated by the success in building the current FinTech ecosystem in Bahrain, a variety of backgrounds and ideas is crucial to creating a sustainable FinTech community. As Bahrain looks to attract even more inward investment into the Kingdom, attendees agreed that it must remain true to its heritage of encouraging inclusivity and access to financial services that stretches back to the founding of Bahrains banking system in 1919. The visit also saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EDB and Digital Jersey in Jersey, a self-governing Crown dependency of the United Kingdom. The agreement between the two leading jurisdictions in the FinTech sector seeks to build cooperation as an extension of Bahrains efforts to internationalise its domestic success in digitising its financial services industry. The cooperation between Bahrain and Jersey will build upon the success of Bahrains efforts to develop a sustainable FinTech industry. Bahrain FinTech Bay, the regions first and largest FinTech hub, will partner with Digital Jersey Hub and Digital Jersey Xchange. The two sides also pledged to develop a joint Women in FinTech programme. Additional stakeholders who will contribute to areas of cooperation include Jersey Finance, Jersey Financial Services Commission and the CBB. The CBB already works alongside Jersey Financial Services Commission in the Global Financial Innovation Network, an international partnership between regulators from over 16 countries such as the UK, US, Australia and Hong Kong, who are working together to design supportive FinTech regulatory pilot schemes. TradeArabia News Service Taron Egerton as Elton John in "Rocketman" from Paramount PicturesElton John hasn't seen his biopic Rocketman yet -- that will happen Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival -- but Elton's husband David Furnish has, because he's one of the movie's producers. And he says that the movie portrays a side of his husband which he's never seen...and at times, it's not pretty. Elton and David have been together for 26 years, but Rocketman details Elton's childhood and rise to stardom, long before the two met. David tells Variety, "Elton John is somebody that I think I know incredibly well, but then also its like watching a film about somebody you dont know at all. The Elton in all that madness is not the Elton I know." "At times, hes a bit of a monster and also, deeply unhappy. Thats hard," Davis continues. "Many times as I watched the film, I wanted to go and give him a hug, like I could help him. I thought, God, youve been through a lot. David believes the movie's star, Taron Egerton, does a great job of portraying Elton, and Elton agrees. In fact, David reveals that Elton had a hard time telling himself and Taron apart. Referring to one of the first photos released from Rocketman, which shows Taron as Elton, sitting on his private plane in the '70s, David tells Variety, "Hes on the sofa with the glasses and the hot pants. I sent it to Elton and Elton said, I dont remember taking that. When did I take that picture? He thought it was him!" Rocketman will arrive in theaters nationwide on May 31. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Recently, the US deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Persian Gulf. Some analysts are speculating about the possibility that US military might strike against Iran. The US has threatened to launch military strikes against other countries more than once and it can even be said that the US has always been in a state of war since the end of the Cold War. These wars are often interpreted as USs move to secure its strategic resources such as oil or to acquire more favorable strategic positions over other major countries. But frankly, these explanations overestimate USs long-term strategic planning capability when it launches war and also underestimates its warlike tradition. First, many wars that US participated in are not closely related to its major strategic interests. This has been particularly prominent since the end of the Cold War. Foreign wars under US military intervention are not closely related to securing the US major strategic interests. For example, the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, the Kosovo War in 1999, War in Afghanistan (2001-present), the Iraq War (200311), the First Libyan Civil War (2011), and the Syrian Civil War (2011-Present), and so on. US troops have been stationed in Iraq since 2014 [File:Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters] The US has made various different definitions for its military actions, such as transforming the functions of the United Nations, humanitarian intervention, large-scale counter-terrorism operations, eliminating weapons of mass destruction, and forcing democratic transition, to name a few. The wars involving the US military are actually quite random and often highly controversial both domestically and internationally since there is little or no major US strategic interest involved. Second, the US caprice in using warfare is closely linked to the security concept formed during its development process. War and expansion are the inherent traditions of the US diplomacy. The fundamental logic behind it is that the US security begins with the outside or US own security is fundamentally dependent on the Americanization of the outside world. The frequent war launched by the US reflects this logic and shapes the national character. Since winning the War of Independence, the US has believed that if weak countries or political forces cannot be Americanized, then the US has the legitimacy to transform or even expel them. In the 19th century, the US expanded in North America by slaughtering the Indians, plundering and dismembering Mexico, and expelling Spain until it completely destroyed its overseas colonial empire. During the Cold War in the 20th century, the US spent 14 years in Vietnam War which basically involves no key geostrategic interest with the US. The series of wars against the weak countries after the Cold War are without exception. In contrast, the US tends to respect the special interests of countries with superior or roughly equal strengths and seeks to negotiate and resolve conflicts with them. The way that the US deals with the UK in the 19th century North America and the Soviet Union in the 20th century are examples. Arguably, the US is more likely to resort to war to resolve deep differences with weak and small countries, but is usually very cautious of using the option of war when it deals with differences with countries with enough power. The geostrategic logic behind the considerable number of wars involving the US is very vague, and in contrast, the logic of national strength versus growth is quite clear. The former leads to the frequent involvement of the US in wars in many parts of the world, and the latter leads to the extreme vulnerability of its relationship with other major powers. Unlike the logic that most countries do not resort to war unless it has to do with their core interests, the US is so obsessed with the Americanization of the world that it is keen to initiate or participate in wars within the geographic scope of its strength. The usual notion of resorting to war for energies like oil or geostrategic advantages indeed underestimates US enthusiasm for war. Third, since its independence, the US has behaved in many ways that are incompatible with the world. As regards the American tradition, the United States is not a stick-in-the-mud nation. When it is strong, it will do everything in its power to transform the world. While it is weakened or frustrated, it tends to develop in isolation, stay alone, and maintain its freedom of movement. Many wars involving the US since the end of the Cold War can be described as a portrayal of its action styles. The record of the capricious US intervention in different regions or the transformation of wars is not graceful as it usually leads to chaos, countless civilian deaths, and large-scale refugee flows. Countries such as Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, which are subjects of US war transformation, are all mired in civil wars or quagmire of separation. In addition, the emotional and irrational characteristics of the war decisions by the US after the Cold War are obvious. Some mainstream media in the US have exaggerated the international events with existing ideological biases, which has aggravated the possibility that policy makers make wrong decisions under the pressure of public opinion. The high degree of polarization in US domestic politics makes it easier for policy makers to irrationally use war to alleviate or transfer domestic crises. All these have increased the impulsiveness and arbitrariness of the US involvement in wars. Generally speaking, the dissatisfaction with the existing international order and the stubborn practice of transforming other countries with war are largely derived from the historical traditions of the US. It is consistent and the contemporary practice of such mentality has brought profound division and lasting chaos to the world. After in-depth systematic research of American diplomatic history, the renowned American scholar Robert Kagan deeply realized the warlike and aggressive traditions of the United States. Mr. Kagan concluded that the US is a Dangerous Nation. The conclusion, though not pleasant, does objectively summarize the essence of American diplomacy. Disclaimer: The author is Li Haidong, professor of the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University. This article is originally published on Global Times, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Ebdaa Bank for Microfinance has signed an agreement with the Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) in Bahrain to ensure that the bank's financial products comply with Shariah requirements. Dr Khalid Al Ghazzawi, chief executive of Ebdaa Bank, stated that the agreement will further enhance the bank's ability to adopt the best practices in this field. This agreement is in line with the Bank's initiative to expand its range of financial products to not only include loans for low-income and micro-entrepreneurs, but also to those looking for Shariah-compliant financing, said Dr. Al Ghazzawi. "More attention will be paid to the design of Shariah-compliant products that meet the expectations of our clients, with due regard to the proper application of Shariah principles and guidelines to microfinance operations," he added. Although Ebdaa Bank will be extending its range of services to include Shariah- compliant financing, it will continue to provide traditional loans to customers seeking conventional financing. Ghaith Al Moneim, operations manager of Ebdaa Bank, stated that the bank will work with SRB to implement a range of ambitious Islamic financial initiatives. "These guidelines will not only be in line with Shariah principles, but also with the Bank's vision and objective to support low income individuals, said Al Moneim. We also intend to continue to assist them in their transition to self-employment and ensure their sustainability and prosperity, through the development of their businesses and projects, he added. Chief executive officer of SRB, Yasir Dahlawi, stated that he agreement with Ebdaa Bank for Microfinance supports the joint approach of the two parties towards the development of the Kingdoms society and economy. This agreement is also in line with our aim to support the progress of low-income families, facilitating the empowerment of women and the youth, and leading the transformation of ideas for small projects into key economic activities, said Dahlawi. We are committed to working with Ebdaa Bank to achieve the common objectives of both parties. The Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) is the only Shariah advisory firm in Bahrain licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain. Our services and approach has helped our firm succeed by building a global platform that covers over 17 countries and helps improve the services of the Sharia Supervisory Board, he concluded. TradeArabia News Service New Zealand has broken ground on its Expo 2020 country pavilion being set up under the theme Care for People and Place at the Dubai gala event. To be located in the Sustainability District, it will feature an exhibition space, restaurant, hosting facilities and a design store, said senior government officials. New Zealand was one of the first countries to confirm participation in Expo 2020. Its pavilion design was revealed in May last year during Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan's meeting in Wellington with New Zealand's deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs, Winston Peters. The pavilion has been designed by leading New Zealand architecture firm Jasmax taking inspiration from beautifully carved treasure boxes that were made by Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, to hold items of considerable intrinsic value. The pavilion will showcase New Zealands culture and values through the theme Care for People and Place, which explores the connection between people and the environment, stated Clayton Kimpton, New Zealands Commissioner-General to Expo 2020 while speaking at the ground breaking ceremony in the presence of Matthew Hawkins, New Zealands Ambassador to the UAE and Expo 2020 representatives Najeeb Al Ali, Executive Director Bureau, and Maha Al Gargawi, VP (International Participants). "The ground-breaking and start of construction is a major milestone for New Zealand at Expo 2020, and we are pleased to be one of the first countries to begin building on site," noted Kimpton. Were really excited to share our pavilion story with the international community. Our theme, Care for People and Place, will be part of the visitor experience and continue in the pavilion restaurant, where patrons can experience our warm hospitality and enjoy food that has been grown and prepared with future generations in mind, he said. "At Expo 2020, we want to give our pavilion visitors a top-quality and authentic New Zealand experience," said Kimpton. "The restaurant and hospitality offering will feature the very best of New Zealand food and beverage and the design store will convey a contemporary and innovative New Zealand, a country that is good for the world", he added. Construction is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, ahead of Expo 2020 Dubai opening on October 20.-TradeArabia News Service A range of cutting-edge technologies and innovations in the renewable and non-renewable energy sectors were showcased at the recently concluded 22nd edition of Saudi Elenex, which also saw strong international and local participation. The international trade exhibition for electricity, alternative energy, lighting, power generation, and water successfully concluded amidst strong international and local participation. It was held at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre (RICEC) in Saudi Arabia. The overwhelming participation witnessed by the 2019 edition of the event once again highlighted its pivotal role as an interactive platform that facilitates dialogue between VIPs and key decision makers from the public and private sectors in the fields of natural resources and renewable energy, said a statement from the organisers. The event showcased a range of cutting-edge technologies and innovations in the renewable and non-renewable energy sectors at a time when the kingdoms renewable energy market is witnessing steady growth, underlining national efforts to increase power generation based on renewable energy, it said. These efforts aim to achieve 40 gigawatts of photovoltaic (PV) solar power, 16 gigawatts of wind power and 3 gigawatts of concentrated solar power through large-scale investments by 2030, it added. Held under the patronage of Saudi Electricity Company, with support from Sabic and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) as research partner and in line with the Saudi Sustainable Energy and Technology Forum (Saudi SETF 2019), Saudi Elenex 2019 turned out to be an ideal opportunity to draw the international communitys attention to the successive developments and remarkable achievements in the Saudi energy sector. The strategies of the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources that present promising investment and employment opportunities attracted considerable international interest as well. These include the launch of seven solar PV projects with a capacity of 1.52 GW and a direct investment of $1.51 billion. The exhibition also served as the ideal venue to form new deals and partnerships that complement the development of renewable energy value chains and the adoption of best practices in manufacturing, research and development, which will further support the Saudi economy. Mohammad Al Al Sheikh, head of marketing, Riyadh Exhibition Company, pointed out that the success of Saudi Elenex 2019 underscores the growing local and international confidence in the Saudi renewable energy sector, which has exceptional opportunities to generate clean energy. He further highlighted the existence of strong fundamentals, including the abundance of solar power throughout the year that underpin the kingdom's leadership in the global renewable energy landscape. The exhibition is an important strategic platform that unifies national efforts aimed at supporting advanced technological innovations in the service of renewable and non-renewable energy sectors, he added. This falls in line with the kingdom's strategy to adopt a pioneering methodology to accelerate the pace of development to achieve the objectives of the National Transformation Program 2020 and Saudi Vision 2030. Al Al Sheikh said: The exhibition was successful in facilitating effective partnerships between the public and private sectors, thereby opening new channels of communication between leading manufacturers, distributors and national and international companies. Furthermore, it witnessed the launch of promising projects that are set to benefit from Saudi Arabia's competitiveness and attractiveness as the largest regional market for solar energy, which is capable of contributing 50 per cent of global solar capacity by 2030. The success of the latest edition of Elenex reflects relentless efforts led by a team of experts raising the events standards to new heights each year, he said. With 38 years of expertise in organising exhibitions, conferences and interactive events in the kingdom, we look forward to further expanding the scope of Saudi Elenex to contribute to bringing in latest innovations and localisation of advanced technologies to support the development of a sustainable renewable energy sector, he added. Meanwhile, the Saudi Sustainable Energy and Technology Forum (Saudi SETF 2019), which was held in conjunction with Saudi Elenex 2019 reviewed the current policies on renewable energy and power generation projects, as well as ways to address challenges related to the manufacturing of solar and wind technologies locally. Besides, the forum reviewed the evaluation of local financing tools and opportunities for solar and energy storage projects and identified investment opportunities for the renewable energy in the kingdom. Apart from showcasing the results of studies on finance and business models, the forum also explored potential partnerships, it stated. TradeArabia News Service DMCC, the worlds leading Free Zone for commodities trade and enterprise, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the China Gems and Jade Exchange (CGJE), creating a strategic alliance with Chinas official trading platform for gemstones and jade. Feryal Ahmadi, chief operating officer, DMCC, and Yuk Chan, co-founder and executive vice president, CGJE, signed the agreement during a high-level official trade visit of the Shanghai Municipal Government to the UAE. The signing ceremony was attended by Xu Kunlin, vice mayor of Shanghai and a number of senior representatives from the Shanghai Municipal Government. The partnership is set to create new trading opportunities between the UAE and China by connecting buyers and sellers of gemstones and jade from the two countries. Additionally, the collaboration will see both parties promote ethical and responsible business practices to their members. Feryal Ahmadi, chief operating officer, DMCC, said: We are thrilled that the China Gems and Jade Exchange has chosen DMCC as their partner in the region, which reiterates our position as a leading and trusted precious stones trading platform. This agreement is set to boost our existing and strong economic ties with the Chinese business community. It also forms an integral part of DMCCs strategy to attract, facilitate and drive new trade flows through Dubai, Ahmadi added. Accompanying the delegation were Jignesh Sanghvi, chief financial officer, DMCC; Ahmad Hamza, executive director free zone, DMCC; Maryam Al Hashemi, director precious stones and metals, DMCC; and Dr Martin Leake, special advisor precious stones, DMCC. The delegation was taken on a tour of DMCC and the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), where officials were able to observe a live diamond tender taking place. CGJE was registered in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone. It is a national-level gemstone-trading platform approved by the State Council of China. CGJE is an important strategic project established by the Chinese government in the free trade zone to improve the gemstone factor market and aim to promote the rapid development of China's gem and jewellery industry. Fanny Wong, chairwomen and founder, CGJE, added: China and the UAE have a longstanding relationship and partnerships such as this one will ensure these ties continue to grow. We are excited about working alongside DMCC the worlds leading free zone which we believe will enable us to connect with and access some of the fastest growing markets and unlock a host of opportunities in the gemstone industry. The signing of this MoU emphasises DMCCs support of the emirates wider economic vision and in particular, the strategy to reignite the Dubai Silk Road as outlined in the 'Fifty-Year Charter', announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. It also symbolises the importance of Dubais strategic location in the Belt and Road Initiative effort to form strategic alliances internationally. China is one of DMCCs target markets and as such the Free Zone offers a Chinese language service. DMCC has also signed a number of MoUs with Chinese entities, including the China Council for the Promotion Of International Trade (CCPIT), the largest official institution for the promotion of foreign trade in China. In addition, DMCC has conducted several roadshows to China, as part of its Made for Trade Live international programme, engaging business leaders and government officials and highlighting the ease of doing business in the emirate. TradeArabia News Service Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa in Kuwait recently hosted its annual media ghabga event at the Layali Al Messilah Tent. The event was organised in celebration of the holy month of Ramadan and in recognition of the ongoing support and efforts made by the media sector. Upon arrival, the guests were welcomed by general manager at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, Savino Leone, along with the hotel management team. In his speech, Leone expressed his sincere appreciation to the media for their continued support and invited them to enjoy the distinctive true Ramadan hospitality of the special evening. He also extended his gratitude to Lincoln Alghanim, the diamond sponsors of Layali Al Messilah Ramadan Tent for the entire period of Ramadan. The evening was complemented by enlivening sounds of traditional live Arabic music and a sumptuous Ramadan buffet featuring a wide variety of Middle Eastern favourites as well as international delicacies. - TradeArabia News Service Leading Spanish group Abengoa said its consortium with Chinese EPC contractor Sepco III has received an order to start early works for the construction of the world's largest reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant at Taweelah, 45 km north of Abu Dhabi, UAE. The go-ahead for the engineering, supply and construction services contract was given by Saudi-based Acwa Power, a major developer of power and water desalination projects. On completion, the giant desalination plant, being built at a cost of over $700 million at Taweelah power and water generation complex, will boast a capacity of 909,000 cu m per day, said a statement from the company. This project, located on the Arabian Gulf coast, is part of UAE government's plan to encourage private participation in the development of the country's infrastructure. The desalination plant will have the capacity to supply approximately four and a half million people. It will guarantee supply to the city of Abu Dhabi throughout the year and will be the first large scale desalination plant in the emirate that combines the production of drinking water with the generation of clean energy, thanks to the installation of a photovoltaic solar field of more than 40 MWp of power, said the Spanish firm in its statement. Thus, it will be possible to reduce, in a sustainable way, the energy demand of the desalination plant, said Abengoa, whose share in the contract will be $243 million in the next three years, it added. The scope of work includes the collection of seawater, pumping, pretreatment, reverse osmosis system with energy recovery, post-treatment, pumping station, product water storage, effluent treatment, discharge by outfall and field solar photovoltaic, as well as the associated electrical installations that comprise the construction of an electrical substation of 132/34.5 kV. With this order, Abengoa has emerged as a leading player in the desalination sector worldwide, with an installed capacity of 1.5 million cu m/d, which will be expanded to 3.7 million when the portfolio under execution is completed, said the statement. In addition, Abengoa strengthens its presence in the Middle East, where it is currently executing the Rabigh III desalination plant with a 600,000 cu m per day capacity, and Shuaibah III desalination plant with 250,000 cu m per day in Saudi Arabia, and the Salalah desalination plant with 114,000 cu m per day in Oman.-TradeArabia News Service Oleon, a natural chemical company, is one of two companies that have landed at the UH Technology Bridge as they move into the Houston market. Oleon's Christof DHont, left, Chee Hung Chia, Dave Jacobs and Bianca Coria are guiding the international company's entrance into the Houston market from its new base at the UH Technology Bridge. As Houston builds its innovation ecosystem, two of the latest companies to commit to the city have moved into the University of Houstons Technology Bridge. Oleon, which converts natural fats and oils into a wide range of oleochemical products, is part of Avril, a financial and industrial company based in France. The companys only previous U.S. presence was a sales operation in South Carolina. Saratech is a California-based engineering, software, services and 3D printer sales company with offices across the country, including Austin. The new Houston office focuses on additive manufacturing, as 3D printing moves beyond prototyping to producing functional products in low to medium volumes. Tom Campbell, executive director of the UH Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation, said the University is a natural landing spot for companies new to town, offering not just lab and office facilities at its research park on the Gulf Freeway but also potential partnerships with faculty and students research and internships. Its about economic development, Campbell said. A strong innovation economy is a rising tide that floats all boats. Executives at both companies said they were drawn to the Technology Bridge in part for the chance to work with faculty and students. That sort of connectivity is part of Campbells goal for the Technology Bridge, which offers 30,000 square feet of incubator space and over 700,000 square feet of space suited for laboratories, pilot-scale facilities and light manufacturing. In addition to established companies launching local operations, Campbell said the Technology Bridge houses 23 startups. Saratech has a similar relationship with the University of California-Irvine, said senior vice president Rick Murphy, part of the companys efforts to educate both future and established engineers about how new technology can speed products to market. Saratech wants to develop face-to-face and online education programs, Murphy said. We are looking at universities to help with that, so industry can start educating their engineers to take advantage of this technology. OLEON Dave Jacobs, general manager of operations for Oleon Americas, noted that Oleon has worked with universities in Europe and Asia, where it has extensive production and sales operations. The potential for both research collaborations and student internships, along with office and lab space for Oleons research and development efforts, made UH a fit, he said. Ultimately, Oleon plans to build a plant in the Houston area to more quickly provide custom-designed drilling fluids and other chemicals to clients in Houston and the United States. In the meantime, Jacobs said, lab facilities at the Technology Bridge have allowed the company to begin working with customers to create custom blends. Oleon uses natural oils and fats as the base for its natural chemistry mostly canola, tallow and sunflower oils in Europe and palm oil in Asia. U.S.-created products would use soybean oils. The products are used in applications ranging from cosmetics to automotive lubricants, laundry products and food. The Houston facility would produce chemicals for agricultural crop protection and the oil and gas market. Why move to Houston and build a plant here? Jacobs said having a plant here would allow the company to more quickly respond to market demand. It is baby steps here, but the U.S. is a huge market, he said. About 50% of the oil and gas market is here. SARATECH Saratech already works with U.S. energy and petrochemical companies, along with aerospace, automotive and other industries, Murphy said. It is the top U.S. sales partner for Siemens software and offers contract design and engineering services. The technology office in Houston will allow it to focus on 3D printing and other additive manufacturing technologies. In addition to its Austin sales office, Saratech already had an engineer based in Houston to serve the Texas market. Murphy said the company will hire interns to work in 3D modeling and parts design at their Technology Bridge lab space. Its more than just establishing an office at the Technology Bridge, he said. We want to co-educate UH students and other engineering students. Older engineers, too, he said, noting that the technologies werent around when earlier generations were educated and trained. We believe one of the critical things that is required to get the new technologies to market and a new way of doing things is education, he said. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and the EU-UNDP-World Bank organized World Reconstruction Conference 4, is an opportunity for us to come together and accelerate our implementation of the Sendai Framework and improve our recovery processes. A common theme running through both of these events is inclusion and resilience. DRR and recovery practices aimed at building resilience and fostering inclusion are essential to addressing inequality, a core priority at UNDP. More information on WRC4 here. When disaster strikes, the different levels of a countrys government are activated to respond quickly and effectively to meet the most immediate needs. When the recovery process begins, the aim is to build back better. This means rebuilding infrastructure and making it more resilient, in order to avoid the pre-disaster status quo. Restoring health, education and social protection systems, as well as livelihoods is also essential. This last component is essential to reactivate the economic, social and sustainable development of the affected groups, and can be accelerated by involving the private sector, academia and civil society. What happens with these alliances and networking during the recovery? In recent years in Peru, is that they have contributed in different instances with the in an isolated and individual way. In the process of recovery after the floods of the Nino Costero in the north of Peru during 2017, UNDP sought to coordinate the efforts of the private sector, public, academia and civil society to reactivate the economy of 300 straw handicraft artisans. This is how Tejiendo Futuro (Weaving Future) was born. This project, which lasted two years, focused on the recovery of the businesses of five associations through strategic alliances in three key stages: the reinsertion in the market of artisan women, through a collective marketing strategy, strengthening their business capabilities, and constructing of a Business Continuity Plan that would ensure the resilience of the artisans associations in a future disaster. How did it work? Key partners were identified who could contribute to each stage, and those who already had interactions with the artisans at the beginning of the project. The company Red de Energia del Peru, UNDPs partner in Tejiendo Futuro, activated a powerful network of corporate volunteers to promote the commercialization of artisan products. Various companies, universities, national events and public figures participated to reincorporate the artisans in the market so they could weave again. In order to strengthen their business capacities, a diagnosis of post-disaster needs was developed two years after El Nino Costero occurred with the Post Disaster Needs Assessment methodology, which identified remaining gaps as well as state and private partners that could contribute. The Ministry of Labour and Employment Promotion participated through the Impulsa Peru programme to develop business plans with the artisans, and organizations such as Belcorp and the University of Piura were instrumental in improving artisans marketing skills, and the development of soft skills such as self-esteem, empowerment and independence. The project culminated in a Business Continuity Plan implemented through a Artisans and Risk Management Table led by the five leaders of the Catacaos associations, the Foreign Trade and Tourism Directorate of the Piura region, and the Municipality of Catacaos. Tejiendo Futuro has been key to exploring the opportunities of networking in the recovery process, and the great results that can be achieved when organizations pool their resources and capacities. This initiative has shown us that countries have the great opportunity to activate existing networks for immediate recovery, taking advantage of the capacities of different sectors. Let's imagine that the private sector can have a key and formal role for the reactivation of small and medium businessess through tools they already have, such as Business Continuity Plans. Civil society also has important tools to collect data, identify unresolved needs and take the queries and demands of citizens to the state to close gaps and promote equality. The 2030 Agenda invites us to work together in partnerships, and it is one of the greatest challenges that sustainable development presents. During emergency situations and recovery and reconstruction processes, the articulation of many partners is key to avoiding duplication of efforts, to take advantage of existing capacities and interventions and to reach the most vulnerable populations, to reactivate livelihoods and leave no one behind. Lucknow, May 14 (UNI) Questioning why issues like caste come up before every election, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday claimed that opposition parties are so shocked with the support Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is getting across the country that they have started asking caste of Modi. Why the opposition is not raising development issues. Why it is now asking the government what it had done in last five years. Instead, of raising people-oriented queries the opposition is questioning caste of prime minister which is irrelevant, Yogi said while addressing a series of rallies in Ballia, Bansgaon, Khajani, Hata and Deoria on Tuesday. He said that working on the principle of "sabka saath, sabka vikas" the Prime Minister has extended benefits of government schemes to the people of all caste and religion. If Prime Minister is not differentiating into castes while implementing government policies, why opposition is raising questions about his caste, the Chief Minister asked. The United States has banned six Chinese technology companies from exporting U.S. technologies and goods. The U.S. Commerce Department said Monday four Chinese firms, which also have offices in Hong Kong, are being banned because of their support of Iran's military programs in violation of U.S. sanctions. It said an additional two Chinese firms were added to the banned "Entities List" because they supply technology to organizations affiliated with China's People's Liberation Army. Published: May 14, 2019 University of Tampa Graduate Students Win Collegiate Start-Up Competition University of Tampa graduate students Emilia Meo and Zac Herman recently won first place in the 2019 Statewide Collegiate Start-up Competition in Orlando, sponsored by the Florida Venture Forum. Meo and Herman beat teams from 10 other Florida universities and will meet with investors in Tampa next week to discuss funding the growth of their company. Meos and Hermans company, SEED Classroom, is a mobile application that allows teachers to utilize mobile devices as a tool for education, while ensuring that students are on task. In this application, teachers are notified when students have left the SEED app and have opened a new one. This holds students accountable throughout the day. Additionally, SEED functions as a live hall pass. The app is meant to create a productive learning environment and ensure students are engaged in the classroom. The Florida Venture Forum is the preeminent statewide, member based, private equity, venture capital and angel capital organization in Florida. Both Meo and Herman are students in UTs masters in entrepreneurship program, and Spartan Accelerator participants in UTs Lowth Entrepreneurship Center. (May 14, 2019) -- The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) welcomes UTSA as a new member institution of AURA, a consortium of US institutions and international affiliates that operates world-class astronomical observatories on behalf of NASA and NSF. The UTSA application to join AURA was approved by AURAs Member Representatives at its recent annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona. UTSA is a multicultural discovery enterprise institution and is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. Founded by the Texas Legislature in 1969, UTSA now offers access and opportunity to more than 32,000 students including 4,200 graduate students. The UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy provides science and engineering undergraduates with the tools for student success with a solid background in physics, problem-solving skills, and equip scholars with invaluable research experience. It is also home to the Joint Graduate Program in Physics with San Antonio-based Southwest Research Institute, which regularly leads high-profile missions, such as New Horizons and Juno. We warmly welcome The University of Texas at San Antonio to AURA, said Matt Mountain, president of AURA. AURA is looking forward to UTSA playing a full and active role in AURA decision making and increasing AURA engagement and awareness with UTSA students and faculty. AURA was founded in 1957 by a group of U.S. universities to create astronomical observing facilities available for use by all qualified researchers from U.S. institutions and universities on the basis of scientific merit. AURAs role, that it carries out through its five centers, is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that advance innovative astronomical research. AURAs Space Telescope Science Institute is responsible for the science mission for the Hubble Space Telescope, the science and operations for the James Webb Space Telescope, and the MAST data archive. AURAs nighttime ground-based facilities include the Gemini Observatories, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) under construction in Chile, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). The National Solar Observatory (NSO) is AURAs solar center and is managing the construction of the DKIST Solar Telescope in Hawaii. Joining AURA will greatly help advance research at UTSA for the good of our students and faculty alike. The confluence of big data in astronomy with UTSAs planned School of Data Science, existing artificial intelligence strengths, and the departmental abilities in materials and nano-particle research ensures that UTSA will be able to significantly contribute to AURAs mission. We are thrilled to be part of the AURA astronomical community," said Chris Packham, professor in the UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy. The partnership with AURA supports UTSAs 10-year vision as San Antonios world-class public research university, which includes growing access to experiential learning to 75 percent of the student body so as to create a more enriching campus experience. UTSA is also positioned to earn national and international recognition as it aims for National Research University Fund (NRUF) eligibility, monies designated by the Texas State Legislatures to help the states universities achieve prominence on the national stage. UW Energy Resources Council to Meet May 23 in Campbell County The University of Wyoming Energy Resources Council (ERC) will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Integrated Test Center near Gillette. The council will discuss UW School of Energy Resources finances and tour the Integrated Test Center and Dry Fork Station power plant. An executive session is planned as well. The ERC was established by the Wyoming State Legislature in 2006. Made up of representatives of industry, state government and academia, the council provides direction to the School of Energy Resources on priorities for research and outreach. The School of Energy Resources provides undergraduate and graduate education; conducts research on existing and emerging industry resources; and disseminates scientific, engineering and economic information to support Wyomings near- and long-term energy future. People with disabilities requiring special accommodations to attend this meeting should call the School of Energy Resources at (307) 766-6897. Information about the School of Energy Resources is available at www.uwyo.edu/SER. Swedish prosecutors are reopening the rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange following a request from the lawyer of one of the alleged victims. Assange was arrested last month in Ecuador's embassy in London, after the country reversed its decision to give him asylum. The 47-year-old Australian national is also wanted in the United States on hacking charges and the British government will now have to decide which extradition request should take priority. In 2011, Assange was accused of rape by two women following a WikiLeaks conference in Stockholm. He sought asylum in London's Ecuadorean embassy, claiming the accusations were part of a plot to have him extradited to the United States over his whistleblowing activities. With apparently little hope of conviction, Swedish prosecutors dropped the investigation in 2017. In April, however, Ecuador reversed its decision to offer Assange asylum and allowed British authorities into the embassy to arrest him. One of the women who made the rape accusations requested the case be reopened. Sweden's deputy director of public prosecution, Eva-Maria Persson, announced the reopening of the case Monday. "After reviewing the preliminary investigation in its current state, my assessment is that there is still probable cause to suspect that Julian Assange committed rape," Persson said at a press conference in Stockholm. 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. Approximately every two Earth years, when it is summer on the southern hemisphere of Mars, a window opens: Only there and only in this season can water vapor efficiently rise from the lower into the upper 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 air layers. This could help to understand 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 Earths 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 day but only at a certain location and at a certain time of year. 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. Paul Hartogh from MPS, summarizing the results of the new study, said: 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. 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. Alexander Medvedev from MPS said: The amounts of dust swirling through the atmosphere during such a storm facilitate the transport of water vapor into high air layers. 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. Dmitry Shaposhnikov of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, first author of the new study, explained: Our model shows with unprecedented accuracy how dust in the atmosphere affects the microphysical processes involved in the transformation of ice into water vapor. Hartogh concluded: Apparently, the Martian atmosphere is more permeable to water vapor than that of the Earth. The new seasonal water cycle that has been found contributes massively to Mars continuing loss of water. Provided by: Max Planck Society [Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.] Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly email for more! Saudi Arabia says two of its oil tankers suffered "significant damage" in a "sabotage attack" early Sunday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. No details, however, about the specifics of the damage were released. The kingdom's energy minister said one of the tankers had been on its way to the Saudi port of Ras Tanura to pick up oil to deliver to the United States. The United States issued a warning early Monday about alleged "acts of sabotage" aimed at ships off the United Arab Emirates coast and last week warned ships that "Iran or its proxies'' could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. The warnings come at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. defense officials told VOA that the U.S. military is assisting in the investigation of the sabotage at the request of the UAE government. Asked at the White House about the incident, President Donald Trump responded: "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake." Earlier, the UAE said four commercial ships were subjected to "sabotage operations" Sunday near its territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, but did not give any details on the sabotage or who owned the ships, other than saying they were of different nationalities. They say no one was hurt and no chemicals or fuel were spilled from the ships. At the invitation of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, the WCO Secretariat spoke at the side event of the BRS Conference of the Parties (2019 COPs), held in Geneva on 8th May 2019, about the cooperation between the WCO and the BRS Conference Secretariats in using the Harmonized System (HS) to address environmental and social issues. The BRS Conventions are multilateral environmental agreements, which share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. From 29 April to 10 May 2019, the 2019 COPs meetings were held with the theme Clean Planet, Healthy People: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste. The WCO has maintained a long standing and fruitful cooperation with the Secretariat of BRS Conventions in recognition of the important role played by customs in facilitating the implementation of the BRS Conventions and in working together in areas of the identification of the controlled goods in the HS. In this regard, the WCO has introduced many HS codes for goods posing environmental and human health threats to facilitate the monitoring and control of their trade. In her speech to the participants at the event, the representative of the WCO Secretariat highlighted the nature of the HS and its use as a useful tool to address environmental and social issues. She further gave guidance on how to craft a successful proposal to add HS codes, including practical guidance on the appropriate wording for border measures, to facilitate the HS amendment process in this area. The Secretariats of the two organizations expressed their mutual appreciation for the good working relationship, and shared the importance of further cooperation in measures for protecting our planet and people. At the invitation of Dr. Domitien Ndihokubwayo, Burundis Minister of Finance, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya visited Bujumbura, Burundi on 13 and 14 May 2019 in support of the countrys ongoing Customs modernization process. Dr. Mikuriya visited the one-stop border post of Kobero, some 200 km from Bujumbura, to observe Customs operations at the border with Tanzania. The Commissioner General of the Burundi Revenue Authority (Office Burundais des Recettes - (OBR)), Hon. Audace Niyonzima, accompanied Dr. Mikuriya during his visit to explain him Customs operations. One-stop border procedures were introduced in 2014 in conjunction with Tanzanian Customs and Immigration Services. Over 70% of trade between the two countries goes through this border post, with the majority of goods in transit coming from the port of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. Dr. Mikuriya was informed of the selectivity system in place, with a blue lane for Authorized Economic Operators and the use of non-intrusive inspection systems. Secretary General Mikuriya was received by the Minister of Finance and sought political support for Customs reform in four areas: (i) ratification of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement; (ii) ratification of the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention; (iii) enhancement of private sector partnership through the Trade Information Portal (TIP); and (iv) improvements to the information technology infrastructure in support of risk management. In response, the Minister agreed to increase the visibility of the Governments commitment to developing the business environment through the ratification of international instruments He also reaffirmed his support for allocating greater resources to the OBR. In addition, Dr. Mikuriya visited Gatumba border post at the Burundi-Democratic Republic of the Congo border, at which Customs processes trade in agricultural goods by small traders, with some 5,000 individuals crossing the border daily subject to approval by the Immigration Service. The Trade Facilitation Agreement promises greater trade efficiency by targeting administrative barriers to trade that include unnecessary border inspections, excessive document and data requirements, manual processes, lack of coordination among border authorities and complex inefficient rules and procedures. All of these issues cause delay in the movement of goods and services and increase trade costs. At the back drop of these issues is a critical element, the human resource. Acknowledging that people are the understructure upon which a successful customs modernization and reform strategy is built, the WCO successfully delivered a People Development Diagnostic mission at Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) from 29 April to 3 May 2019, in line with recommendations from their Mercator implementation plan. The WCO assessed the critical competencies and gaps within the context of SRAs modernization and reform Programme, paying particular attention to the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation. The diagnostic mission was conducted on the basis of WCO standards, encompassing strategic orientation, competency and job profiling, planning and performance management, training, career path development, remuneration and benefits. The WCO experts held consultations with the executive management, and directorates responsible for human resources, corporate services, internal affairs, learning & development, modernization team, operations policy, customs inland operations and border operations. The engagement with SRA was further enhanced through peer matching SRA officials with those from human resource directorate of Malawi Revenue Authority, identified based on their application of best practices in some core HR functions. SRA pledged its commitment to embrace the principles of competency based management as envisioned in the Framework of Practices and Principles on Customs Professionalism and the WCO guide to implementing competency-based human resource management. The mission culminated in the drawing up of a mutually agreed implementation plan. This activity was made possible with the generous financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Finland and the HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD. She once described herself as having "the unfortunate reputation of being miss goody two-shoes, America's virgin, and all that." But her life away from the cameras was one of heart break, abusive marriages, and financial ruin. Her Doris Day Animal League announced her death, saying she had been in excellent health but recently came down with pneumonia. With her blonde freckle-faced good looks and silky voice, Day's image was of a fun-loving girl-next-door. Singer and actress Doris Day, whose films and smooth jazz and pop style made her a Hollywood legend, died Monday at her home in Carmel Valley, California. She was 97. Day was born in Cincinnati and began singing on local radio, in nightclubs, and eventually in New York, where she became a star with bandleader Les Brown. Her version of Brown's theme song "Sentimental Journey" became a huge hit, followed by a number of top-selling records. Day moved to Hollywood, starred on network radio, and became a fixture in Hollywood musicals. Her series of light sex comedies and bedroom farces, including "Pillow Talk," "The Thrill of It All," and "The Glass-Bottom Boat," made Day Hollywood's top money-making star in the early 1960s. She also proved to be a superb dramatic actress -- playing the victim of a stalker in the suspenseful "Midnight Lace" and the mother of a kidnapped child in the Hitchcock thriller "The Man Who Knew Too Much," where she introduced her theme song "Que Sera Sera." Day discovered her third husband lost tens of millions of dollars of her show business fortune, leaving her broke and in debt. She reluctantly starred in a television situation comedy from 1968 to 1973 to recoup some of those losses. Day gradually retired from show business to start a California-based animal protection charity in 1987, The Doris Day Animal League, which lobbied strongly for federal laws protecting animals from abuse, torture, and unnecessary scientific research. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 78F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Advertisement By Bill Hughes May. 14, 2019 | PADUCAH By Bill Hughes May. 14, 2019 | 03:25 PM | PADUCAH Officials at the Quilt Show said the economic impact of last month's AQS Spring QuiltWeek was over 25 million dollars. According to AQS Executive Show Director Bonnie Browning, 30,600 people attended the event, with an overall impact of $25.5 million, which is in line with previous years. Visitors came from 47 states and 11 countries. Browning said over the 35 years that Paducah has hosted the annual quilt show and contest, "we've displayed more than 15,000 quilts, and just here in Paducah we've given out $3.2 million in prizes to the contestants, and with all of our shows that we've done in the last 35 years, we've given out $5.8 million in prize money to the quilters." Based on the various economic impact surveys done over the years, Browning said AQS has had a total impact of $551 million over 35 years in Paducah. Browning said this spring's attendance was what they expected, since they can judge how many will be in the area based on registration for classes that are offered. Browning said, "You know, it's the classes that puts heads in beds and then those people spend more money than someone that just drives to town for the day, but that has a huge impact on this community, and over the five days that most people are in town, that's an impact of $25 million." AQS is planning a special anniversary celebration during the upcoming Fall Paducah QuiltWeek Show on Sept. 11-14 that will include a presentation of the worlds largest quilt cake created by Mauro Castano of Carlos Bakery from the hit TLC Show "Cake Boss." Plus, those who read American Quilter magazine will be able to enter a contest where the winner will get a cake decorating lesson from Castano in his bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey. By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 14, 2019 | 12:37 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY The search of a home in Marshall County Tuesday led to the arrest of a Benton man on drug charges. According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, drug detectives executed a search warrant on Starwalk Lane in Marshall County, and found numerous items consistent with trafficking illegal drugs. As a result of the investigation, 56-year-old Mitchell Styers, of Benton, was arrested. Styers is charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in opiates, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of controlled substance (drug unspecified). He was lodged in the Marshall County Detention Center. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 14, 2019 | WICKLIFFE By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 14, 2019 | 09:48 AM | WICKLIFFE A former teacher in Ballard County has pleaded not guilty to theft and drug charges. Court records show April Jewell, who worked until recently as a teacher at Ballard Memorial High School, pleaded not guilty before Judge Keith Myers Monday in Ballard County District Court to charges of theft of a controlled substance under $10,000 and not having a prescription in its proper container. The charges stem from allegations Jewell went to a home on May 2 and took 18 hydrocodone pills and nausea medication from bottles on the kitchen table. According to the arrest citation obtained by open records request, Jewell admitted to police that she took the pills. The school's principal Leslee Davis sent an email to parents shortly after Jewell's arrest, saying students who are working on certifications in Jewell's class will have access to their certifications, and will be able to finish all classes. Ballard County Schools Superintendent Casey Allen said the school is fully cooperating with the investigation. A preliminary hearing in the case has been set for June 3. By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 13, 2019 | 05:22 PM | MAYFIELD According to the Graves County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to the Jackson Purchase Medical Center Emergency Room. Deputies spoke with 31-year-old Michael Prince, Jr., of New Concord, and his mother, 54-year-old Tamila Helton, also of New Concord. During the interview, it was determined that Prince had an outstanding warrant in Calloway county for Flagrant Non Support, and was arrested. Helton was present during the interview, and it was obvious to deputies that she was under the influence of illegal narcotics at the time. A search of her belongs revealed illegal drugs in her purse. She allegedly admitted to recent use of methamphetamine. While being transported to the jail, she damaged the interior of the patrol car. Helton was charged with public Intoxication, illegal Possession of a legend drug, and third degree criminal mischief. Both Prince and Helton were lodged in the Graves County Jail. The response by law enforcement to an animal bite complaint has resulted in two arrests. By The Associated Press May. 14, 2019 | 05:42 AM | LOUISVILLE Looking to revive their slumping political party, three prominent Democrats running for Kentucky governor took turns portraying themselves as the strongest challenger to Republican Gov. Matt Bevin during a high-stakes debate Monday evening. With the primary election barely a week away, Democrats Andy Beshear, Rocky Adkins and Adam Edelen delved into the state's public pension woes, efforts to improve education and revamp the tax code during a rapid fire, hour-long debate in Lexington on Kentucky Educational Television. The first question was one that looms as an important one for Democratic voters which candidate would be the strongest standard-bearer to take on an incumbent governor in a state that has tilted heavily toward the GOP in recent elections. Adkins portrayed himself as a "middle of the road, common sense Democrat" with strong rural ties and a long legislative career that he said would make him ready to "hit the ground running on day one" if elected governor. He said it's the type of pedigree needed to win back Democrats who have strayed to support the GOP and to even pick up support from moderate Republicans in the general election. Beshear, the state's attorney general, said he's shown himself to be "the guy that's beaten Matt Bevin time and time again" in a series of courtroom battles challenging some of the governor's executive actions on education and pensions. Edelen, a former state auditor, said it's his "future-focused" economic vision that separates him from his Democratic rivals and makes him the strongest challenger to Bevin. Edelen said Democrats need to learn the lessons from the "debacle in 2015" when a strong Republican showing put Bevin in the governor's office while Edelen was defeated in his run for a second term as auditor. "You cannot win an election merely when you define your candidacy in opposition to something," he said. "You have to run on what you're for." Edelen was asked if his progressive stands on social and economic issues could hurt him with "swing voters" in the fall. Edelen replied that they're the "economic pre-conditions of being able to build a modern Kentucky." "If standing up for the equality of all people ... is outside the mainstream, then Kentucky is really in big trouble," he said. Beshear, the son of former Gov. Steve Beshear, was asked if he's leaning on his father's legacy as a popular, two-term governor in trying to win the election. Andy Beshear replied: "I believe that the voters know me for me," as he touted his record as attorney general throughout the debate. Afterward, state Republican Party spokesman Mike Lonergan said in a statement that the debate showed that "Kentuckians know all too well we can't afford to go back to the bad old days of Democrat control." During the debate, Beshear and Edelen had a somewhat-testy exchange over support for higher education. Beshear pointed to his lawsuit early in his term as AG that blocked Bevin from cutting state universities' budgets after the legislature had already appropriated their funding. The state Supreme Court ruled that the governor exceeded his statutory authority. "It took courage," Beshear said. "I think what people have to look for out there is you're going to have to put trust in your next governor. And who's going to have the courage to do the right things for higher education when it's hard." Edelen responded: "With respect, Andy, lawsuits aren't going to save the availability of a higher education to the middle and the working class." What's needed is leadership to build public support for increased higher education funding, Edelen said. "You're a great lawyer," Edelen said to Beshear. "I don't think anybody disputes that. But we've got to have a governor who builds a modern system of higher education." Adkins, the top-ranking Democrat in the GOP-dominated House, called for a statewide infrastructure plan when asked about drinking water problems in Martin County, where water systems are plagued by shortages and drinkability issues. "Kentucky is hungry again for a statewide infrastructure plan that we started implementing 30 years ago," Adkins said, adding that the legislature has not done a water and sewer infrastructure bill since the 2008 session. He said much of the state has water and sewer lines in place but those systems are aging. Edelen said the water problems in the Appalachian county point to a larger need for a governor who can "balance the need for economic develop with environmental stewardship." Beshear said his office launched an investigation into the Martin County water issues and said an outside agent should get involved in helping implement a plan to fix the water systems. The state's primary election is May 21. The other Democrat running for governor is frequent candidate Geoff Young. Bevin's GOP primary challengers are state Rep. Robert Goforth, William Woods and Ike Lawrence. Kentucky is among three states electing governors in 2019. The others are Louisiana and Mississippi. Actor couple Han Ga-in and Yeon Jung-hoon welcomed their second child on Monday. "Han gave birth to a son, and both the mother and the baby are healthy," Han's management agency said in a press release. Yeon's management agency said he is "delighted" by the birth while helping Han recover from the delivery. The two became romantically involved after they co-starred in a TV soap in 2003. They got married in 2005 and had their first daughter in 2016. Luka, a reading robot produced by Chinese company Ling, reads a picture book at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan 10, 2018. [Xinhua] Ling Tech's book-reading robot Luka spins big money in early education sector At the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 in Las Vegas, an owl-shaped robot named Luka, which was powered by artificial intelligence to read books for children, proved to be popular among the visitors. HBO even featured it in its TV series Silicon Valley. It invited the robot's developer, a Chinese company called Beijing Ling Technology Co Ltd, to Disney headquarters to highlight the device's features. Luka can read all types of early education books that are currently in the market. When you place a book in front of Luka and turn a page, its 'eyes' can recognize the page and read out aloud the content on it. When you point at a picture on the page, Luka immediately reads out what is in the picture. It can even ask questions about the book and interact with children. Equipped with language systems covering Chinese, English, German, Korean and Spanish, Luka is now sold in many countries in Asia, North America, South America and Europe. The company is planning to further expand its footprint. "Our book-reading robots are the first of their kind in the world. They are different from general electronic products such as mobile phones and speakers. Luka specializes in the content of early education books. Therefore, for the research and development of our export products, it is not just about switching languages," said Gu Jiawei, CEO of Ling Technology. Typically, the company researches a local market before foraying into it. It signs contracts with the local publishing houses for authorized reproductions on its device. It also invests considerable money and efforts in branding, marketing and promotions. According to Gu, many domestic companies encounter difficulties when they go global. That's because they don't pay much attention to the differences between China and overseas markets, in terms of user activity, laws and regulations, as well as distribution channels. Therefore, before launching its products abroad, Ling Technology does thorough due diligence of markets and local consumers, the local intellectual property scene and distribution channels. "Once we are fully aware of the overseas situation, we launch our products. One can't merely think of going global. If we have to go global, we can't take a step forward without being fully prepared," Gu said. Persuading foreign consumers to accept Luka has proven to be challenging because they perceive the product as a new type of robot. In some overseas markets, a robot plays the role of a kid's companion during childhood. This scene is even common in TV series and movies, he said. "Parents' need to have someone accompany their children when they are busy is universal. These days, parents want their children to learn a second language. In some foreign countries, the preferred second language is Chinese, just as Chinese parents ask their kids to learn English or other foreign languages in China," Gu said. The overseas business accounts for roughly 14 percent of the company's total business. Last year, it sold over 260,000 Luka units worldwide. This year, it plans to sell several millions. In addition, Luka maintains high user activity, which is 60 percent to 80 percent. That means, customers are willing to spend money on the productthey buy picture books, audio books and even live streaming classes that go with Luka. Gu explained that the global success of Luka can be attributed to its early exposure at some international expos, making consumers aware of the product in a short time. Besides, the company adjusted its strategy according to the local market's copyright environment, laws and regulations. Apart from exporting China's technology and manufacturing prowess, Ling Technology endeavors to build and export its own IP. Besides Luka, it developed other robots each of which has a name and a certain character. "Children love these robots. Each has a unique personality. This is probably why Disney wants to cooperate with us," Gu said. Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Education Sciences, said: "Children's early education requires multisensory motivation, such as visual, audio, and tactile. The way a learning-related robot interacts with children is multisensory education, and both Chinese and foreign parents have the need to educate their children in this way. This is probably why the robot is popular overseas." A Korean woman who was rescued from Islamists by French special forces in the West African nation of Burkina Faso had spent four months in dangerous parts of Africa before she was abducted. According to the Korean Embassy in Paris on Monday, the woman identified by her surname Chang, who is in her 40s, started traveling the world about a year and a half ago. She started her tour of Africa in Morocco in January. She then moved on to more dangerous turf, visiting Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso. She was captured by armed insurgents on her way to Benin on April 12. Korea has four levels of travel advisories -- exercise normal precautions (level 1), exercise increased precautions (level2), reconsider travel (level 3) and do not travel (level 4). Level 1 is issued for Morocco and Senegal and level 3 for Mali and four northern provinces of Burkina Faso, while eastern Burkina Faso, where Chang was kidnapped, is rated level 2. Contestants write "One World, One Family" in Chinese calligraphy during the Belgium final of the 18th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Bruges, Belgium, on Sunday. [For China Daily/Dai Yujun] Eight European students from five Belgian universities wowed an audience with their proficiency in the Chinese language, at a recent competition. Moira De Graef from the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) emerged as the winner at the Belgian Final of the 18th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, held in Bruges, Belgium, on Sunday. Her story, told in fluent Chinese, was about finding a loving family in Sichuan during her one-year study at Sichuan University. Graef was the only one to answer all six questions in the quiz section correctly. "Chinese language is very beautiful," said Graef, who has studied Chinese for five years. She said Chinese culture was attractive to her, especially Chinese literature, which she said is so different toWestern literature. As winner of the Belgian final, Graef, also known by her Chinese name He Mona, will travel to China for the worldwide semi-final and final this summer. She hopes to find an internship in China so as to continue her exploration of the country. It was the first time for the Belgian Final of the Chinese Bridge competition to be held outside Brussels, the capital city, since its arrival in Belgium in 2003. Zhang Chi, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Belgium, said: "In the meaning of bridge, Bruges as a host highlights the role of language in strengthening communication, enhancing understanding and developing friendship for people from different countries." "I hope that the Chinese Bridge can become a real bridge, helping young generation who knows Chinese language, understand and love China to become the Chinese-European messenger and bridges of China and Europe," Zhang said. The contest included three sections: a public speech, a talent show and a quiz on China. Others told stories of their love for Chinese food, a friendship with a Chinese aunt, a cleaner in a dorm, and also understanding of Confucianism. Students join team assisting Wales entry into prestigious Venice Biennale This article is old - Published: Tuesday, May 14th, 2019 An artist chosen to represent Wales at one of Europes most prestigious art festivals will be assisted by two Wrexham Glyndwr University Fine Art students. The students, Hannah Doran and Zoe Harty, will be working alongside Sean Edwards, the artist chosen to represent Wales, as student invigilators at the Venice Biennale this summer. They applied to invigilate after answering a call for participants organised by Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology and Arts Council Wales. After each student completed a competitive application process and successful interview, they were selected to spend a month supporting the festival. Hannah, who is originally from Bridgend in South Wales, said: Were excited to be the first students from Wrexham Glyndwr University to attend the festival. Weve already enjoyed getting an insight for whats to come and met other people from across Wales who will attend over the summer, during a training day at the Ty Pawb arts hub in Wrexham. Zoe, originally from Chorley in Lancashire, added: Were really looking forward to taking part in the event and meeting everyone else taking part as well as learning more about the international arts industry. This opportunity comes at an ideal time, as we finish our degree courses- its a great chance to further explore what the future might have in store for us once we graduate. While they are in Venice, Hannah and Zoe will work as invigilators four days a week and support the Welsh exhibition. This is being created by Sean Edwards, an artist well known for his work which investigates the sculptural potential of the everyday, often incorporating film, video, photography and performance. When they are not invigilating, the students will have three days a week to work on a project of their choosing, with the support of an experienced mentor. At the end of the festival they will be given the opportunity to exhibit their project. Lecturer in Fine Art at Wrexham Glyndwr University, Paul Jones, said: This is a fantastic chance for both students to explore their work further and to display something that they have created. Our course is designed to give students the confidence to explore collaborations through establishing connections, and its great to see Hannah and Zoe take their studies to the European stage. We will be watching closely this summer! Find out more about Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys BA (Hons) Fine Art course first in Wales for overall satisfaction, here. Vital funding secured as Wrexham homeless choir hits the high notes This article is old - Published: Tuesday, May 14th, 2019 People with personl experience of homelessness, mental health issues and substance misuse conditions will hit the high notes on the international stage this summer with the support of two new backers. Wrexhams pioneering One Love Choir will entertain crowds at the Focus Wales international showcase this week and Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July after winning funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund. The grants will help the choir recruit a new director and manager, underpinning its work to harness the uplifting and therapeutic power of song and help people develop confidence and self-esteem, fulfilment and purpose. Its thought the choir which seeks to engage with and support some of the most vulnerable people in the community is the first singing group of its kind in Wales. Wrexham MP Ian Lucas sang with the choir when it joined the Dydd Llun 2 celebrations at Ty Pawb last week. He said he was absolutely delighted the ensemble was attracting such strong support. The Wrexham One Love Choir is such a positive, inspirational project and it was a pleasure to perform with them recently, said Mr Lucas. Im grateful for the backing from the Steve Morgan Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund, and thank them very much for their support. I look forward to seeing the choir continue to flourish. The choir is supported by organisations including the Choir With No Name, and hosted by rehab and recovery charity CAIS. Wrexham One Love Choir is already making a visible difference to its members and to the wider community, said CAIS outreach manager, Sarah Roberts. Every week we see how singing together has helped our members find new purpose and inspiration. Now we cant wait to get on stage at Focus Wales and in Llangollen. This valuable support from the Steve Morgan Foundation and the The National Lottery Community Fund will provide the backing the choir needs to continue to sing out for recovery. Wrexham One Love Choir will open the Focus Wales Saturday @ St Giles event on May 18, and will join the programme in Llangollen as part of the Eisteddfods Inclusion Project entitled Tapestry on Wednesday July 3. A joint concert with Holt Village Voices last month raised more than 1,000 for the initiative. Wrexham One Love Choir rehearses at Trinity Church from 11am each Wednesday with all practices followed by a communal hot lunch. For more information, please email onelovechoir@cais.org.uk, call 01978 314 314 or visit www.cais.co.uk/onelovechoir. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-13 16:35:01|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Ingrida Simonyte, Lithuania's former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament, attends a press conference organized by BNS (Baltic News Service) after the final results of the first round was announced in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, May 13, 2019. Simonyte, supported by the country's main opposition party the Homeland Union-Christian Democrats, gained 31.13 percent of the votes in a close fight with economist Gitanas Nauseda, the country's Central Electoral Commission said after counting votes from all 1,972 polling stations. Nauseda, an independent candidate, received support of 30.95 percent of the votes. The difference between the candidates in absolute numbers was 2,647 votes. Since none of the candidates received more than 50 percent, the second round of presidential election will be held on May 26, alongside with the country's election to the European Parliament. (Xinhua/Alfredas Pliadis) VILNIUS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament Ingrida Simonyte has won the first round of the country's presidential election, showed the final results on Monday. Simonyte, supported by the country's main opposition party the Homeland Union-Christian Democrats, gained 31.13 percent of the votes in a close fight with economist Gitanas Nauseda, the country's Central Electoral Commission said after counting votes from all 1,972 polling stations. Nauseda, an independent candidate, received support of 30.95 percent of the votes. The difference between the candidates in absolute numbers was 2,647 votes. Since none of the candidates received more than 50 percent, the second round of presidential election will be held on May 26, alongside with the country's election to the European Parliament. "Thank you all for your votes. Two weeks of hard work is ahead of us," Simonyte told reporters at her election headquarters. Lithuania's incumbent Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis backed by the ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union didn't make it to the second round and stayed third with 19.72 percent of the votes. After admitting his defeat, Skvernelis reiterated he would step down as the prime minister. "I have made my decision, and I don't want to talk about other options. The decision is to step down on 12th July," Skvernelis told reporters on Monday morning. Over 56 percent of registered voters participated in the presidential election. Incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite is to leave office after completing her second term in July. People block a street during a protest against the lack of gas in Tucupita, Venezuela November 27, 2018. Picture taken November 27, 2018. (REUTERS PHOTO) MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday denied media reports that Moscow attempted to buy in Malta tear gas and riot gear meant to be transported to Venezuela by military ship. "We believe that the misinformation that was widespread in the Maltese media is an example of lack of professionalism and an echo of anti-Russian hysteria, the swelling of which is not in the interests of Russian-Maltese friendship," it said in a statement. In April, a number of Maltese media outlets quoted the London edition of the U.S. BuzzFeed Internet portal as saying that Russia attempted to buy tear gas and riot gear from a local supplier, with the involvement of the Russian embassy. The Russian foreign ministry noted that the Russian diplomatic mission based in the Maltese capital Valletta works in strict accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and that Russian diplomats do not take part in any secret special operation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 00:32:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China will fight against pneumoconiosis, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of all occupational disease cases in the country, said Li Bin, deputy head of China's National Health Commission (NHC). Li made the remarks at a press briefing held by the State Council Information Office Monday, adding that people diagnosed with the disease are at an increasingly younger age. The NHC, with assistance from other departments, will make efforts to control dust hazards in industries including mining, metallurgy and construction materials to reduce new pneumoconiosis patients, he said. Administrations will also expand coverage of employment injury insurance and medical insurance to guarantee necessary treatment for pneumoconiosis patients, according to Li. Employment injury insurance covered nearly 239 million employees by the end of last year, including over 80 million migrant workers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 00:52:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SKOPJE, May 13 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia deserves to start accession negotiations with the European Union (EU), the country's new president Stevo Pendarovski said in a meeting to EU Ambassador to Skopje Samuel Zbogar, the President's press office said on Monday. "The start of North Macedonia's EU accession negotiations is a deserved and required step to stimulate comprehensive reforms and enhance political culture in North Macedonia," Pendarovski told Zbogar during their meeting. According to a press release, Pendarovski voiced belief that the leaders of EU member-states will acknowledge the work done by his country. Pendarovski and Zbogar agreed that the progress in the Euro-integration process is of key importance for the improvement of the people's living standard. Zbogar congratulated Pendarovski on his election and handed over the letter of congratulations from the European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, read the press release. "With President Pendarovski, we discussed the need to heal the rifts in the society; focus minds and efforts of politicians and people on the future of the country in EU. I wished him good luck in creating this new atmosphere," tweeted Zbogar following the meeting with Pendarovski. Pendarovski was sworn in as North Macedonia's new president on Sunday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 03:18:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MANAMA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Bahraini Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on Monday met with representatives of Chinese technology giant Huawei to discuss steps to further boost the information and telecommunication sector in Bahrain. Huawei has been operating in Bahrain for 15 years and has been able to serve clients regionally and further, said Mark Xueman, the company's vice president of public affairs. He praised Bahrain's "attractive investment climate and a sound infrastructure that earned the kingdom a leading place in the information and telecommunication field in the Middle East," the Bahrain News Agency reported. "The kingdom's success in attracting major international companies is a boost to the national economy and an assertion of global confidence in Bahrain's investment climate and its ability to grow," he said. Meanwhile, the Bahraini prime minister lauded Huawei's success in developing modern technology in the telecommunication sector which has consolidated the company's standing as one of the major international telecommunication companies. Bahrain has already attracted big Chinese companies to invest in the country, including Huawei and China International Marine Containers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 03:54:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ALGIERS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Two terrorists surrendered to Algerian authorities while three terror suspects were arrested in the western province of Tlemcen, the Defense Ministry said Monday. The two terrorists who surrendered probably joined terrorist groups in 2011 and 2015 respectively, a ministry statement said, adding they were in possession of two Kalashnikov-type machine guns. Algeria has opened safe routes along its southern border to encourage Algerian militants who joined terrorist groups to lay down their arms in exchange for fair trials. The statement also announced that three terror suspects were arrested in Tlemcen. The security situation in Algeria has remarkably improved in the last decade but clashes between security forces and terrorist groups are still occasionally reported. A few militants affiliated to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the recently established Islamic State-affiliated groups are still taking refuge in the dense woods in northern Algeria, and remote desert areas near the troubled Libya and Mali. Kim has set the end of this year as the deadline for a resumption of talks with the U.S. One participant said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could lob an intercontinental ballistic missile over Japan by the end of this year if he believes short-range missile launches cannot gain U.S. President Donald Trump's attention. Some took part in a debate under Chatham House rules and forecast that North Korea will resort to "limited provocations," such as missile launches that do not cross the so-called red line set up by the U.S., in order to demand an easing of sanctions. Global luminaries and semi-luminaries are gathering in Seoul for the 10th Asian Leadership Conference hosted by the Chosun Ilbo. Those who arrived Monday included Prince Andrew of the U.K., former U.S. House speaker Paul Ryan and other prominent figures. Under Chatham House rules, any opinions expressed are recorded anonymously. Eleven U.S. and South Korean diplomatic experts took part in the candid debate. A majority predicted that the stalemate between the U.S. and North Korea will drag on. Some voiced concern over the weakened alliance between South Korea and the U.S. The two allies "appear on the surface to be communicating frequently, but they do not communicate at a deep level as before." Diplomatic experts voted on the three following scenarios involving the U.S. and North -- return to the state of 2017 when military tensions soared; forge some kind of agreement; or maintain the current state of affairs while holding sporadic talks. Eight out of the 11 panelists forecast the present state will continue, while two projected relations will deteriorate and only one predicted that some sort of agreement will be reached. One of panelists said, "President Trump has always shown a tendency to buck the projections of most people and we have no idea what surprises lay in store." The U.S. representatives included Marc Knapper, an acting deputy assistant secretary, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert, former U.S. trade representative Wendy Cutler, Jung Pak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Sue Mi Terry, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Others were former South Korean Ambassador to Russia Wie Sung-lac, former Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong, Seoul National University professor Lee Keun, Choi Kang of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, and former Liberty Korea Party leader Lee Jae-young. The conference opens properly Tuesday at Hotel Shilla in Seoul. Ryan and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley delivered keynote speeches, while Prince Andrew and the Chosun Ilbo will co-host a start-up competition called Pitch@Palace Korea 1.0. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 04:04:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi forces on Monday killed three Islamic State (IS) militants in an operation in the western province of Anbar, a security official said. A joint force from the Iraqi army and paramilitary tribal fighters conducted a search operation in the hills of al-Tueiba area in the north of the provincial capital Ramadi, located some 110 km west of Baghdad, said Mahmoud al-Falahi, commander of Anbar Operations Command. During the operation, the troops clashed with the three extremist militants and killed them all, al-Falahi said, adding the troops also seized the militants' weapons and their motorcycle. IS militants are still active in the vast Anbar desert which stretches to the border with neighboring countries of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as many civilians have been kidnapped or killed by the extremist group recently. The security situation in Iraq was dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017. IS remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 04:39:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close OSLO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) said ten more Norwegian foreign warriors had been probably killed in Syria and Iraq, with only 20 Norwegian warriors still alive in these countries, public broadcaster NRK reported Monday. Up to now, the PST's estimate was that about 30 foreign warriors with Norwegian affiliation had survived the civil war in Syria. Many of these, however, have not given life signs for a long time, the report said. "We have regularly adjusted the figures, but it is important to emphasize that the figures are not exactly accurate. It is difficult to confirm the information that comes from these areas," said Martin Bernsen, senior counsel at the PST. Since the civil war in Syria broke out in 2011, around 100 people affiliated with Norway have traveled to Syria to join extremist groups. According to the new figures from the PST, 60 of these are Norwegian citizens, while others are related to Norway in other ways, such as family and work relations. The PST estimates that 40 of them have been killed, 40 have returned to Norway or gone to another country, and 20 are still alive. Bernsen said 13 Norwegian foreign warriors are wanted in Syria and Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 04:54:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close AMMAN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday condemned the acts of sabotage on commercial vessels in waters near the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi underlined Jordan's support for the UAE against threats to its safety and the Gulf maritime security, according to a ministry statement. Four commercial vessels of various nationalities on Sunday suffered sabotage off the UAE's eastern coast, its foreign ministry said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 05:09:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Chen Wenxian JERUSALEM, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A seminar with the topic of strengthening higher education cooperation between China and Israel was held on Monday in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. An exhibition on Chinese higher education was held after the seminar in the university, and both events were co-organized by China Education Association for International Exchange and the Council for Higher Education of Israel. These events demonstrate the close ties between the Chinese and Israeli academia and the high level of interest in further strengthening those ties, said Yaffa Zilbershats, chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC) of the Council for Higher Education of Israel. It is the first time for China to hold the Chinese higher education exhibition in Israel, an important event for both sides to enhance cooperation in the sector, said Dai Yuming, Minister-Counselor with the Chinese Embassy in Israel. Another exhibition of such kind will be held on Tuesday in the University of Haifa in northern Israel. Recent years have witnessed flourishing cooperation in the higher education between China and Israel, including joint research, student and faculty exchanges, and cooperative initiatives, according to Zilbershats. Representatives from 27 Chinese universities participated in the seminar and held the higher education exhibition focusing on study in China. They discussed the efforts to further promote student mobility and collaboration on scientific research with peers from seven Israeli universities. Zilbershats expressed expect for a growing number of Chinese students to study in Israel and encouraged more Israeli students to study in China, adding the PBC is seeking partnerships with relevant bodies in China to provide more scholarships for these students. At the end of May, the PBC will sign an agreement with China's southwestern province of Sichuan which will provide scholarships for Israeli students to study in summer programs in the Chinese province, according to Zilbershats. In 2012, the PBC initiated a comprehensive program to strengthen academic ties with China. The program provides over 20 new research grants a year for joint research via the Israel Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences Foundation of China. More than 1,000 scholarships to date have been provided for students and post-doctoral researchers from China. Encouraging more student exchange and mobility is the key to deepening people-to-people exchange and inter-cultural understanding, Zilbershats said. Educational exchange between China and Israel are flourishing and educational cooperation ranges from cultural studies to scientific and technological collaboration, said Dai. According to Dai, the Chinese and Israeli universities have strengthened cooperation in higher education, including forming think tanks, holding international forums, organizing innovation entrepreneurship competition and student-exchange programs. In 2018, more than 1,000 Chinese students were enrolled in at least 10 universities and colleges in Israel and about 500 Israeli students studied in China, which has increased the vitality of the relations between China and Israel, Dai noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 05:29:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TIRANA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Opposition supporters in Albania held a protest march on Monday asking Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign and calling for a transitional government to administrate free and fair early general elections. Despite bad weather, thousands of demonstrators gathered around 6:30 p.m. local time in front of the main government building at Tirana's Martyrs of the Nation Boulevard. For around two hours, the opposition supporters marched to five institutions, the prime minister's building, the general state police headquarter, the Parliament, the Interior Ministry and ended their march at Tirana Police Directorate, where 50 demonstrators were arrested after May 11 violent protest. Despite the calls for restraint, protesters hurled firebombs and Molotov bombs at the direction of police forces standing in front of Tirana Police Directorate, asking the police to free the arrested demonstrators. Earlier on Monday, foreign representative offices in Albania, European Union (EU) delegation, EU lawmakers, leaders of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) called on Albania's centre-right opposition parties to restrain from violence during their anti-government rallies. They urged political parties to have dialogue and organize peaceful protests. "The right to protest is an essential ingredient of the healthy democracy, but protest must be peaceful," reads the press statement from the British Embassy in Tirana. Members of European Parliament Knut Fleckenstein and Eduard Kukan, through an official letter to all Albanians, expressed their deep concerns over serious acts of violence in opposition protest and called on Albanians "to restrain from all forms of violence." "We, Members of the European Parliament from different political families, call on all participants to the protests announced for upcoming days in Tirana, to refrain from all forms of violence and to stay away from such violent events. We also call on all political leaders to show responsibility and restraint," reads the letter. In a press release, OSCE leaders also expressed concern regarding violent protests in Albania and called for utmost restraint and dialogue. Since mid-February, the opposition parties in Albania have launched a series of rallies. Opposition lawmakers have resigned from their seats in the parliament to put more pressure on the ruling Socialist Party. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 07:39:29|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close Visitors are seen on the Germany Day of Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, on May 13, 2019. The expo welcomes Germany Day on Monday. With a theme of "seeding the future," Germany's Pavilion presents how green initiatives and projects helped restore the environment after pollution, with pictures and videos highlighting the historic changes to Essen city, the Emscher River and the buffer zone of the inner-German border. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 07:50:38|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, May 13 (Xinhua) -- An art exhibition entitled "Panda and Its Friends" opened in Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic ties. "In 1972, First Lady Pat Nixon welcomed the first Giant Pandas to the United States. 'Panda diplomacy' between the United States and China is a lasting element of her legacy of goodwill and since 1972, millions of Americans have enjoyed coming face-to-face with these lovable creatures at zoos across the United States," Nixon Foundation President Bill Baribault told Xinhua Monday. Baribault welcomed more culture exchange events between the two countries to be held in the library, which is located in city of Yorba Linda, hometown of the 37th president of the United States, 60 kilometers east of Los Angeles downtown. "The Nixon Library is Southern California's center for robust programming and exhibitions on U.S.-China relations, a direct result of President and Mrs. Nixon's historic visit to China 47 years ago," he said. The art exhibition assembles 46 pieces of new style ink paintings of Chinese artist Zhong Liu, who is famous for integrating the western color skill and style into the traditional Chinese painting. "Dated back to 1972, President Nixon and his wife visited China with their sincerity, while our premier Zhou Enlai also sent them a pair of our pandas to the American people on behalf of the Chinese people," Liu said at the opening ceremony on Sunday. "The true hearts of both sides led us to today's 40 anniversary of the diplomatic relationship." Liu donated one of his artwork entitled "The Whole Family of Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing" to the Library. Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing were the two giant pandas given to the United States as gifts by the government of China following Nixon's visit in 1972. The two pandas, served as an important symbol of friendship between the two countries, resided at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and attracted millions of visitors each year before they passed away in 1992 and 1999. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 08:43:20|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close A fighter from forces of the UN-backed Libyan government runs from sniper fire during clashes with Libyan National Army (LNA) troops at the Salah Al-Din frontline in Tripoli, Libya, on May 13, 2019. According to the World Health Organization, the fighting has so far killed 454, injured 2,154 others, and displaced almost 60,000 civilians. (Xinhua/Amru Salahuddien) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 08:40:54|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close HIGHLANDS RANCH, the United States, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Prosecutors in U.S. state of Colorado have until Wednesday to file formal charges against two teenage suspects for murdering 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo and wounding eight others in a high school shooting last week. Just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, two teenagers, aged 18 and 16, walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch K-12 magnet school southeast of Denver and started firing, according to the police. Castillo, who sacrificed his life trying to save others, has become a symbol of tragedy and heroism, with local media coverage and thousands of social media postings across America extolling his honorable behavior. The shooting left the local community with many unanswered questions, while investigation is being carried out to find the motives of the two suspects. The judge overseeing the case decided on Friday to give prosecutors, led by veteran District Attorney George Brauchler, more time to finalize charges against the suspects. Brauchler already tagged the suspect of Castillo's slaying, 18-year-old Devon Erickson, with 30 charges last week - 1 count of suspicion of first-degree murder and 29 counts of attempted first-degree murder after deliberation. GRIEF Hundreds of students from the school of 1,800 students held their own rally after walking away from a school-sponsored vigil last week, calling it a "staged media event." "What this community needs right now is support for the trauma they have experienced," said gun control advocate Sandy Phillips. Phillips' 24-year-old daughter was one of 12 murdered in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting and she remembers well the shock and trauma felt by grieving friends and families. "It is not the time for branding and t-shirts or pro-gun groups or gun reform groups to be organizing these students," she told Xinhua on Monday. "What they need is trauma therapists on site to teach skill sets to help with the PTSD that will arise in both students and faculty," she said. Last week, Sandy and her husband Lonnie Phillips were hosted by CNN's Anderson Cooper in a discussion on ways to reduce gun deaths in America and other issues related to these tragedies. TOUGH CHOICE Brauchler became a national figure during the Aurora theater shooting trial and has been known for his no-nonsense approach toward murderers and pursuit of the death penalty. With liberal politicians running Colorado in 2019, the Senate Judiciary Committee in March voted 3-2 to abolish the death penalty, but it's not off the books yet. So Brauchler still has the option, with which he unsuccessfully tried against the Batman movie killer in 2015. Court insiders told Xinhua that Brauchler will likely charge both STEM suspects as adults, and may seek the death penalty on Devon Erickson. One driving force affecting Brauchler's decisions will be the motive for the heinous crime. Little was known about Erickson's accomplice. While court documents listed the younger suspect as Maya Elizabeth McKinney, he is known as Alec McKinney, and "identified as transgender and had been bullied for it," according to Denver's ABC television affiliate. "Bullying is very common, and with teenagers can have volatile repercussions," said Eleanora Brown, a woman's studies major at Prescott College in Arizona. "What makes this case unusual is that one of the chief antagonists is a woman who identifies herself as a man - it's usually boys using guns that cause these killings," Brown said. Twenty years and one month ago, two teenagers killed 12 students and a teacher and injured 21 others in a mass shooting at Columbine High School, located just over 11 km away in affluent Littleton, Colorado. This time, a lengthy trial awaits the two suspects, and more contentious dialogue will be heard regarding bullying, gun control, mental health, arming teachers, and even why more money was not allocated to the local sheriff's department for more law enforcement protection at the STEM school. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 08:40:56|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close WELLINGTON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Vodafone sealed a deal to sell its New Zealand company Vodafone NZ for 3.4 billion New Zealand dollars (2.24 billion U.S. dollars) to a consortium comprising Infratil and Canadian investment firm Brookfield Asset Management, announced Vodafone Group on Tuesday. It is indicated that the sale would reduce Vodafone's debt. Vodafone said the business would be allowed to continue to use the Vodafone brand and would have "preferential access" to Vodafone's networks overseas that would allow customers to roam on its network when travelling, under a partnership agreement. Nick Read, Chief Executive of Vodafone Group, said the transaction demonstrated as an important aspect of the company's strategy that is the active management of the company's portfolio and deleveraging. "We have always been proud of our Vodafone New Zealand business, which has a great team, and we look forward to a continued close relationship through our Partner Market agreement." Vodafone NZ boss Jason Paris said the deal would give customers "the best of both worlds". Infratil and Brookfield would each pay just over 1 billion New Zealand dollars in cash to Vodafone with the balance of the 3.4 billion dollars purchase price funded with Vodafone NZ debt and "a portion of equity reserved for the Vodafone NZ executive team". The deal, which is subject to approval by New Zealand Overseas Investment Office and the Commerce Commission, is expected to be completed by the end of August. Vodafone NZ is the largest mobile provider in New Zealand, with a 41 percent market share. Spark comes second with a 37 percent market share with its Skinny brand included. Vodafone Group is one of the worlds largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone Group has mobile operations in 25 countries, partners with mobile networks in 41 more, and fixed broadband operations in 19 markets. Infratil is an investment company listed on the NZX stock market where it has a market value of about 2.5 billion NZ dollars. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a global alternative asset management company with over 365 billion U.S. dolllars in assets under management. The company is co-listed on the New York, Toronto and Euronext stock exchanges. (1 NZ dollar equals to 0.66 U.S. dollar) More than 70 percent of South Koreans feel solving the country's economic problems outweighs reunification with North Korea, an annual survey suggests. The Korea Institute for National Unification polled 1,003 adults from April 5-25 and found that 70.5 percent felt their country's economic issues far outweigh reunification. Only 8.3 percent said reunification was more important. Some 60 percent were against their country swallowing losses in order to help North Korea overcome its economic crisis. "Reunification is no longer an absolute goal that most South Koreans feel must be achieved at all costs. We now need to convince each citizen why reunification is important," the institute said. Asked if it is necessary to form a single country just because the people of the two Koreas are the same ethnicity, 41.4 percent agreed, but 26.7 percent did not. The institute said traditional beliefs that ethnic unity necessitates reunification are no longer shared by all South Koreans, especially the younger generation. Meanwhile, 72.4 percent of South Koreans feel North Korea will not scrap its nuclear weapons, unchanged compared to last year, before inter-Korean dialogue began. Also, 65 percent think international sanctions against the North must continue. The institute said this is closely related to public skepticism of North Korea's willingness to scrap its nuclear weapons. When it comes to U.S. troops, 40 percent supported their continued presence on the peninsula, while 22 percent opposed it. With regard to humanitarian aid to the North, 45.5 percent said that it should continue, compared to 40.9 percent last year. The proportion who oppose remained about the same at 26.3 percent. Also, 51.4 percent feel it is necessary to continue negotiating with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. When it comes to the government's North Korea policies, only 42.3 percent approve, down from 69.5 percent last year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 09:26:07|Editor: Liu Video Player Close TOKYO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan logged a current account surplus for the 57th consecutive month in March, the government said in a report on Tuesday. According to the Finance Ministry, in the recording month, the current account surplus stood at 2.85 trillion yen (26.09 billion U.S. dollars). Reflecting returns made on investments abroad, the primary income booked a surplus of 2.06 trillion yen (18.85 billion U.S. dollars), the ministry also said in its preliminary report. Japan has been running a surplus in the current account, one of the widest gauges of international trade, helped by solid income from foreign investments. Japan's current account surplus is one of the broadest measures of its trade with the rest of the world. The data is keenly eyed by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Finance Ministry ahead of new potential policy changes or monetary easing or tapering measures. In Japan, the current account surplus increases the nation's net foreign assets by the corresponding amount, and a current account deficit does the opposite. Both the Japanese government's and private payments are included in the calculation and it is called the current account because goods and services are generally consumed in the current period. The Finance Ministry also said Tuesday that in fiscal 2018 ended in March, Japan booked a current account surplus of 19.41 trillion yen (177.67 billion U.S. dollars). Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 09:46:25|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Dan Ran BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- As the world is grappling with thorny issues ranging from climate change to terrorism, the upcoming Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations serves as a reminder that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations is the most effective way to promote the best in humanity. While the rapid pace of globalization brings about interaction and integration among peoples and countries, the multifaceted process is also fraught with challenges and divisions. Geopolitical tensions could lead to violent conflicts or even bloody wars; terrorism continues to cast a shadow over many parts of the world; craving for short-term interests tends to hinder cooperation; and new inequalities are emerging while the old ones remain. As noted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris in March, we are facing "four deficits" in global affairs, namely the governance deficit, trust deficit, peace deficit, and development deficit. Some people turn to the ill-defined "clash of civilizations" worldview for explanation of the current situation. However, that viewpoint is fundamentally flawed for its allegation that differences among civilizations are absolute and confrontations are inevitable. As former Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova once said, conflict begins where dialogue ceases. Rather than viewing interactions among civilizations through the fatalistic lens, we should embrace dialogues. Five years ago, in his keynote speech delivered at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, Xi laid out his vision of civilization that features diversity, equality and inclusiveness. "We need to encourage different civilizations to respect each other and live together in harmony while promoting their exchanges and mutual learning as a bridge of friendship among peoples, a driving force behind human society, and a strong bond for world peace," Xi said. That vision becomes even more valuable and relevant today when the world is searching not only solutions to crises but new opportunities for further development. History has proven time and again that civilizations maintain their vitality through exchanges and mutual learning. "In isolation, our ideas stay at one level... The opportunity to share ideas is always one in which you learn, and you'll say your ideas get better," said Mathew Trinca, director of the National Museum of Australia. In 1271, Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Polo embarked on his adventurous journey to the East. Less than two centuries later, Chinese navigator Zheng He set out for the expeditions to Western Seas. In Asia, Chinese monk Xuanzang's pilgrimage to the west for Buddhist scriptures over 1,300 years ago left behind a profound legacy of exchanges between two ancient civilizations in China and India. During that same era, the Japanese Kentoshi missions to China's Tang Dynasty had energized Japan's encounter with continental culture. Throughout history, such engagements, whether by taking perilous journeys across continents and oceans, or by a simple click on social media pages today, have greatly driven human progress. People of different backgrounds should also rise to the current global challenges by reaching out to and joining efforts with each other. And that is why the upcoming gathering in Beijing is timely and significant. Today's Asia is not only home to some of the world's oldest civilizations, but also countries with the richest cultural diversities. By renewing the commitment to exchanges and mutual learning, Asian civilizations are ready to make their contribution to the pursuit for a better future for mankind. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 10:06:43|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close SYDNEY, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Sydney Harbour Bridge was the scene of a daring protest on Tuesday morning, with a number of abseilers dangling from the iconic structure to demand action on climate change. At dawn, three protestors lowered themselves from a public walkway where they unfurled red flags and banners with the slogans, "100% renewables" and "make coal history." The trio were removed and arrested along with 10 others also involved in the protest which has been linked with environmental group Greenpeace. "Climate damage is happening right now -- Australia is facing a climate emergency right now," Greenpeace Australia Pacific chief executive David Ritter said in a statement. "Our political leaders must listen to those already affected by climate disaster and act." During the protest traffic on the bridge continued to flow, while teams from the New South Wales Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command and PolAir worked to resolve the situation. Greenpeace has been involved in a number of similar actions in the past, including the unfurling of a banner demanding climate action on nearby icon, the Sydney Opera House, in 2009. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 10:37:02|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close HAVANA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Facing growing hostility from the United States, the Cuban government on Monday reaffirmed its support to foreign companies operating businesses and investments on the island. Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca, said in his Twitter account that Havana will continue to defend foreign investments for the national development. Cuba will defend its sovereignty and support foreign companies with business here, under our new Constitution and laws, said Malmierca. Washington recently activated Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, amid moves to tighten sanctions against Havana. The Title III of the Helms-Burton Act allows for lawsuits to be filed in U.S. courts against companies operating on property that the Cuban government seized after the year 1959. It had been suspended by every U.S. president since 1996. The Cuban government has reiterated on several occasions that foreign companies have total legal security, under the protection of the Law 118 of Foreign Investment which defends mutually advantageous investments. Dozens of economies including the European Union have expressed their opposition to the U.S. move, say it runs contrary to international law and penalize trade and investments from other countries with Cuba. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 10:47:15|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Xing Yun, a former senior legislator of northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was arrested for suspected bribe taking, according to a decision by the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). Xing was a former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Inner Mongolia and former deputy secretary of the leading Party members group of the Standing Committee. His case was transferred to procurators for prosecution after an investigation against him by the National Supervisory Commission concluded, the SPP said in a Tuesday statement. The handling of the case is still underway, according to the SPP. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 10:47:19|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Qian Yin'an, a senior official in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, was arrested for suspected bribe taking, according to a decision by the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). Qian was a former member of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). His case was transferred to procurators for prosecution after an investigation against him by the National Supervisory Commission concluded, the SPP said in a Tuesday statement. The handling of the case is still underway, according to the SPP. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 11:12:39|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) called for a rapid, sustained break in the clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli to allow unimpeded evacuation of the wounded and sick, and the relocation of migrants and refugees, a UN spokesman said on Monday. "The UN continues to be extremely concerned about the mounting impact of the fighting on civilians in and around Tripoli," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. More than 2,000 people have been injured and hundreds killed since early April when the fighting erupted between the UN-backed Libyan government and the east-based army in and around Tripoli. The number of causalities increased due to the latest round of fighting over the weekend, while no specific information regarding the clash has been updated. According to Haq, among those trapped in frontline areas are approximately 3,200 refugees and migrants in detention centers, whose access to food, water and healthcare is severely restricted as a result of the conflict. "Our colleagues on the ground say the humanitarian impact of clashes in and around Tripoli continues to deepen," he said. "It is high time now to return to the negotiating table." According to the UN Migration Agency, nearly 67,000 people have now been driven out of their homes, while about 100,000 more people are thought to remain in frontline areas. The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government National Accord is based. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 11:22:43|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close by Ndalimpinga Iita WINDHOEK, May 13 (Xinhua) -- When there is a prolonged dry spell, the sea of withered amber crops becomes a common sight in the northern part of Namibia. Every day before the sun was up, Liina Mupopya from Oshana region in northern Namibia came to observe her pearl millet field. However, the sight of withered crops disheartened her. "The rain is delayed and some crops become withered. Some have not even germinated," said Mupoya. Namibia had been experiencing droughts since 2013, affecting about 60 percent of the households dependent on crop farming and agriculture. The current dry spell was particularly severe. According to Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, the 2018-19 rainfall season was fraught with unprecedented rainfall patterns, with crop-producing regions expecting a poor and below average crop production. The ministry said recently that Namibia could expect a reduction in harvest of at least 53 percent from last season's harvest. For Mupopya, the dilemma was how to sustain her household. "(I would expect) No yields to harvest this year. I have a big family, mainly counting on the farm production for sustenance and income. How can I cover other expenditures like medical expenses?" said Mupopya. The challenges facing Mupopya were prevalent in other regions across the country. In the northeast part of Zambezi region, Charles Likezo, headman of Silonga village, said the area had barely received any rain during the current season, leading to a massive reduction in yields and investment made towards farming. "We spent much money at the start of the farming season on labor and other efforts," he said. According to him, villagers spent an average of 350 Namibian dollars (24 U.S. dollars) plowing fields and gave a further 200 Namibian dollars (14 U.S. dollars) each to people who helped with weeding the fields. "This was very costly because a farmer plows an average of three to ix hectares of land, and in addition hires more than five people to help with the weeding, but all in vain," said Likezo. Livestock production, which is dependent on the crop production, was also affected. "Our livestock will die because of lack of grazing," said Likezo. "Now the cattle feed on tree leaves, which is not sustainable." Mwilima Mushokobanji, executive director of Namibia National Farmers Union, said that the country's persistent drought patterns had affected the production capacity of the agricultural sector and the socio-economic standing of the farmers. On May 6, Namibian president Hage Geingob declared a state of emergency. The government then announced a package of about 573 million Namibian dollars (40 million U.S. dollars) for drought relief. Mushokobanji welcomed the government's decision to provide drought relief and fodder for livestock farmers. But to solve the drought issue in the long term, he urged key stakeholders to come up with a feasible disaster risk management strategy, which will enable farmers to withstand the effects of adverse climate change. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 11:37:50|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close CANBERRA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- With four days to go until Australia's general election, the incumbent prime minister are seeking the support of independent candidates in the case of a hung Parliament. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the leader of the governing Liberal- National party coalition (LNP), on Tuesday confirmed that he has asked independent candidates if they will support him if the election is close. According to opinion polls, the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) will win power on Saturday with a slim majority of seats in the lower house of the Australian Parliament, the House of Representatives. However, if neither the ALP nor the LNP wins a majority of the 151 seats, they can form a minority government with the support of independents and smaller parties, as Labor did to form a government in 2010. "Those who are running as independents in their electorates would need to answer," Morrison told reporters on Tuesday. "This is going to be a very close election." As a result of by-election defeats, the LNP currently holds only 74 out of 151 seats in the House of Representatives. Mathias Cormann, the minister for finance, said on Tuesday that Australians deserve to known how independent candidates intend to vote in Parliament. With both parties having announced their major policies if they win on Saturday, the leaders will use the last week of the election campaign to target marginal seats where the election will be won and lost. Morrison spent Tuesday morning defending his plan to lower the required deposit for first home buyers to five percent, saying that it would stabilize Australia's fledgling property market. ALP leader Bill Shorten on Tuesday promised that he would take action on increasing the minimum wage if he wins the election. "If Australians decide against six more years of cuts and chaos from a Morrison government and vote for change, a Shorten Labor government will not delay the pay rise that Australian workers deserve," Shorten and ALP employment spokesperson Brendan O'Connor said in a statement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 11:42:52|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close YANGON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- An international workshop of ASEAN-Russia Joint Project on developing large-scale soil-geographic databases is underway in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation on Tuesday. The third event of its kind, which began on Monday, will last for five days until Friday. Experts from Russia, Thailand and Myanmar attended the event, with participants discussing and exchanging news and information on soil geographic, putting in basic information on soil in databases, prevention of soil deterioration and maintenance of soil resources. Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr. Aung Thu said the Myanmar side is cooperating with its soil development partners in five sectors, including soil management, development of knowledge, research, information and databases, while emphasizing the important role of soil in greening the natural environment and the production of nutritious food. He said that due to a rising population and climate change, the world is facing the problems of increased need to produce more food and the deterioration of soil, calling on regional and international experts to cooperate and seek ways to overcome the problems. The first international workshop on soil-geographic databases was held in Moscow in May 2018, while the second was in Bangkok in December the same year. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon has proposed relocating Seoul National University Hospital from Yeongeon-dong to Chang-dong in northern Seoul. The proposal involves moving the prestigious hospital to the site of the depot of Seoul Metro when it is vacated in 2024. Park wants to turn the area into a hub for biotechnology and medical research. In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo, Park said, "I proposed the idea to SNU to build the world's best and largest medical hub there. I met with SNU President Oh Se-jung last month and explained this plan. It seemed like he was considering it positively." The site measures 179,578 sq.m., which is nearly twice as big as the current site of SNU Hospital. "I will lease them the land at a low price for as long as they want, whether it be 50 or 100 years," Park said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 11:58:01|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close SYDNEY, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A man faced court on Tuesday, charged with importing 450,000 U.S. dollars worth of cocaine into Australia, hidden inside children's books. Australian Border Force officers intercepted two shipments of the drug which arrived in Sydney earlier this month, with a combined weight of 1.72 kgs. In an attempt to avoid suspicion, the drugs were concealed inside the covers of several books for young children. New South Wales Police investigated the matter, leading to the arrest of a 31-year-old individual at a Sydney suburb. Police searched a nearby property, seizing electronic items and documents, as well as a small amount of cannabis. The man has been charged with import commercial quantity of border-controlled drug and issued with two cannabis cautions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 12:08:05|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close NEW DELHI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in New Delhi late Monday night, and is slated to meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday, official sources said. This is Zarif's second visit to India in 2019. Earlier, he visited from Jan. 7-9 and met the Indian leadership. The two ministers' meeting on Tuesday assumes significance in the wake of the ongoing spat between Iran and the United States, with the latter imposing sanctions on Iranian oil exports. A couple of weeks ago, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington will no longer grant sanctions exemption to Iran's oil customers. The end of the waiver means India cannot import oil from Iran, or else its state-owned or private entities will face U.S. sanctions. During his interaction with Sushma Swaraj, Zarif is expected to "explain" Iran's stand on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, popularly known as "The Iran Nuclear Deal" which is an agreement on Iran's nuclear program reached in July 2015 by Iran, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States -- plus Germany), and the European Union. A year ago, the U.S. withdrew from the deal, with Trump giving all countries six months time (till November 2018) to bring down oil imports from Iran to zero. However, in November, Washington gave a six-month waiver to eight countries, including India, to bring down oil imports to zero. The six months waiver period ended on May 1. India is Iran's second biggest oil buyer. Iranian oil meets about 10 percent of India's total needs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 12:23:08|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close SYDNEY, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A young girl in the rural Australian town of Bendigo has made the find of a lifetime, stumbling upon a gold nugget estimated to be worth over 25,000 U.S. dollars. The girl was walking with her father, sister and appropriately named dog, Lucky, when she literally stumbled upon the find, the Bendigo Advertiser reported on Monday "I actually walked right past it but my daughter pretty much kicked it as she was walking, the girl's father told the newspaper. She then goes, Dad, is this gold? I said, I think it might be." Expert assessment proved the nugget to be the real deal, and with a weight of 624 grams or around 20 ounces, it's valued at over 25,000 U.S. dollars. "To sell it as a nugget whole, it's probably worth a little bit more than that," the father said. "We've come on some tough times so it's really good because we've been struggling financially. It couldn't be better timing really." Bendigo was one of the major sites at the center of Australias mid-19th century gold rush which brought people from all over the world, to seek their fortunes. The girls father, who says he has done some amateur prospecting in the past, plans to return to the site to see if the family can push their luck even further. "Usually when you find a nugget that big, there will be more gold around so hopefully that's the case." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 12:43:12|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close RENNINGEN, Germany, May 14 (Xinhua) -- German engineering and technology company Bosch Group is heartened by its business growth potential in China and will keep investing in the Chinese market with a long-term view, the giant's chief executive has said. "Bosch in China is really a success story. In last five years, we nearly tripled our sales volume to more than 40 billion euros (about 44.9 billion U.S. dollars)," Volkmar Denner, chief executive officer (CEO) of Bosch Group, told Xinhua here in a recent interview. He pointed out that the company's potential in China lies in all of the multinational giant's business segments, especially in mobility solutions that make driving smarter. The head of the industrial giant said he is upbeat about China's economic performance in the long run, and that Bosch will further benefit from higher-quality growth in China. In his view, the transition of China's economic growth strategy into a more sustainable, innovative, and high-quality development is in favor of technology companies like Bosch. "So for us, this is a big advantage in (the) long term," said Denner. "Bosch is well-prepared by innovation technology to serve this market ... We think Bosch has (a) very good opportunity to serve the need of the upgrade of manufacturing capabilities in China," he added. Moreover, Bosch welcomes China's continued commitment to reform and opening-up, as well as to enhancing support to foreign investors. In March, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of its plant expansion in western Chinese city of Xi'an. Bosch's wholly owned subsidiary Bosch Rexroth invested around 60 million euros (about 67.4 million dollars) in the new center of factory automation in Asia. "(The) Chinese government is encouraging foreign investors to invest in the country. That is positive for companies like Bosch," Denner said that apart from Xi'an, Bosch also continues to invest in its plants in eastern Chinese cities of Wuhu and Nanjing. "China is the second largest market for Bosch after Germany -- very important for Bosch in all our business operations. Therefore, the capacity expansion will lead to a further growth of our business in China," Denner said. The CEO underlined that the high investment rate in China is related not only to manufacturing activities, but to local high-quality innovation. Denner said he was impressed that Bosch's plant in southern Chinese city of Wuxi, which produces automotive diesel systems, was recognized by World Economic Forum as one of the best "factories of the future" in the world. Founded in Stuttgart in 1886, Bosch Group has generated sales of 78.5 billion euros (88.17 billion dollars) in 2018 with roughly 410,000 employees worldwide, among whom around 60,000 are in China. With its long-term commitment to the Asian emerging market, Bosch marks the 110th anniversary of its presence in China this year, said Denner. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:03:20|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close SAO PAULO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Latin America and China have achieved an "interesting marriage" for development as countries in the region need infrastructure and Chinese companies seek to internationalize themselves, Brazilian economist Celio Hiratuka said on Monday. Latin American countries can benefit specially from the important projects within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, said Hiratuka, a researcher at the Brazil-China group of the University of Campinas (Unicamp), in the state of Sao Paulo. "Latin America lacks the infrastructure and China wants to internationalize its infrastructure companies. That allows an interesting marriage," the expert said in an interview with Xinhua. Hiratuka said that this impels Latin America to "draw up a strategy to obtain the best benefits of its relationship with China." The expert said that the China "does not seek to compete with the United States nor anyone else" in Latin America. "China has a wide internationalization strategy in important sectors and does not seek to compete, but to strengthen the relationship with its partners," he said. Unicamp launched the Center for China Studies on May 10 in a joint program with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "This center allows us to overcome the barriers and opens up a greater understanding among Chinese and Brazilians. We have to know our main partner better," Hiratuka said. "Brazil is and will continue being the main supplier of our region to China, but it will have to diversify its export agenda," he said. "The bilateral relationship is very important in that sense. China has become an innovative country and a technological global leader," Hiratuka said, adding that Brazil expects to benefit in this aspect and to improve its science and technology. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:08:22|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close CARACAS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on Monday that "very important advances" have been achieved to recover the country's electrical system after massive blackouts hit the country in early March. "We've made a positive evaluation of the advances (and) what this plan has signified for the first 30 days", Rodriguez said, referring to an initial 30-day recovery plan. The vice president also accused the country's opposition of being behind the outages. "The attack (against the electric system) was criminal, ruthless, aimed at destroying the generation and transmission system," she said. She also noted that the electric workers have been at "the forefront" of efforts to restore the National Electric System. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:08:24|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The China Academy of Engineering (CAE) inked a framework agreement with northeast China's Jilin Province to strengthen cooperation on scientific and technological innovation, the provincial government said Tuesday. The partnership will see the development of a new research institute in Jilin, which aims at making breakthroughs on key technologies. According to the agreement, Jilin will team up with CAE to promote digitalization and transformation of traditional industries to find new growth engines, building a platform for innovation and a high-end think tank. Li Xiaohong, president of CAE, said the academy will have in-depth cooperation with Jilin in various areas, such as strategy consulting, talent training, and key industry cultivation. Rich in scientific research and educational resources, Jilin has more than 50 research institutions and well-known colleges, which have yielded many high-tech achievements, including commercial high-resolution remote sensing satellites, the Fuxing bullet trains, and recombinant human insulin. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:23:30|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Miao Ruilin, former vice governor of east China's Jiangsu Province, has been formally arrested for taking bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said Tuesday. The Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) announced in November last year that Miao was under investigation. He was expelled from the Party and dismissed from office for multiple violations on April 28. The NSC has completed the investigation into his case and handed it over to prosecuting agencies, the statement said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:23:34|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close SEOUL, May 14 (Xinhua) -- More than half of South Korean people called for the government's pursuit of dialogue and compromise with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), topping 50 percent for the first time, the state-run think tank survey showed Tuesday. According to the state-run Korean Institute for National Unification (KINU) survey, 51.4 percent of respondents said the South Korean government should seek dialogue and compromise with the DPRK. It surpassed 50 percent for the first time since the state-run institute began asking that question in the annual poll in 2016. The result was based on a poll of 1,003 adults aged 19 or higher, conducted from April 5 to April 25. It had plus or minus 3.1 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level. Almost half of the respondents agreed to the thought that the DPRK wanted peace rather than confrontation with South Korea, while 40 percent maintained a neutral stance, the survey showed. Nearly two thirds of the respondents said South Korea should maintain economic cooperation and exchanges with the DPRK even if political and military confrontations continue. Those who positively see the resumption of two key inter-Korean economic cooperation projects, including the joint factory park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong and South Koreans' tour to the DPRK's scenic Mount Kumgang resort, reached 60 percent and 62.7 percent respectively. The Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang tour have been suspended since 2016 and 2008 separately. Support for South Korea's humanitarian aid to the DPRK stood at 45.4 percent this year, up 4.6 percentage points from the previous year. The negative response to it was nearly unchanged at 26.3 percent. Support for the reunification of the two Koreas declined to 65.6 percent this year from 70.7 percent a year earlier. In 2018 alone, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un met three times for summit talks, boosting hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula. The hope was weakened more or less after the second summit between the DPRK leader and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement in February at the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:38:39|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A top U.S. defense official had presented an updated military plan which envisions sending up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or speed up work on nuclear weapons, The New York Times reported on Monday. The updated plan, presented by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, was ordered by hardliners led by National Security Adviser John Bolton, reported the paper, citing anonymous sources. The plan does not call for a land invasion of Iran, according to the report. Over the recent weeks, Washington has ratcheted up pressure against Tehran with a series of sanctions, designations and military threats. Shanahan agreed to send an amphibious transport dock and air defense system to the Middle East, Pentagon said in a statement on Friday. This deployment came days after the White House announcement of sending the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group and bombers to the region. In response, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani last week announced Tehran's withdrawal from complying with the restrictions of the Iran nuclear deal on the country's enriched uranium reserves and heavy water supplies. The United States, under President Donald Trump, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, which was endorsed by the United Nations Security and reached in 2015. William Campbell-Corbis via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, the 22nd Democratic presidential hopeful, announced his decision Tuesday morning to join the vast field of 2020 candidates vying for voters' attention. And he claims he'll fill a role no one else does. He is the only Democratic candidate who was on the ballot alongside then-candidate Donald Trump and won. In other words, though Montana voted handily to elect President Donald Trump in 2016, it also voted for a Democratic governor, Bullock. "As a Democratic governor in a state Trump won by 20 points, I don't have the luxury of only talking to people who agree with me," Bullock said in his announcement video posted Tuesday morning. "I go all across our state's 147 thousand square miles and look for common ground to get things done." In fact, all three of Bullock's statewide election victories took place during a presidential election where Montana voters turned out in support for the top Republican nominee on the ticket. Bullock is not the only candidate, however, who hails from a state that voted for Trump. Of the major candidates, there are several who check that box: Mayor Pete Buttigieg is from Indiana; Rep. Tim Ryan is from Ohio; and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke and former Obama cabinet official Julian Castro are from Texas. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, though her state narrowly voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, is also part of that conversation because of her ability to win counties that went to Trump. So how will Bullock set himself apart? A key focus on Bullock's campaign will be on his successful record as a Democrat in a largely Republican state -- including expanding Medicaid to adults making less than around $17,000 a year, which dramatically reduced Montana's uninsured rate, and support for abortion rights in an era when many Republican states are moving forward with restrictive laws. But a key focus of Bullock's announcement video was on his fight to upset the hold of "dark money" on politics. "Today we see evidence of a corrupt system all across America -- a government that serves campaign money, not the people," Bullock said in his announcement video. That, too, might sound familiar. Both Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have championed anti-corruption platforms. But Bullock, who is quicker to mention his bipartisan work across Montana than he is to align with the progressive tilt of the Democratic Party, has a unique connection that dates back to a case he argued before the Supreme Court -- one that spurred his bid for the governor's mansion. As attorney general for Montana at the time Citizens United v. FEC was decided, Bullock fought to uphold the state's age-old laws, which were established in 1912 to protect local politics from the money coming in from the state's copper boom. It was the only state not to change its laws to align with the Citizens United decision in 2010. Bullock eventually lost that fight in the Supreme Court, but soon after decided to run for the governor's seat. During his first term, his administration introduced some of the strictest campaign finance laws in the nation. "I believe in an America where every child has a fair shot to do better than their parents. But we all know that that kind of opportunity no longer exists for most people and for far too many, it never has," Bullock said in his announcement video Tuesday. "That's why we need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice -- so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone," the governor said. The governor will launch his campaign with a speech at his alma mater, Helena High School, in Helena, Montana on Monday afternoon before kicking off a three-day tour through Iowa. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. President Moon Jae-in met with World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley on Monday to discuss food donations to North Korea. Beasley, who is in Seoul for a forum organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, also met with Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. The U.S. government had made it clear it will not intervene if South Korea sends food aid to the North. But North Korea has just carried out several missile tests again, so the South Korean government's haste has raised some eyebrows. "Beasley talked about recent WFP reports on the food shortage in North Korea, and expressed concerns about seriously low food rations there," Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. "He stressed the importance of emergency humanitarian aid to the vulnerable people of North Korea, and President Moon agreed." In his meetings with Kang and Kim, Beasley asked for the government's participation in aid programs for vulnerable groups in North Korea including infants, toddlers, and pregnant women, highlighting the need to separate the political and humanitarian agenda. They reportedly discussed the timing and scale of aid as well. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 13:43:41|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close LONDON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The dance "Rite of Spring" directed by well-known Chinese dancer Yang Liping has ended its three-day European premiere here, and was widely acclaimed by audiences and experts for its performance and creativity. "Rite of Spring" is a classic of Russian musician Igor Stravinsky, which depicts the rituals of Russia's indigenous tribes to celebrate spring and shows the essence of original expressionism. Over the past 100 years, artists around the world have performed hundreds of versions of the masterpiece. Performed at the Sadler's Wells Theater on May 9-11, Yang's version, an integration of Chinese and Western cultures, injected her unique dance expressions -- using a large number of oriental images, and strove to interpret the western classic music with oriental philosophy and aesthetics. She blended Chinese folk dances with contemporary choreography, and took inspiration from Chinese symbols of nature. The piece used Stravinsky's original music and a specially created new score, inspired by traditional Chinese music. "Rite of Spring" is Yang's second contemporary dance piece following the success of her previous work "Under Siege," which won widespread critical acclaim at its European premiere in London in 2016. Millicent Hodson, a choreographer and former producer of "Rite of Spring," told Xinhua that she was impressed that Yang was not afraid to keep the dancers actually not moving for periods of time. "I felt she was very courageous to balance the integrity of the two cultures and let them stand side by side ... and let us experience them," Hodson said. Hodson said Yang has "broken a new ground" in terms of the openness of the body in space. "I saw the performance and the reaction of the public, and they seemed very enthusiastic," she added. David Jays, an editor of Dance Gazette magazine, said in his report that Yang is the latest in a long line of dance artists to harness the elemental surge of Stravinsky's masterpiece from 1913. "Yang Liping's new production creates a distinctively Chinese Rite of Spring," he wrote. Donald Hutera, a dance journalist and editor, said in his review published Monday on The Times that Yang's play is closely tied to Buddhist and Tibetan philosophies, symbolism and Asian aesthetics, which is ambitious and avowedly spiritual, while her choreography has rhythm and pulse thanks to the music. The creative producer of the play, Farooq Chaudhry, said "We had fantastic reviews ... from the newspapers and a lot of people were very excited by what they saw, because Yang brings something new to the European audience and Western audience." He added that Yang is "an icon" and her success would inspire more Chinese dancers to come to the stage in the world. Yang's "Rite of Spring" is scheduled to be presented at the Edinburgh International Festival 2019 on August 22-24 and is expected to tour around the world afterwards. "Yang's dance expressions are unique, and good works need more international promotion. The success of 'Rite of Spring' in the U.K. (United Kingdom) is the best proof of it," Chaudhry said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 14:08:51|Editor: ZX Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Optimism about the Chinese economy is shared by both private sector and international financial institutions in the United States, which gave a vote of confidence by their words and actions. INCREASING INVESTMENT IN CHINA U.S. venture capitalists increased their investment in Chinese start-ups last year, with the venture capital (VC) flows between the United States and China hitting an estimated 22 U.S. billion dollars, according to a report released last week by the U.S.-China Investment Project, which is led by the Rhodium Group and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR). The rise of VC investments was mostly driven by U.S.-owned firms, which poured a record 19 billion dollars into Chinese start-ups in 2018, roughly doubling the previous record of 9.4 billion dollars in 2017, the report said. "The high volume of flows in 2018 sends a clear signal that the commercial appetite for cross-border investment between our countries remains strong," NCUSCR President Stephen Orlins wrote in a foreword to the report. "In China, American investors continued to utilize minority VC investments in 2018 to gain exposure to sectors" including digital payments, internet startups and other digital content, it said. As far as U.S. foreign direct investment in China is concerned, the report said researchers have a "positive" near-term outlook for that. "It should be noted that portfolio investment provides a new bright spot in the two-way investment relationship," Orlins said. "QUITE OPTIMISTIC" ABOUT CHINA'S GROWTH Charlie Munger, vice chairman of U.S. multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc., said in an interview that he is "quite optimistic" about the Chinese economy. Berkshire CEO Warren Buffett's business partner, Munger told Yahoo Finance that China has been "succeeding for a long time." Munger said that China has "one of the greatest success records in the history of mankind," and what China has achieved economically is beyond his prediction. "In the whole history of the world, no nation that big has ever advanced that fast," Munger said. "We just have to make sure that competition (between the United States and China) doesn't get us to a point where we don't realize that the best world is one in which both the United States and China prosper," Buffett said in an earlier interview with Yahoo Finance. Asked whether Berkshire Hathaway, the multinational conglomerate of which Buffett is chairman and CEO, would "ever make a big acquisition in China," Buffett said "the answer is we would." HIGHER EXPECTATION In an exclusive interview with Xinhua in April, Gita Gopinath, chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), praised what the Chinese government has been doing to pivot away from high-speed growth to high-quality growth, noting that such a shift would require moving away from credit-driven, investment-driven growth toward more consumption-driven growth. China has used a combination of monetary policy tools and fiscal stimulus, Gopinath said. The interview with Gopinath was conducted on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, during which the IMF released its new World Economic Outlook (WEO) report. The WEO revised up the 2019 growth projection for China to 6.3 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from its previous estimation in January. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 14:08:52|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- From voice assistant to face recognition; from defeating master players in Go to crushing professional gamers in strategy game StarCraft; the world has witnessed exciting progress in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI is applied to higher-stake functions - like self-driving cars, automated surgical assistants, hedge fund management and power grid controls - how can we ensure it's trustworthy? China's prestigious Tsinghua University has announced it will step up basic research on third-generation AI, in the hope of building trust and preventing abuse and malicious behavior of AI models. Zhang Bo, director of the Tsinghua Institute for Artificial Intelligence and academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, unveiled the plan at the opening of Center for Fundamental Theories under the Institute for Artificial Intelligence on Monday. Tsinghua researchers have been talking about the future of AI since 2014 and expect it to enter the third stage of its development in coming years, said Zhang. The first-generation AI was driven by the knowledge that researchers themselves possessed and they tried to provide the AI model with clear logical rules. These systems were capable of solving well-defined problems, but incapable of learning. In the second-generation, AI started to learn. Machines learn by training a system on a data set and then testing it on another set. The system eventually becomes more precise and efficient. Zhang said the weakness of the second-generation lies in its explainability and robustness. AI robustness refers to an acceptably high performance even in worst-case scenarios. Although AI has already outperformed humans in certain areas like image recognition, nobody understands why these systems are doing so well. Machine learning and deep learning, the most common AI branches of recent years, suffer from the so-called "AI black box". People find it hard to interpret the AI-based decisions and cannot predict when the AI model will fail and how it will fail. Meanwhile, even accurate AI models can be vulnerable to "adversarial attacks" in which subtle differences are introduced to input data to manipulate AI "reasoning". For instance, an AI system might mistake a sloth for a racing car if some unnoticeable changes are made to a photo of sloth. Researchers therefore need to improve and verify the robustness of AI models, leaving no room for adversarial examples or even attacks to manipulate results. If AI technologies are deployed in security-sensitive or safety-critical scenarios, the next-generation needs to be comprehensible and more robust, said Zhang. Zhu Jun, director of the new center, said it will carry out interdisciplinary studies and expects to attract talent from around the world, providing them with a relaxed academic environment. He said Tsinghua University plans to host a high-level and fully-open AI meeting every year. "If anything helps innovation, we'll give it a try," said Zhu. "It's hard to predict the progress of research on fundamental theories. It could be explosive and trail-blazing." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 14:29:00|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Levi J Parsons SYDNEY, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Feathers, sequins, sparkles and glitter adorned the catwalk at Fashion Week Australia on Tuesday, as iconic local designer Alice McCall showcased her latest collection in Sydney. Debuting her label at the event 15 years ago, McCall told Xinhua, "It's a great celebration for the brand." "It's special for me. It's really memorable, 15 years is real longevity." Worn by celebrities such as U.S. pop star Beyonce and British actress Emma Watson, the Aussie fashionista recently found yet another high-profile fan in New Zealand -- the country's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "Jacinta by choice has been wearing our product a little bit, and that is just absolutely wonderful," McCall said. "So we intend to get her some more products because she really is an amazing prime minister." Focused on "clothes to go out in, celebrate in and to have fun in," McCall explained that she tries to "not get too consumed with looking at the latest trends" in the fashion world. "I grew up with the most amazing dress up box that my mother had, she was a designer as well," she said. "So there's an element of fancy dress and celebrating (in my designs) but it's refined in the delivery." "Our brand really stands for celebrations, parties and events ... and then they become keepsakes, which is a really lovely thing." Also gaining inspiration from recent trips to China, the style icon said "I've just got back from Nanjing, which I loved very, very much." "We have some good suppliers there and I intend to get back there soon and continue to grow the business." "What's really wonderful is when I go into China, I can work in the pattern rooms and design rooms in my factories with wonderful craftsmen and pattern-makers and it allows my vision to become a reality quite quickly when I'm over there. So I really enjoy it." With a dedicated customer base both in Australia and China, McCall said, "I am really focused on Chinese growth. It's a market that I'd like to penetrate even more. And there's a lot of really exciting opportunities there," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 15:09:17|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SUVA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's Agriculture Ministry is undertaking an embryo implant program to help farms restock after cows were affected by brucellosis and tuberculosis outbreak. Fiji's Agriculture Minister Mahendra Reddy said on Tuesday that the embryo is for high yielding cattle which will weigh three times more than the normal breed currently in the island nation. He said the cattle will also be able to produce 25 liters of milk per day and improve the dairy industry in Fiji. In the first quarter of this year, about 351 cattle have been removed from Fiji dairy farms due to brucellosis and tuberculosis. Fiji also faces a shortage of milk supply due to the sick cattle breed. Fiji's dairy industry suffers from low productivity as milk yields are low and reproductive rates poor. There is a shortage of fresh milk in the local market, which is not met by local production because of the small volumes produced. All these contribute to low incomes for farmers and their families which the Fijian government is trying to address now. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 15:24:24|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close China's top political advisor Wang Yang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, meets with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Tuesday met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in Beijing. Wang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, called on the two sides to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, enhance practical cooperation within the framework of jointly building the Belt and Road, strengthen mutual learning of civilizations and exchange of development experience, and continue working together to lift China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership to new levels. Wang said China firmly supports the Sri Lankan government in maintaining national safety and stability, and stands ready to strengthen security cooperation with the Sri Lankan side to jointly address the threat of terrorism. Sirisena said Sri Lanka is willing to work with China to strengthen dialogue and exchange of civilizations, jointly advance the Belt and Road development, and continue to consolidate and deepen friendly cooperation in various fields. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 15:54:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Mongolia has donated 577,000 doses of measles vaccine, syringes and safety kits worth 500,000 U.S. dollars to Mongolia, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday. The doses would reach children aged 5-18 in Bayan-Ulgii, Zavkhan, Khovd, Uvs and Govi-Altai provinces in the west and Bayankhongor province in the southwest from May 15 to 25, Mongolian Health Minister Davaajantsan Sarangerel said in a statement, adding it would cover those aged 10-18 in other provinces and the capital city of Ulan Bator. Mongolia was declared free of measles by the World Health Organization in 2016. But the Asian country reported in March the first case of measles since then. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted by respiratory droplets and direct contact. The disease can be prevented by immunization. Common complications include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflamed eyes. There is no specific treatment for measles, and most people recover within two to three weeks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:04:47|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close The second shipment of medical aid from China arrived at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, Venezuela, May 13, 2019. The 71 tonnes of aid mainly consists of medicines and medical supplies. The first batch of medical assistance from China, made up of 65 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies, arrived in Venezuela in March. (Xinhua/Marcos Salgado) CARACAS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The second shipment of medical aid from China arrived in Venezuela on Monday at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas. The medical assistance represents the friendship of the Chinese people to the Venezuelan people, said Chinese Ambassador to Venezuela Li Baorong at the handover ceremony. The 71 tonnes of aid mainly consists of medicines and medical supplies. Li voiced the hope that this shipment of medical aid will help alleviate the impact of sanctions on the lives of the Venezuelan people. China believes that the Venezuelan people are capable of achieving peace and stable development, Li said, adding that China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability in Venezuela and provide support and assistance to the South American country within its capacity. Venezuelan Health Minister Carlos Alvarado expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for providing medical assistance to the Venezuelan people at the ceremony. The first batch of medical assistance from China, made up of 65 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies, arrived in Venezuela in March. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:09:57|Editor: Liu Video Player Close XI'AN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The 29th China National Book Expo will be held in Xi'an, capital of northwestern Shaanxi Province, from July 27 to 30, according to a press conference held in Xi'an Tuesday. Nearly 1,000 publishers from over 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities as well as Hong Kong and Macao will participate in the book fair, which also invites publishers from some Belt and Road countries. The book fair, jointly hosted by the National Press and Publication Administration and the local governments of Shaanxi and Xi'an, is expected to attract nearly 30,000 visitors and exhibitors. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:20:07|Editor: ZX Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The city cluster in Guangdong Province, an economic powerhouse in south China, has seen the rise of many urban wetlands, drawing large numbers of migratory birds and bird-loving citizens. The provincial forestry bureau said the number of wetland parks in the Pearl River Delta, which houses one of China's super city clusters, rose to 123 by the end of 2018 from just three in 2012. It means half of the province's wetland parks are now in this densely populated urban area, the bureau said. In China, wetlands are usually in the countryside or remote suburbs of cities. In early May, several cities in the province are the sites of foraging waterside birds that are taking a rest in local wetland parks before continuing their seasonal migration. In the Futian Mangrove Nature Reserve in Shenzhen, bird lovers can be seen training their cameras and telescopes on small waders meandering against the backdrop of high-rises. As China's only national nature reserve located in a city, Futian has polished Shenzhen's fame as a paradise for migratory birds in recent years, officials said. "Shenzhen has now become an important 'transit station' and 'gas station' for birds migrating on the Australia-Siberia route," said Wang Mengqi, deputy chief of the Futian administration for the nature reserve. Guangdong launched a campaign in 2013 to conserve and restore wetlands around cities, and the improved wetland ecosystem has been credited for purifying rivers, mitigating the urban heat island effect and enhancing the region's appeal to investors. The finance minister met with the head of the nationwide transportation labor union on Monday but failed to reach an agreement as city bus drivers are set to go on strike Wednesday. The reason for the planned strike is that their working week is about to be mandatorily shortened to 52 hours. The only solution the government has been able to come up with so far is to raise bus fares, though the ruling Minjoo Party on Monday proposed turning more city bus operators into semi-public entities that receive massive government subsidies. Yet the government has known for over a year that bus operators will have to shorten the working hours of drivers this July, and it has done nothing to forestall any strikes or cutting of routes. Now, city bus operators are demanding that the government foot the added cost of hiring more drivers, and bus drivers are threatening to go on strike unless the government makes up for their lost income. A mere W200 increase in the city bus fare would raise the monthly expenses of a four-member household by W480,000 (US$1=W1,188). Why should the public clean up the mess the government created? In another ill-thought-out move, the government also announced the selection of new satellite towns near Seoul, which has prompted residents of older new towns nearby to protest. They are fuming at the short-sightedness of officials who announced new dormitory towns that are closer to the capital than theirs when there is already an oversupply of housing, which will inevitably slash the value of their homes. Earlier, the Moon Jae-in administration drastically hiked the minimum wage by almost 30 percent over the last two years, putting many small businesses out of work or causing them to lay off workers. The government's solution to that mess was to earmark W6 trillion in taxpayers' money to subsidize them. It spent another W77 trillion to create temporary jobs for senior citizens and menial jobs for the low-income people to make the employment figures look less devastating. Then the government hastily declared a nuclear-free energy policy, which resulted in turning financially sound state utility KEPCO and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power into money-losing propositions. The solution, of course, will be to raise electricity fees or again tap into taxpayers' money. The government keeps turning to the taxpayer to pay for every mistake it makes. A government exists to solve problems and deal with difficulties citizens face, not to create more of them and then hand them the bill. But in Korea, the government is like a child that wants to be rewarded with a better toy for every one it breaks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:20:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan's surplus in the current account in fiscal 2018 decreased for the first time in five years, amounting to 19.41 trillion yen (177.31 billion U.S. dollars) compared to a year earlier, a government report said Tuesday. The Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report that the surplus in the current account, a wide gauge of international trade, logged a year-on-year decrease of 12.4 percent in the fiscal year that ended in March. The largest reason behind the drop in Japan's current account lies in the country's tumbling goods trade surplus which stood at 706.8 billion yen, down 84.4 percent due to slower growth in exports, according to the report. The drop in the current account surplus was also the result of higher oil prices. In March alone, the current account surplus stood at 2.85 trillion yen, according to the Finance Ministry. The world economic situation affected Japan's exports, which was reflected in the latest 10-percent drop in the current account surplus in March compared to a year earlier. Reflecting returns made on investments abroad, the primary income booked a surplus of 2.06 trillion yen, the ministry also said in its report. In the last fiscal year, exports amounted to 80.32 trillion yen, up 2.6 percent. However, the increase was down from 10.6 percent the previous year. Imports grew by 8.0 percent to reach 79.61 trillion yen, due to a rise in prices of commodities including crude oil and liquefied natural gas. The primary income account grew 3.9 percent from the previous year, logging a surplus of 21.07 trillion yen. Among other key components, the travel surplus increased 23.3 percent compared to a year earlier to reach 2.49 trillion yen as the number of foreign travelers to Japan hit a record 31.63 million in fiscal 2018. Japan's current account surplus is one of the broadest measure of its trade with the rest of the world. The data is keenly eyed by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Finance Ministry ahead of new potential policy changes or monetary easing or tapering measures. In Japan, the current account surplus increases the nation's net foreign assets by the corresponding amount, and a current account deficit does the opposite. Both the Japanese government's and private payments are included in the calculation and it is called the current account because goods and services are generally consumed in the current period. (1 U.S. dollar equals 109.7 Japanese yen) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:25:13|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of several officials Tuesday. Wang Xi was appointed vice minister of Science and Technology. Wang Aiwen was appointed vice minister of Civil Affairs. Han Zirong was named full-time vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Zhang Jianguo was removed from the posts of vice minister of Science and Technology and head of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:25:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SOCHI, Russia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed on Monday to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries. At a meeting here with Lavrov, Wang recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing last month. At their first meeting this year, the two leaders planned the direction in which bilateral ties will develop, and made a good start for jointly celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Wang said. Calling the China-Russia relations a rare bright spot in a chaotic world, Wang warned of the negative effects of unilateralism and defaming other countries. It is imperative for China and Russia, two responsible major countries, to strengthen strategic coordination in a changing and turbulent world to safeguard their rightful interests and join in international efforts to maintain global peace and stability, said Wang. Lavrov said Russia always deems relations with China as its first priority in diplomacy, which conforms to Russia's long-term interests. China is Russia's important and key partner in the international arena, said Lavrov, adding that Russia stands ready to strengthen strategic cooperation with China, jointly promote world stability and advance multi-polarization. Both sides agreed to make sound preparations for future meetings of the leaders and other important exchanges. Wang and Lavrov also exchanged views on global strategic stability, the UN issue, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the Venezuelan crisis, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Afghan issue. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:35:23|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SOCHI, Russia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China-Russia relations are increasingly mature, stable and resilient, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Monday after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. At a joint press conference following their talks, Wang said China and Russia have completed an extraordinary journey over the past 70 years of diplomatic relations, and the two neighbors have now pushed their partnership to the highest level in history. China-Russia relations have withstood various international and domestic challenges, Wang said. The comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries, which is built on strong political mutual trust and firm mutual support, has no intention of sowing discord with any third country, he said. No matter what changes occur in the world, China and Russia will deepen cooperation and strengthen their strategic partnership, Wang said. He said Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia next month, when Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will sum up seven decades of bilateral ties. The aim is to improve the quality of China-Russia relations and jointly usher in a new era of partnership featuring greater development at a higher level, Wang said. Trade between the two countries hit a record of over 100 billion U.S. dollars last year, Wang recalled. Wang said he and Lavrov agreed that acting unilaterally in the world and bullying are unpopular and doomed to fail. Defaming others with rumors or slapping sanctions to create pressure may work in the short term but will eventually fail. China and Russia are willing to work with other countries to firmly maintain the international system with the United Nations at its core, and resolutely preserve the international order with international law as its basis, he said. The two countries will firmly uphold multilateralism and seek a more open world economy, build a community with a shared future for humankind, and jointly tackle global challenges, Wang said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:40:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LONDON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese fashion designer and contemporary artist Xu Rui presented her latest project on Monday in London, one that expressed concern over climate change. Themed "The Dethroning of Divine Beasts -- A Sequel to the Classic of Mountains and Seas," the music and dance performance took the audience by storm. Drawn upon "The Classics of Mountains and Seas," the primary source of Chinese mythology from around the 3rd Century BC to the 2nd Century AD, Xu told the story of seven divine beasts residing in an ancient and legendary realm, such as Chenghuang and Nine-Tailed Fox. In the three-act performance, these once-exalted and powerful creatures, formed as both gods and beasts, are terrified to discover the loss of their magical powers after being transported to the mundane world of modern city life. The project aims to show how human activity impacts the natural world, calling on people to reflect and react. From Olafur Eliasson's centuries-old blocks of ice outside the Tate Modern gallery last year, to the mural at Marble Arch supporting the Extinction Rebellion protests in London, artists in London have been expressing growing concern to climate change. By combining fashion design, painting, choreography, dance and music, Xu told Xinhua that she wants to use her performance to visualize the delicacy of the divinity of nature and convey her attitude towards global climate change and environmental crisis. "I hope that my work will evoke a shared understanding of artistic beauty," said the London-based artist, adding that the project can remind the public to rethink their behaviors in order to "keep our biological nature a little bit longer." Inspired by the Dizang Studio Jade Collection exhibited at auction house Christie's, Xu invited seven prominent international dancers and choreographer Amy Grubb to present the project. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:55:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The British government on Monday imposed an export ban on a paperback copy of "Lady Chatterley's Lover," a once-scandalous book in British literature, to help keep it in Britain. The book, written by D.H. Lawrence, is the British writer's final novel before his death in 1930. It tells the story of an affair between a wealthy woman and her husband's gamekeeper, with explicit depictions of sexuality. The annotated copy of the book was used by the judge who presided over the famous 1960 obscenity trial of British publishing house Penguin Books. Penguin was prosecuted in 1960 for publishing the uncensored work to test the country's 1959 Obscene Publications Act, which was designed to protect works of literature while strengthening laws against pornography. Penguin was found not guilty in the trial, and the case was seen as a landmark in British cultural history, which indicated that potentially obscene works could be published if they were of literary merit or contributed to the public good. The copy used by judge Laurence Byrne in court contains annotations by his wife Dorothy with a list of page numbers with short content summaries. Later notes were made by the judge himself during the trial. Dorothy also sewed a blue-grey fabric bag for her husband to carry the book to and from court. The copy was then sold to an anonymous overseas bidder for around 73,350 U.S. dollars. The government's Monday decision provides a push to seek out a buyer to keep the copy in Britain. "The trial of 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' ... was a watershed moment in cultural history, when Victorian ideals were overtaken by a more modern attitude," British Arts Minister Michael Ellis said. "I hope that a buyer can be found to keep this important part of our nation's history in the UK," Ellis said. "The prosecution of Penguin Books for publishing 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' was one of the most important criminal trials of the 20th century. Judge Byrne's copy of the novel, annotated by him and his wife, may be the last surviving contemporary 'witness' who took part in the proceedings," said Hayden Phillips, chairman of the official reviewing committee which recommended the export ban. "It would be more than sad, it would be a misfortune, if this last surviving 'witness' left our shores," Phillips said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 16:55:48|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's southern Hau Giang province has been stricken by African swine fever (ASF), becoming the first locality in the country's Mekong Delta to be hit by the disease, local online newspaper VnExpress reported on Tuesday. A total of 68 pigs raised by two households in Vi Thuy district have been infected with ASF, and then culled, the newspaper quoted the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as saying. In Hau Giang, over 15,000 households currently raise pigs with a total pig population of some 160,000. Since the first ASF outbreak was detected in early February in northern Hung Yen province, the disease has so far spread to 29 localities nationwide, mostly in northern and central regions, according to the newspaper. ASF had occurred in 2,296 communes in 204 districts of 29 cities and provinces as of May 12 in Vietnam with more than 1.2 million pigs, or over 4 percent of the country's total pig population, being infected with the disease and culled, Vietnam News Agency on Monday quoted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as saying. ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild boars which can be spread by live or dead pigs and pork products, the World Organization for Animal Health said, noting that the ASF virus is harmless to human, but causes hemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost fatal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:01:00|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of Vietnam's credit institutions, a measurement of financial strength by using capital and risk-weighted assets, has inched up to 11.80 percent at the end of February from 11.57 percent in January, local newspaper Vietnam News reported Tuesday, citing the country's central bank. According to local experts, the rise was due to the increased equity of the credit institutions, of which the equity of private commercial banks posted the highest hike of nearly 2.02 trillion Vietnamese dong (87.8 million U.S. dollars) to more than 332 trillion Vietnamese dong (14.4 billion U.S. dollars). Despite the rise, the experts noted the CAR of domestic banks remained very low, especially in the group of state-owned commercial banks. The central bank has regulated that starting from January 2020, local banks will have to meet the CAR requirement of at least 8 percent. Total loans of Vietnam's banking system grew 14 percent in 2018, falling short of the 17-percent target. The central bank has set the 2019 credit growth target at about 14 percent. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) SOCHI, Russia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China-Russia relations are increasingly mature, stable and resilient, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Monday after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. At a joint press conference following their talks, Wang said China and Russia have completed an extraordinary journey over the past 70 years of diplomatic relations, and the two neighbors have now pushed their partnership to the highest level in history. China-Russia relations have withstood various international and domestic challenges, Wang said. The comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries, which is built on strong political mutual trust and firm mutual support, has no intention of sowing discord with any third country, he said. No matter what changes occur in the world, China and Russia will deepen cooperation and strengthen their strategic partnership, Wang said. He said Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia next month, when Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will sum up seven decades of bilateral ties. The aim is to improve the quality of China-Russia relations and jointly usher in a new era of partnership featuring greater development at a higher level, Wang said. Trade between the two countries hit a record of over 100 billion U.S. dollars last year, Wang recalled. Wang said he and Lavrov agreed that acting unilaterally in the world and bullying are unpopular and doomed to fail. Defaming others with rumors or slapping sanctions to create pressure may work in the short term but will eventually fail. China and Russia are willing to work with other countries to firmly maintain the international system with the United Nations at its core, and resolutely preserve the international order with international law as its basis, he said. The two countries will firmly uphold multilateralism and seek a more open world economy, build a community with a shared future for humankind, and jointly tackle global challenges, Wang said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:06:16|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BANGKOK, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Close relatives of leading cabinet ministers and many former members of the so-called Five Rivers have been named by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and approved by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn as senators. The Royal Gazette on Tuesday publicized a list of 250 senators, approved by the king on Saturday, including several who are close relatives of current cabinet ministers, namely Prayut's younger brother Preecha Chan-o-cha, who is also a former member of the National Legislative Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan's younger brother Sitthawat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam's younger brother Chalermchai Krea-ngam and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak's elder brother Som Jatusripitak. The 250 senators also include many who had been part of the Five Rivers, namely the National Council for Peace and Order, Prayut's cabinet, National Reform Council, Constitution Drafting Committee and NLA. Included among those appointed senators are 15 former ministers of the Prayut cabinet, such as former deputy prime ministers Prajin Juntong and Chatchai Sarikulya. Besides, current military and police chiefs have also been named and approved as senators including army chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong, navy chief Adm. Luechai Rutdit, air force chief ACM. Chaiyapruek Tishyasarin and police chief Pol. Gen. Chakthip Chaijinda. In addition, several members of the Senate Selection Committee, who have been concurrently members of the NCPO, have found themselves named and approved as senators as well, including Thanasak Patimaprakorn, Narong Pipatanasai, Adul Sangsingkeo and Prajin. "There hasn't been a massive change in U.S. force posture in the region. What there has been is a very significant change in messaging. And combined with that the U.S. is putting more and more pressure on Iran economically. So the question comes, how is Iran going to push back? How are they going to show the United States that if you keep pressing us, we can respond? And at that point, if they get that wrong, there is a risk of runaway escalation," Watling told VOA. Military analyst Jack Watling of the London-based Royal United Services Institute says the deployments are not unusual. The United States has deployed a naval strike group to the Middle East region, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. B-52 bombers have also arrived at the U.S. air base in Qatar, designed to counter what the Trump administration says are "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. forces. As tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, Europe has urged all sides to avoid further escalation. Europe believes that risk is dangerously high, a point made clear to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he arrived in Brussels for talks Monday with European Union Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini. "We are living in a crucial, delicate moment where the most relevant attitude to take -- the most responsible attitude to take -- is we believe should be that of maximum restraint and avoiding any escalation of the military side," Mogherini told reporters after the meeting. Washington pulled out of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran a year ago. Up to now, Europe has urged Tehran to stick with the deal and effectively wait out the Trump administration, says analyst Jack Watling. "What we've seen over the last week is the U.S. administration putting an awful lot of pressure on the viability of that policy. And in pushing the Iranians to the point where they have walked away from a key component of the deal, it essentially underscores the fact it might not be possible to continue in that direction. So, Europe will have to decide." Much depends on whether Tehran decides to block nuclear inspectors from entering the country to verify the enrichment freeze. "That would be very escalatory because Israel would suddenly feel quite threatened, and at that point the deal would be completely dead," adds Watling. Meanwhile, the United States continues to tighten the economic noose. India was a major importer of Iranian oil, but stopped purchases this month in the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions. Visiting Delhi Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was questioned on the U.S. military deployments in the Gulf region. "Unfortunately [the] United States has been escalating the situation unnecessarily. We do not seek escalation, but we have always defended ourselves," Zarif said. Analyst Watling says any conflict with Iran would quickly engulf the region. "It has to fight essentially a regional deep battle. Which means activating a lot of the assets they've developed potentially in Lebanon, in Iraq, and conducting ballistic missile strikes." Fear of such a conflict has rattled Europe, caught between the demands of its U.S. ally to abandon the nuclear deal and warnings from Tehran that such a move would lead to a resumption of its nuclear program. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:21:21|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed when clashes erupted in northwest Sri Lanka and the Gampaha District on the outskirts of capital Colombo on Monday, police said Tuesday. Police said security had been heightened across the island and a curfew was in place in the North Western province to prevent a further escalation of violence. Police added at least 13 people had been arrested over the clashes so far and a hunt was on for more suspects. The army and police have urged people to remain calm and have warned of stern action against anyone involved in the violence. The clashes erupted in the Kurunegala District in the North Western province on Monday morning when mobs took to the streets and destroyed mosques, businesses and homes. Fears of ethnic violence have been growing in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday terror attacks on April 21, which killed over 250 people and injured 500 others. A local radical group, named the National Thawheed Jammath, has been blamed for the Easter attacks. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a special statement released Monday evening, urged people to remain calm and adhere to the laws. He said security forces had been entrusted with maintaining law and order and he requested the public to abide by their instructions to ensure peace is maintained. Wickremesinghe on Tuesday morning visited Kuliyapitiya in the Kurunegala District which was one of the towns affected by the violence, to meet with the affected people and to discuss measures to ensure their security. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:21:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A loud explosion occurred in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Tuesday, the police and witnesses said. Witnesses said a huge car bomb detonated at the headquarters of Mogadishu's Wardhigley district and the number of casualties has not been established. A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that humanitarian aid agency was distributing food in the area at the moment of the blast. "We know that the blast caused casualties but we will give further details later," the officer said of the blast which occurred as several students were marching along the streets to protest the cancellation of their examinations. Witnesses said that huge car bomb rocked local government building. "The blast was huge and devastating, there were casualties but no one knows the exact figure," Ahmed Mumin, a witness told Xinhua. The blast comes while Mogadishu is on high alert as security forces blocked the main roads of the capital to prevent possible attacks by the militants. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:31:29|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- India's private airline IndiGo planned to launch direct flights to China soon, an airline spokesperson told Xinhua on Tuesday. The airline has enough fleet to launch the new flights to China, and is waiting for requisite permissions and approvals from the Indian government, said the spokesperson. "With our existing fleet and the new A321neo aircraft, IndiGo will have the capability to reach cities in China, Middle East and South East Asia. At this stage, we are in the process of securing the necessary approvals to operate into China, and as soon as we receive all the requisite permissions from the Governments to operate, we will inform our key stakeholders accordingly." The spokesperson further said, "We are evaluating all such opportunities to expand our network and provide many more choices to our customers." It is expected that the airline would launch the flights to China by November. According to aviation industry sources, IndiGo mulled launching flights on two routes, Delhi-Chengdu and Kolkata-Guangzhou. Kolkata is the capital city of India's eastern state West Bengal. Currently, IndiGo operates to 70 destinations, including 17 overseas. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:36:35|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close by Julia Pierrepont III, Gao Shan SAN DIEGO, the United States, May 13 (Xinhua) -- "I'm very happy to have the opportunity to share Chinese history and culture with my American students as a Chinese language teacher," said Kong Deyu, a young and energetic Mandarin teacher working at the Eggers Middle School in Hammond, Indiana. "Most of my students are not only interested in it, but are also curious about China and Chinese culture. But some of them lack a basic understanding of China. Some students even have an image of China based on decades ago. I have to work hard to communicate with them," she told Xinhua. Kong, from China's Hubei Province, came to the United States to teach the Chinese language on a contract. She was one of the over 1,300 attendees at the 2019 National Chinese Language Conference that ended in San Diego on Saturday. The conference was the largest annual gathering in North America that brought together leaders and practitioners in the field of Chinese language education. In collaboration with the Confucius Institute, this year's event was co-organized by the College Board and Asia Society, with a theme of "connecting to a global future". Peng Han, an educator from Andrews Osborne Academy in Willoughby, Ohio, told Xinhua: "I want to make a difference." "If more Americans spoke Mandarin, they would have a better understanding of the Chinese people. Our countries would be better friends," he said confidently. He uses honesty and openness to build trust with his students. "They need to develop critical thinking, so if they ask about a problem they've heard about in China, like air pollution, I never deny it, I just focus on why it happened and how we are going to deal with it," he said. Many of the teachers who attended the annual conference are finding ways to better serve their students by acting as informal ambassadors to improve relations between the United States and China and share the best that China has to offer with young Americans. James Montoya, Chief of Membership, Governance, and Global Higher Education and Secretary of Corporation of the College Board, told Xinhua: "Our work as school administrators, educators, and cultural ambassadors has never been more important and by working together we can accomplish more than we can individually." Jenny Lin, a teacher for the last eight years with a public school Mandarin program in Osprey, Florida, said her students want to be a bridge between the United States and China. "Some have Chinese friends and want to know more about where they come from and others just got interested in a language and culture so different from their own," she told Xinhua. "Our school mission is to be globally-driven, so we recognize our differences and celebrate our diversity," explained Hongli Holloman, a Mandarin teacher from the Washington International School in Washington D.C., the U.S. national capital. "It's never just about teaching the language," she told Xinhua. "You need to use many of the authentic aspects of Chinese culture to capture the students' attention and motivate them to want to learn the language." Mandarin teachers from across the country revealed that American students have many reasons for learning the Chinese language. Song Xiuxian, from the Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, surveyed her students, saying that "some are just fascinated by the Chinese culture. Some of them have been to China or want to go and that makes them want to learn Chinese." "Some had funny reasons, like thinking it was cooler than Spanish or thinking Chinese written characters are interesting," said another teacher who took part in the conference with Song. "Others were more mature and think this is a good opportunity to find a better job in the future," said Song. "They realize China is developing fast and see a lot of potential opportunities for themselves if they are bi-lingual." Song posted on the school's website: "I love our school because teachers here are extremely helpful and students here are collaborative and outstanding." "This is a place where I am willing to make all my efforts," noted the Chinese teacher. Kamila Carter, a young American student from the Tierra del Sol Middle School, began learning Mandarin at a very early age and is now fluent in it. "Learning Chinese has changed me -- got me out of my little bubble and really opened doors for me. It enabled me to speak at conferences like this, participate in competitions, and meet tons of interesting people. I wouldn't be the same person without it," she told Xinhua. Another panelist was Holly Chang, senior advisor of the "Committee of 100", an organization of influential leaders in the Chinese-American community. She is also the founder of Project Pengyou, an alumni association for Mandarin students and visitors to China. Chang echoed Carter's assessment, saying "once Americans go to China and come back, their worlds and dreams get bigger." Montoya summed up the motivation shared by most of the Mandarin teachers working around the United States. "We want our future to be better than now. We care about student mobility, expanding educational opportunities, and enhancing global citizenship. We're inspired to work with our students to the better future," Montoya said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:41:40|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close GABORONE, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi sent a congratulatory message Monday to South Africa's President elect Cyril Ramaphosa. Masisi said Ramaphosa's victory is a clear testimony of the confidence that the people of South Africa have in his able and visionary leadership to steer the country to prosperity. "As you assume the Presidency and chart ways to consolidate your country's development trajectory, I wish to reassure you of my personal commitment, and that of my government to continue working closely with you, to further strengthen the bonds of friendship that so happily subsist between our two countries and people," he said. Masisi also commended the people of South Africa for conducting a peaceful election. Ramaphosa's party, the African National Congress, gained 57.51 percent of the national vote in the May 8 elections. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 17:56:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The chief Brexit negotiator for British Prime Minister Theresa May is traveling to Brussels on Tuesday to discuss changes to the political declaration on Britain's future relationship with the European Union (EU). The latest travel by Olly Robbins comes amid the ongoing cross-party talks between the British ruling and opposition parties to break a current impasse. The declaration, published with the British government's withdrawal agreement that has been vetoed by the parliament three times, sets out the parameters for the future relationship between Britain and the EU. It is not legally binding. Media reports said Robbins will explore how quickly changes could be made to the political declaration, if the government and Labour can reach an agreement. As Conservative-Labour talks are expected to continue on Tuesday to find a formula to end Britain's Brexit deadlock, officials have revealed a record for the British Parliament. The current session of parliament is the longest since the English Civil War in the 1600s. The continuing impasse over Britain's departure from the EU means that till Friday, the House of Commons had sat for 298 days, researchers at Parliament's library said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:06:57|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Sochi, Russia, on May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi) SOCHI, Russia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that he looks forward to Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Russia in June and the joint celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties with China. Putin made the remarks here during a meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The Russian president asked Wang to convey his cordial greetings to Xi and congratulated China on the success of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) held last month in Beijing. The comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination with China is Russia's diplomacy priority, Putin said, adding that during his meeting with Xi in April, the two sides reached a new consensus on dovetailing between the Eurasian Economic Union and the Belt and Road Initiative. Putin also noted that he and Xi exchanged views on major international and regional issues and further cemented strategic and political mutual trust between the two countries during the April meeting. For his part, Wang conveyed Xi's good wishes to Putin and praised the Russian president's significant contributions to the success of the second BRF. The important meeting between Xi and Putin last month in Beijing made a good start for the joint celebrations of the 70th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic ties, Wang said, adding that bilateral ties have reached their highest level in history under the strategic leadership and direction of the two heads of state. Wang told Putin that he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier on Monday made adequate preparations for Xi's upcoming visit. He said he is confident that Xi's state visit will lift China-Russia relations to a higher level and usher in a new era of their strategic partnership. Putin and Wang also exchanged views on major international and regional issues. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:06:58|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NANCHANG, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi has taken a rare stance against smartphones and tablet computers by banning their use in university classes unless for academic purposes. College students are not allowed to bring smart mobile devices into classrooms unless required by the class, said the latest notice issued by the province's department of education. The new policy feeds into the debate about whether smartphones should be barred from classroom to reduce their negative effects on students. Previously, most official injunctions targeted primary and middle schools in China, though some universities have spontaneously issued such bans. The notice also demands universities and colleges tighten school disciplines, raise course difficulty and improve the quality of teaching. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:22:05|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Somali security forces killed 14 al-Shabab militants after they foiled a terrorist attack by the terrorist group in Bariire town in southern region, the government said on Tuesday. The ministry of information said the terrorists were killed on Monday night during a fierce fighting between the Somali National Army (SNA) and the militants in Lower Shabelle province. The terrorists were killed on Monday night when SNA successfully repelled an attempted attack by terrorist infiltration into Bariire town in Lower Shabelle province, the ministry said. Al-Shabab, which controls large parts of rural southern and central Somalia, continues to carry out high-profile attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere, targeting bases manned by African Union and Somali security forces. Al-Shabab forces have been fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:22:07|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said that the country should take major reforms to help the central bank to preserve financial stability, local newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported on Tuesday. "The government must help the central bank by adopting a strategy that would create growth. The biggest problem in Lebanon is the absence of a broad economic strategy," Salameh told the newspaper. The governor urged the government to take measures that would bolster the economy which is reeling under 85 billion U.S. dollars in public debt. "The government's continuous borrowing from banks will not lead to an increase in growth in the country," he said. In the past 30 years, Lebanon has serviced its debt with implicit support from international donors and a creditor base dominated by domestic commercial banks and the central bank in addition to a diaspora. Salameh said that it is impossible for the central bank to finance the government at a non-market rate of 1 percent for 10 years to cover part of its budget deficit. "This would negatively impact our rating," he said. Lebanese government has been calling for more support from banks by subscribing to Treasury Bills in a bid to reduce the cost of debt servicing which could reach 58.6 percent of the government's revenues by 2021 if the fiscal deficit maintained the same momentum, according to Moody's Investors Service. According to the Times report, the 120,0000 troops under consideration would not be used to invade Iran, something that planners say would require much bigger numbers. The Pentagon has dispatched an aircraft carrier and nuclear-capable bomber planes to the region in the last few days, with a Patriot missile battery and a landing platform dock ship on the way. The Patriot system offers protection from aircraft and missiles, while the LPD carries Marines and the aircraft, hovercraft, or boats needed to put them ashore to fight in distant places. "I think it's fake news," Trump said of a New York Times report that the White House is considering a plan to send 120,000 troops to the region. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump said Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected a report that he is considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran, but didn't rule out deploying "a lot more" soldiers in the future. Meanwhile, a senior officer in the U.S.-led military coalition combating Islamic State said Tuesday he had seen no greater recent threat to its troops in Iraq or Syria from forces backed by Iran. "There's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," British Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika told reporters at the Pentagon in a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad. "We're aware of their presence, clearly, and we monitor them, along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in." The statement was in contrast to comments from the Trump administration and the Pentagon, both have asserted for more than a week that they have detected potential threats against American forces in the Middle East from Iran or Iranian-backed proxies. Capt. Bill Urban, lead spokesman U.S. Central Command, said the recent comment from Ghika runs counter to the U.S.'s perceived threat from Iranian-backed forces. "U.S. Central Command, in coordinationwith Operation Inherent Resolve, has increased the force posture level forall service members assigned to OIR in Iraq and Syria. As a result, OIR is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to U.S. forces in Iraq," Urban said in a statement. U.S. Senate Democrat Chris Coons said it is hard to determine whether a significant, new U.S. troop deployment to the Middle East is justified. Answering a VOA Persian question at a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington on Tuesday, Coons said there has been no articulated strategy or briefing by the Trump administration to lawmakers on committees other than intelligence, regarding threats from Iran. Coons called for continued U.S. dialogue with Washington's European allies on Iran. "I would urge the Trump administration to work as hard diplomatically as they seem to be from the defense perspective, in terms of planning and developing a strategy and communicating it to Congress and the world." A senior military official told reporters Friday at the Pentagon that the Iranian threat was both "on land and sea" and included commercial dhows (small ships) that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a branch of Iran's armed forces, loaded with "potential military hardware to include missiles." "It's important that Iran understand that an attack on Americans or its interests will be met with an appropriate response," Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan said Friday. "We're in the Middle East to defeat terrorism, fight and build security... but we will protect ourselves." But when asked to square his statements with U.S. assertions that the threat to U.S. troops in Iraq from the militias is increasing, Ghika insisted he was "on exactly the same page." "I don't think we're out of step with the White House at all," Ghika said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:22:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China is holding a rich variety of exhibitions and activities on the culture of Asian countries and regions as well as exchanges among them. The Asian Cultural Festival will open with "The Gala Evening of Asia Ballet" on Tuesday evening. Ballet performers from China, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines will perform "Swan Lake," "Don Quixote" and other classical ballets at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. Several exhibitions respectively showcasing cultural relics and artwork from Asian countries are open to visitors this week. The Splendor of Asia: An Exhibition of Asian Civilizations, featuring over 400 cultural relics from 49 countries, opened Monday at the National Museum of China. The exhibition showcases the dialogues, exchanges and mutual learning between Asian civilizations with both traditional displays and multimedia technology. As for artwork, "Craftsmanship of Civilizations -- Exhibition of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asia" will kick off on Thursday at the National Library of China (NLC). The exhibition will display the artworks of intangible cultural heritage of over 60 craftsmen from 13 countries and regions in Asia. "We want to provide a broader platform for dialogue among Asian countries and demonstrate the glamor and vitality that Asian civilizations bring to people's life," said Xin Lu, director of the NLC's exhibition department. Another artwork exhibition, titled "Shared Inspiration -- Asian Art Exhibition," is going on at the National Art Museum of China, showcasing 130 pieces of art, including paintings and sculptures, created by 120 artists from 41 countries. More than 230 pieces of national treasures from Afghanistan are on display at Tsinghua University Art Museum. A three-day Asian Culture and Tourism Exhibition helping visitors to better understand the continent's civilizations will open in Beijing Thursday. Starting the same day, Asian Film and TV Week will showcase 60 selected Asian movies in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an and Guangzhou. China will hold the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations starting from May 15 under the theme of "exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations and a community with a shared future." More than 2,000 government officials and representatives of various circles from 47 Asian countries and other countries outside the region will attend the opening ceremony and forums. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:27:13|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Huang Yinjiazi, Shuai Anning, Jiang Li BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- In Beijing's leafy Olympic Green stands a stately edifice, the curve of whose facade, inspired by the eaves of ancient Chinese architecture, symbolizes a bridge connecting different cultures around the world. The design of the building, China National Convention Center, befits an event it is about to host Wednesday -- the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping to promote cross-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning across this culturally diverse continent and build an Asian community with a shared future. Xi has long been a believer in, advocate of, model for and contributor to communications across civilizations. Whether during living in a cave house in a remote countryside village decades ago, or now standing at the helm of the world's most populous country, he maintains that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations have empowered human progress as well as world peace and development. That conviction matters even more today. In a world beleaguered by alarming anti-globalization sentiment, rising protectionism and unilateralism, mutating security threats, and resurging assertions of a "clash of civilizations," cross-civilizational communication is of vital significance and in dire need of fresh vitality. A TEENAGER'S PASSION Over 40 years ago a teenager fascinated by Faust, a masterpiece in Western literature written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, walked over a dozen kilometers of bumpy and dusty country road only to borrow the book from his fellow student. The teenager was Xi Jinping. It was towards the end of 1960s, an age of scarcity with little to read, when Xi was sent from Beijing to work as a farmer in a poverty-stricken village in China's northwestern Shaanxi Province. An avid reader of not only Chinese but also foreign literary works, Xi read whatever books he managed to find during his seven years there, from old Chinese text books to plays written by William Shakespeare. "To be or not to be," Xi pondered the question on the barren loess plateau, and eventually made up his mind to dedicate himself to serving his country and the people. Like other young men, Xi would emulate his favorite protagonist in the books. After reading "What Is to Be Done?", a novel written by Russia's Nikolai Chernyshevsky, in which the leading character lives an ascetic life, even going so far as to sleep on a bed of nails to strengthen his will, Xi removed his cotton-padded mattress and chose to sleep directly on a brick bed so as to strengthen his own willpower. "Art and literary works are the best way for different nations and peoples to understand and communicate with each other," Xi said in 2014 when recalling the books he had read during his youth time. A PRESIDENT'S ENDEAVOR As one of the busiest globe-trotting world leaders, Xi misses no opportunity to promote mutual respect, understanding and learning between different cultures and civilizations wherever he goes. "What's past is prologue," he quoted Shakespeare -- whose works he first read 40 years ago -- at the British Parliament during his state visit to Britain in the autumn of 2015, shedding light on his country's perspective on China-UK relations. Ahead of his state visit to Italy in March, Xi, in a signed article published by leading Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, told the story of Chinese emissary Gan Ying sent to search for "Da Qin," the Chinese name of the Roman Empire, during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). Recalling the article, Francesco Sisci, a senior consultant for the Italian Minister of European Affairs, said he "saw in between the lines an amicable and wise leader." Quoting the pearls of wisdom in other cultures has been a hallmark of Xi's speeches on global stage, which demonstrates not only his art of communication but also how open the Chinese are towards other civilizations. Yet his commitment goes far beyond. His overseas trips have seen him attend cultural events, reach out to the local people and pay visits to landmark cultural heritages. A photo from Xi's 2015 trip to Britain -- which went viral -- shows the Chinese president enjoying a pint of Greene King IPA beer in the company of his British host, then Prime Minister David Cameron, at a pub near London. In a speech delivered in 2014 at the headquarters of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Xi reeled off his tours of cultural heritage sites from Mexico's Chichen Itza, an archaeological site of the Maya civilization, to Uzbekistan's Samarkand, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. "I have visited many places around the world," Xi said, adding "what I like most is exploring the varied civilizations of our five continents." A STATESMAN'S VISION A highlight of Xi's Italy trip emerged in the picturesque and culturally significant Villa Madama, where the Chinese president and Italian Prime Minster Giuseppe Conte witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI, put forward by Xi in 2013, was inspired by one of the most renowned legacies of cross-civilizational communication in history -- the Silk Road, a network of ancient trade routes linking China in the East with ancient Rome in the West and beyond. A priority in Xi's signature initiative is to build a road connecting different civilizations where mutual respect will replace discrimination, exchanges will replace estrangement, and mutual learning will replace clashes. The vision was reflected in Xi's speech at UNESCO headquarters, during which he highlighted diversity, equality and inclusiveness among civilizations and the role cross-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning have played in fueling the progress of humanity. The landmark address, published in May this year by Qiushi, one of the most influential periodicals in China whose name means seeking truth, is no less and even more relevant today, given the world's present challenges. Among the global threats of security and climate change is the thinly veiled sense of superiority held by some in the West, who are in the midst of resurrecting an outdated "clash of civilizations" theory. What fuels conflict and leads to armed conflict is the absence of real dialogue, said Helmy al-Namnam, a former Egyptian minister of culture, ahead of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. "China's initiative to hold a major conference on the dialogue of civilizations in Asia is a very important move to pave the way for the language of dialogue over the language of conflict," he said. (Xinhua reporters Shang Xu, Wang Yachen, Li Jie, Wu Danni and Zhang Xu also contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:32:20|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close YANGON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A large amount of narcotic drugs worth 600 million kyats (400,000 U.S. dollars) have been seized in Myanmars Shan state, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Tuesday. The seizure was made by the military in Tachileik township on Sunday. Two bags filled with 60 kg of Ketamine were found by the military personnel near Hway Lay Lan along small Mae Sai river during the mopping-up operation in the area. The township police filed a case to search for the suspect under the countrys Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:32:24|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Four civilians were wounded after an improvised explosive device explosion ripped through a road in Pul-e-Khumri, capital of Afghanistan's northern province of Baghlan on Tuesday, local police confirmed. "The injured were shifted to hospital by police after the explosion that occurred outside provincial communication department in Police District 1 of the city at midday. And the wounded were not in serious condition," provincial police spokesman Jawid Basharat told Xinhua. The target of the blast remained unknown and an investigation was launched by provincial police into the incident, the police official added. One vehicle was damaged in the incident, he said. Over the past few months, Afghanistan has witnessed waves of terror attacks by the Taliban insurgents and Islamic State (IS) outfit. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:42:30|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (R) meets with Chui Sai On (C), chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), in Lisbon, Portugal, May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Pedro Fiuza) LISBON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Monday met with Chui Sai On, chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). Both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations in various fields. During the meeting in the Presidential Residence of the Belem Palace, the Portuguese president said that the relations between Portugal and China as well as between Portugal and Macao are at their best times, noting that China thinks highly of the Macao's role of bridge between China and Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries. Macao SAR is developing well, especially in the field of economic diversification, he said, noting that progress has been made in business investments, science and technology, and the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries in Macao has played an important role. He explained that the sustainable development of the Portuguese language in Macao will enhance the connection and cooperation in the fields of culture, society, economy and trade, science and technology and tourism with the Portuguese-speaking countries. The president's remarks were echoed by Chui, who said that his government will make the Chinese-Portuguese platform better. Chui, who is on his official visit to Portugal starting Sunday, said that thanks to the traditional friendship and historic connections between Macao and Portugal, bilateral cooperation has made rapid progress with joint efforts from both sides. He expressed confidence that there will be great potential for cooperation between the two sides under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Chui reiterated that the Macao SAR will continue to protect the Portuguese community and promote the development of the Portuguese culture and the Portuguese language in Macao. Also on Monday, Chui attended the Macao SAR's reception and a photo exhibition in Lisbon, which is to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:47:36|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close DHAKA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Poverty rate in Bangladesh fell from 24.3 percent in 2016 to 21.8 percent in 2018, according to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) recently. Meanwhile, the poverty rate, in accordance with the lower poverty line or people living in extreme poverty, shrank to 11.3 percent last year. BBS Director General Krishna Gain told the state-run news agency that Bangladesh would be able to realize the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through eradicating poverty. According to the country's Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2010, the national poverty rate was 31.5 percent while the rural poverty rate was 35.2 percent and the urban poverty rate was 21.3 percent. The poverty rate went down from 40 percent in 2005 to 24.3 percent in 2016. In the meantime, the poverty rate in 2016 as per the lower poverty line or people living in extreme poverty declined from 25.1 percent in 2005 to 12.9 percent, The HIES 2016 showed that the extreme poverty rate came down to 12.9 percent at the national level with highest 14.9 percent at the rural level while the lowest 7.6 percent at the urban level. As per the HIES 2010, the extreme poverty rate was 17.6 percent at the national level with the highest 21.1 percent at the rural level and the lowest 7.7 percent at the urban level. The HIES 2016 was completed in a large sample of 2,304 primary sampling units comprising 46,076 households. The field operation was conducted from April 2016 to March 2017. Among the key HIES 2016 Survey findings, it was found that the monthly income of the households increased to 15,988 taka in 2016 from 11,479 taka in 2010. Similarly, monthly household expenditure increased to 15,715 takas in 2016 from 11,200 takas in 2010. (1 U.S. dollar equals to about 84 takas) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 19:45:31|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close People visit the Huawu Village in Yeping Township, Ruijin City of east China's Jiangxi Province, May 6, 2019. 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). Nowadays, Local fruits and vegetables have become big industries, and red tourism and agricultural product processing are booming. In recent years, many once impoverished villagers have shaken off poverty as the anti-poverty campaign gains steam in Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 19:15:41|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Feng Ganyu checks the pictures she took at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2019. A photographic exhibition themed "Diversity of Asian Civilizations in Youth Eyes" will be held on the sidelines of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing. Feng Ganyu, a Beijing Normal University student, is one of the photographers whose work was accepted by the exhibition. Influenced by her father, Feng started viewing the world through camera lens since her high school times. On Feb. 14, 2019, a heavy snow fell in Beijing, and that was the day Feng took the picture of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven, which was accepted by the "Diversity of Asian Civilizations in Youth Eyes" photographic exhibition. After this summer vocation, Feng will go to the Paris Institute of Political Studies in France for a postgraduate degree. Talking about her upcoming life abroad, Feng said she would like to promote Chinese culture through folk dances she has learned since she was little. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 18:57:49|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China's yuan funds outstanding for foreign exchange dropped for an ninth straight month in April, central bank data showed Tuesday. The funds stood at 21.25 trillion yuan (about 3.17 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of last month, falling 861 million yuan from March, according to the People's Bank of China, the central bank. As the Chinese yuan is not freely convertible under the capital account, the central bank has to purchase foreign currency generated by trade surplus and foreign investment in the country, adding funds to the money market. Such funds are an important indicator of cross-border foreign capital flows and domestic yuan liquidity. A similar measure of capital flow, the country's foreign exchange reserves fell to 3.094 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of April, compared with 3.098 trillion dollars at the end of March, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. Zambia's first President Kenneth Kaunda (C) and other guests lay the foundation for the construction of a memorial park in Chongwe, Zambia, on May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun) CHONGWE, Zambia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Monday held a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the construction of a memorial park that will commemorate the Chinese who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA). The TAZARA Memorial Park will be constructed on a land about two hectares in Chongwe district of Lusaka Province. The ceremony was attended by both Zambian and Chinese government officials, including Zambia's first President Kenneth Kaunda and China's Minister of Veteran Affairs Sun Shaocheng. In his remarks, the Chinese minister commended the Chinese workers who sacrificed their lives and died during the construction of the project. Sun said about 50,000 Chinese workers at the time came to Africa to work in various projects and worked hard despite harsh conditions. He said Zambia and China have never forgotten the sacrifice of the martyrs, adding that their sacrifice to duty will motivate the two countries to work harder to cement the ties. Zambia's first President Kenneth Kaunda (4th R), China's Minister of Veterans Affairs Sun Shaocheng (3rd R) and other guests cut a ribbon during a groundbreaking ceremony of TAZARA memorial park in Chongwe, Zambia, on May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun) According to Sun, the decision of the two governments to embark on a joint project to construct the memorial park was a mark of genuine friendship between the two countries. China, he said, was committed to making joint efforts with Zambia to carry forward the spirit of TAZARA and collaborate more in various areas for a shared future. Li Jie, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, said in his remarks that over 160 workers, including 69 Chinese nationals, sacrificed their lives during the construction of the 1,860-km railway line and deserved to be well remembered by the younger generation of the two countries. "In order to permanently commemorate the Chinese heroes who sacrificed their lives in Zambia and the history of friendly cooperation between China and Zambia, through friendly consultations, our two governments have decided to build a TAZARA memorial park." "We highly value the gesture of the Zambian government and people to make this great project happen," Li said. The Chinese envoy said the memorial park will be a history book for the younger generation of the two countries and that once completed, it will be a free park open to all and will also become a new landmark building to promote tourism. According to Li, TAZARA deserves to be regarded as an enduring monument as it has made indelible, historical monument contributions to the anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggles and to the development and revitalization of eastern and southern Africa. Li said in building TAZARA, the people of the three countries forged the great TAZARA spirit which has left an invaluable asset for the future generations. Kaunda said Zambia will never forget the sacrifice shown by China over the years and that the southern African nation will forever be grateful. Locals perform a dance during a groundbreaking ceremony of TAZARA memorial park in Chongwe, Zambia, on May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun) Kaunda said the memorial park will go a long way in reminding people of the two countries of what happened in the past and that it will act as a symbol of enhanced cooperation between the two countries. Zambian President Edgar Lungu commended the collaborative efforts of the two countries to construct the memorial park, saying it shows the unwavering relations between the two countries. Lungu said in a speech read by Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji that the construction of the memorial park was a hallmark in the history of the friendship between the two countries. The Zambian president said the people of Zambia will always be grateful and remember the selflessness and generosity exhibited by China by providing various assistance. The president commended Chinese nationals who died during the construction of the railway line, adding that it was appropriate that a tribute was paid to them through the construction of the memorial park. Aging China in urgent need of trained nurses By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2019-05-14 09:08 International Nurses Day, celebrated annually on May 12th to mark the contributions made to society by nurses, has once again stirred up concern over the shortage of nurses in China. Statistics show that after years of health-care reform, the number of registered nurses in China had risen from just over 2 million in 2010 to more than 4 million by the end of 2018. While this was impressive and increased the number of nurses per thousand people in China from 1.52 in 2010 to 3.0 in 2018, this number is still lower than the international average of 4 to 5 per thousand people. Also, in the rural and western regions of China, the average number of nurses per thousand people could be even lower. Nursing is a profession that is often unappreciated. The heavy workload, low wages, poor working conditions and the deteriorating relationships between doctors and patients have all contributed to a loss of incentive to choose nursing as a career path, making increasing the number of nurses further even harder. And as Chinas population continues to age, jeopardizing the countrys economic ascent, it is unclear if the two-child policy will be able to redress this demographic imbalance. Data shows that as of the end of 2018, the elderly in China aged 60 and over numbered 249 million and those aged 65 and over were 166 million. Among them, 150 million are suffering from chronic diseases, accounting for 65% of the total, and a further 44 million are either disabled or partially-disabled. To address nursing challenges, measures should be taken including increasing nurses income, improving their working conditions, and addressing the gender imbalance. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 19:33:23|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close HARBIN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of 413 Chinese peacekeepers Tuesday departed Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, for the western African nation of Mali for a one-year United Nations peacekeeping mission. The peacekeepers, consisting of a guard unit of 210 personnel, a sapper unit of 140 and a medical unit of 63, are the seventh group to be sent to the country. They will take on a number of tasks, including providing security and medical services, as well as road and airport construction. The peacekeepers have undergone special training to be better prepared for anti-terrorism and anti-riot operations, as well as the high temperatures in the region. They have also studied UN peacekeeping regulations, diplomatic protocol and local customs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 19:53:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SUVA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on Tuesday urged the world's major economies to strengthen their finance investments to deal with climate change. "All of these efforts - as part of larger agendas for climate adaptation - cannot be funded by the Pacific alone. We need major economies to strengthen their climate finance investments, including their replenishment of Adaptation and Green Climate Funds," Bainimarama said at the end of the third Climate Action Pacific Partnership (CAPP) conference in Suva, capital of Fiji. Those funds must support developing countries both in meeting their mitigation targets and in urgently building resilience to the climate impacts already lapping at their doorsteps, he said. The prime minister said the situation they face is more severe than ever, and the world's current response is woefully insufficient. "It is the defining crisis of our time. And if we do not take action, that crisis will soon escalate into chaos that will consume the entire world," the prime minister said. According to the prime minister, Fiji, with Marshall Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, have agreed to work together to reduce fossil fuel use in their marine transportation by up to 40 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. "This demands a transformation of our maritime sectors which will require new kinds of financial partnerships with bilateral and multilateral assistance and, potentially, a regional blue shipping bond," he said. It is reported that by 2050, Fiji's annual losses due to extreme weather events could reach 6.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because of the impact of climate change, with more than 32,000 people pushed into hardship every year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 19:58:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BRUSSELS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission announced on Tuesday 164 million euros for Education in Emergencies projects in 2019. Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, said in a press release: "Education in emergencies is an absolute priority for the European Union... It is a global champion of education in emergencies. We are making a concrete investment to peace by helping every child get access to school, anywhere and at all times." "Education is the foundation for everything else. It is a protective shield against violence, sexual exploitation, or radicalisation, especially in humanitarian crises. It makes children feel safe and provides them with opportunities for a brighter future." The EU has consistently increased funding in the area of education in emergencies over the last years. Since 2015, the share of the European Commission's humanitarian aid budget spent on education in emergencies has increased from 1 percent in 2015 to 10 percent in 2019, said the press release. According to the statistics released by EU, over 6.5 million girls, boys and teachers in 55 crisis-affected countries have benefited between 2015-2018 from better access to quality education and training since the EU increased support for children caught up in humanitarian crises. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:03:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close AMMAN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's warring parties started talks on Tuesday in Jordanian capital of Amman to discuss the issue of Hodeidah ports under the Stockholm Agreement. Hanan al-Badawi, spokeswoman for UN envoy to Yemen, told Xinhua that the results of the talks will be evident once they are finished. A well informed Yemeni source told Xinhua that the discussions covered the administrations of Hodeidah ports and using their revenues to pay for the salaries of the civil servants. The source added that the discussions might take a long time as the Houthis have strict viewpoints. Some progress is expected after the talks and some announcements will be made in this regard, the source said. The Stockholm Agreement, the first step toward a comprehensive political solution, was reached in December 2018 and focused on the port city of Hodeidah, the lifeline for Yemen's most commercial imports and humanitarian aid. Both Yemeni 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. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:03:47|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close HANGZHOU, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Feng Xinzhu, former vice governor of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday for taking bribes worth 70.47 million yuan (about 10.2 million U.S. dollars). Feng was fined 7 million yuan and his illegal gains will be turned in to the national treasury, according to a statement by the Intermediate People's Court of Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province The court found that between 1999 and 2017, Feng took advantage of his positions to benefit others in investment, mineral exploitation, construction contracting, loan and personnel promotion. In return, he accepted gifts and money worth 70.47 million yuan. The statement said the court handed down the sentence while taking into consideration the fact that Feng confessed, showed repentance and was cooperative in returning his illegal gains. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:03:49|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close LUSAKA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China's Avic International will commence construction of township roads in Zambia's Chongwe district in Lusaka Province, a government official said on Tuesday. Japhen Mwakalombe, lawmaker of Chongwe constituency, said the construction of township roads in the district will commence in the next few weeks and that the Chinese firm will do five kilometers of roads. He said the roads which are gravel will be upgraded to bituminous standard. "This is a momentous achievement which will change the face of the district," he said. Evans M'hambi, deputy mayor of the district, described the development as a milestone, adding that many of the roads in the district have been below standard for a long time. "This is a great milestone in the history of the district. Our roads in the central ward that houses major government offices and institutions have been below standard for a long time," he said. According to him, the development will help beautify the district and ease movement of goods and services. The road construction project, he said, will also provide employment to local people in the district. "AVIC International has successfully completed a number of projects across the country and we are confident that this project will be another success," said Anne Kachepa, a local resident. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:08:51|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde left here on Tuesday for a one-day state visit to Nairobi, capital of Kenya, amid growing overall Ethiopia-Kenya diplomatic and economic ties. The Ethiopian President's Office, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that Zewde received a "warm welcome" upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by high-level Kenyan government officials as well as Ethiopian nationals residing in Nairobi. Ethiopia's Ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem, speaking ahead of the Ethiopian president's visit to Kenya, stressed that "the relationship between Ethiopia and Kenya is exemplary to other countries." Amid growing diplomatic and economic relations, the two East African countries had in March this year announced an agreement to establish a free trade zone and enhance infrastructural development. Leaders of the two countries, in a trade and investment forum that was held in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from March 1 to 2 this year, also vowed to boost the existing trade and economic relations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said during the forum that over the past years his country had taken significant steps in enhancing bilateral relations in the fields of cross-border trade, infrastructure and energy development. "We plan to transform the Moyle region (trading area along the Ethiopia-Kenya border) to a commonly administered economic hub of East Africa," Ahmed said. Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, who called on business leaders from both countries to work together for mutually beneficial cooperation, also indicated Kenya's aspiration to establish the Moyale free trade zone, which he said would benefit both counties. According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Ethiopia and Kenya have lived in mutual respect without interfering in the internal affairs of each other, and without threatening each other." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:21:24|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Photo taken by Ratjirot Aekkawat on Feb. 6, 2018 shows the historical site of Ayutthaya Dynasty in Thailand. Ratjirot Aekkawat is of mixed blood from China and Thailand. He came to study in China as a junior student and now he is a postgraduate student of the Peking University. He always talks about his experience in China with relatives and friends. He has witnessed the development of China in recent years, during which the environment and local governments' working efficiencies have been greatly improved. Chinese and Thai cultures are influenced with each other. Many Thai people celebrate the Spring Festival every year and lots of Chinese go to Thailand for tourism. The photo of the historical site of Ayutthaya Dynasty taken by Ratjirot Aekkawat will be displayed in a photographic exhibition "Diversity of Asian Civilizations in Youth Eyes", on the sidelines of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). (Xinhua/Ratjirot Aekkawat) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:34:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia and Uganda have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in bilateral and regional issues of common interest. The Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister's Office, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the two East African countries announced their joint commitments to spur their diplomatic relations during the visit of Ethiopia's Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, to Uganda, where he met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Mekonnen, during his meeting with the Ugandan president, presented a "message of cooperation and partnership" that was sent from the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Uganda's Museveni, it was noted. In addition to recently growing bilateral diplomatic and economic relations, Ethiopia and Uganda have been cooperating in South Sudan's peace process, mainly under the umbrella of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, which brokered the South Sudan's peace deal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:34:21|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close VALLETTA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The captain of the MV Lifeline was fined 10,000 euros over a registration irregularity by a Maltese court on Tuesday. The rescue vessel had over 200 migrants on board when it was allowed to dock in Malta in June 2018 after intense EU talks. The ship was then seized, and its German captain Claus Peter Reisch was charged with having incorrect paperwork. The vessel was not correctly registered with its flag state, said the court, as the document purported by the defence to register it as a Dutch pleasure craft was actually a certificate of ownership. The Court of Magistrates imposed a fine of 10,000 euros on Reisch, suggesting that the money could be distributed amongst several local charities by the Maltese authorities. It did not uphold the request for the confiscation of the vessel. The vessel will not be released until any eventual appeal is decided. Reisch has described the decision as "scandalous". His lawyers said they were studying the decision with a view to filing an appeal. Kathmandu, May 14 Ncell, one of leading mobile phone service providers of the country, has introduced a new SIM card targeting foreign tourists visiting Nepal. The Travellers SIM is bundled with voice and data packs, according to the company. From Tuesday onwards, foreign nationals visiting Nepal can now easily subscribe to a starter pack of Travellers SIM at Rs 110 (inclusive of taxes). They can also enjoy various combo packs of voice and data service as per their duration of stay in Nepal and service requirement. In the starter pack, along with the SIM card, subscribers are entitled to get the main balance of Rs 30 and 300 MB data valid for three days. The main balance can be used to make calls within the Ncell network. After activation of the starter pack, the users can buy combo packs at price ranging from Rs 490 to Rs 1,960. There are four different optionsLight, Medium, Heavy and Superwhich tourists can buy as per their need and duration of stay in Nepal. The SIM card is available at Ncell counter inside the Tribhuvan International Airport and all Ncell centres. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:44:31|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SANAA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels on Tuesday claimed responsibility for carrying out drone attacks on Saudi Arabia vital facilities. "Seven drones carried out attacks on vital Saudi facilities in a large operation in response to the continued aggression and siege on our people," Houthi TV al-Masirah aired. The Iranian-allied Yemeni rebels did not specify the date or name the targets. It was not immediately clear if the Houthis claimed responsibility for the Sunday's attacks on Saudi oil vessels off Fujairah emirate in the Strait of Hormuz. There were no comments yet by the Saudi Arabia on the Yemeni rebels' claim. Houthi rebels had launched dozens of drone strikes and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi cities in the past months to retaliate against what the rebels said Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on their positions. Saudi Arabia has been leading a Sunni Arab military coalition against the Iran-allied Yemeni Shiite Houthi rebels since March 2015 to support the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the rebels forced him into exile in Riyadh and seized much of Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 20:59:43|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly condemned the sabotage on four ships near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A statement by the ministry said "Iraq believes that the sabotage of these ships threatens the security of the entire Gulf because the region's insecurity affects all of its countries." The ministry called on the regional countries and the international community to remain calm and cooperate to effectively ensure the safety of maritime navigation in the Gulf, the statement added. "We affirm our solidarity with our brothers in the UAE in face of challenges and attempts aimed at undermining its security and stability," the statement said. On Sunday, the UAE announced that four commercial vessels of various nationalities were targeted by sabotage near the country's territorial waters off the port of Fujairah. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:15:03|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KAMPALA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei on Tuesday signed an agreement with Uganda's Makerere University to set up an Information Communication Technology (ICT) academy at the institution. The academy, which will start operation next month after the lecturers who will be teaching get certified by Huawei, will offer hands-on training, promote ICT industry technology certification, and develop ICT industry talent and a strong learning ecosystem, said Huawei in a statement issued here. The academy will run as a non-commercial cooperation project between Huawei and universities, colleges and other educational institutions all over the world. Over 1,000 university students across the country would benefit from the project, said Liu Jiawei, Huawei's Managing Director for Uganda. "Huawei has so far cooperated with more than 300 universities around the world and educates more than 10,000 students every year," said Liu. Frank Tumwebaze, Ugandan minister of ICT and national guidance, thanked Huawei for its consistent skilling and talent nurturing of Ugandans, noting that the initiative is in line with the digital strategy of transforming Uganda into a middle income country. After establishing the academy at Makerere University, it will move on to establish others in different universities across the country, according to Huawei. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:30:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, who is in China to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, who is here to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). Noting that China cherishes its special friendship with the Cambodian royal family, Xi said China will continue to support Cambodia in pursuing the development path suited to its own national conditions, and work with Cambodia to push their comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation to a new level. The two sides should well implement the action plan for building a community of shared future for China and Cambodia to deliver benefits to the two peoples, Xi said. China and Cambodia should set an example for countries to respect each other's cultural diversity and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, he noted. Sihamoni said the Cambodian people will stand firmly with the Chinese people under any circumstances. Cambodia congratulates the People's Republic of China on the tremendous achievements it has made since its founding 70 years ago, appreciates the important role China has played in international affairs, and firmly supports the joint construction of the Belt and Road, the king said. The CDAC proposed by President Xi will play a major role in promoting cultural exchanges and mutual understanding among countries, Sihamoni noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:30:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, who is in China to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, who is here to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). The two countries should maintain the tradition of high-level exchanges so as to provide strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations, Xi said. He called for the two sides to work for a high-quality development of jointly building the Belt and Road, make good use of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, enhance cooperation in third markets and achieve progress as early as possible. The two countries should firmly support economic globalization and multilateralism, promote solidarity and cooperation among Asian countries, and take the CDAC as an opportunity to build a better Asia together, Xi said. Noting that it is the right time for China to host the CDAC, Halimah said that the conference will be conducive to exploring better ways to benefit people from across the world. Singapore has firmly supported the Belt and Road Initiative from the beginning and is ready to deepen economic, trade, people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation with China and jointly uphold the rule-based multilateral trading system, she said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:30:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday said that some 196,350 refugee students are currently enrolled in different levels of education across Ethiopia. According to figures from the UNHCR, the total number of refugee students include 55,735 refugee children in early childhood care and education, 126,383 in primary education, close to 11,120 in secondary education, as well as 3,109 refugees in tertiary education. The UN refugee agency, however, stressed that gaps still remain in the provision of education to refugee children who are currently staying in the East African country, as the country welcomes refugees from its neighboring countries that are encountering conflicts and natural disasters. "Gaps in the provision of education include inadequate school infrastructure across all camps and host community, a high number of untrained teachers and limited teaching and learning materials," a statement from the UNHCR read. The UNHCR has registered 915,073 refugees as of Aug. 31, 2018 in Ethiopia, most of whom are housed in refugee camps in six regional states across Ethiopia. On Monday, UNHCR disclosed that it has only received 14 percent of the 346.5 million U.S. dollars it requires to meet the needs of refugees in Ethiopia. The UNHCR, in a press statement sent to Xinhua on Monday, said that 346.5 million dollars are needed to meet the basic nutritional, educational, health, clean water, sanitation, and shelter needs of refugees in Ethiopia. Ethiopia, which is home to the second largest refugee population in Africa, next to Uganda, has a growing number of refugees that primarily come from its neighbors Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan, according to the UNHCR. Conflict and drought in neighboring countries continues to force people to seek refuge in Ethiopia, which has a long tradition of hosting refugees. Ethiopia has also in recent years hosted an increasing number of refugees fleeing conflicts in Yemen and Syria. In February this year, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, had commended Ethiopia for its open-door policy towards refugees that are arriving from neighboring countries. Grandi, during his four-day visit to Ethiopia in February this year, praised the Ethiopian government's "openness to new and innovative approaches to improve the lives of more than 900,000 refugees and host communities." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:30:31|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close CHONGWE, Zambia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A deputy mayor of Chongwe town in Zambia's Lusaka Province on Tuesday hailed the twinning of the town with China's Mianyang city amid expanding investments. Evans M'hambi said the twinning program will result in massive economic and technological growth for the Zambian town and commended President Edgar Lungu for facilitating the twinning program. "This twinning will bring massive economic and technological growth for Chongwe and beyond," he said, adding that Mianyang is one of China's hubs for science and technology and so Zambia will certainly benefit and grow in the area of information communication and technology. The move, he said, will create a competitive edge for Chongwe which has been strategically set as an education and research development center by the government. The twinning program was launched in July, 2017. According to him, a Chinese firm, Sinoma Mpande Limestone Limited, has already set up a cement manufacturing plant in the district which has created about 600 jobs while about 1,000 jobs were created during the construction phase. He further said the construction of the TAZARA Memorial Park in the district in remembrance of the Chinese who died during the construction of the railway line joining Zambia and Tanzania was another milestone. He said the long-lasting friendship between the two countries has resulted in tangible benefits for the country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:40:40|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LUSAKA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Suspected cholera cases have been reported in northern Zambia's Mpulungu district with 17 people admitted to a local hospital. Dennis Sikazwe, District Commissioner, said the people were admitted after showing signs of cholera but added that tests were still being awaited to confirm if it was the waterborne disease, according to state-run news agency, the Zambian News and Information Service (ZANIS). The official said health officials in the district have embarked on measures to sensitize the residents on the need to maintain high levels of hygiene in order to contain further spread of the disease. Health authorities have also recommended that schools be closed for a period of one week to ensure that the situation was contained, he added. Meanwhile, five people have been admitted with suspected cholera in another district in the same province. Sources told ZANIS that five people have been admitted for suspected cholera in Mbala district. Cholera is common in Zambia especially in peri-urban areas and in communities living near water bodies. In 2018, a major cholera outbreak especially in Lusaka, the country's capital, left 114 dead and more than 5,000 others sick. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:40:48|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- An official with the International Trade Center (ITC), a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, said on Tuesday the agency plans to promote Chinese investments into Africa. Hellen Rintari, national coordinator of ITC's Partnership for Investment and Growth in Africa, told Xinhua in Nairobi that Chinese can play a significant role in boosting economic development and employment creation in Africa. "We are working together with other partners to accelerate Chinese foreign direct investment into Kenya, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Zambia," Rintari said during a media briefing on the upcoming China Trade Week Kenya. Rintari said that the four African nations were selected because they have a large Chinese business community already present in the respective countries. "They also have a business environment that is conducive to both domestic and foreign investments," the national coordinator said. She noted that Chinese investments will be directed towards agro-processing and manufacturing sectors. "We want to spur value addition in the agricultural sector in order to help expand Africa's industrial base," she said. Rintari added that most African countries export raw materials and import finished goods and this denies the African region income from value addition. ITC is also promoting African investments and exports into the Chinese market. Rintari said that Africa needs to diversify both its source of investments as well as export destinations for its products. She noted that ITC will also catalyze the creation of joint ventures between African and Chinese companies. "These will in the long run enhance technology transfer into Africa," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:45:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KIGALI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government aims at ensuring digital literacy for all youths aged between 16 and 30 by 2024 because of the important role of technology in development, Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente said on Tuesday. This will be possible by implementing a national digital literacy program, which has the objective of achieving digital literacy of at least 60 percent among adults by 2024, said Ngirente. Ngirente made the remarks while opening the 2nd Transform Africa Economic Forum, part of the Transform Africa Summit that is being held here from May 14 to 16. The forum is a government-to-business engagement, where participants discuss investment opportunities and areas of collaboration. Technology is very important as it offers an opportunity to realize the integration of the continent in a faster and smarter way, said Ngirente. This year's summit is convening under the theme "Boosting Africa's Digital Economy." About 4,000 participants including policymakers, regulators, young innovators and officials from Africa and beyond are expected to discuss taking advantage of information and communication technology to boost the continent's economy. Kathmandu, May 14 Thousands of poultry farmers and entrepreneurs in Nepal are confused about the future of their business after the market demand of chicken meat and eggs has significantly dropped after the government reported the first death from bird flu two weeks ago. The entrepreneurs, however, complain that the shakeout of their business is unfair as the disease can be transmitted from other sources as well, and no one has evidence that the victim had consumed any chicken or meat product. Hari Krishna Rawal, who owns Valley Cold Store, one of the biggest poultry suppliers of the country, objects to the governments inability to make public which bird exactly transmitted the virus to the victim. The entrepreneurs highlight that no poultry worker has been infected of the disease, arguing the chickens and eggs produced from their farms are safe to consume. Nevertheless, Rawal informs that the use of chicken meat has dropped by 30 per cent since the news report of death came out. Likewise, the price of poultry products has heavily come down. A young chick would cost Rs 85 on average, but it is available for as low as Rs 30 these days, according to him. Shiva Ram KC, former chairperson of Nepal Egg Producers Association, informs that the price of egg has also decreased to Rs 6.15 from Rs 13. He informs that the country produces more than 2.6 million eggs everyday. Meanwhile, potential investors who were planning to launch their businesses have also withdrawn after the market shakeout, according to stakeholders. The entrepreneurs demand that the government and experts intervene to clear rumours and save the market from collapse. The businesspersons, from small farmers to multimillion rupee investors, have made maximum efforts to make their products healthy. But, their confidence has dropped now, Rawal says, demanding that the government become serious about the issue. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:45:57|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is set to host the fifth edition of the China Trade Week (CTW) expo in June, organizers said on Tuesday. Zahoor Ahmed, international events director of MIE Group, told a media briefing in Nairobi that this year's edition will run in two phases during June 5-7 and June 10-12. "We expect more than 30,000 visitors as the CTW Kenya has received strong tailwinds from the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April in Beijing to create a new silk road based on shared growth and collaboration," Ahmed said. MIE has been organizing CTW events since 2012 throughout Middle East and Africa. Ahmed said that the CTW aims to connect Kenyan businesses with the most innovative Chinese firms, manufacturers, information and communications technology (ICT) providers and stakeholders. He noted that the event will host 500 exhibitors, a business to business matchmaking area as well as two parallel conference sessions. According to the organizers, phase one which runs from June 5 to 7 will host industries in the building material, heating ventilation and air condition, lightning, construction materials, water and environmental treatment, furniture and interior, textiles and print, packaging and plastics. Ahmed revealed that the second phase which runs from June 10 to 12 will host consumer goods, automobile and auto parts, electrical, ICT and agricultural sectors. He noted that the parallel conference topics in the expo will cover subjects relevant to traders, import and export firms, consumer and capital goods producers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 21:56:13|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BANGKOK, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's first parliamentary session is scheduled to be ceremonially opened by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn on May 24. The Royal Gazette publicized on Tuesday a royal decree issued by the monarch to open the first parliamentary session on May 22 following the March 24 election, and the king will visit parliament to preside over the opening ceremony for it on May 24. Within a few days after the opening ceremony, MPs will very likely select a House speaker and two deputy House speakers and senators will pick a Senate speaker and two deputy Senate speakers. Their names are to be promptly submitted to the king for approval. The final week of this month will very likely see a joint meeting of MPs and senators at parliament to vote for prime minister under simple majority rule. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:01:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CAIRO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Egypt condemned on Tuesday a drone attack on Saudi Arabia's oil pipeline booster stations, Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Egypt sands in solidarity with the Saudi government and people in combating any attempt seeking to undermine the security and stability of the kingdom," the statement said. It stressed the strong bilateral ties and high-level coordination between the two countries against common challenges such as terrorism as well as security and regional stability risks. The Masirah, a television station run by Yemen's Houthi group, claimed responsibility for the attack. Family members of a killed Chinese pilot pay homage to their loved one in the Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, the United States, May 12, 2019.(Xinhua/Liu Liwei) EL PASO, the United States, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A formal memorial service was held Monday for 52 Chinese pilots killed during pilot trainings in the United States in the 1940s in a national cemetery in El Paso, Texas. Sixteen Chinese relatives of the killed pilots as well as representatives from the event organizer, Long Yue peace charity development center in China, staff of Fort Bliss National Cemetery and local communities attended the event. Ann Lee, relative of one of the killed Chinese cadets and initiator of the event, said at the memorial ceremony that every tomb of those killed Chinese cadets was engraved the words "Chinese air force," showing they were from China. "Although they didn't have chance to be back to their homeland, their young lives were part of the history of Chinese air force fighting against Japanese invasion," she said. James F. Porter, director of the Fort Bliss National Cemetery, told Xinhua that it's meaningful to commemorate those trained to go to war and gave lives for freedom. "It's a great thing to have the families come here 70 some years later and get reintroduced to their loved ones and pay homage to them and find their resting place," he said. According to Long Yue peace charity development center, there are altogether 52 Chinese pilots buried in Fort Bliss National Cemetery. After a year of hard work, the organization has managed to match 24 deceased pilot cadets with their family members. People attending a formal memorial service for Chinese pilots pose for group photos in the Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, the United States, May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei) Xia Hengfang, secretary general of Long Yue peace charity development center, said their mission is "to soothe the war wounds, advocate human care." "I'm very touched today to see these people are finally able to pay respect to their beloved ones," she said. "Every life in war needs to be respected." Xia said her organization is committed to finding relatives of other Chinese pilots buried in Fort Bliss. The Fort Bliss National Cemetery is a land of 83 acres (about 33.6 hectare) within the Fort Bliss Military Reservation located near El Paso, U.S. state of Texas on the Rio Grande river across the U.S.-Mexico border. The adjacent Fort Bliss Army Post, with its headquarters in ElPaso, is the largest installation in United States Army Forces Command. | 2019-05-14 22:52:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held talks with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who is on a state visit to China and will attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing. Xi spoke of the significance of Pavlopoulos's visit to promote exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations in Europe and Asia, as well as dialogue among civilizations in the world. full story Xi meets Singaporean president BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, who is here to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). The two countries should maintain the tradition of high-level exchanges so as to provide strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations, Xi said. full story Xi meets Sri Lankan president BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in Beijing to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). Expressing China's strong condemnation of recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, Xi said China is ready to stand alongside the Sri Lankan government and people, support Sri Lanka in combating terrorism, and help the country enhance its counter-terrorism capacity building to safeguard national security and stability. full story Xi meets Cambodian king BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, who is here to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). Noting that China cherishes its special friendship with the Cambodian royal family, Xi said China will continue to support Cambodia in pursuing the development path suited to its own national conditions, and work with Cambodia to push their comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation to a new level. full story Xi meets Armenian PM BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is here to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:16:43|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the growing number of refugees and displaced children in Africa, and stressed that children's rights be safeguarded against violence, abuse and exploitation. The AU Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC) made the urgent call in a statement issued on Tuesday following decisions made during its recent meeting, which was held under the theme "Children Affected by Armed Conflicts in Africa." "The Council called on all AU member states in conflict situations to continuously take the necessary steps with a view to ensure full compliance with International Humanitarian Law, in particular to ensure that schools are not attacked and used for military purposes," the statement from the AU-PSC read. It underscored the importance to effectively address the root causes of forced displacement and urged African countries that are facing conflict and crisis situations "to expeditiously find political consensual means and ways of effectively resolving these conflicts and crises, as well as to protect children from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, including their recruitment as soldiers." It urged African countries that are hosting refugees "to continue to provide safe environments for inclusive and quality education to refugee children, consistent with relevant continental and international normative frameworks for refugees and children." It also called on all AU member states, which have not yet signed, ratified or fully domesticated all relevant AU and other international child protection instruments, to swiftly do so in a bid to protect vulnerable children across the continent. The AU Peace and Security Council further requested the AU Commission to work closely with member states to address gaps in education policies at national, regional and continental levels, while ensuring that systems are put in place to support the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these policies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:21:54|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BERLIN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Fortuna Dusseldorf's Adam Bodzek received a two-game ban due to his violent conduct in their 3-2 Bundesliga defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. The midfielder was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Jadon Sancho with eight minutes remaining. Bodzek will miss the end-of-season game against relegated Hanover and the opening match of the 2019/2020. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:32:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Italian Ambassador to Lebanon Massimo Marotti said Tuesday that Italy aims at bolstering its economic ties with Lebanon by supporting the country's industry sector, the National News Agency reported. "We are helping the Lebanese government in implementing its project which aims at establishing industrial zones to attract investments and create job opportunities," Marotti was quoted as saying during his meeting with Lebanese Industry Minister Wael Abou Faour. Meanwhile, Abou Faour said that the council of ministers has approved the creation of five industrial zones. "We will also approve the creation of two additional industrial zones if we succeed in attracting funding for the construction of these zones' infrastructure," he said. In December 2017, Italy donated nearly 500,000 euros (about 560,000 U.S. dollars) to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to fund the development of industrial zones in Lebanon. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:32:03|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a consultation session on innovation-driven development in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese political advisors gathered Tuesday to call for efforts on innovation during a consultation session on innovation-driven development in Beijing. The session, held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), was attended by Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Wang stressed the importance of putting innovation as the primary driving force behind development and promoting innovation-driven development via consultation sessions. While hailing achievements China has made in innovation-driven development strategy since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, political advisors also pointed out some weaknesses, such as an imperfect scientific management mechanism, weak fundamental research and lacking control on key and core technology. Some political advisors proposed strengthening fundamental research by giving more stable support to long-term innovative research. They also called for stepping up building innovation capacity in the central and western regions and encouraging all kinds of international cooperations on innovation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:32:05|Editor: ZX Video Player Close People stand in front of a house damaged during the violent clashes in North Western Province, Sri Lanka, May 14, 2019. Over 60 people have been arrested over the violent clashes which erupted in Sri Lanka on Monday, the Police said in a statement Tuesday. A local radical group, named the National Thawheed Jammath, has been blamed for the attacks. (Xinhua/Gayan Sameera) COLOMBO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Over 60 people have been arrested over the violent clashes which erupted in Sri Lanka on Monday, the Police said in a statement Tuesday. Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said that several people were being questioned and 33 out of those arrested had been further remanded. Gunasekara said that a curfew would be re-imposed for the second consecutive night across the island which would begin from 9 p.m. local time Tuesday to 4 a.m. Wednesday. This was done to prevent further clashes. A curfew in the Gampaha District, in the outskirts of the capital which was severely affected by the violent clashes on Monday was re-imposed from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. Police said a curfew which had been in place across the north western province on Tuesday had been lifted at 4 p.m. Tuesday for two hours. Police said the curfew was re-imposed again from 6 p.m. and would be lifted at 6 a.m. Wednesday. The North Western province was also severely affected by the violent clashes. Security remained heightened across the island since Monday as several Muslim mosques, houses and businesses were burnt and damaged by angry mobs. The clashes killed one person. Fears of ethnic violence have been growing in Sri Lanka following the terror attacks on April 21, which killed over 250 people and injured 500 others. A local radical group, named the National Thawheed Jammath, has been blamed for the attacks. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a special statement released Monday evening, urged people to remain calm and adhere to the laws. He said security forces had been entrusted with maintaining law and order and he requested the public to abide by their instructions to ensure peace is maintained. Wickremesinghe on Tuesday morning visited Kuliyapitiya in the Kurunegala District which was one of the towns affected by the violence, to meet with the affected people and discuss measures to ensure their security. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:42:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Over 580,000 families of military personnel were issued honor plaques in Beijing, according to an official on veteran affairs in Beijing. Working groups formed by 14 departments with 2,400 trained staff members have delivered the plaques to families of military personnel since 2018, including those with martyrs, active military personnel or veterans. More than 300 ceremonies were held to grant honor plaques during the New Year holiday and the Spring Festival holiday this year. Young volunteers from Beijing also participated in such activities this May. Beijing will improve the working mechanism to create a strong atmosphere of respect for these families, according to Lu Yan, deputy mayor of Beijing. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:47:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KABUL, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Four inmates were killed and 33 people, including 20 police officers, were wounded in a prison riot in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday, spokesman of Ministry of Interior Affairs confirmed. "Attorney General Office and Ministry of Interior Affairs had ordered a search of Special Narcotics Blocks of Pul-e-Charkhi Prison. Four buildings were searched in morning. But later violence broke out at midday during the search of remaining buildings after a group of prisoners attacked police, injuring 10 police officers," spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told Xinhua. The police personnel fired on the air as the inmates tried to grab police forces' weapons during the clashes, he said, adding as a result of violence four inmates were killed and 13 prisoners and another 10 police were wounded. The riot was brought under control in the afternoon, Rahimi added. He said that an investigation has been initiated into the incident and details will be shared with the media soon. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:52:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan security experts on Tuesday called for cyber security investment to narrow the skills gap and avert the growing number of cybercrime related losses. Joseph Mathenge, chief operating officer of Serianu, a cyber security company, said losses from cybercriminal activities in Kenya rose to 2.95 billion shillings (29.50 million U.S. dollars) in 2018, a scenario he attributed to a shortage of skilled personnel to deal with the perpetrators. "Kenya recorded unabated losses from cybercrime in the year 2018, underpinned by lack of skilled professionals," he said. "In order to keep up with what is a rapidly evolving environment, institutions must train their staff on the emerging ICT trends and equip them with the necessary tools and techniques to identify and deal with the hackers," said Mathenge said during the launch of a cyber security report in Nairobi. According to the report, the demand for skilled personnel stood at 10,000 people while the total population of professionals countrywide was less than 20 percent, at under 2,000. The report reveals a weak verification process that was caused by staff with inadequate technical skills, which was potential to exposing the systems to malicious hacking. "Organizations within Kenyan public and private sector suffered a 40 percent higher financial damage from 2.1 billion shillings lost in 2017 even as they spent higher budgets on hiring more IT security personnel," added Mathenge. The report further notes that cyber criminals continued to target financial institutions due to insecure system implementation and a shortage of technical personnel. "The biggest target remained the financial services sector, with banks, Saccos and insurance firms leading the pack," the report further reveals. Computer fraud, business email compromise and cheque fraud were the leading methods of cybercrime, losing 2.3 million dollars, 1 million dollars and 700,000 dollars respectively, with identity theft coming a close fourth at 660,000 dollars. Auditor General Edward Ouko, who officially launched the report, called on the government to create a more structured legislative framework to improve its online defenses in the coming years. "Fight against cybercrime cannot be left to information technology departments alone, it requires multispectral approaches both in government institutions and in the private sector," he said. He added that most organizations are yet to appreciate the enormity of the need to protect their information assets and for institutionalizing of cyber security in academia to inculcate the good values in early stages. "There is need to start spreading the skills early enough within our technical and vocational training institutions such as polytechnics," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 22:57:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WARSAW, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Massive black banners with the writing "Poland without coal 2030" were hung on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Polish governing party Law and Justice (PiS) and opposition Civic Platform (PO) by Greenpeace activists. "PiS and PO politicians ignore the voice of science, of young people protesting across the country in the climate strikes, and of their own voters," Greenpeace Poland campaigner Pawel Szypulski said in a media statement. Poland is one of the countries most committed to coal in the European Union (EU). Coal makes up about half of the country's energy needs and the government's draft energy policy, which is currently under discussion, envisages that coal will continue to cover 60 percent of electricity needs (compared to 80 percent today) in 2030. In early May, Poland, together with Germany and Italy, snubbed an effort by many European countries to intensify EU climate efforts and commit to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions "by 2050 at the latest" . At the same time, in order to adhere to the recommendations of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), all EU countries should phase out coal by 2030, Greenpeace Poland explains. Opinion polls show that 76 percent of Poles support a coal exit by 2030. Coal burning in home furnaces is also one of the main causes of smog in Poland. Yet major political parties have so far favoured coal dependency. The PiS government has been a staunch defender of the coal industry, which it argues helps preserve jobs and safeguards the country's energy security. While in power before PiS, PO had a similar agenda. At the moment, the only party to argue for a coal phaseout in the run-up to elections to the European Parliament are newly formed Wiosna (Spring). The leader of Wiosna, Robert Biedron, promised a coal phaseout by 2035 when his party launched earlier this year. "Even a cautious institution like the International Energy Agency argues that a European coal phase out -- therefore a Polish one too -- is possible by 2030. The IPCC report shows this is indispensable. Politicians who claim the opposite are merely escaping into political conformism and cowardice," Marek Jozefiak, Greenpeace campaigner, said in the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:02:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon and Kazakhstan agreed on Tuesday to boost military cooperation, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. The two countries agreed to increase cooperation by intensifying mutual visits of military experts while enhancing expertise exchange in the military field, NNA said. The agreement came during a meeting of Lebanon's Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab and his Kazakhstan's counterpart Nurlan Baiuzakuly Yermekbayev along with a delegation from the army of Kazakhstan. Bou Saab praised Kazakhstan's participation in preserving peace in south Lebanon by being part of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Kazakhstan became a member of the UNIFIL in October 2018 with the arrival of 120 Kazakhstan's peacekeepers to serve with the UN mission in furthering peace in south Lebanon. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:07:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close THE HAGUE, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Dutch police have arrested 77 protesters at a pig farm in Boxtel, province of North Brabant on Monday night, the public prosecutor announced on Tuesday. In total 76 animal rights activists, who protested against the treatment of the pigs and invaded and occupied the farm, and 1 counter-demonstrator, were arrested. Twelve of them were arrested for not willing or not being able to show their identity papers. The protesters partly came from the Netherlands, but also from various European countries such as Britain, Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Norway and Sweden. All arrested suspects were taken to the police station for further investigation after they refused to leave the farm. An investigation has started into the destruction of the entrance door of a stable and into the destruction of some cars of the activists. Almost all of the activists invoked their right to remain silent. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:12:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BANGKOK, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A driver from Thailand Post, Thailand's national mailing service company, on early Tuesday was arrested in southern Thailand's Songkla for allegedly smuggling 13 illegal migrants, according to Thai police. Police stopped a mail truck with Bangkok license plate from Thailand Post traveling in Songkla on Monday night, finding 13 Hindu men from Myanmar and their belongings in the back of the truck. All the 13 were undocumented migrants. Police said the driver, 34, confessed that he was paid to collect the migrants from the Myanmar border in western Thailand's Kanchanaburi Province and transport them to the south. Police said the driver had thought that using a mail truck would be less noticeable than a pickup. He was charged with assisting illegal entry into the kingdom. Investigators said an additional charge of human trafficking may be filed if further evidence arises, according to local media reports. Thailand Post released a statement on Tuesday, saying it has expelled the driver for "serious legal and disciplinary violations" and offered full cooperation with the police investigation. Thailand has been making efforts in cracking down on human traffickers. Human trafficking in the country is rampant in recent years, with thousands of migrants from Thailand's neighboring countries sold as slave labors. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:12:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcome ceremony for Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held talks with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who is on a state visit to China and will attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing. Xi spoke of the significance of Pavlopoulos's visit to promote exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations in Europe and Asia, as well as dialogue among civilizations in the world. Xi underscored the inclusiveness of Chinese civilization since ancient times, noting the entry of ancient Greek civilization, ancient Roman civilization, Mediterranean civilization, as well as Buddhism, Islam and Christianity into the country through the ancient Silk Road. There has never been any clash of civilizations or any religious war in China, Xi said, adding that the Chinese nation does not have a tradition of aggression. The Chinese people, Xi said, have long upheld the devotion to the country, believing that the country always comes first, before the family. They are convinced there would be no individual and family happiness without a strong unified nation. He said the Chinese people remain rock-firm determined to safeguarding the national unification and territorial integrity, as well as protecting the national interests and the state dignity. China will firmly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics despite all sorts of hardship and obstacles, Xi added. Describing people of all countries as living in a global village destined to swim or sink together, Xi stressed the need to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and win-win cooperation of various countries to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. Pavlopoulos said the "clash of civilizations" argument drummed up by certain people in the international arena was a huge mistake. He said different civilizations should respect each other, enhance mutual learning through dialogue and exchanges and draw upon each other's strengths, which is the way to guarantee lasting peace of the world and harmonious co-existence of humanity. Greece highly appreciates the Xi-proposed outlook on world civilizations, the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity, Pavlopoulos said. Greece also highly commends China on upholding multilateralism, honoring its words and keeping its promises in the international arena, Pavlopoulos added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:17:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in China to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in Beijing to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC). Expressing China's strong condemnation of recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, Xi said China is ready to stand alongside the Sri Lankan government and people, support Sri Lanka in combating terrorism, and help the country enhance its counter-terrorism capacity building to safeguard national security and stability. China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to constantly push forward their strategic cooperative partnership that features sincere mutual help and long-term friendship, Xi said. He called on the two sides to maintain regular high-level communication, firmly grasp the general direction of friendly cooperation, and staunchly support each other. The two countries should steadily advance the joint construction of the Belt and Road, promote cooperation in major projects, and accelerate livelihood projects to benefit the people of Sri Lanka, Xi said. He called for deepening security law enforcement cooperation and jointly addressing non-traditional security threats including terrorism. Xi expressed hope that Sri Lanka would make good use of the CDAC as a platform to showcase its time-honored Buddhist civilization and colorful and diversified cultures. Sirisena spoke of the significance of the China-proposed CDAC for the region and the world, saying it's also important for Sri Lanka. Thanking China for its long-term support, Sirisena said Sri Lanka always regards developing relations with China as a priority, and is willing to work with China to enhance Belt and Road cooperation, and deepen development and security cooperation. The two leaders attended a ceremony for the signing of bilateral cooperation documents after the meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:17:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China Development Bank (CDB) will offer 60 billion yuan (8.7 billion U.S. dollars) worth of financing support over the next four years to Taiwan-funded companies in the Chinese mainland, according to an agreement signed Tuesday. The fund will target areas including high-quality industrial development and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, start-up and upgrading of Taiwan enterprises and cooperation of young entrepreneurs on both sides, said the agreement between the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office and the CDB. This is the fourth such agreement between the two since 2005. The other two agreements were signed in 2012 and 2016, respectively. The CDB had loaned a total of 185 billion yuan to Taiwan enterprises as of the end of last year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:27:58|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), meets with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Monday met with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos in Beijing. Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), called on the two sides to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, intensify high-level contacts, enhance practical cooperation, and jointly create new highlights of the Belt and Road cooperation. Li said the NPC is willing to carry out exchanges with the Greek parliament on legislation, supervision and governance, and push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Pavlopoulos said Greece is willing to work with China to promote dialogue of civilizations, and advance Greece-China and Europe-China cooperation in various fields. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:27:59|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims said Tuesday they have successfully raised over 15 million shillings (150,000 U.S. dollars) in two hours for refugee education in Kenya. Fathiaa Abdalla, UNHCR Representative in Kenya said the fundraising Iftar dinner was well attended by government representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, inter-faith community leaders, and private sector businesses including community leaders. "I was inspired by the refugee youth speakers at the dinner and was incredibly encouraged to see a diverse group of change-makers gather together for one evening to support the plight of people forced to flee by investing in their education," Abdalla said of the event which was held on Saturday evening. Kenya is host to more than 450,000 refugees, 77 percent of whom are women and children. The majority of refugee children living in Kenya's Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps in northern Kenya only have access to primary education. More than two-thirds of refugee school-age children do not have access to secondary school and 87 per cent of refugee youth do not have access to tertiary education. Mohamed Affey, UNHCR special envoy for the Horn of Africa said the fundraising Iftar highlighted the unity and community spirit of Kenyans. "Almost half of refugee school-aged children are not attending school in Kenya. Together, our community responded to this increasing crisis by donating generously to improve refugee access to education," he added. The Iftar dinner was organized as a part of the greater UNHCR and SUPKEM Ramadan campaign running for the entire period of the holy month. Yusuf A. Nzibo, SUPKEM chairman said the holy month of Ramadan has brought the Kenyan community together to support this worthy cause. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:33:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government on Tuesday revealed that its business and investment promotion team at the European Union (EU)-Ethiopia Business Forum, which kicked off Tuesday in Brussels, envisaged to lure more European investors to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), in a statement issued on Tuesday, disclosed that the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum, being held from May 14 to 15 in Brussels, capital of Belgium where the EU headquarters are located, would enhance European investments to the East African country. "The Forum brings together European investors that have shown interest in investing in Ethiopia," said EIC Commissioner Abebe Abebayehu, describing the huge potential of the forum in attracting European investors to Ethiopia. The commissioner also stressed that Ethiopia's "big market, abundant and competitive labor, huge potential for local sourcing of raw materials" are pull factors for investing in the country. The East African country mainly envisaged to promote and attract European investors in various light-industry sectors that are given particular importance by the Ethiopian government in recent years, which include agro-processing, textile, apparel and leather, among others. There are currently over 300 European companies that are active in Ethiopia, making Europe the second-largest investor in Ethiopia, next to investments from China, according to figures from EU's Delegation to Ethiopia. Ethiopia's business and investment promotion team to the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum is said to include various high-level Ethiopian government officials as well as private sector representatives, led by Ethiopia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Markos Tekle, it was noted. The Ethiopian business promotion team is mainly expected to "share first-hand information about doing business and investing in Ethiopia with some 100 attending European companies and trade-enabling organizations." EU's Delegation to Ethiopia also on Tuesday disclosed that "attracting more European companies to Ethiopia is the objective of the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum 2019." "With the Forum, the European Commission shows its support for the Ethiopian economic reform agenda and its commitment to the Africa-Europe Alliance," EU's Delegation to Ethiopia said in a statement on Tuesday. The EU, in its development portfolio, mainly supports Ethiopia's national strategy, mainly in food security and agriculture, health, infrastructure, energy development as well as climate change endeavors. The EU, in recent years, has also strengthened its focus in Ethiopia on areas related to job creation, industrial and agro-industrial parks, export and trade promotion and private sector development. The EU's cooperation portfolio in the country is one of the largest in Africa, which stood at 715 million Euros for the 2014 to 2020 period, according to figures from the EU's Delegation to Ethiopia. Ethiopia is also one of the main beneficiaries of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, amounting 260 million Euros since 2015, it was noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:33:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China has introduced a pilot program to further reduce cumbersome evidentiary burden of the general public and cut government-imposed transaction costs. The pilot program, initiated by the Ministry of Justice, will be carried out in 13 provincial-level regions and five departments under the State Council, or cabinet, the ministry announced Tuesday. Under the program, individuals or enterprises applying for certain government approvals or registrations will no longer need to present related certificates or proof required previously. Instead, the applicants will only promise they meet the government requirements and be willing to bear the legal liability for false information. The administrative organs will directly handle the application and examine their credentials within their database later. As part of the efforts to streamline administrative procedures, the Chinese government has been cutting the evidentiary burden of the public by reducing unreasonable certificates required in recent years. As of April 2019, more than 13,000 such requirements have been abolished by governments across China. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:53:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Exhibits are displayed at the 12th International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX Asia) in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre May 14, 2019. Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen welcomed here Tuesday foreign navies attending the 12th International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX Asia) at its opening ceremony. A total of 23 warships from 15 countries sailed their way to IMDEX Asia at the Changi Naval Base, together with 26 chiefs of defense forces and navies, vice chiefs, directors-general of coast guards and senior naval officers. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey) SINGAPORE, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen welcomed here Tuesday foreign navies attending the 12th International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX Asia) at its opening ceremony. A total of 23 warships from 15 countries sailed their way to IMDEX Asia at the Changi Naval Base, together with 26 chiefs of defense forces and navies, vice chiefs, directors-general of coast guards and senior naval officers. IMDEX Asia also attracted 236 participating companies from 30 countries to showcase their latest products and technologies at the Changi Exhibition Center. In addition, the 6th International Maritime Security Conference will be held Wednesday, where over 400 delegates from the naval defense sector gathering for discussions to better mutual understanding and collaboration in Asia-Pacific. Ng noted in his speech that IMDEX Asia is more than an exhibition, it also serves as an important platform for exchanges among its participants. Given the importance of trade across the sea, he called on concerted efforts in safeguarding regional maritime security. IMDEX Asia 2019 will also introduce the Maritime Campus, which is designed to be a platform to groom the next generation of talents by showcasing higher education opportunities and careers in the maritime and naval industries. Some 1,000 students from Singapore's 13 secondary and tertiary institutions, as well as full-time national servicemen would be the attendees. The biennial event was organized by Experia Events Pte Ltd and will run until Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-14 23:58:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KUNMING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Railway police in southwest China's Yunnan Province have busted a cross-border human trafficking ring and rescued 11 abducted Vietnamese women. A total of 23 suspects from Yunnan and central China's Henan Province have been arrested, police said. In February last year, police at a railway station in Yunnan found a woman with a ticket bought with the ID of another person. She would not talk, but a man traveling with her tried to stop police from talking to her. It turned out that the man, identified by his surname Ren, was from Anhui Province, and the women was a Vietnamese national that he bought from two men from Yunnan Province. Further investigation led to a cross-border human trafficking gang that abducted and trafficked women from Vietnam to China. Police have conducted an investigation in Yunnan and Henan provinces and caught 23 suspects so far. The case is still being investigated. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 06:40:15|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Xi holds talks with Greek president Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcome ceremony for Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held talks with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who is on a state visit to China and will attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing. Xi spoke of the significance of Pavlopoulos's visit to promote exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations in Europe and Asia, as well as dialogue among civilizations in the world. Full story Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 00:08:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A three-day international conference on public health nursing kicked off in Nairobi on Tuesday amid calls for massive investment in nursing services. The fifth Global Network for Public Health Nursing Conference brought together international policy makers, public/community health nurses, clinical nurse practitioners, midwives and scholars. In her opening remarks, Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta challenged governments to invest more resources in public health nursing so as to achieve aspirations of high quality healthcare provision for all. Margaret said public health nursing is central to the functioning of any health system and should therefore be adequately resourced in terms of manpower, equipment and continuous capacity building. "It will certainly benefit all our healthcare systems if we invest in building a strong cadre of public health nurses, through rigorous training, specialization and practice to enhance their skills," she told delegates drawn from across the world. The public nursing conference whose theme is "Public health nurses achieving sustainable development goals (SDG) 3-Good health and wellbeing," is being held in Africa for the first time. "In my work and visits to health centers across Kenya, I have witnessed the role of nurses and community health workers as key influencers in the health and wellbeing of patients, communities and the populations they serve," she said. The First Lady called on the conference participants to work together on finding solutions to not only the identified challenges facing the public nursing profession but the entire public health sector. "The evolving role of public health nursing will be a conversation that you will be considering over the next three days, because we have to avert preventable diseases, provide better care and improve the quality of life of our people, by focusing on community health promotion and prevention," she said. According to Margaret, a strong health system requires a competent and caring workforce pointing out that globally, nurses provide over 80 percent of healthcare services. Sicily Kariuki, Kenya's health cabinet secretary said Kenya's efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage can only be realized through skilled and motivated medical staff. Kariuki said that global health challenges require global partnerships and expressed optimism that the three-day conference will come up with resolutions that will help resolve some of the challenges facing the public health sector especially nursing services. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 00:13:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Zhang Dailei, Wang Huihui LONDON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Liberal, ecumenical, cosmopolitan and open are the four key words given by British historian Rana Mitter to describe his impression of Asian civilizations. Mitter, professor of the history and politics of modern China at Oxford University, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the upcoming Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) in Beijing should help Asia to develop a strong sense of common purpose. Asian culture is "liberal" because the best of Asian thought understands that the individual is not opposed to the collective but is a part of it, he said. "Ecumenical because Asia draws on religious traditions but does not make any one exclusive; cosmopolitan because the greatest Asian cultures draw on a variety of cultural influences. And open because Asia's societies -- China, India, Iran -- are at their best when they tear down walls and look to the most pluralist, freethinking and vibrant versions of themselves," he said. "It needs to reject monolithic and oppressive thinking and instead embrace truly great cultural figures -- Rabindranath Tagore, Lu Xun, Akira Kurosawa -- and learn from them," he added. The CDAC will run in Beijing from May 15 to 22, focusing on cultural diversity, exchanges and mutual learning. It is expected to gather more than 2,000 government officials and representatives of various circles from 47 Asian countries and other countries outside the region. For Frances Wood, a historian and sinologue, Asian civilizations are "historic, different, Westernized, crowded," and dialogue among them is essential. Asian countries have different development paths, and their peoples have different attitudes and experiences. "These should be respected, even if they sometimes create problems of understanding," she said. Wood studied Chinese at Cambridge, London, and Peking universities and traveled extensively in China. She had been the curator of the Chinese collections in the British Library until she retired in 2013. She regards China as one of the most significant Asian civilizations and consequently a leader on the continent on the basis of economic and political power. "I would hope that China would use its power for good," she told Xinhua. Peter Frankopan, professor of global history at Oxford University, remembered his first impressions of Asia when he was a little boy and visited Istanbul for the first time. "I stood on the banks of the Bosphorus and looked across from Europe at the coast of Asia just opposite. I remember thinking that I expected another continent to look completely different and being disappointed that the gap was not wider or more dramatic. It made me think about just how, why and even if our cultures and civilizations are more similar than we sometimes want to think," he recalled. Frankopan, who is also the director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research and author of the best-selling non-fiction book "The Silk Roads: A New History of the World," regards Asian civilizations as "inspiring, remarkable, complex and inter-linked." "I am interested in how people in history have tried to understand each other, and how they too have learned from past experience. So those links are extremely important, because our ancestors, like us, did not have their horizons limited, and delighted in finding things from afar that were rare, unusual and beautiful," he said. Therefore he thinks conferences like the CDAC are extremely important for encouraging policy-makers, scholars and the general public to think about cooperation and shared experiences. "The world is changing fast, and in such periods, there is an even greater need than normal for dialogue so we can ensure we communicate clearly, reasonably and constructively," he noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 00:18:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The German government's climate cabinet has been holding "intense discussions" about the country's path towards climate neutrality by 2050, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue here on Tuesday. "The discussion should not be about whether we can achieve it, but about how we can achieve it," said Merkel. This would not mean that Germany no longer emits greenhouse gases but that the emissions should be offset by afforestation or other carbon storage methods. Renewable energies also make an important contribution to reducing harmful emissions, and Merkel noted that "more than every third kilowatt hour" of electricity in Germany already came from wind, hydro or solar energy. Germany's plan to phase out of coal by 2038 represents a "feat of strength," said Merkel, but one for which "we must gain social acceptance." The German chancellor said her cabinet is scheduled to decide next week the key elements of the structural change in the affected coal regions, which would include billions of euros in aid. Merkel also recalled a climate initiative by nine European Union (EU) countries aimed at making the bloc climate neutral by 2050. The initiative is led by French President Emmanuel Macron. Merkel said that if her government's climate cabinet could find a "reasonable answer," then Germany could join the initiative. "I would like us to be able to do that," she said. Last week, the environment ministers of Germany's federal states had already called on the federal government to support the goal of a climate neutral EU by 2050. Speaking on Tuesday, Merkel called for a joint international effort by all states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. She praised the expansion of renewable energies, for example in China. The industrialized countries hold special responsibility in the climate debate, said Merkel, because they had "set the course for the world to be in such a difficult situation." On the sidelines of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue event, Greenpeace activists were protesting against the German government's climate policy in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The activists put up large ice blocks forming letters, which spelled out "Last Exit." Greenpeace demonstrators held a banner saying "Mrs. Merkel, coal withdrawal can only be the beginning" next to the ice blocks. According to Greenpeace, while Merkel had launched the Petersberg Climate Dialogue ten years ago to give impetus to international climate protection, Germany's credibility in climate issues has "suffered greatly" in recent times. "The world has ten years to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis," said Greenpeace climate expert Lisa Goeldner. "Chancellor Merkel must finally get Germany out of a dead end in climate protection. The climate protection law is the last exit," Goeldner emphasized. The Petersberg Climate Dialogue brought together ministers and negotiators from around 35 countries for informal talks in Berlin on Monday and Tuesday. The dialogue was led by German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze together with her Chilean counterpart, Carolina Schmidt. "To date, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue has contributed to building trust and creating space for constructive discussions. The meetings thus helped to prepare the ground for the major steps and decisions," said Schulze. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 00:44:09|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JUBA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Tuesday expressed confidence in the successful implementation of the revitalized peace deal. Kiir noted that the government will fund the six-month pre-transitional period process in a bid to consolidate lasting peace and stability in a conflict-torn east African country. "I will supervise all the National Pre-Transitional Committee remaining critical tasks as a way to expedite the deal," Kiir said in Juba. Kiir who spoke during the inaugural ceremony of the Transitional National Legislature first session, said his administration will lead the way in restoring broken hopes for peace and urge the partners to support the course. He called on the opposition groups to trust the government, continue to make compromises and push towards successful implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. "My government will spend all resources at its disposal for the purposes of consolidating peace and stability in our country," he noted. He observed that the action is not only a constitutional duty but also a moral and religious duty to bring peace to our people. "As partners, we must rally the people to aspire for peace since the physical discomfort within us is an obstacle to peace and unnecessarily delays the implementation of the agreement," Kiir said. He invited rebel leader Riek Machar to return home to help find amicable solution through the implementation of the agreement. South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world. The United Nations estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. In September 2018, South Sudan's warring parties signed a final peace deal in Ethiopia after negotiations brokered by the Sudanese government and mandated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 00:54:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, May 14 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede appeared in the Durban Specialized Commercial Court on Tuesday, facing a raft of charges related to a Durban Solid Waste tender. Gumede and councilor Mondli Mthembu are alleged to have colluded to corruptly award tenders of 208 million rand (about 14.6 million U.S.dollars) to their preferred companies. EThekwini municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the municipality has noted the charges of fraud and corruption and the municipality abides by the legal principle of innocent until proven otherwise. He pointed out that the arrest of council officials will not affect service delivery. The mayor and the councilor were granted bail each following their brief appearance at court. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 01:39:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China will never surrender to external pressure and has the resolve and capability to defend its legitimate rights and interests, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said here Tuesday. Geng made the remarks at a press briefing in response to questions regarding China-U.S. trade frictions. "China doesn't want a trade war, but we are not afraid of fighting one. If someone brings the war to our doorstep, we will fight to the end," he said. Geng also said China is by no means the party that had pulled back and broken its promise. U.S. President Donald Trump accused China of pulling back on some of the promises when a deal between the two countries was "95 percent" done. The negotiation is the process of discussion, and it is quite normal that the two sides hold different opinions during this process, said Geng, adding that before the negotiation is concluded and an agreement is reached, there is no such saying as "violating promises." He said the two sides reached multiple consensuses on economic and trade issues and released a joint communique in Washington in May last year. However, the U.S. side abandoned those consensuses in just a few days. The two sides also reached consensus on the value of Chinese purchases of U.S. goods last December, but the U.S. side deliberately raised the asking price in subsequent negotiations, said Geng, adding that China is by no means the "backtracking" side. "China has shown the greatest sincerity and kindness during negotiations with the United States," said Geng, expressing the hope that the two countries can meet each other halfway and achieve a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement on the basis of mutual respect, equal treatment and commitment. According to reports on Monday, the United States will hold a public hearing on June 17 on Trump's proposal to put tariffs on another 300 billion U.S. dollars in Chinese goods. Imposing additional tariffs will not solve any problems, whoever starting the trade war will hurt himself as well as others, Geng said. China has become one of the most popular investment destinations for global companies for years in a row since it launched the reform and opening-up drive 40 years ago, he said, adding that companies will choose which countries to invest in or which partners to cooperate with based on their interests and market rules. "China welcomes foreign companies to increase investment in the country, and we will continue our efforts to create a more stable, fair, transparent and predictable business environment for foreign investors," he said. China will continue to expand market access, increase imports of goods and service and attach importance to the implementation of opening-up policies, Geng said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 02:19:56|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Photo taken on May 14, 2019 shows the United Nations Security Council holding a meeting on the situation in Sudan and South Sudan, at the UN headquarters in New York. The United Nations Security Council Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until Nov. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until Nov. 15, 2019. Apart from the mandate renewal, resolution 2469 decided to reduce the authorized troop ceiling to 3,550 and also decided that as of Oct. 15, 2019, the authorized troop ceiling shall decrease by a further 585 troops. As the troop ceiling will reduce, the resolution also decided to increase the authorized police ceiling to 640 police personnel, including 148 individual police officers and three formed police units. According to the Secretary-General's most recent report, as on April 8, the mission contained only 40 individual police against the authorized total of 345 decided on in the former resolution. The failure to deploy the additional police was due to delays in Sudan's issuance of visas, the report said. In this regard, resolution 2469 expressed "deep concern that the Government of Sudan has not promptly issued visas to support the deployment of personnel critical for the mandate of UNISFA." The Security Council first modified the UNISFA mandate in December 2011 to add tasks of supporting a Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism of Sudan and South Sudan, which gained independence from the former in July 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 02:50:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday ruled out any talks with the U.S. government over the disputed issues, Tasnim news agency reported. The U.S. wants Iran to negotiate over its "defensive weapon" and to reduce the range of its missiles, while urging Iran to talk over its regional strategy, the Iranian leader was quoted as saying. "Therefore, the talks (over theses issues) are basically wrong," Khamenei said, stressing that holding "talks with Washington, particularly with the current U.S. government, is poisonous." U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out the landmark Iranian international nuclear deal in May last year and has reimposed U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic. Withe the sanctions and the recent U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, the Trump administration aims to force Iran to return to the negotiation table by exerting "maximum pressures". Washington seeks to seal a new nuclear deal with Iran, which will further curb Iran's nuclear program, stop Iran's ballistic missile development, and halt Iran's push for influence in the region. "None of our wise people (inside Iran) seeks talks with the United States," said Khamenei. "Iranians' ultimate option is to resist the U.S. pressures, and in this confrontation Americans will have to retreat," he said. The Iranian leader also ruled out the possibility of a war between Tehran and Washington, despite the rising tensions that have fueled worries about an armed conflict between the two rivals. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 03:10:34|Editor: ZX Video Player Close RIGA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Latvia's center-right government coalition on Tuesday agreed to set May 29, 2019 as the date for the presidential election despite opposition politicians' proposal to hold the vote a week later, local media reported. Representatives of ruling parties said on public television that Latvia's next president will be elected at an extraordinary parliament meeting on May 29 and that they would collect the necessary number of MPs' signatures to call the meeting if needed. On Monday, a group of 34 lawmakers of the opposition Harmony party and the Greens and Farmers Union tabled a proposal to hold the presidential election on June 5. June 7 is the deadline for the parliament to elect the president in accordance with the Latvian constitution. The date for the presidential election has yet to be approved by the council of parliamentary factions, as the Latvian president is elected by lawmakers. The official registration of presidential candidates ended at midnight Monday. The government coalition has registered European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits as their presidential nominee, Ombudsman Juris Jansons has been nominated by the opposition centrist Greens and Farmers Union, and three members of KPV LV party have put forward MP Didzis Smits as their presidential candidate. Latvia's incumbent President Raimonds Vejonis has decided not seek a second term. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 04:41:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The German city of Berlin on Tuesday voiced readiness to help Lebanon to deal with the heavy burden of hosting Syrian refugees. "We are ready to offer help for Lebanon and its municipalities to support the country in hosting the big number of Syrian refugees," said State Minister of the Interior of Berlin Andreas Geisel during his visit to Sidon, south of Lebanon. "We are also ready to coordinate with Lebanese authorities to identify areas in which we can cooperate," he was quoted by the National News Agency as saying. Geisel said the purpose of his visit was to check how Berlin can support Sidon as a response to a letter sent by the mayor of Sidon to his counterpart in Berlin. "We discussed the necessity of supporting firefighters, and ways to assist them with training, whether in Sidon or in Berlin," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 05:01:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army continued its operation against the rebels in northern countryside of Hama and southern countryside of Idlib province on Tuesday, a military source told Xinhua. The army managed to capture areas in the al-Ghab Plains in the northwestern countryside of Hama and besieged rebels in several towns, the source said on condition of anonymity. The army has so far captured 13 towns since the beginning of the operation in northern Hama countryside two weeks ago. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that the government airstrikes targeted rebel positions in the countryside of Hama, Idlib and Latakia provinces in northwestern Syria. The Britain-based watchdog group said the warplanes carried out seven airstrikes against rebel positions in al-Ghab Plains. Meanwhile, state news agency SANA said the Syrian army continued to target Nusra Front militants in the southern countryside of Idlib and the international road linking Damascus, the capital, with Aleppo in the north and passing through Idlib province. The Syrian army has started an operation against the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), also known as al-Qaida in Syria, in the northern countryside of Hama province in central Syria and the nearby Idlib province late last month. The Syrian government said the attacks are a response to the rebels' attacks and infiltration attempts into Syrian military sites in that region. Idlib is the last major rebel stronghold controlled by the HTS. Areas in the countryside of Hama, Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo are included in the de-escalation zones deal which was reached between Russia and Turkey in September 2018. The deal failed to materialize as the HTS expanded in Idlib and started attacking Syrian military positions instead of withdrawing from the designated zone. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 05:16:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAIRO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Egypt condemned on Tuesday the attacks by explosive-laden drones on two oil pipeline booster stations in Saudi Arabia. In a statement, Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed Egypt's solidarity with and support for the government and people of Saudi Arabia against any attempts targeting the security and stability of the oil-rich kingdom. It highlighted the firmly-established brotherly bonds and coordination at the highest level between the two nations in face of joint challenges, including terrorist and other threats targeting national and regional security. Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia said two of its oil pipeline booster stations were targeted early Tuesday morning by drone attacks. Saudi Minister of Energy Khalid Al-Falih said that the two oil-pumping stations of its main pipeline were hit by explosive-laden drones, which caused a fire at the No. 8 station with limited damage. The 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) East-West pipeline carries crude from Saudi Arabia's main eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu in the west. Al-Falih condemned the attacks as "an act of terrorism" that targeted global oil supplies. He added that the drone attacks, along with the Sunday attacks against four ships including two Saudi oil vessels near the port of Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aimed to destabilize the international energy supply. The minister also vowed that the Saudi oil supply and production won't be affected by the attacks. Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed the drone attacks, which aimed to retaliate against the Saudi-led coalition's airstrikes on their positions in Yemen. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 05:41:50|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ALGIERS, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Finance Minister Mohamed Loukal on Tuesday invited Chinese companies to help diversify Algeria's oil-dependent economy. Loukal, in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Li Lianhe, hailed the positive contribution of Chinese companies to the construction of major projects in the country, said a statement from the Finance Ministry. For his part, the Chinese diplomat, who took office in Algiers in December 2018, said that his task is to create new impetus to the bilateral relations, particularly through boosting investment and partnership projects. Last October, Algeria's former Minister of Industry and Mines Youcef Yousfi voiced hope to speed up the talks on how to help Chinese companies to invest in Algeria's sectors including textile, steel, electronics and mining. Algeria and China enjoy strong political, diplomatic, economic and trade relations. China maintained the largest commodity supplier of Algeria during the first quarter of 2019. Algeria is seeking to diversify its economy and its exports amid the fall of oil price, as the North African nation's economy is fully dependent on oil revenues. NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump hosted his second annual iftar dinner Monday night at the White House and said it's "been a very rough time" for Muslims around the world. The dinner, which breaks the daily fast of Ramadan for Muslims around the world, was attended by various Muslim diplomatic leaders. He cited the devastating attacks on Muslims killed in New Zealand, Sri Lanka, California and Pittsburgh. "In their blessed memory, we resolve to defeat the evils of terrorism," he said. Trumps speech Monday night emphasized world peace. "We thank god that America is a place founded on beliefs that citizens of all faiths can live together in safety and live together in freedom," he said. And then he ended his address with a Muslim blessing, "Wish all the people around the world Ramadan Kareem." His tone Monday night was a shift from previous occasions. Earlier in the day, Trump joined top House Republicans in attacking Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for her recent comments on the Holocaust and Israel. "Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust," Trump said in a tweet. "She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?" In an interview Saturday on Yahoo's podcast "Skullduggery," Tlaib, one of the first two Muslim women in Congress, spoke about her support for a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Tlaib fought back on Monday saying Trump and top-ranking GOP lawmakers had deliberately misconstrued her words to "spread falsehoods rooted in hate." During his presidential campaign, Trump called for a "complete and total shutdown" of Muslims entering the United States. And in June 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that a travel ban is "squarely within" the president's authority. The third iteration came after two previous attempts by the administration to bar immigration to the United States from certain foreign countries had been blocked. And last month, Trump rebuked Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., over remarks she made about Israel and its American supporters at a Council on American-Islamic Relations event. Omar, who was elected alongside Tlaib as the first women Muslim members of Congress in U.S. history, continues to speak out against Israel, attracting the scorn of Republicans and Democratic colleagues alike. She responded to Trump on Twitter. "No one person -- no matter how corrupt, inept, or vicious -- can threaten my unwavering love for America," she wrote, without naming Trump directly. "Thank you for standing with me -- against an administration that ran on banning Muslims from this country -- to fight for the America we all deserve." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi on May 14, 2019. (POOL / AFP) SOCHI, Russia, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said here on Tuesday that the two countries are willing to mend ties and build up cooperation. Before a closed-door meeting with Pompeo, Putin said he had an impression from a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 3 that the latter is willing to restore U.S.-Russia relations and jointly resolve issues of mutual interest. "For our part, we have repeatedly said that we would also like to restore the relationship in full format. I hope that now the necessary conditions are being created," Putin told Pompeo. Putin praised U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller for "an objective investigation" that confirmed the absence of all traces of collusion between Russia and the current U.S. administration. The president said Russia and the United States have common interests in maintaining strategic stability, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, resolving regional crises, fighting organized crimes, solving environmental problems, anti-poverty, and economic partnership. Pompeo said that Washington and Moscow have different positions on some issues, but they also share interests and have potential to cooperate and work productively. After the meeting, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Pompeo told Putin that Trump is ready to hold talks with the Russian leader during the G20 summit in Japan's Osaka in June. Ushakov told reporters that Tuesday's meeting did not bring about a breakthrough in the Russia-U.S. relations, but the discussion was still good and meaningful as the U.S. side showed signs of a constructive approach toward an improvement in bilateral relations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-15 06:07:04|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close by Murad Abdo ADEN, Yemen, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the drone attack on Saudi Arabia's oil pipeline booster stations on Tuesday, further intensifying the country's years-long conflict. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Twitter that the attack on Saudi oil facilities was a response to the Saudi attacks on his group, vowing Houthis' readiness to launch more such attacks. He said that the group's forces have the ability to widen the scope of military operations against Saudi Arabia and other countries involved in the coalition. "This is a message to Saudi Arabia, stop your aggression," said the Houthi spokesman. The Houthis-affiliated Masirah television network revealed more details, saying that seven drones carried out an attack targeting pumping stations in Saudi Arabia. The Yemenis were hoping that the Houthi withdrawal from three key ports in the country's strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah under a UN-brokered peace deal may lead to de-escalation of the conflict, but the latest drone attack on Saudi oil facilities has led to the opposite. Houthi leaders previously vowed to launch missiles against Saudi captial of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), if the coalition forces, led by Saudi Arabia, assaulted the port city of Hodeidah. For Ibrahim Ban Naji, a Yemeni observer, the odd timing of the Houthi drone attack that targeted Saudi Arabia raised a series of questions particularly as no signs of military escalation were reported in Hodeidah, where pro-Houthi forces actually began unilateral redeployment two days ago. "Houthis tried to appear non-violent in front of the world and that they are supporting peace through announcing an unilateral withdrawal from Hodeidah's ports just two days ago," said Ibrahim. But the drone attack did not serve the Houthis strategy particularly at this time, and proved the opposite, showing their real intention of escalating tension, he added. The Yemeni government strongly condemned the Houthi drone attack, which was directly incited by Iran, according to a statement released by the state-run Saba News Agency. The government warned that the Iran-backed Houthis have become a real threat to regional and global security. "These are terror acts that don't differ from what any other terror group does," it said. Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Yemen Mohamed al-Jaber said in a tweet that the Houthi militia proves its obedience to Iran by "serving its terrorist agenda" at the expense of Yemeni people and regional security. The Saudi envoy said that the Houthis are "disregarding the difficult humanitarian situation in Yemen," and continuing their "defiance of all international efforts aimed at bringing peace to Yemen." Elsewhere in the country's southern part, Houthis continued with military mobilizations and began advancing deeper into the government-controlled province of Dhale, following weeks of intense fighting that left scores killed or injured. UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths voiced his deep concern about the ongoing escalation in Dhale, and urged all parties to exercise utmost restraint. The UN envoy said that any military escalation risks a setback in the progress towards peace in Yemen. Ali Hadi, a strategic military expert based in Aden, told Xinhua that the military capabilities of the Houthi group should be taken more seriously following years-long of the anti-Houthi military campaign. "Houthis are posing a real threat not only for Yemen but for the whole region, and it's time to review the Saudi-led coalition's plans and revise its military strategies with more seriousness," he said. He added that the attack on Saudi oil facilities showed that the rebels are not ready to promote peace and are obviously acting according to their close ties with their foreign allies. He expected that the drone attack to trigger more serious reaction from the anti-Houthi military coalition to enter a new phase aimed at eradicating the military capabilities of the rebel group. Houthi rebels have launched dozens of drone strikes and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi cities in the past months to retaliate against the Saudi-led coalition's airstrikes on their positions. Saudi Arabia has been leading a Sunni Arab military coalition against the Yemeni Shiite Houthi rebels since March 2015 to support the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the rebels forced him into exile and seized much of Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa. Ce este INTERZIS in 26 decembrie In 26 decembrie se sarbatoreste Soborul Maicii Domnului, dar si a doua zi de Craciun. In aceasta zi exista un set de reguli pe care trebuie sa le respecti ca sa iti mearga bine tot anul. In a doua zi de Craciun, biserica o praznuieste pe Maica Domnului, iar in aceasta zi exista o serie de superstitii pe care daca nu le respecti, se [citeste mai departe] 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 The first appointments will be announced after the inauguration of Volodymyr Zelensky. We will tell you about the applicants for positions of ministers and the head of Presidential Administration. Groysman remains in the same office? Most likely, the main chair of Ukraines Cabinet would remain the same before the parliamentary elections. According to our sources in Zelenskys team, acting Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman would remain at his post until the autumn. Groysman has already publicly admitted that he is not in a hurry to resign. I do not understand the basis of the question of the resignation of the government. The election of the president is not the basis for the resignation of the government, the head of government noted. But the wave of resignations might hit his subordinates. According to our sources in the coalition factions, there are negotiations on replacing five ministers, appointed by the quota of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction. According to our interlocutors, Deputy Prime Minister Hennadiy Zubko, First Deputy Prime Minister Stepan Kubiv, Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan might lose their cabinets. In addition, according to our interlocutors, Minister for Veterans Affairs Iryna Friz, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Ihor Nasalyk are also under threat of dismissal. The parliament is preparing the ground for personnel changes in the government, our interlocutors say. According to 112.ua sources in the team of the newly elected president, "results grid is regularly changing." The interlocutors add that Volodymyr Schulmeister, the former first deputy head of department, could become a new infrastructure minister. But it is quite possible there would be no changes in the foreign policy part of the government. According to our sources in Zelenskys team, current Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin might keep his post "with a probability of 60%." The minister himself said he would offer his own resignation to the newly elected President of Ukraine. Law enforcers shuffle The power vertical seems to be waiting for at least a partial update. There are some negotiations between Zelenskys team and current First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Serhiy Kryvonos for the post of Minister of Defense. Earlier, the winner of the presidential election publicly admitted that he had already invited Kryvynos to join his team, but he decided to play in favor of Petro Poroshenko. It is possible that the current head of department Stepan Poltorak will remain in office. In a comment to journalists, the head of the defense department said he was ready to meet with the newly elected President of Ukraine. A new or "new old" person might head the Security Service (SBU). According to 112.ua sources at Zelenskys headquarters, former presidential candidate and former SBU head Ihor Smeshko could return to his office. Officially, such proposals were denied by his representatives. There might be also changes at the Prosecutor General's Office. At a briefing after the announcement of the exit poll results, Volodymyr Zelensky announced Prosecutor General would be changed. Moreover, Yuriy Lutsenko himself has repeatedly stated his intention to return to public politics and take part in parliamentary elections. And although in early May, the Prosecutor General stated that he did not see "legal and moral grounds for resignation, changes in the Prosecutor General's Office are only a matter of time. Prosecutor Kostyantyn Kulik, who became widely known for his criminal case against Poroshenkos entourage, as well as former Deputy Prosecutor General Vitaly Kasko, another ex-deputy David Sakvarelidze are among the contenders for the post of head of the Prosecutor Generals Office. Serhiy Gorbatyuk, the head of the special investigations department of the Prosecutor Generals Office, has publicly declared his ambitions to head the body. According to our sources in Ze!Team, Arsen Avakov will continue to be the main policeman of Ukraine. The interlocutors point out this was one of the conditions for cooperation between the minister and Zelenskys team. And one of the speakers close to Zelensky, his business partner Serhiy Shefir, said that Ukraines MIA head is the most effective minister in the current Cabinet. On the sidelines of the parliament, there are rumors that Avakov might become a new parliamentary speaker, and a part of the American political elites have nothing against this idea. Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoysky, often associated with Zelensky, did not rule out that Arsen Avakov would preserve a place in his current office. Zelensky claimed he wanted to move the presidential office from Bankova Street. "We do not want to be in this administration. The place should be open, we want to reduce the presidential administration," he said. The intrigue about the appointment of the head of the Presidential Administration is still unveiled. Business partner and Zelenskys old friend Serhiy Shefir, as well as Andriy Bogdan, lawyer of Ihor Kolomoysky, are among the applicants for this position are. Officially, Zelenskys team does not voice the name of the new head of the presidential office, noting that "all personnel issues will be resolved after the inauguration." Read the original text at 112.ua. president.gov.ua The Order of the Golden Star of the Hero of Ukraine was also received by MP Nadia Savchenko, who would soon be in prison on suspicion of organizing a terrorist attack. No matter how the power changes in Ukraine, one old practice remains constant. When leaving the post, each president of Ukraine distributes awards to his comrades and confidants. The astonishing number of awards demonstrates that Ukraine has not gone too far from the traditions of the Soviet Union. According to the official website of the president, Petro Poroshenko, whose cadence is coming to an end, has honored 273 people with state awards. We will not list all those lucky ones, we will mention the most famous or symbolic names. Yevhen Nishchuk, Minister of Culture, has received the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the 5th degree from the hands of Petro Poroshenko. Along with him, Stanislav Dovhy, Director of the Institute of Telecommunications and the Global Information Space of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and father of Oles Dovhyi, former Secretary of the Kyiv City Council during the mayors office of Leonid Chernovetsky, won the award. Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise was also received by Yuriy Onishchenko, the head of the main department of the Presidential Administration. The next award is the Order of Merit. The 1st degree was awarded to Mykola Haman, First Deputy Head of the Administration of the Verkhovna Rada. And yet a citizen of the Russian Federation Vasiliy Duma, chairman of the Council of the Association of Ukrainians of Russia and the Federal National Cultural Autonomy "Ukrainians of Russia." The Order of Merit of the 2nd degree went to Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kostyantyn Yeliseyev, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv, and Mayor of Boryspil airport Anatoliy Fedorchuk. Archbishop Vasyl Semenyuk (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) has a similar reward. At the same time, the Order of Merit of the 3rd degree was awarded to Dmytro Bykov, mayor of Horishni Plavni town, and head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration Oleksandr Kuts. People from the closest presidential circle have also received this award presidential press secretary Svyatoslav Tsegolko, presidential adviser Ruslan Demchenko, freelance adviser to the president Oleg Medvedev. The Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky of the 3rd degree is also on the list, it was given to Colonel Andriy Salenko, Head of the Directorate of the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The titles are more modestly marked by officials, who were also in close proximity to Bankova. In particular, two deputy heads of the main department of the presidential administration became "honored economists of Ukraine." And the main consultant to the reception of the presidential office, Iryna Bozhko, and along with her, Oleksandr Yarema, the deputy minister of youth and sports, were awarded the Honored Worker of the Social Sphere of Ukraine title. At the same time, one of the most honorable awards - the title of Hero of Ukraine came to head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Vasyl Hrytsak. A lump sum payment is 50 living wages, that is 3,200 USD. The figure of Vasyl Hrytsak is not just controversial, but for many, it is even negative. The chief intelligence officer is remembered for quite a few "sins" from bloody Ilovaisk and Debaltseve battles, which were under his management as part of the SBU antiterrorist center, to an unequivocal deal with the mysterious "murder and resurrection" of Russian journalist Arkadiy Babchenko. Another Hrytsaks dark stain is his supposedly unofficial involvement in the creation of paramilitary associations, such as included in the American terrorist base far-right C14, involved in violence against students, journalists, lawyers, national minorities, LGBT activists, etc. Leveling awards and titles and the very essence of heroism and self-sacrifice is a serious accusation. The basics of treating state awards as a kind of "award" or "gratitude" were laid in Ukraine a long time ago. Actually, Petro Poroshenko with his 273 state awards looks still rather modestly next to Viktor Yushchenko, who has granted over 350 orders. Or let us remember Ukraines ex-President Leonid Kuchma, who was generous for the pistols. Leonid Kuchma presented 141 firearms, which was a distinctive feature of his rule. He began this practice in 1995, and at first, only the military had the right to such an award. But later the rules were simply ceased to be observed. During the second term of the presidency of Leonid Kuchma, 42 people receive premium weapons, of which only 16 were military personnel. Among those awarded were MPs Bohdan Hubsky, Borys Deich, Volodymyr Nechyporuk. Against this background, it looks rather like the exception of awarding Leonid Kadenyuk, the first and so far the only cosmonaut of independent Ukraine. Taking over the club from Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko solemnly promised: the bacchanalia with awards would be ceased, a new system of awards would be developed. However, he failed to keep his word: orders, weapons, titles fell down like from a cornucopia. This was a "gratitude" to the participants of the Orange Revolution (2004). One of these participants was "granny Paraska," who looked more like a comic character, which, nevertheless, has not prevented her from receiving the order of Princess Olga. The Hero star was received by late Stepan Bandera, whose party participated in Holocaust and organized ethnic cleansing of the Poles. And along with him, MP Hryhoriy Omelchenko has got the award, which, in the opinion of the then observers, was unacceptable and illogical. When the distribution of state awards passed into the stage of obsession, Viktor Yushchenko began to grant the Order of Yaroslav the Wise to church hierarchs both of Kyiv and in Moscow Patriarchates. By the way, notorious Leonid Chernovetsky, Kyiv mayor in 2006-2012, has got the Order of Yaroslav the Wise "for significant personal contribution to the socio-economic and cultural development of the Ukrainian state, significant labor achievements and on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of Ukraine's independence." Obviously, it was a favorite reward of the Ukrainian presidents. Kuchma also gave Order of Yaroslav the Wise to a more exotic man Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. As for Viktor Yanukovych, the fourth president of Ukraine simply did not have time to contribute to this Vanity Fair. Read the original text at 112.ua. Ukraines outgoing president, Petro Poroshenko, and the governing coalition (whose mandate is also about to expire) have bequeathed the foundation and building blocks of Ukrainian resilience against Russias adversity. President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky and the soon-to-be-elected next parliament are inheriting a Ukraine that has finally exited the Russian World; de-Sovietized the public space and the memory policy, suppressed many pro-Moscow propaganda outlets within Ukraine; achieved the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; legislated the position of the Ukrainian language into the lingua franca in the public sphere, mass media and education; decentralized local-level administrations so as to prevent centrifugalism at the level of regions; ended the once-crippling dependence on Russian natural gas; reoriented a growing share of Ukraines trade toward Europe; enshrined Ukraines goals to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union in Ukraines constitution; established a strategic partnership with the United States; built a capable army; and enacted what should be (if honored) insurmountable legal safeguards against compliance with the Minsk armistice agreements in their existing form. These results are, however, an unconsolidated work in progress after a single term in office of the outgoing authorities. The Zelensky team can build on this legacy to strengthen Ukraines resilience vis-a-vis Russias intensifying political and economic pressures amid a protracted war (see Part One in EDM, May 9). But Zelensky is also inheriting a highly heterogeneous electorate by dint of its sheer size: an ad hoc, unrepeatable conglomeration of protest-motivated voters, as distinct from a party-based coalition. The 73 percent of voters (spread almost evenly throughout Ukraine) who elected Zelensky on April 21 differ widely in terms of their values, interests, priorities, and the expectations they attach to the new president. These differences include attitudes toward Russia, the ongoing war, and national and cultural identity. Zelenskys decisions down the road on these issues will carry the political risk of splitting his electorate. On the other hand, the national interest would be put at risk by compromise decisions or issue-straddling with electoral motivations. Zelenskys own statements thus far indicate, basically, continuity with the policies of the outgoing president and governing coalition vis-a-vis Russia. The president-elect has not yet authorized members of his team to make policy statements publicly. This team is still the electoral campaign team. He has yet to recruit experts on foreign policy, international relations and (particularly) on Russia for a transition team. Given Zelenskys lack of experience in these areas, it is assumed that his public statements are supplied to him, possibly from experts outside the known team. Zelensky has aired a number of policy positions on Russia via Facebook. According to Zelensky, we are prepared to discuss the new conditions of Ukraines coexistence with Russia, but real normalization only after the complete de-occupation of Crimea and Donbas (Liga.net, April 27). The difference between coexistence and real normalization remains to be clarified after the president-elect takes office. (Comparatively, the current relations between Georgia and Russia may be described as a model of coexistence without real normalization). Zelensky has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putins references to commonalities between Russia and Ukraine (same people, same language, said Putin most recently on April 29Kremlin.ru, April 29). All that remains in common between us is one thing: the state border. And Russia must give back every millimeter of it on the Ukrainian side [in Donbas], Zelensky replied (Liga.net, May 2). The president-elect has already ruled out a special status for the Russian-controlled territory in Donbas, dialogue with Russias proxies there, and amnesty for them (an amnesty would pave the way for elections to be staged there). These positions are fully in line with the legislation adopted by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) and signed by Poroshenko in January, which provides a legal shield against the implementation of the political provisions of the Minsk armistice. Russian state television channels characterize Zelenskys statements as anti-Russian, and similar to those of Ukraines previous authorities. However, Zelenskys high popularity in Russia protects him at least for the time being from ad hominem attacks on Russian television. Along with the punitive economic and political measures against Ukraine (see EDM, April 25, May 9), Moscow seeks to lure Zelensky into bilateral talks following his inauguration. The Kremlin has extended to Kyiv the same offer on natural gas that Moscow had presented to the pro-Russia opposition leaders on March 22 ahead of Ukraines presidential election. As rehashed by Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (Kremlin.ru, April 27, 30), Russian Gazprom would grant to Ukrainian Naftohaz a 25 percent price discount, if Ukraine re-starts procurement of natural gas directly from Russia (as distinct from procuring gas of varied provenance including Russian via European traders and reverse transit). External recommendations from any quarter for Zelensky to meet with Putin are premature. Inexperienced, lacking a competent team of foreign policy advisors, and without having formulated a strategic policy concept, venturing into such a meeting would be a high-risk move for the Ukrainian president-elect. Read the original text at The Jamestown Foundation. Israeli flag Open source Israel did not allow about 1,600 Ukrainian to cross its border in 2019, as UNN news agency reported citing Oleg Slobodyan, the assistance of the head of the State Border Service of Ukraine. All citizens of Ukraine, who were not able to cross the Israeli border, were refused in the provision of the permission for the entry to the territory of the state. Meanwhile, Slobodyan did not specify the reasons for such a situation. Totally, 517 citizens of Israel were refused in the entry to Ukraine during the crossing of the border since the beginning of the year. At the same time, Israeli returned almost 1,600 citizens of Ukraine, Slobodyan said. Earlier, the Israeli Embassy in Kyiv replied to the information request by the correspondent of 112.ua news agency. The authority has cleared its position on the recent incidents with entry refusals for Israeli citizens in Ukrainian airport, namely Boryspil international airport. We are concerned about the situation at the airport. According to the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority, while there has been an increase of Ukrainian tourists to Israel since the establishment of the visa-free regime, there has been no increase in the number of Ukrainian citizens refused to enter Israel in the past 3 years. We work together with the Ukrainian authorities in order to diffuse this crisis. Previously we reported that the number of entry bans for Israeli citizens in Ukraine has grown up lately. The reason, most often, is that some of them could not confirm the goal of their visit; some don't have the return tickets or don't know where they would live, Oleg Slobodyan said. Sometimes, the U.S. envoy would fail to inform her government on the situation regarding the activities of the law enforcement agencies, Prosecutor General said The Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko Open source Marie Yovanovitch, the Ambassador of the U.S. who is about to complete her cadence in Ukraine has not always been objective in her evaluations of the activities of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko said that at a briefing on Tuesday. 'Unfortunately, the U.S. Ambassador - currently, the ex-ambassador - has not been always objective when updating the information about the situation in our country, specifically, in the law enforcement agencies. It seems to me that Mrs. Ambassador was too biased in her attitude, dividing people on the good and the bad ones, the favorites of the Embassy who were always right - the people like Sytnyk, Leshchenko and others', Lutsenko said. According to Prosecutor General, he passed this information to Rudolph Giuliani, the personal lawyer of U.S. President Donald Trump as he met with him in Kyiv; Lutsenko asked him to take it into account when evaluating the situation in Ukraine. On May 6, the media reported that Yovanovitch is being recalled from her office in Kyiv due to the expiry of her three-years-long cadence. She is supposed to get back to the States on May 20. The Department of the State confirmed it. The states-members of the policy Eastern Partnership may join the European Union during the next ten years, as Interfax reported citing Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom. According to her, some countries show a strong desire and have all the chances. Wallstrom said about the possible joining of the states to the EU answering the question about the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership in ten years. Possible, it would be very natural if some states, possible, joined the EU until this time, she said. Earlier, it was reported that the Eastern Partnership jubilee summit is possible to be over without any concluding statements made by EU Foreign Ministers. This is due to Azerbaijan's dismissive position. Eastern Partnership is a joint initiative that unites EU member states and six countries that were in the Soviet Union Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak might resign after the inauguration, as NewsOne reported citing Dmytro Razumkov, the Political Advisor of President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky. Razumkov thinks that Klimkin and Poltorak will resign as soon as Zelensky obtains authorities of the president. He is sure by 99% in it. I never say 100% but 99% that it will not take place, Razumkov said answering the question whether Klimkin and Poltorak will stay at their positions. Moreover, Zelenskys advisor noted that his team wants the dismissal of Prosecutor General Yury Lutsenko. The Prosecutor General should at least have a law degree, Razumkov said. Zelensky, the popular comedian and actor won the presidential election in Ukraine in both rounds, held on March 31 and April 28. He scored almost 75 percent of all votes, while his opponent, the incumbent President Petro Poroshenko collected 24,25 percent. As we reported earlier, President-Elect Volodymyr Zelensky recorded a message 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 Petro Poroshenko. 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. This is due to the high measles morbidity rate in Ukraine; the list also includes Georgia, Albania, Madagascar, and Liberia Open source Israeli Healthcare Ministry has included Ukraine and Georgia into the list of the countries dangerous for visitors. The reason is the high rate of measles morbidity in this country. The press office of the Israeli authority reported that May 14. The list also includes Albania, Madagascar and Liberia. The Israeli government specifies that the number of cases of morbidity in these countries has increased lately. Previously, the Ukrainian media reported that anti-measles vaccines became free for people of all ages. From now on, the babies of at least six months of age can be inoculated, too (this illness is especially dangerous for them). Before these changes took place, only the adults up to 30 years old could be inoculated. As the lawmaker, he will be held accountable for disclosing the classified information regarding the black cash of Party of Regions, Yuriy Lutsenko said Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko Open source Ukrainian MP Serhiy Leshchenko, who joined the team of Volodymyr Zelensky will be summoned for an interview at Prosecutor General's Office. Leshchenko may get a notice of suspicion, for he may be involved in disclosing the classified information regarding the black cash of Party of Regions. Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said that at a briefing. 'He will be asked questions, and perhaps given notice of suspicion in disclosing the data of the pre-trial investigation on the so-called black cash of the Party of Regions, which led to interference with the American election, launched from the Ukrainian territory. Everyone has to be held accountable for his deeds', Lutsenko said. Prosecutor marks that the reporters can't be held responsible for disclosing information. 'As an MP, Mr. Leshchenko will be. Either he points at the person who fed him this information, or the responsibility will be his own', he said. Lutsenko also said canceling the visit of Rudy Giuliani to Ukraine is not a 'common event'', and it needs special attention to be paid. 'It's not about some fancy canceling the visit of a U.S. Lawyer. It's an important event. I really hope the Ukrainian political environment will show the state-based approach, welcoming Mr. Giuliani as Ukraine's friend who helped a lot and will keep helping our bilateral relations', Lutsenko said. Stanislav Shevchuk was dismissed from the office, as the judges expressed the no-confidence vote; the ex-head of the authority claimed he would appeal against this decision and the Court's actions, which he described as 'constitutional coup' Natalya Shaptala, Head of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Focus Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine elected Natalya Shaptala the new Head of this authority. Shaptala will replace her predecessor Stanislav Shevchuk; he was recently dismissed from the office, as the judges expressed the no-confidence vote. 'According to Article 33 of the Law about the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the Head of the Court is elected at a special plenary meeting for only one three-years-long term', reads the message. The Ukrainian law stipulates it is the Head of the Constitutional Court who brings the newly elected President of Ukraine to the oath at the inauguration ceremony. Meanwhile, the date of Volodymyr Zelensky's inauguration is still unknown, as the Parliament has not yet approved it; according to various bills offered for the Parliament's consideration, it could be May 19, May 20 or June 3. Ex-head of the authority Stanislav Shevchuk claimed he would appeal against this decision and the Court's actions, which he described as 'constitutional coup'. Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko stayed in the cell from April 30 up to May 11 Open source Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko, who stays at the penal colony No.6 in Kopeysk, Russia, has returned to the unit after a stay at the punishment cell, as Ukrinform reported citing human rights activist Tatiana Shchur. Today, the lawyer (of Ural human rights group) visited Oleksandr Kolchenko. Here are the details: he was transferred to the punishment cell on April 30; he returned to the unit on May 10. In general, Sasha feels normally; he is in a good mood, Shchur reported. The human rights activist specified that the use of obscene language was the reason for his transfer to the punishment cell. However, she said that Sasha never uses it. Shchur reminded that Kolchenko was transferred to the punishment cell for the first time as he said shack instead of dormitory. According to the human right activist, the rights of the Russian prisons provide the enhancing of the regime during the holidays. All prisoners convicted with severe charges transferred to the punishment cells. As we reported, Kolchenko and Sentsov were detained by Russian intelligence services in Crimea in May 2014. They were accused of the organization of a terrorist act on the peninsula. Kolchenko was sentenced to 10 years of the colony, and Sentsov got 20 years. Both are denying their guilt. Open source Russia will be forced to utilize the Ukrainian hardware left in Crimea after annexation in 2014 if Kyiv does not take it away during ten years as TASS news agency reported. It is, first of all, the task of the leadership of Ukraine (on the Ukrainian hardware left in Crimea, including vessels and planes, - 112.international). based on the international norms, they should take away the hardware during 10 years or we will be forced to utilize it as it is not used, declines and short out, Vladimir Shamanov, the Chairman of State Duma Defense Committee, said. According to him, modern samples were not found in Crimea and the present are not interesting for Russia. Crimea was annexed by Russia after the illegal referendum held on the peninsula in March 2014. Earlier, the Russian military captured all strategic military objects and buildings of the key authoritative bodies. Neither Ukraine nor the rest of the civilized countries recognized the results of the referendum. A number of the European and the world countries, including Ukraine, imposed the economic sanctions against Russia. 12 judges voted for such decision after the Court expressed a motion of no confidence, blaming him for making the court's work too political Stanislav Shevchuk, the Head of Constitutional Court of Ukraine Constitutional Court of Ukraine The Constitutional Court of Ukraine fired Stanislav Shevchuk from the office of the Head of this authority. A source at the court told that to UNN news agency. 12 judges, the necessary minumum to pass, voted for such decision after the Court expressed a motion of no confidence. The colleagues blamed him for making the court's work too political, the source said. Shevchuk was sworn in and became the judge of the Constitutional Court in March 2014. On February 2018, he chaired the authority. The Constitutional Court is the body of constitutional jurisdiction, which ensures the supremacy of the Constitution of Ukraine, decides on conformity of laws of Ukraine to the Constitution of Ukraine and other acts in the cases provided for by the Constitution of Ukraine, provides official interpretation of the Constitution of Ukraine, as well as exercises other powers under the Constitution of Ukraine. Klimkin also urged to extend anti-Russian sanctions due to the issuance of Russian passports to Donbas citizens Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin Unian Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin urged the European politicians not to allow the return of Russia to the PACE, as the ministry reported. In the context of holding of the ministerial meeting of the Council of Europe on May 16-17 in Helsinki, the minister urged not to allow the return of Russia to the PACE as it continues systematical violations of the international law and disruption of Minsk Agreements, the message said. Klimkin also noted the importance of the coordinated tough response to the further aggression of Russia against Ukraine due to the decision to simplify the issuance of Russian citizenship for the Ukrainians, who live in the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily occupied by Russia. Particularly, it is offered to extend the economic sanctions against Russia and not to recognize the Russian passports issued to the citizens of Ukraine contrary to the Ukrainian legislation. On October 9, 2018, the members of the PACE voted for keeping the current limitations against the Russian delegation in the Assembly. Committee on Rules of Procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has supported the amendments of Ukraine to the draft resolution on the rules on the sanctions against the PACE delegations, which make the return of Russia impossible. 20 member countries of the PACE signed the declaration against Russias return to the Assemblys line-up. Russian delegation to PACE left the Assembly's line-up after it faced numerous restrictions - due to the Kremlin's military aggression in eastern Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea in February 2014. Open source The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has opened new criminal proceedings against the Ukrainian military as its website reported. The Investigative Committee of Russia continues gathering of the evidence in the criminal cases on the crimes committed by the Ukrainian military against civilians during the armed conflict, not of an international character at the territory of the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples Republic, the message said. According to the Investigative Committee, on May 8, 2019, the servicemen of the Ukrainian Army and the National Guard opened the targeted fire from the small arms at Zeleny Hai Street, in occupied village Shakhty (Donetsk region). On May 10, the Ukrainian military shelled objects of the civilian infrastructure in occupied Kalynove (Luhansk region) from heavy weapons. The committee states that two civilians were wounded in the results of the attacks. According to these facts, the Chief Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee opened criminal cases due to the use of the banned means and methods of waging war. Earlier, Investigative Committee of Russia opened the criminal case against Volodymyr Viatrovych, the director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, due to the rehabilitation of Nazism. Head of Estonian Foreign Ministry Urmas Reinsalu Err.ee The Head of Estonian Foreign Ministry Urmas Reinsalu believes that the EU has to expand sanctions against Russia for issuance of Russian passports on the occupied territories of Ukraine. Russian provocative actions in Ukraine speak for themselves. EU should not recognize Russian passports issued to Ukrainians on the occupied territories and should consider expanding sanctions. EU will stand together for territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, he wrote on Twitter. Earlier, Reinsalu claimed an intention to impose additional sanctions against Russia for the facilitated process of Russian passports issuance for the residents of ORDLO (Separated Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, - ed.) and Crimea. 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 the citizenship of the Russian Federation, received from residents of occupied Donbas, 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. Ex-commander of National Guard Yuriy Allerov Open source The law enforcers have detained the former commander of the National Guard of Ukraine Lieutenant General Yuriy Allerov. He is accused of involvement in embezzlement for over 5 million dollars on the construction of housing for the military servicemen. This was reported by the investigator of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) Yevhen Shevchenko on air of ZIK TV channel. According to him, the case was opened in connection with a fact of alleged large-scale embezzlement during the construction of housing for the military servicemen. The sum exceeds 5 million dollars. First, it was a construction of flats on the territory of the military unit in Pechersk district of Kyiv. Later, the place for construction was changed to suburbs. The difference between accommodation that the servicemen were supposed to receive and what they received in fact, accounts for over 5 million dollars, NABU agent said. Yevhen Shevchenko told that the daughter of Allerov became the owner of one of the flats of the same construction company, which was involved in the scheme. At the same time, Shevchenko did not remember the name of this company. However, answering the questions of journalists, he agreed it could be Ukrbud. Allerovs daughter could not explain where she took so much money as she has never had any business and does not have a big income. The investigation on this case was ongoing for a year and a half and the corresponding forensics were conducted. Today, it came to a logical finish and the general was detained about an hour ago, Shevchenko said. In addition, he noted that the case hearing, where the restrictive measure will be elected, could take place on May 15. The prosecutors will ask for an arrest. If the bail will be considered, its size will be around 3,8 million dollars. As it was reported earlier, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is conducting searches at the premises of the National Guard of Ukraine and Ukrbud Development company. The searches were held in the frameworks of case on the construction of housing for the National Guard military servicemen. The case provisioned the conduct of 20 searches in total. The NABU had prepared the note of suspicion for the former National Guard commander Yuriy Allerov. He is suspected of a crime under Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation or seizure of property by abuse of office). Verkhovna Rada rejected four draft decrees on cancelation of voting the law under which the document was adopted in general Verkhovna Rada Open source Verkhovna Rada unblocked signing of the law No. 5670-d on the provision of the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language, 112 Ukraine broadcasted morning plenary meeting of Ukraines Parliament. Verkhovna Rada rejected four draft decrees on cancelation of voting the law under which the document was adopted in general. Earlier, Head of Parliaments Committee on culture Mykola Knyazhytsky stated that the final voted variant of the language law would be published on the website of the Parliament. On May 10, the District Administrative Court of Kyiv received a lawsuit from the "Institute of Legal Policy and Social Protection named after Iryna Berezhna," in which they are asked to ban Andriy Parubiy from signing the law on language. Parubiy himself considers it an attempt of the pro-Russian revenge. Dmitry Balakin, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE, stated that adoption of the law on the Ukrainian language affects the right of the national minorities in Ukraine and contradicts the international law as TASS reported. Related: Russia accuses Ukraine of violation of international law by adoption of language law This act, which aims for the total Ukrainization, does not contradict only point 11 of the Minsk measures, which provides the right for the language self-determination but it also contradicts the international law and human rights commitments of Ukraine, including within the OSCE, Balakin said. He emphasized that the law on the Ukrainian language affects the rights of not only Russian-speaking Ukrainians but many other national minorities. The document will be passed to the President for signing Ukraines Parliament Spokesperson Andriy Parubiy Andriy Teteruk Facebook Ukraines Parliament Spokesperson Andriy Parubiy signed the law No. 5670-d on the provision of the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language. 112 Ukraine broadcasted the event. President of Ukraine will sign the law in a few hours or days, Parubiy said. Andriy Teteruk Facebook Ukraines Parliament Spokesperson Andriy Parubiy Andriy Teteruk Facebook Ukraines Parliament Spokesperson Andriy Parubiy Earlier, Verkhovna Rada unblocked signing of the law No. 5670-d on the provision of the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language. On May 10, the District Administrative Court of Kyiv received a lawsuit from the "Institute of Legal Policy and Social Protection named after Iryna Berezhna," in which they are asked to ban Andriy Parubiy from signing the law on language. Parubiy himself considers it an attempt of the pro-Russian revenge. Dmitry Balakin, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE, stated that adoption of the law on the Ukrainian language affects the right of the national minorities in Ukraine and contradicts the international law as TASS reported. Thank's for the fish. -- Douglas Adams Come back again sometime. Thank you for visiting. 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!) Runs through 05/13/2019. Public Openings: Friday, April 19, 2019, 5-8 pm at El Rey Court and Saturday, April 20, 2019, 5-7pm at Turner Carroll Gallery In Natalie Christensen's images, pools serve as reflective places of consciousness, the subconscious and the unconscious or unknowable self, where Christensen invites the viewer to dare to dive into the depths. The exhibition at Turner Carroll Gallery is held in conjunction with Natalie Christensen and Jim Eyres exhibition of collaborative images presented in an unorthodox gallery viewing environment: the walls of an empty swimming pool at the El Rey Court hotel in Santa Fe. alteredstates/alteredscapes is a three-pronged, collaborative photography project from Natalie Christensen (Santa Fe, NM) and Jim Eyre (London, UK) that positions Santa Fe as the physical location from which to engage a global audience, using Instagram to explore and distribute the projects ideas. The project is comprised of a site-specific exterior wheat paste mural, and digital display via a website and public Instagram feed. Referencing a 1980s horror film in which the main character gets lost in visual dreamscapes via sensory deprivation experiments, alteredstates/alteredscapes aims to make public and visible the psychological impact of sharing and viewing art on social media. Christensen and Eyre met over Instagram and initiated a collaboration based on their shared ambivalence of using the social media platform to view and share contemporary photography. alteredstates/alteredscapes was born from the artists main question: Is the unrelenting momentum of the virtual space stifling their creativity or, conversely, are they becoming better artists by the pressure to produce and compete for recognition on the digital stage? The project is comprised of composite photography of New Mexico and London. To create the final images, the artists began passing their respective photographsshots of their urban surroundingsback and forth via Instagram direct message. At each turn, the artists digitally cropped, collaged, or otherwise altered the images, shaping them by trial and error, layer upon layer. As a result, the images contain familiar tropes yet are oddly disorientingarchitectural fragments and street elements meld together to present multiple points of view and subtle combinations of perspectives on a single visual plane, representing a malleable psychological experience. The artists willingly created these artworks through a laborious, tedious, rigorous process to share with a global audience, knowing that those who view them will do so in a split second and dispose of them with a flick of their thumb. Artwork in the Last Night I Dreamt I Knew How to Swim exhibition may be viewed here. Through Dec. 30, 5-9 p.m. Henson Robinson Zoo 1100 E. Lake Shore Dr., Springfield Lake Springfield Area Adults $7, kids 3-12 $5, ages 2 and under are free Holiday Happenings Take a stroll through the zoo and enjoy thousands of lights and displays. Enjoy the hot cocoa bar or roast a marshmallow over the fire pit for a delicious s'more. Grab the family and gather at one of the photo opportunities for your holiday pics! See the Zoo animals as they enjoy the lights too; red wolves, arctic fox, eagles, barnyard, cougars, birds of prey and many others that are all out on the grounds or viewable still this time of year! There will be bonus features scheduled for certain dates, so keep an eye on our schedule for all. 217-585-1821 Image: Boeing An old-school technique tested by a U.S. flight crew in a 737 simulator might have helped the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airline crews had they known about it. Colloquially referred to as the roller coaster, the procedure requires the aircraft experiencing an out-of-trim condition to descend with reduced elevator input so that the horizontal stabilizer (used as pitch trim in the 737) could be unloaded enough to be manually adjusted. Then elevator inputs are resumed to arrest or slow the descent, and the procedure repeated until the aircraft is back in trim. As reported by Aviation Week, the simulator crews set up the accident scenario from the Ethiopian Airlines flight and were able to demonstrate that despite following procedures in place after the Lion Air crash, they were unable to add enough nose-up trim manually without this special procedure. Keeping the aircraft level required significant aft-column pressure by the captain, and aerodynamic forces prevented the first officer from moving the trim wheel a full turn, said the report. After the Lion Air crash indicated that the MCAS was erroneously driving nose-down trim, Boeing recommended using the trim cutout switches to disable electric trim as part of the recovery procedure. Removing power from the electric trim also deactivated MCAS. Boeing did not, however, indicate that the flight crew might not be able to manually move the trim wheel. Based on these simulator runs, this appears to be a possible scenario: that the MAX was simply too far out of trim and going too fast for the crew to successfully re-trim with the manual wheel alone. We do know that the Ethiopian crew used the electric trim to offset the initial MCAS inputs, but they apparently moved on to other troubleshooting avenues before getting the 737 MAX completely in trim. They described the trim system as not working, which is widely understood to mean the manual system. This supposition is backed up by the U.S. crews recent simulator experience. According to the Aviation Week report, Boeings assumption was that erroneous stabilizer nose-down inputs by MCAS, such as those experienced by both the [Lion Air] and ET302 [Ethiopian] crews, would be diagnosed as runaway stabilizer. The checklist to counter runaway stabilizer includes using the cutout switches to de-power the stabilizer trim motor. The ET302 crew followed this, but not until the aircraft was severely out of trim Unable to move the stabilizer manually, the ET302 crew moved the cutout switches to power the stabilizer trim motors. This step is contra-indicated by the checklist, in part because it would put MCAS back online. As weve reported, changes expected with the MAXs software are expected to eliminate the chance that MCAS will continue to offer corrections. The issue of revised simulator training to precede the MAXs return to service is still being discussed. In other MAX news, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told NBC News on Monday that hes unsure if his airline will fly the MAX again. At this stage I cannot, I cannot fully say that the airplane will fly back on Ethiopian Airlines. It may, if we are fully convinced and if we are able to convince our pilots, if we are ever to convince our traveling public. We have not got a time to discuss on the return to service and we have made it very clear on several occasions we would not be the first one to return their airplane back to air. AVwebsGeneral Aviation Accident Bulletinis taken from the pages of our sister publication,Aviation Safetymagazine. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause on the NTSBs website atwww.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the accident, although some take longer. Find out more aboutAviation Safetyatwww.aviationsafetymagazine.com. February 1, 2019, Atlantic Ocean Piper PA-32RT-300 Lance II At about 1315 Eastern time and about 20 miles east of West Palm Beach, Fla., radar contact was lost with the airplane. The private pilot and passenger were presumed fatally injured and the airplane to have been destroyed on impact. Instrument conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan was in effect for the flight, which departed West Palm Beach, Fla., for Marsh Harbour, The Bahamas. As the airplane was vectored to avoid cells and areas of heavy precipitation, the controller queried the pilot about his inability to maintain assigned headings. The pilot reported that his autopilot had kicked off and that the winds are really weird up here. At about 1310, the airplane slowed to about 70 knots groundspeed on a northeasterly heading before it began an accelerating 90-degree right turn to the south. By 1313, the controller again asked, appears youve turned back to the northwest andare you going to turn back eastbound? The pilot replied, I dont know whats going on up here. Im working on instruments acting really goofy here. Shortly thereafter, the airplane turned and descended from a northerly heading sharply to its right. The radar track tightened to the right as the target rapidly descended, then disappeared at about 1315 in an area that depicted heavy precipitation. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a search for the airplane by sea and by air over an area of 1115 square miles without success. After 36 hours, the search was suspended on February 3, 2019. February 1, 2019, Socorro, N.M. RANS S12 Experimental LSA The airplane collided with an unoccupied helicopter and a light pole at about 1355 Mountain time during takeoff. The solo private pilot succumbed to his injuries seven days after the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane. Visual conditions prevailed. A 1353 automated weather observation about 51 nm south of the accident site included winds from 160 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 20 knots. February 2, 2019, Knotts Island, N.C. Cessna 150 At about 1700 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, he was performing a post-maintenance test flight. He said the airplane had about 22 gallons of usable fuel prior to takeoff. The pilot took off and remained in the airport traffic pattern, conducting several landing approaches. He then departed the pattern and conducted flight maneuvers for about 30 minutes, after which he turned east toward the Outer Banks Barrier Islands. While eastbound, he experienced an electrical problem and turned around, heading for the airplanes base airport. Shortly thereafter, the electrical system failed, followed by the engine. The pilot attempted a restart but was unsuccessful and made a forced landing in a marsh. According to the operator, the pilot was advised to remain in the traffic pattern of the local airport, considering how much maintenance was recently performed. Examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. About one cup of uncontaminated fuel was drained from the fuel system and the fuel selector was found in the open position. Both fuel caps were inspected and the fuel cap gaskets were intact. Both wing fuel tanks were empty of fuel, and there were no signs of fuel leakage. February 3, 2019, Yorba Linda, Calif. Cessna 414 Chancellor The airplane experienced an inflight breakup at 1345 Pacific time. The private pilot and four individuals on the ground sustained fatal injuries; two individuals on the ground sustained serious injuries. The airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed over the accident location, while instrument conditions were nearby. During the takeoff clearance, the tower air traffic controller cautioned the pilot regarding deteriorating weather, about four miles east. The airplane took off and made a left turn to the east. By 5 minutes after takeoff, the airplane had climbed to about 7800 feet AGL before it started a rapid descending right turn. Numerous witnesses saw the airplane exit the clouds in a highspeed descent before parts started to break off. One witness observed an aircraft emerge from the overcast layer on a northwesterly heading with a nose down pitch of approximately 60 degrees, pointed directly at my location with no discernible movement. It remained in that attitude for approximately 4 to 5 seconds before initiating a highspeed dive recovery. Approaching the bottom of the recovery, the aircraft began to roll to its right. As it did, the left horizontal stabilizer departed the aircraft, immediately followed by the remainder of the empennage. The left wing then appeared to shear off just outside of the number one (left) engine, igniting the left wing. After which, the aircraft disappeared behind the hill to the northeast of the observed location, trailing flames behind it. The sound of an explosion and large plume of black smoke immediately followed. February 5, 2019, Desert Hot Springs, Calif. Cessna 172M At about 1815 Pacific time, the airplane impacted mountainous terrain while en route. The commercial pilot and the passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed. Undetermined night conditions existed at the impact location at the time of the accident. The flight had departed Thermal, Calif., with North Las Vegas, Nev., as its destination. When the airplane was about 10 miles northwest of Palm Springs, Calif., at 3500 feet MSL, according to radar data, the pilot requested VFR flight following, and reported he was following California Highway 62. While northbound, the airplane climbed to 4100 feet, then descended until radar contact was lost. The airplane came to rest on a steep hillside about 300 feet west of Highway 62 and about 500 feet above the highway. The 1815 automated weather observation about 20 miles northwest of the accident site included winds from 240 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots, and scattered clouds at 900 feet AGL. This article originally appeared in the May 2019 issue ofAviation Safetymagazine. For more great content like this,subscribe toAviation Safety! . 2022 . . 26 , . , (70 ) . ... State Department photo/ Public Domain(MOSCOW) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi as part of a renewed effort by the White House and Kremlin to improve relations following the publication of the Mueller report. Putin told Pompeo he hoped to restore relations and that the conclusion of the special counsel investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election meant that was possible. "Despite all the exotic work of Mr. Mueller's commission, I have to give him his due: on the whole, he conducted an objective investigation and confirmed the absence of any traces of a conspiracy between Russia and the current administration," Putin told Pompeo at Bocharov Ruchey, his residence outside the city. While the Mueller report did not conclude that the Trump campaign illegally conspired with Russia to meddle in the election, it did detail many interactions between members of the campaign and Russians. It also detailed in depth the extent and scope of Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Putin said allegations of meddling had spoiled U.S.-Russia relations, but, "I'm hoping today the situation is changing." Putin said he now had "the impression that the president is inclined towards the restoration of Russian-American ties, contacts and to solving issues together," referring to a call he had with Trump. This meeting is the latest step in renewed outreach by the Trump administration to fulfill the president's long-held goal of establishing friendlier relations with Russia. The May 3 telephone call was described as lengthy and positive by both sides, and Trump said during it the two discussed the "Russian hoax." On Tuesday, Trump announced he would meet with Putin at a G20 summit in Japan next month. Pompeo's visit, his first to Russia as Secretary of State, was unusually upbeat. Earlier in the day, he met with foreign minister Sergey Lavorv, and both sought to smooth over areas where the U.S. and Russia disagree. Pompeo told Lavrov Trump is "committed to improving this relationship" and that the two countries were "not destined to be adversaries on every issue." At a joint press conference afterwards, Lavrov -- who referred to Pompeo as "Mike" throughout -- said he had concluded it was "entirely possible" to normalize relations. In reality, many experts question how easy that would be, especially with Russia and the U.S. on opposing sides in many crises around the world, most recently in Venezuela. The White House also faces resistance in the U.S., where critics have accused it of failing to do enough to deter Russia from interfering in future elections. In Sochi, Pompeo said he had raised election meddling in conversation and made it clear the U.S. would not tolerate Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election, warning it would put Russian-American relations in an "even worse place." Lavrov, however, dismissed the election allegations again as "complete fiction," before giving a length discourse on historical occasions when the U.S. and Russia have accused one another of interference or pledged to avoid it, including in the 1930s. Pompeo tried to smooth over the dispute with humor, saying, "You can see we have some disagreements on this issue. I promise not to go back to the early '30s." Pompeo and Lavrov said the two discussed a range of issues, including Venezuela, Syria, Ukraine, as well as arms control and North Korea. The escalating crisis with Iran has also hung over the trip. Pompeo cancelled a planned Moscow leg of his visit on Monday, instead diverting to Brussels to inform European leaders about U.S. intentions regarding Iran, after it deployed additional forces to the region. Following unexplained sabotage attacks on four commercial ships over the weekend, there have been mounting fears that the crisis could slide into an inadvertent military conflict. Those worries were intensified on Monday, after The New York Times reported the Pentagon prepared plans that would see 120,000 American troops deployed to the region if Iran or its proxies mounts an attack on American forces there. In Sochi, Lavrov said Russia wanted to assist in ensuring the crisis with Iran did not "tip over into war." He said Pompeo had told him the report of the 120,000 troops plan was "rumors" and said he felt "the U.S. side had a commitment to finding a political solution." Pompeo said "we fundamentally do not see a war with Iran," but warned, "We've made clear to the Iranians if American interests are attacked we most certainly will respond in an appropriate fashion." He said he had no information about who was responsible for the damage to four cargo ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates over the weekend. Despite the conciliatory tone, Russia and the U.S. remain apart on many issues. In Venezuela, Russia has been backing president Nicolas Maduro, rejecting calls for him to step down by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who the U.S. and dozens of other countries support. The clash between the U.S. and Russia over Venezuela has intensified in recent weeks, with Pompeo last month directly accusing Russia of blocking a deal that would have seen Maduro leave the country. Trump though publicly has placed himself at odds with his advisers, including Pompeo. After their call last week, Trump said he believed "Putin is not looking at all to get involved" in Venezuela other than "he'd like to see something positive happen." In Sochi, Pompeo said he had again told Lavrov Russia should stop supporting Maduro. Lavrov, though, reiterated Moscow's position that there should be talks between the opposition and Maduro and compared the U.S. efforts to force him out to the American interventions in Iraq and Libya. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. RTHK: Curfew in Sri Lankan province after religious riot A Sri Lankan province north of the capital was under indefinite curfew on Tuesday after the first death in anti-Muslim riots in the wake of the Easter terror attacks, police said. A nationwide night curfew was relaxed in all areas except the North-Western Province (NWP) where a Muslim man was killed by a mob on Monday, police said, in a violent backlash against last month's bombings. The 45-year-old died of injuries sustained when a crowd stormed his carpentry workshop in the Puttalam district in the NWP and slashed him, official sources said. Elsewhere in the province, mobs torched dozens of Muslim-owned shops, vandalised homes and mosques in a day of rioting. "The curfew in the NWP will be continued until further notice," spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. "Security forces are assisting police who have been ordered to use maximum force to contain the violence." Police said they fired in the air and used tear gas at several places to deter people attempting to attack mosques. In the adjoining district of Gampaha, mobs smashed Muslim-owned restaurants and at least one garment factory, official sources and residents said. In an address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said a countrywide curfew was declared to prevent unidentified groups orchestrating communal violence. "At several places in the North-Western Province these groups created trouble, damaged property," Wickremesinghe said. "Police and security forces have contained the situation, but these [unidentified] groups are still trying to create trouble." Wickremesinghe said the unrest would hinder investigations into the April 21 attacks that targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and wounding nearly 500. In a separate TV address, police chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned of stern action against rioters, and said that constables have been issued orders to use maximum force. The latest wave of unrest started when a mob targeted Muslim-owned shops in the town of Chilaw, 80 kilometres north of Colombo, on Sunday in anger at a Facebook post by a shopkeeper. Internet service providers said they have been instructed by the telecoms regulator to block access to Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram in a bid to prevent the spread of messages inciting violence. Muslims make up around 10 percent of Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka's population and Christians about 7.6 percent. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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. 11:01 | Lima, May. 14. "In 2018, the copper output reached 2.44 million tons (down 0.4% from 2017), primarily boosted by Cerro Verde . For 2019, we project copper production will see a rise of almost 3%," Scotiabank's primary sector analyst Katherine Salazar expressed. "The principal mines that might increase their copper production would be Cerro Verde and Southern Peru . With this in mind, we estimate that national production will amount to 2.5 million tons in 2019, up 3% compared to 2018," she added. Salazar affirmed Cerro Verde reached a production of 476,000 tons last year, a 1.5% decline over 2017, and for 2019, its parent company, Freeport-McMoRan , estimates that copper sales from its operations in South America will grow nearly 5%, being Cerro Verde its primary mine in the region (84% of the total). The staging was done at a crowded mall in northern Chiclayo City on Saturday by Lambayeque's Execution Unit 005 Naylamp. As part of the performance, large photographs came to life as ancient Lambayeque rulers made their appearance. There are six State-run museums in Lambayeque: Bruning, Royal Tombs of Sipan , Sican, Tucume, Huaca Rajada-Sipan, and Chotuna-Chornancap. The northern Lambayeque region is the cradle of civilization but four elite characters play a prominent role due to their political, religious positions and this is evidenced in the impressive burial paraphernalia found at their graves as well as in the research. Chronology In chronological order, the Lord of Sipan was a Moche ruler belonging to the third century A. D., whose finding and research in 1987 by Walter Alva made a significant impact on Peruvian archaeology. " " The duckbill platypus is one of the most intriguing animals in the world, so much so that most people are still wrapping their heads around how they an exist. JohnCarnemolla/Thinkstock Before we address the question at hand, let's talk a little about our friend the platypus. While no one would argue that the platypus is anything less than an entirely exceptional creature, people still stubbornly insist on comparing it to several different animals. You can't just call a platypus a platypus. Instead, it's a duck-otter-beaver hybrid. Such descriptions give short shrift to our duck-billed pal, however, because platypuses have several extraordinary features that are wholly unique. Consider their venomous toes. Platypuses have stingers on their rear feet that deliver a powerful punch of poison to an opponent. As if that isn't cool enough, their awkwardly cute bills are also secretly sophisticated electro-sensory organs designed to help them navigate through dark and murky waters [source: Patel]. They also have a large toe web that makes them extremely swift swimmers but doesn't impede progress on land. They can even fold the web back for easy digging. And they can use that beaver-like tale, remember, to steer in the water with ease as well [source: The Genome Institute]. Advertisement So ends the propaganda campaign for your friendly neighborhood platypus. Now that we know that they're cool and unique, is it really true that their extraordinary coolness initially made them unbelievable? You bet. British naturalist George Shaw first made scientific observations of a specimen of platypus that was brought back from the new, burgeoning colony of Australia in 1799. He absolutely thought the platypus was some sort of hoax and even cut the pelt with scissors in a vain attempt to try and find the stitches that attached the bill to the pelt [source: Australian Platypus Conservancy]. Now, let's not make fun of poor George Shaw. During the 18th century, loads of swindlers were grafting animals together with taxidermy and claiming they'd found new species. So Shaw can be forgiven for thinking that the strange duck-beaver-otter was a fake. And hey, there are still loads about the platypus to study. The platypus genome was sequenced to learn more about monotremes, a type of mammal that lays eggs but produces milk [source: The Genome Institute]. (Uh, yeah, as if you were wondering if the platypus wasn't strange enough already.) It also represents the primal mammalian line, which can tell us quite a bit about how mammalian evolution works. So there you have it. The platypus was indeed thought to be a hoax at first, but don't let yourself be fooled. It's actually a pretty extraordinary creature that deserves credit for its uniqueness. Advertisement Advertisement " " ReachNow car share service allows members to bring pets along, as long as they are crated while inside the vehicle. ReachNow When you think of early adopters, you might think of someone who's had a car2go car sharing membership since Day 1, and probably a Zipcar membership before that. But an early adopter could also be that person you know who's been involved in rescuing puppies and kittens, well, before rescue was the thing. And in the Venn diagram of these two groups early adopters or not there's certainly a lot of overlap. And that brings us to the question: Is it OK to take your pet(s) in a shared car? In most cases, the answer is yes. "We do have a pet policy for all members," says James Emery, the general manager of car2go in Austin, Texas, and adopter of a 70-pound blue heeler mix. Emery says car2go wants both drivers and pets to be safe, so they do recommend pets be kept in carriers when they're in cars. It's the same story at ReachNow car sharing in Seattle. "We're open to pets being part of the lifestyle our members have," says Laura Gonia of ReachNow. "We believe there's a world where people are owning fewer cars in busier urban environments. They're taking all the same trips, running all the same errands. How can we enable members to live that lifestyle? That's why we allow pets in the cars." Advertisement Car Sharing Is the Cat's Meow This is the exact situation that Dehlia McCobb finds herself in. She lives in Portland, Oregon, which is easily bikeable, has a robust public transportation system, and has several car sharing and ride hailing companies operating in the city and she uses all of them. She also has several longtime cat companions, and sometimes those cats need to go to the vet or to boarding. McCobb says she's used both Portland's buses and Zipcar to get her cats where they need to go. "My cats have never made a mess in a car," McCobb says. She puts the carrier in the passenger seat, and the cats are usually pretty happy to watch the scenery go by out the window. She found she can take the calmer of her cats on the city bus in a carrier, but not her more anxious cat. "It would distress her," McCobb says. "It's better to take her by car." Advertisement Do Unto Other ... Drivers There's a level of courtesy involved in taking your pet along while you run errands in a shared car. Both ReachNow and car2go emphasize the golden rule as it applies to the shared economy: Do unto other drivers as you would have done unto you. If there's pet hair in the car, brush or vacuum it out before you return the car. ReachNow's Gonia says it's not totally unusual to find pet hair in cars. If there's a lot of dog hair, however, the driver will be assessed a cleaning fee, but it would have to be a real mess. "A lot of times, it's as simple as educating [the member] about the rules," car2go's Emery says. "Detailing fees are for more egregious acts than just some fur on the seats." McCobb says as a user that takes her pets along, the rules are pretty straightforward. "You use it like a car of your own as far as pets are concerned," she says. "But you have be to a little more vigilant to leave it as you found it." Advertisement Bigger Vehicles for Bigger Animals And it seems most of the car sharing companies are even OK if your pet is, well, full-sized. Car2go, for instance, is swapping out its entire fleet of Smart fortwos for full-sized Mercedes-Benz models in select cities. ReachNow's fleet includes all BMW vehicles. Most of these have plenty of space for large, well-behaved dogs in the rear. "If you can isolate one of the Mercedes-Benz GLA models," Emery says, "there should be more than enough room for a large dog carrier in the cargo area. You can even fold down the seats if need be." Car sharing services are thinking about how to better serve all of their members in the future as the sharing economy model grows. ReachNow has grown to about 75,000 members in three cities within 18 months, and it's looking at how to reach even more potential users. "Do we need to have car seat options? Ski rack or bike rack options? Those are things we don't have right now," says Gonia. Car2go has been on the car sharing scene for nearly a decade. It just passed the million-member mark in North America, and it has 3 million members globally. "New, emerging sharing economies are coming forward," Emery notes. "Even the dog sitting app I use. That's the way our world is shifting; it's more about sharing than owning." Advertisement Advertisement Now That's Cool The exception to any of these rules is when a member or passenger with a disability has a service animal. Service animals can ride in shared cars without being in a carrier so they can do their jobs. Zipcar in particular just asks that those with service animals let the company know so they can send someone to clean the car for the next user. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in Brussels on a working visit. The head of the Armenian government visited the headquarters of the European Council, where he was welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk, the PMs Office told Armenpress. Nikol Pashinyan joined the leaders of Eastern Partnership-member States for an official dinner hosted by President of the European Council Donald Tusk on the occasion of the Eastern Partnership 10-year anniversary. The dinner was also attended by President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, Vice President of the European Commission, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, former Foreign Ministers of Poland and Sweden Radosaw Sikorski and Carl Bildt, who initiated the Eastern Partnership. The leaders of Eastern Partnership-member nations, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as well as the above-mentioned high-ranking officials addressed the event with greeting remarks. They touched upon the programs implemented on the margins of the Eastern Partnership over the past 10 years, as well as on the forthcoming actions and initiatives. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian will take part in the 12th annual Economic Forum in Nur-Sultan on May 16 at the invitation of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Armenian Presidents Office told Armenpress. President Sarkissian will deliver remarks at the Forum. This year the Economic Forum will be held under the slogan Inspiring growth: People, Cities and Economies. During the Forum famous politicians, economists, business leaders and representatives of international organizations are discussing the global economic trends and structural changes. In his invitation letter the Kazakh President expressed confidence that President Armen Sarkissians participation in the Forum will contribute to further developing the bilateral friendly relations, as well as strengthening the investment and trade ties. During the visit the Armenian President will meet with the leadership of Kazakhstan, as well as heads of the delegations of countries participating in the Forum. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Opposing demonstrations are taking place outside a Yerevan courthouse ahead of the second day trial of ex-President Robert Kocharyan in the March 1 case. On one side are supporters of Kocharyan, while on the other side are protesters. Today the court is expected to deliver a decision regarding Kocharyans peremptory challenge against the presiding Judge Davit Grigoryan. Then, the court will start the hearing regarding Kocharyans bail measure, a standard procedure if a defendant is jailed. The March 1 case refers to the 2008 post-presidential election unrest in Yerevan when eight protesters and two security officers were killed in clashes during large demonstrations against alleged vote rigging. Kocharyan was the outgoing president at that time. He is accused of unlawfully ordering the military to interfere and disperse the protests. Robert Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing Constitutional order and accepting particularly large bribe. Other indicted officials are: ex-Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan (overthrowing Constitutional order). In 2008 Ohanyan served as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces; Yuri Khachaturov (overthrowing Constitutional order). In 2008, Khachaturov was the Deputy Minister of Defense; Armen Gevorgyan (conspiracy to overthrow Constitutional order, accepting particularly large bribe and money laundering). Gevorgyan served as Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration. Gevorgyans most recent government position was Deputy Prime Minister. Yuri Khachaturov is an Armenian general who served as Secretary General of the CSTO until being recalled by Armenia for criminal proceedings in 2018. They all deny wrongdoing. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. On May 12 terrorist groups have launched rocket attacks to the city of Scalbiyah in the north-west of the Syrian Hama province, Aleppo-based Armenian Gandzasar weekly said on Facebook, citing SANA. 4 children have been killed, dozens were injured in the attacks. An Armenian young girl, Jessica Harut-Semerjian, is among the children killed in the attack. On May 13 the terrorists again shelled the city as a result of which 1 person has been killed, 5 others were wounded. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. On May 14, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the border of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, to the north-east of Talish village of the Martakert region, the foreign ministry of Artsakh told Armenpress. From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina). From the opposite side of the border, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO Mihail Olaru (Moldova) and Personal Assistant to the CiO Personal Representative Simon Tiller (Great Britain). The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. From the Artsakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the Republic of Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says there is a need to find a way forward in relations with Russia, as he himself wrote on Twitter ahead of his visit to Sochi, TASS reports. My meetings in Russia will highlight a number of important topics. On some issues we may agree, on others we may disagree, but when its in our national interests, it is our responsibility to find a way forward, the tweet reads. Mike Pomepo will visit Sochi on May 14 where he will meet with Russias President Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Vice President of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Armen Ashotyan has met Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirozyan to discuss a number of issues of Armenias foreign policy and parliamentary diplomacy. Ashotyan said on Facebook that he himself requested for the meeting to take place. Ashotyan, a former Minister of Education and Science and a former lawmaker, said he was happy about how the meeting proceeded. The meeting was not confidential. Confidential meetings dont take place in parliament, at least several dozens of people see it. Todays leak proves this, he said, referring to earlier unconfirmed media reports that he has met with the Speaker. Regardless of political differences, there are issues of state and national significance concerning which my rank slides not only allow me to discuss with the incumbent government topical issues for the country, but also oblige me to continue serving my country, Ashotyan said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. The relations between Armenia and Russia are a lasting value which cannot change with the time, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian said in an interview to the Russian Zvezda TV, talking about the Armenian-Russian relations, as well as Armenias development prospects. -Mr. President, how do you assess the Armenian-Russian relations, what are the development prospects in your opinion? -I have assessed, continue assessing and will assess these relations as constant. They are constant, never change because historically we are brothers and friends. Friends of weapons. Friends of fate. Friends of belief. I assess the relations as a lasting value which cannot change with the time. They are part of our culture, history, philosophy, past, present and future. -What are Armenias prospects today? How do you assess that? -The answer is: the country has a huge potential, I see a great development potential. And for several reasons. I can share one or two of them with you. We can state that the Armenian people are capable to re-born after any major difficulty, even the great tragedy the 1915 genocide. After the spread of Armenians around the world the country was reborn as Pyunik and is looking forward. Always forward. Of course, difficulties also emerge on this path, but I think that we are a people who manage to overcome difficulties, both independently and with friends. And Russia is our friend. I think we can have many advantages in the 21st century, because Armenia perhaps is a small, but a global nation. A lot of Armenians live in Russia, some of them are citizens of Russia. I really want to believe that they are good citizens, because they first all must be good citizens of Russia, and of course, never forget about their historical roots and culture. There are also a lot of Armenians in the US, both in south and north, in Europe and the Far East. They are everywhere. This is a great power. The 21st century belongs to the people who have ties around the world. This is the century of the people who know how to overcome the difficulties. Its the century of the people who are able to fight for themselves and their friends. Therefore, I think a bright future is expected. You could not expect another answer from the President. -Earlier it was stated that Armenia needs foreign investments. Is the Russian business ready for investments? If yes, in which areas? -I dont think that I must comment on the opinion of the Russian business. What I can comment is the following: the Russian business is in Armenia for many years and operates in a well-grounded way. There are investments from different countries, both from Europe, Far East, Middle East and America. But the Russian business has always been here, and we sometimes even didnt notice that, it seemed that business was domestic. Moreover, not only the pure Russian companies made investments in Armenia, but also those Russian companies which include ethnic Armenians in their staffs. These are great investments, and I think, they will not be less in the future as well. -According to some reports, you plan to visit Moscow soon. In general, how often do you visit Russia and what first of all would you like to see in our country? -I have no official visit yet in the future, but I visit Moscow quite often. I dont think that Moscow and St. Petersburg are the cities where I would like to visit to see something, because from early childhood, when I visited St. Petersburg and Moscow for the first time with my father, I know the cities quite well. Later I was already a student. In addition, there is a concrete history in our family linked with Russia, it comes from our ancestors, grandfather and ends with my sons. Thats why I visit Moscow and Russia in general and feel like in my home. As for what I would like to see during each visitPerhaps, a good concert. I like everything. Classic music. During my last visit to Moscow together with my spouse, we visited the Great Theater to watch Anna Karenina great performance. This performance was absolutely unexpected both for me and my wife. And I would like to see much more exhibitions of Pushkin Museum and Tretyakov Gallery in Yerevan. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. The bomb threat targeting the 3rd Governmental Building in Yerevan was fake, the Ministry of Emergency Situations told ARMENPRESS. The bomb threat was received at 14:18. No explosive device was found upon searching the area, the ministry said in a news release. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who is in China on a working visit, on May 14 met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the Armenian PMs Office told Armenpress. During the meeting the leaders of the two countries discussed a number of issues of the Armenian-Chinese relations agenda. The Chinese President said he is happy to welcome PM Pashinyan and thanked for accepting the invitation to take part in the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. Xi Jinping said China attaches importance to the constant development of relations with Armenia in various areas. He talked about the Armenian-Chinese firm cultural and historical relations, adding that it is also the result of the Silk Road. We know the Armenian people very well, we know the names of Aram Khachaturian, Artem Mikoyan, Hovhannes Tumanyan. We are united with the general goals of cooperation of civilizations. We are well aware of the key historical events of Armenia. We are confident that the tragic events which happened to the Armenian people should be ruled out in the future, Xi Jinping said. He said China is ready to take part in the construction works of North-South highway and implementation of other infrastructure projects. President Xi said in the recent period certain Armenian products have been successfully presented at exhibitions held in China and are also presented in the market. The Chinese President expressed confidence that the bilateral cooperation will further develop in commercial, industrial, transport, cultural and humanitarian fields. He added that China will also provide support to the projects which will contribute to Armenias development and raising the welfare of the Armenian people. In his turn the Armenian PM thanked the Chinese President for the invitation to the Conference and the meeting opportunity which is a good chance to discuss the bilateral cooperation prospects. The relations with China are among Armenias foreign policy priorities. Our two peoples represent old civilizations, there are descriptions in the Armenian manuscripts about the ties of the two peoples in the 5th century. These ties have been of commercial, humanitarian and political nature. For us the constructive and productive relations with China are very important, Nikol Pashinyan said. PM Pashinyan said Armenia is interested in implementing joint projects with China on the sidelines of One Belt, One Road initiative and added that the Armenian side considers participation in it through the implementation of joint programs in transportation, railway, information infrastructures. Pashinyan introduced the Chinese President on the recent events in Armenia and stated that today Armenia is a dynamically developing country with political stability and predictability. The leaders of the two countries also exchanged views on international and regional issues. The sides agreed to discuss the future cooperation steps at the agencies level. The leaders also discussed the Karabakh conflict, noting that the conflict must be settled through dialogue. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan BEIJING, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have discussed the existing situation at the NK Line of Contact during their brief unofficial meeting in Brussels, Pashinyans spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan told ARMENPRESS. It was an official event that was organized in honor of Eastern Partnership countries. Yes, the Armenian Prime Minister and the Azerbaijani President were seated at the same table. A brief conversation took place, they discussed the situation that has been created at the Line of Contact. Meaning, an exchange of ideas about the situation, Karapetyan said, indicating the unofficial nature of the conversation. Asked whether or not the latest cross-border Azerbaijani shootings were addressed, Karapetyan said the concern has been conveyed. On May 4, an Artsakh soldier was critically wounded when Azerbaijani military opened gunfire across the Line of Contact. Azerbaijani also opened cross-border gunfire into Armenia earlier on April 30, wounding an on-duty soldier in Tavush Province. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan and former President Arkady Ghukasyan have presented personal guarantees to a Yerevan court requesting the release of ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention. The motion was presented to the judge today by Kocharyans lawyer Hovhannes Khudoyan during the ongoing trial of the March 1 case. Presiding judge David Grigoryan said the examination of the guarantees requires Sahakyans and Ghukasyans presence in court. Kocharyans defense team said they will contact the presidents and attempt to ensure their attendance. ARMENPRESS contacted Artsakhs Presidential Spokesperson Davit Babayan to know whether or not its possible for President Sahakyan to make an appearance in court in Armenia. Babayan noted they will follow the developments to see what happens. Robert Kocharyan is present in court during todays trial. As the trial is public, the gallery is full of people, including Kocharyans youngest son Levon, as well as both pro and anti citizens. Kocharyan also served as President of Artsakh from 1994 to 1997. Artsakhs President Bako Sahakyan and former President Arkady Ghukasyan had earlier petitioned to the Prosecutor General of Armenia requesting Kocharyans release from jail, but the prosecution said the request is misaddressed since the case is already in court. The March 1 case refers to the 2008 post-presidential election unrest in Yerevan when eight protesters and two security officers were killed in clashes during large demonstrations against alleged vote rigging. Kocharyan was the outgoing president at that time. He is accused of unlawfully ordering the military to interfere and disperse the protests. Robert Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing Constitutional order and accepting particularly large bribe. Other indicted officials are: ex-Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan (overthrowing Constitutional order). In 2008 Ohanyan served as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces; Yuri Khachaturov (overthrowing Constitutional order). In 2008, Khachaturov was the Deputy Minister of Defense; Armen Gevorgyan (conspiracy to overthrow Constitutional order, accepting particularly large bribe and money laundering). Gevorgyan served as Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration. Gevorgyans most recent government position was Deputy Prime Minister. Yuri Khachaturov is an Armenian general who served as Secretary General of the CSTO until being recalled by Armenia for criminal proceedings in 2018. They all deny wrongdoing. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, 14 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 14 May, USD exchange rate down by 0.48 drams to 480.85 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.69 drams to 540.28 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 7.36 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 4.33 drams to 622.41 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 111.55 drams to 20029.57 drams. Silver price down by 2.31 drams to 226.64 drams. Platinum price up by 33.15 drams to 13295.33 drams. YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mher Mkrtumyan met with UAE minister of culture and knowledge development Noura Al Kaabi, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. During the meeting issues relating to the development of future cultural cooperation between Armenia and the UAE were discussed. Both officials attached importance to the mutual visits of professional delegations and cultural groups, as well as holding joint events. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenia highlights development of relations with China. Its a huge market with great potential, the correspondent of ARMENPRESS reports, HrachyaTashchyan, PM Pashinyans aide, told the reporters in Beijing. The Prime Minister of Armenia is in Beijing to participate in the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. This is the first similar event attended also by the Heads of State of India, Greece, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. The fact that Armenia is invited to participate in such a high level conference is already interesting. A meeting was held with Chinese President Xi Jinping. On November 15 PM Pashinyan will meet with the Prime Minister of China. Today China is one of the world economies, its a huge market and Armenia highlights development of cooperation with China, Hrachya Tashchyan said. He said its still early to talk about concrete results, but added that the strategic directions have been outlined, which are infrastructural projects and mining. He informed that the issue of raising Armenian products in the Chinese market has been touched upon. The Chinese side expressed readiness to support. I am talking about Armenian cognac, wine and agricultural products. The issue of Armenias participation in different trade events was discussed, by which it will be easier to present the Armenian products, the PMs aide said. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Member of Turkish parliament of Armenian origin Garo Paylan plans to file a complaint against Turkish broadcaster Nihat Hatipoglu, ARMENPRESS reports Paylan wrote on his Facebook page, referring to the religious conversion of 13 year-old Armenian boy Artur on a live broadcast. I have met with the mother of Artur, exploited by Nihat Hatipoglu. She informed that her son appeared in that program without her permission, Paylan wrote, adding that tomorrow he will file an official complaint to Supreme Council for Radio and Television and Prosecution against this program that exploits children. During the program Nihat Hatipoglu had announced that he has the permission of Arturs mother, but the mother, Alina Yengibaryan, informed that her son converted to Islam without her knowledge. The family moved to Turkey 13 years ago. According to the mother, her son and her family are Christian. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan So decisions on our resources are dictated in the corporate boardrooms of off shore corporations, while we stand by idly watching the rapid plunder of our resources. The nations leaders have no intention of harnessing our resources to innovate and extract the wealth ourselves. Right now, we are a rent collector for our massive natural resources including the K65 billion PNG LNG project and the newest $US16 billion Papua LNG project. SONOMA - Papua New Guinea has a choice - to innovate and develop its massive natural resources to create more wealth or to forever be a rent collector. Our leaders have no vision of the nations economic future. Theres plenty of political grandstanding and rhetoric, including the much vaunted Vision 2050m but it is all simply noise. These men are blinded by greed and self-aggrandisement; they fall easily for the corporate dollar and sell our wealth cheaply. Natural resources are finite; their extraction has an expiry date. When our timber, gold, gas and other resources expire, we will be left with nothing. We need to learn from our Asian neighbours like Malaysia, who became fed up with the rent collecting mentality and decided to take control and innovate. They incorporated Petronas, the national petroleum exploration company, and mandated it to extract and undertake downstream processing of the nations resources in the energy sector, thus generating greater wealth for the nation. Other resource rich nations have followed similar paths instead of depending on foreign corporations like Shell, Exxon Mobil or Total to extract their wealth. The tiny mid-Pacific nation of Kiribati, with a population 110,000, has a sovereign wealth fund holding the equivalent of K2.5 billion. Timor Leste, with a population one million, has a fund worth K57 billion through its wise application of oil and gas revenues. Through prudent and honest management of our natural resources, PNG could do likewise. We should also be innovators. It is possible to innovate with a little spark of imagination. To allow foreign corporations to extract our resources for a pittance is both a form of neocolonialism and an insanity. The interest of foreign corporations is to maximise benefits to their shareholders through the exploitation of other nations natural resources. If we dont innovate, in the end we will become losers, become poorer and miss out on our golden opportunity to become self-sufficient. What the leaders of this nation need to do in this era of unprecedented resource exploration is to dare to innovate. We must not follow the path of least resistance and forever be rent collectors. The choices our leaders make now will determine the future of our nation. Will we rise or will we fall? One of ONeills key reforms following his ascension was the establishment of Investigative Task Force Sweep (ITFS) an intra-governmental agency charged with combating corruption. The successes of ITFS resulted in widespread public support for ONeill. The 2011 constitutional crisis cemented ONeills place among his peers as an experienced combatant of the countrys hostile politics. Within the region and abroad, his elevation and Somares demise was seen as the changing of the guard in PNG politics. Up until Tuesday of last week, Peter ONeill was the dominant political player in PNG politics. He assumed the position of prime minister in August 2011 after ousting Sir Michael Somare in a dramatic power struggle that included resisting judges of the Supreme Court. This analysis builds on these discussions to draw some general observations regarding the present political climate in PNG and possible future implications. CANBERRA - The almost seven years stability enjoyed by Papua New Guineas government of prime minister Peter ONeill is now under challenge as the country prepares for a gripping vote of no confidence in late May. Bal Kama - "Defections from ONeills government suggests that, if the normal parliamentary processes are strictly followed, ONeill may suffer defeat" However, his standing quickly unravelled in 2014 when he became the subject of an investigation into the famous Parakagate Affair, a case of alleged high-level corruption. His staunch resistance and interference in the investigative processes in particular, his dismantling of ITFS raised serious questions about his commitment to the rule of law. Nevertheless, ONeill maintained commanding support in Parliament. In Australia, he was dubbed as PNGs champion of progress, a call that would later appear misguided as ONeills leadership led the country into severe economic and fiscal difficulties. His government borrowed heavily from foreign lenders to sustain its ambitious policies and projects, including hosting international events such as the Pacific Games and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings at exuberant cost. These issues finally and suddenly resulted in the mass exodus of senior ministers, coalition partners and members of ONeills political party over the last two weeks to the Opposition. The first sitting on Tuesday 7 May exposed, for the first time in ONeills dominating prime ministerial career, the real possibility of being unseated, as the Opposition put forward 50 MPs against ONeills 56 MPs. Unlike in the past, ONeill now maintains only a slim majority, and a small margin provides no confidence at all in a notoriously fluid political environment. The 26 MPs that defected from the ONeill government demonstrate a serious lack of confidence in the Prime Minister. That these MPs are putting conscience before convenience and principles before perks is likely to inspire other MPs in the ONeill government to defect. ONeill, however, may counter that likelihood by using various methods of attraction, one of which, according to former prime minister Sir Julius Chan, is to keep individual politicians happy. Those who defected, especially finance minister James Marape, and governors Sir Peter Ipatas, Phillip Undialu and William Powi, are from the resource-rich Enga, Hela and Southern Highlands provinces. Their defections may present a challenge for resource developers in these provinces. The investors rely on local leaders to overcome complexities such as dealing with landowner issues, so the defection of these local leaders is likely to affect the confidence of investors in the ONeill government. The motion of no-confidence comes at a time of increased bilateral and multilateral engagement with traditional and non-traditional partners. The hosting of APEC reinforced PNG as a regional leader and presented ONeills government as stable and enduring. However, the motion of no-confidence, supported by several members of ONeills own political party and senior Cabinet ministers, portrays a contrary image of Prime Minister ONeill internationally. Parliament was abruptly adjourned to Tuesday 28 May, which, according to the Opposition, is a political tactic to delay the vote of no confidence. However, given that the vote of no confidence is now filed, it triggers a constitutional urgency. Unlike other ordinary parliamentary motions, the vote of no confidence needs to be dealt with by the Parliament at the earliest possible time. There is ample Supreme Court precedence to support the Opposition applying to the Court to possibly bring the Parliament sitting forward. Security is likely to heighten around Port Moresby as political uncertainty looms over the embattled city. The Speaker of Parliament needs to guard against any compromise and the democratic processes of the vote of no confidence needs to be strictly followed to prevent any adverse situations among the disgruntled population. In PNG the land of the unexpected it is difficult to predict an outcome of the impending vote of no confidence. The defections from within ONeills government suggests that if the normal parliamentary processes are strictly followed, ONeill may suffer defeat, as some within his party may not be as loyal as they appear. The nomination of the former finance minister, James Marape, as the alternative prime minister is an indication of the changing of the guard in PNG politics. His reputation is not without question, but he presents a strong challenge to ONeill given his previous senior ministerial portfolios, as well as his influence among the different factions in the Opposition. While the future is unpredictable, it appears promising as leaders forgo privileges and perks to rally for change. Human Rights Watch named Papua New Guinea "one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman" in a report which estimated 70% of women would be raped or assaulted in their lifetime. "For young girls who are still struggling: Do not give up but strive for the best to achieve your goals and to find a better and happy life. Nothing is impossible," she insists. "Women must strive and rise up against any discrimination, abuse and sexual harassment in the workplace," she tells AFP. The 43-year-old inspector, a domestic abuse survivor and 18-year veteran of the force, is one of the most senior female police officers in Papua New Guinea -- and is calling on the nation's women to take a stand against sexism with her. KOKOPO - In a nation where sexual violence is endemic, women are still targeted and attacked for witchcraft, and female representation in parliament is non-existent, police chief Julie Palakai is blazing a trail for change Julie Palakai - "Dressed in crisp police blues and wielding a large silver sword, she proudly marches judges, superior officers and other dignitaries - almost always male - up and down guard of honour lines" The NGO added that sorcery-related violence remains an issue, adding that women and girls are the "primary targets", though men too have been attacked in witch-hunts. None of the country's 111 parliamentarians are women and there are few women in the police force. Palakai is the only female commissioned officer -- an umbrella term for senior management from inspector grade upwards -- in the Islands Region. She has worked hard to get to her position battling institutional discrimination, abuse, and rigid cultural expectations. Palakai now heads the public safety unit at Kokopo Police Station: It's a role that's highly visible -- she leads the prestigious guard of honour parade. Dressed in crisp police blues and wielding a large silver sword, she proudly marches judges, superior officers and other dignitaries -- almost always male -- up and down guard of honour lines. It's a rare sight in the male-dominated nation, and a role that requires total respect from subordinates. "When inviting and escorting an important officer or VIP on parade, we are actually inspecting each individual on parade," she says. Palakai came from a broken family and while she finished secondary school, any plans for further education were disrupted when her home town of Rabaul, was devastated by twin volcanic eruptions in 1994. Instead, she took a job as a sales rep for a stationary firm in the area but soon became restless. By chance, she saw an advert from the police in the local paper and decided to respond to their search for new recruits. She was shocked to be selected, Palakai conceded, but happily took the six-month training course near capital Port Moresby before being posted to Lihir, an island best known for gold-mining. "I was just a young policewoman officer posted out there to lead, manage and command officers older than me, very experienced and long-serving policemen and women," she said of the role as station commander. "You have to learn to think fast during states of emergency or in everyday situations whilst on normal police duties, and make prompt and wise decisions," she added. Palakai was ambitious, but like many women in Papua New Guinea, she found her partner was not receptive to her career aspirations. "I had to leave him as I could not see any better future with him given...the disrespectful behaviour that I could not stand any longer," she told AFP. "He often argued telling me that I was just a woman and policemen and women will not listen to my instructions and orders and that women had no power to lead," she recalled. In May 2013 she became a commissioned officer, graduating along with four other female officers placed around the country, and 20 male colleagues at a ceremony overseen by prime minister Peter O'Neill. Since then she has championed the push to encourage women to actively invest in their future. She explains: "Education does not stop when you are young or old. Where there is opportunity, go for it, as education is your future." Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) all stare in the blockbuster series Game of Thrones. Images: Warner Bros. Television Distribution When it comes to life in Westeros, not many people get to have a happy ending. But that couldnt be further from the truth for HBO. The ratings bonanza has earned HBO 47 Emmy Awards and cemented HBO as the home of premium, cinematic television. However, this didnt come at a price. US$15 million: The estimated price of each episode in the final season of Game of Thrones, according to Variety. Thats a lot of money, but theyre also very long episodes, with the last four all expected to run for 80 minutes. US$10 million: The cost of an episode from season six onwards - a budget increase from earlier seasons US$6 million episode budgets. US$8 million: The budget for what was previously Thrones most expensive episode, Blackwater. This episode featured a full-sized replica of a 14th century battleship, and apparently those dont come cheap. Pushing from the previous US$6 million episode budget, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss reflected on the challenges in securing the additional US$2 million. We had one really intense conference call with the HBO brass. It was awkward, Benioff told GQ. I think we asked for $2.5 million. We got $2 million-something, Weiss said. Thats a lot of money in TV. US$500,000: Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Lena Headeys (Cersei Lannister) reported salary per episode each in the final season. Fellow stars, Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) reportedly each pocketed a relatively measly US$175,000, but as Turner told Harpers Bazaar, this might not be a case of an unfair gender pay gap. Kit got more money than me, but he had a bigger storyline, Turner said. And for the last series, he had something crazy like 70 night shoots, and I didnt have that many. I was like, 'You know what... you keep that money.'" US$2.3 billion: The estimated value of the free press Game of Thrones awarded Starbucks after that infamous craft service mistake. Story continues Does Daenerys really prefer almond milk over dairy? Well likely never know, but according to the CEO of marketing company Hollywood Branded, Stacey Jones, the exposure value of that Game of Thrones slip-up could be as high as US$2.3 billion for Starbucks - even though the cup wasnt even from a Starbucks branch. This is a once-in-a-lifetime collision of opportunity for Starbucks, she told CNBC. But really, this is just the tip of the iceberg, because what isnt being monitored or estimated is the word of mouth and social media on top of this. US$7,000: The cost of Daenerys wig. Its fair to say the dragon queen has seen a massive character arc - with last nights penultimate episode adding a resounding exclamation mark. And her wig has travelled with her, growing more intricate with every season and every city she claimed. The show also had Cersei, Melisandre and Margaery Tyrell wearing intricate wigs. According to Kevin Alexander, the shows hair designer, by the end of season two, there were already 20-30 wigs in use on the show, and they could cost up to $7,000 each. US$108 million: The economic boost Northern Ireland enjoys. Northern Ireland Screen, an agency charged with boosting the regions economic development, reportedly gives Game of Thrones US$15.3 million each season to film there. In exchange, an economic boost of US$108 million. Nearly 13,000 (12,986) extras were also employed in North Ireland. US$800,000: The cost for just 10 minutes of CGI. Maybe this explains why The Long Night was so dark. According to Money Inc, just 10 minutes of computer generated images can come in at US$800,000. 4,000: Gallons of fake blood used over the entire show. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Image: Business Insider Shark Tank judge Steve Baxter has invested $1 million with video platform Clipchamp, to grow its 'Create' video-editing product Clipchamp's relationship with the Queensland entrepreneur predates his TV gig The platform has 6.5 million users and growing, with customers as far-flung as North Korea Brisbane-based digital video platform Clipchamp has raised $1 million in seed funding from veteran investor Steve Baxter, one of the judges on Channel Ten's Shark Tank Australia. The seed round will accelerate the distribution of Create, the company's flagship video editing product, which allows users to edit videos for social media, advertising or online publication using original as well as stock footage all within a browser interface without the need to upload footage to an online server. Clipchamp CEO and co-founder Alex Dreiling told Business Insider Australia the funds would be invested to grow the business, which has 6.5 million registered users worldwide, including in some unexpected locations. We have users in every country [even] North Korea, Google analytics tells us we have users in North Korea, he said. It's [in the] single digits last time I checked." Despite the global reach, the company only has a relatively small payroll of 22 employees. If we have additional developers we can accelerate platform development, he said. At that stage, wed opt to hire more people and accelerate faster. He said Clipchamps reliance on internet browsers made staffing its major cost. Because we have that choice of technology where we do everything in browsers we dont have big server bills, he said. The major costs are the team, Its a pretty lean cost model. Dreiling said the relationship with Baxter, who now sits on Clipchamp's board, predated Shark Tank by several years, first meeting over a proposal to build a "distributed supercomputer". "The original idea was that wanted to build the biggest distributed supercomputer in the world and we took that idea to Steve very early on, this was way before Shark Tank, he was nowhere near as famous, he said. In that meeting, he very quickly focused on what we found the coolest thing under the sun, a big distributed supercomputer. He called it 'malware', but we got on his radar. Story continues When Clipchamp moved offices in Brisbane, Baxter would walk past every day and took note of the company's growth. We had a big world map and every user that registered wed display a dot on the map with some details we had on them, he said. We started talking more and explained the background story and this lead ultimately to the investment." In a statement, Baxter said: Ive kept my eye on the Clipchamp team over the years because Ive always respected the founders and founding story and am impressed by the way the company has pivoted to arrive at an exceptionally strong, core tech product". The $1 million from Baxter follows a raise of $1.65 million previously from Queensland University of Technologys innovation venture and investment arm, Bluebox, and Australian and German angel investors. Patents hold the key to protecting Clipchamp's technology The original funding went mainly into technology investment. Dreiling said the early investment around patents is now paying off as it allowed them to protect its proprietary tech from competitors while also doing what no one else did: edit within browsers without uploading footage. Theres no other vendor in the world thats managed to do this, he said. Dreiling said it was incredibly complicated to execute and required Clipchamp to constantly update across multiple platforms as browsers updated often and often broke the platform. You have to treat the browser like an operating system, he said. This wasnt planned its one of those things you start with something and then realise youve solved a different problem. Clipchamp is in a land grab with other video platforms and the Baxter money will allow it to claim more space more quickly, the CEO said. There are a number of platforms that try to achieve what were trying to achieve, he said. Everyones trying to grab as big of a market share as they possibly can. Travel to Asia for jaw-droppingly low prices. (Photos: Getty) If you missed your 12-hour window last week to snap up $179 Jetstar tickets to South Korea, breathe easy theres an even better deal on offer. AirAsias launching their end-of-year financial sale and it means Aussies could fly to Indonesia and back for as low as $182. Thats not the only destination on offer the fares to Hong Kong, Maldives, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore, Phuket, Delhi, Tokyo, Shanghai and more are stunningly low. Some of the lowest-priced flights are Perth to Lombok for $182 return or Perth to Kuala Lumpur for $255 return. Return tickets to Ho Chi Minh City from Melbourne would only set you back $394, and a round-trip to Bangkok from Brisbane would only cost you $451. Tickets to other destinations such as Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, Bali, or the Maldives are relatively speaking on the pricier end of the scale, but still considered cheap by ordinary standards. For example, fly from Sydney to Singapore and back for just $579. Shanghai in your sights? Thatll cost Sydneysiders $584. Fancy a dip to the Maldives instead? Pay $608 to fly there and back. But if you want to take advantage of the sale, youd have to pack your bags fairly soon: the travel period is from 25 May to 31 October this year. And youd better move quick: the sale ends on midnight 19 May, or until seats sell out beforehand. Note that a lot of your flights will involve a stopover at Kuala Lumpur, according to Finder, which is standard for the low-cost carrier. AirAsia has had a history of technical issues and incidences, according to a PerthNow report. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Princess Mary attends the University of Copenhagen to hand out scholarships. Photos: Mega Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, and Mary was positively glowing at an engagement one day earlier. Mary visited the University of Copenhagen on Monday to hand out two The Crown Princess Mary Scholarships to exchange students from the universitys Australian partner universities as they study in Denmark. Mary was positively glowing during the engagement. Photo: Mega The princess was wearing a stunning cream pant suit and white blouse, as she smiled and waved to onlookers on her way in and out of the university. Princess Mary waves to onlookers at the University of Copenhagen. Photo: Mega An unexpected love story Mary Donaldson first met Fred at Sydney CBD pub the Slip Inn during the 2000 Olympics. At the time the then 28-year-old said she had no idea she was talking to a prince. They dated long-distance for a year with Fred making secret trips back to Australia, before Mary packed up and moved to Denmark in 2001. That look! Photo: Getty It really was a fairytale come true as two years later, on October 8, 2003, it was announced the pair were officially engaged. I dont recall wishing that one day I would be a princess, I wanted to be a veterinarian, Mary said shortly after the engagement. A royal wedding Mary and Frederik were married on May 14, 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral. Photo: Getty This year the pair have been married 15 years. Photo: Getty The couple were married on May 14, 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral, where Mary wore a beautiful gown created by Danish designer Uffe Frank. They now share four beautiful children Prince Christian, 13, Princess Isabella, 12, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, eight. You can flick through their gorgeous family photo album below: Photo: Getty Happy anniversary lovebirds! 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. A body believed to be that of a woman missing in regional Western Australia has been found. Lorjie Tonguia Bautista, 38, was last seen near Bluff Knoll, at Stirling Range National Park, on May 7 at 4am. Temperatures in the national park reached as low as 2C last week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. A body, believed to be Ms Bautista, was located near the foot of a steep incline in a dense bush area, well away from public access trails, police said. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and the WA Police Force advise that Bluff Knoll Road, carpark and walk trail remain closed to the public due to this police operation until further notice. Lorjie Tonguia Bautista, 38, who was last seen near Bluff Knoll on Tuesday morning. Source: WA Police/ Google Maps (file pic) Husbands plea Mrs Bautistas husband Arman told Nine News on Sunday he was hopeful his wife would be found alive. He flew from Mandurah to Albany with the couples 15-year-old daughter over the weekend. "Me and my daughter, we're dying to see her. We hoped they'd find her today (Sunday)," he told Nine News. Her older sister Dylin Bueno told the Albany Advertiser Mrs Bautista was meant to be flying to the Philippines for her birthday soon. Mrs Bautista's husband Arman hoped his wife was still alive when speaking on Sunday. Source: Nine News Video being investigated Great Southern police acting superintendent Alex Ryan told the West Australian on Tuesday morning police were looking into a video posted on social media to find the missing mum. Yesterday afternoon as a result of our ongoing investigation, WA police came into possession of some video footage from social media, he told the publication. The video is believed to have been taken by Lorjie Bautista on the morning of the 7th of May. He added the video was believed to have been shot from below the north face of Bluff Knoll looking down towards the carpark. 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. Two seaplanes collided mid-air on Monday over southeastern Alaska, killing five people including four Royal Princess cruise guests and one pilot. The plane was flying a shore excursion sold through Princess Cruises when it collided with a Taquan float plane about 8 nautical miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. Ten people were injured and the condition of one guest was unknown, according to a statement released by Princess Cruises. Three people were still missing, US Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration officials said. The two aircrafts involved were an Otter float plane carrying 11 people and a Beaver float plane with five people on board. A passenger on the Princess Cruise revealed an announcement was made at 6.30pm saying four fellow guests had died, nine were in hospital and one was missing. She said family of those involved in the crash were removed from the ship prior to the announcement being made out of respect. We are now taking off Juneau and will arrive two hours late, so shore excursions are being reviewed. Its a very sad day here on the Royal Princess. God Bless our shipmates and their families. Our hearts are broken here. The two crafts went down over water about 40-48 km northeast of Ketchikan, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios, speaking from Juneau. Coast Guard Sector Juneau Command Center watchstanders launched a helicopter and two 45 foot response boats from Station Ketchikan. #breaking: Princess Cruises says 5 people are dead, including 4 Royal Princess guests and pilot after Taquan float plane crashed about 8 nautical miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The plane was flying a shore excursion sold through Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises Statement below. pic.twitter.com/CTssjYrJIA Preston Phillips (@PrestonTVNews) May 14, 2019 Two seaplanes collided in mid-air on Monday over southeastern Alaska, killing at least five of those aboard. Source: Getty Images/stock In a statement shared to Twitter, the cruise line company said it was deeply saddened at the news of the accident. Story continues Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by the accident, the statement read. The crash site, which the FAA said was at Coon Cove near George Inlet, lies in the vicinity of a popular tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument, about 300 miles (480 km) south of Juneau, Alaska's capital. One of the aircraft involved was a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people aboard, and the other was a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11 people, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said in an email message, citing information from local authorities. Neither of the single-engine planes was under air traffic control when they collided, and circumstances of the crash were not immediately known, Kenitzer said. We are about to depart Ketchikan, AK and as we start to learn of the plane crash, our captain just made this announcement. I am on a different Princess cruise that was also docked here today. We are safe, but this is horrible news. pic.twitter.com/f4SqJtbbnQ Kattey Ortiz (@KatteyOrtizTV) May 14, 2019 The collision was the third for a Taquan Air sight-seeing plane in the past four years - in an accident in 2015 eight cruise passengers and a pilot died in what investigators blamed on the pilot and companys relaxed safety culture. Last year another flight carrying 11 people crashed into a mountainside due to the pilot turning off a device designed to warn them about upcoming terrain. All were injured but survived the incident. British businessman Richard Cousins, four members of his family and Canadian pilot Gareth Morgan died in a horrific seaplane crash in Sydneys Hawkesbury River on New Years Eve, 2017. 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. Gunmen killed four Catholics in a religious procession in northern Burkina Faso a day after a priest and five parishioners were murdered at mass, church officials said Tuesday. The parade with a statue of the Virgin Mary was moving through the town of Ouahigouya on Monday when "a group of terrorists intercepted the procession, killing four worshippers and burning the statue," said a spokesman for the Ouagadougou Cathedral. According to the Burkina Faso news agency AIB, the assailants stopped the procession. "They let the minors go, executed four adults, and destroyed the statue," it quoted a local person as saying. Paul Ouedraogo, president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger, told a meeting of bishops in the capital Ouagadougou the attack had claimed four lives. The killings came a day after a group of 20-30 armed men, according to witnesses, burst into the Catholic church in Dablo, also in the Nord Region of Burkina Faso, shooting dead five parishioners and their priest. The attackers set fire to the church, several shops and a small cafe before heading to the health centre, which they looted, burning the chief nurse's vehicle. Two days earlier, French special forces had freed four foreign hostages in Burkina Faso during an overnight raid that cost the lives of two soldiers. Two weeks ago, there was a similar attack against a Protestant church in Silgadji, also in the north, when gunmen on motorbikes killed a pastor and five worshippers. Burkina 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. The raids began in 2015 in the north before targeting the capital Ouagadougou and other regions, notably in the east. Nearly 400 people have been killed since 2015 -- mainly in hit-and-run raids -- according to an AFP tally. Jihadist groups target Christian clerics as well as Muslim ones they do not consider sufficiently radical. Last month, jihadists attacked a village school in Maitaougou, in the eastern province of Koulpelogo, killing five teachers and a municipal worker. Former colonial ruler France has deployed 4,500 troops in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in a mission codenamed Barkhane to help local forces flush out jihadists. Map of Burkina Faso locating attacks in Ouahigouya and Dablo A Pakistani court has ordered the release on bail of a hardline cleric who last year paralysed the country by orchestrating violent protests against the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian accused of blasphemy, his organisation said Tuesday. The decision to free the firebrand cleric, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, came days after Bibi left Pakistan after spending eight years on death row in a case which spotlighted religious extremism in the conservative Muslim country. She is believed to have been reunited with her family in Canada. Rizvi was detained in November last year after police launched a crackdown on hundreds of his supporters in Punjab province and the port city of Karachi. He had been charged with terrorism and sedition offences by the Pakistani government, after he led violent protests to oppose the Supreme Court's decision on October 31 to finally overturn Bibi's conviction and death sentence. "Today the Lahore High Court granted bail to Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi," Pir Ijaz Ashrafi, a spokesman for Rizvi's group Tehreek-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), said in a video message posted on Twitter. A Lahore High Court official confirmed to AFP that the court had granted Rizvi bail, and said he was expected to be released late Tuesday. Rizvi and the TLP held furious protests after the Supreme Court's decision to acquit Bibi last year. Demonstrators blocked major roads in protest, burning cars and buses, and leaving large swathes of the country paralysed as they called for her execution. The group also called for mutiny in the armed forces and assassination of the country's top judges for acquitting her. The government managed to defuse tensions by striking a deal that allowed another review of Bibi's case, but when the TLP threatened to launch another protest some weeks later Rizvi and other leaders were taken into custody as part of a crackdown. They have been in detention since. Bibi has technically been a free woman since the review of her case -- also conducted by the Supreme Court -- was dismissed in January. It is believed that she was held in protective custody while awaiting an asylum deal before she finally fled Pakistan less than a week ago. The US has said she has been reunited with her family. Blasphemy is a hugely inflammatory issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders. Bibi's conviction stemmed from an incident in 2009 when she argued with Muslim co-labourer. She consistently denied the charges, and her case rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. She spent eight years on death row before the Supreme Court decision to free her. Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who orchestrated protests against the acquital of a Christian facing the death penalty for blasphemy, is to be released on bail Asia Bibi finally left Pakistan last week and has been reuinted with her family President Donald Trump on Tuesday labeled the escalating trade war with China "a little squabble" and again accused Beijing of scuttling an agreement when it was near completion. And although he said he has an "extraordinary" relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Trump insisted he will not sign onto any deal unless it is a good one. "We're having a little squabble with China because we've been treated very unfairly for many decades," Trump told reporters at the White House. Last week, Trump moved to more than double the punitive duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise and the latest round of US-China trade negotiations ended without a deal. On Monday, China hit back, announcing a sharp increase in duties on thousands of US agricultural and manufactured goods in retaliation. And the US has begun the process of carrying out the Republican president's threat to hit all imports from China, extending tariffs to another $300 billion worth of Chinese merchandise. "We're looking at that very strongly," Trump said. He said the tough US stance is working and Beijing wants to make a deal, but he also blamed the Chinese leadership for the setback in the negotiations. "We had a deal that was very close and then they broke it. More than renegotiate, they really broke it. We can't have that happen." - World's piggy bank - Trump launched the trade war last year to extract profound economic reforms from Beijing and reduce the US trade deficit. He accused China of seeking to dominate global industries through massive state subsidies and theft of American technology -- in violation of commitments it made upon joining the World Trade Organization in 2001. The United States and China have so far exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade. Since last year, the trade war has gutted US farm exports to China and weighed on the manufacturing sectors in both countries. Earlier Tuesday, Trump pledged to help hard-hit American farmers caught in the middle of the escalating trade war. The administration last year offered $12 billion in compensation to American farmers and has vowed to do more, using the revenues from the new tariffs -- which he incorrectly claims is paid by China rather than US importers -- to buy crops and support prices. "This money will come from the massive Tariffs being paid to the United States for allowing China, and others, to do business with us. The Farmers have been 'forgotten' for many years. Their time is now!" Trump tweeted. "We're the piggy bank everybody likes to take advantage of or take from. We can't let that happen anymore," Trump then told reporters. He has made the US trade deficit a key focus on his policies, taking the unusual view that Americans lose money by buying products from abroad. Economists are nearly unanimous in saying trade benefits companies and consumers by providing products from countries that make them more efficiently and cheaply. Trump said consumers can get around the tariffs by buying from other providers, or companies can move to the United States to manufacture their goods. "That's what I really want. You want to know something? We always win. We always win," he said. US President Donald Trump told reporters that the escalating battle with China on trade was "a little squabble" Timeline of US-China tariff hikes WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES: Shocking images have revealed the shocking moment a turtle rescued from a fishing net defecated plastic after swallowing rubbish in the sea. The startling incident occurred after the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was found caught in a fishing net in the eastern Argentina province of Buenos Aires. The fisherman then called the Mundo Marino foundation who sent a team to rescue the animal and bring it back to the centre. The turtle's weight was lower than normal and vets carried out blood tests to find out what was wrong. The turtle rescued from a fishing net defecated plastic after swallowing rubbish. Source: CEN/Australscope The blood tests did not show any abnormalities but hours later the turtle began to excrete huge amounts of plastic rubbish. In a video, the turtle can be seen swimming in a small pool when one of the foundations staff lifts it out of the water and plastic can be seen coming out of its rear. Juan Pablo Loureiro, a vet from the Educative Park of the foundation Mundo Marino, told local media: It is worrying to find rubbish inside the digestive system of a marine turtle. Hours after blood tests were done the turtle began to excrete huge amounts of plastic rubbish. Source: CEN/Australscope You have to bear in mind that the accumulation of garbage generates the sensation of a lack of hunger that is decreasing due to the lack of food. This makes them weaker and will condition their chances of survival. The turtle was given an X-ray to check all the rubbish had been expelled from its system before it spent some time recovering with the foundation. The large wad of plastic was defecated by the sea turtle. Source: CEN/Australscope The turtle was released back into the ocean after completing its recovery. Local media report 11 of the 24 turtles rescued and treated by the foundation this year have defected some kind of plastic during their treatment. Victoria Gonzalez Carmen, a researcher for the National Council of Scientific and Technical Investigations, said to local media that the ingestion of a huge amount of plastic generates a huge amount of gases in the digestive system of the animal that could affect their diving, searching for food and ability to escape from predators. Australscope 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. Russia and the United States voiced hope Tuesday for better ties including working together in Syria as President Vladimir Putin welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but tensions were laid bare in a clash over election meddling. Speaking for nearly two hours late into the evening in Putin's forested dacha in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Pompeo became the highest-ranking American to meet the Russian leader in 10 months. "I would very much like your visit to Russia to benefit Russia-US relations and promote their development," Putin told Pompeo as he took a seat across from him in a sleek conference room, saying that they should "fully restore" relations. Pompeo -- who like most of the US political class, with the major exception of President Donald Trump, has been outspoken in his criticism of Putin -- said that the two countries found areas on which to cooperate, and voiced optimism in breaking a deadlock on Syria. "We had a very productive conversation on pathways forward in Syria, things we can do together where we have a shared set of interests on how to move the political process forward," Pompeo told reporters at the airport before flying out. The United States and Russia are on opposite sides of Syria's brutal eight-year civil war, with Russia the primary backer of President Bashar al-Assad. Pompeo said that he and Putin agreed on ways to move ahead with a long-delayed Syrian-led committee that will rewrite the constitution in hopes of a political end to the conflict. The top US diplomat also said that the United States and Russia largely saw eye-to-eye on Afghanistan, where Trump wants to pull troops, and North Korea amid Trump's diplomatic drive for a nuclear accord. - Disagreement on election meddling - Hanging over Trump's quest for warm ties with Russia have been persistent allegations that his campaign worked with the rival power to swing the 2016 election to the mogul over his rival Hillary Clinton. Putin hailed the two-year investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller that did not find collusion by the Trump campaign -- but documented extensive meddling by Russia, especially by manipulating social media. "Despite the exotic nature of Mr Mueller's commission, on the whole he conducted quite an objective investigation and confirmed the absence of any collusion between the US administration and Russia," Putin said. Pompeo, speaking earlier at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, acknowledged deep differences on election meddling -- and warned Russia to stay out of next year's vote. "Interference in American elections is unacceptable. If Russia engaged in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been," Pompeo said. "I conveyed that there are things that Russia can do to demonstrate that these kinds of activities are a thing of the past. I hope that Russia takes advantage of those opportunities," he said. Lavrov hit back against "those who are inflating this topic" and saying of collusion: "It's clear that such insinuations are absolute fiction." "We want and we are ready to deal with cybersecurity issues along with our American partners, without any politicisation," he said. - 'Overlapping interests' - Pompeo -- who just three days earlier in a speech said that "the Putin regime slays dissidents in cold blood" -- said he was not trying to reconcile but rather to find common interests. "It's not about 'moving on.' It's about trying to find solutions, compromises, places where there are overlapping interests," he told reporters. Pompeo was the highest-ranking American to see Putin since July when the Russian leader met in Helsinki with Trump -- who shocked the US establishment by seeming to take at face value Putin's denials of election interference. Putin and Pompeo also discussed the crises on Iran and Venezuela. But Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said they did not touch on Ukraine, where Russia's backing of separatist rebels have prompted US sanctions. Pompeo has led US charges that Russia is to blame for the continued rule of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist firebrand whom Washington is seeking to oust. "The time has come for Nicolas Maduro to go, he has brought nothing but misery to the Venezuelan people, and we hope that Russian support for Maduro will end," Pompeo said at his joint news conference with Lavrov. Most Latin American and European nations recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela, whose crumbling economy has prompted millions to flee. Lavrov mockingly said that the United States had also promoted democracy in war-torn Iraq and Libya and called for dialogue with Maduro -- an option rejected by Washington. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his dacha in Sochi US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, accompanied by US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi US President Donald Trump has persistently praised Russian President Vladimir Putin Anti-government demonstrators in Caracas have called on the military to rise up against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Tuesday said his country is not seeking war with Iran, despite a spike in tensions that has seen the Pentagon dispatch nuclear-capable bombers to the region. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meanwhile insisted the showdown between the Islamic republic and the United States was a test of resolve rather than a military encounter. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Pompeo said during a visit to Russia, a key backer of Tehran which has blamed the current crisis on Washington's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. But Pompeo added: "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." "We are looking for Iran to behave like a normal country," Pompeo said, pointing in part to Tehran's backing of Huthi rebels in Yemen who are under attack from US ally Saudi Arabia. Huthi rebels "are launching missiles into areas where there are Russians and Americans travelling. These missiles could easily kill a Russian or an American," Pompeo said. Khamenei echoed Pompeo's rhetoric in a speech to officials. "This face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war. Neither we nor them (the US) seek war. They know it will not be in their interest," he said, quoted on his website. "The definite decision of the Iranian nation is to resist against America," Khamenei said, adding that "in this showdown America will be forced to retreat... because our resolve is stronger." The supreme leader said negotiating with the US was "poison" because the Americans wanted to deprive Iran of its missiles and "strategic depth" in the region. "Negotiating with the present American government is doubly poisonous... they are not decent humans, they don't stand by anything," he said referring to the US decision to withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. - US 'maximum pressure' campaign - Washington last year pulled out of a nuclear deal backed by Europe, Russia and China, which curbed Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Since then it has slapped sweeping sanctions on Iran in an all-out effort to reduce Tehran's regional clout. The US has recently ramped up the pressure, deploying an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to counter vaguely described threats from Iran. On Sunday, mysterious attacks by unknown assailants against four ships in the region, including two from Saudi Arabia, sent war talk up another notch. UN inspectors have said Iran is complying with the deal, and Moscow last week denounced new US sanctions on the country's mining industry, calling for new talks to save the nuclear accord. During Pompeo's visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would work "to ensure this situation does not descend into a military scenario". "I hope that reason will triumph," Lavrov said, adding that he hoped reports in the US media that President Donald Trump is planning to send 120,000 troops to counter Iran turn out to be wrong. Trump himself rejected the New York Times report, saying it was "fake news" but did not rule out deploying "a hell of a lot more" soldiers in the future. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier Tuesday slammed what he called Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, saying it would only drive Tehran into a corner. Pompeo cancelled a stop in Moscow Monday to instead have an unscheduled meeting in Brussels with European foreign ministers, who have been uncomfortable with the hawkish direction of the US on Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi Vladimir Putin, surrounded by top military officers and officials, earlier toured a military flight test centre in Akhtubinsk Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L), with President Hassan Rouhani, attended a government meeting in Tehran Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo but there was little sign of agreement later Yasmin Boland Happy holidays! Want some good news? Yesterday brought the third and final nasty planetary clash of the year and 2022 is looking OH so much brighter! Today, just try and be loving and kind to the people youre with and if youre alone, be loving and kind with yourself! So what do you really value [] Firefighters from Porterville, California, came to the aid of a cat that got stuck in a tree, footage shared on May 13 shows. The video, shared by the Porterville Fire Departments Facebook account, shows a group of firefighters catching the animal after they encouraged it to jump. The cat landed on the sheet held by the firefighters and then quickly fled from the scene. According to the department, rescuing cats from trees is not a common occurrence for fire crews, despite popular belief. Credit: Porterville Fire Department via Storyful Aurora is remembering and preserving 100 years of stories through community gatherings. The villages historical society and volunteer fire department joined forces to create the museum's most recent exhibit, Fire! A Century of Service: The Aurora Volunteer Fire Department. This year marks the 100th anniversary of a large fire that took place in February 1919, village Historian Linda Schwab said. It basically destroyed most of what was then downtown Aurora, she added. Everything between whats now the 371 Main St. historical society and the Aurora Inn at 391 Main St. was was pretty much wiped out. If you go WHAT: "Fire! A Century of Service: The Aurora Volunteer Fire Department" WHEN: Open 1-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays WHERE: Aurora Historical Society and Village History Center, 371 Main St., Aurora INFO: Call (315) 364-7293 or visit auroranewyork.us or avfd.net As a result, this year also marks the centennial of the founding of the villages volunteer fire department. The very small group of residents who constituted a proto-fire department, sort of an early version of the fire department, they really had to call in a lot of help. It was an all-citizen thing. And almost right away they began to get organized and form a true volunteer fire department, Schwab said. Given the dual anniversary, Schwab approached Ann Balloni, Auroras clerk and the fire departments emergency medical services captain. It was easy, or at least they made it easy, to pull together archival material, Schwab said. I had archival material, they had artifactual material, and my request to them was, What is the story you want to tell? And I will help you tell it. Balloni said that a committee of firefighters, EMTs and life members was formed from the fire department. Together, they met with Schwab and pulled out scrapbooks and even the minutes from the first year of the department in 1919. Scrapbooks and the minutes book take their place in the museum exhibit among other artifacts, such as leather water pails from the bucket brigade days, photos, fire hats and fire grenades filled with carbon tetra-chloride that could be thrown at the base of a fire to help quench it. I think a thread that runs through has been community impact, Schwab said of the exhibit. When one comes to the exhibit, she continued, theyll see the impact fires can have on a community, as well as the importance of fighting those fires and saving lives. The history, community and other threads of the exhibit come together at conversation events held twice a month. The next conversation, to be held May 21, will be an introduction to special teams at the 27-active-member Aurora Volunteer Fire Department, such as its dive team. The conversations are an equally important part of the show (and) what makes it all make sense, Schwab said. This is a story that is sometimes poignant, and is sometimes funny, and is sometimes tragic, and it's all of these things. ... It tells it from the firefighters perspective, (and the community is) learning a lot about what happens when the fire siren blows. Schwab added that it is impressive to learn about the volunteer firefighters immense commitment. And were learning, too, through the discussions and the shows that weve been doing, Balloni added. Were hearing stories that weve never heard before. The conversations have themes, but are otherwise very freewheeling, Schwab said. The theme of the first conversation was women in the fire service. It was attended by Marie Taylor, who was the first woman to become a volunteer firefighter in the state of New York, assistant chief Sarah Homick said. According to a news article in one of the scrapbooks, Taylor joined the Aurora department in 1967. And Sarah was one of the first volunteer female chiefs in New York state, Balloni said. The most recent event at the museum was centered on families in the fire service. Homick, whose father, Ron Jones, has been in the department for 63 years, said being part of the fire service is a family tradition. My grandfather was in the fire department, my dad was in the fire department and when I turned 16, he looked at me and said, Youre going to the fire meeting tonight, right? and I said yep. And here I am 24 years later, Homick laughed. Homick said she enjoys the events, as they bring together different generations of the same fire department family: Having them come back and sharing the tradition that were carrying on and the history is just really, its funny. ... Its emotional. JD Balloni, Ann Ballonis son, enjoys being able to hear stories from people who were part of the department 50 or 60 years ago. He joined the fire department in 2008 after Homick gave a presentation at his high school, and is now assistant chief of the department. This I see as the basic human activity: You tell a story, Schwab said. It creates community by the very nature of it. Staff writer Megan Ehrhart can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or megan.ehrhart@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @MeganEhrhart. 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. CATO Cato-Meridian Central School District Board of Education hopefuls debated issues and made their arguments at a candidate forum and district budget hearing Monday night. Kathleen Bratt, the board vice president, Kristin Cox, Timothy Hulbert and Nicholas Schmitt are aiming for three open three-year positions. The candidates spoke in front of over 25 people. Hulbert went first, saying he believes it is important to prepare students for life after school. Bratt said she wants to continue the work the board is doing now and the work toward the future. Cox, a diary farmer, stated her case. "As a board member, I will bring my passion for our community and my diverse skill set together to help support the students, faculty and the community of Cato-Meridian." Schmitt said he is invested in the community and rejects the notion that what the school district has been doing needs to be fixed, saying "I don't think there is any other institution at the public school level that even holds a candle to Cato-Meridian," but still feels it would be silly to think improvements couldn't be made. After board president Michael Lees opened the forum to questions, an audience member asked the candidates how they felt about establishing term limits for the board. Hulbert said he would support that, though he wasn't sure of an exact number. "If you're in the same position for so long, you kind of get used to the notion of how things are and how things have always been," he said. Bratt said she didn't think the issue was cut-and-dried, saying "that it probably takes a couple of years to get up to speed to how things work." After the questions were done, Superintendent Terry Ward and business administrator Brenda Semeraro gave a presentation on the district's proposed budget. The total spending amount is set to be $21,842,479, which accounts for a 1.78% boost from the current year. The proposed tax levy increase is set to be 2.50%, under the district's 4.29% tax cap established by the state. Ward said the budget includes the addition of a elementary school counselor. Ward added he feels there is a need for that kind of position at the school, and noted it would meet a state mandate for the next school year. "So not only do we see and hear the need here locally, but also, we don't have any choice in the matter coming next year," he said. Ward said after the hearing that the proposed budget doesn't include any program changes. Other propositions community members will be voting on include a proposition to buy two 65-passenger school buses at a estimated cost not to exceed $112,000 each and one 30-passenger bus at an estimated cost not to to exceed $57,000, and a proposition for a $25,000 spending increase for the Stewart B. Lang Memorial Library. People will be able to vote on the budget, candidates and the propositions May 21. 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 U.S. Geological Survey and the state Department of Environmental Conservation this week will deploy advanced new monitoring buoys on several Finger Lakes that officials say will allow of near instantaneous detection of harmful algal bloom warning signs. Scientists from the USGS and DEC are set to deploy the new buoys on Seneca and Owasco lakes on May 15, with Skaneateles Lake to follow in the next several weeks, as part of the next level of HAB monitoring efforts. Last year, the two agencies installed monitoring stations on the three lakes that measured temperature, specific conductance, acidity, dissolved oxygen, percent oxygen saturation, turbidity, chlorophyll fluorescence, phyococyanin fluorescence and dissolved organic matter fluorescence. The new buoys will also collect high-resolution temporal data using sensors that have not been used in the Finger Lakes before, and are being used for one of the first times for algal bloom researching, according to USGS HAB Coordinator Jennifer Graham. According to Graham, the buoys will report their data on nutrients and algal community community composition, along with webcam pictures, to a publicly available data viewer in near real-time. The project is jointly funded by the USGS and DEC, and supports the state's $65 million anti-HAB initiative unveiled last year, which included the development of HAB Action Plans for certain lakes, including Owasco and Skaneateles Lake. The new data gathered by the buoys will be used to support a better understanding of how HABs grow and of their severity, equipping officials to make informed decisions on dealing with HABs, according to a release announcing the project. The data from the buoys will be available at ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/habs/. This week will also see two public meetings on the first update to Owasco Lake's watershed rules and regulations a project largely prompted by the increasing prevalence of HABs on the lake. The first meeting is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 15 at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, while the second meeting is set for the next day at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Moravia High School Auditorium. Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 AUBURN Two of three Cayuga County residents charged in connection with a January robbery and assault have pleaded guilty to felony charges. In Cayuga County Court Tuesday, Mia Loiacono, 22, of 2496 Bentley School Road, Weedsport, and Dijon Starling-Harvey, 19, of 9 Spring St., Auburn, both pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, a class B felony. Starling-Harvey also pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, another class B felony. The third defendant, William Vest, 28, of 110 Olympia Terrace, Auburn, who was also charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault, did not appear for a plea Tuesday. Starling-Harvey was the first to plea, as he admitted stabbing a person multiple times with a knife after the victim was lured into a vehicle by Loiacono on Dublin Hill Road in Ledyard. Starling-Harvey and Vest were in the in the back of the vehicle, waiting for the victim. The three then stole money and phones from the victim. The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office previously reported that the victim knew the attackers, and that the incident stemmed from a disagreement. Starling-Harvey is now facing seven years of prison time, five years of post-release supervision, and an order to pay restitution. Loiacono is looking at three and a half years in prison, five years of post-release supervision, and restitution. The restitution amounts for both Starling-Harvey and Loiacono will be determined at their sentencings July 16. Vest is expected to appear for a plea in the upcoming weeks. Staff writer Dan Orzechowski can be reached at (315) 282-2239 or dan.orzechowski@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @OrzechowskiDan. Love 0 Funny 6 Wow 2 Sad 6 Angry 16 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. " " It's not necessarily the fancy cars that need a car alarm. Daniel Allan/Getty Images My buddy Mark lives in Chicago and loved his 1999 Honda Civic hatchback. Thieves loved it, too. Apparently, a late-'90s Civic is worth far more than its Blue Book value in parts alone. That explains why multiple people have pulled up next to him at stoplights and offered to buy the hatchback on the spot. Maybe he should have taken them up on the offer. The first time the Civic was stolen, the cops quickly recovered it a few blocks away. The second time, Mark wasn't so lucky. My friend went out to search for the car himself and found it about a mile from his apartment under an overpass, stripped of its engine and missing the entire front paneling. Now Mark takes the train. Advertisement Mark's Civic didn't have a car alarm, because like most of us, he assumed that alarms were a waste of money. If you live in a big city, falsely triggered car alarms are as common as pigeons (and just as loathed). A blaring car alarm in Chicago barely raises an eyebrow. There's even a name for it "alarm fatigue." But does our collective disdain for car alarms mean that they aren't effective? We talked to Chris McGoey, a 33-year veteran security consultant and host of the Crime School podcast. He admits that we all have alarm fatigue to some degree, but thinks that alarms still have their place. "Car thieves will tell you, they don't like the noise," says McGoey. "They don't like the attention that it draws. But it depends on the quality of the car thief. If it's just an amateur car thief, the alarm goes off, they're gone. To that extent they work." Professional car thieves, on the other hands, don't even worry about alarms. McGoey says the pros can either disable the alarm quickly or use a number of tactics including dummy sets of keys and tow trucks to circumvent the alarm system altogether. When an Alarm Makes Sense According to Interpol, the international law enforcement organization, car thefts worldwide can be divided into two distinct categories: 1) widely available older cars ("quantity") and 2) higher-end and luxury cars ("quality"). Mark's 1999 Civic fits squarely in the "quantity" category, the type of car that's irresistible to young, street-level car thieves. Parts for older, widely available cars are in high demand. Plus, most cars built before the year 2000 can still be hot-wired. "The old cars are a piece of cake," McGoey says. "In modern cars, all the keys have a chip built into them. That chip has to be married up to the ignition. You can't go in there and break off the steering wheel column like you would in the old days. The car won't start." If low-level car thieves are more likely to be spooked by car alarms, then it's worth figuring out if your car is attractive to low-level car thieves. First, check if your car is one of the 10 most-stolen in America. That's a sure sign you're in the "quantity" category. According to LoJack's 2016 Vehicle Theft Recovery Report, the most-stolen makes and models are: 1. Honda Civic 2. Honda Accord 3. Toyota Camry 4. Toyota Corolla 5. Chevy Tahoe 6. Nissan Altima 7. Cadillac Escalade 8. Ford F250 9. Acura Integra 10. Chevy Silverado Again, older model years are the easiest to swipe and have the highest demand for parts. McGoey's rule of thumb is, "Look at the most popular cars today. They'll be the most stolen cars in the country 10 years from now." Another hugely important factor is where you live. According to statistics from the FBI and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, big cities routinely have the highest total number of car thefts, but that's because there are lots of cars in big cities. A more useful statistic is car thefts per capita. In that category, California is king. California is home to eight out of the 10 metropolitan areas with the most cars stolen per person. In 2015, Los Angeles held the title for the most cars stolen nationwide (52,559), but the smaller Central Valley cities of Modesto, Bakersfield and Salinas had far greater theft rates per capita. Another unexpected capital of car theft is Albuquerque, New Mexico, No. 2 in the country for stolen cars per resident. There might be a simple explanation for this geographical clustering of theft rates. According to a 2012 report from the Department of Justice, one-third of all cars stolen in the United States were stolen from four states: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. That's because there's a lucrative trade in stolen cars and parts directly into Mexico. Although the smuggling rings are operated by large criminal organizations, the cars themselves are mostly stolen by "juveniles," concluded the report. So, if you drive a popular Japanese-made car that's more than a decade old and you live within a few hours' drive of the border, it's probably worth investing in a highly visible alarm system. The flashy decals alone might be enough to deter a thief scanning the aisles in the mall parking lot. Whose Noise Is It, Anyway? "If my car alarm goes off, I'm not expecting the nearest person walking by to say, Oh my God, a car alarm's going off, I should go investigate!'" says Pearson. "As far as this idea that people are disregarding car alarms, I guess they should. It's not for them." Security expert McGoey agrees. It's the job of law enforcement and security personnel to investigate alarms, not bystanders. Fortunately, a car owner doesn't necessarily have to be in earshot to learn that his car is being broken into (or at least approached). Viper's latest security systems include instant notifications sent to the owner's smartphone or keys. (Other companies offer alarms with similar features, too.) Now That's Alarming Alarm fatigue is also a big problem in hospitals where nurses often ignore alarms on medical devices and monitors because there are so many of them going off all the time. Although 85-95 percent of them are false alarms, the few that are real could harm patients if they're ignored. A new, exhaustive study of the FOSTA/SESTA law designed to curb online sex trafficking, which passed both houses of Congress overwhelmingly last year and was signed into law by Donald Trump, shows thatas sex workers and online rights advocates predictedthe law has already extracted a tragic and chilling human cost. Within one month of FOSTAs enactment, thirteen sex workers were reported missing, and two were dead from suicide, wrote author Lura Chamberlain in the Fordham Law Review paper published in April. Numerous others were raped, assaulted, and rendered homeless or unable to feed their children. Chamberlains extensively footnoted study is titled, FOSTA: A Hostile Law With a Human Cost, and describes FOSTA as a law with a body count. Though the law has been in effect for more than a year, and allows victims of sex traffickers to sue online sites and social media platforms that, they say, allowed the traffickers to recruit victims via the internet, no citations using the laws provisions have yet been decided. Two lawsuits in Texas are now aimed at Facebook, saying that the social media company is responsible for online sex trafficking, but those suits are still in the court system, as AVN.com has reported. While the shuttering of classified ad site Backpage.com is often cited as an example of FOSTAs effectiveness, Backpage was seized by the FBI and its top executives arrested before the law was even signed by Trump. FOSTA allows an exception to Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Actthe law that shields internet service providers and sites from liability for material posted by third parties, laying the groundwork for open and uncensored online communicationsfor alleged sex trafficking activities. But none of the crimes alleged by prosecutors to have been committed by Backpage have anything to do with Section 230. FOSTA does have a list of accomplishments to its credit, however, according to a TechDirt summary of the study. Those include, widespread internet censorship, including information designed to help sex trafficking victims, and putting sex workers in much greater risk, leading to multiple deaths and disappearances. The law may actually have led to an increase in sex trafficking activities, by pushing sex workers into the waiting arms of traffickers for 'protection.' FOSTA is a deeply flawed law, Chamberlain writes. But she adds that simply altering FOSTAs defective provisions will not completely resolve its underlying policy shortcomings. Instead, Chamberlain calls for the full repeal of FOSTA. If sex work were decriminalized and more pragmatic legislation were implemented to better inculpate traffickers, mitigate harm to trafficking survivors, and reduce future victimization, FOSTAs stated goals could be realized, Chamberlain, a Fordham University law student and Law review member, concludes. LOS ANGELESAward-winning producer Ryan Madison has launched 5KPorn.com, which features content shot in 5120 x 2880 resolution at 60 frames per second. All images on this site are video stills taken directly from the 5K film. Ive always tried to look to the future and what would make our company stand out and create loyalty from our members, Ryan said. With 5KPorn, I took a look at the technology and where it is headed and took a calculated risk that a way beyond better quality product would attract both affiliates and members who want to be on the cutting edge of this new technology. I decided to offer a product that no one else is doing. Were really one step ahead on this and pushing things forward in a unique way. And to respond to critics who immediately think 5K means magnifying pores, zits, razor burns and stretch marks, it is just the opposite because with the bigger cameras, proper lighting and color grading means the right things shine while the blemishes fade away. With 4K still not widely adopted in the industry and with many sites still only offering only 1080p content, 5KPorn will be the first to provide customers with a 5120 x 2880 resolution. That is 14.7 million pixels of hardcore action. Also, each scene is captured at 60 frames per second which is the gold standard for flawless motion. Pairing resolution and frame rate, 5KPorn delivers an experience never before seen in the adult industry. We are way ahead of the curve with 5K 60 fps basically because a lot of peoples computers cant play it, Ryan said. So to solve this we also give a 4K and 2K version. If you start with a great 5K file, a 4K and 2K will be relatively just as impressive. So once again if big video looks better than its predecessor and if you believe technology will eventually make enjoying big video extremely easy and reliable for the consumer, why then would 4K be good enough? Launching with more than 30 scenes ready to view and featuring a variety of talent from teens to MILFs, there's something for everyone. Director Ryan Madison brings his signature style to a new, female-star focused brand that puts the viewer right in the action. All images on 5KPorn.com site are video stills taken directly from the 5K film. You must see it to believe itits the most immersive video experience in adult video. Webmasters can join the 5K revolution at 5KBucks.com or email [email protected] Right now anyone interested in experiencing the next generation of porn can join 5KPorn.com for free to see for themselves. We are offering free memberships to all our traffic because there are no gimmicks here. If you are looking for higher quality video content, come check us out. For now, you are not going to find 5K, 60 FPS anywhere else but at 5KPorn.com. For more, visit 5KPorn.com today. For PR & Media Information, please contact: Kelly Madison [email protected] LOS ANGELESWicked Pictures contract star, sex educator and three-time AVN Awards Best Actress Jessica Drake is appearing Saturday, May 18, at Sexy Suz Couples Boutique. The adult retailer is Athens, Georgia's premier sex positive and body-postive adult superstore. As part of the retail giant's 10th Anniversary Celebration, Jessica will conduct two enlightening and informative sexual wellness workshops. Im so excited to help Sexy Suz host their 10th Anniversary, Jessica said. This is a great chance for longtime customers to enjoy themselves all day and night, and its also the perfect opportunity for folks who have never visited before to come out and take a look! During a festive, fast-paced day which will include everything from a meet-and-greet reception and Lover's Expo to a lingerie show and Bare As You Dare party hosted by Jessica and Ashley Fires, the creator and host of Jessica Drake's Guide to Wicked Sex will share her knowledge and perspectives on positive sexuality through interactive seminars at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. There are so many different things going on, but Im most looking forward to meeting everyone, teaching two workshops, seeing Ashley Fires, emceeing the lingerie show, and seeing just how bare everyone dares to get later in the evening, Jessica said. Basically, I'm looking forward to everything. Come whisper wicked in my ear for something special. I can't wait to see everyone! The 11 a.m. Guide to Wicked Sex Talk by Jessica Drake will empower attendees with the knowledge, insights, and tools needed to enliven relationships, improve communication, and make basic sex positions even more mutally satisfying. At 3 p.m., the Guide to Wicked Sex Talk - Anal Edition by Jessica Drake seminar will lead participants through a comprehensive overview of the topic, equipping them with tips on preparation, experimenting with toys, choosing the correct lubricants, and much more. Audience members will be encouraged to engage in a positive discussion regarding general attitudes men and women have towards sex, and each seminar will include a question and answer session. Sexy Suz Couples Boutique's 10th Anniversary Celebration is being co-sponsored by the Wicked Sensual Care collection of luxurious lubricants and enhancers. The venue is located at 4124 Atlanta Highway in Athens, GA, and online at SexySuzOnline.com. For domestic sales information, contact Bonnie Kail at (800) 737-7838 or [email protected] For international sales, contact Steven Vlottes at (818) 349-3593 or email [email protected] Arizona Public Service has determined that assisting the Arizona Corporation Commissions policy of using forest byproducts for energy generation is financially feasible. The decision could help clear the Four Forest Restoration Initiatives problem of having too much forest thinning byproducts. In a letter sent to the Arizona Corporation Commission, APS said they could feasibly convert a power generator at their Cholla Power Plant to burn forest thinning byproducts or biomass. The utility company also said the determination depends on how private businesses respond to 4FRIs next request for thinning proposals. 4FRI is currently working on the next phase for their large-scale forest thinning project to help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in northern Arizona forests. APS expects the conversion could be completed by 2022 and cost approximately $205 million, according to the study. The study also says the Cholla generator capacity could exceed the commissions request for 60 megawatts of power to 83 megawatts. Some expect that a final decision to convert the commissions energy generation to biomass fuel would add $1 to $4 to customers bills, although 4FRI stakeholders counter that this cost would be much less than the costs of massive wildfire. APS did not indicate its official stance on the commissions investigation into replacing coal generated energy with biomass, but previously wrote to the commission that the utility company would suggest moving forward on the conversion if it was more cost-effective than other options at a date after the release of the study. 4FRI officials have said their next request for proposal is in the final stages of review, and hope to award one or more large-scale, 20-year stewardship contracts this year. Last year, the action was halted, citing a lack of information on the value and amount of trees that would be covered in the new contracts. APS said in their study that if the conversion were implemented, the utility company would likely issue requests for proposals (RFPs) to transport biomass to their facility. APS believes that concurrent release of the USFS RFP and an APS fuel supply RFP will increase the opportunities for both the Forest Service and APS," according to the study. Cholla's operation Cholla is expected to close its coal generation in 2025, according to APS spokesperson Suzanne Trevino. Its coal is shipped from the El Segundo Mine in northwest New Mexico. Currently, Cholla employs about 200 people including contracts. APS estimated in their study that a generator conversion would require 90 direct and 19 indirect logging and transportation jobs and over 800 direct and 600 indirect temporary construction jobs. APS owns the plant and operates two of the four generator units, while PacifiCorp owns their third unit. The fourth unit was retired from use in 2015. PacificCorp receives electricity from APS in the winter to serve Pacific Northwest customers, and APS gets power in the summer to meet Arizona customers peak usage, Trevino said. The unit that was evaluated for conversion was the smallest unit, currently generating 116 megawatts through coal. Scott Buffon can be reached at sbuffon@azdailysun.com, on Twitter @scottbuffon or by phone at (928) 556-2250. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 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. PETRIFIED FOREST Adam Marsh and Michelle Stocker had been out all day in the hot weather, breaking rocks and sifting through the pieces, when they made a major discovery last May. What we saw under the magnifying glass was something that looked a lot like a fossil frog pelvis, said Marsh, the lead paleontologist at Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona where the discovery was made. The tiny pelvic bone is no larger than a pinky nail. Fossilized fragments also were found at a nearby ranch and a stone quarry near St. Johns. Researchers dont know whether the frogs underwent metamorphosis like modern frogs, Marsh said. Because so few fragments were discovered, its hard to say what the frogs actually looked like or whether they hopped. Marsh said the fossils reveal an important fact: Frogs survived a mass extinction in the Triassic period. Stocker, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech, said their discovery fills in a gap in the timeline for the Triassic. Paleontologist only had records from the early Triassic that are about 250 million years old. The purpose of it (finding fossils) is more that were trying to understand biodiversity on earth, Stocker said. And you cant just look at the animals that are alive today. The biggest challenge was finding the fossil in the first place, she said. We look for bones and jaws and teeth and things like that that might be preserved in those layers that way, Stocker said. This part of the frog, that hip bone that we found, is really distinctive for the group. Stocker and Marsh found the fossil by washing the rocks through metal screens, then using a microscope to determine what was in the rock. The fragments were discovered in the Chinle Formation, rocks that were deposited more than 200 million years ago, putting the frogs in the late Triassic period, a time when the area supported rivers and lakes rather than the desert seen today. So theyre (the frogs) living in somewhat wet environments, Marsh said. In the Triassic here in Arizona, all the rocks are deposited by rivers, lakes, streams. Sharks, reptiles and other creatures lived along with the frogs, he said. Marsh and Stocker plan to return to the park in early June to hunt for more fossils. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 'Keep praying for Sri Lanka' The President of the Baptist Union in Sri Lanka has thanked British Baptists for their prayers - and urged them to continue as the country struggles to recover from the Easter Sunday attacks The Revd Heshan de Silva was responding to a message from our General Secretary Lynn Green in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in his country. More than 250 people were killed and 500 injured when three churches and three hotels were targeted in a series of coordinated terrorist suicide bombings. In an email to Heshan, Lynn wrote that every church she had visited since Easter has offered specific prayer and that we will continue to uphold them in our prayers. In response Heshan, President of the Sri Lanka Baptist Sangamaya (Union) and the Chair of the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka, wrote, 'Please thank every person and every congregation for their prayers. Please continue to uphold my motherland - God's special intervention is needed at this moment at this moment to heal the wounds. This week the Sri Lanka Baptist Union circulated a renewed prayer request, updating Baptists worldwide of the 'very tense situation' in the country. The statement reported that Sinhalese 'mobs' have attacked Muslim houses and shops in different places in the country and there has been an island-wide curfew. Parents are not sending their children to school, rumours are spreading on social media and people are panicking. 'Situation in the country is very bad. Please pray for Sri Lanka. We need God's special intervention at this moment. We Christian leaders should need God's special guidance for us to know that how we should lead our people. Peace be with you.' Although no Baptist churches were directly affected, as the leader of the National Christian Council, Heshan is very involved in helping shape the Christian response and helping shape Christian engagement with the government. In a statement in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks he called for unity. 'Today, the whole world is engaged in a war against terrorism where the true battle is in the mindset. It is a lesson that we need to come to terms with that this needs to be addressed in multiple fronts, where many including governments, religious and other organisations and individuals need to play different roles. 'It is sad to note that this happened on Easter Sunday where God provided hope and salvation. 'We appeal to all to be united for this cause so that those who died did not die in vain, and it is we who are living that have this responsibility. Let not this massive tragic incident be forgotten as a yet another incident of terror.' Elsewhere, the Revd Edwin Lam, president of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation, described the attacks as 'unimaginable, cowardly and senseless'. He added, 'Our hearts grieved for and with Sri Lanka and also our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ and their families. We in the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation stand with our Baptist brothers and sisters as well as Christians in Sri Lanka in this time of great sadness and sorrow. 'We offer our sincere prayers, love and condolences to those who have lost loved ones in these terrible acts seeking to destroy the peace and progress of a nation which had already suffered much in the past. 'May the peace of God reign and rule in the hearts of the Christians as you pull yourselves together to overcome the shock and may He grant love and forgiveness towards the perpetuators of such heinous acts. We pray that God will grant wisdom to the government to protect the people and restore peace and order in the land. 'Even in times like these, God is in control and He knows what He is doing!' Staff working for BMS World Mission's partner in Sri Lanka felt the effects of the Dehiwala bomb that targeted a guest house just one km away from their office. Thankfully all staff were kept safe during the blast. In a Facebook post, BMS requested its supporter to join Sri Lankan Christians in praying for: - The leaders of our nation: that God would give them wisdom to handle the current situation. - God to console all those families affected by this ruthless outrage. - People to remain calm, and for no further incidents or an escalation of the situation to take place. - The Spirit of God and the message of the cross in Jesus' name to brood over this nation and usher in peace, despite all the evil that prevails. BMS was able to pledge 10,000 through its disaster recovery ministries to support communities affected by the blasts. Working with local churches, our trusted partners on the ground are caring for children and families directly affected by the attacks. Teams of volunteers have been trained to help children in hospitals, through play and art therapy, to begin to cope with the awful things theyve seen. Theyll be cared for when they return home too, by teams of people we call Befrienders. Befrienders are specially trained to work in schools and communities and provide psychological care and emotional support. 'By making these teams possible, youve helped vulnerable children feel safe again,' BMS said. 'Together, were bringing hope to survivors who felt theyd lost everything.' Baptist Times, 14/05/2019 Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people each year in the United States, even though most dog bites are preventable. Children are the most common victims and are more likely to be severely injured. Each year, health insurance companies pay more than $600 million in medical claims related to dog bites. City administrator Chris Kukulski is still the darling of the city council; he received his initial six-month review from the governing body Monday night, which openly praised his leadership. The review itself was handled in closed session before the council's regular 5:30 meeting. At the end of the night, the council reported on the review in open session and voted 9-2 to give Kukulski a 5% raise. Kukulski's contract included a provision that allowed for the possibility of an increase following his first review at the six-month mark. Kukulski was hired in October on a $179,000 contract; he started with the city on Nov. 19. The 5 percent raise would increase his pay by roughly $8,900. Roy Neese and Frank Ewalt both voted against the raise, stating that it was not a reflection on Kukulski's job performance but rather a statement on the city's dwindling finances. Council members described Kukulski as responsive, dedicated and committed. They praised his ability to challenge himself and city staff, and talked about his open and welcoming nature. "I hope to see you for many more years," said council member Shaun Brown. The 15-year-old girl killed Saturday night by a single gunshot wound was identified Tuesday morning by the Yellowstone County Coroner's Office as Tionna Rowland of Billings. The Billings Police Department has continued investigating Rowland's death after she was fatally shot at around 7:30 p.m. at an address on Stella Street, a part of the Cherry Creek Estates mobile home park in the Heights. "The investigation is ongoing, and there have been no charges or arrests made," BPD Lt. Brandon Wooley said in an email to The Gazette early Monday evening, in which he referred to Rowland's death as a tragedy. "There is still more to be done before we can come to conclusions regarding the nature of death." In a press release sent out on Tuesday afternoon Wooley said no further details could be released due to "the on-going nature of the investigation and the involvement of juveniles." Saturday night, BPD Sgt. Nate West had said there was no current threat to public safety and that detectives were on scene. No other injuries were reported, he said. A house fire, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle and car wrecks kept fire crews and police busy Monday afternoon. An elderly woman who uses a wheelchair was able to escape a house fire that damaged the back porch of a home on the 3500 block of Miles Avenue, according to Billings Fire Department battalion chief Kevin Johnson. Firefighters responding at about 4:30 p.m. quickly put out the blaze on the exterior of the home, but the building suffered smoke damage. Another occupant of the home also was able to get out safely. The fire was caused by a cigarette that wasn't put out correctly, according to a release from deputy fire marshal Andrew McLain. The fire caused about $3,000 in damage. The property was uninsured. Only minutes later a pedestrian was struck on Central Avenue near Stewart Park on the West End. Johnson said the pedestrian was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He said that the incident occurred near where a bike path crosses the road, but it's unclear if the pedestrian was using the path. Police were still working at the scene, and it's unclear whether the driver or pedestrian would be cited. Denham said statistics show there are only complications in four out of every 100,000 treatments. "That's an extremely low number and with young athletes, it's even lower," she said. As for doctors being more accepting of the oxygen therapy, she said they are kind of a "right away group" when looking for outcomes and so the treatment has several times over the years got "kicked to the curb." She also said the community support that Fargo has been showing is a big boost. Denham said the clinic can show it's not all about money, "but this is about what's in the best interest of the patient and what it can do overall to improve the quality of health care in a cost effective way." North Dakota will also gain another advancement in brain injury treatment with the opening of the Cobalt Rehabilitation Hospital that will have 12 of its 42 beds dedicated to physical, occupational and speech therapy for brain injury patients. CEO Karissa Olson said there have been delays in the opening but that the facility is "fully prepared to open as soon as possible." It will be the first free-standing rehab facility for traumatic brain injury patients in the state. A multi-media talk titled Chief Plenty Coups: A Visionary Leader of the Crow People will be presented on May 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fagerberg Building, Room 70, at Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyoming. The program by Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area ranger Todd Johnson will provide an in-depth examination of the life of Plenty Coups, with a special focus on his leadership of the Crow Tribe. Plenty Coups, a tireless advocate and diplomat for his people, is best known for his roles in protecting Crow lands from homesteaders, as well as mentoring a new generation of leaders like Robert Yellowtail. His ability as a leader to adapt to the radically changing social dynamics in the late 1800s enabled the Crow Tribe to make the transition from the 'buffalo days' to settlement on the reservation, Johnson said in a press release. It is a perfect example of servant leadership and how one persons actions can make significant differences in the lives of many. For additional information about this program go to the Powell Valley Community Education website at https://nwc.edu/pvce/ or contact Christy Fleming, chief of interpretation at Bighorn Canyon, at 307-548-5402. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Billings nurse has been indicted on federal charges accusing her of replacing hydrocodone with a common pain reliever and giving the less potent drug to a patient. Sheila Marie White removed an unstated number of hydrocodone pills from their packaging and replaced them with generic acetaminophen, which was given to a patient, according to the indictment. Whites registered nurse license with the state of Montana is active through the end of 2020. Her place of employment could not immediately be verified. Prosecutors say the thefts took place between Dec. 1 and Dec. 6, 2018. White pleaded not guilty on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Billings. White is charged with tampering with consumer products and acquiring hydrocodone by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery and deception. The two counts carry a combined maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Whites charges put her among other local nurses who have faced similar accusations. There are bigger worries about losing market share in Japan because of faltering trade conditions there, but China not being a top-5 buyer of Montana wheat doesnt mean a loss wont be felt. China has a quota system that limits how much wheat its companies can purchase, but when they buy, they like hard red U.S. spring wheat, said Lola Raska of Montana Grain Growers Association. Its clear their millers and bakers prefer hard red spring wheat from the United States because of the quality. Thats what they have filled their quota with, Raska. The trade war with China will be felt in other ways the prices for everything from heavy machinery to fertilizer increase because of tariffs, Raska said. Farmers are hurting right now. The price of wheat has fallen into the $3 a bushel range for ordinary hard red winter wheat. Some of the alternative crops that farmers turned to when wheat prices started to slide a couple years ago are now facing trade battles of their own. Peas and lentils, which looked like good-paying alternatives for wheat farmers two years ago, now face tough market conditions in India, where conditions have always been swung according to the local production but now face a trade dispute over non-U.S. agricultural products like motorcycles. If passed into law, the proposed legislation would be considered a state-level response to the United States Supreme Courts ruling in the landmark Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, which deemed that corporations political contributions were treated similarly to a citizens right to free speech under federal campaign finance law. This is the one piece we wanted to make clear, because we had that one opinion that [corporations] could participate in the process through these entities, who could then give to candidates, Kai Schon, director of the states Elections Division, said. We wanted to raise that, because thats the new understanding weve been working under. We dont think that was the intent to have happen. Schon could name no specific instances of corporations engaging in the states elections in recent years, calling Mondays proposal more of a preemptive measure to close a loophole in the states sometimes porous campaign finance laws. People sometimes ask me if I have ever written a book. Ive always said no. But then, as my mother reminds me, Ive actually written hundreds. They are unpublished (until now), amateurish and hastily illustrated. The handwriting is messy, the spelling careless and the pictures occasionally muddled by a splotch of chocolate milk. The plots make a Keystone Kops short look like 2001: A Space Odyssey, the situations are ludicrous and the characters are, literally and figuratively, stick-thin. Then again, these homemade books were written when I was 9 or 10. The intended audience consisted of my immediate family, so they usually centered around a Swift-ular adventure, which ranged from building a treehouse together to flying to the moon. I was sometimes joined by my sister, Bertha, in writing and illustrating them, which is evident in the editions with significantly tidier penmanship and more restrained illustrations. Move over, Bronte sisters! Although I was a decent artist at this age, I used stick figures because they were the quickest way to grind out the stories for my always-appreciative family, who typically rolled with laughter at our inside jokes and glorious dysfunction. Now, on Mothers Day, it seems like the ideal time to share them. Although there isnt room to replicate the entire books here (thank goodness), I am happy to offer a glance at a few editions here, just so you can be prepared when they are made into major Hollywood movies. We showed a pretty broad approach to character development: My oldest sister was the responsible one who talked to us like children. My second-oldest sister was a femme fatale who at least according to the seminal classic, The Swifts Go Mountain-Climbing was so appearance-conscious that she carried a vanity table in her backpack. Bertha was depicted constantly yelling at everyone. I was the ditzy one, forever wandering off cliffs and mistaking skunks for kittens. Dad, who wore a farmers hat at all times (even when swimming and skydiving), was shown as a handyman superhero who could fix, weld and renovate anything. My little brother was depicted as a miniature Dad, down to a child-sized farmers hat. Their fix-it skills would become especially useful in our Swifts Travel the World series, in which I somehow single-handedly cause the Eiffel Tower to collapse. (It should be noted the Eiffel Tower looks more like an oil rig than one of the worlds best-known examples of architecture, but this is the kind of stuff that happened before Google.) Fortunately, Dad and Gary are on hand to quickly rebuild the structure, while Mom duly vacuums and dusts the construction site. Mom was probably the most multifaceted character in the series. She is shown with a towering hairdo, predating Marge Simpsons trademark beehive by at least a decade. She appears to be the COO of Swift Corp., barking orders, urging her daughters to eat Weight Watchers and organizing us all with a military precision. Although I dont remember my mother as being fanatical about cleanliness, she is depicted as a sort of Leona Helmsley of housekeeping. When we embark on space travel, she busily dusts the dark side of the moon. When our whole family inexplicably joins the Air Force, Mom becomes a drill seargent who could spot a speck of bacteria from across the room and dresses down soldiers for lackluster potato-peeling skills. Most books also include a reference to Moms interest in art. Mom always told us we would be prettier if we smiled. Likewise, during our world travels, she decides the Mona Lisa needs to smile more, so she repaints it (thankfully, there arent pesky details like museum security or felony convictions for defacing priceless artwork in our little stories.) Looking back, I am baffled as to why we picked on Mom so much. The only explanation is that she was the most influential person in our lives at that time, so we noticed everything she said or did. She also is a do-er who delved into interesting pursuits like art, so that gave us plenty of material. And then theres the simple fact that moms tend to get blamed for everything. It didnt seem to matter to Mom though. She thought the books were hilarious and would even dig them out to show to company when they visited (much to our embarrassment). I will note that we also showed her loving and encouraging side, especially in our special Mothers Day editions. We show her comforting broken hearts, marveling over our accomplishments and soothing our disappointments. So Happy Mothers Day, Mom. I hope you still find these funny. And even if our depiction of you was sometimes sketchy, your parenting never was. Readers can reach columnist Tammy Swift at tswiftsletten@gmail.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 North Dakota fell from a high perch in the U.S. News and World Report comprehensive rankings of states, an annual list that was previously trumpeted by Gov. Doug Burgum. The rankings, which were released Tuesday and used "thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens," put North Dakota at 15th overall. In each of the first two years of the list, the state ranked fourth. A senior data editor at U.S. News and World Report said in a statement that the rankings "provide a snapshot in time and should be used to analyze long-term trends, rather than direct year-over-year comparisons." Minnesota came in third this year, trailing only Washington and New Hampshire as the top states in the nation. South Dakota came in 20th and Montana landed at 29th. North Dakota was in the bottom third of the list for health care and the economy. But it ranked fifth for infrastructure and fourth in "opportunity," which measures poverty, housing affordability and equality for women, minorities and people with disabilities. The state also had the highest labor force participation rate, the fourth-lowest unemployment rate, the shortest average commutes at about 17 minutes and was second in health care affordability. Last year, North Dakota ranked first in quality of life, which is no longer a separate category. Burgum's office previously issued news releases praising the past two years' rankings. In a statement requested by Forum News Service Tuesday afternoon, his spokesman Mike Nowatzki said the rankings "reinforce our message that North Dakota is one of the best states in the nation to live, work and raise a family." Were pleased that this years U.S. News & World Report rankings once again recognize North Dakota as a land of opportunity," he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A lawsuit filed on behalf of North Dakota that aimed to hold big pharma accountable for the impact of the opioid epidemic has been dismissed by a Burleigh County District Court Judge. The lawsuit, filed a year ago by North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, claimed Purdue Pharma L.P. spurred the opioid epidemic through an aggressive and successful marketing campaign designed to persuade prescribers and patients that opioids can and should be used for chronic pain. The company exclusively produces opioids and created OxyContin. The state sought to recover fees associated with opioid abuse, which has skyrocketed in the last few decades. The opioid crisis will have lasting effects on medical services, law enforcement, corrections, workers compensation, diversion programs, prosecution, probation, treatment and child welfare, the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, doctors began more frequently prescribing opioids during the '90s after pharmaceutical companies falsely claimed the pain relievers were not addictive. The Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in 2017 to address widespread misuse and overdose deaths associated with the drugs. About 130 people die daily across the nation from opioid-related drug overdoses, DHHS reports. In North Dakota, opioid overdose deaths increased from 11 in 2013 to 54 in 2016, the lawsuit said. Burleigh County District Judge James Hill explained the reasons for dismissing the case in a 27-page order that said Purdue has no control over its product after it is sold to distributors, then to pharmacies, and then prescribed to customers. The states effort to hold one company to account for this entire, complex public health issue oversimplifies the problem, Hill wrote. The lawsuit alleged Purdue violated the state's consumer fraud law through deceptive practices and unconscionable practices. In his decision, Hill said Purdues marketing and promotion were allowed because the drugs were FDA approved and followed marketing procedures. The courts ruling in the area of consumer protection law has much broader implications than just this one significant case, potentially negatively affecting long-standing consumer protection law in North Dakota, Stenehjem said. I am confident that the State has strong claims against these defendants, whose unconscionable actions demand they be held accountable, and there are well-reasoned arguments that support our position. Stenehjem said in a statement he plans to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court because the ruling differs from decisions made about similar allegations across the country. We disagree with the Courts interpretation of the states claims and applicable law in numerous key areas, he said. Numerous states, cities, counties and Native American tribes also sued Purdue Pharma and other companies. Purdue reached a $270 million settlement in March with the state of Oklahoma and avoided a televised trial. Lawsuits brought by the city of Grand Forks, Cass County and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe were transferred last month to a district court in northern Ohio, which is handling more 1,400 civil cases against pharmaceutical companies that produce and sell opioids. Those lawsuits appear to still be active. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SISSETON, S.D. The vice president of a South Dakota livestock auction says allegations that his company violated federal law by falsifying information had nothing to do with the livestock auction itself. Tyler Hellwig, vice president of Sisseton Livestock Auction, would not answer questions about the complaint filed last month by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Agricultural Marketing Service against his company and on May 8 referred a reporter to the people involved before hanging up. It really had nothing to do with us, Hellwig said. It had to do with the buyers. The Agricultural Marketing Service on April 16 filed a complaint against Sisseton Livestock Auction for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act. Complaints also were filed the same day against Larson Livestock of Columbia, S.D., and Carson Larson. Larson could not be reached for comment on the cases. According to news releases from the USDA, the allegations include the following: Both Sisseton Livestock Auction and Larson Livestock are accused of falsifying purchase prices and weights in 21 transactions involving 41 head from November 2015 and March 2016. Both Sisseton Livestock Auction and Larson Livestock are accused of falsifying invoices to show the consignment and sale of 19 head of cattle that did not exist from September 2015 to March 2016. Sisseton Livestock Auction and Larson Livestock are accused of coordinating with each other to alter invoices in 22 transactions from December 2015 to March 2016. Larson is accused of buying back 788 head of his own livestock that had been purchased at a lower price to fill orders for a customer from July 2017 to December 2017. The Packers and Stockyards Act is designed to ensure effective competition and integrity in livestock, meat, and poultry markets. Falsifying prices, weights, invoices, and the consignment and sale of livestock, or buying back livestock that was originally purchased at a lower price to fill orders are violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act. The USDA news releases in the cases say Sisseton Livestock Auction, Larson Livestock and Larson had 20 days to respond to the complaints against them. According to the USDA releases, civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation may be assessed for proven or admitted violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act. I.J. Perez of the Agricultural Marketing Service says suspension of registration for a set time is a possible sanction for the involved businesses. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Recent murders should trigger repentance for greed and hate that dispossessed Native Dakotans. Three accessible massacre sites that all should visit are: Killdeer The Killdeer Battlefield was an attack on families of Native hunters camped on southeast side of the mountains just 11 miles from the modern oil industry town of the same name. The attack was lead by Gen. Alfred Sully. He and Minnesota Gov. Henry Sibley were the designated agents of revenge upon starving eastern Dakotans who had participated in the War of the Broken Eggs during Abraham Lincolns presidency. Ethnic cleansing opened Minnesota for my Irish ancestors. Kulm The White Stone Battle was another act of revenge upon natives that ultimately assured lands east of the Missouri were opened for North Dakota homesteaders like my grandparents. Wounded Knee, S.D. Once again the starving had fled, this time from Sitting Bulls camp on the Grand River after Indian Agent James McLaughlin ordered Indian police to Bring Sitting Bull in whether Dead or Alive. We must reluctantly admit that the Natives praying for the return of a just and vengeful Jesus were asserting a First Amendment right to assemble and petition our Lord. Those mass murders and other similar aggressions opened Dakota land for my Irish ancestors. White settlement was possible because of ethnic cleansing. Jesus Christ tells us to forgive. Johnny Cash tells us to deal with it. Its time to be honest. Fintan Dooley, Bismarck Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 APPSEC STATS FLASH As a means of providing frequent analysis into the application security threat landscape, WhiteHat experts Setu Kulkarni and Zach Jones, and other industry guests, produce monthly podcasts. Continue to this landing page to access a wide variety of podcasts catered to specific application security topics and. Crash Course Series Webinar - XSS Part1 Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is one of the most prevalent vulnerabilities on the web today and can also be one of the most dangerous and damaging attacks as well. Watch the webinar to explore XSS in all its glory. Follow Up: National Cybersecurity Executive Order With the recent Executive Order (EO), the promise for remediating cybersecurity vulnerabilities have posed more serious and lasting threats has surfaced. Access this blog to look at the timeline between the signed EO and initiatives for improving the infrastructure of national cybersecurity to date. SECURITY IN THE FAST LANE The rush to remote workforce put security under the microscope, forcing organization to reevaluate and refocus their security stack. Here, access 5 unique discussions about security in the fast laneand what your next security step should be. Tune in here. Dont Let These Five Myths Hinder Your DevSecOps Adoption Everyone is talking about DevSecOps, but very few organizations have mastered it. Explore the 5 myths that can hinder your DevSecOps adoptionand how to debunk themright here. Making It All Work: A Practical Guide to Operationalizing the Modern AppSec Framework The Modern AppSec Framework delivers a functional plan with which organizations can use to develop and deliver secure applications, regardless of where they are in their security or application development journey. Download the practical guide to operationalizing the modern AppSec framework here. Top 5 Ways to Be Cyber Smart October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and to help kick it off in style, NTT Application Security is here with a rundown of 5 of the top AppSec actions you and your organization can take right now to get cyber smart and strengthen your security posture as we finish 2021 strong and dive boldly into 2022. A Modern Approach to Application Security With this white paper, learn about a new approach that delivers a functional plan that organizations can use to develop and provide secure applications, regardless of where they are in their security or application development journey. DAST TO THE FUTURE: Shifting the Modern Application Security Paradigm If the goal of application security testing is a digital future that is free from breaches, a DAST-forward approach is a must. Read on to learn how a modern paradigm can take your application security DAST to the future. AppSec Stats Flash Podcast: Applying the 80/20 Rule for Web, API and mobile AppSec The application threat landscape is rapidly evolving this means a more frequent analysis of application security policies. What steps can be taken to make apps more secure? Watch this webcast featuring a panel of industry experts as they provide key data points and trends and discuss what can be done to improve application security. Get the Most Mileage Out of Your AppSec Program While formulating your race strategy to stay secure in 2021 and beyond, your security and development teams must be running at optimal performance to ensure vulnerabilities are identified and remediated. Join this webinar to learn how you can take your application risk management to the next level. AppSec Stats Flash: Applying the 80/20 Rule for Web, API and Mobile AppSec In this months issue of the AppSec Stats Flash report, take a closer look at the threat landscape surrounding web, mobile and API-based application security to uncover key metrics related to top vulnerabilities and best practices for addressing them such as leveraging the OWASP Top-10. Read on to unlock the full report. AppSec Performance Package Whether your team is creating its first AppSec program or searching for expert program management to move security left, WhiteHat Securitys AppSec Performance Package might be able to help. Save this data sheet to see how WhiteHat can help your team identify program risks and secure more applications in less time, with less in-house resources. AppSec Stats Flash Podcast EP.1 - AppSec Insights + Shared Responsibility = Secure Applications In this episode of the AppSec Stats Flash podcast, join Setu Kulkarni, VP of Corporate Strategy and Business Development and Zach Jones, Sr. Director Security Research, as they dive into the first 3 key metrics of application security and explore the topic of shared responsibility for security. Listen here. Application Security Stats Flash API-based applications are more at risk than ever before. As such, there is a critical need for a frequent and periodic analysis of the state of application security. Use this report, AppSec Stats Flash by WhiteHat security, to explore biggest windows of exposure by industry, the most prominent security vulnerabilities and average time-to-fix. Enable And Educate Your Team The reality for many companies is that theyre only at risk for breaches from common, easily-preventable attacks because their teams didnt get the right security training. Check out the WhiteHat Security eLearning Platform program here to see if its the right fit for your teams. One Of The WorldS Largest Fast-Food Chains Secures Business-Critical Applications With Whitehat Security In this case study, learn how one of the worlds largest fast-food chains succeeded in implemented ongoing testing and monitoring of their business-critical applications to proactively defend themselves from application-specific attacks. Get the details here. WhiteHat Security Video When and where do you think about security? In this exclusive webinar series, join WhiteHat Security and TIBCO experts as they discuss what it means to be in the fast lane of developing and delivering modernand secureSaaS products. Tune in to the conversation here. Bridge your Executive Team Application security is becoming increasingly important as applications play a more prominent role in driving todays economy. Watch this webinar to learn more about the current state of AppSec, the challenges security teams are facing and how to get executive buy-in for AppSec initiatives. Women Building Careers in Cybersecurity According to a recent study, women make up nearly half of the adult workforce in the US yet hold only a quarter of technology positions a number that dwindles as you move up the leadership ladder. Watch this webinar and join a panel of women leaders in the tech industry as they discuss their experiences, challenges and accomplishments. Application Evolution In this video, learn how the nature of IT security is changing and what that means for the roles and expertise required inside your organization, so you can successfully secure your applications and your future. Are Your Apps in the Race to Win? For modern organizations, applications play a prominent role in both internal operations and interacting with end-users. As a result, application security has become critical. Watch this webinar to learn more about AppSec and why its critical for digital transformation initiatives. Whitehat Security Webinar Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) enables AppSec teams with the ability to assess and address the actual risk of their applications providing critical security capabilities to support DevSecOps initiatives. Watch this webinar to learn more about DAST and how it can support your AppSec goals. The State of Application Security Attackers continue to take advantage of application flaws to compromise organizations and put their customers at risk. This means that as much as Dev teams prioritize faster release cycles, its important that they dont overlook security. In this WhiteHat webinar, examine the state of application security and what you can do to stay protected. Christians know firsthand that churches and places of worship promote personal, economic, and civic flourishing. Congress recently heard expert testimony describing the full extent of how religion promotes happiness, helps the poor find work, and creates healthy communities every day of the week. These facts came to light during testimony before the Congressional Joint Economic Committee on expanding opportunity by strengthening families, communities, and civil society on April 30. People who are highly social and civically engaged are the most likely to say government should increase the equality of opportunity for people to get ahead if they want to, according to Ryan Streeter, the director of domestic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). They are also twice as likely to say they live in excellent communities. However, they do not wait to receive a government directive before pitching in to improve their hometown, in micro- or macrocosm. Streeter told Congress that membership in civic groups, like churches, helps the poorest people to find work and improve their economic prospects: [I]f we fail to recognize the important role that networks play at the local and regional levels in peoples upward mobility prospects, our national debates about these former types of policy will achieve limited impact. Our workforce development systems at the state and local levels, for starters, could benefit greatly from a renewed focus on how networks and relationships at the community level could help low-income aspiring workers fare far better in the labor market than they currently are. He added that religion correlates with civic engagement: We cannot close out a discussion about civic and social groups without looking at the important role of religion. On average, 29 percent of highly civic people say religion is central to their lives, compared with 15 percent of civically unengaged people. In every civic group (i.e., those with low, moderate, and high social scores) a greater share of people say religion is central to their lives than say not important. Exactly the opposite is the case for people who are not civically engaged, in which case about twice the share of respondents say religion is unimportant than rather than central to their lives. Americas tradition of civic engagement continues to have strong religious underpinnings. Having more people engaged in solving national problems in their own backyard is good for a number of reasons beyond the immediate problem being solved. Civic-minded Americans have more of almost everything we need more of in our country, so producing more of them and basing our policy decisions on this goal is critical. AEI visiting fellow Tim Carney, the author of Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse, made similar observations in his book as well as in a recent podcast interview with Acton Institute Communications Director John Couretas. The Acton Institute exists to promote a free and virtuous society characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles. Increasingly, Congressional and national leaders are understanding how vital our mission is. You can watch the full hearing below. Streeters testimony begins at approximately 16:39: You can also read a transcript of Streeters testimony here (Photo credit: Olin Gilbert. This photo has been cropped. CC BY 2.0.) Hester Burkhalter (69) of North Carolina was arrested at Disney World in Orlando for having a small bottle of CBD oil in her purse. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabis extract and Burkhalter said her doctor told her to use it for her chronic arthritis pain. Now she is suing the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Disney World. From Wesh 2: The lawsuit will allege Burkhalter endured "illegal detention, false arrest and a violation of her civil rights when she tried to enter Disney World with her family carrying a small bottle of CBD oil in her purse recommended by her doctor for chronic arthritis pain." "I have really bad arthritis in my legs, in my arms and in my shoulder," Hester Jordan Burkhalter said to one local news outlet. "I use (CBD oil) for the pain because it helps." https://t.co/jQNDy20aSY USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 9, 2019 Image: Wesh 2 Senator and 2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said no to the offer from Fox News to hold a presidential campaign town hall meeting on the explicitly pro-Trump television network. In explaining her nope, Warren said Fox News is a "hate-for-profit racket" that provides "cover" for what she's campaigning against: "corruption that's rotting our government and hollowing out our middle class." I love town halls. I've done more than 70 since January, and I'm glad to have a television audience be a part of them. Fox News has invited me to do a town hall, but I'm turning them downhere's why Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 Fox News is a hate-for-profit racket that gives a megaphone to racists and conspiracistsit's designed to turn us against each other, risking life and death consequences, to provide cover for the corruption that's rotting our government and hollowing out our middle class. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 Hate-for-profit works only if there's profit, so Fox News balances a mix of bigotry, racism, and outright lies with enough legit journalism to make the claim to advertisers that it's a reputable news outlet. It's all about dragging in ad moneybig ad money. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 But Fox News is struggling as more and more advertisers pull out of their hate-filled space. A Democratic town hall gives the Fox News sales team a way to tell potential sponsors it's safe to buy ads on Foxno harm to their brand or reputation (spoiler: It's not). Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 Here's one place we can fight back: I won't ask millions of Democratic primary voters to tune into an outlet that profits from racism and hate in order to see our candidatesespecially when Fox will make even more money adding our valuable audience to their ratings numbers. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 I'm running a campaign to reach all Americans. I take questions from the press and voters everywhere I go. I've already held town halls in 17 states and Puerto Ricoincluding WV, OH, GA, UT, TN, TX, CO, MS & AL. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 I've done 57 media avails and 131 interviews, taking over 1,100 questions from press just since January. Fox News is welcome to come to my events just like any other outlet. But a Fox News town hall adds money to the hate-for-profit machine. To which I say: hard pass. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 [via Ruby Cramer at Buzzfeed News] The DOJ has indicted three former Verizon and AT&T employees for alleged membership in a crime-ring known as the "The Community"; the indictment says the telco employees helped their confederates undertake "port-out" scams (AKA "SIM-swapping" AKA "SIM hijacking"), which allowed criminals to gain control over targets' phone numbers, thereby receiving SMS-based two-factor authentication codes. Once in possession of these codes, attackers could take control of targets online accounts, including their banking and cryptocurrency exchange accounts (and also web-based email accounts that could serve as a gateway to many other systems). The returns could be massive, and several cryptocurrency users suffered losses in the millions. SIM-swapping benefits from the overall lax security at phone companies, but the DOJ says that the insiders made it much easier to undertake these attacks against high-value targets. According to the DOJ, sometimes the insiders simply reached into the system and changed ownership of phone numbers; other times, they provided confederates with the information needed to trick customer service reps at the telcos into making the switch. Insiders have been implicated in SIM-swapping since the beginning, and criminals cultivated "plugs" (insiders) who would augment their low wages with bribes to help with SIM-swaps. The indictment paints a picture of plugs who made a few hundred dollars for helping with frauds that netted millions. The security economics are pretty straightforward here: phone numbers used to be low value, then they were repurposed to protect high-value assets, and the assumptions about how far attackers would go to steal phone numbers remained the same, while the actual lengths increased considerably. The two former AT&T contractors in Tucson, Arizona were Robert Jack and Jarratt White. White allegedly received bribes from one of the criminals who was part of "The Community," according to a criminal complaint. White, according to the feds, helped the criminals steal more than $2 million from several victims by performing 29 fraudulent SIM swaps. White communicated with the criminals via Telegram, according to the document. Jack, who was an associate of White, allegedly performed twelve fraudulent SIM swaps in May of 2018. White allegedly paid Jack $585.25 for his help in the SIM swapping conspiracy, according to the complaint. AT&T Contractors and a Verizon Employee Charged With Helping SIM Swapping Criminal Ring [Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai/Motherboard] (via Techdirt) NSO Group is a notorious Israeli cyber-arms dealer whose long trail of sleaze has been thoroughly documented by the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab (which may or may not be related to an attempt to infiltrate Citizen Lab undertaken by a retired Israeli spy); NSO has been implicated in the murder and dismemberment of the dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (just one of the brutal dictatorships who've availed themselves of NSO tools), and there seems to be no cause too petty for their clients, which is why their malware has been used to target anti-soda activists in Mexico. Now, NSO has been caught deploying its "Pegasus" malware via a new and frightening defect in Facebook's Whatsapp messenger. Facebook's description of the bug is that it is "A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of SRTCP packets sent to a target phone number." Practically speaking, that means that someone who initiates a Whatsapp call to your Iphone or Android device can seize control of the device, even if you don't answer the call. If you use Whatsapp, you should update it now. This vulnerability was used to target a lawyer in London involved in lawsuits against NSO Group over its role in attacks against "the phones of Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident in Canada; a Qatari citizen; and a group of Mexican journalists and activists." Citizen Lab suspects that other targets were attacked with Pegasus over Whatsapp. Amnesty International has called on the government of Israel to rescind NSO's export license, based on its long track record of abetting human rights abuses. NSO is part-owned by the UK private equity firm Novalpina, which valued NSO at $1b. The firm has been on a public-relations campaign in recent months to show its value to law enforcement, and has cited several examples of its spyware's being used, it says, to capture drug kingpins and to stop terrorist attacks. "NSO and Novalpina have spent several months telling the world that there are adults in the room and telegraphing that they have made a commitment to close oversight," said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab. "Yet even 24 hours ago, we observed what some believe to be an NSO infection attempt against a human-rights lawyer. "As this case makes it very clear if indeed this was NSO there is still a very serious abuse problem," Mr. Scott-Railton added. Israeli Firm Tied to Tool That Uses WhatsApp Flaw to Spy on Activists [Nicole Perlroth and Ronen Bergman/The New York Times] (via /.) Guy who won the election says nothing wrong with it. Florida's Republican governor says Russian hackers accessed voter databases in two Florida counties before the 2016 election, but don't worry, says the guy who won the election, the voting results definitely were not compromised and no votes were changed. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday the Russian hackers did not manipulate any data, so election results were legitimate. DeSantis and officials from Florida's Department of Law Enforcement were briefed last Friday by FBI and DHS. DeSantis today told reporters that he signed an agreement with the FBI not to disclose the names of the counties, but elections officials there are aware. Excerpt from the Associated Press: News / National by Methusi Ncube The car Vimbayi Tsvangirai was travelling in Former Prime Minister and late MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai's daughter Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java was last night involved in a head-on accident in kwekwe.A family member yesterday told Bulawayo24.com that her campaign manager Paul Rukanda and security aide Tafadzwa Munzwa died on the spot while Java is in a stable condition at an unnamed hospital in Harare. Sources said the three were trapped in the wreck for about three hours.MDC spokesman Jacob Mafume has confirmed the accident. He said the car collided head on with another vehicle just before Kadoma.Vimbayi and three others were driving to Harare after an MDC Alliance debate in Bulawayo between candidates vying for posts at the party's congress later this month.Information about the other vehicle and its occupants is still sketchy and police are yet to release details about circumstances sorrounding the tragedy. News / National by Staff reporter PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has expressed disquiet over the slow movement in the battle against corruption following the arrest of several high-profile figures in the sprawling graft probe in the country.Several former Government ministers were arrested for corruption in cases that cast light on graft in the highest echelons of former President Mr Robert Mugabe's administration.Business people and executives were also snared in the graft probe resulting in them being brought to court for trial, but some of their cases died at the High Court for various reasons.Yesterday President Mnangagwa applauded the establishment of specialised anti-corruption courts but expressed displeasure in the way corruption cases were going."I am disappointed that corruption cases are not moving. While we may be experiencing teething challenges, I implore all those who play a role in this mammoth task to remain steadfast, honest and upright in the execution of their duties," he said."The success in this regard is imperative as it impacts on our quest to establish a corrupt free society, accelerate development and speedily improve the quality of life of our people."He made the remarks while addressing judges, lawyers, magistrates, ministers among guests at the commissioning of the new Labour Court in Harare, next to Rotten Row Courts.Eradicating corruption is part of the transitional stabilisation programme, which has put in place a cocktail of measures to nip the scourge in the bud.President Mnangagwa's remarks on the progress to deal with corruption come a time when at least 14 high-profile corruption trials have been stalled for various reasons by the High Court since last year.This has ignited public debate on the seriousness by some stakeholders in the criminal justice system in confronting the evil that has reached epidemic proportions in all the sectors of the economy.Proceedings in most of the cases of graft have been stayed pending review applications filed by defence lawyers while in some cases the accused persons were discharged by the High Court. The 14 cases at the centre of the debate were presided over by eight different judges of the High Court.The cases include cases in which former Cabinet minister; Ignatius Chombo, former Makoni legislator Kudzanayi Chipanga, and two others are being accused of criminal abuse of office dragged for over a year. Their trials were supposed to begin in February 2018 but dragged after the High Court stayed proceedings on July 19 the same year.The court then dismissed the review applications in February this year, almost a year later. Former Chitungwiza chamber secretary, Priscillar Vengesai, who is facing bribery charges had a trial date set for July 25 last year but a High Court judge granted temporary stay of proceedings on November 31. It is understood that heads of argument in the review proceedings are yet to be filed, six months after the granting of the High Court order.Also a judge of the High Court granted an order for temporary stay of the corruption trial of former Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa and permanent secretary Francis Gudyanga on July 24 last year, but the review application was only filed in January this year.The record is not yet ready for allocation with some papers still to be filed. Proceedings in a case in which former minister Saviour Kasukuwere is being charged with criminal abuse of office were stayed last year but it is yet to be allocated to a judge for review.In another case, former University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura, charged with criminal abuse of office, unsuccessfully excepted to the charge but filed a review application on April 30 this year, which is yet to be determined.Former minister, Supa Mandiwanzira, who was arrested last year for criminal abuse of office under case number R990/18, was acquitted by the High Court on one count and had proceedings related to the second count stayed.The case of Chief Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe was stayed on April 30 this year pending review of the decision to have him tried by his junior. He will now appear at the High Court for trial.Another case in which former Midlands Governor Jason Machaya is being charged with criminal abuse of office was also stopped on April 2 pending review of the magistrate's decision.Businessman, Genius Kadungure, who stands accused of fraud lost his bail application at the magistrates' court but was freed by the High Court on appeal. Wicknell Chivayo, a director of Intratrek Zimbabwe, was acquitted by the High Court after a successful exception application. News / National by Staff reporter JOURNALISTS in Bulawayo on Sunday recalled the events of January 14 to 16 in which the government disconnected the internet, crippling their operations during nationwide shutdown protests over fuel hikes.The scribes made the remarks as they belatedly celebrated the World Press Freedom Day.This year's celebrations ran under the theme Access to information and communication fostering freedom of expression, safety of journalists, press freedom on all platforms.The celebrations in Bulawayo saw journalists from different media houses come together at a private venue to share their experiences.The event was graced by outspoken Ntabazinduna chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni, who was the guest of honour.Topping the discussions were the events of January 14 to 16 protests in which the government shutdown the internet as a measure to put down the protests by irked Zimbabweans.A senior journalist and veteran broadcaster based in Bulawayo, Tapfuma Machakaire, condemned the jamming of internet during the protests."The State will justify interfering with internet in the name of protecting the public, protecting lives and property, but to what extent is that justified legally in terms of your rights?" Machakaire asked."I saw the banner stating section 61 and 62 of the Constitution, which captures 'press freedom and access to information', whereas in the same vein, the same State is arguing that it is protecting you from yourselves, or against yourselves because of abuse of social media." Machakaire also he said: "Social media has become a threat to authorities to the extent that they shut the internet. By shutting the internet, they shut formal media; not only the media, they also close business."During the shutdown, journalists resorted to international applications such as VPN and Telegram to access the internet.Addressing the journalists, Chief Ndiweni said the scribes, in the instance of such State interference, must engage the international community to expose the violations of their professional rights. News / National by Staff reporter A BULAWAYO police officer and a city council security officer are accused of abducting and brutally assaulting a schoolboy (16), leaving him for dead after pulling his private parts.The two accused the boy of stealing a cell phone at a carwash last month.The boy has since filed a police report at the West Commonage Police Station, which enabled him to be attended to at the United Bulawayo Hospital.Acting Bulawayo Police spokesperson Inspector Abedinico Ncube on Friday confirmed having received such a report."Yes, the report was received and is under investigation,'' Ncube said.The boy was in great pain when Southern Eye visited him at his Mpopoma home.The boy, a Form Four pupil at Msitheli Secondary School and stays with his brothers, said he now stayed indoors due to the trauma, adding he was having challenges in passing urine and walking.He said his ordeal started on April 4, when he went to download his school material using Wi-Fi at a carwash owned by his neighbour, Thulani Tshuma in the suburb of Mpopoma."A Bulawayo council security officer identified as Milister Shumba told me and my colleague to wash a car. Shumba said the car belonged to his relative, only identified as Malfred.Shumba said Tshuma had told him to instruct me to wash the car," he said."After a week, the owner of the car accused us of having stolen his cell phone, power bank, bank cards and a flash card from his car. He reported the matter to West Commonage Police Station."The boy said they were taken to the police station where they met Constable Shumba, who interviewed them and only freed them after they had spend a night at the police station."After nine days, the policeman, the BCC security officer and Malfred came home around 11pm and took me to a dark place near Gampu Primary School, having deceived my neighbours that they were taking me to the police station," the boy narrated."They told me to remove my clothes and stepped on my feet before kicking me and pulling my private parts for almost two hours. They took me back home and while on the way, the policeman hit me on the neck with fists, telling me not to tell anyone."Southern Eye saw the boy's medical report, compiled by a doctor at the United Bulawayo Hospital, dated April 24.The doctor, in his report, said when he examined the boy on April 24, he observed "soft tissue injuries, bilateral lower ribs, testicular swelling and soft tissue swelling on the left leg".The boy is still on treatment at the hospital though he has since started attending school. News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) chief executive Morris Bekezela Mpofu was yesterday picked up for questioning by the police, while finance director Charles Gambe was arrested for criminal abuse of office after he allegedly bought 1 200 bags of cement at Lafarge Cement for personal use using employer's account.Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests, saying Mpofu was picked up for questioning without giving further details, but said Gambe is likely to appear in court today."Yes, we have picked ZCDC finance director Charles Gambe and charged him with criminal abuse of office allegations," Nyathi said."Gambe's allegations are that he bought 1 200 bags of cement for personal use at Lafarge Cement Company using the ZCDC account and is likely to appear in court tomorrow (today)."He said the police had also picked Mpofu for interviews, but could not divulge the nature of the interview. News / National by Staff reporter A CHIPINGE man has been fined $100 or 10 days in prison after he brutally attacked his former workmate for asking him to hand back tools he had borrowed.Victor Derera (33), of Gaza E in Chipinge, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to assault when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate Joshua Nembaware.In addition to the fine, three months in prison were wholly suspended for five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence within that period.In mitigation, Derera said it was wrong for him to assault the complainant, John Muzulu."It wasn't my intention to assault him. I apologise for the mistake and may the court exercise leniency on me when handing down my sentence," he said.Prosecutor Sesekedzai Mayera told the court that when Muzulu met Derera at Gaza E Business Centre on Independence Day, he asked him to hand over the spanners, which he borrowed during the time they were still working together.A misunderstanding arose between the two. Derera then started assaulting Muzulu, who sustained face injuries.Muzulu later made a police report, leading to Derera's arrest. News / National by Methusi Ncube President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sent a condolence message to the MDC Alliance following a horrific crash in which late former MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai's daughter, Vimbayi was injured and two party members died.Details about the head on collision that occurred on Monday night just after kwekwe before Kadoma are still sketchy.A family member yesterday told Bulawayo24.com that Vimbayi Tsvangirai-Java the Glenview South MP's campaign manager Paul Rukanda and security aide Tafadzwa Munzwa died on the spot while Java is in a stable condition at an unnamed hospital in Harare."Very sorry to hear of the tragic car crash that claimed the lives of two committed MDC activists and injured Vimbai Tsvangirai. My thoughts are with the loved ones of the deceased, and I join the Tsvangirai family and the nation as a whole in praying for Vimbai's speedy recovery," tweeted Mnangagwa on his official @edmnangagwa account. News / National by Staff reporter DISGRUNTLED MDC Alliance officials in Bulawayo yesterday gave their leader Mr Nelson Chamisa a hostile reception to the city by painting graffiti at the party's provincial offices denigrating him for alleged dictatorship and tribalism as infighting in the troubled party escalates.Mr Chamisa was in the city for the party's provincial caucus where contestants vying for posts at the party's scheduled congress were presenting their manifestos.Before Bulawayo, he presided over similar meetings in Matabeleland North, South and the Midlands provinces.It is suspected the graffiti attacking Mr Chamisa was written between midnight and early morning and party members who arrived at the offices earlier quickly notified their leadership.Some of the messages written on the walls and gate to the party provincial office include, "Chamisa ule nketha betshabi (Chamisa you are tribalistic), "Chamisa usubulele i MDC" (Chamisa you have destroyed MDC), "Chamisa a worse dictator", "Chamisa uyadelela" (Chamisa you are disrespectful) among other derogatory and inflammatory messages.To avoid embarrassment, the party moved quickly to erase the graffiti by painting over the insults and erasing the messages off the wall by 10AM. The Chronicle is in possession of pictures of the graffiti on the wall and after the party members erased it.The graffiti was washed off the wall with a substance suspected to be thinners while paint was applied on the gate to cover the insulting messages.Both national spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume and Bulawayo provincial chairperson Mr Switcher Chirowodza feigned ignorance over the graffiti."We didn't see any graffiti at our offices," Mr Mafume said.When pressed that this publication had pictures of the graffiti, he demanded to see the pictures before he could comment. "I think it's unfair to expect me to comment on things I did not see," Mr Mafume said.Mr Chirowodza on the other hand said: "I have heard about photo shop pictures on the walls of Getrude Mthombeni House (The party's provincial offices). Your source should desist from disseminating fiction."The High Court last week ruled that the decision by the late MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai to hand pick Mr Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri as his deputies was illegal and that the party should hold an extraordinary congress within a month using 2014 structures. However, in defiance of the court order, Mr Chamisa and his party have declared that their congress will go ahead this month as planned.Mr Chamisa was dragged into a tribal storm when the party held a provincial congress in Bulawayo last month where he was accused of manipulating processes so that his desired candidates chosen on the basis of ethnicity win the positions they were contesting.In the "chaotic" Bulawayo congress, party vice president Professor Welshman Ncube was snubbed by the province which did not nominate him to retain the post at the national congress slated for later this month.Instead, the structures nominated Mr Tendai Biti, Mr Morgen Komichi and Ms Lillian Timveous for the vice presidency and nominated Prof Ncube for the secretary general's position. After the chaotic congress, losing Bulawayo provincial executive aspirants took on Mr Chamisa head-on accusing him of manipulating processes to achieve his desired outcome.In a letter to the party's national executive, 12 losing candidates blamed Mr Chamisa and organising secretary Mr Amos Chibaya for the chaotic congress.The losing candidates alleged that the interference by Mr Chamisa and Mr Chibaya benefitted Mr James Sithole's camp. Mr Sithole was elected as provincial chairperson.They further argued that the provincial congress was illegal as it did not adhere to the party processes, conduct and procedures.After the letter, Mr Chamisa set up a committee to review grievances from the provincial congresses but party members said yesterday's caucus was testimony that the MDC Alliance leader had in actual fact ignored grievances raised by the 12 losing candidates.Meanwhile, some Bulawayo councillors and senior members from Harare reportedly held a meeting in Luveve suburb on Sunday night to influence a group of members to heckle Prof Ncube as he presented his manifesto. However, they did not get the chance as he arrived late towards the end of proceedings from Harare and did not get to present. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu The government of South Sudan has come under fire over its controversial policy to ban night clubs claiming that they are causing immoral behaviour.The government also wants married couples to provide their landlords with proof of marriage to avoid live in couples.The governor of Juba the capital city, Augustino Jadalla Wani, said in a video posted on Facebook that while nightclubs would be shut, bars would have their hours limited to early evening, and would be forbidden from operating during the day."Discos we ban it totally because what is happening there is really very dangerous for the future of this country," he said, adding that girls as young as 13 frequented the clubs."We are serious and we are going to make sure discos are not working in this country," he said.In addition, he said the capital would make it obligatory for couples checking into hotels to produce a marriage certificate.South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in Africa. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana has dismissed MDC leader Nelson Chamisa's calls for an early election.Mangwana said, "Zimbabwe will hold elections in 2023 and not earlier. The sooner everyone gets out of the election mode and come together for the betterment of lives, the better. Constitution says, early elections can only happen if parliament is dissolved early and that's not happening.Chamisa had told his supporters in Bulawayo that after the MDC Congress they will force elections to be held earlier than 2023."Wait for our congress. After the 26th, you'll see what's going to happen. We can't be having problems in the country when we have such competent people in leadership. Listen to the quality of debate, the MDC is rich. We want 2023 right now. We're not going to shirk," Chamisa said.In the same meeting MDC Deputy Chairperson said the party will utilise section 59 of the Constitution to unleash a fresh wave of demonstration against the Mnangagwa administration.ZANU PF activist Charity Maodza said those who want early power must prepare for 20233."Only madira jecha people will ever dream of an early election. Zimbabwe is bound by its constitution. ED will finish his term in 2023. Those who want to get into power should start preparing for the 2023 plebiscite. Those dreaming of an early election ngavamuke vamuke doro," She said. In our weekly digest, find all of the stories you might have missed. Read on for the announcements crossing the BOH news desk this week. Wood-Mode closes, leaving some in shock Yesterday, Wood-Mode employees in Kreamer, Pennsylvania, walked out of their office after they found out that the business was shuttering that day, likely within a few moments of their departure, reported The Daily Item. Im not surprised, because we've known for months that something was happening, but Im shocked that it happened this fast and we didnt at least get a 60-day notice, Tim Benner, a 61-year-old final inspector who has worked at the plant for over 41 years, told reporter Marcia Moore. In one instant, Benner and his wife, a 10-year employee, lost both incomes, wrote Moore. Over the past few months, the 77-year-0ld custom cabinetry company has looked toward financing, new capital, and a potential sale so it could continue operating. But last week, the company had no other option but to discontinue operations. It says that employees will still be paid. TARIFF TROUBLE China has retaliated against the U.S. with higher tariffs, stating that on June 1 it would raise the price on $60 billion worth of beer, wine, swimsuits, shirts, liquefied natural gas and other goods, reported The New York Times. The decision follows President Trumps 15 percent increase in tariffs on Chinese goods last Friday. My, what a time to be in business. Trade talks between the two sides broke down last week without a deal, causing tensions that have rippled through financial markets and the global economy, wrote Keith Bradsher. What should be concerning to markets is how close both sides have gotten to a deal before one side backs off, Hannah Anderson, a global markets strategist in the Hong Kong office of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, told The Times. Last weeks talks were the 11th time Chinese and American officials met to talk trade since Trump took office. Major U.S. stock indexes decreased by more than 2 percent yesterday during the escalation, reported CNBC. The duties in large part target U.S. farmers, who largely supported Trump in 2016 but suffered from previous shots in the Trump administrations trade war with China, wrote Jacob Pramuk. The president has repeatedly claimed China bears the brunt of the costs from the tariffs. But the burden falls largely on U.S. businesses and consumers. OPENINGS, AUCTIONS AND EVENTS This is the last week to check out Graces House, a designer showhouse in Plainfield, New Jersey, that benefits the Valerie Fund, a nonprofit that helps children with cancer and blood disorders. Designer Tina Ramchandani created the Parlor, which she describes as a lounge space for entertaining. Other participating designers include Swati Goorha, Gail Davis and Samuel Robert. The house will be open through Sunday. Tickets can be purchased here. Tina Ramchandanis room in Graces House Ellen McDermott Photography Its also your last chance to go see the 2019 Pasadena Showcase House of Design, held at the 12,000-square-foot Boddy House in La Canada Flintridge. Participating local designers include Tracy Murdock, Kenneth Boyer and Samantha Williams. Purchase tickets here. On May 21, Design Within Reachs SoHo studio will host its first design discussion, Dome Life, with Los Angeles fashion brand Entireworld. Entireworld founder Scott Sternberg and T: The New York Times Style Magazine contributing editor Deborah Needleman will discuss the intersection of myth and design. The SoHo studio will also feature the fashion brands first pop-up. NY NOW announced that it will host its first fashion show, Fashion Runway, at the summer 2019 Market. Designer Farai Simoyi will curate and present the show, to be held on August 10the opening day for the shows Handmade Collection. LAUNCHES, COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS Modsy launched renderings of grown-up rooms inspired by Game of Thronesspecifically, four major houses of the Seven Kingdoms, plus a bonus White Walkers room, reported Refinery29. Fun details include a fuzzy-wuzzy, direwolf-esque bean bag chair, eclectic and boho elements for the Mad Queen herself, and a room meant for some Cersei-level entertaining, scheming and wine drinking. Just as long as no ones suggesting we make elaborate mosaics out of our enemies body parts, wrote Sabrina Rojas Weiss, this is valid inspiration. House Stark Courtesy of Modsy Google announced it would discontinue its Works With Nest program, replacing it with a stricter Works With Google Assistant program, and introducing a new Nest Hub Max, a 10-inch smart display and camera, reported Variety. Google acquired Nest in 2014. Vipp's chair Courtesy of Vipp After 80 years of pedal bins (which are part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection, a huge feat), soap dispensers, tables and lamps, Danish design brand Vipp has debuted its first chair. It costs $595, has a slender frame and three different upholstery options, and comes in two sizes. Fabricut announced that it is now the exclusive U.S. distributor of Byron & Byron hardware. The line, which produces high-end curtain poles and accessories, was formerly in Robert Allen Duralee Group showrooms. Nicole Hollis released her first products with San Francisco lighting shop Phoenix Day, a collection inspired by gothic design in Sylvia Plaths novel The Bell Jar. Clare Paint has announced its first new paint color, Frozen, which was named by customers through a crowdsource campaign that garnered over 2,000 votes. Frozen, in case you hadnt guessed, is described by the brand as a light, airy blue. RECOMMENDED READING The New York Times profiled eight first-time artists participating in the Whitney Biennial, a prestigious opportunity. Meriem Bennani, Tiona Nekkia McClodden, Calvin Marcus, Maia Ruth Lee, Todd Gray, Sofia Gallisa Muriente, Nicholas Galanin and Tomashi Jackson will make their debut; while they all felt satisfaction at the news, many also felt crippling panic. Selection in the Whitney Biennial instantly marks an artist as a figure at the forefront of American contemporary art, wrote Siddhartha Mitter. For young selectees like Ms. McCloddenthree quarters of this years roster of 75 artists are under 40it is a surefire resume and market builder. By the same token, it exposes them to inevitable political stakes and heightened scrutiny. Dennis Rodman was accused of stealing a 400-pound crystal from a yoga studio, reported The Cut. This was the biggest scandal of the Los Angeles crystal community since Amanda Chantal Bacon's rose quartz was taken from her Moon Juice shop in 2016. CUE THE APPLAUSE Sheree Vincent of Fusion Designed has received the #GetYourGreenOn sustainable design award by Interior Design Society and the Sustainable Furnishings Council. The winning design, an interior, featured a closed-loop geothermal system, ethically sourced timber, and zero-VOC paint throughout. The Harvard Graduate School of Design named the recipient of its seventh-annual Wheelwright Prize, architect Aleksandra Jaeschke, who was recognized for his research proposal Under Wraps: Architecture and Culture of Greenhouses, which was about her long-term interest in horticulture and the relationships between plants and humans. University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles Extension student Rich Yeung was recognized at the Setting a Legendary Table competition hosted by La Cienega Design Quarter, UCLA Extension School of Architecture + Interior Design, and Mehraban Rugs. Yeungs table was dedicated to William Haines and Kelly Wearstler. The Boston Design Centers Innovation and Design Building turns 100 this month, and its occupants are celebrating tomorrow at an exclusive, tenants-only event that includes, among other things, a ginormous birthday cake that will be sliced by a robot. This week, UrbanGlass will host its 2019 gala and auction, paying homage to gallerists Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman of R & Company, as well as artists Tauba Auerbach and Keith Sonnier. Purchase tickets here. The New Jersey chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers will host its annual Design Excellence Awards on June 19. Early-bird pricing, $105 to $125, is available until June 3. Purchase tickets here. Fantini will host the third-annual Fantini Design Awards, which honor kitchen and bath design in North America. Interior designers, architects and building developers are welcome to enter projects beginning May 19. This years grand prize is a free trip to Italy in the fall. Applications for the International Furnishings and Design Association Educational Foundations professional grants for 2019 will be accepted in the month of June. Professionals in interior design and furnishings are welcome to apply. Homepage photo: House Tyrell; courtesy of Modsy - 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." There's no question Salina Yu and her family spent a week in Cuba in March 2018 they have the bug bites to prove it. But not long after they returned, Yu received a full refund on her credit card for the $3,447 she'd spent on the all-inclusive vacation, according to a recent decision from the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT). She argued that was only fair, since the vacation was pretty disappointing. She was unhappy with the family's hotel room, her son had been bitten by insects and she had to be treated in hospital for a flare-up of her asthma. Those claims didn't fly with the tribunal's vice chair, Andrea Ritchie, who ordered Yu to repay the cost of the vacation plus about $230 in fees and interest to her booking company, TripLink.ca. "TripLink made no promise about the health and welfare of Ms. Yu or her son during the holiday. I make no findings on how or whether Ms. Yu or her son became sick on holidays. Whether it was due to the condition of the room or some other cause, I find TripLink is not responsible for it," Ritchie wrote in Friday's decision. Mistake blamed on computer virus Yu first booked the trip for her family of three using TripLink's website on Feb. 22, 2018. The trip itself was provided by Air Canada Vacations. She claimed the booking was a mistake and that she meant to book through another agency she told the tribunal that a computer virus had caused the error, but the CRT said that wasn't a credible explanation. Whatever the reason for the mistake, Yu requested a refund from TripLink. When the agency told her the booking was non-refundable, she filed a complaint with her credit card company. And then she and her family went on the trip anyway. The credit card company refunded the full cost of the vacation on May 7, 2018 but "the details of how that outcome was achieved are not before me," Ritchie wrote. When TripLink filed a small claims dispute against her, Yu shot back with a counterclaim accusing the agency of negligent misrepresentation. That was dismissed by the CRT. The CRT is an online tribunal that hears small claims disputes for $5,000 and under, strata property disputes and vehicle injury disputes up to $50,000. Firefighters in Atlanta, Georgia, rescued four dogs from a burning home on Monday, May 13. Footage from Atlanta Fire Rescue shows firefighters carrying the four dogs in cages out the front porch of the house, on Katherwood Drive in southwest Atlanta. No injuries to any civilians or animals. Dogs were much happier after they were given water and moved to the shade, Atlanta Fire Rescue said. Credit: Atlanta Fire Rescue via Storyful By Carolina Mandl SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's largest private-sector lender, Itau Unibanco Holding SA, will launch an instant payments platform by the third quarter that uses QR codes, adding fuel to the fierce competition among card processors. Itau's new platform, called Iti, will work through an app connecting individuals and merchants and will be available to both clients and nonclients of the bank, it said on Monday. Merchants using Iti will pay a fee of 1% per transaction and will receive payments instantly - cheaper than fees currently charged by many card processors. The app also does not require merchants to buy or rent card reader machines. Shares of Brazilian card processors, such as PagSeguro Digital Ltd, StoneCo Ltd and Cielo SA, fell sharply after Itau's announcement. A QR or quick response code is a bar code that contains a matrix of dots, which can be scanned with a QR scanner or smartphone with built-in camera. Marcos Magalhaes, CEO of Itau's card processor Rede, said Iti is more likely to attract small merchants, which do not seek customized services. He did not provide estimates for the number of clients it targets. In terms of individuals, the bank is targeting all income brackets, including consumers with no bank accounts, as Iti will work as a digital wallet with no fee, said Itau's general director, Marcio Schettini. Roughly one-third of Brazil's adult population does not have a checking account, according to the World Bank, a higher ratio than China or India. Besides using QR codes to pay for products and services, clients will be allowed to transfer money using a kind of in-house messaging service. Itau is also considering offering investments, loans and insurance products through the new app, although it did not elaborate. (Reporting by Carolina Mandl in Sao Paulo; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Matthew Lewis) Starting in August, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians who use Hog's Back Road near Mooney's Bay will find themselves taking detours for at least 16 months while two federally owned bridges over the Rideau Canal and Hog's Back Falls undergo repairs. The National Capital Commission's swing bridge over the Rideau Canal will be the first to close, from August 2019 to May 2020, while the steel grating is replaced with a closed road surface, the structural steel is recoated and the bridge's electrical systems are replaced. The NCC received $55 million in the 2018 federal budget for infrastructure projects including the swing bridge after the federal auditor general found 27 per cent of its assets to be in fair, poor or critical condition. The Rideau Canal will remain open to boats and Colonel By Drive will stay open to vehicles, according to the NCC. One of the locks over the canal will be modified to give cyclists and pedestrians a better way to cross the canal many Carleton University students live in apartment towers at Meadowlands and Prince of Wales drives. Toni Choueiri/CBC Once the swing bridge completed, Hog's Back Road will close slightly further east so Parks Canada can tackle its bridge and dam over the Rideau River. That section of road is anticipated to be closed from spring 2020 until December 2020. "They can't be left much longer. They do need to be repaired, and I'm glad the necessary funds are going into it," said Coun. Riley Brockington, who held a public information session for his River ward residents on Monday night. "The stationary bridge that spans the waterfall, you can see the deterioration the concrete that's come off, rusted rods that are exposed, the railings are all corroded." The first dam at the site was built in the late 1820s, but the current version dates back to 1977. The swing bridge was built in 1976. NCC Sixteen or more months of closures in the area will have a major impact on traffic of all kinds, and could make busy Riverside Drive even more congested, Brockington said. Any time the swing bridge is closed it also affects local businesses, he said. He visited them personally in recent weeks and found many were surprised to learn they face lengthy construction and detours. "I don't think the timelines have sunk in yet," Brockington said. Calgarian Leya Russell is recovering in a Bangkok hospital after suffering broken vertebrae when her plane crashed during a rough landing in Myanmar last week. She said her passport was taken from her following the crash, and it was hours before she received proper medical treatment. She's since been able to walk again and is looking forward to returning home. Russell was on Biman Air Flight 060, a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400, from Dhaka, Bangladesh, to Yangon, Myanmar on May 8. She had just finished a three-week assignment with Photographers Without Borders, photographing therapists working with people with disabilities through a non-profit in rural Bangladesh. As soon as the wheels hit the ground the plane shoots straight up and then slams straight down. - Leya Russell, passenger on Biman Air Flight 060 She had planned to vacation for three days in Myanmar before returning home to Calgary. The photographer said her first indications that something might be wrong were that the plane was delayed for hours, with no reason given, and that when it finally took off, the wheels made an odd sound. She slept through the flight, but woke up in time to film the landing from her seat near the wing. "They come over the intercom and say, 'Oh, we're going to have some turbulence,'" she said. Russell said the plane began to land, but then shot straight back up in the air. The pilot attempted to land four times, she said, but eventually told passengers over the intercom weather kept preventing the plane from touching down. She said there was no turbulence and no visible sign of severe weather. Finally, the plane touched down and she immediately started applauding, thinking the journey was over. 'Crushed' between luggage and seat "As soon as the wheels hit the ground the plane shoots straight up and then slams straight down, and the wing comes off and the wheel comes off. I got crushed between the luggage compartment and the seat," she said. Story continues Russell said other passengers were bleeding. She looked around for help and spotted the stewardess, immobilized, sitting a few seats behind her and screaming "fire" over and over. She said she later learned the woman had a serious spinal injury. Passengers worked together to get the doors open, and those who were able to walk, including Russell, made their way along a field before they were taken by bus to arrivals and left for about 40 minutes with no communication. Submitted by Leya Russell The fuselage of the Bombardier plane was broken in at least two spots, and its wings were broken off. At this point, Russell knew she was hurt. But it wasn't until much later she'd learn she'd broken two vertebrae and compressed her spine, and had a serious concussion. "It's so scary to be so hurt and not know anybody," she said. 'I can't move' Eventually, she was taken by ambulance to one hospital, then another. "It is terrifying to be treated so roughly like they put me in the ambulances. They didn't strap me down. I'm just sliding around. I'm in extreme pain. I grabbed the woman and I'm like, 'Hold me, hold me.' Nobody can understand," she said. "I've broken my back. I can't move." Russell said staff from the Canadian Embassy arrived and got her a translator and a CT scan, at which point they realized the extent of her injuries. The Canadian Embassy retrieved her passport and arranged for her to be moved to Bangkok 12 hours later, but she said another passenger with an injured spine wasn't so lucky missing the medical evacuation because he wasn't able to get his Australian passport back in time. Global Affairs Canada confirmed to CBC News the department is aware of the incident and that a Canadian citizen is getting consular services, but said that because of the Privacy Act no further details can be disclosed. No firm numbers on injuries The Myanmar Times reported that 30 passengers and six crew were on the plane. Russell said she was told by the airport authority that the crash was caused by the pilot landing at a high speed. Other reports suggests weather may have played a role. There were mixed reports as to how many passengers were injured, but Russell said to her knowledge many people were seriously hurt. CBC News has asked the Yangon airport authority and the airline for comment. On Sunday, Russell was finally able to walk again for the first time since she walked away from the rough landing, and her sister arrived to accompany her for her journey back home. She hopes to be back in Calgary by this weekend. "I want to say I've already beat my fear of flying again. I flew in a tiny Cessna [medevac] in a storm like 12 hours later," she said. "I love my job so much and I won't let this stop me from doing that." By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) - Foxconn is poised to nominate chip unit boss Liu Young to succeed Terry Gou as chairman in a surprise choice by the iPhone assembler, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The nomination of Liu, 63, who is also a board member of Foxconn's Japanese electronics unit Sharp Corp, would come after Gou, 68, said last week he would resign to demonstrate his determination to run in Taiwan's presidential election. Foxconn-founder Gou told Reuters in April that he planned to step down as chairman of the world's largest contract manufacturer, so that younger talent could move up the ranks. Liu's possible appointment came as a surprise for many at Foxconn due to his relatively junior rank among the Taiwanese firm's top executives, the people said on Monday. The firm Gou founded, whose full name is Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, is trying to cut its dependence on Apple Inc and smartphone assembly by expanding into areas such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things. Gou has repeatedly said that he wants someone "younger" to run Foxconn, one of the people said, adding that Liu has gained great trust since joining as a special assistant to Gou in 2007. Liu has led Foxconn's nascent semiconductor business, dubbed the S sub-group, since 2017, the person added. Through Liu, Gou would likely retain behind-the-scenes influence in strategic decisions, the person said. Such an appointment, however, is likely to have limited impact on day-to-day business because Foxconn's group companies have been operating independently for years, the person added. Foxconn said in an emailed reply to Reuters that announcements of senior management appointments would be made according to the regulations of the Taiwan Stock Exchange. "The operations of individual business groups remain unchanged and they will continue to operate under the leadership of their respective management teams," it said. A stock exchange filing last week showed proposed candidates for a new board included Gou and Liu, as well as other executives widely linked to the group chairmanship such as Tai Jeng-wu, chairman at Sharp, and Lu Sung-Ching, chairman at Foxconn Interconnect Technology Ltd. The board proposal is subject to approval at an annual shareholder meeting in June before a chairman can be elected. Foxconn's share price fell 3% on Monday, while the benchmark share price index dropped by 1.4%. The stock is up about 17% this year, after falling 30% in 2018. (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Taipei newsroom; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Alexander Smith) The number of temporary workers in Canada increased by 50 per cent in the last 20 years rising faster than the number of permanent jobs according to the latest data from Statistics Canada. There were 2.1 million people working temporary jobs across the country in 2018, up from 1.4 million in 1998, according to the agency's Labour Force Survey. In that same period, the number of permanent employees increased by 33 per cent. Temporary jobs include contract positions which end at a predetermined date or when a project is completed casual and seasonal jobs, according to the data agency. Shutterstock More people took on contract jobs during those 20 years, according to the report, when "the proportion of term or contract employees increased from 46 per cent to 53 per cent of all temporary employees." The sectors with the most temporary jobs were education, health care and social assistance. More than a quarter of the jobs in education were temporary (at 26 per cent in 2018) followed by health care and social assistance (at 13 per cent, combined). Krishen Rangasamy, senior economist at National Bank, said temporary jobs in those last two sectors are rising faster than total employment in Canada. "Excluding those two industries, the temp share of employment has been steady in recent years," he said. In terms who's filling these positions, women accounted for more than eight in 10 temp jobs in health care and social assistance, while they held nearly seven in 10 of the education jobs. Overall, women were more likely than men to have a casual, term or contract job in Canada at 85 per cent, compared to 73 per cent for men. However, men were more likely to have seasonal jobs. Less pay, fewer benefits Temporary workers have typically made less than their permanent counterparts a point supported by StatCan's data, which say temporary workers earned an average of $21.80 an hour in 2018, compared with $27.71 for permanent employees. Story continues But Josh Nye, senior economist at RBC Economics Research, says the wage gap between the two groups has been shrinking over the last two decades. "Hourly wages of temporary employees have actually been growing faster than for permanent employees," Nye wrote in an email to CBC News. "Temporary employees made 75 cents for every dollar permanent employees made per hour in 1998, but that rose to 79 cents in 2018." However, Nye points out that because temp workers are still paid less on average and are a rising share of total employment in Canada, it means average hourly wages in the country are growing at a slower pace. "For prime-age workers, a rising share of temporary employment (thus slightly slower wage growth on average) might mean slower consumer spending than we'd otherwise see," Nye said. "And, to the extent that temporary employees do not receive the same benefits as permanent employees, they might also have to dedicate more of their incomes to things like extra medical coverage and retirement savings." Rangasamy added it would be ideal if the temporary job share of the overall market declined, because those jobs tend to be paid less generously than permanent employees. However, Nye said there are some positive factors from the rising number of temporary workers in Canada, depending on the age of the demographic. "If younger people are working temporary jobs that allow them to pursue further education, their lifetime incomes might be higher," Nye said. "And, if older people are choosing to stay in the labour force for longer by working a temporary job rather than retiring, that would be positive for their incomes." Canadian officials decided on short notice to deny accreditation to all Russian and Venezuelan state media outlets planning to attend an international conference in Ottawa this winter even though they knew the action likely would provoke retaliation against Canadian media. "We can expect reciprocal action against Canadian media in Russia," Alison Grant, Global Affairs Canada's director for Eastern Europe and Eurasia, told her colleagues after the federal government received official protests from the Russian Embassy over a decision by GAC officials to block Russian and Venezuelan state media from the meeting of the Lima Group in February. The back-and-forth over media accreditation for the meeting is captured in a series of emails obtained by CBC News under Access to Information law. The Lima Group conference was called on short notice when political tensions in Venezuela suddenly escalated following the decision by National Assembly president Juan Guaido to assume the title of acting president of Venezuela. Guaido cited three articles of the Venezuelan constitution that he said provided a mechanism to replace a government that had lost its democratic mandate but refused to surrender power. Canada, along with the U.S., European Union and most of Latin America, recognized Guaido and called on President Nicolas Maduro to step down. Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press Canada is a founding member of the Lima Group, a gathering of about a dozen like-minded American nations that consider the Maduro government an illegitimate dictatorship (the United States is not a member). In early February, Lima Group foreign ministers headed to Ottawa for a meeting that would, for the first time, include a representative of the Guaido "government," ambassador Julio Borges. As the conference came together, Venezuelan events were dominating news worldwide and foreign media began to request accreditation to cover the Ottawa conference. Canada granted accreditation to U.S. networks like CNN, Univision and Voice of America, European outlets like France 24 and EFE (Spain), Asahi Shimbun and NHK of Japan, Al Jazeera, Latin American outlets such as NTN24 and O Globo of Brazil, and major Canadian news organizations such as CBC, CTV, Global, La Presse and Canadian Press. Story continues But the Venezuelan state television network TeleSUR, and Russian news organizations ITAR-TASS, Sputnik, Ruptly TV and RIA Novosti, were all denied accreditation. The reasons don't seem to have been explained to them. 'Not comfortable' The decision was taken by officials at Global Affairs Canada after the self-governing Parliamentary Press Gallery, which usually is in charge of arranging accreditation, told the government it was "not comfortable with approving foreign media." The topic of the conference was extremely sensitive and protests were anticipated. "We will only ask some media for letters by way of email, essentially to confirm that any questionable registrants are actually media, not a blogger, stakeholder, or protester in disguise," wrote Global Affairs' John Babcock. "We don't need to ask the PPG (Parliamentary Press Gallery)." On February 1, Global Affairs produced a list of media that would receive accreditation. At the foot of the list, under the heading 'Do Not Send', were the names of six reporters and one camera operator being denied accreditation all representatives of one of four Russian outlets: Sputnik, TASS news agency, Ruptly TV and RIA Novosti. You can't deny a journalist the right to do his job just because two governments have a problem - Rafael Rey of Sputnik The following day, Global Affairs received a request from TeleSUR's U.S. bureau to accredit three reporters, which it also denied. TeleSUR is an international news channel created by former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and financed by the government of Venezuela. Always on the left, it has taken a harder turn towards pro-Maduro propaganda since the Venezuelan government has come under pressure at home. On February 3, TeleSUR wrote back to the GAC media relations team to ask "if there was a mistake in the information we provided or why we weren't credited as media? What can we do to get accreditation? Our correspondents are already on the way." Sputnik stuck in orbit "On another note," GAC's Richard Walker wrote to his colleagues the morning of February 4, "Sputnik reporter from Uruguay is here and is very upset. He flew in Saturday night and wants an official reason why he can't attend. The guy seems honest." Sputnik's reporter Rafael Rey had travelled from his network's South American bureau in Montevideo, Uruguay only to learn that his trip was in vain. He wrote Walker later that morning to ask for the reason for his rejection. "They asking me for that in Moscow. Can you send me what you tell me about Freeland and Sputnik?" Rey wrote, referring to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. Sputnik would later publish a story claiming that a Canadian official, asked to explain the refusal, said that "in the past, Sputnik hasn't been cordial with minister Freeland." Rafael Briceno/Getty Images Canadian officials denied that quote was accurate. U.S. and Canadian government officials have described Russian government-funded news organizations such as Russia Today and Sputnik as part of a Kremlin disinformation effort aimed at sowing doubts and weakening alliances in the West. From Montevideo, Rey told CBC News that he was annoyed with Canadian officials for waiting until he was in Canada to tell him he wouldn't be allowed to cover the event. A wasted journey Rey said he flew from Montevideo to Miami, then to Philadelphia, then Ottawa. "I got to my hotel in Ottawa, checked the email and found out they didn't give me the accreditation," he said. "They say it was because there were some troubles, some differences in the past between Sputnik and Canada, Chrystia Freeland, about Ukraine, and that was the reason they didn't want Sputnik in the meeting." Rey said his bureau is focused on the Americas and doesn't cover Ukraine. "I understood the situation. There's a conflict between Russia and Canada, and Sputnik is state-funded media. So we can say Sputnik is Russia in some way." But Rey said it's still a mistake for Canada to behave the way it did in this instance. "They were meeting on Venezuela. One of the main issues in Venezuela is freedom of speech," he said. "You can't deny a journalist the right to do his job just because two governments have a problem, even if you're working for a government outlet. "When you have a government that is always talking about free speech in other countries, or asking for freedom of speech in other countries, it's kind of a contradiction. Not a very good one." 'Propaganda and misinformation' A spokesman for Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke to CBC News about the decision. "Canada is a strong voice for freedom of expression and freedom of the press at home and abroad," said Adam Austen. "Global Affairs Canada has a broad accreditation policy to ensure that media are able to report on events hosted in Canada. We take this responsibility seriously. Our objective is to provide access to media outlets that do not deliberately distort facts or spread propaganda and misinformation. "The Global Affairs Canada process was followed in the lead up to the Lima Group meetings. We are always evaluating this accreditation process to ensure it meets the needs of Canadian and international media outlets." The Press Gallery said it would have liked to see the government handle matters differently. "Canada should give an example of what free press is, if we want to boast to ourselves about a free press," said Gallery president Pierre-Vincent Foisy. "For us, that one of our members is being denied, and we don't know the basis for that denial, is really, really problematic." TASS has a permanent correspondent in Ottawa who has long been a member of the Press Gallery. Foisy said there have been no complaints about the correspondent and the Gallery is satisfied that TASS meets the criteria for accreditation. Foisy said the government should think about how its actions will be received overseas. "It's something that the government should always think about since we have journalists abroad." By February 5, the Russian Embassy was protesting to the Canadians about Russian media outlets being blocked. Canada also received a request for an explanation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In an email, Grant told her colleagues that the Russians "have said that they view this as 'being outside of the rules and common practice based on freedom of speech' and have asked for an official explanation, 'taking into account the principle of reciprocity.'" The New Brunswick Medical Society is trying to find ways to recruit more doctors after another Fredericton physician announced his departure two weeks ago. In a letter posted at his office, Dr. Dan Queen told patients it was a difficult decision, but he'll be spending most of his time working in both Ontario and New Brunswick starting this fall. He went on to say he'll be "unable to meet the demands of having a family practice only being in Fredericton part time." Queen promised his patients he'd do his best to find a replacement but said, "so far those efforts have been unsuccessful." And he said he'd try to transfer the care of as many patients as possible to other family physicians or nurse practitioners in the community. But again, no guarantees. This means many people will have to join the long list of people on Patient Connect NB waiting to be matched with someone who will be able to look after their medical needs. Shortage isn't unique to province According to the New Brunswick Medical Society website, as of July 2018, more than 44,000 New Brunswickers were without a family doctor. Anthony Knight, CEO of the medical society, said the lack of family doctors isn't unique to New Brunswick. Other provinces face a similar shortage, including Nova Scotia. Taxation is a concern. It certainly doesn't help our case when we're trying to attract physicians to New Brunswick. - Anthony Knight, New Brunswick Medical Society Doctors and nurses are highly mobile in their professions meaning they're in greater demand. "We may lose a physician to England or the U.S.," said Knight. "But we can also attract physicians from other jurisdictions who are interested in coming to Canada and practising in our country." Knight also blames New Brunswick's high tax rates and federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau's private corporations tax reform for the lack of doctors across the province. Story continues "Taxation is a concern," he said. "It certainly doesn't help our case when we're trying to attract physicians to New Brunswick." At the same time, New Brunswickers are aging and living longer with chronic diseases, so more people are trying to see doctors more often. What more can we do? According to the medical society website, there were 39 family physician vacancies across the province in July of 2018. Calling the doctor shortage "a moving target," Knight said it's difficult to say how many physicians will be retiring in the next few years. But he said a plan is needed for recruiting more graduates of the Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick program or the New Brunswick Medical Education Centre, a joint program with the University of Moncton and University of Sherbrooke. "One year you might get 10 or 20 graduates that want to stay and practise family medicine and in another year, you might get much less," he said. "The shortage is difficult to put a precise number on it." He said the medical society is working alongside the Progressive Conservative government to identify different strategies for enticing physicians to work in New Brunswick. But he said more needs to be done in collaboration with government, health authorities and physician leaders to make communities experiencing doctor shortages more attractive. didesign021/Shutterstock Knight is also calling on the province for a rural incentive program for doctors willing to practise in rural areas across the province. "If you're willing to go to Campobello or someplace north in the province that's a less populated area, then there should be some recognition to the fact it's more expensive to travel from there to other parts," he said. "You're more likely to be alone dealing with more complex patients and don't have the services of a major hospital to rely upon." During the throne speech, Premier Blaine Higgs promised to eliminate New Brunswick's billing number system, which controls how many physicians are allowed to practise in the province and where. The medical society is also working on the Family Medicine New Brunswick model, where doctors work in teams. The model gives patients better access to their doctors and also gives doctors a better work-life balance. "That's the way early-career doctors are trained in medical school," he said. CBC News has asked the province what it's doing to retain more doctors in New Brunswick and is waiting for a response. Exactly one week after the first of two fires forced the evacuation of York Memorial Collegiate Institute, students and staff were back in class Monday at a neighbouring school. "You don't know how much you love something until it's completely gone," said Grade 10 student Aryanna Carter. The first fire started last Monday, the same day the historic building celebrated its 90th anniversary. It was quickly put out by crews. But just a few hours later, another, separate fire started and escalated to six alarms by late Tuesday morning. It burned for 24 hours before crews had knocked it down completely. By then, the fire had caused substantial damage. 900 students and staff displaced About 900 students and staff at the school were displaced by the fire. They'll be spending the remainder of the year less than a kilometre away at George Harvey Collegiate Institute. "I've never been to this school in my life," Carter said, as she stood by the front doors before a school-wide assembly to introduce the York Memorial students and hand out timetables. "At least we're getting to continue what we started," she said. York Memorial student Manuella Rodrigues Gasbar walked by her old school that morning. Sections of the building were torn down last week, and the property is still in the hands of Toronto Fire as investigators sift through the debris in search of the cause of the blaze. Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press "It was really hard to see. We just want our school back," Gasbar said. Art teacher Tobie Loukes said she's "a little bit nervous" about the rest of the school year. She has a classroom back at York Memorial filled with art supplies and personal items, including a portfolio she's been adding to since she was 17. Loukes's classroom wasn't destroyed in the fire, but it's unclear when she'll be allowed back in. "We tried to make it a home. We don't know if we're going to get it back at this point," she said. Story continues Community opens 'its hearts and pocketbooks' The community is rallying around the school in a number of ways. With a capacity of 2,000, George Harvey Collegiate Institute has plenty of space for the displaced students. However, the transition could be jarring, as the York Memorial student body will triple the number of people normally wandering the halls. Students and teachers at Northview Heights Secondary School baked and delivered two large cakes for the affected students. Paul Smith/CBC Canadian Tire, in collaboration with Brands for Canada, a non-profit organization, donated 500 backpacks to replace those destroyed. York Memorial teachers, who themselves have lost things in the fire, have been working to gather supplies and schedule classes to "make things as normal as possible," said Toronto District School Board spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz. "I'm amazed and gratified at how Toronto has opened its hearts and pocketbooks to help with this," she said. Still up in the air, though, are exams. The school board says it's still working out how to facilitate finals. The woman who bludgeoned eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford to death with a hammer has withdrawn an application to have her move from a healing lodge to a federal prison reviewed. Terri-Lynne McClintic, 28, of Woodstock, Ont., submitted a habeas corpus application to an Edmonton court on April 30 claiming the move was "unreasonable" and "unfair." A writ of habeas corpus is a court order that considers the "review of decisions about and conditions of an inmate's detention," McClintic's lawyer, Kelsey Sitar, said in a statement to CBC News Wednesday. Court documents obtained by CBC News reveal Sitar retracted the application on Friday, three days before an Alberta judge went ahead and ruled on it. "I can confirm Ms. McClintic's habeas corpus application in Alberta was discontinued on May 10, 2019," Sitar told CBC. McClintic serving life sentence McClintic is serving a life sentence for her role in the 2009 kidnapping, rape and murder of Tori, from Woodstock, Ont., where McClintic lived with her mother. She is not eligible for parole until 2031. When she testified at the trial of her co-accused, ex-boyfriend Michael Rafferty, McClintic told the court, "I savagely murdered that little girl." She served four years at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont., before being moved in December 2017 to Corrections Canada's Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge near Maple Creek, Sask. That move sparked public outcry and prompted a review of her transfer, as well as the policy that allowed the transfer. As a result, McClintic was removed from the healing lodge, after having spent several months there, and transferred to the Edmonton Institution for Women before eventually returning to the Kitchener prison. She claimed the decision which led to her transfer was "unreasonable and procedurally unfair, and therefore unlawful." Geoff Robins/Canadian Press The application asked the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta to review the transfer decision. Story continues Sitar said the application was not specifically for damages or compensation as some news outlets, including CBC, reported on Tuesday. It remains unclear why the application was retracted 10 days after it was filed, with Sitar saying only that it is no longer active. Decision made after retraction On Monday, Justice John T. Henderson put McClintic's application on hold and sought additional information from her lawyer. Court documents suggest that McClintic's application was not supported by any evidence. The judge also raised issue with the court having the jurisdiction to hear the application, given McClintic is no longer in Alberta. Tori's father, Rodney Stafford, told CBC News he needed time to process news of the application. However, he took to Facebook shortly after news broke on Tuesday and expressed he was feeling "betrayed." None of the allegations contained in McClintic's now-retracted application have been tested in court. Daily (more or less) commentary on news and events in Carbondale and the Southern Illinois region, with occasional excursions to other locales. Human remains discovered south of Barron in December 2017 likely belong to a male, 35-55 years old, with European ancestry or of Asian descent and about five feet, 10 inches tall, give or take four inches, according to new analysis from the University of North Texas. The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification Forensic Anthropology Unit has returned the bones of the unidentified man to the Barron County Sheriffs Department, according to a news release Monday. Analysis showed the man had a gunshot wound to his head area, the department said in a news release in March 2018. In December 2017, a man told law enforcement his dog brought home what appeared to be the partial remains of a human skull. Deputies found human remains in a wooded area near a house south of Barron on 10th Avenue. Barron County did not have any missing persons cases at that time, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said in March 2018. The department has now sent several of the bones and DNA profile to the all-volunteer, nonprofit DNA Doe Project, based in California, in the hope that the remains can be identified, Fitzgerald said. The DNA Doe Project has become a go-to organization for law enforcement agencies and medical examiners across the country, helping them solve their most intractable cases. They have had amazing success even with cases where the DNA was highly degraded or of low quantity, Fitzgerald said Monday. The department has also sent profiles to the DNA Solutions Lab in Oklahoma City for a forensic genealogy build. At this time we are waiting for results in hope to bring this case to a conclusion, Fitzgerald said Monday. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation honored a number of local businesses at its 14th annual business awards Friday, highlighting the areas construction, entrepreneurship, business retention and more. Charlie Walker, president of the CCEDC, said the annual business awards were part of an ongoing effort to acknowledge those existing businesses that are here and have had an amazing impact. Walker noted that the majority of economic development is done through existing businesses. The event included the groups 25th annual meeting, plus a signing event Chippewa Valley Youth Apprenticeship students, and saw over 500 attendees. Winners were nominated and chosen for a number of different reasons. Chippewa County Entrepreneur of the Year was presented to ABEC Global in Stanley for their business growth and in acknowledgement of their boot strap approach, Walker said. Employee-owned Kurth Sheet Metal Inc. in Lake Hallie won Chippewa County Construction Industry Partner of the Year. The Chippewa Valley Youth Apprenticeship won the award for Economic Development Partnership for promoting opportunities in the skilled trades Walker said, and bringing the recognition that theres really great work ethic in the Chippewa Valley. Barron County Cheese received an award for the Chippewa Valley Exporter of the Year for the efforts, in part for bringing attention to the value exporting can play in the local economy. A-1 Excavating in Bloomer, Kurt Manufacturing in Cornell and Mills Fleet Farm in Chippewa Falls all won business of the year for their quadrants. The big award, Chippewa County Business of the Year, went to the Mills Fleet Farm Distribution Center in the Lake Wissota Business Park. Walker said the project, an over 1-million-square-foot building, was chosen for a number of reasons. It was one of the largest projects in the state that year, its time frame for construction was very tight but completed on time, and it has already surpassed their promises for numbers of employees in less time than they had promised. In all, Walker said, the event highlights the appealing business environment in the Chippewa Valley. In addition to the central location relative to a number of metro areas, the area boasts a high quality of life and lots of opportunity for recreation, which helps businesses retain and attract employees. Walker also said that compared to other areas in the state, the Chippewa Valley has many business assistance organizations, banks and other aspects that can lead a businesses to start, stay or grow in the area. We have that infrastructure, Walker said. And thats kind of what youre seeing all come together. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 ATLANTA (AP) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter broke his hip Monday at his Georgia home, underwent successful surgery and was recovering comfortably, a spokeswoman for the Carter Center said. Carter was on his way to go turkey hunting, the spokeswoman, Deanna Congileo, said in a statement. She said that he was treated in Americus, Georgia, near his home in Plains, and that his wife, Rosalynn, was with him. In the statement, Congileo said: "President Carter said his main concern is that turkey season ends this week, and he has not reached his limit. He hopes the State of Georgia will allow him to rollover the unused limit to next year." Carter, 94, disclosed in 2015 that cancer that had been discovered on his liver and had also been found on his brain. He received treatment for seven months until scans showed no sign of the disease. At the time he revealed the cancer, he said he felt "perfectly at ease with whatever comes." "I've had a wonderful life," he said. "I've had thousands of friends, I've had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Madison-based Care Wisconsin, one of six managed care organizations that oversee long-term care for frail elderly people and adults with disabilities in the states Family Care program, lost at least $10.6 million last year and saw the departure of its top two executives last month. The interim CEO said the financial losses stem from the cost of new enrollees in Dane County and northeast Wisconsin, among the last parts of the state to join Family Care as required under a 2015 law. Care Wisconsin issued rate cuts and new requirements this year for some providers, leading about six providers of services for adults with developmental disabilities in Dane County to terminate their contracts with Care Wisconsin, said Melissa Mulliken, advocacy coordinator for the Developmental Disabilities Coalition of Dane County. Before the county switched to Family Care last year, county officials ran the programs. A provider must be able to offer each and every individual they serve support that is community based, that is high quality and that protects that persons health and safety, Mulliken said in a statement. Changes and reductions that cause providers to terminate their contacts with (managed care organizations) have significant impacts on peoples lives and on the sustainability and stability of the managed care system, she said. Dr. Kevin Park, interim CEO at Care Wisconsin, said the rate cuts and other changes were needed to realize cost savings under managed care, as required by the state, and bring Dane County and other areas served by Care Wisconsin into national norms for quality and efficiency. They were needed to basically help Care Wisconsin continue to serve its mission, Park said. Rate cuts ranged from 5% to 60%, Care Wisconsin spokeswoman Karen Hitchcock said. They were starting points for negotiations, and most providers worked together with us to come to mutually agreeable terms, Hitchcock said. Park said some disabled clients need only two aides instead of three. Another new requirement is that local service providers, not Care Wisconsin, cover transportation. There should be some expected cost savings, said Park, previously chief medical officer for Care Wisconsin. We have had difficulty managing our costs ... primarily in our expansion markets, which are here in Dane County and in the northeast. Executives leave Janette Townsend, chief financial officer, resigned from Care Wisconsin last month, Park said. April Golenor, CEO, also left last month under circumstances Park and Hitchcock would not specify. Care Wisconsin lost $9.1 million through Family Care, and $1.5 million through a related program called Partnership, from January to September last year, according to a state financial report. Since September, the financial picture has basically remained the same, Park said last week. In 2017, before Dane County switched to the Family Care programs but after the northeast region did, Care Wisconsin gained $17.8 million. Family Care, which started in 2000, is a Medicaid program designed to allow people who need long-term care to remain at home instead of moving to a nursing home. IRIS which stands for Include, Respect, I Self Direct is an alternative that lets people design their plan for services such as home care, transportation and job assistance. Most counties had switched to Family Care before the 2015 law required counties that hadnt, including Dane County, to do so. County resistance Dane County officials, who resisted the move, said they provided richer services that helped many people work and live independently, by contributing additional county funds that brought in a federal match. The state argued that similar services would be provided under Family Care and IRIS, and nearly 500 people on a waiting list in Dane County would be able to get services. About 2,000 county residents switched from the county-run system last year, as required by the state, with about half of them choosing Family Care and the other half IRIS. More than 80% of those who opted for Family Care chose Care Wisconsin to manage their care. The others selected Wauwatosa-based My Choice, the only other alternative offered in Dane County. Of the 857 Family Care members in Dane County who were with Care Wisconsin as of March 1, before any contracts were terminated, 536 or nearly two-thirds were people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Some say that population can be more expensive to manage than frail elders or adults with physical disabilities, though there is overlap among the groups. Changes disruptive Clients of providers that terminated contracts with Care Wisconsin can stay with the providers and switch to My Choice, or switch providers and stay with Care Wisconsin. The whole experience is disruptive, stressful and time consuming for individuals and families, Mulliken said. Park said Care Wisconsin is working with the state to improve its financial position. Statewide, half of its clients are developmentally disabled the highest percentage of the six managed care organizations. We have a strong commitment to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and we continue to serve that segment of the population very strongly, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Republican Party of Wisconsin spent vastly beyond its means and failed to properly account for its expenditures in its unsuccessful effort to re-elect former Gov. Scott Walker, according to an internal party assessment. The state GOPs postmortem following its losses in statewide races in 2018 also shows the party relied on financing some of its campaign expenditures, took for granted the money it raised and was recklessly reliant on political consultants, who raked in more than $500,000. The party provided the report to the Wisconsin State Journal less than a week before members convene in Oshkosh for their annual convention, where they plan to internalize lessons learned from 2018 in preparation for President Donald Trumps 2020 re-election battle. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, previously told the Wisconsin State Journal the party in 2018 lost touch with its grassroots volunteers and activists, took a top-down approach and was far too reliant on outside consultants and elaborate advertising. The report does not name the consultants. Johnson said the party needs to re-energize the grassroots and county organizations, fine-tune advertising and create a stronger party infrastructure candidates can rely on. The partys internal assessment reflects those themes but focuses more on the partys financial mismanagement than Johnson mentioned. Over time, the Republican Party of Wisconsin drifted from its roots as a grassroots organization and became a top-down bureaucracy, disconnected from local activists, recklessly reliant on outside consultants and took for granted money that was raised to keep the Party functioning properly, the report says. It adds that the party contracted consultants for basic operational responsibilities that it would have handled in-house in leaner times, and that party officials provided little oversight of the contracts. State campaign finance reports documenting the partys spending between Sept. 1 and Oct. 22 show it dished out at least $255,206 in consulting fees. The report says the partys reliance on high-cost consultants, coupled with its sizable effort to re-elect Walker, drove the party into debt. For example, the party in October 2018 transferred $4 million to Walkers campaign while making significant other expenditures on Walkers behalf. Republican Party spokesman Charles Nichols said in an email the party at the end of 2018 accrued a debt of more than $350,000, but that it hopes to have the debt paid off by the end of the year. Some portion of a $500,000 donation to the party in April from Beloit billionaire Diane Hendricks may help the party reach that goal. The party had about $142,000 in debt at the end of March, according to federal campaign finance filings. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the state partys problems with debt based off a leaked version of an earlier draft of the report. That report, according to the newspaper, showed the party went so far in debt it missed payments to insurers and accrued almost $600 a month in interest on a maxed-out credit card. The more recent version of the report the Republican Party provided to the State Journal does not include details of the partys missed payments. Instead, the version says that while the party was accruing debt by financing campaign expenditures, it was also accruing debt by not paying its own bills. More in-house The report says there was an unsatisfactory effort to inform party leadership about party debt, and that questions about finances were deflected by pointing to a positive cash balance the party held. The report says the partys overspending and reliance on consultants cannot be sustained given Walkers departure, as his gubernatorial political operation had an outsize responsibility in party operations and fundraising. The report says it does not seek to place blame on anyone specifically for the partys financial mismanagement, although the report makes several references to how management of RPW was essentially outsourced to the governors campaign operation. The partys internal report says the party has already taken action by letting go of high-cost consultants. It underscores the need moving forward to have more party functions done in-house, to restore accountability and to implement financial controls. 2020 strategy The partys report outlines a strategy for Trumps re-election that focuses on improving outreach to minorities and women, improved communication and training, and a focus on swing voters Republicans lost in 2018. The partys losses in 2018, it says, can be partially attributed to erosion of Republican support in suburban areas, such as those in Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties, or the so-called WOW counties. The party also will seek to improve its strategy for communications and training. Seventy percent of county leaders, for example, said the party did not provide them with the necessary tools and training. The partys volunteers also said party staff were sometimes unhelpful, unresponsive and even rude. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 We now know for certain that Russia invaded our democracy. They didnt use bombs, jets or tanks. Instead, they planned a mission to undermine the foundation of our electoral system. This mission, according to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, was sweeping and systematic, yet the U.S. remains vulnerable to many of the same tactics utilized against us in 2016 and 2018. This isnt a partisan issue. In the last presidential election, Russia aimed its attack at the Democratic candidate; next time it could be the Republican. But there are steps we can take to help protect the electoral process. Russias 2016 assault was carefully planned. In 2014, Russian agents landed on U.S. soil in order to gather information to learn how to mimic us so that their social media posts would be more believable. They developed a sophisticated network of online personas backed by bots designed to make hateful and divisive posts go viral. According to disclosures made to Congress, 126 million Facebook users saw posts linked to Russia. Thats more than a third of the U.S. population. There were also thousands of Russian-sponsored YouTube videos and tens of thousands of tweets aimed at swaying the election. But all of this wasnt fully understood until it was too late. And the threat isnt over. Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray described the 2018 efforts by Russia to interfere in American elections as a dress rehearsal for the big show in 2020. We need to take action now to prevent a recurrence of 2016 or something even worse. Currently, political ads sold on TV and radio are required to disclose the organizations that paid for them. This is a simple requirement that the Supreme Court including the late Justice Antonin Scalia upheld. But right now, the same rules dont apply to ads sold online. This leaves a huge loophole in the law especially because online ads have become more popular than ever. In 2018, an estimated $2.3 billion was spent on online ads, compared with $1.4 billion in 2016, and just $71 million in the 2014 election cycle. For the 2020 election cycle, online ad spending is projected to reach nearly $3 billion. While some social media companies have taken steps to implement new transparency rules, we need more than a patchwork of company-generated solutions to ensure that political ads purchased by our adversaries are exposed. We need rules of the road that apply to all social media companies. The bipartisan Honest Ads Act, which I introduced this week with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), would shine a light on the dark money being used to buy online political ads. The goal is simple: to bring our laws into the 21st century to ensure voters know who is paying to influence our political system. The legislation would achieve this by amending existing laws that now apply to political ads sold in print and on TV and radio, and extend their reach to online political advertising. The Honest Ads Act would require digital platforms with at least 50 million monthly viewers which includes major tech companies like Facebook, Google and Twitter to maintain a public file of political ads sold on their platform by a person or group who spends more than $500 on political ads in a year. The file would contain a digital copy of the advertisement and key information about who paid for the ad and who the ad was designed to target. The bill would also require online platforms to do a better job when it comes to making sure that foreign individuals and entities are not purchasing political advertisements in order to influence the American electorate. A lasting legacy of the late Sen. John McCain is the bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 also known as McCain-Feingold which, among other things, required politicians to say, I approve this message, and required more transparency for political ads. The law was intended to ensure that voters know who is paying to influence our political system. McCain knew the next frontier of campaign finance reform would be closing the loopholes that are currently being exploited by foreign adversaries to sow division among Americans. Thats why he was the lead Republican sponsor of the Honest Ads Act when we first introduced this legislation in the last Congress. It didnt become law in that Congress, but we are hopeful it will now. At the time, McCain said, I have long fought to increase transparency and end the corrupting influence of special interests in political campaigns, and I am confident this legislation will modernize existing law to safeguard the integrity of our election system. This modernization cannot come soon enough. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is a U.S. senator from Minnesota and a Democratic presidential candidate. She wrote this for the Los Angeles Times. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In 2014, the Hickory Cigar Club located in Hickory, North Carolina celebrated its 20th anniversary. As a part of the milestone, Crowned Heads created a limited edition exclusive cigar for the club known as the Hecho Con Corazon LE 2014 (translation made with heart). This year, the club is now celebrating its 25th anniversary and on May 15th, Crowned Heads will commemorate the occasion by releasing the HCC XXV LE 2019 to Hickory Cigar Club. The cigar itself is a box-pressed 5 1/2 x 56 vitola. It will feature an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over Nicaragua binder and filler. A total of 300 ten-count boxes have been produced. Pricing is set at $109.00. The HCC XXV is a different cigar made at a different factory than the original Hecho Con Corazon LE2014. HCC XXV is produced at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jrs Tabacalera La Alianza, S.A in the Dominican Republic. The original Hecho Con Corazon LE 2014 was produced in Nicaragua at My Father Cigars S.A. and was a special 6 x 50 box-pressed size of the Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2014. When Craig Cass approached Mike (Conder) and I last year with the idea of creating a 25th Anniversary cigar, commented Jon Huber, Crowned Heads co-founder in a press release, we were excited for the opportunity, but we felt that rather than simply re-treading the 2014 blend we wanted to create something entirely new, unique, and exciting for the club. To do justice to one of the oldest active cigar dinner clubs in the country, we went straight to Ernesto and jumped in with both feet. We feel that the result is a top-notch expression of Sumatra (wrapper) leaf that is not only bold with excellent structure, but that retains the signature balance and complexity that Ernesto Perez Carrillo has become known for. The cigars will go on sale at the Hickory Cigar Club 25th Anniversary Dinner on May 15 with the remaining inventory made available at Tinder Box Cigars South Park store in Charlotte, NC on May 17. At a glance, here is a look at the Crowned Heads HCC XXV LE 2019: Blend and Origin Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. Vitolas Offered Robusto Extra: 5 1/2 x 56 Photo Credits: Crowned Heads In the Fall of 2018, Crowned Heads announced a regional release for the State of Ohio known as Buckeye Land. Buckeye Land would make Ohio the fourth state to have a regional release from Crowned Heads, joining Tennessee, Hawaii, and Texas. Crowned Heads has some ties to the State of Ohio as it is the home state of co-founder Jon Hubers wife, and the home to its National Sales Manager Miguel Schoedel. Perhaps what is more interesting is that it would be the first project for which Crowned Heads would team up with the Drew Estate factory in Nicaragua to produce. In todays review, we take a closer look at the Buckeye Land cigar. When Crowned Heads was formed in 2011, the company established a long-standing partnership with Ernesto Perez-Carrillos Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic to produce its cigars. In 2014, the company added the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua as a second manufacturing partner. For the next four years, Crowned Heads would exclusively work with Tabacalera La Alianza and the My Father Cigars company. 2018 saw the company switch gears and test the waters with two additional factories. La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate would be one of those factories for the Buckeye Land regional release. The other would be a small factory in Nicaragua called Tabacalera Pichardo that would produce Juarez, an exclusive offering to Thompson Cigar. As for the regional releases, the state of Tennessee would receive a cigar called the Tennessee Waltz and the state of Texas would receive a cigar called the Yellow Rose. In addition the state of Hawaii would receive a release called Paniolo Especiale which technically has been an exclusive to Hawaiian retailer R. Field Wine Co. Paniolo Especiale is also different than the Tennessee Waltz, Yellow Rose, and Buckeye Land in that it has more of an ongoing annual release where the blend has had some variations. Finally, there have also been a couple of releases called Mason-Dixon Project consisting of a pair of cigars one released to those states north of the Mason-Dixon Line and one released to states south of the line. When it comes to the Tennessee Waltz, Yellow Rose, and Buckeye Land releases, Crowned Heads has given the opportunity for all retailers nationwide to purchase these cigars once a year on November 1st for a period of 24 hours through a program called Lawless Day. The program was launched in 2017 for Tennessee Waltz and Yellow Rose. In 2018, Buckeye Land was added to the regional cigars made available. The name Buckeye Land was derived from the fact that Ohio is known as the Buckeye State and Jon Hubers wifes maiden name was Land. Without further ado, lets turn our attention to the Buckeye Land release and see what this cigar brings to the table. SPECIFICATIONS Blend and Origin Buckeye Land is a four-country multinational blend highlighted by a Mexican San Andres wrapper. Crowned Heads worked with Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera to produce the blend. Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf Filler: Pennsylvania Broadleaf, Nicaragua Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate Vitolas Offered The Crowned Heads Buckeye Land is available in one size a 6 x 48 Short Churchill. The cigars are packaged in 20-count boxes. Appearance The Buckeye Lands Mexican San Andres wrapper had a dark chocolate color to it. Even with the darker color, upon close examination there was some mottling could be seen on the wrapper. The wrapper itself had a very light sheen of oil on it. There were some visible veins and thin visible wrapper seams. There was a slight ruggedness to the wrapper which gave it some charm. Buckeye Land does not have a band, but a red-colored ribbon is present by the footer. PERFORMANCE Pre-Light Draw A straight cut was used to remove the cap of the Buckeye Land. With the cap successfully detached it was time for the pre-light draw experience. The dry draw delivered a mix of earth, leather, and chocolate. I considered this to be a satisfactory pre-light draw. Before lighting up the Buckeye Land, the footer ribbon was removed and put onto the upper portion of the cigar (this is strictly a force of habit I have when lighting up a cigar with a footer band). At this point, it was time to light up the Buckeye Land and see what the smoking experience would have in store. Tasting Notes The Buckeye Land kicked off with notes of rich chocolate, espresso, wood, maduro sweetness (a fusion of dried fruit and natural tobacco), and a combination of black and red pepper. Early on the chocolate and espresso notes moved into the forefront. As the cigar moved through the first third, the chocolate notes got richer and surfaced as the primary note. There was also a slight nutty component to the chocolate flavor. The espresso joined the wood, maduro sweetness, and pepper in the background. There were times throughout the latter part of the first third and early part of the second third where occasionally the maduro briefly popped into the forefront. Once the Buckeye Land crossed passed the midway point, the espresso notes returned to the forefront and displaced the chocolate as the primary note. The chocolate joined the maduro sweetness, wood, and pepper notes. Later in the second third, the pepper notes increased in intensity while the maduro sweetness decreased in intensity. As the Buckeye Land headed into the final third, the espresso notes remained primary with the pepper and chocolate notes close secondary notes. Meanwhile, the wood and maduro sweetness were much more distant. This is the way the Buckeye Land came to a close. The resulting nub was firm to the touch and cool in temperature. Burn Overall the burn of the Crowned Heads Buckeye Land performed very well. There was a slight curvature to the burn from time to time, but in general this cigar maintained a straight burn path and didnt require an excessive amount of touch-ups. The resulting ash was firm, but there was some occasional mild flaking. This was an ash that was silver-gray in color with some darker speckling mixed in. The burn rate and burn temperature were ideal. Draw The draw to the Crowned Heads Buckeye Land had a touch of resistance which is something that I like. This is also a cigar that produced abundant layers of smoke throughout the smoking experience. Strength and Body The Crowned Heads Buckeye Land is one of the bolder cigars in the companys portfolio. This is a cigar that started out medium to full in strength. Toward the last third, there was an increase in strength pushing the Buckeye Land close to full strength territory. As for the flavors, this is a cigar that delivers full-bodied flavors from start to finish. When looking at strength versus body, I found the body had the edge. OVERALL ASSESSMENT Final Thoughts In 2018 Crowned Heads was selected as our Prime Time Award Winner for Best Small Company. In my mind, the company earned this by doing a great job at rounding out its portfolio, expanding its horizons, and creating some exciting releases. While basically a regional release, the Buckeye Land is one cigar that fits the bill. Its a cigar coming from Drew Estate which is exciting in itself and the fact that it comes from a different factory shows the company is expanding its horizons. It rounds out the companys portfolio, offering something for those who wanted a bolder Crowned Heads smoke. Most importantly, the cigar delivers on flavor providing rich, bold, layered flavors start to finish. This is a cigar that I would definitely recommend to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast. As for myself, this is a cigar I would smoke again and its one that earns box worthy consideration. Summary Key Flavors: Chocolate, Espresso, Wood, Maduro Sweetness, Pepper, Nut Burn: Excellent Draw: Excellent Complexity: Medium Plus Strength: Medium to Full Body: Full Finish: Excellent Rating Value: Box Worthy Consideration Score: 91 References News: Crowned Heads Teams With Drew Estate for Ohio Exclusive Buckeye Land Cigar Price: $9.60 Source: Purchased Brand Reference: Crowned Heads Photo Credits: Cigar Coop A Columbus man convicted of attempting to sexually assault a child was sentenced to prison recently in Platte County District Court. Gonzalo Lopez-Rios, 21, was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of one to two years in the Nebraska Department Correctional Services. As part of his conviction, the defendant was required by Judge Robert Steinke to sign the Nebraska Sex Offenders Registry. The defendant was originally charged with first-degree sexual assault of a minor, a Class II felony, punishable by up to 50 years in prison. The charge was ultimately amended to attempted sexual assault of a minor, a Class IIA felony, punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. In October 2018, a warrantless arrest affidavit shows that the Platte County Sheriffs Office was notified by a worker with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services/Child Protective Services regarding a child abuse/neglect intake he or she received. The allegations in the intake described the defendant and a juvenile female as having a child in common, and that the defendant was currently 20 and the juvenile, 15. An investigation determined that the defendant and the juvenile met while living in Minnesota and that she became pregnant and gave birth in April 2018. Court records show the juvenile then moved to her sisters Columbus home in June of that year, and the defendant followed in July. Law enforcement determined that the pair had been staying together at the girls sisters home in the same bedroom with their child since relocating. An investigation determined that sexual activity happened on at least two occasions since the defendant and juvenile moved to Platte County. In other district court news: *Michael D. Brummond, 53, of Norfolk, pleaded not guilty to operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, a Class IV felony; being in possession of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony; resisting arrest first offense, a Class I misdemeanor; DUI-drug first offense, a Class W misdemeanor; and refusing to submit to chemical testing first offense, a Class W misdemeanor. A jury trial is scheduled to be held on Aug. 5. *Jose L. Corona Jr., 22, pleaded not guilty to charges relating to two separate case files. The defendant pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a minor, a Class II felony; and in a separate file, not guilty to being in possession of a controlled substance and willful reckless driving, a Class III misdemeanor. A status hearing is scheduled for July 29. *Roberto J. Garcia, 29, of Columbus, pleaded not guilty to two counts of theft by shoplifting in the amount of $0-$500, Class IV felonies. A status hearing is scheduled for July 29. *Kayla J. Hansen, 36, of Columbus, pleaded not guilty to being in possession of a controlled substance. A plea hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 27. Sam Pimper is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at sam.pimper@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. TUESDAY, May 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly half of infections among women who undergo an assisted vaginal birth could be prevented by giving them a dose of antibiotics soon after delivery, a new study contends. The preventive use of antibiotics in these cases could prevent about 5,000 infections in new mothers every year in the United States alone, and many more worldwide, the researchers estimated. "Pregnancy-associated infection is a major cause of death and serious illness. Almost one in five women develop an infection after assisted vaginal delivery," noted study leader Marian Knight, a professor at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom. "Our results show that this could be reduced by almost half by a single dose of prophylactic [preventive] antibiotic," she said. Her team published its findings May 14 in The Lancet. The problem of post-delivery infection is a global one. In 2016, about 19,500 women worldwide died from pregnancy-related infections, according to background information in the study. Even in high-income nations, infections account for one in 20 deaths among new mothers, and as many as one in eight in the United States. And for every woman who dies from pregnancy-related infection, another 70 who survive will experience a severe infection that leaves them with long-term health problems. But what if routine antibiotics could prevent a lot of that suffering? To find out, Knight's team tracked outcomes for more than 3,400 women, aged 16 and older, who underwent assisted vaginal birth in 27 hospital obstetric units across the United Kingdom. In terms of the types of assistance provided, about two-thirds of the babies were delivered by forceps and one-third by vacuum extraction, Knight's group said. Within six hours after delivery, the women were given either a single dose of intravenous antibiotics (amoxicillin) or a placebo. Rates of confirmed or suspected infections were 11% among those who received the antibiotics and 19% among those who received the placebo. Also, rates of confirmed sepsis (a serious bloodstream infection) were 56% lower in women who received the antibiotics than in those who received the placebo, 0.6% versus 1.5%, respectively. Women who received antibiotics also had much lower rates of perineal wound infection or breakdown (burst stitches), perineal pain, use of pain relief for perineal pain and additional perineal care. They also were much less likely to require doctor, nurse or midwife home visits, or hospital outpatient visits, for problems with wound healing, the findings showed. The researchers also found that for every additional 100 doses of preventive antibiotics, 168 doses could be avoided due to fewer infections after birth. That means that giving preventive antibiotics to all women after assisted delivery could actually reduce overall antibiotic use by 17%, the study authors said. "These findings highlight the urgent need to change current World Health Organization antibiotic guidelines and other guidance from organizations in the U.K., North America and Australasia, that do not recommend routine antibiotic prophylaxis for assisted childbirth," Knight said in a journal news release. Two U.S. obstetricians agreed that routine antibiotic use after delivery might save lives. Dr. Jennifer Wu is an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She explained that doctors sometimes use forceps or vacuum devices to help ease a vaginal birth and avoid the need for a C-section. The new study "shows huge improvement in postpartum infection if patients are given a dose of antibiotics after vacuum or forceps deliveries," she said. Wu believes the new study could "alter future protocols" in dealing with vaginal births. Dr. Adi Davidov is interim chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. He agreed that making antibiotics standard in these cases could help women, while not raising overall antibiotic prescription rates. "This article is a game-changer and will now make it standard of care to give antibiotics before an operative vaginal delivery," Davidov said. More information The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on postpartum care. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Berlin, May 14, 2019 The General Directorate for Internal Security, Frances domestic intelligence agency, should stop pursuing investigative journalists Geoffrey Livolsi, Mathias Destal, and Benoit Collombat in a leak investigation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 25, agents from the General Directorate issued summons to Livolsi and Destal, reporters at investigative news website Disclose, and Collombat, an investigative reporter at French public broadcaster Radio France, to appear for questioning today and tomorrow, according to news reports. The summons followed Discloses April 15 publication of a report citing classified military documents revealing that French-manufactured weapons were being sold to Saudi Arabia and used in the war in Yemen, contrary to the French governments assertions, according to those news reports. Livolsi, Destal, and their lawyers attended questioning for about an hour today, according to a statement published by Disclose on Twitter after the proceedings. The statement described the General Directorate agents questioning as an attempt to breach the fundamental protective code in journalism regarding secret sources. The reporters refused to answer questions posed by the agents, and declared that they acted in the service of informing the public, according to the statement. Radio France told CPJ via Twitter message that Collombat will attend questioning by authorities tomorrow. It is of vital importance for journalists to be able to protect confidential sources, said Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. The General Directorate for Internal Security questioning journalists as part of a leak investigation puts them under unnecessary pressure and could have a chilling effect on national security reporting. According to public broadcaster France24, the leak investigation was launched on December 13, 2018, following a complaint by the Ministry of Defense. A joint statement by the journalists and their newsrooms on April 24 condemned the summons, and said that this police investigation is an attack on the freedom of the press. CPJ emailed the Paris prosecutors office and the French Interior Ministry, which oversees the General Directorate, but did not immediately receive a reply. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Berlin, May 14, 2019 Greek authorities must ensure the safety of police reporter Mina Karamitrou, thoroughly investigate the bombing of her car overnight, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. A makeshift explosive device placed under the journalists car exploded at about 2:30 a.m. this morning, while the car was parked outside the journalists home in the northern Athens suburb of Papagou, according to local news reports. The car was destroyed but no one was injured, according to the reports. Karamitrou is a police reporter for CNNs Greek edition, according to her author page on the networks website. Police have opened an investigation into the bombing, according to Greek news website Skai. We call on the Greek authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the car bomb attack on reporter Mina Karamitrou, said Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator in New York. Journalists safety and well-being must be ensured, and protective measures are often critical for those who cover crime. In an interview this morning on the TV program Good Morning Greece, Karamitrou said she believes the attack was related to her coverage of Dimitris Koufodinas, who is serving 11 life sentences for murders committed while he was affiliated with the November 17 anarchist group, according to news reports. CNN Greece condemned the attack in a statement, calling it an attack on the entire journalistic world. Greek government spokesperson Dimitris Tzanakopoulos condemned the attack on Twitter, describing it as a targeting of freedom of the press, and saying that the perpetrators should be held to account. The Hellenic Police press department did not immediately reply to CPJs emailed request for comment. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Washington, D.C., May 14, 2019 Iranian authorities should immediately lift the suspension of Seda magazine and stop harassing critical media outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 11, Irans Culture and Media court ordered the indefinite suspension of the reformist weekly magazine Seda, according to the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency and local media reports. Sedas May 11 issue included an article calling for high level engagement between the United States and Iran, and its cover featured a U.S. aircraft carrier fleet with the title at the crossroads between war and peace, according to those reports. The court did not state any rationale for its decision, but the hardline Kayhan newspaper published an article criticizing Seda for echoing the voice of Trump through the mouths of reformists. Public and open debate about matters of security and foreign relations is of vital importance for the Iranian public, said Sherif Mansour, CPJs Middle East and North Africa Coordinator. Iranian authorities must allow Seda to resume its operation immediately and cease any more attempts to censor the media. CPJ emailed the press office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which is responsible for supervising the Iranian press corps, but did not immediately receive a response. On May 12, police arrested Andishe Pouya magazine columnist Ali Malihi at his home in Tehran after he criticized Sedas suspension on Twitter, saying that the magazine was suspended because it voiced a warning against war, according to news reports. He was released on bail a few hours later, and no charges against him have been made public, according to those reports. Eight journalists were found to be imprisoned in Iran in direct relation to their work at the time of CPJs annual prison census on December 1, 2018. Victor Barrick just wants his farm to be like it used to be, before the small river of bright yellow mud began to make its way across his field, through his neighbors property, and over the road into a tributary of the Yellow Breeches Creek. But it hasnt happened. In fact, its gotten worse with the recent months of wet weather. Rainwater pools in the warehouse construction site adjacent to his farm in Penn Township, contained by a ridge of clay soil created by the backhoes that are leveling the land in preparation for building. The apparent solution to this was for the developer to install a concrete drainage culvert into the retention bank, which directs the muck into a pipe running beneath Gettle Road and straight into Barricks farm. The first thing they did was put this clay wall up, and it filled with water back there so they took a backhoe and whoosh, Barrick said, gesturing as to how the water, heavy with bright yellow clay sediment, flowed over his field. Im assuming we lost four acres, he said. I did have wheat here, but it drowned it all out. Barricks plight might be uncommon, but its not unheard of, and it might be getting worse, depending on your politics. Package of bills Republican legislators in Harrisburg are advancing a package of bills on regulatory statutes, including one that will shorten the timelines for permits to be reviewed and require agencies to use third-party reviewers if permit decisions are not issued on time. Proponents say the bills will clear up the paralysis by permit, in the words of Hampden Township Rep. Greg Rothman, which he says inhibits business growth in the state. But the local agencies tasked with addressing erosion and runoff fear that Rothmans bill would shorten the timeline for their most in-depth permit reviews from 47 days to just 20, making it more difficult to keep tabs on developments like the one adjacent to Barrick. Cutting that [time frame] by half could cause impacts on our ability to protect our resources, said Matt Stough, the chief permitting inspector for the Cumberland County Conservation District. Like many areas across the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has delegated powers down to the local conservation cooperative. But these small agencies not only have to review water protection plans on paper, they have to enforce them as well, which means going out and doing inspections. If the state shortens the timeline to review permit applications, that may mean more staff time spent in the office checking paperwork, and less time spent in the field, said Carl Goshorn, director of the county conservation district. Cumberland County: A battle between growth and open space Cumberland Countys Comprehensive Plan is now a lot slimmer, but hopefully a lot more useful. By reducing these time frames, were going to be stuck in the office a little more, and like Carl said, if were not out, you can have the best plan on paper, but if its not being implemented, then its not protecting water quality, Stough said. That field presence on these sites is very important, and hopefully we dont lose that capacity. Development This is Barricks quandary, the seemingly lopsided enforcement relative to farmers and developers. The warehouse site abutting Barricks farm is the Penn Commerce Center, a 2.2 million-square-foot project on the east side of Centerville Road, just south of the Newville exit on Interstate 81. Barricks main farm fronts Walnut Bottom Road, with fields stretching north, parallel to the warehouse site and separated only by Gettle Road, a stone track that, while owned by Penn Township, is rarely used by through traffic. Penn Township planning commission advises 'no' on warehouse Penn Townships planning commission voted Monday night against recommending approval at least of the current plans for the Penn Commerce w Over the last 20 years, Barrick estimates hes done a half-million dollars of improvements for so-called best management practices, such as adding vegetation buffers, redirecting drainage and other methods to control farm runoff. Roughly half of this has been the farms own money, Barrick said, with the rest coming from state and federal grant programs intended to help Pennsylvanias struggle to meet its requirements for reducing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. The farms get quite a bit of blame for the bay and probably deserve some of it, but were doing all our best management practices, Barrick said. Ive got a storm water management plan this thick, he said, gesturing with his fingers, but when a big developer comes in, it all goes out the window. The inspectors say theyre concerned, but their hands are tied because DEP issued the permit. Routing water across Barricks property is technically allowed by DEP regulations, according to Goshorn and Stough. Theres nothing that says the water has to stay on the construction site. The permit conditions do say that the discharge should not cause a downstream nuisance or damage, so to that point, the main problem with the Penn Commerce site has been the weather, Stough said. In October last year, the conservation district cited Penn Commerce, which is owned by Ridge Development, for failing to implement its erosion and sediment control plan. This included a fine of $3,500 under DEP guidelines, Goshorn said. Penn Township to discuss injection well concerns Monday night Penn Townships planning commission is expected to meet Monday night to discuss the findings of a report regarding the use of injection wells Under a consent agreement, the developer was required to put in two retention basins on the site that feature skimmers a device, Stough explained, that skims and strains the cleaner water from the top of the pond, while letting the clay sediment settle to the bottom. Only one of these basins was installed before the winter rainy season stopped work, Stough said, and the second should be installed imminently. They should be working on that now, Stough said of the second sediment basin. But until then, Barrick would seem to be left in the lurch. Getting any compensation for the damage already done to his farm would be a civil court matter, with the odds of a win for a family farm being quite slim. Ridge Development is owned by the Transwestern Development Co., a national real estate investment group. While the companys total value does not appear to be disclosed, its last SEC filing in 2018 showed the company was in the process of issuing an additional $32 million in securities, both equity and debt, far more capital than any farmer east of the Mississippi could hope to acquire. If the farmers ornery enough and has $100,000 in the bank, he might be able to take them on and get something, Barrick said. Barrick said his appeals to the DEP for some sort of alternative solution have gone unheeded, as have inquiries made on his behalf by Penn Township. As long as the warehouse is making progress toward a sediment control plan that meets whats on the books, theres nothing to be done. They have gone out and looked at it and said its OK, even though about three miles down the road it goes into the Yellow Breeches, Penn Township Supervisor Gary Martin said. DEP has been no help, Martin said. Theres no mechanism to modify these environmental plans when they dont work. Thats my whole problem with DEP, theyre not flexible on this stuff. They see a problem and say welp, the farmers got to suffer. The DEP did not respond to inquiries as of this edition. Regulations and bills The regulatory stubbornness in Pennsylvania is something that state legislators, primarily Republicans, have hoped to address through a package of regulatory reform bills working their way through Harrisburg. But regulators and environmental activists, as well as most Democrats, fear the bills will actually make things worse. Of interest to the situation with Barricks farm is House Bill 509, for which Rothman is the primary sponsor. One function of the bill is to mandate that regulatory departments set up systems to verify third-party, private inspectors to review permits and recommend approval if the departments own staff cannot issue decisions in a given time. This includes DEP permits as well traffic impact permits from PennDOT, building safety permits, and others. If they cant do it on time, then were authorizing these departments to use third-party reviewers, Rothman said. If we can rely on third-party inspectors to make sure our cars are OK, why cant we have a third-party engineer or geologist or environmental scientist? Democratic legislators have argued that this will allow large development companies to commission inspectors who are sympathetic to them, allowing developers to skirt regulations. But Rothman, who is a real estate developer himself, rejects this, saying that the permits would still be issued by state agencies, just with the footwork done by a reviewer of the applicants choice. I dont buy that, I think thats cynical. And I think the economic incentive is the opposite, you dont want to screw up, Rothman said, adding its in the same way that a bartender goes to great lengths to not serve anyone younger than 21, lest the state find out and de-certify them from doing their job. Tough Row to Hoe: The fight for farmland in Cumberland County This week The Sentinel takes a Closer Look at the struggle to maintain, preserve and develop farmland in Cumberland County. Another provision of HB 509 could complicate that further. According to Stough and Goshorn, their agency currently has 15 business days to determine that an application is complete, and 22 days after that complete a technical review and make sure the proposal meets requirements under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, the federal guidelines that control most states environmental duties under the 1972 Clean Water Act. However, some NPDES permits are subject to individualized criteria based on the projects placement within a watershed deemed high quality or exceptional value by state and federal statute. This includes the Penn Commerce site, which is in the Yellow Breeches watershed. The DEP gives itself more time to make a decision on these permits, and gives local conservation districts 47 days for their technical review, according to Stough and Goshorn. House Bill 509 would shorten that timeline, Goshorn said, by stipulating that any incompleteness in an application be conveyed to the applicant in 10 days, and any technical deficiencies be found within 20 days of the completeness review. The combination of these provisions has opponents crying foul that legislators are shortening timelines to ensure that permitting work is pushed to private reviewers, and justifying the move with a problem that they helped create by cutting regulatory agencies budgets. For example, the Department of Environmental Protection has suffered from longstanding budget cuts and staffing shortages that have hampered the agencys ability to process permit applications, a coalition of environmental groups, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, wrote in a letter criticizing the regulatory bills. The letter cited figures that the DEPs budget has been cut about 40 percent in the last 14 years, and has lost 22 percent of its staff in the past 16 years. Local impact While legislation in the statehouse aims to speed up the issuing of permits with third-party reviewers, theres no additional funding or resources for regular inspections by local agencies post-permitting. Goshorn said that the Cumberland County Conservation Districts number of field inspections improved threefold when Stough was brought on a few years ago. But under the new legislation, Stough and other technicians could be spending more time in the office in order to meet shorter timelines and to verify the reviews of third-party inspectors, instead of out in the field making sure the permits are being followed field inspections such as the one last fall that found Penn Commerce had not done what it said it would. We saw that we were getting the reviews done on time but we were not getting out on site, Goshorn said. It can say whatever it says on the plan but if its not implemented properly, thats where some of our problems are. Stough said he has 15 permits on his desk for completeness review, one to be done per day to meet current deadline, in addition to technical reviews and field inspections. The conservation district does 40 to 50 general and 15-20 individualized NPDES permits per year, he estimated, although the agency also does permitting for municipal and other requirements that are not part of the NPDES. That came to 156 total permits and plans for erosion and pollution control last year. Thus far in 2019, the district has done 67. Rothman says that his bill will actually make monitoring easier, since more permits will be done by outside parties. If you were running a business and having trouble doing your job, you might find someone who can sub out or find a third party, Rothman said. The critical role is to protect our water and environment by monitoring, not by permitting review. While Chesapeake Bay pollution is generally attributed to runoff from farms and urban storm water systems, the growing impact of large construction projects cant be discounted, according to Harry Campbell, executive director for the Pennsylvania office of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The impact is certainly not something to be dismissed by any stretch of the imagination, especially in terms of the local impact, Campbell said. Most of the mud and sediment from construction settles out in local waterways well before it reaches the bay, Campbell said, making the danger primarily to the Yellow Breeches. Youre stripping the natural topsoil that allows for the infiltration of water back into the ground, Campbell said of lot-leveling projects like warehouses, so that soil then becomes like an impervious surface in and of itself. Research indicates that once a watershed gets to about 10 percent converted to impervious surfaces, you can see measurable changes in the stream, Campbell said. The problem with large projects is that while they may meet the legal requirements when individually permitted, the combination of projects together can increase the problem beyond what regulations can deal with, Campbell said. Individually they may all be meeting the letter of the law but they are incrementally changing that watershed to the point where it can be impaired, Campbell said. If anything is an example of this, its the Penn Commerce site, which has another warehouse complex across the street. The Key Logistics Park was built on the west side of Centerville Road several years ago. According to Martin, an installation of an additional warehouse on the west side of Centerville Road is in the works, which will disrupt the drainage from the warehouse that houses Unilever. The solution to this is to transfer the water across the Penn Commerce site in large pipes, which are visible on the construction site from Barricks property. The Unilever site was built long ago enough that it is grandfathered to a regulatory framework that doesnt require it to keep water on its property, even after construction is finished, Martin said. Thus, any runoff that ends up on the Unilever site will be piped across the adjacent warehouse sites and released onto Barricks property, meaning he may never be fully rid of the runoff that has drowned out his fields. That water will pass through their property, go onto the current construction site, be piped down to the eastern end, then released, according to the DEP regulations at that time for the Unilever building, onto Vics property, Martin said. I dont know that itll cause as much erosion as it will keep the ground soggy. Email Zack at zhoopes@cumberlink.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 11 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mount Holly Springs borough residents have until 4:30 p.m. Monday to submit letters of interest to fill the unexpired term of P. Scott Boise, former mayor of Mount Holly Springs. Council members Monday accepted the resignation of Boise, who was serving his second year of his second term as mayor. Council President James Collins II is acting mayor until a replacement is appointed. Boise submitted his resignation letter to council member Deborah Halpin-Brophy prior to the April 25 workshop meeting, said Tom Day, borough manager and police chief. Halpin-Brophy chairs the administrative, finance and budget committee. Halpin-Brophy read aloud Boises resignation, which was effective May 13 for personal reasons. Boise had recently retired from his job and wanted to spend more time at his vacation home on the Delaware coast where he enjoys boating, Day said. Replacement Stays in Delaware would take Boise away from his mayoral duties for up to six months at a time, Halphin-Brophy said. She said Boise would no longer be readily available in case something happened or if theres a need to break a tie on a council vote. Since the effective date was May 13, the council waited until this past Monday to officially accept the resignation letter. Their decision sets in motion a state mandated 30-day timeline to appoint a replacement. To qualify as mayor, a person must be a borough resident for at least a year and a registered voter. Letters of interest must be submitted to the borough office at 200 Harman St. prior to the close of business May 20. The email for Tom Day is tday@mhsboro.com, and the email for Sara Jarrett, borough secretary and treasurer, is mthollyboro@comcast.net. The letters received would be forwarded to Halpin-Brophy and her committee for review prior to the May 30 workshop meeting. The council may then hold public interviews of the candidates, Halpin-Brophy said. Debate over process There was debate Monday over how to fill the vacancy by the June 13 deadline. Councilwoman Katie Daniels made the motion to post the vacancy on the borough website and then vote on a replacement mayor at the June 10 regular council meeting. Daniels wanted to give those interested of time to talk it over with family members before committing themselves. We have the opportunity to open things up, she said. Why wouldnt we have people have time to consider it? But her motion died for lack of a second, prompting Halpin-Brophy Monday to move to appoint Lois Stoner as the new mayor of Mount Holly Springs. Stoner was recently appointed to the council to replace Edgar Kendall, who had resigned after moving out of town. Rachel Bear of 44 Mountain Road, Boiling Springs, asked the council why the rush to fill the vacancy when she claimed the public didnt have enough notice of Boises resignation. I cant understand whats the rush, former Mayor Robert Otto said Monday. In the past, those interested in a mayor vacancy didnt have to submit a formal letter to be considered, he said. They only had to volunteer and be accepted by council. At that point, Halpin-Brophy said, Honestly, the way this is going we need to do something to keep the peace in this community. If we move forward with this [her motion], all hell breaks loose. I guarantee that it will. She suggested voting on a replacement on May 30 while giving the public a deadline to submit letters of interest. The Sentinel contacted Halpin-Brophy on Tuesday to clarify what she meant by peace in the community and all hell breaks loose. In retrospect, she said she wanted to respect the wishes of the community and thought going forward with her motion would breach the public trust. At the meeting Monday, councilwoman Cathy Neff supported a May 30 vote to replace the mayor. Its the midway point, she said. If nothing happens, that gives us two more weeks to figure it out. Under state law, if the council does not appoint a replacement mayor within 30 days, the matter goes before the borough vacancy board, which has 15 days to render a decision, Collins said. If the vacancy board is unable to make a decision, the matter goes to the state to fill the vacancy. Role of mayor Council on Monday heard from Kelly Stanley who grew up in the borough, moved away and then moved back about 11 years ago. My grandfather did a lot for this community, she said. I want to do the same thing. I finally have the time and opportunity to step forward and do something for the community. This [being mayor] would be the best way to be part of it. If appointed, Stanley said she wants to show people what this community can do and how it can move forward. There is so much potential in this community to bring it back up to what it used to be, she said. It can be that way again. Stoner also had some words for council members. My husband and I left our business in Carlisle 42 years ago to come to Mount Holly because he was from Gardners and he loved this town, Stoner said. We didnt have a warm welcome. She said there was a petition from local business owners to keep her business out. Stoner said her perspective changed after she had the opportunity to work with Otto and other borough leaders. These people were the ones who helped me see the potential for this town, Stoner said. These people have taken over from what the council was like before. Instead of criticizing, look at these people and realize they dont just come to two meetings a month, Stoner said. If you want to make a difference in this town, there are three council seats open [this year]. Theres going to be four seats and a position for mayor [in 2021]. A councilwoman for 22 years, Halpin-Brophy said she has never been more proud of the leadership of the borough. She said a person just cant walk into a position and start to govern. You need to know where we have been, she said. You need to know how weve come up. Day said candidates for mayor need to do their homework on what the office involves. Being mayor is more than just a ceremonial role or occasional tie-breaker, Day said. The office oversees the police department, investigates residents complaints, updates the council on the performance and activities of the town and helps prepare one of the largest line-items of the borough budget. Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.com. 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. State Police are looking for two armed men who tried to rob employees at Sheetz in West Pennsboro Township but left without the cash late Monday night. Police said two men entered the convenience store at 11:21 p.m. Monday in the 3200 block of Ritner Highway, and one of the men pointed a handgun at employees and demanded cash. Police said the two men then fled on foot without receiving any cash. The men were described as white with thin builds and in their late teens or early 20s. Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 717-249-2121. A cash reward is being offered for tips that lead to their arrest, according to Cumberland County Crime Stoppers. PHILADELPHIA The company that makes OxyContin did not stop pitching the powerful opioid painkiller to doctors even when its sales representatives raised concerns that they were prescribing the drug inappropriately, the Pennsylvania attorney general's office said in a lawsuit announced Tuesday. The lawsuit against Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma was filed on May 2 under seal and announced on Tuesday. It made Pennsylvania at least the 39th state to sue the company seeking to hold it responsible for the toll of opioids, which have been killing more people in the U.S. and Pennsylvania each year than car crashes. The suit says Purdue drug representatives have made 531,000 detailing calls on doctors in the state since 2007, when the company settled with Pennsylvania and 25 other states agreeing to stop identifying illegal diversion of its OxyContin and to promote it only for federally approved uses. Only California doctors heard from the company more, the state says. The suit names several doctors whom the state says the company continued to call on to promote opioids despite signs that they were prescribing to addicts or worrying pharmacies with their prescribing levels. The complaint singled out one Philadelphia doctor Jeffrey Bado as one of the nation's biggest prescribers of opioids. The doctor lost his license in 2013 and was convicted in 2016 crimes including causing the death of a patient. The state says the company stopped calling on Bado at points because of concerns over his prescribing practices but kept returning again to promote the drugs. Purdue said the company denies the allegations. "The complaint is part of a continuing effort to try these cases in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system," Purdue spokesman Robert Josephson said in a written statement. Attorney General Josh Shapiro did not rule out future legal actions against Purdue sales representatives and executives. He said he decided to sue because the company after two years of serving as a leader of a multistate investigation into the opioid industry and negotiations with companies on a settlement. "It has become clear that just one company, Purdue Pharma, has not been willing to negotiate in good faith," he said at a news conference. Josephson disputed that, saying the company is in complicated negotiations with state attorney generals, local governments and others. Around 2,000 local governments, including several in Pennsylvania, along with unions, hospitals and Native American tribes have also sued various industry players including Purdue and other drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies. Purdue, a privately held company based in Stamford, Connecticut, earlier this year publicly threatened bankruptcy as the litigation mounts. Some states have also started suing members of the Sackler family, which includes prominent philanthropists and owns the firm. In March, the company and the Sacklers settled a case with Oklahoma for $270 million. The company settled with Kentucky in 2015 for $24 million. For 2017, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied a record of nearly 48,000 opioid deaths. In Pennsylvania, the state Health Department said that more than 4,200 people died of overdoses involving any drug last year, down from nearly 5,600 in 2017. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Federal Volunteer Brigade will hold its first-ever recruitment event on from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 8 and 9 at the Gettysburg Heritage Center, 297 Steinwehr Ave., Gettysburg. The brigade formed in July 2008 to provide living historians a means to honor the men who fought to preserve the Union during the Civil War, along with the women and families who supported them. Brigade members pledge to strive to accurately portray the lifestyle of the period with honor, dignity and respect to themselves, each other and to the memory of those who they represent. The brigade will have an encampment at the Heritage Center that will feature a weekend of drill and living history to show potential recruits the lifestyle and duties of a re-enactor. As part of the encampment, potential recruits and the public will be able to learn about soldiers lives during the war, the uniforms, accoutrement and weapons used during that period. The brigade is engaged throughout the Mid-Atlantic region in filling the ranks of First and Second Infantry Regiments, First Cavalry Regiment of the Potomac, Medical Department, Engineers, Provost Marshal and the Calvert Arms Fife and Drum Corps. Come do your part to keep our history alive with whatever skill you bring from infantry and cavalry to medical or music, Brig. Gen. J. Henson said. We can connect you with one of the nearly 20 companies that come from Virginia and Maryland to Delaware and Pennsylvania, who are seeking new re-enactors to join their ranks. Re-enactors from the companies will be available to answer questions about what it takes to become a Civil War re-enactor. More information on the brigade is available at www.federalvolunteerbrigade.com. Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.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. The American Red Cross is offering $5 Amazon gift cards to blood donors due to what they describe as a critical shortage in type O blood. The Red Cross Tuesday said it has less than a 2-day supply of type O blood available for emergency rooms. The organization said it collected about 11,500 fewer type O blood donations than needed to sustain a sufficient supply. All blood types are urgently needed, but were facing a critical shortage of type O blood, the blood group most needed by hospitals, said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. Because its vitally important for hospitals to have type O blood available when every second counts, type O donors are urged to donate now and make a point to donate often. All donors who give blood or platelets now through June 10 will receive a $5 Amazon.com gift card via email as a thank-you from the Red Cross. Here are upcoming Red Cross blood drives in the area: May 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Church of the Brethren, 16 Carlisle Road, Newville May 31 from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Brookdale Grandon Farms, 1100 Grandon Way, Mechanicsburg June 3 from 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Perry Mennonite Reception Center, 350 Greenpark Road, Elliottsburg Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHAMBERSBURG A 20-year-old man charged with abducting a 4-year-old girl from her Pennsylvania home and stuffing her into a wooden trunk has waived his preliminary hearing on kidnapping, indecent assault and other charges. Thomas Dewald is set to stand trial after waiving Tuesday's court appearance in Franklin County. Police say Dewald entered a home's unlocked front door on April 25, snatched the girl from her bed, and bound and put her in a trunk at his grandparents' house. State police say the child escaped and was found safe near the house where Dewald had been staying in Waynesboro. Authorities say Dewald told troopers he had been scoping out children who he thought lived in "deplorable conditions." Dewald remains jailed without bail. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Question: Regarding my posts about the terrible perversion of Torah and halacha that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky has engineered with his prod... Important!! email - yadmoshe@gmail.com The Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently announced the recipient of the 2019 Chamber Scholarship. Yancy McCarron, a senior at Central High School and the daughter of Robert and Emma McCarron, was awarded the scholarship at the schools academic banquet on April 30. McCarron will receive $500 per semester, for up to four consecutive semesters, toward her initial enrollment at Mineral Area College and any consecutive semesters at either Mineral Area College, Central Methodist University, or Missouri Baptist University. This is the fifth scholarship to be awarded since the chamber began its scholarship program. The scholarship is given to help with the cost of classes, supplies, and other needs as McCarron works to earn her Associates of Arts Degree. After completing her Associates Degree, McCarron plans to work towards obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology with a possible Minor in Museum Studies, Art History, or Religious Studies. McCarron said that she would eventually like to complete her Masters Degree, and possibly even a Ph.D. in Anthropology or Archaeology. She said shes uncertain just how much of her educational goals she will fulfill, however, upon completion, she hopes to pursue a successful career full of history. The graduating Central senior has dreams of traveling the world while participating in various excavations to uncover the past, exposing the ways humans once lived during various time periods and in other cultures. Even though she has a strong desire to travel, McCarron also has a strong desire to eventually return to her roots and use her experiences to further continue her historical endeavors. Her dream is to return to St. Francois County to gather as much historical information about the area through anthropological and archaeological research in hopes of curating a museum for citizens to view and learn about local history. She explained that coordinating school trips to this museum or even teaching classes about the towns history would be a top priority so that those who live here will have the opportunity to understand that local history is just as important as the rest of the countrys history. As a recipient of the Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, McCarron will receive her first $500 installment of funds to assist with either her spring or fall classes at Mineral Area College this year. Three more $500 installments will be available to the graduating senior; one for each consecutive semester she attends Mineral Area College, Central Methodist University, or Missouri Baptist University. She will receive a total of $2,000 in financial aid toward her continuing education studies. Finally, one of the recipient requirements of the scholarship outlines the importance of being an active member of the community in which they live, by insisting that the scholarship recipient attend and/or volunteer at one Chamber of Commerce investor meeting and one chamber-sponsored event such as the Annual Firecracker Run or Sweetheart Trivia Night. We look forward to having Yancy join us at an investor meeting and help at one of our Chamber sponsored events, said Chamber Executive Director Tamara Coleman. This will be a great opportunity for Chamber Investors and local members of the community to congratulate her on an outstanding high school academic record and continuing education plan. Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3628, or at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com. 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. A bench trial for Roberta Baker, who was charged in connection with the Feb. 23, 2018 death of her infant son, was held before Circuit Court Judge Wendy Wexler Horn on Monday. A bench trial means that Baker waived her right to a jury trial and the determination of her guilt or innocence relies solely on the judge. Baker is charged with Class A felony abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death. If found guilty, Baker could face a prison sentence of 10 years to life. After hearing testimony and arguments, Judge Horn took the case under advisement and is expected to render a verdict at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. On Monday, St. Francois County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Courtney Goodwin began the trial by calling Baker's mother, Vicky Morris, to testify. Morris testified that she and her husband lived on a property with her parents. On that same property, Morris brother lived in a mobile home and Baker was residing in that mobile home with her uncle. It was also noted that Bakers oldest two children lived with the Morrises in the house and that Morris had guardianship of those girls most of their lives. Morris testified that she knew Baker was pregnant and on the morning of Feb. 23, 2018, she was awakened by a second phone call from her brother at around 5 a.m. Her brother told her that Baker needed her. Morris said she arrived at the trailer within just a couple of minutes. When she got close to the trailer Morris said she saw Baker holding something by the door and asked twice in a surprise tone, Is that your baby? Morris said Baker asked her to help. Morris then said she called 911 because Baker had not and she then began CPR until Deputy Andrew Rieger with the St. Francois County Sheriffs Department arrived and took over the resuscitation efforts. Paul Morris, Bakers stepfather was also called to testify. He was asked to verify the timeline of events that occurred that morning. Deputy Rieger testified that when he arrived, the two women were in the bedroom with the baby and Morris was attempting to perform CPR. Rieger testified that the infant was discolored, had no pulse, no signs of breathing but was warm to the touch. Baker initially told the deputy that the baby had been born the day before but later said he had been born that day at 3:30 a.m. Baker also told Rieger that she had no medical care and that the baby was three months premature. Baker did admit she knew she was pregnant and told Rieger that no one else was in the home when she delivered the baby. Baker said she hadnt called for help because she had active warrants for her arrest. St. Francois County Det. Sgt. Ken Wakefield testified about the autopsy. Evidence included the stomach contents of the infant, Elijah Baker, as well as a small zip-tie that had been used to clamp the umbilical cord. Dr. Russell Deidiker, the forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy on Elijah, testified to the infants cause of death. Diediker testified that the gestational age of Elijah was 28-30 weeks which made him 10-12 weeks premature. Diediker testified that the child would have had respiratory difficulties at that age. In addition, Diediker testified that Elijah had evidence of breathing and there was formula in his stomach indicating that he had been born alive. Diediker testified that because of the lack of medical care and the infants prematurity, the child had zero chance of survival. Diediker also testified that the infant tested positive for meth. He officially ruled Elijahs death as a homicide in that the absence of medical care directly caused the death of the infant. Det. Lt. Matt Wampler was the lead investigator into the death of Elijah. Wampler initially interviewed Baker at the sheriffs department on the morning of Feb. 23, 2018. In this interview, Baker told Wampler that she didnt seek medical attention for the baby because she had active warrants and didnt want to go to prison. Wampler questioned Baker about her other children and she told him that all of her other three children had been born in the hospital. Baker said she went to bed on Feb. 22 not feeling well and woke up and delivered at around 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 23. Baker told Wampler in this interview that no one was with her at the time of delivery. Wampler then testified on the collection of multiple pieces of evidence from Baker's home. On Feb. 23 after collection of evidence, Wampler interviewed Baker a second time. In this interview Baker admitted that she lied and had given birth 24 hours earlier on Feb. 22 at 3 a.m. Baker told Wampler she lied because she was afraid Childrens Division would take her son away. Baker said that a friend who had claimed to have a nursing background was present with her when she delivered Elijah. In addition, Bakers boyfriend and another man were also in the home at the time. Wampler noted to Baker that the placenta, as well as the soiled bed clothes, were not found. Baker claimed no knowledge of what had happened to them. Baker told Wampler that she hoped the baby would pull through. Baker then told Wampler that she had been leaking placenta fluid for two days but had concluded the baby was sitting on her bladder. Baker told Wampler she went to bed and woke up contracting really bad and called for her friend to help. When her friend arrived, Baker told Wampler that she assisted in the delivery. Baker had Googled how to handle unassisted births. Baker claimed she thought it would be OK and that she didnt know Elijah was premature. Baker claimed that Elijah did fine for the first 20 hours. She said she woke up at 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 23 and noticed his color had changed and that his eyes looked funny." Baker told Wampler she should have called 911 and gotten prenatal care. In a third interview, Wampler determined Baker had sent her boyfriend and uncle to Walmart to buy supplies after Elijah was born. It was also learned that on Feb. 22 at 7:39 p.m. Baker uploaded a photo of Elijah to Facebook. Wampler also testified about several messages sent between Baker and friends telling them about Elijah and asking them not to tell anyone. Baker also sent messages to friends talking about how scared she was. In another conversation, Baker called herself a strong psycho bitch. Stephanie Zipfel, attorney for the defense, called Baker to the stand. Baker testified that she had taken prenatal vitamins and eaten healthy foods during the pregnancy. Baker claimed she had procrastinated going to the doctor. She said she was afraid she would lose her 4-year-old child, as well as the baby. Baker testified that whether she was at home or in the hospital, things can happen.. Baker said the baby was small but looked and acted great. The only concern she noted was that the baby wasnt eating as good as she would have liked. In cross-examination, Goodwin questioned Baker about how she told Rieger she was three months early in delivering the baby and how she had said she had concerns about the babys low birth weight. The defense rested following Bakers testimony. During closing arguments, Goodwin said that Baker knew she was pregnant and chose not to seek prenatal care. Goodwin said that Baker knew the child was premature and that her meth use had ultimately caused Elijahs death. Goodwin focused on the fact that Baker had 48 hours of labor and 26 hours before Elijah died to seek medical care for the infant but chose not to do so. Zipfel argued that the prosecution failed to show causation or that Baker had caused Elijahs death. Zipfel reiterated that Elijah could have died in the hospital and that there was no evidence of a specific crime. Zipfel claimed that when Baker thought something was wrong she sought help. She pointed out the baby was not pronounced dead until he was at the hospital. Zipfel also stated that many people are now having successful home deliveries and the fact Baker had delivered at home was not a reason to convict her of a crime. Goodwin rebutted that Baker knew the risks but hoped Elijah would pull through. In addition, Goodwin noted that no supplies were bought until after Elijah was born and that babies and children can not protect themselves and when they die someone has to step in and do something. Judge Horn said that this was a very difficult case." She said it was not a judgement that she wanted to make right away but needed time to review notes, evidence, and case law. Baker is currently incarcerated with the Missouri Department of Corrections for a probation violation of previous possession charges. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 10 Editor's note - This is the latest installment in a series of stories taking a look at services, public offices and infrastructure we rely on every day but may not fully understand. The county prosecuting attorneys office handles a myriad of criminal cases. Prosecuting attorneys are limited, however, in what legal matters with which they can get involved. We are constantly getting calls from people who are wanting us to assist them in their child custody matters or their child support issues or that they havent been treated fairly by the court system, Gilliam said. We are not able to intervene in those situations because we are only dealing with things that are actual crimes. Gilliam explained how her offices caseload is wide ranging, covering anything from petty crimes all the way up to the worst felonies. When it comes to the criminal side, we start with all the way down to traffic infractions, she said. Anything thats brought in by state patrol because they didnt happen in a municipality, they happen in St. Francois County we get those. No insurance, expired license plates and expired drivers license. Then you work your way into criminal driving which are DUIs, driving with license revoked, anything on the state roads, misdemeanor crimes of stealing, assaults, shoplifting and peace disturbance. Then you get into felonies which are the same [offenses] with higher amounts, drug possession, assaults, robberies, kidnappings, stabbings, shootings and homicides. Gilliams office is broken down into separate specialized units for the different types of criminal activity involved. We have the bad check unit. We have the traffic unit. We have the misdemeanor unit and then we have the felony unit, she said. We have the child support unit. It is housed here in St. Francois County, but the child support attorney services all of the circuit, which is [also] Madison County, Washington County and Ste. Genevieve County. Interestingly enough, due to improved technology and the changing times, Gilliam explained that one crime is occurring much less than seen in past years. Bad checks are a whole separate unit that has gotten smaller, she said. People are writing less checks. Still it happens that people write checks and dont have the money to cover it. The victim of those crimes send them to us and we collect the money for them through criminal cases. Although the prosecutors office only deals with crimes, Gilliam clarified that there is the occasional case where a crime may not have actually been committed or an attempt to confine a person so they can't harm themselves or others. We have mental health cases where we represent Parkland Hospital if theyre requesting a 21-day hold for someone that was brought to them, she said. Or a 96-hour hold on someone that is a danger to themselves or others due to some sort of mental illness. Gilliam discussed her staff and their job responsibilities. On the criminal side, we have four other attorneys, she said. One on the child support side which can be criminal and civil. One investigator and one victim advocate were about to add a second one. A receptionist, file clerk and five legal secretaries. Gilliam explained why some cases go to a municipal court and others to the circuit court, even when its the same type of offense. The city only deals with cases that are ordinance violations, she said. There are certain charges where officers can make the decision on whether to write it as an ordinance violation or a state (law) violation. Anything thats a violation of state law is handled by my office. Gilliam noted that her office covers any criminal activity that happens in the county which is handled by the sheriffs deputies. When outside of her office or the courtroom, Gilliam stresses that very little can be discussed about court cases in general. People ask us to comment on closed cases when we are not allowed to, she said. There are ethical rules that apply to prosecutors that prevent us from talking openly about active cases. We can speak generally and inform the public, but we may not be able to speak specifically about a certain case. The biggest thing for me is on Facebook. I get messages on my private Facebook page from people I dont know wanting to meet with me about a pending case, or asking me questions about things that I cant answer on Facebook because its a public, social media app. "I understand that they have questions. I direct them to our public page, but even then there are some things were just not going to be able to talk about on Facebook itself but we can get their contact information to follow up on it. When dealing with the public, Gilliam observed that all areas of law enforcement and the legal system have a common denominator. A lot of people really question everything you do in this line of work, she said. Youre either not doing enough or doing too much." Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com. 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. DEAR ABBY: I'm getting married in a few months, and with all of the wedding planning, I have realized that in my fiance's priorities, I come last, as do my opinions and desires. We were supposed to go to a nice restaurant for his birthday, so I made reservations a month in advance. Yesterday (two days before his birthday) his parents decided they wanted to take him out to dinner to celebrate it. He immediately canceled our plans to go to the nice restaurant so he can have dinner with them. I told him it seems like I always come last, and no matter what we plan, if his parents say go, he goes. He said that isn't true, but it is. Now that I realize I will never come first, I'm having doubts about marrying him. When I told him we should hold off on getting married, he said we are NOT postponing the wedding, and we WILL get married on the date we picked. Although I express my feelings about postponing the wedding almost every day, I get nowhere. Now I feel like I'm being forced to marry someone I'm not sure I want to marry. I'm not in a good emotional state, and I am constantly thinking of suicide. If I'm forced to marry someone I don't want to, how am I supposed to have a happy and healthy life? -- MIXED UP IN THE MIDWEST DEAR MIXED UP: Because you are having suicidal thoughts, it is imperative that you talk with a mental health professional who can guide you back on track. Please do this RIGHT AWAY! If you and your fiance haven't had premarital counseling, insist upon it NOW. And absolutely postpone that wedding. Feeling as you do, and under these circumstances, you should not marry ANYONE. DEAR ABBY: I read you every morning, and I need your advice. I am writing you from a nursing home. I am 97 years old, and I am in a wheelchair because I cannot stand, but I still make up my bed. I am an artist, and I still paint. I give the paintings I create to those who help me. My room is small, and it will not hold a lot of stuff. I have a grandson who brings me clothes and food because I cannot eat much because of my teeth. My problem is, when old friends come to see me, they bring beautiful gifts. They are kind, but I cannot use what they bring -- a comforter that is much too big for my bed, extra pillows or very large books that are hard to keep in my small space, although I love reading. The nursing home is nice, and I get good care. It is kept clean, and they see I get what I need. I feel blessed. Abby, I love my friends and don't want to hurt their feelings. This issue of gifts has become more than I know how to deal with. Can you help me know what to tell them? -- GRATEFUL IN TEXAS DEAR GRATEFUL: Tell these lovely -- and generous -- friends that you deeply appreciate their caring and generosity, but because your room is so small, you have no place to put the items. If they haven't been in your room, show it to them so they can see for themselves. DEAR ABBY: I have known "Charlotte" for 17 years. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding, and we talk and text regularly. I consider her one of my best friends. Charlotte has had a tough couple years and has sunk into a depression. We live on opposite sides of the country, so I don't see her in person often, but I can hear the change in our phone conversations. She even admits that she's in a depression. Recently, she told me she feels she no longer has a reason to live and has considered harming herself. Because I live so far away, I couldn't get to her so I could be there for her, but I called a mutual friend ("Sandy") who lives nearby and asked her to check on my friend. Charlotte didn't mention anything to Sandy about the way she was feeling or her thoughts of suicide and pretended like everything was OK. I know things are NOT OK, and I'm extremely worried that Charlotte may hurt herself in a moment of despair. She has a therapist she sees on occasion, and I have urged Charlotte to be honest with her about her feelings. Charlotte says she will, but I'm not sure if she actually does. How do I help her? Should I go visit her to show her she has friends who love and support her? Is there anything more I can do than encourage her to stick with counseling? -- WORRIED SICK IN INDIANA DEAR WORRIED: If you know the name of Charlotte's therapist, you could write the person a letter about your friend confiding to you that she feels she has no reason to live anymore and has considered harming herself. Because of privacy laws, the therapist may not be able to communicate with you, but at least she will be aware. Whether Charlotte was serious or just venting, this is something her therapist would be in a better position to help with than you are from a distance. DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married 35 years, and I'm not sure how to respond to some recent developments in our relationship. Ever since our wedding, I have tried to persuade him to attend church with me, but he always declined, preferring instead to stay home and catch up on his sleep. Both of us are Protestants, so I don't think my denomination was an issue. However, when his older brother moved back to our area a few months ago, my husband decided to attend church services regularly with him and his family. On top of that, he now wants us to have separate Facebook accounts and separate email addresses. For the most part, I have kept my feelings to myself, but I am worried that my needs are no longer important to him. Do you think I have a reason to be concerned? -- WORRIED WIFE IN WICHITA DEAR WIFE: Yes, I do. Any drastic change in a spouse's behavior is cause for concern, and his sudden desire to separate his internet activity from yours is another red flag. Stop keeping your feelings to yourself and speak up. He may be doing something on Sunday mornings besides going to church with his brother. DEAR ABBY: My son bought me a car in 2012. I had no idea he was doing it. He traded my car in for this newer car. During the last five years this "gift" has been nothing but a sore spot. If I get a ding from a parking lot, it's my fault. If I let someone smoke in it, I'm unappreciative. It's always, "I do something to help you, and you're so ungrateful." I'm at the point of giving it back and riding a bus. What's the solution? -- AUTO-CHALLENGED MOM IN WEST VIRGINIA DEAR AUTO-CHALLENGED: The solution is to stand up for yourself. Your son appears to be using his "generosity" to badger you. If you haven't told him how his comments have made you feel, you should. Point out that you can't control what happens to the vehicle when you're not in it. And once a gift is given, it's the recipient's to do with as she wishes. If a friend lighting up in YOUR car doesn't bother you, you shouldn't have to apologize for it. As a last resort, consider trading the car in for one he has nothing to do with. DEAR ABBY: After 31 years of marriage, I divorced my husband last year. I was very unhappily married, and am glad to be moving forward in life. Our children suffered as well because of our marriage, and are only now beginning to make healthy choices. My problem is that people I knew ages ago have found me on social media and want to reconnect. I'm not ready for that. I don't want to discuss what's been happening for the last 32 years. I don't want to wave them off, but neither do I want to talk about my life. It would make them uncomfortable. I'm building a new life now, but it's still under construction. How do I respond to these well-meaning old friends? -- NOT READY IN THE SOUTH DEAR NOT READY: You do not have to reveal anything to these old acquaintances that you don't wish to. If they ask questions you feel are too personal or painful, all you have to say is you would rather not discuss it. Then change the subject. DEAR ABBY: My husband tosses and turns, snores, talks and sings in his sleep. In short, I cannot get my sleep when we're in the same bed. He insists that I sleep with him because "if I don't, it would create a rift in our marriage." When I tell him I love him but I need to get my sleep, he says that love is only a word for me if I don't act upon it by sleeping next to him. It has gotten so bad I am thinking of leaving him. Advice? -- ONLY A WORD IN OHIO DEAR ONLY A WORD: Rather than leave, schedule an appointment for both of you with your family physician. Because your "musical" husband is tone-deaf when he hears you need a solid night's sleep, let the doctor impress upon him how important sleep is for good mental and physical health. Many happily married couples sleep in separate beds -- and sometimes even separate rooms -- and have great relations both in and out of bed. When there are sleep problems, sleeping apart isn't a matter of rejection; it's common sense. DEAR ABBY: How old does a child have to be before she is able to choose a relative to live with? I'm the one my granddaughter wants to stay with. Her home life is in turmoil because of her parents' nasty divorce. Ever since her mother (my daughter) found out my granddaughter wants to live with me, she has forbidden her to talk to me, and me to contact her. Her mother is depressed and angry, but won't seek counseling. She doesn't talk to me unless it's to say ugly things. My granddaughter said her mother never smiles anymore. We are very close and this hurts my heart. She's a good girl and should be able to be happy. We live several hours away, and are more than willing to have her. She already has a room here, and our home is never happier than when she's visiting. We haven't spoken to her in months, and we really miss her. Her younger sibling gets most of the positive attention, while she receives mostly negative attention. I have seen this happen many times. She tries so hard to please her mom. I don't know what to do to help her. -- HEARTBROKEN IN OKLAHOMA DEAR HEARTBROKEN: It would have been helpful if you had mentioned why your daughter is angry with you and is preventing your grandchild from contacting you and vice versa. If she's in such bad shape that it is negatively affecting your granddaughter, your questions should be addressed to a lawyer. If your granddaughter is in her teens, she might be considered mature enough to ask to live with a relative other than her mother. If not, and her mother's hostility is affecting her schoolwork, a trusted teacher or counselor at school might be able to see she gets the emotional support she needs. DEAR ABBY: My husband is very outgoing. He loves chatting on the phone for hours, and talks with all the neighbors up and down the street. He's retired, so it's fine -- up to a point. We have a set time for dinner, which is 6:30, and he knows it. Invariably he'll be on the phone or up the street when it's close to dinner. I always remind him 10 to 15 minutes ahead, which gives him time to be here to eat, but he'll keep chatting until he's anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour late to dinner. I put time and effort into preparing my meals. I grow my own vegetables and think of creative things to fix. He always comments how great the meals are, so it's not that he doesn't like my food. If it's not eaten promptly, it's overcooked/mushy/wilted, etc., so I go ahead and eat if he's not here. I'd like him to be with me when I sit down at the table. I feel it's incredibly rude for him to be late. When I tell him that, he laughs like it's a big joke. Short of treating him like a 2-year-old and throwing his food away if he doesn't show up on time, I'm not sure what to do. Can you help? -- FED UP IN NAPA, CALIF. DEAR FED UP: I can't force your husband to the dinner table and neither can you. To toss his dinner into the garbage would be too overtly hostile and a waste of food. Try this: Tell him dinner time is 6:30, but prepare the food as if it's for 6:45 or 7. DEAR ABBY: I'm a 16-year-old girl who has started college early. I love my classes, and I'm glad to be here. The problem is, the dating culture here is huge. People go on dates all the time. I have been asked out several times, and I feel comfortable going, but I feel dishonest when I don't tell them that I'm 16. However, if I'm upfront about my age, the offer usually gets rescinded, and it becomes incredibly awkward. How can I have a fun college dating experience while still being truthful about my age? -- COLLEGE STUDENT IN UTAH DEAR COLLEGE STUDENT: The age of consent for a girl in Utah is 16. For a young man, it is 18. You shouldn't jump the gun and announce your age before getting to know someone. If you are asked, of course you shouldn't lie about it. However, I see no reason to volunteer the information when you are asked for a date. DEAR ABBY: I am a 32-year-old late-deafened adult. I have been deaf in my right ear my whole life, but lost my hearing in my left ear after a tumor was removed when I was 27. I guess they are right when they say we are never fully prepared to lose things we have taken for granted for so long. I still have trouble communicating with people. I have taken a few sign language classes and four lip-reading classes, but I often feel like I'm no longer part of normal society. My question is, shouldn't I have adjusted by now regarding how people see me, since I have been without hearing for so long? -- HEARING IMPAIRED DEAR HEARING IMPAIRED: I have been told that the most isolating disability is being unable to hear. Please do not burden yourself by feeling you "should" have adjusted faster than you have. There is no set timetable for adjusting to any disability. Because you feel stuck in the process, the Hearing Loss Association of America (hearingloss.org) may be helpful because it sponsors support groups in many states. Please check it out. DEAR ABBY: Do you think it is fair for me to do all the housework AND pick up dog doo-doo just because I moved into my sister's house with her and her family? They have five dogs and four cats. No one else bothers to do it. I do it to lessen the smell. When I try to say something, they say I am "causing problems." I don't have any animals of my own. -- POOPER SCOOPER DEAR P.S.: I agree that the task of picking up after an animal -- let alone nine of them -- isn't something most people look forward to. However, if you are living rent-free with your sister's family, perhaps you should consider your chores to be your contribution to the household. P.S. Because you mentioned that no one else cleans up the animal messes, consider finding more hygienic living arrangements as soon as it's feasible. DEAR ABBY: We have some friends who take a couple of expensive extended vacations each year. They go to Europe and take cruises. For the last four years, they have never once booked ground transportation from home to the airport and back. Instead, they rely on friends to take them to the airport. They have plenty of money. They are just too cheap to pay for a shuttle, cab or limo. They never offer to put gas in the car or pay for the parking. It is a 45-minute drive in heavy traffic. They are getting ready for another trip. What should I say when asked? Please give me your thoughts on their behavior. -- UNHAPPY ABOUT THIS IN GEORGIA DEAR UNHAPPY: These friends appear to be centered on themselves. Rather than fume about it, the next time you are asked to drive them to the airport, tell them you have a conflict and are unavailable. DEAR ABBY: I am a 47-year-old professional man who loves children, but never had any of my own. Consequently, I have never had to contend with the considerable cost of raising children. Many of my friends are parents, and I feel the urge to buy their kids nice presents I know they want, or that I never received when I was a child, e.g., a wonderful bike or train set. What's the protocol for giving an expensive gift (e.g., a saxophone that can cost $1,000) to non-related children without creating awkwardness or obligation? Naturally, I would always check with the parents first. (All of us are white-collar executives and employed, but no one is "filthy rich.") -- GIFT GIVER IN OAKLAND, CALIF. DEAR GIFT GIVER: The protocol is the one you are already observing, which is to have a conversation with the parents before buying expensive gifts for their children. And when you do, make clear that it is not your wish to cause awkwardness or a sense of obligation. DEAR ABBY: My brother-in-law found out I smoke marijuana. I have a medical card and some mental disabilities. Marijuana helps with my anxiety. Although we live near each other, my in-laws now say they don't want me in their homes. The stress this has put on my husband is unfair. His brother obviously has a problem with me. I never discuss marijuana with anyone and don't carry it around with me. I use it only in the privacy of my home. How should I expect my husband to handle holidays or even regular get-togethers? I really need help. -- UNFAIR IN NEVADA DEAR UNFAIR: Medical and recreational marijuana are legal for adults in the state of Nevada. I wish you had mentioned how your brother-in-law learned you are using it. That it is being used as an excuse to isolate you is cruel. How your husband chooses to handle further contact -- or lack of it -- with his relatives will be his personal decision. Not knowing how close they have been, I can't guess what his next step should be -- except to point out that his first loyalty should be to you. DEAR ABBY: I'm married to a beautiful woman, "Suzonne." We are bodybuilders and into fitness, so we are both quite muscular. Recently, my wife cut her hair short. It's a great look for her, and we both love the style. Unfortunately, some people have begun calling her "sir" at work and when she's out and about. Suzonne waits tables a couple of nights a week for extra income. Some of the customers have gone so far as to keep calling her "sir" after she has told them that she's female. This infuriates me because it's so disrespectful. I know it hurts my wife's feelings, although she has been super strong about it. It's plain when you look at Suzonne that she is a beautiful woman. How can she nip this in the bud before it starts to make her feel bad? I feel a strong need to defend her, and I don't want to get into a physical altercation with anyone over it. -- HURT FEELINGS IN FLORIDA DEAR HURT FEELINGS: Because your wife has a muscular build and a short haircut, it's possible some of the individuals who call her "sir" are making an honest mistake. However, for someone to persist after being informed that she is a woman is extremely rude. (It makes me wonder if the offender has a warped sense of humor or is threatened by her muscular appearance.) When it happens at work, Suzonne should ask her manager how the situation should be handled rather than allow it to continue. But under no circumstances should you get into a physical altercation because of it. Instead, on the home front, continue to reassure your wife that she's beautiful. DEAR ABBY: My husband refuses to memorize my cellphone number. He says as long as it's in his phone he doesn't need to. I feel he should know it so if he loses the phone or the battery goes dead, I can be reached. What do you think? -- LOGICAL IN KANSAS DEAR LOGICAL: Experience is the best teacher. I think you should stop arguing with your husband and let him suffer the consequences. An option might be for him to jot the number on a small piece of paper and keep it in his wallet. DEAR ABBY: My wife passed away two years ago at age 40 after a long bout with cancer. We had three children, ages 7 to 12. I am 44 and engaged now to a wonderful woman. We are planning to have a small wedding with fewer than 50 guests. While the kids and I are doing well, my late wife's mother, "Karen," is still grieving. She has a forceful personality and can be quite pushy. She lives nearby. We have not finalized the arrangements or sent out invitations. Karen has been asking if she and my former father-in-law are invited, but we haven't answered her yet. She says she's hurt because she feels we don't want her there. Is it proper etiquette to invite the parents of a deceased spouse to a remarriage? The only people she would know aside from us would be my parents, who need to bond with my fiancee's family who are coming from out of town. The kids seem to not care either way. If it were me, I'd feel awkward being there. Help! -- LOOKING TO THE FUTURE IN ILLINOIS DEAR LOOKING: Although your late wife is gone, her parents are still your children's grandparents and therefore should be treated as part of your family. While you might feel awkward if you were in their position, consider how hurt they will be if they are not included on the guest list. The decision whether to attend should be theirs to make. Welcome them and treat them with kindness. A wife can be "replaced," but a daughter cannot, which is why Karen is still grieving even though you have gone on with your life. DEAR ABBY: I need advice on how to deal with a friend/neighbor's messy, unkempt backyard. We are getting ready to put our house on the market, and I'm concerned their yard may be a deterrent to potential buyers. Their pool looks like a swamp, and various pieces of lawn furniture are strewn about the yard. Tables are turned upside down and random items are thrown about. They are friends of ours, but I have no clue how to broach such a sensitive topic without upsetting them. Please help. -- LIVING NEXT TO A SWAMP DEAR LIVING: Because those neighbors are friends, I assume they are aware that you are selling your home. If you live in an area that's prone to any dangerous mosquito-borne viruses, you would be doing them a favor to point out that their pool equipment needs fixing because still water makes an excellent breeding place for mosquitoes. As to the state of their yard, your real estate agent may have some suggestions about how to handle that. If you and your spouse volunteer to help your neighbors make it more attractive, they might be receptive. However, if they refuse and you live in a community with a neighborhood association that regulates how properties must look in order to preserve their value, consider bringing this to its attention. DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, "Hal," and I have been dating for a year and a half, living together for six months. I'm afraid he feels emasculated. Because I make more money than he does, a lot of the responsibility for paying the bills lands on me. We try to split things down the middle, but recent complications with his job have meant it doesn't always work out that way. I love Hal. I know he's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I don't want money to be a dividing force, but I don't know what to say to make him feel better. This has been the elephant in the room for some time. Hal helps out with cooking and housework, and because of that, I don't mind putting a little more into the bills. I do not want this to be an issue further down the road. Any advice is appreciated. -- STUCK ON THIS IN VIRGINIA DEAR STUCK: The problem with elephants in the room is, the longer they are ignored, the larger the herd becomes. It's amazing that two important subjects -- sex and finances -- are such touchy ones to discuss. Choose a time when you and Hal are relaxed, and then bring up your concerns. Tell him how much you appreciate him in your life and the efforts he makes to make life easier for you, and that you don't want money issues to cause problems between the two of you. He may need to hear you say it. Then encourage him to express his feelings the way you have. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 President Trump and his allies often say they only oppose undocumented immigrants, not legal ones. During a 2016 campaign stop in Illinois, Trump even applauded a supporter wearing a T-shirt that read, "Legal Immigrant For Trump." The candidate patted the man on the back and said, "We want people to come in. But they've got to come in, like you, legally, my man." That's not true. Since taking office, Trump has waged a ruthless scorched-earth campaign against many forms of legal immigration. After a lengthy study of administration policies, the Daily Beast concluded: "The Trump administration has quietly and unofficially made it significantly harder for people to legally immigrate to the United States, according to numerous immigration lawyers." The most recent evidence is a severe crackdown on the ability of migrants who are fleeing danger and persecution at home to seek asylum in this country -- a totally legal process recognized and protected by international conventions. "That's further confirmation that the administration's official policy toward legal immigration is 'restriction by any means necessary,'" David Bier, an immigration analyst at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, told USA Today. "They're looking across all programs for ways that they can reduce the number of new legal permanent residents, and other foreign workers in the U.S. economy." Trump showed his true colors by endorsing a draconian measure drafted by two Republican senators that would slash legal immigration in half over the next decade. Since that bill has no chance of passing, the president has used executive action to pursue the same goal. For example, Trump proposed new regulations that would charge asylum seekers a fee and make it harder for many to obtain work permits while they wait for their cases to be adjudicated. He's tightened the definition of what sort of mistreatment entitles an asylum-seeker to protection. And just this week, reports the Washington Post, the president ordered asylum officers to "take a more skeptical and confrontational approach during interviews with migrants seeking refuge." "The standards are demanding. Courts require proof," David Leopold, a prominent immigration lawyer, told the Post. "And frankly, when people flee persecution, they don't show up with a note from their torturer." The new attorney general, William Barr, has eagerly joined Trump's cruel crusade, mandating that asylum seekers who are apprehended crossing the border illegally can be detained indefinitely without bail. "We are talking about people who are fleeing for their lives, seeking safety," Judy Rabinovitz, an immigration lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, said in the New York Times. "And our response is just 'lock them up.'" Migrants seeking safety who manage to reach the United States can ask for asylum. Applicants outside the country are categorized as refugees, and Trump seems equally determined to slash that program as well. The administration says it will admit no more than 30,000 refugees in the current fiscal year, but it has erected so many obstacles that only 12,099 navigated the system during the first six months. At that pace, the U.S. will process about 25,000 refugees this year, compared to an average of almost 80,000 that had long prevailed under both Democratic and Republican administrations. This hard-hearted and immoral crackdown comes while the U.N. estimates that more than 68 million people are displaced around the world, with more than 25 million of them being refugees. "At a time when the administration could be leading the world in our humanitarian response, which has traditionally been a bipartisan effort, they are slow-walking the program," Jenny Yang of World Relief, a Christian humanitarian organization, told ABC. Crushing refugees and asylum seekers is only part of Trump's war on legal immigrants. He's tried to cancel a program under which more than 310,000 immigrants from 10 countries have been allowed to live here after natural disasters and civil wars decimated their home countries. He's tried to end an Obama-era program that allows "Dreamers," undocumented young people who arrived as children, to remain in this country. He's repeatedly attacked laws that allow babies born here to become citizens, and that allow citizens to bring their foreign relatives here to join them. So the record is clear: Trump lied to that man in the T-shirt. He does not "want people to come in." He wants to keep them out. He would sap the economy of vitally needed young workers and dishonor our reputation as a tolerant, generous nation. His war on immigrants might win votes next year, but it's a clear loser for America. Steve and Cokie Roberts can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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 Odisha: State Govt aid for fisheries, animal resources sectors May 14,2019 | Source: The New Indian Express AS the extremely severe cyclone Fani inflicted heavy damage on animal resources development and fisheries sectors, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced livelihood support package for compensating the farmers who suffered losses. The package includes compensation of Rs 30,000 per milch cow and buffalo, Rs 25,000 per draught animal (up to three animals), Rs 16,000 per calf (up to six animals), Rs 3,000 per goat (up to 30 animals) and Rs 50 per bird (maximum Rs 5,000). For cow sheds damaged during the cyclone, 50,000 affected farmers/women self help groups (WSHGs) will be provided assistance of Rs 50,000 each. Besides, 20,000 affected farmers/WSHGs will be provided compensation of Rs 30,000 each for construction of damaged goat shed. Besides, 5,000 farmers/WSHGs will be assisted with four goats and one buck with unit cost of Rs 20,000 each under Odisha Livelihoods Mission. The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of 50 per cent of Rs 80,000 for a new Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Boat on replacement basis and 50 pc of Rs 20,000 for net for fully or partially damaged boats and nets for the affected marine and Chilika fishermen. Besides, financial assistance of 50 pc of Rs 30,000 for new FRP boat on replacement basis and 50 pc of Rs 20,000 for net will be provided to the affected inland fishermen. Financial assistance of Rs 12,200 per hectare will provided to the fish farmers (fresh water and brackish water) for repair of damaged dykes of 500 hectares. Besides, financial assistance of Rs 75,000 per hectare will provided to the fish farmers as input assistance for 200 hectares. Under the handicrafts sector, assistance of Rs 4,100 will be provided per artisan for replacement of tools/equipment and and Rs 4,100 per artisan for loss of raw materials/goods in process/finished goods will be provided to 70,000 artisans in the affected districts. Besides, financial assistance has also been announced for weavers. West Bengal: Whose right is it in the Sundarbans? by Chinmayi T. S. Arati Halbe May 14,2019 | Source: Research Matters A quarter of Indias population, including indigenous tribes or Adivasis, have for centuries lived in and around forests, depending on it for their livelihood. When the British enacted laws to bring forests under the ownership of the state, these communities lost their homes and livelihoods. In 2006, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, also called the Forest Rights Act (FRA), was passed to assert the rights of these communities over the forests on which they always depended. After more than a decade, do these communities finally have the right on their forests? A study by Prof. Sarmistha Pattanaik and Dr Amrita Sen of Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, has found that implementation of this law has been marred by bureaucracy. The Forest Rights Act allows traditional forest dwelling communities the right to live in the forests, use them for agriculture and to collect non-timber forest products like honey. The tribal communities also have the right to take decisions on the forest and biodiversity conservation. The act also empowers Gram Sabhas, responsible for the supervision of forest management, to accept, verify and decide community and individual claims on forest lands by the tribals. In the current study, the researchers have looked at the implementation of this law in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, the largest estuarine mangrove forests in the world, shared between India and Bangladesh. The findings were published in the journal Environment, Development and Sustainability. FRA is presently a bone of contention in almost all of India, specifically those with tribal majorities. However the concerns of our study are quite unique and has not been documented earlier, although Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand have a tinge of similar problems, says Amrita Sen, a former PhD scholar at IIT Bombay and the lead author of the study. The researchers found that bureaucracy in the region, in collusion with local elites like forest workers, fishery owners, agriculturists and local political leaders, each with their vested interests, has resulted in the denial of forest rights to the tribal communities. The researchers interviewed 75 households in villages under the Satjelia Gram Panchayat of West Bengal. About 51 of them depended entirely on the forests for their livelihoods, while the rest supplemented their income through wage labour or migrated to cities during times unfavourable for fishing. Most of these villages had people from Scheduled Castes, including migrants from Bangladesh; Bhumij and Munda tribes, which are Scheduled Tribes; and those from Other Backward Classes. The study found that the decisions regarding matters related to forests rested with the state in violation of FRA, and the bureaucrats used various tactics to prevent the tribals from accessing these forests. The needy and poor are unable to recognise their entitlements and are not active in local politicsa situation which the local elites have taken advantage of. The five village-level representatives of the committee are mainly agriculturalists, fishery owners or service job holders, with no associations with forests, say the authors. A point in case is the village of Emilibari, where the JFM committee responsible for managing forests is formed by the political elites in the region, who are aligned with political parties currently in power. The lack of knowledge, literacy, money and power on the part of tribal communities have resulted in unequal representation, which adversely affects decisions on these matters, the study points out. If the rights of the forest dependents are recognised through FRA, it would act as a major blow to the established vote banks in the village as well as to the incentives, which the different cadres of the political parties presently leverage in the villages, explain the authors. The party workers in local panchayats detested the implementation of FRA time and again, and the police have interrupted awareness campaigns, they add. There are of course many reasons behind this discontent of the local elites. As a norm, powerful politicians pay a ransom to regional party offices to set up eco-hotels to attract tourism revenues and party workers liaise with the forest department to uphold their electoral interests. However, if FRA is implemented, the owners of the eco-hotels and fisheries, which are set up illegally on forest lands, would have to seek permission from the locals for running their ventures. Hence, attempts have been made by political party leaders to thwart awareness campaigns, conducted by several organisations, to equip the locals with the knowledge of their rights. The study also found that the Backward Classes Welfare Department (BCWD), which is responsible for implementing FRA in the state, has left out identifying the two districts in the Sunderbans to enforce the act. According to the functionaries, the deputations for implementing FRA in North and South 24 Parganas have been overruled repeatedly by the district magistrates and the forest department, considering the global prominence of Sundarban as a World Heritage Site, say the authors. The tribals are also denied their rights in the name of conservation. Officials often cite that human activities are already stressing the Sundarbans, and implementing FRA would further damage these forests. On the contrary, the illegal activities of the local elites have considerably damaged the ecosystem, found the study. Encouraging tourism in a fragile mangrove ecosystem, for example, increases pollution in these forests, harming the health of these forests. Fisheries, spurred by the increased demand for tiger prawns and crabs, is another culprit ruining the livelihood of the locals, say the authors. Most agricultural lands, belonging to the tribals, are being converted into fisheries by intentionally breaching the adjacent embankments. As a result, brackish water enters the nearby fields and destroys the crops. The owners of these fisheries, who are mostly political elites, thus benefit from the non-implementation of the FRA. Besides, the collection of prawn seeds reduces the young population of other fish, affecting the tribal fishermen. The findings of the study highlight the politicisation and gaps in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, a topic widely debated in academic circles. They explain how bureaucratic interventions and vested interests of the elites hinder the legal rights of the forest-dependent tribals. The study also shows how the already established mutual agreements between the elites and the bureaucrats in the region falter. More research needs to be invested in pointing out the kinds of obstructions rendered by local elites and political parties towards FRA, conclude the authors. The death penalty remains on the books at least another year. Democrats in the state legislature have momentarily given up their effort to see the punishment eliminated in the state of Colorado. Senators Angela Williams and Julie Gonzales, both Democrats, introduced the legislation in early March. But when it came time for discussion and votes, the bill (known as SB-182 ) looked dead-on-arrival. Im going to give SB-182 a dignified death. Not a torturous one, Gonzales explained to her congressional colleagues. I ask that this bill be laid over because I believe wholeheartedly that the way in which we treat each other through this process is as important as the policy itself. So when this bill comes back next session, there will be nothing left to hide behind, except this abhorrent, terrible practice. So the debate about our usage of the death penalty is yet ongoing, despite the recent efforts by Senators Williams and Gonzales. They did expect their legislation to pass without much issue, especially now that Democrats control both houses of Congress and the governorship of the state; they didnt anticipate backlash from within the party. Others, however, werent on board. A main issue lies within the core group of politicians expected to vote for the bill to send it onto Governor Polis desk for signing: at least one fellow Democrat, Senator Rhonda Fields, said she felt like she had experienced a sucker punch, having claimed she had been made aware of the bill on a Monday and was being expected to vote for it on the following Wednesday. Senator Fields became active in politics after the death of her son, Javad Marshall-Fields, and his fiancee Vivian Wolfe, who were murdered in 2005. The two men who collaborated in the crime are on death row at the Colorado State Penitentiary, alongside one other killer who shot and killed four people while injuring another at a Chuck-E-Cheese. It was not enough time for Senator Fields, offers Abbey Vogel, an aide to Senator Gonzales who spoke with this reporter. Were going to try again next year. In their opinion, the bill will pass with Fields help; they believe she perhaps only needs the additional emotional preparation. On the other side of the political aisle, Republican Senator Owen Hill issued the following statement: The people of Colorado have a right to speak on this issue. Whether or not you support or oppose the death penalty, it is important to recognize the emotional weight that this issue carries to many in our state. Im thankful that the Senate recognized this and decided to postpone this debate until we can conduct a deliberative process with victims, advocates, activists, and legal professionals together to reach a conclusion that includes all voices. One survivor of the Chuck-E-Cheese killing spree, Bobby Stephens, spoke to Denvers 9News explaining that much like Senator Fields he had been surprised by the rapidity of the bills introduction. In his opinion, this issue should be left up to voters. Nobody has reached out to the victims in these cases, says Stephens. After reaching out to our District Attorney Beth McCann at her Denver office, we learned from her Communications Director Carolyn Tyler that DA McCann opposes the death penalty and testified in support of SB-182; excerpts of her testimony offer insight to the direction in which the city is looking: There are a few good arguments in favor of keeping the death penalty in Colorado. I respect the thoughtful and informed opinion of those who still favor capital punishment, particularly those who have lost a loved one in a horrible murder If the death penalty is not available for class one felonies, the punishment is automatic life without parole Some will argue that capital punishment serves as a deterrent. In my experience, people who commit extreme acts of violence do not consider the legal consequences of their actions. Death penalty cases take far too long and drain far too many resources These cases take 20-30 years on average to resolve. Here in Colorado, the Nathan Dunlap case has been going on for 25 years now. The burden on the system itself is enormous. Defense counsel should and will file hundreds of motions throughout the pendency of a death penalty case. No stone will be left unturned in the representation of a person facing death. Prosecutors will tell you that when a death penalty case is pending in an office, it affects everyone in the office to some degree. It becomes a focal point for resources and drains resources from prosecution of other important cases. In conclusion, the death penalty law no longer serves the interest of public safety, criminal justice nor the needs of victims and their families. It allows for the inconsistent administration of justice and involves the state in the taking of a life. It is time for the Legislature to repeal the law. However, to offer some additional background, we must consider that the United States is the last of the developed Western world countries to execute its citizens. While twenty other states have eliminated the death penalty from their penal codes, Colorado continues to maintain execution as a viable punishment. According to the Death Penalty Information Center , seeking life-without-possibility-of-parole costs the taxpayer an approximate $740,000. Comparatively, prosecutors seeking a death sentence for the same crime will run about $1.26 million. Thats just the cost of the initial trial. Housing a death row prisoner runs taxpayers approximately $90,000 extra per year. Some death penalty proponents will occasionally offer solutions like a bullet is only fifty cents, or rope is reusable. These flippant responses display some ignorance regarding the cause of the costs associated with execution. When a death penalty is sought and gained, an appeal starts immediatelythis is a constitutional requirement and happens automatically, and it can be difficult to even have these waived by a defendant whos prepared to die . This is, however, uncommon. The condemned who do wish to fight can seek multiple appeals on many constitutionally legal grounds. Members of victims rights groups often waffle on this issue. When you speak to one victims family, you speak to only that one persons family. Revenge is a motivator to some, and forgiveness a motivator to others. Senator Gonzales, advocating to repeal the death penalty and Senator Fields, who cant say for certain, both of these congresswomen have felt the pain of being the family of murder victims but arent automatically coming to the same conclusions. Theres so much to consider. Racial disparity issues haunt the process of execution. Black men comprise nearly 42% of death row inmates, while comprising less than 6% of the population. Whites and blacks commit murder roughly on par; however, white men are much less likely to face execution. Gender disparity issues are a big consideration as well. Women rarely receive death penalties; they are considered nurturers and those who kill are thought of as aberrations. In order to execute a woman, a prosecutor will often present a trial about something more than murder sexuality or behavior in motherhood. In the case of the Colorado death row, the physical makeup of the people waiting there is stark. These three men could theoretically, with the stroke of a pen, be dead within days. In the case of Dunlap, Governor Polis says he will commute the sentence should it come to his desk; the fates of the other two men is a rather more tight-lipped scenario. Whats done cannot be undone. Well conclude with a few additional facts to consider: since 1976, 151 men have been released from death row after evidence came forward of wrongful conviction. The random racial and gender-based nature of application of punishment is too deeply ingrained to be eliminated entirely. And in our system of laws, we rely on dispassion from judges and juries. Should we allow ourselves to lose that dispassion in the case of execution, in choosing to kill? | 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! When Brunei controversially announced that it was imposing death by stoning to homosexuals, several Hollywood celebrities including George Clooney, Ellen DeGeneres and Elton John, who called out a boycott over hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei. The boycott has proven to be effective as the Brunei ruler is now forced to back down from imposing the death penalty after a month of international pressure and backlash. In an interview on American talk show Ellen , the 58-year-old claimed that the boycott serves as warning for other Muslim countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, who are allegedly considering such laws as well. FIND related conte here This is something that is manageable because it sends a warning shot over to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia who are also considering these laws that the business people, the big banks, those guys are going to say dont even get into that business, Clooney told DeGeneres. Clooney also previously released a statement, mentioning the same points, after receiving news that the Sultan of Brunei was extending a moratorium on the death penalty to upcoming legislation prohibiting gay sex. This is a huge step forward after a giant leap backwards. It promises that the citizens of Brunei wont be executed for being gay. It also sends a very crucial message to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia that there is a cost for enacting these laws, he said as quoted by Deadline | 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 A local Iraqi court on Thursday sentenced a convicted Islamic State member to death for killing multiple Iraqi soldiers and for the rape of a Yezidi (Ezidi) girl in Nineveh. The Iraqi Higher Judicial Council in a statement said that the Nineveh Criminal Court issued a death sentence on a man convicted of belonging to the Daesh [ISIS] terrorist gang, terrorist involvement in the murder of men, and abuses The statement did not specify the identity of the defendant nor the date of his arrest. The terrorist was wearing an Afghan uniformand worked as an intelligence element within the terrorist organization to inform on citizens, the statement added. The Iraqi judiciary claimed that the sentenced man took part in the battles in Zummar district [in Nineveh], killed five members of the security forces, and raped a woman from the Ezidi sect. The judicial authorities said the sentence was handed down to the man based on his clear and frank confession before the court and the statements of witnesses and in accordance with Iraqs anti-terrorism law. Since declaring military victory over the Islamic State in late 2017 following a devastating three-year war, Iraq has accelerated the pace of prosecutions against suspected members of the militant group. Authorities have yet to disclose the number of terrorism suspects in Iraqi prisons and the number of people facing execution or life imprisonment related to terrorism charges. International humanitarian and human rights organizations, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch (HRW), say efforts by Iraqi authorities to speed up the implementation of death sentences could lead to the execution of innocent people, especially with the nations poor standards of criminal justice. The emergence of the Islamic State and its violent assault on Sinjar (Shingal) in 2014 led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of members of the Ezidi religious minority, whom the extremist group considered heretics. Most of them fled to the Kurdistan Region, while others resettled in neighboring countries in the region or Western states. Others were not as lucky and remained stranded in the war zone, where they experienced atrocities and mass executions at the hands of the Islamic State for years. Militants subjected women and girls to sexual slavery, kidnapped children, forced religious conversions, executed scores of men, and abused, sold, and trafficked women across areas they controlled in Iraq and Syria. Before the 2014 attack, there were roughly 550,000 Ezidis in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. As the terrorist group took over large swaths of territory in Nineveh, 360,000 Ezidis escaped and found refuge elsewhere, according to the Kurdistan Regions Ezidi Rescue Office. | 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 kurdistan24.net, Staff, May 9, 2019 A Pakistani namely Imran Haider son of Ghulam Hussain has been executed with death in Reform Jail, Dhaban Area, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. According to an Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Pakistan spokesman, the executed culprit went from Sialkot International Airport, Pakistan to King Abdul Aziz International Airport Jeddah where he was taken into custody by Saudi Police with 500 grams Heroin recovered from his personal possession on December 12, 2013. The case of arrested accused was recently finalized with the decision of death penalty even on minor recovery. It is pertinent to mention here that punishment for carrying drugs in Kingdom Saudi Arabia is death, even for a minor quantity. | 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 urdupoint.com, Staff, May 13, 2019 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it would not halt the execution of convicted murderer Don Johnson, declining to take up a legal appeal that questioned the three drugs used in Tennessees lethal injection protocol. The decision clears the way for the execution of Johnson on Thursday, unless Gov. Bill Lee grants a commutation to Johnson. Kelley Henry, Johnsons attorney, said Johnson held off signing a form choosing his execution method until they had heard from the court. Now that the court has weighed in, Henry says that there will be no more appeals, and that Johnson will die by lethal injection on Thursday if Lee does not grant clemency. "I can confirm after meeting with Mr. Johnson this morning that no further action will be taken on our part with respect to method of execution," Henry said. "We have informed the Commissioners attorney and the States Attorney General that all litigation with respect to Mr. Johnson has come to an end." A state law had granted Johnson the choice between execution methods because he committed his crime before 1999, around the time Tennessee adopted lethal injection as its primary execution method. Tennessee death row inmates and their attorneys have repeatedly argued that the first drug in the lethal injection sequence Midazolam doesnt keep inmates from feeling excruciating pain from the administration of the next two drugs. The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the states current lethal injection protocol last year in part because the inmates couldnt prove that an alternative lethal injection drug was available in Tennessee, many of which have become scarce due to efforts from anti-death penalty advocates. In the original court hearing last year, TDOC officials had testified that no other types of drugs were available for lethal injections, but they wouldnt show the inmates or their attorneys information about which drug providers they had spoken to, citing state secrecy laws protecting groups and people involved in executions. Attorneys for Johnson and nearly two dozen other death row inmates had argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that it wasnt constitutional for judges to rely on TDOCs say-so alone about the availability of other drugs. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected that argument on Monday. Justice Sonia Sotomayor slammed the decision of most of the court in a dissent, saying the requirement that inmates must prove the availability of alternative lethal injection drugs, coupled with Tennessees secrecy laws regarding that information, is perverse. The court decision means only Gov. Lee can likely save Johnsons life, by commuting his sentence to life in prison. Historically, governors have waited until all legal options are exhausted before making a final decision. Supporters of Johnson have taken an approach not usually seen in in their clemency application to the governor appealing to Lees Christian faith for mercy, instead of challenging how the legal process unfolded. Johnson faces the death penalty for the 1984 murder of his wife, Connie Johnson. She was found with a garbage bag stuffed down her throat. Now that all legal options are finished, instead of last-minute legal filings, we are now seeing last-minute additional letters to the Governor asking him to grant clemency. One letter here is from the Seventh-Day Adventist church. Johnson is an elder in the church who ministers to other inmates, the church says hes the only such elder in the world on death row. | 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 Monday night more than 60 people crammed into a basement meeting room at the First Christian Church to participate in a workshop on downtown safety and livability. And the range of people in the room was rather remarkable. Elected officials. The Corvallis City Council and the Benton County Board of Commissioners could have held official meetings because they each had a quorum on hand. Downtown property owners, business interests, tenants and board members of the Downtown Corvallis Association and the citys Downtown Advisory Board. Social service providers by the dozens. Samaritan Health Services. Law enforcement, Oregon State University. The city of Corvallis. Community members. One key absence was noted: the Corvallis School District. And three people on hand identified themselves as homeless. The meeting was part of the process by which the Housing Opportunities Action Council, which to date has been charged with implementing the city-county 10-year plan to address homelessness, transitions to a county advisory committee. It was facilitated by Ari Basil-Wagner of Greater Oregon Behavioral Health Inc., with help from four GOBHI staffers. And, in general, it worked, although by the end of 170 minutes, or about the length of the movie Saving Private Ryan, after the lasagna and salad and the cookies and the introductions and the slide presentation and the table brainstorming and the discussion of next steps, some fissures still remain. Downtown interests still feel that they dont have enough seats at the table. And they still feel that they bear the brunt of the livability issues that spring from the presence of homeless people downtown along with the social service groups that provide service to them. One business member out of nine isnt going to work, said Book Bin owner Bob Baird when he saw the projected representation of various groups on the draft of the new advisory groups executive committee. Weve been jilted more than once, said Peter Ball, a retired insurance broker and downtown property owner. There was a lack of notification, a lack of involvement and it backfired. We need to be cognizant of that, he concluded to strong applause. What can we do to make it different? asked Basil-Wagner. Ball suggested that the business community pick its own members to serve on the committees rather than have them "hand-picked." Thats the way we envisioned it, but that doesnt mean thats the way it has to be, said Benton County Commissioner Xan Augerot of the draft executive committee that included two representatives from city and one from the county. Lets start with the projects, said Jill McAlister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, which has done heavy lifting the past two years as the operator of the mens cold weather homeless shelter. I am going to look for partners. If we need funding or help, then we go to the bureaucracy. Lets not get bogged down with these details. I appreciate the city and county involvement, but what frustrates me is weve leaped too quickly into the work, said Pat Lampton, who along with his family members has operated the Inkwell Home Store since 1978. What do we want our downtown to look like in five years? Im not sure where we are going here. Folks still have some time to figure that out. Basil-Wagner and her cadre of GOBHI staffers will collect, collate and distribute all of the information and comments from the table groups. Augerot said that there will be a joint meeting next month involving the Board of Commissioners and the Corvallis City Council. The new advisory group is scheduled to start convening around August. At the end of the night Basil-Wagner asked participants to rate the value of the exercise from 1 to 5, with 1 meaning it tanked and a 5 conveying it was worth it. She suggested that folks raise the appropriate number of fingers after noting that the index finger would be best for those choosing a 1. Most of the audience went with 4s and 5s. That could be a good sign. 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 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Oregon State Universitys annual powwow and salmon bake is scheduled for Friday and Saturday. The Native American Longhouse Eena Haws will host the popular free salmon bake starting at noon at 311 SW 26th St. On the menu are salmon cooked over an open fire on the longhouse grounds, potatoes, corn bread, blueberry wojapi and kale salad. Guests can line up by the rear entrance to the longhouse as early as theyd like. At 7 p.m. Friday night the indigenous comedy group the 1491s will perform at Gill Coliseum. Doors open for the free event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday the 43rd Klatowa Eena Powwow takes place from noon to 11 p.m. at Gill. Grand entries are at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dance categories that will be judged include jingle, grassdance, womens fancy, mens fancy, womens traditional and mens traditional, with cash prizes available to the top three in each group. For more information on the powwow see https://dce.oregonstate.edu/pow-wow-information. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CORVALLIS POLICE Suspicious activity 11 p.m. Sunday, 3900 block NW Witham Hill Drive. An officer was sent to an apartment complex to investigate reports that a man was crawling through the parking lot on his hands and knees. The man admitted to using methamphetamine, said he believed someone was chasing him and asked to be evaluated by medics. Before being transported to the hospital for evaluation, the man gave the officer personal items for safekeeping, including his car keys, two jackets and a pistol. Funny money 9:30 a.m. Monday, 1980 NW Ninth St. An officer was dispatched to Oregon State Credit Union to pick up counterfeit bills that had been turned in. An employee turned over two $100 bills and two $20 bills believed to be counterfeit. Burglary 10:30 a.m. Monday, 6200 block Southwest Grand Oaks Drive. A woman reported the theft of power tools and a camp stove from the garage of her apartment. Scam About 4 p.m. Monday a woman came to the Law Enforcement Center to report a scam. She said two men claiming to be with the Clackamas County Police called her saying she had missed federal grand jury duty and directed her to send them $5,000 worth of prepaid gift cards. She mailed the cards but then changed her mind and is working with the Postal Service to get them back. Road rage At 5:15 p.m. Monday a man came to the Law Enforcement Center to report a road rage incident that happened between 6 and 7 p.m. on Friday. The man said he was driving on Northwest Ninth Street and another vehicle was tailgating him. The man said both he and the other driver stopped and got out of their cars in the 2100 block of Ninth, exchanged words, and the other driver punched him in the face, causing an injury to his nose that required treatment at the hospital. There was insufficient information to identify a suspect. SWEET HOME POLICE Flare gun 8:10 a.m. Monday, 900 block Poplar Street. A caller reported finding a flare gun while cleaning up her house. The gun was placed in the Sweet Home Police Department property locker. Meth find At 9:11 a.m. Monday, a man found and turned in a capsule of methamphetamine, which was set for destruction. BENTON COUNTY SHERIFF Luring a minor 12:15 p.m. Sunday, 7600 block NW Hoodview Circle, Corvallis. A deputy took a report from a woman about a man sending sexually explicit pictures and messages to her daughters Instagram account. The woman was advised to make the account private and block the sender. DUII-reckless driving 1:18 a.m. Monday, Highway 99W near Northwest Elks Drive. Corvallis. A deputy pulled over a 2013 Subaru Outback that was clocked driving 86 mph. The driver, Aaron Tyler May, 34, of Monmouth, was cited on charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving. Mays blood alcohol content reportedly measured 0.15%. Fugitive arrest 10:53 p.m. Monday, 26600 Shady Oak Drive, Monroe. Three deputies were dispatched to a house, where a man with an outstanding arrest warrant was reportedly yelling at his father to shoot him. When deputies arrived the man locked himself in a cabin, but he came out when deputies told him they would force entry and that there were police dogs on the scene. Christopher Brian Reid, 36, was taken into custody on a felony warrant from the Oregon State Parole Board for probation violation on a burglary conviction. Domestic assault 12:15 a.m. Tuesday 28900 Grimsley Road, Corvallis. A deputy was dispatched to reports of a domestic dispute, where a 54-year-old woman allegedly struck her 72-year-old boyfriend. Julie Anne Holst was arrested on a charge of fourth-degree assault. LINN COUNTY SHERIFF Burglary 7:46 a.m. Monday, 25000 block Gap Road, near Brownsville. A reported theft of multiple chainsaws and tools. Missing gate parts 8:22 a.m. Monday, 32000 block Berlin Road, Lebanon. A caller reported the theft of equipment for an automatic gate opener. Cougar sighting 4:30 p.m. Monday, 34000 block Riverside Drive, Albany. A caller reported a cougar sighting via trail camera. The information was passed on to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Service. LINN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT New charges, plea/sentence hearing scheduled From Tuesday morning. Jordan Douglas Smotherman, 28, of Albany, was scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing on Thursday. A new charging instrument was filed with crimes of second-degree sex abuse and fourth-degree assault. The state has filed a notice of intent to seek an enhanced sentence in the case. Three counts of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sodomy were removed from the charging document. Burglary From Tuesday afternoon. Earl Kenneth Maughmer Jr., 56, of Albany, was charged with first-degree burglary, menacing, strangulation and fourth-degree assault. The crimes allegedly occurred on Saturday in the 27200 block of High Deck Road in Cascadia, and the Linn County Sheriffs Office investigated the case. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 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 project to replace the Van Buren Bridge is entering a new phase. Oregon Department of Transportation officials will address the Corvallis Historic Resources Commission on Tuesday. The meeting serves as the start of a multisession public outreach process that will last into 2021 (see information box for the list of sessions). Tuesdays event will focus mainly on the historic resources that will be affected by the process, said Savannah Crawford, the ODOT project manager, although a general overview of the bridge replacement project also is on the agenda. ODOT is primarily assessing the historic resources within the area of potential effect which can inform the product design and outcomes, wrote Crawford in a letter to the Historic Resources Commission. The area of potential effect, as defined by ODOT, runs from the bridge approaches on the east, the Harrison Bridge to the north, the Van Buren Bridge to the south and Northwest Third Street to the west. The bridge itself is among the 23 historic resources that ODOT surveyed for a report it is delivering to the Historic Resources Commission. The project is scheduled to cost approximately $69 million, with construction scheduled to begin in 2022. The funds come from HB 2017, a massive $5.3 billion transportation package passed by the Legislature in 2017. No city or county money is involved. The first steps in the design phase include traffic analysis, and environmental analysis in addition to the historic resources work. The one-lane bridge, which was built in 1913 and carries eastbound Highway 34 traffic over the Willamette River, is functionally obsolete and seismically unsafe. The replacement bridge will be two lanes and will include bicycle and pedestrian amenities, Crawford said. It remains unclear what will happen to the current bridge, which preservationists have said should be saved. ODOT will be developing a bridge repurposing report that will identify various outcomes to the existing bridge, such as potential uses, cost of retrofitting/moving/removing, maintenance, future ownership, etc., said Crawford. This work will occur over the summer with a public open house tentatively scheduled for late June to obtain input. The bridge funding breaks down to $9 million for design and $60 million for construction, with no funds set aside for whatever is determined to be the future of the current span. The early design work on the project, Crawford said, includes geotechnical explorations that will lead to lane closures on Van Buren Avenue starting Thursday and continuing for approximately a month. May 16, 17 and 20 there will be single-lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Van Buren between Second Street and First Street as well as closure of some parking spaces. Additional parking spaces will be closed sporadically between May 29 and June 20 on First Street to give crews access to Riverfront Park. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 21-24 the left and center lanes of Van Buren between Second and First will be closed. Motorists will not be able to turn left from Van Buren onto First, with bridge access and those wishing to turn right on First occupying the right-hand lane. Eastbound Van Buren motorists seeking to access the parking lot on First should use Northwest Tyler as an alternate. Detour signs will be in place, Crawford said. 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 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. But I dont want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you cant help that," said the Cat: "were all mad here. Im mad. Youre mad." "How do you know Im mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldnt have come here. Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland With freedom comes responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 44 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather. Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com Five States have Legislative elections in 2019: Virginia, New Jersey, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana. All are important; however, only Virginia stands a reasonable shot to flip their Legislatures majority from R to D, giving the Dems the right to the redraw the state's congressional and state legislative boundaries and prevent another GOP gerrymander. Just remember the attendant, associated institutional power, for possibly the next 20 years. Big Deal-- Big Drama. Republicans have an acute recognition of this fact. They very nearly shattered the Democratic base coalition with their dirty tricks op-- on the first day of Black History Month-- the " February Flim-Flam ," which included: accusations of a "racist past," against Governor Ralph Northam , evidenced by racially inflammatory Medical School yearbook photos; followed by: allegations of sexual assault and rape against Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax around 36 hours later; followed by: Attorney General Mark Herrings necessary disclosure of college-age racial insensitivity, again after an additional approximately 36 hours. The first week of February was filled with a toxic stew of racial angst and sexual strife. Start the op on Feb. 1st, deny the Virginia Black population even one day of celebrating their heroic Virginia history and heritage; peel off women of all races with hideous accusations of sexual impropriety-- by the only Black Statewide Elected Official-- deny the Dems their 3 top statewide fundraisers; start an internecine squabble amongst a historically loosely bonded cohort of Dem base voters... BINGO!!! If youre the GOP, sit back and get some popcorn. Nice job; well done. BUT, nobody resigned, despite heavy pressure. The coalition is still squabbling, but its holding together. Apparently, the law firm tasked with investigating the Northam Medical School "photo," has identified the two subjects, and determined that neither is Ralph Northam... a fly in the ointment, oh my! Where does that leave all of the breathless "concern trollers" and "virtue signalers" who have been baying for "accountability and resignation?" Dont know, dont care. sturm und drang, some Virginia. Dems have remained focused and on task, and need only recruit 14 more House candidates and 4 more state Senate candidates in order to go, "Full Boat"-- 140 for 140-- contesting every race, (100 House and 40 in the Senate ), leaving the Virginia Republican Party zero (0) "freebies" for 2019-- no "walkovers," no "nolo contenderes." If Virginia Dems accomplish this "full ballot mission" by the candidate filing deadline, June 11th, the band should start warming up, In the face of this, some Virginia. Dems have remained focused and on task, and need only recruit 14 more House candidates and 4 more state Senate candidates in order to go, "Full Boat"-- 140 for 140-- contesting every race, (100 House and 40 in the Senate ), leaving the Virginia Republican Party zero (0) "freebies" for 2019-- no "walkovers," no "." If Virginia Dems accomplish this "full ballot mission" by the candidate filing deadline, June 11th, the band should start warming up, Turn Off the Lights Democrats only need to flip one state Senate seat, and two seats in the House of Delegates to effectively take over the majority; any more than that is pure gravy. That is if they can hold onto all their gains from 2017. Democrats dont have a monopoly on drama in Virginia. In fact, the Virginia Republicans are the reigning rulers of reprobates; its not even close. The most recent drama involves Jerry Falwell, Jr. and his wife, and their... very interesting exploits, "ministering" to the needs of young folk... in the, um... hospitality industry-- which subsequently required some " legal consultation " from then-Trump lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen-- very alarming, very salacious and sordid stuff. There may be a lot of campaign contributions being returned or contributed to charity. Thats historic. So far, Blue America has endorsed four Virginia legislative candidates, one being Elizabeth Guzman. That thermometer on the right is for candidates running for state legislatures and we'd appreciate it if you tapped on it and considered contributing to Elizabeth and any of the other candidates on the list. Falwell, Jr. has supported politicians throughout Virginia over the years; some are even graduates or patrons of his college, Liberty University. One such candidate is D.J. Jordan , running in Prince William Countys HD 31. Jordan is the GOPs choice to unseat freshman Delegate Elizabeth Guzman , who defeated a long-term Republican incumbent in 2017 to become the first Latina to serve in the history of the Virginia Legislature-- and were talking about 1600s "House of Burgesses" history.historic. So far, Blue America has endorsed four Virginia legislative candidates, one being Elizabeth Guzman. That thermometer on the right is for candidates running for state legislatures and we'd appreciate it if you tapped on it and considered contributing to Elizabeth and any of the other candidates on the list. That win by a Latina over one of their own stalwarts would seem to be too much for the Virginia GOP to abide; so they recruited a Black male, Liberty University grad; dressed him in Blue, placed him against a Blue background, built him a nice website that conveniently neglects to identify his political party, filled his campaign account with large dollar offerings, and sent him out to preach about "infanticide and family values." Good stuff! Except for Jerry Falwells "Pool Boy" buffoonery. D.J. Jordan is going to have some explaining to do; not only a stealth Republican, but, a Liberty University grad to boot; INCONVENIENT!!! Well see how it shakes out for him. Washington Post reported that Falwell Jr. was blaming a "conspiracy" of Republican Party establishment leaders for the leak of Trump's now infamous 2005 "grab-'em-by-the-pussy" video. "We're all sinners," he said in defense of Trump, who had helped him get rid of the pictures that supposedly show him with a male penis-- presumably the pool boy's-- in his mouth. There is also a Family Talk also stood by his Trumpanzee endorsement. reported that Falwell Jr. was blaming a "conspiracy" of Republican Party establishment leaders for the leak of Trump's now infamous 2005 "grab-'em-by-the-pussy" video. "We're all sinners," he said in defense of Trump, who had helped him get rid of the pictures that supposedly show him with a male penis-- presumably the pool boy's-- in his mouth. There is also a felching shot that Michael Cohen hasn't discarded and has hidden away. Falwell's fellow charlatan-cum-grifter, James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and now host of the showalso stood by his Trumpanzee endorsement. Don't forget, back in 2016, a few weeks before election day, the Falwell, who is president of the nation's largest Christian university, provided one of Trump's first key endorsements from an evangelical leader. Trump's candidacy, however, has divided evangelicals, who have no formal leadership. Some evangelical leaders continued to back Trump after the video leak, while a prominent theologian pulled back his support Sunday and other leaders continued to condemn the nominee. ...In comments made to WABC Radio in New York City, Falwell said he thinks the leak was part of a conspiracy by GOP establishment leaders. "I think this whole videotape thing was planned, I think it was timed, I think it might have even been a conspiracy among the establishment Republicans who've known about it for weeks and who tried to time it to do the maximum damage to Donald Trump," Falwell told reporter Rita Cosby on her podcast after Sunday night's debate. Prince William County is rapidly becoming a Democratic stronghold, much like its neighbor to the North; Fairfax County. In 2014, the district went for Gillespie (R) over Warner (D), narrowly, in the U.S. Senate race. But it's been all blue since then. In 2016, Hillary beat Trump in the district, 51-44%. The following year Democrats swept-- Herring (D) beat Adams for AG, 56-44%; Fairfax beat Vogel for Lt. Governor, 56-44% and Northam beat Gillespie 56-43% for Governor. Last year, voters in HD-31 gave Kaine (D) a fat 59-39% win over Trumpist reactionary Corey Stewart. And of course-- sweetest of all-- was that Elizabeth Guzman ousted GOP incumbent Scott Lingamfelter 15,466 (54.1%) to 12,658 (44.2%). And, by the way, other sleazy, corrupted politicians will have to answer for their Falwell associations as this story evolves... and they wont all be Virginians, will they? Pericles, from Act I, Scene I-- Pericles, Prince of Tyre by William Shakespeare: Great king, Few love to hear the sins they love to act; 'Twould braid yourself too near for me to tell it. Who has a book of all that monarchs do, He's more secure to keep it shut than shown: For vice repeated is like the wandering wind. Blows dust in other's eyes, to spread itself; And yet the end of all is bought thus dear, The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear: To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole casts Copp'd hills towards heaven, to tell the earth is throng'd By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die for't. Kings are earth's gods; in vice their law's their will; And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill? It is enough you know; and it is fit, What being more known grows worse, to smother it. All love the womb that their first being bred, Then give my tongue like leave to love my head. One more little tiny thing. Is the biggest political scandal of the year being hushed up because the media doesn't like asserting that a white conservative man of stature-- Falwell, Jr.-- is a sex maniac who bought the services for a 21 year old pool boy? Almost $5 million dollars of Church money-- spent on buying a gay "hotel" (whore house). This is an amazing story! You've got to watch this whole video: Durian exported to China must now be stamped for origin. Photo by AFP/Romeo Gacad China now requires Vietnam to provide stamps of origin, area code and phytosanitary certificates for fruits that it exports. Hung, a farmer who owns 3 hectares of VietGAP (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices) certified durian in central highlands province of Lam Dong, said that two years ago, traders had to compete to get his fruits for export to China. However, in the last two months, traders have been insisting on certification of origin for the fruits. "Because of China's new import restrictions, I have to join a co-operative to get my fruit stamped. I will get this done by early June," Hung said. Lai The Hung, director of Lam Dongs Department of Crop Production and Food Protection, confirmed that China was changing its import regulations. Hung told VnExpress that exported fruit had to meet Chinas technical and phytosanitary standards, as well as regulations on food safety. Importers must declare and provide stamps showing the origin of fruit brought in, and register with Chinese customs an area code showing where the fruit was planted. Exported fruit must also meet standards in packaging and hygiene, including being pest-free. The Agro Processing and Market Development Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also affirmed that China has changed many regulations on Vietnamese fruit imports. From January 10, all packages of food imported into China required a Food Safety Certificate issued by an authorized organization from the exporting country. "The Chinese government is under pressure from its own people to raise standards," said Dr Bui Chi Buu, a former director of the Southern Institute of Science and Technology. Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports to China decreased by 6.3 percent year-on-year to $680 million in the first quarter of 2019, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Standing inside the plaza of Trump Tower in front of the very same escalator that President Donald Trump descended before making his White House bid official, Mayor Bill de Blasio gathered with advocates on Monday to rally in support of New York Citys Green New Deal legislation. The rally was ostensibly to put the citys landlordsincluding the Trump organization on notice that failure to comply with city legislation requiring buildings to drastically slash their carbon emissions could result in heavy fines. City officials estimated that the Trump organization would owe upwards of $2.1 million annually starting in 2030 if it does not retrofit the eight buildings it owns in the city. These buildings are a big part of the problem, de Blasio insisted, his voice straining at times to be heard over protesters. Were making it very clearit doesnt matter who you are, even the President of the United States has to abide by the law of this city." While the mayor acknowledged that there are landlords with larger holdingsand therefore likely bigger pollutersthe decision to hold the rally at Trump Tower gave the official, taxpayer-funded function the undeniable air of a political event. Supporters flanked the mayor holding NYC Green New Deal posters, occasionally offering chants of Our planet not your profit! while pro-Trump protesters lingered around the edges shouting expletives and waving handmade signs that read Trump 2020 and Worst Mayor Ever. The New York City Green New Deal was passed by the City Council last month and will become city law this Friday. The aim is to make the city carbon neutral by 2050 with an emphasis on forcing all private and public building owners to modernize their infrastructure. Buildings are responsible for nearly 70 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the city. The rally comes as de Blasio continues to mull a possible run for the 2020 Democratic nomination. While deflecting a question about what he brings to a possible campaign as a straight, white male in an increasingly diverse Democratic party, de Blasio did say that he would announce once and for all whether or not he would launch a presidential campaign this week. As de Blasio readies a possible campaign run, he repeatedly points to progressive policies enacted here in New York City that he argues could be a model for the rest of the country. He did so again on Monday, offering a preview of his campaign pitch. Ive said repeatedly, whatever I decide, Im going to spread all over this country the examples of what weve done here in New York. The Green New Deal, in New York City, and particularly the building mandate legislation, is the most advanced plan on Earth by any city, to address global warming, said de Blasio. He added, I expect cities all around the world, all around the country, are going to look at this plan and are going to adopt it. Just like weve seen cities all over America pick up on our Pre-K plan, or Vision Zero, or our affordable housing plan. We are showing that you can make real, progressive change on the ground here. And this legislation is groundbreaking, not just in terms of the United States of America, but in terms of the world. Brigid Bergin is the City Hall and politics reporter for WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter at @brigidbergin. Vietnamese companies hope to participate in the global value chain with U.S. companies' guidance and support, says VCCI president Vu Tien Loc. The recent US - Vietnam Business Summit 2019, which celebrated 25 years of bilateral trade and investment, emphasized growing, multi-faceted ties and potential for further cooperation. Organized by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in cooperation with AmCham and the US Chamber of Commerce, the event was attended by senior officials and business representatives of both countries. Speaking at the summit, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said that Vietnam remained an attractive destination for foreign investment thanks to its abundant young workforce, incentivizing policies and stable politics. He also stressed that the Vietnamese government would facilitate U.S. investment in Vietnam, especially in clean and sustainable energy, infrastructure, banking and finance, education and training, tourism and high-tech agriculture. VCCI president Vu Tien Loc said he expected that Vietnam would not only become an Asian manufacturing hub but also a Silicon Valley with the aid of U.S. companies. "Vietnam enterprises hope to be ranked 10th among the U.S.'s leading trade partners instead of 16th at present," he said. Many potential projects marked the cooperation between Vietnamese and U.S. companies in manufacturing, clean energy, aviation, medicine, pharmaceuticals and other key sectors, Loc said. VCCI president Vu Tien Loc at the US - Vietnam Business Summit 2019. He noted that Vietnam's trade and investment structure aimed at creating more added value and quality towards sustainable development and global integration. Loc highlighted the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and proposed further engagement of SMEs in the Vietnam - U.S. partnership. "Vietnamese enterprises expect to not only purchase Boeings but also participate in global value chain, with U.S. guidance and support," he added. The U.S. was Vietnam's third largest trade partner last year, after China and South Korea. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, bilateral trade turnover increased 130 times, from $450 million in 2018 to $60 billion in 2018. Vietnamese exports to the U.S. rose 40 percent year-on-year in 2018. Representatives of U.S. companies at the forum say they appreciate Vietnam's business enviroment. US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said he highly appreciated the improvement in Vietnam's investment and business environment, which welcomes foreign companies. Many U.S. invested projects in Vietnam have boosted the country's efforts to join the global supply chain, contributing to labor skill improvement and increased income and prosperity, he said. Ninety six people have been indicted, half of them undocumented Vietnamese immigrants, in a major sham marriage scam in Houston. Photo by Shutterstock/Tropina Irina A sham marriage ring that helped Vietnamese to immigrate to the U.S. has been busted in the American city of Houston. Vietnamese American Ashley Nguyen, 53, the alleged kingpin, ran the operation from a house in southwest Houston which was raided, local news website Khou reported on Monday. Trang Le Nguyen, 45, an attorney, has been charged with obstructing justice and tampering with witnesses, victims or informants. Federal officials claimed at a preliminary court hearing that the people going through the sham marriages never intended to live as husband and wife. The police said at the house they found fake wedding photo albums along with other items used to facilitate the marriages. Ninety six people have been indicted, half of them undocumented Vietnamese immigrants while the rest were U.S. citizens paid to marry them. They allegedly got paid $30,000-70,000 for each marriage. Court testimony shows that Ashley Nguyen started the operation in August 2013 and had issued death threats to people who owed money. Fifty people were in custody as of Monday morning. The Vietnamese nationals are accused of paying someone to arrange a fraudulent marriage, an attorney for one of the defendants told Khou. Nguyens gang also faces charges of providing fake tax, utility, and employment information so that false immigration forms would be approved. If convicted, most face between 10 and 30 years in federal prison. Vietnamese officials join residents in Hanoi in a march against drunk driving, May 12, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh Over 8,000 people marched in Hanoi on Sunday to protest against drunk driving, a reaction to recent accidents involving alcohol consumption. The event, organized by the National Traffic Safety Committee and Hanoi authorities, attracted over 8,000 people from all walks of life sporting uniforms and banners saying "Drinking no driving, driving no drinking" and "Youths say no to alcohol" around the central Sword Lake. Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, Truong Hoa Binh, who also participated in the event, implored drivers to not drink before driving a vehicle and not force companions to drink if they have to drive afterwards. "Restaurant owners should also ask and provide non-alcoholic drinks to customers who have to drive after finishing their food," Binh said. Deadly road crashes due to driving under the influence have claimed a number of lives recently. Earlier this month the Hanoi police arrested a man who, after drinking at least six bottles of beer, drove a Mercedes and killed two women. On April 22, a street cleaner was hit and killed by a car driver who also had many glasses of beer earlier. Last month an American man was sentenced to three years in jail for killing a woman after driving drunk in Saigon last January. Any volume of alcohol in a vehicle drivers blood is illegal in Vietnam and can attract fines of VND2-18 million ($85-767). Vietnamese men consume among the most alcohol in the world, drinking over five standard drinks a day on average, meaning 50 grams of alcohol, according to the 2016 Global Burden of Disease Study. The country is also the biggest beer market in Southeast Asia, partly owing to its famous beer drinking culture at gatherings and events and for closing business deals. Road crashes are a leading cause of death in Vietnam, with one person dying almost every hour. More than 18,720 accidents occurred in 2018, killing 8,244 people and injuring nearly 14,800, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee. Malaysian authorities have detained 29 Vietnamese fishermen and their two vessels for alleged encroachment and illegal fishing in their countrys waters. The men, aged between 20 and 50, were arrested some 80 nautical miles off the northern coastal city of Kuching in Sarawak State on Saturday, deputy director-general of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Commander Hamiludin Che Awang, was quoted as saying by the Straits Times. They were fishing illegally when a patrol ship found them, and they failed to produce a permit or valid personal documents, he said. All of them have been taken to the Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex in Kuching for further investigation, he added. The Vietnamese embassy in Malaysia has confirmed their detention, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. The MMEA also seized three tons of fish and fishing equipment worth RM2 million ($480,000) from the two vessels. The Fisheries Act levies a fine not exceeding RM1 million for the skipper and not exceeding RM100,000 for each crew member or a jail term not exceeding two years for harmful alteration of fish habitat. There is no official information about when the trial will be held. This is the fourth time a foreign vessel has been seized for illegal fishing in Malaysian waters this year and all have been Vietnamese. Vietnamese fishermen are often charged with violations in neighboring countries waters. In 2018 and until April this year there have been 101 cases of Vietnamese boats intruding into waters of other countries in the region. A total of 163 vessels and 1,258 fishermen were detained, Nguyen Quang Hung, deputy head of the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said last month. Despite its 3,260 km (2,025 miles) coastline, Vietnam is running out of near-shore seafood resources, and some fishermen who have sailed to other countries also said they face threats from Chinese vessels that are illegally anchored in Vietnamese waters for trawling and are chased away by them. Party chief and President Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at a meeting of key party and state officials in Hanoi, May 14, 2019. Photo by Vietnam News Agency Party chief and President Nguyen Phu Trong led a meeting with top officials on Tuesday after a period of absence due to health issues. The Vietnam's top official appeared in good condition at the meeting where he called for fiercer fighting against corruption, a campaign he has spearheaded since 2017. "We have to continue the fight against corruption and negativity with the spirit of determination and perseverance, we have to raise the spirit of solidarity and unity at all levels and branches," Trong said at the meeting which was joined by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and Tran Quoc Vuong, Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Inspection Commission. Vietnam's foreign ministry spokesperson said last month that Trong had some health issues due to heavy workload and weather conditions, and would return to work soon. The statement came shortly after Trong and his entourage paid a visit to the southern Kien Giang Province on April 13-14, when they discussed with local authorities the implementation of socio-economic, security and national defense tasks. He was absent at the funeral of former President Le Duc Anh early this month, though he headed the state funeral organizing committee. The Tuesday meeting reviewed work in April and discussed major events coming up in May, including the 10th plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee, meetings of the Politburo, the party's decision-making body, and the Party Central Committee Secretariat, and the 7th session of the 14th National Assembly, the latter scheduled to start on May 20. In October last year, Trong, 75, became the first person after Ho Chi Minh to simultaneously head the party and executive branches of governance in Vietnam. Over the past three years, a sweeping corruption crackdown spearheaded by Trong has ensnared scores of high-profile officials, especially in the energy and banking sectors. Last year, a large number of officials, including military officers, and businesspeople faced criminal charges for mismanagement of public land. Police seize seven kilograms of heroin hidden in packages of tea and powdered milk during a house raid in Long An Province on Sunday. Photo by VnExpress/An Nam Long An police have arrested a local man for transporting 64 kg (141 pounds) of heroin and meth from Cambodia via a border gate. On Sunday night, officers and border guards searched the house of Truong Quoc Cuong, 41, in Vinh Hung District, Long An Province and seized 57 kg of crystal meth and seven kg of heroin. The raid followed several days of surveillance based on suspicion that Cuong was engaging in cross-border drug smuggling. Cuong confessed to the police that the drugs, hidden in packages of tea and powdered milk, were transported from Cambodia into Vietnam for domestic consumption. Long An Province is the southwest neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, where three massive drug seizures happened in the last two weeks of March. In all cases the drugs originated from the Golden Triangle, and in two of them, the drugs were on the way to Taiwan and the Philippines. Golden Triangle is an intersection of Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar and the world's second largest drug producing area behind the Golden Crescent in South Asia. Speaking at a conference last week, Vietnamese top drug officials said the country's long borders, multitude of trafficking routes and customs loopholes are turning it into a major drug trafficking hub. The repeated haul of huge amounts of drugs is happening despite Vietnam having some of the worlds toughest drug laws. 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. Vietnamese frigate HQ-016 Quang Trung has participated in the four-day ASEAN+ naval exercise involving 12 countries in Singaporean waters. The drill was held within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus, and on its completion on Sunday the frigate docked at Changi Naval Base in preparation for its participation in the 2019 International Maritime Defense Exhibition Asia. The exercise had involved, besides Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, China, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., and India. The HQ-016 Quang Trung's crew took part in a formation maneuver for aerial photography and information sharing on suspicious targets and logistics at sea, giving its crew the opportunity to hold exchanges and enhance their interoperability with other countries' navies. The vessel also carried out patrolling and scouting operations and joined long-distance seafaring training, inspected the status of its weaponry and equipment and enhanced the command and combat capability of its crew. The HQ-016 Quang Trung is a Russian-built, Gepard-class frigate commissioned in February 2018. It is equipped with modern armaments, multiple cloaking technologies and electronic jamming and electronic warfare systems. Its main armaments include eight 3M24E anti-ship missiles with an operational range of 130 kilometers (70 nautical miles), a 76.2 mm AK-176MA naval gun, a Palma air defense missile and gun system, two AK-630M point-defense guns and four 533 mm torpedo tubes. It is also capable of carrying a Ka-28 helicopter to enhance its ability to detect and destroy enemy submarines. OG&E, a subsidiary of Oklahoma City-based OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE: OGE), announced that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) today (5/13) unanimously approved the company's preapproval application to acquire the AES Shady Point plant near Poteau, Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Cogeneration LLC facility in Oklahoma City. The company, which filed its preapproval request in December 2018, is expected to pay approximately $53 million for the two plants - both of which have served OG&E customers for several decades under federally mandated power purchase agreements. "These acquisitions create a win-win on multiple fronts," said OG&E spokesman Brian Alford. "Our customers will save tens of millions of dollars each year by eliminating costly, federally mandated agreements. The Shady Point acquisition will help maintain grid stability as growth continues in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. It also ensures many jobs will be preserved in an economically challenged region. The Oklahoma Cogen acquisition will help ensure the facility's natural-gas-fired capacity will continue to support reliability and resiliency in the ever-growing Oklahoma City-metro area. And, we'll see a further reduction in power plant air emissions as a result of the acquisitions." He added that OG&E power plant air emissions are significantly lower from 2005 levels, with sulfur dioxide emissions lower by nearly 90 percent, nitrogen oxide lower by nearly 75 percent and carbon dioxide lower by approximately 40 percent. In addition, the company is expecting to continue reducing CO2 emissions to 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. "With our demonstrated emissions reductions and rates that are 31 percent below the national average, our performance is industry-leading. As we integrate Shady Point into our fleet, we will use our expertise to enhance the operation of this facility to further reduce emissions," Alford said. Shady Point has a generation capacity of 360MW and Oklahoma Cogeneration has a capacity of 146MW. About OG&E OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE: OGE), is headquartered in Oklahoma City and is the parent company of Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E), a regulated electric utility serving approximately 852,000 customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas. In addition, OGE holds 25.5 percent limited partner interest and 50 percent general partner interest in Enable Midstream Partners, LP. ELKO An evening of foot-tapping music is set for Tuesday night with the Elko High School jazz bands annual Emil Matys Jazz Fest. There will be some special things in store, said band director Michael Broyles. There will be a lot of fresh things. The concert, featuring saxophonist Karen Green and EHS alumni Layton Cunningham, Sara Dyer, Jim Lentini, Brandon Stone and others, starts at 7:30 p.m. May 14 at the Elko Convention Center. Tickets cost $10 and are sold at the door and by members of the jazz band. Other touring professionals, teachers and hobbyists will also be sitting in, including former EHS band director Walt Lovell and retired band teachers Bob Colbert and John Gist. This year other genres of music will be featured, Broyles said. The music were playing is familiar for all ages, Broyles explained. Not just traditional big band songs, but a lot of Disney songs. Weve got Beatles songs, weve got Stairway to Heaven. No matter what your taste is in music, theres going to be something you like, he said. A mentoring program that concludes with a rousing concert, Jazz Fest brings together experienced musicians and Elko High School jazz students. This year, students will participate in a jazz clinic Tuesday morning several hours ahead of the concert that will include Jazz Fest fixture and Grammy-award winning saxophonist Karen Green. Longtime participant Eric Marienthal is returning from a tour of Japan and is unable to appear this year. However, several fresh faces are joining the lineup, including University of Nevada Reno graduate Jeff Brown and Greg Barker, who has played the saxophone for about 40 years. I was honored to be invited by Walt and Michael, Barker said. The mentoring aspect has always been the core of Jazz Fest, and gives students the opportunity to gain fresh insights into performing. Broyles said he enjoys seeing the mix of ages who play at Jazz Fest combining their talents for two days. Its such a cool thing to have all different experience levels from one year to 50-plus years, he said. 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. EUREKA A fatal accident at a new gold mine in Eureka County is being investigated by the Mine Safety & Health Administration. Haul truck driver Dean V. Pilcher of Colorado was killed May 13 when his vehicle overturned while operating at the Gold Bar Mine, McEwen Mining Inc. confirmed. The accident involved a haul truck that overturned while operating at the site, and the individual who was fatally injured was its driver, the company stated. There were no other injuries associated with the accident. Rob McEwen, chairman and chief owner of the company, said, We are all deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life on our mine site. Our immediate focus is to support his family, friends and colleagues at this most difficult time. Safety for everyone on our mine sites is our highest priority, an investigation is underway to determine how this happened. Pilcher was employed by N.A. Degerstrom, which is under contract with McEwen. McEwen has initiated an investigation into the accident, and is working with the contractor and the local authorities to determine what happened. This is the seventh fatality of 2019 that MSHA is investigating. The company began construction of the Gold Bar Project on the Cortez Trend in November 2017. The first gold ingot weighing 390 ounces was poured at the mine on Feb. 16, 2019. During the first three years of operation beginning in 2019, Gold Bar is projected to produce 55,000, 74,000 and 68,000 ounces of gold, respectively. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 7 Angry 4 Mayor Bill de Blasio was forced on Monday to address reports that he was a passenger in a wrong-way crash three years ago, which the NYPD allegedly covered up out of concern that it would undermine his Vision Zero credibility. As it happens, the mayor does not recall the details of the incident. "I dont remember that at all," de Blasio said of the 2015 collision during an unrelated (and heckle-filled) press conference at Trump Tower. "When Im in the car Im usually on the phone, reading emails, reading papers. I dont remember the specifics. I remember a very minor incident." That very minor incident involved an NYPD detective, Edgar Robbels, driving the mayor's SUV on the wrong side of a Harlem street with its sirens and lights flashing, then crashing into a boiler truck, according to an accident report obtained by the Daily News. De Blasio was reportedly in the backseat of the vehicle at the time, and was quickly ushered away from the scene by two other detectives. There were no injuries reported. According to text messages obtained by the tabloid, the commanding officer of the mayor's Executive Protection Unit, Inspector Howard Redmond, quickly sought to keep the public from learning of the crash because of "optics." Sources close to the investigation told the News that Redmond intentionally obscured who was driving the SUV to make it seem as though the mayor was traveling in a different car. The NYPD did not file a report with the Department of Motor Vehicles, and refused to release the collision report from the scene. Asked about the alleged cover-up on Monday, de Blasio said the NYPD's investigation "needs to be followed through on," adding that "no public employee is above the law." But the mayor also said it was up to the police department to disclose "if they think things were handled appropriately or not." An NYPD spokesperson told Gothamist that the driver of the SUV was "verbally instructed" after an investigation determined that he was at fault in the incident. "Far from a cover-up, this in fact shows the exact oppositethe NYPD took this incident seriously," said Sergeant Jessica McRorie. She did not respond to follow up questions about the allegations of a cover-up, why the department did not file a report with the DMV, or what exactly the detective was verbally instructed not to do. Asked by a reporter if he'd considered telling his security not to drive on the wrong side of the street, de Blasio replied, "I don't really remember times when they did that. So if it's happened from time to time because of a specific security situation, that's up to them. I trust the NYPD to make the right decisions, but I have not witnessed or been aware of something like that." (Except, presumably, that one time in 2015 that resulted in a crash and subsequent investigation, but was otherwise "very minor" and unmemorable.) In recent months, de Blasio has faced criticism from safe streets advocates for excusing dangerous behavior from motorists, while at the same time ramping up enforcement against the "growing safety problem" posed by delivery workers on electric bikes. During his weekly appearance on the Brian Lehrer Show this past Friday, the mayor reiterated his support for the crackdown on e-bikes, before seeming to suggest that reckless drivingcruising the wrong way on a busy street, for instancewas not as serious of a problem. "If youre in a truck, a car, a motorcycle, you are following the rules of the road, youre not going wrong way on a street without real consequence, youre not going through lights, youre not going up on the sidewalk," de Blasio said. "The problem with e-bikes is weve all seen this reckless behavior. Weve seen them going the wrong way, weaving through traffic, going up on the sidewalks, all the things that many, many New Yorkers find dangerous and unsettling, and they can reach very high speeds." The throttle-controlled e-bikes have maximum speeds of around 24 miles per hour. We've asked the NYPD and the Mayor's Office how fast his SUV was traveling when it was involved in the wrong-way crashwe'll update if we hear back. ELKO The Legacy Fund, the charitable giving program for Newmont Mining employees, has had a huge impact on local communities since the program started eight and a half years ago. So with Newmont Goldcorp now entering into the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture with Barrick, a lot of people are wondering: What is going to happen with the Legacy Fund? Work on putting together the joint venture will continue through the coming weeks, and the details of Nevada Gold Mines charitable giving program have not been finalized, but recently Newmont Legacy Fund Executive Director Nancy Ostler received this statement from Rebecca Darling, head of community and corporate affairs at Barrick: Barrick and Newmont Goldcorp have always shared a strong commitment to community partnership and sustainability that will continue with the formation of the joint venture operation. We understand the importance of the Legacy Fund to the workforce and local community organizations. The JV plans to establish an employee gift match modeled after the Legacy Fund. We are working closely with Newmont Goldcorp to learn more about how the Fund is administered and will share more details about future employee gift match programs following the close of the JV transaction. Following a joint venture reception held in Elko on May 9, Barrick Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow said, One of the things that Ive always believed is that our community commitments are part of an investment into the community. They should make a difference. And weve got our own commitments, and Newmont has as well, and were going to be combining that and making sure that it goes further and reaches to more parts of the community. Were definitely not planning to cut back on our commitment to the community. Ostler and Lisa Becker, director of communications and external relations at Newmont Goldcorp, said these statements from Barrick are very exciting. So their plan is to continue forward with the program very much like the Legacy Fund, Becker said, modeled after the Legacy Fund and the way the Legacy Fund works. Weve realized that with the Legacy Fund, Becker continued, the way we developed it to be a stand-alone 501(3) nonprofit, that created some complications in how we move forward. How does Newmont move forward with the Legacy Fund, and how does the joint venture? So were still working through a lot of those specifics, just to try to iron out some details. But the joint venture, as Rebecca said, will plan to have a similar program. And thats critical for our communities, Ostler said. Newmont has three parts to its community investment and engagement program: community investment grants, a volunteer program, and an employee giving program. The Legacy Fund employee giving program has seen a lot of growth since it started. The numbers make it clear that the Legacy Fund has had a huge impact on northern Nevada communities. The Legacy Fund kicked off in the fall of 2010 as a new charitable giving campaign for Newmont employees. Employees could give to any nonprofit of their choice, and Newmont agreed to match every dollar, with no limits on the size of the contributions. In 2011, Newmont employees gave a total of $650,000, so with Newmonts match, $1.3 million went to nonprofit organizations, mostly in northern Nevada communities. Since then, the Legacy Fund has continued to grow, reaching a record high in 2018, with an unprecedented 75 percent of the Newmont employees participating, giving over $1.5 million dollars, so that the total going to nonprofits with Newmonts match was $3.1 million. From 2010 through the end of this year, a total of more than $21 million will have been given to organizations across northern Nevada, from Winnemucca to West Wendover. The cumulative effect of having year after year after year of these substantial and impressive contributions to the communities has helped build more robust programs and more robust nonprofit organizations, Ostler said. Its not just a one-time check. Its been a lot bigger than that, a lot broader and a lot stronger of a foundation. Allowing employees to choose any nonprofit lets them give to the organizations they feel most passionate about. Theres no steering of funds by the company. Its all up to the employee, said Adrienne Green, a HR manager at Newmont. Each employee gets to donate where its meaningful to them. So if theyve had family members or they themselves have utilized services in our community and they want to give back to that organization, they can choose to do that. Its all in their hands. Currently the Legacy Fund provides funding to about 350 nonprofits in the region. Green was on the board of Newmonts previous charitable giving campaign, and she and another woman decided to brainstorm ways to improve the program. Green said they wanted to get employees more excited about it, get them more engaged and get them a little bit more rooted in our communities as far as seeing some results. We came up with a plan and presented it. Today you see the results of what that plan ended up becoming. Its improved over the years and Nancy and the board have done a great job of growing it each year and getting people more excited I think thats a key factor in its success over the years is that we as employees can see the results in the community. Ostler said that nationwide at companies which have charitable giving programs, an average of about 24 percent of the employees participate in the program. So Newmont employees, with 75 percent participation, are incredibly generous, Ostler said. To help prepare for the possibility of a future slowdown in the mining industry as resources are used up, the Legacy Fund also has an endowment fund, a nest egg which will bear interest for future charitable giving. Currently there is $2.9 million in the endowment fund. It has been growing at about $350,000 per year, with Newmont putting in $130,000 per year and the remaining amount coming from employee contributions and Newmont matches. Some more good news that Ostler shared is that all of the money which Newmont employees and Newmont Goldcorp have pledged to give to nonprofits in 2019 a total of $2.7 million will continue to go to the nonprofits throughout the remainder of the year. Im happy to be able to say that Newmont Goldcorp is going to fulfill the pledges through 2019, Ostler said. So even though there are a bunch of changes going on, the community can be assured that the 2019 pledges will be paid out. Thats a huge commitment for Newmont Goldcorp. Theyll stand by that commitment even though effectively the joint venture will have taken over. But they didnt want to leave the community without that funding after they had already promised and committed to that funding. Thats a huge win for the community and huge win for everybody involved in the program, Ostler said. Ostler credited the success of the Legacy fund to the generosity of the Newmont Goldcorp employees and their passion for supporting their communities. Ostler also pointed out that there are so many benefits to a program like the Legacy Fund, in addition to the obvious benefits of helping lots of local organizations. She said that statistics have shown that the more you have employees engaged in something like this, the safer they are, and the healthier they are. With the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture promising to continue a giving program like the Legacy Fund, the many benefits that local communities and miners have seen through the Legacy Fund should continue far into the future. Love 7 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 7 May 13 Roman M. Cervantes, 32, of Elko was arrested at Elko County Jail on a warrant for sexual assault and two counts of open or gross lewdness. Bail: $160,000 Curtis W. Decker, 34, of Owyhee was arrested on North Fifth Street on a warrant for two counts failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $1,040 Vance T. Gurley, 54, of Deeth was arrested on U.S. Highway 93 for headlamps not illuminated when required, driving without a drivers license, and on a criminal justice detainer. Bail: $2,810 Patricia L. Jones, 50, of Carlin was arrested in Elko District Court on a Nevada State Prison hold. No bail Gloria Keys, 41, of Wells was arrested at the DM Ranch for violating a stalking/harassment temporary restraining order. Bail: $3,140 Richard A. Lotshaw, 73, of Montello was arrested in West Wendover for driving with a revoked drivers license for DUI; ulawful texting, sending, reading or talking without a hands-free cellphone; and no seat belt. Bail: $1,330 Kelly R. Rowland, 30, of Thermopolis, Wyoming was arrested on Interstate 80 for felony using or being under the influence of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, and speeding 1-10 mph over limit. Bail $3,835 David J. Tuttle Jr., 26, of Bordentown, New Jersey was arrested at Elko County Jail for fugitive felon from another state. No bail The charges above do not imply guilt. Under the law, everyone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The number of U.S. children age 4 to 17 practicing yoga rose from 2.3% to 8.4% or from 1.3 million to 4.9 million between 2007 and 2017, federal data show. The number of children meditating rose to 3.1 million during the same period. The rise is due in part to more yoga and mindfulness programs being established in Americas schools. A 2015 study found three dozen different yoga organizations offering yoga programs in 940 K-12 schools. Yoga and mindfulness could become the fourth R of public education. But up for debate is whether the R in this case stands for relaxation or religion. As a professor of religious studies, I have served as an expert witness in four public-school yoga and meditation legal challenges. I testified that school yoga and meditation programs fit legal criteria of religion. In one case, the court agreed that yoga may be religious in some contexts, but ultimately concluded that the school districts yoga classes were devoid of any religious, mystical, or spiritual trappings. In two other cases in which I testified, yoga and meditation based charter schools were found to violate a state law prohibiting public schools from providing any religious instruction. My research and experience leads me to believe that there are problems with how yoga is being implemented in schools. My goal is not to ban yoga or mindfulness from school settings. But I believe there are legal and ethical reasons to work toward greater transparency and voluntary participation in yoga. A question of religion Although many Americans believe that yoga and mindfulness arent religious, not everyone accepts that the practices are completely secular. My new book, Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular Education or Reestablishing Religion? examines these issues. The book argues that integrating yoga and mindfulness into public schools could violate laws against government establishment of religion. The Yoga Alliance, an organization that purports to be the the largest nonprofit association representing the yoga community, argued in 2014 that DC yoga studios should be exempt from sales tax because the purpose of yoga is spiritual rather than fitness. However, when parents sued a California school district in 2013 alleging that its yoga program violates the prohibition against the state establishment of religion, the Yoga Alliance rebutted that yoga is exercise and not religious. Thus, the Yoga Alliance seems to take the position that yoga is spiritual but not religious. Courts have not, however, made this distinction. In some legal cases the courts have concluded that yoga and meditation are religious practices. A 1988 Arkansas case known as Powell v. Perry, for instance, concluded that yoga is a method of practicing Hinduism. The 1995 Self-Realization Fellowship Church v. Ananda Church of Self Realization case classified the Hindu-Yoga spiritual tradition as a religious tradition. The 1979 Malnak v. Yogi case defined Transcendental Meditation as a religion and therefore ruled that an elective high school Transcendental Meditation class was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that public schools may not endorse religious practices such as prayer and Bible reading, even if kids are allowed to opt out. The Court ruled that practicing religion in the classroom is coercive because of mandatory attendance, teacher authority and peer pressure. Mindfulness = Buddhism? Mindfulness likewise does double duty. It sounds like merely paying attention. However, promoters of mindfulness, such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, say they use it as an umbrella term as a skillful way to introduce Buddhist meditation into the mainstream. In a Buddhist Geeks podcast, Trudy Goodman, founder of Insight LA and a mindfulness teacher, speaks of mindfulness as stealth Buddhism, noting that secularly framed classes arent that different from our Buddhist classes. They just use a different vocabulary. Founder of Yoga Ed. Tara Guber has admitted to making semantic changes to get her program into a school district where some parents and school board members objected to it, arguing that it was teaching religion. Guber spoke of how yoga can shift consciousness and alter beliefs. Some research shows that yoga and mindfulness have spiritual effects even when they are presented secularly. One study found that over 62 percent of students in secular yoga changed their primary reason for practicing. Most initiate yoga practice for exercise and stress relief, but for many, spirituality becomes their primary reason for maintaining practice, the study states. I propose that respect for cultural and religious diversity can best be achieved through an opt-in model of informed consent. That is to say, it may be constitutional for yoga and mindfulness to be available on school grounds, but students should be able to choose to get into the programs, not as I point out in various cases in my book be forced to take extra steps just to get out. Students and their parents must be given enough information about offered programs including risks, benefits, alternatives, and potential effects to make an informed choice about whether to participate. Candy Gunther Brown is a Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A property listing for a luxury apartment. Luis Sevillano A listing on a property website describes a stately apartment for sale in the heart of the upscale Madrid neighborhood of Arguelles. The property, which is worth 2 million, features floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the Spanish capital, jatoba wood floors, stucco walls and large, white-lacquered doors. Not to mention the 70-year-old woman in slippers cooking spaghetti in the kitchen. Ana Maria is selling her stunning apartment under a bare ownership system. In other words, the client buys the property on condition that Ana Maria can live there until her death. In recent years, this type of deal has become popular in humble neighborhoods in Madrid as a way to tackle the precariousness faced by pensioners. But it is now increasingly popular with wealthy homeowners who want to maintain their upmarket lifestyle until their death. In a house like this, every time, you receive a bill it gives you a big shock Homeowner Ana Maria Ana Maria says it would be a terrible shame to have to leave the home she has been living in for 20 years. As she makes lunch for one of her children, who is about to show up, she explains that she has spent the best years of her life in the stately apartment, where some of the neighborhoods best parties once took place. Packing up her things and seeing other people living in the rooms that she has so much attachment to would tear her apart, she says, as she walks through the living room, the dining room and the bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Thats why she has told her husband that this could be a good way to get rid of some debts hanging over them and spend the rest of their lives in comfort, without the fear of unexpected bills. In a house like this, every time you receive a bill it gives you a big shock, she explains. The price of bare ownership is reduced according to the age of the seller, with the discount calculated based on how many years they are likely to continue to live. For example, for a seller who is 70 like Ana Maria, the sale price could be reduced by 40%, for one who is 80 there could be a 30% discount, and for a person 90 years or older, up to 20% off the cost of the property. A bare ownership property listed by Engel & Volkers Engel & Volkers Many people have wonderful children but others dont. On the one hand, you resolve the problem of inheritance and if you want to, you can spend the money on whatever you want. Its a phenomenal way to supplement your retirement, says Ignacio Perez-Portabella, a division director at the luxury real estate agency Engel & Volkers in Barcelona, which has sold many bare ownership properties. In our business, the number of bare ownership deals has risen by around 300% in just a year, says the property expert Eduardo Molet, well-known in Madrid for his aggressive marketing campaigns. The neighborhoods with the greatest demand are the most expensive ones, like Salamanca, Chamberi and Chamartin, he adds. According to Molet, Spain is a country of property owners, and a large part of family wealth is in property. While this tradition led to problems following the burst of Spains property bubble, it has become an advantage for the old and wealthy. This type of sales arrangement is a way to avoid becoming the cliche of the old marquis who drinks cheap wine in a palace that is falling apart because he does not have enough money in cash. The advantages of bare ownership for sellers include not having to pay land value tax (IBI) or building homeowner association fees In some situations, it is the children who push for this arrangement. Katherine and Elisa have inherited an apartment from their mother, Adelfa, an 88-year-old woman who enjoys watching the planes landing from the windows of her home in Arturo Soria. They do not want to live in there when their mother dies, and dividing it isnt an option. Thats why they have decided to sell their mothers place ahead of time for 860,000. Elisa, 59, plans to use the money on a business project with a friend, while her sister is a top executive and is not interested in living in the apartment. Elisa understands that they will be selling the property for less than it is worth, but argues that it means they will have money now. Although Adelfa may move to an aged care facility in the future, until then she can remain in her home, surrounded by family photos. For sellers, the advantages of bare ownership include not having to pay land value tax (IBI) or building homeowner association fees, and their insurance premiums also go down. The buyer, on the other hand, is able to buy a home below market value and, according to law, has a right to receive it in a good condition. Marias only heirs are on her husbands side, and she holds them with little regard. Why would she leave them her beautiful home with views of a medieval castle? The house is huge. I dont want to live here alone if my husband dies. What I would do is sell the bare legal title, have money now in cash, and leave it when he is no longer of this world, she says on the phone. Asked whether she intends to tell her nephews, Ana Maria replies, No, why would I do that? This is mine and I can do whatever I want with it. Bare ownership expo The 1st bare ownership property expo was held on October 25, 2018 at Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid and is now an annual event. The average price of the 500 properties up for sale is around 150,000 between 40% and 90% below the market price. The cheapest apartment is on sale for 56,000 in San Blas in Madrid, and the most expensive one costs 525,000 and is also in the capital. Most sellers are between 75 and 80 years old and want to continue living in their homes, but cannot survive on their pensions. English version by Melissa Kitson. Spanish frigate Mendez Nunez (l) and USS Abraham Lincoln. Spanish navy Spains acting defense minister, Margarita Robles, said on Tuesday that the Spanish frigate Mendez Nunez has been pulled out of a US-led naval group in the Persian Gulf because American authorities have changed the original mission. Robles insisted that the decision is technical and military, not political, and that Spain respects Washingtons choice. We respect the decision and when things go back to what was planned with the Spanish Navy, we will resume [the mission], said the minister. The Spanish frigate will rejoin the fleet once it reaches the Indian Ocean. Spains commitment is to the European Union and international organizations, and we will always adopt our common positions from there Acting Defense Minister Margarita Robles Speaking in Brussels at a meeting of EU ministers, Robles said that Spain and the US had reached a deal two years ago to include the Mendez Nunez, with 215 sailors on board, in a training mission that also commemorates the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the Earth by the explorers Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano. But on May 5 Washington announced it would send the fleet led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Persian Gulf amid growing tension between the US and Iran. I am legally-minded and when I see that there is a deviation from the agreement, I feel that it is better to temporarily suspend it, said Robles. Spains acting foreign minister, Josep Borrell, also downplayed Spains decision. After admitting that it is a complicated situation, he said that it shouldnt be taken so hard. Acting Defense Minister Margarita Robles at the Moron air base in Seville last week. Julio Munoz (EFE) Spain wants to avoid being involuntarily dragged into any kind of conflict with Iran amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. The fleet has already crossed the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which joins the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and is headed to the Strait of Hormuz where it will enter the Persian Gulf. It will be doing so, however, without the Spanish vessel. The integration of the Mendez Nunez in the combat group (in which no other non-US ship is present) was planned with the aim of improving interoperability and joint training. The mission was designed to last six months, from the end of April until October 31, when the Spanish vessel was due to arrive in the port of San Diego (California) after having crossed the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Pacific. The group includes the Lincoln, which carries 85 aircraft on board, as well as a guided missile cruiser, three destroyers, a logistics ship and a submarine. When I see that there is a deviation from the agreement, I feel that it is better to temporarily suspend it Acting Defense Minister Margarita Robles On May 8, during a visit to the US air base in Moron de la Frontera in southern Spain, Robles made clear that Spains commitment is to the European Union and international organizations, and from there we will always adopt our common positions. Distancing herself from unilateral moves made by the US, the defense minister insisted that Spain is a serious and trustworthy partner, but that its armed forces are only bound by agreements made with the European Union and NATO. In early May, Tehran announced that it would no longer be observing the commitments it took on as part of its nuclear deal, an agreement from which Washington withdrew a year ago. US President Donald Trump reacted by announcing new sanctions against Iran, focused on the strategic sector of industrial metals. The EU has distanced itself from these sanctions and is committed to saving the deal with Iran. While the military deployment had been planned several months ago, US National Security Advisor John Bolton stated that its aim was to send a clear and unmistakable message to Iran that any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force. The decision means that the Mendez Nunez will continue in the area, but without entering the Gulf. , From California, the frigate is due to return to Spain via the Panama Canal, completing its journey around the globe. English version by Simon Hunter and Susana Urra. The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMC) has fined the networks of OKKO, WOG and SOCAR some UAH 77 million for anticompetitive concerted actions in the market of light petroleum products, in particular, for similar actions during 2017, head of the committee Yuriy Terentyev said on his Facebook page. "Today, May 14, 2019, the AMC made the decision on the outcome of the investigation into the case of anticompetitive concerted actions by WOG, OKKO and SOCAR (Part 3 of Article 6 of the law on economic competition protection). The defendants were fined for a total of more than UAH 77 million," he wrote. Terentyev also added that after the committee had made a decision in November 2016 to impose a fine on a number of oil traders (for a total amount of UAH 204 million), a more intense price competition is observed in the fuel market. "We no longer have the situation where half of the market holds one artificially overstated price, which was determined by the so called "market leaders." The 2016 decision on three defendants out of six was supported by all parts of the judicial system. Processes on three other defendants, who, by the way, are the defendants in today's decision, still going on," the expert said. The foreign ministers of EU countries at their meeting on May 13 noted positive signals from the team of Ukraine's President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kyiv-based Ukrayinska Pravda ezine has reported, citing a message from the EU Council on the results of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. The report notes that at the meeting the ministers discussed the situation in Ukraine after the announcement of the results of the presidential elections. "They noted the positive signals from the future administration, especially its intention to continue and strengthen the reforms, which, as they stressed, remain key in providing tangible benefits for the Ukrainian people," the ezine said. The ministers also expressed concern about Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree on simplifying the procedure for issuing Russian passports in Russia-occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The EU foreign ministers confirmed their full support of Ukraine and its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Testimonies in the ongoing trial of Keith Ranierethe alleged ringleader of the Albany-based self-help group turned alleged sex cult Nxivm in a Brooklyn federal court have been increasingly revealing disturbing information about the organization's gnarled inner workings. On the stand, ex-Nxivm members have been testifying about how Raniere (whom they called "Vanguard" or "Grandmaster") allegedly used abusive tactics to maintain a toxic culture of simultaneous reverence and fear within the organization's hierarchical ranks. This allegedly included gathering collateral on its members, punishing them for speaking out or questioning teachings, and branding women with his initials, forcing them to practically starve themselves, and having an all-male society tasked with humiliating them. On Monday, Mark Vicente, formerly a top member within Nxivm's ranks, testified about how Raniere pushed women in the organization to practically starve themselves by only eating the likes of cucumber. Vicente noted that a group of women had gathered around Allison Mackthe former Smallville actress who's been among several inner-circle, ex-Nxivm members pleading guilty to likes of racketeeringwho "didnt look healthy. He said that women were encouraged to eat very little, and even less so if they made any kind of infraction: When Vicente apparently told Raniere that Mack looked "broken," the Nxivm leader shot back: "I'm trying to break her." Vicente told jurors he was involved in an all-male group, called the Society of Protectors, who used "dark, hateful misogyny" to terrorize Nxivm's female members. According to Rolling Stone, Raniere allegedly urged the men to compile video slideshows to mortify women they thought were dressing suggestively, and once gave Seagrams heiress Clare Bronfman (who also plead guilty to Nxivm crimes) a jock strap because she was "too bossy." Regardless, people were "awe-struck" by Raniere, Vicente testified in court last week. "By the time you saw him, it was a little bit like you were seeing, you know, some kind of god," he said. A former Nxivm member, who went by Sylvie, testified last week about how Raniere allgedly used the likes of "collateral" to keep people in line. (In Sylvie's case, it was a letter written to her parents, alleging that she was a prostitute) She said that among the many "assignments" that she was subjected to by her "master," a woman named Monica Duran, she was instructed to seduce Raniere. He allegedly told her to send him nude photos of herself, and on one occasion, he forced her to lay on dirty sheets while he performed oral sex on her. "I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience," she said in court. She went along with it, she said, out of fear that they would release the collateral to her friends and family. The women who were a part of Sylvie's Nxivm subgroup, DOS (Latin for "Dominus Obsequious Sororium," meaning something along the likes of "lord over the obedient female companions"), were allegedly branded with Raniere's initials. Sylvie said that she was set to receive the set branding, but never did. (Raniere escaped to Mexico, where he was arrested last year.) Vicente came into the fold through one of the classes that the organization offered. These "Executive Success Programs" purported to help people become more successful. The classes, which could be up to 12 hours long, were costlyreportedly running $7,500 for 16 days.and required participants to sign non-disclosure agreements, Vicente said last week. Vicente testified about how Raniere's "Twelve Point Mission Statement," which they recited together at the beginning of classes, functioned as a "well-intentioned veneer cover[ing] a horrible evil." People were allegedly divided up into ranks, visible through the sashes they wore (Raniere reportedly wore a white sash, and called himself the "Eternal Student"), and were expected to unquestionably accept the organization's teachings, lest they be subjected to retribution. "He targeted people who were looking to improve their lives, prosecutor Tanya Hajjar told the jury. He drew them in slowly with promises of success, of money, of better relationships, and once he gained their trust, he exploited it. Raniere, who started Nxivm in the 1990s, is currently being charged with sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, and various counts of fraud, along with child pornography. He's pleaded not guilty. Acting president advises successor to 'take the same road as President Poroshenko' Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has advised his successor, President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, to follow his example. "Just follow Poroshenko's example," the outgoing president said during a high-level conference for leaders of the European Union's Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels on Tuesday. Poroshenko said Eastern Partnership countries for the next 10 years should cooperate more with the EU countries, as well as implement reforms. "More reforms, more cooperation with the European Commission, with the European Council, with the European Union," Poroshenko said. Poroshenko said energy security of the entire European continent, and not just the Eastern Partnership countries, should be a priority. "I want to say that we need to believe that the next 10 years will be a success story, and maybe in 10 years we will gather here and say yes, that's what happened. Two decades of the Eastern Partnership have been more successful than the first," he said. Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy has signed the draft law on the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the national language. He announced this and signed the document at a plenary session on Tuesday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent said. He also noted that he was asking the parliament's office to send the signed document to the presidential administration as soon as possible so that the head of state also enacted the law. The session hall met this announcement emotionally, bursting into applause. Prior to this, lawmakers voted down draft resolutions, by which some MPs suggested cancelling the results of voting on the law and which blocked the signing of the draft law by the speaker. Independent parliamentarian of Ukraine Serhiy Leshchenko will be summoned to the General Prosecutor's Office, and then he will probably be handed a suspicion notice, said Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko. "Our investigation into the Burisma case is independent, non-politicized and impartial ... MP Leshchenko will be summoned by investigators, he will be asked questions and probably handed a suspicion notice on disclosing pretrial investigation data on the so-called "black ledger" of the Party of Regions, which led to interference with the U.S. election from the territory of Ukraine," Lutsenko told Ukrainian TV channels on Tuesday. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko has apologized for the assessments of Ukrainian independent deputy Serhiy Leschenko regarding personal lawyer of the U.S. President Donald Trump, Rudolf Giuliani, and looks forward to his early visit to Ukraine. "I think that the statements of a single citizen Leshchenko are his personal attitude and cannot influence our interstate relations. I would like to apologize to Mr. Giuliani for the assessments that Leshchenko allows himself publicly, and especially not publicly, in respect of Mr. Giuliani ... I very much hope that Mr. Giuliani will soon come to Ukraine and will meet with those officials he deems necessary. If necessary, he will meet with me," Lutsenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. According to Lutsenko, Giuliani called him the next morning after the cancellation of his visit to Ukraine, was emotional and stressed that it was not a question of Giuliani-Leschenko, but a question of Ukraine-U.S. Speaking about the reasons for the cancellation of Giuliani's visit to Ukraine, the Prosecutor General noted that he could not disclose everything, but "this is not about the usual cancellation of the visit of one of the U.S. lawyers." Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) on Tuesday detained former commander of the National Guard of Ukraine Yuriy Allerov on suspicion of seizing the property of the Main Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine in the amount of more than UAH 81 million. In addition, the CEO of the developer and appraiser were detained. "On May 14, 2019, the detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, under the procedural guidance of prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), detained the former commander of the National Guard of Ukraine on suspicion of seizing the property of the Main Department of the National Guard in the amount of UAH 81.64 million," the NABU said on its website. Member of Parliament from the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko Serhiy Leshchenko has demanded Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko submit to the Verkhovna Rada a request of depriving him of parliamentary immunity for a speedy investigation of the possible disclosure of pretrial investigation evidence in the case of the "black ledger" of the Party of Regions. "As for his [Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko] charges of his intention to notify me of suspicion for disclosing pretrial investigation information from the "black ledger" case, I call, no, I don't just call - I demand that Prosecutor General Lutsenko today immediately, if not today, then tomorrow or until the end of the week, make a motion [to the Verkhovna Rada] for removing my immunity from prosecution and to conduct an investigation as soon as possible and stop using this case as a means of preserving his authority as prosecutor general," Leshchenko told journalists outside the Verkhovna Rada building on Tuesday. Accompanying Chairman Tashi Dorji in the high-level delegation of the National Council of Bhutan are Secretary General of the National Council Chencho Tshering, National Council member Karma Tshering, Secretary of the National Council Committee Namgay Pelzang, and clerical officer Chang Dawa Tshering from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chairman of the National Council of Bhutan, T. Dorji, was born on October 3, 1981, in Wangdue Prodrang, Bhutan. He graduated from the University of North Bengal, India, and also has a master's degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in the US. From 2006 to 2007, he was an official at the Foreign Ministry of Bhutan. During the 2010-2012 period, he served as CEO of Bhutan tourism company Nyinzer Expeditions. He was a member of the National Council of Bhutan, member of the Social and Cultural Affairs Committee of the National Council of Bhutan and member of the Foreign Relations Committee of the National Council of Bhutan from 2013 to 2018. He has been Chairman of the National Council of Bhutan since May 2018. He said the two countries have a lot of historical, cultural, and religious similarities, so they are able to cooperate and share experience in national building and development. The PM congratulated Bhutan on the achievements it has gained over the years. Despite its small population, Bhutan prides itself on having one of the highest happiness indexes in the world, he said. Chairman Tashi Dorji highly appreciated Vietnams organisation of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 celebration. He said Bhutan has set up diplomatic relations with 36 countries in the world, including Vietnam. The two sides share many similarities in landscape, religion, and people, which are favourable conditions for developing the bilateral ties, he added. Bhutan is working closely with Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs to set up a bilateral consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, he said. He added that Bhutan is also pushing ahead with agricultural reform and mechanisation, hoping to collaborate with Vietnam in agriculture, including importing farming machines from Vietnam and learning from the countrys experience in developing agriculture. Dorji suggested increasing all-level delegation exchanges between the two sides and noted that the number of Vietnamese tourists to Bhutan is increasing. PM Phuc hailed the opinions of the Bhutan chairman and asked him to pay attention to promoting several activities, such as high-level delegations and people-to-people exchanges. He urged the two sides to soon sign a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, and another on bilateral consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries to help promote cooperation in various fields. As bilateral trade remains modest, the PM suggested the two countries enhance cooperation in fields of Bhutans interest, such as machinery and components for agriculture and manufacturing, as well as wooden furniture. He recommended that the two sides boost their tourism partnership by conducting direct charter flights to tap into their cultural similarities, especially Buddhism. The PM hoped Bhutan will continue to create the optimal conditions for Vietnamese citizens to live and work there. Vietnam is willing to share experience in the field of agriculture with Bhutan, he affirmed. He also called on Bhutan to continue supporting and cooperating closely with Vietnam to ensure consensus at international and regional organisations which both are members to. Receiving WKO President Harald Mahrer in Hanoi on May 14, the PM affirmed that Austria is an important and trustful partner of Vietnam, while calling on the two countries to bolster bilateral trade, economic and investment ties. He remarked that Austrian investment in Vietnam is still modest, expressing the wish that the WKO office in Vietnam will help promote the investment flow between the two countries. PM Phuc said Austrian firms should act quickly to seize the opportunities that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement will bring about. He suggested that they can invest in Vietnam in the fields of processing, metallurgy, manufacturing, e-commerce, textile, glass, banking and insurance. Harald Mahrer appreciated the support of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Vietnamese agencies for the opening of the WKO office in the country. The office will provide an important foundation for enhancing ties between the business communities of the two countries, he said. According to the WKO President, representatives of about 50 Austrian firms are accompanying him in this trip to Vietnam with the purpose of studying business and investment opportunities in the country. Recent remarks by Irans education minister about 14 million schoolchildren being ready to go to war, has led to public outcry and condemnations among Iranians. Iranian officials have been making bellicose remarks in recent weeks after tensions flared with the United States. The Iranian Society for the Protection of the Rights of Children has released a public letter May 12 on social media addressed to the minister criticizing his comment. Iranian media reported that Mohammad Bathaee, Minister of Education on May 10 in a speech said, Now, we have 14 million students in schoolswho if needed are ready to sacrifice their lives, like the period of holy defense (Iran-Iraq war). In the 1980s, the Islamic Republic sent tens of thousands of children to fight in the war against Iraq, often as canon fodder to run on minefields to open the way for regular armed forces to advance. The ministers remark has led to a wave of protests on social media. One user, posting the minister's photo with his adult son says that he should have sent him to the army. Many social media users reminded the minister that the phenomenon of child soldiers is illegal. Previously, Human Rights Watch had accused the Islamic Revolution Guards for sending Afghan refugee children to fight in Syria. HRW in a report had highlighted that sometimes children as young as 14 were sent to Syria as part of the Fatemyoun Brigade, organized by Iran. International law through several convention, particularly according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child forbids sending children younger than 15 armed conflict. Disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner, admitted sexter of children, is back in circulation, having moved out of a halfway house in the Bronx on Tuesday morning. "It's good to be out," Weiner reportedly said upon his release. He added that he looks forward to living "a life of integrity and service," which ideally won't entail coercing 15-year-olds to touch themselves while he watches on webcam. In May 2017, Weiner pleaded guilty to one count of transferring obscene material to a minor for striking up a sexually inappropriate text relationship with a teen. In advance of his sentencing, however, federal prosecutors submitted an alarming memo that alleged Weiner's actual crimes significantly surpassed sexting: "With full knowledge that he was communicating with a real 15-year-old girl, the defendant asked her to engage in sexually explicit conduct via Skype and Snapchat, where her body was on display, and where she was asked to sexually perform for him." Receiving his 21-month sentence (of which he ended up serving roughly 15 months in the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, before his transfer to the Bronx halfway house in February), Weiner reportedly wept in the courtroom. "The crime I committed was my rock bottom, but I am truly grateful that it began me on my recovery," he said. Rock bottom really says a lot in Weiner's context, considering he completely tanked his political career with a series of sexting scandals. He resigned from Congress in 2011, after it emerged that he habitually sent racy messages to women online. Two years later, he derailed his own mayoral aspirations with yet more sexts, and under the embarrassing pen name "Carlos Danger" at that. That's all leaving aside the fact that Weiner's lewd internet activity made its way into the FBI's investigation of then-presidential-candidate Hillary Clinton's email practices, resulting in the public reopening of the probe days before the election. At the time, Weiner was married to a top Clinton aide, Huma Abedin, who subsequently filed for divorce. The rest of the country, meanwhile, is still living with the unintended consequences of Weiner's crimes. In April, a judge decreed Weiner a Level 1 sex offender, the lowest-level designation of all three available in New York. His name will remain on the sex offender list for 20 years. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: ISSA Secretary General Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano visiting Azerbaijan to take part at European Regional Social Security Forum which is going to be held by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in Baku has been at UNEC. During the meeting with the rector, Professor Adalat Muradov, the possible cooperation directions between UNEC and ISSA were discussed. They exchanged views on conducting joint research on social security, organization of seminars and trainings. During the visit, Marcelo Abi-Ramia Kaetano also met UNEC students. Making a presentation on challenges of social security, the Secretary General of the ISSA gave detailed information on the activities carried out by the partner organizations of European countries in the direction of these challenges. He also conducted a comparative analysis of the social security of different countries. During the meeting questions were answered which the students were interested in. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 14, 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 14 Trend: The ceasefire monitoring exercise on the Line of Contact, in the territory of Azerbaijan's Goranboy district, held in accordance with the mandate of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on May 14, ended with no incident, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The Personal Representative's field assistants Mihail Olaru and Simon Tiller carried out the monitoring on the territory of Azerbaijan. The Personal Representative's field assistants Ghenadie Petrica and Ognjen Jovic carried out the monitoring on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan occupied and controlled by the armed forces of Armenia. 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 14 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: Armenia and Azerbaijan have to start substantive talks, said Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during the panel discussions as part of the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership High-level conference in Brussels May 14, Trend reports. We should not cheat ourselves that we do not know what we are talking about, what are the parameters, what are the principles. Everyone knows whats going on, whats the plan, not only on both sides, but also in the capitals of co-chairing countries. The only thing we desperately need is the political will, 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. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: Armenias provocative statements in the UN, its use of procedural moments, attempts to change the structure and format of the negotiation process are different forms of the same policy, Head of the Expert Council of the Baku Network and Deputy Director General of Trend News Agency Elkhan Alasgarov said. Alasgarov made the remarks in Baku, during the roundtable discussions in the press-center of Trend. The issues covering the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the role of international organizations, in particular the UN, the OSCE Minsk Group, which are directly related to the settlement of the long-term problem, were discussed during the roundtable discussions. Alasgarov stressed that the only solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is to force Armenia to peace through substantive negotiations with Azerbaijan. "Despite the negotiation process is being torpedoed by the Armenian side, we must work to create a solid legal base and promote our interests more actively, he said. I think that one of the effective steps towards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement could be the adoption of a new document on the South Caucasus with Georgias participation within the UN. I think that the document must outline the resolutions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement to give some impetus to the negotiation process," Alasgarov said. The expert stressed that the UN has recently adopted a document on Central Asia to unite the regional countries. "This is a single document and I think that it is necessary to adopt a similar document on the South Caucasus to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Alasgarov said. I think that the document may also have an impact on the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, to whom we have a lot of questions and who think that they have a monopoly on the conflict settlement process. During the roundtable discussions, the experts assessed the recent provocation of the Armenian side, in particular, the provocative report of the unrecognized "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" which was posted on the UN website. The experts also expressed the views on the degree of protection of the legal framework of the adopted documents from the Armenian sides attacks and assaults and the reason of Armenias current intensification. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: Baku hosts the Regional Social Security Forum for Europe held by International Social Security Association (ISSA), Trend reports on May 14. Representatives of ISSA, other international organizations and 35 countries are participating in the three-day forum. During the opening ceremony of the forum, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Ahmadov emphasized that the country, recognized as a reliable partner in the international arena, is constantly developing cooperation with European structures. The reforms carried out in the field of social security under the presidents leadership brought successful results, he said. Important steps were taken to improve and strengthen the social protection system. During the process of ongoing reforms, special importance is attached to the cooperation with corresponding organizations of Europe and other countries, as well as to active exchange of experience, he said. While speaking at the forum, ISSA President Joachim Breuer stressed that the Association is observing the innovations in the Azerbaijani social sphere with great interest and appreciates the initiative of establishing DOST centers. Breuer expressed gratification with the high-level holding of the forum in Azerbaijan and thanked the Azerbaijani government for hosting the event. Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Sahil Babayev stressed that Azerbaijan, which has been successfully cooperating with ISSA for 15 years, has hosted a number of events of this organization over the past period. He highlighted the country's achievements in the process of dynamic economic development, as well as important reforms carried out recently in accordance with the successful policy of social development determined by the president. The Regional Social Security Forum for Europe, which is held every three years, provides a unique platform for discussing topical issues in the field of social security of the European countries and the ways of innovative solution to these problems and creates the conditions for active cooperation and exchange of experience. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: A 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership High-level conference has kicked off in Brussels, the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is attending the conference. EaP10 - achievements and challenges in delivering concrete results to citizens panel has started its work as part of the conference. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: A brief conversation between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was held in Brussels, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend on May 14. The meeting was held as part of the event dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, he said. As for Pashinyans statement, Hajiyev said that the main reason for the unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is Armenias aggressive policy. "After Armenia stops to occupy Azerbaijani territories, progress in the conflict settlement and ensuring peace in the region may be achieved, he said. As for the format of the negotiation process, there are two parties to the conflict, namely, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the negotiations are being held in this format." 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 14 Trend: The Visegrad Group has issued a statement on the meeting of foreign ministers of the groups member countries and participants of the Eastern Partnership in Bratislava, chaired by Slovakia, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry. The document reflects achievements and results of the implementation of the program over the past 10 years by the participating countries of the Eastern Partnership, as well as prospects for the next decade. The statement also notes the importance of keeping the program on the agenda of the European Union, as well as the mutual interest of the parties to continue this unique program of the European neighborhood, in accordance with common commitments based on aggregate fundamental values and principles of international law, democracy, human rights, rule of law, accountability and good governance, sustainable development and a market economy. The statement emphasizes support of the Visegrad Group member states for the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of the partner countries. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: The final document following the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels dedicated to the 10th anniversary of launching the EU Eastern Partnership program was not planned to be adopted at all, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Fuad Isgandarov said. Isgandarov, who is also the head of the Azerbaijani representative office to the EU, was commenting on the information that Azerbaijan did not agree with the final document following the meeting and that the use of veto right by Azerbaijan was connected with the lack of references to the country's territorial integrity, Trend reports on May 14. The ambassador stressed that the issue was voiced by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during a high-level conference dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership (for information, please visit https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-172103). The final document following the ministerial meeting in Brussels, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, was not planned to be adopted at all, Isgandarov added. "The discussions, which were held during the process of making the proposals for the adoption of a single document of the Eastern Partnership, all EU member-states and European institutions, were procedural, he said. Such issues as whether the document will be concise or expanded, comprehensive and focusing on all aspects were discussed, as it was at previous summits. He continued by saying, Azerbaijan was a proponent of inclusion of the issues, which are fundamental for all EU member-states and Eastern Partnership countries, in the case of adoption of the final document. He added, In this context, the issue of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all Eastern Partnership countries was jointly proposed by Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova. To decrease the volume of the document, an agreement was reached that it would include the references to the documents of previous summits and thereby reflect the abovementioned principles during the discussions among the Eastern Partnership countries, the EU institutions and member-states, Isgandarov said. The document entitled 'Chairmans Final Notes', signed by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, contains all references to the documents from previous summits, he added. Isgandarov once again emphasized that territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence were unequivocally recognized at all Eastern Partnership summits. In his words, in conclusion, an agreement was reached that this short document which was not a declaration should be presented as "Chairmans Final Notes". In contrast to the abovementioned facts, the celebration of the "non-recognition of territorial integrity" of Azerbaijan in the Armenian press is absurd, he said. "If the opposite side carefully reads the document, it will see the references to the documents adopted at the previous summits," the ambassador said. He emphasized that Azerbaijans foreign policy is based on the countrys interests and the norms and principles of international law. "Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs current visit to Brussels is the most vivid example of this attitude," the ambassador said. Isgandarov reminded that a number of high-level meetings were held during the visit and the events dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership are still underway. The Azerbaijani foreign minister also participates in these events and Azerbaijans position based on its national interests is voiced during all the discussions. Hundreds of Orthodox Jewish families gathered in a catering hall Monday night in the Rockland County hamlet of Monsey, where they heard anti-vaccine crusaders claim that inoculations are the real health risk, and that measles can help produce growth spurts and prevent everything from cancer to heart disease. Dr. Larry Palevsky, who runs the Newport Wellness Center in Long Island, a practice that specializes in holistic pediatric services, asked onlookers to question whether there was actually a measles outbreak, or if people were actually catching measles from the vaccine itself. Or, perhaps, doctors have been misdiagnosing other illnesses as the measles. Is there a bad lot of vaccines? Palevsky asked the crowd. Is it possible that these lots are bad? Is it something other than the unvaccinated children? The symposium, hosted by a group calling itself the "United Jewish Community Council," was advertised through robocalls and fliers sent around WhatsApp groups. Getting wind of the rally, Rockland County officials sent out a desperate message urging people not to attend. This type of propaganda endangers the health and safety of children within our community, County Executive Ed Day, Ramapo Supervisor Michael Speech, and Rabbi Chaim Schabes wrote in a joint statement. It is unfortunate that these outsiders are targeting our community and attacking our right of self-determination...We urge our residents to continue to ignore these attempts to exploit our differences and ask that they stand together. But the message did little to dissuade hundreds of people from showing up, mostly Orthodox Jewish families from all over the region; some bussed into Monsey from as far away as Brooklyn and Lakewood, New Jersey. Crowds trickled in at first, but by 8:30 p.m. the ballroom was packed with hundreds of spectators, with women and men separated by a cloth partition. (The podium was in front of the mens side, while women initially had to make do with a video projection. After some protest from non-Orthodox women there, organizers pulled back the curtain a few feet so women could see the stage.) Just one of the events five speakers, who were introduced as distinguished personalities and the cream of humanitys crop, was from the Orthodox community. Rabbi Hillel Handler, who has likened vaccination to child sacrifice in the past, told the crowd that according to medical research, if you catch measles, mumps and chickenpox, your chances of getting cancer, heart disease, and strokes goes down 60 percent. He also said that Hasidim were being scapegoated by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who he called a very, very sneaky fellow and a German. The Jews are our misfortune, he said, bringing up how Jews were stigmatized in Nazi Germany. We Hasidim have been chosen as the target in order to distract from the virulent diseases that are sweeping through the city from illegals. Listen to Gwynne Hogan's report for WNYC: The other speakers were figures from the national secular anti-vaccination circuit, who traded in long-debunked and fraudulent claims that vaccines cause autism or other autoimmune disorders, while painting measles as a trivial childhood illness that can give children a growth spurt or protect them from cancers. D.C. lobbyist Greg Mitchell took the stage after Rabbi Handler. Mitchell has pushed for such causes as the First Step Act, the criminal justice reform bill signed into law late last year by President Trump. Mitchell, according to a report from the Daily Beast, was booted from those efforts when organizers found out he was also lobbying for the Church of Scientology, and that the church was potentially trying to convert formerly incarcerated people through a nonprofit it runs. I will be your voice in Washington, Ill make it will help you carry your message; I will stand next to you, Mitchell said, admitting not to know much about the vaccine safety issue and deferring to the expertise of other speakers. Im your lobbyist, Im here to help you. Palevsky then questioned the reality of a measles outbreak, while warning the crowd about the measles vaccine. Hundreds of thousands if not millions of mothers...have witnessed children regressing after they get the MMR...the children stop talking, they dont look at you, they start flapping their arms, they start banging their head, he said. According to New York City and Rockland Health Departments, the vast majority of people whove gotten sick with measles have been unvaccinated. In Rockland County, 92 percent of people were either completely unvaccinated or had an known vaccination status, according to the countys health department. In New York City, 92 percent of children who got sick and 72 percent of adults were unvaccinated as of April 24, according to a city Department of Health advisory sent out to health care providers. The final speakers were two of the biggest names on the anti-vaccination circuit. Andrew Wakefield, the author of the fraudulent 1998 paper published then retracted in the Lancet that claimed there was a link between the Measles Mumps Rubella vaccine and autism by looking at 12 autistic children, spoke to the crowd via videoconference. I want to reassure you, I have never been involved in scientific fraud, he said. What happened to me is what happens to doctors who threaten the bottom line of the pharmaceutical companies and who threaten government policy in the interest of their patients and that is what happened. Andrew Wakefield joined the crowd via ominous video conference: pic.twitter.com/wUHa1AFPcL Gwynne Hogan (@GwynneFitz) May 14, 2019 After Wakefields study was found to contain factual inaccuracies and ethical violations, investigative journalist Brian Deer revealed that Wakefield had also been receiving payments from an attorney trying to sue the vaccine manufacturer. Finally, Del Bigtree, TV producer-turned-anti-vaccination YouTube host, addressed the crowd. This could destroy our species...They wanna talk about the measles, Bigtree shouted to the exuberant crowd. I wanna talk about autism, I want to talk about the greatest epidemic of our lifetime and all the other chronic illnesses that are skyrocketing in this country. The events moderator, Moshe Greenfield, thanked each speaker for coming, and handed them a commemorative plaque. Jewish families in the tristate area are currently going through a crisis with the vaccine issue, he told guests. We are confident that the day will yet dawn when the Vaccine God will crumble due to its own cracks and faults as more parents become informedand political officials speak truthfully. Attendees watched the symposium patiently and with fixed attention past midnight, with mothers in the audience hushing young babies and children scrambling anxiously through the aisles. Pamphlets were passed out for a brand of health supplements called Natures Cure, and a complimentary bottle of the brands constipation care was provided in goodie bags, for a suggested donation of $12. The underlying issue is choice, said attendee Sandy Nemeroff, who said she was an activist and a concerned grandmother. Where theres risk there has to be choice. Another attendee, Chasya G., an Orthodox mother of three from Brooklyn, said she had vaccinated her older children but stopped with her youngest. We have a support group because were a minority. We are for safe vaccines. And unlike other minorities we are being vilified and its very sad, she said. You can feel that the people took it very, very seriously, you can sense that. This is the group of people, the Jewish Orthodox mothers, [for whom] the home, the families, their children is the most important thing, thats what they live for. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva has met with Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng in Beijing. Noting that relations between the two countries are successfully developing in all areas, Le Yucheng said that China will continue its efforts to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan even further. He underlined that Azerbaijan boasts unique cultural heritage and added that various events highlighting Azerbaijan`s culture have been held in China in recent years. The Chinese vice minister stressed that such events make significant contributions to deepening friendly ties between the two nations. Le Yucheng hailed Azerbaijan`s active participation in the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing and the events organized on the sidelines of the conference. Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva said that the deepening of cooperation between the two countries in a variety of fields contributes to developing the two nations` friendly relations, which date back to the ancient Silk Way. Recalling Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev`s participation in the second "One Belt One Road" International Cooperation Forum in Beijing last month, Leyla Aliyeva noted that Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to support this initiative of China, and also tries to deepen economic, humanitarian and cultural cooperation under this project. The Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation pointed out that there is a big interest in China, its culture, language and traditional medicine in Azerbaijan. Leyla Aliyeva noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is interested in deepening cooperation with China on these fronts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva has met with President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Li Xiaolin in Beijing. Li Xiaolin recalled her visit to Azerbaijan last year, as well as her meetings with President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva. Highlighting the association`s relations with Azerbaijan, Li Xiaolin said that close cooperation with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation gives a great impetus to the development of friendly relations between the two nations. Hailing fruitful cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Leyla Aliyeva highlighted the events organized as part of this collaboration. The sides expressed confidence that joint projects will be continued. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of a new building of the country`s Embassy in Brussels, the Kingdom of Belgium. Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to Belgium Fuad Isgandarov and designer of the building, well-known Belgian architect Philippe Vanhereveqe informed the head of state of the work carried out here. Located on Avenue de Tervueren in Brussels, the building was purchased by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in 2014. The building underwent a major overhaul. The Azerbaijani President cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the building and then viewed the conditions created here. President Ilham Aliyev posed for photographs together with the Embassy staff. On May 14, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev completed his working visit to the Kingdom of Belgium. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: The Royal Windsor Horse Show, organized in honor of the legendary Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and arousing great interest among lovers of everything equestrian, wrapped up last week, Trend reports. The Kelaghayi and the Karabakh Horses of Azerbaijan composition show, presented by a group of riders on Karabakh horses of Azerbaijans State Border Service and a dance ensemble, with organizational support from the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan, aroused particular interest in Queen Elizabeth II, members of the royal family and other spectators. Before the grand performance, the presenter stressed that the Azerbaijani kelaghayi (traditional Azerbaijani women's headgear), having more than 1,500 years of history, being one of the main elements of the composition show, was presented by Prince Albert to his wife Queen Victoria two centuries ago - in 1851, at a large exhibition in London, which was met with great interest. The composition show presented by the Azerbaijani delegation at the event, held in the territory of the ancient Windsor Castle, was watched by hundreds of thousands of people live daily, as well as millions of viewers who admired the beauty of Karabakh horses, performing to the sounds of national music, heroism and courage of riders, and the temperamental and emotional performance of the dancers. The British Internet portal Dailymail.co.uk posted a report on the Royal Equestrian Show in Windsor, where it was especially noted that the composition show with the participation of the Karabakh racers of Azerbaijan is one of the Queens favorite events of the year. After viewing the Kelaghayi and the Karabakh Horses of Azerbaijan composition show, Queen Elizabeth II received members of the Azerbaijani delegation on May 11, namely the Vice presidents of the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan Sakit Mammadov and Bahruz Nabiyev, and athlete Khadija Gulubeyli. The meeting was attended by the queen's spouse, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the grandson of the Queen, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and other officials. During the meeting, Queen Elizabeth II was presented as a gift a painting by the national artist of Azerbaijan Sakit Mammadov entitled "Bahar gizi" and an Azerbaijani kelaghayi. During the presentation of the gifts, detailed information was provided on the image depicted in the painting of Bahar gizi is one of the ancient symbols of Azerbaijans ancient Novruz holiday, as well as the poetess Natavan, Karabakh horses, national musical instruments and the Khari Bulbul flower depicted on the kelaghayi. Queen Elizabeth II expressed deep gratitude to the representatives of Azerbaijan for the grandiose composition show, the presented painting and the national kelaghayi. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Sahil Babayev met with Secretary General of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan to participate in the Regional Social Security Forum for Europe to be held May 14-16 in Baku, Trend reports. The meeting was held in Azerbaijans Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population. The minister noted that an Azerbaijani citizen stands at the center of the policy being pursued by Azerbaijan, adding that thanks to this policy the welfare of the people has improved, and also informed about steps to enhance social security, reforms carried out in the areas of labor, social security and employment, about the activities of the recently established DOST Agency, the concept and the purpose of this structure. Speaking about the active cooperation of Azerbaijan with ISSA in the context of ongoing reforms in the field of social security, Babayev stressed that Azerbaijan was elected a member of the bureau of this organization and a member of the steering committee of the ISSA European Network. He noted the special importance of the ISSA Regional Social Security Forum for Europe in joint discussion and exchange of experience related to the development of social security systems in European countries. The minister expressed satisfaction with the fact that the ISSA forum is taking place in Azerbaijan, and also that a number of important social programs of Azerbaijan received special awards in the ISSA competition. In turn, ISSA Secretary General Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano said that he welcomes Azerbaijans cooperation with ISSA as part of reforms undertaken by the country in the social security system. The meeting participants exchanged views on the further development of cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and ISSA, opportunities to expand the practical cooperation agenda, support for pension reform, as well as the ISSA Regional Social Security Forum for Europe being held in Baku. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: Azerbaijans Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) will expand cooperation with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization of Turkey (KOSGEB) in order to use its rich experience in Azerbaijan, Trend reports with reference to the agency. Azerbaijans Deputy Minister of Economy Niyazi Safarov and Chairman of the Agencys Board Orhan Mammadov met with KOSGEB Chairman Cevahir Uzkurt in Ankara. The parties discussed issues of experience exchange, expansion of relations between SMEs of both countries, and prospects of joint activities and implementation of joint projects. The parties also informed each other in detail about their activities, support mechanisms for entrepreneurs and services rendered to them. In conclusion, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Azerbaijans Agency for the Development of SMEs and KOSGEB. During the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation also held meetings with Minister of Industry and Technology of Turkey Mustafa Varank and his deputy Cetin Ali Donmez, representatives of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey, organization Katilim Bankciligi and Eximbank of Turkey, and leadership of the regional office of the Islamic Development Bank. At the meetings, opportunities for cooperation in relevant areas were discussed. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Products of the Baku Textile Factory will be exported under the trademarks Alpar and Banu, the director of the company Sakina Babayeva told Trend. She said that this applies only to finished textile items. "We plan to start supplying finished products to foreign markets, since some samples of our companys products, which were demonstrated in the Trading Houses of Azerbaijan abroad, aroused interest among partners in Russia and in Arab countries," said Babayeva. The director noted that the factory has already received an application from the UAE regarding cooperation and exports. "We have already sent samples of some varieties of textile products to the UAE, and we are waiting for the results," Babayeva said. The director added that the factory is also considering other areas of export supplies. She noted that the Baku Textile Factory employs 300 people and 7 production lines are involved at the factory. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 14 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Kyrgyzstan has ratified an agreement between the governments of Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan on the elimination of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion with respect to taxes on income, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Kyrgyz Parliament. The document was signed on August 23, 2018 in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat. The agreement defines the rules for distinguishing the rights of each of the signatory states on taxation of subjects of one state that have a taxation object in another state, the information says. The agreement protects a resident of one state from discriminatory taxation in another signatory state, and prevents tax evasion or abuse of the provisions of the agreement by exchanging information between the competent authorities of the contracting states. It was reported earlier that Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan are discussing the prospects for cooperation in the creation of processing enterprises. The parties agreed to support the creation of joint ventures aimed at the markets of the EU, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and China. Kyrgyzstan is also negotiating with the state commodity and raw materials exchange of Turkmenistan to look for opportunities for increasing trade. Turkmenistan is ready to consider the possibility of joint mining and processing of minerals in Kyrgyzstan. The parties are discussing the prospects of partnership in industry and transport. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: The International Social Security Association (ISSA) highly appreciates the social and economic achievements of Azerbaijan, Joachim Breuer, President of ISSA, said at the ISSA Regional Social Security Forum for Europe held in Baku, Trend reports. Breuer noted that he is keenly following the innovations in the social sphere of Azerbaijan, and that he highly appreciates the initiative of creating DOST (Center for Sustainable and Operational Social Security) centers in the country. He went on to say that a comprehensive system of social protection was created in Europe in 130 years. "Social security plays an important role in supporting stability. The main goal of Europe is to be an example for the whole world," he said. According to Breuer, one of the main tasks is the fight against informal employment. The Centers for Sustainable and Operational Social Security (DOST centers) are created to provide state social services (employment, social security, targeted state social assistance, pensions, social insurance and other services) through operational and simplified procedures. In 2019-2025, 31 DOST centers are planned to be created in Baku and regions: five in Baku, two in Sumgayit and Ganja, and the rest in other regions of the country. Baku is hosting the ISSA Regional Social Security Forum for Europe on May 14-16, 2019. It is attended by senior officials of ISSA member organizations in Europe, as well as ministers and senior government officials, politicians, and experts from 35 countries. (Details added, first version published at 11:51) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: Azerbaijan holds a leading position in the region in the area of conducting reforms, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Ahmadov said at the Regional Social Security Forum for Europe held in Baku, Trend reports. He noted that reforms in the field of social security are of particular importance. According to the deputy PM, Azerbaijan has been living in conditions of war imposed by Armenia for more than 2 decades, and the social security of internally displaced persons and refugees is at the center of the state policy in Azerbaijan. From year to year, the state takes real measures to improve the social conditions of these people, including the provision of housing and work, Ahmadov said, adding that, of course, all this requires large financial resources. According to Ahmadov, about 10 percent of the total expenses for the social security system come from meeting the needs and requirements of refugees and internally displaced persons. A Hofstra University fraternity has been suspended after a video circulated showing alleged members forcing a dog to drink alcohol in a keg stand, reportedly at an off-campus party at the frat's headquarters in Hempstead, Long Island on Saturday. In the Snapchat video, below, members of Alpha Epsilon Pi can be seen holding the dog upside down while pouring beer into its mouth. so apparently its okay to force dogs to drink beer even though it can kill them???? @HofstraU @AEPi pls do better @peta pic.twitter.com/u8Wx78MUfL Kristina (@kristinaproscia) May 11, 2019 Karla Schuster, a spokesperson for the university, said in a statement: "The behavior seen on the video is unacceptable and in violation of the Universitys Code of Community Standards...The University has been in communication with Alpha Epsilon Pi International headquarters, as well as with chapter members regarding this off-campus incident. In accordance with University policy, the chapter has been placed on interim suspension pending an investigation." "Its wrong on every level. Its just not rational thinking," Gary Rogers of the Nassau County SPCA told CBS. Rogers told them that the 10-month-old King Charles Cavalier in the video belongs to a 21-year-old senior at Hofstra, who can be seen in the video. He may be facing charges as well for the incident: "A misdemeanor for failure to provide adequate sustenance and overdrive and torture of an animal," Rogers said. Rogers spoke to reporters outside the frat house, located on Kernochan Avenue in Hempstead, saying that the dog "had no choice. It didn't say, 'Hey, I want a beer and I want it poured down my throat.' So, it's wrong. It's wrong on every level." CBS adds that the dog was briefly taken from the owner by the Nassau County SPCA, but has since been returned, which led to this hilarious sentence: "Despite what happened, the dog - who police would not name - is being returned to the owner." The woman who initially put up the video online followed up with two additional statements about the pressure she has received from some to take it down: Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: More Kazakh enterprises are allowed to export beef to China, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan. A number of enterprises that are allowed to export beef to China has increased. On May 10, 2019, The General Customs Administration of China included Aktyubinsk Meat Cluster, MPS and Bayserke AGRO into the list of enterprises that are allowed to export beef to China, the report says. The decision to include the Astana Agroproduct in the list will be made soon, reads the message. Kazakhstan and China signed a veterinary certificate on meat and meat products within the framework of the second forum of One Belt One Road, which took place in Beijing on April 26, 2019. --- Follow author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: A new project is being prepared in Azerbaijan with the support of the World Bank (WB), aimed at expanding the self-employment program, Sahil Babayev, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan, told reporters, Trend reports. The minister noted that this project is currently being discussed, and negotiations are underway with the WB. "Preparations have begun for the development of this document, which envisages the improvement of the social program of self-employment and bringing it up to par with global standards," the minister said. Babayev noted that the self-employment program in Azerbaijan will cover 8,000 people this year. "The scope of self-employment over the past year has increased by 6 times; 7,800 requests were received in total, 7,267 people underwent training and substantiated their business plans, while 5,500 were provided with assets," the minister said. The program contributes to increasing labor productivity and economic activity of the population, increasing family income, and creating additional jobs, as well as increasing the number of taxpayers and social insurance payments. The self-employment program is implemented on the basis of the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev On additional measures to ensure self-employment of the population, dated 2016. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: There are plans to open new Centers for Sustainable and Operational Social Security (DOST) in Azerbaijan in 2020, Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Sahil Babayev told reporters in Baku, Trend reports. The minister noted that three DOST centers will open in the regions of Azerbaijan next year. "We believe that the network of DOST centers will expand in the coming years in order to cover all regions of Azerbaijan," he added. "The creation of such centers in Azerbaijan is one of the indicators of successful reforms in the social sphere, and the improvement of the 'single window' electronic system." DOST centers are created to provide state social services (employment, social security, targeted state social assistance, pensions, social insurance and other services) through operational, simplified procedures. In 2019-2025, 31 DOST centers are planned to be created in Baku and regions: five in Baku, two in Sumgayit and Ganja, and the rest in other regions of the country. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: Irans gas exports to Iraq will reach 40 million cubic meters per day in the coming months, Executive Director of National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Montazer Torbati said, Trend reports via Tasnim News Agency. He said that gas in this volume will be exported to Baghdad and Basra cities as part of two agreements with Iraq. In the coming months, along the increase in Iraqs electricity consumption, Irans gas exports to Iraq are also projected to increase, he said. Commenting on the state of agreement regarding Irans gas exports to Turkey, the company official said that the contract is being executed and that there are no problems in gas exports to Turkey. He noted that the two sides are planning to start negotiations in the next five years in order to extend the agreement on Irans gas exports to Turkey. In this regard, serious discussions will be launched next year, he added. Based on the talks held so far, Turkey has shown interest in extending the period of this agreement, he noted. Iran is also ready to provide gas that the neighboring country needs. Touching upon the Iranian gas exports to Pakistan, he expressed hope that the country will be interested in Irans laying a gas pipeline in Pakistan. Gas from Iran will become safe solution for Pakistans energy supply, he said. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: The Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the global payment technology company Visa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation for the joint implementation of programs for the development of digital payment infrastructure in Uzbekistan, Trend reports citing Uzbek media. The memorandum states that the parties intend to jointly promote the creation of a digital payment infrastructure in Uzbekistan, expand the network of accepting electronic payments by introducing new digital payment products and cooperate in developing regulations aimed at developing digital payments. Moreover, the parties agreed to implement programs to expand card acceptance throughout the country and develop e-commerce by providing banks and merchants with reliable risk management tools. As part of the partnership, the Parties intend to work with local banks on the implementation of tokenization of card credentials to ensure the security of mobile and electronic payments, and exchange data on risks and fraudulent transactions. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14 Trend: On July 4, the Malta Airline Air Malta will launch the first direct flights to Malta from Tbilisi International Airport, Trend reports via apsny.ge. The weekly Tbilisi-Malta-Tbilisi flights will be available every Thursday on Airbus A 320. Air Malta is the airline of the Maltese Islands, which for many years has been a connecting link between Malta and more than 35 major cities in Europe and the Mediterranean. According to the company, the emergence of Air Malta on the market will facilitate the opportunity for citizens of not only Georgia, but also Azerbaijan. On May 16 a press conference will be held at the Holiday Inn hotel, which will be attended by representatives of the airline and Air Maltas sales representative in Georgia - Vice-Chairman of Interco Travel Group Zurab Sharashenidze, whose company brought Air Malta to the aviation market of Georgia. The event will be attended by Georgiy Chogovadze, director of the Association of Airports of Georgia LLC, Mariam Kvrivishvili, head of the National Tourism Administration, and Mete Erkal, general manager of TAV Georgia. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 14 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Trend reports referring to Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary (TDH) state agency. One of the topics of discussion was cooperation in the Caspian. By implementing a foreign policy based on the principles of positive neutrality, good neighborliness and equal cooperation built on the balance of national and common interests, our country is for developing constructive partnership in the Caspian both in a bilateral and a multilateral format, said the Turkmen head of state. The topic of the upcoming 1st Caspian Economic Forum, which will be held on August 12 in Turkmenistans Awaza, was also touched upon during the meeting. Berdimuhamedov noted that the forum will facilitate the exchange of views on the implementation of the agreement between the governments of the Caspian states on trade and economic cooperation, along with cooperation in transport, which were signed following the 5th Summit of the Heads of Caspian Littoral States. Prospects for cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, where there are ample opportunities in the context of the favorable geographical position and the huge resource potential of both countries, were also discussed. These factors justify an effective partnership in ensuring energy security, which is a pressing issue of our time, the TDH notes. Furthermore, an exchange of views took place on the prospects of cooperation in key areas, including transport and communication. The two countries have accumulated a lot of experience working together. These include projects both implemented and planned, including the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, as well as the creation of an international Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman corridor, which is intended to contribute to increasing trade and economic cooperation between Central Asian and Middle Eastern states. Turkmenistan and Iran border on the Caspian Sea and have a long land border. Over the years of long-term cooperation, they have implemented a number of large-scale joint projects. In addition to border gas pipelines, the Dostluk (Friendship) dam was built with joint efforts of both countries. As of February 1, 2018, 89 investment projects have been registered in Turkmenistan with the participation of Iranian companies, the total value of which makes up $1,310.95 million, 0.8 million euro and 0.81 million Turkmenistan manats (TMT). According to the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, there are 142 enterprises of various forms of ownership with the participation of Iranian capital, including limited partnerships, subsidiaries, representative offices, and branches. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 14 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan held a meeting with the CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen ministry. The meeting addressed organizational issues related to the meeting of heads of government of the CIS member states on May 31, 2019 in Ashgabat. Lebedev noted that the chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the CIS this year is important for strengthening ties between the participating states. In Ashgabat, on May 15-16, two CIS events are planned, the 14th Forum of Creative and Scientific Intelligentsia and a meeting of the Intergovernmental Coordinating Council on Seed Production. Turkmenistan, referring to its status of permanent neutrality, decided to participate in the CIS as an associate member in 2005. In 1999, Turkmenistan withdrew from the agreement on visa-free regime with the CIS countries. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 14 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The parties discussed in detail the cooperation of the two countries within the framework of international organizations, and also focused on the situation in Afghanistan, according to the source. In addition, issues regarding the next meeting of the intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation and interaction in the energy, transport and trade sectors were discussed as well. Also, the possibilities of attracting Iranian companies and business circles to multi-functional projects implemented in Turkmenistan were considered during the dialogue. Turkmenistan, having the status of positive neutrality, has a long border with Afghanistan and has repeatedly offered to hold talks in Ashgabat under the auspices of the UN to restore peace in the neighboring state. Official Ashgabat is in favor of providing more ambitious and targeted international economic assistance to Afghanistan, primarily through the involvement of Afghanistan in the implementation of large infrastructure projects in the energy and transport sectors. Examples of this are the projects of laying power transmission lines and fiber-optic communications along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) route, and the construction of railway lines from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan. A large-scale project to lay gas pipeline to India and Pakistan for the supply of Turkmen gas is also connected to the territory of Afghanistan, where unstable situation has remained for a long time. Observers believe that the implementation of this project may contribute to the restoration of Afghanistan, as it will allow creating jobs and provide the country with guaranteed income from transit. European Union's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini reiterated Europes adherence to the full implementation of the JCPOA, saying that INSTEX will get up and running and have the first transactions hopefully in the next few weeks, Trend reports citing IRNA. Mogherini made the remarks after a meeting with EUs foreign ministers when she stressed the need for dialogue as 'the only and the best way to address differences and avoid escalation' in the region. She also called on Iran to remain committed to the nuclear deal, saying, 'We continue to fully support the nuclear deal with Iran, its full implementation.' 'It has been and continues to be for us a key element of the non-proliferation architecture both globally and in the region.' Mogherini chaired a meeting of the so-called E3 -- Britain, France and Germany -- to discuss efforts to keep the deal going, including the special trade mechanism called INSTEX the trio set up to try to enable legitimate trade with Iran to continue without falling foul of US sanctions. INSTEX was launched in January but is still not operational and its lack of implementation has been criticized by the Iran's senior leadership. Asked about Iran insistence on exporting one and half a million barrels of oil a day, she said that this is not an issue for her to comment on it. The EU is determined to comply with the deal until Iran remains committed to it, she said. Recalling that International Atomic Energy Agency has verified Irans compliance with the deal, Mogherini said that foreign ministers of 28 European states also stress that IAEA is the only source for evaluating Irans adherence to the deal. EU foreign ministers convened on Monday for the first time after Iran issued an ultimatum to the Europeans last week. Nearly five years after he tackled Eric Garner in a fatal encounter that began because Garner was allegedly selling loose cigarettes, New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo began his disciplinary trial on Monday at 1 Police Plaza. The trial has been a long time coming for Garners family and police reform activists. Garners dying words, I cant breathe, became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. Pantaleo was never charged criminally, and he is the only officer of several on the scene that day to receive a disciplinary trial. In his opening statement, prosecutor Jonathan Fogel said that Garner did not pose a threat to the public or to the officers. He pointed out that Garner was unarmed, that there was no urgency to the situation, and that Pantaleo could have waited for a backup team to arrive. He accused Pantaleo of using an unequivocally banned chokehold," and called it shocking, brutal violence, that never gets easier to watch. Prosecutors must prove that Pantaleo acted recklessly and that he intentionally tried to restrict Garners breathing. Medical evidence will be important for both sides, and prosecutors plan to call the doctor who performed Garners autopsy and ruled the death a homicide. Dr. Florina Persechino is expected to show photos of hemorrhaging and trauma deep into the muscle surrounding Garners neck. The NYPDs own investigators determined that Pantaleo should face disciplinary charges for his actions. Deputy Inspector Charles Barton testified on Monday that he ordered the lead investigator to prepare disciplinary charges against Pantaleo in January of 2015. Its unclear why the NYPD never followed through with the recommendation. In his opening statement, defense attorney Stuart London said that Garner triggered his own death with a combination of his bad health and his decision to resist being arrested. He asserted that his client used a so-called seatbelt maneuver and approached Garner from behind, put one arm under his armpit and the other arm over his shoulder. The only reason his hand went towards the neck was due to Mr. Garners morbid obesity and the fact that he resisted arrest, said London outside the trial room.If he didnt resist arrest we would not be here today. Ramsey Orta, the man who used his phone to videotape the confrontation between Garner and police, was the first person to testify. He did so by video conference from state prison. London tried to use Ortas lengthy criminal history to discredit him (he is currently incarcerated for gun and drug convictions). At one point, Orta said he had been paid more than $15,000 in royalties from the Daily News for his video. After London cross-examined Orta, prosecutor Suzanne OHare asked Orta if he had testified truthfully and Orta responded, Yes." And then, to make a point, she added, Is your cell phone video lying? Orta said, No. The video was played inside the trial room and Garners sister, Ellisha broke down crying. Her sobs could be heard from the back row. Gwen Carr, Garners mother also got emotional and walked out of the trial room. Outside, she spoke to reporters in the rain. Its been five years, said Carr. Five years weve been on the front line, trying to get justice and theyre still trying to sweep it under the rug. Carr was surrounded by advocates and the family members of others killed by police. Rev. Al Sharpton also attended the trial by Carrs side. Earlier in the morning, a small group of protesters from Black Lives Matter New York shut down part of the FDR Drive to call attention to the long-awaited proceedings. They held a banner that read, #FirePantaleo. Just saw this demonstration on the FDR protesting against Officer Pantaleo, facing trial today for the death of Eric Garner. Police are arriving on the scene, on the FDR southbound near the Williamsburg Bridge exit#Monday #NYC #RIP #EricGarner pic.twitter.com/MaBjKzf19V Katie King (@missmetaverse) May 13, 2019 This trial should have happened a long time ago, said Hawk Newsome, chairman of Black Lives Matter New York. Were sick of dying out here in these streets. Outside 1 Police Plaza after the days hearings, advocates for police reform chanted, Fire Pantaleo! as Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmens Benevolent Association, struggled to be heard. Mr. Garner never said he could not breathe while any arm was near his neck, said Lynch. What we saw was a legal, trained, seatbelt maneuver. Carr pushed back against claims that her son was to blame for resisting his arrest. You see how cruel they was, she said. Even if he didnt accept it, they wasnt supposed to kill him. Pantaleo could lose his job at the end of the trial. But even if the administrative judge recommends firing, it is up to the police commissioner to make the final decision about a punishment, if any. Sharpton said its not just Pantaleo on trial, but the credibility of the entire New York City police department. Will you allow someone to stay within the police ranks that is on film, choking a man, and it has been stated that caused his death? Thats the only question left, Sharpton said. The trial will continue on Tuesday, and is expected to last around two weeks. Cindy Rodriguez is an investigative reporter for New York Public Radio. You can follow her on Twitter at @cynrod. Yasmeen Khan is a reporter covering crime and policing at WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter @yasmeenkhan. Tehran, Iran, May 14 Trend: Russia will not abide by new US sanctions regarding the Bushehr-2 and Bushehr-3 nuclear power plant projects, said the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi. "It was a silly measure by the Americans to announce sanctions on new power plant projects, while Russia is carrying the installation of these units. Russia stated that it will not abide by the US sanctions," he said, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency. "The operation to set up Bushehr-2 and Bushehr-3 power plants is being 4 months ahead of its plan," the official noted. Referring to Iran's cooperation with Russia at the first Bushehr power plant he said that the fuel change has been completed and has been operating through the general power network. Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom has recently announced that the company's project to build nuclear power units in Iran is unaffected by current tensions surrounding US sanctions against Iran. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachov told RIA Novosti, that Rosatom has always met and is meeting all its obligations in all of its international projects. Also, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement, stressing that Moscow will see through joint projects with Tehran despite mounting pressure from Washington. On May 3, Trump administration reduced waivers for Russian and European countries from 180 days to 90 days to cooperate with Iran on the nuclear sites of Bushehr, Arak and Fordow, without facing US sanctions. It also imposed sanctions on Iran's export of enriched uranium. Kamalvandi said that while Iran has fulfilled its part of the deal, the other side did not, so after a year of waiting, Iran is moving forward. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday Tehran does not seek war with the United States, Trend reported citing Reuters. In comments to senior officials carried by state television, Khamenei also reiterated that the Islamic Republic would not negotiate with the United States on another nuclear deal. There wont be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance, Khamenei was cited as saying by the state media. We dont seek a war, and they dont either. They know its not in their interests. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States a year ago from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers under which Tehran curbed its uranium enrichment capacity, a potential pathway to a nuclear bomb, and won sanctions relief in return. Since then, Trump has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran, seeking to reduce its lifeblood oil exports to zero, to push Tehran into fresh negotiations on a broader arms control deal, targeting in part the Iranian ballistic missile program. (Such) negotiations are a poison, Khamenei said. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Monday underlined the need for resumption of political dialogue in Libya, Trend reports citing Reuters. Mogherini made her remarks during a meeting with UN-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj in the Belgian capital of Brussels, according to a statement issued by the EU delegation to Libya. "Mogherini reiterated that the EU expects all parties and regional players to immediately cease their military activities and re-start political dialogue, in the interest of all Libyans," the statement said. The European official also stressed the importance of the civilians' access to humanitarian aid as well as the protection of civilians and immigrants in the Libyan detention centers. The east-based Libyan army has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over the capital Tripoli from Serraj's government. According to the World Health Organization, the fighting has so far killed 454, injured 2,154 others, and displaced almost 60,000 civilians. Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that he is going to ask US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo at their meeting in Sochi on May 14 how Washington will handle the situation involving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action concerning the Iranian nuclear program, Trend reports citing TASS. "I know that the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini are meeting in Brussels today. I know that Pompeo is going there urgently, after cancelling the Moscow part of the trip to Russia. I expect that the Europeans will stick to the UN Security Councils Resolution, which approved the JCPOA. I have no doubts that Michael Pompeo will exert tremendous pressure on them in the opposite direction," Lavrov told a news conference on Monday. "Tomorrow we will try to find out here how the Americans are going to tackle the crisis that has emerged as a result of their unilateral decisions. I expect a frank discussion with my counterpart," he said. Lavrov stressed Russias strict compliance with all provisions of that document. "In particular, it is implementing in accordance with the established timetable a project for converting the Fordow facility to the production of stable isotopes. In the meantime, far from all other participants have acted on their promises," he remarked. Lavrov pointed to the fact that the EUs mechanism of financial settlements with Iran "has been declared but is not being used." "Also, as our European counterparts have told us, this mechanism at the current stage must be used (and it remains to be seen when it will begin to be used) only for humanitarian supplies," he went on to say. "This is not exactly what Iran expects in accordance with the JCPOA, approved under a UN Security Council resolution. Both the plan and the resolution are obligatory and guarantee that Iran will enjoy the freedom to sell oil on the world markets." "Russia is adamant all other participants in the deal, in the first place, the European counterparts, implement their part of the agreements. There is no other way," Lavrov said. North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit pact between the two countries leaders, and demanded the return of the vessel without delay, Trend reports citing Reuters. In a statement, the Norths foreign ministry said it rejected U.N. Security Council resolutions against it, which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty. This act is an extension of the U.S.-style calculation of trying to hold us in submission with its maximum pressure and is a total denial of the fundamental spirit of the June 12 DPRK-U.S. joint statement, an unnamed ministry spokesman said. North Koreas formal name is the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). The statement was carried by the Norths official KCNA news agency. The United States is badly mistaken if it believed it can control the North with force, the ministry statement said, adding it will keep a sharp eye on future U.S. behavior. The U.S. Justice Department last week said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship that it accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of sanctions after it was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump held an unprecedented summit on June 12 last year in Singapore and pledged to establish new relations and a peace regime on the Korean peninsula. They held a second summit in Vietnam in February which collapsed without agreement. U.S. Justice Department officials said the North Korean vessel, known as the Wise Honest, was being impounded to American Samoa. The announcement came hours after the North fired two short-range missiles on Thursday. President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about $15 billion in aid to help U.S. farmers whose products may be targeted with tariffs by China in a deepening trade war, reports Trend citing to Reuters Were going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about $15 billion, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well, Trump told reporters at the White House. He did not provide more details on what kind of an aid package it would be. American farmers, a key constituency of Trump, have been among the hardest hit in the trade war. Soybeans are the most valuable U.S. farm export, and shipments to China dropped to a 16-year low in 2018. Sales of U.S. soybeans elsewhere failed to make up for the loss. U.S. soybean futures fell to their lowest in a decade on Monday. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday that Trump had asked him to create a plan to help American farmers cope with the heavy impact of the U.S.-China trade war on agriculture. A new aid program would be the second round of assistance for farmers, after the Department of Agricultures $12 billion plan last year to compensate for lower prices for farm goods and lost sales stemming from trade disputes with China and other nations. Out of the billions of dollars that were taking (in on tariffs on Chinese imports), a small portion of that will be going to our farmers, because China will be retaliating, probably to a certain extent, against our farmers, Trump said. The tariffs are not paid by the Chinese government or by firms located in China. They are paid by importers of Chinese goods, usually American companies or the U.S.-registered units of foreign companies. On Monday, China said it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, striking back in its trade war with Washington after Trump warned it not to. Last year, Beijing imposed tariffs on imports of U.S. agricultural goods, including soybeans, grain sorghum and pork as retribution for U.S. levies. While farmers have largely remained supportive of Trump, many have called for an imminent end to the trade dispute, which propelled farm debt to the highest levels in decades and worsened credit conditions for the rural economy. Trumps pledge on Friday to buy American farm products that China normally imports and distribute them to poor countries drew criticism from Canada. Dumping products in developing countries is not the way we do things, Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told reporters on a conference call from the G20 meeting in Japan, adding such efforts required multilateral coordination. It seems easy, but it is complicated to do it the right way, Bibeau said. Obviously, it may create some distortion in the market and this is what we want to avoid. Prime Minister Theresa May was under pressure from her own party on Tuesday to abandon a bid to find a Brexit compromise with the opposition Labour Party, reports Trend citing to Reuters Nearly three years since the United Kingdom voted 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, there is still no agreement among British politicians about when, how or even if the divorce should take place. It was due to have left the European Union on March 29, though May has been unable to get her divorce deal approved by parliament so she has turned to the Labour Party, led by socialist Jeremy Corbyn, in a bid to court his support. Thirteen of Mays former cabinet colleagues as well as Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers, wrote to May to ask her not to agree Labours demand for a post-Brexit customs union with the EU. You would have lost the loyal middle of the Conservative Party, split our party and with likely nothing to show for it, the letter said, according to The Times. No leader can bind his or her successor so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worst illusory, it said. Mays chief Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, is due in Brussels to discuss changes to the political declaration on the UKs future relationship with the EU. Robbins will explore how quickly changes could be made to the political declaration if the government and Labour can come to an agreement, the BBC said. Facebooks WhatsApp said on Tuesday a security breach on its messaging app had signs of coming from a private company working on surveillance and it had referred the incident to the U.S. Department of Justice, reports Trend citing to Reuters WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging tools, is used by 1.5 billion people monthly and it has touted its high level of security and privacy, with messages on its platform being encrypted end to end so that WhatsApp and third parties cannot read or listen to them. A WhatsApp spokesman said the attack was sophisticated and had all the hallmarks of a private company working with governments on surveillance. WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices, a spokesman said. We are constantly working alongside industry partners to provide the latest security enhancements to help protect our users, he said. WhatsApp did not elaborate further. WhatsApp informed its lead regulator in the European Union, Irelands Data Protection Commission (DPC), of a serious security vulnerability on its platform. The DPC understands that the vulnerability may have enabled a malicious actor to install unauthorized software and gain access to personal data on devices which have WhatsApp installed, the regulator said in a statement. WhatsApp are still investigating as to whether any WhatsApp EU user data has been affected as a result of this incident, the DPC said, adding that WhatsApp informed it of the incident late on Monday. Cyber security experts said the vast majority of users were unlikely to have been affected. Scott Storey, a senior lecturer in cyber security at Sheffield Hallam University, believes most WhatsApp users were not affected since this appears to be governments targeting specific people, mainly human rights campaigners. For the average end user, its not something to really worry about, he said, adding that WhatsApp found the vulnerability and quickly fixed it. This isnt someone trying to steal private messages or personal details. Storey said that disclosing vulnerabilities is a good thing and likely would lead to other services looking at their security. INCOMING CALL Earlier, the Financial Times reported that a vulnerability in WhatsApp allowed attackers to inject spyware on phones by ringing up targets using the apps phone call function. It said the spyware was developed by Israeli cyber surveillance company NSO Group best known for its mobile surveillance tools and affects both Android and iPhones. The FT said WhatsApp could not yet give an estimate of how many phones were targeted. The FT reported that teams of engineers had worked around the clock in San Francisco and London to close the vulnerability and it began rolling out a fix to its servers on Friday last week and issued a patch for customers on Monday. Asked about the report, NSO said its technology is licensed to authorized government agencies for the sole purpose of fighting crime and terror, and that it does not operate the system itself while having a rigorous licensing and vetting process. We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system. Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, the company said. Social media giant Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes last week wrote in The New York Times that fellow co-founder Mark Zuckerberg had far too much influence by controlling Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, three core communications platforms, and called for the company to be broken up. Facebooks shares were up 0.8 percent at $183.02 in pre-market trading. Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui on Tuesday expressed Tunisia's willingness to strengthen its cooperation with the United States in all areas, Trend reported citing Xinhua. "During a meeting held Tuesday with U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Donald Blome at the headquarters of the Tunisian ministry, Jhinaoui underlined the importance of strengthening the consultation and the exchange of experiences between the two countries," said a statement issued by Foreign Ministry. The two sides discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation, including the holding of the second session of the Joint Economic Commission and the third session of the Tunisia-U.S. Strategic Dialogue. They also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common interest, including the development of the situation in Libya. In this regard, the Tunisian minister stressed that the political process is the only way to avoid escalation and guarantee the unity and stability of Libya. For his part, Blome reiterated the U.S. commitment to continue supporting the democratic process in Tunisia and booting the bilateral cooperation in all areas. US Special Counsel Robert Muellers report is impartial and confirms that there is no collusion between Russia and the current US administration, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with US Secretary of State Michal Pompeo, Trend reported citing TASS. "Despite the exoticism of the work by Mr. Muellers commission, we must give him his due. In general, he conducted an impartial investigation and confirmed the absence of all sorts of traces and any kind of collusion between Russia and the current administration, something we initially described as utter nonsense," he said. Putin assured that there had been no Russian meddling in the US election at the government level. Nevertheless, all that led to the deterioration of bilateral relations, he added. "I hope that today the situation is changing," he said. According to the Russian president, the areas of common interest include the preservation of strategic stability, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, resolution of regional crises, the fight against organized crime, efforts to tackle environmental and poverty issues. Putin noted that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told him briefly about his talks with Pompeo before the meeting. "I would like your visit to Russia, and you came to our country for the first time as the [US] secretary of state, to benefit our bilateral ties and contribute to their development," he concluded. Artists and activists staged a nonviolent demonstration on a C train car Friday, chanting, playing music, and wrapping plastic flowers around subway poles. Part of a series of themed demonstrations spearheaded by the activist collective Decolonize This Place in advance of the Whitney Museum's big-ticket annual Biennial show, the protest bolstered the call for the museum's board to remove Warren Kanders, owner of the defense manufacturer Safariland, which supplies tear gas to the U.S. Border Patrol and helmets and body armor to the NYPD. When the demonstrators arrived at the 14th Street station near the Whitney, however, they were surprised by a sizable police presence on the platform, and one demonstrator, DTP member Yates McKee, was arrested by a plainclothes officer and charged with "making graffiti," "criminal mischief," and "possession of a graffiti instrument." "The doors open on 14th Street, people start exiting, cops start grabbing people," Shellyne Rodriguez, an artist and organizer for the subway action and for Take Back the Bronx, tells Gothamist. McKee, an activist and art historian, was one of the last people cleaning up on the train when police cuffed him, according to DTP organizer Amin Husain. "We did nothing illegal," adds Dalaeja Foreman, an organizer and member of the DTP coalition. "But they had to make a point, so they grabbed someone." The Biennial opens to the public this Friday, May 17th, and activists are planning a demonstration surrounding the opening. Each of Decolonize This Place's demonstrations has highlighted a significant impact that Safariland has had on communities locally and internationally. Hyperallergic reported late last year that the company has supplied tear gas canisters and smoke grenades for use along the U.S.-Mexico border, in Gaza, and in Puerto Rico, among other places. Friday's demonstration took place on a subway car headed from Euclid Avenue, in Brooklyn, to 14th Street (near where the Whitney is located). Along the way, various activist groups, including Why Accountability, the Brooklyn Anti-Gentrification Network, and Mi Casa No Es Su Casa, boarded at different stops along the line and spoke out about how the displacement of communities relates to the militarization of police forces supplied by the likes of Safariland. "We wanted to make the connection between Kanders and the war hes allowing to be funded, or militarized, throughout the world in Kashmir, Egypt, Ferguson, Standing Rock, etc." says Foreman. Safariland's weapons have been linked to police forces in Ferguson, Missouri, in addition to Baltimore, Marylandas well as New York City. In 2016, the company announced with "great honor" that it had provided the NYPD with $7.3 million worth of ballistic equipment, including about 20,000 Delta 4 helmets and 12,000 Hardwire armor plates. "These practices are part of a larger system in which some people (Black folks in NYC, Mexican folks on the border, Palestinians, for example) are always on the receiving end of violence," the Brooklyn Anti-Gentrification Network said in a statement. "Warren B. Kanders is one of the people keeping that wheel turning." (The Whitney Museum did not respond to Gothamist requests for comment.) Activists say that police were present on the train early on in Brooklyn, but that they "vowed to stay out of the way," according to Rodriguez. Inside the car, activists hung up posters and streamers, blew up balloons, and played music on the ride to Manhattan. Hyperallergic reports that several stops in, at Van Siclen Avenue, five NYPD officers boarded the car and told demonstrators to take down posters and turn off the music they were playing. Rodriguez says the cops held the doors, and threatened to take the train car out of service if the activists didn't comply. "We said, 'No, were going to continue,' and thats when they started to get super aggressive," Foreman says. "And one of the officers came in and started ripping down posters and throwing flowers on the floor and this is in front ofI vividly rememberthis happened in front of a child who was maybe two years old." Rodriguez, Foreman, and Husain each separately told Gothamist that later on, police officers all departed from the train shortly after members of Cop Watch boarded the subway car. (Recently, the city paid Cop Watch activist Jose LaSalle an $860,000 settlement after police allegedly tried to falsely imprison him after he filmed them stopping and frisking two men in the Bronx.) The demonstration continued without police, joined by more groups as the ride continued, until the train reached Chelsea. From there, the plan was to continue marching down to the Whitney and join another group of demonstrators there. But when they arrived at the 14th Street stop, activists say, while they were finishing taking down the posters, ballots, and stickers they had hung up inside the car, they were immediately confronted with several uniformed and undercover NYPD officers. Foreman says there were at least seven police officers on the scene at first, who were joined by more later. "It's wild when you think about the amount of administrative work," she says, "And that's what our taxpayer dollars go towards. We're paying for you to grab someone who's done nothing." Rodriguez says that when the crowd got upstairs to the street, they found three NYPD cars and a paddy wagon waiting for them, "blocking traffic...like they were ready for mass arrests." McKee says the police first took him to the transit police center, on Canal Street, before he was transferred to the Manhattan Detention Center (known as the Tombs). Upon his arrest, McKee notes, one of the undercover officers repeatedly told him, "I want to make it clear, Im not arresting you for anything political, its only because of the graffiti charge." McKee adds: "Why were there a bunch of cops and undercovers waiting for us at 8th and 14th if it wasnt about the protest?" McKee was released the following day. In 2015, the NYPD halted thousands of people from marching in support of Black Lives Matter. At a press conference following the crackdown, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, "The NYPD coordinates with any protesters who want to have an honest conversation about how to make their protests work right. There's is a long tradition of this. Ask people the stories of Occupy Wall Street, of the ongoing dialogue that occurred between police and the protesters, day in and day out." Asked if Mayor Bill de Blasio had a comment about Friday's arrest, the mayor's office referred Gothamist's questions to the NYPD. The NYPD did not reply to Gothamist queries by publication time. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month as the trade war between the worlds two largest economies intensified, sending shivers through global markets, Trend reports citing Reuters. China announced earlier it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, a move that followed Washingtons decision last week to hike its own levies on $200 billion in Chinese imports. The U.S. Trade Representatives office said later it planned to hold a public hearing next month on the possibility of raising duties of up to 25% on a further $300 billion worth of imports from China. Cellphones and laptops would be included in that list but pharmaceuticals would be excluded, the office said. The prospect that the United States and China were spiraling into a no-holds-barred dispute that could derail the global economy has rattled investors and led to a sharp selloff on equities markets in the past week. A gauge of global stocks shed a further 1.9% on Monday, its biggest one-day drop in more than five months. Chinas yuan currency fell to its lowest level since December and oil futures slumped. Trump, who has embraced protectionism as part of an America First agenda, said he would talk to Xi at a G20 summit in late June. Maybe something will happen, Trump said in remarks at the White House. Were going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan and thatll be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was optimistic about resolving the U.S. trade dispute with China, Trend reports citing Reuters. Speaking at a White House dinner, Trump noted that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who was attending the event, returned from trade talks in China two weeks ago. He just got back from China. Well let you know in about three or four weeks whether of not it was successful. ... But I have a feeling its going to be very successful, Trump said. KYODO NEWS - May 14, 2019 - 09:00 | All, Japan A UNESCO advisory panel has recommended adding two ancient tumulus clusters in western Japan, including the country's largest keyhole-shaped mound named after an emperor, to the World Cultural Heritage list, a Japanese government official said Tuesday. Among the sites is the Emperor Nintoku mausoleum in Osaka Prefecture, officially called Daisen Kofun. It is one of the three largest mounded tombs in the world, together with the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Listing of the sites, collectively called Mozu-Furuichi tumulus clusters, is expected to be officially approved at a meeting in Azerbaijan from June 30 to July 10 of the World Heritage Committee of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (Daisen Kofun) If registered, the total number of world heritage sites in Japan will increase to 23 -- 19 cultural and four natural sites. The Japanese government has sought the listing of 49 tombs built between the late fourth and the late fifth centuries, which vary in size and shape. The Emperor Nintoku mausoleum, which is part of the Mozu cluster in the city of Sakai, has a keyhole-shaped mound at its center, which is 486 meters in length. Its total length, comprising the surrounding moat and ramparts, is 840 meters. Some academics have expressed doubt the tomb may have actually been the grave of Emperor Nintoku, but the site continues to be managed by the Imperial Household Agency as one of the imperial mausoleums in the country. Approximately 10 kilometers to the east of the Mozu cluster is the Furuichi cluster, which includes the Emperor Ojin mausoleum, the second largest in Japan, with a length of 425 meters. Local authorities first proposed the tomb clusters as a World Cultural Heritage site candidate to Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs in September 2007. The government submitted a letter of recommendation to UNESCO to seek its listing in January last year. KYODO NEWS - May 13, 2019 - 21:50 | All, Japan The Japanese Defense Ministry will place around 100 personnel at a new unit to be set up by fiscal 2022 to monitor space debris and satellites, sources close to the matter said Monday. The new Space Domain Mission Unit will track space debris such as used rocket parts and old satellites that pose a threat to satellites orbiting Earth, according to the sources. The unit will also monitor satellites operated by other countries, as Japan aims to establish, in cooperation with the United States and Europe, a system to detect "hunter-killer" satellites that attack other satellites. The members of the new unit will work at the Air Self-Defense Force's base in Fuchu, western Tokyo, and may be increased as joint operations with Japan's allies are expected to grow in the future. (Photo taken on Nov. 17, 2012 shows the Bisei spaceguard center in Ihara, Okayama Prefecture, where the Japan Spaceguard Association observes space debris and asteroids with the aid of optical telescopes and other devices.) [Photo by Makoto Hori] Under its latest national defense guidelines outlined last December, Japan is looking to bolster its defense capabilities in new domains of warfare such as outer space and cyberspace at a time when countries like China and Russia have been expanding military activities in outer space. The ministry plans to deploy ground radar in the western Japan prefecture of Yamaguchi to help the unit gather information and the data from the radar will be shared with the United States. The Defense Ministry is considering stationing ASDF members at a U.S. Air and Space Operations Center as part of strengthened space cooperation with U.S. forces. The United States is looking to reinforce its space monitoring system, with China and Russia believed to be proceeding with the development of hunter-killer satellites, the sources said. The Japanese government guidelines state that the new domains of warfare including outer space have the potential to "fundamentally change the shape of national security," which has so far focused mainly on conventional ground, sea and air forces. Dusky beauty Pooja Hegde is currently enjoying the success of Mahesh Babu-starrer Maharshi. Besides, it is already known that the actress was managed to rope in for Gabbar Singh director Harish Shankar's next title Valmiki. It was said that she charged a bomb for this film. Looks like she got miffed with all the bad press about her high remuneration. If reports are to be believed, she will no longer be doing this film that is a remake of Tamil crime thriller Jigarthanda. also read: Manmadhudu 2 team wrapped up Portugal schedule Harish Shankar and his team failed to convince Pooja Hegde and they are now in the hunt for the right actress who can do justice for the role. The film is a remake of Tamil hit Jigarthanda and features Varun Tej and Tamil actor Atharva Murali in the lead roles. With Pooja Hegde out of the film, the makers are now searching for another actress, adds the source. It is also heard that the Aravinda Sametha actress Pooja who also signed Bollywood films was unable to adjust the dates for Valmiki. She has two biggies in her kitty - Allu Arjun and Trivikrams untitled film and Prabhass 20th movie that is being directed by Radhakrishna Kumar. Pooja Hegde who is occupied with work is quoting huge remuneration for her movies. The shoot of Valmiki will be completed by July and will release during the last week of August. also read: Prabhu Deva's another horror flick teaser out Indore: Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modis 'cloudy cover' remark, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday said that He is such a defence expert that he himself decided who will manufacture planes. Addressing a rally in Indore on Tuesday, Priyanka said, "He is such a defence expert that he himself decided who will manufacture planes. He decided those who have never manufactured a plane in their lives will make it. He gave them land and a contract. He thought the weather is cloudy, (so) he won't come on the radar." Sri Lanka blocks social media again after a Facebook post sparked Anti-Muslim Riots Priyankas remark came after PM Modi on saturday had disclosed that there was confusion and doubt regarding the launch of air strikes given the weather that day. However, he gave the go-ahead thinking that cloudy cover would prevent Pakistani radars from detecting Indian fighter jets. Earlier, Congress President, Rahul Gandhi has alleged corruption in the multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jet deal as Congress' campaign agenda and has directly accused PM Modi of giving away Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani through offset contracts against the deal. Mani Shankar Aiyar To Justify 'Neech' Remark Against PM Modi, Calls It 'prophetic' Earlier, Congress' social media head Divya Spandana had taken a sharp swipe at PM saying, "FYI @narendramodi the radar to detect planes, cloud or no cloud has been there for decades. Even for the stealth ones. If not, other countrys planes would be crisscrossing the skies firing away at will. This is what happens when youre stuck in the past. Get with it Uncle ji." Sri Lanka on Monday has temporarily banned social networks Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and instant messaging apps Snapchat, Viber, WhatsApp, and IMO after a Facebook post sparked attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses across several towns on Sunday. Police said, Christian groups threw stones at mosques and Muslim-owned shops in the northwestern Christian-majority town of Chilaw on Sunday in anger at a Facebook post by a shopkeeper. Sri Lankas largest mobile carrier, Dialog Axiata on Twitter confirmed that it had restricted the websites and apps according to a directive from Sri Lankas telecom regulator. NetBlocks, a nonprofit organization that tracks internet outages, tweeted that this was the third time in weeks the country had banned social media in the wake of religious tension. Earlier, On April 21, Sri Lanka banned social media for 10 days after the Easter Sunday bombings. They did so once again on May 5 after ethnic tensions erupted in the city of Negombo. Wont sell F-21 jets to any country, if get IAF contract: Lockheed Martin Nalaka Kaluwewa, director general of Sri Lankas government information department, told Reuters, Social media blocked again as a temporary measure to maintain peace in the country, According to Reuters, the violence on Sunday was sparked after a 38-year-old man posted a Facebook comment: 1 day u will cry, which was interpreted as a threat. Want to spend this Summer in religious places? here is the best option for you As per report, Attackers attacked a large mosque, dragged a copy of the Qur'an along the ground, and burned two parked motorbikes. They also threw stones at mosques and Muslim-owned shops. A 2010 analysis of imagery from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) found that the moon shriveled like a raisin as its interior cooled, leaving behind thousands of cliffs called thrust faults on the moon's surface. A new analysis suggests that the moon may still be shrinking today and actively producing moonquakes along these thrust faults. A team of researchers including Nicholas Schmerr, an assistant professor of geology at the University of Maryland, designed a new algorithm to re-analyze seismic data from instruments placed by NASA's Apollo missions in the 1960s and '70s. Their analysis provided more accurate epicenter location data for 28 moonquakes recorded from 1969 to 1977. The team then superimposed this location data onto the LRO imagery of the thrust faults. Based on the quakes' proximity to the thrust faults, the researchers found that at least eight of the quakes likely resulted from true tectonic activity--the movement of crustal plates--along the thrust faults, rather than from asteroid impacts or rumblings deep within the moon's interior. Although the Apollo instruments recorded their last quake shortly before the instruments were retired in 1977, the researchers suggest that the moon is likely still experiencing quakes to this day. A paper describing the work, co-authored by Schmerr, was published in the journal Nature Geoscience on May 13, 2019. "We found that a number of the quakes recorded in the Apollo data happened very close to the faults seen in the LRO imagery," Schmerr said, noting that the LRO imagery also shows physical evidence of geologically recent fault movement, such as landslides and tumbled boulders. "It's quite likely that the faults are still active today. You don't often get to see active tectonics anywhere but Earth, so it's very exciting to think these faults may still be producing moonquakes." Astronauts placed five seismometers on the moon's surface during the Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16 missions. The Apollo 11 seismometer operated only for three weeks, but the four remaining instruments recorded 28 shallow moonquakes--the type produced by tectonic faults--from 1969 to 1977. On Earth, the quakes would have ranged in magnitude from about 2 to 5. Using the revised location estimates from their new algorithm, the researchers found that the epicenters of eight of the 28 shallow quakes were within 19 miles of faults visible in the LRO images. This was close enough for the team to conclude that the faults likely caused the quakes. Schmerr led the effort to produce "shake maps" derived from models that predict where the strongest shaking should occur, given the size of the thrust faults. The researchers also found that six of the eight quakes happened when the moon was at or near its apogee, the point in the moon's orbit when it is farthest from Earth. This is where additional tidal stress from Earth's gravity causes a peak in the total stress on the moon's crust, making slippage along the thrust faults more likely. "We think it's very likely that these eight quakes were produced by faults slipping as stress built up when the lunar crust was compressed by global contraction and tidal forces, indicating that the Apollo seismometers recorded the shrinking moon and the moon is still tectonically active," said Thomas Watters, lead author of the research paper and senior scientist in the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Much as a grape wrinkles as it dries to become a raisin, the moon also wrinkles as its interior cools and shrinks. Unlike the flexible skin on a grape, however, the moon's crust is brittle, causing it to break as the interior shrinks. This breakage results in thrust faults, where one section of crust is pushed up over an adjacent section. These faults resemble small stair-shaped cliffs, or scarps, when seen from the lunar surface; each is roughly tens of yards high and a few miles long. The LRO has imaged more than 3,500 fault scarps on the moon since it began operation in 2009. Some of these images show landslides or boulders at the bottom of relatively bright patches on the slopes of fault scarps or nearby terrain. Because weathering gradually darkens material on the lunar surface, brighter areas indicate regions that are freshly exposed by an event such as a moonquake. Other LRO fault images show fresh tracks from boulder falls, suggesting that quakes sent these boulders rolling down their cliff slopes. Such tracks would be erased relatively quickly, in terms of geologic time, by the constant rain of micrometeoroid impacts on the moon. With nearly a decade of LRO imagery already available and more on the way in the coming years, the team would like to compare pictures of specific fault regions from different times to look for fresh evidence of recent moonquakes. "For me, these findings emphasize that we need to go back to the moon," Schmerr said. "We learned a lot from the Apollo missions, but they really only scratched the surface. With a larger network of modern seismometers, we could make huge strides in our understanding of the moon's geology. This provides some very promising low-hanging fruit for science on a future mission to the moon." ### This release is adapted from text provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The research paper, "Shallow seismic activity and young thrust faults on the Moon," Thomas Watters, Renee Weber, Geoffrey Collins, Ian Howley, Nicholas Schmerr and Catherine Johnson, was published in the journal Nature Geoscience on May 13, 2019. This work was supported by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Project and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations. Media Relations Contacts: Matthew Wright, 301-405-9267, mewright@umd.edu University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences 2300 Symons Hall College Park, MD 20742 http://www.cmns.umd.edu @UMDscience About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 9,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college's 10 departments and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $175 million. LOS ANGELES, May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm , a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against Mobile TeleSystems PJSC (Mobile TeleSystems or the Company) (NYSE: MBT ) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors who purchased the Company's shares between March 19, 2014 and March 7, 2019, inclusive (the ''Class Period''), are encouraged to contact the firm before May 20, 2019. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate . We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall, or Sherin Mahdavian, of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 424-303-1964, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at brian@schallfirm.com . The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Mobile TeleSystems and a subsidiary engaged in a scheme to pay $420 million in bribes to officials in Uzbekistan. The Company disclosed in 2014 that it was the target of an investigation by the SEC and DOJ for its operations in Uzbekistan, and knew or should have known it would be subject to fines based on its business practices there. The Company was eventually forced to pay approximately $850 million in criminal penalties related to the bribery scheme. Based on these facts, the Companys public statements were false and materially misleading. When the market learned the truth about Mobile TeleSystems, investors suffered damages. Join the case to recover your losses. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. Story continues This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. CONTACT: The Schall Law Firm Brian Schall, Esq., Sherin Mahdavian, Esq., www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 Cell: 424-303-1964 info@schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm Worlds largest content marketing event returns to Cleveland September 2019 CLEVELAND, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Content Marketing Institute (CMI) announces that Mindy Kaling, an accomplished actor, writer, producer, director, and best-selling author will headline Content Marketing World 2019. The largest content marketing event on the planet returns to Cleveland, Ohio September 3-6, 2019. From her breakout role as celebrity obsessed Kelly Kapoor on The Office to her role as romantic-comedy obsessed Dr. Mindy Lahiri on The Mindy Project, Kaling is a dynamic performer who is known as one of the funniest and most likable actors today. Not only that, with numerous writing, directing and producing credits, Kaling is the mastermind behind some of the funniest shows on TV. On the big screen, shes starred in the Oscar-winning Pixar film Inside Out, A Wrinkle in Time, The 40-Year Old Virgin, and Oceans 8. She can be seen in the upcoming movie she wrote and produced, called Late Night. Additionally, her two books, Why not Me? and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) both made the New York Times bestseller list. Kaling has been writing and telling jokes since she was young and has honed her craft over the years from off-Broadway to TV, to the big screen. Along the way, shes broken barriers in Hollywood. Kaling was the first woman of color nominated for an Emmy in writing. Shes not afraid to push boundaries with her fresh take and perspective as an Indian-American woman and advocates for the importance of diversity and inclusiveness in the stories we tell. At the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Kaling premiered her debut screenplay titled Late Night. With a cast including Emma Thompson, Reid Scott, Ike Barinholtz, Amy Ryan, John Lithgow and Kaling herself, the film received critical acclaim at the opening weekend of the festival and sold to Amazon Studios for a record setting $13 million US rights deal. Late Night will open in the US on June 7th, 2019. Story continues In 2012, Kaling was named to the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World List. She was honored with the 2014 Glamour Women of the Year Award. In 2018, Kaling delivered an impactful commencement address at Dartmouth College and received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Were beyond excited that Mindy Kaling will be joining us on stage at Content Marketing World 2019, shares Stephanie Stahl, general manager, Content Marketing Institute. Shes got an amazing ability to tell stories that are infused with heart and humor, but more importantly make us take a hard look at important topics in our world today. We feel her dedication, tenacity, love of story and knowledge of her craft will make her a hit among our CMWorld attendees. You dont want to miss whats sure to be a fun and inspiring session with Mindy Kaling on Thursday, September 5, at Content Marketing World 2019. CMWorld is the one event where attendees can learn from and network with the best and brightest in content marketing, digital marketing, publishing, and advertising industries, featuring over 150 sessions with marketing leaders from the worlds leading brands. Register today for #CMWorld before early bird prices go away May 31 by visiting: http://www.contentmarketingworld.com/ You can also check out this video to see what #CMWorld is all about: https://youtu.be/geArhH1x85o About Content Marketing Institute Content Marketing Institute is the leading global content marketing education and training organization, teaching enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling, multichannel storytelling. CMIs Content Marketing World event, the largest content marketing-focused event, is held every September in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and ContentTECH Summit event is held every spring. CMI publishes Chief Content Officer for executives and provides strategic consulting and content marketing research for some of the best-known brands in the world. Watch this video to learn more about CMI. Content Marketing Institute is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com Press Contact: Amanda.Subler Amanda.Subler@ubm.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5304d23d-7b7c-466f-9efe-1b35f19a27d8 DALLAS, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Alternet Systems, Inc. (ALYI) (ALYI) today announced plans for a management restructuring and expansion intended to contribute to the companys growing sales opportunities, technology innovations and merger and acquisition developments. The company signed $2 million dollars in orders in the first quarter of 2019 for its ReVolt Electric Motorcycles and has a $20 million order under development in conjunction with a project to open an African assembly plant. ALYI also has a number of alternative energy storage related technologies under development. Furthermore, ALYI has a robust merger and acquisition (M&A) pipeline. The sales development, technology development and M&A activity has the current management team stretched in addition to some of the tasks under management differing from the current management teams background and areas of expertise. The company plans to soon release the results of its first quarter 2019 operations followed by a management brief further detailing the first quarter results. Look for the management brief coming by the end of next week. The management brief will elaborate more on the planned management restructuring and expansion. The following week of May 27th, ALYI plans to release the final plan on the management restructuring and expansion. ALYI is focused on offering varied, environmentally sustainable, energy storage solutions for targeted markets, including consumer electric vehicles and military applications. The first product category is lithium battery-powered motorcycles, to be followed by motorbikes. ALYI also has an ongoing hemp energy storage initiative leading its current efforts to introduce an alternative to lithium batteries. Research Report Speculative Buy Rating And $0.09 Target PPS Goldman Small Cap Research has recently issued a research report update on the Company. The report confirms a 'speculative-buy' rating with a target price-per-share of $0.09. The report provides an in-depth overview and analysis of Alternet's new strategy, new orders, and upcoming milestones. To view the report, along with disclosures and disclaimers, visit https://www.alternetsystemsinc.com/research-update or http://www.GoldmanResearch.com. Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. For more information, please visit: http://www.alternetsystemsinc.com Alternet Systems, Inc. Contact: Randell Torno info@lithiumip.com +1-800-713-0297 Amsterdam, 14 May 2019 (Regulated Information) --- AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") is pleased to announce during the Annual General Meeting, held on May 1, 2019, AMG`s shareholders approved the payment of a dividend of 0.50 per ordinary share over the financial year 2018. The interim dividend of 0.20, paid on August 16, 2018, was deducted from the amount distributed to shareholders. The final dividend per ordinary share therefore amounts to 0.30. Payment of the final dividend was completed on May 13, 2019, to shareholders of record on May 6, 2019. The ex-dividend date was May 3, 2019. Dutch withholding tax was deducted from the dividend at a rate of 15%. This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This press release contains regulated information as defined in the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht). About AMG AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO 2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets. AMG Critical Materials produces aluminum master alloys and powders, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, lithium, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Technologies produces titanium aluminides and titanium alloys for the aerospace market; designs, engineers, and produces advanced vacuum furnace systems; and operates vacuum heat treatment facilities, primarily for the transportation and energy industries. With approximately 3,300 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, the United States, China, Mexico, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Mozambique, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com). Story continues For further information, please contact: AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 975 4979 Michele Fischer mfischer@amg-nv.com Disclaimer Certain statements in this press release are not historical facts and are "forward looking." Forward looking statements include statements concerning AMG`s plans, expectations, projections, objectives, targets, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans and intentions relating to acquisitions, AMG`s competitive strengths and weaknesses, plans or goals relating to forecasted production, reserves, financial position and future operations and development, AMG`s business strategy and the trends AMG anticipates in the industries and the political and legal environment in which it operates and other information that is not historical information. When used in this press release, the words "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "may," "will," "should," and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, are intended to identify forward looking statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. AMG expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in AMG`s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based. Final Dividend May 2019 Final 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: AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. via GlobeNewswire HUG#2244298 COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish prosecutors have filed preliminary charges against former Danske Bank executive Lars Morch as part of their investigation into the bank's involvement in one of the world's biggest money laundering scandals. The move, confirmed by Morch on his LinkedIn profile, takes the total number of former Danske managers facing preliminary charges in the case to nine, people with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters. Morch, responsible for business banking including the Baltic operations of Denmark's biggest bank from 2012 until he resigned in April last year, did not detail the preliminary charges, and his lawyer declined to give further comment. The prosecutors also declined to comment. Two sources familiar with the matter said others facing preliminary charges were accused of breaching Danish money laundering laws. The case relates to some 200 billion euros (174 billion pounds) of suspicious transactions that passed through Danske Bank's Estonian branch between 2007 and 2015. Former Danske chief executive Thomas Borgen, who stepped down last October when the scale of the scandal became clear in an internal report, was also among the people charged, newspaper Berlingske reported last week, citing his lawyer. Borgen's lawyer did not reply to emails and phone calls seeking comment. Former chief financial officer Henrik Ramlau-Hansen has also been charged, he said in an email on Tuesday, confirming a newspaper report from Monday. Ramlau-Hansen was finance director from 2001 to 2015. He then chaired the Danish financial regulator from 2016 until he stepped down in May last year as he did not think he should play any further role in the discussion of Danske's handling of the case. Danske's former Group General Counsel Flemming Pristed, who resigned in October last year, was charged as well, his lawyer Jens Christensen told Reuters. Copenhagen-based lawyer Arvid Andersen confirmed that one of his clients had been charged in the case too, but said he had asked for a publication ban of his client's name. Denmark's state prosecutor filed preliminary charges against Danske Bank in November for alleged violations of the country's anti-money laundering act in relation to its Estonian branch. The prosecutor said at the time he would clarify whether individuals could be held responsible. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Additional reporting by Kirstin Ridley in London; Editing by Mark Potter) Investing.com - Bitcoin surged over 10% to test the $8,000 level on Tuesday morning in Asia and other major digital coins also made significant gains amid bullish sentiment. Bitcoin traded 11.45% higher to $7,949.9 by 11:52 PM ET (03:52 AM GMT). Over the past 7 days, Bitcoin has gained 34.62%, marking its strongest upward momentum this year. Ethereum rose 8.46% to $210.22, XRP was up 11.53% to $0.37254, and Litecoin added 5.30% to $91.61. The total cryptocurrency market cap rose to $234.4 billion on Tuesday from $190.4 billion last Friday. Meanwhile, Germany is to introduce blockchain bond regulations that will allow bonds to be issued as virtual tokens on a blockchain, according to local daily business news outlet Handelsblatt. We consider it to be of paramount importance that we bring blockchain technology forward for Germany, specifically in 2019, Thomas Heilmann, the German governments blockchain correspondent, told Handelsblatt. Elsewhere, crypto exchange Binance said it plans to fully resume deposits and withdrawals on Tuesday after suffering a hack last week. Our team is making progress and has been working through the weekend. In the past few days, we have made some significant overhauls to our system, with a large number of advanced security features added and/or completely re-architected. We will share details on some of the changes later, the crypto exchange said in a statement. On May 7, Binance lost around 7,070 Bitcoins from its hot wallets, which were worth over $40 million. Related Articles XRP Climbs Above 0.40051 Level, Up 19% EOS Climbs 10% As Investors Gain Confidence EOS Climbs Above 6.0040 Level, Up 9% This April 13, 2019, photo shows Lion Air's Boeing 737 Max 8 on the tarmac at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia. Asian airlines are cutting routes, revamping their schedules and leasing extra aircraft to fill the gaps left by groundings of Boeing 737 Max 8s after deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. (AP Photo/Nicole Evatt) SINGAPORE (AP) Asian airlines are cutting routes, revamping their schedules and leasing extra aircraft to fill gaps left by the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8s after deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. So far, regional carriers have managed to avoid major disruptions, but analysts expect that idling the Max 8s, a fuel-efficient update of Boeing's popular 737, will crimp growth plans in the near future. As investigations into the crashes continue, Boeing anticipates a $1 billion increase in costs related to the 737 Max, including fixing software implicated in the disasters, adding pilot training and compensating airlines and families of crash victims. Investigators are examining the role of flight-control software that pushed the planes' noses down based on faulty sensor readings. Nearly 400 Max jets were grounded at airlines worldwide in mid-March after the Ethiopia crash. In Asia, where air passenger traffic is growing the fastest, the groundings are pushing airlines' costs higher at a time of rising fuel prices, squeezing carriers' profits. Chinese airlines had 96 Max 8 jets but have managed to avoid massive cancellations by swapping in other models of aircraft, said Kelvin Lau of Daiwa Capital Markets in Hong Kong. "However, this may limit their capacity growth for the coming peak season," he added. China Southern Airlines, which has 25 Max 8 jets, will likely revise its targeted growth for passenger capacity, he said. Indonesian carrier Lion Air, whose Flight 610 disappeared into the sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, killing 189 people, said Friday in a statement that it was "operating normally by minimizing the impact" from the grounding of its 10 Max 8 jets. "Lion Air continues to serve routes that have been operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8 by replacing them using other Lion Air fleets," spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro said in a statement. India's SpiceJet has said it would lease 22 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, nine of which are already in service. The carrier said it also will deploy five Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Story continues "The new inductions will not just bring down flight cancellations to nil but also help in SpiceJet's aggressive international and domestic expansion plans," chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said in a statement. Not all carriers, even those without Max 8s, have managed as well. Budget carrier Scoot, which is owned by Singapore Airlines, announced that it would suspend services between Singapore and four cities, with the first suspension starting from June. The routes were served by the Airbus A320. Scoot, which does not have any Max 8 jets, said in a statement that the cuts were "due to a combination of weak demand and a shortage of aircraft resources." "The aircraft shortage is arising as SilkAir, due to the grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet, will no longer transfer its Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to Scoot in the financial year 2019/2020," it said. SilkAir, the regional arm of Singapore Airlines, withdrew its six Max 8 jets from service on March 12, and its parent carrier has reassessed its capacity and fleet, opting to have Scoot grow more slowly, said Brendan Sobie of aviation consultancy CAPA. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg recently said the company was nearly finished an update to the Max that "will make the airplane even safer." But given the concerns that deepened with the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 on March 10, it's unclear when the update will be deployed and how long it will take for aviation regulators and airlines to decide it's safe for the aircraft to resume operations. That's a hardship for carriers, especially during the peak summer travel season. "Airlines don't know exactly when the Max will be back in service. This makes it a little difficult to plan, even though there is some flexibility within their fleets," Sobie said. ___ Emily Schmall in New Delhi and Niniek Karmini in Jakarta contributed to this report. By Marta Nogueira RIO DE JANEIRO, May 13 (Reuters) - Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA is not planning on selling any refining assets in addition to the refineries it has already publicly slated for divestment, an executive wrote in a letter to employees last week. In the letter, Anelise Lara, head of downstream operations, added that Petrobras, as the company is known, expected to conclude the planned sale of eight refineries in 2021. In April, Petrobras detailed plans to sell the refineries, in a process Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco said could fetch some $15 billion. Together, those refineries process about 1.1 million barrels per day of oil, or about half of Petrobras' current refining capacity. In the letter, obtained by Reuters on Monday, Lara, previously head of mergers and acquisitions, described refining as strategic for the company. Castello Branco has frequently said he does not consider refining to be Petrobras' core business. Since taking the reins in January, he has repeatedly said the company should focus on deepwater exploration and production. "I would like to stress that refining activities remain strategic at Petrobras and we are not planning any new divestment moves in this area in addition to what has been announced," Lara wrote. Lara said Petrobras plans to launch formal teaser documents with details about the refineries at the end of the first half of the year, in line with previous projections. Petrobras did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Writing by Gram Slattery; Editing by David Gregorio) The Vodafone logo is seen at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona The Vodafone logo is seen at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 28, 2018. REUTERS/Sergio Perez/Files By Praveen Menon and Paulina Duran WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Vodafone Group Plc on Monday agreed to sell its New Zealand business for NZ$3.4 billion ($2.23 billion) to a consortium comprising of New Zealand-based Infratil Ltd and Canada's Brookfield Asset Management, in a deal the telecom giant says would help reduce its debt. Vodafone has been trying to shrink its businesses in Australia and New Zealand to focus on European markets, and is fighting regulators that last week moved to block a A$15 billion ($10.4 billion) deal to merge its Australian joint venture business with TPG Telecom. "An important aspect of our strategy is the active management of our portfolio and deleveraging, which this transaction further demonstrates," Nick Read, chief executive of Vodafone Group, said in a statement. For Brookfield, which will co-own the business in equal 49% stakes alongside Infratil, the acquisition represents a small venture into a relatively new sector that could be scaled in other jurisdictions. "This is a unique opportunity for Brookfield," said Stewart Upson, Brookfield chief executive officer of Asia Pacific. "Data has been one of the fastest growing commodities in the world. We expect this rapid growth to persist for the foreseeable future, driven by greater smartphone penetration, increasing video consumption, the advent of 5G networks and new and evolving uses." Vodafone New Zealand, one of the largest mobile operators in the country, has about two million mobile customers, compared to about 700 million for parent Vodafone Group as of Dec. 31, 2018. The British telecoms firm had tried to sell Vodafone NZ to Sky Network Television for NZ$3.44 billion ($2.3 billion) in 2017 but failed to get regulatory clearance because of monopoly concerns. Since then, Vodafone NZ axed thousands of jobs and restructured itself in preparation to a stock market float that never saw the light of the day. The world's No.2 mobile operator last week said it would fight a regulatory restriction to merge its Australian operations with internet firm TPG, as it steps up its battle to gain regulatory approval for its Liberty Global cable networks deal. Story continues "This move is consistent with (Vodafone's) strategy to exit assets in this part of the world and their pursuit of the TPG merger," Credit Suisse analysts told clients in a note. On completion of the sale, Vodafone said it would enter into a deal with Vodafone New Zealand to allow it to use its brand name and certain services. The sale is still contingent on regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Commerce Commission and the Overseas Investment Office, the companies said in separate statements. New Zealand firm Infratil said in a statement the acquisition was "strategically and financially compelling" for its shareholders. It said it expected the conditions, which must be met within eight months of signing, will be satisfied by August, and completion will occur by Aug. 31. The deal is expected to be funded with a NZ$1 billion contribution from each party, with Infratil appointing UBS Group to raise NZ$400 million in new equity. It will use NZ$400 million in new acquisition debt to fund its part of the deal, the company said. Brookfield has engaged about 5 lenders to back its purchase, including The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, according to market sources. Brookfield, ANZ and MUFG did not immediately return requests for comment. ($1 = 1.5232 New Zealand dollars) ($1 = 1.4382 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Praveen Menon in New Zealand and Paulina Duranin Sydney; Additional reporting by Sangameswaran S and Rishika Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Grant McCool and Stephen Coates) By Alexandra Alper and Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the trade war with China "a little squabble" and insisted talks between the world's two largest economies had not collapsed, as investors remained on guard for a further escalation of tit-for-tat tariffs. Trump, who has railed against what he describes as China's unfair trade practices and threatened to impose punitive levies on all its imports, softened his tone in a series of remarks expressing optimism about reaching a trade deal with Beijing. "We're having a little squabble with China because we've been treated very unfairly for many, many decades," Trump told reporters, referring to U.S. complaints about Chinese intellectual property and subsidy practices. Trump also denied talks with China had broken down after Washington punctuated two days of negotiations last week with another round of tariffs on Chinese imports, with Beijing following suit on Monday with higher tariffs on U.S. goods. "We have a dialogue going. It will always continue," said the U.S. president, who has announced plans to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in Japan late next month. Trump described the dialogue with China as "very good" and touted his "extraordinary" relationship with Xi. Earlier, Trump tweeted that the United States would make a deal with China when the "time is right" and said that would happen "much faster" than thought. Global stock markets, which have seen a sharp selloff in the past week on the back of rising U.S.-China tensions, rebounded. Major U.S. stock indexes were up more than 1%, recovering some of their losses on Monday. The U.S. dollar rose against a basket of currencies. Earlier on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing that it was his understanding that China and the United States had agreed to continue "pursuing relevant discussions." "As for how they are pursued, I think that hinges upon further consultations between the two sides," Geng said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will plan for a trade meeting in China at some point, a U.S. Treasury spokesman said. U.S. agricultural products have been targeted by China's retaliatory tariffs, and American farmers, a key political constituency for Trump, are increasingly frustrated with the failure of the two sides to find a solution to the dispute. Soybeans , which was the most valuable U.S. export crop, bounced off a decade low on Tuesday as the market's focus shifted to weather-related planting delays that could reduce the crop size. Some analysts said the worst of the trade news was priced into the market. In a tweet earlier on Tuesday, Trump appealed to China to buy U.S. farm products. On Monday, he said his administration would provide about $15 billion in aid to farmers whose products were targeted by Chinese tariffs. He did not provide details on the plan, which follows $12 billion in similar farm aid last year. There are concerns that the pain from tariffs could spread to the broader U.S. economy, with businesses raising prices on a range of consumer goods. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that "nobody wins a trade war" but he hoped Trump's tactics in negotiations China would put the United States in a better position to move talks forward with Beijing. TARIFFS IN HAND Trump, however, is still dangling the prospect of higher tariffs on Chinese goods. As negotiations toward resolving the U.S.-China trade war stalled last week, the United States raised the pressure by increasing tariffs to 25% from 10% on a previous, $200 billion list of Chinese imports. China retaliated on Monday with higher tariffs on a revised list of $60 billion worth of U.S. products Trump could launch 25% tariffs on another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods when he meets Xi next month. The list includes a wide range of consumer goods, from cellphones and computers to clothing and footwear, but it excludes pharmaceuticals, some specialty compounds and rare-earth minerals. At the same time, China is vowing not to succumb to such pressure. China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it hoped the United States did not "underestimate China's determination and will to safeguard its interests." A further escalation of the trade war could disrupt global supply lines and damage an already slowing world economy, sending financial markets into a tailspin. The U.S. economy, while growing at a healthy clip, could come under pressure. Sources have said the trade talks hit an impasse after China tried to delete commitments from a draft agreement that said its laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers. Geng put the blame on Washington for going back on its word in some previous rounds of talks, including last May, when the two sides reached an agreement in Washington but then the United States backed out a few days later. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Makini Brice and David Lawder in Washington; Julie Ingwersen in Chicago; Ben Blanchard in Beijing and Noah Sin in Hong Kong; Writing by David Lawder and Paul Simao; Editing by Susan Thomas and Lisa Shumamker) Sales Increased 60% from Prior Year's Sales of Alternative Solutions LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (CLSH) (CLSH.CN), the ''Company'' or ''CLS'', a diversified cannabis company operating as Cannabis Life Sciences, today highlighted its financial and operational results for the month of April, 2019 with record revenue of $1,141,574.50 USD. Results are compared to those of Alternative Solutions, LLC, the entity CLS acquired in June 2018 that operates Oasis and City Trees. CLS Holdings' Oasis dispensary saw record April 2019 revenue of $652,500, an increase of 56% from April 2018 The dispensary serviced a record 15,040 customers in the month City Trees, the Company's branded product division, saw a revenue increase from $236,456 in April 2018 to $489,074 in April 2019, a 52% increase. Gross margin increased from the 37% gross margin of Alternative Solutions in 2018 to 44% for the Company in 2019 City Trees increased its customer base from 17 in April 2018 to 32 in April 2019 a 47% increase As previously announced, the Oasis Cannabis Dispensary completed a renovation along with vibrant new signage in March 2019 and the results to date have been outstanding. Oasis is able to process many more daily orders with greater efficiency. City Trees continues to gain market share and now services 78% of total dispensaries in Nevada. The City of Las Vegas recently approved Social Use Venues aka Consumption Lounges. In anticipation of this approval, the Company leases 5000 square feet of space in front of its existing dispensary. The Company believes as a result of this that it is in a unique position to capitalize on another significant revenue stream. "Many of the initiatives management has put in place since the beginning of 2019 are starting to show significant results. The team in Las Vegas is functioning at a high level and although we are less than halfway through May we continue to see improved results in all categories. The combined operating divisions are operating profitably, and we will continue to work hard improving results with a focus on providing exceptional customer service to all our highly valued customers." said Andrew Glashow, President and COO of the Company. Story continues About CLS Holdings USA, Inc. CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (CLSH) is a diversified cannabis company that acts as an integrated cannabis producer and retailer through its Oasis Cannabis subsidiaries in Nevada and plans to expand to other states. CLS stands for ''Cannabis Life Sciences,'' in recognition of the Company's patented proprietary method of extracting various cannabinoids from the marijuana plant and converting them into products with a higher level of quality and consistency. The Company's business model includes licensing operations, processing operations, processing facilities, sale of products, brand creation and consulting services. http://www.clsholdingsinc.com Twitter: @CLSHusa About Oasis Cannabis Oasis Cannabis has operated a cannabis dispensary in the Las Vegas market since dispensaries first opened in Nevada in 2015 and has been recognized as one of the top marijuana retailers in the state. Its location within walking distance to the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas in combination with its delivery service to residents allows it to efficiently serve both locals and tourists in the Las Vegas area. In February 2019, it was named ''Best Dispensary for Pot Pros'' by Desert Companion Magazine. In August 2017, the company commenced wholesale offerings of cannabis in Nevada with the launch of its City Trees brand of cannabis concentrates and cannabis-infused products. http://oasiscannabis.com About City Trees Founded in 2017, City Trees is a Nevada based cannabis cultivation, production and distribution company. Offering a wide variety of products with consistent results, City Trees is one the fastest growing wholesale companies in the industry. Its products are now available at 44 of the 60 licensed dispensaries in Nevada. https://citytrees.com Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain ''forward-looking information'' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and ''forward-looking statements'' as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, the ''forward-looking statements''). These statements relate to anticipated future events, future results of operations or future financial performance, and anticipated growth. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as ''may,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''intends,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''goals,'' ''projects,'' ''anticipates,'' ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''predicts,'' ''potential,'' or ''continue'' or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, are uncertain and involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance and we cannot guaranty that the proposed transactions described in this press release will occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be considered together with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable law, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to reflect actual results, later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. See CLS Holdings USA filings with the SEC and on its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com for additional details. Contact Information Corporate: Chairman and CEO Jeff Binder jeff@clsholdingsinc.com 888-438-9132 Investors: Deborah Honig Adelaide Capital Markets 647-203-8793 Deborah@adelaidecapital.ca SOURCE: CLS Holdings USA, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545282/CLS-Holdings-USA-Inc-Announces-Record-April-Sales-Results View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545282/CLS-Holdings-USA-Inc-Announces-Record-April-Sales-Results Here are the companies Yahoo Finance is watching today. A beat at Ralph Lauren (RL). The company posted strong earnings and revenue last quarter. Now it's boosting its dividend by 10% and buying back another $600 million worth of shares. A big shift at Tencent Music (TME). The company's shaking up its C-Suite, with one co-president departing and another getting shifted to become the chief technology officer. It reported mixed results last quarter, with an earnings beat and revenue up 39% from a year ago. However, the revenue numbers came in just shy of what many analysts expected. New questions over how the FAA handled Boeing's (BA) Max jets. The Wall Street Journal says an FAA investigation found senior agency officials didn't take part part in safety reviews of the jet's flight control system. It also says Boeing didn't flag the system to regulators for closer inspection. The FAA's acting chief is set to testify before congress tomorrow. Deere & Company (DE) just got downgraded by JPMorgan Chase. The bank downgraded Deere to Underweight from Neutral and lowered its price target for shares to $132. The firm cited 'rapidly deteriorating' fundamentals in U.S. agriculture as Chinese demand for soybean imports is likely to decline and Brazil and Argentina produce close to a record number of soybeans. Bayer (BAYRY) is paying up big time. A California jury just awarded more than $2 billion to a couple who claimed the company's Round-Up weed killer causes cancer. The jury said the company's product didn't properly warn people of its cancer risk. The lawsuit is the third one the company has lost over claims that Round-Up causes cancer. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. (Bloomberg) -- Bitcoin no longer trades at a premium on Bitfinex, the cryptocurrency exchange at the center of a funding scandal, now that one of its executives has said it successfully raised $1 billion, which could cover potential losses. The difference between Bitcoins price on Bitfinex and that of other online exchanges, which was around 6% at the start of the month, shrank to a slight discount on Tuesday. The cryptocurrency was at $8,025 per dollar on Bitfinex as of 10:36 a.m. in New York, compared with $8,066 under Bloomberg composite pricing. The digital coin had been quoted at a premium since April 25, when the New York attorney general accused the company of engaging in a possibly fraudulent cover-up to hide $850 million in losses. That undermined confidence in whether Bitfinex could financially support Tether, its stablecoin, which is widely used throughout the $250 billion market as an intermediary in crypto trading. Small price variations are common among virtual-currency platforms -- especially in different countries. Yet the allegations that Bitfinex co-mingled client and corporate funds in a fraudulent way may have driven clients to dump its Tether token and buy Bitcoin, leading to the short-lived premium price for the worlds most-traded digital coin. Bitfinex has raised the equivalent of $1 billion in a private token sale to companies and users, Bitfinex Chief Technology Officer Paolo Ardoino said in a tweet on Monday. He was widely re-tweeted by prominent figures including Bitmex founder Arthur Hayes and private investor Alistair Milne, who previously said he was participating in the sale. The news helped Bitcoin sustain a rally that has more than doubled its price in 2019, sending the cryptocurrency above $8,000 for the first time in about 10 months on Tuesday. Bitfinexs Hong Kong-based owner and associates have denied the claims, saying the funds werent lost but seized by regulators investigating a related company. Raising $1 billion would help it plug a funding hole and support Tether. The move is similar to Bitfinexs controversial strategy in 2016 when it raised capital through a private token sale after hackers raided the exchange. Story continues To contact the reporter on this story: Yuji Nakamura in Tokyo at ynakamura56@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at echan273@bloomberg.net, Todd White, Dave Liedtka For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- Disney has struck a deal with Comcast that gives it full control of streaming service Hulu. Disney gets full operational control of Hulu immediately. The companies said Tuesday that as early as January 2024 Comcast can require Disney to buy NBCUniversal's 33% interest in Hulu and Disney can require NBCUniversal to sell that stake to Disney for its fair market value at that future time. Disney has guaranteed a sale price that represents a minimum total equity value of $27.5 billion. The Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. have also agreed to fund Hulu's recent purchase of AT&T Inc.'s 9.5% interest in Hulu PRESS RELEASE 14 May 2019 Quarterly Financial Information at 31 March 2019 Sales up 1.7% ([1]) Confirmation of 2019 targets and 2019-2020 ambitions Group sales 21.0bn +1.7% org. (1) Highlights Operational data Electricity generation Nuclear France 111.8TWh Nuclear United Kingdom 12.6TWh Group Renewables 15.7TWh of which Hydropower France ([2]) 9.9TWh -1.0% -16.4% -23.7% -32.2% 2019 targets ([3]) including IFRS 16 impact 2019-2020 ambitions (3) including IFRS 16 impact With the French State committed to scrip for the balance of the 2018 dividend and dividends relating to 2019 and 2020 full year Story continues Change in EDF group sales (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % % organic France - Generation and supply activities 7,956 8,145 +2.4 +2.2 France - Regulated activities 5,167 5,033 -2.6 -2.6 EDF Renewables 379 417 +10.0 +2.9 Dalkia 1,223 1,323 +8.2 +7.8 Framatome 721 706 -2.1 -4.0 United Kingdom 2,577 2,501 -2.9 -4.2 Italy 2,252 2,372 +5.3 +1.2 Other international 666 795 +19.4 +18.9 Other activities 751 882 +17.4 +18.5 Inter-segment eliminations (1,246) (1,208) -3.0 -3.0 Total Group 20,446 20,966 +2.5 +1.7 The Group`s first quarter 2019 sales amounted to nearly 21.0 billion, up organically by 1.7% compared to the first quarter 2018. This change was mainly driven by the France - Generation and supply activities segment in connection with favourable market conditions, the growth of the Group`s energy services activities and strong performance by EDF Trading. Sales were also negatively impacted by activities in the United Kingdom due to the decrease in nuclear output in connection with the extension of plant outages and by the France - Regulated activities due to mild weather. Change in Group sales ([1]) by segment France - Generation and supply activities (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 7,956 8,145 +2.2 Sales in France - Generation and supply activities in the first quarter of 2019 amounted to 8.1 billion, up 2.2% in organic terms compared to the first quarter of 2018. Nuclear output amounted to 111.8TWh, down 1.1TWh compared to the first quarter of 2018, mainly due to a modulation of generation in a context of warmer temperatures and a higher volume of outages. Hydropower output ([2]) stood at 9.9TWh, down 32.2% (-4.7TWh) compared to the first quarter of 2018 due to less favourable hydrological conditions and to resource optimisation under consideration of the price environment. The mild temperatures, compared to the first quarter of 2018, led to a 3.7TWh drop in end customer consumption over the quarter. The financial impact was limited to -11 million compared to the first quarter of 2018, which had been strongly affected by mild weather in January leading to resales on low-priced markets. The changes of regulated sale tariffs for electricity ([3]) (for the part excluding the delivery component) had a negative impact of around 54 million due to the end of the tariff adjustment, in the absence of the tariff increase originally scheduled for 1 February 2019. Downstream market conditions ([4]) had a favourable effect of an estimated 331 million thanks to positive price effects correlated in particular to price trends on the wholesale forward markets. The balance of purchases and sales on the wholesale market, including the energy component to end customers, had a negative impact on sales, estimated at 290 million, due to a lower sales volume. Sales benefited from a positive spot price effect in January for the resale of the purchase obligations in the amount of 101 million (neutral effect on EBITDA as the CSPE mechanism offsets expenses linked to purchase obligations). France - Regulated activities ([5]) (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 5,167 5,033 -2.6 Sales in the France - Regulated activities segment in the first quarter 2019 amounted to 5.0 billion, down 2.6% in organic terms compared to the first quarter 2018. The drop in volumes delivered in connection with mild weather, particularly in March, had an estimated negative impact of 170 million compared to the first quarter of 2018. Sales benefited from the positive move in distribution tariffs ([6]) for an estimated 19 million. Moreover, price effects linked in particular to changes in the portfolio structure had an estimated favourable impact of 17 million. Renewable Energies EDF Renewables (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 379 417 +2.9 Sales for EDF Renewables amounted to 417 million, up 2.9% in organic terms compared to the first quarter of 2018. This trend was driven by more favourable price effects and wind conditions, while the volumes produced were generally stable (4TWh or -0.1TWh compared to the first quarter of 2018) due to the disposals made at the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019. Total installed net capacity was broadly stable compared to the end of December 2018 and stood at 8.3GW. On the other hand, the gross portfolio of projects under construction stood at a record level of 3.5GW gross (including 1.4GW in solar) at the end of the first quarter of 2019, i.e. +1.1GW compared to the end of December 2018. Group Renewables ([7]) (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % % organic Sales ([8]) 1,307 1,252 -4 -5 Sales for all Group Renewables activities amounted to 1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2019, down 5% from the first quarter of 2018 mainly due to lower hydropower generation in France, partially offset by the positive price effects of the commissioned wind power capacity. Energy Services Dalkia (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 1,223 1,323 +7.8 Dalkia`s sales amounted to 1.3 billion, up 7.8% in organic terms compared to the first quarter of 2018. This improvement reflects the favourable trends in service contracts review indexes, the rise in fuel prices and sales development. The commercial dynamic continued with the creation of a new district heating network in Charleville-Mezieres in collaboration with the foundries of a PSA plant. Group Energy Services ([9]) (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % % organic Sales 1,516 1,689 +11 +8 Sales in Group Energy Services amounted to 1.7 billion, up 8% in organic terms compared to the first quarter of 2018. They benefited in particular from the organic growth of Dalkia and Imtech. The acquisition of Zephyro, an Italian operator active in the energy efficiency sector and in the supply of integrated energy management solutions, contributed to the development of energy services. Framatome (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 721 706 -4.0 Framatome`s sales amounted to 0.7 billion in the first quarter of 2019, down 4.0% organically. This change is mainly due to timing effects on the first quarter of 2019 related to the year-on-year distribution of fuel assembly deliveries. On the "large projects business", sales experienced a drop in activity with Taishan, whereas Hinkley Point C is ramping up its activities. The "Installed base business" was down slightly in comparison with its strong performance in the first quarter of 2018 in France. United Kingdom (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 2,577 2,501 -4.2 In the United Kingdom, sales of 2.5 billion were down by 4.2% in organic terms compared to the first quarter 2018. The decrease in sales was mainly due to the decline in nuclear generation and to a lesser extent to the suspension of the capacity market and the SVT (Standard Variable Tariff) price cap. Nuclear output amounted to 12.6TWh, down 2.5TWh from the first quarter of 2018 due to the Hunterston B inspection and to the extension of Dungeness B outage. Supply activity benefited from the good resilience of the residential customer portfolio, which is stabilising in a still very competitive environment, and from increasing sales volumes in the business customer segment. Italy (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 2,252 2,372 +1.2 In Italy, sales amounted to 2.4 billion, up 1.2% in organic terms compared to the first quarter 2018. Sales from the electricity business (+122 million in organic terms) grew thanks to higher sales volumes in the industrial customers segment and positive price effects. In gas activities, sales were down (-109 million in organic terms) due to a decrease in volumes sold on wholesale markets which was partially offset by an increase in volumes sold to industrial customers and a positive price effect. Exploration-production activity was up (+15 million in organic terms) in connection with the positive Brent price effect in Euros. Other international (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 666 795 +18.9 Sales in Other international amounted to nearly 0.8 billion, up 18.9% in organic terms compared to the first quarter of 2018. In Belgium, sales increased by 59 million organically, reflecting in particular a rise in electricity and gas prices across all segments, partially offset by a slight decrease in volumes sold to residential customers due to mild weather. Wind capacity increased to 448MW, or +1.6% compared to the end of December 2018. In Brazil, sales increased by 57 million in organic terms due to the positive effect of the annual review of EDF Norte Fluminense`s power purchase agreement tariff that occurred at the end of 2018 and due to the impact of the change (without impact on EBITDA) of the ICMS([10]) tax. Other activities (in millions of Euros) Q1 2018 Q1 2019 % organic Sales 751 882 +18.5 Sales in Other activities amounted to nearly 0.9 billion, up 18.5% in organic terms compared to the first quarter of 2018. Sales at EDF Trading were up 48 million organically. EDT Trading continues to benefit from positive volatility and took advantage of price conditions in European electricity and gas markets. The activities related to LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) also contributed to this performance in the first quarter of 2019. Sales in the gas business increased by more than 176 million in organic terms in a favourable context for the LNG activity and in relation to better use of the Group`s capacities. Main events ([11]) since the press release of 15 February 2019 Major Events Flamanville EPR update: a detailed update of the schedule and construction cost of the Flamanville EPR will be given after the ASN ruling has been published (see press release of 11 April 2019). EDF, EBM and EOS agreed on the disposal by EDF of its 25% stake in Alpiq to EBM and EOS (see press release of 5 April 2019). Notice of the Combined Shareholders Meeting on 16 May 2019 and appointments to EDF`s Board of Directors (see press release of 5 April 2019). EDF launched Hynamics, a subsidiary to produce and market low-carbon hydrogen (see press release of 2 April 2019). EDF and BBVA signed a 300 million sustainable revolving credit facility (see press release of 22 march 2019). New investments, partnerships and investment projects Development of renewable energies, EDF Renewables ([12]) EDF Renewables secured a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement following auctions in Greece for a future 60 MWp solar plant located near Athens (see press release of 6 May 2019). EDF Renewables and WiSEED launched a participatory financing for the Toucan 2 solar power project with storage in Guyana (see press release of 6 May 2019). Eolien Maritime France selected Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to provide turbines for two French offshore wind energy projects (see press release of 16 April 2019). EDF Renewables completed the acquisition of LUXEL Group, a French utility that develops and operates solar projects (see press release of 1 April 2019). EDF boosted its activities in China with agreements to build and operate two offshore wind farms and to optimize heating and air-conditioning networks in the city of Wuhan (see press release of 25 March 2019). EDF Renewables strengthened its presence in distributed solar power in China with its partner Asia Clean Capital (see press release of 21 March 2019). EDF Renewables pursues its expansion in wind and solar energy in the United States (see press release of 12 March 2019). Framatome ([13]) United States: Framatome won a multimillion-dollar contract to perform cutting-edge maintenance operations at Wolf Creek (see press release of 20 February 2019). Other significant events The EDF group and Logis Cevenols inaugurated the largest collective self-consumption operation in France (see press release of 7 May 2019). Tomorrow`s Connected Community: BBOXX unveiled its vision for the "community of the future" for the developing world (see press release of 24 April 2019). EDF Group launched the 2019 employee reserved offer "ERO 2019" (see press release of 17 April 2019). The EDF group and METRO France signed a new contract for the supply of wind energy (see press release of 25 March 2019). EDF welcomed the fact that consumers` interests were defended against unfair competition practices (see press release of 14 March 2019). A key player in energy transition, the EDF Group is an integrated electricity company, active in all areas of the business: generation, transmission, distribution, energy supply and trading, energy services. A global leader in low-carbon energies, the Group has developed a diversified generation mix based on nuclear power, hydropower, new renewable energies and thermal energy. The Group is involved in supplying energy and services to approximately 39.8 million customers (1), 29.7 million of which are in France. It generated consolidated sales of 69 billion in 2018. EDF is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange. The customers were counted at the end of 2018 per delivery site; a customer can have two delivery points: one for electricity and another for gas. Disclaimer This presentation does not constitute an offer to sell securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. No reliance should be placed on the accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information or opinions contained in this presentation, and none of EDF representatives shall bear any liability for any loss arising from any use of this presentation or its contents. The quarterly financial information is not subject to an auditor`s report. The present document may contain forward-looking statements and targets concerning the Group`s strategy, financial position or results. EDF considers that these forward-looking statements and targets are based on reasonable assumptions as of the present document publication, which can be however inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. There is no assurance that expected events will occur and that expected results will actually be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to differ materially from those contemplated in this document include in particular the successful implementation of EDF strategic, financial and operational initiatives based on its current business model as an integrated operator, changes in the competitive and regulatory framework of the energy markets, as well as risk and uncertainties relating to the Group`s activities, its international scope, the climatic environment, the volatility of raw materials prices and currency exchange rates, technological changes, and changes in the economy. Detailed information regarding these uncertainties and potential risks are available in the reference document (Document de reference) of EDF filed with the Autorite des marches financiers on 15 March 2019 , which is available on the AMF`s website at www.amf-france.org and on EDF`s website at www.edf.fr. EDF does not undertake nor does it have any obligation to update forward-look This press release is certified. You can check that it`s genuine at medias.edf.com Only print what you need. EDF SA 22-30, avenue de Wagram 75382 Paris cedex 08 Share capital of 1,505,133,838 euros 552 081 317 R.C.S. Paris www.edf.fr CONTACTS Press: +33 (0) 1 40 42 46 37 Analysts and investors: +33 (0) 1 40 42 40 38 ([1]) Breakdown of sales across the segments, before inter-segment eliminations. ([2]) Hydropower, excluding island activities before deduction of pumped volumes. For information, after deduction of pumped-storage hydropower volumes: 12.8TWh in Q1 2018 and 8.3TWh in Q1 2019. ([3]) Price effects on customers at regulated sales tariffs, excluding the Energy Savings Certificates (EEC) component in the tariff "stacking". Change in tariffs on 1 August 2018 of -0.5% for blue residential and +1.1% for non-residential. ([4]) Excluding the EEC component in the market offering. ([5]) Regulated activities including Enedis, Electricite de Strasbourg and island activities. ([6]) Upward adjustment of the tariffs of the low voltage customers domain 36kVA of 1.16% and indexation of TURPE 5 distribution of -0.21% at 1 August 2018. ([7]) Group Renewables includes EDF Renewables and the Group hydraulic generation, as well as the renewable activities of EDF Luminus and Edison. ([8]) For the renewable energy generation optimized within a larger portfolio of generation assets, in particular relating to the French hydro fleet after deduction of pumped volumes, sales are estimated, by convention, as the valuation of the output generated at spot market prices (or at purchase obligation tariff) without taking into account hedging effects, and include the valuation of the capacity, if applicable. ([9]) Group Energy Services include Dalkia, Citelum, CHAM and service activities of EDF Energy, Edison, EDF Luminus and EDF SA. They consist in particular of street lighting, heating networks, decentralised low-carbon generation based on local resources, energy consumption management and electric mobility. ([10]) Tax on the Movement of Goods and Services in Brazil ([11]) The complete list of press releases is available on the EDF website: www.edf.fr ([12]) The complete list of EDF Renewables` press releases is available on the website www.edf-renouvelables.com ([13]) The complete list of Framatome press releases is available on the website: www.framatome.com Footnotes to the first page ([1]) Organic change at comparable scope and exchange rates. ([2]) Hydropower, excluding island activities before deduction of pumped volumes. For information, after deduction of pumped-storage hydropower volumes: 12.8TWh in Q1 2018 and 8.3TWh in Q1 2019. ([3]) At constant legal and regulatory framework in France. ([4]) On the basis of the scope and exchange rates at 1 January 2019 and of an assumption of a 395TWh France nuclear output. At prevailing price conditions beginning of February 2019 (around 50/MWh) for the unhedged 2020 France volumes. ([5]) Sum of personnel expenses and other external expenses. At comparable scope and exchange rates. At constant pension discount rates. Excluding change in operating expenses of the service activities. ([6]) The impact of IFRS 16 on cash-flow is derived from the increase in EBITDA, decreased by financial interests on the IFRS 16 net financial debt ([7]) In accordance with the Group`s anticipations regarding the Flamanville 3 project completion costs and schedule. A detailed update of the schedule and construction cost of the Flamanville EPR will be given after the ASN ruling has been published. ([8]) Adjusted for the remuneration of hybrid bonds accounted for in equity. EDF Quarterly Financial Information at 31 March 2019 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: EDF via GlobeNewswire HUG#2244284 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eldorado Gold Corporation (Eldorado, the Company or We) is pleased to announce that the Company has received commitments from a syndicate of lenders for a US$450 million Senior Secured Credit Facility (the Facility). The Facility consists of a US$200 million term loan (the Term Loan) and a US$250 million revolving credit facility (the RCF). The Facility will replace the existing revolving credit facility established by HSBC Bank Canada and certain other lenders. The Facility is subject to completion of customary closing conditions, with expected completion of conditions precedent on or prior to the end of Q2 2019. Eldorado has received commitments for the Facility from HSBC, Bank of Montreal, National Bank of Canada, BNP Paribas, Bank of America N.A. Canada Branch, Export Development Canada, and Ressources Quebec Inc. The Joint Lead Arrangers for the Facility were HSBC, BMO Capital Markets and National Bank Financial Markets. Term Loan and Revolving Credit Facility The Company has outstanding approximately US$71 million in letters of credit issued to secure certain obligations in connection with its operations, which, for the purposes of the Facility, are deemed to be outstanding under the Facility. Table 1: Key terms of the Facility Term Loan Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) Amount US$200 million US$250 million Type Senior, secured, and to be fully drawn at closing Senior, secured, revolving, and a portion to be deemed outstanding at closing Purpose Together with other proceeds, to redeem the 6.125% Senior Notes due 2020 General corporate, working capital and capital expenditures Repayments Six equal semi-annual payments from June 30, 2020 Outstanding amounts due four years from closing Interest LIBOR plus margin of 2.25% - 3.25% About Eldorado Gold Eldorado is a gold and base metals producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Canada, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Brazil. The Company has a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, a portfolio of high-quality assets, and long-term partnerships with local communities. Eldorado's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (ELD.TO) and the New York Stock Exchange (EGO). Story continues Contacts Investor Relations Peter Lekich, Manager Investor Relations 604.687.4018 or 1.888.353.8166 peter.lekich@eldoradogold.com Media Louise Burgess, Director Communications & Government Relations 604.687.4018 or 1.888.353.8166 louiseb@eldoradogold.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward looking statements and forward looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information herein include, but are not limited to the completion of the transactions in connection with the new Senior Secured Credit Facility, the redemption of the existing unsecured notes due 2020. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information and even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: the need to negotiate and execute a [credit agreement] and related documents; the need for continued cooperation of the lenders; gold price volatility; the need to obtain any required consents and related documents, discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; mining operational and development risk; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; risks of sovereign investment; currency fluctuations; speculative nature of gold exploration; global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors in the Company's Annual Information Form & Form 40-F dated March 29, 2019. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S. LONG BEACH, CA , May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE Emerald Bioscience, Inc. (EMBI), focused on the development of cannabinoid-based therapeutics to address global medical indications, especially those of unmet medical need, announced today that Dr. Brian Murphy, CEO and Chief Medical Officer, will present at the CannaStocks 2019 Q1 Investor Conference on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at 11 AM EDT at the OTC Markets Group Headquarters, 300 Vesey Street, New York, NY. Dr. Murphy will provide a brief corporate presentation to be followed by a fireside chat and one-to-one meetings. For those investors unable to attend in person, a live streaming video webcast of the event will be available on the Virtual Investor Conferences. It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates. There are no fees to log-in, attend the live presentations or ask questions. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event. To register to view the Event go to: https://tinyurl.com/CannastocksQ1VIC About Emerald Bioscience, Inc. Emerald Bioscience is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Long Beach, California, focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of bioengineered cannabinoid-based therapeutics for significant unmet medical needs in global markets. With proprietary technology licensed from the University of Mississippi, Emerald is developing novel ways to deliver cannabinoid-based drugs for specific indications with the aim of optimizing the clinical effects of such drugs while limiting potential adverse events. Emerald's strategy is to clinically develop a number of proprietary biosynthetic compounds, alone or in combination with corporate partners. Emerald Bioscience is part of the Emerald Group , which comprises multiple companies focused on developing pharmaceutical, botanical, and nutraceutical products providing wellness and medical benefits by interacting with the human bodys endocannabinoid system. Story continues For more information, visit www.emeraldbio.life FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our product development, business strategy, product branding, timing of clinical trials and commercialization of cannabinoid-based therapeutics. Such statements and other statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on managements current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price could be materially negatively affected. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology including anticipated, contemplates, goal, focus, aims, intends, believes, can, could, challenge, predictable, will, would, may or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. We operate in a rapidly changing environment and new risks emerge from time to time. As a result, it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements the Emerald may make. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, our capital resources, uncertainty regarding the results of future testing and development efforts and other risks that are described in the Risk Factors section of Emerald most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as expressly required by law, Emerald disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. CONTACT Emerald Bioscience Investor Relations Emerald Health Sciences Karam Takhar Email: ir@emeraldbio.life Phone: 949-336-3437 Douglas Cesario Chief Financial Officer Email: doug@emeraldbio.life Phone: 949-336-3437 * China says tariffs on U.S. goods effective June 1 * Trade fears wipe out EM currency index gains for 2019 * Chilean stocks fall to lowest since December 2017 * Mexico's peso outperforms regional peers By Agamoni Ghosh May 13 (Reuters) - Latin American currencies and stocks fell on Monday after China said it will impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods in response to U.S. President Donald Trump hiking tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. MSCI's index of Latin American stocks fell nearly 2% after Beijing struck back. Currencies in the region also followed suit, with MSCI's emerging market currency index wiping out all of its 2019 gains on Monday as the tariff re-escalation rattled global markets. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa index slumped more than 2%, led by losses in the financial sector, while the real currency slipped about 1% to near its lowest since October 2018. Brazil's domestic outlook continued to darken, with the central bank's weekly survey of nearly 100 financial institutions showing the median 2019 growth forecast was trimmed further to 1.45%. That is the bleakest outlook so far this year. Mexican stocks fell about 1% while the peso outperformed their regional peers. Investors closely watched developments related to Pemex as the government announced measures to help the state oil company, including renewing credit lines with JP Morgan, HSBC and Mizuho, as well as a gradual tax reduction for the firm. Cash-strapped Pemex has the largest debt among all state oil firms in Latin America. Chile's peso fell over 1%, tracking a dip in the price of copper, the country's top export, while stocks on the IPSA index fell to their lowest since December 2017. Asset managers JP Morgan and UBS have reduced their exposure to emerging market assets in recent days, while Citi said its clients made record outflows on emerging market FX for a third straight week. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1425 GMT Stock indexes daily % YTD % Latest change change MSCI Emerging Markets 1016.23 -1.67 7.02 MSCI LatAm 2593.60 -2.36 3.52 Brazil Bovespa 92375.14 -2 5.11 Mexico IPC 42565.65 -1.88 2.22 Chile IPSA 4994.74 -1.11 -1.11 Argentina MerVal 32541.56 -2.55 7.42 Colombia IGBC 12517.16 -1.14 12.32 Currencies daily % YTD % change change Latest Brazil real 3.9910 -1.19 -16.98 Mexico peso 19.1675 -0.38 2.77 Chile peso 694.1 -1.24 -11.45 Colombia peso 3294.08 -0.67 -9.47 Peru sol 3.328 -0.39 -2.73 Argentina peso 45.5500 -1.43 -59.17 (interbank) (Reporting by Agamoni Ghosh; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) ORLANDO, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Winston Gold Corp. ("Winston Gold" or the "Company") (WGC.CN) (WGMCF) In the past we talked about this company for the 7 reasons noted below; this time we want to focus on the special note below! Special Note: On May 8th 2019, the Company released an announcement titled "Newmont Gold Corp Director Joseph Carrabba acquires 16.8%ownership in Winston Gold" https://finance.yahoo.com/news/newmont-goldcorp-director-mr-joseph-110000168.html - In short, the release talked about adirector from one of the largest mining companies in the world, Newmont Gold NEM), taking a large position in Winston Gold. With Mr. Carrabba'sdetailed background from sitting on the sustainability board of Newmont Gold (NEM) one would think they have something good going on. Fundamental Reasons this company is well positioned: The company operates in a "safe jurisdiction" - what we mean by this is not only is it not in a war-torn country but it's in an area of USA that is accustomed to mining and the process that goes into it. This makes for an overall better process. In the link following you will see what violence can do and how it can cause a major issue for a company and why Winston sits in a great place! (http://www.mining.com/banro-halts-gold-mine-congo-due-violence-shares-collapse/) Where Winston is located lies a reasonable permitting process allowing the company to not being hung up in red tape or waiting years to get permission. As a matter of fact, Winston has already acquired an SMES permit that allows underground mining. Let's talk about what should be the obvious, Infrastructure. In most cases when people sit back and think about mines they think about an old western movie where the only way in or out is via horseback. Winston had this in mind when it secured its location in Montana which have all the infrastructure one would need, paved road almost all the way to the site, electricity and even air service, hospitals, schools, accommodation's all within 20 miles of the property. General support from parts, repair, etc. are easy to come by in this area being that mining is not a new thing it has stood the test of time in this part of the US. Montana has a long history of mining in the state and has a highly qualified workforce from mining engineers, geologists, drillers, assay labs, and miners to draw upon. This access to highly qualified and experienced workforce is a major reason we like Winston Gold and its odds to succeed. Low Capex!!... The veins run close to surface allowing access to the veins for minimal costs. A vein is where the mining company finds the deposits so the closer to the surface the less they need to drill so the less money they need to spend! This equals higher potential profit margins. About Winston Gold Story continues Winston Gold is a junior mining company focused on advancing high-grade, low cost mining opportunities into production. Towards that end, the Corporation has acquired an under-explored and under-exploited gold/silver mining opportunity known as the Winston Gold project near Helena, Montana. Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Winston Gold Mining Corp. (the "Company") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. No information in this release should be construed as any indication whatsoever of the Company's future operations, financial condition of stock price. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. www.winstongoldmining.com About the Emerging Markets Report: Emerging Markets Report is owned and operated by Emerging Markets Consulting, a syndicate of investor relations consultants representing years of experience. Our network consists of stock brokers, investment bankers, fund managers, and institutions that actively seek opportunities in the micro and small-cap equity markets. Emerging Markets has been paid 1,100,000 shares and 12,500 dollars from Winston Gold Corp. Please Read Our Full Disclaimer https://emergingmarketsllc.com/disclaimer.php SOURCE: Emerging Markets Report View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545319/Emerging-Markets-Report-Follow-The-Leader View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545319/Emerging-Markets-Report-Follow-The-Leader PHOENIX, Ariz., May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EPCOR Water Arizona Inc., a subsidiary of EPCOR USA Inc. (EPCOR USA), today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Brooke Water LLC (Brooke). EPCOR is a recognized leader in safety and operational excellence, and our teams experience and expertise runs very deep, said Joe Gysel, President of EPCOR USA. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the owners of Brooke to purchase the system and become the new owner and operator. We look forward to bringing our track record of operational, safety and customer service excellence to Brookes customers. Located in unincorporated La Paz County, Brooke is located near the Town of Parker along the Colorado River in western Arizona and 45 minutes away from EPCORs existing service area in Lake Havasu City. Brooke currently serves approximately 2,100 water customers. EPCOR will bring the right blend of expertise, long-term commitment, and customer-focused operations to Brooke customers, noted Tom Jamieson, Manager of Brooke. Were very pleased to be entering into this ownership transition process. EPCOR USA has agreed to acquire Brookes assets and operations, including its water rights, subject to regulatory approval by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). Brooke Water will mark EPCOR USAs 8th acquisition in Arizona. EPCOR USA is among the largest private water utilities in the Southwest and the largest in Arizona. In addition to regulated water and wastewater service in Arizona and New Mexico, EPCOR USA delivers wholesale water services and regulated natural gas services in Texas. Today, EPCOR USA provides service to approximately 665,000 people in 44 unique communities. For further information, please contact: Rebecca Stenholm Director, Public & Government Affairs EPCOR USA O 623.445.2424 C 602.390.5662 rstenholm@epcor.com Forward-looking information Certain information in this news release is forward-looking within the meaning of Canadian securities laws as it relates to anticipated financial performance, events or strategies. When used in this context, words such as will, anticipate, believe, plan, intend, target and expect or similar words suggest future outcomes. The purpose of forward-looking information is to provide investors with managements assessment of future plans and possible outcomes and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward looking information in this news release includes, or is related to, but is not limited to expectations regarding the completion of an acquisition of a water and wastewater utility in Arizona and the timing thereof. Story continues These statements involve certain assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the companys assessment of government and regulatory environments in which it operates. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as actual results could differ materially from the plans, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this media release and, except as required by law, EPCOR disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available, as a result of future events or for any other reason. About EPCOR USA EPCOR USA is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities Inc. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, EPCOR USAs wholly owned subsidiaries build, own and operate water, wastewater and natural gas facilities and infrastructure in the southwestern United States. About EPCOR Utilities Inc. EPCOR, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, builds, owns and operates electrical, natural gas and water transmission and distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities and sanitary and stormwater systems, and infrastructure in Canada and the United States. The Company also provides electricity, natural gas and water products and services to residential and commercial customers. EPCOR, headquartered in Edmonton, is an Alberta Top 70 employer. - VERY GOOD START WITH 27% INCREASE IN GROUP REVENUES AND STRONG UNDERLYING INDICATIONS FOR FY 2019 - GOOD PROGRESS IN EXISTING CO-OWNED PORTFOLIO AND EXPANDING WITH NEW ALLIANCES - WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL TODAY AT 02.00 PM CEST HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today reported financial results and corporate updates for the first quarter of 2019. STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE - Group revenues up 27% to EUR 103.8 m (Q1 2018: EUR 81.6 m) - Adjusted Group EBITDA up 114% to EUR 30.0 m (Q1 2018: EUR 14.0 m) - Unpartnered R&D expenses of EUR 8.1 m (Q1 2018: EUR 4.6 m) - Strong strategic liquidity position of EUR 141.6 m despite full repayment of bridge loan facility (total volume: EUR 140 m) drawn in August 2017 in context of Aptuit acquisition (last tranche after period-end) EXCELLENT OPERATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS - Multiple new and extended drug discovery and development agreements - Good progress with co-owned, clinical pipeline; multiple important milestone achievements - Consolidation of Basel activities into Toulouse site with transfer of projects to increase overall efficiency of high-throughput screening operations - New licence agreement with Galapagos in fibrosis - Anti-infective research alliances with Helmholtz (HZI) and GARDP - Agreement with The Mark Foundation in immuno-oncology based on Evotec's discovery platform TargetAlloMod - Participation in further financing rounds of Eternygen and Exscientia - Strategic collaboration on precision medicine for colorectal cancer with Indivumed (after period-end) CORPORATE - Conversion into European Company (SE) effective 29 March 2019 FINANCIAL GUIDANCE 2019 CONFIRMED 1. STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE In Q1 2019, Evotec's Group revenues increased by 27% to EUR 103.8 m (Q1 2018: EUR 81.6 m). This increase was driven primarily by the strong performance in the base business and milestone contributions. Revenues from milestones, upfronts and licences significantly increased to EUR 10.1 m in comparison to the previous year (Q1 2018: EUR 2.7 m) and included, amongst others, milestone payments from Bayer and Boehringer Ingelheim. Story continues In Q1 2019, Evotec focused its unpartnered R&D expenses of EUR 8.1 m primarily on projects in the metabolic and oncology space as well as on its iPSC research. Its partnered R&D expenses of EUR 6.3 m on its infectious disease portfolio were fully reimbursed under other operating income by its partner Sanofi. This split into unpartnered and partnered R&D expenses had not been applied in Q1 2018, where total R&D expenses of EUR 4.6 m were recorded compared to EUR 14.4 m in the reporting quarter. In Q1 2019, the Group's selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses increased as expected by 11% to EUR 14.8 m (Q1 2018: EUR 13.3 m). This increase resulted primarily from increased personnel expenses following the addition of Evotec ID (Lyon), consultancy fees, and from overall Company growth. The significant step-up in the adjusted Group EBITDA for Q1 2019 to EUR 30.0 m (Q1 2018: EUR 14.0 m) resulted mainly from the strong performance in the base business, considerably higher milestone contributions, and effects from the first-time application of the new accounting standard IFRS 16, yielding an adjusted EBITDA margin of 28.9% (Q1 2018: 17.2%). Evotec's operating result amounted to EUR 19.1 m in Q1 2019 (Q1 2018: EUR 6.5 m) being positively impacted by higher R&D tax credits and reimbursed R&D expenses from Sanofi. The Company's net result in Q1 2019 amounted to EUR 13.1 m (Q1 2018: EUR 3.5 m). Evotec ended Q1 2019 with a strong liquidity of EUR 141.6 m (31 Dec 2018: EUR 149.4 m), which was composed of cash and cash equivalents (EUR 111.6 m) and investments (EUR 30.0 m). Shortly after period-end, Evotec completed the repayment of the EUR 140 m debt bridge facility within less than two years after it was drawn down in context of the acquisition of Aptuit in August 2017, mainly due to the strong cash inflow from Evotec's operational activities and through refinancing at significantly more attractive conditions. 2. EXCELLENT OPERATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS - EVT EXECUTE & EVT INNOVATE The EVT Execute segment continued its strong progress of previous quarters also in Q1 2019. Evotec signed multiple new and extended drug discovery and development agreements in the first quarter of 2019. Multiple EVT Execute alliances recorded milestone achievements, such as the chronic cough alliance with Bayer and the pain alliance with Boehringer Ingelheim, contributing to the strong performance of this segment. The high-throughput ADME-tox testing business of Cyprotex continued its excellent performance. EVT Innovate recorded the acceleration of first-in-class science across various ventures in Q1 2019. Existing pipeline projects continued to move forward. New agreements were signed in the first quarter of 2019, e.g. a new licence agreement with Galapagos in fibrosis, and two new partnerships in oncology with The Mark Foundation (immuno-oncology) and Indivumed (focus on precision medicine in colorectal cancer, after period-end). In addition, Evotec's BRIDGE model is gaining even more momentum with further projects selected in its existing BRIDGE initiative LAB150. An ongoing clinical trial with Second Genome was put on hold (after period end). Regarding its strong focus on infectious diseases, Evotec entered into new alliances with Helmholtz and GARDP (The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership) to accelerate much-needed innovation in this field. 3. CORPORATE CONVERSION INTO EUROPEAN COMPANY (SE) EFFECTIVE 29 MARCH 2019 Effective 29 March 2019, Evotec completed its conversion into a company under European law (Societas Europaea, "SE") with its registration in the commercial register. The new legal form has no impact on the Company's day-to-day operations and reflects the continuing European and international focus of the whole Evotec Group, with major subsidiaries in France, Germany, Italy, UK and the USA. 4. FINANCIAL GUIDANCE 2019 CONFIRMED Guidance 2019 Actual 2018 Group revenues from contracts with customers without revenues from recharges Approx. 10% growth EUR 364.0 m1) Unpartnered R&D expenses Approx. EUR 30-40 m EUR 22.9 m Adjusted Group EBITDA2) Improve by approx. 10% compared to 2018 EUR 92.0 m3) 1) 2018 total revenues excluding revenues from recharges according to IFRS 15 2) EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation of intangibles. Adjusted EBITDA excludes contingent considerations, income from bargain purchase and impairments on goodwill, other intangible and tangible assets as well as the total non-operating result 3) 2018 total adjusted Group EBITDA excluding EUR 3.5 m one-off effects in 2018 Webcast/Conference Call The Company is going to hold a conference call to discuss the results as well as to provide an update on its performance. Furthermore, the Management Board will present an outlook for fiscal year 2019. The conference call will be held in English. Conference call details Date: Tuesday, 14 May 2019 Time: 02.00 pm CEST (08.00 am EDT, 01.00 pm BST) From Germany: +49 69 201 744 220 From France: +33 170 709 502 From Italy: +39 02 3600 6663 From the UK: +44 20 3009 2470 From the USA: +1 877 423 0830 Access Code: 35899832# A simultaneous slide presentation for participants dialling in via phone is available at https://webcasts.eqs.com/evotec20190514/no-audio. Webcast details To join the audio webcast and to access the presentation slides you will find a link on our home page www.evotec.com shortly before the event. A replay of the conference call will be available for 24 hours and can be accessed in Europe by dialling +49 69 20 17 44 222 (Germany) or +44 20 3364 5150 (UK) and in the USA by dialling +1 844 307 9362. The access code is 315534322#. The on-demand version of the webcast will be available on our website: https://www.evotec.com/financial-reports. NOTE The 2018 and 2019 results are not fully comparable. The difference stems from the acquisition of Evotec ID (Lyon) SAS, effective 01 July 2018. The results from Evotec ID (Lyon) SAS are only included from 01 July 2018 onwards. The accounting policies used to prepare this interim information are the same as those used to prepare the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018, except for the adoption of IFRS 16 as of 01 January 2019. From 01 January 2019 onwards, Evotec applies IFRS 16. ABOUT EVOTEC SE Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide and our more than 2,600 employees provide the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery and development solutions. We cover all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry's need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery and development (EVT Execute). The Company has established a unique position by assembling top-class scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas including neuronal diseases, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases and fibrosis. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of approx. 100 co-owned product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term alliances with partners including, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @Evotec. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Key figures first quarter 2019 Key figures of consolidated interim income statement Evotec SE and subsidiaries In TEUR except share data and per share data January to March Change 2019 20181) in % Revenues from contracts with customers 103,849 81,637 27 Gross margin in % 30.5 22.6 Research and development expenses (14,359) (4,616) Selling, general and administrative expenses (14,762) (13,294) 11 Other operating income (expenses), net 16,526 5,953 177 Operating result 19,058 6,531 192 Adjusted Group EBITDA2) 30,036 14,015 114 Net income 13,050 3,455 Weighted average shares outstanding 149,140,885 147,292,602 Net income per share (basic/diluted) 0.09 0.02 1) Including reclasses of recharges according to IFRS 15 2) Before contingent considerations, income from bargain purchase and excluding impairments on goodwill, other intangible and tangible assets as well as the total non-operating result Segment information First quarter of 2019 In TEUR EVT Execute EVT Innovate Intersegment eliminations Transition Evotec Group External revenues 81,571 18,824 - 3,454 103,849 Intersegment revenues 18,745 - (18.745) - - Gross margin in % 29.0 24.8 30.5 R&D expenses (131) (16,320) 2,092 - (14,359) SG&A expenses (11,975) (2,787) - - (14,762) Other operating income (expenses), net 4,850 11,676 - - 16,526 Operating result 21,820 (2,762) - - 19,058 Adjusted EBITDA1) 32,330 (2,294) 30,036 1) Before contingent considerations, income from bargain purchase and excluding impairments on goodwill, other intangible and tangible assets as well as the total non-operating result First quarter of 2018 In TEUR EVT Execute EVT Innovate Intersegment eliminations Transition Evotec Group1) External revenues 68,565 10,419 - 2,653 81,637 Intersegment revenues 9,979 - -9.979 - - Gross margin in % 20.8 31.1 22.6 R&D expenses (142) (5,587) 1,113 - (4,616) SG&A expenses (11,524) (1,770) - - (13,294) Other operating income (expenses), net 5,275 678 - - 5,953 Operating result 9,968 (3,437) - - 6,531 Adjusted EBITDA2) 17,163 (3,148) 14,015 1) Including reclasses of recharges according to IFRS 15 2) Before contingent considerations, income from bargain purchase and excluding impairments on goodwill, other intangible and tangible assets as well as the total non-operating result Key figures of consolidated interim statement of financial position Evotec SE and subsidiaries In TEUR 31 March 31 Dec Change 2019 2018 in % Cash, cash equivalents and investments 141,604 149,449 (5) Working capital (6,991) (39,036) 82 Current and non-current loan liabilities and lease obligations 227,209 114,465 99 Total stockholders' equity 448,258 424,880 6 Total assets 880,821 771,883 14 Contact Evotec SE: Gabriele Hansen, VP Corporate Communications, Marketing & Investor Relations, Phone: +49.(0)40.56081-255, gabriele.hansen@evotec.com SOURCE: Evotec SE View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545293/Evotec-SE-Reports-First-Quarter-2019-Results-And-Provides-Corporate-Update View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545293/Evotec-SE-Reports-First-Quarter-2019-Results-And-Provides-Corporate-Update Columbus, OH, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- The Binational Industrial Research and Development Energy program of the BIRD Foundation (BIRD Energy) has awarded a grant to Exacter, Inc . of Columbus, OH, USA and Razor Labs of Tel Aviv, Israel. The $950,000 grant will partially fund collaborative R&D efforts between the two companies to develop and commercialize mobile sensors that identify device-level deterioration indicators across the electric grid and correlate them to environmental factors for the prediction and prevention of power outages and wildfires. Currently, its cost-prohibitive to monitor equipment conditions across the millions of miles of power lines in the U.S., states John Lauletta , CEO & CTO of Exacter, Inc. Our collaboration with Razor Labs will develop the next generation mobile sensing devices that identify at-risk equipment, and use machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop grid resilience forecasts. The sensors will locate and identify failing equipment. The system will correlate meteorological conditions, airborne contaminants, and other environmental factors to forecast future issues. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that power outages may cost consumers and the economy over $110 billion annually . There is also an additional direct cost to utilities and the safety of workers who repair and replace the problems during emergency outage conditions. The Project goal is to transform the management of overhead electric grid assets by being able to monitor each piece of equipment on every mile of the distribution grid. The data will provide actionable predictive data about specific points of power outage and wildfire risk and detail corollary analytics that promote predictive, pro-active management of the grid. Exacter is providing the proven, patented grid sensing technology it has deployed worldwide since 2007, and Razor Labs is providing the artificial intelligence and analytics portion of the project, states Exacter President Geoffrey Bibo. The end product will be low-cost, multifunction sensing units that can be applied to both mobile vehicles and stationary assets. Story continues Both parties feel the timing is ideal for this project because the Smart Cities movement and organizations like the Utility Analytics Institute are promoting the use of predictive intelligence to better manage and minimize risk to critical infrastructures. This is a project that utility thought-leaders are going to keep their eyes on because it has the potential to be truly transformative. For the first time, the people managing the grid will have access to a new level of information and intelligence to pre-empt problems and proactively anticipate conditions-based issues, continued Exacter CEO Lauletta. The University of Akron Center for Advanced Vehicles Energy Systems has been instrumental in working with Exacter to integrate the technology. The sensors convert any vehicle into an overhead grid analysis machine. The sensors do not alter the vehicle and are completely autonomous. This project will be a transformative demonstration of machine learning and artificial intelligence applied to the management of the U.S. power grid. The direct beneficiaries will be residential and commercial/industrial users of power, investor-owned utilities, cooperative utilities, municipal utilities, and the U.S. economy, concludes Lauletta. What makes the project more exciting is the scalability of the technology enabling national grid assessment. The mobile sensors are low cost, and can be used to leverage existing fleets of city, county, utility, and commercial vehicles that are already driving along the grid every day. Leveraging these vehicles for non-invasive mobile assessment purposes can quickly and easily put a lot of useful information and insights at the fingertips of our electrical system managers. BIRD Energy began in 2009 as a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Since then, BIRD Energy has funded close to 40 projects, with a total investment of close to $35 million. Razor Labs is a leader in the development of Artificial Intelligence technology. The company constructs custom neural networks utilizing deep reinforcement learning. They work with their partners to deliver solutions that optimize business processes and deliver measurable ROI. EXACTER, Inc . is an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) company that focuses on electric utilities worldwide. Exacter's multiple patents and trade secret algorithms create a platform technology for providing unique visibility into grid health, identifying areas of safety and system risk, and informing asset management and intelligence-based reliability initiatives. CONTACT INFORMATION Jason Nowland The Nowland Group 614-332-1994 Jasonnowland32@gmail.com John Lauletta, CEO Exacter, Inc. 216-496-1219 Jlauletta@exacterinc.com FILE PHOTO: Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan speaks with an attendee at an annual energy conference at the Dallas Fed headquarters in Dallas, Texas, U.S. September 7, 2018. REUTERS/Ann Saphir BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Reuters) - Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan on Monday said he is "extremely vigilant" on the escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, though it could take months before there is more clarity on how the talks are shaping up. "I think well have to be patient in seeing how this is going to unfold over the next number of weeks and months," Kaplan told reporters after a talk at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. "What we dont know right now is how long these issues will persist, how far will they go, will these tariffs, that have just been put on, and counter tariffs, will they be with us for months, weeks, or longer," he said. "The trade situation creates uncertainty -- creates uncertainty for businesses, it creates uncertainty generally -- and uncertainty by and large, if it goes on for an extended period of time, probably is not helpful if you are a business and trying to manage your business ... it has some chilling effect on business." (Reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli) I think oil will go higher in the coming months; the summer driving season for the US and Europe is likely to push oil above $80 a barrel, argues Jim Powell, editor of Global Changes & Opportunities. Saudi Arabia the worlds largest oil producer is keeping its output flat. The reason may not only be to keep prices up. It has been confirmed that the countrys oil reserves are lower than the Saudis have wanted everyone to believe. More from Jim Powell: ETFs for Japanese Exposure Venezuelas oil industry is on life support due to the bungling actions of the countrys socialist government and the economic collapse it is causing. Washington's sanctions are putting an additional squeeze on Venezuelas oil exports, and are likely to be increased in the coming months. Irans oil industry is also suffering under Mr. Trumps tough sanctions that are expected to tighten now that the Revolutionary Guard has been designated a terrorist organization. Libya is gripped again by conflict. The head of the countrys state oil company recently warned that output will soon decline. I expect to see a similar announcement by the government of Algeria. Although Libya and Algeria arent major oil producers, when global supplies are already under pressure, every additional pinch will hurt. The summer driving season for the US and Europe is likely to push oil above $80 a barrel and even higher if the trade dispute with China is resolved and the global economy ticks up. ExxonMobil (XOM) and Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO) are performing as expected. Exploration and development companies like Diamond are always the last to make gains when oil prices rise but when their time comes they usually make up for lost ground quickly. See also: Buckingham's Bets: Two Values in Healthcare Cheniere Energy (LNG) America's leading exporter of liquefied natural gas and Suncor Energy (SU) do nearly all of their business in North America, and almost none in the Middle East. The more threatened that energy production becomes globally, the better the outlook becomes for Cheniere and Suncor. Story continues Energy pipeline company Kinder Morgan (KMI) deserves special attention due to its exceptional 30% rebound this year. It went from being a high flyer to a fallen angel when oil prices plunged from $120 to $36 five years ago. The company is now rewarding patient investors who remained onboard until oil prices turned back up. I think more gains are on the way for Kinder Morgan. The company is extending its pipelines into topyielding oil fields in Texas and the Permian Basin. Kinder also just increased its dividend 25% and expects to do it again next year. It all adds up to a company that is still undervalued by investors a situation that seems unlikely to last much longer. More From MoneyShow.com: Investing.com - Prices of safe-haven gold dipped below the psychologically important $1,300 level on Tuesday in Asia despite escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Gold Futures for June delivery, traded on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, were down 0.1% to $1,299.95 by 1:28 AM ET (05:28 GMT). The move lower in gold prices came even as the trade war between China and the U.S. escalated, after China announced a retaliatory tariff-hike on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods. "China's adjustment on additional tariffs is a response to US unilateralism and protectionism," its finance ministry said. "China hopes the US will get back to the right track of bilateral trade and economic consultations and meet with China halfway." The announcement came after the U.S. raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. U.S. President Donald Trump said Beijing broke the deal by reneging on earlier commitments. Trump said he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month in Japan. Trump said he expects the discussion with his Chinese counterpart to be very fruitful. He had warned Beijing not to retaliate. On Monday he said, "We're dealing with them. We have a good relationship." The prospect of a prolonged trade war has rattled investors and led to a sharp selloff in stocks. Gold prices, which tend to move in the opposite direction to stocks and other assets perceived as risky, gained about 1.5% last week. Related Articles China's Grip on Rare Earths in Spotlight as Trump Ducks Tariffs Oil Prices Climb as Rising Mid East Tensions Offset Trade War Fears Oil Edges Higher as Trade War Weighed Against Threats to Supply FILE PHOTO: A view of the Goldman Sachs stall on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange FILE PHOTO: A view of the Goldman Sachs stall on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange July 16, 2013. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo By Davide Barbuscia and Saeed Azhar DUBAI (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs has bought a claim against The International Bank Corporation (TIBC), a Bahraini bank whose default 10 years ago triggered the biggest financial crisis in Saudi Arabia, three sources familiar with the matter said. The U.S. investment bank bought $100 million of TIBC debt from Germany's Commerzbank at the end of last year, two of the sources said, reflecting Goldman's increased interest in Saudi Arabia. Although it snubbed a Saudi investment conference last year following the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Goldman Sachs has since won a slew of mandates in the kingdom, including a lead role in Saudi Aramco's debut international bond. TIBC raised money in international markets, transferring the funds to now defaulted Saudi conglomerate Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers (AHAB), in what a Cayman Islands court last year called one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history. After TIBC defaulted on a foreign exchange deal with Deutsche Bank in 2009, AHAB which denies knowledge of the scheme collapsed, along with another Saudi conglomerate Saad, leaving an estimated $22 billion in unpaid debts. TIBC, administered by Bahrain's Central Bank, has a claim of around $3 billion against AHAB, a TIBC spokesman said, while more than 60 banks that have lent money to TIBC remain unpaid. The sources said Goldman bought TIBC's debt after rulings in various jurisdictions appeared to strengthen the position of the Bahraini bank against AHAB. However, if AHAB's application for a financial restructuring under the kingdom's bankruptcy law is successful next week, Goldman's claim may turn out to be worth less than it anticipated. Goldman Sachs and Commerzbank declined to comment on the transaction. LIQUIDATION Last week, a Saudi court created in 2016 to look into AHAB's affairs, the Joint Directorate of Enforcement at the General Court in Al Khobar (JDEK), suspended TIBC's claims against AHAB until the bankruptcy petition was resolved, AHAB's Chief Restructuring Officer, Simon Charlton, said. Story continues TIBC obtained an enforcement order of around $1.6 billion against AHAB from JDEK last year. The TIBC spokesman acknowledged the suspension but said he believed the enforcement order was still valid. Meanwhile, Austria's Raiffeisen Bank and HSBC two of AHAB's creditors last month launched an application for the liquidation of AHAB under the kingdom's bankruptcy law, said the sources. AHAB has opposed the petition as it would like to reach a settlement with creditors under the financial restructuring process, Charlton said. Raffeisen Bank declined to comment while HSBC did not respond to a request for comment. The Dammam commercial court is expected to rule on the liquidation request next week. (Editing by Kirsten Donovan) The head of Sinovation's U.S. office left the firm late last year, according to people familiar with the matter. Kai-Fu Lee's firm has pulled back alongside many other Chinese investors who are struggling to put money to work in the current political environment. Lee has been doing much more investing in China and he explains why in his new book. The brewing trade war between the U.S. and China is starting to have a significant impact on the market U.S. stocks suffered their steepest drop since January on Monday as investors feared the prospect of higher tariffs. But in Silicon Valley, that tension has been playing out for months, to the point where many Chinese investors simply aren't doing deals. One of the most notable departures is Sinovation Ventures, the firm started by former Google GOOGL China president Kai-Fu Lee, who opened a U.S. investing operation in 2013. The head of Sinovation's Silicon Valley office, Chris Evdemon , departed in recent months and informed at least some portfolio companies that the firm was was halting investments in the U.S. as it restructured its fund, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the conversations were confidential. As part of President Donald Trump's trade dispute with China, the Treasury Department, through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), is scrutinizing more Chinese investments and increasingly scuttling deals. Last year, the Trump Administration expanded the scope of CFIUS to include review of non-controlling stakes and investments in addition to outright takeovers. The effects are being felt in tech start-ups. Ad-tech company AppLovin was set to be acquired in 2017 for $1.4 billion by a Chinese private equity firm until CFIUS stepped in, and CNBC reported in April that a health-tech company called PatientsLikeMe was being forced to find a buyer after the U.S. government ordered its majority owner from China to divest. Story continues Chinese investments in U.S. start-ups have been on the decline since peaking in 2016. Foreign direct investment from China dropped to $4.8 billion last year from $27 billion in 2017 and $46 billion the prior year, according to Rhodium Group . Perhaps the biggest problem for Chinese firms is that they can't get into the hottest start-ups because those companies have access to plenty of capital without dealing with the potential hassle that comes with cash from China. "Even if the CFIUS restrictions are not directly blocking these deals, the environment has changed enough that it's forcing VCs, specifically Chinese VCs, to retreat themselves," said Matt Sheehan , non-resident fellow at MacroPolo, the think tank of the Paulson Institute. Sheehan, who studies the ties between China and California, said U.S. start-ups taking Chinese money "see it as just adding risk at this point." Sinovation has a particular focus on AI, one of the areas that concerns CFIUS the most because of its potential application to the military. On the firm's website, Evdemon is still listed as "CEO of Sinovation North America," but multiple people told CNBC that he indicated he left for personal reasons. Evdemon's LinkedIn profile says that he's also currently a venture partner at Basis Set Ventures, founded by former Dropbox executive Lan Xuezhao. The Basis Set website says Evdemon "was the CEO of Sinovation North America for 9 years." Evdemon joined Sinovation in Beijing in 2009, and was one of the six partners named in the latest fund , a $500 million pool of capital raised in April 2018. The others, including Lee, are all based in China. Angela Bao , who had been Sinovation's other main U.S investor, left in mid-2018 to run the Silicon Valley division of a Chinese education company. A Sinovation spokesperson declined to comment, and Evdemon forwarded a request for comment to a company representative in Beijing. 'Silicon Valley looks downright sluggish' Sinovation's retreat is certainly not all about politics. Since 2009, when Lee left Google to found the firm, Sinovation has invested the vast majority of its capital in China, where the firm has offices in four cities. Lee, who previously led Microsoft MSFT Research, wrote extensively about his bullishness on China in his 2018 book , "AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order." He argues in the book that tech entrepreneurs in China have surpassed their U.S. counterparts, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence. "I've spent decades deeply embedded in both Silicon Valley and China's tech scene, working at Apple AAPL , Microsoft and Google before incubating and investing in dozens of Chinese startups," wrote Lee, whose firm manages about $2 billion and counts Taiwanese electronics supplier Foxconn as a top limited partner. "I can tell you that Silicon Valley looks downright sluggish compared to its competitors across the Pacific." In an interview in November with Bloomberg , Lee said he was considering scaling back investments in the U.S. if relations between the China and the U.S. continued to deteriorate. He told Bloomberg that 95% of past money was invested in China and going forward "that could easily be 98% or 100%." He said American policy was forcing his firm to "look for smart, technical Chinese people in America and bring them back to China." Now that the U.S. has made it harder for Chinese firms to invest in areas like AI, there's even less reason for Sinovation to have boots on the ground in Silicon Valley. Lee's firm has been on the U.S. government's radar since at least January 2018, when a unit of the Defense Department highlighted Sinovation in a 48-page report titled "China's Technology Transfer Strategy," addressing the perceived need to preserve "our technological superiority and economic capacity." The report included a case study on Sinovation and listed four of its investments in areas like robotics, computer vision and virtual reality. It called Sinovation "a great example of an active Chinese venture firm investing in the U.S." None of Sinovation's 40-plus U.S. investments are in companies that have become household names. Among the best known are Wonder Workshop, which makes educational robots for kids, and Fictiv, an on-demand manufacturing start-up. Sinovation still has the ability to make investments in the U.S. and has a partner in China former Baidu BIDU executive Peter Fang who keeps in touch with the firm's American portfolio companies, according to people familiar with the matter. In China, Sinovation writes much bigger checks and has had much more success, backing the likes of bike-sharing company Mobike, facial recognition start-up Megvii, ed-tech company VIPKid and crypto mining equipment maker Bitmain. tweet Still, there are certain ironies to Lee's forced retreat from the U.S. For one, he's from Taiwan and he immigrated to the U.S. at a young age, attending high school in Tennessee and college at Columbia University, before getting his doctorate in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. In addition to being U.S. educated, Lee provides the types of connections in China that some start-up executives said were extremely valuable when they were looking for hardware partners or potential distributors in a country that's notoriously difficult for outsiders to navigate. By cutting off access to that sort of strategic help, those founders said the U.S. government is harming its own companies. Lee also is trying to make clear that when it comes to AI, the old rules of intellectual property no longer apply. One of the longstanding concerns the U.S. has had about China is that it freely steals IP of American companies, whether its devices like the iPhone, handbag designs or trade secrets. But AI doesn't work that way because nobody owns the algorithms, Lee says. "A lot of the the fundamental algorithms cannot be patented," Lee said in an interview on CNBC in February. "They've already been put in open source. We find the IP discussions are real but do not pertain at all to AI." CNBC's Sally Shin contributed to this report. WATCH: Two Internets will form to cater to Chinese and U.S. apps Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. More From CNBC (Bloomberg) -- Google may be commonly used as a verb for looking for information, but in the online travel world the technology giant isnt a go-to destination like Expedia, Priceline and TripAdvisor. Aiming to change that, Google will launch a more unified travel product to integrate flight and hotel search functions, while organizing peoples travel plans and saving research. The new offerings, which were rolled out last year on smartphones and are now available on desktops, will be hosted at google.com/travel. Alphabet Inc.s Google also plans to surface more travel data on Google Maps, and incorporate hotel and restaurant reservations for customers who are logged on. Google made the announcement Tuesday at a marketing conference in San Francisco. What weve noticed over time is that trip planning is done over many weeks or many months, said Richard Holden, Googles vice president of travel product management. People tend to plan trips and peruse hotel and restaurant sites when they have time, he said, but often have no way to save their search results or flight queries. Were already getting users coming to Google who are asking questions, Holden said. We frankly havent done a good job of connecting those sessions in the past. Googles moves to bolster its position in travel is designed to drive further searches and potential higher-qualified leads for its partner companies, such as airlines and hotels -- so people will recognize Google as a place where I do travel research, Holden said. That could be a threat to Expedia Inc. and Booking Holdings Inc., which owns Priceline. At a company conference last year in Las Vegas, Expedia Chief Executive Officer Mark Okerstrom called Google his companys most important rival. TripAdvisor Inc. also competes with Google in the travel search business. Google primarily generates referral traffic although it does process some bookings on its own site for other travel merchants. Unlike travel agencies such as Expedia or Priceline, Google doesnt directly sell travel products such as hotel rooms or airline tickets. Story continues To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Bachman in Dallas at jbachman2@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Case at bcase4@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Alistair Barr For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. It was a hot Sunday in June, and we were lazily sitting in our tiny Brooklyn apartment, hanging out with the dog, and chatting about everything and nothing the neighborhood, the strange guy at work, and where wed be living the following year. Neither of us had *planned* to talk about marriage, but before we knew it the conversation took a pretty serious turn. Before I keep going with this story, let me give you some context. Dalmar and I had been dating for 10 years and living together for 2 when we had this conversation. We first met in fifth grade at an international school in Ethiopia (true story). He was and is, without a doubt, my best friend. That said, I was never planning on getting married to him (or to anyone!). I used to say Im not a marriage kinda girl. I never dreamt about my wedding day but instead focused my fantasies on the house Id build or the company Id launch. So when Dalmar suddenly turned to me and asked why we werent getting married, I mostly rolled my eyes. Babe, I said, I love you, but I dont see the point of getting married. You have to deal with wedding planning, family dynamics, and stuff that I just cant bother with right now. If youre up for spending $30,000 on a wedding, lets buy a house." I know, but what if we didnt have a wedding? Dont you think its important that we show the world that were serious about each other? he said. It just seems like youre avoiding getting married over a wedding. Point 1: Dalmar. Well, its not just the wedding. Wed have to figure out all kinds of stuff, like how to merge our finances, which just feels complicated in a way that it isnt today. Why bother? Within minutes of the conversation, we were both alert and animated. His argument was that I was letting these details get in the way. And my counterpoint mostly boiled down to why rock the boat? After much debate that night, we decided to keep talking about it. And after months of consideration, and seeing how important it was to my husband, he won me over. Plus, I got a commitment to a second dog out of it. Story continues Once I agreed to get married, the question about money invariably resurfaced. After much discussion, we decided to maintain the partially-merged financial setup wed grown accustomed to, in which we had shared accounts for things we wanted to spend and save for together, and individual accounts for things we wanted to maintain independently. To cover our bases from a legal standpoint, we figured wed explore a prenup so we could dictate how wed split our assets and debts in case of a breakup. Being a child of divorced parents, it was a reality that wanted a plan for, even if we never ended up there. Our hypothesis was that this approach would allow us to maintain our independence but still build towards shared hopes and dreams. In truth, it gave us control in a moment where we were losing some of our independence to each other. As the knighted family CFO (chief financial officer), it was my responsibility to come up with a plan for the prenup. Surprisingly, at least to me, prenups arent very straightforward. I googled, I made calls, I asked friends, and I finally got connected to a lawyer who said shed charge me $6,000 to handle the paperwork, which included drafting and reviewing the documents. The kicker? Wed *each* have to get a lawyer to represent us so there was no conflict of interest. Im pretty sure I dropped my phone when I heard that. It seemed excessive to spend $12,000 for a prenup to cover our modest assets, and I suddenly worried that maybe it was unnecessary. Not one to give up, I continued to explore ways we could get a prenup without breaking the bank. I called other lawyers, friends, and friends of friends, and they all quoted similar numbers. Frustrated, I started searching for prenup templates and landed on Rocket Lawyer. For $20, you could get a fully fleshed out template which you could lightly adapt to your specific situation. Excited, I brought it to Dalmar to show him what Id found. Id read the document and found it to be pretty easy to understand. There was a disclosure process where we had to put forward the assets and liabilities we had. Then a discussion session where we came up with how we wanted to maintain our assets and liabilities once we were married. And lastly, there was a section on how wed divide the assets if anything ever happened to our union. As we talked through it, the prenup kind of naturally evolved into an exercise on scenario-planning. All the what-ifs we could face in our future together: dog-kids, human-kids, death, divorce, and/or re-marriage. And before either of us knew, wed had the *really deep* money talk. For both of us, the prenup had served its purpose. Now, mark my words carefully: I am by no means suggesting that everyone should just download and sign legal documents off the internet (in fact, please dont). But for our purposes, the prenup became more ceremonial than some stress-tested legal document. Part of me wonders if the agreement would ever really hold up in court, but part of me also doesnt really care. I mostly just wanted us to have a shared understanding of some of the possibilities we might face together in the future. That was over five years ago, and Dalmar and I have certainly had our share of ups and downs since then. But through them all, the nuggets of conversation we started with that prenup have evolved into a thoughtful estate plan, a medical protocol in case something ever happens to either one of us, and even a discussion on our after-life goals (mine is turning into a ghost who haunts people who hurt animals). These might not seem like the sexiest topics to discuss with your partner, but youd be amazed at how much closer these conversations can bring you. Weve become more open and honest with each other, and perhaps most interesting is that neither of us is ever right or wrong in these conversations. We each have very different perspectives of what we want, but by sitting down and hashing it out without the fear of being judged or ridiculed is actually really magical and romantic. Im sharing this story not because I think prenups are for everyone or because Im paid by Rocket Lawyer (Im not). Im telling you this story because money remains one of the hardest topics to talk about amongst women. My hope is that youll find some value and maybe the courage to have conversations like this with your SO after hearing my experience. As for those nuptials: we got married in July 2015, but didn't have a big wedding (it was our compromise). We had a few friends tag along to the courthouse to serve as witnesses (required). Funnily enough, our entire wedding cost us $500 (we paid for lunch). In retrospect, I'm still glad we didn't the big shindig, but I also feel a little nostalgic when I go to someone else's wedding. Though truth be told, we'd probably both stick with exactly how we did it. Five years later, were still happily married, still having regular money discussions (sometimes still awkward), and are still very happy with the decision to get a prenup. I think wed both tell you that its potentially the best $20 weve ever spent. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? This New Book Will Help You Use Tech To Get More Out Of Your Money These Are The Books Money Diarists Recommend You Read A Week In New York, NY On A $93,800 Salary (Bloomberg) -- U.S. senators warned allies that Chinese telecommunications companies such as Huawei Technologies Co. cant meet security standards for advanced networks due in part to Chinese law that demands cooperation with security agencies. "There is no way in hell China can meet those criteria because of the way theyre governed, Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said in a hearing of the panel. The only way China can meet the criteria is to stop being China. Graham said allies should know theyll lose access to American information and technology if they buy Chinese equipment. The Trump administration is pressing other governments to exclude gear made by Huawei from super-fast 5G mobile networks that will connect billions of devices, including autonomous cars and robotic factories. But the campaign is finding little success: so far no European country has barred the Chinese supplier. Last week, the Federal Communications Commission rejected China Mobile Ltd.s bid to provide phone service in the U.S., citing national security concerns about the company controlled by Beijing. The move added friction to fraught trade relations that have erupted into a tit-for-tat of tariffs between the worlds biggest economies. Lawmakers have increased their focus on Chinese telecommunications providers in recent months. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the leading Democrat on Judiciary Committee, cited Chinese law and said that Huawei has been very assertive. She said there had been importunings without offering details, and said "it could make our country incredibly vulnerable and we cannot let China do this. The U.S. is urging allies to analyze risk before buying gear, Robert Strayer, deputy assistant secretary for cyber policy at the State Department, told the committee. Criteria include the extent to which vendors are subject to control by a foreign government with power to compel cooperation with intelligence and security agencies, Strayer said in testimony submitted to the committee. Story continues Strayer said U.S. diplomacy on the issue had made progress. Through our engagements, many other countries are now acknowledging the supply chain risk, he said. The U.S. says Chinese law compels Huawei to cooperate with Beijings espionage agencies. U.S. officials fear Huawei can build vulnerabilities, or backdoors, into equipment to enable spying by the Chinese government. Huawei has said that governments and customers in 170 countries use its equipment, which poses no greater cybersecurity threat than that of any communications technology vendor. Huaweis rotating chairman, Guo Ping, said in a February opinion piece that the fusillade against Huawei results from Washingtons realization that the U.S. has fallen behind in developing 5G technology, and has little to do with security. Senator Chris Coons, speaking at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations, said he was concerned that Chinas expansive "belt and road" initiative might also at some point include telecommunications involving 5G technology, expanding the reach of Chinese technology companies such as Huawei. "The belt and road initiative may become a belt, road, cell phone initiative," said Coons, a Delaware Democrat. "I dont think the U.S. has fully grasped the extent to which even our core allies -- a G7 country like Italy, a core ally like the United Kingdom -- are differing from us in our assessment of the intelligence threat of having Huawei integrated into the telecommunications systems of the coming decades." "I think we have a real challenge on our hands," he said. To contact the reporters on this story: Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net;Daniel Flatley in Washington at dflatley1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Editors Note: This is the third of a series of stories that will run each Tuesday through the month of May in which different mental health c By Stefano Bernabei ROME (Reuters) - Italian banks will not step in to plug a capital shortfall at regional lender Banca Carige after U.S. fund manager BlackRock pulled out of a planned rescue bid, sources said, making a state bailout for the bank more likely. The two sources, who are close to a fund comprising Italian banks, spoke after officials met in Rome on Thursday to discuss what to do after BlackRock's decision, which plunged the rescue plan into disarray. Carige, which was placed under special administration by the European Central Bank in January, has a capital shortfall of 630 million euros. The FITD fund, which is financed by the country's lenders and has the official purpose of guaranteeing bank deposits of up to 100,000 euros, had agreed to convert into Carige shares a 320-million-euro bond as part of the BlackRock rescue plan. But that option is no longer on the table, the fund said in a statement after Thursday's meeting, given that the wider plan to salvage Carige has faltered. The head of the fund, Giuseppe Boccuzzi, told Reuters the fund aimed to support Carige and will assess any proposals that might come forward. But the sources said the fund would only consider intervening in the rescue if other investors were involved, adding the fund's job was not that of running banks. That leaves Rome scrambling to find an alternative solution for Carige as it seeks to avoid its fourth major bank bailout in two years. Over the past two years Italys biggest banks have shored up their capital and sold off billions of euros in troubled loans. But the country has a long list of smaller banks struggling with bad debts and resistant to consolidation. In the case of Carige, the biggest investor - the Malacalza family of steel entrepreneurs - voted against a capital increase last year. Italian newspapers said at the weekend that Apollo Global Management and Warburg Pincus could be interested in Carige but both options were dismissed by two separate sources close to the matter. The ECB had given the special commissioners now running Carige until May 17 to find binding bidders for the bank, sources said. An ECB spokeswoman declined to comment when asked if that deadline had been extended after BlackRock's withdrawal. (Additional reporting by Andrea Mandala and Valentina Za in Milan, writing by Silvia Aloisi, editing by Deepa Babington) Q1 2019 - Business review Paris, May 14th, 2019 - JCDecaux SA (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, published today its revenue for the three months ended March 31st, 2019. FIRST QUARTER 2019: BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS Key contracts wins Asia-Pacific In January, JCDecaux announced that its Japanese subsidiary MCDecaux (JCDecaux: 85%; Mitsubishi Corporation: 15%) has won the digital advertising concession of Kansai Airports` 10-year contract. Rest of Europe In January, JCDecaux announced that its Dutch subsidiary, JCDecaux Netherlands, has been awarded a new 11 year (8+3) exclusive contract for all analogue and digital advertising street furniture in Rotterdam, following a competitive tender. In February, JCDecaux announced that, following a competitive tender, its Spanish subsidiary has won the 15-year analogue and digital advertising street furniture contract for the city of Bilbao (population: 346,332). France In February, JCDecaux announced it has been awarded, following a tender process, an 8-year services concession contract by the City of Paris for columns and display flagpoles. In March, JCDecaux announced that it has started the roll out of its smart and digital street furniture in 34 cities in Hauts-de-Seine (total population: around 1.6 million), under its new exclusive contract with the Department Council. United Kingdom In February, JCDecaux announced that following a competitive tender, it has signed the bus shelter advertising contract for the London Borough of Camden, with a footprint that covers a large part of central London, including the UK head offices of Google, St. Pancras International (Eurostar station) and the British Museum. Other events Group In February, JCDecaux announced the launch of AAM (Airport Audience Measurement), the first international audience measurement system for the airport industry. In February, JCDecaux announced two appointments in line with its internal promotion policy. They are effective since March 1st, 2019. Jerome d`Here is appointed Director of Mergers & Acquisitions and Development of the Group. Caroline Burtin is appointed Deputy Director of Mergers & Acquisitions and Development of the Group. Story continues Rest of Europe In January, JCDecaux announced that Hannelore Majoor has been appointed as CEO for the Dutch subsidiary, JCDecaux Netherlands. France In January, JCDecaux announced that following the publication by the ANFR (National Frequency Agency) report in December 2018 - demonstrating the relevance of the small cells installed on JCDecaux street furniture - the Group will provide support for French telecoms operators to roll out small cells in around ten French cities in 2019. To this end, it will draw on the expertise gained in pilot projects undertaken with these operators in France since 2016. United Kingdom In January, JCDecaux announced that JCDecaux UK strengthens its senior leadership team as it continues to digitally transform its business. Spencer Berwin and Philip Thomas have stepped down from their roles as Co-CEOs at the end of March 2019 and will move to new positions as non-executive directors reporting directly to Jean-Francois Decaux. Were promoted two JCDecaux Senior Managers, Chris Collins the Managing Director of its Rail and Retail Divisions and Dallas Wiles the Chief Commercial Officer became the new Co-CEOs of JCDecaux UK. In March, JCDecaux announced that its subsidiary JCDecaux UK has been awarded second place in the prestigious "Best Environmental Sustainability Programme" award in the supplier category, at the Sedex conference in London on March 26th. FIRST QUARTER 2019 AND OUTLOOK Following the adoption of IFRS 11 from January 1st, 2014, the operating data presented below is adjusted to include our prorata share in companies under joint control. Please refer to the paragraph "Adjusted data" on page 3 of this release for the definition of adjusted data and reconciliation with IFRS. Adjusted revenue for the first quarter 2019 increased by +13.1% to 840.0 million compared to 742.5 million in the first quarter of 2018. Excluding the positive impact from foreign exchange variations and the positive impact from changes in perimeter, adjusted revenue increased by +5.4%. Adjusted advertising revenue, excluding revenue related to sale, rental and maintenance of street furniture and advertising displays, increased by +5.5% on an organic basis in the first quarter of 2019. Q1 adjusted revenue 2019 (m) 2018 (m) Reported growth Organic growth(a) Transport 368.0 293.5 +25.4% +14.5% Street Furniture 344.3 337.1 +2.1% +0.8% Billboard 127.7 111.9 +14.1% -4.6% Total 840.0 742.5 +13.1% +5.4% a. Excluding acquisitions/divestitures and the impact of foreign exchange Please note that the geographic comments below refer to organic revenue growth. TRANSPORT First quarter adjusted revenue increased by +25.4% to 368.0 million (+14.5% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and UK) posted double-digit growth. Asia-Pacific and North America delivered strong double-digit growth. The Rest of the World was up. STREET FURNITURE First quarter adjusted revenue increased by +2.1% to 344.3 million (+0.8% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and UK) was down with UK being impacted by the recent advertising ban for HFSS products (High Fat, Salt and Sugar products) in London on TfL assets. Asia-Pacific was up strongly with a double-digit growth, mainly driven by Australia. North America was virtually flat. The Rest of the World was up. First quarter adjusted advertising revenue, excluding revenue related to sale, rental and maintenance of street furniture was down -0.7% on an organic basis compared to the first quarter of 2018. BILLBOARD First quarter adjusted revenue increased by +14.1% to 127.7 million (-4.6% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and UK), the Rest of the World and North America were down. Commenting on the 2019 first quarter revenue, Jean-Charles Decaux, Chairman of the Executive Board and Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: "Our Q1 2019 revenue of 840.0m, which grew +13.1% on a reported basis benefiting from APN Outdoor`s recent acquisition in Australia, was up +5.4% on an organic basis, driven by the on-going digitisation of our prime assets which now represent 23.5% of total revenue. Transport`s strong performance, up +14.5% organically reflects a double-digit revenue growth in both China and North America, as well as a good sales performance in Europe with very strong digital revenue in all regions. Street Furniture`s organic revenue growth of +0.8% was affected by a negative performance in Europe with UK being impacted by the recent advertising ban for HFSS products (High Fat, Salt and Sugar products) in London on TfL assets, while our digital portfolio continues to grow strongly. Billboard`s organic revenue decline of -4.6% continues to be impacted by our on-going multi-year plan to reduce our UK traditional billboard network and a lack of consolidation in some geographies, while our digital Billboard business continues to grow double-digit. As far as Q2 2019 is concerned, we currently expect an organic revenue growth above +4% with good growth in Street Furniture especially in France, North America and Australia, while Transport`s growth will be impacted by a stronger slowdown in our Chinese advertising Metro business. In a media landscape increasingly fragmented, out-of-home advertising reinforces its attractiveness. With our accelerating exposure to faster-growth markets, our growing premium digital portfolio combined with a new data-led audience targeting platform, our ability to win new contracts and the high quality of our teams across the world, we believe we are well positioned to outperform the advertising market and increase our leadership position in the outdoor advertising industry through profitable market share gains. The strength of our balance sheet is a key competitive advantage that will allow us to pursue further external growth opportunities as they arise and to continue to invest significantly in digital." ADJUSTED DATA Under IFRS 11, applicable from January 1st, 2014, companies under joint control are accounted for using the equity method. However, in order to reflect the business reality of the Group, operating data of the companies under joint control will continue to be proportionately integrated in the operating management reports used to monitor the activity, allocate resources and measure performance. Consequently, pursuant to IFRS 8, Segment Reporting presented in the financial statements complies with the Group`s internal information, and the Group`s external financial communication therefore relies on this operating financial information. Financial information and comments are therefore based on "adjusted" data, consistent with historical data prior to 2014, which is reconciled with IFRS financial statements. In Q1 2019, the impact of IFRS 11 on adjusted revenue was -86.8 million (-84.5 million in Q1 2018) leaving IFRS revenue at 753.2 million (658.0 million in Q1 2018). ORGANIC GROWTH DEFINITION The Group`s organic growth corresponds to the adjusted revenue growth excluding foreign exchange impact and perimeter effect. The reference fiscal year remains unchanged regarding the reported figures, and the organic growth is calculated by converting the revenue of the current fiscal year at the average exchange rates of the previous year and taking into account the perimeter variations prorata temporis, but including revenue variations from the gains of new contracts and the losses of contracts previously held in our portfolio. m Q1 2018 adjusted revenue (a) 742.5 2019 IFRS revenue (b) 753.2 IFRS 11 impacts (c) 86.8 2019 adjusted revenue (d) = (b) + (c) 840.0 Currency impacts (e) (13.1) 2019 adjusted revenue at 2018 exchange rates (f) = (d) + (e) 826.9 Change in scope (g) (44.4) 2019 adjusted organic revenue (h) = (f) + (g) 782.5 Organic growth (i) = (h) / (a) +5.4% m Impact of currency as of March 31st, 2019 USD 4.8 HKD 3.8 RMB 2.1 GBP 1.0 BRL (1.3) Other 2.7 Total 13.1 Average exchange rate Q1 2019 Q1 2018 USD 0.8805 0.8135 HKD 0.1122 0.1039 RMB 0.1305 0.1280 GBP 1.1461 1.1320 BRL 0.2338 0.2507 Forward looking statements This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. These statements are not undertakings as to the future performance of the Company. Although the Company considers that such statements are based on reasonable expectations and assumptions on the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual performance to differ from those indicated or implied in such statements. These risks and uncertainties include without limitation the risk factors that are described in the annual report registered in France with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers. Investors and holders of shares of the Company may obtain copy of such annual report by contacting the Autorite des Marches Financiers on its website www.amf-france.org or directly on the Company website www.jcdecaux.com. The Company does not have the obligation and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements. FINANCIAL SITUATION The evolution of revenues is the major factor which to impact the operating margin, free cash flow or net debt during Q1 2019. 14-05-19 # Q1 2019_Business Review_UK_vDEF 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: JCDecaux via GlobeNewswire HUG#2244330 (Adds minister comments to Reuters, background, context) BEIRUT, May 14 (Reuters) - Lebanon's coalition government aims to agree the draft 2019 state budget by Wednesday night, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil told Reuters on Tuesday, as it tries to tame a gaping fiscal deficit. "There is a direction to achieve the budget and approve it tomorrow in a session before noon and a session at night," said Ali Hassan Khalil. "We are on the right path and we are moving towards a positive result," he added. The government is seeking to finalise a budget that Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri says may be the most austere in Lebanese history to address one of the world's heaviest public debt burdens, equivalent to about 150% of GDP. Reports in the Lebanese media that the budget would include cuts to the state wage bill have prompted several strikes and protests by public sector workers, pointing to the difficulties Hariri faces in pushing through reforms. The cabinet has met almost daily to discuss the draft budget since the start of the month. After it is agreed by the cabinet, the budget must be discussed and approved by the parliament. (Reporting by Ellen Francis and Laila Bassam; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Alison Williams) (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. plans to spend more than $100 million over five years to open its first development centers in Africa to work with local partners and governments, as well as hire engineering talent. Initial sites will be in Nairobi, Kenyas capital, and Lagos, Nigerias commercial hub. The software giant plans to hire 100 full-time developers at the two sites by the end of this year and expand to 500 by the end of 2023, Microsoft said in a statement Tuesday. The Redmond, Washington-based company plans to use the sites to recruit African engineers to work in areas such as cloud services, which use artificial intelligence and applications for mixed reality where customers use goggles to project 3-D images onto the real world. Cloud technology companies like Microsoft, Amazon.com Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co. are looking to expand in Africa to take advantage of growing telecommunications infrastructure and work in areas like e-commerce and mobile payments. Microsoft has been partnering and looking for cloud customers in Africa where it has opened data centers in South Africa. Microsoft said it is working with Kenyan and Nigerian companies in areas like financial technology, energy and agriculture. Cloud rival Amazon, whose Amazon Web Services is larger than Microsofts Azure, is also opening a data center in Africa next year. To contact the author of this story: Dina Bass in Seattle at dbass2@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Molly Schuetz at mschuetz9@bloomberg.net For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. * Saudi insurers among biggest fallers after weak Q1 results * Abu Dhabi suffers worst day in 3-1/2 years * Dubai in sharpest one-day decline in 3 years * 18 of 20 Qatari stocks slide By Shakeel Ahmad May 13 (Reuters) - Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock markets suffered their biggest single-day decline in years on Monday after several commercial ships were attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Saudi shares had their worst day since mid-October after Riyadh said two of its oil tankers were among the vessels hit in the attacks. Saudi Arabia's index declined 3.6%, with Al Rajhi Bank dropping 4.6% and petrochemical group Saudi Basic Industries falling 5.1%. The index is down nearly 10% since the start of May. Saudi Arabia said the two Saudi oil tankers were attacked off the coast of the UAE and said it was an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid heightened U.S.-Iranian tensions. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz, but did not say who was behind the attack or describe the nature of it. The declines today in the Gulf markets reflect cautious sentiment amongst investors amid regional uncertainty," said Mihir Kapadia, chief executive, Sun Global Investments. "The sabotage attack of two Saudi oil tankers off the coast of the UAE has surprised investors who are already jittery due to rising trade tensions between the U.S. and China." Shares in National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) dropped 3%, after trading and shipping sources said the Saudi vessels targeted were Bahri-owned very large crude carrier Amjad and crude tanker Al Marzoqah. Bahri did not respond to a request for comment. Insurance companies were among biggest fallers on the Saudi market. Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance and Salama Cooperative Insurance each fell 10% after they reported first-quarter losses, citing increased net claims. Story continues Vrajesh Bhandari, senior portfolio manager at Al Mal Capital, said Saudi Arabia has its own dynamics. With about 10% correction in large caps, we see it as a tactical opportunity to position for the first tranche of MSCI, he said. Saudi Arabia is due to be included in the MSCI index from later this month. The Dubai index was down 4% in the sharpest single-day decline since June, 2016 with 26 of 37 stocks falling and none rising. Financial and real estate stocks were hit the hardest. The emirate's largest listed developer, Emaar Properties, lost 5.9%, and its biggest bank, Emirates NBD, closed 3.6% lower. Bhandari said sentiment was weak and that investors would like to profits in stocks that have done well such as Emirates NBD. "Overall, we expect markets to be volatile given seasonal factors - Ramadan and the summer. Global factors arent helping either," Bhandari added. Financials also pushed Abu Dhabi's index down 3.3%, its biggest one-day drop since January, 2016. First Abu Dhabi Bank, the UAE's biggest bank, shed 3.1% and Emirates Telecommunications Group dropped 5.7%. Qatar's index lost 1.9% with 18 of its 20 stocks declining. Market heavyweight Qatar National Bank decreased 2.8% while lender Masraf Al Rayan was down 3.1%. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index fell 1.5% mirroring decline in emerging markets as concerns over U.S.-China trade dispute intensified. The country's top bank, Commercial International Bank and investment firm, Egypt Kuwait Holding, dropped 1.7% and 2.3%, respectively. SAUDI The index was down 3.6% at 8,367 points ARABIA ABU DHABI The index fell 3.3% to 4,929 points DUBAI The index lost 4% to 2,526 points QATAR The index slid 1.9% to 9,740 points EGYPT The index was down 1.5% to 13,905 points BAHRAIN The index was down 0.8 pct at 1,416 points OMAN The index slipped 0.7% to 3,840 points KUWAIT The index lost 1.4% to 6,079 points (Reporting by Shakeel Ahmad in Bengaluru and Saeed Azhar in Dubai. Editing by Jane Merriman) FILE PHOTO: Outside view of the Deutsche Bank and the Commerzbank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski/File Photo BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany should not provide a state guarantee to protect any of its banks, the country's deputy finance minister Joerg Kukies said on Monday, following the failure last month of merger talks between Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank. Kukies also warned against creating a national banking champion which he said could lead to a regulatory race to the bottom, adding that he had not been behind the attempted tie-up between Germany's two biggest banks. "The solution is not the creation of national champions," former Goldman Sachs banker Kukies told a panel discussion in Berlin's Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, organised by anti-capitalist opposition party Die Linke. The most important task for policymakers was to complete the European Union's banking union and further harmonise regulation of the financial sector, he added. Asked to comment on media reports that he was the "mastermind" behind the Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank merger talks, Kukies said: "It's simply not true ... there has been no pressure or attempts of influence from our side." Finance Minister Olaf Scholz and Kukies were widely reported to be supportive of a merger between Deutsche and Commerzbank, in which the German government still owns 15.6 percent after a bailout a decade ago. Kukies said it was nonetheless important that a large, export-reliant economy such as Germany should have at least one big national lender. "The question of the location of the headquarters is not completely irrelevant," Kukies said. Asked if this meant that the German government would block a takeover of Commerzbank by a bigger buyer from abroad, Kukies said that he would not comment on any particular bank. However, Commerzbank supervisory board member Stefan Wittmann, representing labour union Verdi, signalled strong resistance to any takeover attempt from an Italian bank. Wittmann told the same panel that there would be "a lot of blood" before any such scenario materialised, saying there had been negative consequences from the takeover of German lender HVB by Italy's UniCredit. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Tassilo Hummel and Alexander Smith) BAGHDAD, May 7 (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday there was no link between an initial oil agreement his government was about to sign with Exxon Mobil and its receipt of waivers from the United States exempting it from sanctions on Iran. Media reports had quoted Iran's ambassador in London on Monday saying the U.S. would grant waivers to Iraq allowing it to deal with Iran economically in exchange for Baghdad signing an oil deal with Washington. Iraq is close to signing a $53 billion, 30-year agreement with Exxon Mobil and PetroChina to develop oil infrastructure in the south, Abdul Mahdi said, part of an energy megaproject. Iraq currently has a waiver from the U.S. allowing it to import gas from Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out last year from a nuclear deal with Tehran and reinstated sanctions against it. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein Editing by Louise Heavens) Investing.com - Oil prices rose on Tuesday after reports of a drone attack on two pumping stations on one of Saudi Arabia's most important export pipelines. Crude turned positive and spiked to intraday highs after Saudi Arabias oil minister Khalid Al-Flaih accused Yemens Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for carrying out the attack. He said limited damage had been done but noted that the East-West pipeline, which takes oil to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, will be closed as a precautionary measure. New York-traded West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 43 cents, or 0.7%, at $61.47 a barrel by 9:22 AM ET (13:23 GMT), while Brent crude futures, the benchmark for oil prices outside the U.S., traded up 67 cents, or 1.0%, to $70.90. Investing.com contributor Ellen Wald noted that the pipeline transports about 5 million barrels per day to Yanbu from fields in eastern Saudi Arabia. With that shut down, its not surprising to see oil up this much, she tweeted, adding that prices could continue to move higher depending on how long the pipeline is out. The news came barely a day after Saudi Arabia claimed two of its tankers had been attacked near the entry of the Persian Gulf. Tensions in the Middle East, that run the risk of tightening supply, have offset to some degree downward pressure on prices from the escalation in the trade conflict between the U.S. and China. Tit-for-tat tariff increases between the worlds two largest consumers of oil have raised fears of exacerbating a global economic slowdown, denting demand for crude. The trade conflict and Middle East tensions create a mixed backdrop to OPECs decision, due in June, on whether to extend its deal on output restraint with Russia and others. Saudi Arabia is thought to favor a continuation of output curbs in order to defend current price levels. But Investing.com senior commodity analyst Barani Krishnan said that oil prices could be entering a new phase of volatility for 2019, breaking from the more enduring rallies of the first quarter. Story continues Krishnan warned that a demand spike during the U.S. summer driving season could be followed by another swell in U.S. crude production and eventually higher stockpiles in the latter half of the year." OPEC made no changes to its global oil demand growth forecast for 2019 in its monthly report released on Tuesday. The organization also said its output fell by 3,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 30,031 million bpd in April, while members with quotas in the production cut agreement had compliance of 150%. U.S. crude stockpiles were also on deck as the American Petroleum Institute reports weekly data later on Tuesday. For Wednesdays official government data, consensus expects a draw of 2.13 million barrels. In other energy trading, gasoline futures rose 0.5% at $1.9729 a gallon by 7:38 AM ET (11:38 GMT), while heating oil advanced 0.2% at $2.0415 a gallon. Lastly, natural gas futures traded up 1.1% at $2.649 per million British thermal units. Related Articles OPEC sees more 2019 demand for its oil as it keeps cutting output Saudi Aramco bets on oil supply to Europe, trading expansion Saudi Aramco Pumping Stations Targeted in Yemeni Drone Attack By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Only one Indian buyer of Iranian oil has taken up Saudi Arabia's offer of additional oil to make up for the loss of supplies from Tehran due to U.S. sanctions, taking an extra 2 million barrels from the Kingdom for June shipment, industry sources said. Last month, Saudi Arabia approached Indian buyers offering them additional supplies to compensate for loss of Iranian oil after the United States threatened to sanction entities buying oil from Tehran, the sources said. The United States had imposed new sanctions on Iran in November last year, but gave a six-month waiver to eight countries, including India, which allowed them to import some Iranian oil. India was able to buy about 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil under the waiver. But last month, Washington ended the waivers and said buyers should stop Iranian oil purchases or face sanctions. Only state refiners - Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals and Hindustan Petroleum Corp - accounting for about 60 percent of India's 5 million bpd refining capacity had purchased oil from Iran since November. In January-April 2019 India received about 304,500 bpd Iranian oil. In June, Saudi Arabia will supply an additional 250,000 tonnes (2 million barrels) of oil to Mangalore Refinery (MRPL) on top of its normal requirement of about 320,000 barrels (about 2.5 million barrels), one of the sources familiar with the matter said. Another source said MRPL might not lift the additional Saudi oil as the refiner had declared force majeure and shut half of its plant due to water shortages. Mangalore Refinery declined to comment. There was no immediate comment from IOC, HPCL, BPCL and Saudi Aramco. "In our system, UAE and Iraq oil turned out to be better than Saudi oil," a source at one of the Indian refineries said. IOC, BPCL and HPCL have not placed a request for extra Saudi oil for June after the Kingdom raised official selling price for Asia, the sources said. Story continues "Saudi OSPs for June have been very strong, so Indians may have taken extra from others at competitive rates," said Sri Paravaikkarasu, director for Asia oil at Singapore-based consultancy FGE. When Iran was under sanctions in 2012, Saudi Arabia and Iraq had raised market share in Asia. But since that time trade routes have shifted with new supplies, including from the United States, coming on to the markets. "Saudi will have to fill some of the void left by Iran but it will not be a one to one replacement," Paravaikkarasu said. "Indian refiners' oil import policy is very flexible now and they are no longer relying on one or two particular producers." Indian refiners have raised optional volumes under annual contracts with key producers as well as testing new grades and origins to make up for loss of Iranian oil. Also, U.S. crude's widening discount to Brent has strengthened demand for U.S. crude exports. "India wants to diversify away from Middle East because of lots of geopolitical issues relating to the region," Paravaikkarasu said. "The Middle East will continue to be the mainstay for Indian refiners but they would like to tap new stable areas when it comes to requirement of incremental barrels." (Reporting by Nidhi Verma. Editing by Jane Merriman) The Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry covers companies that are primarily involved in upstream, midstream and downstream businesses. These companies have upstream businesses across the United States (including prolific shale plays and deepwater Gulf of Mexico), Asia, South America, Africa, Australia and Europe. The midstream operations of the integrated energy companies entail transporting oil, natural gas liquids and refined petroleum products. Under downstream businesses, the firms buy raw crude to produce refined petroleum products. The companies downstream activities also involve chemicals businesses that manufacture raw material used for manufacturing plastics. Lets take a look at the industrys three major themes: Although prices of both Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil have recovered since the beginning of 2019, the future direction of the commodities prices are primarily dependent on OPECs Vienna meet on Jun 25. Since the United States has declined to extend oil sanction waivers to the customers of Iran, the expected loss of Iranian oil from the global crude supply might prompt the cartel to ramp up production. This is likely to lower the price of oil and thereby hurt the integrated firms upstream businesses. Since most nations are focusing on curbing greenhouse gas emissions, the companies are likely to continue to produce huge natural gas volumes. Since the plentiful supply of the commodity has outpaced the demand for clean energy, the price of natural gas is likely to remain low, further hurting profits from upstream activities. Presently, the global market seems uncertain as fresh trade tensions are brewing between the United States and China. This is likely to hurt demand for refined petroleum products and chemicals, thereby dampening the prospects of downstream businesses. Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bleak Prospects Story continues The Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry is part of the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #203, which places it at the bottom 21% of more than 250 Zacks industries. The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates gloomy near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. The industrys position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are pessimistic about this groups earnings growth potential. Over the past year, the industrys earnings estimate for the current year has gone down almost 8%. Before we present a few international integrated energy stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, lets take a look at the industrys recent stock market performance and current valuation. Industry Lags S&P 500 But Outperforms Sector The Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry has lagged the Zacks S&P 500 composite. However, the industry has outperformed the Zacks Oil - Energy sector over the past year. The industry has declined 12.9% over this period against the S&P 500s rise of 4.8% and the broader sectors decline of 19.1%. One-Year Price Performance Industrys Current Valuation Since oil and gas companies are debt-laden, it makes sense to value them based on the EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value/ Earnings before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) ratio. This is because the valuation metric takes into account not just equity but also the level of debt. For capital-intensive companies, EV/EBITDA is a better valuation metric because it is not influenced by changing capital structures and ignores the effect of noncash expenses. On the basis of the trailing 12-month enterprise value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, the industry is currently trading at 5.05X, lower than the S&P 500s 10.90X. It is, however, above the sectors trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA of 4.84X. Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 9.85X, as low as 3.88X, with a median of 6.22X. Trailing 12-Month Enterprise Value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) Ratio Bottom Line The anticipated weakness in commodity prices and uncertainty in the global market are expected to hurt integrated energy players upstream and downstream operations. Moreover, in the United States, the companies are witnessing pipeline bottleneck problems and thereby losing the opportunity to generate more fee-based revenues. Here, we present one stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and another with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) that are well positioned to gain amid the prevailing challenges. There are three other stocks with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) that investors may currently hold on to. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Repsol SA (REPYY): Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, the company is a leading integrated energy company. Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #1 stocks 2019 earnings per share has been revised upward. Price and Consensus: REPYY YPF Sociedad Anonima (YPF): Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, YPF Sociedad carrying a Zacks Rank #2 is an integrated energy firm with exposure to exploration & production of oil and natural gas along with a significant presence in transportation and refining businesses. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the firms 2019 earnings per share has been revised upward by more than 76% over the past 30 days. Price and Consensus: YPF Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM): This Irving, TX-based firm is the largest publicly traded energy player in the world. The #3 Ranked company has average positive earnings surprise of 2.5% for the last four quarters. Moreover, ExxonMobil is expected to see earnings growth of 12% over the next five years, better than the industrys 7%. Price and Consensus: XOM BP plc (BP): The British integrated energy firm has a positive average earnings surprise of 17.5% for the trailing four quarters. The Zacks #3 Ranked company has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 7.1%, marginally higher than the industry. Price and Consensus: BP Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS.A): The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year EPS of this energy firm headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands reflects year-over-year growth of 8.3%. The integrated energy player, with Zacks Rank of 3, has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 7.3%, better than the industry. Price and Consensus: RDS.A Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year. See their latest picks free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report YPF Sociedad Anonima (YPF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Repsol SA (REPYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report BP p.l.c. (BP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Susan Ameel, co-founder and partner of Global Regulatory Risk Advisors. Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the Illinois has reached a deal that will legalize marijuana sales by January 1, 2020. We expect the Illinois Legislature to move quickly and pass the legislation by June. Illinois will hold a public hearing on the bill next Wednesday. Here are the things that you should know about the Illinois recreational marijuana dispensary marketplace. Illinois provides licensing priority to medical marijuana license holders for 60 days after the effective date of the Act. Expect the market prices for these licenses to skyrocket as firms try to find license holders that will sell. License holders that are interested in selling should consider doing so as there will be no backlog, it will be easier to get approved, costs are lower, and market prices are higher. Illinois will issue 75 Conditional Adult Use Dispensary Organization Licenses before May 1, 2020. The application will be available by October 1, 2019 with a deadline submission date of January 1, 2019. The Act provides for a minimum number of dispensaries in 17 regions within Illinois. Applicants must have $100,000 in guaranteed liquid assets or be a social equity applicant that applied for a grant from the state. If granted a license, an applicant has 6 months to find a storefront. The state regulator must inspect the storefront prior to the build out, which will subject the retailer to multiple inspections as city regulators will also inspect. The regulator may extend the storefront build out process if the applicant has difficulty obtaining real estate. The final registration fee is $60,000. The licenses expire on even-numbered years. The Act permits publicly owned companies but requires all organizations to file an organizational chart and stock record with the Illinois regulator. Public companies must disclose individuals and entities that own more than 5% of the voting stock to the extent known and disclosed in SEC filings, and related owners if they own more than 10% of the voting stock. If an organization is controlled by another entity, the owners, managers and board members must be disclosed. Businesses may only own 10 dispensing licenses directly or indirectly. The Act also appears to limit an organization to 10 contractual arrangements with dispensaries that provides payment in any form. The State of Illinois may provide loans and grants to social equity applicants. We believe that the government should partner private capital with social equity applicants. The private sector can increase the chances of success with operational guidance, infrastructure, branded products and capital. Illinois must also ensure that local jurisdictions, especially in major cities, allocate licenses to the social equity applicants from the get-go rather than as an after thought. The Department of Agriculture will share oversight of the industry with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which will oversee the dispensaries. This split seems logical as the Department of Agriculture oversees the hemp program. Overall, the legislation provides a democratized approach to allocating dispensary licenses and limits the industrys access to capital. The legislation raises concerns about the viability of the industry given the lack of traditional financing and capital available to dispensary applicants, and the extended timeline for setting up operations. The State of Illinois should not be in the business of funding start-ups, and we are interested in seeing the end result. Story continues Related Links: RegTalk: Washington State To Revise Marijuana Product Label Rules, Favor Education Over Enforcement RegTalk: Cannabis Tours And Black Markets In California, Medical Marijuana In Texas See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the Novorossiysk Fuel Oil Terminal (NMT) in the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, Russia May 30, 2018. Picture taken May 30, 2018. REUTERS/Natalya Chumakova By Olga Yagova, Gleb Gorodyankin and Julia Payne MOSCOW/LONDON (Reuters) - Russia has begun shipping clean oil via the Baltic after a contamination problem disrupted flows for three weeks and it is working to resume supplies by a pipeline to Europe although traders said this might take several more weeks to fix. High levels of organic chloride, used in oil extraction but which must be removed before being sent to clients, was found in crude pumped to the Baltic port of Ust-Luga and through the Druzhba pipeline in late April, disrupting Russian exports. Two trading sources told Reuters the level of organic chloride in oil loading at Ust-Luga was back to normal on Monday, after the contamination halted sales. Two other sources said test oil shipments via Druzhba had started to Hungary. Russia's Energy Ministry had said on Friday tankers were being loaded with clean oil at Ust-Luga, after the disruptions to exports through the port and Druzhba pipeline drove up global crude prices and left refiners as far west as Germany scrambling to find alternative crude supplies. Two industry sources said Hungarian energy company MOL was receiving oil via Druzhba as part of a test to see whether the equipment at its sole Danube refinery could process the oil. High levels of organic chloride damages refinery equipment. Hungary has become the first European country to resume imports, but one of the sources said the organic chloride content in Hungary's test supplies was still above permitted levels of a maximum norm of 10 parts per million (ppm). The sources said MOL hoped to restart regular Druzhba intakes from May 17, once it had carried out the tests. MOL did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Ukraine said on Saturday it had resumed transfers to European clients via the pipeline's southern leg to Slovakia, Hungary and Czech Republic. The pipeline, which splits into two branches in Belarus, has a northern spur routed to Poland and Germany. The Czech government approved on Monday a second loan from state oil reserves for refiner Unipetrol, part of Poland's PKN Orlen group, for more than 100,000 tonnes of crude to cover for supply interruptions from Russia. Story continues "ENORMOUS" COST Belarus plans to discuss the contamination crisis in the Slovak capital of Bratislava on May 13-14, Belarusian state firm Belneftekhim said on Monday. President Alexander Lukashenko said last week Belarus had faced "enormous" costs due to the contamination and expected compensation from Russia, although the mechanism for any compensation and who will pay remains unclear. Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft blamed unnamed "fraudsters" for the problem. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Transneft lacked a proper mechanism to prevent contamination. The issue has driven down Russian oil shipments. About 6% less oil was pumped through Transneft's pipeline network from May 1 to May 12 compared with April's average, two sources familiar with the shipment data said. They said oil intake in Transneft's nationwide network, which handles about 85% of Russia's total crude output, was about 8.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the 12-day period, citing data that included oil used at home and export volumes. At least 5 million tonnes of oil, or about 36.7 million barrels, was tainted with high levels of organic chloride. Transneft has proposed mixing tainted oil with the clean crude at the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. Industry sources said levels of the organic chloride at Novorossiisk had risen since early May but remained below 10 ppm limit. Total Russian oil production has also slipped this month, declining to 11.16 million bpd from May 1 to May 12 from an average of 11.23 million bpd in April, sources said, the lowest output level since June, when it was 11.06 million bpd. Russia has agreed with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers to lower output to shore up global prices, but its May output has now dipped below the target level allowed in the deal of 11.18 million bpd. The Energy Ministry did not reply to a request for comment. (Reporting by Gleb Gorodyankin, Olesya Astakhova and Olga Yagova in MOSCOW, Julia Payne in LONDON, Marton Dunai in BUDAPEST, Andrei Makhovsky in MINSK, Jason Hovet in PRAGUE and Tatiana Jancarikova in BRATISLAVA; Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin and Katya Golubkova; Editing by Katya Golubkova and Edmund Blair) NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2019 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Mobile TeleSystems Public Joint Stock Company (''Mobile TeleSystems'' or the ''Company'') (MBT). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980. The investigation concerns whether Mobile TeleSystems and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here to join a class action] On November 20, 2018, Mobile TeleSystems disclosed that it had reserved approximately $840 million to cover potential liability concerning investigations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (''SEC'') and Department of Justice (''DOJ'') into the Company's former operations in Uzbekistan. On this news, Mobile TeleSystems' American depositary receipt (''ADR'') price fell $0.64 per share, or nearly 8%, to close at $7.45 per share on November 20, 2018. Then, on March 7, 2019, the DOJ announced that Mobile TeleSystems and its subsidiary had entered into an agreement with the DOJ and SEC to pay a combined $850 million in penalties to resolve charges arising from its role in a scheme to pay $420 million in bribes in Uzbekistan. Following this announcement, Mobile TeleSystems' ADR price fell $0.24 per share, or 3.08%, to close at $7.54 per share on March 7, 2019, damaging investors. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. Story continues SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545206/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-Pomerantz-Law-Firm-Investigates-Claims-On-Behalf-of-Investors-of-Mobile-TeleSystems-Public-Joint-Stock-Company-MBT View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/545206/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-Pomerantz-Law-Firm-Investigates-Claims-On-Behalf-of-Investors-of-Mobile-TeleSystems-Public-Joint-Stock-Company-MBT (Bloomberg) -- In the months leading up to Uber Technologies Inc.s market debut, Masayoshi Son made a habit of pointing out that SoftBank Group Corp. is the worlds largest investor in ride-hailing companies. Suddenly, it doesnt seem like such an enviable position. SoftBank has lost about $16 billion in market value in the past three trading days as Uber plunged nearly 20% below its IPO price. On Tuesday, the Tokyo-based companys shares fell 5.4%, the biggest decline since Dec. 25. The overall market was also down, with the Nikkei 225 Average retreating 0.6% amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions. Just two months ago, Son told the audience at the Milken Institute conference in Tokyo that SoftBank controls 90% of the ride-hailing market worldwide through its portfolio companies which also include Chinas Didi Chuxing, Southeast Asias Grab and Indias Ola. But, as shares of Uber and smaller publicly-traded rival Lyft Inc. went into a tailspin, that bet is beginning to look increasingly like a risk factor. Key Insights Uber closed 11% percent lower at $37.10 on Monday, approaching what Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives called white knuckle territory. Lyft dropped about 6%.In addition to the $7.7 billion investment in Uber, Son and his $100 billion Vision Fund have poured more than $10 billion into Didi, $3 billion into Grab and $2.25 billion in General Motor Co.s self-driving unit Cruise. SoftBank shares climbed to a 19-year high ahead of Ubers IPO, thanks to a record 600 billion yen ($5.5 billion) share buyback announced in February. On Tuesday, the Japanese company said that all of the ammunition has been spent, with 100% of the purchase already completed.The performance of Uber and Lyft has also raised questions about investor appetite for IPOs of large startups that prioritize growth over profitability. WeWork Cos., where SoftBank is also the biggest shareholder, is another money-losing giant which announced plans for listing.The key point is not just how Uber was trading on its first day, but given the market conditions, can it absorb yet another big IPO like the loss-making WeWork, Amir Anvarzadeh, a market strategist at Asymmetric Advisors Pte, said in a note to clients. Story continues (Updates with share buyback results in third bullet point.) To contact the reporter on this story: Pavel Alpeyev in Tokyo at palpeyev@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at echan273@bloomberg.net, Robert Fenner For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. The 2016 lawsuit that named 18 generic drug companies and two individuals for illegal price fixing has now been expanded to 20 companies and 15 individual senior executives. This may have been possible because two former senior executives are now cooperating with the Attorneys General of 44 states that are accusing the drug companies. One of the prime accused is Teva Pharmaceutical Industries USA, a unit of Israeli company Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd TEVA, which is the world's largest producer of generic medicine. The plaintiffs allege in a 500-page lawsuit that over the years, Teva and other generic drug makers operated under a non-compete understanding that helped them stick to a fair share of the market. In 2012, they wanted more from the relationship, so decided to also significantly raise prices on as many drugs as possible. It alleges that Teva then connived with the companies with which it already had very profitable collusive relationships to take each others lead in raising prices. This was behind the higher prices on at least 86 of a total 112 Teva products that saw price hikes between Jul 2013 and Jan 2015, causing many billions of dollars of harm to the national economy over a period of several years. Further, "Prices for hundreds of generic drugs have risen while some have skyrocketed, without explanation, sparking outrage from politicians, payers and consumers across the country whose costs have doubled, tripled, or even increased 1,000% or more." Worse, the executives involved in the wrongful act were fully aware of its illegal nature. The lawsuit alleges that the deals were made in utmost confidentiality and without leaving a trail as far as possible. There were also attempts to destroy evidence that was accidentally/incidentally created. We have hard evidence that shows the generic drug industry perpetrated a multibillion dollar fraud on the American people, Connecticut Attorney General Dem. William Tong said. We have emails, text messages, telephone records and former company insiders that we believe will prove a multi-year conspiracy to fix prices and divide market share for huge numbers of generic drugs. Story continues Moreover, they covered a broad range of medications including tablets, capsules, creams and ointments for diseases including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and epilepsy. Teva is the only country to have responded to the suit, saying that The allegations in this new complaint, and in the litigation more generally, are just that allegationsTeva continues to review the issue internally and has not engaged in any conduct that would lead to civil or criminal liability." Note that it remains a civil suit at the moment, i.e. one that generally involves disputes between individuals regarding their legal duties and responsibilities toward each another. While it follows that the punishment in such cases is less than in a criminal suit, it also means that guilt is proved if the evidence suggests that it was the most likely outcome (there is no need to prove beyond doubt). Escalating Drug Costs a National Concern The Trump administration has made the control of drug costs part of its agenda and it will be bringing a new law requiring companies to include prices in product ads that cost a Medicare or Medicaid consumer more than $35 a month. But opinion is divided on whether this will help because uninsured people continue to cut back on medication they need because of prohibitive prices. But this just scratches the surface of the problem, which is very complex and involves many players. Smaller generic drug makers are actually routinely pushed out of the market by patent holding drug companies that get into beneficial agreements with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The racket became more beneficial in 2006 when Medicare started covering prescription drugs. The bigger pharmaceutical companies were granted patents to award innovation, so they could recover cost and create funds for further innovation. But when patent periods run out, and its time for increased competition to bring down cost, they reportedly start gaming the system. So smaller, low-cost generic companies just dont survive. This, along with the higher profit motive leads them toward collusions and gaming strategies of their own. More recently, Amazon AMZN, Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B and JPMorgan JPM started a joint venture called Haven with the goal of bringing together entrepreneurship, technology and clinical medicine through a network of effective healthcare professionals and organizations that can lower the total cost of treatment for employees. But while this might help determine the best healthcare plan to follow and protect a person from unnecessary overuse of drugs, it may not in its present state be able to take care of the rot in the drug pricing system. Impact on Investors The immediate impact on Teva and its peers is obviously negative as seen in the chart below. The Medical-Generic Drugs industry (industry rank 182, or bottom 29% of more than 250 Zacks classified industries) to which it belongs has done miserably in the last week, dropping 4.8%. This is somewhat better than Tevas 5.4% decline, but well below the 2.2% decline in the S&P 500. As far as the Zacks industry rank is concerned, the top half has beaten the bottom half by a factor of more than 2 to 1 over the last 10 years. So this isnt one of the best places to park your money. But investors are also consumers. So anything that has the effect of making costs more manageable is bound to be a positive at some level. Its a tough call determining the exact impact, if and when the litigation succeeds or at least if it results in a method of controlling price fixation in the industry. But any positive result could be years away. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) : Free Stock Analysis Report Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Bloomberg) -- Thailand plans to sell three 700 megahertz spectrum licenses for a total of about 53 billion baht ($1.7 billion) as part of an effort to develop fifth-generation wireless services. The sale at a fixed price of 17.6 billion baht each will take place on June 19, Takorn Tantasith, the secretary general of the National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission, said at a briefing Tuesday in Bangkok. The goal is for each of the top operators to buy a permit, he said. Thailands military government has offered to delay about $4.8 billion of payments due from next year for 900 megahertz licenses if operators take part in the 700 megahertz sale. Takorn said while some people may view the price for the latter as high, the regulator had to use previous auctions as a guide. The nations top three providers of wireless services, Advanced Info Service Pcl, True Corp. and Total Access Communication Pcl, have filed for payment extensions but are seeking more clarity on the 700 megahertz sale. Thai carriers have long been struggling under the weight of spectrum costs and a fight for market share. Their shares declined in the past five years even as the overall Thai stock market climbed. To contact the reporter on this story: Natnicha Chuwiruch in Bangkok at nchuwiruch@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sunil Jagtiani at sjagtiani@bloomberg.net, Sam Nagarajan For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File Photo By Fergal Smith TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's strategy to prioritize spending on the middle class at the beginning of his four-year term will not keep growth humming ahead of a general election in October, some economists said. Canada led the G7 with 3% growth in 2017, but the boost from fiscal stimulus in 2016 has since faded, with the Bank of Canada expecting growth to slow to a 1.2% pace this year. In 2016, Trudeau made a tax cut that was aimed at the middle class and began a major increase in child benefits for families. At the same time, he raised levies on Canada's wealthiest 1%. Trudeau has said that economic policy should be more concentrated on helping the middle classes and those striving to join it. David Rosenberg, chief economist & strategist at Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc, said the government's spending plan has had a one-off effect and will not lead to additional growth. "The first move to play Robin Hood by raising top marginal income tax rates in the personal sector was a huge mistake ... this is a government that got elected on social policies as opposed to economic growth policies," Rosenberg said. Three years later, Trudeau of the Liberal Party is lagging his Conservative Party rival Andrew Scheer in opinion polls and the outlook for growth has darkened considerably, also because of a global slowdown. But in a statement, the government defended its policy, saying fewer Canadians live in poverty and that the middle class has more money to spend. Despite slower growth, the economy added a record number of jobs in April, and during his mandate Trudeau's government signed new major trade agreements with Europe, major Asian nations excluding China, and Mexico and the United States, the statement said. "Middle-class Canadians can see first hand that our plan is working," said Pierre-Olivier Herbert, a spokesman for Finance Minister Bill Morneau. "The Conservatives still have no plan for the economy." Conservative leader Scheer has said he would outline his economic strategy during a speech in Toronto on Thursday. Story continues In Trudeau's last budget before the election in March, he announced additional spending on middle class voters in the hope of easing the financial squeeze on heavily indebted Canadians, who are dealing with high housing costs and tepid wage gains. But some economists say a better policy mix would have put more focus on the kind of tax cuts that stimulate investment. Investment tends to boost productivity, which could raise wages and the economy's capacity to grow. "Potential growth is no higher, that's the issue," said Stephen Brown, senior Canada economist at Capital Economics. "The balance of the stimulus could have been tilted toward more private investment." Canadian business investment growth slowed to 0.3% in 2018 from 2.3% in 2017, data from Statistics Canada showed, as the economy contended with lower oil prices, trade uncertainty and a slowdown in the housing market. Of more concern has been the low composition of Canadian investment in the sectors that tend to be important for productivity. Information and communication technology accounted for about 9% of investment in 2017 versus more than 16% for the United States, data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed. The U.S. has slashed corporate taxes in the hope of stimulating investment and data this month provided evidence that the strategy is working. U.S. productivity rose in the first quarter at the fastest pace in more than four years. Finance Minister Morneau has said it would not be responsible to match U.S. corporate tax cuts because it would add "tens of billions in new debt." While the government has allowed businesses to write off additional capital investments to bolster Canada's competitiveness some economists say that much more could be done. "I think that we simply have no choice but to raise productivity in this country (Canada) and I think that investing in start-ups and high tech is crucial for that," said Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist at CIBC Capital Markets. "From a taxation perspective, we should encourage risk taking." (Reporting by Fergal Smith, editing by Steve Scherer and Grant McCool) (Adds name for new NASA moon program in final paragraph) By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - The Trump administration asked Congress on Monday to increase NASA spending next year by an extra $1.6 billion as a "down payment" to accommodate the accelerated goal of returning Americans to the surface of the moon by 2024. The increased funding request, announced by President Donald Trump on Twitter, comes nearly two months after Vice President Mike Pence declared the objective of shortening by four years NASA's previous timeline for putting astronauts back on the moon for the first time since 1972. The proposed increase would bring NASA's total spending level for the 2020 fiscal year to $22.6 billion. The bulk of the increase is earmarked for research and development of a human lunar landing system, according to a summary provided by NASA. "Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars," Trump tweeted on Monday. "I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!" NASA previously aimed to return crewed spacecraft to the lunar surface by 2028, after first putting a "Gateway" station into orbit around the moon by 2024. The newly accelerated goal - an endeavor likely to cost tens of billions of dollars - comes as NASA has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from U.S. soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine called the revised funding request a "down payment of confidence" from the White House. "Our goal here is to build a program that gets us to the moon as soon as possible," Bridenstine told reporters on a telephone conference call late on Monday. "In the coming years, we will need additional funds," he said. "But this is a good amount that gets us out of the gate in a very strong fashion." 'RISKY TIMELINES' Phil Larson, a former space policy adviser under Trump's Democratic predecessor, President Barack Obama, questioned whether Congress had fully embraced Trump's ambition to speed up human lunar exploration. "Im worried that without proper congressional buy-in, this budget amendment is at best, a massive waste of time, and at worst, pushing risky political timelines that could set NASA back for years," Larson told Reuters. Story continues Bridenstine said $651 million of the extra funding would go toward NASA's Space Launch System the super-heavy rocket whose decade-long development led by Boeing Co has been hampered by delays and cost overruns as well as design and construction of a new crew capsule called Orion. The U.S. Apollo program, NASA's forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earth's natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the moon from 1969 to 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted controlled "soft" landings on the moon - the former Soviet Union and China - but those were with unmanned robot vehicles. Bridenstine said he was optimistic that Trump's request would draw bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. The amendment envisions a simplified blueprint for the Lunar Gateway, the planned space outpost in lunar orbit that will serve as a stepping stone for sending astronauts to the moon's surface. NASA officials said they would turn to private companies such as Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin for proposals on the design of Gateway and the human landing system. Bezos, the richest person in the world and founder of Amazon.com Inc, unveiled last Thursday his space company's mock-up of a lunar lander being built by Blue Origin. Bridenstine capped Monday's media call by announcing that NASA's latest lunar initiative would be named Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and of the moon in Greek mythology and the twin sister of Apollo. (Reporting by Joey Roulette in Washington Editing by Steve Gorman and Peter Cooney) Bitfinex CTO Paolo Ardoino told Twitter that the firm was able to raise $1 billion in USDT quickly because big investors know Bitfinex is trustworthy,' or was that cringeworthy? | Source: Shutterstock By CCN: Bitfinex CTO Paolo Ardoino told Twitter that the firm was able to raise $1 billion in USDT within a short period because big investors know Bitfinex is trustworthy. Trust, Dont Verify The New York Attorney Generals office recently opened a very public investigation into the firm. They allege much to the contrary. Tether Limited subsequently admitted it only has 74% of the reserves for its more than $2 billion stablecoins in circulations. . @bitfinex is able to raise 1b USDt in 10 days, in a private sale. Private companies, giants in our industry and outside, made investments for > 100m each. A legion of inside and outside users made investments for > 1m each. Paolo Ardoino (@paoloardoino) May 13, 2019 Why? Because they know we are trustworthy, they recognize what we have been doing (without needing us bragging about it publicly) and they want us keep fighting for the industry whole. Their own words. Thank you everyone for the amazing support we got. We are impressed. $LEO Paolo Ardoino (@paoloardoino) May 13, 2019 You read all of that right. Ardoino didnt mean cringeworthy though you may read that on first glance if youre of a particular mind. Bitfinex is one of the earliest exchanges to offer fiat on-ramps, and for a long time served as the only way to effectively off-load Tether (USDT) for bank wires. That situation morphed last year when Bitfinex announced Tether neutrality. Translation: it began listing other stablecoins, including PAX and USDC. In response, Tether announced a change in its withdrawal fee structure. Read the full story on CCN.com. By Ernest Scheyder May 14 (Reuters) - The United States faces stiff challenges as it moves to create its own electric vehicle supply chain, industry analysts say, with the extent of the country's metal reserves largely unknown and only a few facilities to process minerals and produce batteries. Legislation making its way through the U.S. Congress aims to help offset those gaps, but China remains the global EV sector leader, a dominance seen by some as difficult to supplant. "China has a huge head start," said Gavin Montgomery, a battery and mining analyst at the Wood Mackenzie consultancy. "They've just been at this a lot longer than the rest of the world." U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, earlier this month introduced the American Mineral Security Act to help streamline regulation and permitting requirements for the development of mines for lithium, graphite and other EV minerals. The bipartisan legislation, which seeks in part to codify a late 2017 executive order on U.S. mineral development by President Donald Trump, gets its first hearing before Murkowski's committee on Tuesday. "We have an opportunity here to move ourselves from this position of vulnerability in terms of reliance on others for our minerals, our EV supply chain," said Murkowski, an Alaska Republican. But just how much cobalt and other minerals used to make EVs are actually in the United States is anyone's guess, as the nation has conducted little by way of a national survey. Current estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey rely on corporate annual reports, historical data from the U.S. Bureau of Mines and other sources, according to USGS spokesman Alex Demas. Finding out the mineral composition of a particular region requires sending staff into the field to take rock samples, a timely and expensive endeavor. Murkowski's legislation would require a nationwide reserve analysis for all minerals used to make EVs. USGS data show, for example, that the United States has 35,000 tonnes of lithium in reserve, a figure that the agency and industry executives see as conservative. Story continues Albemarle Corp operates the only U.S. lithium mine, a facility with the capacity to produce about 6,000 tonnes annually. According to current USGS data, that means that one mine could deplete U.S. reserves within six years. Several lithium projects are under development across the nation, including those from ioneer Ltd, Lithium Americas Corp and Piedmont Lithium Ltd. Each aims to produce at least 20,000 tonnes of lithium per year, according to corporate presentations. Beyond physical reserves, concerns about the lack of U.S. processing facilities are also cause for worry. China controls about 85 percent of the globe's cobalt sulfate processing, according to WoodMac data. Cobalt sulfate is the version of the metal used in lithium ion batteries. eCobalt Solutions Inc aims to produce 1,500 tonnes per year of cobalt once its Idaho project opens, though that is only enough of the metal to make about 300,000 EVs. The United States does have some processing capability. Albemarle and rival Livent Corp process some lithium domestically. Syrah Resources Ltd mines graphite in Mozambique and ships it to Louisiana for processing for use in making battery parts. But those facilities tend to be the exception and investors so far have been wary of funding new U.S. projects in part due to China's dominance, with concerns that any investment would be difficult to recoup. "Ultimately, these projects have to stack up economically, even if U.S. politicians make it easier to get permitting," said WoodMac's Montgomery. (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; 00Editing by Dan Grebler) By Scott DiSavino (Reuters) - China said on Monday it would raise tariffs on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from the United States amid a series of additional levies, a move that could further reduce U.S. LNG shipments to the world's fastest growing importer of the fuel. So far this year, only two LNG vessels have gone from the United States to China, versus 14 during the first four months of 2018 before the start of the 10-month trade war. On Monday, China said it would boost the tariff on U.S. LNG to 25% starting June 1 versus the current rate of 10%. That move came in retaliation for a U.S. increase on Friday in tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. Between February 2016, when the United States started exporting LNG from the Lower 48 states, and July 2018, when the trade war started, China was the third biggest purchaser of U.S. shipments of the supercooled fuel. So far this year, China is not even in the top 15. "I expect they will have a hard time landing a tanker carrying U.S. LNG in China if they impose a 25 percent tariff on it," said Jack Weixel, senior director at IHS Markit's PointLogic analytics arm. Stephen Comstock, a director at the American Petroleum Institute, which represents the oil and gas industry, said the retaliatory tariffs "dampen the prospects for the growing U.S. LNG investment, hurt U.S. workers, and benefit Americas foreign competitors." Natural gas is seen as a bridge fuel between current worldwide use of much dirtier coal for power generation and industrial consumption, and renewable fuels, because it burns cleaner. It has seen massive growth in sales in recent years, particularly to Asian nations seeking to reduce their dependence on coal. The United States, meanwhile, is the fastest-growing LNG exporter in the world, and is expected to rank third in exports in 2019 behind Qatar and Australia. China is the second biggest LNG importer in the world behind Japan. For a graphic on U.S. LNG shipments to China, see: https://tmsnrt.rs/2W29f88. Story continues So far, the biggest U.S. LNG producer, Cheniere Energy Inc, has not expressed major concerns about the trade war. Last week, Cheniere, which owns two of the three big operating U.S. LNG export terminals, said the trade war is "unproductive and creates some added costs for our Chinese consumers," but it has not yet materially affected sales. Shares of Cheniere were down 3.9% to $65.24 on Monday. 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% tariff on LNG in September. U.S. LNG sales had already been affected by a 60 percent collapse in Japan Korea Marker (JKM) LNG prices seen since September. "Weaker JKM spot prices in Asia already killed most of the commercial reasoning for U.S. LNG sales to China. The tariff is the knockout blow," said Ira Joseph, head of global gas and power analytics at S&P Global Platts. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; additional reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Susan Thomas) recently confirmed that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will officially enter into force during the next Extra-Ordinary Heads of State and Government summit, scheduled for 7th July 2019. The African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat,confirmed that the(AfCFTA) will officially enter into force during the next Extra-Ordinary Heads of State and Government summit, scheduled for 7th July 2019. Although 52 African countries signed the agreement establishing the AfCFTA, the AU needed at least 22 ratifications to enable the AfCFTA Agreement enter into force. With Gambia submitting the 22nd ratification instrument, the AfCFTA Agreement is now officially on track. [While large economies like South Africa and Egypt have ratified the Agreement, Nigeria is yet to do so]. The AfCFTA Agreement is intended to bring together the 55 Member States of the AU and will be the worlds largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in terms of participating member states. Negotiated areas The AfCFTA Agreement requires several commitments by Member States. Member States would need to commit to: eliminating tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods and liberalising trade in services (Phase 1 negotiations); cooperating on investment, intellectual property rights, competition policy, customs matters, and all other trade-related areas (Phase 2 negotiations); and establishing a dispute settlement system (Phase 1 negotiations). The AfCFTA Agreement is not expected to counter the spirit and obligations of the WTO agreements. Negotiations on Intellectual Property Rights IP is one of the three items currently under negotiation in Phase II of the AfCFTA Agreement. The Protocol on IP has not been released and so there have been no (official) documents indicating the possible scope of the discussions on IP. However, some commentators have put forward some suggestions on the possible scope of such Protocol. See here, here and here. Key suggestions include formulating provisions that address the existence of sub-regional IP organisations on the continent; provisions that take cognisance of the fact that innovation in Africa occurs mostly in the informal sector; and provisions that take advantage of TRIPS flexibilities strikes the right balance between development goals, innovation and trade. IP is one of the three items currently under negotiation inof the AfCFTA Agreement. The Protocol on IP has not been released and so there have been no (official) documents indicating the possible scope of the discussions on IP. However, some commentators have put forward some suggestions on the possible scope of such Protocol. Seeand. Key suggestions include formulating provisions that address the existence of sub-regional IP organisations on the continent; provisions that take cognisance of the fact that innovation in Africa occurs mostly in the informal sector; and provisions that take advantage of TRIPS flexibilities strikes the right balance between development goals, innovation and trade. Initial comments This writer knows that the African continent presents a mix of countries at varying stages of national and sectoral development. It therefore goes without saying that the benefits from AfCFTA need to be evenly distributed if the Agreement is to be acceptable and effective. For IP, this is crucial. If the benefits of the free trade area are unevenly distributed for IPRs, the Continent may have a post-TRIPS situation (i.e. developing countries complaining that their interests were not sufficiently taken into account) on its hands. One of the ways to achieve any of the benefits of a possible Protocol on IP is to address the enforcement of IP and the dispute resolution mechanisms for the settlement of IP disputes. If the Protocol on IPRs is to make its intended beneficial contribution to economic and social welfare in the Continent, it is crucial to ensure that dispute settlement mechanisms and processes are effective and accessible. Of the 41 WTO dispute settlement cases that sought guidance on the interpretation of certain key provisions in the enforcement section of the TRIPS Agreement, there is none instituted by an African country. Accessibility of the dispute settlement mechanisms in terms of costs and expertise may be significant contributory factors to this situation. One of the ways to achieve any of the benefits of a possible Protocol on IP is to address the enforcement of IP and the dispute resolution mechanisms for the settlement of IP disputes. If the Protocol on IPRs is to make its intended beneficial contribution to economic and social welfare in the Continent, it is crucial to ensure that dispute settlement mechanisms and processes are effective and accessible. Of the 41 WTOcases that sought guidance on the interpretation of certain key provisions in the enforcement section of the TRIPS Agreement, there is none instituted by an African country. Accessibility of the dispute settlement mechanisms in terms of costs and expertise may be significant contributory factors to this situation. Part VI of the AfCFTA Agreement (Protocol on Dispute Settlement) introduces the Protocol on the Rules and Procedures on the Settlement of Disputes. The Dispute Settlement institutions and processes are quite similar to those of the WTO. There is a Dispute Settlement Body consisting of representatives of Member States, which will take decisions by consensus. The Dispute Settlement Body has the powers to establish Dispute Settlement Panels, and an Appellate Body. See Article 5 of the Protocol. Whether the Dispute Settlement mechanism can assure a level playing field or actually settle IP disputes remains to be seen and may also depend on the contents of the Protocol on IP. This Africa Correspondent is patiently waiting to see the (draft) Protocol on IP (and competition policy, investment and customs matters) and will share her thoughts with readers. (Bloomberg) -- Morgan Stanley nabbed the biggest U.S. initial public offering of the past five years. Now it gets to field the second-guessing after Uber Technologies Inc. tumbled 18% in its first two days of trading. Across Wall Street, questions are flying: Why did bankers including Morgan Stanleys suggest a $120 billion valuation last year that Uber couldnt deliver? Did the syndicate led by the firm set the IPOs price too aggressively? And did they steer too much stock to big investors who made hollow pledges to hold it long term? In retrospect, the underwriters should have done a better job at figuring how strong the true demand was, said Jay Ritter, a professor at the University of Floridas Warrington College of Business who specializes in IPOs. But underwriters in general have a hard time finding out how much buy-and-hold demand there is, versus flippers. The debate over how well Morgan Stanley and other banks handled the marquee offering is complicated by a lot of bad luck, including the abrupt flareup last week in U.S.-China trade negotiations that drove markets down around the globe, as well as the recent dismal performance of Ubers main rival, Lyft Inc. Theres also a broad, gnawing concern about Silicon Valleys penchant for delaying public listings until startups achieve full size: Whos left to buy? Many top-tier investors already owned shares of Uber before last week, potentially curbing some appetite for the $8.1 billion of stock sold. Holders included clients of Morgan Stanleys wealth management division, such as family offices that had opportunities to buy in privately, one person familiar with the matter said. Even some within Ubers leadership began to view the round more as a follow-on investment than a fresh public offering, two people said. Still, people with knowledge of the situation have said the order book was at least three times oversubscribed. Morgan Stanley, which is slated for about $41 million in fees from the deal, led the offering with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bank of America Corp., which are sharing a total of about $32 million in fees. Story continues A spokeswoman for Morgan Stanley declined to comment for this story. One investor at a multibillion-dollar shop recalled other misgivings heading into the sale. He said he grew suspicious days before the pricing because the syndicate of banks kept seeking reassurances that his firm wouldnt flip the stock. Yet, the bankers also kept telegraphing there were ample retail investors hoping to buy in after the debut, which could cause the price to pop at least briefly, offering a chance for a quick and easy profit, the investor said. His firm ended up slashing its final order. Uber shares climbed 0.6% to $37.33 at 10:12 a.m. in New York, leaving the shares 17% below the $45 IPO price. Price Stabilization Morgan Stanley has been trying to steady Ubers price, according to people briefed on its efforts. As the lead underwriter and stabilization agent, Morgan Stanley has a right to sell additional shares via a so-called greenshoe option. Typically, banks can either get those shares from sellers in the IPO, or by snapping them up in the open market, which helps to support the price as it begins trading. Its unclear to what degree Morgan Stanley has done so. At least one of Ubers largest investors, now in the red and speaking under the condition of anonymity, voiced frustration, suggesting the bank should have propped up the price more from the start. Yet that could have left the investment bank with less firepower to support the stock if it were to keep sliding in the days that followed. Morgan Stanley has built a reputation for wresting megawatt technology IPOs from major rivals including Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which was listed second on Ubers offering documents. Some credit the tenacity -- and others the showmanship -- of Morgan Stanley tech banker Michael Grimes and his equity capital markets counterpart Colin Stewart. Both are veterans of the industry, able to reassure clients, weve been here before. Uber, perhaps the player whose opinion matters most, hasnt faulted the bank. In a letter to employees, Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi blamed the poor opening on the markets: Obviously our stock did not trade as well as we had hoped post-IPO. Today is another tough day in the market, and I expect the same as it relates to our stock. Ubers $45 stock price in the IPO gave the company a $75.5 billion valuation. The shares closed at $37.10 on Monday. A $120 billion market valuation would help Khosrowshahi and other executives unlock equity awards. Its possible that the early trading travails wont last. Morgan Stanley has handled some of the most famous and infamous tech IPOs of all time -- Facebook Inc., for example -- that initially fell before fully emerging as once-in-a-generation companies. Uber looks kind of like what happened after Facebook, said David Erickson, a finance professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School. The balloon got deflated on the first day. (Updates shares in 10th paragraph.) To contact the reporters on this story: Eric Newcomer in San Francisco at enewcomer@bloomberg.net;Sonali Basak in New York at sbasak7@bloomberg.net;Sridhar Natarajan in New York at snatarajan15@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Mark Milian at mmilian@bloomberg.net, ;Michael J. Moore at mmoore55@bloomberg.net, David Scheer, Steve Dickson For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Team Uber: Im looking forward to being in front of you at the All Hands tomorrow, but I wanted to send you a quick note in the meantime. First off, I want to thank you all for your passion for and commitment to Uber. We simply would not be here without you. Like all periods of transition, there are ups and downs. Obviously our stock did not trade as well as we had hoped post-IPO. Today is another tough day in the market, and I expect the same as it relates to our stock. But it is essential for us to keep our eye on the long-term value of Uber for our customers, partners, drivers and investors. Every stock is valued based on the projected future cash flows/profits that the company is expected to generate over its lifetime. There are many versions of our future that are highly profitable and valuable, and there are of course some that are less so. During times of negative market sentiment, the pessimistic voices get louder, and the optimistic voices pull back. We will make certain that we communicate our incredible value as a company that is changing the way the world moves, but also the value that we are building for our owners. But there is one simple way for us to succeed focus on the work at hand and execute against our plans effectively. Remember that the Facebook and Amazon post-IPO trading was incredibly difficult for those companies. And look at how they have delivered since. Our road will be the same. Sentiment does not change overnight, and I expect some tough public market times over the coming months. But we have all the capital we need to demonstrate a path to improved margins and profits. As the market sees evidence, sentiment will improve, and as sentiment improves, the stock will follow. We will not be able to control timing, but we will be able to control the outcome. We will be judged long-term on our performance, and I welcome that. Its all in our hands. I look forward to being there at the All Hands to answer Qs and tell you more. Onwards, DK (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Its counterintuitive: You cut the dividend, yet the shares rise. Thats exactly what happened to Vodafone Group Plc on Tuesday morning; maybe it was short-term relief that an industry known for its generous payouts was finally getting a sense of reality. Telecoms operators historic tendency toward outsized dividends has tied up capital that might have been better spent on new technologies. Since he was promoted to the position of Vodafones chief executive in October, Nick Read has been adamant that the dividend was sustainable. But now he intends to cut it by 40 percent. Its hard to see how he had any choice. The British mobile carriers finances are stretched to snapping point, so something had to give. Its 18 billion-euro ($20.2 billion) purchase of Liberty Global Plcs cable assets in Germany and eastern Europe has increased Vodafones debt to 2.9 times Ebitda, above the peer average. Meanwhile, Read is having to loosen the purse strings to acquire next-generation 5G mobile spectrum rights, which in turn will need hefty network investments. A German spectrum auction that was expected to reach about 5 billion euros between the four bidders has already hit 5.8 billion euros, with no end in sight. After an overpriced Italian auction last year, the German process might have pushed Vodafone beyond what it could afford without taking action on the shareholder payout. Matching last years 15 euro cent dividend (it is being cut to 9 euro cents) would have swallowed up 4 billion euros of cash. After spectrum and restructuring costs, Vodafones free cash flow totaled 4.4 billion euros in the fiscal year that ended in March. Given the higher German 5G costs, Read had little room to service his chunky debt pile and still invest in networks. Hes targeting debt of 2.5 times Ebitda in the next few years. That hazily defined timeline should give him leeway to spend more, if he sees fit. Vodafones 36 percent stock decline over the past year also makes it easier to justify the cut, since the firms dividends now yield almost double those of its peers. Its 9.8 percent yield compares to Orange SAs 5.1 percent and the 4.7 percent at Deutsche Telekom AG. BT Group Plc, also under pressure on its dividend, returns 7.3 percent to investors. Story continues Read has made the right move. As Ive written before, telecoms operators have struggled to be the main beneficiaries of new communications technologies. Freeing up capital makes it easier to address that problem. To contact the author of this story: Alex Webb at awebb25@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Boxell at jboxell@bloomberg.net This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Alex Webb is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe's technology, media and communications industries. He previously covered Apple and other technology companies for Bloomberg News in San Francisco. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion 2019 Bloomberg L.P. In a concerted effort to reduce its huge debt burden, Vodafone Group Plc VOD recently inked a definitive agreement to divest its New Zealand business to a global consortium of investors, subject to mandatory regulatory approvals. At the same time, the company has decided to reduce its quarterly dividend payout to create sufficient financial headroom and focus more on the core European markets. Vodafone has agreed to offload its New Zealand operations for NZ$3.4 billion ($2.23 billion) to a joint venture comprising New Zealand-based Infratil Ltd and Canada's Brookfield Asset Management. With about 2 million mobile subscribers, Vodafone New Zealand is one of the leading players in Asia Pacific. It is likely to offer significant growth potential with the advent of 5G networks, culminating in greater smartphone penetration and higher video consumption. Earlier in 2017, Vodafone was unsuccessful in a similar attempt as its purported divesture to Sky Network Television was rejected by regulatory authorities on monopolistic concerns. This led to huge job cuts and business restructuring initiatives for a likely IPO in the local bourse, although it did not eventually materialize. It appears that the company will leave no stone unturned to wind up its operations in the Oceania region this time, as it aims to simultaneously fight the Australian regulatory authorities for a proposed merger while pursuing its divesture in New Zealand. Notably, Vodafone is aiming to merge its struggling Australian joint venture business with TPG Telecom, a leading telecommunications firm in the country, which regulators deem to be anti-competitive. Also, Vodafone intends to reduce its quarterly dividend to 9 eurocents per share, representing a 40% year-over-year decrease. The company expects the lower dividend payout to help it reduce its staggering debt burden, which swelled to more than 27 billion as of Mar 31, 2019. This, in turn, is likely to facilitate the company to de-lever to the low end of its targeted 2.5x-3.0x leverage range in the next few years. The stock has underperformed the industry with an average loss of 38% in the past year compared with a decline of 14.3% for the latter. Story continues Vodafone currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader industry are Harris Corporation HRS, Juniper Networks, Inc. JNPR and Viasat Inc. VSAT, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank(Strong Buy)stocks here. Harris has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 8%. It beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 3%. Juniper has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 6.2%. It surpassed earnings estimates thrice in the trailing four quarters, the average positive surprise being 15.4%. Viasat has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 15.3%. It surpassed earnings estimates thrice in the trailing four quarters, the average positive surprise being 161.6%. Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year. See their latest picks free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Harris Corporation (HRS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Viasat Inc. (VSAT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Vodafone Group PLC (VOD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Bloomberg) -- In about a year, Volkswagen AG may catch up to Tesla Inc.s capacity to make electric cars. The worlds biggest automaker said Tuesday its building two plants in China to produce a total of 600,000 vehicles on its dedicated battery-car platform, dubbed MEB. The new factories in Anting and Foshan will open a few months after Germanys Zwickau, which will assemble as many as 330,000 cars annually and is slated to get started by year-end. Following through with plans to reach this level of scale will likely leave Tesla trailing behind. Its lone vehicle assembly plant operating in Fremont, California, can make about 500,000 cars. The electric-car leader expects to start output on the outskirts of Shanghai at the end of this year and produce 250,000 vehicles a year initially. VW has little time to lose after Tesla resolved manufacturing snafus in Fremont and its battery factory near Reno, Nevada, which may start also building Model Y crossovers. While Model 3 sedan deliveries tailed off in the first quarter following a strong second half of 2018, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has dismissed concerns about demand and stuck to a forecast for as many as 400,000 vehicle deliveries this year. VW plans to produce some 70 battery-powered models across its 12 auto brands by 2028 and make 22 million electric cars over the next decade. Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess, who says alternative technologies like fuel-cell cars will struggle to compete, is helming the auto industrys biggest effort in the transition from combustion engines costing some 30 billion euros ($34 billion). Volkswagen leads the competition on e-mobility, Diess said in speech notes at the companys annual meeting in Berlin. As a company well make a success of the electric car -- with the right products, superior underpinnings and global economies of scale. The carmaker, which is also considering sites for more electric-car plants, this month opened reservations for its electric ID.3 hatchback. Its garnered more than 15,000 orders from buyers putting down 1,000-euro deposits. Story continues VW plans to team up with Swedens Northvolt AB to start production in Salzgitter, Germany of battery cells for electric cars, a spokesman for the German carmaker said in Berlin. Diess said the plant located near VWs headquarters would get almost 1 billion euros in investment and should be able to start deliveries in 2022 or 2023. Tesla, meanwhile, is mulling a factory in Germany, Musk said in a tweet last month, after last year stating the home of BMW AG, Daimler AG and VW was the leading choice for a car and battery site in Europe. To contact the reporters on this story: Elisabeth Behrmann in Munich at ebehrmann1@bloomberg.net;Christoph Rauwald in Frankfurt at crauwald@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, Craig Trudell For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. By Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Walmart Inc is stepping up its battle with Amazon.com Inc by offering one-day delivery without a shipping fee, weeks after Amazon announced a similar offer - a move that will intensify the race to deliver orders to shoppers faster. On April 25, Amazon said it plans to deliver packages to members of its loyalty club Prime in just one day and expects to spend $800 million toward the shipping goal in the second quarter alone. Walmart's offer applies to fewer products. As many as 220,000 items, which are the most frequently purchased, ranging from laundry detergent to toys and electronics will qualify for one-day shipping. The orders have to be worth at least $35 to qualify. The Walmart deal will be available to online shoppers in Phoenix and Las Vegas and then expand to Southern California in the coming days, the head of its U.S. ecommerce service, Marc Lore, told Reuters in an interview. The service will be rolled out gradually, with a plan to reach approximately 75% of the U.S. population this year, which includes 40 of the top 50 U.S. metro areas, Lore said. One-day shipping marks the latest salvo in a fight between two retailers that have consistently tried to outdo each other in everything from online order delivery to grabbing a bigger share of the online grocery market. Walmart started offering same-day pickup in its stores in 2011 and caught up with Amazon's two-day free shipping two years ago by offering it without a membership fee. It has made progress in closing the gap with its e-commerce rival by rolling out services such as curbside grocery pickup and same-day grocery delivery - options that have quickly become popular with shoppers. Amazon, on the other hand, has hastened to reproduce the assets of brick-and-mortar rivals such as Walmart and has a mixed record with those projects. It is now racing to open shops with top-selling items ranging from books to cell phones; rolling out same-day curbside grocery pickup and gearing up to accept returns at all U.S. Kohls Corp department stores. Story continues "We have been working on this since I have gotten here...we have been building out the infrastructure for the last few years to support this," said Lore, who joined the retailer in 2016 when it acquired his company, Jet.com. The vast majority of the order volume for such a service comes from the "first couple of hundred thousand" products, he said. The move will cost Walmart less as orders will be delivered from warehouses closer to the customer and arrive in a single box instead of multiple packages, Lore said. "It is counter-intuitive... but the way we have structured our network, we will see improved profitability as a result of lower shipping cost," he said. Walmart sends out boxes from multiple warehouses around the country under its two-day shipping program, but with one-day shipping, it is stocking inventory in the closest single warehouse to the shopper, Lore said. In a note on Monday, investment bank UBS anticipated a move to one-day shipping from brick-and-mortar retailers and estimated the price tag. "The bottom line is that these costs are pretty manageable," the note says. Walmart will put down $215 million of incremental investment. The U.S. business could see a drag on operating margins of 5 basis points on an annualized basis and 3 basis points for Walmart overall over a similar period if they follow Amazon's one-day shipping offer, the note says. Lore told Reuters the math in the note was not accurate. He also said the recently implemented tariffs on Chinese imports will not hurt demand as most are best-sellers and popular items that shoppers will keep buying even if prices rise. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington) Leading independent insurance brokerage selects Applieds Digital Brokerage software to deliver a digital experience for staff and employees Mississauga, ON, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Systems today announced that Westland Insurance Group has selected Applieds Digital Brokerage solution to automate operations and deliver anytime, anywhere service for todays digital customer. Using Applied Epic as the foundation to their digital brokerage, Westland Insurance Group will standardize workflows across 83 locations in British Columbia and Alberta, enabling the brokerage to scale the business with ease. The business will also leverage integrated technologies, such as customer portals and mobile apps, to allow for customer self-service quoting and access to policy documents anytime, anywhere. At Westland Insurance Group, we believe that insurance consumers want simplicity, 24-hour access and quick delivery. They want to do research online, purchase from their computer, tablet or phone, and receive personalized service and advice when needed. This omnichannel approach to customer experience is what drove us to find a technology provider that we could partner with today and in the future, said Philip Tapley, chief information officer, Westland Insurance Group. Applieds Digital Brokerage solution will provide our business with the tools to deliver a premium customer experience through online portals and apps and digital interactions through texting, eDocuments, and eSignature, to meet the changing service demands of todays customer. As part of Westland Insurance Groups digital brokerage strategy, the business will leverage the Applied Digital Brokerage solution, which combines Applied Epic, Applied Cloud, Applied CSR24, Applied Mobile, Applied Analytics and Applied Rating Services. Applied Epic delivers the most technologically advanced software application to independent insurance brokerages to enable faster growth and profitability in a changing insurance marketplace. Applied Epic is an integrated and open application that provides essential capabilities for each stakeholder within a brokerage to better manage customer relationships, sales opportunities, financial accounting, and policy and benefits administration across all lines of business, eliminating the need for separate, disparate systems. The application offers a comprehensive view of client and prospect information and internal workflows through an intuitive user interface, enabling users to make more informed business decisions. Applied Epics scalable software architecture provides brokerages with multiple global locations the ability to manage expansion and business growth with ease. Applied Cloud is the leading, purpose-built cloud platform designed for the insurance industry, providing reliable and secure delivery of software applications and anytime, anywhere access to business information. Applieds cloud platform provides access to operations recovery, backup encryption, redundancy technology and active failover data centers. The dedicated team of Applied Cloud professionals manages and maintains all hardware upgrades, Applied software updates and system testing processes, increasing brokers investment value by reducing time and expenses spent managing these processes. Today, more than 100,000 users across four countries rely on Applied Cloud to improve business performance, increase data security and deliver cost savings. Applied CSR24, the leading cloud-based client self-service software, enables brokerages to meet todays insurance consumer demand for anytime, anywhere access to information by providing 24/7 access to insurance policy information, claims filing and processing, premium payments, liability certificates and other insurance documents through an online brokerage-branded client portal or mobile application via Applied MobileInsured. Applied CSR24 seamlessly integrates with brokerage management systems, reducing manual administrative tasks so brokers can devote more time to serving customers and securing new business. By providing greater flexibility and mobile servicing options, brokerages can increase client satisfaction, build client loyalty and gain a competitive advantage. Applied Mobile is a purpose-built app that enables insurance brokerage staff to access and manage client, prospect and insurance information from their management system anytime, anywhere via a mobile smartphone or tablet device. The native mobile app allows users to stay connected on the go with a direct link to information in their brokerage management system, providing access to view accounts, contact details and insurance policy information; add prospects; create and manage activities; and automate sales operations. Applied Analytics is the first data analytics application built specifically for independent insurance brokerages. Through seamless integration with Applied Epic, Applied Analytics offers easy-to-use, interactive graphical dashboards that provide a view of the brokerages book of business, employee performance, and insurer relationship insights, including key transaction, policy, line of business and marketing information. Applied Analytics provides data-driven insight into business performance, insurer relationships and employee development to make more informed business decisions that drive business value. Applied Rating Services is Canadas comparative rating service for insurance brokerages and insurers providing the industrys most accurate rates for the most insurers nationwide. Applied Systems offers the most comprehensive portfolio of rating services to deliver fast, accurate and mobile quoting for automobile and property insurance, enabling brokerages to more efficiently drive business growth while providing a better client experience. Its critical for brokerages of all sizes to leverage digital technology that can manage expansion with ease and meet the ever-evolving demands of customers today, said Jeff Purdy, senior vice president of International Operations, Applied Systems. Utilizing Applieds Digital Brokerage solution, Westland Insurance Group will realize the benefits an integrated solution provides to drive operational efficiency and deliver a digital customer experience in support of their target growth goals. Story continues The Applied logos are trademarks of Applied Systems, Inc., registered in the U.S. About Applied Systems Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the worlds largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applieds people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most. Lauren Malcolm Applied Systems lmalcolm@appliedsystems.com (Bloomberg) -- Israeli spyware maker NSO Group Ltd. was in the limelight Tuesday after its software was suspected of being used in hacking the phones of human rights activists through WhatsApp. Its not the companys first brush with controversy. Human rights groups and researchers have raised alarms for years about NSO Group, which makes mobile device surveillance software that ostensibly helps governments combat terror and crime. Activists, however, say governments misuse NSOs products to target human rights defenders, journalists and critics. The Financial Times reported that a vulnerability in the WhatsApp chat app allowed attackers to install surveillance software, developed by NSO, on iPhones and Android devices by calling specific targets through the app. One of those targeted was a U.K.-based human rights lawyer, according to the paper. NSO says its technology helps government intelligence and law enforcement agencies thwart major terrorist attacks, bring home abducted children and stop pedophiles and other criminals. But U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden last fall accused the company of helping Saudi Arabia track and kill government critic Jamal Khashoggi. Internet security think tank Citizen Lab said last year it had identified 45 countries where NSOs spyware, including flagship product Pegasus, was being used to conduct surveillance operations. The spyware can tap into a phones microphone and camera, view email and messages and collect location data on the user. Our findings paint a bleak picture of the human rights risks of NSOs global proliferation, according to the report. Citizen Lab said the software is being used by countries with dubious human rights records and histories of abusive behavior by state security services. Amnesty International and other human rights groups have sought to block the widespread use of NSOs technology and filed a petition at an Israeli district court Monday to demand the Ministry of Defense revoke its export license. Story continues At the conference last fall, Snowden cited Citizen Lab, saying the Pegasus software had been installed on the phone of another Saudi dissident who was in contact with Khashoggi. That in turn could have helped the Saudis track Khashoggi, Snowden said. In an interview, Chief Executive Officer Shalev Hulio categorically denied that NSO software was used to target Khashoggi and said that the software was used to foil several very big terror attacks in Europe -- car bombs and suicide bombers. He didnt elaborate. WhatsApp said it believes the attacks have the hallmarks of a private company that works with governments to deliver spyware, but didnt name NSO Group or its Pegasus software. Even though the link between this most recent attack and NSO Group has not yet been confirmed, the story raises the stakes of discussions between civil society groups and NSOs international investors, as well as the government licensing that allows the company to continue down its dangerous path, AccessNow, a digital rights advocacy group, said in a statement. Founded in 2010, NSO had operated largely in the dark for several years until 2016 when Citizen Lab also exposed the use of Pegasus to target Ahmed Mansoor, a UAE-based human rights defender. NSO says it works under an elaborate set of checks and balances. Its export license is specific to a given customer and the vetting process is tedious, according to the company. NSO needs a Ministry of Defense license in order to meet with potential clients who must be approved by a business ethics committee. Each license must receive specific government approval and every 12 months each contract is re-examined by the business ethics team before its renewed. The company says all credible allegations of misuse of the product are investigated and in three instances, NSO has shut down its product as a result. NSO, which has dozens of licensed customers, is reportedly valued at almost $1 billion after the companys founders and executives, along with Novalpina Capital, bought the company from Francisco Partners in February. WhatsApp encouraged users to update the app after it rolled out the fix to its servers last week, adding that only a handful of users appeared to have been targeted. --With assistance from Gwen Ackerman. To contact the reporter on this story: Natalia Drozdiak in Brussels at ndrozdiak1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. By Katie Paul, Joel Schectman and Christopher Bing WASHINGTON (Reuters) - WhatsApp said on Tuesday that a security breach on its messaging app had signs of coming from a government using surveillance technology developed by a private company, and it may have targeted human rights groups. WhatsApp, a unit of Facebook, said it had notified the U.S. Department of Justice to help with an investigation, and it encouraged all WhatsApp users to update to the latest version of the app, where the breach had been fixed. WhatsApp, one of the world's most popular messaging tools, is used by 1.5 billion people monthly. It has touted its high level of security and privacy, with messages on its platform being encrypted end-to-end so that WhatsApp and third parties cannot read or listen to them. The company said it was still investigating the breach but believed only a "select number of users were targeted through this vulnerability by an advanced cyber actor." WhatsApp said its advice to all users to update came "out of an abundance of caution" and a recommendation by Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto that it notified about the vulnerability before the announcement. It did not disclose how many users were affected. A technical advisory published on Facebook's security website said the vulnerability affected both Android and iPhones. A WhatsApp spokesman said the attack was sophisticated and had all the hallmarks of a "private company working with governments on surveillance." The FBI and Justice Department declined to comment. HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER A TARGET The Financial Times initially reported on the WhatsApp vulnerability that allowed attackers to inject spyware on phones via the app's voice-calling function. WhatsApp told human rights groups it believed the spyware was developed by Israeli cyber surveillance company NSO Group, best known for its mobile hacking tools, said Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based nonprofit. "They said they believed it was NSO Group, but they also couched it in very careful terms with many caveats, because attribution is hard," she said. Story continues Like Citizen Lab, EFF was among the groups WhatsApp notified several days ago about the vulnerability. A second person familiar with the matter also identified NSO Group as the suspected culprit. NSO did not comment on the specific attacks. In a statement sent to Reuters, NSO said it would investigate any "credible allegations of misuse" of its technology. The company said it never picks or identifies targets of its technology, "which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies. NSO would not or could not use its technology in its own right to target any person or organization, including this individual." One target of the new WhatsApp exploit was a United Kingdom-based human rights lawyer who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said an attack against him took place on Sunday after WhatsApp issued its update and was not successful. The lawyer had contacted Citizen Lab after receiving previous suspicious WhatsApp calls. The lawyer is helping a Saudi dissident and several Mexican journalists mount civil cases against NSO Group for its alleged role in selling hacking tools to the Saudi and Mexican governments, which they allege were used to hack into their phones. There are currently four known legal cases against NSO Group, including three in Israel and one based in Cyprus. NSO is being sued for damages allegedly caused by the sale of its tools, which the company says it sells only to law enforcement and intelligence agencies pursuing legitimate targets, such as terrorists and criminals. HUMAN RIGHTS WhatsApp said it was "deeply concerned about the abuse" of such surveillance technologies and that it believed human rights activists may have been the targets. "We're working with human rights groups on learning as much as we can about who may have been impacted from their community. That's really where our highest concern is," the spokesman said. Citizen Lab tweeted on Monday: "We believe an attacker tried (and was blocked by WhatsApp) to exploit it as recently as yesterday to target a human rights lawyer." Citizen Lab told Reuters that the person was the UK lawyer, who had approached Citizen Lab after receiving multiple WhatsApp calls from unknown numbers at strange hours, making him suspicious. Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), WhatsApp's lead regulator in the European Union, said WhatsApp had notified the agency late on Monday of a "serious security vulnerability" on its platform. "The DPC understands that the vulnerability may have enabled a malicious actor to install unauthorized software and gain access to personal data on devices which have WhatsApp installed," the regulator said in a statement. Cyber security experts said the vast majority of WhatsApp users were unlikely to have been affected. (Additional reporting by Steven Scheer and Ari Rabinovitch, Tamara Mathias and Padraic Halpin; Editing by Keith Weir, Jane Merriman and Leslie Adler) You might imagine that an administration intent on making America great again would be sure to display homegrown flowers in the White House. But that is not the case. As US cultivators struggle to compete with imports, team Trump has not acted on pleas from the American flower lobby to fill the commander in chiefs residence with local bouquets, according to a report by Jerry Hagstrom in the National Journal. Certified American Grown, the lobby group for the American flower industry, was created in 2014 to help promote homegrown blooms. It urges retailers, designers, and consumers to choose domestic flowers, arguing that local blossoms are fresher, produced under better environmental and labor conditions, and are competitively priced. The group believes its cause would be greatly advanced if the most influential home in the country displayed petal patriotism, and it has continually lobbied for an exclusive place for American bouquets in the White House. The efforts have had limited success in the past. In 2014, deputy agriculture secretary Krysta Harden asked the Obama administration to choose locally grown bouquets. The White House chose all-American flowers for the 2014 state dinner for French president Francois Hollande but didnt turn it into a domestic policy. With Donald Trumps election, American cultivators were hopeful that theyd see more success. The presidents emphasis on America first gave them the impression he would be more inclined to choose only US flowers. It seemed like a no-brainer, Kasey Cronquist, head of Certified American Grown and the California Cut Flower Commission, tells National Journal. I think if more citizens knew that the White House was displaying Colombian and Ecuadorian flowers, they would be shocked. Growers groups did secure meetings with the White House public liaison and with an aide to agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue, but hope bloomed prematurely, it seems. So far, the only response to their call for all-American bouquets has been noncommittal: The White House claims to be mulling the idea. Story continues Still, in fairness to both the Trump and Obama administrations, they didnt create the crisis that plagues American flower cultivators. The roots of the problem lie in foreign policy decisions made decades ago. In 1961, the US Agency for International Development helped Colombia develop a flower industry in an effort to combat communism, and that country has been exporting its blooms to the US since 1965. Thirty years after this initial US effort, in 1991 Congress offered duty-free access to products, flowers among them, coming from Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. This time the idea was to combat the lucrative illegal drug trade and motivate Andean farmers to cultivate legal crops. US growers have paid the price for those policy decisions. Today foreign blooms make up more than 80% of the American market, which generates $26 billion annually. For obvious reasons, local cultivators dont think thats so great. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: (Adds details on outlook) May 14 (Reuters) - Xilinx Inc, a chip supplier whose products are used in 5G networking gear, said at an investor conference on Tuesday that it expects between $3.45 billion and $3.6 billion in revenue for its fiscal year 2020. With a midpoint of $3.52 billion, the forecast was slightly above the $3.49 billion that analysts were expecting, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Xilinx is rolling out chips that go into the network gear for 5G, the faster generation of wireless data networks that are rolling out in Japan, Korea, the United States and China starting this year. The San Jose, California-based company said that it expects operating expenses for its fiscal 2020 to be between $1.34 billion and $1.37 billion, slightly above analyst estimates of $1.3 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Xilinx shares fell 1% to $112 in after hours trading after the forecast. Chief Executive Victor Peng said the company was spending more this year to pursue expanded markets for 5G, data center and self-driving car chips over the next five years. "This year is clearly an investment year," Peng said. "We're executing on this really exciting platform, and we have to complete that." Xilinx said it expects gross margins of 67% to 69% in its fiscal 2020, with a midpoint above analyst expectations of 67.3% according to Refinitiv data. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru Editing by Leslie Adler and Bill Rigby) PLATTSMOUTH Authorities responded to a three-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 75 on Friday, but nobody required medical attention, according to Cass County Sheriff William Brueggemann. At 3:57 p.m. deputies from his department, along with Union and Murray fire/rescue staff, were paged to a three-vehicle accident on that highway at the intersection with Havelock Avenue. According to Brueggemann, a 2018 Ford Fusion, driven by 28-year-old Stephanie Rossmanith of Missouri, was traveling north when it collided with two vehicles that were stopped in traffic behind another vehicle waiting to turn west onto Havelock. The other vehicles were a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Mary Hyde, 72, of Plattsmouth and a 2018 Mazda, driven by 42-year-old Lynette Stuthman of Omaha. Both were checked out by rescue staff at the scene and did not require medical attention, according to Brueggemann. Rossmanith also refused medical treatment at the scene. Rossmanith was cited for following too closely. 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. PLATTSMOUTH An Omaha woman who stole multiple items from a Plattsmouth resident pled guilty to a felony charge Monday morning. Natalie P. Edmondson, 26, appeared in Cass County District Court for a plea hearing. She pled guilty to a Class IIA felony charge of burglary. The state agreed to dismiss a Class IV felony charge of theft by taking-$1,500 to $5,000 in exchange for her plea. Deputy County Attorney Steven Sunde told the court a Plattsmouth man had allowed Edmondson to stay with him for several days because she was homeless at the time. He was planning to leave town for a vacation on Dec. 1, 2018, and told Edmondson she had to move out of the residence then as well. Sunde said the man returned from vacation and found many of his possessions were gone. The list of stolen items included three guitars, several television sets and many pieces of video game equipment. Police estimated the total value of the items was $2,720. Plattsmouth police officers came to the scene and spoke with an eyewitness who said Edmondson had left the house with many items. The burglaries took place between Dec. 1 and Dec. 7. Police later spoke to Edmondson and arrested her on the charges. Edmondson remains free on bond. Sunde told the court restitution was an issue because of the large monetary value of the items. The court set sentencing and restitution hearings for Aug. 6. 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. Legislation to enact a new business tax incentives package that would succeed the expiring Nebraska Advantage Act appears to be in some jeopardy. The bill (LB720) may have become ensnared within the rural-urban differences that are apparent in the developing battle over property tax relief in the Legislature and it might struggle to command the 33 votes that would be required to jump a filibuster if opponents choose to try to trap it. Failure to enact a new package in advance of next year's demise of Nebraska Advantage would send a negative signal to business leaders who usually plan new developments or expansion a couple of years or more in advance, supporters of the new proposal note. A one-year extension of the current act remains available as a backup legislative plan. Nebraska Advantage is set to expire at the end of 2020. Debate on the new incentive package, called Imagine Nebraska, is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, sponsor of the bill, said Monday he's on the cusp of compiling a filibuster-proof majority. Four senators have withdrawn their co-sponsorship of the legislation, but the bill still carries 19 sponsors. Departures have included Sens. Steve Halloran of Hastings and Ben Hansen of Blair as well as Sens. Megan Hunt of Omaha and Adam Morfeld of Lincoln. The proposal was largely rewritten after a public hearing that was marked by considerable push-back from members of the Revenue Committee who expressed concerns about the accumulated costs of current and prior incentive programs as measured in terms of lost revenue. Kolterman filed four additional amendments to the bill on Monday. Meanwhile, former Sens. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse and John Harms of Scottsbluff authored a newspaper op-ed pointing to the unexpected costs of earlier incentive programs and suggesting that they are crowding out funding for property tax relief and higher education now. "Nebraska Advantage was projected to reduce revenue by $24 million to $60 million per year," the former senators wrote. "In (fiscal) 2018, it reduced state revenue by $154 million." The two former senators, both of whom were chairmen of the Legislature's Performance Audit Committee, suggested that "Nebraska could invest in targeted workforce training programs that are tailored to the economic needs of our state." Or, they said, the state "could work to expand high-speed broadband coverage throughout Nebraska to ensure businesses around the state have access to this critical service." Kolterman has argued that his amended bill focuses on "performance-based incentives" along with workforce development initiatives. Benefits would be targeted according to a range of factors that include the number of jobs created or expanded, the amount of investment and wage figures that are tied to the project. "When you are sitting across the table from a CEO or their (business) team asking them to locate in your community, you have to be competitive with other states when to comes to incentives," Kolterman said. "Imagine Nebraska benefits set a base level of assistance for all projects and reward higher-wage projects and increased capital investment with additional incentives," a summary argument for the newly revised package states. "The program benefits existing businesses across the state by rewarding high-wage job growth, keeps Nebraska competitive to attract new growth opportunities to the state and provides incentive for companies to modernize their operations to increase competitiveness." Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSDon. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Fremont City Council will consider a $1 million grant from the citys LB840 fund to the Greater Fremont Development Council (GFDC) for the creation of a new housing fund during its meeting on Tuesday. If the $1 million request is approved by council, it will be used to establish a separate local fund under the GFDCs current Dodge County Investment Fund Program to help provide gap financing and grants to developers, contractors, and homeowners looking to rehabilitate and develop housing to help in the flood recovery efforts in Fremont. The GFDC is also proposing a projectthat would use a portion of the $1 million in LB840 funds to rehabilitate the long-derelict 505 Building in Downtown Fremont to create 24 apartment units and commercial space on the first floor. According to information provided in GFDCs application, in partnership with RMD Consulting, LLC the local organization is moving into the final stages of an application to the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund. GFDCs application to the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund is for $600,000 to support the proposed 505 Building project which has a total cost estimated at $3,603,000. As an applicant to this state fund, GFDC could utilize a portion of the requested LB840 funds to create instant housing and economic momentum in a space that has been dormant for decades, states GFDCs application for the LB840 funds. This provides us with an initial project to help impact the balance of units needed in the affordable housing range. Information provided by GFDC also states that the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund grant application requires local match dollars to show a contribution to the grant requested project. The proposed 505 Building project would create 24 apartment units and commercial space on the main floor, with rental units being priced from $495 to $850 from studio to two bedroom units. GFDC also states that units in the revitalized 505 Building will also have energy star rated appliances and windows with smart home features such as nest thermostats to help reduce resident utility costs. While GFDCs already established Dodge County Investment Fund has spurred over $15 million in capital investment towards the development of over 300 workforce housing unitsincluding several second-story housing projects currently being undertaken by Murray Properties, LLC and the Morningside Crossing apartment complexthe new fund would be geared toward the rehabilitation and development of housing specifically for low to moderate income persons and families. GFDCs application for $1 million from the LB840 fund was reviewed and recommended for approval by both the Local Option Economic Development Review Team (LORT) and the Citizens Advisory Review Committee (CARC). The full Fremont City Council agenda is available online at fremontne.gov/agendacenter. The Fremont City Council meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday within the City Council Chambers at 400 E. Military Avenue. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has held talks with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi after India halted imports of Iranian oil in the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions. Zarif discussed issues of mutual interest with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on May 14, including the situation in Afghanistan, India's Foreign Ministry said, without providing any details. The Iranian minister earlier said he planned to talk about the "most recent developments in the region as well as our bilateral relations." "India is one of our most important partners, economic, political, and regional," Zarif said. The United States reimposed strict sanctions on Iran and vowed to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero after President Donald Trump a year ago withdrew the United States from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. China and India -- Iran's top oil clients -- have stopped purchases from Iran since the U.S. administration withdrew waivers to the two countries and six other nations that had allowed them to import some Iranian crude without being exposed to punitive action under the U.S. sanctions. 'Clear Indications' Of Threats Amid growing tensions between Tehran and Washington, the United States last week announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier battle group and a bomber task force to the Persian Gulf to counter what U.S. officials called "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. interests or its allies in the region. Iran dismissed the allegations, and announced it was suspending some of its commitments under the nuclear agreement that Tehran had agreed to in exchange for sanctions relief. Zarif said the United States "has been escalating the situation unnecessarily," adding: "We do not seek escalation but we have always defended ourselves." Britain, France, and Germany -- the Western European parties to the nuclear accord -- have been trying to salvage the agreement. The accord is also backed by its other signatories -- Russia and China. Tehran says that EU countries should uphold their obligations under the nuclear deal and normalize economic ties despite the threat of U.S. sanctions. The U.S. sanctions have more than halved Iran's oil exports to 1 million barrels per day (or less, from a peak of 2.8 million barrels per day last year, according to Reuters. The news agency quoted European diplomatic sources as saying on May 13 that Iran was insisting on exporting at least 1.5 million barrels per day as a condition for staying in the nuclear accord. With reporting by Reuters and AP In a movement of rare unity, Pakistans political parties have united to grant increased representation to part of the western Pashtun homeland that once served as the main theater for the countrys war on terrorism. On May 13, the National Assembly or lower house of the Pakistani Parliament unanimously adopted the 26th constitutional amendment. It will become part of Pakistani supreme law after being adopted by the Senate, the upper house of the parliament, and signed by the president. The amendment will increase representation for the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). FATA, an arc-like mountainous territory along Pakistans western border with Afghanistan, was merged into the adjoining northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last year. The amendment increases the provincial assembly seats for former FATA from 16 to 24 while retaining its current 12 seats in the National Assembly. The region comprising the districts of Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and other small areas served as the main theater for Pakistans war on terrorism. The Taliban and allied militants moved there following the demise of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in late 2001. Still recovering from years of Taliban attacks and the militarys counterterror sweeps, the regions predominantly Pashtun residents have paid a high price with tens of thousands of fatalities, large-scale displacement, and near complete obliteration of their economy. While the increased representation is widely welcomed, key questions about the future of this region persist. Islamabad faces a long road in stabilizing the former FATA due to the slow pace of implementing governance and administrative reforms after the merger. Addressing grievances rooted in the regions role in the war on terrorism has proved daunting. The regions history in the various phases of war in Afghanistan further complicates integration. Islamabad is struggling to mobilize resources for the region plagued with poverty, destruction, and neglect amid an economic spiral. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan says Islamabad is aware that a sense of deprivation in FATA is dangerous for his country. No one should feel that Pakistan does not own them [and] that they do not have a stake in Pakistan," he told lawmakers on May 13. Khan acknowledged that his administration faces challenges in convincing Pakistans three provinces to allocate 3 percent of their share in national resources with former FATA. "Their [the provinces'] funds are not at the level that they should be in the [current] bad economic situation, he said, adding that it is necessary to share resources because of the destruction in the former FATA, which he said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cannot handle with its meager development funds. We need development in FATA because the livelihoods and houses of its residents were destroyed, Khan said. But to create employment and develop the infrastructure there, we will need all provinces to chip in. But Khans request attracted sharp rebukes. Sanaullah Baloch, an opposition MP in the southwestern province of Balochistan, questioned the rationale. Provinces are financially suffering. Balochistan and FATA deserve full support, he wrote on Twitter while opposing a cut in his provinces share. Islamabad is responsible for backwardness in FATA, he added. Islamabad must cutdown its expenses and provide additional support to FATA and Balochistan. Like FATA, many of Pakistans peripheries are struggling with chronic poverty, little or no infrastructure, and worsening human development indicators. Violence and insurgencies such as the nearly two-decade separatist insurrection by Baluch nationalists pose additional problems. A year after FATA was merged into Pakistans administrative and legal mainstream, Islamabads promised reforms are moving at a snails pace. While Pakistani courts have struck down some discriminatory laws, the judiciary has yet to establish a foothold in the region. Courts established for the regions more than 6 million residents are now working outside their allocated districts. A force capable of policing the region has yet to take shape. Ghulam Qadir Khan Daur, an author and former bureaucrat, says FATA residents are losing faith in Islamabads promises of returning peace and reforming and developing their homeland. There are no visible development activities in the tribal districts, he wrote in Pakistans daily Dawn. Targeted killings have yet to be completely eliminated. Aman (peace) committees and militants who surrendered are seen as the return of militancy. Most of the former FATAs problems are political and directly linked to Pakistans most powerful state institution, the military. With more than 200,000 troops on the ground, the grievances of residents are related to the militarys presence, performance, and both real and perceived policies. For more than a year, the Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement (PTM), a civil rights group, has campaigned for the fundamental human rights of Pakistans estimated 35 million Pashtuns. Emerging from FATA, the non-violent protests have taken Pakistan by storm. The PTMs young leaders and activists have pressured Islamabad to probe and end extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and harassment by security forces. The movement has also called for clearing landmines from former frontlines across FATA. The PTMs vocal criticism, however, has put it in the crosshairs of the military. It has imposed blanket censorship on the movements media coverage and has accused its leadership of being funded by foreign spy services. Supporters have faced large-scale arrests and court cases, and many have lost their jobs and livelihoods because of their activism. "The way they are playing into the hands of others, their time is up," Pakistani military spokesman Asif Ghafoor told journalists on April 29. The movement rejects such accusations. "These accusations are being leveled against us only because we are demanding accountability," lawmaker Mohsin Dawar, a PTM leader, recently told the parliament. Dawar first tabled the bill that is now being converted into the 26th constitutional amendment. Daur knows the intricacies of FATA, where he was born and worked as a civilian administrator. He says the PTM has attracted unprecedented support because residents fear the return of militant violence. But the movements confrontation with the military has created a bind. The youth does not want whatever is handed to them; they are fed up with their shattered lives, he recently wrote. They want everything that is rightfully theirs, or nothing. Pakistani militarys security interests in the region run deep and are related to its involvement during the war in neighboring Afghanistan since the late 1970s. But the militarys championing of Afghan anticommunist rebels in the 1980s, support for the Afghan Taliban in the 1990s, and its operations against the Pakistani Taliban in more recent years have prompted suffering for more than a dozen Pashtun tribes straddling Afghanistan and former FATA across the Durand Line. Successive Afghan governments have refused to recognize the colonial-era border that divided the Pashtuns into Afghanistan and British India in 1893. Islamabads ongoing fencing of the Durand Line is apparently aimed at preventing militant attacks from Afghanistan. But fencing the border amid troubled relations with Kabul and sporadic cross-border attacks pose mounting risks. Fencing has limited or even eliminated contact between members of the same Pashtun clans living in the two countries. More significantly, it has threatened or eliminated cross-border trade, a major livelihood in the former FATA. But targeted assassinations and bomb attacks have already returned to parts of FATA. People ask how these terrorists are able to enter and leave without a trace, Daur notes. The light at the end of the tunnel appears to be fading. Farhatullah Babar, an outspoken leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, agrees. He says that while increasing the provincial legislature seats is a good omen for FATA, the development has already resulted in postponing planned elections for the provincial assembly in July. It means no change in FATA regulation so no civilian control and no real power transfer, he wrote on Twitter. It means no demilitarization. Babar says Pakistans civilian authorities now must make sure to hold elections on time within the next six months. Merely promising more seats without actual elections [equals] courting disaster, he wrote. Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers likely will get a raise from $103,370 to $114,159, retroactive to April 16, because of a mandate in the City Charter. The City Councils vote Tuesday is essentially a formality, said City Clerk Sarah Johnson. Suthers was re-elected in April, and the charter requires a raise for the mayor every four years, based on the amount the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood consumer price index has risen. What has (Suthers) done nice for us lately? Council President Richard Skorman joked during a meeting. Let me count the ways, replied Mike Sullivan, the citys chief human resources officer. The council also will consider raising City Auditor Denny Nesters pay from about $151,000 to $171,797, retroactive to Dec. 30, Sullivan said. The increase, about 14%, would bring Nesters salary to the market average for city auditors, Sullivan said. Two council members expressed concerns about such a large raise and proposed covering that gap over two years, Sullivan said. But if the council waited, the gap between the market average and Nesters salary will only increase, he said. The Air Force will choose the home for U.S. Space Command this summer, and Colorado remains in the lead, lawmakers were told Tuesday. The Air Force announcement confirmed documents obtained by The Gazette last month, showing that four Colorado bases three of them in the Pikes Peak region were competing with locations in California and Alabama to permanently house the new unit, which will oversee the space efforts of all armed services. The next step will be to complete site surveys and analysis of each candidate location for its ability to meet mission requirements, capacity, environmental impact and cost criteria, the Air Force said in a news release. The final release of the memorandum on basing decisions scuttles last-minute efforts by competitors including Florida to land the command. It also shows that Colorado Springs, temporary home for the command as it is being formed, likely will get to keep it. In March, the Trump administration announced that the command initially would be formed here with Peterson Air Force Bases Gen. Jay Raymond as its boss. Peterson and Schriever Air Force bases and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station are three of six finalists for the command. Schriever and Peterson also have the facilities needed to house it, making them inexpensive alternatives. The other Colorado finalist is Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora. U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, cheered the final release of the militarys worst-kept secret. Colorado is proud to support our nations military space operations today and into the future, the signing of this memo today is great news for our state, Gardner said in an email. I look forward to reviewing the Administrations proposal for expanded space operation and development. Colorado still must beat out Alabama and California. Alabama has made a strong push in Congress to put the command at its Redstone Arsenal. But it does not now house big pieces of the militarys space enterprise, so it could prove to be an expensive and unpopular option. In California, Vandenberg Air Force Base is a finalist as well, but it too faces challenges. Vandenberg is best known for launching satellites rather than controlling them in space. And military expansions in California have met as many protests as cheers in recent years. In Colorado, local leaders may hear more about the Pentagons space plans when President Donald Trump gives the Air Force Academys graduation address May 30. The president, who has spent the past year pushing a separate Space Force for satellite troops, swapped places with Vice President Mike Pence to give the Air Force Academy talk, leading to speculation that hell make his space initiatives a centerpiece of his speech. Rabbi Raziel Cohen holds an AR-15 rifle while delivering information and tips on how to deal with an active shooter to members of a Los Angeles synagogue. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) It was 45 minutes into his lecture when the rabbi pulled out an AR-15. "Who thinks, by show of hands, that we should be carrying more guns in shul?" Rabbi Raziel Cohen asked the crowd at a Westside Chabad synagogue Wednesday night, during an active-shooter seminar organized in the wake of the deadly attack at Chabad of Poway. Half the room raised their hands. In the days since the shooting, Chabad leaders in California have scrambled to secure public safety grants and to calm frightened congregants, mobilizing hundreds more through active-shooter drills and community defense training. In Southern California, religious security experts such as Cohen, who calls himself the "Tactical Rabbi," are quickly becoming their own cottage industry. ..... 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: Former state Rep. Cole Wist, R-Centennial, on Tuesday blasted state GOP leadership and Rocky Mountain Gun Owners for seeking to recall the Democrat who defeated him in November. His successor, Rep. Tom Sullivan, is a strong gun control supporter whose son Alex was murdered in the 2012 Aurora theater shootings that killed 12 moviegoers. Wist broke ranks with Republicans last year to back a version of the red flag bill, which lets a judge review evidence that a gun owner poses a threat to himself or others. If so, those guns can be held temporarily while the owner gets help. Sullivan backed this years version, which passed in the Democrat-controlled legislature and was signed by Gov. Jared Polis. Wist tweeted Tuesday: I was in denial. Until yesterday. Last year, state GOP leadership failed to speak up to defend me when RMGO carpet bombed my house district with negative flyers. Now, these same leaders pledge to work with RMGO to take out my successor in a recall. I do not support this effort. In another tweet, Wist added: It is unfortunate but crystal clear. RMGO owns the Colorado Republican Party. RMGO announced May 2 that it would sue to overturn the law and would work to recall nine House members and three state senators. RMGO and its backers last year targeted Wist as anti- gun. Wist tweeted to RMGO Executive Director Dudley Brown: Sorry to break it to you, Dudley. You didnt ruin my life. I lost an election. Get some perspective. Compared to what folks go through every day, my bad election day is just so insignificant. I am blessed with an amazing family and great friends. I will be just fine. Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, responded to Wists tweets: We have surely disagreed, but @colewist is one of the most honorable people Ive met in this state. I know what its like not to support a recall that some of your friends want. If you want leaders with integrity instead of blind partisanship, stand with the people who show it. The recall targets Sullivan for his sponsorship of House Bill 1177, this years red flag bill. The recall petition, approved Monday by the Secretary of States Office, was initiated by Kristi Burton Brown, vice chair of the state GOP, in her personal capacity. We will evaluate the HD 37 recall as it proceeds, just as we do with any potential recall or election, said U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, state party chairman. Republicans would have to win all 12 of the recalls it plans in order to take control of either the House or Senate, a tall order that grew a bit taller when one of those targets, Rep. Rochelle Galindo, D-Greeley, resigned Sunday. A Democratic House District 50 committee will appoint her replacement. Sullivan did not return a call for comment. Thousands of Volkswagens that sat in a 200-acre parking lot of Pikes Peak International Raceway have been auctioned to dealerships across the country, raceway president Bob Boileau said. The cars began arriving in 2017, and the last batch was taken away last month, Boileau said. The automobiles were stored in the overflow lot after Volkswagen was caught cheating on emissions tests in 2015. In a settlement with the federal government, the car manufacturer was ordered to take its recalled vehicles off the roads and store them. VW has until the end of June to buy back or fix 85 percent of its recalled 2-liter cars or face more fines, court records show. The auctioned vehicles will be fixed and sold or scrapped, Tim Jackson, CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, told Gazette news partner KKTV. Volkswagen was identified to be out of compliance on the vehicle and had to work with the federal government to obtain a fix, a solution, to the emissions issue, Jackson said. They bought all of those back from consumers at a very healthy price. The recalled vehicles emitted as much as 40 times more nitrogen oxides than the legal standard, according to an investigation by the California Air Resources Board, EPA and the University of West Virginia. Several Colorado Springs dealerships are among the hundreds nationally that bought the vehicles at auction. The autos went through a third-party inspection before being auctioned and were inspected again by the dealers after purchase, said sales manager Darwin Bilberry at Mike Maroone Volkswagen. VW offered owners and lessees of the recalled models a free emissions modification, as long as it was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board. Everything goes through the EPA and the California emissions board, which is actively involved in whats happening to these vehicles, reported a service director for Bob Penkhus Automotive Group. This process is underway nationwide, Jackson said. These vehicles are being stored on an interim basis and routinely maintained in a manner to ensure their long-term operability and quality, so that they may be returned to commerce or exported once U.S. regulators approve appropriate emissions modifications, VW spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan told Reuters last year. No environmental report was on file for the vehicle storage because it was classified as a temporary use, said Nina Ruiz, an El Paso County planner. We have not identified any environmental concerns with the temporary storage. Otherwise, we would not have authorized the temporary use, Ruiz said by email. VW spent about $7.4 billion to buy back about 350,000 of its vehicles, and PPIR is one of 37 storage facilities around the country, Reuters reported. You probably havent heard of Steve Stermers sport. The hardest sport youve never heard of, its been described. Tower running. Stair racing. Call it what you prefer. Its been going on in this country in an organized manner since 1978, when an eccentric New Yorker named Fred Lebow invited 15 vertical pushers to the base of the Empire State Buildings 1,576 steps. (The first winner set the standard at 12 minutes, 32 seconds.) Thats where Stermer, 61, will be Tuesday. Of the thousands who put their name in the lottery, the Colorado Springs man was one of the lucky ones drawn for the Empire State Building Run-Up. Lucky? Stermer considers himself that, but you should see the scene at the end of these races. Theres a lot of carnage, he says. People cross (the finish line) and collapse in heaps. He loves it. Thats why hes on the Manitou Incline every morning. All the top climbers in the U.S. are kind of envious of me because I have this in my backyard, he says. Hes among them, by the way, perennially one of the top 15 or 20 stair-running men. Towerrunning USA currently has him No. 2 in his age group. Stermer was No. 1 in 2016, the last time he ran the Empire State Building as one of the few elites invited. Among the dozen-plus tower races he does every year, this ones special. For the exclusiveness, yes. And yes, for the historic element. But also for its uniqueness: Unlike every other race where they dash up the staircase in waves, all 200 here start at the same time, causing a great, jumbled mess at the doorway. Also unlike every other race, the Run-Up starts at night, leading to an unforgettable, shimmering view of the city. Stermer will take off with the others at 8 p.m. local time Tuesday, a five-day vacation he has planned all for the sake of a brutal 15 minutes. Thats what hes aiming for, anyway. Three years ago he finished in 15 minutes, 21 seconds, good for 34th place. He fully expects this to be his last attempt in the Empire State Building. This whole age thing is no joke, he says. But if you saw Stermer on the Incline, you wouldnt think he was slowing. Twice a day he ascends the railroad ties that gain nearly 2,000 feet in less than a mile. Make that three or four times on Saturdays and Sundays. He got serious about the Incline after 2009. That year he got a company email asking employees to join the team for the annual race in Denvers tallest skyscraper, Republic Plaza. I thought, Its just climbing stairs. How hard could that be? About 15 floors into the race, I realized it was not easy. I started looking where other races in the country were, and I found out they have them in almost every state. All these big, iconic buildings have races. I thought thatd be cool to say I climbed the biggest buildings in the United States. The biggest, One World Trade Center, all 2,226 of its steps. The 105 floors of the next biggest, Chicagos Willis Tower. Buildings in Los Angeles, Dallas, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Las Vegas. Stermer has scaled them and many more, 28 towers in 12 states. The Empire State Building will be his 81st race. The reason I keep doing it is just the community of people and the friends that you make, he says. He always has a place to stay when he travels, because he always knows some fellow tower runner. Of course, its usually him doing the hosting. They all wanna climb the Incline, he says. While most high school students enter college upon graduating, however, Forest City High School graduate Jacob Buffington has decided enter the military. Buffington said he enlisted as a UH-60 Black Hawk maintainer crew chief in the Army July 2017 and will be going into basic training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, after he graduates. I wanted to do something different from my peers, something challenging, unique, I suppose, he said. Buffington plans to go to air assault school and go to the selection for 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), he said. Id also like to go to airborne school if I can, he said. He plans to be in the Army for 20 years and then retire. He currently is contracted for six years of service. Buffington said he hopes to get that renewed and reenlist at the end of the term. To prepare for this next step in his life, Buffington had to go to future soldier training after he enlisted once a week at the Army recruiting station in Mason City. Buffington said high school prepared him for this next step by teaching him about discipline and respecting teachers and people above him. In the military, theres going to be a lot of people above me, of course, and theyve taught me to respect those people and treat them fairly, he said. Buffington said he was pretty excited to leave and take this next step in his life. Ive been waiting almost a year to leave, he said. A lot of sitting around. Because Im not really planning to go to college right away, of course. Buffington will leave July 8 and fly out to South Carolina, spend a week in reception, in which hell get all the necessary shots and complete paperwork, then move to his training unit and have a set of instructors for 10 weeks. Then hell drive out to Fort Eustis, Virginia, where hell have another set of drill instructors for 27 weeks. In preparation, Buffington only took band his senior year, filling the rest of his schedule with law enforcement classes from Waldorf University. Buffington said his family was surprised upon hearing his decision, especially since he hadnt talked about it much until he was 17 and was able to enlist. I think they were kind of concerned at first, like something might have happened, but they didnt understand that there are noncombat jobs in the military, he said. Buffington said his family wasnt very supportive initially upon hearing his decision, but most of them are now very supportive. It took a while for some of my family members to warm up to it, and of course theres a few that are not fans about it still, which is all right; they have their opinions, he said. Im kind of the first one in my family to ever really go into the military my uncles didnt; my parents didnt at all so its just something they didnt know about. 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. Josiah Meier of Osage was one of 16 students from around the state who learned about politics and government first-hand by serving as a page in the Iowa House during the 2019 session. Meier, who received his high school diploma Saturday during a graduation ceremony for home-schooled students in the area, said he realized "I love politics and I'm good at it." Josiah's outgoing personality made him a big hit with legislators, according to his mother, Lori Meier. "He just lit up at the Capitol building," she said "The response he had was so encouraging." Josiah applied for the job because he wants to run for public office someday. He said getting to know legislators and observe the law-making process was a big help. Some days at the Capitol can be long, especially toward the end of the session when the legislators want to get done so they can go home. "I learned I can pull off a 19-hour shift, Meier said. Pages are required to wear a blazer and a white shirt. The boys also need to wear a tie. Meier said he was surprised that "I actually enjoy being dressed up." Everyone on both sides of the aisle was cordial, even if they were having a bad day, according to Meier. "It humanized both parties," he said. High school students have to apply to become pages in the Iowa House or Senate. Although Meier was home-schooled, he was dual-enrolled in the Osage school district for extracurricular activities such as choir, Model UN and wrestling. Pages normally serve for the entire legislative session, which begins in January. However, Meier was allowed to start in March so he could finish the wrestling season with the Green Devils first. Pages have to arrange for their own housing. Fortunately, Josiah has an aunt and uncle who live in Johnston, a suburb of Des Moines, so he was able to stay with them. Meier was a floor page, so he didn't work for any particular member of the House. Floor pages are supervised by the sergeants of arms. They sit on a bench at the back of the floor. Legislators have a button on their desks they can press to activate a light next to their desk number on a large board. When the board lights up, the sergeant of arms tells one of the pages to go to the legislator's desk to see what he or she wants. Sometimes legislators want a beverage brought to them, or need a page to bring them something they left in their car. Meier estimates he walked seven to nine miles a day fetching things for legislators, depending how busy things were. One day when the House was in session until midnight, he walked 12 miles. He said he enjoyed the slower days because it gave him time to talk to people and get to know them. Floor pages also put stamps on envelopes for mass mailings and take messages to and from the floor. Meier said pages will take notes from lobbyists or members of the public to lawmakers. He said he was surprised to learn the legislators are sometimes more likely to leave the floor and go speak to visitors during debates, "especially if they are bored." Sometimes members of one party will talk for hours to delay the process, he said. Most of the time legislators already know how they are going to vote going into a floor debate because they have already debated the issue in their party caucus, according to Meier. He said besides the legislators, no one is usually allowed into the caucus room. However, a clerk occasionally will be called in. Clerks, who are usually college students, work for individual legislators. The legislature has a lot of old traditions. For example, no one except lawmakers are allowed to walk down the center aisle of the House floor. Meier said this means if the pages need to go to a legislator's desk, they have to get there by walking around the perimeter of the floor. Some legislators aren't particular about rules like this being followed, but the sergeants of arms are, according to Meier. Even though they can be inconvenient, these rules are all about showing respect, he said. Meier said he would like to establish himself in the intelligence field and serve in the CIA before running for political office. Meier officially signed up for the Iowa Air National Guard a few weeks ago. He's already started doing weekend drills with them. In the fall he will go through basic training, followed by intelligence school before returning to Des Moines for three months of on-the-job training at the intelligence division. After that he hopes to get full-time employment with the Air National Guard while taking online classes at Liberty University toward a bachelor's degree in government with a emphasis in national security. Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood, posted a photo of her and Meier on her Facebook page during this year's legislative session. "Josiah is at the Capitol early and stays late," she wrote. "He is respectful, friendly, quick to assist when needed, and always has smile on his face." 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. In 1776, Thomas Paine advocated independence from Great Britain by stating that in a free republic the law is king. Paine contended for as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other. However, President Donald J. Trumps lawyers John Dowd and Jay Sekulow in a 20-page letter (January, 2019) to Robert S. Mueller III argued the president has complete power over Department of Justice investigations; the president is omnipotent. Trumps legal counsels argument and subsequent touting of executive privilege contradicts the fundamental reason the revolutionary patriots fought to depart English rule. This begs the question: who should be King in the United States, the president or the law? Muellers 448-page report clearly documented Trumps pre-election and post-election behavior. Investigative reporters, political scientists, Constitutional law experts and Department of Justice legal-beagles acknowledge Trump may have obstructed justice as a misdemeanor 10 times. Mueller, et al, properly left enforcing the law decision to Congress. But the country is divided. Should members of the House of Representatives, having seen evidence of the 10 allegations, start impeachment hearings? Should the Democrat-controlled House not conduct any hearings since the Republican-controlled Senate would most likely not have two-thirds vote to impeach Trump? Should both the Democrats and Republicans keep silent so as to not interfere with their self-serving 2020 election hopes? If hearings are not held, that will set a precedent that subsequent presidents can behave in whatever manner they so desire and futurists will say it was determined by 535 members of Congress in 2019, A.D., threats, impediments and obstruction in the due administration of justice were acceptable. Enter the Oath of Office our Senators and Representatives vowed to uphold and the answer to the dilemma is settled. All 535 members of Congress said, with one hand placed on the religious artifact of their choosing: I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States . . . so help me God. Articles I and II of the Constitution grant the House of Representative the sole power of impeachment and the Senate the sole power to try all impeachments. Moreover, the Congress is obligated (key word) to remove the President, Vice President and all civil officers from office on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. A plethora of Trumps alleged threats, impediments and obstruction of justice have been documented and presented to Congress. In good old high school Geometry classes, we learned about the transitive law: if A equals B, and B equals C, therefore A equals C. Logically, since members of the House of Representatives took an oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, Constitution Articles I and II are clear in their intent and multiple misdemeanor allegations about Trump are now available for judicious review, the House must, not maybe, but must, start impeachment hearings, even if the political repercussions of such action may damage Democrats down-the-road. And, if the obstruction allegations are forwarded to the Senate, they must, not maybe, but must be the final jury, again, even if their yea or nah vote damages the Republican Party. Dear Senators Ernst and Grassley and Representatives Axne, Finkenauer, King and Loebsack: Honor your Oath of Office, our Constitution and get behind the impeachment process or resign from office; place Americans before partisan politics, please. To do nothing is a blatant dereliction of duty and a slap in-the-face to Iowans of all political persuasions who also support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. Steve Corbin is an emeritus professor of marketing at the University of Northern Iowa. Reach him at Steven.B.Corbin@gmail.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Bar Association to reconsider process to send its representative in Judicial Council On May 9, the Supreme Court had organised a tea reception to mark Kanoon DiwasLaw Day. But just after the reception, Chandeswor Shrestha, the newly elected president of Nepal Bar Association, had traded barbs with Ram Prasad Sitaula, who is Bars representative in the Judicial Council. jzchina wrote: Most of Portugal's 250,000 university students boycotted classes in a one-day strike to protest a law that requires them to contribute $330 a year toward the cost of higher education, previously paying $7 per year . A. year toward the cost of higher education, previously paying $7 per year B. year toward the cost of higher education, for which was previously paid $7 per year C. year, compared to the previously $7 per year, toward the cost of higher education D. year toward the cost of higher education, instead of the $7 per year required previously E. year as opposed to the $7 per year required previously for the cost of higher education Meaning is crucial to solving this problem Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers + Awkwardness/Redundancy A: B: practically required C: when compared to rather than D: Correct. requires rather than E: Hence, D is the best answer choice. Dear Friends,Here is a detailed explanation to this question-Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that the law requires students to contribute $330 a year toward the cost of higher education, rather than the $7 per year that the students used to have to pay.This answer choice incorrectly modifies "the cost of higher education" with "previously paying $7 per year", illogically implying that "cost of higher education" was practically paying $7 per year; the intended meaning is that the students used to have to pay $7 per year for higher education; please remember, in a noun + comma + phrase construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun.This answer choice alters the meaning through the phrase "for which was previously paid $7 per year"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the studentsused to pay $7 per year; the intended meaning is that the students wereto pay $7 per year. Further, Option B uses the passive voice construction "for which was previously paid", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.Trap. This answer choice incorrectly modifies "$330 a year" with "compared to the previously $7 per year", illogically implying that the law requires students to pay $330 a year towards higher educationthe previous $7 per year; the intended meaning is that the law requires students to pay $330 a year towards higher educationthe previous fee of $7 per year; please remember, in a noun + comma + phrase construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option C incorrectly uses the adverb "previously" to modify the noun "$7 per year"; please remember, an adverb can only be used to modify a verb or an adjective.This answer choice correctly modifies "cost of higher education" with "instead of the $7 per year required previously", conveying the intended meaning - that the lawstudents to pay $330 a year towards higher educationthe previous fee of $7 per year. Further, Option D correctly uses the adverb "previously" to modify the verb "required". Additionally, Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.This answer choice uses the needlessly wordy phrase "as opposed to", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.Additional Note: Please note that the phrase "as opposed to" is used to indicate difference or contrast, so it conveys the same meaning as "instead of" in this context.To understand the concept of "Phrase Comma Subject" and "Subject Comma Phrase" on the GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minutes):All the best!Team_________________ Since its founding in 1948, Israel has been a contradiction. Culturally, Israel has much in common with the United States; its a young country, constantly assimilating new and diverse immigrants into its body politic. Politically, Israel has more in common with European nations; it has a parliamentary system with a hodgepodge of political parties that involves constant and often internecine political horse-trading. Religiously, Israel shares an awful lot in common with its unfriendly Muslim neighbors; its struggling to find the right balance between its religious identity and political ideals. This is the country that Benjamin Netanyahu appears set to lead for a fifth term as the longest-serving prime minister in modern Israeli history. Israels Founding The men and women who founded the state of Israel were both idealists and refugees. Zionism, one of the worst-understood words in the English language, was simply the indigenous name for Jewish nationalism, a movement that had the same roots as nationalist campaigns throughout Europe in the 19th century. The problem for European Jewry was that the ancestral homeland to which it could credibly lay claim was not in Europe but in the Middle East, in an Ottoman backwater that had been called Palestine since Roman times. Some Zionists believed a Jewish state could be erected anywhere even in British Uganda but only a movement to reclaim the land that in the Bible had been called Israel, whose capital city Jews had called Tsion (or Zion) for thousands of years, captured the hearts and minds of the Jewish people. The first waves of immigration to Palestine included only a small portion of worldwide Jewry. Some European Jews flocked to the land buying up swampy plots from Ottoman sellers and literally making the desert bloom but the overwhelming majority chose to remain in Europe, where they had been living for generations. French Jews wanted to be French. German Jews wanted to be German. Hungarian Jews wanted to be Hungarian. The great centers of Jewish culture in the 18th and early 19th centuries, despite the rise of a new, pernicious form of anti-Jewish sentiment called anti-Semitism in Germany at the end of the 19th century, were in Europe. In the West, Jews were merchants, bankers and doctors. In the East, there were entire towns with Jewish majorities, where life followed the rhythms of the Jewish religious calendar. World War II ended all that. Many still believe that Nazi Germany failed to exterminate the Jews, that like the Amalekites and the Assyrians and the Babylonians and the Greeks and the Persians and the Romans, the Nazis failed to accomplish their goal. But this isnt exactly true. Nazi Germany succeeded in destroying European Jewry. There are still small pockets of European Jews left, but even they are beginning to leave Europe, as evidenced by the recent swell of French Jewish immigration to Israel. Israels founding was possible only because of the destruction of European Jewry. Only Hitlers industrial-scale murder of European Jews could create the critical mass necessary to turn Israel into both a democracy and a Jewish state. The first decades of Israels existence, fraught as they were with existential threats and constant heartbreak, were simple. True, there was factional infighting even at the beginning, best symbolized by the nascent Israel Defense Forces sinking of a ship called the Altalena that was delivering weapons to a rival Jewish militia called the Irgun. But Israel had bigger problems to solve than its internal squabbles. It was surrounded by enemies, blood-thirsty and powerful. David Ben-Gurion, the countrys George Washington, did everything he could to stitch the fledgling nation together. A predominantly secular nation at the time, Ben-Gurion made a deal with religious Jews that they could control the Rabbinate if they would support the government. Ben-Gurion thought that, over time, the religious impulse would die out that Zionism, the desire for Jewish sovereignty, was the glue that bound his people together. But Ben-Gurion was wrong. Israel has become increasingly less secular in the intervening decades, to the point that now any prospective Israeli leader must choose between forming a coalition with Israeli Arab parties or Jewish religious parties. Considering that no Israeli coalition government has ever included an Arab party and likely wont any time soon, this gives a man like Benjamin Netanyahu a significant advantage in any election campaign. A Regionwide Dilemma Across the Middle East, countries are struggling to find the right balance between their religious and national identities. Egypt briefly experimented with Muslim Brotherhood rule, only for the Egyptian army to intervene and reassert secular control over the government. In Saudi Arabia, a young crown prince is building movie theaters and letting women drive cars for the first time, even as he attempts to maintain control over the more conservative and traditionalist factions of the Wahhabist state. Turkey, whose dedication to secularism is perhaps the strongest of any country in the region, is trying to balance between Turkish nationhood and leadership of the Sunni Muslim world , between Istanbul and Ankara, between Ataturk and a caliphate. Irans 1979 revolution led to the founding of the Islamic republic, but even here, theres tension between hardliners and pragmatists. Irans current president has tacitly supported women not having to wear a headscarf, which roils the more conservative elements of the political establishment, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps the guardians of the revolution. Israel faces the same internal dilemma. Israel is supposed to be a democracy and a Jewish state. The problem is that, as its demographics have shifted since 1948, it is not clear that it can be both. Here, the significance of Netanyahu securing his place as Israels longest-serving leader is most apparent. Netanyahu cares more about Israel being a Jewish state than anything else. He sees Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas as existential threats. He sees the West Bank as part of a Jewish nationalist state. He believes it is the duty of the Israeli government to ensure that Israel is a place where any Jew can go for protection from persecution or harm. Masada will not fall a second time. Jews will never again put themselves in a position of weakness, reliant on the goodwill of others rather than their own strength. Its positions like these that give Netanyahu such staying power. Despite the corruption charges, the scandals and the vitriol with which the Israeli political left views his politics and his accommodations with nationalists and religious fundamentalists, Netanyahu will likely be prime minister again. His success is also due to his being a brilliant campaigner. But there is a deeper connection between Netanyahu and a large portion of the Israeli electorate an electorate worried about rockets from Gaza hitting Tel Aviv, underground tunnels that can be used to attack Israelis in the north, and an Iranian regime that constantly threatens to annihilate Israel. Liberal democracy works when a society has a common vision of what its government is supposed to protect, but Israeli society has no such vision, made up as it is of Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs, Druze, secular Jews, nationalist religious Jews, ultra-orthodox Jews, and a host of other smaller groups. Netanyahu, for all his flaws, supplies a much-needed vision. Israel will be a Jewish state. The ends will justify the means. The people specifically, the Jewish people will be kept safe, whether they live in Eilat or Haifa or in a settlement in the middle of the West Bank. At a time when the global economy is uncertain, when the Middle East is unstable, when both Turkey and Iran are expanding their influence throughout the region, Netanyahu provides clarity. A vote for him is a vote to make sure there isnt a second Holocaust. Israel tried idealism and peace, but now it is time to close ranks, to secure the Jewish homeland , to batten down the hatches for the coming storms or at least thats how the thinking goes. What, then, does all this mean? Despite media narratives to the contrary, a majority of Israelis identify with Netanyahu or with parties ideologically similar to his that will eventually join a Netanyahu-led coalition. That means the Israeli government will be aggressive in defending its interests in the world, in the Middle East, and at home and it means Israel will remain a Jewish state above all else. The idealists who settled in Palestine long before Israel was anything more than a dream would be unpleasantly surprised to find that Netanyahu is the fruition-made-flesh of their sacrifice and their toil, not because they would have disagreed with his vision, but because they hoped for a world in which that vision was already achieved, where Jews could live in relative safety in a country of their own. Israelis do not live in such a utopia. Benjamin Netanyahu is the leader Israelis have chosen for the world in which they actually live not the world in which they dreamed of living. " " Disney princess characters pose during "The Princess Diaries" premiere at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. SGranitz/WireImage/Getty Images Disney princesses they're unfailingly slender, have beautiful hair and sing like they're Kelly Clarkson's progeny. They're also the source of controversy. A recent study from Brigham Young University (BYU) found that children who engaged with a lot of Disney princess media tended to behave in more stereotypically female ways. But not everyone thinks the princess obsession is a bad thing. The BYU study published in Child Development evaluated 198 participants, mostly 4 or 5 years old, on how often they watched Disney princess movies, played with the toys and otherwise participated in the culture. Their preference for gender-stereotypical behavior was also assessed. Although most boys (87 percent) and girls (96 percent) had viewed princess movies/media, a paltry 4 percent of boys played regularly with princess toys, compared with 61 percent of the girls surveyed. Advertisement A year later, researchers revisited the same kiddos. They discovered that Disney princess engagement was more strongly associated with behaviors typically seen as "female gender-stereotypical." That would include things like pretend-cooking, playing dress-up and engaging in quiet play. The study authors write that there is "nothing inherently wrong with expressing femininity or behaving in a gendered manner." However, "girls and women who adhere strongly to stereotypes tend to limit their behaviors to what they think is appropriate for their gender and believe they are constrained by their gender (e.g., 'I am a girl, so I am not good at math')," says co-author Dr. Jennifer Linder in an e-mail interview. Interestingly, not only the girls engaged in stereotypically female behavior boys who were into Disney princesses were more likely to take part in those same activities. "We were surprised that princess engagement also was associated with increased adherence to female stereotypes for boys," Linder says. "However, this could be quite positive for boys, as being androgynous (e.g., adapting both masculine and feminine traits) is very positive for males' adjustment and competence." Although many Disney princesses face significant challenges in their stories, they are usually depicted as beautiful women who live happily ever after with their prince once they overcome their obstacles. For what it's worth, Disney appears to have changed its character development ways lately. Elsa, of "Frozen" fame, has no discernable love interest, and Merida from "Brave" is admirably tough. "These characters depict strong, courageous princesses who are no longer dependent on marrying a prince to find their happiness, but instead learn to fight their own battles and who are themselves the hero," explains Joanna Kleinman, a psychotherapist and mother of a 7-year-old girl, in an e-mail interview. "If the Disney company continues to be more aware of the messages they are sending to young girls, and continues to try to foster a more self-empowering depiction of princesses, where girls are taught to love who they are, and to love their bodies as they are, this could be very beneficial to help change a pervasive problem in our culture." Positives of Princesses Indeed, the expectations of real-life princesses like the late Diana and her daughter-in-law Kate, both respected humanitarians, are often nothing to be jealous of. "It's very much a job, not an escapist fantasy. That's another way to look at a real princess," King says. Some parents aren't overly concerned with their daughters' interest in princesses. "My daughter is very much a girly-girl in terms of dress. However, she doesn't have an entitled attitude based on exposure to princess attire," says Derek Brawders of Thompson's Station, Tennessee. "She still can get down and play with the boys and beat them too, so I don't think girls let a label define them. I think the parents let the label define them." Malania Wilson, of Lilburn, Georgia, emphasizes parental involvement as a key difference-maker, especially where her daughter is concerned. "Princesses or superheroes, the only thing that matters is that I teach her to become a smart, strong, and proud woman," she says. "Can't rely on movies to do that!" Now That's Interesting The Disney princess merchandising industry is worth a whopping $5.5 billion, with a variety of manufacturers churning out everything from dolls to dresses to themed shoes. The Helena Police Department would like to invite the public to attend the 2019 Montana Peace Officers' Memorial Day events in Helena on Wednesday. Peace Officers' Memorial Day was established by Congress and President Kennedy in 1961 as a day to pay tribute to the local, state and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. May 15 each year was established as Peace Officers' Memorial Day, and the week in which the 15th falls as Police Week. Memorials are marked nationally each year in Washington, D.C., and throughout the nation in individual states. The Montana memorial ceremony is a "traveling" one, hosted each year in a different community around Montana. For 2019, the ceremony returns to Helena for the third time since the event began in the early 2000s. The ceremony was hosted in Bozeman in 2018 and in Havre in 2017. Everyone is invited to downtown Helena for a memorial procession of police and other emergency vehicles at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The procession will begin at Helena Avenue and Last Chance Gulch, and travel south through the Walking Mall to Broadway, then east to the Capitol. The Memorial Ceremony will begin on the north lawn of the Capitol Building at noon, with guest speakers, special musical presentations and ceremonies. Gov. Steve Bullock has ordered that all flags in Montana to be displayed at half-staff to commemorate the week. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montanas Steve Bullock, the only Democratic governor to be reelected in a state Donald Trump carried in 2016, is running for president. In announcing early Tuesday morning, Bullock made history in the Treasure State. He is the first Montana politician to run for a major party's nomination for president. While his challenge is large as the 21st Democrat to announce a 2020 presidential run, he begins a compressed eight-month dash to the Iowa caucuses with optimism and determination. In an exclusive interview, he told Lee Newspapers Monday that Im excited about what we can do. Noting that the effort would be a grueling challenge for both him and his family, he said, "We have been talking about it for quite awhile. After I won a second term as governor, we thought that would be it. But if I can add something to this race to make sure that the next generation has it as good or better than I did, and heal some wounds in this country, we all believe it will be worth it. Bullock acknowledged the challenge of the tight timetable, but said he had no other choice he had to stay closely engaged with the Legislature during the session that just ended. And he touted the results. I had a job to do, he said simply. If I hadnt been making sure that 10% of our population retained its health care, that college in Montana remained affordable, and that we became the third state in the country to enact a foreign money campaign spending ban, I wouldnt have been doing my job for the people of Montana. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, author of The Kennedy Half-Century and one of the countrys most respected political scientists, said Bullocks record gives him credibility. Although Its awfully late to get in and raise enough money and grab enough media, Sabato said Monday, Getting elected in a Trump state is no small matter. Bullock said his fate is in the hands of the voters, but he believes he has a certain advantage in relating to Iowa voters. There are a lot of similarities between Iowans and Montanans, he said. Our states are ag-based. We care about clean air and clean water. And we care about making opportunities available in rural areas. What I hear and what I feel, talking to voters in Iowa and elsewhere, Bullock said, is that they want to make sure we can win. He said, I believe I bring something to that, referring to his reelection, and to his track record of working with Republicans to get things done in Montana. Bullock acknowledged that working together with Republicans in Washington is not the same as finding a working coalition in the Montana Legislature. Im not so naive as to think it will be easy, he said. But I remember in 2015, when we were at the height of the anti-Obamacare wave, and I went to Choteau. I had lost that county by 30 percent the Koch brothers mailed every household a picture of me with Barack Obama but I went, and I listened, and people said, If we lose this hospital, we lose this town. And that was reason enough for a Republican legislator to support Medicaid expansion. Bullock said the priorities he would bring to a presidency are clear. First and foremost we have to break the leash that dark money and corporate money has on the political system. Everything else cant be addressed until we can do that," he said. "When we start to curb the incidence of outside money in campaigns it will make everything easier. He said, I go back to the first George Bush address when he said Well handle the greenhouse effect with the White House effect. But now 30 years later most of the GOP cant even acknowledge (because of donor pressure) that climate change exists. Next, he said, It will be a priority for the next president to restore Americas role in the world, recognizing that in the last few years we have shaken our allies and created added instability. We also are living in a time where a fair shot at the American dream doesnt exist for so many people. ... Most people dont believe that they can do better than their parents or their grandparents did, and thats not right," he said. "We need to be better at training, better at providing opportunity. Climate change itself needs to be recognized and addressed, he said. "Id add one more priority, he said. Trust in government is at the lowest point in my lifetime. ... divisiveness is at a high point. If we cant bridge some divides, heal some bonds, it will make progress in every other area that much more difficult. Bullock pledged that he would not take any super PAC money, and that he would rely on individual donations. While acknowledging he starts out behind some other candidates in fundraising, he maintained, I dont believe this election will be won by the candidate who raises the most money. I believe it will be won by the candidate who makes the greatest connection with voters and does the work on the ground. Bullock cited his crossover appeal. He said that some people look at him oddly when he points out that 25 or 30% of those who voted for him in 2016 also voted for Trump. He said that sort of reach is vital in 2020. Whats most important in this election is making sure that we win back the states that Trump carried, like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, states where we once did well. If we dont, we wont win. David McCumber is editor of The Montana Standard. Love 19 Funny 26 Wow 2 Sad 3 Angry 10 High school is a place where dreams take shape. Although Steve Bullock didn't admit to dreaming of being president when he went to Helena High in the early 1980s, he did return there Tuesday, surrounded by his family, to start his journey as Montana's first-ever announced major-party presidential candidate. The two-term Democratic governor grew up in Helena, and one of his seventh-grade classmates was Julie Ladd, who returned home to teach science at the school she attended and where her father taught science. Now, she teaches Bullock's daughter Caroline and apparently played a key role in her life, when she strongly suggested that Bullock call their old classmate, Lisa Downs. Tuesday afternoon, Ladd's classroom was bristling with cameras, microphones and journalists. Students sat at tables surrounding the center of the room, where Bullock siblings Caroline, Alex and Cameron awaited their parents. After Ladd introduced her, Lisa Bullock spoke directly to her children and their fellow students. She thanked the students for accepting her daughter Caroline's invitation to attend the event, and grew emotional when she said, "Friendship is the greatest gift you can ever give." She added, "Steve sat in these classrooms, walked the same halls, cheered in the same gym you do. "I hope you can be inspired to be courageous, to follow your heart, and use the gifts you have to lead and improve the lives of those around you." She told the students that "Steve's decision to run is genuinely grounded in wanting to make this country a better place," and then introduced her husband as a person "who continues to inspire me to lead and to serve." Bullock said, "This morning I released a video that announced my run for president. ... that's a pretty audacious goal for a B student." He quickly turned to reminiscing about growing up in Montana, and in a clear reference to his own presidential odds, said that Montana was a place where "the improbable can become achievable." He talked about growing up with Montana values of respect, hard work, education, of wanting to make life better for your children than it was for yourself. Bullock stressed a message of unity and reconciliation in the country. He said that whether someone was born "on a ranch in eastern Montana, or ... in the suburbs of Chicago, or a small town in Texas," they want the same things "peace of mind that you have a safe place to live and work," a "roof, a decent job, good public schools ... knowing that you can call the doctor if you get sick, that you have clean air and clean water. "If we can all agree on these things, that's a lot of common ground to work with." But he said that "we've fundamentally reached a dangerous place in this 243-year-old experiment in representative democracy. Trust in government is at the lowest point in my lifetime. Politics is dominated by those who write checks. We get this dangerous discourse and divisiveness. Government becomes the enemy instead of a partner in improving people's lives. We're more divided than we've ever been." Bullock said he is running for president because he wants to repair the bonds between citizens, to focus on "how we can do better" instead of "dividing into warring camps." "We can be that country again," he told the students, "that country I want for each of you. ... where the improbable is actually achievable." Love 16 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. The new Miss Montana airplane garnered nothing but raves Sunday as she circled the sun-soaked Missoula Valley for 18 minutes at around 5:30 p.m. The flight of the Museum of Mountain Flyings historic DC-3 airplane, its first since 2001, went without a hitch. Unqualified success would come to mind, not to mention a total feeling of fulfillment for all of us because weve all worked so very, very hard for this to happen, Jeff Whitesell said as he prepared for a second, longer test flight Monday. Whitesell, of Southern California and Seattle, retired from Delta Airlines less than two weeks ago after a 40-year piloting career. He was in the captains seat Sunday and will be chief pilot for Miss Montana when the historic DC-3/C-47 takes flight later this week for Normandy and the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 5-6. Departure date is still not set for sure, though project organizers say theyre shooting for Wednesday or Thursday. Theyll hop across the country to Oxford, Connecticut, over two days to join the rest of the 14 or so DC-3s in Americas D-Day Squadron. Bryan Douglass, logistics director for the project, said his goal is to reach Connecticut no later than Saturday to participate in a formation flight down the Hudson River for a flyover of the Statue of Liberty. The squadron leaves the next day, May 19, from the Oxford-Waterbury airport in Connecticut and heads across the North Atlantic along the original Blue Spruce route to England. Whitesell was joined in the cockpit Sunday by pilot Frank Moss of Florida, wholl be piloting a Swiss-owned C-47 to the Normandy event. Randy Schonemann, the mechanic from Neptune Aviation who has led the restoration of the 1944 plane for the past 11 months, was also on board. Those guys did an absolutely fantastic job, Whitesell said. Its a handful flying a new airplane with new engine and new parts. Videographer Eric Ristaus crew, which has been tracking the progress of Miss Montanas restoration, followed in a chaser helicopter, recording the milestone flight. A 20-mph wind from the west came up in the afternoon and Miss Montana took off into its maw. Everyone (on the ground) said the tail came up so fast, Whitesell said. She just leaped off the ground. She was ready to fly before I was. We just put up the gear and we were off. The airplane circled the airport, and with everything checking out, took a wider orbit over Missoula before making a low pass over the airport. While air time was 18 minutes, the chock to chock time when Miss Montana moved under her own power until she came to rest at the end was closer to an hour, Whitesell said. Douglass said the smooth flight was a reflection of the fastidiousness shown by Schonemann, Whitesell and the rest of their volunteer workers under mounting pressure to see air beneath the wheels. They tell me every test you do during a flight period, you come away with a stack of things you need to do, Douglass said. That we really didnt have that at all speaks to the fact they did so much right for so long. The main post-flight fix was to adjust the RPMs on the propeller governor, Whitesell said. He was busy doing that late Monday morning, and Miss Montana left the runway at Missoula International Airport for its second flight at 2:30 p.m. This time Eric Komberec, who with Douglass hatched the plan to take the Missoula smokejumper plane to Normandy, was in the right seat next to Whitesell and in front of Schonemann. Komberec watched Sundays initial launch from near the runway with his family. Now the fun begins, said Komberec before climbing on board. Hes one of half a dozen seasoned pilots who obtained their certification on DC-3s from Moss in the past 10 days. Miss Montanas departure for the East Coast to join the D-Day Squadron in Connecticut remains in flux. Weve got some things to do between now and then, Douglass said. Were going to try to have team meetings every four hours, at 8, noon and 4 in the afternoon to get on the same page about what needs to be done. Several parachutists, including two from Texas, have been waiting to take their requisite jump from Miss Montana, said Al Charters, whos heading up organization of 15 men and women wholl jump from the plane in England and France. Charters on Monday was trying to get assurance that they could get their jumps in Tuesday morning, before predicted winds come up. Thats the tentative plan if we can get it all together, Douglass said. With their star aircraft put to bed after Sunday evening's flight, workers and a few supporters took a rare respite. "It was a fun thing for everybody," Whitesell said. "I said let's just stand down for awhile. We left the hangar door open and just sat around and talked, drank some good beer and watched the sun set." Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PETERSBURG The Central Illinois settlement where Abraham Lincoln came of age and began his public life is celebrating its centennial as a state park. The donation of land near present-day Petersburg that became Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site will be feted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Interpreters will staff the site's re-created log buildings and areas typically off-limits to the public will be open. Lincoln lived in New Salem from 1831 to 1837. He failed as a store owner, became a surveyor and launched his political career as a state legislator. The state accepted 62 acres on May 19, 1919, from the Old Salem Chautauqua Association for $1. It now covers 750 acres. Petersburg is 205 miles southwest of Chicago. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 HARRISTOWN Logan S. Palmer a son, brother, 2012 graduate of Sangamon Valley High School, Eagle Scout and proud Navy sailor was honored Monday with the dedication of the Harristown post office, with nearly 200 community members gathering in support. Palmer, a 23-year-old who was posthumously promoted to petty officer 2nd class, was one of 10 sailors killed when the USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker off the coast of Singapore on Aug. 21, 2017. Chuck Sciurba, Gateway District Manager with the U.S. Postal Service, said the renaming honored Palmer's legacy of service to his country. We never knew he would touch so many, said Logan Palmers father, Sid Palmer. Everybody here is a testimony to Logan. Kim Caldwell-Harvey, communication specialist with the U.S. Postal Service, said the service often looks for opportunities to honor military service members. Most of the time, it is the community in which the soldiers came from and the post offices we can dedicate in their name, she said. It acknowledges and keeps that soldiers name and legend on how they served, not only their country, but their community. The process of changing the name of the Harristown post office began with U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville. He introduced the bill, HR 5935, to Congress honoring Logan Palmers memory. On Dec. 6, legislation to designate the local post office as the Logan S. Palmer Post Office was signed into law by President Donald Trump. But we always wait until nice weather to try and host these events, Caldwell-Harvey said. We try to make these events special. Kaleb Palmer, 26, said he appreciated the gesture, though he thought his brother would have reacted to the honor with humility. When Sid and Theresa were approached about the idea to name the post office for their son, they were hesitant to suggest the name change, according to Davis. They werent sure the community would want that to happen, Davis said. Thats typical of a parent that may be going through this. Why burden the community? But, he said, the family approached community members with the idea. Everybody was extremely supportive, Davis said. Today is a culmination of that support. Along with Davis and other political figures, the dedication was attended by the Macon County Honor Guard, local Boy Scout troops, Macon County Sheriff'f Office, Naval Reserve Center, Gold Star families and family and friends. This is really going to be a lesson about courage, patriotism, and what small-town America means to our freedoms, Davis said before the ceremony. During the dedication, guests were allowed to write personal notes to Logan Palmer or his family. The notes were collected in a jar which will be given to USS John McCain commanders. The jar will be dropped into the ocean along with jars from the other nine men who died. Davis credits the Palmers for change in another military policy. After their sons death, the family had to request a waiver for charity allowing them to meet Logans remains before his body was shipped home to Harristown. The new rule grants families, who have lost a son or daughter killed in the line of duty, the opportunity to meet the remains when they are returned to the states. Families that may have to suffer the same tragedy that you have, Davis told the Palmers, they dont have to suffer the same tragedy afterward. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR 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 101st Illinois General Assembly convened in early January. The deadline for lawmakers to approve legislation is midnight on May 31. So why did Gov. J.B. Pritzker and lawmakers who favor legalization of recreational marijuana wait until Saturday, May 4, to announce legislation they want to see enacted? That doesn't give legislators, or the public, much time to absorb, ponder and debate everything being proposed. It's almost as though those pushing the idea don't want anyone to have too much time to inspect their work, lest its approval be put in doubt. The bill is 300 pages long, befitting the challenge involved in moving to allow the possession, sale and production of a drug that has been illegal under Illinois and federal law since the 1930s -- and is certain to remain illegal under federal law for the foreseeable future. It contains rules on a host of topics, including limits on possession amounts, licensing of growing operations and dispensaries, expungement of criminal records for past cannabis offenses and tax levels for different products. It calls for helping entrepreneurs of color get into the business. The summary released last week says the governor will appoint a "Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer" whose job will be to "make statutory and regulatory recommendations concerning the adult use program." That's an appropriate government position to create. But based on the description it also sounds like legislative supporters want to approve the general concept now and then leave many details for later, to be figured out by someone else. This is our concern with this process: The bill is in a big hurry. Of course the oversight officer would have more information to draw on once the program is in place. But we'd prefer that lawmakers spend more time gathering the information coming in from the 10 states (plus the District of Columbia) that have already legalized recreational pot. Some of them made that choice early, notably Washington and Colorado, but their experiments didn't get launched until 2014. Some of them did so recently, notably Michigan, whose voters approved a ballot initiative last year -- but the state won't actually have operating dispensaries until next year. Opponents contend that legalization has had destructive consequences. One study found that in three states that allowed recreational pot, traffic fatalities temporarily rose, and not only in those states but in neighboring ones. One major Colorado hospital saw a threefold increase in emergency room admissions by people who used cannabis. Revenue from marijuana excise taxes has run far below expectations in California. None of these developments are grounds to rule out legalization indefinitely. Making cannabis illegal, after all, has failed to prevent a huge market involving traffickers, dealers and users, which has produced a variety of grim consequences. But the apparent side effects of legalization in other states should give pause to our legislators. Illinois didn't legalize medical marijuana until 2013, and dispensaries didn't open until 2015. It didn't decriminalize personal possession of small amounts until three years ago. Part of our concern is that elected officials are so attracted to legal pot as a new source of tax revenue that they are already counting the money instead of considering the consequences. We supported both medical marijuana and decriminalization, and we are open to the possibility that the costs and harms of prohibiting recreational cannabis will prove to be greater than the costs and harms of allowing it. But this is too big and important a matter for lawmakers to jam through during a busy legislative session. Chicago Tribune Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF reverse split before market open on Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the market closes on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split. The University of Houston has transformed its Energy Research Park into the Technology Bridge to better connect research-based startups to the market. Natalie Harms/InnovationMap 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 AK AL AS AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA GU HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VI VA WA WV WI WY Ministry urged to release Rs3 billion for providing health care to disadvantaged The Nursing and Social Security Division under the Department of Health Services has demanded an additional Rs1.51 billion from the Ministry of Health and Population to continue providing care to disadvantaged citizen in the current fiscal year. The entire State Journal-Register newsroom walked out today in support of now former editor Angie Muhs, who was walked out of the building this afternoon by the papers general manager after submitting her resignation on Friday. In an impromptu show of solidarity, the staff accompanied Muhs as she left the building for the final time. Everyone walked out with her as a show of respect, reporter Dean Olsen said. We all gave her a hug and applauded for her and thanked her for the stand that she was taking. People are crying. Olsen said Muhs told her staff on Friday that she was leaving partly in hopes of avoiding more layoffs at a paper that has been decimated by staff cuts. I think her hope was, by not having her salary to pay, her hope would be that there would be no layoffs, said Olsen, who wasnt present when Muhs announced her departure last week. She was a very good editor, and she tried to promote good journalism in Springfield, despite some pretty trying circumstances that she had to deal with from GateHouse Media (the papers corporate owner). Muhs declined to say what she told her staff, but she said she wasnt expecting colleagues to walk out of the building with her. I was very touched, Muhs said. I didnt expect that. I have tremendous respect and admiration for the State Journal-Register staff. Theyre dedicated. Theyre hard working. They care about doing quality local journalism, and they persevered under some really tough conditions. Muhs lasted five years as editor of the State Journal-Register, coming to Springfield from a media company in Maine. For the second year in a row, the SJ-R this spring was named GateHouse Newspaper of the Year for its circulation division. In 2017, Muhs was named Editor of the Year in the SJ-Rs circulation division in a company-wide contest. GateHouse Media, which bought the SJ-R in 2007 and promised "hyperlocal" coverage, publishes more than 150 daily papers and is one of the nation's biggest newspaper companies. Angie Muhs exemplifies everything one could ask for from an editor, former SJ-R publisher and president Todd Sears wrote when Muhs won the 2017 editor of the year award. She is deeply connected to her community, constantly looks for ways the SJ-R can be a leader in community engagement, demands excellence from her team and works tirelessly to ensure deliver (sic) quality, impactful content to our readers every day. The praise remains posted at www.bestofgatehouse.com, the company web page dedicated to its contests. Gracing GateHouse Medias home page is a photo of Abraham Lincoln impersonators taken by Rich Saal, the papers longtime photo editor who was laid off two weeks ago, the latest cut for a paper that has seen plenty. In 2012, newsroom employees, voted 26-4 to form a union after the paper laid off the entire copy desk. There are five news reporters left, and several beats, including courts, police and education, no longer have fulltime reporters assigned to them. Muhs declined to discuss staff cuts, but she praised Saal, saying he was one of the best photojournalists shes ever worked with. Shes been vocal in the past about her feelings while GateHouse sliced her staff. Last September, amid a round of cuts, Muhs tweeted a quote from New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger, who said You cannot cut the value of the product you give readers and expect them to reward you with growth. Muhs included her own take: Amen. If only all owners heeded these words. Olsen said Muhs appeared emotional as she left the building for the last time. "I think she's tried to fight within the channels of GateHouse to try to preserve the staff," Olsen said. "I don't know how successful she's been. I know it's been very frustrating for her. Her heart is in this. She quit without a job lined up. I think that says a lot right there." Bruce Rushton is a former SJ-R reporter who resigned in 2011. He can be reached at brushton@illinoistimes.com. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Ruling party is using fear and coercion to control them, say party members On May 5, the ruling Nepal Communist Party called a meeting of its Parliamentary Party to discuss the policies and programmes presented in Parliament by the President two days earlier. But the meeting quickly devolved into lawmakers venting their dissatisfaction with the partys approach. It did not and now there is no doubt that Trump is tough on Iran. Indeed, Trump has withdrawn from the nuclear deal, reimposed sanctions on Iran even when it angered US allies, and designated Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group. This can truly be described as a maximum pressure approach. It is important to remember that the only reason Trump had to do all of this is because of the fatal flaws in the nuclear deal signed by six world powers and Iran. The deal could not stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. It could only delay its progress until 2024, which is just five years away. Worse still, the sanctions relief allowed Iran to gain huge wealth for its temporary concessions on its nuclear program. This money has been spent on Irans ballistic missile program, terrorist proxies, and domestic repression. The deal also had other problems. Namely that it failed to deal with Irans other malign behaviour, like its regional warmongering or human rights abuses. So Trump canned the deal and focused on improving relations with its traditional allies in the Gulf, like Saudi Arabia. Importantly, despite this tough approach, Trump doesnt want war with Iran. He is very much opposed to military intervention abroad. Instead, he wants to bring the Iranians back to the negotiating table for a better, fairer deal. This wont happen, of course, because the Regime is incapable of change so it will require regime change by and for the Iranian people. Even Europe is beginning to concede that it might not be worth the effort to preserve a flawed deal with a rogue state, especially after EU foreign policy Federica Mogherini leaves her position later this year. After all, Iran plotted several terror attacks and assassinations on European soil since the nuclear deal was signed, most of which were thankfully caught by the relevant authorities before anyone could get hurt. Its clear that Iran is feeling the pressure with declining oil sales and a loss of $10 billion in revenue due to sanctions. This is increasing the Iranian peoples anger at the Regime, although in fairness their uprising began before Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal. Its clear that the US is no taking the Iran threat seriously and its clear that the rest of the world should start. KPMG Australia, the local branch of the global auditing firm, has acquired Love Agency, a company that specialises in user interfaces, Web and mobile apps, and builds software for businesses and government. The company's chief executive, Gary Wingrove, said in a statement: "Love Agency has been a pioneering digital business for over 10 years, and we are excited to be welcoming them to KPMG. "The addition of Love Agencys capabilities will provide greater scale for our fast-growing KPMG Digital Delta business and further enhance our market position as a global leader in delivering true enterprise-wide digital transformation. No amount was mentioned in connection with the acquisition. Love Agency was founded in 2008 by entrepreneurs chief executive Danny Housseas, and chief operating officer Arthur Gougoustamos to build modern interfaces for good user experiences and to improve user interfaces by using enterprise technologies. Housseas and Gougoustamos, who were now KPMG partners, built a team of technologists and designers, including solution architects, UX/UI specialists and mobile developers, the statement said. Love Agency had collaborated with KPMG during the last 12 months to co-deliver successful client projects, allowing each business to test what would now be a full-time relationship. KPMG's head of Management Consulting, Ian Hancock, said: We are increasingly being asked to assist our clients to re-imagine and re-invent themselves. This often means supporting their transformation into world-class digital enterprises using advanced technologies, data and human insights. Bringing Love Agency into KPMG Digital Delta means we are better able to deliver end-to-end digital transformation solutions that seamlessly connect our clients front, middle and back offices. Housseas said: Having spent the last decade researching and delivering customer centric products in highly scalable enterprise environments, we are delighted to embark on the next phase of our journey. "As part of KPMG, well be able to bring together a broader set of digital capabilities, work with some of the smartest minds in the business and at a larger scale than previously possible. This will ensure our clients have the necessary support to achieve their transformation goals. The students were conducting research for AP English. They took a tour of the library and were given a demonstration on finding resources on the bookshelves and through the librarys online database. CHARLESTON -- One man was cited for driving under the influence after a crash Friday night, and another driver who left the scene was later found dead in a business in Westfield, authorities said Monday. The cited driver, Ty E. Boyd, 29, needed medical attention after the accident that took place about 10:45 p.m. Friday on Illinois Route 16 just east of Charleston, according to a news release from the Coles County Sheriff's Office. Gun possession leads to prison time for Mattoon man CHARLESTON -- A Mattoon man was sentenced to prison after he admitted having a handgun when his criminal record made it illegal. The driver who left the accident scene was later found dead in Westfield, Clark County Coroner Jeff Pearce said. Pearce said the death of the man, a Westfield native who was an acquaintance of Boyd, was the result of an apparent suicide at a business that was closed for the night. He said the deceased man was found shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Pearce said Boyd accidentally caused the accident by striking the rear of the other man's vehicle as he was following this vehicle. Police found Boyd's heavily damaged vehicle at the scene and determined he was drinking alcohol before the accident, the news release said. He was taken to an unspecified hospital, police said. Boyd also was cited for improper use of an electronic communications device and for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The Coles County Sheriff's office received assistance in responding to the accident from Charleston and Eastern Illinois University police, the Charleston Fire Department and Lincoln Fire Protection District, the release said. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 6 Sad 14 Angry 2 Tuesday, May 14, 2019 Judge Seats Get Hotter As ABQ Crime Wave Stokes Anger, Plus: APD Chief And Keller Aides Reap Big Pay Raises It is the judges who are engaged in catch and release with much of the criminal element in part because of a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2016 that reset the standards for keeping someone behind bars and that are now a focal point of the crime discussion. One of our attorney readers picks up on the point: What is not being discussed is the real story behind the "reform" of the bail system by a couple of legislative leaders and a Supreme Court justice. Well intended perhaps, but in application has created the catch and release system that criminals exploit and brings crime to us and backlogs the courts and prosecutors. Someday, somebody has to discuss how voters were led to passing a constitutional amendment that voters and the press were told was a crackdown on crime. It was the opposite, but progressive proponents cloaked the agenda by creating a fictitious diversion and the appearance of being tougher on crime. With the ABQ metro soaked in a crime wave unlike anything seen in its modern history, it is obvious to even those of us who mistakenly supported the measure that we were wrong--and for many of our fellow citizens dead wrong. The legislature will be asked to revisit the issue. Whether that means asking voters to repeal the measure remains to be seen. but it's now clear that The amendment is just one pice of the puzzle and while the Mayor and BernCo DA seem to be using it as a crutch to explain the failure to rein in crime, don't forget that the crime spike was well underway before the amendment took effect. The elected officials have the ultimate reasonability. THE LONG HAUL There are plenty of reasons to believe the dangerous crime will continue, not the least of which is that we have already been in an epidemic for several years. Another reason is so many teens CITY HALL LARGESSE Is raising the police chief's pay by $20,000 a year to $187,000 and giving hefty hikes to other top aides the right step when the violence epidemic rattles the city? The folks on Nob Hill, who say they have been getting the short end of the law enforcement stick, Republican Mayor Berry gave big raises to his staff while other city workers had their pay frozen for years because of a bad economy. Now Keller is hiking pay for Chief Geier and his other top aides in another case of bad timing. But then the APD PIO pulled down nearly $200,000 in one year by drawing questionable overtime and got away with no discipline. Nice work, if you can get it. And the reason for giving top administrator Lawrence Rael a fat pay raise ($19,000)? The Mayor's office says it's afraid he will be lured away. Lawrence, lured away? The guy is in his 60's and wrapping up his career. Even by the standards of 11th floor spin, that is over the top. At the upper echelon of City Hall it's happy days are here again. For Albuquerque, not so much. PLAME GAME A reader writes in response to the Monday blog on the northern congressional race: You are correct that Plame might have the Anglo vote in Santa Fe in her corner but that's not nearly enough to even get close to winning to the Democratic nomination. She has zero connection to the Norteno vote. CD 3 is about connecting con la gente. The district is not for sale so money is not a guarantee of victory. I have never seen her at a Hispano or union event. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019 There was something missing at that high-profile news conference conducted by Mayor Tim Keller to announce even more crime fighting measures--there wasn't a judge in sight. Well, conflict of interest and that sorta thing, but. . .It is the judges who are engaged in catch and release with much of the criminal element in part because of a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2016 that reset the standards for keeping someone behind bars and that are now a focal point of the crime discussion. One of our attorney readers picks up on the point:With the ABQ metro soaked in a crime wave unlike anything seen in its modern history, it is obvious to even those of us who mistakenly supported the measure that we were wrong--and for many of our fellow citizens dead wrong.The legislature will be asked to revisit the issue. Whether that means asking voters to repeal the measure remains to be seen. but it's now clear that the amendment has had the opposite effect than anticipated.The amendment is just one pice of the puzzle and while the Mayor and BernCo DA seem to be using it as a crutch to explain the failure to rein in crime, don't forget that the crime spike was well underway before the amendment took effect. The elected officials have the ultimate reasonability.There are plenty of reasons to believe the dangerous crime will continue, not the least of which is that we have already been in an epidemic for several years. Another reason is so many teens joining gangs in the metro. Presumably many of them are making a lot of money dealing drugs. Given the troubled backgrounds of the young gangsters and the call center economy that has little appeal to them, it's yet another reason we may be in this for the very long haul--not withstanding placing 50 state troopers on the street and hiring a couple hundred more city cops.Is raising the police chief's pay by $20,000 a year to $187,000 and giving hefty hikes to other top aides the right step when the violence epidemic rattles the city? The folks on Nob Hill, who say they have been getting the short end of the law enforcement stick, don't think so Republican Mayor Berry gave big raises to his staff while other city workers had their pay frozen for years because of a bad economy. Now Keller is hiking pay for Chief Geier and his other top aides in another case of bad timing. But then the APD PIO pulled down nearly $200,000 in one year by drawing questionable overtime and got away with no discipline. Nice work, if you can get it.And the reason for giving top administrator Lawrence Rael a fat pay raise ($19,000)? The Mayor's office says it's afraid he will be lured away. Lawrence, lured away? The guy is in his 60's and wrapping up his career. Even by the standards of 11th floor spin, that is over the top.At the upper echelon of City Hall it's happy days are here again. For Albuquerque, not so much.A reader writes in response to the Monday blog on the northern congressional race:This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME E-MAIL ME About Joe Google News Real Clear Politics Huffington Post Drudge Report The Politico NM TV stations Gov. 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A jury ordered agribusiness giant Monsanto Co. to pay a combined $2.05 billion to a couple who claimed the company's popular weed killer Roundup Ready caused their cancers. The Oakland jury on Monday delivered Monsanto's third such loss in California since August. Alva and Alberta Pilliod claimed they used Roundup for more than 30 years to landscape their home and other properties. They were both diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A federal jury in San Francisco previously ordered the weed killer maker to pay a man $80 million and a San Francisco jury in August awarded $289 million to a former greenskeeper, though a judge later reduced it. The trials were the first of an estimated 13,000 lawsuits against Monsanto. Omaha-based Domina Law Group filed the Nebraska part of the Roundup battle, the first Roundup case in the nation, on behalf of Midwestern farmers as well as several of the countrys first Roundup lawsuits alleging a link between herbicides Glyphosate chemical and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. German chemical giant Bayer owns Monsanto and said it will appeal Monday's verdict. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 With the clock ticking on a legislative session in its stretch run, supporters of property tax relief prepared Tuesday for what they hope will be a final opportunity to shape a tax reform package this year. If Speaker Jim Scheer of Norfolk returns the Revenue Committee's comprehensive proposal (LB289) to the agenda for debate, as widely anticipated, it will be shadowed by a couple of alternative pathways forward. The Revenue Committee plan, hammered together over the past several months, received three hours of floor debate last week. Proposed changes in that proposal are being designed to address some concerns raised by big-city public schools and objections expressed by urban senators about the impact that a proposed one-half cent increase in the state sales tax rate would have on low-income Nebraskans. Meanwhile, several members of the committee stand ready with backup plans of their own if the committee's product is unable to command the 33 votes that ultimately would be required to overcome a filibuster. From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by University of Nebraska - Lincoln Why arent there more women in IT? When Nhasala Joshi joined the Advanced College of Engineering and Management in Kupondole, she was the only woman in her Electronics Engineering class. Later, as the semester progressed, the number of women grew to three, still a heavily lopsided gender ratio. Claire Stewart, the associate university librarian for research and learning at the University of Minnesota Libraries, is the new dean of libraries at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Stewart was chosen following a national search. "She is an innovative, strategic leader with a solid foundation in the traditional aspects of academic libraries and a keen vision toward the future," said Donde Plowman, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at UNL. "Her experience with Big Ten and land-grant universities will serve her well as she advocates for the libraries on campus, in the state of Nebraska, across the nation and around the world." Stewart will begin work at UNL on Aug. 1, pending Board of Regents approval. At Minnesota, Stewart is responsible for the education and research support programs of the libraries and operational services within 10 library facilities. Prior to working at Minnesota, Stewart held several positions at Northwestern University over a 21-year period, including director of the Center for Scholarly Communication and Digital Curation and head of Digital Collections. RACINE The Moving Wall will be in Racine May 16-20 at Pritchard Park, 2800 Ohio St. (Ohio Street and Durand Avenue). The Moving Wall is a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., that travels around the country to give veterans who are unable to visit the Memorial the opportunity to experience it in their hometown. Vietnam Veterans Chapter 767 of Racine hosted the wall in 2005 and 2015. Normally, it is a 10-year wait to host the wall again, but the custodians of the wall were so impressed with the presentation and response in Racine, that they requested that the chapter host it again for their 35th anniversary in 2019. The wall will be available for viewing starting at noon May 16 and will be available 24 hours a day. The opening ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. Friday, May 17, and will end with the reading of the 47 names of Racine veterans on the wall. These events have also been planned in conjunction with the event: Friday, May 17 Ride to the Wall departing at 4 p.m. from The Nash, 522 Sixth St.; concert by Belle City Brassworks at Pritchard Park, 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18 Quilts of Honor of Southeast Wisconsin will present handmade quilts to veterans at noon; Mass at the small pavilion, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19 Non-denominational sunrise service at 9 a.m.; Gilmore Fine Arts Choir concert, noon, followed by closing ceremonies at 1 p.m. The Wall will be taken down at 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 20. The event is still in need of volunteers. Call Ellen Myers at 262-638-8705 to sign up. For more information, contact Pat Adams at 262-634-6859. Donations can be sent to: Moving Wall 2019, P.O. Box 081036, Racine WI 53408-1036. Donations are tax-deductible. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 RACINE The Racine Police Department has released the name of the man involved in Fridays apparent murder-suicide on 19th Street. Ubaldo Gonzalez Jr., 34, of Racine has been named as the man involved in the Friday morning shooting that also took the life of 30-year-old Angelica Angie Rios. Police responded to the 2600 block of 19th Street early Friday morning after receiving a call from a child that shots had been fired inside the home, according to Sgt. Adam Malacara, the Police Departments spokesman. Officers found the deceased bodies of Gonzalez and Rios. Two children, who were unharmed, were also located. On Sunday, Mothers Day, the porch of the house was piled with flowers, candles and stuffed animals. On Saturday evening, dozens gathered outside the 19th Street home to remember Rios. Online court documents indicated that Gonzalez had lived at that 19th Street address in March 2018. But police called him estranged and its unclear if he lived there at the time of the shooting. According to court records, Gonzalez pleaded no contest to charges of disorderly conduct with a domestic abuse assessment in 2011. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, again with a domestic abuse assessment. He was also charged in that case with criminal damage to property but the charge was dropped and read in to the record. Rios worked as a certified nursing assistant at Ascension All Saints Hospital and recently took a full-time job with the Racine Unified School District, but she still worked some shifts at the hospital. In a statement released Monday, Kristin McManmon, Ascension All Saints Hospital president, said: The Ascension All Saints family is deeply saddened by losing one of our own. Angie Rios was one of our certified nursing assistants who was admired for going above and beyond for her patients, for her beautiful heart and her devotion to her patients and her family. This heartbreaking loss is felt not only by the Ascension community but by the patients who benefited from her compassionate care. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Angies family at this difficult time. 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 An 18-year-old Racine woman allegedly cashed $2,903 in fraudulent checks, then posted a photo on Snapchat, where she was seen flashing several hundred dollars with the caption In one day. #THISaintTAXcash (This aint tax cash). The woman, Natalie Sabala of the 1600 block of St. Clair Street, faces four felony charges of uttering a forgery and felony fraud against a financial institution. Another woman Esmeralda Gonzalez, 21, who is reportedly Sabalas stepsister allegedly cashed another $2,181 in checks from the same bank, using the same method as Sabala. She faces three counts of uttering a forgery and felony fraud against a financial institution. According to a criminal complaint: All of the checks in question came from a long-closed auto detailing company, according to the Racine Police Department, where both Gonzalez and Sabala both reportedly worked for a short time. The checks, all of which were reportedly for payroll, were cashed on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20. They ranged in amounts from $650 to $750. On Feb. 19, Gonzalez reportedly cashed two checks at Educators Credit Union, 3525 Rapids Drive. Later in the day, she returned to cash a third check, but was informed that the first two checks had been flagged for fraud. She then reportedly fled the scene. The next day, Sabala did the same thing at the Educators branch at 1400 North Newman Road. When she returned to cash a third check, an employee told her the first two checks had been flagged, at which point Sabala allegedly fled, leaving behind several checks. Sabala made an initial appearance in court Tuesday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center. , 717 Wisconsin Ave. An initial appearance is scheduled for Gonzalez at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 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. The Media Council Bill further endangers press freedom The government wants to use its numerical strength to create tyrannies of the majority in order to isolate the dissenting stance RACINE A Racine woman used a phone app to track down the man who allegedly stole her purse on Sunday, and then followed him to the mall and pointed him out to police. The suspect, William D. Hunter, 30, of the 800 block of Sixth Street, Racine, is charged with two counts of felony personal ID theft, two counts of felony bail jumping, two counts of misdemeanor fraudulent use of a credit card, receiving stolen property and resisting an officer. According to the criminal complaint: The victim said she was in front of her house in the 3200 block of Victory Avenue and was trying to get her kids and her autistic nephew into the car when her nephew ran into the street. She dropped her purse to go after him but forgot to pick it back up when she put him in the car. When she came back for the purse about 5 minutes later, it was gone. Using another phone, she logged into a phone-tracking app and saw that her phone was at Regency Mall, 5538 Durand Ave. The victim then headed to the mall and called police. The victim saw that her credit card had been used at GameStop in the mall, and so she asked employees there who had used her card and was given a description of the suspect. She then saw the suspect, later identified as Hunter, walking through the mall with a GameStop bag in his hand. She noticed through her tracking app that tracker put the phone at a jewelry kiosk where Hunter was standing. When an officer confronted Hunter about the situation, he became visibly upset. When officers attempted to detain him, Hunter tried to run but was stopped by a mall security guard. An officer then took him to the ground. Hunter attempted to get off the floor; police shocked him with a Taser, then took him to a waiting patrol wagon. Some items recovered Police located the victims credit cards and cellphone in Hunters possession, but did not find the purse or the $170 the victim said was inside it. Two receipts found on Hunter showed that he spent $289 on a PlayStation at Game Stop and $45 on gas from Fine Fare Foods on Durand Avenue. The victim returned the PlayStation to Game Stop to recover the $289. Court records indicate that Hunter was previously convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in Racine in 2014, possession of marijuana and felony bail jumping in Racine in 2008 and possession of marijuana in Racine in 2005. Hunter was in custody at the Racine County Jail as of Monday evening. A preliminary hearing on the new charges is set for 8:30 a.m. on May 22 at the county Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. Love 1 Funny 3 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. RACINE City officials hope a proposed redesign for Monument Square and Downtown parking and traffic will be wrapped up by August so that the recommendations can be incorporated into the citys 2020 budget. The City Councils Finance and Personnel Committee is sending Purchasing Agent Kathy Kaspers recommendation to hire Madison-based Toole Design Group to the full council next week with a recommendation to approve. Kasper said the city received 14 responses to the request for proposals which were whittled down to the top three by a committee consisting of Mayor Cory Mason, City Administrator Jim Palenick, City Development Director Amy Connolly, Transit and Parking Director Mike Maierle, City Engineer John Rooney and Dave Kamm, chairman of the Downtown Racine Corp. The top three applicants were brought in for interviews and the committee ultimately decided on Toole. Why so soon? Alderman Natalia Taft of the 13th District asked why the city has decided to re-design Monument Square. Monument Square was renovated to its current design in 2005 for $1.5 million. Kasper said the city had already planned to redesign parking and traffic Downtown to make it more pedestrian-friendly. The square would be affected by changes to traffic and parking and many felt its current design does not allow it to be fully utilized. Mason said officials had budgeted for each item separately but decided they would receive a better result by having all three projects under one bid. To use three different contractors that wouldnt be talking to each other, would be a missed opportunity to coordinate all those things, the mayor said. Travel adviser Roger Brooks, during a visit to Racine, had advised the city to prioritize redesigning Monument Square. Your plaza has to be about people, Brooks wrote in his report. Right now this space is pretty, but unused, because there are no benches or things to do. It could easily be converted into an active space that people like to use and spend their free time. DRC Executive Director Kelly Kruse spoke in January about what the redesign could mean for Downtown Racine. We would like to see a permanent stage, more trees and green space, multiple seating areas and public bathrooms, Kruse said. These are just a few of the ways we could enhance Monument Square and make it more functional and enjoyable for year-round programming. The budget for the design is $50,000 for Monument Square and $150,000 for parking and traffic for a total of $200,000. No estimates have yet been provided for the potential construction. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the recommendation to hire Toole Design Group at its meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave., Room 205. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 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. Ascension All Saints Hospital Racine Medical Mission at Home I don't have the words to explain how miraculous this event was. It must have been a huge undertaking, but things moved smoothly thanks to all the people involved. The caring, concern and attentiveness was remarkable, and I feel blessed to have met so many loving people. Many celebrities in the Philippines have decided to join the 2019 elections. But despite their advantage in popularity among the masses, not all of them were able to win. Here is a list of the winners and losers among the celebrity candidates: PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed 1. Bong Revilla Jr. Based on partial results, it seems safe to assume that the former action star will become a senator once again despite being jailed for several years due to allegations of corruption. 2. Lito Lapid The action star who recently appeared on Ang Probinsyano is going back to the senate as he is currently number 7 based on the partial results. 3. Vilma Santos Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos was able to defeat Meynard Sabili as the representative of Lipa City, Batangas. 4. Edu Manzano Vilmas ex-husband Edu Manzano failed in his bid to become a congressman in San Juan. Vilma and Edu are the parents of actor-host Luis Manzano. 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! 5. ER Ejercito The action star was beaten by Ramil Hernandez in the race to become the governor of Laguna. He is the son of former President Joseph Estrada. 6. Gary Estrada The former dramatic actor was not able to win the vice mayoral race in Cainta, Rizal. 7. Roderick Paulate The former comedians bid to become the vice mayor of Quezon City ended in disappointment as he was defeated by Gian Sotto. 8. Jolo Revilla Jolo will still be the Vice Governor of Cavite. He is the son of Bong Revilla Jr. 9. Jestoni Alarcon The 90s actor will continue to be a board member of the first district of Rizal. 10. Yul Servo The dramatic actor was also able to retain his position as the representative of Manilas third district. 11. Isko Moreno Isko has once again become the Mayor of Manila by defeating Joseph Erap Estrada. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! A Little Bit Silly, But Extremely Hilarious Random Pranks! How would you react if there is a barker at an escalator? Check out all of our videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) spoke up about the problems they encountered - Many vote counting machines malfunctioned during the 2019 polls - The spokesperson of Comelec admitted that the problem worsened PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed The Commission on Elections (Comelec) revealed that the number of problems encountered involving vote counting machines has tripled compared to the 2016 Presidential elections. KAMI learned that many incidents of malfunctioning VCMs were reported yesterday and they even increased in the latter part of the voting hours. In the Presidential elections that happened in 2016, there were only 188 cases of irregularities that Comelec faced with regards to the machines used. However, ABS-CBN News reported that the same problem ballooned to more than 400 in this years polls. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez reasoned out that the glitches on VCMs maybe because of the previous elections since some of them were also used during that time. In the overall scheme of things, that is a small number but compared to 2016, the figure is jarring, he quipped. These are the VCMs we used in 2016. I cannot rule out that possibility that these malfunctioned because of that, he added. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! In a previous article by , Senatorial candidate Glenn Chong went to Comelec headquarters to air his complaint about the elections. READ ALSO: Elections 2019 live updates: Partial and unofficial results of Senatorial race POPULAR: Read more political news in the Philippines! Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Tricky Question: What is kulangot in English? In this video, we have included some of the trickiest questions and interesting challenges! Do you enjoy watching street interviews and listening to different opinions? on HumanMeter! Source: KAMI.com.gh - Bato Dela Rosa is currently one of the senatorial candidates who are leading in the partial tally of election results - He already gave his reaction to his possible victory and said that he is ready to be a senator - The former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief had also a statement about University of the Philippines, which triggered unwanted comments from netizens PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Bato Dela Rosa is one of the leading senatorial candidates, based on the partial and unofficial tally of election results. As posted on CNN Philippines Twitter account, Bato said that he is ready to be a senator. He also expressed his eagerness to attend seminars which will train him to be a senator particularly in creating laws. "Mayro'n bang mga seminar diyan? Training para gumawa ng batas? Kung mayro'n, I will take that opportunity." What made some netizens furious was his statement about University of the Philippines. He said that he is willing to attend training as long as it is not in UP. "Pag UP, hindi na 'ko pupunta. Alanganin ako diyan." Some netizens immediately reacted to his post with hate comments. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! In a previous report by KAMI, Bato dela Rosa said he was ready to join debate even in CR. Born on January 21, 1962, Ronald Marapon dela Rosa used to be the Director General of the Bureau of Corrections. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! A Little Bit Silly, But Extremely Hilarious Random Pranks! How would you react if there is a barker at an escalator? Check out all of our videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh Media Council Bill moves quietly to Parliament after remaining shrouded in secrecy for months The secrecy surrounding the Media Council bill has given rise to fears of more sanctions on press freedoms, as existing laws are already being used to stifle journalists and the media. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Achyut Wagle holds PhD in economics and is currently a professor at the Kathmandu University School of Management. He is an econo-political analyst, writing for The Kathmandu Post for many years. The oldest meteorite ever found was discovered in the Sahara Desert last year, and is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old . WEATHER A cloudy morning with outbreaks of rain moving in from the south. Some heavy showers in the afternoon. Highest temperature 9deg in moderate to fresh breezes from the south and east. On this day in 1818, the song Silent Night (Stille Nacht) was performed for the first time at midnight mass on Christmas Eve in Oberndorf, Austria. The public opinion polls for the U.S. Congress hover at 20 percent approval. Not surprising. No major legislation made it through Congress during 2017 and 2018 except for the tax bill. After the 2018 election, however, the dynamic within the House of Representatives changed. The following is the list of bills passed in the House so far in 2019: H.R. 1 For The People Act to restore confidence in our democracy. H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112 Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act, commonsense gun violence prevention measures. H.R. 7 Paycheck Fairness Act to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work. H.R. 1585 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, a strong improvement and long-term reauthorization of VAWA. H.R. 1644 Save The Internet Act to restore vital net neutrality protections. In the coming weeks, votes will be taken on: Protecting People with Pre-existing Conditions Act and other legislation to lower health costs by reducing prescription drug prices. H.R. 9 Climate Action Now Act to preserve the Paris Climate Accord and lay the foundation for more action. H.R. 5 Equality Act to end discrimination against LGBTQ Americans. H.R. 6 The American Dream and Promise Act to protect Dreamers, TPS and DED recipients. It is hard to find anything in these bills that is not in the interest of the people. Unfortunately, these bills are all dead on arrival at the Senate: Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, wont allow discussion or a vote on these bills. The only bill passed in 2019 has been one dealing with criminal justice reform. The majority in the House is now Democrat, the Senate majority is Republican. Divided government is not a bad thing; it could create a productive discussion and negotiation leading to action on issues of concern to the citizens. Unfortunately, that is not the current dynamic, the Senate is supposed to work for us by deliberating and voting on important legislation, not play deaf, dumb, and blind on bills sent to them by the House of Representatives. Mary Smith, Richland Center Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. Yard sale signs are popping up throughout Wisconsin and there are deals to be had for the bargain-inclined. Whether your chosen storefront is in a driveway or in an online classified ad, there are risks to consider for both buyers and sellers in the resale marketplace. Yard sales To prevent risk of injury, buyers should check for recalls on the items they intend to purchase at garage sales, said Lara Sutherlin, administrator for the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection. This is an especially important practice when looking for childrens items like cribs, gates, toys, and play yards. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalls toys and other products for children each year if they have the potential of causing injury or death. Products for any age group can be recalled for a variety of reasons including fire hazards, strangulation hazards, missing warning labels, electrocution hazards, lead levels in paint, loose magnets, choking hazards, fall risks, and more. The CPSC recently launched a mobile app that shoppers can use to search for product recalls (the app must be downloaded from the CPSC website: https://www.cpsc.gov/data). Having this app or the CPSC website open on your smartphone while you shop is a good practice. Two other areas where shoppers tend to seek secondhand deals are tools and electronics. If you are shopping for battery-powered items, check the battery compartment for signs of corrosion. For electrical items, keep an eye out for frayed wires or questionable repair jobs on cords. If you are able to test these items on site, run them through their paces before you make a purchase. Online sales For buyers and sellers that prefer to use online classified ad sites or apps (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Letgo, etc.) for their transactions, scams are a significant risk. The first step to ensuring a safe transaction is to deal locally and meet the other party face-to-face in a public location. Reach out to your local police department to see if you can handle the transaction in the station lobby or if the department has a designated swap spot or safe exchange zone (such as a parking spot with video coverage) on the station grounds. An inability or refusal to meet in person to complete a transaction, especially at a police station, is a primary sign of a scam. Additional scam red flags to watch for when using an online classified ad service include: (For sellers) Vague initial inquiries, e.g. asking about the item. (For buyers) Significant discounts on high-ticket items (vehicles, etc.) with a story about the owner being overseas, in the military, or involved in an accident. Emails or texts from someone who is not local to your area (especially if they claim to be overseas). Poor grammar/spelling. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Despite low milk prices, supply issues and trade disputes with China and Mexico, Brad Pfaff, secretary-designee for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, is optimistic about the future of agriculture in Wisconsin. I want to set the table by saying this: Agriculture in this state is an economic powerhouse, Pfaff said Monday to a room full of local business leaders. They were there for a La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce special forum on the state of agriculture, held at at the Black River Community Center. Pfaff, who comes from a farming family and grew up in La Crosse County, began working as DATCP secretary five months ago. He was deputy chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Ron Kind before being appointed to the position by Gov. Tony Evers. He also worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the national deputy administrator for the Farm Service Agency during the Obama administration. Wisconsin agriculture contributes $88 billion each year to the states economy, of which almost half is from dairy, according to DATCP data. About one in nine jobs in the state are agriculture-related. No other state has such an advanced agriculture economy as what we have, Pfaff said. I ask you today to continue to believe and to continue to invest because there are tremendous opportunities available in agriculture. While federal officials and dairy groups debate supply management and retaliatory tariffs on dairy in President Trumps trade war with China drag on, Pfaff said he doesnt think Wisconsin needs to look to outside help to grow the agricultural sector. I think we can do it internally, he said. One way is to better market Wisconsin-brand dairy products locally, nationally and internationally especially when it comes to value-added products, Pfaff said. Wisconsin produces more than 30 billion pounds of milk, 90% of which is made into 650 kinds of cheese. About 25% percent of that cheese is artisan cheese that can command a higher price and provide greater value back to the farmer, Pfaff said. And the made-in-Wisconsin label carries weight, Pfaff said, adding that he had just came back from a trip to Mexico where the Holstein cows genetics and the milking equipment he saw could be traced back to Americas Dairyland. However, Pfaff acknowledged that we cant value-add every product, which is why the industry should look toward dairy research and innovation, he said. Consumer trends show that people dont drink as much milk as they used to, Pfaff said. However, milk can be enhanced with other components or altered to be lactose-free, opening up greater markets in places like southeast Asia, he said. Pfaff then asked agriculture-adjacent businesses to continue to invest in farmers and rural communities, whether through investments in high-speed Internet, health care or access to agricultural loans. Wisconsin is unique for the large number of small towns that dot its landscape compared to other midwestern states, Pfaff said. We in the state need these rural communities. What do small towns supported by agriculture need to continue? The governor has been trying to address some of these issues, for example, by requesting $78 million in the state budget for broadband and seeking $1.6 billion in additional health-care spending statewide, including $324 million in Medicaid expansion, Pfaff said. Evers sent a letter Monday to U.S. Department of Agriculture head Sonny Perdue as part of a ReConnect Program application for loans and grants to install broadband in rural America. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 One patient after another, Nathan Allen does his best to cheat death. Everything we do is to fight the Grim Reaper, said Allen, an emergency medical technician with Tri-State Regional Ambulance, part of Gundersen Health System. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. You just do everything you can to help that person, and then you go on to the next one. Allen is one of 10 EMTs hoping to make progress in that fight by taking an accelerated paramedics course at Western Technical College, which ends with a round of certification tests on Saturday. Offered on a trial basis this year, the course allows students to earn their paramedic certification in nine months instead of 12, an abbreviated timeline meant to help rectify a local paramedic shortage. Theres a shortage not just locally but nationally, said Tom Tornstrom, executive director of Tri-State. Were getting busier and busier, our response volume is going up, and we need to keep up with the demand. Our paramedics all have to work a little bit harder to do that, so this is a real win-win for us. Tri-State employs about 35 EMTs and about 75 paramedics each slightly below the ideal number, Tornstrom said. EMTs, who typically receive between 100 and 150 hours of training, provide basic emergency care. Paramedics, who go through 1,000-plus hours of training and must pass written and practical tests, provide basic and high-level treatment, including administering medication and performing advanced patient assessments. Students in Westerns accelerated paramedic course say they want that extra certification not just for the higher salary or stature, but so they can do more for patients. Allen, whos based in Bloomington, said hes naturally driven to help people, especially in high-pressure, life-or-death moments. Ive always wanted to work in a fire department or rescue squad situation, said Allen, 30 who also spent time in the National Guard and was deployed in Afghanistan in 2012-13. Perhaps the hardest part about being a first responder, he said, is when theres nothing you can do for a patient, and you just feel helpless. Samantha Lamberson, another soon-to-be paramedic whos based in Arcadia, said shes wanted to be a paramedic from the time she was young. Her first call as an EMT was a fatal car accident the kind of event she finds both sobering and adrenaline-inducing. I like the thrill of it. Every day is different and you dont know what it will bring, Lamberson, 25, said. The joy, I guess, of living in a small town is you get to hear things like, Thank you. You saved my moms life. Western officials say the accelerated paramedic course is a work in progress. Few if any schools in the Wisconsin Technical College System offer something like it. Kevin Dean, dean of Westerns Health and Public Safety division, said the course could be offered in future years, assuming theres enough funding and this initial cohort is deemed a success. Western was able to do a trial run this year because of a $150,000 workforce development grant from the state of Wisconsin. I believe its been very successful, and well be able to look at what went well and what didnt work well, so we can improve the next time, Dean said. The need for paramedics is so great. Anything we can do to help, were going to do. Kyle Farris can be reached at (608) 791-8234 or kfarris@lacrossetribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Kyle_A_Farris. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Should 11-year-old girls have to bear their rapists babies? Ohio says yes. An 11-year-old rape victim in northwestern Ohio is pregnant, according to news reports, and a highly restrictive state law on abortion signed last month says a girl in her position must carry and deliver her rapists baby. In arguing the abortion issue I used to test the zealotry of my anti-choice opponents with a hypothetical question with similar facts, and was often told such a situation was too far-fetched to be probative. But now the hypothetical is real. A barely pubescent girl has been impregnated, allegedly, by a 26-year-old man who had sex with her on multiple occasions, and the pure anti-abortion position is that the law should prevent her from terminating her pregnancy unless its to save her life or spare her grave bodily harm. Ohios Human Rights Protection Act, signed April 11 by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, is one of those heartbeat laws that ban abortion as soon as doctors can detect fetal cardiac activity, which starts at about six weeks of gestation, even before some women know theyre pregnant. Such laws, passed recently by five other states, are among the extreme measures designed to bait the increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court into overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized a womans right to an abortion in most circumstances. Ohios new law doesnt grant exceptions for rape and incest exceptions favored by more than 70 percent of the population in numerous polls. And although local news outlets havent reported the estimated duration of this particular rape victims pregnancy, inevitably girls in her position will be legally compelled to endure the physical and emotional burdens of pregnancy and childbirth. She wont be. The new restrictions arent scheduled to go into effect until mid-July and will almost certainly be stayed by federal judges as challenges to such brazen violations of Roe make their way up the appeals process. If the girl decides to end her pregnancy, she will be able to. Forcing such a victim to remain pregnant is inherent in anti-abortion logic, which says that even a microscopic embryo has full human rights rights that cant be abrogated by the sins of the biological father. But the logic falls apart for those who allow for exceptions in the most grim, pitiable cases imaginable impregnated children. Those who say those children along with other victims of rape and incest should be able to obtain abortions, as even some heartbeat laws permit, have revealed their opposition to abortion as merely a proxy for their opposition to non-procreational sex a different moral judgment altogether. When hardliners try to keep on the high ground, the results are disturbing. A follow-up anti-abortion bill in the legislative hopper in Ohio would, among other things, ban drugs or devices used to prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum, which includes several popular forms of birth control. The Alabama legislature on Thursday tabled the consideration of a proposal to make the performing of an abortion a felony punishable by as many as 99 years in prison unless it is to prevent serious health risks to the mother. Earlier this year in Argentina, a country with strong prohibitions against abortion, a 12-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl, both impregnated by men in their 60s, were denied abortions and ultimately underwent Caesarean deliveries at 24 and 23 weeks, respectively. Both babies died. The case of the 11-year-old girl, known in the press by the pseudonym Lucia, was particularly disturbing. She discovered she was pregnant by her grandmothers boyfriend at 17 weeks, according to the Guardian, and even though the law allowed her get an abortion as a rape victim, government, health and religious officials along with anti-abortion activists in her home province strove to delay her familys request for an abortion until the fetus was deemed viable and it was too late for an abortion. Hospital nurses reportedly gave Lucia steroid shots to help the fetus lungs mature but told her they were vitamin shots, while lawyers swamped the family with paperwork. Those who think such coercion and violations of personal autonomy couldnt happen here are failing to take the measure of those determined to strip women and girls of their reproductive freedoms. Opponents most recent ploy has been to put forth the grotesque lie, amplified by our grotesquely dishonest president, that abortion-rights logic allows for post-birth infanticide at the parents whim. Its the most insincere manifestation yet of arguments rooted in the false notion that women with healthy babies are waddling into clinics during their third trimester to end their inconvenient pregnancies. Meanwhile, the efforts to deny even the most vulnerable victims of sex crimes the right not to bear their rapists babies are real. And if abortion-rights supporters dont rise up to stop them at every level, they will succeed. Eric Zorn writes for the Chicago Tribune. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe By Angela Caputo, Curtis Gilbert and Geoff Hing | APM Reports When Tasers work, they can take a suspect down in seconds with a single electrical jolt, incapacitating without killing. That's why the Los Angeles Police Department, which tested and pioneered the weapons, has embraced the handheld devices for nearly four decades -- and it's why departments nationwide have done the same. But three years ago, the LAPD made a disturbing discovery: The department's Tasers were increasingly ineffective at subduing suspects in the field. And the decline correlated with a new model Taser that the department had been buying. The new model, called the X26P, was a less powerful Taser than previous versions. The company that makes Tasers and has a monopoly on the U.S. market, Axon Enterprise, Inc., had decided to reduce the power at a time when it was facing dozens of product liability lawsuits. The X26P, released in 2013, emitted about half the electrical charge of its predecessor, which LAPD officers had carried for years. In March 2016, the LAPD released a report showing that Tasers subdued suspects in only 53 percent of uses through 2015 -- an 11-percentage-point decrease in effectiveness compared to the prior year, when officers had largely used an older model. LAPD leaders at the time said they were looking into it. They apparently never did. An APM Reports investigation has found that LAPD officials neglected to investigate why their new Tasers were failing to subdue people more often than their older Tasers. In fact, the department -- with approximately 9,000 sworn officers -- kept buying more X26Ps, eventually equipping virtually every patrol officer with a weapon that, according to the department's own data, has been less effective. Tasers' performance in Los Angeles wasn't an aberration. APM Reports also found that in a dozen police departments nationwide, officers rated Tasers as considerably less reliable than Axon had claimed. And in New York and Houston, the investigation yielded a finding similar to LA: Two of Axon's newer models, including the X26P, had been less effective at bringing down suspects than older ones. According to a larger sample of LAPD's data obtained by APM Reports that focused only on the X26P, it was effective in only 54 percent of uses since the department began testing the model in 2013 through early 2018. The previous Taser model used by the department, the X26, was 61 percent effective over that same time. When Tasers don't stop a suspect, the consequences can be life-threatening for the officer and especially for the public. Between 2015 and 2017, LAPD officers fatally shot at least eight suspects after their X26P Tasers failed to subdue them -- people who, had the Taser worked as the police had expected, might still be alive. Nationwide APM Reports found 258 fatal police shootings in that same time period in which a Taser was ineffective. In about 100 of those cases, according to investigative files and media reports, the person became enraged or more aggressive after being shot with a Taser, suggesting that the weapon may have made a bad situation worse. (You can also listen to an audio version of the APM Reports national story on the investigative radio show and podcast, Reveal.) There are a number of reasons why a Taser might not work. But it appears a key difference between the X26P and the model the LAPD had used previously was the power reduction. "I think it's a reasonable bet that as you reduce this charge, you were going to reduce the probability of making the subject fall down," said J. Patrick Reilly, an electrical engineer who spent most of his career doing research at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory and has studied Tasers. Axon disputes that lower power translates to lower effectiveness. In a written statement to APM Reports, Axon said its laboratory testing proves the lower-powered devices work just as well. "TASER are the most studied less-lethal tool on an officer's belt with more than 800 reports, abstracts and studies on the safety and effectiveness of TASER weapons," the Axon statement read. "These studies, along with nearly 4 million field deployments over 25 years, establish they are the most safe and effective less-lethal use of force tool available to law enforcement." Despite data on the X26P gathered internally, LAPD is not second-guessing its decision to buy thousands of the devices. "I can say I'm not concerned about it," LAPD Assistant Chief Jon Peters told APM Reports. Department officials are happy with the Tasers, he said, adding that it's hard to know what is pushing down effectiveness because there are so many variables that influence how well a Taser will work. But Robert Harris, director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents LAPD officers, said findings by APM Reports warrant further investigation. Responding to the analysis showing the X26Ps were effective in 54 percent of uses, he said, "Those odds might be OK for Vegas. I don't know that I would want those odds for my officers on the street." CONFRONTING COPS WITH A BOX CUTTER On the afternoon of July 13, 2015, a 41-year-old homeless man named Jason Davis was brooding at a coffee shop on Rose Avenue in Venice. Davis had suffered from severe depression and schizophrenia for decades and had attempted suicide three times. Davis was born in the Detroit area and spent most of his teen years outside of Chicago. He joined the Army after high school and eventually landed in Los Angeles, where he attended community college. Davis, though, struggled to keep an apartment and often lived out of his car for more than a decade. Many people didn't notice Davis in the coffee shop that afternoon. But one man, Jake Zambas, became unsettled when he heard Davis muttering that he wanted to die. Others noticed Davis when he vomited dark liquid -- a witness had heard him call it "liquid death" -- that he'd been sipping from a bottle. Davis's mother told APM Reports that her son carried the bottle "because he did not litter." When staff asked Davis to leave, he grew paranoid. He thought he was being followed and photographed. An employee offered to call an ambulance, but Davis refused. Instead, he pulled out a box cutter. "The employee was kind of bummed," Zambas told APM Reports. "Like, 'Now I have to call the cops.'" Davis became enraged. "Yeah, call the cops so they'll come and kill me," he said. He'd had a good relationship with the police officers who were regulars at the convenience store where he worked. But recently, his opinion of law enforcement had soured. Four months earlier, LAPD shot and killed his friend, another homeless man, named Leundeu "Africa" Keunang, outside of a tent on a Skid Row sidewalk. Keunang's death had made national news and drawn criticism that officers were too quick to use their guns during a routine disturbance call. But another fact of the case had received far less attention: Officers had tried to restrain Keunang with a Taser -- an X26P. Twice. LAPD had just purchased the Taser used on Keunang a few months earlier. It was one of thousands of new X26Ps being deployed across the city. As the department rolled out the new devices, officials researched 45 incidents and concluded that Tasers were effective 67 percent of the time over three months in 2015. That study, however, also included the model police used previous to the X26P. The real test of the newer Tasers' effectiveness was playing out on the streets. Before the end of the year, five people would be fatally shot by police after a Taser failed to subdue them. In some cases, officers seemed puzzled why their Tasers hadn't brought suspects down, investigative reports of the shootings show. But they steadily logged data points from each incident and, in time, a pattern of ineffectiveness emerged. In Keunang's case, LAPD determined that the homeless man wasn't subdued because he'd grabbed the Taser wires, breaking the electrical circuit. But records and news reports show that the investigation focused mostly on the bullets that followed. Keunang's death had sent Jason Davis further into depression, according to his mother. When officers arrived at the Venice coffee shop, they told him they were there to help and to drop the box cutter. But Davis held onto it and walked toward them. "He was stomping sort of slowly and theatrically," Zambas said. "He didn't look threatening. He was just holding it." For Zambas, time slowed. He watched as Davis moved toward the officers, who initially hung back approximately 10 to 15 feet. One officer unholstered a gun. The other pulled out a new Taser X26P, aimed it at Davis, and, according to Zambas, eventually fired it. Taser Firing Darts; Illustration by Dan Carino EFFECTIVENESS DROPS, MORE TASERS ORDERED LAPD liked the X26P, in part because the weapon had components that worked with equipment the department already owned. At the end of 2014, the department spent $1.68 million on 2,270 new X26Ps. And officials wanted more. Within months, LAPD would have nearly 3,200 of the new Tasers in its arsenal. The X26P was gradually replacing the previous model on the street. By the end of 2015, they accounted for 65 percent of Taser shots, according to data reviewed by APM Reports. But signs of trouble began to emerge: The department's own data showed that Tasers were less effective. That caught the attention of local media. In March, KPCC reported the story; the next month, the L.A. Times published a report that nearly a quarter of the people shot by LAPD in 2015 were wounded or killed after a Taser failed to subdue them. "Troubling story," retired Captain Greg Meyer wrote in an email to department leaders after reading the L.A. Times story. But emails obtained by APM Reports show that Meyer's concern was met with a dose of skepticism by then-Assistant Chief Michel Moore, who today leads the department. Moore pointed to a rumor around the department that "the new X26P is less effective," but he didn't have a definitive explanation. "Could be result of us requiring our people to carry in the field and they would like to undermine its usefulness," he wrote. "May also be the consequence of it being relatively new. Also digging into this to dispel the rumors." Days later, Moore fired off another email to some staffers seeking answers. "I need your folks to do some research on the effectiveness of the X26P," the emails show. Publicly, however, the department went on the defensive. Charlie Beck, the chief at the time, appeared on KTLA explaining that Tasers are one of many tools available for officers. "None of them are 100 percent effective, and I think that's important to note," he said. "[W]e have to have realistic expectations." What Beck didn't mention was that the department had just bought thousands of brand-new X26Ps. Two days later, the L.A. Times editorial board cautioned the department not to count on Tasers as a "magic solution" to reducing police shootings. In response, emails show, Moore directed a staffer to "prepare a rebuttal to support the added devices." With that email, the flurry of chatter within LAPD seemed to stop. Two months later, on June 22, 2016, the city signed a contract with Axon for 4,400 more of the X26P Tasers that officers were reporting as less reliable. When the devices arrived, LAPD had enough new Tasers to equip almost every patrol officer. Today, the department owns more than 7,500 X26P Tasers, worth nearly $7 million -- one of the largest police Taser arsenals in the country. CLAIMS DON'T MATCH POLICE DATA Axon has made varying claims over the years about how reliably its Tasers incapacitate suspects. In earnings calls and marketing materials, company officials have asserted that Tasers are effective 86 percent, 94 percent, and 97 percent of the time in the field. The company has even claimed success rates of 99 or 100 percent in testing and demonstrations. Axon no longer makes such precise assertions of effectiveness in its marketing materials. Still, as recently as 2015, its chief executive officer said in an interview that the weapons were effective "80 to 95 percent" of the time. But the APM Reports investigation found that police rate Tasers as less effective than the company has claimed. APM Reports sought data on Taser usage from departments in the nation's 20 largest cities and received usable data from 12 of them. APM Reports spent months negotiating with LAPD over the release of the data, which was acquired via an open records request and included all Taser discharges, regardless of model, between 2013 and early 2018. It showed that Tasers stopped suspects 57 percent of the time officers fired them. The department with the highest rated effectiveness -- El Paso, Texas -- corresponds to the lowest end of Axon's claims: 80 percent. Seven of the 12 departments had effectiveness rates below 70 percent. In Indianapolis, for example, using a Taser to subdue someone was only a little better than a 50-50 proposition. The departments show a wide range of effectiveness in part due to varying definitions and measures. For instance, the LAPD counted every trigger pull as a Taser usage. Other departments, such as the New York Police Department, only track uses by each officer involved in an incident, not separate trigger pulls. In its statement to APM Reports, Axon said that data from police departments doesn't accurately reflect Taser effectiveness because it may not include instances when a suspect was subdued after an officer merely displayed or threatened to fire a Taser. The company argues that the sight of the weapon can be a significant deterrent to a suspect. And those incidents should count as effective use. In most cases, the data that APM Reports obtained from the 12 major police departments reflected whether the Tasers subdued a suspect after an officer fired it. And none of the departments -- over years of engagements and more than 30,000 uses -- saw effectiveness rates near 95 percent, the top of the range claimed by Axon's Chief Executive Officer Rick Smith in 2015. In three big cities -- Los Angeles, New York and Houston -- APM Reports found that two of Axon's newer Tasers, the X2 and the X26P, were less effective at bringing down suspects than older models. The declines in effectiveness in L.A., New York and Houston were remarkably similar. In each city, effectiveness dropped between 6 and 7 percentage points when officers used the lower-powered weapons. Given the size of the datasets, each city saw a statistically significant correlation between the lower-powered Tasers and the decline in effectiveness. Combined, the datasets for the three cities covered nearly 14,900 Taser uses. APM Reports also analyzed the data to determine what other factors -- such as incident type or the rank of the officer involved -- might account for the lower effectiveness. Even controlling for those other potential factors, the analysis found that the model of Taser remained an important predictor of effectiveness. By 2016, as the department was working to put a Taser in the hands of nearly every LAPD patrol officer, the weapons were being used more often than they had a few years earlier. And they were used prior to several high-profile shootings, LAPD records show. For instance, in March 2017, police tried to subdue Alejandro Valencia Mendez with an X26P after he refused to drop a 5-foot metal pipe he was using to threaten bystanders. The probes didn't penetrate Valencia's coat. He was shot and killed. A PRODUCT OF L.A. Axon, the company that makes virtually every Taser in use by law enforcement, is based in Scottsdale, Ariz. But the story of the Taser begins in Los Angeles. The weapons first came on the scene after Eula Love, a woman suffering from a mental illness, was fatally shot by police in her yard in Watts in 1979. She'd hit a utility worker with a shovel during a dispute over her unpaid bills. When two LAPD officers arrived, she brandished and threw a butcher's knife. Police shot and killed her. The incident shook public confidence in LAPD. Greg Meyer, a young officer at the time, was assigned to research options for non-lethal force. He told APM Reports that his mandate was clear: "We've got to find a better way in these types of standoff situations to end the situation without having to shoot somebody." Meyer and a colleague visited the lab of a Los Angeles engineer named Jack Cover, who was shopping his invention, the Taser, a loose acronym for "Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle," a sci-fi adventure novel from the early 1900s. Problems emerged, though. "They were not working in the field test," Meyer said. LAPD decided to return the Tasers to Cover, who increased their power from 7 to 11 watts. "Immediately we started having complete successes," Meyer said. The department decided to put in an order and the Tasers were given to officers. A decade later, LAPD officers appeared to be using Tasers sparingly. In 1990, there were 3,403 use-of-force incidents, according to the department. Of those, only 134 -- less than 5 percent -- involved Tasers, the L.A. Times reported at the time. Then came the beating of Rodney King in 1991. Before he was pummeled by officers, he'd been unsuccessfully shocked with a Taser. After the incident, officers wrongly reported that drugs allowed King to resist the Taser's shocks, allowing him to break free from the wires. King sued the LAPD, and expert witnesses testified that the Taser hadn't worked because an air gap between King's pants and his leg had broken the electrical circuit. LAPD also concluded there was another factor. By examining the maintenance record of the Taser used on King, Meyer said he discovered that during a factory refurbishment, its power had been reduced from 11 watts to 7 watts. "If Rodney King had been hit with an 11-watt Taser instead of a 7-watt Taser you probably would have never heard of him," Meyer said. "He would be in handcuffs in a police car before the videotape ever rolled." In 1994, Rick Smith and Cover built a new device that they called the Air Taser, and Smith's fledgling company began selling it. To convince police departments to make the switch, Smith needed to solve a big problem: His weapons weren't powerful enough. With the company's last million dollars, he "dialed up" the electrical charge in every Taser pulse and crammed more muscle-contracting pulses into every second, according Axon's literature. He also made the weapon look more like a gun and fit neatly into a holster. The resulting models, the M26 and its smaller successor, the X26, were hot sellers with police departments. Smith changed the name of the company to Taser International and took it public. By 2003, it was dominating Taser sales. From then on, Smith's company had the U.S. market to itself. Last year, Axon reported $420 million in sales, up 22 percent from a year earlier. The company took in $253 million of that from Tasers, according to SEC filings. 'IT LOOKED LIKE IT ENERGIZED HIM' The officer's X26P struck Jason Davis in the chest, zapping him for five seconds. But he didn't collapse. "If anything," said Zambas, "it looked like it energized him." The officer who fired the X26P, according to the investigative report, said that his suspect "tensed up momentarily before continuing to charge." For the weapon to work, a lot has to go right. First, an officer must hit the target. Then, two barbed darts shot from the gun must strike within an inch or so of the skin to deliver a debilitating jolt of electricity. Where the darts hit matters, too. They must be at least a foot apart from each other when they hit someone for the electricity to flow through enough muscle to reliably incapacitate the person. A few seconds later, the other officer fired his gun at Davis. According to police reports, Davis was shot in the shoulder and stomach, then "fell to the ground and rolled onto the sidewalk." Said Zambas: "I thought it was by the book. The Taser didn't work, and they had to shoot him." An autopsy didn't find any marks on his skin to indicate the Taser probes made contact. A video shows Davis wearing a loose, unzipped sweatshirt, which could have created an air gap -- sometimes called a "clothing disconnect" -- like the one between Rodney King's pants and leg. As the officer's and the witness's statements suggest, Davis appeared to have felt some sort of shock - but not powerful enough to drop him or stop him in his tracks. Davis died two days later. A year after his death, LAPD said it enhanced its Tasers in an effort to improve effectiveness. It purchased new cartridges that added distance to the shot and longer darts that the company said would more easily penetrate heavier clothing. In October 2018, as APM Reports was conducting its research for this investigation, Axon released a new model, the Taser 7, which the company is marketing as the "most effective" yet. LAPD told APM Reports it'll be reviewing the effectiveness of the X26Ps as some approach the end of their five-year lifespan in February. While the department publicly stands by the popular model, Peters, the assistant chief, told APM Reports it'll consider adopting the Taser 7. "We're in a better position from a budget standpoint and knowing that this is coming," he added. "We're starting to look at that replacement." Today Davis's mother, Paula Laroway, said she's still unsettled by the lack of answers about what went wrong when police shot and killed her son. She still replays the scenario in her head. After it happened, Laroway repeatedly watched the video that a bystander posted of Davis lying on the ground, and she wished for a different ending. "It was as if I could still reach out to him or something," she said. "It was done, and he's dead." *Note to readers: APM Reports is part of American Public Media Group, the parent company of KPCC/LAist. Finance Ministry okays another Rs 700 million for Bhairahawa airport project The Finance Ministry said it had approved additional funding of Rs700 million to restart the stalled Gautam Buddha International Airport project. 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11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (2) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (2) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (2) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (2) Mar 22 (1) Mar 21 (1) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (2) Mar 18 (2) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (2) Mar 14 (2) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (2) Mar 07 (1) Mar 06 (2) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (2) Mar 01 (1) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (1) Feb 25 (1) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (2) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (2) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (2) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (1) Feb 14 (1) Feb 13 (1) Feb 12 (2) Feb 11 (1) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (1) Feb 08 (1) Feb 07 (1) Feb 06 (1) Feb 05 (5) Feb 03 (1) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (1) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (5) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (3) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (4) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (3) Jan 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10 (3) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (3) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (5) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (6) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (4) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (5) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (2) Aug 07 (2) Aug 06 (2) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (2) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (2) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (6) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (4) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 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11 (6) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (1) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (4) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (4) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (6) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (4) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (4) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (4) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (4) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (4) Jan 25 (3) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (4) Jan 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11 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (4) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (7) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (5) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (2) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) 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(3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (3) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (5) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (4) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (4) May 19 (3) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (1) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (3) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (3) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (3) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (3) Mar 01 (3) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (3) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (3) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (5) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (3) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (2) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (2) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (2) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (2) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (1) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (1) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (1) Sep 15 (2) Sep 14 (2) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 11 (2) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 12 (1) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (6) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (6) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (4) May 29 (4) May 28 (5) May 27 (5) May 26 (5) May 25 (4) May 24 (5) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (3) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (3) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (4) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (6) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (5) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (5) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (7) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (7) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (8) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (3) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (6) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (6) Jan 26 (6) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (5) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (4) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (6) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (7) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (6) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (5) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (4) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (5) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (4) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (4) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (3) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (4) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (4) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (3) Sep 09 (3) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (2) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (4) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (3) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (8) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (3) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (3) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (2) Jun 21 (1) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (3) Jun 15 (7) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (5) Jun 11 (4) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (4) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (3) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (3) May 25 (4) May 24 (2) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (2) May 20 (3) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (2) May 14 (6) May 13 (4) May 12 (2) May 11 (3) May 10 (2) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (4) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (2) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (2) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (2) Apr 14 (4) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (4) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (6) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (4) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (4) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (4) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (4) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (4) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 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Tuesday, May 14, 2019 From the web page of the Tennessee Supreme Court The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld an attorneys public censure, concluding that the sanction was not arbitrary or capricious and was supported by substantial and material evidence. This disciplinary matter arose out of Carlos Eugene Moores representation of his client in a personal injury action. Mr. Moore entered into a contingent fee agreement with his client, which provided that if the client refused to accept a settlement offer that Mr. Moore advised was reasonable and should be taken, the client would be required to pay Mr. Moore the contingency fee on the basis of that offer unless waived by Mr. Moore. When Mr. Moore received a settlement offer, he advised his client that she should accept the offer, but she refused. The trial court then granted Mr. Moores motion to withdraw from representation of the client, and Mr. Moore filed a series of motions for a lien against his clients eventual recovery in her personal injury case for fees and expenses presently owed. The hearing panel determined that Mr. Moores contingency fee agreement violated the Rules of Professional Conduct because the fee was unreasonable in that it was not contingent on the cases outcome but rather contingent upon Mr. Moores determination that a settlement offer was reasonable. The panel also determined that, in Mr. Moores motions to assert lien filed, Mr. Moore violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by seeking an amount in excess of the fee agreement and using an hourly rate, which was not contemplated in the written fee agreement. Accordingly, the panel imposed a public censure as Mr. Moores discipline. The chancery court, on appeal, upheld the decision of the hearing panel. Mr. Moore then appealed to the Tennessee Supreme Court. In the unanimous opinion authored by Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, the Court agreed with the hearing panel that the contingent fee agreement was ambiguous at best and that, under two possible interpretations, the fee was based on the original settlement offer and not the clients eventual recovery. Thus, the fee was unreasonable and violated the Rules of Professional Conduct because the Rules only allow a contingency fee on the outcome of the matter. The Court also agreed with the hearing panel that the contingency fee agreement violated the Rules of Professional Conduct because it gave Mr. Moore a proprietary interest in any settlement offer arising in the case. The Court determined that the hearing panels judgment was supported by evidence that is both substantial and material. As a result, the panels judgment was not arbitrary or capricious. The Court affirmed the judgments of the trial court and the hearing panel imposing a public censure. To read the Courts opinion in Carlos Eugene Moore v. Board of Professional Responsibility, authored by Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, go to the opinions section of TNCourts.gov. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/05/contingent-fee-with-ambiguity-draws-tennessee-censure.html The U.S.-based business Amazon is often called a technology company. But many people know the company best for all the products it sells on the internet. Amazons website offers everything from jewelry and electronics to health and beauty care products. Now, Amazon is looking for ways to ship its products faster to buyers across the United States. It is trying to speed up product delivery times. To do that, the company announced a plan Monday: to pay its employees to give up their job and help them start a business delivering Amazon packages. The offer comes as the company tries to decrease its shipping times for Amazon Prime members. The goal is to deliver goods to Prime members in one day. Amazon says it will pay up to $10,000 in costs for employees who are accepted into the new delivery program. Once accepted, Amazon says it will pay the former employees what amounts to three months of their former wages. The offer is open to most part-time and full-time Amazon employees, including those working in warehouses and other places where products are stored. The company, based in Seattle, Washington, did not say how many employees it expects to take them up on the offer. The new announcement is part of a program Amazon started a year ago. That program lets anyone offer to launch an independent Amazon delivery business. John Felton is Amazons vice president of global delivery services. He said that more than 200 Amazon delivery businesses have been created since the company launched the program in June of 2018. Milton Collier heads one of the delivery services. He started the business in Atlanta, Georgia about eight months ago. Since then, it has grown to include 50 vehicles and about 120 employees. Collier says his business is already preparing for the one-day shipping goal by looking for more workers. Were ready, said Collier. I'm John Russell. Joseph Pisano reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted his report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story delivery -n. the act of taking something to a person or place global adj. of or related to the whole world; worldwide We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Patient Number One is a thin man with all the hair removed from his head. Years of drug use cost him his wife, his money and his self-respect. Now, he meets with a surgeon who will operate on him in 72 hours. The doctor plans to cut two small holes in the mans head and connect electrodes to his brain. Doctors have long used the treatment, known as deep brain stimulation, or DBS, for movement disorders like Parkinsons disease. Now, they are performing the first clinical trial of DBS for methamphetamine addiction at the Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China. Patient Number One was the first patient in the study. The surgeon plans to implant a device that acts like a pacemaker for the brain. It electrically stimulates targeted areas. Researchers in Europe have struggled to get patients for their DBS addiction studies. In the United States, complex social and scientific questions have made it hard to move forward with studies of the treatment. Eight registered DBS clinical trials for drug addiction are taking place around the world. Six of those are in China. That information comes from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Patient Number One, whose last name is Yan, said doctors told him the surgery was not dangerous. But I still get nervous, he said. Its my first time to go on the operating table. Treating Addiction in China Before brain implants, there was brain lesioning. In China, families of heroin users paid doctors thousands of dollars to destroy small masses of brain tissue. Many patients had side effects, including emotional disorders and lost memories. In 2004, Chinas Ministry of Health ordered a stop to the use of brain lesioning. DBS builds on that history. But unlike lesioning, which kills brain cells, DBS devices offer a treatment that is, at least in theory, reversible. In China, DBS devices can cost less than $25,000. Many patients pay with money they have saved up. Li Dianyou is Yans surgeon. You can rest assured for the safety of this operation, he told Yan. It is no problem. When it comes to effectiveness, you are not the first one, nor the last one. You can take it easy because we have done this a lot. In fact, there are risks. Yan could suffer brain damage. He could have had changes to his personality; he could have developed seizures. He may have even gone right back to drugs. DBS in the US Critics believe the surgery should not be permitted. They argue that these experiments fail to deal directly with the issues that drive addiction. Scientists do not fully understand how DBS works. They still debate where they should place electrodes to treat addiction. Two U.S. clinical trials on DBS for depression failed around five years ago. At least two U.S. laboratories dropped clinical trials of DBS for treating alcoholism over concerns about study design. The partial results did not seem to justify the risks, researchers told the Associated Press. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 500,000 Americans died of drug overdoses between 2008 and 2017. That is more than the total number of U.S. soldiers who died in World War II and Vietnam combined. In February, the Food and Drug Administration approved a small trial of DBS for opioid use disorder. The FDA did not comment on the action. People are dying, said Ali Rezai, the leader of the study at West Virginia Universitys Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute on Drug Abuse. Their lives are devastated. Its a brain issue. We need to explore all options. Nader Pouratian is a neurosurgeon at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is investigating the use of DBS for chronic pain. Pouratian said it is an appropriate time to research DBS for drug addiction, but only if we can move forward in ethical, well-informed, well-designed studies. What is this machine doing inside my head? Yan, Patient Number One, had his surgery about six months ago. He was awake when the doctor used a drill to cut through his skull. The noise made him shake. Later the same day, he was given drugs so he could sleep through a second operation. Doctors implanted a battery pack in his chest to power the electrodes in his skull. Hours after, Yan still had not woken up from the anesthesia. His father began crying. Doctors wondered if his drug use had changed how his body reacted to anesthesia. Finally, 10 hours later, Yan opened his eyes. Two days after the surgery, doctors turned on his DBS device. When the device turned on, he felt energized. He stayed awake that night; he said he spent the whole night thinking about drugs. The next day, Doctor Li used a tablet computer to adjust the machine connected to Yans head. The doctor asked how Yan felt. Agitated, Yan said. Li made a few changes. Any feelings now? he asked. Pretty happy now, Yan said. Yan notes that he felt the changes the machine made. It controls your happiness, anger, grief and joy, he said. Six months later, Yan said he is still off drugs. His skin has improved and he has gained some weight. Sometimes, in his new life, Yan touches the hard cable wiring in his neck. It leads from the battery pack to the electrodes in his brain. And he wonders: What is the machine doing inside my head? I'm John Russell. And Im Alice Bryant Erika Kinetz reported on this story for the Associated Press; Associated Press researcher Chen Si contributed to the report. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz - Doctors Operate on the Brain to Treat Drug Addiction Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story electrode n. a point through which electricity flows into or out of a battery or other device addiction n. the condition of growing dependent on something pacemaker n. a machine for activating or controlling the heartbeat stimulate v. to produce activity or greater activity alcoholism n. a medical condition in which someone drinks too much alcohol and becomes unable to live a normal and healthy life opioid n. opioids are a class of drugs that include opium, heroin, and synthetic drugs such as fentanyl ethical adj. involving questions of right and wrong behavior drill n. a tool used for making holes in hard substances battery n. a container with one or more cells in which chemical energy is made into electricity and used to make power adjust v. to change We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. In 2016, U.S. candidates for public office were thinking mainly about how to get elected. But at the same time, Russian agents were attacking computers and computer networks in the United States. Those cyberattacks changed American politics. The effects and costs of the Russian operation have become a major issue during Donald Trumps presidency. And it all started when someone opened an inviting email and entered a password. Have U.S. presidential candidates and their campaigns learned from the 2016 cyberattacks? That is a big question with less than nine months before the first event in the 2020 campaign season. Preventing future attacks will not be easy. And it will cost a lot. Unmatched defenses Robby Mook managed former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons presidential election campaign in 2016. He compares political campaigns to U.S. government agencies, like the Department of Defense. If you are the Pentagon or the NSA, you have the most skilled adversaries in the world trying to get in, but you also have some of the most skilled people working defense. Campaigns are facing similar adversaries, and they dont have similar resources," he said. Mook added that U.S. campaigns generally do not employ experts to prevent cyberattacks. Traditionally, cybersecurity has not been important for candidates, especially in the early weeks of a campaign. They need to raise money and get people to work for them during the campaign. Presidential candidates also need to pay rent for office space, talk to supporters and travel repeatedly to early voting states. Funding campaign security Then there is the question of how to spend money. Security systems for computer networks may cost more than a good television advertisement. Robby Mook told The Associated Press: You shouldnt have to choose between getting your message out to voters and keeping the Chinese from reading your emails. Mook is now with the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School in Massachusetts. He has been helping develop a plan for a nonprofit group to provide cybersecurity support and additional help directly to campaigns. Question of trust Other help is available from the cyber agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or DHS. However, the campaigns of some Democratic Party candidates may feel uneasy working with an administration they are trying to defeat. Matt Masterson is a cybersecurity adviser with Homeland Security. He says the first step will be to establish trust between the agency and different campaigns. Then, DHS can share intelligence about possible threats and the campaigns can give DHS information. The department also will test a campaigns or partys computer networks for weaknesses. Masterson said the biggest issue is that a political campaign is a temporary operation, which has many people coming and going. It is hard to control the use of campaign computers. John Delaney, a former congressman, was the first Democrat to announce he is a candidate for president. He sees cybersecurity as a fixed cost. Simple technology Its not supercomputers cracking through your firewalls, he said. Its really tempting emails that people respond to and give away information. The 2016 cyberattacks were low-tech, meaning they involved only simple technology. Russian agents sent hundreds of emails to the personal and work emails of Clinton campaign workers and volunteers. The emails were made to look like they were from the campaign officials and asked the reader to activate a link and enter a password. Such emails also went to people working for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee. After an employee gave up password information, the Russians were able to connect to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees networks. They used that to gain entry to the Democratic National Committee. Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta, fell for the same trick on his personal email account. He made the mistake of clicking on a link and entering his password. Then, Russians stole thousands of Podesta's private messages about what was happening inside the Clinton campaign. Training and preparation But the Clinton campaign had not ignored cybersecurity. Mook told the AP that a lot of money was spent to train campaign workers on cyber threats. They had even sent emails to test staffers ability to detect phishing attempts. It was easy for the Russians to attack U.S. computer networks in 2016, so the 2020 presidential election campaigns now need to take extra care. Hillary Clinton has been talking about this with Democratic presidential candidates. Unless we know how to protect our election from what happened before and what could happen again...you could lose, Clinton said. I dont mean it to scare everybody. But I do want every candidate to understand this remains a threat. California Senator Kamala Harris campaign said it was teaching campaign workers the basic methods that prevent cyberattacks. All staff is being trained on threats and ways to avoid being a target, a campaign spokesperson said. Others seeking the Democratic Partys nomination did not want to talk about the subject. Trumps re-election campaign would not talk to the AP either. Caution at the White House The president has often downplayed Russias interference in 2016. He says the attacks were less serious than first thought. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Trumps team told her not to bring up election security during her meetings with him. Administration officials claim election security is an important issue for them. Chris Krebs is head of DHS cyber efforts. He told lawmakers at a House committee hearing that his office is working hard to protect the election of 2020. Id ask each of you: Do you know if your campaign is working with us? Im Jill Robbins. Colleen Long and Christina A. Cassidy reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story password - n. a secret series of numbers or letters that gives users rights to use a computer or computer system manage v. to supervise or organize NSA - n. National Security Agency adversary - n. an enemy or opponent rent n. a payment for temporary use of something firewall n. a barrier or security system that controls incoming and outgoing messages phishing - n. the custom of sending emails that look like they are from well-known companies in order to influence individuals to provide personal information What is your country doing to prevent cyberattacks? Write to us in the Comments Section. Tarkeshwar Tiwary works at a hospital in central Pennsylvania. He is a doctor and specializes in treating diseases involving the lungs. Tiwary is among the nearly 50,000 licensed Indian doctors working in the United States. He is also one of more than 300,000 Indian immigrants waiting for legal permanent residency under an employment-based visa. The 45-year-old doctor says he feels invested in the rural Pennsylvania community where he works. However, the wait for a green card a pathway to becoming a U.S. citizen is taking too long. Tiwary told VOA, "What was promised to me was that if I intend to immigrate, I will be immigrating in a reasonable period of time. If I had gone to any other country, like Canada or Australia, I would have been a citizen much, much earlier." One common path to permanent residency is through an H-1B visa. That visa is open to those with a "specialty occupation." About 75 percent of all H-1B visa holders are Indian nationals. Most of them work in computer-related jobs. But a 7 percent per-country, per-year limit on employment-based green cards has increased wait times across all occupations. David Bier is an immigration policy expert with the CATO Institute research center. He notes that wait times have been increasing since 2003-2004. He added that for a time, it seemed liked the U.S. governments Citizenship and Immigration Services stopped processing visa requests. Since then, he said, lots of people have given up. Rural communities hit hardest If Tiwary and other Indian doctors decide to leave the United States, the move would affect rural communities across Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. Many people living there travel more than an hour to receive specialized care. Joanne Cochran is president and chief executive officer at Keystone Health, a health care provider in the city of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. She notes that nearly one in five patients in the Chambersburg area lives in poverty. About 65 percent of pediatric patients receive medical assistance. Keystone counts heavily on foreign-born family doctors, many of them from India on H-1B and J-1 exchange visitor visas. Cochran told VOA, "We have Indian doctors in family medicine, psychiatry pediatrics, internal medicine, infectious disease, urgent care...It would be a huge hardship [if they were to leave]." Mohamed Abdus Samad is also waiting for a permanent residency card. He is a medical doctor and specializes in kidney care and diseases of the kidneys. Samad works at Chambersburg Hospital. Some of his patients travel 80 to 100 kilometers to see him. As the need for kidney specialists increases and his ties with patients grow stronger, the decision to wait for a green card becomes harder. "They (the patients) are grateful for the care that they get, but it also puts pressure on me, said the 32-year-old doctor. If I want to make any move, I have to think about what will happen to those patients." Christine Newman is one of Samads patients. She worries it could take months to get an appointment at another hospital if Samad and other doctors with similar visa issues were to leave. "They're doing what they're supposed to," Newman said. "[The U.S. government] should cut through that red tape and get them in." Indian doctors also face other issues. The Department of Homeland Security wants to change the rules of an employment program created during the presidency of Barack Obama. The program enables wives or husbands of H-1B visa workers to gain employment. If the rules change, it would affect about 90,000 people, mostly highly educated Indian women. Im Jonathan Evans. Ramon Taylor reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story licensed adj. having official permission to have or do something; pediatric adj. of or relating to the medical care or illnesses of children residency n. legal permission to live in a place red tape n. a series of actions or complicated tasks that seem unnecessary but that a government or organization requires you to do in order to get or do something Justice, interrupted The NHRC is an important constitutional body and it should be allowed to function independently. Lawmakers lobby for hiking constituency development fund As the government expedites the process to finalise the annual budget, members of the federal parliament have intensified their lobbying to double the budget for the Local Infrastructure Partnership Programme and revive the controversial Constituency Development Programme. Regarding St. Charles wants state taxpayers to pay $2 million to re-create an island on the Missouri River (May 1): Kudos to Post-Dispatch reporter Jack Suntrup for uncovering another self-serving taxpayer-funded private development. St. Charles County officials bemoan the Monarch-Chesterfield Levee District, which protects the Chesterfield Valley. These same officials wont fund St. Louis area problems or tourist attractions, Their attitude is that if it doesnt benefit St. Charles, then it shouldnt be funded. Missouri State Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, wants state taxpayers to fund the creation of an attraction like San Antonios River Walk by raising Bangert Island. This would create a prime area for private development, funded not by St. Charles, but by the entire state. I lived in San Antonio for seven years, and I would not walk around the Missouri River Valley from October through May. The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) attended the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit 2019 in the Philippines. The four-day event featured a series of panel sessions, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)/PATA Leaders Debate, the PATA Annual General Meeting and the PATA Youth Symposium. The Annual Summit, one of the PATAs major annual events, had Global Editorial Director Andrew Staples of the Economist Corporate Network giving a keynote speech. Co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk of Airbnb was interviewed in the BBC Leadership Interview. The Annual Summit attracted 383 delegates representing a total of 194 entities, coming from 43 countries and regions across Asia Pacific. Fight in Fai Chi Kei eatery injured three Two groups of diners were involved in a fight at a congee eatery in Fai Chi Kei at around 3 a.m. on Sunday, leaving three people injured. The police are currently conducting an investigation into the fight. In total, there were seven people involved, six men and one women, all of whom were aged between 30 and 40. One group said they were being verbally provoked before they began a physical altercation with the other group; the other group said a female friend was hit from behind by a beer bottle, which then led to the fight. One of the three injured, all were released from hospital. Govt to transfer 3% to Social Security Fund yearly At the end of every year, the government will transfer a total of 3% from the Central Budget Balance to the Social Security Fund. This measure said to ensure the sustainability of the Social Security Scheme over the next 48 years. The measure was announced on last Friday by the Executive Council that informed it had concluded the analysis of the bill that aims to facilitate the implementation of these amendments to the law. As was announced, the measure is the fulfillment of the promise made by Chief Executive Chui Sai On during his candidacy for his second term. It is expected that the nominated percentage will equal to a yearly amount of around MOP500 million. The government has moved forward with the idea of penalizing the spreading of false rumors during typhoons or other civil protection-related crisis with imprisonment for up to three years. The bill defines the crime as against safety, order and public peace during sudden incidents of public nature, and it is normally punishable with imprisonment for two years, or a fine equivalent to 240 days. However in instances when conduct causes social panic and affects the operations of the authorities, it can be escalated to three years of imprisonment. This is one of the measures within in the final proposal of the bill that aims to create a basic law of civil protection. The analysis of the bill was concluded by the Executive Council which presented the final draft last week. The new bill proposes to finally establish a legal framework for the measure first announced by the government after the occurrence of Typhoon Hato in 2017. It will extend the mandate of the authority and the Chief Executive (CE) to act in cases of calamity. Among the announced measures is giving the CE the power to order the closure of casinos and the evacuation of people from houses located in endangered areas. These measures are not only triggered in cases of emergencies and natural catastrophes such as typhoons, but also during other kinds of public incidents that pose a risk to either public health or safety. The bill also clearly defines the level of responsibility during such events from public and private, as well as individual people, establishing punishments for disobedience in cases where entities and people fail to comply with their duties. Drunken Dragon Dance is a core ceremony celebrating Buddhas Birthday in Macau. It is a ritual praying for peace and health. There are at least two legends which explain this ritual. In one version, a monk about to bathe in a river was attacked by a snake which he later killed and chopped into several chunks. Afterwards, several seemingly drunk fishermen appeared and danced with the body. Surprisingly, the snake came back to life and flew away as a dragon. In the other version, when villagers prayed to Buddha against a plague, a snake leaped out of the water and was slain. Its blood turned the water red but the plague disappeared, which made the villagers think it was an incarnation of dragon. The ritual has changed over time, but the core remains: the head and the tail of the dragon crafted into wooden artifacts. Normally several dragons appear in a dance. In the night before the dance, the fisherman community gathers to eat and pray. During dinner some of them will start dancing with the wooden dragons. The dinner also makes the foundation for the Rice of the Dragon Boat Head that symbolizes longevity. The ritual is also observed in Zhuhai and Zhongshan, collectively known as Xiangshan County. Buddhas Birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month in Chinese- speaking jurisdictions. Staff reporter Filipinos voted yesterday in midterm elections highlighted by a showdown between President Rodrigo Dutertes allies who aim to dominate the Senate and opposition candidates fighting for checks and balances under a leader they regard as a looming dictator. Nearly 62 million Filipinos have registered to choose among 43,500 candidates vying for about 18,000 congressional and local posts, including 81 governors, 1,634 mayors and more than 13,500 city and town councilors in 81 provinces, in one of Asias most rambunctious democracies. Final results are expected to be declared in at least a week for national posts and a few days for local positions unless specific outcomes come under protest. Many see the elections as a crucial referendum on Dutertes rise to power with a brutal crackdown on illegal drugs that has left thousands dead, his unorthodox leadership style, combative and sexist joke-laden outbursts and contentious embrace of China. President Dutertes name is not on the ballot but this is very much a referendum on his three years of very disruptive yet very popular presidency, Manila-based analyst Richard Heydarian said. The outcome will show whether the Filipino populace affirms or rejects Dutertes authoritarian-style leadership in an Asian bastion of democracy, Heydarian said. Wearing casual clothes, Duterte cast his vote at a school in his hometown in southern Davao city before voting closed at nightfall. He told reporters that he was ready to step down if all his candidates lose. Asked about his three children, who are running in the elections, Duterte said he wished they would abandon politics. He warned his daughter, Sara, who is running for re-election as Davao city mayor and has been seen as a possible successor for him, that the presidency will just destroy you. The most crucial races are for 12 seats in the 24-member Senate, which Duterte wants to fill with allies to bolster his legislative agenda. That includes the return of the death penalty, lowering the age for criminal liability of child offenders, and revising the countrys 1987 constitution primarily to allow a shift to a federal form of government, a proposal some critics fear may be a cover to remove term limits. Military and police forces were on full alert to respond to any violence, especially in security hotspots that include the entire southern region of Mindanao, and to help prevent cheating amid intense local political rivalries. Two explosions were reported in southern Maguindanao province, including one grenade blast shortly before voting started at 6 a.m. that caused no injuries. In Lanao del Sur province, also in the south, three men in a parked van were arrested after they tried to hurl a grenade at soldiers guarding a voting center in Marantao town. The grenade hit the vans window and exploded in the van, wounding one of the three suspects, who also possessed a homemade bomb, army brigade commander Col. Romeo Brawner said. Despite pockets of violence, Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez said the campaign has been relatively peaceful compared to past years. Police say 20 people have died in poll-related violence. Jim Gomez, Philippines, AP Nepali Congress disrupts State 3 assembly over name, capital issues Nepali Congress (NC) obstructed the assembly meeting of Province 3 in Hetauda on Monday for ignoring the longstanding issue of naming the province and designating its capital. Hong Kongs legislative assembly descended into chaos over the weekend as lawmakers for and against controversial amendments to the territorys extradition law clashed over access to the chamber. At least one lawmaker was taken from the chamber on a gurney after apparently fainting during the morning melee, in which legislators pushed and shoved each other on the floor, amid seats and tables and in an adjoining hallway. The amendments have been widely criticized as eroding the semi-autonomous Chinese territorys judicial 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. However, Chinas ruling Communist Party has been seen as increasingly reneging on that agreement by forcing through unpopular legal changes. Legislators in the pro-Beijing camp attempted to seat Abraham Razack, also known as Abraham Shek, who had been named earlier in the week through another committee and a contested interpretation of council rules to replace pro-democrat James To Kun-sun as head of the Bills Committee. To had stalled passage of the legislation over two sessions and Razack was seen as the best chance to push it through before the July recess. However, pro-democracy legislators continued to claim James To is the legitimate chief of the committee guiding discussion of the proposed new law. Both they and their opponents had scheduled rival meetings on the same topic in the same Legislative Council meeting room on Saturday, starting just 30 minutes apart. The two rival committees both claimed to be in charge of the same process of scrutinizing the new law before deciding on whether to vote on it. At one point, Wu Chi-wai, the Democratic Party chairman who tried to stop Shek from presiding over the meeting, shouted at him, saying Dont be a sinner for a athousand years! Dont sell out Hong Kong. The legislator removed by paramedics was identified as Gary Fan Kwok-wai of Neo Democrats. The amendments expand the scope for the transfer of criminal suspects to China and remove the legislatures right to scrutinize individual extradition decisions filed by Hong Kongs chief executive. They could also open the way for further measures to erode Hong Kongs civil liberties, including the passage of anti-subversion legislation that has been strongly opposed by many. Saturdays legislative scuffle came weeks after a Hong Kong court handed down prison sentences of up to 16 months to eight leaders of massive 2014 pro-democracy protests on public nuisance charges. The harsh sentences were seen as an effort by the Hong Kong government to draw a line under the protests amid pressure from Beijing. Tens of thousands of people marched against the extradition law amendments in Hong Kong last month and numerous legal, professional and human rights organizations have voiced their opposition. They warn the amendments would undermine not just Hong Kongs legal independence but also its attractiveness as a center for international business. Hong Kongs Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said last week the government would further explain the proposed fugitive law change to the public, according to the governments press office. Some citizens and overseas organizations might have misunderstandings about the proposed law amendments, Cheung said. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has said the amendments must be passed to close a loophole under which the government has been unable to extradite a Hong Kong man, Chan Tong-kai, accused of killing his girlfriend in Taiwan last year. Lam was chosen in 2017 from among a slate of candidates approved by Beijing and elected by a 1,200-member pro-China electoral body. However, self-governing Taiwan has firmly ruled out signing any extradition agreement with Hong Kong unless it is treated as an equal, a condition Beijing, which claims the island as its own territory, is certain to reject. That would appear to undermine one of the governments major justifications for the amendments. Taiwanese officials have also warned that Taiwanese detained in Hong Kong could be sent to China for their political activities if the amendments are passed. A Taiwanese activist, Lee Ming-che, is currently serving a five-year sentence in China after being convicted by a Chinese court in November 2017 on charges of subverting state power for holding online political lectures and helping the families of jailed Chinese dissidents. Lee disappeared into the custody of the security services in March 2017 after crossing into China from Macau to meet with a friend. His arrest was seen as a sign the ruling party intends to extend its intolerance of criticism even outside its borders. The Hong Kong government will continue to liaise with Taiwan over the homicide case, Cheung said. Alice Fung, Hong Kong, AP The economic growth rate of the Macau SAR was projected at 4.3% in 2019 and about 4.0% over the medium term, the Monetary Authority (AMM) said on Saturday, quoting a report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The monetary watchdog said the IMF concluded the 2019 Article IV Consultation with the Macau SAR and published its staff report over the weekend. The report affirms the regions strong fiscal and external financial positions, credible linked exchange rate system, sound financial system, wide-ranging plans for economic diversification and prudent macroeconomic policies. On the economic outlook, the IMF mission expects the SARs economy to achieve relatively stable and solid growth over the medium term, driven by tourism and continued diversification efforts. The investigation also recognized the prudent macroeconomic policies of the SAR government leading to zero gross debt, which has endowed Macau with large fiscal and external financial buffers. These buffers will continuously anchor the stability of the economy and reduce external vulnerabilities emanating from global economic uncertainties. On the external financial front, the SAR remains a net foreign creditor, driven by its sizable current account surplus and reserves as well as the external position of its banking sector. Macaus ample net foreign assets will underpin its medium-term external solvency. The report mentions Macaus sound financial sector and welcomes the progress to strengthen its anti-money laundering and combating financing of terrorism framework. The financial soundness indicators regarding asset quality, earnings, and liquidity remain robust. The current macroprudential regulations with respect to the real estate market appear broadly appropriate while systemic risks are largely contained, it added. In addition, the IMF welcomed the incentives of the Monetary Authority of Macao in strengthening cross-border supervisory cooperation, which are deemed to facilitate the prevention of regulatory arbitrage and avoidance. FORECAST CONSERVATIVE Professor Zeng Zhonglu of Macau Polytechnic Institutes Gaming Teaching and Research Centre said he expects a slight increase in gambling revenue this year, following the International Monetary Funds forecast. Zengs optimism echoes that of Professor Davis Fong, Director of Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming of the University of Macau, who expressed his confidence in Macaus 2019 gambling revenue early this year. Fong voiced the expectation there would be a single-digit increase in overall gambling revenue, as he saw the 20th anniversary of the Macau Special Administrative Region and the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opportunities to drive in tourists. Zeng considered the IMFs forecast relatively conservative, but basically reliable. He said forecast for Macaus economic growth for this year should be based on two foundations: the result of gambling revenue and the Chinese-America trade negotiation. Three out of the first four months of this year saw falls in gambling revenue, especially in VIP business. Zeng attributed this to the general smoking ban in casino, and expected normalcy after players became accustomed to it. However, Zeng noted difficulty in predicting the effect on gambling revenue caused by the trade war between China and the U.S., especially as this ongoing issue might affect the global economy, which consequentially might affect tourist and consumption figures in Macau. Zeng noted that a slowed economic growth may not necessarily affect gambling revenue. MDT/Agencies Arabia said yesterday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in attacks the previous day that caused significant damage to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. The announcement by the kingdoms energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, came as the U.S. issued a new warning to sailors and the UAEs regional allies condemned Sundays incident that targeted at least four ships, including two Saudi tankers, off the port city of Fujairah. The statement came just hours after Iranian and Lebanese media outlets aired false reports of explosions at Fujairahs port. Emirati officials have declined to elaborate on the nature of the sabotage or say who might have been responsible. The U.S. has warned ships that Iran or its proxies could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. America is deploying an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged threats from Tehran. Sky News Arabia, a satellite channel partly owned by a member of the Abu Dhabi ruling family, aired footage of a tanker identified as the Al Marzoqah that it said had been targeted in the sabotage. The broadcast only showed one side of the ship, which bore no signs of damage, describing it as the closest one to shore in Fujairah. Tensions have risen since President Donald Trump withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and restored U.S. sanctions that have pushed Irans economy into crisis. Last week, Iran warned it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels in 60 days if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. European Union powers were meeting yesterday in Brussels to thrash out ways to keep the Iran nuclear deal afloat, and were likely to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Saud Arabia is Irans regional rival. The statement by al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said the attacks on the two Saudi tankers happened at 6 a.m. Sunday. One of the two vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to Saudi Aramcos customers in the United States, al-Falih said. Fortunately, the attack didnt lead to any casualties or oil spill; however, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels. The kingdoms Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned the incident as a criminal act threatening the safety of maritime traffic, which reflects negatively on regional and international peace and security, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Jon Gambrell, Fujairah, AP Terry Gou, head of the worlds largest contract assembler of consumer electronics, stepped closer to running for president of Taiwan yesterday by announcing that he would not accept a vice presidential slot on the ticket of the opposition Nationalist Party. Gou is chairman of Foxconn, which assembles electronic products such as Apples iPhones. He would bring a strongly pro-business and China-friendly platform to what is expected to be a crowded field for next years presidential election. Gou, who ranks among Taiwans richest people with a fortune estimated by Forbes at USD7.8 billion, says the Nationalists should hold debates to select their candidate. Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen has been hampered by low public approval ratings and a diplomatic embargo imposed by China, which claims the island as its own territory. I am not a suitable candidate for a vice president, because I am used to making decisions, Gou told reporters. Gous candidacy would be the first for a Taiwan business mogul and may appeal to Taiwanese dissatisfied with stagnating incomes who want a different, more business-oriented style of leadership. However, Gou is likely to face criticism from China skeptics in Taiwan over Foxconns 12 factories in nine Chinese cities and his close ties to the Chinese government. Gou, the 68-year-old son of a police officer who moved to Taiwan after the Communist takeover of the mainland in 1949, began his career in plastics before branching out into electronics and later mobile phones. China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan and has threatened to take it by force if it deems it necessary. More than 80% of Taiwanese oppose unification with China, the island governments Mainland Affairs Council said in January. Despite that, the Nationalists favor closer ties with Beijing, largely as a way of recharging the islands high-tech economy through access to Chinas massive economy. Gou has a reputation at Foxconn for a strongly authoritarian leadership style and strictly controlling employees. Foxconn announced in 2017, to much fanfare, that it planned to invest $10 billion in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and hire 13,000 people to build an LCD factory that could make screens for televisions and a variety of other devices. After waffling earlier this year on its intentions, Gou recommitted to the project in February after a meeting with President Donald Trump. AP The parents of a self-exiled Thai activist who disappeared after reportedly being extradited from Vietnam visited government offices and diplomatic missions in Bangkok yesterday to seek information about his fate. Siam Theerawut is one of three exiles about whom human rights groups have expressed concern about because neither Thai nor Vietnamese authorities acknowledge holding them. Siam, Chucheep Chivasut and Kritsana Thapthai fled Thailand after a May 2014 military coup to neighboring Laos, where they continued political activities critical of their homeland. Thai authorities have been seeking their return on charges of insulting the monarchy, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. There is increased fear for the safety of Thai dissidents after three others disappeared from Laos last year, and the eviscerated bodies of two of them were found later in the Mekong River. Siams parents, accompanied by sympathizers, presented letters to Thailands National Human Rights Commission, the Vietnamese Embassy and the European Unions office. Theerawuts mother, Kanya Theerawut, told reporters that Thailands Crime Suppression Division police said they have no information about his case. I want information from Vietnams embassy on whether Siam was deported to Thailand or not. Im most worried for his life, she said. In a letter addressed to Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, she said she hoped the ambassador would look after the rights of the Thai people and not extradite refugees who risk harassment. New York-based Human Rights Watch said the three were handed over to Thai authorities on May 8, though Thai officials have denied any knowledge of such a transfer. 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, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said at the time. Many of those who fled to Laos after the 2014 coup are associated with Thailands anti-military Red Shirt movement, which staged aggressive street protests in Bangkok in 2010 that were violently crushed by the military. Chucheep has been a particularly high-profile target as he has produced an online radio program in which he has been critical of both Thailands military and its constitutional monarchy. Siam, Chucheep and Kritsana are believed to have moved to Vietnam after their fellow Thai activists in Laos were killed. Their deaths raised concern among fellow activists that they were kidnapped by a death squad, either vigilante or officially sanctioned. Last September, Thailands military government linked activists in Laos to a tiny political movement advocating the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. They arrested several of the groups sympathizers inside Thailand on charges of sedition, seizing as evidence T-shirts bearing the groups logo of a red and white flag. Thailands Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, a former army chief and member of the ruling junta, commented at the time that those detained were part of a network of outlaws that had fled to Laos to evade charges of sedition and insulting the monarchy. He called them traitors and said they would all be arrested. Preeyapa T. Khunsong & Kaweewit Kaewjinda, Bangkok , AP Relatives of abductees from Japan, Thailand, the U.S. and Macau whose loved ones are believed to be held in North Korea pleaded for their return at a United Nations symposium promoting international cooperation on abductions held last week in New York. Banjong Panchoi said his aunt, Anocha Panchoi who is from Thailand, was abducted by North Korean agents in Macau in 1978 and the family isnt sure shes still alive. But our family still has hope that one day she will come back, he said. The father of American college student Otto Warmbier who died soon after being sent home from North Korea in a vegetative state said at the symposium last week that Kim Jong Un should be called criminal Kim not chairman Kim which makes me sick. Fred Warmbier said that calling the North Korean leader chairman gives him status on the world stage, and if were afraid to tell the truth of who were dealing with we dont stand a chance of making a difference. Hes a criminal and hes a murderer, Warmbier said. Every member of Kims regime is a thug. He said the truth is that North Koreas leader is telling his people that they have to limit rations to 300 grams per day the equivalent of five slices of white bread at the same time hes begging for food from the (U.N.) World Food Program. Warmbier said the Dutch government in February seized 90,000 bottles of vodka heading to Pyongyang a violation of U.N. sanctions at the same time he is systematically starving the people of North Korea. Warmbier urged the worlds nations not to coddle Kim but to stand up to North Korea. It doesnt mean we cant engage them, Warmbier stressed. The brother of American student David Sneddon, who is from Utah and disappeared in China in 2004, said the family has collected evidence that he was abducted to North Korea. James Sneddon said David is a victim and abductee of North Koreas callous, cruel and inhuman regime. I want my brother released, and able to choose how he lives, independent and free, James Sneddon said. Its time to release David. Its past time. Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshide Suga, the minister in charge of the abduction issue, said as many as 17 people have been officially recognized as abductees by the government of Japan and there are more than 800 people for whom the possibility of abduction by North Korea cannot be ruled out. Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, said in addition to Japanese and South Koreans taken by North Korea, there are at least 25 other foreign citizens from China, France, Guinea, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Macau, Netherlands, Romania, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States that been abducted. Our ultimate goal is the get the abductees back as soon as possible, he said. MDT/AP Those big franchise players include the national lawn care market leaders like TruGreen and BrightView. Yamaguchi said that while those companies are big, their market shares are fairly slim: The industry is still largely composed of smaller businesses that have an average of two employees, something that he said reflects the values of many lawn care business owners. These folks value their independence. They value their autonomy, he said. Yamaguchi said thats why he has stuck with partnering with those lawn care experts as independent contractors a business model that Uber and Lyft have often come under fire for using. He said that in the case of Lawn Love, yard care professionals wouldnt want to work for him as employees even if he offered them the chance to. Yamaguchi himself is a serial entrepreneur with a history of success with on-demand economy startups: His previous company, Golden Shine, connected homeowners with in-home service providers like maids and carpet cleaners. Yamaguchi said he sold that company in 2013. The Family Table is a series of personal essays by food writer Kathy Brozyna in which she explores the culinary lives of her Madison area neighbors. This is the second installment. Helen Sarakinos grew up in a Greek family, the daughter of a trained chef. Recently she told me the following story. This past Christmas, I went to visit my father in Montreal, she said. Hes in his mid-80s now and succumbing to dementia. I spent a week with him, and I was cooking, and he came into the kitchen and asked if he could help clean a half dozen or so onions. I said, OK. He grabbed a paring knife. Helen paused, allowing me to feel the weight shed felt in that moment, the love and respect a grown daughter has for her mentally declining father and the leap of faith it took to allow him to execute this potentially harmful task. There are moments he doesnt know who I am, she said, or will try and put peanut butter in his tea. But he grabbed that paring knife, cleaned the onions and then proceeded to dice them with the precision of a chef. In a minute he had diced six onions perfectly. Helen was speaking of Papou (the Greek word for grandfather). Along with her husband, Jake Vander Zanden, Helen has two children, Kerkyra, 9 (Kyra for short) and Milo, 12. Last month on the Friday before Greek Orthodox Easter, I went to their home on Madisons east side to help Helen, Jake and the kids cook and share in a traditional Lenten supper. The 41 days leading up to Greek Orthodox Easter is considered a holy time of year by Greeks throughout the world. The purpose of this time is to fast from dairy, the meat of any animal with red blood, fish with backbones and the excessive use of olive oil, in an effort to cleanse the body and spirit in preparation for the Resurrection. That day we made fava, a spread typically made with split peas and onion. Having just run out of peas, Helen used mung dahl instead, simmering it on the stove. There was a bowl of already prepared chtapodi xidato, octopus stewed in vinegar, wine and its own juices, then cooled with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, more vinegar, salt and garlic. Boiled beets with their green tops were keeping warm in the oven along with cooked and peeled potatoes. The scent of garlic filled the air. We set to work making taramosalata, a cod fish roe spread. Into a food processor went the tarama (cod roe), an imported specialty which Helen ordered online, cooked potatoes, cubes of crusty ciabatta bread, shallot, olive oil and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Out came a smooth and thick, bright pink, somewhat salty, but not at all fishy-tasting puree. I dipped torn pieces of the ciabatta into it while asking more about Papou and Helens mother, who her children call Yia Yia, the Greek name for grandmother. Both of Helens parents were born in Greece, but in very different landscapes. Papou was from the small, northern island of Corfu while Yia Yia grew up in an isolated village in the mountains of Olympia on the Peloponnese peninsula. Papou left Greece as an adolescent, joining the Merchant Marine. He and the rest of his crew abandoned ship, leaving their tyrannical captain one New Years Eve in Montreal. My dad was an illegal immigrant in Montreal, said Helen. He met her mother, whom Helen described as fair and gray-eyed, in a boarding house in Montreal. She was smuggled out of Greece against her parents will by her siblings, who felt she could reach great intellectual potential if only she could get to North America. They bought her a boat ticket and sent her off alone to find a better life. Helen brought the photo album of her parents wedding to the kitchen table, and I stopped to look. There was her mother in a full white gown and veil, her father in a black tuxedo, surrounded by people in mostly black evening wear. When her parents decided to marry, there was nothing romantic about it, Helen said. They decided they would make a very solid pairing. She imagined her parents saying to each other, You are responsible. You have a good head on your shoulders. We should make a life together. Papou became a high-end hotel chef with a love of French cuisine. For a time, he owned a restaurant staffed by his family. Helen and her siblings were raised exclusively on Greek food at home. Her favorite was pastitsio, a baked pasta dish with ground beef and a nutmeg and cinnamon-infused bechamel sauce. They ate lobster and oysters, shrimp scampi and lemon sole, a nod to her fathers coastal upbringing. As a child, could you imagine, I complained about it! said Helen. Helen remembers her parents yelling at each other in disagreement over the food they prepared in the kitchen. Thats just what they did, she said. He was coastal cuisine; she was mountain-peasant food. Jake joined us in the kitchen in time to receive instructions from Helen to pull the beets out of the oven for the skordalia, a potent spread of garlic, potato, bread, almonds and olive oil that traditionally accompany the beets. Helen then enlisted the help of Milo, who was walking past the kitchen, in separating 15 cloves of garlic. If anyone gets too close, they become part of the process, she said. As the skordalia whirred in the food processor, Jake and the kids brought plates of salted cucumber slices, bowls of kalamata olives, slices of ciabatta and figs stuffed with walnuts to the table. Olive oil is an important staple in Helens house and a significant part of her culture. Back at her fathers homestead in Corfu, there was a stone press in the basement where they pressed the olives from their land to make the familys olive oil. They opened these two big doors and there were these two stone wheels, Helen explained. They bridled up a donkey to spin the top wheel to grind. When her father returned to Corfu after hed retired, he would collect olives and bring them to the press and make his own oil, Helen said. These trees have been in our family for hundreds of years. These trees are ancient. At the table, Jake chopped fennel fronds and parsley to scatter over the octopus. When Helen and Jake married, Helen said, her father gave the new groom a dowry. He got a wife and 17 liters of olive oil! she said. Helen enjoyed preparing her cuisine for a visitor, but she said she might not have made this particular Lenten meal without the excuse to pull out the old recipes and ingredients. We were not deeply religious, she said. Religion was a cultural construct for us. It was a way to tie you to this culture you had left behind in Greece. As kids, we went to church only a few times a year, but we went to Greek school every Saturday. As Jake excused himself to take a work call, Kyra, Milo and I took seats at the table. Helen brought out a tin of halvah, a sesame paste, cocoa powder and sugar confection. She has a love/hate relationship with the Lenten dessert. Its only kind of delicious, she said. I dont miss it when its gone, but its so ubiquitous, classic, I had to order it. I dont get so excited about it, but I could not imagine not having it at the table. Halvah was the only pastry her family was allowed during Lent, since the other Greek pastries were made with eggs and butter. This one was packaged differently. Ive never gotten it in a tin before, I have no idea how to get it out, she said. We would get it from a bakery where they break off a chunk. Then you just slice it. In the end she stabbed at it, spilling chunks and cocoa-flecked dust onto a plate. I dont know, Helen said, looking at it again. Maybe Ill like it more now. Milo took a taste. Its interesting, he said, and paused. I think its good. Can I have a try? Kyra said. Are we eating your old dessert? Its not an old dessert, Helen said. But its one I used to have a lot as a kid during Easter. She shrugged. Nobody ever wanted it. Its sandy, Milo said. No double-dipping your spoon in the tin, Helen warned. I couldnt help but notice how eager her children seemed to try new foods. Milo has always been about the food and Kyra about the loud, Greek company, Helen said. Helens mother passed away when Helen was in her twenties. She thought her mom would be pretty happy with the Lenten celebration. Papou might be slightly more critical. Hed be very excited but would probably give me some what-for about the octopus, Helen said. I overcooked it in the pan. Instead of grilling it, I ended up doing it quick-pickled. Theres so many ways to eat octopus for us. She encouraged me to add a smattering of pickled onions on top of the fava, because its very plain comfortingly so. Jake joined us at the table, took a spoonful of the skordalia and winced from the great amount of uncooked garlic. (Holy Cow! he said.) My parents used to make this for dinner the nights of my high school dances, Helen said, and then send me off with this breath. Id think, I dont understand, nobody asked me to dance. I cant believe I was a senior when I finally figured out what they were doing. Would you do that to me? Kyra asked. Never, said Jake. Maybe, said Helen. Binod Ghimire covers parliamentary affairs and human rights for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2010, he has reported primarily on social issues, focusing on education and transitional justice. The count of reckless child abuse is a felony charge that could lead to a fine of up to $10,000 or 3.5 years in jail, or both. An initial court appearance is scheduled for Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Rumbelow is being represented by Jordan Loeb, an attorney at Pines Bach. Loeb previously represented Rob Mueller-Owens, a former Whitehorse Middle School staffer who made headlines earlier this year after an altercation occurred with a student. Mueller-Owens was not criminally charged in the case. Loeb said Rumbelow planned to retire at the end of this year, and that prosecuting him would be a mistake because the incident was an accident. "By all accounts, this injury was accidental, and it is extreme and outrageous for the district attorney's office to seek to criminalize an accidental injury," Loeb said in an interview. "Especially in the context that Christopher Rumbelow has been teaching for 31 years, 30 of those years in the district with no criminal record. There's no evidence that there was a lack of regard for the safety of the student and other students in doing his job. It was an accident." Can you explain more about how the guardian and the representative payee programs work? The representative payee program is through the Social Security Administration, so you have to apply through them to become a representative payee. They manage only the Social Security funds for the senior and so its for people who are having problems. Maybe there is a bit of memory loss. Sometimes we find that there might be some financial exploitation happening, so (these seniors) are at risk. It might be that theyre at risk of losing their housing because rent is not getting paid or getting their medicines because theyre not getting their pharmacy bill paid. Things like that. The volunteer then gets assigned to it and determines what that persons budget is, and what their needs are. (The volunteer) is responsible for making sure their daily needs are being met financially. Then the guardianship program: there are two types of guardians, a "guardian of person" and a "guardian of estate." The guardian of estate would become the representative payee as well. The guardian of estate is responsible for managing the whole estate of that person. It could be there is a pension, it could be that (the senior has) a savings account... and its overseeing all of that and seeing that that persons needs are being met. "Trump to rural Wisconsin: Drop dead," writes columnist Bill Kaplan on WisOpinion. Kaplan points to Donald Trump's increased China tariffs that are playing havoc with farmers' trade and the continued inability to address falling milk prices. He adds that if Democrats want to make gains in Wisconsin next year they need to start addressing the problems in the state's rural areas. Dominique Paul Noth, on his "Dom's Domain" blog, wonders why public outrage hasn't jumped on Donald Trump. He finds unconscionable Trump sending Rudy Guiliani to the Ukraine to find dirt on Joe Biden's son and his threat to use his 4th of July speech for partisan purposes. The man has no sense of decency, he adds. Congressman Mark Pocan holds the U.S. House seat that was once occupied by Tammy Baldwin, who in 2002 and 2003 bravely opposed the rush by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to launch an ill-thought out and unnecessary invasion of Iraq. Before Baldwin, the seat was held by Robert Kastenmeier, one of the earliest and steadiest critics of the Vietnam War. Before Kastenmeier, it was held by Robert M. La Follette, whose eventual opposition (as the states senior senator) to military adventurism and war profiteering was so epic in character that it helped to define our national understanding of what it means to be a congressional dissenter against the kingly excesses of an imperial presidency. So Pocan, a student of political history who collects the memorabilia from La Follettes many campaigns, well understands the anti-war legacy that he is called to maintain. He has always embraced it, establishing one of the most consistent records in the chamber of objecting to the penchant of presidents of both parties to engage on unwarranted and undeclared war-making. So it should come as no surprise that Pocan is raising the alarm on Donald Trumps ill-advised and dangerous escalation of tensions with Iran. JUNEAU A 2016 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision weighed heavily in the case against former Fox Lake Police Chief Patrick Lynch, who accepted a plea agreement that reduced his felony charges to four misdemeanors. Lynch was found guilty by Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Martin De Vries Monday to two misdemeanor counts of attempted stalking and two misdemeanor counts of misconduct in office. Lynch, who did not make a statement during the sentencing, entered no contest pleas to the charges. He was fined $4,000 and agreed to a four-year harassment injunction where he would be immediately arrested if he contacted the victims in the case. Lynch was originally charged with felony counts including: three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child and three counts of stalking. The sexual assault of a child and one of the stalking charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning it is possible that the case could be tried again. Lynch, 63, still resides in Fox Lake. He resigned from the Fox Lake Police Department in February 2009 after serving for 14 years as chief. The victim, known by the court as Victim A, said the assaults occurred in 1989 in her family home when she was 7. One of the stalking charges pertains to the same victim. Authorities have released the name of the Sauk City man who was killed Thursday in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 71 in Monroe County. James Heine, 30, was driving a 1991 Dodge Caravan eastbound about 1:30 p.m. when his vehicle crossed the centerline near Highway W, east of Kendall, striking a semi-truck traveling westbound, according to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck was driven by Steven Kast of Tomah. He was not injured. The crash is being investigated by the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Monroe County Medical Examiner. Hermoso was the only one in her group who ordered enchiladas suizas, or creamy chicken enchiladas. Her husband and friend didnt get sick. She said she goes to La Hacienda once every four to six weeks. Her husband has been going to the restaurant for about 10 years, she said. The outbreak sickened about 25 people who ate at the restaurant, said Doug Voegeli, environmental health director for Public Health Madison and Dane County. Voegeli said the number was approximate because the investigation is ongoing. He said the cause of the outbreak was norovirus, but declined to say whether anyone was hospitalized. La Hacienda owner David Herrera didnt respond to voice or text messages Monday or Tuesday. Luis Soria, 56, said he ate at the restaurant May 4 with his girlfriend, and two days later they were both violently ill. They ate three steak tacos and one chicken taco, he said. He said he hasnt felt that sick in more than 30 years. A bank robber didn't have much time to flee the scene before he was arrested, since a police station was a couple of blocks from the bank. John Bauer, 32, Madison, was tentatively charged with theft from a financial institution. Madison police said the bank robbery and quick arrest happened around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Old National Bank, 2929 N. Sherman Ave., was robbed, with the robber passing a note to a teller, demanding cash. He didn't show a weapon. The North District police station is just off Packers Avenue, less than a quarter-mile from the bank. "The suspect was in custody just about 10 minutes after the heist was reported," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "With their workplace just a couple of blocks away, officers quickly swarmed the area." The suspect was found walking near Winchester Street and Ruskin Street. He was arrested without incident. 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. Dane County deputies are looking for a man who exposed himself Sunday afternoon to a group of children in Windsor. The incident was reported at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the 6900 block of Valiant Drive, the Sheriff's Office said. The man was described to be a younger white man driving a gray-colored GMC Terrain SUV. The license plate number could not be obtained. The Sheriff's Office said anyone with information about the indecent exposure incident is asked to call the tip line, 284-6900, or go online to https://danesheriff.com/ 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. Address 1801 Trimmier Road, Suite A2 Killeen , TX 76541 Toll Free: +1(888)684-5671 Fax: +1(254)680-3924 Hours Sunday Closed Monday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Tuesday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Wednesday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Thursday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday Closed Map About Norman Taylor Attorneys at Law Norman Taylor Attorney at law servicing Killeen, Fort Hood, Belton, Copperas Cove, Temple, Harker Heights, Moody, Nolanville, Rogers, Salado, Troy, Holland, Bartlett, Morgans Point, Kempner and more. A 20-year-old Madison man was robbed Sunday night by four men armed with guns after he got into a car with them, according to police. The victim had planned on meeting one of the men, who he knew from social media. When the victim got inside of a car with the man he knew and three other men, the four pulled five guns on him and robbed him around 11:45 p.m. in Oakbridge Court, according to police. One of the four robbers had two pistols, one in each hand, making the total number of guns five, the victim told police. The victim lost his cell phone, cash and his own handgun in the robbery. The 20-year-old told police his gun was real but not functioning. 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 February 2018, residents of the building reported a strong smell, which led to the discovery of a makeshift laboratory in Campbells apartment, and an extensive array of chemicals in the apartment and in Campbells garage. It forced the evacuation of the building for several days. The buildings owner sued Campbell in small claims court and won a default judgment of about $48,000. The highest-ticket expenses, according to court documents, were the Madison Fire Department Hazardous Materials response, which cost more than $20,000, and decontamination of the building, costing nearly $16,000. Campbell urged Crawford not to send him to prison because he has a job and is working to pay back what he owes his former landlords. He also told Crawford that he deeply regrets his actions and said, I never want to return to the headspace I was in. Despite the assertions that were made by the state, truly my desire was to never hurt anyone with the experimentation that I was doing, Campbell said. The Madison School Board signaled its preference Monday for hiring an internal candidate to lead the school district on an interim basis now that superintendent Jennifer Cheatham has announced she will leave at the end of the summer. During a special meeting, board members also pushed back an informal deadline for naming an interim superintendent to sometime in June. School Board President Mary Burke suggested last week when Cheatham made public her decision to leave Madison for a teaching job at Harvard University that the board could select an interim superintendent by the end of May. Board members debated the merits of hiring an interim leader sooner to allow more time for the person to train with Cheatham, versus a longer search process that would allow for further engagement with community members. I dont want to feel that the community feels we rushed it, said board member Nicki Vander Meulen. When former superintendent Dan Nerad announced his plans to resign in 2012, it was nearly a year before Cheatham was in place. Jane Belmore served as the interim head for eight months. We know we need to get carbon out, he said. We dont know what the low-cost response will be. The company said the plan will rely on significant new renewable-energy resources and reducing the use of fossil fuels, as well as helping customers become more energy efficient. MGE said it will work with scientists at UW-Madison to evaluate the goal and ensure it is consistent with the IPCC assessment. Keebler likened the plan to the 1969 Apollo moon landing, accomplished just eight years after President John Kennedy announced the goal. We are entering a new age in energy, shaped by evolving technology and endless possibilities, he said. What is a concept today could become a reality tomorrow. MGE had previously committed to cutting 80 percent of carbon emissions by 2050 and has increased its renewable capacity six-fold in the past four years. We have always said that if we can go further faster by working with our customers, we will, Keebler said. We believe it is important to articulate a long-term goal that is both visionary and based on the best climate science available. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Tuesday announced the creation of a bipartisan task force that will explore legislative solutions to reduce barriers to adoption in Wisconsin. The announcement of the bipartisan committee comes as Assembly Republicans prepare to vote Wednesday on a slate of contentious abortion bills the Senate will likely consider in June and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will likely veto. The slate of bills has irritated Democratic lawmakers and heightened tensions between the two parties as they debate the state budget. Legislators on Vos committee will be tasked with examining the termination of parental rights, ways to shorten the timeline for adoptions, how to reduce the costs of adoption and increasing adoption awareness. We want to give our most vulnerable children every chance available to become productive members of society, Vos said in a statement. We also want to make adoption more accessible to families and expectant mothers. Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, will serve as chairwoman of the committee, and other members will be announced in the coming weeks. TWIN FALLS The Twin Falls School District announced Monday that a student made a false report about a threat of bringing a firearm to school, which triggered school being canceled Friday at Twin Falls High School. The police department and Twin Falls School District officials were able to quickly locate the students who allegedly made the threats and began an investigation. Police continued the investigation over the weekend. Officials determined Monday morning that the student who reported the threat was wrong and there was never a threat against the school, the Twin Falls School District said in a Monday afternoon statement. The district is working in conjunction with the police department and the prosecutors office to address the student who made the false report in line with the school districts disciplinary policy and determine what charges might be appropriate, the statement said. The school district and police department will work closely to ensure the safety of the students at TFHS through the remainder of the school year. Due to student privacy laws we cannot release information about the identities of the students involved or the consequences they will receive. School district administrators became aware early Friday morning of the reported threat on social media platform Snapchat by a Twin Falls High student to bring a firearm to school. It was also reported that at least one other student responded to the threat with social media posts stating that they would bring a weapon to school as protection from the original threat, according to the school districts statement. The location of the students involved couldnt be verified and students were beginning to arrive Friday morning at Twin Falls High, so Superintendent Brady Dickinson decided to cancel Twin Falls High classes for the day and place nearby Sawtooth Elementary School on a soft lockdown. School officials worked diligently to get the students and staff who had already reported to campus off campus as quickly as possible, the school district said in the statement. For students who dont have their own vehicle or couldnt walk off campus, school officials worked with the Twin Falls Police Department to gather those students in a safe location until transportation could be arranged, the statement said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 5 Sad 6 Angry 13 BOISE The deadline to nominate teachers for the 2019 STEM Educator of the Year Awards, officially known as the INDEEDS Awards, is 11:30 p.m. May 19. Short for Industry's Excellent Educators Dedicated to STEM, the annual awards program honors teachers statewide who champion science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and connect students with industry leaders to mentor projects, gain real-world experience and provide invaluable career guidance. The STEM Action Center and industry sponsors will select a winner who teaches in grades kindergarten to sixth and another who works in grades seven-12. Each will receive a check for $2,000 and up to $2,000 in funding to attend any STEM-related national conference. Their schools will each receive $2,000 to fund STEM initiatives. To nominate a teacher, go to STEM.idaho.gov/indeeds. "The INDEEDS Awards are a fantastic opportunity to highlight and celebrate STEM educators and the amazing and important work they're doing in our communities," Dr. Angela Hemingway, the STEM Action Center's executive director, said in a statement. "The awardees provide numerous opportunities for their students to engage in hands-on, project-based, student-centered STEM learning. These experiences foster 21st-century skills like critical and creative thinking, problem solving, innovation and collaboration." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JEROME A vintage aircraft didnt quite make it off the runway at the Jerome County Airport early Tuesday morning. Jerome County Sheriffs Office responded to the crash of the 1950s-era F4U Corsair with Marine Corps markings at 9:19 a.m, according to a press release from Sheriff George Oppedyk. The plane attempted to take off when, for unknown reasons, it veered off the runway and through a fence. John OConnor, 70, was the pilot of the plane. He was the sole occupant and declined to be taken to the hospital by paramedics. The plane had significant damage to the landing gear, propeller and wings, Oppedyk said. The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines. Jerome Rural Fire Department and Magic Valley Paramedics assisted the Jerome County Sheriff with the incident, which is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Bureau. Crews used a crane to lift the damaged plane Tuesday afternoon. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 5 Angry 0 You are hearing claims, hints, implications, or outright statements that the full burden of the trade war is falling on American consumers. (Maybe some of the commentators are too wrapped up in the Trumps action have no merits whatsoever game?) I strongly believe that is wrong, as outlined in my latest Bloomberg column. Here is one bit: there are well-done studies showing that the recent tariffs have translated into higher prices for U.S. consumers. I am not contesting that research. The question is whether those studies give sufficient weight to all relevant variables for the longer run. To see why the full picture is more complicated, lets say the U.S. slaps tariffs on the industrial inputs (whether materials or labor) it is buying from China. It is easy to see the immediate chain of higher costs for the U.S. businesses translating into higher prices for U.S. consumers, and that is what the afore-mentioned studies are picking up. But keep in mind China wont be supplying those inputs forever, especially if the tariffs remain. Within a few years, a country such as Vietnam will provide the same products, perhaps at cheaper prices, because Vietnam has lower wages. So the costs to U.S. consumers are temporary, but the lost business in China will be permanent. Furthermore, the medium-term adjustment will have the effect of making Chinas main competitors better exporters. And: China has an industrial policy whose goal is to be competitive in these [branded goods] and other areas. Tariffs will limit profits for these companies and prevent Chinese products from achieving full economies of scale. So this preemptive tariff strike will hurt the Chinese economy in the future, even if it doesnt yet show up in the numbers. Most generally: In my numerous visits to China, Ive found that the Chinese think of themselves as much more vulnerable than Americans to a trade war. I think they are basically correct, mostly because China is a much poorer country with more fragile political institutions. I should note that I am not trying to defend Trump in this column, rather we need to get the economics right if we are to understand what is going on and why America can exert any pressure at all. On Twitter, Christopher Balding is one who is getting these matters right. Returning to the bigger picture, to the extent you wish to criticize Trumps policies, focus on what China may do as a result of its vulnerability, not Americas supposed lack of bargaining power in the struggle. 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 Mice arent people, but like us they become forgetful in old age. In a study published online May 13 in Nature Medicine, old mice suffered far fewer senior moments during a battery of memory tests when Stanford University School of Medicine investigators disabled a single molecule dotting the animals' cerebral blood vessels. For example, they breezed through a maze with an ease characteristic of young adult mice. The molecule appears on the surfaces of a small percentage of endothelial cells, the main building blocks of blood vessels throughout the body. Blocking this molecules capacity to do its main job it selectively latches onto immune cells circulating in the bloodstream not only improved old mices cognitive performance but countered two physiological hallmarks of the aging brain: It restored to a more youthful level the ability of the old mices brains to create new nerve cells, and it subdued the inflammatory mood of the brains resident immune cells, called microglia. Scientists have shown that old mices blood is bad for young mices brains. Theres a strong suspicion in the scientific community that something in older peoples blood similarly induces declines in brain physiology and cognitive skills. Just what that something is remains to be revealed. But, the new study suggests, there might be a practical way to block its path where the rubber meets the road: at the blood-brain barrier, which tightly regulates the passage of most cells and substances through the walls of blood vessels that pervade the human brain. We may have found an important mechanism through which the blood communicates deleterious signals to the brain, said the studys senior author, Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD, professor of neurology and neurological sciences, co-director of the Stanford Alzheimers Disease Research Center and a senior research career scientist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. The lead author of the study is Hanadie Yousef, PhD, a former postdoctoral scholar in the Wyss-Coray lab. The interventions success points to possible treatments that could someday slow, stop or perhaps even reverse that decline. Targeting a protein on blood-vessel walls may be easier than trying to get into the brain itself. We can now try to treat brain degeneration using drugs that typically arent very good at getting through the blood-brain barrier but, in this case, would no longer need to, Yousef said. Different way of reaching the brain The researchers focused on the mouse hippocampus, a well-studied brain structure thats essential to memory and learning and whose architecture and function are similar in mice and humans. The hippocampus is also one of the very few sites in the adult mammalian brain where neurogenesis, the creation of new nerve cells, occurs; those new cells are critical to the formation of new memories. Since his lab first began reporting several years ago that unknown factors in old blood can accelerate cognitive decline and, conversely, that factors in young blood can rejuvenate old brains, Wyss-Coray, the D.H. Chen Professor II, has sought to identify those factors. But he and his colleagues took a different tack in the new study. He said the roughly 400 miles of blood vessels that pass through the human brain differ from those elsewhere in the body in one important respect: Theyre much more selective about what gets in and what comes out. Blocking VCAM1 in the brain wound up making these mice smarter. The blood-brain barrier excludes most bloodborne cells and substances, he said. We wondered if, instead of entering the brain and monkeying with brain cells directly, something in circulating blood could be communicating directly with the brains endothelial cells. A few years ago, Wyss-Coray and his colleagues compared blood from young and old people to pinpoint substances whose abundance changes with age. In the new study, they narrowed their search to just those age-associated bloodborne substances that are in some way directly related to vascular function. Topping the list was a circulating form of a protein constantly produced within endothelial cells and displayed on their surfaces. The protein, VCAM1, is well known to immunologists. Its a docking station for circulating cells of the immune system a first stop in a passport-punching process that under certain relatively rare conditions grants those immune cells permission to migrate across the brains otherwise tightly closed border. This protein gets sawed off of endothelial cell surfaces and dumped into the bloodstream by lawnmowerlike enzymes at pretty much the same rate it gets produced, so its population size on blood vessels remains relatively constant. But VCAM1s abundance on blood vessel surfaces jumps markedly in the event of local injury or infection. That snags immune cells, which combat infectious pathogens and are essential to the healing process. At any given time, levels of circulating VCAM1 are a good proxy for the total amount of VCAM1 on the bodys blood-vessel endothelial cell surfaces, Wyss-Coray said. Previous studies have linked high circulating VCAM1 levels to cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers disease, epilepsy and other inflammatory disorders. Identifying the source of dysfunction In the study, the researchers showed that VCAM1s abundance on the endothelial cells comprising blood vessel walls in the mouse brains rises in old age, as well as in the brains of younger mice that are given infusions of older mices plasma, the cell-free, liquid portion of blood. Likewise, the researchers observed increased signs of inflammation in the older mices cells. Wyss-Coray suspects that the tethering of immune cells to blood-vessel surfaces particularly if immune cells are in an activated state due to an existing condition, such as injury or infection, or to old age enhances the release of inflammatory proteins that penetrate blood vessel walls via specialized receptors on endothelial-cell surfaces. Circulating VCAM1, though, wasnt the source of brain dysfunction. When the investigators depleted old mices plasma of the protein before giving the plasma to young mice, they observed the same damaging effects in the hippocampus reduced neurogenesis, increased microglial inflammation theyd previously seen when young mice received old plasma. Deleting the gene encoding VCAM1 in mice brains prevented the proteins production in the brains endothelial cells. If this deletion was performed in young adulthood, the mice no longer suffered reduced neurogenesis or increased microglial inflammation when they grew older. The researchers achieved the same results with monoclonal antibodies, specialized proteins that bind avidly and exclusively to their target. Three weeks of treatment with a monoclonal antibody directly targeting and blocking VCAM1 was enough to increase neurogenesis and diminish microglial reactivity in older mices hippocampi. These mice aced a battery of mental-acuity tests. One test, the Barnes maze, involves a table from which mice want to escape. The table has lots of holes through which the mouse can fall a short distance onto the floor (although not far enough to cause an injury). But one hole connects to a tube mounted horizontally under it, providing a comforting escape to the mice. The mouse must learn and remember how to get to the safety hole. Once they were fully trained, older mice treated with this antibody reached the escape hole in the Barnes maze as quickly as young mice. Blocking VCAM1 in the brain wound up making these mice smarter, Wyss-Coray said. In all the time Ive been working on this, Ive never seen such performance before. Wyss-Coray is a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford, the Stanford Maternal & Child Health Research Institute and Stanford Bio-X and a faculty fellow of Stanford ChEM-H. Yousef is co-founder and chief executive officer of Juvena Therapeutics, a biotechnology company. (Juvena Therapeutics is not pursuing the clinical use of VCAM-1 blocking agents.) Other Stanford authors of the study are former postdoctoral scholars Cathrin Czupalla, PhD, and Vidhu Mathur, PhD; research associate Davis Lee; postdoctoral scholars Michelle Chen, PhD, Kristy Zera, PhD, and Todd Peterson, PhD; former undergraduate student Ashley Burke; former visiting student researcher Judith Zandstra; former lab coordinator Elisabeth Berber, PhD; Benoit Lehallier, PhD, instructor of neurology and neurological sciences; research engineer Ramesh Nair, PhD; MD-PhD student Liana Bonanno; graduate student Andrew Yang; research scientist Husein Hadeiba, PhD; undergraduate student Taylor Merkel; associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences Marion Buckwalter, MD, PhD; professor of bioengineering and of applied physics Stephen Quake, PhD; and professor of pathology Eugene Butcher, MD. The work was funded by National Institutes of Health (R01AG045034, DPAG053015, R01GM37734, R37AI047822, R01AI109452 and UL1TR001085); the Department of Veterans Affairs; the NOMIS Foundation; the Glenn Foundation for Aging Research; the D.H. Chen Foundation; the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; the Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection; the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute; and the Edinger Institute. Researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and the University of Lubeck, both in Germany, also contributed to the work. Stanfords Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences also supported the work. (HealthDay)The selective Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor evobrutinib at a dose of 75 mg once daily is associated with fewer enhancing lesions during weeks 12 through 24 among patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, according to a study published May 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, held from May 4 to 10 in Philadelphia. Xavier Montalban, M.D., Ph.D., from the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues conducted a randomized phase 2 trial involving patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. A total of 267 patients were randomly assigned to one of five groups: placebo, evobrutinib (at doses of 25 mg once daily, 75 mg once daily, or 75 mg twice daily), or open-label dimethyl fumarate (DMF). The researchers found that the mean total number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions during weeks 12 through 24 was 3.85 5.44, 4.06 8.02, 1.69 4.69, 1.15 3.70, and 4.78 22.05 in the placebo, evobrutinib 25 mg, evobrutinib 75 mg once daily, evobrutinib 75 mg twice daily, and DMF groups, respectively. Compared with placebo, the baseline adjusted rate ratios for the total number of lesions over time were 1.45 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.72 to 2.91; P = 0.32), 0.30 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.14 to 0.63; P = 0.005), and 0.44 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.21 to 0.93; P = 0.06) in the three evobrutinib groups, respectively. "Biologic pathways involving activated B cells and myeloid cells play a role in multiple sclerosis, and BTK inhibition may alter these pathways," the authors write. Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including EMD Serono, which manufactures evobrutinib and supported the study. Explore further TYK2 inhibitor clears psoriasis over 12 weeks Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. New research from Tony Wyss-Coray and his collaborators shows that older mice performed better on memory tests when a protein found on the walls of blood vessels in the brain was blocked. Credit: Norbert von der Groeben Impeding VCAM1, a protein that tethers circulating immune cells to blood vessel walls, enabled old mice to perform as well on memory and learning tests as young mice, a Stanford study found. Mice aren't people, but like us they become forgetful in old age. In a study published online May 13 in Nature Medicine, old mice suffered far fewer senior moments during a battery of memory tests when Stanford University School of Medicine investigators disabled a single molecule dotting the mice's cerebral blood vessels. For example, they breezed through a maze with an ease characteristic of young adult mice. The molecule appears on the surfaces of a small percentage of endothelial cells, the main building blocks of blood vessels throughout the body. Blocking this molecule's capacity to do its main jobit selectively latches onto immune cells circulating in the bloodstreamnot only improved old mice's cognitive performance but countered two physiological hallmarks of the aging brain: It restored to a more youthful level the ability of the old mice's brains to create new nerve cells, and it subdued the inflammatory mood of the brain's resident immune cells, called microglia. Scientists have shown that old mice's blood is bad for young mice's brains. There's a strong suspicion in the scientific community that something in older people's blood similarly induces declines in brain physiology and cognitive skills. Just what that something is remains to be revealed. But, the new study suggests, there might be a practical way to block its path where the rubber meets the road: at the blood-brain barrier, which tightly regulates the passage of most cells and substances through the walls of blood vessels that pervade the human brain. "We may have found an important mechanism through which the blood communicates deleterious signals to the brain," said the study's senior author, Tony Wyss-Coray, Ph.D., professor of neurology and neurological sciences, co-director of the Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and a senior research career scientist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. The lead author of the study is Hanadie Yousef, Ph.D., a former postdoctoral scholar in the Wyss-Coray lab. The intervention's success points to possible treatments that could someday slow, stop or perhaps even reverse that decline. Targeting a protein on blood-vessel walls may be easier than trying to get into the brain itself. "We can now try to treat brain degeneration using drugs that typically aren't very good at getting through the blood-brain barrierbut, in this case, would no longer need to," Yousef said. Different way of reaching the brain The researchers focused on the mouse hippocampus, a well-studied brain structure that's essential to memory and learning and whose architecture and function are similar in mice and humans. The hippocampus is also one of the very few sites in the adult mammalian brain where neurogenesis, the creation of new nerve cells, occurs; those new cells are critical to the formation of new memories. Since his lab first began reporting several years ago that unknown factors in old blood can accelerate cognitive decline and, conversely, that factors in young blood can rejuvenate old brains, Wyss-Coray, the D.H. Chen Professor II, has sought to identify those factors. But he and his colleagues took a different tack in the new study. He said the roughly 400 miles of blood vessels that pass through the human brain differ from those elsewhere in the body in one important respect: They're much more selective about what gets in and what comes out. "The blood-brain barrier excludes most bloodborne cells and substances," he said. "We wondered if, instead of entering the brain and monkeying with brain cells directly, something in circulating blood could be communicating directly with the brain's endothelial cells." A few years ago, Wyss-Coray and his colleagues compared blood from young and old people to pinpoint substances whose abundance changes with age. In the new study, they narrowed their search to just those age-associated bloodborne substances that are in some way directly related to vascular function. Topping the list was a circulating form of a protein constantly produced within endothelial cells and displayed on their surfaces. The protein, VCAM1, is well known to immunologists. It's a docking station for circulating cells of the immune systema first stop in a passport-punching process that under certain relatively rare conditions grants those immune cells permission to migrate across the brain's otherwise tightly closed border. This protein gets sawed off of endothelial cell surfaces and dumped into the bloodstream by lawnmowerlike enzymes at pretty much the same rate it gets produced, so its population size on blood vessels remains relatively constant. But VCAM1's abundance on blood vessel surfaces jumps markedly in the event of local injury or infection. That snags immune cells, which combat infectious pathogens and are essential to the healing process. "At any given time, levels of circulating VCAM1 are a good proxy for the total amount of VCAM1 on the body's blood-vessel endothelial cell surfaces," Wyss-Coray said. Previous studies have linked high circulating VCAM1 levels to cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and other inflammatory disorders. Identifying the source of dysfunction In the study, the researchers showed that VCAM1's abundance on the endothelial cells comprising blood vessel walls in the mouse brains rises in old age, as well as in the brains of younger mice that are given infusions of older mice's plasma, the cell-free, liquid portion of blood. Likewise, the researchers observed increased signs of inflammation in the older mice's cells. Wyss-Coray suspects that the tethering of immune cells to blood-vessel surfacesparticularly if immune cells are in an activated state due to an existing condition, such as injury or infection, or to old ageenhances the release of inflammatory proteins that penetrate blood vessel walls via specialized receptors on endothelial-cell surfaces. Circulating VCAM1, though, wasn't the source of brain dysfunction. When the investigators depleted old mice's plasma of the protein before giving the plasma to young mice, they observed the same damaging effects in the hippocampusreduced neurogenesis, increased microglial inflammationthey'd previously seen when young mice received old plasma. Deleting the gene encoding VCAM1 in mice brains prevented the protein's production in the brain's endothelial cells. If this deletion was performed in young adulthood, the mice no longer suffered reduced neurogenesis or increased microglial inflammation when they grew older. The researchers achieved the same results with monoclonal antibodies, specialized proteins that bind avidly and exclusively to their target. Three weeks of treatment with a monoclonal antibody directly targeting and blocking VCAM1 was enough to increase neurogenesis and diminish microglial reactivity in older mice's hippocampi. These mice aced a battery of mental-acuity tests. One test, the Barnes maze, involves a table from which mice want to escape. The table has lots of holes through which the mouse can fall a short distance onto the floor (although not far enough to cause an injury). But one hole connects to a tube mounted horizontally under it, providing a comforting escape to the mice. The mouse must learn and remember how to get to the "safety" hole. Once they were fully trained, older mice treated with this antibody reached the escape hole in the Barnes maze as quickly as young mice. "Blocking VCAM1 in the brain wound up making these mice smarter," Wyss-Coray said. "In all the time I've been working on this, I've never seen such performance before." More information: Hanadie Yousef et al. Aged blood impairs hippocampal neural precursor activity and activates microglia via brain endothelial cell VCAM1, Nature Medicine (2019). Journal information: Nature Medicine Hanadie Yousef et al. Aged blood impairs hippocampal neural precursor activity and activates microglia via brain endothelial cell VCAM1,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-019-0440-4 Robin Scheffler and his new book, A Contagious Cause: The American Hunt for Cancer Viruses and the Rise of Molecular Medicine. Credit: Jon Sachs/SHASS Communications In 1961, people in the suburb of Niles, Illinois, experienced what they termed a "cancer epidemic." Over a dozen children in the town were diagnosed with leukemia within a short time. Fears quickly spread that the illness could be contagious, carried by some type of "cancer virus." News coverage soon identified several other towns with apparent "cancer clusters," as well. Belief that cancer was a simple contagion, like polio or the flu, kept bubbling up. "People wrote [to medical authorities] well into the 1960s asking, 'I lived in a house where somebody had cancer. Am I going to catch cancer?'" says Robin Scheffler, the Leo Marx CD Assistant Professor in the History and Culture of Science and Technology at MIT. Those fears were taken seriously. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) created the Special Virus Leukemia Program in 1964 and over the next 15 years spent more than $6.5 billion (in 2017 dollars) on cancer virus research intended to develop a vaccine. That's more than the funding for the subsequent Human Genome Project, as Scheffler points out. The results of that funding were complex, unanticipatedand significant, as Scheffler details in his new book, A Contagious Cause: The American Hunt for Cancer Viruses and the Rise of Molecular Medicine, published this week by the University of Chicago Press. In the process, scientists did not findand never havea single viral cause of cancer. On the other hand, as a direct result of the NCI's funding project, scientists did find oncogenes, the type of gene which, when activated, can cause many forms of cancer. "That investment helped drive the field of modern molecular biology," Scheffler says. "It didn't find the human cancer virus. But instead of closing down, it invented a new idea of how cancer is caused, which is the oncogene theory." As research has continued, scientists today have identified hundreds of types of cancer, and about one out of every six cases has viral origins. While there is not one "cancer virus," some vaccinations reduce susceptibility to certain kinds of cancer. In short, our understanding of cancer has become more sophisticated, specific, and effectivebut the path of progress has had many twists and turns. Less insurance, more research As Scheffler details in his book, fears that cancer was a simple contagion can be traced back at least to the 18th century. They appear to have gained significant ground in the early 20th-century U.S., however, influencing medical research and even hospital design. The rise of massive funding for cancer research is mostly a post-World War II phenomenon; like much of Scheffler's narrative, its story contains developments that would have been very hard to predict. For instance, as Scheffler chronicles, one of the key figures in the growth of cancer research was the midcentury health care activist Mary Lasker, who with her husband had founded the Lasker Foundation in 1942, and over time helped transform the American Cancer Society. During the presidency of Harry S. Truman, however, Lasker's main goal was the creation of universal health insurance for Americansan idea that seemed realistic for a time but was eventually shot down in Washington. That was a major setback for Lasker. In response, though, she became a powerful advocate for federal funding of medical researchespecially through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the NCI, one of the NIH's arms. Scheffler calls this tradeoffless government health insurance, but more biomedical researchthe "biomedical settlement," and notes that it was unique to the U.S. at the time. By contrast, in grappling with cancer through the 1960s, Britain and France, for example, put more relative emphasis on treatment, and Germany looked more extensively at environmental issues. Since the 1970s, there has been more convergence in the approaches of many countries. "The term 'biomedical settlement' is a phrase I created to describe an idea that seems commonplace in the United States but is actually very extraordinary in the context of other industrial nationswhich is, we will not federalize health care, but we will federalize health research," Scheffler says. "It's remarkable to keep the government out of one but invite it into the other." And while observers of the U.S. scientific establishment today know the NIH as a singular research force, they probably don't think of it as compensation, in a sense, for the failed policy aims of Lasker and her allies. "Someone like Mary Lasker is one of the architects of the settlement out of her conviction there were ways to involve the federal government even if they couldn't provide medical care," Scheffler adds. Fighting through frustration The core of A Contagious Cause chronicles critical research developments in the 1960s and 1970s, as biologists made headway in understanding many forms of cancer. But beyond its rich narrative about the search for a single cancer virus, A Contagious Cause also contains plenty of material that underscores the highly contingent, unpredictable nature of scientific discovery. From stymied scientists to angry activists, many key figures in the book seemed to have reached dead ends before making the advances we now recognize. Yes, science needs funding, new instrumentation, and rich theories to advance. But it can also be fueled by frustration. "The thing I find interesting is that there are a lot of moments of frustration," Scheffler says. "Things don't go the way people want, and they have to decide what they're going to do next. I think often the history of science focuses on moments of discovery, or highlights great innovations and their successes. But talking about frustration and failure is also a very important topic to highlight in terms of how we understand the history of science." A Contagious Cause has received praise from other scholars. Angela Creager, a historian of science at Princeton University, has called it "powerfully argued" and "vital reading for historians of science and political historians alike." For his part, Scheffler says he hopes his book will both illuminate the history of cancer research in the U.S. and underscore the need for policymakers to apply a broad set of tools as they guide our ongoing efforts to combat cancer. "Cancer is a molecular disease, but it's also an environmental disease and a social disease. We need to understand the problem at all those levels to come up with a policy that best confronts it," Scheffler says. This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A Czech teacher survived more than 34 years with a heart transplant, making him one of the longest living transplant patients, Czech media and a hospital said Tuesday. Local media reported that secondary school teacher Rudolf Sekava, who underwent the transplant on October 23, 1984, died in hospital in the central Czech city of Jihlava on May 10. "Yes, it's true, but I can't tell you more," hospital spokeswoman Monika Zachrlova told AFP. The 2017 edition of the Guinness World Records book lists American teacher Ted Nowakowski as the record holder, having lived with a transplant for 34 years and 261 days. Nowakowski died on April 25, 2017, according to the book. The website of the Czech broadsheet daily DNES said Sekava, who had received the heart of a 25-year-old woman, would have turned 83 on Wednesday. Explore further SE Asia's first heart transplant patient dies at 76 2019 AFP Illustration for the sped-up aging observed in the telomeres of the chromosomes of first-year medical residents, called interns. Credit: University of Michigan In just a few short weeks, tens of thousands of newly minted doctors will start the most intense year of their training: the first year of residency, also called the intern year. A new study suggests that between now and next summer, that experience will make their DNA age six times faster than normal. And the effect will be largest among those whose training programs demand the longest hours. The findings about the effect of residency focus on the stretch of DNA called telomereswhich keep the ends of chromosomes intact like the plastic end of shoelaces. The discovery that telomeres shrink in an accelerated way among interns suggest the importance of ongoing efforts to reduce the strain of medical training. But the researchers say their study also holds implications for other professions and situations that expose people to prolonged stress and months of long hours. Published online in the journal Biological Psychiatry, the new study is the first to measure telomere length before and after individuals faced a common prolonged intense experience. It involved 250 interns from around the country who volunteered for the Intern Health Study, based at the University of Michigan, and a comparison group of college students from U-M. "Research has implicated telomeres as an indicator of aging and disease risk, but these longitudinal findings advance the possibility that telomere length can serve as a biomarker that tracks effects of stress, and helps us understand how stress gets 'under the skin' and increases our risk for disease," says Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., the U-M neuroscientist and psychiatrist who is the study's senior author and heads the Intern Health Study. He adds, "It will be important to study how telomere changes play out in larger groups of medical trainees, and in other groups of people subjected to specific prolonged stresses such as military training, graduate studies in the sciences and law, working for startup companies, or pregnancy and the first months of parenting." Sen's team worked with Kathryn Ridout, M.D., Ph.D., the new study's first author, during the research portion of her residency at Brown University. She is now a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in California as well as having an appointment at Brown. "The current model of intern year training during residency increases trainee stress, which impacts their mental health and wellbeing. These results extend this work and are the first to show that this stress reaches down to the biological level, impacting the well accepted marker of aging and disease risk, telomere length," says Ridoout. "I was particularly surprised to see the relation of number of hours worked to telomere shortening." Sen notes that after the discovery that telomeres protect the DNA in chromosomes from damagea discovery that earned the 2009 Nobel Prizeresearch on them in humans has focused on taking snapshots of telomere length, mainly in older adults. This has yielded important discoveries about the links between shrunken telomeres and disease. Ridout analyzed data from dozens of telomere studies for a meta analysis published in 2016 that showed clear links between telomere length and the risk and severity of depression. In the new study, Sen and his colleagues asked recently graduated medical students to contribute a sample of their DNA before they began their intern year, and then followed up to get another sample at the end of that year. The interns also took a lengthy questionnaire before their training began, and again at several points during and at the end of the intense year. The results show that some new doctors went into residency with telomeres that were already shorter than their peers. This included those who said their family environment early in life was especially stressfulwhich echoes previous findings about the impacts of such an upbringing on telomere length. Those who scored high on personality traits that together are classed as "neuroticism"being quick to react and slow to relax, and a tendency to respond with negativityalso had shorter telomeres at the start of intern year. But when the team looked at the results of the DNA tests taken after intern year ended, only one factor that they studied emerged with a clear link to telomere shrinkage: the number of hours the interns worked each week. On average, all the interns in the study said they worked an average of 64.5 hours a week. But the more the interns worked, and therefore the more days they put in that were at or above the national limit of 16 hours in effect at the time, the faster their telomeres shrank. "The responses given by some of the interns in these surveys indicated that some were averaging more than 80 hours of work a week, and we found that those who routinely worked that many hours had most telomere attrition," says Sen. "Those whose hours were at the lower end of the range had less telomere attrition." By contrast, the comparison group of 84 first-year U-M undergraduate students experienced no telomere shrinkage, despite also being in a stressful year-long situation of coping with life at an elite institution of higher education. These students were taking part in a study led by Sen's colleague at the U-M Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, Huda Akil, Ph.D. Sen's Intern Health Study has begun collecting DNA samples from many more interns, and is now monitoring their mood, sleep and activity using smartphone apps and commercial activity trackers. He hopes to study the telomeres of future groups of interns to gather more data about how they change over the intern year and how those changes match up with their experiences during the year. For instance, the frequent changes in shift timefrom day to night and back againduring residency has already emerged in Sen's work as an important factor in mood and circadian disruption. Future studies will explore if this sort of shiftwork increases telomere attrition. He also hopes that researchers can evaluate whether any practices can protect telomeres from shrinkage or even spur repair and lengthening of these protective stretches of DNA. For now, he says, "Residency directors should do as much as they can to keep their interns' work hours and work load towards the lower end of the current range." And as new doctors prepare to graduate and head into their intern years, he advises them to focus on their mood, sleep and stress-relieving activities as much as they can. Ridout says she hopes the results will be heeded by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and others. "Having completed residency myself and understanding the stress that can come with this training and extended work hours, I am hopeful these data can help inform the decisions of governing bodies that have been debating the importance of regulating resident work hours," she says. "Our results suggest that reforms in intern training and work hours with a renewed focus on wellbeing is necessary to protect the health and viability of our physician workforce." Explore further Study finds direct oxidative stress damage shortens telomeres More information: Kathryn K. Ridout et al, Physician Training Stress and Accelerated Cellular Aging, Biological Psychiatry (2019). Journal information: Biological Psychiatry Kathryn K. Ridout et al, Physician Training Stress and Accelerated Cellular Aging,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.04.030 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Each new update in the nationwide surge of measles cases takes Dr. Paul Offit back to the battlefield that was Children's Hospital of Philadelphia during a regional outbreak that began in 1990. By the time it ended the following year, more than 1,400 city and suburban residents had contracted the disease and nine children were dead. Then an attending physician at the University City hospital supervising the care of young measles patients, Offit "saw how bad it could get," he recalled. "It was harrowing, like a war zone." Back then, the outbreak was centered on Faith Tabernacle Church in North Philadelphia, as well as the offshoot First Century Gospel Church in the Juniata section. Both congregations believed that the Bible opposed all means of healing apart from "God's way." Hundreds of children in the church school had not been immunized, and six of them died. Within those congregations alone, 486 people were infected. Nationwide In the current scourge, 764 cases have been reported this year through May 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pennsylvania has five of them, all in Allegheny County; New Jersey officials have confirmed 14. Some of the highest numbers, however, have come from New York, Detroit, and Baltimore, in particular from several Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities. Although the "vast majority of Jews, including those who are Ultra-Orthodox, have their children vaccinated," there are some outliers who refrain out of fear and misinformation, said Rabbi Joshua Waxman, president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia. For the most part, the Philadelphia area's Orthodox communities support immunization, said Rabbi Albert Gabbai, of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Society Hill. Judaism teaches that "when one life is lost, it's like a part of God is lost," he said. "It is an obligation to do everything we can do to preserve life. If a vaccination has been scientifically proven to preserve life, then it is an obligation to preserve one's life." New York, with the highest tally of cases, has more insular enclaves of Jews than does Philadelphia. Anti-vaccination activists often target such small communities, whose religious views or cultural isolation make them vulnerable to claims disproven by medical science and refuted by faith leaders, said Offit, now the director of the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP and author of several books on the subject, including "Bad Faith: When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine." In most states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey among them, residents are allowed to opt out of immunization because of religious beliefs, said Rita Swan, a former Christian Scientist who advocates on behalf of children's rights to medical care. Nonetheless, she said, courts have repeatedly ruled that parents do not have a constitutional right to deprive their child of immunization and that states have the authority to compel it in the interest of public welfare. Families from a variety of religious traditions decide not to immunize their children despite repeated assurances from faith leaders that God wouldn't object. They disagree or they may be confused about the theology, said Rene Najera, of Hanover, an associate scientist at Johns Hopkins University who edits the History of Vaccines website for the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. Like some Ultra-Orthodox Jewish parents, they become targets of the anti-vaccination movement. Waxman cited a measles outbreak in 2017 in the Somali-American community in Minnesota. In 2014, the Amish community in Ohio was hit by 383 cases of measles, mostly among unvaccinated families. The Amish have no religious objection to vaccination, but the community's cultural understanding of what it means to be healthy, along with their adherence to tradition, contribute to some families' decisions not to immunize, said Steven Nolt, professor of history and Anabaptist studies at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County. The Amish view health as "Can I do my job? Can I get up in the morning and work?" Nolt said. With that perspective, preventive medicine may take a back seat. Amish people also value tradition, so if immunization wasn't a priority for parents or grandparents, "that may trump the authority of modern medicine or the claims of science," he said. In a 1994 outbreak of measles among Christian Scientists in Missouri and Illinois, 190 people contracted the disease. None had been vaccinated. Most Christian Scientists, "normally rely on prayer for healing," according to a statement on the denomination's website, but members are free to make their own choices about vaccinations. "Christian Scientists report suspected communicable disease, obey quarantines, and strive to cooperate with measures considered necessary by public health officials. We see this as a matter of basic Golden Rule ethics and New Testament love," the statement read. For some, including Jews and Muslims who advocate maintaining the body's purity, vaccinations that use gelatin derived from pigs may be problematic. Both traditions prohibit eating pork. But the vaccines made from porcine gelatin go through such an extensive transformation that the process may remove the impurities, said Katherine Klima, of Cherry Hill, a nurse midwife and Islamic ethicist. "The majority opinion is that it would be better if the companies that make the vaccines would use something else, but since they don't, we need to use the vaccine because clearly, its benefit is greater than any potential harm," said Klima, a former director of nursing at the National Guard Hospital in Medina, Saudi Arabia. In Catholicism, some believers objected to immunization starting in the 1960s, when researchers developed vaccines by using tissue from fetuses that didn't survive because of abnormality, illness, or elective abortion, Najera said. In 2005, however, the Vatican released "Moral reflections on Vaccines Prepared from Cells Derived from Aborted Human Fetuses," stating that immunization protects children, serves the common good, and should not be rejected. The cells used now are many generations removed from fetal tissue, said Najera, the Johns Hopkins scientist. Yet, within every religion are groups that do not agree with its leaders' pronouncements, he added. "We are trying to inform the public that at the high levels of major religions, there is no objection to vaccines. Hopefully, we will change some minds." Explore further Number of US measles cases rises to 704 in 2019: official 2019 Philly.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Mid-life crises are caused by people feeling pressured by advertisers and self-help gurus to live a better life after they pass the age of 40, according to new research. Longer lives, feeling anxious about aging and death, and the demands of a consumer society are all contributors to people experiencing trauma as they grow older, research by a leading expert on the history of health across the life course shows. When they age many people become disillusioned with work, disenchanted with relationships, and look to detach themselves from responsibilities as they pursue happiness through material consumption leading sometimes to family breakdown and mental health problems. The mid-life crisis is usually blamed on psychological and biological problems. But new research by Professor Mark Jackson from the University of Exeter shows how changes to the economy and changing patterns of aging are responsible. Professor Jackson hopes his work to change perceptions about the socio-economic and cultural causes of mid-life crisis can help people to prepare for issues they may face as they age. Professor Jackson has found that the mid-twentieth centurythe first time when people enjoyed an extended period of middle age while living in smaller, nuclear familiesgenerated opportunities for people to become dissatisfied with their life and achievements. This was exacerbated by the growth in popularity of self-help books and writers encouraging people to think that life could "begin again" after 40 and urging them to re-examine how they live. Companies also used this idea to market their products and services to older consumers with expendable income. The term mid-life crisis was coined in 1965 by the Canadian psychoanalyst and social theorist Elliott Jaques to describe the characteristic psychological collapse triggered in people around the age of forty by the fear of approaching death. Professor Jackson, who will discuss his research while delivering the annual Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture at the Royal Society today, said: "We are told that as we age we should be happier and healthier, able to use our income to purchase leisure and fitness, with benefits to the economy as older people spend and consume. "Often the mid-life crisis is thought of as an individual problem, but everyone has similar feelings at that age because their experience is shaped by the economy in which they live and by demographic shifts. If we haven't achieved our dreams by midlife we become disappointed and frustrated, experiencing some form of crisis. "This is very much a Western problem, as other cultures have different ways of aging and different family structures. In the West we are constantly encouraged to measure our achievements against our peers and to invest in more "me time"our culture encourages us to see the passage of time as something to be resisted, leading to a crisis point." The research, which Professor Jackson will also discuss in a new book to be published next year, uses historical records from the Marriage Guidance Council and the Tavistock Clinic, as well as post-war self-help books and social studies of family and stress to show how the idea of a crisis in middle age began. Professor Jackson said: "I hope that explaining the mid-life crisis in these terms will help raise awareness of the changes people face at that time of life and how often unavoidable challenges associated with the stress of work and family can be coped with better in order to avoid the destructive impacts of affairs, separation, and divorce." More information: Professor Jackson's lecture can be viewed at: Professor Jackson's lecture can be viewed at: royalsociety.org/science-event 5/life-begins-at-40/ Credit: CC0 Public Domain Dear Mayo Clinic: I'm planning a three-week trip to Tanzania. My doctor recommends that I take medication to prevent malaria. Is this really necessary? I thought malaria wasn't common anymore. Are there other things that I can do to protect myself? Is effective treatment available for malaria? A: While there is no vaccine for malaria, it is essential that you receive medication to prevent malaria before you go to Tanzania. Although cases of malaria worldwide are decreasing, malaria continues to be a significant travel-related disease that carries a risk of serious illness and death. To discuss the specific malaria medication you need and other travel-related health precautions you should take, consult with a travel medicine expert well before your trip. Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People who have malaria usually get a high fever, headache and shaking chills. Malaria symptoms typically begin within a few weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Malaria can be fatal, particularly when caused by the variety of parasite called Plasmodium falciparum that's common in tropical parts of Africa. The risk of death increases in people who have not been exposed to it previously. Travel to certain parts of the world poses a higher risk of malaria due to the presence of the more potent type of malaria there, coupled with a higher density of mosquitoes within those areas. Its risk is highest for those traveling to countries in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by developing countries in Oceania. In the Western hemisphere, malaria risk is highest in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. There is also a risk in many countries of Southeast Asia, Central America and South America. The number of people returning to the U.S. with malaria has been increasing in past decades, and most cases have been Plasmodium falciparum. The medications used to prevent malaria are very effective. It's important that you get the correct type of medication for the area where you are traveling, though, and carefully follow the directions on how to take it. Different parts of the world have different species of malaria and require different medications for prevention. U.S. travelers who take preventive medication and still get malaria or die from the disease are those who take the wrong medication for their region of travel or take the medication incorrectly. Those planning to travel to countries that have a risk of malaria should talk with their health care provider, make an appointment with their local travel clinic or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website to find the best preventive medication to take for their region of travel. In addition to taking the right medication, follow other precautions to decrease your risk during your trip. That includes wearing long sleeves and pants while in these areas and applying insect repellent to exposed skin. Insect repellents that are most effective contain DEET, icaridin or lemon eucalyptus extract. Apply repellent to your exposed skin in the morning after you've put on sunscreen. Reapply it in the early evening. If you don't have netting for your bed, add a third layer of repellent before going to bed. For additional protection, use the insecticide permethrin on your clothing. If you notice symptoms of illness after your trip, see a health care provider right away. Tell your provider of your recent travels. Effective treatment for malaria is available in the U.S. Because malaria is so uncommon in this country, however, providers may not be familiar with diagnosing or treating it, and malaria could be misdiagnosed as a viral illness. Treatment for malaria requires infectious disease expertise, and an infectious disease specialist should be consulted whenever malaria is suspected. Treatment for malaria involves IV or oral medications, depending on the severity of the illness. Explore further WHO: Malaria reductions stall after progress 2019 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (HealthDay)As the United States struggles with a painkiller-abuse epidemic, researchers have found that it's the quantity of opioids prescribed after orthopedic surgery, not the type of opioid, that corresponds with long-term use. "One of the frequent myths we encounter among clinicians is that some types of opioids, such as hydromorphone, are more dangerous than others," said senior study author Dr. Marilyn Heng. She is an orthopedic surgeon in Boston. "Our findings demonstrate how current beliefs about the mechanism of prolonged use may be confounded," Heng added in a news release from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. For the study, the investigators looked at nearly 18,000 adult patients who had surgery for a traumatic musculoskeletal injury (such as an arm or leg fracture). None of the patients had taken opioids in the six months before the surgery, and they had no history of opioid abuse. Prolonged opioid use (beyond 90 days) was associated with the amount of opioids prescribed when discharged from the hospital, rather than the opioid type, the findings showed. The researchers also found that prescribers often failed to take into account that different opioids have different strengths per milligram. This can result in higher doses that put patients at increased risk for prolonged use of the drugs. Doctors tend to focus on the number of pills, rather than the morphine milligram equivalent, Heng said. For example, if strength isn't taken into account when converting 20 oxycodone (OxyContin) pills to 20 hydromorphone (Dilaudid) pills, a patient who's given the hydromorphone pills would receive a dose increase of more than 142%, the study authors explained. Failure to account for opioid strength differences "often leads to the notion that certain opioid types appear to be associated with higher odds of complications, when in fact, we are prescribing much more of the stronger drug," Heng said in the news release. This can lead to dependency, she added. The findings also show that orthopedic surgeons and patients should not assume that one type of opioid is "safer" than another, the researchers said. The study was published May 1 in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopedic surgeons are the third highest prescribers of opioids among U.S. doctors, according to the researchers. Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Inequalities in life expectancy by income in Norway were substantial, and increased between 2005 and 2015, according to a study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in collaboration with the Institute For Health Metrics And Evaluation (IHME). Although considerable differences in life expectancy by income levels were found in both Norway and the U.S., the shape of the association differed. The differences in life expectancy between the 1 percent richest and 1 percent poorest in Norway were 14 years for men and eight years for women. "It has surprised researchers and policy makers that even with a largely tax-funded public health care system and relatively evenly distributed income, there are substantial differences in life expectancy by income in Norway" says Dr. Jonas Minet Kinge, senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. He is also Associate Professor in Health Economics at the University of Oslo. "We also observe important differences between the U.S. and Norway. Life expectancy was higher in Norway than in the U.S. across most of the income distribution, except for the very highest and very lowest income percentiles, in which life expectancies were similar in the two countries. The largest differences in life expectancy between the countries were seen for the lower to middle income men and women," he explains. Here, low and medium income refers to those who earn less than the median income, but more than the 5 percent lowest. The purpose of the study was to describe income-based differences in life expectancy and causes of death in Norway during the period from 2005 to 2015 compared with corresponding calculations from the U.S. This is the first time that life expectancy is estimated by income percentiles in Norway and then analysed for cause of death. Furthermore, this is the first time that the association between income and life expectancy in Norway is compared directly with corresponding estimates for the U.S., which was a very demanding analysis process. Results When comparing the 1 percent richest with the 1 percent poorest in Norway: Life expectancy in Norway was high among the richest 1 percent of women. In this group, the average age was 86.4 years. These women lived on average 8.4 years longer than the 1 percent of women with the lowest income. The poorest 1 percent of men had the lowest life expectancy. In this group, the average age was 70.6 years, which was 13.8 years lower than among the 1 percent of men with the highest income. When comparing the 25 percent richest with the 25 percent poorest, the differences in life expectancy are 8 years for men and 6 years for women. Higher mortality rates from cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and other cancers explain the higher mortality overall among the low-income groups. Cancer deaths are more significant for men than women. Deaths due to substance abuse and suicide were highest for the low-income groups under the age of 60, particularly among men in the 40-49 age group. Life expectancy gap has increased In the period 2005-2015, the life expectancy gap between the richest 25 percent and the poorest 25 percent increased (see figure 2): The richest 25 percent women increased life expectancy by 3.2 years while the poorest 25 percent reduced life expectancy by 0.4 years. The richest 25 percent men increased life expectancy by 3.1 years and the poorest 25 percent by 0.9 years. Chronic diseases explain much of the life expectancy gap. Deaths from cardiovascular disease and cancer contributed most to the difference in life expectancy. Cardiovascular disease has decreased in all income groups but there is still some way to go before mortality in the low-income groups is on par with the high-income groups. In the high-income groups there has been a decrease in cancer deaths but not among the low-income groups. Smoking explains parts of the life expectancy gap and why low-income women did not increase their life expectancy in the period from 2005 to 2015. About 20 percent of the income-based differences in life expectancy could be explained by smoking in this study. "This is a descriptive study. We know little about why the differences are so great and why they are increasing. Studies from Sweden and other countries suggests that other factors besides money in itself explain why those with lower income have lower life expectancy. For example, those who have a low income live more often alone and often have a lower education. Furthermore, foetal life, upbringing and other environmental conditions can be important," says Kinge. "We need more research on the causes of the gradient. Fortunately, the research environment in Norway has the competence to link the health registries on an individual level with income, education and household information. Via such data merging we can perform more advanced analyses than most other countries, as this study also demonstrates," he concludes. The study shows that: Among the poorest 1 percent of men and women, 50 percent lived alone without children. Among the richest, the corresponding figure was about 10 percent. Among the poorest 1 percent, 20 percent had university and college education compared to just over 50 percent among the richest 1 percent. Norway versus U.S. The researchers compared the Norwegian results with a similar study from the U.S. during the same period. The comparisons show: Life expectancy was higher in Norway than in the U.S. across most of the income distribution, except for the very highest and very lowest income percentiles. The difference in life expectancy between the 1 percent richest and poorest men in the U.S. is roughly the same as in Norway, while the difference is somewhat smaller for Norwegian women compared to American women. Poor Americans have had a significantly lower increase in life expectancy than rich Americans from 2000-2014. The researchers observe the same tendency in Norway. "The comparison is of interest to researchers because Norwegian health and education systems are largely funded by government spending, whereas in the U.S. the share of private funding has traditionally been higher. Furthermore, Norway has relatively low income inequalities compared with the U.S.," says Kinge. About the study The study included 3,041,828 people aged at least 40 years and 441,768 deaths in Norway between 2005 and 2015. The mean number of household members per person were 2.5. The main outcomes were life expectancy at 40 years of age and cause-specific mortality. Household income was defined as the sum of all household members' individual income, adjusted for household size. Income included wages, self-employment, capital income, taxable and tax-free transfers during the calendar year, after deduction of tax and negative transfers. People without an income or with income from unregistered sources were not included in the study. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Manitoba seniors are staying physically healthy longer, but their mental health may be worsening, a massive study of health data by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) at the University of Manitoba has found. The study of more than 200,000 Manitoba seniors compared two periods of five years: 2005-2010 and 2010-2015. It found that seniors are living longer, experiencing fewer heart attacks or strokes, and staying longer in the community that is, in a private home or retirement residence, not an institution such as a personal care home. "On average, at age 65, men can expect to live outside an institution until age 82, and women until age 85," said the study's lead author, Dr. Dan Chateau, assistant professor of community health sciences at the Max Rady College of Medicine in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. However, about one-third of seniors in the study were diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder (including depression) during the 10-year period, and the rate increased. "The prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders increased significantly," Chateau noted, "except in the Northern Health Region, where it was significantly lower than in the rest of Manitoba and didn't change. "It may be that the rate isn't truly increasing, and what's changing is that with less stigma surrounding mental health, more seniors are seeking help. It may also be that with seniors staying longer in their own homes, there is a growing prevalence of isolation and loneliness that fuels anxiety and depression." The study, The Health Status of Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Manitoba, used the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository at MCHP to examine the de-identified (anonymous) health records of seniors in three age groups: 65-74, 75-84 and 85-plus. It also looked at seniors' self-reported health status according to the Canadian Community Health Survey. One finding from that data was that older Manitobans' feelings of stress increased over the study period. The project by Chateau's team, documented in a 262-page report, is the first to paint a comprehensive picture of the health status and health-care use of community-dwelling Manitoba seniors. Researchers analyzed more than 50 health indicators, ranging from how often seniors visit specialists to their rates of hip replacement surgeries. The findings will help health-care planners meet the needs of seniors a population that is swelling. By the year 2036, the study says, there are expected to be more than 300,000 seniors in the province, making up 18.4 per cent of the population. The researchers used postal codes to compare seniors' health according to income. "Income is a major social determinant of health," Chateau said. "It's an important lens through which to assess differences in health status and plan health-care delivery." The lower a senior's income, the more likely they were to be hospitalized. Lower-income Manitoba seniors had a higher prevalence of coronary artery disease, diabetes, heart attack, stroke and hip fracture, and higher rates of mental health conditions. Lower-income seniors were dispensed, on average, a greater number of prescription drugs. And the lower a senior's income, the less likely they were to obtain a flu shot, although the shots are free. Other notable findings of the study include: On average, a Manitoban who is free of major chronic disease at age 65 can expect to be diagnosed with a serious disease such as cancer, dementia, diabetes, end-stage kidney disease, heart disease, heart attack or stroke at about age 75 (if male), or age 77 (if female) The rate of family doctor visits increased for all three age groups of seniors. Although the increases were small, they represent almost 50,000 more visits per year in the 2010-2015 period, compared to the earlier period. That increase in visits represents about 10 additional full-time family doctors While hospitalization rates declined overall, the average number of days spent in hospital increased for the 85-plus age group Fewer seniors are getting an annual flu shot. The rates of both flu and pneumococcal vaccinations declined significantly over the study period. In the year 2015, only about half of people aged 65-74 obtained a flu shot a significant drop from 2010. Half of community-dwelling Manitobans over age 85 have dementia. The prevalence of dementia increased over the study period for the two oldest age groups. This may be because more seniors are staying in the community with dementia, rather than moving into personal care homes There was a significant drop in the number of seniors being dispensed drugs such as long-acting benzodiazepines (for example, Valium), which are not recommended for older adults because they increase the risk of adverse events such as falls. This is good news, Chateau said, but there is still room for improvement Explore further Mental illness in childhood a strong predictor of troubles in adulthood More information: The Health Status of Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Manitoba: The Health Status of Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Manitoba: umanitoba.ca/faculties/health_ _Launch-Senior2.html Credit: CC0 Public Domain In a clinical trial, the T2Bacteria Panel showed promise for rapidly and accurately diagnosing bloodstream infections or sepsis caused by five common bacteria. The test could be used in a clinical setting in place of blood cultures, which are insensitive and can take a long time to show results. How these findings will affect clinical practice is not yet determined. Findings from a diagnostic accuracy study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. In 2018, the T2Bacteria Panel was cleared by the FDA to identify sepsis-causing bacteria directly from whole blood without the wait for blood culture, which currently takes 1 to 5 or more days and is the current standard of care for diagnosing bloodstream infections. The T2Bacteria Panel can deliver results in 3 to 5 hours for the most common ESKAPE bacteria, or Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine studied 1,427 patients at 11 U.S. hospitals for whom blood cultures were ordered to assess performance of the T2Bacteria Panel in diagnosing suspected bloodstream infections. The researchers compared blood culture results to those obtained using the T2Bacteria Panel. The T2Bacteria Panel accurately identified or excluded bloodstream infections caused by five common ESKAPE pathogens in about 4 to 8 hours versus about 24 to 72 hours and 5 days, respectively, for blood cultures. According to the researchers, these findings suggest that using the T2Bacteria Panel could shorten the time to appropriate antibiotic treatment in patients, which has the potential to improve clinical outcomes. The authors of an accompanying editorial from Atrium HealthCarolinas Medical Center caution that the clinical benefit of the T2Bacteria Panel is still uncertain. Outcomes studies are needed to determine if use of the T2Bacteria Panel can lead to better outcomes, such as significantly shorter time to appropriate therapy. Other factors, such potential overuse of antibiotics, cost, and laboratory time must also be considered. Stephens Avenue commuters will feel a little pain before they realize a gain as the city of Missoula lays down an all-new travel surface for the street. Beginning on May 20, street crews will start a milling and paving project on Stephens between South Sixth Street West and Mount Avenue. The work is expected to take up to four weeks, but will result in a smooth travel surface without ruts and potholes when it's completed. Crews will work on one lane at a time on alternating sides of the four-lane street, with the remaining lanes usually staying open to travel. However, short, intermittent detours also should be expected, and traffic will move more slowly than normal. While Stephens Avenue is a state route, the city is doing the work under a maintenance agreement with the Montana Department of Transportation. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins announced Monday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate next fall, becoming the first to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Steve Daines. Ive traveled this state, from every corner of this vast, rugged state. And what remains consistent is that for far too long and far too often, we have had politicians representing us in D.C. and not public servants, Collins told a midday crowd at Performance Square on Helena's downtown Walking Mall. I think its time we restore the real and true meaning behind public service. Collins teased Monday's special announcement on Twitter late last week. "They say it could never be done. A Liberian refugee elected to office in Montana. Let's prove them wrong again," Collins wrote in the tweet. Helena's mayoral elections are nonpartisan, and Collins did not mention a party affiliation in Mondays speech. However, campaign manager Trent Bolger confirmed Collins will seek the Democratic nomination and continue to serve as mayor while campaigning. Collins filed his statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission just prior to Mondays announcement. Collins and his wife, Maddie, fled Liberia in the midst of civil war. She came to the United States first, and their daughter was born as he awaited refugee status in Africa before they were reunited in 1994. That story was generating headlines even before Collins defeated four-term incumbent Jim Smith in 2017 to become the first black mayor of a Montana city since statehood. When I flew into Helena and saw the community with open arms ready to embrace me, when I looked into the eyes of my wife, when I looked into the eyes of my nearly 2-year-old daughter who ran into my arms for the first time, I knew at this very moment that this road was in fact meant for me, Collins said Monday, and I was simply coming home. Collins interwove that story with what he saw as the power of a collective voice favoring his platform. I want you to join me as one collective voice to make it heard loud and clear that no longer, I repeat, no longer is it acceptable for a young mother to have to make a choice between paying her bills and getting to see a doctor, Collins said. Health care is a right for all. Collins also called on that collective voice to help tackle the many faces of economic insecurity, protect collective bargaining and fight for reform of lobbying and campaign finance in the wake of the Citizens United decision, something the city itself addressed in recent months. Last November, the Helena City Commission passed a resolution calling on Montanas congressional delegation to pursue an amendment to the United States Constitution affirming that constitutional rights extend only to natural persons and that money does not constitute free speech. From there, Collins called on Washington to believe in science in the face of climate change and prioritize health care and homelessness of American veterans both issues close to Collins, who served as an Army and Navy reservist, and his wife, who has served as a registered nurse at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center. As a state, Montana was second only to Alaska in percentage of veterans among the adult civilian population from 2009-2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Addressing another issue dear to Montana, Collins asked his proponents to tell Washington the states vast public lands have never been and will never be for sale. Hundreds will question the feasibility of this candidacy, Collins said. But what they fail to realize is that this campaign is not about me. This campaign is for all Montanans. Though Collins is the first to declare a campaign to unseat Daines, Politico reported Friday that Michael Punke of Missoula could seek the Democratic nomination for governor or U.S. Senate. Punke, currently vice president of global public policy for Amazon, has not held public office before but served as U.S. ambassador to the World Trade Organization under the Obama administration. Punke worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana in the past and is the author of three books. The 2015 film adaptation of his novel The Revenant won three Academy Awards. After one term in the U.S. House, Daines defeated then-state Rep. Amanda Curtis, D-Butte, in 2014 to cross over to the Senate. Curtis replaced incumbent John Walsh late in the election cycle after Walsh dropped out amid a New York Times report that he plagiarized part of a 2007 research paper submitted to the U.S. Army War College. Whether having a candidate with a longer-running campaign makes a difference for Montana Democrats against the incumbent Daines remains to be seen. It is true, a more established campaign, that certainly gives a Democratic candidate more time to raise money and to get their argument, their narrative they want out, Carroll College associate professor of political science Jeremy Johnson said Monday. On the other hand, that will probably not be sufficient for any Democrat. They need some luck and they also need to really connect with the voters and make arguments and make clear why Daines should not be elected. Regarding Collins campaign announcement, a spokesperson for Daines' campaign said Monday that the senator looks forward to having thoughtful conversations during this campaign on how to best protect our Montana way of life and create good-paying Montana jobs. Wasting no time, the Montana Republican Party sent out a fundraising email Monday afternoon calling Collins a media sensation and nothing short of a DREAM candidate for Montana Democrats but also claiming he would be a rubber stamp for the far-left's radical agenda in Washington. He'll stand against President Trump every chance he gets and be in lockstep with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders and not with Montanans, the email read. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana is persistently in the top three states in the U.S. in terms of youth dying by suicide and overwhelmingly, the means youth use to kill themselves is firearms. In Montana, 63% of youth suicides are by firearms (compared to 39% nationally). Montana girls ages 10-18 kill themselves using firearms at six times the rate of girls in the rest of the country. Preventing Montanas youth from dying by suicide should and must be a priority, yet in America nothing sets off an ideological divide like the mention of guns. However, it is meaningless to talk about suicide without discussing the means. Using firearms is significant because people are far more likely to die from a suicide attempt; 83% of suicide attempts using firearms result in death, so the means matter. People who survive suicide are unlikely to attempt it again. Among those who have attempted suicide, approximately 7% eventually die by suicide, yet 70% have no further attempts. Growing up with firearms does not make an individual more prone to suicide. But if firearms are present in a household, reducing access to them during a suicidal crisis is important. Almost half of all people who survived a suicide attempt reported that there was less than 10 minutes of deliberation between the emergence of suicidal thoughts and the actual attempt. The policies shown to reduce youth suicide are child-access prevention laws (which include safe storage laws) and minimum age requirements for purchasing a firearm. Child-access prevention laws lower both the total number of suicides and the number of suicides with firearms. However, federal agencies are constrained in what data they are permitted to collect making additional research challenging. For instance, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is restricted by Congress from gathering data on gun violence a restriction that should be lifted. With the publics attitudes on gun policy being so widely divergent, non-legislative approaches may be our best option until Americans can overcome the polarization that exists around gun laws. These approaches include counselling at-risk youth and their families, educational campaigns and partnering with key players, such as people who are in contact with at-risk youth and gun owner groups. There is agreement between gun owners and non-gun owners when it comes to gun safety, especially when children are present in the household. Budget cuts made in 2018 to Montanas Department of Public Health and Human Services severely undermined suicide prevention efforts, with 100 mental health professionals being laid off across the state and 10 rural health care programs closing. Mental health services for youth in crisis were affected by these cuts. Additionally, during the Montana 2019 session, two pieces of legislation aimed at impacting Montanas high suicide rates were introduced but tabled in committee. Both bills included funding for youth suicide prevention program. Youth suicide and access to firearms is a public health crisis. Keeping guns out of the hands of youth who are having suicidal thoughts is common sense, delaying their actions and giving them time to reassess their choices. Daphne Herling is the senior research analyst for Montana KIDS COUNT at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Montana State Parks Foundation is publishing a weekly showcase of Montana State Parks' 55 properties. Rosebud Battlefield is one of the most undeveloped, pristine battlefields in the nation. While looking for the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne villages of Chief Sitting Bull, Brigadier General George Cook, along with 1,000 troops and Crow and Shoshone scouts, were unprepared for an organized attack. On June 17, 1876, an equal or greater number of warriors led by Sioux Chief Crazy Horse and Cheyenne Chiefs Two Moon, Young Two Moons and Spotted Wolf, attacked the band of soldiers. One of the largest battles of the Indian Wars, the Battle of Rosebud, or Where the Girl Saved Her Brother" as referred to by the Northern Cheyenne, lasted for eight hours. Because Crooks troops had been withdrawn from the war zone in order to resupply, they were not there to support Colonel Custer at Little Bighorn. The defeat at Little Bighorn by the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne warriors was a shock to the nation and led to a counter attack and the Lakotas loss of the Black Hills. Rosebud Battlefield State Park is a significant historic park where visitors can retrace the steps of soldiers and warriors at the site of the largest battle in the history of Montana. Did you know? Although the park does not encompass the entirety of the battlefield, the 3,025-acre park has remained nearly the same as it was during the time of the battle in the 1870s. The battlefield is still used throughout the year by U.S. Armed Forces to study military strategy, including how troops take on an enemy who is familiar with the landscape. The park includes Kobold Buffalo Jump, a cliff once used by Native Americans and marked with petroglyphs. A short hike within the gap to the cliffs will allow you to see these. The use of metal detectors, digging and the collecting or removal of artifacts is restricted and bikes are allowed on existing roadways only. Be very cautious while in the park as rattlesnakes reside in the area. Although camping isnt available, there is camping at Tongue River Reservoir State Park only 13 miles south. The Montana State Parks Foundation helps fund work at parks, for more information log on to www.montanastateparksfoundation.org. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Deer Lodge's annual Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony will take place at noon Wednesday in the Old Montana Prison Yard. Jodi Moore, widow of murdered Broadwater County Deputy Sheriff Mason Moore, will be the guest speaker. Mason Moore was inducted into the Law Enforcement Hall of Honor last year to recognize his ultimate sacrifice in 2017. His photo has been on the memorial's podium for the past year. Following Wednesday's ceremony, Jodi Moore will officially place it on the Wall of Honor. Deputy Moore, 42, was shot and killed May 16, 2017 while involved in a pursuit of a vehicle near mile marker 109 on Highway 287, south of I-90 near Three Forks. During Wednesday's ceremony, the Deer Lodge Veterans Honor Guard will present the colors and the Powell County High School Select Choir will perform. A total of 129 officers in Montana who have died in the line of duty are memorialized in the Law Enforcement Hall of Honor at the Old Montana Prison. No officer was killed in Montana in 2018, but 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents across the United States last year, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Of these 106 incidents, 55 officers died as a result of felonious acts, and 51 officers died in accidents. According to the April 2018 Journal of Preventive Medicine, the overall rate of nonfatal injuries received by law enforcement officials in the line of duty is 635 per 10,000 full-time equivalent. That's three times higher than the rate for other American workers. Wednesday's ceremony, which aims to Remember the Fallen, and Thank the Living," is open to the public as well as law enforcement. Attendees are asked to bring or donate a blue rose. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 REC Silicons factory in Moses Lake, Washington, is shutting down because of the United States' ongoing trade war with China, but the company's plant located just west of Butte will continue to operate as usual, according to a company official. REC Silicon announced Tuesday that it will halt production at its Moses Lake plant and that its remaining 150 employees will be laid off at the end of June unless the trade dispute ends. But there is no plan to lay-off Butte workers at the Montana Connections Business Park, said Francine Sullivan, REC Silicon vice president of business development. Butte is a very good asset, Sullivan said by phone Tuesday. It has decent markets, and the business is very strong. Were hoping to continue to run it as is. China imposed tariffs on U.S. polysilicon, which is used to make solar panels, after the U.S. imposed tariffs on Chinese solar panels. The tariffs basically prevent REC from selling its product in China, which makes most of the world's solar panels, REC Silicon has said. Meanwhile, REC Silicon's plant in Butte remains profitable despite curtailed operations, the company said. The Butte facility makes silicon gas for the electronics market. The Butte plant is mostly shipping its product to Japan and Korea. The Butte plant reduced production earlier this year because of high electricity prices. Sullivan said the Butte plant turned a reactor off temporarily due to Montana power prices spiking early in 2019. But it caused no layoffs and was just temporary," according to Sullivan. Last week, company president Tore Torvund told investors that the company would keep Moses Lake employees for another six weeks. Until we see what is the outcome of the trade war, he said. Despite the problems caused by the trade war, REC Silicon supports the actions of President Donald Trump, said Sullivan. "This kind of brinksmanship is necessary in politics," Sullivan said. The last thing I would do is criticize the president. He did the right thing. Sullivan said the Butte plant would absorb as many Moses Lake workers as it could. But, she said, theres a limit to what the company can do. We dont want to strangle Butte, she said. The Butte plant has also felt the pinch from the trade war with China. Over the last couple of years, REC Silicon has laid off about 35 employees at the Butte plant as the company struggled through the trade war. The Butte factory employed roughly 200 people as of Tuesday. Torvund said if the U.S. and China fail to reach agreement, the Moses Lake plant will be mothballed until prices improve. REC reported a loss of about $4.7 million on revenues of $45 million for the first three months of 2019. While the company has increased sales, Torvund said the world price for polysilicon keeps falling. Few Chinese polysilicon producers are making a profit, Torvund said. "No one in the value chain is making money at today's prices," he said. "There's still an oversupply." Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 4 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ARCHIVED - 52 migrants cross the barbed wire fences of Melilla to reach Spanish territory The first mass assault on the north African enclave since October last year The first few months of 2019 were relatively quiet at the 6-metre-high barbed wire border fences which separate the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the northern coast of Africa from Moroccan territory, but that all changed on Sunday when a large group of people launched an assault to attempt to gain unauthorized entry to the EU. Approximately 100 people were involved in the first group attack of this kind since October, according to the national government delegation in Melilla, who report that 52 succeeded in crossing the fences after making their move at first light, at around 6.15 in the morning. At least one was injured and eventually taken for medical treatment and the rest were transferred to the CETI temporary internment centre, while it is also reported that four Guardia Civil officers suffered minor injuries. Most of the new arrivals are apparently natives of Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Mali, having made their crossing in one of the few areas where the concertina fences are still in place despite the government having committed itself to their removal: the structures are still present at only 200 metres of the 11-kilometre border, but at the location of the assault their effectiveness is reduced by the lie of the land, and the migrants succeeded in cutting their way through them. The Ministry of the Interior recently published statistics showing that between 1st January and 30th April the number of migrants making their way into Ceuta and Melilla was 11.7 per cent lower than in 2018 at 1,777, while on the other hand the overall figure for unauthorized migrants was 50 per cent higher than last year at over 6,600. Most of this is due to the increase in the migratory flow across the western Mediterranean, between Morocco and Andalucia, and it is anticipated that another annual record could be set this year after the total reached over 57,000 in 2018. It is interesting to note that in a survey performed by YouGov for seven European newspapers, members of the public questioned ahead of the European elections placed immigration at the top of the list of challenges facing the EU, ahead of the environment, economic stability and peace and security. Around 46 per cent of those interviewed in various member States were of the opinion that their countries should not accept any more migrants from conflict zones, with the highest percentages found in Italy, Hungary, Poland and Sweden, while in Spain the percentage supporting that policy was 42 per cent. Image: Jubilant migrants celebrate their arrival in Melilla (AUGC Twitter) Follow Murcia Today on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information in the Region of Murcia and the rest of Spain: https://www.facebook.com/MurciaToday/. article_detail --> ARCHIVED - 6.8 per cent increase in March property sales in Spain Activity in the market is at its highest level for over a decade This Tuesday saw the publication by the governments central statistics unit of the residential property sales data for the month of March 2019, showing that the number of transactions was 6.8 per cent higher than in the same month last year at 42,649. On the face of it this would seem to indicate a resumption of growth in the level of activity, but any analysis ought to take into account the fact that the figures were doubtless favoured by the fact that Easter fell in April this year rather than March. In fact, the slightness of the overall rise appears to be compatible with the impression given by other sets of data published recently: the notaries of Spain, for example, reported a slight decrease in the number of sales finalized during March, and there remains a suspicion that the level of activity in the market may be reaching a plateau after five years of growth. As is so often the case, the overall figures hide a good deal of disparity among the results reported in Spains 17 regions. The figures were higher than in the third month of 2018 in 11 of them, most notably in La Rioja, where another extraordinary rise of 44.5 per cent is reported, while elsewhere the most significant gains were in Cantabria (27.8 per cent) and Castilla-La Mancha (23.8 per cent). On the other hand, for the third month in a row there were decreases in both the Canaries (-10.1 per cent) and the Balearics (-6.6 per cent). It is perhaps significant that the Balearics was one of the regions where the market began to recover soonest after the slump which began in late 2007, while the others where the same can be said - Madrid and Catalunya showed relatively stable figures in March with increases of just 5..3 per cent and 2.6 per cent respectively. As is almost always the case, the region with most sales per 100,000 inhabitants of property-buying age during March was the Comunidad Valenciana, with a figure of 151, and this is due in large part to the frequency with which properties in the Costa Blanca change hands among the non-Spanish population in the Costa Blanca. Although the overall total of sales registered in the first quarter of 2019 is just 3.7 per cent higher than at the same point a year ago, in the longer view the extent to which the real estate sector in Spain is still recovering is such that the level of sales activity is now 77 per cent higher than when the market bottomed out in February 2014, with the running 12-monthly total standing at 520,692, 8.1 per cent higher than a year ago and the highest figure since January 2009. To view a wide range of properties for sale across Spain consult the Spanish property page. Follow Murcia Today on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information in the Region of Murcia and the rest of Spain: https://www.facebook.com/MurciaToday/. "I'm sure we won't get any quorums anymore," he said. "You're not going to get people coming from southern Iowa to Davenport to meet." Estimated funding for the new region 5 is $1.3 million with $149,000 or about 14 percent for administrative costs. The letter also included information on how and when appeals to the decision may be submitted. Appeals will be accepted by the IWD through May 24 and individuals may also present an appeal before the SWD board May 30 at its next meeting. "To me the disappointing part is, if you read the rules, we, the county boards of supervisors, are responsible for these funds and the allocation and proper use of the funds," Sorensen said. "And yet, we're being dictated by workforce development how we're going to organize." The chief elected official on the region 9 local board sent a letter to appeal earlier this year, Sorensen said, and he didn't think sending another appeal would matter. Townsend also wrote in the recent letter if an appeal had already been submitted it will be considered among others. In response to board chair Nathan Mather's question asking if there was any point to an appeal or if it was "just window dressing," Sorensen replied, "I think it's just window dressing at this point." As I have said all along, were just getting started, Reynolds added in the statement. Thats why this year, I proposed a bold new plan for a more coordinated health care system, greater funding for broadband internet, and historic investments in education and job training. Im proud of the progress weve made, and Im as excited as ever about where were heading. Iowa Republicans, who made the No. 1 ranking a major rallying point for the 2018 elections, downplayed the development while Democrats pointed to it as evidence GOP policies are taking the state in the wrong direction. Im not surprised, said Troy Price, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party. Gov. Reynolds clung to this as tight as she possibly could last year and now this same survey is finding that under her leadership were going in the wrong direction. My question is how much is she going to be talking about us having dropped 13 positions in the first year of her time in office? Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, has pointed to the magazines No. 1 ranking as a nonpartisan, third-party indicator that Iowa was doing things right. Monday, he pointed to other measures that he believed show Iowa is taking the correct policy course. The Museum Membership Levels Cahuenga $25.00 USD Amelia Earhart $50.00 USD Lankershim $100.00 USD El Camino Real $250.00 USD Chandler $500.00 USD Los Encinos $1,000.00 USD Pio Pico $2,500.00 USD Gaspar de Portola $5,000.00 USD The Museum of the San Fernando Valley Northridge, CA 91324 (XST - SW Corner of Wilbur Ave. & Nordhoff St.) Michel (Michael) Stevens President michel.stevens@TheMuseumSFV.org NOTE: Due to COVID-19, The Museum SFV is currently closed until further notice. Please check our website, blog, social media and voice mail for updates. Please join us for ongoing virtual events (see below). The Museum SFV (Regular) Hours: Tuesdays: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Thursdays: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Saturdays: 12:00pm - 4:00pm Tel: 818-347-9665 PST TheMuseumSFV@gmail.com * FREE ADMISSION * FREE PARKING THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS & PARTNERS! SUPPORT YOUR MUSEUM TODAY!18904 Nordhoff St. Naspers and WeWork have announced that Naspers Johannesburg team will move to WeWorks Johannesburg office when it opens in August 2019. The Johannesburg office is located at The Link in Rosebank, opposite the Gautrain Rosebank train station. Over 400,000 members are now based at WeWork locations around the world, and member businesses range from start-ups to mid and large-sized companies, said WeWork. International locations serve as a base for business travel, as well as offer opportunities for companies to easily expand abroad. It added that larger enterprise companies now make up more than 30% of its global membership. Over the years, more and more corporates are coming to us to be part of our global community, WeWork said. Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said the company has cut the price of data by 37% over the past year, and this trend will continue in future. The companys financial results for the year ended 31 March 2019 showed that customer revenue in South Africa increased by 1.3% to R47.4 billion. This subdued growth, Joosub said, was a result of tough economic conditions and because of the companys price cuts over the period. We have given back more than R2 billion in price cuts to South African consumers, Joosub told Moneyweb. He said these price cuts were a proactive move against competitors and also served to reduce some of the price gaps to remain competitive. The implementation of ICASAs new regulations which prevent automatic out-of-bundle charges and force mobile operators to roll over unused data also had an effect. The good news is that mobile data price reductions are set to continue, with another R2 billion in price cuts planned for this year. Making it easier to reduce prices Joosub urged the government and other regulatory entities to make it easier for mobile operators to reduce data prices. He said the most significant obstacle to reducing input costs and, by extension, data prices is the fact that no new spectrum has been allocated in South Africa in the last 15 years. Lengthy delays in completing the digital migration and allocating 4G spectrum has curbed the pace at which data prices could have fallen, Joosub said. The lack of spectrum means that operators have to roll out more sites to increase coverage, which in turn costs a lot of money. If Vodacom had access to more spectrum, Joosub said they would have been able to increase their 4G coverage from the current 90% to nearly 100%. The biggest beneficiaries would be people in rural areas, who would get access to faster and cheaper data. Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub has stressed the need for spectrum allocation in South Africa, arguing that it is necessary for the digital evolution of the country. Speaking in an interview with MyBroadband, Joosub said that governments plan to enable the fourth industrial revolution in South Africa requires expediting the allocation of both 4G and 5G spectrum. The government was meant to release a policy directive on spectrum allocation in April 2019, but this was delayed ahead of the national elections. Now that the political campaigning is over, the telecommunications industry is once again waiting expectantly for progress to be made on spectrum allocation. Joosub told MyBroadband that the launch of 5G services is not possible unless the required spectrum is made available, adding that the cost to carry a MB of data is also severely impacted by the unavailability of spectrum. Starved for spectrum Joosub said a lack of spectrum makes it far more expensive to build out a mobile network, which in turn means it is more difficult to lower mobile data prices. You have to drive down the underlying cost to produce a MB of data to lower prices, and essentially spectrum gives you the ability to do that, Joosub said. Today what happens is you build a site, put load on the site, and if you run out of capacity, you add more radios. When you are finished with radios, the typical thing to do is to add more spectrum. However, if telecommunications companies do not have access to more spectrum, they are forced to build more sites and begin the whole process again. The problem is we are not spending it as optimally as we could be, Joosub said. He added that the length of time it takes for mobile data prices to fall will depend on exactly how much spectrum is made available. It also depends on how we are going to get the spectrum, whether it will be staggered or released all at once. 5G spectrum needed Joosub said that South Africa placed significant importance on the fourth industrial revolution, and 5G is a key enabler for this initiative. I think it will be a travesty if we dont get access to 5G soon, Joosub said. We are are putting a big focus on the fourth industrial revolution as a country, and we need to give the telcos the ability to create the underlying infrastructure that is going to be required for this. He said that a key pillar for that infrastructure is data networks, and more specifically 5G. I think we should allocate both the 4G and 5G spectrum now, he said. That will give the telcos the ability to build the required infrastructure and customers could watch the space to see shifts in mobile data pricing. While he said that Vodacom would not be able to deploy 5G services without additional spectrum allocation, he added that the company would contemplate partnerships to accomplish this end if the required spectrum is not made available. We need to be able to get access to spectrum to be able to offer 5G services, he said. If need be, we could partner with another company to deliver this, but we have not made any commitments or had any discussions as yet. There will come a point where we have to look at how we carry on, he added. It is a possibility that we could do it with a partner, as there are some people who have the right spectrum. Five families will be featured at the St. Helena Historical Societys Museum For a Day, which will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the Native Sons Hall, 1313 Spring St. The families are MacDonald, Lincoln, McCormick, Money and Bedolla. Members of the families will share their stories, photos and various ephemera. The St. Helena Historical Society will also have a few wonderful old vehicles outside for added interest. These events are held every few years (at whatever venue can be found), because the St. Helena Historical Society is currently without a home, but its members still want the Historical Societys treasures to be available to the community. This is one way to do that. Each family will have tables and easels for display, and most will have several members attending. Susan M. Veresh, a SHHS board member, has interviewed the families and compiled each of the interviews that have been printed. The Bedolla family story is told this week. BEDOLLA FAMILY Arriving in the early 1940s in Rutherford, Pedro Pete Bedolla used the governments Bracero Program to assist the labor camps for the Christian Brothers Winery and Beaulieu. He was a native of Mexico and came to the U.S. in 1926. His wife Julia Diaz was born April 12, 1905 at Silao Leon Guanajuato, Mexico and moved to the U.S. with her relatives at age 12. Pete and Julia married in 1929 in Riverside. Julia and Pete had five children: sons LiBrado (Lee) and Joseph, and daughters Rosa, Ramona and Amador, 10 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Though the family started out in the Los Angeles area, when racial riots broke out there, the family moved north to Rutherford. During the Bracero era, Pete crossed paths with folks like Christian Brothers Brother Timothy, and Chuck Wagner and his father Charlie of Caymus Vineyards. Petes son Lee and some others saved Charlies life when they managed to rescue him by lifting a large tree that had fallen on him. Their friendship was such that Charlie was a frequent visitor to the family home. The labor camp where the brothers worked on Silverado Trail was later used in the film This Earth is Mine, as the home for one of the characters in the film. Son Lee decided that he was also uncomfortable living in L.A., but he didnt want to leave future wife Angela Angie behind, so he kidnapped her and came north to help his dad at the camps. Even though her cousin tried to talk her out of it, she climbed out of her cousins window to escape. As there were 10 children in her family, it took a while for the parents to notice. Angie and Lee had three daughters Julie, Chris and Veronica and one son, Erick. While living in Rutherford, there was an old bar called the Old Oaken Bucket on the southeast corner of Highway 29 and Rutherford Road when the school bus was coming, the owner and barkeep Marie would come outside to escort the kids across the road. Both Angie and Lee contributed to the wine industry with mom at the winery at Beaulieu and dad was in vineyard management and then later when Andre Tchelistcheff and Mike Grgich set up their own wineries, he worked right alongside them. Angie Bedolla began working at the Beaulieu Winery and she apprenticed later under Hans Kornell and later under Madame de Pins, a daughter of Georges de Latour, the founder of Beaulieu where she learned the authentic French champagne hands-on methods. After Georges died, she took over and continued for many years at Beaulieu, later transferring to the same winery as Lee across Highway 29 alongside Tchelistcheff and Grgich. Pete and Julias daughter Rose Rosie worked for the family who owned the Tripoli Family Market the site where Dean & DeLuca now stands. During the period when several Hollywood films were being made here, she was one of the infamous clerks in the market, and through that checkout line met such illustrious actors as Rock Hudson, Rod Steiger, Richard Egan and many others. She once met Elvis Presley in a vineyard! Son Lee was friends since childhood with Tim Mondavi and Stephen Taplin, and the story is that the trio would get on the conveyor belts at the winery and play on them some went downhill so it was great fun! Daughter Chris met future husband Fred Fabre while both attended Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in the 60s. His father was an international captain with TWA and they moved from San Francisco to the Oakville area in 1964. School chum Dee McFarland (of the Lincoln family, also participating on Saturday), and Chris pulled a prank on newly arrived Fred and stole his jacket to flirt with him. Chris and Fred became sweethearts in high school and married several years later. They have two children, son Ian, born in 1980, who is a graphic artist working at the Lawrence Livermore Lab; and daughter Tessa, born in 1985, who is a logistics manager for the startup company CAMP. She and her husband are expecting their first child at the end of May. Corison's old grapevines produce only a sparse number of grapes each year, but the wines they produce are some of the most sought-after in the Napa Valley. Anyone whos visited the Oxbow Public Market on a weekend or downtown Napa on a Friday night can attest to the number of tourists making Napa a destination. The statistics back it up. In 2018, the Napa Valley welcomed 3.85 million visitors who spent $2.23 billion, said a new report from Visit Napa Valley. To compare, the 2016 report said visitors spent $1.9 billion in Napa Valley. On Friday, Visit Napa Valley released the 2018 Napa Valley Visitor Industry Economic Impact and Visitor Profile reports, with results of a yearlong research study conducted by Destination Analysts. According to Visit Napa Valley, nearly 70 percent of the $2.23 billion is generated from overnight hotel guests, who spent an average of $446 in Napa County per guest, per day. The $2.23 billion spent in 2018 represents $85.1 million in tax benefit to residents, said the report. Taxes generated by the visitor industry include revenues from the transient occupancy tax (TOT), sales taxes and property and transfer taxes paid on lodging facilities. The tourism industry remains the second largest employer in Napa County (after the wine industry), supporting the livelihood of an estimated 15,872 people in the community, with a combined payroll of $492 million, said the report. The tourism industry continues to provide a significant positive impact to Napa Valleys economy, while also supporting local initiatives essential to the well-being of our community, said Linsey Gallagher, the new president and CEO for Visit Napa Valley. As residents, we sometimes overlook the ancillary benefits that visitor spending achieves. Napa Valleys healthy and vibrant tourism industry contributes to the quality of life that we are so fortunate to enjoy. We live and work in one of the most desirable destinations in the world. Direct visitor spending within Napa County increased 15.4 percent since 2016, outpacing visitor growth of 8.9 percent in the same time period, said the report. Our goal is to maintain and increase travel and spending in the Napa Valley during nonpeak time periods, including November through April (Cabernet Season) and midweek, Sunday through Thursday nights, said Gallagher. The city of Napa generated more than $21.6 million in TOT in 2018 followed by $6.9 million in Yountville, $3 million in St. Helena, $6.2 million in Calistoga and more than $1.5 million in American Canyon. Revenue from tourism allows local government to invest in services and programs that benefit all residents, including infrastructure improvements, civic amenities and public safety, said Gallagher. Additionally, tourism creates demand for a diverse range of goods, services, and cultural programs that are available for both residents and visitors to enjoy, she said. In 2018, Visit Napa Valley rallied the support of the hospitality industry and other leaders to pass a voter supported 1 percent increase in TOT for a special fund dedicated to workforce housing in five out of six jurisdictions. Approximately $5 million will be collected annually to promote future housing development for residents, said Visit Napa Valley. Napa Valleys second largest industry In 2018, tourism put an estimated 15,872 people to work in the community providing a combined payroll of $492 million to support their families, reported the data. This represents an employment increase of 18.1 percent from 2016 and a 27.2 percent increase in combined payroll in 2016. Not surprisingly, the majority of hospitality jobs are related to either restaurants or hotels. Since the last survey in 2016, three hotels - Las Alcobas, Vista Collina and Archer Hotel Napa - opened, along with four smaller inns with 10 rooms or less. Overnight guests versus 'day trippers' More than one-third, or 35.5 percent, of visitors in 2018 stayed overnight in the Napa Valley, while the remaining 64.5 percent were on day trips. In total, 80.7 percent of overnight visitors stayed in a hotel within Napa Valley and 12.4 percent stayed in a private residence. Compared to the 2016 study, overnight visitation grew 13.7 percent in 2018 with day trip visitation growing 5.3 percent, supporting Visit Napa Valleys mission to inspire visitors to extend their stay by experiencing the valleys more than 125 hotels, motels, and inns, said the release. Hotel guests in 2018 were responsible for $1.55 billion in direct visitor spending, or an average of $446 per person, per day, compared to an average of $170 per person, per day spent by day-trippers. This represents a 15.4 percent increase in spending from 2016. The largest proportion of day trip visitors originated their trip from San Francisco, followed by Vallejo-Fairfield, San Jose, Santa Rosa and Sacramento. How much visitors spend The largest component of visitor spending in 2018 was on retail, which accounted for 40 percent of all spending, or $746 million, reported Visit Napa Valley. The second and third largest components of Napa Valley visitor spending included restaurants at $479 million and lodging at $476 million. Group meetings, weddings, and social events generated $267 million in direct spending in Napa Valley. How often they come back The Napa Valley draws a substantial amount of repeat visitation, with the average visitor in 2018 making 3.6 trips to the Napa Valley in the past twelve months (compared with 2.9 trips in 2016). In total, 88.1 percent of respondents said that they were very likely or likely to return to the Napa Valley. Why they visit Visitors stated the primary reason for visiting the Napa Valley was for a getaway or vacation, representing 71.8 percent of all visitors. Wedding or special events represented 11.3 percent of visitors and a conference or business travel represented 5.8 percent of visitors. Pop the cork on Napa Valley wine! Discover the hidden stories of Napa Valley wine and the people behind it -- plus expert analysis from our columnists and more with our weekly email newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Carl Sanchez Sr., 81, was born 7th of 10 children on Oct. 1, 1937 in Galveston, TX. He joined the Air Force at the age of 17, in 1954. After basic training he was assigned to Loan AFB in France. On his discovery trips he met Lea who became his wife in Antwerp, Belgium in 1958. They were married 61 years. They welcomed baby girl Sonia on base in France. After France, Carl was stationed at Travis AFB and they added Carl Jr. and Edward to their family. As a jet engine mechanic, Carl traveled all around the world; only once with his family for 4 years in Mildenhall, England. He retired in 1975 and came back to Northern CA. Carl became a real cowboy when he and his wife bought a ranch which became the home for his horses and many other critters. He joined the Sheet Metal workers as a service technician for 27 years and retired again, but not for long. Carl became involved with Habitat for Humanity for many years working with volunteers to build houses in several towns. Carl was liked and admired by his many friends. He will be sorely missed by his grandchildren, Kim, Randi, Monique and Bianca; great grandchildren, Jaxon, Roxy and Aldon. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, May 16 at 10am at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Rd. Dixon, CA 95620. California's Department of Motor Vehicles will need to make lots of changes if it wants to turn things around, according to a 110-page report sent to lawmakers and obtained by The Sacramento Bee. Among the suggestions are launching an aggressive $10 million marketing campaign, redesigning the agency's website and creating a chatbot to filter and respond to customer complaints. Some of the changes are already under way. The report, produced by the DMV in response to recommendations by a strike team created by Gov. Gavin Newsom, also highlights problems with upper-level management. It calls the department's organizational structure "outdated" and says DMV employees need better training. The team led by Marybel Batjer, secretary of the Government Operations Agency, conducted "an intensive series of interviews with DMV executives and managers" and discovered the department had issues with "weak communication and lack of goal alignment among divisions, key vacancies in top management roles, and poor coordination in efforts to improve customer service." To make matters worse, the report noted, "Employees have been hampered by outdated and inadequate training and obsolete tools." The team recommended a number of customer service improvements to keep Californians out of DMV offices and help the department tackle larger problems with outdated technology and a new ID program. The report, dated April 23, says the DMV will add 200 more self-service kiosks by the end of the year and allow the machines to process additional types of transactions. It will also revamp its website to help customers find the services they're looking for. Customers who choose to visit the offices in person could soon have access to Wi-Fi, according to the report. It also notes DMV offices will accept credit cards by the end of the year, following Newsom's demand for them to do so. Perhaps the most daunting challenge for the DMV is the roughly 20 million customers who have yet to come in for a federally mandated Real ID card, which is required by Oct. 1, 2020, for people who want to board airplanes without having to bring a passport. The DMV is asking for nearly $10 million so it can raise awareness about documents needed for a Real ID card and alternatives to visiting a field office when renewing a driver license. "The numerous improvements that DMV is making to customer service could fall flat without a sufficiently funded marketing strategy," the strike team warned in the report. Newsom's office declined to comment on the findings, saying it is still waiting for the strike team to wrap up its work in June. In the meantime, Newsom wants to give the DMV more money. His revised budget proposal calls for an extra $163 million for the DMV to address a barrage of ongoing issues, including issuing millions of additional Real ID cards ahead of a looming deadline. That's just shy of the department's hefty $168 million request to lawmakers in March. Lawmakers, however, have expressed little appetite for giving the DMV more money. Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, said he's been disappointed in the past after approving money for new tablets that were later purchased but not deployed. Ting said he's spoken with Newsom's office about the $163 million budget proposal but wants to make sure there is greater accountability to prevent the DMV from misspending the money. "They haven't proven they have the ability to spend wisely," Ting said of the DMV. "We want to see a plan from the administration. We need to have a number of checks and balances so we can be assured they're spending it properly." Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno agrees with Ting but also wants the DMV to hand off more of its work to such groups as the American Automobile Association. He said he'll wait for the strike team to conclude its six-month review before he considers giving the DMV another dime. "The previous governor saw the Legislature as a nuisance," Patterson said. "I'm willing to give the governor a little more time. But I'm not ready to say, 'I'm going to give you a lot more money.'" Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Maryland man who owned a storage and transportation business for upscale wines admitted Tuesday to stealing customers wines, and selling them to retailers and brokers in Napa and elsewhere, court documents show. William Lamont Holder, 54, pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge for stealing between $550,000 and $1.5 million of wine from customers of his Maryland-based business, Safe Harbour Wine Storage, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday in a press release. An indictment filed in December accused him of obtaining at least $2.3 million as a result of the scheme. Holder's business is not affiliated with Safe Harbor Wine Storage in Napa. The indictment singles out four transactions between Holder and at least one unnamed wine broker in Napa, totaling nearly $90,000 for about 932 bottles of wine. It also mentions a fifth transaction for a Washington, D.C. wine broker who purchased about 92 bottles for $15,000. All five transactions took place in 2016 and 2017. Safe Harbour Wine Storage primarily dealt with private collectors and commercial establishments, according to the indictment. The company charged a monthly fee and pick-up charges to transport customers wines to a storage facility in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Customers could pay a delivery fee to have their wine sent to them, instead of picking it up at the facility, according to the indictment. Holders customers did not know that he was offering their wine for sale to wine retailers and brokers nationwide, and sending potential buyers detailed lists of bottles of wines in his storage, including their vintages and asking prices via email and fax, according to the press release. Holder then boxed and shipped the wines, and buyers would wire the money into his account or send a check, prosecutors said. Holder schemed to use his customers wines from January 2013 to December 2017, according to the press release. Holder agreed to be sentenced to 18 months in prison, if the U.S. District Court of Maryland accepts his plea, according to the press release. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has slated his sentencing for July 31. This story has been modified since first posting to clarify that Safe Harbor Wine Storage in Napa is not related to Safe Harbour Wine Storage in Maryland. 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 schools in Warwick, Rhode Island, can put those sun butter and jelly sandwiches away: Someone is stepping up to pay the massive lunch debt of some of its students. That "someone" is yogurt company Chobani, which is paying off the reportedly $77,000 debt. Warwick Public School caused an uproar earlier this week when it announced that any students who had unpaid balances on their lunch accounts would receive a sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwich until their balance was paid. "As a parent, this news breaks my heart," Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya said in statement. "For every child, access to naturally nutritious and delicious food should be a right, not a privilege. When our children are strong, our families are stronger. And when our families are strong, our communities are stronger. Business can and must do its part to solve the hunger crisis in America and do its part in the communities they call home." In addition to paying off the debt, Chobani is also donating cups and yogurt to the community in Warwick. Lunch debt is a nationwide issue Several parents were furious about the school district's decision to give students with lunch debt a limited midday-meal option. They called it lunch shaming. "Just give the kids lunch," one parent wrote on the district's Facebook page. "We already lost a janitor, science teacher, don't have air conditioning, we can't spring for a chicken patty for a hungry kid? What if this is their only meal of the day?" The school district later said it was reviewing the policy. There are 1,653 families with outstanding lunch debts, CNN affiliate WJAR reported. Both school lunch debt and "lunch shaming" are huge problems in public schools nationwide. Last April, Rhode Island public schools reportedly faced $300,000 in student lunch debt. However, the practice of singling out students who have unpaid lunch debt has received widespread criticism. In 2017, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced a bill which would outlaw policies that publicize a student's lunch debt. These practices can include making a student wear a special sticker or wristband, or providing cold sandwiches instead of the usual hot-meal offering. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb met the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das in Agartala Monday and discussed a wide range of subjects pertaining to the progress of projects being undertaken on Tripura-Bangladesh border. Among the other three key issues that were brought forth during the discussion were expediting the work of inland waterways between India and Bangladesh. Both the dignitaries were of the opinion that the work on the same needs to be completed as per prescribed time limit and the same must be taken up with the Bangladesh government accordingly. Furthering the Agartala-Akhaura rail project was also discussed. The Agartala-Akhaura Rail project work is a significant component of the Hira model of development envisaged by Prime Minister Modi for development of Tripura as the logistical hub of entire north-eastern region. The High Commissioner apprised the chief minister that due to some reasons in the Bangladesh side, the work has been delayed by around one year time but all concerns with regards to the completion deadlines of the work shall be duly taken up with Bangladesh government so that the important rail project work can be completed as per the set time limit of completion. The Tripura chief minister also raised the issue of ease of travel for Bangladeshi passport holders through Tripura. Currently, a large number of Bangladeshi citizens come to India through Akhaura route and undertake journey to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other parts of the country for medical tourism, and various business and tourism-related activities. But there is a compulsion for those Bangladeshi Nationals who enter through Akhaura route to return from the same route and they cannot exit from India from any other port such as Delhi or Kolkata or Bengaluru. This causes severe inconvenience for the passengers and makes it less viable for them to undertake their journeys through Tripura. Tripuras geographic location in such a scenario is not optimally utilized and the benefits of economics of externalities is not received which plays an important role in boosting local trade, tourism and commerce in the State. The chief minister had earlier raised this issue with the government of India so that like the rules or system prevailing on the West Bengal side, could be applied to Tripura port of entry also for Bangladeshi nationals. The High Commissioner has responded that the said matter shall also, be taken up and positive decision shall be taken in the best interests of the people of Tripura. Mizoram police have handed over 23 trafficked Nepali girls, who were rescued from the state, to Nepal government. Police officials on Tuesday said the girls were handed over to Nepal government officials on Friday through the border transit of Kakarbhitt at Siliguri in West Bengal. Aizawl SP Karthik Kashyap said that Mizoram Police, social welfare department officials and members of NGOs handed over the victims to the officials of Nepals ministry of women and child development. The girls were rescued by the Mizoram Police on April 24 from Champhi area along Myanmar border. The government has alerted officials about the state becoming a safe passage for human trafficking and to keep a strict vigil over the illegal trans-border movement of people. Another police official said that 20 Rohingya Muslim teenagers were rescued in Mizoram during the past three weeks. They are currently lodged in shelter homes. According to police, a middleman and a woman were arrested in connection with the trafficking of the Nepali and Rohingya Muslim young girls and boys. The human traffickers are reportedly using the route via Myanmar to traffic young girls and boys to the Gulf and Southeast Asian countries, said the official. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday talked briefly in Brussels, during the 10th anniversary events of the Eastern Partnership program of the European Union. Pashinyan told this to RFE/RL Armenian Service. Its impossible to resolve any conflict by focusing solely on the interests of one of the parties involved, because I believe that the most important obstacle before the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] conflicts settlement is Azerbaijans position: not to have dialogue with Karabakh, Pashinyan said. The truth is that this conflict has three parties: Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Armenia. We believe its very important to have a proper negotiation framework so that it be possible to resolve this conflict. Asked whether he spoke Monday with the Azerbaijani president, the Armenian PM replied: Yes, a little. It was a very short conversation about the current situation. And to the query as to when they will meet again, Pashinyan said there were no such plans yet, but he is sure that the negotiations will continue. Its very important that Nagorno-Karabakh returns to the negotiating table; thats very important, Nikol Pashinyan said. Its impossible to have a real settlement of the matter without Nagorno-Karabakh. 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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 By Damali Mukhaye. Education minister Janet Museveni has called for more community involvement in the education sector programs and activities. She says Section 5(2) of the Education Act stipulates that the parent is responsible for providing non scholastic items like food and school uniform for their children. However,this is not being done because parents and guardians are not actively involved in their childrens education. She says her ministry will continue conducting regular follow-ups to ensure compliance in all schools. YEREVAN. The first open court pretrial hearing of the criminal case against second President Robert Kocharyan and some other former officials of Armenia has resumed Tuesday at a capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction. At Tuesdays hearing, the court is expected to make a ruling on the motion by Kocharyans attorneys. At Mondays hearing, Kocharyans legal defenders motioned that the judge who is presiding over this hearing recuse himself from continuing to hear the criminal case against second President Robert Kocharyan and some other former officials, and because of bias and not being independent. Also, the court is addressing the pretrial measures of the defendants, and it will decide whether to commute, overturn, or sustain the court ruling on remanding Kocharyan in custody. The matter is being examined publicly, and with the attendance of the trial participants. The prosecutor has confirmed the indictment on the part that has been separated from the criminal case on the events of March 2008 in downtown Yerevan, and regarding Robert Kocharyan, Seyran Ohanyan, Yuri Khachaturov, and Armen Gevorgyan. The Special Investigation Service has filed charges against second President Robert Kocharyan, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and former CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, and former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Secretary of the National Security Council Armen Gevorgyan. Accordingly, Kocharyan has been charged with breaching the constitutional order and taking a particularly large bribe; Ohanyan and Khachaturov are charged with breaching the constitutional order; and Gevorgyan is charged with aiding in breaching the constitutional order, taking a particularly large bribe, and legalizing unlawfully acquired property. But solely Robert Kocharyan is remanded in custody in connection with this criminal case. Seyran Ohanyan and Armen Gevorgyan have been released on a signature bond, while Yuri Khachaturovon bail. On March 1 and 2, 2008 the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the presidential election on February 19, 2008. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes. Unknown attackers installed spyware on mobile phones using the call feature in the WhatsApp app, Financial Times reported. According to this source, the attackers introduced spyware, making calls to selected phone numbers through the WhatsApp app. At the same time, the malicious code was downloaded, even if the subscriber did not pick up the phone, and the call information was deleted from the phones memory. It is noted that the devices on iOS and Android platforms were vulnerable to attack. One of the victims of the cyber attack was a famous British lawyer and human rights activist, his name was not disclosed. WhatsApp found out about the problem in early May, last week the company reported it to the US Department of Justice. According to the Financial Times, the developer of the tracking program is the Israeli private company NSO Group, engaged in the production of cyber intelligence tools. The company said they are investigating the WhatsApp incident. At the same time, NSO Group noted that the company itself does not use its developments, and the software is managed exclusively by those who buy its technology. According to the Sky News channel, WhatsApp confirmed the cyber attack, noting that it was limited in scope and affected only a few dozen users. The company also informed that the vulnerability that allowed installing the tracking software was eliminated, and also recommended that users update their apps version. The WhatsApp audience currently stands at 1.5 billion people worldwide, FT added. By Ivan Ssenabulya. The deceased twins of the State Minister for Water Ronald Kibuule are to be buried tomorrow. The 2 year old twins identified as Roman Kato and Raiding Wasswa drowned in a swimming pool last evening at the ministers home in Mbalala, Mukono. According to the ministers Uncle Davis Lukyamuzi, a vigil is to be held at the Kibuules home in Mbalala Mukono and will be laid to rest at their ancestral home in Kapeke Village. The twins were first rushed to Sir Albert hospital, where they were announced dead, and later taken to Mulago for post-mortem. YEREVAN. Presiding judge of the capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction denied the motion by the attorneys of Armenias second President Robert Kocharyan, and to the effect that he recuse himself from hearing this court case. Before this session began, Kocharyans supporters in attendance welcomed the second President to the courtroom with applause. At Mondays hearing, Robert Kocharyans legal defenders motioned that the judge who is presiding over this hearing recuse himself from continuing to hear the criminal case against second President Robert Kocharyan and some other former officials, and because of bias and not being independent. As reported earlier, the first open court pretrial hearing of the criminal case against Robert Kocharyan and some other former officials has resumed Tuesday at a Yerevan court of general jurisdiction. The court is also addressing the pretrial measures of the defendants, and it will decide whether to commute, overturn, or sustain the court ruling on remanding Kocharyan in custody. The matter is being examined publicly, and with the attendance of the trial participants. The prosecutor has confirmed the indictment on the part that has been separated from the criminal case on the events of March 2008 in downtown Yerevan, and regarding Robert Kocharyan, Seyran Ohanyan, Yuri Khachaturov, and Armen Gevorgyan. The Special Investigation Service has filed charges against second President Robert Kocharyan, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and former CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, and former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Secretary of the National Security Council Armen Gevorgyan. Accordingly, Kocharyan has been charged with breaching the constitutional order and taking a particularly large bribe; Ohanyan and Khachaturov are charged with breaching the constitutional order; and Gevorgyan is charged with aiding in breaching the constitutional order, taking a particularly large bribe, and legalizing unlawfully acquired property. But solely Robert Kocharyan is remanded in custody in connection with this criminal case. Seyran Ohanyan and Armen Gevorgyan have been released on a signature bond, while Yuri Khachaturovon bail. On March 1 and 2, 2008 the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the presidential election on February 19, 2008. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes. Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to discuss with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 14 bilateral relations, strategic stability and disarmament issues, as well as pressing regional issues, said Russian Presidents spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. According to him, the most topical issues will be discussed. Obviously, these are issues of bilateral relations, strategic stability and disarmament issues. These are also hotspots - Iran, Syria, Venezuela, as well as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and other possible issues, TASS reported. Peskov noted that this meeting will take place in the evening in Sochi, after Pompeo talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to him, "the president will receive Mr Pompeo and Minister Lavrov, who will inform the president about the results of their talks in Sochi. The Russian leader will also discuss with the state secretary the possibility of a summit of Russian and US leaders on the margins of the G20 summit in Japanese Osaka. Twenty five years ago, a cease-fire agreement was signed between Armenia, Karabakh and Azerbaijan. It is necessary to emphasize the role of Russia, as well as other countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group in signing this document and further maintaining the ceasefire, said Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan in an article published in the Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta. The end of the military phase of the Karabakh conflict created conditions for a peaceful life, building a free and stable society. Today, Nagorno-Karabakh is not the conflict, but also an independent political unit with a dynamic society striving for development. And yet, people's safety remains the most vulnerable issue, he added. According to him, during this time, the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly tried to break the established balance and re-create the prerequisites for a military solution to the conflict. The peak of the escalation came in April 2016, the FM said adding: The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs clearly and unequivocally insist that the parties strictly adhere to their obligations under the agreements of 1994-95. According to him, maintaining and strengthening the ceasefire by implementing confidence and security measures help stabilize the situation in the conflict zone and create favorable conditions for a peaceful negotiation process. In this context, the agreement between Armenian Prime Minister and Azerbaijani President on strengthening the cease-fire regime and creating a direct communication line between the parties, reached on the margins of the CIS summit in Dushanbe last fall, was of great importance. It is also important that these agreements on strengthening the cease-fire regime were reaffirmed at the Vienna summit this year, he noted. However, according to FM, the absence of institutional mechanisms for consolidating the ceasefire and early warning of possible escalation should be admitted, as it is a serious obstacle to the full implementation of the agreements of 1994 and 1995. According to Mnatsakanyan, the conclusion of an armistice contributed to the elimination of the consequences of the military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan. While the peace process, in its turn, should be aimed at addressing the root causes of the conflict, namely, Azerbaijans violation of the inalienable right of the people of Karabakh to self-determination. In this regard, the issue of physical security and the Nagorno-Karabakh status are the absolute priorities of Armenia in peaceful settlement, the FM concluded. The situation in the courtyard of the capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction remains tense as supporters of second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and supporters of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan continue their protest while the trial over the case of Robert Kocharyan is in progress. Gagik Baghdasaryan, one of Kocharyans supporters, claimed that the decision on remanding Kocharyan in custody is unlawful and that Kocharyan must be released. When asked if he was paid to participate in the protest in defense of Kocharyan, he said he was fulfilling his civil duty. Civil activist Vardges Gaspari was also in the courtyard, but wasnt allowed to enter the courtroom. He had come from the police station. According to him, a criminal case has not been instituted yet, but he doesnt know why. The civil activist informed that his phone has also been found, but he refuses to believe it was lost and claims that it was stolen by Kocharyans supporters. I have a deep pocket, and it is not very likely that it fell out of my pocket. I believe it is more likely that my phone was stolen during the incident, which means that there are professional pickpocketers among Kocharyans supporters. He added that he is content with the fact that there are participants of the protest against Kocharyans supporters in the courtroom. Citizens have to decide. Im happy to see that there are so many people who have come here to support the relatives of the 10 victims of the events of March 1, 2008, not me. There has to be public pressure. All citizens need to exert pressure to make a change. Yesterday, an incident took place between Kocharyans supporters and civil activist Vardges Gaspari in the courtyard while the trial over the case of Robert Kocharyan and others was taking place in Yerevan court of general jurisdiction. Gaspari told journalists that he was hit with a bottle during the pushing and shoving and received a cheekbone injury. The civil activist reported the crime to the police. YEREVAN. On behalf of the German government, the German Embassy in Yerevan congratulates Armenia on the successful reduction of 21 armored combat vehicles. The embassy noted about this in a statement. Through this effort, Armenia is now in compliance with the threshold for armored combat vehicles set by the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty). This treaty is an important pillar of security in Europe and the South Caucasus, the statement also reads. The reduction has been made possible through a NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project with Germany as the lead nation. Germany has provided more than 1 million EUR for this project and stands ready to assist other state parties in order to achieve full compliance with the provisions under the CFE treaty. The German Embassy now look ahead to the remaining steps of the Trust Fund project which include the demilitarization, dismantling and disposal of 140 armored vehicles as well as the establishment of an Explosive Remnants of War and Mine Risk Education (ERW/MRE) capability within the Armenian Centre for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian talked about major issues related to the relations between Yerevan and Moscow in an interview with Zvezda TV. Zvezda: The first question concerns Russian-Armenian relations. How would you assess them now and what are their perspectives? Armen Sarkissian: I have assessed, assess and will assess them as a constant value. They are constant because Russians and Armenians are historically brothers and friends. I assess them as a greatness that cant change over time. Those relations are a part of our culture, history, philosophy, past, present and future. Zvezda: What are the perspectives today? How would you assess them? Armen Sarkissian: There is only one answer. I see tremendous potential for the countrys development for many reasons. It is safe to say that the Armenian people are a people who are able to rise after every hardship, even after the Armenian Genocide of 1915. After that, it [Armenia] scattered across the globe, but it turned into the magical Phoenix and is looking forward. Always forward. On this road, there are always hardships, but I believe we are a people who are able to overcome those hardships on their own and with friends, and Russia is a friend. I believe we Armenians can have many advantages in the 21st century because Armenia might be a small country, but it is a global nation. There are almost the same number of Armenians living in the Russian Federation and some of them are citizens of the Russian Federation. I really want to believe that they are good citizens because they should first and foremost be good citizens of the Russian Federation, and obviously, they shouldnt forget their historical roots and culture. There are also many Armenians in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, and this is a tremendous power. The 21st century is the century of nations that have ties around the world. It is the century of nations that can work, are able to overcome hardships and are able to fight for themselves and their friends. So, I believe the future will be bright. There is no other answer you could expect from a president. Zvezda: Earlier, it was said that Armenia needs foreign investments. Are Russian businessmen ready to make investments? If yes, in which sectors? Armen Sarkissian: I dont think I have to comment on Russian businessmens perspectives. I can say that Russian businesses have been operating in Armenia for many years now. There are investments from Europe, the Far East, the Middle East and the US, but Russian business has always been around, and we Armenians often havent noticed those investments. Those investments are large investments, and I believe there will be many investments in the years to come. Zvezda: I read that you are preparing to pay a visit to Moscow. How often do you manage to visit Russia and what is the first thing you would like to see in our country? Armen Sarkissian: Im not planning an official visit soon, but I visit Moscow often. I dont believe Moscow and St. Petersburg are the cities that I want to visit and see something because I have known both cities very well since childhood. The first time I visited Leningrad and Moscow was with my father. Later, I visited as an undergraduate and then as a PhD student. Besides that, our family is, to a certain extent, linked to Russia. So, I visit Russia and particularly Moscow like I go home. What do I want every time? WellI will attend a good concert, if there is one. I love everything. I love classical music. The last time my wife and I were in Moscow we visited the Bolshoi Theater and viewed the phenomenal play Anna Karenina. I would like for the Pushkin Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery to hold grand exhibitions in Yerevan. By Ruth Anderah. Police is still investigating a case in which a private security guard Ronald Obangakene is accused of murdering IHK doctor Catherine Agaba. The case has been adjourned by Chief Magistrate Prossy Katushabe after prosecution informed her that investigations into the matter are still on going. Obangakene is charged with offences of murder and aggravated Robbery. Agabas lifeless body was recovered by police detectives dumped in the septic tank in GPS apartments-Muyenga. Obangakene was working as a security guard at the said semi -finished apartments where also Dr.Agaba resided as a tenant. Prosecution led by State Attorney Batson Baguma states that on April 12th 2019 at GPS apartments in Bukasa Muyenga Makindye division , Obangakene with malice fore thought strangled Dr. Catherine Agaba and went further to rob her of a mobile phone, Gas cooker, a Flat screen TV, home theater and other Utensils. He is to return to Court on May 30th 2019 as police investigations continue. Related Stories.. Missing IHK doctors body found in Septic tank in her home His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia met today with President of Syria Bashar al-Assad at the presidential residence in Damascus. The Holy See of Cilicia reports that the delegation of the Supreme Patriarch comprised leader of the Aleppo Diocese, Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian; Minister of Tourism of Lebanon Avedis Kitanian; deputies of the Peoples Council of Syria Nora Arisian and Zhirayr Reyisian; member of the Central National Department Hrach Hagopian; member of the National Assembly of Delegates of the Aleppo Diocese Garo Youzbashian and crosier of the Supreme Patriarch, Abbot Hovakim Banjarjian. The current state of Syria, as well as the issues and programs of the Armenian community were discussed during the meeting that lasted more than an hour. The Supreme Patriarch expressed gratitude for the funds allocated by the Presidents staff for renovation of the Church of Holy Forty Children in Aleppo and reminded about the cordial hospitality of the Syrian people following the Armenian Genocide. The Supreme Patriarch also reminded that the Armenian community of Syria is important for both Armenia and Syria in terms of politics, culture and claims. He also expressed appreciation to the Syrian government for its full support to the Armenian Cause. In his turn, welcoming the visit of His Holiness, the President praised the Armenians of Syria and stated that they are as equal as the Syrians and are connected to Syria with the same rights and obligations. He also called on the Syrian-Armenians having left the country due to the conditions in the country to return to Syria and rebuild their homes and workplaces, assuring that the Armenian community of Syria will continue to enjoy the governments support. 2 more persons die of coronavirus in Karabakh Armenia opposition MP on Pashinyan's recent statements on Artsakh and Karabakh legislature's upcoming session Turkish drone strikes Kurds' Kobani in Syria - mass media Karabakh Parliament to convene special session for adoption of statement 102 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Stoltenberg wishes to convene session of NATO-Russia Council on Jan. 12 - mass media 2 earthquakes hit coasts of Kamchatka Peninsula in one hour Armenian President congratulates Justin Trudeau Macron calls launch of the James Webb telescope a historic event Iran closes land border with neighboring countries due to omicron strain Ariane successfully launches with latest James Webb telescope Turkey and Azerbaijan Foreign Ministers discuss situation in South Caucasus Pashinyan congratulates Trudeau on his anniversary 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 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday talked briefly in Brussels, during the 10th anniversary events of the EU Eastern Partnership program. Asked whether he spoke with the Azerbaijani president, PM noted: Yes, a little. It was a very short conversation about the current situation. Pashinyan said he is sure that the talks will continue. Its very important that Nagorno-Karabakh returns to the negotiating table. Its impossible to have a real settlement of the matter without Nagorno-Karabakh, he said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday also participated in the official dinner dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the EU Eastern Partnership and served on behalf of Donald Tusk along with the leaders of the Eastern Partnership member countries. The leaders of the Eastern Partnership member countries and the other high-ranking officials delivered their welcoming remarks and touched upon the programs carried out within the Eastern Partnership over the past decade, the results of those programs, as well as the upcoming events and initiatives. Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated on Monday in the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership. Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered a speech in which he highlighted the fact that the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership serves as a good opportunity to assess the achievements of the Eastern Partnership over the first ten years and to discuss the perspectives for cooperation. The Eastern Partnership is growing as a multilateral format for the partner countries having selected different paths and levels of involvement with the EU. The Eastern Partnership also serves as a major and strong platform for our bilateral cooperation with the EU, Mnatsakanyan said. On Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans working visit to China has gotten underway. The PMs plane landed Tuesday at the capital city Beijing airport. Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the countrys President Xi Jinping. The Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations serves as a good opportunity to meet and discuss the prospects for the enhancement of cooperation between China and Armenia, the PM noted. Armenia attaches great importance to effective and constructive relations with China, PM said, congratulating the Chinese President on the 70th anniversary of the establishment and revolution of China. Jinping, in turn, noted that China is ready to participate in the construction of the North-South Road Corridor and other infrastructure projects. During the meeting, the interlocutors also touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and stated that the conflict must be settled through dialogue. The first open court pretrial hearing of the criminal case against second President Robert Kocharyan and some other former officials of Armenia has resumed Tuesday in Yerevan. At Tuesdays hearing, the court is expected to make a ruling on the motion by Kocharyans attorneys. Presiding judge of the capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction denied the motion by the attorneys of Armenias second President Robert Kocharyan, and to the effect that he recuse himself from hearing this court case. While the trial is in progress, the situation in the courtyard of the capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction remains tense as Kocharyans supporters and Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyans supporters continue their protest. The two groups of protesters at the courtyard of the capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction are separated from each other by police barricades. The authorities supporters are chanting, Nikol, Prime Minister, whereas Kocharyans supportersFreedom to the President. President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) Bako Sahakyan and second President of the Republic of Artsakh Arkadi Ghukasyan have guaranteed that if the custody preventive measure against second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan is terminated, Kocharyan will act properly, wont hinder the case examination, wont avoid showing up to the body conducting proceedings and wont commit an act proscribed by the Criminal Code. Six people, including five children, have been killed as a result of a terrorist attack in the city of Scalbiyah in the north-west of the Syrian Hama province. According to the Armenian Kantsasar newspaper published in Syria, among the children who died are Armenian girl Jessica Semerjyan. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev exchanged views on the situation created on the line of contact during their short conversation in Brussels, reports Spokesperson of the Prime Minister of Armenia Vladimir Karapetyan. You are aware that the meeting was held by the European Union in honor of the leaders of the Eastern Partnership countries. You are also aware that the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan were sitting around the same table. During this meeting, there was a short conversation, and there was obviously an exchange of views on the situation created on the line of contact, he stated. The Spokesperson also reminded that there are other communication channels. There are several channels. So, overall, the heads of both states are informed and are exchanging views from a more strategic perspective. When asked at whose initiative the conversation took place, Karapetyan stated that it was at the initiative of the administration of the European Union. On May 14, Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan received the delegation of the Global Leadership Foundation, which is on a cognitive visit to Armenia and comprised former President of Switzerland Micheline Calmy-Rey, US Ambassador to the United Nations (1989-92) Thomas Pickering, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Herve Ladsus (2011-17) and Project Director of the Foundation Amitav Banerjee, reports the press service of the Government of Armenia. Tigran Avinyan emphasized that, with its representative composition, the Global Leadership Foundation has tremendous experience and valuable knowledge that can unequivocally be useful for Armenia, which is implementing radical reforms in various sectors of public life. In this context, Deputy Prime Minister Avinyan presented the goals and values that underlie the new initiatives being implemented by the Armenian government. Mrs. Calmy-Rey stated that the processes unfolding in Armenia have aroused admiration abroad and that the Foundations representatives are willing to transmit the successful experience of their respective countries to Armenia and implement programs of mutual interest. During the meeting, the interlocutors exchanged views on reforms in public governance and the actions for the functioning of an inclusive economic system and improvement of the demographic situation. On May 14, the delegation led by Chief of Police of Armenia Valeriy Osipyan paid a visit to Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France, reports the press service of the Police of Armenia. During the visit, Chief of Police of Armenia Valeriy Osipyan had a meeting with Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock and discussed issues on cooperation through the channels of Interpol. Valeriy Osipyan attached importance to Interpols role and expressed willingness to support Interpols activities. In his turn, the Interpol Secretary General highly appreciated Armenias role and active participation in Interpols initiatives. During the meeting, Chief of Police of Armenia Valeriy Osipyan officially invited Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock to visit the Republic of Armenia. During the visit, the police chief also had several meetings with officials of the Interpol General Secretariat and discussed the opportunites for cooperation between member states of Interpol, the opportunities for expanding the I-24/7 system and other issues. The Interpol General Secretariat also served an official lunch in honor of the police chief of Armenia. Story Highlights 55% prefer amending the Constitution to base winner on popular vote 53% oppose states awarding their electoral votes to popular vote winner Americans not highly concerned with Electoral College system issues WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans issue a split decision on two proposals that would determine presidential election winners based on the national popular vote. By 55% to 43%, U.S. adults support amending the Constitution so that the winner of the popular vote would win the election rather than keeping the current Electoral College system. However, more say they are against (53%) rather than for (45%) a proposal that would keep the Electoral College system but allow states to award their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote rather than the winner of their state's popular vote. These data come from an April 17-30 Gallup poll. Half of the poll's respondents were asked about each proposal. The split results suggest the public's preference for basing the winner on the popular vote depends on how it would be accomplished. The idea of eliminating the Electoral College through a constitutional amendment has been circulated for decades. A late 1960s/early 1970s effort arguably came closest, as it passed the U.S. House by a large majority and received an endorsement from President Richard Nixon, but fell victim to a Senate filibuster. There are proposals in both houses of the current Congress to enact a similar popular vote amendment, but doing so would be difficult to achieve given the requirements for amending the Constitution. Nevertheless, Americans favor such an amendment. As an alternative, 14 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This interstate agreement accomplishes the same goal of basing the winner on the popular vote, but through state government legislation rather than a constitutional amendment. States in the compact pass laws to change the way they award their Electoral College votes, giving them to the candidate who wins the most votes nationwide regardless of which candidate receives more votes in the state. The compact would go into effect once the states agreeing to it account for 270 electoral votes -- the number needed to win the presidency. The 15 jurisdictions that have already passed legislation to approve the change account for 189 electoral votes, and several other states are currently considering legislation to join the compact. Americans are not as supportive of changing the way U.S. presidents are elected through this approach, however. The gap in support between the constitutional amendment and interstate compact approaches stems from Democrats being less supportive of the "compact" approach than the amendment route. Republicans show similar levels of opposition to basing the winner on the popular vote with both proposals. Support for Ways to Change System to Base Presidential Winner on Popular Vote, by Party Democrats/Democratic leaners Republicans/Republican leaners % For % Against % For % Against Amend the Constitution 84 14 24 74 States change how they award electoral votes 69 30 21 77 Note: Respondents were randomly assigned to answer one of the two questions. Gallup, April 17-30, 2019 The current survey marks the first time Gallup has asked about the interstate compact approach, but it has previously asked about amending the Constitution. Historically, the public has favored basing the winner of the presidential election on the popular vote. The lone exception came in a late November 2016 poll. The public was evenly divided, mostly along party lines, a few weeks after Donald Trump was elected president despite losing the popular vote. Otherwise, between 55% and 62% of Americans have favored amending the Constitution to declare the popular vote leader the winner. Gallup also found support for having the popular vote determine the winner in polls prior to 2000, using another question wording. Between 1967 and 1980, consistent majorities averaging 69% approved of amending the Constitution to "do away with the Electoral College and base the election of a president on the total vote cast throughout the nation." Public Not Overly Concerned With Electoral College Issues In two of the last five presidential elections, and in five presidential elections overall, the winner of the popular vote has not won the Electoral College. Thirty-seven percent of U.S. adults say they are very concerned that the winner of the popular vote does not always win the election, and another 26% are somewhat concerned. Other potential flaws of the Electoral College system garner similar levels of concern, including that small-population states have a disproportionate influence on the outcome, that the system makes it very difficult for independent or third-party candidates to win, and that candidates mostly focus their campaigns on voters in a small number of competitive swing states. Americans' Concerns About the Electoral College How concerned are you about each of the following aspects of the U.S. Electoral College system -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned or not concerned at all? Very concerned Somewhat concerned Not too concerned Not concerned at all % % % % The winner of the popular vote doesn't always win the election 37 26 15 22 Small-population states have a disproportionate influence on the outcome 35 29 20 16 It makes it very difficult for independent or third-party candidates to win 32 29 20 19 Candidates mostly focus their campaigns on voters in a small number of competitive "swing" states 27 30 26 17 Gallup, April 17-30, 2019 Democrats are more likely than Republicans to express concern about all four matters, with the biggest partisan gap coming in the fact that the winner of the popular vote doesn't always win the election -- 58% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are very concerned, compared with 18% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Less than half of Republicans (41%, vs. 85% of Democrats) are at least somewhat concerned. Americans' Concerns About the Electoral College, by Party How concerned are you about each of the following aspects of the U.S. Electoral College system -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned or not concerned at all? Democrats/Democratic leaners Republicans/Republican leaners % Very % Somewhat % Very % Somewhat The winner of the popular vote doesn't always win the election 58 27 18 23 Small-population states have a disproportionate influence on the outcome 48 32 22 24 It makes it very difficult for independent or third-party candidates to win 45 30 19 27 Candidates mostly focus their campaigns on voters in a small number of competitive "swing" states 37 33 19 27 Gallup, April 17-30, 2019 Bottom Line The U.S. system for picking presidential winners can sometimes render split decisions, with the popular vote winner losing in the Electoral College in five elections, including two in the past 19 years. Though Americans have historically favored doing away with the Electoral College and basing the winner on the popular vote, their willingness to do so appears somewhat dependent on how that would be accomplished. They favor an amendment to the Constitution to make that happen, but are more reluctant to have states make changes to how they award their electoral votes. That distinction could be based on the constitutional amendment presumably adopting a more populist approach by following the will of the people. In contrast, the state legislative option -- though achieving the same objective through different means -- may appear to ignore the will of the people (of the state) by disregarding their vote choices in favor of the national will. Legislative momentum continues to build for the Popular Vote Interstate Compact, although its ultimate fate is uncertain. Like the Electoral College itself, the movement has become politicized. Many Republicans want to maintain the status quo that has resulted in the party winning the 2000 and 2016 elections despite its candidates losing the popular vote. Consequently, no reliably Republican states have joined the compact, and almost all the states that have joined the compact are reliably Democratic states. Some that are considering joining the compact are battleground states, including Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and North Carolina, while others -- Oklahoma and Arkansas -- are reliably Republican. Although the constitutional amendment approach to abolishing the Electoral College appears to be the less viable course of action, it is the approach that Americans are more inclined to support. View complete question responses and trends. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Imagine seeing the world and getting college credit for it. Then once youre back at the University of Miami, you have a platform to tell others about the experience. Thats the concept behind the Global Ambassadors program offered through the Office of Study Abroad. Each year about 30 undergraduates are selected to join the program, where students work together to create materials to promote study abroad and attract students to take part. We have learned that students love and enjoy getting firsthand experiences from other students, said Tara George, program coordinator in the Office of Study Abroad. Global Ambassadors team coordinator Elizabeth Lizzie Knox has been fortunate enough to travel extensively since she was young thanks to her father, who is a photographer. During her sophomore year, she studied at the American University of Paris. When I was 12, my dad took my sister and I to Paris and stayed in an apartment and got to really experience life there, said Knox, who recently received her bachelors degree in public relations and media management. I think that experience had a big impact on me, and eight years later I wanted to go back and I got the opportunity through study abroad. Within the Global Ambassador program everyone is a leader. Ambassadors promote the program at events and in classroom visits, build connections through peer advising, and helping fellow students to see that studying internationally is possible. I have so many friends that have told me that they regret not studying abroad and I wish that I could have convinced them more to do it, said Knox, who was an ambassador for two years. Its really nice talking to students who still have the chance to go abroad and I get to be a part of helping them make that decision. Ive met a lot of people who have concernsmainly financial. But, Im here to tell them that its not out of reach. Ambassadors attend mandatory training where they are provided with resources and information to pass along. Throughout their time in the program they also receive professional development. Erika Quinonez, assistant director of international service, works firsthand with the ambassadors to ensure they gain leadership, public-speaking skills, and public relations experience. Additionally, there is a workshop for the ambassadors to offer advice on including their study abroad experience on their resumes. Studying abroad does influence your academic and career path. It enhances you, said Quinonez. Whether its indirect or direct there is definitely a correlation. Starting in August, Knox will be a full-time employee with a multinational fast food holding company based in Miami. The highlight and one of the really cool things about being a GA has been meeting other people who have gone abroad, said Knox, who enjoyed reliving her experience in Paris with others. Its also great to tell others about it so that they can join, too. Once the program concludes, ambassadors receive a certificate for student leadership at their end of the year luncheon. The events that are hosted by the Office of Study Abroad are really cool and an added bonus to being a GA, said Knox. Anyone who is interested should join. Are you interested in becoming a Global Ambassador? Applications for the 2019-2020 academic year are available here. For more information about the Global Ambassadors Program at the University of Miami, visit the Office of Study Abroad website. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] 2120 Blake St. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Five Points? According to Walk Score, this Denver neighborhood has excellent walkability, is a "biker's paradise" and has excellent transit. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Five Points is currently hovering around $1,554. So, what might you expect to find with a budget of $1,500/month? 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. 2120 Blake St. Listed at $1,485/month, this 458-square-foot studio is located at 2120 Blake St. In the unit, you can expect a dishwasher, in-unit laundry, a walk-in closet and a balcony. Building amenities include a business center, a fitness center, a swimming pool, a roof deck and garage parking. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are allowed. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) 1859 28th St. Next, there's this studio located at 1859 28th St. It's listed for $1,480/month for its 529 square feet of space. In the apartment, there is a dishwasher, in-unit laundry, a walk-in closet and a balcony. The building has garage parking, outdoor space, a fitness center and a swimming pool. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Take a gander at the complete listing here.) 1451 24th St. Last, check out this 610-square-foot studio that's located at 1451 24th St. It's listed for $1,427/month. In the unit, you'll have hardwood floors, a walk-in closet, high ceilings and a balcony. Amenities offered in the building include a fitness center, a swimming pool, garage parking and outdoor space. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are allowed. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (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. (Adds quotes) LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Britain would never take a decision on Huawei and 5G that would threaten its intelligence sharing alliance with the United States but it also does not want a new Cold War with China, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday. Huawei, the worlds biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has categorically denied this. "We as a government are going through the process of making an assessment to what extent if, at all, we are able to use Huawei kit," Jeremy Hunt told a Wall Street Journal conference. "We are never going to make a decision which compromises our intelligence sharing with our five eye partners." Hunt said that Britain must find a way to work with China, which he said will overtake the United States as the world's biggest economy within the next 25 years. "The growth of China is something that we should welcome," he said. "We need to avoid an unnecessary Cold War with China." "We couldn't stop the growth of China if we wanted to," he said. "So we need to find a way of living alongside this big, new power in the world because they are going to be there whether you want it or not." (Reporting By Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Andrew MacAskill) MEXICO CITY (AP) A pair of gunmen burst into a bar and opened fire with pistols, killing one person and wounding 11 others in the Mexican resort city of Playa del Carmen. The bar attacked late Monday is relatively far from the beach and Playa del Carmen's tourist zone. The state of Quintana Roo's Tourism Promotion Council said Tuesday that none of the people shot were tourists. Its statement said initial reports suggested the attack stemmed from a dispute between criminal elements. The council said the state's leaders have been taking steps to keep popular tourist destinations safe through installation of surveillance cameras and modernizing the police force. Authorities have blamed past attacks in Playa del Carmen on street-level drug dealing. In June, seven men died in a shooting in a low-income area of Playa del Carmen. (Recasts with confirmation of Trump Jr.'s interview) By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - Donald Trump Jr. has reached an agreement with the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee for the panel's senators to interview him in mid-June, a congressional source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The closed-door appearance could cover a broad array of topics, the source said. These could include what Trump Jr. knows about a Trump Tower project in Moscow and about a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump Jr., Trump campaign adviser Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and a Russian lawyer, the source said. The agreement for Trump Jr.'s appearance was first reported by the New York Times. The source disputed news reports suggesting the questioning would be limited to five or six topics pertaining to Trump Jr.'s communications with Russian officials. A committee spokesperson declined to comment. A lawyer for Trump Jr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The panel had subpoenaed Trump Jr. to appear before the committee, two congressional sources said last week. Senators want to question him 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 month 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, into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose findings were released in part last month. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Tim Ahmann and James Dalgleish) * Chairman offers deals to allay espionage concerns * Says UK review should be based on risk assessment not politics * Says company has never been asked to spy or insert back doors (Adds further comments, UK and German govt reaction) By Paul Sandle LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Huawei is willing to sign no-spy agreements with governments, including Britain, the Chinese telco company's chairman said on Tuesday, amid U.S. pressure on European countries to shun the firm over espionage concerns. Washington has told allies not to use Huawei's technology to build new 5G networks because of worries it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying, an accusation the company has denied. "We are willing to sign no-spy agreements with governments, including the UK government, to commit ourselves to making our equipment meet the no-spy, no-backdoors standard," Huawei chairman Liang Hua told reporters in London via an interpreter. Britain is deciding the extent to which it will allow Huawei, the world's biggest supplier of telecoms equipment, to participate in building its 5G networks. "The security and resilience of the UK's telecoms networks is of paramount importance, and we have strict controls for how Huawei equipment is currently deployed in the UK," a British government spokesman said on Tuesday. He said the results of the telecoms supply chain review affecting Huawei's case would be announced soon and all network operators would need to comply by the decision. LEAKS Prime Minister Theresa May sacked her defense minister, Gavin Williamson, this month over leaked claims that Huawei would have a role in the 5G network, putting Britain at odds with its biggest intelligence ally, the United States. Williamson has denied he leaked from the confidential talks. Liang, speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Huawei's British technology partners, said the company never intended to be in the eye of a political storm. Story continues "The cyber security issue is not exclusive to just one single supplier or one single company, it is a common challenge facing the entire industry and the entire world," he said. He said Huawei had long cooperated with Britain's National Cyber Security Centre's oversight of its technology, and it had improved its software engineering capabilities to make them the equal of competitors. Liang said Huawei did not act on behalf of China's government in any international market. "Despite the fact Huawei has its headquarters in China, we are actually a globally operating company," he said. "Where we are operating globally we are committed to be compliant with the locally applicable laws and regulations in that country. "There are no Chinese laws requiring companies to collect intelligence from a foreign government or implant back doors for the government." British minister Jeremy Wright, who will announce the findings of the telco supply-chain review, had said the benefits of cheap kit would not trump security concerns. Liang, however, said economic factors should be part of the decision, and politics should be taken out of it. "I believe the decision should be based on risk assessment and supply-chain assessment, and should also reflect the requirements the UK has in terms of economic development when they choose suppliers," he said. "Cyber security is indeed a very important factor to consider (...) but at the same time it should be a balanced decision between cyber security and economic prosperity." Liang said he was meeting with customers rather than politicians. Huawei has signed more than 40 5G contracts, he said, 25 in Europe, 10 in the Middle East and six in Asia. The German government, however, said there was no sign that China was offering a "no-spy" agreement of the kind that would help Huawei in its bid for contracts to build Germany's next-generation mobile networks. (Editing by Costas Pitas and Mark Heinrich) (Adds more quotes, details) LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday Tehran does not seek war with the United States despite mounting tensions between the two arch-enemies over Iranian nuclear capabilities and its missile program. In comments to senior officials carried by state television, Khamenei also reiterated that the Islamic Republic would not negotiate with the United States on another nuclear deal. "There won't be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance," Khamenei was cited as saying by the state media. "We don't seek a war, and they don't either. They know its not in their interests." President Donald Trump withdrew the United States a year ago from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers under which Tehran curbed its uranium enrichment capacity, a potential pathway to a nuclear bomb, and won sanctions relief in return. Since then, Trump has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran, seeking to reduce its lifeblood oil exports to zero, to push Tehran into fresh negotiations on a broader arms control deal, targeting in part the Iranian ballistic missile program. "(Such) negotiations are a poison," Khamenei said. The United Arab Emirates reported on Sunday that four commercial vessels including two Saudi oil tankers had been sabotaged offshore from the UAE emirate of Fujairah just outside the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. national security agencies believe proxies sympathetic to or working for Iran may have been behind the attacks. Iran has rejected the allegation and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that extremist individuals in the U.S. government were pursuing dangerous policies, stoking a war of words with Washington over sanctions. Trump warned on Monday Iran would suffer greatly if it targeted U.S. interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Editing by Mark Heinrich) (Recasts, adds detail; changes media identifier from INDIA-IRAN to match package) By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI, May 14 (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday that "extremist individuals" in the U.S. government were pursuing dangerous policies, amid a war of words with Washington over sanctions. Mohammad Javad Zarif was in New Delhi for talks with Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj after New Delhi stopped purchases of Iranian oil this month in the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions. Tensions have risen again after Saudi Arabia said armed drones had struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a "cowardly" act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A U.S. official familiar with American intelligence said Iran was a prime suspect in the sabotage although Washington had no conclusive proof. Iran has rejected the allegation and Zarif said the issue had figured in the talks with Indian leaders. "In this meeting there was also discussion of the worries about the actions and suspicious sabotage in the region ..." Zarif told the official Islamic Republic News Agency. "And we announced that we had predicted these kinds of actions for provoking tension in the region before." Zarif said he discussed the regional situation with his Indian counterpart. "In today's meeting we discussed regional issues and the dangers of the policies, extremist individuals in the American government and the region are trying to impose on the region," Zarif told IRNA. Washington wants to block Iran's oil exports after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program. India, which was Iran's top oil client after China, has suspended imports of Iranian oil from this month after Washington withdrew waivers to eight nations, including India, which had allowed them to import some Iranian oil from November. Story continues "There is an expectation from their (Iranian) side that we will continue to buy oil," an Indian government official who attended the meeting said. A second Indian government source said New Delhi would decide on resuming purchases of Iranian oil keeping in mind its commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests. Zarif's visit to New Delhi was part of Iran's consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the past few days. The sanctions have more than halved Iran's oil exports to 1 million barrels per day (bpd) or less, from a peak of 2.8 million bpd last year. Exports could drop to as low as 500,000 bpd from May, an Iranian official told Reuters this month. But Iran insists on exporting at least 1.5 million bpd of oil, triple May's expected levels under U.S. sanctions, as a condition for staying in an international nuclear deal, sources with knowledge of Iran-EU talks said. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Alison Williams) (Adds details from Tripoli in last five graphs) GENEVA, May 14 (Reuters) - Aid agencies in Libya called on Tuesday for a U.N. resolution to support people caught in fighting around Tripoli, where the United Nations says 66,000 people have been forced out of their homes and at least 454 killed since early April. Forces loyal to Libya's government are defending the capital against an offensive by the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar, who accuses the administration of being controlled by terrorists, a charge it denies. Haftar is supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates but denounced by internationally-recognized Prime Minister Fayez Serraj as an "aspiring military dictator." As well as uprooting thousands of Libyans, Haftar's campaign has added to the hardship faced by thousands of migrants who use Libya's western coast to set off on perilous sea journeys to Europe. A report on migrants and displaced people by the "Protection Sector" group of aid agencies, which is coordinated by the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, said 3,000 migrants remained trapped in detention centers close to areas of fighting, and the use of medium and heavy weapons in populated areas continued unabated. "The U.N. Security Council should adopt a resolution calling for the protection of civilians and accountability for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law," the Protection Sector said. It said the European Union should stop hampering search and rescue in the Mediterranean, ensure that anyone rescued can go to a safe port as required by international law, and stop supporting Libya's use of detention centers until standards in those facilities improved. Last week a migrant boat capsized, killing 59 people, and since the Tripoli clashes began, 871 migrants have been picked up and returned to detention in often unacceptable conditions, according to the U.N. migration agency. Story continues Charlie Yaxley, a UNHCR spokesman, said nobody should be returned to Libya and returning people there could not be considered a "rescue." In Tripoli, the U.N.-backed government said shelter has been provided to 70,000 displaced people. Hotels and resorts have been mobilized to receive the displaced, the head of the government Emergency Committee, Othman Abduljaleel, told official Al-Rasmiya TV channel. Meanwhile, exchanges of gunfire and rockets continued but there were no changes to the frontlines around the capital. On Tuesday, a rocket hit Qaser Ben Ghashir, an area in southern Tripoli controlled by forces loyal to Haftar, killing at least two people, a local witness told Reuters. (Reporting by Tom Miles Additional reporting by Ahmed Elumami Editing by William Maclean and Frances Kerry) (Adds quote, details, background) TORONTO, May 14 (Reuters) - Mexico is finalizing duties to impose on new U.S. products in retaliation for the Trump administration's steel and aluminum tariffs and details should be available soon, Economy Minister Graciela Marquez said on Tuesday. Mexico and Canada have both imposed retaliatory measures on billions of dollars of U.S. goods. Mexico said in March it would revamp its target list to focus on the agricultural and industrial sectors. "We are in the process of preparing new retaliation tariffs ... we are not in a position of disclosing the new components," Marquez told reporters in Toronto after talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. "But I can tell you it will include economic considerations as well as political considerations," she said when asked whether Mexico would target more Democratic constituencies. Some leading Democrats have expressed doubts about ratifying a new continental trade deal that the three North America nations signed last year. Mexico rejects criticism from Democrats that the new pact needs stronger labor provisions. Asked when the revamped tariffs would be ready, Marquez said the list had been finished. It then needs to go to the finance minister and the president "so it will take at least two or three weeks," she said. The trade disputes with North American trade partners Canada and Mexico are taking place as the United States is also engaged in a trade war with the world's No.2 economy, China. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the trade war with China "a little squabble" and insisted talks between the two countries had not collapsed. (Reporting by Allison Martell, writing by David Ljunggren Editing by Alistair Bell) (Adds background, analyst quotes) SEOUL, May 14 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit between the two countries' leaders, and demanded the return of the vessel without delay. The North's foreign ministry said in a statement that it rejected U.N. Security Council resolutions against it which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty. "The United States committed an unlawful and outrageous act of dispossessing our cargo ship," an unnamed ministry spokesman said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. "The latest U.S. act constitutes an extension of the American method of calculation for bringing the DPRK to its knees by means of 'maximum pressure' and an outright denial of the underlying spirit of the June 12 DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement." North Korea's formal name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). It would be the "biggest miscalculation" if the United States believed it can control the North with force, the statement said, adding it will keep a sharp eye on future U.S. behavior. The U.S. Justice Department last week said a North Korean cargo ship known as the "Wise Honest" was seized and impounded to American Samoa. The vessel was accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of sanctions and first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. TENSIONS FLARE AGAIN North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump held an unprecedented summit on June 12 last year in Singapore and pledged to establish new relations and a peace regime on the Korean peninsula. They held a second summit in Vietnam in February which collapsed without agreement. Tensions again have mounted since the failed summit. The U.S. announcement of the ship seizure came hours after the North fired two short-range missiles on Thursday. Story continues The North Korean leader called for "full combat posture" following the U.S. seizure of the North Korean cargo ship. 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 it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017. A senior North Korean foreign ministry official on Saturday lashed out at last week's statement by the U.S. State Department that Pyongyang's regime subjected its people to "egregious violations" of human rights including 100,000 in political prison camps. But South Korea's President Moon Jae-in called the recent weapons tests a calibrated protest against Washington in the wake of the summit's breakdown and the North still wants to negotiate. Adam Mount of the Federation of American Scientists said the North's recent state media reports may signal an escalation of rhetoric, albeit relatively sedate. "If so, they would become part of a ongoing trend in which the regime sends increasingly alarming signals in an attempt to force a breakthrough in negotiations," Mount said. (Reporting by Choonsik Yoo, Hyonhee Shin and Josh Smith; Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Michael Perry) (New throughout with U.S. military statement) WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Tuesday reaffirmed its concerns about possible imminent threats from Iranian-backed forces to its troops in Iraq, who were now at a high level of alert. Earlier in the day, a senior British commander in the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State remnants in Iraq and Syria said there had been no increase in the threat from Iran-backed militia. British Major General Chris Ghika appeared to contradict increasingly heated warnings from Washington, where officials say they see a growing threat from Iran. Iran says the U.S. is waging "psychological warfare" and a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander has said Iran would retaliate against any aggressive U.S. moves. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday Tehran does not seek war with the United States despite mounting tensions over U.S. sanctions, Iranian nuclear capabilities and its missile program. The U.S. military's Central Command offered a clarifying statement after the remarks by Ghika, the coalition's deputy commander for strategy and information. "Recent comments from (the coalition's) Deputy Commander run counter to the identified credible threats available to intelligence from U.S. and allies regarding Iranian backed forces in the region," said Navy Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman at the U.S. military's Central Command. Urban said the coalition, which also operates in Syria, had increased its "force posture level" - terminology that can often refer to the alert levels meant to safeguard troops. "(Operation Inherent Resolve) is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to U.S. forces in Iraq," Urban said, referring to the coalition's mission against Islamic State fighters. Ghika was initially unequivocal when he asserted that there was no new threat from Iran. Story continues "No, there has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria. We are aware of their presence clearly and we monitor them along with a whole range of others because that is the environment we are in," Ghika said initially. He later declined to reaffirm that statement, when pressed by reporters. The United States has sent an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers and Patriot missiles to the Middle East in a show of force against what U.S. officials have said is a threat to U.S. troops and interests in the region. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; editing by Grant McCool) (Adds Coast Guard quotes, details; paragraphs 3-5) By Yereth Rosen ANCHORAGE, Alaska, May 14 (Reuters) - Searchers found the bodies of the last two Alaska seaplane crash victims on Tuesday evening, after a hunt through the debris and frigid waters following a mid-air collision that killed six people and injured 10, officials said. The two missing, an Australian and a Canadian, had been among 14 passengers from a Princess Cruises ship who boarded two seaplanes operated by separate tour companies in the town of Ketchikan on Monday, the cruise line said. "This is not the outcome we hoped for," said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Stephen White, offering the searchers' condolences to the families of the dead. The dead, three men and three women, ranged in age from 37 to 62, officials said. All the dead were identified late on Tuesday, and 14 of those on board the planes were American. The discovery of the bodies closes the search at the scene where the two seaplanes crashed after colliding over the inlet waters near Ketchikan, in southeastern Alaska, said Matthew Schofield, a U.S. Coast Guard officer. Work at the crash site will now shift to an investigation into what led the two planes, which were ferrying Princess Cruises passengers on sightseeing expeditions, to strike each other and fall into the waters of George Inlet. The round-the-clock search lasted 27 hours and covered 93 nautical miles, officials said. A team of 14 National Transportation Safety Board investigators has been sent to the site and divers will start working on Wednesday to pull up the wreckage of the two planes. The NTSB team began investigating on Tuesday and is unlikely to determine the cause during the week it will spend at the scene, NTSB board member Jennifer Homendy told a news conference. Ten people survived but were injured in the collision, which took place over open water during daylight, the Coast Guard said. The dead included one of the pilots. Story continues Three of the injured were in serious condition and seven in fair condition, Dr Peter Rice, medical director of the PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, told a separate news conference. The water temperature off Ketchikan on Tuesday was 48 Fahrenheit (8.9 C), the National Weather Service said. The expected survival time in temperatures of 40F to 50F (4C to 10C) ranges from one to three hours, the United States Search and Rescue Task Force says on its website. The investigators will collect information from the survivors, the Federal Aviation Administration, other witnesses who might have been in the area, flight logs, training records and other sources, including the wrecked planes, Homendy said. "We still have to recover the planes and then we have to look at those," she said. "It takes some significant work to really understand how the two came together." All the planes' passengers arrived in Ketchikan on the cruise ship Royal Princess during a seven-day trip between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Anchorage, Alaska, Princess Cruises said. Ten passengers and a pilot were aboard one float plane, a de Havilland Otter DHC-3, operated by Taquan Air. Four passengers and a pilot were aboard the second float plane, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, run by Mountain Air Service of Ketchikan. The crash site at Coon Cove about 300 miles (480 km) south of Juneau, Alaska's capital, is near a tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument. Ketchikan-based Taquan Air said the plane was returning from a sightseeing tour of Misty Fjords at the time of the crash. (Reporting by Yereth Rosen in Anchorage; Additional reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Barbara Goldberg in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Clarence Fernandez) (Adds arrests, curfew) By Alexandra Ulmer and Omar Rajarathnam KOTTAMPITIYA, Sri Lanka, May 14 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan police arrested 23 people on Tuesday in connection with a spate of attacks on Muslim-owned homes and shops in apparent reprisal for the Easter bombings by Islamist militants that killed more than 250 people. Soldiers in armored vehicles patrolled the towns hit by sectarian violence this week as residents recalled how Muslims had hid in paddy fields to escape mobs carrying rods and swords, incensed over the militant attacks. The April 21 attacks, claimed by Islamic State, targeted churches and hotels, mostly in Colombo, killing more than 250 people and fueling fears of a backlash against the island nation's minority Muslims. Mobs moved through towns in Sri Lanka's northwest on motorbikes and in buses, ransacking mosques, burning Korans and attacking shops with petrol bombs in rioting that began on Sunday, Muslim residents said. Police said they arrested 23 people from across the island for inciting violence against Muslims, who make up less than 10 percent of Sri Lanka's 22 million people who are predominantly Sinhalese Buddhists. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said the situation is under control and no new incidents had been reported on Tuesday. But a nationwide curfew from 9 p.m. (1530 GMT) to 4 a.m. would be in effect for a second night. The lone fatality was a man killed while trying to protect his home from attack. When mobs arrived in the Kottramulla area on Monday evening, Mohamed Salim Fowzul Ameer, 49, went outside while his wife, Fatima Jiffriya, stayed with their four children. Jiffriya, 37, then heard shouts and sounds of fighting. "I opened the door to see my husband on the ground in a pool of blood, the police right in front and the mob running," she said. "His heart was still beating hard, I took him into my lap and started to scream for help," she added, her voice breaking, as women consoled her children at an uncle's house ahead of Ameer's burial. Story continues DEEP DIVISIONS Sri Lanka has had a history of ethnic and religious violence and was torn for decades by a civil war between separatists from the mostly Hindu Tamil minority and the Sinhala Buddhist-dominated government. 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. Muslims said this week's violence was more widespread. Residents in the town of Kottampitiya recalled how a group of about a dozen people had arrived in taxis and attacked Muslim-owned stores with stones just after midday on Monday, with the mob soon swelling to 200, and then 1,000. The mob attacked the main mosque, 17 Muslim-owned businesses and 50 homes, witnesses said. "The Muslim community huddled in nearby paddy fields, that's how no one died," said one of a group of men gathered outside the white-and-green mosque with smashed windows and doors. Abdul Bari, 48, told Reuters his small brick shop had been burned down with a petrol bomb. "The attackers were on motorbikes, armed with rods and swords," he added. Others blamed the police for failing to disperse the crowd. "The police were watching. They were in the street, they didn't stop anything. They told us to go inside," said Mohamed Faleel, 47, who runs a car paint business. "We asked police, we said stop them. They didn't fire. They had to stop this, but they didn't," he added. Police spokesman Gunasekera rejected allegations that police had stood by while the violence unfolded. He said the perpetrators would be punished. "All police officers have been instructed to take stern action against the violators, even to use the maximum force. Perpetrators could face up to a 10-year jail term," he said. A police source said seven of those arrested for the violence in Kottampitiya were young Sinhalese men from nearby Buddhist villages. "They were leading the charge yesterday. They were instructing people on which stores to attack," said the police source. The men said they were seeking revenge for the militant attack in the city of Negombo, where over 100 people were killed at the St. Sebastian's Church during Easter prayers, the police source said. A court remanded the men to police custody on Tuesday. They could not be reached for comment. (Additional reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal; Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; editing by Clarence Fernandez and Darren Schuettler) (Adds details on results, background, shares) May 14 (Reuters) - Cannabis producer Tilray Inc reported a better-than-expected quarterly revenue, boosted by legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, acquisition of hemp-based food producer Manitoba Harvest and expansion in international medical markets. Tilray said total kilogram equivalents of cannabis sold in the quarter rose more than twofold to 3,012 kilograms. The average selling price per gram, however, fell to $5.60 from $5.94 a year earlier. The company also posted revenue of $5.6 million from food products in the quarter. It has raised its exposure to hemp, a type of cannabis plant with little to no concentration of THC, by buying Manitoba Harvest for up to C$419 million in February. Tilray, which makes most of its money from its Canadian operations, has been pushing into other medical cannabis markets such as Australia, Europe and South America. Revenue from international medical business rose more than fourfold to $1.8 million, it said. The Nanaimo, British Columbia-based company's revenue nearly tripled to $23 million, beating analysts' estimates of $20.2 million. Net loss widened to $30.3 million, or 32 cents per share, in the quarter ended March 31, from $5.2 million, or 7 cents per share, the year earlier, as the company ramped up investments and took non-recurring charges related to the Manitoba deal. Excluding items, net loss was 27 cents per share. Shares of the company were up about 6% at $51.50 in extended trading. (Reporting by Nishara Karuvalli Pathikkal; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) (Adds Trump tweet on Fed in paragraph 12) WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his trade war with China as tensions escalated and markets extended their losses, promising a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon, even as fears escalated about a protracted battle. In a string of early-morning tweets, Trump kept up his "America First" agenda in support of hefty tariffs and called on U.S. companies to back him by shifting their businesses away from China. But he also softened his tone on soybeans and other agricultural products, appealing to Beijing to act. "When the time is right we will make a deal with China," Trump said. "It will all happen, and much faster than people think!" "Hopefully China will do us the honor of continuing to buy our great farm product, the best, but if not your Country will be making up the difference," he wrote in post addressing U.S. farmers directly. Last week, the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture said more aid was being planned for U.S. farmers but gave no details. World stock markets hovered near two-month lows on Tuesday, although slightly more optimistic comments from U.S. and Chinese officials on trade brought some comfort a day after equities suffered their worst sell-off so far this year. A day earlier, Trump said he would talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in late June in Japan, and on Tuesday praised his "respect and friendship" with Xi. Both sides had appeared close to finalizing a deal in recent weeks before Trump last week hiked up tariffs to 25% from 10% on $200 billion worth of goods imported from China. He has also threatened further duties of up to 25% on a further $300 billion worth of Chinese imports. China, in turn, has proposed tariffs on more than 5,000 American products. Trump said on Tuesday he could make a deal with Beijing now, but would not be burned again and criticized China for scuttling a recent close deal with a last-minute attempt to renegotiate. Story continues "We are in a much better position now than any deal we could have made," he said, part of 10 tweets addressing the China talks, including a suggestion that the U.S. Federal Reserve tie interest rates to China's if Beijing lowers rates. He said he saw his administration's trade efforts with China as a model for U.S. negotiations with other nations as he initiates talks with Europe and seeks to ratify a pact with Canada and Mexico. "Other countries are already negotiating with us because they don't want this to happen to them. They must be a part of USA action," he said. (Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Bernadette Baum) (Adds prior comments from Wray and Trump) By Sarah N. Lynch and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr is working with top intelligence officials and a senior federal prosecutor on at least the third inquiry to date into the origins of the Mueller probe of President Donald Trump and Russian election meddling, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Barr has named U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham to examine whether the FBI erred in seeking a special federal court warrant to conduct surveillance on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, said the person. In addition, Barr is personally working with FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to review intelligence gathering techniques used to investigate Trump's 2016 campaign. Amid a broad effort to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI, Trump and his allies have accused law enforcement officials of spying on his campaign and called for an investigation into the origins of the Mueller probe, which started at the FBI in mid-2016. A probe into the legality of the special warrant used to monitor Page is already under way by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who is due to release his findings in coming weeks. In 2017, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions assigned Utah's top federal prosecutor John Huber to review a wide range of issues that Republicans had complained about, from how the FBI handled investigations related to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, to questions about the origins of the Russia probe. The person familiar with Barr's review told Reuters that Huber had been awaiting the completion of Horowitz's review. The person said it was unclear how much Huber had done to review the Page warrant. That portion of Huber's assignment will be taken over by Durham, the person added. Story continues Trump, asked outside the White House on Tuesday if he had ordered Barr to look into the matter, told reporters, "No I didn't ask him to do that. I didn't know it, but I think it's a great thing that he did it." Some Republicans have alleged that the FBI-Mueller probe was sparked by a dossier penned by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele at the behest of private investigators working for the Democratic Party. Records of the FBIs investigation and sources familiar with the matter say that, while the dossier played a role, it did not prompt the FBI to open the inquiry, which was handed off in May 2017 to Mueller, who completed his probe in March. A redacted version of his final report, released in mid-April, documented numerous contacts between Trump's campaign and Russian officials, but found insufficient evidence to substantiate a conspiracy between the campaign and Moscow. The report also drew no conclusion on whether Trump illegally tried to impede the Mueller probe. Barr angered Democrats last month when he echoed language used by Trump's allies in saying he shared concerns about "spying" on Trump's campaign. He later acknowledged that there was no evidence of FBI wrongdoing. Wray, who is now working with Barr on the broader intelligence review, has sought to distance himself from Barr's controversial "spying" comment. Wray told lawmakers last week he had not seen evidence of improper surveillance, or spying, on any of the 2016 presidential campaign. "That is not the term I would use," he said at a Senate hearing. That comment landed Wray in hot water with Trump, who lashed out when asked about it by reporters on Tuesday. Well I didnt understand his answer because I thought the attorney general answered it perfectly," Trump said, adding that Wray's response to lawmakers was "ridiculous." Durham was named by Barr several weeks ago, said the source, who confirmed it to Reuters anonymously because the Justice Department has not made a public announcement. Durham, nominated as U.S. Attorney by Trump in late 2017 and confirmed in 2018, has prior experience as a special prosecutor. During Democratic President Barack Obama's tenure, Durham ran an investigation into harsh interrogation by the CIA in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. His lengthy inquiry did not result in criminal charges against CIA personnel. Durham also ran a task force looking into allegedly corrupt dealings between law enforcement officials in Boston and James Whitey Bulger, a now-deceased crime gang leader. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Mark Hosenball; additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, David Gregorio and Lisa Shumaker) (Adds that lawsuits against Uber unaffected) By Daniel Wiessner May 14 (Reuters) - Drivers for ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc are independent contractors and not employees, the general counsel of a U.S. labor agency has concluded, in an advisory memo that is likely to carry significant weight in a pending case against the company and could prevent drivers from joining a union. The recommendation by the office of general counsel Peter Robb, who was appointed to the National Labor Relations Board by President Donald Trump, was made in a memo dated April 16 and released on Tuesday. The general counsel said in the memo that Uber drivers set their hours, own their cars and are free to work for the company's competitors, so they cannot be considered employees under federal labor law. A ruling on the case is to be made by an NLRB regional director. Advisory memos from the general counsel's office are generally upheld in rulings. Any decision could be appealed to the NLRB's five-member board, which is also led by Trump appointees but is independent of the general counsel. The memo will not affect scores of lawsuits claiming Uber drivers should be treated as employees under federal and state wage laws. San Francisco-based Uber in a statement said it is "focused on improving the quality and security of independent work, while preserving the flexibility drivers and couriers tell us they value." Uber shares were up 6.4 percent at $39.46 in late trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The memo signaled a sharp turn for the general counsel's office, which acts like a prosecutor in NLRB cases, and during the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama maintained that many gig-economy workers are misclassified as independent contractors. Under the National Labor Relations Act, independent contractors cannot join unions and do not have legal protection when they complain about working conditions. Uber, its top rival Lyft Inc, and many other "gig economy" companies have faced dozens of lawsuits accusing them of misclassifying workers as independent contractors under federal and state wage laws. Story continues Employees are significantly more costly because they are entitled to the minimum wage, overtime pay and reimbursements for work-related expenses under those laws. Uber, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week, said it would pay up to $170 million to settle tens of thousands of arbitration cases across the country with drivers who claim they were misclassified. Uber denied any wrongdoing. The company has also agreed to pay an additional $20 million to end long-running lawsuits by thousands of drivers in California and Massachusetts. The U.S. Department of Labor in a memo released last month said an unidentified "gig economy" company's workers were not its employees under federal wage law because it did not control their work. The company, which appeared from the memo to provide house-cleaning services, had a similar relationship with its workers as Uber does with drivers. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in New York and Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler and Leslie Adler) 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 (Adds comments from senators, source, immigration restrictionist group) By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans a speech in coming days to lay out his views on how immigration laws should be overhauled, Republican senators said on Tuesday after top White House advisers briefed them on the plan. Trump has been working with advisers on a proposal to boost visas for highly skilled workers seeking to immigrate to the United States and cut back on other types of visas - a plan unlikely to pass Congress ahead of the November 2020 presidential election. Republicans and Democrats have fought for years about how to overhaul outdated immigration laws, and the battle has become even more polarized since 2016 when Trump ran for office on a pledge to build a wall on the southern U.S. border to keep out migrants entering the country illegally. Republican Senators John Cornyn and John Barrasso told reporters that Trump would give his views in a speech as soon as this week. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment on the speech. The senators spoke as they were leaving their weekly policy lunch at the Capitol where they heard from Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, and hardline immigration adviser Stephen Miller - who have been working on the plan with other White House officials for a couple of months. Kushner briefed the senators on the contours of the plan, a person familiar with the situation said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "He got a very warm reception," the source said. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters the plan was aimed at unifying Republicans around core principles on border security and a merit-based system for legal immigration. "I don't think it's designed to get Democratic support as much as it is to unify the Republican Party around border security," Graham said. Support from Democrats would be needed to advance any kind of immigration through Congress. Story continues NO IMMIGRATION CUTS Both Graham and Senator Kevin Cramer - who attended a similar briefing about the plan with Trump at the White House last week - said the plan would keep immigration numbers steady. "I think the president feels, and rightfully so, that politically speaking, no lowering of the number, or raising of number - keeping a steady number - is probably the safe doable space that they are searching for. I think hes right on that," Cramer said. Immigration hawks are likely to be wary of a plan that does not cut immigration numbers, particularly heading into elections, said Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for immigration restrictions. "If the president botches this, it could cost all Republicans dearly in 2020," Vaughan said. The plan includes ideas to address the recent surge of Central American migrants at the southern border, Cramer said, including "changing some of the policies relating to sending people back, processing them quicker, having resources at the border to process, and changing some of the policies as it relates to asylum, some asylum reforms." Trump's advisers also have been working on provisions for guest workers for farms and other seasonal employers. Lawmakers have said the Republican proposals will not include measures to protect from deportation the more than 1 million immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children years ago and referred to as "Dreamers." The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives plans to consider its own immigration package in coming weeks, and "Dreamer" protections are expected to be included. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Steve Holland in Hackberry, Louisiana, Roberta Rampton in Washington and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Peter Cooney) Photo: Osman Rana/Unsplash From a patio party to an art show, there's plenty to enjoy in Boston this week. Read on for a rundown of ideas for how to fill your calendar. 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. Community Economic Impact Series: 'Haitians in Boston' From the event description: The Community Economic Impact Series will conduct multiple neighborhood and ethnic-focused presentations to explore our respective communities' economic impact in Boston. The goal is to engage residents, to hear their reactions to the data presented and to encourage suggestions on the citys economic development policies and priorities. This workshop will convene Boston's Haitian community and will be conducted in Haitian Creole, with English interpretation provided. When: Tuesday, May 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: Boston Public Library Mattapan, 1350 Blue Hill Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Tuesday Tasting Grand Opening Patio Party From the event description: Join us for a Grand Opening Patio Party with complimentary hors d'oeuvres. There will be a sangria/wine tasting with a reception from 6-8 p.m. including hors doeuvres like lobster rangoon, coconut chicken, shrimp cocktail and edamame dumplings (items subject to change). This is an interactive social event set up reception style with limited or no seating. Our goal is to introduce young professionals in their 20s, 30s and 40s to new and upscale restaurants. When: Tuesday, May 14, 6-8 p.m. Where: The Brahmin, 33 Stanhope St. Admission: $19 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Getting to the Point with the authors of 'The Hill to Die On' From the event description: Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer, co-authors of "Politico Playbook," will join Steve Scully, political editor, C-SPAN, for a discussion of their inside account of President Trumps first two years in the White House as viewed from Capitol Hill. From negotiations with congressional leaders over the government shutdown to the Supreme Court confirmation hearings, "The Hill to Die On" offers an inside look at the defining moments and power struggles that have roiled Congress under the Trump administration. A book signing will follow and copies of "The Hill to Die On" will be available for purchase at the Institutes gift store on the night of the program. Story continues When: Tuesday, May 14, 6:30-8 p.m. Where: Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, 210 Morrissey Blvd. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Conception Art Show From the event description: You are invited to attend the Conception Art Show, a pop-up event presenting the work of 35 local artists and featuring live music, complimentary appetizer hour and a cash bar. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase something original for their home or workplace without incurring a gallery commission. This event is for ages 21 and over. The immersive exhibit, active in 12 cities around the U.S., is the brainchild of New York City Business Journal's 2016 Woman of Influence Rachel Wilkins. When: Wednesday, May 15, 5-9 p.m. Where: Candibar, 275 Tremont St. Admission: $20 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. From an awards ceremony to a programming class, there's plenty to enjoy in Atlanta this week. Read on for a rundown of ideas for how to fill your calendar. 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. Games for Change ATL: 2019 Awards Ceremony From the event description: Join us at the 2019 Games for Change awards ceremony for an evening of games, refreshments and prizes. Student finalists of the G4C Atlanta Student Challenge will showcase their game submissions to attendees, followed by a formal award cermeony announcing this year's competition winners. When: Tuesday, May 14, 3:30-6 p.m. Where: GTRI Conference Center, 250 14th St. NW Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets 'And Then They Came for Us' Screening From the event description: Please join Georgia Public Broadcasting and filmmaker Abby Ginzberg for a screening of 'And Then They Came for Us,' an award-winning documentary about the profound violation of constitutional rights that resulted in the forced incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans. Featuring George Takei and many others who were incarcerated, as well as newly rediscovered photographs of Dorothea Lange, the film brings history into the present, retelling this difficult story and following Japanese-American activists as they speak out against the Muslim registry and travel ban. When: Tuesday, May 14, 6-8:15 p.m. Where: Georgia Public Broadcasting, 260 14th St. NW Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Atlanta Urban Design Commission: Design Awards 2019 From the event description: Find out who is setting the pace for excellent design, development and neighborhood life in Atlanta. Come learn about how Atlanta is preparing for the future of historic preservation in the city. The event will take place in the Zoo Atlanta ARC Building. Guests should enter through the Education Gate on the south end of the Cherokee Ave. parking lot. Story continues When: Tuesday, May 14, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Where: Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Free Crash Course | JavaScript Fundamentals From the event description: Ever wonder how websites work? How does clicking on this make that happen? Join us and learn how to make a functioning website using the most popular programming language, JavaScript. JavaScript is the language of the browser for 95 percent of all websites youve ever visited. In this interactive workshop, we'll cover everything you need to know to begin your JavaScript journey, including different data types, variables and functions. When: Tuesday, May 14, 7-8:30 p.m. Where: The Gathering Spot, 384 Northyards Blvd. NW, Building #100 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. Photo: Tomek Baginski/Unsplash From a panel on homelessness to a wilderness first aid workshop, there are plenty of community events in Austin this week. Read on for a rundown of ideas for how to fill your calendar. 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. Let's Talk About Collaborating to End Homelessness: Best Single Source Plus From the event description: Last year, more than 650 families received stable housing through Best Single Source Plus member agencies. Join representatives from Applied Materials, City of Austin, Aids Services of Austin, Meals on Wheels Central Texas and Caritas of Austin to learn how this collaborative is using public and private resources effectively and efficiently to end homelessness in our community. When: Wednesday, May 15, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Where: Capital One Cafe, 11801 Domain Blvd., Suite 160 Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Austin Icon for Children Award Recognition Party From the event description: Come out and celebrate the wonderful work of this year's Phyllis Richards Austin Icon for Children Award nominees. We welcome all present and past nominees and award winners to attend and all those that wish to honor the philanthropy of these community activists and professionals who have made a profound impact on the many lives of children in our community. Finalists will be announced during the Recognition Party, and winners will be announced during the 8th Annual Austin Originals Benefit Concert on August 24, 2019. Join us to celebrate these amazing individuals! Food bites provided. When: Thursday, May 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: Lustre Pearl East, 114 Linden St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Artists in Conversation: New Monuments for New Cities Panel From the event description: Presented by Waller Creek Conservancy, New Monuments for New Cities raises a number of questions about who and what has been memorialized in the past and how applying new lenses could shift that paradigm in the future. Join the dialogue as we host conversations with artists, historians, and community leaders about these themes. This event is free, but registration is required. Refreshments will be available. Story continues When: Thursday, May 16, 6-8 p.m. Where: Symphony Square, 1111 Red River St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Austin Community College Visual Communication Student Portfolio Show From the event description: You are cordially invited to join the Visual Communication Department of Austin Community College as we showcase the work of our graduating graphic design students. Come see the portfolios and hard work of our graduates on display. This is a free event that is open to the public, but RSVPs are appreciated as refreshments will be served. When: Thursday, May 16, 7-9 p.m. Where: ACC Highland Campus, Building 4000, 6101 Airport Blvd. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Wilderness First Aid Workshop From the event description: Join Buzz Mill & Lumber Society for a Wilderness First Aid Workshop hosted by Camp Master, Chris Hyde. Lumber Society was founded in 2013 to bring the community together around getting outside and embracing nature. It's like adult scouts where you earn patches, and, at the end of the 11 workshops, you can test out and earn your Grizz Patch. Wilderness First Aid is the 5th workshop out of the 11. We believe that if you embrace these skills that Chris Hyde teaches, then you'll be more able to survive the first 72 hours of a zombie apocalypse. When: Thursday, May 16, 7-9 p.m. Where: The Buzz Mill, 1505 Town Creek Drive Admission: $15 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. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Are you thinking of selling your house yourself, without the help of a real estate agent? Eliminating the realtor can save you as much as 6 percent in commissions. On a $300,000 house, that comes to $18,000. And "for sale by owner" houses tend to sell more quickly, sometimes in as little as two weeks, according to the National Association of Realtors' 2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (which notes, however, that the brief time frame is often because the seller and buyer know one another). Before you decide to sell your home without an agent, however, keep in mind that the process is far from easy. You'll have to invest a lot of time in doing the work a realtor would ordinarily handle, which includes everything from showing and marketing your home to negotiating the final price. Also understand that you'll need to take care of all the legal and financial paperwork, which can be daunting. (It's probably a good idea to hire a lawyer to help with that.) There also are a number of websites, such as ForSaleByOwner.com and FSBO.com, to help walk you through the process. With all this in mind, if you do decide to sell the house without an agent, here are five tips to help you get started. Set a Realistic Price If you're selling your home without an agent, don't make the mistake of thinking your home is worth more than it really is. Colby Sambrotto, CRO of Redefy, a technology-enabled residential real estate brokerage, and past president of USRealty.com, advises sellers to put emotions aside and set a price based on hard data. Online pricing calculators like Zillows Zestimate give an estimate of your homes worth based on objective factors such as square footage, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and your homes location. Story continues You can also check to see what comparable homes in your neighborhood sold for. Websites such as Trulia can help you get this information, and you can also search through local property tax records. (Checking with your states assessors office or the county clerk can help you find that information.) Another option for deciding on an asking price is to go to the Federal Housing Finance Agencys website. It offers tools that draw from home sale data pulled from mortgages that are backed by the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac. One of those tools is the FHFA's House Price Calculator. It doesn't project the actual value of your particular house. Instead, you plug in the amount you paid for it and the year you purchased it, and the calculator projects your homes worth assuming that it appreciated at the average rate of all homes in the area. You can also hire an appraiser to give you an estimate. Michael Malkasian, president of FSBO.com, a real estate advertising company, says you may want to consider this your last option because youll have to pay about $400 for the appraisal, and the buyers bank will do an appraisal anyway. If you do want an appraisal, you can find an appraiser by searching on the website of the Appraisal Institute. Advertise In the old days, you would stick a sign in your yard and hope for the best, says Sambrotto of Redefy. Today there are more options. Many homebuyers start their search online, according to Malkasian. If you're selling yours without an agent, you can list it on his website, FSBO.com, for about $100 for one year. The listing will also appear automatically on the real estate website Redfin. Malkasian says his firm will also list your home on Trulia and Zillow for no extra charge. Other sites for listing your home include ForSaleByOwner.com (which operates similarly to FSBO.com), Patch, and StreetEasy (in New York City). To reach more people when you're selling your home without an agent, consider signing up for the Multiple Listing Service, which real estate brokers use. It costs about $400 per year, and you can do it through websites such as EntryOnly.com, FSBO.com, Owners.com, and ForSaleByOwner.com. Give a Detailed Description of Your Home When you list your house, include photos of the exterior and interior. Malkasian says you may want to hire a professional to make the photos as appealing as possible. The listing should include all the basics, such as price, location, age of the home, and the number of rooms overall, as well as bedrooms and bathrooms. But Malkasian advises also highlighting any improvements, such as a new roof or water heater. Be Patient Dont be disappointed if the first open house doesn't result in any offers. Revisit your asking price, update your marketing materials, and make sure your home is widely listed. Consider Paying a Broker for Limited Services Many people who decide to sell their home without an agent dont realize that some agents offer limited services to help you with specific aspects of selling a home. Through FSBO.com, for example, you can get a market analysis done or have an agent review a purchase contract for $200. If you need help negotiating the price and the details of a sale, that costs $700. 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. Photo: Herson Rodriguez/Unsplash Looking to mix things up this week? From a "Game of Thrones" trivia night to a ribbon cutting ceremony, here's a rundown of options to help you get out and about in the days ahead. 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. Game of Thrones Trivia: Season 8 From the event description: Join Dallasites101 and Trinity Cider for one last Game of Thrones trivia night as we celebrate the final season: season 8. Trivia will be as follows: teams of up to four people (you can play solo, as a duo or triple too) play four rounds of 10 questions. When: Monday, May 13, 7-9 p.m. Where: Trinity Cider, 2656 Main St., Suite 120 Admission: $15 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Kick off Event: The Network Bar and CityCentral have joined forces! From the event description: Attention CityCentral and The Network Bar members! To further expand the membership value, CityCentral and The Network Bar have joined forces! To celebrate the kick off, join us for an exclusive evening at The Network Bar. Enjoy a craft cocktail (first round on us!), complimentary appetizers and network with fellow members while checking out the space. When: Tuesday, May 14, 4-7 p.m. Where: The Network Bar, 331 Singleton Blvd. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Ribbon Cutting/Happy Hour For New Pleasant Grove Restaurant Los Molcajetes Cocina Mexicana From the event description: Southeast Dallas Chamber of Commerce hosts Ribbon Cutting/Happy Hour for New Pleasant Grove Restaurant Los Molcajetes Cocina Mexicana. Molcajetes is an authentic modern Mexican Restaurant opened by Ivan Saenz and Laura Sanchez, and it will provide complimentary appetizers. When: Wednesday, May 15, 5-7 p.m. Where: 2306 S. Buckner Blvd. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets 2019 Preservation Achievement Awards Story continues From the event description: The 20th annual Preservation Achievement Awards are being presented in the Carlisle Room at the Lone Star Gas building. Come congratulate our 2019 Preservation Achievement Award recipients: Ullman House, Greer House, The Shack, 414 North Windomere Avenue, Hamilton House, Elliott House, Tyler Street Baptist Church, Kessler Steps, Lakewood Theater, Mid Elm Lofts and Stone Tables Pavilion. When: Wednesday, May 15, 6-8:30 p.m. Where: The Carlisle Room, Lone Star Gas Building, 1990 Jackson St. Admission: $50 (Member); $85 (Non Member) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Salon Series: Texas or Bust From the event description: Two writers describe various views of the Texan landscape, both architectural and quotidian, a major theme within the collection of the French Room Salon's art collection. Seating is limited. Refreshments will be served. When: Thursday, May 16, 7-9 p.m. Where: The French Room, 1321 Commerce 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. (Corrects in 7th paragraph that Alan Arkin, not Alan Alda, starred in the 1970 movie) By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES, May 14 (Reuters) - Joseph Heller's 1961 novel "Catch-22" was set in World War Two, but the makers of the first television adaptation believe its satirical take on the insanity of war is just as relevant in today's age of anxiety. With characters like profiteering Milo Minderbender, mediocre commander Major Major and parade loving Lieutenant Scheisskopf, "Catch-22" portrays a U.S. bomber squadron whose superiors are not just incompetent, but deaf to reason. "Heller was very prophetic and this has become more apparent as we move more deeply into this age of anxiety and absurdity," said Luke Davies, who co-wrote Hulu's six-episode adaptation starring George Clooney that launches on Friday. "The novel is filled with crazy older men who are delusionally invested in the sense of their own glory and importance, and who are comically clueless. We have one of those guys in the White House right now, so it feels way more relevant even than it was a couple of years ago," Davies said. "Catch-22" follows a squadron whose leaders continually raise the number of missions their men are required to fly before being sent home, resulting in no one being sent home. The only way out is to claim insanity, but a request to be removed from duty is proof of sanity, hence the bureaucratic rule Catch-22. Although "Catch-22" was made into a film in 1970 starring Alan Arkin, Davies said the story was better suited to the longer arc of a television series. "It is very hard to do justice to this magnificent novel in two hours or less," he said. Because Heller's non-linear style echoes the absurdity of the plot, Davies took eight months just to straighten out the chronology for the TV series, which is told from the viewpoint of bombardier Captain John Yossarian, played by Christopher Abbott. Story continues "I wanted to let the chaotic energy and that kaleidoscopic sense of a mad jostle remain, but I cleaned up the chronology so that all of our characters could actually grow emotionally as the series progressed," he said. Davies said he fell in love with the book when he was a teenager and has since read it multiple times. But he hopes the TV series will resonate whether or not viewers have read, or remember, the book. "I think the absurdity that keeps raining down upon Yossarian is something that resonates with people. "All of the metaphorical stuff aside about the insanity of war, Yossarian loses his friends and this increases his sense of anxiety, fear and bewilderment," Davies said. (Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Jonathan Oatis) 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 Prada S.p.A. (HKG:1913). Over the last twelve months Prada has recorded a ROE of 7.2%. That means that for every HK$1 worth of shareholders' equity, it generated HK$0.072 in profit. See our latest analysis for Prada How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Prada: 7.2% = 205m 2.9b (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 earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. What Does Return On Equity Signify? Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the yearly profit. A higher profit will lead to a higher ROE. 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 Prada Have A Good Return On Equity? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Prada has a lower ROE than the average (10%) in the Luxury industry. SEHK:1913 Past Revenue and Net Income, May 13th 2019 That's not what we like to see. It is better when the ROE is above industry average, but a low one doesn't necessarily mean the business is overpriced. Nonetheless, it might be wise to check if insiders have been selling. Story continues How Does Debt Impact ROE? Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. 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 Prada's Debt And Its 7.2% Return On Equity Although Prada does use debt, its debt to equity ratio of 0.32 is still low. I'm not impressed with its ROE, but the debt levels are not too high, indicating the business has decent prospects. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. Companies that can achieve high returns on equity without too much debt are generally of good quality. 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. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. But note: Prada may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. COLUMBUS, Ohio Republican lawmakers in Ohio want every woman seeking a medical abortion informed that they could reverse that procedure. But the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says abortion-reversal treatments are not based on science and do not meet clinical standards. A new Ohio bill would require doctors prescribing medication abortions, which are performed up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy, to provide information about a procedure to reverse abortions in the event the woman changes her mind. It's backed by Ohio Right to Life, the state's largest organization that opposes abortion. "I find it really kind of perplexing why anyone would be opposed to a woman choosing to give life," sponsor Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, said at a Tuesday news conference, where opponents protested the bill. "Frankly, this is a piece of legislation that one would think we could come together on. The only side effect of this legislation is a healthy baby being born." Dr. George Delgado, a San Diego doctor who labels himself "pro-life," popularized the idea of abortion reversals using progesterone, a hormone that helps maintain pregnancy. But the concept is controversial and doesn't have Food and Drug Administration approval. Medication abortions involve two drugs. Mifepristone blocks the release of progesterone, which is needed for a healthy pregnancy. Next, misoprostol is taken a day or two later to cause the uterus to contract and expel the embryo or fetus. How an abortion 'reversal' unfolds Under Delgado's method, a woman would take progesterone after the first drug to halt its effects. He published a study of 754 patients with a 64% rate of successful reversals. Other scientists have questioned the study's methods, calling the statistics inflated. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called Delgado's work unproved and unethical in a statement. Story continues One University of California-Davis researcher was recently awarded a grant to thoroughly study abortion reversal drugs, but Dr. Mitchell Creinin's work won't be finished for months. In the meantime, states have passed laws to inform women seeking abortions about the option. Arkansas was the first in 2015, followed by Arizona and South Dakota. Ohio joins a handful of other states considering the bill this year. About one-fourth of all abortions performed in Ohio involved medication. Mifepristone was the most commonly used drug. It was used in 5,279 abortions in 2017, according to Ohio Department of Health records. Lehner said she plans to introduce the bill later this week. Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, will introduce identical legislation in the Ohio House. The proposal has support from Students for Life and Citizens for Community Values. More: Babies killed after failed abortions? Trump's oversimplifying, AP finds Protesters oppose a bill to require women seeking abortions be informed of a "reversal" method. Details on the bill and other anti-abortion efforts Opponents of the bill say doctors should not have to inform patients of medically dubious options. "This is not proven science," said Jaime Miracle, Ohio deputy director of the abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice. "We're forcing doctors to deceive and lie to their patients and no one should be for that." The Ohio bill is one of several being pushed by GOP lawmakers to restrict access to abortion or stigmatize the procedure. Rep. John Becker, R-Union Township in Clermont County, wants to ban private insurance coverage of abortions. Sen. Joe Uecker, R-Miami Township, wants to bury or cremate fetal remains. Ohio's GOP-controlled Legislature recently passed laws to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected or after a diagnosis of Down syndrome. More: Strict anti-abortion laws aimed to arrive at Supreme Court This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: An abortion 'reversal'? The method is unproved, but Ohio lawmakers want women to consider it Despite the ongoing federal and local debates on marijuana legalization, the investment world remains excited about the industrys prospects, especially companies such as Tilray (TLRY) and Aurora Cannabis (ACB), which are slated to report earnings late Tuesday. As the legal debate wages on, some argue the largely recreational drug should be legalized while others want to keep weed classified as a Schedule 1 drug (along with heroin and meth). The advocacy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) pushes for a middle road approach, aiming for decriminalization without risking any unintended consequences of full legalization. We hope that everyone knows that no one should be incarcerated or get a criminal record or arrested for marijuana use or possession that is something most people are aware of now, Smart Approaches to Marijuanas Will Jones told Yahoo Finances yFI AM (video above). Were not supporting legalization. We think the support for it is overstated. U.S. Capitol Police arrest several DCMJ.org marijuana advocates after they smoked marijuana in front of the U.S. Capitol during their protest on Monday, April 24, 2017. (Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Jones added that his group is working with politicians in several states, focusing on those who really care about social justice and want to see criminal penalties removed, want to see expungements. SAM believes non-violent drug offenders should not have to worry about criminal records that would prevent them from participating in our communities and be able to obtain a good job. In practice, the non-profit discourages use of marijuana while also supporting ways to avoid criminal penalties. I am actually afraid that is exactly what we are going to do Cannabis is the third most popular recreational drug (behind tobacco and alcohol) in the U.S., used by nearly 100 million Americans, according to the marijuana advocacy group NORML. When we are talking about the commercialization of marijuana and people say were going to regulate it like alcohol, I am actually afraid that is exactly what we are going to do, Jones said. The state of marijuana in the U.S. (Photo: Reuters) The Drug Policy Alliance in January published a call to remove marijuana from the controlled substances list. It cited the "limited potential for abuse, established medical uses, and [that marijuana] is safe relative to other substances. Story continues Jones, an activist, explains when you dig into the polling many voters dont know the difference between decriminalization and legalizing marijuana. Furthermore, he argues legalization leads down a slippery slope. Commercialization which is really cultivating addiction for profit companies who target youth or communities of color like mine, said Jones. When I walk out the front door of my house the first store I get to in any direction is a liquor store. If I go a little farther Ill get to a convenience store which is blasted with advertisements of alcohol, for tobacco. And thats the reality for millions of people. Read more: Weed CFO: The IRS tax code is 'crippling' and 'devastating' for us Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn,YouTube, and reddit. By Daniel Trotta May 14 (Reuters) - Alabama's state Senate was due to vote on a bill on Tuesday that would outlaw nearly all abortions, but will first consider whether to allow the procedure for women and girls impregnated by rape and incest. Debate on the strictest anti-abortion bill in the United States was set to begin in the Republican-controlled chamber at 4 p.m. CDT (2100 GMT). It would be the latest in a procession of anti-abortion bills across the country that activists are hoping will result in the issue going before the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill previously passed the Republican-dominated Alabama House of Representatives. Republican Governor Kay Ivey has withheld comment on whether she would sign it but generally is a strong opponent of 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 large "abortion desert." Legislation to restrict abortion rights has been introduced in 16 states this year, four of whose governors have signed bills banning abortion if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which advocates for abortion rights. Opponents called that legislation a virtual ban because fetal heartbeats can be detected as early as six weeks, before a woman may be aware she is pregnant. The Alabama bill goes further, banning all abortions except to prevent serious health risk to the mother. People who perform abortions would be subject to a Class A felony, punishable by 10 to 99 years in prison. A woman who receives an abortion would not be held criminally liable. A Senate committee added an amendment that would create exceptions for cases of rape and incest, but the matter stalled on the Senate floor. Debate will resume without the rape and incest amendment attached. Anti-abortion advocates know any laws they pass are certain to be challenged in court, but they are hoping the matter will land before the U.S. Supreme Court. Story continues The high court, now with a majority of conservative justices after Republican President Donald Trump appointed two, could possibly overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision establishing a woman's right to an abortion. Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky and Ohio have outlawed abortion after a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat. Courts have blocked the Iowa and Kentucky laws, and the others face legal challenges. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano has called for a sex strike under the social media hashtag #SexStrike in response to the campaigns against abortion rights, urging women to refuse sex with men "until we get bodily autonomy back." (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Peter Cooney) On Friday, actress and liberal activist Alyssa Milano used Twitter to call for women to go on a sex strike to protest new abortion laws. Our reproductive rights are being erased. Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy. JOIN ME by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back. Im calling for a #SexStrike. Pass it on. pic.twitter.com/uOgN4FKwpg Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) May 11, 2019 No doubt, Milano believes that her idea here is a progressive one. The abortion laws in question are, after all, supported by Republicans, therefore any act of protest against them must in itself be liberal and progressive, right? Wrong. Although Milano may not realize it, her attempt at progressive activism was actually the opposite of feminist. Let me be clear: Calling for women to go on a sex strike isnt woke or cool, it is sexist and harmful. Why? Because it promotes the antiquated narrative that women have sex only as a concession or gift to men, not because they enjoy sex for its own sake. This is not feminist; its patriarchal. All too often, we women grow up hearing things that suggest it is somehow wrong or bad for us to want sex. I remember a friend in college telling me that her mom had taught her that its the mans job to want it; its the womens job to say no. These kind of colloquialisms can stick with a woman for a lifetime, making her feel dirty or wrong for wanting to engage in normal, healthy human behavior. Weve certainly come a long way in terms of seeing women as being equal to men, but we are unfortunately still in a place where women who enjoy sex a lot are called sluts, while the same kind of desires and behaviors are not only accepted, but also celebrated, when were talking about men. Its stupid, its unfair, and Milano is not helping. Story continues If Milano is really as concerned about womens bodily autonomy as she claims to be, then maybe she should start by not telling other women what to do with theirs. I mean, seriously the irony is so obvious that I cant believe that she still doesnt see it and that she actually continues to defend her awful idea. Thankfully, we live in a country where we all have a right to peacefully protest and any woman who has an issue with the new abortion laws should certainly feel free to do so, and yes, even to call on other women to do the same. The truth is, though, demanding that women surrender their sexuality when were still fighting to have that same sexuality be accepted is about as stupid as it gets. I know that Milano sees herself as some kind of left-wing hero, but she missed the mark here. Her idea treats female sexuality not as something to be accepted and celebrated in itself, but as a cheap bargaining chip, as something that women only do begrudgingly to please or get something out of men. Suggesting, as she does, that youre an inferior feminist if you decide to have sex is no different from the typical, outdated Puritanical shaming that suggests youre an inferior woman if you decide to have sex. Both, after all, suggest that what a woman decides to do with her body sexually says something about her as a person and thats not bodily autonomy, its the opposite. The truth is, the only thing we should be telling women about their sexuality is to paraphrase Salt n Pepa that it is no one elses business, that it belongs to them and them alone. Sexual decisions should be made by each individual woman for her own damn self, without feeling any pressure from any man (or any Alyssa Milano) to make a certain decision. So, Alyssa I thought you were woke enough to realize this, but since you apparently arent, Ill spell it out for you: Many women do enjoy sex for sexs sake, they dont just do it to please or manipulate men, there is nothing wrong with that, and shame on you for suggesting otherwise. More from National Review Americas Silver Corporation (USAS) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.06 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.01. This compares to earnings of $0.01 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -700%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post a loss of $0.01 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.16, delivering a surprise of -1,500%. Over the last four quarters, the company has not been able to surpass consensus EPS estimates. Americas Silver Corporation, which belongs to the Zacks Mining - Silver industry, posted revenues of $17.80 million for the quarter ended March 2019, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 34.37%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $20.38 million. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates 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. Americas Silver Corporation shares have added about 9.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 14.9%. What's Next for Americas Silver Corporation? While Americas Silver Corporation 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 Americas Silver Corporation 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 breakeven on $27.18 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.01 on $94.22 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, Mining - Silver is currently in the bottom 27% 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 Americas Silver Corporation (USAS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Laurence Frost and Naomi Tajitsu PARIS/TOKYO, May 14 (Reuters) - Renault is quietly pushing for a change of Nissan leadership as a prelude to merger talks, sources at both companies said, after the Japanese carmaker warned of a further earnings slide in the wake of the Carlos Ghosn scandal. Jean-Dominique Senard, who replaced Ghosn as Renault chairman in January, sees Nissan boss Hiroto Saikawa as an obstacle to progress, several people told Reuters. Pressure for a tie-up -- which Saikawa has refused to discuss -- will only intensify after Nissan revealed on Tuesday that its operating profit plunged 45 percent in the last fiscal year and will likely drop another 28 percent to "rock bottom" in the current one. "Renault will continue to push for talks citing performance as the impetus," an executive close to Saikawa said after the results presentation. "They've already started again today." These issues may come to a head at a preliminary meeting of Nissan directors being held as soon as Wednesday, to prepare for a full session on May 20, three sources said. Renault spokesman Frederic Texier and his Nissan counterpart Nick Maxfield both declined to comment. Ghosn's November arrest in Japan and immediate ouster by Nissan strained the partnership, as Renault resisted a full investigation of alliance finances and kept its absent leader in office as chairman and CEO for two more months. Ghosn, who denies any wrongdoing, is awaiting trial in Tokyo on charges of financial misconduct and allegedly enriching himself at Nissan's expense. LEAKED PLAN After Ghosn's eventual Renault exit, Senard succeeded in easing tensions with Nissan, securing a seat on its board and instituting a new alliance oversight committee under his chairmanship. But tensions resurfaced last month after a Renault-backed tie-up plan was leaked to the Japanese press. The proposal, confirmed by Renault sources, would place both carmakers under a new Paris- and Tokyo-listed holding company and effectively liquidate their cross-shareholdings, which are chronically undervalued by the market. Story continues Renault owns 43.4 percent of Nissan, whose reciprocal 15 percent Renault holding carries no votes. But Renault's control of Nissan is curtailed by a 2015 shareholder pact struck in response to French government moves to increase the voting rights on its own 15 percent Renault stake. Driven by a U.S. sales collapse, Nissan's sharp profit decline and resulting dividend cut will wipe 130 million euros ($146 million) off Renault's 2019 earnings, Citi predits. Saikawa on Tuesday blamed the earnings wipeout on "the negative legacy of our old leader" and publicly restated his long-held aversion to a tie-up of the kind proposed by Senard. "I'm very aware that his view on this matter differs from mine," Saikawa said. The timing of his succession as Nissan CEO was "a matter I need to decide," he added. BOARD TEST Whether Saikawa gets to make that call may depend on his own board, whose upcoming meeting will be a first test of his support following the dire financial disclosures. Renault has backed off demands for immediate deal discussions but has no intention of dropping the subject definitively, people on both sides of the alliance say. The French carmaker now privately argues that moving things forward may require "turning the page on the Saikawa era," sources close to the Renault leadership said. Renault also wants to seat its CEO Thierry Bollore on the next Nissan board - a move seen at Nissan headquarters as provocative in light of his former role as Ghosn's lieutenant and more recent resistance to an alliance audit. "Pushing him hard is bound to cause difficulties," the senior Nissan executive said. Some investors have been waiting years for a Renault-Nissan tie-up or break-up - either of which could unlock the value of the cross-shareholdings. In a February note, brokerage Evercore ISI estimated the undervaluation of Renault's Nissan stake at 40 percent, arguing for a partial sale of the holdings. While Nissan decries the deal proposal as a distraction from necessary restructuring, Renault portrays it as an essential step towards an alliance recovery - delivering faster decision-making as well as an immediate stock-market boost. "We're currently in a rather weakened version of an alliance," a source close to Senard told Reuters. "The only people who can take pleasure in this situation are our competitors. A deeper evolution is necessary." While exasperated with Nissan's refusal even to discuss a merger, the Renault chairman is confident the issue cannot be avoided for long, the same person said. "Creating value should be the main preoccupation of any self-respecting board, if only as a matter of fiduciary duty," he added. "No company can refuse to consider its options." But the French carmaker's impatience could also backfire again, by helping Saikawa to shore up board support, according to an executive close to Nissan's senior leadership. "If Renault weren't pushing this quite so hard, ironically people would be looking at him a lot more critically," he said. ($1 = 0.8921 euros) (Reporting by Laurence Frost and Naomi Tajitsu; Additional reporting by Gilles Guillaume; Editing by Alexander Smith) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Murky claims of sabotage to oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A drone attack on a pipeline in Saudi Arabia. A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group steaming toward an unspecified threat. The events roiling the Persian Gulf in recent days have the potential to affect everything from the price of a gallon of gas to the fate of nations. And for those feeling confused by it all, don't worry: Everyone else seems to be puzzled too, only raising the possibility of a miscalculation. Just as what sparked the rapid series of market-moving events remains unclear; so does the reason for the White House deploying warships and B-52 bombers to the region. Days later, Iran marked the anniversary of President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers by announcing it also would begin backing away from the accord. It set a 60-day deadline for Europe to offer it a better deal before it would begin enriching uranium to higher levels that the West fears could allow it to obtain atomic bombs. "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident with an escalation that is unintended really on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said recently. The main threat Hunt referred to was any confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. This has been brewing ever since Trump, who campaigned on tearing up Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, came to office. After pulling out of the deal last year, the U.S. began a maximalist pressure campaign against Iran. It re-imposed sanctions. It created new ones, for the first time naming a part of a country's armed forces a terrorist organization and squeezing Iran by threatening sanctions on any nation importing its crude oil. For a year, Iran negotiated with European signatories to the deal to find a way to allow it to continue its trading. Those efforts have yet to bear fruit. Story continues Meanwhile, Trump's national security John Bolton, who gave paid speeches to an Iranian exile group promising that Iran's government would be overthrown, issued the statement announcing the aircraft carrier would be deployed. The deployment sends "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," Bolton said. Iran announced May 8 it would back away from the nuclear deal. Four days later, on Sunday, everything suddenly changed. A pro-Iran Lebanese satellite channel falsely claimed the Emirati port of Fujairah was ablaze after explosions, reports quickly carried by Iranian state media and semi-official outlets. Hours later, the United Arab Emirates issued a vague statement alleging four ships "were subjected to sabotage operations." By Monday, it was clear something happened. One of the four oil tankers affected, a Norwegian-flagged ship, clearly had a hole punched through its hull. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the other three did as well. But Emirati and U.S. officials refused to speak on record to journalists. Satellite images obtained by The Associated Press later showed no visible major damage to the vessels, which included two Saudi tankers and an Emirati vessel. On Tuesday, there still were no clear answers but many questions. Where did the Lebanese channel get its information about the explosions? What damaged the ships? And why won't anyone identify suspects involved in the alleged sabotage? Suspicion, but not publicly verifiable evidence, has fallen on nearby Iran. The Shiite power has an incredibly tense relationship with Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Trump told reporters he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops to the Middle East, but that he's not planned for that and hopefully won't have to plan for that. In Tehran, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cautioned: "Neither we, nor them, is seeking war. They know that it is not to their benefit." Still, Iran has been threatening to close off the Strait of Hormuz if it can't sell its own oil on the global market. The strait is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded at sea passes. Additionally, over 30% of the world's liquefied natural gas trade also travels through it. The UAE is developing Fujairah with an eye to possibly avoid having to send crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Now suddenly, Fujairah is a target. On Tuesday, a pipeline in Saudi Arabia that allows it to likewise avoid the strait became a target as well. Yemen's Houthi rebels, with whom Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been fighting a bloody war since March 2015, launched a drone attack on the East-West pipeline, which carries nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil a day to the Red Sea. The kingdom shut down the pipeline in response, causing a spike in global oil prices. Such attacks routinely cause higher global oil prices, which mean profits for producers and higher prices for consumers. But threats to the global oil market in the Persian Gulf also have been a U.S. national security priority since 1980. The U.S. fought the Gulf War in 1991 to push Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, a major OPEC member. That war gave birth to the vast network of military bases the U.S. now has around the Persian Gulf, bases that Iran regards warily as the USS Abraham Lincoln heads toward the Strait of Hormuz. B-52 bombers from Louisiana already are flying missions in the region. "Iran could actually view some of this as being a potential buildup for some type of offensive action," said Becca Wasser, a Washington-based RAND Corp. analyst specializing in Gulf security. "It raises the risk of accidental escalation . Because the U.S. and Iran don't have clear lines of communication at the moment, everything can be perceived in a very different light than one side is intending." She added: "Something that would usually be a smaller issue could bloom into something much larger and much-more serious." ___ EDITOR'S NOTE Jon Gambrell, the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press, has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap . Angelina Jolie returns in 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' (Credit: DIsney) Angelina Jolie is back in Disneys Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and it looks like she has a new set of royals to contend with. The Hollywood star reprises her role as the title character five years after the release of Maleficent which saw the once evil fairy find peace with Princess Aurora. Elle Fanning returns as the sleeping beauty with Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Lindsay joining the cast as Queen Ingrith and King John. They may well be the parents of Auroras now-fiance Prince Phillip, who was originally played by Brenton Thwaites but is now being played by Harrison Dickinson. Read more: Pixars new movies are insanely different Also joining the cast is Ed Skrein and Chiwetel Ejiofor in yet-to-be-named roles with Juno Temple, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville and Sam Riley reprising their roles from the 2014 film. The film is directed by Joachim Rnning from a story by Linda Woolverton and a screenplay by Linda Woolverton and Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is produced by Joe Roth, Angelina Jolie and Duncan Henderson with Matt Smith, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Michael Vieira serving as executive producers. Read more: Honey I Shrunk the Kids reboot coming Angelina Jolie returns in 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' (Credit: DIsney) Heres the official synopsis: Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a fantasy adventure that picks up several years after Maleficent, in which audiences learned of the events that hardened the heart of Disneys most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora. The film continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is released in cinemas on 18th October Mel Gibson (Credit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic) Mel Gibson and Shia LaBeouf are set to star in a new black comedy called Rothchild, in which a child disowned at birth seeks to seize the riches of his wealthy New York family. But with Gibson playing the family's patriarch, Whitelaw Rothchild, the villain of the movie, there is simmering anger over the casting. Gibson was famously shunned by Hollywood for almost a decade after a drunken, anti-semitic rant at a police officer in 2006. Read more: Seth Rogen slams Mel Gibson over Hollywood comeback The Australian actor was being arrested for drink driving when he released the invective, saying: F**king Jews... the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew? Gibson called his behaviour 'despicable' and blamed it on his dependence on alcohol at the time. But he was once again criticised after a later non-apology in an interview with Variety in 2016. It was an unfortunate incident, he said. I was loaded and angry and arrested. I was recorded illegally by an unscrupulous police officer who was never prosecuted for that crime. And then it was made public by him for profit, and by members of well call it the press. So, not fair. I guess as who I am, Im not allowed to have a nervous breakdown, ever. 10 years have gone by. Im feeling good. Im sober, all of that kind of stuff, and for me its a dim thing in the past. But others bring it up, which kind of I find annoying, because I dont understand why after 10 years its any kind of issue. Many have expressed consternation that Gibson has been welcomed back into the movie industry after the incident, as well as another, in which threatening and abusive audio recordings of arguments he had with his ex-partner Oksana Grigorieva were released during the custody battle of their daughter. Only last week, Seth Rogen slammed another recently announced role for Gibson, in the movie Fatman, in which he'll play a 'rowdy Santa'. He tweeted simply: Ho Ho Holocaust denier. Story continues And now he's been similarly pilloried for this role too. Who better to explore and parody anti-semitic tropes than *checks notes* Mel Gibson? https://t.co/UVMxEhh6b3 Dean (@Herne_TheHunter) May 13, 2019 In which noted anti-Semite Mel Gibson is starring in a film about a "sinister" Jewish member of a Jewish family that's been the subject of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories for centuries. This is fine.https://t.co/iucWARdAIl S. (@MxS_510) May 13, 2019 If you think Jews control Hollywood, just realize, we werent able to keep Mel Gibson from having a comeback. Peter Fox (@thatpeterfox) May 13, 2019 Who better to explore and parody anti-semitic tropes than *checks notes* Mel Gibson? https://t.co/UVMxEhh6b3 Dean (@Herne_TheHunter) May 13, 2019 Though many have drawn the connection, it appears that the movie is not based on the famous Rothschild family, but one of a similar - almost identical - name. The movie will find LaBeouf, the bastard child of a New York heiress and a jazz musician, despatching the nine family members who stand in the way of his fortune, including his grandfather, played by Gibson. Made from a Black List script by John Patton Ford, and helmed by Stan & Ollie director Jon S. Baird, it's described as 'a satirical and thrilling ride' by its producers. Gibson has another forthcoming role too, in another Black List thriller called Black Flies. "I'm not a designer who works thematically," Anna Karlin tells AD PRO. "It's not Japan this year, and then ancient something the next. You're always practicing, returning to the same things." For her, that practice extends to interiors, set design, digital design, fine jewelry (she launched a line last year), and home furnishings. The New Yorkbased Brit is telling us about her new collection of lighting and furniture, some of which was previewed at Milan's Rossana Orlandi gallery during Salone del Mobile last month, and all of which is being officially unveiled this week at Karlin's studio in Manhattan's Chinatown. The offering is called "Subverting Domestic Familiarity"more of a design ethos than a title. Karlin's formula is to riff on recognizable forms, taking a familiar motif"a way to step into the conversation"into intriguingly alien territory. "You mess with it, push it, pull it, tweak it, begin to generate feeling," she says, offering as example her pale maple W Chairs: dramatic, spindly, hand-carved renditions of classic high-back Shaker designs that have a dynamic, unsettlingly human quality. The cognitive dissonance is deliberate. "I enjoy that tension," she says. "It's part of the joy of my chosen medium." Photo: Courtesy of Anna Karlin The new collection contains echoes of Jean Arp in a series of bloblike bronze sconces and a nubby squiggle of a lounge chair. There's a Brancusi-ish standing lampa pyramid of cast aluminum topped with an anthropomorphic bubble shade, off-kilter to recall the cock of a woman's neckand a modular shelving unit that marries neoclassical fluted terra-cotta columns with minimalist glass shelves. The materials seem an unexpected combination, but Karlin disagrees: "To me it's so obvious, it could be nothing else." She thinks of these pieces as "usable sculptures," and it's clear what she means in the case of Form, a floor-to-ceiling vertical light installation consisting of a pole strung like a charm bracelet with hunks of geometric marble, a luminescent rod, and a curvilinear bronze form encasing a glowing orb. Story continues Some of the new piecesForm perhaps among themwere originally imagined as jewelry; the various sectors of Karlin's practice frequently cross-pollinate. "It's honestly one and the same to me," she says. "Things morph. I think once you get started it takes on a momentum. it's a constant process of decision-making. I don't mind if it evolves into a lamp, a table, an earring, anything. it will evolve to what it needs to be." Photo: Courtesy of Anna Karlin As a designer she's as free-spirited as the decision she made nine years ago to leave England and set up shop across the Atlantic. "I do what I want to do and what makes me happy," she declares at one point. About life in New York, she jokes: "My living standard has only gone down as I've gotten older," adding that she "loves, loves, loves" to see her modern designs in grand old European settings. Still, now 34, about to have a baby, and recently installed in a new apartment, her increasingly domestic lifestyle is beginning to catch up to her job. In a somewhat novel turn, Karlin designed a new burl wood coffee tablekidney-shaped with chunky legs and a nesting stoolwith her own home in mind. "It's not necessarily me I imagine when I'm designing," she says, "but I think it's going to be, more and more. And I'm excited to see what that journey looks like." It goes without saying, but so are we. Photo: Courtesy of Anna Karlin Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Apples iPhone production costs will rise as much as 3% because of new tariffs imposed by China, an analyst report said on Tuesday. Tariffs on the devices Chinese-made batteries and other components would increase its manufacturing cost by 2% to 3%, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told investors. To recoup the same profit on each iPhone sold as before, Apple would need to increase iPhone prices by a similar amount. The price of an iPhone XS, for example, would rise from $999 to as much as $1,029. But Ives suggested that Apples costs could soar higher if the Trump administration follows through with a plan to add an additional $325 billion in tariffs to Chinese goods. If that happens, iPhones would cost an extra $120 each to produce, Ives said. Ives estimates are just the latest by analysts about the impact of the U.S.-China trade war. Last week, that fight entered a new phase when the Trump administration announced $200 billion in new tariffs on Chinese imports. On Monday, China retaliated by announcing $60 billion in tariffs on U.S.-produced batteries, coffee, and other products. Those tariffs will take effect on June 1. Apple, which does most of its manufacturing in China in addition to sourcing most of its components from there, is especially vulnerable to the U.S.-China trade war. Its why Apple CEO Tim Cook has encouraged the two countries to negotiate a truce before more damage is done to international trade. Last year, Cook personally lobbied President Donald Trump to exempt the companys products from tariffs, according to reports at the time. It appeared to work: Trumps tariffs, announced shortly thereafter, exempted laptops and smartphones. However, under Trumps newly proposals, the devices would be subject to the tariffs. Ives worries that a 3% increase in iPhone manufacturing costs would significantly impact Apples profits. If Apple increases prices, fewer consumers would buy the phone and the companys profits would therefore fall 50 cents per share this year. However, if the company keeps iPhone prices unchanged, and absorbs the extra cost, its earnings could drop by as much as $1.30 per share. Story continues On Monday, investor worries about declining Apple profits helped to send the companys stock tumbling nearly 6% to $185.72. On Tuesday, Apples shares rebounded nearly 2% in mind-day trading to $189.18. Ives cautioned that investor worries may be overblown. Even with increased production costs, Apples shares are attractively priced, he said. We remain firmly bullish on [Apple] shares, despite many yelling fire into a crowded theater, Ives told Fortune. More must-read stories from Fortune: Why nearly two-thirds of U.S. households are at risk of identity theft The company using A.I. to improve security at a Christchurch mosque What would a world without likes be like? Airbnb could escape the Uber trap in Europe. Heres how Get Fortunes Eye on A.I. newsletter, where artificial intelligence meets industry Photo: Lucas Davies/Unsplash From a film screening to a musical performance, there's plenty to enjoy in San Diego this week. Read on for a rundown of ideas for how to fill your calendar. 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. A film screening of Blade Runner: The Final Cut From the event description: Please join the UC San Diego Library for a special screening of Blade Runner: The Final Cut, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and Sean Young. When: Tuesday, May 14, 8-10 p.m. Where: Atkinson Hall Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Member Coffee with Voice of San Diego Journalists From the event description: Please join the La Jolla Library for a member coffee event. CEO and Editor-in-Chief Scott Lewis will host a conversation with Voice of San Diego journalists about current public affairs and community issues. There will be time for Q&A following the event. When: Wednesday, May 15, 9-10:30 a.m. Where: La Jolla Library, 7555 Draper Ave. Admission: Free (VOSD Members); $35 (Non-Members) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Beauty Fest returns to Revel Revel From the event description: Beauty Fest is an event where you come out, drink rose, enjoy some charcuterie, shop and get pampered! The first 20 guests to arrive will be getting goodie bags valued at over $500! There will be complimentary drinks, multiple photo areas, snacks and more! When: Wednesday, May 15, 6-8 p.m. Where: Revel Revel Events, 868 Fifth Ave. Admission: $10 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Open Show at the Museum of Photographic Arts From the event description: Join us for this exciting evening of live presentations and lively conversations. A curated selection of five local visual storytellers photographers, filmmakers and multimedia producers will share their projects in an interactive, supportive and dynamic format. Story continues When: Thursday, May 16, 6-9 p.m. Where: Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado Admission: $10 (General Admission). More ticket options available. Click here for more details, and to get your tickets The JCompany presents 1776, The Musical From the event description: The JCompany Youth Theatre is proud to offer 1176, The Musical as part of Random Acts of Culture" a program providing communities all over San Diego with the joy of free live youth theatre. 1776 is a funny, insightful and compelling drama with a striking score, legendary book and all female cast! When: Thursday, May 16, 7-9:30 p.m. Where: David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Drive 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. WASHINGTON Attorney General William Barr tapped Connecticut's chief federal prosecutor, John Durham, to assist in an investigation into the origins of the Russia inquiry and the FBI's surveillance activities, a person familiar with the matter said Monday. Durham, a mob-busting federal prosecutor for more than three decades, has assisted the attorney general for several weeks to determine whether federal investigators acted appropriately in the early stages of the now-completed inquiry into Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Barr announced that he had launched the review last month during an appearance before a Senate subcommittee. He expressed concern about the FBI's use of surveillance involving associates of Donald Trump during the presidential campaign as authorities sought to understand Russia's interference efforts. Barr said he did not know whether officials had done anything wrong. "Spying on a campaign is a big deal," Barr told lawmakers. "I think spying did occur. The question is whether it was adequately predicated." The attorney general said he planned to examine the "genesis and the conduct" of the FBI's investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. In this April 25, 2006, file photo, John Durham speaks to reporters on the steps of U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn. "I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred," Barr told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee. "I am concerned about it. There is a basis for my concern." Durham has led several high-profile special investigations, including an examination of the FBI's handling of criminal informants in Boston during the Clinton administration, which led to the prosecution of former agent John Connolly. He led an inquiry during the George W. Bush administration into the CIA's destruction of videotapes depicting the torture of terror detainees. Its inconceivable to me that the appointment of someone with John Durhams record would be considered unless the use of a grand jury was contemplated, said former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who tapped Durham for the CIA review. Story continues President Trump enthusiastically endorsed Barr's action. "I am so proud of our attorney general that he is looking into it," Trump said Tuesday. Democrats seized on Barr's use of the term "spying," asserting that the attorney general sided with Trump to disparage the 22-month investigation, which the president repeatedly described as a "witch hunt." Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray said he was unaware of any evidence indicating the FBI abused its surveillance authority, distancing himself from the attorney general. "That's not the term I would use," Wray told the same Senate committee, referring to the "spying" reference. Rod Rosenstein, until recently the Justice Department's second-in-command, said in a speech Monday that based on what he knew in 2017, "the investigation of Russian election interference was justified, and closing it was not an option." The review involving the attorney general and Durham marks the third such inquiry into aspects of the Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. It was first reported late Monday by The New York Times. The Justice Department's inspector general is conducting a review of surveillance warrants authorities used to eavesdrop on a former campaign aide, Carter Page, in October 2016. Barr said that effort should be completed by late May or June. The chief federal prosecutor in Utah, John Huber, is in the midst of a separate review. Trump and Republicans in Congress have complained repeatedly that the FBI targeted the president's campaign for political reasons, revealing text messages between two senior officials involved in the inquiry who expressed their personal contempt for Trump. Critics focused on the FBI's reliance on information from a former British spy who had been hired indirectly by Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign to conduct research on Trump before the election. Like what you're reading?: Download the USA TODAY app for more This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Attorney general taps top Connecticut federal prosecutor for review of Trump-Russia inquiry Lauren Hoffman spends her days connecting Detroit-based startups with capital, and her nights connecting Detroit-based Jews with each other. She plans events with the Chabad Young Professionals. She sits on the executive board of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. And she hosts creative events for Moishe House Without Walls. My day job is building Detroits startup community, and my free time is spent building the Jewish community, she says. Hoffman, Princeton Class of 2015, attributes her activism in the Jewish community to her time at Chabad of Princeton. She grew up in a Modern Orthodox home and, until college, she had little exposure to Jewish communities besides her own. But her worldview expanded when she met Rabbi Eitan and Gitty Webb, directors of the Scharf Family Chabad House at Princeton. Chabad at Princeton was the first place I saw a Jewish community that was truly and equally open to Jews of all kindsJews whose theory and praxis were all over the place, says Hoffman. The Webbs provided me with a model for a radically inclusive definition of Jewish community irrespective of individual practice. Nurturing Transformative Leaders Princeton is one of Americas most selective universities. Its alumni figure prominently among captains of industry, political leaders, and notable names in film, literature, and the arts. Princeton is a big believer in developing the leadership potential within each studenthelping each one shine, make a difference, and transform the world, says Rabbi Webb. And the way Webb sees it, his mission is aligned with Princetons. Just as the university nurtures emerging secular leaders, The Webbs nurture emerging ambassadors of Jewish life. They promote Jewish literacy and Jewish awareness among students with the hope that those students will become leaders and influencers in the Jewish community. This is our Jewish tomorrow, says Webb. If one star from Princeton becomes a leader in industry, finance, law, or academia, he or she is going to have a very outsized impact, and we want that impact to include Judaism. Reverend Dr. Alison Boden, Princetons Dean of Religious Life, has taken note of the focus that the Webbs place on cultivating leaders. Their first step is developing one-on-one relationships, she says. Its not a one-size-fits-all approach. They gain a particular and loving knowledge of the gifts and potential of each student. Every activity offered by Chabad of Princeton is designed to nurture that potential. The Scharf Family Chabad House offers nearly fifty hours of classes every week. And students who would appreciate more intensive Torah study can work with the graduate student liaisons, Rabbi Bentzi and Chaya Brook. In addition to its welcoming environment with home-cooked Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, Birthright Israel trips, mezuzah distributionstandard fare at ChabadChabad of Princeton invites prominent scholars, political leaders, and social commentators to facilitate small, focused, group discussions with students. Innovate, Engage, Lead The awesome engine that drives it all, says Gitty, are the students who form the Chabad student board. As leaders of tomorrow, Eitan explains, the students carry much of the responsibility and are expected to innovate. This is an incubator of Jewish ideas and we try implementing them here. One of those ideas was proposed by the student president: a spring break trip that brings the eighteen members of the student board to Israel. Unlike Birthright, this trip is designed for the students by the students. They set their own text-based study schedules, create their own itineraries, and write about their experiences. Subsidized by Princeton alumni, the trip has become an annual highlight. The Webbs encourage students to lead through other avenues too. Chabad-affiliated students started two student-run Princeton organizationsJews on the Street (JOTS) and Banotin order to extend Chabads leadership opportunities on campus. And they staffed those organizations with a total of twenty student board members. Although Princeton does not have fraternities or sororities, it does have eleven eating clubs known collectively as the street. JOTS students serve as Jewish ambassadors to those eating clubs, organizing Jewish-themed activities. Last Passover, while the Webbs conducted a seder for 100 guests at the Chabad House, another 150 students participated in JOTS-led seders held across five eating clubs. Chabad provided Haggadahs, seder plates, shmurah matzah, glatt kosher meals, and training for the JOTS delegates who led those sedarim. Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber, who recently discovered his own Jewish identity, appreciates the role of Chabad at Princeton, a place where students and faculty can engage one another in a way that is critical to a liberal arts education. Enduring Impact, Enduring Friendship When Dan Berry, 09, arrived at Princeton to study music, he felt more ish than Jew. Growing up in a secular, West Los Angeles home with a non-Jewish father, he was ambivalent about his identity. But when he was paired with a blue-blood country club roommate at Princeton, he began to feel more conspicuously Jewish. Halfway through his sophomore year, Berry stumbled into the Chabad House. He felt an immediate connection, and became a Friday night regular. During his junior year, he took the eight-week Sinai Scholars Torah study course. Skeptical, he continued to study and probe and question. Today, Berry is a Chabad rabbi in Pacific Palisades, California. He and his wife, Racheli, run a local chapter of CTeen, Chabads worldwide network for Jewish teenagers. He has incorporated music into his life by performing and by developing an online music education curriculum for Jewish children. The Webbs gave me the clarity to understand that, as a Jew, I live in several different worlds, and that I can make a big difference by embracing all of them, says Berry. They inspired me to fulfill my role as a Chasid, musician, businessman, and emissaryall in the most awesome and exciting way. Like Hoffman and Berry, Aaron Applbaum, 14, has kept up with the Webbs long after graduating. Now a principal in an Israel-based venture capital fund, he lives in Israel. For him, as for the Webbs, friendships keep growing. And so do their collaborations. The Webbs alumni network now helps them organize events in major cities around the world. Chabad at Princeton, says Applebaum, is a lifelong relationshipa lifelong love. RELATED STORIES: Princeton Chabad Breaks Bread And Barriers Princeton Club keeps kosher for the first time in history Vanderbilt: An American Campus Where Jewish Students Feel Safe and Welcome Positive campus climate opens students of diverse backgrounds to Jewish wisdom Ottawa Student Gives Back New campus Chabad center purchased with help from local student-turned-entrepreneur Shares of Ball Corporation BLL scaled a fresh 52-week high of $64.64 during trading session on May 10, before retracing a bit to close at $64.31. The company has a market cap of $21.5 billion. Over the last three months, its average volume of shares traded has been approximately 2.12M. The company has an expected long-term earnings per share growth rate of 5.50%. Notably, the stock has rallied 67.7% in a years time, higher than the S&P 500s gain of around 4.8%. Additionally, Ball Corporation has outperformed 44.2% growth recorded by the industry during the same time frame. Driving Factors In the first quarter of 2019, overall global beverage can demand climbed more than 8% levels not seen in a long time. Customers are now preferring cans over glass and plastic. Ball Corporation remains well poised to meet this growing demand. The company remains actively focused on expanding geographic footprint, aligning with the right customers and markets, growing with new products and capabilities, and leveraging its technical know-how. The company anticipates capital spending to be $600 million in the current year. The company reaffirmed its comparable EBITDA guidance of $2 billion and expects free cash flow of more than $1 billion in 2019, backed by continued solid demand for aluminum packaging and robust aerospace backlog. For the ongoing year, contributions from its new lines, year-over-year impact of SG&A improvement undertaken in 2018 and plant-cost initiatives will boost earnings growth and margin expansion. In 2019 and beyond, the company anticipates earnings per share to be up 10-15%. Ball Corporations North American segment will likely benefit from fixed cost savings associated with the North American optimization program, volume growth, improved aluminum can-sheet quality, and reduce start-up costs in 2019 and beyond. The South American industry trends remain strong, with cans being the favored package in the beer, tea, energy and hard alcohol categories. Further, expansions in Paraguay remain on track, while the ones in Argentina and Chile are already contributing to the segments growth. Story continues The companys aerospace business delivered stellar revenues and operating earnings in the first quarter, aided by solid contract performance. The Aerospace business is poised to witness revenue growth of more 15% this year. With contracted backlog levels of $2.1 billion at the end of the first quarter and won-not-booked backlog at $4.9 billion, the future looks brighter for aerospace for the next three to five years. Further, the company is initiating additional products to expand its aerospace infrastructure and testing capabilities. Ball Corporation continues to execute its strategies of achieving better value for standard products and higher growth for specialty products. Specialty cans now represent more than 43% of its mix compared with 30% in 2016. The company focuses on pursuing cost-out programs, completing growth capital projects and commercializing on the inherent sustainability attributes of metal packaging, which will benefit it in the days ahead. Positive Growth Projections The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ball Corporations 2019 earnings per share is currently pegged at $2.61, indicating year-over-year growth of 18.6%. The same for 2020 is pinned at $2.97, calling for a year-over-year rise of 13.7%. Ball Corporation Price and Consensus Ball Corporation Price and Consensus Ball Corporation price-consensus-chart | Ball Corporation Quote Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Ball Corporation currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked stocks in the Industrial Products sector are DMC Global Inc. BOOM, Lawson Products, Inc. LAWS and Roper Technologies, Inc. ROP, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. DMC Global has an estimated earnings growth rate of 79.7% for the ongoing year. The companys shares have soared 69.4%, in the past year. Lawson Products has an expected earnings growth rate of 24.5% for the current year. The stock has appreciated 42.1% in a years time. Roper Technologies has a projected earnings growth rate of 7.9% for 2019. The companys shares have gained 27.9%, over the past year. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ball Corporation (BLL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roper Technologies, Inc. (ROP) : Free Stock Analysis Report DMC Global Inc. (BOOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Lawson Products, Inc. (LAWS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Bangladeshi authorities have set up a new makeshift court adjacent to a jail outside the capital Dhaka to try imprisoned opposition leader Khaleda Zia, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Zia, a two-time former prime minister, is already serving 10 years in two cases of graft that her supporters say were politically motivated. She has faced a trial on new charges in a courtroom inside the abandoned prison in old Mughal-era Dhaka where she is the only prisoner. Her supporters say this has affected her health and the 73-year-old has been in hospital since April. But with a move under way to shift Zia to a new prison at Keraniganj, just outside the capital, the government has set up a new court adjacent to the jail, prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain told AFP. "All 17 of her cases will be shifted to this court," Hossain said. Zia, who entered politics in the mid-1980s after her military dictator husband was assassinated in an abortive coup, is a former ally turned arch foe of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Zia was originally jailed for five years in February 2018 after being convicted of corruption, a sentence that triggered clashes between police and thousands of BNP supporters. The jail term was later doubled by the country's high court. She was found guilty then of embezzling money intended for an orphanage, a charge she dismissed as part of witch-hunt against her and her family. Zia's lawyers condemned the decision to set up the makeshift court, saying it reflects a "cruel attitude" on the part of the government. Her lawyer Zainul Abedin told AFP that Zia's condition was "not good" as she was not getting proper treatment at the state-run hospital. Zia is diabetic and suffers from arthritis. She was also hospitalised in October for treatment. Zia leads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party whose supporters and candidates were harassed and detained by security forces ahead of a national election in December. Hasina won the election by a landslide. The BNP won just seven seats in the election marred by deadly violence and claims of widespread rigging. Natitingou (Benin) (AFP) - At Natitingou in northern Benin, visitors mingled with locals to pay their condolences to the family of Fiacre Gbedji, a tour guide murdered by jihadists when they kidnapped two French tourists in the Pendjari National Park. Gbedji's widow sat on a mat, legs stretched out and a lost look on her face, with a crucifix around her neck. Her mother-in-law sat beside her, eyes red from weeping. The women were too upset to speak. The late guide's brother, Alexandre Gbedji, said the whole family was still taking in the events of May 1, when Islamic extremists from Burkina Faso seized Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas after brutally killing their expert companion. "Nobody can get over it," he told AFP. "It's a nightmare for the whole family." Gbedji's remains were found three days after the attack, badly shredded by vultures. "We hurt all the more because he has no right to a sepulchre. Fiacre could not even be buried decently," his brother said. Elite French troops freed the abducted tourists and two other captives in an overnight raid launched in Burkina Faso last Thursday, which claimed the lives of two commandos. - 'One of the best' - Gbedji was among some 30 guides accredited to lead tourists around the wildlife reserve, 4,800 square kilometres (1,850 square miles) of savannah, woodland and wetlands home to antelope, hippos and lions. "He was one of the best," the park's director James Terjanian declared. "His work was faultless. This is an enormous loss to the country." The attack came while Gbedji was taking his French companions along the Pendjari river, which is mostly dried up at this time of year. "There are ponds where animals come to drink," one of his colleagues said. Part of the river separates Benin, a country hitherto spared terrorist attacks and unscarred by conflict, from Burkina Faso, a country also popular with European tourists but hard hit in recent years by jihadists. Story continues "The threat means nothing so long as you don't see it," the fellow guide remarked. - 'Giving of himself' - Gbedji, who was aged about 30, became "passionately" drawn to the tourist business when he finished high school, according to a close friend who asked not to be named. He began as a driver, then became a qualified guide in the Natitingou and Pendjari region, more than 650 kilometres (400 miles) from the economic capital, Cotonou. "His prime character trait was giving of himself for other people," the friend added, describing the slain man as somebody "very humble, ever helpful and ever available." Belgian daily La Libre Belgique wrote that "many young Belgians and their teachers knew him" through a project called Move With Africa, supported by the paper. Gbedji revealed his "culture and his country" to young people being taught about citizenship, the paper said. The guide lived in a modest middle-class home in the large town of Nati, a crossroads in territory known for its tourist appeal. - 'Compassionate messages' - The father of six also helped out at an orphanage. Several of his former clients posted pictures and videos on social media, and a collection is being taken up to help his family. "It's not only his family and colleagues who are mourning," said Adamou Akpana, president of the union of guides for the Pendjari region. "All the tourists who knew him are sending compassionate messages." Pique and Lassimouillas, who were snatched away near the border with Burkina Faso, were put in touch with Gbedji at the last hotel they stayed in. "I saw him for the last time the night before he left with the two tourists," Akpana said. Bilibili (BILI) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.07 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.13. This compares to loss of $0.15 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 46.15%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this Chinese video sharing website would post a loss of $0.10 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.07, delivering a surprise of 30%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. Bilibili, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Services industry, posted revenues of $203.54 million for the quarter ended March 2019, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.68%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $136.48 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four 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. Bilibili shares have added about 17.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 14.9%. What's Next for Bilibili? While Bilibili 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 Bilibili 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 -$0.12 on $219.19 million in revenues for the coming quarter and -$0.44 on $986.78 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, Internet - Services is currently in the bottom 34% 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 Bilibili Inc. Sponsored ADR (BILI) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bitcoin surged to more than $8,000 late on Monday, its highest level since July last year, as the cryptocurrency's rally gained further momentum. There is no real fundamental explanation as to why bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, hit a 10-month high on Monday. But there is an ongoing blockchain and cryptocurrency conference in New York called Consensus, with big investors and influential market players gathered to network and discuss the current state of the industry. Bitcoin had also rallied during previous Consensus conferences. Bitcoin was last up nearly 17% at $8,131 on the Bitstamp exchange, the largest daily percentage jump since early April. It hit a high of $8,167.50, a roughly 10-month peak. Some analysts pointed out that bitcoin's rally coincided with the escalating trade war between the United States and China, which eroded overall market risk sentiment. But it is too soon to declare bitcoin as a safe-haven asset, they said. David Thomas, of London-based cryptocurrency broker GlobalBlock, said the breaching of a key $6,000 support level last week fuelled interest among investors. In addition, Lukman Otunuga, research analyst at FXTM, said the bullish "golden cross" is already in play on the daily charts. This occurs when the 50-day simple moving average has crossed above the 200-day moving average. Other market participants said perceptions of bitcoin's resilience in the wake of last week's $40 million theft from the major Binance exchange was supporting sentiment. Cryptocurrency markets have previously fallen after high-profile security breaches. Bitcoin has almost doubled in price this year, underscoring its volatility after a bruising 2018. Last year it lost some three-quarters of its value amid tighter regulation across the world. But so far on the year, bitcoin has been up a sparking 119%. (Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; additional reporting by Tom Wilson in London.; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) By Suchitra Mohanty NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist who was arrested last week for sharing a meme of opposition leader Mamata Banerjee, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's challengers in the general election. Priyanka Sharma's arrest for sharing a meme on Facebook that superimposed Mamata Banerjee's head on a picture of actress Priyanka Chopra sporting frizzy hair at the Met Gala in New York was criticised as a curb on free speech. Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, heads the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and is a potential candidate for prime minister. The state is key to Modi's chances for a second term in office, especially as the BJP is expected to lose many seats in the country's north. Sharma, who had been remanded in custody, is a member of the youth wing of BJP. "Sharma is directed to be released immediately, without any condition," the Supreme Court judge Indira Banerjee said in a ruling after withdrawing an initial order that Sharma apologise to the Bengal leader. AITC workers had called the meme an insult to the people of West Bengal, while Sharma's family said her arrest was politically motivated. "An apology would have meant death knell for freedom of expression and would have legitimised brute use of state force to silence political adversaries," Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP's information and technology group, said on Twitter. Political differences between the two parties have often led to tensions and violence in the state. Both parties have accused each other of killings, beatings, vandalism and making false allegations to the police. India's seven-phase general election, which began on April 11, ends on May 19 and results will be out on May 23. (Reporting by Suchitra Mohanty; Writing by Krishna N. Das; editing by Darren Schuettler) Washington (AFP) - War drums are beating louder in Washington's long-festering standoff with Iran and National Security Advisor John Bolton, a veteran champion of regime change, is the bandmaster. With his bushy mustache and beloved yellow legal pad, Bolton cuts a colorful figure at the White House. He's also something of an oddity. President Donald Trump ran on the promise to pull the United States out of unwinnable post-9/11 wars -- from Afghanistan to Syria -- that have consumed American lives and military budgets. That retreat remains one of Trump's strongest points in his pitch to be the outsider president. But Bolton, in the most powerful government position he has ever held, is working in exactly the opposite direction. Iran is only the latest country in his crosshairs. At 70 and with a resume listing federal jobs back to the Ronald Reagan era, Bolton could easily have sidestepped into academia by now or continued taking paychecks from any number of think tanks. He's worked with a bunch of them. Instead, he's in the heart of government and looking like he's having the time of his life. In Cuba, Venezuela and North Korea, there's no shortage of battlegrounds for Bolton's crusade against leaders he sees as tyrannical enemies. Communists and their ilk are one thing. But it's the Middle East that really stirs Bolton's geopolitical adrenaline. - 'Unrelenting force' - In the run-up to what is now widely acknowledged to have been the disastrous 2003 Iraq invasion, Bolton -- then the under-secretary of state for arms control and international security affairs -- was one of Washington's most energetic pro-war cheerleaders. Now, analysts say, he's showing similar enthusiasm for action with respect to longtime US, Israeli and Saudi foe Iran. The Pentagon's dispatch to the region over the last few days of an aircraft carrier group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers was not meant to be subtle. Story continues Bolton warned of "unrelenting force" in response to any attack by Iran. But sending planes and ships would pale in comparison to Bolton's latest demand, reported by The New York Times -- the possible deployment of 120,000 troops to the Middle East. Whether Trump would accept that, ditching his mantra of no more "stupid wars," is far from clear. On Tuesday, Trump branded the Times' report "fake news" -- but went on to add that he wouldn't rule out sending "a hell of a lot more" troops one day. What's certain is that Bolton, at a minimum, is getting heard. "Bolton is in ascendancy at White House. He appears tough and strong -- two things Trump values," said Robert Guttman, at the Johns Hopkins University's Center for Advanced Governmental Studies. - Slide to war? - No one would appear more unlikely than Trump to target another Middle Eastern quagmire. He's talked repeatedly, in remarkably undiplomatic tones, about the tragedy of sending US forces to die in places that Americans could barely find on a map. But when it comes to Iran, the White House seems to be bristling for conflict. Trump pulled out of an international agreement regulating Iran's nuclear activities, ramped up sanctions crippling the country's economy, and now has added the threat of firepower to increase the pressure. Having backed Iran into a corner, the Trump administration is warning of severe consequences should Tehran harm US interests. On Sunday, mysterious attacks by unknown assailants against four ships, including two from Saudi Arabia, sent war talk up another notch. Paul Fritz, a foreign policy expert at Hofstra University, said the outside world will be "extraordinarily skeptical" about the White House narrative on Iran as a growing menace. After all, the US-led invasion of Iraq was based on false accusations -- supported by Bolton -- against Saddam Hussein. "It does ring awfully similar to the Iraq war. There's good reason to be skeptical," Fritz said. - Trump decides? - Some fear that Bolton and his fellow hawks are out of control. "Sixteen years after the US invasion of Iraq, we are again barreling toward another unnecessary conflict in the Middle East based on faulty and misleading logic," senators Tom Udall and Dick Durbin, both Democrats, wrote Sunday in The Washington Post. But the unpredictable president may never graduate from bluster to bombs, analysts say. Trump himself said last week that he's used to reining in Bolton's "strong views." "I actually temper John," Trump said. Barbara Slavin, an Iran specialist at the Atlantic Council, said there have been discrepancies between Trump and Bolton on "numerous occasions." Even if Bolton "has been advocating bombing Iran for as long as I can remember," she said Trump probably doesn't want a new war. "On the other hand, I don't think the president minds this idea of looking tough and of putting more pressure on Iran," she said. By Robert Mitchell LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - The difficult road to production on the latest James Bond film has hit another hurdle after shooting was reportedly suspended following an injury to star Daniel Craig. According to British newspaper The Sun, the actor fell while sprinting on the set in Jamaica last week and has been flown to the U.S. for X-rays, resulting in a suspension of the shoot. The newspaper cited an unnamed source as saying that Craig was shooting one of his final scenes in Jamaica. "He was sprinting during filming when he slipped and fell quite awkwardly," the source said. "He was in quite a lot of pain and was complaining about his ankle." While it is unknown how long the production might be delayed, The Sun reports that filming at London's iconic Pinewood Studios, which had been scheduled to begin at the end of the week, has been canceled. In August 2017 a stunt-related injury to star Tom Cruise resulted in the shutdown and near-two month delay to production of "Mission: Impossible - Fallout." That film's release date was unaffected despite the seriousness of Cruise's injury, which resulted in a broken ankle. It is not the first time that Craig, who performs many of his own stunts, has been injured on the set of a Bond film. He had two teeth knocked out during his first stunt scene for his Bond debut in "Casino Royale"; sustained a number of injuries, including slicing off the tip of a finger and tearing a shoulder muscle, on "Quantum of Solace"; and injured his knee during a fight scene for his most recent outing as the super spy in 2015's "Spectre." A potential production delay would be the latest setback for "Bond 25" following a troubled script process that saw original director Danny Boyle leave the project over creative differences with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, resulting in a delay to the start of production and a subsequent delay to the planned release, originally slated for October 2019. The release is currently scheduled for April 8, 2020. Story continues The full cast for the new adventure was revealed in April as production officially began, with Oscar-winner Rami Malek confirmed to play the film's villain. Other new additions include Ana De Armas, Lashana Lynch, David Dencik, Billy Magnussen, and Dali Benssalah; returning cast members include Lea Seydoux, Jeffrey Wright, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Naomi Harris, and Ralph Fiennes. Locations include London, Italy and Norway. Cary Joji Fukunaga is directing from a script by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Scott Z. Burns and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The title is still to be revealed. Broccoli revealed that the film would open with the spy "enjoying himself in Jamaica." The official log-line states that Bond's "peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology." On the day of the mikvah inauguration, Reizy Zaklas of Chabad of Zagreb, Croatia, took a break from all the hoopla to reflect as we sat in her kitchen. I began by asking her if she would be willing to share some of her personal experiences leading up to this happy moment. She did, at first with the caveat that she did not want these stories published. But after some persuading, she agreed. The following is an excerpt of our conversation. BO: You and your husband are Israelis. Why Zagreb? RZ: We were newly married and both of us knew that we wanted to dedicate ourselves to shlichus. Someone from Zagreb contacted central Chabad in Israel asking why there are no Chabad representatives in Zagreb. So the proposal came to us. BO: What were the first years here like for you? RZ: We came with an exciting vision and great enthusiasm. It was slow going, but we were making headway, teaching, connecting with people. Pini was struggling to raise funds, but we managed. We quickly learned to make do with less, and we put all of our energy and all of our resources into our shlichus. We were doing what we had always wished to be doing. But in 2010, the economy collapsed and funding dried up completely. We were fortunate that Chabad Headquarters provided us with critical support, through the good offices of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky. But things continued to worsen. The financial strain was making life really difficult. And I was very lonely for family. The loneliness took a terrible toll on me. Over a period of about a year-and-a-half, I felt myself drowning under the weight of these difficulties. I didnt feel that I had the strength to fulfill my mission. We had so much we wanted to give, and we had put all of our energy into it, but there was so much pressing on us, I felt I had reached a breaking point. BO: Did you consider leaving and returning to Israel? RZ: When things hit rock bottom, I saw no other way. I told my husband that I felt we should leave. It wasnt an easy decision to come to. Im a rational person, and I felt that I had evaluated the situation carefully. BO: That was seven years ago. You are still here. RZ: I was in a place of intense angst, and I knew that this was a major decision. So I wanted to be sure that I was not acting out of blind desperation. I needed a sounding board and wanted to speak to shluchim who had experience and wisdompeople who could relate to my circumstances. I contacted Aidla Biderman in Vienna. We had visited the Bidermans before. Theyre Chabads head representatives to Austria. I have great respect for Aidla and her husband, Rabbi Jacob. We got in the car and drove to Vienna. I spent a few days there. I went again the following week, and then again. I needed their support. Most of the time, I just cried. Aidla cried with me. BO: You shared your dilemma with Rabbi Biderman as well? RZ: Yes. He was empathetic, but he was not in the least ambivalent. The Rebbe wanted us in Zagreb, he insisted. Even if you never teach another class again, your place is there, he told me. Honestly, I dont know how he had the courage and the insight to tell me this when everything seemed to point in the opposite direction. But he also advised us to do things differently than we had been doing them until then. BO: Such as? RZ: Traveling to Israel to visit my family as often as I felt I needed to, he said, ought to be a priority. He insisted that I ease up on the demands I had placed on myself vis-a-vis the community, and allow myself to focus only on my children. And I needed to take care of myself. BO: What has it been like for you since then? RZ: I took the pressure off myself, and for a while I stepped back from most of the community-related activities I had taken on. We continued to struggle. But I understood Rabbi Bidermans pointliving in Zagreb, in itself, as a Chabad family, serves the purpose of shlichus. Things slowly improved. My husband miraculously raised the funds to renovate this building. Now we need to furnish it. Were not there yet. Croatia is a poor country. There is no local funding for our activities, so financially, we struggle to get by. But theres been this exciting shift. Theres an awakening here among the citys Jews. People who wouldnt come in all these fifteen years are now calling and coming, looking to learn, wanting to connect with us. Its simply amazing to see this happen before our eyes! BO: How did you finally come to a decision about whether to stay or leave? RZ: For me it really was a process. I needed to know that my husband would support me if I decided that we should to return to Israel. Because if this was going to become a sticking point for us, I would feel that I have no choice but to remain. After all, my marriage and my family would always be my first priority. As I said, it was a process. For my husband too. When he felt he could give me the support I needed to leave Zagreb, and move back to Israel with me and our children, I knew the choice was mine to make. I chose to stay. This piece was originally published in the Lubavitch International magazine, Spring 2019 edition. To order: lubavitch.com/subscribe Its Blockchain Week in New York, and so we wanted to call attention to a special eventnot the chaotic conference unfolding right now in midtown Manhattan, but a June gathering on the edge of the Atlantic ocean. It was almost two years ago when the three of usJeff, Jen, and Robertfirst created The Ledger as a new forum for finance and technology. The crypto revolution was going strong but we realized something bigger was underway: A profound change to money and banking as Silicon Valley disruption came to Wall Street, and consumers discovered new ways to save, invest, and borrow. And so Brainstorm Finance was born. While the two-day event will take place at the tip of Long Island in the seaside town of Montauk, its genesis was high in the mountains of Aspen, Colo. There, during the 2018 edition of Fortunes flagship Brainstorm Tech event, a group of leading thinkers from the worlds of banking, tech and crypto shared what they saw as the most important and interesting topics at hand, including the rise of challenger banks and opportunities in Asia. The outcome is reflected in our inaugural agenda for Brainstorm Finance. Highlights will include an intimate talk with Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, and a lively square-off between the chief financial officers of the worlds two biggest cryptocurrency companies, Coinbase and Binance. We will hear from big-time bankers, including Michael Corbat, CEO of Citigroup, and Thasunda Duckett, CEO of JPMorgan Chases consumer bank, alongside upstarts such as Chime, Plaid, Brex and SoFi, who are claiming slices of the industry for themselves. Well also hear about the future of IPOs and investing from the likes of Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger. Google and Amazon will be there too. All of this will be infused with the same ingredients that have made Brainstorm Tech such a success year after year: a select group of invitees, a convivial atmosphere and a premium on ideas and smart activities. Fortune also believes women deserve an equal role in defining the future of business, and thats why were proud to say nearly half of our speakers on stage will be female. Story continues Were also adopting Brainstorm Techs signature outdoor activities. In Montauk, these will include an early morning lighthouse hike, mountain biking and catamaran sailing on the open Atlantic. There will also be cocktails and dinner on the beach. So come join us on June 19 and 20 in Montauk. Brainstorm Finance is invitation only and were almost at capacity but there are a few slots left. Write us if youd like to come. Wed love to have you. Email: ledger@fortune.com Jeff, Jen and Robert (Brainstorm Finance Co-Chairs) & Adam (Brainstorm Finance Editorial Director) Good afternoon, readers. Zebra Medical Vision, an Israel-base digital health company (whose co-founder and CEO Eyal Gura was featured at our Brainstorm Health conference in San Diego last month), has won Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for an A.I.-powered platform that can help detect early signs of a collapsed lung. As far as artificial intelligence use goesand, by that, I mean actual, practical, result-driving use of artificial intelligenceradiology has been on of the most promising sectors. Companies have been able to harness machines to scour through troves of medical imaging data to pick up on certain warning signals. Its a similar case for Zebra Medicals HealthPNX product, which can suss out the early indications of a pneumothorax and alert physicians to the matter. We are happy to add this important capability to our All-in-One (AI1) package and add more value to busy radiology departments, said chief executive Gura in a statement. The companys strategy also meshes with an increasingly accepted thesis in digital medicine: The tools may be most effective when they serve as secondary helpers to a human counterpart, rather than a standalone unit. Read on for the days news. Sy Mukherjee @the_sy_guy sayak.mukherjee@fortune.com By Anthony Boadle and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - Venezuela's armed forces will either depose President Nicolas Maduro and lead a transition to democratic rule or face divisions that risk a civil war, the Brazilian government's top security adviser said on Tuesday. Retired General Augusto Heleno, national security adviser to President Jair Bolsonaro, told Reuters the situation in Venezuela was unpredictable after opposition leader Juan Guaido unsuccessfully called on the military to change sides last month. Only a handful of soldiers headed Guaido's call to back the opposition on April 30 and since then Maduro's government has launched a crackdown on opposition legislators allegedly linked to the attempt. Despite U.S. sanctions, the upper echelons of Venezuela's military have largely ignored entreaties from the opposition and Washington to turn against Maduro and just over 1,000 troops have defected, mostly to Colombia and Brazil. "The future of Venezuela will be decided by the armed forces: either they stay in power with the same government or they remove Maduro," Heleno said in an interview. "We don't know how the military will act. Either they will oust Maduro, take power and set in motion a return to democracy, or they could split between Guaido and Maduro, which is the riskier scenario that could set off a civil war," he said. Venezuela's information ministry - which handles media enquiries for the government - did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Heleno's remarks. Bolsonaro's right-wing government has joined more than 50 other nations in recognizing Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela and backed an opposition initiative to deliver U.S. humanitarian aid to the neighboring country in February. Maduro shut the border with Brazil to block the aid, but reopened it on Friday, allowing a flow of Venezuelans crossing in search of food, medicine or an escape from the economic and political turmoil in their homeland. Bolsonaro, a former army captain, has echoed U.S. President Donald Trump's hard-line view on the need for change in Venezuela, including the possible use of troops. However, Brazil's military as well as Vice President Hamilton Mourao - a former general - have ruled out any intervention in Venezuela. Not even the U.S. government knows which way things will turn out in Venezuela but the United States is trying to avoid a military invasion, according to Heleno. "They just don't want Venezuela becoming another Cuba. It's a nightmare for them," he said. "The Americans are trying to deal with the situation peacefully, diplomatically, without taking military action, even though they have the potential to do so," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this month in a television interview that the United States was prepared to take military action to stem the ongoing turmoil in Venezuela, but added that Washington would prefer a peaceful transition of power. Maduro says that the U.S. government, supported by regional allies in Latin America, wants to forcibly oust him from office in order to exploit Venezuela's oil wealth. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) Tefe (Brazil) (AFP) - Several meters long and weighing hundreds of kilograms, the Amazon's pirarucu was almost fished to extinction. But the creation of sustainable development reserves in Brazil has ensured the giant fish -- and its indigenous hunters -- are flourishing again. The resurgence of one of the world's largest freshwater fish is the result of Brazil's yearslong efforts to combine scientific and traditional know-how to preserve the country's rich biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods for indigenous communities in the Amazon. Spanning more than three million hectares (7.4 million acres), the Mamiraua and neighboring Amana Sustainable Development Reserves in the upper reaches of the Amazon river were created in the 1990s by the state government. They are among 39 such designated areas across Latin America's biggest country -- home to more than half of the world's animal and plant species. As the Amazon faces growing threats from illegal loggers, clandestine miners and aggressive farming businesses who have found their champion in recently elected far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, advocates say these reserves are proof that it is possible to exploit natural resources in a way that does not harm the environment. "The rainforest allows us to use it without affecting, or affecting very little, the way it works," Emiliano Ramalho, science and technical director of the government-backed Mamiraua Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) told AFP on a recent trip to the Amazon. "We have to change the concept that the rainforest can only bring benefits if it is felled, if the conservation units are closed, and if we remove or don't create more indigenous land. "This socio-biodiversity is what makes the Amazon. Without it, the system doesn't function." - 'Great recovery' - Mamiraua is a 40-minute boat ride from the nearest municipality of Tefe. Set deep inside the Amazon, pink dolphins glide through the water, while birds of different colors produce a complex symphony as they soar over floating houses. Story continues Hidden in the trees guariba monkeys create a racket screeching from dawn to dusk -- when huge mosquitoes begin to attack visitors. Around 15,000 people live in the Mamiraua and Amana reserves. The majority are caboclo -- people of mixed Indian and European heritage -- who mainly live in floating or stilt houses due to fluctuations in the water level, which can top 10 meters (33 feet) between December and July. Inhabitants support themselves by raising livestock using sustainable techniques such as rotational grazing or extracting the pulp from native fruits for sale, which is more profitable than selling them whole. Responsible fishing and handicrafts supplement their income. Locals -- human and animal -- are reaping the benefits of their symbiotic relationship. Since 1999, for example, the pirarucu population has gone from around 2,500 to more than 190,500 in 2018 after fishermen began tracking numbers and respecting reproductive periods and fishing quotas. Last year, more than 700 fishermen in the Mamiraua and Amana earned 1.57 million reais (about $430,000), according to a report. Taking a dip in the Mamiraua Lake is tempting in the oppressive heat, but the resurgence of alligator numbers is a strong deterrent. The melanosuchus niger alligator -- the largest of its species in the Americas -- was threatened with extinction in the 1980s due to demand for its meat and skin. "The recovery of the alligator population was due to the prohibition of hunting and the creation of reserves," says Barthira Resende, technical manager of the MSDI's alligator management plan. Now, the Mamiraua has the largest concentration of alligators in Brazil largely thanks to the efforts of the indigenous communities. Inhabitants help by collecting data on the location of alligator sightings or their nests, which are used to set killing quotas to avoid overexploitation again. "Bringing community members together in sustainable management is a conservation strategy," says Resende. Afonso Carvalho, a leader of the Vila Alencar community on the shores of the Mamiraua Lake, says it is working. "The pirarucu was very difficult (to find), the alligator too," says Carvalho, 68. "There is now a great recovery." - Benefits for all - Decisions about how to manage the reserves are made by the communities in consultation with the MSDI, which conducts research and provides training for economic activities in the region. "Templates like the Mamiraua reserve show that we can use the rainforest to obtain all kinds of benefits, as much in terms of economic development as education, for the whole country," says Ramalho. "It is possible so long as we don't just take out the raw materials." Recently inhabitants have started to develop a community-based ecotourism industry that includes floating guesthouses highly sought after by foreign tourists. It is proving to be a money-spinner. The Uakari lodge in the Mamiraua reserve has enjoyed an average annual turnover of 2.5 million reais in the past three years, says manager Pedro Nassar. Some 40 percent of the earnings are invested in surveillance at the lodge and guides who take visitors out to watch birds, monkeys and jaguars. The remainder is split between the communities. But Ramalho worries that recent deep cuts to scientific research and education budgets will weaken their ability to protect the rainforest. "From the point of view of preservation, it is very serious," he says. "The Amazon is of fundamental importance for the functioning of the whole planet." Carvalho says the indigenous population is doing what it can to preserve the fauna of the reserves. Hunting, he says, must be purposeful, controlled and limited. "It is not predatory," Carvalho says. "The indigenous community respects the environment." LONDON (Reuters) - Britain would never take a decision on Huawei and 5G that would threaten its intelligence sharing alliance with the United States but it also does not want a new Cold War with China, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday. Huawei, the worlds biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has categorically denied this. "We as a government are going through the process of making an assessment to what extent if, at all, we are able to use Huawei kit," Jeremy Hunt told a Wall Street Journal conference. "We are never going to make a decision which compromises our intelligence sharing with our five eye partners." Hunt said that Britain must find a way to work with China, which he said will overtake the United States as the world's biggest economy within the next 25 years. "The growth of China is something that we should welcome," he said. "We need to avoid an unnecessary Cold War with China." "We couldn't stop the growth of China if we wanted to," he said. "So we need to find a way of living alongside this big, new power in the world because they are going to be there whether you want it or not." (Reporting By Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Andrew MacAskill) LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Kate, Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, traveled on Tuesday to the old home of Britain's World War Two codebreakers - and where her own grandmother worked, visiting an exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. The historic site in Milton Keynes is where mathematician Alan Turing cracked Nazi Germany's "unbreakable" Enigma code. "D-Day: Interception, Intelligence, Invasion," held in the Teleprinter Building where codebreakers worked on intercepted messages, features an immersive film, shown on a giant curved screen, based on newly declassified information showing how Bletchley Park helped in the planning of the allied landings in France in June 1944. On a previous visit in 2014, Kate, the wife of Britain's Prince William, met veteran codebreakers who worked alongside her late grandmother, Valerie Glassborow and her twin sister. (Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Washington (AFP) - The international coalition in Iraq and Syria said Tuesday its troops were not feeling any intensified threat from Iran in the region, seemingly contrary to Trump administration warnings. "There has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," Major General Chris Ghika, a British spokesman for the force, told reporters via teleconference at the Pentagon. "We've seen no change in the posture or laydown" of the Shia Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi paramilitary group with close ties to Tehran, Ghika said. "Of course PMF is a very broad range of groups. Many of the are compliant and we have seen no change in their posture since the recent exchange between the US and Iran." Ghika denied he was contradicting recent alarms raised by top officials in US President Donald Trump's administration that Iran was plotting some sort of attack in the Gulf region, perhaps targeting US forces in Iraq and Syria. To meet the threat the Pentagon has accelerated the deployment of an aircraft carrier task force to the Gulf and accompanied it with several B-52 bombers, a Patriot missile battery and an amphibious assault ship. "I don't think we're out of step with the White House at all," Ghika said. "Am I concerned about the danger? No, not really. We take a range of force protection measures for operating in this part of the world against a range of threats," he said, adding that those measures at this point in time are "completely satisfactory." He said the coalition's mission in Iraq and Syria is focused on the Islamic State group and not Iran. "I have no part of Iran in any of my orders, in any of my directives or in any of my planning documents. Iran is not part of our mission," he said. London (AFP) - British Steel on Tuesday said it was seeking more financial support from the UK government, as it faces Brexit strains and sector-wide uncertainties. In a statement, British Steel said that "discussions are continuing about a package of additional support to assist the company address broader Brexit-related issues, whilst continuing with its investment plans". The government agreed two weeks ago to inject A100 million ($129 million, 115 million euros) in funding to help British Steel pay its latest carbon emissions bill to the European Union. Britain's second biggest steelmaker wants another loan of A75 million to avert its demise, Sky News reported citing unnamed insiders, adding that insolvency experts were on standby. A collapse of British Steel would spark the loss of up to 5,000 jobs at the group's sprawling steelworks in Scunthorpe, northern England. The news comes amid uncertainty over the future of Tata Steel's main European operations based in the UK after German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp last week 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. Following the merger collapse, 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. British Steel is meanwhile the second biggest operator of the metal in the UK after Tata, while unions on Tuesday said the latest developments required government action. "Thousands of UK jobs are on the line, not to mention the entire future of our proud steel industry," said Ross Murdoch, national officer of the GMB union. "Now is the time to take action. Minsters must come out and guarantee the loan required to safeguard British Steel." A spokesman for the Community union added: "We would urge all parties to recognise the consequences of not taking the necessary steps to ensure British Steel can continue. Story continues "Everyone needs to do absolutely everything to give the company the chance of a future, as to do otherwise would be devastating for thousands of workers and their families." British Steel is owned by investment firm Greybull Capital, who founded the long steel products maker in 2016 after snapping up assets from Tata Steel. Long steel products comprise plates, rails for railways, sections used in construction, and wire rod. The latter can be used as steel rope for infrastructure like suspension bridges or filaments for car tyres to give rigidity. Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan's ruling military council said Tuesday that a brother of ousted president Omar al-Bashir who it previously announced had been detained was actually not in custody. On April 17, the military council had announced that it had detained two of Bashir's five brothers -- Abdallah Hassan al-Bashir and Al-Abbas Hassan al-Bashir. "This statement was not accurate," military council spokesman Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi told reporters early on Tuesday. He said on April 17 Abdallah had been arrested, and the next day Abbas was seen in an area bordering with a neighbouring country. "Sudanese authorities have been in contact with this country but it has refused to hand him over to us," he said without naming the country. "Then news came that he is in Turkey," Kabbashi said without specifying whether he was referring to recent media reports of Abbas being in Turkey. Bashir himself is being held in Khartoum's Kober prison, according to the council. On Monday, Sudan's prosecutor general's office said Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters during anti-regime protests that led to his ouster on April 11. The charges form part of an investigation into the death of a medic killed during a protest in the capital's eastern district of Burri, the prosecutor general's office said in a statement. Ninety people were killed in protest-related violence after demonstrations initially erupted in December, a doctors' committee linked to the protest movement said last month. The official death toll is 65. On Monday, five protesters and an army major were shot dead in Khartoum, according to the committee, just hours after protest leaders and the ruling generals reached a breakthrough agreement on transitional authorities to run the country. The army rulers who took power after Bashir's ouster and protest leaders are engaged in negotiations over handing of power from the generals to a civilian administration. SOFIA, May 14 (Reuters) - Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Rumen Porozhanov resigned on Tuesday, the latest high-level official to step down in scandals involving purchases of luxury properties and the building of guest houses with EU aid for private use. Porozhanov quit two weeks after prosecutors launched a large-scale probe into possible fraud with EU rural development aid at over 700 guest houses. The probe has touched a nerve in the Balkan country, ranked as the EU's most corrupt member state in the 2018 Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International. Despite numerous political pledges to reduce graft, the country has yet to sentence a high-level official over corruption. Local media reported that Porozhanov bought a spacious apartment in 2004 at well below market price. Other reports said he had failed to properly declare real estate deals carried out by his wife in 2017. Porozhanov has denied any wrongdoing and told Prime Minister Boyko Borissov he did not want the attacks against him to influence the work of the center-right government, the government press office said in a statement. Porozhanov was in charge of the State Agriculture Fund at a time when millions of euros were given as subsidies. A deputy economy minister had to quit his post last month and was charged with crimes against the financial interest of the EU after media reports said he and his family were the only users of an expensive holiday estate built with EU aid. Borissov had previously praised Porozhanov's work at the farm ministry and has said his property purchases happened too long ago to be linked with his post. But another media report on Tuesday said Porozhanov had not sacked a deputy head of the State Agriculture Fund whose phone number appeared as a contact for a guest house, despite the prime minister's order to let her go. "If he wants to protect someone ... I have said very clearly, we do not make compromises to anyone," Borissov told reporters. Story continues Media reports said close relatives of politicians across the political spectrum have taken EU subsidies for such houses, worrying Bulgarians who are frustrated by high-level graft and the impunity of the political elite. In March, the justice minister and two deputy ministers were forced to quit their jobs over a real estate deals scandal dubbed "Apartmentgate" which rocked the European Union's poorest member state. The scandal has affected support for the ruling center-right GERB party ahead of the EU elections, putting it a close second behind the opposition Socialists. Borissov, who took office for a third time two years ago, said he would bring to justice any wrongdoers but would not resign if his party wins fewer EU seats than the opposition. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova, editing by Ed Osmond) Cannes (France) (AFP) - The Cannes film festival -- which runs till May 25 -- is a non-stop merry-go-round of movies, stars, interviews and parties. Here are some figures to put the event into perspective: 276 The length in minutes of "Ang Hupa", the longest film at Cannes, by the Filipino director Lav Diaz -- at four hours 36 minutes. It is followed closely in the "slow cinema" stakes by the "Mektoub My Love: Intermezzo", the second part of a steamy trilogy by the French-Tunisian Abdellatif Kechiche, who won the Palme d'Or with "Blue is the Warmest Colour". But they are mere shorts compared to the all-time Cannes record-holder Ken Burns, whose documentary on World War II -- later broadcast as a series -- ran to 14 hours. 0 The number of times Cannes regular Pedro Almodovar has won the Palme d'Or. Having served as head of the jury in 2017 the Spanish auteur consoles himself with the knowledge that the best film does not always win. "Even the year I was president, there were prizes I didn't agree with," he said on the eve of the festival. He will be hoping he breaks his duck this year with "Pain & Glory" featuring his stalwart stars Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz. 19 The number of golden fronds on the 18-carat gold Palme d'Or which will go to the winning film. The trophy, worth 20,000 euros ($22,000), is made by Swiss jewellers Chopard. 24 The number of steps the stars have to climb to ascend the red carpet into the Palais des Festivals where the main competition films are screened. 1,800 The length in metres of the red carpet that will be rolled out during the festival -- just over 1.1 miles. A new carpet is laid before each official screening of a film in competition. 40,000 The number of people with official accreditations to attend the festival, of whom around 4,500 are journalists. 500 The number of security personnel deployed at the Palais des Festivals -- not counting the hundreds of police, soldiers and paramilitary gendarmes patrolling the surrounding area. Story continues 20,000,000 The festival's budget, in euros (about $22 million). Half the funding comes from French taxpayers, the other half from corporate sponsors. 62 The number of feature films -- from 25 countries -- screened in the official selection at the festival, 21 of which are competing for the Palme d'Or. Hundreds more are showing in the parallel sections and in the market. From 74,000 to over 200,000 That's how much Cannes's population swells to during the festival. 468 Smile, there are cameras everywhere (and not just movie and TV ones). This is the number of surveillance cameras filming the town 24 hours a day, with lenses especially trained on the Palais des Festivals building and all along the seafront, known as La Croisette. 13,000 The number of movers and shakers taking part in Cannes's parallel film market, happening in the bowels of the Palais des Festivals and along part of the beach. This maze of stands is where producers, directors and distributors get together to work out what you'll be watching on the big screen and your devices in the months and years to come. * Cannes Film Festival runs from May 14-25 * Filmmaker is first Mexican head of Cannes jury * Inarritu defends "communal experience" of movie theaters * Cannes and Netflix at loggerheads By Sarah White and Hanna Rantala CANNES, France, May 14 (Reuters) - Cannes jury president Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu lauded the "communal experience" of watching movies in cinemas as the French film festival, locked in a row with streaming services such as Netflix, got under way on Tuesday. The Mexican maker of "Birdman" heads up a panel that includes U.S. actress Elle Fanning and "The Favourite" director Yorgos Lanthimos, and will pick the winner of the top Palme D'Or prize on May 25. At a time when streaming companies are becoming prolific production houses, turning out serious award contenders although no Netflix films were selected to compete at Cannes, Inarritu defended movie theaters. "I'm a true believer that to watch is not to see a film ... Cinema was born to be experienced, in a communal experience," Inarritu told a news conference, hours ahead of the first night of the festival on the French Riviera, set to open with the zombie-fest "The Dead Don't Die." Inarritu said he did not have anything against "watching something on a phone," and that the likes of Netflix had helped bring local films to markets such as Mexico. The U.S. firm backed "Roma," a family drama that earned Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron an Oscar for best director. "It's great that they exist in TV, but why not give people the choice to experience them in the cinema," Inarritu said. The spat between Cannes and Netflix over rules dictating that films in competition cannot be streamed for the following three years is expected to dominate discussions at the festival. Inarritu said the jury would be looking out for the films that struck them the most "emotionally, intellectually" and that disturbed or provoked them. Story continues Big names such as Quentin Tarantino will up be against newcomers, including some presenting their first ever movie, like young French filmmaker Ladj Ly with "Les Miserables." Excluding Inarritu, the Cannes jury is made up of four men and four women as organizers make a push to shine a greater light on female cinema talents. "(I'm) also looking forward to the time when we come and we don't have to say 'the women directors' and 'the women'," U.S. filmmaker and jury member Kelly Reichardt said. (Reporting by Sarah White and Hanna Rantala, editing by Ed Osmond) The Cannes film festival was under pressure Monday to withdraw an honorary Palme d'Or it is to award to veteran French star Alain Delon because of his alleged violence towards women. Women and Hollywood, one of the US lobby groups at the head of the #MeToo movement in the film industry, said the decision to honour him "sucked", while an online petition calling for a stop to the award branded the actor a "racist, homophobic misogynist". The row came on the eve of the opening of the world's biggest film festival. The controversy broke after a new movie by Franco-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche was selected to compete for the top prize despite police investigating him for an alleged sexual assault on a young actress. Kechiche denies the claim. Last year the festival vowed that there "must be zero tolerance with sexual harassment or abuse of any kind" amid red carpet protests led by Cate Blanchett of more than 80 Hollywood stars and women directors. In a formal declaration, it said it "was time to speak out. The festival has decided to stand shoulder to shoulder with victims." Women and Hollywood founder Melissa Silverstein tweeted that she was appalled that Cannes was now honouring someone with such "abhorrent values". She said Delon "has publicly admitted to slapping women and he has claimed that being gay is against nature." - 'Eight broken ribs' - "He has aligned himself with the racist and anti-Semitic National Front," she added, which was founded by his life-long friend Jean-Marie Le Pen, which has been renamed as the National Rally by his daughter Marine, who now leads the far-right party. Delon, 83, admitted hitting women in November when he was questioned on French television about claims of domestic violence from his estranged son Alain-Fabien Delon. "If a slap is macho, then I am macho," he said. His son said the star of such screen classics as "The Leopard", "The Swimming Pool" and "Le Samourai" had beaten his mother, breaking eight of her ribs and her nose twice. Story continues His other son, Anthony Delon, took to Instagram earlier this month to confirm that he was locked in a cage with dogs by his father "to toughen me up" when he was a child. But Cannes director Thierry Fremaux came to Delon's defence Monday, telling AFP that "Alain Delon is allowed to think what he likes. "I think it's important to take a step back. What he's said -- sporadically here and there -- we generalise and blend it all together. "It's complicated to judge someone through today's lens, and judge things that were said and that happened years ago," Fremaux said, adding: "We're not giving him the Nobel Peace Prize." - Kechiche denies sex assault - A petition calling for the honorary Cannes prize to be withheld clocked up nearly 16,000 signatures within hours on the Care2 website. Earlier Monday the festival unveiled a huge poster of a youthful Delon which will be draped above the red carpet on Sunday when he receives the honour. It pictures the actor in his breakthrough 1960 film, "Purple Noon", where he played a devastatingly handsome serial killer. Festival director Fremaux refused to be drawn on case of Kechiche -- who won the Palme d'Or in 2013 with the lesbian love story "Blue Is the Warmest Colour". A judicial source told AFP they are still investigating a complaint by a 29-year-old actress made against him in October -- although they have yet to interview the director. The woman said she woke to find him fondling her after a dinner party in Paris in June. His lawyers said he "categorically denies the veracity of these accusations". Kechiche, whose four-hour-long new film, "Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo", is one of 21 movies vying for the Palme d'Or, was accused of harassing and mistreating his crew on the gruelling shoot of "Blue Is the Warmest Colour". Its two female stars Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos complained about Kechiche's behaviour. However, Seydoux later said that she was proud of the movie and "I really like him as a director. The way he treats us? So what!" Cannes (France) (AFP) - The Cannes film festival opens Tuesday amid a row over its decision to honour the veteran French star Alain Delon who has been accused of being violent towards women. Women and Hollywood, one of the US lobby groups at the head of the #MeToo movement in the film industry, said the decision to give him an honorary Palme d'Or "sucked". Last year the festival vowed that there "must be zero tolerance with sexual harassment or abuse of any kind" amid red carpet protests led by Cate Blanchett of more than 80 Hollywood stars and women directors. An online petition calling for the Delon prize to be stopped branded the 83-year-old actor a "racist, homophobic misogynist". The row came as the world's biggest film festival opens with one of the starriest line-ups in years. A host of Hollywood big names from Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bill Murray to Julianne Moore and Elle Fanning are due on the Croisette. The controversy broke after a new movie by Franco-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche was selected to compete for the top prize despite police investigating him for an alleged sexual assault on a young actress. Kechiche denies the claim. Women and Hollywood founder Melissa Silverstein tweeted that she was appalled that Cannes was honouring Delon given that he "has publicly admitted to slapping women and he has claimed that being gay is against nature." - 'Eight broken ribs' - "He has aligned himself with the racist and anti-Semitic National Front," she added, which was founded by his life-long friend Jean-Marie Le Pen, which has been renamed as the National Rally by his daughter Marine, who now leads the far-right party. Delon admitted hitting women in November when he was questioned on French television about claims of domestic violence from his estranged son Alain-Fabien Delon. "If a slap is macho, then I am macho," he said, adding that women had hit him and that he had never "broken" a woman. Story continues His son said the star of such screen classics as "The Leopard", "The Swimming Pool" and "Le Samourai" had beaten his mother, breaking eight of her ribs and her nose twice. Another son, Anthony Delon, took to Instagram earlier this month to confirm that he was locked in a cage with dogs by his father as a child "to toughen me up". But Cannes director Thierry Fremaux came to Delon's defence Monday, saying they were honouring his career not his views which the festival did not condone. "Alain Delon is allowed to think what he likes," he told AFP. "I think it's important to take a step back. What he's said -- sporadically here and there -- we generalise and blend it all together. "It's complicated to judge someone through today's lens, and judge things that were said and that happened years ago," Fremaux said, adding: "We're not giving him the Nobel Peace Prize." - Kechiche denies sex assault - A petition calling for the honorary Cannes prize to be withheld clocked up nearly 18,000 signatures on the Care2 website. The festival unveiled a huge poster of a youthful Delon which will be draped above the red carpet on Sunday when he receives the honour. It pictures the actor in his breakthrough 1960 film, "Purple Noon", where he played a devastatingly handsome serial killer. Festival director Fremaux refused to be drawn on the case of Kechiche -- who won the Palme d'Or in 2013 with the lesbian love story "Blue Is the Warmest Colour". A judicial source told AFP they are still investigating a complaint by a 29-year-old actress made against him in October -- although they have yet to interview the director. The woman said she woke to find him fondling her after a dinner party in Paris in June. His lawyers said he "categorically denies the veracity of these accusations". Kechiche, whose four-hour-long new film, "Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo", is one of 21 movies vying for the Palme d'Or, was accused of harassing his crew on the gruelling shoot of "Blue Is the Warmest Colour". Its two female stars Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos complained about Kechiche's behaviour. However, Seydoux later said that she was proud of the movie and "I really like him as a director. The way he treats us? So what!" A host of music as well as screen legends are due in Cannes for the 12-day festival including Bono, Iggy Pop, Selena Gomez and Elton John, who organisers hinted may play before the premiere of his biopic "Rocketman". Sylvester Stallone will also make an appearance to promote his latest "Rambo" movie. Cannes (France) (AFP) - After years of living off their glamorous reputation, Cannes's five-star hotels are getting a $1-billion makeover to make them fit to host Hollywood's A-listers. With eye-watering room rates during the film festival -- which starts Tuesday -- the French Riviera town's ageing grand behemoths are spending a fortune to get back their glitz. Its seafront strip, La Croisette, has become a long line of luxury boutiques in recent years, with top-end French and Italian brands like Chanel, Dior and Gucci vying for the jet set's petty cash. But over the years, some of the town's historic hotels have been caught resting on their laurels -- a fact not lost on clients. "We went to sleep a bit," admitted Michel Chevillon, head of the Cannes hoteliers union, which counts 133 establishments among its members. "Bookings didn't fall but there was a drop in customer satisfaction levels. And then the big international chains arrived. "So to keep our share of the market, we had to get it just right," he added. Huge sums are now being invested in the town's luxury hotels, Chevillon said, none more so than by the Qatari owners of the Belle Epoque Carlton hotel, whose domed turrets elegantly dominate the seafront strip. Their spending on the facelift is likely to reach 300 million euros ($337 million), he said. - 34,000 euros a night - But such an outlay was crucial, Chevillon argued, admitting that the sector had "got into a bit of a rut". He reeled off a string of hotels that have undergone major work or expansion in recent years -- the Radisson Blu and the Marriott in 2009, then the Majestic in 2010 with a new wing. The Martinez, Cannes biggest hotel with 409 rooms, reopened last year after an "unprecedented" 150-million-euro upgrade in which everything was redone. Today, its swankiest suite costs 34,000 euros a night during the summer -- a rate that soars to an undisclosed amount during the film festival. Story continues "And if you look at all the smaller independent hotels, which account for half of the 5,500 rooms in town, and which have been investing all year round... you're not far from a billion euros over the decade," he calculated. "For a town of 70,000 residents, that's rare." The myth of the French Riviera began in the late 19th-century when the European aristocracy began wintering there, with Cannes quickly becoming a destination to rival Paris, Barcelona, Vienna and Budapest. Today its palatial villas are owned by Russian oligarchs and wealthy Gulf potentates, with Cannes a key destination on the luxury yacht circuit with Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Chopard just a few of the 70 top brands jostling for space along La Croisette. It is also one of Europe's top conference destinations drawing thousands for MIPCOM, the world's biggest television and streaming market, and dozens of other prestigious events. - Buffing up 'the Bunker' - This week some 40,000 people from the world of cinema will descend on the town, among them 5,000 media professional, with hotels facing increasing competition from the explosion of private lets organised by the likes of Airbnb. Roughly 6,000 homes will be let out this year. In such a competitive market, hoteliers need to stay ahead of the curve in terms of design, using fabrics and materials that are bang on-trend and technology that is cutting edge, Chevillon said. "After five years, decor is no longer fashionable. After seven, it's not considered chic and after 10 it's somewhat obsolete," he added. The Martinez has bet on an unusual mix of pastel tones to complement its Art Deco heritage, which no hotelier would have dared in the past. The Palais des Festivals -- where the films in competition are shown -- has also undergone a major makeover. Known as the Bunker, this white concrete colossus with tinted windows brings in an annual 865 million euros from more than 50 events per year, of which 190 million euros is generated by the film festival. Hastily built in 1982, it has recently undergone 100 million euros of renovation work, with a further investment of 62 million euros due by 2024, to add another cinema on the sixth floor and revamp areas around the red carpet. "It will never be the Louvre but it's definitely more attractive than it was," admitted Cannes mayor David Lisnard. burs/hmw/fg/jj The concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earths atmosphere has reached levels not seen for 3 million years, scientists at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii said Monday offering a dire warning about the impact of human activity on the planet. The observatorys sensors registered carbon dioxide levels of 415 parts per million (ppm) on Saturday, meaning CO2 made up 415 of ever 1 million molecules of gas in the atmosphere. CO2 which is emitted when we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas is a greenhouse gas which traps heat in the earths atmosphere, contributing to the global temperature increases which drives climate change. The concentration of CO2 has been rising by an average of 2.5 ppm over the last decade. But the increase from 2018 to 2019 will likely be around 3ppm, Ralph Keeling, director of the Scripps C02 program which runs the Manua Loa Observatory, said in a statement. Every year it goes up like this we should be saying No, this shouldnt be happening. Its not normal, Keeling said. This increase is just not sustainable in terms of energy use and in terms of what we are doing to the planet. This is the first time in human history that the concentration of the gas has topped 415 ppm, meteorologist Eric Holthaus warned on Twitter. This is the first time in human history our planet's atmosphere has had more than 415ppm CO2. Not just in recorded history, not just since the invention of agriculture 10,000 years ago. Since before modern humans existed millions of years ago. We don't know a planet like this. https://t.co/azVukskDWr Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) May 12, 2019 The last time the proportion of CO2 was this this high was during the Pliociene period between 5.3 and 2.6 million years ago. Back then, the Earth was a very different place, with a much warmer climate. Average sea levels are thought to have been around 50 ft higher than they are today and forests grew as far north as the Arctic, a professor of earth system science at Stanford University told NBC. Through Her Eyes is a weekly show hosted by human rights activist Zainab Salbi that explores contemporary news issues from a female perspective. You can watch the full episode of Through Her Eyes every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Roku or at the bottom of this article. Unlike some of the other Republican Party's past presidential hopefuls, business executive Carly Fiorina isn't backing off her criticism of President Trump now that he's in office. He's so routinely dismissive of women, the way he talks about women, Fiorina told the Yahoo News show Through Her Eyes. And on the other hand, he's put a lot of women in really important jobs. I think he views women as something to be used, she continued. On the other hand, I think he views people as something to be used. Fiorina, the sole Republican woman running in the 2016 presidential race, extended her criticisms to the broader GOP, which only has 21 women among its ranks in Congress. I think the Republican Party routinely dismisses and diminishes women, to be honest with you, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO said. If you look at the women senators in the Republican Party, they're pretty much discounted until their vote is needed. That's not OK. But Fiorina isnt absolving the Democratic Party of any wrongdoing. I would quickly add, I think that Democrats have politicized women in a way that's very unfortunate, continued Fiorina, who is now promoting her new book, Find Your Way: Unleash Your Power and Highest Potential. This is hardly the first time Fiorina has criticized Trump, as they used to be bitter primary rivals. During the 2016 race, Trump launched an attack against her that was widely denounced as sexist, asking a Rolling Stone reporter, Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?! In a debate, Fiorina responded by quipping, "I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said." In her Through Her Eyes interview, Fiorina also dismissed Trumps claim that special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian interference exonerated him. Story continues The report does not exonerate Trump, she said. If most people would read that report, I think they would conclude this is not the way someone in the highest office in the land should behave. Fiorina, a former Silicon Valley executive, also addressed one of the debates roiling the tech industry: competition. It's true that power is concentrated in business now among four companies. And it's not right, Fiorina said. The interview was conducted days before Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes published an op-ed calling for the breakup of the company he helped create. The Democrats, you will notice, have regulated virtually every other industry and have been hands-off on technology for decades, she said. And now we have Amazon, Facebook, Google, you name 'em. Suddenly now, Democrats are starting to say, Oh, maybe they have too much power. Yes, they do. Yes, they do. Listen to the full episode on the Through Her Eyes podcast, and listen to past interviews with Queen Latifah, Aly Raisman, and more from season 1. A number of brave A-listers, including Jameela Jamil, Joan Collins and Whoppi Goldberg, have opened up about their own abortion experience [Photos: Getty] While an estimated one in three women in the UK will have an abortion in their lifetime, far fewer than this will open up about having undergone the procedure. Yet, Jameela Jamil tackled the taboo last night by talking about her own abortion experience. I had an abortion when I was young, the activist and The Good Place actor wrote on Instagram. It was the best decision I have ever made. Globally, abortion rights are a hotly-contested issue. Women living in England, Scotland and Wales can legally have an abortion at up to 23 weeks and six days of pregnancy, in line with the Abortion Act 1967. READ MORE: Uber driver dumps woman out of car after she has abortion Last year, The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 legalised abortion up to 12 weeks in the Republic of Ireland, following a referendum which saw a landslide vote of 66.4% in favour of overturning the abortion ban. However, women living in Northern Ireland, where this law was not passed, access to abortion is forbidden in almost every circumstance except where a womans life is at risk. This does not include rape, incest, or fatal foetal abnormality. Elsewhere in the world, abortion access is also an important political issue. Earlier this week, a controversial new abortion law was passed in Georgia, US, which bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. While many women celebrity or otherwise choose to keep their individual experience of abortion private, here are the other famous women who have opened up the conversation. Busy Philipps Last week, Busy Philipps opened up about having an abortion aged 15. READ MORE: Busy Philipps speaks about abortion Speaking on her late night talk show, Busy Tonight, the 38-year-old discussed her own experience after news of the new Georgia law broke. I had an abortion when I was 15 years old and Im telling you this because Im genuinely really scared for women and girls all over the country, she told viewers. Story continues Although these two women represent a growing conversation around abortion, in general the subject remains taboo. Philipps addressed this in her show, saying: Maybe youre sitting there thinking, I dont know a woman who would have an abortion. Well, you know me. Stevie Nicks After 35 years of speculation, the Fleetwood Mac star admitted to popular speculation her song, Sara, was inspired by an abortion she had after falling pregnant with boyfriend at the time, fellow musician Don Henley. In an interview with Billboard magazine, Nicks admitted the pairs unborn child inspired the song lyrics. Had I married Don and had that baby, and had she been a girl, I would have named her Sara, she said. Ashley Judd During a Times Up panel at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, the actress spoke about how she had to have an abortion after being raped. "As everyone knows, and Im very open about it, Im a three-time rape survivor," she told the panel. "One of the times I was raped, there was conception. And Im very thankful I was able to access safe and legal abortion." Rose McGowan The actress and activist openly admitted to having an abortion in a tweet earlier this year. I have had an abortion and I support this message. I am not ashamed, nor should you be. That 60% of those who choose to have abortions are already mothers says a lot- they understand more than anyone. I was on birth control and it failed. I realized I could not bring a child- https://t.co/1htbtTROcU rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) March 1, 2019 into my world and simultaneously change the world. I do not regret my decision and it was not made lightly. If you do not want an abortion, dont get one. My body, my choice, my life. Have you had to make a choice? Lets talk and use hashtag #HonestAbortion rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) March 1, 2019 Sharon Osbourne The X Factor judge and long-term wife of musician Ozzy Osbourne opened up about her regret after having an abortion in her autobiographical book, Extreme. I had an abortion at 17 and it was the worst thing I ever did . . . I went alone. I was terrified. It was full of other young girls, and we were all terrified and looking at each other and nobody was saying a bloody word, she wrote. I howled my way through it, and it was horrible. I would never recommend it to anyone because it comes back to haunt you. When I tried to have children, I lost three I think it was because something had happened to my cervix during the abortion. Joan Collins Speaking to Piers Morgan on ITVs Live Stories, Collins spoke about having an abortion after she fell prgnant with Warren Beatys baby. It would have been unthinkable to have a child, she said. He didn't have any money, I had nothing, and I believe if you are going to bring a child into the world that you have to have a responsibility to that child ... I know I made the right decision. Whoopi Goldberg She spoke about having a back-alley abortion in an essay which formed part of Angela Bonavoglias book, The Choices We Made. I found out I was pregnant when I was fourteen. I didn't get a period. I talked to nobody. I panicked, she wrote. At that moment I was more afraid of having to explain to anybody what was wrong than of going to the park with a hanger, which is what I did." Sinead OConnor During an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, O'Connor spoke about her experience of having an abortion an experience she wrote the song My Special Child about. "I didn't have a sense of guilt about the abortion. If I had had the child, I wouldn't have been in any state to be the mother that child would have deserved, she told the publication. It wouldn't have worked that way. As far as I'm concerned, that child's spirit is gone and perhaps some day it will return." For more information on abortion law in the UK and your rights, visit the Marie Stopes UK website. Photo: Barrio Bread/Yelp Visiting Broadmoor-Broadway, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Tucson neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a bakery to a Korean restaurant. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Broadmoor-Broadway, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Barrio Bread photo: jackie p./yelp Topping the list is bakery Barrio Bread. Located at 18 S. Eastbourne Ave., it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 136 reviews on Yelp. From the Guadalajaran crusty Birote bread to the cinnamon raisin loaf to the European rye, Barrio Bread offers a variety of bread that are baked on-site daily. Click here to view the full list of offerings. 2. Sidecar Photo: bleep s./Yelp Next up is cocktail bar Sidecar, situated at 139 S. Eastbourne. With 4.5 stars out of 136 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The menu includes signature cocktail drinks, such as the Prohibition (California brandy, Curacao and lemon and orange bitters), the Rye Hanky Panky (cardamom rye, bitter vermouth, French vermouth, fernet, calvados, agricole rum, Burlesque Bitters and mole bitters) and the Lost and Found (small-batch gin, French vermouth and absinthe). See the full lineup of drinks here. 3. Kimchi Time Photo: benjy s./Yelp Korean spot Kimchi Time is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 2900 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite 186, four stars out of 322 reviews. Menu options include the pork bulgogi (marinated sliced grilled pork with special brown spicy sauce), grilled Atka mackerel and noodle bowls such as the Jap Che (sweet potato noodle with beef and stir-fried vegetables). 4. The Poster Warehouse Photo: pamela p./Yelp The Poster Warehouse, an art gallery and framing spot, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with five stars out of 23 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2900 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite 102 to see for yourself. Story continues The Poster Warehouse offers the largest selection of fine art prints, posters and movie posters in the Southwest, according to its website. It has over 3,500 frame samples to choose from, as well as a full range of custom framing options. 5. Falora Photo: kovia p./Yelp Check out Falora, which has earned four stars out of 237 reviews on Yelp. You can find the vegetarian spot, which offers pizza and salads, at 3000 E. Broadway The pizza joint serves wood-baked pizzas that come in more than a dozen signature varieties. Pies include the Cura (cured Italian salami, San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, parmigiano, Kalamata olives, garlic and sauce) and the Arrosto (feta cheese, eggplant, purple and Yukon gold potatoes, dates and white truffle oil). Click here to view the menu. 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 Chinese Communist government does not have so much a strategy to translate its economic ascendance into global hegemony as several strategies. All of them are brilliantly insidious. On matters of trade, China is always flexible in responding to critics of its asymmetrical, 30-year mercantilism. In the initial stages of Westernization, China was exempted from criticism over serial copyright and patent infringement, dumping, and espionage. Western elites assumed that these improprieties were just speed bumps on the eventual Chinese freeway to liberalism. Supposedly the richer China got, the more progressive it would become. Huge trade deficits or military technological appropriation were small prices to pay for an evolving billion-person Palo Alto or Upper West Side. After a time, the now-worrisome huge trade deficits and Chinese cheating were further contextualized as our fault. The Tom Friedman school of journalism chided our clumsy republican government as lacking Chinese authoritarian efficiency that could by fiat connect new planned utopias by high-speed rail and power them with solar-panel farms. The Wall Streetinvestor version of this school saw flabby, pampered Americans getting their just deserts as more productive and deserving Chinese workers outhustled and outproduced us. In such tough-love sermonizing, the more Michigan or Pennsylvania rusted, the quicker culpable Americans would either emulate China or die. China of course again agreed. Then there came a third phase of Chinese contextualization one of Western arrogance that confused Chinas emulation with supposed admiration. We were not to worry about China, because they love buying our rich homes, visiting Stanford, and going to Disneyland. In short, they love being us. Somehow, we forgot that nations that copy the West do not do so out of empathy or veneration. More often, they pick and choose what to buy, steal, or copy, entirely in their own interest. They often see superior Western science arising despite, not because of, Western freedom, and therefore they think it can be improved upon when grafted to a properly authoritarian or totalitarian root. Story continues Trump has been an unlikely truth-teller. But as a disrupter who screamed about Chinese mercantilism, he made it acceptable even for liberals to do an about-face and now fault China for human-rights abuses and religious persecution of minorities. As long as such new Western critics do not mention the word Trump, they feel empowered suddenly to say about China what heretofore they have repressed. It was Trump, remember, who challenged the gospel that even asymmetrical free-market exchanges were a national advantage. Even the most flagrant Chinese cheating supposedly had benefits for Americans, who rented free stuff from stereotyped sweatshop-toiling Chinese. Cheap imported consumer goods were lapped up by the strapped American middle classes and poor, allowing them to obtain things that their stagnant wages would not. Chinese state subsidies, we were told, would in the long run bankrupt China long before they bankrupted us. And insidious Chinese commercial cheating would force Americans to recalibrate, creatively destroy and rebuild, and in the end become more competitive, productive, and streamlined. China again oddly agreed ostensibly dismissing the importance of trade deficits as long as they ensured that Americans, not Chinese, would have them. China is patterning its neocolonialist agenda after both the British Empire of the 19th century (without the pretensions of a Western nations paternalistic burden of spreading civilization) and the Pacific expansionism of Japans Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere of the 1930s and 1940s (this history might explain why Japan, of all its Asian neighbors, knows all too well what China is up to). As the British did with their coaling stations, which dotted the globe and served British warships and commercial vessels in the 19th century, China is buying up leases on dozens of ports in key strategic areas from the Piraeus to the Horn of Africa. In theory, in time the Chinese could pressure these ports host countries to deny entrance to hostile military or commercial rivals. Or in periods of crisis, they could empower supposed merchant ships with all sorts of advanced weaponry sort of like the stealthily armed German merchant-marine raiders of early World War I. The strategic advantages of linking such ports to facilitate a nexus of Chinese military and commercial ships allow the imagination to run wild. That these massive investments in ports and infrastructure might seem to be bad financial deals makes their acquisitions even more astounding and strategically germane. Beijing is not at all sure that China will ever receive, in the short term at least, a good return on the trillions it is investing to update cargo terminals and transit routes in and out of foreign port facilities. China, recognized as a more or less global commercial renegade, might have a hard time collecting its investment debts in the event of defaults. Short of using military power, what would China do to coerce a debtor? Appeal to multilateral trade and banking oversight institutions, whose protocols it has so commonly ignored with impunity? It also has no major alliances or pacts that might allow it to pressure nations in arrears. Who collects for China its $50 billion investment in a collapsing Venezuela? If Greece defaults on the multibillion-dollar Chinese investment in the Piraeus, will the Chinese use the European Union or NATO to coerce Greece? Like the Japanese of the 1930s and the Russians of the 1960s and 1970s, but unlike the British of the 1870s, the Chinese are not very good imperialists. To know their colonial agents is to distrust them given the authoritarian, and often racialist, presumptions of the Chinese government. In military terms, Chinas naval strategy is somewhat reminiscent of the ideas of Nazi admiral Karl Donitz, the sometime genius of Hitlers U-boat fleet, who argued with varying degrees of success that it was idiotic to repeat imperial Germanys former failed and bankrupting efforts to match the battleships of the superior British navy ton for ton, when German submarines more cheaply and effectively could tie up the Royal Navys assets and deny its ships easy transit in the Atlantic. The threat of China is not that it will in the near future match Americas eleven carrier battle groups, but that it will, in an effective cost-to-benefit manner, deploy small and more numerous submarines, frigates, and shore-to-ship batteries to create storms of sophisticated anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles that would ensure that key areas of the South China Sea were no-go zones for the fossilized multibillion-dollar flagships of the American navy. More insidious is the Chinese effort to send hundreds of thousands of students to the West in general, and in particular the United States. Again, in theory it is a brilliant strategy. Like the madcap effort of late-19th and early-20th-century Japan, following the Meiji Restoration, to place a quarter-million students in Britain, France, and Germany to soak up everything from army organization to nautical engineering, China has appropriated trillions of dollars in sophisticated Western technology through espionage, well apart from the legitimate Chinese expatriate mastery of Western science, technology, and engineering. Arrogant Westerners assume that Chinese investors, owners of American real estate, and legions of students will be eventually overwhelmed by American popular culture, liberality, affluence, and freedom, and that they will therefore repatriate to China as subversive agents of change. More likely, Chinese expatriates will return to China in the fashion of early-20th-century Japanese residents, attaches, and students in the United States, whether a future admiral Isoroku Yamamoto or foreign minister Yosuke Matsuoka. They equated their experience of Western affluence with license and decadence and, as a result, were determined to marry Western engineering expertise with superior Asian discipline, nationalism, and patriotism to nullify the United States as a great Pacific power. China is not Russia. It differs in underappreciated ways that transcend its obviously vastly greater population, far-larger economy, and ascendant military. China brilliantly plays on the fact that its expatriates are temporarily part of the American other. As marginalized peoples, by feigned surrogate empathy with Asian Americans, they can cite grievances against prior yellow peril racism at least anytime Chinese students are caught spying or engaging in protests against Chinese dissidents. Recently at a colloquium Kiron Skinner, director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department, tried to point out some of these paradoxes in outlining the totality of the Chinese threat, but she was quite unfairly demonized for an impromptu exchange in which she used the politically incorrect Caucasian to emphasize aspects of the Chinese challenge (So in China we have an economic competitor, we have an ideological competitor, one that really does seek a kind of global reach that many of us didnt expect a couple of decades ago, and I think its also striking that its the first time that we will have a great-power competitor that is not Caucasian). Aside from the fact that imperial Japan was a great-power Asian competitor during the lead-up to World War II, Skinners general implications were nonetheless valid: China, not Russia, can more easily pose as a historical victim of Western oppression by its status as an Asian nation. And it can more easily both bully and entice dynamic Asian countries. Its message, like Imperial Japans earlier narrative, is that European powers and indeed the United States itself are themselves tired, spent, and increasingly impotent in Asia and the Pacific, and either cannot or will not challenge the inevitable Chinese ascendency to hyperpower status. Skinners implication is that central to the Chinese governments sense of confidence is both its racial and its cultural chauvinism an unspoken reality that is not so easily appreciated when our own diplomatic elite is often neither culturally nor politically diverse and may exaggerate the European Russian threat and in either condescendingly or politically correct fashion ignore the far greater Chinese challenge. As bad as Russian absorption of Crimea was, there were at least long historical and cultural ties between the two nations and a shared bloody history of resisting foreign conquests at iconic sieges such as Sevastopol. In contrast, China simply stole the far more strategically important Spratley Islands, ignored its neighbors claims, created military bases, and may soon adjudicate traffic in the South China Sea and face no pushback of the sort accorded Putin. We also see the effects of multipronged Chinese financial, cultural, and political influence in popular culture. Hollywood remains in deathly fear of negatively portraying Chinese characters, or the Chinese government in particular. Is it apprehensive of the power of Chinese markets and money, and attuned to the delicacy of portraying supposedly nonwhite characters in a negative light? Contrast that touchiness with the graphic portrayals of Russians, who are action cinemas most common 21st-century villains. They are ad nauseam usually cast as evil oligarchs, cartel thugs, assassins, or die-hard Soviet fossils, appearing on screen with shaved heads, creepy tattoos, often dotted with czarist and Orthodox runes, and speaking in harsh guttural accents. No wonder: Hollywood producers do not fear offending Vladimir Putin, or a few hundred Russian students in southern California, or the domestic politically correct Twitter lynch mob. In our superficial identity-politics-obsessed culture, who would speak out against Russian bashing and stereotyping? Russians are seen by Hollywood as the perfect heavies, akin to other common villains such as southern hillbillies and diehard South African racists. Do any social-justice warriors know that the number of those interned in Chinese reeducation and detention camps for incorrect thoughts, religiosity, or minority racial status constitutes a vast archipelago that dwarfs Putins decaying gulag? China understands the often blame-itself-first Western mind (and there is such a thing) far better than Westerners themselves do. It assumes that it will not really suffer blanket criticism for its inhuman treatment of religious minorities and dissidents, or its ruthlessness in Africa. Instead, it figures that many will side with it as victims of a Western racism that supposedly prevents Western liberals from appreciating genuine Asian efforts to join the family of nations. The old myth of missing the bus on a supposed Lincolnesque Ho Chi Minh, or the Jeffersonian Mao, has until Trump been updated to give a soon-to-be-Westernized China a pass on the sorts of human-rights abuses and regional aggressions that earn Putins Russia (with a far greater nuclear arsenal) sanctions and threats. In the end, China is confident that it now knows the U.S. only too well, and it is mastering the political, economic, cultural, and military methods of nullifying American advantages. And it may be right. More from National Review BEIJING (AP) China's auto sales sank 17.7% in April from a year earlier, the 10th straight month of decline amid trade tension with Washington and an economic slowdown. Drivers in the industry's biggest global market bought 1.6 million sedans, SUVs and minivans, according to an industry group, the China Association of Auto Manufacturers. Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, fell 14.6% to 2 million. Jittery consumers are less willing to make big purchases amid a tariff war with Washington and unease about China's economic outlook. Growth in the second-largest global economy held steady in the latest quarter but that was supported by government stimulus spending and higher bank lending. The downturn is squeezing Chinese and global automakers that are pouring money into meeting government targets to develop electric vehicles. Auto sales for the first four months of the year are off 14.7% from a year earlier at 6.8 million, according to CAAM. Sales by Chinese brands in April plunged 27.9% from a year earlier to 585,000. Their market share contracted by 5.2 percentage points to 37.1%. Purchases of electric and gasoline-electric hybrid SUVs and sedans rose 18.1% to 97,000. That was a bright spot for the industry but well below growth rates of as much as 100% in previous months. Beijing has promoted electrics with billions of dollars in research grants and buyer subsidies. But subsidies are due to end next year and regulators are shifting the burden to automakers by imposing mandatory sales targets for electrics. So automakers need to develop electrics that can compete with gasoline-powered vehicles. Sales of SUVs fell 15.8%, CAAM said, without giving a total. Last year's auto sales suffered their first decline in nearly three decades, falling 4.1% from 2017 to 23.7 million. The downturn has prompted suggestions Beijing will cut sales taxes or offer other incentives. Beijing unleashed its tightly controlled media this week after keeping a lid on rhetoric for months as the trade war with Washington reignited, with fiery clips from state media ricocheting around the internet. The spree of editorials and commentaries in China's state media Monday and Tuesday ramped up attacks on Washington and its trade tactics, with Beijing rolling out the propaganda campaign in sync with its retaliation on US goods. China announced Monday it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US exports by next month, responding in kind to President Donald Trump's decision last week to hike duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise. The barrage began Monday night during state broadcaster CCTV's primetime newscast watched across China. "China has already given its answer: talk and the door is open, fight and we'll fight you to the end," an anchor read, looking directly at the camera. "Through 5,000 years of ups and downs, what kind of battle has the Chinese nation not seen! During the great process of realising national rejuvenation, there will inevitably be difficulties, obstacles and even storms," he read. "China's policy toolbox is ready and prepared for a comprehensive response." The clip ricocheted around the Chinese internet, trending on Twitter-like Weibo and going viral on Wechat, inviting a massive show of support from the country's legions of netizens. Official news agency Xinhua on Tuesday accused the United States of "using underhanded means to achieve its aim" and "downright bullying" in an editorial. If the US thinks it "can achieve its goals with trade bullying, it is really underestimating the will and determination of the Chinese people to defend their core interests," the editorial said. The editor-in-chief of nationalistic daily Global Times Hu Xijin said, "For China it is the whole country and all the people who are being coerced, and for us this is a real "people's war," in a Monday commentary and accompanying online video. Story continues "Previously the Chinese government always understated the trade conflict with the United States, only said this is trade friction but now the trade friction has hit to this level," said Shi Yinhong, director of the American studies center at Renmin University. "This is only too belatedly they've accepted the fact that it is a trade war," he said. -Downplaying tensions- For months as American and Chinese officials faced off at the negotiating table, China's media downplayed the trade tensions. Propaganda directives handed out last year instructed media to play down the trade war's effect on the stock market, refrain from whipping up public opinion, and halt mentions of Made in China 2025, an industrial policy that drew global criticism, according to China Digital Times, which publishes propaganda directives. Last Monday China's stock market dropped five percent after Trump announced the tariff hike on Twitter, but for hours Chinese media refrained from reporting the reason for the drop while some online comments were censored. Since October the Communist Party's mouthpiece People's Daily gradually reduced mentions of "trade war" in the pages of its paper, opting instead for the less strident "trade friction", according to a content analysis by an independent researcher shared with AFP. This week "trade war" is again spiking, the analysis showed. The US Trade Representative started the process of imposing new duties on about $300 billion worth of additional Chinese merchandise Monday, while Trump said he had not decided whether he would ultimately impose those levies. The anti-American rhetoric will increase, said Shi, adding, "it is for the domestic Chinese audience -- but the Chinese government will not let this kind of logic go too far and damage the prospect of continuing trade talks," he said. "Every time you encounter an enemy, you need to become stronger," said one editorial widely reposted by China's state media on Tuesday. International lodging franchisor Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) delivered inconclusive first-quarter results to investors on May 9. The hospitality giant continued to add new rooms to inventory and its development pipeline at a brisk clip, and first-quarter results exceeded management's adjusted earnings-per-share projections. Yet average room revenue decreased slightly against the first quarter of 2018, and management dialed back its expectations for this important metric for the remainder of the year. As I sift through merits and demerits of the last three months, note that all comparative numbers below refer to the prior-year quarter. Choice Hotels: The raw numbers Metric Q1 2019 Q1 2018 Growth (YOY) Revenue $218.3 million $209.4 million 4.3% Net income $30.1 million $25.1 million 39.7% Diluted EPS $0.54 $0.44 25% Data source: Choice Hotels International. EPS = earnings per share. YOY = year over year. What happened with Choice Hotels this quarter? Domestic RevPAR (revenue per available room) slipped by 0.7%. Management attributed the decline to its ongoing systemwide upgrade of the Comfort brand, as more rooms ended up under renovation during the quarter than were previously forecast. Management also blamed the government shutdown and tougher comparisons to the first quarter of 2018, in which hurricane recovery activity boosted hotel stays. The company expanded its domestic room base by 1.8% and its international room base by 5.2%. Choice Hotels' domestic development pipeline increased 7% to 976 hotels, while its international pipeline roughly tripled to 128 hotels. Modern upscale hotel room. Image source: Getty Images. During the quarter, the company booked an impairment charge of $10.4 million related to a subsidiary unit that provides software-as-a -ervice (SaaS) technology to European vacation rental management companies. According to management, the $2.5 billion upgrade of the Comfort brand is bearing fruit: Comfort hotels that have completed renovations are seeing an uptick of 1% in RevPAR and a doubling in business travel revenue within the first quarter following the property refresh. Choice Hotels continued its expansion into the midscale segment by awarding six franchise agreements for its new Clarion Pointe brand, bringing the number of hotels under this flag to 27 units. The total number of rooms in Choice Hotels' upscale segment (under the Cambria and Ascend brands) expanded by 12%. Excluding the $10.4 million impairment charge, operating margin improved by 330 basis points as selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses and marketing and reservation system expenses held steady even while revenue rose. The organization repurchased $32 million worth of its common stock during the quarter. Management's perspective Story continues In the company's earnings press release, CEO Patrick Pacious underscored Choice Hotels' push to extend beyond the economy lodging segment: Choice Hotel's proven business model continues to deliver strong financial performance to our franchisees and shareholders. Our brands continue to appeal to a wide range of guests for both leisure and business travel. In addition, our strategic investments in our midscale, upscale and extended-stay brands position us to continue to strengthen our appeal to leisure travelers and accelerate our growth in the business travel segment. Looking forward Choice Hotels revised its full-year GAAP earnings to a range of $186 million to $196 million, against a previous expectation of $193 million to $201 million. This revision partially reflects the company's writedown of its SaaS technology unit in the first quarter. Diluted EPS is projected to fall between $3.31 and $3.49, versus a band of $3.44 to $3.58 issued last quarter. Full-year adjusted EBITDA is still projected to hit approximately $359 million at the midpoint of the provided guidance range. Management now expects adjusted EPS of $4.12 versus previous guidance of $4.07 (both numbers are from the midpoint of their respective ranges). Given static adjusted earnings, the difference in EPS targets can be attributed solely to share-repurchase activity. For the second quarter, Choice Hotels expects adjusted EPS of between $1.11 and $1.15. Significantly, domestic RevPAR is slated to range from a decrease of 1% to an increase of 1%. Following the softer RevPAR expansion in the first quarter, Choice Hotels has trimmed its 2019 domestic RevPAR forecast to 0% to 1% growth, from previous guidance of 0.5% to 2% growth. Investors appear to be focused on this near-term headwind despite the benefits of room growth and brand diversification over a wider time horizon: To date, shares are down roughly 2% since the May 9 earnings release. More From The Motley Fool Asit Sharma 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. Attorney General William Barr has enlisted the help of the CIA to investigate whether the FBIs surveillance of the Trump campaign was motivated by partisan bias, CNN reported Tuesday. CIA director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and FBI director Chris Wray are all participating in the investigation, which Barr first announced publicly during a congressional hearing last month. The Wall Street Journal reported Monday evening that Barr has tapped Connecticut U.S. attorney John Durham to help examine the origins of the FBI counterintelligence investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 election, which served as the pretext for Special Counsel Robert Muellers appointment. The investigation was launched in response to long-held Republican concerns that the FBIs surveillance of the Trump campaign was politically motivated and relied on dubious opposition research. These concerns were in part fueled by the revelation that the FISA warrant obtained to surveil Trump campaign national-security adviser Carter Page was based on information provided in the unsubstantiated Steele dossier. Barr drew the ire of top Democrats last month when he confirmed that he believed the FBIs surveillance of Page and other campaign officials constituted spying, though he stopped short of asserting the surveillance activity was not properly predicated. I think spying did occur, Barr said during a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee. But the question is whether it was adequately predicated and I am not suggesting that it wasnt adequately predicated. . . . I am not suggesting those rules were violated, but I think it is important to look at that. And I am not talking about the FBI necessarily, but intelligence agencies more broadly. Barr went on to defend his use of the term at a subsequent hearing, telling lawmakers that spying is a good English word that accurately captures the FBIs behavior. More from National Review Island Frydays. | Photo: Lauren S./Yelp In search of a new favorite Caribbean spot? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Caribbean spots around Cincinnati, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike. 1. Island Frydays Photo: dr. james w./Yelp Topping the list is Island Frydays. Located at 2824 Vine St. in Corryville, the Caribbean spot is the highest rated Caribbean restaurant in Cincinnati, boasting four stars out of 121 reviews on Yelp. 2. C&M BBQ Grill Photo: gyamfua g./Yelp Next up is Kennedy Heights's C&M BBQ Grill, situated at 6457 Kennedy Drive With four stars out of 47 reviews on Yelp, the Caribbean spot, which offers barbecue and comfort food, has proven to be a local favorite. 3. Mashed Roots Latin Kitchen Photo: lizbeth m./Yelp Over-The-Rhine's Mashed Roots Latin Kitchen, located at 1801 Race St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the food truck, Puerto Rican and Latin American spot 4.5 stars out of 10 reviews. 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. MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's top digital payments firm Paytm on Tuesday launched a credit card with Citigroup, widening its financial product base while giving its banking partner an opportunity to vastly expand its credit card customer base in the country. The new card should help Paytm stay a step ahead of rivals in the fiercely competitive digital payments market in India where companies from Alphabet Inc-owned Google to Walmart-owned PhonePe, are all scrambling to grab a piece of the digital payments pie that is projected to grow to $500 billion by 2020, according to the Boston Consulting Group. For Citi, it is a big opportunity to extend its retail presence in India. Even if only 1% of Paytm's over 300 million customers use the new credit card, that's a huge number, Stephen Bird, Chief Executive, Global Consumer Banking at Citi told reporters at a news conference. "We think there is a tremendous potential for growth of this partnership," Bird added. Paytm became a household name across India after New Delhi's shock move to ban high-value currency notes late in 2016 led to a cash crunch and boosted use of its electronic wallet. Its parent One97 Communications counts Japan's SoftBank Group, Alibaba and Berkshire Hathaway among its investors. The Paytm First Card will offer 1 percent cashback on all transactions, unlike reward points offered by most rival credit cards in India. "We understood that there is a set of the customer base or customer needs that get fulfilled when you have a credit card or card in the hand," said Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder and CEO of One97 Communications. "That is why we had launched a debit card of our bank and today we complete our offering with a credit card partnership with Citibank." Sharma, a self-made billionaire, said his firm is targeting "urban aspirational users who are first-time credit users". (The story is refiled to fix syntax in headline.) (Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Keith Weir) KABUL, May 14 (Reuters) - Fighting between prisoners and Afghan policemen during a drug search operation in the country's largest prison left four prisoners dead and several injured, a government official said on Tuesday. Violent clashes erupted in two barracks of the sprawling Pul-e-Charkhi prison on the outskirts of Kabul, which houses thousands of inmates, including scores of Taliban insurgents and members of other hard-line Islamist groups. Nasrat Rahimi, the spokesman for the interior ministry, said four prisoners were killed and 13 prisoners and 20 policemen were injured during the search operation to seize drugs and other illegal substances from the prisoners. "Police faced resistance from drug traffickers. To disperse and control the angry prisoners, the policemen started shooting in the air but the prisoners engaged with the police and tried to get their weapons," said Rahimi. Last year, hundreds of inmates at the Pul-e-Charkhi went on a hunger strike to demand better conditions, but it remains overcrowded and lacking in basic infrastructure. (Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi, editing by Larry King) The annotated copy was used in a landmark 1960 obscenity trial, in which Penguin Books was prosecuted for publishing an uncensored version of DH Lawrence's novel. On Monday, Arts Minister Michael Ellis issued a temporary export bar on the book in an effort to keep it inside Britain. "The trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover captured the public attention in 1960. It was a watershed moment in cultural history, when Victorian ideals were overtaken by a more modern attitude. I hope that a buyer can be found to keep this important part of our nation's history in the UK," he said in an official statement. Last October, the copy was sold for 56,250 (around $72,921) at Sotheby's, as part of the collection of late billionaire Stanley J Seeger and his partner Christopher Cone. Although the government did not indicate where the overseas buyer lives, it hopes that a UK-based organization or individual will be able to match the asking price. The decision was made on the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, whose chairman, Sir Hayden Phillips, stated that the book "may be the last surviving contemporary 'witness' who took part in the proceedings." The famed copy was owned and used by Judge Sir Laurence Byrne, who presided over the 1960 trial. In preparation for court, Sir Laurence Byrne's wife, Lady Dorothy Byrne annotated the novel for her husband --noting down the sexually explicit passages and pages. The trial, which was a test case for the 1959 Obscene Publication Act, saw lead prosecutor Mervyn Griffith-Jones famously asking in his opening remarks: "Would you approve of your young sons, young daughters -- because girls can read as well as boys -- reading this book?" At the time, the trial jury took just three hours to return their "not guilty" verdict for the publisher. Paris (AFP) - A surge of tensions in the Gulf has shown the risk of a military confrontation between arch-foes Iran and the United States, even if any conflict would likely be marked by guerrilla warfare rather than full-scale battles, analysts say. A series of mysterious attacks on ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, the key ally of Tehran's Gulf rival Saudi Arabia, prompted President Donald Trump to warn Iran would "suffer greatly" if it harmed US interests. The United States and Iran have had no diplomatic relations since the seizure by Iranian radicals of American embassy staff in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two sides have at times been close to conflict -- in particular during a tense period under former US president George W. Bush -- but analysts see a series of factors as making the current moment particularly combustible. Trump dismayed European allies by pulling out of the 2015 deal on Iran's nuclear programme unilaterally and is now ratcheting up the rhetoric against Tehran. Iran and Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States for decades, are both enmeshed on opposing sides in the conflict in Yemen. And in US ally Israel, which Iran refuses to recognise, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for a hard line against Iran. - 'High odds of clash' - "The Trump administration has significantly increased tensions in the region and has therefore increased the odds of some sort of inadvertent or even deliberate military clash with Iran," said International Crisis Group (ICG) Iran project director Ali Vaez. "The odds of a clash occurring, even without provocation, are quite high." he told AFP. He said a belief on both sides that the other does not want a conflict "creates plenty of room for miscalculation" especially at a time when both sides have no direct communication channels. The war in Yemen also intensifies the risk of an incident between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- such as an attack by Tehran-backed Huthi rebels on Saudi interests -- being magnified and then pulling in the United States. Story continues Drone attacks on Tuesday, claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels, shut down one of Saudi Arabia's main oil pipelines, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions. There are "a lot of non-state actors in the region who could take steps that would push the two sides into a direct confrontation," said Vaez. But Washington and its Gulf allies have so far stopped short of blaming Tehran for damage to four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, a Norwegian tanker and an Emirati ship. Iran has also distanced itself from the incidents, condemning "acts of sabotage" and a "criminal act". Denis Bauchard, advisor for the Middle East at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said there were elements on all sides who wanted no further escalation. "Looking at this rationally, this should not go any further as there are people who want to calm this down," he said, pointing to the US and Israeli military establishment. He said that Iran had so far kept a notably "low profile" in the current tensions but a risk came from hawks on both sides such as US national security advisor John Bolton in the United States and the Revolutionary Guards in Iran. - 'Guerrilla warfare' - Any escalation between the United States and Iran would likely be played out at sea and have immediate global implications for energy markets if it affected shipping in the key transit point of the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say that in the event of a conflict, Iran would most likely resort to its tried and trusted strategy of asymmetric warfare which it has seen since the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war as the best way to outflank a more powerful enemy. "A US-Iran war wouldn't be a naval war at all in the strict sense of the term," said James Holmes, from the Naval War College in the United States. "Guerrilla warfare, not the traditional sea fight, makes a better analogy for Iranian maritime strategy," he said, adding Iranian ships would concentrate firepower in narrow parts in the Strait of Hormuz. Jean-Sylvestre Mongrenier, researcher at the Franco-Belgian think-tank Institut Thomas More, said Iran is well aware it has no match for the aircraft carriers of the United States. He said Iran would not aim to inflict a naval defeat on the United States, but make clear its engagement in the Gulf has a military and material cost. Such actions could include placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, harassing US navy craft with smaller warships and also using anti-ship missiles, he said. Bayer was ordered to pay more than $2 billion in damages to a California couple that claimed they got cancer as a result of using the companys Roundup weedkiller for about 30 years. Its the largest jury award in the U.S. so far this year and the eighth-largest ever in a product-defect claim, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Bayer has now lost three trials in a row over claims Roundup causes cancer. A jury in state court in Oakland, Calif., issued the verdict Monday after two other California trials over the herbicide yielded combined damages of $159 million against the company. Bayer is appealing those verdicts and vowed to challenge Mondays as well. The jurys decision conflicts directly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys interim registration review decision released just last month, the consensus among leading health regulators worldwide that glyphosate-based products can be used safely and that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, Bayer said in a statement. The jurors agreed that Alva and Alberta Pilliods exposure to Roundup used for residential landscaping was a substantial factor in their non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The jury awarded damages of about $55 million for the couples medical bills and pain and suffering on top of the punitive damages. The verdict will be vulnerable to a legal challenge by Bayer because courts have generally held that punitive damages shouldnt be more than 10 times higher than compensatory damages. Monsanto, the maker of Roundup acquired by Bayer last June, is the named defendant in similar U.S. lawsuits filed by at least 13,400 plaintiffs. The verdict in this trial has no impact on future cases and trials, as each one has its own factual and legal circumstances, Bayer said in its statement. While it was a risky move to ask for an award of more than $1 billion, the three verdicts against Bayer show jurors are convinced by evidence against the company, said Anna Pavlik, senior counsel for special situations at United First Partners in New York. Story continues In this case there appeared to be more detailed evidence damaging to Monsanto, which strengthens plaintiffs cases down the pipeline even further, said Pavlik, who has followed the trials. Bayer Chief Executive Officer Werner Baumann faces increased shareholder pressure over the litigation it inherited from Monsanto as investors have been closely watching developments in the costly Roundup lawsuits. Bayer shares have fallen about 40% since the $63 billion Monsanto acquisition. Bayer is scheduled to face more trials over the same claims this summer in St. Louis. The Pilliods lawyer urged jurors to punish the company for covering up the health risks of the herbicide for decades. He told the panel his punitive damages request was roughly based on the gross profit of $892 million recorded in 2017 by Monsantos agricultural-chemicals division. That is a number that changes things, attorney Brent Wisner said during closing arguments at the end of a monthlong trial. Monsanto countered that the Pilliods had histories of poor health, disease, and compromised immune systems that increased their risk of developing cancer. Defense attorney Tarek Ismail emphasized that Monsanto wouldnt be responsible if the couple would have developed lymphoma without exposure to Roundup. While some investors think a third loss could accelerate a global settlement, which analysts have said could top $5 billion, Pavlik thinks Bayer will fight on because it wont start negotiating from a position of weakness. If plaintiffs continue to win cases decided by juries in Missouri, the momentum in their favor may push Bayer to begin to negotiate, she said. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Cyprus' president has criticized remarks by Britain's Foreign Office minister that cast doubt over the east Mediterranean island nation's offshore economic rights. President Nicos Anastasiades said his government would lodge a complaint to British Prime Minister Theresa May over Alan Duncan's "unacceptable" remarks. Duncan told U.K. lawmakers Tuesday that Turkey's bid to drill for gas off Cyprus shouldn't proceed in areas "where sovereignty is under dispute." Anastasiades has described Turkey's drilling bid inside waters where ethnically-split Cyprus has exclusive economic rights as a "new invasion" and has rallied support from fellow European Union leaders. Turkey says its actions abide by international law and that it's drilling inside its continental shelf. 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. We'll use ROE to examine Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (SGX:Y92), by way of a worked example. Our data shows Thai Beverage has a return on equity of 15% for the last year. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each SGD1 of shareholders' equity it has, the company made SGD0.15 in profit. Check out our latest analysis for Thai Beverage How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Thai Beverage: 15% = 22b 160b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) It's easy to understand the 'net profit' part of that equation, but 'shareholders' equity' requires further explanation. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. What Does ROE Signify? ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. 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 ROE can be used to compare two businesses. Does Thai Beverage Have A Good Return On Equity? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. Pleasingly, Thai Beverage has a superior ROE than the average (8.9%) company in the Beverage industry. SGX:Y92 Past Revenue and Net Income, May 14th 2019 That's what I like to see. We think a high ROE, alone, is usually enough to justify further research into a company. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently. Story continues How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity? Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. 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. Combining Thai Beverage's Debt And Its 15% Return On Equity Thai Beverage clearly uses a significant amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 1.40. while its ROE is respectable, it is worth keeping in mind that there is usually a limit to how much debt a company can use. Investors should think carefully about how a company might perform if it was unable to borrow so easily, because credit markets do change over time. 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. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company. If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. NEW BERLIN, Wis. (AP) Business was good at the merchandise table as Republicans meeting at a suburban Milwaukee bowling alley picked out their Trump 2020 "Keep America Great" hats, now available in pink, blue and camouflage in addition to the trademark red. Bruce Kudick, a proud Donald Trump supporter with a little extra money in his pocket these days, bought two. The 60-year-old says he hoped to retire and move to Florida in 2014 after he sold the bar and bowling alley he owned. But health insurance got too expensive and his insurer pulled out of the individual market "because of Obamacare," so Kudick got a job with a Wisconsin blood center setting up blood drives. He just got a $3.75-per-hour raise an example, he says, of how the economy is booming with a businessman in the White House. "You can't tell me if you walked up to anybody and asked, 'Is your life better?' they can say anything other than 'yes,'" Kudick said. The economy already is at the center of the 2020 fight for president, particularly in Midwestern states that supported Trump in 2016 and that Democrats are determined to recapture next year. The Democrats' challenge may be especially difficult in Wisconsin, a toss-up state that has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Trump boasted of the job numbers during a rally in Green Bay last month, also noting the U.S. economy's better-than-expected 3.2% growth in the first quarter. Nationally, unemployment is at 3.6% a 50-year low. Wisconsin's is 2.9%. Democrats insist that Wisconsin families should still be aggrieved: that they should be seeing more of the economy's benefits, but wealthy people and corporations are taking too much. The Democratic group Priorities USA launched ads ahead of Trump's visit part of a $100 million early investment planned for Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan. The group noted Wisconsin's average annual wage was more than $4,000 below the national average. Story continues How people feel is the key question. In AP VoteCast, a national survey of voters in last year's midterm election, 68% of Wisconsin voters rated the economy as good or excellent and about as many said their family was holding steady financially. Rita Lock, a 54-year-old Democrat from Milwaukee, said she's dissatisfied and was happy to see former Vice President Joe Biden get into the 2020 presidential race. She believes that former President Barack Obama, who took office during the Great Recession, deserves credit for the turnaround and that too many people still are struggling. "People have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Everything will be better when a person can just work one job," said Lock, who runs an organization that advocates for criminal justice reform. The state's economy is driven largely by manufacturing, health care and agriculture, with Wisconsin known as "America's Dairyland" the country's largest cheese producer. Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Trump's trade policies have contributed to falling milk prices. Mexico, Canada, Europe and China imposed retaliatory tariffs on American dairy products after Trump placed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum. "Donald Trump has been a disaster for our state, for our country, for our dairy farmers," Barnes said at a Democratic gathering before Trump's Green Bay event. Barnes and Gov. Tony Evers defeated Republican Gov. Scott Walker last fall in a victory that energized Wisconsin Democrats. Barnes said he hopes their campaign can serve as a lesson for Democrats in 2020 to be bold. "People didn't always want to talk about criminal justice reform. They didn't want to talk about immigration. They said 'don't mention it. You're going to lose people,'" Barnes said. "But when we talked about it we found out that we gained people." They've also pressed for expanding Medicaid and spending more on education. Democratic Party of Wisconsin leader Martha Laning said the win was aided by more than 200 grassroots teams formed across the state after Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss. Those teams, knocking on doors in both urban and rural areas, will be back in action in 2020, Laning said. But just a few months after the 2018 midterms when Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin also easily won reelection a conservative Republican won a statewide seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, again prompting questions about which way the state leans politically. Terry Dittrich, GOP chair in reliably Republican Waukesha County, west of Milwaukee, says the party may have been complacent in 2018, but not now. "Our grassroots will be out in force," Dittrich said. "This state is going to be a razor-thin race." Tight races are not unfamiliar in Wisconsin. Three of the last five presidential races have been decided by less than 1 percent of the vote, with the exception being Obama's wins in 2008 and 2012. Obama picked up support in traditionally conservative areas that had lost thousands of industrial jobs, but those areas swung heavily to Trump in 2016. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said the state's party balance has moved from 3 to 5 percentage points pro-Democratic a few years ago to a dead-even split. He noted Trump's favorability rating here has been in the low- to mid-40s since he became president which is higher than before the 2016 election. "Trump has a more unified Republican Party behind him now than he had going into November of 2016," Franklin said. "He has a Democratic Party that's very opposed, but they were already opposed. ... And with independents he did make some improvements." Franklin also said the economy is "absolutely" a plus for an incumbent who has the numbers Trump is seeing in Gross Domestic Product, earnings and unemployment. Nik Rettinger, the 28-year-old first vice chairman of Waukesha County GOP, said he knows several people who were Trump skeptics but have come around to him in no small part because of the economy. "We want people moving out of their parents' basements," he said. "A lot of people said, 'I don't know if he can do it.' Now they think: He's done it." ___ Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. Siguatepeque (Honduras) (AFP) - Honduran Ruth Elizabeth Gomez gave up on her American dream after US immigration authorities locked her in a cold cell and then deported her back home. After reaching Mexico by foot, the 25-year-old had paid a "coyote" to smuggle her across the US border by boat, only to be arrested after arriving in Texas. "After the whole journey, (the detention) was the hardest part. Until then I had never suffered, even though I'd walked for long days feeling hungry," Gomez told AFP. After leaving her five and eight-year-old children with her mother, Gomez and her brother Jose Tulio joined the first Central American caravan that set off from San Pedro Sula in Honduras on October 13. She left in the hope of joining her father, a taxi driver who emigrated to the United States 14 years ago and hasn't returned home since. Despite US President Donald Trump sending troops to guard the country's southern border with Mexico and making threats to cut off aid to the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador if they didn't halt the flow of migrants heading northwards, new caravans have continued to set off on the long journey. Things hit rock bottom for Gomez on November 25, when she tried to scale a border wall between Mexico and the US. She was among 2,000 migrants at whom US immigration agents fired tear gas to force them back. "At that moment I felt like I was going to lose consciousness... I was on top (of the wall), I fainted and fell," she said. She was transferred to the northwest Mexican border city of Tijuana, where she spent six hours in a hospital and received treatment for her injured back. - 'The worst experience' - She remained in Mexico, working in a supermarket before deciding to try her luck again. She was caught and deported on January 19 to San Pedro Sula, with her "hands and feet in chains." Though her brother has remained in Mexico working in construction, Gomez says she won't try heading north again "for fear of American migration." Story continues "For me it was the worst experience," she said. Gomez said she was kept in a "cooler," a very cold room where she had to sleep on the floor. The detention center was "totally overcrowded," she added. While she's given up on the hope of a new life in the US, Gomez said she met some people who had far more to lose than her. "A friend took her three children. She went because (gangs) wanted her oldest son, who's 12, to sell drugs," said Gomez. Migrant caravans usually set off after dozens or even hundreds of people respond to a social media message announcing a gathering point. "That's the power of social media," said Sally Valladares, who studies the migration phenomenon. But the motivation comes from elsewhere. "People are totally desperate because of the lack of work and the violence," Valladares said in an interview. - Migrant caravans here to stay - The Honduran government blames people smugglers and political opponents for organizing and instigating this form of collective mass migration, though Gomez say the fault lies with President Juan Orlando Hernandez himself and that "the situation was better" with previous governments. Meanwhile, experts say socioeconomic conditions are the caravans' real drivers. "It doesn't matter who calls them, the caravans are... formed due to unemployment, violence and for family reunification," said Ricardo Puerta, who studies migration. More than a million Hondurans live in the US and send home upwards of $4 billion a year in remittances, a staggering amount that makes up a fifth of the country's gross domestic product. "Water doesn't enter a coconut, the coconut grows on its own. That's how caravans are... They're formed of people who have no money and have decided to emigrate," said former opposition lawmaker and journalist Bartolo Fuentes. Puerta said caravans are here to stay as that's how migrants have always traveled. And while Trump rails against the waves of migrants heading for the US, Puerta said the brash president is the person who stands to benefit most from migration. He's used it both as a campaign theme during last year's midterm elections, and also pointed to it to justify his project of building a wall stretching across the US's border with Mexico -- an issue popular with his core supporters. A graduate sends a message on her mortar board cap as the University of Alabama at Birmingham holds May 2012 commencement exercises for their graduates. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human-resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society. The questions are submitted by readers, and Taylor's answers below have been edited for length and clarity. Have a question? Do you have an HR or work-related question youd like me to answer? Submit it here. Question: Im retiring from the military after 24 years and very interested in working in human resources. Are bachelors degrees from regionally accredited for-profit universities viewed unfavorably by employers, and are online universities viewed differently than brick-and-mortar schools? Also, do certificate programs help in HR? John Johnny C. Taylor Jr.: I salute you for your service and congratulate you on your retirement from the military. More than half of veterans say employment is a top challenge when transitioning from military service to civilian life. Thats partially because employers and veterans themselves may have difficulty translating military experience to the civilian workplace. But it appears you are well on your way to meeting that challenge after identifying a civilian career path and educational opportunities. Veterans are entrepreneurial and resilient and exhibit advanced team-building abilities all of which are crucial to success in the workplace. Two-thirds of employers say veterans perform better than their civilian peers, and veterans also tend to stay in jobs longer. These positive traits and skills transfer well to HR, so your interest in our profession is well-founded, and I think youll find yourself well-suited for the role. Where you earn your degree is not the most important aspect of your qualifications. Its just one dimension of you as a candidate and experienced hiring managers understand that. To illustrate this, many HR professionals say they view online degrees favorably, and most organizations hire candidates with these degrees. Story continues Employers care more about what you studied and how your education and related experiences equip you for a position. Youll want to work to distinguish yourself in your studies and supplement your education with related work experience and volunteer activities, as well as participate in HR professional organizations. Communication skills: Still essentials for the tech generation: Ask HR Jury duty: Can I be fired for missing work to serve on a jury? Ask HR Certification matters, too, because HR is more than the facts and figures you know. Its also about translating those concepts into practical action. Being certified in HR shows employers that you can put your knowledge to use effectively in the workplace. Keep in mind that certifications differ from certificates because they must be renewed and kept current. Thats what employers are looking for. Keeping your certification up-to-date shows employers you are continuing to gain new knowledge and competence. Thats particularly important because of the pace of change in HRs work and role. Whether you decide on certification or certificate, regionally accredited or nationally accredited, online or brick-and-mortar, those traits that made you successful in the military will serve you well as you prepare to enter the HR profession. I look forward to welcoming you to HR. Q: What information is included in a background check? Aaron Taylor: Most employers conduct background checks of some sort. Many of us have some familiarity with them because they are commonly used in hiring. But current employees can be subject to background checks, too. A background check can screen for criminal history; verify identity, education and employment; and gather professional references. It also can include credit history checks, scrutiny of motor-vehicle records and reviews of social media accounts. The information collected during a background check varies from employer to employer and depends in part on the industry and geographic region. Jobs in government, transportation, medical, education and child care, for example, mandate extensive background checks. The finance industry frequently checks credit history, utility companies (gas and electric) commonly review driving records, and most real estate employers conduct criminal background checks. As for what is covered, a criminal history by far the most common type of check can contain information on arrests and convictions as well as information on unpaid parking tickets and similar infractions. Employment history examines dates of employment, job titles, duties performed and circumstances surrounding the workers departure. The period covered by a background check depends on an employers practices and state regulation. Why are they done? Primarily to minimize risk and liability and to ensure the safety and security of the workplace. But they also can be mandated by law. In hiring, background checks usually are conducted after a contingent job offer to independently confirm the information provided by a job applicant. Rescreening of existing employees is less common and primarily a practice of employers in regulated or high-risk industries to ensure employees remain licensed and authorized to work and have not committed any crimes or been involved in driving accidents since they were hired. What happens when concerning information surfaces? Employers generally review the overall results of a background check and weigh them against the impact on a persons ability to perform the duties of a job. Many employers agree with me that a criminal record should never be viewed as an automatic disqualification for employment. When a criminal check comes back positive, more than half of employers allow the job candidate to explain the results before they make a hiring decision. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Does it matter if a degree is from online or brick-and-mortar schools? Ask HR 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. WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - Donald Trump Jr. has reached an agreement with the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee for the panel's senators to interview him in mid-June, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. Citing a person briefed on the deal, the Times said the closed-door appearance would be limited to about a half-dozen topics and would last no longer than four hours. The Republican-led committee had subpoenaed Trump Jr. to answer questions about his contacts with Russia, two congressional sources said last week. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Tim Ahmann) By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump Jr. has reached an agreement with the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee for the panel's senators to interview him in mid-June, a congressional source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The closed-door appearance could cover a broad array of topics, the source said. These could include what Trump Jr. knows about a Trump Tower project in Moscow and about a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump Jr., Trump campaign adviser Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and a Russian lawyer, the source said. The agreement for Trump Jr.'s appearance was first reported by the New York Times. The source disputed news reports suggesting the questioning would be limited to five or six topics pertaining to Trump Jr.'s communications with Russian officials. A committee spokesperson declined to comment. A lawyer for Trump Jr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The panel had subpoenaed Trump Jr. to appear before the committee, two congressional sources said last week. Senators want to question him 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 month 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, into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose findings were released in part last month. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Tim Ahmann and James Dalgleish) Photo: iStock The number of crime incidents in Downtown Miami saw an overall decline last month, after a previous rise, according to data from SpotCrime, which collects data from police agencies and validated sources. Incidents fell by about 14%, from 564 in March to 485 in April. Crime reports were even lower in February, so April was not the lowest month yet, but Miami has seen a general decline in crime rates in recent years. The offenses most on the decline last month were assault and theft. Assault fell from 115 reported incidents in March to 79 in April. Theft incidents went from 220 to 203 for the month, or a 7.7% decrease. While somewhat smaller categories, there was also a notable percentage decrease last month in vandalism, from 10 incidents per month to five, and in robbery, from nine to eight. Vandalism reports have decreased since the same month last year, while robbery incidents have declined. Among the few types of offenses that saw an uptick last month, burglary reports went from 15 to 19. Shooting incidents in the downtown area rose from zero to one. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays had the most crime incidents in the Downtown area last month. The largest decrease from the previous month occurred on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, while incidents on Tuesdays and Thursdays went up. When it comes to time of day, late morning, late afternoon and evening continue to see the most crime incidents on average each day. Citywide crime levels in Miami also went down last month, by about 16 percent from the month before. Among the 17 neighborhoods in the city covered by our data, Downtown ranked highest in crime incidents per square mile, followed by nearby Overtown, Little Havana and Brickell. 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 SpotCrime 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. Duke Realty Corp. DRE is making concerted efforts to capitalize on healthy fundamentals of the industrial real estate market. The company recently announced that it is constructing two new industrial buildings in South Florida. Specifically, a 100,876-square-foot modern distribution center Copans 95 1731 is being built on the Pompano Beach. The property is only half mile west of the Copans Road I-95 interchange and close to the companys 4-building Copans Business Park. Copans 95 1731 will likely be complete this September. The other one, in Turnpike Crossing, is a 146,253-square-foot building known as Turnpike Crossing 6717. The building fronts the east side of Floridas Turnpike at Jog Road in West Palm Beach. This property is scheduled to be delivered in December 2019. Having decent access to I-95 and other major roadways, the construction of the two buildings on a speculative basis seems a strategic fit for the company. This is because the demand for quality distribution space in this market ranks among the highest in the nation. Duke Realty has made concerted efforts to grow its portfolio in South Florida, achieving 7.7 million square feet of industrial properties presently. However, it essentially had no availability in its South Florida portfolio at year-end 2018, reflecting strong demand. Therefore, the spec buildings are likely to witness high occupancy once they are delivered. In fact, per a study by the commercial real estate services firm CBRE Group CBRE availability fell for 35 straight quarters to 7% for the U.S. industrial market in first-quarter 2019, denoting the lowest point since 2000. Net asking rents increased 2.2% in the quarter to $7.51 per square feet marking the highest level since 1989, per a CBRE report. In order to support e-commerce business, address a large customer base and urbanization, companies are being compelled to enhance and renovate their distribution and production platforms. Services like same-day delivery are gaining traction, propelling demand for modern distribution facilities. Also, last-mile properties are witnessing a solid increase in asset values. In fact, despite supply picking up the pace, demand remains robust, creating scope for rental rates to grow in several markets. This is offering significant impetus to industrial REITs like Prologis Inc. PLD, Duke Realty and Liberty Property Trust LPT to flourish. Specifically, speaking about Duke Realty, we note that the company has resorted to the sale of suburban office assets and medical-office buildings in the past, in a bid to transform itself into a domestic-focused industrial property REIT. This augurs well amid favorable market environment in this asset class. Moreover, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock has rallied 18.5% year to date, outperforming 16.5% growth recorded by its industry. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Prologis, Inc. (PLD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Duke Realty Corporation (DRE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Liberty Property Trust (LPT) : Free Stock Analysis Report CBRE Group, Inc. (CBRE) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee on Tuesday released an early version of a spending bill that seeks to prevent the shipment of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, as U.S. officials press Turkey not to buy a Russian S-400 air defense system. The appropriations committee's bill forbids use of federal funds to deliver F-35s to Turkey. Congress often uses its control of federal government spending to influence policy by barring the use of funds. In this case, the measure would not allow any spending, for example, for fuel or pilots to fly the aircraft to Turkey Like other NATO allies of Washington, Turkey is both a prospective buyer and a partner in production of the F-35. But U.S. officials have said Turkey's plan to buy the Russian system would compromise the security of the Lockheed Martin F-35 jets. The dispute has strained relations between Washington and Ankara. The House defense appropriations subcommittee will consider the massive bill funding the Department of Defense on Wednesday. The F-35 provision is a small piece of the $690 billion bill. It is to early to tell when, if ever, the F-35 measure might become law. To pass, the appropriations bill must pass the House of Representatives, which is controlled by Democrats, and the Senate, controlled by President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans. The bill also must be signed into law by Trump, who wants more money - $750 billion - for defense than House Democrats want to provide. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Mike Stone; editing by Cynthia Osterman) Editors Note: Jay Nordlinger recently interviewed Vladimir Bukovsky, the legendary Soviet-era dissident, at Bukovskys home in Cambridge, England. The first installment in this series is here. When Bukovsky was released to the West in 1976, he was in his mid-thirties. He wanted to continue his education, which had been rudely interrupted by the Soviet authorities, who confined him to the Gulag for twelve years. Bukovsky got invitations from two universities, he tells me: Leiden in Holland and Kings College, Cambridge. He wished to study biology, and, in particular, neurophysiology. Leiden had a program that lasted five years, and Kings had a program that lasted three. For Bukovsky, every minute counted. Or, as he puts it, Every year meant a lot to me. He felt the need to get on with life. He opted for the three-year program over the five-. There was another reason to choose Kings, not Leiden. Instruction at Leiden was in English, but the everyday language of communication, says Bukovsky, was Dutch, and Dutch is an impossible language to master. He was loath to begin this language in his mid-thirties. Bukovsky has a memory: Even their prime minister, Lubbers, once said, Of all the languages in the animal kingdom, Dutch is the closest to human. In the Soviet Union, Bukovsky studied English in formal school settings, but the Soviet method of teaching was outrageous, he says. No one really learned anything. They taught you to translate a foreign text with a dictionary. That was the whole idea, when it came to the teaching of languages. The last thing they wanted was for you to be able to communicate in a foreign language. That could lead to trouble. Say you were an engineer. The authorities wanted you to be able to read articles in English concerning your subject, and to be able to translate those articles into Russian. They did not want you gabbing with foreign colleagues. Bukovsky taught himself English in prison, he says. He did it in one year. Story continues You were allowed to have books? I ask. You were allowed to buy books published in the Soviet Union, says Bukovsky. We were not allowed to have books published abroad though these books got smuggled in. Also, in prison libraries, you could find novels by Dreiser and Dickens, because they put capitalism in a bad light. Bukovsky read all of Dickens. It was a torture, he says, because he was writing in sentences that might take a page and a half, and by the time you got to the end, youd forgotten about the beginning! Do you have a lot of math? I ask Bukovsky. Yeah, he says. I love math. I say, Must be something in the Russian water. Russian kids seem to be math whizzes. This is a misimpression, says Bukovsky. Its like chess, he adds. Everyone says, Oh, the Russians are so good at chess! To begin with, its the Jews who are so good! At the beginning of Part I, I mentioned a new book by Bukovsky, or rather, an old book, newly available in English. Whats the story there? Go back to 1991, the year the Soviet Union collapsed. The new president, Yeltsin, banned the Communist Party. The party then sued, and Yeltsins government asked Bukovsky to serve as an expert witness at trial. He agreed, on one condition: that he would have access to the archives the archives of the Central Committee, the beating, black heart of the party. He got it. Off he went to Russia, armed with a laptop, a scanner, and other equipment. These had been provided to him by his French publisher. By day, Bukovsky combed through the archives, finding eye-popping material. Was it as bad as you had thought? I ask. Worse, he says. Worse. The depravity of the Soviet Communist Party was practically boundless, and the willingness of foreigners to cooperate with the party, or accommodate it, was appalling. By night, Bukovsky copied the material, surreptitiously. It was expressly forbidden to do so. Copying the material entailed a laborious process, but Bukovsky was determined to do it. He worked virtually round the clock. He felt strongly that the archives would not be open for long to him or anyone else. I had a very limited window, he tells me. The trial? It turned out to be a dud, not the Nuremberg-like reckoning that Bukovsky, along with many others, had hoped for. But Bukovsky had the documents in the West the documents that he had copied, then smuggled out. He put them in a book, along with his comments on them. He called his book Judgment in Moscow. (In 1961, there had been an American movie, Judgment at Nuremberg.) It was published in nine languages, including Russian. That was thanks to Solzhenitsyn, by the way, says Bukovsky. He gave money for it the Russian edition. (Alexander Solzhenitsyn was tremendously philanthropic, as all Soviet dissidents and their families are aware.) Judgment in Moscow was not published in English, the preeminent language in the world. Why? Thereby hangs a tale. It has been told by others, including Bukovsky, at length. I will tell it in brief. In the United States, Random House had the rights to the book. But, in the end, the house refused to publish it. Bukovskys book was judged too hot to handle. Random House demanded extensive revisions, which the author refused to undertake. In his characteristic fashion, he said, Owing to peculiarities in my biography, I am allergic to political censorship. Judgment in Moscow is not a warm and cuddly book, let me say. Most dissidents, in my experience, are not warm and cuddly. Otherwise, they might not have been dissidents in the first place. Judgment in Moscow is a damning book. Its subtitle is Soviet Crimes and Western Complicity. Many people in the West are uncomfortable with the complicity part. Bukovsky thinks they should be. After Random House backed out, John Murray, a British publisher, was set to publish an English edition. This house, too, ultimately backed out chickened out, Bukovsky and his supporters say. Was it frustrating not to have the book in English? I ask. It was annoying, says Bukovsky. I wouldnt say it was frustrating. I knew that you couldnt hide this book, that it would get through anyway. He continues, The amazing part was that the Left was so powerful as to block a book, recommended by the top experts on the subject. Their power, their ability to do things like that, is amazing. Its tantamount to dictatorship. I mean, just think of it. Let me note that, when the book was written, 25 years ago, Richard Pipes and Robert Conquest praised it. I thought of this when Bukovsky said top experts. He surely has more in mind as well. Flash forward to a few years ago: Evgeny Kissin, the pianist, wanted to discuss something with Bukovsky. (Kissin, Russian-born, has been a British citizen since 2002.) It was not music. It was Judgment in Moscow. The book was greatly meaningful to him, and he wanted to see it published in English. He went ahead and made it possible, with money and drive. Bukovsky had long before given up on an English edition. He himself would not have bothered, he tells me. But Kissin and others including volunteers very much wanted to bother. It is their project, says Bukovsky, rather than his. The book has been brought out by a small publisher in California, Ninth of November Press. (The Berlin Wall came down on November 9, 1989. The publishers motto is Dissident books brought back for todays readers.) This new edition has a foreword by Edward Lucas and an afterword by David Satter. They are two leading Russianists of today. Lucas writes, Elizabeth Childs and her small publishing house deserve plaudits for having stepped in where the big beasts of the literary world have quailed and failed. The new edition has an expanded chapter, an expansion made possible by Pavel Stroilov, a Russian lawyer. He served as Bukovskys eyes and ears in Russia. (Bukovsky is not exactly welcome in his native land.) I was his spy, Stroilov tells me. He obtained thousands of documents via the Gorbachev Foundation, and these serve to expand Bukovskys Chapter Six. Stroilov, like Bukovsky, is now an exile, in Britain. Back to Kissin for a moment Kissin and Bukovsky, and their interesting, surprising connection. I ask Bukovsky, Do you like music? Yes, I do, he says. Did you have piano lessons? I ask. No, I never played the piano, he says. Elaborating, he says, I liked Rachmaninoff and other famous composers, but I never played myself. I wasnt a musical man at all. Judgment in Moscow has left a deep impression on Kissin, Stroilov, and others, known and unknown. Bukovsky cites a verse by Fyodor Tyutchev, a 19th-century Russian poet: We cannot guess ahead / What echo our words will have. Thanks for reading, everyone. Ill see you tomorrow. The main question in Part III will be, How important is it that Russia and the former Soviet empire have never had a Nuremberg a decommunization, as there was a denazification? This is a very important question. More from National Review BOSTON An embattled Harvard University law professor under fire on campus for representing Harvey Weinstein said Monday that he has left the Hollywood media mogul's legal defense team. Ronald Sullivan Jr. said the rescheduling of Weinstein's sexual assault trial created an "unresolvable conflict" with his teaching obligations at Harvard. He said the court approved his request to withdraw from representing Weinstein at the trial, scheduled to begin in New York on Sept. 9. His departure comes just two days after Harvard amid an uproar that began in January announced plans to let go of Sullivan and his wife Stephanie Robinson as faculty deans at the school's Winthrop House. More: Harvard professor out as dean amid backlash for representing Harvey Weinstein For months, a group of Harvard students had protested Sullivan's professional decision to work for Weinstein's legal defense while at the same time serving as a faculty dean at one of Harvard's 12 houses where students live. In his prominent position at the Winthrop House, Sullivan provides guidance, advice and mentoring for students who reside there. "My decision to represent Mr. Weinstein sparked considerable discussion and activism around issues of sexual violence, the appropriate role and responsibilities of Harvard and its faculty in addressing those issues, and the tension between protecting the rights of those criminally accused and validating the experience of those who are survivors of sexual violence," Sullivan said in a statement. "My representation of those accused of sexual assault does not speak to my personal views on any of these matters. I will remain available to Mr. Weinsteins trial team for advice and consultation." Sullivan and Robinson were the first African-Americans to be appointed faculty deans at Harvard. The university has said they will not renew their terms when they expire next month. In addition to the campus backlash for representing Weinstein, Sullivan and Robinson had seen their leadership questioned. Story continues The Harvard Crimson reported last week that more than a dozen Winthrop tutors, students and staff have brought concerns about Sullivan and Robinson to Harvard administrators over the past three years. The complaints have involved questions about their leadership, a "revolving door" of staff administrators at the house, and "threats" to push out residents deemed as disloyal by Sullivan and Robinson. More: Harvard deans legal defense of Harvey Weinstein sparks controversy on campus Weinstein, whose alleged activity helped accelerate the #MeToo movement, has been charged with multiple sex crimes. In February, Rekesh Khurana, dean of Harvard, pointed to the "academic freedom" of faculty members to make professional decisions when asked about Sullivans work with Weinstein. He also defended the right of every individual to have a vigorous defense. But in an email Saturday announcing the school's decision to not continue Sullivan in the role of faculty dean, he said the situation at the Winthrop House had become "untenable." "Over the last few weeks, students and staff have continued to communicate concerns about the climate in the Winthrop House to the college," Khurana said in the email. "The concerns expressed have been serious and numerous. "The actions that have been taken to improve the climate have been ineffective, and the noticeable lack of faculty dean presence during critical moments has further deteriorated the climate in the house. I have concluded that the situation in the house is untenable." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Embattled Harvard law professor leaves Harvey Weinstein's legal defense team Paris (AFP) - Headline-grabbing PR stunts have become the main tool of environmental pressure groups to turn up the heat on the companies behind the products that cause climate change and devastate the Earth's natural resources. But campaigners are also diversifying their tactics, sometimes becoming active shareholders in corporations such as carmakers, chemicals companies and oil majors in a bid to force them to listen to concerns about the ecological and climate emergency the planet is facing. The latest act of environmental disruption came on Tuesday, when protesters held a "die-in" at German car behemoth Volkswagen's annual general meeting (AGM), laying on the ground among scattered tires behind a fake police cordon labelled "climate crime scene". "For me Volkswagen represents the immoral greed of capitalism," 18-year-old Clara Marisa Mayer, an activist for the "Fridays for Future" climate movement in Germany, told AFP. Environmentalists have also recently spectacularly dumped barrels of dead bees at the annual shareholder meeting of German agrochemicals giant Bayer; glued themselves to the London Stock Exchange; and staged sit-ins in front of oil giant Total's headquarters in La Defense business district of Paris. Several marches are planned to be held across the world this weekend against Monsanto and other agri-business giants. - Pressing urgency - For Gabriel Mazzolini of the French arm of Friends of the Earth, who took part in the April 19 blockade of energy companies at La Defense, politely seeking dialogue and commissioning expert reports were "no longer effective ways forward, given the pressing urgency of the situation." "Mass acts of civil disobedience allow people to get involved in non-violent protests that sometimes breach the limits of legality," he said. Dominique Bourg, who heads of the list of France's Urgence Ecologie in the upcoming European parliamentary elections, says that "traditional Green parties don't always incorporate the different strands of protest. But such protests are going to increase in number." Story continues In Britain, a movement calling itself Extinction Rebellion has sprung up advocating acts of non-violent civil disobedience against what it terms "climate inertia". The fast-growing movement, set up by British academics, staged 11 days of festive but highly disruptive rallies last month, bringing parts of London to a stand-still to focus global attention on climate change. The movement has primarily captured the imagination of young people, who, inspired by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, have regularly boycotted classes in a number of different European countries to stage protest marches. The German division of Friends of the Earth says its fastest growing group of activists is among the under-25s. For many years, protesters have regularly turned up at the annual general meetings (AGM) of companies in Germany, but have tended to be dismissed in the past as cranks and crackpots. But with public awareness of the issue growing globally, such voices are increasingly becoming mainstream. "No other company in Europe is more responsible for this crisis than yours. How can you justify yourselves to our generation," student Luisa Neubauer told shareholders at the AGM of German power giant RWE, which has decided to continue mining coal. Like some other activists, Neubauer was invited to speak although she doesn't actually own any shares in the company she is targeting. - More than shock tactics - Away from the media glare that such protests attract, activists are seeking other ways of influencing the biggest polluters, buying shares in them, for example, in order to have a say in management decisions. "Shock tactics are necessary, but not enough," says Mauro Meggiolaro, of the Italian Finanza Etica foundation, which makes "ethical" investments. "We submit technical questions in writing so as to make any commitments traceable. And we keep questions for the general public for the AGM," he says. "It can be more effective than an outside protest to engage in dialogue." Finanza Etica set up a Europe-wide network called "Shareholders for Change" in 2017. Aurelie Baudhuin, of the Meeschaert AM fund, which is a member of the network, said her fund had bought 34,100 shares in Swedish fashion retailer H&M and then submitted a motion at the AGM to take environmental and social issues into consideration when awarding management bonuses. "Family shareholders hold 75 percent of the stock, so the motion wasn't ever going to pass. But it sent a strong signal," she said. In view of such pressure, many companies in the financial sector have reduced their investment in companies active in the most polluting sectors. And while multi-nationals such as Swiss food and drinks giant Nestle are keen to emphasise their green credentials, campaigners refuse to be taken in. At Nestle's AGM in April, Greenpeace International director, Jennifer Morgan, lambasted the group's use of throwaway plastic. And a few days later, protesters gathered in front of Nestle's headquarters carrying a huge dragon made from plastic found in the sea. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Thule Group (STO:THULE). While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business than can consistently produce it. Conversely, a loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the sweet milk of external capital may run sour. View our latest analysis for Thule Group Thule Group's Earnings Per Share Are Growing. If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Thule Group managed to grow EPS by 11% per year, over three years. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained. Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. While we note Thule Group's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 13% to kr6.7b. That's progress. You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart. OM:THULE Income Statement, May 14th 2019 Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Thule Group. Are Thule Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? Story continues Does Thule Group Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist? One positive for Thule Group is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. If you think Thule Group might suit your style as an investor, you could go straight to its annual report, or you could first check our discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation for the company. Although Thule Group certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction 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. Ankara (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Syrian regime of "seeking to sabotage" Ankara's relationship with Russia through its latest offensive in the northwest of the war-torn country. Clashes in Idlib province in northwestern Syria have killed at least 42 fighters in 24 hours, a monitor said Monday, and the regime bombardment on the region has devastated health services. Idlib's three million inhabitants are supposed to be protected by a buffer zone deal signed last September by Russia and Turkey. Erdogan told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during a phone call late on Monday that the offensive by President Bashar al-Assad's forces "sought to sabotage Turkish-Russian cooperation," according to Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, on Twitter. The readout of the phone call made no mention of the fact that Russian forces are involved in the Syrian government's offensive. Russia and Turkey are on opposing sides of the conflict, with Moscow strongly supporting Assad, while Ankara has called for his ouster and supported Syrian rebels in the civil war since it began in 2011. But Turkey and Russia have worked closely, along with Iran, to find a political solution to the conflict. Erdogan lamented that "the regime's ceasefire violations targeting the Idlib de-escalation zone over the last two weeks have reached an alarming dimension." He said it was impossible to explain it as a counter-terror effort given the number of casualties and damage to health services. The Turkish leader also warned that the attacks risked undermining the fate of the political process in Syria. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar also spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoygu on Tuesday to discuss "measures to de-escalate tensions" in Idlib, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. Story continues The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 loyalists and 19 jihadists died between Sunday and Monday in clashes in the area of Jabal al-Akrad in Latakia province, which lies on the bastion's northwestern edge. Russian and regime aircraft bombarded the area on Monday, while they also hit southern parts of the jihadist stronghold, said the Britain-based war monitor. HTS and its allies launched a counter-attack late Monday, bombing areas in the north of the province and sparking fierce clashes on the ground, according to the Observatory. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE:SFL) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. I will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Ship Finance International The method We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow are will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 Levered FCF ($, Millions) $234.00 $297.00 $214.00 $167.06 $142.77 $129.42 $122.00 $118.10 $116.43 $116.23 Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ -21.94% Est @ -14.54% Est @ -9.36% Est @ -5.73% Est @ -3.19% Est @ -1.42% Est @ -0.17% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 11.58% $209.72 $238.57 $154.07 $107.79 $82.57 $67.08 $56.67 $49.17 $43.45 $38.87 Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF)= $1.05b Story continues "Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 10-year government bond rate of 2.7%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 11.6%. Terminal Value (TV) = FCF 2029 (1 + g) (r g) = US$116m (1 + 2.7%) (11.6% 2.7%) = US$1.3b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV) = TV / (1 + r)10 = $US$1.3b ( 1 + 11.6%)10 = $451.43m The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is $1.50b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. This results in an intrinsic value estimate of $13.46. Relative to the current share price of $12.54, the company appears about fair value at a 6.9% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. NYSE:SFL Intrinsic value, May 14th 2019 Important assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Ship Finance International as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 11.6%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.484. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Whilst important, DCF calculation shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Ship Finance International, There are three fundamental aspects you should further examine: Financial Health: Does SFL have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does SFL's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Are there other high quality stocks you could be holding instead of SFL? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every US stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. By Daria Sito-Sucic SARAJEVO, May 14 (Reuters) - The European Union peacekeeping force (EUFOR) in Bosnia warned the Serbian representative on Bosnia's presidency on Tuesday against saying anything to weaken the country's multi-ethnic armed forces after he made comments widely seen as divisive. The formation of Bosnia's armed forces (AFBiH), assisted by NATO and EUFOR, has been hailed as the country's biggest achievement since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, uniting former wartime foes and promoting national stability. Under the 1995 Dayton peace accords, Bosnia was split into two autonomous regions - the Serb-dominated Serb Republic and a federation shared by Muslim Bosniaks and Croats. Each region has its own government and parliament. The AFBiH, formed in 2005, brings together Bosniaks, Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat former military components under a state law on defense agreed by all political parties and approved by the national parliament. But nationalist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said at a ceremony on Sunday marking the Day of the Serb Republic army (VRS) that the Serb component of Bosnia's military would wear its own uniform at next year's ceremony, not that of the united army. Dodik, who has often criticized Bosnia's state-level multi-ethnic institutions even while serving as chairman of Bosnia's tripartite presidency since last October, said the Third Infantry Regiment was part of the Serb Republic army and expected to "defend its achievements" if need be. EUFOR CONCERN His comments sparked an angry reaction from Bosniak leaders, who said the VRS had been mentioned in many verdicts by the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as a force responsible for killing Bosniaks during the wars of the 1990s. EUFOR, which in 2004 took over from NATO the task of keeping the peace in Bosnia, said: "Any statements which serve to undermine the AFBiH and their legal status as the single, united, military force of the state of Bosnia are counter-productive and should be avoided. Story continues "EUFOR ... rejects any statements or activities that could divide this organization and jeopardize the success that AFBiH has achieved in terms of providing a single, state-level, and internationally respected military force, which represents all people of Bosnia and Herzegovina," it said in a statement. The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and the mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also criticized Dodik's statement, saying it was irresponsible and dangerous. Bosniak leaders have accused Dodik of arming and beefing up the Serb region's police, violating the balance of arms between the country's two regions as agreed under the Dayton peace deal. EUFOR, whose mandate is to support local authorities in maintaining a stable and secure environment and has around 800 troops deployed in Bosnia, has said it is prepared to intervene at short notice if violence resumes in Bosnia, two decades after the end of an ethnic conflict that killed 100,000 people. (Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS, May 14 (Reuters) - Italy's deteriorating public finances will break European Union rules this year and next unless Rome alters its policies, but the EU executive is split on how to best handle the case of the euro zone's third-biggest economy, EU officials said. The European Commission is closely watching Italy because of the country's huge public debt, the second highest in Europe after Greece, which the Commission forecasts will rise this year and next instead of falling as EU rules dictate. Italy's budget deficit is to rise too, against the rules, while growth stalls. Yet outspoken Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, whose right-wing League party is in government with the populist 5-Star movement, said the country was ready to break EU fiscal rules -- remarks that sent the euro lower. Italian and other politicians across the 28-nation bloc have sharpened their rhetoric ahead of elections to the European Parliament being held in all EU countries on May 23-26. "The Commission is split on Italy -- there are those like Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis who want harsher action and those, like Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, who push for dialog and compromise," one EU official said. The tougher course would be EU disciplinary steps that could end in fines, something Italy avoided last December through a deal in which the EU forgave Rome its consolidation obligations and which the Commission called "not ideal" and "borderline." But since December, Italy's economic data and outlook have only become grimmer, increasing investor worries about Rome's ability to service its obligations. "We're very cautious on Italy right now," said Mohammed Kazmi, a portfolio manager for UBP in Geneva. "What we're seeing in the past few days from the Italian cabinet is that instead of calming the fears of the European Commission following its deficit forecasts, Salvini talked about how he's willing to go ahead with a VAT cut." Story continues SHOWDOWN ON JUNE 5 The Commission will issue a report on Italian public finances on June 5 that could conclude with a call for disciplinary steps to start. The final decision will fall to Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, who has in the past tended to side with Moscovici, officials said. France, Portugal and Spain all avoided being fined for breaking EU rules thanks to that approach. Some officials said Juncker, who will leave the Commission in October, would stick to his lenient stance and leave the issue to the next EU executive. "It will be legacy time: will Juncker want to end his term with the opening of the first debt-based EDP (Excessive Deficit Procedure) for Italy, a procedure that it will be very difficult to get out of once launched, and which he fought hard to avoid as recently as December? Probably not, but who knows," a second official with insight into the Commission's thinking said. Being tough on Italy would be hard for Juncker, the official said. "That would go against the instincts he has demonstrated in recent years which are more like Moscovici's -- dialog over confrontation on these matters," the second official said. Pressure from markets could play a role -- Salvini's remarks drove Italy's 10-year bond yield to two-month highs of 2.755%, up 6 basis points on the day, while shorter-dated two-year and five-year yields rose 8 bps each on Tuesday. The closely-watched spread between 10-year Italian and German bond yields hit its widest level in three months, at 282.6 basis points. Latest Commission forecasts show that Italian debt will rise this year to 133.7% of GDP from 132.2% in 2018. Next year it will go up even further, to 135.2% of GDP. This is in violation of EU rules, under which Italy's debt should be falling every year by 1/20 of the difference between the present level and the 60% ceiling permitted by EU treaties, calculated as an average over three years. Of even more concern to investors, the Commission expects that Italy's primary balance, the amount of money the government has before debt servicing costs, is to drop to 1.2% of GDP this year from 1.6% in 2018 and tumble to only 0.2% in 2020, a worrying sign for a country with a large public debt. All this as Italy's economic growth is forecast to almost grind to a halt this year, after being revised down from the 1% expansion that the December compromise was based on. (Additional reporting by Dhara Ranasinghe; Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Catherine Evans) BRUSSELS, May 14 (Reuters) - The European Union and Ukraine share strategic interests, the European Commission's president said on Tuesday, and he called for patience and determination as Ukraine tries to align itself with western Europe. The EU is watching with a wary eye as Ukraine's incoming president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, prepares to take office. It has backed Ukraine's pro-European aspirations, but Zelenskiy is an unknown quantity, a comedian with no political experience. He will need to deal with Moscow, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and began supporting a rebellion in eastern Ukraine that killed more than 10,000 people and still simmers. Speaking at an event marking a decade of the Eastern Partnership, an EU project with Ukraine and five other post-communist countries on its eastern border, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the strategic interests of Ukraine and the EU are "exactly the same." "Let's replace the use of arms by the rule of law, this is something we must strive for every day," Juncker said. "And we must also put an end to bilateral conflicts between different countries of eastern Europe. "So that all conflicts - frozen or not - come to an end, we have to have peace in our immediate neighborhood. Otherwise we won't be able to mobilize all the energies that we could to make progress towards cohesion among our countries." Juncker and his aides say the Eastern Partnership has already delivered through simplified procedures some 3.8 million visas to citizens of the six states, which also include Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. Some 80,000 students from the six will have been able to take part in Erasmus, the EU's university exchange program, and trade flows between the bloc and the group reached 74 billion euros in 2018, they said. The EU leaders' chairman, Donald Tusk, last week told reporters Zelenskiy had declared to him that he would pursue reforms to strengthen democracy in Ukraine, but not enough time had passed to test the new Ukrainian president's vow. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, editing by Larry King) Kathmandu (AFP) - Eight Nepali climbers reached the top of Mount Everest on Tuesday, opening the route for a potentially record number of climbers to summit the world's highest mountain in the coming weeks. A team of experienced mountaineers were waiting for powerful jet streams raging around the top of Everest to subside to fix ropes to the summit for foreign climbers. "It has been difficult this year and we were getting worried. But the weather finally improved for the eight to reach the top," Iswari Paudel of Himalayan Guides Nepal, the company assigned to fix the ropes, told AFP. Poudel said that many teams were preparing to summit in the next few days. Nepal has issued a record 378 permits costing $11,000 each to mountaineers for this year's spring climbing season, sparking fears of overcrowding if the weather cuts down the number of climbing days. Most Everest hopefuls are escorted by a Nepali guide, meaning about 750 climbers will tread the same path to the top of the 8,850-metre (29,035-foot) peak in the coming weeks. And at least 140 others are preparing to scale Everest using the northern route from Tibet, according to expedition operators, potentially taking the total past last year's record. Everest attracts hundreds of mountaineers each spring, when a window of good weather opens up between late April and the end of May, prompting a rush for the top. A record 807 climbers reached the summit of Mount Everest last year, with 563 people climbing from the south and 244 from the northern flank in Tibet. The mountain also claimed the lives of five climbers, including an experienced Sherpa guide who was knocked down a crevasse by a rescue helicopter. A boom in climbers has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent in 1953. There are mounting concerns, however, that the numbers are unsustainable, with fears of dangerous overcrowding as well as a worsening environmental situation. In April a clean-up team brought back three tonnes of garbage from the mountain left behind by climbers including climbing gear, gas canisters and excrement. NEW YORK (AP) Former Rep. Anthony Weiner left a New York City halfway house on Tuesday after completing his prison sentence for illicit online contact with a 15-year-old girl. "It's good to be out," the disgraced former congressman said, according to the New York Post . "I hope to be able to live a life of integrity and service. I'm glad this chapter of my life is behind me." Weiner, 54, was ordered in April to register as a sex offender as he neared the end of a 21-month prison sentence. The judge designated Weiner a Level 1 offender under the state's version of what's known as Megan's Law, meaning that he is thought to have a low risk of reoffending. Weiner, a once-rising star in the Democratic Party who served in Congress for nearly 12 years, had been living in the halfway house since February after serving most of his sentence at a prison in Massachusetts. He still faces three years of court supervision. Weiner pleaded guilty in May 2017 to transferring obscene material to a minor. Prosecutors said he had a series of sexually explicit Skype and Snapchat exchanges with a North Carolina high school student and encouraged the teen to strip naked and touch herself sexually. At his sentencing, Weiner said he'd been a "very sick man for a very long time" and said he had a sex addiction. Weiner's lawyer said the former lawmaker likely exchanged thousands of messages with hundreds of women over the years and was communicating with up to 19 women when he encountered the teenager. It wasn't the first time Weiner had been caught acting inappropriately. After sending a lewd picture of himself to a college student in 2011, Weiner claimed his account had been hacked, then admitted online interactions with at least six other women while married to top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Weiner resigned from Congress, only to try for a political comeback with a run for New York City mayor in 2013. Then came the revelation that Weiner had used the alias "Carlos Danger" to send explicit photos to at least one woman after resigning from Congress. Story continues Weiner received less than 5% of the Democratic primary vote. Abedin filed for divorce from Weiner in 2017. But the two, who have a young son together, later agreed to discontinue the case in order to negotiate their separation privately. The investigation into Weiner's contact with the 15-year-old roiled the 2016 presidential campaign because emails Clinton had sent to Abedin were found on a laptop computer FBI agents seized from him. That led then-FBI Director James Comey to announce just days before the election that that agency was reopening its investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state. Days later, Comey said nothing in the new emails changed his view that Clinton could not be charged with a crime. Nevertheless, Clinton felt damage was done and said Comey shared blame for her loss to Donald Trump. By Neha Dasgupta NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India fears China could soon start flooding excess steel into its market after the United States raised tariffs on Chinese products due to the escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies, according to three government sources and four industry officials. As a result, the Indian steel industry has asked the Indian government to put in so-called safeguard duties of as much as 25 percent to protect it from growing imports. These would be imposed on steel that the government determines has been dumped in India at prices below the cost of production. Since last year, China and the United States have been locked in a trade conflict as Washington seeks to fix the trade balance, currently tilted in favour of Beijing. The two nations have raised or threatened to raise tariffs on each other's goods, moves that could re-draw trade flows and that have threatened to derail the global economy. "China has excess (steel) capacity and there is a concern they could re-route it through other countries like Vietnam and Cambodia into India," an Indian government source with direct knowledge of the matter said. "Steel sector is vulnerable," the source said, declining to be identified due to the sensitive nature of discussions. India, the world's second-largest steel producer, turned net importer in the year ended March 31, 2019 after a gap of three years. That is because the country lacks the capability to produce high-quality steel and has lost some of its global clients to cheaper exports from China, Japan and South Korea. "China, Japan, Korea which are major exporters to U.S., Europe and Canada, because of trade actions, they are also diverting steel into India," Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director at JSW Steel Ltd, told Reuters. DEMANDED SAFEGUARD DUTIES "It is very much essential for government of India to increase the safeguard duty to 25 percent as soon as possible," said Rao. Currently, there are a range of such duty levels. Story continues Last month, steel companies JSW, Steel Authority of India, Tata Steel, Jindal Steel and Power - controlling over 45 percent of India's total steel production - met with government officials to ask for safeguards, according to a source who attended the meeting. During the meeting, Steel Secretary Binoy Kumar, the top bureaucrat in the Ministry of Steel, also said that the steel industry was at risk from global excess capacity, the source said. Kumar said India need to act soon to protect its fragile steel industry from predatory imports as it would be difficult to revive it if the situation was allowed to deteriorate for three-to-four years. However, he said a decision on safeguard duties has not yet been taken. The steel ministry did not respond to Reuters' emails and phone calls seeking comments. Neither did SAIL, Tata and JSPL. "What we are seeing is that part of displaced exports is already making inroads," said Arnab Kumar Hazra, assistant secretary general at the Indian Steel Association, which represents major steel producers. There was therefore every reason to argue for safeguard duties given the perceived threat, he said. India had imposed a slew of safeguards in 2015-2017 on several steel products to curb cheaper imports and protect local industry, prompting Japan to refer India's behaviour to the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute panel. India's trade deficit with China jumped more than a nine fold over the past decade to $63.05 billion in the year ending March 2018. With the latest U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, India fears Beijing could also re-route exports of electronic items, toys, furniture and organic chemicals to India through other Southeast Asian nations. New Delhi and Beijing have been negotiating over greater market access as China wants to exports milk products and apples to India while New Delhi wants to sell China bovine meat, sources said. (Reporting by Neha Dasgupta; Edited by Martin Howell) By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order this week barring U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment made by firms posing a national security risk, paving the way for a ban on doing business with China's Huawei, three U.S. officials familiar with the plan told Reuters. The order, which will not name specific countries or companies, has been under consideration for more than a year but has repeatedly been delayed, the sources said, asking not to be named because the preparations remain confidential. It could be delayed again, they said. The executive order would invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president the authority to regulate commerce in response to a national emergency that threatens the United States. The order will direct the Commerce Department, working with other government agencies, to draw up a plan for enforcement, the sources said. If signed, the executive order would come at a delicate time in relations between China and the United States as the world's two largest economies ratchet up tariffs in a battle over what U.S. officials call China's unfair trade practices. Washington believes equipment made by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's third largest smartphone maker, could be used by the Chinese state to spy. Huawei, which has repeatedly denied the allegations, did not immediately comment. The White House and Commerce Department declined to comment. The United States has been actively pushing other countries not to use Huawei's equipment in next-generation 5G networks that it calls "untrustworthy." In August, Trump signed a bill that barred the U.S. government itself from using equipment from Huawei and another Chinese provider, ZTE Corp. In January, U.S. prosecutors charged two Huawei units in Washington state saying they conspired to steal T-Mobile US Inc trade secrets, and also charged Huawei and its chief financial officer with bank and wire fraud on allegations that the company violated sanctions against Iran. Story continues The Federal Communications Commission in April 2018 voted to advance a proposal to bar the use of funds from a $9 billion government fund to purchase equipment or services from companies that pose a security threat to U.S. communications networks. Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai said last week he is waiting for the Commerce Department to express views on how to "define the list of companies" that would be prohibited under the FCC proposal. The FCC voted unanimously to deny China Mobile Ltds bid to provide U.S. telecommunications services last week and said it was reviewing similar prior approvals held by China Unicom and China Telecom Corp. The issue has taken on new urgency as U.S. wireless carriers look for partners as they rollout 5G networks. While the big wireless companies have already cut ties with Huawei, small rural carriers continue to rely on both Huawei and ZTE switches and other equipment because they tend to be cheaper. The Rural Wireless Association, which represents carriers with fewer than 100,000 subscribers, estimated that 25 percent of its members had Huawei or ZTE equipment in their networks, it said in an FCC filing in December. At a hearing Tuesday, U.S. senators raised the alarm about allies using Chinese equipment in 5G networks. The Wall Street Journal first reported in May 2018 that the executive order was under review. Reuters reported in December that Trump was still considering issuing the order and other media reported in February that the order was imminent. (Reporting by David Shepardson, additional reporting by Chris Bing and Diane Bartz; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) Photo: iStock Looking for an adventure in one of the worlds great megacities, but without the hassle of flying halfway around the world? Mexico City is North Americas largest, at over 8 million people (and more than twice that number in the greater metro area). It's the oldest capital city in the Americas, rich in history and culture, and a major economic center in the region today. In addition to Aztec ruins, the city has the worlds largest single-metropolitan concentration of museums, plus extensive art galleries, concert halls and theaters. And the citys 16 boroughs and many colorful neighborhoods offer an abundance of shopping, restaurants, bars and nightlife. Its more doable than you think. According to travel site Skyscanner, there are plenty of flights from Tucson to Mexico City in the next few months, and the prices aren't too shabby. So if you're looking for a change of scenery, here are some deals to put on your to-do list. (Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Prices and availability are subject to change.) Flight deals to Mexico City The cheapest flights between Tucson and Mexico City are if you leave on Oct. 3 and return from Mexico on Oct. 9. Aeromexico currently has roundtrip tickets for $443. There are also deals to be had in September. If you fly out of Tucson on Sept. 25 and return from Mexico City on Sept. 30, Southwest Airlines can get you there and back for $461 roundtrip. Top Mexico City hotels To plan your accommodations, here are two of Mexico Citys top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction. The St. Regis Mexico City (Paseo de la Reforma 439) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The St. Regis Mexico City. The hotel has a five-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $255. Story continues The Condesa DF (Avenida Veracruz 102) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner If you're looking to indulge, try The Condesa DF, which has rooms for $265/night. It checks in with 4.6 stars. This 40-room luxury hotel is located in Mexico City's Condesa district, close to many restaurants, bars and cafes. Top picks for dining and drinking Don't miss Mexico City's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings. El Moro (Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 42) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner One of Mexico City's most popular restaurants is the El Moro, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of 17 reviews on Skyscanner. "This 1930s churreria is a must-visit," wrote visitor Harold. Panaderia Rosetta (Colima 179) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner Another popular dining destination is the Panaderia Rosetta, with 4.9 stars from 11 reviews. "It's a very cozy breakfast spot with only a few bar stools for seating. Get there early to get your hands on the good pastries," wrote Leila. Restaurante El Cardenal (Calle de la Palma 23) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner Also worth considering is the Restaurante El Cardenal, with 4.6 stars from 22 reviews. "The food was super fantastic here. The eggs at breakfast were perfect," wrote Frank. Featured local attractions Mexico City is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are two popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings. The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Av. Juarez) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner First up is The Palacio de Bellas Artes, with 4.8 stars from 74 reviews. Inaugurated in 1934, the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City is a major cultural center where you can attend poetry readings, operas, dance recitals, art shows and more. El Zocalo (Plaza de la Constitucion S/N) Photo: Trip by Skyscanner Then, there's the El Zocalo, with 4.7 stars from 98 reviews. El Zocalo in Mexico City is known as the third-largest square in the world. It is the main plaza in the middle of Downtown. This site has strong historic significance to the local people. Zocalo has been used as a central gathering place since the rule of the Aztecs. This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will step down before the next phase of Brexit negotiations and, although she has not put a date on her departure, senior members of her Conservative Party are jostling to replace her. Below are Conservatives who have either said they plan to put themselves forward or are widely expected to run: ESTHER MCVEY, 51 The pro-Brexit former television presenter, who resigned as work and pensions minister in November in protest at May's exit deal with the European Union, has said she plans to run in the leadership contest. McVey told Talkradio: "I have always said quite clearly that if I got enough support from my colleagues, yes I would (run). Now people have come forward and I have got that support, so I will be going forward." ANDREA LEADSOM, 56 A pro-Brexit campaigner, Leadsom made it to the last two in the 2016 contest to replace David Cameron. She withdrew after a backlash to an interview in which she said being a mother gave her more of a stake in the future of the country than her rival Theresa May. Leadsom runs parliamentary business for the government and told broadcaster ITV she was "seriously considering standing" to replace May. RORY STEWART, 46 A former diplomat who once walked 6,000 miles across Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal, Stewart was promoted to International Development Secretary this month after holding several junior ministerial positions. Educated at the exclusive Eton College, Stewart was first elected to parliament in 2010 and backed remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum. He opposes a 'no deal' exit and has been a vocal advocate of May's deal with Brussels. "I do want to bring this country together ... I accept Brexit, I am a Brexiteer, but I want to reach out to 'Remain' voters as well," he told the BBC. The following Conservatives are expected to run: BORIS JOHNSON, 54 The former foreign minister is May's most outspoken critic on Brexit. He resigned from the cabinet in July in protest at her handling of the exit negotiations. Story continues Johnson, regarded by many eurosceptics as the face of the 2016 Brexit campaign, set out his pitch to the membership in a speech at the party's annual conference in October - some members queued for hours to get a seat. He called on the party to return to its traditional values of low tax and strong policing. He has not yet announced plans to run but is the bookmakers' favorite to succeed May. MICHAEL GOVE, 51 Gove, one of the highest-profile Brexit campaigners during the 2016 referendum, has had to rebuild his cabinet career after falling early to May in the contest to replace Cameron, who resigned the day after losing the referendum. Seen as one of the most effective members of cabinet in bringing forward new policies, the high-energy environment minister has become a surprise ally to May and has backed her Brexit strategy. Gove teamed up with Johnson during the 2016 Brexit campaign only to pull his support for Johnsons subsequent leadership bid at the last moment and run himself. He has not yet said whether he plans to run. JEREMY HUNT, 52 Hunt replaced Johnson as foreign minister in July and has urged the Conservative membership to set aside their differences over Brexit and unite against a common foe - the EU. Hunt voted to remain in the EU in the referendum. He served six years as Britains health minister, a role that has made him unpopular with many voters who work in or rely on the state-run, financially stretched National Health Service. Asked at a lunch with journalists in parliament if he planned to run for leader, he said: "Wait and see." DOMINIC RAAB, 45 Raab quit as Mays Brexit minister last year in protest at her draft exit agreement saying it did not match the promises the Conservative Party made in the 2017 election. Raab served only five months as head of the Brexit department. He had held junior ministerial roles since being elected in 2010. Raab, a black belt in karate, campaigned for Brexit. He has not declared his candidacy but asked if he would like to be prime minister, he said: "Never say never." SAJID JAVID, 49 Javid, a former banker and a champion of free markets, has served a number of cabinet roles and scores consistently well in polls of party members. A second-generation immigrant of Pakistani heritage, he has a portrait of late Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher on his office wall. Javid voted 'Remain' in the 2016 referendum but was previously considered to be eurosceptic. He has not said whether he plans to run but is considered to have been setting out his stall through speeches and media interviews. DAVID DAVIS, 70 Davis, a leading eurosceptic, was appointed Brexit minister to lead negotiations with the EU in July 2016 but resigned two years later in protest at May's plans for a long-term relationship with the bloc. He previously ran for the party's leadership in 2005 but lost to Cameron. He told a magazine he would probably be Conservative Party leader if standing for the role were like applying for a job as chief executive. "But ... that isn't the way the decision is done," he said. PENNY MORDAUNT, 46 Mordaunt is one of the last remaining pro-Brexit members of May's cabinet. She became Britain's first female defense secretary this month. A Royal Navy reservist, Mordaunt was previously international development minister. Many had expected her to join the wave of resignations that followed the publication of Mays draft withdrawal deal. AMBER RUDD, 55 Rudd resigned as interior minister last year after facing outrage over her department's treatment of some long-term Caribbean residents wrongly labeled illegal immigrants. She backed 'Remain' in 2016 and has opposed a 'no deal' exit, meaning she could win support from pro-EU Conservative lawmakers. But she struggled to retain her seat at the 2017 election and has one of the smallest majorities in parliament. MATT HANCOCK, 40 Health minister Hancock, a former economist at the Bank of England, supported 'Remain' in 2016. First elected to parliament in 2010, he has held several ministerial roles. JUSTINE GREENING, 50 The former education minister told ITV she would consider running. Greening supports a second Brexit referendum. Many thought she might join several of her colleagues in quitting the party to form a pro-EU group in parliament earlier this year. LIZ TRUSS, 43 Chief secretary to the Treasury, Truss has held several roles in government including environment minister and justice minister. She backed 'Remain' in 2016 but has said she has since changed her mind on Brexit. GRAHAM BRADY, 51 Brady is chair of the 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers. "It would take an awful lot of people to persuade me. I'm not sure many people are straining at the leash to take on what is an extraordinarily difficult situation," he told BBC Radio. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Janet Lawrence) (Reuters) - China on Monday raised tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's decision to increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports last week, escalating the trade war between the world's two largest economies. Trump has rattled the world trade order by imposing unilateral tariffs to combat what he calls unfair trade practices by China, the European Union and other major trading partners of the United States. The bulk of Trump's tariffs have been aimed at China, covering $250 billion worth of Chinese goods so far. He also has directed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to launch the process of imposing tariffs on all remaining imports from China, another $300 billion worth of goods. The latest tariff increases mark an end to a more than five-month truce after Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in December 2018 to try to negotiate an end to the dispute. U.S. TARIFFS ON CHINA - 25% tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese technology goods including machinery, semiconductors, autos, aircraft parts and intermediate electronics components imposed on July 6 and Aug. 23 as part of "Section 301" probe into China's intellectual property practices. - 25% tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods including computer modems and routers, printed circuit boards, chemicals, building materials and furniture. A 10% tariff on these goods was imposed on Sept. 24, 2018 as a response to Chinese retaliation. Trump increased the tariff rate to 25% on May 10 after accusing China of backtracking on earlier commitments in the talks. - Trump also on May 10 directed USTR to start a public comment process for imposing 25% tariffs on remaining Chinese imports. This $300 billion category of goods would hit consumer products hard, including cell phones, computers, clothing, toys and other consumer products. CHINESE TARIFFS ON UNITED STATES - China on May 13 announced it would increase tariffs on a revised list of 5,140 U.S. products, worth about $60 billion, after Trump's latest move. The additional tariff of 25% will be levied on 2,493 products, including liquefied natural gas, soy oil, peanut oil, petrochemicals, frozen minerals and cosmetics. Other products will see tariffs of 5%-20% Story continues - 25% tariffs on $50 billion worth of U.S. goods including soybeans, beef, pork, seafood, vegetables, whiskey, ethanol, imposed on July 6 and Aug. 23 in retaliation for initial rounds of U.S. tariffs. China had suspended a 25% duty on U.S. auto imports during their trade negotiations. Beijing has resumed some purchases of U.S. soybeans but has not formally suspended those tariffs. - 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. Retaliation could come in other forms, such as increased regulatory hurdles for U.S. companies doing business in China. U.S. GLOBAL TARIFFS - 25% tariffs on imported steel and 10% tariffs on imported aluminum, imposed on March 23, 2018 on national security grounds. Exemptions have been granted to Argentina, Australia, Brazil and South Korea in exchange for quotas, and negotiations over quotas continue with Canada, Mexico and the European Union. - 20% to 50% tariffs on imported washing machines, imposed on Jan. 22, 2018 as a "global safeguard" action to protect U.S. producers Whirlpool Corp and GE Appliances, a unit of China's Haier Electronics Group Co Ltd. - 30% tariffs on imported solar panels, imposed on Jan. 22, 2018 as a "global safeguard" action to protect U.S. producers Solar World, based in Germany, and Suniva, owned by China's Shunfeng International Clean Energy Ltd. - Trump is considering tariffs of around 25% on imported cars and auto parts, based on a U.S. Commerce Department study of whether such imports threaten U.S. national security. He faces a May 18 deadline to act on Commerce's recommendations. - The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement protects Canadian and Mexican production in the event of such tariffs through a quota system. Trump has pledged not to impose auto tariffs on Japan and the European Union while trade negotiations with those partners are underway. CANADIAN TARIFFS ON UNITED STATES - Canada on July 1 imposed tariffs https://tinyurl.com/y8w5g895 on $12.6 billion worth of U.S. goods, including steel, aluminum, coffee, ketchup and bourbon whiskey in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. MEXICAN TARIFFS ON UNITED STATES - Mexico on June 5 imposed tariffs of up to 25% on American steel, pork, cheese, apples, potatoes and bourbon, in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Mexican metals. EUROPEAN UNION TARIFFS ON UNITED STATES - The European Union on June 22 imposed import duties http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2018/may/tradoc_156909.pdf of 25% on a $2.8 billion range of imports from the United States in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on European steel and aluminum. Targeted U.S. products include Harley-Davidson motorcycles, bourbon, peanuts, blue jeans, steel and aluminum. INDIA TARIFF THREAT - India, the world's biggest buyer of U.S. almonds, has threatened to raise import duties on the nuts by 20% and increase tariffs on a range of other farm products and U.S. iron and steel, in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Indian steel. These tariffs have been delayed several times, but an Indian Finance Ministry notice shows that they could be imposed as early as May 16. - Trump has said that he intends to end preferential trade treatment for India, which would result in U.S. tariffs on up to $5.6 billion of imports from India. This has not happened, but if it does, India is expected to retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods. DUELING TARIFFS WITH TURKEY - Trump in August 2018 doubled U.S. duty rates on steel and aluminum from Turkey to 50% and 20%, respectively, citing national security and currency concerns in an escalating trade spat between the NATO allies. - Turkey hit back by sharply increasing tariffs on $1.8 billion worth of U.S. goods, including a 120% duty on motor vehicles, 140% on alcoholic beverages, 50% on rice, 50% on structural steel and 60% on beauty products. - Trump also has said he will end preferential trade treatment for Turkey, a move that would impose tariffs on about $1.66 billion of Turkish imports. (Compiled by David Lawder; Editing by Simon Webb and Susan Thomas) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) The FBI is investigating the case of a Chattanooga police officer who's accused of raping women while on the job. The allegations are detailed in a federal lawsuit filed Monday. Officer Desmond Logan is accused of raping three women in his custody, and he was fired in 2016 from his side job at the University of Tennessee, where he was accused of harassing a woman . All said they notified Chattanooga police. But the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Logan wasn't officially investigated until one of them went to the county sheriff, saying she was raped last June. The police chief then denied that Logan had a history of complaints. The lawsuit suggests otherwise. Logan was put on leave and resigned in February before he could be fired. ___ Information from: Chattanooga Times Free Press, http://www.timesfreepress.com (Corrects spelling of "Ketchikan," second paragraph) By Yereth Rosen ANCHORAGE, Ala., May 14 (Reuters) - Federal investigators are due in Alaska on Tuesday to try to find out why two sightseeing planes collided in mid-air over open water during daylight hours, killing at least four tourists. The National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected to arrive in the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan, near where Monday's crash happened, during the afternoon, an NTSB official said. The two aircraft went down over water about 25 to 30 miles (40-48 km) northeast of Ketchikan, according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios. Ten other people were injured in the collision, he said. All 14 passengers on both planes were from the cruise ship Royal Princess, on a seven-day trip from Vancouver to Anchorage and operated by Princess Cruises, the Washington Post reported. Broadcaster NBC said early on Tuesday that a fifth person had died and one remained missing. One person was critical and three were in a serious condition, it cited a medic at a local hospital as saying. Reuters could not immediately confirm the updated information on casualties. The crash site, at Coon Cove about 300 miles (480 km) south of Alaska's capital, Juneau, lies near a tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument. One of the aircraft was a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people aboard, and the other a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. The Ketchikan-based operator of the larger plane, Taquan Air, said its pilot and nine passengers were rescued and receiving medical attention, but one passenger's fate was unknown. That group was returning from a flightseeing tour of Misty Fjords when the crash occurred, Taquan said. Rios initially reported 10 survivors receiving medical care, with six other people from the two planes listed as unaccounted for. He later said four of the missing had been confirmed as dead. Neither of the single-engine planes was under air traffic control when they collided, Kenitzer said. (Reporting by Yereth Rosen in Anchorage; additional reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; editing by John Stonestreet) By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - While the number of Americans getting drug treatment for opioid addiction is on the rise, a new study suggests that gains may be concentrated among white patients and people who can pay cash or have private health insurance. Researchers examined nationwide survey data on clinic visits for opioid addiction from 2004 to 2015. Their analysis focused on patients receiving prescriptions for buprenorphine, one of three drugs typically used to treat patients with opioid use disorder. During the decade-long study period, the proportion of visits when patients got buprenorphine prescriptions rose from 0.04 to 0.36 percent, representing 13.4 million visits from 2012 to 2015, researchers report in JAMA Psychiatry. Over this period, the proportion of patients who were "self-pay," meaning they had no insurance for the visits, surged - accounting for more than one-third of patients during the final four years of the study. After accounting for insurance status and other factors that can impact access to drug addiction treatment, black patients were 77 percent less like to receive buprenorphine prescriptions than white people. Some of this disparity may be due to buprenorphine being prescribed more often at primary care clinics in more affluent communities with more white and insured residents, said lead study author Dr. Pooja Lagisetty of the University of Michigan School of Medicine in Ann Arbor. Buprenorphine can lead to breathing problems and other side effects, but it has fewer side effects than methadone, an alternative that is more often available in low-income communities. Buprenorphine has a lower risk of abuse and addiction than methadone, previous studies have found. And, buprenorphine "can be prescribed in a regular clinic with options for refills," Lagisetty said by email. "This helps patients be treated in a non-stigmatized environment." While the study wasn't a controlled experiment designed to determine whether or how specific factors might cause racial disparities in addiction treatment, "there may be a component of stigma around the medication that could be different in various racial/ethnic communities," Lagisetty said. Story continues It's unclear from the study whether differences in treatment reflect differences in the proportion of white versus black Americans who are suffering from opioid addiction. But some previous research suggests that the prevalence of opioid misuse is similar for both black and white adults, impacting up to about one in 20 people, the study team writes. "In standard doctors' offices, when buprenorphine is offered, it's more often to whites than blacks," Dr. Stefan Kertesz of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center told Reuters Health by email. "The results could suggest that the kind of whites who have opioid addiction are just a bit more likely to turn up with that problem in a doctor's office, while blacks might be a bit less likely to use standard doctor's offices for that problem," said Kertesz, who has studied drug policy and opioids but wasn't involved in the study. "Blacks with opioid problems have been more concentrated in cities, are often somewhat older, and have been making more use of specialized addiction treatment programs in urban centers," Kertesz added. "In specialty addiction treatment settings, blacks are actually more likely to receive medication than whites in those same centers." SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2JLgMlb JAMA Psychiatry, online May 8, 2019. Washington (AFP) - Five people died and one person was missing Monday after two floatplanes collided mid-air in Alaska while carrying passengers from a cruise ship's sightseeing expedition, officials said. The two aircraft -- a Beaver floatplane and an Otter floatplane -- had been carrying 16 passengers from the Royal Princess cruise ship when they crashed near Ketchikan around 1:00 pm (2100 GMT), Princess Cruises said in a statement circulated by US media. The dead included four passengers and a pilot, according to Princess Cruises. Ten people were rescued and were receiving medical care. The US Coast Guard said three people were confirmed dead and that it was searching for three others near George Inlet, along with help from partner agencies -- including the US Forest Service and Alaska state troopers -- and good Samaritans. Helicopters and boats were deployed by the Coast Guard for the search-and-rescue operation. "In a remote area such as this, given our limited resources, we rely on our partner agencies and appreciate the support that good Samaritans have rendered to this point," said Captain Stephen White, Coast Guard Sector Juneau commander. "With the loss of life in this case, we know that the impact to Alaska is immense and our thoughts are with the community here." The National Transportation Safety Board said it was launching a "Go Team" to investigate the cause of the accident. Washington (AFP) - Five people died and one person was missing Monday after two floatplanes collided mid-air in Alaska while carrying passengers from a cruise ship's sightseeing expedition, officials said. Emergency rescue operations were under way after the two aircraft carrying 14 passengers from the Royal Princess ship crashed near Ketchikan, a popular tourist spot on southern Alaskan cruise routes surrounded by fjords and dense forests. Four passengers and a pilot were killed, Princess Cruises said in a statement circulated by US media. Ten people were rescued and were receiving medical care. One of the wounded was in critical condition and three others were seriously injured, a spokesperson for Ketchikan Medical Center told a local CBS affiliate. Local plane company Taquan Air, which operated one of the flights, said it was "devastated" by the news and was suspending all scheduled flights, according to the channel. The US Coast Guard said it had confirmed so far that four people were dead and it was searching for two others near George Inlet, along with help from volunteers and agencies including the US Forest Service and Alaska state troopers. Helicopters and boats were deployed by the Coast Guard for the search-and-rescue operation. "In a remote area such as this, given our limited resources, we rely on our partner agencies and appreciate the support that good Samaritans have rendered to this point," said Captain Stephen White, Coast Guard Sector Juneau commander. "With the loss of life in this case, we know that the impact to Alaska is immense and our thoughts are with the community here." The National Transportation Safety Board said it was launching a "Go Team" to investigate the cause of the accident. Multiple tour companies offer rides through the fjords around Ketchikan, in the southeasternmost part of Alaska, many of which include a water landing in a floatplane. Monday's crash involved a Beaver floatplane and an Otter floatplane, one of which was returning from a tour of the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument park. In 2015, an Otter plane crashed into a granite rock face, killing all nine on board, near a lake in the Misty Fjords area. And in 2007, five people were killed when a Beaver floatplane carrying tourists crashed in the same area. Cannes (France) (AFP) - With the Cannes film festival's main competition bursting with big-name stars and directors like Quentin Tarantino and Terrence Malick, we pick five rising talents to watch out for at this year's festival: - Camila Morrone - Up to now she may be best known as Leonardo DiCaprio's impossibly glamorous girlfriend, but the Argentinian model is about to make a name for herself as an actress to be reckoned with. Her stand-out performance as a daughter of a opioid-addicted Iraq veteran in "Mickey and the Bear" brings real depth to the US indie film, which is showing in the festival's ACID section. Morrone, 21, has not picked her acting talent -- nor her looks -- up off the ground. Both her parents were models and her mother Lucila Sola is a television star in Buenos Aires, although the 43-year-old is probably best known as Al Pacino's erstwhile partner. The pair are no longer together -- the 75-year-old Pacino having taken up with a younger actress last year. Morrone had regarded him as her "stepfather" during their nine years her mother and Pacino were together. The two will be reunited on the Cannes red carpet with Pacino starring in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" - Mati Diop - The first black African woman to compete for Cannes' top prize, actress-turned-director Diop comes from Senegalese film royalty. She is the niece of Djibril Diop Mambety, the pioneering maker of "Touki Bouki", a 1973 film premiered at Cannes which went on to inspire Beyonce and Jay-Z. The pop power couple referenced the movie, in the form of the bull-horn handlebars of its heroes' motorbike, in the poster for their 2014 tour "On The Run II". French-born Diop, 36, the daughter of musician Wasis Diop, has already made a documentary about her uncle's ground-breaking story about a couple who try to ride their bike all the way to France. Story continues Now she is making history herself, she told the Hollywood Reporter she feels a "mixture of apprehension and joy... What I represent exceeds me and doesn't belong to me." Critics gave the thumbs up to her film "Atlantics", about a group of construction workers who decide to leave Senegal for a better life in Europe, after its premiere Thursday. - Robert Eggers - His debut film "The Witch" is regarded as a modern horror classic, and the famously obsessive young US director seems to have made no compromises for his second, "The Lighthouse", which is premiering in the Directors' Fortnight. Conditions on the set were so harsh, according to Robert Pattinson, who heads the cast alongside Willem Dafoe, that it was the "closest I've come to punching a director", the actor admitted. An exhausted Pattinson described how he remonstrated with Eggers after he had to do one take five times on a freezing Nova Scotia beach. "I feel like you're just spraying a fire hose in my face," he told the director. "And he was like, 'I was spraying a fire hose in your face.' It was like some kind of torture," said Pattinson. The pair are still firm friends, however, with the star sworn to silence on the plot of the historical black-and-white horror film "set in the world of old sea-faring myths". - Waad al-Kateab - The Syrian documentary maker faced an uphill struggle bringing her film to Cannes. "For Sama" records five years of al-Kateab's own life as an aspiring journalist in her besieged hometown of Aleppo, marrying one of the last doctors in the city and giving birth to her daughter, to whom the film is dedicated. The documentary is a kind of letter to the little girl, explaining how she was born into the conflict and what happened to her home. Al-Kateab, who now lives in London, won an Emmy award in 2017 for her films from inside Aleppo for Britain's Channel 4 News, which are believed to be the most watched of any reports from the war. Her shocking footage of the struggle to save babies and children in the city's final hospital -- in which she ended up living -- brought home the horror inflicted on civilians. - Jessica Hausner - The Austrian director who began as a script assistant on Michael Haneke's "Funny Games" is the running for the Palme d'Or with her first film in English, "Little Joe". This science-based chiller with Ben Whishaw, Emily Beecham and Kerry Fox about a genetically engineered plant which affects every living creature it comes into contact with could well be her break-out film. After making her Cannes debut with "Lovely Rita" way back in 2001, Hausner, now 46, has slowly built a glowing reputation with a handful of films such as "Hotel", "Amour Fou" and "Lourdes", which picked up four prizes at Venice in 2009. By Brendan O'Brien (Reuters) - Five U.S. men who say they were sexually abused as minors by Roman Catholic priests filed a federal lawsuit in Minnesota on Tuesday against the Vatican, accusing the church of concealing the identities of thousands of predator clergy members. Three brothers and two other men claimed in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Paul that the Church has kept secret the identities and records of more than 3,400 clergy accused of sexual abuse, including some top church officials. The men are asking the court to require the Vatican to make the information public and report all alleged crimes to law enforcement worldwide. Allegations of rampant sexual abuse of minors by priests and subsequent cover-ups by bishops exploded onto the world stage in 2002. The scandals have cost the church billions of dollars and undercut its moral authority. The three brothers in the lawsuit say they were molested by former Minnesota priest Curtis Wehmeyer between 2006 and 2012. The lawsuit says another plaintiff was sexually abused by former Minnesota priest Thomas Adamson in the early 1980s, and that the fifth man was molested by former priest Fidencio Silva-Flores in California sometime between 1978 to 1984. Wehmeyer pleaded guilty in 2012 to 20 criminal counts against him stemming from the sexual abuse and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Adamson, who faced accusations of years of abuse and was removed from the priesthood, died recently. Silva-Flores was charged with 25 counts of child molestation in 2003 but never tried. As of 2002, Silva-Flores was working in a church in Mexico, according to the lawsuit. In 2014, the Vatican reported that since 2004, more than 3,400 cases of abuse worldwide had been referred directly to Rome. According to the Vatican, 3,420 clergy involved in those cases were removed from ministry, but their names and cases have never been made public, the lawsuit said. Story continues The Vatican figures may not capture the full picture. The U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops has indicated that more than 6,000 clerics in the United States alone have been accused of sexual abuse of minors between 1950 and 2016. Not all the names have been released. But several U.S. dioceses in recent months have identified former bishops, priests and deacons who were accused of sexually abusing children. A week ago, Pope Francis issued a landmark decree making bishops directly accountable for sexual abuse or covering it up and requiring clerics to report any cases to Church superiors. In the United States, state and federal authorities have been investigating how the church handled decades of allegations of sexual misconduct by priests, and at least nine sexual abuse lawsuits have named the Vatican as a defendant in recent years. Two other cases filed this year in Guam and Washington are in early stages. Many other cases were dismissed due to a lack of jurisdiction as it is difficult in U.S. courts to sue a foreign state like the Vatican. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by David Gregorio) On May 13, trade tensions took a heavy toll on U.S. stocks once again. The Dow and the S&P 500 suffered their worst losses since Jan 3, triggered by Chinas decision to impose retaliatory tariffs on American goods worth $60 billion. While some conciliatory noises emerged from the White House, Chinas state-sponsored media adopted an abrasive tone on the simmering trade conflict. Meanwhile, key members of the Federal Reserve stated that the American economy is much stronger relative to China. And investors should focus on its resilience and ignore medium-term turbulence in the equity markets. This is why it makes sense to invest in select consumer discretionary stocks at this time. Kashkari, Rosengreen Emphasize US Economys Strength According to Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, the United States holds the edge in its trade conflict with China. Despite the continuing slide in equity markets, Kashkari believes major economic metrics remain stable as the trade war intensifies. Speaking to CNBC, he said, the United States is in a very strong position compared to China. Firstly, the U.S. economy is much larger and is much less sensitive to trade. On the other hand, much of Chinas prosperity is linked to the export-driven nature of its economy. In fact, exports make up a much-larger chunk of the economy compared to the United States. This is why the United States has the advantage in a retaliatory battle of escalating tariffs. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengreen echoed Kashkaris views on Americas economic strength. He said that if the trade conflict was short lived it would have little impact on the U.S. economy. Rosengreen also thinks that the domestic economy is robust enough to withstand the trade issues that are coming up right now. Economic Indicators Remain Robust U.S. GDP increased at 3.2% in the first quarter of 2019, exceeding the consensus estimate of 2.1% by a wide margin. The figure is also significantly higher than the pace of 2.2% recorded in the last quarter of 2018. This is also the first time since 2018 that first-quarter GDP has breached the 3% barrier. (Read: 5 Consumer Discretionary Stocks to Buy as Q1 GDP Surges) Story continues Meanwhile, the unemployment rate declined from 3.8% to 3.6% in April. This is the lowest level registered since December 1969 and significantly better than the estimated rate of 3.8%. Also, the economy added 263,000 jobs last month. This marks the 100th consecutive month of job growth for the U.S. economy. (Read: Unemployment Hits 50-Year Low: 6 Business Services Picks) Factory orders rebounded in March, increasing 1.9%. This is the largest increase experienced since August 2018. Strong demand for transportation equipment was the primary reason for the resurgence in factory orders. An increase in orders for electronic equipment and computers also contributed to Marchs gains. Our Choices Comments from top Fed officials indicate that the U.S. economy remains robust in the midst of significant equity market turbulence. This is why it holds the edge in a likely protracted trade war with China. These statements are borne out by recently released data, which serve to underline Americas economic strength. Investing in consumer discretionary stocks, the powerhouse of the U.S. economy remains prudent at this time. However, picking winning stocks may be difficult. This is where our VGM Score comes in. Here V stands for Value, G for Growth and M for Momentum and the score is a weighted combination of these three scores. Such a score allows you to eliminate the negative aspects of stocks and select winners. However, it is important to keep in mind that each Style Score will carry a different weight while arriving at a VGM Score. We have narrowed down our search to the following stocks, each of which has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and good VGM Score. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. GIII is a leading manufacturer and distributor of apparel and accessories under licensed brands, owned brands and private label brands. G-III Apparel Group has a VGM Score of A. The companys expected earnings growth for the current year is 15.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 6.5% over the last 60 days. Comcast Corporation CMCSA is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal and Sky. Comcast has a VGM Score of B. The companys projected growth rate for the current year is 14.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 3.3% over the last 30 days. Marine Products Corporation MPX designs, manufactures and distributes recreational fiberglass powerboats. Marine Products has a VGM Score of B. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 6.6% over the last 30 days. Johnson Outdoors Inc. JOUT is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of diving, camping, watercraft and marine electronics products. Johnson Outdoors has a VGM Score of B. The companys projected growth rate for the current year is 1.5%. Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year. See their latest picks free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson Outdoors Inc. (JOUT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marine Products Corporation (MPX) : Free Stock Analysis Report G-III Apparel Group, LTD. (GIII) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Former detective Goncalo Amaral was sacked for his handling of the Madeleine McCann case (Picture: PA) The disgraced former detective who was removed from the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has claimed she may have been taken by a paedophile who knew the family. Ex-police officer Goncalo Amaral led the investigation in 2007 but was later removed from the case. He made Madeleines parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, official suspects in their daughters disappearance before being sacked for constant public verbal attacks on British police. Mr Amaral later published a book falsely claiming the McCanns killed Madeleine accidentally then covered it up. Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann (Picture: PA) He has now told an Australian news podcast that one line of inquiry was the involvement of a paedophile ring with links to people close to the McCann family, but without the McCanns knowledge. Mr Amaral told 9news podcast Maddie that UK police didnt follow up this line of inquiry, claiming they withheld it from their Portuguese counterparts. Read more Police say jailing 12-strong gang has helped cut moped crime in half Nigel Farage reveals he intends to stand as an MP for the eighth time Man abandoned as a baby at Gatwick Airport 33 years ago finds parents He said: The British authorities tried to conceal the statement and nothing was done about this statement. "They were not followed up. Nobody investigated anything related to them." He claimed British police told his team they held absolutely nothing of significance when asked about information on a potential person of interest. Madeleine McCann went missing in May 2007 (Picture: PA) Candles are placed next to a photo of Madeleine McCann at a church in Praia Da Luz, Portugal (Picture: PA) Former detective Goncalo Amaral published a book about the case (Picture: Getty) "Of course, when the British police stated that they did not have any information, they already had the statements," Mr Amaral told the podcast. "So, there is this issue with the British police concealing information that they already had. "When the statements finally arrived, they came mixed up with other papers. British police have declined to comment on Mr Amarals accusations. Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007, from the familys holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal. -- Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK -- Lima (AFP) - A Peruvian judge Tuesday sentenced former Lima mayor Susana Villaran to 18 months' preventive detention for accepting illegal campaign funds from Brazilian construction firms Odebrecht and OAS. The Odebrecht bribery scandal, which has washed through Latin America, runs deep in Peru, where the country's last four presidents are accused of receiving illegal payoffs. Villaran, Lima's mayor from 2014-2018, is accused of taking millions of dollars from Odebrecht to finance a recall referendum in 2013 -- which she won -- and from OAS for a failed re-election bid in 2014. Judge Jorge Chavez of Lima's Third Special Investigation Court for Corruption Crimes denied prosecutors' request to impose a 36-month sentence but justified a jail sentence saying there was evidence of "hindering and concealment of evidence" by Villaran. She was also a flight risk, he said. Prosecutor Angela Zuloaga told the court that Peru's former Odebrecht chief, Jorge Barata, testified that he contributed $3 million to Villaran, a former presidential candidate who ran in the 2006 election. "Jorge Barata said that the mayor thanked him for his contribution," the prosecutor told the court. The money from Odebrecht and OAS "was not free, but was due to two public works," she said. Villaran admitted that she received campaign contributions from Brazilian companies, in contrast to the denials of the former presidents under investigation. The former mayor also said she was ready to go to jail. "I am not one of those people who run away, who evades justice. I am one of the people who faces up to things. I have a family to which I respond with the truth by showing my face. I believe in justice. I will never evade justice," she told the court. She is accused of conspiracy, bribery and money laundering. Zuloaga, the prosecutor, said Latin America's largest engineering firm had made the contributions in return for lucrative road contracts in Lima. Story continues OAS also contributed $3 million to her campaign in 2014, allegedly through a Lima municipality official Miguel Castro. The prosecution has also called for 36 months in preventive detention for him. Five other Villaran associates are under investigation in the case. The Brazilian constructor has admitted to paying millions of dollars in bribes to government officials in Peru in return for public works contracts. LIMA (Reuters) - A judge on Tuesday ordered Susana Villaran, the former mayor of the Peruvian capital Lima, to 18 months in pre-trial detention in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian construction companies Odebrecht and OAS. Judge Jorge Chavez said Villaran would seek to obstruct an ongoing corruption probe unless detained before trial, despite her vow to cooperate with authorities. "I'm not the kind of person to flee or evade justice," Villaran said during the televised hearing. In Peru, criminal suspects can be held in so-called preventive prison for up to three years before trial. After Chavez handed down his ruling, Villaran left the courtroom accompanied by police officers, becoming the latest Peruvian politician detained in the massive graft probe involving on Odebrecht . Since late 2016, when Odebrecht admitted publicly to bribing officials across Latin America and parts of Africa, all four of Peru's most recent presidents have received preventive prison sentences. Last month, one former president, Alan Garcia, killed himself as authorities arrived at his house to arrest him. The prosecution said Villaran took money from Odebrecht and OAS for her political campaigns and later favored the companies while in office. In a Twitter post ahead of this week's hearing, Villaran acknowledged taking funds from the companies as part of her campaign to stay in office ahead of a recall vote in 2013, but denied they were bribes. Villaran became the first woman mayor of Lima and the first leftist in decades to govern the city when elected in 2010, after promising to run a clean campaign. (Reporting by Mitra Taj; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Photo credit: Getty Images From Car and Driver On Monday, May 12, the day following the Spanish Grand Prix, race winner and Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton had one of his Mercedes-Benz race cars delivered to the home of U.K. five-year old Harry Shaw, as reported in the British Independent newspaper. Harry has Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and was diagnosed as terminally ill in April. Harry's family had sent Hamilton a short video in which the child wishes the racer luck in the race in Barcelona. Hamilton replied in an Instagram post that said in part, "Thank you so much, you are my inspiration today, Harry. I will try to make you proud." Five-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton wanted to do something special for Harry Shaw, a terminally ill five-year-old boy who Hamilton said inspired him to his win the Spanish Grand Prix on May 12. So Hamilton arranged for his Mercedes-Benz team to deliver one of his race cars to the driveway of Harry's home in Redhill, Surrey, England. Harry suffers from Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and his family has been told he is not expected to live beyond the spring. A huge Hamilton fan, he sent his video message from his bed wearing a Mercedes cap with a photo of Hamilton on his pillow. Hamilton was moved to reply via the Instagram post shown above: "Harry, you don't know how much this message means to me buddy. Thank you so much, you are my inspiration today Harry. I will try to make you proud. You are such a strong boy, I wish I was as strong as you, I wanted the world to see how strong you are and ask everyone to send their best wishes and prayers to you during this hard time. Sending you love Harry. God bless you. Your friend, Lewis." Story continues Starting from second on the grid, Hamilton took the lead by the first corner and dominated the race. The driver brought up the video in his post-race interview as well. Members of the Mercedes F1 crew left the track immediately after the Sunday event in Barcelona in order to get the race car to Harry the next day. Carried out to the car by his father, Harry asked questions of the crew and got an up-close look at the race car driven by his hero. The team also presented him with a trophy from the race and a pair of Hamilton's driving gloves. "Just the most overwhelming, wonderful gesture," said his father, James Shaw, in a separate video on the Independent site. "He couldn't believe that Lewis Hamilton's car is sat in our drive. He's had a look at the steering wheel, he's seen the winning trophy, and he gets to have a look around a Formula 1 car-and he loves cars, so this is an amazing experience for him." The Shaw family has established a JustGiving page in Harry's honor benefiting the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity to further its research into Ewing's sarcoma. ('You Might Also Like',) * European Parliament elections take place May 23-26 * French far right running neck-and-neck with Macron * Vote is showdown between pro-EU and eurosceptic forces * Far right hopes to undo EU integration from within * Its campaign focuses on nationalism, immigration By Luke Baker ABBEVILLE, France, May 14 (Reuters) - The farmland around Abbeville, in the Somme valley of northeastern France, saw some of the heaviest fighting in two world wars. And for France's far right it is again a battle ground - this time for European elections in 10 days' time. To lead its campaign for the 751-seat European Parliament, Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National, previously known as the National Front, has chosen Jordan Bardella, a fresh-faced, 23-year-old from a tough neighborhood of northern Paris. Mixing youthful vigor and rapid-fire soundbites, Bardella seems to have energized the party base, helping the RN come from behind to stand marginally ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's En Marche list in the latest polls, at 22.5% to 22%. "If En Marche doesn't come out on top in this election it's going to be a big blow for Macron, and he's obsessing about it," Bardella half-joked as he canvassed in Abbeville, a quiet town on the River Somme with a Socialist mayor, but where high youth unemployment is stirring anxiety among the 25,000 residents. "Change is possible in how Europe is run - we're ready to deliver it," said Bardella. "The European Union is killing Europe. We need more national sovereignty, more economic patriotism and we need to put a stop to open immigration." France's vote will be held on May 26, with 74 seats in the parliament up for grabs amid high expectations that this election will see substantial gains for the far right across Europe, with nationalist parties in Italy, Hungary, Denmark, Austria and Poland all expected to perform strongly. "DOORS BACK ON FRANCE" Story continues In the last European elections in 2014, Le Pen's party came top in France, winning nearly 25 percent of the vote, a result pollsters put down to low turnout and the fact the European vote is often treated as a protest ballot. Since then Le Pen has shifted tack slightly, dropping calls for France to quit the euro single currency and for the end of the EU. Instead she advocates the overhaul of the EU from within, with its 28 member nations taking back power. Her platform, delivered almost verbatim by Bardella, plays up fears of rising immigration from the Middle East and Africa, criticizes EU free-trade deals for hurting French farmers and producers, calls for more protection for French industry and workers, and hammers Macron for his pro-business policies. It is a combination that portrays France as under attack from all sides, undermined as a nation, subject to rules set in Brussels, a pale imitation of what it should be - rhetoric with echoes of President Donald Trump's populism. "We need to put the doors back on France, so we decide who comes in," said Bardella, speaking before addressing around 150 supporters, mostly older men, some waving the French tricolor, gathered in a red-brick hall off Abbeville's town square. "We don't want a Europe that imposes things on others. We want a Europe of sovereign nations that get to set the priorities for themselves." ASSAULT FROM WITHIN Macron has cast the EU vote as a showdown between advocates of pro-European, "progressive" politics like himself and the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic nationalism of the likes of Le Pen, Hungary's Viktor Orban and Italy's Matteo Salvini - a gauntlet his opponents have willingly taken up. With the lead candidate on Macron's list, former Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau, 54, struggling to connect with voters and having made repeated blunders, the French president faces the very real possibility of his party coming second in the election, which would erode his influence in Europe. Loiseau, a technocrat with limited frontline political experience, has apologized for her errors, including an initial denial that she had appeared on a far-right student union ticket 35 years ago, and sought to reboot her campaign. Macron, having fought hard for EU reform since coming to office, and with France hoping to have a major say in deciding who gets the top jobs after the election, including the European Commission president, needs the momentum of victory. In Abbeville, noted for its 15th-century Gothic church and a large central square dotted with cafes and fountains, there was little awareness that the far right was holding a rally, and only marginal interest in voting for it. "I don't support them - I'm a unionized worker, I'm on the left," said Aurore Sannier, 33, a mother of two young children. "But my ex-husband was National Front. In some towns near here, 60% or 70% will vote for the far right." For Bardella, first or second in the election will feel like success, ensuring he gets a seat in the European Parliament, where the RN hopes to form a group with like-minded parties and control up to 80 seats in the chamber. If it pulls that off, the RN would gain substantial power, including leadership of committees, which can have wide influence in the European Parliament, with its oversight of legislation affecting more than 500 million EU citizens. Overall, the EPP, a group of center-right parties, looks likely to come out top in the election, but with a much reduced share of the vote from 2014, and no single group is likely to win a majority, making coalition-building the priority. For Bardella, it's a golden opportunity. "We wanted out of Europe when we were isolated," he said. "But now that we have allies like Salvini in Italy and the (far-right) FPO in Austria, we want to work with them to take back sovereignty from the European Union." (Editing by Mark Heinrich) Besancon (France) (AFP) - A French doctor already charged in the poisoning of seven patients was taken into custody Tuesday for questioning over the suspected poisoning of around 50 other patients, a source close to the inquiry told AFP. Frederic Pechier worked as an anaesthesiologist at two private clinics in Besancon, eastern France, when seven patients, aged 37 to 53, went into cardiac arrest from 2008 to 2017. Two of the patients died while the others were reanimated, and investigators later found traces of lethal doses of potassium in their bloodstreams. Pechier, who was first charged in May 2017, has denied the allegations and was released pending trial. The two-year inquiry has led police to expand their focus to "around 50 reports of unwanted events," medical jargon for unexpected complications or deaths among patients otherwise considered healthy, the source said. Pechier's peers considered him a brilliant anaesthesiologist, and while he was not in charge of sedating the seven patients that sparked the inquiry, his quick diagnostics for reanimating them raised suspicions for investigators. Prosecutors have alleged he may have tampered with his colleagues' anaesthesia pouches to create operating room emergencies where he could then intervene to show off his supposed talents. Pechier's lawyers have denied the claims, and in November they accused police of altering declarations he made during his initial questioning. Paris (AFP) - A group of protesters from the anti-government "yellow vest" movement upstaged France's top annual theatre awards, surging onto the stage to denounce the policies of President Emmanuel Macron. The Moliere Awards, named after France's greatest playwright, took place late Monday in the presence of Culture Minister Franck Riester at the Folies Bergere cabaret music hall. The ceremony was broadcast on French France 2 public television later in the evening but with a delay and the incident was edited out of the broadcast. The head of the Moliere ceremony, French theatre impressario Jean-Marc Dumontet, said the protesters had managed to access the theatre via the roof. They then surged onto the stage, interrupting the speeches of host Alex Vizorek. "The Moliere for indisputable dishonesty, voted unanimously by the jury, goes to Mr Macron and his government!" said a protester from the lectern, clutching a statuette of Moliere in a yellow vest. The protesters, who demanded better conditions for freelance workers in the arts in France, eventually left the venue chanting anti-Macron slogans. Some of the audience -- including the great and the good of French theatre -- applauded the protesters while others whistled in dismay. Weekly protests by the yellow vests accusing the government of turning a blind eye to inequality have rocked the Macron government over the last six months. Among the winners at the ceremony was celebrated German director Thomas Ostermeier, who picked up best show in a public theatre with "Twelfth Night" at the Comedie-Francaise. * Palestinians mark their "Nakba" or "catastrophe" on May 15 * Date marks Arab defeat in war of Israel's founding * Gaza fisherman left Jaffa as a child some 70 years ago * Visited his Jaffa birthplace in the 1970s By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA, May 14 (Reuters) - Looking out across the Mediterranean, the elderly Gaza fisherman sits on a bench adorned with just one word - Jaffa. Mahmoud Al-Assi comes often to this blue bench. It is one of more than 120 such brightly-colored concrete seats that line the Gaza seafront, each marked with the name of a town or village in Palestine, before Israel's creation in 1948. They bear the Arabic names for Beersheba (Bir as-Saba'), Acre (Akka), and Tel Aviv (Tal ar-Rabeea') - all towns that now lie in Israel. Like many of Gaza's 1.3 million refugees, Assi, 73, visits the coastal benches regularly, as an emotional link to the towns their families left behind or were forced to leave. He comes especially around May 15, when Palestinians lament what they call the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe" - their defeat in the war of 1948-1949 that surrounded the birth of the modern state of Israel. It is traditionally marked the day after Israel declared independence in 1948. Although Assi left Jaffa nearly seven decades ago as a child, he still regards it as "home." Like many Palestinian refugees, he seeks the right of return to his former homeland. But successive Israeli governments have rejected any such right, fearing the country would lose its Jewish majority. "I have never lost hope, and never will, even when I am dead and buried," he told Reuters as he looked out on the waters that bore him to safety when his father, a citrus merchant and fisherman, put him and his seven siblings on a boat to sail south from Jaffa to Gaza in 1950. In his new life as a refugee in Gaza, those same waters provided a livelihood for him as he brought up his 18 children. Story continues Two of Assi's brothers fled to Lebanon, where they lived and died as refugees. In Jaffa, another fisherman and an Arab citizen of Israel, Atta Assi, 86, recalled how Israeli forces had taken control of the town in 1948, imposing a curfew and a year-long "open detention" by erecting a fence around his neighborhood. "I remember in 1948, when people were displaced, my father told my uncles: 'Don't leave here'," said Assi, who belongs to the same clan as Mahmoud Al-Assi in Gaza. "He told them not to leave because the best place to stay is here. But they didn't listen and left to Lebanon," said Assi, who began his life as a fisherman on the day the fence came down. In the early 1970s, when times were more peaceful and Gaza wasn't sealed off from Israel by checkpoints, blast walls and razor wire, Gaza fisherman Assi was able to travel the 60 kilometers (37 miles)up the Mediterranean coast to visit Jaffa and see his birthplace. He saw his family's unfinished home had since been completed, and was inhabited, but couldn't bring himself to knock at the door and see who was living there. "Our house in Jaffa was just by the sea, nothing and no building separated us from the sea ... I remember the small mosque and I remember the seaport," Assi said. "I didn't know whether Jewish people lived there or others. I wasn't able to enter, I just could not do it. "I felt broken, when you can't enter your house. When it is your house and you can't reach it. I cried." Palestinian historians say only 4,000 Palestinians remained in Jaffa after 1948, of around 120,000 who lived there before it became part of Israel. (Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Alexandra Hudson) By Michael Taylor KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - O scar-winning actor George Clooney was criticized by LGBT+ activists on Tuesday after he called a boycott of luxury hotels owned by Brunei a "warning shot" to Indonesia and Malaysia should they consider introducing similar anti-gay laws. Clooney in late March led calls for a boycott of nine hotels owned by Brunei because of plans by the small Southeast Asian country to impose the death penalty - including by stoning - for gay sex or adultery as it rolled out further Islamic laws. Following a global outcry, the sultan of the oil-rich state last week said the death penalty would not be imposed. Appearing on U.S. talk show, "Ellen," the "Ocean's Eleven" actor discussed the boycott and economic pressure that followed after the announcement of the new laws and the U-turn. "It's not fixed yet ... but it's a huge step forward after this giant leap backwards," Clooney last Friday told the show's host Ellen DeGeneres, who also publicly backed the boycott. "It sends a warning shot over to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia - who are also considering these laws - that the business people, the big banks, those guys are going to say 'don't even get into that business'." But Clooney's remarks sparked an online backlash as critics and regional LGBT+ activists pointed out major differences between Brunei and its Islamic neighbors. "I call on George Clooney and Hollywood to listen and work together with local activists and human rights defenders on the ground," Numan Afifi, president of the LGBT+ advocacy PELANGI Campaign in Malaysia, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Local activists have been putting their lives at risk on the ground working, for years," Afifi said. "His statement, while well-meaning, might also be counterproductive for our case." Representatives of Clooney did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. Story continues Socially conservative attitudes prevail across Asia where Myanmar, Malaysia and Singapore ban sexual relationships between men, and Indonesia - the world's largest Muslim-majority country - has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT+ people recently. Dede Oetomo, one of Indonesia's most prominent LGBT+ activists and founder of LGBT+ rights group GAYa NUSANTARA, also questioned Clooney's comments. "Malaysia and Indonesia are larger entities and have some democratic processes that although not perfect, they work," Oetomo said. "Pressure from within is more possible in both countries, though it is frustratingly slow and protracted." (Reporting by Michael Taylor @MickSTaylor; Editing by Belinda Goldsmith Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) By Joseph Nasr BERLIN, May 14 (Reuters) - The heiress of a German biscuits empire has stirred outrage after she appeared to play down the hardship suffered by dozens of people forced to work at the family business under Nazi rule. Verena Bahlsen, whose father owns the Bahlsen company that makes some of Germany's most famous biscuits, told the mass-selling Bild newspaper that the firm, which employed some 200 forced laborers during World War Two, "did nothing wrong" then. Most of the forced laborers at Hanover-based Bahlsen were women, many from Nazi-occupied Ukraine. "This was before my time and we paid the forced laborers exactly as much as German workers and we treated them well," the 25-year-old Bahlsen, one of four children of company owner Werner Bahlsen, told Bild. German politicians criticized her remarks and some social media users called for a boycott of Bahlsen biscuits. "If you inherit such a large estate you also inherit responsibility and should not come across as aloof," Lars Klingbeil, secretary general of the center-left Social Democrats, told Bild. In a statement, Bahlsen, which also makes the Leibniz butter cookies brand and has annual sales exceeding 500 million euros ($562 million), said it was aware of the moral responsibility that comes with being one of dozens of German companies that used forced labor during the Nazi dictatorship. "The company is aware of the big suffering and injustice experienced by forced laborers and many more people at the time and recognizes its historical and moral responsibility," said the statement, issued following Verena Bahlsen's remarks. Bahlsen says it voluntarily paid some 1.5 million deutschmarks (about 750,000 euros) in 2000-2001 to a foundation set up by German firms to compensate 20 million forced laborers used by the Nazis. Former forced laborers have failed in individual lawsuits to obtain compensation from Bahlsen. German courts have cited statute of limitations laws. Story continues Germans voiced anger at the heiress on social media. "Bahlsen is now officially the official snack food of the AfD," one Twitter user wrote, referring to the far-right Alternative for Germany party that won its first seats in parliament at the last national election in 2017. "The Bahlsen package is rather blue," the user added, referring to the blue color of both the biscuit box and the AfD party flag. Other Twitter users called for a boycott of the Bahlsen brands. "never buy #Bahlsen," tweeted Walter Petermann. Verena Bahlsen was earlier criticized for boasting about her wealth and her love of conspicuous consumption. "I own a fourth of Bahlsen and I am very happy about that," she said at a business event in Hamburg earlier this month. "I want to earn money and buy a sailing yacht." ($1 = 0.8902 euros) (Reporting by Joseph Nasr Editing by Mark Heinrich) Police outside a flat in Wittingen, north Germany, where two women have been found dead. (Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP) Detectives investigating the deaths of three people shot with a crossbow have discovered the bodies of two women in a flat more than 400 miles away. On Monday police said they had found two women in a flat in Wittingen. The news followed the discovery of three people found dead in a hotel room near Passau, in rural Bavaria, on Saturday. The Wittingen flat was occupied by a 30-year-old woman who was one of the victims found in the hotel room along with a man, aged 53, and woman, aged 33, found in bed, hand-in-hand, impaled with several arrows. The women were found dead in the apartment belonging to one of three people found dead in a hotel in Passau, Bavaria, on Saturday. (Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP) A guesthouse is pictured at the river 'Ilz' in Passau, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Police investigating the mysterious death of three people whose bodies were found with crossbow bolts inside at the hotel in Bavaria on Saturday, May 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) All five victims were resident in Germany. Two crossbows were found lying in the hotel room and a third in a bag belonging to the group. Public prosecutor Walter Feiler told a news conference that the man had been shot twice in the head and three times in the chest, while the woman lying next to him had one wound in the head and another in the chest. The third victim, the 30-year-old woman, "was lying in front of the double bed and had one shot from a crossbow between the throat and the chin", he added. Reports in German newspaper, Merkur, say the 30-year-old woman was the sister of one of the women found in the flat, some 400 miles away. The Wittingen discovery came on Monday, as police investigated the hotel room deaths. A police officer stands in front of an apartment building where the bodies of two women have been found at an apartment in Wittingen, northern Germany. (Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP) Mr Feiler said it was not yet clear how long the bodies had been in the flat. "The corpses were found because one of the neighbours heard about the reports from Passau and told police that the letter box of the flat was overflowing and that a strange smell was coming from the flat," he said. The relationship between the three victims in the hotel also remains unclear. They had booked a room with a double bed and single bed for three nights, checking in on Friday, without ordering breakfast. Results of autopsies carried out on the people found in the hotel are set to be revealed on Tuesday. A guesthouse is pictured at the river 'Ilz' in Passau, Germany, Monday, May 13, 2019. Police investigating the mysterious death of three people whose bodies were found with crossbow bolts inside at the hotel in Bavaria on Saturday, May 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Another hotel guest, who was staying in the hotel for a short break, told local newspaper Passauer Neue Presse that it had been a "completely quiet night". Story continues Police have seized a white truck, parked outside, which has stickers reportedly linked to a hunting club. It was registered in Westerwald, Rhineland-Palatinate. German media say one sticker has the letters FMJ - believed to be a reference to Full Metal Jacket crossbow arrows made by a US firm, Easton Hunting. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Alesha MacPhails killer wins right to appeal Baker to face no police action over royal baby tweet Moped crime halved after gang of 12 jailed A hotel guest said the man had a long white beard and the women were dressed in black, and described them as "strange". On arrival on Friday evening they simply wished other guests a "good evening", then went upstairs to their second-floor room with bottles of water and Coca-Cola, said the guest, quoted by Merkur. In Wittingen a neighbour quoted by Merkur described the 30-year-old woman as "always a bit odd - always dressed in black, sort of gothic". Alabama Montgomery: A group for historians in the state has elected its first African American president after more than 70 years in existence. The Alabama Historical Association has elected Wetumpka native Frazine Taylor as president for the upcoming year. Taylor, who works in the archives department at Alabama State University in Montgomery, was also presented with an award recognizing her contributions to Alabama history. Taylor, chair of the Black Heritage Council of the Alabama Historical Commission is known for her expertise in genealogical research and African American history. She was elected during the associations recent statewide meeting in Tuscaloosa. The organization publishes a quarterly review and oversees a program of roadside historical markers. Alaska Juneau: State environmental officials have launched the first ambient air quality study in the capital city in more than a decade to determine if air is being affected by cruise ships or other sources. The state will collect data from 21 monitors installed in late April around downtown Juneau, the Juneau Empire reports. The devices use lasers to measure particulate and report online in near-real time. They will remain in place through October. Fine particulate is tiny particles that can be inhaled and at high levels can cause health problems including respiratory illness, aggravated asthma, heart attacks and premature death. In the Fairbanks North Star Borough, where people burn wood as an alternative to expensive fuel oil, fine particulate is a perennial winter problem. Arizona Grand Canyon National Park: Scenic State Route 67 will reopen Wednesday in time for the summer season of hikers, backpackers, and tourists visiting the remote North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The area closes from mid-October through mid-May each year because of heavy snowfall, more than 9 feet during an average winter, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. When the national park lodge, campground, visitor center and restaurants reopen toward the end of spring, so does SR 67, the winding 31-mile road lined by pines and aspens that connects Jacobs Lake to the Kaibab Plateau. Only about 10% of Grand Canyon visitors go to the North Rim, but enthusiasts willing to make the extra travel are rewarded with a more intimate experience, says Grand Canyon National Park spokesperson Kris Fister. Story continues Arkansas Ponca: For the fourth year in a row, the Buffalo National River will host a free concert by band National Park Radio, on June 15 at Steel Creek Campground. The modern folk band from Harrison, Arkansas, is known for its hopeful, heartfelt lyrics with themes about life, love and difficult choices, echoing the bands deep-seated roots in the Ozark Mountains. Music will begin at 6 p.m. near the boat launch at Steel Creek Campground. Free parking is available on site, but National Park Service officials advise concertgoers to carpool to minimize traffic and associated resource impacts. The annual event is sponsored by the Buffalo National River Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to the promotion, appreciation, preservation and protection of Americas first national river. California Los Angeles: Officials say a planned subway project that will connect three rail lines downtown has been delayed again. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the new completion date for the Regional Connector is mid-March 2022. Rail service is scheduled to begin five months after that. The agencys initial target date was December 2020, but that was delayed by a year in 2017 as officials increased the budget to $1.75 billion. The Los Angeles Times reports Sunday that the latest delay comes as the contractor grapples with labor shortages. The project requires nearly 4 miles of excavation for two tunnels and three subway stations. The twin tunnels are designed to connect three lines into two mega-routes that will allow passengers to ride long distances without changing trains. Colorado Breckenridge: A huge wooden troll has found a new home in this ski town. The Summit Daily reports that the troll has been relocated to a spot behind an ice arena in the south end of Breckenridge. The trolls creator, Danish artist Thomas Dambo, visited the location Friday to affix a heart-shaped stone to the trolls wooden body. It was originally assembled beside a trail last summer for a festival, but it was so popular with visitors that nearby homeowners complained about the crowds. It was taken down in November. The troll, named Isak Heartstone, stands 15 feet high. The site is not open to the public yet. The town is building a trail and surrounding amenities, which are expected to open by early June. Connecticut Hartford: Gov. Ned Lamont has signed legislation that could lead to the production of industrial hemp in the state. The Democrat says the new law will provide farmers an opportunity to bolster their profits with hemp. He says it will also attract veteran and first-time farmers to a new and growing market. The legislation passed both the state House of Representatives and Senate by unanimous votes. Under the new law, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture is required to establish a pilot program for growing or cultivating industrial hemp. The federal government recently allowed states to grow, use or sell the product, which proponents say has thousands of uses. Connecticuts regulations will ultimately need federal approval. Delaware Dover: The state House is set to vote on a bill that largely prohibits retailers from providing single-use carryout plastic bags to customers. The bill slated for a vote Tuesday is aimed at cutting down on the amount of plastic bags cluttering landfills, littering roadways and clogging stormwater systems. The bill applies to stores with more than 7,000 square feet of sales space and chain stores with three or more locations having at least 3,000 square feet of sales space. Restaurants are excluded from the bag ban, which also allows exceptions for bags used to wrap meat, fish, flowers or plants or that contain unwrapped food items. You could also still carry a goldfish home from a pet store or your laundry from the dry cleaners in plastic bags. District of Columbia Washington: The nations capital has the highest use of drugs in the entire country, according to a new report from the personal finance website Wallethub, WUSA-TV reports. The district scored a 59.95 on a 100-point scale by Wallethubs metrics, ranking as No. 1 for the highest use of drugs and addiction. According to the findings of the report, the District of Columbia also ranked in the top five for highest use of drugs by adults and teenagers. In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and D.C. in three categories: drug use and addiction, law enforcement, and drug health issues and rehab. Florida Miami: A quiet South Beach neighborhood has become a battleground between preservationists and homeowners who want more freedom over their properties. Residents of leafy Palm View are divided over a push to repeal the areas historic designation, which protects the neighborhoods Mediterranean Revival homes and low-rise apartment buildings from demolition. But it also limits property owners ability to build more resilient structures, and residents say flooding in the area is getting worse. South Florida is expected to see 1 to 2 feet of sea level rise by 2060, according to a projection from the Southeast Florida Climate Compact. In Palm View, some residents say being able to build newer, more resilient structures has become increasingly important. The neighborhood borders the Collins Canal. Georgia Atlanta: A group of students from Spelman and Morehouse colleges whove been studying Michelle Obamas memoir, Becoming, had a surprise visitor to discuss the work the former first lady herself. Obama came to Spelman to talk with the students Saturday about the best-selling book ahead of her sold-out appearance Saturday night at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Obama encouraged the 18 students to have faith in themselves, saying she learned through her eight years in the White House and elsewhere that she is as smart and capable as the well-educated and famous leaders she encountered. Hawaii Honolulu: U.S. lawmakers representing the state want a large-scale study conducted on the impact sunscreen chemicals have on humans and coral reefs around the world. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, along with Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., last week introduced the Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Impact Study Act of 2019, which would require the Environmental Protection Agency to study the impacts of the chemicals on human and the environment. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also introduced the act along with the Reef Safe Act of 2019 that would require the Food and Drug Administration to develop standards for the Reef Safe designation in over-the-counter sunscreens. Last year, Hawaii enacted a law banning the sale or distribution of over-the-counter sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. Idaho Boise: Two city parks are being renamed to honor Native Americans from the local past. Idaho Press reports the Boise City Council voted unanimously on the name changes last week. Now Quarry View Park will be renamed Eagle Rock Park, and Castle Rock Reserve will be renamed Chief Eagle Eye Reserve. The council also voted unanimously on a resolution that reasserts the citys directives to honor contributing contributions to the area by indigenous people. Eagle Rock is the traditional name of a balancing rock above Quarry View Park, and its a significant site for tribes in what is now Treasure Valley. Eagle Eye was chief of a band of 70 Weiser Shoshone who moved to the mountains of Idaho secretly in 1878 instead of relocating to a reservation. Illinois Urbana: The University of Illinois is planning to name its Micro and Nanotechnology Lab after an engineering visionary who created the first practical LED. Professor emeritus Nick Holonyak Jr., a UI engineering alumnus, found a new alloy in 1962 that would emit light in the red segment of the visible spectrum. Energy-saving LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are now universal and used in everything from flashlights and electronics to spacecraft. UI trustees will vote this week on whether to name the UI Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory in Holonyaks honor, the News-Gazette reports. UI College of Engineering officials say very few graduates in UIs 152-year history have had as much influence as the Franklin County native. Indiana Porter: Indiana Dunes National Park says visitors can reserve campsites, beginning Wednesday. In past years, all 66 sites at Dunewood campground were available on a first-come, first-served basis. Under the new system, 34 sites can be reserved up to six months in advance. The remaining 32 sites will remain first-come, first-served. The price is $25 per night. The campground is open April through October. An online reservation system goes live at 9 a.m. CDT Wednesday. For more information, contact the parks information desk at (219) 395-1882, or visit its website. The park covers 15,000 acres along the southern shore of Lake Michigan in northwestern Indiana. Iowa Des Moines: Officials say a dog disease that can be passed to humans has been confirmed in the state. The state veterinarian, Dr. Jeff Kaisand, says several cases of canine brucellosis have been confirmed at a commercial breeding facility for small dogs in Marion County. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says it is notifying people who have custody of the exposed dogs. Both the animals and the facilities are quarantined while the dogs undergo testing. Signs of the disease in a dog include infertility, spontaneous abortions and stillbirths. State health officials say symptoms for humans include fever, sweats, headache, joint pain and weakness. The department says the threat to most pet owners is very low. Dog breeders and veterinary staff may be at higher risk. Kansas Kansas City: Nurse practitioners are fighting to get rid of the state requirement that they get permission to work from a physician. KCUR-FM reports Kansas is one of the few states that still make advanced practice nurses sign contracts with doctors. Physicians argue the contracts are to protect patients by ensuring that nurses collaborate with their more educated colleagues. But nurses are fighting back against the contracts, which they say limit patient options and can even give doctors a cut of their earnings for little to no work. A bill seeking to drop the collaborative contract requirement died in a legislative maneuver this year. But nurse practitioners hope to try again, offering to make new nurse practitioners work a few years before dropping their contracts with doctors. Kentucky Louisville: In the past three years, the state has made great strides toward addressing food insecurity in distressed rural communities and its become a model for other states looking to try new solutions. Earlier this year, Kentucky hosted the first-ever Summit on Rural Child Hunger, organized by the national No Kid Hungry campaign. The state was selected in part because of its Hunger Initiative, launched by Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles in 2016. Since it began, the initiative has donated more than 150 refrigerated coolers and freezers to dozens of food pantries statewide; created an economic incentive for summer meal programs, encouraging the purchase of more fruits and vegetables from local farmers; and advocated for the continued funding of the Farm to Food Banks Trust Fund, which awards grants to eligible nonprofit organizations that provide food to low-income Kentuckians. Louisiana Baton Rouge: A federal judge has conditionally dismissed a lawsuit that claimed three ailing death row inmates in the state were being subjected to cruel and unusual punishment through high heat indexes. The Advocate reports attorneys for the inmates and the state Department of Corrections jointly requested to dismiss the 2013 civil rights lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson ruled in 2016 that cell heat indexes exceeding 88 degrees constitute cruel and unusual punishment, but the ruling was overturned because it defined a maximum heat index. The conditional dismissal requires Louisiana to remain in substantial compliance with an agreement it signed last year. That agreement requires the inmates to have daily showers, individual ice containers and fans, water faucets in their cells and other cooling techniques. Maine Saint George: A state agency has been awarded $1 million to help acquire an island in the states midcoast area for conservation. The U.S. Department of the Interiors National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grants program is making the money available to help preserve Clark Island in the Saint George area. Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree says the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will work with Maine Coast Heritage Trust on the conservation project. Pingree says the money will be used to buy 168 acres of Clark Island. The acres abut an existing 250-acre state conservation easement in Saint George. Pingree says the preservation of the site will protect habitat for birds and allow for recreational opportunities. Maryland Annapolis: Gov. Larry Hogan signed a first-in-the-nation measure Monday to make it easier for people without health insurance to find out if they qualify for low-cost insurance after they file their taxes. The new law will create a box for people to check on state income tax returns. If its checked, the states health care exchange will see if the person qualifies for Medicaid, based on information in the tax return, and those who are eligible will be enrolled automatically. The exchange will reach out to people who qualify for private coverage. Hogan, a Republican, highlighted bipartisan work in the Democrat-controlled General Assembly on other health-related measures he signed Monday. One of them raises the smoking age from 18 to 21 and includes vaping in the definition of tobacco products. Massachusetts Boston: A proposed $2 billion wind farm planned for federal waters off Marthas Vineyard has been awarded a key permit by a state board responsible for reviewing proposed large energy facilities. The Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board last week approved requests filed by Vineyard Wind for the construction and operation of the 84-turbine, 800-megawatt wind farm about 14 miles south of Marthas Vineyard off the Massachusetts Coast. Project officials call the permit approval a significant milestone toward the wind farms construction. In February the project also received a key approval from Rhode Island regulators after the states Coastal Resources Management Council determined the project is consistent with state policies. Michigan Dearborn: An exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in suburban Detroit is offering a glimpse into the world of Star Trek. Titled Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds, the exhibition runs through Sept. 2 at the museum in Dearborn. It offers a look at more than 100 artifacts and props from the original TV series and its spinoffs. It also explores its enduring impact on culture, from arts and technology to fashion and literature. The traveling exhibition from Seattles Museum of Pop Culture includes a tricorder, communicator and phaser from the original series. It also features artifacts from the Star Trek films and original set pieces, including a navigation console and costumes. The exhibition is a collaboration involving CBS Consumer Products, which manages licensing and merchandizing for the network. Minnesota Brainerd: A University of Minnesota study links the decline of walleye in Mille Lacs Lake to a loss of habitat resulting from clearer water. Minnesota Public Radio reports the study was published in the journal Ecosphere. Lead author Gretchen Hansen says researchers used 30 years of data on the lakes water clarity and temperature to estimate how walleye habitat has changed. Walleye prefer low light and cooler water. But in recent decades, Mille Lacs water clarity has increased, most likely due to septic system improvements around the lake and the invasion of zebra mussels. Hansen says that has reduced walleye habitat. The study suggests that altering annual harvest levels based on changing water clarity and temperature could help sustain the walleye population. State officials currently base limits on the estimated number of fish in the lake. Mississippi Oxford: A local chef has won a major culinary award after five previous nominations. The James Beard Foundation last week named Vishwesh Bhatt of Snackbar in Oxford as its 2019 winner for best chef in the foundations South region. Bhatt tells The Oxford Eagle winning was just an incredible feeling. Hes thanking Oxford restauranteur John Currence, whose City Grocery Restaurant Group owns Snackbar, City Grocery and other restaurants in Oxford. Bhatt also attributes his success to the restaurants staff. Bhatt has been the lead chef at Snackbar since it opened in 2009. Missouri Ginger and her mother, Merah, at the Saint Louis Zoo. St. Louis: A popular animal at the St. Louis Zoo is celebrating a milestone birthday: Merah the Sumatran orangutan is 50 years old. Merah reached the half-century mark Monday. She was born May 13, 1969, at a zoo in the Netherlands. She came to St. Louis in 1992. Merah is a five-time mother, the grandmother of two and great-grandmother of one. The zoo says that when Merah gave birth to Ginger in 2014 at age 45, she became the oldest Sumatran orangutan in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Orangutan Species Survival Plan to give birth and rear her offspring. Sumatran, Bornean and Tapanuli orangutan species are classified as critically endangered due to habitat loss. The zoo says fewer than 125,000 orangutans remain in the wild. Montana Missoula: A vintage plane restored by volunteers has lifted off for the first time in nearly 20 years. The Missoulian reports that the 75-year-old Dakota DC-3 known as Miss Montana flew over Missoula on a test flight Sunday. It was the first time it was airborne since arriving in 2001. Volunteers have been working hard to get the former firefighting plane ready to travel to France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Miss Montana is scheduled to participate in a re-enactment of the invasion, including dropping jumpers from Montana. A send-off gala Saturday night raised money to cover its fuel costs. Nebraska Omaha: Landowners are seeking new solutions for a phenomenon millions of years old. Tons of sand, sediment and silt some in dunes as high as 10 feet have been scattered across the eastern half to two-thirds of the state by flooding in March. In some areas, washed-out cornstalks are 3 to 4 feet deep. Tree limbs are in piles, and topsoil has been washed away. We have a mountain of sand piled up, Valley farmer Ryan Ueberrhein told the Omaha World-Herald. Sediment from Nebraskas rivers and streams has been deposited on nearby flooded land for millions of years. Now U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension specialists and extension educators are trying to figure out what to do with it. Theyre racing against the clock because farmers need to plant, and ranchers need grass pastures to graze their cattle. Nevada This October 2018 photo provided by the Elko Lion's Club, shows the fireplace and chimney, the only thing remaining from the historic Warner Whipple Lodge in Lamoille Canyon, Nev., that was destroyed on Sept. 30, 2018, in an explosive wildfire that leveled most of an 80-year-old youth camp in the Ruby Mountains southeast of Elko. Volunteers plan to return to the Lion's Club's Camp Lamoille in June to begin a $1 million rebuilding effort. (Chuck Stout/Elko Lion's Club via AP) Elko: Dozens of volunteers in the states northeast plan to return to an 80-year-old youth camp site next month to begin a $1 million rebuilding effort in the wake of an explosive wildfire. Elko Lions Club members whove launched a fundraising drive for Camp Lamoille hope to reopen it next year in the rugged Ruby Mountains, where the camp was established by the Boy Scouts of America southeast of Elko in 1939. Ten of the 16 buildings were lost in the fire last fall, including the historic lodge, six A-frame cabins and three storage units. So far, the Lions Club has raised about $343,000 of the estimated total cost of rebuilding through fundraisers, insurance proceeds, and other individual and corporate donations. New Hampshire Concord: The schedule is set for a weeklong celebration of the Statehouses bicentennial. While various events have been held in recent years, the formal celebration starts Sunday, June 2, with an opening ceremony, re-enactments of the first Statehouse session in 1819 and tours of the building. On Monday, there will be special roundtable discussions featuring former governors and executive councilors. Tuesdays schedule features the state Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in Representatives Hall and an event highlighting the history of the Statehouse press corps. Wednesday is devoted to the states cultural heritage and arts, while Thursday will be Homecoming Day for former lawmakers. A New Hampshire Made street market Friday and closing ceremonies Saturday round out the celebrations the first week in June. New Jersey Adult spotted lanternfly Palmyra: The sighting of an invasive spotted lanternfly at Palmyra Cove in Burlington County has brought attention from the state and U.S. agriculture departments. After one of the insects was spotted in November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture followed up with an inspection, finding and removing a spotted lanterfly egg mass on a perimeter trail, says Kristina Merola, director of natural sciences and park manager at Palmyra Cove. This month, as the insects hatching season approaches, crews from the NJDA began working in Palmyra Cove, the vast labyrinth of wetlands and woodlands beneath the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Theyre marking Ailanthus trees, which are a crucial host for the spotted lanterfly species. State crews are then treating the trees with herbicide, Merola says. The intruding bugs pose a threat to entire agricultural industries. New Mexico Carlsbad: School districts have become increasingly reliant on substitutes as they contend with a growing number vacant teaching positions in the state. Districts needing to fill vacancies have turned to hiring substitute teachers, particularly long-term substitutes. Some of those substitutes have spent years in a classroom as temporary educators. School district leaders say its a necessary step as they deal with hundreds of vacant positions across the state. Still, they express concerns about the challenges that come with hiring substitute teachers who typically are not certified and do not build lesson plans or meet with parents. A New Mexico State University report says the state had about 740 vacant teaching positions last year, more than double the 300 vacancies reported in 2017. New York The roof of the building is a terrace with vista views of the statue and the New York Skyline. The new Statue of Liberty Museum will be open to the public on May 16, 2019. The museum has the original torch of the Statue of Liberty on display and exhibits that show its history. New York: Lady Liberty is ready to reveal the biggest upgrade to her island home since she first raised her torch in 1886. More than two years after breaking ground, and funded by a $100 million public campaign, the new Statue of Liberty Museum opens Thursday. The 26,000-square-foot museum, loaded with historic relics and interactive exhibits, rises uphill from the central pedestrian mall on Liberty Island, which receives some 4.5 million visitors annually. Built on the New Jersey-facing side of the island, terraced steps, made of the same Stony Creek granite used to build the statue base, lead to a 14,000-square-foot green roof, seeded with native grasses. From there, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Upper Bay between New York and New Jersey and, of course, Lady Liberty herself. North Carolina Raleigh: The Carolina Hurricanes have been rolling at home ever since their newly acquired grunter named Hamilton started hogging the corner. Not defenseman Dougie Hamilton Hamilton the pig. The 90-pound Juliana potbelly who catches games from behind the boards in a personalized wagon has shown plenty of chops during his three-week run as the teams unofficial good-luck charm. In the land of pulled pork barbecue, this pig pulls for the Hurricanes. Hes like this little internet sensation that caught on, says his owner, Raleigh real estate broker Kyle Eckenrode. People just love it when we bring him out. Its really crazy to watch it all unfold. The Hurricanes cant argue with the results: Ever since Hamilton began hanging out, the players havent lost with their prized pig in the building. North Dakota Bismarck: The Capitol will soon welcome its visitors with a new public entrance. The Bismarck Tribune reports that state lawmakers have approved $2 million to remodel the Capitol buildings only public entrance before the next legislative session in January 2021. The entrance is accessed through a tunnel thats long been closed to vehicle traffic. Sen. Ray Holmberg says the tunnel would cause winter winds and extreme cold to seep into the Capitols ground floor. The states facilities management director, John Boyle, says the plan calls for enclosing the tunnel and converting drive lanes into sidewalks with landscaping. Boyle says the remodel would also improve handicapped accessibility. Boyle says the changes will make it an easier, user-friendly experience for people coming to the Capitol. Ohio New Concord: The John and Annie Glenn Museum will be dedicated as a site on the National Register of Historic Places this month in the late astronauts hometown of New Concord. The museum, which was John Glenns boyhood home, will be dedicated in a ceremony Sunday in the Muskingum County village roughly 70 miles east of Columbus. The Glenns daughter, Lyn, will help dedicate the property. The former U.S. senator was born in Cambridge and moved to New Concord with his family in 1923. He was the first American to orbit the Earth and served 24 years as a Democrat in the Senate. The museum has also been designated an Ohio historic site and is on the National Park Services Register of Historic Places. Oklahoma Oklahoma City: A state investigator says cattle rustling is on the rise. The lead agent for the Oklahoma Department of Agricultures criminal investigation unit tells The Journal Record that the number of cattle reported stolen through March has already surpassed all of 2018. That comes to 1,210 stolen in the first three months of the year compared to 975 in 2018. Investigator Jerry Flowers says the state often works with federal agencies. In a recent case, that has included the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs because the stolen cattle was on property north of El Reno that is under the jurisdiction of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Nations. Oregon Salem: The sergeant at arms of the state Senate had a new regular duty in recent days: searching the Capitol for Republican senators who have been staying away and brought the legislative bodys business to a halt. The tactic by the minority party is rare in Oregon but has been used throughout history, sometimes creating comical scenes. In Washington three decades ago, U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood, R-Ore., was carried feet-first into the Senate chamber after Democrats ordered the arrest of Republican senators who were denying a quorum. The Oregon standoff ended on its fifth day Monday. It had been caused by GOP senators anger at a bill that raises taxes on some businesses to fund education. After the Senate finally convened Monday afternoon, it passed the measure. To get the Republicans to return, Democrats, who hold a supermajority, agreed not to advance a measure requiring vaccinations for children to attend public schools. They also agreed to drop gun-control legislation. Pennsylvania Inside the reimagined cell for Al Capone at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pa. Thursday, May 2, 2019. The Capone exhibit was moved one cell over after renovations revealed historically significant findings under layers of paint in the original cell. Philadelphia: For 20 years, visitors to Eastern State Penitentiary got a glimpse of how Al Capone may have lived while incarcerated there in 1929. But a new installation at the former prison, now a historic museum, reveals something new that Capone had a cellmate. Capones solo cell was for decades based on a newspaper account in the Public Ledger that described a beautiful rug of soft colors, refined wood furniture, tasteful paintings and a cabinet-style radio that played waltzes. The exact cell to house Americas most famous gangster, in what was once the worlds most famous prison, remains a guess. As part of ongoing preservation, the history museum moved Capone one cell over, giving the bootlegger a more historically accurate exhibit that finds him in less fancy digs, which he shares with a cellmate. The original cell on exhibit is left empty. Visitors can tour both spaces. Rhode Island Providence: Lawmakers are considering a bill to waive state college application fees for veterans. Democratic state Sen. Walter Felag introduced the measure, which passed the Senate Wednesday and was referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. It would authorize state higher education institutions to waive application and transcript fees for veterans. It states that the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education should encourage the presidents of the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and University of Rhode Island to do so. Felag says its just one way to express gratitude for veterans service to the country and make their lives easier after they return home. South Carolina Charleston: A program to prevent former inmates from returning to prison has launched in the Lowcountry. WCIV-TV reports Project Evolution Inc. kicked off Friday. The program helps teach former inmates basic technology and job skills and also helps them build resumes and train for job interviews. The program begin in 2015 in Washington, D.C. Founder Barbara Magwood says shes helped about 200 former inmates readjust to life without bars and to stay out of jail. South Carolina Department of Corrections data from 2015 shows 22.3% of inmates return to jail within three years. Magwood says through encouragement, the program is able to show ex-inmates that theres hope after prison. Elder Walter Jackson, pastor of Greater Refuge Temple in Charleston, says his church is providing program volunteers to facilitate skills training. South Dakota Spearfish: A study shows that the population of a bird listed as a threatened species in the state is stable in the Spearfish and Whitewood creek watersheds but not expanding. American dippers can be found throughout the West, but the Black Hills is the farthest east the species is located, and that population also is genetically different from others. The Black Hills Pioneer reports Bird Conservancy of the Rockies biologist Nancy Drilling last year surveyed the Bear Butte, Elk, Box Elder, French and Rapid creeks. She says the results are similar to what was found in the early 2000s. The American dipper has been listed as threatened in South Dakota since 1996. The state wants a self-sustaining population in a third watershed before the bird is removed from the list. Tennessee Dolly Parton speaks in front of the Wildwood Tree during the grand opening of Dollywood's new Wildwood Grove expansion on Friday, May 10, 2019. Pigeon Forge: Dollywood has expanded with a newly opened land inspired by the magic of nature. Wildwood Grove, the largest expansion yet of Dolly Partons amusement park, opened its gates to guests for the first time Friday. The $37 million area has 11 themed attractions and sits adjacent to the Pigeon Forge theme parks Timber Canyon area. Wildwood Grove features trees and plants native to East Tennessee. The new lands story also connects to the area and features a young girl who discovers and touches the Wildwood Tree, and it opens her eyes and mind to everything around her. Wildwood Groves 11 themed attractions range from a new roller coaster to a restaurant with Southwestern cuisine. Butterflies, dragonflies, frogs and fireflies factor heavily into the imagery of the rides and decor. Texas Corpus Christi: The Texas Historical Commission has approved $150,000 to help with the stabilization and ultimate reuse of a historic 1914 courthouse. The commission awarded Nueces County funding for the project through a National Park Service grant, according to a release from the commission. The $12.3 million grant is meant to help historic properties in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. Nueces County leaders have long grappled with how to save the historic building that sits in downtown Corpus Christi. In March, commissioners voted to reject an offer from the Ed Rachal Foundation to purchase the building and the property on which it sits. Utah A close-up look at the dwarf bear-poppy at the White Dome Nature Preserve St. George: Federal officials and environmentalists are joining efforts to boost protection for a rare poppy that is only found in southern Utah. The Spectrum & Daily News reports that the U.S. forest Service, Utah Valley University and The Nature Conservancy are examining how to manage the dwarf bear-poppy or bearclaw poppy, which has been on the decline for the past 40 years. The flower was first put on the federally endangered species list in 1979. Experts say it can only blossom in specific geological conditions. Those conditions, which include gypsum soil, can be found in the St. George area. The Nature Conservancy established the 800-acre White Dome Nature Preserve that protects most of the habitat occupied by the poppy. Researchers have been using a drone to study the flowers. Vermont Montpelier: The state has joined a handful of counterparts in renaming Columbus Day to honor Native Americans. Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill May 6 recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day. A half-dozen states and several cities have made the change. Native American tribes and others say celebrating Italian explorer Christopher Columbus ignores the effect that the European arrival in the Americas had on the native peoples. They suffered violence, disease, enslavement, racism and exploitation at the hands of the settlers. Vermonts law states that Vermont was founded and built upon lands whose original inhabitants were Abenaki people and honors them and their ancestors. Virginia Chincoteague: A new walking and bicycle trail connecting Chincoteague and Assateague islands will be named after former longtime Mayor Jack Tarr. The trail will connect downtown Chincoteague with the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague. The Chincoteague Town Council voted last week to name the new trail network the John H. Tarr Bay to the Beach Trail. Councilman Eddie Lewis suggested naming the trail after Tarr, and Councilwoman Ellen Richardson recommended Bay to the Beach. Lewis made a motion combining the two ideas, which was seconded by Denise Bowden and approved unanimously. Earlier this year, the town solicited ideas for naming the trail via the towns website and Facebook page. More than 40 potential names were submitted for consideration. Washington In this June 4, 2015, file photo, seals and California sea lions gather on the docks of the East End Mooring Basin in Astoria, Oregon. A big rebound in the sea lion population along the West Coast in recent years has created a constant battle to wrangle the protected animals. They're proving to be a headache for some coastal marinas. Westport: A big rebound in the sea lion population along the West Coast in recent years has created a constant battle to wrangle the protected animals. Theyre smart and fun to watch from a safe distance but also noisy, smelly and proving to be a headache for some coastal marinas. Its a free zoo, kind of; just dont pet em! said Dennis Craig of Olympia as he watched a pier at Westport Marina nearly sink under the weight of dozens of burly bulls jostling and snoozing in the sun. The flip side of these flippered fish fiends can be seen in the mounting bill to the marina, including the cost of busted docks, broken electric stanchions and lost business. Nearly all of our net revenue was used to repair damage caused by sea lions this year, Westport Marina business manager Molly Bold said in an email. West Virginia Charleston: A West Virginia University researcher is seeking funding to study whether using fentanyl testing strips changes the behavior of drug users, The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid increasingly involved in drug-related deaths. Some harm reduction programs use the strips to warn drug users of the presence of fentanyl in other illicit substances. Dr. Judith Feinberg, a professor at the WVU School of Medicine, told the paper people might be safer knowing there is fentanyl in their drugs. But people could also use the strips to seek out dangerous drug doses. Feinberg and researcher Jon Zibbel are asking the National Institute on Drug Abuse to fund the research. They plan to study harm reduction programs at Milan Puskar Health Right, in Morgantown, and a program in North Carolina. Wisconsin Madison: More people are dying in Wisconsin, but the states growing elderly population is living longer. Those are two findings of the annual death report from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The latest report released Monday looks at deaths in 2017. It found that deaths were up 15% compared with a decade ago. But the death rate for people age 65 and older decreased by 10% over 10 years. The top three causes of death in 2017 were heart disease, cancer and unintentional injury. Overall, the rates of death from cancer and heart disease both declined. But deaths from falls were up 3%, and poisonings were up 13%. Poisoning accounts for 30% of all unintentional injuries, second only to falls at 42%. Wyoming Ledge geyser in Yellowstone National Park erupted recently after three years of inactivity. Yellowstone National Park: A noisy geyser in Yellowstone National Park has roared back to life after three years of quiet. Ledge Geyser is one of the biggest in Yellowstones Norris Geyser Basin. The Billings Gazette reports the geyser shoots hot water at an angle up to 125 feet high and a distance of 220 feet. Yellowstone geologist Jeff Hungerford says Ledge Geyser is noisy because its water and steam must pass through a narrow opening in the ground. Yellowstone has 1,300 thermal features and 500 geysers, more than anywhere else on Earth. Some geysers such as Old Faithful are predictable, but most, like Ledge Geyser, erupt erratically. From staff and wire reports This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Good-luck pig, Dollywood expansion, Al Capone: News from around our 50 states Google Maps logo is seen on a Huawei smart phone with the word Data breach on a laptop monitor. (Photo by Omar Marques/SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Google (GOOG) is expanding its global security operations this week by launching a hub in Germany, as the company focuses on ensuring customer privacy across its products. The Google Safety Engineering Centre will open in Munich, housing up to 200 privacy engineers by the year end of 2019, developing products to be used worldwide. The tech giants Munich engineering operations previously built privacy and security features into its Chrome browser, including enhanced password management and tools for controlling cookies within the browser. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in a statement on the companys blog: Its no accident that were building our privacy hub in the heart of Europe, and in a country that in many ways reflects how Europeans think about online safety, privacy and security. This years expansion will take us beyond 1,000 employees for the first time, making the office a true global hub not only for privacy engineering, but for research and product development, as well. Pichai also announced a 10m (8.7m) grant fund to support nonprofits, academic research institutions and social enterprises working on online safety projects across Europe. The announcement comes at a time that tech giants, including the likes of Facebook (FB) have come under fire over data breaches and privacy concerns. While Facebook has been battling the Cambridge Analytica scandal that is leading to possible multi-billion dollar fines, Google has been slammed for its wide-scale data operations and the way its location history settings could mislead consumers. Earlier this month, Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's senior vice president of advertising and commerce, said in an interview with CNET that the company's future depends on getting privacy right or both advertisers and users. Around 85% Googles parent company Alphabets annual revenue comes from ads. Google has given $150,000 of free advertising to an anti-abortion group that tricks women into thinking it offers abortion services but actually seeks to stop abortion-minded women from having their pregnancies terminated. The Obria Group, a Southern California based non-profit that describes itself as being led by God, is a chain of crisis pregnancy centres that oppose abortion and do not offer contraceptives. Obria, which is said to be funded by Catholic organisations, runs a network of clinics across the country, many of which misleadingly suggest on their websites that they offer abortion. The Obria Group got a $120,000 Google advertising grant in 2015 and another of $32,000 in 2011, The Guardian reported. Obria was awarded the 2015 grant in spite of the fact Google came under heavy fire a year earlier after a pro-choice group found the platform was running deceptive ads for clinics that appeared to provide abortions and other medical services, but instead focused on counselling and information on alternatives to abortion. In some cases, such clinics, which are referred to as crisis pregnancy centres (CPCs), are situated close to Planned Parenthood clinics and provide some medical treatment, such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and prenatal counselling. However, they also strive to deter women who enter from seeking abortions and do not offer referrals for alternative treatment. Alice Huling, a lawyer for the Campaign for Accountability, a public interest watchdog, said: Google is the preeminent source of information on the internet, and is often the first resource for a woman with an unplanned pregnancy. "Google has said it will stop running deceptive ads from CPCs, yet we still see these types of advertisements appearing on its platform. Clearly Google is content to keep its head in the sand and allow these groups to run misleading ads. Unless Google acts, CPCs will continue to use deceptive online advertising to trick women into visiting their sites." Story continues Mary Alice Carter, executive director of Equity Forward, a reproductive rights group, said: "The more we learn about Obria, the more questions we have. We know why the federal government and its anti-abortion cronies rolled out the red carpet for a so-called health care provider that does not offer birth control and peddles medically unproven services. But why is Google following in those anti-science footsteps? Taxpayers and the hundreds of millions of Americans who use Google deserve an explanation." Google refused to comment on the grant but said all recipients have to comply with its policies - including one which states groups cant deceive users by excluding relevant information or giving misleading information. Obria chose not to comment on the Google grants. Google awarded the Obria grant as part of a program to help non-profit organisations across the world with in-kind donations worth up to $10,000 a month. Obria recently came under the spotlight after the Trump administration announced it would give it $5.1m (3.9m) in family planning funds. Were very concerned that by Obria entering into the program, they are denying women information about all their health care options, Julie Rabinovitz, president and CEO of Essential Access Health, said. It could really reduce the progress we have made in reducing unintended pregnancies. The Trump administrations decision to fund Obria is being seen as an indication of its wish to move family planning funds towards faith-based groups that oppose abortion and away from groups like Planned Parenthood. The funding comes from Title X, the federal grant program that subsidizes birth control, cancer screenings and other medical care for four million low-income patients. The Independent contacted representatives of Google and Obria for comment. (Corrects headline and lede to remove mention of mobile website following Google clarification) By Paresh Dave SAN FRANCISCO, May 14 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google will begin featuring ads on the homepage of its smartphone app worldwide later this year, it said on Tuesday, giving the search engine a huge new supply of ad slots to boost revenue. Google will also start placing ads with a gallery of up to eight images in search results, potentially increasing ad supply further. The changes come as choppy revenue growth prompt questions from some Alphabet investors about whether services such as Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc's Instagram are drawing online shoppers and in turn, advertisers away from Google. Google executives told reporters on Monday the latest features were a response to how users behave, not competition. The company wants to make it easier for users to discover and buy new products because they shop in brief spurts while watching TV or sitting in the bathroom, said Oliver Heckmann, vice president of engineering for Travel and Shopping. "It actually changed with mobiles and what users expect from an online service like Google," he said. The ads on the Google homepage appear on what the company calls its Discover feature, a Facebook-style news feed that users swipe through to view an algorithmically personalized set of links to articles, videos and other online content. The company said on Monday that ads would run whereever Discover is available, including on its mobile website, but clarified on Tuesday that ads would only be in the Google app. Google has been testing ads on Discover since last fall, when it said more than 800 million people were using the feature monthly. The gallery ads are part of a Google effort to make search results more visual, the company said. Ads with images are expected to garner more clicks, which could lead them being shown in more results, executives said. Google - which announced the changes at its Marketing Live conferece for advertisers - also said it would begin showing personalized content on its Google Shopping home page. That offers only a search box in most countries at present. The company will continue to use the Shopping service to take orders for in-store pick up or delivery from a variety of shops. But it will phase out its Google Express delivery brand in favor of Google Shopping. Google first launched a more robust shopping page in India last year. (Reporting by Paresh Dave, editing by Deepa Babington) WASHINGTON Republican senators acknowledged Tuesday the escalating trade war with China could hurt farmers and consumers in their states, but backed President Donald Trumps strategy of increasing tariffs, saying the short-term pain may be necessary to even the playing field and force China back to the negotiating table. Chinas stealing market share and I dont know how to get them to change without pain, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. So whatever pain we experience now I think will be worth it in the long run. Our farmers on the front lines, some of these tariffs are really hurting us at home, but I support the idea of trying to get China to do better before itss too late. President Donald Trump says the United States and China were close to a trade deal, before China tried to re-negotiate. This comes hours before a Chinese delegation is expected at the White House. (May 9) Trade talks between the two countries broke off Friday without a deal after Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%, including office furniture, handbags and frozen catfish fillets, after trade talks between the two countries stalled. 'A little squabble': Trump says U.S., China have 'extraordinary' relationship despite trade fight Trump-Xi: Trump says he received 'beautiful letter' from China's Xi amid tense trade talks China retaliated Monday, saying it will add tariffs on more than 5,000 U.S. products. Chinese officials said the tariffs would impact $60 billion in U.S. imports and would range from 5% to 25%. The tariffs will take effect June 1, which would give both sides time to resume talks. One thing we all agree on is nobody wins a trade war and were all hoping that these particular tactics get us into a better position, said Senate Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, adding that the U.S. and China have been in an unfair trading relationship for a very long time. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he has long pushed for the country to be tough on China, but said Trump has gotten into too many tariff fights with other countries, including Canada and Mexico. He said both parties should unite against China. Story continues If were really tough and strong against China and the president takes my advice and gets all the other countries involved, we will come to a very good solution very quickly," he said. I hope he doesnt back out and come up with a weak solution because China is going to continue to hurt us over and over again Weve got to do something about China or America will not be a strong economic power 10 or 15 years from now. I dont fully agree with what the president has done because hes fought this against too many different countries. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said Trump is trying to present a package to mitigate the impact of the trade war. Scott said hes cautiously optimistic something good would come out of the fight. It might not be by Friday, but in the end we need to have this trade struggle and probably should have it now, Scott said. Were in the midst of a necessary tug of war. If were going to have a better trading environment for the next generation we have to get it now. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Some Senate Republicans, who oppose tariffs, said they hoped talks resume soon. We need to stand firm against Chinas bad trade practices. Theyve stolen intellectual property from the United States, forced joint venture ownership, said Colorado GOP Sen. Cory Gardner. But I dont like tariffs. I think theyre a tax on the American consumers and it needs to end, now. Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said many people can support the situation if it helps get China back to the negotiating table. I think everybody can accept that. But if this goes on for a long time everybody realizes its playing with a live hand grenade, said Cornyn, adding that China had reneged on the deal. If this is what it takes to get a good deal I think people will hang in there, but at some point weve got to get it resolved. Farmer, particularly those growing soybeans, are expected to especially be hard hit by the tariffs. Several Republicans said they hadnt heard much from farmers or agriculture groups in their states. But others like Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said they have been hearing from constituents for months. In Wisconsin there are a lot of people feeling the short-term pain, he said, adding that constituents say, but were really supporting what the president is trying to do here. Johnson said called it unfortunate that China backed away from closing the deal with the United States. My message to the Chinese is this president is not bluffing. Hes not going to back down so this trade impasse hurts them more than it hurts America, he said. Hopefully theyll come to their senses and come back to the negotiating table in good faith. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., agreed. The Chinese need to know that the president means it when he said hes going to be a tough negotiator and when he says he doesnt really mind tariffs, he said. Im hopeful that the strategy will work and that well get a deal. Thats what we need. Contributing: Ledyard King, Michael Collins Like what you're reading? Dowload the USA TODAY app for more This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP senators back Trump in China trade war, saying the pain will be worth it if it yields a deal Joy Worrall, 82, took her own life after her pension payments were wrongly stopped (Picture: North Wales Police) The government has apologised "unreservedly" to the family of an 82-year-old woman who committed suicide after her benefits payments were stopped. Joy Worrall had just 5 in her bank account on the day she died, after her benefits and winter fuel allowance was stopped for 15 months. She was found dead in a quarry near her home in Wales last November. Work and Pensions minister Guy Opperman told MPs: "The government apologises unreservedly for the clerical error. "It was a clerical error that led to Mrs Worrall's pension payment being stopped." Labour MP David Hanson had raised the case of his constituent in the House of Commons on behalf of her family and urged the government to ensure "nobody again will commit suicide due to poverty". Mr Opperman said his thoughts were with the family and friends of Mrs Worrall. He added: "We have urgently reviewed our processes and acted so that benefits are longer linked on our systems, to try to ensure that this does not happen again. Read more Police say jailing 12-strong gang has helped cut moped crime in half Nigel Farage reveals he intends to stand as an MP for the eighth time Man abandoned as a baby at Gatwick Airport 33 years ago finds parents "But there is an internal process review and I undertake to write to the honourable gentleman with what we do know in the short term, and more detail when the urgent processes review has taken place." Ms Worralls son, Ben Worrall, 44, said his mother was too proud to ask for financial help from him and her best friend. Pensions minister Guy Opperman has apologised for the error (Picture: PA) He told The Mirror: She felt uncomfortable taking money from the state anyway. I feel we've been let down by the DWP, who have failed in their duty of care. Instead of asking for help, Ms Worrall used up her 5,000 life savings. An inquest heard that Ms Worrall went missing from her cottage in North Wales last November. After a police search, she was found the next day at a quarry near her home in Rhes-y-Cae, Flintshire. -- Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK -- COVENTRY, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Estate agent "For Sale" and "To Let" signs adorn a fence next to houses on March 14, 2019 in Coventry, England. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) The UK government has recruited Japans largest house builder, to help it address Englands chronic housing shortage. Homes England is investing up to 30 million in debt funding and equity in a modular housebuilding venture between builder Sekisui House and Manchester-based regeneration company Urban Splash. The venture has been tasked to deliver thousands of new homes across England. Entering the UK housing market for the first time, Sekisui House has taken a 35% stake worth 22m in Urban Splashs House subsidiary. In addition to the debt funding, Homes England has also taken a 5% stake in the venture, taken from the governments Home Building Fund - set up specifically to increase house numbers by providing loans to builders. Noel McKee, entrepreneur and founder of We Buy Any Car, has also taken an incremental stake of around 5% in the venture. Both the equity and debt funding takes the total investment in the venture to 89.3m. Kit Malthouse, Minster for Housing said: Sekisui House bring with them a proven track record in harnessing the modern methods of construction that are transforming home building. Backed by Government investment, todays announcement will support our urgent mission to deliver more, better and faster home construction to ensure a new generation can realise the dream of home ownership. Yoshihiro Nakai, President and Representative Director of Sekisui House Ltd said the companys technology and know-how could help resolve pressing social issues in the UK. I want to see us play our part effective immediately. These operations can also help bring vitality to UK regions, and we will work to make the strongest connections with the local communities, he said. READ MORE: 5 reasons why renting is better than buying a property TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Russian hackers gained access to voter databases in two Florida counties ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday. DeSantis said the hackers didn't manipulate any data and the election results weren't compromised. He and officials from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were briefed by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security on Friday. More: Treasure Coast election offices unaware of any successful hacking of their computer systems In case you missed it: Brevard election equipment made by firm tied to Russian hacking case In this Jan. 29, 2019 file photo, Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about his environmental budget at the Everglades Holiday Park during a new conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Russian hackers gained access to voter databases in two Florida counties ahead of the 2016 presidential election, DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday, May 14. DeSantis said the hackers didn't manipulate any data and the election results weren't compromised. He and officials from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were briefed by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security on Friday, May 10. The governor said he signed an agreement with the FBI not to disclose the names of the counties, but elections officials in those counties are aware of the intrusions. One person who wasn't aware was DeSantis' predecessor, now-Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, DeSantis said. "We're trying to figure out what the state knew at the time," DeSantis said. "Obviously, the previous administration and the head of FDLE did not have that information." He said the hackers gained access through a spearfishing email after a worker clicked a link. Scott criticized his opponent in last year's election, then-Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, for saying Russians had hacked elections systems. Scott called the allegations sensational. Scott will receive a briefing from the FBI on Wednesday, said spokesman Chris Hartline. Hartline confirmed that Scott wasn't aware of the hacking while he was serving as governor. "It's pretty clear during our back and forth in the campaign there was no information provided to the state," Hartline said. "There will be a lot of questions ... We'll know more tomorrow." Special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election also said hackers gained access to the network of at least one Florida county. Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has previously said at least one Florida county had an intrusion. Story continues DeSantis said he was frustrated when he saw the vague reference to hacking in Mueller's report. "Hey, this shows up in the Mueller report, no one ever said anything to me," DeSantis said. "Granted, I took office in 2019 and this happened in 2016, so I get why the FBI wouldn't have rushed to tell me about something several years ago." He did say the FBI and Homeland Security officials said Florida is ahead of the curve in elections cybersecurity ahead of the 2020 election though he warned that attacks change constantly. "Threats evolve, so I don't ever want to say, 'Hey, there's no more threats.' It's just something you've always got to be vigilant about." This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Governor confirms Russian hackers gained access to voter databases in two Florida counties Harare (AFP) - Grace Mugabe, the wife of former Zimbabwean ruler Robert Mugabe, has been accused of attacking an employee at the family's home with a shoe in 2017, lawyers said Tuesday. She also faces an arrest warrant in neighbouring South Africa for her alleged assault with a power cable on a female model in Johannesburg in the same year. Papers filed in Zimbabwe's high court by lawyers for Shupikai Chiroodza allege that Mugabe used her fists and then her shoe in a prolonged attack that left Chiroodza's face pouring blood. Mugabe allegedly attacked Chiroodza after accusing her of "milking" her husband because she had accepted a cash wedding gift from him, the papers say. Chiroodza was a government employee working at the Mugabes' private Blue Roof mansion in Harare when the alleged attack took place in March 2017, eight months before then-president Mugabe was forced from office. "I represent Chiroodza, who was part of the domestic staff at Blue Roof in a case of unlawful dismissal," lawyer Douglas Coltart told AFP. In her court papers demanding her job back, Chiroodza said Grace Mugabe punched her and ordered her to return an unspecified amount of money. "She started beating me with clenched fists shouting, 'Who do you think you are? You are milking my husband behind my back'," Chiroodza said in her court application. - 'I was terrified' - "I was terrified. She removed her shoe and continued assaulting me with it and blood started gushing out of my forehead, mouth and nose. The assault continued for about 20 minutes." Chiroodza said she received a dismissal letter two months later. Coltart said the civil service commission had indicated it would not contest the case. "We are hoping to get some form of settlement," he said. Mugabe, 53, was seen as a possible successor to her husband in a race against Emmerson Mnangagwa, the current president. Mugabe, now 95, was ousted following a brief military takeover in 2017 after 37 years in office and replaced by Mnangagwa, the favoured choice of the military. Story continues In August 2017, Grace allegedly attacked Gabrielle Engels using an electrical extension cord at an upmarket hotel in Johannesburg where the Mugabes' two sons were staying. South Africa granted Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity, allowing her to hurriedly leave the country, but a court later scrapped the ruling. She earned the nickname "Gucci Grace" for her lavish lifestyle as Zimbabwe's economy collapsed under her husband's authoritarian rule. Last month Mnangagwa said Robert Mugabe was in Singapore for medical treatment and was expected back home in mid-May. ATHENS, May 14 (Reuters) - Greek lawmakers on Tuesday debated new tax breaks proposed by the leftist Syriza administration, seeking to reverse some of the austerity imposed during years of international bailouts. The package brought to parliament includes an annual bonus for 2.5 million pensioners, whose earnings were depleted by the crisis, and reductions in sales taxes on items ranging from food and energy to the cost of eating out. Those taxes had been increased in 2015, when Greece received its third international bailout. Lawmakers were expected to vote on the bills on Wednesday, pushing back a decision initially expected on Tuesday because of a large number of speakers, parliamentary officials said. "This is another milestone of the effort we undertook to stand by those who carried the burden of the (financial) crisis," Labour Minister Effie Achtsioglou told parliament. The debate comes days before local Greek elections, and elections for representatives to the European Parliament. Greece also goes to national elections by October, and Syriza, led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, is trailing the main opposition New Democracy in opinion polls. The measures include a permanent yearly bonus for pensioners, whose incomes were slashed 13 times from 2010 to 2017. Value-added tax on restaurant bills will be reduced to 13 percent from 24 percent, while the tax on basic items from stock cubes and pasta to grain will drop to 13 from 24 percent. Greece, which required three international bailouts between 2010 and 2015 to stave off bankruptcy, emerged from economic adjustment programs overseen by its lenders last August. It still has to meet primary surplus targets to ensure no repeat of fiscal slippage which sunk the country into crisis. (Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Maltezou, writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Ed Osmond) GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemala's top court said on Monday that it had barred the daughter of former military dictator Efrain Rios Montt from taking part in presidential elections in June. The Constitutional Court rejected a challenge by Montt's daughter, right-wing politician Zury Rios, to a lower court's decision to block her candidacy, basing its decision on an article of the constitution that bars close relatives of coup leaders from top office. "The measure limiting a close relative from assuming the position of president or vice president of the republic is logical because it prioritizes the common good over individual interest," the court said in a statement. A lawyer for Rios, who was vying to succeed President Jimmy Morales, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rios said in an interview with local television that she had not yet been formally notified of the decision and would pursue an international appeal. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal will have 24 hours to revoke Rios' registration, Martin Guzman, the constitutional court's secretary general, said in a press conference. The constitution prohibits relatives within four degrees of the architects of coups, armed revolutions and similar movements from seeking the nation's top offices, the constitutional court said. Rios, who had planned to represent the Valor party, also sought the presidency in 2015. She was among the frontrunners for the presidency but trailed behind Thelma Aldana, the former attorney general, in polls. Her father, Rios Montt, was convicted in 2013 of genocide and crimes against humanity. But barely a week later, judges overturned the sentence. Rios Montt, who headed a junta that removed President Angel Guevara from power in 1982, died last year at the age of 91. (Reporting by Enrique Garcia; writing by Julia Love; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Nick Macfie) Spending time in Mesa Grande? Get to know this Mesa neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Mexican restaurant to an improv comedy spot. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Mesa Grande, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Rubio's Topping the list is Mexican spot Rubio's, which offers seafood and salads. Located at 937 N. Dobson Road, it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 114 reviews on Yelp. The menu features classic Mexican fare, such as tacos, burritos, bowls and salads as well as appetizers like nachos and quesadillas. Diners can choose The Coastal Trio tacos (a fish, shrimp and mahi mahi taco); or opt for the Cilantro Lime Quinoa Bowl (grilled seafood or chicken atop brown rice, quinoa, romaine lettuce, avocado slices, black beans, toasted almonds and cilantro sauce). Click here for the menu. 2. Makitto Sushi Photo: tracy w./Yelp Next up is sushi bar and Japanese spot Makitto Sushi, situated at 1055 N. Dobson Road, Suite 106. With 4.5 stars out of 102 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. On the menu, expect nigiri, sashami, makitt and maki rolls as well as sushi burritos, tempura dishes and main entrees, like beef, chicken or salmon teriyaki. When it comes to drinks, Makitto Sushi offers Japanese and domestic beer and nine different types of sake. To view the menu, click here. 3. JesterZ Improv Comedy Photo: jesterz improv comedy/Yelp Comedy club JesterZ Improv Comedy is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1061 N. Dobson Road, Suite 114, Mesa Riverview, 4.5 stars out of 74 reviews. Improv comedy is made up on the spot, with the audience making suggestions for a name, location, emotion or situation for the comics to play out. At JeserZ Improv Comedy, all shows are clean and enjoyable for the entire family. It also hosts a summer camp for kids and improv classes for aspiring comics. Story continues Click here to order tickets to a show or for more information. 4. Rita's Restaurant & Cantina Photo: liz p./Yelp Rita's Restaurant & Cantina, a bar and Mexican spot that offers seafood and more, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 201 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1264 W. University Drive to see for yourself. Open since 1985, the restaurant was named Best Guacamole from Best of Phoenix in 2017 and offers a full breakfast menu and an extensive lunch and dinner menu. Try dishes like the carne asada, the chilaquiles or the taquitos; and of course, don't forget the guacamole. 5. Los Picos Parrilla Restaurant Photo: johnny c./Yelp Check out Los Picos Parrilla Restaurant, which has earned four stars out of 126 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Mexican spot at 1542 W. University Drive. Menu standouts include chilaquiles a two-egg and bean breakfast platter with crumbled corn tortillas in a red chili sauce, served with beans and potatoes; and the mole poblano with chicken dish, which comes topped in a smokey roasted chili sauce and is served with saffron rice and beans. 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. Cherry Street Kitchen. | Photo: Jennifer L./Yelp Visiting Cherry Street, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Tulsa neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Mediterranean cafe to an Irish pub. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Cherry Street, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Phat Philly's Cheesesteaks Photo: Scott g./Yelp Topping the list is Phat Philly's Cheesesteaks, a spot to score chicken wings and cheesesteaks. Located at 1305 S. Peoria Ave., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 191 reviews on Yelp. The menu features several takes on the classic Philly cheesesteak, as well as a Breakfast Philly with sausage, egg, grilled onion, bell peppers and cheese. 2. Kilkenny's Irish Pub Photo: Angela M./Yelp Next up is an Irish pub and breakfast and brunch spot. Kilkenny's Irish Pub, situated at 1413 E. 15th St., gets 4.5 stars out of 578 reviews on Yelp and is proving to be a local favorite. Irish specialties of the house include bangers and mash, corned beef and cabbage and steak and Guinness pie. The menu also offers seafood, chicken, burgers, brunch, and of course, a variety of beers. 3. Roosevelt's Photo: maggie d./Yelp Gastropub Roosevelt's is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1551 E. 15th St., Suite 101, four stars out of 281 reviews. The pub serves brunch, lunch and dinner and features meatloaf, salmon ratatouille and local fried chicken, as well as burgers, brews and cocktails. 4. Cherry Street Kitchen Photo: ethan v./Yelp Cherry Street Kitchen, a bakery and breakfast and brunch spot that offers sandwiches and more, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 51 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1441 S. Quaker Ave. to see for yourself. Home-style dishes include chicken pot pie. French toast, avocado toast and spicy creamed cheese grits with eggs and toast are among the breakfast options. Story continues 5. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe Photo: ravyn D./Yelp Check out Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 48 reviews on Yelp. You can find the restaurant, which offers salads and beer, wine and spirits, at 1551 E. 15th St., Suite 102. Gyros, chargrilled lamb and homemade chicken salad are among the menu items at this chain restaurant. This spot also provides a children's menu and a take-home dinner for four. 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. Ouagadougou (AFP) - Gunmen killed four Catholics in a religious procession in northern Burkina Faso a day after a priest and five parishioners were murdered at mass, church officials said Tuesday. The parade with a statue of the Virgin Mary was moving through the town of Ouahigouya on Monday when "a group of terrorists intercepted the procession, killing four worshippers and burning the statue," said a spokesman for the Ouagadougou Cathedral. According to the Burkina Faso news agency AIB, the assailants stopped the procession. "They let the minors go, executed four adults, and destroyed the statue," it quoted a local person as saying. Paul Ouedraogo, president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger, told a meeting of bishops in the capital Ouagadougou the attack had claimed four lives. The killings came a day after a group of 20-30 armed men, according to witnesses, burst into the Catholic church in Dablo, also in the Nord Region of Burkina Faso, shooting dead five parishioners and their priest. The attackers set fire to the church, several shops and a small cafe before heading to the health centre, which they looted, burning the chief nurse's vehicle. Two days earlier, French special forces had freed four foreign hostages in Burkina Faso during an overnight raid that cost the lives of two soldiers. "This concerns all of us whatever our religion or ethnicity," said President Roch Marc Christian Kabore. - "Stick together" - Kabore urged his compatriots to "stick together," warning such attacks threatened to undermine religious coexistence in a country where some two thirds of the population are Muslim to one third Christian. "Burkina Faso is confronted by a difficult situation," said Kabore. "These terrorists have remodelled their modus operandi. First, by creating inter-communcal conflicts and today inter-religious conflicts as Christians have been killed for their faith, for merely practising their religion. Story continues "Burkina has always been reputed as being a tolerant country. We must work to safeguard this richness passed down to us by our ancestors," said Kabore, a Catholic. Two weeks ago, there was a similar attack against a Protestant church in Silgadji, also in the north, when gunmen on motorbikes killed a pastor and five worshippers. Burkina 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. The raids began in 2015 in the north before targeting the capital Ouagadougou and other regions, notably in the east. Nearly 400 people have been killed since 2015 -- mainly in hit-and-run raids -- according to an AFP tally. Jihadist groups target Christian clerics as well as Muslim ones they do not consider sufficiently radical in a country where traditionally both religions have co-existed peaceably. Last month, jihadists attacked a village school in Maitaougou, in the eastern province of Koulpelogo, killing five teachers and a municipal worker. Former colonial ruler France has deployed 4,500 troops in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in a mission codenamed Barkhane to help local forces flush out jihadists. Washington (AFP) - WhatsApp on Tuesday warned users to upgrade the application to plug a security hole that allowed for the injection of sophisticated malware that could be used to spy on journalists, activists and others. Facebook-owned WhatsApp said it released an update to fix the vulnerability in the messaging app, used by 1.5 billion people around the world. "WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," a company statement said. The WhatsApp spyware is sophisticated and "would be available to only advanced and highly motivated actors," the company said, adding that a "select number of users were targeted." "This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company that works with a number of governments around the world" according to initial investigations, it added, but did not name the firm. The spyware appears to be related to the Pegasus software developed by Israeli-based NSO group, which is normally sold to law enforcement and intelligence services, according to Washington-based analyst Joseph Hall. The spyware "could have gotten into someone's hands" outside legitimate channels for nefarious purposes, Hall, chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, told AFP. "It's unclear who is doing this." Security researchers have found that Android and Apple phones can be infected with the spyware with a simple audio call through WhatsApp, even if the user does not answer, according to Hall, making detection more difficult. - Big risks - Hall said the unpatched security flaw opens the door to spying by rogue entities on human rights activists, journalists and others. "The potential danger is quite large," he said. "These kinds of apps that do encrypted messaging and encrypted phone calls tend to store the most secretive data that people need to protect." Story continues He said dissidents and pro-democracy activists seeking to remain anonymous rely on these encrypted applications, as do journalists when speaking with sources about sensitive information. Facebook did not comment on the number of users affected or who targeted them, and said it had reported the matter to US authorities. It also informed EU authorities in Ireland about the "serious security vulnerability," according to a statement by the country's Data Protection Commission (DPC). The revelation is the latest in a series of issues troubling WhatsApp's parent Facebook, which has faced intense criticism for allowing users' data to be harvested by research companies and over its slow response to Russia using the platform as a means to spread disinformation during the 2016 US election campaign. - Highly invasive software - WhatsApp said it has briefed human rights organizations on the matter, but did not identify them. The NSO Group came to prominence in 2016 when researchers accused it of helping spy on an activist in the United Arab Emirates. Its best-known product is Pegasus, a highly invasive tool that can reportedly switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, and access data on it. The firm said Tuesday it only licenses its software to governments for "fighting crime and terror." The NSO Group "does not operate the system, and after a rigorous licensing and vetting process, intelligence and law enforcement determine how to use the technology to support their public safety missions," it said in a statement to AFP. "We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system." Researchers at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab have claimed that despite NSO's statement, Pegasus spyware is being misused by many governments. "Pegasus appears to be in use by multiple countries with dubious human rights records and histories of abusive behavior by state security services," the researchers said in a report last year, Amnesty International said meanwhile it would join a legal action this week in Israel by some 30 activists to revoke NSO's export license, claiming that one of its own staff members was targeted by a "particularly invasive" variant of the software in June 2018 via WhatsApp. "NSO Group sells its products to governments who are known for outrageous human rights abuses, giving them the tools to track activists and critics," said Danna Ingleton, deputy director of Amnesty Tech. "As long as products like Pegasus are marketed without proper control and oversight, the rights and safety of Amnesty International's staff and that of other activists, journalists and dissidents around the world is at risk." The Hague (AFP) - A UN judge on Tuesday took over a witness tampering case involving lawyers for radical Serb nationalist Vojislav Seselj, who was convicted of crimes against humanity, saying witnesses feared for their lives if the case goes to trial in Belgrade. Their case has dragged on for more than four years, with Serbia refusing to arrest and extradite the defence lawyers Petar Jojic and Vjerica Radeta. The pair was first charged in December 2014 with "having threatened, intimidated, offered bribes to, or otherwise interfered with two witnesses" in two cases involving Seselj. After failed efforts to bring them to the Hague, in June 2018, the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) referred their case to Serbia for its national courts to deal with. But judge Liu Daqun on Tuesday revoked the referral, ordering Serbia to send the two lawyers to The Hague "without delay" and issuing fresh international arrest warrants for the pair. "The witnesses are not willing to disclose their personal information to Serbian authorities for fear of their life," Daqun said in a written order. The witnesses "unequivocally confirm their unwillingness to testify should the case proceed to trial in Serbia", which would "frustrate the proceedings", the judge added. The two lawyers now serve as deputies in Seselj's far-right Serbian Radical Party in the national assembly in Belgrade. Responding to the Hague's order, Radeta, 63, told AFP she would "not go there voluntarily". "As far as I am concerned, nothing has changed," she said, adding she did not expect the government to comply with the order based on a national law that permits Serbia to deny some extradition requests. The now-defunct International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) -- which the MICT has taken over from -- issued arrest warrants against Jojic and Radeta in January 2015 and the case has dragged on ever since. In April 2018, UN judges sentenced Seselj to 10 years in prison over crimes against humanity, but he remained free because of the time he had already served in detention. The Serb nationalist was convicted of instigating persecution, deportation and other inhuman acts over an anti-Croat speech delivered in the early 1990s as the region descended into civil war. Summer is almost here, and one of the ways to stay out of the heat is to take a dip in the pool. But how clean is the water? According to a new survey presented by the Water Quality and Health Council, 51% of Americans reported using a swimming pool as a communal bathtub using the pool as an alternative to showering or rinsing off after engaging in exercise or yard work. Even though 64% of Americans know pool chemicals don't eliminate the need to shower, people continue to do it anyway. When dirt, sweat, personal care products, and other things on our bodies react with chlorine, there is less chlorine available to kill germs, said Dr. Chris Wiant, chair of the Water Quality & Health Council. Rinsing off for just 1 minute removes most of the dirt, sweat, or anything else on your body. The 2019 Healthy Pools survey, released Tuesday, was conducted online by public relations firmSachs Media Group and measured perceptions and behaviors related to swimming pools and public health. The organization interviewed 3,100 Americans adults on April 12 and 13. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7% at the 95% confidence level and was nationally representative of American adults in terms of age, race, gender, income and region. Following the study's release, critics have pointed out that the Water Quality & Health Council is a group sponsored by the Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade association. 'A pathogen soup': Mom files $1 million lawsuit after brain-eating amoeba at Texas water park kills son Why you need to shower: Here's what would happen if you didn't shower for a year? The survey comes as experts from the council, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance work to educate the public on healthy and safe swimming. Along with not showering before entering a pool, 40% of Americans admitted they have peed in the pool as an adult. Urine reacts with chlorine, reducing the amount of chemicals available to kill germs. Story continues The survey also revealed that 24% of Americans would go in a pool within one hour of having diarrhea, and 48% reported that they never shower before swimming. Most people did not know that pool chemistry can be impacted by personal care items such as makeup (53%) and deodorant (55%). To check the chlorine and pH levels for a personal or public pool, the council is offering free pool tests kits through its 15th annual Healthy Pools campaign on its website. In addition, the agency is urging people to check local and state health departments for pool inspection records. While the records for several states are available on the council's website, Michigan is not on the list. But there's hope that records will be more readily available for public inspection in the near future, according to the state. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, formerly the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, said in a statement: "Data on Michigan swimming pool inspections is available through open records requests with the state. EGLE currently is working through the bid process for an IT solution that would help make this information more readily available." Pools are great places to have fun with friends and family, said Jim Mock, interim executive director of the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance. A trained pool operator can get the mix of pool chemicals healthy and safe, and swimmers can help keep it right by swimming healthy. Are beards dirtier than dogs?: 'Significantly' more germs hide in men's beards, study finds Don't leave your sponge in the sink: Sponges left in sinks become fecal germ bombs Follow Micah Walker on Twitter: @Micah_walker701 This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Half of Americans have used swimming pools as an alternative to showering, study finds * Referendum on Sunday about adopting European gun restrictions * Switzerland's firearms tradition goes back centuries * Shooting enthusiasts fear rules may lead to disarming By Marina Depetris ROMONT, Switzerland, May 14 (Reuters) - Ten years ago, Swiss hairdresser Christine Dousse feared guns. Then her daughter convinced her to join a 400-year-old local shooting club. Now she shoots twice a week. "When I am lying in the stall, facing the target, alone with my rifle ... I don't know how to describe it, but it just helps me forget a bad day," said the 50-year-old. "It helps me completely let go of the stress and negative things." Dousse and many of the 500 other participants at a marksmanship contest in Romont this month believe their heritage is under threat from tighter gun rules Swiss voters are expected to support in a binding referendum on Sunday. Even though Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, polls suggest two out of three voters back controls the European Union embraced in 2017 after militant attacks in Paris and elsewhere. The new European rules make it harder to buy semi-automatic rifles and easier to track weapons in databases. Non-EU member Switzerland's parliament and government back the regulations, but shooting enthusiasts fear a dangerous trend toward disarming them altogether. More is at stake than just guns. Switzerland must adopt the rules to remain part of Europe's Schengen open-border system, otherwise weapons on the restricted list could reach the EU from Swiss gun shops. Leaving Schengen would disrupt travel, hurt tourism and crimp cross-border police cooperation, proponents say. Failure to adopt the rules could also force Switzerland out of common rules for handling asylum requests known as the Dublin system. "They are trying to frighten people into accepting this law, and I find this absolutely ridiculous," Dousse countered during a break in the shooting. Story continues Olivier Curty, a 51-year-old accountant shooting since 12, also decried EU intrusiveness. "This vote is just a step, and the next step will be the full prohibition of weapons. This is what I can see coming, and even we shooters soon won't be able to keep our weapons at home," he said. The initial EU proposal provoked an outcry because it meant ending the Swiss tradition of veterans keeping assault rifles after military service. Swiss officials negotiated concessions. CENTURIES OF TRADITION Gun rights proponents complain the rules - including requirements to practice shooting regularly - encroach on Switzerland's national identity that includes a well-armed citizenry as a bulwark of national security. In a nation with nearly 8.5 million inhabitants, gunfire killed just 13 people in 2018, down from 14 in 2017, police data show. Government statistics show 229 people died from gunshot wounds in Switzerland in 2016, of which 212 were suicides. According to 2017 estimates by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey, civilians in Switzerland owned 2.3 million guns, or 27.6 firearms per 100 people. In the United States, by comparison, the population of 326.5 million owned 393.3 million guns, or 120.5 per 100 people. The 2,600 shooting clubs in Switzerland mean the sound of gunfire from ranges in nearly every village punctuates many weekends. Soldiers traveling with their assault weapons on trains and buses are a common sight. "Shooting is fun, shooting is a school for life, shooting is for everyone," the national shooting association says on its website. It recommends children start from age eight with air rifles or air pistols, graduating to small-caliber arms at age 10 and army-grade assault weapons at 15. Shooting contests date to the 14th century, and the image of folk hero William Tell with his crossbow -- used to shoot an apple off his son's head as punishment for defying a Habsburg tyrant -- is ubiquitous. The five-yearly national marksmanship contest is Switzerland's top sporting event. Zurich comes to a halt when the Swiss financial capital holds its Knabenschiessen ("boys' shooting") sharpshooting festival every September. Despite the name, girls take part too, winning in three of the past seven years. Guns have a special place for people like retired metalworker Arsene Plomb, 72, whose collection of more than 1,000 weapons includes automatic rifles, submachine guns and semi-automatic pistols that need special permits. "There was not a single attack done with a legal weapon, not a single one," he said, painting a dark picture of a future Switzerland that has disarmed private citizens. "In ten, 15, 20 years it will be over, the situation here will be the same as in other European countries which were totally disarmed," he warned. "And this is a problem, because for time immemorial the Swiss citizen has been carrying guns." (Additional reporting and writing by Michael Shields; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Cannes (France) (AFP) - "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe has finished filming a new thriller where he plays a white anti-apartheid activist who escaped from one of South Africa's toughest jails, its distributor said Tuesday. Based on a true story, the breakout tale "Escape From Pretoria" is drawn from Tim Jenkin's account of his dramatic escape from the notorious Pretoria Maximum Security Prison with his friend Stephen Lee in 1979. Already in post-production after shooting was wrapped up in South Africa three weeks ago, fresh footage will be on show at the Cannes film festival which begins Tuesday, Arclight Films said. Jenkin, now 70, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for handing out leaflets supporting the then banned African National Congress. But he managed to make a set of wooden keys for a series of doors inside the jail, which housed the country's death row. Using a device made from a broom handle and a mirror he had hidden in his cell, Jenkin opened his cell door and then freed his neighbour and friend Lee. Both managed to slip out of the tightly guarded prison and eventually flee to London. The movie is directed by Francis Annan, a rising young black British director who also wrote the script. Radcliffe, 29, is also playing the lead in the action comedy "Guns Akimbo", which is now in post-production. Harvard University has ousted faculty dean and professor Ronald Sullivan after he joined the defense team of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and sparked backlash from many students. Sullivan and Harvard lecturer Stephanie Robinson, a married couple, both served as the first black deans in the schools undergraduate Winthrop House. Though Sullivan has since withdrawn from the Weinstein case and Robinson was never part of it, neither will be welcomed back after their terms end on June 30, Harvard Dean Rakesh Khurana said in a statement Saturday, calling it a regrettable situation. Over the last few weeks, students and staff have continued to communicate concerns about the climate in Winthrop House to the College, Khurana said. The concerns expressed have been serious and numerous. The actions that have been taken to improve the climate have been ineffective, and the noticeable lack of faculty dean presence during critical moments has further deteriorated the climate in the House. I have concluded that the situation in the House is untenable. Video: Rose McGowan's Attorneys Join Harvey Weinstein's Legal Team Harvards decision came two days before a court approved Sullivans request to withdraw from the Weinstein team. In a joint statement sent Monday to HuffPost, Sullivan and Robinson said they were surprised and dismayed by Khuranas decision. We believed the discussions we were having with high level University representatives were progressing in a positive manner, but Harvard unilaterally ended those talks, they said. We are sorry that Harvards actions and the controversy surrounding us has contributed to the stress on Winthrop students at this already stressful time. The couple said their next steps would be to process the schools actions and consider our options. Story continues Ronald Sullivan arriving at New York Supreme Court on Jan. 25, 2019. Sullivan announced in January that he would represent Weinstein, according to The Harvard Crimson, who is scheduled to stand trial in September for charges of sexual assault and rape. Outraged Harvard students began protesting Sullivan in response, culminating in a 178-person sit-in last week at the Winthrop dining hall where students waved Me Too signs. Last Friday, The Crimson reported that several current and former Winthrop staffers claimed to have witnessed a workplace climate of hostility and suspicion generated by Sullivan and Robinson. While Sullivan faced strong criticism from some within the Harvard community, in March, the schools Black Law Students Association defended his decision to represent Weinstein, condemning the notion that those accused of sexual assault are undeserving of legal counsel. The organization also called the schools response outsized, arguing that it was characterized by racist undertones. Furthermore, the HBLSA denounced what it called efforts to scapegoat Professor Sullivan for the ongoing failures of the University to effectively address the many issues of sexual assault on campus. On Monday, Sullivan told HuffPost he was no longer representing the film producer, pointing to a scheduling conflict with the trial date. Though Sullivan has made his exit from the Weinstein team, he said he would continue to be available to the defense for advice and consultation. Addressing the controversy over his initial decision to work for Weinstein, Sullivan said, My representation of those accused of sexual assault does not speak to my personal views on any of these matters. A spokesperson for Weinstein told HuffPost Weinstein is extremely grateful to Ronald Sullivan for his work with him until now, and for Rons offer to advise where he can going forward. Mr. Sullivan believed that Mr. Weinstein deserved a vigorous defense, and it is a sad moment for us all right now. We, as a country, have now reached the point when a Harvard lawyer and professor cannot serve his duty to, and belief in, the law and defend a person who may be deemed unpopular or unworthy of a legal defense by segments of the public. Both Sullivan and Robinson will still be able to teach and lecture at Harvard, though its unclear whether theyll decide to do so after losing their deanships. Winthrop is one of 12 residential locations on Harvards campus where undergraduate students socialize and dine. The schools website likens it to the fictional Gryffindor house from the Harry Potter series, boasting tight-knit relationships, a lion mascot and a slew of famous alums from the Kennedys to actor B.J. Novak. Deans like Sullivan and Robinson are responsible for leading and setting the tone of their respective houses, according to Harvards description of the position. El Club. | Photo: Rox S./Yelp Looking to mix things up this week? From a discussion on documentary filmmaking to a two-day conference on digital security, here are some solid options to help you get off the couch and out into the world. 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. Detroit Public Library Choir 10th Annual Spring Concert From the event description: The Detroit Public Library is hosting the 10th annual spring concert for the Detroit Public Library Choir. The choir will be singing some Motown classic songs, spirituals and uplifting songs, plus will have several guest choirs and other talented special guests. When: Tuesday, May 14, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Where: Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Ave., CSJ Friend's Auditorium Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Sacred Heart Tattoos is Celebrating Two Years in Business From the event description: Sacred Heart Tattoos is celebrating its two-year anniversary on Wednesday by offering small tattoos and piercings for $15, medium tattoos for $30 and complimentary barbecue food and drinks. When: Wednesday, May 15, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Where: 19710 W 7 Mile Rd Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Following the Story: Making Art About Place From the event description: Presented by Creative Many, this discussion will focus on documentary filmmaking and other forms of time-based media with Detroit-based documentary filmmakers and multimedia artists Nicole Macdonald and Orlando Ford. In the session, we consider how to portray multiple stories and voices from one region, in narrative form. Podcaster Zak Rosen will also help lead the discussion on the challenges of creating a world and story arc through sound. When: Wednesday, May 15, 6-8 p.m. Where: Room 125 State Hall, Wayne State University, 5143 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202 Admission: $7 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Story continues MONO Headlining at El Club From the event description: El Club is hosting Japanese instrumental rock band MONO on Wednesday. The group has released nine studio albums since forming in Tokyo in 1999, according to MONO's official website. Emma Ruth Rundle is the opening act. When: Wednesday, May 15, 7-11 p.m. Where: El Club, 4114 Vernor Highway Admission: $15 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Converge Conference to Focus on Information Security From the event description: Information security is more than just security; it is the people that solve problems. Professionals from all backgrounds incorporate security and solve some of the toughest problems faced in the enterprise such as governance, cloud security, software defined networking concerns, threat hunting and modeling, orchestration and malware detection and analysis. Converge, which is Thursday and Friday at Cobo Hall, is the conference to bring these professionals together to share experiences, solutions and skills. When: Thursday, May 16, 8 a.m.-Friday, May 17, 6 p.m. Where: Cobo Hall, 1 Washington Blvd. Admission: $150 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. There's no time like the present when it comes to getting out and about in Miami. From a live rooftop music session to a blind beer tasting event, here are the local shows worth checking out 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. Live Rooftop Sessions Launch at The Citadel with Lemon City Trio From the event description: Live Rooftop Sessions is our new weekly music series curated by the musicians' musician, Chad Bernstein, one of South Floridas premier Latin, jazz and funk artists as well as the co-founder of Guitars Over Guns. Lemon City Trio will be gracing the rooftop for the launch event, with Nick Tannura on guitar, Brian Robertson on organ and Aaron Glueckauf on drums. When: Wednesday, May 15, 8-11 p.m. Where: The Citadel, 8300 N.E. Second Ave. Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets PAMM's Fifth Annual Corporate Cocktail From the event description: We invite you to join our community of corporate supporters for our Fifth Annual Corporate Cocktail, hosted by Bar Bevy. Join other emerging professional leaders who understand the importance of the business community's commitment to the arts. When: Wednesday, May 15, 6-8 p.m. Where: Bar Bevy, 90 N.E. 39th St. Price: $150 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets No Peeking: Blind Beer Tasting From the event description: Drinking in the dark never sounded so enticing. Our blind beer tasting takes your tastebuds on a journey through eight beers and will make you question which is your favorite once you can't see them. With a blindfold on and only the aroma and taste to guide you, what will you experience? When: Wednesday, May 15, 7-10:30 p.m. Where: Concrete Beach Brewery, 325 N.W. 24th St., Miami, FL 33127 Price: $25 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. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. We'll show how you can use Bank of Queensland Limited's (ASX:BOQ) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Bank of Queensland has a P/E ratio of 11.19, based on the last twelve months. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 8.9%. See our latest analysis for Bank of Queensland How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio? The formula for price to earnings is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Bank of Queensland: P/E of 11.19 = A$8.93 A$0.80 (Based on the trailing twelve months to February 2019.) Is A High P/E Ratio Good? The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That isn't necessarily good or bad, but a high P/E implies relatively high expectations of what a company can achieve in the future. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios When earnings fall, the 'E' decreases, over time. Therefore, even if you pay a low multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become higher in the future. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings. Bank of Queensland's earnings per share fell by 15% in the last twelve months. But it has grown its earnings per share by 3.4% per year over the last five years. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 4.0% per year over the last three years. This might lead to low expectations. Does Bank of Queensland Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. If you look at the image below, you can see Bank of Queensland has a lower P/E than the average (12.7) in the banks industry classification. ASX:BOQ Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 14th 2019 This suggests that market participants think Bank of Queensland will underperform other companies in its industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling. Story continues Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings. Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context. Bank of Queensland's Balance Sheet Bank of Queensland has net debt worth a very significant 268% of its market capitalization. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you must keep in mind that these debt levels would usually warrant a relatively low P/E. The Verdict On Bank of Queensland's P/E Ratio Bank of Queensland has a P/E of 11.2. That's below the average in the AU market, which is 16.1. The P/E reflects market pessimism that probably arises from the lack of recent EPS growth, paired with significant leverage. When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision. You might be able to find a better buy than Bank of Queensland. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Workers from the Honda plant in Swindon join a march organised by the UNITE Trade Union to protest at the planned closure of the factory on March 30, 2019 in Swindon, England. Honda are planning to shut its Swindon plant in 2021 with as many as 15,000 jobs in the area at risk. (Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images) Honda's (HMC) decision to close its Swindon plant is a body blow of betrayal and threatens 15,000 jobs in the UK, says union Unite. Earlier this year, the Japanese carmaker said it would shut the plant as part of a move to accelerate its commitment to electrified cars and not because of Brexit. The company had said in September that it was committed to Swindon, but warned of the exorbitant costs it would face in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Unite national officer Des Quinn said in a statement: We await the detailed reasons from Honda, but Unite believes that our alternative case to keep Honda Swindon open added up and was likely to be backed by the government with public money. It would have made Honda a global leader in emerging battery technology and in a strong position to exploit the growing global market for electric vehicles in the coming years. Instead we have this body blow which is nothing short of a betrayal of the workforce, customers and the wider supply chain which relies on Honda Swindon for work. READ MORE: Hondas call to quit UK makes perfect sense as electric-car age looms In February this year, the Japanese carmaker said it would cease production of 160,000 Honda Civics a year after a three-month consultation period produced "no viable alternatives" to its plan to close the factory in 2021. "We understand the impact this decision has on our associates, suppliers and the wider community," said Honda UK director Jason Smith. "We are committed to continuing to support them throughout the next phases of the consultation process." While it said that talks to agree redundancy packages with the 3,500 workers would "begin immediately, Unite says it puts 15,000 direct jobs at risk. Unite can only conclude that Honda is taking a strategic decision to retreat out of Europe in favour of protecting its North American operations and avoiding president Trumps tariff threat on cars made in Europe, said Unites Quinn. Unite will be consulting with its members on our next steps in the coming days. LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Huawei is willing to sign no-spy agreements with governments, including Britain, the Chinese telecommunications company's chairman said on Tuesday as the United States pressures European countries to shun the firm over spying concerns. Washington has told allies not to use Huawei's technology to build new 5G telecommunications networks because of worries it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying, an accusation the firm has denied. We are willing to sign no-spy agreements with governments, including the UK government, to commit ourselves to making our equipment meet the no-spy, no-backdoors standard, Liang Hua told a London conference via an interpreter. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Costas Pitas) NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India delayed on Tuesday the implementation of higher tariffs on some goods imported from the United States to June 16, according to a government statement. The new duties were to come into force from May 16. Angered by Washingtons refusal to exempt it from new steel and aluminum tariffs, New Delhi announced in June last year a plan to raise the import tax on U.S. products such as almonds, walnuts and apples. But since then, New Delhi has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the new tariffs. (Reporting by Aftab Ahmed; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani) As India's best-known female private eye, Rajani Pandit has posed as crazy, blind and deaf to solve murders and unmask unsuitable fiances. But election time is boom time for the woman dubbed "Miss Marple". In the world's biggest election ending on Sunday, Pandit and others like her are in high demand from political parties to dig up dirt on the opposition and make sure their own candidates are squeaky clean. "It's confidential but whenever a party finds one of its own candidates or an opposition candidate suspicious they ask us to investigate them," Mumbai-based Pandit told AFP. "Often we are asked to look into their finances and how they have procured money to fund their campaigns. We try to maintain a low profile," the 57-year-old added. - Inundated - Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi is up against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the world's largest democratic exercise, which is awash with cash. Some experts say the polls could cost $10 billion. Pandit says her team has been busy "integrating" themselves into political parties since January, inspecting finances and attending rallies before submitting reports to their clients. "There's usually a surge of cases ahead of the elections. We've been inundated with requests and were only able to take on a few," she said. Kunwar Vikram Singh, chairman of India's Association of Private Detectives and Investigators, said "there's a lot of due diligence". "(A candidate's) local reputation, influence, his stance in his own caste... all these things are looked into," Singh told AFP. - Magnifying glass - Private detective agencies are popular in India, with sleuths tasked with solving everything from petty household thefts to business deals gone wrong. Pandit has been conducting covert operations across India for over 30 years out of her small office in the Asian giant's financial capital. Story continues The investigator -- who does own a magnifying glass -- was dubbed India's first female private detective by media outlets when she began cracking cases in the early 1980s. She has been featured in countless newspaper articles, often referred to as India's "Miss Marple" or "Nancy Drew", Agatha Christie's fictional spinster sleuth and the ever-evolving US amateur detective. This has encouraged scores of women in male-dominated India to follow in her footsteps. Several women-dominated investigative firms now operate in the country, such as Lady Detectives India and Venus Detective which are both headquartered in the capital New Delhi. "Clients are open a lot more to having a female investigator. They feel we are more empathetic and that they can talk to us," Lady Detectives CEO Tanya Puri told AFP. - A suitable boy - Pandit first started snooping as a 22-year-old at college, informing the parents of a fellow student that their daughter was drinking, smoking and hanging out with boys. Her most difficult case was when she worked undercover for six months as a maid for a woman who was suspected of poisoning her husband to death and then killing her son through a hitman. She gathered evidence and handed it over to police who arrested the hitman and the woman. Pandit has won numerous awards, written two books, and says she has completed more than 80,000 cases -- most of them pre-matrimonial investigations. Parents in the ultra-conservative country seeking a suitable husband or wife for their offspring will ask her to investigate the potential spouse and their family. She looks into whether they have the job they say they have and tries to find out if there is anything in their past that might be deemed to bring shame to the family they are marrying into. Pandit has had to be the master of subterfuge to gather evidence, including donning "various disguises". But she says she received no formal training. "Detectives are born, not made. I will keep doing this job until I am no longer alive," she said. By Derek Francis and Nivedita Bhattacharjee BENGALURU (Reuters) - The chief executive and two other senior figures at Jet Airways have quit, the Indian company said on Tuesday, further eroding any hopes of a rescue of the debt-laden carrier that grounded operations last month. Jet, once the biggest private carrier in the country, owes vast sums to its lessors, employees, fuel suppliers and other parties. It stopped all flights from April 17 after its lenders refused to give it any more funds to keep the carrier flying. Jet, also saddled with roughly $1.2 billion in bank debt, was crippled by mounting losses as it attempted to compete with low-cost rivals Interglobe-owned IndiGo, SpiceJet Ltd and Wadia Group-owned GoAir. The airline has been rapidly shedding aircraft in recent weeks, as lessors have rushed to deregister and repossess planes in the wake of the turmoil. It has also lost hundreds of pilots, cabin crew and engineers to rivals and seen its valuable slots reallocated to rivals, further eroding any residual value and hopes of new investors stepping in to rescue the airline. The departure of Chief Executive Vinay Dube comes hard on the heels of the resignation of Chief Financial Officer Amit Agarwal, announced earlier in the day. Agarwal's resignation was effective May 13, the company said in a statement. Late on Tuesday, the company said that Kuldeep Sharma, who was its company secretary and compliance head, has also stepped down with immediate effect. Separately, the Economic Times newspaper reported on Tuesday that Jet's Chief People Officer Rahul Taneja had also resigned. Reuters was unable to confirm the report. CONDITIONAL OFFERS For months, Jet has tried to convince investors, including Etihad, to pump in money and save the airline. But suitors had some qualms and a deadline for any interested parties to submit binding bids for the carrier ended on Friday with no such offers. State Bank of India (SBI), Jet's lead lender and the bank overseeing the sale process, said at the time it had only received three conditional offers, including one from Etihad. Story continues "This had to happen," said analyst Ronil Dalal of Ambit Capital. "Considering the kind of bids that have come in and the monetary value of those bids, it seems like it is too little." "It was long expected that Jet will eventually shut down and I think now that's coming to fruition." Jet and SBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment on what options exist for the embattled company. In its regulatory filings, the airline said Dube and Agarwal resigned due to personal reasons, without providing further details. Dube took over as the airline's CEO in August 2017, filling in a spot that had been vacant since early 2016. Agarwal had been acting as CEO during that time. Jet's shares closed 7.33% lower at 128.9 rupees on Tuesday, while the broader Mumbai market closed 0.66% higher. (Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Derek Francis in Bengaluru; Writing by Euan Rocha and Nivedita Bhattacharjee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Keith Weir) By Stefanie Eschenbacher and David Alire Garcia MEXICO CITY, May 14 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office in December vowing to revive state-owned energy company Pemex and put the brakes on foreign investment to give the public a bigger cut of the country's oil wealth. The leftist oil nationalist's ambitions include building a new $8 billion refinery, refurbishing existing refineries and reversing a steady decline in crude production. The problem is that such expensive plans - for the world's most indebted oil company - have alarmed credit rating agencies, which are threatening to downgrade Pemex bonds to "junk" status. A downgrade could cripple the president's bold energy agenda, along with his plans to use new oil revenue to help finance social welfare programs. It could also imperil Mexico's sovereign creditworthiness. With $106 billion in financial debt, Pemex would likely see borrowing costs soar as many investors dump its bonds. After Brazilian state oil firm Petrobras had $41 billion of its bonds classified as junk in 2015, its financing costs jumped from $1.6 billion to $8.8 billion in one year. Mexico's options are limited. Avoiding a debt downgrade would require slashing Pemex's tax bill, forming more partnerships with private firms to develop oil and gas fields, and canceling the new refinery, according to Reuters interviews with investors from a dozen of the world's largest asset managers, along with former Pemex executives and finance ministry officials. On Monday, the government unveiled measures to lighten the company's load, including a gradual tax cut, $2.5 billion in debt refinancing, and the extension of an existing line of credit with three banks. The announcement, trumpeted by Lopez Obrador and other top officials, did little to convince doubters. "There are still big question marks over the long-term viability of Pemex's business plan," said Aaron Gifford, an emerging market analyst with asset manager T. Rowe Price Associates, a major holder of Pemex bonds. Story continues (GRAPHIC: Pemex and its mounting debts: https://tmsnrt.rs/2GST3NX ) Lopez Obrador's election halted a liberalization of the energy market that had for the first time given foreign and private oil firms the right to develop fields on their own and in joint ventures with Pemex. Last week, the president announced Pemex would build the new refinery - planned for his home state of Tabasco - because private-sector contractors could not meet his proposed budget or three-year timeline. Rating agency Moody's on Monday attacked the refinery decision, saying it would probably take longer and could cost 50% more than planned. "The consequences for Mexico's credit profile will depend in part on whether it continues to undermine market confidence, further dampening already depressed investment and weighing on Mexico's economic prospects," Moody's said in a statement. TROUBLED REFINERIES The government intends to start building the refinery next month and finish by May 2022. Lopez Obrador also wants to overhaul the firm's six existing refineries, which are accident-prone, operate at 40% capacity and have hemorrhaged money for years. Some industry experts say Pemex's finances will not support the president's plans. The new refinery will have to be canceled to avoid a downgrade, said one former Pemex executive, speaking on condition of anonymity and echoing the views of others. Another former Pemex executive told Reuters the state-owned firm should be trying to raise more money by partnering "like crazy" with private oil companies. Lopez Obrador has generally been skeptical of private energy investment - especially from foreign firms - even while promising to expand Pemex's production and refining capacity. He contends he can save the company money through a crackdown on corruption and fuel theft, and raise output by tapping fields with easily recoverable oil. Some cabinet members, however, have acknowledged that Mexico could use outside investment to help revive its oil production. "The government can't do it alone," Energy Minister Rocio Nahle told a gathering of mostly international oil executives in an April 30 speech. Still, Nahle urged rating agencies to be "responsible" in evaluating Pemex's debt. She argued the firm is meeting its obligations despite picking up the tab for what she characterized as previous mismanagement. Pemex's financial debt surged by 75 percent under the last government, and the company's total obligations, including pensions, today exceed its assets by more than $70 billion. Nahle said Pemex had started turning around operations and stopped taking on more debt under the new government. "We're investing in production and exploration; and we're investing to produce more gasoline and added value," she said. 'CHAIN OF HORRORS' Critics of Lopez Obrador's plans, such as Juan Carlos Romero Hicks - a leader of the opposition center-right National Action Party in Congress - say he should have stayed on the path set by former president Enrique Pena Nieto and continued opening up energy development to private capital. Instead, Lopez Obrador has piled new risks onto Pemex, Romero Hicks said. "It's a chain of horrors, and horrors that make a mess of public finances in a strategic industry," he said. Rating agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor's have this year cut Pemex's standalone assessment and put it on negative outlook, inching the firm closer to a financial cliff. Fitch now rates Pemex's long-term foreign debt at BBB-, while Moody's puts it at Baa3 - both one level above a junk rating. Standard & Poor's said on March 1 that Mexico faced a one-in-three chance of a sovereign debt rating downgrade within 12 months, identifying Pemex as a key risk factor. If two of the three main agencies classify Pemex as "junk," bond holders whose investment criteria prohibits carrying such assets would be forced to sell. A research note published in February by investment bank JPMorgan estimated that $16 billion of Pemex's $83 billion in bonds would have to be dumped in such an event. That would make the company the world's biggest so-called "fallen angel" - the ignominious distinction for a borrower that descends from investment grade to junk. CRIPPLING TAX BILL A key factor in Pemex's financial weakness is its heavy tax burden, averaging more than 80% of its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization. Ratings agencies say the company's financial position will deteriorate if the burden remains so high. Lopez Obrador in February gave Pemex a nearly $4 billion one-off cash injection, after an additional $3.4 billion for the company's 2019 capital budget, raising it to $14 billion. Juan Carlos Zepeda, a former head of Mexico's oil regulator, said Pemex needs far more - about $20 billion annually for exploration and production - to reach Lopez Obrador's goal of raising crude output some 50% to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2024. The president said Monday that Pemex's tax bill would drop by 30 billion pesos ($1.56 billion), without giving a time frame for the reduction. The company paid the equivalent of $27 billion in taxes last year. A bigger cut to Pemex's tax bill would blow a hole in the federal budget - about 15% of which comes from the oil firm. The government is also considering raiding a budget stabilization fund - intended for emergencies - to help prop up the oil firm's finances, which has never been done before. But that would provide only a short-term fix in the absence of substantial tax breaks, said Dorthe Nielsen, an emerging market debt fund manager with GAM Investments, which until recently held Pemex bonds. "This is just pushing out the problem until next year," she added. ($1=19.1880 Mexican pesos) (Reporting by Stefanie Eschenbacher and David Alire Garcia; Additional reporting by Adriana Barrera, Ana Isabel Martinez and Marianna Parraga; Editing by Dave Graham, David Gaffen and Brian Thevenot) Welcome to Episode #177 of the Zacks Market Edge Podcast. Every week, host and Zacks stock strategist, Tracey Ryniec, will be joined by guests to discuss the hottest investing topics in stocks, bonds and ETFs and how it impacts your life. In this episode, Tracey is joined by Zacks Chief Equity Strategist, John Blank, to discuss the escalation of the trade tensions between the United States and China. Now that the United States has instituted the 25% tariffs, and China has retaliated with tariffs of their own, what are the implications for the global economy for the rest of this year? Is a recession looming? Johns answer might surprise you. Wall Street: Sell Now, Buy Back in Later For stock investors, however, its a tough environment. Wall Street hates uncertainty. For now, Wall Street is selling and going to the sidelines. But at some point, the sentiment will change. Investors will want to get back in. Where do you hide out in the meantime? Strategies for Stock Investing During a Trade War Theres something to be said for having your business banned in China: youre not impacted by trade tensions. American social media and Internet stocks, with no direct business in China, might be a place to hide out. Those would be names like Facebook FB, Twitter TWTR and Alphabet GOOGL. Additionally, investors could go the opposite route and buy Chinese stocks with no direct business in the United States, like Chinese Internet giant Baidu BIDU. But what about the big international stocks like Alibaba BABA? Theres a lot of uncertainty as to what a trade war might do to its business if the Chinese economy slows. What other industries should you be buying, or avoiding, over the next few months? Find out on this weeks podcast. [In full disclosure, the author of this article owns shares of FB and GOOGL in her personal portfolio.] Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases. Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +98%, +119% and +164% in as little as 1 month. The stocks in this report could perform even better. See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>> 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Twitter, Inc. (TWTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research NEW DELHI, May 14 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif will hold talks with his counterpart in the Indian capital on Tuesday after New Delhi stopped purchases of Iranian oil this month in the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions. India was Iran's top oil client after China, but halted imports after Washington reimposed sanctions on Iran and later withdrew waivers to eight nations, including India, which had allowed them to import some Iranian oil. "India is one of our most important partners, economic, political and regional," Zarif told Reuters' partner ANI on Monday ahead of talks with Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. "We have regular consultations with India on various issues and I'm here to have consultations with my counterpart on most recent developments in the region as well as our bilateral relations," he added. Washington wants to block Iran's oil exports after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program. "Unfortunately the United States has been escalating the situation unnecessarily. We do not seek escalation but we have always defended ourselves," Zarif said. The sanctions have more than halved Iran's oil exports to 1 million barrels per day (bpd) or less, from a peak of 2.8 million bpd last year. Exports could drop to as low as 500,000 bpd from May, an Iranian official told Reuters this month. Iran is insisting on exporting at least 1.5 million bpd of oil as a condition for staying in an international nuclear deal, sources with knowledge of Iran-EU talks said on Monday. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Darren Schuettler) LONDON The United States is playing a "very dangerous game" as it attempts to "drag Iran into an unnecessary war," a senior Iranian official said Tuesday. Hamid Baeidinejad, Irans ambassador to the United Kingdom, said the Trump administration made a "serious miscalculation" in deploying an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers and other military personnel and equipment to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, unspecified Iranian threats. Baeidinejad denied that Iran or its "proxies" were behind what Washington described as the "sabotage" of oil tankers in the Gulf belonging to Saudi Arabia, Norway and the United Arab Emirates. Tuesday, Saudi Arabia said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure, an incident that caused global oil price benchmarks to jump. "We are prepared for any eventuality, this I can tell you," Baeidinejad said. The United States and Iran have no formal diplomatic channel of communication. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, said neither country wants a war. Start the day smarter: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox "This is not a military confrontation because no war is to happen," he said, according to Iran's state television and a government Twitter account. "We dont seek a war nor do they. They know a war wouldnt be beneficial for them." Baeidinejad said that from the Iranian perspective, it appears that some of President Donald Trump's closest advisers, such as national security adviser John Bolton, are "trying to convince" Trump to start a military confrontation that neither country wants and would be "devastating" for Iran, the United States and the region. 'They're not going to be happy': Trump threatens Iran over reports of 'sabotage' Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented a military plan at a meeting of top national security officials that would send as many as 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East in the event Iran strikes U.S. forces in the region or speeds up its development of nuclear weapons, according to a report published in The New York Times on Monday. The plan was partly ordered by Bolton, the report said. It does not call for a land invasion of Iran. Story continues Trump dismissed the report but said he would send U.S. troops if needed. Since last week, the Trump administration has insisted it has "specific and credible" intelligence indicating Iran or its regional supporters may be preparing attacks against American forces or targets in the region. "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens," Trump said Monday outside the White House. The details of that intelligence remain murky; some seasoned Iran experts fear the Trump administration's focus on possible threats from Iran are being driven by hawks looking for a pretext for military conflict. "We should remind ourselves that this is a TOTALLY UNNECESSARY CRISIS!" Trita Parsi, a professor at Georgetown University and an Iran specialist, wrote on Twitter. Last year, Trump withdrew from a landmark deal reached between Iran and world powers in 2015 under which Iran promised to curtail its nuclear program in return for relief from crippling sanctions. President Barack Obama viewed the accord as one his signature foreign policy accomplishments. Trump campaigned on abolishing it. "We're only here cuz Trump quit the deal and put Bolton in charge of Iran policy," Parsi tweeted. On Wednesday, the U.S. put its military on high alert in neighboring Iraq amid what it said were "imminent threats to US. forces" in the nation. Iran aids a number of Shia militant groups in Iraq, in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen who are at war with close U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and elsewhere across the Middle East region. The U.S. Embassy in Iraq ordered all non-essential, non-emergency government staff to leave the country right away amid escalating tensions with Iran. But the threats have drawn skepticism from U.S. allies. British Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, a deputy commander with the Operation Inherent Resolve coalition, said Tuesday during a video briefing from Iraq that "theres been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," a statement that was subsequently disputed by the Pentagon. Federica Mogherini, the European Unions foreign affairs chief, called Monday for "maximum restraint" from the U.S. after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Brussels on Monday. "This is politics, and this is about Bolton and others who have had a bee in their bonnet about Iran for as long as they have been in politics," said Robert Muggah, a specialist in international security and co-founder of the SecDev Group, an Ottawa, Canada-headquartered consultancy that analyzes open source intelligence. Trump has pursued a policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran, slapping the Middle Eastern country with a series of increasingly onerous sanctions that crippled its economy, led to runaway inflation and caused food and medicine shortages. Last week, Tehran announced that it was abandoning two of its obligations under the nuclear deal: exporting excess uranium and "heavy water" used in nuclear reactors. The Trump administration characterized the move as an attempt by Iran to hold the United States "hostage" through "nuclear blackmail." But Iran's partial breach of the accord was a direct response to the United States ending exemptions from nations that purchase these stockpiles. In other words: Iran took that step to comply with U.S. sanctions. "The (nuclear deal) is becoming meaningless because of the U.S.," Baeidinejad said, noting that Iran gave the three Western European signatories to the deal the United Kingdom, Germany and France 60 days to "salvage" it. Otherwise, he said, "there will be consequences from our side" that could include suspending modernization of Iran's Arak nuclear facility. Modernization of the "heavy water" plant ensures it will produce less plutonium, which is needed for a nuclear bomb. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog verified 14 times that Iran was complying with the terms of the agreement even after the United States withdrew last May. Baeidinejad wouldn't say whether Iran would consider Trump's possible offer to hold talks with Tehran. "I'd like to see them call me," Trump said last week. Tuesday, Pompeo, who was in Moscow where he met with his Russian counterpart, reiterated that the United States doesn't seek a war with Iran. That's not how the U.S. military moves looked to some in Iran. "You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead," Hesameddin Ashena, an adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, wrote on Twitter. Ashena also found room for a moment of levity on the social media platform. "Thats what happens when you listen to the mustache," he added in the tweet, referring to Bolton, who has bushy white whiskers. Middle East in turmoil: Saudi Arabia says 2 oil tankers damaged by sabotage attacks This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iran says Trump playing 'very dangerous game,' risking 'devastating war' Tehran (AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that "there is not going to be any war" with the United States, his official website reported. In a speech to state officials, Khamenei said the showdown between the Islamic republic and the United States was a test of resolve rather than a military encounter. "This face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war. Neither we nor them (the US) seek war. They know it will not be in their interest," he said, quoted on the Khamenei.ir website. "The definite decision of the Iranian nation is to resist against America," Khamenei said, adding that "in this showdown America will be forced to retreat... because our resolve is stronger." The supreme leader said negotiating with the US was "poison" because the Americans wanted to take away Iran's strong points such as its missiles or its "strategic depth" in the region. "Negotiating with the present American government is doubly poisonous... they are not decent humans, they don't stand by anything," he said referring to the US decision to withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. Khamenei accused US President Donald Trump of being uninformed about the situation in Iran. "Their president says every Friday there are demonstrations in Tehran against the state... Firstly, it's on Saturdays. Second, it's in Paris, not Tehran." Omar Ashfaq has been jailed for four years and six months at Birmingham Crown Court after admitting 11 terrorism offences. (East Midlands Special Operations Unit) A man who left USB sticks containing terrorist propaganda inside shoes at six mosques in England has been jailed. Omar Ashfaq, 24, of St Thomas Road, in Derby, left 17 of the sticks in footwear while Muslim worshippers were praying between May and June last year. The sticks contained "violent footage and propaganda encouraging terrorism", according to Derbyshire Police. Ashfaq admitted 11 terrorism offences and was given four years and six months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court. Ashfaq left USB sticks in shoes at mosques across the Midlands. A map marked 'route one' was found in his possession when he was searched by police. (East Midlands Special Operations Unit) During Ramadan last year, the Muslim holy month, he placed the devices inside shoes in mosques in Derby, Loughborough, Coventry, Birmingham and Luton. Among the material were two videos entitled 'ISIS children execute spies' and 'ISIS burn Turkish Apostate soldiers'. Worshippers found the sticks and told mosque authorities who identified Ashfaq from CCTV footage. One USB stick was discovered by a nine-year-old boy, who had gone to the mosque with his father. When Ashfaq was arrested at his home, police found a further 15 memory sticks inside bags marked 'Manchester' and 'Bradford' and notes outlining his plans. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Alesha MacPhails killer wins right to appeal Baker to face no police action over royal baby tweet Moped crime halved after gang of 12 jailed A map with a crudely plotted route between the mosques was also found. Detective Inspector Donna Sisson, head of Derbyshire Special Branch, said he had plans to distribute up to 250 sticks. "The USB sticks he managed to deposit contained footage of unspeakable brutality and promoted an extreme ideology," she said. In March, Ashfaq pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of a document containing information useful to terrorism. He admitted being in possession of three Islamic State group propaganda magazines. However, he denied eight charges of dissemination of a terrorist publication. Ashfaq changed his plea to guilty on his first day of trial. Deb Walsh, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Omar Ashfaq found a novel way to spread violent propaganda in the hope of encouraging British Muslims to commit terrorist acts. "Instead the mosques he targeted found him on their CCTV recordings and handed in the footage and the memory sticks to the police. By Belen Carreno and Sam Edwards MADRID/BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spain's Supreme Court has ruled that five Catalan separatist leaders can leave prison to be sworn in as lawmakers next Tuesday but said it would not halt the trial over their role in Catalonia's independence bid in 2017. Oriol Junqueras, Josep Rull, Jordi Turull and Jordi Sanchez all won seats in the lower house of parliament in a national election on April 28. Raul Romeva, won an upper chamber seat. The five are currently being held in custody on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds relating to the 2017 independence referendum in Catalonia - which was deemed illegal by Spanish courts - and a subsequent unilateral declaration of independence. They deny the charges. In its ruling issued on Tuesday, the court said it did not agree to their request for the trial to be suspended or for a grant of immunity. It added that it "does not accept the request for freedom of Junqueras, Rull, Turull, Sanchez and Romeva but authorizes their release from prison on May 21 to attend the constituent meetings of Congress and Senate". Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs Socialists won last month's national election, but will still need the support of other parties plus at least one vote or abstention from Basque or Catalan nationalist parties. The court ruling could lead to a difficult choice for the four jailed Catalan leaders in the lower house between giving up their seats to allow a party colleague to take their place and missing what could be the deciding vote on forming a government. Sanchez, Rull and Turull, all belonging to Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia), have ruled out giving up their seats, a party source said on Tuesday. Junquerass Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia) did not respond immediately to questions about its plans. POLICE ESCORT The Catalan leaders should be properly guarded to ensure their safety during the parliamentary session and return without delay to jail once it is finished, the ruling said. Spain's Acting Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska declined to discuss security details for the swearing-in session but said that "necessary measures will be put in place to ensure a day of normality", Europa Press reported. Parliament's lower house will first convene on May 21. It was not immediately clear how the jailed separatist leaders' status as prisoners would affect the swearing-in ceremony. Lawyers for the Catalan leaders told reporters they would consider appealing against Tuesday's ruling. "We have to make sure that this release is not simply a formality and a photo opportunity () but rather that those who voted for [the elected Catalan leaders] find their representatives carrying out their duties in a state of complete normality," said defense lawyer Andreu Van den Eynde. In February, they were transferred in police vans under high security from a jail in Catalonia to one in Madrid days before their trial started. Last week, a Madrid court ruled that former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in 2017 to escape arrest for his role in the independence referendum, could run in the European Parliament election on May 26. (Editing by Andrei Khalip and Gareth Jones) GENEVA (Reuters) - Japan has complained at the World Trade Organization about India's duties on mobile phones, base stations and routers, and the circuit boards and other components that go into them, a WTO filing showed on Tuesday. Japan's complaint, the first step in a legal dispute, said India had sought to foster domestic production by adjusting various taxes including customs duties, especially since it launched the "Make in India" campaign in September 2014. Some of the tariffs on goods of substantial interest to Japan were now "clearly in excess" of the rates allowed by the WTO, Japan said. India's WTO membership terms specified that the import tariff on all the disputed goods was zero percent, but India applied a 20% tariff to mobile phones and base stations, and tariffs of 10%, 15% and 20% on the other products, Japan said. Trade data provided by the International Trade Centre, a U.N.-WTO joint venture, showed Japan accounted for a tiny proportion of India's mobile phone imports, valued at $53 million in 2011 and $43 million in 2012, but less than $2 million in all other years in the past decade. India's mobile phone imports are dominated by China, although its appetite for foreign phones has shrunk fast, with total imports sliding from a 2014 peak of $7.1 billion to below $1.5 billion in 2018, the data showed. India's imports of switchers and routers, totalling $5.7 billion in 2018, were dominated by China and Vietnam, while imports from Japan were worth $52 million, less than 1 percent of the Indian import market. Under WTO rules, India has 60 days to settle the dispute, but after that Japan could ask the WTO to set up an adjudication panel to say whether India's tariffs break the rules. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Catherine Evans) * Cannes Film Festival runs until May 25 * Jarmusch's "The Dead Don't Die" opens the competition * Zombie romp too self-indulgent and sluggish for some * But raises laughs with cameos, gags and stellar cast By Sarah White CANNES, France, May 14 (Reuters) - With a glamorous cast of flesh-eating undead including Iggy Pop, U.S. filmmaker Jim Jarmusch kicked off Cannes' cinema showcase on Tuesday with an acerbic swipe at American society - though the zombie romp lacked the bite some critics had hoped for. The comedy marked the opening salvo of the Cannes Film Festival, where it will compete for the top Palme D'Or prize alongside the latest offerings from Quentin Tarantino and Pedro Almodovar as well as a clutch of movies by newcomer, young directors. Set in a non-descript small town where the inhabitants start succumbing to a zombie apocalypse, "The Dead Don't Die" takes aim at climate change deniers, U.S. politics and a materialistic, smartphone-addicted world all at once. Bill Murray, a long-time collaborator of the "Broken Flowers" filmmaker, Adam Driver and Chloe Sevigny star as cops fighting off the growing army of undead, with pop star Selena Gomez and actress Tilda Swinton also among the stellar line-up. A darling of U.S. art house filmmaking and a Cannes veteran, Jarmusch nonetheless came up against the French festival's tough crowd, drawing a mixed bag of reviews with some lamenting a sluggish pace despite some spot-on jokes. Laden with witty film references - including nods to George Romero's cult 1968 zombie-fest "Night Of The Living Dead" - the film plays with the artifice of movie-making, with self-aware moments where actors discuss its plotline. Some critics took issue with the more self-indulgent moments, however. "Jarmusch's movie is in danger of succumbing to a zombie-ism of its own: a narcotic torpor of self-aware coolness," the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw wrote, describing the film as a "droll if directionless riff." Story continues Others said Jarmusch had done little to refresh a much-exploited genre, even if gags like Iggy Pop's coffee-guzzling zombie and a horde of undead stalking the streets in search of a Wi-Fi connection raised chuckles. "The problem with the opening film at Cannes is that you expect something really special," Marta Balaga, a critic at movie news agency Cineuropa, told Reuters. "People were laughing at moments and people wanted to love it." TAKING AIM AT TRUMP'S AMERICA With the undead clawing their way out of their graves when excess fracking causes the world to turn off kilter, "The Dead Don't Die" needles climate change deniers, but also takes a swipe at an apathetic society unable to get its act together. Its well-meaning cops display little by way of a game-plan throughout to combat the increasingly hairy zombie invasion. In more pointed moments, it takes direct aim at U.S. President Donald Trump. Steve Buscemi - playing an inhabitant of fictional Centerville determined to keep trespassers at bay - dons a "Keep America White Again" cap, echoing Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign motto. The film takes its place in a 72nd Cannes movie selection described by festival organizers as both "political and romantic." Earlier on Tuesday, Cannes jury president Alejando Gonzalez Inarritu of Mexico - the first Latin American film director to head up the panel - criticized Trump's plans for a Mexican border wall, describing it as "dangerous" and "cruel." "These guys are ruling with rage and anger and lies and writing fiction and making people believe those are really things and facts," Inarritu told a news conference, referring to Trump's immigration policies. (Additional reporting by Hanna Rantala; Editing by Tom Brown) 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden reportedly plans to pursue a middle ground climate policy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining the oil and gas boom that began under President Barack Obama. (Getty Editorial) WASHINGTON The former vice president may call himself by the affectionate nickname Middle-Class Joe, but for proponents of the Green New Deal, Middle-Ground Joe could become an epithet. Joe Bidens name came up only once during the Monday night rally that capped off Sunrise Movements nationwide tour to promote the Green New Deal, but the two-word description of the ostensible Democratic presidential front-runners forthcoming climate plan became a bitter refrain. No middle ground is right, said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the Green New Deals leading champion in the House, repeating what one of the 1,500 attendees at Howard Universitys Cramton Auditorium had shouted. The audience hissed after activist Jeremiah Lowery mentioned middle ground. With Alexandra Rojas, executive director of the left-wing Justice Democrats, there was no ambiguity. Who here liked when Joe Biden said he was middle of the road on climate policy? she asked. Boos resounded in response. The rhetorical lightning rod emerged Friday when Reuters reported that Biden planned to pursue a middle ground climate policy that reduced greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining the oil and gas boom that began under President Barack Obama. The report drew heated responses from Bidens 2020 rivals, activists and scientists. It offered a glimpse of the growing fight over how the Democratic Party should respond to the mounting evidence that, absent unprecedented economic change, humanity faces ecological collapse and climate catastrophe. The Biden campaign downplayed the report last week. On Monday afternoon, the former vice president defended himself as a leader on climate change going back to 1987, when he introduced a bill requiring the White House to set up a task force to study the issue. But Ocasio-Cortez said the length of Bidens record is no substitute for substance just days after scientists recorded carbon dioxide concentrations of 415 parts per million for the first time in roughly 800,000 years. Story continues I will be damned if the politicians who failed to act then are going to come back today and say we need a middle-of-the-road approach to save our lives, she said. Sunrise Movement co-founder Varshini Prakash vowed to #ChangeTheDebate on climate change in the 2020 election. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Monday nights event marked exactly six months since Sunrise Movement protesters charged into Democratic leaders offices on Capitol Hill to demand that transformative climate policy take priority in the next Congress. If the dawn of the Green New Deal justified the first word of Sunrise Movements name, the rally Monday validated the second. Following a month-long roadshow that included stops in Kentuckys coal country and wildfire-scorched California, the youth-led group surpassed 200 local chapters and counted volunteers in the hundreds of thousands, executive director Varshini Prakash said. The group now hopes to wield its enlistees as a force in the Democratic primaries, with a big demonstration planned in Detroit on July 30, when the Democratic National Committee is scheduled to host its second debate. By that point, Democratic candidates must swear off fossil fuel donations, pledge to make the Green New Deal a day one priority and call for another debate focused exclusively on climate change or face Sunrise Movements ire. Its no empty threat. Nearly half of likely Democratic primary voters in a dozen districts held by moderate Democrats would disapprove of an incumbent who opposed a Green New Deal, a January survey from the lefty think tank Data for Progress found. In March, 81% of self-described liberals, 77% of Democrats and 53% of independents reported feeling highly worried about global warming, according to a Gallup poll. Last month, a CNN poll found climate change was a top issue for 82% of registered Democrats planning to vote in the 2020 presidential primary. Yet so far, only two presidential candidates have released detailed climate policies. Beto ORourke, the former Texas congressman, proposed a $5 trillion plan to make the United States carbon-neutral by 2050. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who is running on the single issue of climate change, detailed a plan to all but eliminate emissions from power plants, cars and new buildings by 2030, putting it the closest in line to the Green New Deal. I will be damned if the politicians who failed to act then are going to come back today and say we need a middle-of-the-road approach to save our lives. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Its Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), tailing Biden in most polls, who seems most likely to garner support from the Sunrise Movement set. The senator has made climate change a core focus of his second White House bid. He co-sponsored the Green New Deal resolution introduced in February and hes expected to unveil some kind of legislation on the issue in the coming months. On Monday, Sanders was the lone presidential candidate to headline the rally, though Prakash said it wasnt a campaign event for Sanders. Despite giving a conventional stump speech, Sanders entered and exited the stage to standing ovations and cheers of Bernie, Bernie. Sounds like you guys are ready for a political revolution, Sanders said. Let me thank the young people of this country for leading the effort against climate change. It was the kind of box-checking platitude that normally goes unnoticed. But, here, it resonated. Sitting four rows back from the stage was Ciara Graves, who arrived over an hour early to get a seat with her mother. Itll be at least four years until the 14-year-old can vote. But as Sunrise Movement digs in for what its calling the decade of the Green New Deal, the group was seeking recruits to host community events both for this election and future ones. When a number appeared onstage for a sign-up list, Graves took out her phone and texted it immediately. WASHINGTON Barely five months after his sons death from brain cancer, a bereaved Vice President Joe Biden announced to the nation he would not run for president in 2016 and immediately pinpointed his deepest regret. If I could be anything, I would have wanted to be the president that ended cancer, he said in a Rose Garden address in October 2015. Because its possible. Bidens announcement that he will run for president in 2020, however, has resurfaced his dream: a White House that makes cancer a signature issue, backed by a politician whose life was so publicly upended by the disease. With much of the early debate in the Democratic primary centering on health care, Bidens stint as cancer-advocate-in-chief and orchestrator of the Obama administrations cancer moonshot could give him the opportunity to make the disease, its treatments, and his own grief central to the presidential election. After leaving office, Biden structured his cancer-fighting efforts in a way that could suit a possible campaign. The Biden Cancer Initiative the pillar of Bidens policy work since leaving office raised $10 million in the year following its incorporation. The nonprofit did not accept contributions from pharmaceutical companies, in an effort both to preserve independence and avoid the political pitfalls associated with an increasingly vilified drug industry. The Bidens have fostered collaboration between stakeholders at the foundation level, the patient advocacy level, the scientific level, and the government level, said Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee, a Johns Hopkins researcher who sits on the Biden Cancer Initiatives board. Read more: Progressives warn Democratic leaders that piecemeal drug pricing reforms could fracture the party An examination by STAT of Bidens efforts to address cancer research since he left office, particularly at the Biden Cancer Initiative, found that Biden has been deeply involved in efforts to encourage collaboration among medical researchers, patient advocates, and government officials, to pressure drug companies to lower the price of cancer medications, and improve the patient experience. Story continues This was not going on before Vice President Biden and President Obama put forward the moonshot, Jaffee said. Biden just took it from there. The question for Biden, according to interviews with many Democrats in the world of health care, is how his cancer initiatives and advocacy will be viewed in a field of candidates who are expected to advance policy approaches, namely Medicare for All, that may be considered more progressive and appealing to Democrats who vote in primaries. Another question is Bidens stance with pharmaceutical companies. Historically, Biden has been seen as less than tough on the drug industry, but since leaving office he has surprised some cancer research advocates with his willingness to castigate drug companies for the high cost of some cancer medications. Bidens backers offer a grand vision for what the former vice president could do to battle cancer. Chris Jennings, a veteran Democratic health policy adviser to the Obama administration, said a Biden presidency could bring the cancer fight full circle, from Richard Nixons famous War on Cancer in 1971, the year before Biden was first elected to the Senate at age 29, to Bidens ability to spotlight his cancer-care agenda. In that period of time, hes seen another president raise this issue, Jennings said. Hes seen dramatic developments in terms of diagnostics and treatments. Hes a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and he believes that he has and can continue to make major contributions to bringing people together for efficient use of information and data to combat cancer. When Joe Biden assembled a room full of cancer researchers and executives from major drug manufacturers in 2018, he unleashed an unexpected scolding. He sat there, Jaffee recalled, and he said to them: The drug prices are ridiculous. We have to make sure the patients have access and arent having to sell their homes to get drugs for their family members or themselves. The meeting, which took place at the Biden Cancer Initiatives annual cancer summit, was a wake-up call and not only to the drug industry figures present. I have never seen that before, Jaffee said. He just said this has to happen. He wasnt president, he wasnt vice president. He was just a person who cares. It was a call to action that mirrored a series of pledges Biden made upon leaving office to lower the cost of cancer drugs and to find solutions that will double the rate of progress against cancer. But the antagonistic tone in that meeting and in those initial, post-vice-presidency pledges is not indicative of the tack Biden has taken since leaving office. Instead, the Biden Cancer Initiative has taken a more demure, research-focused route toward affecting change in the health care landscape. The nonprofit, which Biden founded in June 2017 with his wife, Jill Biden, has spent the past two years attempting to set a course for cancer research and foster collaboration between major biomedical institutes, pharmaceutical companies. Read more: Biden vows to push pharmaceutical companies to ensure patients can afford treatments It also secured commitments from non-medical organizations: from Airbnb to house cancer patients during treatment, from Lyft to transport them, and from WeWork to allow for collaboration centers for use by researchers across the country. It has worked with drug makers like AbbVie, among others, using a $5 million contribution meant to help alleviate the financial burden of cancer on pediatric patients and families. While the Bidens were not involved in the organizations operation on a daily basis, they would attend quarterly meetings in person and maintained a deep level of engagement with its work, longtime Biden adviser Greg Simon, who is now the organizations president, said in an interview. Researchers inside and outside Bidens orbit told STAT they have been largely impressed with the Biden Cancer Initiatives work, particularly on one of Joe Bidens key issues: clinical trials. Dr. Karen Knudsen, the director of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia, called Bidens advocacy behind 21st Century Cures and the moonshot one of the most transformative things thats happened since Nixons War on Cancer in 1971 and the ensuing National Cancer Act. Much of that work, Knudsen said, has centered on spreading the message that clinical trials are not real-world human experiments but, in fact, often the best means of accessing cutting-edge care. Among Bidens more technical pushes while in office, Knudsen recalled, was his call for a revamp of clinicaltrials.gov a federal log of clinical trials that allows patients to match with clinical trials fitting their cancer, and vice versa. Read more: President Joe Biden? First, hed need to answer for his record on drug prices But there was significant skepticism from patients about going on clinical trials, because they thought they were becoming guinea pigs, Knudsen said. In fact, you either get the standard of care or the standard of care plus something else. His dialogue, even if hed done nothing else, helped us have those conversations with patients about getting into the most advanced care, which is through clinical trials. The Bidens announced they would resign as co-chairs of the cancer initiative when Joe Biden announced his 2020 candidacy. The organizations infrastructure has remained. Simon, who led the White House cancer moonshot, is remaining as the leader with veteran policy aide Danielle Carnival as vice president. Next month, the Biden Cancer Initiative will hold a colloquium at a cancer conference focused on breaking the 5% threshold once and for all, referring to the rate at which adult patients enroll in clinical trials. Joe Biden Campaigns In Pittsburgh Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign rally in April in Pittsburgh, Penn. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) To some Democrats on the partys ascendant left flank, Bidens tough words for pharma at last years cancer summit embodied a sign of the times politically. Most Democratic campaigns in the early 2020 cycle have relied on harsh rhetoric for the pharmaceutical industry and sweeping plans to lower drug costs. In his first speech as a 2020 candidate, Biden made almost no mention of cancer, using the world only in a cursory mention alongside addiction and diabetes as diseases worthy of more research investment. He similarly did not touch high drug prices, and spoke little of high health care costs other than emphasizing his view that health care is a right, not a privilege. Other presidential candidates, like Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, made explicit mention drug prices in their announcement speeches. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, another high-profile candidate, has taken to frequently citing her mothers career as a cancer researcher. Biden, whose campaign is still in its infancy, has not yet rolled out specific policy pertaining to drug prices, health insurance, or addressing the nations addiction crisis, even as other candidates have made those issues central to their platforms. Nonetheless, his pleas for making cancer drugs more accessible were taken by some progressives as a sign that the longtime senator from Delaware, among the countrys pharmaceutical industry hotbeds, would sing the same tune. Read more: Will the Speakers office finally spill the beans on its drug pricing plan? Bidens health care policies, however, have often highlighted a fundamental divide between his school of moderate Democrat and a new progressive wave. Most notably, Biden is seen as unlikely to endorse the type of sweeping single-payer health plan favored by candidates including Sanders, Warren, and Harris. Separately, some progressives have criticized Biden for his role safeguarding U.S. drug companies intellectual property, particularly in India, where he played a key role in pressuring the Indian government to stop issuing compulsory licenses to allow poor cancer patients to access cancer drugs manufactured by multinational drug companies and not yet available in generic form. A small handful of progressives Warren and Sanders among them even voted no on what is seen in Washington as one of Bidens signature achievements as vice president: the 21st Century Cures Act, the bill that authorized the cancer moonshot, on the basis that it favored industry profits and new drug approvals over patient safety. Should Biden choose to put health care at the center of his candidacy, he will be sure to emphasize not only his achievements in furthering cancer research chief among them, his work on the cancer moonshot but also the personal toll the disease has exacted. After years of watching his son undergo treatment Beau Biden, the former attorney general of Delaware, was first diagnosed in 2013, at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Biden developed both an appreciation for the logistical hardships of cancer care as well as its technical realities. To one leading cancer researcher, a single 2015 conversation served as a key inflection point. In a meeting with the vice president, Dr. Ron DePinho, who at the time served as the MD Andersons president, outlined a Moon Shots Program that the cancer center had begun in 2012. The $3 million effort, DePinho recalled telling Biden, aimed to dramatically extend life expectancy for a specific set of cancers, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Soon after Bidens meeting with DePinho, Obama bestowed him with the power to oversee the interagency task force. And in one of Congresss final acts before Obama and Biden left office, it was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, who renamed the cancer-specific sections of the 21st Century Cures Act the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot, as Biden presided over the Senate and aides watched from a nearby office. Immediately, Biden set out to hire a director for the federal governments ambitious, swing-for-the-fences effort that came to dominate his final year in office. Simon, a former policy adviser to Al Gore and onetime patient engagement executive at Pfizer, quickly emerged as the leading candidate. Simons hiring came quickly, he recalled. But he faced a final obstacle when he was invited to Washington for a final interview: Simon had been diagnosed one year prior with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, had only just finished a round of chemotherapy, and was awaiting a final check-up. The irony is that when I was asked to come interview with Vice President Biden, I had to cancel my last appointment, Simon said. My doctor said: Youre an idiot, dont come see me! Go see Biden. Read more: Head of Biden Cancer Initiative draws on own diagnosis to speed research With Simon as the federal initiatives director and a new policy aide, Carnival, Biden pushed the cancer moonshot forward relentlessly until his final days in office. One of the moonshots largest accomplishments to date a National Cancer Institute collaboration with a dozen major pharmaceutical companies to speed clinical trial availability came online just nine days before Trumps inauguration. So tireless was his advocacy, many longtime Biden associates recalled, that outside cancer researchers delivered Biden a simple message: he could not allow departing office to put a stop to his cancer work, especially in light of Trumps election and the ensuing health-care unpredictability. It was a success, Jaffee said, that speaks to the vice presidents ability to organize like a politician even in an apolitical arena. He has developed a grassroots initiative over the past few years thats like no other Ive ever seen in cancer research, she said. PHILADELPHIA (AP) The judge who presided over Bill Cosby's criminal case said he let five other accusers testify at the sex-assault trial because their accounts had "chilling similarities" that pointed to a "signature" crime. A jury last year convicted Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, after hearing from her and the five others. Cosby, 81, is appealing his conviction based on the women's testimony and other key rulings by Montgomery County Judge Stephen O'Neill. Cosby began serving a three- to 10-year prison term in September at a state prison near Philadelphia. O'Neill, in a lengthy opinion filed Tuesday, said he found "striking similarities" in the women's descriptions of their encounters with the comedian long beloved as "America's Dad." "In each instance, (he) met a substantially younger woman, gained her trust, invited her to a place where he was alone with her, provided her with a drink or drug, and sexually assaulted her once she was rendered incapacitated," O'Neill wrote. "These chilling similarities rendered (their) testimony admissible." O'Neill had allowed just one other accuser to testify at Cosby's first trial in June 2017, when a jury deadlock led to a mistrial. Cosby was retried in April 2018, months after the #MeToo movement burst into view with sexual asssault accusations against producer Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men in Hollywood and beyond. In the ruling Tuesday, O'Neill said the new defense team that handled Cosby's retrial never directly challenged him on the difference in his two trial rulings about the other accusers' testimony. At any rate, he said, judges are not bound by their prior decisions. The defense, in outlining their appeal issues, have also argued that Cosby had a binding agreement with a former prosecutor, Bruce Castor, that he would never be charged in the case. O'Neill again rejected the claim Tuesday, finding the signed press release from Castor - used to bolster the claim - falls short of an immunity agreement. Story continues Castor had investigated Constand's complaint for about a month in 2005 before deciding not to bring a case, questioning why she waited a year to contact police. Before the year was out, 13 other accusers had come forward to support the lawsuit Constand filed against Cosby. He settled the case for $3.4 million. When Cosby's deposition testimony from the lawsuit became public in 2015, and the criminal case was reopened, Castor for the first time told his successor about the supposed "non-prosecution" agreement. He forwarded their correspondence to Cosby's defense lawyer and testified as a defense witness at a 2016 hearing, O'Neill noted. O'Neill also rejected defense efforts to have him step down from the case because of his alleged bias, and outlined the four-year legal process that led up to Cosby's conviction and sentencing. Cosby's latest team of lawyers has been awaiting the opinion so they can proceed with the appeal in Pennsylvania courts. The lead lawyer, Brian Perry, did not immediately return a phone message on Tuesday. Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt, in a statement, said "O'Neill has a habitual habit of always trying to cover his many errors, which continues to show his hatred towards Mr. Cosby." The Associated Press does not typically identify sexual assault victims without their permission, which Constand has granted. ___ This story has been corrected to identify Harvey Weinstein as a Hollywood producer, not director. A California jury has awarded a couple $2 billion in a lawsuit against Monsanto. The couple claims that the companys Roundup weed killer caused their cancer. This follows a case in which a terminally ill California man won a $289 million settlement from the controversial chemical manufacturer after a judge agreed that Roundup caused the mans cancer. The lawsuit opened the floodgates for more litigation against Monsanto which denies that the weed killer causes cancer and plans to appeal the verdict and its use of the chemical glyphosate in Roundup. In 2015, the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer said that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans. We were finally able to show the jury the secret, internal Monsanto documents proving that Monsanto has known for decades that Roundup could cause cancer, Brent Wisner, the lawyer for the California man, Dewayne Johnson, said in a statement obtained by The Guardian. Scott Partridge, the vice president of Monsanto, disagreed, telling the newspaper that, glyphosate does not cause cancer, and did not cause Johnsons cancer. Johnson was using Roundup regularly for his job as a groundskeeper at a Bay Area school district, and was once left soaked by the product when a hose broke. But for the average person who uses it occasionally for yard work, are Roundup and other weed killers still safe to use? Dewayne Johnson | JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Unfortunately, we dont have the scientific evidence at this point to know for sure, Dr. Robb Bassett, the associate medical director for the Poison Control Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, tells PEOPLE. This case brings up the question of how much protection do we need for Roundup and were simply not sure, which is a big problem, he says. Our understanding of a lot of commercial chemicals is limited, and an abundance of caution is always useful. But, Dr. Bassett says, people should not be overly concerned because of this lawsuit. Story continues The important thing to do is to continue to use common sense, and not overreact that all commercially available products at your local hardware store are an imminent threat to public health, he says. But, that being said, this underscores the need to follow the instructions and take every precaution to limit exposure to any chemicals, especially chemicals that we dont totally understand. And thats definitely the case with glyphosate. RELATED VIDEO: Experts Warn Against Tide Pod Challenge Dr. Bassett advises doing anything possible to limit skin exposure when using weed killers, such as wearing long sleeves and pants, and gloves. If the liquid does get on the skin, he says to wash it off immediately. The general rule in toxicology is removal from exposure is 90 percent of the battle, so doing whatever it takes to take it off the skin, he says. We teach our junior doctors that the solution to pollution is dilution, and that using soap and water can minimize that concentration and remove the chemical immediately it doesnt need to be more complicated than that. If people have additional symptoms, like painful or itchy skin, or a rash, they should contact a doctor for more advanced decontamination. And as another form of prevention, its best to store Roundup or other weed killers as far from the home as possible, and in areas where kids and pets cannot reach. Dr. Bassett adds that if people are ever in doubt of their safety after using weed killers, they can call poison control at any time. This is what the poison control centers are here for, if theres ever any question of exposure or concern, were a great free, public health entity, he says. Across the country people can call 800-222-1222 and theyll be directed to their local poison center. With WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange likely about to face two separate extradition requests one already made by the United States on hacking charges, another likely from Sweden related to a recently reopened rape case his future is less clear than ever. If Sweden makes a fresh extradition request, the decision over what to do with Assange whos currently sitting in a London prison will fall to U.K. Home Secretary Sajid Javid. In such an event, under U.K. law, Javid would have to weigh specific legal criteria to make his decision. They are: The relative seriousness of the offenses. The place where each offense was committed. The date when each request was issued or received. Whether the person is accused or convicted of each offense. Those criteria, however, are broad and leave space for individual judgment. The Secretary of State has to follow the law; it is highly likely that there will a legal challenge if he doesnt, says Katherine Tyler, a leading extradition lawyer at London law firm Kingsley Napley. The point of contention, Tyler predicts, is likely to be the relative seriousness of each offense. Both sides could argue that their case is more urgent than the other. Its hard to predict how the Secretary of State will weigh up the seriousness of each allegation. The accusation of rape, being an offense against the person, is a very different kind of allegation to the password cracking accusation which, in this context, will be said to be a political matter, she says. Sweden has not yet re-issued a formal extradition request for Assange. But given the nature of the allegations there, some lawmakers are already pressuring Javid to bow to Swedens request, if it makes one. Allegations of sexual violence in Sweden should clearly take precedence, wrote opposition Labour Party lawmaker Dawn Butler in a letter to Javid on Monday. The U.K. Government should send a clear message that we are committed to tackling sexual violence. Story continues Theres the matter of timing as well. If Sweden issues another extradition request, it would come on a later date than the U.S. request, which was made public shortly after Assange was arrested in April. However, Sweden issued a previous request for Assanges extradition back in 2010, before he took refuge in Ecuadors embassy. In 2017, the Swedish case was closed and the extradition request nullified, with prosecutors saying Assanges whereabouts made further investigation impossible. But if the matter came to the courts, both sides could reasonably argue their extradition request came first. Home Secretary Javid, a leading contender for beleaguered Prime Minister Theresa Mays job, has cultivated an image of a hardliner. He welcomed Assanges arrest at the Ecuadorian embassy in London last month, and last year refused to seek assurances from the U.S. that two suspected ISIS members would not be executed if extradited a violation of convention in the U.K., where the death penalty is illegal. (Capital punishment is not on the table for Assange, who faces U.S. charges of conspiring to gain access to a government computer with a maximum sentence of five years, though experts say the U.S. may unseal more serious charges at a later date.) Geopolitics may play a role as well. Assanges arrest comes at a time of increased bilateral tensions between the U.K. and the U.S., with the Trump Administration frustrated with Mays resistance to block 5G wireless infrastructure made by Chinese telecom firm Huawei from the U.K. market. If anything is certain, its that Assange may not leave the U.K. any time soon. Contested extradition hearings can take a long time, says Tyler. I would expect the U.S. request alone to take in the region of a year to 18 months; were there to be an additional request from Sweden, consideration of how to deal with this is likely to make the overall process longer still. Kim Kardashian is celebrating the fifth anniversary of her lavish Italian wedding ceremony to Kanye West in the best way she knows -- by launching a bridal-themed makeup collection. The cosmetics entrepreneur and founder of the KKW Beauty brand took to Instagram to announce the imminent arrival of the Mrs. West Collection' on May 24, telling her 138 million followers: "I love the idea that the memories from one of the happiest days of my life are celebrated in this collection." The series, which will drop on the star's actual wedding anniversary, was inspired by the beauty look Kardashian's makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic created for her big day. "Her wedding was one of the special highlights of my career," the creative told his own 6.5 million followers on Instagram. The Mrs. West series includes a six-pan eyeshadow palette, a champagne highlighter, a blusher and a pink nude lipstick, lip liner and gloss. Bridal-inspired makeup is the latest in a string of additions to the rapidly expanding KKW Beauty portfolio, which unveiled its first classic red lipstick collection earlier this year, after debuting its first mascara in November 2018. Since its launch in 2017, KKW Beauty has grown swiftly to span products for eyes, and the company, along with her perfume label KKW Fragrance, has reportedly netted her a $350 million fortune. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! A look at the shareholders of The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZSE:NZR) can tell us which group is most powerful. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. We also tend to see lower insider ownership in companies that were previously publicly owned. With a market capitalization of NZ$643m, New Zealand Refining is a small cap stock, so it might not be well known by many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions own shares in the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about NZR. View our latest analysis for New Zealand Refining NZSE:NZR Ownership Summary, May 13th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About New Zealand Refining? 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. As you can see, institutional investors own 24% of New Zealand Refining. 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. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at New Zealand Refining's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters. NZSE:NZR Income Statement, May 13th 2019 Hedge funds don't have many shares in New Zealand Refining. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too. Insider Ownership Of New Zealand Refining While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Story continues 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 most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of The New Zealand Refining Company Limited. It has a market capitalization of just NZ$643m, and the board has only NZ$4.9m worth of shares in their own names. Many investors in smaller companies prefer to see the board more heavily invested. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership With a 32% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over NZR. 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. Public Company Ownership Public companies currently own 43% of NZR stock. It's hard to say for sure, but this suggests they have entwined business interests. This might be a strategic stake, so it's worth watching this space for changes in ownership. 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. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow, for free . Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. 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. Dubai (AFP) - Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in as yet unexplained "sabotage attacks" at a time of Gulf tensions triggered by a bitter US-Iran standoff. Amid rising fears of a conflict, here is what we know about Sunday's attacks off the Emirati coast. - What happened? - A United Arab Emirates government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and a UAE ship, the A. Michel. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the tanker had a hole in the hull area "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". The crew were unharmed and the ship was not in any danger of sinking. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom's two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there were no casualties or any oil spill. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE, both close allies of the United States, have yet given details on the exact nature of the attacks. Adding to the tensions, Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that two pumping stations on a major east-west oil pipeline had been hit in a drones' attack. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels said earlier they had hit several vital Saudi targets. - Who was behind ship attacks? - There has been no claim of responsibility, and neither Riyadh nor Abu Dhabi has pointed a finger of blame. The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, has said the Emirates would probe the "deliberate sabotage" of the ships. Asked whether Washington believed Tehran played a role, Brian Hook, the US special envoy for Iran, declined to comment, saying only US authorities would be assisting the investigation at the UAE's request. - What has been the reaction? - Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional arch-rival, condemned "the acts of sabotage which targeted commercial and civilian vessels", a foreign ministry source said. Story continues "This criminal act constitutes a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation and adversely impacts regional and international peace and security," the source added. Without accusing Tehran, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would "suffer greatly" if it does "anything". "I'm hearing little stories about Iran," Trump said at the White House. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Britain warned of the danger of conflict erupting "by accident" in the Gulf, as Tehran distanced itself and called for an investigation into the "alarming and regrettable" attacks. The United Nations urged restraint from all sides. "We are concerned about the heightened tensions in the region. We call upon all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq. - What is significance of location? - Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), 35 percent of the world's seaborne oil transits passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil transit was disrupted in 1984 during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) when more than 500 vessels were destroyed or damaged in a "Tanker War". In 1988, an Iran Air flight from Tehran to Dubai was shot down by missiles fired from a US Navy cruiser patrolling the strait. All 290 people on board were killed. The crew of the USS Vincennes said they mistook the Airbus for an Iranian fighter. - What are the stakes? - Washington's dispatch to the region of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers has sparked fears of possible military clashes. The increasing tensions come after Tehran said last week it has stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal that has since been abandoned by Washington. US national security advisor John Bolton has said Washington's military buildup 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". MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the United States had not made any formal proposal for U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet on the sidelines of a gathering of the G20 in Japan next month. Trump said on Monday that he would meet Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20. "We have noted the statement," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call, saying such statements had been made before, but that there had been no talks about such a meeting let alone an agreement about one. Peskov noted that the last planned meeting between Putin and Trump had been canceled at Washington's initiative. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth, Andrew Osborn and Maria Kiselyova; editing by Andrew Osborn) BEIRUT, May 14 (Reuters) - Kurdish-led authorities accused Damascus on Tuesday of trying to incite strife by exploiting a recent wave of protests in the mainly Arab swathes of eastern Syria they hold. Residents in Deir al-Zor province, near the Iraqi border, have taken to the streets in recent weeks with demands including better services, political representation and access to the oil-rich region's resources. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) control that territory along the Euphrates river after defeating Islamic State there over the past year with U.S. help. Syria's foreign ministry sent letters to the United Nations on Monday calling for an end to the "attacks and treason of the SDF militias." The government blamed the SDF for repressing protesters and asserted "its right to defend citzens in all corners of the country," state media said. The U.S.-backed SDF, which controls much of north and east Syria, denied the allegations. It said the state would have been better off working with its forces which are chasing down Islamic State sleeper cells. The Kurdish-led civil administration of the SDF region said some had tried to exploit problems with public services. "The regime's adoption of groups seeking to create strife in parts of Deir al-Zor is a hit against Syrian unity," it said. The SDF, which the Kurdish YPG militia spearheads, has been meeting with Arab tribal leaders from Deir al-Zor in a bid to diffuse tensions. (Reporting by Ellen Francis, editing by Ed Osmond) Labour MP Wes Streeting called on Jeremy Corbyn to quit (Picture: PA) A Labour MP has told Jeremy Corbyn to his face that he should quit as party leader. Wes Streeting, MP for Ilford North, confronted his party leader at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party. He told Mr Corbyn he needs to step down if the party is to have any chance of winning the next general election, Politics Home reported. Mr Streeting said Mr Corbyns leadership has become a bigger issue than Brexit for the party. Mr Corbyn is mired in internal fighting with his party over its position on Brexit and the upcoming European elections. Politics Home reported that some backbenchers claim they have been banned from distributing their own campaign leaflets. At the meeting in Parliament, Mr Streeting told Mr Corbyn: "What is being heard on the doorstep across the country and what people are saying in the tea room, but wont say to your face, is that you are a bigger issue for us than Brexit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is under pressure from within his own party (Picture: PA) If youre prepared to sacrifice our place in Europe because you think it will deliver a Labour government, why wont you make way for a leader who can win a general election? Read more Police say jailing 12-strong gang has helped cut moped crime in half Nigel Farage reveals he intends to stand as an MP for the eighth time Man abandoned as a baby at Gatwick Airport 33 years ago finds parents Hove MP Peter Kyle, who wants a second referendum on Brexit, said at the meeting: "Jeremy, I urge you to simplify our policy to make people realise that we are talking with absolute sincerity." Mr Corbyn said at the meeting: "I do understand the frustrations about campaign material and the way in which they have been put to people. I'll be taking action immediately to make sure you get answers. I only said what too many say in the tea room, but wont say to Jeremys face, about what voters are saying on the doorsteps. It wasnt this bad with Ed. Some of us warned back then that wed lose in 2015. We werent listened to then, either, leading to Tory majority and Brexit. https://t.co/F2Xc0S76lM Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) May 14, 2019 "I understand the need for a clear message. I don't want to be in a position where voters don't understand what we're saying. Story continues Meanwhile, former minister Bridget Prentice has quit Labour in protest over Mr Corbyns handling of Brexit and tackling anti-Semitism within the party. The former MP for Lewisham East claimed the party had "been destroyed" under Mr Corbyn's leadership. In a strongly-worded attack she said that "in all the major issues of the day, you have called it wrong". -- Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK -- A seaside view of Lancing Beach. [Photo: Getty] A village in Sussex has been mocked by its own residents for planning a tourist-friendly rebrand. Lancing, in West Sussex, is one of the largest villages in Britain, boasts 18,000 residents. In a bid to attract visitors into its centre, the areas parish council has proposed a new brand which includes adding on sea to its name. The parish council shared a design for a series of new posters on its Facebook page, which refers to Lancing as Lancing-on-Sea. The design has already been featured on a series of banners on Lancing high street. READ MORE: Best British beaches to visit this year However, the council has been ridiculed for the move which has been called a waste of time and money. Poster is rubbish and as for the"on sea". What a waste of time and money, wrote one resident. You're on the coast, it's blatantly obvious, why change history with 'On Sea'?, another person reasoned. Others used it as an opportunity to voice their grievances about Lancing suggesting the parish council had their priorities wrong. Instead of fiddling about with names you should be focussing on what might attract people to Lancing, wrote one person, before enlisting Lancings so-called shabby infrastructure. Another resident added: Good idea but we arent Lancing-on-sea, picture is too childlike and not really truly representative of Lancing, shouldnt the town centre be improved before inviting visitors to partake in it! However, a small number of residents were in favour of the new name. I grew up here and have never seen it called Lancing on Sea. Quite like it tho!, wrote one person. READ MORE: 6 British towns and villages that had to change their names Lancing isnt the first area in Britain to attempt an ambitious rebrand. Back in 2009, VisitBlackpool launched a digital media campaign which featured a video of a glamorous French woman and her English boyfriend enjoying a day out in the town. The tagline? Blackpool Je t'Aime la Tour. Staines also decided to change its name to Staines-upon-Thames in 2012, in order to escape the image it was given by comedian Sacha Baron Cohens fictional persona Ali G, who infamously said he originated from there. At the time of writing, the entire cryptocurrency market has been experiencing the best pump of 2019. For four consecutive days, the market has been experiencing 24-hour gains of around 5-10%. Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is no exception, and price is currently sitting around $393 almost 20% higher than last week. Bitcoin is still gaining market-share dominance over most coins, including BCH, and BCH price is currently trading at its lowest against BTC since late 2018. However, this doesnt mean investors wont take this opportunity to convert BTC into BCH. Looking at the chart above, we can clearly see price has broken important resistance barriers. Bitcoin Cash has broken the $330 level around its 200-day EMA (the blue line) and the 20-day EMA has finally crossed the 50-day EMA (the red and green lines respectively). Moreover, the trend seems to be quite bullish: volumes speak for themselves, and the market hasnt seen such positive volumes coming in since early April. What I expect to happen is altcoins such as BCH will rise both against BTC (even though prices may drop) and USD. If order books stay on the side of buyers, which will become increasingly difficult the more price goes up, we could see BCH climbing again to $400 and above in just a few days. My personal bet is that well soon have a nice correction and another buying opportunity. Ill have some fresh cash available to make new entries in the market as soon as it dips. Still, be aware we may still experience close to 60% drops, as this did happen in a similar situation during 2015 prior to the last massive bull run. Fundamentals remain strong I recently spoke with Bitcoin Cashs strongest advocate, Roger Ver, and discussed the most recent developments on the horizon for BCH. You can find all the details here, but the most juicy news seems to be the recent spike in adoption due to the implementation of smart contracts. Roger, like myself, believes key components for mass adoption are speed and flexibility. What Bitcoin Cash Oracles offers is a way for any user to easily deploy an escrow transaction that can be used to trade globally without the hassle of trusting the other party. Story continues I personally think these trade escrows will be key in terms of adoption, especially for work-related tasks. In a way, they do enable milestone-based funding, which may be the new and better way of conducting ICOs instead of simply creating an extra layer of complexity with STOs that require KYC and accreditation something that goes against what we should be promoting within the crypto ecosystem. Current live BCH pricing information and interactive charts are available on our site 24 hours a day. The ticker bar at the bottom of every page on our site has the latest BCH price. Pricing is also available in a range of different currency equivalents: US Dollar BCHtoUSD British Pound Sterling BCHtoGBP Japanese Yen BCHtoJPY Euro BCHtoEUR Australian Dollar BCHtoAUD Russian Rouble BCHtoRUB Bitcoin BCHtoBTC About Bitcoin Cash Bitcoin Cash was born out of the idea of making Bitcoin more practical for small, day-to-day payments. In May 2017, Bitcoin payments took about four days unless a fee was paid, which was proportionately too large for small transactions. A change to the code was implemented and Bitcoin Cash was born on 1st August 2017. More Bitcoin Cash news and information If you want to find out more information about Bitcoin Cash or cryptocurrencies in general, then use the search box at the top of this page. Heres an article to get you started: By Scott Thompson May 14, 2019 As with any investment, it pays to do some homework before you part with your money. The prices of cryptocurrencies are volatile and go up and down quickly. This page is not recommending a particular currency or whether you should invest or not. You may be interested in our range of cryptocurrency guides along with the latest cryptocurrency news. The post Latest Bitcoin Cash price and analysis (BCH to USD) appeared first on Coin Rivet. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Latest on memorial services for former Sen. Richard Lugar (all times local): 1 p.m. A couple hundred people stood as a military honor guard carried former Sen. Richard Lugar's flag-draped casket into the Indiana Statehouse Rotunda for the start of a two-day tribute. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett hailed the longtime senator as someone who "helped bring more peace to an increasingly dangerous world." Lugar was the Indianapolis mayor before he was first elected to the Senate in 1976. He was a senator for 36 years and helped spur the dismantling of thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons. He died April 28 at age 87. Hogsett and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb placed wreaths next to the casket as about eight hours of public viewing began ahead of Lugar's funeral on Wednesday. __ 10:25 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence will be traveling to his home state for Wednesday's funeral of longtime Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar. Pence says in a Twitter post that Lugar is "an American statesman whose contributions to our nation are countless." The former Indiana governor says he will deliver a eulogy for a "great man who inspired so many in public service including me." Lugar left the Senate in 2013 after 36 years and died April 28 at age 87. He was a foreign policy expert who helped spur the dismantling of thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons Two days of memorial services for Lugar begin with a midday Tuesday ceremony during which his casket will be brought into the Indiana Statehouse Rotunda, followed by about eight hours of public viewing. __ 8:40 a.m. Two days of memorial services for former Sen. Richard Lugar will begin with a tribute at the Indiana Statehouse. The senator's casket will be brought into the Statehouse Rotunda for a midday Tuesday ceremony that will include remarks by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, followed by about eight hours of public viewing. Lugar was a longtime Republican senator and former Indianapolis mayor who's been hailed as an "American statesman" since he died April 28 at age 87. Lugar will lie in repose in the Rotunda until noon Wednesday, followed by his funeral beginning 1 p.m. at St. Luke's United Methodist Church on the north side of Indianapolis. Lugar helped spur the dismantling of thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons while serving in the Senate from 1977 until 2013. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's trip to Louisiana (all times local): 4:15 p.m. President Donald Trump is using an official government event at a liquefied natural gas export facility to handicap his potential 2020 Democratic opponents. Trump ran through a list of his challengers at the event in Louisiana on Tuesday. He says Texas' Beto O'Rourke is "falling fast," and he mocked the candidate for trying to reboot his campaign. Trump says, "History has said that does not work out well." Trump also mocked former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Trump claimed to the crowd: "Bernie's got a lot of energy. But it's energy to get rid of your jobs." He added dismissively that there are "350 million people and that's the best we can do" with Democratic candidates. ___ Noon President Donald Trump will highlight his administration's efforts to ramp up liquefied natural gas exports as he visits a new plant Tuesday in southwest Louisiana. Trump will tour a $10 billion export terminal that will liquefy natural gas for storage and shipping. The process involves cooling gas vapor to a liquid state. Trump cites an increase in liquefied natural gas exports as boosting jobs and cementing the U.S.'s role as an energy provider for international markets. The administration has also promoted liquefied natural gas from the United States as a way for Europe to reduce its reliance on Russia for energy. The visit is Trump's third to Louisiana since he took office. He will also use the trip to address supporters at a fundraiser in Metairie. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on the United States and Iran (all times local): 9:50 p.m. Some U.S. allies are expressing skepticism about the Trump administration's claims that Iran poses a growing threat in the Persian Gulf and beyond. British Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, a senior officer in the U.S.-backed coalition fighting the Islamic State group, says "there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria." U.S. Central Command has responded by saying Ghika's remarks "run counter to the identified credible threats" from Iranian-backed forces in the Mideast. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump denied a report that the administration has updated plans to send more than 100,000 troops to counter Iran if necessary. But Trump then stirred the controversy further by saying: "Would I do that? Absolutely." __ 5:15 p.m. The U.S. military says American troops in Iraq and Syria are now on a higher level of alert due to "credible and possibly imminent" threats from Iran, rebutting an earlier statement from a British officer. Earlier Tuesday, British Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, a senior commander of allied troops in Iraq, told reporters there has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria. Navy Capt. Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, has issued a statement saying Ghika's comments ran counter to "identified credible threats" to the troops from Iranian-backed forces in the region. The statement cites intelligence gathered by the U.S. and its allies but provides no additional details about the potential threats. The U.S. has about 5,000 troops in Iraq and about 2,000 in Syria. __ 11:45 a.m. The U.S.-led military coalition combating the Islamic State group has detected no increased threat lately to its troops in Iraq or Syria from Iranian-backed forces, a senior coalition officer said Tuesday. "No, there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," British Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika told reporters at the Pentagon in a video-conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad. "We're aware of their presence, clearly, and we monitor them, along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in. His comment follows assertions by Trump administration officials that they have detected signs that Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies were preparing for possible attacks against American interests in the Mideast. Paris (AFP) - French first lady Brigitte Macron, a career-long teacher who has kept a low public profile, is set to return to the classroom in a new adult training college for school drop-outs. Macron, a French and drama teacher until 2015, has accepted a supervisory and teaching role for a new school in a suburb of Paris and another in a rural area of southeast France. On Monday, she visited the Paris facility of the "Institut des Vocations", which is also backed by rap star Ben J and celebrity chef Thierry Marx and is being financed by French luxury giant LVMH. The school in the Clichy-sous-Bois suburb in northeast Paris will open its doors in September along with another college near Valence in southeast France, offering courses to around 50 school dropouts aged 25-30 every year. "It won't be like the lessons that I gave to pupils before, but more in the Anglo-Saxon style, interactive," the 66-year-old, who used to teach at prestigious private schools in her home town of Amiens as well as in Paris, told reporters. She said the school aimed to give its students, who will be paid 1,000 euros (1,100 dollars) a month, "the foundations to be able to enter the workplace. "We know they need to know the four operations in maths, to know how to write French, to express themselves, to construct arguments in a written text. I want to give them a taste for literature," she added. She did not specify how often she would teach in person, but she will chair the teaching panel of the new institute which she hopes will roll out other colleges around the country. - Object of fascination - Brigitte met Emmanuel Macron, 41, while he was a student in her school in Amiens and began a relationship with him while he was still a teenager, causing a minor scandal locally and anger in their families. Since entering the presidential palace in May 2017, she has been an object of fascination in the French media but keeps a low public profile, accompanying her husband only for major state events. Story continues A recent book about her by a French writer entitled "He was just 17" -- the second tome devoted to the first lady in less than a year -- said she had struggled with the constraints of her new public role. But she remains an influential informal political advisor in private to Macron and has said she likes sneaking out of the presidential palace incognito to meet ordinary French people. Former interior minister Gerard Collomb, who fell out with Macron last year, recently credited her with having a better instincts than her husband, who is derided by opponents for being out of touch. "She used to go out. She saw more what was the reality of France," Collomb said in an interview on Europe 1 radio last week. The mother-of-three became entangled in an early public row shortly after Macron took office over plans to create a formal position of first lady, which would have given her an office and a budget -- an idea that was eventually abandoned. She has since said that she intends to devote her time to her twin causes of education and helping the handicapped. Other private companies are interested in following the example of LVMH and sponsoring other training colleges, which are designed to tackle France's chronic high unemployment rate, she said. "We are going to duplicate it," she said, adding that oil group Total had expressed an interest. Rapper Ben J -- real name Fabien Loubayi -- said the new schools aimed to provide opportunities "to the invisible, people I see during my concerts. It's important to offer them a hand up, to give them confidence in themselves." (Deletes repetition of background on migrant drownings, rescues) GENEVA, May 14 (Reuters) - A group of aid agencies in Libya called on Tuesday for a U.N. resolution to support people caught in fighting around Tripoli, where the United Nations says 66,000 people have been forced out of their homes and at least 454 killed since April 5. Forces loyal to Libya's beleaguered government are defending Tripoli against an offensive by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Khalifa Haftar, who accuses the administration of being controlled by terrorists, a charge it denies. Haftar is supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates but denounced by internationally-recognized Prime Minister Fayez Serraj as an "aspiring military dictator." As well as uprooting thousands of Libyans, Haftar's month-old campaign has further complicated the already chaotic situation of thousands of migrants for whom Libya's western coast is the start of a perilous sea journey to Europe. In the past week 65 migrants have drowned and since the Tripoli clashes began, 871 migrants have been picked up and returned to detention in often unacceptable conditions, according to the United Nations. Charlie Yaxley, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, said nobody should be returned to Libya and returning people to Libya could not be considered a "rescue." A report on the situation of migrants and displaced people by the "Protection Sector" group of aid agencies, which is coordinated by UNHCR, said 3,000 migrants remained trapped in detention centers close to areas of fighting, and the use of medium and heavy weapons in populated areas continued unabated. "The U.N. Security Council should adopt a resolution calling for the protection of civilians and accountability for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law," the Protection Sector said. It said the European Union should stop hampering search and rescue in the Mediterranean, ensure that anyone rescued can go to a safe port as required by international law, and stop supporting Libya's use of detention centers until standards in those facilities improved. (Reporting by Tom Miles, Editing by William Maclean) The author and her husband, Mike. (Photo: Tammy Porter) My husband, Mike, had nine lives, or so it seemed. When we met, he told me of the numerous near-death experiences he had survived over the years too many details to list with the most noteworthy a result of a viral infection that led to a heart transplant at 35. He was a walking miracle. I deeply admired him and his triumphant spirit. He was unfazed by most things in life, always easygoing and level-headed. In contrast, my Type A personality made control second nature to me. I lived in a world of logic and needed answers for everything. Life was a balance of cause and effect. I believed karma existed and you got back what you gave. When I met Mike, I was exposed to a very different way of thinking, and he gifted me with a new appreciation for living in the present. We met one Friday night at a bar in Los Angeles, and two days later, we went on our first date. We spent every day of the next seven years together without fail. He was my person. Five weeks into dating Mike, he suffered a cardiac arrest at my house. As I desperately called 911 to get him help, he stopped breathing. For 11 minutes, I performed CPR until the swarm of paramedics arrived. It was almost certain that he had been without oxygen to his brain for too long. In the ER, the doctors warned me that he would likely suffer severe brain damage, if he were to survive at all. In true Mike form, he surprised the entire medical community and walked away from the cardiac intensive care unit two weeks later all faculties intact. It was through that near-death experience that I realized the depths of my love for Mike. I decided there in the CICU, as he lay in a coma with an uncertain future, that I was going to remain by his side and help him no matter the outcome. Terrified as I was, I knew that I could love Mike through this. We married a year later and vowed to make the most of every day together. His heart was damaged and he was in need of a second heart transplant, but we had faith that it would come. Just like every other obstacle he had overcome, he would surely win again. Story continues In 2015, Mike had just turned 46 and we were completely focused on his cardiac health and getting him through a second transplant. One day in the shower, he felt a dime-sized lump just behind his nipple and casually pointed it out to me. Convinced it was a cyst, he put off getting it checked out for months. I finally demanded that he see a doctor when it was clear the lump was growing and his nipple appeared to invert. Cancer never crossed either of our minds. His doctor was not concerned but decided to run some tests as a precaution. After a mammogram, needle biopsy and PET scan, he was shockingly diagnosed with Stage 3 metastatic breast cancer. The C word had reared its ugly head. Not just cancer, but male breast cancer. We didnt even know that was a thing. Women get breast cancer, sure, but men? Alarmingly, it turns out the lifetime risk of a man being diagnosed with breast cancer is 1 in 833. One day in the shower, he felt a dime-sized lump just behind his nipple and casually pointed it out to me. Cancer never crossed either of our minds. I had accepted Mikes heart transplant journey as our normal, but the thought of adding cancer to the medical mix was daunting. I was emotionally wrecked and worried about what it might mean for us. We had a routine down where we monitored his heart health and frequented the transplant clinic to gauge his progress, all while we waited for the call for a new heart. Now that heart would never come, as his cancer diagnosis unfortunately made him ineligible for a transplant. I could not process any of it. We had done everything we could and Mike was so strong. How could this new diagnosis derail us so swiftly? We soon learned that organ transplant recipients are two to four times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. I felt such guilt in allowing the delay in getting the lump checked. Should I have known that cancer was more likely for him? Should I have been more informed about breast cancer? I could not believe that my precious husband was going through yet another health crisis. I felt so helpless and desperate for a positive outcome. For the first time, I began to fear for our future. I put all emotion aside and went into extreme survival mode. I was the dutiful wife, turned de facto nurse, who made sure he never missed an appointment nor had any medical misstep. We were going to beat this, and just like every other challenge, Mike faced this one head-on with absolute optimism. In January 2016, he had a radical mastectomy of his left breast and had all of the lymph nodes removed under his left arm, learning that the cancer had spread to most of them. Regrettably, we also learned that he had multiple nodes in his chest that were already affected and that could not be surgically removed. And so the relentless battle with the cancer began. Mikes severely weakened immune system and transplanted heart meant that he would not be a candidate for aggressive chemotherapy. He had an uphill battle that was complicated and confusing. I was overwhelmed and stressed with so many roadblocks in our path but took my cues from Mike, who was consistently determined and positive. Mammograms for the author's husband were done behind doors with signs boldly exclaiming WOMEN ONLY. (Photo: Tammy Porter) During these early months, I became painfully aware of the narrow focus of the medical community and breast cancer. Every appointment with the oncologist was conducted in a pink-laced exam room. Mammograms were done behind doors with signs boldly exclaiming WOMEN ONLY. Getting approvals for necessary tests and medications took inordinate amounts of time and effort, followed by repeated appeals, as the insurance companies simply didnt approve them for men, despite the breast cancer diagnosis. Mike was truly disheartened by all of this, but I was absolutely furious. Coming to terms with the cancer was difficult enough, but the ostracizing sea of pink ribbons and pink hospital gowns and hard to acquire treatments only added to the emasculating nature of being a man with breast cancer. My heart hurt for him. I wanted to shield him from it all and to scream at the top of my lungs at the medical community and at God. We had a new appreciation for our time together. Now more than ever, we knew that tomorrow was not promised, so we traveled frequently and lived in the moment as much as possible. Despite my fear, I learned to embrace the beauty of now. I had always been drawn to philosophies of Buddhism, but life with Mike unwittingly taught me the practical application in real time. I had a true awareness of the fragility of life and a heightened understanding of the blessings of our relationship. I was frightened about the future, but the power of our love brought me immense peace and contentment daily. I had waited 34 years to meet this man and I wanted to continue to experience every day with him. Insurance companies simply didnt approve necessary medications and tests for men, despite the breast cancer diagnosis. When we were married in 2012, Mike had promised to take me on my dream trip to Europe for our fifth wedding anniversary. He knew that I had always fantasized about going to Paris, and as the date approached, between cancer treatments, Mike began planning our vacation. I was terrified; Mike refused to be dissuaded. He argued that we must live our lives to the fullest, despite his diagnosis or any other obstacle we would go to Europe. Regardless of how scared I was, I didnt feel it was fair to deny him this opportunity. What if this was his dying wish? I knew this trip would be different than any of our previous ventures. Mike was now far too weak to carry our luggage or navigate stairs or rush through mass transportation. I was concerned that he wouldnt be able to manage, but truthfully, I also doubted my own ability to carry the load (both literally and figuratively) for both of us. We adjusted our schedules to accommodate his need to rest, we eliminated tours and other attractions that we had originally planned, and we took things at Mikes new slow pace. He was declining and the reality of our situation became glaringly obvious during this trip. While it was challenging and he struggled each day, we fulfilled our mutual dream and celebrated our anniversary in Paris. We returned to the United States fulfilled, but there had been a shift in Mikes outlook and awareness of his physical limitations. As the cancer progressed to his spine, other bones, liver and brain over the following months, things changed quite significantly for Mike. Though his heart miraculously remained stable, his mobility was severely limited and he tired easily. He was dependent on an oxygen machine and generally confined to a wheelchair, yet his spirit never wavered. We were relegated to months of daily radiation treatments, various invasive procedures, frequent hospital stays and endless doctor appointments. I had become his caretaker and our married life was more difficult than Id ever imagined it could be. Our wedding vows of in sickness and in health were in full swing. I had become his caretaker and our married life was more difficult than Id ever imagined it could be. Our wedding vows of 'in sickness and in health' were in full swing. I was challenged mentally, emotionally and physically, but witnessing Mikes tenacity taught me so much about how to truly live during those months. When it was determined that he was in end-stage renal failure and that no more could be done, he reluctantly went home to be on hospice care. My heart was broken, and I was destroyed with the thought of losing my best friend and the love of my life, but I knew that I didnt want him to suffer any more. I was resolute in my commitment to make his last days as pain-free and enjoyable as possible. He was terribly weak and we were sure the end was near. However, as his history of miracles would predict, Mike perked up, regained some strength and became well enough to spend another six weeks with us going out to eat, getting out and socializing with family and friends, and making the most of the time he had. He was even determined to take me out to our favorite restaurant for our sixth wedding anniversary. At 6 feet, 9 inches, it was difficult to get him dressed and out the door, as he was quite weak, but we loaded up the wheelchair in the car and went to that familiar spot to celebrate our union. I was amazed that we had made it another year to this huge milestone and felt beyond blessed to be sitting across the table from my handsome husband that night, and never more in love. That celebration would be the last time Mike would leave the house. He passed away peacefully at home just over two weeks later on May 14, 2018, at 48 years old (two days shy of his 49th birthday). He fought long and hard and most importantly to him, fulfilled every promise to me. His greatest promise was that he would make sure that I was OK after he was gone. He rallied my friends and family and made sure that they each committed to taking care of me in his absence. I will admit it has been beyond challenging to be OK over this last year, but his great example of embracing life and living for each day has given me more strength than I could have fathomed. The gift of his love has fueled my soul for a lifetime. Mike was a walking miracle, indeed, and the way he lived each of his nine lives is what is truly remarkable. He was the catalyst for so much good in my life and he inspired so many others that were witness to his journey. I have learned firsthand that male breast cancer is real, and it is deadly. Though it is rarer for men, its more likely to occur at a more advanced stage of diagnosis for men than women. Survival rates are also lower for men than women. I am certain that if I had known more about breast cancer in men, I would have been more determined to push Mike to see the doctor. I can only speculate as to how that might have changed his prognosis. Now, a year later on Mikes death anniversary, I can only hope other men and women are aware of how cruel breast cancer can be and that it doesnt discriminate at all. Have a compelling first-person story you want to share? Send your story description to pitch@huffpost.com. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Lotto Max Lets Taco-bout Tuesdays taco truck in Toronto. Lottery history is being made today that will give Canadians a better chance of coming home a millionaire. Lotto Max has launched a new Tuesday draw, in addition to the regular Friday event. Tuesdays a day that you can dream big, Dita Kuhtey, media relations manager with OLG told Yahoo Canada. The jackpot on this new draw day has the potential to reach $70 million, making it the highest single jackpot ever in Canada. People can dream bigger with Lotto Max, Kuhtey said. Its not just about, oh I can pay off my mortgage and buy my own car, its I can buy my own island, I can support all the charitable causes I want to, I can take a dream vacation around the world in a yacht. Toronto chef , Matt Fidel Gastro Basile handing out tacos on the Lotto Max Lets Taco-bout Tuesdays truck in Toronto. The jackpot for this first Tuesday draw is up to $17 million at this point but the current record to date is $64 million, which was hit in 2015 through Lotto 649. Its really exciting for us, we love celebrating with our winners, Kuhtey said. We know that all of our winners talk about the time when they find out they have a winning ticket, that winner, Gagnon sound bite. To highlight the inaugural draw, Lotto Max partnered with chef Matt Basile from Fidel Gastro to celebrate with Lotto Max-themed Taco Tuesday food trucks in Toronto and Ottawa. Every adult at the event also received a $5 gift card to try their luck in the first Tuesday Lotto Max draw. Its a pretty historic day for Lotto Max and Im so proud they asked me to be a part of it, Chef Basile said as he handed out his Ribeye Grill-ionaire and ToMAXtillo Cauliflower tacos in Toronto. OLG has also added two new prize categories to Lotto Max, increasing the number of prize categories from seven to nine. There is now a category for four out of seven numbers, plus the bonus number, and five out of seven numbers, plus the bonus number. There has been another number added to game as well. Participants now choose seven numbers from one to 50, changing the odds of winning to one in 32 million. The Lotto Max ticket price will remain the same, at $5 a ticket. That one ticket, that five-dollar ticket, gives people the chance to dream, Kuhtey said. We want people to dream big, think about what that $70 million jackpot offers you. Since 2009, Lotto Max players across Canada have won over $11 billion in prizing, with 116 jackpot wins and 1,021 Maxmillions prizes, currently offered when the Lotto Max jackpot hits $50 million and will continue with the new system. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Dividend paying stocks like Speedy Hire Plc (LON:SDY) tend to be popular with investors, and for good reason - some research suggests a significant amount of all stock market returns come from reinvested dividends. Unfortunately, it's common for investors to be enticed in by the seemingly attractive yield, and lose money when the company has to cut its dividend payments. A slim 2.8% yield is hard to get excited about, but the long payment history is respectable. At the right price, or with strong growth opportunities, Speedy Hire could have potential. Before you buy any stock for its dividend however, you should always remember Warren Buffett's two rules: 1) Don't lose money, and 2) Remember rule #1. We'll run through some checks below to help with this. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis LSE:SDY Historical Dividend Yield, May 14th 2019 Payout ratios Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. Speedy Hire paid out 44% of its profit as dividends, over the trailing twelve month period. This is a middling range that strikes a nice balance between paying dividends to shareholders, and retaining enough earnings to invest in future growth. Plus, there is room to increase the payout ratio over time. We also measure dividends paid against a company's levered free cash flow, to see if enough cash was generated to cover the dividend. Speedy Hire's cash payout ratio last year was 21%. Cash flows are typically lumpy, but this looks like an appropriately conservative payout. We update our data on Speedy Hire every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here. Story continues Dividend Volatility From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. Speedy Hire has been paying dividends for a long time, but for the purpose of this analysis, we only examine the past 10 years of payments. The dividend has been cut by more than 20% on at least one occasion historically. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was UK0.13 in 2009, compared to UK0.017 last year. This works out to a decline of approximately 87% over that time. Dividend Growth Potential Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. It's good to see Speedy Hire has been growing its earnings per share at 23% a year over the past 5 years. Earnings per share have rocketed in recent times, and we like that the company is retaining more than half of its earnings to reinvest. However, always remember that very few companies can grow at double digit rates forever. Conclusion To summarise, shareholders should always check that Speedy Hire's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. It's great to see that Speedy Hire is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. Next, earnings growth has been good, but unfortunately the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Overall we think Speedy Hire scores well on our analysis. It's not quite perfect, but we'd definitely be keen to take a closer look. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 4 analysts we track are forecasting for Speedy Hire for free with public analyst estimates for the company. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of dividend stocks with a yield above 3%. 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. PARIS, (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron wants to meet Libyan eastern commander Khalifa Haftar to push a ceasefire and resume peace talks, France's foreign minister said on Tuesday. Macron last week called for a ceasefire in the month-long battle for Libya's capital Tripoli after meeting U.N.-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. Tripoli is home to the recognized administration but some European countries such as France have also supported eastern military commander Haftar as a way to fight militants in a country in chaos since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. A day after meeting Macron, the internationally recognized government asked 40 foreign firms including French oil major Total to renew their licenses or have their operations suspended. "The situation in Libya is extremely worrying because the proposed U.N. roadmap to both parties - and which almost reached a positive conclusion - ... has today failed on the one hand because of Field Marshal Haftar's initiative and Serraj's non-initiative," Jean-Yves Le Drian told lawmakers. "It's for this reason that the president wanted to meet one and the other to support the U.N. initiative." The French presidency said there was no meeting planned at this stage. (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Matthias Blamont) VALLETTA (Reuters) - The German captain of a migrant rescue ship was fined 10,000 euros ($11,240) by a Maltese court on Tuesday, after being found guilty of entering national waters 11 months ago without proper registration. The MV Lifeline vessel was impounded by transport authorities on the Mediterranean island of Malta in June 2018 after disembarking 234 migrants it had rescued off Libya. The skipper, Claus Peter Reisch, was subsequently charged with operating a ship that was not registered for rescue operations. He told the court that his ship was logged in the Netherlands, but Magistrate Joseph Mifsud said documents supplied by the Dutch Registry made clear they did not recognize the vessel as registered under their flag. However, Mifsud rejected a prosecution request to confiscate the boat, saying it belonged to the German charity Mission Lifeline rather than Reisch. "The court is concerned by the level of rhetoric and racism surrounding this case and migration in Malta," Mifsud said in his ruling. While the charges could have carried a 12-month prison sentence, the magistrate said this was never going to be imposed because the court "immediately understood the circumstances of the case". In issuing the fine, the court recommended that the funds be distributed among charitable organizations that work among migrants. The ship was removed from the custody of the court, but it was not clear whether it could leave Malta. Malta and neighboring Italy have repeatedly closed their ports over the past year to charity ships that pick up migrants off the coast of Libya. The two countries accuse the NGOs of aiding people smugglers -- a charge the charities deny. ($1 = 0.8898 euros) (Reporting by Chris Scicluna; Editing by Crispian Balmer) HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina man has been indicted on a murder charge decades after his son's skeletal remains were found under a highway billboard. News outlets report 57-year-old John Russell Whitt was also indicted Monday on a charge of concealing a death. For years, 10-year-old Robert Adam Whitt's identity remained a mystery. The case was revived when Orange County Investigator Tim Horne connected with a genetic genealogy consultant and discovered a possible cousin. Investigators then developed a scenario in which John Russell Whitt killed his son and his wife and dumped their bodies along Interstate 85. Horne says charges in Myoung Hwa Cho's death may follow. Her body was found in a Spartanburg field in 1998. Whitt is in a Kentucky federal prison for robbing people at ATMs and carrying a weapon during those robberies. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Dividend paying stocks like Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust (SGX:RW0U) tend to be popular with investors, and for good reason - some research suggests a significant amount of all stock market returns come from reinvested dividends. Yet sometimes, investors buy a popular dividend stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations. In this case, Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust likely looks attractive to dividend investors, given its 5.9% dividend yield and five-year payment history. It sure looks interesting on these metrics - but there's always more to the story . When buying stocks for their dividends, you should always run through the checks below, to see if the dividend looks sustainable. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis SGX:RW0U Historical Dividend Yield, May 14th 2019 Payout ratios Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. In the last year, Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust paid out 92% of its profit as dividends. Paying out a majority of its earnings limits the amount that can be reinvested in the business. This may indicate a commitment to paying a dividend, or a dearth of investment opportunities. We also measure dividends paid against a company's levered free cash flow, to see if enough cash was generated to cover the dividend. The company paid out 93% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is adequate, but reduces the wriggle room in the event of a downturn. REITs like Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust often have different rules governing their distributions, so a higher payout ratio on its own is not unusual. Story continues Is Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust's Balance Sheet Risky? As Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A quick way to check a company's financial situation uses these two ratios: net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA is a measure of a company's total debt. Net interest cover measures the ability to meet interest payments on debt. Essentially we check that a) a company does not have too much debt, and b) that it can afford to pay the interest. With net debt of more than 5x EBITDA, Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust could be described as a highly leveraged company. While some companies can handle this level of leverage, we'd be concerned about the dividend sustainability if there was any risk of an earnings downturn. We calculated its interest cover by measuring its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), and dividing this by the company's net interest expense. With EBIT of 4.16 times its interest expense, Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust's interest cover is starting to look a bit thin. High debt and weak interest cover are not a great combo, and we would be cautious of relying on this company's dividend while these metrics persist. Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust's latest financial position, by checking our visualisation of its financial health. Dividend Volatility From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust has been paying a dividend for the past five years. During the past five-year period, the first annual payment was S$0.064 in 2014, compared to S$0.078 last year. Dividends per share have grown at approximately 4.2% per year over this time. It's good to see at least some dividend growth. Yet with a relatively short dividend paying history, we wouldn't want to depend on this dividend too heavily. Dividend Growth Potential Examining whether the dividend is affordable and stable is important. However, it's also important to assess if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Growing EPS can help maintain or increase the purchasing power of the dividend over the long run. Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust has grown its earnings per share at 8.7% per annum over the past five years. EPS have been growing at a reasonable rate, although with most of the profits being paid out to shareholders, we question if the company will be able to keep growing its dividends in the future. We'd also point out that Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective. Conclusion Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. First, we think Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust is paying out an acceptable percentage of its cashflow and profit. We were also glad to see it growing earnings, although its dividend history is not as long as we'd like. While we're not hugely bearish on it, overall we think there are potentially better dividend stocks than Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust out there. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 6 analysts we track are forecasting for Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust for free with public analyst estimates for the company. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of dividend stocks yielding above 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. The economy is strong and the unemployment rate is at the lowest level in 50 years. If youre a Democrat trying to unseat President Trump, how do you run against that? Rep. Tim Ryan has a pretty good idea. The Ohio Democrat represents the district where the General Motors Lordstown plant just closed, eliminating 1,700 jobs. Its possible an automotive startup will buy the plant, but it would probably hire just a fraction of the laid-off workers. And that deal might fall through. People are still struggling, Ryan tells Yahoo Finance. People have two jobs or three jobs. American families can't withstand a $400 or $500 emergency. We don't have a policy to win the future around industries that are growing at 25% or 30%. That takes presidential leadership. Ryan calls himself a free enterprise Democrat, and he rejects big-government ideas some Democrats embrace, like Medicare for all or the Green New Deal. But he would like to see stronger government incentives to spur more investment in key industries of the future, such as electric vehicles, solar and wind power and artificial intelligence. The value in really scaling up the green economy is going to come through venture capital and the private sector, Ryan says. I want to use tax incentives. How do we drive that growth into the Lordstown, Ohios of the world? We cant take peoples health care away from them On health care, Ryan favors a pathway toward universal coverage for everybodybut not through a new government program that would replace private insurance. In America, we shouldnt be in the business of taking peoples health care away from them, Ryan says. Possible solutions: Allowing some Americans, such as employees of small business and those between 55 and 64, to buy into Medicare, paying premiums that would cover their costs. He has a similar attituderight idea, wrong approachtoward the Green New Deal, the lefts big plan to address global warming through trillions in federal spending. Weve got to decarbonize, Ryan says. I dont want it to be some centralized bureaucratic thing run out of Washington, D.C. The quickest way to solve this problem is to align the environmental incentives with the financial incentives. Get the free market moving in this direction. Example: Help farmers make money by cutting carbon emissions from agriculture. Story continues David Foster/Yahoo Finance Ryan likes some Democratic ideas for raising taxes, such as Elizabeth Warrens wealth tax and her surtax on corporate income above $100 million. But he doesnt want to soak the rich, just to punish them for being rich. We have to ask the wealthiest people in this country to help, he says. But lets fix these systems. Its not going to get us anywhere if we're just dumping money into broken systems. Ryans list of what needs to be fixed is long: Health care that costs too much. Global warming. A criminal justice system that sends minority kids to prison for life. Farmers who cant make money. Subpar education. Ryan says he would seek the corporate sectors help in finding solutions, instead of raising taxes for more government programs. Inviting the business community into this conversation on climate and all the rest is an important way to heal this country, he says. Were not enemies. Russia is the enemy. China is a strategic competitor. We got a lot of work to do, which is why I dont want to sit here and have a big fight with corporate America. Read more: Meet the 2020 presidential candidates Meet presidential candidate John Hickenlooper Meet presidential candidate Eric Swalwell Joe Bidens economic views need a major update 3 problems with Elizabeth Warrens wealth tax Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman By Aishwarya Venugopal May 14 (Reuters) - With private fitting rooms, members-only stores and clever apps, U.S. department stores are reinventing their old and tested loyalty programs to fend off the challenge from e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc and other online rivals. Over the past two years, major U.S. retailers, including Macy's, Nordstrom, Kohls Corp and others, have spent billions of dollars to overhaul existing programs or launch new loyalty schemes. According to estimates compiled by market intelligence firm Beroe, the U.S. loyalty program market was worth between $47 billion and $55 billion in 2018 in terms of spending by companies and sector analysts expect it to keep growing by 2 percent to 4 percent a year between 2018-2020. Data from research firm LoyaltyOne showed retailers now invest at least 2 percent of their total revenue on loyalty programs and double that or more on related customer targeting and analytics. Department stores and apparel retailers typically invest more than the others. Its report "Loyalty Big Picture" based on an international survey of 1,200 loyalty plan providers and some 4,500 members said 69 percent of executives reported a rise in spending on royalty schemes over the past two years, and 55 percent expected a further increase in investment in the next two years. Around in some form for over a century, loyalty programs have long relied on a simple concept - reward shoppers with coupons, discounts, prizes or air miles and they will come back. E-commerce has changed that. It has made shopping around for bargains easier than ever while Amazon's Prime program set a new benchmark with perks, such as free two-day shipping, video streaming or cloud storage. Just last month, Amazon raised the stakes again announcing it would spend $800 million to ensure one-day delivery for its Prime members. "In the age of Amazon, it's very much 'what have you done for me lately type of retail environment'," Matt Lindner, senior ecommerce analyst at market intelligence firm Mintel. Story continues "The challenge these retailers are facing is how do you offer attractive rewards without totally compromising your bottom line." Realizing that expensive advertising is unlike to win back shoppers lost to online rivals, traditional retailers have shifted their focus to retaining existing customers and making them spend more, industry analysts say. 'BIGGEST AND BADDEST' Those most successful have employed sophisticated data gathering and analytics to better tailor offers to customers' tastes while providing perks that Amazon cannot match, such as private dressing rooms, members-only stores or beauty workshops. "Retailers are finally realizing that they need to respond to the 'biggest and baddest' loyalty program in the market right now and that is Amazon Prime," research firm Gartner director Tom Gehani said. They have done so over the past five years by combining revamped loyalty schemes with increased online presence, in-store pickup for online purchases, upgraded stores and new or improved mobile apps that tie in with loyalty programs. Macy's, for example, relaunched its scheme in mid-2017 after 10 straight quarters of comparable sales declines as a tiered plan with special privileges to its most loyal and big spending customers. The perks include ticketed seats to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade sales, concerts, fashion shows and cooking classes. When a year later, Macy's reported third quarter 2018 earnings that nearly doubled Wall Street's predictions, the department store chain attributed some of the growth to its "Star Rewards" program. "The program is outperforming our expectation," Macy's Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Gennette said in February. Rival Nordstrom redesigned its customer loyalty program, "The Nordy Club," in October 2018. It offers more reward points, fast redemptions, curbside pickup of purchases, and perks such as beauty and style workshops or brands not available to other shoppers. Today, the program's 11 million members account for a third of Nordstrom's customers and over half of its sales. Members can also save items in an app that will send push notifications to remind them of their wish list once they get close enough to a Nordstrom store. Only three or four years ago the retailer would spend most of its advertising dollars on seasonal campaigns, said Sean Claessen, executive vice president of Bond Brand Loyalty. "You are now seeing them turn their attention to the 'Nordy Club' and those kind of components," he said. Brand retailers have also joined the fray. J Crew launched its first rewards program in July 2018 with free shipping and exclusive sales and offers, while Nike has a members-only floor at its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Members of its no-fee NikePlus program get free courier delivery for purchases at the store, exclusive access to in-demand shoes and one-on-one assessments by its experts. "My favorite perks would be the fact that they can reserve a pair of sneakers for you, also exclusive wear where you can only get it if youre a member and birthday discounts," said Carlos Pena, 23, a college student from New York City. Pena said he bought a pair of sneakers for his 22th birthday using the program's discount. In December, Lululemon said it was testing its first ever annual membership program for $128 with perks such as access to workout classes, free shipping and a pair of yoga pants. "The standards of what it takes to win and keep customers are just going to keep getting higher," Gartner's Gehani said. "Amazon is a company that has risen to meet that challenge and every other retailer is learning that they need to continually rise to meet that challenge too." (Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru Additional reporting by Melissa Fares in New York Editing by Tomasz Janowski) MEXICO CITY, May 14 (Reuters) - Mexico authorities declared an environmental emergency on Tuesday for metropolitan Mexico City, one of the world's most populous megalopolises, as smoke from nearby wildfires pushed pollution to levels deemed potentially harmful to human health. Environmental authorities advised residents to avoid outdoor activities and exercise, remain indoors with windows and doors shut, and for especially sensitive groups, including infants, the elderly and sick, stay at home. The city's Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis came under pressure to act after visibility in the city began dropping sharply last week due to ash and smoke in the air. Dry weather has played a role in a spate of fires around the city. Fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 hit 158 micrograms per cubic meter of air at the Nezahualcoyotl measuring station at 5 a.m. The World Health Organization recommends a daily mean air quality guideline below 25. Annual averages above that amount are associated with higher long-term mortality risks. The world's most polluted capital city, New Delhi, has an annual average of 113.5. Mexico City's air, once infamously lethal, saw a steady improvement through the late 1990s. In recent years however, there have been renewed signs of deterioration. The environmental authority also asked residents and businesses to do their part in helping to reduce emissions, such as by using cars less, while authorities fight the numerous blazes raging in Mexico City and surrounding states. (Reporting by Anthony Esposito and Noe Torres; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) MEXICO CITY, May 14 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities have discovered 337 bodies in clandestine graves since Dec. 1, when President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office, a top Mexican official said on Tuesday. Lopez Obrador has pledged to reduce the violence plaguing Mexico, but so far the murder tally this year is on track to surpass the record total of 2018. Deputy interior minister Alejandro Encinas told a regular morning news conference alongside Lopez Obrador that 337 bodies had been found in 222 graves mainly in the states of Veracruz, Sonora, Sinaloa, Guerrero, and Colima. The states have been among the hardest hit by killings and disappearances at the hands of organized crime in recent years. Encinas, who has the human rights portfolio within the interior ministry, said it was the new government's first official count of corpses in clandestine graves. The list Encinas provided did not seem to include 38 bodies that officials have so far found in recent and ongoing digging around the metropolitan area of Mexico's second-biggest city, Guadalajara. More than 200,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands disappeared since Mexico's government sent in the armed forces at the end of 2006 to crack down on drug cartels. (Reporting by Noe Torres; Additional reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Anthony Esposito Editing by Susan Thomas) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp will invest $100 million to open an Africa technology development center with sites in Kenya and Nigeria over the next five years, the company said on Tuesday. Global tech giants, including Alphabet Inc and Facebook, have been increasing investment on the continent in recent years to take advantage of growing economies with rising access rates to the internet by a youthful population. Microsoft will hire more than 100 local engineers to work in the new Africa facility in both countries to customize its applications for the African market and to develop new ones for the continent and beyond, it said in a statement. "In addition, it is an opportunity to collaborate with partners, academia, governments and developers, driving impact and innovation in sectors important to the continent," the company said, citing financial technology, farming technology and off grid energy. Engineers at the new Africa development center will build applications using artificial intelligence, mixed reality and machine learning, Microsoft said. The company already has six other development hubs located elsewhere in the world. The new Africa development hub will also support Microsoft's established businesses such as Office, Azure and Windows, the company said. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri, editing by Louise Heavens) WASHINGTON (AP) International worries that the Trump administration is sliding toward war with Iran flared into the open Tuesday amid skepticism about its claims that the Islamic Republic poses a growing threat to the U.S. and its allies in the Persian Gulf and beyond . The U.S. military rebutted doubts expressed by a British general about such a threat. President Donald Trump denied a report that the administration has updated plans to send more than 100,000 troops to counter Iran if necessary. But Trump then stirred the controversy further by saying: "Would I do that? Absolutely." The general's remarks exposed international skepticism over the American military build-up in the Middle East, a legacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq that was predicated on false intelligence. U.S. officials have not publicly provided any evidence to back up claims of an increased Iranian threat amid other signs of allied unease. As tensions in the region started to surge, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his nation was worried about the risk of accidental conflict "with an escalation that is unintended really on either side." Then on Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates from the U.S.-led combat fleet heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. That was followed by the unusual public challenge to the Trump administration by the general. "No, there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," said Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, a senior officer in the U.S.-backed coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Ghika, speaking in a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the coalition monitors the presence of Iranian-backed forces "along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in." But he added, "There are a substantial number of militia groups in Iraq and Syria, and we don't see any increased threat from any of them at this stage." Story continues Late in the day, in a rare public rebuttal of an allied military officer, U.S. Central Command said Ghika's remarks "run counter to the identified credible threats" from Iranian-backed forces in the Mideast. In a written statement, Central Command said the coalition in Baghdad has increased the alert level for all service members in Iraq and Syria. "As a result, (the coalition) is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to U.S. forces in Iraq," the statement said. At the White House, Trump, who has repeatedly argued for avoiding long-term conflicts in the Mideast, discounted a New York Times report that the U.S. has updated plans that could send up to 120,000 troops to counter Iran if it attacked American forces. "Would I do that? Absolutely," he told reporters. "But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." Reinforcing Trump's denial, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a joint news conference in Sochi with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, "We fundamentally do not seek war with Iran." A Trump administration official said a recent small meeting of national security officials was not focused on a military response to Iran, but instead concentrated on a range of other policy options, including diplomacy and economic sanctions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Lavrov said Pompeo told him that a potential deployment of 120,000 U.S. troops to the Mideast was only a "rumor." Lavrov said the international community needs to focus on diplomacy with Iran, including on the potentially explosive issue of Iran's nuclear program, which is constrained by a U.S.-brokered deal in 2015 that Trump has abandoned. U.S. Iran envoy Brian Hook told reporters traveling with Pompeo in Brussels that the secretary of state shared intelligence on Iran with allies since "Europe shares our concerns about stability in the Gulf and the Middle East." What the Europeans do not share, however, is Washington's more aggressive approach to Iran. "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters in Brussels. "What we need is a period of calm to make sure that everyone understands what the other side is thinking," Hunt said. Last week, U.S. officials said they had detected signs of Iranian preparations for potential attacks on U.S. forces and interests in the Mideast, but Washington has not spelled out that threat. The U.S. has about 5,000 troops in Iraq and about 2,000 in Syria as part of the coalition campaign to defeat the Islamic State group there. It also has long had a variety of air and naval forces stationed in Bahrain, Qatar and elsewhere in the Gulf, partly to support military operations against IS and partly as a counter to Iranian influence. Gen. Ghika's comments came amid dramatically heightened tensions in the Middle East. The U.S. in recent days has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf region, plus four B-52 bombers. It also is moving a Patriot air-defense missile battery to an undisclosed country in the area. As of Tuesday, the Lincoln and its strike group had passed through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, but officials would not disclose their exact location. Tensions rose another notch with reports Sunday that four commercial vessels anchored off the United Arab Emirates had been damaged by sabotage. A U.S. military team was sent to the UAE to investigate, and one U.S. official said the initial assessment is that each ship has a 5- to 10-foot hole in it, near or just below the water line. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation, said the early interpretation is that the holes were caused by explosive charges. The official on Tuesday acknowledged seeing some photographs of the damage to the ships, but those images have not been made public. The official also said that the team is continuing to conduct forensic testing on the ship damage and that U.S. leaders are still awaiting the final report. The team's initial assessment is that the damage was done by Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies, but they are still going through the evidence and have not yet reached a final conclusion, the official said. ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee and AP writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report. (Reuters) - Petra Diamonds said on Tuesday it sold its 425-carat 'Legacy of the Cullinan Diamond Mine' diamond to Belgium-based Stargems Group for $15 million. The miner, which recovered the diamond at its flagship Cullinan mine in March, said the sale was significant for the company. Petra has been struggling to clear its multi-million-dollar debts after it borrowed heavily to revamp the Cullinan facility and began mining a new section of ore last July. However, Cullinan has been profitable every year since Petra acquired it in 2008 and the mine is expected to generate free cash flow this year. Shares of the miner were down 2.9% to 24.12 pence at 1:14 GMT. (Reporting by Samantha Machado in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) Brazzaville (AFP) - Twenty years ago, Congo-Brazzaville's new president urged conflict refugees to come home across the River Congo from Kinshasa. Then 353 returnees disappeared who were widely believed to have been murdered. "It's like it happened yesterday," said 75-year-old Marcel Touanga, grief-stricken for his son, one of those listed as missing in a troubling episode in the long career of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. In May 1999, the oil-rich central African nation was trying to turn the page on three successive civil wars since 1993. Sassou Nguesso, a military man, took power back in 1997 from Pascal Lissouba, with the stated aim of achieving "national reconciliation" in the former French colony. He encouraged people who had fled over the broad river to the capital of the newly named Democratic Republic of Congo (the former Zaire) to return via the "Beach" -- Brazzaville's port area. The two Congos on opposite shores jointly signed a repatriation agreement with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and people who were prepared to return did so during the week of May 5-14, 1999. - 'Shot on the spot' - "Once on the Beach, a kind of sorting process took place, with women on one side and men on the other. The men were subjected to a full body search" for firearms, said Touanga, who heads the main support group for families of the missing. The authorities were at the time hunting members of the rebel Ninja militia loyal to former prime minister Bernard Kolelas, who were active in Brazzaville's Bacongo district and a forested region adjoining the capital known as The Pool. Kolelas said that the Ninja insurgency had only been crushed when Angolan soldiers moved in to support Sassou-Nguesso and secure the city. Sentenced to death in his absence in May 2000 on charges of kidnapping, rape and illegal arrests by Ninjas, Kolelas was granted amnesty in 2005. He died after receiving medical treatment in Paris in 2009. Story continues "We have inventoried 353 missing youths, but there were many more because some bodies were burned," said Touanga, who now lives in France. "There was brutality, there were executions. Some people were shot on the spot and their bodies were thrown into the water," he added. "They didn't even give me his body," Touanga said of his 28-year-old son, a paramilitary policeman. Some of the missing were executed on the premises of the security forces, including the General Directorate of Presidential Security, according to a 2012 UN report based on testimony by people claiming to be survivors. - 'Truth and reconciliation' - Under pressure from families, Congo's parliament launched a probe in 2002, broadening the scope to cover all forced disappearances recorded in the country since 1992. A trial finally opened in Brazzaville three years later with 15 defendants in the dock, mostly serving officers in the security forces. They were all acquitted in August 2005. However, the court ordered the state to pay compensation to close kin of 86 of the 353 missing men, to the tune of 15,000 euros ($16,850) for each victim. Separately in France, several human rights NGOs joined forces and went to court with a suit alleging "crimes against humanity, disappearances and torture." The case, lodged in early 2002, targeted President Sassou-Nguesso and three senior officials in his regime. Congo asked the International Court of Justice in The Hague to freeze the French legal proceedings. In April 2004, Sassou-Nguesso's police chief, Colonel Jean-Francois Ndenguet, was jailed in France on a charge of crimes against humanity. But he was freed on the grounds that he held a diplomatic passport, which led rights activists to cry scandal. "French justice for the moment remains the only hope for justice and truth," Tresor Nzila, executive director of the Congolese Organisation of Human Rights (OCDH), said in Brazzaville. However investigations in France have ground to a standstill. "Twenty years on, the case remains unfortunately bogged down," said prominent French lawyer William Bourdon. "The pain is still there," said Vincent Niamankessi, the 70-year-old father of one of the missing. "We are finding that our missing children are simply victims with no perpetrators." Police in Indian-administered Kashmir fired tear gas on Tuesday as thousands of students protested for a second day over the alleged rape of a three-year-old child. On Monday more than 70 people were injured, at least 50 of them from the security forces, as demonstrations raged across the restive northern territory. On Tuesday students mostly protested at a university campus in the main city of Srinagar, but hundreds of female students assembled near the city centre demanding quick justice. Police fired tear smoke shells to confine the students to a college, an officer said. No one was injured. School students also protested across many other towns in the region. Authorities imposed restrictions on the assembly of people to prevent protests from spreading by deploying thousands of police and paramilitary troops across the territory. The demonstrators have been calling for the accused to be given a harsh sentence. Police have set up a special investigation team to fast-track a probe into the alleged rape of the child last week by a 20-year-old neighbour in the northern area of Sumbal. But that has not calmed the anger across the Kashmir Valley where protests over even civic issues often morph into anti-government and anti-India demonstrations. On Monday, police also arrested a school principal who allegedly issued a fake age certificate declaring the accused to be a minor in order to help him evade being punished as an adult. Another case of alleged rape of a teenager came to light Tuesday in the northern Ganderbal area. Police have arrested the accused man and also promised a fast-track investigation. In January 2018, an eight-year-old girl was abducted, starved for a week and murdered after she was raped by several people in the southern Kathua area of Jammu & Kashmir. That incident caused widespread outrage and protests in Kashmir and many Indian cities and towns that lasted weeks. A police officer aids an officer involved in an accident while escorting a motorcade wit President Donald Trump from Chennault International Airport May 14, 2019, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. ( WASHINGTON Police officers escorting President Donald Trumps motorcade in Louisiana have been involved in an accident. Four motorcycle police officers crashed at 1:30 p.m. CDT on Interstate 10 as the Trump motorcade departed Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana, according to the Secret Service. Trump's armored limousine was not affected. Three of the four officers were taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries and are in stable condition, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. The injured officers were from the Westlake Police Department, Sulfur Police Department and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office. Motorcycle escorts stopped to deal with the accident, and some of them returned later to the motorcade, Reuters reported. The accident did not impact the movement of Trump's motorcade, Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman said. The motorcade continued on to the Cameron LNG Export Terminal in Hackberry, where Trump toured the facility. Later, he gave a speech promoting U.S. energy policy. Like what you're reading?: Download the USA TODAY app for more More: Trump dismisses report of plan to send 120,000 troops to Iran, but ramps up threat More: 'A little squabble': Trump says U.S., China have 'extraordinary' relationship despite trade fight This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Motorcycle cops escorting Donald Trump crash in Louisiana; officers suffer minor injuries Leah Heyes who died after taking MDMA. Her mother has paid tribute to the 'thoughtful' 15-year-old. (SWNS) A 15-year-old girl who is thought to have died after taking ecstasy was "a thoughtful, beautiful girl, who was much loved", her mother has said. Leah Heyes died after she collapsed in a car park in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, at about 9.30pm on Saturday. On Tuesday, her mother Kerry Roberts said: "Leah was my best friend. "She was a thoughtful, beautiful girl, who was much loved. She was fun, bubbly, and had a great sense of humour. "I'm absolutely heartbroken to have lost my beautiful girl. A drug enforcement agent with ecstasy pills. Stock image. (Getty) "No words can describe how much she will be missed and the enormous gap she has left in our lives. "She will be truly missed more than words can say. I love you always." Two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs following Leah's death. They have been released under investigation. Detectives have appealed for mobile phone footage believed to have been taken on the evening of Leah's death. Detective Inspector Eamonn Clarke said: "We have had a good response to our recent appeal for information but we know there are still people out there who have yet to come forward. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Alesha MacPhails killer wins right to appeal Baker to face no police action over royal baby tweet Moped crime halved after gang of 12 jailed "Inquiries also reveal that there may be mobile phone video footage of the events of that tragic evening. "This footage will be extremely helpful to our investigation and we are appealing to anyone who has footage on their phone, has been shown footage or knows of anyone who has such footage to come forward." Police said there were around 20 people in the area of Applegarth car park on Saturday night and appealed for them, and anyone else who was passing through, to contact them. Mr Clarke said: "A young girl with her whole life ahead of her and everything to look forward to has died, a family has been devastated and a community left in shock. It is vital that people come forward and help us find the answers for Leah's family and friends. Story continues "Taking drugs appears to have become the norm and more socially acceptable, but the fact is it can have utterly tragic consequences and it needs to stop. "This devastating case must be the catalyst for people in the community to stand up and help us put a stop to drug dealing." Anyone with information is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Northallerton CID or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. William Tolcher stabbed a fellow inmate to death (Picture: SWNS) A convicted murderer stabbed a fellow inmate to death while chopping vegetables in prison after being allowed access to kitchen knives, an inquest has heard. William Tolcher was working at Dartmoor prison when he plunged a 10-inch blade into Alex Cusworth from behind, a coroner was told. He was jailed for 33 years and told by a judge he would likely die in prison. A jury inquest is now looking into the circumstances surrounding his death and is set to focus on how Tolcher, a highly dangerous killer with a long history of violence, was allowed to work in the prison kitchen with a large knife. Coroner Philip Spinney opened the ten-day hearing by outlining the background of both men, including the facts around Tolcher bludgeoning his girlfriend to death in Newquay, Cornwall, 22 years ago. He said Cusworth, sentenced to eight years in prison in May 2015, applied three months later to work in the kitchen. The attack happened at HM Prison Dartmoor, Devon (Picture: PA) On November 26, 2015, he was stabbed to death by Tolcher, from Cornwall, who had been in jail since 1996. He had served time in a number of prisons and had a history of violent behaviour, which had reduced over recent years. Read more Police say jailing 12-strong gang has helped cut moped crime in half Nigel Farage reveals he intends to stand as an MP for the eighth time Man abandoned as a baby at Gatwick Airport 33 years ago finds parents He was transferred to Dartmoor in 2015. Mr Spinney said: On November 26, 2015, Alex and Tolcher had been working in the kitchen. Alex was preparing eggs, Tolcher was preparing vegetables using a large knife issued to him. Alex was stabbed in his back. Medics could not save him and he died in hospital." Tolcher was later convicted of his murder by jury at Plymouth Crown Court. The coroner said the purpose of the inquest was to establish the facts around the killing. Tolcher, sentenced to 33 years in jail for what was his second murder, was asked to take part but declined. Tolcher stabbed a fellow inmate to death while cutting vegetables in a prison kitchen (Picture: SWNS) The inquest will include an examination of the policies and procedures of Dartmoor Prison surrounding the suitability of inmates to work in kitchens at the time of the murder. Story continues No prison staff were present when the stabbing took place, it was not witnessed by civilian staff and the jury will also be asked to consider supervision issues. Tolcher, a former heroin addict, was jailed in 1997 for the murder of his girlfriend, Kathy Sharples, in Newquay. He was still serving his sentence when he killed Cusworth. Cusworth's mother, Ann Edgellen, said she and her first husband had fostered Cusworth at the age of seven and subsequently adopted him. "I had lost a young man I had fought to help for the last 28 years. My heart aches in pain, she said. -- Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK -- Riyadh (AFP) - Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels shut down one of Saudi Arabia's major oil pipelines Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers. Washington and Tehran played down tensions after trading barbs as the Americans sent an aircraft carrier group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the region to counter alleged threats from Saudi arch-rival Iran. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said "this face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war" with the United States. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter and OPEC kingpin, said two pumping stations had been targeted early Tuesday. They lie on the East West Pipeline, able to pump five million barrels of oil a day from oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea port. The announcement came hours after Yemen's Huthi rebels said they had targeted vital installations in Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against them. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said Saudi Aramco had "temporarily shut down" the pipeline to "evaluate its condition" but added that oil production and exports had not been interrupted. He said the incident was an "act of terrorism... that not only targets the kingdom but also the security of oil supplies to the world and the global economy". Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam tweeted that the attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against Yemenis. In a statement, the Huthis warned of other "unique operations... if the aggressors continue with their crimes and blockade". "We are capable of executing unique operations on a bigger and wider scale in the hearts of the enemy countries." Story continues - 'Sabotage attacks' - Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war in March 2015 to bolster the internationally recognised government's efforts against the Huthis. The 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) pipeline reportedly hit Tuesday serves as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the US. The reported pipeline attacks came after the UAE said four ships were damaged in "sabotage attacks" off the emirate of Fujairah, on the mouth of the Hormuz, on Sunday. Washington and its Gulf allies did not immediately blame Riyadh's regional arch-rival Tehran for the sabotage, but US President Donald Trump has warned Iran against doing anything to harm US interests. The attacks came after the United States deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault vessel, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers, triggering fears of a possible military confrontation. Trump later denied a New York Times report that he was considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump said. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." The international coalition in Iraq and Syria said its troops were not feeling any intensified threat from Iran in the region. "There has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," said Major General Chris Ghika, a British spokesman for the force. - 'Exercise restraint' - A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel. No casualties were reported and none of the vessels sank. An Emirati official said three Western countries -- the US, France and Norway -- would be part of an investigation into the ship attacks along with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh said its two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there was no oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the ship's hull had been pierced "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". Asked whether the US believed Iran played a role in the attacks, Washington's Iran envoy Brian Hook declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would help the investigation at the request of the UAE. The United Nations urged all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace". Oil prices initially spiked in response to news of the attacks, but were largely flat in trading on Tuesday. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran and the US have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. burs/dm/dv/rsc The Apollo 15 mission in 1971. / NASA The head of NASA has described his plan to put a woman on the moon by 2024 saying he hopes it will inspire a generation of women. NASA flew six manned missions to the surface of the moon, beginning with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in July 1969, up to Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt in December 1972. NASA head Jim Bridenstine described his new crop of astronauts as very diverse. The space agency chief was speaking after US President Donald Trump announced an additional $1.6 billion to go towards accelerating the lunar programme. Speaking at the Humans to Mars Summit in Washington DC, Mr Bridenstein said: I have an 11-year-old daughter and I want her to be able to see herself in the same way that our current very diverse astronaut corps sees itself. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Alesha MacPhails killer wins right to appeal Baker to face no police action over royal baby tweet Moped crime halved after gang of 12 jailed And if we look at the history of moon landings, it was test pilots from the 1960s and 1970s, fighter pilots, and there were no opportunities for women back then. This programme is going to enable a new generation of young girls like my daughter to see themselves in a way that maybe they wouldnt otherwise see themselves. NASAs budget includes a new Lunar Gateway space station which will orbit the moon by the nimd-2020s, and budget for a manned mission to the moon NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said earlier this year, For the first time in over 10 years, we have money in this budget for a return to the Moon with humans. Im talking human-rated landers, compatible with Gateway, that can go back and forth to the surface of the moon. The moon is the proving ground; Mars is the horizon goal. National Police Week often slips under the radar, much as speeding drivers wish they could. For law-enforcement officers, however, this is a time to honor their fallen comrades, and, under the right circumstances, also an occasion to be recognized for the perilous duty they perform. In recent years, police throughout the country have come under intensified scrutiny in the wake of several killings of unarmed black men at the hands of officers, most of them white. Several of those deaths have led to protests and calls for reforms and heightened accountability, especially when the officers have not been penalized. But when 25,000-40,000 people gather in Washington, D.C., this week to partake in National Police Week activities, they will provide a reminder of the vital role law enforcement serves and the sacrifice many officers and their families have made. A total of 158 officers died in the line of duty in 2018, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, and the tally is at 42 this year. They are public servants and we need to keep that in mind, said Chris Harris, an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell who has researched public perception of police and their performance. People call the police when they need them and the police come. Thats not true of every nation in the world. Its important we remember that these officers do on occasion put their lives on the line as a public service. Here are five things to know about National Police Week: What is it? Mostly, its a large-scale commemoration of the officers who perished while doing their job, with attendance by representatives from all over the U.S. and some foreign countries. There are also seminars, receptions, pipe band performances and bonding opportunities for officers and their relatives. Police Week came into effect under President John F. Kennedys administration in 1962 with the designation of May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. Story continues What are the events? The highlights are Monday nights candlelight vigil at the National Mall, where officers killed in the line of duty in 2018 and those previously unrecognized will be remembered, and Wednesdays 11 a.m. memorial on the west front of the Capitol. At that two-hour service, all the fallen officers from last year will be commemorated. In keeping with recent tradition, President Trump and other high-level elected officials are expected to attend, although their participation is not confirmed ahead of time for security reasons. How dangerous is their job? Its hard to imagine any other occupation in which 10% of the employees were assaulted every year, but statistics show thats the case with police. One positive development, though, is their fatalities have been steadily declining since the 1970s, when the totals routinely rose well into the 200s. Last years figure of 158 was the sixth lowest this century, and it includes 27 deaths due to illnesses related to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. At the current rate, this years number of police deaths would be around 115, the lowest figure since 1959. How do people feel about police? Better than it might seem. Harris said citizen satisfaction surveys consistently rank police high, although the numbers dip some among minority groups and also take a hit when high-profile incidents like the Rodney King beating get exposed. On Monday, the Bureau of Justice Statistics tweeted that 83% of residents were satisfied with the police response during their most recent contact, and 89% said officers behaved properly. Those figures were from 2015, based on a survey conducted every three years. The results were released in October. In 2015, the vast majority (83%) of residents were satisfied with the police response during their most recent contact and felt that police responded promptly (83%) and behaved properly (89%) https://t.co/uX3Lyj2a2u #BJSstats #PoliceWeek BJS STATS (@BJSgov) May 13, 2019 Are police under siege? That would be too strong a term to use, but theyre under a microscope. Technological advancements have made it much easier for instances of police misconduct to be exposed to the public eye, and the killings of unarmed black me like Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Stephon Clark have drawn national media attention. Harris said police realize being closely monitored comes with the territory. Theyve always been scrutinized to a heavy extent, and to some degree they should, Harris said. Theirs is the only occupation that has the right to use force against the general public. In that regard, its probably appropriate. But at the same time, with technology and social media, theres a lot more discussion of problems with police, more videos taken and shared. The police themselves, at least the officers Ive talked to, feel more scrutinized than they ever have been. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: On National Police Week, officers 'feel more scrutinized than ever' Chinese telecom giant Huawei is willing to sign a "no-spy" agreement with countries including Britain, the firm's chairman said on Tuesday, as the head of NATO said Britain must preserve secure mobile networks. Liang Hua visited Britain as the government weighs the risks of allowing the Chinese company to help develop its 5G infrastructure. "We are willing to sign 'no-spy' agreements with governments, including the UK government, to commit ourselves, to commit our equipment to meeting the no-spy, no back-door standards," Liang told reporters. The British government is in the middle of a furious debate over whether to let Huawei roll out its next-generation mobile service. The private Chinese firm currently has the most advanced and cheapest 5G capacities in the world. But the United States has warned its close ally that it might have to limit security and intelligence sharing with Britain if it allowed China to play a significant role. Washington's broader geopolitical concerns have been heightened by a law enacted by Beijing in 2017 obliging Chinese companies to aid the government on national security issues. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who was also visiting Britain, said network security remained of utmost importance to the Western military alliance. "Huawei and 5G network is extremely important," Stoltenberg told a London business conference. He conceded that Britain and all other NATO members had the right to make their own decisions about China and 5G. "Having said that, of course, what matters for NATO is that these decisions are made in a way that makes sure that they have secure networks," Stoltenberg said. "There is no way we can escape addressing those issues," he added. "We are going to make sure our networks are safe." The Huawei debate has pushed Britain into the heart of China's heated battle for global dominance with the United States. It has also splintered May's cabinet between those who view China as a vital trade partner in Britain's post-Brexit future and ministers who side with Washington's view of Beijing as a threat. May fired defence minister Gavin Williamson -- one of the cabinet's big critics of China -- earlier this month over a leak alleging that her government will allow Huawei to play a limited 5G role. Same signature service from the heart and a whole lot of itemsthese, in essence, are the things that await shoppers at the newly renovated WalterMart E. Rodriguez in New Manila, Quezon City. The newly reopened WalterMart E. Rodriguez features a brighter and modern look. The brands flagship mall, built in 1992, recently underwent a face-lift to bring a bright, sunny look to its retail space spanning 7,000 square meters. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. executive committee chairman Hans Sy and QC councilor Irene Belmonte led the reopening on June 25. Safe shopping WalterMart E. Rod implements the brands 5S program (Screening, Shield, Sanitation, Social Distancing, and Service Heart) to assure customers of a safe shopping experience. To further put shoppers minds at ease, WalterMart says employees wearing the Ingat Angat button pins have been vaccinated. ADVERTISEMENT Convenience In the store, wide aisles are designed for a seamless and relaxed shopping, while other features such as designated pick-up points via the curbside pick-up program, contactless parking, and QR code scanning make shopping more convenient for customers. Those who prefer to shop online can go to www.waltermartdelivery.com which currently offers free delivery with minimum purchase of P2,000 (use the code WMEROD) and P150 off for P3,000 spend (WMEROD150) until July 25. The WalterMart Supermarket in the flagship mall carries a wide assortment of essential goods, while (below) the Abenson Home and WalterMart Department Store house home appliances and work-from-home essentials. Assorted choices The mall boasts a robust mix of products from groceries and home appliances, to services and food selections. The widest assortment of essential goods are housed in the flagship stores supermarket, including fresh produce, international products, healthy and organic items, and restaurant food items from WalterMart Supermarkets partners Shakeys, Goldilocks, and more. The department store and the Abenson appliance store carry over a thousand items including home appliances and work-from-home essentials. Watsons, Handyman, Mr. DIY, and Cyberzone complete the stores present in the New Manila mall. From farm to store WalterMart works directly with farmers for a steady supply of fresh produce offered in the supermarket and at the Palengke Fresh weekend farmers market in the mall. The reopening of WalterMart E. Rodriguez simply brings us back to our roots, why we do what we doto serve and be a partner in uplifting the lives of the communities that we serve, said Jerico Buning, general manager and senior vice president of operations. Front row, from left: Quezon City Councilor Irene Belmonte, Rev. Fr. Rico Glenn C. Deuna, and SM Prime Holdings Inc. executive committee chairman Hans Sy cut the ribbon at the reopening of WalterMart Mall in E. Rodriguez Avenue in New Manila. WalterMart said it was the first supermarket to have hydroponics system installed in its store to ensure the freshness of its produce. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday reiterated his support for US President Donald Trump's stance against Iranian "aggression", as tensions mount between Washington and Tehran. "Israel and all the countries of the region and all the countries who seek peace in the world should stand together with the United States against Iranian aggression," Netanyahu said at a ceremony to mark one year since the opening of the United States embassy in Jerusalem. That controversial move came just days after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran, a decision celebrated by Iran's archfoe Israel. "We have to keep on strengthening the state of Israel and keep on strengthening the indispensable alliance with America," Netanyahu said Tuesday, according to a statement published by his office. His comments came as Washington deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to the Gulf, to counter vaguely described threats from Tehran. But despite the spike in tensions, both sides on Tuesday stated they did not want a war. Netanyahu has been a vocal supporter of Trump's Middle East policy, which has broken with years of consensus. The US embassy move to Jerusalem was followed by just one other country -- Guatemala -- as the international community considers the city's fate should be left to negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Pulling out of the landmark nuclear deal, meanwhile, angered Europe, Russia and China who have stood by the agreement. But as US sanctions on Iran take their toll, Tehran said last week it would abandon limits on its nuclear activities agreed under the 2015 accord. The announcement prompted Netanyahu to vow he would not let Iran obtain a nuclear weapon, an objective denied by Tehran which insists its ambitions are civilian only. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Federal regulators said Tuesday they're backing off a plan to prevent sudden-acceleration incidents like the ones reported by Toyota customers a decade ago because the industry has largely addressed the problem on its own. In one of the sudden acceleration crashes, a California highway patrol officers frantic efforts to get a loaner car under control were recorded by an emergency dispatcher. The officer and everyone in the car were killed. After national news coverage, congressional hearings and a federal investigation, Toyota recalled more than 2 million vehicles. It later paid a $1.2 billion criminal penalty to the Justice Department for hiding information it had about the safety defect from government regulators and the public. One of the responses by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was a proposal in 2012 requiring technology that would override the throttle if a driver slams on the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a stop. Consumer Reports was among the organizations pushing for this change. Now NHTSA says a regulation isnt needed because automakers are already employing it in almost every new model. Jake Fisher, senior director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports, says NHTSAs decision is hard to understand, because many new models have throttles controlled by software, and adding the feature is a relatively cheap code update. We know people have died because of this problem, and theres a straightforward fix, Fisher says. We dont know that every car has this, and we certainly want to make sure every new car going forward does. NHTSA said in a regulatory notice Tuesday it will monitor the safety of throttle control systems and reconsider issuing a regulation if it is necessary for vehicle safety. Wade Newton, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in Washington, D.C., the industrys largest trade group, said: Weve made brake throttle override industry practice." Story continues Newton told CR that the Alliance worked with NHTSA during the rulemaking process, providing the industrys perspective. He said NHTSA decided on its own to not issue a throttle control regulation. Back in 2012, Consumer Reports was a strong supporter of the federal rulemaking. CR advocated rules so that cars would be able to stop within a reasonable distance, even if a throttle remained fully open, and for standard, simple controls that could turn an engine off in an emergency. Technology is available to stop cars when theyre speeding out-of-control from an open throttle, whether its caused by a floor mat, sticking accelerator pedal, or another mechanical or electrical malfunction. A sustained press of the brake pedal should allow the car to stop in a reasonable distance, even if the throttle is wide open. One method to reduce stopping distances is "smart throttle" technology that allows the brakes to override the throttle, which Toyota began adding to its vehicle line after the NHTSA investigation. 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. Crisis-hit Japanese car company Nissan on Tuesday unveiled net profits at a near-decade low as it battles to recover after the shock arrest of its talismanic former boss Carlos Ghosn. Net profits for the fiscal year to March 2019 came in at 319 billion yen ($2.9 billion), the lowest since 2009/10 when the company was struggling in the wake of the global financial crisis. It was a decline of 57 percent compared to the previous fiscal year and the profit outlook for the current fiscal year was forecast to be even worse -- at 170 billion yen. "The performance is a challenging one and we want to change this," Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa told reporters. Tuesday's figures represented a "rock bottom" for the company, he said, adding: "Please give us time to recover." The firm has been crippled by the reputational damage caused by the legal woes of former chairman Ghosn, who faces four formal charges of financial misconduct that he denies. "There are many negative legacies inherited from the previous management," said Saikawa. "To tell you the truth, there was a period when we could not concentrate on business" during the Ghosn affair, said Saikawa. But analysts point to several problems for the Japanese firm beyond Ghosn, including apparently declining relations with its French partner Renault and a dearth of new products. "They've got to let go of Carlos Ghosn, he's out of the company, he's no longer a director, they have to move beyond that, it's a distraction," said Christopher Richter, an analyst for the CLSA brokerage based in Tokyo. Saikawa "has been in the top job for more than two years -- that's half of a model cycle -- so I don't think you can lay all the blame with Mr. Ghosn," Richter told AFP. He said Nissan has an "old and unattractive portfolio" and "desperately need new products", the development of which has been delayed both by the difficulties surrounding Ghosn and the Renault-Nissan relationship. Story continues Saikawa said sales had held up in Japan and China but was "tough" in the United States and Europe. He is coming under increasing pressure, with several shareholders demanding his departure at a meeting last month. His term is up for renewal at the end of June. But he brushed off calls for his resignation saying he wanted to launch a fresh start for the firm and would discuss the timing of his stepping down "at the appropriate time." - 'Differences of opinion' - Nissan, along with Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, make up an unusual three-way alliance that has grown to become the top-selling car group. Ghosn was the driving force between bringing the firms together and has since alleged that Nissan launched an investigation into him over fears he was hoping to merge the Japanese and French companies. The appointment of new Renault boss Jean-Dominique Senard should open a "new chapter" in ties, said Saikawa earlier this year but the Japanese firm continues to resist anything approaching a merger, which is being pushed by the French firm. Saikawa admitted "differences of opinion" with Senard on the future make-up of the Alliance, including the capital partnership between the two companies. "But what I (and Senard) agree on is that now is not the time for that discussion. Nissan should fully focus on the recovery and stabilisation of its business performance. "Mr Senard gives us full support on this point," said Saikawa. A spokesman for Renault contacted by AFP said the figures were "regrettable". "What is bad for Nissan is bad for Renault and vice-versa. And these results are not good news for the Alliance. These results reinforce the idea that we need changes," the spokesman said. "Joining forces is necessary to fight our competition which is not waiting around for us." Ghosn was released on bail of $4.5 million last month under strict conditions, including restrictions on seeing his wife -- which the tycoon described as "cruel and unnecessary". Local media have said that any trial of the former boss may not start until next year. Ghosn denies all the charges against him and has vowed in several statements to "vigorously defend himself against these baseless accusations". WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - There has been no increase in the threat from Iran-backed militia against U.S.-led coalition forces battling remnants of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, a senior British officer in the coalition told a Pentagon news briefing on Tuesday. British Major General Chris Ghika, the coalition's deputy commander for strategy and information, said his remarks did not represent a divergence from increasingly heated warnings coming from Washington, where officials see a growing threat from Iran. "No, there has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria. We are aware of their presence clearly and we monitor them along with a whole range of others because that is the environment we are in," Ghika said. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart) May 14 (Reuters) - North Carolina voters on Tuesday will start the process of picking a new Republican candidate for Congress after state officials ordered a rerun of a November 2018 race marred by an absentee-ballot fraud scheme. Ten Republican candidates and one Democrat are vying for the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that has remained unfilled since an investigation found that a Republican political operative ran a scheme in which volunteers improperly collected, and sometimes filled in, absentee ballots. The months-long scandal became an embarrassment to President Donald Trump's Republican Party, which has accused Democrats without proof of encouraging voter fraud in races such as the 2016 presidential election. Democrat Dan McCready appeared to lose to Republican Mark Harris by a slim margin before state officials said the election had been tainted. McCready is the sole Democrat contesting the re-run race; Harris is not running. The Republican candidates on Tuesday's ballot are state Senator Dan Bishop, Union County Commissioner Stony Rushing, former state Senator and Representative Fern Shubert; as well as Matthew Ridenhour, a former county commissioner, Chris Anglin, a Raleigh-based attorney, Leigh Brown, a realtor, Gary Dunn, Stevie Hull, Albert Lee Wiley Jr. and Kathie Day. If no Republican candidate receives at least 30% of the votes on Tuesday, a second primary will be held in September for the candidates with the two highest numbers of votes. The seat represents a district of North Carolina that runs along the state's southern border from Charlotte to near Fayetteville. Democrats won a commanding 235-seat majority in the 435-member House of Representatives in November and the final result of the North Carolina race will not tip the balance of power. The bipartisan state Board of Elections ordered a new vote in February after a four-day hearing, during which it heard evidence of what election officials called a well-funded campaign to tip the election by a political operative working for Harris. During the hearing, Harris' son said he had warned his father of potential illegal activity by one of his political operatives, Leslie McCrae Dowless. Witnesses testified that Dowless and his paid workers had collected incomplete absentee ballots and sometimes falsely signed as witnesses and filled in votes for contests left blank. Dowless was charged with three felony counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of conspiring to commit obstruction of justice and two counts of possession of absentee ballots, according to court documents. (Reporting by Gabriella Borter in New York; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell) Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like GL Events (EPA:GLO). Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed. View our latest analysis for GL Events GL Events's Earnings Per Share Are Growing. The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so share price follows earnings per share (EPS) eventually. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. GL Events managed to grow EPS by 6.9% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't amazing, it does show the business is growing. Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. While we note GL Events's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 9.1% to 1.0b. That's a real positive. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers. ENXTPA:GLO Income Statement, May 14th 2019 Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for GL Events. Story continues Are GL Events Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? I always like to check up on CEO compensation, because I think that reasonable pay levels, around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalizations between 356m and 1.4b, like GL Events, the median CEO pay is around 551k. GL Events offered total compensation worth 354k to its CEO in the year to December 2017. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given its below the median for similar sized companies. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when its reasonable that does give me a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally. Is GL Events Worth Keeping An Eye On? One important encouraging feature of GL Events is that it is growing profits. On top of that, my faith in the board of directors is strengthened by the fact of the reasonable CEO pay. So I do think the stock deserves further research, if not instant addition to your watchlist. Now, you could try to make up your mind on GL Events by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry. You can invest in any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. The National Rifle Association continues to implode amidst accusations of financial mismanagement by its highest-ranking officials. Now two board members are speaking out against the gun rights group. Recent statements by newly elected NRA President Carolyn Meadows are outright lies, NRA board member Allen West said in a statement on Tuesday. West, a former Republican congressman from Florida, was referring to a series of public comments by Meadows, who claimed that board members were already aware of the groups massive financial troubles. On Friday, a trove of internal NRA documents was released anonymously online and verified by both The Daily Beast and The Wall Street Journal. They revealed that the groups recently departed president, Oliver North, had warned top-ranking officials that the NRA was drowning in legal fees. The amount appears to be approximately $24 million over a 13-month period, said the nine-page letter written in April, which has been viewed by HuffPost. North said the group was burning nearly $100,000 every day, seven days a week, every day of every month, in payments to a law firm. Another letter revealed that NRA CEO and executive vice president Wayne LaPierre has blown through more than a half-million dollars on clothing, travel and other expenses over the years, including a $39,000 shopping spree at a Beverly Hills store. For all the damning information, Meadows said in a statement last week that it was stale news and that the entire board is fully aware of these issues. But at least two board members say otherwise. It has become very apparent that I need to speak out about what is happening at the National Rifle Association, West wrote. I have never been told, advised, informed, or consulted about any of these details mentioned in the WSJ, and who knows how much more despicable spending of members money, he continued. Another board member, Colorado activist and small-business owner Timothy Knight, also expressed his surprise at the financial bad news in a Facebook statement on Sunday. Story continues I certainly did not know all those things being leaked nor do I believe that the whole Board was aware, Knight wrote. He added that he would most likely lose my committee assignments and not be renominated to the board for speaking out. West said changes to the NRA need to include removing LaPierre from his longtime position, reducing the number of board members from 76 to 30 or fewer, and limiting board members to four terms. I do not support Wayne LaPierre continuing as the EVP/CEO of the NRA, West wrote. There is a cabal of cronyism operating within the NRA and that exists within the Board of Directors. It must cease, and I do not care if I draw their angst. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. May 14 (Reuters) - Nucor Corp shareholders have rejected a proposal that would make the company report on its political lobbying, heading off efforts to make one of the most high-profile corporate actors in Washington more transparent. The largest U.S. steelmaker led the push for imposing tariffs on steel imports last year, now a signature part of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policy. Trump had said tariffs were needed to save the industry from losing out to unscrupulous foreign competitors. The 25 percent duty on steel imports has boosted domestic production and beefed up profits of Nucor, AK Steel Holding Corp and U.S. Steel Corp. Nucor spent about $2.2 million on political lobbying in 2018, nearly 17 percent more than what it spent a year earlier, making it one of the biggest spenders among steel firms, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In comparison, U.S. Steel Corp spent about $830,000 in 2018. Nucor said shareholder proposals to disclose more details on its lobbying and political spending were rejected at the company's annual meeting held on May 9. One of the proposals had sought more details on the company's direct and indirect lobbying activities and expenditures, as well as its trade association memberships and contributions. The company had asked shareholders to vote against the proposals, saying they were unnecessary and would put the company at a "competitive disadvantage." Nucor also said similar proposals were rejected at its last three annual meetings. Nucor's political spending, which includes millions of dollars in donations to political candidates, started under former Chief Executive Officer Dan DiMicco. DiMicco is now a member of Trump's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy Negotiations, a key venue for business leaders to influence U.S. trade negotiators. (Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) Photo: Pawel D./Hoodline Tipline In this edition: Lake Merritt is getting an Italian-American restaurant, Fruitvale has a tamale spot on the way, and West Oakland is finally getting its long-promised full-service grocery store. Openings Lake Merritt Mama (388 Grand Ave.) Hoodline tipster Pawel D. alerted us that a new eatery is coming to the former home of Roman restaurant Contrasto. To be called Mama, it's owned by Stevie Stacionis and Josiah Baldivino, who also run neighboring wine shop Bay Grape. Open for dinner seven days a week, Mama is intended to feel "like your Italian grandmothers house," Stacionis told Eater SF, serving a simple $29 three-course prix-fixe menu of classic Italian-American fare. It's named for her own Italian grandmother, Maria, who was known as "Mama" to her family. The prix-fixe menu will be simple: a soup or salad, followed by a choice of two pastas meat sugo, or a vegetarian option. To finish, customers can choose between gelato and biscotti or a seasonal dessert. And of course, there will be plenty of wine to choose from. Mama is set to arrive sometime this summer. We'll keep you updated on the opening. Fruitvale La Guerrera's Kitchen (954 Fruitvale Ave.) Photo: Amber M./Yelp La Guerrera's Kitchen, headed by the mother-daughter duo of Ofelia Barajas and Reyna Maldonado, is now operating a permanent takeout window at Fruitvale bar Aloha Club, the Chronicle reports. The Maldonados, who hail from Mexico's Guerrero region, got their start selling tamales on the streets of San Francisco before joining up with Mission-based food incubator La Cocina. After serving food at catering events and pop-ups, they've chosen the Aloha Club as their first brick-and-mortar location. In addition to tamales (including vegan tamales), diners can expect to see pozole, birria, barbacoa and build-your-own ceviche on the menu. West Oakland Community Foods Market (3105 San Pablo Ave.) Photo: Community Foods Market/Facebook After nearly seven years of anticipation, West Oakland's first full-service grocery store is expected to open on Wednesday, the East Bay Express reports. Story continues Community Foods Market is aiming to target shoppers at every budget level, offering both higher-priced local and organic products and value-priced private-label brands. A "Wall of Value" will feature discounted bulk items, sold warehouse-style on pallets. The market will also accept CalFresh payments (commonly known as food stamps) in the coming weeks. The grocery will target time-strapped customers with a "recipe of the day," complete with a station offering all the needed ingredients for quick pickup. An in-house cafe, Front Porch Cafe, will offer coffee, smoothies and to-go options, and host live music, art exhibitions, movie screenings, and poetry readings. Unable to draw traditional investment, owner Brahm Ahmadi funded the market by selling $2 million in shares to community members. He plans to give back by hosting educational events about food and wellness for community members, some of which will be part of the store's June 1 grand opening party. Thanks to tipster Pawel D.! If you've seen something new (or something newly closed) in the neighborhood, text your tips and photos to (415) 200-3233, or email tips@hoodline.com. If we use your info in a story, we'll give you credit. Will any flagship smartphone announcement ever be a surprise again? At this point we highly doubt it, considering all the leaks and rumors that precede every single major smartphone unveiling these days. The OnePlus 7 Pro is finally official and while nothing OnePlus announced on Tuesday will come as much of a surprise to anyone who has been following all the leaks, the sleek new flagship phone is no less exciting than it would have been had we not already known everything there is to know. The OnePlus 7 Pro features bleeding-edge specs, more power than any other Android phone on the market right now, and a stunning design thats unlike anything weve seen before in the United States. While OnePlus hasnt announced a firm figure for the phones screen-to-body ratio, this is as close as weve come to a true all-screen phone. Theres no big notch like the one on Apples iPhones, no teardrop notch like there was on last years OnePlus 6T, and no big bezels anywhere around the screen. Its gorgeous. The OnePlus 7 Pro is also packed with new features weve never seen before on a OnePlus device, including one of the most impressive cameras weve ever tested. Its not all good news, however: the OnePlyus 7 Pro is also the most expensive new flagship phone OnePlus has ever released. It still costs far less than comparable handsets though, and Android fans will be more than willing to pony up when they see how impressive this new flagship phone truly is. Related Stories: Pixel 3a and OnePlus 7 are both cheap new Android phones, but one is way better than the other OnePlus will pay you up to $449 to trade in your phone for a OnePlus 7 Pro The OnePlus 7 Pro is finally here, and it's unlike anything you've seen before Before we dive in, you might be wondering why the OnePlus 7 Pro is the only new OnePlus phone were talking about here. Its an understandable question, considering its one of three new smartphones OnePlus unveiled on Tuesday. The answer is pretty simple, though: its the only model that will be sold in the US. The entry-level OnePlus 7 wont be sold here because the OnePlus 6T will remain available instead at a new lower price (8GB/128GB for $549, 8GB/256GB for $599) and the high-end 5G version of the OnePlus 7 Pro wont be sold here because 5G networks wont be widely available in the US for quite some time. Story continues Starting with the OnePlus 7 Pros new design, its easily one of the sleekest phones that has ever been built. It features a huge 6.67-inch Fluid AMOLED screen that is curved on both sides like Samsungs Galaxy S and Note phones. The screen has plenty of cool features like a larger, faster in-display fingerprint sensor and HDR+ support, but two main things separate OnePlus new display from anything weve seen so far on other phones. First, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the first smartphone to feature a 90 Hz refresh rate, This means animations, scrolling, and pretty much everything else is smoother on the OnePlus phone than it is on rival handsets. Second, the OnePlus 7 Pros screen has wonderfully thin bezels all around it, and yet it still doesnt have a notch like an iPhone or a hole-punch camera like Samsungs Galaxy S10 series. In fact, theres no selfie camera anywhere to be found on the OnePlus 7 Pro. No, OnePlus isnt crazy. The company knows most people would never buy a phone without a front facing camera. Instead of placing the camera in a bezel, a notch, or a hole cut out of the screen, OnePlus placed the front-facing camera in a small mechanism that pops up from the top edge of the phone. This happens automatically whenever the front-facing camera is needed, and it raises and lowers quite quickly. It also has an internal grommet to prevent moisture and dirt from getting in, and a cool safety feature to protect it from damage. If the phones accelerometer senses a drop while the camera is open, the phone automatically retracts it to avoid damage. In terms of distance, we found in our tests that the camera is fully retracted within about 2 feet. Speaking of cameras, improving the rear camera was a huge focus for OnePlus and the company definitely didnt fail to impress. A new triple-lens rear camera features a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel 78mm telephoto sensor for 3x optical zoom, and 16-megapixel ultra wide angle lens that captures a whopping 117. The first two sensors are both supported by optical image stabilization as well as electronic image stabilization, and the OnePlus 7 Pros new autofocus system uses three different technologies PDAF, CAF, and laser focus to help ensure images are crisp and clear every time. How well does it all come together? The OnePlus 7 Pros rear camera scored a 111 on DxOMarks rigorous testing, just one point off the all-time high. Where speed and performance are concerned, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the most powerful Android smartphone to date. 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB versions are available, and the phone has a RAM Boost feature that automatically and intelligently allocates RAM to certain apps and processes based on the users habits. The OnePlus 7 Pro is also the first smartphone to use new UFS 3.0 flash storage chips. According to OnePlus, the phones storage is nine times faster than the UFS 2.1 storage used in other handsets. Thanks to the Snapdragon 855 chipset and other optimizations, the large 4,000 mAh battery provides about the same battery life as last years OnePlus 6T despite the larger, power-hungry display. It also comes equipped with the Warp Charge 30 tech OnePlus introduced on its McLaren Edition 6T last year. The only real downside to be found is that the OnePlus 7 Pro is more expensive than last years OnePlus 6T. We have come to expect a small price increase from one year to the next, but this years increase is substantial the entry-level OnePlus 6T cost $549 when the phone was released last year, while the most affordable OnePlus 7 Pro is priced at $669. Heres how the different SKUs are priced: OnePlus 7 Pro (Mirror Gray) with 6GB of RAM + 128GB of storage: $669 OnePlus 7 Pro (Mirror Gray) with 8GB of RAM + 256GB of storage: $699 OnePlus 7 Pro (Nebula Blue) with 8GB of RAM + 256GB of storage: $699 OnePlus 7 Pro (Nebula Blue) with 12GB of RAM + 256GB of storage: $749 Its a big price increase compared to last years model, but its not bad at all when you put these prices in perspective. An iPhone XS Max with 64GB storage costs $1,099, while a OnePlus 7 Pro with 128GB or storage and more RAM is only $669. The 256GB iPhone XS Max costs $1,249, and thats $550 more than a 256GB OnePlus 7 Pro. The new OnePlus 7 Pro has an official release date of Friday, May 17th, and itll launch alongside new Bullets Wireless 2 Bluetooth earbuds for $99. Of note, some OnePlus fans in New York City will be able to get it sooner than that. The phone will be sold by T-Mobile in addition to OnePlus online store, and the T-Mobile flagship store in Times Square will begin selling the OnePlus 7 Pro today, March 14th, at 2:00PM ET. T-Mobile will only carry the 8GB/256GB version of the phone, but it will offer both color options. The OnePlus 7 Pros complete specs follow below. BGR Top Deals: Trending Right Now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have definitively linked mast cells, a class of cells belonging to the immune system, to the development of osteoarthritis, one of the worlds most common causes of pain and immobility. In a study published online May 14 in eLife, the scientists demonstrated for the first time that banishing mast cells or blocking signals from the most common stimulus activating them in real life, or disabling a cartilage-degrading enzyme they release when activated all protected mice from developing osteoarthritis induced by an experimental procedure. The results were supported by findings in human cells and tissues. Osteoarthritis, by far the most frequently occurring variety of arthritis, is characterized by cartilage breakdown and inflammation in joints, which can be further aggravated by excess bone growths called osteophytes. Some 30 million Americans have symptomatic osteoarthritis. By the time youre 60, your chances of exhibiting osteoarthritis symptoms exceed 30%. By age 80 or 90, your risk has risen to nearly 100%. Almost all of us will ultimately suffer from osteoarthritis if we live to be old enough, said William Robinson, MD, PhD, professor of immunology and rheumatology, who is the studys senior author. Lead authorship is shared by research associate Qian Wang, MD, PhD; former MD-PhD student Christin Lepus, MD, PhD; and former postdoctoral scholar Harini Raghu, PhD. Not just wear and tear Osteoarthritis has traditionally been thought to be an inevitable result of wear and tear: the breakdown of cartilage over many years, ultimately resulting in grinding, bone-on-bone contact and degeneration in the affected joints. But the new study shows the essential involvement of the immune system in the genesis of osteoarthritis, while prying open a window through which researchers can see a way to designing drugs to prevent it. At present, there are no drugs that can prevent, slow or cure it. Even though the vast majority of us will develop osteoarthritis at some point in our lives, we dont have any disease-slowing therapies, Robinson said. The chances of actually reversing damage to joints are slim, he said. Todays treatments for the osteoarthritis-induced pain and mobility consist of painkillers like ibuprofen, naproxen and acetaminophen; walkers and canes; and knee or hip replacements. Mast cells are best known as the culprits that produce the histamine and other molecules responsible for allergic symptoms, ranging from the itch of eczema to the mucous explosions of hay fever to the throat constriction of asthma or food-triggered anaphylaxis. But mast cells also produce a degradative protein, tryptase, that can rip up collagens and other molecules that form the cartilage in joints. Mast cells usually reside quietly within tissues throughout the body. But when they become activated, they secrete granules containing histamine, tryptase and other inflammatory substances. The classic trigger for that activation is the binding of a form of circulating antibody, or immunoglobin, called IgE to specialized receptors abounding on mast cells. The evolutionary purpose of IgE, mast cells and histamine is believed to be to fight off parasites, which have plagued humans and other animals throughout most of evolution but have become relatively rare in humans in recent decades, at least in industrialized countries. While mast cells have been found lurking in joints of people with and without symptomatic arthritis, until now neither mast cells nor IgE have been definitively identified as risk factors for osteoarthritis. Protection from the disease In the study, Robinsons group used electron microscopy to show that mast cells in injured joints of humans who didnt yet have arthritic symptoms werent releasing their histamine- and tryptase-laden granules, whereas mast cells residing in the joints of humans with arthritic symptoms were. Several types of genetically altered lab mice whose mast cells were deficient or absent were highly resistant to the development of osteoarthritic features including joint inflammation, osteophyte development and joint breakdown after undergoing an experimental procedure to induce these symptoms, the researchers found. The researchers also proved that impairing the action of tryptase, which is secreted almost solely by mast cells, had a similar protective effect. And they further demonstrated that depleting IgE or its binding to receptors on mast cells, or disabling those receptors subsequent signaling to components within mast cells, all were protective. A major goal in my career is to find a way to stop people from getting osteoarthritis. In all, the scientists were able to get the same osteoarthritis-protective results using a number of genetic tricks, as well as three small-molecule compounds that each blocked a separate stage of the cascade via which IgE trips off mast-cell activation and secretion of granules containing collagen-chewing tryptase. One drug used to impede mast cells survival, imatinib, is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration and marketed as Gleevec as a therapy for chronic myeloid lymphoma. But while imatinib is an acceptable drug for such life-threatening cancers, Robinson said, its too toxic for sustained long-term use as a therapy in an indication such as osteoarthritis, which, although painful and mobility-reducing, is seldom directly life-threatening. In any case, Robinson said, much of the joint damage caused by osteoarthritis is unlikely to be reversible. A major goal in my career is to find a way to stop people from getting osteoarthritis, he said, adding that he wants to identify drugs with excellent safety profiles and the ability to prevent, rather than treat, osteoarthritis. These drugs will have to be safe enough for large numbers of people to take for decades without problems. Robinson is an affiliate of the Stanford Institute of Immunity, Transplantation and Infection; a member of Stanford Bio-X, the Stanford Maternal & Child Health Research Institute and the Stanford Cancer Institute; and a staff physician and investigator in the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. Other Stanford co-authors are former postdoctoral scholar Laurent Reber, PhD; senior research scientist Mindy Tsai, DMSc; research assistants Heidi Wong, Nick Hu and Eileen Elliott; MD-PhD student Ericka von Kaeppler; former research assistant Nithya Lingampalli; scientific writer and project manager Michelle Bloom, PhD; professors of orthopaedic surgery Nicholas Giori, MD, PhD, Stuart Goodman, MD, PhD, and Constance Chu, MD; former clinical assistant professor of medicine Jeremy Sokolove, MD; and Stephen Galli, MD, professor of pathology and of microbiology and immunology. Researchers at the University of Padova, in Italy, and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine contributed to the work. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01AR067145 and R01AI132494) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Stanfords Department of Medicine also supported the work. (Refiles to fix spelling of BLASPHEMY in media slug, fixes typographical error, paragraph 1) By Mubasher Bukhari LAHORE, Pakistan, May 14 (Reuters) - A Pakistani court on Tuesday granted bail to the leader of an ultra-right Islamist group arrested last year after his supporters shut down cities and threatened judges following the acquittal of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy. The leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) party, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, and his deputy, Pir Afzal Qadri, were arrested last year and charged with inciting terrorism and sedition after protesting against the acquittal of Asia Bibi who had spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges. "Today, the Lahore High Court has granted bail to Rizvi and Qadri in the cases of terrorism, sedition and inciting for violence," TLP lawyer Muhammad Arif Awan told Reuters. Bibi left for Canada last week after living at an undisclosed location inside Pakistan since her acquittal. Hardline Islamists in Pakistan had rallied against her being allowed to leave and called for her to be killed. Rizvi's November arrest led to clashes between police and his supporters in the eastern city of Lahore, wounding five people in violence authorities say was instigated by the TLP leader after he called on his faithful to take to the streets if he was arrested. The two men are due to be released on Wednesday. TLP leaders had threatened the Supreme Court judges who acquitted Bibi, urging their cooks and servants to kill them, and called for the overthrow of the army chief, an unthinkable comment in Pakistan where the military is rarely criticized in public and the army normally does not tolerate such dissent. The TLP, whose main focus is protecting Pakistans draconian blasphemy laws, was founded out of a movement supporting a bodyguard who assassinated Punjab provincial governor Salman Taseer for advocating for Bibi in 2011. Blasphemy is a deeply emotive issue in Pakistans staunchly religious society, and officials have been unnerved by how much support Rizvis TLP has garnered across the country in the two years since the group entered mainstream politics. (Additional reporting by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Nick Macfie) The Pentagon is weighing legislation that would give contracting officers the power to demand back-up data on spare parts costs after its inspector general said TransDigm Group Inc. could be paid about 9,400% in excess profit for a half-inch metal pin.The Defense Logistics Agency could end up paying TransDigm $4,361 for the drive pin in a July contract that should cost $46, according to a Pentagon review endorsed by the inspector general.The review found potential excess profits for 98 of 100 parts sampled and concluded the Pentagon may end up paying TransDigm $91 million more in coming years for parts valued at $28 million, with excess profit per part of 95% to the 9,380%, the Defense Departments inspector general said in an audit labeled For Official Use Only and obtained by Bloomberg News. As the Pentagon weighs whether to recommend legislation to require more disclosure by contractors, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform will review the audit and TransDigms pricing policies in a hearing on Wednesday. The inspector generals report exposes how a company entrusted with supporting our military men and women took advantage of American taxpayers by overcharging the government more than $16 million in parts sales sold between 2015 and 2017, Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings said in a statement. The hearing will investigate whether these pricing issues are more widespread, and demand answers, he said. From 2013 through 2015, according to the audit, the contractor increased the price of a valve that opens and closes to change the pressure of fuel moving through an engine to $9,801 from $543. In those years, TransDigm also charged $1,443 each for a non-vehicular clutch disk that cost $32 to make. Planes, Copters The Pentagons inspector general first raised pricing concerns over TransDigm in a 2006 report, followed by the one this year that was released in redacted form in February. TransDigm manufactures spare parts for airplanes and helicopters including the AH-64 Apache, C-17 Globemaster III, F-16 Fighting Falcon and the CH-47 Chinook. From April 2012 through January 2017, DOD issued 4,942 contracts valued at $471 million to TransDigm. Story continues Liza Sabol, a spokeswoman for the Cleveland-based company, said in an email that we are not providing comments on specific questions related to the IG report. TransDigm has been and remains committed to conducting business within the framework of applicable laws and regulations, she said. The IG report does not make any assertion of wrongdoing on TransDigms part with respect to its pricing. The underlying debate is over laws and acquisition regulations that hamstring Pentagon contracting officers from demanding back-up data on parts contracts. Legislation from the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 to recent defense policy bills sought to encourage commercial contractors to conduct business with the military by freeing them from providing information that could be competitively sensitive and onerous to collect, according to the inspector generals report. The provisions discourage contracting officers from asking for the data when determining whether a price is fair and reasonable, it said. The inspector general previously identified contracting officers limited success in negotiating fair and reasonable prices for sole-source parts dating as far back as 1998, a spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday. In a sample of contracts awarded from 2015 through 2017, TransDigm refused to provide uncertified cost and pricing data to contracting officers when requested for 15 of 16 contracts, the audit found. Contracting officers had limited options once TransDigm refused. TransDigm earned $2.6 million in excess profits on the parts, the inspector general said. Legislation Recommended The watchdog office recommended legislation to compel companies to provide cost data when required. The Pentagon responded by issuing a memo in mid-March to jump-start a moribund system requiring contracting officers to report and share the names of recalcitrant companies. We are considering potential options for legislation proposals and weighing the pros and cons of how that could impact the entire industrial base, including our desire to reach more non-traditional defense contractors, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Andrews, a Pentagon acquisition spokesman, said in an email. TransDigm shares have climbed more than 36% this year. It drew 34% of its 2017 sales from defense, up from 24% in 2006. In its 2017 annual report, TransDigm estimated 80% of its sales revenue that year came from products for which its the sole supplier. Patrick Mackin, a spokesman for the Pentagons Defense Logistics Agency, said the agency is managing the July 2018 contract that was questioned by the review in a way that limits ordering due to the potential overpricing and scrutiny of TransDigm. He said the agency cant unilaterally change pricing outside of the contractual repricing periods but will assess the contract at its first chance in 2021. The agency is currently seeking alternatives to support these items where such alternatives may exist. Among the parts of concern in the current contract, according to the review: TransDigm charged $803 for a retainer bearing that should have cost $32. A part described as a ring for which TransDigm charged $4,835 apiece should cost $71. TransDigm charged $67 for a lug used in the auxiliary power unit of an F-15 jet that should have cost $3. TransDigm charged $8,819 apiece for a valve assembly check oil pump that should cost $369. The inspector generals report also outlines the history of a three-inch TransDigm coupling with a quick disconnect that illustrates the problem that Pentagon contracting officers confront. While TransDigm estimated the coupling cost $287 to make, the contractors pricing has contained excess profits since the Defense Logistics Agency first purchased the part in 2007 for $1,239 apiece, the unredacted report said. The price increased to $7,325 by 2017. More must-read stories from Fortune: Robert Mueller Resigns, Says Charging Trump With a Crime Was Not an Option How civil rights and liberties activists are taking on Capitol Hill What exactly is ranked-choice voting? 21 abortion restrictions have already been enacted in 2019 Human Trafficking is an epidemic in the U.S. Its also big business Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon, which has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf, is hoping to defuse the risks posed to US troops in the Middle East by President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy on Iran. US National Security Advisor John Bolton cited "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" when he announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force on May 5. Since then, the US Defense Department said the deployments were "in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests." And then on Monday, Trump put Tehran on notice that any action against US interests would not be tolerated. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake," the Republican leader said. While he did not expand on the nature of the threats, several US defense officials said he was referring to arms shipments and personnel movements by pro-Iranian groups, on land and at sea, as well as orders for those groups to attack US interests in the Middle East. Those targets could include diplomatic installations, as well as consulates or embassies. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested that the Pentagon was suffering the consequences of Trump's aggressive stance, notably his decision to put Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards and its prized Quds force on the US terror blacklist. Iran quickly dubbed the United States a "state sponsor of terrorism" and designated Centcom and its forces a "terrorist group." - Belligerent tone - From that moment on, Americans became fair game, said one of the US officials, who said he is taking Tehran's threats very seriously. More than 5,000 US troops are deployed in Iraq, where they are helping in the fight to clear the remaining elements of the Islamic State group, despite a declaration of the end of its "caliphate" stretching into Syria. Story continues While the Revolutionary Guards officially have no presence in Iraq, they are still influential and were instrumental during the heat of the fight against the IS group, with the head of its foreign wing Major General Qassem Suleimani coordinating fighting across various Iraqi battlefields. The Guards are in Syria, where the US has 2,000 military personnel fighting alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). For months, this close proximity has worried the US military, which fears for its soldiers on the ground as diplomatic tensions soar. It's one of the reasons cited by former defense secretary Jim Mattis when he publicly opposed Washington's withdrawal from the multilateral Iran nuclear deal and the resumption of US economic sanctions on Tehran. And when the White House said earlier this month that Trump was considering placing the Muslim Brotherhood -- a nearly century-old Islamist movement born in Egypt with pockets of support across the Arab world -- on the terror blacklist, many in the administration objected, especially at the Pentagon, The New York Times reported. On Monday, in stark contrast to Trump's belligerent tone, US defense officials who spoke to AFP tried to tamp down the uproar. "We have made very clear that we are not interested in a conflict with Iran," one of them said. The US military deployment in the Gulf is "not an invasion force -- it is a force that is made to send a message." WARSAW, May 14 (Reuters) - Poland announced plans on Tuesday to tighten sentences for child sex abuse, just days after the country's politics were upended by a documentary on pedophilia in the Catholic Church, closely allied to the nationalist ruling Law and Justice party. In just three days since it was posted on YouTube, more than 11 million people have viewed the documentary "Just Don't Tell Anyone." It shows Poles confronting priests they said abused them as children, and presents allegations that known pedophiles were shifted between parishes. The documentary has led to a swift public outcry, with lawyers and journalists calling for the police to launch criminal investigations. The issue has erupted in the run-up to a European parliamentary election in which issues of sexuality and religion have played a prominent role. Law and Justice (PiS) portrays the Catholic faith as a key element of national identity. Liberals argue that the Church has come to wield too much power. The leftist progressive Wiosna (Spring) opposition party planned to project the documentary onto a building next door to a church headquarters on Monday. Police seized the projector and blocked the event. The government announced changes to the criminal code on Tuesday that would increase prison terms for pedophilia to up to 30 years. "Torture, paedophlilia have been punished too kindly," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told a news conference. "Every degenerate, disgusting, cruel crime, social behavior, of course especially pedophilia, will be even more severely stigmatized." In his speech he avoided direct reference to the Catholic Church or the documentary. "PiS doesn't want to talk about the Church in this context because the Church cooperates with the party. Many priests support PiS politicians during mass, so PiS doesn't want to harm the Church," Anna Materska-Sosnowska, political scientist at Warsaw University said. Story continues Poland is one of Europe's most devout countries, with 85 percent of the population identifying as Catholics and nearly a third attending mass every Sunday. The Church has long held a powerful political role, notably as a counterweight to Communist rule during the Cold War-era papacy of Polish Pope John Paul II. Poland has only just begun confronting the child sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church around the world in recent years. In March, the Polish Catholic Church published a study saying that between 1990 and 2018 its officials had received reports of sexual abuse by clergy of 625 children since 1950, over half of them aged 15 or younger. Church authorities in Poland have yet to reach a consensus on how to address the issue. An arm of the Church has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court seeking to annul a 1 million zloty ($260,000) payment ordered by a lower court to a woman who, as a 13-year-old child, was repeatedly raped by her local priest. ($1 = 3.8338 zlotys) (Reporting by Marcin Goclowski Editing by Peter Graff) Angolan President, Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco has announced that his government is applying the best international practices in its fundamental oil and gas sector to attract more foreign investment in the Southern African nation. In an interview with leading oil and gas news portal africaoilandpower, President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco said that in recent times the government has changed policies of managing energy resources, such as oil and gas, to better serve the interests of the country and investors. He said there is a need to diversify Angolas economy, stressing that oil is the key driver of economic activity throughout the country. This new era in oil and gas is the result of Angola having adopted a totally transparent management of tenders, he stated. Some of the recent reforms include the restructure of Angolas national oil company, Sonangol. The state-run company will now focus on the production, refining and distribution of petroleum products and natural gas. Government has also created the National, Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency, which has become the concessionaire of the countrys petroleum resources. Other regulatory highlights include Angolas decrees aimed at simplifying investment in the oil and gas industry, new rules and procedures for public tenders involving oil and gas contracts, a revised natural gas statute, the first comprehensive antitrust law and the announcement of a wave of privatization of state-owned companies. Warsaw (AFP) - Poland's right-wing government on Tuesday unveiled plans to crack down on paedophiles by raising prison sentences to a maximum 30 years as a ground-breaking documentary on paedophilia among Polish priests went viral in the Catholic country. The proposed changes by the Law and Justice (PiS) government, which is closely allied with Poland's powerful Roman Catholic church, come just two weeks ahead of a tight race in elections to the European Parliament. "Paedophilia has been treated too lightly by our judicial system," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said after presenting the new proposals. Commanding a majority in parliament, the PiS wants to raise maximum jail sentences for child sex abuse from 12 to 30 years and increase the age of consent from 15 to 16. PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, regarded as Poland's de facto powerbroker, first suggested longer prison terms for paedophiles on Sunday as the documentary attracted attention. "Tell No One", by independent Polish journalist Tomasz Sekielski has sent shock waves through the devout country and been viewed 12.5 million times since it was posted Saturday on YouTube. The two-hour film includes compelling hidden camera footage of victims who are now adults confronting elderly priests about the abuse they suffered decades ago. Several of the priests admit to the abuse and apologise for it, sometimes hinting at monetary compensation. The film also details how priests who were accused or even convicted of child sex abuse were transferred to other parishes and able to continue their duties and work with children. Top Polish clerics rejected Sekielski's requests to be interviewed for the documentary. Polish Primate Wojciech Polak apologised on Saturday "for every wound inflicted by the Church's people" and vowed to do everything he could to help victims. The church admitted in March that nearly 400 clergy had sexually abused children and minors over the last three decades, reflecting findings published a month earlier by a charity. The documentary concludes that Polish-born pope and saint John Paul II turned a blind eye to sex abuse when the Warsaw's communist regime was working to undermine the church, then Poland's only independent institution. Pope Francis last week passed a landmark new measure to oblige those who know about sex abuse to report it to superiors, which could bring many new cases to light. By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - Attempts to end the second worst Ebola outbreak on record are being hampered by "political games" and distrust of outsiders in two towns in Democratic Republic of Congo, a senior World Health Organization official said on Monday. The epidemic has moved through northeastern Congo, killing 1,117 people since mid-2018. A rapid international response with an effective vaccine has managed to stop the spread in a string of towns, including Beni, Kyondo, Komanda, Tchomia, Mabalako, Mandima and Kayna, WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan said. But in two towns, Butembo and Katwa, there has been persistent infection and reinfection, Ryan he told an audience at Geneva's Graduate Institute. "They see (DRC capital) Kinshasa as being as far away as New York. Anyone from more than 5 miles down the road, or maybe sometimes 500 metres, is an outsider," he said. "They are very distrusting of outside influence. And certainly getting this community on board has been a challenge, and missteps have been made along the way in doing that." Ryan added that there were "myriad" Mai-Mai militia groups, with at least 21 around Butembo and Katwa alone, some leaning towards criminal activity and many being manipulated by political causes. "There is a lot of political gaming going on in this part of the world government and opposition and others - and this needs to stop," Ryan said. Community engagement strategy involved healthworkers visiting a village in advance of vaccination, but by the time they went back the next morning or afternoon, youth groups or others were often there to intercept them. "Its not the family who are rejecting, it's other elements in the community who have been organised to respond to the outsiders, be they government or NGOs or others, and that has caused a lot of flashpoints with the teams." Ryan said the problem was totally different from attacks on health facilities by armed insurgents, who had used "heavy arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, and other stuff", which he said had horrified local inhabitants. To try to improve access for healthworkers, there had been discussions with Congo's president and opposition leaders, as well as the bishop of Butembo, imams and tribal chiefs who wield political influence. But a truly "all society approach" was needed, "or this situation will get even worse", Ryan said. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Moscow (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have plenty to talk about with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov when the pair meet in the southern Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday. As relations between Moscow and Washington plunge to depths not seen since the Cold War, here are topics the top diplomats could address: - Venezuela - Pompeo and Lavrov have in the past weeks called on the other's country to get out of crisis-wracked Venezuela. Moscow is a key ally of President Nicolas Maduro whereas Washington backs opposition leader Juan Guaido. Russia slammed the US's "irresponsible" support for a failed uprising against Maduro. Pompeo said Maduro had been ready to leave the country but that his Russian backers talked him out of it. - North Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month met Russia's Vladimir Putin for their first face-to-face talks. The meeting in Vladivostok aimed to counter US influence and boost Moscow's role on the Korean peninsula, after earlier negotiations between Kim and US President Donald Trump broke down. Pyongyang has angrily insisted "foolish and dangerous" Pompeo be kept away from further talks. - Election meddling - The report by US special counsel Robert Mueller did not find Trump's campaign team colluded with Moscow but did document widespread Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election. Pompeo, who has promised "tough actions" on meddling, last month warned Russia would attempt to influence the next US presidential election in 2020. "And we should expect in 2050, the Russians will be at it still," he said. Moscow has long rejected reports it sought to swing the 2016 vote in Trump's favour. - Prisoners - Moscow has denounced the case against Maria Butina, the only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics. Butina, who remains incarcerated in the US, faced "arbitrary" charges, Putin has said. Story continues Meanwhile US citizen Paul Whelan is in detention in Russia. The security expert was accused of espionage and arrested in Moscow late last year. Moscow has rejected the idea Whelan could be exchanged for any prisoner in the United States, saying it does not treat people as "pawns" in diplomatic games. - Iran nuclear deal - Russia has criticised Washington's exit from the 2015 nuclear deal, an agreement which curbed Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. European counterparts urged Pompeo Monday to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf after Washington sent an aircraft carrier and bombers to protect its interests and President Donald Trump said Tehran would "suffer greatly". UN inspectors have said Iran is complying with the deal, and Moscow last week denounced new US sanctions on the country's mining industry, calling for new talks to save the nuclear accord. Cotonou (AFP) - Amnesty International condemned Tuesday a Benin government clampdown on demonstrations following recent parliamentary elections, which it said left four dead. "The repression reached disturbing levels in Benin where four people were killed during the post-election demonstrations, and the families of the victims are still struggling to recover their bodies," the rights group said in a statement. "In Cotonou, the most populous city in the country, security forces carried out arbitrary arrests, causing serious injuries," it added. According to Amnesty, systematic searches and interrogation of citizens were carried out in Cadjehoun district, where former President Boni Yayi resides, at the epicentre of the post-election violence. The former head of state's home was still surrounded and under surveillance by security forces two weeks after the protests ended. Violent demonstrations erupted in Benin a few days after the 28 April legislative elections, which took place without any opposition candidate. Changes to electoral rules had effectively barred opposition parties from fielding candidates. The final results, showed that all seats were won by the only two parties allowed to take part -- both allied to President Patrice Talon. Voter turnout was 27.1 percent, a record low since Benin transited to democracy nearly 30 years ago. The results have raised concerns of an authoritarian turn in a country formerly known to be a democratic example in West Africa. The 83 elected lawmakers from The Republican Bloc and The Progressive Union will take office on May 16 in Porto Novo. WASHINGTON The ramped-up trade tensions between the U.S. and China have roiled markets in recent days, but President Trump dismissed concerns and predicted victory on Tuesday when he spoke to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before embarking on a trip to Louisiana. Trump began by declaring were having probably the greatest economy that weve had anywhere, any time in the history of our country. Were having a little squabble with China because weve been treated very unfairly for many, many decades. It should have been handled a long time ago, and it wasnt, and well handle it now, Trump said. I think its going to turn out extremely well. Were in a very strong position. Trumps comments came in the wake of China announcing it would increase tariffs on American products on Monday in retaliation for a similar move from the Trump administration earlier this month. The tariff hikes from the U.S. were part of an effort to increase pressure on Beijing as Trump seeks a new trade agreement with China. Chinas retaliatory moves are expected to hurt U.S. farm exports in particular, as Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., admitted Monday. The administration has proposed $27 billion in farm support payments over the last two years to offset the impact of Chinas response. The presidents efforts to craft a deal with China, which began almost as soon as he took office in 2017, stem from his deeply held belief the trade deficit between the two countries needs to be cut, a goal many economists view as pointless. The U.S. is also seeking to crack down on intellectual property theft by Chinese companies and rules that prevent American countries from fully competing and controlling their operations in China. We are the piggy bank that everyone likes to take advantage of or take from and we cant let that happen any more, Trump said on Tuesday. Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP Trump went on to suggest the U.S. has greater leverage in the ongoing talks between the two countries. Story continues They want to make a deal. It could absolutely happen, but in the meantime, a lot of money is being made by the United States and a lot of strength is being shown, Trump said. This has never happened to China before. Our economy is fantastic, theirs is not so good. Beijing and Washington have seemed close to an agreement on multiple occasions, with officials traveling back and forth between the two countries. The latest round of negotiations ended last Friday. In response to a question from a reporter, Trump said he did not believe the talks had collapsed. We have a very good dialogue. We have a dialogue going. It will always continue, but we made a deal with China, it was a deal that was a very good deal. ... We had a deal that was very close and then they broke it. They really did, said Trump, adding, We cant have that happen. Trump also said he was not surprised that China retaliated with its own tariff increases. While the president has insisted Beijing will bear the costs of the tariffs, most economists say they will be passed to American consumers. A reporter asked Trump about the possibility Americans could suffer from the tariffs, and he dismissed it. Trump indicated the increased prices for Chinese imports would encourage American manufacturers to move more of their operations here. Photo: Keith Srakocic/AP You have no tariff to pay whatsoever if youre a business. All you have to do is build or make your product in the United States. Theres no tariff whatsoever. So, that really works out very well. And Trump expressed no doubt that the U.S. would ultimately be victorious in any trade war with China. I think were winning it. Were going to be collecting over $100 billion in tariffs, Trump said. You know what? You want to know something? Do you want to know something? We always win. While the president seems assured, the financial and commodity markets have shaken each time the trade war threats ramped up. And there was a slight crack in Trumps bravado when Yahoo News asked if he is confident there wont be a recession during his time in office. Well, you never can say that, but were doing very well, Trump said. I think we probably have the greatest economy that weve ever had. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: USA: Matthew J. DeSarno Named Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office FBI Director Christopher Wray has named Matthew J. DeSarno as special agent in charge of the Dallas Field Office. Mr. DeSarno has served as the special agent in charge of the Criminal Division in the Washington Field Office since 2018. Mr. DeSarno joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002. Throughout his career, he has focused primarily on violent gang activity and counterterrorism matters. He first served in the San Diego Field Office, where he was assigned to the gang group of the Violent Crimes Task Force. He was promoted to supervisory special agent in 2007 and assigned to the Safe Streets and Gang Unit at FBI Headquarters, where he provided program management oversight and support for gang investigations throughout the country. In 2009, DeSarno was transferred to the Chicago Field Office, where he led the Joint Task Force on Gangs. He was promoted in 2013 to assistant special agent in charge, managing the white-collar, public corruption, and civil rights programs in Chicago. He later assumed responsibility for the violent crime, transnational organized crime, SWAT, evidence response, and crisis negotiation programs in Chicago. DeSarno was named the chief of the Strategic Operations Section of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division at Headquarters in 2015. He oversaw the Bureaus efforts in global counterterrorism targeting and counterterrorism human intelligence operations overseas. In 2017, he was promoted to deputy assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division, where he provided leadership oversight for the FBIs international terrorism investigations and operations. Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. DeSarno served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army assigned to the First Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. His time in the Army included a deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the NATO Stabilization Force monitoring compliance with the Dayton Peace Accords, and apprehending persons indicted for war crimes. This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The European Union on Monday called on all warring groups in Libya to commit to a ceasefire and return to UN-led mediation. EU foreign ministers in a statement urged all parties to immediately implement a ceasefire and to engage with the United Nations to ensure a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities. The council of ministers made the announcement after meeting with UN-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj in Brussels. According to the EU, the factions must dissociate themselves both publicly and on the ground from terrorist and criminal elements involved in the fighting, and from those suspected of war crimes, including individuals listed by the UN Security Council. Since the outbreak of conflict in 2014, Libya has had first three, then two, rival governments claiming legitimacy the GNA in Tripoli, and the Interim Government based in the eastern cities of al-Bayda and Tobruk that is allied with Khalifa Haftar, a former senior officer in the army of Muammar Gaddafi. The power struggle between Haftar and the GNA has left Libyas vast desert regions without effective government. Many independent Libyan experts claim Haftar has no commitment to democracy, and himself deploys Salafist militia in his self-styled Libyan National Army. The GNA said that Haftar was directly responsible for a resurgence in Islamic extremist activities in Libya. SOCHI, Russia, May 14 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday that he sensed that U.S. President Donald Trump genuinely wanted to repair battered relations between Russia and the United States. Putin, speaking ahead of talks with Pompeo, also said that Russia had never interfered in U.S. elections and that he and Pompeo had something to talk about when it came to stability on global energy markets. Pompeo had earlier told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Washington would brook no interference by Moscow in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, saying such a move would seriously harm already poor relations. (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin Editing by Andrew Osborn) SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday that he sensed that U.S. President Donald Trump genuinely wanted to repair battered relations between Russia and the United States. Putin, speaking ahead of talks with Pompeo, also said that Russia had never interfered in U.S. elections and that he and Pompeo had something to talk about when it came to stability on global energy markets. Pompeo had earlier told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Washington would brook no interference by Moscow in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, saying such a move would seriously harm already poor relations. (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrew Osborn) 621 E. Mehring Way. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Cincinnati? 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 rental in Cincinnati if you've got a budget of $1,100/month. 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. 925 Nassau St. (Walnut Hills) First, listed at $1,100/month, this 700-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 925 Nassau St. In the unit, expect hardwood floors, a fireplace, a dishwasher and storage space. The building boasts assigned parking and on-site laundry. Hairball alert: cats are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, this location is somewhat walkable, is relatively bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) 3515 Brookstone Drive (Oakley) Here's a 760-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 3515 Brookstone Drive that's going for $1,090/month. In the furnished unit, you'll have a mix of carpeted and hardwood floors, a balcony, a fireplace, a walk-in closet, stainless steel appliances and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include a swimming pool, a fitness center, a roof deck, a residents' lounge and storage space. Both cats and dogs are allowed. Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is fairly bikeable and has some transit options. (See the full listing here.) 34 W. Sixth St. (Central Business District) Next, check out this 744-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom that's located at 34 W. Sixth St. It's listed for $1,070/month. In the unit, anticipate high ceilings, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, a walk-in closet and in-unit laundry. As for building amenities, look for a fitness center, a residents' lounge, dry cleaning service and storage space. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are permitted on this property. Story continues Per Walk Score ratings, the surrounding area has excellent walkability, is relatively bikeable and is a haven for transit riders. (See the complete listing here.) 231 W. Fourth St. (Central Business District) Listed at $1,050/month, this 791-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom is located at 231 W. Fourth St. In the unit, you can expect high ceilings, hardwood floors, a balcony, stainless steel appliances and a walk-in closet. Building amenities include a swimming pool, a fitness center, outdoor space, storage space and on-site laundry. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are welcome. According to Walk Score's assessment, the surrounding area is quite walkable, is bikeable and is a haven for transit riders. (Check out the complete listing here.) 621 E. Mehring Way (Central Business District) Finally, there's this studio situated at 621 E. Mehring Way. It's listed for $1,034/month for its 485 square feet of space. In the unit, there are hardwood floors, a balcony, stainless steel appliances and a walk-in closet. Building amenities include a swimming pool, a fitness center, a roof deck, outdoor space, garage parking and on-site laundry. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are welcome. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is moderately walkable, is convenient for biking and has excellent transit. (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. 3550 E. Overton Road. | Photos: Zumper If you're apartment hunting, you know how hard it can be to find a good deal. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in Dallas look like these days and what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in Dallas via rental site Zumper to find out what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, 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. 9835 Walnut St., #R301 Up first is this 423-square-foot condo with one bedroom and one bathroom at 9835 Walnut St., #R301, in Northeast Dallas, listed at $595/month. In the unit, expect air conditioning and a fireplace. Cats and dogs are not welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. According to Walk Score, the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the listing here.) 3333 Webb Chapel Ext Next up is this 480-square-foot studio, located at 3333 Webb Chapel Ext in Preston Hollow and listed for $617/month. When it comes to building amenities, expect a business center and on-site laundry. In the unit, look for a fireplace and a walk-in closet. Pets are not welcome. Walk Score indicates that this location is quite walkable, has some bike infrastructure and has some transit options. (Here's the listing.) 3550 E. Overton Road This studio, situated at 3550 E. Overton Road in Cedar Crest, is listed for $625/month for its 403 square feet of space. In the unit, you're promised both air conditioning and central heating. Building amenities include a fitness center, outdoor space and residents lounge. Good news for animal lovers: both dogs and cats are allowed here. According to Walk Score, this location requires a car for most errands, is fairly bikeable and has some transit options. Story continues (See the listing here.) 7621 McCallum Blvd., #315 And here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo at 7621 McCallum Blvd., #315 in Far North, which, with 585 square feet, is going for $635/month. In the unit, expect to find in-unit laundry, carpeted floors and a fireplace. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There's no leasing fee required for this rental, but there is a $40 application fee. Per Walk Score ratings, this location isn't very walkable, is quite bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (Check out the listing here.) 7152 Fair Oaks Ave., #1026 Finally, over at 7152 Fair Oaks Ave., #1026 in Lake Highlands, there's this 514-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo, going for $650/month. In the unit, you'll find air conditioning, hardwood flooring and a fireplace. Cats and dogs are not welcome. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is relatively bikeable and has good transit options. (View the 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. 522 S. Boston Ave. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Tulsa? We've rounded up the latest rental listings via rental site Zumper to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to hunting down housing in Tulsa if you've got $1,100/month earmarked for your rent. 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. 522 S. Boston Ave. (Downtown) Listed at $1,099/month, this 725-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom is located at 522 S. Boston Ave. The unit features a balcony, in-unit laundry, air conditioning and a walk-in closet. Amenities offered with the building include assigned parking, an elevator and a residents' lounge. Both cats and dogs are welcome. This rental does not require a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, this location is very walkable, is quite bikeable and has some transit options. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) 310 E. First St. (Downtown) Next, there's this studio apartment located at 310 E. First St. It's listed for $1,075/month for its 699 square feet of space. In the apartment, expect a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location is moderately walkable, is quite bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here.) 10 E. Archer St. (Downtown) Here's a 735-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 10 E. Archer St. that's going for $1,075/month. In the unit, you'll get hardwood floors, in-unit laundry, high ceilings and a walk-in closet. The building offers an elevator, fitness center, garage parking and a residents' lounge. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are permitted on this property. This rental does not require a leasing fee. Story continues Per Walk Score ratings, this location is somewhat walkable, is very bikeable and has some transit options. (See the full listing here.) 215 S. Greenwood Ave. (Downtown) Finally, check out this 584-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom that's located at 215 S. Greenwood Ave. It's listed for $1,035/month. In the unit, you'll find hardwood floors, granite countertops, a walk-in closet and stainless steel appliances. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are allowed. The building offers outdoor space, a fitness center and a swimming pool. This rental does not require a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is moderately walkable, is easy to get around on a bicycle and has some transit 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. In medical terms, critical care is a specialized branch of medicine dedicated to diagnosing and treating life-threatening conditions, write Angelika Fitz and Elke Krasny in the introduction to their new book, Critical Care: Architecture and Urbanism for Broken Planet, just published by MIT Press. The authors' metaphor conveys our planet's urgent condition, but the phrase also becomes a play on words as the pair make the case for a new approach to design, which they dub caring architecture and urbanism. Weaving together tenets of ecology, economics, social justice, feminism, and politics, Fitz and Krasny lay out a new vision and approach for how architecture and urban planning can help heal, repair, and revive the planet. Photo: Ana Mello With 21 current case studies from across the globe and 12 essays, Critical Care provides examples of forward-thinking designs that impart hope for the future. It's crucial to show that there is agency for architects and planners, says Fitz, who is a cultural theorist and curator and director of the Architekturzentrum Wien in Vienna, where a corresponding exhibit is being shown. Case studies include a socially and environmentally sustainable village in an earthquake- and landslide-prone area of rural China. Employing local materials, green roofs, biogas technology, vertical courtyards, and collective animal husbandry, the settlement serves as a model for modern rural livelihood. In Barcelona, an initiative to redefine public spaces for pedestrians and cyclists has significantly reduced air pollution and car traffic, making the city more livable. Rather than overhauling the abutting landscape, one development in Vienna embraced its urban wilderness, both maintaining wildlife and giving the public access to a new type of space that's neither forest nor park. And in crowded neighborhoods of Nairobi and Sao Paolo, vibrant communities have evolved to rectify land and tenancy rights while improving infrastructure. While the projects vary widely in programming and scope, each uses locally appropriate solutions, involves a cross section of stakeholders, and delivers a prototype that can be mimicked. Story continues Photo: Martina Bo Rubino The authors' stance is that the capitalist model of infinite economic expansion is squarely at odds with our planet's natural resources; in order to stabilize the climate and avoid ecological collapse, we must reduce that strain. (The United Nations' dire report released last week supports their view: Human society faces a foreseeable, catastrophic threat due to massive loss of biodiversity.) Fitz and Krasny quote author and activist Naomi Klein to reinforce their point: Only one of these sets of rules can be changed, and it is not the laws of nature. Caring is at the very core of architecture itself, the duo argue, since it is about shelterfundamentally, protecting humans from the elements. At its very essence, then, architecture is critical to human life, or, as Krasny writes, it is a most crucial practice of care for earthly survival. Photo: Wang Ziling Caring architecture moves beyond sustainability. It thinks not only about materials, energy footprint, and site impact, but also about how materials were obtained and the well-being of all people who will come in contact with a building or spaceconstruction laborers, sanitation crews, employees, maintenance workers, and so onthroughout its useful life. It also considers how a structure or space will eventually be repaired, restored, or preserved in the future. Importantly, caring architecture considers how it fits within a complex web of interconnected people, animals, and plants, as well as other artificial things. It views interdependency as an inherent conditionthe built environment cannot be isolated from the political, social, and cultural fabric. Photo: Jesus Porras; copyright Kounkuey Design Initiative Krasny, who is a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, paints our current model as out of date and out of balance. She writes: Today's demands on architectural production under the conditions of accelerated neoliberal capitalism, oligarchism and authoritarian populism are extremely averse to the ethics of interdependence. Financialization, commodification, gentrification, touristification and aggressively iconic spectacularization dominate the architecture market and dictate the pressures on the profession. Photo: Filip Dujardin In an effort to move beyond the hubris of the Anthropocene, Fitz and Krasny make an excellent case for a new concept of architecture, community, and even citizenship. In order to succeed, caring architecture must disrupt the conventional model, and, Krasny notes, overcome the toxic devaluation of nature and human health to arrive at innovative, sustainable, healthy, and integrative buildings, public spaces, and communities. We cannot go on pretending that problems don't exist. Activism is not only about taking to the streets, Krasny says. There is proof that things can be done differently. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias has reportedly been arrested on a domestic violence charge. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias was reportedly arrested on a domestic violence charge on Monday night after police were called to the scene of an argument he was having with a female companion. Following the arrest, Major League Baseball placed Urias on administrative leave for seven days, according to Yahoo Sports Tim Brown. Thats standard protocol for the league under its domestic violence policy. MLB will use the time to launch its own investigation into the alleged incident. MLB puts Julio Urias on 7-day administrative leave. Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) May 14, 2019 The alleged incident happened in the parking lot of a Los Angeles shopping center, according to TMZ. At some point during the argument, Urias reportedly shoved the woman to the ground. The police came after a witness called to report the incident. TMZ reported the woman told police that there had been no physical contact between her and Urias during the argument. However, several witnesses (beyond the one who called about the incident) said they saw Urias shove her. TMZ also reported that there is a video of the incident, and it backs up the account of the witnesses at the scene. Urias was then reportedly arrested and booked on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence. According to TMZ, he spent the night in jail and was released on Tuesday morning after posting $20,000 bail. Urias, 22, is a former top prospect who has been in the majors off-and-on since 2016. He has a 3.18 ERA in 2019 over 28.1 innings, which includes four starts and nine total appearances. Whether Urias faces criminal charges for his actions, he could still be subject to punishment from MLB. The league launches its own independent investigations in situations such as this and decides whether a suspension is warranted. More from Yahoo Sports: Russia wants active involvement in the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project By Natalia Kochiashvili The heads of Russian, Turkish and Azerbaijani railway companies have signed a trilateral memorandum in Ankara. The memorandum provides for cooperation to ensure regular rail traffic along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route, including the establishment of economically sound tariffs and the attraction of a new cargo base The Russian Railways has released an official press release on the signing of the memorandum with a title "Russian railway track may be extended to Turkey."The press release also covers the topic of adding another rail track to Akhalkalaki-Karsi section, the parties will consider the possibility of implementing a project to build a second railway track with a gauge of 1,520 mm in the Akhalkalaki (Georgia) - Kars section, 76 km long. Must be noted, 1520 mm laning is the Soviet standard, whereas the highway that has already built from Akhalkalaki to Kars is in accordance to European standard (1435 mm). According to Russian Railway, the construction of the Terminal Logistics Center in Kars is also discussed."The signed memorandum explains the possibility of development of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line. This highway is now being built under the guidance of Azeri Railways. This means that Turkey joins the unified technological space of the former Soviet Union countries, Finland, Bulgaria and Iran, which are closely cooperating with each other, "said Oleg Belozyorov,, General Director of Russian Railways. According to him, the cargo on Baku-Tbilisi-Kars mines may be from South Korea, China and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region.In addition, the head of the Russian Railways visited Baku yesterday, where he met Ilham Aliyev, the president of the country. Discussions focused on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars municipality issue. One more memorandum was signed between Baku and Russia and Azerbaijan railway companies, which envisages cooperation in the railway sector.The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is built on the basis of the Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish interstate agreement. The project started in 2008. The opening ceremony of the freight traffic on the BTK was held on October 30, 2017. The total length of the BTK is 829 kilometers. According to the engineering decision of the project, the railway line connecting station in the territory of Georgia is in Akhalkalaki. The estimated capacity of the corridor is one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo per year. In the future, the capacity of the transport corridor can be increased to three million passengers and 20 million tons of cargo annually.As for the meeting in Ankara where the heads of the Russian, Turkish and Azerbaijani railway companies signed a Memorandum, the Prime Minister said that the meeting was a different According to the agreement between Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan fourth party can join the deal only with the consent of all three countries.Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze made a comment about the meeting:"This is a strategic project for us and there is an agreement signed between the three countries where specifically defined principles in which this project is implemented. Most of the works are over and we will end the project with the engineering decision that exists. According to this this decision, the connecting station is in the territory of Georgia in Akhalkalaki. It seems that the meeting that was held in Ankara is a completely different meeting - the agreement signed between the three countries states, other players can join only in case of consent of all countries.Premier expressed his certainty about connecting station: There will be a connecting station in the territory of Georgia connecting the European Standard Railway with our standard railway and this will happen in Akhalkalaki, no other version can be discussed, stated Bakhtadze. Los Angeles is brimming with design delights and happenings. For all the goings-on around town and news you need to know, AD PROs weekly news roundup is here to keep you filled in. Ressource Expands to West Coast in Calabasas The French paint brand is expanding its reach to the West Coast in a new concept store dubbed FRENCH US, located in Calabasas. The store will carry Ressources entire collection of more than 950 shades of color and every finishing option from matte to high gloss. The expansion comes only one year after Ressource first debuted in the United States. The store will also carry a range of other French brands including Caravane, Maison Sarah Lavoine, and Maison de Vacances. Orange County Eichler Homes on View Get a taste of Orange County midcentury architecture and support historic preservation advocacy efforts during Preserve Orange County's Eichler Home Tour this weekend. Tours on May 18 and 19 include seven properties located within three designated landmark Eichler-developed tracts that were built in the city of Orange between 1960 and 1964. The area has an estimated 350 Eichler homes. Tickets cost $60 each; $45 for Preserve Orange County members. R&A Architecture + Design Promotes Lindsay Green to Principal Lindsay Green, Assoc. AIA, has been promoted to principal of Culver Citybased R&A Architecture + Design, which she joined in 2017 as studio director of interiors. The SCI-Arc alum is managing current R&A projects including the Cayton Children's Museum opening this summer in Santa Monica (the institution was formerly the Zimmer Children's Museum, located in Mid-City), and the forthcoming mixed-use, seven-story AVA LA Arts District development. Andrea Schumacher Establishes Santa Barbara Office Denver-based interior designer Andrea Schumacher has brought her style and sensibility to downtown Santa Barbara. The contemporary design studio's team will oversee the firm's California interior design and renovation projects from a new office on State Street. Story continues Boffi Unveils New Products at West Hollywood Showroom The West Hollywood Design District outpost of Boffi International has debuted new collections at 8775 Beverly Boulevard, including pieces from the De Padova archive. Boffi Los Angeles manager Luca Mariani relocated from London to oversee the showroom and studio, where the Cove kitchen by Zaha Hadid will be installed and available. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Antibiotics after assisted births could stop thousands of infections Giving a single dose of antibiotics to mothers who have a medically assisted birth using forceps or vacuum could prevent almost half of maternal infections, researchers said on Monday, and global health authorities should change their advice. In a study published in The Lancet medical journal, the researchers said prescribing antibiotics as a preventative measure could save more than 7,000 infections in new mothers in the UK each year, and around 5,000 in the United States. Without heart disease, daily aspirin may be too risky For people without heart disease, taking a daily aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes may increase the risk of severe brain bleeding to the point where it outweighs any potential benefit, a research review suggests. U.S. doctors have long advised adults who haven't had a heart attack or stroke but are at high risk for these events to take a daily aspirin pill, an approach known as primary prevention. Even though there's clear evidence aspirin works for this purpose, many physicians and patients have been reluctant to follow the recommendations because of the risk of rare but potentially lethal internal bleeding. Home-based heart rehab may help patients who can't get to clinics Some heart attack survivors may benefit from supervised home-based cardiac rehabilitation programs when hospital-based rehab isn't an option, U.S. doctors say. Medically supervised rehab programs focused on things like stress reduction, exercise and heart healthy living have long been linked to better survival odds, fewer hospitalizations, and improved quality of life after a heart attack or cardiac procedure. But most patients don't start rehab or stick with it as long as they should because of barriers like a lack of insurance or the inconvenience of needing to travel and take time off work every time they go to rehab at a hospital. Story continues U.S. measles outbreak grows with 75 new cases, mostly in New York U.S. health authorities recorded 75 new cases of the measles in the latest week, mostly in New York state, bringing the nationwide total to 839 cases in the country's worst outbreak of the virus since 1994, federal health officials said on Monday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 9.8% increase in measles cases as of May 10, a resurgence that public health officials have attributed to the spread of misinformation about the measles vaccine. Data are updated every Monday. Most parents text while driving, but millennials may be more dangerous More than half of U.S. parents believe it's unsafe to text while driving, but most of them do it anyway, a new survey suggests. "I think many people believe that texting and driving is unsafe, but also have gotten away with reading and/or writing texts at some point, reinforcing a false sense of safety," said senior study author Dr. Regan Bergmark of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Vietnam to mobilize military in fight against African swine fever Vietnam said it will mobilize its military and police forces to help combat the outbreak of African swine fever that has already resulted in the culling of about 4% of the country's pig herd. The virus, first detected in the Southeast Asian country in February, has hit farms in 29 provinces, and prompted the authorities to cull more than 1.2 million pigs. Myovant Sciences' uterine fibroids combo therapy meets main goal in study Myovant Sciences Ltd said on Tuesday its combination therapy met the main goal of a late-stage study testing the treatment in women with uterine fibroids. The company said 73.4% of women receiving the once-daily treatment showed a greater reduction in menstrual blood loss compared with 18.9% of women receiving placebo. California jury hits Bayer with $2 billion award in Roundup cancer trial A California jury on Monday awarded more than $2 billion to a couple who claimed Bayer AG's glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused their cancer, in the largest U.S. jury verdict to date against the company in litigation over the chemical. The large punitive damages award is likely to be reduced due to U.S. Supreme Court rulings that limit the ratio of punitive to compensatory damages to 9:1. The jury awarded a total of $2 billion in punitive damages and $55 million in compensatory damages. Political games hinder efforts to end Ebola outbreak in Congo: WHO Attempts to end the second worst Ebola outbreak on record are being hampered by "political games" and distrust of outsiders in two towns in Democratic Republic of Congo, a senior World Health Organization official said on Monday. The epidemic has moved through northeastern Congo, killing 1,117 people since mid-2018. A rapid international response with an effective vaccine has managed to stop the spread in a string of towns, including Beni, Kyondo, Komanda, Tchomia, Mabalako, Mandima and Kayna, WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan said. With cancer rates rising worldwide, oncologist shortage predicted As cancer rates rise worldwide, researchers predict a shortage of specialists who can deliver chemotherapy, according to a new study. World Health Organization projections suggest that the number of people who will need chemotherapy will rise steadily over coming decades. Unless something is done, there won't be enough specialists to deliver those life-saving treatments, researchers report in The Lancet Oncology. Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Tearful Felicity Huffman admits role in U.S. college admissions scandal Actress Felicity Huffman tearfully pleaded guilty on Monday to paying to rig a college entrance exam for her daughter, part of a wide-ranging scandal in which wealthy parents used fraud to secure their children spots at prominent U.S. universities. The onetime star of the television series "Desperate Housewives" pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy charge related to her payment of $15,000 to have someone secretly correct her daughter's answers on the SAT exam. Doris Day, Hollywood star of the 1950s and '60s, dead at 97 Actress Doris Day, who became one of the greatest box-office attractions of her time as the cheery, freckle-faced personification of wholesomeness, died on Monday at the age of 97, her foundation said on Monday. Day, who co-starred with 1950s and '60s superstars such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant, died at her Carmel, California home after a bout with pneumonia, the Doris Day Animal Foundation said on its website. Ex-president Jimmy Carter breaks hip ahead of turkey hunt Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter fell and broke his hip on Monday as he was preparing to leave his home in Georgia for a turkey-hunting trip, and underwent successful surgery to repair the injury, a representative said. Carter, 94, a Democrat who was elected president in 1976, was accompanied by his wife, Rosalynn, 91, while recovering from the operation, which doctors said was successful, according to a statement from his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center. Prince Harry, Meghan pay tribute to all mothers Prince Harry and Meghan paid tribute to all mothers on Sunday, when the Duchess of Sussex's native United States celebrates Mother's Day, by honoring and celebrating "past, present, mothers-to-be and those lost but forever remembered." Writing alongside a picture of the couple's new baby Archie's feet, they said: "Paying tribute to all mothers today - past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered." Stan Lee's ex-manager charged with elder abuse against comic book co-creator The former manager of Stan Lee has been charged with elder abuse against the late comic book legend, a Los Angeles court official said on Monday. Keya Morgan was charged on Friday with five counts of elder abuse, including false imprisonment, fraud and forgery stemming from an incident last summer when Lee was 95 years old, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court public information office told Los Angeles City News Service. Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Tearful Felicity Huffman admits role in U.S. college admissions scandal Actress Felicity Huffman tearfully pleaded guilty on Monday to paying to rig a college entrance exam for her daughter, part of a wide-ranging scandal in which wealthy parents used fraud to secure their children spots at prominent U.S. universities. The onetime star of the television series "Desperate Housewives" pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy charge related to her payment of $15,000 to have someone secretly correct her daughter's answers on the SAT exam. Madonna, on Eurovision, says she won't bow 'to suit someone's political agenda' Pop superstar Madonna on Tuesday explained her decision to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel this week, saying that she will always speak up to defend human rights and hopes to see "a new path toward peace." Madonna will make a guest appearance on Saturday during the Eurovision finals in Tel Aviv. The venue has prompted calls for a boycott by pro-Palestinian activists who want companies, performers and governments to disengage from Israel. Doris Day, Hollywood star of the 1950s and '60s, dead at 97 Actress Doris Day, who became one of the greatest box-office attractions of her time as the cheery, freckle-faced personification of wholesomeness, died on Monday at the age of 97, her foundation said on Monday. Day, who co-starred with 1950s and '60s superstars such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant, died at her Carmel, California home after a bout with pneumonia, the Doris Day Animal Foundation said on its website. Ex-president Jimmy Carter breaks hip ahead of turkey hunt Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter fell and broke his hip on Monday as he was preparing to leave his home in Georgia for a turkey-hunting trip, and underwent successful surgery to repair the injury, a representative said. Carter, 94, a Democrat who was elected president in 1976, was accompanied by his wife, Rosalynn, 91, while recovering from the operation, which doctors said was successful, according to a statement from his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center. Story continues Prince Harry, Meghan pay tribute to all mothers Prince Harry and Meghan paid tribute to all mothers on Sunday, when the Duchess of Sussex's native United States celebrates Mother's Day, by honoring and celebrating "past, present, mothers-to-be and those lost but forever remembered." Writing alongside a picture of the couple's new baby Archie's feet, they said: "Paying tribute to all mothers today - past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered." Stan Lee's ex-manager charged with elder abuse against comic book co-creator The former manager of Stan Lee has been charged with elder abuse against the late comic book legend, a Los Angeles court official said on Monday. Keya Morgan was charged on Friday with five counts of elder abuse, including false imprisonment, fraud and forgery stemming from an incident last summer when Lee was 95 years old, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court public information office told Los Angeles City News Service. Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Tearful Felicity Huffman admits role in U.S. college admissions scandal Actress Felicity Huffman tearfully pleaded guilty on Monday to paying to rig a college entrance exam for her daughter, part of a wide-ranging scandal in which wealthy parents used fraud to secure their children spots at prominent U.S. universities. The onetime star of the television series "Desperate Housewives" pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy charge related to her payment of $15,000 to have someone secretly correct her daughter's answers on the SAT exam. Madonna, on Eurovision, says she won't bow 'to suit someone's political agenda' Pop superstar Madonna on Tuesday explained her decision to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel this week, saying that she will always speak up to defend human rights and hopes to see "a new path toward peace." Madonna will make a guest appearance on Saturday during the Eurovision finals in Tel Aviv. The venue has prompted calls for a boycott by pro-Palestinian activists who want companies, performers and governments to disengage from Israel. Doris Day, Hollywood star of the 1950s and '60s, dead at 97 Actress Doris Day, who became one of the greatest box-office attractions of her time as the cheery, freckle-faced personification of wholesomeness, died on Monday at the age of 97, her foundation said on Monday. Day, who co-starred with 1950s and '60s superstars such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant, died at her Carmel, California home after a bout with pneumonia, the Doris Day Animal Foundation said on its website. Ex-president Jimmy Carter breaks hip ahead of turkey hunt Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter fell and broke his hip on Monday as he was preparing to leave his home in Georgia for a turkey-hunting trip, and underwent successful surgery to repair the injury, a representative said. Carter, 94, a Democrat who was elected president in 1976, was accompanied by his wife, Rosalynn, 91, while recovering from the operation, which doctors said was successful, according to a statement from his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center. Story continues Britain's Kate views Bletchley Park codebreaker exhibit for D-Day Kate, Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, traveled on Tuesday to the old home of Britain's World War Two codebreakers - and where her own grandmother worked, visiting an exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. The historic site in Milton Keynes is where mathematician Alan Turing cracked Nazi Germany's "unbreakable" Enigma code. Prince Harry, Meghan pay tribute to all mothers Prince Harry and Meghan paid tribute to all mothers on Sunday, when the Duchess of Sussex's native United States celebrates Mother's Day, by honoring and celebrating "past, present, mothers-to-be and those lost but forever remembered." Writing alongside a picture of the couple's new baby Archie's feet, they said: "Paying tribute to all mothers today - past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered." Stan Lee's ex-manager charged with elder abuse against comic book co-creator The former manager of Stan Lee has been charged with elder abuse against the late comic book legend, a Los Angeles court official said on Monday. Keya Morgan was charged on Friday with five counts of elder abuse, including false imprisonment, fraud and forgery stemming from an incident last summer when Lee was 95 years old, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court public information office told Los Angeles City News Service. U.S. actor Tim Conway of 'The Carol Burnett Show' dies at age 85 Emmy-winning actor Tim Conway, who brought an endearing, free-wheeling goofiness to skits on "The Carol Burnett Show" that cracked up his cast mates as well as the audience, died on Tuesday at the age of 85, his publicist said. Publicist Howard Bragman said Conway died in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday morning. Prior to his death, he had suffered complications from normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and had no signs of dementia or Alzheimers, Bragman said. Following is a summary of current science news briefs. Trump seeks extra $1.6 billion in NASA spending to return to moon by 2024 The Trump administration asked Congress on Monday to increase NASA spending next year by an extra $1.6 billion as a "down payment" to accommodate the accelerated goal of returning Americans to the surface of the moon by 2024. The increased funding request, announced by President Donald Trump on Twitter, comes nearly two months after Vice President Mike Pence declared the objective of shortening by four years NASA's previous timeline for putting astronauts back on the moon for the first time since 1972. Quakes show that moon, gradually shrinking, is tectonically active The moon may be dynamic and tectonically active like Earth - not the inert world some scientists had believed it to be - based on a new analysis disclosed on Monday of quakes measured by seismometers in operation on the moon from 1969 and 1977. Researchers examining the seismic data gathered during NASA's Apollo missions traced the location of some of the quakes to step-shaped cliffs called scarps on the lunar surface that formed relatively recently, in geological terms, due to the ongoing subtle shrinking of the moon as its hot interior cools. Now you can explore a cave without actually going into a cave Czech speleologists have come up with a way to explore flooded cave systems without strapping on scuba gear, wet suits, helmets and water-proof lamps: 3D mapping. The new tool was developed by Geo-CZ, a company that uses the underlying technology to map historical and archaeological sites. The Cave Administration of the Czech Republic premiered it on Friday. Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Trump seeks extra $1.6 billion in NASA spending to return to moon by 2024 The Trump administration asked Congress on Monday to increase NASA spending next year by an extra $1.6 billion as a "down payment" to accommodate the accelerated goal of returning Americans to the surface of the moon by 2024. The increased funding request, announced by President Donald Trump on Twitter, comes nearly two months after Vice President Mike Pence declared the objective of shortening by four years NASA's previous timeline for putting astronauts back on the moon for the first time since 1972. U.S. measles outbreak grows with 75 new cases, mostly in New York U.S. health authorities recorded 75 new cases of the measles in the latest week, mostly in New York state, bringing the nationwide total to 839 cases in the country's worst outbreak of the virus since 1994, federal health officials said on Monday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 9.8% increase in measles cases as of May 10, a resurgence that public health officials have attributed to the spread of misinformation about the measles vaccine. Data are updated every Monday. Alabama Senate to vote on bill banning abortion Alabama's state Senate was due to vote on a bill on Tuesday that would outlaw nearly all abortions, but will first consider whether to allow the procedure for women and girls impregnated by rape and incest. Debate on the strictest anti-abortion bill in the United States was set to begin in the Republican-controlled chamber at 4 p.m. CDT (2100 GMT). It would be the latest in a procession of anti-abortion bills across the country that activists are hoping will result in the issue going before the U.S. Supreme Court. At least four dead in mid-air seaplane crash in Alaska, but 10 survive Two seaplanes collided in mid-air on Monday over southeastern Alaska, killing at least four of those aboard, injuring 10 and leaving two people missing, U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration officials said. The two aircraft went down over water about 25 to 30 miles (40-48 km) northeast of Ketchikan, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios. Story continues Shooting in St. Louis kills three, wounds two: media Three men were found shot to death and two wounded by gunfire late on Monday at a home on the north side of St. Louis, Missouri, media said, citing police officials. Police responding shortly before 9 p.m. arrived to find one victim on the porch and four inside, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper said online. Massage parlor footage of Patriots owner suppressed in Florida case Hidden-camera footage of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft at a Florida massage parlor cannot be used as evidence in his trial on charges of soliciting prostitution, a judge ruled on Monday in a victory for the billionaire. Attorneys for the owner of the reigning Super Bowl champions had asked the Florida judge to suppress the video, calling it governmental overreach from an illegally obtained search warrant. California jury hits Bayer with $2 billion award in Roundup cancer trial A California jury on Monday awarded more than $2 billion to a couple who claimed Bayer AG's glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused their cancer, in the largest U.S. jury verdict to date against the company in litigation over the chemical. The large punitive damages award is likely to be reduced due to U.S. Supreme Court rulings that limit the ratio of punitive to compensatory damages to 9:1. The jury awarded a total of $2 billion in punitive damages and $55 million in compensatory damages. PG&E proposes court order for CEO, board to tour town destroyed by wildfire PG&E Corp on Monday submitted a proposed order to a U.S. District Court judge that would require the power provider's chief executive and board to visit the California town of Paradise by July 15, to see the destruction caused by a wildfire in November that may be linked to the company's equipment. The order, agreed to by the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Probation Officer, awaits U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup's signature. Federal probe launched into fatal collision of Alaska tourist planes Federal investigators are due in Alaska on Tuesday to try to find out why two sightseeing planes collided in mid-air over open water during daylight hours, killing at least four tourists. The National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected to arrive in the southeast Alaska town of Kethikan, near where Monday's crash happened, during the afternoon, an NTSB official said. New York police weigh officer's conduct in 2014 'I can't breathe' death The disciplinary trial of the New York City policeman who fatally choked an unarmed black suspect in 2014 opened on Monday with the officer's lawyer shredding a copy of the autopsy report that concluded the man, Eric Garner, was killed by a chokehold. The trial of the white officer, Daniel Pantaleo, comes nearly five years after widely seen video of Garner's death sparked a national outcry about the treatment of black suspects by law enforcement. The clips, recorded on the cellphones of bystanders, showed Garner saying "I can't breathe" 11 times before he died. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Warships and wives: debate in Indian election turns increasingly ugly From jibes over the prime minister's wife to criticism of the main opposition leader's family holiday three decades ago, one trend stands out in this year's general election campaign in India: this time, it's personal. The world's largest democracy, with around 900 million eligible voters, wraps up polling held over six weeks on Sunday. Results will be known on May 23. Sri Lanka police arrest 23 for targeting Muslims after Easter bombings Sri Lankan police arrested 23 people on Tuesday in connection with a spate of attacks on Muslim-owned homes and shops in apparent reprisal for the Easter bombings by Islamist militants that killed more than 250 people. Soldiers in armored vehicles patrolled the towns hit by sectarian violence this week as residents recalled how Muslims had hid in paddy fields to escape mobs carrying rods and swords, incensed over the militant attacks. Saudi Arabia says oil facilities outside Riyadh attacked Saudi Arabia said armed drones had struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a "cowardly" act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The energy minister of the world's largest oil exporter said the attack caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil production or exports of crude and petroleum products. Despite falling numbers, immigration remains divisive EU issue Migrant arrivals to Italy have almost dried up, new asylum requests across the European Union have more than halved in three years and at the end of 2018, Hungary's reception centers housed just three refugees. On the face of it, Europe's migrant crisis appears over, but the shockwaves still resound around the continent ahead of this month's European Parliament election, and nationalist politicians are looking to capitalize on the continued tumult. Story continues Senior Conservatives tell May to ditch Brexit talks with Labour British Prime Minister Theresa May was told by senior members of her own party on Tuesday to abandon talks to find a Brexit compromise with the opposition Labor Party as pressure mounted on her to name a date for standing down. Nearly three years after the United Kingdom voted 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, there is still no agreement among British politicians about when, how or even if the divorce should take place. Liberians grapple with potential loss of U.S. legal status As snow blanketed African markets, churches and graves in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, in February, members of the Liberian community were praying fervently that this would not be their last winter in the United States. A form of immigration status known as Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) which had protected the migrants from deportation and allowed them to work legally was due to expire in March, meaning they would have had to leave the country voluntarily or be deported. Jailed Catalan separatists can be sworn in as lawmakers: court Spain's Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed five jailed Catalan separatist leaders to be sworn in as lawmakers next week, but said it would not free them or grant them immunity as their trial for their role in an independence bid proceeds. In Spain's general election on April 28 Oriol Junqueras, Josep Rull, Jordi Turull and Jordi Sanchez won seats in the lower house of parliament, and Raul Romeva won an upper chamber seat. North Korea says ship seizure by U.S. violates spirit of Trump-Kim summit North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit between the two countries' leaders, and demanded the return of the vessel without delay. The North's foreign ministry said in a statement that it rejected U.N. Security Council resolutions against it which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty. U.N. investigators urge nations to snap financial ties with Myanmar military The world must cut off financial and other support for Myanmar's armed forces, a U.N. fact-finding mission said on Tuesday, repeating a call for top generals to be prosecuted for abuses against the Rohingya Muslim minority. Myanmar security forces are accused of killings, gang rape and arson during a crackdown that drove more than 730,000 people to flee western Rakhine state for neighboring Bangladesh after attacks on police posts by Rohingya insurgents in August 2017. Pompeo tells Russia: we're committed to improving ties U.S. President Donald Trump is committed to improving relations with Russia, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday during a visit to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Pompeo told Lavrov that the two countries may not agree on everything, but there was room for cooperation, particularly on counter-terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Brexit talks between UK government and Labour to resume on Monday Talks between the British government and the opposition Labour Party to try to find a Brexit consensus will resume on Monday, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said. The discussions, which the spokesman said were serious and had covered many issues, were due to start at 1600 GMT. 'Like me, a little controversial': Trump praises Hungary's anti-immigration PM Orban U.S. President Donald Trump praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday, describing him as "like me, a little controversial," and brushing off concerns about threats to democratic norms in Hungary during Orban's tenure. Welcoming the right-wing Hungarian leader for a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump lauded him for being tough on immigration, a policy area in which the two leaders have similar visions. WikiLeaks source Manning could be jailed again soon if she disobeys U.S. grand jury Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and source for online publisher WikiLeaks, could be jailed again if she refuses to comply with a new grand jury subpoena, said a U.S. law enforcement source, as well as Manning herself. After 62 days in prison, Manning was released last Thursday. She had been locked up for refusing to comply with a grand jury subpoena for testimony in an investigation into WikiLeaks by U.S. prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia. Trump says it would be big mistake for Iran to try anything against U.S U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would "suffer greatly" if it targeted U.S. interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and more jet fighters at a time of rising tensions with Tehran. "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake," Trump told reporters at the White House. "If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Story continues Pompeo shares details on 'escalating' Iran threats in Brussels: U.S. State Department U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared information on "escalating" threats from Iran with European allies and NATO officials during meetings in Brussels on Monday, the U.S. special representative for Iran said. "Iran is an escalating threat and this seemed like a timely visit on his way to Sochi," Brian Hook told reporters, referring to Pompeo's planned visit to Russia on Tuesday for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Erdogan tells Putin: Syria targeting Turkish-Russian ties by ceasefire violations in Idlib Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the Syria government targeted the Turkish-Russian cooperation in Idlib by violating the agreed ceasefire, a statement from Erdogan's office said. Erdogan also told Putin that Syrian attacks on civilians, schools and hospitals in Idlib could not be seen as fighting against terrorism, the statement added. Britain warns of Iran-U.S. conflict, Pompeo meets Europeans Iran and the United States could trigger a conflict by accident in an already unstable Gulf region, Britain's foreign minister said on Monday, as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks in Brussels with the main European powers on the crisis. President Donald Trump is seeking to isolate Tehran by cutting off its oil exports after pulling out of a 2015 deal aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program. Trump has also beefed up the U.S. military presence in the Gulf to pressure Iran. Veteran Palestinian negotiator says she was denied U.S. visa for first time A veteran Palestinian negotiator said on Monday she had been denied a U.S. travel visa for the first time, and viewed it as retaliation for her criticism of the Trump administration and Israel. Asked about Hanan Ashrawi's allegations, a U.S. State Department official did not comment directly, but said visas are not refused on the grounds of an applicant's politics if those political statements or views would be lawful in the United States. Saudi oil tankers among those attacked off UAE amid Iran tensions Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and described it as an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid tensions between the United States and Iran. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. It did not describe the nature of the attack or say who was behind it. UK PM May's party slumps to fifth place as pressure mounts for her to go British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives have fallen to fifth place in an opinion poll ahead of the May 23 European parliamentary election as pressure grows for her to set a date for her own departure. Nigel Farage's Brexit Party was in the lead, up four percentage points, on 34% while May's Conservative Party had just 10%, the YouGov poll for the Times newspaper showed. The opposition Labour Party was down five points on 16%. Yerevan (AFP) - In a sleek classroom in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, one of the poorest post-Soviet republics, 14-year-old Nazeli Ter-Petrosyan peers at the screen of her Apple Mac. During a computer programming course offered at the high-tech Tumo school, Ter-Petrosyan and her classmates learn how to digitise medieval texts. "I'm developing a programme to enable artificial intelligence to read old manuscripts," said the teen. Her computer screen features a page from a 15th century Bible held at Armenia's famed repository of ancient writings, the Matenadaran. Armenia, which is known for its rich history and troubled past, has grappled with poverty, unemployment and a brain drain since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. But despite a stagnant economy, Armenia's tech sector has been booming over the past decade, boosting hopes that one day the resource-poor country can become a global IT powerhouse. Tumo is a cutting edge, after-school learning centre, where around 7,000 Armenians aged 12 to 18, from all walks of life, study for free. Packed with hundreds of computers with industry standard software, 3D printers, video cameras and an animation studio, Tumo gives youngsters an opportunity to study web design, robotics, animation, music, digital media and more. The project has been so successful that there is already a Tumo school in Paris and plans for others in Europe and the United States are under way. In one of the centre's workshops, students are buzzing with excitement as they learn how to build robots from Lego kits and programme them to perform tasks like collecting rubbish or making a salad. "We are working on projects that we will be able to later use in our everyday life," said Davit Harutyunyan, 14, as he showed off a half-assembled robot. - One third in poverty - The South Caucasus country of three million people boasts a vibrant startup scene and its tech workers have been a driving force behind a wave of peaceful protests that ousted the old elite from power in 2018. Story continues Tumo aims to raise the next generation of tech professionals and play a role in creating a knowledge-based economy in a country where 30 percent of the population live in poverty. "We've got very ambitious plans," chief development officer Pegor Papazian told AFP. "We want to become one of the world's most competitive labour markets," added Papazian, who holds a master's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. The non-profit centre was founded in 2011 by Sam and Sylva Simonian, a US-based couple who are part of the influential Armenian diaspora formed largely as a result of World War I massacres by the Ottoman forces. The school occupies two floors of a six-storey pink tufa stone building, located on the outskirts of Yerevan in the shadow of Mount Ararat which stands just across the border in Turkey. The Simonians provided the initial investment of $60 million to set up the project but it is now largely self-sustaining, with the centre renting out several floors to tech companies. The school's gleaming facade and huge windows contrast with dilapidated Soviet-era residential buildings nearby. Inside the futuristic, open-plan premises, mobile computer workstations allow students to move around freely. "In Armenia what Tumo offers is extraordinary," Julian Sefton-Green, a professor of new media education at Deakin University, in the Australian city of Melbourne, told AFP in emailed comments. Tumo offers "a particular vision of a techno future," said Sefton-Green, who visited the school and studied its educational model. - From Merkel to Kanye West - On average, students spend two to three years at the centre. They create their own learning plans and are assisted by instructors, many of whom come from companies such as Google and Pixar. There are no grades and, at the end of their studies, students receive digital portfolios showcasing their work. Tumo has established three satellites across the country and Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh. Plans are under way to open more than 20 centres over the next 10 years. Papazian said the staff had been struck by the poverty in which some of their students live. "We are helping them discover a new world," he added. The authorities have embraced the initiative and it has become a ritual for foreign dignitaries and other top guests to visit the school. Grammy-award winning rapper Kanye West, whose wife Kim Kardashian is of Armenian descent, toured the premises in 2015. Last year, the school also earned rave reviews from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "This Tumo is not for Armenia only. It's international. It's a philosophy," she said in August during the first visit to Armenia by a German chancellor. In some ways, the Tumo project could be viewed as being ahead of its time for Armenia, which still lacks the rule of law and a stable economy, among other things. Sefton-Green said that only time would tell if the pioneering school would help reshape the country. "Unless there is structural economic response to the kind of investment Tumo has offered, it is possible that benefits will not be felt," he said. "However the country itself is in a good place to be able to rise to these kinds of challenges." WASHINGTON Fresh out of his job as deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein said Monday that the Justice Departments investigation into Russian election interference was justified, that he would have never allowed anyone to interfere with it and that closing it had not been an option. He also took aim at former FBI Director James Comey, characterizing him as a partisan pundit busy selling books and earning speaking fees. The barbs continued an extraordinary public spat between the two law enforcement officials, coming days after Comey said in a television interview that he didnt view Rosenstein as a person of high character. The speech before a Baltimore advocacy group for business and civic leaders marked Rosensteins most expansive remarks on the recently concluded probe into Russian election interference and potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. In it, Rosenstein repeatedly distanced himself from President Donald Trump who has decried the investigation as a hoax and witch hunt and sought to burnish a legacy for himself as a protector of the Justice Departments independence who tried to do what he thought was right regardless of public criticism. I was responsible for overseeing that investigation, Rosenstein said, according to his prepared remarks. I knew from preliminary briefings with the agents and prosecutors that it was an important investigation. If it was not done correctly, there would always be lingering doubts about the scope of Russian efforts and the extent of American involvement. I would never have allowed anyone to interfere with the investigation, he added. Rosensteins resignation took effect last week, but the speech Monday night made clear he is likely to remain a public figure in the months ahead and underscored a desire to explain and even justify a decision-making process that has come under heavy scrutiny by Democrats and Republicans alike. Story continues He used his speech, his second of the day, to defend some of the most contentious actions of his tenure, including his role in Comeys firing he wrote a memo the White House held up as justification for it and his subsequent appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to lead the Russia investigation. He said Muellers appointment was necessary to preserve public confidence in the Justice Department and to resolve the investigation in a way that would protect America from foreign adversaries. He said he knew not everyone was happy with the move a likely reference to Trump and congressional Republicans and it would be unpleasant for him and his family. But at my confirmation hearing, I promised that I would conduct the investigation properly and see it through to the appropriate conclusion, Rosenstein said. In my business, you keep promises. And in my business, the appropriate conclusion is the one that results when you follow the normal process and complete an independent investigation. Perhaps his most pointed comments were reserved for Comey, whom he had criticized in a May 2017 memo for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, including his decision to publicly announce that the FBI was not recommending charges. He said in his speech that though he did not blame Comey for being upset with him, now the former Director is a partisan pundit, selling books and earning speaking fees while speculating about the strength of my character and the fate of my immortal soul. That is disappointing, Rosenstein added. Speculating about souls is not a job for police and prosecutors. Generally we base our opinions on eyewitness testimony. He also said the memo was correct and reasonable under the circumstances, even if Trumps reasons for firing Comey were different from his own. Two days after firing Comey, Trump acknowledged in a television interview that he was thinking of this Russia thing when he made the move. Rosenstein said no one had told him what reasons for firing Comey should be put in the memo though Muellers report says Rosenstein had been asked to reference Russia, a request it says he rejected and said he was never told that dismissing Comey was meant to shut down the investigation. He said he did not believe that firing Comey would affect the investigation. In a clear break from Trump, though, he said that if he had been in charge of Comeys firing, the removal would have been handled very differently, with far more respect and far less drama. Paris (AFP) - A grieving France paid its respects Tuesday to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue four hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week, under the shadow of a row over risks taken by two of those freed. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured with a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. Crowds joined soldiers, firefighters and veterans in lining the bridge leading up to the imposing 17th-century landmark as the motorcade carrying their coffins made its solemn procession through a sun-lit Paris. "France is a country that does not abandon its children, no matter the circumstances," a visibly emotional Macron said in his speech during a 45-minute ceremony attended by tearful family members and masked fellow special forces. "Those who attack French citizens should know that our country will never give way and that they will always encounter our army, our elite troops and our allies," he added. Meanwhile, Benin opened a probe into the kidnappings, prosecutors said. - 'Warning to tourists' - The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, who were seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin near the border with Burkina Faso. A US citizen and South Korean tourist -- both women whose presence was a total surprise to the French forces -- were also sprung from captivity in the overnight Thursday operation. The kidnapping has shone a spotlight on rising instability in the vast Sahel region lying south of the Sahara desert, where Islamist groups aligned to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS) have been gathering in strength. Along with an outpouring of grief in France over the sacrifice of the two soldiers, there has been criticism of the French tourists who were visiting an area subject to a travel warning by the foreign ministry. Story continues Leading French daily Le Figaro said in an editorial Monday that the freeing of the tourists had "left a bitter taste". "This tragic event should serve as a warning to our tourists. Our forces are in Africa for a hard and long war and not to pay the price of carelessness," it wrote. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reprimanded the freed men, aged 51 and 46, for taking "significant risks" by visiting an area that was considered a "red" no-go zone under travel advice issued by his ministry. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticised Macron meanwhile for meeting the tourists at the plane that brought them back. "The president shouldn't have gone to greet them almost as if they were heroes," Le Pen told the BFM news channel in a weekend interview. - 'Fulfilled their destiny' - French officials have argued that the raid came in a key window of opportunity as the hostage-takers were planning to transfer their victims to Islamist groups in Mali aligned to either Al-Qaeda or IS. Lassimouillas admitted that he and Picque should have taken into account the foreign ministry advisories, in a statement read out as the men arrived back in France. But Macron insisted that the men's lives had not been sacrificed. "A life that is halted, even in full youth, is not a life that is lost," he said. "Someone who dies in combat, fulfilling their duty, has not just fulfilled their duty but their destiny." He decorated both men posthumously as members of the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest honour. France's special forces units were in attendance for their fallen brothers in arms on Tuesday, prompting warnings to broadcasters not to show any faces that could jeopardise their safety. The hostages were snatched, and their local guide killed, by an armed group while visiting the Pendjari National Park in Benin which borders Burkina Faso. The deaths were a reminder of the risks encountered in the region by French forces, who have been deployed in the Sahel since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. A total of 26 French soldiers have died in the deployment including de Pierrepont and Bertoncello. TUPELO, Miss. Northeast Mississippi is leading the state in criminalizing the possession and sale of kratom, a legal but unregulated herbal product. A total of 28 counties and cities, all in that part of the state, have made possession or sale a misdemeanor, urged on by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and a Columbus-area anti-kratom group, The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported. "Through communications with community leaders and their local elected officials, the effort to ban kratom took flight," said bureau Director John Dowdy, who said anti-kratom efforts are likely to expand to other parts of the state. The substance is banned in six states, but bills to make it illegal statewide failed this year in the Mississippi Legislature. What is kratom and what's it made from?: Increasingly popular herbal drug tied to over 90 fatal overdoses Supporters of kratom say it provides safe, non-addictive pain relief and can also combat anxiety disorders. Some kratom users also say it manages the withdrawal symptoms of potent opiate drugs. Law enforcement, however, has described kratom as addictive and dangerous. A spokesman for the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics said the agency believes kratom is linked to 12 deaths in the state, in the following counties: Covington, DeSoto, Hinds, Lafayette, Lamar, Lee, Perry, Pontotoc, Stone and Union. Most of the deaths MBN claims as kratom-linked also involved other drugs. In an advisory, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that "kratom, which affects the same opioid brain receptors as morphine, appears to have properties that expose users to the risks of addiction, abuse and dependence." In the face of bans sweeping the largely rural Northeast Mississippi, kratom users have touted its benefits. Readers sound off: Kratom's benefits outweigh its risks Patrick Sudduth, 27, lives in Fulton and said he has suffered from migraines and cluster headaches much of his life. After about three years of regular use, Sudduth said he continues to find kratom effective at treating his headaches, as well as back pain. Story continues He doesn't believe the herbal productive is as addictive as alcohol or cigarettes. Sudduth appeared before the Itawamba County Board of Supervisors in early April to push county leaders to reconsider their ban. "I understand what you are doing. What you saw of it was at a gas station," Sudduth told supervisors. "That is not actually what kratom is. That is a synthetic product mixed with something else and put in a 5-Hour Energy bottle." Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson supports a proposed ban now being considered in the region's most populous county. He said state officials contacted him about the issue, as have parents concerned about use of kratom by their children. "I don't want us to be a central hub for people who can't buy it elsewhere," Johnson said. Rather than sweeping bans, Sudduth said he supports regulation to ensure purity and safety, while allowing access for people who find kratom beneficial. "I've never heard a single person who uses kratom oppose regulation," Sudduth said. Study: Poison reports related to herbal drug kratom soar This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Safe or addictive? Bans on herbal product kratom spreading in Mississippi At face value, the $300 million decision by Sam Adams maker Boston Beer Company (SAM) to buy Delaware craft beer leader Dogfish Head might just look like another opportunistic move to snag a growing craft brand at a time when beers overall popularity in the U.S. continues to sag but theres much more to the merger than that. With beer in general losing national market share to wine and hard liquor, according to a recent Beer Institute report, beer makers like Boston Beer have turned to hard seltzer and ciders to help counter the trend. Its spiked seltzer brand Truly and Angry Orchard cider have both done just that for Boston Beer co-founder Jim Koch as sales of its flagship Boston Lager slipped by double digits in 2018, according to retail tracker IRI. Scooping up a quickly growing competitor in Dogfish Head, which saw its popular IPAs and sour beers propel it to 9% growth last year, would be a much needed boost to Boston Beers core business, but perhaps even more than just that down the line, especially as Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione grows his role in the merged company. Beer sales drooped in 2018 to fall to just 49% of overall alcohol share in the United States, according to Beer Institute chief economist Michael Uhrich. I do believe that Sam, whos shown this enormous creativity within beer, can bring some of that to [our offerings] beyond beer, which is kind of a wide open space in a lot of ways sort of like craft beer was 30 years ago, Koch told Yahoo Finance YFi PM. And you have more and more craft brewers thinking about what we did 30 years ago which was expanding. One best path forward Calagione, who has built up a reputation for expanding and experimenting since the 90s when he started homebrewing with spoiled cherries in his New York City apartment, expressed his excitement at having the opportunity to continue doing so under the Boston Beer umbrella rather than taking the path some other craft brewers have taken, which involves being acquired by major beer conglomerates. In considering a merger, Calagione said he and his wife never even contemplated the latter. Story continues As we looked at our options and looked at how complementary our portfolios are it really became clear that it was not an option, he said. There was [only] one best path forward. A decline in sales for Boston Beer Company's flagship Boston Lager in 2018 was more than offset by growth in its "beyond beer" brands like Truly spiked seltzers and Angry Orchard ciders. The press release announcing the deal highlights that Calagione is expected to be named to Boston Beers board by 2020, joining Koch who serves as chairman. Current Boston Beer CEO David Burwick, 50, is expected to oversee the merged operation. However, industry insiders are already speculating that Calagione, 49, could at some point assume the role considering both founders share certain quirky entrepreneurial similarities and the fact the deal crowned the Calagiones the companys largest non-institutional shareholders behind Koch by gaining more than 400,000 Boston Beer shares. I do see kind of that same kind of off-centered spirit in both of us, Koch said about his new partner before making one last joke about Calagiones background to finish his interview with Yahoo Finance. I mean this is a guy who never graduated high school because he got kicked out. Reflecting on founding his company with his former Boston Consulting Group co-worker Rhonda Kallman, Koch laughed and turned to Calagione saying, She never went to college, but she did get through high school, so shes ahead of you. Cheersing his beer with Kochs following the roughly $127 million windfall in shares from the merger, Calagione laughed, too. Zack Guzman is the host of YFi PM as well as a senior writer and on-air reporter covering entrepreneurship, startups, and breaking news at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @zGuz. Read more: Blue Moon's creator launched a cannabis beer that sold out in 4 hours Constellation Brands shareholders are getting Canopy Growth almost for 'free': Canopy CEO Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus O.Kravchenko participates in the Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Group and the Eastern Partnership 06-05-2019 On May 6, 2019 the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Oleg Kravchenko, took part in the Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4) and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries in Bratislava, Slovakia. The event was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Teodor Melescanu, the European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, and the Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Helga Schmid. During the ministerial meeting, the delegations discussed the outcomes and prospects for implementation of the EaP in the coming decade, its contribution to strengthening regional security, developing connectivity, infrastructure, energy sector, and people-to-people contacts. In his statement, O.Kravchenko pointed out the importance of further development of the Eastern Partnership as a flexible, pragmatic and non-confrontational initiative, focused on delivering meaningful economic results in different areas for the benefit of the citizens. The Deputy Minister stressed the need for developing project cooperation in the fields of transport, energy, communications, digital economy aimed at increasing connectivity between the EU and Partner Countries. O.Kravchenko called on the European Union to launch negotiations on the bilateral Belarus-EU legal framework. Within the framework of the event, the head of Belarus delegation met with the EEAS Secretary General, H.Schmid, the European Commissioner, J.Hahn, senior officials of the Foreign Ministries of the EaP and V4 countries. print version Korean giant Samsung Electronics has announced plans to add blockchain solutions to more budget-friendly Galaxy models, Business Korea writes. The company launched its Galaxy S10 smartphone in March which offers cryptocurrency wallet and Dapps; now its planning to expand them to budget Galaxy phones in an attempt to draw more people to blockchain technology. "We will lower barriers to new experiences by gradually expanding the number of Galaxy models that support blockchain functions," said Chae Won-cheol, senior managing director of the Product Strategy Team at Samsung Electronics' Wireless Business Division. The company will also expand its target countries beyond Korea, the United States and Canada, he said. The company is also planning to add new blockchain functionalities to further augment security. For instance, Samsung will develop blockchain-based identification, Chae said. It has teamed up with SK Telecom and KT Corporation to create new solutions for digital identity authentication as well as local currency sectors. Photo: iStock San Antonio is predicted to turn warm over the next few days, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone. Temperatures will reach a high of 86 degrees on Sunday and Monday. The immediate forecast also includes rain. Today's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 91 percent, while the most rainfall is expected on Saturday at 0.08 inches. Skies will be cloudy on Thursday, turning mostly cloudy on Friday. Winds should reach a modest high of 18 mph on Saturday, while today and tomorrow will remain calmer. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. CAIRO, May 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's cabinet called the "terrorist attack" against two Saudi oil tankers near the United Arab Emirates' territorial waters a threat to maritime safety, saying it reflected poorly on regional and international security, Saudi Press agency reported on Tuesday. In a statement, reported by the agency, the Saudi cabinet said it was "the shared responsibility of the international community to preserve maritime safety and oil tankers security in anticipation of any effects on energy markets, and the danger of that on world economy." (Reporting by Omar Fahmy and Marwa Rashad, writing by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Tom Brown) Omdurman (Sudan) (AFP) - Scores of Sudanese protesters blocked roads with burning tyres in Khartoum's twin city Omdurman Tuesday for the first time in a month after six people were killed in the capital. An army major and five protesters were shot dead at a long-running sit outside army headquarters in the capital on Monday, the ruling military council and a doctors' committee linked to the protest movement said, just hours after the rival sides announced a breakthrough in negotiations. Protesters gathered in the Abbassiya and Al-Arbaa districts of Omdurman, just across the Nile from Khartoum, with many chanting slogans against the military council, witnesses told AFP. "Protect your homeland or prepare to die!" the protesters chanted. In Arbaa, some blocked roads with burning tyres, a witness said, adding that troops deployed to the area. Omdurman had seen near daily demonstrations during the four months of nationwide protests that led to the overthrow of veteran president Omar al-Bashir on April 11. But in the month since then, the protests had previously focused almost entirely on the sit-in outside army headquarters as protest leaders wrestled with the generals who toppled Bashir over a roadmap for a civilian-led transition. The deadly violence in and around the sit-in broke out just hours after the two sides announced they had reached agreement on the structure and powers of the institutions that will oversee the transition. The Alliance for Freedom and Change -- the protest movement umbrella group that has been negotiating with the military council -- said the shootings were an attempt to "disturb the breakthrough" and blamed militias still loyal to the former regime. The military council said that it had "noticed some armed infiltrators among the protesters" at the sit-in, but did not specify who they were. Britain's ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, said he was "appalled by the killings and injuries on the streets of Khartoum last night". "Last nights violence also makes clear why agreement on a civilian-led transition is so urgent. The ongoing uncertainty creates risks of further instability, he wrote on Twitter. Photo: Courtesy of Scott Group Studio Based and operated out of Americas heartland, and Michigan specifically, since 1969, Scott Group Studio boasts a roster of coveted coast-to-coast clients working on residential and commercial projects (and even some aviation and luxury yachting commissions). For their 50th anniversary this year, Scott Group Studio, which specializes in customized rugs, is celebrating by reissuing 50 updated versions of classic designs from their archives. The selected designs range from animal prints and blooming florals to geometric patterns such as Greek keys. In some cases, the designs have successfully withstood the test of time, and will be rereleased just as they were decades ago. In other cases, updated versions of what the company first unveiled decades ago will ultimately hit the market. Starting this spring, the company will unveil a handful of carpets each month for the remainder of the year: Rug patterns evoking rain and watery environs are up first; the fittingly named May Flowers is next. (The latter group includes traditional as well as almost Pucci-esque swirling floral designs.) AD PRO spoke with Jennifer Kirchgessner, product director for Scott Group Studio, about the venture, which is entitled 50 Patterns | 50 Years. AD PRO: Tell us more about the 50 patterns. What about them stood out among the hundreds of rugs the company has produced since it's been in operation? Jennifer Kirchgessner: We wanted to energize our team of 14 designers and be able to look at our design archive and history through a fresh lens. We selected designs that were received well in the past and were top sellers, or patterns that were really classic, such as certain geometrics or florals. However, the goal was to look and see these [designs] in a different contextperhaps by scaling up the pattern, or choosing a different color palette. In the May launch, the Alora pattern started with a very traditional floral design, but we took the flower and started to abstract it. The result is a substantial, hand-tufted rug that is gossamer, refreshing, and modern. Geode was launched only a few years ago. The shape and blue-gray muted turquoise palette remain very relevantthe pattern creates this giant oval orbit. Because all of our rugs are custom, we can off-center the oval or even create a uniquely shaped carpet. Story continues H13607-REND1 - Geode Photo: Courtesy of Scott Group Studio AD PRO: Can you give us a preview of what future months might hold? JK: For June, the theme is abstraction. A lot of the patterns within the June collection have a really painterly approach, and many were created with original artwork. We were able to capture some of the brushstrokes and the really abstract qualities. Some of the designs have an ombre blending of color, which captures the effect of watercolors bleeding on paper. The color palette is mostly neutrals, purples, and blues, with very organic designs. July is really fun. We wanted to capture the energy and warmth of summer, so we focused on bold color. The July collection has a variety of designs: some abstract, some geometric. What ties everything together is saturated color and vivid tones like azure blue, orange, and yellow. AD PRO: What are some of your favorite reissues? JK: I have so many personal favorites! Alora and Maze are really interesting and dynamic to me. The fall release holds one of my absolute favorites, which is a very exciting celestial design. In November there are three that are dear to methe patterns are very subtle, but the combination of color and scale makes them stand out. Our ability to create hand-tufted rugs here in the United States, while utilizing the expertise and material of Nepal for our hand-knotted rugs, really represents our one-of-a-kind manufacturing. 801089_DrewTwo_West Gallery Runner_I Photo: Courtesy of Scott Studio Group 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! We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So before you buy or sell Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. Do Insider Transactions Matter? Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But 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.' Check out our latest analysis for Canadian Natural Resources The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Canadian Natural Resources The , Real Cusson, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for CA$3.7m worth of shares at a price of CA$47.44 each. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of CA$36.64. So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels. Notably Real Cusson was also the biggest buyer, having purchased CA$4.2m worth of shares. All up, insiders sold more shares in Canadian Natural Resources than they bought, over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Story continues TSX:CNQ Recent Insider Trading, May 14th 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). Insiders at Canadian Natural Resources Have Sold Stock Recently The last three months saw significant insider selling at Canadian Natural Resources. In total, insiders dumped CA$160k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain. Insider Ownership of Canadian Natural Resources Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Canadian Natural Resources insiders own 2.3% of the company, currently worth about CA$1.0b based on the recent share price. 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 Canadian Natural Resources Tell Us? Insiders haven't bought Canadian Natural Resources stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. But since Canadian Natural Resources is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Canadian Natural Resources, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. 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. One Republican senator isnt waiting for President Donald Trump to strike a trade deal with China. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has introduced a bill that would block the export of what he calls core technologies to China, particularly sensitive tech that supports that nations military. Under the proposal, U.S. firms must obtain Commerce Department approval to export items on the list from 15 categories including artificial intelligence, robotics and semiconductors. The trade deal that the Trump administration has been attempting to negotiate with China has some measures to prevent intellectual property theft. But Hawley isnt convinced theyll work even if theyre part of the final agreement. Every time we sort of get to this place and we've seen this movie before the Chinese government says, oh, trust us, we'll quit stealing, Hawley told Yahoo Finances On the Move. But then they don't. They continue doing it, and they won't allow any enforcement mechanism that would actually make these agreements enforceable against them. That's a big problem. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questions Attorney General William Barr during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Hawley asserts that if U.S. companies are blocked from exporting their tech to China and therefore stopping the manufacturing of products in China, it could spark an American manufacturing renaissance. Listen, I'm willing to bet on American workers, Hawley said. And if that means bringing back some manufacturing to the United States, if that means developing new capacities to actually make things in this country and not just rely on cheap labor from abroad that has shipped too many jobs overseas, I'm for it. Manufacturing jobs accounted for 8.7% of U.S. employment as of 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics down from 32% in 1953. Julie Hyman is an anchor of Yahoo Finance On the Move. Follow her on Twitter @juleshyman. Read more: Trump to Fed: Cut rates and help us win the trade war American farmer on trade war: I dont see a positive fix A partnership between SFOX and M.Y. Safra Bank is providing crypto trading firms with a level of security found in traditional finance. The cryptoasset platforms collaboration with the New York bank is creating FDIC-insured deposit accounts for crypto traders, enabling direct access to their funds for global trading. SFOX has been working to reduce risk in crypto transactions through its prime dealer platform since 2014. SFOX CEO Akbar Thobhani said the introduction of FDIC insured accounts is moving that mission forward. SFOXs partnership with M.Y. Safra Bank represents another step forward in our mission to provide our clients with the best place to trade cryptoassets, he said in a press release. M.Y. Safras Bank proven track record of providing custom banking solutions to institutions and HNWIs made them the ideal choice for taking SFOX trading one step closer to the goal of a truly frictionless and reliable trade experience across all cryptoassets. This is a first, according to SFOX. Previously, banks have not allowed accounts linked to crypto trading. With the partnership, approved SFOX accounts can be insured up to $250,000. New segregated accounts will allow users to keep their funds in bank accounts under their name, separately from their exchange account. SFOX claimed the new facility with M.Y. Safra will reduce the time of trade transactions and increase efficiency. M.Y. Safra Bank CEO Jacob M. Safra said in a press release he believes the move puts the bank at the forefront of financial innovation while keeping an eye on security. M.Y. Safra Banks partnership with SFOX underscores our commitment to spearheading the best solutions within the newest domains of finance, said Safra. A middle-aged man will spend 40 years behind bars after being found guilty of rape. Christopher Ongeri from Kisii raped a 35-year-old woman living with disability, the Court heard. The prosecutor Charles Mogeni- told Kisii Senior Resident Magistrate Margaret Nafula that Ongeri committed the crime on November 10, 2018, at Nyabite Sub-location in Nyamache Sub-county, Kisii County. The accused is said to have raped the woman multiple times, a report that was collaborated by a doctor at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital where the victim was taken for a medical exam. The accused Christopher Ongeri is said to have raped the vulnerable woman multiple times before neighbours reported the matter leading to his arrest. A medical report has confirmed that he is the one who raped her, Mogeni submitted in court. The suspect denied the charges. Resident Magistrate Margaret Nafula said the case had been proved beyond doubt. She said Ongeri had been found guilty of raping the woman whose name has been withheld for legal reasons, adding that he will now face a 40-year jail term. Ongeri was given seven days to appeal the ruling. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Measuring Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group Limited's (HKG:563) track record of past performance is a useful exercise for investors. It enables us to understand whether or not the company has met or exceed expectations, which is an insightful signal for future performance. Today I will assess 563's recent performance announced on 31 December 2018 and weigh these figures against its long-term trend and industry movements. See our latest analysis for Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group Were 563's earnings stronger than its past performances and the industry? 563's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of HK$573m has increased by 6.9% compared to the previous year. However, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 31%, indicating the rate at which 563 is growing has slowed down. Why could this be happening? Well, lets take a look at whats transpiring with margins and whether the entire industry is experiencing the hit as well. SEHK:563 Income Statement, May 14th 2019 In terms of returns from investment, Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 5.4% instead. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 1.8% is below the HK Real Estate industry of 3.3%, indicating Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group's are utilized less efficiently. However, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Groups debt level, has increased over the past 3 years from 1.5% to 6.6%. This correlates with a decrease in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio declining from 73% to 67% over the past 5 years. What does this mean? While past data is useful, it doesnt tell the whole story. Companies that have performed well in the past, such as Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group gives investors conviction. However, the next step would be to assess whether the future looks as optimistic. I suggest you continue to research Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group to get a better picture of the stock by looking at: Story continues Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 563s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 563s outlook. Financial Health: Are 563s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. May 13 (Reuters) - Three men were found shot to death and two wounded by gunfire late on Monday at a home on the north side of St. Louis, Missouri, media said, citing police officials. Police responding shortly before 9 p.m. arrived to find one victim on the porch and four inside, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper said online. All five were in their 20s or 30s, Police Chief John Hayden told the paper. Three were found dead, and a fourth was barely breathing, with a gunshot wound to his head. The fifth victim, who had been shot in the leg, was breathing and conscious, the paper added. There was no word on the circumstances of the shooting or whether police were hunting suspects. Reuters could not immediately reach authorities to seek comment. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Siemens USA CEO Barbara Humpton says she wants to see the United States get a high-tech infrastructure upgrade. While there are people working on concrete and asphalt, a lot of us are working on data, said Humpton. Communities all across the country now are able to find ways to improve their digital infrastructure, get more connected across their communities, make better working and living environments for their citizens. In an interview with Yahoo Finance ahead of Infrastructure Week, Humpton acknowledged it will take a lot of collaboration and cooperation for the federal government to agree on a large-scale infrastructure investment. What we [Siemens] are doing right now, is interconnecting transportation systems, power systems. The electric grid is being upgraded all over the place to meet today's demands, said Humpton. Cities across the country are really investing in electric infrastructure for charging vehicles. As buses and cars and, frankly, eventually even aircraft come online with electric, we're going to need a deeper, more powerful charging infrastructure. Humpton said Siemens USA is expanding its Wendell, N.C., facility to work on things like charging infrastructure for electric buses. Humpton expects to add up to 50 jobs at the North Carolina facility. What we're working on now in terms of the electric infrastructure is bringing onto the grid more forms of renewable power. When we do that, what we discover is it means we need new kinds of controls. So the digital grid capabilities that enable us to control and choose and really help drive together all the different forms of power generation that's what's going to give us the resilience we need for the future, said Humpton. Future-oriented fields Last week Siemens AG CEO Joe Kaeser announced plans to spin off Siemens power and gas business. The company plans to intensify its focus on future-oriented fields, like electric mobility infrastructure and smart buildings. Story continues Siemens Corporation will maintain its ownership of the companies that are working today in digital grid, in the automation of buildings, in the transportation systems that we drive. So overall, I think this is a really good move in the U.S, said Humpton. Siemens said it plans to cut about 10,000 jobs in the move, but it ultimately plans to add 20,500 new jobs by 2023. Humpton said its too early to predict what the overhaul will mean for jobs in the United States. Here in the U.S., though, if you look across our footprint, we have 50,000 employees in all 50 states supporting our various customers needs. And actually today we have 1,500 open requirements. So we're strong and growing. One of the key things is we're in that exporter to the rest of the world. So there's great opportunity for Siemens USA, said Humpton. As companies look for workers to build the infrastructure of the future, Humpton said the industrial conglomerate is investing in its employees to help them learn the skills they need. She also said the company is reaching out to other groups, like veterans. With record low unemployment across the country and with this incredible talent war going on for all the digital skills that are needed for the future, I think all of us are really looking for top talent, she said. Jessica Smith is a reporter for Yahoo Finance based in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at @JessicaASmith8. Read more: Siemens USA CEO: Tariffs arent helping anyone Heres how much Uber spends on federal lobbying GOP senator on China trade tensions: It's a high-stakes 'poker match' Two Nigerian men believed to be members of an internet love scam syndicate were charged in Singapore on Tuesday with recruiting local women to collect money for them, police said. Such scams, where victims part with cash after a fraudster feigns romantic interest in them, are a growing concern in the city-state with police reporting 660 cases last year. The Nigerians -- identified in local news reports as Oladayo Opeyemi Awolola, 34, and Gbolahan Ayobami Awolola, 37 -- were arrested by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur last month and sent to Singapore on Monday. The men allegedly recruited two Singaporean women "as money mules to receive criminal proceeds linked to internet love scams in Singapore" between 2017 and 2018, according to a police statement. The women received Sg$85,700 ($63,000) during that period and turned the money over to syndicate members in Malaysia, police said. The Nigerians could be jailed for up to five years each and fined if convicted. It is the first time that suspects based overseas and involved in internet love scams have been arrested and sent to Singapore for prosecution, police said. Most of the internet love scams reported last year in the city-state involved fraudsters claiming to have sent parcels containing luxury items or money. Their local accomplices would call the "recipients" and claim the parcels were being held by the authorities for inspection, and would only be released if they transferred money to a bank account. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. If youre planning to travel this summer, its probably time to take a close look at your luggage. Don't assume nothing bad can happen to your shiny new bag. U.S. airlines mishandled 1.8 million checked bags last year, up from 1.6 million the previous year, according to the latest Air Travel Consumer Report from the U.S. Department of Transportation. That includes luggage that was lost, damaged, or ransackedor even stolen outright. Percentage-wise, that equals around three claims per 1,000 passengers, which might sound smallexcept that each one of those errant bags represents a potentially ruined vacation. The truth is that travel can be harder on your luggage than it is on you. And travelers are shelling out more to transport it. Last year, U.S. airlines collected $4.9 billion in checked bag fees, up from $4.6 billion in 2017and more than quadruple what it was 10 years ago. So how can you ensure that youll get your moneys worth? Here, nine strategies to improve the odds that your bag and the belongings it contains will survive the journey unscathed. Pack carefully. Some damage to your suitcase can be self-inflicted: A bottle of perfume or sunscreen that you tossed in could leak and ruin the lining, or perishable food items might spoilespecially if the bag is delayed. So when youre packing your suitcase, follow these simple rules: Put anything liquid in a sealable plastic bag, keep the heaviest items at the bottom of your suitcase near the wheels to lower the risk of it tipping over, and secure or remove shoulder straps or other attachments that could jam a baggage conveyor belt or carousel. Also watch out for hazardous items, especially spare lithium batteries, which are prohibited in checked luggage because of the risk of fire. (They are allowed in carry-ons, however.) Be aware that certain food items, like cheese, can trigger false positives in airport explosives detection machines. Story continues Secure your bag with a TSA-friendly lock. Before you leave home, think about who is coming into contact with your luggage, says Micah Lewis, founder of My Bag Check, a bag pickup and storage service in New York City. Lewis says he was inspired to start his company after a trip to Thailand, where I had some things stolen out of my bag when I didnt lock it. Lewis says he always recommends buying luggage locks, but fewer than half of the customers he sees bother to secure their bags. There are many different types to choose from, ranging from standard padlocks to straps. But experts say if you are checking your suitcase with an airline, a lock that's certified TSA-compatible will ensure that the agents can open it safely with a master key if it sets off an alarm or is randomly selected for scrutiny. If you use a non-compatible lock, the screeners will break it in order to open your bag if its picked for inspection. The TSA, on average, selects around 10 percent of all checked baggage for additional screening, according to a spokesperson for the agency. Cover Story Consider baggage wrapping services. Ever spot a suitcase at an airport covered in what looks like heavy Saran wrap? A number of companies, such as Secure Wrap, offer bag wrapping services at major international airports for fees starting at $15 for a standard-sized suitcase. The benefit is that your bag will be better protected from damage and pilfering of its contents. The downside is that if the TSA needs to look inside, it will cut right through that airtight seal, and the agents wont rewrap it. And if you have soft-sided bag luggage, it can be tricky to remove the wrap without also slicing into your bag. Protective covers. A simple way to guard against scratches and dings is to buy a protective sleeve to encase your bag. There are a slew of products to choose from, ranging from clear plastic sleeves to patterned fabric wrappers, and luggage manufacturers such as Hartmann are getting into this game. These accessories reduce the odds of plain old damage, and they might also make the bag less tempting to thievesalthough keep in mind that theyre not impregnable. Think pink. Sometimes your bag may go astray simply because it looks like everyone elses, and a fellow passenger can innocently walk off with your stuff. (Although in that case, youll usually get it back, but it can still be a major annoyance.) If you, like many travelers, still prefer black luggage, then think about adorning your bag with a brightly colored ribbon, luggage stickers, or yellow duct tape. If youre getting a new bag, consider a bright color or print. You dont have to spend a lot of money for a distinctive looking bag. In fact, you probably shouldnt: A bag that is too expensive-looking could be a magnet for thieves. Extra Protection Sign up for bag tracking. Airlines are getting better at tracking your bag at every stage of the trip, and some carriers, like Delta, will let you do this yourself through a mobile app. The idea is that your checked bag will be scanned at four points during the trip: check-in, loading onto the plane, during a transfer from one flight to another, and upon arrival at the final destination. (The International Air Transport Association, which represents 290 airlines that carry roughly 82 percent of the worlds air traffic, has set a goal of making this an industrywide practice.) There are also GPS-powered devices that you can buy yourself to follow your bag, and some luggage comes equipped with them. However, be aware that the airlines have been clamping down on smart luggage due to the risk of batteries overheating. Entrust it to a shipping or storage service. You can spare your bag the indignities of air travel and ship it ahead. While this may cost a bit more than checking it (though it doesn't always), it can give you peace of mind and reduce the wear and tear. If you have a long layover, you can make it less stressful by using a short-term storage service. Look into excess valuation. If something happens to your bag, the airline you entrusted it to is responsible for making it rightbut only up to a certain point. In the U.S., the airlines are liable for up to $3,500 in compensation for lost or damaged baggageand thats for the cost of the luggage itself and all the contents. On international flights, the limits are even less generous: Under an aviation treaty, its set at about $1,600 per checked item. But if you believe that what you're hauling is worth more, then consider purchasing excess valuation from the airline. Technically, its not insurance, but it does increase the maximum amount of what the airline would owe you. (And your homeowners insurance may also cover some of your losses, so check your policy.) Keep records of what you packed. Write it all down, store it in your mobile deviceor simply photograph the contents. This will help if you have to confirm that an item is missing and need to file a claim with the airline for a lost or damaged bag. 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. The full proportions of the debacle that awaits the Democrats next fall is starting to penetrate their complacent disdain and revulsion toward President Trump. Rank-and-file Democrats are so ecstatic at the arrival of a known candidate whose views on principal policy issues cannot be invoked by Republicans to frighten children into eating their breakfast cereal that they have accorded Joe Biden a levitation in the polls. Biden is a shopworn, moth-eaten, malapropistic journeyman about whom, when asked to assess him as a potential president, former bipartisan defense secretary and CIA director Robert Gates took four seconds to emit: I dont know. In the land of the Ocasio-Cortez sound-alikes, a track-worn perennial candidate is king. Given how verbally accident-prone Biden has been throughout his nearly 50 years of public life, his present formidable lead in the polls against an immense field of candidates should be seen as the fulfilment of Democratic yearning for someone who would not alarm the voters in policy terms. The only other such candidate is the relatively unknown Amy Klobuchar. All Americans, even the presidents most strenuous supporters, should be comforted that the majority of Democrats can still think and count. It is a party infested with lunatics, but not controlled by them. This is in the same reassuring category as the Mueller investigations conclusion that no one in the United States colluded with Russians to influence the result of the 2016 election. Beneath the initial success of the Biden campaign, the Democrats are sharply divided between those who are still trying to place their bets on the presidential unsuitability of the incumbent, those who seek a radical demarche to the left and over the political cliff, and those trying to get back to essentially the old slightly-left-of-center coalition of Franklin Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson. President Clinton, and even, with a stretch, Mrs. Clinton, were also in that tradition, but the ominous approaching clouds of investigative curiosity about the Clinton Foundation and the malodorous ethics of the 2016 Clinton campaign have caused the Clintons party to stampede from under them. Story continues Even Barack Obama, who was cozily settling into a good 30 years as a respected ex-president, is already in the crosshairs of the investigation, conducted against the Clinton campaign, of illegal espionage on the Trump campaign through fraudulently obtained FISA warrants and planted agents and sting operations. The rabidly Trumpophobic texting between former FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page reveals that the White House was closely monitoring the investigation of the Trump campaign, which raises the question of the involvement of the former president in illegal surveillance. Obamas name is still bandied about with respect by most of the Democratic candidates, especially Biden (Barack and I . . .), and he is still better esteemed by most Americans than the other ex-presidents. But apart from the admirable and necessary shattering of the bar of color, his entire legacy has been discredited: the mad obsession with unproved climate alarmism, the foolhardy Iranian nuclear treaty, and the Obamacare shambles. Going back to the Humphrey-Mondale tradition represented by Klobuchar (also a senator from Minnesota), or the Clinton-Obama Democrats without the Clintons or Obamas, Biden will avoid a disaster at the polls: All good Democrats and the bipartisan Trump-haters could vote for either, but they wont be a majority. Answering the sirens on the left and nominating Sanders or a kindred leftist spirit, however, would enable Trump to surpass Richard Nixons record plurality of 18 million in 1972 (in an electorate of 77 million, against next years likely 140 million). Apart from working out where the party is and what it seeks, the Democrats are going to have to come to grips with three facts that, combined, should make this president insuperable in 2020. The first is that he will have the comparative moral high ground once the investigation of the Clinton campaign gets going. The Democrats and their media choristers have grown hoarse and risible with their endless screeching and whining about the presidents character. He lost money in the 1980s, as everyone knew, though most of it was non-cash items of the type that accrues in property development (where depreciation, a non-cash loss, is heavy). The egregious Don Lemons opener on CNN (The president of the United States is a fraud and a con-man) didnt fly. Hes still the wealthiest person in the history of the presidency, the only serious businessman to hold that office, and his comeback from his financial difficulties was a triumph: Napoleon at the Beresina, not the (rightly) forgotten bankruptcies of the elderly Thomas Jefferson or the young Harry Truman. The second important fact to consider in the electoral equation is that this president is a fierce combatant. He is not in the Ford-Bush-Dole-Bush-McCain-Romney school of gentlemanly Republican presidential candidates who could win only with a cunning manager such as Lee Atwater (G. H. W. Bush in 1988) or Karl Rove (G. W. Bush). In a brilliant column in RealClearPolitics on Monday, Frank Miele recounted the extent to which Trump is employing the playbook of Saul Alinsky, supreme tactician of the Democratic Left, in attacking the Democrats. Mr. Miele credits Trump with the use of Alinskys Rules 3, 4, 8, 9, and 13: Go outside the expertise of the enemy, Make the enemy live up to its own . . . rules, Keep the pressure on, The threat is more terrifying than reality, and Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Miele cited as illustrative the threat to send illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, something that caused the New York Times Tom Friedman to agree that there was a crisis at the border and the liberal vocalist Cher to tweet asking that such people not be sent to Los Angeles. Miele cited Trumps attacks on the media as maintaining the pressure, and as examples of picking the target, he mentioned his denigrations of Low energy Jeb Bush, Crooked Hillary, John McCain, CNN, NATO, illegal immigrants, Congress, Democrats, Michael Cohen, Robert Mueller, Robert Corker, James Comey, Kim Jong-Un (Rocket Man), and George Mr. Kellyanne Conway. He could also have mentioned Senator Pocahontas Warren. Trumps nomination-campaign references to Senator Lyin Ted Cruz may have contributed to the closeness of the reelection battle Cruz had with the arm-flapping nitwit Beto ORourke, whose presidential campaign, as predicted, has sunk without a trace. The Democrats thought they had an Alinskyite opponent in Richard Nixon, but he only tolerated dirty tricks, and tactically was more sportsmanlike than history has generally recognized. The Democrats have, evidently, no idea how to deal with this president, and their moral crusade against him is about to be swamped by the unmasking of the skullduggery and chicanery of the Clinton and Obama Democrats in 2016. The last fact that the Democrats have not begun to deal with in the effort to unseat the president is his extraordinary success. The economic performance is phenomenal, and the pathetic attempts of President Obama to claim credit for the economic recovery, like his fatuities about the magic wand, will be mocked with vicious hilarity. The success of this president in proclaiming a border emergency and doing something about it will be noted. So will Speaker Pelosis claims that Trumps tax bill was a disaster of doggy-do and that immigration is a fake crisis and a border wall is immoral. The president is almost sure to win the tussle with North Korea because he has privately made it clear that if Kim resumes progress toward a deployable nuclear ICBM, the three-carrier U.S. task force offshore will eliminate all of North Koreas nuclear facilities and decalibrate the artillery targeted on Seoul. And in the trade dispute with China, where even the Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer sides with the president, the U.S. cannot lose. Chinas tremendous economic progress is based on debt-financed infrastructure, dumping cheap goods abroad, especially in the United States, and requiring industrial-intelligence disclosure from sophisticated foreign companies that seek access to Chinese markets. Everyone agrees that China cheats and ignores World Trade Organization rulings, and practically every trading nation in the world applauds the U.S. presidents stance in this dispute. Eighty percent of the U.S. GDP is domestic commerce, and with a year to reorient itself, it could practically end all imports. China is a debt-ridden house of cards built on what is still a 40 percent command economy, rotten with official corruption in a country with few natural resources and 300 million people who still live as their ancestors did a thousand years ago. Barring something completely unforeseeable, this president will have a stronger argument for reelection next year than any president since Richard Nixon in 1972 after his extraordinarily successful first term, if not Franklin D. Roosevelts double reelections in 1936 and 1944. More from National Review Aru (DR Congo) (AFP) - Refugees are flooding into the remote northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo from South Sudan as a September 2018 peace deal hangs in the balance. The refugees, sheltering in the town of Aru in Ituri province, fled fighting along the border between South Sudan and Uganda, the DRC's neighbour to the east. Fighting has persisted between government forces and rebels of the National Salvation Front who reject the peace accord between South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and his arch-foe Riek Machar. "Among the refugees... there are a lot of widows, as well as unaccompanied children," said Andreas Kirchhof, spokesman of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in the DRC. Authorities say 554 people have arrived since the start of the month. They are among nearly 100,000 South Sudanese refugees in the DRC's Haut Uele and Ituri provinces, according to the UNHCR. Kiir said last week that a six-month delay agreed with his rivals for the formation of a unity government was not enough time to resolve outstanding issues. The warring parties in the conflict now in its sixth year had agreed to delay the formation of a power-sharing government from May 12 after implementation of the peace deal ran aground. Machar had pushed for the delay, while Kiir wanted to move forward with the unity government and deal with outstanding issues later. Under the deal, Kiir would remain president while Machar would regain the vice presidency. MADRID (Reuters) - Spain has withdrawn a frigate from a U.S.-led naval group in the Gulf because it was now focusing on alleged threats from Iran rather than an agreed objective to mark an historic seafaring anniversary, the Spanish government said on Tuesday. "The U.S. government has taken a decision outside of the framework of what had been agreed with the Spanish Navy," acting Defense Minister Margarita Robles told reporters in Brussels. That led to the temporary pullout of the 215-sailor Mendez Nunez from the group led by aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as the mission no longer had the objective of celebrating 500 years since the first circumnavigation of the world, as envisaged by a bilateral U.S.-Spanish agreement, she said. Robles said Spain respected the U.S. decision to focus on Iran and would rejoin the group as soon as it returns to its original task, adding: "Spain will always act as a serious and reliable partner as part of the European Union and within NATO." While the European Union shares some U.S. concerns about Iran, including its involvement in Syria's war, it still backs a 2015 international nuclear deal with Tehran from which U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew a year ago. Trump, now trying to isolate Iran, has reimposed sanctions on it and sent the aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a move Washington said aimed to offset threats from Iran to American forces in the region. Trump is also seeking to cut off Iran's oil exports to pressure the Islamic Republic to renegotiate stricter limits on its nuclear program and drop support for proxy forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. (Reporting by Paul Day and Jesus Aguado; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Madrid (AFP) - Spain has recalled a frigate accompanying a US aircraft carrier to the Middle East because of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, the defence ministry said Tuesday. "For the moment the frigate Mendez Nunez has left the combat group of the USS Abraham Lincoln," a ministry spokesman told AFP, confirming a report in the Spanish daily El Pais. "It's a temporary withdrawal, decided by Defence Minister Margarita Robles, as long as the American aircraft carrier is in this zone," the spokesman added. He said the Spanish frigate had joined the aircraft carrier's strike group for a military exercise. "No possible confrontation or warlike action is envisaged (by Spain) and it is for this reason that the participation is suspended for the moment," he added. Video: Pompeo Skips Moscow Trip for Iran Discussions in Brussels On May 5, the United States announced it was deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in response to a "credible threat" from Iran. Last Friday, the Pentagon announced the deployment of the amphibious assault ship the USS Arlington and a Patriot missile battery to the region. Washington reiterated that intelligence reports suggested Iran was planning some sort of attack in the region. Robles later told reporters in Brussels that the US decision to deploy the aircraft carrier to the Gulf "went beyond what was scheduled in the terms of a cooperation agreement that placed the Mendez Nunez frigate with he US fleet for training. "This is not a problem of discrepancies with Iran or.. It's a question of interpretation of a techno-military agreement," she added. The Spanish frigate is currently in Mumbai, the minister said. The spike in tensions between the United States and Iran comes a week after Tehran announced it was suspending some of its commitments under the 2015 nuclear agreement. That came a year after President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord and slapped tough sanctions on the Islamic republic. Story continues On Sunday and Monday, US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said oil tankers belonging to them were damaged in "sabotage attacks" in the Gulf. Neither country released further details. No link has officially been drawn between the incidents and US accusations concerning "imminent" attacks by Tehran against US interests in the region. Britain, France and Germany on Monday urged the US not to further escalate tensions over the Iran nuclear deal. Charles Njonjo is Kenyas most famous Attorney General. Serving under founding president Jomo Kenyatta and his successor Daniel arap Moi, Njonjo was as powerful as he was controversial. He is probably known for his polished queens English and expensive suits, but Njonjo has more going on in his life. He has lived a longer and more colourful life than many of us can ever wish for. Just one year short of 100, here are 13 things you might not have known about Charles Njonjo. 1. He is a son to colonial chief Senior Chief Josiah Njonjo. 2. He attended Alliance High School but was an average student. 3. He went to Fort Hare University in South Africa. 4. He was Robert Mugabes classmate at Fort Hare. 5. His first job was as a junior clerk at the Law offices in colonial Kenya. 6. Jomo Kenyatta was friends with Njonjos father, and thats why he appointed him Attorney General. 7. He disliked Africans and often frustrated African lawyers. 8. He convinced Kenyatta to detain Ngugi wa Thiongo without trial. 9. He recommended to Moi that Kibaki be appointed Vice President, but they soon fell out. 10. He harbored presidential ambitions. 11. They are neighbors with Kibaki but dont see eye to eye. 12. He dislikes Kibaki and has never supported him for president since 1992. 13. He does 3 swimming laps everyday. Sri Lankan security personnel stand guard after the clashes erupted between the two communities in Negombo near Colombo - REX Sri Lanka temporarily blocked social media networks and messaging apps and imposed a nationwide curfew on Monday after the worst outbreak of anti-Muslim violence since the Easter Sunday attacks. The murder of over 250 people by suicide bombers at three churches and three luxury hotels was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The riots, apparently sparked by a row on Facebook, began on Sunday as mobs attacked three mosques and many Muslim-owned businesses in Chilaw, some 40km north of capital Colombo, before the military stepped in. Nalaka Kaluwewa, the chief of the Information Department said the ban on social media was intended "to prevent misinformation from being circulated and also to prevent spreading of information that would harm communal harmony." Police said a curfew would be enforced until further notice in the country's North Western region, and until Tuesday morning in the rest of the nation. The violence in Chilaw spread to the adjoining Buddhist-majority Kurunegala district, where mobs were heard shouting we will kill you, while attacking Muslim businesses and homes. Shops were vandalised in the violence Credit: REX Kurunegala, the electorate of former president Mahinda Rajapaksha, has been the flashpoint of serious anti-Muslim clashes led by Buddhist extremists in the past. On Sunday night, a petrol bomb was thrown into a mosque while worshipers were leaving after their Ramadan night prayers in Koslanda, also in the Kurunegala district. We now lock the gates after the congregation comes due to security reasons. Just as the congregation was leaving, two men came on a motorbike and threw a petrol bomb that came crashing through the glass, said a 35-year-old mosque volunteer who did not want to be named. It was terrifying because there were still people inside the mosque. Fortunately, it did not detonate because the fuse went off." The aftermath of the attacks have stirred sectarian tensions in the Buddhist-majority country. Local residents accused Buddhist extremists of being behind some of the violence. Military and special forces were deployed on Monday evening to guard mosques in the Kurunegala district, while police held special meetings with Muslim civil communities and mosque authorities to discuss security strategies. Mosques around the country have been under heavy guard by the military since the Easter bombing attacks. Children under 13 and older people have been asked not to attend prayers, funeral or wedding services in case of emergency evacuations or bombings. LOS ANGELES, May 13 (Reuters) - The former manager of Stan Lee has been charged with elder abuse against the late comic book legend, a Los Angeles court official said on Monday. Keya Morgan was charged on Friday with five counts of elder abuse, including false imprisonment, fraud and forgery stemming from an incident last summer when Lee was 95 years old, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court public information office told Los Angeles City News Service. The spokeswoman added that a warrant for Morgan's arrest had been issued. Morgan, a New York-based memorabilia collector who became involved with Lee in 2017, was served with a restraining order last year after Lee's family accused him of elder abuse. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office on Monday said it was unable to provide any information. An attorney for Morgan could not be located but last year Morgan denied allegations of abuse. Lee, the co-creator of "Spider-Man," "Iron Man," "The Hulk" and dozens of other Marvel superheroes, died in November 2018 at the age of 95. In court documents last year, Morgan was accused of seizing control of Lee's Hollywood Hills home and hiring security guards with orders to keep away relatives and associates before moving the comic book creator to an unfamiliar condominium. (Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) HELENA, Montana -- Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Tuesday joined the growing list of candidates in the 2020 presidential race, saying he was the only Democrat who won in a red state that President Donald Trump took by 20 points in 2016. "I believe in an America where every child has a fair shot to do better than their parents. But we all know that kind of opportunity no longer exists for most people; for far too many, it never has, Bullock said. We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the peoples voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." His announcement included a 2 minute and 44 second video about why he is running. The video touched on his fight against "dark money" in elections and passing what he said were some of the strongest campaign disclosure laws in the country. "This is the fight of our time," he said in the video. "This is the fight of my career." Bullock, 53, was elected Montana's 24th governor on Nov. 6, 2012, and was re-elected in 2016. He joins more than 20 Democrats who have launched bids for the White House, including well-known names such as former Vice President Joe Biden, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Sen. Kamala Harris. To give everyone a fair shot, we must do more than defeat Donald Trump. We have to defeat the corrupt system that keeps people like him in power, and we need a fighter who's done it before. That's why I'm running for President. Join our team: https://t.co/TZXr9AcDr7 pic.twitter.com/XZ0LPUbtBx Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) May 14, 2019 Want more Election 2020 news? Download the USA TODAY app. Story continues Interactive guide: Who is running for president in 2020? In Bullock's own words: It's time to work together to revitalize rural communities In an April 18 interview with The Student Life, a student paper at the Claremont Colleges where he attended school, he said, I am concerned about the state of our country, though, and continue to travel and tell the story of what weve been able to accomplish in Montana and what I think ought to be part of that overall conversation. He said he has not visited only Iowa and New Hampshire to test the waters. Ive also gone to places that not everybody has, (like) Arkansas, Wisconsin. I think folks really want government to work again, he told the newspaper. Life before the governorship Before becoming governor, Bullock served as Montana's attorney general. Prior to that, in the private sector, he represented workers as a labor lawyer, and as a private citizen led the successful effort to raise Montanas minimum wage. Working with a Republican Legislature, he expanded Medicaid in 2015, passed an Earned Income Tax Credit, established the states first public pre-K and passed one of the most progressive anti-dark money bills in the country, according to his official biography. The most recent legislative session has been described by some as one of the most productive in years, mostly due a group of more moderate Republicans known as the "Conservative Solutions Caucus" and Democrats supporting bills. The caucus said it was focused on solutions for their constituents that could be signed by the governor. Democrats, however, touted their role in getting legislation passed in 2019, including Medicaid and worker's compensation for presumptive illnesses for firefighters. Bullock said the state was a shining example of how our political system is supposed to work, especially at a time when the rest of the nation fails to come together. Bullock is married to Lisa (Downs) Bullock. They have three children, Caroline, Alexandria and Cameron. Advocacy against 'dark money' Bullock has opposed dark money in Montana elections and has made it a pillar of his time in elected office. This is money in which nonprofits organizations in elections are not required to list identities of donors. As attorney general, he led the first challenge against Citizens United all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court in 2010 rejected the argument and held that political spending is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment. In 2015, Bullock signed the Disclose Act, which he said required "improved disclosure" that would make "Montana elections the most transparent in the nation." In 2018, a federal appeals court upheld the law and rejected a groups claim that it was vague. More recently, on May 7, he signed Senate Bill 326 by Sen. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula, to ban certain campaign contributions by foreign nationals. This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Steve Bullock, Montana governor, joins 2020 Democratic field for president ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Three brothers who were sexually abused by a priest from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Vatican, claiming the Holy See bears responsibility because the case was mishandled by former Archbishop John Nienstedt and the Vatican's former ambassador to the United States. The lawsuit attempts to trace a direct line from clergy sex abuse victims to the Vatican, through Minnesota church officials. Luke, Stephen and Ben Hoffman were abused by former priest Curtis Wehmeyer, roughly between 2009 and 2012. "I have too many nieces and nephews to let something like this happen to anybody else," Stephen Hoffman said about his decision to come forward. Nienstedt and the former ambassador, Carlo Maria Vigano, have previously denied the allegations raised in the lawsuit. The Vatican's U.S. lawyer, Jeffrey Lena, had no immediate comment. In the past Lena has described sex abuse lawsuits against the Vatican as publicity stunts. The lawsuit's plaintiffs include two other men who say they were molested by Catholic priests, one in Minnesota and one in California. Those two men sued the Vatican separately within the last year, but attorney Jeff Anderson withdrew their cases in anticipation of Tuesday's lawsuit. Anderson had also sued the Vatican on two prior occasions without success. Anderson said he believes the new lawsuit is stronger because he's made a more complete effort to document Vatican authority over Catholic clerics and to portray the church as a commercial enterprise. The Hoffman brothers' involvement also allowed him to bring in issues surrounding Nienstedt, which he says are emblematic of how church leaders have covered up abuse. "The body of evidence and the scope of the complaint is much broader and much more developed than the first time we litigated this," Anderson said. Because it has the status of a foreign nation, the Vatican is generally exempt from lawsuits in the United States. Exceptions to the U.S. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act include wrongful acts committed against U.S. citizens and commercial activities undertaken by foreign nations. Story continues The new lawsuit seeks monetary damages, but the plaintiffs said truth is the goal. The lawsuit asks for court orders requiring the Vatican to turn over names of "credibly accused" priests whose cases have been referred to the Holy See, along with related records. It also seeks names of church leaders who have been implicit in covering up abuse. Ben Hoffman said the church needs to be more transparent and "live in the truth." "I'm still Catholic. I have a deep love for the church. I have a deep love for my faith, it means the world to me. But the Vatican we have to fix this," he said, his eyes watering. Before the Hoffman brothers were abused, church officials received complaints about Wehmeyer's inappropriate sexual activities. In 2004, he was cited for loitering in a Minnesota park known as a place to meet for anonymous sex, and he lied to police about his identity, the lawsuit says. Wehmeyer was later evaluated at a treatment center for troubled priests and diagnosed with a sexual disorder. The archbishop at the time, Harry Flynn, moved him from West St. Paul to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul and assigned him to administrative duties. But in 2009, about the time Wehmeyer started abusing the Hoffman brothers, Nienstedt promoted Wehmeyer to pastor. According to the lawsuit, another archdiocesan official cautioned Nienstedt then newly installed as archbishop about the promotion and informed him of Wehmeyer's record, to no avail. Over the next three years, Wehmeyer abused the Hoffman brothers, who were in their mid-teens, during camping trips. After the boys' mother reported the abuse of at least two of her sons to police, Wehmeyer was arrested and pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct and possession of child pornography. The AP does not routinely name victims of sexual abuse, but the plaintiffs have chosen to speak publicly. Wehmeyer's arrest led local prosecutors to file criminal charges against the archdiocese for failing to protect children. The charges were dropped in 2016 when the archdiocese admitted wrongdoing and agreed to meet with victims and adopt stronger measures to prevent clergy abuse. Wehmeyer's arrest also triggered the resignation of Nienstedt after the archdiocese retained a law firm to look into his supervision of Wehmeyer. The investigation alleged Nienstedt had sexually harassed priests and seminarians and had a "social relationship" with Wehmeyer. Controversy surrounding Nienstedt escalated when a priest involved in the investigation wrote a memo saying that Vigano ordered church officials to end the inquiry and instructed them to destroy a letter they wrote to him objecting to his directive. Vigano flatly denied those allegations in a statement last year. "I never told anyone that (the law firm) should stop the inquiry, and I never ordered any document be destroyed," he said. "Any statement to the contrary is false." Nienstedt, who is not a defendant in the case, also denies the allegations. In a response to emailed questions from the AP on Tuesday, Nienstedt said his interaction with Wehmeyer was in the context of archbishop to priest. "During my time as Archbishop, I was made aware of some challenges Wehmeyer was facing, but was not made aware that he may be inappropriately or illegally involved with minors," Nienstedt wrote. He said that as archbishop, he ensured Wehmeyer was complying with conditions placed on him, including attending counseling. Nienstedt wrote that Wehmeyer was being supervised and doing what was asked of him, and the decision to promote him was made in consultation with others. "I would never knowingly cover up clergy sexual abuse," Nienstedt wrote. Nienstedt also said he's unaware of a final report that came out of the investigation into him, but he reiterated that even though the allegations are false, he directed that the investigation be carried out, as he would have done for any other priest. ___ Rezendes reported from Boston. Tedd A. Prater/Alamy A woman who survived the fatal machete attack on the Appalachian Trail on Saturday played dead to escape after being stabbed multiple times, federal authorities said Monday. James L. Jordan, a 30-year-old from West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, was formally charged Monday with one count of murder and one count of assault with attempt to commit murder in connection with the horrific attack, which left one person dead and took place on an isolated stretch of the 2,190-mile hiking trail in Virginia. At his Monday hearing in Abingdon, Virginia, Judge Pamela M. Sargent ordered Jordan to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. We have not spoken to Jordan since their mother died in March but the news is shocking, Megan Newsome, the fiancee of Jordans brother Dustin, told The Daily Beast. Newsome said that Jordan had most recently been living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The ordeal began on Friday, when the woman and three other hikers encountered Jordan on the trail in Wythe County, Virginia. They recognized him the moment they saw him: AT video bloggers had spent weeks discussing the man who was arrested in late April and set free after threatening hikers in Unicoi County, Tennessee, with a machete. Jordan, who calls himself Sovereign, was acting disturbed when he approached the group, according to a federal complaint filed in the Western District of Virginia. When Jordan approached the four hikers he was acting disturbed and unstable, and was playing his guitar and singing, the complaint states. The encounter ended quicklybut after the hikers made camp later that night in an isolated section of the trail, Jordan returned, authorities said. Jordan spoke to the hikers through their tents, the complaint alleges, and threatened to pour gasoline on their tents and burn them to death. The group decided to flee the campsite, fearing for their lives. But Jordan quickly returned, this time brandishing a knife, the complaint alleges. Two of the hikers fled, and Jordan took off after them. But after they escaped, he returned to the site and attacked the other two hikers, identified as Victim #1 and Victim #2 in the complaint. Story continues He started arguing with the male hiker, the complaint alleges, before stabbing him in the upper part of his body. When her companion fell to the ground, Victim #2 took off runningbut she quickly tired, and Jordan caught up. She raised her arms in surrender, but Jordan didnt relent, the complaint says. He stabbed her multiple times, before she fell to the ground and played dead, authorities said. After Jordan left to find his dog, she staggered towards Smyth County, where she met another male and female hiker who helped her hike the remaining six miles to safety. The following morning, authorities returned to the site of the attack. At about 6:15 a.m., the complaint states, officers took Jordan into custody, his clothes bloody. He has since been charged with one count of murder and one count of assault with attempt to commit murder. The charges come less than a month after he first raised alarm. In late April, Sheriff Mike Hensley in Unicoi County, Tennessee, started receiving calls from panicked hikers. Some complained of a man who chased them out of shelters with a shovel, Hensley told The Daily Beast. Others said he brandished a long knife and demanded a password before hed let them continue on the trail. On April 21, Hensley warned hikers on Facebook of the erratic man who brandished a knife and machete and said it was going to be a bad day for hikers. When deputies eventually found him near a food and water station, he was intoxicated and gave officers a fake name, Hensley said, adding that officials found marijuana and drug paraphernalia on him. But the hikers, who wanted to keep moving on the trail instead of appearing in local court, declined to press more serious charges. As a result, Hensley said, the only thing I could do was hold him on the charges that we had. After Jordan pleaded guilty and paid a fine, he was freed. I wish the hikers here wouldve pressed charges, Hensley said. If theyd pressed charges, theres a good chance he could have been in jail. I did all I could to get him off the trail, he added. Pilar Melendez contributed reporting. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. PARIS (AP) Syrian families whose loved ones were taken by Islamic State extremists are pressuring governments in the international coalition to help them learn the fate of their relatives. The families on Tuesday announced the creation of a Paris-based organization to help document the missing, after a meeting with French diplomats. Khalil al-Haj Saleh, who is leading the group, said the end of fighting and the capture of thousands of Islamic State fighters leaves a small window to find and document what happened to their loved ones, who include Syrian activists and journalists. The Syrian Network for Human Rights has documented more than 8,000 cases of people missing after being detained by the Islamic State group; hundreds, if not thousands, of bodies have been found in mass graves, but most are unidentified. A teenage menace has been locked up after causing a police car to flip as he sped off on a moped after holding up five people in a car with an axe. Frankie Batchelor, 18, of Southwark, was sentenced to five years detention at a young offenders institution for three counts of robbery, attempted robbery, three counts of attempted theft, taking a moped without the owners consent, two counts of driving with no insurance, two counts of driving not in accordance to licence, criminal damage, handling stolen goods, aggravated vehicle taking and possession of an axe. He was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court along with a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who was handed three years at a young offenders institution for crimes including two counts of robbery, two counts of theft, attempted robbery, attempted theft, breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order, and taking a motor vehicle without consent. The court heard how Batchelor wielded an axe at five people in a car and demanded they hand over their possessions after stopping them at 3.30am on Crawford Street in Westminster on August 4 last year. Frankie Batchelor has been sentenced to five years at a young offenders' institute after admitting a string of crimes including brandishing an axe. (Met Police) He left a deep gouge in the car where he attacked it before he fled on a moped which then hit a marked police car on Grosvenor Place. The car wasnt involved in the chase but as it swerved to avoid Batchelor it flipped onto its roof. The moped rider, who has not been identified, left Batchelor nursing a leg injury and left the scene - police are still trying to trace him. The Operation Venice Investigation team took over the investigation into the robbery and obtained CCTV of 4 August robbery which identified Batchelor. On January 3 Bachelor and the 16-year-old approached an estate agent and threatened staff with a machete, the staff took refuge in a back room and when they returned they found their phones gone. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Alesha MacPhails killer wins right to appeal Baker to face no police action over royal baby tweet Story continues Moped crime halved after gang of 12 jailed Later that day they attempted to snatch two laptops from men outside a cafe, stealing one after again producing a weapon. They also snatched two more phones, and attempted to snatch another. On January 4 the teenager was arrested and Batchelor was arrested as he approached the moped parked outside his home the following day. Detective Constable Mark Cooper, Operation Venice Investigation Team said: These two violent offenders were a menace to the London public. In their brazen crime spree they used intimidation and violence to threaten, rob and steal from people going about their daily lives. They had a total disregard for their own safety and that of others. The put peoples lives at risk by recklessly causing a collision with a police car that has left Batchelor with a permanent leg injury, but could have been something far worse for all concerned. HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Tesla Inc electric car caught fire in a parking lot in a Hong Kong shopping mall, the Apple Daily newspaper said on Tuesday, but no one was injured in the blaze, whose cause was not immediately known. The electric car burst into flames 30 minutes after being parked in the city's San Po Kong district on Sunday, the newspaper said, with three explosions seen on CCTV footage. Firemen took 45 minutes to douse the fire. The vehicle was a Tesla Model S 85 KWH dual power version, added the paper, which gave no explanation of what might have caused the blaze. Responding to a request from Reuters, Tesla declined to comment. Reuters was not able to contact the vehicle owner or obtain CCTV footage of the incident. Hong Kong's fire services department told Reuters a vehicle caught fire on Sunday, but gave no details, such as the make of the car. Authorities are investigating the cause. The incident comes three weeks after Tesla said it had sent a team to investigate a video on Chinese social media that showed a parked Tesla Model S car exploding in the commercial hub of Shanghai. The automaker has said its EVs are about 10 times less likely to experience a fire than petrol-powered cars. There have been at least 14 instances of Tesla cars catching fire since 2013, most of them after a crash. (Reporting by Donny Kwok and Shellin Li in Hong Kong, Yilei Sun in Shanghai; Editing by James Pomfret and Clarence Fernandez) Former powerful head of the civil service Jeremiah Kiereini has died. Kiereini died on Monday evening at the age of 90. He was Kenyas third head of civil service, having joined the colonial administration at the height of the Mau Mau rebellion. Kiereini was born in 1929 in Kibicho, and later attended Alliance High School and Makerere University. After his career in the civil service, he joined the business world and once served as the chairperson of the East African Breweries Limited (then KBL) and later CMC motors. He also had interests in real estate, insurance, coffee farming and the hospitality industry, which made him worth billions. He was one of the biggest investors in the NSE, having his fingers and even serving in the boards of many companies including CFC Stanbic, Heritage Insurance and UNGA group limited. In the last 9 years, Kiereini has lost 2 sons in unclear circumstances. In 2017, his son Githaes decomposing body was found in an apartment in Karen. He was 43 and was living alone. It was a suspicious cleaning lady who discovered the body after her phone calls went unanswered for a while. His other son had died just 6 years prior. Following the death of Kiereini, president Uhuru Kenyatta has sent his condolence message. He has referred to the late as a polished patriot and loyal Kenyan. Mr. Kereini was a polished patriot and loyal Kenyan who served this country with dedication as a public servant for over 30 years rising through the ranks to the position of Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, he stated. Fidelitys latest quarterly retirement savings update had something special to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the bottom. The investment giant examined the 1.64 million portfolios that were around at the end of March 2009, near when the Great Recession hit its nadir, and that are still around today. Its analysis provided a few important reminders to investors. Most importantly: Ten years is a long time, but its not exactly the long run. In the decade between Q1 2009 and 2019, the average 401(k) balance, which had been $52,600, grew 466% to $297,700. Thats an 18.93% increase per year. For Gen X Fidelity customers, balances were up 626%. For the millennials, which only had $7,000 on average in Fidelity 401(k)s back in 2009, the cumulative percentage change was 1,762%. Much of the 10-year 466% gain in the average Fidelity 401(k), of course, is from contributions, not just market returns. For people earlier in their retirement saving years, contributions build a portfolio far more than investment returns do. It takes time for returns to outweigh contributions. But a big part of the reason portfolios have grown so much does have to do with the markets bull run. In the 2009-2019 period examined, the S&P 500 is up over 255% cumulatively, which is 13.5% per year an enormous number. Where is the financial crisis? Its also a number that has the potential to skew. As the New York Times pointed out, the 10-year stock window just cycled out the troubles of the mid-aughts, taking out the trash and expunging the markets record like a delinquent youth whos has grown up. There is an unfortunate and dangerous downside, however. Not having the bad parts of the markets history in a common performance metric and instead having a nice upward slope makes for a very misleading interpretation of the data for anyone who looks at 10-year data. Its essentially the opposite of a credit report. Most black marks on someone's credit report stay for seven years. (A Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays for 10.) The thinking goes, a persons behavior older than that isnt useful anymore in predicting how good they are with your money. Story continues But the market is not a credit report. The economy works in cycles and the length of this expansion is simply too long to be contained in a standard 10-year window. Past 10-year return is often something people look at when evaluating whether to buy or sell a security like an ETF, mutual fund, or stock. Past results arent a guarantee of future performance, but many people invest that way. And looking at numbers that high from period with no a bear market could skew the expectations. 10 years has changed a lot Besides the 466% average change in balances that were around back in March 2009, the components of portfolios has changed a great deal. Back in 2009, just 16% of investors held target-date funds. Today, over 52% of 401(k) accounts use target-date funds to diversify. In general, Fidelity reported, diversification has grown considerably. Whereas 15% of customers had all individual stocks in their 401(k) accounts 10 years ago, only 7% of individuals still invest like that, as the popularity of index funds and other easy ways to buy the market increased. Fidelity also noted that this quarter had the highest 401(k) employee contribution numbers in history, up 15% from a year ago to $2,379 in the first three months of the year. The amount of money employers are willing to contribute were similarly at record highs, with the percentage match notching 4.7% of employee salaries on average, pushing the overall savings rate to 13.5% another all-time high. While markets have been turbulent lately, most retail investors will likely continue contributing to their 401(k)s (its probably on auto). This is the beauty of dollar-cost averaging. For this pay period, at least, the market is cheaper. And in another 10-years? No one knows, but itll probably go up it usually does. But perhaps not by 13.5%. - Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, personal finance, retail, airlines, and more. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Warren Buffetts most fun investment The TurboTax scandal provides a key lesson about tax preparers Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. The Duchess of Sussexs estranged father Thomas Markle is trying to get back into his daughters good books, according to Princess Dianas biographer. Andrew Morton says the 74-year-old retired TV lighting director has been very quiet recently. Speaking on Yahoo UKs The Royal Box, Morton adds: Hed been approached by Italian, French and German and other TV channels to talk about his relationship with Meghan, or non-relationship, and he turned them down. Its believed that Meghan hasnt spoken to her dad Thomas since her wedding last May. He admitted he staged paparazzi photos for money and subsequently pulled out of walking his daughter down the aisle, reportedly due to health problems. The Duchess of Sussex in Morocco in February [Photo: PA] Since the wedding, Mr Markle has given numerous interviews to the press and TV channels, including sharing excerpts of a five-page letter Meghan wrote him in August last year. Meghans mother Doria Ragland is currently staying with her daughter, son-in-law and new grandson at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. She was mentioned in the statement when Archies birth was announced, but Thomas was not included. Instead Mr Markle 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 honor [sic]. God bless the child and I wish him health and happiness, and my congratulations to my lovely daughter Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry, and God save the Queen. Morton suggests hes trying to keep his nose clean, by releasing such a dignified statement. Meghan's father Thomas Markle speaking on Good Morning Britain in December [Photo: ITV] PR expert Nick Ede thinks Thomas is going to be the one who wants to heal the rift. He adds: I think Samantha [Markle], on the other hand, is very much about headlines, financial gain, so I dont think shes going to go quiet, but I do think Thomas will definitely. Meghans half-sister Samantha told The Mirror that her father should be involved in his grandsons life, following Archies birth. Story continues READ MORE: Thomas Markle 'will never get to meet his grandson' Historian Anna Whitelock thinks Thomas gave an appropriate statement following the birth. She says: I think you also have to accept the fact that we may not be completely privy to everything that is going on. We do not know what kind of conversations may or may not have taken place. Absolutely there is this sense that her father has been a loose cannon in the media, around the time of the marriage. In the last few weeks he has been notably absent from the air waves. He did, I think, an appropriate statement on the birth, so I think we have to kind of give them the benefit of the doubt for that. Photo: iStock Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in San Antonio. San Antonio pastor among 30 arrested, indicted on child sex crimes in April Bexar County law enforcement arrested or indicted 30 people on child sex crime charges in April, according to records obtained by mySA.com. Read the full story on Chron.com from the Houston Chronicle. Witnesses describe road rage brawl that unfolded in busy intersection A witness said the two people were in different cars and said it could have been road-rage..and at rush hour, no less. Read the full story on KHOU 11 News. Julian Castro pitches $1.5 trillion education plan with free Pre-K, free college Castro, the former San Antonio mayor and U.S. housing secretary in the Obama administration, staked out positions beyond other contestants in the 2020 field with proposals on learning that stretch from early childhood to opportunities in prison. Read the full story on Houston Chronicle. 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. Here are todays top stories. Two Saudi oil tankers damaged in sabotage attack, says press agency Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers had been sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, in attacks it described as posing a threat to the security of global oil supplies. US deploying more Patriot missiles to Middle East, amid Iranian threats The US has announced it will deploy additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East after US officials said intelligence indicates Iran and its proxies could be planning to threaten US forces and interests in the Middle East. American couple demand answers after they say Kenyan authorities took 3-year-old in their custody An American couple living in Nairobi, Kenya, is demanding answers after a three-year-old boy in their custody, they say, was taken away by authorities last month without explanation. Sweden reopens Julian Assange rape investigation Sweden will reopen the investigation into an allegation of rape against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the countrys deputy chief prosecutor announced on Monday. Pilot in Myanmar lands plane without front wheels A pilot in Myanmar is being hailed as a hero after landing a plane Sunday on only its rear wheels, after the passenger jets landing gear failed. Man wanted by FBI for sexually abusing young girls turns himself in after 23 years Wayne Arthur Silsbee walked into the Oregon City Police Department and turned himself in on Friday. 38-meter long slide in Spain shuts due to injuries, 24 hours after opening A steep 38-meter long slide has been closed due to reports of multiple injuries, less than 24 hours after it opened in Spain. Avengers: Endgame is Chinas biggest-ever foreign film Avengers: Endgame has made more than $600 million in China since its release. Manchester City retain Premier League: This is my toughest title, says Pep Guardiola Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says retaining the Premier League trophy this year was the toughest title of his career. City came from behind to claim a 4-1 victory over Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday and beat Liverpool to the title by one point. Ramaphosa to tackle ANC bad tendencies South Africa election 2019 South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to clean the African National Congress (ANC) of all bad tendencies in a bid to end corruption. In a victory speech in Johannesburg, he thanked voters and said they had sent a clear message. US to suffer from tariffs, Trump aide says One of Donald Trumps top economic advisers has acknowledged the president was wrong to suggest that China would pay tariffs on its exports to the US. Larry Kudlow, who heads the National Economic Council, accepted it was US businesses that paid the import tax. Game of Thrones: The Bells review Is it clutching at straws to suggest that, given the increasing criticism swirling around the final series of Game of Thrones, its creators David Benioff and DB Weiss have been engaged in a cunning meta-game with its audience? These 2 old Game of Thrones visions basically predicted Episode 5 Warning: Contains ashy spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5. Wow, okay. That was a cheery episode, wasnt it? While the penultimate Game of Thrones outing seems to have divided people, though, its worth noting that it wasnt necessarily a huge surprise. Game of Thrones fans react to major death on Mothers Day from hell Queen Cersei: Destroyer of Septs, Lover of Elephants, and Mother of Dead Children is no more. The Battle for Kings Landing has come and gone, taking with it the Clegane brothers, Euron Greyjoy, Varys, practically all of Danys credibility, and both of the long-time problematic Lannister twins. Robert Downey Jr.s Avengers: Endgame post on Instagram will make you cry Havent seen Avengers: Endgame yet? Well, SPOILERS AHEAD. Dont say you werent warned. Ill give it a minute, in case any unspoiled eyes stray down by accident or by accident a few extra lines. Anyone whos still here and reading should know that youre entering spoilertown right about By Dado Ruvic TESLIC, Bosnia May 14 (Reuters) - Torrential rain and floods in some parts of Bosnia forced authorities to declare an emergency on Tuesday, while neighboring countries were on alert and taking protective measures as downpours continued. Police were searching for a six-year boy who feared drowned after he fell into a swollen creek near the central town of Zepce. His mother, who tried and failed to rescue him, was hospitalized. Hundreds of households in central and northwestern Bosnia were flooded when smaller rivers burst their banks after the rains started on Sunday. Local officials in the northern town of Kotor Varos said around 15 people had been evacuated from their homes. Landslides triggered by the rainfall blocked regional roads, cutting off electricity and causing drinking water shortages in some areas. The Red Cross was providing hygiene packages to the affected population. But civil defense officials said the situation was less severe than in 2014, when the heaviest rains and floods in 120 years hit Bosnia and Serbia, killing dozens and leaving several towns and villages isolated. The weather was expected to stabilize in Bosnia in the next few days and the level of major rivers to decrease. In Croatia, authorities were taking emergency measures at the Bosnian border, where the level of the River Una has been rising, and in the country's center, where eight tourists were rescued by firefighters from the flooded town of Slunj. Serbia was also on alert, taking precautionary measures against flooding from rains forecast to continue until Friday, the authorities said. (Reporting Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo, Igor Ilic in Zagreb and Ivana Sekularac in Belgrade, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Catherine Evans) At a meeting of President Donald Trumps top national security aides last Thursday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack US forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, administration officials said. The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John Bolton, Mr Trumps national security adviser. It does not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops, officials said. The development reflects the influence of Mr Bolton, one of the administrations most virulent Iran hawks, whose push for confrontation with Tehran was ignored more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush. It is highly uncertain whether Mr Trump, who has sought to disentangle the United States from Afghanistan and Syria, ultimately would send so many US forces back to the Middle East. It is also unclear whether the president has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans. On Monday, asked if he was seeking regime change in Iran, Mr Trump said: Well see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. [[gallery-0]] There are sharp divisions in the administration over how to respond to Iran at a time when tensions are rising about Irans nuclear policy and its intentions in the Middle East. Some senior US officials said the plans, even at a very preliminary stage, show how dangerous the threat from Iran has become. Others, who are urging a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions, said it amounts to a scare tactic to warn Iran against new aggressions. European allies who met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said that they worry that tensions between Washington and Tehran could boil over, possibly inadvertently. More than a half-dozen US national security officials who have been briefed on details of the updated plans agreed to discuss them with The New York Times on the condition of anonymity. Spokesmen for M> 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 Southwestern Energy Company (SWN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Antero Resources Corporation (AR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) : Free Stock Analysis Report SilverBow Resources Inc. (SBOW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation on Tuesday seeking sanctions targeting the Nord Stream 2, a planned gas pipeline from Russia to Germany under fire from the United States and some European Union countries. The bill introduced by Republican Senators Ted Cruz, John Barrasso and Tom Cotton and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, seeks to impose travel and financial sanctions on companies and individuals involved in constructing the pipeline. The legislation reflects continued U.S. concerns over Russian influence in Europe, but the measure is many steps from becoming law. It would need to pass both the Senate and House of Representatives and be signed by President Donald Trump to go into effect. The Nord Stream 2 project is led by the Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom, with funding from Germany's Uniper and BASF unit Wintershall, Anglo-Dutch firm Shell, Austria's OMV and France's Engie. Opponents of the 11-billion-euro ($12 billion) project worry its construction will increase European reliance on Russian energy. Trump has accused Germany of being "captive" to Moscow because of its dependence on Russian energy, and urged that the project be halted. But gas by pipeline from Russia offers Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, and other countries in the region a cheaper option for fuel than liquefied natural gas from the United States and other producers. Germany also wants to reduce its reliance on coal and nuclear energy. The pipeline, which would carry gas straight to Germany under the Baltic Sea, has also been criticized because it would deprive Ukraine of lucrative gas transit fees, potentially making Kiev more vulnerable. Washington has touted liquefied natural gas, delivered by U.S. companies, as an alternative to Russian gas. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Additional reporting by Tim Gardner; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and James Dalgleish) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will plan for another trade meeting in China at some point soon, a Treasury spokesman said on Tuesday, adding to President Donald Trump's earlier statements that U.S. dialogue with Beijing was continuing. Asked at a briefing whether Mnuchin was headed back to Beijing for more talks, the spokesman said: "As the secretary has indicated, the negotiations will continue. We do anticipate, as the secretary indicated yesterday, that we will plan for a meeting in China at some point soon." The spokesman provided no further details on the timing of a potential visit, but said that Trump was planning to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in late June at a Group of 20 leaders summit in Japan. (Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Jonathan Oatis) On the first day of International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) Asia 2019, on May 14, during the opening ceremony, Dr NG ENG HEN, Singapore's Minister of Defence, had a speech about the changes that the Singapore's Navy will have to face in the future. On the first day of International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) Asia 2019, on May 14, during the opening ceremony, Dr NG ENG HEN, Singapore's Minister of Defence, had a speech about the changes that the Singapore's Navy will have to face in the future. Opening ceremony of the IMDEX Asia 2019 exhibition with Singaporean Minister of Defence, Dr NG ENG HEN, as the guest of honour (Picture Source: Navy Recognition) During this 12th edition of the IMDEX Asia - which first started in 1997 - 70 foreign delegations and 10.000 visitors coming from more than 60 countries attend the exhibition where more than 230 companies are displaying their products. In addition to that, 21 vessels came for the occasion, including 4 Singapore Navy ones. During his speech, the Minister of Defence stated that "This region [the ASEAN region], at its heart, is a maritime region. From historical times, seminal influences have travelled across seas to impact countries here". Then he added that "the seas still hold powerful forces that can continue to shape the destinies of our countries, individually or collectively. Indeed, as global commerce has increased, so too has the significance of sea lines of communication as global arteries for trade". "Singapore sits at the confluence of two key arterial networks formed by the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. As a result, 25% of all the traded goods in the world on more than 1,000 ships pass through the Singapore Strait each day. [...] Despite global uncertainties, including trade disputes and security tensions, trade volumes through the seas have been going up and are expected to increase further." Therefore, Dr NG ENG HEN called to "literally and figuratively calm seas in this region" in order to "ensure that global commerce continues and good relations between countries are maintained". Nevertheless, he reminded the attendance that "traditional maritime threats persist, such as transnational maritime terrorism". And to counter that terrorism, he added that "collectively, we need to step up our intelligence efforts as the centre of gravity of global terrorism shifts away from the Middle East and moves to other regions of the world". He then added that other threats to maritime peace exist, such as the extension of maritime territorial claims on fisheries and other resources made by some countries, and asked the world to discuss a "strong consensus" for "common rules for the seas and their use" because today, "the disruption of vital [naval] supply lines would be devastating [for any country]. As a conclusion, we could say that the speech of the Singapore's Minister of Defence, Dr NG ENG HEN, mainly aimed to ask the worldwide navies to redefine maritime laws in order to avoid problems linked to (increasing) maritime shipping in the future. This call appears to be really important and logical for a country like Singapore, which is really depending on the seas. May 14 (Reuters) - Drivers of ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc's were independent contractors and not its employees, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board said in a memo. "Drivers' virtually complete control of their cars, work schedules, and log-in locations, together with their freedom to work for competitors of Uber, provided them with significant entrepreneurial opportunity," according to the memo dated April 16. "Applying the common-law agency test, we conclude that UberX and UberBLACK drivers were independent contractors." Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) London (AFP) - Prime Minister Theresa May's government will publish draft legislation in the first week of June that would allow Brexit to proceed if approved by parliament, a Downing Street spokesman announced on Tuesday. The statement came after talks between May and opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on a possible compromise that would end a deadlock on Brexit in parliament. May met with Corbyn "to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU. "We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning June 3," the spokesman said, referring to a draft law based on the divorce deal agreed with EU leaders. May was seeking a "stable majority in parliament that will ensure the safe passage of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and the UK's swift exit from the EU," the spokesman said. For the past six weeks, ministers and their Labour counterparts have been discussing how parliament might accept the agreement May struck with the European Union last year. Progress has been painfully slow, and there are growing calls in May's Conservative party to abandon the process. But her ministers discussed at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday "the compromises which the government was prepared to consider" and agreed to keep talking, May's spokesman said. They also said it was "imperative" that any exit plan be approved by parliament before MPs go on their summer holiday, which normally begins at the end of July. "What she (May) is working to do is to get a deal passed as soon as possible," the spokesman said. MPs have already rejected May's Brexit deal three times. She turned to Labour last month in the hope of finding a way through, but the party is insisting on a close trading relationship with the EU that many Conservative MPs reject. A Labour party spokesperson said Corbyn had raised "concerns about the prime minister's ability to deliver on any compromise agreement". Story continues "He raised doubts over the credibility of government commitments," the spokesperson said, following statements by Conservative MPs seeking to replace May. After twice delaying Brexit, Britain is reluctantly taking part in European Parliament elections on May 23, almost three years after the referendum vote to leave the bloc. The government had hoped to get the London parliament's agreement for the divorce deal in the coming weeks so British MEPs would never have to take their seats. But the goal outlined on Tuesday, of getting the bill to ratify the treaty passed by the end of July, suggests they will have to. "The factual position is if MEPs are elected and (the British) parliament has not approved a withdrawal agreement bill which has achieved royal assent by June 30, they will take their seats," May's spokesman said. By Guy Faulconbridge and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will launch another push next month to approve Britain's exit from the European Union before the summer break, setting a new deadline for her Brexit plan and a potential timetable for her own departure. Nearly three years after the United Kingdom voted 52% to 48% to leave the EU, politicians still disagree about when, how or even if the divorce will take place. Brexit had been due to take place on March 29, but May was unable to get her divorce deal ratified by parliament, which rejected the so-called Withdrawal Agreement three times, and now the date is set for Oct. 31. In a change of tack, her spokesman said she was now planning to put forward a Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which implements the terms of Britain's departure, in the week beginning June 3 to try to secure Brexit before lawmakers go on summer holiday. "It is imperative we do so then if the UK is to leave the EU before the summer parliamentary recess," the spokesman said after May met opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as part of talks to secure his party's support for the bill. "We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the 3rd June," he said, citing the same week as U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain. But Corbyn, whose negotiating team has been holding talks with government ministers for more than four weeks to find a way to break the deadlock in parliament, raised doubts over whether Labour could back the Withdrawal Bill. "In particular he raised doubts over the credibility of government commitments, following statements by Conservative MPs (members of parliament) and cabinet ministers seeking to replace the prime minister," his spokesman said. By restarting the process to get parliamentary approval for a deal she agreed with the EU in November, May is also trying to signal to her own party that she will honour her promise to step down as leader when the agreement is passed. Story continues May, who secured the Conservative Party leadership and the premiership in the chaos that followed Britain's 2016 vote to leave the EU, is under pressure from some of her own lawmakers to set a date for her departure. U.S. investment bank JP Morgan said on Tuesday it was difficult to see May surviving beyond the end of June. DELAYS As positions harden in parliament, with many wanting to either leave the EU without a deal or to stop Brexit altogether, May has turned to Labour, led by Corbyn, a veteran socialist, to negotiate a way to break the impasse. Despite opposition from some in her party, senior ministers agreed at a cabinet meeting earlier to press ahead with the talks, May's spokesman said. "Ministers involved in the negotiations set out details of the compromises which the government was prepared to consider in order to consider an agreement which would allow the UK to leave the EU with a deal as soon as possible," the spokesman said. "However, it was agreed that it is imperative to bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in time for it to receive royal assent by the summer parliamentary recess." Parliament usually breaks for the summer in the second half of July, although the exact date has not been set. But both May and Corbyn are under pressure from their own parties not to give too much away in the talks. On Monday, Labour lawmakers demanded that Corbyn clarify his Brexit stance at a meeting with Labour lawmakers on Monday, with backers of a second Brexit referendum and others who want a deal to leave arguing their case, sources told Reuters. May is under pressure not to give in to Corbyn's demand to agree to a customs union with the EU after Brexit. Thirteen of May's former cabinet colleagues as well as Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers, wrote to May on Tuesday to ask her not to agree to Labour's demand for a post-Brexit customs union with the EU. "You would have lost the loyal middle of the Conservative Party, split our party and with likely nothing to show for it," the letter said. "We urge you to think again." "No leader can bind his or her successor so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worst illusory," said the letter, whose signatories included Gavin Williamson, who was sacked as defence minister this month, and former Foreign Minister Boris Johnson. (Additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan and James Davey; Editing by Michael Holden, Mark Heinrich, Lisa Shumaker and Richard Chang) BEIRUT (AP) The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights is calling for "a thorough, effective and independent investigation" into the death of a Lebanese man who was allegedly tortured by police intelligence. Michelle Bachelet says Hassan Diqa died Saturday despite numerous interventions by a variety of U.N. entities with Lebanese authorities after he was allegedly tortured while detained on drug-related charges in November. Bachelet said Tuesday that Diqa's death "highlights what appears to be a number of very serious failings in Lebanon's legal and prison systems." She says those who ordered the crime must be held accountable. Diqa's father, Toufic, says his son suffered partial paralysis of his left leg. He was admitted to hospital in early April and remained there until his death. Geneva (AFP) - Myanmar's military commanders should be financially "isolated" and brought to trial to face charges of war crimes and genocide against the Rohingya minority, UN investigators said Tuesday. The United Nations fact-finding mission on the situation in Myanmar called on the international community to cut off all financial and other support to the country's military. Marzuki Darusman, who heads the fact-finding mission which just concluded a 10-day visit to surrounding countries, said drastic measures were needed since Myanmar so far had done little to resolve the egregious rights situation in the country. "There has been no movement toward a resolution of the crisis," Darusman said in a statement. "The situation is at a total standstill." Some 740,000 Rohingya refugees fled a military crackdown in August 2017 to cross into Bangladesh where 300,000 members of the persecuted Muslim minority were already in camps. Many Rohingya refugees who fled said there had been mass rapes and slaughters in the villages, and in a report published last September, the fact-finding mission said there were reasonable grounds to believe the atrocities amounted to "genocide". The investigators lamented Tuesday that "both military and civilian sides of Myanmars government persistently deny the facts and disclaim any responsibility for crimes under international law. "Following this violence, Myanmar authorities have levelled empty Rohingya villages with bulldozers, effectively destroying criminal evidence, while making no substantive progress in resolving the ethnic animosities that have helped fuel the crisis," they said. The UN fact-finding mission was not granted access to Myanmar itself, but during their visit to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, the investigators met exiled representatives from the Chin, Kachin, Shan and Rakhine ethnic communities. "Meeting with these different ethnic communities only underscored our findings that the Tatmadaw (the Myanmar military) has over time committed similar atrocities against many of the ethnic groups living within the borders of Myanmar," expert Radhika Coomaraswamy said in the statement. Story continues Another member of the team, Christopher Sidoti, said the investigators so far had "seen no evidence that the Myanmar government is acting in good faith to resolve the crisis or facilitate the safe return of refugees. "The situation demands an increase in international pressure," he said. "Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence," he added. The fact-finding mission is due to present its final report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next September, and will hand over its findings to a panel tasked with preparing criminal indictments. Montevideo (AFP) - Uruguay is preparing to extradite a 25-year-old Argentine man wanted in connection with the killing last week of lawmaker Hector Olivares and his friend outside Buenos Aires' congress building, a prosecutor said Tuesday. A judge in Montevideo "issued a sentence of extradition" which went uncontested by the defense in a hearing Tuesday, prosecutor Juan Gomez said. Juan Navarro Cadiz was arrested in Uruguay in the aftermath of the May 9 shooting and held in custody pending the hearing of an extradition request from Argentina. The extradition "depends on the acceptance of the conditions imposed by the judge," said Gomez, including that Cadiz would not be subject to a life sentence -- abolished in Uruguay and many other Latin American countries -- if eventually found guilty. Six people in total have been detained in connection with shooting. Olivares, 61, died of his wounds on Sunday, four days after the shooting that left his long-time friend Marcelo Yadon dead at the scene. The motive of the shooting is still not known. Press reports in Argentina have said it may have been linked to a relationship that Yadon was having with a much younger daughter of one of the assailants. The shooting was caught on security cameras. Shots were fired at Olivares and Yadon from inside a car parked outside the Congress building. Washington (AFP) - An organizer of a notorious white nationalist rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia, nearly two years ago said it would not have taken place had Donald Trump not become president. "There is no question that Charlottesville wouldn't have occurred without Trump," Richard Spencer, a leader of the so-called "alt-right," said in an interview with The Atlantic magazine. "It really was because of his campaign and this new potential for a nationalist candidate who was resonating with the public in a very intense way," Spencer said. "The alt-right found something in Trump," he said. "He changed the paradigm and made this kind of public presence of the alt-right possible." A 21-year-old neo-Nazi is serving life in prison after driving his car into a group of counter-protestors following the August 2017 gathering of white supremacists in Charlottesville. A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, was killed and dozens of other people injured when James Alex Fields Jr drove his car into the crowd. The counter-protesters had gathered in opposition to the white supremacists who had come to the university town ostensibly to protest the removal of a Confederate statue. Trump has been accused of giving tacit encouragement to white supremacists by failing to unequivocally condemn their ideology and his anti-immigration policies have mostly targeted Muslims, Africans and Latinos. Trump drew broad criticism following the Charlottesville violence when he spoke of "very fine people" and "blame on both sides," appearing to establish a moral equivalence between the white supremacists and those who opposed them. The incident turned Charlottesville into a symbol of the growing audacity of the far right under Trump. Spencer, one of the organizers of the "Unite the Right" rally, told the Atlantic that Trump was "being honest and calling it like he saw it." "I was proud of him at that moment," he said. Bogota (AFP) - The US government announced Monday it will provide $160 million in funding to Colombia to help implement the historic peace accord signed between the state and now-disarmed FARC rebels. The funds have been allotted for the "implementation of peace" and to "formalize land" in areas ravaged by half a century of armed conflict, US Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green told reporters in Bogota. FARC rebels laid down their arms and formed a political party following the historic peace accord signed in December 2016 by the left-wing guerrillas and then-president Juan Manuel Santos. "These funds are destined for important work, for the implementation of peace, to promote reconciliation, to help rural communities, to improve security for citizens and to strengthen the protection of human rights," said Green. Green's announcement came during the rubber-stamping of an amendment to the binational agreement whereby the United States has given $754 million to Colombia for socioeconomic development programs, USAID said in a statement. Colombia's President Ivan Duque said the funds would primarily be used in productivity projects involving former FARC militants. But he said they would also to improve security in areas where FARC guerrillas were present and to "close gaps" in the access to services and marketing of products in such isolated regions. The announcement comes at a time of heightened tension between the two countries, which are historical allies, over the fight against drug-traffickers. US President Donald Trump has harshly criticized Colombia over the rise in illegal drug plantations in the country -- 2017 saw a record 171,000 hectares (423,000 acres) of land used to produce coca, according to the United Nations. Trump has demanded Colombia take measures to tackle the problem or face a reduction in US aid. Duque assumed power in August having won an election while trumpeting a tough line on crime and drugs. He has vowed to wipe out at least 142,000 hectares of coca plantations and has even examined the possibility of reintroducing the use of glyphosate -- suspended since 2015 due to the weedkiller's potentially harmful effects on nature and public health -- in aerial fumigations. Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine -- whose primary ingredient is coca leaves -- much of which heads to the lucrative US market. The JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier and one of the largest ship of the Japanese Navy takes part at IMDEX Asia 2019, maritime and defence exhibition which takes place in Singapore from 14 to 16 May 2019. The ships of this class are currently the largest surface combatants of the JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force), taking over the mantle previously held by the Hyuga-class helicopter destroyers. The JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier and one of the largest ship of the Japanese Navy takes part at IMDEX Asia 2019, maritime and defence exhibition which takes place in Singapore from 14 to 16 May 2019. The ships of this class are currently the largest surface combatants of the JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force), taking over the mantle previously held by the Hyuga-class helicopter destroyers. The JS Izumo, helicopter carrier and one of the Japanese Navy's largest ships, has docked in Singapore as part of IMDEX Asia 2019. (Picture source printscreen AFP video Youtube) The JS Izumo was officially unveiled at Yokohama on 6 August 2013. In December 2018, the Japanese Cabinet gave the approval to convert both ships into aircraft carriers capable of operating the F-35B. The revised version of the National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG), which set out Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) capability targets over a period of about 10 years, stated that the government will enable fighter jets to be operated from existing warships, if necessary, to improve the flexibility of their operation. The NDPG furthermore re-designates the JS Izumo as a multi-purpose escort destroyer to comply with Japans pacifist constitution that limits JSDF capabilities to self-defense. In its 10-year Defense Program Guidelines, Tokyo said it will buy 42 of the stealthy F-35Bs, which are designed for short-run takeoffs and vertical landings. Those planes will be available for deployment aboard two flat-top ships, the JS Izumo and JS Kaga. The Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces two Izumo-class helicopter destroyers measure 248 meters in length and currently operate 9 helicopters. Should they be converted for the operation of F-35B jets, the ships would have to receive a special thermion coating which would protect the flight deck from the temperatures created by F-35B thrusters. In terms of air defense capabilities, the ship is equipped with 3 Phalanx CIWS and 2 SeaRAM. The Phalanx CIWS is a close-in weapon system armed with 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun automatic cannon that can be used for air defense against anti-ship missiles, helicopters, etc. The SeaRAM missile system defends ships against supersonic and subsonic threats including cruise missiles, drones and helicopters. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The United States is calling on all nations "to be prepared to take concrete actions" to respond to repression by President Nicolas Maduro's regime in Venezuela. A statement Tuesday by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not elaborate on what actions it is seeking, but said that "the world is watching as the dire humanitarian crisis and assaults on basic human rights in Venezuela worsen by the day." The U.S. said it "raised alarm" over the May 8 detention of National Assembly First Vice President Edgar Zambrano during closed U.N. Security Council consultations Tuesday. It called his arrest "a major escalation" of Maduro's crackdown on the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The U.S. urged the international community to support Assembly President Juan Guadio's call "for a peaceful democratic transition." America is getting dragged into a dangerous military confrontation with Iran by an alliance of malign states in the Middle East and hawks in the Trump administration, one of Tehrans most senior diplomats has charged as tensions continue to rise in the region. The leaders of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US Presidents National Security Advisor were singled by the Iranian ambassador to Britain as those supposedly attempting to orchestrate a conflict. The accusation came in the wake of the deployment of an US aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf and Mr Trumps acting Defence Secretary, Patrick Shanahan, reportedly presenting a military contingency plan for an Iran conflict at a meeting of senior national security officials. The plan, was drawn up on the orders of Mr Bolton, according to the New York Times, involved sending more than 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Tehran carries out attacks on US forces or speeds up its development of nuclear weapons. Mr Trump, however, claimed the New York Times report was " fake news". He said: "We'd send hell of a lot more troops than that" if a plan was to be drawn up for a war with Iran. Meanwhile there were reports in Washington that American investigators believe that Iran or its armed proxy group attacked four oil tankers in the area, using explosives to cause severe damage to the vessels. Iran has strongly disclaimed any involvement. Hamid Baedinejad, the Iranian ambassador said: Unfortunately there are people in the region advising Donald Trump, those our ministers call the B team, who have adopted a policy of confrontation and initiatives to drag the US into a confrontation with Iran in collaboration with John Bolton. The question is whether there are people in Washington who would be able to avoid falling into this trap. These people trying for confrontation have been very active in this area. We believe this is a total mistake and a total miscalculation. We hope they understand that they are playing a very dangerous game and it may have consequences for them. Story continues We hope that this stops and people start behaving in a responsible way. No evidence has been produced so far to show Iranian involvement, but the attacks have escalated tension with an expanding military presence in and around the Strait of Hormuz which provides passage for tankers carrying a fifth of the oil consumed globally each year. Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates have stopped short of directly blaming Iran for the attacks, which Tehran has condemned as dreadful with a parliamentary spokesman holding that Israel was a prime suspect for carrying them out. Unfortunately there are people in the region advising Donald Trump, those our ministers call the B team, who have adopted a policy of confrontation Hamid Baedinejad Last week the US administration maintained that it has specific and credible intelligence indicating that Iran or its allies were preparing assaults against American targets in the area. Mr Trump threatened that theres going to a bad problem for Iran if something happens. The intelligence warning, according to security and diplomatic officials, came from Israel. Mr Baedinejad insisted that Iran was fully aware of the build up of American forces and had been extremely careful to avoid any possibility of clashes. The military presence of the US is very high in the region, we know that, and we know that any miscalculation would be very damaging, he said. But let me tell you frankly that after this military preparation by the US we were actually expecting there would be some incidents, because there are people in Washington and elsewhere trying to drag the US into a military confrontation, trying to find some pretext to do so, maybe shape public opinion for some action. The ambassador denied any Iranian involvement in the tanker attacks. We dont know who did this, we need to find evidence. But we are very suspicious of what happened. Hours after media reports on this, the UAE declined to comment, they rejected this has happened at all. But then suddenly there was a concerted effort to channelize the news that Iran and proxies were likely to be engaged in this. We dont know who is coordinating it, but we find it all very suspicious he said. The theme of agent provocateurs attempting to ferment a conflict was echoed by other senior Iranian officials. Heshmatollah Falahat Pisheh, the head of the countrys National Security Foreign Policy Committee stated: Iran and the United States can manage the crisis by themselves. But there are third parties who might make the atmosphere of the region more sensitive in terms of security by making deviant moves. There are different groups whose goal is to make the region unsafe. Therefore, there must be red lines between Iran and the United States in the management of the events which prevents third parties from making crises." Irans Foreign Minister claimed extremist individuals in the US of pursuing dangerous policies. Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, Mohammad Javad Zarif said he had discussed the issue in a meeting with Indian officials. In this meeting there was also discussion of the worries about the actions and suspicious sabotage in the region. And we announced that we had predicted these kinds of actions for provoking tension in the region before....We discussed regional issues and the dangers of the policies, extremist individuals in the American government and the region are trying to impose on the region. Washington (AFP) - Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria sent conflicting signals Tuesday over Iran's alleged threat, with a British general appearing to take issue with Washington's alarms over an imminent danger posed by Tehran to the US and its allies. Major General Chris Ghika, a British spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, said that they did not sense any intensified threat from Iran in the region, even though the US military was boosting its forces in the Gulf. "There has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," Ghika told reporters via teleconference at the Pentagon. That brought a sharp retort from the US Central Command, which in the past nine days has accelerated the deployment of an aircraft carrier task force to the Gulf, adding to it B-52 bombers, a Patriot missile battery and an amphibious assault ship, in the face of the alleged Iranian threat. Ghika's comments "run counter to the identified credible threats available to intelligence from US and allies regarding Iranian backed forces in the region," Central Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban said. The mixed signals underscored questions about the US ramping up its forces in the Gulf without having explained the intelligence behind the move. On May 5, White House National Security Advisor John Bolton announced that the Pentagon was sending the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the region "in response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" related to Iran. In the week since, the Pentagon said it would also position a Patriot missile battery and an amphibious assault ship in the region as a warning to Tehran. Iran has denied planning anything and US allies have warned of the danger of escalation, saying it heightens the chance that an accident could set off a major conflict. - US: 'High level of alert' - Story continues Both Washington and Tehran said Tuesday that they were not seeking war -- but, in Sochi, Russia, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo again issued a warning. "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." Ghika's comments, and the lack of any details on what Washington believes Tehran was planning, has fed suspicions among critics that President Donald Trump's administration was firing up tensions in the region without justification. "We've seen no change in the posture or laydown" of the Shia Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi paramilitary group with close ties to Tehran, Ghika said. "Of course PMF is a very broad range of groups. Many of them are compliant and we have seen no change in their posture since the recent exchange between the US and Iran." Ghika denied he was contradicting his US partners, and said the Inherent Resolve forces were already postured against a range of threats. "I don't think we're out of step with the White House at all," Ghika said. But Central Command's Urban said that in fact alert levels had been stepped up due to the Iran threat. "US Central Command, in coordination with Operation Inherent Resolve, has increased the force posture level for all service members assigned to OIR in Iraq and Syria," he said in a statement. "As a result, OIR is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to US forces in Iraq." Washington (AFP) - US police Monday launched a bid to evict Americans who have been occupying the Venezuelan embassy in Washington for weeks in protest against opposition leader Juan Guaido. The administration of President Donald Trump and some 50 other countries recognize Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate acting leader as he tries to force the departure of President Nicolas Maduro amid an acute economic meltdown. Police with flashlights approached the Washington embassy compound Monday night, removed chains attached to its gates by the pro-Maduro activists, and spoke briefly to those inside. The activists -- who are seeking to bar the entry of Guaido's representatives -- were "offered the chance to leave voluntarily," according to Rafael Alfonso, a member of Guaido's delegation in the US. Three left, and the estimated four who remain inside were given notice that they "have to leave the building," Alfonso told AFP. But the standoff continued as, after five minutes, the remaining activists returned to the second floor, where they raised their fists in a gesture of victory through the window. Police then left the gate and re-sealed it with tape. The activists "are defending international law, defending the Vienna Convention and they are worried about the cascade effect," said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, an attorney representing them with the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund. "That is a very dangerous path." A Venezuelan source who asked not to be named said police were now waiting for the right conditions to enter the building. Last week, electricity to the building was cut off. Around 100 Venezuelans waving the red, yellow and blue flag of their country sang the national anthem outside as the US activists peeked out from inside the four-story building. Carmen Ruzza, a 46-year-old Venezuelan scholar from American University, said she had been visiting the embassy every day with coffee and donuts while a group of people surrounded the diplomatic compound to pressure the activists to leave. Story continues "This is a microcosm of the struggle we have in Venezuela," she said. Ruzza called the Maduro government a "criminal regime, a drug trafficking regime that kills, represses." For weeks, an unclear number of Americans belonging to a group calling itself the Embassy Protection Collective has been living in the embassy, with the consent of the Maduro government. The American squatters aim to block the entry of the Guaido delegation. The final Venezuelan diplomats who had been posted to Washington by the Maduro administration left the embassy last month. Sochi (Russia) (AFP) - Russia and the United States voiced hope Tuesday for better ties including working together in Syria as President Vladimir Putin welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but tensions were laid bare in a clash over election meddling. Speaking for nearly two hours late into the evening in Putin's forested dacha in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Pompeo became the highest-ranking American to meet the Russian leader in 10 months. "I would very much like your visit to Russia to benefit Russia-US relations and promote their development," Putin told Pompeo as he took a seat across from him in a sleek conference room, saying that they should "fully restore" relations. Pompeo -- who like most of the US political class, with the major exception of President Donald Trump, has been outspoken in his criticism of Putin -- said that the two countries found areas on which to cooperate, and voiced optimism in breaking a deadlock on Syria. "We had a very productive conversation on pathways forward in Syria, things we can do together where we have a shared set of interests on how to move the political process forward," Pompeo told reporters at the airport before flying out. The United States and Russia are on opposite sides of Syria's brutal eight-year civil war, with Russia the primary backer of President Bashar al-Assad. Pompeo said that he and Putin agreed on ways to move ahead with a long-delayed Syrian-led committee that will rewrite the constitution in hopes of a political end to the conflict. The top US diplomat also said that the United States and Russia largely saw eye-to-eye on Afghanistan, where Trump wants to pull troops, and North Korea amid Trump's diplomatic drive for a nuclear accord. - Disagreement on election meddling - Hanging over Trump's quest for warm ties with Russia have been persistent allegations that his campaign worked with the rival power to swing the 2016 election to the mogul over his rival Hillary Clinton. Story continues Putin hailed the two-year investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller that did not find collusion by the Trump campaign -- but documented extensive meddling by Russia, especially by manipulating social media. "Despite the exotic nature of Mr Mueller's commission, on the whole he conducted quite an objective investigation and confirmed the absence of any collusion between the US administration and Russia," Putin said. Pompeo, speaking earlier at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, acknowledged deep differences on election meddling -- and warned Russia to stay out of next year's vote. "Interference in American elections is unacceptable. If Russia engaged in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been," Pompeo said. "I conveyed that there are things that Russia can do to demonstrate that these kinds of activities are a thing of the past. I hope that Russia takes advantage of those opportunities," he said. Lavrov hit back against "those who are inflating this topic" and saying of collusion: "It's clear that such insinuations are absolute fiction." "We want and we are ready to deal with cybersecurity issues along with our American partners, without any politicisation," he said. - 'Overlapping interests' - Pompeo -- who just three days earlier in a speech said that "the Putin regime slays dissidents in cold blood" -- said he was not trying to reconcile but rather to find common interests. "It's not about 'moving on.' It's about trying to find solutions, compromises, places where there are overlapping interests," he told reporters. Pompeo was the highest-ranking American to see Putin since July when the Russian leader met in Helsinki with Trump -- who shocked the US establishment by seeming to take at face value Putin's denials of election interference. Putin and Pompeo also discussed the crises on Iran and Venezuela. But Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said they did not touch on Ukraine, where Russia's backing of separatist rebels have prompted US sanctions. Pompeo has led US charges that Russia is to blame for the continued rule of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist firebrand whom Washington is seeking to oust. "The time has come for Nicolas Maduro to go, he has brought nothing but misery to the Venezuelan people, and we hope that Russian support for Maduro will end," Pompeo said at his joint news conference with Lavrov. Most Latin American and European nations recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela, whose crumbling economy has prompted millions to flee. Lavrov mockingly said that the United States had also promoted democracy in war-torn Iraq and Libya and called for dialogue with Maduro -- an option rejected by Washington. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was stepping up a crackdown on the opposition-controlled National Assembly and called on countries to respond with concrete actions. The council met behind closed doors at the request of European countries to hear a briefing on the political and humanitarian crises in Venezuela and details of an EU-backed diplomatic push to end the stalemate. US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen raised alarm over the arrest on May 8 of Edgar Zambrano, a senior opposition leader and first vice president of the National Assembly. "We are concerned Zambrano's arrest is a major escalation of the ongoing crackdown by the Maduro regime against the National Assembly," said a statement from the US mission to the United States. "The United States calls on all member states to be prepared to take concrete actions in response to the Maduro regime's repression throughout Venezuela," it added. The United States is among more than 50 countries backing opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim president on January 23 but has since failed to force Maduro to step down. Guaido blames Maduro for Venezuela's economic problems, which have forced millions of Venezuelans to flee the country in search of livelihoods abroad. The council heard a report from French Deputy UN Ambassador Anne Gueguen on a plan by the EU-backed International Contact Group to end the standoff in Venezuela. The contact group, made up of about a dozen European and Latin American countries, plans to send envoys to Caracas soon to discuss holding elections. The group "has the capacity to push the parties to engage in a political process that would lead to free, credible and transparent elections," Gueguen told AFP. The United Nations is stepping up plans to address the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, where 7 million people -- 25 percent of the population -- are in need of food, medicine and other basic supplies. Story continues The UN resident coordinator met Monday with Maduro and other government officials in Caracas to discuss a proposed UN humanitarian response plan, UN officials said. The United Nations plans to appoint a humanitarian coordinator soon to oversee a rollout of aid to Venezuela. Maduro has repeatedly maintained that there is no humanitarian crisis in his country and that US sanctions are to blame for the hardships of Venezuelans. CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's top court accused four opposition lawmakers of treason on Tuesday, following similar accusations against 10 legislators this month, escalating a deep political crisis in the South American country. Security forces had earlier prevented lawmakers from entering the legislature for Tuesday's session, saying they were investigating the possible presence of an explosive device inside the building. The Supreme Court in a statement posted on its Facebook page accused lawmakers Carlos Paparoni, Miguel Pizarro, Franco Casella and Winston Flores of treason and inciting rebellion. The accusations marked the latest step in a crackdown by President Nicolas Maduro on allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido following a failed effort to spur a military uprising in April. "This simply gives us more strength," Flores told Reuters, calling the Supreme Court's accusations "illegitimate orders from the dictator." "We know they will continue with this process of trying to destroy the National Assembly." Last week, one opposition lawmaker was arrested and several took refuge in foreign embassies in Caracas or fled the country after similar accusations from the court. Flores said he would make an "emergency" trip to Uruguay to denounce the wave of accusations against Venezuelan lawmakers to the parliament of the Mercosur trade bloc, where he is also a representative, in Montevideo. In a tweet, Pizarro called the court ruling "an illegal sentence that seeks only to generate fear to shut us up." Reuters was unable to obtain comment from the other legislators. Opposition leaders in recent weeks have called such charges an effort by the ruling Socialist Party to shutter the legislature. The Trump administration strongly condemned this month's detention of Edgar Zambrano, the vice president of the legislature. Guaido, leader of the opposition-controlled Assembly, in January invoked Venezuela's constitution to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. More than 50 countries have recognized him as the country's rightful leader, and say the assembly is its last remaining democratic institution. "This is a dictatorship that goes after dissidents, and we are fighting for a political change," lawmaker Juan Pablo Guanipa told Reuters, referring to the blocking of congress. Tuesday's session was scheduled for 10 a.m. (1400 GMT), but never began. The lawmakers were set to discuss the charges against their colleagues and the arrest of Zambrano, an outspoken critic of Maduro. Venezuela's information ministry, which handles media inquiries on behalf of the government, did not respond to a request for comment on why security forces blocked the entrance to parliament. Maduro, a socialist, calls Guaido a puppet of the United States seeking to oust him in a coup. The government stripped the assembly of most of its powers after the opposition won a majority in 2015 elections. Lawmakers loyal to Maduro generally do not attend the sessions, but go to meetings of the Constituent Assembly, a legislative body created in 2017 that meets in the same building. The Constituent Assembly is controlled by the ruling Socialist Party and its powers supersede those of the National Assembly. Opposition lawmaker Jorge Millan told reporters the report of "bombs" in the building was false. "It is a trick to prevent the parliament from functioning today," he said. "If we do not have a session today, we will do it tomorrow." (Reporting by Mayela Armas and Corina Pons; Additional reporting and writing by Luc Cohen; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Bill Berkrot) Caracas (AFP) - Opposition lawmakers in Venezuela on Tuesday accused the government of trying to intimidate them by keeping them out of the legislature building before a planned session on the prosecution of legislators that backed a failed uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. Deputies said members of the National Guard, who provide security for the building, along with police and SEBIN intelligence agents blocked access to the opposition-controlled National Assembly. "SEBIN agents, using the excuse that there's an explosive device within the facilities, took over the federal palace. We're surrounded by intelligence agents," lawmaker Manuela Bolivar told AFP. Opposition leader Juan Guaido tried to incite an uprising against Maduro on April 30 but only around 30 members of the armed forces joined him, and the revolt quickly petered out. It however sparked two days of deadly clashes between protesters and security forces. Deputy parliament speaker Edgar Zambrano was arrested by SEBIN agents last week and stands accused of "treason, conspiracy and civil rebellion." He is one of 10 opposition lawmakers authorities have stripped of their parliamentary immunity by the Constituent Assembly, a body set up by Maduro to outflank the National Assembly, and branded traitors. One of the 10, Luis Florido, fled to neighboring Colombia while three other lawmakers sought refuge in diplomatic facilities. Guaido -- the National Assembly president -- has accused Maduro of trying to dismantle the legislature. From early Tuesday, the security services cordoned off the building housing the National Assembly. Bullet-proof vehicles and a tow truck were parked in the surrounding streets. "This is a recurring theme, it's not the first time it's happened," said Bolivar, who claimed this was part of "a policy to weaken the Assembly" and "intimidation" related to the power struggle between Guaido and Maduro, who retains the support of the armed forces. Story continues The National Guard previously reported finding explosives when parliament opened for the year on January 5. "Whether it's in a square, in the annex buildings, under a bridge, the Assembly will sit and there will be a session," said congressman Luis Stefanelli. Venezuela was plunged into a political crisis in January when Guaido declared himself acting president after the National Assembly branded Maduro a usurper over his controversial re-election last year in polls widely regarded as fraudulent. The oil-rich, cash-poor country has been stricken by recession and a humanitarian crisis in which almost a quarter of its 30 million population is in urgent need of aid, according to the United Nations. The UN also says that more than 2.7 million people have fled the country since 2015. Those remaining behind face shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines, and failing public services including water, electricity and transport. Dr Hanan Ashrawi, a veteran negotiator for the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), said on Monday that her US travel visa had been denied for the first time. The action comes just a month after Omar Barghouti, a Palestinian activist and co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement more commonly known as BDS, faced a similar denial. No reason was given, Dr Ashrawi, 73, said in a series of tweets, but she believes that the denial is punitive and in response to her advocacy for the Palestinian cause. She had recently sparred over Twitter with Jason Greenblatt, a Trump envoy and key architect of the president's Middle East peace plan. "No reason given. Choose any of the following: Im over 70 & a grandmother; Ive been an activist for Palestine since the late 1960s; Ive always been an ardent supporter of non-violent resistance," Dr Ashrawi tweeted. Dr Ashrawi, whose grandchildren live in the US, told Reuters that she has been going back and forth from the US to the Middle East for most of her adult life, for speaking tours and negotiations. "Ive met (& even negotiated with) every Sec of State since Shultz, & every President since George HW Bush (present administration excluded)," she tweeted. "Visa records are confidential under US law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases," a US State Department official told Haaretz. However they also stated that US law "does not authorise the refusal of visas based solely on political statements or views if those statements or views would be lawful in the United States." If the U.S. ever gets around to implementing aspects of the so-called Green New Deal, Europe has a few lessons to share. When Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey, both Democrats, introduced their Green New Deal resolution earlier this year, it quickly sank in the Senate, largely due to Republican opposition. But its ideas are certain to remain in the spotlight, given the increasing visibility of climate change, Ocasio-Cortezs continued promotion of the package, and the number of Democratic 2020 contenders who have thrown their support behind some of its proposals. No country on Earth has tried to implement all the Green New Deal ideas at onceits a policy smorgasbord heaving with environmental, social and stimulus-related offerings. Critics have painted the resolution as radical, but many of its social elements are so common in Europe theyre almost taken for granted, such as universal healthcare. And two of its energy-related proposals have started to become reality there, too. Europe has, in essence, tested the viability of transitioning to renewable energy and making houses more energy efficient. And the results of those experiments are worth inspecting, particularly when it comes to timing and the question of jobs. Power goes green One of the marquee Green New Deal proposals is for the U.S. to entirely switch to clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources by 2030, which is roughly when humanity is expected to cross the point of no return: a global temperature rise of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The worst effects of climate change will likely become unavoidable once we pass that threshold. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who upset a long-time Democratic incumbent to represent New York's 14th Congressional District in the House of Representatives, introduced the Green New Deal in February 2019. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images) Arguably the best-known example of such a big energy transition is that of Germanys Energiewende, which means, well, energy transition. The Energiewende was established by Chancellor Angela Merkels conservative-led coalition with a 2010 law that said renewable energy must account for 60% of supply by 2050. Since then, wind, hydro and solar powers share of total generation has gone up from 17% to 40%, which is ahead of schedule; the target was to achieve a renewables share of at least 35% by next year. Story continues However, while most see the Energiewende as a successthe vast majority of Germans support it even though it currently means paying more for electricityits still a lot less ambitious than whats been proposed under the Green New Deal in the U.S. So, if a Green New Deal-backing Democrat wins next years election, would it be possible to achieve all-clean energy in a decade? European experts see the idea as hugely ambitious, but perhaps doable, depending on whom you ask. Selling the change I feel very sympathetic [to the proposed timescale], said Daniela Setton, a senior research associate at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies in Potsdam, Germany. Setton said the tight timescale could succeed in spurring urgent action. However, she added: If you take that too seriously, a disappointment will definitely come. Thats very ambitious, to achieve this in 10 years. Jonas Sonnenschein, a green energy economy researcher at Swedens Lund University, said the pace of the Green New Deal proposals is not excessive, as the required technologies are ready to go. Plus, by actually deploying them on a very large scale, you can bring down prices, he said. The pre-mounted star of a wind turbine is fitted on the 139-metre-high tower in Cheinitz, Germany. (P | icture alliance via Getty Image) However, Sonnenschein is skeptical about the economic stimulus aspect of the Green New Deal, which was partly inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelts series of public work projects in the post-Depression 1930s. Like its namesake, the Green New Deal aims to create a lot of jobs and economic activity through the changes it entails. While the green stimulus proposal may prove attractive to politicians, he said, studies show that reaching a zero-carbon future means drastically cutting energy use. That may also mean you have to cut GDP growth targets, he said. Then theres the issue of energy-sector jobs. The Green New Deal proposals include a call for full employment, and Sonnenschein said the evidence is quite clear that renewable-energy generation creates more jobs overall than those in the traditional energy sector. Thats because the generation is more decentralized, relying on many small solar, wind, and hydro installations feeding into the grid, rather than a few traditional power plants that may each have one big boiler. But drill down to a regional level, and you encounter big political problems. In Germany, for example, the recently-announced phase-out of coal will hit jobs in some eastern areas of the countrywhere coal is currently minedparticularly hard. That prospect has helped the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party make inroads in states such as Brandenburg, by claiming the coal phase-out represents elite politicians ignoring the needs of common workers. The experience in Germany is that its a trade-off, said Setton. The effect is that you destroy well-paid, secure jobs in regions, when it comes to [coal] mining, where you have no other jobs. Housing goes green The Green New Deal also calls for a 10-year plan to make U.S. buildings as energy-efficient as possibleboth new builds and all existing buildings. After all, the deals climate targets arent going to be reached if most peoples houses are still leaking heat and using too much electricity on air conditioning and humidity regulation. A goodif relatively modestexample of this retrofitting drive can be found in the Netherlands, where a government-funded initiative called Energiesprong (energy leap in Dutch) has over the last five years morphed into a system thats being exported to the U.K., France, Germany, and even New York State. Rather than handing out government subsidies to homeowners as a way of encouraging them to upgrade their houses to net zero energy status, the Energiesprong approach works with social or public housing developers to clad their existing properties in prefabricated insulation panels, while installing solar panels on their roofs. The focus is on older, cheaper houses whose appearance is probably improved by the cladding, and that can be addressed in bulkwhich cuts costs. The idea is that the improvements pay for themselves over 30 years, due to cuts in maintenance and energy requirements, and that expansion will bring prices down to the point where private home-owners can consider the same technology. A worker installs solar panels atop a house in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images.) 10 years is a fantasy But the time frame is a problem, at least in the context of the Green New Deal proposals. Retrofitting your whole building stock in 10 years is a fantasy, said Jasper van den Munckhof, the director of the Energiesprong Foundation, which coordinates the initiatives push across various markets. At the moment, around 2,500 to 3,000 homes are being retrofitted under the Energiesprong scheme each year in the Netherlands, a country with a population of 17 million. By van den Munckhofs calculations, attempting an upgrade of all Dutch homes over 30 yearsthree times the Green New Deal timescalewould mean retrofitting 1,000 homes a day. Consider that the U.S. population is 19 times that of the Netherlands, and you get an idea of the scale of the task. According to van den Munckhof, upgrading all U.S. homes in a decade is impossible because the building sector is behind in its use of prefabricated materials and industrialized building processes. Getting it up-to-speedeven with the intensity of a military operationwould take a few years at least. However, van den Munckhof does see huge opportunity for job creation in the Green New Deals green housing proposal. By setting up new factories that churn out prefabricated insulation panels, you create work for people in their fifties who are just not able physically to work in a building site, he said. In the lower-educated group, theres a lot of industrial employment potentialkind of like the car industry. It actually produces jobs where you need to have job creation. Changing views For Green New Deal devoteesand its opponents, tootheres a key lesson from the European experience: deployment brings down prices, creating new solutions to old problems. For example, in Germany, using renewable electricity rather than oil or gas to heat houses used to be frowned upon, because clean power was expensive and converting it into heat was seen as wasteful. However, the scale of the countrys Energiewende push has over the last nine years successfully driven down the cost of solar power from 24 euro cents ($0.27) to just five euro cents per kilowatt hour. Thats allowed for a dramatic rethink of how best to make homes more energy-efficient. According to Dirk Uwe Sauer, a professor at the RWTH Aachen technical university, the aim was once to reduce houses energy demand to almost zeroan expensive and difficult task. But now the industry realizes it makes more sense to bring down heating and air-conditioning requirements less drastically than that, by simply better insulating the buildings, and to then supply those reduced energy requirements with low-cost, clean electricity. Because of the change in prices, some former ideas and concepts could be changed again, Sauer said. Of course, one of the hurdles of the Green New Deal is that its proposals go beyond energy and the environment, veering into social program territory by calling for universal healthcare and a guaranteed job with a family-sustaining wage for everyone. In short, the package laid out by Ocasio-Cortez and Markey was unmistakably progressive. And that may prove problematic when getting more conservative-minded people to take it up. I think it is essential to also include social aspects, but it may be counterproductive if you mix climate change policies too strongly with the liberal, progressive agenda, said Setton. In Germany, this is not so much the case Its important that all of the parties say this [is] something we all need to take care of, like economic growth. Its important to bring society together and not view climate change through the polarization of society, Setton said. This is a huge danger. More must-read stories from Fortune: Questioning the role of French telecom execs in 35 employee suicides Tencents new video game: part propaganda, part peace offering Why the new U.S.-EU trade talks might go nowhere The Eastern European countries home to todays most dynamic winemakers Catch up with Data Sheet, Fortunes daily digest on the business of tech When Dania Quezada spoke to her fellow graduates as the 2019 Emory College Class Orator, she focused on the impact of community, specifically the Emory community that welcomed and supported her as an undocumented student. When Emory Scholar Dania Quezada spoke to her fellow graduates as the 2019 Emory College Class Orator on May 13, she focused on the power of community, specifically the Emory community that welcomed and supported her as an undocumented student and changed her life. There is no shortage of exceptional and talented students at Emory, and they may not know it, but they inspire me, Quezada said in an interview before her speech. I want them to recognize that Im just an example of what can happen when you care enough to love your fellow human being. Quezadas message of finding connections with others and the value of compassion convinced a selection committee of students, faculty and administrators to choose her as Emory Colleges only speaker following the university-wide commencement on the Quadrangle. She was among five finalists in the highly selective process that involved an audition. Quezadas decision to champion others in her speech encapsulates both who she is and Emorys central mission to create, preserve, teach, and apply knowledge in the service of humanity. Quezada is among about 800,000 young people in the United States who have DACA status, also known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allows undocumented students who came to the U.S. as children to stay in the country if they work or go to school. In fall 2015, Emory began providing private, institutional financial aid for high achieving, talented DACA students who are able to gain admission. Quezada is one of the first students to benefit from the policy. She in turn excelled academically, becoming a Deans Achievement Scholar after her first year, and established herself as a leader and advocate for students like her seeking access to the opportunities of a college education. A citizen of Emory In her speech, Quezada began by recognizing Julianna Joss 17C, an Emory Scholar who was among the student leaders who advocated for the needs of DACA students to the Emory administration as the universitys DACA policy was being developed. Quezada recalled watching Joss, a dance major, two years ago during her honors recital, but noted that their dance began years earlier, as Joss spoke up for undocumented students before she and Quezada ever met. Quezada offered their interaction as an example of the way that all Emory students can influence the lives of others. You see, you might think this is my story, but it is not, not entirely. It is the story of all of us, who we were as Emory students, and who we can continue to be, she said. What Julianna did for me you have done for someone else. In some way or another, youve influenced the shape and scope of Emorys stage for those who are to come dancing. Quezada called on her fellow graduates not to lose sight of the community they have built together as they move beyond the Emory campus out into the world. Care for one another. Care too much. Make others uncomfortable with your care, but never close your eyes and go about your life thinking the issues plaguing our time are too removed or too big for us to face, she encouraged, noting that every day, I am reminded many in this country feel I do not belong, but there has not been a single day in which I havent felt like a citizen of Emory. Concluding her remarks, Quezada reminded her classmates that forming part of the Emory body has submerged us in the spirit of citizenship. Take those very best parts of your Emory story and multiply them so we may all share in the harmony you bring, she said. And never stop dancing. Passion, empathy and intelligence Quezadas parents brought her and two older sisters to California from Mexico when she was five. She grew up knowing the family was undocumented, ensuring she would be cautious. With her social life restricted to church, school was her sanctuary. Quezada dove into academics, loving the chance to voice her opinion about what she was learning almost as much as the material itself. For a student aiming to liberate herself through writing, Emorys creative writing program was an obvious draw. Quezada was admitted to Emory, but she was worried about money and decided instead to attend a local University of California. When she realized she couldnt afford the California campus, she called Emory asking for more details about her financial aid, and discovered that Emorys new policy would provide her with the resources to attend. One of my favorite parts of Emory is that if there is an issue, the university will work with you, Quezada recalled in an interview prior to graduation. Its an opportunity for leadership development that allows students to create sustainable change. Christine Ristaino, a senior lecturer in Italian Studies, saw Quezadas leadership up close. Quezada enrolled in her first-year seminar, but Ristaino did not know about her immigration status until well into the semester. Ristaino was so impressed with Quezada that she became a faculty adviser to two organizations Quezada launched: Emory Undocumented Students of America (USA), which advocates for the educational rights of DACA students, and the Mariposa Scholars, which connects first-year DACA students with mentors and resources to help navigate college. She has created things at Emory that will thrive after shes moved on, and done it with such eloquence and devotion, Ristaino said. She is such an amazing intellect, but Dania feels so deeply too. She is the very model of how to live with passion, empathy and intelligence. Building bridges and building community Those qualities earned Quezada selection as a Deans Achievement Scholar, part of the Emory Scholars program, during her first year on campus. By then, she had decided on a double major in classical civilization and philosophy. She demonstrated her practical understanding in her new courses of study when she organized a lecture for Emory Scholars with a keynote on the importance of failure, noted philosophy lecturer Jeremy Bell, who delivered the speech. It is a mark of real maturity in studying philosophy to be able to apply theoretical concepts to real action, Bell said. It struck me as remarkable that she demonstrated that maturity because she was so concerned with her community, about the stress students are under. Studying philosophy let her question whether she had an obligation to leave the country she loves in order to remain a good person. It also let her reason through the difference between the law and morality, reaffirming her self-worth. From the classics, she took away the value of myth and importance of scapegoats in keeping the powerful in charge and developed compassion for people who must remain fearful for such myths to work. Whether its lack of jobs or the pain of health struggles, there are very real issues in this country that I dont think hurting people like me help, Quezada said. One thing Ive learned at Emory is if something isnt good for the community, it isnt good for me. If we want to effect real change, we have to see each others humanity. Its that concept in action that Quezada credits with her opportunity to attend Emory. She will live those values after graduation, when she will work in an elementary school with Teach for America for two years. She then plans on law school, and a career as an immigration attorney, to fully embrace her commitment to improving as many lives as possible. Her efforts at Emory already have had an impact. Ive never met anyone who cares that much about building and bridging communities, said Daniel Hamm, a sophomore international studies major who Quezada encouraged in his efforts to develop a recruitment program for more MLK Scholars from Atlanta schools. Dania didnt always have all the answers, but she always had an ear to listen to us, added Patrycja Kepa, a sophomore who took over as co-president of Emory USA this year under Quezadas guidance. She has this ability to talk to people and create a space where you feel heard. Joss, who traveled to Atlanta from London to attend Quezadas graduation, praised her friend for sharing her story and striving to help others. Dania adds a richness and perspective that hasnt been part of the conversation in higher education, Joss said in a recent interview. Having Dania at Emory makes Emory better. Washington (AFP) - US farmers who are major exporters of pork and soy, are caught in the middle of President Donald Trump's trade wars. And farmers along with the industries that support them, are also key voters. So with 18 months to go before the presidential election, Trump is hoping to put them at ease and keep their support. But as trade barriers continue to bite deeper into an industry that was already suffering low prices and falling income, there are signs of mounting frustration. "Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now," Trump said Tuesday on Twitter. He said he hoped China would "do us the honor" of continuing to buy US farm exports but even if they do not, the government "will be making up the difference" by buying crops to prop up prices. The tweets came a day after China announced it was raising tariffs on $60 billion in US agricultural and manufactured goods to retaliate for Trump's decision last week to raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese merchandise. Rural areas are generally more conservative and favorable to Trump, but they have been shaken by the conflict that has brought soy bean exports to China in particular to a screeching halt. And over the last year, they have been targeted not only by China but also the European Union, Canada and Mexico. For now, while many continue to support Trump, others "are not so sure," according to Will Rodger, head of communications for the American Farm Bureau Federation. "We don't have hard numbers that tell us exactly how strong support or opposition may be but our gut feeling is most farmers still support the president since they like many of his policies across the board," he told AFP in an email. Sid Ready, a farmer in Scribner, Nebraska, says the trade war has hurt but farmers were hanging in there. "We understand it and I think farmers are pretty darn resilient," he said. "In the long run, we hope it works." Story continues Their patience has limits, Rodger said, as revenues have been falling for six years due to global oversupply. From a record $123.4 billion in 2013, farm incomes had fallen by about half as of last year to $63.1 billion, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Many farmers in the Midwestern US breadbasket also have been devastated by floods that destroyed crops and prevented planting. The American Soybean Association says it generally supports the Trump administration's trade objectives, just not the means used to reach them. - 'We always win' - Soy farmers are "frustrated" that Chinese and US negotiators have been unable to strike a bargain and worry their entire business is in danger. "With depressed prices and unsold stocks expected to double by the 2019 harvest, soybean farmers are not willing to be collateral damage in an endless tariff war," ASA President Davie Stephens said in a statement Monday. Many fear their Chinese customers, who once bought about a third of the US soy crop, may soon buy even more from Brazil instead. The Chinese export market for soy took more than 40 years to develop, and as the trade conflict persists "it will become increasingly difficult to recover." Other buyers, like the European Union, may step in to fill the gap left by China. Still, about two thirds of global soy exports are destined for China. In his Tuesday tweets, Trump said the "massive tariffs" currently in place will pay for government bailouts for suffering farms. Last week, he suggested the government could purchase the crops and send it as food aid to poor nations. In July 2018, the government unveiled a $12 billion bailout fund and US farmers already receive about $20 billion in annual assistance through various aid programs. And the National Pork Producer's Council said last week it "welcomes the offer of assistance from President Trump." "We stand ready to work with the USDA to facilitate US pork exports as food aid to a number of nations," NPCC President David Herring said in a statement. Exports now account for 26 percent of all US pork production, of which a large share is normally shipped to China. Trump on Tuesday called the US-China trade war a "little squabble" and predicted ultimate victory. "We always win. We always win," he said. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnamese leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the architect of the Southeast Asian country's corruption crackdown, made his first appearance in state media on Tuesday since falling ill a month ago. Trong, 75, fell ill on April 14 during a visit to the south of the country and was later admitted to the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hanoi, four diplomatic sources told Reuters. In images released by state media, Trong was seen in an official function room, seated at the head of a table in a white shirt hosting a meeting with other Vietnamese leaders on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear to what extent Trong's condition had improved, and the statement made no mention of his health. In the only official comments regarding Trong's wellbeing since he fell ill, foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said last month that Trong had been affected by a "heavy workload" and "changeable weather conditions". Trong has presided over a widespread crackdown on corruption in Vietnam that has seen several high-ranking ministers and politicians, including one Politburo member, handed prison terms on charges ranging from embezzlement to economic mismanagement. During Tuesday's meeting, he told other Vietnamese leaders, including Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, to continue with the corruption crackdown. Officially, Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is led collectively by the president, prime minister, Communist Party chief, and chair of the National Assembly. But Trong added the role of president to his existing role of Communist Party General Secretary in September last year following the death of former President Tran Dai Quang. Trong's whereabouts and health had been subject to intense scrutiny since he fell ill in April. In the absence of information, unconfirmed rumor and speculation about Trong's condition has spread quickly on social media. If Trong's two leadership positions were to become vacant it could spark a shift in the balance of power in Vietnam ahead of the next meeting of the Party congress, the countrys supreme body, in early 2021. (Reporting by James Pearson; Editing by Nick Macfie and Darren Schuettler) STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's VOI Technology plans to put a new fleet of thousands of electric scooters on European streets this summer to fend off competition in an increasingly crowded market. U.S. tech giants Uber and Alphabet are among investors that have have been betting on the growing popularity of e-scooter sharing in Europe, where large commuter populations have lower car ownership levels than in the United States. VOI launched nine months ago and is now targeting 150 European cities. Germany is expected to give the green light to e-scooters this month and could become VOI's biggest market, the company said. Its scooters are so far available in nine European countries, including France, Spain and Sweden, with plans to launch in Germany, Belgium, Poland and Italy this summer. But competition is fierce. Domestic start-ups such as Tier and Dott, as well as U.S. rivals Bird and Lime, are all expanding in Europe. VOI, backed by investors such as BlaBlaCar CEO Nicolas Brusson and venture fund Balderton Capital, said the number of rides on its scooters had more than doubled to over 2 million after reaching 1 million within six months. The company's new scooters will be able to travel up to 50 km (31.1 miles) on a single charge, almost twice as far as earlier models, it said. Critics warn that operators could face similar issues as bike-sharing businesses. Forced into price wars and facing a backlash from authorities over rules and vandalism, bike operators GoBee and Mobike have both retreated from Europe. (Reporting by Helena Soderpalm; Editing by David Goodman) By Nick Carey (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG said on Monday it plans an initial public offering of its Traton trucks unit before the 2019 summer break and will invest nearly 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) in an electric vehicle battery cell plant in Europe. The German automaker said in a statement that its supervisory board and board of management agreed to prepare an IPO for Traton "subject to further market developments." In March, Volkswagen put the IPO on hold, citing market uncertainty, stalling what was expected to be Germanys biggest share offering this year. The automaker had previously said it could list up to 25% of Traton in a deal that was expected to raise between 5 billion and 6 billion euros. Traton includes the MAN, Scania and Volkswagen trucks businesses. Volkswagen had aimed to list it as part of its drive to create a global trucks operation. A flotation could give Traton the resources to deepen its relationship with U.S. truck maker Navistar International Corp, in which it currently owns a 16.85% stake. Navistar shares were up 1.9% at $31.07 in a sharply lower U.S. market after the announcement. Volkswagen also said on Monday it would open talks on potential locations in Europe for a planned new plant that will produce vehicles under multiple car brands. ($1 = 0.8905 euros) (Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Susan Thomas and Dan Grebler) Walmart (WMT) just upped the stakes in the shipping wars with its latest offering free next-day delivery with no membership fee. Shoppers on Walmart.com can access NextDay delivery via a stand-alone function where they can browse up to 220,000 of the most commonly purchased items, everything from diapers to cleaning products to toys and electronics. "Think of things like Bounty paper towels, some of our Great Value paper lunch plates, flushable wipes, diapers, dog food. Everything from that to a Little Tikes toy set," Janey Whiteside, Walmart's chief customer officer, told Yahoo Finance. "It's a combination of items that you forget that you need and you need them in a rush. If I'm a busy mom and I look at the diary and realize that tomorrow I have a kid's birthday party and I've forgotten to buy a present, there are things in there for that. There are consumable items. You'll see a range of things that we know the customers are looking for." Orders of $35 and up are eligible for NextDay delivery, and the offering will debut in Phoenix and Las Vegas before expanding to Southern California. "It will roll out gradually over the coming months, with a plan to reach approximately 75% of the U.S. population this year, which includes 40 of the top 50 major U.S. metro areas," Marc Lore, CEO of Walmart eCommerce U.S., wrote in a blog post. A package ordered from Walmart sits by the mailboxes in an apartment building in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. (Photo byRichard B. Levine) In the blog, Lore said the service "isn't just great for customers, it also makes good business sense." "Contrary to what you might think, it will cost us less not more to deliver orders the next day," he wrote. The reason it won't cost as much is that the items will ship from one fulfillment center nearest the customer, he explained. "This means the order ships in one box, or as few as possible, and it travels a shorter distance via inexpensive ground shipping. Thats in contrast to online orders that come in multiple boxes from multiple locations, which can be quite costly," Lore wrote. That said, some are still skeptical about the expense associated with the new offering. Story continues "My reaction is that it's awesome for customers. For you and me, it's great. We get more options, and it's going to be faster to get anything we order," Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst at Forrester, told Yahoo Finance, before adding, "Is it great in the long-term from an expense standpoint? Is this the most efficient way? I think that question hasn't been answered." Walmarts NextDay lets customers shop up to 220,000 of the items most frequently purchased items, ranging from diapers and laundry detergent to toys and electronics. Kodali doesnt think shoppers are likely to turn down free, expedited shipping. "The shopper doesn't value it for what it is an incredibly expensive endeavor," Kodali said. To Walmart's credit, though, she said the retailer is approaching it in a "smart way," by launching in a couple of cities with a finite number of eligible items and a threshold of $35. "[They're] trying not to lose their shirt while doing it," she said, later adding, "All of those are incredibly important to making it successful." King Kong v. Godzilla Walmarts move is helpful in the "King Kong versus Godzilla fight" Walmart is in with Amazon, Kodali added. In late April, Amazon (AMZN) said it would spend $800 million in the second quarter to speed up its delivery to one day from two for all its Amazon Prime members. Presently, the e-commerce giant offers free two-day shipping and same-day delivery on $35 orders for eligible items in specific areas. A Prime membership costs $119 per year. Shortly after the Amazon news broke, Walmart hinted at its future plans around delivery. One-day free shipping...without a membership fee. Now THAT would be groundbreaking. Stay tuned. Walmart (@Walmart) April 26, 2019 "Both retailers are climbing up the next rung of immediacy. It's another form of convenience," Laura Kennedy, a vice president at Kantar Consulting, said. "Not every shopper is going to need it or think it's the most convenient option." Forresters Kodali sees Walmart's move as more about maintaining wallet-share and not surrendering that opportunity to Amazon. "I think that's really the crux of what this is," she said. What's more, there's also the potential for Walmart to attract a different shopper from that core shopper. Kodali believes that Walmarts online grocery pickup and delivery, especially with the convenience and broad organic offering, has already broadened the retailers appeal. The new NextDay offering is billed as a "complement" to Walmart's same-day grocery delivery, which is expected to reach 1,600 stores by year-end. "This has the ability to broaden the appeal. It's all about incremental new customers," Kodali said. Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter. That was then, this is now. Thats the attitude Walmart International CEO Judith McKenna is adopting for the companys British grocery business Asda just weeks after U.K. regulators blocked Sainsburys proposed $9.5 billion (7.3 billion pounds) takeover of Asda, a major setback for both chains. Life moves on fast, and thats really what its all about for us now, McKenna said at the World Retail Congress in Amsterdam on Tuesday. The companies had argued that the deal would lower prices for its customers, but the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) felt otherwise, saying the transaction would have led to a substantial reduction of competition at both a national and local level, resulting in higher prices in stores, online, and at fuel service stations. The proposed deal was aimed at helping Sainsburys better take on Tesco, and it was a way for Walmart to exit the U.K. as McKenna focuses her Walmart division on promising international markets like India and China. Walmart International operates in 26 countries and last year reported revenue of $120.8 billion. That was a bold move. We genuinely believed that creating this combination from a unique, one-off opportunity would have allowed us to accelerate lowering prices for all our customers, said McKenna, who took over Walmart International in 2018 and is currently ranked No. 14 on Fortunes Most Powerful Women list. Now that the deal is dead, Asda will focus on making sure have it has resources going forward to make sure its successful, McKenna said. And there is reason to believe the business can thrive: Reuters reported recently that Asda has had seven consecutive quarters of growth and leapfrogged Sainsburys in April to become the second-biggest U.K. supermarket operator behind Tesco, according to data from Kantar. As for the benefits of a deal as recently as last month, McKenna said, that was then. Story continues More must-read stories from Fortune: Get to know all of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates Who does more housework: married women or single moms? Esther Wojcicki on raising three daughters who are Silicon Valley superwomen Meet Chiquita Evans, who made history in male-dominated e-sports Keep up with the worlds most powerful women with Fortunes Broadsheet newsletter Berlin (AFP) - Shareholders in German car behemoth Volkswagen were barraged with criticism by teen environmental activists at the group's annual general meeting in Berlin Tuesday, becoming the latest industrial giant targeted in a widening battle between generations. "I've come to talk to you about your responsibility for the fact that we are losing our future and our planet," high school pupil Clara Mayer told the besuited board members and hundreds of attendees from the rostrum. "I want you to look your children in the eye and tell them 'I sold your future'," she added, to boos from some parts of the hall and cheers from others. Mayer, who is a member of the "Friday for Future" climate demonstrations by school students, had been handed time to speak by investors looking to provoke a faster change of course at the sprawling 12-brand group. Her speech followed a string of similar actions at the AGMs of firms including chemicals and pharmaceuticals maker Bayer and power company RWE. Out on the street, around 100 environmentalists staged a "die-in" and chanted "come and see the scene of the crime" as shareholders approached the central Berlin venue. Inside, Mayer's troop of climate interlopers had to wait almost five hours for their turn at the podium -- shadowed at every step by security guards. - 'Capitalism, immorality, greed' - Like other bosses, VW chief executive Herbert Diess likely hoped that by conceding to some complaints and highlighting existing climate plans he could defuse demands for urgent action. He acknowledged that with makes ranging from high-end Audi, Porsche and Bentley to mass-market VW, Skoda or Seat, "vehicles belonging to our car brands alone cause one percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions worldwide". But Diess recalled that the group is investing more than 30 billion euros ($33.6 billion) over the coming five years in dozens of new electric models. Story continues Mayer said she was unconvinced by the powerful CEO's message that "climate change has become the main challenge of our time". "Volkswagen for me represents capitalism, immorality, greed," the 18-year-old told AFP. "I want to tell them they are accountable." Climate Action Network activist Tadzio Mueller was still more implacable. "We don't want cleaner cars. We want this dirty, criminal industry to get out of our society and above all out of our politics," he told AFP. That may be easier said that done in Germany, where the car industry employs 800,000 people, accounts for a massive share of exports and donates to parties across the political spectrum. In VW's case, the connection is even closer, as Lower Saxony state owns 11.8 percent of the group -- making good performance for the firm good politics in regional capital Hannover. Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Carl Beech, known as Nick, at Newcastle Crown Court where he denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. A police inquiry into allegations that a VIP paedophile ring had operated in Westminster and murdered three boys found parts of the accuser's account were "totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised and irredeemably contradicted", a court heard. Carl Beech, known by the pseudonym Nick, went on the run to Sweden when his extremely damaging allegations were proved to be false, jurors were told. The 51-year-old father from Gloucester had drawn sketches that appeared to be related to the abuse he claimed to have suffered, including demons and smaller figures surrounded by red. He is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court, where he denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Carl Beech, known as Nick, looks on as Tony Badenoch QC for the prosecution at Newcastle Crown Court where he denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, said his accusations against powerful figures in the military, security services, politicians such as Sir Edward Heath and Lord Brittan, and Jimmy Savile, were among the "most heinous" that could be made. His claims were initially made to Wiltshire Police and then the Metropolitan Police, sparked the 2 million Operation Midland and led to elderly suspects such as Lord Brittan, Lord Bramall, who is a former head of the Army, and ex-MP Harvey Proctor having their homes raided. When that inquiry was ultimately stopped, Northumbria Police was tasked with looking into the accuser himself, and his three-bedroom rented property, with his 30,000 Ford Mustang convertible parked outside, was raided. Mr Badenoch said: "Northumbria Police followed a number of lines of inquiry and found that key elements of the story were totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised and irredeemably contradicted by other testimony." Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Carl Beech, known as Nick, at Newcastle Crown Court where he denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. Prosecutors said Beech claimed the VIP ring held his head underwater to make him comply with their sick wishes, leaving him with a lifelong fear of water - but revealed he was photographed snorkelling on his honeymoon. It also said Beech claimed to have been sexually abused on Ted Heath's yacht, describing it as having double beds and cabins - but interviews with his crew revealed the racing boat had only hammocks. Story continues And the jury was told Beech claimed Lord Bramall was a regular abuser, but the prosecution said that during the 1970s, at the height of the Northern Irish terror threat, such a senior figure lived behind barbed wire and had constant security with him. Dawn Beech, his wife of 22 years, said a penknife he claimed Mr Proctor threatened to use on him to cut his genitals was actually an object he had kept in his "happy memory box", jurors were told. Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Carl Beech, known as Nick, at Newcastle Crown Court where he denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. The prosecution said Beech fled to Sweden as a "fugitive" when he was charged and had to be extradited. The jury was played a video of a police interview in which he wept as he claimed a schoolmate was murdered because he defied a warning not to make friends. Mr Badenoch said that the allegations all concerned young boys, saying: "It is quite impossible to conceive of allegations of a worse kind to be made." The prosecution described it as an "extraordinary tale", and said he picked his "targets" after conducting internet research. Beech is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court. (PA) The court heard Beech's lies also gave false hope of news to the family of 15-year-old Martin Allen, who disappeared in 1979. In his 40s, Beech claimed that as a schoolboy he had seen "literally dozens" of powerful men in the paedophile ring, at locations ranging across four counties, the south coast of England, and all over London, and that he was taken out of school one day a week for this to happen. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Alesha MacPhails killer wins right to appeal Baker to face no police action over royal baby tweet Moped crime halved after gang of 12 jailed Mr Badenoch told jurors that a Metropolitan Police officer had at the time described the allegations as "credible and true", and said the force launched Operation Midland as a result in November 2014. Beech was given anonymity as a complainant of sexual abuse, and was therefore given the name Nick. He said that Lord Brittan had died after his own home was searched and while the investigation into Beech's claims was still active. Mr Badenoch said that the three men had all suffered "immeasurable distress" and "reputational damage", adding that Lord Bramall's wife had died "whilst the file was still open". Watch the latest videos from Yahoo News UK Shares of Apple AAPL have sunk over 10% in May on the back of renewed U.S.-China trade war worries, which could soon impact the iPhone giant. Plus, the U.S. Supreme Court recently set up the possibility for consumers to sue Apple on the basis of anticompetitive practices in its widely popular app store. Trade War Impact? Apple is currently safe from President Donald Trump and his administrations decision to increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products. Trump last Friday officially increased tariffs to 25% from 10% as the worlds two largest economies try to navigate toward a trade war resolution. Since then, the Chinese government has announced that it will impose tariffs on $60 billion worth of American products in retaliation. Apple currently remains mostly in the clear as the iPhone isnt on the list of $200 billion worth of Chinese-made products that face higher tariffs. With that said, Trump also threated to impose a 25% tariff on an additional $325 billion in Chinese imports that havent previously been targeted by duties. Build your products in the United States and there are NO TARIFFS! Trump wrote Friday on Twitter. Clearly, any new tariffs are still just threats at the moment. Yet, investors should understand just how important China is to the firm. Apple assembles most of its iPhones in China and works with a large number of American suppliers. Plus, China could target Apple with duties and call for boycotts of its products in a market that is already full of many less expensive, Chinese smartphone options from the likes of Xiaomi and Huawei. Last quarter, Apple posted adjusted Q2 2019 revenue of $58.02 billion. This marked a 5.1% downturn from the year-ago period and a larger decline than Q1s 4.5% drop. More specifically, revenue in Greater China tumbled 21.5% from the year-ago quarter to $10.22 billion. This did mark an improvement from last quarters 27% drop off in the worlds second-largest economy that includes Hong Kong and Taiwan. Overall, Greater China accounted for roughly 18% of Apples total quarterly revenue. Story continues On top of that, iPhone sales tumbled over 17% to hit $31.05 billion and account for over 53% of total sales. Last quarter, iPhone revenue fell 14.9%. Clearly, Apple investors need to watch out for any updates on how the latest round of tariffs between the U.S. and China might impact the firm. For example, Morgan Stanley MS analyst Katy Huberty predicted that a 25% tariff on the iPhone could create a $160 price hike on the iPhone XS. If Apple didnt pass the costs onto consumers, it could cause AAPLs earnings to slip 23% in 2020. App Antitrust Case To make up for slowing iPhone sales and a pullback in Greater China, Apple and CEO Tim Cook have focused on its Services business. This division is highlighted by the companys Spotify SPOT competitor Apple Music and will likely soon feature its long-awaited streaming TV platform that Apple hopes can compete alongside Amazon AMZN Prime, Netflix NFLX, Hulu, and Disney DIS. The iPhone giant also recently showed off its $9.99 per month magazine-heavy news service, a new Apple credit card in partnership with Goldman Sachs GS, and a subscription-based gaming offering called Apple Arcade. With that said, Apples app store remains a huge source of revenue. In fact, Jefferies estimates that the companys app store will account for roughly $15.4 billion of an anticipated $31.3 billion in total Services revenue in fiscal 2019. Therefore, the U.S. Supreme Courts recent ruling in a 5-4 opinion on Monday, May 13, to allow lawsuits against Apple regarding its app store business model could spell trouble. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the decision, which stressed the Supreme Court was not taking a position on the merits of the lawsuit itself, but instead said it could proceed based on prior antitrust precedent. The consumers here purchased apps directly from Apple, and they allege that Apple used its monopoly power over the retail apps market to charge higher-than-competitive prices, Kavanaugh wrote. The court essentially opened Apple up to consumer lawsuits based on anticompetitive complaints. Apple currently requires all app offerings be sold exclusively through its app store, where it typically takes a 30% cut. The company also takes 15% from subscriptions sold through the app store after one yeardown from the initial 30%. This has caused companies such as Netflix to encourage customers to purchase its app in other locations. Furthermore, the lawsuit complained about Apples price points, which must end in 99 cents. It is unclear exactly what will come next for Apple, but the news caused AAPL shares to tank Monday. Investors should note that Apples Services sales climbed 16% last quarter to reach $11.45 billion and account for nearly 20% of total quarterly revenue. This, however, came in below Q1s 19% Services expansion. Bottom Line Looking ahead, Apples adjusted full-year earnings are projected to slip 3.6% on the back of a 3.3% revenue decline, based on our current Zacks Conesus Estimates. But new tariffs could eventually impact Apple, and any changes to its app store business could eat into profits. Shares of AAPL closed regular trading hours Tuesday up 1.58% to $188.66 per share, which represented a roughly 19% downturn from their 52-week high. Apple is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based, for the most part, on its mixed earnings estimate revision activity. With all that said, Apple is still dividend payer that is poised to remain an industry giant for years to comeand its next game-changing product could always be in the pipeline. Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year. See their latest picks free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Walt Disney Company (DIS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Morgan Stanley (MS) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Spotify Technology SA (SPOT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Shares of Avianca Holdings AVH have declined more than 15% so far this year due to multiple headwinds. Notably, this Latin-American carrier is expected to post earnings of 9 cents per share in first-quarter 2019, mirroring a 59.1% decline year over year. Revenues are expected to come in at $1.28 billion, up 9.4% from the year-ago quarter. Factors Likely at Play Passenger revenues, which account for bulk of the top line, are expected to increase on account of strong demand for air travel and boost the companys top-line in the first quarter. Growing tourism in Colombia, where Avianca is a dominant player, is anticipated to drive the carriers passenger revenues in the to-be-reported quarter. Increase in ticket prices are also likely to aid revenue growth in the quarter. However, with oil prices on an upswing this year, operating expenses are likely to increase and hurt the bottom line. Expenses on aircraft rental are also expected to increase mainly due to the addition of new planes in line with its fleet modernization efforts. Ground expenses are too likely to increase mainly owing to higher navigation. These apart, we expect an update on BRW Aviations (a controlling shareholder of Avianca), default under a loan agreement with United Airlines a wholly owned subsidiary of United Continental Holdings UAL. Estimate Revisions Trend & Surprise History Investors should note that the earnings estimate revisions depicts a stable picture ahead of its earnings release. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Avianca Holdings first-quarter earnings has remained unchanged over the past 60 days. Additionally, Avianca Holdings does not have an impressive track record with respect to earnings per share. The carrier, which competes with the likes of GOL Linhas GOL in the Latin-American aviation space, surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate only once in the trailing four reported quarters. It posted in-line earnings in two quarters and missed the consensus mark in another. Story continues Avianca Holdings S.A. Price and EPS Surprise Avianca Holdings S.A. Price and EPS Surprise Avianca Holdings S.A. price-eps-surprise | Avianca Holdings S.A. Quote What Does the Zacks Model Say? Our model indicates that Avianca Holdings might not beat on earnings in the to-be-reported quarter. This is because a stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell) stocks are best avoided, especially if they have a negative Earnings ESP. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Earnings ESP: Avianca Holdings has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. The Most Accurate Estimate is in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Zacks Rank: Avianca Holdings carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Key Pick Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Teekay Tankers TNK as it possesses the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in its next quarterly release. Teekay Tankers, scheduled to release first-quarter 2019 results on May 23, has an Earnings ESP of +33.33% and a Zacks Rank of 3. (We are reissuing this article to correct a mistake. The original article, issued on May 8, 2019, should no longer be relied upon.) 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 United Continental Holdings, Inc. (UAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (GOL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Teekay Tankers Ltd. (TNK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Avianca Holdings S.A. (AVH) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The hacking of WhatsApp -- in which spyware was sneaked into phones, compromising personal data -- is one of the most spectacular of a series of such attacks in recent years. The instant messaging service used by 1.5 billion people worldwide said Tuesday a security breach had allowed sophisticated attackers to install the malicious software into phones via its app. Here are some previous cases of a similar kind. - Yahoo, billions hacked - In what is considered the biggest cyberattack in history, a 2013 hack affected all three billion accounts at Yahoo. Another attack on Yahoo, blamed on Russian hackers, affected some 500 million accounts in 2014, with stolen data including usernames, email addresses and birthdates. It was only revealed in September 2016 and resulted in fine of $35 million in 2018 for its then-financial arm, Altaba. - Taking aim at Target - The US retail giant was hit by a computer attack in 2013 that affected 110 million clients. Seventy million might have lost personal data including names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail accounts, while 40 million bank accounts and credit cards were also put at risk. - Password plunder - In 2014 online data protection firm Hold Security claimed that Russian hackers had accessed 1.2 billion passwords linked to 420,000 internet sites around the world, from corporate giants to individual accounts. Hold Security pointed to a group of hackers called "CyberVor", which it said had potentially gained access to 500 million e-mail accounts. - South Korea panic - In 2014 the personal data of at least 20 million bank and credit card users in South Korea was leaked in one of the country's biggest ever breaches. An employee from personal credit ratings firm Korea Credit Bureau (KCB) had stolen the data from customers of three credit card firms and sold it to phone marketing companies. - Hottest hack - In 2015 hackers calling themselves The Impact Team published nearly 30 gigabytes of files including the names and sexual orientation of people who had signed up with Ashley Madison, a website facilitating extra-marital affairs. Story continues The company's boss stepped down as several suicides in the United States and Canada were linked to the revelations. Ashley Madison had earlier offered to delete users' personal data for a modest fee but did not. - Uber off the road - The ride-sharing giant was vilified after the hacking in 2016 of data on 57 million of its riders and drivers, unveiled only in November 2017. It was also criticised for paying the hackers $100,000 to destroy their booty. Uber was fined $148 million for covering up the fraud, and was also prosecuted in The Netherlands and Britain. - Equifax loses credit - A breach by major American credit agency Equifax in 2017 might have affected more than 147 million US clients, plus others from Canada and Britain. The company was sued for having identified but not corrected the breach, having insufficient security systems and delaying reporting the problem. - Facebook under fire - In 2018 hackers exploited a trio of software flaws to access the personal data of 29 million Facebook users, getting hold of names, phone numbers and email addresses. The breach sparked renewed criticisms of Facebook after it acknowledged that tens of millions of users had their personal data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, a political firm working for Donald Trump in 2016. - Intrusion at Marriott - Global hotel giant Marriott International said in November 2018 up to 383 million guests may have been victims of a hack, involving five million passport numbers and less than 2,000 credit card numbers. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed China. WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - The top U.S. defense official has presented an updated military plan to President Donald Trump's administration that envisions sending up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, the New York Times reported on Monday. Citing unnamed administration officials, the Times said Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented the plan at a meeting of Trump's top security aides on Thursday. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Pentagon declined to comment. Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified since Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal to curb Iran's nuclear activities and imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran. Trump wants to force Tehran to agree to a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what U.S. officials have said are threats to U.S. troops in the region. Iran has said the U.S. is engaging in "psychological warfare," called the U.S. military presence "a target" rather than a threat and said it will not allow its oil exports to be halted. The Times said among those attending the Thursday meeting were Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. Several plans were detailed, the Times said, and "the uppermost option called for deploying 120,000 troops, which would take weeks or months to complete." (Reporting by Mohammad Zargham and Eric Beech; Editing by Michael Perry) Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Over the past 10 years Royal Dutch Shell plc (AMS:RDSA) has grown its dividend payouts from $1.68 to $1.88. With a market cap of 228b, Royal Dutch Shell pays out 66% of its earnings, leading to a 5.9% yield. Let me elaborate on you why the stock stands out for income investors like myself. Check out our latest analysis for Royal Dutch Shell What Is A Dividend Rock Star? It is a stock that pays a consistent, reliable and competitive dividend over a long period of time, and is expected to continue to pay in the same manner many years to come. More specifically: Its annual yield is among the top 25% of dividend payers It has paid dividend every year without dramatically reducing payout in the past Its has increased its dividend per share amount over the past It can afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings It is able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future High Yield And Dependable The company's dividend yield stands at 5.9%, which is high for Oil and Gas stocks. But the real reason Royal Dutch Shell stands out is because it has a high chance of being able to continue to pay dividend at this level for years to come, something that is quite desirable if you are looking to create a portfolio that generates a steady stream of income. ENXTAM:RDSA Historical Dividend Yield, May 14th 2019 If there is one thing that you want to be reliable in your life, it's dividend stocks and their constant income stream. RDSA has increased its DPS from $1.68 to $1.88 in the past 10 years. It has also been paying out dividend consistently during this time, as you'd expect for a company increasing its dividend levels. These are all positive signs of a great, reliable dividend stock. Royal Dutch Shell has a trailing twelve-month payout ratio of 66%, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a payout ratio of 62% which, assuming the share price stays the same, leads to a dividend yield of around 5.8%. Furthermore, EPS is forecasted to fall to $2.78 in the upcoming year. Story continues If you want to dive deeper into the sustainability of a certain payout ratio, you may wish to consider the cash flow of the business. Companies with strong cash flow can sustain a higher payout ratio, while companies with weaker cash flow generally cannot. Next Steps: Royal Dutch Shell ticks all the boxes for what I look for in a dividend stock. If you are looking to build an income focused portfolio, this could be one to include. However, given this is purely a dividend analysis, I urge potential investors to try and get a good understanding of the underlying business and its fundamentals before deciding on an investment. Below, I've compiled three relevant aspects you should look at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for RDSAs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for RDSAs outlook. Valuation: What is RDSA worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, it's not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether RDSA is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there strong dividend payers with better fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Ben Phillips Not everybody is bullish on marijuana. Ben Phillips, Chief investment officer of EventShares, warns investors to remain cautious on the burgeoning sector, because should cannabis ever be legalized in the U.S., "every incremental piece of demand will be met with oversupply." Phillips is the portfolio manager for the $19 million EventShares U.S. Policy Alpha ETF (PLCY), a unique fund that tracks companies exposed to changes in U.S. government policy and regulation. The ETF takes long and short positions in companies exposed to several public policy themes, including innovation in health care, defense appropriations, infrastructure development and more. Though PLCY's investment committee tracks cannabis regulation as a potential investment theme for the fund, the committee has decided to hold off on investing in any marijuana stocks for now. ETF.com recently chatted with Phillips to learn why. ETF.com: Most analysts these days are bullish on marijuana's investment prospects. Why do you remain cautious? Ben Phillips: Its a function of the investable names out there in cannabis. We've narrowed it down to a universe of six [companies] that we think are legitimate, well structured and investable. But then we look at traditional valuation metrics. And even if we assume very large growth numbers, they're still trading at multiples of higher revenue than EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization] and other metrics. So, yes, theres an opportunity here. Theres a policy push, with the states leading the way. But long story short, we think the fundamentals just aren't supporting investments in these stocks. A lot of them are better shorts, in our view. You'll get better opportunities to buy them at lower levels, we think, especially in a downturn. This is a money play. Enthusiasts are investing in it, and that could wane in a downturn when you have some of the retail money exit the sector, even just temporarily. That'll cause pressure on the sector. Story continues ETF.com: How have you expressed this view within PLCY's portfolio? Philips: We're a long-based fund, so we look for ways to play a policy inflection that's going to be supported on a fundamental long basis; for example, we rarely do single-name shorts. Marijuana stocks are really volatile, and they're not really being driven by the fundamentals. They're being driven purely by sentiment. They're not being driven by policy changes either. So we generally dont want to step into a situation like that. Cannabis falls into the category of just avoid for now and watch. ETF.com: So what question do you think investors should be asking themselves about the marijuana space that they're not? Philips: "Are you evaluating the supply side of the equation?" Because everyone's, like, "demand, demand, demand!" and throwing out different big numbers on what that demand is. Sure, demand is great. But there's always supply out there to match it. Marijuana takes four to six months to go from initial plan to harvest. That's a very short lead time. Its a very productive crop that grows fairly easily, if you know what you're doing. Think about just a few acres of cornfield converted into outdoor cannabis. Take Missouri, my home state. There's very fertile land thats very good for growing a crop like this. And then there are all the zones that can easily convert for a higher-margin crop. There's just going to be constant oversupply that will keep pushing prices down. Weve seen it happen. When recreational [marijuana is federally legalized], the price drops 25-50% from the prior year: Chart courtesy of Ben Phillips, EventShares. Reprinted with permission. If marijuana becomes legal on a federal level, every incremental piece of demand will be met with oversupply, in our view. There's going to be a constant price pressure pushing down on the wholesale side: It'll be on the price of the crop, initially, but also it'll play out through the entire supply chain, impacting not just growers, but retailers who now have a lower price point and have a lower margin. ETF.com: This is interesting, because you're talking about marijuana as if it were just another agricultural commodity, with commodity supply/demand fundamentals. Philips: Yes. You hit the nail on the head. [In our view], people are going to end up having paid 100 times revenue for an agriculture commodity stock that's really worth two to four times that. Right now people are paying up 20-30 times what they should be. Thats massively overvalued, in our opinion. ETF.com: What would you need to see change about the market for you to change your avoid-for-now position on cannabis? Philips: First, we'd need to see the federal policy stance shifting. We think were actually pretty far away from a move to start the process of legalizing. The process is going to take two to three years once they start it, and we haven't seen any policy impetus to get it started. Theres state momentum, and there are instances where states are leading enough of a policy push that we think it's creating inertia to drive federal change. But we still want to see more acceptance and movement on the federal front. Second, we'd need to see the valuations of these companies rationalized. We just need a better entry point in these stocks. And that entry point is 80% [or more] below where we are today. So we'd need a really massive revaluation of the entire sector before we start seriously considering investing. ETF.com: To what extent would the potential entrance of big tobacco or big alcohol companies into the cannabis sector change your calculus? Phillips: Well, for the cannabis [companies] we're talking about, that's a nightmare scenario for them. Tobacco companies are very good at growing and distributing a smokable substance, which is largely what cannabis is, for now. They have the tools, the methodology and the supply chain to concentrate as well, and do all the other stuff. So we've been buying tobacco stocks, primarily on overblown fears about regulation, but also as a backdoor way into cannabis, when we didn't think valuations were appropriate on the pure plays. Also, I'd say the smart money is exiting cannabis right now. The private investors, who are there with venture capital in the early-stage stuff, they're exiting, too. They're not sticking around to see what happens in a down cycle, or over the next 10 years as [marijuana] becomes really commoditized and widely available. That's signaling something to me too. Contact Lara Crigger at lcrigger@etf.com Recommended Stories Permalink | Copyright 2019 ETF.com. All rights reserved By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and source for online publisher WikiLeaks, could be jailed again if she refuses to comply with a new grand jury subpoena, said a U.S. law enforcement source, as well as Manning herself. After 62 days in prison, Manning was released last Thursday. She had been locked up for refusing to comply with a grand jury subpoena for testimony in an investigation into WikiLeaks by U.S. prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia. Federal prosecutors are believed to be focused on WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange, who is serving 50 weeks in a London prison for jumping bail when he took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012. The first grand jury expired and Manning was immediately summoned to appear before a new grand jury on May 16. A law enforcement source said on Monday that if Manning refuses to testify, prosecutors will likely request that she be jailed again for contempt. On Friday, Manning appeared in a YouTube video declaring that she will continue to refuse to cooperate. "When I arrive at the court house this coming Thursday, what happened last time will occur again. I will not cooperate with this or any other grand jury," Manning said. A lawyer for Manning did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Manning was convicted by court martial in 2013 of espionage for furnishing more than 700,000 documents and other materials to WikiLeaks while she was an intelligence analyst in Iraq. Former President Barack Obama, in his final days in office, commuted the final 28 years of Mannings 35-year sentence. Assange, after nearly seven years taking refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy, on April 11 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. On Monday, the Assange case was complicated by Sweden reopening an investigation into a rape allegation against him and Sweden will seek to extradite him from Britain. 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 Mark Hosenball; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Grant McCool) A few months ago my local moms' group on Facebook broke into a debate over whether or not to get their children the HPV vaccine, which protects against human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. There are more than 100 different strains of HPV, and while most are nothing serious, some high-risk strains can cause cancer. It was a tense conversation; some parentseven those who had been all for vaccination when it came to measles and poliowere dead set against the HPV vaccine, familiar with the vaccines they grew up with but fearing the new inoculation on the block. (The HPV vaccine was approved by the FDA in 2006.) Despite the riskwading into a parenting debate, especially one about vaccines, on social media is like walking into a lions denI wanted to jump in. Not to tell them how to make decisions about their kids, but to tell them my story. To tell them the consequences of not getting the vaccine. Consequences I knew all too well. Unvaccinated, unprotected The CDC recommends children of both sexes be vaccinated at 11 years of age to provide protection hopefully long before theyre exposed to HPV and can contract it or pass it on. But by the time the HPV vaccine was approved, I was already out of collegeand Id already gotten my first abnormal Pap smear. I already had HPV. HPV is wildly common: Almost every sexually active person will get HPV at some point in their life, with 14 million people becoming newly infected each year. The good news? Most cases are no biggie, and the vast majority of people with HPV dont experience any symptoms at all. But that doesnt mean you can just write it off; HPV causes genital warts in about 350,000 peopleultimately not dangerous but definitely unpleasant. Then there are the strains of HPV, at least 14 of them, that cause cancer: In women, 12,000 patients will be diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and 4,000 of those women will die from it, even with screening and treatment. Story continues If you are fortunate enough never to have had an abnormal Pap smear because of an HPV diagnosis, let me assure you, the follow-up is not pleasant. First theres the emotional turmoil that tags along with this kind of test result: What does this mean? Do I have cancer? Have I passed HPV on to my husband without knowing it? A million questions swirled through my mind, each one more terrifying than the last. But even that paled in comparison with the physical aftermath. To understand which strain of HPV I had contracted, my gynecologist ordered a colposcopyan exam similar to a Pap smear in which a doctor uses a scope to take a closer look at your cervix to spot abnormal cells. Then came the cervical biopsy. In medical terms, a cervical biopsy sounds sterile and unassuming: A doctor takes a tissue sample from your cervix to test for cancerous cells. Every website out there told me this is a virtually pain-free experience, like a quick stinging sensation. In reality it was significantly worse. Every womans experience with pain is different, but for me it felt like a terrible pinching sensationas if you got the skin of your finger caught in a pair of scissorsdeep inside me. (Underestimating the amount of pain a patient feels is relatively common in the medical world, especially with women and gynecological health issues.) If you are like me and unlucky enough to have more than one spot on your cervix that needs to be biopsied, youll have to hold still through multiple painful biopsies in a single exam. I had to go through this entire process three times. The second time my Pap test came back abnormal two years later, I was pregnant. That meant leaving the abnormal cells to sit for monthsyou cant perform a biopsy on someone whose cervix is busy keeping a baby safely contained on the other side. The third time my annual Pap smear came back abnormal, the samples taken at the gynecologist were processed at the lab during a three-day gap in my insurance as I switched from one job to another. With that biopsy, I ultimately I paid $900 out of pocket for the privilege of finding out whether or not I had cancer. This is what I wanted to tell the moms on Facebook: I paid heavily in both flesh and stress for something that could have been prevented with a vaccine. Why the HPV vaccine matters Fortunately my HPV never did turn into cancer, and 10 years after my first abnormal Pap test, the disease seems to have cleared my system. (Most people who have HPV find that the disease eventually goes away on its own.) But even though Ive had five perfectly normal Pap results now, the possibility that it might return still hasnt cleared my mind; every year when I see my ob-gyn, as is recommended for women with a history of abnormal results, dread lingers in the pit of my stomach until my test results come back. I am so thrilled that the next generation doesnt have to suffer through this process the same way I did. The HPV vaccine, which protects against the strains of HPV most likely to cause cancer, has made a massive impact. In the first four years after the vaccine was introduced in the U.S., rates of cancer-causing HPV fell more than 50 percent in teen girls, and studies show cervical cancer rates in the U.S. are still falling. Other countries have seen similar victories in the fight against cervical cancer. In Scotland, precancerous cells on Pap smears have been nearly eradicatedtheres been a 90 percent reduction in the rates of these abnormal Paps thanks to the vaccine, according to BBC News. So why the debate over the vaccine? The Internet is full of misconceptions about deaths and serious reactions, but the vaccine is well-studied and perfectly safe. The side effects are similar for all other vaccines, says Sarah Leite, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn in Connecticut. Think pain around the injection site, headache, and nausea. (The scariest documented side effect, a disorder called Guillan-Barre syndrome, which can cause paralysis, is extremely rare: Only four cases have been confirmed in 29 million doses of the vaccine.) The benefits far outweigh the risks, Dr. Liete says. From a gynecological perspective, the vaccine has reduced not only cervical cancer but additional testing, examination, procedures, and cervical excisions. I wanted to tell the moms on Facebook all of this and that it's not too late for them to get the vaccine themselvesreleased in 2006, it has recently been given the green light for everyone through the age of 45. More important, Ill be making sure my daughter gets it as soon as shes old enough. I wish I had been protected from the trauma of an abnormal Pap smearthats an experience I never want her to face. Rachael Brennan is a writer in Connecticut covering insurance and womens issues. Follow her on Twitter at @rachaelbwriter. Originally Appeared on Glamour NASHVILLE Two would-be Uber passengers learned mid-trip that not only was their driver drunk, but that he wasn't even a real ride-share driver, police say, leading to the man's arrest. According to an arrest affidavit, an officer conducted a traffic stop on Milian Tesfay as he drove a Chrysler 200 on Interstate 65 in Nashville on May 4. The officer could smell alcohol on the driver's breath, his eyes were bloodshot and he was speaking loudly, per the affidavit. The passengers, both women, said the man was their Uber driver, but the driver said he was not an Uber driver and that the women walked up to him at a Cook Out restaurant and asked him for a ride. The officer said one of the women showed him their Uber app and that their driver was supposed to be in a Honda Accord. Police said Tesfay failed a sobriety test and was arrested on charges of DUI and evading arrest after the officer said he pulled his arms from the front of his body and continued to move side to side while being handcuffed. Dangerous ride-share reports in recent weeks The arrest preceded a separate incident in which an Uber driver and Pennsylvania State University professor was accused of kidnapping two women near Pittsburgh. Richard Lomotey, 36, of Monaca, Pennsylvania, was driving the two women at around 1:30 a.m. when he held them in the car against their will, according to police reports. Lamotely, a professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State's Beaver campus, tried to lock the women in his car and told them, "youre not going anywhere, according to a complaint reviewed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The women reportedly escaped from the back of the vehicle uninjured and ran away before calling 911. In April, California police arrested an Uber driver who allegedly attempted to burglarize the Airbnb of passengers hed just dropped off at the airport. More: 'Get in the right car': Tips before hopping in an Uber or Lyft This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Women realize mid-trip that drunk man is not their Uber driver, police say Cannes (France) (AFP) - Woody Allen's latest film, which has been put on ice in the US over decades-old sex abuse allegations against the director, will be released in France this year, a distributor said Tuesday. "A Rainy Day in New York" starring Timothee Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez and Jude Law will hit French cinemas on September 18, Mars Films said ahead of the opening of the Cannes film festival. "The 50th feature film by Woody Allen... is a romantic comedy set in present-day New York City," the company's CEO Stephane Celerier said on Twitter. In February, Allen filed a $68 million (60 million euros) suit against Amazon for breach of contract, accusing the streaming giant of cancelling the film because of a "baseless" accusation that he sexually abused his daughter. Allen has said Amazon sought to terminate the deal in June 2018, and has since refused to pay him $9 million in financing for "A Rainy Day in New York". The film has been completed but not released. Earlier this month, Variety magazine reported it would be released in Italy in October. The movie was one of several to be produced with the Oscar-winning director under a series of agreements reached after Allen made the "Crisis in Six Scenes" programme for Amazon. Allen has been accused of molesting Dylan Farrow, his adopted daughter, when she was seven years old in the early 1990s. He was cleared of the charges, first levelled by his then-partner Mia Farrow, after two separate months-long investigations, and has steadfastly denied the abuse. But Dylan, now an adult, maintains she was molested. Her brother Ronan Farrow revived the allegations on the day the Cannes film festival opened in 2016 with Allen's "Cafe Society", lashing out at the media for failing to ask hard questions about the director. Amazon's relationship with Allen began with "Cafe Society" (2016), to which the studio had purchased the rights, before producing and distributing "Wonder Wheel" (2017), then committing to four additional films. (Corrects to 'Saudi oil tankers' instead of 'four Saudi oil tankers' paragraph 1) * Saudi Arabia says drones hit oil pumping stations near capital * Follows sabotage of Saudi oil tankers off UAE coast * Oil prices spike on news amid rising U.S.-Iran tension * Trump denies reported plan for 120,000 troops to counter Iran * Supreme Leader Khamenei says there will be no war with U.S. * U.S. suspects Iran proxies behind tanker attacks * Tehran rejects allegation of Iranian involvement By Stephen Kalin and Rania El Gamal RIYADH/DUBAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said armed drones struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a "cowardly" act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The attacks took place against a backdrop of U.S.-Iranian tension following Washington's decision this month to try to cut Iran's oil exports to zero and to beef up its military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats. However, U.S. President Donald Trump denied a New York Times report that U.S. officials were discussing a military plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East to counter any attack or nuclear weapons acceleration by Iran. "It's fake news, OK? Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that," Trump told reporters. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there would not be war with the United States despite mounting tensions over Iranian nuclear capabilities, its missile program and its support for proxies in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. "There won't be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance," he said in comments carried by Iran's state TV. He repeated that Tehran would not negotiate with Washington over Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. Story continues Trump withdrew the United States from the pact a year ago and has increased economic sanctions on the Iranian government. Tehran had agreed to curb its uranium enrichment capacity, a potential pathway to a nuclear bomb, and won sanctions relief in return under the accord signed during the administration of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama. The Trump administration's sanctions are designed to choke off Iran's oil exports, its main source of revenues, in an effort to force Iran to accept more stringent limits on its nuclear and missile programs. U.S. national security agencies believe proxies sympathetic to or working for Iran may have sabotaged the tankers off the UAE coast rather than Iranian forces themselves, a U.S. official familiar with the latest U.S. assessments said on Tuesday. The official said possible perpetrators might include Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iran-backed Shi'ite militias based in Iraq, but Washington had no hard evidence. On Monday, a U.S. official familiar with U.S. intelligence had said Iran was a leading candidate for the tanker sabotage but the United States did not have conclusive proof. Iran rejects the allegation of Iranian involvement and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that "extremist individuals" in the U.S. government were pursuing dangerous policies. HOUTHI TV CLAIMS DRONE ATTACK Houthi-run Masirah TV earlier said the group had carried out drone attacks on "vital" Saudi installations in response to "continued aggression and blockade" on Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis for four years in Yemen to try to restore the internationally recognized government, in a conflict widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis have repeatedly hit Saudi cities with drones and missiles, but two Saudi sources told Reuters this was the first time a facility of the state-run Aramco had been attacked by drones. Aramco said it had temporarily shut down the East-West pipeline, known as Petroline, to evaluate its condition. The pipeline mainly transports crude from the kingdom's eastern fields to the port of Yanbu, which lies north of Bab al-Mandeb. The energy minister of Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said the latest attacks caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil output or exports of crude and petroleum products. Oil prices rose on news of the attack on the Saudi pumping stations, more than 200 miles (320 km) west of the capital Riyadh. Brent was trading at $71.37 a barrel by 1715 GMT, up 1.62%. Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite majority Iran are regional rivals and oil from the kingdom was expected to compensate for the decline expected in Iranian exports. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, in comments run by state media, said the drone attack and Sunday's sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi tankers, off Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub, threatened global oil supplies. "These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran," Falih said in an English-language statement issued by his ministry. A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz from Middle East crude producers to major markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened last month to close the narrow waterway, which separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula, if Iranian vessels were barred from using it. (Reporting by Stephen Kalin and Rania El Gamal; Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Asma Alsharif, Aziz El Yaakoubi and Davide Barbuscia in Dubai; Ahmed Aboulenein in Baghdad; Mark Hosenball, Doina Chiacu and Makini Brice in Washington; Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Grant McCool) (Adds U.S. statement on threat to its troops in Iraq, Saudi cabinet on maritime safety, oil supply security) * Saudi Arabia says drones hit oil pumping stations near capital * Follows sabotage of Saudi oil tankers off UAE coast * U.S. sees possible 'imminent threats' to its forces in Iraq * Oil prices spike on news amid rising U.S.-Iran tension * Trump denies reported plan for 120,000 troops to counter Iran * Supreme Leader Khamenei says there will be no war with U.S. * U.S. suspects Iran proxies behind tanker attacks * Tehran rejects allegation of Iranian involvement By Stephen Kalin and Rania El Gamal RIYADH/DUBAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said armed drones struck two of its oil pumping stations on Tuesday, two days after the sabotage of oil tankers near the United Arab Emirates, and the U.S. military said it was braced for "possibly imminent threats to U.S. forces in Iraq" from Iran-backed forces. The attacks took place against a backdrop of U.S.-Iranian tension following Washington's decision this month to try to cut Iran's oil exports to zero and to beef up its military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats. Tuesday's attacks on the pumping stations more than 200 miles (320 km) west of Riyadh and Sunday's on four tankers off Fujairah emirate have raised concerns that the United States and Iran might inching toward military conflict. However, U.S. President Donald Trump denied a New York Times report that U.S. officials were discussing a military plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East to counter any attack or nuclear weapons acceleration by Iran. "It's fake news, OK? Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that," Trump told reporters. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there would not be war with the United States despite mounting tensions over Iranian nuclear capabilities, its missile program and its support for proxies in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Story continues "There won't be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance," he said in comments carried by Iran's state TV. He repeated that Tehran would not negotiate with Washington over Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. The U.S. military cited possible imminent threats to its troops in Iraq and said they were now on high alert. The U.S. was responding to comments from a British deputy commander of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State remnants in Iraq and Syria who said there had been no increase in the threat from Iran-backed militia. The comments "run counter to the identified credible threats available to intelligence from U.S. and allies regarding Iranian backed forces in the region," said Navy Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman at the U.S. military's Central Command. Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal a year ago and has sharply increased economic sanctions on Iran. Under the accord negotiated by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Iran agreed to curb its uranium enrichment capacity, a potential pathway to a nuclear bomb, in return for sanctions relief. NO HARD EVIDENCE The Trump administration's sanctions are designed to choke off Iran's oil exports in an effort to force Iran to accept more stringent limits on its nuclear and missile programs as well as to rein in its support for proxy forces in the region. U.S. national security agencies believe proxies sympathetic to or working for Iran may have sabotaged the tankers near the UAE rather than Iranian forces themselves, a U.S. official familiar with the latest U.S. assessments said. The official said possible perpetrators might include Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iran-backed Shi'ite militias based in Iraq, but Washington had no hard evidence. On Monday, a U.S. official said Iran was a leading candidate for the tanker sabotage but the United States did not have conclusive proof. Iran rejects the allegation of Iranian involvement and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that "extremist individuals" in the U.S. government were pursuing dangerous policies. A senior European diplomat voiced skepticism that Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy would force Iran to capitulate. "Iran is not falling to its knees," said the diplomat on condition of anonymity, saying Iran could resume its nuclear work and leave Washington with no option but military action. "Does Trump want to go to war with Iran especially during an election campaign year?" he asked. Democratic Party candidates are already campaigning ahead of the November 2020 U.S. election aiming to stop Republican Trump being re-elected. HOUTHI TV CLAIMS DRONE ATTACK Houthi-run Masirah TV earlier said the group had carried out drone attacks on "vital" Saudi installations in response to "continued aggression and blockade" on Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis for four years in Yemen to try to restore the internationally recognized government in a conflict widely seen as a Saudi-Iran proxy war. The Houthis have hit Saudi cities with drones and missiles, but two Saudi sources told Reuters this was the first time a facility of the state-run Aramco had been attacked by drones. Aramco said it had temporarily shut down the East-West pipeline, known as Petroline, to evaluate its condition. The pipeline mainly transports crude from the kingdom's eastern fields to the port of Yanbu, which lies north of Bab al-Mandeb. The energy minister of Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said the latest attacks caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil output or exports of crude and petroleum products. Oil prices rose on news of the attack on the Saudi pumping stations. Brent futures gained $1.01, or 1.4 percent, to settle at $71.24 a barrel. Saudi Arabia's cabinet said the "terrorist attack" against two Saudi oil tankers near the UAE reflected poorly on regional and international security, Saudi Press agency reported. It quoted the cabinet as saying it was the international community's shared responsibility "to preserve maritime safety and oil tankers security in anticipation of any effects on energy markets, and the danger of that on world economy." The UAE has not blamed anyone for what it called sabotage on the vessels. The UAE said the other tankers hit were a UAE-flagged fuel bunker barge and a Norwegian-registered oil products tanker near Fujairah, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs just outside the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the strait from Middle East crude producers to much of the world. A UAE official told Reuters the UAE was working with local and international partners from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Norway and France - which has a naval base in Abu Dhabi - to "fully investigate the incident and to identify the people or entities responsible." (Reporting by Stephen Kalin and Rania El Gamal; Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Asma Alsharif, Aziz El Yaakoubi and Davide Barbuscia in Dubai; Ahmed Aboulenein in Baghdad; Mark Hosenball, Doina Chiacu, Makini Brice, Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart in Washington; Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London and John Irish in Paris; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Grant McCool) Hodeida (Yemen) (AFP) - Yemen's Huthi rebels have handed over security of key Red Sea ports to the "coastguard" but much work remains to remove military equipment, the UN said Tuesday. The rebel pullback is part of a hard-won truce agreement struck in Sweden in December between Yemen's Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Huthis. But the government has accused the insurgents of merely handing over the ports to their own forces in different uniforms. The UN said Sunday it had been monitoring the withdrawal of the Huthi rebels from the Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Issa terminals. A UN team was there on Tuesday to verify the redeployment. Its head, General Michael Lollesgaard, welcomed the handover "of the security of the ports to the coastguard", according to a UN statement. "There is still a lot of work to be done on the removal of the manifestations, but cooperation has been very good. "UN teams will continue to monitor these initial steps in an impartial and transparent manner." Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam wrote on Twitter that the rebels "have completed their commitment in implementing the first phase of redeployment". The city's port serves as a lifeline for millions in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, which has been pushed to the brink of famine by more than four years of devastating war. Last year's deal was hailed as a breakthrough that offered the best chance so far of ending the war in Yemen, where a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is fighting on the government's side. The agreement stipulates a full ceasefire, followed by a withdrawal of rival forces from the city of Hodeida and its surroundings. But although the violence has largely stopped in Hodeida, there have been intermittent clashes and the promised redeployment of the warring parties away from the front lines has failed to materialise. - 'Critical for peace' - Story continues Lollesgaard said Yemen's warring parties were continuing to express their committment to the truce deal. "Full implementation of this agreement is critical for returning peace and stability to Yemen, and ensuring effective humanitarian access into the country where million continue to be in need of life-saving assistance," he said. The Yemen conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the beleaguered government in March 2015, according to the World Health Organization. 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. The UN Security Council is due to hear a briefing on Hodeida on Wednesday amid increased Gulf tensions following a Huthi-claimed drone attack on two pumping stations on a major pipeline. The attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against the Yemeni people", Abdulsalam tweeted. The 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) pipeline reportedly hit on Tuesday serves as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. The reported pipeline attacks came after the UAE said four ships, including the two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in "sabotage attacks" off the emirate of Fujairah, close to the Hormuz, on Sunday. Saudi Arabia said its two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there was no oil spill. Dear Newsie Readers, Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019. Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one. Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures. With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day. Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles. Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight. The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions. We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news. The team at Newsie Sudans ousted president Omar al-Bashir has been charged over the killings of protesters during the anti-regime demonstrations that led to the end of his rule, the prosecutor general announced Monday. Omar al-Bashir and others have been charged for inciting and participating in the killing of demonstrators, the office of Sudans acting prosecutor general Al-Waleed Sayyed Ahmed said. The charges against Bashir came during an investigation into the death of a medic who had been killed during a protest in the capitals eastern district of Burri. The prosecutor general has recommended speeding up of the investigation of the killing of demonstrators, the statement from his office said. AFP Warrens twitter thread about why she wont do Fox News townhalls was chefs kiss perfection. Reply Thread Link It was amazing! Reply Parent Thread Link these are the things i hate about not having twitter anymore do you have a link? Reply Parent Thread Link https://twitter.com/ewarren/status/1128314853595189249?s=21 I can never figure out how to embed on mobile. But here is the link. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Fox News is a hate-for-profit racket that gives a megaphone to racists and conspiracistsits designed to turn us against each other, risking life and death consequences, to provide cover for the corruption thats rotting our government and hollowing out our middle class. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 But Fox News is struggling as more and more advertisers pull out of their hate-filled space. A Democratic town hall gives the Fox News sales team a way to tell potential sponsors it's safe to buy ads on Foxno harm to their brand or reputation (spoiler: Its not). Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 Heres one place we can fight back: I wont ask millions of Democratic primary voters to tune into an outlet that profits from racism and hate in order to see our candidatesespecially when Fox will make even more money adding our valuable audience to their ratings numbers. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019 Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Link please? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Omg amazing Reply Parent Thread Link I was like why is warren so far down your list??? (And then realized it was in alphabetical order ) Biden voters can log off now. Reply Thread Link BREAKING: Lindsey Graham plans to introduce a bill that would increase the time Trump can detain refugee children from 20 days to 100. Absolutely ridiculous, un-American and disgusting. Just when you think Graham couldnt get worse, here we are. Much worse. #LindseyGrahamResign Scott Dworkin (@funder) May 14, 2019 Reply Thread Link Lindsay Graham sold out because he would lose his precious Senate seat if he wasn't a sycophant. Wonder how it feels to sell yourself for 6 more years of relevancy... Reply Parent Thread Link Wow, Graham can go fall in a sinkhole Reply Parent Thread Link What the hell does russia/tr*mp have on him, he went from hating tr*mp to... this. Reply Parent Thread Link The racism and xenophobia and cornerstones to the Republican Party as it is currently. He may have been against the obnoxious, embarrassing aspects of trump, but this shit is exactly what him and the rest of the Republicans dream of. Reply Parent Thread Link Whatever they found when they hacked the RNC Reply Parent Thread Link Do the young white dudes that the media loves to prop up (Beto, Pete) have any sort of policy plans? Reply Thread Link Beto has climate change and immigration policy but thats about all I know of, Pete has a color scheme lol Reply Parent Thread Link It's mostly about defeating Trump and restoring ~honor~ to the White House Reply Parent Thread Link the media seems to like Pete more than Beto, which like why? Morning Joe is really transparent about it. but yeah, Beto actually has policy listed on his campaign site, Pete has a pinterest board. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah Morning Joe is absolutely ridiculous with their OTT love for Pete lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link OMG Morning Joe's endless love for Pete is just too much... like it's honestly nauseating Reply Parent Thread Link I think Pete could have crossover appeal and do well in the debates. Dems have policy coming out their ass. Reply Parent Thread Link Beto's climate policy is up on his website and he talks about his immigration plans all the time. I think he'll be rolling out other major policies around the first debate but idk for sure. Reply Parent Thread Link beto is so much more likable than chinless Pete Reply Parent Thread Link i mean warren hopefully but i'm in a later primary state so who knows i just crave death instead of two more years of this. Reply Thread Link why do we keep having these polls? It's painfully obvious ONTD is majorly for warren. Reply Thread Link Eh I think the polls are okay and telling of who ontd likes but Bernie and especially Biden are leagues ahead of her in actual polls. Reply Parent Thread Link Bernie, Buttigieg, and Kamala used to get a lot more votes in these polls but a lot of those people shifted over to Warren Reply Parent Thread Link Why though? I don't understand how Warren is better than Bernie other than her being a woman. I can expect all these Warren people to support Bernie as well yes? Edited at 2019-05-14 08:36 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Its funny because ONTD is the only place she polls well. The ONTD curse of always being wrong about everything is going to make sure she doesnt get elected. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Why would anyone be against abolishing ice, honestly? Reply Thread Link I do not like Beto, he is just another entitled man who fails upward. Frankly, I don't like any of the men in the race except Jay Inslee, and even he should just be VP because of him climate platform. Reply Thread Link People like Inslee do not want a mostly vanity role like VP. He's shooting for a Cabinet position like EPA. Reply Parent Thread Link I would actually love him for EPA. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link EPA would be stellar for him. From your lips to Oprah's ears, tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link Love this!! Fingers crossed because he is desperately needed there. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't regret donating to warren's campaign but I HATE getting campaign texts. leave me alone lol. I have a monthly donation! Reply Thread Link i had to tell beto's campaign to fuck off twice a bitch gives ten bucks to a senate race campaign and is harassed for life Reply Parent Thread Link As soon as the Beto campaign sent out its' first Presidential campaign text, I firmly but politely told them to take me off the list. I support him, but I cannot deal with a solid year and a half of relentless text messages. I was getting 2-5 per day towards the end of his Senate bid. Reply Parent Thread Link 2. A rival campaign just sent me this Fox News clip from last year. Warren appearing on Fox News a year ago. Obviously theres a difference between this and a townhall but worth noting this appearance. https://t.co/0vVHX8oJ5A Yashar Ali (@yashar) May 14, 2019 Guess who Yashar is best friends with? Mayor Pete's Comms Director, Lis Smith. THEN, almost simultaneously, this quote from Lis went out: "..., and you will see him go on a wide variety of news outlets and platforms because he respects and wants to communicate with votersno matter their preferred news source." In short, Buttigieg will keep his Fox News town hall this Sunday. Amy B Wang (@amybwang) May 14, 2019 It's official! Mr. Nice Guy Buttigieg is getting his hands dirty and attacking Warren. He's doing a Fox News Town Hall this week and after Warren slammed Fox News Town Halls ultimate shit stirrer tweeting how a rival campaign had sent him an irrelevant clip of Warren on Fox a year ago.Guess who Yashar is best friends with? Mayor Pete's Comms Director, Lis Smith.THEN, almost simultaneously, this quote from Lis went out: Reply Thread Link "obviously different but worth noting" is it though Reply Parent Thread Link So a person can't change their damn mind? Reply Parent Thread Link It's like saying Warren can't come out against the pharmaceutical companies because she takes prescription medication. Just an illogical, desperate ploy. Reply Parent Thread Link WTF PETER LEAVE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ALONE (also his slow jam the news was cringy af) Reply Parent Thread Link Why doesn't he go after Biden Reply Parent Thread Expand Link she explained why she wouldn't do town halls specifically so pulling up non-town hall footage is dumb af Reply Parent Thread Link will this piece of shit have a goddamn seat there's a clear difference between a town hall and a simple appearance Reply Parent Thread Link lmaoooo and now pete's people are dm'ing that doormate dave rubin so he can go on his podcast. i dislike him more with every passing day. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yashar is so freaking transparent. I hate him Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Beto had so much momentum/steam once running in TX and shortly thereafter, but that has all dissipated very quickly. The VF interview was a bad look. At least he admits it, I guess. I like a lot of the candidates on a personal level, but Liz has a lot (and if not the most) comprehensive policy proposals thus far. I like Pete, as a fellow gay man, but unfortunately, he hasn't given me much other than rhetoric. I've always supported Bernie's ideas. I'm not here for Biden, but I could see him getting pretty far. Reply Thread Link Elizabeth is my girl, but I did just donate to Kirsten Gillibrand because I want to see her at the debates next month and I'm not here for it being like 12 dudes and just Kamala and Elizabeth on the stage. Reply Thread Link ...Yeah, that's not good enough reason. Reply Parent Thread Link lol I guess we know where ONTD stands Reply Thread Link For $45, Lance Wallnau and Jim Bakker will sell you a Trump/Cyrus coin that you can use as a "point of contact" between you and God as you pray for Trump's re-election in 2020. pic.twitter.com/EwKgGL7sNp Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) May 14, 2019 Reply Thread Link We are so blessed. Reply Parent Thread Link This is the weirdest fucking timeline. Reply Parent Thread Link I rebuke this Reply Parent Thread Link in whose name tho? Reply Parent Thread Link this thumbnail is scaring me Reply Parent Thread Link i was about to say that this sounds like a televangelist scam... is this tammy faye's son or what? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "They think we're crazy but we're actually the sane ones" lol, okay. Reply Parent Thread Link white devil evangelists are scary and single handedly fuel the Pro Trump movement amongst low IQ "church" attendees. Reply Parent Thread Link Jesus is going to have to make a whole new whip to beat these stupid assholes with. Reply Parent Thread Link OPECs spare capacity may be put to the test as oil prices jumped on Tuesday after tensions in the Middle East rose on multiple reports of unrest, including four damaged oil tankers at the hands of unknown saboteurs and an attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. As prices rise and geopolitical threats escalate, OPECs production continues to decline, leaving the market to wonder weather OPEC will be able to react to such market turmoil. At 1:25pm EST, WTI had risen $0.87 (+1.43%) to trade at $61.91. Brent crude was trading at $71.39, up $1.16 (+1.65%). The rise in prices falls in linetoday at leastwith most analysts sentiment, including that of Rystad Energy, that these supply disruptions, along with an already tight oil market, could send prices violently upward. This perceived tight oil market comes as Iran and Venezuela are producing significantly less crude oil today than they were a year ago. According to the latest data available from OPECs Monthly Oil Market Report, total OEPC production in April 2019 came in at 30.031 million bpd. One year prior, OPECs April output totaled 31.929 million bpd. April 2017 came in at 31.731. The production drop among OPEC members is largely supported by drops in Venezuelas and Irans production. Venezuelas production fell from 1.436 million bpd in April 2018 versus just 768,000 bpd in April 2019. Iran produced 3.823 million bpd in April 2018, falling to 2.554 million bpd in April 2019. Related: Oil Shrugs Off Trade War Threat And while it is generally understood that Saudi Arabia is doing more than its fair share of the production cuts, and that it has plenty of self-professed spare capacity should it want to turn back on the taps, the Kingdoms production has been more stable than Iran and Venezuela, producing 9.959 million bpd in April 2018, falling to 9.742 in April 2019. The net result year to year is a decline of almost 1.9 million bpdmost of which cannot be turned back on as Venezuela and Iran have slim hopes of returning to their former glories. Source: OPEC MOMR; tb/d In fact, it is largely expected that production in both Iran and Venezuela are set for additional declines, leaving Saudi Arabia as the only likely member that has the ability to increase production in the short term should another unexpected supply outage take place. According to Energy Aspects geopolitical analyst Riccardo Fabiani, cited by Reuters, Iran may lose yet another 500,000 bpd by years end. Goldman Sachs, according to Reuters, forecasts that Irans oil exports will settle between 400,000 and 900,000 bpd lower than April levels, which are near 2.5 million bpd. Even Russia, who has finally lowered its production to the level it agreed to as part of its collaborative efforts to rebalance the oil market, is unlikely to have enough spare capacity to offset further supply disruptions if there are any. The United States, on the other hand, is able to keep ramping up oil production, although it will likely be at a measured pace, barring a significant uptick in prices that would make additional investments worthwhile and put more barrels in the range of profitability. source: EIA; tb/d Despite OPEC producing 1.9 million bpd less this April than last, the United States increase in production has done nothing more than soak up much of OPECs decrease, adding 1.4 million bpd over the last year. The oil market will likely react quickly to any additional supply disruptions, which are likely given Libya and Nigerias checkered past, but will be tempered by still-high crude oil inventories in the United States, which have increased 20.92 million barrels since the start of 2019. By Julianne Geiger Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) shut oil and gas production at its Oseberg field last week, although the outage is only expected to be temporary. Shell Midstream - New England does not have a major gas storage facilities, and can see constrained supplies during winter. Spot natural gas prices at Algonquin Citygate spiked to nearly $80 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on January 4, 2018. - However, prices never topped $14/MMBtu in January and February of 2019, owing to higher levels of LNG imports. - Pipeline capacity from the Marcellus Shale has been limited as new pipelines have had trouble obtaining buy-in from dense populations on the eastern seaboard. Only Global Energy Alert subscribers will get the chance to see which company topped the list! Investor Alert: A couple of weeks ago, Oilprice.com released its Top 50 Oil & Gas Companies report to readers. This 5-part series includes an in-depth financial and geopolitical analysis of each company, including their greatest strengths and biggest risks. Oil markets saw a volatile start of the week as additional tariff threats from the U.S. and China forced prices lower on Monday, but increasing tension in the Middle East jolted prices once again on Tuesday. Oil markets saw a volatile start of the week as additional tariff threats from the U.S. and China forced prices lower on Monday, but increasing tension in the Middle East jolted prices once again on Tuesday. Investor Alert: A couple of weeks ago, Oilprice.com released its Top 50 Oil & Gas Companies report to readers. This 5-part series includes an in-depth financial and geopolitical analysis of each company, including their greatest strengths and biggest risks. Only Global Energy Alert subscribers will get the chance to see which company topped the list! (Click to enlarge) Chart of the Week (Click to enlarge) - New England does not have a major gas storage facilities, and can see constrained supplies during winter. Spot natural gas prices at Algonquin Citygate spiked to nearly $80 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on January 4, 2018. - However, prices never topped $14/MMBtu in January and February of 2019, owing to higher levels of LNG imports. - Pipeline capacity from the Marcellus Shale has been limited as new pipelines have had trouble obtaining buy-in from dense populations on the eastern seaboard. Market Movers Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) shut oil and gas production at its Oseberg field last week, although the outage is only expected to be temporary. Shell Midstream Partners (NYSE: SHLX) soared by more than 6 percent after agreeing to acquire Shells 25.97 percent equity interest in Explorer Pipeline Company and 10.125 percent interest in Colonial Pipeline Company. Weatherford International (NYSE: WFT) said on Friday that it expects to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, due to weak drilling conditions. Its shares fell 67 percent after hours. Tuesday May 14, 2019 Its been a volatile few days for oil, with prices up on Monday because of tension in the Middle East, only to fall on concerns about the trade war. By Tuesday, prices were back up again, with markets paying renewed attention to geopolitical risk. Oil crashes on trade war. Global financial markets shrugged off the escalating trade war last week on hopes that a deal could be reached. However, by Monday, gloom began to sink in. Negotiations in Washington ended on Friday and there is little sign of a thaw in the short run. China announced retaliatory measures on Monday, raising tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods, which included LNG but not crude oil. If the trade war drags on, it could deter future U.S. investment in LNG export capacity. The trade war poses a threat to U.S. investment in LNG by limiting our share in the worlds fastest-growing LNG market, Stephen Comstock, director of the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement. Related: Bloomberg: LNG Markets Are In For A Wild Ride Saudi oil tankers attacked. Saudi Arabia said that two oil tankers were hit by saboteurs, and oil prices immediately spiked on the news. The incidents raised concerns about geopolitical risk in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia says drones hit pipelines. In another worrying development, Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that drones attacked two pumping stations belonging to Saudi Aramco, forcing a temporary suspension of operations. The pipeline runs from eastern oil fields to the Red Sea. Only minor damage was reported and Aramco said the outage was precautionary, but the incident could inflame tensions even more. Iran is a suspect, though neither Saudi Arabia nor the U.S. have offered any evidence. Oil prices could soar on Middle East proxy war. A potential attack by Iranian proxy forces on U.S. interests in Iraq could set off a broader conflict, Cyril Widdershoven wrote for Oilprice.com. Disruptions in Iraq and Iran would not only impact supply, but also would wreak havoc on crude grades, with medium and heavy oil in short supply. When the market hits the brick wall at the end of this year, this quality problem, in combination with increased instability in the Middle East, will not only create a nightmare scenario for consumers but could also push crude oil above the current $70-85 per barrel range, Widdershoven wrote. Iran says nuclear compliance contingent on 1.5 mb/d oil exports. Iran told European diplomats that it needs to export as much as 1.5 mb/d in order for it to stay in the 2015 nuclear deal, although this was likely a negotiating tactic. Last year, Iran had demanded 2 mb/d in a previous round of negotiations. Iran says that the European Union must provide some benefit to Iran for staying in nuclear deal after U.S. sanctions seek to eliminate all Iranian oil exports. IEA: Fossil fuel investment stabilized last year, renewables fell. In a new report on energy investment, the IEA said that spending levels in 2018 stabilized for oil, gas and coal, but declined for renewables. Still, the agency said that the oil industry is not spending enough to ensure adequate supply in the years ahead. Chevron quits on Anadarko, raises bar for M&A. Chevrons (NYSE: CVX) decision to end its pursuit of Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) after Occidental (NYSE: OXY) upped its bid raises the bar for deals, and dampened expectations that oil majors will drive a new wave of consolidation in U.S. shale, according to Reuters. Chevrons top management said that it would not do a deal at all costs and instead would maintain capital discipline and its shares jumped on the news. Keeping costs in check and not overspending is what shareholders have been advocating for, Andrew Dittmar, an M&A analyst at researcher Drillinginfo, told Reuters. Chevron stock got a decent pop on a lousy day for the market. Chevron to drill in Mexicos Cuenca Salina Basin. Chevron will drill its first deepwater well in Mexico in 2021, in the Cuenca Salina Basin. This ultra-deepwater region seems highly prospective. However, it has never been tested, said Faustino Monroy, head of exploration at Mexicos National Hydrocarbon Commission, according to S&P Global Platts. North Dakota to sue Washington State over oil-by-rail law. North Dakota is preparing a lawsuit aimed at Washington State after the latter recently signed into law restricting the shipment of certain types of oil via rail through the state. Intended to reduce the safety risk of so-called bomb trains, the law requires any crude to have volatile gases removed before traveling by rail. North Dakota says the law would cut off the flow of oil. About 150,000 bpd goes from North Dakota to refineries in Washington State. Trump to offer more of California for drilling. The Trump administration announced plans to open up 725,500 acres along Californias Central Coast for oil and gas drilling. Russia losing billions on contaminated oil. Oil shipped in the western-bound 1 mb/d Druzhba pipeline from Russia has been found to be contaminated and the incident is costing Russia roughly a half billion dollars per day. Enbridge: Delays in Line 3 leading to higher costs. Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) said that permitting delays on its Line 3 replacement project could push costs above the estimated C$9 billion (US$6.71 billion) the company originally laid out. In March, the company pushed back its in-service date from later this year to the second half of 2020. IMF: World spending $5.2 trillion on fossil fuel subsidies. The IMF said in a new report that the world continues to subsidize oil, natural gas and coal to the tune of $5.2 trillion (2017 figures). In other words, the fossil fuel industry receives the equivalent of 6.5 percent of global GDP in subsidization, which includes the cost of air pollution and other environmental costs. VW to invest $1 billion in batteries. Volkswagen said it would invest 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) into building its own batteries for its electric vehicles. U.S. Senate drafting bill to sanction Nord Stream 2. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) are drafting a bill that would target Nord Stream 2 with sanctions. Specifically, the bill would hit vessels that build the pipeline and executives from those companies. PS: For the first time ever, Oilprice.com is releasing its annual Top 50 Oil & Gas Companies report to readers. This 5-part series includes an in-depth financial and geopolitical analysis of each company, including their greatest strengths and biggest risks. This year, a limited number of our Global Energy Alert subscribers will get the chance to see which company topped the list! By Tom Kool of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S.-China trade war has now officially entered a new phase, and neither side is showing any sign of backing down. The Trump administration followed through on hiking tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent last week. As U.S. markets were about to open on Monday morning (and after markets were closed in Asia), China announced a retaliatory step an increase in tariffs on $60 billion of American goods to 25 percent beginning on June 1. Trump is also laying the groundwork for more tariffs on an additional $325 billion of imports, which would then cover just about everything coming from China. That tranche of tariffs would be a further escalation, and would impact consumers more broadly, although such a measure could be months away. The Dow plunged on Monday morning in response to the news. Over the past week, hopes for at least a partial and temporary ceasefire between the two sides have given way to the prospect of a rapidly escalating and broadening economic conflict between the two countries, Eswar Prasad, senior professor of trade policy at Cornell University, told the Washington Post. The two governments seemingly left open the possibility of an eleventh hour trade deal last week and negotiations continued in the hours after higher tariffs went into effect but with talks stalled, they are now digging in. President Trump took to twitter to put on a brave face. Related: Oil Markets Uncertain As Trade War Counters Supply Shortages I say openly to President Xi & all of my many friends in China that China will be hurt very badly if you dont make a deal because companies will be forced to leave China for other countries. Too expensive to buy in China. You had a great deal, almost completed, & you backed out! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019 Cracks in the Chinese economy are increasingly visible. Auto sales in the worlds largest car market fell in April for the tenth consecutive month. Sales were down 14.6 percent year-on-year. The Chinese government was forced to undertake a round of stimulus earlier this year when the economy started to slow, and the intervention propped up growth. Its unclear if Beijing has more dry powder with the trade war growing worse. There are other signs of trouble on the horizon. In April, car and SUV sales in India fell sharply, dropping by 17 percent compared to a year earlier, another sign that a crucial market is slowing down. Air traffic and demand for bank loans also decelerated, according to Bloomberg. Even the U.S. economy has some dark clouds forming, despite strong first quarter GDP numbers and low unemployment. Credit card companies, banks and mortgage lenders are seeing a deterioration in the financial health of consumers. Soybean prices fell to their lowest level in 10 years on Monday, and the worsening trade war could push the U.S. farm sector deeper into crisis. In March, the OECDs Composite Leading Indicator contracted for 12th straight month, a sign that the economic health in rich countries is deteriorating. The index, according to Bloomberg, is intended to offer a leading indicator of turning points six to nine months before they happen. Related: Is This The Most Underrated Upstream Player In The Industry? The slowing economy is a major headwind for crude oil. Hedge funds and other money managers are increasingly concerned about where oil is trading, and dumped net-long positions in early May. Chinas tariffs on U.S. goods will impact LNG, though not crude oil. Beginning in June, U.S. LNG will be subjected to a 25 percent tariff by China. Despite the trade war, oil jumped in early trading hours on Monday, which was particularly notable given the slumping financial indicators. News that two Saudi oil tankers were damaged from an attack led to a jolt in crude prices, raising fears that tensions in the Middle East would continue to escalate. With a threat to the free circulation of oil in one of the worlds most critical areas, its no surprise oil is moving, said Harry Tchilinguirian, global head of commodity markets strategy at BNP Paribas. For now, it seems that oil traders are more concerned about supply tightness than slumping demand. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Trump Administration proposed last week to open more than 700,000 acres of federal land to new oil and gas drilling along Californias Central Coast. The plan is the Bureau of Land Managements commitment to a 2013 court order to issue a more detailed environmental impact assessment of oil and gas drilling and the potential impacts of fracking, before proposing new acreage to fossil fuel development in the state. The Administrations plan faces an uphill battle in California, which has been challenging nearly all federal environmental-related and emission proposal rules and which continues to pledge its commitment to the Paris Agreement regardless of the Trump Administrations withdrawal from it. While the federal government says that the plan to open more federal land to drilling in California will create jobs and economic opportunities for the local communities, Californias governor and environmental organizations already voiced their opposition to the proposal, while energy experts say that the oil industry wont be flocking to drill in Central California because it is expensive. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) says that its plan would affect some 800,000 acres of Federal mineral estate, primarily located in the Fresno, Monterey, and San Benito counties. The BLM forecasts that up to 37 new oil and gas wells could be drilled over the next 20 years on federal land in the planning area. According to the BLM, the oil and gas industry on private and public lands in those three counties directly supports around 3,000 jobs and US$623 million in tax revenue. The BLMs plan, released on May 9 and published in the Federal Register on May 10, now has a 30-day protest period and 60-day governors consistency review. Related: Global Oil Flows At Stake In New Middle East Proxy War Californias Governor Gavin Newsom already weighed in with his first reaction to the plan, tweeting at the end of last week Handing over our public lands for more oil drilling is the last thing we should be doing. It threatens our environment. Our health. Our future. Climate change is real. Ignoring it will not make it go away. We need to build a future beyond fossil fuels. Environmentalists are naturally upset with the plans. Trumps new plan aims to stab oil derricks and fracking rigs into some of Californias most beautiful landscapes, Clare Lakewood, a senior attorney at 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. As we fight climate chaos, theres no justification for any new drilling and fracking, let alone this outrageous assault on our pristine wild places, Lakewood added. Californias crude oil production has been steadily declining since its peak in 1985: last year, Californias crude oil production fell by 13,000 bpd, the states fourth consecutive annual decline, according to the EIA. At the same time, California boasts the number-one spot in the U.S. solar energy rankings, with installed solar capacity enough to power more than 6 million homes, data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) shows. Solar power currently provides almost 19 percent of Californias electricity, but it must play a bigger role if the state is to reach climate and energy goals, SEIA says. California has its own climate goal plan that includes having 50 percent of the states electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and 100 percent carbon-free sources of electricity by 2045. To help California achieve its emission goals, Restore California Renewable Restaurants is proposing a 1-percent optional surcharge to restaurant checks in the state. The fee, to be optionally added to restaurant bills at the restaurants discretion, will be spent on carbon plans for farms and ranches. Related: Could This Emerging Oil State Become The Richest Nation In The World? California is also fighting to save its car emission regulations, which are stricter than federal regulations. Earlier this year California sued the Trump Administration to compel the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to release documents explaining how and why the Trump Administration decided to arbitrarily roll back Obama-era clean air standards, and in doing so, do serious damage to Americas efforts to combat climate change. Even if the federal government were to open more federal land in California to oil drilling, which could be years away given that California and environmentalists are expected to fight the proposal, there wont be many drillers rushing to pump oil and gas. Theres only going to be new drilling if theres someone who has property nearby and they want to extend what theyre doing on the federal pocket next door, Amy Myers Jaffe, a senior fellow at the non-profit Council on Foreign Relations, told The San Francisco Chronicle, noting that drilling is so expensive in California, its hard for me to believe that anyone is doing it. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As the trade war between the U.S. and China intensifies, with an increase in tariffs on some $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent and with another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods in the cross-hairs, Beijing has vowed to retaliate. On Monday, it announced it will increase tariffs imposed on about $60 billion of U.S. goods in retaliation for what it sees as President Donald Trumps latest escalation of the trade war. The increased tariffs will take effect on June 1, according to a statement on Chinas Ministry of Finances website. The charges will be raised on most of the goods listed on a previous retaliation list effective last September. Chinas tariff move is in response to the U.S. unilateralism and trade protectionism, the ministry also stated on Monday in a different statement. China hopes that the U.S. will return to the right track of bilateral trade talks, work together with China and meet each other halfway, to reach a win-win and mutually beneficial agreement on the basis of mutual respect." Part of the increased tariffs will include U.S liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, rising from a previous 10 percent levy to a damaging 25 percent starting June 1. The increase in tariffs already come as Chinese imports of the super-cooled fuel from the U.S. has plunged. A Reuters report said that in 2018 some 27 LNG vessels traveled from the U.S. to China, down from 30 in 2017. Meanwhile, most of those that left U.S. ports last year did so 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. Damaging developments Now that China is increasing LNG tariffs from 10 to 25 percent, these export numbers will drop even more, maybe even altogether. However, secondary traders will no doubt procure U.S.-sourced LNG and then resell it to China. Yet, thats little respite for major U.S. LNG producers in the long term if the trade war continues. Related: The Oil Kingdom Enters A New Era Not only will the trade war impact U.S.-Chinese LNG deals, but it will impact the overall global LNG market since the U.S. is the fastest growing LNG producer who could view with Australia and even Qatar for the top LNG slot in terms of liquefaction capacity by the mid part of the next decade if only a fraction of the dozens of U.S. LNG project proposals go forward. However, thats the real quandary. Many of these projects aren't backed by cash-laden oil majors, like an Exxon Mobile or Chevron, but smaller players that need to sign long term off-take agreements with Chinese firms as well as secure funding from Chinese banks and financial institutions to finance their capex intensive projects. Simply put, without both Chinese funds and Chinese gas demand, the so-called second wave of the U.S. LNG development story will stall, losing out to eager competitors, including Russia. Russian ambitions In lock step with the news that China is increasing tariffs on U.S. LNG, Russian natural gas giant Novatek said on Monday that it expects to increase its LNG production capacity target to 70 million mt/year by 2030, up from a previous target of 57 million mt/year. "Our objective over the next year is to come up with a revision to 70 million mt/year by 2030, "company CFO Mark Gyetvay said. Previously, Novatek had said it aimed to have a production capacity of 57 million mt/year by that time. Novatek brought online its first 5.5 million mt/year LNG train at the three-train Yamal LNG facility in December 2017 and has since commissioned the second and third trains. If Novatek achieves that production point, it could propel Russia to the third global LNG production slot, possibly passing the U.S. in the mid to later part of the next decade. Qatar and Australia are the current top LNG producers, while Qatar is ramping up production from a current 77 mtpa to 110 mtpa within the next five years. On the other hand, if the U.S. and China can resolve the current trade impasse, U.S. LNG production will distance itself from its Russian counterparts. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Two pumping stations on a Saudi Aramco oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia were attacked by explosive-laden drones in the early morning local time on Tuesday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, who described the attack as one of terrorism and sabotage. The drones laden with explosives targeted two pump stations on the East-West pipeline which carries oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Yanbu port. The attacks caused minor damage and a fire at one of the pumping stations, Saudi Arabia says, noting that Aramco has shut down the pipeline as a precaution to assess its condition. Saudi oil production is not interrupted, al-Falih added. Mr. Al-Falih confirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns this cowardly attack, emphasizing that this act of terrorism and sabotage in addition to recent acts in the Arabian Gulf do not only target the Kingdom but also the security of world oil supplies and the global economy. These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran, the official Saudi agency said. This statement came out hours after Houthi-owned TV Almasirah reported that 7 Drones have targeted vital Saudi facilities. Reports of the drone attack on Saudi Aramcos oil infrastructure come a day after Saudi Arabia said that two of its oil tankers were attacked by saboteurs near the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while the UAE said that a total four vessels were attacked off its coast at the port of Fujairah. The Saudi minister of energy denounced this attack that aims to undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world, the official Saudi agency reported on Monday. On Tuesday morning, oil pricesthat had been struggling for direction in earlier tradejumped after Saudi Arabia said that pumping stations were attacked. As of 07:16 a.m. EDT, WTI Crude was up 0.82 percent at $61.54, while Brent Crude traded up 1.22 percent at $71.09. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Japan's largest online fashion retailer, Zozo, plans to raise part-time workers' wages by up to 30 percent to cope with a labor shortage. Zozo officials say the company will increase its hourly wage from about 9 dollars to 12 dollars for part-timers who work more than four days a week. The retailer will also give performance-related bonuses. The company plans to hire an additional 2,000 part-time staff at its warehouses in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, near Tokyo, to deal with an increasing volume of orders. Japanese companies struggling with labor shortages are eager to hire part-timers as well as full-time employees. Universal Studios Japan in Osaka raised part-time workers' wages across the board from April. Fast Retailing, the operator of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain, plans to increase starting salaries for new graduates from April next year. Mexicos newest oil refinery project is set to exceed the planned budgetand in a big wayaccording to Moodys cited by Reuters. The massive undertakingby Mexico itself, no lesswill most likely cost as much as between $2 billion and $4 billion more than it had originally planned, Moodys said, citing its limited know-how, ironically exactly the situation Mexico sought to avoid when Mexicos President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, shunned Big Oil last week, cutting them out of the project all together for submitting bids that were over on time and over on budget. Mexico had originally sought out international help for the massive refinery that would bring Mexico closer to energy efficiency, garnering bids from Bechtel/Techint, Worley Parsons, and KBR. All three bids submitted pegged the costs somewhere between $10 billion and $12 billion, and the time to complete between four and six years. Obrador thought the project should cost $8 billion and be completed in three years. Displeased with what this international help had to offer, Mexico decided to go it alone on this projecta decision that likely led Moodys to prophecy large cost overruns anyway. Given the governments (and Pemexs) lack of experience in building refineries, the project is likely to end up costing more and taking longer than the government anticipates, placing further strains on fiscal resources, Moodys said in a statement to Reuters. Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, is already the most indebted oil company in the world, and has been hemorrhaging cash for yearseven in the days of $100 oil. Earlier today, Mexico Daily News reported that three banks were extending an $8 billion loan to Pemex to add to its heavy debt burden, which is already more than $100 billion. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com: European firms can still buy oil from Iran as some companies dont have interests in the United States and arent concerned about the U.S. sanctions on Tehran, former Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi, who is now the head of Irans Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, told French daily Le Monde in an interview this week. The European companies that stopped importing Iranian oil after the U.S. re-imposed the sanctions in November seem to have decided to halt Iranian oil intake due to political reasons, according to an English translation of the Le Monde interview in Iranian outlet Mehr news agency. Italy and Greece stopped their purchases, while the US had granted them some waivers. This shows that those countries have made a political decision, Kharrazi said, as carried by Mehr. European companies, however, are wary of secondary U.S. sanctions if they trade with Iran, especially in oil, as the U.S. is seeking to bring Iranian oil exports down to zero and ended all sanction waivers it had initially extended for six months. Last week, Iran said that it was suspending some of its commitments under the nuclear deal and threatened to resume enriching uranium to a higher level if the remaining signatories to the dealthe EU, Russia, and Chinadont fulfill within 60 days their commitments to Iran, including protecting Iranian oil trade from U.S. sanctions. The EU and the foreign ministers of the UK, France, and Germany, responded on the day after the Iranian ultimatum that We reject any ultimatums and we will assess Irans compliance on the basis of Irans performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPoA and the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons). Yet, the ministers and the EU High Representative said in their statement that We are determined to continue pursuing efforts to enable the continuation of legitimate trade with Iran, including through the operationalization of the special purpose vehicle INSTEXthe special purpose payment vehicle that the EU set up earlier this year. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting on Tuesday to discuss various issues, including the fate of Venezuela and Nicolas Maduroa hot topic for the oil market as geopolitical tensions have mounted in recent weeks. Secretary Pompeo will be meeting with Putin knowing that the Russian president is not committed to supporting Maduro at all costs and could be inclined to give up on the player on whom he is betting in Venezuelas political chaos, the UKs The Telegraph reports, quoting sources with knowledge of Putins attitude toward Maduro. Russia has been the staunchest supporter and ally of Maduros regime in the political power struggle in the Latin American country sitting on top of the worlds largest oil reserves, while the U.S. and many European nations have recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president. Russia has stood by Maduro for years and has poured billions of U.S. dollars in Venezuela in the form of loans and oil investments. Russias state-controlled oil giant Rosneft has extended US$6 billion of loans to Venezuelas state oil firm PDVSA. As of December 31, 2018, Venezuela still owed Rosneft US$2.3 billion. According to The Telegraph, Putin reportedly told U.S. President Donald Trump during their long phone call earlier this month that he wasnt fond of Maduro and was ready to negotiate his departure. Vladimir Putin detests Nicolas Maduro, a Venezuelan source who has been dealing with Russia for decades told The Telegraph. Venezuela was one of the topics that the U.S. and Russian presidents discussed over the phone on May 3, President Trump said, adding, referring to Putin: And he is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela other than hed like to see something positive happen for Venezuela. Related: Bullish Fundamentals Intact Despite Trade War Worries Last week, a senior State Department official said, discussing Secretary Pompeos trip to Russia: We are concerned about Russias actions in Venezuela, and we think support for Maduro is a losing bet. And so our support for the Venezuelan people continues, and that will be a subject for the discussion. Russian analyst and journalist Vladimir Frolov wrote in The Moscow Times earlier this month that Putin is ready to give up Venezuela for the right price and that Putin could ask that Withdrawing Russian military support for Maduro should also be matched by the withdrawal of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: US oil production from the top seven major shale plays is set to reach new record heights in June, according to the US Energy Information Administrations latest edition of its Drilling Productivity Report. Oil production Production from the top seven plays will increase by 83,000 barrels per day in June from May 2019 levels, with the largest increase seen in the Permian Basin, which is set to increase from 4.117 million barrels of oil per day to 4.173 million barrels per day (+56,000). The second largest increasing region according to the report is the Bakken. Gas production Just as noteworthy, gas production is also set to increase in these seven plays, from 79.720 million cubic feet per day in May to 80.663 million cubic feet per day in June, with the Appalachia region seeing the largest increase, followed by Haynesville and then the Permian. DUCs The monthly productivity report also monitors drilled but uncompleted wells (DUCs), which fell in April to 8,390 from 8,433 in March. Only one region saw any noteworthy increase in DUCs, and that was the Permian. The Permian Has It The Permian is set to increase not just oil and gas production in total, but new-well oil production per rig as well, more than offsetting the drop in legacy oil production in the region. The Permian basin now accounts for one third of the total crude oil output in the United States. And at the 4.173 million bpd the EIA is predicting for June, the Permian Basin, if it were a member of OPEC, would be the cartels No.3 producer, above the UAE (3.059 million bpd) and Kuwait (2.709 million bpd), and just slightly under OPECs No.2, Iraq (4.522 million bpd). Source: EIA Monthly Drilling Productivity Report By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A fourth tanker was a target of the sabotage that embroiled two Saudi and one Norwegian oil tankers, Reuters reported late on Monday, this time bearing the flag of the United Arab Emirates. Earlier in the day, the UAE had reported that three tankers had been the subject of sabotage off its coast, but did not offer any additional details as to the nature of the attacks. Saudi Arabia has also not commented on the nature of the attacks, but said that the damages were significant. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for the oil trade, which Iran has threatened to close off should the US be successful at restricting its oil exports. Iranenjoying a rather adversarial relationship with both Saudi Arabia and the UAEchastised its fellow OPEC members for promising to ramp up production to ensure a well-supplied market as needed should Irans oil customers want it. Iran accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of wielding their oil as a weapon. The third tanker the subject of sabotage was Norways. Norway said its tanker was struck with an unknown object, leaving a hole in the hull of its ship. The ship management company said the blow nearly caused the tanker to sink. The sabotage, which has been revealed to now include four tankers, has increased tensions in the Middle East at a time when oil prices seem to be at the mercy of such geopolitical goings on, with quiet fingers being pointed at the likely suspect, Iran. Officials have stopped short of blaming Iran for the attacks in the absence of any evidence. US Central Command said it is helping to investigate the matter of sabotage at the UAEs request. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: An early assessment by U.S. authorities has suggested Iran was behind the attack on tankers off the UAE coast at the port of Fujairah, which Saudi Arabia said had damaged two Saudi vessels, the Wall Street Journal reports, quoting a government official. Yesterday, Saudi reports about the attack, which Riyadh called a sabotage, pushed oil higher as even the slightest indication that tensions may be flaring up in the Middle East, doing its usual job of putting upward pressure on oil benchmarks. However, neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE said who was or is most likely to have been behind the attack. The UAE also did not provide any details about the attack saying only that there were no casualties and the port of Fujairah was operating as usual. Iran, for its part, condemned the attacks and called for an investigation into the event. Interestingly enough, it was Iranianas well as Lebanesemedia that first reported about attacks near Fujairah saying there had been explosions at the port, Ellen R. Wald noted in a report for Forbes yesterday. However, satellite images provided by TankerTrackers.com showed no evidence of explosions in the area. Things got more confusing after initially neither the UAE authorities nor the Saudis confirmed or denied the reports but later said there had been an act of sabotage without going into details. The UAE sources denied, however, there had been explosionssomething easy enough to check. As usual, social media were quick to react with many blaming the most obvious culpritIranas the sabotage came on the heels of U.S. warnings to commercial and military vessels in the Persian Gulf of possible action from Iranian forces. Still, it has yet to be established officially whether Iran would risk tipping the situation further into violence indeed. The official who spoke to the Wall Street Journal made a point of saying the assessment was not final and declined to speculate about how the United States would respond if this early suggestion is confirmed in later assessments. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A group of US senators on both sides of the aisle is set to introduce a bill that will seek to sanction the Nord Stream II gas pipeline, according to Reuters citing an anonymous source close to the matter. The group of senators, which includes Republican Senator Ted Cruz, may submit the legislation today, and will target companies that are involved in the pipelines construction. Nord Stream II has been the subject of much debate in the United States, and the US has warned several companies involved in its construction that they could face sanctions. Nord Stream is possibly the single most politically polarizing pipeline project of all time, and thats saying a lot, what with all the controversy surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline, Enbridges Line 5, and Trans Mountain. The issue with Nord Stream, however, is not one of climate concern, but of geopolitical concern, as it could position Russia to bypass the Ukrainian Gas Transmission System and, the United States argues, would make the EU scarily dependent on Russian gas. But Nord Stream II will offer cheap gas to Europe, and its hard to argue against cheaper gas. While the legislation may be introduced today, it is a far cry from done, as it will need to pass the House and the Senate, and then must go before the President for his rubber stamp. The companies currently involved in financing the pipeline include Uniper, Wintershall, Shell, OMV, and Engie, according to Reuters. The United States has been eager to offer Europe its own LNG as an alternative to the Russian LNG that will be transported through Nord Stream II, and the EU has already promised to double its intake of US-supplied LNG over the next five years, reading 8 billion cubic meters in 2023. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi Christian girl still in Boko Haram captivity from the 110 teenage girls abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists group from Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state clocks 16, the Palace of Priests Assembly (PPA) joins other churches across the federation to celebrate her birthday. The terrorist groups had threatened last year to kill the teenager, who was held back for refusing to renounce her Christian beliefs. The other hostages, 104 of her schoolmates, were released following negotiations with the Nigerian government in March. Recall that In February 2018, the terrorist group abducted 112 female students preparing for final exams at the school. Six of the girls from the all-female boarding school died during captivity while one escaped, leaving Sharibu the only Dapchi student still with her abductors. According to a statement signed by the Programme Manager of Priests Peace and Justice Initiative, Tive Denedo, tomorrow also marks her 449 days in captivity following her abduction in February, 19, 2018. Part of the celebration programme, according to the statement will be a peaceful march from the National Christian Centre, Abuja to the Unity Fountain Park where activities to mark the birthday would unfold. Leahs ordeal is a testimony of faith, resilience and courage in the face of rabid intolerance by forces opposed to peace and religious tolerance in Nigeria. PPA recalls that the other girls were released long ago because they were not Christians, or they agreed to renounce Christianity. PPA is calling on the federal government to immediately resume the negotiation for her unconditional release and we call on all men and women of goodwill in Nigeria and across the world to also put pressure on the government to work on her speedy release today to mark her birthday. PPA is also calling on all Nigerians to call, send messages, emails to law makers in the National Assembly to join forces with the federal government to ensure that Leah is released without delay, the statement said. The PPA also urged the federal government to expedite actions that can lead to the release of Leah. Advocates for Sharibus release are spurred by similar efforts for 276 girls abducted by Boko Haram from Government Secondary School Chibok in the northeastern state of Borno in April 2014, publicized worldwide through the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. In both cases, Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of girls. Following negotiations, 26 of the Chibok students were freed in October 2016 and another 82 in May 2017, in the wake of leading international figures, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, calling for their release. But church leaders and Christian activists have been most vociferous in the campaigns for Sharibus rescue, inspired by the story of a teenager refusing to renounce her faith even when threatened with death. By Umar Abdullahi When the news broke at the Presidential Elections Tribunal that the legal team of All Progressive Congress (APC) led by Lateef Fagbemi SAN, had raised question over the nativity/ nationality of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2019 Presidential elections Alhaji Atiku Abubakar claiming that he (Atiku) is not a Nigerian but a Cameroonian, one was tempted to ask if the APC team of lawyers are really familiar with the political history of Nigeria and Cameroon. The legal team of the APC needs to note that Nigeria and Cameroon are located on the West Coast of the Continent of Africa. Both of them share common political and economic institutions as part of the British West Africa. Nigeria with population of over 180 million covers a land area of 924,630 KM extending from the Gulf of Guinea in the South to Niger and Chad Republics in the North. It shares common border with the Republic of Benin on the West and the Republic of Cameroon on the East. Cameroon, on the other hand, is a relatively smaller country both in landmass and population. The population of Cameroon is estimated at 24 million occupying an area of 475,442 Km. Cameroon shares borders with the Republic of Chad on the North; with the Central African Republic on the North-West; with the Republic of Gabon and the Peoples Republic of Congo on the South and with Nigeria on the West. Boundary development between Nigeria and Cameroon cannot be traced in isolation of events in the entire African continent between 1830 and 1960. Looking at the boundary development between 1920- 1960, at the end of the first Word war, with the humiliation of Germany, all her African possessions were lost. They became mandate territories to the advantage of the British and the French. The League of Nations which emerged apportioned the Western area of Cameroon (North and South) to Britain which was ruling Nigeria. In addition, the British gained Tangayika (in Tanzania) and jointly ruled the Sudan with the Egyptians who had attained independence in 1922. France on her part gained the larger chunk of Cameroon (Eastern Cameroon) and Togo. Naturally this partitioning was not kindly received by the people of Cameroon as some resistance movements emerged. At the same time, resulting from the presence of the Pan African Movements and other enlightened clamouring for independence to be granted to all colonized people in Asia, Latin America and Africa. And under the auspices of the United Nations which succeeded the League of Nations, all mandates territories in Africa in 1946, became Trusteeships. As a result, the Mandate territories of British Cameroon and French Cameroon were Trusteeship until 1960. That, with the pressures from groups within Cameroon, particularly, the Union Populaire Camerounaise (UPC) and from within the United Nations, Britain and France were forced to grant independence or self-rule to the people of the Cameroons ALSO READ: Atiku causes panic in Presidency As a result, in 1957, the French Cameroon became internally self-governing. And in January 1960, it was granted Independence. So as also was Nigeria (not a Trusteeship, but with British Cameroon still a part of it) in October 1960. However, in 1958, before Nigerias independence, the United Nations had to decide the fate of the trusteeship territory of British Cameroon. Administratively, both the Northern and Southern sections of British Cameroon were integral part of Northern and Eastern Nigeria respectively. But in 1954, a minor administrative change made the Southern section a separate region in the Nigerian Federation. The change was necessitated by a series of complaints of political neglect and lack of proportional representation in the Eastern Assembly by people of British Southern Cameroon. This further prompted the United Nations to send a visiting mission. The visiting mission after an intensive tour discovered that though British Cameroon was supposed to be a single trusteeship, there were separate developments politically and economically between the North and South. Most noticeable was the difference in political activation. The South was more politically activated. The mission therefore recommended that plebiscites should be held for the people to determine their own future. In the first of such plebiscites in 1959, the population of the North voted to continue trusteeship . Whereas in the South the population was divided between the choice of re-uniting with Cameroon or uniting with Nigeria. And in the plebiscites which were finally conducted in 1961, the North voted by a margin of 146, 296 to 97,659 to remain with Nigeria, while the South with a margin of 233,571 to 97,741 voted to re-unify with independent Cameroon. As a result, by October 1, 1961, border adjustment was made with Nigeria retaining (please underline the word: retaining) the former Northern Cameroon, and this section constitutes former Adamawa Province where the former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was born. Of course, Cameroon Republic retained the former Southern Cameroon. The two countries had therefore, inherited with few adjustments the boundaries delineated by former Western Imperial powers. And these delineations were largely boundaries set out by various agreements between Britain and Germany before 1920. This excursion into history has really set the record straight concerning the nativity of Atiku Abubakar as a result of the existence of Pacta sunt servanda which means that every agreement entered by parties must be respected and be kept as a basic principle of civil law, canon law, and International Law. As stated by a respectable elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai that it is strange for leaders of the APC to claim that Atiku is not qualified to seek to be the president of Nigeria. It is a display of ignorance of the highest order on the part of APC, and it is the least among political parties in Nigeria to make such unpatriotic statement. There are people sponsored by the party who contested and won elections to elective offices and are, today, occupying such positions. Atiku is equally or even better qualified to hold any public office in Nigeria than some of such people. As for Sule Lamido the former Governor of Jigawa State, he made his observations by saying that the debate about Atikus nativity/nationality, which started as a hilarious joke is now threading on a very dangerous divisive path, and that we must all rise to call ourselves to order otherwise the authority we have as a nation within the African Union will be lost. Lamido noted that there were already too many cracks in the unity of the country, warning that if we remain on this line of ethnic, religious and tribal differences the doom of our nation cannot be averted. Lamido, Nigerias former minister of foreign affairs, also said that his heart is pounding and that he is beginning now to worry about Gaddafis prediction of doom about our dear country, that Nigeria will break up one day. ALSO READ: Falana faults APC argument on Atiku He said: If we do not like the children of those whose parents chose to join Lord Luguards assembled tribal natives called Nigeria, let us allow the former Northern and Southern Protectorates secede to form their own country. He, therefore, advised that Nigeria needs to be restructured to restore what the country has lost as a nation. Recently, the Waziri Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar has also come out to debunk the allegation that he is not a Nigerian. Atiku said his father, Garba Atiku Abdulkadir was a Nigerian who hailed from Wurno in present day Sokoto State, while his mother, Aisha Kande was also a Nigerian who hailed from Dutse in present day Jigawa State. And that all his parents are Fulanis a community/tribe indigenous to Nigeria. He went further to say that his birth in Jada in the present day Adamawa State was occasioned by the movement of his paternal grandfather called Atiku who was an itinerant trader from Wurno in the present day Sokoto State to Jada in the company of his friend, Ardo Usman. And his mother Aisha kande was the granddaughter of Inuwa Dutse who came to Jada as an itinerant trader too from Dutse in the present day Jigawa State. Now that Atiku has cleared the air, it is high time the legal team of the APC concentrated on the real issues of electoral irregularities which Atiku and the PDP claim marred the 2019 presidential election. Umar, an International Affairs analyst wrote in from Kano. By Odunewu Segun Majority of the states of the federation are in serious dilemma over how to fund their 2019 budgets following the drop in the earnings of the federal government in recent times. In the latest issue of the Quarterly Review of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the budget presented by 35 states this year cannot be funded adequately. According to NEITI, even if the net FAAC disbursements to each state in 2017 and 2018 are combined, the funds will still not be enough. As usual, both the Federal Government and the States will, once again, depend on external borrowings to fund their budgets. This is despite condemnation that allocations to some ministries and projects which are said to be fraudulent. Findings show that the Federation Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) recorded a drop of 0.45 per cent in its disbursement between January and March, 2019 after posting N1.929 trillion when compared to the N1.938 trillion it posted during the same period in 2018. The 0.45 percent recorded in the disbursement for the first quarter of 2019 is blamed on the fall in oil prices. This slightly affected the earnings of the Federal Government. According to report, the Federal Government received N803.18 billion in the first quarter of the year, 1.18 percent lower than the N812.8 billion it received in the same period in 2018. When compared to the N549.1 billion disbursed in corresponding quarters of 2017, its 46.2 percent higher. The drop means in the first quarter of this year, 36 states shared N675.2 billion. This is a 1.19 percent decline when compared to the N683.4 billion disbursed to the states in Q1 2018. However, it is 48 percent higher than the N456 billion disbursed in Q1 2017. The report showed that while FG and the States recorded a decline in their disbursement in the first quarter of 2019, the Local Governments recorded an increase of 1.28 percent when compared to N393.4 billion disbursed in the first quarter of last year. This means that the LGAs disbursement is 47.8 percent higher than the amount disbursed to them in Q1 2017. Spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tony Orilade, says hes not aware of the reported seal-off of houses believed to belong to President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki. Reacting to the report in Abuja on Monday, Orilade said his office is not aware of such order. I have not been briefed; so, I dont have any information on it, he said. Saraki had recently come under pressure from the anti-graft agency. The EFCC had confirmed reports that it had opened a fresh investigation into Sarakis stewardship as President of the Senate as well as a probe of his earnings as governor of Kwara from 2003 to 2011. Orilade had in a statement said that EFCC was obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and had supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone. It is in the interest of the public, and for Sarakis personal good, that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so. Indeed, all the instances in which the EFCC have had cause to sleuth into his financial activities either as a former governor or President of the Senate were driven by overarching public interest and due process of the law, he said. ALSO READ: EFCC seizes Sarakis properties He added that indicting petitions and other evidence available to EFCC, even Saraki will agree with the Commission that putting him through a legitimate forensic inquiry is the legitimate route to establish his integrity as public servant. In his reaction, Saraki insisted that the action of the EFCC was a witch-hunt. Our attention has been drawn to the fact that the EFCC has marked certain property belonging to President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, obviously under the claim that they are subject of investigation. The action of the EFCC only reinforced our earlier stated position that their current investigation is mischievous, contrary to the tenets of the rule of law and only aimed at settling scores. This position is founded on the fact that these same buildings were the subject of earlier investigations by the EFCC as well as the case initiated by the Federal Government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Also, the case went all the way to the highest court in our country, the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In that case, Saraki was discharged and acquitted because the courts believe the government has no case. Seeks to expand Social Investment Programmes By Chioma Obinagwam The successes recorded in the deployment of the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) across the country and the planned expansion of the schemes in the Next Level reveals the Buhari administrations commitment to the welfare of the common man, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande disclosed in a statement at the weekend. He said that Prof. Osinbajo stated this over the weekend during his engagements in Bauchi including the commissioning of the Bauchi state Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Shared Facility for soap and groundnut oil making clusters, the launch of a rural electrification project covering 22 villages and other projects executed by the state government. Confiance News gathered that the MSMEs Shared Facility project is an initiative of the Federal Government under the National MSMEs Clinic in partnership with state governments to provide equipment and other facilities in clusters for use by individual MSMEs who are not able to acquire such equipment and facilities on their own. According to Prof. Osinbajo, President Muhammadu Buhari has always been committed to the welfare of the common man and that is why one of the major programmes of the Federal Government is the Social Investment Programmes. All of the schemes the N-Power, the School Feeding Programme, the Conditional Transfers, the GEEP schemes and the MSMEs clinic, are the Presidents own way of saying that the first priority of our government is the common man those who cannot take care of themselves or those who are struggling very hard to do so. Speaking specifically on the impact of the Federal Governments SIPs in Bauchi State, the Vice President said the state government had done well in ensuring that the people were properly mobilized to participate in all the schemes hence the impressive figures recorded by the state in the various components of the SIPs. I recall that when we started the SIPs, the very first state that efficiently used our portal under the N-Power job scheme was Bauchi state. The state governor made sure that several young men and women of Bauchi state were able to use the portal and to the surprise of many, some of the largest number of persons who were registered on the portal were from Bauchi state. Today, under the N-Power, Bauchi has 13, 075 beneficiaries, & 972 under N-Build. Under the Homegrown School Feeding Programme, 618,124 pupils are fed every day here in Bauchi. In addition to that, we have farmers benefitting from our SIPs. Currently, we have about 9,799 farmers who have been given micro-credits to support their works. Under the TraderMoni, Bauchi has one of the largest figures in the scheme with 39,000 beneficiaries. We have done conditional transfers to 23,000 persons under our Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme, the Vice President added. Prof. Osinbajo also lauded the launch of the Bauchi Health Contributory Scheme and the Health Trust Fund, describing it as historic and commendable. He said the state government had scored an important point by taking on the responsibility of providing for a contributory scheme for its citizens and also a health trust fund. According to him, modern way of funding health care is by either creating a contributory scheme or by having in place a trust fund. The launch of these schemes here in Bauchi is a landmark development in the social and economic development of the state. Earlier on arrival in Bauchi state, the Vice President proceeded to Ningi Local Government Area where he commissioned the Burra electrification project executed by the state government. In a short remark, the Vice President commended the state government for the project, noting that it was in line with the agenda of the Buhari administration, and assuring the people of the area and the state of more such infrastructure projects by the Federal Government. While in Bauchi, the Vice President also continued his Family Chat engagements with Nigerians with a visit to the family of Mohammed Musa Usman one of the outstanding MSMEs identified during the clinic organized in Bauchi in 2018. Previously a scrap collector, Alhaji Usman now makes Suya grilling machine using scrap metals and makes belts and shoes using abandoned tires. He currently employs seven persons. Post Views: 77 A former Head of State, Retired General Yakubu Gowon, on Monday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, telling the president to work towards ensuring that he delivers on his campaign promises to Nigerians. Gowon at the State House, Abuja, noted that Nigeria needs peace to achieve rapid development. The former head of state was among the dignitaries, who include four governors that visited President Buhari at the Villa on Monday. The visit was in solidarity with the Ramadan that is currently going on. Post Views: 92 The Federal Government is said to be losing about N1bn on a weekly basis due to the illegal importation of Iron and Steel, the Galvanised Iron and Steel Manufacturers Association has disclosed. According to the groups consultant, Obiorah Ifoh, who revealed this at a press briefing in Abuja, there is an urgent need for the re-introduction of pre-shipment inspection in order to check the high occurrence of the importation of the substandard steel products into the country. If unchecked, it may also result in a mass lay-off of more than 50,000 direct employees and crystallization of numerous associated systemic risks in the Nigerian steel industry in a country where unemployment is already on the high side, he said. Continuing on why the Government should put an end to the importation of iron and steel, Ifoh alleged that there is a cartel of economic saboteurs who import huge volumes of containers every week valued at about $5m which are never captured on the Nigeria Customs Service portal. He also added that the abandonment of pre-inspection of goods at the point of entry has created ample opportunities for smugglers to flood the Nigerian markets with below standard products, including steel products. He further disclosed that lack of proper inspection has made the countrys borders and seaports porous, leading to the influx of illegal arms and explosives into the country. Such a development is inimical to national economic development and national security of Nigeria. Mr Ifoh stated that it appears that the Governments security and revenue generating agencies have either been overwhelmed or are ignorant of the nefarious activities of the smugglers. Speaking further on the problem at hand, the association claimed that seven of its members have shut down operations as a result of the activities of illegal importers. According to Mallam Dahiru Ado-Kurawa, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractices, the issue of illegal importation of steel and iron has been on for sometimes now, saying it is now more rampant due to domestic fiscal policies among many others. What we have come across recently is that there is misclassification of galvanised roofing sheet in terms of duty code. That is a very technical way of smuggling and quite difficult to prove unless some serious efforts are employed by the already over-stretched Nigeria customs service. A former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has described a media report that he slumped recently in Delta State as untrue. A media report had on May 3 claimed that Gowon slumped during the funeral of a former Military Governor of the defunct Midwest Region, late Maj. Gen. David Ejoor, in Delta State However, Gowon has come out to describe the slump report as false during a thanksgiving service for the 32nd annual Fresh Fire Convention of Gethsemane Prayer Ministries and the dedication of its Bethel Prayer Suites, Retreat and Conference Centre, at The Chapel of Light, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State. Gowon, who doubles as the National Chairman of Nigeria Prays, lamented that some sections of the media sold itself to falsehood, stressing that the report was not true. Gowon, who was represented at the occasion by the Secretary of the Christian group, Evangelist Austen Kemie, said: I am representing General Gowon at this gathering. He said he did not slump as reported in the news few days ago. Though he is 85 years old, he is still waxing stronger and stronger. But, the false news went all over the world. He (Gowon) said calls were coming to him from Canada, America, United Kingdom and other countries of the world on the news that he slumped. He asked me when we spoke if I could see how strong he was. He said he could walk 10 miles. Gowons letter to GPMI partly read, It is, indeed, another significant milestone in the life of Gethsemane Prayer Ministries Worldwide. However, as much as I wish to attend, due to earlier commitment, I was unable to attend. But I am with you in spirit and in truth. Wishing you success and Gods blessing on this occasion; our prayer is that the new retreat centre will serve as a centre of excellence and an enduring legacy, not only for Gethsemane Prayer Ministries, but the entire body of Christ. On behalf of Nigeria Prays, I send my sincere congratulations. Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has said that he owed no apologies to anybody over the comment he made on how to retire godfatherism in the country. Last week, El-Rufai had said he would teach Lagosians how to end godfatherism in Lagos State. It was widely believed that the comment was targeted at a national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Speaking after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, El-Rufai said if anybody feels offended with the comment, thats his business. He said: There is no dispute between me and anyone in the APC, the APC is one family; I dont dispute with my own party. They may dispute with me but I dont. I made comments in Lagos about how to retire godfathers; its a template that we have used in Kaduna and it has worked. If anybody thinks he is a godfather, the template may apply to him but Im not in dispute with anyone. I expressed my views firmly and very clearly; there is no human being that I am afraid to express my views on, and when I am ready to express my views specifically on a particular name then I will do so but I havent. I made a general statement but people have gone in to overdrive, creating fake news, abusing me and so on. I am thick-skin, he said. Asked whether he is in good terms with Tinubu, he said: we are in the same party, we get along very well as I know. On whether he would want Tinubu to be retired, he said he doesnt know whether Tinubu is the godfather of Lagos state or not. He said: One of Africans leading airlines, Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, says it will no longer accept all passengers with medical visa on all its routes. In a public notice issued by the airline on Monday, the airline said due to unforeseen circumstances, it has decided to temporarily suspend acceptance of medical passengers till further notice. Please be informed that due to some unforeseen circumstances we have temporarily suspended acceptance of medical passengers till further notice. Please note that Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria will not accept all passengers with medical visa until the issues that led to this suspension are resolved. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences this might cause you and our numerous passengers, the notice stated. Nigerias number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari will be visiting Saudi Arabia two times before the end of the month, SaharaReporters reports. The trip is coming after a widely criticised private visit to London which he embarked upon in on April 24 returning on May 5. The new trip will be to Makkah & Medina to perform lesser Hajj from May 15th-22nd 2018. Shortly after his return to Nigeria, he will travel back to attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) On Jeddah from May 30th to June 1st 2019. His second trip will come few hours after his second term inauguration on the May 29 2019. The IOC meeting will set tongues wagging as the President has severally accused of favoring a religion over another. Nigeria is a secular state according to the 1999 constitution. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... If You Enjoy My Articles, Please Consider Supporting My Writing By Giving A Donation Of Any Amount. Thank you! Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Dolar USA Vs Euro Paginas vistas en total Lo volvio a hacer Capitalismo=embuste Historico Bitcoin La bateria mas grande de Holanda El futuro es solar Nec plus ultra, nec variatur Fisica y culturalmente Jamas nos callaran Sin ellas, no seremos Deja vu Nada que celebrar Hasta cuando? Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! Comerciantes o delincuentes No pasaran! Asi es la vida USA HOY 01/01/1959 La avaricia no tiene limites AYUDA HUMANITARIA? Chile Hoy Asi son las cosas Mapa Electoral de Venezuela Patagonia argentina? Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad Retrato del franquismo en Espana Visca Catalunya! El Chulo de Madrid Cuando la policia se roba la democracia Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras La purita verdad Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia Mi pobre clase media Como Chavez nadie Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear Programa de la MUD Asi o mas clarito Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte? Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio? Una verguenza nacional La luz que nos guia La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz? Feudalismo ayer y hoy Obama, el mentiroso Curiosa coincidencia Un mundo de cerdos No es extrano? La Marioneta Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran MARICORI Y OBAMA Cuantas muertes este ano? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! Up to one-third of the Fund is set to be invested in emerging markets he said. Were playing the long game. Approximately 20% of the pensions portfolio is currently in emerging market investments. Graham highlighted the growth opportunities in China, noting that rule of law has improved. The legal framework in many emerging markets is getting better, he said. The courts in Shanghai and Beijing are actually very good. According to Graham, emerging markets are not only more mature and resilient than they once were, the growth of their consumer classes is likely to continue even if the developed economies start to show signs of weakness. Emerging market economies are also taking steps to become more investor and creditor friendly, in contrast to trends in some developed economies. There are plenty of European countries that arent creditor-friendly and wont be, Graham said. He added that its important for investors and managers to focus on rigorous due diligence in emerging markets. There are still concerns about fraud, but the process is worth it in countries that are willing to work with investors and creditors, and maintain rule of law, he said. At the SALT conference last week, John Graham, senior managing director and global head of credit investments at CPPIB, said that the growth story in emerging markets is compelling As far as domestic credit markets, Graham said he was positive on the collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) market and CPPIB is working with its credit managers to identify large, scalable opportunities in this area.But it's the call on emerging markets which caught investors' attention. Ironically, as Graham spoke at the SALT conference in Las Vegas, emerging-market equities ( EEM experienced their worst rout since February 2018 as trade tensions escalated between China and the US:However, it's important to understand that CPPIB isn't just investing in emerging-market stocks and bonds, it's increasingly investing in private markets in China, India, Brazil and elsewhere, recognizing that while there will be bumps along the way, over the long run, this is where growth will come from.Of course, rule of law in a communist country like China is not yet what it is in Western democracies. However, as Suyi Kim, senior managing director and head of Asia Pacific at CPPIB mentioned in an interview with CNBC (see below), the desire to do business with funds like CPPIB may be a spur to reforms in emerging markets.That said, with Canada-China relations strained over its detentions of Canadians amidst a dispute with the Americans over Huawei, CPPIB is walking a tightrope to ensure it doesn't get embroiled in any diplomatic dispute.The key to success in emerging markets is solid partnerships and having qualified people on the ground developing these partnerships, Suyi Kim has said , noting her team needs to navigate the different languages, regulatory structures, and rules, before even thinking about looking at different asset classes.For me the most important part of Kim's short interview is when she explains how people's perception of CPPIB has changed over the last ten years: "Weve built a 10-year track record on dependability and transparency. Having a lot of capital does not differentiate us in Asia. What differentiates us is being a sophisticated long-term investor and having strong talent on the ground."When I met up with Michel Leduc, senior managing director and global head of public affairs and communications at CPPIB, the day before Toronto's annual spring pension conference , he reiterated this point: "We cannot compete with large sovereign wealth funds writing huge cheques, so we like to find large complex deals others shun where we think we can add value."Switching our attention to India, Mark Machin, president and chief executive of CPPIB, and Vikram Gandhi, a senior adviser to CPPIB, had an interview with Deal Street Asia on investments in internet companies, the good and the bad of the India opportunity and it's huge importance for the pension fund.Below, an older (September 2018) CNBC interview with Suyi Kim discussing how international trade pressures could force emerging economies to implement structural reforms.Note she said emerging markets make up 15% of the portfolio but the interview is almost a year old (it's now 20% and the target is 33% by 2025 ).More recently, Mark Machin, CEO of CPPIB told CNBC the fund is a "substantial" investor in Alibaba and it is also watching the trend of the rising middle class in India and China. " " Mitsuye Endo participated in a landmark Supreme Court case challenging the right of the U.S. government to hold Japanese citizens in internment camps. Utah State Historical Society It's an unthinkable scenario, but it's happened time and time again: People born in the United States are treated as national security threats. In late 2018, for example, The Washington Post reported on the story of Peter Sean Brown, a Philadelphia-born citizen who says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) held him for deportation to Jamaica. The same article cited a 2013 Syracuse University study that determined ICE had placed detainers on 834 U.S. citizens over just a four-year period. And while ICE-related incidents have made headlines in our post-9/11 society, the issue at heart has recurred throughout the country's history. Case in point: the incarceration of Mitsuye Endo. Born in Sacramento, California, in 1920, Endo was one of four children born to Japanese immigrants. In her early 20s, Endo worked as a secretary for the state's Department of Employment. Advertisement Post-Pearl Harbor But life as Endo knew it changed dramatically on Dec. 7, 1941 the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Within a few months, the U.S. dismissed all Japanese-American state employees, including Endo. Of the hundreds of employees affected, 63 banded together to challenge the firings. Backed by the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Endo and her peers hired attorney James C. Purcell to defend their rights. But fighting against the prevailing authoritative rule wasn't easy, and as Purcell took on the case, circumstances continued to worsen for Japanese Americans. In fact, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and incarcerated. Along with her family, Endo was sent first to the Sacramento Assembly Center and then to the Tule Lake, California internment camp. "I wish people knew more about Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi and her lawyer, James Purcell," says University of California Berkeley School of Law professor, Amanda L. Tyler. "They are both extraordinary figures." Tyler has written extensively about Endo, both in her book, "Habeas Corpus in Wartime: From the Tower of London to Guantanamo Bay," and in a 2016 op-ed for The Sacramento Bee titled, "Unsung WWII hero deserves the Medal of Freedom." "Ms. Endo was summarily fired from her job as a California State employee, forced to leave her home, sent to two different internment camps, eventually separated from her parents, and all the while her brother was serving in the United States military," Tyler says. " " Mitsuye Endo was eventually incarcerated with her family at Tule Lake Relocation Center Center in Newell, California. Pete O'Crotty/Farm Security Administration/Library of Congress Advertisement Executive Order 9066 Roosevelt's extreme measure is known as Executive Order 9066, a World War II policy that prescribed "regulations for the conduct and control of alien enemies." As Purcell built a case against the government's actions, he began searching for a plaintiff to challenge the incarceration through a habeas corpus petition. Dating back to 1215, habeas corpus is a court order that empowers individuals (and/or those representing them) to dispute the legality of their imprisonment. Purcell decided Endo was an ideal candidate not only was she a Methodist citizen with a brother in the U.S. Army, but she'd never even been to Japan. While she initially hesitated to act as plaintiff, Endo eventually agreed, and Purcell filed the petition on July 12, 1942, in a San Francisco federal district court. "During the course of her case, the government realized that it posed a serious challenge to all the policies directed at persons of Japanese ancestry that the military instituted under the auspices of Executive Order 9066," Tyler explains. "So the government offered her release in order to make her case effectively go away." The circumstances weren't sufficient for Endo, however, who didn't feel her own freedom was the ideal outcome in a much larger societal issue. "She resisted, in her words, because '[t]he fact that I wanted to prove that we of Japanese ancestry were not guilty of any crime and that we were loyal American citizens kept me from abandoning the suit,'" Tyler says. Advertisement The Supreme Court Endo remained in confinement for months as her case progressed. When it eventually reached the Supreme Court in April 1944, the Court unanimously ruled in favor of Endo, stating that "the government cannot detain a citizen without charge when the government itself concedes she is loyal to the United States." While Endo's unwavering commitment to the larger cause was certainly central to the eventual outcome, Tyler credits Purcell for his tireless efforts. "He recognized the serious constitutional problems with what the government was doing and he felt compelled to use his skills to give a voice to a community that was unfairly targeted and unconstitutionally treated during the war," she says. "I have heard many survivors of the camps refer to Mr. Purcell as 'the man who set us free.'" According to Tyler, the case has left more of a cultural legacy than a legal one. "Endo's case is not so significant for the precedent that it set, because it was decided very narrowly on non-constitutional grounds, but it is instead enormously significant for being the driving force behind the closing of the Japanese-American internment camps," she says. "In the lead up to the decision coming down, President Roosevelt had resisted pressure from advisers to close the camps. After the 1944 election and upon purportedly being tipped off that the Supreme Court was going to decide in favor of Endo's claim that she could not be detained in the camps as a concededly loyal citizen, the administration changed course and proclaimed that it would begin closing the camps. The day after making that announcement, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Ex parte Endo." Advertisement How It Applies Today "The larger relevance of all the Japanese American cases that went before the Supreme Court during World War II, to my mind, is that they show how dangerous deference to the executive in wartime can be," Tyler says, referring to the ongoing argument over whether the judiciary branch of government (the Supreme Court and other federal courts) should yield all decisions about national security to the executive branch (the president, vice president and cabinet). In a 2018 USA Today op-ed, Tyler referred to Japanese American internment as a "cautionary tale" for President Trump's proposed travel ban. "This connects to modern day because it means that the Court should be hesitant to defer to the executive with respect to assertions about the needs of national security as a blanket matter." To underscore her point, Tyler refers to the Supreme Court's decision last year to overturn the 1944 ruling in the case of Korematsu v. United States, in which American citizen Fred Korematsu refused to leave the West Coast following President Roosevelt's executive order and was subsequently convicted of disobeying a military order. While the ruling was technically overruled in "dicta," meaning it may hold more symbolic value than actionable impact, Tyler says it's still a meaningful move. "Had the Court in Korematsu, among other cases, actually asked to see a factual basis supporting the need for the policies that were put in place by the military under Executive Order 9066, the government could not have provided any evidence," she says. "This fact and the Court's recent overruling of Korematsu albeit in dicta should give pause to any court inclined to take the executive at its word when individual rights are at stake." While the U.S. continues to face complex issues around national security, immigration, citizenship and ingrained institutional prejudices, many continue to look to Endo and Turcell as trailblazers. Following the landmark case, Purcell went on to work on a number of Japanese immigration lawsuits and practiced law into his 80s. Although she kept a low profile for the remainder of her life (apparently her own daughter didn't know about her historic impact until she was in her 20s), Endo continues to be an important figure in the continued fight for fair and equal rights. Now That's Interesting After her release, Endo moved to Chicago where she took a position as a secretary for the Mayor's Committee on Race Relations and married Kenneth Tsutsumi, who she'd met in camp. The couple had three children together. " " Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866) delved into metaphysics and psychology to underscore his belief that the body was simply a vessel for the five senses and the faculties of the human mind. Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Resource Center Science, religion and medicine have intermingled (and sometimes clashed) in fascinating ways throughout the course of human history. And one little-remembered, controversial American figure symbolizes this clash better than most: Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, whose writings, unpublished during his time, provided the underpinnings for the New Thought movement, which is based on the idea that the spirit is more powerful and real than matter and the mind has the ability to heal the body. Reverend Lux Newman is a clinical hypnotherapist who edited and published "The Complete Collected Works of Dr. Phineas Parkhurst Quimby" in 2013. She describes his work as essentially a sort of 19th-century precursor to the modern field of psychology. "He called himself a physician. I would also say that he was a psychologist. Because he studied the mind...he talked about things that were very peculiar that had nothing to do with his day and time. Like chemical changes taking place in the brain. This is over 150 years ago. He was observing the placebo effect and many other things that would be under the realm of psychology," said Newman. Quimby (also known as PPQ for short or "Dr. Quimby" to his patients) was born in 1802 in New Hampshire. As an adult, he built clocks and watches, but his true vocation would come in the form of his work in the realm of healing. Quimby possessed no formal institutional training in medicine and was often skeptical of the prowess of doctors who did. The following quote is an excerpt from the Quimby manuscripts, which were a collection of Quimby's key writings and articles, edited and published by his disciple Horatio W. Dresser decades after Quimby's death: Thus man is a mere lump of clay in the hands of blind guides and whatever they say to the people they believe. Their beliefs disturb their minds and the doctors sow the seed of disease which they nurse till it grows to a belief, then comes the misery. Advertisement Disdain for Medical Doctors Quimby's mistrust of doctors grew out of personal experience. Quimby himself was once deathly ill (he probably had tuberculosis) and was diagnosed as a hopeless cause by a medical doctor. Quimby had all but given up on life, but found his life force renewed by a vigorous horseback ride. This experience set off Quimby's lifelong disdain for the medical profession and his passionate exploration of the human mind, which started with studies of animal magnetism which pertains to mysterious forces said to influence individuals, including hypnosis and expanded over time to using his psychological understanding to diagnoses diseases of the mind. Newman notes that Quimby's teachings were radical for the time, because although he acknowledged Jesus in his field of work, he disavowed all major religions and disputed belief in the power of God as a means of curing individuals. "He opposed all religions. These are just beliefs and opinions. And he said you should never trust somebody else's belief or opinion. It isn't the truth. It's just a belief. You can't prove it. He believed in science. He called science 'wisdom,'" said Newman. "He believed that there was a method of science that could be used for healing. He called it thought and reasoning. He didn't cure people by any special means or power." Keith McNeil, author of the academic study, "A Story Untold: A History of the Quimby-Eddy Debate," cites a passage from one of Quimby's flyers to lay out how the treatment method worked in practice: "PPQ simply sits down by the patients, tells them their feelings and what they think is their disease. If the patients admit that he tells them their feelings, &c., then his explanation is the cure; and, if he succeeds in correcting their error, he changes the fluids of the system and establishes the truth, or health. The Truth is the Cure. This mode of practise applies to all cases. If no explanation is given, no charge is made, for no effect is produced." So, essentially, Quimby listened to patients explain their ailments, and if there was a mental source contributing to their disease say, anxiety Quimby would then diagnose and explain that phenomenon in a way the patient could understand. He called these diagnoses "the truth." His research delved into metaphysics, underscoring how the body was just a vessel for the five senses and the faculties of the human mind, according to Newman. Advertisement The Mind-Body Connection McNeil further explains that "PPQ believed that the human mind could create material conditions such as disease, so that it was necessary to change the human mind to create a healing condition." " " Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) H. G. Smith/Wikimedia Commons However, Newman maintains that Quimby did not believe that all diseases stem from the mind, unlike one of his disciples, Mary Baker Eddy, who eventually founded the Christian Science religious denomination that focused on spiritual healing and divine connection to God. "You can't cure some diseases just by the power of your mind like Mary Baker Eddy claimed. This is ridiculous. It puts people responsible for their own diseases when some of them are definitely not their fault. Some can be. And those would be the ones where the explanation would be the cure. Otherwise, they'd better get to a doctor," says Newman. In an age when it feels like everyone has a therapist on hold, Quimby's approach to healing may not seem like anything visionary, but it was an unorthodox method for the time. However, despite Quimby's spurning of organized religion, he did imbue his course of treatment with some spiritual inklings and reference to Jesus. McNeil describes the unique way that Quimby blended these different worlds. "He was not a religious leader, but he knew the Bible and tried to bring his philosophical and metaphysical views together with religious themes. (It was customary for non-medical healers, mesmerists, faith healers, etc. to liken their methods to Jesus.)" Several of Quimby's teachings were published posthumously by the aforementioned Dresser, though there is some dispute over whether these were actually Quimby's writings, considering that, you know, he had been dead for several decades by the time the manuscripts saw the light of day. Some scholars like McNeil believe that the main text is indeed the work of Quimby, but that Dresser edited the articles in such a way as to present a somewhat biased view of Quimby. Advertisement The New Thought Movement Newman believes the teachings are Quimby's but found out that several of Quimby's documents and journals had not been published in Dresser's version of Quimby's manuscripts, so she took it upon herself to research and publish her own edited book with Quimby's writings in full. Today, Quimby is perhaps most famously known for inspiring the mind-healing philosophy of the New Thought spiritual movement, though Newman disputes the idea that Quimby significantly influenced the religious group's modern-day teachings. During his life, Quimby acquired thousands of fervent patients and disciples, including Eddy. Eddy was quite sick at the time, and no doctors had been able to successfully cure whatever plagued her. Eddy's husband wrote to Quimby, and the couple joined the innovative thinker in Maine. There, Eddy received treatment from Quimby and observed his unique methodology. Although Eddy was by all accounts loyal to Quimby during his lifetime, critics of Eddy accused her of essentially taking Quimby's works to form the tenets of Christian Science after his death. This led Eddy to ardently assert the independence of Christian Science from Quimby. Newman, too, argues that the lessons of Christian Science are fundamentally different from Quimby's beliefs, stating that the "Dressers went after [Eddy] with a vengeance." "She made a whole movement of her own, really, from what I've read. I could find nothing [similar]...If Quimby would have been alive, I'm sure he would have stepped up and protected Mary Baker Eddy. That it was all nonsense. If those Dressers had wanted to start a movement, they should have started it themselves. Not going after Mary Baker Eddy because she was once a client of Quimby's." However, while McNeil stresses that although there were significant differences between the philosophies of Eddy and Quimby, there were also similarities: "Both promote a non-medical methodology for healing, both based on the belief that the medical profession was wrong in its methodology. Christian Science is based on the belief that all is spiritual in reality thus seeming material conditions are ultimately not real, like the night dream seems real but is not real," says McNeil. "Christian Science is a theological whole. PPQ believed in an alternate reality ultimately but his healing methodology was, as noted by many, far more materialistic than his followers wished to admit." So, why should we care about Quimby and his manuscripts nowadays? Well, some scholars have asserted that the rising popularity of New Age and non-traditional spiritual movements at the turn of the 21st century has been remarkably similar to the mind healing, spiritual science, New Thought and Christian Science movements that cropped up at the turn of the 19th century. So although Quimby's mortal body died long ago, he lives on in a sense through the teachings of the those who were inspired by him. And so does Mary Baker Eddy. Now That's Interesting Mary Baker Eddy began publication of The Christian Science Monitor in 1908. It remains an influential international newspaper and has been awarded seven Pulitzer Prizes to date. " " Fake Donald Trump tweets are seen in a Twitter timeline on Jan. 27, 2017. A site in China has been generating fake tweets that look as if they came from U.S. president Donald Trump and are being used to mock the president. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images Keep it real have you ever shared an article on Twitter or Facebook after only reading the headline? If not, then you're in the minority. According to a social media study published in 2016, nearly 60 percent of links shared on Twitter and Facebook have never been clicked. "People are more willing to share an article than read it," said the study's co-author Arnaud Legout in a statement. "This is typical of modern information consumption. People form an opinion based on a summary, or summary of summaries, without making the effort to go deeper." Advertisement And they should go deeper, because the fake news phenomena isn't fake at all, and it isn't confined to fringe websites and your uncle's Facebook. Type "first African-American president of the United States" into Google and see what comes up. The very top result (at least at time of publication) is a link to a 2008 blog post claiming that Barack Obama was in fact the nation's seventh black president. (Betcha didn't know that Abraham Lincoln and Dwight D. Eisenhower were black. Neither did they.) The fact that you've made it all the way to this paragraph means that you're not afraid to "go deep." So how can you be sure that what you're reading on the internet is true or not? Alexios Mantzarlis leads the International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. While he says that fact-checking is indeed everyone's job media outlets, social media networks, teachers, readers it doesn't have to be a drag. "None of this is rocket science," Mantzarlis says. "It starts with actually opening the link and seeing whether the body of the text actually supports the headline. Because very often it doesn't." Before you share that link across your social network, Mantzarlis has some other suggestions and tools for separating real news from fake." Who's behind the abbreviated link? Sometimes, those links shortened on Twitter with "bit.ly" or "tinyurl" are designed to hide a phony URL. One good example is ABCnews.com.co, a news parody site that masqueraded as the real ABC News during the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. The site published widely-shared stories about how the Amish would vote in droves for Trump and an atheist mayor who fired a firefighter for praying. Who owns the URL? If you have doubts, you can quickly check who owns it through a WHOIS search. Even though ABCnews.com.co is down now, you can see that the web address is owned by a guy named Paul Horner in Phoenix (who feels bad, incidentally, about his possible role in influencing the election). The real ABCnews.com is owned by ABC Inc. and Disney. What about the photo? A reverse image search is another easy way to quickly check the veracity of a new story, especially for breaking news. In the wake of a real terrorist attack or natural disaster, Mantzarlis says that fake news sites will try to cash in on a heightened emotional moment by fooling readers with powerful, but unrelated pictures. "The story will say, 'Look, this is the photo of the terrorist!' or 'This is happening right now in Paris,'" says Mantzarlis. "The first thing to check is if that photo has been around for three or four years. If it has, you can be pretty sure it's not from whatever it's claiming to be." To check the history of an online image in Google Chrome, just right-click on the image and select "Search Google for image." The results will show you everywhere else that the photo or image has been published. If it's truly fresh, you will only see a few links published in the past few hours. If it's old, you'll see links going back for years, many of them from equally fake news stories. Is the Twitter handle real or fake? Spoof accounts are a big problem. If it's really from a celebrity or public figure, there should be a blue verified icon next to the person's name. Also, check when the account was created. A fake news account will probably have a recent date, in response to some news item. Fake news sites will also doctor a supposed screenshot of a Twitter post from a politician and report the Photoshopped statement as news. Again, if the tweet sounds too crazy to be true, it's worth a look at the politician's or celebrity's verified Twitter feed to see if the statement is really there. Sometimes fake stories will explain the missing tweet by alleging that the politician deleted it after public outcry. But there's a way to check if that is true too. Go to Politiwoops, a website from ProPublica that lists all deleted tweets from sitting political officials and candidates. If the deleted tweet isn't there, either, it probably never existed in the first place. Real sender or bot? Twitter bots are the truth-killers of the Twitterverse. One way to root them out is to drop a suspicious handle into the search engine foller.me. See how often the user tweets, how many people they follow (and more importantly, who follows them), and when they tweet. Check out the bar graph on the bottom of each profile, which shows the hours of the day when the user typically tweets. A bot doesn't need to sleep, but most humans do. Now That's Cool On Sunday, April 2, fact-checking organizations around the world will be holding events to commemorate the first-ever International Fact-Checking Day. Attend one of many Fake News Trivia Nights at bars across the Washington D.C. area (test your hoax-spotting skills with some sample questions). Or if you're a teacher, download free lesson plans to help your students better navigate the (mis)information superhighway. " " The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in central Montana is home to an array of plant life, wildlife and unique geology. Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management On April 26, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the Department of the Interior to review all national monuments created since Jan. 1, 1996 that contain more than 100,000 acres. The executive order could put more than 20 national monuments created by Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, in jeopardy. The monuments include a vast array of landscapes and historical sites. Trump said the order would end the "egregious abuse of federal power" and return it "back to the states and to the people, where it belongs." Advertisement "The previous administration used a 100-year-old law known as the Antiquities Act to unilaterally put millions of acres of land and water under strict federal control," Trump said, "eliminating the ability of the people who actually live in those states to decide how best to use that land. Today, we are putting the states back in charge." Trump was referring to the 1906 Antiquities Act, which gives presidents the power to limit public use of land for historic, cultural and scientific reasons, by naming the areas as national monuments. President Teddy Roosevelt signed it into action. National monuments are usually smaller than national parks, and protect one "nationally significant resource," while national parks are designed to preserve many natural resources. National parks can only be established by Congress. This latest executive order does not invalidate the monuments' current designations. Instead, it requires Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review them in the next 120 days and determine whether the previous presidents named them "in accordance with the requirements and original objectives" of the Antiquities Act, and whether they balance "the protection of landmarks, structures, and objects against the appropriate use of federal lands and the effects on surrounding lands and communities." But if the answer to that is "no," one big question still remains: Can one president undo a previous president's proclamation to establish a national monument? It's never happened in the 111-year-history of the Antiquities Act, and many legal analysts and environmental groups say no. "This review is a first step toward monument rollbacks, which we will fight all the way," Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, told USA Today. "These public lands belong to all of us." So which national monuments are under review by the Department of Interior? See the photo gallery below for more information. Arizona " " The Grand Canyon-Parashant monument is a remote archeological treasure with deep canyons, mountains and buttes. A variety of wildlife, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, wild turkey and four species of rattlesnakes, call this place home. Here you can see examples of paleozoic and mesozoic sedimentary rock layers up close. President Bill Clinton designated it a monument in January 2000. Bureau of Land Management " " Ironwood Forest National Monument includes 129,000 acres (52,204.4 hectares) of Sonoran Desert mountains covered in with saguaro cacti and ironwood trees. Several endangered and threatened species call this place home, including the Nichols turks head cactus and the lesser long-nosed bat. It was created by President Clinton in June 2000. Bureau of Land Management " " Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is 280,000 acres (113311.9 hectares) located on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona and includes the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. This remote area includes a variety of geological landscapes, including the Paria Plateau, Vermilion Cliffs, Coyote Buttes and Paria Canyon. It was established in November 2000 by President Clinton. Bureau of Land Management California " " The Giant Sequoia National Monument covers 328,000 acres (132,736.8 hectares) of the Sequoia National Forest. The monument is home to Converse Basin Grove, once considered the largest sequoia grove in the Sierra, and the solitary Boole Tree, named for the lumber foreman who cut down all the other sequoias in this grove. The Giant Sequoia National Monument was designated by President Clinton in April 2000. David McNew/Getty " " Carrizo Plain National Monument is just a few hours from Los Angeles and is traversed by the famous San Andreas Fault. Some of its most spectacular features include the white alkali flats of Soda Lake and its vast grasslands, which, can be carpeted with wildflowers when conditions are right. The area was designated by President Clinton in January 2001. Bureau of Land Management " " Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument includes nearly 331,000 acres (133,951 hectares) of rolling hills and steep canyons in northern Californias Inner Coast Range. The land surrounds the farms, ranches and orchards that stretch from Napa County to the mountains of the Mendocino National Forest. The area was designated by President Obama in July 2015. Bureau of Land Management " " The 1.6-million-acre (647,497-hectare) Mojave Trails National Monument features mountain ranges, ancient lava flows and fossil beds, and sand dunes. It's also home to rare plants and many native animals, and links the Pacific coast to the deserts of the Southwest. It was designated by President Obama in February 2016. Bureau of Land Management " " Sand to Snow National Monument encompasses 154,000 acres (62321.5 hectares) in southern California, which are home to more than 240 species of birds and 12 threatened and endangered animals. The area also includes sacred archaeological and cultural sites, as well as nearly 1,700 Native American petroglyphs. The area was designated by President Obama in February 2016. Bureau of Land Management New Mexico " " The Rio Grande del Norte National Monument includes 242,500 acres (98136.2 hectares) of wide open plains, volcanic cones and steep canyons. The Ro Grande carves an 800-foot (243.8-meters) deep gorge through layers of volcanic basalt flows and ash. Ute Mountain, which reaches an elevation of 10,093 feet (3076.3 meters), is part of the monument designated by President Obama in March 2013. Bureau of Land Management " " The 496,330-acre (200,857-hectare) Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument includes important prehistoric, geologic and biologic resources. The area features hundreds of artifacts, rock art, dwellings and other evidence of native people who have called this place home. President Obama named it a national monument in May 2014. Bureau of Land Management Nevada " " Basin and Range National Monument is just two hours from Las Vegas but worlds away. It provides a glimpse into America's past via ancient ruins, archeological and historical sites, and unique plants, including 2,000-year-old Bristlecone Pines in the Worthington Mountains. It was designated by President Obama in July 2015. Bureau of Land Management " " Gold Butte National Monument includes nearly 300,000 acres (121,405.6 hectares) of remote desert in southeastern Nevada, with red sandstone, twisting canyons and mountains. It was declared a national monument by President Obama in December 2016. Bureau of Land Management The Pacific " " The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument covers 490,343 square miles (1.26 million square kilometers) to the far south and west of Hawaii, and includes Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Howland Island, Baker Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll and Wake Island. The islands are home to many native species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, birds and vegetation. President George W. Bush named the islands a national monument in January 2009, and President Obama expanded the monument in September 2014. U.S. Fish and Wildlife/Kydd Pollock " " Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is the United States' largest protected conservation area, and one of the world's largest marine conservation areas, covering 582,578 square miles (1.5 million square kilometers) of the Pacific Ocean. The coral reefs are home to more than 7,000 species, including the threatened green turtle and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. It was established in June 2006 by President Bush. Utah " " Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah includes 1.35 million acres (546325.6 hectares) of some of the most significant cultural landscapes in the United States. President Obama named the area, which includes thousands of archaeological sites, rock art, ancient cliff dwellings and ceremonial kivas, a national monument in December 2016. Bureau of Land Management " " The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument protects 1.88 million acres (760,809 hectares) of land in southern Utah, and it's the largest of all U.S. national monuments. The exposed layers of the "staircase" show a 4-billion-year timeline of geological history: the lower steps are located to the southern Grand Canyon region, while the upper, geologically youngest layer makes up the pink cliffs of the Grand Staircase to the north. President Clinton named the area a monument in September 1996. Bureau of Land Management Now That's Interesting Whether or not Donald Trump has the power to reverse the status of any national monument remains to be seen. But an analysis by the Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan policy arm of Congress, says he likely does not. The report says that "once a President has applied the Antiquities Act to protect objects of historic or scientific interest, only Congress can undo that protection." TWO vote-counting machines (VCMs) and election paraphernalia were torched by two still unidentified armed men in Jones, Isabela on Tuesday morning, May 14.Jones, Isabela election officer Darius Perdines TWO vote-counting machines (VCMs) and election paraphernalia were torched by two still unidentified armed men in Jones, Isabela on Tuesday morning, May 14. Jones, Isabela election officer Darius Perdines said the VCMs were inside a dump truck and were to be brought to the municipal hall from Barangay Dicamay I and II around 6 a.m. on Tuesday when the two men intercepted the truck. Perdines said the suspects took the trucks keys and burned down the VCMs before fleeing. The two barangays were the only areas in Isabela that failed to transmit the election returns due to poor telecommunications signal since Monday night. Police said investigation is still ongoing. Jones town is among the election hotspots placed under Category Red due to intense political rivalry. It has 42 barangays with over 30,000 registered voters. Vying for the top local government post are incumbent mayor Leticia Sebastian and businesswoman Melanie Uy. Voting for the midterm National and Local Elections, which was marred by complaints of defective VCMs and massive vote-buying, ended at 6 p.m. Monday night. Meanwhile, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde assured that the incident will not affect the canvassing of votes as vote counts from the said VCMs have already been recorded. He said their investigation will focus on why the members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) were allowed to travel without any security escort from the police or the military. What we are trying to investigate kung bakit pinabayaan yung mga election boards na bumyahe on their own. Bakit nagpilit ang mga teachers na bumaba on their own where in fact usapan kapag umalis mga teachers from the polling centers going to the treasurer's office they should be escorted by our law enforcers or security forces in the area, he said. Another report from the Police Regional Office Cagayan Valley said authorities found a burning white sports utility vehicle that was allegedly used by the men who torched the VCMs in an abandoned area in Barangay Quezon, San Isidro in Isabela around 12:10 p.m. on May 14. According to the account of a witness, the four attackers used two motorcycles to flee towards Santiago City. (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 elections are over. A new set of leaders, voted in by the Filipino public. Major props to all the politicians who took losing gracefully, and congratulations to all the newly elected officials. However, these are the days when being a Filipino can sometimes be discouraging. First, we realize that the Filipinos innate compassion finds a way to practice forgive and forget when it comes to the allegedly corrupt. But second, and more importantly, the Filipino sees himself as a VIP with a newly hired set of employees ready to do the dirty work for him. The water crisis? The constant case of carmageddon? The drainage problem? Sure, public officials need to kick-start solutions to these concerns. But at the end of the day, it is still up to the public how successful these solutions are. What we need therefore, is a little mind-set change. Big things start small. That said, here are sevenjust sevenhabits everyone can start practicing for a better country. The Philippines will definitely fare better if people start doing these things daily. Clean up after your meal at a fast-food joint Its a tradition we learned from our fathers, which they learned from their fathers. After we enjoy eating our fried chicken or burgers, we just leave the trashtray and allon the table. Sure, there are servers who clean up after you. But these places are actually self-service establishments. Third-world as we are, burdened by so much more than just disposing a couple of paper cups and wrappers, we dont have to stay third-world. Cleaning up is a practice of discipline. Utilize jeepney, bus stops People are quick to judge public utility vehicle drivers. Oh, they dont know how to drive. Ah, theyre ticking traffic time bombs waiting to explode. Boo, shabu. But have we thought of actually properly utilizing jeepney or bus stops? Some encouragement: Some metro bus lines today are teaching commuters to line up at stops, and to wait for the buses that arrive and leave on time. In the case of jeepneys, the jeepney stop needs to be respected. If we, the public, respect the stop by waiting for our ride there and actually lining up (or something) before a ride, the drivers have no choice but to respect the stop. Story continues Abolish Filipino time We did not invent Filipino time. We came up with a fun way to brand our incompetence. If everybody arrived on time during meetings or get-togethers, we get to practice the virtues of being credible and trustworthy. But, the traffic, you say? Find a way to beat the traffic. And if you still end up late, dont overthink: Its not your fault anymore. You are a responsible, progressive adult coping with what we like to call a temporary speed bump. Dont litterever No matter how tiny that candy wrap looks like or no matter how insignificant that receipt from the ATM seems, do not throw these things anywhere. We, Filipinos, are quick to say he did it, too. Just because our neighbors left piles of trash in front of the street, where its clearly not the place to do so, doesnt mean we can do it, too. And please dont throw a banana peeling on the street from a moving vehicle. Those things are biodegradable, yes. But thats besides the point. Again, practice discipline. Schools have taught us this ever since: Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Stop sharing fake news But I didnt know it was fake. A celebrity dies again, a quote is taken out of contextwe all fall for click-bait traps sometimes. But with a little self-restraint and careful comprehension, we can play our roles in being responsible citizens, online or offline. The Philippines is one of the most active countries on social media (boy, do we have a lot of time on our hands, do we?). Imagine the kind of social upgrade it can experience, if its citizens can stop sharing and promoting fake news altogether? Follow the signs Obedience, please. Just follow all legit signs. When the parish has built a gate for pedestrians with an entrance/exit label, just follow it. When the sign says, No Flash Photography Allowed, dont even think about taking that picture. When the sign says Observe Silence, then respect the peace. We talk about keeping our public leaders accountable, and then were here, unrelenting in our selfish pursuits. Keep cool. Respect rules. Say no to fixers When it comes to paperwork, or some errand one needs to do in a government office, say no to fixers. No matter how slow the workers in that particular office branch may be, bypassing the system is not fixing the system. The system remains broken, and you just leapfrogged a hundred or more people waiting in linethe proper wayjust because you paid a fixer to do your business for you. At the end of the day, losing ones claim to self-entitlement may be the very best thing that could happen to this country. And who better to start the ball rolling? The people voted into power; those in the best position to be exemplary model citizens. God bless the Philippines! PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's "magic" has apparently worked as majority of the administration-backed senatorial candidates are poised to win while all candidates of opposition senatorial slate PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's "magic" has apparently worked as majority of the administration-backed senatorial candidates are poised to win while all candidates of opposition senatorial slate Otso Diretso did not make it to the top 12, Malacanang said on Tuesday, May 14. Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo was elated by the seemingly decisive win of senatorial hopefuls who have the support of the Duterte administration. "While the results of the elections are still unofficial, there appears to be an unstoppable trend towards a resounding victory of the administrations favoured [senatorial] candidates," the Palace official said. "Undoubtedly, the Duterte magic spelled the difference. The overwhelming majority of the electorate have responded to the call of the President to support those whom he said would help pass the laws supportive of his goal to uplift the masses of our people and give them comfortable lives they richly deserve," he added. The statement came after partial and unofficial results of the 2019 senatorial race showed that most of the candidates dominating the top 12 slots were publicly endorsed by the President. Nine of 12 senatorial bets with the highest number of votes are allied with the administration, based on the Commission of Elections' (Comelec) partial and unofficial data from over 94.67 percent of election returns as of 12:26 p.m., Tuesday. The top 12 senatorial candidates are reelectionist senators Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, and Aquilino Pimentel III; former senators Pia Cayetano, Manuel "Lito" Lapid, and Ramon Revilla Jr.; Duterte's former assistant Christopher Lawrence Go; former police general Ronald dela Rosa; former presidential adviser Francis Tolentino; and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos. Only Poe, Lapid, and Binay were not endorsed by Duterte. Meantime, all eight senatorial candidates of Otso Diretso are headed for defeat in the 2019 midterm elections. Only reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV is closest to the 12th spot. Story continues Former Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, an Otso Diretso candidate, is struggling as he is still in 16th place. Facing defeat The rest of the Otso Diretso bets who face defeat Maranao civic leader Samira Gutoc, Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano, former lawmaker Erin Tanada, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, and human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno. Macalintal, Gutoc, and Hilbay, already conceded on Tuesday morning. Panelo said the latest development merely proved that Filipino voters had brushed aside the "negative propaganda unleashed by the opposition, by the critics, by the detractors against the President and his administration." "Some of which are the issues of extra-judicial killings, the war on drugs, the South China Sea, among others," he said. "We therefore laud the Filipino electorate for expressing their will in the strongest and unequivocal manner. They have sent a message and we hope that the opposition and the rest of the country will receive that strong and resonant voice with acceptance," Panelo added. Panelo said the apparent victory of the administration candidates and the defeat of the opposition bets send a "strong" message that Filipinos "yearn for stability and continuity of the genuine reforms that this Administration started." People's will Panelo, nevertheless, thanked the Otso Diretso candidates and supporters for "giving [their] best shot and fighting a good battle." "As we have said repeatedly, we respect dissent as it vitalizes the democracy of our nation. In the end, however, it is the will of the people that prevails and we must respect the same," he said. "While we expect dissent to continue, we hope that that same be demonstrated with fairness and within the bounds of the law, as well as with deference to the leaders duly chosen by us electorate. We have only one government, one nation, one flag. Together let us support it for the betterment of the Philippines that we all love," he added. Panelo acknowledged this year's successful holding of the midterm polls demonstrated that the country has a "great order for democracy that can rise above the loud political noise." He assured that the President would respect his allies's independence when they take their respective seats at the Senate in the upcoming 18th Congress. He acknowledged that the Filipino people want a "constructive and not obstructionist Senate," which will help in crafting the Presidents legislative agenda. "If you will notice, the history of the Senate shows members of that chamber [are] independent ever since. No Senate has ever been under any president. They always rise above parties and considerations, when issues involve national interest, national security and the interest of the Filipino people," he said. "They have to support the President when the agenda of the President is for the good of the people. And they will have to oppose it if they feel, in their conscience, that it run counter to the interest of the nation," Panelo added. (SunStar Philippines) Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, meeting the press after casting his vote at P. Burgos Elementary School in Sta. Mesa, Manila in 2019 Midterm Elections. (Daniel M. Iglesias/PVI) MANILA, Philippines Is it time for the Ejercito-Estrada clan to take a break from politics? The clans patriarch, former president and reelectionist Manila mayor Joseph Erap Estrada is losing by a wide margin to mayoral contender Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso. Based on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) partial, unofficial results as of 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday with 99.06 percent of election returns, Domagoso has garnered 354,327 votes while Estrada got 208,561. Moreno previously served as vice mayor to Erap from 2013 to 2016. He joined but lost the senatorial race in 2016. With Eraps loss came the failed mayoral bid of his granddaughter Janella Ejercito Estrada in San Juan City. Janella, daughter of senatorial aspirant Jinggoy Estrada, who got 24,813 votes was beaten by former vice mayor Francis Zamora who garnered 35,060 votes. Zamoras victory ended the Ejercito-Estrada clans nearly 50-year reign in the city. The Estrada clan took hold of San Juan City since 1969 when then popular actor Estrada won as mayor. He was succeeded by his sons Jinggoy and JV Ejercito then JVs mother Guia Gomez to whom Zamora narrowly lost his bid for mayor in 2016. The Zamoras and Estradas were family friends for 30 years until Francis and Guia both ran in the mayoralty race in 2016. Francis claimed he was cheated in the election. READ: Sotto, Zamora, Moreno topple giants; make history in PH politics Meanwhile, Eraps nephew ER Ejercito failed in his bid for governor in Laguna against reelectionist governor Ramil Hernandez. His other nephew, Gary Estrada Ejercito also lost in Cainta, Rizals vice mayoralty race against Ace Servillion. In the senate race, Eraps sons Joseph Victor JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada are trailing beyond the top 12. JV is currently at 13th spot with 13,866,130 votes while his brother Jinggoy is at 15th with 11,018,985 votes as of 3:50 pm with 99.06 percent of election returns. End of an era? Did the May 13 midterm elections signal the end of a political era for the Estrada-Ejercito clan? Story continues According to political analyst, Professor Edmund Tayao, Eraps defeat could mean that the Manila voters are looking for a new leader who could bring significant changes to the city. Erap was considered as some kind of alternative having been a previous president, so many may have thought he would be a better Mayor compared to [Alfredo] Lim but after two terms there was not much change that happened, Tayao told UNTV News and Rescue in an interview. Tayao also believes that the previous rift between JV and Jinggoy have damaged their chances of winning in Senate race. Ang naka-contribute pa dito yung masyadong negative campaign, below the belt yung ginawa niya against his own brother, that boomeranged on him, he said in reference to the half-brothers disagreements in the past. So, instead of maintaining his supposed advantage over his half-brother, nabaligtad ang pangyayari, mas binoto ng tao si JV Ejercito, he added. The two brothers had admitted to a tepid relationship after JV decided to use the Estrada name to boost his political image. Their relationship also turned sour at the height of the 2013 pork barrel scam. Tayao said that based on his personal assessment of the general election results, Filipino voters seemed to be looking for new names and faces in politics who could deliver positive results. What is shown to the general results of the elections which is across the board, nage-experiment ang mga tao, ayaw na nila ng more of the same so they elected a different sort of combination, he said. (with details from Nel Maribojoc) The post End of an era? Estrada-Ejercito clan suffers crushing defeat in 2019 polls appeared first on UNTV News. NASA Satellite imagery has captured a rapid change in a remote ice cap in northern Russia which is moving at a rate that researchers describe as nuts. Landsat imagery showed that the Vavilov Ice Cap moved at around 60 feet per year between 1985 and 2013. Glaciologists say that since that point it has begun moving at up to 60 feet per day. What makes the find so strange is that its a so-called cold based glacier, thought to be more resistant to melting, according to IFLScience. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Motorists pull passengers from burning plane wreckage Tories in FIFTH place according to EU elections poll Transgender Lotto winner dies 18 months after 4m win The fact that an apparently stable, cold-based glacier suddenly went from moving 20 meters per year to 20 meters per day was extremely unusual, perhaps unprecedented, said University of Colorado Boulder glaciologist Michael Willis. The numbers here are simply nuts. Before this happened, as far as I knew, cold-based glaciers simply didnt do thatcouldnt do that. If this continues, we could be witnessing the demise of this ice cap. Already, Vavilov has thinned enough that snow has stopped accumulating on its upper reaches, and it is a small ice cap in the first place. Nasa wrote: Hundreds of cold-based glaciers line the coasts of Greenland, Antarctica, and islands in the high Arctic. Together they cover hundreds of thousands of square kilometres of land. The events at Vavilov suggest that these glaciers may be less stable and resilient and more capable of collapsing and affecting sea level. A grain farmer for 40 years, Kurt Kaser knows his farming equipment well but he recently battled with the tools for his life in a horrific accident that cost the man his leg. Kaser, 63, told KETV that it all began when he was by himself on his farm in Pender, Nebraska, unloading corn into a bin. Kaser said he was so used to his routine that he didnt think anything out of the ordinary would happen that day, but then he stepped out of his truck and accidentally into a grain hopper. The machines little hole presented a big problem. It just sucked my leg in and I was trying to pull it out, but it kept pulling, Kaser told the news station. I thought, How long am I going to stay conscious here? I didnt know what to expect. I felt it jerk me again and I thought it would grab me and pull me further. He added: When it first happened, I remember thinking, This aint good. This is not good at all. With no cell phone and no one around, Kaser said he didnt know how long hed be waiting for help, WTVD reported. With his left leg stuck in the hopper, he decided to take matters into his own hands. RELATED: Missouri Man, 20, Killed by His Own Car in Freak Jack in the Box Drive-Thru Accident I had my pocket knife in my pocket. I said, The only way Im getting out of here is to cut it off. So I just started sawing on it, he said, according to WTVD. When I was cutting it, the nerve endings, I could feel, like, the ping every time I sawed around that pipe, and all at once it went and it let me go and I got the heck out of there. ABC 7 Kaser crawled about 150 feet to the nearest phone, called for help and was taken to a hospital, KABC reported. After receiving treatment, Kaser soon began both occupational and physical therapy. His occupational therapist, Dani Willey, said Kaser who admitted that he paid the price for not paying attention now has his sights set on returning to his farm. He pretty much told me his goal was, I need to get home and get back to what I was doing before, and his main goal was farming, she recalled to KETV. Kaser expects to get a prosthetic leg, and hes remained optimistic after surviving the incident. It is what it is, he told KETV. Make the best of it is all you can do. It could have always been worse. (L-R) Vico Sotto, Francis Zamora and Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso MANILA, Philippines The political arena had a complete turn-around in major cities in the country as the reign of political clans ended and new faces emerged victorious in Mondays 2019 midterm polls. Pasig Citys new, millennial mayor A promise of a new kind of politics is about to start in Pasig City after 29-year-old Councilor Vico Sotto braved the pressure to break the almost three-decade unbroken line of Eusebios in the countrys eighth largest city. On his official Facebook page, Sotto thanked his supporters for the trust while he promised to lead the city to its new beginning. Maraming salamat. Sa lahat ng nagbigay ng tiwala, sa mga bumoto, at sa mga nakiisa sa ating laban, the incoming Mayor said. Sulit po ang pagod at effort natin. Narinig na ng bayan ang ating tinig. Handa na ang Pasig para sa tunay at pangmatagalang pagbabago! he added. Sotto, who topped the councilor race in 2016 in his first ever attempt in public office, is the son of veteran celebrities Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes. Sotto did not field a vice mayor which left the incumbent Iyo Christian Caruncho Bernardo unopposed. His party-mate former Rep. Roman Romulo also won the race against Mayor Bobby Eusebios brother incumbent Rep. Ricky Eusebio and is now a returning congressman for Pasig Citys lone district. A game changer in San Juan City Businessman Francis Zamora is the new mayor of San Juan City ending the reign of the Ejercito-Estrada clan in the smallest city in Metro Manila. Zamora considered himself a game-changer after winning the election against Jannela Ejercito, the daughter of former senator Jinggoy Estrada and granddaughter of Manilas incumbent mayor Joseph Estrada. The new mayor promised to turn the old city of San Juan into a highly developed Smart City with improved services and state-of-the-art facilities. Francis father, Ronaldo Zamora, remains in office after defeating challenger Edu Manzano for the lone district of San Juan. Story continues The Estrada clan took hold of San Juan City since 1969 when then popular actor Joseph Estrada won as mayor. He was succeeded by his sons Jinggoy and JV Ejercito then JVs mother Guia Gomez to whom Zamora narrowly lost his bid for mayor in 2016. The Zamoras and Estradas were family friends for 30 years until Francis and Guia both ran in the mayoralty race in 2016. Francis claimed he was cheated in the election. Dethroning a giant Former Vice Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso defeated the giant in the countrys capital, Manila. The new mayor described his win as a humbling experience while he could only wish the best for his opponent, former president and mayor Joseph Estrada. Maging masaya ang kaniyang mga araw sa buhay. Maging maligaya din siya na kapiling ang kaniyang pamilyaNakapaglingkod na naman siya sa taumbayan. Napagbigyan na rin naman siya. And I think he did enough already for the country and for the city, Domagoso said of Estrada. A Tondo boy who used to scavenge for food, Domagoso established his political career from serving three terms as a city councilor, another three terms as vice mayor and the most recent as an undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. As now the new mayor of Manila, he promised more programs of governance for the city. Today is just the beginning. Its going to be challenging years for us. People are expecting pero may awa ang Dios. We always wanted to be guided by law and order and by God, he said after securing his win. His running mate, incumbent Vice Mayor Maria Sheilah Lacuna-Pangan, also won for a second term in office. Marje Pelayo The post Sotto, Zamora, Moreno topple giants; make history in PH politics appeared first on UNTV News. In a bid to further enhance the market reach of its clients, AdMov Transport Marketing Solutions, Inc. has partnered with global innovation leader Lenovo to personalize advertisements to commuters via tablet devices. Admov offers an innovative method to bridge the gap between brands and customers. Admov will be installing Lenovo Tab 4 tablets behind the front seat headrests of cars that are on ride-hailing services and its software can analyze the passengers gender, age, and even mood through facial detection technology. The software then allows AdMov to present the appropriate content based on the information gathered. Ellard Capiral, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of AdMov, said that the program also utilizes geo-fencing to consider the vehicles real-time location, so as the tablet will show content about nearby establishments. Integrated augmented reality technology is implanted in the software to further add interactivity. AdMov The post Transport Ad Firm Taps Lenovo to Cover More Ground with TNVs appeared first on Carmudi 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) blamed the glitch in its transparency server on Monday night, May 13, on the deluge of data transmitted. Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, head of the Comelec - 2019 Steering Committee, said it was a case of bottlenecking in the data inflow. "During the elections, at around 6 p.m., when the VCMs transmitted the results, the gates or the so called FTP (File Transfer Protocol), received a deluge of data," he explained in a press conference. "Under normal situations, that gate should remain open. But when the results came in bulk, there was a bottleneck. There was a delay in the picking up of the results," he added. The glitch resulted in delays in the quick count being conducted by media networks dubbed as "partial and unofficial". Casquejo also said the brief decrease in the number of transmitted ERs as reflected in the Comelec transparency server was caused by a Java error on Tuesday morning. The reflected transmitted ER went down from 92.89 percent at 5 a.m. to 49.76 percent at 6 a.m. Tuesday. "The technical group of transparency server observed a Java error. It was corrected again by just turning it off and on or reset," he said. Casquejo assured that there were no changes in the actual data of received Election Returns. "It didn't slow down, it didn't go down. It was a technical glitch," he said. The problems in the Comelec transparency server have since been resolved. The server is based at the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) headquarters. (HDT/SunStar Philippines) A violent 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck an island chain off the north coast of Papua New Guinea late Tuesday, knocking out power and sending residents fleeing for safety. The shallow quake occurred around 11pm (1300 GMT), some 44 kilometres (27 miles) northeast of Kokopo on New Britain island, the US Geological Survey said. "It was massive, absolutely massive. Very scary," Megan Martin, the managing director of the Ropopo Plantation Resort in Kokopo, told AFP. "There does not appear to be any damage, but we are out checking." An AFP reporter based in Kokopo said electricity went off in the town after the quake struck and people ran from their homes for safety. There were no initial reports of serious damage but the full picture may not become clear until daylight. Aftershocks are still being felt long after the initial quake, as residents sat in darkness, fearful of tsunami waves. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had forecast a surge of up to one metre in height, that could eventually reach as far away as Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Scientists do not have sea level gauges in this remote corner on the Bismark Archipelago, but they later said they believed the threat had passed. Kokopo is no stranger to natural disasters. It sits in the shadow of nearby Rabaul, which was devastated by twin volcanic eruptions in 1994. Earlier this year, weeks of heavy rains killed at least nine people, with many more families left homeless without access to safe drinking water. Papua New Guinea is well within the Pacific "Ring of Fire" a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates. Just weeks ago a 7.2 earthquake knocked items off shelves in Port Moresby -- far from the epicentre -- and was felt as far away as Australia. A 7.5-magnitude quake hit the rugged highlands region in February 2018 that triggered landslides, burying homes and killing at least 125 people. The scale of that disaster did not become apparent for days due to PNG's poor communications and infrastructure. Along the South Solomon trench, an area of the Pacific that includes Papua New Guinea, there have been more than a dozen quakes of magnitude 7.5 or more recorded since 1900, according to USGS data. MANILA, Philippines (AP) President Rodrigo Duterte's allies appeared to have overwhelming leads in elections for the Philippine Senate, one of the opposition's last bulwarks against a brash populist leader accused of massive human rights violations. Preliminary results comprising 94% of returns from Monday's midterm elections showed at least eight candidates endorsed by Duterte were leading in races for 12 seats in the 24-member Senate. Official Commission on Election results are expected to be declared in about a week. Those leading include Duterte's former national police chief, Ronald dela Rosa, who enforced the president's crackdown on illegal drugs, a campaign that left thousands of suspects dead and drew international condemnation. Monday's vote is seen as a gauge of public support for Duterte, who is midway through the single six-year term Philippine presidents are allowed under the constitution. His anti-drug crackdown, unorthodox leadership style, combative and sexist joke-laden outbursts, and contentious embrace of China have been the hallmarks of his presidency. Duterte's three children were also expected to win races for mayor, vice mayor and a congressional seat representing their southern home region of Davao city. The 74-year-old maverick leader first carved a reputation as an extra-tough mayor of the city who hunted drug addicts and criminals on a Harley Davidson motorcycle and carried the nickname Duterte Harry after the gunslinging Clint Eastwood film character. "Undoubtedly, the Duterte magic spelled the difference," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a news conference. "The overwhelming majority of the electorate have responded to the call of the president to support those whom he said would help pass laws supportive of his goal to uplift the masses of our people and give them comfortable lives." Manila-based analyst Ronald Holmes, however, said that except for dela Rosa and Duterte's longtime aide, Bong Go, who entered politics for the first time without their own established bases of support, other leading administration senatorial contenders earned votes based on their own political track records. Story continues The flipside of Duterte's perceived endorsement strength was the weakness of the opposition ticket and its campaign, said Holmes, who heads Pulse Asia, an independent pollster that predicted the dominance of Duterte's senatorial bets. Another analyst, Richard Heydarian, said many Filipinos seem more open to authoritarianism due to failures of past liberal leaders from long-established political clans. Such a mindset has helped the family of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos make a political comeback, the latest through the senatorial bid of one of his daughters, Imee Marcos, who was endorsed by Duterte and whose vote tally in unofficial results indicated a victory. Duterte, who has shown little tolerance for critics, especially those who question his anti-drug campaign, aimed for stronger leverage in the traditionally more independent Senate to bolster his legislative agenda. That includes the return of the death penalty, lowering the age for criminal liability below the current 15, and revising the country's 1987 constitution primarily to allow a shift to a federal form of government, a proposal some critics fear may be a cover to remove term limits. Last year, opposition senators moved to block proposed bills they feared would undermine civil liberties. The handful of incumbent opposition senators whose seats were not up for election could potentially get backing from leading independent aspirants to veto Duterte's emerging majority in the upper chamber. At least seven senators are needed to block any proposal by Duterte's camp to revise the constitution, which was passed with anti-dictatorial safeguards in 1987, a year after Marcos was ousted by an army-backed "people power" revolt. "While we expect dissent to continue, we hope that that same be demonstrated with fairness and within the bounds of the law, as well as with deference to the leaders duly chosen by the electorate," Panelo said. Aside from the drug killings, Duterte's gutter language and what nationalists say is a policy of appeasement toward China that may undermine Philippine territorial claims in the South China Sea have also been the cause of protests and criticism. Opposition aspirants consider the Senate the last bastion of checks and balances given the solid dominance of Duterte's loyalists in the lower House of Representatives. Voters in Monday's elections made their choices for 18,000 congressional and local posts, including 81 governors, 1,634 mayors and more than 13,500 city and town councilors in 81 provinces. In the Manila metropolis, younger mayoral candidates defeated three long-entrenched political clan leaders, including former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who lost to Isko Moreno Domagoso, also a former movie actor. The elections were relatively untroubled, despite pockets of violence in southern Mindanao region, which is under martial law as government forces hunt down Islamic State group-linked militants and communist insurgents. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Tuesday said his country is not seeking war with Iran, despite a spike in tensions that has seen the Pentagon dispatch nuclear-capable bombers to the region. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meanwhile insisted the showdown between the Islamic republic and the United States was a test of resolve rather than a military encounter. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Pompeo said during a visit to Russia, a key backer of Tehran which has blamed the current crisis on Washington's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. But Pompeo added: "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." "We are looking for Iran to behave like a normal country," Pompeo said, pointing in part to Tehran's backing of Huthi rebels in Yemen who are under attack from US ally Saudi Arabia. Huthi rebels "are launching missiles into areas where there are Russians and Americans travelling. These missiles could easily kill a Russian or an American," Pompeo said. Khamenei echoed Pompeo's rhetoric in a speech to officials. "This face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war. Neither we nor them (the US) seek war. They know it will not be in their interest," he said, quoted on his website. "The definite decision of the Iranian nation is to resist against America," Khamenei said, adding that "in this showdown America will be forced to retreat... because our resolve is stronger." The supreme leader said negotiating with the US was "poison" because the Americans wanted to deprive Iran of its missiles and "strategic depth" in the region. "Negotiating with the present American government is doubly poisonous... they are not decent humans, they don't stand by anything," he said referring to the US decision to withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. - US 'maximum pressure' campaign - Washington last year pulled out of a nuclear deal backed by Europe, Russia and China, which curbed Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Since then it has slapped sweeping sanctions on Iran in an all-out effort to reduce Tehran's regional clout. The US has recently ramped up the pressure, deploying an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to counter vaguely described threats from Iran. On Sunday, mysterious attacks by unknown assailants against four ships in the region, including two from Saudi Arabia, sent war talk up another notch. UN inspectors have said Iran is complying with the deal, and Moscow last week denounced new US sanctions on the country's mining industry, calling for new talks to save the nuclear accord. During Pompeo's visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would work "to ensure this situation does not descend into a military scenario". "I hope that reason will triumph," Lavrov said, adding that he hoped reports in the US media that President Donald Trump is planning to send 120,000 troops to counter Iran turn out to be wrong. Trump himself rejected the New York Times report, saying it was "fake news" but did not rule out deploying "a hell of a lot more" soldiers in the future. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier Tuesday slammed what he called Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, saying it would only drive Tehran into a corner. Pompeo cancelled a stop in Moscow Monday to instead have an unscheduled meeting in Brussels with European foreign ministers, who have been uncomfortable with the hawkish direction of the US on Iran. ROME (Reuters) - World number five Alexander Zverev continued his poor recent form as he crashed out of the Italian Open in the second round while Serena Williams had to pull out of the women's draw with a recurring knee injury on Tuesday. Serena had beaten Swede Rebecca Peterson in straight sets on Monday and was due to face sister Venus but the injury means her participation at the May 26-June 9 French Open is in doubt. Zverev, who has not got past the quarter-finals at any tournament since reaching the Acapulco final in early March, did little to suggest he could be a contender at Roland Garros after a 7-5 7-5 defeat by home favorite Matteo Berrettini. Roared on by a partisan home crowd at the Foro Italico, Berrettini took the opening three games before the German, 2017 champion and last year's runner-up, regained his composure. Berrettini then saved five break points to take a 6-5 lead before the rattled Zverev, who beat the Italian in the same round last year, threw away the opening set with two unforced errors and a double fault. They traded breaks early in the second before Zverev, who saved a match point in the 10th game, committed another flurry of errors, capped by a forehand into the net that handed Berrettini a memorable win. "The environment was great, the match that I played was horrendous," said the 22-year-old Zverev. KYRGIOS ANTICS In first-round action, David Goffin produced two blistering sets to fight back and beat Stanislav Wawrinka 4-6 6-0 6-2 while Nick Kyrgios treated the crowd to an array of his antics in a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev. The flamboyant and unpredictable Kyrgios again displayed his best and worst as he combined spectacular shots with an outburst of poor behavior. The Australian won the opening point of the match with what is fast becoming a trademark underarm serve and breezed through the first set before cheers from the crowd turned to jeers amid a second-set meltdown. Having dropped serve to hand Medvedev a 5-3 lead, Kyrgios blasted a ball over the stands, then bent over and turned his backside to Medvedev and finally exchanged words with the umpire before the Russian held to force a third set. As if nothing had happened, Kyrgios got back to business as he hammered in aces and winners, having also capped some good forays to the net with confident volleys to book a second-round clash with Norwegian Casper Ruud. Goffin dropped the opening set before he blew Wawrinka away in the next two, the decisive moment coming in the second game of the third when the Belgian saved a double break point at 1-0 down. He won the next five games and, although the Swiss briefly delayed the inevitable, Goffin was able to celebrate after his frustrated opponent blazed a forehand into the crowd. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus knocked out holder Elina Svitolina 4-6 6-1 7-5 as she dug deep in a second-round evening match that was twice interrupted by rain in the second set. Ukrainian fifth seed Svitolina appeared to be cruising in the third set as she served for the match at 5-2 up but the resilient Azarenka rallied to claim the last five games. Ashleigh Barty had to work hard for a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Viktoria Kuzmova to reach the third round, while Kristina Mladenovic cruised past French compatriot Caroline Garcia 6-1 6-2 in their first round clash. The leading men get their campaigns underway on Wednesday when world number one Novak Djokovic, fresh from winning last week's Madrid Open, takes on Canadian Denis Shapovalov. Holder Rafael Nadal faces Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, while Roger Federer meets Portugal's Joao Sousa. (Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Toby Davis and Ken Ferris) The fungus that kills bats showed up in Texas only two years ago, but now it is marching across the state So far, no cases of white-nose syndrome have been discovered in Texas. But it usually takes two to four years before the fungus starts causing white-nose syndrome, said Jonah Evans, a Texas Parks and Wildlife mammalogist. Texas Parks and Wildlife announced this week that the fungus was found in 22 sites in 16 counties in 2019. Eleven of those counties are new and it has now been found in 21 Texas counties. The fungus' spread across the U.S. has led some scientists to warn that it could lead to a regional extinction of some bat species. The syndrome gets its name from the white fuzz found on the noses of infected bats as they overwinter in caves. Last year, National Geographic went so far as to warn that a bat apocalypse is unfolding. The syndrome disrupts bats during hibernation. "It causes them to wake up multiple times while they are hibernating," Evans said. "It depletes reserves and the bats die off from starvation or go in search of food and then they die." Will the same thing happen in Texas? Another warm weather state, Mississippi, has had the fungus longer than Texas but hasn't seen white-nose syndrome develop. "There's a lot we still don't know about," Evans said. Texas has 33 species of bats and officials estimate white-nose syndrome could harm eight of them. In Texas, the fungus has been detected on 43 cave myotis, 13 Mexican free-tailed bats and four tri-colored bats. "Based on their track record in other states, we're certainly worried," Evans said, referring to tri-colored bats. It's uncertain how Mexican free-tailed bats, the most common in Texas, will fare. "Since the free-tailed bat doesn't hibernate, it may not impact them," Evans said. "The downside is they may be a vector for spreading the fungus since free-tailed bats are found as far south as Chile and Argentina and along the Eastern seaboard of the U.S." Arlington resident Kate Rugroden is chairwoman of the White-nose Syndrome Stakeholders Committee and vice president/treasurer at Bat World Sanctuary in Weatherford. She said bats are vitally important to the ecosystem and the economy. One brown bat, which is about the size of a human thumb, can eat 4 to 8 grams of insects per night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A 2011 Science magazine report estimated the value of bats to agriculture could be between $3.7 billion and $53 billion per year. "Bats are essential to life," Rugroden said. "They are a keystone species. They have a huge job to do." Explore further Vaccination may help protect bats from deadly disease 2019 Fort Worth Star-Telegram Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The illustration shows the wing of Alcmonavis poeschli as it was found in the limestone slab. Alcmonavis poeschli is the second known specimen of a volant bird from the Jurassic period. Credit: Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Researchers in Germany have unearthed a new species of flying dinosaur that flapped its wings like a raven and could hold vital clues as to how modern-day birds evolved from their reptilian ancestors. For more than a century and a half since its discovery in 1861, Archaeopteryxa small feathered dinosaur around the size of a crow that lived in marshland around 150 million years agowas widely considered to be the oldest flying bird. Palaeontologists from Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) in Munich and the University of Fribourg examined rock formations in the German region of Bavaria, home to nearly all known Archaeopteryx specimens. They came across a petrified wing, which the team initially assumed to be the same species. They soon found several differences, however. "There are similarities, but after detailed comparisons with Archaeopteryx and other, geologically younger birds, its fossil remains suggested that we were dealing with a somewhat more derived bird," said lead study author Oliver Rauhut from LMU's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. They called the new bird-like dinosaur Alcmonavis poeschlifrom the old Celtic word for a nearby river and the scientist who discovered the fossil, excavation leader Roland Poeschl. The study, published in the journal eLife sciences, said Alcmonavis poeschli was "the most bird-like bird discovered from the Jurassic". As well as being significantly larger than Archaeopteryx, the new specimen had more notches in its wing bones that pointed to muscles which would have allowed it to actively flap its wings. Significantly, this "flapping" trait found in Alcmonavis poeschli is present in more recent birds, but not in Archaeopteryx. "This suggests that the diversity of birds in the late Jurassic era was greater than previously thought," Rauhut said. The discovery is likely to fuel debate among dinosaur experts over whether birds and dinosaurs developed the ability to flap their wings from earlier gliding species. "Its adaptation shows that the evolution of flight must have progressed relatively quickly," said Christian Foth, from the University of Fribourg, and a co-author of the research. Explore further The Archaeopteryx that wasn't More information: Oliver WM Rauhut et al. A non-archaeopterygid avialan theropod from the Late Jurassic of southern Germany, eLife (2019). Journal information: eLife Oliver WM Rauhut et al. A non-archaeopterygid avialan theropod from the Late Jurassic of southern Germany,(2019). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.43789 2019 AFP Hate, as an emotion, is not an efficient response to ideological hate speech. Instead, using tools that hate speakers cannot use may undermine hate speakers' credibility. The arts have the potential to provide a more positive means of communication. Hate speech has become a growing topic of discussion on a global scale, especially as advances in the internet have transformed communication on many levels. Nowadays, it's easy to spread hate speech on user-generated and anonymous online platforms. A practical and creative way for policy-makers to raise awareness of these issues is to create culturally sensitive and effective counter narratives with the help of arts education. It also helps teachers empower students to fight against hate speech. According to research, teachers have seen positive results from educating their pupils about cyberbullying, but they need additional training to gain more knowledge on how to reduce involvement in and long-term exposure to bullying. This is where arts education can make a difference, because banning hate speech doesn't reach the roots of hatred, says doctoral candidate Tuula Jaaskelainen from the University of the Arts Helsinki. According to Jaaskelainen's paper 'Countering hate speech through arts and arts education', art can provide a space to support diverse viewpoints that can question hate speakers' simplified generalisations. Arts education can offer ways to disclose what is hidden and give tools to examine the ignorance, misunderstandings, and false beliefs within the historical and cultural contexts of hate speech. Over the years, people have come up with clever solutions to strengthen solidarity. In the Council of Europe's Living Library, one can 'borrow' people instead of books. In this case, the people may be victims of hate speech or activists in combating hate speech, for example. In Finland, there is a community called ByHelpers, which fights against the bystander effect by encouraging people to help strangers in everyday life. Recent research provides evidence that people's greater engagement with the arts often leads to greater pro-sociality through volunteering and charitable giving. Furthermore, research shows that children and young people who have been involved with arts in school become more active and engaged citizens than their less artistically involved peers when it comes to voting, volunteering, and general participation in society. Therefore, Jaaskelainen concludes that art can act as an important socio-psychological catalyst towards a cohesive and socially prosperous society. Explore further UK promises to prosecute online hate crimes vigorously More information: Tuula Jaaskelainen, Countering hate speech through arts and arts education, Policy Futures in Education (2019). Tuula Jaaskelainen, Countering hate speech through arts and arts education,(2019). DOI: 10.1177/1478210319848953 Provided by University of the Arts Helsinki The ASTRI-Horn prototype telescope is located at the observing station of the INAF Astrophysical Observatory of Catania, in Serra La Nave, on Etna, where it was installed in 2014. The primary tassellated mirror has a diameter of 4 meters and the secondary monolithic mirror is 1.8 meters in diameter. Credit: Cherenkov Telsecope Observatory Exactly 30 years after the first historical observation of Crab nebula at TeV energies, which opened the era of TeV astronomy with the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique (IACT), another advancement in IACT technology has been achieved. The ASTRI-Horn Cherenkov Telescope, based on the innovative Schwarzschild-Couder dual-mirror configuration and equipped with an innovative camera, has detected the Crab Nebula at TeV energies for the first time, proving the viability of this technology. In 1989, the very first detection of the Crab Nebula at TeV energies (about a trillion times the energy of visible light) was obtained with the Whipple Telescope. This discovery was the initiation of TeV astronomy, which, with its rapid growth, has led to the detection of about 200 gamma-ray sources from other ground-based detectors like H.E.S.S., MAGIC and VERITAS and has paved the way for the next generation: the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). Because gamma-rays never make it to the Earth's surface, these instruments use the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique (IACT) to detect the by-product of the gamma-ray's interaction with the atmosphere: Cherenkov light. The interaction produces cascades of subatomic particles these highly energetic particles can travel faster than the speed of light, which causes a faint and extremely short (of the order of a billionth of a second!) flash of bluish light. Cherenkov telescopes, since the very beginning, have been built following a typical optical design where the light is reflected off the telescope's mirror to be captured by the camera and then is converted into an electrical signal that is digitized and transmitted to record the image of the light. The Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) is leading the ASTRI (Astrofisica con Specchi a Tecnologia Replicante Italiana) project aimed at the design, deployment and implementation of a novel end-to-end prototype telescope that is proposed for the CTA Small-Sized Telescopes (SSTs). This Cherenkov telescope, named ASTRI-Horn (in honor of Guido Horn d'Arturo an Italian astronomer who first proposed in the past century the technology of tessellated mirrors for astronomy), is adopting a wide (10x10) field Schwarzschild-Couder dual-mirror optical configuration and is equipped with a specifically designed, innovative Silicon photo-multiplier (SiPM) camera managed by very fast read-out electronics. The ASTRI-Horn prototype, located on Mount Etna (Italy) at the INAF "M.C. Fracastoro" observing station, has been conceived as an end-to-end project including the full data archiving and processing chain, from raw data up to final scientific products. Credit: Cherenkov Telsecope Observatory The observations of the Crab Nebula were carried out between December 2018 and January 2019, during the ASTRI-Horn telescope verification phase, for a total observation time of about 29 hours, divided in on- and off-axis source exposure. The camera system was still undergoing assessment, and its functionality was not fully exploited. Moreover, owing to recent eruptions of the Etna Volcano, the mirror reflection efficiency was partially reduced. In spite of such camera and mirrors limitations, observations yielded the detection of the Crab Nebula with a statistical significance of 5.4s above an energy threshold of about 3.5 TeV, definitively probing the new technologies and opening a new era for IACT. "The result obtained by ASTRI is an important milestone for the IACT technologies. It is demonstrating that the dual mirror configuration, firstly proposed by the great German Astrophysicist Karl Schwarzschild more than a century ago, is performing well. It is now possible to achieve a very large field-of-view with a much more compact Cherenkov telescope design, easily observing very energetic cosmic gamma-rays up to a few hundreds of TeV" says Giovanni Pareschi, astronomer at the INAF-Milano and principal investigator of the ASTRI project. Alpha-plot of the ASTRI-Horn observation of the Crab Nebula performed in December 2018. Observations were performed pointing toward the Crab Nebula for 12.4 hours (blue crosses) and then pointing to another field without any gamma source for another 12 hours in order to evaluate the background (red crosses). Comparing the excess of counts in the direction of the Crab Nebula versus the background clearly shows the detection of the Crab Nebula. Credit: Cherenkov Telsecope Observatory Three classes of telescope are required to cover the full CTA energy range (20 GeV to 300 TeV): Medium-Sized Telescopes (12 m diameter dish) will cover CTA's core energy range (100 GeV to 10 TeV) while the Large-Sized Telescopes (23 m) and Small-Sized Telescopes (4 m) or SSTs are planned to extend the energy range below 100 GeV and above a few TeV, respectively. The ASTRI-Horn telescope is one of three proposed SST designs being prototyped and tested for CTA's southern hemisphere array. "CTA has been exploring the dual-mirror technology since the very beginning of the project, and some prototypes have been realized using such an approach: the ASTRI-Horn and the GCT for the SST and the SCT for the Medium-Sized Telescope," says Federico Ferrini, Managing Director of the CTA Observatory (CTAO). "The result obtained by ASTRI-Horn telescope is very encouraging and confirms the potential of technological advancement for Cherenkov astronomy." A chip with four rows of the new embryotoxicity test. Credit: ETH Zurich / Julia Boos ETH researchers have combined embryonic cells and liver cells in a new cell culture test. This combination lets them detect adverse effects that new medications may have on embryos early on in the drug development process. Medications have to be safe for mothers-to-be and for their unborn children. Before the authorities will approve a new drug, it must be tested in animal trials on pregnant rodents and, as a rule, pregnant rabbits. Scientists in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel have now developed a test that allows them to examine a drug's embryotoxicity in cell cultures instead of animals. The new test does not yet replace the animal trials that are legally required as part of the medication approval process. However, as the new procedure is simple, fast, and inexpensive, researchers will be able to use it in the future to test a large number of drug candidates at an early stage of the development process. Substances that are harmful to embryos will thus be detected early in the drug development process and not only in embryotoxicity studies in animal trials. Because they are so expensive, animal tests are not conducted until much later in the drug development process with only carefully preselected potential drug candidates. As the new test weeds out unsuccessful drug candidates earlier, it may help cutting costs and reducing the number of animal experiments. Cell culture test with stem cells The new procedure is an advanced form of the embryonic stem cell test, in which substances are tested in vitro on so-called embryoid bodies. These three-dimensional clumps of cells are formed from embryonic stem cells in this case, from a mouse and undergo the first stages of embryonic development over a period of ten days. No viable embryos can be produced from these cells. Led by ETH Professor Andreas Hierlemann, the research group has now expanded this embryonic stem cell test to include human liver tissue. "There's a whole host of substances that are not toxic in their original form, but can be transformed into adverse substances by the human metabolism especially by the liver," explains Julia Boos, a doctoral student in Hierlemann's group and lead author of the study, which has been published in the journal Advanced Science. In contrast to the conventional embryonic stem cell test, the newly developed test can detect substances of this nature. Body on a chip From beginning to end, the new test takes place in its entirety on a single cell-culture chip, which is equipped with various compartments. The compartments contain microtissue spheres, formed from human liver cells by the ETH spin-off InSphero, and embryoid bodies, grown from mouse stem cells. The liver microtissues and embryoid bodies have a diameter of about half a millimetre and are placed in different compartments, which are connected through microchannels to guarantee a constant liquid exchange between the different groups of cells. "We're the first to directly combine liver and embryonic cells in a body-on-a-chip approach," Boos says. Just as a pregnant woman's circulatory system links the metabolic processes in her liver with those in her developing embryo, this connected system ensures constant interaction between the liver cells and embryonic cells. "Metabolites created by the liver cells including metabolites that are stable for just a few minutes can thus act directly on the embryonic cells," Boos says. She explains that combining the two in a single chip presents an improvement over other existing in vitro tests, which investigate the metabolisation of substances in the liver separately from the effects that these metabolites have on embryonic cells. Boos goes on to describe another advantage of the new test: "In contrast to tests on living pregnant mice, in our test, the substances are metabolised by human liver cells in other words, just as they would be in the human body when the medication is administered." She points out that this is relevant, as humans and mice have different metabolisms. Further development for high-throughput testing The researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of the new test with the help of cyclophosphamide. This chemotherapeutic drug has virtually no effect in its basic form, but the liver transforms it into a substance that is toxic to cells. Two tests were run with cyclophosphamide: one included the newly developed liver/embryoid body test, and the other involved embryoid bodies alone without liver microtissues. What these tests revealed was that a fourfold lower concentration of cyclophosphamide was enough to have an adverse effect on the development of the embryoid bodies when liver tissue was present in the same environment. Now, the scientists need to refine the test further before it can be applied in drug development. They are paying particular attention to the materials that are used in the test in addition to how well the procedures can be automated. Automation would be necessary if the pharmaceutical industry or other researchers were to be able to deploy the test on a large scale for high-throughput screening of drug candidates. In addition, the scientists wish to develop a test that uses reprogrammed human stem cells (known as iPS cells) instead of mouse stem cells. Then they would have an in vitro test entirely based on human tissue. Explore further Treating liver failure with stem cell-derived liver cells in the future More information: Julia Alicia Boos et al. Microfluidic Multitissue Platform for Advanced Embryotoxicity Testing In Vitro, Advanced Science (2019). Julia Alicia Boos et al. Microfluidic Multitissue Platform for Advanced Embryotoxicity Testing In Vitro,(2019). DOI: 10.1002/advs.201900294 The FAA is expected to face tough questioning in Congress Wednesday over its certification of the 737 MAX, which has been grounded after two deadly crashes The US Federal Aviation Administration did not independently evaluate the safety of a Boeing 737 MAX system implicated in two deadly crashes, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday. The US regulator, as part of an internal review, has preliminarily concluded that FAA officials largely deferred to Boeing's assessments of the accident-ridden 737 MAX during the certification process, the person said. Boeing's top-selling 737 MAX narrow-body planes have been grounded globally since mid-March following two plane crashes that killed 346 people. A common link in both crashes was the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. During the FAA certification, Boeing did not flag to regulators that a failure of the MCAS could lead to a catastrophic event, a classification that would have triggered more regulatory scrutiny, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The FAA approved the 737 MAX in early 2017 and the plane entered into service in May of that year. In both the Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October and the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, the MCAS pointed the plane sharply downward based on a faulty sensor reading, hindering pilot control after takeoff, according to preliminary crash investigations. The FAA's internal review did not conclude that Boeing intentionally misled the agency, the source told AFP. Rather, the agency concluded that further review was not needed of the MCAS because the FAA itself concluded the system did not affect the trajectory of the plane. "The change to MCAS didn't trigger an additional safety assessment because it did not affect the most critical phase of flight, considered to be higher cruise speeds. At lower speeds, greater control movements are often necessary," an FAA spokesman said. Boeing did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comments. Acting FAA head Daniel Elwell is expected to face tough questioning on Boeing at a congressional hearing on Wednesday. At a prior hearing, lawmakers criticized the agency for being too cozy with Boeing and questioned why the agency was the last major regulator to ground the 737 MAX after other bodies took action. Besides the FAA's internal review, the Boeing 737 MAX is the subject of numerous probes, including a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, two US carriers that fly the 737 MAX, were subpoenaed by the US DOJ in November, said two people familiar with the matter. Explore further Boeing 737 MAX makes emergency landing during US transfer: FAA 2019 AFP Christian Heiden 20 (ENG), center, started a non-profit organization Levo International to bring hydroponics to those in need in Haiti. Credit: University of Connecticut The idea began when UConn junior Christian Heiden '20 (ENG) was working on his Eagle Scout project in high school. It has developed into a non-profit organization that is helping the poor of Haiti and inspiring the curiosity of students in the UConn Child Development Labs. Through his scout work, Heiden, of Bloomfield, Connecticut, first built a hydroponic greenhouse for his high school, Northwest Catholic in West Hartford. Then, Heiden and his father, Bill, and brother, Nathaniel, traveled to Haiti and built a demonstration hydroponic greenhouse for a community in that nation. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without the use of soil and instead relying solely on mineral nutrient solvents in water. While it has been used on a large-scale basis for growing vegetables like tomatoes and lettuce, Heiden says, he has broken it down for the most simplified use yet. "We wanted something that would only cost a few dollars a day to operate, so we designed our Babylon System which is a 5-by-2 foot system and grows 16 plants at a time," said Heiden. "It allows people not just to grow produce for their family, but also at market. So they are gaining a way not to just eat but gain money for their family." Heiden started the non-profit organization Levo International in his freshman year at UConn to bring hydroponics to those in need in both Haiti and in Connecticut. He soon reached out to Jonathan Moore, an instructor at the operations and information management department (OPIM) in the School of Business. "Through our emerging tech initiative OPIM Innovate, we have worked on a number of projects," said Moore. "Christian reached out to me looking for advice on how we could incorporate technology into this work and what the cost would be. He also brought up the path of wanting to develop the for-profit side of the business in order to fund the non-profit side. "I thought it would be a great idea for him to donate a prototype right here on campus and the Child Development Labs was a natural choice." Credit: University of Connecticut The Child Development Labs are run by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and provide care for children up to five years old. Much of its staffing includes UConn students in the early childhood development and education program. Anne Bladen, director of the Child Development Labs, said she liked the idea of situating a hydroponics greenhouse there for several reasons, including that the student-teachers would be able to see what happen when you increase nature experiences in your young students. "We have a big commitment to having our children being outside in nature and being active," said Bladen. "Having the hydroponic greenhouse at the Child Lab helps us get the children invested in learning where their food comes at a young age. It also gives us the opportunity to talk about Haiti and those less fortunate." UConn senior Eli Udler '19 (CLAS) has been assisting Heiden and his company in the use of 3-D printing in hydroponics as part of his work as a member of the team at OPIM Innovate. "The goal is to make hydroponics more accessible in terms of cost and how easy the greenhouses are to build from ready made components," said Udler. "I am interested in exploring this with the use of biodegradable material." Heiden sees a great future for the hydroponic greenhouses all over the world. "Our goal is to bring sustainability into the agriculture system on a global scale," said Heiden. "We think we have a really unique product that will allow us to leverage and accomplish that both here in the United States and the worldwide market." Explore further Soil-free farming prepares next generation for Green Energy future NATO issues a stern warning to Britain over Huawei Chinese telecom giant Huawei is willing to sign a "no-spy" agreement with countries including Britain, the firm's chairman said on Tuesday, as the head of NATO said Britain must preserve secure mobile networks. Liang Hua visited Britain as the government weighs the risks of allowing the Chinese company to help develop its 5G infrastructure. "We are willing to sign 'no-spy' agreements with governments, including the UK government, to commit ourselves, to commit our equipment to meeting the no-spy, no back-door standards," Liang told reporters. The British government is in the middle of a furious debate over whether to let Huawei roll out its next-generation mobile service. The private Chinese firm currently has the most advanced and cheapest 5G capacities in the world. But the United States has warned its close ally that it might have to limit security and intelligence sharing with Britain if it allowed China to play a significant role. Washington's broader geopolitical concerns have been heightened by a law enacted by Beijing in 2017 obliging Chinese companies to aid the government on national security issues. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who was also visiting Britain, said network security remained of utmost importance to the Western military alliance. "Huawei and 5G network is extremely important," Stoltenberg told a London business conference. He conceded that Britain and all other NATO members had the right to make their own decisions about China and 5G. "Having said that, of course, what matters for NATO is that these decisions are made in a way that makes sure that they have secure networks," Stoltenberg said. "There is no way we can escape addressing those issues," he added. "We are going to make sure our networks are safe." The Huawei debate has pushed Britain into the heart of China's heated battle for global dominance with the United States. It has also splintered May's cabinet between those who view China as a vital trade partner in Britain's post-Brexit future and ministers who side with Washington's view of Beijing as a threat. May fired defence minister Gavin Williamsonone of the cabinet's big critics of Chinaearlier this month over a leak alleging that her government will allow Huawei to play a limited 5G role. 2019 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team of researchers from the University of California, the University of Michigan, Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research, the State University of New York and the University of Colorado School of Medicine has found evidence that incarcerating people who commit serious crimes does not prevent them from committing more crimes once they are released. In their paper published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, the researchers describe a study they conducted using statistics from people incarcerated in Michigan prisons for committing violent crimes, and what they found. Locking people up when they have been convicted of a crime is an age-old form of punishment. In the short term, it prevents the offender from committing more crimeat least against those outside the prison gates. But jailing people has also been espoused as a means of teaching the offender a lessonbeing locked up is supposed to make them think twice about committing future crimes once they are released. But does it? That is what the researchers sought to find out. To learn more about the probability of engaging in criminal activity after release from prison, the researchers looked at data for 110,000 people convicted of violence-related felonies during the years 2003 to 2006 in Michigansome had been sent to prison, others we given probation. The researchers followed the records through the year 2015 looking for examples of arrests or incarcerations. The researchers report that they saw a slight decrease in crime for those sent to prison compared to those who received probation, but only for the time they were in prison. After they were released, they were found to be just as likely to engage in crime as those who had been given probationary sentences. The data indicates that serving time in prison did not serve as a deterrent for those convicted of a crime. The researchers suggest imprisonment is an ineffective deterrent, and because of that, policymakers ought to take at a closer look at its use. Putting people in prison, they note, is a lot more expensive than probation. Explore further Parole violations are driving prison's revolving door More information: David J. Harding et al. A natural experiment study of the effects of imprisonment on violence in the community, Nature Human Behaviour (2019). Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour David J. Harding et al. A natural experiment study of the effects of imprisonment on violence in the community,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-019-0604-8 2019 Science X Network Monk parakeets in Hyde Park, Chicago Credit: Jennifer Uehling When Stephen Pruett-Jones, Ph.D., an ecologist at the University of Chicago, first came to Chicago in 1988, he stumbled on a unique piece of the city's history: the monk parakeets of Hyde Park. The squat, bright-green birds aren't native to Illinois, or the United States at all. The U.S. originally had two native parrot species: the Carolina parakeet and the thick-billed parrot. The Carolina parakeet is now extinct; the thick-billed parrot, a Mexican species that ranged into the southwestern states, was driven out of the U.S. In the 1950s and 60s, tens of thousands of monk parakeets were imported from South America as pets. Inevitably, many of them escaped or were released. By 1968, they were found breeding in the wild across 10 states, including a colony in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, home of the University of Chicago campus. Pruett-Jones, who usually studies wrens and other wild birds in Australia, noticed a large group of the parakeets on his daily commute. He started sending students out to study the birds and eventually organized an annual lab project to count them. "I have never actually held a wild parrot in the United States," he said. "But indirectly I've become the spokesperson for parrot research here because when I saw the monk parakeets in Chicago, I realized nobody else was working on them." Those monk parakeets aren't the only parrot species thriving in the U.S. as a result of the pet trade. In a recent study, Pruett-Jones teamed up with Jennifer Uehling, a former UChicago undergraduate student now working on a Ph.D. at Cornell University, and Jason Tallant of the University of Michigan to research data on bird sightings from 2002 to 2016. They found that there were 56 different parrot species spotted in the wild in 43 states. Of these, 25 species are now breeding in 23 different states. "Many of them were escaped pets, or their owners released them because they couldn't train them or they made too much noiseall the reasons people let pets go," Pruett-Jones said. "But many of these species are perfectly happy living here and they've established populations. Wild parrots are here to stay." A diverse new landscape for parrots The study, published in the Journal of Ornithology, uses two different databases of bird sightings to track this diverse new landscape of naturalized parrot species. The first, the Christmas Bird Count, is an annual survey organized by the National Audubon Society that captures a snapshot of birds in the U.S. during a two-week period from December 14 to January 15 each year. The second resource, eBird, is an online database for bird watching enthusiasts to log all the birds they have seen. Monk parakeets in Hyde Park, Chicago Credit: Jennifer Uehling Once Uehling, Tallant, and Pruett-Jones compiled the data, the most common species were monk parakeets, the Red-crowned Amazon, and the Nanday Parakeet. Most of these birds are concentrated in the warmer climates of Florida, Texas and California, but there are other large populations concentrated around cities like New York and Chicago. Pruett-Jones says there are now more Red-crowned Amazons living in California than there are in their original habitats in Mexico. "The entire conservation focus for this species is now on a non-native, introduced, naturalized population," he said. "The survival of the species is most likely going to come from efforts to save it someplace where it never existed before." Monk parakeets are reported to be agricultural pests in South America, but other than a few isolated examples, there is no evidence that any of the feral parrots in the U.S. are invasive or competing with native birds. Monk parakeets are the only species of parrot that build their own nests, however, and the bulky structures are known to damage utility lines. Good luck talisman The story of Chicago's parakeets is one with the city, that of tenacious survival in spite of the elements. Most of the year they feed by foraging in parks and open grassy areas. They don't migrate, but one of Pruett-Jones' students discovered that they survive Chicago's harsh winters by switching almost exclusively to backyard bird feeders from December to February. Harold Washington, Chicago's first African American mayor, lived across the street from one of the city's best-known parakeet colonies and called them a "good luck talisman." After he died in 1987, the USDA tried to remove the birds, but local residents threatened a lawsuit. The parakeets stayed but their numbers have dwindled from a peak of about 400 birds to just 30 today. Some of the them have dispersed to greener areas in the suburbs, although the largest colony is now under the Skyway bridge connecting Illinois to Indiana. There are also signs of a nationwide decline in all birds, perhaps due to a disease or parasite. Pruett-Jones may have become a national expert on parrots by accident, but he says this work is crucial to understand conservation of endangered species and how non-native or invasive species can spread. "Because of human activity transporting these birds for our own pleasure, we have inadvertently created populations elsewhere," he said. "Now for some of these parrots, they may become critical to the survival of the species." Explore further Monk parakeets invade Mexico More information: Jennifer J. Uehling et al, Status of naturalized parrots in the United States, Journal of Ornithology (2019). Jennifer J. Uehling et al, Status of naturalized parrots in the United States,(2019). DOI: 10.1007/s10336-019-01658-7 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. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Current technologies for information transfer and processing are challenged by fundamental physical limits. The more powerful they become, the more energy they need, and the more heat is released to the environment. Also, there are physical limits on the smallness and efficiency of communication devices. The recent discovery by physicists at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and Lanzhou University in China offers a new route for progress on these issues. In the latest edition of the scientific journal Nature Communications, they describe a novel type of spin wave that can be used to transmit and process information with considerably higher efficiency and lower energy consumption. Conventional IT applications are based on electric charge currents. "This results inevitably in energy losses heating up the environment," says MLU physicist Professor Jamal Berakdar. The researcher added that more energy is needed and also dissipated to operate more powerful and compact devices. Thus, it is very challenging to maintain the pace of advancement based on charge-current-based technology. For their study, the teams led by Professor Berakdar and Professor Chenglong Jia of Lanzhou University examined alternative concepts for data communication and processing. Their work revolved around magnons. "These are waves that are stimulated in ferromagnets by just a fraction of the energy needed for generating the required charge currents," explained Berakdar. "Magnons can be used to transmit signals and for logical operations in various components while producing virtually no heat." In this latest study, the German-Chinese research team describes a type of twisted magnon for which the twist or the winding number is protected against damping. Technically the twist is related to magnon orbital angular momentum and can be controlled in magnitude and orientation by electric voltages. This makes possible multiplex twist-based signal encoding and transmission across large distances. According to the scientists, the reported results open the way to high density information transmission via magnons. In addition to the energy efficiency, the magnon wavelengths are controllable and short compared to optical waves, which itself is advantageous for miniaturization. Magnonic elements can also be integrated in existing technologies. Explore further Magnonic devices can replace electronics without much noise More information: Chenglong Jia et al, Twisted magnon beams carrying orbital angular momentum, Nature Communications (2019). Journal information: Nature Communications Chenglong Jia et al, Twisted magnon beams carrying orbital angular momentum,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10008-3 Provided by Martin-Luther-Universitat Halle-Wittenberg Uruguay in 2002 is in an economic crisis that hits the poorest sectors of the population hardest, motivating people to steal en masse. In the slums of Montevideo, large numbers of people began illegally tapping electricity while the state electricity company and government merely look on, explains Laura Seelkopf. This is just one case among many contained in the volume "Social Policy by Other Means," co-edited by Laura Seelkopf, a political scientist at LMU. But can theft really be considered a social policy? For Seelkopf, the theft of electricity in Montevideo is a clear, if extreme, example of "social policy by other means." As she explains, "In the context of a less developed country, this type of political decision namely actively allowing the theftcan be better than doing nothing at all. Frequently, so-called developing countries fail to implement anti-cyclical social policy because during a crisis they lack the funds and even the possibility of lending money on the international credit market." Permitting such things as the stealing of electricity by the poor is a thus a method born of necessity that supports the redistribution of resources. Seelkopf is a junior professor of political science at LMU. Her research focuses on situating social and fiscal policies in a global context. In Germany, social policies are viewed as the clear responsibility of the state. Citizens are safeguarded and protected from risks like sickness, poverty, and unemployment, and from the possible consequences of an economic crisis, through a state health and retirement system. Such a system is financed by contributions to social security or taxes. "That ignores the fact there are many different types of policies that also fulfill these responsibilities, as comparisons from history and from other parts of the world reveal," Seelkopf says. Looking at Australia and Singapore In the 1980s, the Australian political scientist Francis G. Castle from the Australian National University in Canberra coined the term "social protection by other means" to account for state regulations in Australia and New Zealand. In an historical analysis, he showed how both states, by regulating the labor market, trade, and immigration, were able to ensure social equality without being classic welfare states. "Or take the example of Singapore," says Laura Seelkopf. "If you view it through the usual social policy lens, it looks as if they do not have a welfare state of any sort. State expenditures are very low. The state does, however, regulate health care and housing. This makes it possible for people with low incomes to have their own apartments and, not least of all, because of the good health-care system, the population has one of the highest life-expectancy rates in the world." For Seelkopf the notion of "social policy by other means" is a way to broaden the academic perspective: "Research about social policy has been strongly influenced by the European experience. It focuses foremost on what took place in developed democracies after the Second World War. Digitalization has accelerated this because it has made it easier to access the relevant data. To be able to make comparisons, it is necessary to establish clear boundaries, and thus exclude other policies. It is, for example, much easier to measure state expenditures than regulations across countries." The state does not always play the main role In Germany and other European states, there have been, and still are, types of social policy that are not carried out by the state. "Often it is assumed that in the 18th and 19th centuries there was no welfare state at all. That is not the case, however. In Belgium, for example, there existed early on state regulations, such as the way churches ran hospitals and were often financed by the state. And that has continued to this day," says Seelkopf. "The Belgian and German states as well as other countries in Europe are, contrary to the way in which they are often perceived, not purely state run welfare states. It is a historically developed mixture of policies made by different actors. The state regulates, but it is not the case that it always plays the main role." Thus, in Germany, churches that run nursing homes receive financial support from the state. Even the regulation of immigration in order to acquire caregivers might also, according to Seelkopf, be seen as "social policy by other means." The same could be said of immigration policy, which should be considered as an anti-cyclical measure taken to stabilize the economy during a phase of instability. According to the prevailing, very narrow, definition of social policy anything that is not directly financed by the state disappears from view. "Up to now there has been no way to assess which social policies exist and in which countries, and how relevant these policies are for the protection of the population," says Seelkopf. In countries with a large agrarian sector, for example, it is still common practice to subsidize food so that consumers can afford groceries. In addition, in Turkey for instance the government has long tolerated illegal construction on state land. "In the 1980s this so-called squatter-housing was even legalized retroactively," says Seelkopf. "Since then there has been a strong shift in Turkey toward social policy that is more in line with the classical European model." A question of alternatives From the citizens' point of view, a welfare state's traditional social policy is not necessarily the best option. On the contrary, there are various ways to achieving social justice. As Seelkopf explains, "You cannot generalize by claiming that every form of social policy by other means is worse than the traditional form. And even if this is the case, the example from Uruguay shows that one has to consider whether or not traditional state-financed redistribution is a real possibility in this context." The global perspective on social policy is relevant not only for academic analysis but for programs sponsored by international organizations, like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that expect analyses to take country-specific particularities into account. "In the past, the IMF had often disseminated a one-size-fits-all solution or specified examples of best practices. But the question is whether or not examples of best practices can even work at all," says Seelkopf, whose research on "social policy by other means" shows that "there is not one standard type of social policy that is the right one, and certainly there is not one that is the same everywhere. The right choice depends on local conditions." Explore further Brits and Germans have very different views on the future of state pensions More information: Laura Seelkopf et al. Social Policy by Other Means: Theorizing Unconventional Forms of Welfare Production, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice (2019). Laura Seelkopf et al. Social Policy by Other Means: Theorizing Unconventional Forms of Welfare Production,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2019.1574089 Santiago Lopez-Cariboni. Informal Service Access in Pro-Cyclical Welfare States: A Comparison of Electricity Theft in Slums and Regular Residential Areas of Montevideo, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice (2018). DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2018.1462604 Tim Dorlach. Retrenchment of Social Policy by Other Means: A Comparison of Agricultural and Housing Policy in Turkey, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice (2018). DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2018.1466856 Alexandre Afonso. Migrant Workers or Working Women? Comparing Labour Supply Policies in Post-War Europe, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice (2018). DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2018.1527584 Hendrik Moeys. Social Policy by Other Means from a Comparative Historical Perspective Continuity and Change in Nineteenth-Century Belgium (1800 1920), Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice (2018). DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2017.1409939 During growth, appressorium formation, and infection of Magnaporthe oryzae, the actin network is a very dynamic structure with continuous polymerization and disassembly. MoAbp1 is localized to actin patches through the actin-depolymerizing factor homology (ADFH) domain. It recruits MoArk1 and MoCap1 to actin patches through the free SH3 (F-SH3) and extended SH3 (E-SH3) domains, respectively. In this way, MoAbp1 mediates endocytosis and F-actin assembly to regulate growth and pathogenicity in M. oryzae. Solid arrows indicate conclusions based on our studies. Credit: Lianwei Li, Shengpei Zhang, Xinyu Liu, Rui Yu, Xinrui Li, Muxing Liu, Haifeng Zhang, Xiaobo Zheng, Ping Wang, and Zhengguang Zhang Rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe oryzae) is a global food security threat due to its destruction of cultivated rice, the most widely consumed staple food in the world. Disease containment efforts using traditional breeding or chemical approaches have been unsuccessful as the fungus can rapidly adapt and mutate to develop resistance. Because of this, it is necessary to understand fungal infection-related development to formulate new, effective methods of blast control. A group of scientists at Nanjing Agricultural University and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center examined the fungal cell biology of rice blast fungus pathogenesis and recently published the first systematic and comprehensive report on the molecular mechanism of the actin-binding protein (MoAbp1) that plays a crucial role in the pathogenicity of the fungus. Through ongoing research, these scientists found that rice blast fungus forms a specialized infection structure that applies mechanical force to rupture the rice leaf cuticle. Once inside the host, the infection proliferates by living off the plant's nutrients. These two processes are enabled by the actin-binding protein (MoABp1) that links an actin-regulating kinase (MoArk1) and a cyclase-associated protein (MoCap1) to an actin protein (MoAct1). These processes are necessary for the growth and perseverance of the fungus. On a large scale, these findings shed a new light on the eukaryotic cell biology and virulence mechanisms of plant pathogenic fungi. On a smaller scale, these findings could reveal novel approaches or targets for anti-blast fungus management. Explore further Previously unknown rice blast resistance isolated More information: Lianwei Li et al, Magnaporthe oryzae Abp1, a MoArk1 Kinase-Interacting Actin Binding Protein, Links Actin Cytoskeleton Regulation to Growth, Endocytosis, and Pathogenesis, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (2018). Journal information: Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions Lianwei Li et al, Magnaporthe oryzae Abp1, a MoArk1 Kinase-Interacting Actin Binding Protein, Links Actin Cytoskeleton Regulation to Growth, Endocytosis, and Pathogenesis,(2018). DOI: 10.1094/MPMI-10-18-0281-R Provided by American Phytopathological Society Tumo is a cutting edge, after-school learning centre in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, teaching youngsters high-tech skills In a sleek classroom in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, one of the poorest post-Soviet republics, 14-year-old Nazeli Ter-Petrosyan peers at the screen of her Apple Mac. During a computer programming course offered at the high-tech Tumo school, Ter-Petrosyan and her classmates learn how to digitise medieval texts. "I'm developing a programme to enable artificial intelligence to read old manuscripts," said the teen. Her computer screen features a page from a 15th century Bible held at Armenia's famed repository of ancient writings, the Matenadaran. Armenia, which is known for its rich history and troubled past, has grappled with poverty, unemployment and a brain drain since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. But despite a stagnant economy, Armenia's tech sector has been booming over the past decade, boosting hopes that one day the resource-poor country can become a global IT powerhouse. Tumo is a cutting edge, after-school learning centre, where around 7,000 Armenians aged 12 to 18, from all walks of life, study for free. Packed with hundreds of computers with industry standard software, 3D printers, video cameras and an animation studio, Tumo gives youngsters an opportunity to study web design, robotics, animation, music, digital media and more. Tumo gives youngsters the chance to study web design, robotics, animation, music and digital media, among other things The project has been so successful that there is already a Tumo school in Paris and plans for others in Europe and the United States are under way. In one of the centre's workshops, students are buzzing with excitement as they learn how to build robots from Lego kits and programme them to perform tasks like collecting rubbish or making a salad. "We are working on projects that we will be able to later use in our everyday life," said Davit Harutyunyan, 14, as he showed off a half-assembled robot. One third in poverty The South Caucasus country of three million people boasts a vibrant startup scene and its tech workers have been a driving force behind a wave of peaceful protests that ousted the old elite from power in 2018. Tumo aims to raise the next generation of tech professionals and play a role in creating a knowledge-based economy in a country where 30 percent of the population live in poverty. "We've got very ambitious plans," chief development officer Pegor Papazian told AFP. The project in Armenia has been so successful that there is already a Tumo school in Paris and plans for others in Europe and the United States are under way "We want to become one of the world's most competitive labour markets," added Papazian, who holds a master's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. The non-profit centre was founded in 2011 by Sam and Sylva Simonian, a US-based couple who are part of the influential Armenian diaspora formed largely as a result of World War I massacres by the Ottoman forces. The school occupies two floors of a six-storey pink tufa stone building, located on the outskirts of Yerevan in the shadow of Mount Ararat which stands just across the border in Turkey. The Simonians provided the initial investment of $60 million to set up the project but it is now largely self-sustaining, with the centre renting out several floors to tech companies. The school's gleaming facade and huge windows contrast with dilapidated Soviet-era residential buildings nearby. Inside the futuristic, open-plan premises, mobile computer workstations allow students to move around freely. "In Armenia what Tumo offers is extraordinary," Julian Sefton-Green, a professor of new media education at Deakin University, in the Australian city of Melbourne, told AFP in emailed comments. Tumo aims to raise the next generation of tech professionals and play a role in creating a knowledge-based economy in a country where 30 percent of the population live in poverty Tumo offers "a particular vision of a techno future," said Sefton-Green, who visited the school and studied its educational model. From Merkel to Kanye West On average, students spend two to three years at the centre. They create their own learning plans and are assisted by instructors, many of whom come from companies such as Google and Pixar. There are no grades and, at the end of their studies, students receive digital portfolios showcasing their work. Tumo has established three satellites across the country and Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh. Plans are under way to open more than 20 centres over the next 10 years. Tumo's chief development officer Pegor Papazian says the ambition is to become "one of the world's most competitive labour markets" Papazian said the staff had been struck by the poverty in which some of their students live. "We are helping them discover a new world," he added. The authorities have embraced the initiative and it has become a ritual for foreign dignitaries and other top guests to visit the school. Grammy-award winning rapper Kanye West, whose wife Kim Kardashian is of Armenian descent, toured the premises in 2015. Last year, the school also earned rave reviews from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "This Tumo is not for Armenia only. It's international. It's a philosophy," she said in August during the first visit to Armenia by a German chancellor. In some ways, the Tumo project could be viewed as being ahead of its time for Armenia, which still lacks the rule of law and a stable economy, among other things. Sefton-Green said that only time would tell if the pioneering school would help reshape the country. German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the Tumo school last year, calling it a "philosophy" "Unless there is structural economic response to the kind of investment Tumo has offered, it is possible that benefits will not be felt," he said. "However the country itself is in a good place to be able to rise to these kinds of challenges." Explore further Once a Soviet hub, Armenia looks to revive its tech sector 2019 AFP In this Feb. 15, 2019 photo, real estate agent Tom Saab stands on a oceanfront deck at a condo he developed in Salisbury, Mass. Academic researchers say concerns over rising sea levels and increased flooding are having subtle but significant impacts on coastal property values, finding that climate change concerns have sapped more than $15 billion in appreciation from homes along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) For sale: waterfront property with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean. Waves erode beach regularly. Flooding gets worse every year. Saltwater damage to lawn. Asking price: anyone's guess. Some research suggests rising sea levels and flooding brought by global warming are harming coastal property values. But other climate scientists note shortcomings in the studies, and real estate experts say they simply haven't seen any ebb in demand for coastal homes. So how much homeowners and communities should worryand how much they should invest in remediesremains an open question. Nancy Meehan, 71, is considering putting her coastal condo in Salisbury up for sale this year, but she worries buyers will be turned off by the winter storms that churn the seas beside the summer resort town. Her home has been largely spared in the nearly 20 years she's lived there, she said, but the flooding appears to be worsening along roads and lower properties. "All my life savings is in my home," Meehan said of the four-bedroom, two-bathroom condo, which she bought for $135,000. "I can't lose that equity." Nearby, Denis Champagne can't be sure that rising seas are hurting his waterfront home's value. The three-story, four-bedroom home has views of a scenic marsh, has been renovated and is blocks from the oceanyet was assessed at only around $420,000. This Feb. 15, 2019 photo shows a view out the window of an oceanfront condo in Salisbury, Mass. Academic researchers say concerns over rising sea levels and increased flooding are having subtle but significant impacts on coastal property values, finding that climate change concerns have sapped more than $15 billion in appreciation from homes along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) "Do I feel that it should be worth more than that?" Champagne said recently in his sun-soaked living room. "I mean, I'm biased, but where can you find this for that priceanywhere?" A drop in home values could shatter a community like Salisbury, which relies almost exclusively on beachfront real estate taxes to fund schools, police and other basic services, researchers warn. And, they say, families could face financial ruin if they've been banking on their home's value to help foot the bill for pricey college tuitions or even retirement. "People are looking at losing tens of thousands of dollars of relative value on their homes," said Jeremy Porter, a data scientist for the First Street Foundation, an advocacy group that seeks to raise awareness about sea level rise. "Not everyone can sustain that." Still, home prices in coastal cities have been rising faster than those of their landlocked counterparts since 2010, according to data provided by the National Association of Realtors. And waterfront homes are still generally more expensive than their peers just one block inland, said Lawrence Yun, the association's chief economist. "The price differential is still there," he said. "Consumers are clearly mindful that these climate change impacts could be within the window of a 30-year mortgage, but their current behavior still implies that to have a view of the ocean is more desirable." This Feb. 15, 2019 photo shows a view out the window of an oceanside condo in Salisbury, Mass. Academic researchers say concerns over rising sea levels and increased flooding are having subtle but significant impacts on coastal property values, finding that climate change concerns have sapped more than $15 billion in appreciation from homes along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) A nationwide study by the First Street Foundation suggests climate change concerns have caused nearly $16 billion in lost appreciation of property values along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast since 2005. The study singles out Salisbury as the hardest-hit community in Massachusetts. Coastal homes there would be worth $200,000 to $300,000 more if not for frequent tidal flooding and powerful coastal storms, the study suggests. Champagne's property, for example, would be worth about $123,000 more, according to Flood iQ , a property database the group has developed. In another recent study, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder's School of Business found coastal properties most exposed to sea level rise sold, on average, for 7 percent less than equivalent properties the same distance from shore but not as threatened by the sea. And in Florida's Miami-Dade County, higher-elevation properties are appreciating faster than lower ones as companies and deep-pocketed buyers increasingly consider climate change risks, a study in the publication Environmental Research Letters found last year. The three studies are laudable because they attempt to quantify what the insurance industry and federal government had long suspected: that climate change is having tangible harm on home values, said S. Jeffress Williams, a scientist emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, who wasn't involved with any of the research. But Williams and other researchers note the First Street Foundation study uses sea-level rise predictions from the Army Corps of Engineers that are more dire than figures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which usually provides the go-to numbers for such studies. In this Jan. 23, 2019 photo, Denis Champagne, Jr. plays with his dogs Maebelle and Isabel at home near the coast in Salisbury, Mass. Academic researchers say concerns over rising sea levels and increased flooding are having subtle but significant impacts on coastal property values, finding that climate change concerns have sapped more than $15 billion in appreciation from homes along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) The other two studies largely rely on data from Florida, which is so low and highly developed that in many ways it is an outlier, unaffiliated researchers point out. They also focus only on single-family homes, leaving out huge numbers of condos, high-rises and other multi-family properties. In Salisbury, real estate broker Thomas Saab insists something is happening with home prices but is not sure whether climate change is behind it. Two clients in the otherwise strong real estate market, he said, were recently forced to lower their asking prices by tens of thousands of dollars when prospective buyers voiced concerns about storm damage and risks. "Do I worry prices are coming down? Sure," Saab said. "Fewer buyers are willing to take the risk. People don't want to live through nor'easter after nor'easter with no protection." He argues there's a simple solution: Invest in sturdy seawalls as Hampton Beach, the lively resort town just over the border in New Hampshire, did generations ago. "We can overcome any kind of rising seas if you just let us protect our properties," Saab said. "Who cares about the climate change? You build a seawall and this whole discussion goes away." Explore further Property crisis looms due to sea level rise, experts warn 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Silicon Valley is not going to stop the next California inferno with computer code, but a small army of software developers got together in Fremont, Calif., recently to brainstorm new technology to cut the losses. IBM's Call for Code Hackathon for California Wildfires drew some 200 developers to the campus of tuition-free engineering school 42 Silicon Valley for a team-based contest to create applications that could end up saving lives and property when communities are ravaged by flames. Fremont Fire Department battalion chief Jeff Youngsma, on the anniversary of his 33rd year with the department, took the stage before the hacking began and noted that 85 people died in last fall's Camp Fire in Butte County that turned most of the town of Paradise to ash and smoking rubble. "That's the stuff that keeps me awake at night, and what it is that we can do to try to reduce those numbers," Youngsma said. This winter's heavy rains in Northern California spurred growth of grasses and shrubs that in many places are matted together up to 6 feet high, and are now beginning to dry in advance of this year's fire season, Youngsma said. "It's going to burn hotter, it's going to burn faster, and there are way more dead trees than it's ever been publicly known," he said. With climate change, he said, "our fire dangers are dramatically increasing." Youngsma laid out top wildfire-response issues he hoped hackathon participants might address, starting with a notification system that would prevent a catastrophe such as occurred in Paradise, where many residents didn't find out about the fire until it was too late to escape it. Also valuable would be software to track missing people, so agencies and shelter providers don't waste time searching for those already accounted for, he said. He said he would also like to see technology that would monitor first responders' core temperature, level of hydration and carbon monoxide exposure, as well as a platform that would allow emergency services and health workers to share encrypted patient reports between Android and Apple mobile operating systems. The hackathon, running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., was part of IBM's Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge, which features software-development competitions around the world, with prizes of up to $200,000 for the best innovations addressing natural disasters. Last year marked the first Call for Code challenge, and the winning projecta mobile-communications network using small nodes resembling rubber duckies, to connect disaster victims and first responders when other systems are downis being field tested in Puerto Rico ahead of hurricane season. Participants at the Fremont event were vying for smaller prizes, but were encouraged to continue the projects they started and submit them to this year's Call for Code Challenge. Proposals are due by July 29. "There's an incredible amount of talent here," said Shari Chiara, IBM's chief operations manager for the Call for Code program. Among that talent was Coco Matthey, a Palo Alto software engineer and mother of two, who was driven to attend the event in part by the proximity of the Camp Fire to the Bay Area. "It was so close. You smell the smoke. You see it in the sky. It's different from seeing the news," Matthey said. "This way, I feel I can do something." She and two others on her team were brainstorming about what problem to solve through coding, and by 11 a.m. were leaning toward developing software to help the agencies that aid fire victimssuch as the United Wayquickly confirm whether a person's home has burned. Silicon Valley's technology industry has contributed to the sprawl that has made wildfires more dangerous to people, Matthey said. "Our world is changing," she said. "Technology has caused these problems. Technology can be a solution. It can be a complete circle." Explore further Fast-moving fire scorches northern California 2019 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Astronaut Randolph Bresnik seen during a spacewalk on 21 November 2009 with the unfurled AIS antenna, attached to Columbus used for experimental tracking of VHF signals of ships at sea. Credit: NASA In this edition of our bi-weekly update on European research run on the International Space Station, we're taking our cue from the Living Planet Symposium the largest conference on Earth Observation taking place this week in Milan, Italy and focusing on our own planet. Marine traffic Many of the experiments that run on the International Space Station do not require astronaut intervention after the initial setup and periodic check-ups. The Norais-2 receiver was installed outside Europe's Columbus laboratory during a spacewalk in 2015 and has been monitoring roughly 33,000 ships every day since then. Much like an air traffic control system for marine vehicles, the Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmits a ship's location, heading and speed over radio and is required for passenger ships and all ships above a certain weight in international waters. Although the system was designed to be received at harbours, satellites can also receive the radio signals but interpreting the data requires some calculation. The receiver on the International Space Station is used to test satellite-based ship identification systems and improve algorithms. Global coverage of shipping would have implications for fighting piracy, ensure aquatic nature reserves are respected and help develop faster and better shipping routes that could reduce fuel consumption. Credit: European Space Agency Sage monitoring Another active instrument on the Space Station is SAGE-III, the latest in a line of NASA satellites that monitor ozone. The Station takes only 90 minutes to circle our planet, experiencing 16 sunrises, 16 sunsets, and sometimes moonrises or moonsets, every day. This affords the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment SAGE a continuous view of the Sun or Moon through the atmosphere to measure the quantity of ozone, aerosols and other gases. The device that keeps SAGE continuously pointing in the right direction was developed by ESA for NASA. Dozens of times each day, the six-legged 'Hexapod' tracks the Sun and Moon in the few seconds of their setting and rising. The readings are complementing long-term monitoring by Europe's Copernicus Sentinel missions: Sentinel-5P is the first in a series focusing on the atmosphere. SAGE III and Hexapod installed on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA Atmosphere and space Another instrument looking down from the Space Station is the AtmosphereSpace Interactions Monitor that is observing phenomena above thunderstorms. After a year in orbit the data is being analysed by scientists with results in preparation. More to follow later this week. Fresh arrivals, fresh science Two days after its launch the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft arrived at its docking port on the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station's Harmony module at 15:32 GMT on May 6. Two of the European experiments in its cargo-hold, Photobioreactor and Nano Antioxidants, were installed the next day and are running smoothly. The Mission Zero educational project featuring credit-card sized computers called AstroPi's also finished running student codes and the results have been downloaded for schools around Europe. The International Space Station is the platform to study a variety of fields without gravity getting in the way. A new experiment is furthering the Stations capabilities for investigating exobiology, or the study of life in space. Credit: OHB The Compacted Granular experiment also completed a campaign inside the Fluid Science Laboratory located in Columbus. The experiment focuses on the behaviour of granules without the disturbing influence of gravity. Its findings could be used to improve the industrial processing of bulk solids on Earth, such as coal dust, flour and grain. The four ICE Cubes currently running inside Columbus are also active, investigating commercial computer boards' resistance to space radiation, exobiology hardware and cybersecurity in space. In a creative twist on the theme of 'Taking the pulse of our planet', the fourth Cube is an inspiring art installation that is literally doing that, linking people's heart rates with the International Space Station. Explore further New atmospheric results from the International Space Station Electrolytic water splitting: oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions take place at the anode and cathode, which are separated by an acidic proton-conducting electrolyte. Credit: Monash University Electrolytic water splitting is widely understood to be the most feasible method for the production of green hydrogen fuel as a versatile means of storage and long-range transportation for the intermittent renewable energy. The development of water splitting technologies is important to Australia as a country with enormous renewable energy resources, according Dr. Alexandr Simonov from the Monash School of Chemistry, and the lead author of a paper published today in Nature Catalysis, which sheds new light on electrolytic water splitting. "Renewable energy requires an energy carrier which will allow energy to be transported around Australia and exported in the most efficient manner," said Dr. Simonov, who is also a member of the Australian Centre for Electromaterials Science. "In a practical context this requires robust electromaterials catalysts, which can accelerate two half-reactions of the water splitting process the hydrogen evolution and the oxygen evolution reactions," he said. "Our research team has introduced an intrinsically stable, 'self-healing' catalytic system based on earth abundant elements to promote the water electrolysis process in a strongly acidic environment and elevated temperatures. "The catalyst demonstrates the state-of-the-art activity, and most importantly, exhibits unparalleled stability under a wide range of aggressive, technologically relevant conditions of water splitting." The facilities at the Monash School of Chemistry, Monash Centre of Electron Microscopy, Monash X-ray Platform, CSIRO and Australian Synchrotron provided researchers with a deep understanding of the modes of operation of the catalysts and identified pathways for future improvements. "The outstanding stability in the operation and the low cost of the developed catalytic system identifies it as a potentially suitable option for use in the industrial production of green hydrogen fuel by water electrolysis," Dr. Simonov said. Study co-author and ARC Laureate Fellow at the Monash School of Chemistry, Professor Doug MacFarlane said the investigation of water oxidation electrocatalysts is a core theme within the Australian Centre for Electromaterials Science, where he leads the energy program. "It is critically important to the rapidly developing national renewable energy sector," Professor MacFarlane said. "This work represents a breakthrough that will bring inexpensive generation of green hydrogen from renewables much closer to reality," he said. "It is an important development that will further establish Australia's role as a global powerhouse in the generation and export of renewables." Dr. Simonov said water splitting in electrolysers with acidic electrolytes is most likely to be the future of the green hydrogen production. However, the conditions at the anodes of such devices are exceptionally harsh, making even highly stable noble metals corrode. "Our strategy is to provide the means for an inexpensive catalyst to self-heal during the operation," Dr. Simonov said. Explore further Research sets new record for generation of fuels from sunlight More information: Intrinsically stable in situ generated electrocatalyst for long-term oxidation of acidic water at up to 80 C, Nature Catalysis, DOI: 10.1038/s41929-019-0277-8 , www.nature.com/articles/s41929-019-0277-8 Journal information: Nature Catalysis Intrinsically stable in situ generated electrocatalyst for long-term oxidation of acidic water at up to 80 C, A survey team led by grad student Andrew Miller displays use of the virtual reality equipment, which helped elicit feedback on providing information about crimes in Lagos, Nigeria. Credit: Andrew Miller To a resume rich in policy and security studies, work experience, and publications, Andrew Miller may now add the unlikely skill of video production. While investigating the impact of gang violence on Lagos, Nigeria, the sixth-year political science doctoral candidate came up with an innovative research tool: immersive, virtual reality (VR) videos. "This was the first time VR was deployed in a large-scale field survey," says Miller, a Ph.D. candidate in the MIT Department of Political Science. "Using VR video vignettes, we could immerse respondents in hypothetical scenarios, which helped elicit their real-world emotions when answering questions about these scenarios." Miller's foray into production evolved as part of his multi-year doctoral study into the ways criminal organizations wield influence in communities. "Deaths from criminal violence likely equal deaths from civil war, terrorism, and interstate war combined," he says, "and those responsible often operate with quasi-impunity." In the Americas, for instance, for every 100 murders, only about 25 people are convicted, Miller notes. "It's not just a problem for developing countries; even in some major American cities, people who commit murder are much more likely to get away with it than be arrested or convicted." Miller has a master's degree in foreign service and security from Georgetown University, and has held international development and security positions with Deloitte Consulting and the Council on Foreign Relations. After spending significant time on the ground in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Kosovo, he became keenly aware of "criminal organizations operating in many of these places under the surface," and of frequent collusion between criminal groups and governments. "You could have a government with all the resources, the trappings of legitimacy and legal frameworks, and still have small, illegal organizations that exercise a surprising degree of control in communities," he says. In the daily lives of citizens in so many of the places he visited, the most meaningful security issues involve "problems with underground economies, real or perceived corruption of the police, and threatened and actual violence by criminals trying to control these economies," Miller says. Concerned by this pervasive problem, which is only likely to grow in significance as urban areas expand in population, Miller set out to investigate the relationships between citizens and law enforcement. He decided to focus specifically on how and why people in communities afflicted by gang violence decide to cooperate with police. "If someone sees a shooting or hears about somebody involved in a shooting, what determines if that person shares information with the police?" Miller wondered. Trust issues Hoping to develop a broadly applicable theory, Miller chose two very different locales as research sites: Lagos, Nigeria, and Baltimore, Maryland. The former, home to more than 10 million people and the economic and cultural hub of West Africa, has pockets of the city beset with groups that extort shopkeepers, along the lines of Sicily's mafia. Baltimore is afflicted with gang violence around drug trafficking and one of the highest murder rates in the United States. What unites both cities, says Miller, is "a strained relationship between many residents and the police." Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Miller began in Lagos, with its densely populated markets, to explore this distrust. His research had built-in constraints: He could not run real-world simulations of violent incidents to test witness responses. So Miller devised the notion of VR vignettes played on mobile phones to engage subjects and make it a more realistic experience for them. Hiring a Lagos production team and actors, he filmed a series of staged fights, with more than a dozen variations changing the circumstances of the fight or police response. Shown these different videos, 1,025 people completed surveys about their willingness to share information with the police. After 11 months in Nigeria, Miller has begun to glean insights from his fieldwork. Among them: The central constraint to reporting incidents to police is "a deep-seated perceived retaliation risk from gangs, which are regarded with both antipathy and fear," says Miller. (One possible remedy to this hurdle that he identified through his research: expanding access to anonymous police tip linesnot currently available in Lagos.) His survey data also revealed that even if citizens witness police using excessive force, violating the rights of suspects, they still believe sharing information is important. "It was surprising to me that, even in cases where police are widely perceived as corrupt, citizens hold an enduring faith in their ability to bring law and order, as long as it doesn't jeopardize personal safety," he says. "People show amazing resilience in the face of their problems." Baltimore and beyond Miller has now turned his focus to completing the Baltimore phase of research. He's donning his production hat once againthis time for video segments of local news stories designed for an online survey. Both the work in Lagos and Baltimore will feature in his thesis on cooperation between citizens and the police in communities with gangs. Although Miller has given himself little time off, he managed to slip away to northern Italy recently and was able to indulge in his favorite pastimes of travel and food. While he once pursued a future in development and humanitarian assistance, he has fully committed to a life in academia. "I really love digging into issues deeply, and I enjoy teaching, especially the undergraduates at MIT," he says. He also cites the fruitful support and friendships he found in the political science department "that proved instrumental at all stages of the research process, from developing ideas to writing up the results." A faculty position in a comparable environment that enables him to continue this work would be ideal, says Miller. "It's important that my work both contributes to academic theory and is relevant to people's lives," he says. "People in the communities where I have been working have emphasized to me that research like this needs to be done, so I hope it will be useful." This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. Credit: CC0 Public Domain After receiving letters and prodding by Florida's state and federal lawmakers, President Donald Trump changed course Monday, announcing his support of a $200 million push to fund projects aimed at restoring Florida's Everglades via Twitter. "Congress needs to help us complete the world's largest intergovernmental watershed restoration project ASAP! Good for Florida and good for the environment," he tweeted. The cost-share project was originally signed by former President Bill Clinton and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. It was expected to take 20 years and cost $8.7 billion. It was supposed to map out a way to re-plumb the Everglades with a system of pumps, levees, canals and wells that would help its flow mimic its original one. Last year Congress appropriated close to $139 million for the project. In March, Trump's 2020 budget proposal slashed spending by the Army Corps of Engineers by 31 percent and failed to include money for an Everglades reservoir to reduce polluted water from being flushed from Lake Okeechobee to coastal estuaries. The proposal earmarked just $63 million to help restore Florida's wetlands, and included projects not part of Everglades restorationcompleting two small reservoirs east and west of Lake Okeechobee and restoring bends in the Kissimmee River. It was far short of the $200 million requested by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers for Everglades work and didn't include a 17,000-acre reservoir on sugar fields south of the lake to help reduce the polluted runoff that contributed to last summer's algae blooms and red tide that choked Florida's coasts and waterways. DeSantis made Everglades restoration a campaign promise and said the environment was his No. 1 priority. The efforts showed in the state budget, which included about $682 million for environmental needs. The Everglades project is also a priority of DeSantis' newly appointed South Florida Water Management District governing board, which sent a letter to the entire Florida congressional delegation encouraging members to push for $200 million in Everglades restoration funding. Trump's tweet came hours after U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., had tweeted the letter and also followed a letter sent by Rubio, DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in February urging Trump to include the funding in his budget request to Congress. "I've consistently fought for the federal government to match the state's investment," Scott said in a statement Monday. "I applaud President Trump for working with the Florida delegation to commit to fight for $200 million in federal funding for Everglades restoration projects this year." Sean Cooley, a spokesman for the South Florida Water Management District, said the board is "elated" by the president's apparent commitment. "We are working hard to accelerate projects as we can, but of course, that depends on federal and on state funding," he said "The state has been a generous provider, but the federal government needs to step it up. This is an enlightening and wonderful move." Kimberly Mitchell, executive director of West Palm Beach nonprofit Everglades Trust, also said she was pleasantly surprised by the Trump tweet. She said, however, that she hopes the $200 million funding not only comes through but stays consistent. Frank Jackalone, director of Sierra Club Florida, was more skeptical of the commitment and wondered which projects Trump means for the $200 million to fund. The Sierra Club doesn't support certain "restoration projects" such as a reservoir south of the lake it deems too shallow. He said he'd believe in a large financial commitment if he heard it from the Army Corps itself. The Corps could not be reached for comment Monday night. "I find it difficult to trust any commitment that Trump is making on Twitter. Does he really have the authority to commit $200 million?" Jackalone asked Monday night. "Some people have been bugging Trump to say something about Everglades. But is it real? I doubt it." Explore further Professional mediation can help Everglades restoration 2019 Miami Herald Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. August 7, 1948 May 10, 2019 GREENWICH Craig E. Germain, 70, of Jackson Avenue, passed away Friday, May 10, 2019 at Saratoga Hospital, following a brief illness. Born on Aug. 7, 1948, he was a longtime resident of the Perry Hill IRA in Shushan, and for the past 12 years has been lovingly cared for by Kim Petteys and family. He was a spunky, fun loving character, and enjoyed getting under your skin. He had a great belly laugh and enjoyed going to Stewarts, the fair and parades. For his 69th birthday, he loved his trip with the family to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. Craig also attended the Schuylerville Day Hab for many years. Survivors include his family, Kim Petteys and Kims children, Kayleigh Walsh and Earl Walsh; and also Kims grandson, Collin Lawson; and his many caregivers over the years. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, at Densmore Funeral Home, Inc., 7 Sherman Ave., Corinth, with Deacon Lawrence Willette, officiating. Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, prior to the service. A Committal Service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 16, at Greenwich Cemetery, Cottage Street, Greenwich. The family wishes to thank Denise Herrick for her help and support during Craigs illness. WARRENSBURG A motion to hire two school resource officers again failed to pass this month at the school board meeting Monday night. Although the agenda called for a public presentation on the budget, the conversation during the public comment period turned quickly to the debate surrounding the school boards decision not to hire resource officers for the district. Last months vote ended in a 3-3 tie, with board member Ash Anand absent from the meeting. Anand was present for the meeting Monday, however, and cast a deciding vote against the motion. Anand has annoyed many in Warrensburg by his poor attendance record at board meetings in recent years, missing 31 of the 34 monthly meetings since July 1, 2017. Multiple people in attendance Monday again called for him to step down. Board President Doug West has said in the past Anand remains active in committees and other board business, and Anand said although he is often unable to attend meetings, he takes the role seriously. I have four kids in the district, Anand said. A lot of people may not realize all that I do for the board, and its not necessarily just a matter of attending a meeting. I attend a lot of meetings that people dont see me at. Anand said he has his own priorities that may not always align with everyone in the district, and his work schedule often keeps him out of the country. No board members had changed their minds since the vote in April, with Dianne Angell, Jonathan Boston and Robert Frasier voting in favor and Elaine Cowin, Doug West and Nicole Winchell voting against with Anand. Anand said he voted against the motion because he would like to explore other security options before going to an armed officer. He said he is not opposed to the idea but would like to pursue other ways to protect the district. I own a day care where I have about 80 kids coming into that facility every single day, and as an owner, Im responsible for their security, Anand said. I take measures that are safe and I dont have an SRO in my day care but I do have plans on levels of protection. Vocal support Many Warrensburg residents have voiced support for hiring a resource officer, and district officials held a public forum on the topic and other safety issues in March. Merits of hiring school resource officer debated in Warrensburg WARRENSBURG Nearly 50 people gathered on Monday night to discuss school safety and the pos District resident Monique White said Monday night an officer in the school could be a neutral third-party resource for students dealing with bullying. White said her daughter, who is half black and half white, has been called racial slurs on several occasions by other students. When her daughter reported one of these incidents to the principal, the student who said the racist comments was given one day of in-school suspension, White said. My child is continually being called these racial slurs even after the situation. No, she will not go back to the principal, because she feels like you guys will do nothing, White said. An SRO officer is Switzerland. Its not part of the school. Its somebody she can turn to if something like this happens. Election looms Board member Elaine Cowins term ends this year, and she is running for re-election against Darren Duell, who attended the meeting Monday night. Both candidates were given a chance to address the audience briefly. Duell said he graduated from Warrensburg before joining the Navy and, eventually, moving back to raise his family. He also made it clear he would support the hiring of a resource officer. Right now, I have four kids in Warrensburg ranging from eighth grade to pre-K, so I will be here for quite a while, Duell said. I know one of the big topics is a school resource officer which, as a military person and where I was, I am very well for that. I think it would help out for the kids and keep the school safe. Cowin said she has grown into the role during her time on the board and she now really enjoys many aspects of the job, especially honoring students in the districts, and she votes her conscience on issues. She did not directly address the resource officer dispute but has voted against the hiring in the past. I feel like it is my responsibility to do the best I can, Cowin said. Now we may not agree, but you have to do what you think is right and thats what leads me, and thats all I can promise. How they voted Proposal to hire two armed school resource officers through the Warren County Sheriff's Office one at Warrensburg Elementary School and one at Warrensburg Junior-Senior High School. The motion failed in a 4-3 vote against. Doug West (president): No Diane Angell: Yes Jonathan Boston: Yes Elaine Cowin: No Robert Frasier: Yes Nicole Winchell: No Ash Anand: No Samuel Northrop is the education reporter for The Post-Star. He can be reached at snorthrop@poststar.com. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FORT EDWARD A woman who smuggled three types of drugs and synthetic marijuana into Great Meadow Correctional Facility last fall has been sentenced to a state prison term herself. Rosalie A. Reyes, 24, of New York City, pleaded guilty to attempted promoting of prison contraband, a felony, for an arrest last November at the maximum-security prison in Fort Ann. State Police said she brought oxycodone, Lorazepam, marijuana and synthetic marijuana into the prison when visiting an inmate and was caught by prison staff. Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan sentenced her to 1 to 3 years in state prison. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 3 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 DAVENPORT Seventy people took advantage of the Salvation Army donation center in Davenport on its first day, Development Director Bill Horrell said. The center opened after historic flooding in the Quad-Cities. The river dropped below major flood stage for the first time in nearly 50 days on Sunday. "We had several people that stopped by the location Friday and Saturday; we're back open this week. Open through this week and at least next week," Horrell said. The donation center, 320 West Kimberly Road Suite 2, Davenport, in the former Office Max outside NorthPark Mall, is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are still in need of donations, including cleaning supplies, prepackaged snack goods, dehumidifiers and cleaning gloves, Horrell said. The community reaction has been "very positive," Horrell said. "The community has stepped up, we've had several people calling me, calling the Salvation Army, calling the other sites wondering what we needed, asking what items were needed," he said, adding volunteers are needed to man the site. Shifts are 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 1:30-6 p.m. Acting in the name of the nation, the House Judiciary Committee has the duty to read Mueller's entire unredacted report and hear from Mueller and McGahn. Acting in the name of the nation, the speaker of the House must decide whether Trump's conduct was so egregious that impeachment hearings should be held. The fact that the House is controlled by the Democratic Party instead of the Republican Party does not alter its responsibilities -- or mitigate its powers. Most congressional Republicans, shamefully, are shirking those responsibilities -- but not all of them. The GOP-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, has subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. in an attempt to determine whether he lied in a previous appearance before the panel. Lying to Congress, as former Trump attorney Michael Cohen unhappily learned, is a federal crime that can get you sent to prison. The Washington Post quoted a source familiar with Trump Jr.'s thinking as saying he is "exasperated" and "thinks they just want a PR stunt." Assuming everyone has the most venal motives is apparently a Trump family trait. Perhaps it would never occur to the president's son that a Republican senator, of all people, might take his constitutional duties seriously. Now visiting the first-in-the-nation caucus state with the new title presidential candidate, Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock is scheduled to make a campaign stop in Davenports East Village this weekend. Bullock will hold a meet-and-greet with prospective Iowa voters at 2 p.m. Saturday in Baked Beer & Bread Company, a bar and restaurant. The event was booked on Tuesday shortly before the Montana governor was scheduled to formally announce his run at his high school in Helena, Montana. Bullock is a Democrat in deep-red state Montana whos outlined climate change and campaign finance reform as major policy issues of concern. He was first elected as Montanas governor in 2012 and previously was the states attorney general. Davenport is one of eight Iowa cities on the tour. He will hold meet-and-greets in the Maquoketa Public Library Community Room, 126 S. 2nd St., at 9 a.m. Saturday, and at the Gateway Area Community Center, 1850 S. Bluff Blvd., Clinton, at 11 a.m. Saturday. His campaign will also make stops in Des Moines and Dubuque. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sivyer Steel Castings. Olympic Steel. Donahoo Steel Treating. just to name a few of the steel manufacturers and foundries located in Bettendorf and across the Quad Cities region. Once the world leader, the American steel industry has fought its way back more than once to fend-off low-quality, low-price overseas competitors. Its in our national interest to support American-made steel because the world market can be unstable. And, we need to ensure America is not dependent on foreign producers. So, why then are Iowa legislators weakening federal BUY AMERICAN protections for domestic steel and other construction materials with its Federal Aid Swap program? When the United States Congress passed the Fix Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act; it included protections for American-made goods, such as steel. Under Iowas Federal Aid Swap program, the Iowa Department of Transportation now keeps our federal highway construction dollars in Des Moines and swaps them for state dollars. By removing the federal BUY AMERICAN restrictions Iowa legislators have undermined the economic and quality benefits provided by the American steel and related industries. Why? A man was arrested last week after an altercation at the Chadron Community Hospital. A Chadron Police Department press release said they were called to the hospital May 9 after Richard Mann, 59, allegedly physically harmed a member of the hospitals nursing staff. Later that morning, Mann allegedly informed staff about a gun in his pocket as well. Officers located and secured a concealed, loaded revolver from Manns pants pockets. He was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon and third degree assault on a healthcare professional after he was released from the hospital. Mann was booked into the Dawes County Jail, where he was granted a personal recognizance bond and released. This type of behavior is completely inappropriate in this setting. Health care professionals are there to help and have additional protections under Nebraska State Statutes. They do not need to be subjected to this type of behavior, while on duty, said Chief of Police Tim Lordino in the press release. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES, Iowa | China's announcement Monday of higher tariffs on $60 billion of American exports retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest penalties on Chinese goods hit particularly hard in the farm belt. China's vast consumer market has been a vital source of revenue for American farmers. Since December, when U.S. and China negotiators called a truce to tariffs and began signaling that an agreement might be reached, soybean farmers had been holding out hope that sales to China would resume, said Todd Hultman, an Omaha-based grain market analyst with agriculture market data provider DTN. In the meantime, the farmers had been storing a record stockpile of nearly 1 billion bushels. The latest news of a new round of tariffs, with no agreement in sight, spooked the financial markets and some farmers who had been tentatively optimistic. "This is hitting the market at a very emotionally distressful time," Hultman said. "The rug of hope was pulled out from under us and especially with the announcement this morning that China is going to retaliate with higher tariffs of their own." In a statement Monday, the American Soybean Association reacted with frustration edged with anxiety. "The sentiment out in farm country is getting grimmer by the day," said John Heisdorffer, a soybean farmer in Keota, Iowa, who is chairman of the ASA. "Our patience is waning, our finances are suffering and the stress from months of living with the consequences of these tariffs is mounting." A slowdown in soybean sales, and the huge stockpiles that result, has a ripple effect. Farmers in many parts of the corn belt have suffered from a wet and cooler spring, which has prevented them from planting corn. Typically when it becomes too late to plant corn, farmers will instead plant soybeans, which can grow later into the fall before harvest is required. Yet now, planting soybeans with the overabundance already in bins and scant hope for sales to one of the biggest buyers in China, could raise the risk of a financial disaster. "This is the fifth year of low prices, basically, for crops," Hultman said. "I think time is just wearing us out." To Brent Gloy of Grant, Nebraska, many farmers like him appear to be facing only bleak alternatives for planting. "There's just not a lot people can do," Gloy said. "You're looking at late corn planting through part of the corn belt. They would normally go to soybeans. Man it's just a mess." On Monday, Trump told reporters that a new program to relieve U.S. farmers' pain is being devised and predicted that they will be "very happy." The administration last year handed farmers aid worth $11 billion to offset losses from trade conflicts. Trump seemed to suggest that the aid will make up for, or partially cover, the $15 billion that he said represented "the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers." In fact, U.S. farm exports to China approached $26 billion in both 2012 and 2013 and equaled $19.5 billion in 2017 before his trade war began taking a toll on agricultural sales to China. Gloy, an agriculture economist and a partner in the online research website Agriculture Economic Insights, said he fears there may be no end in sight to the Trump administration's trade dispute with China. And he noted that most crops that farmers could plant aren't profitable right now. He also said that some fellow farmers he speaks with are beginning to sound notes of discontent with the Trump administration. "Farmers I talk to, I've been surprised they're supportive as they are, but I think it's starting to wane," he said. "I've personally been very frustrated with it. I think it's just a lack of a coherent plan." He said he worries that the entire agriculture sector could face severe trouble if the dispute lasts indefinitely. "It's going to get louder and louder because there's going to be severe financial distress in agriculture," he said. "We've been getting teaser deals for six months, and everybody kind of thought it's going to happen and now I just think the reality of the situation is that's not in the cards." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Denice Swanke will serve as acting superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, according to a news release from the National Park Service. Swanke is currently deputy superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. She will assume her new role June 2. Cheryl Schreier will retire as superintendent of Mount Rushmore on May 31 with 40 years of service in the government. Swanke began her federal career in 1990 at Zion National Park. In addition to serving as superintendent of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, she has held assignments in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and as a National Park Service legislative affairs specialist in Washington, D.C. She also worked for the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service and holds a physical science degree from Western Oregon University and a masters of public administration degree from the University of Montana. Meanwhile, the process of recruiting a permanent superintendent for Mount Rushmore has begun, the Park Service said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Editor's note: This is the third story in a five-part series looking at the schools that are proposed to be closed under Rapid City Area Schools $250 million facilities proposal. Standing in the halls of Horace Mann Elementary School last week, Principal Kelly Gorman pointed from the window to several spots on the grounds where rainwater continually pools. The school's parking lots and playground are among the places, she said, where rain and snowmelt accumulate most noticeably after traveling down the nearby hills. "There is basically a channel of water and when it's cold it's a frozen pond that stretches the length of the whole parking lot," Gorman said. While Horace Mann is among the Rapid City Area School's oldest elementary centers it was built in 1953 officials say that it does not suffer from dilapidation to the same extent as its peers. In the private building study that the district commissioned in 2015, engineers actually awarded the school's condition a slightly lower score than Canyon Lake Elementary, which was built four year earlier. And although the school is about 60 bodies shy of its capacity of 390, district officials maintain that it simply lacks the space for computers, flexible seating arrangements and other hallmarks of what they term "21st Century Learning." For that reason, the district wants to close it and two other elementary schools over the next several years in the first phase of a proposed master plan for facilities. Many students could transfer as a result to a new school that would be erected near Vicki Powers Park in that same span of time. That plan, which also recommends the construction of two elementary schools and the reconstruction of South and West middle schools, would be financed by a $250 million bond issue that would raise property taxes. The school-civilian task force that helped draft it is slated to finalize its recommendations for presentation to the school board in June. From there, the school board will decide whether the bond issue will be put to the ballot for a referendum vote that would require 60 percent approval to pass. Outdated While Horace Mann may not be in as bad of shape as other schools in the district, District Facilities Manager Kumar Veluswamy said last week that maintaining it is not without its challenges. He said that runoff, which Gorman counted as one of the most pressing issues the school faces, would not be alleviated by the installation of a storm sewer because hook-up lines for one do not extend to the campus. The district had looked at purchasing storm drains that emptied into water tanks as one solution, but Veluswamy said the half-million dollar cost of installing one ruled out that possibility. Additionally, cracks have begun sprouting up along walls in parts of the school due to foundational shifting. Even though the building is not as bad as Robbinsdale, we have shifting happening within this building too," Veluswamy said, adding that Robbinsdale was built on less stable soil than Horace Mann. Because of the building's old age, Veluswamy said, power is also a difficulty. Because electrical lines are embedded in the concrete underneath the school, he said, rewiring it would likely be expensive. All told, Veluswamy put the cost of executing the minimum amount of work that the school needs at $15 million, half the projected cost of building the new school near Vicki Powers Park. But officials are quick to point out repairing Horace Mann wouldn't begin to address some of the school's underlying issues. Like other schools slated for closure, Horace Mann was built before more modern building codes and accessibility guidelines were implemented. Faculty also said that it lacks for storage space in classrooms and an employee conference room. Eight employees currently work out of the school's education intervention room while such spaces at newer schools have much lower adult-to-student ratios. Kallie Gebhard, a fifth grade teacher, said that the school's unreliable wireless internet has caused issues for students taking online state assessments. She also said that the prospect of building a new school with more classroom space was something that excited her, but she acknowledged that losing a neighborhood school was something parents are uneasy about. "We have a lot of kids that walk in this neighborhood to school, so that will have to change," she said. A model for the future Veluswamy has said that the three new elementary schools the district wants to build for $30 million apiece would be built in the mold of General Beadle Elementary School. The goal, he said, would be to have a bigger school whose classrooms still feel inviting. The spacious classrooms at both General Beadle and Valley View Elementary, built in 2004, are divided into near-identical wings and allow ample natural lighting. They also tend to feature seating options from yoga balls to stools. Veluswamy and Valley View Dean Chad Hanson defended such flourishes, which parents and taxpayers may not value as being important to kids. They learn better when they can kind of pick their comfort level," Hanson said of flexible seating. Teachers and students can also exit through doors directly to the outside in newer classrooms, which both Veluswamy and Hanson said is crucial in emergencies. Libraries at both schools feature 3D printers and other new educational technology. Still, the district's newer schools do face issues with overcrowding that officials hope the construction of more schools will relieve. Valley View is near its capacity for 617 having added an additional section of kindergarten this year. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Combat Raider, a military exercise involving various aircraft, began Tuesday and will continue through Thursday in the Powder River Training Complex that spans parts of Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. Aircraft involved include the B-52, B-2, B-1, Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar (J-STAR), Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), F-35, F-16, C-17 and KC-135. This exercise marks the first time the F-35 will fly in the PRTC airspace and the first time the C-17 will participate. This exercise will require the 28th Bomb Wing to extend airfield operating hours until Thursday. Residents of Ellsworth Air Force Base and surrounding communities can expect to hear noises in the late evening hours associated with flying aircraft and maintenance activities. The exercise will also use the Temporary Rushmore Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace. The TRATCAA is the same geographic airspace as the PRTC, but extended vertically up to 51,000 feet. During this period, people living under the following PRTC military operations areas can expect to see multiple types of aircraft utilizing the areas simultaneously: Powder River One, Powder River Two, Powder River Three, Powder River Four, and Gaps A, B and C. All bomber supersonic activities will occur more than 20,000 feet above mean sea level and all transient fighter supersonic activity will occur more than 10,000 feet above ground level. People living under Powder River Two, Powder River Three, and Gap B should expect to be affected; however, sonic boom activity is possible throughout the entire PRTC. A map of the airspace is available for reference on the Ellsworth AFB website at https://www.ellsworth.af.mil/Home/Powder-River-Training-Complex/. Non-military pilots should review the Federal Aviation Administrations Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, and review flight plans to avoid these areas and altitudes where aircraft will be participating by calling 1-800-WXBRIEF. The NOTAMs for the exercise, issued by the FAA 72 hours prior to its start, will act as the final official notice. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 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. On Wednesday, the Chinese vowed retaliation. Against this ominous backdrop, U.S. and Chinese trade negotiation teams engaged in another 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. Sioux City (Iowa) Journal You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Chris Johns grew up following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark. His father a geography teacher and principal was a huge fan of the famous explorers. He would load his Rogue River Valley, Oregon, family into the car and theyd head east to explore their historic route. It was Johns first look at western Montana. It left an impression. Missoula is very similar geographically to the Rogue River Valley where I grew up, Johns said. I have a strong affinity for western Montana. Turns out that it was strong enough to bring him back to Missoula after a storied career as editor-in-chief with National Geographic that offered opportunities to explore this country and others, including long stints in Africa. On Wednesday, May 15, Johns will offer a presentation titled Cheetahs in the Bitterroot: A Photographic Journey of 34 years at National Geographic, at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center at Hamilton High School starting at 7 p.m. The presentation is sponsored by the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce. Johns career in photojournalism officially began in 1975 when he joined the Topeka (Kansas) Capital-Journal as a staff photographer. Four years later, he was named National Newspaper Photographer of the Year. But photojournalism wasnt his first choice when he first began college at Oregon State. His goal initially was to become a large animal veterinarian. But then he signed up for a journalism class in hopes of getting an easy A to keep his grade point average high. A fantastic journalism professor named Ron Lovell changed his path. A childhood friend, Dennis Dimick, joined him in his studies of photography and journalism. Both eventually spent decades working at National Geographic. When I was editor and chief, Dennis was the environmental editor, he said. He did a fantastic job. Johns' first break with National Geographic occurred while he was working in Topeka. He met some people affiliated with the magazine and proposed a story about the life of an interagency hotshot firefighting crew called the Rogue River Roughriders. For a four-month season, he became the 21st member of the crew that traveled all over the West, including time in Missoula, where his relationship with western Montana grew. On Wednesday, Johns will share photographs taken during his 34 years at National Geographic in the context of the importance of developing a relationship with the place you choose to live. Place is so important to all of us, he said. In many cases, we fall in love the landscape and the people who live there. Those thriving relationships can help you find your calling and help you decide what you want to do with your life. His presentation will be a visual history of my life from growing up Oregon to my experiences throughout the world, particularly in Africa, Johns said. Ill wind it up by talking about why I feel so strongly about this place and why Ive decided to spend the rest of my life here in western Montana. Johns and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Missoula. He will serve as the University of Montana School of Journalisms Pollner Professor in the spring semester 2020, teaching a course on conservation journalism. Johns continues to work with National Geographic as a contract journalist focused on conservation issues in the West. Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce President Susan Wetzsteon said Johns presentation will complete the first year of a lecture series presented by the Chambers Leadership Bitterroot group that began with a talk by UM President Seth Bodnar. We wanted to do something a little different this year with the leadership program, Wetzsteon said. We decided to search out people who could talk about what is a good leader and what makes a good leader in our community. Wetzsteon said shes excited that Johns accepted their invitation to come to Hamilton to speak. Hes been a photojournalist for more than 34 years with National Geographic, she said. We have all grown up reading National Geographic and enjoying the incredible photography. I think its one of those once-in-a-lifetime kinds of things to have this opportunity here in Hamilton. I hope that a lot of people take advantage of it. The program is free and open to the public. Love 2 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. State bear managers had to kill a young grizzly in the Blackfoot Valley on Sunday after it repeatedly raided a barn in search of grain. In 2018, we had the highest bear conflict year on record in the Blackfoot, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear management specialist Jamie Jonkel said in a release. Some of what were seeing now is young bears that were taught bad behavior last year, returning and looking for livestock feed and other attractants. This bear was showing food-conditioned behavior, which Jonkel said is a very difficult habit for a grizzly to unlearn. That can result in their hanging around homes and agricultural operations and getting bolder in their attempts to acquire livestock or human food supplies. Fires in 2018 and last winters heavy snowpack have displaced some high-country bears into lower elevations along the Blackfoot River drainage in search of food this spring. Jonkel said a good berry crop along the valley bottoms also drew bears to the area last fall. It is important to keep bear attractants such as garbage, pet and livestock food and chickens, behind electric fences or inside a secure structure, Jonkel said. If bears are able to find these things easily, then they tend to stay in the area looking for more. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 BISMARCK, N.D. A Lincoln man is "absolutely disappointed" after the North Dakota Game and Fish Department declined to recognize his walleye as a new state record. Tom Volk caught a 16-pound, 9-ounce walleye April 21 from the shore of the Heart River in Mandan. Game and Fish investigators on Monday determined his walleye "was foul-hooked and, therefore, cannot be recognized as a state record." North Dakota Chief Game Warden Bob Timian said eyewitnesses' statements and other information contributed to the finding. By rule, a foul-hooked fish is one hooked behind its gill plates, such as in the tail, back or belly. Timian also said the fish was not intentionally snagged, which is illegal but for paddlefishing. "A third party" netted and unhooked Volk's fish, he added. Volk disputes the department's "unfortunate" finding and has consulted his attorney "for an appeal process of some sort," but can find nothing in administrative code, rules or law to appeal the conclusion by Game and Fish. He maintains the fish was caught by the mouth and cited evidence for his side. "There's a hole in the mouth of the fish," Volk said. "There's string burn on the side of the fish's cheek. There is no indication of any damage to the body of the fish." He said he's disappointed from the official finding and added he hopes for witness statements to come forward to bolster his claim. Timian said the state record book is not in law and is kept at the department's discretion. Private entities usually track records. "We wouldn't even have to keep a record book, quite frankly," Timian said. Despite his disappointment, Volk said he still plans to have the fish taxidermied and celebrate "the fact that I caught the official unofficial state record walleye in North Dakota." Timian said Volk's fish should have been returned, but Game and Fish won't contest his keeping it. North Dakota's state record walleye stands as a 15-pound, 13-ounce fish caught by Neal Leier, of Bismarck, in May 2018 on the Missouri River near the Fox Island boat ramp. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An outbreak of pertussis, or whooping cough, in Missoula County has spread across the public schools, with reports of vaccinated and unvaccinated students contracting the disease. Cindy Farr, health promotion director for the Missoula City-County Health Department, said Tuesday the 104 cases reported in the county since April 17 is the largest outbreak of whooping cough in her 11 years of working in the agency. The second largest, in 2012, ended with only 23 cases. According to Farr, the department anticipates the outbreak to continue until the end of the school year. We need the kids to get out of being cooped up in the classrooms and get outside, she said. Farr said the health department encourages parents who have children ages 10 to 12 to get them their DTaP booster shot. Children customarily receive DTaP immunization, which vaccinates for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, as a series starting from when they're babies and into their preteen years. Those who have whooping cough should stay home and follow whatever treatment their health care provider prescribes, according to Farr. She also said washing hands and covering coughs will protect those especially vulnerable to the disease, such as pregnant women, babies and those with compromised immune systems. Maura Jones, a health specialist with the Missoula City-County Health Department, said cases have been reported from high schools, preschools, middle schools and some churches. According Jones, the disease has also been reported in the rural Lolo area. Jones said the majority of cases fall within the 16- to 20-year-old age range, with the majority of cases concentrated in the countys high schools. Hatton Littman, the communications director for Missoula County Public Schools, said Big Sky High School, Hellgate High School, Sentinel High School, Hawthorne School, Seeley Lake High School and C.S. Porter Middle School all had students who contracted whooping cough. According to Littman, Big Sky High School, which has a student population of more than 1,100, reported the most cases. Littman said nurse screenings in Missoula County public schools began April 19, two days after lab tests confirming three cases prompted the health department to declare an outbreak. After reviewing seating charts, school officials picked students who sat close to those diagnosed with the disease. Nurses then interviewed those students for symptoms and determined whether they needed treatment. Screenings will continue with every new report until the end of the school year on June 13. Missoula County Public Schools require students to receive their immunizations per state law. Those who dont must submit religious exemptions. Missoula County public schools do not have a large number students exempt from vaccinations, and even those who have received a DTaP immunization have been diagnosed with whooping cough, Littman said. According the federal Centers For Disease Control, whooping cough can infect people of any age, and can be deadly for children less than a year old. Coughing fits caused by the airborne disease can last up to 10 weeks. The DTaP has an 80% to 90% rate of effectiveness in preventing the disease. Residents of Missoula County can receive vaccinations at Western Montana Health Clinics and the Missoula City-County Health Department. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The 2019 paddlefishing season on the Yellowstone and Lower Missouri rivers will start on Wednesday, May 15. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 7 fisheries manager Mike Backes has no predictions for this season, but he doesnt expect a fast and furious start based on current river flow projections. A pulse in river levels typically increases paddlefish migrations, but last season there were such high volumes of water at times and multiple river pulses due to rain and continuing snowmelt that fish were much more spread out. As a result, angler participation was also spotty at times, extending the harvest to 15 days before the 1,000-fish harvest target was approached. Compare that to the 2017 season which was fast and furious and closed in just over three days. According to 2018 tallies, 714 paddlefish were processed at Intake fishing access site near Glendive, and Backes estimated that another 194 fish were caught elsewhere. That makes for an estimated harvest of 908 fish. Of the fish processed at Intake, 470 were females (65.8 percent) and 244 were males. Approximately one in 10 fish was a small male, potentially from the year 2011, Backes noted. Sixty-two fish were reported via the mandatory reporting phone number; of those, 21 had jaw tags, 19 were harvested from the Powder-Yellowstone River confluence, two were from the Tongue-Yellowstone River confluence, and only one was reported from the Missouri River. One tag return came from a fish tagged on the Missouri River upstream of Fort Peck Reservoir. Anglers may harvest only one paddlefish per season. As in the past, anglers may only select one area to fish for paddlefish in Montana: Upper Missouri River (white harvest tag-1,000 tags available through the drawing), Yellowstone River and Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam (yellow harvest tag-1,000 fish harvest target), and the Fort Peck Dredge Cut archery-only season (blue harvest tag). 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I will build a great great wall on our southern border and I'll have Mexico pay for that wall.Donald Trump. If there is only one thing everybody knows about President Donald Trump, its that he has sworn to build a huge border wall between the United States and its southern neighbor, Mexico, and even make them pay for it. Its an idea that has alternately been heralded as the key to securing the nations most porous border and derided as a harebrained plan by over-reaching xenophobes. Many politicians have vehemently opposed it, labeling it immoral, ineffective and expensive. It has evoked such divided reactions that it caused the longest government shutdown in history after Democrats, rarely known to turn down multi-billion infrastructure projects, failed to compromise on funding last year. Yet, Trump and his cronies have been unrelenting and have demonstrated an almost uncanny ability to bend over backward, constantly scrounging for money from unlikely sources to fund their pet project. And now, the Washington Post has reports that the Pentagon plans to take another $1.5 billion targeted at various military programs including an intercontinental ballistic missile system, the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and support of the Afghan security forces to fund construction of an 80-mile stretch on the 1,000-mile wall (natural obstacles will guard the other 900 miles of border). That comes hot on the heels of the Pentagons March decision to transfer $1 billion from Army personnel budget accounts. In all, the Pentagon is expected to shift ~$6.1 billion to build the border wall including $3.6 billion from military construction projects. The defense body has defended its decision, with acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan saying selected funds were excess or early to need and that the move would not compromise on national security: 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 before adding,We have very smart people here in the department, and we found ways to do this without having any impact on readiness He has made a concession though, promising that no more funds will be reprogrammed. Democrats oppose move The sudden urgency to move ahead with the construction might have been informed by the recent surge in the number of illegal immigrants nabbed at the U.S.-Mexico border. (Click to enlarge) Source: Business Insider But that does not mean that everybody sees it that way. As expected, Democrat politicians have come out with guns blazing, condemning the decision to reprogram military funds for the construction. Sen. Richard Durbin says the government has its priorities wrong: The Pentagon has now reprogrammed 12 times more money to the wall than for repairs for Tyndall AFB, destroyed by Hurricane Michael. We should put troops first! he wrote on Twitter. He was referring to the Air Force base in Florida where a storm damaged nearly all buildings. Related: Why Gold Still Beats Bitcoin Rep. John Garamendi, chairman of the House Armed Services readiness committee, has not minced words regarding how he views the Federal Governments latest move: Once again, the president has shamefully ignored his oath of office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and stolen $1.5 billion in Pentagon funds to pay for his ineffective border wall, he told Associated Press on Friday. (Click to enlarge) Source: Cato Institute These politicians appear to be speaking the mind of the American citizen. A 2018 CBS Poll on what Americans think about the border wall found that sentiments have altered dramatically. In 2013, Americans were heavily in support of building a border wall or fence with 65 percent saying it was a good idealast year only 37 percent approved while 60 percent were against it. (Click to enlarge) Source: Cato Institute Trumps presidency, not high construction costs, is the key reason for the growing opposition, with Democratic support for the wall taking a serious dive after Trump entered the presidential race. A 2013 poll found that 52 percent of Americans still favored the wall even when told the total cost would be around $46 billionnearly double the current estimated cost of $24.3 billion. By Alex Kimani for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: More than 700 cases of measles -- the largest number since 1994 -- have been reported across the United States, including 40 cases reported in southern and northern California. While no cases of measles have been reported in Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo counties, a handful of local elementary schools -- both public and private -- are vulnerable to the disease due to low vaccination rates among kindergartners, according to the "Shots for Schools website, which is run by the California Department of Public Health. A pair of Santa Maria High School seniors both bound for UCLA this fall and Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino were honored during a Wednesday night reception at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge. Fourteen students including Blanco and Davila qualified for students of the year by being honored as the Elks' students of the month, according to Andrea Licoscos, who heads the selection committee. She said the decision was difficult, given each candidate's record of community service, active involvement in extracurricular activities and strong academic achievement. "This giraffe really stuck its neck out to help Santa this year, so, Santa gave it a treat and it about has it licked." Thomas Kelly were this week's winner. The winners' names will be put into a drawing for a free month subscription or extension. Look for a new photo Monday. Context plays a big role in my enjoyment and understanding of films from past decades. For example, reading Shawn Levy's excellent book The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont -- now available from Doubleday and Orion -- drew my attention to films that have been photographed at the famed hotel, including Paul Mazursky's Blume in Love (1973). In the film, George Segal stars as Stephen Blume, an American attorney who is visiting Europe. Seeking clarity about his marriage to Nina (Susan Anspach), which he fractured by committing adultery with his secretary Gloria (Annazette Chase), he summons memories of their past together as he struggles to figure out what he should do next. Is the relationship worth salvaging, somehow? Or should Blume accept Nina's firm, if abrupt, decision to end the marriage? Thanks to Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), which was notorious at the time for the sexual temptations it teased, rather than the social comedy-drama it delivered. Mazursky followed up his directorial debut with the curiously inward-looking Alex in Wonderland (1970) before striking back with his third feature. From a single viewing a few years ago, I thought the sometimes witty, sometime uneven film showed his continued progression as a filmmaker and served as a fine showcase for Segal, an actor whose work I have always enjoyed. I wasn't particular eager to see Blume in Love again, especially when I realized I'd need to rent it in standard definition (the only option on Amazon) rather than high definition, but Levy's brief description made me want to revisit it: "Like its cheeky narrative device of balancing scenes in Venice, Italy, with scenes in Venice, California, the film's use of the Chateau itself is a knowing wink by the filmmaker to his Hollywood chums, many of whom had spent time at the hotel under very similar circumstances. " As I watched the film, Segal's charming presence, more than anything else, drew me back into his characterization of a very self-absorbed man. As critic John Simon wrote in his brief comments on the film at hand: "George Segal is always George Segal, but he is getting to be very good at that. ... What makes the actor so likable despite his lack of versatility ... is that he falls exactly midway between Robert Redford and Woody Allen, between virile handsomeness and amusingly hangdog schnookiness." (From Reverse Angle, published by Clarkson N. Potter, which collects together many of Simon's reviews from that period.) By the 30-minute mark, Blume is unhappy that Nina has taken up with homeless musician Elmo Cole (Kris Kristofferson). He himself has taken up with Arlene (Marsha Mason), whose character is never much defined, besides her willingness to sleep with Blume on little pretext and without commitment. Blume has moved out of his home and into -- ta da! -- an unidentified hotel, which I learned from Shawn Levy's book was actually the Chateau Marmont, complete with real-life employee Corinne Patten appearing briefly as herself, similarly unidentified. The narrative is never in a hurry, but is pleasantly diverting until Blume decides that he wants to win Nina back in a bid for his own happiness, even though she appears to be quite happy on her own. Then events turn dispiriting and somewhat disgusting, at least looking back from today's perspective. -------------------------------------------------- Spoiler / warning: The following may spoil the narrative because of its brief description of a scene depicting a forced sexual encounter. About 90 minutes into Blume in Love, Blume is still doggedly aiming to win back Nina, the love of his life. He visits Nina at home, where they lived together while married. Her companion Elmo has gone to see Gone With the Wind at a repertory theater, and she allows Blume to enter the house. He really loves her, he says, and decided that he wants to have sex with her. She resists, he continues, she screams at him to stop, he continues, he is stronger and taller, he insists, and he rapes her over her protests. In the moments immediately following the rape, Elmo arrives home, sees them together, hears Nina declare angrily that it was rape, asks Blume if it was rape, he admits it was rape, Elmo punches him, Elmo cries, end scene. Being the 70s and a Paul Mazursky film, Blume makes a joke about it to Mazursky (who is playing his legal partner) in the succeeding scene and all it's treated ultimately as one more plot development that concludes with Blume and Nina back together again, with a child on the way. Few newspaper reviews are readily available from that period; Roger Ebert gave it four stars. I wonder if the rape scene, as presented, generated much controversy, if any, in 1973? As much as I love films from the 70s, maybe more for reasons of personal nostalgia than their individual ambition and daring, it's a sobering thought, especially when I realize that, just a few years ago (when I saw it for the first time), I don't remember reacting to the rape with more than mild disgust. All these years later, and I still have many issues to resolve and adjust and refine and better understand. And sometimes, movies help me realize how far I still need to go. 70s Rewind primarily focuses on Hollywood studio releases in the 1970s, the writer's favorite film decade. Facebook fixed a critical zero-day flaw in WhatsApp that has been exploited to remotely install spyware on phones by calling the targeted device. Facebook has recently patched a critical zero-day vulnerability in WhatsApp, tracked as CVE-2019-3568, that has been exploited to remotely install spyware on phones by calling the targeted device. WhatsApp did not name the threat actor exploiting the CVE-2019-3568, it described the attackers as an advanced cyber actor that targeted a select number of users. A buffer overflow vulnerability in WhatsApp VOIP stack allowed remote code execution via specially crafted series of SRTCP packets sent to a target phone number. reads the description provided by Facebook. The WhatsApp zero-day vulnerability is a buffer overflow issue that affects the WhatsApp VOIP stack. The flaw could be exploited by a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code by sending specially crafted SRTCP packets to the targeted mobile device. Facebook fixed the issue with the release of WhatsApp for Android 2.19.134, WhatsApp Business for Android 2.19.44, WhatsApp for iOS 2.19.51, WhatsApp Business for iOS 2.19.51, WhatsApp for Windows Phone 2.18.348, and WhatsApp for Tizen 2.18.15. Any prior version of the popular instant messaging app is vulnerable. The company also implemented a server-side patch that was deployed at the end of last week. The bad news is that experts are aware of attacks exploiting the WhatsApp zero-day to deliver surveillance software. The Financial Times reported that the WhatsApp zero-day has been exploited by threat actors to deliver the spyware developed by surveillance firm NSO Group. The surveillance software developed by NSO Group was used by government organizations worldwide to spy on human rights groups, activists, journalists, lawyers, and dissidents. Security experts have detected and analyzed some of the tools in its arsenals, such as the popular Pegasus spyware (for iOS) and Chrysaor (for Android). Chrysaor was used in targeted attacks against journalists and activists, mostly located in Israel, other victims were in Georgia, Turkey, Mexico, the UAE and other countries. Experts believe the Chrysaor espionage In September, a report published by Citizen Lab revealed that the NSO Pegasus spyware was used against targets across 45 countries worldwide. In November, Snowden warned of abuse of surveillance software that also had a role in the murder of the Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Now The Financial Times described a scaring scenario in which attackers were able to exploit the WhatsApp zero-day vulnerability by just making a call to the target device via WhatsApp. The exploitation of the vulnerability doesnt require the victims interaction. In fact, the victim does not need to answer for the vulnerability to be exploited, and it seems that after the attack there is no trace on the device of the malicious incoming calls. The Financial Times cites the case of an unnamed attorney based in the United Kingdom that was targeted on May 12. The lawyer is involved in a lawsuit filed against NSO by individuals that were targeted with the surveillance software of the company. The attack has all the hallmarks of a private company reportedly that works with governments to deliver spyware that takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems, reads a briefing document note for journalists cited by BBC and other media outlets. Of course, the NSO Group denied any support to government agencies that could have targeted the UK lawyer with its surveillance software. NSO would not, or could not, use its technology in its own right to target any person or organization, including this individual, states NSO group. Pierluigi Paganini Is anyone collecting and analyzing sentence reduction orders under 3582(c)(1) since passage of the FIRST STEP Act? | Main | New opinion memo from DOJ concludes FDA lacks jurisdiction to regulate execution drugs May 14, 2019 "Individualized Executions" The title of this post is the title of this new paper authored by William Berry now available via SSRN. Here is its abstract: States continue to botch lethal injection attempts. The decision to move forward with such procedures without considering the health of the inmate has resulted in a series of brutal, horrific incidents. In its Eighth Amendment jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has established that courts must give defendants individualized sentencing determinations prior to imposing a death sentence. Woodson v. North Carolina proscribes the imposition of mandatory death sentences, and Lockett v. Ohio requires that courts examine the individualized characteristics of the offense and the offender, including allowing the defendant to provide mitigating evidence at sentencing. This Article argues for the extension of the Eighth Amendment Woodson-Lockett principle to execution techniques. The Courts execution technique cases proscribe the imposition of punishments that create a substantial risk of inflicting pain. As such, application of the Woodson-Lockett principle to executions would require that courts assess the imposition of such execution techniques on a case-by-case basis to determine the constitutionality of the technique as applied to the particular inmate prior to execution. In Part I, the Article describes the recent epidemic of failed lethal injection executions and highlights the need for reform in this area. Part II describes the Woodson-Lockett doctrine, and explores its prior applications. Part III then explains why this doctrine ought to apply to execution techniques, not just the kind of punishment imposed. Finally in Part IV, the Article argues for the adoption of this approach, highlighting its advantages both on individual and systemic levels. May 14, 2019 at 11:45 AM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Locus raises $22 Million in Series B Funding Locus optimizes logistics operations for enterprises, across sectors, to improve efficiencies resulting in higher profitability, expanding its global footprint with the secured funding from Falcon Edge Capital and Tiger Global Management and others NEW YORK - Media OutReach - May 14, 2019 - Locus (https://www.locus.sh/), a global AI backed supply chain optimization company has secured $22 Million in (Series B) funding by Falcon Edge Capital & Tiger Global Management. Previous investors Exfinity Venture Partners and Blume Ventures also took part in this round. After demonstrating successful customer rollouts across sectors in India, the company began expanding to North America and Southeast Asia in 2018. The new round of funding will help Locus penetrate deeper into the new markets by enhancing the product & solutions for each geography and also in expanding local teams. Locus automates human decisions required to transport a package or a person, between any two points on earth, delivering gains along the axes of efficiency, consistency, and transparency in operations. The company's premier logistics optimization solutions include route optimization, real-time tracking of orders, insights and analytics, dynamic sales journey plans, and automated shipment sorting. Locus is focussed on solving complex real-world logistics problems like increasing First Attempt Delivery Rate (FADR) for e-commerce companies, sales transformation for global CPG companies, and suggesting optimal fleet mix for 3PL companies. "Locus provides autonomous supply chain optimization thus minimizing the dependency on human intelligence, built by an incredible team of PhDs & Engineers. Product applications include clubbing of forward and reverse logistics in a single route plan, schedule & on-demand dispatch planning, and automatic escalation management. Locus is on an unprecedented path to automate every possible decision in the supply chain. The funding will act as a boost to our global expansion efforts as we amplify our team size specifically in North America and continue to build our IP," said Locus CEO, Nishith Rastogi. Story continues "We believe the trillion dollar global logistics market is ripe for disruption via technological change, particularly AI and machine learning driven solutions. We are excited to lead a Series B round in Locus, a company that deploys AI/ML/deep tech to drive route optimization outcomes in global logistics markets. With prolific anchor customers such as Blue Dart, the team has demonstrated the ability to build and deliver cutting edge technology and algorithmic driven outcomes that provide attributable ROI to the enterprise at scale. We are excited to help Locus expand its breadth and depth of product and sales reach, moving from route optimization to a full-stack SaaS offering to the enterprise around its logistics needs." said Navroz D. Udwadia, Co-Founder, Falcon Edge Capital. Locus has established itself as an innovative leader in AI backed logistics solutions by tackling the industry's core supply chain challenges and operational complexities. One of the largest e-grocery players in India is using Locus to achieve 99.5% SLA adherence for its 10Mn+ customers. Locus currently serves 40+ clients globally saving logistics cost at scale, increasing productivity and profitability for enterprises across multiple segments, owning a peak of over 1 million orders processed in a day. Locus has offices in India, US and Indonesia and dedicated local teams for these regions. About Locus Locus is an advanced supply chain optimization company that uses proprietary algorithms and deep learning to provide route optimization, real-time tracking, insights and analytics, dynamic sales journey plans, efficient warehouse management and vehicle allocation & utilization. Locus identifies new gaps in the logistics sector and fills them with AI-based decision-making solutions helping enterprises reduce logistics cost, enable on-time deliveries and provide a delightful end user experience. Founded by Nishith Rastogi and Geet Garg, the company comprises of engineers and data scientists from Carnegie Mellon University and Indian Institute of Technology. The company now has operations in the US, Indonesia, Singapore, India, and Australia. For more information on Locus, go to https://locus.sh/ Head of the Moroccan government Saad Eddine El Othmani defended the results achieved by the PJD-led government over the last two years stressing on the performance of his cabinet to improve social and living conditions as well as economic indicators. However, much remains to be done to meet the aspirations of the Moroccan people, which are sometimes expressed through protests, El Othmani who was presenting to MPs a mid-term evaluation of his cabinets program said Monday. Concerning the unrest in Al Hoceima and Jerada, El Othmani said that ministers paid multiple visits to the two cities to ensure the speeding up of social and economic projects. El Othmani also reassured that the government coalition is forging ahead with its program and that rumours of the coalition collapse are unfounded. He also praised the success of the social dialogue with the countrys main trade unions, which ended with the approval of a gradual salary hikes for state employees earning less than 5000 dirhams monthly. Concerning the economy, El Othmani deplored that despite steady economic growth, the average citizen has yet to feel the benefits. He urged more action to ensure that inequalities are bridged. Special attention was paid to the governments efforts to improve access to social services notably education and health as well as efforts to boost employment. SINGAPORE (May 14): Olam International has announced earnings of $168.9 million for 1Q19, rising 6.9% y-o-y from $158 million due to improved operating performance, which was offset in part by increased depreciation and finance costs. EBITDA grew 14.2% to $420.3 million on increased revenue contribution from Edible Nuts and Cocoa. Sale of goods & services for the quarter grew 16.7% to $7.3 billion from $6.3 billion previously. In line with the topline growth, cost of goods sold grew 16.3% to $6.6 billion from $5.6 billion a year ago. Other income fell 65% to $10.5 million from $30.1 million in 1Q18. While finance income rose 68% to $37.5 million from $22.3 million a year ago, finance costs widened 28.7% to $141.1 million from $109.7 million in 1Q18. Depreciation & amortisation rose 30.3% to $124.7 million from $95.7 million a year ago. Income tax expense for the quarter fell 38% to $20.9 million from $33.7 million previously. As at end-March, the groups cash and cash equivalents stood at $2.36 billion compared to $1.8 billion a year ago. A Free Cash Flow to Equity of $313 million was achieved, while gearing improved to 1.35 times from 1.49 times a year ago. Sunny Verghese, co-founder and CEO of Olam, says the groups improved financial performance is due to a diversified portfolio which has helped Olam to better navigate continuing volatile macro and industry headwinds. We have started well in executing the four key pathways of our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, which focus on strengthening our high-growth businesses and getting closer to customers based on changing consumer preferences. Our recent acquisition of BT Cocoa in Indonesia and proposed acquisition of Dangote Flour Mills in Nigeria are examples of us investing further in our leading businesses, says Verghese. We have also successfully exited our Sugar trading business, the Fundamental Fund business, our Wood Products business in Latin America, and our Peanut farming and processing operations in Argentina in Q1 2019 as planned, he adds. Shares in Olam closed 2.22% lower at $1.76 on Monday. A grieving France paid its respects Tuesday to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue four hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week, under the shadow of a row over risks taken by two of those freed. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured with a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. Crowds joined soldiers, firefighters and veterans in lining the bridge leading up to the imposing 17th-century landmark as the motorcade carrying their coffins made its solemn procession through a sun-lit Paris. "France is a country that does not abandon its children, no matter the circumstances," a visibly emotional Macron said in his speech during a 45-minute ceremony attended by tearful family members and masked fellow special forces. "Those who attack French citizens should know that our country will never give way and that they will always encounter our army, our elite troops and our allies," he added. - 'Warning to tourists' - The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, who were seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin close to the border with Burkina Faso. A US citizen and South Korean tourist -- both women whose presence was a total surprise to the French forces -- were also sprung from captivity in the operation overnight on Thursday-Friday. The kidnapping has shone a spotlight on rising instability in the vast Sahel region that lies south of the Sahara desert, where Islamist groups aligned to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have been gathering in strength. There has been an outpouring of grief in France over the sacrifice of the two soldiers, but also criticism of the French tourists who were visiting an area subject to a travel warning by the foreign ministry. Leading French daily Le Figaro in an editorial Monday said the freeing of the tourists had "left a bitter taste". "This tragic event should serve as a warning to our tourists. Our forces are in Africa for a hard and long war and not to pay the price of carelessness," it wrote. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reprimanded the freed men, aged 51 and 46, for taking "significant risks" by visiting an area that was considered a "red" no-go zone under travel advice issued by his ministry. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticised Macron meanwhile for meeting the tourists at the plane that brought them back. "The president shouldn't have gone to greet them almost as if they were heroes," Le Pen told the BFM news channel in a weekend interview. - 'Fulfilled their destiny' - French officials have argued that the raid came in a key window of opportunity as the hostage-takers were planning to transfer their victims to Islamist groups in Mali aligned to either Al-Qaeda or Islamic State. Lassimouillas admitted that he and Picque should have taken into account the foreign ministry advisories, in a statement read out as the men arrived back in France. But Macron insisted that the men's lives had not been sacrificed. "A life that is halted, even in full youth, is not a life that is lost," he said. "Someone who dies in combat, fulfilling their duty, has not just fulfilled their duty but their destiny." He decorated both men posthumously as members of Legion d'honneur, France's highest honour. France's special forces units were in attendance for their fallen brothers in arms on Tuesday, prompting warnings to broadcasters not to show any faces that could jeopardise their safety. The hostages were snatched, and their local guide killed, by an armed group while visiting the Pendjari National Park in Benin which borders Burkina Faso. The deaths were a reminder of the risks encountered in the region by French forces, who have been deployed in the Sahel since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. A total of 26 French soldiers have died in the deployment including de Pierrepont and Bertoncello. Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels shut down one of Saudi Arabia's major oil pipelines Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers. Washington and Tehran played down tensions after trading barbs as the Americans sent an aircraft carrier group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the region to counter alleged threats from Saudi arch-rival Iran. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said "this face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war" with the United States. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter and OPEC kingpin, said two pumping stations had been targeted early Tuesday. They lie on the East West Pipeline, able to pump five million barrels of oil a day from oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea port. The announcement came hours after Yemen's Huthi rebels said they had targeted vital installations in Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against them. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said Saudi Aramco had "temporarily shut down" the pipeline to "evaluate its condition" but added that oil production and exports had not been interrupted. He said the incident was an "act of terrorism... that not only targets the kingdom but also the security of oil supplies to the world and the global economy". Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam tweeted that the attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against Yemenis. In a statement, the Huthis warned of other "unique operations... if the aggressors continue with their crimes and blockade". "We are capable of executing unique operations on a bigger and wider scale in the hearts of the enemy countries." - 'Sabotage attacks' - Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war in March 2015 to bolster the internationally recognised government's efforts against the Huthis. Story continues The 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) pipeline reportedly hit Tuesday serves as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the US. The reported pipeline attacks came after the UAE said four ships were damaged in "sabotage attacks" off the emirate of Fujairah, on the mouth of the Hormuz, on Sunday. Washington and its Gulf allies did not immediately blame Riyadh's regional arch-rival Tehran for the sabotage, but US President Donald Trump has warned Iran against doing anything to harm US interests. The attacks came after the United States deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault vessel, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers, triggering fears of a possible military confrontation. Trump later denied a New York Times report that he was considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump said. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." The international coalition in Iraq and Syria said its troops were not feeling any intensified threat from Iran in the region. "There has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," said Major General Chris Ghika, a British spokesman for the force. - 'Exercise restraint' - A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel. No casualties were reported and none of the vessels sank. An Emirati official said three Western countries -- the US, France and Norway -- would be part of an investigation into the ship attacks along with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh said its two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there was no oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the ship's hull had been pierced "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". Asked whether the US believed Iran played a role in the attacks, Washington's Iran envoy Brian Hook declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would help the investigation at the request of the UAE. The United Nations urged all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace". Oil prices initially spiked in response to news of the attacks, but were largely flat in trading on Tuesday. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran and the US have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. burs/dm/dv/rsc Rules on use of pension savings should boost housing demand. (PHOTO: AP/Wong Maye-E) By Pooja Thakur (Bloomberg) -- Singapores aging public housing has been a source of anxiety, for home owners and the government alike. Its become particularly acute in the lead up to national elections considering more than 40% of the populations wealth is tied up in real estate. There may be some relief, however, with the government announcing new rules for those willing to buy older properties. According to analysts, the changes should halt falling resale values and support dwindling buyer demand. From last week, would-be home buyers can unlock more of their retirement savings to pay for a property, so long as the remaining lease of that property is at least 20 years and covers the youngest buyer until theyre 95 years old. Under previous rules, pension fund usage restrictions were linked to the amount of time left on the lease rather than a buyers age. (In Singapore, around 80% of people live in Housing Development Board flats, which all come with a 99-year lease.) With many leases approaching the 40-year mark, the resale value of apartments has been dropping because there isnt clarity over what will happen at the end of the term. HDB unit resale prices fell 0.3% in the three months ended March, their third straight quarterly decline. HDB apartments with less than 60 years of residual lease made up 14% of resale transactions in the first quarter -- the highest percentage of older flats sold on record. By raising the age to 95, the pool of buyers who can utilize pension funds to buy older flats will increase, said Christine Sun, the head of research at OrangeTee & Tie Pte. The increased demand may stabilize the price gap between older and newer flats. The move is also politically prudent at a time the ruling Peoples Action Party party led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is headed for elections. Central Provident Fund monies are an important source of real estate funding: On average, more than S$10 billion ($7.3 billion) has been withdrawn each year for the past five years for property purchases. Story continues Supporting the value of older homes may boost demand for private homes -- which in Singapore are typically condominiums complete with pool, gym and other facilities -- as well. Thats because owners of older apartments may be able to sell them faster and then upgrade. The amended rules could potentially increase the pool of buyers and inject more liquidity into the resale market for older flats and private leasehold homes, said Nicholas Mak, an executive director at ZACD Group Ltd. This could help owners of older flats who previously found it challenging to sell. 2019 Bloomberg L.P SINGAPORE (May 14): Impossible Foods announced that it has raised US$300 million ($410.5 million) in its latest Series E funding round, led by existing investors Temasek and Horizon Ventures. See: Temasek-backed Impossible Foods to contest Bill Gates' Beyond Meat in Singapore Impossible Foods was launched in 2011 and is a Silicon Valley-based company that makes meat and dairy products from plants with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals. It uses modern science and technology to create wholesome food, restore natural ecosystems, and feed a growing population sustainably. Since its launch, it has raised a total of more than US$750 million. In this funding round, Impossible Foods intends to use the proceeds to accelerate the companys rapid scaleup, which will include accelerated hiring and capacity expansion at the companys plant in Oakland, California. The company is looking to hire at least 50 new employees at its plant in Oakland, which currently has about 70 full-time employees. The company is also adding a third shift and a second full line of production to help increase its capacity this year. In addition to blue-chip institutional investors, the Series E round saw several US celebrities and personalities investing in it, such as JAY-Z, Katy Perry, Serena Williams, Jaden Smith, Ruby Rosa, Trevor Noah, Zedd, will.i.am and many more. The latest funding round came on the back of Impossible Foods launching its products in Singapore earlier in March this year. Since its Singapore launch, the companys sales have surged more than threefold in Asia. Impossible is currently sold in several restaurants across Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau. Impossible Foods plans to launch the Impossible Burger in retail outlets this year. * Nexon parent delays deadline for main bids - sources * Shares of Nexon and its affiliates hit on deal uncertainty * Bidding pushed back for a week from originally planned - source (Updates with Nexon share price fall, adds analyst quote, background) SEOUL, May 14 (Reuters) - The parent of top South Korean gaming firm Nexon Co Ltd has delayed the bidding process scheduled this week for its controlling stake in the company, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, sending its shares sharply lower. Any postponement will raise concerns for the future of a deal that would rank as one of South Koreas biggest, and at potentially $16 billion, the biggest gaming deal worldwide. "How the deal is going forward is uncertain, that is hitting shares of Nexon companies that are responding a lot to news related to the sale," said Lee Chang-young, an analyst at Yuanta Securities. Nexon shares listed in Japan were down 5 percent as of 0437 GMT, while the broader Nikkei share average was 0.8 percent softer. Nexon affiliates Nexon GT and Nat Games both tumbled 19 percent after Reuters reported the postponement. One of the sources said the bidding, scheduled for Wednesday, had been postponed by one week. The sources did not elaborate on the reasons for the delay and declined to be identified because the matter was confidential. A spokeswoman for Nexon's holding firm, NXC Corp, declined to comment. Billionaire Jungju Kim is selling a 98.64 percent stake held by himself and his wife in NXC, the holding company that owns 48 percent of Nexon, whose Dungeon Fighter game is a smash hit in South Korea and China. Chinese gaming giant Tencent, South Korean tech firms Netmarble and Kakao, as well as private equity firms Bain Capital, MBK Partners and KKR submitted initial bids in February, sources told Reuters previously. Tencent is seen as the key to any deal since it owns the exclusive China licence for Dungeon Fighter. Neople, the Nexon unit that developed the game, generated 1.24 trillion won ($1 billion) in revenue from Tencent in 2018, up 17 percent year on year, under a publishing deal which is effective till 2025, according to Neople's public filings. ($1 = 1,186.9000 won) (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Ju-min Park; Editing by Stephen Coates) The International Monetary Fund Tuesday released a long-delayed loan instalment to Sri Lanka, providing financial relief to a government still reeling from the Easter Sunday bombings that claimed 258 lives. The Washington-based lender said it was releasing $164.1 million to Sri Lanka under a three-year $1.5 billion bailout that was suspended in October during a power struggle between the president and the prime minister. With the status quo restored, the administration has been able to present a "well-targeted 2019 budget, rebuilding reserves, while maintaining a prudent monetary policy", said IMF deputy managing director Mitsuhiro Furusawa. The power struggle was resolved after the Supreme Court ruled that President Maithripala Sirisena violated the constitution by sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government. The loan programme, begun in June 2016, would be extended by a further year, the IMF said. Sri Lanka estimates that it will lose about $1.5 million in revenue this year as a result of a sharp dip in tourist arrivals following the April 21 suicide bombings. The bombings, blamed on a local jihadi group, targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels. During the political crisis in the final quarter of 2018, three international credit rating agencies downgraded the country's debt making it more expensive to borrow abroad. Official figures show that Sri Lanka will have to repay a record $5.9 billion in foreign loans in 2019. The IMF also renewed its call to the Sri Lankan government to restructure the loss-making national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines, which has accumulated losses and debts of over $2 billion. The government has failed to privatise the airline, but the president has revived attempts to find a partner who could inject new capital to keep the airline afloat. Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah today assured that the GPS government has no problem with PH federal ministers visiting the state. Bernama pic KUCHING, May 14 Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah today assured that the state Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government has no problem with Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal ministers visiting the state. He said the state government will provide the necessary logistic support if the PH federal ministers are on official visits or site inspections of federal-funded projects. He said the arrangement can be made provided that their schedules and requests are sent in advance to the state protocol and event management unit of the chief ministers office. Our cooperation, however, is only for official functions and not political programmes, he told reporters after a meeting with Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Eddin Syazlee Shith here. Uggah said the state government has always maintained its friendly relationship with federal government in mutually beneficial policies, plans and programmes, though both are under different political coalitions. He said he and federal Works Baru Bian are the joint chairmen of the state and federal government action committee to monitor the successful implementation of all federal projects in the state. At the meeting, Uggah also told Eddin that Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) Sarawak needed to do more by providing more coverage and disseminate information on the ongoing fight against the rabies outbreak in the state. He expressed his disappointment over the little coverage that the RTM had provided to the state anti- rabies operation since last year. The anti-rabies operation is not a state political programme of GPS, Uggah, who is also the state disaster and relief committee chairman, stressed. He said federal agencies like the national disaster management committee (NADMA), ministry of health, department of veterinary services, police, military, fire and rescue department and the civil defence force are working closely with the state government. He expressed his regret that RTM did not send its officials to attend meetings of the state disaster management committee. Story continues This is sad as we need to communicate our strategies of dealing with the outbreak to the people, especially in the rural areas, he said, adding that he wants any miscommunication or misunderstanding with RTM can be resolved. State Corporate Affairs and Communications Assistant Minister Abdullah Saidol, who was present, urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the police to take stern and immediate action against those posting incendiary religious or racial issues in the social media. Serious immediate action must be taken against the perpetrators who can create disunity, instability and suspicion in our plural society, he said, adding that they are as dangerous as those suicide bombers or those going on killing sprees. He said immediate action should be taken against any report lodged with MCMC and police, and not be considered as mere political play acting. Related Articles After a year as Penang CM, Kon Yeow eager to see fruits of past labour Big fishes nabbed, charged in Pakatans first-year rule: Who else besides Najib, Rosmah? Darell: Federal govt supports Perlis industrial development plan Thailands industrial property sector is profiting from the US-China trade war, as mainland Chinese manufacturers shift production to Southeast Asia in an attempt to avoid escalating tariffs. Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) into the sector rose last year by 31.7 per cent to US$233 million, after declining by 15.7 per cent in 2016-17, according to Bank of Thailand data. In the same period, total FDI into Thailand skyrocketed by 130.5 per cent year on year, after rising by two-thirds in 2016-17. Chinese investment accounted for 4.3 per cent of total FDI last year and 7.6 per cent in 2016-17. The data, cited in a report by real-estate services company CBRE released last week, suggests FDI into Thailands manufacturing sector was increasing before the trade war too, and is now seeing increased participation from China. Last year, sales of serviced industrial land plots privately owned industrial estates by major developers in Thailand increased by 50 per cent year on year, to total 160 hectares, CBRE said. One park, specifically developed for Chinese manufacturers by Thai industrial estates provider Amata, accounted for 15 per cent of the total sales last year. In another instance, Guangxi Construction Engineering Group, one of Chinas largest construction companies, formed a joint venture with CP Land, the property arm of Thai conglomerate Chareon Pokphand Group, to build the CPGC Industrial Estate in Rayong in eastern Thailand last August. The 490 hectare space cost 10 billion baht (US$314.8 million) to develop and was built to attract investors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in smart electronics, medical hubs, digital and robotics. CBRE also said China could be in line to take over from Japan, which has been the largest source of investment into Thailand since the late 1980s. Andrew Gulbrandson, head of research for real estate services company JLL, however, said that even though Chinese investment in industrial properties will continue to grow, it would take quite a stretch for Chinese investment to overtake Japanese investment any time soon. Story continues Total FDI into Thailand last year amounted to US$235 billion, with Japan contributing US$86.6 billion, the largest chunk, or about 37 per cent. China accounted for US$4.9 billion, said Gulbrandson. Between 2013 and 2018, investment by both countries grew at similar rates, by 34 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively. Investment from Hong Kong doubled from US$8 billion to US$16 billion in the same time period, making the growth of investment from the region more impressive, said Gulbrandson. The investment from Hong Kong could also be due to offshoring of mainland Chinese investments, he said. And although the trade war is helping to drive investment into Southeast Asia, factors such as rising labour costs in China and a broad diversification of Chinese manufacturing to reduce future risks will be key to determining growth in investment in industrial property in Thailand. E-commerce will also play a part in driving Chinese demand for space and logistics in Thailand. Chinese e-commerce companies are going to drive the demand for modern logistics properties in Thailand, said Adam Bell, head of advisory and transaction services, industrial and logistics, CBRE Thailand. Joint ventures were announced last year between WHA, Thailands biggest modern logistics properties developer, and two of Chinas biggest e-commerce companies, Alibaba and JD.com, for the development of e-commerce fulfilment centres, he said. Alibaba Group Holding owns the South China Morning Post. This article Escalating trade war a boon for Thailand industrial property as Chinese manufacturers shift production overseas first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. File photo SINGAPORE While a family of three from India were on holiday in Singapore to celebrate the birthday of one of them, they decided to also go on a shoplifting spree. The trio - a man, his mother and aunt - stole items including $4,201.60 worth of chocolates and clothes from retail chain Marks & Spencer and cosmetics from apparel store H&M over the five days that they were in Singapore. Abhishek Bipin Bhanushali, 24, was jailed for two weeks while his mother Darshana Bipin Bhanushali, 43, was fined $4,000, and his aunt, Narula Bhakti Raman, 54, was fined $5,000. Abhishek, who is a maritime naval academy student in Mumbai, pleaded guilty to two counts of shop theft with common intention, with two counts of a similar nature taken into consideration. His mother, a nurse, admitted to one count of theft while his aunt, a housewife, pleaded guilty to one count of theft, with another count taken into consideration for sentencing. The trio arrived in Singapore on 1 April to celebrate Abhisheks birthday. They shoplifted merchandise from shopping malls at Vivocity, the Marina Bay Sands and ION Orchard. On 4 April, they entered H&M at ION Orchard at about 9.30pm and began stuffing cosmetics into a handbag when no one was looking. The next day, the trio entered the Marks & Spencers shop at Vivocity where they hid chocolates in a bag. The sales manager made a police report later. Court documents did not reveal how she came to be aware of the theft. On 6 April, the police raided the hotel room in Dunlop Street where the trio were staying and found more than 50 chocolate items, including boxes and packets of Swiss, Belgian, and Italian chocolate, and clothing worth $650.10. The chocolate items were worth around $400. The police also found more than 200 cosmetics and accessories worth $3,551.50, including lip colour, nail polish, mascara and liquid foundation products. The trio were placed under arrest. In mitigation, Amarjit Singh, lawyer for the trio, said his clients had no prior conviction, cooperated with the authorities and were remorseful for their actions. Story continues Other Singapore stories Secret society member gets jail, caning over fatal assault outside St James nightclub Man jailed 29 years for sexually abusing daughter since she was 5 2 Nigerian men charged in Singapore over role in transnational love scams Applications for DSA to JCs, early admissions to ITEs and polytechnics to begin Moroccos automotive sector exports doubled from 161 billion dirhams in 2013 to 240 billion dirhams in 2018, thus becoming Moroccos leading exporting sector ahead of phosphates and agriculture. With more than 65.1 billion dirhams worth of exports, the automotive sector came ahead of phosphates and derivatives (43.4 billion dirhams), textile (38.6 billion dirhams) food industry (13.4 billion dirhams) and other industries such as food and aerospace. Morocco has created automotive industrial clusters employing some 85,000 and allowing an increase of the local sourcing rate of cars produced in Morocco to 50%. French giants Renault and Peugeot launched investments in Morocco, which prepares to export 1 million cars by 2022. Renault is now producing 12% of its cars globally in its Tangier factory. Peugeot is expected to launch production soon this year in its plant in Kenitra with a goal of reaching a production of 200,000 cars annually. Chinas Byd, is also on its way to launch production of electrical vehicles in the country. Speaking on US talk show Ellen, Hollywood actor George Clooney singled out Malaysia and Indonesia as among countries purportedly considering death penalty for homosexuality. Reuters pic KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 The hotels boycott that forced the Sultan of Brunei to back down from imposing the death penalty for homosexuality will serve as warning for other countries considering this, US actor-producer George Clooney said. Speaking on US talk show Ellen, the Hollywood celebrity singled out Malaysia and Indonesia as among countries purportedly considering such laws. Clooney earlier said that while shaming was ineffective from deterring countries from pushing such laws, going after their finances and business ties have now been shown to work in forcing them to reconsider. [...] And more important is the reason for this is this is something that is manageable, because it sends a warning shot over to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia who also are considering these laws, that the business people, the big banks , those guys are going to say dont even get into that business, so thats the reason you do it, the Hollywood celebrity said. Brunei controversially announced on April 3 that it was imposing death by stoning for homosexuals as part of the countrys shariah laws. This triggered an international outcry and boycott of hotels Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah owned across the world, leading to the Brunei ruler to announce a moratorium on the penalty this month. The way you make it difficult is by boycotting his hotels. That doesn't matter so much to a rich guy, you cant shame the bad guys, but you can shame the people who do business with them. And when the banks and financial institutions started saying well, we are out of the Brunei business, then he backed off, and changed and said put a moratorium on it, Clooney said, referring to Brunei-owned hotels such as the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and the Dorchester in London. Malaysia does not have laws against homosexuality per se but criminalises unnatural sex in its Penal Code. The Sultan of Brunei passed a law that made being gay punishable by death. George Clooney spoke up. I couldnt be more grateful. pic.twitter.com/TYZNdrHMN8 Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 9, 2019 Related Articles George Clooney returns to television with Catch 22 Sudan military rulers want Shariah law to guide legislation under interim government Brunei accused of abusive lobbying before critical EU vote Gather round citizens, for global superstar George Clooney, 90s heart-throb, 2000s serious movie star, and 2010s husband of human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, has done that thing that we seriously love hes gone and mentioned Malaysia on one of his celebrity talk show interviews. Not just any talk show Ellen the globally broadcast phenomenon slash midday mana when youre sat at home on a Tuesday trying to sweat out your flu/hangover. Only, he not telling TVs most generous host about the great time he had in Langkawi, or about an orangutan conservation he just built. Nope hes singled out both Malaysia and Indonesia, and aligned both of us with our neighbor Brunei, who recently introduced harsh punishments as part of their Sharia Law roll-out, and recently backtracked on them. Peep this first: The Sultan of Brunei passed a law that made being gay punishable by death. George Clooney spoke up. I couldnt be more grateful. pic.twitter.com/TYZNdrHMN8 Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 9, 2019 OK recap: A couple months ago when Sharia Law punishments came into effect in the Sultanate of Brunei, many members of the international community were alarmed to hear that among the punishments that would now be meted out was the stoning to death of homosexuals. For the record, being a homosexual in Malaysia is not illegal, but sodomy is thanks, colonialism! Many Hollywood elite were appalled to find out that the owner of beloved haunts that include the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, and the Dorchester in London was none other than the man behind the stoning laws himself, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. The called for a boycotting of his hotels and businesses. The way you make it difficult is by boycotting his hotels. That doesnt matter so much to a rich guy, you cant shame the bad guys, but you can shame the people who do business with them. Story continues And when the banks and financial institutions started saying well, we are out of the Brunei business, then he backed off, and changed and said put a moratorium on it, Clooney told fellow boycotter Ellen, and in effect hundreds of millions of views across the world. Now things took a turn for the interesting when Clooney claimed that shaming was ineffective in passive-aggressively making countries change their policies, but as it were the Hollywood muscle guiding spending was, and showed their celebrity embargo mattered. He went on: it sends a warning shot over to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia who also are considering these laws, that the business people, the big banks, those guys are going to say dont even get into that business, so thats the reason you do it. Right. George. Jorge. Sit down. Can we talk? While Malaysia is a Muslim nation, only one state rules with strict Islamic laws Kelantan. We are certainly guilty of failing our LGBTQ+ community, and this is something that this publication talks about at least once a month, usually appalled, and always disappointed. However, were a long way from stoning anyone to death. Geez. Local activists have weighed in on the matter, with Numan Afifi, president of the LGBT+ advocacy Pelangi Campaign in Malaysia, telling Reuters. I call on George Clooney and Hollywood to listen and work together with local activists and human rights defenders on the ground. Local activists have been putting their lives at risk on the ground working, for years, Afifi said. His statement, while well-meaning, might also be counterproductive for our case. This article, George Clooney gives Malaysia and Indonesia a shout-out on Ellen, and its not for our great food, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! The active ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup is glyphosate, one of the world's most widely used herbicides that has become highly controversial because of claims of its links to cancer. A San Francisco court this week ordered Bayer-owned Monsanto to pay more than $2 billion in damages to a couple who claimed the product caused their cancer, in the third such ruling since August 2018. The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer found in 2015 that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic", and there have been some attempts around the world to stop its use. However the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said this month that the herbicide is unlikely to cause cancer in humans, although it recommended measures to prevent potential ecological risks. Here is a broad overview of the state of play regarding glyphosate around the world. - United States - German pharmaceutical firm Bayer, which bought Monsanto last year, announced in April 2019 that over 13,000 lawsuits related to the weed killer had been launched in the United States. California in July 2017 became the first US state to list glyphosate as carcinogenic, a measure that did not result in a state-wide ban but requires companies selling it to flag warnings. In August 2018 a California jury found Monsanto guilty of failing to warn a dying school groundskeeper that Roundup and its professional grade version RangerPro might cause cancer, saying they contributed "substantially" to his terminal illness. The lawsuit was the first to accuse the product of causing cancer and Monsanto was ordered to pay $78.5 million in compensation. In March 2019 the company lost another case to an American retiree who blamed his cancer on the weedkiller, and was ordered by a court to pay $80 million. - Europe - After two years of fierce debate, the European Union's member states decided at the end of 2017 to renew the licence for glyphosate for another five years. This was despite the objections of France and eight other member states. The EU's executive body, the European Commission, pointed to the approval of glyphosate by its two scientific agencies, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency, which do not classify the substance as carcinogenic. But the independence of EFSA was questioned after media reports suggested that pages of its report were copied and pasted from analyses in a 2012 Monsanto study. The French government promised in May 2018 that glyphosate would be banned "for its main uses" by 2021, and "for all of its uses" within five years. In January 2019 French authorities banned the sale of Roundup Pro 360. - Latin America - Colombia outlawed aerial spraying of glyphosate in 2015, but President Ivan Duque in March 2019 called for the ban to be modified in order tackle record cocaine crops. In agriculture powerhouse Brazil, a major user of the weedkiller, in August 2018 suspended licenses for products containing glyphosate, pending a toxicological re-evaluation. Another court lifted the suspension the following month saying it was not justified. In some areas of Argentina there have been clashes between farmers for whom the product is indispensable and residents concerned about their health, with some restrictions applied at a local level. El Salvador's parliament voted in 2013 to ban 53 agrochemical products, including those containing glyphosate. However the ban was later lifted on 11 products -- including the weedkiller. - Asia - The Sri Lankan government banned glyphosate imports in October 2015 following a campaign over fears that the chemical causes chronic kidney disease. It backtracked in July 2018 but limited use to tea and rubber plantations. In March Vietnam also decided to ban products containing glyphosate. Hong Kong investors are renewing their interest in Singapore, betting property prices will recover in the second half of this year, according to property consultants. Just 29 homes were sold to Hong Kong buyers in 2018, some 42 per cent fewer than the previous year, after the Singaporean government introduced cooling measures to curb foreign buying demand. The Additional Buyers Stamp Duty for foreign buyers was increased to 20 per cent from 15 per cent in July last year, while the loan-to-value limit was reduced by five percentage points for all housing loans. Individual borrowers loan limit on first housing loans was reduced to 75 per cent from 80 per cent, dropping to 45 per cent from 50 per cent for a second loan. We expect by the end of the second quarter of this year, property prices in Singapore will increase by 5 per cent, mainly due to an increase in prices of new developments and collective en bloc property sales, said Terence Law, senior principal project director at Centaline Property Agency. Singapores property prices have continued to fall since the last quarter of 2018, declining 0.7 per cent between the final quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019, but Colliers International estimates home prices will stabilise in the second half of 2019 and grow 1 per cent overall. Hong Kong buyers are likely to flock to the Singapore market while prices were still low, Law said. Meanwhile, Colliers International estimates Singapore home prices will stabilise by the second half of this year as it expects the market to have digested the cooling measures. The announcement of an additional S$9 billion (US$6.6 billion) in investment from the citys two integrated resorts could boost gross domestic product growth and employment, spurring confidence in the property market and attracting foreign interest, it said. In comparison Hong Kong property prices have rallied since a 9 per cent price dip between August and December last year, with median home prices rising 5 per cent in the first quarter of 2019. Story continues The Swiss bank UBS has since said Hong Kongs property bull market has another 10 years to run. Notwithstanding the cooling measures that may be prohibitive for foreigners, we believe the similarities between Singapore and Hong Kong ... will still attract more Hongkongers to Singapore, said Tricia Song, director and head of research at Colliers International Singapore. Centaline said currently about 15 per cent of foreign buyers in Singapore were from Hong Kong and China and expects these numbers to remain stable. Hong Kong buyers are the sixth largest group of buyers of Singaporean property, after China, Indonesia, the US, Malaysia and India, according to data from Colliers International In the medium to long term, our outlook for the Singaporean property market is largely positive, especially considering that property prices are still reasonable for Hongkongers, said Law. Homes in the affluent Bukit Timah area and Marina Bay along the financial district are the most popular among Hong Kong and mainland Chinese buyers, he added. On Saturday, Centaline began marketing 30 units at Aurum Lands The Hyde development on Balmoral Road, Bukit Timah, ranging from 496 square feet to 1,798 sq ft at prices starting from S$2,600 (US$1,907) per sq ft. The smallest unit costs S$1.28 million or HK$7.39 million. For a similar budget, Hongkongers can buy a 320 sq ft unit at The Avenue next to Wan Chai MTR station. There are a limited number of new units available in Bukit Timah, even on the second-hand market, so we expect the Hong Kong sale will do well, said David Hui, Centalines general manager in Singapore. Foreign buyers made up 18 per cent of first hand sales in Singapore last year and the numbers have stayed the same in the first quarter of this year, he said. The Hyde is built on freehold land, which is another draw for foreign buyers. Freehold property is inheritable and there are no restrictions on the right of the property owner to further transfer the property. In Singapore, 80 per cent of land is leasehold, held under 99-year or 999-year leases, after which ownership reverts back to the government. More from South China Morning Post: This article Hong Kong investors take advantage of a correction in Singapores property prices first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. US President Donald Trump on Monday praised Hungary's hardline authoritarian Viktor Orban as a leader respected throughout Europe who kept his country safe with his crackdown on immigration. "Viktor Orban has done a tremendous job in so many different ways," Trump told reporters ahead of Oval Office talks with the controversial prime minister. "Respected all over Europe," Trump said, adding: "Probably like me a little bit controversial, but that's okay. You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe." Trump gave Orban a warm welcome at the White House, where they were planning discussions on European regional issues, NATO, energy and trade. The two share similar stances on immigration and both are critics of NATO and the European Union, while seeking better ties with Moscow. "I know he's a tough man, but he's a respected man, and he's done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration," Trump added. "You look at some of the problems they have in Europe that are tremendous, because they have done it a different way than the prime minister." The one-on-one talks with Trump offer the eurosceptic Orban a podium less than two weeks before EU parliamentary elections in which far-right parties are expected to make a strong showing. "I would like to express that we are proud to stand together with the United States on fighting against illegal migration, on terrorism and to protect and help the Christian communities around the world," Orban told reporters. Trump replied: "You have been great with respect to Christian communities. You have really put a block up, and we appreciate that very much." - Controversial visit - The runup to the visit drew strong criticism from Democrats and activists who accused Trump of giving a platform to an anti-democratic leader. US ties with Budapest were chilly under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, who often chided Orban for cracking down on civil liberties and freedom of the press in Hungary. But Washington reversed course under Trump, whose anti-immigration campaign echoes Orban's, as well as what his critics say is an alignment with white Christian nationalists. Trump has shown a preference for authoritarian leaders over Washington's traditional Western allies, as underscored by his warm welcomes for Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House. "Hungary's prime minister does not belong in the Oval Office," Rob Berschinski, of Human Rights First, and Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands wrote in a Washington Post opinion column. "The visit is a grievous mistake -- not just because it will be seen as an endorsement of a leader who has successfully dismantled a democracy, but also because it will signal affirmation of an agenda that is fundamentally threatening to transatlantic security." In a letter ahead of the visit, several Democratic lawmakers said Trump should postpone their meeting until Orban "returns his country to the path of democracy and respect for human rights." A police officer checks the travel documents and passports of passengers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Reuters pic KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador today said that the police have crippled a human-trafficking syndicate that attempted to smuggle Sri Lankan migrants using fake Malaysian passports. Abdul Hamid said during an operation conducted on April 30, police detained two women a Sri Lankan and a Malaysian as they were about to leave for a European country using fake Malaysian passports at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Four other suspects, including three Sri Lankans and a German, were arrested at various locations in the city for suspected involvement in human trafficking on the same day. In a follow-up operation on May 2, the police arrested and detained another five suspects two Malaysians and three Sri Lankans in the vicinity of Selayang, Selangor. Of the total 11 arrested, five will be investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and the Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, Abdul Hamid said in a statement today. He said the six Sri Lankan migrants will be prosecuted under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering and leaving the country via an unauthorised point. With the arrests, the police believe they have successfully crippled a human-trafficking syndicate which has been in operation since mid-last year, with a network stretching across Sri Lanka, Europe and Malaysia. Efforts to trace and counter migrant-smuggling syndicates will be continuously done by the police, Abdul Hamid said. Related Articles Special Branch officers just doing their job, says IGP after personnel barred from Warisan events in Sabah G25: IPCMC will end Malaysias image as police state Police give nod for IPCMC, IGP says it will not erode powers An Indonesian mans attempt to fly home free of charge was foiled yesterday morning, when airplane technicians found him hiding in the landing gear of a plane parked in Penang International Airport. Officials say that he was found when the cargo plane was undergoing maintenance at 10am yesterday, and was spotted by a worker who immediately called security. He has since been handed over to police for charges related to trespassing. Following the suspects arrest, Penang police report that the 39-year-old man had been working at a local poultry processing factory, and could not afford the cost of the ticket home to Medan, Indonesia where he is from. The cheapest direct flight to Medan from Penang, leaving later tonight that we could find online will set you back RM84 (US$21). The standard air temperature of a plane traveling at 35,000ft (10,700m) is around -54C. At this altitude, oxygen levels drop to about 26% of those at sea level, making it not only freezing cold, but also less oxygen saturated than at the peak of Mount Everest. What are the odds of survival for a stowaway who climbs into the small space above a wheel? Well, assuming theyre not crushed to death when the landing gear comes up or they dont fall out as it lowers ahead of landing, chances of surviving that flight are pretty small. This article, Indonesian man found hiding in Penang plane landing gear in attempt to fly back to Medan, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! Clooney in late March led calls for a boycott of nine hotels owned by Brunei because of plans by the South-east Asian country to impose the death penalty including by stoning for gay sex or adultery as it rolled out further Islamic laws. Reuters pic PUTRAJAYA, May 14 Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya today sought to correct the viewpoints of popular Hollywood actor George Clooney, pointing out that Malaysia does not kill, and will not resort to killing sexual minorities. He said that though such lifestyles deviate from Islam, the government would not impose such a punishment on the group. "No, I feel we have to hold on to our principles as a sovereign nation. An Islamic nation. But we do not at all support such a thing. "So I think, in this matter, we will take a stand as Malaysia, a country that holds on to the principles of constitutional monarchy, with Islam being the official religion. "Therefore, things which oppose the norms of religion, we will definitely oppose," Marzuki said when met at Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (PPBM) breaking of fast event at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here. "Yes, better for him to be aware of what he says," Marzuki said, when asked if he is correcting Clooney's remark. Earlier, the US actor and producer had in an interview on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he said that the hotels boycott that forced the Sultan of Brunei to back down from imposing the death penalty for homosexuality will serve as warning to other countries considering the same legislation. The Hollywood A-lister celebrity singled out Malaysia and Indonesia as among countries purportedly considering such laws. Clooney earlier said that while shaming was ineffective from deterring countries from pushing such laws, going after their finances and business ties have now been shown to work in forcing them to reconsider. [...] And more important is the reason for this is this is something that is manageable, because it sends a warning shot over to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia who also are considering these laws, that the business people, the big banks , those guys are going to say dont even get into that business, so thats the reason you do it, Clooney said. Story continues Brunei controversially announced on April 3 that it was imposing death by stoning for homosexuals as part of the countrys Shariah laws. This triggered an international outcry and boycott of hotels owned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah around the world, leading to the Brunei ruler to announce a moratorium on the penalty this month. Malaysia does not have laws against homosexuality per se but criminalises unnatural sex in its Penal Code. Related Articles George Clooney misfires among LGBT+ activists over warning shot to Malaysia, Indonesia Clooney mahu boikot Malaysia dan Indonesia jika mahu rejam gay George Clooney: Brunei boycott over gay death penalty 'warning shot' to Malaysia, Indonesia (VIDEO) Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had made it his main agenda to spur the economy with increased foreign investments. Picture by Miera Zulyana KOTA KINABALU, May 14 Sabahans are divided on positive changes the ruling Warisan-led state government has made to their lives since being voted into power 12 months ago. But on the plus side, analysts Malay Mail contacted said the new regime has not made life any worse since the Barisan Nasionals drubbing in the May 2018 general election. The biggest public complaint concern the unfulfilled pledges on autonomy and healing the local economy made by the ruling Warisan-Pakatan Harapan joint government, with similar promises by the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. Both made the same promises but the restored rights remain unfulfilled, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said in a recent interview. I think Sabahans are willing to give the Warisan-led state government a chance to perform, but federally with Dr Mahathir back in charge, it is the same old, same old again of Sabah often accorded with false hopes of autonomy, he said, referring to the federal Pakatan Harapan (PH) government under Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Oh said that where time is concerned, voters are willing to be generous considering the excesses suffered under the previous regime, but added that both the federal and state governments need to do more to stimulate the local economy in order to regain public confidence. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had made it his main agenda to spur the economy with increased foreign investments, particularly those that would boost downstreaming activities and provide jobs for the youth. Universiti Teknologi MARA academic Tony Paridi Bagang said 12 months is still too early for locals to evaluate the performance of the people they voted into power. But we have seen efforts taken by the government such as to fight continuously on the state's position in line with MA63, land issues and proactive move to bring more investments to the state some decisions have been made by the government but yet to see the significant outcomes, the administrative science and policy studies lecturer said. Story continues I think they are trying their best to meet peoples expectations. It just that, not many translated into outcomes. The government must now move from rhetoric to action, he added. Sabahs thorny issues Warisans delay in appointing Development and Security Committees and village chiefs upon taking government meant they did not get off to a running start, on top of high living costs remain the biggest public gripes post-GE14, Bagang said. Murmurs of discontent remain with the public, even though data on local businesses show employment opportunities are hard to come by in a flagging economy affected by a worldwide slowdown. Another issue that continues to be a thorn in their side is trying to solve the perennial illegal immigrant presence in Sabah, known locally as Pendatang Tanpa Izin or PTI for short. The pemutihan is a pragmatic effort but people still want something that is more firm ie enforcement, said Bagang, referring to the governments effort to legalise stateless children born to one local parent as well as keep track of foreigners working in the plantation industry. But any effort to solve the illegal immigration problem will meet hurdles as the Warisan government continue to be hit with claims they are awarding citizenship to illegal immigrants a long-standing social phobia in Sabah after Projek IC, a controversial naturalisation project that began during Dr Mahathirs first time as prime minister under the BN regime. Universiti Malaysia Sabah lecturer Lee Kuok Tiung said that any action taken by Shafie, who is Warisan president, is overshadowed by PTI issues. He is continuously overshadowed by the PTI issues as we all know that today we're living in a social media driven world and cannot control the content. He might have done something that is important to Sabah but there are still negative perceptions and a lot of skepticism when it comes to the PTI, Lee said of Shafie. To complicate matters further, efforts to address the problem is often scrutinised heavily by detractors who sometimes play the race card. Even before the May 9 polls last year, the BN state government and other Opposition parties linked Shafie to the immigrant Suluk community, descendants of the southern Philippines seen as derogatory by other native races. When Shafie became chief minister on May 12 last year, allegations of misconduct and illegals suddenly obtaining documents grew more rampant. Lee also said that there is also the problem where criticism is trained on Shafie and very little on the rest of his state Cabinet despite the chief ministers bid to be more inclusive by creating nominated assemblymen and representative of more races. During the previous state government administration, the coverage among the Sabah's state government seemed more spread out and equal. In Shafie's Cabinet, the visibility among its members is imbalanced giving the public the impression that some are performing while others are not, he said. Lee also said that a few members of Shafies Cabinet have been tarred by rumours of corruption and cronyism, adding that such speculation has coloured the publics perception of a clean Malaysia Baharu state government. Malay Mail polled people between the lower to middle income bracket, responses ranged from disappointment to indifference and satisfaction among those who have found favour with the new government. Some have remained optimistic that the state government could pull up their socks and affect change but have to be mindful not to take on undesirable characteristics of the previous government. The most common denominators in the conversations have been increase of racial sentiments, the progress with reinstating the states rights and no difference in the burden of the cost of living. The Sabah government consists of Warisan along with PH allies DAP and PKR and local party United Pasok Momogun Kadazanmurut Organisation. Related Articles Jaujan: Sabah village leaders who abuse power will be stripped of posts Sabah CM congratulates DAPs Vivian Wong on win After long wait, villagers in Tongod get their land titles from Sabah CM SINGAPORE, May 14 (Reuters) - Malaysia's state oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Bhd has temporarily shut the Sabah-Sarawak pipeline that feeds gas to its liquefied natural gas (LNG) complex at Bintulu in the state of Sarawak, two industry sources said on Tuesday. The 500-km (310-mile) pipeline that transports gas from Kimanis in Sabah state to the LNG plant in Sarawak was shut from the start of May for repairs that will take about two months, one of the sources with knowledge of the matter said. This has slowed production at the Bintulu plant, and potentially will curb spot LNG exports from Malaysia, a second source told Reuters. Petronas, as the state company is typically known, did not respond to a query from Reuters on the matter. Malaysia's monthly LNG exports fell to a four-year low in July last year, after a gas leak in the pipeline disrupted supplies to the LNG plant. The exports have since recovered and were up more than 50% in April this year from the low hit in July 2018, according to Refinitiv Eikon shipping data. (Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan and Florence Tan; Additional reporting by Emily Chow in KUALA LUMPUR; Editing by Tom Hogue) The military offensive launched by the Libyan National Army of field Marshal Khalifa Haftar on Tripoli threatens international peace and security and undermines Libyas stability, warned on Tuesday the European Union. The LNA military attack on Tripoli and the subsequent escalation in and around the capital constitutes a threat to international peace and security and further threatens the stability of Libya, said the EU Foreign Affairs Council in a statement. The EU reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya, added the EU foreign ministers, calling on all parties to immediately implement a ceasefire and to engage with the United Nations to ensure a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities. They also called on all Libyan parties to dissociate themselves both publicly and on the ground from terrorist and criminal elements involved in the fighting, and from those suspected of war crimes, including individuals listed by the UN Security Council. The EU is deeply concerned at the loss of human life, the growing number of internally displaced persons and the impact on migration flows, said the EU foreign Affairs Council. It urged all Libyan parties to protect civilians, including migrants and refugees, by allowing and facilitating a safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and services to all those affected, and as stipulated under the International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. The EU warned that indiscriminate attacks on densely populated residential areas may amount to war crimes. Those breaching International Humanitarian Law must be held to account. The European bloc affirmed that there is no military solution to the crisis in Libya and urged all parties to re-commit to the UN-facilitated political dialogue and work towards a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in the country. My Rendang Isnt Crispy will be out in Asia on July 1. Picture from Facebook/That Rendang Lady PETALING JAYA, May 14 In 2018, Malaysians were introduced to the unthinkable notion of crispy rendang by the judges on MasterChef UK. This resulted in contestant Zaleha Kadir Olpin getting eliminated from the reality cooking competition. The Bristol-based Malaysian cook failed to impress judge Gregg Wallace for serving nasi lemak without crispy skin chicken rendang despite serving the dish the way her mum did. Wallaces comments subsequently unleashed a barrage of criticism from Malaysians back home, including several public figures such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and even the British High Commissioner to Malaysia. A year later, the amateur Kuantan-born cook is back on her feet and has launched her maiden cookbook with a cheeky title to boot My Rendang Isnt Crispy. Zaleha made the announcement on Facebook on Sunday. I cannot tell you how excited I am feeling right now! From months of hard work to finally being able to hold it in my hands I just hope you will enjoy and appreciate it, she wrote. The collection of Zalehas favourite Malaysian dishes will be launched in Asia on July 1 and on September 16 in the UK. To my Asia followers check out my story highlight to order yours online from Marshall Cavendish Singapore. I will update more details soon, Zaleha wrote. Related Articles Will crispy chicken rendang diplomacy ever apply to water? Azira Aziz Thinking about rendang Now, you can eat crispy rendang (VIDEO) North Korea on Tuesday demanded the return of a cargo ship seized by Washington last week for violating international sanctions, calling it an "unlawful and outrageous act". On Friday, the US Justice Department said it had taken possession of the North Korea-registered bulk carrier M/V Wise Honest, one year after it was detained in Indonesia, citing illicit sanctions-busting activities. It was the first time a North Korean cargo vessel had been seized by the US for sanctions violations, after several years of high seas cat-and-mouse games in which Korean shippers disguised vessels, used false flags and turned off their tracking transponders to avoid discovery. A spokesman for the North's foreign ministry slammed the move on Tuesday, saying it was an "outright denial" of the spirit of a statement signed by leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump at their landmark summit in Singapore last June. "The United States committed an unlawful and outrageous act of dispossessing our cargo ship... linking the ship to the 'sanctions resolutions' of the United Nations Security Council," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The move was an "extension of the American method" of seeking to bring Pyongyang "to its knees" through maximum pressure, he said. "The US should ponder over the consequences its heinous act might have on the future developments and immediately return our ship," the statement added. North Korea is sanctioned under multiple UN Security Council resolutions for its nuclear and missile programmes, and lifting of some of the measures was a key demand at a second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi in February that ultimately broke down without a deal. The announcement of the US seizure of the vessel came as tensions rose over Pyongyang's test launches of short-range missiles last week. Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes spokesman Salvador Panelo on Tuesday tried to play down fears that sweeping victories for Senate candidates allied to the strongman leader would lead to a rubber-stamp Congress. No Senate has ever been under any president. They always rise above partisan considerations when issues involve national interests, security, and the interests of the Filipino people, said Panelo. His statements came as the presidents ruling coalition was poised to dominate both chambers, especially the Senate. As of Tuesday night, only one opposition senator, Senator Paulo Benigno Bam Aquino IV, had a fighting chance of claiming one of the 12 Senate seats up for grabs. Panelo credited the near rout to the Duterte magic and the Filipino yearning for stability and continuity of the genuine reforms that the administration started. They yearn for a constructive not obstructionist Senate, which will help in crafting the presidents legislative agenda, he said. Critics of the Duterte administration, however, credited the performance to the millions of pesos that Duterte-backed candidates spent on advertising early last year. Duterte loyalist Ronald Bato de la Rosa, who is assured of a Senate seat after gaining 18.3 million votes, said on ABS-CBNs English news channel ANC: I am supportive of [the presidential palace] but I will never be dictated [to by it]. My loyalty to the political party ends where my loyalty to the Filipino people begins. As the former Philippine National Police chief, he was the chief implementer of Dutertes war on drugs. Yesterday, he said he would push for a law restoring the death penalty for drug traffickers. The opposition Liberal Party has so far refused to concede defeat. As of 7pm last night, 95 per cent of all votes cast had been tallied, but more than two million votes remain uncounted. Unofficial counts on Tuesday suggested allies of Duterte were clear winners in 10 of the 12 seats. An 11th seat was won by Senator Grace Poe, who ran without a party and came second overall with 21.4 million votes. The winner of the 12th seat is still not clear, but Bam Aquino IV has a chance of victory. Story continues The nation voted on Monday to fill about 18,000 positions primarily local positions but also half the seats in the 24-member Senate and nearly 300 seats in the lower House of Representatives. The vote has been cast as a referendum on Dutertes leadership, three years since he took office, and a strong showing by his preferred candidates is likely to embolden the president and cement his influence on the Senate, which has traditionally kept executive power in check. Dutertes allies are also expected to dominate in the lower house. Critics have hit out at Dutertes brutal crackdown on drugs, extrajudicial killings and his courting of Beijing. His supporters, however, say he has made the country safer and reduced crime. A recent poll recorded an 81 per cent approval rating. This election just gave Duterte carte blanche to push his brand of governance to its logical conclusion: complete transformation of the nations political system, analyst Richard Heydarian said. However, Dutertes ambitions to scrap the present presidential system and create a federal form of government are still far from assured. Even if Duterte allies take 11 of the 12 seats, the president will still have to convince his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, his finance secretary Carlos Dominguez and his economic planning secretary Ernesto Pernia to go along with the plan. Mayor Sara categorically stated in April this year that she was not for federalism because it would give more power to local political warlords. She said: I do not think it is right to give bigger powers when you have such a set-up. Meanwhile economic planning secretary Pernia warned last year that the version of federalism proposed by Dutertes appointed Consultative Committee would cut into the budget for Dutertes Build, Build, Build infrastructure programme because it would cost at least 120 billion pesos (US$2.2 billion) to set up and run. Pernia even estimated that the required financing could raise the countrys fiscal deficit to 6 per cent of GDP, wreak havoc on our fiscal situation and cause a downgrade in the countrys ratings. Finance chief Domingo also cautioned against rushing into federalism, saying there was potential for it to become a nightmare if the tax-sharing schemes were not well ironed out. Leading the pack in terms of Senate votes was billionaire Cynthia Villar, the co-leader of the Nacionalista Party (NP) allied with Duterte. Villar is eyeing a presidential run in 2022, a Senate source told the South China Morning Post. She got more than 24 million votes. Senator Grace Poe, who ran as an independent but is expected to be friendly towards the Duterte administration, got 21 million votes while the presidents former special assistant, Christopher Bong Go, had more than 19 million. Pia Cayetano, the sister of Dutertes former foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, was fourth with 19 million votes. Others in line for a seat include Senator Edgardo Angara with more than 17 million votes, veteran actor and former Senator Lito Lapid with more than 16 million, former president Ferdinand Marcos daughter Imee with more than 15 million, former Metro Manila Development Authority chair Francis Tolentino with just under 13 million, and ex-action star Bong Revilla, who was recently acquitted from a multibillion-dollar pork barrel scam, with 14 million. Bam Aquino, 42, had more than 13 million votes. A sitting senator and younger cousin of former President Benigno Aquino III, he has put an emphasis on educational and business reforms. If he wins, he will join five incumbent members of the opposition Liberal Party: Senators Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva and the detained Senator Leila de Lima. With only six Liberal Party members, a constitutional shift to federalism now becomes possible provided that Senator Grace Poe backs the shift. Still, this means that proposed laws needing a simple majority vote are likely to pass, such as the restoration of the death penalty. The opposition has warned constitutional change could lead to the single-term limit for the presidency being lifted, allowing Duterte to prolong his rule despite his repeated statements that he would stand down at the end of his mandate. The polls saw isolated outbursts of violence, which is not unusual in the Philippines frequently bloody competition for elected seats. At least 20 people were killed and 24 wounded in election-related violence in the run-up to the vote, according to an official count. The military said nine people were shot and wounded on Monday during a confrontation at a polling station on the southern island of Jolo, which is home to insurgents and powerful local clans. But turnout, while slow at the start, grew throughout the day as voters including celebrities showed photos of their purple ink-stained fingers on social media, urging others to vote. A serious glitch in the Commission on Elections transparency server however resulted in delays to updates on the vote count by eight hours. The transparency server receives all digital copies of election returns and media outlets use it to provide readers with unofficial quick counts. Asked to address concerns that the delay was due to efforts to rig the vote count, Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said a surge of data to the server had led to delays. Its like the system was shocked because of the rush when the data packets all came in simultaneously, she said. All the [Comelec] directors needed to monitor the transparency server were present. And you will see there was no cheating. We had a central server and the central server was working perfectly. But malfunctions of vote counting machines were reported across the country, with reports of them turning off by themselves, valid ballots being rejected and failing to produce voting receipts. Guanzon said the Comelec would hold a briefing on Tuesday afternoon to explain what happened. Vice-president Leni Robredo, of the opposition Liberal Party, cautioned supporters that we still have to fight. The counting is not yet over and we still need to watch it closely. Dutertes family members are expected to do well in the polls. The presidents daughter Sara, considered by some as his potential successor in the 2022 vote, looks set to remain as mayor in the familys southern stronghold of Davao city. Her younger brother Sebastian ran unopposed for the citys vice-mayoral seat, while Dutertes eldest son Paolo was on track for a seat in the House of Representatives, according to PPCRV, a Philippine elections NGO. Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse This article Philippine election: Dutertes magic routed opposition first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Prime Minister Mahathir confirmed this afternoon that a Thai woman seeking refuge in Malaysia for anti-monarchy statements made at home has been sent back to Bangkok. Having tried to secure asylum status at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) here in Kuala Lumpur, activist Praphan Pipithnamporns bid failed and she was ultimately sent back upon a request from Thai authorities issued last month. If there is a request, then we will send back. We are a good neighbor, Mahathir said at a Putrajaya press conference today. The swift turn of events went into motion shortly after the bid from Thai authorities was sent out. Praphan was arrested by Malaysian authorities on April 24 and sent back two weeks later on May 10. Human Rights Watch alleges that in doing so, Malaysia has shown contempt for its international legal obligations to protect the woman. Malaysias flouting of international law has placed a Thai activist at grave risk of arbitrary detention and an unjust prosecution in Thailand, said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Malaysian authorities have an obligation to protect asylum seekers like Praphan from being forcibly returned to the risk of being persecuted for their peaceful political views. A Thai arrest warrant has cited her charges as being that of sedition, and organized crime for her role in the Organization for Thai Federation, a peaceful anti-monarchy group. Prior to her arrest, she had faced run-ins with authorities over her participation in anti-monarchy rallies, and held in isolation in military detention. Thailand has some of the worlds toughest lese-majeste laws, with swift and harsh punishments for those who fall out of line. Meanwhile, wed just like to remind the good folks keeping track of these things that controversial Muslim cleric Zakir Naik is currently wanted by Indian authorities on a laundry list of charges, but somehow managed to get permanent residence here. Hmmm. Story continues When asked last year if Malaysia had planned to fulfill Indias request of returning the man accused of inciting hate, and terror-related activities, our PM responded: As long as he is not creating any problem, we will not deport him, because he has been given permanent residency status. K. This article, PM confirms that anti-monarchy Thai activist extradited, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have plenty to talk about with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov when the pair meet in the southern Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday. As relations between Moscow and Washington plunge to depths not seen since the Cold War, here are topics the top diplomats could address: - Venezuela - Pompeo and Lavrov have in the past weeks called on the other's country to get out of crisis-wracked Venezuela. Moscow is a key ally of President Nicolas Maduro whereas Washington backs opposition leader Juan Guaido. Russia slammed the US's "irresponsible" support for a failed uprising against Maduro. Pompeo said Maduro had been ready to leave the country but that his Russian backers talked him out of it. - North Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month met Russia's Vladimir Putin for their first face-to-face talks. The meeting in Vladivostok aimed to counter US influence and boost Moscow's role on the Korean peninsula, after earlier negotiations between Kim and US President Donald Trump broke down. Pyongyang has angrily insisted "foolish and dangerous" Pompeo be kept away from further talks. - Election meddling - The report by US special counsel Robert Mueller did not find Trump's campaign team colluded with Moscow but did document widespread Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election. Pompeo, who has promised "tough actions" on meddling, last month warned Russia would attempt to influence the next US presidential election in 2020. "And we should expect in 2050, the Russians will be at it still," he said. Moscow has long rejected reports it sought to swing the 2016 vote in Trump's favour. - Prisoners - Moscow has denounced the case against Maria Butina, the only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics. Butina, who remains incarcerated in the US, faced "arbitrary" charges, Putin has said. Meanwhile US citizen Paul Whelan is in detention in Russia. The security expert was accused of espionage and arrested in Moscow late last year. Moscow has rejected the idea Whelan could be exchanged for any prisoner in the United States, saying it does not treat people as "pawns" in diplomatic games. - Sanctions - Washington slapped sanctions on Russian businesses and individuals after Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, damaging the Russian economy and sending the ruble into a tailspin. The US, Canada and the European Union have added new sanctions over Moscow's subsequent backing of separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has claimed some 13,000 lives. Washington may be looking for progress on the separatist conflict after Ukraine elected a new president last month. Singapore State Courts (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore) SINGAPORE Two Nigerians who were allegedly involved in transnational internet love scams were charged in court on Tuesday (14 May), in the first such case to be prosecuted in Singapore. Awolola Gbolahan Ayobami and Awolola Oladayo Opeyemi, aged 37 and 34 respectively, are accused of being part of an African love scam syndicate, which allegedly recruited two Singaporean women as money mules to receive criminal proceeds. Opeyemi is accused of conspiring with a Suhaili Suparjo to receive about S$46,500 in criminal proceeds on 18 January last year. Ayobami faces a similar charge of abetting another to receive stolen property. Between 2017 and 2018, the female money mules allegedly received at least S$85,700 from victims in Singapore, and laundered the money by handing the cash to syndicate members in Malaysia, according to the police. In a joint operation with the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police, Singapore authorities established the identities of the two men and arrested them in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 16 April 2019. Both were brought to Singapore on Monday. Last year, there were 660 reported cases of love scams where victims in Singapore were cheated of at least S$27.5 million. Opeyemi and Ayobami are remanded in Singapore and will be back in court on 21 May. Related stories Woman who lost almost $8,000 to scammer recounts how she fell for him I was swayed by his 'sweet nothings': Internet love scam victim turned money mule By Ernest Scheyder (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday moved closer to developing a national electric vehicle supply chain policy, with senators voicing bipartisan support for legislation designed to parry China's dominance in metals production and battery manufacturing. The Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the American Mineral Security Act, which would help streamline regulation and permitting requirements for the development of mines for lithium, graphite and other EV minerals. The pending legislation would require a tally of metal reserves in the United States and seek to streamline permitting for the EV sector, an area where China already leads by a wide margin. The bipartisan legislation, which seeks in part to codify a late 2017 executive order on U.S. mineral development by President Donald Trump, was sponsored by U.S. senators Lisa Murkowski, Joe Manchin and others. "We are not doing ourselves any favors when we don't know what we have in our inventory," Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, said at the hearing, which was web cast. "I suspect we have more than we even think we do." Even some existing U.S. mines are in China's orbit, with domestic production of so-called rare earth minerals reliant on Chinese processing and now caught up in the U.S.-China trade conflict. "China has a huge head start," said Gavin Montgomery, a battery and mining analyst at the Wood Mackenzie consultancy. "They've just been at this a lot longer than the rest of the world." Trump Administration officials from the Interior and Energy departments voiced support for the pending legislation. "We are committed to producing domestically sourced minerals," Joe Balash, assistant secretary for land and minerals management at the Interior Department, said at the hearing. Just how much cobalt and other minerals used to make EVs are actually in the United States is anyone's guess, as the nation has conducted little by way of a national survey. Current estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey rely on corporate annual reports, historical data from the U.S. Bureau of Mines and other sources, according to USGS spokesman Alex Demas. Finding out the mineral composition of a particular region requires sending staff into the field to take rock samples, a timely and expensive endeavor. Murkowski's legislation would require a nationwide reserve analysis for all minerals used to make EVs. USGS data show, for example, that the United States has 35,000 tonnes of lithium in reserve, a figure that the agency and industry executives see as conservative. Albemarle Corp operates the only U.S. lithium mine, a facility with the capacity to produce about 6,000 tonnes annually. According to current USGS data, that means that one mine could deplete U.S. reserves within six years. Several lithium projects are under development across the nation, including those from ioneer Ltd, Lithium Americas Corp and Piedmont Lithium Ltd. Each aims to produce at least 20,000 tonnes of lithium per year, according to corporate presentations. Jon Evans, president of Lithium Americas, told the hearing that the federal government should offer loan guarantees for U.S. mining and processing projects. "Federal loan guarantees would confirm the government's commitment to the development of a critical minerals supply chain," said Evans. Beyond physical reserves, concerns about the lack of U.S. processing facilities are also cause for worry. China controls about 85 percent of the globe's cobalt sulfate processing, according to WoodMac data. Cobalt sulfate is the version of the metal used in lithium ion batteries. eCobalt Solutions Inc aims to produce 1,500 tonnes per year of cobalt once its Idaho project opens, though that is enough of the metal to make only about 300,000 EVs. "The fact that China maintains a near monopoly on the critical minerals needed for our defense system makes no sense at all," said Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat. The Committee has not yet set a date to vote on the legislation. The United States does have some processing capability. Albemarle and rival Livent Corp process some lithium domestically. Syrah Resources Ltd mines graphite in Mozambique and ships it to Louisiana for processing for use in making battery parts. The United States is also reliant on China for rare earth processing, a group of 17 elements used to make electric vehicles and consumer electronics. California's Mountain Pass mine, owned by MP Materials, must pay a 25 percent tariff to ship rare earths it extracts from its California mine to China for processing, the collateral damage in the ongoing U.S.-China trade war. "All we seek is a level playing field to compete as a low-cost producer so we can help establish an EV supply chain in the United States," said James Litinsky, co-chairman of MP Materials. But those facilities tend to be the exception and investors so far have been wary of funding new U.S. projects in part due to China's dominance, with concerns that any investment would be difficult to recoup. "Ultimately, these projects have to stack up economically, even if U.S. politicians make it easier to get permitting," said WoodMac's Montgomery. (For a graphic on 'Lithium projects underway in the United States' click https://tmsnrt.rs/2CXdGWN) (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Dan Grebler and Susan Thomas) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned hate speech was spreading online "like wildfire" at a meeting with victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings Tuesday, vowing the world body will lead efforts to extinguish the problem. Guterres visited the Al Noor mosque, one of two Muslim centres in the New Zealand city where a self-described white supremacist killed 51 people in a March 15 shooting that the attacker live-streamed on Facebook. The UN chief is travelling the South Pacific to highlight the impact of climate change but said he also wanted to show his support for Christchurch's Muslim community during Ramadan. "I know there are no words to relieve the hurt and sorrow and pain, but I wanted to come here personally to transmit love, support and total and complete admiration," he said. He told victims of the worst mass shooting in modern New Zealand history that there had been "a dangerous upsurge in hatred" as social media was exploited to promote bigotry. "Hate speech is spreading like wildfire in social media. We must extinguish it," the Portuguese diplomat said. "There is no room for hate speech - online or offline." He highlighted a previously announced plan for his special adviser on genocide prevention Adama Dieng to combat online extremism. He said Dieng's mission was to "bring together a United Nations team to scale up our response to hate speech and present a global plan of action". His remarks come as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who hosted Guterres when he arrived in Auckland on Sunday, embarks on her own quest to tame social media in Paris this week. Ardern will co-host a meeting of world leaders and tech firms to promote a "Christchurch call" aimed at curbing online extremism. She has been highly critical of social media giants in the wake of the Christchurch killings, saying they should be "taking ownership and responsibility over their platforms". Russia and the United States voiced hope Tuesday for better ties including working together in Syria as President Vladimir Putin welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but tensions were laid bare in a clash over election meddling. Speaking for nearly two hours late into the evening in Putin's forested dacha in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Pompeo became the highest-ranking American to meet the Russian leader in 10 months. "I would very much like your visit to Russia to benefit Russia-US relations and promote their development," Putin told Pompeo as he took a seat across from him in a sleek conference room, saying that they should "fully restore" relations. Pompeo -- who like most of the US political class, with the major exception of President Donald Trump, has been outspoken in his criticism of Putin -- said that the two countries found areas on which to cooperate, and voiced optimism in breaking a deadlock on Syria. "We had a very productive conversation on pathways forward in Syria, things we can do together where we have a shared set of interests on how to move the political process forward," Pompeo told reporters at the airport before flying out. The United States and Russia are on opposite sides of Syria's brutal eight-year civil war, with Russia the primary backer of President Bashar al-Assad. Pompeo said that he and Putin agreed on ways to move ahead with a long-delayed Syrian-led committee that will rewrite the constitution in hopes of a political end to the conflict. The top US diplomat also said that the United States and Russia largely saw eye-to-eye on Afghanistan, where Trump wants to pull troops, and North Korea amid Trump's diplomatic drive for a nuclear accord. - Disagreement on election meddling - Hanging over Trump's quest for warm ties with Russia have been persistent allegations that his campaign worked with the rival power to swing the 2016 election to the mogul over his rival Hillary Clinton. Putin hailed the two-year investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller that did not find collusion by the Trump campaign -- but documented extensive meddling by Russia, especially by manipulating social media. "Despite the exotic nature of Mr Mueller's commission, on the whole he conducted quite an objective investigation and confirmed the absence of any collusion between the US administration and Russia," Putin said. Pompeo, speaking earlier at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, acknowledged deep differences on election meddling -- and warned Russia to stay out of next year's vote. "Interference in American elections is unacceptable. If Russia engaged in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been," Pompeo said. "I conveyed that there are things that Russia can do to demonstrate that these kinds of activities are a thing of the past. I hope that Russia takes advantage of those opportunities," he said. Lavrov hit back against "those who are inflating this topic" and saying of collusion: "It's clear that such insinuations are absolute fiction." "We want and we are ready to deal with cybersecurity issues along with our American partners, without any politicisation," he said. - 'Overlapping interests' - Pompeo -- who just three days earlier in a speech said that "the Putin regime slays dissidents in cold blood" -- said he was not trying to reconcile but rather to find common interests. "It's not about 'moving on.' It's about trying to find solutions, compromises, places where there are overlapping interests," he told reporters. Pompeo was the highest-ranking American to see Putin since July when the Russian leader met in Helsinki with Trump -- who shocked the US establishment by seeming to take at face value Putin's denials of election interference. Putin and Pompeo also discussed the crises on Iran and Venezuela. But Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said they did not touch on Ukraine, where Russia's backing of separatist rebels have prompted US sanctions. Pompeo has led US charges that Russia is to blame for the continued rule of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist firebrand whom Washington is seeking to oust. "The time has come for Nicolas Maduro to go, he has brought nothing but misery to the Venezuelan people, and we hope that Russian support for Maduro will end," Pompeo said at his joint news conference with Lavrov. Most Latin American and European nations recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela, whose crumbling economy has prompted millions to flee. Lavrov mockingly said that the United States had also promoted democracy in war-torn Iraq and Libya and called for dialogue with Maduro -- an option rejected by Washington. A court in Tunisia has pressed 48 years in prison against three brothers on terrorism charges and handed a three-year prison sentence to their sister for protecting terrorists and encouraging them to face the state, Asharq al-Awsat reports. The three brothers who have not been identified had been charged by a special court for membership with terror organizations, namely the Islamic State group (ISIS) and al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The terrorists, according the court records, received military training with the purpose of committing violence and providing weapons and ammunition to a terrorist organization and using Tunisian territory to recruit for terrorist acts, Asharq al-Awsat notes. The trio was active in the restive Kasserine province, central west Tunisia. They reportedly joined the two terror groups and embraced their ideologies there. The court also slapped their sister with three years in prison for colliding with the defendants whom she encouraged to confront security forces with weapons. The court investigation also noted that she was radicalized and adopted Takfiri-Jihadist ideology but did not join any terror group inside Tunisia or abroad. The North African country has been reeling from a surge in terrorism since 2011 revolution. The country suffered in 2015, three major terrorist attacks sponsored by ISIS, in which at least 70 people mostly foreign tourists were killed. Assistant Superintendent Jamaluddin Shah is taking the stand today as the inquiry's seventh witness. Picture by Miera Zulyana PUTRAJAYA, May 14 The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) for the discovery of temporary transit camps and mass graves at Wang Kelian, Perlis entered its ninth day today. Taking the stand this morning was the inquiry's seventh witness, Assistant Superintendent Jamaluddin Shah, who had been the acting Special Branch chief at Padang Besar police headquarters during the discovery of the camps in 2015. He was recalled to provide additional testimony. However, the panel decided to close his session this morning to the public as it would include confidential information. In 2015, the nation was shocked with the discovery of 139 graves and 28 human trafficking camps at the peak of Bukit Wang Burma in Wang Kelian located at the Malaysian-Thai border. Following allegations of corruption and cover-ups, the government announced the RCI that began its hearings on April 16 at the Home Ministrys Dewan Gemilang here. Former chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria is chairing the RCI and assisted by former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Norian Mai along with six others. Related Articles Ex-IGP Khalid knew existence of Wang Kelian camps months before news broke, RCI told Wang Kelian RCI enters eighth day Wang Kelian RCI enters seventh day On our recent visit to Istanbul, we were looking for everything that the locals indulge in; right from understanding more about the country, to local establishments where locals shopped and dined at, and our partners in this quest in Istanbul were Amaze by Neon. Amaze by Neon is a bespoke travel experience company that allows you to tailor your itinerary to suit your needs with advice from their travel consultants. Our day started at 9am when a luxury van and a guide who spoke perfect English - in a country where at specific places we did not even find a single English-speaking person - came to pick us up from our hotel. Exploring Istanbul Like a Local on a Private Tour with Amaze by Neon Sultanahmet Meydani Our tour started with a walk of the Hippodrome of Constantinople or the now Sultanahmet Meydani with a quick visit to the Serpent column and the Obelisk of Theodosius which almost dates back to 1425 BC. It was interesting to look at the bas-reliefs upclose on the marble pedestal that dated to the time of the obelisk's re-erection in Constantinople. Exploring Istanbul Like a Local on a Private Tour with Amaze by Neon The Blue Mosque Built in the 17th century, this mosque was built with six minarets instead of the standard four in order to reassert Ottoman power. Moreover, the construction site chosen was right next to the primary imperial mosque of the time, The Hagia Sophia. The architect for the Blue Mosque, Sedefkar Mehmed Aga was a student of Sinan whose apprentice also designed the Taj Mahal in India at almost the same time. The Blue Mosque still operates as a place of worship in addition to being an attraction for the visitors. Exploring Istanbul Like a Local on a Private Tour with Amaze by Neon Topkapi Palace This 15th-century palace is now a museum and gets one acquainted to the Ottoman way of living. The Sultan lived in the innermost courtyard with the women living in a dedicated harem area. The harem was controlled by the Sultans mother in all matters. This palace museum now also holds artefacts ranging from Ottoman clocks, weapons going all the way to sacred relics of Prophet Muhammad. Along with this the palace museum also offers exclusive views of the Bosphorous and access to numerous artworks in the form of Iznik Tile works. Story continues Exploring Istanbul Like a Local on a Private Tour with Amaze by Neon Hagia Sophia Now how often does one come across a Cathedral dating back to 537 AD, which at that time was the worlds largest building, turned into a mosque, turned into a museum, turned into a Unesco World Heritage site? We believe it only happens once in a lifetime. Not only has it withstood the test of nearly 1,500 years but also numerous earthquakes in the area, making it one of the finest works of the Byzantine Architecture. Lunch at Four Seasons Sultanahmet Our guide Omer from Amaze by Neon took us to lunch at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet that had a huge spread of Turkish and Meditteranean Cuisine and was absolutely delicious. The brunch spread offered more than you can count in a beautiful courtyard and the weather could have been the highlight for the day if not for the beautiful architecture drenched in years of history that surrounded it. A must-try is their baklava that we still think is one of the best hand-made ones in Turkey that is not too sweet. Exploring Istanbul Like a Local on a Private Tour with Amaze by Neon Basilica Cistern Another huge reason we loved our tour with Amaze by Neon was that though there were endless queues to enter at each of the locations, Amaze by Neon helped us bypass most of them quickly allowing us to make the most of our day in Istanbul. This cistern is one of many sleeping under the erstwhile city, Constantinople. Built with old marble columns of once Basilica, the cistern also consists of two marble blocks carved with Medusas visage which has added more bang for ones buck. Imagine seeing Medusa eye to eye? Exploring Istanbul Like a Local on a Private Tour with Amaze by Neon The Grand Bazaar Perhaps one of the oldest known malls to man, The Grand Bazaar houses more than 4,000 shops selling everything from Turkish Evil Eyes, Mosaic Ottoman Lamps to Iranian Saffron. If you wish to pick some quick souvenirs for home, this could be the best place but be prepared to bargain hard! This marked the end of our day tour. A day that was very well spent learning and understanding the local culture with extremely efficient use and respect for our limited time which holds true for a lot of tourists. Along with being well-informed, our tour guide, Omer, was extremely passionate and that kept us on our toes to know more about the place. The tour guides from Amaze by Neon are at your service should you plan to visit Turkey anytime soon! A new adaptation of action game franchise "Mortal Kombat" is moving into production, while James Wan and Joel Edgerton have previously been associated with the project. James Wan of "Saw," "The Conjuring," "Furious 7" and "Aquaman" boarded the live action "Mortal Kombat" project as its producer in August 2015, and now video game adaptation appears in line to enter production mid-2019. It's to be the "largest movie ever filmed and produced in South Australia," according to the region's Premier, Steven Marshall. Premier announces action film "Mortel Kombat" will be the largest movie ever filmed and produced in SA. Expected to create 580 jobs and inject 70mil into the economy. Pre-production will begin this month @abcadelaide pic.twitter.com/mpMOUR2gvs Claire Campbell (@clairehcampbell) May 14, 2019 For context, cult hit horrors "The Babadook" (2012) and "Wolf Creek" (2004), as well as post-apocalyptic action movie "Mad Max 3" (1985) were all filmed in South Australia. The "Mortal Kombat" franchise began in 1992 with a debut fighting game that offered more realistic visuals and a controversial level of graphic (if not occasionally comical) violence. "Mortal Kombat 11" released in April 2019, accompanied by a report on PTSD experienced by some of its development staff. It was used as the basis for 1990s movies "Mortal Kombat" and "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation," while in 2010 director and choreographer Kevin Tancharoen helmed his own unofficial short "Mortal Kombat: Rebirth," prompting Warner Bros and its New Line Cinema division to start up an official project. Story continues With Malaysian-Australian Wan backing the new film, commercial director Simon McQuoid was linked with the "Mortal Kombat" movie in November 2018. Though it'd be a feature debut for McQuoid, he's following a path from advertising to feature films already well trodden by big names such as Ridley Scott, Michael Bay, David Fincher and others. As for on-screen talent, Australia's Joel Edgerton was associated with "Mortal Kombat" in March 2019. He'd play an Australian ex-special forces mercenary who retains a "goofy attitude" despite arms dealing and drug running charges, per a character list published by That Hashtag Show. Edgerton comes in from "Star Wars" Episodes II and III, "Warrior," "Zero Dark Thirty," "The Great Gatsby," "Animal Kingdom" and "Boy Erased." Screenwriter Greg Russo told Discussing Film that the story's tone would be like a "more adult" Marvel movie. "While there is violence and there is fighting and real stakes and emotional stakes for all the people involved," he said, "at the end of the day it still should be fun and [have] a sense of humor." The Duke of Sussex told a mother that he cant imagine life without baby Archie during a visit to Oxford on Tuesday. Harry, 34, met mum Amy Scullard and her children Emmett, three (who is in remission after being diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was two) and ten-week-old Ida at Oxford Childrens Hospital. Ms Scullard said: "Harry asked me if she was over the stormy period as babies are supposed be grumpy for the first 10 weeks - and she is. "He said he's getting used to the baby and how Archie has fitted into family life. "He said he just feels part of the family and he can't imagine life without his son." The Duke of Sussex at Oxford Children's Hospital [Photo: PA] The Duke of Sussex meets families at Oxford Children's Hospital [Photo: PA] Upon his arrival at the hospital, the new father was also given a locally-made Witney Bear as a gift for baby Archie, by 13-year-old Daisy Wingrove. He also visited OXSRAD Disability Sports and Leisure Centre, which his mother Princess Diana opened in 1989 and Barton Neighbourhood Centre, Centre, a hub for local residents which houses a doctors surgery, food bank, cafe and youth club. READ MORE: Meghan and Harry's home life isn't that different to yours Harry and Meghans son arrived at 05:26, weighing 7lb 3oz, on May 6. They took part in an intimate photocall two days after his birth at Windsor Castle and later revealed his name to be Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, following a meeting with the Queen. Prince Harry reveals he 'can't imagine life without baby Archie' during Oxford visit [Photo: PA] The duke broke his paternity leave for a day visit to the Netherlands last Thursday to launch the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games 2020, taking place in The Hague. He was given a Invictus Games jacket embroidered with the word Daddy underneath the logo, as he cycled around the Zuiderpark. READ MORE: Meghan shares new photo of baby Archie to celebrate Mother's Day He also opened up to former soldier Dennis van der Stroom, 31, about his late mother Princess Diana during the bike ride. Mr van der Stroom said: "He [Prince Harry] 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." Next week Harry will also travel to Rome to take part in the Sentebale Polo Cup. SIOUX CITY -- As a way to mark the 75th anniversary of the largest amphibious attack in history, the Sioux City Public Museum will be presenting "History at High Noon: D-Day Remembered" at 12:05 p.m. Thursday. Attendees are encouraged to bring lunches to this free program at the Sioux City Public Museum, 607 Fourth St. Presenter Russ Gifford, a local writer and instructor, will note the significance of the battle. "The result was not assured," Gifford said. The victory was by no means ordained." For more information on this or any other museum event, call 712-279-6174 or visit www.siouxcitymuseum.org. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- A man who was killed in a shootout with South Sioux City police Saturday was wanted in Missouri on an outstanding arrest warrant for violating terms of his probation for a drive-by shooting conviction. An arrest warrant for Luis Quinones Rosa had been issued in a separate Missouri county for failing to show up in court to answer to traffic violations. Quinones Rosa, 25, of South Sioux City, was killed early Saturday after exchanging gunfire with Officer Brian Van Berkum. An officer for nearly 19 years, Van Berkum was struck by two shots and underwent surgery Saturday. He was in stable condition and doing well Monday, Dakota County Attorney Kim Waston said in an email. A search of Missouri court records showed that Quinones Rosa pleaded guilty in October 2016 in Buchanan County, Missouri, to unlawful use of a weapon. In July 2016, he drove by a St. Joseph, Missouri, residence and fired multiple shots from a handgun into a parked Chevrolet Suburban parked in front of a house, which also was struck by several rounds. Both the vehicle and house were unoccupied. Approximately 40 shell casings from 9mm, .40-caliber and .357 weapons were found at the scene. Quinones Rosa was arrested four days later, and police found a handgun under the seat of the car he was driving. Quinones Rosa received a suspended sentence and was placed on probation for four years. An arrest warrant was issued two months later after he did not meet with probation officers. Buchanan County Prosecutor Ron Holliday said Quinones Rosa's probation was suspended at that time. Among the terms of his probation were that he not frequent establishments where alcohol is sold and he was not to buy, own or possess firearms. An arrest warrant was issued in Atchison County, Missouri, in January 2018 after Quinones Rosa did not appear for an arraignment. He had been charged in December 2017 in Rock Port, Missouri, with speeding, driving with a revoked/suspended license and operating without maintaining financial responsibility. Holliday said Monday that he had received a death notice for Quinones Rosa because of his outstanding warrant. Quinones Rosa died at a Sioux City hospital from extensive blood loss, Watson said in an email releasing new details of the shooting. His fiancee told the Journal on Saturday that Quinones Rosa, whom she said was a native of Puerto Rico who moved to the U.S. mainland in 2012 and most recently worked as a deliveryman at a local furniture store, died before he arrived at the hospital. According to Watson, a witness contacted Van Berkum early Saturday, reporting a man in possession of a gun inside of Los Amigos, a bar and liquor store at 1313 Dakota Ave. Van Berkum radioed dispatch at approximately 2:08 a.m. and requested additional officers to assist him. Van Berkum found the man, later identified as Quinones Rosa, who matched the witness' description. According to Watson, Van Berkum confronted Rosa, who displayed a gun and opened fire. Rosa shot Van Berkum twice, once in the leg and once in the abdomen. Van Berkum returned fire, striking Rosa once in the leg, severing his femoral artery. When other officers arrived on the scene, they located an unresponsive Rosa in a nearby vehicle with a .357 Magnum handgun in his possession, Watson said. Under Nebraska law, a grand jury must be impaneled within 30 days after someone is shot while being apprehended or in police custody to review evidence and determine if law enforcement officers acted appropriately. Journal reporter Earl Horlyk contributed to this report. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 2 Funny 4 Wow 2 Sad 4 Angry 4 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 CITY -- A Sioux City man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for robbing a Moville, Iowa, bank. Brendon Reed, 44, pleaded guilty in December in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of bank robbery. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Leonard Strand sentenced Reed to 105 months in prison. Strand ordered the sentence to be served at the same time as an Iowa prison sentence for stealing a car used in the robbery. Reed will receive credit for more than a year spent in prison since his April 2018 conviction in Woodbury County for first-degree theft. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the theft case. Reed robbed United Bank of Iowa of $13,821 on March 30, 2018. No weapons were used in the robbery and no bank employees were hurt. Reed was arrested later in the day after he flipped a stolen BMW during a police pursuit near Salix, Iowa. The money stolen from the bank was recovered. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 1 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. The Alliance for Freedom and Change (AFC), the group in the ongoing Sudan political talks in the uprising indicated Monday that the Transitional Military Council (TMC), running the country following Omar Beshirs overthrow, has agreed to form with civilians a sovereign council to replace the junta. The Arab country has been embroiled in a political deadlock since the army removed Beshir early last month following months of protest over high cost of living. Protesters led by AFC, an umbrella of groups, have been camping in capital Khartoum demanding the establishment of a civilian rule but the TMC has opposed the request and wants a joint civilian-military transition. Talks between the two sides have been dragging foot but Monday the AFC told the AFP that they had reached a deal without elaborating on the council composition. At todays meeting we agreed on the structure of the sovereign council which will include military and civilian representatives, Taha Osman, AFC spokesman said, adding that discussions the following day will revolve around the composition of the council. The TMC spokesman Shams al-Deen Kabashi on his part said the military council adheres to the agreement. We discussed the structure of the transitional authority and agreed on it completely, and we also agreed on the system of governance in the transitional period, he said. It is unclear whether the civilians have accepted the TMCs demand about the reinforcement of Sharia law as the governing law of the country. The agreement came in the backdrop of reports of attacks on protesters by police. Its an understatement, Iowa state Rep. Ashley Hinson says, that she sees a lot of chaos and dysfunction when she looks at Congress. The second-term Republican state lawmaker from Marion believes that if elected to federal office in 2020, she has the experience, common sense, work ethic and drive to make a difference in Iowas 1st U.S. House District that includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque and Marshalltown. I think I have a unique skill set in being able to consensus-build and to problem-solve, said Hinson, who filed a statement of candidacy Monday with the Federal Election Commission. I have done that by developing relationships with people in the Legislature. I have that drive to continue that on the bigger scale. To do that, she will have to defeat first-term U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, 30, a Dubuque Democrat elected last November. Hinson and Finkenauer served together for one term in the Iowa House. Hinson, 35, a former Cedar Rapids television news anchor, is the only Republican to get into the race at this point, though there is speculation former U.S. Rep. Rod Blum will run again to try to reclaim the seat. He didnt respond to questions Monday. Hinson said shes doing a lot of listening to voters across the largely rural 20-county 1st District. Many of the issues on the minds of residents, such as trade and tariffs, affect urban and rural voters, she said. If rural Iowa does well, suburban Iowa does well and vice versa, Hinson said. I think more than ever, Iowans are becoming aware of the fact that its all very interconnected. Hinson also sees health care as a key issue, especially costs. Ultimately, people want more transparency on what health care costs actually are, she said, recalling that after the birth of her and her husbands second child she read the hospital bill line-by-line. What I learned from that is that I paid $18 for an Ibuprofen. That was a shock to the system, she said. Controlling costs shouldnt be about eliminating coverages but we may need to look at how we do that differently to come up with a solution to provide that coverage that reduces the cost for others as well. The chairwoman of the state House Transportation Committee, Hinson thinks voters are interested in investing in infrastructure. However, the nationwide $1 trillion price tag being discussed scares a lot of them. The cost of upgrading infrastructure has to be weighed against the cost of deteriorating roads, bridges and other public works, she said. Immigration, regardless of voters party affiliation, remains an issue, Hinson said. Its not only a security issue, she said, but about the need for legal immigration because many employers rely on immigrants to fill jobs. We need a pipeline to have the workers we need, she said. The response to Hinsons announcement was swift. The Finkenauer campaign issued a statement highlighting the representatives commitment to her district. Congresswoman Finkenauer is focused on representing the hardworking families of Iowas 1st Congressional District, said P.J. Price, Finkenauers finance director. Shes shown that shell work with anyone whos serious about helping Iowans and that shell stand up to anyone, Democrat or Republican, whos not looking out for them. Shell continue standing up for working families, our farmers, lowering health care costs, and fighting for investment in our infrastructure for Iowa communities. Hinson, on the other hand, has demonstrated time and again that she will put her party over the people she represents, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price said in a statement. Whether it is workers rights, accessible health care, or funding for our schools, Rep. Hinson went out of her way to do what her party demanded, and not what was best for Iowans. Hinson called that a misrepresentation of her record to flare up the partisan rhetoric. I dont believe that I will be one of a herd. I can distinguish myself, she said. I believe hard work is rewarded and I think that same effort will prove itself to be a win for Iowans. Thats why Im running. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 US-based tech giant Microsoft Corp will launch this year two hubs in Nairobi and Lagos with an investment of over $100 million over five years as it seeks to partner with local talents and governments on the continent, Bloomberg reports. Microsoft will launch two hubs this year and plans to hire 100 workers at the center with a projection for 500 by the end of 2023. The centers will be used to recruit African talents to work in areas such as cloud services, which use artificial intelligence and applications for mixed reality, the Redmond-based company said in statement according to Bloomberg. Microsoft Vice President for Gaming, Phil Spencer led a delegation that met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta Monday, local media Capital Business reports. The Nairobi center will serve the eastern region and will train world class talent capable of creating innovative solutions for global impact. The Nairobi and Lagos hubs will also serve as a link between Kenyan and Nigerian companies in areas like financial technology, energy and agriculture. Microsoft is already present on the continent through opened data centers in South Africa for partnership with cloud customers in Africa. Africa has become attractive market for cloud companies for its growing telecommunication infrastructure and nascent, appealing areas such as e-commerce and mobile payments. "You don't have to be the hero." That, John Castillo told NBC News last week, is something he had advised his 18-year-old son, Kendrick. If ever a shooter invades your school, son, don't try to confront him, don't take the risk. But Castillo said Kendrick had other ideas, telling his dad that he would not hesitate to defend other people's lives. As the world now knows, Kendrick was as good as his word. When two of the latest in this country's seemingly endless line of armed maniacs descended upon the STEM Schools Highland Ranch near Denver, witnesses say Kendrick rushed him. Some other boys managed to disarm him. In the melee, one of the students, Joshua Jones, was wounded. And Kendrick was killed. The young man whose father told him not to be a hero became exactly that. But he never should've had to. That goes also for Riley Howell, a 21-year-old student who died seven days before Kendrick, tackling a gunman in a classroom at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. And it goes for 60-year-old Lori Gilbert-Kaye, shot and killed 10 days before when she stood between her rabbi and a gunman at a synagogue near San Diego. All of them heroes, yes. But in a saner nation, they might not have had to be. Indeed, in a saner nation, they might still be alive. "Don't blame the gun." That's what gun-rights advocates always say in moments like this. And OK, fair enough. Let's not blame the gun. But can we not blame this nation's insistence on easy and unfettered access to the gun? Might that not have the tiniest bit to do with the fact that gun violence is rampant here? Instead of dealing with that causality, gun people ask us to take gun violence as some immutable fact of life, some intrinsic component of freedom. That's nonsense, but it's nonsense they have to embrace because to do otherwise is to face an untenable truth. People are dying for nothing. For some fantasy of rugged self-reliance. For some shortcut to macho. For some terror of the dark Other standing at the bedroom window. For nothing. "There is no reason why on the street today a citizen should be carrying loaded weapons." So said no less towering an icon of conservatism than Ronald Reagan. Of course, he said it in 1967, before conservatism lost its mind -- before Florida gave guns to teachers and Iowa gave them to the blind, before cause divorced effect and reason became an anachronism, before 6 year olds developed PTSD and mass murder became normal. If it is true, as Martin Luther King once said, that, "No lie can live forever," then there must eventually come a day when we face the truth of what we have allowed. One wonders what the death toll will be by then. Meantime, in place of truth we have heroes. Their selflessness and sacrifice, their willingness to do what must be done, whatever the cost, rightfully inspire us. But they diminish us, too. Because, inadvertently highlighted in the reflected glow of their sacrifice is the bitter truth of how pusillanimous, how cowardly, how chickenhearted, is the nation that required sacrifice of them to begin with, the nation that lets people die for nothing because it cannot muster the moral fortitude to restrain its own carnage. In Denver, they held a vigil for Kendrick Castillo. Riley Howell, an ROTC cadet, was buried with military honors. An overflow crowd paid tribute to Lori Gilbert-Kaye. And it is well and fitting that we do such things. But there is a better way to honor these martyrs' courage. By finding some of our own. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Americans spend a lot of time thinking about and planning for retirement. Working-aged Americans consider how much money is needed to save in order to live comfortably in their golden years. Workplace retirement savings accounts are a smart way to plan ahead and have been very successful in helping employees to save for retirement. However, not all workers have access to a retirement plan and some workers who have access dont always participate. Congress can and should do more to encourage and facilitate retirement savings. Thats why earlier this year, along with my Democratic colleague Senator Ron Wyden, I introduced the bipartisan Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA) of 2019. This legislation provides new incentives for employers to adopt retirement plans while helping to reduce the costs of operating them. It also creates new provisions to encourage workers to plan and save for retirement. This bill has been a long time in the making. Work on it began in 2006, and over several years the Senate Finance Committee has held hearings on the retirement system and reviewed various proposals to improve it. The best ideas were included in the RESA bill, which was unanimously approved by the Finance Committee in 2016. This legislation would reform Americas retirement savings laws in a number of important ways. For example, it would improve an existing type of plan called a multiple-employer plan. The bill would expand such plans so that employers can join together to sponsor a single retirement plan for their workers. Open multiple-employer plans would make it far more feasible for businesses of all sizes, especially small businesses, to offer retirement plans by reducing unnecessary administrative burdens on employers. More importantly, they would open the door for millions of Americans to save for retirement. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Iowa is home to more than 260,000 small businesses that employ nearly 650,000 workers. This bill includes provisions designed to make it easier and more cost-effective for our smaller employers to sponsor a retirement plan. Small businesses and farms are vital to our economy. We need to encourage a level playing field so that workers at small businesses throughout the country have equal access to retirement plans just like workers at Fortune 500 companies. RESA would create a new fiduciary safe harbor for employers that allow employees to invest in lifetime-income arrangements like annuities. That would expand the portability of retirement plan assets, including annuities, allowing workers to keep their retirement savings when they change jobs throughout their careers. Another important benefit of this legislation is that it would help employees add to their retirement savings each year through automatic increases in contributions to 401(k) plans. And, to help workers plan better for life in retirement, it would require employers to provide an estimate of how much the employees account would provide during retirement if the employee invested the balance in an annuity. All of this is intended to help individuals get on the path of saving for a secure retirement during their working years. But it is also with an eye toward making sure their savings will last once they retire. Retirement security is an important topic, not only for those nearing retirement age, but also for young people just beginning their careers. Increasing long-term savings in America is critical to the individual and collective success of our country. We know there are ways that Congress can improve our private retirement system further to make it easier for Americans to save. The reforms in the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act are an important step forward in improving Americans retirement security. Republican Charles Grassley represents Iowa in the United States Senate. Editor's note: Tuesday Topic is a weekly Opinion page feature. Each Tuesday in this space, local, regional and state writers will discuss issues in the news. If you have an idea for a Tuesday Topic, please contact Editorial Page Editor Michael Gors at 712-293-4223 or mike.gors@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 IPCC Updates Methodology for Greenhouse Gas Inventories Posted on 14 May 2019 by Guest Author KYOTO, Japan, May 13 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released on Monday an update to its methodology used by governments to estimate their greenhouse gas emissions and removals. Governments are required to report their national greenhouse gas inventories comprising estimates of greenhouse gas emissions and removals to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) including under processes such as the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. The updated IPCC methodology improves this transparency and reporting process by ensuring that the methodology used to determine these inventories is based on the latest science. The new report, the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2019 Refinement), was prepared by the IPCCs Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (TFI). A plenary session of the IPCC Panel in Kyoto, Japan, adopted the reports Overview Chapter and accepted the main report. The 2019 Refinement provides an updated and sound scientific basis for supporting the preparation and continuous improvement of national greenhouse gas inventories, said Kiyoto Tanabe, Co-Chair of the TFI. The 2019 Refinement provides supplementary methodologies to estimate sources that produce emissions of greenhouse gases and sinks that absorb these gases. It also addresses gaps in the science that were identified, new technologies and production processes have emerged, or for sources and sinks that were not included in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. It also provides updated values of some emission factors used to link the emission of a greenhouse gas for a particular source to the amount of activity causing the emission. Updates are provided where authors identified significant differences from values in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. Over 280 scientists and experts worked on the 2019 Refinement to produce many changes to the general guidance as well as methodologies for four sectors: energy; industrial processes and product use; agriculture, forestry and other land use; and waste. Our authors have examined a wide range of inventory methodologies and updated them where scientific advances and new knowledge made this necessary, following the IPCC decision, said Eduardo Calvo, Co-Chair of the TFI. The 2006 IPCC Guidelines continue to provide a technically sound methodological basis for measuring national greenhouse gas inventories. The 2019 Refinement updates, supplements and elaborates them where the authors identified gaps or out-of-date science. The 2019 Refinement is to be used in conjunction with the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. The meeting of the UNFCCCs subsidiary bodies in June 2019 will provide a first opportunity for Governments in the UNFCCC to receive and review the updated methodology, and determine the best pathway towards implementing the 2019 Refinement. The 2019 Refinement is to provide an updated scientific basis for supporting the preparation of national greenhouse gas inventories. I would like to thank the authors of the 2019 Refinement for their dedication and diligent work updating this methodology, which provides transparency that is vital to international efforts addressing dangerous climate change, said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee. The IPCCs 49th Session in Kyoto also transacted other business, including consideration of a report from the IPCC Task Group on Gender. For more information contact: IPCC Press Office, Email: ipcc-media@wmo.int Notes for Editors About the IPCC The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the UN body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments concerning climate change, its implications and potential future risks, and to put forward adaptation and mitigation strategies. It has 195 member states. IPCC assessments provide governments, at all levels, with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies. IPCC assessments are a key input into the international negotiations to tackle climate change. IPCC reports are drafted and reviewed in several stages, thus guaranteeing objectivity and transparency. The IPCC assesses the thousands of scientific papers published each year to inform policymakers about the state of knowledge on climate change. The IPCC identifies where there is agreement in the scientific community, where there are differences and where further research is needed. It does not conduct its own research. To produce its reports, the IPCC mobilizes hundreds of scientists. These scientists and officials are drawn from diverse backgrounds. Only a dozen permanent staff work in the IPCCs Secretariat. The IPCC has three working groups: Working Group I (the physical science basis of climate change); Working Group II (impacts, adaptation and vulnerability); and Working Group III (mitigation of climate change). It also has a Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories that develops methodologies for estimating anthropogenic emissions and removals of greenhouse gases. All of these are supported by Technical Support Units guiding the production of IPCC assessment reports and other products. IPCC Assessment Reports consist of contributions from each of the three working groups and a Synthesis Report. Special Reports undertake a shorter assessment of specific cross-disciplinary issues that usually span more than one working group. IPCC Methodologies Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that can absorb infrared radiation, trapping heat in the atmosphere. This greenhouse effect means that emissions of greenhouse gases due to human activity cause global warming. IPCC assessments have found that in scenarios addressing climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases fall sharply, and governments have agreed that such emissions should peak and fall rapidly. These agreements require information about participating countries net emissions emissions less removals. Emissions can arise from different activities such as burning fuel for energy, industrial processes, some farm activities and deforestation. Greenhouse gas emissions can also be removed from the atmosphere by trees and other plants and by industrial carbon dioxide removal techniques. The IPCCs Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (TFI) develops and refines an internationally agreed methodology and software for the calculation and reporting of national greenhouse gas emissions and removals, and encourages the use of this methodology by countries participating in the IPCC and by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Parties to the UNFCCC regularly report greenhouse gas emissions and removals to the UNFCCC. By communicating information on greenhouse gas emissions and actions to reduce them, this transparency and reporting system helps Parties understand ambition and progress on climate action. This methodology includes the formulation of emission factors used to link the emission of a greenhouse gas for a particular source to the amount of activity causing the emission. The TFI has produced several methodology reports, starting with a set of guidelines in 1994. These were replaced by the Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. The current methodology is the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. This has been supplemented with the 2013 Revised Supplementary Methods and Good Practice Guidance Arising from the Kyoto Protocol and the 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands. A full list of IPCC Methodology Reports can be found here. 2019 Refinement In August 2014 the Bureau of the TFI (TFB) concluded that the 2006 IPCC Guidelines provide a technically sound methodological basis of national greenhouse gas inventories. However, to maintain their scientific validity, certain refinements might be required, taking into account scientific and other technical advances that had matured sufficiently since 2006. Following the conclusions by the TFB, the TFI carried out a technical assessment of IPCC inventory guidelines through an on-line questionnaire survey and four expert meetings in 2015 and 2016. This assessment showed that there had been abundant new scientific and empirical knowledge published since 2006, which the IPCC should take into account, particularly with respect to data for emission factor development for some categories and gases. At its 43rd Session in April 2016, the Panel decided to update its methodologies through a refinement of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines in order to assist all UNFCCC Parties in the preparation and continuous improvement of their national greenhouse gas inventories by ensuring they are supported by the best and latest available science. A scoping meeting for the Methodology Report was held in August 2016. At its 44th Session in October 2016, the Panel agreed to the outline of the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, consisting of a single Methodology Report comprising an Overview Chapter and five volumes following the format of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. The 2019 Refinement covers all IPCC inventory sectors but refinements are included for only those categories where the science was considered to have sufficiently advanced since 2006 or where new or additional guidance was required. The 2019 Refinement was prepared by over 280 scientists and experts from 47 countries. About the Sixth Assessment Cycle At its 41st Session in February 2015, the IPCC decided to produce a Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). At its 42nd Session in October 2015 it elected a new Bureau that would oversee the work on this report and Special Reports to be produced in the assessment cycle. In its decision on the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) invited the IPCC to provide a special report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways. At its 43rdSession in April 2016, the IPCC accepted the invitation from the UNFCCC and decided to produce two other Special Reports, a Methodology Report and the AR6. Global Warming of 1.5C, An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty was released on 8 October 2018. Besides the 2019 Refinement, the IPCC will finalize two Special Reports in 2019: Climate Change and Land, an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems in August 2019 Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate in September 2019. The three working group contributions to AR6 will be released in 2021, and the AR6 Synthesis Report will be finalized in the first half of 2022. For more information go to www.ipcc.ch We are huddled against the rain on the top deck of the Miss Liberty, the ship near its capacity of 800 souls as it cuts through the waves of Upper New York Bay. When the captain pulls in front of Liberty Island, the boat lists to the starboard side as we rush to see the great green colossus 30 stories above. The masses cry out, in many accents and as one: Can you take a photo? For visitors to Liberty Island, this momentbefore you even disembarkhas long been as good as it gets. From here, its a quick stroll around the tiny outcropping, past the overpriced snacks and tchotchkes, a stroll spent looking up at Lady Libertys backside. (She faces Brooklyn.) Between 80 and 85 percent of the islands 4.5 million annual visitors will not be admitted to the statues great granite pedestal, which offers views of the harbor, and very few of those are permitted to enter and ascend the statue itself. This is in part the result of post-9/11 security theater, but mostly because the statue just isnt big enough for the millions who want to visit it. So they wander the island, yell at the employees of the National Park Service, and like their forebears, pass by Ellis Island before they can land in Manhattan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Into this void comes the elegant little Statue of Liberty Museum, which opens to the public later this week and provides, at last, a consolation prize for the tourists who land on Liberty Island each year. It is a thoughtful, self-aware place, but one that, opening in the third year of the Donald Trump presidency, feels awkwardly buoyant. After the existing museum inside Richard Morris Hunts pedestala windowless, carpeted corridor that would underwhelm in a midtown hotelanything would have been an improvement. The new museum, designed by the firm FXCollaborative and with exhibits by ESI Design, is a treat even if you dont know what it has replaced. It is perched on the islands west end, with a low profile and an inclined, grass-and-granite roof that make it look like a rocky outcropping. We didnt want a Bilbao, said architect Nicholas Garrison, alluding to Frank Gehrys much-imitated statement museum built for the Guggenheim in northern Spain. But something that would hold its own as a piece of geology, a lifted landscape. The stone steps come from the same granite quarry that Hunt used for the pedestal, and the copper cladding is already beginning to oxidize at the corners. The roof terrace, which slopes up to a point like a ships prow, gives visitors a chance to climb something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside, a curving, three-part theater treats you to a series of movies (narrated by Diane Sawyer) that will dazzle you, inform you, and leave you a little choked up about the statues history and significance. Beyond the theater sits a small section of exhibits documenting the statues construction and arrival, where it was greeted with what must have been Americas largest crowdfunding campaign, to raise the money for its pedestal. (How this modest building and the adjoining landscape cost $100 million and required its own 11th-hour crowdfunding campaign is something of a mystery.) Advertisement Advertisement At the north end (below the deck), the space opens to a great room that houses Lady Libertys original torch, replaced in 1986. Up close, this object from the workshop of Frederic Bartholdi looks fragile, homemade, almost medieval, an uneven grid of glass and copper rising into the familiar shape of the flame holding against the wind. Hidden for decades in the vault of the pedestal, the old torch finally has a worthy space beneath a wall of windows, with the skyline of lower Manhattan to its left and the statue visible to its right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The newer torch is a smooth golden teardrop, but up close, the rest of the statue evinces the same precarity as the discarded lanterns. Its skin is just a few pennies thick, and you can hear the rain from inside like on a tin roof. On hot summer days, it pops and clinks as the metal expands in the mornings and contracts in the evenings. The symbolism has always been greater than the statue itself. Advertisement Advertisement The new museum was built by the Statue of LibertyEllis Island Foundation, the nonprofit that helps take care of the site, which is run by the National Park Service.* You will not find the Der Spiegel cover of Donald Trump holding Lady Libertys severed head aloft like Perseus slaying Medusa among the exhibits, but I found it hard not to think about that and other recent invocations of the monument. At an extremely apolitical press tour, I asked Edwin Schlossberg, the president and principal designer at ESI Design, if the Trump administrations travel ban influenced his exegesis of the statue. It would be hard to say no, he said. Advertisement The exhibits walk you from Bartholdis workshop to the statues arrival to its significance in American pop culture, from a wartime icon to a consumer-products doodad to a symbol of immigration. They culminate in Becoming Liberty, a set of interactive kiosks where visitors can create their own Instagram-ready collage of what liberty means to them. Advertisement Advertisement Still, the touch is light. Not until I got back did I happen on a statistic that made me think twice about the visit and its appeal to Americas better self: In fiscal year 2018, the United States admitted just 62 Syrian refugees. Its a shameful number. Maybe I had been warned. It was right there in a note I took from the museums 10-minute video, which some 20,000 people will come to see every day: The Statue of Liberty is at once an emblem of Americas highest ideals and the irony of our history. Sometimes more one than the other. Let us all pause to appreciate the significant tax hike that Donald Trump, Republican president of the United States, has managed to impose on American businesses and shoppers thanks to his trade war with China. Thats what his tariffs are, after all: tax increases on imports. Trump knows this. He likes to brag about how much money the Treasury is collecting thanks to the levies hes placed on everything from car parts to furniture to toilet paper shipped over from the Peoples Republic. The problem is that he thinks the cash is coming out of Chinas pocket. Its not. Tariffs are legally paid by importers, and economically speaking, the cost tends to fall on domestic companies and consumers who buy goods from abroad. Recent research has suggested that, in 2018, just about 100 percent of Trumps tariffs were passed on to Americans. You and I are paying the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the bill isnt paltry. So far, Trump has imposed 25 percent duties on $250 billion of Chinese goods. Do the arithmetic and thats a roughly $62.5 billion annual tax hike. Of course, the number could go down a bit if Americans buy less stuff from China and start importing more from, say, Thailand. But as Gary Clyde Hufbauer of the Peterson Institute for International Economics argued to me, the tariffs will likely lead exporters in other countries, as well as U.S. producers, to raise their prices too. Once you factor in those effects, he believes Trumps tariffs on China will cost Americans closer to $125 billion. He calls that a conservative estimate. But lets be even more conservative and go with the lower figure: $62.5 billion in direct costs to families and businesses. This tax will hit factories in Ohio as well as Walmart shoppers in Florida, amounting to about $530 per U.S. household. Its a reasonably large amount of money, as far as tax hikes go. Multiply it over 10 years and you get $625 billion, about one-third the budget cost of the tax cut Republicans passed in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, Trumps China tariffs probably arent going to last for a decade, and if they did, U.S. supply chains would almost certainly adjust to wring out some of that expense. But that math gives you a sense of the magnitude of the tax increase were talking about, and the degree to which Trump is shooting himself in the foot in his haphazard duel with Beijing. One important reason that growth has been strong over the past two years is that, between their tax bill and increased spending, Republicans passed a significant economic stimulus. Trumps tariffs/tax hikes will undo some of that work by acting as an unnecessary dose of austerity. It probably wont be enough to do serious damage to the economy, and some of the cash will likely be cycled back into a bailout for farmers hurt by Chinas retaliatory tariffs (Trump, the tax-and-spend liberal!), but it will certainly muffle our deficit-fueled growth spurt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tax pain could become more severe if Trump goes ahead with his plans to raise tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of exports China sends to the U.S. Using the same back-of-the-envelope math, that would be another $75 billion in direct costs for importers, for a grand total of $137.5 billion. Advertisement Advertisement One thing to keep in mind is that, while the Republican tax cut was disproportionately targeted at high earners, Trumps tariffs will probably be felt more acutely by poor and middle-class Americans who tend to spend a greater share of their income. Its a regressive twist on tax policy. And the rest of the GOP, which would ordinarily find tax hikes totally anathema, isnt doing a thing to stop it. All of this short-term pain might be worth the long-term gain if Trump had some sort of reasonable strategy for getting China to make serious changes to how it approaches trade. But the administrations approach has been ad hoc and ill-considered; its based on the flimsy idea that the U.S. can use tariffs to bludgeon Beijing into submission in a one-on-one showdown. Maybe theyll be proven right (you never know). But for now, it seems like Americans are paying higher taxes for nothing. The Republic of Gambia is seeking the support of King Mohammed VI for its bid to host the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2022. To this end, President Adama Barrow sent to Rabat his top diplomat Mamadou Tangara carrying a personal message for the Moroccan sovereign. The Gambian envoy was received on Monday by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita to whom he handed the presidential message destined for the Moroccan Monarch. Speaking to journalists after his meeting with Bourita, Mr. Mamadou Tangara said the message requests Moroccos support for hosting the OIC summit. In principle, Gambia should host this summit next November but given the current situation and constraints, we asked that the turn of the Gambia be postponed till 2022 in a bid to prepare it well, said the Gambian Foreign Minister. We seek the support of HM King Mohammed VI on this matter he added, expressing his countrys gratitude to Morocco for its unconditional support and Gambias willingness to work jointly with the North African Kingdom. The Gambian government backs Morocco on fundamental issues, especially the Sahara issue, underlined Mr. Mamadou Tangara, affirming that his countrys stand has not changed since independence. He also praised Moroccos noteworthy actions carried out in the African continent and the positive role it plays at the African Union, hailing the African policy advocated by King Mohammed VI for the sake of African people. A midair collision between two sightseeing planes carrying cruise ship tourists in Alaska on Monday has resulted in at least four deaths, according to the Associated Press. Its not yet clear what led to the accident. The two planes, carrying in total 16 people, including pilots, collided Monday afternoon near the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan. According to the Coast Guard, two passengers are still missing. Both planes were carrying passengers from the cruise ship Royal Princess, which was on a seven-day trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Anchorage, Alaska. According to the Washington Post, one of the planes, a seaplane operated by Taquan Air, was carrying 10 cruise ship passengers back from a tour of the Misty Fjords National Monument. The second floatplane, operated by an independent tour, carried four passengers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are some discrepancies in the initial reports about fatalities. Princess Cruises stated that there were five people dead, all from the independently operated tour plane. The Coast Guard has put the figure at four, with one death from the Taquan Air plane and three from the independent plane. Ten people were rescued, and several are being treated for injuries. According to KOMO News, three people, including one in serious condition, are being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. According to USA Today, others were being treated in Ketchikan. One person was in critical condition and three in serious condition, though its not clear if any of those patients were transferred to the Washington hospital. Taquan Air has said it is suspending flights while the authorities investigate. The cruise ship has also been grounded, according to the AP. The Federal Aviation Administration has said the planes collided under unknown circumstances. Federal accident investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are headed to Alaska to investigate the cause of the crash. On Friday, three Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee introduced the No President Is Above the Law Act. The name is appealing, and the idea is, too; because the Justice Department has concluded that a sitting president cant be indicted, the bill extends the statute of limitations for indicting a president so that it doesnt run out while he or she is in office. The logic and motivation for the bill are compelling, but if the bill became law, it could introduce dynamics into our politics that might well prove damaging to our democracyindeed, you only need look at the headlines these days to see how an authoritarian-minded president might take advantage of such a law to punish a politically threatening predecessor. There may, however, be a way to achieve through amendment the noble objectives of the No President Is Above the Law Act while mitigating the palpable risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, a bit of background: The bill is a response to the Justice Departments long-standing view that, while in office, a president cant face criminal charges. To prevent a president from committing crimes before or while serving in office and then running out the clock, the bill would suspend the statute of limitationsthe period of time in which criminal charges can be broughtwhile a president remains in office. Some legal analysts have argued that the Justice Departments view might automatically initiate something called equitable tolling that would delay the statute of limitations from kicking in until the president is out of office, but most also acknowledge that a court could well reject that view. Advertisement The No President Is Above the Law Act is immediately appealing to those of us deeply concerned not only about Donald Trumps behavior while running for and serving as president but also about the dangerous possibility that such behavior might be a harbinger of presidential malfeasance in the future. First, the bill would prevent Trump from escaping federal criminal prosecution for behavior that, according to more than 800 former prosecutors, would have merited prosecution but for the Justice Departments view that a sitting president cant be criminally charged. Indeed, a footnote in Robert Muellers final report suggests that he believed Trump could be charged once out of office. Second, the bill would seem to disincentivize Trumpor a future Trump-like figurefrom resisting resignation, impeachment, or even a loss at the ballot box simply to keep running out the statute of limitations for federal crimes. Third, the bill appears, in a sense, fundamentally logical and just; if charges cant be brought while a president is serving in the Oval Office, why should he or she escape justice? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, despite its clear appeal, the bill also has the potential to aggravate our current crises of democracy. Consider a president who ran for office on the promise to prosecute the current president, regardless of whether the current president is running for reelection, finishing a second term, or has even committed a crime in the first place. Imagine how inflammatory it would be to pledge criminal prosecution of a political opponent as part of a presidential platform. Despite its clear appeal, the bill also has the potential to aggravate our current crises of democracy. Regrettably, this is no longer mere fodder for imaginationweve repeatedly seen precisely this dangerous behavior from Trump. At a presidential debate, Trump looked at Hillary Clinton and told her youd be in jail if it were up to him. This was after Michael Flynn led anti-Hillary Trump supporters in a chant of Lock her up! at the Republican National Convention. And, as president, Trump just last month said that hed urged Attorney General William Barr to investigate the prior administration for what Trump called an attempted coup while he was running for office. On Monday, we learned that Barr appears to have taken the president up on his command, assigning the United States attorney in Connecticut to investigate Trumps past investigators. Trump has alsostartlinglyexpressed the view that it would be appropriate for him to talk to his attorney general about investigating Trumps current leading potential Democratic opponent in the 2020 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is deeply unhealthy behavior for a democracy, and a bill extending the statute of limitations that isnt more carefully crafted has the potential to make things worse. As Ive explained elsewhere, democracies face dark days when the line between the language of politics and the language of law enforcement fades, and the consequence for losing an electionor even simply finishing ones time in officebecomes criminal punishment. Thats a key indicator of the slide toward authoritarianism. Advertisement There might be a solution to this problem, though. Imagine, for instance, that the No President Is Above the Law Act required the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel of the same political party as the ex-president being investigated if the department were to make use of the suspended statute of limitations to consider criminal charges against an ex-president. This could somewhat insulate the law enforcement process from raw politics, and provide something of a check on a presidential candidate or new president proposing the prosecution of an ex-president (though, ultimately, the special counsel would still report to the new presidents attorney general). There is, of course, the possibility for this approach to backfire too, by suggesting to the American people that law enforcement is fundamentally political, when traditionally its been just the opposite. Still, given the impunity with which our current president is acting, its worth imagining creative ways to keep in check this president and future ones. This is a time for figuring out how to deal with novel threats to our democracywithin the bounds of our constitutional structureand, for now, the question we should ask about the No President Is Above the Law Act is not yes or no but, instead, how can we make it work? The bill introduced last week takes aim at a serious concern, and it deserves serious consideration. At the same time, as Ive urged elsewhere, its essential to ensure that our attempts to address the vulnerabilities in our democracy that Donald Trump has revealed dont unintentionally weaken our constitutional structure. As Congress and the rest of us consider the No President Is Above the Law Act, lets make sure were thinking not only about allowing justice to be served but also about halting the descent of our politics into threats of criminal prosecution. On Saturday, Harvard University announced that it was declining to renew the appointments of law professor Ronald Sullivan Jr. and his wife, lecturer Stephanie Robinson, as faculty deans of Winthrop House, a residence for undergraduates. (They will both stay on as professors.) Sullivan and Robinson have served in those roles for a decade and are the first black professors in Harvards history to receive faculty dean appointments. Harvards decision came on the heels of loud and persistent student protests demanding that Sullivan be removed as dean. His unforgiveable sin? Joining the defense team of Harvey Weinstein, who faces charges of rape and sexual assault in state court in Manhattan. (On Sunday, news broke that days earlier, Sullivan had announced that he will no longer represent Weinstein, though he may still advise on the case.) For months, Sullivan has been under sustained attack for purportedly putting the interests of an unpopular defendant over those of the students whose well-being had been entrusted to him as the dean of an undergraduate residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, an op-ed titled Harvard, Remove Dean Sullivan written by two Harvard undergraduates, stated that his presence at Winthrop could be deeply traumatic for survivors who would be triggered by seeing someone who is a daily reminder of Weinsteins case. Petitions and other expressions of student outrage quickly followed. Graffiti appeared on Harvard buildings and on Sullivans office door. One message: down with Sullivan. On May 6, 178 Harvard students filled the Winthrop dining hall to demand Sullivans ouster, holding #MeToo and Reclaim Winthrop signs. The decision to jettison Sullivan and Robinsonin response to what Dean of Harvard College Rakesh Khurana called an untenable situationis craven, foolish, and sends the wrong message to academics who also practice law: If your clients arent likable enough, your students may get upset and your school will throw youand the Sixth Amendmentunder the bus. It also sends the wrong message to students: Your school will appease your heartfelt outrage at the costs of the fundamental valuesconstitutional, ethical, and moralthat it is supposed to be instilling. Advertisement Advertisement One of graffiti messages asked Sullivan, Whose side are you on? The answer should be obvious: the side of justice. Justice requires due process. In addition to being a law professor, Sullivan is a criminal defense lawyer, which means his job is to represent the accusedno matter how despised, no matter how heinous the accusation. That rightthe Sixth Amendment right to a competent lawyer who can provide effective assistance of counsellies at the heart of our Constitutions guarantee of due process. Another right, no less important, is the First Amendment right to speak and associate freely. It is this right, above all, that universities exist to defend. Advertisement Not at Harvard, apparently. In an apparent concession to the student demand, Khurana said that concerns about the climate in the Winthrop House called for him to make the very hard decision to replace Sullivan and Robinson. Khurana provided no details about what he called the serious and numerous problems the students and staff conveyed to him about the professors. The Harvard Crimson has reported on criticisms of Sullivan and Robinson going back to 2016. Those concerns centered around a high turnover rate among the staff and accusations by some staff and students that the deans fostered a climate of fear and intimidation. It may be that some of those criticisms are legitimate (Sullivan denies them), but I am skeptical that these allegations, some dating back two years, played a pivotal in Harvards decision over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That decision was a poor one. It is possible to be a residential dean who is empathic and open to student concerns while simultaneously representing a reviled accused sexual predator. To act as if those two roles are mutually exclusive is to fundamentally misunderstand what it means to be a criminal defense attorney and a dean of a student residence. It implies that an academic who dares stand up in court as an attorney to an accused rapist is pro-rape, anti-feminist, and sending a message to survivors of sexual assault that their pain and harm is not real. Advertisement Advertisement It is possible to be a residential dean who is empathic and open to student concerns while simultaneously representing a reviled accused sexual predator. As a feminist academic who defends young men accused of sexual assault, I can tell you that I do the work I do because I believe competent legal representation for the accused is a critical component of any adjudication system. That belief has driven the choices I have made throughout my career, including the formative seven years I spent as a trial attorney in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles where, yes, I represented men charged with very serious sex crimes. The idea that I cant be a zealous defense lawyer to any client while remaining a feminist who is empathic to my students is anathemain fact its sexist and reductive. Crucial to feminism and to strong student mentoring skills is a set of progressive values that demands above all fairness, an open mind, and equal treatment. In Sullivans case, I cant help but wonder if it might have gone differently if he were a white man making these same choices. Advertisement Advertisement It makes me sad and angry how few people seem to understand this. When I published an op-ed in the New York Times about the representation I dopro bono, with my students in the University of San Francisco School of Laws Racial Justice Clinicon behalf of men of color facing expulsion in campus Title IX cases, the hateful reactions nearly overwhelmed me. One caller left a message on my voicemail at work saying I should be fired, set on fire, and buried deep underground. Advertisement Advertisement The Harvard Black Law Students Association put it best. In a statement issued on March 31, in the midst of the protests, the organization wrote: HBLSA finds it important that we speak to the controversy and make the ask of Harvard University to both unequivocally support survivors of sexual violence and to do so in a way that does not scapegoat Professor Sullivan for the Universitys failings to address sexual violence on campus. Its a shame no one listened. But it does give me hope. There are future lawyers out there who get it. Unfortunately, their argumenteasily the best onedid not carry the day. One week ago, National Security Adviser John Bolton seemed to be laying a trap for the leaders of Iran, squeezing them into a corner where they would have no choice but to lash out. Now he seems to be setting the stage to strike backto topple the regime by forceif and when they take the bait. The New York Times reported Monday that, at Boltons request, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan to send as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks U.S. forces or resumes work on the nuclear program that it halted and mostly dismantled four years ago, after signing an accord with the United States and five other nations. Advertisement President Donald Trump backed out of the Iran nuclear deal soon after taking office, then reimposed economic sanctions that had been lifted as part of the deal, and then, more recently, applied sanctions on all other nations that continued doing business with Irana move that is squeezing Irans economy and decimating its oil exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also declared Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite unit of its military, to be a foreign terrorist organization, a move that also carries sanctionsthe first time anyone has tagged the label onto a government entity. The State Department and the Pentagon had urged Trump not to take this step, fearing backlash against U.S. forces in the region. As if on cue, Iran declared Central Command, the dominant U.S. military force in the region, to be a terrorist organization. If Iran were to attack any of those forces, it would be a self-fulfilling prophecyand a provocation, or excuse, for the U.S. to strike back. Advertisement Advertisement If all this rings a discordant bellechoes of Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, WMD in Iraq, the Maine in the Caribbeanwell, there may be a good reason for that. Like clockwork, the Pentagon announced, earlier this month, that it was dispatching an aircraft carrier and four bomber aircraft to the Middle East in response to signs that Iranian proxies were preparing to attack U.S. intereststhough some officials said that the signs werent so threatening and that a carrier was scheduled to deploy in the region anyway. Then, this past weekend, four oil tankersincluding two owned by Saudi Arabia and one by the United Arab Emirates, both of which are avowed enemies of Iranwere reportedly struck by some object in the Persian Gulf. No evidence has yet been shown of any damage, or attacks, but fingers were pointed to Iran as the culprit. Advertisement If all this rings a discordant bellechoes of Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, WMD in Iraq, the Maine in the Caribbean, and other contrived provocations that have pushed the country to warwell, there may be a good reason for that. Advertisement Colin Kahl tweeted on Monday, I oversaw Iran policy and planning at the Pentagon from 2009-2011, at the height of concerns over Irans nuclear progress, and no plausible contingency except invasion and regime change would require sending 120,000 U.S. forces to the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Kahl, now a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, elaborated in an email that the number 120,000 is a bit curious, in that its more than the number needed for airstrikes and special operations forces incursionsthe sort of limited operation that some officers might fantasize would be enough to oust the regimebut far fewer than the number needed for an all-out invasion. My guess, he wrote, is that this is a ham-fisted info op [information operation] aimed at deterring Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz or attacking U.S. interests. Advertisement Advertisement This is not a reassuring theory. Bluffs and escalations could still rope the United States into a conflict, and Boltonone of the very few officials from the George W. Bush administration who has no regrets about the invasion of Iraqhas long pressed for regime change in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement It is not yet clear what Trump himself wants. (The Times story said it was unclear whether the president has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans.) On Thursday, the same day that Shanahan briefed Bolton and a few others on the new military plan, Trump publicly said of Irans leaders, I would like to see them call me. The next day, CNN reported that the White House contacted Switzerlandan occasional intermediary between the U.S. and Iranian governmentsand provided a phone number that the Iranians could call to speak with the president. Iranian officials have said theyre not interested in initiating a callthough, in a Q&A with reporters in New York last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he was open to continued negotiations with Washington. Advertisement Trump has said the goal of his maximum pressure campaign is to get the Iranians to come back to the table and negotiate an improved nuclear deal. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has sometimes said this as well, but more often he has said sanctions will not be lifted until Iran changes its behavior on myriad fronts, including its testing of ballistic missiles and its support for Hezbollah, Yemens Houthi movement, and Shiite militias in Iraq. (The last condition is ironic, in that those militias have been very active in battling ISIS, which is the United States biggest foe in Iraq and Syria.) Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, en route to a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi (where nothing at all productive seems to have happened), Pompeo crashed a European Union meeting in Brusselsunexpected and uninvitedto harangue Western leaders on the threat from Iran. EU officials very much favor preserving the Iranian deal and are deeply bitter at Trump for riling tensions in the region and, beyond that, for forcing them to reimpose sanctionsessentially hijacking their own foreign policies and undermining what they see as their legitimate national security interests. Advertisement Pompeos drop-in occurred almost simultaneously with Trumps warm White House welcome of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbanan illiberal ultra-nationalist who has done more to damage democratic forces and subvert the EU than any other leader on the continent. For Pompeo to seek European unity on Trumps unpopular Iran policy, while Trump was meeting with the leading internal opponent of the EU, aggravated the tensions. Trump showed his true colors at his meetingand made things worse stillby praising Orban (whom Presidents Obama and Bush had refused to invite to the White House) as a respected man who has done a tremendous job in so many ways. Trump has harshly criticized Germany and other European allies for spending less than 2 percent of their GDP on defense and thus failing to meet their NATO obligationsbut he praised Orban as an upstanding member of NATO, even though Hungary has devoted an even lower percentage to defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, in a move that is largely symbolic but politically significant, Spaina member of NATOhas pulled a frigate from a U.S.-led naval battle group headed toward the Persian Gulf because of disagreements over Iran. So lets sum up. Trump is playing escalation games with Irangames that could lead to war, whether Trump wants that or notwhile doing nothing to seek diplomatic alternatives or to make a case that war is justified, in fact alienating U.S. allies whose support would be useful (if not vital) in a war and, at the same time, ginning up a trade war with China, which, in its early phases, is already wreaking havoc with markets and threatening to damage an otherwise-healthy American economy. Trump isnt fiddling while the world is in turmoil; hes fanning the flames without realizing thats what hes doing. A literal nightmare played out in real life over the weekend for a group of hikers on the Appalachian Trail when a man, acting erratically, allegedly began approaching hikers tents and threatening to douse them in gasoline and burn them to death. The group of four hikers encountered suspect 30-year-old James Jordan on Friday evening, when he was acting disturbed and unstable, and was playing his guitar and singing before things turned far darker. After the man allegedly made the threats to burn them alive, the hikers tried to escape, but they say Jordan approached them wielding a 20-inch knife. Two of the hikers fled from the campsite as Jordan allegedly chased them, but they were able to escape and call 911 at 2:30 a.m. Jordan, however, is accused of returning to the campsite and attacking the two other hikers after an argument. He allegedly stabbed the male hiker in the upper body while the female hiker fled. The wounded man was able to send an SOS signal from his phone, but when help arrived he was already dead, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jordan, meanwhile, is said to have pursued the fleeing female hiker and was able to track her down after she tired. The hiker told police she raised her arms as if to surrender and Jordan stabbed her multiple times. The woman fell to the ground and played dead. When Jordan left her for dead, she was able get away and backtrack down the trail and find the two other surviving hikers who helped her walk six miles until they were able to call 911 at 3:12 a.m. When the authorities returned several hours later, Jordan was found sitting with blood on his clothes and was taken into custody without incident. Should Democrats impeach President Donald Trump? They have the votes in the House to do so, and Trump, with his defiance of subpoenas, is baiting them to try it. Some Democrats argue that even if impeachment hurts them politically and ends with acquittal in the Senate, they have a duty to confront a scofflaw president. But impeachment isnt the only way to hold Trump accountable. There are smarter ways to go about it, and Democrats can take some important tips from the dozen or so national polls that have been conducted since the April 18 release of special counsel Robert Muellers report. Here are some lessons from those polls. Advertisement 1. Dont be cowed by the exoneration spin. Republicans say Mueller exonerated Trump and the case is closed, but the pubic isnt buying it. Fewer than 40 percent of Americans say the investigation cleared the president. In most polls, a majority says the investigation didnt clear Trump. Even a significant fraction of Republicans16 percent to 25 percent, depending on the questionsays the investigation didnt clear the president. And 60 percent of the public says he has lied about the matters under investigation. They dont trust him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. Dont start an impeachment. Since Muellers report came out, seven national pollsters have asked whether Congress should launch impeachment proceedings against Trump. In every sample, a strong pluralityand in most cases, a majorityhas said no. The percentage of respondents who say yes has never reached 40. And when respondents are asked about a hypothetical congressional candidate who supports impeachment, more say theyd vote against than for such a candidate. Something about the word impeachmentmaybe the impression that it reflects an agenda rather than an open-minded assessment of factsturns people off. Advertisement Advertisement 3. Continue the investigation. Some polls offer three options: End the investigation, continue it, or begin impeachment. Only 1 in 6 people chooses impeachment, but 2 in 6 choose the middle option: Keep investigating. Together, the pro-impeachment and pro-investigation factions form a roughly 50 percent plurality for hearings that could lead to impeachment. They agree, depending on the question, that Congress should continue the investigation into potential wrongdoing, hold hearings to further investigate what Mueller found, or continue investigating to see if there is enough evidence to hold impeachment hearings in the future. 4. Summon Mueller. This is a no-brainer. By a ratio of more than 2 to 1, Americans think the special counsel should testify before Congress. Among Democrats and independents, the margins are overwhelming. Even Republicans, who stand behind Trump on other questions, are split on this one. Advertisement Advertisement 5. Focus on obstruction, not collusion. Several polls have asked whether Trump conspired with Russia, worked with Russia to influence the 2016 election, or attempted to coordinate with Russia in order to benefit his presidential campaign. In not one of these surveys has a plurality said yes. But pluralities do think Trump committed obstruction of justice, attempted to obstruct the investigation, tried to impede or obstruct it, attempted to derail or obstruct it, and tried to interfere with the Russia investigation in a way that amounts to obstruction of justice. By margins of 10 to 20 percentage points, they agree that Congress should hold hearings to investigate whether Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice. Advertisement Advertisement Something about the word impeachmentmaybe the impression that it reflects an agenda rather than an open-minded assessment of factsturns people off. 6. Broaden the scrutiny. Most Americans view Trump as corrupt. A 2-to-1 majority thinks he committed crimes before he was president. Half think he has committed crimes as president, and a narrow majority thinks its very or somewhat likely that Russia has compromising information on him. A Politico/Morning Consult poll asked voters a series of questions as to whether Congress should investigate various topics: Trumps tax returns, his business interests and arrangements, the process for how Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump obtained security clearances, and Cabinet secretary spending, including on travel and office furnishings. On every question, the percentage of respondents who said investigation of such matters should be a top or important priority significantly exceeded the percentage who said investigation was unimportant or should not be pursued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 7. Highlight Trumps defiance. Democrats will face headwinds as they push forward. Most voters think investigations of Trump are distracting Congress from other national issues, and in a CNN survey, 44 percent of Americans said Democrats were doing too much to investigate Donald Trump. But on a different question in the same CNN poll, 54 percent said Trump was doing too little to cooperate with congressional Democrats investigating him. The key is to focus attention on Trumps behavior toward Congress, rather than on Congress behavior toward Trump. Two-thirds of Americans agree, for example, that the president should release his tax returns for public review. Democrats should constantly ask why he doesnt. 8. The election is the impeachment. A formal impeachment would take months. Republicans would acquit Trump in the Senate, and he would use the fight to rally his base, accusing liberals in Congress of trying to overturn the election. Why play into his hands, when instead you could investigate him through the normal oversight process, present your hearings and findings to voters, and invite them to pass judgment on him a year from now? Advertisement Advertisement Muellers inquiry has already hurt Trump. In a Politico/Morning Consult survey, 30 percent of voters said the investigation made them view the president more favorably, but 47 percent said the opposite. Fifteen percent said they were more likely to vote for Trump as a result of the inquiry, but 23 percent said they were less likely. In a Washington Post/ABC News poll, 14 percent said Muellers findings made them more likely to support Trump for re-election, but 36 percent said the findings made them more likely to oppose him. In both surveys, Democrats stood firm against the president, while 10 percent of Republicans signaled some disenchantment with him. To remove Trump through impeachment, Democrats would have to win 67 percent of the vote in a Senate thats 53 percent Republican. To remove him the normal way, theyd only have to win a majority of electoral votes in a country thats 25 percent to 30 percent Republican. Through their control of the House, Democrats have the power to investigate Trump and present their findings to the ultimate jury: the people of the United States. Thats a better court to fight in, and an easier case to win. Over the weekend, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaibone of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress alongside her fellow freshman Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omargave Republicans a new quote to interpret in the worst possible light, as part of their ongoing strategy to drive a wedge between Democrats on the issue of anti-Semitism. Its an effort thats worked for Republicans before and, having registered previous success, a play theyll run every time either Tlaib or Omar opens her mouth again. Advertisement Theres always kind of a calming feeling I tell folk when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some of their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, Tlaib told the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery late last week. I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, postthe Holocaust, postthe tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time, and I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tlaib clearly expressed that the calming feeling she gets is in thinking about how Palestinians sacrifice allowed Jews to have a safe haven following the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time. Her history, and the implication that Palestinians were particularly welcoming to European Jews, is open to serious criticism. To suggest, however, that she finds the Holocaust itself to be a calming moment in history is a willful misinterpretation of her comments. Advertisement Advertisement So thats the interpretation that Republican leaders used. The president tweeted that Tlaib obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, meanwhile, said, There is no justification for the twisted and disgusting comments made by Rashida Tlaib just days after the annual Day of Holocaust Remembrance. More than six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust; there is nothing calming about that fact. Unfortunately, Scalises statement continued, this is far from the first display of heinous anti-Semitic comments coming from Democrat House members this year, and its clear this is now the norm for their caucus. Its long past time for Speaker Pelosi to take swift action and make it clear that these vile comments have no place in Congress. The No. 3 House Republican, Liz Cheney, also called on Democratic leaders to take action against vile anti-Semitism in their ranks. This must cross the line, even for them. Advertisement The opposition is trying to create wedges wherever it can, and in some cases, its been successful. It was not absurd for Republican leaders to think that Speaker Nancy Pelosi might bite. She took floor action earlier this year following one of Omars comments. Weeks later, when Republicans twisted Omars observation about how the actions of a small number of 9/11 hijackers were used to deprive all American Muslims of their civil liberties into a belief that Omar felt 9/11 was no biggie, Pelosis initial statement didnt even mention Omar. Instead, it noted that the memory of 9/11 is sacred ground, and any discussion of it must be done with reverence. Advertisement Advertisement But this time, House Democratic leaders responded to Tlaibs comments with an unequivocal defense of the besieged Michigander. I think President Trump and the Republicans in the House owe Congresswoman Tlaib an apology, Pelosi said in San Francisco on Monday. She didnt say that. She didnt say what they said she said. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, similarly, called on Republicans to apologize to Tlaib for taking her words out of context, and Pelosi would follow up with a tweet later in the afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans desperate attempts to smear @RepRashida & misrepresent her comments are outrageous. President @realDonaldTrump & House GOP should apologize to Rep. Tlaib & the American people for their gross misrepresentations. Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 13, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Republicans didnt suffuse Tlaibs comment with a more cynical interpretation or further strip it from any context, any more than they did Omars. And yet here, Tlaib is getting the full leadership defense, along with a call on the other side to apologize. What seems to have changed, then, is recognition from leadership that giving even the slightest oxygen to bad-faith PR exercises from the other side will only beget further bad-faith PR exercises from the other side, especially when it comes to the GOPs macro bad-faith PR campaign to gin up panic about extremist Muslim women taking over the Democratic Party. Advertisement Advertisement Its a conclusion that applies to much more than the attacks on Tlaib and Omar. House freshmen and leaders learned a similar lesson earlier this year, when the Democrats wound up granting legitimacy to Republican messaging tricks on the House floor. In February, ahead of Democrats vote on a background-checks bill, Republicans used a procedural vehicle called a motion to recommit to trip up vulnerable Democrats who had flipped red districts last November. The motion, essentially, forced Democrats to vote on whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be alerted if an undocumented immigrant tries to buy a gun. Typically, majorities are united in rejecting procedural votes like this from the other side. But leadership sent its caucus mixed signals about how to react, and enough Democrats wound up supporting the motion that it passed. The only thing that legitimizing this procedure accomplished was to ensure that Republicans would continue using the trick to put Democrats in tough spots indefinitely. Advertisement Advertisement A couple of weeks later, as Democrats were preparing to pass their signature piece of legislationthe For the People Act, their all-purpose political reform vehiclefreshman GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw introduced a motion to reaffirm that undocumented immigrants shouldnt be allowed to vote. Democrats were prepared for this one, and they delegated freshman Rep. Max Rose, a centrist Democrat from Staten Island, to stuff it back in the GOPs face, calling the motion a joke and urging his colleagues to vote against it. Democrats havent had serious problems with these motions since. And the proper response to Republicans saying that Democratic Muslim women in Congress are enthusiastic fans of both 9/11 and the Holocaust is to dismiss that as ridiculous, toonot to set up a vote on a resolution condemning hatred. The opposition is trying to create wedges wherever it can, and in some cases, its been successful. Now, though, Democrats seemed to have learned a lesson Republicans never seemed to have much problem with: never give them an inch. Just days after bowing out at the Department of Justice, former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein opened upever so slightly about his role in the firing of FBI Director James Comey and his decision to appoint Robert Mueller special counsel. Speaking to the Greater Baltimore Committee Monday, the Washington Post reports, Rosenstein delivered prepared remarks that offered new details into his thinking about his time as a key figure in the Trump administrationand the investigation of it. Here are the key takeaways from Rosensteins remarks: Advertisement Rosenstein didnt believe Comeys firing would affect the Russia investigation. [Rosenstein] said that when a White House lawyer first told him Trump had decided to fire Comey, Nobody said that the removal was intended to influence the course of my Russia investigation, according to the Post. I would never have allowed anyone to interfere with the investigation, he asserted, though he conceded later that he recognized that the unusual circumstances of the firing and the ensuing developments would give reasonable people cause to speculate about the credibility of the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosenstein would have handled Comey firing with far more respect and far less drama. [T]he removal would have been handled very differently, with far more respect and far less drama, Rosenstein said. If I had been asked to make a recommendation before the removal decision was made, I would have included a more balanced analysis of the pros and cons, he said. But my brief memo to the attorney general is correct, and it was reasonable under the circumstances. Advertisement Advertisement Comey made unreasonable decisions during Hillary Clinton email server investigation. Rosenstein said he did not dislike Comey but that Comey took steps that were not within the range of reasonable decisions during the investigation of Hillary Clintons use of a private email server, the Post reports. Rosenstein on need for special counsel. Rosenstein, who said he generally disfavors special counsels, also defended his appointment of Mueller. He said there was overwhelming evidence of Russian hacking and efforts on social media to influence the 2016 election, and that the investigation was justified, the Post reports. I determined that I needed a special counsel to help resolve the election interference investigation in a way that would best protect America from foreign adversaries and preserve public confidence in the long run, he said. I knew that some people would not be happy about it. I knew that it would be unpleasant for me and my family. Advertisement Advertisement Comey is now a partisan pundit. [N]ow the former director is a partisan pundit, selling books and earning speaking fees while speculating about the strength of my character and the fate of my immortal soul, Rosenstein said. That is disappointing. Speculating about souls is not a job for police and prosecutors. Rosenstein on the fate of his immortal soul. My soul and character are pretty much the same today as they were two years ago, he said. I took a few hits and made some enemies during my time in the arena, but I held my ground and made a lot of friends. Im glad someone enjoyed it. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, one of the countrys only red-state Democrats to win reelection in 2016, announced Tuesday that he would join a crowded Democratic campaign field for the White House. Washington Post, May 14 Whos Running for President in 2020? UPDATED MAY 14, 2019 22 Democrats, 2 Republicans New York Times [Establishing shot of suburban house] [Singing voice-over begins] Man: It takes a lot to make a stew Woman: A pinch of salt and laughter, too M: A scoop of kids to add the spice W: A dash of love to make it nice, and youve got Both: Too many cooks (candidates) W: Too many cooks (candidates) B: Too many cooks (candidates) M: Too many cooks (candidates) B: Too many cooks (candidates), its true M: The saying goes, itll spoil the broth W: Honey, I think thats not true M: Well, maybe too many cooks (candidates) will spoil the broth, but theyll fill our hearts with B: So much, so much lo-o-ove Too many cooks (candidates) M: A [Democratic Party primary] is like a soup W: Everyone adds an extra scoop M: Mix an ounce of smile so sweet W: A dash of cool to add the heat, and youve got B: Too many cooks (candidates) M: It takes a lot to make a stew W: Especially when its me and you M: And him and Steve [Bullock] from [Montana], too B: Too many cooks (candidates), its true M: The saying goes, itll spoil the broth B: Too many cooks (candidates) [Woman screams] M: It takes a lot to make a stew, a pinch of salt and laughter, too. [Man screams] A scoop of kids to add the spice, a dash of love to make it nice, and youve got B: Too many cooks (candidates) M: It takes a lot to make a stew, when its made of [Eric Swalwell] and [Seth Moulton], and him and her and [possibly Bill de Blasio], too, too many cooks (candidates), its true [Woman screams] M: It takes a lot to make a stew B: Too many cooks (candidates) M: Especially when its me and you [More screaming] [More screaming in the background] (With thanks to Adult Swim and Vulture.) Hanan Ashrawi, a senior official in the Palestine Liberation Organization, said Monday she had been denied a visa to travel to the U.S. The State Department did not provide a reason for the denial, but Ashrawi said she believes it is because of her vocal opposition to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Shes one of several prominent Palestinian activists denied entry to the U.S. in recent weeks, but considering that shes a senior official who has frequently traveled to the U.S. and met with U.S. officials for decades, her exclusion is more surprising and seems particularly noteworthy, as the Trump administration prepares to release a peace plan that is likely to reject the long-sought Palestinian aspiration for political independence. Advertisement The release of the plan has been repeatedly delayed, with the recent Israeli elections and the month of Ramadan cited as reasons, but is currently expected in June. Details of the plan, developed by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt, have been closely guarded, but the general outlines have started to emerge. Most importantly, the plan is believed to stop short of calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state, a reversal of two decades of official U.S. policy. As Robert Satloff of the Washington Institute summarized after interviewing Kushner at an event in May: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kushner said he was eschewing the term state altogether: If you say two-states it means one thing to the Israelis, it means one thing to the Palestinians, and we said, lets just not say it, he explainedalthough why he would propose answers to all peace process issues but punt on providing a U.S. definition of statehood was left unclear. Indeed, it was like pulling teeth to extract from Kushner much empathy for Palestinian political aspirations, however defined. Advertisement Advertisement In terms of political sovereignty, the plan may actually leave Palestinians with less than they have now. Over the weekend, Israeli media reports suggested that the plan not only will allow for all Israeli settlements on the West Bank to remain under Israeli control indefinitely, but it also will not object to the extension of Israeli law to the settlements. This seems a lot like acquiescence to Benjamin Netanyahus pledge during his recent election campaign to begin formal annexation of the settlements as Israeli territory. What would Palestinians get in return? Well, money, mainly. As the Washington Post reports, The package is expected to call for tens of billions of dollars in aid and investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the two areas where most Palestinians live, and billions more to Egypt and Jordan, the two Arab states that have made peace with Israel. As Congress is unlikely to back large-scale spending on such a plan, the economic part of the plan would be funded by wealthy Persian Gulf countries. Kushner, who has a close relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was surprised that there wasnt more enthusiasm for his plan at a meeting in Saudi Arabia in February, the Post reports. Advertisement Advertisement This is all mostly academic since Palestinian leaders will almost certainly reject the plan. Advertisement Advertisement Palestinian officials have had no official contact with the Trump administration since the president unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017. Since then, the administration has cut aid to the West Bank and Gaza and shut down the consulate that oversaw U.S.-Palestinian relations. The denial of visas to advocates of the Palestinians seems to be the next step in this pressure campaign. The administration is not only ruling out Palestinian aspirations for statehood, its also banning those who advocate for those aspirations. Kushner is right that negotiation has failed to bring peace to the region, but his alternative seems to be simply to dictate terms, to take issues of debate off the table as Trump puts it. It doesnt really matter if the terms of the deal are rejected. That rejection will then be used as pretext for more U.S. efforts to undermine Palestinian sovereignty and support Israeli territorial claims. Trump has called Middle East peace the ultimate deal, and he and Kushner have prided themselves on their negotiating skills, honed by years in the New York real estate market. But when it comes to cutting deals with the Palestinians, they dont seem to have any intention to negotiate. At a time when Muslims globally are observing the holy month of Ramadan, more than half the population in Gaza depends on the international community for food aid, the director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Monday, citing a near ten-fold increase in need. According to UNRWA, it must secure an additional $60 million by June to continue providing food to more than one million Palestine refugees in Gaza, including some 620,000 abject poor who cannot cover their basic food needs and are surviving on $1.6 per day. The funds are also needed to cover the severely challenged 390,000 absolute poor, who survive on about $3.5 per day. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support, which has been outpaced by growing needs. From fewer than 80,000 Palestinians in Gaza receiving social assistance in 2000, today over one million people need urgent food aid to get through their day. This is a near ten-fold increase caused by the blockade that led to the closure of Gaza and its disastrous impact on the local economy, the successive conflicts that razed entire neighborhoods and public infrastructure to the ground, and the ongoing internal Palestinian political crisis that started in 2007 with the arrival of Hamas to power in Gaza, said Matthias Schmale, Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza. UNRWA is also confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growing number of registered Palestine refugees. Moreover, the tragic death of 195 Palestinians including 14 UNRWA students and the long-lasting physical and psychological injuries of 29,000 people during year-long demonstrations, known as the Great March of Return come after three devastating conflicts since 2009 that, combined, left at least 3,790 dead and more than 17,000 injured. A 2017 UN report predicted that by 2020, Gaza would be unlivable. Today, with over 53 per cent of Gazans unemployed and more than one million dependent upon quarterly UNRWA food handouts, UN agencies and remittances from abroad are all that stand between Gaza and total collapse. Operating with large financial shortfalls and as one of the few stabilizing elements in a very complex environment, UNRWA is encouraging all Member States to work collectively to fund its program budget as well as its emergency programs, which are financed through separate funding portals. UNRWA is tasked to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full human development potential. The White House has been working in secret on a sweeping show of force aiming to arrest en masse thousands of immigrant parents and children, the Washington Post reports. The massive detention plan, which targeted as many as 10,000 arrests across 10 U.S. cities, was aiming at high visibility and high drama in order to act as a deterrent to undocumented immigrants, according to Department of Homeland Security officials. Unsurprisingly, the Post reports senior adviser Stephen Miller was a big fan of the plan. Advertisement The audacious proposal, which would have required highly-coordinated raids against parents with children, ran into resistance at the Department of Homeland Security however. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and top immigration enforcement official Ronald Vitiello pushed back against the White House proposal, not on ethical or moral grounds, but on operational ones. They considered the idea half-baked and were concerned that a lack of preparation for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ran the risk of enflaming public outrage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration wanted to target the crush of families that had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border after the presidents failed zero tolerance prosecution push in early 2018, the Post reports. The vast majority of families who have crossed the border in the past 18 months seeking asylum remain in the country, awaiting a court date or in defiance of deportation orders. Nielsen and Vitiello both balked at implementing the plan and within days of one another they were ousted from their prominent roles in the administration, which Trump told reporters was because he had opted to go in a tougher direction. This piece originally appeared in the Conversation. Millions of cryptocurrency investors have been scammed out of massive sums of real money. In 2018, losses from cryptocurrency-related crimes amounted to $1.7 billion. The criminals use both old-fashioned and new-technology tactics to swindle their marks in schemes based on digital currencies exchanged through online databases called blockchains. From researching blockchain, cryptocurrency, and cybercrime, I can see that some cryptocurrency fraudsters rely on tried-and-true Ponzi schemes that use income from new participants to pay out returns to earlier investors. Others use highly automatized and sophisticated processes, including automated software that interacts with Telegram, an internet-based instant messaging system popular among people interested in cryptocurrencies. Even when a cryptocurrency plan is legitimate, fraudsters can still manipulate its price in the marketplace. Advertisement An even more basic question arises, though: How are unsuspecting investors attracted to cryptocurrency frauds in the first place? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some cryptocurrency fraudsters appeal to peoples greed, promising big returns. For example, an unknown group of entrepreneurs runs the scam bot iCenter, which is a Ponzi scheme for Bitcoin and Litecoin. It doesnt provide information on investment strategies but somehow promises investors 1.2 percent daily returns. The iCenter scheme operates through a group chat on Telegram. It starts with a small group of scammers who are in on the racket. They get a referral code that they share with others, in blogs and on social media, hoping to get them to join the chat. Once there, the newcomers see encouraging and exciting messages from the original scammers. Some newcomers decide to invest, at which point they are assigned an individual bitcoin wallet, into which they can deposit bitcoin. They agree to wait some period of time99 or 120 daysto receive a significant return. Advertisement Advertisement During that time, the newcomers often use social media to share their own referral codes with friends and contacts, bringing more people into the group chat and the investment scheme. Theres no actual investment of the funds in any legitimate business. Instead, when new people join, the person who recruited them gets a percentage of the new funds and the cycle continues, paying out to earlier participants from each round of newer investors. Advertisement Some members work especially hard to bring in new funds, posting tutorial videos and pictures of themselves holding large amounts of money as enticements to join the scam. Some scammers go for straight-up deception. The founders of scam cryptocurrency OneCoin defrauded investors of $3.8 billion by convincing people their nonexistent cryptocurrency was real. Advertisement Other scams are based on impressing potential victims with jargon or claims of specialized knowledge. The Global Trading scammers claimed they took advantage of price differences on various cryptocurrency exchanges to profit from what is called arbitragebuying cheaply and selling at higher prices. Really, they just took investors money. Advertisement Advertisement Global Trading used a bot on Telegram, too: Investors could send a balance inquiry message and get a response with false information about how much was in their account, sometimes even seeing balances climb by 1 percent in an hour. With returns looking like that, who could blame people for sharing the scheme with their friends and family on social media? Once a scheme has started, it stays aliveat least for a whilethrough social media. One person gets taken in by the promise of big returns on cryptocurrency investments and spreads the word to friends and family members. Advertisement Advertisement Sometimes big names get involved. For instance, the kingpin behind GainBitcoin and other alleged scams in India convinced a number of Bollywood celebrities to promote his book, Cryptocurrency for Beginners. He even tried to make himself a bit of a celebrity, proclaiming himself a cryptocurrency guru, as he led efforts that cost investors between $769 million and $2 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Not all the celebrities know theyre involved. In one blog post, iCenter featured a video that purported to be an endorsement by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, holding a sign featuring iCenters logo. Videos of Justin Timberlake and Christopher Walken were deceptively edited so they appeared to praise iCenter, too. Another popular scam technique is called an initial coin offering. A potentially legitimate investment opportunity, an initial coin offering essentially is a way for a startup cryptocurrency company to raise money from future users: In exchange for sending active cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum, customers are promised a discount on the new cryptocoins. Advertisement Many initial coin offerings have turned out to be scams, with organizers engaging in cunning plots, even renting fake offices and creating fancy-looking marketing materials. In 2017, a lot of hype and media coverage about cryptocurrencies fed a huge wave of initial coin offering fraud. In 2018, about 1,000 initial coin offering efforts collapsed, costing backers at least $100 million. Many of these projects had no original ideas: More than 15 percent of them had copied ideas from other cryptocurrency efforts or even plagiarized supporting documentation. Investors looking for returns in a new technology sector are still interested in blockchains and cryptocurrencies, but should be aware that they are complex systems that are new even to those who are selling them. Newcomers and relative experts alike have fallen prey to scams. In an environment like the current cryptocurrency market, potential investors should be very careful to research what theyre putting their money into and be sure to find out who is involved as well as what the actual plan is for making real moneywithout defrauding others. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Take a look at this monthly comparison chart of the S&P 500 Index (SPX) versus Chinas Shanghai Index (SSEC). While the SSEC literally exploded during 2007 compared with the gains made by the SPX, and made an anaemic attempt in 2015, its, essentially, gone nowhere since mid-2015. If this is a harbinger of things to come, Id say that China is in for a rough ride over the next few yearsparticularly in light of the current trade war with the U.S. And, its time for them to negotiate in good faith, as Senator Grassley has tweeted. You can see from my post of May 6 that major support sits at 2500 for the SSEC. If it blows through that level, watch out below! World markets closed the day massively in the red on Mondaypossibly related to this trade escalation and perhaps other world tensions, e.g., Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, etc., as well as slowing world economies. Well see how overnight trading fares in China tonight. P.S. Is anybody besides me getting tired of President Trumps incessant good-cop bad-cop tweets/messages regarding trade talks with China? All you have to do is look at this 60 min chart of the SPX to figure out where and when after-hours bad-cop tweets/messages were let loose by either him or his negotiators, and when good-cop tweets/messages were released during market hours. Its getting sillyand predictable. And, isnt it about time that he finally outlined a comprehensive trade policy that, not only includes China, but other world countries, as well? Its long overdue, in my opinion! https://slopeofhope.com/2019/05/chinas-shanghai-index-no-longer-a-market-leader.html Chinas Shanghai Index: No Longer A Market Leader In order to comment on this blog, you must have JavaScript installed and enabled. 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... Juraj Hossu pleaded guilty before the verdict. Juraj Hossu got six years in prison for killing expat Henry Acorda. (Source: Sme - Marko Erd) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Juraj Hossu, the man who killed Filipino expat Henry Acorda in central Bratislava last summer, received a six-year prison sentence. The Bratislava I District Court issued the unconditional prison sentence for Hossu, who was prosecuted in custody, after the defendant pleaded guilty. Read also: Read also: Welcome to Slovakia? Read more "I am guilty," Hossu told the court as quoted by the TASR newswire. Following his plead, the court proceeded with the decision about the verdict, without further hearings of witnesses or experts. Regret Juraj Hossu, a man in his late twenties from the southern-Slovak district of Dunajska Streda, attacked Henry Acorda, a Filipino expat living and working in Bratislava. Hossu killed Acorda after the latter tried to prevent him from harassing two women on Obchodna Street in Bratislava in the early morning of May 26, 2018. Acorda succumbed to the injuries sustained in the attack. Although originally there was also suspicion that the attack was racially motivated, the investigation did not prove it and Hossu was charged with homicide. The murder resulted in a protest whose participants demanded Justice for Henry. Read also: Read also: First witnesses heard in the case of Henry Acorda's death Read more "I regret immensely what happened," Hossu said in his final address to the court at the May 14, 2019 hearing as quoted by the TASR newswire. "I acted unwittingly, I apologise to his family, mainly his mother whom I would help financially even if the court did not order me to do so. I also apologise to my own family." Alcohol and prescription drugs The court started hearings in January this year. I thought he was harming the girls he was with, Hossu told the court then, as quoted by Sme. I cannot really put my mind together, I perceived it in that way and attacked Henry. Read also: Read also: I am not an aggressor, claims the man accused of Filipinos manslaughter Read more Hossu estimated that he had drunk about 20 beers and 10 shots of vodka. Moreover, he was seeing a psychiatrist at the time because of stress at work and she had prescribed him tranquilisers. He took them in the morning and as he was attending a business party that day, he also took two other pills before the event, Sme wrote. Disputes about safety in Bratislava The killing of Henry Acorda resparked debates about Bratislava's nightlife, no-go zones in the city, and the safety of people, especially foreigners, in the streets. It became a topic of the municipal election campaign that was already running last year (elections took place in November 2018). Read also: Read also: Bratislavas Obchodna Street to get municipal police station Read more One of the measures is the planned establishing of a station for the municipal police on Obchodna Street, in order to make this part of the city more attractive and safe. Talk of Atlanta heading over to compete in the Elitlopp has surfaced in recent weeks, and her new trainer, Ron Burke, has discussed what he has decided for the superstar trotting mare. On Monday (May 13), Burke told harnessracing.com that despite interest from officials at Solvalla Racetrack in Sweden to bring the United States 2018 Trotter of the Year to race in the May 26 Elitlopp, he has decided against sending Atlanta. The horseman referenced the arduous travel arrangements Buck I St Pat faced in 2009 when Burke shipped her overseas to compete in the Elitlopp (she went on to finish seventh in the elim and did not advance to the same-day final). Burke explained that he decided to not send Atlanta after he was unable to find direct travel to Stockholm for the mare. The circumstances just didnt fit for her, said Burke. Do I want to go next year? Yes, for sure. This year, I just felt like nothing would have worked out right. If it wasnt a perfect situation I didnt really want to go. Atlanta won her 2019 debut on May 6 at Miami Valley by cruising to a seven and three-quarter-length win in a track record 1:50.4 in the $100,000 Miami Valley Distaff. Burke said Atlanta will make her next start in Saturdays opening round of the Graduate Series for four-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands Racetrack, where she will take on male competition. Atlanta, while in the barn of trainer Rick Zeron last year, bested her male peers in the Hambletonian on the way to divisional and Trotter of the Year honours in the United States. Shell race in the Graduate and then well go from there, said Burke. Burke (third from left) pictured with Atlanta after her May 6, 2019 win. Burke (third from left) pictured with Atlanta after her May 6, 2019 win. (With files from harnessracing.com) Captain Crunch, last seasons two-year-old pacing colt of the year in the U.S., is now set to make his 2019 debut. Captain Crunch will compete in one of three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes races for three-year-old male pacers that will head postward this coming Sunday night (May 19) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The dashes have been carded as Race 9, 10 and 11. Captain Crunch is a Captaintreacherous colt trained by Nancy Johansson for the 3 Brothers Stables, Christina Takter, the Rojan Stables, and Caviart Farms. In 2018, Captain Crunch won six of ten starts, including the Breeders Crown and Governors Cup en route to divisional honours. Captain Crunch has recorded a pair of qualifying wins this season one of which was clocked in 1:50.1 while prepping for his 2019 campaign. Captain Crunch and pilot Scott Zeron have drawn Post 3 for the second of Sundays three splits, each of which will house a field of nine. It appears as though Captain Crunch will face a real challenge in his Sunday assignment, as many highly-touted three-year-olds have also drawn into his division. One of the foes that Captain Crunch is set to face is Proof (PP8, David Miller), who finished second behind Captain Crunch in last years Breeders Crown and was the 2018 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion. Poof finished a solid second in the PASS season opener at the Meadows, which was also Poofs first pari-mutuel start of 2019. Southwind Ozzi (PP1, Tim Tetrick), who defeated Poof in 1:50.4 in the aforementioned PASS season opener, is also set to face Captain Crunch on Sunday. Lyons Night Hawk (PP5, Tim Tetrick), who was just edged in 1:50.1 in a PA All-Stars event in his seasonal bow, will also contest the split. Prince Of Tides (PP2, Eric Carlson), who was a 1:49.4 winner of the Wiggle It Jiggleit final at the Meadowlands Racetrack, will also be in the fray. The first division will feature Major Deception (PP1, Tim Tetrick), Wild Wild Western (PP2, Mike Wilder) and Aflame Hanover (PP8, Tony Schadel) among others, while the third division will feature recent sharp PASS winners Workin On A Mystery (PP2, Tim Tetrick) and Love Me Some Lou (PP8, David Miller). Additionally, four Pennsylvania Stallion Series divisions will head postward Sunday at Pocono, which will feature Captain Koine, Skip To My Lou, Under Paid and Captain Panko. First post for Sundays 14-race card is set for 7 p.m. (With files from PHHA / Pocono) Morocco celebrates this Tuesday (May 14) the 63rd anniversary of the creation of the Royal Armed Forces, an opportunity to pay tribute to these forces, which stand as bulwark in the defense of the people and the Nation and which are tirelessly committed to international peace and stability. Shortly after it regained its independence, Morocco set up on 14 May 1956 the Royal Armed Forces, which have since then served as an impregnable bulwark that has annihilated all external attempts, including the enemys maneuvers at the southeastern border of the kingdom. This anniversary is an opportunity for the Moroccan people to remember the glorious epics recorded by the FAR, from the War of Sands (1963) and the battles of Amgala I and II (1976), to the Sinai and the Golan (Kippur War of October 1973). Besides defending the homeland, the FAR have also earned international recognition for their remarkable commitment to international peace and stability through their participation in several UN peace missions, including Kfor in Kosovo (since 1999 up to now), Minusca in Central African Republic, Monusco in Democratic Republic of the Congo On the orders of the King, the Supreme Chief and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, Moroccan soldiers also carried out several humanitarian missions in the occupied Palestinian territories, specifically in the Gaza Strip, where a surgical field hospital offers medical services to the local population, as well as in Jordan, in the Zaatari camp where a contingent of FAR doctors continues to provide care to Syrian refugees. If the FAR received special attention from the late Kings Mohammed V (founder) and Hassan II (builder), it is clear that the work of modernization was completed under King Mohammed VI, writes local news portal le360. As an instance of this modernization, the portal recalled the major military acquisitions made in the last ten years. These include 24 F16 fighters acquired in 2013, 25 new F16 Viper type that have just been ordered, recently delivered 250 Abrams tanks and multi-mission frigates, including the Fremm Mohammed VI. Besides the development of the FAR and the modernization of their military and defense capabilities, and their regular participation in drills with partner countries, the King was also keen on improving their combat readiness to deal with current and future threats and dangers, including terrorist, electronic and cyber threats. Thanks to this qualitative leap, the FAR are today listed among the fifty most powerful armies in the world. British defense firm BAE has developed an add-on external camera system for armored vehicles that enables each member of the crew to view the outside of the tank via one or more of four high-res (1920x1200) external vidcams. These external vidcams are the heart of the MVP (Multifunction Vehicle Protection) system that not only provides external views day or night but can also link to various ADS (Active Defense Systems) on the vehicle. ADS can intercept incoming missiles or rocket-propelled armor piercing warheads (RPGs) and is more effective the more data it has about incoming threats. Each camera provides 120 degree vertical and 75 degree horizontal views and together provide 360 degree (all around) views of what is going on outside. With this capability, vehicle commander no longer has to stick their heads and shoulders up through a turret hatch to get a better view. MVP can also link to audio sensors that work with video sensors to automatically detect where enemy fire is coming from. The United States is testing MVP on their M2 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). The American M1A2 tank already has a similar system and is upgrading that to a more advanced version (M1A2 Sep 3) that adds more protection from armor-piercing tank shells as well as missiles and RPGs. The virtue of the MVP is that it can easily be added to the many tanks that lack such visibility features. This approach has been tested in combat by the American M1 for over a decade so there is no doubt that it, and various upgrades during the last decade, provides a considerable advantage. The U.S. Army began their SEP2/3 (System Enhancement Package) upgrades in mid-2017 and these were meant to build on visibility features MVP provides. The SEP program is upgrading M1A2 tanks to the new SEP3 standard as well as upgrading more M1A2SEPs to the SEP2 level. These upgrades keep the M1, or at least some of them, competitive with more recently designed and built tanks. The U.S. (mainly the army) has about a thousand of the SEP2 upgrade M1A2s and wants to up to half of that upgraded to SEP3 by 2020, the earliest date for the M2A3 upgrade will show up. That one will have major upgrades to the tank software and whatever upgrades are available for the engine, armor and electronics. A major upgrade is adding the capability to use advanced (some guided missiles) projectiles from the 120mm smoothbore gun. There may also be an ADS added as well. The specifics of M1A3 were not set until 2018 because much of the tech was still in development or getting its first combat experience. What isnt ready in the early 2020s can be added with the M1A3SEP. MVP notes this integration of multiple systems in the SEP program and makes compatibility with other systems a key feature of MVP. The original M1A2SEP was developed in the late 1990s and upgraded the armor and a few other minor fixes. There were other urban warfare upgrades, because of what was encountered after 2003 in Iraq. This was called TUSK (Tank Urban Survival Kit) and evolved into the SEP2 upgrade. TUSK was installed on hundreds of tanks headed for Iraq as well as several hundred more M1s that had battle damage repaired and TUSK upgrades installed at the same time. TUSK entered service in 2007 with reactive armor panels for the side and rear of the tank, to provide added protection from RPGs. A slat armor panel protects the engine exhaust outlet of the tank from RPGs. A 1.5 ton belly armor kit, which can be installed in two hours, provides additional protection from mines and large bombs. Enhancements also include night vision for all crew members. There is also a telephone added to the side of the tank, so that infantry can more easily communicate with the crew when the tank is "buttoned up" (all hatches closed). The complete TUSK kit costs about $500,000 per vehicle and takes about twelve hours to install all the components. Later additions to TUSK included a rear-view camera for the driver and RWS (remote weapons station) so the commanders' .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine-gun could be operated from inside the tank. This is particularly useful if the tank is taking a lot of small arms fire. This led to providing all-round vidcam views of what was going on outside the tank. The M1A2SEP2 made most of the TUSK items standard and added more improvements like the RWS for the 12.7mm machine-gun as standard, as well in computer hardware (including color flat screen displays) and software (including a new operating system) improved TUSK ERA (explosive reactive armor), making the external phone standard and upgrading the transmission to make it more reliable. The SEP3 that enters service in 2017 includes more improvements in the TUSK armor and RWS, electricity generation and distribution (for all the electronic gadgets that need recharging or whatever), upgraded communications and networking, installation of VHMS (Vehicle Health Management System) and the use of LRMs (Line Replaceable Modules) to make it easier to upgrade or repair problems. The new communications features include ADL (Ammunition DataLink) to use airburst rounds. There are also an improved counter-IED armor package, an upgraded FLIR (night vision heat sensor) and an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) under armor to run electronics while stationary instead of the engine. So far over 10,000 American M1 tanks have been produced and most of them subsequently updated at least once (mainly in the 1990s). The army is planning to maintain and upgrade its M1 tank fleet (some 7,000 of them) into the 2030s. The M1 has already been in service since the 1980s and may become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century. Technically, some World War II tanks achieved that dubious goal but not in the service of a major power. The electronics on the M1 have undergone several upgrades so far, in addition to the larger main gun. More equipment has been added for urban warfare (an outside phone, cameras, reactive armor side panels, thermal sights, and shields for the external machine-guns) and new ammo types for the main gun have been developed. A major enhancement was depleted uranium armor, which made the M1 virtually invulnerable from the front. The one remaining item in need of major improvement is the 1,500 horsepower gas turbine engine. Past improvements here included electronic monitors on many engine components, an electronic logbook (to record all pertinent engine activity), and a maintenance program that makes the most of all this data. If the engine is monitored closely and constantly, it's possible to carry out maintenance in a more timely (before something fails) manner. The army would also like to develop an improved (more efficient and less expensive to maintain) engine, but that is also a costly item they can't afford at the moment. New anti-tank weapons are always being developed and the army wants to at least be able to afford new gear to deal with new threats. One threat that is currently ignored is top attack warheads (that put a shaped charge type attack against the thin top armor). There are also new types of mines and electronic threats. If the M1 is to survive for half a century it will have to evolve, as well as endure. The M1 Abrams tank is considered the best combat proven tank in the world. But there are many different models of M1s, which vary considerably in their combat capability. The earliest model is only about half as capable as the M1A2 SEP model. The first of 3,273 M1 Abrams tanks were produced in 1978. This version had a 105mm gun. The first of 4,796 M1A1s (with a 120mm gun and depleted uranium armor) was produced in 1985 (plus 221 for the U.S. Marines, 555 co-produced with Egypt and another 200 M1A1s for Egypt). Production of the M1A2 (with improved fire control systems) began in 1986, with 77 for the US Army, 315 for Saudi Arabia, and 218 for Kuwait. Another 600 M1s were upgraded to M1A2 standards. Deliveries of these upgrades began in 1998. In 2001 the army began to upgrade 240 M1A2 tanks with better thermal imaging and fire control equipment as well as communications and computer equipment that would allow tanks to operate a full color "battlefield internet" with each other, as well as headquarters and warplanes with similar equipment. By 2013 the army had upgraded 700 tanks to the M1A2SEP standard and built another 240 new M1A2SEP vehicles. The goal is to get at least 2,000 upgraded to M1A2SEP or higher by 2020. The Red Sea port of Hodeida is now able to resume operations. Normally Hodeida handles 70 percent of the emergency aid (food, medicine, fuel) for people in northern Yemen. There are still government suspicions that the local militias that took over when the rebels left the three ports are in fact allies of the rebels. The UN inspectors were unable to verify that but insisted the UN was now in control of the ports. The government points out that, before the rebels were forced to withdraw from these ports, the UN personnel supervising the aid shipments were unable to inspect suspicious cargoes which, the government points out, obviously contained major weapons shipments. How else do you explain the appearance of nearly a hundred Iranian long-range missiles used in attacks on Saudi Arabia? Most of these missiles were shot down by Saudi missile defense systems and there were plenty of missile fragments left to analyze and conclusively prove what model of Iranian missile they were. The UN agreed with that and condemned Iran. There have been no more Iranian missiles smuggled in since the ports were shut down in late 2018 by a land and a naval blockade. Now the UN plans to resume imports at Hodeida without Yemeni government forces checking incoming shipments. Or at least thats what the rebels want and the UN is willing to concede that just to get the aid shipments moving again. This issue will be a major item at the Jordan peace talks. One thing is clear, the Shia rebels have grown noticeably weaker and less effective. There have also been more rebel press releases describing imaginary missile and UAV attacks on Saudi Arabia or Arab Coalition forces in Yemen. While the rebels have made such attacks before there has been very little of that in 2019. Real attacks leave behind evidence (fragments of destroyed UAVs and missiles as well as damaged property and casualties, or at least people who witnessed the attacks). No such evidence for the many claimed attacks in 2019. This appears to be straight out of the Iranian playbook. For decades the Iranians claimed all manner of accomplishments that were fictional but effective at encouraging their supporters in Iran and elsewhere. These imaginary Shia rebel attacks apparently serve the same purpose. Plunder Poverty Ever since early 2017, the UN has urged the Shia rebels to peacefully give up control of the Red Sea port of Hodeida but the rebels refused to seriously consider this until finally forced to do so recently because of the continued presence of government forces around the port and Arab Coalition warships blocking access to the port. Even proposals that Hodeida be turned over to a neutral third party are turned down. This was not a matter of trust; it was a matter of survival for the rebels. In part this was because of the smuggling. The rebels have prevented UN personnel from inspecting aid shipments (for weapons and other contraband) and the government claims the rebels have been seizing aid shipments and preventing UN personnel from verifying that the aid is going to civilians. Meanwhile lots of evidence accumulated of how the rebels looted aid shipments. The rebels also obtained weapons and other contraband hidden among the aid shipments. Iran paid for most of that smuggling, in addition to using small craft pretending to be fishing boats, to land less bulky weapons (rifles, ammo, explosives, small rockets). The cell phone photos and videos of this got out even as the rebels made it more difficult for foreign journalists to get in unless they were from friendly nations (Iran, China, Lebanon and a few others). Since late 2018 there have been no significant aid shipments coming in via Hodeida and the growing shortages in rebel-controlled territory forced the rebels to give ground and withdraw from the ports. As long as the rebels held onto Hodeida, and Iran still has powerful allies in the UN (mainly Russia and China, who can veto some measures), the smuggling could continue. This was necessary for the use of food to control civilian populations that are hostile to the rebels. Over time that food tactic backfired and turned many civilians against the rebels. By the end of 2018, the government and coalition forces concentrated on taking Hodeida and other Red Sea coast areas held by the Shia rebels. That has apparently worked but it has been slow going and increased casualties among government and coalition forces. Some weapons are still smuggled in via government-controlled ports, like Aden. This involves more risk, and more bribes, to get trucks carrying aid or commercial goods, along with illegal weapons, to the rebel-controlled territory. Taking Hodeida does not stop the smuggling, which was able to get ballistic missile components and other Iranian weapons into rebel-controlled areas. Enough of this stuff was intercepted to make it clear that Iran was sending weapons meant to hit targets inside Saudi Arabia or take down Saudi warplanes operating over Yemen. These advanced weapons are getting through in large part because Yemen has always been smuggler friendly. With Iranian help (cash and diplomacy) the smuggled weapons kept the war going. This was also helped by the fact that Qatar and Oman had always been active in using Yemeni smuggling networks. A major factor in the rebel withdrawal was the growing weakness of Iran. For over a year Iran has suffered growing popular protests against the religious dictatorship that has run, and ruined, Iran since the 1980s. That plus persistent (since 2013) low oil prices and the revival of American sanctions a year ago have caused Iran to sharply cut spending on its overseas wars (Syria, Gaza, Iraq and Yemen). Smuggling weapons is expensive and Iran has much less to spend on that. Moreover, many of their most successful techniques have been discovered and disrupted. The Shia rebels have few other economic resources without the Iranian aid and now they are seeking to eventually make peace on the best terms they can get. The Shia tribes of the north have been doing that for centuries. May 13, 2019: New UN sponsored peace talks began in Jordan. A major topic of discussion is how to divide the revenue from the three ports the rebels withdrew from. This revenue sharing was part of the December peace deal but the precise terms (who would get what, when and how) had not been addressed. That revenue is for paying Yemen civil servants in both government and rebel-controlled territory. In rebel areas, much of that pay is taxed to keep the rebels going. Because of the Hodeida blockade, most civil servants in rebel areas have not been paid much, if at all, in 2019. The Yemeni government is again accusing the UAE (United Arab Emirates) of supporting southern separatists in Yemen and continuing to expand its military presence and influence in the Yemeni Socotra Islands. The main island is in the Gulf of Aden, 380 kilometers south of Yemen and 240 kilometers from the northeast tip of Somalia. The population is 60,000 and the island (and a few much smaller ones) lies within busy shipping lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea. Yemen accuses the UAE of seeking to support Socotra separatists (which are currently few in number) to demand more economic links with and investment from the UAE. Saudi Arabia sides with Yemen on this issue. Exactly a year ago the UAE began withdrawing its troops from Socotra. The UAE forces had been there for two weeks, which angered many of its Yemeni allies who felt the UAE was trying to annex Socotra. Saudi Arabia stepped in and agreed to take over the economic development program for Socotra which the Yemeni government saw the UAE turning into an effort to make Socotra economically and politically dependent on the UAE. The UAE has always been more aggressive in this regard while the Saudis have not. May 12, 2019: UN inspectors confirm that the Shia rebels are withdrawing from port areas as agreed. Government Coast Guard personnel are moving in to take control of the port areas and check for any problems. The government points out that these coast guard personal are locals and got their jobs with the permission of the rebels. There is a trust issue here May 11, 2019: A month after the Shia rebels said they would finally implement the December peace deal that was supposed to reopen the Red Sea port of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Isa, they are finally moving their forces out of these areas today and turning security over to local forces. The departure of the Shia rebels, especially from Hodeida, is essential for delivering emergency food and other aid to northern Yemen. Iran had persuaded the Shia rebels to stall but that advice lost its appeal as the rebel situation worsened everywhere, not just at Hodeida. Iran had problems of its own at home and elsewhere and as not been able to help much. Per the December peace deal, the Shia rebels have until the 14th to get all their forces at least five kilometers from the ports. At that point, both the government and rebel forces will move their troops back 18 kilometers from the ports and their heavy weapons (artillery and long-range rockets) 30 kilometers. The Shia rebels have not given up control over all the export facilities near Hodeida. The rebels still control a large oil tanker (the Safer) moored 50 kilometers northwest of Hodeida and until seized by the Shia rebels in 2015, a key element for exporting Yemeni oil. At the time of its capture the Safer had about a million barrels of oil on board and the rebels have not allowed anyone to examine the Safer since then, despite warnings that without maintenance explosive gasses build up in the storage tanks and that creates the risk of large explosions and a massive oil spill into the Red Sea. The rebels were demanding that the oil on the Safer be sold and they receive most of the proceeds. The government refused to allow this. The government revealed that it had recently shot down eleven rebel UAVs equipped with explosives. These UAVs were sent to attack the Yemen parliament which has resumed meeting in the southeast (Hadramawt province). There is still some threat from these Iranian supplied UAVs, but while these are smaller and easier to smuggle in there appears to be a limited number of them left in Yemen because of the numerous Arab air raids during 2019 against bases they operate from. While the ballistic missile attacks have been halted there has only been a reduction in the use of armed (with explosives) UAV attacks. Government forces first encountered Iranian UAVs equipped with explosives in early 2018. There were a few successful attacks with these UAVs used as cruise missiles but since late 2018 the coalition has been quick to detect and destroy these UAVs, either in the air or on the ground. May 5, 2019: UN inspectors were finally allowed to check grain silos outside Hodeida that hold 51,000 tons of grain. While the silos are controlled by government forces the nearby Shia rebels can fire on roads into the area and that makes it impossible to move the grain out to starving Yemeni civilians. Several days later someone shelled the silos, hitting two of them but not starting any fires. One of the silos hit contained grain. The Shia rebels had, since September 2018, blocked access to the 51,000 tons of grain the UN had stored in silos near milling equipment on the outskirts of Hodeida. In February it was estimated that 30 percent of the grain was already suffering from rot and unsuitable for milling or human consumption. Initially, that grain was sufficient to feed nearly four million people for a month. Now the UN is bringing in grain experts to assess how much of the grain is still edible. Some of the rotted grain can be treated and used as cattle feed but the emphasis is on milling as much good grain and possible and turning the flour into bread. May 3, 2019: In the southeast (Hadramawt province), some civilians spotted a roadside bomb, apparently planted by Islamic terrorists for use against security forces. The civilians phoned police and while waiting for the bomb disposal techs to show up some of the civilians believed that they could disable it. They were wrong and the explosion left six civilians dead. May 1, 2019: Arab coalition warplanes attacked the UAV maintenance and operations facilities at the Sanaa airport. The Shia rebels continue to obtain larger, fixed-wing commercial UAVs which they modify to carry explosives and act as cruise missiles to automatically head for the target via the GPS guidance capability in most commercial UAVs. With this approach, the UAVs cannot be jammed and must be shot down. These larger UAVs need an airstrip to take off from and a building where the arming and other modifications take place. These facilities keep moving around because in the last year the Arab coalition intelligence has found the location and promptly hit it with an air strike. This has played a major role in reducing the number of such UAV attacks in 2019. April 27, 2019: Iran-backed Shia rebels claim to have fired 15 Iranian Zelzal long range (200 kilometers) GPS guided rockets at Arab Coalition forces. The Arab Coalition did not report any such attacks and the rebel announcement may have just been a propaganda effort to encourage its own supporters. The Zelzal rockets weigh nearly four tons each, are 9.4 meters (30 feet) long and 610mm (24 inches) in diameter. It these rockets land somewhere it is noticed. Supplies of these rockets have been halted since government forces surrounded the port of Hodeida in late 2018. The Shia rebels claimed they built the Zelzal 3s locally which may be partially true as the Zelzal 3 would be easier (or at least cheaper) to smuggle in if it were disassembled in Iran, sent in as components and then assembled in Yemen by Iranians experienced in such things. While there may be few, any, Zelzals left in Yemen there are still plenty of commercial UAVs which the rebels have weaponized (by attaching explosives and detonators). Government and coalition forces claim to have destroyed over 140 of these UAVs since 2017, either by shooting them down or destroying them on the ground. The rebels can still obtain these UAVs because they are commercial items that are widely available in stores or by mail. Recovering and examining fragments of destroyed UAVs will eventually lead you to the supplier (or at least the last legal one). Nothing has been made public about investigations seeking the source of these UAVs but that is normal. You dont want the smugglers to know how close you are to catching them. In any event, there are still rebel attacks using UAVs but there are fewer of them in 2019. April 19, 2019: Across the Gulf of Aden, off the north coast of Somalia, pirates captured a Yemeni dhow. The anti-piracy patrol eventually learned of it and after five days captured the five pirates responsible and freed the dhow and its crew. During those five days, the pirates used the captured dhow to attack ships far offshore. This is how the anti-piracy patrol learned of the captured dhow and its conversion into a high seas pirate mothership. Even far from shore (beyond where pirate speedboats launched from land, not a mothership) foreign commercial ships are still alert to the pirate threat and that is why in the few days before the anti-piracy patrol caught up with them, the pirate attacks on three ships failed and simply made it easier for the anti-piracy patrol warships to catch up with them. In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation. The first semi-final of the international Eurovision Song Contest 2019 will be held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Center on Tuesday. Only 10 of the 17 participants of the competition will proceed to finals, TASS reported referring to the press service of the competition. The show will be opened by Tamta from Cyprus. Also, according to the decision of the Eurovision organizing committee, representatives of Montenegro, Finland, Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, Serbia, Belgium, Georgia, Australia, Iceland, Estonia, Portugal, Greece and San Marino will perform this evening. From 11pm, Public Television will broadcast live from Tel Aviv in Armenia. However, Armenian viewers will not be able to participate in the voting. According to the rules of the competition, only residents of the countries participating in the semifinal, as well as viewers from Israel, France and Spain have the right to vote. Representatives of these countries, as well as UK, Germany and Italy, qualify to the finals automatically: Israel and the rest are the Big Five of the founders of Eurovision. Armenia representative Srbuk will perform on May 16 in the first half of the second semi-final with the song Walking Out. Photo - Instagram Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram The fuel crisis currently gripping Syria is not the first in the era of the Assad regime and has led to the weakening of the middle class and the desperation of the poor reports Al-Araby al-Jadeed. In 2008, the country experienced an equally severe situation, despite having an abundance of oil at the time. The government triggered the shortage by removing subsidies on gasoline and diesel fuel. As a result, the fuel price increased three-fold in a very short time, driven up even further by rampant corruption in the distribution process. Ultimately, removing fuel subsidies and the ensuing crisis led to a weakened middle class, and the desperation of the poor. Many crops were destroyed, as owners could not afford the cost of harvesting and irrigation, leading to massive internal migration from the eastern regions. In 2009, the regime reversed its decision of abolished subsidies, not because of the adverse effects on the Syrian economy, but due to the negative impact on the black market, which had been thriving on the billions pumped into it by the beneficiaries of the corrupt regime. Their business was affected as the price of fuel increased to equal that of neighbouring countries, effectively stopping cross-border smuggling. As the prices came down again, the smuggling resumed. Millions of litres of petrol and diesel were smuggled every day through channels controlled by Aal Shalish (one of the leaders of Assads personal guards), Mohamed Iyad Ghazal (the former governor of Homs), and Ahmed Abdel Nabi (the officer who announced the military coup of Hafez al-Assad). The war in Syria did not stop the smuggling. The only change was the increase in quantities after Hizballah took control of the Syrian-Lebanese border in 2014. As Syrians were expelled from their towns and villages along the Lebanese border, Hizballah effectively erased the demarcation line between the two states. Smuggling rights became exclusive to Hizballahs troops headed by Abu Hadi (a Shia Syrian from the villages of al-Qusayr). His group took a large share of the Syrian oil, including the oil coming from the Islamic State (IS)-controlled areas, and directed it to Lebanon in quantities at least double the amounts previously transferred. What used to be a clandestine, black market-driven smuggling usually done in small quantities, secretly and by night, under Hizballah became a massive operation conducted in broad daylight and unsupervised by any entity, including the Syrian government. A large portion of fuel usually destined for Syrians was now being sold across the border. On the other side of the country, the delivery of oil purchased from the eastern regions and Iraq is in the hands of Hossam Qaterji an agent of the regime and a member of the Peoples Assembly which is under US and EU sanctions because of his conduct. The quantities available from this source are affected by the corruption corroding the transport and distribution systems. What does get make it through these channels is first distributed by local leaders and Shabbiha groups ruthless militias sponsored and equipped by Assads government who take the largest share of fuel for themselves at the expense of the population, including families of soldiers killed by Assads forces. In the Jarmana district of Damascus for example, the regime distributed butane gas three times over the past month at a rate of 200 cylinders at a time. The Shabbiha received 60 cylinders, the local dignitaries got 70, leaving less than 40 percent for the local population. The Shabbiha are in control of almost everything. Without their consent fuel convoys cannot access neighbourhoods. Fuel intended for Tartus villages has been repeatedly confiscated in the Mazraa area, resulting in clashes with the state security forces trying to free the caravans and their cars and drivers. There is another factor contributing to the current fuel crisis, namely, the absence of a specialised workforce in the Baniyas and Homs refineries, which has caused a nosedive in their production capacity. Most of the technicians who kept these facilities running were either arrested or displaced. In the Homs refinery alone, more than half of the total workforce of some 5,000 workers have been detained or expelled. It is not only the fuel processing that has been affected in this way, most public companies and specialised private businesses have been crippled by the absence of skilled and young staff. The local authorities represented by city councils and governorates cannot do anything to improve the distribution process, as they are preoccupied with other matters such as the fictitious reconstruction of various neighbourhoods destroyed by the war. This reconstruction is entirely cosmetic in nature and designed to boost Assads propaganda effort. The governorate council in Homs, for example has financed a competition for the few remaining students of architecture at Al-Baath University to design low-cost rebuilding of facades and public squares in several neighbourhoods. The facades of several main buildings have been restored by installing murals of Bashars father Hafez al-Assad, but the interiors of these devastated buildings left untouched. This is the only form of reconstruction possible under Assads regime; it has no funds or human resources for a proper restoration of infrastructure and residential areas destroyed in the war. Even if foreign aid started flowing to the regime, this money would immediately disappear in the insatiable web of corruption that the regime relies on. The leftovers would be used in the same way to restore public squares and Assads monuments, rather than the desperately needed infrastructure and social services. The Syrians in Assad-held areas must realise that corruption and the absence of qualified people, many of whom are exiled outside Syria are the main reasons for the current dire situation; not the sanctions against the regime. Abdul Razzaq al-Hawassali holds a degree in economics from Damascus University, and is currently displaced in Turkey. He is a human rights activist and a trustee of the Syrian Association for Citizens Dignity. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Terrorists used rockets to attack al-Suqaylabiyah city in northwestern Hama, killing five civilians including women and children reports The Syria Times. Five civilians, including women and children, were martyred and six other children were injured in a terrorist attack in al-Suqaylabiyah city in northwestern Hama, in the latest violation of the de-escalation zone agreement. SANAs reporter said that terrorist groups, positioned in a number of towns, villages and the areas of de-escalation zone in northern Hama and southern Idleb, targeted, with a number of rockets, al-Suqaylabiyah city, claiming the lives of four children and a woman and injuring six other children. The attack also caused material damage to civilian homes and properties, SANAs reporter added. Army units operating in the area responded immediately with appropriate weapons to the sources of the attacks and destroyed the rocket launching pads of terrorist groups. On May 8, 2019, a number of civilians, including one child, were injured in a terrorist rocket attack on Karnaz town, northwestern Hama. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The President of the Republic of Crimea said that bilateral commercial exchange programs are in effect and that by the end of 2019 exports will reach 150,000 tons writes SANA. The President of the Republic of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, asserted that relations between his country and Syria are strong and that bilateral commercial exchange programs have been put into effect. In an interview given to Russian newspaper Izvestia, published on Monday, Aksyonov said that the Republic of Crimea and Syria have close relations and that several economic cooperation memos and joint business programs have been signed. He lauded Syrias steadfastness in the face of terrorism and its efforts to rebuild what has been destroyed by terrorists and Western states. Aksyonov said there are several projects currently being considered and that experts are making feasibility studies for the markets in Syria, Crimea, and Russia, pointing to the contribution of the Syrian delegation at the recent Yalta International Economic Forum. He also noted that Crimea exports a wide range of goods to Syria, including food and industrial products, expecting shipments to Syria from Crimeas harbors to reach 150,000 tons by the end of 2019. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Syrian artist Moayed Kanaan uses coffee and a spoon to create his artworks and one day hope to share it with all of Syria and the rest of the world reports SANA. Syrian artist Moayed Kanaan has been able to create his special artistic style of plastic art by turning coffee into wonderful paintings. Kanaan has been interested in plastic art since early childhood and was influenced by the artworks of international and elite Syrian artists, as he developed a new concept of beauty and documented it with a style that searches for peace and security through the art. Kanaan considers his initial choice of coffee as temperamental as he didnt think that he would continue using that medium, yet the admiration that his first artworks gained made him adopt and specializes in that artistic style. Kanaan mixes the raw material with his artistic and cultural identity, considering that coffee brings tenderness, warmness and affection to the minds of people. Kanaan noted that his favorite tool for drawing with coffee has been the spoon, but indicating that he might use the brush later, indicating that there are some details that cant be explained in painting except by using the spoon. One of the topics which attracts Kanaan as a plastic artist are the limitless possibilities. Kanaan expressed his hope that he would have the opportunity to display his artistic paintings throughout Syria and around the world. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Moroccan MPS reiterated their call for a census of the populations held against their will in the Polisario-run Tindouf camps, holding Algeria responsible for the human rights violations that take place in its territories. Speaking at a plenary session of the Pan-African legislative institution held in the South African municipality of Midrand, halfway between Pretoria and Johannesburg, Moroccan MPs deplored that the Polisario and its mentor Algeria perpetuate the conflict to the detriment of the civilians held captive in the camps unable to return to Morocco or seek refuge elsewhere. The census of the population in the camps would uncover the dust of lies propagated by the Polisario regarding the Sahara issue, they said. Such a head-count would show how the Polisario has been inflating numbers to get more aid from international donors, which they embezzle to enrich themselves in connivance with Algerian officials. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres estimated at 90,000 the population held against their will in the Polisario-run camps in south-western Algeria, a figure that is much lower compared to the inflated count put forward by the separatists and their mentor. This number of food rations corresponds to the figure of 90,000 people living in the Tindouf camps, adopted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Program (WFP) in 2005. The 35,000 additional rations were added in 2006 following the floods that hit the camps. The UNHCR had said that they will keep these estimates until a census is conducted. Morocco and the UN have repeatedly called for a head-count of the camps population but the Polisario and its mentor Algeria refuse to allow the operation. The EU had decided to reduce aid sent to the Polisario-run camps in a bid to curb humanitarian aid diversion. Following a report by the EU anti-fraud office (OLAF) denouncing the embezzlement of humanitarian aid by the Polisario leadership and Algerian officials, the European Commission decided to cut aid commensurately with the estimated number of 90,000 people instead of the inflated 165,000 people put forward by the Polisario and Algeria in an attempt to sell the idea of the existence of a Sahrawi People with a republic in exile Some independent Algerian media had said that the number of Moroccan Sahraouis in Tindouf camps does not exceed two-thirds of the 90,000 camps inhabitants, with the rest being Mauritanians and Sub-Saharans who were forced to stay in the camps as part of an Algerian scheme to inflate numbers. Carrying out a head-count of the population held in Tindouf will enable international aid agencies to assess the needs of the population and will also pave the way for the camps dwellers to obtain the refugee status, which will grant them the right to return to their homeland Morocco or at least the right to freely choose their country of asylum. Algeria and the Polisario dread the most such options as they continue to trade in the suffering of Sahraouis living in abject conditions. During recent fighting against opposition forces in the Hama countryside, Liwa al-Quds lost a number of it fighters, some of whom had been part of reconciliation deals writes Al-Modon. The Liwa al-Quds militia has lost a number of fighters on the Hama countryside fronts over the last few days, after they took part in fighting the opposition alongside the Fifth Corps, which is leading land operations. Among those from the Liwa al-Quds who were killed were reconciliation fighters from the Damascus countryside and Palestinian refugees, as well as veterans of the group from Aleppo city. According to the Action Group for Palestine, the Palestinian refugee Faiz Khalid Samour died while taking part in the fighting against armed Syrian opposition groups in the northern Hama countryside. He was from the al-Aideen camp in Homs. Another number of the groups fighters were killed in a battle with the opposition in al-Shreea, Bab al-Taqa and Jeb Suleiman in the Sahel al-Ghab. Mohamed Heiba was killed on May 12, 2019, in Sahel al-Ghab after a groups of militia fighters were ambushed by opposition fighters. He was from Barzeh in the Damascus countryside and was a volunteer in the Liwa al-Quds and was previously a member of Jaish al-Islam in the Barzeh district, and was among the opposition fighters who remained in the Barzeh and al-Qaboun districts after the reconciliations with the regime in May 2017. In 2018 and 2019, Liwa al-Quds has managed to conscript more than 150 fighters following reconciliations in Damascus and eastern Ghouta. The volunteers coming from Damascus and Ghouta have been subject to, along with volunteers from Aleppo, various military training overseen by Russian officers in the Handrat base north of Aleppo in the first quarter of 2019. Liwa al-Quds fighters from the Damascus countryside, are led by Abou Yassin Mandou, a former commander in Jaish al-Islam, who is credited with recruitment for the Liwa. His brigade, supervised by the Fifth Corps, has been stationed in the Karnaz area in the northern Hama countryside since the start of April. Following the beginning of military operations in the Hama countryside the number of fighters on the front has reached 300 after reinforcements arrived from Aleppo. 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. The Lebanese authorities arrested three of the Syrians who were found after their boat sank, but the whereabouts of the other five is unknown reports Anadolu News Agency. On Monday, a fishing boat sank with eight Syrians on board off the Chekka coast area in northern Lebanon. Three were rescued, and then arrested by the Lebanese authorities after returning them to the shore, while the fate of the others is still unknown. The Lebanese National News Agency reported that the eight Syrians, tried to illegally travel to Cyprus on board a fishing boat, but it sank far from the Lebanese coast. It added that naval forces arrested three of them after bringing them back to the Chekka area coast, while the fate of the other five is still unknown. It is still unconfirmed whether the other five reached the coast and left for an unknown location or if they are still at sea. Lebanon is home to about a million Syrian refugees, most of whom fled to the neighboring country during military operations by Assads forces in Syria. Most of them suffer from poor economic and social conditions. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Lebanon has previously said that the number of Syrian refugees is more than a million and that Lebanon has become the country with the highest concentration of refugees in the world and that it is, struggling to cope with a crisis that shows no signs of slowing down. A joint study by UN agencies last year warned that more than half of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon live in severe poverty and that more than 75 percent are living under the poverty line. On a legal level, Lebanon has no law for Syrian refugees they can benefit from, as Lebanon has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and insists on its right to deport anyone they are hosting at any time. In light of that, Syrian refugees, as is the case in most neighboring countries and given the economic and social pressures, have attempted to travel to Western countries, and hundreds of refugees have died trying over the years of the Syrian revolution. 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. The Syrian National Coalition has warned that if the assault on Idleb continues, it could lead to a humanitarian tragedy and a fresh wave of refugees towards Europe. President of the Syrian Coalition, Abdurrahman Mustafa, called on the international community and the major players in Syria to put an end to the Assad regime and Russian onslaught on Idleb, adding that Russia is still refusing to abide by the agreements in place and seeking to shore up the Assad regime. President Mustafa warned of dire consequences affecting the whole world should the Assad regime and its allies try to storm Idleb province. He also warned of, the humanitarian tragedy resulting from the targeting of civilians and of a fresh wave of refugees towards Europe. The Russians insist on pursuing a military solution, President Mustafa said, noting that this places increased responsibility on the major players to maintain the de-escalation zone agreement as the last remaining agreement in place. President Mustafa described the ongoing military escalation as extremely grave, pointing out that it is targeting children, women, civilian infrastructure and hospitals. He stressed that this is the same policy Moscow has pursued since the start of its direct intervention in 2015, targeting the revolutions social base as it previously did in Aleppo, Daraa and many areas across Syria. The Assad regime, Russia and Iran are still using the strategy of relentless bombardment in Idleb, displacing tens of thousands of civilians towards safer areas, President Mustafa said. President Mustafa pointed out that: Russia has not complied with any of the agreements reached on Syria and has limited its military goals to the propping up of the regime. Moreover, President Mustafa pointed out that the Coalition is working in coordination with Turkey as a guarantor of the Idleb agreement to overcome the Idleb crisis and as Turkey has military observation points in the region. He noted that the tasks of those points are not limited to monitoring as they represent a deterrent, impeding any regime advance into Idleb. The regime forces targeting of the Turkish observation points was aimed at exerting pressure on Turkey, to force it to make political concessions in other files as it is an influential state and open to dialogue with all major players. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Takeaways from the first day of candidate filing for upcoming elections: The Longview City Council election this year will have at least one contested race, and the Kelso City Council may swap out a councilman for his wife. Lifelong Longview resident Randy Teig, who has worked as a Portland police sergeant for the Neighborhood Response Team, filed for Councilman Ken Boteros seat Monday. Botero has said he will not run for re-election. Spencer Boudreau, a 19-year-old political activist and host of a social-media show, also filed for the open position Monday. A story about Boudreau's candidacy announcement appeared in TDN on March 20. As part of the Neighborhood Response Team, Teig said he frequently handled community problems such as homelessness, disorder, drug houses and anything else that affected neighborhoods and schools. He was in charge of the East Precinct, which covered about 250,000 residents, he said. Teig, 53, said he commuted to Portland every day for 30 years because he wanted to raise his children in Longview. I dont have any complaints (about city leadership) or anything I want to rectify, I just think I have something to add. I have a lot of understanding in how to deal with social disorders, he told The Daily News on Monday. Teig is now working as the community enforcement manager for the city of Gresham, Ore., but will leave at the end of the month to serve as the marine terminal administrator for the Port of Kalama. He also owns a local ammunition supplier, Slapshot USA. Part of what I did with the Neighborhood Response Team is support business by making the environment around them supportive of business. I have an understanding of how to do that in a way that gets things done without alienating people, he said. Teig said he has never run for public office, but now Im just trying to circle back home. Ive been exporting my skills to another community, and now I want to get home. Longview Mayor Don Jensen also filed for reelection Monday. He has served as mayor since 2013. Longview Mayor Pro Tem Mike Wallin and Councilman Scott Vydra also filed for reelection. Meanwhile, in the Kelso City Council race, Lisa Alexander has filed for her husband, Larry Alexanders, seat. Lisa Alexander, 50, previously ran for Kelso City Council in 2017, but lost to former Cowlitz County Commissioner Mike Karnofski. After that election, the Alexanders decided that this year was her turn to run, she said Monday. The fact that were married doesnt mean we both believe the same things. We have two different ideas on what can work, she said. This time I know what Im coming into. Im positive. And Im hoping to help keep Kelso going forward. Alexander, a professional housekeeper, said Monday that she is running for the same reasons as two years ago: She wants to improve downtown Kelso, bring in more businesses, create more family-friendly events, support the police department and see Kelso grow. Id like to make it easier for businesses to come into Kelso. Theres a lot of strict color codes on businesses being painted that I dont think are necessary, she said. She is also a leading member of the Kelso ARRR Pirates, which adopted three streets this year to keep clean. Shed like more citizens to do the same, she said. What makes me stand out is my love of Kelso and love of my community, she said. I believe, in all essence, Kelso is a giant family. Each person is an individual, but if you compromise and work hard, you can always come to the table and make things better. Former Humane Society Executive Director Keenan Harvey has also filed for the Kelso City Council for Councilman Jim Hills seat. Hill had not yet filed for re-election as of Monday. Harvey, 29, said his experience in the public, private and nonprofit sector will be a good asset for the city. He works as a commercial insurance producer for Biggs Insurance. He said he has been interested in politics for three or four years and is serving as a precinct committee officer in the Haussler District. I have always thought about county commissioner, but before you start running you got to walk, Harvey said. Four spots are up, so I thought this was a good time. Harvey said he chose to challenge Hill because he didnt agree with some of the councilmans recent policy positions, particularly his support for a landlord licensing program. (The proposed program would likely require landlords to inspections every three years and pay a licensing fee of about $50 annually per unit. However the City Council has not formally adopted the program.) As an aspiring landlord, Harvey said a rental housing inspection program could price landlords out of the area. Harvey previously served as the executive director of the Humane Society of Cowlitz County but was fired in December 2017, which he said was after he filed a grievance against the board of directors regarding improper chain of command. Humane Society leadership declined at the time to comment on its decision. He said Monday that he didnt think the disagreement would play a factor in the council race. I learned a lot in that position thats going to help me on the council. I dealt with council in contract negotiations. Anybody that really truly followed that case understood that the issue wasnt me. We had a lack of funding. From the beginning, there was a story that we were hemorrhaging money, he said. Paired with disagreement with the board, I dont think if you truly looked at situation you could fault me at all. Also in the Kelso City Council race, Former Mayor and current Councilman David Futcher has filed for re-election. He has served on the council for more than a decade. Seventy-three elective offices are up for re-election in Cowlitz County this year. Heres a full list of other candidates who have filed so far: Court of Appeals, Division 2, District 3 Judge Position 2: Anne Cruser (Incumbent) Cowlitz Superior Court Judge Judge Position 5: Patricia Fassett (Incumbent) Port of Kalama Commission District 2: Alan Basso (Incumbent) Port of Woodland Commission District 2: Robert Wile (Incumbent) District 2: John (JJ) Burke City of Castle Rock Council Position 3: John Earl Queen (Incumbent) City of Kalama Council Position 3: Jon Stanfill Council Position 5: Mary Putka (Incumbent) City of Woodland Council Position 7: Michael Benjamin (Incumbent) Council Position 7: Monte Smith Longview School Board Position 5: Jennifer E. Leach (Incumbent) Castle Rock School Board District 3: David Dangleis (Incumbent) District 4 (at large): Val Tinney (Incumbent) Kalama School Board District 2: Ryan J. Cruser (Incumbent) Kelso School Board Position 4: Mike Haas (Incumbent) Fire District 1 Commission Position: Tyson Humbyrd (Incumbent) Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Commission Position 2: Jeff Cameron (Incumbent) Fire District 5 Commission Position 3: David Wyman (Incumbent) Fire District 6 Commission Position 2: Mike Kayser (Incumbent) Fire District 7 Commission Position 1: Day D. (Denny) Parkhill (Incumbent) Position 1: Fredrick Hudgin Cemetery District 2 Commission Position 3: Gary Stuart (Incumbent) Beacon Hill Water and Sewer Commission Position 2: Bonnie Decius (Incumbent) Lexington Flood Control Zone District Cowlitz Supervisor 2: Brian Wesemann (Incumbent) No one has yet filed for the following offices: Toutle Lake School Board Woodland School Board Port of Longview Commission Fire District 3 Commission Cowlitz-Lewis Fire Protection District 20 Commission Cemetery Districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Woodland Swimming Pool and Recreation District Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 Clark County law enforcement agencies will increase patrols beginning today for the annual statewide Click It or Ticket Campaign. The extra officers hitting the streets will focus on drivers who arent wearing seat belts, until the end of the campaign on June 2. Most people buckle up. The more than 100 people who dont, however, die in car crashes every year in Washington, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. Most of the fatal crashes involve men between the ages of 21 to 25. Nearly every Clark County police department is participating in the heightened enforcement, including Battle Ground, La Center, Ridgefield, Vancouver and Washougal. The Clark County Sheriffs Office and Washington State Patrol are also helping out. An observational study conducted by the traffic safety commission found that statewide seat belt use was 93.2 percent among vehicle occupants in 2018, compared to a national seat belt use rate of 89.7 percent in 2017. Vancouver police Chief James McElvain said in a prepared statement that Clark County has a seat belt use rate of 97 percent. The chief asked law abiding citizens to encourage others to use restraints to help get the community to 100 percent. Scott Waller, occupant protection program manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, said parents should instill a lifelong habit by encouraging their teenage drivers to always buckle up. Nationally, among young adults 18 to 34 killed in crashes in 2017, more than half (57 percent) were completely unrestrained one of the highest percentages for all age groups, according to the traffic safety commission. Given the high number of young drivers who arent wearing seat belts, the traffic safety commission is sharing a horror-movie style video ad that depicts a young man and woman being chased by a chainsaw-wielding man. The woman in the video exits an escape vehicle when she realizes the driver isnt wearing a seat belt, opting to take her chances of fleeing Leatherface on foot. The ad uses humor to get a very serious point across, Waller said. Your odds of dying in a crash are four times greater if you are not buckled up. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Climbing up and down the 20-story tower, crews worked to take apart the crane soaring above the citys skyline. Each massive, 20-foot piece of the tower was fastened to sections above and below it with eight bolts. Up and down the tower, workers took out six of those eight bolts, and loosened the other two, preparing the crane to be dismantled. But when the wind picked up, the crane, weakened without the bolts, came crashing down, killing the two workers still on the tower. That disaster happened in 2012, near Dallas. The investigation into last months crane collapse that killed four people in Seattle is ongoing, and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) has been tight-lipped about potential causes. But the possibility that tower bolts or pins were removed early, while the crane was being dismantled in gusty but not exceptional winds, is sure to be a focal point for investigators. Several crane experts, after closely examining photos and videos of the crash, said they believe pins were removed early. And, they say, its a practice that has become common in the industry a way to save time during disassembly despite the safety risks they say it brings. Photos show the tower generally separated in alternating sections: Two sections appear bolted together, followed by a break, followed by two more sections bolted together, followed by a break, etc. And dashcam video of the falling tower shows the cab and top two sections of the crane flying off, seemingly unattached, when it hits the building below. The cab just flies off, it just shoots off like a missile and then the two sections that follow the cab, shoots off like a missile, said Terry McGettigan, a tower-crane operator, inspector and safety consultant with more than 40 years of experience. Every two sections are together. Thats because the pins are still in the other two sections. The crane experts stressed that they have not been on the scene of the collapse and based their conclusions from photos and video. Its blatantly obvious they removed the pins, McGettigan said. The crane would have never tipped over if they wouldnt have removed the pins. It would have taken hundreds of miles per hour of wind to push that crane over, its so stout. It would have never in a million years tipped over if they hadnt removed the pins. To me, its more than obvious it was a shortcut and four people paid their lives because of it, said Greg Teslia, president of Crane Safety & Inspections, an inspection company based near Miami. To save a couple hours, thats the only reason. Ironworkers Andrew Yoder, 31, and Travis Corbet, 33, and two passers-by on Mercer Street Sarah Wong, 19, a Seattle Pacific University student, and Alan Justad, 71, a former City of Seattle employee were killed in the crane collapse. L&I is investigating at least five companies potentially involved in the April 27 collapse. We do not provide specifics of investigations until they are completed, said Tim Church, an L&I spokesman. David Kwass, a plaintiffs attorney who specializes in crane and construction accidents, stressed that with at least five contractors and subcontractors on the job, its impossible for an outside observer to know who may have ordered or directed early pin removal, if indeed they were removed early. There are a whole lot of stakeholders here and we dont know anything about who might have told the ironworkers to do this, he said. What Im looking to understand is, were the pins popped, was that premature, who ordered it, who knew about it, who could have seen it and done something about it? One of the things L&I will be looking at is how closely crews followed the manufacturers detailed instructions for disassembling the crane, which was made by Liebherr, a German company. Teslia said he knows of no manufacturers instructions that recommend pulling bolts or pins ahead of time. Not the safest way to do things A tower crane, the type that dominates Seattles skyline, has two main components: a vertical mast that rises hundreds of feet into the air, and a horizontal arm (the jib and the counter-jib) that extends from the mast. The horizontal arm had already been removed from the South Lake Union crane at the time of its collapse. What was left was a 278-foot tower, composed of a base, 13 separate latticed mast sections and, crowning it all, an operators cab. Each mast section, about 20 feet long and more than 14,000 pounds, has metal sleeves to slot into the one above it. Those connections were then secured by multiple pins at each corner, held in place by torqued nuts. Typically, Kwass said, a tower crane is dismantled section by section. An assisting crane gets its hook on the uppermost section, then ironworkers unpin or unbolt that section (or sections; often they do two at a time because a tractor trailer can hold two sections) and then the crane lifts it off. The process is then repeated hook, unpin, lift until the entire crane is dismantled. Only when the assisting crane has its hook on a section are that sections pins pulled. But Kwass, who is not representing any parties involved with last months collapse, also thinks that the Seattle crane had its pins pulled, or at least loosened, all the way down the tower, ahead of time, like the one near Dallas. Thats what it looks like, its pretty likely, he said. It happens fairly frequently though everybody understands it really is not the safest way to do things. Morrow Equipment owned the tower crane and leased it to GLY Construction, the general contractor for the construction site. Two subcontractors, Northwest Tower Crane Service and Omega Morgan, were hired to disassemble the tower crane and operate the assisting crane that lifted off the pieces of the tower crane. Seaburg Construction employed the operator of the tower crane before workers began to dismantle it. L&I has said it is investigating all five companies, although that doesnt indicate any of them were to blame. All five companies either declined to answer questions about the collapse or did not respond to requests for comment. Teslia said it looked like pins had been pulled not just near the top of the tower, but along most, if not all, of its height. If they had just disconnected the top two sections it probably wouldnt have been an issue, Teslia said. The further you go down on the tower, the more overturning force theres going to be on a tower, and it doesnt take a whole lot of wind to blow it over. Homemade methods have accumulated McGettigan reached his breaking point in 2008. He had reported to his San Diego work site and begun climbing the 460-foot open-air ladder to his catbird seat in the cranes cab, to begin disassembling the crane. But as he climbed, he noticed something. The bolts, connecting each 20-foot section of the crane with the next section above it, had been loosened. Many were so loose they could be turned by hand. He turned around and climbed down. I walked off the job and it caused a lot of trouble, McGettigan said. I reached my limit, I couldnt take it anymore, the recklessness. These homemade methods have accumulated over the years. Four years after he walked off the job, McGettigan went public with his concerns about what he says has become a fairly standard practice in the crane industry. Two weeks after the Dallas collapse, he told Engineering News-Record, an industry publication, that pictures showed bolts had been removed prematurely and that led to the crane collapse. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) months later confirmed McGettigans hypothesis and fined the crane operator. The employers procedures for disassembling the mast, OSHA wrote, by removing up to six of the eight connecting elements (mast bolts) from every other tower section did not prevent unintended dangerous movement and collapse of the mast. The widow of one of the workers killed near Dallas sued the contractors, alleging that they were grossly negligent and disregarded the crane manufacturers instructions, OSHA regulations and standard safety procedures. The lawsuit was settled out of court for undisclosed terms. But a tower crane technician for the company testified that it was their usual practice to remove bolts in advance, according to court documents. And the crane dismantling supervisor testified that he thought it was standard industry practice to untorque bolts. After the collapse, the supervisor acknowledged that if he were dismantling the crane now, he would not have taken out the bolts in the same manner, court papers say. McGettigan created a website, towercranesupport.com, where he catalogs tower crane accidents and deaths. He points to another similar crane collapse, in Worthing, England, in 2005. The UKs Health and Safety Executive, a government agency, ultimately found that collapse, which killed two workers, was due to mast section bolts being untightened and left finger tight in preparation for dismantling the crane. McGettigan said the practice of jumping ahead with bolt or pin removal has morphed over the years. Sometimes pins are just de-torqued ahead of time, sometimes theyre loosened all the way to finger tight, sometimes a few pins are removed ahead of time, sometimes most of the pins are removed ahead of time. People have been doing this for years, all over the world, he said. It saves time, which equals money. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Robert Reich said it best- Someone should alert Trump and Republicans in Congress that America is already a hotbed of socialism. But its socialism for the rich. Everyone else is treated to harsh capitalism. Regarding the House Committee on Ways and Means deadline to hand over Trump's tax returns: Is it warranted? How long has it been since we had a citizen president who donates his salary to charity, who largely funded his own campaign so he has no large individual donors he owes? I can't remember. Here's the trap: In years past The Wall Street Journal sent a complex personal income circumstance to 10 different certified public accounting firms and invariably got 10 different interpretations and tax loads. What benefit to governance will there be in having a hostile cabal of partisan pontificators leaking charitable donations, medical expenses and other details sopping up major newspaper ink for the next 19 months? The Fourth Amendment reads, " The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated...." Don't tax returns represent some of the most personal papers we citizens own? Wayne Mayo Scappoose, Ore. King Mohammed VI praised the performance and values of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR), which celebrates the 63rd anniversary of its creation. The establishment of the Royal Armed Forces is a watershed event in Moroccos centuries-old history, said the king in an Order of the Day, highlighting the attachment of all the constituents of the army (land, sea and air) to defend the integrity of the kingdom and its symbols. As it continues its modernization, the Moroccan army grew to become a solid army enjoying a lofty reputation among its peers, said the monarch. He went on to highlight the relevance of the reinstatement of the military service in as far as instilling the values of patriotism among the youth in addition to offering them valuable training so that they can better contribute to the development of their society while being proud of their attachment to the Moroccan nation. The Moroccan armys role goes beyond the military fields to include other missions relating to security and humanitarian aid as well as social and educational dimensions, the King said. The Monarch cited in particular the Armys efforts at the humanitarian level and management of natural disasters as well as their medical and social operations to help people in distress. Special attention was paid by the sovereign to the sacrifices of the soldiers guarding Moroccos borders and keeping the homeland secure and stable. He also paid tribute to the contingents participating in UN peacekeeping missions. We particularly mention the members of our contingents deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic, said the king, highlighting the contribution of the army in backing the UNs peacekeeping efforts. We have always expressed to the UN Secretary-General our principled commitment to participate in their implementation () in order to achieve the major objectives of the United Nations in the preservation of international security and peace, added the king. Bridgepoint Education, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides postsecondary education services in the United States. Its academic institutions, Ashford University and University of the Rockies, offer associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in the disciplines of business, education, psychology, social sciences, and health sciences. The company offers its programs primarily through online; and at its campuses. As of December 31, 2017, its institutions offered approximately 1,200 courses and 80 degree programs; and had 45,730 students enrolled. The company was formerly known as TeleUniversity, Inc. and changed its name to Bridgepoint Education, Inc. in February 2004. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Read More Another zoom smartphone competitor approaches, the OPPO Reno 10x zoom! The device will be hitting Malaysian shores on the 27th of May with 10x lossless zoom and a whopping 60x digital zoom! Famous for their shark fin shaped pop up selfie camera, the OPPO Reno 10x zoom comes with a triple rear camera setup with a periscope sensor for those OP zooms. Youll find a triple rear camera setup for this device with 48MP + 13MP (telephoto) + 8MP (ultra-wide) sensors. As for the selfie camera, it comes with a 16MP sensor. All the sensors are equipped with OIS and the device also comes with a dual-frequency GPS and Audio Focus (some microphones to keep video and audio in sync users utilize the zoom). Tech specs wise, this device measures at 6.6 inches with OLED display, Snapdragon 855, 8GB RAM + 256GB internal storage and a 4065mAh battery capacity. Also available on both devices are the VOOC 3.0 charging, and an in-display fingerprint reader. Joining the Malaysian launch are the OPPO Reno 10x zoom ambassadors, Neelofa and Owen Yap. Are you excited to try out the zoom capabilities on the OPPO Reno 10x zoom? Keep up with the latest Malaysian smartphone releases on TechNave.com! Testing for a train capable of 249mph (400 kph) speeds is to happen about twice a week at night. Bloomberg said ALFA-X is the world's fastest bullet train well, for now, it is holding that title. Japan has also been working on a maglev train. ALFA-X is short for Advanced Labs for Frontline Activity in rail eXperimentation. The rail company is East Japan Railway (JR East). This is a 10-car bullet train. Bloomberg's Reed Stevenson: "Japan is pushing the limits of rail travel as it begins testing the fastest-ever shinkansen bullet train, capable of speeds of as much as 400 kilometers (249 miles) per hour." According to The Mainichi, "Operators will attempt to run the bullet train at its maximum speed of 400 kilometers per hour." Joe Pinkstone, Daily Mail, commented on the train in the bigger picture. "This continues Japan's push into bullet train technology, but magnetic rivals are in operation which surpass it in terms of raw speed." It might be dethroned by the maglev between Tokyo and Nagoya when the latter starts operations in 2027. The magnetically levitated train will run mostly through deep tunnels, at a top speed of 505 kilometers per hour, 314mph. So, that is in 2027, whereas the bullet train is to be in service in 2030. Wow, that long? Why not sooner? David Grossman in Popular Mechanics had answers. He said that integrating a new train into such a complex system takes time. "The Alfa-X is longer than current trains51 feet (16 m) versus the current 49 (15 m)and features a 72-foot long (22 m) nose, which is an experiment to see if it will be quieter when entering tunnels." JR East considers ALFA-X "as a test platform" to evaluate research and development. According to the company site, this is an "E956 Shinkansen test train." The Mainichi said ALFA-X was being tested with 16-meter-long and 22-meter-long noses to examine which type will be better at reducing noise. designboom talked about ALFA-X technical features that included vibration and temperature sensors; air brakes on the roof in addition to conventional brakes; magnetic plates near the rails; and specialist equipment on board to help reduce the impact of earthquake tremors. The shinkansen refers to a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Grossman in Popular Mechanics told readers that the "Japanese shinkansen, or bullet trains, are perhaps the best known regional train system in the world. Often seen as a symbol of Japanese efficiency, the trains have helped shape the modern nature of the country." Back in December, The Japan Times ran an article looking at the test trains. The headline referred to "a nose for speed" for a reason. "Car No. 1 of the test train, which was shown Wednesday features a 16-meter nose-shaped front. The nose of the trailing No. 10 car is expected to be even longer, at about 22 meters." This month, Bloomberg reported on the car that would mostly be "a sleek nose, measuring 22 meters (72 feet)." Once it enters operation, JR East plans to operate it at 360 kph (224 mph)that is, In day-to-day operations, said Megan Guess, Ars Technica, "the train would shuttle passengers at 360kph, or roughly 224mph." Grossman reported that the train will be built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hitachi. "During the tests, the engineers hope to push the Alfa-X to a little past 248 mph (400 km/h). The tests will run twice a week for the next three years." Explore further Japan's newest floating train is one blistering maglev 2019 Science X Network 1. The comment section is for discussion. Opinions are welcome. Personal attacks, trolling, name-calling and/ or bigotry will not be tolerated. 2. Posts containing links may be moderated. This blog does not accept paid advertisements and will not entertain free ones either. 3. Kindly stay on topic. Say what you think and refrain from telling others what they think. 4. Violators will be warned, deleted, and/ or banned at sole discretion of the moderator. Shes got a plan for that. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images The next secretary of Education should be a former public school teacher, Senator Elizabeth Warren said in a Monday email to supporters. Warrens campaign released the email hours before the Massachusetts Democrat was scheduled to participate in a televised town hall with members of the American Federation of Teachers in Philadelphia later in the afternoon. In the email, the senator, who once spent a year teaching children with disabilities, singled out the sitting secretary of Education for specific criticism. Betsy DeVos, her email states, is the worst Secretary of Education weve seen, a compromised figure with a compromised team up to their eyeballs in conflicts of interest. But Betsy DeVos is just a symptom of a badly broken system. Were up against powerful forces, and to win, we need big structural change. So heres my plan: Under a Warren administration, the Secretary of Education will be a public school teacher. pic.twitter.com/4M33NGTNJt Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 13, 2019 Though theres a clear distinction between DeVos, who has no classroom experience, and the former public school teacher Warren says shed like to appoint, the senators pledge would actually deviate from a trend that predates the Trump presidency. Arne Duncan, who served as secretary for most of the Obama presidency, had served as CEO of the Chicago public school system, but had never worked as a teacher. His successor, John King, did have classroom experience, but in charter schools not an improvement, as far as teachers unions are concerned. The last Education secretary to have a background in traditional public school teaching was Rod Paige, who served for the first four years of the George W. Bush administration and was no friend to unions. In 2004, he claimed that the National Education Association behaved like a terrorist organization. Warrens email doesnt specify whether she would nominate someone with experience in traditional public schools or in charters. The text refers simply to public schools, and that terminology covers a lot of ground. Even though theyre privately owned and operated, charter schools are public schools. Though some charter schools are unionized, and several charter school operators have been targeted by successful strikes since last December, the NEA and the AFT remain critical of the charter school movement. Warrens record, though, is in line generally with the priorities of teachers unions, and theyve endorsed both of her campaigns for Senate. In 2016, she opposed a proposal that would have raised the cap on the number of charter schools in Massachusetts. Teachers unions have other reasons to celebrate the candidates email. It included a pledge to make it easier to join a union, and continued: Unions give teachers and firefighters, sheet-metal workers, steelworkers, working people across this country more power over the long run. Thats good for teachers, good for students, and good for making sure we put the resources we need directly into our schools. Warren was not the only Democratic candidate to make promises to public educators on Monday. Universal pre-K anchors a new policy plan from Representative Julian Castro of Texas, the New York Times reports. Castros plan would also raise teacher pay by $10,000 a year; student loan borrowers would not have to begin repayment until they were within 250 percent of the federal poverty line. Senator Kamala Harris had previously announced a proposal to significantly increase teacher pay in March. Itll take more than the prospect of a teacher in the Warren Cabinet to eventually win the support of teachers unions. Both the NEA and the AFT have said that theyll refrain from formal endorsements until later in the primary season, and with so many candidates in the race, they can afford to be selective. But Warren makes a strong case for herself: Her pledge to replace Betsy DeVos with a public school teacher builds on an earlier, expansive education proposal, which would be funded by a wealth tax on millionaire households. As Warren reminded AFT members in Philadelphia on Monday evening, her plan to cancel $50,000 of student loan debt for households making under $100,000 would also alleviate financial pressure on teachers and shore up the profession. In an April media briefing, NEA president Lily Eskelsen Garcia cited student loan debt and years of low pay as two factors keeping young adults out of the education profession. BENTON Shawn Tarver, one of the dynamic Cairo community organizers trying to revitalize the town, was sentenced Tuesday to more than 20 years in federal prison for his part in a drug distribution ring. Tarver was arrested in October as part of multi-state raid. The Drug Enforcement Agency, along with an Illinois SWAT team, on Oct. 12 executed search warrants for homes and businesses in Cairo, including a business where a murder happened on Sept. 1. According to a news release from the McCracken County Sheriff, authorities seized 10 pounds of crystal meth, 5 pounds of marijuana, heroin, firearm ammunition and more than $7,000 believed to be proceeds from illegal drug sales. Tarver was arrested in relation to those seizures, police said. According to court documents, Tarver was charged with two counts of distribution of meth, one count each of conspiracy to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. Tarver pleaded guilty to all counts. Kentucky law enforcement and the DEA opened an investigation in September, during which they said they discovered people in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and California were involved in distributing crystal meth and marijuana in Southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri. Police say Tarver, of Cairo, was identified as a supply source of meth for Southern Illinois and western Kentucky. During the Tuesday sentencing hearing, Tarvers attorney, federal public defender Daniel Cronin, provided the court with photos of Tarver with various civic leaders, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker. He is a civic-minded person, Cronin told Judge Phil Gilbert. However, he admitted that this was Tarvers second federal drug conviction according to court documents, he was charged in 2001 in Indiana with distribution of more than 50 grams of crack cocaine. Cronin said his client, who admitted to struggles with addiction, needed to find a straighter path. He knows he has to, once and for all, end his addiction and stop fueling other peoples addiction, Cronin said. Tarver was a leading member of Cairo community organizing group Men of Power Women of Strength, which has worked to bring investment and development to the city. Much of this was prompted by the 2017 announcement by the Department of Housing and Urban Development that it would be shuttering of two housing projects hundreds called home. During his allocution, Tarver said he is now 15 percent owner of several proposed businesses and housing developments that are slated to come to town. I thought my good was going to outweigh my bad, Tarver told the court. I was in too deep. He said he sowed many seeds, some bringing hope to his community and family, others bringing pain. Steven Tarver, Shawns brother and business partner, said Shawn was instrumental in bringing the developers in and creating momentum with the projects. However, he said his brothers legal problems have not harmed the progress of the developments. I think we are on the right path, Steven Tarver said. Shawn Tarver told the court he fell back into criminal activity after losing a daughter in 2010 and seeing his marriage dissolve. I didnt understand life (then) as I do now, Tarver said. Gilbert discussed with Tarver his previous stay in prison, from which he was released early. Honestly, maybe you should have stayed incarcerated a little bit longer, Gilbert said after asking why Tarver hadnt learned from the experience. Tarver said before his arrest, he prayed, often nightly, for God to give him a way out and believes he was given that. God answered my prayers by putting me in here, Tarver said. He told the court that when he gets out, he will have a better foundation in his life that he will be able to build on, something he said he didnt have when he got out the first time. After hearing from Tarver, Gilbert announced the sentence. He granted the defense's request for the minimum of 262 months to be followed by five years of mandatory supervised release. Tarver will be about 65 when he is released, should he serve his full term. Tarver will be up for potential release after serving 80 percent of his sentence. Love 9 Funny 5 Wow 6 Sad 13 Angry 8 Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Last week, the GOP Establishment, more than ready to put the Mueller investigation in the rearview, was frustrated by the subpoena that Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr issued to Donald Trump Jr. Rather than testify before the Republican-led committee, Lindsey Graham suggested on Sunday that the presidents son just ignore the subpoena. By Monday, he revised his statement: Trump Jr. should go physically but check out mentally. You just show up and plead the Fifth, and its over with, Graham told reporters on Monday. Youd have to be an idiot as a lawyer to put your client back into this circus, a complete idiot, he added. By Tuesday, Trump Jr. had agreed to appear before the committee for a time-limited interview in coming weeks. According to the New York Times, a lawyer for Trump Jr. was prepared to send a blistering letter to send to the committee, telling its members that Mr. Trump would not submit to open-ended questions before a panel that included multiple Democrats running for president. The Senate Intelligence Committee initially hoped to ask Trump Jr. about his September 2017 appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Graham, where he said he was only peripherally aware of plans to build Trump Tower Moscow a claim that was contradicted multiple times in the Mueller report. But before Trump Jr.s lawyer could send the letter, a lawyer from the committee reached out asking for a reasonable path forward. According to the Times, that path will include an appearance by Mr. Trump in mid-June, with the questions limited to about a half-dozen topics and the time limited to no longer than two to four hours Another person, who would not be identified, contested that the scope of the topics had been limited. If Trump Jr. had chosen to ignore the subpoena, the process and the party conflict associated with it would have been much more extended, as explained by Politico: Contempt is one way forward. But the Senate also has a special option as an alternative to both the inherent contempt power of each House and the criminal contempt statutes, according to the Congressional Research Service. The Intelligence Committee and then the full Senate can take civil action to enforce a subpoena in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or to simply ask for a declaration of the validity of the subpoena, according to CRS. Its a tactic aimed more at forcing compliance than punishment and has been used sparingly by the Senate, though the chamber did use the power to compel the production of documents from Backpage.com in 2016, which was accused of facilitating human trafficking. A report on Monday suggests that Trump Jr.s testimony problem was, like so many dilemmas within his family, a self-made crisis. According to the New York Times, Senate Intelligence chairman Burr made it clear that he had given Trump Jr. multiple opportunities to cooperate in a process that would have been quiet and unpublicized. Burr told other senators at a private lunch that Trump Jr.s decision to back out of two voluntary interviews left the committee with no choice but to subpoena the presidents son. This post has been updated to reflect Donald Trump Jr.s decision to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee. On Monday, Minister for Mobility and Public Works Francois Bausch presented the five-year action plan to increase safety on Luxembourg's roads, including a speed crackdown. The action plan also included a number of different measures, notably taxi legislation reform. The action plan presented on Monday involved 31 separate measures as a means to overcome eleven challenges. A number of measures involve taxis, namely opening the taxi market, but also promoting taxis as an alternative to driving yourself. Taxis as the first alternative to cars The challenges facing the authorities include extreme speeding, dangerous driving, distractions, and drink driving. Whilst the police will continue to hold alcohol checks, the ministry is hoping to offer an alternative to drink driving. Bausch acknowledged that there should be options for those people who want to go out for dinner, have a drink with their food, and not drive home themselves. In that context, Bausch is working on a reform of the country's taxi legislation to make the use of taxis more appealing as an alternative to driving home under the influence. At the beginning of February, Bausch maintained that the reform text would be completed by the end of April. However, the file is a complex one and the minister announced that his new objective is to have the reform completed by the summer. The current state of Luxembourg's taxi situation is a tricky one. Luxembourg is well-known for having the highest taxi tariffs in the EU, which in turn dissuades potential customers. On the flipside, Luxembourg also has strong labour rights and a high minimum wage, both of which the taxi federation cites in justifying their tariffs. A further issue with Luxembourg's taxis is that two large firms seem to share the majority of the market. Reform without making use of modern slavery Given the complexities of the situation, it does seem difficult to determine how the minister will find common ground with the taxi firms. The minister said explicitly he does not want to come to an agreement with the two firms, highlighting that the taxi market is an open market. He added that the reform would involve a number of measures making the market even more open. One example is taxi firms with digital offers. In February, the Luxembourgish market happily greeted the arrival of a new taxi application. However, Bausch warned that expanding the market should not occur at the expense of taxi drivers, dismissing the idea of the introduction of "modern slavery." Bausch remained evasive, saying he "did not want to name names" when referring to a particular firm which has "caused a significant amount of misery worldwide" and has consequently been taken to court. At any rate, Bauch dismissed introducing this company to the Grand Duchy, describing this as "undesirable." "Take it or leave it" Bausch's aim is to modernise taxis in Luxembourg without compromising Luxembourg's labour rights. He highlighted that more and more operators are prepared to participate and offer something more appealing under "fair ground rules", namely labour rights, taxes, and social security. According to Bausch's plan, this should ideally be incorporated into the reformed legislation. He expressed a "take it or leave it" attitude, explaining that those who participate fairly will continue to succeed, whereas those who do not should not be surprised if they do not survive. Above all, the minister expressed his refusal to wait and "watch for ten years" as certain firms build a monopoly and continue to charge high prices. The minister has detailed his aims in reforming taxi legislation, but as to the measures we can expect, we will have to wait until the summer. A Latvian border guard helicopter hovers over a vast forest split by a long, narrow strip of sandy land where a fence topped with barbed wire marks the EU's border with Russia. Fifteen years after Latvia joined both NATO and the European Union, the Baltic state's remote Latgale region -- closer to Moscow than to Brussels -- is among the bloc's poorest areas, but its residents are staunchly pro-European. Smuggling cheap alcohol and cigarettes from Russia has been a mainstay of the local economy since Latvia regained its independence in 1991 after a half century of Soviet occupation. A growing stream of illegal migrants crossing over from Russia, mostly from Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Syria, prompted Latvian authorities to start building the fence in 2016 to protect a 300-kilometre (186-mile) stretch of the EU's eastern border. As Latgale gears up to vote in European Parliamentary elections on May 25th, locals may differ on the candidates they choose, but there is no doubt that pro-European sentiment prevails overall, largely thanks to the EU's generous development subsidies and open markets. A eurozone member of 1.9 million, Latvia has absorbed a net 7.2 billion euros ($8.1 billion at the current rate) in EU subsidies since 2004, making it the bloc's fourth-largest beneficiary per capita. - 'More European' - More than 70 percent of Latvians approve of the EU, but NATO is a bit less popular / AFP Nestled deep in the forest, Zilupe -- population 3,000 -- is one of the EU's easternmost municipalities. "The European Union is helping us like nobody before," Skaidrite Marcenoka, a local farmer and municipal official, told AFP as she reflected on Latvia's turbulent history. Over the last century, Latvians suffered under Soviet and Nazi occupation which brought the Holocaust and then Stalinist-era mass deportations to Siberia. Forced Russification and atheism during nearly half a century of Soviet rule was intended to strip Latvians of their language and cultural identity. "Now, we're receiving EU farming subsidies for agricultural machinery, better livestock and farm development," said Marcenoka, who has used the payments to buy new equipment to run her 150-hectare farm. Classified as "green" or eco-friendly, it receives around 230 euros for every hectare per year in direct EU farm payments. "On average, the EU covers around 40 percent of agricultural investments," Marcenoka adds. Even the livestock is 'more European' / AFP She also breeds Latvia's traditional brown cows with Limousine and Charolais bulls from France, saying that "this way my own livestock becomes more European". - Public works, open markets - Heading west away from the Russian border, vast forests give way to small patches of farmland and the occasional village or town able to overhaul often rickety public infrastructure thanks to EU funding. "Over the last decade, we've received 16.2 million euros in EU funding for 90 different projects," says Edgars Mekss, the mayor of Ludza, a poor rural town of 12,000 people. "For every euro we spend for street repairs, construction works, laying water pipelines, church and synagogue restoration, we receive 4.7 euros from European coffers. "Our border region won't be able to develop and create new jobs without it," he adds, although some critics warn that a lack of oversight on how funds are spent raises the risk of graft. For Andris Mejers, business is booming even without subsidies. Latvia's geopolitical shift from Moscow to Brussels has opened new, lucrative markets for his traditional Latgalian sausages, hams and smoked bacon. "We take our simple rural food and travel all around the EU to various food fairs," he tells AFP. "In the past, we visited St Petersburg and Moscow; now that border seems closed but others have opened," he says, pointing to fellow EU members Germany, Poland and Sweden. "I even went to Brussels with my sausages! All the documents by local authorities confirming the quality of my products are recognised internationally." - Unpredictable - A Latvian contribution to the EU single market / AFP Committed eurosceptics are few and far between in Latgale and elsewhere in Latvia, where the latest Eurobarometer poll suggested support for EU membership stands at 73 percent. Fridijs Bokiss, a Communist-era mayor of Ludza who co-founded the Socialist Party of Latvia after the Communist Party was outlawed, rails against NATO, but he expresses no such disdain towards the EU. NATO ramped up its presence on its eastern flank since Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, setting up multi-national battle groups in Poland and the three Baltic states. Polls show that around 60 percent of Latvians supports the alliance. "We must leave NATO to have a good relationship with Moscow and then reap benefits from both the EU and Russia," he told AFP but was unable to name the rewards Latvia might receive from closer ties to Russia. "We have a cross-border cooperation initiative with the Pskov region in Russia named Ezerzeme ('Lakeland'), but even that is financed by the EU," he admitted. His views are so unpopular that his Socialist party sees no point in running in the European Parliament election later this month. Turnout is expected to exceed the 30 percent recorded in the 2014 ballot. "I'll vote because I live in the proximity of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's Russia, and Putin is like a novice driver at the wheel: you'll never quite know what he'll do next!", Ilmars Ostrovskis, a Latgale businessman, told AFP. Jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing extradition to the United States for the 2010 publication of thousands of leaked classified documents. British judges on Friday overturned a ruling blocking him being sent there to face espionage charges, in the latest twist in the long-running case. - 2010: assault charges - Assange's WikiLeaks whistleblowing website begins releasing 470,000 US classified military documents in July 2010 about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It later releases another batch of more than 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables. In November, a Swedish prosecutor issues an arrest warrant for Assange over sexual assault allegations involving two women. He denies the claims, saying they had consensual sex. But he reports to police in London in December and is arrested. A week later he is released on bail. - 2012: embassy refuge - In February 2011, a British judge rules that Assange can be extradited to Sweden. He appeals, claiming the Swedish allegations are a pretext to transfer him to the US. In June 2012, he takes refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid extradition. Ecuador, then ruled by left-wing president Rafael Correa, grants him asylum in August. In May 2017, Swedish prosecutors drop the sex assault investigation after failing to obtain Assange's transfer. In December, Ecuador grants Assange nationality but is blocked by Britain from according him diplomatic status. - 2019: arrest, prison - In January 2018, Ecuador, now ruled by right-wing President Lenin Moreno, says hosting Assange has become "untenable". In March it temporarily cuts his communication links. Tensions peak in April 2019 when Moreno says Assange has "repeatedly violated" the conditions of his asylum. Ecuador revokes his citizenship on April 10. The next day, British police drag Assange out of the embassy, having been informed that his asylum has been withdrawn. He is arrested on a US extradition request. In May, Assange is sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for having breached bail in 2010. The legal process for his extradition to the US begins, and Swedish prosecutors reopen the rape investigation. - US charges - On May 23, the US Justice Department charges Assange with violating the US Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010. If convicted, he faces jail terms of up to 175 years. UN rights experts Nils Melzer says Assange has been subjected to "psychological torture" that had seriously affected his health. Assange makes his first court appearance since being jailed on June 15 via videolink. Subsequently he looks frail and confused. - 2020: Trump claim - In February court hearings, Assange's lawyers claim then US president Donald Trump had promised him a pardon if he denied Russia had leaked him damaging emails about Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The White House denies the claim. - Swedish charge dropped - On November 19, Swedish prosecutors drop the rape investigation because "the evidence is not strong enough" despite "credible" claims from the woman who filed the complaint. - 2021: Victory then setback - Assange's supporters celebrate after a London court blocks his extradition in January on the grounds that he would be a suicide risk if sent to the US. But with the whistleblower still behind bars, a High Court appeal overturns the verdict Friday, sending the case back to the original court after the US promised that Assange would not be held in isolation in American jails and would receive proper medical treatment. Photo: Shutterstock (pigeons) Depending on how you count, Im in between four and 18 active group chats, across half a dozen different apps that occupy most of my time on my phone. Right now, Im in a one called Ramiuss Boys, which is devoted to sharing quotes from the film The Hunt for Red October and submarine-related links; another called News and Politics Discussion Group, for arranging Mario Kart matches and, most important, talking shit; and a third, No More Furry Nudes I Promise though, to be fair, that one probably shouldnt be counted as active because no one trusted the promise its creator made in the title. One friend described to me a group chat shes in with one overriding rule: The only thing allowed is GIFs of the Hulk. Another friend told me shes in a group chat dedicated to sharing photographs of Cobb salads called, naturally, COBB COBB. In some ways, group chat feels like a return to the halcyon era of AOL Instant Messenger, once the most widespread method of messing around with your friends on the internet. But in my life, group chats on Apples iMessage, WhatsApp, Slack, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, or any number of other apps or platforms arent simply additional modes of socialization, drawing on the IM conversation or the chat room. Theyre an outright replacement for the defining mode of social organization of the past decade: the platform-centric, feed-based social network. For me, at least, group chats arent the new AIM. Theyre the new Facebook. Like Facebook at its best, theyre pocket sources of interpersonal nourishment. Some of my group chats were created for utilitarian reasons, like planning a bachelor party, but have since outgrown the limiting stricture of having a particular reason to exist. Most have been freewheeling and themeless since their inception, cast haphazardly and sustained by gossip and boredom and the opportunity to make fun of someone elses typos. The paradigmatic message of the group chat is one my friend Sam sent recently: Wanna see something mildly funny? In group chats, the answer is always yes. Its easy to forget, 15 years, 2 billion users, and an ethnic-cleansing controversy or two later, that Facebook was a place for this kind of purposeless sociality before it was a place for repeatedly blocking and reporting your step-cousin. More than that, it was a piece of essential social infrastructure a new layer of life that efficiently, and aggressively, reorganized social existence, describing and enabling friendships, cliques, parties, and even memories, formalized as they would eventually be by Facebook photo albums uploaded on hungover Sunday afternoons. As it happens, Facebooks mandate was never to facilitate social life. It was to draw new users in and keep them there, even in alienating and potentially antisocial ways. Over the years it grew beyond the original, limited social contexts in which it began, and chased user engagement at the expense of its users well-being. The arrival of parents and bosses into the same social space as college friends, and the introduction of the implicitly competitive News Feed, with its opaque multi-metric ranking system, created the sense that this once-friendly space had turned against us. But by the measurements important to investors, it was successful, and the endlessly updating, always-available feed was adopted as the model for all social networks. The result was, depending whom you talk to, either every single bad thing thats happened in the last five years, or just most of them. As feeds grew hostile, though, the rise of the smartphone, with its full-screen keyboard and its array of free messaging options, gave us a new, context-specific, decentralized social network: the group chat. Over the last few years, I and most of the people I know have slowly attempted to extricate our social lives from Facebook. Now its the group chat that structures and enables my social life. I learn personal news about friends from group chats more often than I do on Facebook; I see more photos of my friends through group chats than I do on Instagram; I have better and less self-conscious conversations in group chats than I do on Twitter. Im not alone: The Avengers are in a group chat; the actresses of Big Little Lies are in a group chat; Beyonce is in a group chat with her mother and Solange. (Jay-Z was apparently not invited.) Group chats have become so fundamental to daily life, in some cases, that they are the first place people turn for help: During the shooting at the STEM School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on May 7, BuzzFeed News reported that students took to group chats to share moment-to-moment updates. And Facebook knows it. The future is private, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told developers at the companys annual F8 conference on April 30. Over time, I believe that a private social platform will be even more important to our lives than our digital town squares. He unveiled a new design for the Facebook homepage that emphasized private, user-created Facebook Groups, rather than the default-public News Feed, and announced to the crowd: This is about building the kind of future we want to live in. I doubt everyone is as invested in group chats as I am. But if Facebook has its way, they soon will be on Facebook. To me, the reorientation of Facebook around private groups feels less like the company building the kind of future we want and more like its attempt to force itself back into a social life Id rescued from its feed. Last year, the technology writer Navneet Alang wondered in a column in the Globe and Mail if it would be possible to save social media from Facebook. That is, could we extricate from the globe-spanning behemoth that is Facebook, Inc., the many uses and experiences that can make Facebook, the website and app, so enjoyable? The flowering of group chats points us in one direction. In almost all ways, I find the group chat an improvement over the machine-sorted feed. Freed from the pressure to stand out from thousands of other posts, conversations on group chats tend to be comfortably subdued even appealingly boring in a way that Facebook status updates or tweets never can be. Because most group chats exist on platforms or apps that dont rely on advertising money or user engagement to support themselves, theyre only as addicting or exploitative as any social interaction might be. You dont check chats the way you check an endless feed: Conversation flows when enough people want to have it, but theres no algorithm to find and surface an unseen chat message that you might engage with. What you get instead is distraction the old-fashioned way: with intention. The feed, at its worst, is a passive and slack-jawed experience. The group chat requires some level of active engagement. Whatever conditioning has led us to seek validation from the glass-and-metal rectangles in our pockets is obviously at play in the group chat as it is on other social platforms. But it occurs at human scale, with distinct reactions from a handful of friends for a minorly funny joke, rather than at the alien scale of behemoth platforms, with likes endlessly mounting for a Facebook post in which you dunk on the president. Like any social network, the group chat has its own social mores and prerogatives. Every group chat contains recognizable archetypes the out-of-it person who asks wait, what? about every conversation; the (psychologically self-actualized and professionally successful) member who keeps the group chat on mute, meaning they dont get alerted every time someone sees a Cobb salad and undergoes regular cycles of high and low activity, depending on the schedules and time zones of participants. Every group chat has smaller orbiting sub-chats featuring new constellations of the original groups members, created to plan surprise parties, or, worse, to complain about the guy who keeps asking what, what? Which is another way of saying that group chats arent always beautiful and healthy expressions of friendship. The distraction of the group chat may feel more fulfilling than the distraction of Instagram, but its still a distraction sometimes even from fulfilling in-person socializing. Orienting your social infrastructure around sharply circumscribed friend groups might help avoid the dreaded collapsing of social contexts that occurs on Facebook, but it can also reinforce cruel in-group/out-group dynamics. (Though, in their defense, because group chats cant be crashed by angry strangers or malicious trolls, theyre only ever toxic in the familiar and reassuring ways that friend groups have been since middle school.) Private group chats can create echo chambers as distorting as the decontextualized noise of a public social feed. Nor are any of the many companies whose products I use to talk to friends particularly benevolent. Apples iMessage, my most frequent group-chat app, ties my phone number up in difficult-to-extricate ways with its proprietary system, and splits friends in two tiers blue and green. (My friend Dan became so incensed at being left out of iMessage group chats that he rigged a home server so he could receive iMessages chats on his Android.) WhatsApp is routinely accused of being a vector of misinformation in India, where its been linked to mob violence, and in Brazil, where its a source of far-right fake news. (Not surprisingly, WhatsApp is also the most frictionless of any chat platform, and its telling that the first step in reducing the flow of misinformation on the app is to disable the forwarding button.) Its also owned by Facebook, the very company I took to group chats to get away from. But even if most of these corporations are untrustworthy, at least there are many of them. The key advantage of the group chat is that social graph of your friend network exists in your head, and not only on a server in Iceland, which means you can easily abandon one platform for another without any trouble or, as most of us do, occupy many platforms at once. The result, as Facebook knows all too well, is an internet much closer to the one we might want. The only thing I still enjoy doing online/with technology is texting, Sam, the friend who wanted to share something mildly amusing, told me. All of the rest of it is torture/agony/hell. But I fucking love iMessage. *A version of this article appears in the May 13, 2019, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar's offensive against Tripoli represents a threat to international peace, the EU warned Monday. The bloc called for all sides in the Libyan conflict to put down their arms and to commit to UN talks, though the month-long assault on the capital shows little sign of ending. EU foreign ministers had earlier held talks on the crisis, which deepened dramatically last month when Haftar, whose Libyan National Army (LNA) holds the east of the country, launched a bid to seize Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognised government. "The LNA military attack on Tripoli and the subsequent escalation in and around the capital constitutes a threat to international peace and security and further threatens the stability of Libya," EU members said in a statement. "Furthermore, it enhances the risk of increased terrorist threat across the country." The statement, issued after EU ministers met the UN-recognised prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, also voiced concern about the "impact on migration flows" the fighting was having. 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 migrants desperate to reach Europe. Around 60 migrants died on the weekend when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean after leaving Libya for Italy. Ecuador will hand over to the United States documents and computer hardware which Wikileaks founder and whistleblower Julian Assange left behind at its London embassy, his lawyers said Monday. Ecuadoran public prosecutors have authorised police next Monday to search the room which the Australian occupied for seven years and seize his personal belongings, they said. They cited an e-mail from the public prosecutors dated May 8 but AFP was not able to confirm its authenticity. The belongings, including computers, mobile phones, memory sticks and other electronic devices, will then be sent to the United States as part of Ecuador's response to a request from the US Department of Justice for cooperation into its investigation into Assange, according to the e-mail. This is an "absolute violation of the right of defence, because they will hand over to the United States all his communications with his lawyers, which are confidential," Assange's lawyer in Madrid, Aitor Martinez, told AFP. Assange, 47, is currently in a London jail. A US indictment charges him with "conspiracy" for working with former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password stored on Department of Defense computers in March 2010. Manning passed hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, exposing US military wrongdoing in the Iraq war and diplomatic secrets about scores of countries. Assange could face up to five years in jail if found guilty, although his team is fighting his extradition and the process could take years. His lawyer in Ecuador, Carlos Poveda, told AFP that he was "never" notified of the public prosecutors' decision. Poveda said he had appealed the permission to seize Assange's belongings be suspended. If public prosecutors do not reverse their decision, he has asked that Assange be present when the room is searched. According to Ecuadoran judicial sources, the public prosecutors' office has not made the decision public because it is part of a confidential international cooperation document. Assange, who holed himself up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London in June 2012 to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden over an allegation of rape, was arrested on April 11 after Ecuador gave him up. A London court sentenced him on May 1 to 50 weeks in jail for breaching bail when he took refuge in the embassy. Swedish prosecutors decided Monday to reopen his investigation for alleged rape in 2010, which he denies and says is a pretext to transfer him to the United States. Casper neurologist David Wheeler has been named the 2019 national physician of the year by the American Heart Association for his yearslong effort to improve stroke care across Wyoming, the organization announced this week. Hes one of a kind. Hes an exceptional doctor, Dr. Amit Khera, a cardiologist and the president of the SouthWest Affiliate of the heart association, told the Star-Tribune on May 14. Khera also worked with Wheeler early in their careers. ... If there were people as passionate as him in all walks of medicine, wed be in a very different place in terms of care. Wheeler told the Star-Tribune previously that he found out about the award in March. He will be honored in Dallas next month. The founder of Caspers Wyoming Neurologic Associates, Wheeler is just the second neurologist to ever win the award, according to the association. He is a high school dropout-turned-Rhodes Scholar who received both his doctorate and medical degree from Stanford University. He worked in Massachusetts hospitals for his residency, internship and fellowship, before moving to Casper. Wheeler currently sits on the board of the AHAs SouthWest Affiliate, which covers Wyoming. From 2007 to 2009, Wheeler worked with the association to improve heart attack and stroke care in Wyoming, which led to the creation of the Mission: Lifeline Wyoming program, according to an AHA release. Wheeler has been instrumental in efforts to bring elite stroke care to all parts of Wyoming. Being interested in the overall health of the people who live all around us, we and others have been trying to figure out ways that the kind of care we can deliver at Wyoming Medical Center is more readily available to people who live in other parts of the state, he told the Star-Tribune. Timely treatment A person has a stroke when blood flow is cut off to a part of the brain and the brain cells begin to die. Blood flow can be cut off by a clot or by a blood vessel bursting or leaking, according to the AHA. Damage from strokes can range from trouble speaking to partial paralysis to death. To limit those adverse effects, time is key. There are parts of Wyoming where there may not be a Stanford-and-Oxford-trained neurologist and stroke expert on hand. Thats where Wheelers telemedicine program comes in. Theres all kinds of evidence that the sooner a neurologist gets involved in the care of a patient, the more quickly theyll get treated, he said. In 2007, Wheeler earned grant money to create a telestroke telemedicine meets stroke care pilot program. The program worked great, he said, but after three years, when the grant money ran dry, the hospitals involved balked at forking out $10,000 a month to pay for it. From that point forward, we started doing most of our stroke care over the telephone, he said. So the hospital finds out a stroke coming, as quick as possible they get their CT scans done and they call us. Within 15 to 20 minutes, Wheeler would be looking at scans of that patient and could recommend a treatment plan to best care for the patient. It was better than nothing, but the phone call system had a lot of time lag, Wheeler said. Fortunately, technology is cheaper now. Cameras and computers are more readily available. Using iPhones and Zoom a more secure Skype Wheeler restarted the telestroke program on a smaller scale a few years ago. He pushed for the project to be adopted by WMC, and his program is now up and running in hospitals in Douglas and Sheridan. Since Wheeler spoke to the Star-Tribune in March, Thermopolis has joined the program, as well, with Gillettes hospital on deck. Another seven facilities are keenly interested, Wheeler said. There are neurologists in other communities, but they dont typically take calls on a regular basis because theyre usually solo, he said, explaining why his clinic is taking on so much of the stroke care work in Wyoming. Some of them dont usually go to the hospital or they pick up the phone if they happen to be available. What you need to do good stroke care is 24/7, 265. Same level of care, no matter what time of day it is. Were aiming to offer that to as many places as we can. Wheeler and the two neurologists in his clinic take turns being on call. Theyre each on call constantly for a week at a time (though Wheeler said most strokes happen during the day). He said his team receives five or so total calls from Douglas and Sheridan each week, up significantly from when the telestroke program first launch. There are countless people whove avoided death and disability because that program is in place, Khera said. High school dropout Wheeler turned onto the road that would lead him to become a nationally recognized neurologist and stroke expert when he dropped out of a Missoula high school at 16. He met his future wife three years later, and she convinced him to go to the University of Montana, which he did after he earned his GED. I did well in school and was kind of aiming toward a wildlife biologist or something like that. I wanted to be a park ranger, he said. But I got really excited by physiology and neuroscience stuff. He got pulled into neuroscience research, reigniting a childhood dream to become a doctor a dream hed given up on after leaving high school. He was a pre-med student who drew the attention of the Rhodes Scholar counselor at the university, who told him even if he didnt get the scholarship, itd be a good learning experience and an opportunity for him to learn about himself. He got the scholarship, of course. It was my first example of doing something not thinking it would turn out, Wheeler said, laughing. After two years in England studying at Oxford, Wheeler planned on being a physician-scientist. He went to Stanford, where he spent nine years working on his combined Ph.D.-MD. But his experiences seeing patients near the end of his time in med school shifted his focus. Treating people was rewarding. The researcher part of his life was a bit ... Dull, he said. After spending a few years training in Massachusetts hospitals, he and his wife looked back to the Rockies to settle down. At that time, he specialized in epilepsy care, and he went looking for somewhere that needed his skills. A big part of my motivation for becoming a doctor was really just about making the world better, improving the plight of my fellow man thats genuinely where this comes from for me, he said. The idea of going and doing something thats desperately needed in a place where they havent really had that kind of care, thats good for me morally, and intellectually the idea of going to place (where) what I wanted to do didnt exist yet was exciting to me. His first interview was at Wyoming Medical Center. Hes been in Casper ever since, expanding his expertise into stroke care in the meantime. Khera, the president of the heart associations SouthWest Affiliate, said that when Wheeler was still training, it looked like he was going to work in a lab and eventually win a Nobel Prize. Now, hes won a prize thats equally worthy, Khera said. Wheeler made the conscious decision to return to the West and work in a rural setting, Khera said, describing it a calling. You dont find enough people that do that. Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A cyclist suffered serious injuries Monday after a truck struck him in a central Casper intersection. The pickup took a right hand turn through a green light at 12th and Conwell streets and hit a cyclist who was entering a crosswalk, police said. The cyclist hit his head on the pavement and was taken by ambulance to Wyoming Medical Center. Casper police spokeswoman Rebekah Ladd said by email the cyclist was in critical condition at 4 p.m. Officer Scott Cogdill said the cyclist was male, but was unsure of his age. He said when police arrived the cyclist was still breathing but unresponsive to questions. Shortly before 4 p.m., police cars blocked off 12th Street between Wilson and Melrose streets. Conwell Street was likewise closed between Farnum and 10th streets. A red bike lay chain-down in the street, nearly resting against the curb. Police officers spoke with the driver of the truck, who remained on scene. Minutes later, a detective arrived in an unmarked car. The intersection remained closed shortly after 5 p.m. Ladd said police had not yet made any arrests in relation to the crash. Follow crime reporter Shane Sanderson on Twitter @shanersanderson Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 9 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. Dick Sadler ran for office because there were things that needed to be done, said Mary Sadler, his wife of 67 years. Those things included advocating for local government control of issues, better funding for public education and the conservation of Wyomings wildlife. In Sadlers more than three decades of fire-branded public service, he established himself as someone who cared deeply about his community, and got things done that proved it. Sadler died May 10 at Shepherd of the Valley Hospice with Mary by his side. He was 90 years old. He was 90 years old and he had done everything he could, Mary said. Sadler and his wife were transplants to Wyoming. The pair met in Clinton, Iowa, then a small college town. Mary was a recent high school graduate and Dick was a two-tour veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving from 1946-49. When he returned to Iowa, he met Mary and they were married in 1952 in Victor, Marys hometown. It would be a decade before Sadlers job as a supervisor with the Chicago Northwestern Railroad would bring the pair to Wyoming. That job would take the couple through cities all over the U.S., but it was Casper they decided to make home. We liked it out here almost immediately, Mary said. Soon after deciding that Casper would be the last big move, Sadler began getting involved in local politics. Politics, Mary said, was just about her husbands first love. In 1966, he became the Allendale area precinct committeeman, and he was the Natrona County Democratic Party Chairman in 1968, the same year he first competed for a seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives. In his first campaign, he advocated for the use of mineral severance taxes to fund public education, local government control and shortening the amount of time a person should have to live in Wyoming before being allowed to vote in state elections. He lost that race but ran again two years later. In that race, his campaign promises again included efforts to better fund public education and protections for local control of government but also included lobbying the state to create a four-year college in Casper and provide better quality control of river pollutants. He won by 178 votes, according to election data published in the Nov. 3, 1970, edition of the Star-Tribune. Sadler was 42 years old when he joined the Wyoming Legislature. He served as a state representative until 1975, when he was elected to the Wyoming State Senate. He served as a state senator until 1983. In 1983, he retired from the Chicago Northwestern Railroad and was appointed by then-Gov. Edgar Herschler as director of the Wyoming Employment Security Commission. He retired from that role in 1990 but rejoined the House twice more, first in 1991, serving until 1995, and then for a final term in 2001, retiring in 2002. Of all the issues Sadler championed through his career, Wyomings wildlife was perhaps his largest concern. In his first year in the House, he served on the Legislatures game and fish committee. An article in the December 1971 issue of Field and Stream said Sadler represents the new breed of progressive Western politician (as well as being a vigorous hunter and outdoorsman). The author, Michael Frome, was writing the piece about the wholesale death of eagles across Wyoming. In it, he describes Sadler as being eager to share information on the ways Wyoming was working to prevent more eagle deaths. Eagles were just the beginning. Sadler would spend much of his career focusing on issues specific to Wyoming wildlife. He was instrumental in passing a 1973 ban on game farms in the state, ensuring exoctic breeds kept privately would not negatively affect native habitats in Wyoming. He also spent much of his career advocating for the protection of Wyomings Game and Fish department budget and its authority to set the states hunting seasons. He also worked on the bill to establish Caspers Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park. So passionate were Sadlers efforts to protect Wyomings natural attractions, they earned him awards. In 1981, the Wyoming Wildlife Federation named him Conservation Legislator of the Year. In 1982, the Wyoming Wildlife Society did the same. Sadlers state and local politics colleagues have described him as bright and passionate, stubborn and a force to be reckoned with. Longtime state legislator Sen. Charlie Scott remembers Sadler as an effective lawmaker with a good sense of humor. Wed worked together on a number of the wildlife issues and on the bill to establish the Kimball Wilkins State Park, Scott said. We found we agreed on those sorts of things. Sadler is actually the reason Scott, a Republican, decided to run for the state Senate. Hed cornered me at a social function, Scott said. He told me he wasnt going to run for reelection. He pitched me I ought to run for the Senate. Former Wyoming Gov. Mike Sullivan remembers Sadler fondly as well. I was proud to call him a friend, even though he was a bit of a curmudgeon, Sullivan said with a laugh. Sadler and Sullivan overlapped in state politics only briefly, with Sadler reentering the House at the beginning of Sullivans second term as governor. Sullivan said the two often agreed on issues, considering they were both Democrats. Notwithstanding, we were opposed in a number of instances, he said. One such disagreement was over the governors authority to grant fundraising licenses. Sadler didnt think the governor should have that much power, Sullivan recalled. It wasnt just state politics the pair held differing opinions on. When the Casper City Council approved funds for a new library in 2008, Sadler was an adamant opponent, often calling it too expensive. He was willing to talk about issues that may not have been the most popular, Sullivan said. But you could have discussions and disagree without losing civility. Rob Hendry, chairman of the Natrona County Commission, has similar memories of Sadler. He was a bit of a lightning rod, Hendry said. If you were on the opposite side of an issue Sadler cared about, Hendry said, you did not have an easy road ahead. He fought hard for what he believed in, he said. Hendry and Sadler worked together on a number of projects after Sadler left formal politics. For the last decade, Sadler had been leading the charge to clean up his neighborhood, Dempsey Acres, to stop property values from decreasing in the area. We did get several of those properties down there cleaned up, Hendry said. In recent years, Sadler fought to enforce a law he helped write in the 1970s that requires airports to have free parking. When the Casper airport put its free lot 1.5 miles from the airport, Sadler was among the first to raise concerns, telling a Star-Tribune reporter at the time, I passed that law and they hate my guts for it. Ultimately, Sadlers friends and family agree that the legacy he leaves is one of passion and resolve. He is survived by his wife, Mary; three children, Edward, Richard and Connie; one brother, David; six grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren. Staff writer Nick Reynolds contributed to this report. Follow city reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @morganhwrites. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 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 CEO of the Memorial Hospital of Converse County has resigned and will take a job at a hospital in rural Alaska. Ryan Smith has been chief executive at the Douglas hospital since December 2011, according to his LinkedIn page. He will become the CEO of South Peninsula Hospital in Homer, Alaska, a small town in the southern part of the state. Smith was previously the CFO of the Homer hospital, near the beginning of his career in the late 1990s. Before coming to Douglas, he was the CFO at Central Peninsula Hospital, which is in Soldotna, Alaska, according to his LinkedIn. Before that, he was CFO of Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity and privilege the Memorial Hospital Board of Directors gave me to lead this organization as CEO for nearly eight years, Smith said in a statement accompanying the release. The Douglas hospital will announce an interim CEO in the coming weeks, it said in a press release. The hospital boards chairman, Bob Kayser, praised Smith and the work he did to stabilize primary care, construct a new Medical Office Building, and most notably expand specialty and surgical services across the region. That includes the recent acquisition of Caspers Central Wyoming Neurology. Ryan is an extraordinary hospital CEO and we are all sorry to see him leave, Kayser said in a statement. This hospital is in a superior position thanks to Ryan and his team. Moving forward, I have every confidence in our senior team, providers, and staff to continue our journey to be the best healthcare organization in Wyoming. 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. EVANSTON Jesse J. Hartley, 19, of Mountain View, has been convicted of murder in the first degree and aggravated child abuse in the death of 2-year-old Brandon Green on May 1, 2018. A jury comprised of five women and seven men returned with the verdict in Third District Court late Friday afternoon. Hartley was found not guilty of a third count of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor. Hartley was charged with the crimes last May after the childs death, which Hartley initially claimed occurred after the child was found facedown in a bathtub. On that May afternoon, Hartley was alone with the victim in their Mountain View home, while Shannon Sherman, the childs mother and Hartleys girlfriend at the time, was in Evanston with a friend. Sherman received a call from Hartley shortly after 2 p.m., during which he told her he had left the child unattended in the bathtub for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute and returned to find him facedown and unresponsive. Hartley informed her he had the boy in their vehicle and was headed to Evanston Regional Hospital. Sherman went directly to the hospital and notified staff there, who contacted dispatch to send an ambulance to Hartley. Uinta County Sheriffs Deputy Andy Kopp met Hartley and began CPR on the child. Shortly thereafter, an ambulance arrived and transported Green to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 3 p.m. Kopp testified during the four-day trial and said his observations at the scene that day did not match Hartleys story of finding the child in the tub. Hospital staff also noted findings that were inconsistent with the story, including extensive bruising of the toddlers body. Dr. Thomas Bennett, the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy in the case, also testified during the trial. Bennett, who said he has performed more than 12,000 autopsies in his career, said he too noted the extensive bruising to the childs body and that most of the bruises were fresh. Bennett said there was no evidence of water in the boys lungs consistent with Hartleys claim of finding him facedown in the bathtub; however, he did find evidence of diffuse brain hemorrhage consistent with repetitive, violent shaking. Bennett determined the cause of death to be non-accidental head injuries indicative of abusive head trauma so severe the boy would have survived only 5-15 minutes afterward. Public defender Kent Brown suggested some of the bruising could have occurred during CPR and resuscitation efforts, while others possibly resulted from a fall off a kitchen chair the child had taken several hours earlier in the day. He also argued the state bore the burden to prove that Hartley had acted recklessly, based on the presumption that a reasonable person would know that such behaviors could cause serious bodily injury or death. Uinta County Attorney Loretta Howieson-Kallas, however, said in her closing argument the state was not asserting Hartley had set out that day to end Greens life; however, he certainly recklessly caused significant abusive injuries to the child that resulted in his death, she said. She noted that Hartleys claims kept changing whenever confronted with information that did not match, and she pointed out how calm Hartleys voice sounded during audio recording of a hospital interview during which Sherman could be heard wailing in the background about the death of her son. After approximately four hours of deliberation, the jury found Hartley guilty of first-degree murder that occurred as a result of the aggravated child abuse the defendant recklessly committed, while acquitting him on the sexual abuse charge. As the state opted not to seek the death penalty in the case, the murder conviction carries a sentence of life imprisonment, either with or without the possibility of parole, while the aggravated child abuse conviction is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 State lawmakers are scrambling to adjust after a confidential attorney generals opinion issued last week ruled that municipalities could choose to enroll in the states employee health insurance plan. The opinion which was issued on the request of the states Division of Administration and Information in January comes after the City of Riverton asked to engage in the states employee insurance program. According to Ralph Hayes, the manager of the program, the opinion allows city, county and town governments to enter into the 120-day enrollment process immediately. The opinion gives municipalities the same treatment under the law as Wyoming school districts, which have been permitted to cover their employees under the state plan since legislation was passed in 2010 allowing them to do so. Only one school district in the state Natrona Countys now does so. They have to abide by the same rules, said Hayes. Its not just automatic. Local governments are not required to join the states public insurance plan under the AGs opinion. But doing so could have ramifications beyond government. Insurance industry representatives warned that moving municipal governments to a public plan could have implications on the private insurance market, including the potential to drive up costs. While the AGs opinion was discussed by state lawmakers at length throughout Mondays meeting of the Joint Committee on Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions, the public was not able to access a copy of it prior to or during the discussion. According to a representative at the Attorney Generals office, the opinion was protected under attorney-client privilege between their office and the state Division of Administration and Information, which manages the states group insurance program. A&I later provided a copy of the opinion to the Star-Tribune. Sent scrambling The Attorney Generals opinion seemed to have caught state lawmakers as well as the private insurance industry and advocacy groups by surprise. Lawmakers were provided a copy of the AGs opinion shortly before Mondays meeting, and groups like the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, the Wyoming County Commissioners Association, and Wyoming Blue Cross Blue Shield had not viewed the opinion prior to public comment at Mondays meeting. While municipal groups have pushed for the option for several years, groups like Blue Cross Blue Shield urged caution, arguing that municipal governments moving from private insurers to a public insurer could potentially have unseen implications on private insurers and their customers. I would say at this point in time, they would like to stop this, and have the Legislature not allow cities, towns and counties to do this, Hayes said. Wendy Curran, a lobbyist for Blue Cross Blue Shield, expressed concern that the language used to describe the state plan made it sound like the state was trying to compete with the private sector, though Hayes said his organization has done little to market or promote itself as an option. To me thats a different message than offering yourself as an option, said Curran. It says were going to compete with the private market with a state-funded, state-operated option to whats provided on the private market. While the prospective impacts of up to 3,700 state and municipal employees leaving private insurers are uncertain, Curran warned opening up public insurance pools to municipal governments ran the risk of pulling certain groups out of the private market, which could potentially drive up costs and increasing the ratio of high-risk individuals in insurance pools, increasing rates. Youre saying we should not just be concerned about what it would do to the state plan, but what it would do to the private plan and our constituents as well? asked Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper. There are some positives for municipalities to go public. While its not a universal truth, some municipalities could enjoy significant savings by moving onto the state plan, according to a fact sheet distributed at Mondays meeting. Some counties like Crook County paid as much as 14 percent of their annual budget in health insurance costs last year while others, like Sublette County, paid as little as 1 percent. Only one county in the state Niobrara does not offer health insurance to public employees. Potential implications State lawmakers, meanwhile, were at-odds on how to respond. While legislative action could be considered, Rep. Scott Clem, R-Gillette, suggested that the executive branch could potentially be involved, while Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper, floated the idea of carving out municipalities in a budget footnote in 2020. It is unclear what implications the AGs opinion might have on the states finances or on the private insurance industry, which many of the states municipalities use to provide benefits to their employees. According to the fiscal note of a similar bill proposed in 2015, offsetting the states 23 counties onto the states insurance plan would have netted the state nearly $10.6 million in revenues well off of the $53 million currently paid by the counties today. However, it is uncertain how many counties or municipalities would actually participate. While all 48 school districts in Wyoming have the option to apply for coverage under the state plan, only Natrona Countys has done so. Other municipalities, meanwhile, might save more on the private market, or be less prone to some of the volatility that can occasionally be experienced in a public insurance program. Rep. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, argued that any financial implications to the state would be negligible but, before passing any legislation, she would prefer to see actual data on the impacts, and to develop a thorough understanding of the issue. All of that needs to be evaluated, she said. The horse is out of the barn thats whats happening. Follow politics reporter Nick Reynolds on Twitter @IAmNickReynolds Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice. As the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming and Attorney General for the State of Wyoming, we are pleased to partner with the numerous federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies who serve our state, and we want to express our enduring gratitude to these men and women who are hard at work every day in our communities. As we consider the service and sacrifice of these officers, it restores our sense of pride in the institutions and ideals they represent. They are standing up for the rule of law every day. Without their service, we risk losing something that is at the very heart of who we are as a nation and as a people the idea of liberty and justice for all. When we talk about justice and the rule of law, we are describing basic but very important concepts the idea that government has an obligation to consistently observe and fairly enforce neutral principles rather than the arbitrary whims of a particular person or group. This concept is vital to the protection of our individual rights and freedoms. We learn from history that for any nation to prosper it must have and uphold laws that protect individual freedoms, shield citizens from government overreach, allow businesses to thrive and invest with confidence, provide assurance that property rights will be protected, keep people safe from dangerous criminals, and allow us to resolve differences peacefully without resorting to violence. The notion of a limited government, evenly applying neutral and just laws to protect individual rights, is one of the founding ideas that has and continues to make our nation great. However, if we are not careful, we can begin to take these freedoms for granted. We do not have to look far to know that the rule of law is almost always under attack. There are countries around the world where corruption, crime and lawlessness are the norm rather than the exception. Corruption is like a disease that undermines the rule of law. It stifles innovation, creates inefficiency, and causes distrust between people and their government. It is a sure path to economic and social ruin, and the breeding ground for escalating violence. The rule of law, and the values it embodies, must be protected and upheld. This is where law enforcement plays such an indispensable role. Our police officers, deputies, agents, troopers, rangers, game wardens, and corrections officers are on the front lines defending and preserving the rule of law every day. Their bravery and dedication to this important role is admirable. This week, in particular, we take time to thank them for their commitment to service and pray for their safety. They are the thin blue line that stands between law-abiding people and criminals between safety and lawlessness. Their courage guards our families, secures our neighborhoods, and protects our communities. We hope you will join us in thanking and honoring these real-life, everyday heroes. Whenever you have the opportunity, let these brave men and women know we stand behind them, we appreciate what they do, and we will not take them for granted. Mark A. Klaassen is U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming. Bridget Hill is the Wyoming Attorney General. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images The last time Mike Pence spoke in front of an audience at Liberty University was in October 2016 the week after the release of the Access Hollywood tape. He called for the evangelical crowd to forgive the Republican candidate and to choose to stand with Donald Trump. The students werent exactly buying it: Though the crowd applauded when Pence promised to defund Planned Parenthood, there was scattered applause for his moral endorsement of the nominee. Almost three years later, Pence returned to give the commencement speech for the class of 2019. Speaking not so much as your vice-president but as a brother in Christ, he told the young evangelicals they should be ready to be made fun of for their Christian values in the world beyond campus. Some of the loudest voices for tolerance today have little tolerance for traditional Christian beliefs, Pence said. Throughout most of American history, its been pretty easy to call yourself Christian. It didnt even occur to people that you might be shunned or ridiculed for defending the teachings of the Bible. But things are different now. The vice-president is most likely referring to the recent criticism hes drawn from Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg, an openly gay, observant Christian who recently called out the vice-president by name over his prejudicial views: Thats the thing I wish the Mike Pences of the world would understand. That if you got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator. In April, the South Bend mayor also questioned how Pence could endorse the president: Is it that he stopped believing in Scripture, when he started believing in Donald Trump? Pences remarks mistaking ridicule for call-outs on certain hypocrisies are consistent with the Christian persecutionist views of modern evangelicals, who believe that religious Americans are marginalized or under attack for their beliefs. A recent Morning Consult poll shows that the rhetoric like the vice-president shared at Liberty University is landing with evangelicals: They were the most likely of any group surveyed to say theyd have less influence on social and political matters in the next 10 years. As New Yorks Ed Kilgore notes, Christians around the world do face serious oppression, but theyre not white American evangelicals; that unfortunate designation is owned by Christians in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic. Black parishioners in central Louisiana, where a white 21-year-old allegedly burned down three churches in 10 days this spring, may also have something to say to white evangelicals who claim persecution for their status in America. Its a popular move these days to tout the importance of transparency. One of Gov. Mark Gordons first acts was to convene, along with Auditor Kristi Racines, a working group designed to improve transparency in state government. The University of Wyoming has announced plans to conduct an open and transparent search for its next president. Closer to home, the Natrona County School District has acknowledged the need to be more open with the public in the wake of high-profile incidents of student bullying. Were heartened to hear so many officials speaking about the need for openness and public accountability. That sort of transparency is the foundation of a healthy democracy. After all, citizens cannot truly participate in their government if they dont know what their government is doing. That said, were concerned that too often politicians and institutions talk big on transparency without following up with their actions. They use the word as a shield to protect them from actually being straightforward with the public whom they serve. Consider the recent allegations against Wyoming Treasurer Curt Meier. The treasurer, you might remember, sent a press release to media last month preemptively denying allegations that hed threatened people. We soon learned that Meier had been accused of threatening employees in the states Human Resource Division, apparently causing enough concern to prompt a temporary lockdown in a government office, according to a Wyoming Highway Patrol report. Deputy Treasurer Dawn Williams said her boss sent out the announcement ahead of the accusations coming to light because he is such a huge proponent of transparency in government. But Meier, one of Wyomings five state elected officials, has not responded to interview requests since the highway patrol report became public. In fact, his announcement stated he would make no additional comment. The result is a politician who claims to be open and transparent, but who wont answer questions on a matter of public interest. Meier has an obligation to Wyomings voters to offer more than a terse press release, and its unfair to citizens for him to wrap himself in the cloak of openness while being anything but. Officials at the University of Wyoming have also publicly touted their openness while working behind the scenes to keep information private. At the end of March, the schools board of trustees demoted President Laurie Nichols. The move shocked the campus community, which largely viewed Nichols tenure positively. The trustees have so far refused to answer any questions related to their decision, citing personnel exemptions to public records laws. But theyve even refused to acknowledge in interviews whether they visited Arizona by plane days before announcing Nichols demotion. Reporting by the Laramie Boomerang and WyoFile, meanwhile, found the universitys board of trustees have used an executive session exemption beyond what the law intended to meet privately on this and other matters. It appears that the schools leadership is using public records laws to keep whatever it can from the public, rather than defaulting to a position of openness unless confidentiality is absolutely warranted. To be clear, we are glad to hear public agencies tout the importance of openness. That acknowledgment is an important first step toward a more transparent government. But talk is not enough. Politicians and agencies need to demonstrate their commitment not through words, but actions. Openness is not about a line in a press release. Officials cannot pick and choose. Transparency is about doing whatever is possible to include citizens in the business of their government. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tucson-based copper producer Asarco LLC has filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn lower-court rulings that it must pay bonuses based on the price of copper to hundreds of union workers. The company met a deadline on Friday to ask the high court to review the case, after winning a 30-day extension of the initial deadline to file its appeal. Asarcos opponent in the case, a group of unions led by the United Steelworkers, has 30 days to file a reply. It takes the Supreme Court an average of about six weeks to decide whether to review a case, and the high court agrees to review only about 1% of the roughly 8,000 cases annually it is asked to hear. Asarco, part of Grupo Mexico, has been fighting to avoid paying the bonuses since 2014, when an arbitrator ruled that newer workers not eligible for the companys pension plan should get the bonuses because that provision was mistakenly left out of a collective-bargaining agreement signed in 2011. The bonus payments were upheld by a federal district court, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Asarcos appeal for a second time in January. A new beauty shop that specializes in prettiness and prayers has opened on Tucsons southeast side. Painless Permanent Makeup & Prayer has leased space in the Civano Center, 10501 E. Seven Generations Way. Owner Lorraine Montgomerys services include facials, peels, waxing, manicures, restorative cosmetic work for cancer survivors and prayers. She has been an aesthetician for 24 years, but working in a salon with shared space limited the services she could provide. For the last several years, Ive offered to pray for my clients when they brought up health issues or lifes challenges, Montgomery said. Sure they would say, Id never turn down a prayer. When she began processing the paperwork for her new business, she filed with the state under the name Painless Permanent Makeup. I felt God tugging at my heart to add & Prayer but that seemed like such a big, bold step, Montgomery said. PHOENIX The Arizona Legislature is now in overtime. But unlike other jobs where OT equals more money, lawmakers will get less. And thats by design: Arizonas founders wanted legislators to come in, do the states business and go home perhaps before they could think of other improvements to make in the statutes. State lawmakers are entitled to a per diem allowance, which is designed to pay for out-of-pocket expenses for coming to the Capitol. Thats on top of the $24,000 a year in salary for what is supposed to be a part-time job. Mind you, theres no actual requirement to prove the expenses. And the allowance continues even on days when lawmakers dont go to the Capitol, including Saturdays and Sundays. For out-of-county lawmakerse, that may make sense if they have to rent an apartment or a hotel room in Phoenix. Thats why the 25 out-of-county members of the House and 12 in the Senate get $60 a day. But heres the hammer: State law says that full allowance runs only for the first 120 days of the session. Tuesday was Day 121. Now that out-of-county allowance goes to $20 a day. A Tucson man convicted last month in connection with the stabbing death of his girlfriend will spend the rest of his life in prison. Extra deputies were stationed in the Pima County courtroom for Chet Jack Wadsworth Maleys sentencing Monday morning, likely in response to Maleys physical attack on his attorney following the reading of his guilty verdict on April 12. The jury took less than four hours to find Maley guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the November 2016 stabbing death of 29-year-old Roxanne Ortiz. During the trial, jurors saw a security video from a north side pizzeria that showed Maley carry Ortiz across a parking lot, throw her over a short wall and stab her multiple times before running away. Maley, 28, was arrested several hours after her death when he attempted to return to his house. His defense at trial focused on the theory that police arrested the wrong man, as there was no DNA evidence at the crime scene linking Maley to Ortizs murder. PHOENIX A former national speed skating champion lent her voice to those who want to give victims of child sexual assault and abuse more time to sue their assailants and any entities that permitted the abuse. Bridie Farrell said that at age 15 she was an up and coming speed skater when she was molested repeatedly by a 33-year-old Olympic silver medalist. Whenever I went to training, he was there. Whenever I competed, he was there, she said Tuesday. Of particular concern, Farrell said, is this man was investigated in 1990, seven years before she was molested. And our paths should have never crossed, she said. He should have left the sport when I was entering the sport. Farrell, now 37, finally told her story 15 years later. She said she is supporting a bill sponsored by state Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Phoenix, to give victims more time to sue. It is important for survivors to be able to tell their stories and then to hold the institutions accountable that are facilitating this abuse, Farrell said. Otherwise, she said, things will not change. The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend overnight YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout camps and Camp Tatiyee for school-age children and older teens with special needs at little or no cost to their families. Our goal is to raise $212,000 to send 625 local boys and girls to camp and to pay for camp supplies for an additional 300. We have received 848 donations this year totaling $118,383, or 56% our goal. Since 1947, the Sportsmens Fund has helped pay for 40,990 children to go to camp. Were one of the oldest 501(c)(3) charities in Arizona and one of the most efficient, with 98 cents of every dollar going to send kids to camp. Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Arizona has assigned a code to each qualifying charitable organization. Donors are required to enter this number on their tax returns to receive the credit. The Sportsmens Fund code is 20450. Donations are welcome throughout the year. Recent donations include: Eileen Anacker, $100. PHOENIX Arizona doesnt have a state budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. Nor have state lawmakers addressed some other pressing issues. But Arizona now has a state drink or will later this year. Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation Monday to create that designation. The beverage will join other official state items ranging from the bola tie as official state neckwear to the Colt single action Army revolver as the official firearm. There was no explanation from Ducey about his decision to ink his approval of the measure that has drawn some derision from lawmakers largely Democrats about why their colleagues wasted time on the issue when other business goes unfinished. Lemonade wasnt the only thing on the governors mind as he prepares to go to the Republican Governors Conference in Kentucky beginning Tuesday. He also signed measures to: Harb agreed that looking at issues of building design and even putting more police on campus ignores ways of preventing violence in the first place. Often the threat is not outside the school gates but in the classroom, sitting next to me, he said. And then theres the issue of teens who take their own lives. Armed guards can sometimes be useful when the first shots are fired, Harb said. But we often forget that counselors and support systems and other preventative measures to keep violence from happening in the first place. That question of the lack of counselors got increased attention earlier this month with a report by the American School Counselor Association that, on average, there is one counselor for every 905 students in Arizona public schools. Thats nearly twice the national average. Gov. Doug Ducey has proposed funding for an additional 224 counselors to be hired during the next two years. That, however, would bring it down to just one counselor for every 766 students. Still, Brophy McGee said her colleagues cannot ignore the fact that the incidents on campuses across the nation involve guns. William Barr, Rod Rosenstein, and Jeff Sessions. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Trumps progress in corrupting the Department of Justice and, to some extent, the entire federal government into a weapon of his autocratic aspirations relies on the acquiescence of figures like Rod Rosenstein. It is the Rosensteins who translate the presidents lizard-brain impulses into practical directives and create a patina of normalcy around them. (Or, in some increasingly rare cases, refuse to do so.) And so Rosensteins spate of valedictory remarks attempting to cleanse and justify his service to Trump give us real insight into the worldview of the compliant bureaucratic functionary. In a speech last night, Rosenstein delivered a sharp attack on former FBI Director James Comey. Rosenstein, of course, supplied Trump with a letter justifying Comeys removal. Rosenstein justified his cooperation by claiming ignorance of any obstruction of justice motive. Nobody said that the removal was intended to influence the course of my Russia investigation. It is perhaps remotely possible that Rosenstein actually did not realize what was going on with Trump, Comey, and the Russia investigation. It is not possible that Rosenstein believed, as he wrote, that Donald Lock her up! Trump fired Comey for treating Hillary Clinton unfairly, which is the reason Rosenstein elucidated in his letter. Rosenstein of course went through different emotional states during his period of service. At times he freaked out, musing aloud about invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump through a vote of his own Cabinet, or wearing a wire to a meeting with the president. But eventually, like so many members of his party, he settled on a policy of appeasement. If he stood up to Trump, Rosenstein surely reasoned, he would just be replaced with somebody worse. The process had to continue. Rosenstein also gushed about the rule of law, assuring his audience that it is safe, and implictly crediting Trump with upholding it. We use the term rule of law to describe our obligation to follow neutral principles, he lectured. As President Trump pointed out, we govern ourselves in accordance with the rule of law rather [than] the whims of an elite few or the dictates of collective will. More revealingly, Rosenstein lashed out at Comey, who has made some cutting remarks about Rosensteins character, as a partisan pundit. Rosensteins conceit here is that Comey, a lifelong Republican, has become partisan by attacking Trumps character. Meanwhile, Rosenstein, also a Republican, has maintained his neutrality and therefore his credibility. But Rosensteins idea of nonpartisan neutrality does not require abstaining from political commentary. It merely requires abstaining from criticism of his boss. In another recent speech, Rosenstein attacked the Obama administration for failing to publicize the full story about Russian computer hackers and social media trolls, and how they relate to a broader strategy to undermine America. (Blaming Obama for doing too little to stop the Russian operation, when Trump was abetting it and Republican leader Mitch McConnell threatened to publicly attack any administration statement against it, is one of Trumps Orwellian talking points.) It might seem hypocritical for Rosenstein to parrot Trumps talking points and then lash out as Comey as a partisan pundit. But from Rosensteins standpoint, it probably feels perfectly consistent. Opinions that extol and burnish the powers that be are qualitatively different than opinions tearing them down. Rosensteins opinions are not opinions at all. They are merely the lubricant in the proper functioning of the machinery of government. And so Rosenstein joined with William Barr to spin the Mueller report in a fashion so misleading that Mueller himself memorialized his objections in a memo and declare all of Trumps efforts to obstruct the probe to be non-crimes. Barr is meanwhile authorizing the fourth counter-investigation of the Russia probe. This will probably fail to yield any charges, but will succeed in making anybody in the Department of Justice think very carefully before looking into any crimes by Trump or his friends, with the full understanding that Republicans will harass them for years if they try. Trump continues to mock even the pretense that his attorney general should make investigative decisions independent of politics. Im proud of our attorney general that he is looking into it, he told reporters today. Somehow, Rosenstein is able to look upon the situation he has left with pride. Mueller was never fired. More importantly, neither was Rosenstein himself. It is easy for the inside man to confuse a system that is intact with a system that is working. Growing Pima County is an ongoing series from the Arizona Daily Star's editorial board. Below are each of the pieces in the series. Your browser does not support the audio element. Facing an unprecedented job crunch at home, many young South Koreans are now signing up for government-sponsored programs designed to help them find positions in foreign countries including Vietnam. State-run programs such as K-move, rolled out to connect young Koreans to quality jobs in 70 countries, found overseas jobs for 5,783 graduates last year, more than triple the number in 2013, its first year, Reuters reports. Almost one-third went to Japan, which is undergoing a historic labor shortage with unemployment at a 26-year low, while a quarter went to the United States, where the jobless rate dropped to the lowest in nearly half a century in April. Vietnam is among countries taking in South Korean job seekers through such government programs. Park Hae Soo, who found a job at retail solutions company Mainetti Vietnam through the K-move program, said working in a foreign country is a good opportunity for him to build up experience. Its good for my future career, either in Korea or any other nation, Park said. There are no strings attached. Unlike similar programs in places such as Singapore that come with an obligation to return and work for the government for up to six years, attendees of South Koreas programs are neither required to return, nor work for the state in the future. Apart from connecting [local job seekers] with overseas employers, the South Korean Government also offer other types of support such as stipends, said Nguyen Thi Kim Hanh, who hires young South Koreans to work as digital marketing managers and interpreters at her company. Hanh, CEO of Yellow Chair Specialty Coffee in Ho Chi Minh City, said she had been aided in finding qualified applicants through the Overseas Korean Traders Association (OKTA). Lee Ji Hoon, who studies international trade in Vietnam through the Young Samsung program sponsored by the South Korean conglomerate, said low costs of living and friendly people are what draw him to Vietnam. Lee said he intends to apply for work at the local office of South Koreas Shinhan Bank after finishing the four-month course. I studied Vietnamese as a foreign language in high school, Lee said. Brain drain isnt the governments immediate worry. Rather, its more urgent to prevent them from sliding into poverty even if it means pushing them abroad, said Kim Chul-ju, deputy dean at the Asian Development Bank Institute. In 2018, South Korea generated the smallest number of jobs since the global financial crisis, only 97,000. Nearly one in five young Koreans was out of work as of 2013, higher than the average 16 percent among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In March, one in every four Koreans in the 15-29 age group was not employed either by choice or due to the lack of jobs, according to government data. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. Phan Thanh Danh is carving out a name for himself in Vietnams culinary scene thanks to his unique take on one of the countrys most popular street dishes. Danh, 30, is not the only chef in Ho Chi Minh City putting his own twist on traditional banh bao (steamed rice buns), but he certainly is making the biggest splash. According to Danh, the fusion buns he is serving up at Got Bun? a stall at Ben Thanh Street Food Market on Thu Khoa Huan Street in District 1 are a big draw for young people searching for a modern twist on a classic snack. Unique steamed buns Steamed buns are not exactly hard to come by in Vietnam. Step onto any neighborhood street and look to your left or right, chances are someone is selling them. Still cannot find them? Dont worry! It is likely that your nearest convenience store has a display case full of the buns. But if you are looking to break away from tradition, you might have to travel a bit further to Danhs Got Bun? stall. Unlike regular Vietnamese steamed buns, which usually contain quail eggs or salted egg yolk and meat on the inside, Danh's buns are stuffed with fillings that he knows will hit his diners with a burst of flavor twice-cooked Chinese pork belly, Thai Five Spice pork, and fried oysters to name a few. And he does not stop at the fillings. Each bun is served with a unique sauce that is sure to add an extra layer of flavor to the dish. Its mostly young people who are interested in these unique steamed buns, Danh said. Older customers still prefer the traditional style. And it seems those young people are more than just interested. They are addicted. Since I like the buns here I just have to keep coming back! one of the customers commented on a food review website. Beside fusion steamed buns, Got Bun? also serves Western dishes, Vietnamese street food, and traditional courses, such as Vietnamese pancakes, rice with twice-cooked Chinese pork belly, and spring rolls. Pham Thanh Danh poses for a photo with foreign tourists who have Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo) at his diner in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quoc Linh / Tuoi Tre Starting from scratch Danh first began cooking as a means to satisfy his craving for Vietnamese comfort food when he moved abroad after high school. Every time he started to miss a specific dish, he would call his mother to ask for a recipe. My mom had a great impact on my decision to pursue the culinary arts, Danh said. And the cook refused to let distance keep him from the food he loved so much as a child. Even though I studied abroad I kept cooking Vietnamese dishes and fell in love with cooking, he shared. After completing his studies at a U.S. community college, he began splitting his time between obtaining a degree in hospitality management at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas and working as a server and cleaner at a Vietnamese restaurant to earn extra pocket money. There were times when I was feeling discouraged since I had never had to clean toilets or sweep floors at home, he said. After finishing his studies, Danh traveled the world in search of inspiration, trying as many cuisines and dishes from different countries as possible and finding his own ways to incorporate those flavors into his foods. Eventually, he was offered a job at a restaurant in Macau, where he worked before moving back to Vietnam to open his own diner. Danh has spent a lot of time in the kitchen so he not only understands the dishes, but also the difficulties of being a cook and working in the food industry, explained Nguyen Thanh Son, a cook at Got Bun?. And Danh is fully aware that understanding his employees struggles is part of what makes him such a great employer, and he is not ashamed to show it. I always say I am a cook when someone asks me about my job, but I notice that many people do not want others to know theyve chosen cooking as a career, Danh said. So what is next for Danh? Everyone pursues a cuisine career to have his or her own restaurant, he says, explaining that his goal is to eventually open a place where he can experiment freely with each dish. Most importantly, once I have my own restaurant I can serve customers better, the young cook said. Customers not only have a need to eat good food, they also want a good experience. "It's difficult to satisfy such diners at my current joint." Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thousands of worshippers took part in a mass prayer in the northern province of Ha Nam on Monday evening, as part of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 celebrations in Vietnam. The UN Day of Vesak 2019, themed Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies, with a series of rituals and activities, is taking place at the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Kim Bang District, Ha Nam from May 12 to 14. On Monday night, around 300 monks and 10,000 Buddhism followers lit more than 40,000 water lanterns shaped like lotus flowers - a Buddhist symbol of purity of the body, speech, and mind - and prayed for peace for the country and her people. Vesak is the most important holiday in the Buddhist calendar that celebrates three important events, namely the birth, full awakening, and passing away of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. The event falls on the full moon day of May. This year the occasion falls on May 17, celebrating the year 2563 in the Buddhist calendar. Since 2004, Thailand has hosted the UN Day of Vesak for 12 times, Vietnam three times, including this year, and Sri Lanka one time. Below are photos taken at Mondays mass prayer. Thousands of water lanterns illuminate the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Thousands of water lanterns illuminate the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Buddhism followers hold water lanterns during a mass prayer at the Tam Chuc Pagoda Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Buddhism followers hold water lanterns during a mass prayer at the Tam Chuc Pagoda Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A Buddhism follower holds water lanterns during a mass prayer at the Tam Chuc Pagoda Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An overview of a mass prayer at the Tam Chuc Pagoda Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre People release water lanterns at a lake in front of the Tam Chuc Pagoda in in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Monks pray at the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Thousands of water lanterns illuminate the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Thousands of water lanterns float on a lake at the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Monks pray at the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Thousands of water lanterns illuminate the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A giant water lantern shaped like a lotus flower illuminates the Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam, northern Vietnam, on May 13, 2019. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with Chairman of the National Council (Upper House) of Bhutan Tashi Dorji in Hanoi on Monday, as part of the latters trip to the Southeast Asian country to attend the UN Day of Vesak 2019. Society -- Rain accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds is forecast to dampen southern Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Meanwhile, a heat wave is expected to affect northern and central provinces from May 16 to 19. -- More than 130 people in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong were admitted to the hospital on Monday morning due to food poisoning after they had attended a wedding party on Sunday evening. -- Local residents were able to rescue all students after a fire broke out at a three-story daycare center in Ha Dong District, Hanoi on Monday morning. The cause of the flame was later identified as electrical failure, according to a firefighting police official. -- Officers from the Ho Chi Minh City immigration office on Monday carried out procedures to issue a passport for a 63-year-old man at right a local hospital where he was being treated for his illness. The issuance, the first of its kind to be done outside the immigration office, was to help the patient continued his treatment overseas, following a request from his family. -- Operations along the north-to-south railway route were back to normal at 4:30 pm on Monday, more than seven hours after a cargo train derailed, causing one of its railroad cars to tip over, in the northern province of Nam Dinh on the morning of the same day. -- A 52-year-old man was killed and his 40-year-old wife severely injured after their car plunged off a 30-meter cliff in the northern province of Lao Cai on Monday. -- Fish have died en masse along a Ban Thach River in the central province of Quang Nam over the past four to five days due to prolonged hot weather and saltwater intrusion, resulting in heavy losses for local farmers. Lifestyle -- A total of ten records were recognized by Vietkings, the Vietnamese record association, in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on Monday, during the ongoing Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Beach Festival, Truong Nhu Ba, a Vietkingss official, confirmed. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. A Vietnamese barber living in the U.S. would return to his home country every two years, with giving free haircuts to needy people always listed among his to-do activities during his time in the motherland. Le Tuan, who works for a major barber chain in New York, hails from Quy Nhon, the capital city of the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh. Every time the 33-year-old visited Vietnam, he would spend time giving away free haircuts at a Binh Dinh-based center for the disadvantaged, and at the Medical University Hospital and on the sidewalk of a street in Ho Chi Minh City. After-dark haircuts for free Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper visited Tuan the other night, when he was setting up his sidewalk haircut with a chair, a mirror and a set of necessary tools, at a corner of Bui Vien Street in District 1, when it was turning dark. His first customer of the night as Duong Thach Long, 24, who sat down on the chair filled with doubt. Would you like something new? Tuan asked, offering to give his customer a new hairstyle. Long was more than pleased when Tuan told him to look into the mirror after finishing the job. More active, strange, and daring, Long described his new haircut. The later it got, the more customers came to the special haircut stall, most of whom were late-night workers. Being able to do something meaningful in the middle of the night is something every Vietnamese living abroad would want to experience, Tuan said. Because of his busy schedule in the U.S., Tuan only gets to visit his home country every two years; but whenever he does, he spends time cutting hair gratis. Not just about cutting hair It was already 2:00 am but Tuan was still cutting hair for his customer - a street food vendor who finally found a time for himself after a whole day paddling to sell his stuff. For the customer, getting a new haircut was only a part of the experience as what he valued the most was the pleasant conversation with his overseas Vietnamese barber, which considerably lightened his mood. And that is exactly what Tuan was striving to do. Giving others free haircuts late at night was never about cutting hair, but it has always been a way to make others happy and a way for Tuan to pay forward to the land that raised him. Tuan believes that this small gesture can be a nice surprise for the poor and those who have to work until late night, showing them that there are still people who care. Echoing Tuans view, Tran Van Hung, head of community service office at Medical University Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, believes giving others a free haircut has a positive impact on the patients emotional state. After getting a new haircut, the patients are in much better spirits, he said. Many patients even ask whether they can get a haircut from Tuan and talk to him next month. The young barbers generosity does not only stop there as he has plans to teach this profession to the less fortunate children so that they have a sustainable livelihood. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. Convicted pedophiles are kept under close monitoring in Vietnam but not banned from posing for photos with children, a child affairs official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday amidst reports that a UK registered sex offender was pictured with kids in Hanoi. British citizen Christopher Trinnaman, 41, was in 2010 jailed for four years in his absence by the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales for causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity in 2008 and possessing indecent images, UK tabloid newspaper Mirror reported. He had posed as a teen online and persuaded two girls to send naked pictures before trying to lure one to a hotel for sex. Police were alerted and found 28 indecent images of kids on his computer in a search of his home. Trinnaman was caught in 2011 and ordered to sign on to the sex offenders register for life. The trombone player was released from jail in 2015 and moved to Vietnam afterwards, earning his living by signing up with a top orchestra in Hanoi, the UK newspaper reported on Saturday. In photos published by the site, the British man could be seen posing for pictures with some Asian kids, who Mirror claims to be Vietnamese. British pedophile Christopher Trinnaman grins as he stands surrounded by unsuspecting kids in his new home of Vietnam, the London-based tabloid captions one photo. Tuoi Tre News could not independently verify the authenticity of these undated images. Dang Hoa Nam, director of the Child Affairs Department of Vietnam, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday any convict who has served their sentence no longer has their freedom restricted by Vietnamese law. People like Trinnaman who have a criminal record of past convictions for pedophilia-related crimes are barred from jobs that require contact with or involving children, Nam said. In this case, the British citizen moved to Vietnam to work in an orchestra, which is not a child-related profession. Even if he was in the photos with those children, he would not have broken any law in doing so, Nam explained. However, Vietnamese authorities do keep a close watch on high-risk people like Trinnaman, he added. From what Ive heard, this man has already been sacked by the orchestra where he worked, Nam said. A spokeswoman for Trinnamans orchestra told Mirror the man had resigned from the position and terminated the contract with the orchestra on April 23. All the necessary information he provided to sign the labor contract was legal, the spokesperson was quoted as saying. The report of a foreign sex offenders presence in Vietnam came amidst recent high-profile cases of sexual harassment against children in the Southeast Asian country. In April, legal proceedings were launched against a retired official accused of child molestation after CCTV footage showed he grabbed and kissed a young girl inside an elevator at an apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City. The same month, a teacher in Lao Cai Province of the Central Highlands region was investigated for allegedly impregnating one of his students who is an eighth-grader. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Migrants approaching U.S.Mexico border. Photo: Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty Images On the issue of migrants arriving at the U.S.Mexico border, its easy for Democrats to deride Donald Trumps fear-mongering lies, incoherent solutions, inhumane treatment of families, and sheer managerial chaos. Its also true that immigration policy generally is much more important to rank-and-file Republican voters than to their Democratic counterparts. So the Donkey Party has been able to get by without their own clear set of alternative policies. But as the situation on the border grows more unmistakably serious, even in the opinion of those rank-and-file Democrats, policy-making by sound bite is becoming increasingly less adequate, especially for the 22 Democrats running to displace Trump next year. So far the candidate with the closest thing to a comprehensive approach is Julian Castro, who is not exactly setting the political world on fire. But as the Washington Posts Greg Sargent reports, there is a Democratic alternative consensus on migrant policy emerging in the U.S. Senate, with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer taking the lead: Senate Democrats including all the Senators running to unseat Trump are set to roll out a new, multi-faceted plan to tackle the crush of asylum-seeking families at the border. The hope is that the plan will give Democrats the foundations of a substantive blueprint in response to the asylum-seeking crisis and, more broadly, for an answer of their own to Trumps xenophobic and nativist nationalism, a vision to contrast with his. The basic approach has already been expressed in legislation, but a rebranded version will be unveiled in response to the uptick in migrants (109,000 detained in April) and to Trumps belief that a brutal show of force can deter migrants from setting out for the U.S. in the first place. As Sargent notes, its becoming apparent that the recent purge at DHS was motivated in part by internal resistance to a White House plan for mass arrests of thousands of migrant parents and children in ten U.S. cities. That the administration thinks inhumane treatment of children is a feature rather than a bug in U.S. immigration policy is all the opening Democrats need. The Senate Democratic bill has four main features: (1) stepped-up financial assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to mitigate the violence and extreme poverty feeding the migrant upsurge; (2) enhanced opportunities to apply for U.S. asylum while in Central America or Mexico, making the border trip unnecessary; (3) increased resources, including a lot more immigration judges, for adjudicating asylum petitions; and (4) more protections for children, including increased penalties for trafficking them, and adult sponsors for those who are unaccompanied. As Sargent observes, the details are less important than the bright line the Senate bill draws between Democrats and Trump: The Democratic vision is that retreating on our international humanitarian commitments to asylum seekers is unacceptable, and that the problem can be managed better, through a combination of addressing home conditions, providing other avenues to apply, and rationalizing the process for arrivals. Providing counsel and better information, increasing their chances of success, would incentivize showing up for hearings. Trump, by contrast, refuses to entertain the very idea of managing the problem without dramatically scaling back our humanitarian commitments. Thats a goal in itself. He and immigration adviser Stephen Miller just want far fewer immigrants here, and are deeply devoted to that end. At this point, all seven Democratic senators who are running for president are onboard with Schumers bill. That should clearly make it the starting point for the rest of the field, and a strong start toward a 2020 debate that isnt just an endless cycle of Trump demagoguing on immigration and Democrats changing the subject. "The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John R. Bolton, Mr. Trumps national security adviser. They do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops, officials said. The development reflects the influence of Mr. Bolton, one of the administrations most virulent Iran hawks, whose push for confrontation with Tehran was ignored more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush. It is highly uncertain whether Mr. Trump, who has sought to disentangle the United States from Afghanistan and Syria, ultimately would send so many American forces back to the Middle East." NY Times "It is also unclear whether the president has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans. On Monday, asked about if he was seeking regime change in Iran, Mr. Trump said: Well see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. There are sharp divisions in the administration over how to respond to Iran at a time when tensions are rising about Irans nuclear policy and its intentions in the Middle East." NY Times ------------- IMO the armed forces (persons unknown therein) leaked the base information in this article to the NY Times to warn Trump of the wild eyed foolishness of the crew he has allowed to run US foreign policy. In the information briefing (as opposed to a decision briefing) described in this article concerning military options, Trump was not even present. What has happened once again is that Bolton asked DoD for options for the president/CinC's contemplation. As I have written in the last days, neither Bolton nor Pompeo has any command authority over the armed forces. Neither does Haspel at CIA. Only the president can command them. Only he has the constitutional authority to do so. IMO the neocon squeeze with regard to Iran is in high gear. The aim is probably to pressure Iran until they lash out somewhere against US forces or interests. Trump would then be urged by the madmen in the White House to order the armed forces to attack. pl https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/world/middleeast/us-military-plans-iran.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage Demonstrators rallied near the University of Khartoums Faculty of Engineering on May 13 during continued protests to urge Sudans military leaders to return power to the people. News reports said governement security forces set up street barricades and fired tear gas at protesters. This footage was streamed by Ahmed Awad, who said he filmed it at the university on Monday. Credit: Ahmed Awad via Storyful Earlier this Tuesday, Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, the two French marine commandos who died last Friday in the effort to free hostages in Burkina Faso, were buried with full military honours after a ceremony at Les Invalides in Paris.Left-leaning Liberation chooses to mark the occasion with a front-page story devoted to the dangers of tourism to certain destinations. You will know that there has been a heated debate about the wisdom of the two French nationals involved in last weeks tragedy, kidnapped in Benin in a zone which, because of a resurgence of Islamist militancy, has been considered as high risk for French tourists since December when it was formally categorized as dangerous by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.Libes editorial is clear. The anonymous Twitter campaign against the two travelers, inspired by some political figures, is cowardly and unfair. No one could doubt the sincerity of their grief at the deaths of two of their saviours.And Liberation goes on to say, without recommending any suicidal ventures into the planets many dangerous zones, that such gestures by those who continue to visit countries under attack can be seen as an act of resistance against terrorism.Local communities need such brave expressions of solidarity, says Libe, both economically and psychologically.And the military authorities have already ended the senseless debate with the simple statement, If we had to do it again, we would.To live and die like heroesIn the course of this mornings ceremony, President Emmanuel Macron praised the two men who, he said, had given their lives like heroes. He promised that their names will never be forgotten, before naming them knights of the Legion dhonneur.In an interview in Le Figaro, the chief of staff of the French navy, Admiral Christophe Prazuck, says the courage shown by the two men makes all additional commentary superfluous.Army chief General Bruno Dary describes Fridays action to free the hostages as a bitter victory, reminding us that the heroism of the two dead soldiers is considered ordinary, normal in the elite group among military elites of which they were members.An essay in the same Le Figaro wonders if we are worthy of such heroes.The writer reminds us of the sacrifice of Arnaud Beltrame, the police officer who took the place of a hostage and lost his life 15 months ago, of the 25 anonymous firemen who went into the inferno of Notre Dame at the height of the blaze, and now of Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello.Le Figaro goes on to contrast that sort of heroism with the dying but still dangerous violence of some radical Yellow Vest protestors and the Black Bloc anarchists who have attached themselves like parasites to the citizens movement.And the right-wing daily goes on to castigate those who use social media as a vector for hatred; those who are actively campaigning against the very idea of the French nation in their efforts to win seats in the European parliament; those who are incapable of stepping outside the box of their own judicial and financial interests to recognise that there are French co-citizens living in real difficulty just around the corner. Problems on every street cornerLe Figaro doesnt mention them but we should, I suppose, spare a thought for those living just around the corner, on the pavement in fact, also in real difficulty, who are not French but Eritrean, Ethiopian, Syrian, Kurdish or Afghan, refugees attracted here by economic need and by the sort of security which Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello died defending.France and the losing strategy of Operation BarkhaneLe Figaro continues its analysis with a look back at six years of French military involvement in Mali.The idea of Operation Barkhane was to soften up local militant groups and help the various national armies to confront them directly. According to Le Figaro, its simply not working out like that. The armies in question are not up to the job of following the French spearhead. The Burkinabe military have still not recovered from the disorganisation which followed the end of the Campaore era; in Mali, the ranks are predominantly filled with soldiers from the south of the country, but the action is in the north meaning these men are virtually strangers in their own land. There have been clashes with local civilians, instead of with the enemy Islamists. The contributions of the other members of the so-called G5 Sahel, they are Mauritania, Niger and Chad, have not been at the level hoped for by the French planners of the combined action.And so the French remain in the frontline. As Le Figaro reports, huge swathes of central Mali remain under Islamist control. While the French patrol, the holy warriors fade into the landscape, only to emerge once the armoured vehicles have moved on.Sadly, we can expect more military funerals. Earlier this Tuesday, Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, the two French marine commandos who died last Friday in the effort to free hostages in Burkina Faso, were buried with full military honours after a ceremony at Les Invalides in Paris. Left-leaning Liberation chooses to mark the occasion with a front-page story devoted to the dangers of tourism to certain destinations. You will know that there has been a heated debate about the wisdom of the two French nationals involved in last weeks tragedy, kidnapped in Benin in a zone which, because of a resurgence of Islamist militancy, has been considered as high risk for French tourists since December when it was formally categorized as dangerous by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Libes editorial is clear. The anonymous Twitter campaign against the two travelers, inspired by some political figures, is cowardly and unfair. No one could doubt the sincerity of their grief at the deaths of two of their saviours. And Liberation goes on to say, without recommending any suicidal ventures into the planets many dangerous zones, that such gestures by those who continue to visit countries under attack can be seen as an act of resistance against terrorism. Local communities need such brave expressions of solidarity, says Libe, both economically and psychologically. And the military authorities have already ended the senseless debate with the simple statement, If we had to do it again, we would. To live and die like heroes In the course of this mornings ceremony, President Emmanuel Macron praised the two men who, he said, had given their lives like heroes. He promised that their names will never be forgotten, before naming them knights of the Legion dhonneur. In an interview in Le Figaro, the chief of staff of the French navy, Admiral Christophe Prazuck, says the courage shown by the two men makes all additional commentary superfluous. Army chief General Bruno Dary describes Fridays action to free the hostages as a bitter victory, reminding us that the heroism of the two dead soldiers is considered ordinary, normal in the elite group among military elites of which they were members. Story continues An essay in the same Le Figaro wonders if we are worthy of such heroes. The writer reminds us of the sacrifice of Arnaud Beltrame, the police officer who took the place of a hostage and lost his life 15 months ago, of the 25 anonymous firemen who went into the inferno of Notre Dame at the height of the blaze, and now of Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello. Le Figaro goes on to contrast that sort of heroism with the dying but still dangerous violence of some radical Yellow Vest protestors and the Black Bloc anarchists who have attached themselves like parasites to the citizens movement. And the right-wing daily goes on to castigate those who use social media as a vector for hatred; those who are actively campaigning against the very idea of the French nation in their efforts to win seats in the European parliament; those who are incapable of stepping outside the box of their own judicial and financial interests to recognise that there are French co-citizens living in real difficulty just around the corner. Problems on every street corner Le Figaro doesnt mention them but we should, I suppose, spare a thought for those living just around the corner, on the pavement in fact, also in real difficulty, who are not French but Eritrean, Ethiopian, Syrian, Kurdish or Afghan, refugees attracted here by economic need and by the sort of security which Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello died defending. France and the losing strategy of Operation Barkhane Le Figaro continues its analysis with a look back at six years of French military involvement in Mali. The idea of Operation Barkhane was to soften up local militant groups and help the various national armies to confront them directly. According to Le Figaro, its simply not working out like that. The armies in question are not up to the job of following the French spearhead. The Burkinabe military have still not recovered from the disorganisation which followed the end of the Campaore era; in Mali, the ranks are predominantly filled with soldiers from the south of the country, but the action is in the north meaning these men are virtually strangers in their own land. There have been clashes with local civilians, instead of with the enemy Islamists. The contributions of the other members of the so-called G5 Sahel, they are Mauritania, Niger and Chad, have not been at the level hoped for by the French planners of the combined action. And so the French remain in the frontline. As Le Figaro reports, huge swathes of central Mali remain under Islamist control. While the French patrol, the holy warriors fade into the landscape, only to emerge once the armoured vehicles have moved on. Sadly, we can expect more military funerals. Governor Brian Kemp signs Georgias six-week abortion ban on May 7, 2019. Photo: Bob Andres/AP No one used to take Janet Porter seriously. The Ohio activist who pioneered so-called heartbeat six-week abortion bans was mostly known for the gags a YouTube video with a tinny voice singing Have a heart, dont let them kill / Help us pass the heartbeat bill sung to the tune of 99 Red Balloons, or having two fetuses testify via ultrasound at a committee hearing. Radical as her goals were, she didnt seem in danger of having them come true, since mainstream anti-abortion activists and elected officials long believed in going slowly to forestall political and legal backlash. As Ohio Right to Life president Mike Gonidakis, who convinced John Kasich to veto Ohios heartbeat bill in 2016, put it to me then, When you overreach, you lose. The courts can be very vicious to you. Establishment anti-choicers also worry about waking up voters who think of abortion rights as basically secure, and prefer chipping away at Roe v. Wade, using tendentious and inaccurate phrases like taxpayer-funded abortion and fetal pain, and falsely comparing later abortions to infanticide. The anti-choice split is about speed, not goals. If the court was 7-2 pro-life I would say, lets do a ban at conception, Gonidakis said. I know everyone is swept up in Trump mania, but we have to be realistic. But just because thats been abortions past doesnt mean Porter is wrong about its future. Kasich is gone, and so is Justice Anthony Kennedy. Heartbeat bans are suddenly in place, if not in effect, in Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky. On Monday, the normally plodding and passionless Justice Stephen Breyer issued a Cassandra-like warning in a dissent joined by the other liberal justices, calling the majoritys overruling of a states rights precedent dangerous and adding ominously, Todays decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next. If that wasnt clear enough, he twice mentioned the courts major abortion precedent when he didnt have to. Only running down the court steps shrieking would have been less subtle. The legal scholar Jack Balkin has used the phrase off the wall, or on it, to describe how social movements can convince people the Constitution says what they want it to say. Their goals are first ignored or seen as lunatic, he observed, then wrong but interesting, then plausible but wrong, until, through a combination of forces, they get to being considered probably right. And when it comes to abortion and a changing Supreme Court, we have no idea what will be on the wall. Heartbeat bills have never been on the wall. For nearly a half century, the Supreme Court has said that states cant ban abortion before a fetus is viable no earlier than 24 weeks, not six, before many women even know theyre pregnant. Thats why the focus-grouped, gray-suited architects of the anti-abortion movement believe total bans hurt their cause. Theyve read the polls that say Americans broadly support abortion in the first trimester, that they dont want to see Roe v. Wade overturned, and that they squirm when they hear about the later abortions allowed under it: after 20 weeks, or later for reason of health or life. Legislation is often a process, not an event. It takes time, the National Right to Life Committees James Bopp the architect of Citizens United, and an opponent of heartbeat bills to this day once told me. Whats off the wall might not stay there, Balkin has pointed out, and it depends a great deal on who is willing to put their reputation and authority behind the arguments and stand up for them. If enough important and influential people say that a legal argument is not crazy but one on which reasonable minds can differ or even the best legal argument, all things considered then it becomes on-the-wall, although it is by no means guaranteed to succeed ultimately in the courts. Janet Porter intuitively understands that. She has pointed out that in 2000, the Supreme Court struck down a partial birth abortion ban. Then Samuel Alito replaced Sandra Day OConnor, and in 2007, the Republican appointees on the Supreme Court pretended it wasnt overturning a precedent when it upheld the federal version. Back on the wall. Kennedys successor, Brett Kavanaugh, has already made it clear in a Louisiana procedural vote that hes willing to throw out abortion precedent in radical fashion as long as he can sound slightly calmer than he did in his confirmation hearings. Chief Justice John Roberts, the courts new swing vote, is no ones idea of a moderate and, despite voting to keep Louisianas clinics temporarily open in a procedural move, has upheld every single abortion law that the court has considered in full. But he has tended to not want to harm the Republican Partys chances at the ballot, which upholding a total ban might do. Breyers distress might also tell us something about an abortion mystery at the court. Last Friday, the justices considered for the 13th time whether to hear an Indiana abortion restriction that bans abortions in case of a fetal disability and mandates fetal burial or cremations. This was not a close call for the vast majority of judges who threw it out or refused to rehear it, because in the words of one of them, the law seeks to accomplish precisely what the Supreme Court has held is impermissible, by banning abortion before viability. So why not send Indiana packing, unless theres a chance that could change? For now, Janet Porter has to be feeling pretty good about where she is. Once no state had a heartbeat bill; now theyre multiplying. She was a birther; now, so is the president of the United States. She enlisted conservative attorney Jay Sekulow to work out the legal details of what she wanted to get done; so did Trump. According to the Guardian, In late 2017, she delivered her message directly to Mike Pence, and has been invited back to the White House for an anti-abortion gathering since. We dont know how judges will read those cues, and neither do the people making laws. When you have a willing court, Bopp said, then you pursue what theyre willing to do. That was six years ago, and the walls have been coming down ever since. France on Tuesday paid its final respects to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue two French hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week. Read our live blog to see how the national tribute unfolded. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured in a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron.The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas who had been seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin close to the border with Burkina Faso.Click on our live blog below to see how the national tribute unfolded. France on Tuesday paid its final respects to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue two French hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week. Read our live blog to see how the national tribute unfolded. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured in a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas who had been seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin close to the border with Burkina Faso. Click on our live blog below to see how the national tribute unfolded. President Donald Trump praised the record of Hungarian leader Viktor Orban as he hosted him at the White House Monday, saying the anti-immigration firebrand had kept his country "safe." "Viktor Orban has done a tremendous job in so many ways," Trump told reporters ahead of Oval Office talks with the Hungarian prime minister. "Respected all over Europe," Trump said. "Probably like me a little bit controversial, but that's okay. You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe."Orban's one-on-one talks with Trump offered the Eurosceptic prime minister a choice podium less than two weeks before the start of European Union parliamentary elections in which far-right parties are expected to make a strong showing.Orban's hardline -- some would say xenophobic -- stance against refugees and "Brussels bureaucrats" has alienated even former conservative allies.The White House announced the meeting, which it said would deepen cooperation between the two countries on issues including trade, energy and cyber security, on the same day that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suddenly cancelled a visit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin to go to Baghdad, amid mounting tensions with Iran.Trump prefers authoritarian leadersTrump has shown a preference for meeting with authoritarian leaders over Washington's traditional Western allies -- he has also welcomed Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House.In September, Orban -- in office since 2010 -- praised Trump as "a phenomenon, an icon" among nationalists and isolationists worldwide, after Trump denounced a "globalist" view of the world in a speech at the United Nations.US ties with Budapest were chilly under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, who often chided Orban for cracking down on civil liberties and freedom of the press in Hungary.But relations have since warmed, as Orban's anti-immigration campaigns in Europe echo many of the themes of Trump's own drive to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and his attempts to thwart migrants seeking US asylum.Critics, however, believe Orban should not be welcomed in Washington."Hungary's prime minister does not belong in the Oval Office," wrote Rob Berschinski of Human Rights First and Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands in a Washington Post opinion column ahead of the visit.Meeting a 'grevous mistake'"The visit is a grievous mistake -- not just because it will be seen as an endorsement of a leader who has successfully dismantled a democracy, but also because it will signal affirmation of an agenda that is fundamentally threatening to transatlantic security."Of particular concern are the increasingly close ties between Hungary -- a NATO member -- and Russia. Pompeo even warned Orban about those ties on a visit to Budapest in February.In a letter, several Democratic lawmakers also called on Trump to postpone the meeting until Orban "returns his country to the path of democracy and respect for human rights."In a separate letter, a group of influential Democratic and Republican senators urged Trump to express his concern to Orban about "the erosion" of democracy in Hungary.When asked whether human rights and press freedoms would be discussed at the Trump-Orban talks, a senior US administration official with knowledge of the meeting demurred."The point of this meeting is simply just to reinforce the strategic relationship between allies," the official said, "not necessarily just thrash out every issue on the bilateral agenda, which we have been doing constantly for the last two years."(FRANCE 24 with AFP) President Donald Trump praised the record of Hungarian leader Viktor Orban as he hosted him at the White House Monday, saying the anti-immigration firebrand had kept his country "safe." "Viktor Orban has done a tremendous job in so many ways," Trump told reporters ahead of Oval Office talks with the Hungarian prime minister. "Respected all over Europe," Trump said. "Probably like me a little bit controversial, but that's okay. You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe." Orban's one-on-one talks with Trump offered the Eurosceptic prime minister a choice podium less than two weeks before the start of European Union parliamentary elections in which far-right parties are expected to make a strong showing. Orban's hardline -- some would say xenophobic -- stance against refugees and "Brussels bureaucrats" has alienated even former conservative allies. The White House announced the meeting, which it said would deepen cooperation between the two countries on issues including trade, energy and cyber security, on the same day that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suddenly cancelled a visit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin to go to Baghdad, amid mounting tensions with Iran. Trump prefers authoritarian leaders Trump has shown a preference for meeting with authoritarian leaders over Washington's traditional Western allies -- he has also welcomed Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House. In September, Orban -- in office since 2010 -- praised Trump as "a phenomenon, an icon" among nationalists and isolationists worldwide, after Trump denounced a "globalist" view of the world in a speech at the United Nations. US ties with Budapest were chilly under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, who often chided Orban for cracking down on civil liberties and freedom of the press in Hungary. Story continues But relations have since warmed, as Orban's anti-immigration campaigns in Europe echo many of the themes of Trump's own drive to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and his attempts to thwart migrants seeking US asylum. Critics, however, believe Orban should not be welcomed in Washington. "Hungary's prime minister does not belong in the Oval Office," wrote Rob Berschinski of Human Rights First and Johns Hopkins professor Hal Brands in a Washington Post opinion column ahead of the visit. Meeting a 'grevous mistake' "The visit is a grievous mistake -- not just because it will be seen as an endorsement of a leader who has successfully dismantled a democracy, but also because it will signal affirmation of an agenda that is fundamentally threatening to transatlantic security." Of particular concern are the increasingly close ties between Hungary -- a NATO member -- and Russia. Pompeo even warned Orban about those ties on a visit to Budapest in February. In a letter, several Democratic lawmakers also called on Trump to postpone the meeting until Orban "returns his country to the path of democracy and respect for human rights." In a separate letter, a group of influential Democratic and Republican senators urged Trump to express his concern to Orban about "the erosion" of democracy in Hungary. When asked whether human rights and press freedoms would be discussed at the Trump-Orban talks, a senior US administration official with knowledge of the meeting demurred. "The point of this meeting is simply just to reinforce the strategic relationship between allies," the official said, "not necessarily just thrash out every issue on the bilateral agenda, which we have been doing constantly for the last two years." (FRANCE 24 with AFP) Eight years on from the tsunami and nuclear meltdown, much of Japans Fukushima province remains derelict and deserted. But are the radiation fears stopping people returning misplaced? - 2018 Simon Townsley Ltd There was a chilling silence in the town of Tomioka in the days after the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Shoes were left in porches, half-read newspapers lay abandoned next to cups of tea, long gone cold. As night closed in on the seaside town, lights glared out from a few bare windows, while news of the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant just six miles away drifted from a solitary radio. Nobody was home. Eight years on, little has changed. Before March 11, 2011 the day the tsunami engulfed the nuclear facility, forcing the evacuation of more than 150,000 residents across the region the town had a population of 15,960. Now, just a few hundred people have returned despite the lifting of the evacuation order in April 2017. During the day, some residents wander around Sakura Mall, a publicly-funded shopping centre opened in the hope of jump-starting a mass repatriation. But as night falls its almost like going back to 2011. Just a scattering of homes have lights on. Half-drunk cups of tea litter the tables. Officially 835 have returned, but many are plant and other clean-up workers who are renting out abandoned houses, says Takumi Takano, a local councillor who splits her time between Tomioka and temporary digs in Koriyama an hours drive away that she and her husband Kenichi have lived in since evacuating. The swimming pool ladders at Namie Elementary School are bent at a 45 degree angle from the force of the tsunami Credit: Simon Townsley Of the remaining locals most are either elderly, or only return during the day, she says. Most worryingly, just 14 are children. When night falls, they return to temporary homes elsewhere, she says. Its like a ghost town. A similar situation is found throughout the entire evacuated region, where only 12,859 of the 100,510 residents who were living in the zone before the disasters have returned, a Cabinet Office official says. Like Tomioka, many of them are clean-up workers, local residents say. The reasons are threefold, says Kenichi, a former worker at the devastated nuclear plant Story continues After almost eight years, residents, especially those with young families, have settled elsewhere, securing new jobs and starting new schools or moving out of Fukushima entirely, he says. Many are put off returning by the severe shortage of medical facilities in the region. Then theres the radioactivity, he says, as the couple sit outside their caravan, set up on the land of their recently demolished home, which backs on to a 130-square-mile difficult-to-return-zone that is still considered too highly contaminated to inhabit. Eight years on, radioactivity levels have fallen in the reopened parts of Tomioka, though remain 20 times higher than before the disaster. Its much higher over there, he says, pointing to the blockaded zone, where radiation levels exceed 3.8 microsieverts per hour the designated threshold for issuing evacuation orders. Tree stumps on land that has been decontaminated in Namie Town Credit: Simon Townsley That zone is a legacy of the nuclear disaster, when multiple reactor meltdowns and explosions, triggered by a magnitude nine earthquake and towering tsunami, spread radioactive materials for hundreds of miles around. Over the past two years the government has reopened two-thirds of the original evacuation zone a mountainous, mostly rural area 160 miles north of Tokyo thats about the size of Greater Manchester. And last month the workers have begun removing nuclear fuel from one of the reactors a job that is expected to take two years, although decommissioning the entire plant will take at least 40 years. Yet despite clean-up operations there to reduce radiation levels below the government-set target of 0.23 microsieverts (Sv) per hour, other legacies of the disaster the crumbling houses and shops, corroding vehicles and overgrown fields, not to mention 16.5 million containers of contaminated earth collected at some 140,000 sites around the region are impossible to avoid. The 0.23 Sv figure is significant in that it adds up to an annual dosage level of one millisievert (mSv) (calculated on the premise that a resident spends eight hours a day outdoors), stipulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency as being safe for members of the public. But while maintaining that level is complicated by recontamination from surrounding woodland, some experts argue the figure says little about the true dangers, or safety, of radiation exposure. That the Japanese government raised this to 20 mSv in the aftermath of the disasters adds weight to their argument. One of the many classrooms which lay undisturbed since the disaster Credit: Simon Townsley In fact, doses were reportedly nowhere near that for Fukushima residents, even in the months following the disaster, when many were below five millisieverts (mSv) a year. By comparison, according to Public Health England, the average annual exposure to naturally occurring radiation in the UK is about 2.7 mSv. Wade Allison, an Oxford University emeritus professor of physics and founder of a group disseminating what they say is accurate science-based information about radiation, argues the outcome of nuclear disasters such as Fukushima and even Chernobyl are proof that nuclear power is given a raw deal. Nuclear is not especially dangerous its not as dangerous as fire, Id suggest, said Prof Allison during a presentation in Tokyo in 2014. Indeed, reports of fatalities resulting from the Fukushima meltdowns vary, but overall their numbers appear to be low. One TEPCO official told The Telegraph only three onsite deaths among nuclear plant workers had been registered since March 2011, none of which resulted from radiation exposure, while other sources suggest the figure could amount to dozens. While Japans health ministry would not divulge any data on fatalities, to date only one death, that of a man in who worked at the Fukushima plant for more than 30 years, has been recognised by the government as being directly related to radiation exposure. Meanwhile, as of September last year, 17 cancers among plant workers had been confirmed. Cancers are among the long-term consequences of the disaster most widely debated, largely because of uncertain health effects of low-dose radiation exposure. An abandoned lunch box shop in Okuma, Fukushima Credit: Simon Townsley Others, such as Dr Jun Shigemura, a psychiatrist at Japans National Defence Medical University, believe dose levels to have been too low to cause the malignant disorders suffered by plant workers. After Chernobyl, people thought cancer and other malignant disorders would be the main long-term health issue and some children did develop thyroid cancers, but for other cancers there was no evidence of increase in the rates, said Dr Shigemura, who conducted a post-disaster study of Fukushima plant workers mental health. In fact, in the end the biggest issue was mental health problems (among) clean-up workers and mothers of young children. The Fukushima workers, too, are at very high risk of developing long-term mental health issues. Gerry Thomas, a cancer specialist in the department of molecular pathology, Imperial College, London says: What we need is more evidence-based, measured discussions about the real health effects of energy generation. Prof Thomas is equally skeptical of other reported health issues, among them the 202 confirmed and suspected thyroid cancers detected among 380,000 schoolchildren. She believes it unlikely these cancers were connected to radiation because the levels of exposure were too low and, unlike after Chernobyl in 1986, Japan managed to successfully prevent the spread of contaminated food. This [the cancer numbers] is not surprising, says Prof Thomas. But its not due to radiation, its due to finding incidences of thyroid cancer that are in the population anyway. Because of the screening they find them much earlier than they would normally. Noriko Tanaka has her thyroid checked by Misao Fujita Credit: Simon Townsley Many tumours found are too small and low risk to require the treatment they almost certainly will get, she adds. However, Misao Fujita, a doctor who performs thyroid scans at a clinic in Iwaki, about 30 miles south of the nuclear plant, says a connection between the cancers and radiation exposure cannot be ruled out and the screening effect is no reason to disregard the examinations. What we do know is that after Chernobyl, many children developed thyroid cancer, and if you take that into account and consider the high risk that Fukushima children were exposed to radiation then I think we should carry out such tests, Dr Fujita says, adding that thyroid cancer normally occurs in one in one million children. Noriko Tanaka, whose son is one of Dr Fujitas patients, says exams revealing cysts in her sons thyroid are a concern, not least because iodine-131 a substance that causes thyroid cancer was contained in the plume released by the Fukushima plant that landed on Iwaki after the disasters. At the time, she was pregnant with her son. I worry because nobody knows for sure what the future holds, she says. Such uncertainty about the future has been shown to be a major cause of psychological stress among Fukushima residents, especially the tens of thousands stuck in temporary housing. One 2018 study undertaken by researchers at Hirosaki University showed stress levels of evacuees increased with the length of time spent in interim accommodation while also indicating that evacuees in radiation disasters have different stressors from other natural disasters, which may accelerate mental and physical stress. A yacht lies in the backyard of an abandoned home inside the contamination zone Credit: Simon Townsley Profs Allison and Thomas believe it is for this reason that residents should have been allowed to return home within weeks of the disaster, but excessively strict regulations prevented this from happening. Those tough regulations are also found in the monitoring of Fukushima produce, and official tests at Fukushimas Revitalization Station in Koriyama have come up with surprising results. According to facility head Kenji Kusano, only six of the 13,765 items scanned in 2018 exceeded standard limits, which are tens and even hundreds of times stricter in Japan than the European Union. Last year Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori visited the UK to convince consumers Fukushimas produce is safe. In a show of solidarity, Boris Johnson, then Foreign Secretary, even drank a can of Fukushima peach juice. And yet, embargoes on Fukushima produce persist in dozens of countries, including South Korea and Hong Kong. And there is scepticism among many consumers in Japan itself. The issue of the one million tons of contaminated water being stored at the stricken nuclear plant is another worry for residents. After receiving assurances from Fukushima plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO ) that the water had been successfully treated and stripped of all but one radioactive material, tritium, the government announced in 2017 it would start releasing the water into the ocean, despite protests, especially from local fisheries. TEPCO released convoluted data to demonstrate the waters safety, but was forced to backtrack last September when further tests showed the sums didnt add up and 80 per cent of the water was in fact up to 20,000 times higher than the official safe threshold. Furthermore, it contained harmful radionuclides such as iodine, caesium and strontium. Kaori Suzuki, manager of NPO Tarachine, casts a bucket into the sea about a mile from Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant to collect samples for analysis Credit: Simon Townsley Moreover, while the initial suggestion was that tritium was relatively harmless some studies have shown it to be a cause of infant leukaemia, says Ayumi Iida of NPO Tarachine, which independently analyses seawater samples taken from the ocean near Fukushimas two nuclear plants. Tritiated water is easily absorbed and hazardous when inhaled or ingested via food or water, she says. Theres already data indicating infant leukaemia rates are higher near to nuclear plants, and tritium is known to cause DNA damage, so while there are claims that tritium is harmless, there are counterclaims it can adversely affect health, especially among young children. Some TEPCO advisors, such as Lake Barrett, who previously worked as a nuclear waste management specialist during the cleanup of the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear accident in the United States, have argued that discharging tritiated water is of small public health significance and the alternative of continuing to store the ever-increasing buildup of contaminated water onsite is potentially much more hazardous, especially considering Japans susceptibility to strong quakes and tsunami. Shaun Burnie, a nuclear expert with Greenpeace, disagrees, saying discharging the water into the ocean is the worst option available, and one whose main consideration is economic. The only viable option, and its not without risks, is the long-term storage of the water in robust steel tanks over at least the next century, and the parallel development of water processing technology, he says. The initial water discharge plan was touted by the Japanese governments Tritiated Water Task Force as the cheapest (between US$15 million to US$30 million) and quickest (between 52 and 88 months) of five water treatment scenarios, which also included underground burial and injecting the water into the geosphere, 2,500m underground. However, a number of proposals to strip tritium from the water were submitted to the same task force by nuclear companies, with estimated costs ranging from US$2 billion to $180 billion, depending on the technology used. All of those proposals were dismissed as being impracticable. The reality is there is no end to the water crisis at Fukushima, a crisis compounded by poor decision-making by both TEPCO and the government, says Mr Burnie. A spatula of substances taken from seawater near the Fukushima No. 2 Nuclear Power Plant is readied for analysis Credit: Simon Townsley Among more pressing issues, Mr Burnie says, is 400,000 cubic meters of sludge being stored within the Fukushima plant grounds that contains high concentrations of strontium known as a bone-seeker because, if introduced into the body, it can accumulate in the bones in the same way as calcium does. With the plant still generating waste, this sludge is expected to nearly double over the next 10 years, he adds. Strontium releases into the environment from the plant were relatively small following the 2011 disaster, but significantly greater 30 months later, when in 2013 a large strontium-laced plume contaminated land as far away as Minamisoma a city about 20 km from the plant, Mr Burnie says. Such an event could re-occur, he says. Is it a good idea to lift the evacuation orders? Absolutely not. The public are right to be concerned about the possibility of further offsite releases. They can also be forgiven for being sceptical over official reassurances that foodstuffs are safe, says Ms Iida of Tarachine, which also runs a produce-testing laboratory and has found plenty of items with levels of contamination exceeding the safe limits. Meanwhile tests on samples of soil which has no official safe threshold in Japan have also revealed high levels of radiation in the area, she adds. Namies Obori district, about six miles northwest of the nuclear plant and within the difficult-to-return-zone, is one place where soil radiation levels remain high. In woodland backing the pretty hamlet, which is famed for its pottery but has slowly surrendered to nature, the Telegraph recorded up to 127 Sv per hour over 350 times the IAEAs safe threshold. Ceramic artist Keiko Onoda holds up one of her husband Kanjiro's pottery works inside their atelier in Namie, The Onodas fled to Tokyo over radiation fears and have remained there since, occasionally returning to collect their belongings Credit: Simon Townsley Residents have contrasting views on the levels and the health implications. Keiko Onoda, a ceramics artist now living in Tokyo who had returned to Obori with her family to retrieve pieces of her husbands pottery from their crumbling atelier inside the zone, says she is heartbroken at not being able to return permanently. We were told to evacuate to avoid getting sick, and in so doing we became sick with worry, she says, tears running down her cheeks. One of my sons once visited Chernobyl and said one day we might face a similar situation. Just thinking about his words makes me well up. Her other son, who works at the stricken nuclear plant, says his parents are victims of the harmful rumours that are the biggest health fallout of the Fukushima disasters. They were so frightened (of radiation) that they evacuated to Tokyo, says Hiroyuki, who eschews mask and other protective clothing as he wonders through the workshop and quake-wrecked family home he grew up in. Radioactive materials did fall on this village, but they dont understand that you no longer need all that protective clothing... The fear is disproportionate to the actual risk. Prof Thomas says that such an irrational fear of radiation and the misleading claims regarding its impact on health are blinding society to the benefits of nuclear power, a much cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. Without scientific evidence to back up these claims, this can lead to unwise political decisions that have huge societal impact, she says Japans closure of all its 54 nuclear reactors and its increasing reliance on coal-powered plants after the disasters being a case in point. We have become focused on a single risk that is, in comparison with others, tiny and in doing this we have considerably increased other risks to society, she says. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- Abdul Mayanja was blasted with a shotgun and died of his wounds in hospital, a court has heard. (PA) A teenager was blasted to death with a shotgun after being asked: What ends you from?, a court has heard. Abdul Mayanja, 19, was shot as he sat on a wall with a female friend in Stratford, east London, on the night of August 25 2017 and died from a single wound to the chest. The Old Bailey heard on Monday he was approached in Well Street by two young men, one of whom was carrying a shotgun. Prosecutor Anthony Orchard QC said: Abdul was asked, what ends you from? or where you from?. A City of London police car outside the Central Criminal Court, also known as the Old Bailey, on Old Bailey, central London. Without waiting for an answer, Abdul was shot. The gunmen returned to a dark vehicle, which drove off. The court heard a grey Nissan Qashqai, which was allegedly used in the shooting, was found burning in the early hours of the following morning in Jade Close, in Canning Town, east London. Four men, from east London, are standing trial accused of murdering Mr Mayanja. Alex Simos, 20, from Manor Park; his cousin Marvin Simos, 22, from north Woolwich; Sean Obazee, 25, from Plaistow; and Braeden Henry, 24, from Silvertown, deny the charge. Kieron Aransibia, 24, from Beckton, and Jade Thrower, 23, from Manor Park, east London, deny perverting the course of justice. Read more from Yahoo News UK: Motorists pull passengers from burning plane wreckage Tories in FIFTH place according to EU elections poll Transgender Lotto winner dies 18 months after 4m win Mr Orchard said: The prosecution case is that the first four defendants were involved in the shooting in Well Street. The four of them were in the Qashqai, from which the gunman and one other had emerged and then returned to. Each of the four played a key role in the shooting, either as gunman, back-up or driver. The role of the fifth and sixth defendants was to assist afterwards by purchasing and supplying petrol from a local garage, to enable the burning of the Nissan Qashqai to destroy potential evidence. The motive for the shooting may become clearer as the case develops. It appears Abdul Mayanja was an easy target. He was shot and left to die. The trial continues. Theresa May will urge governments and companies to work together to stop the sharing of hateful content online as she joins world leaders for a summit on tackling terrorist use of the internet. The Prime Minister is expected to call for consistent international standards to keep internet users safe from harm in an address to the Online Extremism Summit in Paris on Wednesday. In a speech to the event which was prompted by the Christchurch mosque attacks, Mrs May will say world leaders should be ambitious and steadfast in their determination to ensure technology is not weaponised by those who wish to inflict pain and suffering. Fifty one people were killed and dozens of others wounded in attacks on March 15 in the New Zealand city, which were livestreamed on Facebook. Floral tributes at Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch where 42 people lost their lives during a terror attack in March (PA) Ahead of the summit, Mrs May said: The sickening attacks on Muslim worshippers in Christchurch shocked the world. That 1.5 million copies of the video had to be removed by Facebook and could still be found on YouTube for as long as eight hours after it was first posted is a stark reminder that we need to do more, both to remove this content and stop it going online in the first place. She added: While we have seen significant progress on this issue since the terror attacks on the UK in 2017, the livestreaming of these attacks exposed gaps in our response and the need to keep pace with rapidly changing technological developments. My message to governments and internet companies in Paris will be that we must work together and harness our combined technical abilities to stop any sharing of hateful content of this kind. The summit, to be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, aims to focus international efforts to stop social media being used to organise and promote terrorism. Former deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg, who is now Facebooks head of global affairs, will attend the event, along with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey. Story continues Mrs May is expected to raise concerns about the growing threat posed by the Far Right, and will call for an international approach to regulation. In 2017, in the wake of five appalling attacks in the UK, I called for a much greater co-ordinated global response to fight back against Daesh propaganda online, she will say. Many of the companies here today responded and, in part thanks to the action you took, last year Daesh propaganda was at its lowest levels online since 2015. That shows us what is possible. Our work here must continue in order to keep pace with the threat. But we also need to confront the rise of the Far Right online. The Government recently published a white paper around online harms which called for a statutory duty of care to be introduced for internet firms, which would be enforced by a new independent regulator. The first week of a fresh round of talks to restore power-sharing government in Northern Ireland has been described as constructive. However, all sides involved have warned there are challenges ahead in the quest to reaching an agreement to resurrect the devolved institutions after two years of stalemate. Northern Irelands political leaders met with Secretary of State Karen Bradley and Irelands deputy premier Simon Coveney at Stormont House. Tanaiste Simon Coveney, walking out of Stormont House to speak to media (Liam McBurney/PA) They also met the heads of the main churches, who urged courageous and compassionate leadership and offered their support. The chair of the 1998 Belfast Agreement talks process George Mitchell also visited during the process on Tuesday. Ms Bradley described the afternoon as positive, but warned the task is not simple or easy. I dont want to leave any of you with any illusions that this is simple or easy, there are very big challenges ahead, we continue to work hard and today has been a constructive and positive day, she said. Mr Coveney said heavy lifting remains to be done. Its been a positive afternoon but there is still a lot of work to do, lets be realistic, this process is only a week old and we have heavy lifting to do in the weeks ahead, but I do think there is an appetite among the party leaders and their teams to try and make this work, and that is the important thing, he said. The issues that we have to resolve are not insurmountable if there is a willingness to work together, to show a little bit of generosity and be willing to compromise on some issues, and I think that willingness is there and certainly the capacity to get it done is going to be tested in the weeks ahead, because the governments will insist on that. DUP leader Arlene Foster (right) with party colleague Emma Little-Pengelly MP (Liam McBurney/PA) DUP leader Arlene Foster reiterated her partys desire to see the Assembly restored swiftly. We again have heard the frustration of the community, they want to see the Assembly back immediately, as do we, she said. Story continues We believe the way to do that is to have a parallel process and to get the Assembly up and running immediately. We feel that would be a courageous thing to do, that would be a compassionate thing to do and that would be the right thing to do. We believe we should have this Assembly up and running as quickly as we possibly can. It will take courage and compassion and compromise from all the sides and not just one side. (left to right) Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy, vice president Michelle ONeill and European candidate Martina Anderson (Rebecca Black/PA) Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill said agreement can be reached with positive political will. These talks have the potential to restore the power-sharing institutions and that is the best way to ensure that the next generation benefits from the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process, she said. We all know what the outstanding issues are. We believe they can and must be resolved, so Sinn Fein will continue to engage in these talks with positivity and a determination to do the business. None of the issues are insurmountable or unresolvable. Agreement can be reached and the institutions restored with the positive political will and support of all parties and both governments. The way forward is through implementation of agreements already made, safeguarding rights enjoyed by citizens in the rest of Ireland and in Britain, and delivering good governance. UUP leader Robin Swann (left), and party colleague Robbie Butler, speaking ahead of the talks (Liam McBurney/PA Earlier, Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann welcomed the attendance of the church leaders. There was a clear message sent to politicians in the local government elections, that Northern Ireland society as a whole wants the politicians to move on, so I think the message coming today from the church leaders and their support in this round of talks is very welcome, he said. Its something we should take on board, and also their help and guidance at this time. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood (left), and party colleague Nicola Mallon, speaking ahead of the talks (Liam McBurney/PA) SDLP leader Colum Eastwood claimed the impasse could be solved very quickly. This could all be solved in the morning if people wanted to, he said. We have already proposed that we suspend the petition of concern, allow for Stormont to be up and running the very next day and for issues like marriage equality to go through the Assembly. That could be done. We could then properly reform the petition of concern for the next Assembly term. Thats how we get things up and running. We have made that offer, we reiterate it again today and we hope that people take it seriously. The last DUP/Sinn Fein-led powersharing 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. 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. By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - The new boss of Vodafone cut the mobile operator's dividend for the first time, securing the firepower it needs to build 5G networks and complete its acquisition of Liberty Global assets. Nick Read, the former CFO who has been in the top job since October, said the decision to cut one of the biggest payouts in Britain had not been taken lightly, but was needed to bring down debt and invest in new technologies. The company cut the full-year dividend by 40 percent to 9 eurocents a share from 15.07 eurocents in its financial 2018 year and below the 14.55 eurocents that analysts had expected. Read said the outlook had worsened on multiple fronts since he had said in November that the dividend was safe. "Our service revenue growth came under further pressure - Spain remains a challenging market, South Africa experienced headwinds - plus clearly the German auction has risen to higher levels than expectation on top of extensive coverage obligations, which require capex," he told reporters on Tuesday. The wider economic environment was also not helping, he said, with a lack of visibility in its major European, Middle Eastern and African markets. "Twelve months back we had a good degree of headroom, by November we had sufficient headroom, and the headroom has been compressed in the last six months," he said. Vodafone's shares have fallen 37% in the last 12 months as investors fretted about the cost of acquiring Liberty Global's cable assets in Germany and some other eastern European markets, the outlay on new spectrum for 5G services and tougher conditions in some European markets. Read said that the shares, which had a dividend yield of over 9%, were still paying 5.9% after the cut, ahead of the FTSE average of about 5%. The stock reversed an early loss to trade up 2.5% at 135 pence at 0830 GMT. Analysts at Jefferies, who rate Vodafone "hold", said the 40% cut was the minimum needed to relieve leverage concerns. Story continues "Management must now convince that Vodafone is capable of returning to growth to support the progressive dividend policy," they said. BREATHING SPACE Read was a key lieutenant to his predecessor Vittorio Colao as Vodafone broadened from a pure mobile player to offer fixed-line services in major markets while retrenching from other areas including India and the United States. On Monday the group sold its New Zealand operation to a financial consortium. It is also fighting to merge its operations in Australia with fixed-line group TPG. Read's strategy as CEO is to drive growth by building superfast 5G networks for customers, industry and business clients, sharing infrastructure where possible with rivals. Vodafone, second only to China Mobile in terms of customer numbers, is facing hefty payments for the airwaves needed to launch the next generation 5G services and to invest in fixed-line broadband, at the same time as revenue is squeezed by competition in markets like Spain and Italy. In the current German 5G spectrum auction, four companies have already bid around 5.4 billion euros (4.69 billion pounds). Vodafone is also buying Liberty Global's cable assets in Germany and some Eastern European markets when it receives regulatory clearance, for an enterprise value of 18.4 billion euros, adding to its 27 billion euro debt pile. Ratings agency Moodys downgraded Vodafone's debt in February, saying it expected Vodafone's already high leverage will weaken further, even before the proposed Liberty deal. Read said the dividend cut would help the group reduce borrowing at the same time as top-line growth starts to improve from the second quarter. He said a 0.6% fall in organic service revenue, a key industry measurement in the fourth quarter, should be the low point. Vodafone reported group revenue of 43.7 billion euros for the year to the end of March, down 6.2%, with an operating loss of 951 million euros. Impairments recorded earlier in the year pushed the group into a loss of 7.6 billion euros. Adjusted core earnings rose 3.1% on an organic basis, in line with Vodafone's guidance and analyst expectations. For the 2020 financial year, Vodafone said it expected adjusted core earnings of 13.8 billion to 14.2 billion euros, implying low single digit organic growth, and free cash flow pre-spectrum of at least 5.4 billion euros. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate Holton/Keith Weir) Spyware crafted by an advanced cyber actor infected multiple targeted mobile phones through the popular WhatsApp communications program without any user intervention through in-app voice calls, the company said. WhatsApp, which is used by 1.5 billion people worldwide, discovered in early May that attackers were able to install surveillance software on to both iPhones and Android phones by ringing up targets using the apps phone call function.The Financial Times identified the perpetrator as Israels NSO Group, and a WhatsApp spokesman later said were certainly not refuting any of the coverage youve seen.The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone via the apps voice calling function, the spokesman for the Facebook subsidiary said late on Monday.An unknown number of people an amount in the dozens at least would not be inaccurate were infected with the malware, said the spokesman, who was not authorized to be quoted by name.'Very scary vulnerability'John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the Internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack a very scary vulnerability.Theres nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app, he said.The WhatsApp spokesman said the attack had all the hallmarks of a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware that has the ability to take over mobile phone operating systems".The spokesman said WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. He said WhatsApp also provided information to US law enforcement officials to assist in their investigation.He said the flaw was discovered while our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls and that engineers found that people targeted for infection might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them. In the process of calling, this code gets shipped".We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities, WhatsApp said in a statement.Spokespeople for NSO Group did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.Powerful Israeli spywareThe revelation adds to the questions over the reach of the Israeli companys powerful spyware, which can hijack smartphones, control their cameras and effectively turn them into pocket-sized surveillance devices.NSOs spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year and whose body has never been found.Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are currently suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking.On Monday, Amnesty International - which said last year that one its staffers was also targeted with the spyware - said it would join in a legal bid to force Israels Ministry of Defence to suspend NSOs export license.This makes the discovery of the vulnerability particularly disturbing because one of the targets was a UK-based human rights lawyer, the attorney told the AP.The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons, said he received about several suspicious missed calls over the past few months, the most recent one on Sunday, only hours before WhatsApp issued the update to users fixing the flaw.(FRANCE 24 with AP) Spyware crafted by an advanced cyber actor infected multiple targeted mobile phones through the popular WhatsApp communications program without any user intervention through in-app voice calls, the company said. WhatsApp, which is used by 1.5 billion people worldwide, discovered in early May that attackers were able to install surveillance software on to both iPhones and Android phones by ringing up targets using the apps phone call function. The Financial Times identified the perpetrator as Israels NSO Group, and a WhatsApp spokesman later said were certainly not refuting any of the coverage youve seen. The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone via the apps voice calling function, the spokesman for the Facebook subsidiary said late on Monday. An unknown number of people an amount in the dozens at least would not be inaccurate were infected with the malware, said the spokesman, who was not authorized to be quoted by name. 'Very scary vulnerability' John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the Internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack a very scary vulnerability. Theres nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app, he said. The WhatsApp spokesman said the attack had all the hallmarks of a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware that has the ability to take over mobile phone operating systems". The spokesman said WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. He said WhatsApp also provided information to US law enforcement officials to assist in their investigation. He said the flaw was discovered while our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls and that engineers found that people targeted for infection might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them. In the process of calling, this code gets shipped". Story continues We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities, WhatsApp said in a statement. Spokespeople for NSO Group did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. Powerful Israeli spyware The revelation adds to the questions over the reach of the Israeli companys powerful spyware, which can hijack smartphones, control their cameras and effectively turn them into pocket-sized surveillance devices. NSOs spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year and whose body has never been found. Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are currently suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking. On Monday, Amnesty International - which said last year that one its staffers was also targeted with the spyware - said it would join in a legal bid to force Israels Ministry of Defence to suspend NSOs export license. This makes the discovery of the vulnerability particularly disturbing because one of the targets was a UK-based human rights lawyer, the attorney told the AP. The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons, said he received about several suspicious missed calls over the past few months, the most recent one on Sunday, only hours before WhatsApp issued the update to users fixing the flaw. (FRANCE 24 with AP) All eyes will be on Lady Gabriella Windsor and her partner Thomas Kingston when they say "I do" in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday. But how much do we really know about the groom? The couple have been in a relationship for a number of years and it was only last summer when Thomas proposed during a trip to the Isle of Sark. Buckingham Palace announced the news of the engagement back in September, with a statement from Gabriella's parents which read: "Prince and Princess Michael of Kent are delighted to announce the engagement of their daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor to Mr Thomas Kingston. The engagement took place in August; Mr Kingston proposed on the Isle of Sark." gabriella-windsor-thomas-event Lady Gabriella Windsor will marry Thomas Kingston on Saturday According to The Telegraph, Thomas graduated from Bristol University with a bachelor's degree in economic history before going on to work in the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the United Kingdom's Foreign Office. For almost three years, Thomas worked in Baghdad as a project officer for the Iraqi Institute of Peace to mediate conflicts in Iraq and even helped negotiate the release of hostages. READ: Why Prince William will likely miss this weekend's royal wedding After this he transitioned to finance, working as an equity analyst for Schroders, a global asset management firm. He then worked as the managing director of Voltan Capital Management until April 2017. Thomas is now a director of Devonport Capital, which specialises in providing finance for companies in "frontier economies". WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE Although it is not known exactly how Lady Gabriella and Thomas met, the financier has mixed in royal circles for a number of years. They first started dating four years ago. "I'm very happy to be with someone very special," Lady Gabriella told HELLO! after they had been dating for two years. "I'm very lucky." Story continues Thomas was previously linked to Natalie Hicks-Lobbecke, one of Prince William's ex-girlfriends when she was part of the Beaufort Polo Club set. In 2011, Thomas reportedly date the Duchess of Cambridge's sister, Pippa Middleton. Although their romance didn't late, the pair have been pictured out together on various occasions over the years, including the Cheltenham races in March 2013 and during low-key outings in central London. Both Lady Gabriella and Thomas were guests at Pippa's wedding to James Matthews in 2017. GALLERY: All the times royal baby Archie has melted our hearts Lady Gabriella may not be a working royal, ishe nstead earns her living as a writer and a senior director for Knightsbridge-based PR firm Branding Latin America, and makes regular appearances with the royal family at events such as Trooping the Colour. She has been pictured on the Buckingham Palace balcony, at Royal Ascot and at polo matches. As she prepares for her big day, a source gave HELLO! a glimpse into the bride-to-be's personality: "Ella is a very sweet, kind person. She's good- natured, just like her parents." Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox. There are those headlines that trumpet news while others hold false notes. A celebrated screamer ran in Vancouver's Herald on April 15, 1912, affirming Titanic Sinks: No Lives Lost. Was Van Gogh's death a suicide or murder? Granted, no one died in the Guardian's May 9 story headlined Van Gogh gushing letter to Art critic goes on show in Amsterdam, but the description doesn't fit. The newspaper counted the six words out of 1,264 that called the critic's review a work of art in itself. It should be noted that the critic Gabriel Albert Aurier was a well-known poet. Calling his praise artful is fitting, not gushing, Pushing the point Daniel Boffey, the Guardian's Brussels bureau chief, seemed intent on keeping alive Van Gogh's reputation as emotionally disturbed by starting out his article saying that the painter wrote to the critic from a mental institution. If there were any gushing, it was in Aurier's praise for Van Gogh. In his review in the modern art magazine Mercure de France titled Les Insoles: Vincent van Gogh, Aurier wrote that the painter was the only one who perceives the coloration of things with gem-like quality. Letter of appreciation While Van Gogh said he appreciated the critic's praise, he made clear it was misplaced and explained why it should have gone to Adolphe Monticelli, whose bright palette inspired him. Rather than gushing, then, Van Gogh's letter demonstrated that he was a careful thinker, certainly more careful than the Guardian's Brussel's bureau chief. Thank you very much for your article in the Mercure de France, which greatly surprised me, the painter wrote. I like it very mulch as a work of art in itself, I feel that you create colors with your words...Hover, I feel ill at ease when I reflect that what you say should be applied to others rather than to me. He also gave credit to another painter for the work for which Aurier praised him, despite the brief time spent with him. Discuss this news on Eunomia I ow a great deal to Paul Gauguin, with whom I worked for a few months in Arles. Telling it like it isn't The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam also could take lessons from the painter on careful thinking. The museum, like Boffey, seems set on keeping the image of the painter as a crazy person, as seen in its recent show "On the Verge of Insanity. Anyone with any sense of how hard it is to get any work done when disturbed even for a short time should know that given Van Gogh's output, he has been unfairly characterized. Before his death at age 37, he produced 200 museum-worthy oils and 100 watercolors. Then there's his voluminous letter-writing some 200 missives to his brother and fellow artists. They were in English, French, and Dutch. If anyone thinks for a moment that Van Gogh wasn't self-aware, they should check out his 36 self-portraits, each picturing a steely knowing. Attorney General Bill Barr and U.S. Attorney John Durham. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; US Department of Justice On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that Attorney General William Barr has assigned John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe, a move welcomed by Donald Trumps personal lawyers and, given his incessant calls for more investigations, likely by the president himself. This is the third investigation charged with reviewing the FBI and the beginning stages of the Russia probe. And its being conducted with the help of CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and FBI Director Christopher Wray, according to CNN. Heres what we know about the latest investigation of the investigators. Who is John Durham? The longtime Justice Department lawyer is currently serving as the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut. Trump nominated him for that job in 2017 and the Senate unanimously confirmed him in February of 2018. Upon his confirmation, the states two Democratic senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, called Durham a fierce, fair prosecutor. Durham has been with the Justice Department for 37 years and has performed investigations for administrations of both parties. In 1999, Janet Reno appointed him to investigate the relationship between law enforcement and notorious Boston gangster Whitey Bulger. He later investigated the CIAs treatment of terrorism suspects for both the Bush and Obama administrations. What is he investigating? Durham has been charged with looking into how the FBI began its investigation into Russias attempts to tamper with the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign. Last month, in congressional testimony, Barr said he is concerned that intelligence agencies conducted improper surveillance on the Trump campaign. Durhams investigation will dig into that question. As a source told the Washington Post, he will try to determine if the FBIs intelligence collection activities were lawful and appropriate. That will reportedly include investigating the bureaus use of the Steele dossier and informants, along with its reliance on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants. Trump and his supporters have long claimed that the FBIs surveillance of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser, was improper. They say the FBIs reliance on the uncorroborated Steele dossier to secure the warrant is proof of political bias. There are also questions about whether the dossier, which was funded in part by Democrats, was flagged for possible credibility issues when it was used as justification for the warrant. The FBIs handling of the Page warrant has come under even more criticism in the time since Muellers report was released. The special counsel failed to corroborate many of the claims about Page that the FBI made in its warrant application, leading to further claims of bias against the Trump campaign. James Comey has, in recent weeks, defended the launch of the investigation in the summer of 2016. The former FBI director says the probe began after the FBI learned that George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign adviser, knew Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton. We all should have been fired if when we learned that we didnt investigate to figure out, is there a connection between any Americans and this Russian effort? Comey said on CNN this month. What about the other investigations of the investigators? There are two other ongoing DOJ investigations covering similar territory to Durhams. Michael Horowitz, the departments inspector general, is also reviewing the FBIs use of informants and its reliance on FISA warrants. Barr has said this investigation, which Durham is reportedly helping with, will end by next month. John Huber, U.S. Attorney in Utah, was appointed by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year to also look into the FBIs surveillance issues, along with its investigation into the Clinton Foundation. But Huber has been largely silent. Last month, Republican representative Jim Jordan called him out. It concerns me that we havent heard a darn thing, Jordan told the Washington Times. Its like Wheres Waldo? Wheres Huber? Senator Lindsey Graham has also promised that the Senate Judiciary Committee will conduct its own investigation into the FBIs investigation. At a hearing last month, he said, When the Mueller report is put to bed, and it soon will be, this committee is going to look long and hard at how this all started. How are Republicans responding? Though Trump hasnt directly said anything about Durham, his lawyers have commented on his appointment. Rudy Giuliani, the presidents personal attorney, told NBC News, I believe Barr has selected an excellent person, someone who is a career prosecutor who has worked with Republicans and Democrats. Jay Sekulow, another of Trumps personal attorneys, told the outlet: The origins of this investigation have to be examined thoroughly, and the appointment of a U.S. attorney would be the appropriate course of action. Its a safe bet that Trump is happy too. His campaign has already identified the FBI and its alleged overreach as a useful campaign issue that allows Trump to make himself the victim and raise money. Julian Assange must be rueing his bad luck. Ever since the Ecuadorian embassy terminated his asylum, he has been dogged by his past. Presently, Assange is serving a 50-week sentence in jail for violating his bail conditions. Assange, fearing arrest and deportation to Sweden and the US, had taken refuge in the Ecuador embassy in London. Now that he is out of the embassy, Swedish prosecutors have said they are re-opening a sexual assault case against the WikiLeaks founder and will seek his extradition from Britain. The Washington Post has reported that on May 13, at a press conference in Stockholm, Eva-Marie Persson, Swedens deputy director of public prosecutions, stated that a fresh questioning of Assange is required. Eviction Assange had sought refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 to avoid being sent to Sweden for allegations made against him. He was evicted last month after Ecuador revoked his political asylum. The Equador president had accused Assange of leaking private photos. This was after a change of government and when the new president Rafael Correa radically reversed many of his predecessor policies. Re-opening of investigation After his eviction from the embassy and subsequent jail term, Sweden has opted to re-open the investigation into the old case. The case had been put in cold storage, as Assange was not available for questioning. Swedish prosecutors have not yet formally charged Assange. The New York Times has reported that the case pertains to 2010 when a Swedish woman alleged she had been assaulted by Assange. The 47-year-old Australian met the woman in connection during a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. Later, she narrated her story to a police officer, who was convinced that an act of impropriety was committed by Assange. Discuss this news on Eunomia He faces a maximum term of four years in prison if convicted for this offense. The statute of limitations for this offense has not yet expired. It expires in August 2020. Assange has stated he has done anything wrong and has asserted that the allegations were politically motivated. He has also maintained that the act was consensual. US extradition Assanges woes are compounded by the fact that the US has issued an extradition warrant for him. He is alleged to have conspired with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning and hacked the computer from the Pentagon and thus breached the official secrets act. US and Sweden will have to await the process of British extradition, which, at best, is slow. Assange has the right to appeal if decisions go against him. The entire legal process could take more than a year before any decision on his extradition can be taken. Legal battle A legal battle is coming as the US is keen that Assange is extradited to stand trial. Sweden is also asking for extradition and the British authorities will have to decide which extradition request has precedence. north korea, the hermit kingdom is suffering from the inadequacy of food grains to feed its people. There are fears that young children and other vulnerable groups might face a shortage of food because of the drought. The Red Cross said the drought began in early spring and worsened last year. At the time, the food production had hit a new low. The net result is that many people will require urgent food assistance. Humanitarian aid from abroad could mitigate their sufferings. The Guardian quotes an official of Red Cross as saying, We are particularly concerned about the impact that this early drought will have on children and adults who are already struggling to survive. He points out that many children in North Korea suffer from malnutrition and the food crisis could make matters worse. There are also fears that the effect would be felt by pregnant and breastfeeding women, apart from the aged and those who have health problems. State media says rainfall was at record lows for the first five months of the year as experts blame #climatechangehttps://t.co/RrtF1f6WXP Tenko (@fewerchildren) May 14, 2019 Controversy over sending across aid The Red Cross notes that food production in 2018 was 12 percent less than the previous year. It is extending financial support from its disaster relief emergency fund for the installation of water pumps. The government of South Korea would like to provide food assistance, however, Japan feels otherwise. It feels the priorities of North Korea offer more weight to the countrys nuclear weapon and missile development program rather than the welfare of its people. N. Korea had recently launched two projectiles that were in the category of short-range ballistic missiles. It was North Koreas second test of weapons in less than a week, hence a matter of concern because it raises doubts on the countrys attitude towards denuclearization. Grand Solar Minimum Weather Extremes (& Politics): North Korea. 10.1 million people (40%) are in need of urgent food assistance. This early drought follows below average (12%) food production in 2018, the lowest in a decade. Poor people. https://t.co/G3foIRpoch Grand Solar Minimum (@iceagereentry) May 14, 2019 The Guardian adds that official sources in North Korea have confirmed that there was scanty rainfall for the first five months of the year. Discuss this news on Eunomia Korean Central Television went on to confirm this while another media report added that crops were dying. An official of the disaster risk management group blamed the situation to climate change. He said, For people who are living on the margins, these changes can be devastating. In the words of David Beasley, of the United Nations World Food Program, dont let innocent children suffer because of politics. North Korea needs humanitarian assistance According to Business Standard, the UN said that North Korea faced an acute shortage of food and needed humanitarian assistance. David Beasley, an official of the UN World Food Program met Kim Yeon-Chul, a minister of South Korea to discuss the issue and evolve a solution. In 2010, Seoul had dispatched food assistance of 5000 tonnes of rice to Pyongyang. Later, in 2017, the Seoul government did approve an aid package of nearly $8 million. However, it is held up because of the bottleneck in denuclearization talks. Only investors from China have shown willingness to implement the north-south high-speed railway, sparking concern among National Assemblys deputies, according to MOT. Under the National Assembly Resolution No 52, from now to 2021, 654 kilometers of the railway will be built in 11 projects, including three state-funded and eight BOT projects. Domestic investors are incapable of undertaking the eight projects. No investor from France, the US, UK and Japan has shown interest, while only Chinese investors are willing to implement the projects. Only investors from one country are interested in all eight sections of road, spreading through the north-south backbone. This is really worrying, commented Le Cong Nhuong, a National Assembly Deputy from Binh Dinh province. The north-south expressway will be the artery of Vietnam which connects the north and the south and plays a special strategic role in social and economic development and in national defence. Nhuong went on to say that it is necessary to reconsider Vietnams policies related to the development of the projects. Are the policies reasonable and attractive enough to attract Vietnamese and foreign investors, Nhuong said. Foreign investors have complained about Vietnams management policies, complicated procedures, embezzlement and lack of transparency. Vietnam prioritizes investors who offer low prices, while foreign investors require high costs for high-quality execution. Experts pointed out that the current bidding policy is unreasonable. It allows Chinese contractors to easily satisfy the requirements as they always set low bidding prices, but it doesnt allow Vietnam to find the best contractors. What do management agencies do to settle the problem? Nhuong asked. If problems still exist that make foreign investors find it difficult to attend the bids for BOT projects, relevant ministries need to put the problems into discussion before the National Assembly, he said. Pham Van Hoa, a National Assembly Deputy from Dong Thap province, commented that Chinese implemented many transport projects in Vietnam, and know what they need to do to make profit. Affirming that Vietnam welcomes all investors, Hoa stressed that Vietnam needs to be cautious when selecting contractors. The tricks played by Chinese contractors are no longer surprising to Vietnam. We sprang the traps set by some Chinese contractors in some civil construction works and we must learn lessons from these, Hoa said. Meanwhile, an analyst has warned that it would be dangerous assigning all the projects to Chinese investors. The north-south expressway will be the artery of Vietnam which connects the north and the south and plays a special strategic role in social and economic development and in national defence. Therefore, a monopoly must not exist, he said. RELATED NEWS We need effective measures for the North-South expressway Construction work on North-South Expressway to begin Mai Lan Many large multi-national groups have showed interest in the weak banks Vietnam wants to sell. However, they have not moved ahead to implement the plans. J Trusts Senior Managing Director Nobiru Adachi, at the meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue on March 29 expressed willingness to be involved in the process of restructuring weak banks in Vietnam. Of the three weak banks which the government has taken over, called zero dong banks, J Trust is eyeing CB Bank, hoping that the bank, after restructuring, will become a gateway for Vietnamese enterprises to cooperate with Japanese firms. J Trust promised that it will not only contribute capital, but also provide technology and hopes that the government of Vietnam and the State Bank of Vietnam would create favorable conditions for it to negotiate and make transactions. Clermonts President Richard F.Chandler, when meeting Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Le Minh Hung on March 29, also said Clermont wishes to make investment in the banking sector by joining the bank restructuring process. The State Bank wants to sell the banks soon, because it understands that delays would make the loss bigger. Kiem believes that foreign investors remain indecisive because they are concerned with the rules, the way of management in Vietnam, and required procedures. Prior to that, local newspapers quoted a source from the central bank as saying that a foreign investor wants to take over OceanBank, also a zero-dong bank. Most recently, Srisawad Corporation from Thailand showed its willingness to take over ALC I, a finance company belonging to Agribank. The investor, showing its goodwill, accepted to pay back the capital Agribank contributed to ALC and the principal of the loan ALC borrowed from Agribank (VND523 billion) during its operation. It will inherit all of ALCs accounts payable. As such, Vietnam needs foreign investors to join the bank restructuring process. Why foreign investors remain reluctant to proceed with their investment plan was a question raised by Cao Sy Kiem, former Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV). Kiem, in an interview with the local press some days ago, commented that the weak bank restructuring has been going slowly because of bad debts, qualification of workers and the ways state agencies are dealing with problems. Investors want to know the real situation of banks. If information is not transparent, investors wont dare make decisions, Kiem said. The State Bank wants to sell the banks soon, because it understands that delays would make the loss bigger. Kiem believes that foreign investors remain indecisive because they are concerned with the rules, the way of management in Vietnam, and required procedures. RELATED NEWS Compulsory reserve cuts to have little effect on banks New law set to help weak banks recover: experts Chi Mai Eunyoung Jung, CEO of HSBC South Korea, speaks to Viet Nam News reporter Bo Xuan Hiep about the favourable investment climate in Vietnam and South Koreas plan to pour more money into the country. Vietnam real estate market most attractive in Southeast Asia: Japan investors Vietnam remains attractive for investment in 2019: insider Vietnam attractive destination for foreign investors: JLL real estate firm What do you think about the investment climate here? Vietnam is a vibrant country with a thriving economy and one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world for Korean investors. Investors from South Korea no longer see Vietnam as their manufacturing base, but instead as one of their markets with the most potential. Among new emerging markets, Vietnams economy is known for political stability, a skilled labour force, competitive wages and good policies, as well as strong economic growth. Vietnam also has the benefit of having a ready supply chain in the country in some industries such as electricity, and textiles and garments. Foreign investors want to invest in Vietnam to take advantage of the existing supply chains. Which sectors are the most attractive to Korean investors? The Korean investment wave is expected to continue in Vietnam, while investments types and areas would be more diverse in the coming time. Korean businesses either invest directly or acquire stakes of local firms. Manufacturing, especially in garments and fabrics, takes up most of the investment, but there are increasing investments from South Korea in other sectors such as retail, finance, real estate, infrastructure and IT, as you can see from the expansion of Samsung and LG. In addition, electricity is one of the most important investments of Korean businesses into Vietnam. They are also interested in building infrastructure such as ports, airports and expressways in the country. Korean companies are looking to invest in financial services, food production and logistics as well. The energy sector is another potential area for Korean investment as Vietnam is now focusing on renewable energy. As the country is growing, Vietnam needs more power and energy. Coal and nuclear power could be short-term solutions, but air quality might be impacted. If Vietnam pursues more sustainable growth, renewable energy is an area that will attract foreign investment. Korean investors are also keen to invest in building smart cities in Vietnam. With the success of South Korea in building big cities, I think South Korea can play an important role in helping Vietnam develop smart cities. How have US-China trade tensions affected Korean businesses investing in Vietnam? China is the biggest trade partner for both Vietnam and South Korea. Recently, there has been an increase in costs in China in terms of property prices and labour wages. Some Korean companies are moving to new emerging markets. And Vietnam is one of the best destinations. Korean companies once saw Vietnam as their manufacturing base but now they consider it to have high potential for growth. However, China is still the manufacturing hub for the world, and we cannot ignore this fact. Vietnam is located near China. Businesses that have set up business in China can take advantage of supply chains when they establish manufacturing in Vietnam because they can still get materials and spare parts from China. Even before the China-US trade tensions, a lot of foreign investors were already looking to shift their businesses from China to Vietnam because of rising labour costs in China. How does the Korean governments New South Policy affect capital flow into Vietnam? In line with the Korean governments New South Policy, more Korean companies and their supply chains are moving to Southeast Asia, and Vietnam is the most important market. Europe and the US have become mature markets and Koreas growth has been only 2.2-2.3 per cent. The new policy calls for Korean businesses to diversify its markets to achieve higher growth. This is where ASEAN, including Vietnam, stands out due to its high growth. The Korean PM has paid several visits to Vietnam and has encouraged businesses to go overseas and capture opportunities in Vietnam. Recently, LG announced its plan to move its mobile phone production line to the country. According to research conducted by a government-affiliated research centre, after the governments announcement of the New South Policy, South Koreas investment in ASEAN countries last year went up by 16.7 per cent over 2017. Vietnam accounted for 51.5 per cent of the total investment in ASEAN, followed by Singapore with 25.6 per cent. Last year, South Koreas investment in Vietnam recorded significant growth of 60.3 per cent over 2017, with the total amount reaching $3.16 billion. VNS The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) will put up for auction more than 600 tons of melted coins at a starting price of over VND48 billion (US$2.1 million). Vietnamese coins with denominations of VND200 and VND500. The central bank will auction over 600 tons of melted coins The price, calculated by the Quality Assurance and Testing Center 1, under the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, excludes value-added tax and handling and transport costs, the local media reported. The central bank requires the organizer of the auction to have qualified equipment and feasible action plans. The organizer must also have at least five years experience in auctioning and must employ five auctioneers with over five years of experience on the job. Auctioneers will need to have previous experience conducting an auction with a value of at least VND45 billion in 2018. Vietnam put its coins into use in 2003 to facilitate payments for bus and train fares and for goods purchased from vending machines. However, coins fell out of favor as consumers found them difficult and inconvenient to carry around. In April 2011, the central bank stopped issuing coins. SGT Vietnam attaches importance to the Vietnam US comprehensive partnership, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed at his telephone talks on May 13 with US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue In the talks, Deputy PM Hue highlighted the bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, with bilateral trade value topping 60 billion USD last year. Of this figure, exports from the US rose to over 12 billion USD, an increase of more than 36 percent over that of 2017, making Vietnam one of the markets with the fastest growth of the US. Hue further affirmed that the Vietnamese Government advocates continuing to improve the investment environment and facilitate US firms to invest and do business in Vietnam, and that instructions will be given to Vietnams relevant ministries and sectors to actively address concrete concerns of the US side like the import of automobiles, cyber security, e-payment, and financial and monetary issues. For his part, Secretary Mnuchin spoke highly of the prospects in the bilateral relations in economy, trade and investment, as well as the Vietnamese Governments attention to and facilitation of the settlement of the issues of the US concern. He welcomed the recent signing of a number of economic cooperation totaling 21 billion USD during President Donald Trumps trip to Vietnam on the sidelines of the US-Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea summit. The US official expressed his hope that the two sides continue to push up the cooperation in the time to come and highly valued Vietnams provision of information for the US side on Vietnams advocates in the financial and monetary fields, and asked Vietnam to continue exchanging ideas with the US side on this matter. The two sides agreed to continue further intensifying their cooperation in financial monetary, economic trade spheres and investment, thus making important contribution to the maintenance and acceleration of the bilateral relations towards the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam US diplomatic relations next year.-VNA Vietnam wants to promote comprehensive relations with Bhutan, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a reception for visiting Chairman of the National Council (Upper House) of Bhutan Tashi Dorji. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chairman of the National Council (Upper House) of Bhutan Tashi Dorji He said the two countries have a lot of historical, cultural, and religious similarities, so they are able to cooperate and share experience in national building and development. The PM congratulated Bhutan on the achievements it has gained over the years. Despite its small population, Bhutan prides itself on having one of the highest happiness indexes in the world, he said. Chairman Tashi Dorji highly appreciated Vietnams organisation of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 celebration. He said Bhutan has set up diplomatic relations with 36 countries in the world, including Vietnam. The two sides share many similarities in landscape, religion, and people, which are favourable conditions for developing the bilateral ties, he added. Bhutan is working closely with Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs to set up a bilateral consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, he said. He added that Bhutan is also pushing ahead with agricultural reform and mechanisation, hoping to collaborate with Vietnam in agriculture, including importing farming machines from Vietnam and learning from the countrys experience in developing agriculture. Dorji suggested increasing all-level delegation exchanges between the two sides and noted that the number of Vietnamese tourists to Bhutan is increasing. PM Phuc hailed the opinions of the Bhutan chairman and asked him to pay attention to promoting several activities, such as high-level delegations and people-to-people exchanges. He urged the two sides to soon sign a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, and another on bilateral consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries to help promote cooperation in various fields. As bilateral trade remains modest, the PM suggested the two countries enhance cooperation in fields of Bhutans interest, such as machinery and components for agriculture and manufacturing, as well as wooden furniture. He recommended that the two sides boost their tourism partnership by conducting direct charter flights to tap into their cultural similarities, especially Buddhism. The PM hoped Bhutan will continue to create the optimal conditions for Vietnamese citizens to live and work there. Vietnam is willing to share experience in the field of agriculture with Bhutan, he affirmed. He also called on Bhutan to continue supporting and cooperating closely with Vietnam to ensure consensus at international and regional organisations which both are members to. Top legislator holds talks with Bhutans National Council Chairman Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (right) and Chairman of the National Council (Upper House) of Bhutan Tashi Dorji Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on May 13 held talks with Chairman of the National Council (Upper House) of Bhutan Tashi Dorji, who is in Vietnam for an official visit and to attend the 16th UN Day of Vesak. This is the first official visit to Vietnam by a high-ranking Bhutan leader since the two countries set up diplomatic ties in 2012, Ngan said. The Vietnamese top legislator expressed her belief that the visit will significantly contribute to building and promoting the fruitful friendship between the two States and their peoples. She congratulated Tashi Dorji on his election as Chairman of the National Council of Bhutan, and believed that under the leadership of the Chairman and other leaders, Bhutan people will reap more successes and the country will become more prosperous. For his part, Tashi Dorji congratulated Ngan for being Vietnams first NA Chairwoman and expressed his fine impression on Vietnamese land and people. He spoke highly of Vietnams organisation of the 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 which is taking place at the Tam Chuc Buddhism Culture Centre in Kim Bang district of northern Ha Nam province from May 12-14. NA Chairwoman Ngan briefed her guest on Vietnams socio-political-economic situation, saying the countrys economy grew 7.08 percent in 2018, the highest pace since 2008. Last year, the number of foreign tourists to the country hit a record high of 15.5 million. Besides, Vietnam has become a destination of foreign investors, with 26,000 projects valued at 334 billion USD from 126 countries and territories worldwide. In the sphere of trade, Vietnam ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific, signed and implemented 12 free trade agreements (FTAs) and is negotiating four others, both bilateral and multilateral. Of note, the countrys hosting of the second summit between the US and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Hanoi last February has proven its position as well as international confidence in the country as a responsible member of the world community that can contribute to peace, security and stability in the region and the world at large, she said. The Vietnamese NA leader congratulated Bhutan for achievements that the country with the highest Gross Happiness Index in the world - has gained so far. At the talks, the two leaders agreed that since the two countries set up diplomatic relations in 2012, the bilateral friendship and cooperation have been growing but yet to match the strength and potential of both sides. Dorji held that Vietnam and Bhutan share many similarities in culture and religion, especially Buddhism values and love for peace. Therefore, the two sides can share experience in national development and expand partnership in various areas Amidst the modest bilateral trade, the two countries should foster collaboration through the use of chartered flights, encouraging localities to strengthen their connections, while fostering the affiliation between the two national tourism agencies, he stated. Ngan expressed her hope that the Chairman will help increase exchanges of delegations at all levels and through all channels such as Party, State, National Assembly, localities and people-to-people contacts, thus enhancing mutual understanding and trust. Alongside, Bhutan should give more favourable conditions for Vietnamese firms to seek business opportunities in the country, especially in areas of Bhutans demand such as agricultural machineries and tourism. The Vietnamese top legislator declared that Vietnam is willing to share experience with Bhutan in economic development, especially agriculture, rural development, education and social welfare. She proposed that the two sides soon sign an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, while considering the appointment of Honorary Consuls in each country to act as bridges for bilateral friendship. Regarding regional and international issues, Ngan thanked Bhutan for supporting Vietnam at international organisations, showing her hope that Bhutan will continue collaborating closely with Vietnam for a consensus voice at organisations of which both countries are members. Currently, Vietnam has been nominated as the only candidate of the Asia-Pacific region for the seat of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, she noted, expressing her wish that Bhutan will soon voice its support to Vietnam in the field. Speaking highly of Vietnams great achievements, Dorji stressed that the country has risen to stardom as a good economic development model in the region amid various challenges, and hoped it will reap further success in the time ahead. He suggested Vietnam and Bhutan promote bilateral cooperation in agriculture. As Bhutan sees Vietnam as a role model in agricultural development, particularly agriculture mechanization. Regarding the tourism sector, he said that Bhutan, with a total population of 700,000 people, focuses on high-quality tourism, and has policies to limit the number of foreign visitors so as to protect the environment. However, as the country looks to welcome more Vietnamese nationals, he expressed his hope that the Tourism Council of Bhutan and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will work together to promote cooperation in the coming time. Touching on supporting Vietnam to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said that he will relay the issue to the parliament and the foreign minister for consideration. Last year, the two foreign ministers discussed measures to set up a bilateral consultation mechanism, he said, wishing that with sound coordination, they will successfully organise their first meeting in 2019. At the talk, he briefed NA Chairwoman Ngan on Bhutans parliament, with three tenures since 2008, while hoping to learn experiences from neighbouring countries, including Vietnam. The Vietnamese top legislator, for her part, highlighted that since its establishment more than seven decades ago, the Vietnamese National Assembly has had many reforms in its operation and activities and affirmed its increasing role in the countrys political life. She wished that the two parliaments will bolster delegation exchanges at all levels, as well as promote coordination and support for each other at international parliamentary forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The same day, NA Chairwoman Ngan hosted a banquet for a high-ranking delegation from Bhutan, led by Tashi Dorji. VNA Weve written about Cult Gaia dupes before, but our past pick had one caveat a VINGTA logo on the handle, announcing that the bag was not actually from the buzzy brand. This logo-free choice resolves that issue, and reviewers laud it as an alternative to the original for a fraction of the price. I really wanted the Cult Gaia Ark bag, however starting at $150 for a bag I probably wont use that often it just wasnt worth it to me! I came across this on a bloggers site and couldnt believe my eyes, says one shopper. I got the small and happy I did because it is the perfect size for me, it will fit a book, sunglasses, phone, lipstick, and some other tchotchkes, the large wouldve been just too big for me. I highly recommend this, looks just like the $150 purse, no one will know the difference! Another writes, The Cult Gaia handbag is the real knockoff. They took an old design, and increased the price by 100 percent. I absolutely love that I can get the exact same bag for a much more reasonable price. In your eye, Cult Gaia, lol! And practically speaking, the bags slatted design works well for the beach. No sand in my car since it all falls right out! says one reviewers. Another notes its durability: It is very sturdy. It held up in the rain, sand, traveling through busy airports, etc. The volume of domestic waste water continues to rise, especially in populous areas, challenging management agencies. According to the National Environment Report 2013-2017, which only took into account some major sources of waste water (domestic and industrial waste water, waste water from healthcare and service facilities, craft villages and livestock units), the total discharged waste water by 2017 had reached 100 million cubic meters per day. The Red River Delta and the eastern part of the southern region have the biggest waste water volumes, especially Hanoi and HCMC. The former made up 37 percent and the latter 54 percent of the total waste water volume in their regions. In rural areas, the impact of domestic wastewater on the quality of receiving sources is less than in urban areas. However, the situation is getting worse with many ponds, lakes and canals affected by serious pollution. As of March 2017, Vietnam had 13,394 healthcare facilities, including 1,253 hospitals, 1,037 prevention units and 11,104 medical stations. The healthcare centers with beds alone produce 150,000 cubic meters of waste water a day. As of March 2017, Vietnam had 13,394 healthcare facilities, including 1,253 hospitals, 1,037 prevention units and 11,104 medical stations. The healthcare centers with beds alone produce 150,000 cubic meters of waste water a day. WHO estimated that one small- and medium-scale hospital discharges 200-500 liters of waste water per head per day, while large-scale hospitals discharge 400-700 liters. However, the real volume of waste water collected still depends on the quality of collection systems. The industrial waste water volume depends on the industry development in localities. The figures are 143,000 cubic meters per day in HCMC, 137,000 cubic meters in Binh Duong, 75,000 in Hanoi and 65,000 in Bac NInh. Polluted water sources have harmed the aquatic environment. A report of the General Directorate of Environment showed that most canals, rivers and lakes in inner cities have become polluted. In many urban areas, lakes have become waste water containers, and mass fish deaths at Hoang Cau and West Lakes no longer surprise people. Mining, pulp production, tanning, steel manufacturing, sugar and medicine production cause the most serious pollution. Four provinces in the central coastal provinces saw mass fish deaths several years ago because of the waste water from the Formosa steel manufacturing complex. Cam Dan River in Bac Giang province became polluted because of the waste water from A Cuong Mining JSC. Fish died en masse on Buoi River in Thanh Hoa because of waste water from Hoa Binh Sugar refinery. Representatives of Hoa Binh Sugar Company had to meet fishermen in Buoi River fishing village to give VND1.4 billion in compensation though there was no official conclusion from official agencies. The waste water from mining may contain mud, surfactants and heavy metals, which are major causes behind pollution, cancer and neurotoxicity. RELATED NEWS Polluted waste water causes 2,000 rivers to die City keen to treat 80% of household wastewater, building treatment plants Thanh Lich An ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) workshop on the management of marine plastic pollution opened in Nha Trang, in the central province of Khanh Hoa, on May 13. More than 90 representatives from the ARF are attending the three-day workshop, co-chaired by the governments of Vietnam, the US, and Thailand, as approved by the 25th ARF Ministerial Meeting in Singapore last August. In her opening speech, Caryn R McClelland, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Vietnam, stressed a healthy ocean will contribute to economic growth, create prosperity, and ensure global food security. Experts estimated that 80 percent of marine debris is improper waste disposal from inland sources, while the rest consists of polluted substances from operating ships or abandoned fishing equipment. The pollution has been posing a large threat to coastlines and biodiversity. Such a fact requires a comprehensive set of solutions and coordination from all sides involved to build and implement a strategy on managing and reducing marine plastic waste, she said. Speaking at the workshop, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam ASEAN Department Vu Ho said the country, acknowledging the importance of ocean and marine resources, has built a state management system at sea and on islands. Most recently, the 12th Party Central Committee issued a resolution on sustainable sea economic development by 2030 with a vision to 2045 at its eighth plenary meeting. According to the resolution, the Vietnamese Government has begun making a national action strategy on marine plastic waste management and studies towards build a management policy related to plastic pollution at sea. As heard at the first discussion session, about 8 million tonnes of plastic waste is being dumped into the ocean every year. Five out of the top 10 polluters worldwide are ASEAN member states. Presented with reports focusing on the negative impacts of plastic waste on fishing and aquatic farming in the regional waters, participants pointed to related challenges, practical experiences, and opportunities for cooperation to protect marine environment, as well as to ensure sustainable fishing and food security. VNA Vietnam is ready for new technological models via piloting policies in order to foster the growth of technology businesses in the upcoming time, said Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung. The quantity of technology companies is expected to double from the existing 50,000 after 5 more years, some of which are supposed to become a global giant. Mentioning suitable policies and mechanisms to foster the growth of these tech firms, the Minister said that the recent national forum was the initial step to form a national strategy to develop a community for technology businesses in Vietnam, in hope of designing and creating innovative technology products in the country itself. He added that all suggestions proposed in the forum will be carefully considered to devise the most suitable national strategy to develop Vietnamese tech firms, and that the government are thinking about much longer-term plans where ministries and industries improve standards for Vietnamese products and increase their competitiveness. Minister Hung recommended that the Government should not subsidize these companies, but assign them more challenging tasks so that they have an opportunity to mature and sustainably develop. Talking about the motto Make in Vietnam, the Minister shared that there must be a close cooperation among three specific groups of startup people, who create innovative technology products; startup technology firms, which exploit current technologies to develop new products or solutions for other companies; and giants in the field like FPT Group, VNG, CMC or companies that originally work in other fields of commerce, services, real estates, telecommunications but now wish to digest more into technology. Explaining the idea in more detail, he said that a startup business consisting of a few graduates may earn an income of a few million dollars. Yet they are absolutely unable to manufacture a telecommunications device with the value of hundreds of million dollars. However, giants mentioned above no doubt can fulfill the task successfully. When discussing the readiness of Vietnam to welcome new technological models, Minister Hung affirmed that people normally resist novel ideas since these conflict with current ones. The situation between Grab and traditional taxi companies is a good example. The reality, however, proves that novelty may lead to impressive success. Recently, the new model of sandbox is introduced, where new models are piloted during a period in a certain location for evaluation. Take telecommunications as an example. At the beginning of 2019, the government agreed to experiment using a telecommunications account to pay for goods of small value via Mobile Money despite the significant effect to the bank. The Minister said that the Vietnamese government are willing to pilot new models like fintech, techno-taxi, or even sandbox policy, which clearly demonstrate the open-minded characteristic of the state leaders. Evaluating the level of the Vietnamese human resources in the technology field, Minister Hung commented that challenges from their jobs will force these people to upgrade themselves. They should reskill and upskill to meet the demands from their work. He also mentioned the rich source of Vietnamese IT community in foreign countries, saying that attracting them to start up their own business in Vietnam or contribute their part to Vietnamese tech firms is one very logical solution. SGGP Vien Hong Bitel, a Peru-based subsidiary of military-run telecom group Viettel, has signed a deal worth US$27 million with the Ministry of Education in Peru to provide IT infrastructure for over 1,800 schools in Peru. Bitel staff and Peruvian students pose for a group photo. Bitel has clinched a deal to provide IT infrastructure facilities in over 1,800 schools in Peru PHOTO: COURTESY OF BITEL Bitel will renovate IT facilities and boost internet connections for the schools to improve teaching and learning quality in the Peruvian education sector. The project, divided into four packages, will be executed in 25 provinces and cities of the South American country. This is the highest-value deal that Bitel has won to date. The project will also present an IT solution for use by the Peruvian Government. Winning the deal was the result of Bitels efforts and strategies in reorganizing its business-to-business segment in 2017. Bitels Corporate Customer Center was established one year ago with an initial workforce of 45 people, who were in charge of managing customer groups from the Peruvian Government and retail, banking, education and construction sectors in Peru. The center contributed US$30.8 million in revenue to Bitel last year, up a staggering 82% year-on-year. Further, Bitel is expected to gain an estimated US$40 million in revenue from the center in 2019. SGT Van Ly Vietnam has destroyed over 1.2 million pigs while the African swine fever is still spreading according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Vietnam has destroyed over 1.2 million pigs Reports from the Veterinary Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that as of May 12, African swine fever has been detected in 2,296 communes, 204 districts of 29 provinces and cities. Over 1.22 million pigs have been destroyed, accounting for 4% of Vietnam's farmed pigs. African swine fever has a 100% death rate and there's still no vaccine or cure for the pigs. The virus can be found on the equipment at the farm or on the clothes of the farmers. The situation in Vietnam is still complicated due to a large number of small farms where many people don't pay enough attention to veterinary hygiene and biosafety. Moreover, there are many shortcomings with the culling and slaughtering processes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam has over 2.5 million pig-raising households. Since many are located among the residential areas, especially in the Red River Delta, it's difficult to implement biosafety measures. The hot weather also creates a favourite condition for the virus to spread to other districts and provinces. In some areas, the virus returned after 30 days. The ministry worried that the virus may spread to industrial pig farms. Local authorities, as well as the police and military, were asked to quickly destroy the sick pigs 24 hours after they are found and disinfect the farms as quickly as possible. Localities that have sick pigs should set up a monitoring station to control animal and meat transportation and prevent the disease from spreading. ASF virus has long survival rate in processed meat products A customer selects meat products at a supermarket. The ASF virus can survive for a long time in processed meat products The African swine fever (ASF) virus can survive for several months in processed meat products, such as sausage, jambon and salami, and up to 1,000 days in frozen meat products. The virus strong immune system enables it to survive for 70 minutes at 56 degrees Celsius; 20 minutes at 70 degrees Celsius; and one minute at 100 degrees Celsius, according to Phung Duc Tien, deputy minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Also, it can live comfortably at a pH ranging from 3 to 11.5 and on the surfaces of farming tools, vehicles or the clothes of farmers for many days, Tien said at an online conference on evaluating the threat posed by ASF and mapping out solutions to curb its spread, held on May 13. Data from the National Steering Committee on the prevention and control of ASF show that the disease is contagious, untreatable and fatal in pigs. It has shown complicated development and has rapidly spread to many countries, especially those sharing a border with Vietnam, leaving a major impact on the local livestock sector. ASF can be transmitted quickly among pig herds, especially as many local pig farmers and operators are raising large numbers of pigs but have not met standard farming safety and hygienic regulations. In addition, the transfer and slaughter of pigs suspected of being infected with ASF remain common, said Tien. ASF has hit over 2,200 communes of 204 districts in 29 provinces and cities across the country, with the total number of pigs being culled exceeding 1.2 million, accounting for some 4% of the nations total supply of pigs. The disease has reoccurred in 29 communes of 12 localities. However, the fight against ASF outbreaks has been inefficient, Tien added. Some localities did not take the initiative to monitor and report ASF outbreaks in a timely manner, and local authorities and the competent agencies remained indifferent to the outbreaks. Consequently, pig farmers offloaded their diseased pigs, leading to the spread of the disease. Also, some localities failed to cull diseased pigs within 24 hours of disease detection, or local farmers culled the pigs themselves and threw the carcasses into the rivers. The local livestock sector now faces difficulty in containing the highly contagious disease, which has caused serious economic losses for the country, Tien said. In responding to the complicated development of ASF, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to work with ministries, departments and local authorities to adopt measures to step up pork purchases, slaughter and storage, aiming to ease the pressure of culling diseased pigs and to balance the supplies of pork products for the year-end months. Members of the national steering committee must form working teams for localities to inspect efforts to prevent and fight against ASF. For households and businesses culling pigs, the agriculture ministry and relevant units have to propose appropriate policies to support them, the deputy prime minister stressed. Lao Dong/Dtinews The quality of Vietnams workforce and the role of trade unions in protecting workers must be improved to meet the demands of the 4.0 industry era, experts said during a conference on work quality in foreign-direct invested companies. Restructuring helps form three key categories of agricultural products Firms to drive agriculture restructuring Thua Thien Hues craft villages develop tourism The employment rate remains above 70 per cent but the market faces a lack of highly skilled workers, with the unskilled accounting for 60 per cent of the jobless last year, according to Dr. Pham Ngoc Dinh, a researcher at the Southern Institute of Social Science. Each year, between 700,000 and 800,000 college and university graduates do not find jobs. According to the General Department of Statistics in 2017 employment in agriculture, forestry and fishery accounted for 40.2 per cent of the workforce, although that figure has been declining in recent years. Average productivity in the agriculture, forestry and aquaculture sectors is the lowest among all industries. A report completed in the second quarter of last year found that around 54 per cent of the surveyed workforce had not received education or training for their positions, and only 33 per cent of the workforce thought that their current jobs matched their education. Around 78.3 per cent of the workforce lack qualifications. More than 36 per cent of the workforce is involved in simple labour, and only a small percentage are focused on leadership roles, or mid- and high-level jobs. Associate Professor Banh Quoc Tuan of the HCM City University of Technology said that Vietnam, as part of international integration, would receive more and more highly skilled foreign workers and make more use of automation. According to the International Labour Organisation, within the next 10 years around 70 per cent of positions in Vietnam will be at high risk of being replaced by machines, especially in industries such as textiles and garments, footwear, and electronic manufacturing. Pham Ngoc Dinh said that workforce training should be improved through newer educational methods and curriculum, as well as better teachers and trainers at educational facilities. The unemployed and new graduates also need more assistance to find and access potential employers, he added. Regulations of employment centres and job assistance centres should also be updated. Nguyen Do Truong Son of the Southern Viet Nam Economic Studies Centre under Viet Nam Institute for Development Strategies said the skill level of workers should be improved and that economic re-structuring in rural areas should take advantage of local specialties to promote tourism and handicrafts. Raising awareness among workers of the importance of better skills and career orientation, as well as the role of small to medium sized businesses to the economy, will both be important in the digital transformation era, he said. Trade union role Dr. Pham Ngoc Thanh, director of The University of Labour and Social Affairs in HCM City, said the trend of international integration has changed FDI businesses' strategies, business models and workforce, with some companies using low-cost business strategies which could create conflict with workers' interests. Associate Professor Hoang Thanh Xuan, head of the science department at the Viet Nam Trade Union University, said the 4.0 industry era would affect employee relations within FDI companies, where low-skilled jobs will be replaced by higher skilled ones that require skills for high-tech production systems. In addition, more and more employers are making use of short-term employment or employment without contracts, creating payment inequality between official and unofficial jobs. He said that trade unions should protect the rights of employees in FDI companies, many of which do not have trade unions. The unions should also use the latest digital technologies and include more young people with negotiation skills, he said. The conference was organised by the Trade Union University on May 9. VNS Traffic on the North-South railway route has been at a standstill since Monday morning when a freight train derailed on a stretch in the northern province of Nam Dinh. Passenger train derails at Hanoi's station, no casualties Train derailed in Hanoi A freight train travelling from Nam Dinh to Hanoi derailed on Monday morning, bringing the North-South railway to a standstill. VNA/VNS Photo Van Dat Witnesses reported that the train was travelling from Nam Dinh to Hanoi and was involved in the accident at about 9am when it passed a crossing leading to My Hung Communes Peoples Committee in My Loc District. Some carriages derailed and one carriage was flipped over. Pham Thi Ha, a witness told Vietnam News Agency that the train was travelling at a normal speed and did not collide with any obstacle when the accident occurred. The derailment destroyed 600m of track. No casualties were reported. Hundreds of workers and machines have been mobilised to the scene to repair the line and resume the operation of the route as soon as possible. The cause of the accident is being investigated. According to the Railway Department of the transport ministry, at least four derailments have been reported on the North-South railway route since the beginning of this year. VNS The impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) on Buddhism was discussed yesterday as part of the ongoing 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 in Ha Nam Province. The robot, named Enlightened Novice 4.0, was introduced at the Giac Ngo Pagoda in HCM City, which employed AI and latest robotic technology to help spread Buddhist wisdom through its capacity to chant 100 sutras and answer some 3,000 questions about Buddhism. International and Vietnamese scholars and Buddhist dignitaries shared ideas on how Buddhism has adapted to Industry 4.0 and utilised digitalisation to preserve Buddhist values and promote the religion. Simerjit Kaur, a lecturer from the Department of Buddhist Studies, Kalindi College, University of Delhi, India highlighted the drastic changes Industry 4.0 has brought in all aspects of life. He noted the scope and scale of benefits that people have gained from the Fourth Industrial Revolution while pointing out social challenges, such as growth of cities, slums, frustration, fear of security and emotional discrimination. The result of this impact is more or less marked as an atmosphere of unrest, inequality, unhappiness, stressful life, violence, conflict, mistrust etc. all over the world, he said, adding in such a scenario, the principles and values in Buddhism could help. As we know Buddhism, with its ethical norms and values, deals mainly with existential problems of human being and strives to establish the regime of happiness and peace in the world. Applying Buddhist approach helps resolve the human-created problems along with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, said Simerjit Kaur. William Beaumont Edwards from Vipassana Buddhist Church, Centre for Buddhist Development, US, also acknowledged the massive shift in human civilisation in Industry 4.0. He expressed his belief on how well-prepared Buddhism is to accept Industry 4.0s civilisation changing dynamics. I think we can all agree that the resiliency of Buddhism, unlike many of the world religious traditions, has had the ability to obligingly adapt and easily survive any change in those dynamics with which it is presented. Meanwhile, Alex Amies from Google talked about how the Fourth Industrial Revolutions achievements should be used for serving Buddhist communities, such as software and web applications to help broaden access to Buddhist resources. He said he hopes evolving technologies can bring more improvements to Buddhist resources, including large-scale translations of Buddhist texts. Mindful leadership for world peace Also yesterday, the scholars, delegates and Buddhist dignitaries discussed different approaches to mindful political leadership to strengthen peace under a Buddhist perspective. During a seminar participants shared their knowledge and international studies on how to train and master mindful leadership for world peace and happiness. Professor Biman Chandra Barua from the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the Bangladeshi University of Dhaka said Buddhism was considered one of the major religions in the universe. It is not only a religion but also provides guidelines for people to lead a decent and peaceful way of life. He attached significance to good governance in every state, region and country in order to bring happiness and peace, particularly amidst contemporary social injustice, wars and conflicts. Transparency, equity, equality, rules and regulations need to be exercised in every aspect of life for ensuring good governance, he said. According to the professor, political leaders who exercised the ten royal virtues of Buddhism could deliver peaceful and happy governance, thus making a prosperous, happy and healthy society. Mutual respect, relationships, accountability and transparency can be achieved through practicing the ten Buddhist royal virtues. These virtues bring happiness, peace and spiritual development which are essential for a nation, he said. A country or state could not be corrupted or unhappy if these royal ten virtues are practiced and applied in every sector of life guided by Lord Buddha, he added. In his presentation, Can Dong Guo from the Canadian Academy of Wisdom and Enlightenment underlined the complexities of global conflicts, saying global leadership for sustainable peace was a colossal task for great minds. Traditional Buddhist mindfulness training such as various meditation techniques are designed to discipline the mind to concentrate and focus, he said. He described the Buddhist logic as a gold mine which was unearthed to serve as a critical thinking tool, providing political leaders the necessary mindset to comprehend complex problems. Meanwhile, Benjamin Joseph Goldstein, M.A. in Religious Studies from the US Naropa University, expressed his belief that leadership informed by Buddhist principles could be applied to deliver sustainable peace. There is a great deal that may be learned through applying some of the insights of Buddhist teachings to the cause of promoting healthy leadership, he underscored. During the event, participants also heard discussions about Buddhist orientation for leadership and sustainable peace, a Buddhist approach to universal ethnics through good governance, as well as the logic and correct mindset that peacemaking leaders must acquire. Vesak 2019: Flower-shaped lantern floated to pray for global peace The Tam Chuc Buddhist Cultural Centre in the northern province of Ha Nam was illuminated with tens of thousands of flower-shaped lanterns on May 13. The Tam Chuc Buddhist Cultural Centre in the northern province of Ha Nam was illuminated with tens of thousands of flower-shaped lanterns on May 13 night during the 16th United Nations Day for Vesak (Vesak 2019) to pray for global peace. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, leaders of ministries, branches and localities, and many domestic and foreign Buddhist followers. In his remarks, Deputy PM Minh expressed his delight to welcome foreign delegates who come to honour the values of Buddhism during the Vesak 2019. He stressed that Vesak 2019 is an important event in the religious life of Buddhist followers worldwide, and it offers an opportunity for them to meet and pervade Buddhism values of tolerance, altruism, harmony and peace. As the world is facing grave risks of wars, conflicts, stability and natural disasters which drive millions of people to unhappy life, he called the Buddhist followers and people all around the world to intensify friendship, tighten cooperation and promote values of Buddhism to build peace, contributing to settling challenges and conflicts and alleviating poverty. He hoped that Vietnamese people and Buddhist followers will continue enhancing Buddhisms quintessence, enrich Vietnamese culture as well as well respect current regulations on religion, making contributions to building a peaceful Vietnam with sustainable development. "Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the years most sacred day to the millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha passed away. The UNs commemoration of Vesak has been held for three times in Vietnam so far. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014. The Vesak 2019 brings together 1,650 international delegates from 112 countries and territories worldwide. Vesak 2019: Myanmar President visits Ha Long Bay Ha Long Bay President of Myanmar Win Myint, his spouse, and a Myanmar delegation toured the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh on May 13 as part of their visit to Vietnam to attend the UN Day of Vesak. Welcoming the delegation at Tuan Chau International port, Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Nguyen Van Thang briefed the guests on local socio-economic achievements and the outstanding geological value of Ha Long Bay. He wished the delegation a successful trip in Vietnam. Myanmar President Win Myint, for his part, thanked the warm welcome of Quang Ninh province, and expressed his hope that it will reap further achievements in the time ahead. The 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 is currently taking place at the Tam Chuc Buddhism Culture Centre in Kim Bang district of northern Ha Nam province, lasting from May 12-14. Vesak 2019: Buddhism moves to adapt to FIR The impacts made by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR) on Buddhism was among the topics for discussions on May 13 as part of the ongoing 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 in Ha Nam province. International and Vietnamese scholars and Buddhist dignitaries shared their ideas on how Buddhism has adapted to IR 4.0 and utilised the digitalisation era to preserve Buddhist values and further promote the religion worldwide. Simerjit Kaur Lecturer from the Department of Buddhist Studies, Kalindi College, University of Delhi, India highlighted the drastic changes FIR has brought forth in all aspects of life. He showed his agreement on the scope and scale of benefits that people have gained from FIR while pointing out social challenges, such as growth of cities, urban slums, frustration, fear of security, emotional discriminations, in the era. The result of this impact is more or less marked as an atmosphere of unrest, inequality, unhappiness, stressful life, violence, conflict, mistrust etc. all over the world, he said, adding in such as scenario, the principles and values in Buddhism could be of immense help to the world. As we know Buddhism, with its ethical norms and values, deals mainly with existential problems of human being and strives to establish the regime of happiness and peace in the world. Applying Buddhist approach helps resolve the human created problems along with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, said Simerjit Kaur. Rev. William Beaumont Edwards from Vipassana Buddhist Church, Centre for Buddhist Development, USA, also acknowledged the massive shift in human civilization in FIR. He expressed his belief on how well-prepared Buddhism is to accept FIRs civilization changing dynamics. I think we can all agree that the resiliency of Buddhism, unlike many of the world religious traditions, has had the ability to obligingly adapt and easily survive any change in those dynamics with which it is presented. Meanwhile, Alex Amies from US Google Inc., talked about how FIR achievements should be used for serving Buddhist communities, such as software and web application be developed to help broaden access to Buddhist resources. He said he hopes that the evolving technologies can bring more improvements to Buddhist resources, including large scale translation of Buddhist texts. The 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 is taking place in Vietnam under the theme Buddhist approach to global leadership and shared responsibilities for sustainable societies. Five sub-themes are being discussed in groups on May 13, namely Mindful leadership for sustainable peace, Buddhist approach to harmonious families, healthcare and sustainable society, Buddhist approach to global education in Ethics, Buddhism and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and Buddhist approach to responsible consumption and sustainable development. This year marks the third time Vietnam has hosted the UN Vesak celebration. It brings together more than 1,650 international delegates from 112 countries and territories across the world and over 20,000 Vietnamese Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014. Vesak 2019: Seminar talks mindful leadership for world peace International and Vietnamese scholars, delegates and Buddhist dignitaries talked approaches to mindful political leadership to strengthen peace under Buddhist perspective at a seminar on May 13 in Ha Nam province. During the event that took place as part of the ongoing UN Day of Vesak celebration at Tam Chuc Pagoda, participants shared their knowledge and international studies on how to train and master mindful leadership for world peace and happiness of people. Prof. Biman Chandra Barua from Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Bangladeshi University of Dhaka, said Buddhism is considered one of the major religions in the universe. It is not only a religion but also provides guidelines for people to lead a decent and peaceful way of life. He attached significance to good governance role in every state, regions and country in order to bring happiness and peace, particularly among contemporary social injustice, wars and conflicts. Transparency, equity, equality, rules, and regulations need to be exercised in every aspect of life for ensuring good governance, he said. According to the Bangladeshi professor, political leaders who exercise ten royal virtues of Buddhism can deliver peaceful and happy governance, thus making a prosperous, happy, and healthy society of the state, regions, and countries. Mutual respects, relationship, accountability and transparency can be achieved through practicing ten Buddhist royal virtues. These virtues bring happiness, peace and spiritual development which are very essential for a nation, said Prof. Biman Chandra Barua. A country or a state could not be corrupted or unhappy if these royal ten virtues are practiced and applied in every sector of life guided by the Lord Buddha, he added. In his presentation, Can Dong Guo from Canadian Academy of Wisdom and Enlightenment, underlined the complexities of global conflicts, saying global leadership for sustainable peace is a colossal task for great minds. Traditional Buddhist mindfulness training such as various meditation techniques are designed to discipline the mind to concentrate and focus, he said. He described the Buddhist logic as a gold mine which is unearthed to serve as critical thinking tools, providing political leaders the necessary mindset to comprehend complex problems. Meanwhile, Benjamin Joseph Goldstein, M.A. in Religious Studies from the US Naropa University, expressed his belief that leadership informed by Buddhist principles can be applied in service to deliver sustainable peace. There is a great deal that may be learned through applying some of the insights of Buddhist teachings to the cause of promoting healthy leadership, he underscored. During the event, participants also heard discussions about Buddhist orientation for leadership and sustainable peace, Buddhist approach to universal ethnics through good governance, as well as the logic and correct mindset that peace-making leaders must acquire. The 16th UN Day of Vesak 2019 is taking place in Vietnam from May 12-14 under the theme Buddhist approach to global leadership and shared responsibilities for sustainable societies. Five sub-themes are being discussed in groups on May 13, namely Mindful leadership for sustainable peace, Buddhist approach to harmonious families, healthcare and sustainable society, Buddhist approach to global education in Ethics, Buddhism and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and Buddhist approach to responsible consumption and sustainable development. This year marks the third time Vietnam has hosted the UN Vesak celebration. It brings together more than 1,650 international delegates from 112 countries and territories across the world and over 20,000 Vietnamese Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and the northern province of Ninh Binh in 2014. VN Government official hopes for RoK support for Buddhist activities Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vu Chien Thang has expressed his wish that the Republic of Korea (RoK) would continue supporting Vietnamese followers living and working in the country with Buddhist activities. During a reception in the northern province of Ha Nam on May 13 for Most Venerable You Franhk Jeean, head of the RoKs delegation to the ongoing United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 celebration, Thang said Vietnam and the RoK have achieved great progress in a diverse range of areas, with Vietnams major Buddhist events receiving support from the RoK. Jeean, for his part, spoke highly of Vietnams preparations for the UN Day of Vesak 2019 and bilateral Buddhism relations, especially the establishment of Vietnamese Buddhist associations in the RoK. He highly valued the Vietnamese Governments support for Buddhism and its activities. During a meeting with overseas Vietnamese attending the UN Day of Vesak, Thang lauded them for their contributions to social welfares and socio-economic development at home, adding that the establishment of Buddhist chapters abroad also contributes to popularising Vietnams spiritual culture. Thang vowed to work closely with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to heed the spiritual lives of Vietnamese Buddhists abroad. Representatives of overseas Vietnamese communities shared some of the advantages and disadvantages in conducting Buddhist activities abroad, adding that spiritual cultural activities help introduce Vietnamese life to international friends. VNS/VNA Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung on Monday asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to complete a draft plan on measures to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF). African Swine Fever continues raging Central Vietnam African swine fever spreads to 13 localities Health workers dispose of suspected ill pigs as Dong Phu District in the southern province of Binh Phuoc, neighbouring HCM City to the north, declared on Saturday that African swine fever had reached the locality. VNA/VNS Photo Dau Tat Thanh Speaking to an online conference on ASF prevention and control, Deputy PM Dung emphasised that the measures must match the unique situation of each locality. They must be effective and protect the environment. The ministry should also issue guidelines on how to slaughter pigs in affected areas under supervision of animal health organisations. Dung said ASF was a dangerous disease, and the Government and local authorities had immediately taken preventative measures when it first appeared. However, there was still a high risk it would continue to spread, he said. Dung asked localities to continue implementing preventative measures. Ministries involved in steering committees working to prevent the disease's spread must start inspection teams to supervise the work in provinces and cities based on the Law on Animal Health. Recently several localities did not have enough space to dispose of sick pigs, and several others, such as the northern province of Bac Giang, threw the dead pigs away," said Dung. "Localities must pay attention and give strict punishments to violators." Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that ASF remained a worry, and could enter large-scale breeding operations, which would have serious consequences. How to limit the spread and minimise losses is the biggest problem at present, he said. Cuong said the ministry would propose a support policy for enterprises that suffer losses due to the disease. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An said the market watch had recently conducted checks on more than 200 enterprises and culled more than 1,500 pigs. An asked other sectors, such as the medical and animal health fields, to give guidance to residents about processing and consuming pork. The northern province of Hung Yen recently held a conference on safe pork promotion. An said it was a good example of how to demonstrate pork is safe to eat even in the context of ASF. As of last Sunday, ASF was reported in nearly 3,000 communes in 204 districts of 29 provinces and cities. More than 1.2 million pigs were culled. As many as 29 communes were hit by the disease again more than 30 days after the last infected pig was culled. Localities have been working to protect breeding pigs and get ready to restore production in affected provinces and cities. So far, 740 breeding centres have been issued certificates showing they were safe from the disease. VNS The authorities of South Koreas Jeju Island will provide financial support of four to seven million won (nearly US$3,400-5,900) per flight to Vietnamese travel firms taking tourists to the island on chartered flights this year. Stone statues are seen at a corner of Jeju Island. The Jeju authorities will support Vietnamese travel firms taking tourists to the island this year - PHOTO: OFFICE OF JEJU TOURISM ORGANIZATION IN VIETNAM According to the office of the Jeju Tourism Organization in Vietnam, travel firms operating at least five regular direct chartered flights to Jeju per month will receive four million won per flight. Meanwhile, those operating less than four irregular chartered flights to the island will receive seven million won per flight. The financial support also differs according to the number of tourists on the flights. For example, if tourists occupy at least 90% of the seats on a flight, the travel firm will receive an extra bonus of one million won per flight. The support drops by one million won if the occupancy rate on a flight reaches 50%-70%. In addition, tour operators will have to let their customers stay at four- to five-star hotels, or let them stay at three-star hotels and pay the fees for them at four private tourist sites. Last year, the Jeju government supported 16 chartered flights operated by Vietnamese travel firms, mainly those departing from Danang and Hanoi. Jeju welcomed some 30,000 Vietnamese visitors last year, up over 24% year-on-year. The island authorities expect an equivalent growth rate this year. Vietnamese tourists flying to Jeju on direct chartered flights can still enjoy visa-free entry. SGT Dao Loan Infosys Foundation - the philanthropic and CSR arm of IT giant Infosys - has refuted reports of violating the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, or FCRA, leading to the cancellation of its registration. "Infosys Foundation would like to clarify that it has not violated any FCRA norms and was de-registered from FCRA following its request to the Ministry," the company said in a statement. The company made it clear that the Foundation was registered under the FCRA Act in January 2016. However, in May 2016, the government introduced a retrospective proviso to Section 2 (1) (j)(vi) effective September 2010 in the Finance Bill to exclude certain category of companies/people to be exempt from contributions falling under 'foreign source'. By the virtue of the said amendment, the Foundation was well outside the purview of the FCRA Act. The company further said that the Foundation applied for its deregistration from FCRA with an additional request to cancel the FCRA registration in June 2016, and received acknowledgement from the FCRA wing in the same month. Refuting the reports that the company had not made necessary statutory filing, which led to the home ministry cancelling its registration, Infosys clarified that the Foundation had submitted its annual returns for the last three years - FY16, FY17 and FY18 - even though it was outside the purview of the Act and such disclosures were not even required. The Foundation said it had not received any notice from any ministry to file returns pertaining to FCRA Act after April 2018. Infosys Foundation, established in 1996, is currently headed by Sudha Murthy, the wife of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy. Foundation runs several programs in areas of education, rural development, healthcare, arts and culture and destitute care. Also read: Infosys blames H-1B visa denials for high attrition Also read: Home Ministry cancels registration of Infosys Foundation over FCRA violation Caracas, Miranda/Venezuela - January 23rd 2019: President of Venezuelan National Assembly Juan Guaido talks to the people during a rally. - Image Quoting Donald Trump During the 2016 President Campaign, President Trump declared I love war! By James DiGeorgia With that in mind we have a large naval force moving into the Persian Gulf, and forces on alert throughout the Middle East. At the same time, Washington appears ready to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from office by force. Over the weekend Juan Guaido, Venezuelas opposition leader appears to have decided to accept Washingtons military solution by instructing his Washington envoy to meet with Pentagon officials to cooperate on a military solution to the countrys political turmoil. Make no mistake about it. When you abandon all hope for a political solution and seek to cooperate on a military solution for political turmoil, youre rushing forward towards a war. Juan Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of Venezuelas legislature, declared himself the nations legitimate President in January, and has since, been attempting to oust embattled President Nicolas Maduro, with protests, demonstrations, military defections and with the threat of military action by the US if necessary. Guaidos announcement at a political rally on Saturday We have said from the beginning that we will use all the resources at our disposal to build pressure. We have instructed our ambassador Carlos Vecchio to meet immediately... with the Southern Command and its admiral to establish a direct relationship, The U.S. Southern Command had already Tweeted on Thursday that it was prepared to discuss how to support the future role of Venezuelan armed force leaders who restore constitutional order in the country When invited by [Juan Guaido] & the legitimate government of Venezuela, we look forward to discussing how we can support the future role of those [Venezuelan naval] leaders who make the right decision, the body said. Meanwhile, Vladimir Padrino, Venezuelas defense minister, said a US coast guard ship had entered the countrys territorial waters on Saturday, a move he said the Maduro administration would not accept. A spokesperson for the Southern Command dismissed the news on Friday, saying the U.S. coast guard vessel would be conducting a counterdrug detection and monitoring mission in international waters. Earlier last week Mr. Guaido told an Italian newspaper that he would probably accept a US military intervention in Venezuela. But the Trump administration officials have repeatedly let it be known that all options are on the table to remove Mr. Maduro. Both Maduro and Guaido are accusing one another of trying to orchestrate a coup. Mr. Guaido alleges that Maduro stole the election last year and attempted an unsuccessful military uprising against Mr. Maduro last week with the backing of the U.S. and 50 other nations. He declared himself the countrys legitimate president in January, backed by the, but has been unable to remove Mr. Maduro or win the backing of Venezuelas military leaders. Nicolas Maduro reacted to failed military takeover by ordering the arrests of key supporters of Guaido including his deputy Edgar Zambrano, who remained locked in his car while being towed to prison and his first vice president. Mr. Guaido claimed in a post on Twitter and during a rally on Saturday We live in a dictatorship! We dont have the option to stay at home waiting, but to keep demanding our rights in the streets. WATERLOO The First United Methodist Church on Fourth and Randolph is planning a free neighborhood meal from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday. The menu will include teriyaki chicken, salad and dessert. Everyone is welcome. Rails to Trails event Saturday GILBERTVILLE The Friends of the Gilbertville Depot will host a Rails to Trails event from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Gilbertville Depot on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. WCF&N Railway and Cedar Valley Nature Trail history will be featured. The trail has been designated as a vital part of the Rails to Trails Conservancys Great American Rail-Trail. The event is free and open to the public. Legion plans weekly events WATERLOO American Legion Post 138 at 728 Commercial St. has several events planned. Bingo is planned at 6:15 p.m. today, with food served. Polish sausage, tenderloin and steak sandwich will be served starting at noon Wednesday. Auxiliary meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, and the kitchen is open from 5 to 7 p.m. Bingo specials at 6:15 p.m. Friday, with food served. A pepper tournament will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. Breakfast served from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, with a bake sale also available. Breakfast slated in New Hartford NEW HARTFORD An omelet and pancake breakfast is set for 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday at the New Hartford Community Building. There also will be a bake sale as a Beaver Creek Days fundraiser. Old-time meal set in Aurora AURORA Richardson-Jakway House will host an old-time meal at 5 p.m. May 22 at 2791 136th St. Old fashioned pork chops, lettuce salad, baked potato, creamed carrots, Amish bread with jam, and a homemade rhubarb dessert are on the menu. A program about heirloom seeds presented by Seed Saver Exchange will follow the meal. The event is fundraiser for the historic site, which dates to 1851, and the Richardson-Jakway Foundation. Cost is $20. To register, go to www.buchanancountyparks.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO A Waterloo man faces a possible life prison sentence for raping a man with developmental disabilities in his studio apartment in 2017. William Breeze Riley, 67, waived his right to a jury trial, and on Monday District Court Judge Andrea Dryer announced she had found him guilty of third-degree sexual abuse. The charge normally carries a 10-year prison sentence, but because Riley has a prior conviction for raping a woman in April 1988 he faces enhancements that could mean life in prison. Prosecutors said Riley had just been released from prison and met the victim while moving into a University Avenue apartment complex in September 2017. The victim testified they had gone shopping earlier in the day, and Riley bought a pizza that they took to his room. The victim said Riley began performing a sex act on him and pulled him back on to a bed when he tried to leave. The man called police the following day after telling neighbors, and forensic evidence testing found Rileys DNA, according to testimony in court. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 WATERLOO --- A Waterloo sex offender has been sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing a sawed-off shotgun during a high-speed chase in 2018. After Nicholas Allen Gilstrap, 27, finishes his prison time for possession of an unregistered short-barrel shotgun, he will be on supervised release for three years and have to pay $32,000 in restitution for damage to the vehicle he was driving and the garage he hit in the pursuit. His prison time will also be consecutive to state charges. According to police, Gilstrap --- who is required to register as a sex offender because of a lascivious act conviction when he was 16 --- was driving a GMC Envoy in the area of West Fourth and Washington streets on around 3:40 a.m. on May 4, 2018, when a sheriffs deputy spotted him and knew he had an outstanding warrant. The vehicle chase ended when Gilstrap crashed into a garage in the area of Grant and West Fifth streets. He ran off, and authorities found a loaded sawed-off Remington shotgun, trazodone hydrochloride pills and several debit cards belonging to other people. When police got tip that he was in a Waterloo home on May 10, 2018, Gilstrap ran out the back door and ran into a clothes line, breaking the bridge of his nose, according to prosecutors. Love 0 Funny 6 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 1 DES MOINES Washington has dethroned Iowa as the best state in the nation, according to the 2019 Best States rankings from U.S. News & World Report released Monday. Iowa, which held the top spot in the 2018 report, slipped to No. 14 in the new comparisons. In 2017 Iowa rated sixth. According to the U.S. News survey, Iowa ranked second in the opportunity category, up from fourth in 2018 and sixth in 2017. Iowa also gained ground in fiscal stability, moving up to No. 17 from 21. However, Iowa declined from its top five positions in infrastructure, health care and education. And it also lost ground in economy and crime and corrections. Last years category of quality of life included physical and social environment, but this years category of environment was changed to remove the social factor. So the figures are not directly comparable. Iowa is and will always be the best place in America to live, work and raise a family, said Gov. Kim Reynolds in response to the new report. She noted the state still scored high in opportunity, education, fiscal stability and has one of the nations lowest unemployment rates. Iowa Republicans, who made the No. 1 ranking a major rallying point for the 2018 elections, downplayed the states falling status, while Democrats pointed to it as evidence GOP policies are taking the state in the wrong direction. Im not surprised, said Troy Price, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party. Gov. Reynolds clung to this as tight as she possibly could last year and now this same survey is finding that under her leadership were going in the wrong direction. My question is how much is she going to be talking about us having dropped 13 positions in the first year of her time in office? U.S. News & World Report evaluated all 50 states across 77 metrics with thousands of data points in eight categories to capture how states best serve their citizens. Those categories included health care, education, economy, opportunity, infrastructure, crime & corrections, fiscal stability and environment. Health care and education are the most highly weighted factors in the methodology, followed closely by the economy. Iowa topped the 2018 ranking due to its infrastructure, health care, education and quality of life, among other factors. But those categories and the revised environment category declined in the latest assessment. U.S. News officials said the quality of life category was streamlined to reflect more objective, transparent and comparable data. Deidre McPhillips, senior data editor at U.S. News & World Report, said the report uses the most recently available data as of February, which means that the time periods assessed for various metrics range from about 2016 to 2018. The report provides a snapshot in time and should be used to analyze long-term trends, she said. She also said updated methodology was used for the 2019 rankings so direct comparisons were not recommended. That said, McPhillips noted, Iowas rank did drop in several of the categories this year, including health care. A rise in obesity rates in the public health subcategory and an increase in the preventable hospital admissions among Medicare beneficiaries contributed to a drop in that category. McPhillips said Iowa has low unemployment and a high labor force participation rate, but ranks 32nd in economy because it struggles in the business environment subcategory, with a 44 for entrepreneurship/business birthrate and 39 for tax burden. In the natural environment category, Iowa ranks 25th or worse in all four of the metrics. Iowa is No. 4 in the energy subcategory under infrastructure, but 39 in both transportation and broadband, while 21 percent of bridges are considered to be in poor condition. However, the share of roads in poor condition improved from 11 percent in 2016 to 9 percent in 2017. Iowas No. 2 in opportunity captures a states affordability, equality and economic opportunity using 12 measures. It is Iowas strongest category. For the first time, Washington state home to Amazon, Microsoft and Boeing is the No. 1 state in the country thanks to a booming economy and top-five rankings in health care, economy, infrastructure and education. The rest of the top 15: No. 2, New Hampshire; No. 3, Minnesota; No. 4, Utah; No. 5, Vermont; No. 6, Maryland; No. 7, Virginia, No. 8, Massachusetts; No. 9, Nebraska; No. 10 Colorado; No. 11, Wisconsin; No. 12, New Jersey; No. 13, Florida; No. 14, Iowa; No. 15, North Dakota. 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. INDEPENDENCE -- Steve Bullock, governor of Montana and a recently announced presidential candidate, is coming to Independence on Friday. He will visit Em's Coffee Co. at 3 p.m. for a meet and greet. There are now 22 Democratic presidential candidates looking to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Bullock planned to tour Iowa shortly after his announcement. He'll start in Des Moines on Thursday and Newton, Tama, Independence and Dubuque on Friday. On Saturday he'll complete his swing of eastern Iowa with stops in Maquoketa, Clinton and Davenport. Over all he'll make stops in eight counties over the course of three days. Bullock previously was in Cedar Falls in March to campaign for Sen. Eric Giddens during the special election. Bullock has served as Montana's governor for two terms. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO Dozens of residents packed a Waterloo Leisure Services Commission meeting Tuesday to support keeping city parks intact. More than 1,800 residents also signed petitions opposing a proposal from the citys planning department to sell portions of Prairie Grove, Sulentic and Castle Hill parks for housing development. Waterloo has always been known for their park system and has a great park system, said Bob Krogh. I dont think the city wants to lose that. The Leisure Services Commission is an advisory board asked to make a recommendation to the City Council, which ultimately would decide whether to market land on the perimeters of the parks for sale. Many neighbors of those parks have been calling and emailing city officials in opposition to the proposals but got their first chance to speak publicly about the plans during the morning commission meeting in City Hall. Many residents talked about the value of the parks to the citys quality of life and economic development efforts, while others noted they bought their homes along parks with an implied commitment the parks would remain. Mary Sue Adams, who uses a wheelchair to get from her home at Harmony House to Prairie Grove Park, paid for special transportation to get to City Hall and plead for the park to stay as it is. It is a place to get away and be out with nature and feel at one with something I left when I had my stroke and had to be put in a nursing home, Adams said. Other Prairie Grove neighbors said all areas of the 23-acre park at West Fourth Street and Shaulis Road are used regularly. Eric Petersen spoke for residents living near Castle Hill Park, where the city is considering a proposal to sell a wooded lot or two at the parks northern edge. Surely there are other existing Leisure Services assets that could be more readily and profitably developed than a single or multi-building site in an old growth Iowa forest, which can only be reached by old blacktop roads and narrow, rutted driveways, Petersen said. Petersen and others noted the land was donated to the city in 1948 for use as a park. Even though the covenant has expired, he said it would be a dangerous precedent for the city to discount the intent of the donors. I think we all understand what your legal rights are with that, he said. I think theres an integrity issue that pretty seriously needs to be considered. Dale Patnode was one of several residents opposed to the city selling a 1.5-acre lot bordering Sulentic Park just west of the Westridge Child Care Center and Preschool. He said that portion of the park is used as well. To take this away from us and put neighbors in our back yard, thats not what we bought our houses for, he said. Commission member Bob Bamsey made a motion to recommend against selling the parks but got no second. Other commissioners preferred to have the panels parks subcommittee study the matter further before bringing it back for a commission vote in June. Failure to get a second on the motion is not a negative, said commission member Tom Christensen. This is the first weve even looked at things. This is a start. Its not anything other than that. Leisure Services Director Paul Huting said it was gratifying to hear so many residents supporting the parks he and his staff oversee daily. To see the response from the community in favor of keeping the parks as they are is almost overwhelming, he said. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 At his contentious hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General William Barr dropped a big hint about his investigation into the conduct of the Trump-Russia investigation. Many people seem to assume that the only intelligence collection that occurred was a single confidential informant and a FISA warrant, Barr said. I would like to find out whether that is, in fact, true. It strikes me as a fairly anemic effort if that was the counterintelligence effort designed to stop the threat as it is being represented. Here is what he meant: There has been a lot of discussion on the right about the FBIs use of a confidential informant, an England-based college professor named Stefan Halper, to spy on some Trump campaign figures, including the sometime foreign policy volunteer advisers George Papadopoulos and Carter Page. There has also been talk about the FBIs use of a so-called FISA warrant a court-approved permission to wiretap against Page. There was also speculation about other possible FBI surveillance, but the Halper operation and Page FISA case were the only ones definitely known. So Barr was saying that if the FBI really took the Trump-Russia matter seriously, if they thought it was a threat to the republic, would that be all they would do? No other wiretaps or other surveillance? No other confidential informants? Nothing? Given that Barr was already looking into the question, his phrasing suggested he suspected there was more. Sure enough, just days later, The New York Times reported that in the summer of 2016 the FBI sent an undercover agent, a woman who went by the alias Azra Turk, to London to pose as Halpers research assistant and tease information out of Papadopoulos. (The Times was so reluctant to call Turk a spy that it referred to her, in a headline, as a cloaked investigator.) So now there are Halper, Turk and the Page FISA warrant. If they represent the totality of the FBIs surveillance, that would still be a pretty anemic response to what some in the bureau viewed as a full-scale Russian attack on American democracy. So the key question of the Barr investigation will be: Is there more? The answer is not publicly known. But consider this: The Mueller report noted that on Aug. 2, 2017, the Justice Department authorized the special counsel to investigate specific allegations against four Trump campaign officials: Page and Papadopoulos, plus former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former security adviser Michael Flynn. Is it reasonable to believe that the FBI pulled out the big investigative guns, the spies and the wiretap warrant, against the two smaller figures Page and Papadopoulos and not against the far more important figures of Manafort and Flynn? Or if not against them, perhaps against others? It wasnt that long ago, on April 10, when, during another Hill appearance, Barr set off a firestorm by declaring that spying did occur on the Trump campaign. Democrats pounced; how dare Barr call the FBIs investigation spying? Perpetuating conspiracy theories is beneath the office of attorney general, tweeted Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. It is abundantly clear that Barr was correct. He was careful to add that the unknown factor about the spying was whether it was adequately predicated that is, whether the FBI had a legitimate reason to do it. But there was no doubt that spying happened. Now, the question is whether there was more than is now publicly known. Congressional investigators are anxiously awaiting the results of an investigation into at least some of the surveillance by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz. That report is thought to be coming in the next couple of months. They are also watching to see what Barr will investigate on his own. Both are deeply important efforts. Just as the public needed to know what is in the Mueller report, it needs to know about the FBIs secret political operations in the 2016 campaign. Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Three millionaires from the late 19th and early 20th centuries may explain why conservatives are so outraged many young Americans are enamored with democratic socialism. George Westinghouse invented air brakes for trains in 1869, drills for oil and natural gas, central switchboards for telephones and the modern power station to transmit electricity. He paid employees well, established the first pension plan and provided paid vacations, free medical benefits and profit sharing. He created a company town with affordable housing and modern conveniences. Labor leader Samuel Gompers said, If all employers treated their employees like Westinghouse did, there would be no need for unions. Samuel Insull, another patron saint in the electrification of the nation, helped establish the Illinois State Public Utility Commission to ensure companies continued to invest to meet demand at reasonable prices. During the Great Depression, he raised money to supplement the pay for teachers, police and firefighters. George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak, established employee profit-sharing retirement, life insurance, disability and savings plans. He distributed 18 percent of his personal profit to his workers. Eastman promoted diverse hiring women, minorities, the disabled and ex-convicts and donated to black colleges. Contrast that to todays titans of industry so beholden to stockholder value that massive layoffs ensue if quarterly reports indicate profits declined. The Economic Policy Institute reported in 2018 that the average pay of a chief executive officer was 271 times the average worker ($58,000). Pensions in the private sector have become something from a bygone era. According to the Los Angeles Times, annual deductibles in job-based health plans have nearly quadrupled in the past 12 years to more than a $1,300 average, which four in 10 workers lack the savings to cover. Instead of supporting public employees, Republican legislatures have been slashing benefits. Regulatory measures for the public good and the environment have given way to business considerations. Tuition costs have skyrocketed. The prevailing ethic is big tax cuts for the wealthy, while assuaging workers with a pittance. So it shouldnt be surprising a Harris Poll in March found 49 percent of young Americans would prefer living in a socialist country, 73 percent favor universal health care and 67 percent want free college tuition. President Donald Trump and conservative commentators are outraged. Yet Trumps Federal Reserve Board nominee Stephen Moore, founder of the Club for Greed (er, Growth), is the poster man for problem. He stepped aside only after reports he shorted his ex-wife $300,000 on alimony and the IRS $75,000 in taxes. I identify as a capitalist and pragmatic Democratic. Growing up with socialist parents made for nightly contentious dinner debates. They denounced my compassionate business heroes as anomalies and anachronisms. Saul Shapiro is the retired editor of The Courier, living in Cedar Falls. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The collapse of Tata Steel's proposed joint venture with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is "marginally credit negative" for the Indian steel major, a global rating agency has said. The steel major's Indian operation will largely be able to offset the impact of the collapse, it said. "Tata Steel Ltd and Thyssenkrupp AG's decision to cease efforts on their proposed Europe joint venture is marginally credit negative for Tata Steel," S&P Rating said in a bulletin in the wake of the development. This is likely to depress the ratio of funds from operations (FFO) to debt by about 100 basis points across our forecast horizon, it said. Tata Steel and the German conglomerate decided to call off their proposed steel joint venture (JV), expecting the deal to be rejected by the European Commission over "continuing concerns". "The cancellation of the joint venture will also leave Tata Steel exposed to the weaker and more volatile performance of the European operations until the company identifies an alternative strategy to deconsolidate the European operations," the global rating agency said. "However, sustained high steel prices and continued robust profitability of Tata Steel's India business remain the more important factors for our positive rating outlook on the company (BB-/positive)," it said. "We expect supportive steel prices and continued high utilisation in the India business to drive Tata Steel's FFO-to-debt sustainably above 15 per cent over the next six to 12 months. This is notwithstanding the drag from the retention of the Europe business and the lower-than-expected fourth- quarter profitability in 2019," S&P said. The breakup of the proposed JV may also restrict the steel major to go for further acquisition in India. "Any outsized spending by Tata Steel on new acquisitions would be a risk to our estimates, though we view this risk to be low-given that there are no large steel mills left to be auctioned in Indian bankruptcy courts," the bulletin said. 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 could have formed the continent's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal. Also read: Tata Steel, ThyssenKrupp say they expect European Union may block their European joint venture Also read: What is delaying Tata Steel, Thyssenkrupp joint venture in Europe? JAKARTA, Indonesia Two Indonesian women who were sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for Witchcraft have been freed after being acquitted. The two domestic workers returned to Jakarta, Indonesia about two weeks ago on April 24, 2019. The women had been held in Saudi Arabia for almost a decade. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced their release. The two women, Sumartini binti Manaungi Galisung and Warnah binti Niing, were convicted in 2009 by a court in Riyadh. The women were sentenced to death on January 7 of that year by the Riyadh Criminal Court. Sumartini and Warnah both worked in Saudi Arabia as maids. Both were accused of using black magic against their employers; and both had been in jail since their convictions and were awaiting their execution. Sumartini was accused of using Witchcraft to make her employers 17-year old son vanish. The boy was found alive. Warnah was accused of casting a spell on her employers wife that resulted in an unknown illness. The employer recovered. The two womens relationship to Witchcraft is unclear. One commentator to the Middle East Monitor noted that Wica [sic] is a religion that is recognized in the West. Dont burn the witch! Earlier this year, the sentences of the two women were reportedly commuted. They were to have been released in March and sent home. Their employer, however, reportedly objected to their release and appealed. According to BBC, the employers sought to prevent the women from leaving Saudi Arabia even as they were being driven to the airport just after their release. After tough negotiations, the embassy was able to convince the Saudi government that the women could return to their homeland, said Agus Maftuh Abegebriel, Indonesias ambassador to Saudi Arabia to the AFP news agency. The negotiations focused on the safety of the women first, particularly from their Saudi sponsors. The ambassador added that additional negotiations took place around wages and the continued possibility to Indonesian maids to seek work in Saudi Arabia. An Indonesian ministry official, Judha Nugraha, who handles citizen protection told the Jakrata Globe, Most of the witchcraft allegations are reported against Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia because they come from rural areas and often have items with them that raise suspicion among employers or law enforcement officials, who believe those items are used to perform black magic. Sumartini and Warnah had other supporters as well. When Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Indonesia in 2017, street protests demanded the immediate release of the two women. Saudi Arabia is one of a small handful of countries still legally executing individuals for practicing any form of sorcery or witchcraft. Saudi Arabias obsession with persecuting, prosecuting, and executing those accused of Witchcraft is decades old. Under the auspices of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), the governmental theocratic arm charged with maintaining accountability to Islamic doctrine, the Saudi government added to its religious police force a special Anti-Witchcraft Unit in 2009. The purpose of the unit is to educate the public about the evils of sorcery, investigate alleged witches, neutralize their cursed paraphernalia, and disarm their spells. The Saudi Press Agency adds that the Anti-Witchcraft will combat manifestations of polytheism and reliance on other Gods. The unit offers a special hotline to report any magic use. In its 2018 annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that The CPVPV has special units throughout the country to combat sorcery and witchcraft. In December 2017, it also publicized a special training event, in conjunction with the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque, to instruct CPVPV members in Mecca how to identify sorcerous materials. The report added that the accusations of Witchcraft were often brought by employers and that the evidence of Witchcraft involved disrupting Saudi society by dividing families or distorting religious texts. Amnesty International reported last year that Witchcraft is among the crimes for which Saudi Arabia is conducting executions. Amnesty International vagueness of Saudi legislation and the limited and flawed defense protocols available to those accused. Least year during Halloween, for example, 17 Filipina workers in Saudi Arabia were taken into custody after neighbors complained reportedly about noise. Digital payments in India, already witnessing unprecedented activity since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation announcement in 2016, is likely to take a great leap forward post the general elections. The government is now looking to make a quick response (QR) code-based payment method using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) mandatory for all shops and establishments beyond a certain threshold, The Times of India reported. The move had been approved by the GST Council before the Lok Sabha polls juggernaut started rolling and details of the payment mechanism are currently being worked out at the finance ministry. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an umbrella organisation for all retail payments in India with 56 member banks, has reportedly been roped in to roll it out nationally. UPI is a real-time payments system that enables digital transactions between banks without the need to input NFSC code and other bank account details. All users need to do is make sure is that their mobile number is linked to their bank account(s). Sources in the know told the daily that the idea is to introduce the payment mechanism for B2C transactions and bring about behavioural change, adding that consumers opting for this method of payment will be eligible for GST benefits along with establishments. In the medium to long-term, QR codes may also be introduced on invoices. The development is in line with the discussions that the Centre as well as state governments have been having over several months, on leveraging digital payments to guard against GST evasion. Last August, the GST Council had even announced that states would roll out incentives for digital transactions on a pilot basis. The idea was to give customers making payments using Rupay card and BHIM UPI a cashback of 20 per cent of the total GST amount, subject to a cap of Rs 100. The states had to volunteer for this pilot project and Council had decided to take a call on a pan-India implementation based on their experience. Previously states such as West Bengal were reportedly not in favour of the move, arguing that it would be against the interests of rural consumers. But taking cues from success stories globally, including China, the government is now moving full throttle on hashing out the new digital payment architecture. It has cause for optimism - after all, total payments through UPI have shot up to Rs 1.33 lakh crore in March 2019 from a meagre Rs 3.1 crore in August 2016. With PTI inputs Also read: Amazon Pay to enter peer-to-peer payment segment with UPI Also read: BharatPe raises USD 15.5 mn funding from Insight Partners, Sequoia and Beenext Peter Conrad in The Guardian: Liberalism has become a tricky and even dirty term, which may be why it is banished to the subtitle of Adam Gopniks supremely intelligent but tortuous polemical essay. American leftwingers nowadays avoid the adjective and prefer to call themselves progressive. And just what kind of moral adventure does Gopnik have in mind? Amoral options abound: liberality sounds spendthrift and libertinism is certainly decadent. Delacroix envisaged Liberty as a bare-breasted free spirit storming the revolutionary barricades; Bartholdi, designing the statue in New York harbour, dressed her in a ballgown, gave her a spiked crown and made her balefully scowl. Is she a permissive mistress or an antiquated matron whose torch looks like a bludgeon? These are more than semantic queries, because Gopnik alerts us to an emergency. Gangster-style authoritarianism threatens the US, Russia, Hungary, Brazil, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, while our own lying Brexiters prate about national grandeur and use parliamentary proceduralism, as Gopnik shrewdly says, to corrupt and co-opt potential resistance. Can liberal values be revived to save us? More here. Getty Images En espanol | Some of America's 40 million family caregivers would be eligible for up to a $3,000 tax credit to defray some of what they spend to assist their loved ones, under bipartisan measures introduced Tuesday in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. "AARP believes we should support family caregivers as they take on the costs and responsibilities associated with caregiving, David Certner, AARP's legislative counsel and director of legislative policy, says in a letter supporting the Credit for Caring Act. They help make it possible for older adults and people with disabilities to live independently in their homes and communities where they want to be. Among the bill's tax credit eligibility requirements, a health care practitioner would have to certify that the loved one the caregiver is helping meets certain physical and cognitive needs. The caregiver would have to document expenses, and the credit would be 30 percent of the eligible expenses above $2,000. Caregivers would not have to live with the individual they are assisting and would not have to be caring for a legal dependent in order to be eligible for the tax credit. The measures are being sponsored by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Reps. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.). According to AARP researchers, about 40 million family caregivers provide an estimated $470 billion annually in unpaid care to their loved ones. Family caregivers spent nearly 20 percent of their income in 2016 providing care for an adult relative or friend for expenses such as adult day care, transportation, modifications to their loved ones homes and home care aides. Helping a family member also often means the family caregiver has to either leave a job or cut back on how many hours they work. Family caregivers over age 50 who leave the workforce to care for a parent are estimated to lose, on average, more than $300,000 in lifetime income and benefits. "Many family caregivers are using their own life savings, cutting back on personal spending, setting aside less for retirement, or taking out loans to help loved ones live independently, says Nancy LeaMond, AARP chief advocacy and engagement officer. The Credit for Caring Act would help with the financial struggles experienced by too many family caregivers, and we urge Congress to pass it. Cheriss May for AARP Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the House of Representatives passage of the SECURE Act. En espanol | With half of American workers in jobs that do not offer a retirement plan, Congress needs to step in and help close that gap, AARP Board Chair Joan Ruff testified Tuesday at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the challenges of saving for retirement. "Our first goal should be to provide a workplace retirement plan for the 51 million American workers who lack one now, Ruff said. Expanding coverage should be a top priority, she told the senators, including for part-time workers. Twenty-seven million part-time workers do not have access and that is incredibly important to our members. The majority of those part-timers without access to a retirement savings program are women, and they are generally lower wage workers who also tend to spend less time in the workplace because of family caregiving responsibilities, she added. Lawmakers are expected to act on a series of updates and changes to the rules governing retirement savings. Both the Finance Committee chairman, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), and the ranking member, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), said they will push for passage of the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA) of 2019, which AARP supports. A similar bill, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement or SECURE Act, passed the House by a near-unanimous vote and that bill makes it easier for workers to transfer retirement plans when they change jobs and allows part-time workers to save for retirement. Included in RESA are changes to federal law that would: make it easier for businesses to band together to create multiple-employer plans; repeal the age cap (70 1/2) on traditional IRA contributions; allow 401(k) contributions automatically to escalate beyond the current limit of 10 percent of the worker's salary; and provide tax credits to small businesses as an incentive to create retirement savings plans for their employees. Also testifying at Tuesday's hearing was Oregon state treasurer Tobias Read. Oregon created the first-in-the-nation work and save program, under which employers that do not offer their own retirement savings plan automatically enroll their workers in an individual retirement account. Since Oregon enacted its program, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts have passed similar legislation. Read told the senators that since the program launched statewide in the beginning of 2018, more than 78,000 employees have been enrolled. He also cited AARP research that found workers are 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they have an option to do so at work. AARP has been working with state legislatures across the country to get more work and save programs enacted. Ruff urged the senators to allow states to continue to offer these programs to their residents. We believe state programs and federal legislation working together can most effectively offer Americans affordable and appropriate retirement investments, she said. Ruff also asked the committee members to act soon to help the more than 1 million Americans whose multiemployer pension plans are severely underfunded and who are at risk of losing the retirement benefits they have earned and are counting on. Tech behemoth IBM India has reportedly fired nearly 300 employees from its services division as it looks to "re-invent" its operations and fulfill the changing demand of the customers. The US-based IT major let these employees go as it focuses on emerging technology like Artificial Intelligence and reduces exposure to traditional services. The development is in accordance with IBM's strategy to re-invent itself to meet the changing need of the business, the Economic Times quoted an IBM spokesperson as saying. An IBM spokesperson told the leading daily, "This is in accordance with IBM's strategy to re-invent itself to better meet the changing requirements of our business and to pioneer new high-value services." The spokesperson added that IBM remained committed to being an essential part of its (India's) growth. Last year in August, the company asked as many as 200 of its senior employees to quit, making way for juniors to grow. Also Read: Cognizant fires 200 senior level employees; offers them up to 4 months of severance payout Jobs cuts are becoming evident in the IT sector, with US-based IT services company Cognizant firing as many as 200 of its senior employees last week. The company asked its senior level employees to leave as they could not adjust to the "changing environment" of the company by giving them three-fourth months of severance package. The reason behind firing is believed to be Cognizant's focus on "newer digital requirements", the Times of India reported, adding the company would bear around USD 35 million in severance payout to these employees, who include director and above level employees. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar The best athletes, teams, coaches of 2021: South Dakota Sportswriters awards The South Dakota Sportswriters Association honored the best teams, players and coaches in college, high school and independent sports. Rio Rancho High Schools drama teacher, Gael Natal, earned the title of Best Director for her work on the production Beauty and the Beast at Popejoy Halls Enchantment Awards on April 4. I am really thankful to receive such a wonderful honor. I am also so thankful for the community that supports high school theatre in Rio Rancho, Natal said. One of the best things about directing is having all these creative ideas and visions for how you want the show to look and go, she said. To see it actually happen in front of an audience is a wonderful feeling. When they buy into it and love it like you do it, it is very gratifying. Every year RRHS creates a spring musical production. The Enchantment Awards, the equivalent of state competition for musical theater, recognize young actors work, and put nominees talent front and center by allowing them to perform live at the award show, according to the Enchantment Awards website. This years production received 10 nominations, including being one of six musicals nominated in the production category, which recognizes outstanding production, direction and ensembles, according to Rio Rancho Public Schools website. This is the Enchantment Awards fourth year and RRHSs third time being nominated as one of the top musical productions in the state. Although they were defeated this year, RRHS previously won the Best Production award for Big Fish and All Shook Up. Wanting to bring the story of Beauty and the Beast to life on stage, the theater department hired Flying by Foy, an internationally renowned flying company, to install and train students on how to use a flying rig. The flying system was used five times during the production, including when the Beast transformed to a human at the end of the play. Natal said the departments motto is, Go big or go home. A professional flyer came out for three days and trained the students how to use the equipment, she said. The fly rigging required two people per lift, and it was run by our students. Since we are a school, I love expanding our skills and knowledge for each production. The musical also earned nine acting nominations four for supporting actor and five for lead actor. During the award show, the five Rio Rancho students nominated for best lead actor/actress performed a solo number of their choice and an ensemble number of the character they portrayed, according to RRPS website. Rio Ranchos nominees for Best Actor/Actress were: Hailey Allman, for her performance as Mrs. Potts; Chloe Montoya for her role as Belle; Jackson Murrieta, who played Lumiere; Mary Rivera, who also played Mrs. Potts in the opening night and matinee performances; and Walker Sikkens, for his role as the Beast. This was Sikkens third year being nominated for Enchantment Awards. Best Supporting Actor nominations at RRHS went to Johnathan Giese and Jonathan Salazar, who alternated as the evil Gastons sidekick LeFou, and to Christopher Tye and Jaden Musick, who alternated as the castles major-domo-turned-mantel-clock Cogsworth. Natal said she tries to pick productions she knows a lot of people will enjoy. I always know what the shows are about a year ahead of time, she said. I pick something that I get excited about and that I think the community will enjoy. I like to do a big family show every few years weve done Tarzan and Shrek in the past. I knew that we would get a lot of support from the community if we produced a show as wonderful and family-friendly as Beauty and the Beast. It is one of my favorite stories from my childhood, so I was excited to attempt to bring it to life on the stage. Natal said she has begun preparation on next years musical, Freaky Friday, and is working on new, exciting things to incorporate. Monday afternoon a federal jury found 34-year-old Raymond Moya guilty of distributing heroin resulting in death, likely making him the first person convicted of that crime in New Mexico. Moya had supplied heroin to Cameron Weiss, an 18-year-old former La Cueva High School student who had become addicted to drugs following treatment for a sports-related injury. Weiss died from an overdose on Aug. 13, 2011. The jury deliberated for about two hours before finding Moya guilty of distribution of heroin and distribution of heroin resulting in death. He faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. The sentence is enhanced because he has at least four prior felony convictions. His sentencing has yet to be scheduled. New Mexico has been hit hard by the heroin and opioid epidemic that is plaguing our country, Kyle Williamson, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administrations El Paso Division, said in a news release. Drug dealers who fuel this epidemic must be held accountable for their actions, which all too often have lethal consequences. DEA will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who prey on our communities and to do our part to reduce overdose deaths. During the six-day trial in U.S. District Court, Weisss family and friends reconstructed the week leading up to his death. In closing statements, prosecutor Sean Sullivan said the testimony proved Weiss had met a man named Joseph Dyson in jail and Dyson helped him buy heroin from Moya after both were released. Federal authorities had initially charged Dyson with the distribution of heroin resulting in death but he pleaded guilty to a lesser distribution of heroin charged in exchange for agreeing to tell them where he bought the drugs. Sullivan said Weiss and his friend used heroin with Dyson a couple of times the evening before he died and that it was the only heroin they used and the autopsy report showed he died from an overdose of the drug. Attorney Amy Sirignano, who represented Moya along with attorney Jerry Daniel Herrera and paralegal Cynthia Gilbert, said the defense team is sorry for Weisss family but they disagree with the jurys verdict. She said Moya had been addicted to drugs but hasnt used in years. Hes an addict himself, she said. Hes not a huge supplier, were talking about two grams of heroin. Im sure there are bigger fish the government could focus on out there. Sirignano said they are studying the issues and expect to file an appeal. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Amid vocal opposition from the restaurant industry, the Albuquerque City Council last month stopped short of outlawing foam carryout food containers the same way it barred plastic bags. But one Bernalillo County official is making a push to banish those boxes. County Commission Chair Maggie Hart Stebbins is introducing legislation today to ban both single-use plastic bags and single-use foam to-go containers at the point of sale. The law would apply to retailers and restaurants in the unincorporated areas of the county. And its not the only bill shes introducing at the County Commission meeting. She and Debbie OMalley are cosponsoring a paid sick leave proposal that would require businesses with at least two employees to extend the benefit to their workforce. The ban on some plastics, if passed, would take effect Jan. 1. Hart Stebbins said foam is an important contributor to the pollution problem, so she wants the countys ban to include it. Her bill would allow businesses to charge customers up to 5 cents each time they give customers a paper bag, recyclable container or other permitted alternative. I do believe this is the first step in what should be a much broader effort to look at how retail practices affect the environment, Hart Stebbins said. Businesses inside city limits would be subject only to the plastic bag ban passed last month by the City Council and effective Jan. 1. Four city councilors had initially proposed more sweeping legislation, but a last-minute amendment removed language that would have also banned nonrecyclable carryout containers and restricted distribution of plastic straws. Many restaurateurs fought the city proposal, arguing that it presented a financial burden. The citys economic impact analysis found that switching to allowable alternative containers would cost between 5-12 cents more per unit. Not only did restaurants successfully lobby against Albuquerques proposed ban on foam containers, they also were granted an exemption from the citys plastic bag ban. They contend paper bags are impractical or weak options to transport potentially leaky food orders. New Mexico Restaurant Association CEO Carol Wight said Monday she is hoping for a similar result with the county, which can vote on the proposal 30 days after its introduction. There are about 500 restaurants in the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County, according to a county spokesman. Sick leave Hart Stebbins is introducing another business-related bill this week, joining Commissioner OMalley on a proposal requiring employers to offer paid sick leave in the unincorporated areas of the county. There are about 1,350 active commercial business licenses in the county currently. It has been a very important issue for many working families here in Bernalillo County, Hart Stebbins said. A similar bill is currently pending in the city of Albuquerque, a place where 36% of private-sector workers have no paid sick leave, according to a study by the University of New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Hart Stebbins said she has worked with that bills sponsor, City Councilor Pat Davis, in an effort to ensure consistency across jurisdictions. Both proposals would require employers to grant sick leave to all employees, including part-timers and seasonal employees at least 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. But the county ordinance would apply only to businesses with at least two employees and grants exemptions to businesses in their first year. The bills both would allow workers to miss time to tend to their own health care needs or those of a family member. They have broad definitions of family, and would allow the employee to use it to care for spouses/domestic partners, children, parents, siblings, grandparents and others with whom they have close ties. Davis introduced his proposal last December following a series of failed attempts by others to implement paid sick leave. He said he hopes the City Councils Finance and Government Operations Committee will hear it next month. Should it pass committee, it would go to the full City Council. Some business groups have denounced Davis proposal, saying it too closely resembles the Healthy Workforce Ordinance that city voters narrowly voted down in 2017. A coalition of about 30 business organizations actively campaigned against Healthy Workforce, including NAIOP, a commercial real estate development association. NAIOP President Lynne Anderson said she felt blind-sided by the countys proposal and did not see a copy of the legislation until Monday. She said she was not prepared to weigh in on the specifics and could not speak for the coalition. Were going to have to scramble and try to get this out to the people that will be paying for it, she said. But several groups Monday expressed support for the proposal, including AARP, the Center for Civic Policy, the New Mexico Center on Law & Poverty and the United Food & Commercial Workers. BBERs research found that Albuquerques lowest-paid workers were the least likely to have paid sick leave 90% of those with household incomes less than $15,000 presently do not have that benefit. Hart Stebbins said the plastic/foam proposal and paid sick leave bill would likely inspire debate in the weeks to come. We expect to have a dialogue with both individuals and organizations that are in favor and those that are opposed and make sure we come to an acceptable ordinance that works for as many as possible, she said. SANTA FE -Miguel G. Garcia, a former teacher at Mesa Vista High School in northern New Mexico, will serve six years more years in prison in addition to about three years already spent behind bars pending resolution of his case under a sentence handed down Monday on his convictions for raping a student in 2012 and 2103. In March, A Rio Arriba County jury found Garcia guilty on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor in the 4th degree and five counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor in the 4th Degree. District Judge Jason Lidyard sentenced Garcia to 18 years, but with nine years suspended and three years credit for pre-sentencing confinement. After he finishes his prison term, Garcia will be on supervised probation for five years and must register as a sex offender for life. If you victimize a child, my office will use the full force of the law to hold you accountable, District Attorney Marco Serna said in a news release. WASHINGTON Behind the recent admission by a former CIA officer that he plotted to spy for China lies an astonishing tale of Beijings espionage against America and the vindication of other CIA officers who were falsely suspected of being the Chinese mole. This saga has a classic thriller plot, in which a suspect must find the real villain to clear his name. Unfortunately, most of the details of the true-life version remain secret, under seal at the U.S. Attorneys office in Alexandria or in the vaults of the CIA. But knowledgeable sources sketched parts of the story that arent classified. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, who was a CIA case officer from 1994 to 2007, pleaded guilty May 1 to conspiring with Chinese intelligence agents to provide secret information. U.S. officials wont discuss the precise damage Lee did, but intelligence experts believe he was part of an aggressive Chinese spy operation that led to the exposure, arrest and execution of at least 20 CIA sources inside China. For an intelligence service like the CIA, thats as bad as it gets. The resolution of the Lee case comes at a time when the Trump administration (has escalated) its trade war against Beijing to force China to stop stealing commercial secrets and allow fairer trade. The negotiations hit a deadline Friday; the administration raised tariffs to 25% on $200 billion worth of Chinese products. Trumps hard-nosed and sometimes erratic bargaining tactics have roiled financial markets. But as the Lee case shows, the Chinese are hardly innocent victims. They have been burrowing deep into the CIA to steal its most precious secrets, as well as pilfering corporate data wherever they can. Lee pleaded guilty to only one count of conspiracy, and prosecutors said his plea agreement and an accompanying statement of evidence were not intended to be a full enumeration of all of the facts surrounding the defendants case. Asked if Lee had agreed to cooperate with the CIA in sharing additional details, his attorney, Edward B. MacMahon Jr., responded: There is nothing in the plea agreement that deals with his cooperating. The hunt for a Chinese mole began after the CIA started losing its key sources in China in 2010. Lee, who first met with Chinese intelligence officers in April 2010, according to prosecutors, soon came under suspicion. Another suspect was a former senior case officer who had served in China when the blown network of spies was recruited. The senior case officer was eventually cleared, thanks to Chinese tradecraft mistakes that revealed their contact with Lee, a source said. The bungling came in Thailand in 2013, when Chinese spies made a sudden recruitment pitch to a former CIA operative who had worked with the senior case officer. She figured that someone had given the Chinese operative her name and told him it must have been Lee. Her Chinese would-be recruiter then foolishly blurted out: No, Im not handling Jerry. Its another team, according to a knowledgeable source. The former operative and her senior colleague promptly reported the conversation to the FBI, which added the Thailand evidence to its Lee file. In 2012, the FBI had copied two notebooks and a flash drive that Lee brought with him to Hawaii, according to prosecutors. That evidence helped lead to Lees conviction this month. If Lee hadnt made his plea agreement, prosecutors were ready to present evidence about the secret meeting in Thailand, the bungled pitch, and the Chinese admission of the relationship with Lee, a source said. The damage from this case still makes the intelligence community wince. They wiped us out in China. All the networks we had were gone, one former official said. Officials speculate that the Chinese may have used their contact with Lee to unravel other communications and tradecraft secrets. It was a double whammy: human sources and technical sources, the former official said. The Chinese mole case has been a subject of CIA corridor gossip, and occasional press stories, for several years. The CIA wont comment. MacMahon protests: If someone wants to accuse my client of getting people killed, they should attach their names to that charge. Its not even part of this case. Heres a last Chinese riddle. Experts say that, in the Thailand meeting, the Chinese operative asked the former CIA officer about cases that Lee shouldnt have known about. Which leads to an eerie question: Was another Chinese mole buried even deeper? Spy fact can be much scarier than spy fiction. Twitter: @IgnatiusPost. ) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group. When Larry Smith came across the scruffy, bearded nomad on the Appalachian Trail last month, he dubbed him the fight angel. James Jordan seemed to appear out of nowhere. While trail angels provide water and food to weary hikers along their journey, Smith said Jordan was combative, threatening people and trashing shelters. Tales of his aggressive demeanor preceded him as he roamed a nearly 150-mile span of the rugged trail during peak season. Smith said Jordan poured alcohol on a campfire where hikers were gathered at the Partnership shelter in Marion, Virginia, flaring the flames. He told us he was going to burn the shelter down, said Smith, a Charleston, South Carolina, baker. He was looking for something. He wanted a fight. Smith called police, but by the time officers arrived that April 1 night, the man had disappeared into the darkness. The weeks that followed brought more disturbing encounters with people walking the trail in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, and with law enforcement. Then, on Saturday, authorities said, Jordan, armed with a large knife, attacked a group of hikers on the trail in Virginia. A man was killed and a woman critically injured in the twilight-hour assault that sent other hikers running for safety. The attack, which occurred not far from where Smith saw Jordan, has deeply jolted the close-knit hiking community. People along the trail, which stretches 2,100 miles from Georgia to Maine, look out for one another and pride themselves on being welcoming. They use an app to communicate potential dangers such as bear sightings, and violence of this level is rare. As of Monday evening, authorities had not publicly identified the man who was killed. Jordan, 30, whom hikers said called himself Sovereign on the trail, was charged with murder and assault with intent to commit murder. After an appearance in federal court in Abingdon, Virginia, on Monday, a magistrate judge ordered that he be held for a psychiatric evaluation. Jordans arrest affidavit details the weekend altercation, which took place in two counties within the George Washington and Jefferson national forests about 300 miles southwest of Washington. Four hikers reported that they first encountered Jordan on Friday evening in Smyth County, Virginia, and that he was acting disturbed and unstable, and was playing his guitar and singing, according to the affidavit by FBI Special Agent Micah Childers. The group continued north into Wythe County, Virginia, and set up camp there. Childers said the same man spoke to the hikers through their tents and threatened to pour gasoline on their tents and burn them to death. Fearful, the hikers decided to leave. But as they did, the man approached them with a knife, Childers wrote. Two of the hikers escaped, called 911 at 2:30 a.m. and reported being chased by a man with a machete, the affidavit states. The man then returned to the campsite, and one of the two remaining hikers argued with him, the affidavit states. The attacker then stabbed a male hiker in the upper body, while the female hiker ran, Childers wrote. Wythe County Sheriff Keith Dunagan said the male victim sent an SOS signal on his phone, and the mobile service provider alerted deputies to his location just north of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Meanwhile, the attacker caught up to the female hiker, who had begun to tire. She turned to face the attacker and raised her arms as if to surrender when the man stabbed her multiple times, the affidavit states. The woman fell to the ground and played dead, and the man left, Childers wrote. She then ran down the trail back toward Smyth County, where she met up with two other hikers. They helped her walk 6 miles into Smyth County, where they called 911 at 3:12 a.m., and the woman was taken to a hospital in Bristol, Tennessee. Three hours later, tactical officers from the Wythe County Sheriffs Office were searching for the SOS signal when a dog, which authorities said belonged to Jordan, approached them. The animal led authorities back to Jordan, and he was taken into custody without incident. Investigators then spotted the male victim and a 20-inch knife in close proximity to the body of the victim, the affidavit states. It says the surviving stabbing victim and the two hikers who escaped all identified the man who approached and attacked them as Jordan. Nancy Dickenson, the federal public defender who represented Jordan at his first appearance, declined to comment on the case. Jordans family members could not be reached for comment Monday. Authorities said Jordan is from West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, but little could be learned about his life. In recent months, hikers had reported several run-ins with him. Local police never found Jordan after the April 1 confrontation with Smith. But hikers reported on online forums that the man known as Sovereign reappeared April 19 at a shelter near Hot Springs, North Carolina, where some hikers had settled in for the night. They said he threatened them by shoving his knife into one of the sleeping bags and burned a log book visitors use to document their trips. Then, he defecated all over the site. Unicoi County, Tennessee, Sheriff Mike Hensley said he received reports on April 21 that Jordan was brandishing a knife and asking hikers for a password to get through a narrow opening to enter the trail in an area that sits along the Tennessee-North Carolina border called the Devils Fork Gap. Hensley said Jordan showed up at a hostel on the Tennessee side that same day and said that it was going to be a bad day for hikers on the trail. Deputies arrested Jordan on April 22, charging him with marijuana possession and providing false identification after hikers refused to press assault charges. He was placed on probation and was released. Since then, the community of hikers has been tracking Jordans movements, using a GPS mobile app and social media to report dozens of incidents and appearances over two months while sharing intelligence to warn one another when he was close. The accounts became familiar with hikers reporting that Jordan left trash and cotton socks something skilled hikers dont wear and was an aberration for the trail family. In their telling, he violated unwritten rules of courteousness and good-naturedness that are part of the thru-hiking experience on the trail. Ben Bolek encountered Jordan at a campsite a few days after Jordan was released from jail. Several hikers had claimed their sleeping spots at the shelter, so there was no space for Jordan. He set up a tarp nearby, cordoning off his sleeping area with medical tape, and began screaming and talking to himself, Bolek said. Bolek said the hikers started a campfire but when Jordan came over, people dispersed. People were trying to avoid him at all costs, Bolek said. Everybody around the trail knew who he was and what to expect from him. Odie Norman, a self-described trail angel who helps take care of hikers, said he ran into Jordan on May 2 in Tennessee. He was determined to get him off the trail and convinced the man to board the 2:20 p.m. bus to Maryland. Jordan got on the bus, but he was seen in southwestern Virginia days before the fatal attack. Hikers said that those who travel the trail are looking for peace and that it is not the culture of the trail to be confrontational or carry a gun. Its an accepting community of people trying to find themselves, said Bolek, of Austin, who recently quit his job at a large medical technology company. After the attack, some hikers thought about going home, they said. The network of volunteers, hostel owners and hikers gathered at sites this weekend to check in with one another and help one another feel safe again, hikers said. We all rely on one another to keep the trail safe, Norman said. We want to the world to know that we were violated by a flaw in the system and our hearts are broken. The Washington Posts Jennifer Jenkins, Justin Jouvenal, Dan Lamothe and Julie Tate contributed to this report. Americans are good at popping pills. About 46% of the U.S. population used one or more prescription drugs in the past 30 days, according to a survey from the National Center for Health Statistics. With almost half the U.S. population taking drugs, it may be surprising that this figure is a slight improvement from 10 years prior. Changing trends in prescription drug use over time may be influenced by changing disease prevalence and diagnosis, expanded treatment recommendations, and decline in the use of inappropriate or ineffective therapies, according to the report. The types of prescription drugs Americans use vary by age group. Medicine used to treat asthma was most common among the youngest cohort. For adolescents, between 12 to 19 years old, stimulants to treat attention deficit disorder were most common with about one in 16 adolescents with a prescription. Both young and middle-age adults used antidepressants the most frequently in the past 30 days. One in nine adults, 20 to 59 years old, has an antidepressants prescription. Older adults, age 60 and above, had the highest share of drug use at 85%. Nearly half of the older population used prescription drugs to combat high cholesterol, while more than one in five use anti-diabetic drugs. Drug type by age: Age group (0-11 years): Penicillin (infections) 2.7% CNS stimulants (attention deficit disorder) 3.5%; Bronchodilators (asthma) 4.3%. Age group (12-19 years): Oral contraceptives (birth control, regulate menstruation) 3.7%; Bronchodilators (asthma) 3.7%; CNS stimulants (attention deficit disorder) 6.2%. Age group (20-59 years): Lipid-lowering drugs (high cholesterol) 7.5%; Analgesics (pain relief) 8.3%; Antidepressants 11.4%. Age group (60 and over): Anti-diabetic drugs 22.6%; Beta-blockers (high blood pressure, heart disease) 24.8%; Lipid-lowering drugs (high cholesterol) 46.3%. The survey for the period 2015 to 2016 was conducted by the NCHS consisting of home interviews followed by physical examinations. The much-anticipated smartphones OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro were launched during an event at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre. For the first time since OnePlus 3, the Chinese company has launched two smartphones at the same time. OnePlus 7 is officially the successor of OnePlus 6T, while OnePlus is 7 Pro has been promoted as an ultra-premium smartphone with several flagship features. "This year, we are going to open three new experience stores ... We will open an experience store in Pune ... and Hyderabad which will be the biggest OnePlus store in the world (with 16,000 sq ft of space)," OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei said. The company already has experience centres in Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai. The buyers will be able to purchase the OnePlus 7 Pro at the limited stock stores in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Ahmedabad starting 7 pm exclusively on 15th May 2019 and the OnePlus Experience stores in Delhi starting 17th May 2019. The new products will also be offered via Amazon.in, OnePlus.in, and OnePlus offline stores. The price of OnePlus 7 Pro's 6GB + 128GB variant is Rs 48,999, while 8GB + 256GB for Rs 52,999 and 12GB + 256GB 256GB is available for Rs 57,999. OnePlus 7 Pro OnePlus 7 Pro comes with Snapdragon 855 SoC with a base variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. There is also a 12GB RAM variant with 256GB storage. The phone runs on Oxygen OS based on Android 9 Pie. It also offers a 6.7 inch 19.5:9 (3120x1440); 90Hz 'Fluid AMOLED' display with Quad HD+ resolution and 516 PPI. OnePlus 7 Pro has HDR10+ display technology. The display of OnePlus 7 Pro has also received 'A+ Top Tier Display Rating', suggesting that the phone has one of the best displays in the market. OnePlus 7 Pro has the 'Safety for Eyes' certification from VDE Testing and Certification Institute. Last but not the least, Netflix has announced a special partnership with OnePlus and supports Netflix HDR playback. Another big feature of OnePlus 7 Pro is the fast UFS-3.0 storage technology. OnePlus 7 Pro is the first smartphone to have the ultra-fast storage and advanced liquid cooling system. OnePlus 7 Pro will pack a 4000mAh battery which can be charged using a 30W Warp charger. It can get you 50% charge after 20 minutes of being plugged in. In terms of camera, the Pro variant has three cameras at the back with 48-megapixel f/1.6 OIS Sony IMX586 sensor along with an f/2.2, 117-degree 16-megapixel wide-angle camera and an 8-megapixel f2.4 3X telephoto camera with OIS. For selfies, OnePlus 7 Pro will flaunt a pop-up camera to go with the whole full-screen design. Additionally, OnePlus 7 Pro comes with three focus modes, laser, PDAF, and CAF. DXOMark has given OnePlus 7 Pro a score of 111, second highest ever score for any smartphone, beating the Galaxy S10+, iPhone XS Max, and Pixel 3. The phone also features Google Lens support. OnePlus is working with the Fnatic esports team to create the "Fnatic mode" extreme gaming mode for the new OnePlus phones. There is also a Zen Mode that will allow you to do two things only - make and receive calls and use camera. For the first time, OnePlus smartphone will have Dolby ATMOS dual speakers for stereophonic sound to give users truly immersive theatre experience. The OnePlus 7 Pro comes in Nebula Blue, Mirror Gray, and Almond (coming in June). OnePlus 7 OnePlus 7 is powered by same Snapdragon 855 SoC as OnePlus 7 Pro with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. It will run on Oxygen OS based on Android 9 Pie. The OnePlus 7 will have a smaller 6.41-inch optic AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch and a dual-rear camera with one 48-megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and another 5-megapixel depth sensor. OnePlus 7 comes with a 3700 mAh battery that will easily last a day on a single charge. The phone will also come with 30W Warp charging technology that will give you a day's power (50% charge) in just 20 minutes. There is also a faster in-display fingerprint scanner. OnePlus 7 will be priced in India at Rs 32,999 (6GB RAM) and Rs 37,999 (8GB RAM) Also Read: OnePlus 7 Pro vs OnePlus 7 - Which OnePlus 7 Series smartphone should you buy? Also Read: OnePlus 7 Pro price and specifications leaked: Everything you need to know Also Read: Why OnePlus 7 Pro India price is a major disappointment Also Read: OnePlus 7 Pro Vs OnePlus 7: What's the difference? Kimberly Ho, a newly minted nurse at Childrens National Medical Center just off a 12-hour overnight shift, struggled to focus on a presentation about working with sexually traumatized children and adolescents. As the picture of a skin infection flashed on the screen, the 22-year-old snapped to attention. The instructor was recounting the story of a teenage patient who had been given an incorrect diagnosis by a doctor in training, a breach of hospital protocol that had caused an uproar. The lecture, aimed at new staff members, emphasized the importance of working within the chain of command. The girls actual diagnosis was largely beside the point, except to Ho. I thought, Whoa, that looks a lot like my mom, Ho said she remembers thinking as she typed the name of the disease into her phone. For more than two years, Hos mother, Tuyet Le, now 56, had been battling a series of perplexing and painful symptoms, including recurrent genital ulcers similar to those pictured in the slide. Despite various diagnoses, none of the prescribed treatments was effective. Les symptoms would flare, then vanish, only to recur weeks or months later. Hos attendance at the September 2017 lecture would prove to be instrumental in diagnosing her mothers illness. Her mothers first symptom, genital ulcers, appeared in July 2015, Ho said, while her parents were vacationing in California. Ho, then in nursing school at Towson University, said that her mother, who was in considerable pain, overcame her embarrassment and called her older daughter for advice. Ho suggested her mother try soothing baths, called sitz baths. When they didnt help, Le consulted a gynecologist in California, who tentatively diagnosed a herpes infection and prescribed acyclovir, an anti-viral drug used to treat outbreaks of herpes, shingles and chicken pox. The drug worked and the ulcers disappeared. A few months later, Ho said, the genital ulcers recurred, even though Le had been taking acyclovir. A blood test revealed that Le had been infected with herpes simplex virus 1, a common infection that causes cold sores. Le saw her gynecologist, who performed a biopsy. The results were inconclusive, so the doctor referred Le to a dermatologist. When the ulcers disappeared a few weeks later, Le decided there was no point seeing the specialist. Several months later, she confronted a new problem: Her right elbow was suddenly swollen and painful. Le, who has worked for more than two decades in a factory that makes airplane parts, struggled to perform her job. She consulted a rheumatologist who diagnosed her with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes painful, swollen joints. After several weeks, the swelling disappeared, but the genital ulcers returned. In the fall of 2016, six months after the elbow problem had resolved, Le woke up with a badly swollen left ankle. It looked like it was broken, Ho recalled. Her primary care doctor, Huyanh Ton, ordered blood tests. Two markers that signal inflammation, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), were elevated and considerably higher than those seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Because high levels can indicate a serious disorder, including some forms of cancer, Ton referred her to a hematologist. The hematologist said he wasnt sure what was wrong. Ho said he recommended a hip bone biopsy and ordered a ton of labs, mostly specialized blood and urine tests. Le refused the bone biopsy; the blood and urine tests showed nothing unusual. By now, she was battling a new problem that made her especially miserable: oral ulcers pocked her tongue and the inside of her mouth. Ho said her mothers episodic, debilitating illness was taking a toll on the family. She often ducked out of class to call doctors, while her normally active mother grew depressed, worried about her health and the familys mounting medical bills. She was kind of freaking out, Ho recalled. She kept asking, Do I have cancer? All the time I was watching her suffer, no one could tell me what was going on, Ho said. A passing reference in a class would change that. The case, Ho recalled, involved a teenager who had been told by a resident that she had genital herpes. The family freaked out and asked how she got it, Ho said. After a work-up, the girls ulcers were found to be a symptom not of herpes but of a rare disorder known as Behcets syndrome or Behcets disease. The chronic disorder causes inflammation in blood vessels in various parts of the body. Attacks flare, then subside. Oral and genital sores are among the most common symptoms. Without treatment, inflammation can worsen causing blindness, a stroke or, rarely, death. The similarity of her mothers symptoms, their episodic nature and the fact that Behcets is common in parts of Asia bolstered Hos suspicion. Several months later, during another flare, Le returned to Ton, who had concluded that Behcets sounded likely. He prescribed prednisone, a corticosteroid that is a mainstay treatment for the disease. Le saw a specialist in May 2018. The doctor diagnosed Behcets and tweaked Les medication regimen. In the past year, Ho said, her mothers health has improved and she had not suffered a flare. It was a long and frustrating process, Ho said of her mothers search for a diagnosis. Le said she is so thankful that my daughter is a nurse and was able to attend class at the hospital that day. Ho said that her mothers case has made her more sensitive to some of the obstacles her patients may face. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Less than two years after closing its doors, a privately run prison in Estancia is on the verge of being reopened to house more than 700 immigrant detainees along with a smaller number of local inmates. Torrance County Commission members will vote Wednesday on whether to authorize the county manager to sign a contract agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use the Torrance County Detention Facility. New Mexico has been at the front lines of a roiling national debate on immigration, and the reopening of the facility could ignite new debate over the use of state and local resources. The proposed contract would call for ICE to pay the county nearly $2 million per month for use of the prison in its first year, with the price increasing in future years. The county would then sign a separate contract with a prominent private prison operator, CoreCivic, to operate the facility and hire staff. The October 2017 closure of the Torrance County prison due to a persistently small inmate population was an economic blow to the rural area since the prison was one of Estancias largest employers. The closure was also a hit to the countys tax base, Torrance County Manager Wayne Johnson said. Having that 900-bed facility stand empty didnt make sense for anyone involved, said Johnson, a former state auditor and Bernalillo County commissioner. He said only adult male immigrants would be held at the detention center not unaccompanied minors or entire families. The immigrant detainees would be housed separately from other inmates at the facility. The proposed contract stipulates ICE would pay the county a fixed rate for up to 714 immigrant detainees and more for each additional individual housed. However, critics say New Mexico cities should not rely on private prisons as a lifeline and should instead should be more creative in bolstering their economies. For me personally, its really concerning that theyre considering reopening it, said Rep. Angelica Rubio, D-Las Cruces. Im completely opposed to private prisons. They should not exist in our state. Rubio was one of two Democratic lawmakers who proposed a measure during this years 60-day legislative session that would have restricted federal contracts for immigration detention centers and given the state more oversight authority over such facilities. But that bill, which analysts said could have turned New Mexico into a sanctuary state in the eyes of the federal government, failed to gain traction and ultimately stalled in a House committee. Rubio said Monday she plans to keep working on the measure and intends to bring it back for next years legislative session, or possibly the 2021 session. New Mexico already has two private detention centers with current federal contracts to hold immigrant detainees: the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral and Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan. The Cibola County facility is also operated by CoreCivic, based in Nashville, Tennessee. Several top-ranking New Mexico Democrats last year returned campaign contributions they received from the private prison company along with another company or donated them to nonprofit groups. Those Democrats include Attorney General Hector Balderas, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, who is running for an open Senate seat next year. Meanwhile, some immigrants detained at the New Mexico facilities have complained about conditions and lack of medical treatment, along with allegations of harassment and discrimination against gay and transgender detainees. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The family of a 20-year-old woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging she contracted a deadly case of Hantavirus while working at a Torrance County retreat center. Shawnee Romero was an employee at the Manzano Mountain Retreat and Apple Ranch who was tasked with cleaning massive amounts of rodent feces and urine matter that had accumulated in various facilities on the property while it was closed for the winter, the lawsuit alleges. Because of her sense of hard work, duty and responsibility, Shawnee followed her employers instructions to clean the camps cabins even when other employees had quit because they would not clean the infested cabins, attorney Bruce Thompson, who is representing the Romero family, told the Journal in an email. Manzano Mountain Retreat did not return a call seeking comment Monday. The lawsuit alleges Romero was not provided with protective equipment that might have minimized her exposure to the virus. And the company failed to take steps to disinfect contaminated areas or to limit airborne dust before she was exposed, according to the suit. Defendants knew the hazards of cleaning rodent feces and urine matter, and in particular defendants knew that requiring Shawnee Romero to clean rodent feces and urine matter without proper respiratory protection was likely to cause death or serious physical harm, the suit alleges. It was filed last week in state District Court in Santa Fe. Romero died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on June 9, 2016. A $20 respirator would have saved Shawnees life, Thompson said. When she died, Romero was in her first year of college at the University of New Mexicos Valencia campus where she was an A student studying to become a nurse. Her death caused unimaginable grief for her family, Thompson wrote, but in addition to that, Shawnees community lost a kind, intelligent person dedicated to helping others. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began counting in 1993, New Mexico has seen 109 Hantavirus cases more than any other state. Romeros death was the fourth for the state in 2016, and the sixth case. Her family is seeking compensation for medical care, funeral and burial expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earnings, among other things. Along with the ranch, defendants in the lawsuit include Garrett Capital, its parent company, principal owner, and general manager. The employer will probably refer to Shawnees death as a tragic and unexpected accident, but it was no accident, Thomson said. Employers across New Mexico take unnecessary risks with their employees health and safety because they can get away with it. Employers are almost completely immune from suit under New Mexico law. According to the state Health Department, Hantavirus symptoms develop within one to six weeks after rodent exposure. Early symptoms include fever and muscle aches, possibly with chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, and cough, which progresses to respiratory distress. While there is no specific treatment for HPS, chances for recovery are better if medical attention is sought early, health officials say. Prevention steps include airing out closed-up buildings before entering, trapping mice until they are all gone and cleaning up nests and droppings using a disinfectant. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates An oil pipeline that runs across Saudi Arabia was hit Tuesday by drones, the Saudi energy minister said, as regional tensions flared just days after what the kingdom called an attack on two of its oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. While both U.S. President Donald Trump and Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said they were not planning for conflict, the volatility was felt in oil markets with benchmark Brent crude trading over $71 a barrel, up more than $1 on the day. The pipeline that runs from the kingdoms oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea port was shut down, but Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih Al-Falih vowed that the production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. The Houthis, who are at war with Saudi Arabia, said earlier Tuesday they launched seven drones targeting vital Saudi installations, without elaborating. They later claimed responsibility for the pipeline attack in comments broadcast by Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari. In a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, al-Falih called the pipeline attack cowardly, saying recent acts of sabotage against the kingdom were targeting not only Saudi Arabia but also the safety of the worlds energy supply and global economy. The attacks demonstrated the increased risks in a region vital to global energy supplies amid heightened tensions following the Trump administrations withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and the subsequent re-imposition of U.S. sanctions to cripple the Iranian economy. Iran has since said it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels by July 7 if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. The Saudis did not immediately assign blame for the drone assaults, which targeted two oil pumping stations west of the capital supplying the pipeline that runs from the east of Saudi Arabia to the Yanbu Port on its western coast. Still, al-Falih in his statement named Yemeni rebel Houthis as a group that must be internationally confronted and accused them of being backed by Iran, Saudi Arabias regional rival. Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Houthis and their allies in Yemen since March 2015, targeting the Iranian-allied rebels with near daily airstrikes. This is a message to Saudi Arabia: Stop your aggression, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam told The Associated Press. Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing everyday against the Yemeni people. Saudi Aramco, the government-controlled oil company, said that as a precaution, it temporarily shut down the East-West Pipeline and contained a fire, which caused minor damage to one pumping station. It added that Saudi Aramcos oil and gas supplies were not affected. Saudi Arabia said the two petroleum pumping stations that were struck by drones are located in the greater region of Riyadh, home to the landlocked capital. The stations, targeted around the same time early Tuesday, are located in al-Duadmi and Afif, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west and 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of Riyadh city, respectively. Saudi Arabia built its pipeline in the 1980s amid fears that the Iran-Iraq war would cut off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The 1,200-kilometer (746-mile) pipeline is actually two pipes that have a total capacity of 4.8 million barrels of crude oil a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The two oil pumping stations are over 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Yemens northern border with the kingdom. The drone strikes reflect how the Houthis have tried to expand their capabilities during the four-year war. The rebels have targeted Riyadh with missiles and used drones to disrupt air traffic at Saudi airports near the Yemen border. Iran has been accused by the U.S. and the U.N. of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis, which Tehran denies. In Washington, Trump told reporters he would absolutely be willing to send troops to the Middle East, but that hes not planned for that and hopefully wont have to plan for that. While Trump dismissed a report in The New York Times that the White House is reviewing military plans against Iran that could result in sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons, he said if the U.S. was going to get into a military conflict with Iran, wed send a hell of a lot more troops. Khamenei, Irans supreme leader who has final say on all state matters, was quoted by state TV as telling senior officials that his country wont negotiate with the United States, calling such talks poison. But he also said, Neither we, nor them is seeking war. They know that it is not to their benefit. At a Tuesday evening gathering, he reportedly added: This is not a military confrontation, because no war is going to happen. Washington recently deployed an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. The U.S. has recently warned ships that Iran or its proxies could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. Meanwhile, the details around alleged acts of sabotage to four oil tankers, including two belonging to Saudi Arabia, off the coast of the UAEs port of Fujairah remain unclear. Satellite images obtained Tuesday by the AP showed no visible damage to the vessels, and Gulf officials have refused to say who they suspected was responsible. The MT Andrea Victory, one of the alleged targets, sustained a hole in its hull just above its waterline from an unknown object, its owner Thome Ship Management said in a statement. Images of the Norwegian ship, which the company said was not in any danger of sinking, showed damage similar to what the firm described. Satellite images provided to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies showed a boom surrounding the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible damage from above. A U.S. official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told AP that a U.S. military teams initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation and thus spoke on condition of anonymity. Speaking in New Delhi, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad said he spoke with Indian officials about concerns of suspicious activities and sabotage in the region. We announced that we had previously predicted these sorts of activities aimed at escalating tension in the region, he said. Also Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates that was part of a U.S.-led fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of the mounting tensions. The Ministry of Defense said the Mendez Nunez, with 215 sailors aboard, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf with the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Spanish frigate was the only non-U.S. vessel in the fleet. ___ Associated Press writers Maggie Michael and Samy Magdy in Cairo and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed. DEMING Vehicles pertaining to various organizations throughout southern New Mexico are streaming in and out of the Southwestern New Mexico State Fairgrounds parking lot to tend to incoming immigrants seeking asylum. A joint press release issued by Deming City and Luna County officials was sent Saturday afternoon alerting media that the El Paso Sector of the United States Border Patrol that oversees the Deming Border Patrol Station was pending to drop-off immigrants in the area. According to City Administrator Aaron Sera, immigrants were going to be dropped off at the McDonalds located at 721 W. Pine St. So, we talked about it between the city and the county and said do we want them running around the streets or should we figure out a place to put them in, said Sera. Both parties concluded that building one of the fairgrounds was going to be used as a temporary shelter that would house 100 immigrants at a time. Since the decision, Deming Police Department, Luna County Sheriffs Office, Deming Code Enforcement, and an assortment of local churches and organizations from both Deming and Las Cruces has been in service addressing the situation. It has been indicated that most of the immigrants are family units. Every one of them has a sponsor. They just dont have contacts or means to contact their sponsors to purchase their tickets, said Sera. Saint Anns church is volunteering to do that. Theyre processing all that, getting them tickets and getting them shipped out of here as fast as we can get them out. Sera said many of the immigrants have been leaving for California, while others have left for states like Alabama and Louisiana. As of Monday, there were currently about 80 immigrants half of them being children at the temporary shelter. Sera told the Deming Headlight that Border Patrol is talking about releasing more immigrants but expressed again that the fairgrounds building can only occupy 100 people at a time. Xchelzin Pena may be reached at 575-305-5532 or at xpena@demingheadlight.com. 2019 The Deming Headlight (Deming, N.M.) Visit The Deming Headlight (Deming, N.M.) at www.demingheadlight.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. North Carolina state Sen. Dan Bishop, R, will face veteran and business executive Dan McCready, D, in Septembers do-over election in North Carolinas scandal-plagued 9th Congressional District, after last years results were thrown out amid allegations of election fraud. Bishop, the lead sponsor of North Carolinas controversial bathroom bill, bested nine other Republican candidates Tuesday in the race to replace 2018 nominee Mark Harris on the ballot, capturing 47 percent of the vote and avoiding a runoff. McCready ran unopposed on the Democratic side. McCready trailed Harris by 905 votes in last Novembers election, but state election officials tossed out that result earlier this year in the face of voluminous evidence that it was tainted by an alleged ballot-tampering scheme that benefited Harris. Under North Carolina election law, a primary candidate must capture more than 30 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. Bishops 2016 bathroom bill, which was later repealed, required transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate rather than the gender with which they identify. Its enactment triggered a national outcry and a wave of boycotts that analysts say cost the state $3.7 billion. Union County Commissioner Stony Rushing, who had been endorsed by Harris, trailed Harris with 19 percent of the vote on Tuesday, followed by former Mecklenburg county commissioner Matthew Ridenhour and Realtor Leigh Brown, respectively. The National Republican Congressional Committee congratulated Bishop in a statement and came out swinging at McCready, seeking to tie him to liberal policy proposals such as the Green New Deal and Medicare-for-all. We look forward to partnering with Dan and his team to ensure socialist rubber-stamp Dan McCready is forced to finally take positions on his partys radical ideas, the NRCC said. Democrats fired back by reminding voters of the allegations of fraud by Harris campaign that tainted the November election. Rampant Republican election fraud robbed thousands of North Carolinians of the right to vote that Dan McCready fought to defend in uniform, Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement. Dan McCreadys record of service and his commitment to fighting for lower health care costs and better job opportunities for North Carolina is why hes clearly the best candidate in this race. Tuesdays election comes after a months-long drama centering on allegations of widespread ballot-tampering in the November race. The man at the center of the State Board of Elections investigation, a political operative hired by Harris named Leslie McCrae Dowless, was indicted in February on seven charges related to the alleged scheme. Prosecutors accused Dowless of paying a crew of workers to illegally collect, fill out, forge and turn in other voters ballots in two rural counties within the 9th District. The boards decision followed testimony from Harriss son, John Harris, a federal prosecutor, who said he warned his father in phone calls and emails that he believed Dowless had broken the law in a previous election and should not be hired for the 2018 campaign. It was a different kind of election fraud than has typically made headlines. Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, have alleged widespread voter fraud, particularly among noncitizens, and have advocated strict ID laws and criminal prosecutions. Democrats have argued that the kind of in-person fraud Republicans have targeted is rare and accused their opponents of ignoring actual evidence of campaign-driven fraud in the 9th District because it benefited them. The 9th District stretches along the South Carolina border from Charlotte to eastern North Carolina. Over the years, St. Felix Pantry in Rio Rancho has received its share of donations, but for the last few months, the pantry received a donation its volunteers never even thought to ask for. Everything changed when University of New Mexico graduate student Shamiso Olive Chirenda came in and realized the pantry needed a more efficient way of receiving and offering donated items. Chirenda said she began a study in manufacturing engineering at UNM, which allows a masters student to intern for an organization by quantifying their work over a year. I did much of my course work during my senior semester of college, she said. The challenge with my major happened when it came time for me to find a local manufacturing company that would be willing to work with me. Chirenda said many of the manufacturing companies she asked were leery of having an unpaid intern because of liability concerns. When I found the pantry, it was a blessing because they were willing to work with me and they fit my criteria for the course work, she said. The distribution and delivery system at the pantry was a major part of Chirendas focus. My job was to find where things would bottleneck in both distribution and delivery, she said. Chirenda said the pantry didnt have any systems that would point to problems in those areas. I had to go into St. Felix Pantry a couple of times to see exactly how everything was working, and it seemed that they were having problems with different truck routes, Chirenda said. Organization was another issue, she said, as similar items were being stored in different sections. Navigating around St. Felix is like a maze, she said. So I went around and started looking for the best way to utilize the space the pantry had to work with. Chirenda took data in the form of time studies and proved to the volunteers and staff that a bottleneck was occurring in the warehouse. She did this by recording the cycle times of each truck route upon entering the pantry. I timed everything as soon as the product hit the pallet to when it was going to be stored, she said. That was just Route One. Chirenda said Route Two had three trucks come in daily and deliver over 100 boxes. This is produce and dry goods you know, everything combined on one day, she said. These products would be put away faster by a group of volunteers. Route Three was any donation from anyone at any time, which could take time and a volunteer away from other areas of the pantry. This spot really requires an experienced volunteer because some people will donate items that are not usable, but in order to do this, (volunteers) have to leave their post, Chirenda said. Now, she has implemented a system that cuts down on time and enables the pantry to work more efficiently. We are still working on refining the pantry side, but the warehouse is modified because there is less traffic going in there, she said. Chirenda was pleased to present her quantifiable findings to a committee of academic and St. Felix Pantry peers as part of her masters degree requirement. It was hard work, but what I found is that the model I was implementing worked and the numbers were there to prove it, she said. Chirenda also created easy-to-follow work instructions for new volunteers at the pantry so they can continue using the method she and other pantry volunteers developed. Now everything is consistent and everyone has been on board with the project, she said. After graduating with her masters degree, Chirenda plans on moving to Tennessee, where she said she already has a job lined up. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Technology giant Intel Corp. said Tuesday it plans to add 300 jobs at its Rio Rancho manufacturing plant this year, a combination of local hires and relocations of out-of-state employees to New Mexico. Intel attributed the decision to Rio Ranchos experienced workforce as well as the states overall business climate, according to a news release. The Rio Rancho site continues to be an important part of Intels global manufacturing network, and is manufacturing semiconductor products that are critical to Intels ability to secure, power and connect billions of devices and the infrastructure of the smart, connected world, said Intel Rio Rancho Site Manager Katie Prouty in a statement. Intel currently employs about 1,200 individuals at its Rio Rancho facility. Asked about average salary for the 300 new positions, Intel spokeswoman Linda Qian said in an email that the average salary of all current positions at the Rio Rancho plant is $145,000 annually. In the release, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called the announcement a significant positive investment made in a New Mexico community. My administrations business-friendly posture has paid dividends already, and will continue to build momentum, said Lujan Grisham. Economic Development Department Secretary Alicia J. Keyes noted that the Intel announcement comes on the heels of decisions by Union Pacific to expand in Santa Teresa and Virgin Galactic to move 100 employees to Spaceport America. The announcement marks the second time Intels local plant has expanded in recent months. In September, the company announced it would hire 100 people after some research and development work was transferred to Rio Rancho. Prior to that, the head count at the facility had declined for years, from about 3,300 employees in 2013 to around 1,100 last year before the September announcement. The Intel plant manufactures and tests tech products for mobile, desktop, server and workstation computing at its Fab 11X manufacturing complex in Rio Rancho. Fab 11X includes 400,000 square feet of clean room space, making it the largest clean room operated by Intel globally and one of the largest in the world, according to the Intel website. Among the products being developed or manufactured at the Rio Rancho plant, according to the company: data transfer technology Silicon Photonics, memory technologies 3D Xpoint and Optane, and storage technology NAND pathfinding. LAS CRUCES Though the Rio Grande is running high in northern New Mexico, water has yet to appear in south central New Mexico. The so-called big river still exists as its alter ego, the Rio Sand, south of Caballo Reservoir. Thats in spite of a bumper snowmelt run-off thats expected to buoy river levels farther north in the state to levels not seen in years. Run-off from Colorado and northern New Mexico does supply the river in southern New Mexico. But the flow isnt unhindered; it first makes its way into Elephant Butte Lake and Caballo Reservoir, where federal reclamation officials then release it each spring for irrigators in Dona Ana County and West Texas. In better run-off years, water already would have been released by now, flowing by Las Cruces. Reservoirs refill But because reservoir levels were so low over the winter a poor run-off a year ago was followed by irrigation by farmers last summer farmers are waiting for new run-off to make its way into the reservoirs. The predicted run-off this spring into Elephant Butte Lake is expected to be about 155 percent of average, said Bert Cortez, division manager of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation El Paso. Thats in comparison to the 13 percent of average that made its way in the reservoir in 2018. The farmers are looking at the long-term to try to not use it all this year but to keep some, he said. At least were going to get some good storage after the farmers have gotten what water theyre going to need. With water left in the reservoirs this fall and winter, irrigators would be in a better place a year from now for the next irrigation season. Cortez said water tentatively is slated to be released from Caballo Reservoir the southernmost of the two reservoirs on May 31. From there it likely will take a few days to make its way south to Las Cruces, El Paso and Mexico. When all three areas request water at the same time, it leads to greater efficiency in the delivery. We usually do try to coordinate the release, he said. The more water in the system at one time, the more efficient it is to deliver all the way down to El Paso. Water allotment bumped During a meeting of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District Board of Directors last week, officials bumped up this years allotted amount of water for Dona Ana County farmers from 6 acre-inches per irrigable acre to 10 inches. That number remains to be finalized at a May 22 meeting between EBID, El Paso irrigators and Mexico, according to a district news release. Phil King, EBID water engineering consultant, said the run-off season looks to be a banner year, according to an EBID news release. The district highlighted water levels in Elephant Butte Lake, noting theyre at nearly 20 percent full, compared to the 3 percent of Oct. 1, 2018. EBID will begin taking water orders from irrigators on May 20 in preparation for water diversions to begin about June 1, according to the news release. Also, the first flat-rate or small-tract irrigation weekend has been set for June 8-9. Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, dalba@lcsun-news.com or @AlbaSoular on Twitter. Enjoy local news? Subscribe to the Las Cruces Sun-News online today. 2019 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WACO, Texas A Central Texas man faces up to 80 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a pair of bank robberies and shooting a police officer. Prosecutors say Dallas Scott Bohanan pleaded guilty Tuesday in Waco to bank robberies in 2016 and this year. The 25-year-old Waco man also pleaded guilty to three counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Investigators say Bohanan robbed Temple Santa Fe Community Credit Union in November 2016. He robbed Pointwest Bank in Hewitt on Feb. 5 and opened fire with a shotgun, exchanging gunfire with police and wounding an officer in the arm. Bohahan was nabbed in Waco. Prosecutors say Bohanan discharged guns during both holdups, plus during a 2016 bank robbery in Waco. Hes jailed pending sentencing. CSS candidate can take exams in Urdu The Senate on Monday passed a resolution that seeks to allow Central Superior Services (CSS) aspirants to take their exams in Urdu as well. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq moved the resolution in the Upper House, demanding that the CSS exams be taken in Urdu. He stated that China, Japan and other countries developed because of the use of their national language in exams. We can also progress by holding the CSS exams in Urdu, he opined. Sirajul Haq said only five percent of candidates could pass compulsory subjects. State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the CSS exam consisted of six compulsory subjects and 45 optional, and added that all compulsory subjects were taught in English language at universities. He said the CSS aspirants should be allowed to take their exams in the language of their choice. Towards the end of the debate, the Senate adopted a resolution with an amendment that Urdu be added as an optional language in the exams alongside English. SANTA FE Santa Fe District Attorney Marco Serna has filed an official statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission to run for northern New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District seat. Serna, a Democrat, has said previously that he was considering a bid for the House position being vacated in 2020 by U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, who is a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat that incumbent Tom Udall is retiring from. Serna also had previously announced establishment of an exploratory campaign committee. In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Serna stopped short of confirming he will run for Congress. He said that he would be making a formal announcement by the end of May regarding my plans to expand his work on various issues, including opioid addiction, protecting Los Alamos National Laboratory, green energy, small business jobs, supporting tribal communities and public safety. Serna was elected district attorney in 2016. Running for Congress next year would mean he won't seek another four-year term as DA. Serna's FEC filing also designates a group called Marco for Congress as his principal campaign committee. Serna was born and raised in Santa Fe and graduated from St. Michael's High School in 2001. His father is long-time political figure and former state insurance superintendent Eric Serna. Other Democrats who have filed as candidates for the congressional seat include Santa Fe attorney Teresa Leger; state Rep. Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde; former CIA operative and author Valerie Plame of Santa Fe; and Gavin Kaiser of Santa Cruz. Raton businessman Mark McDonald filed as a candidate but has announced that he is dropping out and would endorse Serna. Republican Brett Kokinadis of Santa Fe is also a candidate. SANTA FE The state agency that helps needy New Mexicans buy groceries and obtain medical care continued last year to illegally deny benefits to some families who qualified for aid, plaintiffs attorneys in a class-action lawsuit say. In about one-third of the cases checked by lawyers, they said, households lost food or medical benefits or had them delayed because of errors by the state Human Services Department. A court-appointed special master also found that some families had their benefits denied or terminated for failing to turn in a document, even though it was already in their case file, according to court records. The cases examined were from a six-month period last year, between March and September 2018. The state, in turn, says it has taken action since then to improve the handling of benefits. David Scrase, cabinet secretary for the Human Services Department, said the new administration which took office Jan. 1 is reconfiguring the departments computer system and making other changes to improve the processing of benefits. Were working very diligently on the problems weve inherited, Scrase said in an interview. The department also has hired retired state Supreme Court Justice Edward Chavez as special counsel to help guide work to resolve the class-action lawsuit, which was filed in 1988. Maria Griego, an attorney for the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, an advocacy group representing the plaintiffs, said the review of cases demonstrates that the state remains in violation of court orders, which require removing systemic barriers in the application process for food and medical assistance. About 31 percent of cases reviewed, Griego said, showed families had a loss or delay in benefits because of a state error. The case review shows the eligibility decisions are frequently wrong, Griego said in a written statement Tuesday. In a report based on the case review, plaintiffs attorneys said they found instances where families received notices saying HSD was still reviewing their paperwork, even though the department actually need more documents from the applicant. The department later denied benefits because the families didnt submit the needed documents. In one case, the plaintiffs attorneys said, the department informed a family that it had extra time to submit documents but closed the case before the time was up. This is confusing and unfair to families who are seeking benefits, the plaintiffs attorneys said in their report to a court-appointed special master. Scrase, a longtime physician who took over the department this year, said there have been signs of improvement in recent months. The state, he said, now exceeds federal standards for timely processing of applications in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The department, Scrase said, has made changes since the review of last years cases. But I would agree that theres still a lot of work left to do, he said. The class-action lawsuit, meanwhile, is in its 31st year. It accuses New Mexico of violating peoples rights by imposing inconsistent and excessive requirements on applicants seeking benefits, delaying eligibility decisions and failing to provide emergency food assistance in time. A federal judge last year approved a settlement that could end the litigation, but the state must first prove that its meeting a series of standards. A court hearing is scheduled later this week in Las Cruces before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Gonzales to discuss the status of the suit. A court-appointed special master, Lawrence Parker, identified at least two systemic errors based on the review of cases from last year eligibility problems, such as improper income calculations, and verification errors, such as denying benefits to a family for failing to turn in documents that are already in the case file. The nutrition program formerly known as food stamps, now called SNAP is a critical part of New Mexicos efforts to fight hunger. The federal government sends the state about $650 million a year to provide food assistance for low-income families. More than 220,000 households in the state receive help. In written statement last week, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham commended Human Services Department employees for improving how quickly they process SNAP applications. I am firmly committed to ensuring that every qualified New Mexican receives their benefits as efficiently as possible, Lujan Grisham said. WASHINGTON The Senate Intelligence Committee has struck a deal with Donald Trump Jr. to appear for a closed-door interview next month, pulling the two sides back, for now, from a confrontation over a subpoena as part of the panels Russia investigation. Under the terms of the deal, according to two people familiar with the agreement, Trump Jr. will talk to the committee in mid-June for up to four hours. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday to discuss the confidential terms. The deal comes after the panel subpoenaed President Donald Trumps eldest son to discuss answers he gave the panels staff in a 2017 interview. Trump Jr. had backed out of interviews twice, prompting the subpoena, according to people familiar with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burrs remarks to a GOP luncheon last week. Those people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Burrs remarks in the private senators meeting. The deadline for Trump Jr. to respond was Monday, according to one of the people familiar with the terms. His lawyers drafted a letter to the committee declining an appearance and the presidents son expected to be held in contempt for declining to be interviewed. But before the letter was sent, the committee reached out Monday evening and extended the deadline. The deal was then struck. A spokeswoman for Burr declined to comment. The North Carolina Republican has weathered fierce criticism for the subpoena from the president and his GOP colleagues. Trump said Tuesday he believed that his son was being treated poorly. Its really a tough situation because my son spent, I guess, over 20 hours testifying about something that Mueller said was 100 percent OK and now they want him to testify again, Trump told reporters at the White House before traveling to Louisiana. I dont know why. I have no idea why. But it seems very unfair to me. Its the first known subpoena of a member of the presidents immediate family, and some Republicans went as far as to say they thought Trump Jr. shouldnt comply. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., tweeted, Its time to move on & start focusing on issues that matter to Americans. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a GOP member of the panel, said he understood Trump Jr.s frustration. Cornyns Texas colleague, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, said there was no need for the subpoena. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Fox News Sunday that if he were Trump Jr.s lawyer, I would tell him, You dont need to go back into this environment anymore.' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has defended Burr, telling his colleagues during the private GOP luncheon last week that he trusted the intelligence committee chairman. On Tuesday, McConnell told reporters that none of us tell Chairman Burr how to run his committee. Still, McConnell made it clear that he is eager to be finished with the probe, which has now gone on for more than two years. Burr has indicated publicly he believes they will find no collusion with Russia, McConnell said. Were hoping we will get a report on that subject sometime soon. Its uncertain when the panel will issue a final report. Burr told The Associated Press earlier this month that he hopes to be finished with the investigation by the end of the year. The subpoena has highlighted a delicate bind facing Burr, a third-term senator who has said he is not running for reelection in 2022. He has been adamant that the panels Russia probe be bipartisan and fair and has worked closely with the panels top Democrat, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner. Burrs committee had renewed interest in talking to Trump Jr. after Trumps former lawyer, Michael 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 the presidents eldest son about other topics, including a campaign meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. ___ Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps allies on Capitol Hill are scrambling to soften the blow from his trade war with China amid mounting anxiety from farm-state lawmakers that the protracted battle and escalating tariffs could irreparably damage their local economies. Vice President Mike Pence met privately Tuesday with Senate Republicans for a second week in a row and urged them to stick with the White House. Senators were working with the administration to craft a relief package for farmers and ranchers, some $15 billion that Trump announced this week would be coming soon. Details of the package remained in flux. One thing I think we all agree on is that nobody wins a trade war, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said after the private lunch meeting. McConnell said there was hope that the tough negotiating tactics being used by the administration get us into a better position, vis-a-vis China, which has been our worst and most unfair trading relationship for a very long time. Pence heard an earful from senators last week as uncertainty mounted. The administration on Friday launched a fresh round of tariffs on some $250 billion of Chinese goods; China retaliated this week with tariffs on $60 billion on American goods on top of those already hurting U.S. markets. The tariffs risk spiking prices for U.S. consumers while leaving growers with commodities they cannot sell to the Chinese markets. Already soybean and hog farmers are among those home-state interests senators say are struggling under Trumps trade policies. With China talks stalled, senators pushed the White House to wrap up the negotiations and resolve the standoff. Theres a lot of concern, said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of GOP leadership. If this is what it takes to get a good deal, I think people will hang in there, but at some point weve got to get it resolved, Cornyn said. If this goes on for a long time, everybody realizes its playing with a live hand grenade. On Tuesday, though, senators appeared more reserved, and largely held their fire as they tried not to undermine the presidents negotiating hand and worked to shore up their home-state communities with a new round of federal aid. Pence told them that talks on another trade front, a new U.S.-Mexico-Canada deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, were progressing. Senators said they were hopeful those talks were at the finish line and would open new markets for commerce, but the deal would need approval from Congress, which remained uncertain. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., the chairman of the agriculture appropriations subcommittee, is working with the administration on the latest aid package. Last year, Congress gave the Agriculture Department some $30 billion annually that can be tapped to provide up to $15 billion Trump wants to offer as aid. Congress could advance some of the money by tucking it into a disaster aid package thats expected to be voted on next week. The federal aid could go toward existing government programs, including those that provide market payments for certain agricultural producers or that fight hunger in poorer or war-torn countries abroad. Last year, the Trump administration made some $12 billion available to domestic producers of soy, corn, dairy, hogs and others hit hard by the retaliatory tariffs. Were stepping forward with more assistance, Hoeven said. The goal is to get a trade agreement. Senators said they were hopeful that talks would resume before the latest Chinese tariffs kick in on June 1. Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in late June at the G-20 summit in Japan. Trade is the rare issue in Congress that cuts across party lines. Several top Democrats, including Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, want the president to stay tough on China. Schumer said that while Trumps tariff fights with other countries make no sense, he thinks the president should work with U.S. allies to confront China. We have to have tough, strong policies on China, he said. Other Democrats, though, doubt Trumps ability to negotiate a good deal for Americans. The president is essentially betting the farm somebody elses farm, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. GOP Sen. Ron Johnson said agricultural and business interests back home in Wisconsin really feel a lot of short-term pain. But he said they also really want the president to succeed on this. ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report. BAYTOWN, Texas A police officer shot and killed a woman at a Houston-area apartment complex after she hit him with his Taser during a struggle, shocking him, police said. In a video recorded by a witness and posted on social media, the officer can be seen standing over Pamela Turner and reaching down to try to grab her arms. Turner, who is lying on the ground outside the apartments in Baytown, yells Im pregnant. Moments later, something flashes as she reaches her arm out toward the officer. Suddenly, the officer pulls away from Turner, steps back and fires five gunshots. Police Lt. Steve Dorris said Tuesday that the officer shot at Turner after she hit him in the groin with the Taser. Turner did not fire the stun gun but it shocked the officer when it struck him, Dorris said. The lieutenant said police have since learned from the medical examiners office in Harris County that Turner, who was 44 and black, was not pregnant. She was pronounced dead at the scene, he said. A spokeswoman with the medical examiners office declined to comment. The officer, who police have not identified by name, has been placed on paid administrative leave, Dorris said. The department is reviewing whether the shooting was in line with its policy on the use of deadly force, he said. Before the shooting, the officer, who is Hispanic and an 11-year veteran of the police force, was patrolling the apartment complex and tried to arrest Turner because he knew she had outstanding warrants, Dorris said. The two had previous dealings, but Dorris did not provide further details about the interactions or Turners warrants. Turner had three outstanding misdemeanor warrants for two separate incidents, according to Harris County court records. She was accused of criminal mischief and assault on April 25 after a manager at her apartment complex told police that Turner scratched her face and broke her glasses during a confrontation over an eviction notice. On May 2, court records show, Turner was again accused of criminal mischief for damaging the back window of a womans car. Following her May 2 arrest, Turner was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation, according to court records. The video of what happened Monday night shows the officer and Turner engaged in a struggle after he tried to arrest her. In the video, Turner is heard saying Youre actually harassing me and Im actually walking to my house before falling to the ground. While on her back, she appears to scuffle with the officer, saying Why? Why? and then Im pregnant. Investigators are trying to contact whoever recorded the video, because the person was a witness to the shooting, the lieutenant said. Its a tragic event for everybody involved, Dorris said. Of course, our hearts go out to the family of the deceased as well as our officer. On Tuesday afternoon, Turners neighbors gathered not far from an orange ring painted on the apartment complex parking lot to mark where she was shot. Standing amid the modest brick and aluminum homes, one of Turners neighbors said the incident frightened her. Its just sad very sad when you see somebody for the past six months walking around, Jennifer Sims said. Even though you dont talk to them, you keep an eye on them, you know. And then you wake up and realize, Oh, my God. She was shot so close to home. Thats scary, and very sad. Baytown, a city of more than 75,000 people, is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Houston. Its population is 35 percent white, 46 percent Hispanic and 16 percent black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Outside the citys police station Tuesday, about a dozen protesters gathered carrying signs with No Justice. No Peace and Black Lives Matter written on them. This is another black woman who has lost her life, said Ashton P. Woods, an activist with Black Lives Matter Houston. Another black person who has lost their life, for senseless violence. Five shots. Unarmed. Kevin Davis, a police detective and the author of a book on investigating police use of force, said it is impossible to make a proper assessment of Turners shooting based only on the video and facts released so far. Davis, who is not connected to the case, said the smartphone videos that have become common in police shootings can lead people to rush to judgment. We owe it to everyone involved, including the decedent, to do a professional investigation, he said. ___ This story has been corrected to show that police now say the woman who was shot and killed by an officer was 44, not 45 as police initially said. ___ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Adam Kealoha Causey contributed reporting from Oklahoma City. Imran Khan took parliamentarians-its allies into confidence on IMF ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday took parliamentarians of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and its allies into confidence on the $6 billion bailout package finalised with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and overall economic policies of the government. On the other hand, the opposition demanded that the government apprise parliament of the agreement made with the IMF. During a meeting chaired by the prime minister, the PTI parliamentarians and its allies were briefed by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh on the IMF deal. Later talking to the state-run Pakistan Television, Special Assistant to the PM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the prime minister wanted to apprise the parliamentarians of the ruling party on the current economic situation before the coming federal budget. She said the prime minister had also urged the PTI lawmakers to give more time to their constituencies and regularly visit markets and keep an eye on the prices of essential items during Ramazan. The main focus of the prime minister was on how to alleviate the sufferings of the common man, she added. Ms Awan claimed that the government had put the economy on the right track and the sufferings of the people were temporary. She said the parliamentarians of the ruling alliance had shown complete confidence in the policies of the government and the prime minister. Earlier, Dr Shaikh said Pakistan would receive $6bn under the IMF programme over a period of three years. He said the agreement between the government and the IMF would be approved by the latters board, adding that the IMF was an international institution whose primary job was to assist member countries facing economic difficulties. He said the conditions set by the IMF were also in favour of Pakistan that how the country could curtail its expanses and liabilities and improve its economy. Dr Shaikh said the government was focused on not placing too much burden on the common man, adding that if power tariff was increased under the IMF programme, it would not affect 75 per cent consumers using less than 300 units of electricity. Under the programme, the government is also allocating an additional Rs80bn for social safety programmes like Ehsaas and the Benazir Income Support Programme in order to minimise the burden on the common man, he said. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - Enloe Medical Center and Anthem Blue Cross have reached a contract agreement, according to Michael Bowman, public relations director for Anthem Blue Cross. The contract is a multi-year deal effective through Dec. 31, 2021. Enloe Medical Center announced that it was cutting ties with the insurance giant in November of 2018 and the two companies have been negotiating an agreement ever since. Representatives from Enloe said that one of the main motivators behind the proposed change was due to lack of compensation for physicians. However, the two companies have reached an agreement. Anthem Blue Cross released the following statement regarding the agreement reached. Anthem Blue Cross is pleased that this agreement will allow patients to continue to choose to receive care from Enloe. Our members remained our number one priority as we worked hard and in good faith to find common ground and reach an agreement that helps achieve greater affordability. We value the relationships we have with the providers in our network, which are important to creating choices for our consumers and fulfilling our mission of simplifying healthcare and improving the lives of the people in the communities we serve. There are currently 3,400 Enloe Medical Center employees and roughly 300 City of Chico employees that are insured by the agency, not to mention thousands of employees at Chico State as well. Medi-Cal and Medicare patients were not affected by the contract negotiations. Enloe Medical Center released the following statement regarding the agreement reached: "Enloe Medical Center would like to thank the community for its patience and the teams on both sides of the negotiation for working through the details of our commercial insurance contract with Anthem Blue Cross. We believe the new agreement better serves the needs of our community." This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates. CHICO, Calif.-- Over 3,760 undergraduate and 250 graduate students will participate in California State University, Chicos 129th Commencement ceremonies this week, beginning Wednesday, May 15, and continuing through Sunday, May 19. Each graduating student received up to six tickets for Friday's ceremony and seven tickets for Saturday and Sunday's cermonies. Local hotels in Chico including the Ramada Plaza, Oxford Suites, Residence Inn, Best Western Heritage Inn, Hotel Diamond and Courtyard by Marriott are all expected to be sold out. Hotels say they've been busier than ever because of the Camp Fire and completely booked ahead of the graduation ceremonies. "We are very very busy since the fire started," said Ramada Plaza general manager Albert Bashier. He said Ramada Plaza hosted many guests who lost their homes in the Camp Fire and as well as Cal Fire. With graduation this week, Bashier said "Hopefully we'll sell out , its very exciting for us to have all those parents and kids who are graduating from Chico state" Here is the full list of graduation ceremonies: Thursday, May 16 Masters Ceremony No. 1 4:30 P.M. Laxson Auditorium Colleges: College of Agriculture College of Communication and Education College of Humanities and Fine Arts College of Business Masters Ceremony No. 2 7:30 P.M. Laxson Auditorium Colleges: College of Behavioral and Social Sciences College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management College of Natural Sciences Friday, May 17 College of Behavioral and Social Sciences 7:00 P.M. (Gates open at 6:00 P.M.) University Stadium Saturday, May 18 College of Agriculture College of Engineering, Computer Science and Construction Management College of Natural Sciences 8:30 A.M. (Gates open at 7:30 A.M.) University Stadium College of Business College of Humanities and Fine Arts 7:00 P.M. (Gates open at 6:00 P.M.) University Stadium Sunday, May 19 College of Communication and Education 8:30 A.M. (Gates open at 7:30 A.M.) University Stadium GroupM, WPPs world-leading media investment group, today named Ravi Rao CEO at GroupM MENA (Middle East North Africa). Previously, CEO at Mindshare MENA, Rao has 30 years market experience and 11 years within the GroupM network. He replaces Filip Jabbour, who was appointed in 2015 when GroupM launched in the region and has taken the decision to step down. Rao is tasked with driving the strategy and growth of GroupM and its media agencies in the region as the group focuses on helping clients grow their business through unrivalled marketing advantage via talent, scale and technology. He will be building on the work led by Jabbour over the last four years when GroupMs media agencies won substantial new clients - most recently Mars, Adidas, YUM (Pizza Hut) and Huawei and launched new service offers in trading, digital and data. Over the last several years, [m]PLATFORM, GroupMs proprietary data management platform, has been scaled and the business has streamlined structures across key business areas and markets to offer further advantages to clients. An experienced leader, Ravi will bring expertise and vision which can help drive further benefits for our clients in the MENA region, said Dominic Grainger, GroupM EMEA CEO. This new appointment demonstrates our ambition to strengthen our client offering building on the work led by Filip and the management team. We will continue to develop innovative market-leading solutions which drive additional value for our clients across areas such as brand safety, content and proprietary technology and tools. Ravi is well placed to lead on these advances after building Mindshare into a strong, diversified agency helping clients drive growth. Id like to take this opportunity to thank Filip for his contribution since the launch of GroupM in the region four years ago, helping to lay strong foundations for the future. Having spent a large part of my career at Mindshare, I am delighted to be taking on this new role, said Rao. Clients increasingly require services beyond media planning and buying, and Im looking forward to creating more vibrant, next-generation solutions to delight our clients and grow their businesses. Im excited about the future for GroupM MENA and look forward to working with the talented leaders to forge even stronger partnerships for our clients. Rao began his career, after business school in Mumbai, by launching the first P&G brand, Ariel in India. He has over 30 years of experience in media investment with 25 years working for a range of clients including Unilever, P&G and PepsiCo in South Asia and MENA. Delivering in-depth knowledge of local markets and enthusiasm for harnessing new data technology, Raos role of delivering outstanding results for clients is balanced with ensuring the best talent is in place in the region, as well as driving global and product innovations. Jabbour and Rao will work closely together to manage a smooth transition over the coming weeks, with Rao taking the CEO post from June 2019. Raos replacement at Mindshare will be announced in due course. The final results of the latest round of the Indian Readership Survey that came out yesterday, bear testimony to the continued faith and trust in the written word, with the overall English readership growing at 6 per cent - average issue readership (AIR). This validates the strength of print as a strong medium of choice in the country. The growth of all HT Media publications Hindustan Times, Mint and Hindustan, which have done exceedingly well in all their key markets, shows the formidable trust of the print readers of this country, in these publications. Talking about the print industry growth, Rajeev Beotra, CEO, Print, HT Media Ltd, said Print continues to be one of the most trusted media in India and therefore the latest IRS results come as no surprise with growth in both, Hindi and English readership. They are in fact validation to the faith of the readers and the advertisers, who continue to choose print as their go-to medium and we are delighted that this faith comes across even stronger in all the HT Group publications key markets. In line with the growing trust in print, Hindustan Times continues to make strides in all the major markets and winning the faith of the readers who have made it the No. 1 daily in Delhi-NCR, the No. 1 daily in Punjab and it continues to dominate the largest English readership markets of Delhi-NCR + Mumbai, combined. In Delhi-NCR, Hindustan Times continues to be the undisputed No 1 newspaper for the 16th time and is the most read daily with more than 18 lakh AIR, 37 per cent higher than the closest competitor. As per the IRS 2019 Q1 data, Hindustan Times is placed second among the Top 10 English dailies with Total Readership (TR) of 7,675,000, as against TR of 6,847,000 in IRS 2017. The Times of India leads with TR of 15,236,000 in IRS 2019 Q1. HT continues to strengthen its presence in Punjab and has emerged the No 1 newspaper of the region yet again with an AIR of 3.21 lakh. In Mumbai, HT has grown its readership significantly to reach AIR of 8.9 lakh. Mint, meanwhile, consolidates its position as the second largest business daily in India. The business daily from HT Media, consolidated its No. 2 position among the leading business dailies in India with an Average Issue Readership of 3.42 lakh. Hindi daily Hindustan, with 5.47 crore readers, is the 2nd largest newspaper in India with dominance across its key markets. Hindustan is once again the second largest newspaper in the country with a total readership of 5.47 Cr and AIR of 1.84 crore. Hindustan continues to be No.1 in Bihar and Uttarakhand, and a strong No.2 in UP, Jharkhand and Delhi. This is after the final IRS results released yesterday and invalidates earlier claims made by competitors. The IRS 2019 re-affirmed Hindustan as the most read Hindi daily in Bihar with AIR of 52 Lakhs. Also continued to make strong inroads in Uttar Pradesh and has yet again emerged as the 2nd most read Hindi daily in Uttar Pradesh with AIR of nearly 1 Crore. These results are a clear reflection of Hindustans aggressive expansion in UP, and its dominance in the states of Bihar and Uttarakhand. Hindustan is published by Hindustan Media Ventures Ltd., a subsidiary of HT Media Ltd. Talking about the latest IRS results, Rajan Bhalla, Group CMO, HT Media Ltd., said, We are ecstatic about the trust that our readers continue to show in all our publications. We take the responsibility that comes at the back of this trust earnestly and like always, we will continue to deliver unparalleled value for both, our readers and advertisers. Sanket Upadhyay former managing editor of India Ahead who had put in his papers as reported by Adgully on 9th May has joined NDTV as Senior Editor Politics sources have confirmed. This is his second stint as NDTV. Prior to joining India Ahead he was Deputy Executive Editor at CNN News18 which he quit last year in May. Sanket is a veteran journalist who began his career at Indo Asian News Service (IANS) in 2002. Since then in his journalism career spanning over 16 years, he has worked at reputed news media groups such as NDTV, Times NOW, India Today and Hindustan Times. VOOT Studio - The newly launched branded content wing of Indias 2nd biggest OTT platform, VOOT from Viacom 18, has partnered with Pedigree to celebrate Mothers Day in an unconventional manner. Motherhood transcends beyond parenting just your kind. You can be a parent to a pet and experience the same unconditional love and joy. Going one step further, through this campaign Voot Studio and Pedigree along with Mediacom as agency partner, urge people to adopt dogs. Campaign Video Link - https://www.voot.com/shows/new-moms/1/0/bringhomejoy-on-mother-s-day/795541 The films premise explores 4 new mothers who narrate first hand experiences with motherhood, while answering questions like how does it feel, why adopt and how has it changed them. They narrate incidents in an emotional way making it seem that they are speaking about human babies. The film climaxes with the question Shall we meet your baby and it is then revealed that the mothers are new parents to Indie-dogs. Watch the campaign here. With this film, Voot & Pedigree drive the message that every dog deserves a home. Pedigree has tied up with 25+ pet NGOs to drive the cause of adoption for stray dogs. They have received over 1 lakh pledges on their official website in support of this initiative. Speaking about the initiative, Akash Banerji, Business Head--Advertising Video Platform, VOOT, said, We recently launched our VOOT Studio program, an industry first initiative that partners with brands around compelling storytelling & platform integrations, to drive their brand narrative for the new-age consumer. Our association with Pedigree is with the aim of creating ROI for a brand much beyond the 30 second ad spot.. He further added We are happy to have partnered with Pedigree on the occasion of Mothers Day for a campaign that has such a powerful message and relevance for its target audience. Mohit Arora, Marketing Director, Pet Nutrition India, said, BringHomeJoy campaign was visualized keeping our vision of "making a better world for pets" in front er. As category leaders we take pride in driving responsible pet ownership, one such initiative is creating awareness & consideration around pet adoption. By involving & directing all digital engagement to 25 partner pet adoption agencies across 16 cities, we hope to start an initiative to find more loving homes for all pets. Navin Khemka, CEO South Asia, Mediacom said, Pet lovers know that pets are like their own kids. We dedicate this campaign to every pet caring person and are confident that many families will come forward and adopt a dog. In todays world we need more compassion, care and understanding. We are fortunate to be involved in co-creating this campaign with Voot Studio & Team Pedigree NA passed Bill to increase FATA seats The National Assembly on Monday unanimously passed the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill seeking an increase in the number of seats for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in the National Assembly as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. Speaking in the Lower House on the occasion, Prime Minister Imran Khan appreciated the consensus between all the political parties on the matter. He urged all the provinces to contribute to the funds for the development projects of the tribal districts. He said it was decided that all provinces will give the three per cent from their respective National Finance Commission (NFC) Award for the development of war-torn region. Nevertheless, acknowledging the provinces reservation over the move, the prime minister elucidated, The economic situation is bad and their [provinces] funds are not at the level that they should be, but I think it is necessary because the kind of destruction caused in FATA ? due to the war against terrorism, the damage done there, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province could never cover that damage from its own development fund. Giving the modern day example of East and West Germany, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, West Germany sacrificed and helped East Germany come up and the entire country prospered. A big accident the separation of East Pakistan led to a sense of deprivation among the people, he said, relating to the miseries of the tribal people. This sense of deprivation is dangerous as it can be exploited by Pakistans enemies and it is being exploited, he cautioned. The public of tribal areas wants to be heard, they want to come into the mainstream, he continued. Development should always be inclusive. Areas that were left behind should also be brought up, he stated. As the prime minister concluded his speech, Speaker Asad Qaiser called for a vote on the bill, and then on different sections of the bill. It is worth mentioning here that following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, the number of seats for tribal districts has risen from six to 12 in the Lower House of Parliament, while those have been increased from 16 to 24 in the KP Assembly. The National Assembly passed the bill with a two-thirds majority. Two hundred and eighty eight voted in favour of the amendment, while none against it. Earlier, the House held a discussion on the amendment. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of PML-N said the federal and provincial governments should show commitment to bring the tribal districts at par with other parts of the country. When we can reach a consensus over the rights of the tribal region, we should also attain an agreement over other national issues, he said, and also called for agreement on a charter of economy and other issues of national importance. The PML-N stalwart said he was thankful of the prime minister for his attendance in the House. He expressed hope that the prime minister will take the House into confidence over the governments deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other national issues. He urged the government to table the details of the agreement with the IMF and the conditions of the lender in the assembly. The former prime minister noted that there was a consensus on the governments decision to provide Rs 100 billion in funds to the people of ex-FATA region for 10 years. He called for devising the modalities for funding to ensure that the people of the region are given equal rights and resources compared to other Pakistani citizens. Maulana Wasay of JUI-F said his party supports all the initiatives aimed at facilitating the tribal people. Raja Pervez Ashraf of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said his party has always raised voice for the mainstreaming of the tribal districts. Khalid Maqboob Siddiqui of the MQM said it is a historic occasion for the tribal districts. Haider Khan Hoti of the Awami National Party (ANP) said more respect and honour should be given to the tribal people. Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri said it is Prime Minister Imran Khan who always took the lead and stood up for the rights of the tribal people, and loudly and openly spoke against the drone attacks in these areas. Photographer and marine biologist Audun Rikardsen is the grand-prize winner of the 2019 Big Picture nature and wildlife photo competition for his shot of a male black grouse perching over Norways northern coastline, notes Science News. The annual competition, sponsored by the California Academy of Sciences, highlights work that conveys science to the general public in a way that is compelling and digestible. This year judges selected eight winning photographs from more than 6,500 submissions from 67 countries. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations South Carolina Fire Academy graduated 22 recruits on May 9 from its eight-week firefighter candidate school in Columbia. These firefighters underwent a 320-hour training program of classroom and hands-on firefighting skills development. Keynote speaker was Chief Dennis Ray, fire academy superintendent. This challenging eight-week program requires commitment, passion, and dedication, Ray said. These recruits have successfully worked together as a team, performed extensive hands-on training with live fires, and passed intensive practical skills evaluations and written tests to meet the National Fire Protection Association standards, he said. The comprehensive training, offered quarterly at the Fire Academy, includes emergency responder first aid training, hazardous materials operations training, auto extrication, flammable liquids and gas firefighting, rescue training, and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Firefighter I and Firefighter II levels. With the successful completion and graduation of these new firefighters who will now be dedicating their lives to serving their communities and the state, our South Carolina fire service is enhanced, Ray said. I am proud of their accomplishments and I also commend the dedicated Fire Academy instructors who brought the recruits through these weeks of instruction leading to graduation. The following recruits graduated May 9: Andrew Anderson, Drew Cunningham, Matthew Dandridge, Tony Everhart, Anthony Fuster, Payton Gibson, Timothy Gilbert, Mitchell Hinton, Ryan Krauss, Brandon Kubik, James Llewellyn Jr., Preston Lood, Connor Mayes, Paul McEachern, Patrick Mejia, Medgar Patten, Derek Penvose, Aaron Pettry, Christopher Pugh, Adam Rocafort, Nicolae Toma and Tristan Watson. Everhart was awarded the Order of the Maltese. The Maltese Cross is a firefighters badge of honor, signifying that he or she works in courage a ladder rung away from death. The Eight Obligations of The Maltese Cross are: Live in Truth, Repent of Sins, Love Justice, Be Sincere and Whole-Hearted, Have Faith, Give Proof of Humility, Be Merciful and Endure Persecution. The Maltese Cross is a firefighters badge of honor, signifying that he or she works in courage a ladder rung away from death. The Eight Obligations of The Maltese Cross are: Live in Truth, Repent of Sins, Love Justice, Be Sincere and WholeHearted, Have Faith, Give Proof of Humility, Be Merciful, and Endure Persecution. This award is chosen by the class recruits. Rocafort received the Chief Robert Frick Award. The Chief Robert Frick Award is given to the recruit with the highest grade point average. Gibson was named the Pride of the Battalion. This award is given to the recruit who has demonstrated Leadership, Integrity, Determination and Good Value. This award recipient is chosen by the instructor staff who worked with the recruits during the eight-week program. The Fire Academy provides emergency services training to the municipal fire service both paid and volunteer airport crash rescue departments, industrial fire brigades and emergency teams and service organizations including EMS, law enforcement and military from around the state and the world. The Fire Academy is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) for multiple NFPA firefighter levels. The Fire Academy and the State Fire Marshals Office make up the Division of Fire and Life Safety, which is a division of the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. 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. A batch of highly enriched uranium taken from the U.K. has not been sent to U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management complexes at the Savannah River Site, according to public comments made recently by a department representative. "I just want to make sure that you understand that did not come to an EM facility at Savannah River. So that's not at Savannah River Site," Amy Boyette, with the SRS external affairs office, said at a meeting last week in Augusta. Environmental Management is the SRS landlord. The National Nuclear Security Administration earlier this month announced a "multi-year effort" to relocate roughly 700 kg of HEU from the U.K. to the U.S. had been completed. The relocation campaign marked the largest removal to the U.S. in the history of the DOE-NNSA Office of Material Management and Minimization's nuclear material program. The HEU was taken from the Dounreay nuclear site perched on the Scottish coast and will eventually be downblended for use as reactor fuel, according to the NNSA. Boyette's statement came as a follow-on if not a clarification to remarks made prior by Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board Chairman Gil Allensworth. "Recently there's been a headline, and it's not an EM thing, but it's an NNSA thing, that 700 kilograms of United Kingdom HEU is coming to the United States," Allensworth said at the same meeting. "Don't know where it's going, but it is being said it's going to be downblended." No destination was given in the NNSA announcement. Allensworth was previously speaking about H-Canyon, a hardened nuclear chemical separations plant at SRS. The NNSA is a semiautonomous DOE agency in charge of the nation's nuclear complex and related nonproliferation. The agency operates at SRS. 2019 Ryan Kerrigan Your time is near, the missions clear, but its later than you think. The inaugural Phish Studies conference will take place at Oregon State University this weekend. The three-day event is unprecedented. There have been classes about other bands. There have been conferences focused on other bands. There has never been a stand-alone conference devoted to a single band with this level of community integration and collaboration. Youve never seen this side of Phish. The conference has been a dream of ours for a long time. Dont miss out on your only chance to be at the first-ever Phish Studies conference held on a college campus. Help shape the future of the growing field, redefine what is possible in the Academy, and take part in history as it unfolds. You will always remember where you were. Dreams will become reality this week. We will merge our professions with our passions. Scholars from around the country will be able to receive professional credit for their Phish-related research instead of assuming its just a hobby. Undergraduate students will receive rare professional mentoring opportunities. Graduate students will participate in research and be able to point to our conference if their advisors tell them its not possible to study Phish and be successful on the job market. Select and edited conference presentations will be published with an academic press as the first Phish Studies edited volume. The only rule is it begins! If you are unable to attend but would like to support a student or underemployed scholar, register for the conference via our online registration portal. Use your billing information, but enter Icculus in the discount code field at check out. Instead of a discount, the code will let OSU Conference Services know that you want us to transfer your registration to someone in need of assistance. Visit the conference website for other sponsorship opportunities. Weve received a lot of questions from fans who are not academics about what to expect. This is your Helping Friendly Guide to your first academic conference. Please remember that you will be attending a professional academic event, not a concert. In order to preserve the scholarly legitimacy of Phish Studies, we must follow the rules and norms of academic conferences. Registration is required. You do not have to be a presenter or academic to attend, but you must register online. The early bird registration deadline has passed, but regular registration is now open. Registration for the entire weekend is $175. Day passes are $75. Professional decorum is expected. Please be considerate of the fact that you are in the scholars work environment. Dress is business casual. Be respectful of faculty and student presenters; many will have flown across the country to participate in this conference. Do not interrupt scholars during their presentations. Follow academic protocols for audience participation. Panel sessions will have assigned moderators who will introduce the presenters and moderate Q&A. Each presenter will be allocated a total of 20 minutes. Given disciplinary differences, the Program Committee elected to let presenters decide how to use that time themselves. We recommended 15-minute talks with 5 minutes for questions, but some panelists may depart from this model. Wait for the designated question and answer period to ask thoughtful and concise questions. questions. Follow the panel moderators instructions regarding when it is appropriate to ask questions. You will be given a mic, which you must use to ensure others are able to hear your question. Arrive on time for each panel session and stay for all scheduled papers during that session. Avoid entering or leaving the room during a presentation. If doing so is necessary, please be as quiet as possible. Follow OSUs code of conduct. Please note that OSU is a smoke-free campus. There is no smoking or vaping of any kind on campus property. If you are travelling from out-of-state, you might be excited about legal recreational cannabis in Oregon. However, because OSU receives federal funding, there can be no cannabis on campus. Anyone who violates these policies will be removed and registration fees will not be refunded. No recording or flash photography. While there is a recording culture in the Phish community, the norms are different in academia. Scholars use conferences to present works-in-progress and receive feedback from colleagues. OSU will record and archive presentations, but talks will only be published with the consent of individual presenters. Jamie Lee Meyer, 2019 Youre probably inquiring if we can still have fun. Of course, it wouldnt be a Phish Conference if there wasnt an adequate balance of work and play. In addition to a jam-packed academic program, the conference will feature: On May 17-19, Stephen Olkers Baker's Dozen mural, Magnaball "Drive In," and Gorge Amphitheater prints will be sold at the Phish Studies conference via silent auction. Our conference poster is by Jamie Lee Meyer and will be sold for $30. T-shirts featuring the conference logo, designed by Ryan Kerrigan, will be sold for $20. Proceeds will be donated to support registration scholarships for students and underemployed scholars attending the event. We are grateful for the artists generosity and honored to feature their artwork at Oregon State University. In planning this event, weve received a lot of messages thanking us for making dreams come true, but we dont know what yours are. Let us know in the comments. What is your Phish Studies dream? (Think: What is the best possible outcome for the first conference? Where would you like the field to be in 5 years? In 10 years?) If you keep your eyes open, you may find yourself there. The Gaza Strip witnessed an Israeli-Palestinian military escalation May 3-5 that led to the killing of four Israelis and 31 Palestinians, including Hamas cadre Hamed al-Khudari and various Islamic Jihad figures, as Israel raided 350 targets in Gaza and Palestinian factions fired 690 rockets at Israeli towns. This escalation came after the Israeli army killed three Palestinians in eastern Gaza on May 3. In response, a Palestinian sniper shot two Israeli soldiers on the same day, causing them moderate injuries. On May 5, the Israeli air force assassinated Khudari, 34, when it bombed his car near the Sidra area in central Gaza City. Khudari's killing is the first such Israeli assassination since the end of the Gaza war in August 2014. This raises questions about what led Israel to return to the assassination policy and opt for Khudari in particular. In previous decades, Israeli intelligence carried out assassinations of senior Palestinian leaders both inside and outside the Palestinian territories. While the Israeli army said May 5 that Khudari was responsible for funneling funds from Iran to Hamas and contributed to the development of the movements military capabilities, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced May 6 that Khudari was its field commander. Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas leader and a former military commander, told Al-Monitor, Israel believes that the funneling of funds to Hamas poses a threat to its security because such funds allow the movement to acquire military tools at a time when Israel is making exceptional efforts to dry up its funding sources. Not every assassination carried out by Israel is based on valid information. Some operations lead to the killing of innocent people. Israel carried out assassinations in order to place pressure on Hamas amid its failure to stop the rockets targeting its military positions. Hamas started implementing strict security measures to avert further assassination attempts. Hamas does not disclose the security measures that it takes because these should remain secret. But in order to follow precautionary security measures, Palestinian cadres targeted by Israel abstain from staying in one location for long hours. They switch transportation and communication tools, they make fewer telephone calls and limit their appearances in public places. Khudari's assassination was extensively covered by Israeli media outlets. These portrayed the operation as an achievement for both the army and the security services given the huge amount of funds Khudari had funneled to Hamas. Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Khudari channeled large amounts of money to Gaza. Meanwhile, Maariv said Khudari was assassinated because he played a key role in transferring money to the military wing of Hamas. According to the Walla website, an Israeli air force officer said that several aircraft took part in Khudaris assassination. Israeli army spokesman Ronin Manlis told Walla that the assassination was based on intelligence information that has been circulating for a while and that the killing directly targeted the transfer of funds from Iran, among others, to Gaza. Independent Arabia said Khudaris assassination serves as a message to Hamas leaders that they could be targeted as well. The newspaper added that Israel had found out about Khudaris movements. In addition to running the Hamed Exchange Company, Khudari was a commander in the military wing of Hamas and one of its very discreet and cautious members, the newspaper said. On June 21, then-Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman ordered the designation of the Hamed Exchange Company as a terrorist organization. Saleh al-Naami, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs, told Al-Monitor, Khudari was assassinated as part of an Israeli strategy aimed at diminishing Hamas capabilities and boosting Israels deterrence ability. We expect Israel to carry out further assassinations, knowing that these would lead to a full-scale war. Other Israeli airstrikes on May 5 killed the Islamic Jihad fighters Mahmoud Issa, Fawzi Bawadi and Abdullah al-Madhoun. Ibrahim Habib, professor of security studies at Al-Awda University College in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Israel's resumption of assassination operations against Palestinian leaders means that it is seeking to negatively affect the movements activities and operations while confusing its political and military leadership. Moving forward, I expect Israel to carry out assassinations against Hamas political and military leaders. This would require more camouflaging techniques and a limited use of technology in communication because it is due to Hamas communication mistakes that Israel manages to get its information. Egyptian sources told the London-based New Arab newspaper May 9 that Israel had vowed to carry out further assassinations against Hamas, although this would accelerate the breakout of an overall confrontation between the two parties. For his part, Maj. Gen. Hertzi Halevi, the chief of the Israel Defense Forces Southern Command, said May 5 that the policy of killing terror activists is expected to continue. Iyad al-Bazm, spokesman for the Hamas-run Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor, The security services in Gaza are engaged in a struggle with the Israeli intelligence, which is recruiting agents to monitor resistance activists in preparation for their assassination. We are religiously pursuing these agents in a bid to deprive Israel of any intelligence information that could help it track down military cadres in Gaza. Khudari's assassination highlights the seriousness the funneling of funds to Hamas represents. Mohammed Abu Jiyab, editor of Al-Eqtesadia in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Tracking down Hamas funding sources is an Israeli priority. Not only is Israel fighting the rockets manufacturer but also the parties that are paying for these rockets. Wassef Erekat, a Palestinian military expert in the West Bank and a former PLO artillery commander, told Al-Monitor, Khudaris assassination is proof that Israel is not working based on a systematic plan but rather impulsively. The coming period will witness assassinations against members of the resistances commandos and against those operating the artillery, the missiles and the naval force. This requires less technical communications and field movements and additional camouflaging techniques. While the assassination of Khudari shows that Israel is no longer hesitant to carry out assassinations against Palestinians, it has also served as a wake-up call for Hamas; it shows that Israel could start a confrontation by assassinating a Hamas cadre. While Hamas does not desire such a scenario, it will be embarrassing and difficult for it to stand idly by if Israel assassinates one Hamas fighter after another. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is accusing the Syrian government of seeking to sabotage Turkeys relations with Russia with its assault on rebel-held Idlib. In a late-night phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Erdogan said Syrian President Bashar al-Assads attack on the de-escalation zone guaranteed by Moscow and Ankara had reached an alarming dimension that cannot be justified with claims of fighting terrorism. With civilian targets, including hospitals, being hit, joint efforts to end the eight-year-long conflict are at risk. Why it matters: Erdogans comments could be interpreted as a signal that the 2018 deal under which Turkey pledged to disarm and edge out Hayat Tahrir-al Sham, an al-Qaeda breakaway group, from areas around Idlib is falling apart. Russia agreed in exchange to prevent the regime from mounting a full-scale assault on the province that is now home to 3 million civilians. The UN has warned that any such offensive would trigger a major humanitarian disaster and send an ocean of refugees, with jihadis among them, toward Turkey. The onslaught began April 28 and has already displaced 150,000 people. Opposition forces say at least 169 civilians have died so far in a campaign preceded by days of intense Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes on northern Hama and southern Idlib. Blaming Assad: Erdogan seems unlikely to break with Putin over the escalating violence. The Turkish leader has said nothing about Russias central role in the bloodletting, shifting all the blame on Assad instead. The double standard was on full display in Istanbul today as Syrian protesters gathered outside the Russian Consulate. Those who chanted anti-Assad slogans were allowed to stay; those who took aim at Putin where shepherded away by police. But Turkey has also held back on its response to Assad. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a research fellow with the Forum for Regional Thinking who specializes in Syria, said, Turkey did not retaliate against repeated regime attacks on its [military] observation posts in Idlib and Hama. She told Al-Monitor that Turkey also continued to prevent rebel factions operating under its direct control in northern Aleppo from launching an offensive against the regime in that region, which would have forced Assads forces to fight on two separate fronts. As such, Ankaras formal readout from the call to Putin appears to be aimed at proving to Erdogans base and to Syrian Sunni rebels who helped Turkish forces invade mainly Kurdish Afrin last year that Turkey still cares. Whats next: This is probably not the big one but rather a limited offensive to pressure the rebels and Turkey into accepting less than they are asking for. A strictly military solution, Tsurkov said, will mean massacres on a scale previously unseen in Syria and mass displacement into Turkey, which Turkey is determined to prevent. But there are few signs that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham will play ball. In a rare interview released Sunday, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani told a local activist that the group was justified in its attacks against Russias Khmeimim air base. He urged all able-bodied men to take up the fight, but did not say anything threatening about Turkey. This suggest his lines of communication with Ankara remain open. Know more: Read Shelly Kittleson on how the long-expected battle for Idlib may have begun and Kirill Semenov on whether the assault can facilitate a deal between Russia and Turkey. -Amberin Zaman The United Arab Emirates said May 12 that four commercial ships were subjected to sabotage operations in the Gulf of Oman off the port of Fujairah. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said May 13 that two of the targeted ships were Saudi oil tankers, one of them about to pick up a load for delivery to the United States. While there were no casualties, two of the ships did suffer structural damage. The incident comes after the United States announced it was sending an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf due to alleged threats from Iran. While the deployment was reportedly routine, the announcement by national security adviser John Bolton, as well as official US reports warning of an attack by Iran, have raised tensions to an unprecedented level under the Donald Trump administration. No UAE or Saudi official has pointed the finger at Iran. However, Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, a UAE professor and adviser to Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed, tweeted that Iranian culpability is likely given that Iranian-backed media were the first to report the incident. Iranian reactions have been mixed. Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, the head of Irans influential foreign policy and national security commission, commented on the fragile security of Arab states in Persian Gulf, tweeting, The explosions of Fujairah showed that security in the south of the Persian Gulf is [made of] glass. In contrast, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi referred to the incident as worrying and unfortunate and called for an investigation. In an indirect reference to the United States and its Arab allies in the Persian Gulf, Mousavi warned against using the incident as an excuse for adventurism from foreign elements that would disrupt stability and security in the region. Not all Iranian officials readily accepted the UAE and Saudi version of the incident. Iranian parliament member Mostafa Kavakebian said May 13 that reports of the attack on two Saudi oil tankers are suspicious and we reject them. It is not clear on whose behalf he was speaking. On May 9, the White House asked the Swiss Embassy which serves as the US diplomatic representative in Iran since relations were cut after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to give the leaders in Tehran its number to call and discuss rising tensions and other issues. During a previous press conference, Trump said, What Id like to see from Iran, Id like them to call me. Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Irans ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the offer, saying there are no guarantees that the United States would stick to another nuclear agreement after Trump violated the first agreement nearly one year ago. Trump vowed during his campaign to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany and the European Union. The deal diminished Irans nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief. After the US exit, sanctions were reapplied. However, Iran has so far maintained its commitment to the nuclear deal. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also responded to Trumps offer for a phone call. Tweeting at Trumps handle to ensure he would receive the message, Zarif wrote, ICYMI, before you hired him, this was the plan that [John Bolton] and his #B_team cohorts had for Iran. A detailed blueprint for #FakeIntelligence, #ForeverWar and even empty offers for talks only phone numbers were not included. The tweet included four screenshots of a 2017 National Review article written by Bolton before he became national security adviser, outlining how to get the United States out of the nuclear deal. "B-team" is Zarif's moniker for the alliance between Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed. Trumps request for Iran to call was also a source of ridicule on Persian-language social media and prank calls to the Swiss Embassy. President Donald Trump expressed a willingness to receive phone calls from Iranian authorities on May 9, an apparent move to open dialogue with Iran only one month after his administration designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a "foreign terrorist organization." Tensions have simmered in past weeks, during which the United States deployed a Navy strike group and a bomber task force to US Central Command. According to US national security adviser John Bolton, the move was meant "to send 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." Two days later, on May 8, the anniversary of the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Trump imposed a fresh set of sanctions on Iran, this time targeting the country's industrial metals sector. This open hostility has left many in Tehran questioning the sincerity of Trump's offer for talks, with some interpreting it within the context of the carrot and stick policy that the United States has long pursued in its approach toward Iran. In later remarks, Trump accused former Secretary of State John Kerry of advising Iranians against responding positively to his offer for talks. "All of a sudden he decided to leave the negotiating table," Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, told MSNBC. "What is the guarantee that he will not renege again on the future talks between Iran and the United States?" Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also noted that Trump's overture was no remedy for US-Iran tensions. "The Americans do have our number if need be," he said. Takht-Ravanchi and Araghchi were both senior negotiators in the talks that led to the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2015. Aside from diplomats, Iran's political elite have showed little excitement toward Trump's gesture. "There are at least three 'career strike groups' on their way toward Iranian waters to be added to the United States 5th Fleet," Alireza Akbari, a former Iranian deputy defense minister (1997-2005), told Al-Monitor. "Four 52 bombers have already landed in Qatar while an F-35 stealth squadron has also been deployed to the region. There has been a surge of tens of thousands of US Marines to augment the scope of the US military personnel on Iran's doorsteps. Massive cargos and multiple strike and backup missiles are en route to the Persian Gulf." According to Akbari, given the military buildup, Trump's offer is "a mockery of the idea of dialogue, and no sound mind would believe such an unwise remark." During his April visit to New York, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dubbed a quartet of leaders the "B-Team": Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed. Zarif accusing the B-Team of pushing Trump toward a full-blown war with Iran an argument that has been widely embraced by the Iranian elite. Bolton's record in threatening Iran, coupled with the level of hostility demonstrated by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, has given rise to the theory that as long as these anti-Iran politicians remain influential in the Oval Office, the idea of a US-Iran compromise will lead nowhere. Bolton is notorious among Iranian elites for his promotion of regime change in Iran and, even worse, his suggestions that the country be militarily attacked. They argue that Trumps offer is but a political show, and Iran should be careful not to participate in it. To back up this argument, they refer to the June 2018 Singapore summit, where, amid a media frenzy, Trump sat down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Nearly a year on, Trump's promises to lift sanctions on Pyongyang and improve the country's crumbling economy have proven empty. North Korean officials have now demanded that Pompeo be removed from the bilateral talks. The request has fueled concerns that, if similar US-Iran negotiations were launched, figures such as Bolton and Pompeo would also derail them. Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, told Al-Monitor, "If President Trump is serious about negotiating with Iran, he needs a change of guard and rhetoric to demonstrate his ability to go around Bolton and other Iran hawks in his entourage." Vaez added that Trump "should appoint an envoy who has a record of having constructive dialogue with the Iranians." Others in Iran who categorically reject closeness with the United States underline how Trump has failed to live up to his obligations, describing him as an unreliable partner. Former senior Iranian diplomat Mohammad Hassan Ghadiri Abyaneh said the US president "puts Israel's interests before those of his own country." In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abyaneh, who maintains close ties with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's uncompromising opponents, argued that Iran does not need "to trust a president who has proven no compliance with any of the agreements the United States has signed." Some Iranians, however, believe that any chance for diplomacy, no matter how small, should never be lost. Economist Saeed Leylaz said Iran "will not be losing anything by entering such talks. We can hold negotiations, even with the Trump administration, from a position of strength." Yet Iranians continue to doubt the seriousness of Trump's offer of rapprochement, given the changes of heart that have characterized his presidency. The most recent example being Trump's unpredictable conduct in trade talks with China. If Trump was serious about a settlement with Tehran, they say, he could have exhausted diplomatic channels rather than grabbing headlines with a "political show." Overall, the majority of Iran's political elite are treating Trump's latest overture as a public relations gesture that does not deserve to be considered as genuine. With warmongers deep inside Trump's inner circle, talks will bear no fruit. SANAA Several human rights activists in Yemen have launched an online campaign to demand transparency, including the publication of financial statements by aid organizations to show how they are distributing the aid they receive for Yemen. The "Where is the money" campaign has been active for a month, and activists say it will continue until its goal is reached. The move came after Reem al-Hashimi, the United Arab Emirates' minister of state for international cooperation, announced at an April 8 press conference that his government and Saudi Arabia had to date provided more than $18 billion worth of aid to Yemen. At a February donor conference for Yemen in Geneva, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had said that donors had increased their contributions by 30% compared to the last year. According to him, The largest increases came from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. How, then, is the aid failing to benefit Yemenis in need? Qassem Mansour was displaced from Hajjah governorate and now lives with his wife and three of their children in the Darwan refugee camp near the capital Sanaa. We received aid as soon as we reached the camp, but this aid only covered our needs for two months, Qassem told Al-Monitor. People from several organizations visited us and asked us our names and details, but they never come back. Families in dire need of food and medicine are a dime a dozen in Yemen amid a humanitarian crisis the United Nations calls unprecedented. Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his team are far away, having decamped to Riyadh at the beginning of the war. The country with the biggest problem in 2019 is going to be Yemen, predicted UN emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock at a conference in Geneva last December. He warned that 75% of the countrys population 24 million people will likely need assistance in 2019. Fidaa Yahya, one of the organizers of the transparency campaign, told Al-Monitor, Yemen received more than $23 billion in aid up until 2019, and there are donor countries that pledged more than $2 billion during the last Geneva conference, held in February. Very few people are benefiting, however, from these funds. We find that most of the organizations in Yemen operate free from any government supervision. This prompted us to launch this campaign and call on all organizations working in Yemen to publish their financial reports. Yahya added, As part of the campaign, more than 2,000 emails have been sent to more than 100 organizations operating in Yemen. Most of them urge the organizations to publish their financial statements. So far, there have been no official or unofficial responses from either government agencies or private organizations. A source at the World Food Programme in Yemen who agreed to speak to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity remarked, The lack of [response], especially on the part of large international organizations, is due to the fact that their financial system is very transparent and scrutinized by donors. Some imbalances may have been caused by local partners, but I dont think such imbalances are as major as the campaign envisions. Abdul Wahid al-Awbali, another campaign organizer, told Al-Monitor, Many organizations are in a state of confusion and argue that they are not obliged to respond. These organizations believe that the campaign should address its questions to the government instead. Awbali went on, If the Yemenis had a government in control of developments on the ground and the state institutions, we would not have needed such a campaign to begin with. There is currently exploitation of the divisions and absence of the state. [The government] is about to replicate the experience of Somalia, which received $55 billion from the world since 1991 but keeps getting poorer by the day, though such a sum could build another Somalia. Asked about future steps the campaign organizers plan to take, Awbali said, More than 100 people from various disciplines have joined the campaign. In the near future, the campaign activists based abroad will meet with officials from donor countries in Berlin, Paris, Geneva and New York. There is also a team of lawyers working with the campaign to contact government agencies in Yemen. A lot of other escalatory steps will also be taken. The campaign's hashtag, #whereisthemoney, is spreading as its message resonates with Yemenis. Their suffering is increasing by the day as the war rages into its fifth year. According to an April report by the United Nations Development Programme, the ongoing conflict in Yemen has already set the country back 20 years. Among the devastating consequences are the deaths of about 250,000 people directly from the violence or due to the lack of food and health care. On Monday, a day before Alabama lawmakers were scheduled to vote on a bill that would all but ban abortion in the state, Republican Del Marsh, president of the state senate, asked a group of young mothers - toddlers bouncing on their laps - what they want the Legislature to do. "How do y'all feel about banning abortion, even in cases of rape and incest?" he asked the women, who gathered at tables outside a Southern Girl Coffee truck here, on the edge of Talladega National Forest, about 100 miles from Montgomery. "I'm praying for y'all, and I wouldn't want your job," sighed Lauren Holland, 32, her 2-year-old daughter climbing on her chest. She said she would have the baby if she were raped, but making that the law? "That there is real hard for women. I'm a Christian. One-hundred percent pro-life. But I don't think I want that in the law." Marsh asked the women to keep praying for him as he navigates a contentious fight that could put Alabama on the leading edge of the anti-abortion push to get a state law in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. He, like many other Republicans here, has long been against abortion and wants the court to overturn Roe v. Wade - and he embraces the strategy of a bill that will force the issue. But he also long has been accepting of three exceptions to bans on abortion: cases that involve rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger. Full coverage of Alabamas abortion debate Marsh and some others in the Republican majority here are struggling with Tuesday's vote on an abortion ban, largely because it is so restrictive. Any unborn baby is innocent and deserves a chance at life, the bill's backers argue, even those that are the result of violent or criminal origins. "It's just, I'm not real comfortable with having a law that forces a woman to carry a baby after rape," Marsh said. A move to amend the bill last week with exceptions for rape or incest led to a shouting match on the Senate floor, and the vote was tabled. Marsh asked legislators to go home and speak to their constituents, as he himself has done. A vote on the bill has been rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The bill would outlaw most abortions in the state - except those that would protect a woman whose life is in danger because of the pregnancy - and make performing abortion a felony punishable by up to 99 years imprisonment. That part of the law would be considered extreme in some states but was without controversy here. Alabama Sen. Cam Ward, a Republican, talks on the phone at home on Sunday, May 12, 2019, in Alabaster, Alabama. MUST CREDIT: Photo for The Washington Post by Elijah Nouvelage.For The Washington Post A majority of Alabama residents are firmly against abortion, and the sponsor of the bill, state Rep. Terri Collins, a Republican, says she has empathy for survivors of rape and incest. But she also wants to make sure the law is strong enough to force federal court intervention - something she and others hope will lead to national restrictions on abortion. To achieve that, she said, the bill must do nothing short of declaring that a fetus has rights from Day One. "It has to be 100% a person at conception," Collins said, Collins said she would support states making their own decisions about exceptions. And she agrees "that rape and incest could be an exception in state law. "But what I'm trying to do here is get this case in front of the Supreme Court so Roe v. Wade can be overturned." On Monday, the impending vote had lawmakers scrambling across the state. Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, a Republican, urged lawmakers to pass the abortion bill without exceptions and posted a video on Twitter urging Alabamians to call their senators. "Abortion is murder," he says in the video. "Those three simple words sum up my position on an issue that many falsely claim is a complex one." Conservatives see this year's state legislative sessions as an important turning point, with governors and lawmakers across the country passing highly restrictive abortion bills in hope of attracting the attention of what they see as the most anti-abortion U.S. Supreme Court in decades. "It's getting closer and closer," said Scott Dawson, an Alabama evangelist and Birmingham minister who ran for governor in 2018. "In this political landscape, it is time for action. Alabama could actually be the leader of the conservative voice in the United States." Alabama's bill could serve as a test for the "personhood" strategy, especially if it passes without exceptions. But anti-abortion groups say that even if exceptions are added at the last minute, they won't back down. "We will never give up on protecting life in the womb," said the Rev. Mike Crowe, who from the pulpit on Mother's Day urged members of Southside Baptist Church outside Birmingham to get ready to be proud foster parents if the bill passes. "I'm sure there are families for those babies." Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the current round of anti-abortion legislation is more radical than in the past. Alabama is just the latest state to consider doing away with exceptions for victims of rape and incest. Georgia and Ohio recently passed "heartbeat" bills - which ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant - that would also apply to victims of rape and incest. "It shows how extreme and how emboldened the people who are pushing these laws feel now," she said. "Before, they knew they couldn't get away with it. Now they think they can." The ACLU, she said, is preparing to sue if the Alabama measure passes - with or without exceptions. "At the end of the day, an all-out abortion ban, whether it's at six weeks or before, is blatantly unconstitutional whether those exceptions exist or not," Kolbi-Molinas said. The vote Tuesday is sure to elicit high emotions, especially after an effort last week to address the issue of exceptions by voice vote rather than by the standard roll call. Democrats saw the move as an attempt by Republicans to exclude the exceptions without going on record as voting to force victims of rape and incest to give birth. Democrats have vowed to try again Tuesday to amend the bill to allow abortions in cases of rape and incest. With Democrats in the Senate expected to vote against the bill and Republicans divided, "it's going to be real close," Republican Sen. Cam Ward said in his home in suburban Birmingham, where his 7-month-old daughter was about to go down for a nap. Ward said his stomach hurts over the idea of denying rape victims the opportunity to terminate a pregnancy. "In California, I'd be to the right of Attila the Hun," he said. "But in Alabama, I'm a moderate." Last week, Ward said, a young woman came to his office in the Statehouse and said she was raped by a relative when she was 14. She did not become pregnant, but she and her mother said she would have had an abortion had she conceived. As it was, she attempted suicide, was hospitalized for three weeks, struggled in school and is still in counseling years later. "Her world got very small fast," her mother wrote Ward in an email. "This bill is barbaric. Representatives need to think outside of themselves and their own life experiences." Ward said he can't get her story out of his mind. "Look, we are so pro-life in this state. But we've never faced anything like this," Ward said, noting that he has concerns with a bill that doesn't have exceptions for rape and incest. "The question is, are we going to be the state that says this is OK?" he said. "Even if this is just a legal strategy, I also have a 16-year-old daughter. Would I want her to carry a baby from a rape? Thats where my stomachache comes in, he said. Thats where folks feel real sick about this. The Supreme Court meets in private to decide last-minute pleas from death-row inmates to stop their executions, and what happens behind the maroon velvet curtains often stays behind the maroon velvet curtains. But that changed Monday, with justices issuing a flurry of explanations and recriminations on cases decided weeks ago. The writings named names and exposed a bitter rift between members of the court on one of the most emotional and irreversible decisions they make. Decisions on last-minute stays usually come with only a minimum of reasoning. But three justices issued a set-the-record-straight opinion that took aim at one of Justice Stephen Breyer's dissents from a month ago. Breyer had said the court's conservatives deviated from "basic principles of fairness" in refusing to take more time to consider the plea of an Alabama murderer, Christopher Lee Price, who had asked to be executed by inhaling nitrogen gas rather than risk a "botched" lethal injection. "There is nothing of substance to these assertions," wrote Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justices Samuel Alito Jr. and Neal Gorsuch. They said that Breyer's reasoning, which was joined by the court's three other liberals, "does not withstand even minimal legal scrutiny." In a separate filing, Alito also defended a much-criticized ruling from the court in February that allowed the execution of a Muslim inmate, also in Alabama, where he was denied a request to have an imam at his side in the death chamber. Full coverage of Alabamas death penalty "The court was presented at the last minute with claims that raised complicated issues that cannot be adequately decided with hasty briefing and an inadequate record," Alito wrote. He and the court's other conservatives allowed the execution of Domineque Ray to proceed. The court's decision drew criticism from the left and the right, and a stinging dissent from Justice Elena Kagan and the other liberals: "Ray has put forward a powerful claim that his religious rights will be violated at the moment the state puts him to death." Alito also said he disagreed with the court's decision in late March to stop the execution of a Buddhist inmate in Texas who was not allowed a priest of his faith to be with him. In that case, it was explained Monday, Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the liberals to stop the execution, because they felt his objection has been raised in a timely manner. The back-and-forth exposes raw feelings among the justices over the death penalty, and whether it can be carried out in an equitable manner. The catalyst seems to be Kavanaugh's replacement of Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy was not seen as a reliable vote either for liberals, who often but not always are willing to delay executions for another look, or conservatives, who seem to have had enough of last-minute requests for stays from inmates whose crimes were committed long ago. The strategy, Thomas wrote Monday, "is no secret, for it is the same strategy adopted by many death-row inmates with an impending execution: bring last-minute claims that will delay the execution, no matter how groundless. . . . [S] uch delay both rewards gamesmanship and threatens to make last-minute stay applications the norm instead of the exception." The court's "dallying," Thomas wrote, meant that Alabama had to delay Price's execution. He quoted Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, as calling that a "miscarriage of justice." Bessie Smith, whose husband, Bill, a pastor, was killed just before Christmas 1991 by Price and another man, "waited for hours with her daughters to witness petitioner's execution, but was forced to leave without closure," Thomas wrote. In his dissent in April, Breyer had written that his colleagues turned down his request to delay Price's execution so that they could discuss it together at a previously schedule conference the next morning. "To proceed in this matter in the middle of the night without giving all members of the court the opportunity for discussion tomorrow morning is, I believe, unfortunate," Breyer wrote. He has previously said that after decades on the Supreme Court, he has doubts the death penalty can be constitutionally applied, and has suggested the court take up the issue. That seems not at all likely, with a majority of the court not only supporting the death penalty, but ready to move more quickly on the backlog of executions. In the opinion he contributed Monday, Kavanaugh said he "fully" agreed with Alito that counsel for death row inmates must "raise any potentially meritorious claims in a timely manner, as this court has repeatedly emphasized." Joined by Roberts, Kavanaugh said the Muslim inmate Ray had not done so. But he said Patrick Murphy, the Buddhist in Texas, had met the standard. And he said the court's decision to stay the execution had prompted Texas to change its execution protocol so that it was equitable. Texas allowed only Texas prison chaplains in the death chamber, and none were Buddhist. "Five days after the court granted a stay, Texas changed its unconstitutional policy, and it did so effective immediately," Kavanaugh wrote. "Texas now allows all religious ministers only in the viewing room and not in the execution room." Such a policy "should alleviate any future litigation delays or disruptions," he said. Kavanaugh's view does not set a precedent, but indicates that a majority of the court feels that the religious needs of inmates must be respected and treated equally. In other words, if a Christian inmate has a right to a chaplain of his faith in the death chamber, so must a Muslim. Or that spiritual advisers of all faiths may be banned. Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas were not so sure that issue was closed. If Murphy, the Buddhist, were not in prison, "Texas could not tell him that the only cleric he could have at his side in the moments before death is one who is approved by the state," Alito wrote. But this courts precedents hold that imprisonment necessarily imposes limitations on a prisoners constitutional rights. An Alabama Senate committee today voted in favor of a pair of bills that would end elections for the state school board, the body that sets the standards for all public schools in Alabama. While several Republicans have challenged the standards and questioned the elected leaders atop the public schools, today's effort to end the elections also drew praise from a prominent Democrat. Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, complimented the bills' sponsor, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, as the committee began discussing the bills. "Sen. Marsh," Figures said, "I thank you so much for your passion to want to right the wrongs in public education. You show it by doing everything you can to rectify things that you feel are what's wrong with it." Earlier this year, Marsh also introduced a bill to remove Common Core standards from public schools. That bill appears to have stalled out in the Alabama Legislature. However, he more recently returned with a new plan to allow the governor to appoint the state school board, the elected body which sets those standards. Figures is a regular critic of the many education reform bills Marsh has sponsored, including bills to broaden school outside of the traditional public system. But today she voted for both bills, saying to Marsh, "I do believe that you have a good heart, and you do want to do all that you can for public education, and I want to help you do that." Marsh said they also want to put more money into education, but leadership is critical and that's why he brought the bill forward. According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, Alabama is one of seven states and the District of Columbia where voters still elect all members of the state board of education. In three more states, some members are elected and some are appointed. The bill would replace Alabama's elected board with a nine-member Commission. Commissioners would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Marsh said the bill requires the geographical, gender and racial diversity to reflect the public school system in Alabama. Marsh said using current population information, the state school board, which right now has two African American members, would have three African American members. Members of the Commission would have staggered terms of six years and would be term limited after two terms. Moving the state school board from an elected to an appointed board will take a Constitutional amendment. Marsh said he knows putting it to a vote of the people is risky. State school board member Yvette Richardson, D-Birmingham, told AL.com last week that she heard the amendment would likely be on the ballot during the March Presidential primary. If the amendment is approved by voters, all current elected board members are immediately terminated. "At the end of the day," Marsh said, "the people of this state have to ask themselves can we move in a better direction. I think they'll make that choice." Gov. Kay Ivey told state school board members in a letter last week that the school board is broken, and she supports the change to an appointed board. The bill also changes the process for appointing a chief state school officer. The elected board currently appoints the superintendent, and they would still appoint the chief, called the secretary. However, that appointment, like the commissioners, would be subject to the Senate confirmation process. "In that process," Marsh said, "we all have a chance to ask critical questions dealing with education and education policy." Marsh said in the current elected system, there is no one to hold accountable. If the Governor appoints the commission, he said, that's where the accountability is. In 33 states, the Governor appoints members and lawmakers approve the appointments. In a few states, there is a combination of elected and appointed state school board members. Also included in SB397, but not discussed by committee members, is a to-do list for commission members, which includes adopting academic standards that ensure nationwide consistency and the seamless transfer of students from within and outside of the state, in lieu of common core. I know everybody at this table wants to do everything we can to improve the education in this state, Marsh said, and this is in no way pointing fingers at any individual member of the existing state school board. That board, however, being elected, is political, and Im trying to take the politics out of it. Political squabbling and an in-house legal dispute halted the rollout Tuesday of a 2.5% pay raise for all city employees in Mobile. The City Council, in an unanimous vote, endorsed the pay hike for approximately 2,000 merit system employees, such as police officers and firefighters, effective immediately. The increased excluded 59 non-merit Section 40 or contractual employees. But moments after the councils vote, Mayor Sandy Stimpson held a news conference outside his office to announce that all pay raises were being rescinded for the time being. Until we can figure out how to get everyone included, there will not be a raise, Stimpson said. Hold hostage During the councils pre-meeting conference, the contractual employees issue prompted spirited debate between two attorneys who are sparing in court over a pending lawsuit pitting Stimpson against the council. Wanda Cochran, who represents the council, and Ricardo Woods, representing Stimpsons office, disagreed over whether the contractual employees should be included in the raises. Cochran suggested the council omit them, while Wood urged inclusion. I think no one disputes the fact that the raises should go to the merit-system employees, but my legal advice is that you do not increase salaries for Section 40 employees, said Cochran. Thats squarely in the litigation and it would be detrimental. Woods said the council was being asked to amend the city budget and approve the method for allowing the raises. He disagreed with Cochran that raises would affect the lawsuit. He said the lawsuit was being mentioned in order to hold the cost of living increases hostage. This is a policy issue, not a legal issue, Woods said. Its a matter who is making the policy. Is it the lawyers or the elected officials? Cochran criticized Woods in using terms like hostage to describe the legal spat between the mayor and the council. Stimpson filed the lawsuit in December contesting the councils interpretation of its hiring authority under the Zoghby Act the 1985 law which established the citys mayor-council form of government. On Tuesday, the council ultimately supported Cochrans concerns by passing an amendment that excluded contractual employees from the 2.5% raises. Only Councilman Joel Daves voted against the amendment. Select group Council Vice President Levon Manzie said the council was simply taking advice from its attorney. Its only a select group and this is not a good move to make at this time, said Manzie. Ninety-eight to 99% of city employees will, in fact, receive this raise. He said he was disappointed in Stimpsons actions, noting that the contractual employees are part of the litigation he initiated. Once we have gotten through our legal situation, it will be important to do (a similar raise) for all employees. Im not trying to stifle anyone from receiving an appropriate raise in salary. We want to make sure what we do does not harm us from a standpoint that we find ourselves in. Stimpson, during his news conference afterward, said some of the non-merit system employees havent received a raise for years and mentioned Sue Farni, the senior director of information technology with the city. According to city information, Farni earns $112,756.80 annually, and that her hourly rate increased on April 2, 2016. Another employee cited by Stimpson was Gerard McCants, who earns $55,016 as the assistant director of operations with the parks and recreation department. He has not had a salary increase since he started working with the city in 2016. These are people who are working just as hard as anyone else, said Stimpson, who took exception to the councils beliefs that its just a few employees who wont get a raise. I pledge to find a way to reward our employees, all of them, said Stimpson. The average annual pay for 51 of the 59 contractual employees is $71,180.61. The average does not include part-time employees who are also grouped into the category. Stimpson and other city officials say that the actual number of contractual employees is higher, at more than 100. The highest paid Section 40 employees include George Talbot, the citys senior director of communications and external affairs, who earns $125,000 annually; James Roberts, the senior director of neighborhood development, who earns $115,000 annually; and Shayla Beaco, the executive with Build Mobile, who earns $115,000 annually. Nine employees within the same category earn $40,000 or below in annual pay, with three earning right at $30,000. Stimpson said he believed the council was making a political statement by excluding them. The City Council would have excluded some of the most talented and hard-working employees who most responsible for the financial success (of the city) over the past five years, he said. Remain competitive The squabble also affected raises to the police and fire employees, who comprise 850 to 900 members of the citys workforce. James Barber, the citys executive director of public safety, said a cost of living raise hasnt been given to police officers and firefighters in the past two years. He noted that Mobile has issued past pay raises for police and fire, but that the city has long battled a reputation for having some of the lowest starting wages for police. Thats why its important for the cost-of-living to go through so you can sustain a competitive wage, Barber said. Weve got to be able to sustain those incremental cost of living adjustments to remain competitive. Councilman C.J. Small suggested the city consider giving hiring incentives to police at a time of rising gun violence citywide. Anyway we can find incentives to make it more attractive for people to become a police officer, we need to do that, said Small. I dont want to end up where we are wanting the Army National Reserve patrolling our city. Barber said cities throughout the U.S. support sign-on incentives for police. He said local legislation that could be coming up in Montgomery, but which has not yet been filed, would increase police and fire salaries. Stimpson, in rescinding the pay raise, did not specifically mention police and fire. He did recall a previous battle over raises, which occurred in late 2013. Stimpson, who had just been elected mayor at the time, rescinded a 2.5% pay increase that former Mayor Sam Jones had issued for all city employees. At the time, Stimpson said the budget wasnt in good enough shape to afford the $2 million worth of raises. Raises eventually came in 2015 and 2016. This year, a budget surplus is fueling the interest of providing across-the-board raises. The current 2.5% increase would cost around $1.6 million, according to city officials. Stimpson said there is no timeline for offering the raises again.Well delve into what other options exist and if there is another way to skin this cat, he said. Its not over. Well continue to find a way to cover all employees. A north Alabama duo is accused of breaking into a home and stealing the keys to a Mercedes, before leaving the car stuck in a cornfield, authorities said. The car, a 2013 Mercedes C250, was found abandoned and covered with mud in a Limestone County field near Hatchett and Lindsey roads on Sunday. But Stephen Young, a Limestone County sheriffs spokesman, said the adventure began Saturday when a man and woman broke into an occupied home on Bay Pointe Drive and stole the keys to the Mercedes. After taking the vehicle, the suspects had taken a joy ride ending in the corn field where they got stuck, Young said in a press release. Investigators are looking for 24-year-old Brett Kirkland Burks and 39-year-old Stephanie Lynn Dutcher in connection with the incident, according to the sheriffs office. Both are wanted on warrants for theft, burglary, criminal mischief and destruction of crops, authorities said. Investigators collected evidence from the scene that identified Burks and Dutcher as suspects, Young said. Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Caleb Durden, of the Limestone County sheriffs office, at 256-232-0111. With his sister locked away in an east Alabama jail, awaiting the birth of her child and facing a possible death sentence, Terrell Ransaw said his family wants only a fair investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her pregnancy. She wasnt pregnant when she went to jail, Ransaw said in a phone interview with AL.com. Latoni Daniel, Ransaws 26-year-old sister, has been jailed without bail for about 17 months and is eight months pregnant. On Dec. 5, 2017, she was charged with capital murder in the Coosa County robbery and fatal shooting of 87-year-old Thomas Virgil Chandler. Charged along with her now-former boyfriend, shes accused of being the getaway driver. As Daniel awaits trial, shes also expecting the birth of a baby boy her first child during the last week of May. Mickey McDermott, a civil attorney representing Daniel, said he believes she was raped in the Coosa County Jail, possibly while she was taking legally prescribed sedatives. McDermott said Daniel has no memory of a sexual encounter. Daniel is a longtime resident of the east central Alabama area. At the time of her arrest, she was living in Alexander City, records show. She previously served in the Army National Guard and was honorably discharged, according to family members and court documents. Latoni Daniel in her Army National Guard uniform / Photo supplied by family Daniel doesnt have any prior felony convictions. Alabama court records show she was arrested on a theft charge in Alex City in 2013, but a grand jury declined to indict her. Attorneys Jon Taylor and Nancy Kirby represent Daniel in her criminal case. In a motion asking a Coosa County judge to set bail for Daniel, the attorneys wrote that she has ties to the community. Circuit Judge David Law is considering whether to set bail, but Daniels family members and attorneys say they worry a ruling will not be issued before Daniel gives birth. Its unclear whether Daniel would be able to afford bail, although Ransaw said his family is willing to do whatever is needed to get her out of jail before her baby is born. Well pay or put up the property, get her an ankle monitor, he said. I wish they would give her a chance let her come home with our family. If other people were given a chance, why not her? Although the circumstances of Daniels pregnancy are shrouded in mystery, her brother said the family considers the baby a blessing. The baby will be well taken care of and loved, regardless, Ransaw said. The baby boy will live with his grandmother, while Ransaw said he will provide financial support. One thing she wasnt going to do was have an abortion, Ransaw said of his sister. A lot of people would probably consider giving the baby up for adoption or having an abortion. She believes its a blessing from God no matter the situation. The Coosa County Jail Still, Daniels family and lawyers want answers about the mysterious circumstances surrounding her pregnancy. Daniel got pregnant while she was housed in Coosa County lockup in the tiny town of Rockford. Since her pregnancy was revealed, shes been transferred to the jail in neighboring Talladega County, about 40 miles north of Rockford. McDermott said Daniel has no memory of a sexual encounter in the Coosa County jail. He said she might have been raped while she was taking sedatives to treat a seizure disorder. But Ransaw said he wonders why his sister was getting sedatives. Shes never had any seizures before she went to jail, Ransaw said. Daniels attorneys and family members said they havent heard from any officials about whether they are investigating what happened to her. Jeff Willis, the district attorney in Coosa County, recently said Daniels pregnancy is being investigated. Because its an ongoing matter, Willis said he cant discuss the case. A crime is a crime, regardless of who it happens to, Ransaw said. Shes giving birth to a child she didnt plan to have. Nobody asks to be raped or drugged. Just because a person is locked up doesnt mean theyre a bad person or did the crime you say they did. The offices of Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Coosa County Sheriff Michael Howell declined to comment. While Ransaw said he sympathizes with the family of Virgil Chandler, the man his sister is accused of killing, he noted she hasnt been convicted. That, Ransaw said, is why state or local authorities should investigate the circumstances of her pregnancy, find out who the babys father is and hold that person accountable. Two wrongs dont make a right, he said. If this was your daughter who got pregnant in jail, how would you feel? Ransaw continued. Instead of looking down on us, put yourself in my familys shoes. Treat everybody fairly. We just want a fair investigation." Forty-seven years ago this week,, the presidential hopes of Alabamas controversial firebrand governor George Wallace were cut short by an assassins bullet. The gunman changed Alabama and U.S. history in a moment. Wallace, best known for his stance on segregation, was in his second term as Alabamas governor when he announced his third run for the presidency ahead of the 1972 Democratic primaries. Wallace was campaigning for the White House at a Laurel, Maryland shopping center on May 15, 1972 when 21-year-old busboy Arthur Herman Bremer leveled his .38 revolver at Wallace. Bremer squeezed the trigger, hitting Wallace five times and wounding three others: Alabama State Trooper Captain E.C. Dothard; campaign volunteer Dora Thompson; and Secret Service agent Nick Zarvos. Wallace was left paralyzed and in pain for the rest of his life. The day after the assassination attempt, Wallace won the Michigan and Maryland primaries but his victories were short-lived and he dropped out of the race at the end of July. He went on to serve two more terms as Alabamas governor and made one more unsuccessful run for the White House but never again captured the national scene to the same degree. Wallace died in 1998 at age 79. Arthur Bremer Bremer, motivated not by ideology but rather by a desire for fame, had originally planned to shoot President Richard Nixon. He abandoned that idea when he realized the President was too well protected and turned his attention instead to the campaigning Wallace. He traveled to Maryland to a Wallace campaign rally and, shooting him just after the candidate had finished speaking. Bremer was tackled by onlookers at the scene. He went on trial just three months after the assassination attempt. Bremers defense team argued he was schizophrenic and legally insane; the prosecution disagreed, saying he had plotted to attack Wallace. Bremer was convicted on Aug. 4, 1972 and sentenced to 63 years in prison. A year later his diary was published, detailing his actions and thoughts on the months leading up to the assassination attempt. Bremer served 35 years at the Maryland Correctional Institute before being released in 2007 at the age of 57. Bremer reportedly declined all mental health treatment during his confinement, spending his time working as a teachers aid. At the time of his release, Bremer was described as balding and paunchy with a long, gray beard. Both his parents were dead and prison officials said he was alone. He has no one, a corrections spokesperson said. Terms of Bremers release include electronic monitoring and staying away from elected officials and candidates. Hes also required to undergo mental health evaluations if deemed necessary. Bremer lives in Cumberland, Maryland and has a steady job and stays out of the limelight, law enforcement officials said. Bremers probation will end in 2025 he will be 75 years old. An Alabama State Trooper was called to the scene on Dec. 13, 2017 when a vehicle overturned in Chilton County. The driver, Siraj Wahhaj, was with an adult and seven children and said they were going from Georgia to New Mexico for a camping trip, according to news reports at the time. The troopers report said he found no camping equipment but noted Wahhaj had five guns, a bag of ammunition and a bulletproof vest. Mr. Wahhaj seemed to be very concerned about his weapons and stated several times that they were his property and that he owned them legally, according to the report, shared by CBS News. It was the last time one of those children -- Wahhajs 3-year-old son Abdul-ghani Wahhaj -- was seen alive. The boys body was found at a remote desert compound in Taos County, N.M., where 11 children were found living in filth, on Aug. 7, 2018 -- nearly eight months after the Alabama wreck and a day after what would have been Abdul-ghanis 4th birthday. Authorities say the boy was denied health care and died during an exorcism. Prosecutors have said they will show Wahhaj, who has pleaded not guilty in Abdul-ghanis death, was using the New Mexico compound to launch an anti-government plot and talked of jihad and martyrdom. The strange saga unfolding in a federal court in New Mexico 17 months after that Chilton County wreck now has some Macon County residents concerned. A news report last week by WPMI NBC 15 in Mobile stated a Macon County site owned by Wahhaj, who was indicted on terrorism, kidnapping and firearms charges in New Mexico, may have been used as another terrorist training ground. Sinclairs report said the site is on Macon County 81 in the town of Franklin, just west of Tuskegee and was used for a military style obstacle training course. The information emerged in an FBI search warrant, according to the station. I cant discuss a ongoing investigation nor can I confirm or deny the existence of a investigation, Thomas Loftis, a spokesman for the FBIs Mobile office, told AL.com on Monday. The news report caught the attention of some people in and around Tuskegee, but did not seem to cause a stir in the community. Franklin Mayor Henry Peavy said Monday he had heard the news report but had not heard about the site before. The mayor, in his first term, said no one has asked him about the report. I havent heard anybody say anything about it, Peavy said. That might be because the search happened with little fanfare. I didnt know they were even looking at this place, Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson said. The FBI came and investigated and didnt share that with us. Brunson, however, said he and the community were concerned to hear the allegations. The sheriff said he had not been to the property on County Road 81 but is planning to look at it this week. He also has reached out to the FBI to try to get more information. Brunson said he received a call about the site from a reporter several months ago, but the conversation went no further. He said sometime in the past several years, there were reports of a stolen trailer that was linked to that property and said he later received a call from someone in Mexico inquiring about the stolen trailer. Otherwise, Brunson said, there has never been any reports of anything amiss there. It does concern me. That could have been potentially dangerous, and we werent made aware that it was in our back yard, he said. Its alarming that that nobody didnt even let us know that was going on. Its alarming to people here. Brunson said the property has long been abandoned. Theres no danger right now because its empty, he said. They have vacated it. Macon County 81 connects U.S. 80 and Macon County 51. A short section is paved but most of the three-mile route is dirt, rutted and bumpy in spots. Picturesque Shady Grove Baptist Church, with a cemetery in back, sits near one end of the road. Theres a scattering of houses, a blueberry farm, and abandoned structures and some barking dogs. But people and vehicle traffic are sparse. Trees obstruct much of the view from the road along both sides, and theres nothing to indicate the location of the camp shown in the video on WPMI. At C&K Wings in downtown Tuskegee, about five miles away, Royzell Ligon of Tuskegee, 64, said he had heard the news report but had his doubts. Its really weird, said It really is. One thing about it, I dont believe it. When I heard it, I didnt believe it. A lot of people dont believe it. Because right here in a little small town like this, its kinda weird, aint it? Asked how much people were talking about it, Ligon said, Aint nobody talking about it. Alton Ligon of Opelika, 54, Royzells brother, said he had not heard about the report and said people should be more watchful. People in a small town like this, we have to pay attention, Alton Ligon said. We are not paying attention. Its weird that nobody didnt see this happening and didnt call the police. That just shows you how people are not really concerned about stuff thats going on. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A group of kayakers discovered a dead body in Mobiles Dog River during a sunset paddle Monday night. After finding the male body at about 6:15 p.m., the group of kayakers handed the scene over to Mobile Police Department investigators, according to a post on the kayak groups website and MPD officials. The body was found on a stretch of water between McVay Drive and the I-10. The group had been hoping to spot some manatee that had been reported in the area over the last couple of days. Specific details regarding the body have not yet been released by police and the investigation is still ongoing. This is a breaking news story and will be updated as new information becomes available. A lawsuit surrounding the collapsed sale last year of Bellefonte Nuclear Plant in northeast Alabama played out in federal court on Monday as attorneys argued intricate points of law and the judge asked a series of questions of both sides. At issue is the effort by Nuclear Development LLC late last year to purchase Bellefonte and TVAs last-minute decision not to complete the sale. TVA said Nuclear Development had not met conditions of the sales contract, which involved securing transfer of construction permits from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Nuclear Development maintains that those permits were not required to complete the sale, which the company won at auction for $111 million more than two years ago. The sale was scheduled to close Nov. 30, 2018. The day before, however, TVA informed Nuclear Development the deal would not go forward because of the dispute over the NRC permits. Nuclear Development immediately filed the lawsuit against TVA for breach of contract. Specifically, the hearing in Huntsville before U.S. District Judge Liles Burke focused on TVAs motion to dismiss the lawsuit. At the end of the hearing, Burke said he would rule on that motion as soon as possible. With the crux of the lawsuit based on the NRC permits that TVA holds as the owner of Bellefonte, the judge asked attorneys on both sides if the NRC has spoken about the dispute. "Not to my knowledge," answer TVA attorney Matthew Lembke. And when the judge asked if there was a reason, Lembke said, "If there is, I don't know the answer." Caine O'Rear III, attorney for Nuclear Development, said that the NRC held a public meeting on Aug. 14, 2018, attended by both parties in which "the sequence of the transaction was laid out" and no issue about the permits was raised. O'Rear also cited an April 5, 2019, letter from the NRC to Nuclear Development that spelled out it was processing the company's request to transfer the permits from TVA to Nuclear Development. That process is expected to take about a year, Nuclear Development attorney Larry Blust told the judge. Lembke said that the sales contract is the critical aspect of the case. In that sales contract, Nuclear Development did not meet the stipulation of receiving the permits from the NRC. And since Nuclear Development did not have the NRC permits, TVA said it would be illegal for the utility to complete the sale. "That's all the court needs to consider (in the motion to dismiss)," Lembke said. O'Rear disagreed, saying that the permits could be transferred after the sale was closed. He pointed out that the NRC cannot transfer the permits to Nuclear Development unless it owns the property or TVA approves the transfer neither of which can occur under the circumstances of the collapsed sale. "It's a nice little catch-22 set up by TVA," O'Rear said. Nuclear Development has said it also invested about $30 million in the project -- $22 million to TVA in a down payment for the plant to TVA and almost $7 million to TVA to maintain the plant during the two-year sales period. Burke asked Lembke if TVA would return the $30 million to Nuclear Development if he dismissed the case. Lembke responded that Nuclear Development has not asked for a refund and, since no refund has been requested, TVA has not made a decision on returning the money. NASA leaders said today the White House will seek $1.6 billion in extra funding from Congress this fiscal year to meet its ambitious goal of sending a man and a woman to the Moons surface in 2024, a program now officially named "Artemis for the sister of Apollo, namesake of the original Moon mission program. The first time humanity went to the Moon, it was under the name Apollo, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a telephone press conference Monday night. "The Apollo program forever changed history and I know all of us in this room and on the phone are very proud of the Apollo program. It turns out that Apollo had a twin sister - Artemis, Bridenstine said. "She happened to be the goddess of the Moon. Our astronaut office is very diverse and highly qualified. I think it is very beautiful that 50 years after Apollo, the Artemis program will carry the next man and the first woman to the Moon. I have a daughter who is 11 years old, Bridenstine said. and I want her to be able to see herself in the same role as the next women who go to the moon see themselves in today. This is really a beautiful moment in American history and Im proud to be a part of it. The extra funding is what NASA will need to really get started to meet those timelines required for a 2024 mission, NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations William Gerstenmaier said. All we need ... weve got in this budget. See NASAs budget plan and strategy here The new appropriation would mean no cuts to NASAs science missions or funds for the International Space Station. It would increase science funding by $90 million. NASAs plan relies on both its Space Launch System (SLS) and commercial companies such as SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin, although none of those is officially part of the mission yet. The plan calls for NASA to proceed with its first two SLS fly-around missions to the Moon - the first with no crew and the second with an astronaut crew - then use the third SLS mission to support the landing. The lunar orbiting space station called the Gateway will be scaled back to meet the timeline, and NASA will need a transfer vehicle, a lander and an ascent vehicle for the mission. Those last three are likely where commercial companies would take the lead. NASAs European partners will also keep their critical role of providing life support systems for Orion. Asked if the mission could be stopped if President Trump loses his bid for re-election in 2020, Bridenstine said NASAs plan will need bipartisan support but actually lessens political risk by moving faster. Our goal is to build a program that gets us to the surface as soon as possible, one that America can be proud of, Bridenstine said. Bridenstine also answered the question of why go back to the Moon. Why do we go to the Moon? Because we want to go to Mars, Bridenstine said. And he said America cant do that without what it learns by going back to the Moon first. A champion will face off against a first-time contender in a paddlewheel boat race on Saturday in connection with Tuscaloosas ongoing bicentennial celebration. The race is a family-friendly event meant to recall the importance of river commerce and travel in the city's early history. "We know that is why we are here, and we wanted to recognize the significance of it," said Shelley Jones, the chair of the bicentennial commission's community engagement subcommittee. The Bama Belle, owned and operated by Capt. Craig Dodson, will race for the first time against the Pickett Hastings owned by the Sherrill family of Tuscaloosa, organizer Ken DeWitt said. The Pickett Hastings is a racing champion built by Ike Hastings, a legendary ship builder and racer, DeWitt said. The race will be at 3 p.m. Saturday and the public is encouraged to watch along the Riverwalk. Activities including food trucks, face painting and music will begin before the race at 1 p.m. The boats will race between the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater and Manderson Landing. The race is an affiliated event of Tuscaloosa's Bicentennial, a yearlong celebration that includes concerts, art, expos, educational activities and other events. Each month has a different theme. May's theme is transportation. The Bama Belle will take about 60 passengers onboard for those who want a first-person view of the race, Dodson said. Tickets are $20 and available on a first-come-first served basis at www.bamabelle.org. Dodson said the website also has information about the Belles other cruises including trips to the locks and sandbars. The commercial cruise boat depends on the public, he noted. Part of the afternoon's celebration is meant to capture the spirit of a time when the river played a more central role in commerce and transportation. "We are trying to evoke the time when Tuscaloosa was young, and the river was the center of life," DeWitt said. "The news came when they heard the steamboat whistles. That is when stuff arrived." The afternoon will also feature people in 19th-century costumes and period music. The University of Alabama's Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum will be open during the event. The museum's exhibits include photos and artifacts from the region's history with paddlewheel steamboats. DeWitt noted the museum has two scale-models of Ohio River steamboats built by his uncle, Charles E. "Bud" Cason of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. DeWitt traces his enthusiasm for the river to his experiences with his uncle and parents. DeWitt lived as a child along the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. His mother and uncle also took him as a child to see the riverfront in Cincinnati during family trips. DeWitt recalled seeing similar races in other cities. "It occurred to me that Tuscaloosa was founded because the steamboats could only go so far up the river because of the falls," DeWitt said. "Hey, we are a river town, let's have a steamboat race." The winner will receive the "Black Warrior River Silver Antlers Trophy," a prize Dewitt said was inspired by the award given to the winners of the Great Steamboat Race, an annual contest between paddlewheels in Louisville that is part of the festivities around the Kentucky Derby race. The race winner gets the pair of silver antlers to display and bragging rights for the year, DeWitt said. We are starting such a prize here and a tradition in here in Tuscaloosa, DeWitt said. The winner displays those antlers on their boat. It becomes a point of pride to wear the antlers up near the boat bell. A former Washington County official has been charged with 26 felonies, including accusations that she stole more than $600,000 through a check fraud scheme. Laura Lee Taylor, 68, a former Washington County revenue commissioner and former treasurer of the Public Park and Recreation Board, handed herself in to the Washington County Jail after a grand jury indicted her on the charges, according to a Tuesday press release from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls office. She is charged with one count of first-degree theft and nine counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument for using her position as treasurer of the park and recreation board to allegedly steal more than $600,000 by issuing checks that were not authorized by the board, which she deposited or cashed herself. Ten counts of identity theft for using a board members name and identifying information to obtain loans in the Boards name without approval of the Board member or the Board. And Six counts of attempt to evade or defeat tax for failing to pay income tax on the money she stole. First-degree theft of property and identity theft are class B felonies punishable by two to 20 years in prison, noted the press release. Second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument is class C felony punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison. Attempt to evade or defeat tax is an unclassified felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The charges come a little more than a year after Taylor was first arrested on four counts of being in possession of a forged instrument. In the wake of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court's March 28 decision that rockweed in the intertidal zone is the property of the upland landowner and not a public resource, a legislative committee is seeking to craft a means through statute to allow for commercial rockweed harvesting -- and the building of sandcastles. During a May 7 work session on a bill that would expand the allowed public uses in intertidal lands, the legislature's Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee -- instead of the Marine Resources Committee -- worked with the Maine Attorney General's Office on how to amend the legislation so that it would not be in violation of the Maine Constitution or contrary to accepted common law. LD 1323, sponsored by Senator Dana Dow of Waldoboro, would allow certain commercial uses on intertidal lands, including seaweed harvesting and aquaculture, along with the rental and sale of surfboards and kayaks and small boats; and specific recreational uses, including "sitting, walking, running, reading, sunbathing, picnicking, the throwing of balls and other toys, gathering shells and sea glass and the building of sandcastles." Assistant Attorney General Lauren Parker outlined that the AG's Office sees LD 1323 as a vehicle for the legislature to express its view that recreational activities in the intertidal zone are within the public trust rights. She noted that a concurring opinion by three of the supreme court justices in the recent rockweed harvesting lawsuit against Acadian Seaplants indicated that the court should overrule the 1989 Moody Beach court decision to allow some recreational uses in the intertidal area. In the rockweed lawsuit decision, the court had applied prior legal precedent that the harvesting of seaweed does not fall within the public's rights to fishing, fowling and navigation, as outlined in a 1641-47 colonial ordinance, and therefore permission is needed from the upland owner before harvesting can occur. The Moody Beach decision held that the public is entitled to only those three rights in the intertidal zone. The AG's Office suggested several amendments to the bill, including removing the allowance for commercial uses in the intertidal area, since the court had stated that seaweed harvesting is not within the scope of the public trust doctrine. Parker noted that the court might reach the same conclusion concerning aquaculture in the intertidal zone. However, clamming and worm digging would not be at risk, she noted, as they fall under the fishing definition. Committee members then discussed how they could allow for the harvesting of rockweed in the intertidal zone through an amendment to state law, although Parker warned that such a measure might be construed by the court as an illegal taking of private property. Members of the committee also noted that while the agreed upon facts in the Acadian Seaplants case included that rockweed is a plant, the brown algae actually is not considered a plant by scientists. Former Maine law professor Orlando Delogu, who argues that Maine's beaches are public property, proposed how the bill could be used to allow for commercial rockweed harvesting, telling the committee, "You would assert your legislative prerogative to overturn a court decision that is contrary to 100 years of practice." The committee then voted to table the bill and will consider possible amendments at a later work session. Many testify at hearing On April 25 the committee had held public hearings on both LD 1323 and LD 1316, sponsored by Rep. Jeffrey Evangelos of Friendship, which would grant to the state ownership to all intertidal land not already filled to facilitate marine commerce. Many shorefront landowners, marine scientists, clammers and worm diggers testified at the hearings. Rep. Evangelos testified that he supports both bills because the state's intertidal zone "is an economic engine" for the state but access has been limited by court cases. His bill would expand public access "to assure that all reasonable uses of the intertidal area be protected for the interest of our people." Chad Coffin, president of the Maine Clammers Association, stated that the bill would help the clam industry, as the interpretation that "wealthy coastal landowners" own the intertidal zone prevents the placement of devices to protect clams. Brian Beal of Machiasport, a professor of marine ecology at the University of Maine at Machias, also supported the bill, arguing that individual ownership of the intertidal zone is outdated. He maintained that upland landowners do not pay property taxes on land in the intertidal area and stated, "It is time to dispense with the arcane law that gives upland landowners private property rights in the intertidal zone." However, some municipalities, including Eastport and Lubec, do include the intertidal zone in assessing the value of the upland owner's land. The Maine Municipal Association (MMA) opposed LD 1316, stating it would amount to "a legislative takings of property from both private individuals and municipalities." MMA also opposed LD 1323, stating in its testimony that "modern pressure to throw out old law should be thoroughly interrogated and weighed against how long it has protected the character and uniqueness of Maine's communities." The bill could remove local authority to manage municipal beaches, working waterfronts and activities, MMA noted. Robin Hadlock Seeley of Pembroke also opposed both bills, arguing that they appear "to open a legal Pandora's box, or they set the legislature against the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, or they would result in a huge cost to all of us if the state decided to purchase the entire intertidal zone from one end of the coast to another." At the May 7 work session, the committee voted against recommending LD 1316, with the AG's office having pointed out that declaring the intertidal zone to be public lands would be an unconstitutional taking of private property without compensation. Five Alabama airports were awarded more than a collective $20 million in government funding in the federal budget for a variety of projects, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., announced Friday. The funding, in the form of FAA grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will benefit five regional and municipal airports in Alabama. Shelby played a critical role in securing the funding as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, which helps set funding levels. This FAA funding will significantly improve the functionality, safety, and efficiency of these airports, the senator said in a statement. It is vital that we continue to make important infrastructure investments in Alabama to ensure the growth of local communities and future economic success. I look forward to witnessing the positive impact that these aviation advancements will have on our state. The five Alabama airports receiving funding are: Lanett Municipal Airport, Lanett, Alabama $8,100,000 for the extension of a runway Centre-Piedmont-Cherokee County Regional Airport, Centre, Alabama $5,552,000 for construction of a taxiway Franklin Field Airport, Union Springs, Alabama $3,866,048 for construction of a runway Vaiden Field Airport, Marion, Alabama $2,262,634 for the continuation of construction on a parallel taxiway Scottsboro Municipal-Word Field Airport, Scottsboro, Alabama $1,046,850 for the rehabilitation of an apron A 64-year-old Birmingham woman has been indicted in the abuse and neglect of a mentally disabled family member in her care. A Jefferson County grand jury on May 3 issued the indictment against Florence Dandridge, according to court records made public Monday. She is charged with first-degree assault and elderly abuse and/or neglect with serious injury. Though the victim in the case is only 39 years old, the charge was filed under the Alabama law that states Any person over 18 years of age subject to protection under this chapter or any person, including, but not limited to, persons who are senile, people with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities, or any person over 18 years of age that is mentally or physically incapable of adequately caring for himself or herself and his or her interests without serious consequences to himself or herself or others. According to Birmingham police, the victim was mentally incapacitated. The indictment alleges that Dandridge failed to feed the victim and also struck her with a belt buckle, a can and a hammer. The incident happened in November 2017, according to charging documents. Dandridge was initially arrested in July 2018, and later released from jail on $10,000 bond. Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Johnny Williams said the victims injuries were serious, but not life-threatening. A Jefferson County deputy injured in a rollover crash last week has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Deputy Dakota Madsen, 25, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 5:13 p.m. Monday and released at 8:17 p.m. after posting $300 bond. He is charged with DUI, and now is on leave. The crash happened about 8:20 p.m. May 8 on I-20 east near the I-459 exit. Authorities that Wednesday night said they shut down traffic in both directions because they could not locate the deputy. He was eventually found about 8:45 p.m., evaluated by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and then transported to the hospital for further treatment. ALEA Corporal Steve Smith said Madsen who was off duty at the time of the crash was traveling at a high rate of speed in his patrol cruiser with his emergency equipment activated when he crossed the median and eventually struck a guard rail. The impact caused the cruiser to flip. Troopers on Monday obtained the DUI warrant against Madsen. Jefferson County sheriffs spokesman Capt. David Agee on Tuesday said the deputy was on family leave at the time of the crash and remain on leave pending the outcome of the DUI case. A Shelby County husband and father has been found guilty in the slaying of his longtime friend who was shot multiple times in the stairwell of her Highland Lakes home in 2016 and found dead by her young son. After only one hour of deliberation Tuesday, the jury convicted 39-year-old Adam Michael Burrus in the murder of Connie Woolweaver, a beloved mother of two. Investigators found nine shell casings and eight bullet fragments near her body and said one of the shots entered through the back of her head and exited through her eye. Woolweaver, according to testimony, had loaned Burrus a total of $176,000 and was calling in those loans. A week before her death, Woolweaver text messaged a friend, saying she was not going to talk with Burrus until he repaid her. Burrus had repaid her about $47,000, of which $43,000 was borrowed from a bank. Shelby County authorities earlier this year indicted Burrus on mortgage fraud. It is not clear if that indictment is related to the $43,000 loan. Burrus, prosecutors said, was feeling the pressure and saw killing Woolweaver as a means of escaping his money problems. If you take care of Connie Woolweaver, you take care of the debt, said Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Daniel McBrayer. Burrus dropped his head upon hearing the guilty verdict and appeared to be visibly upset and breathing heavy. Several of his family members began to sob, but his wife remained emotionless. Circuit Judge Bill Bostick revoked Burruss $500,000 bond at the request of prosecutors and remanded him into custody. One of his family members pleaded with the judge to allow them to say goodbye, but the judge did not acknowledge the request. The judge said sentencing will be set at a later date. Burrus faces life in prison. The trial began Monday, May 6. The state rested its case about 12:30 p.m. Monday, and the defense rested about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday without Burrus taking the stand to testify in his own defense. Family members of Woolweaver and Burrus packed the courtroom throughout the week-long trial. McBrayer was joined at the prosecutors table by Chief Assistant District Attorney Alan Miller and Assistant District Attorney Shaun Styers. Burrus was represented by attorneys Michael Blalock, John Lentine and Barry Alvis. Woolweaver was found dead in her home on Dec. 14, 2016 by her 13-year-old son when he arrived home from school. Her body was discovered near the entrance to her home, in an inside stairwell that leads to the basement area. Police have previously described the scene as terrible. Woolweaver earlier in the day had attended a Christmas party at her daughters school but had left early to meet Burrus at her home. Burrus, a husband and father, at the time of his arrest was the owner of Green Solution Services, which is a landscape company, and also Bass Attacker LLC, a company he founded which sells plastic fishing lures injected. Woolweaver was a partner in the lure business. Testimony showed that Burrus was not initially a suspect in Woolweavers murder, but investigators spoke with him the morning following her death after a friend of the victims told them about the debt Burrus owed to Woolweaver. Shelby County sheriffs deputies quickly discovered discrepancies in Burrus statement. Burrus provided investigators with a timeline that they were able to discredit through time-stamped surveillance video at all of the places he mentioned, including his shop and a hamburger restaurant where he said he and two others ate lunch. Burrus told deputies that after he ate lunch the day Woolweaver died, he went to his mothers home in Highland Lakes to borrow a leaf blower and then went to a womans home in Mt. Laurel to do work for her. He said he was in and out of the gated subdivision in eight minutes, however prosecutors said he was actually there for almost 90 minutes, during which time he killed Woolweaver. Burrus was presumably at Woolweavers house that day because she was getting a bid on construction work and he wanted to make sure that she was getting a fair bid. Investigators said evidence to back up that belief included digital proof that Burrus had signed on to Woolweavers wifi, and a time-stamped picture found in the deleted bin on Burrus cell phone of a picture of Woolweavers basement that was taken on the day she was killed. His white pickup truck was captured on camera entering and exiting the back construction gate of the subdivision. From there, he went back to his office where, McBrayer said, he tossed an envelope in the trash can and then washed his hands of what hed done. Prosecutors showed multiple videos from Burrus interview. During a moment when Burrus was in the interrogation room alone, he was captured on video saying to himself, Theyre going to get me for murder and, later, this is bad. Also during questioning, Burrus admitted to detectives that he owned two guns but said neither was a 9 mm. Woolweaver was killed with a Taurus 9 mm which was recovered from Burrus garage, along with a full box of ammunition and a box that was missing eight rounds. A pastor testified that he sold the Taurus to Burrus in July 2016, and an examination of Burrus browsing history on his computer showed he had researched .9 mm sound suppressors just one week before Woolweaver was killed. Prosecutors played a telephone recording between Burrus and his wife after police searched their home. He asked what they had taken, and she replied they had taken a laptop, some bullets and a gun. He didnt ask what gun, McBrayer pointed out. Defense attorneys argued that Burrus could not have killed Woolweaver because the times did not add up. Authorities did not give an exact time of death they know Woolweaver was alive about 1:30 p.m. when she sent a text message to a contractor and they know she was dead shortly before 4 p.m. when first responders arrived on the scene. A paramedic testified that she had been dead about 30 to 45 minutes before his arrival, which defense attorneys said proved Burrus innocence because he was already back at his shop by then. Blalock also attacked the credibility of the states expert witnesses. Efforts to locate defense attorneys for comment after the trial werent immediately successful. Burrus family covered their faces and declined comment as they left the courthouse. Woolweaver attended Homewood High School and was a member of the Star-Spangled Girls Dance Team. She went to UAB and studied early childhood education. According to her LinkedIn profile, she then worked in the real estate and banking industry. Her son Chandler, who was 13 at the time of his death, is now living with his paternal grandparents. Her young daughter, Kate Ashton, is living with her father, who was divorced from Woolweaver. Bill Foreman, a close friend of the Woolweaver family, attended all but one day of the trial and said friends and family are pleased with the verdict. We feel like they got it right, Foreman said. For the family, its the end of a long journey. But its a journey that ends with no winners. Prosecutor Miller agreed the verdict was a long time coming. Its difficult for me to imagine how difficult this has been for Connies family, Miller said. Asked what ultimately drove Burrus to kill Woolweaver, Miller said this: Like so many evils of this world, it was an overwhelming sense of self. Were just glad this day of justice has come. The nations highest court wont review the case of an Alabama man set to die on Thursday evening. Michael Samra, 42, is set to be executed by lethal injection Thursday at 6 p.m. for his role in the 1997 slayings of two adults and two children at their Pelham home. His attorneys appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing his age at the time of the quadruple slaying he was convicted of should prohibit him from being executed. The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order Tuesday saying it will not review the case, and also declined to stay Samras execution. No opinions were issued. Samra was 19 when he and his co-defendant, then 16-year-old Mark Duke, were charged with killing Mark Dukes father Randy Duke, his fiancee Dedra Mims Hunt, and her two daughters, 6-year-old Chelisa Nicole Hunt and 7-year-old Chelsea Marie Hunt. Samra was convicted of capital murder in 1998 and was sentenced to death for his role in the killings. Samras attorneys Steven Sears and Alan Freedman have argued in court filings that the Eighth Amendment bans the execution of offenders- like Samra- who were under the age of 21 at the time of their crimes. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court banned execution for people who were under the age of 18 at the time of their crimes. Sears has said this ruling should be modified due to evolving standards of decency. In his U.S. Supreme Court petition, Samras attorneys argue the 2005 rule should be extended to include offenders up to the age of 21 at the time of their crimes. The mitigating qualities of youth do not dissipate the day a youthful offender turns 18 years old, the petition states. Since [the 2005 decision], scientific studies have shown that during a persons late teens and early 20s, the brain continues growing and undergoes rapid changes in self-regulation and higher-order cognition. Mark Duke was also sentenced to death, but his sentence was eventually overturned and changed to life in prison following the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in 2005. Samra has argued Mark Duke is more culpable and was the mastermind behind the slaying. Samras attorneys have also asked Gov. Kay Ivey for clemency. More charges are expected for the owner of an Alabama lab collection company accused of altering paternity and drug test screenings. The Ozark Police Department on Friday announced charges against 36-year-old Brandy Murrah, who lives in Clopton. Murrah is the owner of A & J Lab Collections. Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams said Monday that if the allegations against Murrah are true, it could mean that parents were denied custody based on falsified drug screen results. Were messing around peoples lives and their children, Adams said. It just seems beyond irresponsible to the point of being callous about the consequences. Efforts to reach Murrahs attorney for comment werent immediately successful. Murrah had an agreement with the Dale County Department of Human Resources to perform drugs test on individuals involved in dependency, or custody, cases. She was not involved in any criminal cases. Investigators said they launched their probe May 2 after evidence of drug screening reports that were provided to the Dale County Department of Human Resources by Murrah were found to be falsified. Ozark police Sgt. Cody Evans said multiple other drug screening reports provided to DHR are also believed to have been forged by Murrah. Murrah was paid either through DHR or through an individual, if they could afford the fee. Authorities said there is no indication at this point that she was paid by any person to change the outcome of a case. Murrah on Friday was charged with two counts of forgery. She surrendered to the Dale County Jail and was released on bond. Court records show she pleaded guilty to five counts of fraudulent use of a credit or debit car in Houston County, and was sentenced to three years of propbation. Adams said he expects more charges against Murrah including forgery, theft and perjury. The theft charges would stem for the incidents she reportedly was paid for tests she did not perform, and the perjury would be in cases where she testified under oath to a drug test she knew to be false that affected the custody placement of children. Adams said they dont yet have a grasp on the volume of custody cases affected by Murrahs alleged wrongdoing. I anticipate the tidal wave is just building as far as ramifications, Adams said. We are working with the state DHR to gather every piece of information that we can. If there are injustices, we will fix them. The Henry County Sheriffs Office, the Dale County District Attorneys Office, the Dale County Department of Human Resources and Dale County court officials are assisting. The district attorney said the job of his office is to prosecute each incident of false testing if and when they are found. We anticipate a lot, he said. Last time Alabama lost an abortion case, it paid the American Civil Liberties Union enough money for 33 classroom teachers. Or 41 state troopers. Or 50 prison guards. Now Alabama is preparing to do it again, with legislators putting the state forward as the costly test case in the federal battle between conservatives and civil rights groups. Today the Alabama Senate is expected to vote on a new abortion bill. Back in 2016, the state paid $1.7 million to the ACLU after federal courts struck down a 2013 law that required abortion doctors to have hospital admitting privileges. The new 2019 bill, which would amount to an almost total ban on abortion, is intended to trigger a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision. Thats according to its House sponsor, Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur. The bill passed the House 74-3 earlier this month, with no exceptions for rape or incest. While it was being considered in the House, Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, proposed an amendment to require lawmakers who voted for the bill to pay legal costs of any resulting litigation. The House rejected that amendment 61-27. In 2016, the same year Alabama paid $1.7 million over a failed abortion law, state legislators passed two more abortion laws that have been in litigation ever since. One of the laws would ban an abortion procedure most commonly used during the second trimester, and the other would prevent clinics that perform abortions from operating within 2,000 feet of public schools. The ACLU then filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Alabama clinics. A federal judge blocked the 2016 laws as unconstitutional restrictions on abortion access, a decision later upheld by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. In December 2018, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a 33-page petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Alabamas appeal. Because that case is still under appeal, its unclear how much the state might owe if it loses. Its also unclear how much money the state has spent on its own attorneys defending the laws. And its unclear how much taxpayer money a legal challenge to the 2019 abortion bill could cost if it becomes law. Since 2013, Alabama has paid $3.72 million to the American Civil Liberties Union after losing or settling lawsuits related to state laws on abortion, same-sex marriage and immigration. To put costs in perspective, here are a few budget items Alabama could fund for one year, with the $1.7 million it paid the ACLU for the 2016 lawsuit: 33 teachers (Alabama Budget Fact Book 2019) 298 tax credit scholarships under the Alabama Accountability Act (AL.com) 41 state troopers (Alabama State Personnel Department) 38,000 naloxone kits, like Narcan, that reverse opioid overdoses. (U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice) 50 entry-level prison guards (Alabama Department of Corrections) 267 Medicaid enrollees (Alabama Medicaid Agency) We are on the lookout for brilliant, passionate people who think differently and want to help us build our global business. With hugely talented teams in the UK, US, Australia and India, our values shape who we are and set us apart. At heart, Alamy is a group of people who care deeply about providing our customers and contributors with an excellent experience and a unique product. We don't just talk agile, we live it: we encourage teams to come together and feel empowered to make decisions and experiment. As a company we respect work-life balance and focus on rewarding for delivery. We're really ethical and we're nice but not in a boring way! Excited about building the worlds best stock photography company? Apply for a current opportunity, or send your resume to jobs@alamy.com, telling us how you can contribute to Alamy - you might just persuade us to create a role for you! The most recent film produced by the University of Maine at Machias (UMM) Downeast Documentary course students is a study in finesse. When the Chevy Breaks (How Small Towns Fix Big Problems) is the third in a series produced by students taught by UMM interdisciplinary fine arts faculty member Alan Kryszak. The film weaves a study of life Downeast through a montage of interviews, landscapes, sound effects and a range of abstract closeups and blurred shots to represent moments of personal duress. The film starts and ends in Machias and tracks Margaretta Days reenactors, church musicians, business people and individuals facing personal loss or crisis, addiction and recovery, faith through religion and faith through family and community. Locations range from Eastport, Jonesport, Machias and Lubec to Kingfield and more. The result is a story made of outlines and shadows that subtly develops into a thoughtprovoking whole as the last shot fades and the credits cross the screen. As was the case with the first two films tackled by Kryszak's class, the students were given responsibility for the subject from day one. About 90 hours of footage were cut down by twothirds and then from there whittled down to a little over an hour. Like its predecessor, Whatever It Takes: Exploring Opiate Addition, which won an Excellence Award at the 2018 Docs Without Borders Film Festival, When the Chevy Breaks explores a question that elicits deeply personal responses without necessarily a specific conclusion. By their nature, the answers ranged widely and, as is the nature of unscripted conversations, were often sketches in minimalism and abstraction. Their eloquence, as captured by the filmmakers, was quite often found in what was not said. A moment of grace and reflection for the audience comes near the end of the film. A youngster is working at play in her father's boatbuilding shop. He stands in the background watching her with a smile. She demonstrates various projects, including a taut string that twangs as she plucks it. Pondering the question posed her, she says, "I don't really face too many problems." Kryszak explains, "Questions were deliberately not scripted. The opening question, 'Can you talk about a problem you have solved, or how are problems dealt with in Downeast Maine?' launches a unique, interesting and organic story as the students listen [and capture]." Stories ranged from the pragmatic found in Mainely Smoked Salmon's salmononastick -- the answer to how to eat salmon while browsing a festival or fair -- to the less quantifiable answer found in the couple who lost their ancestral home to fire. The answer lay, at least in part, in the community potluck and auction, where hundreds of friends and neighbors gathered to show their love and support. Starting with a theme and question On the very first day of class, students were launched by the word "capture." They were to "capture people, light and any story that relays how someone solves a problem, living in remote areas where outside help is not always there," says Kryszak. Along with the word prompt and the starting question came the development of technical skills. "The theme got my brain going," says UMM student Sophie Squire. "It was a tool." "People [interviewees] just popped out of nowhere," says Kryszak. UMM Early College student Alexis Morrill says, "[Mr. Kryszak] was technical, but also very adamant about the art behind it, and he described a lot of the technical nuances of how you can portray your creativity in film." UMM student Christopher Palmiotto says, "The biggest thing was when you were interviewing people -- that whole scenario -- there's a camera, there's people around this one person, and this person's kind of putting their heart out, y'know, and putting it out on film, and everyone's going to watch it. It's a lot." Kryszak explains that students explored their own photographic and artistic interests in the class. They were encouraged to try different camera and filming angles "to interrupt the viewer's space, find strong visual intersections, find conflicts and use extreme closeups with an overall form in mind." After the footage was collected, students were involved in all of the production and postproduction work, including sound, camera, interview, onlocation Broll and cutaway footage and editing in Adobe Premiere Pro. The sound selection work was conducted in front of the class. "We spent a bit of time in the class using ambient sound to fill out the reality of a scene," says Kryszak, "like Wayne Robinson's lobster boat or Jacob Berry's sawmill." This year's student filmmakers include Miranda Sutton, Brooke Hachey, Will Rittenhouse, Kayla Cater, Sophie Squire, Eric Darby, Christopher Palmiotto, Trevor Tanski, Jesse Gray, Alex Blackie, Lucas Logan, Abdalla Mostafa, Alexis Morrill and Holly Preston. Vaccine refused because of misinformation and after fake vaccination campaign by CIA in 2011 to find Osama bin Laden. Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province At 11am on a Saturday, Tayyaba Gul and her team of polio campaign workers enter a school in Nowshera, a city in Pakistans northwest. A week earlier, agitated parents had instructed teachers to block vaccination teams from immunising their children against the polio virus, claiming the vaccine was harmful and capable of poisoning their children. Gul, a polio eradication activist, was hopeful she could restore their trust. Today, Pakistan is one of the last countries with the wild poliovirus, reporting at least 15 cases this year. While the poliovirus has been eradicated around the globe, it remains endemic in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where it still cripples children every year. In recent years, however, Pakistan has been able to celebrate a precipitous drop, after recording more than 300 cases in 2014. Much of this success has been driven by more than 250,000 polio workers who have ventured into remote and inaccessible patches of the country to administer vaccinations to children under the age of five. However, recent eradication efforts have been stymied by suspicion from parents and the public at large that the vaccine is unsafe, driven by misinformation spread on social media. The team at YCP discusses the polio campaigns successes and failures in Nowshera during a recent polio immunisation campaign [Sabrina Toppa/Al Jazeera] In April, one female polio worker in Balochistan and two policemen escorting vaccinators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were shot dead. In another incident, an impassioned mob set a health facility on fire in Pakistans northwest city of Peshawar, claiming that scores of children were sickened by the vaccine. As videos purporting to unmask the vaccines dangers gained traction online, more people refused it and attacks on polio workers mounted, pushing the government to temporarily halt the polio campaigns activities. There are public fears that the polio campaign might be a front for nefarious actors, a myth that has its roots in a fake vaccination campaign orchestrated by the CIA in 2011 to track down Osama bin Laden in the country. The lingering mistrust has pushed health workers such as Gul to work overtime to bring accurate information to the public, organising awareness sessions in public schools and religious seminaries. A child in Nowshera cries while receiving the polio vaccine [Sabrina Toppa/Al Jazeera] Guls team is also engaging influential community members imams, teachers, local politicians, and powerful landlords to spread the message that the vaccine is safe. In Nowshera, approximately two hours from the capital Islamabad, refusals jumped to more than 88,000 cases in April, up from just 256 refusals in March, according to Waqar Ahmed Khan, district coordinator at the Youth Catalyst Pakistan (YCP). Led by Gul, YCP runs a network of health centres in Pakistan focusing on fighting the polio virus. Working in high-risk areas for polio transmission in Nowshera, Gul and her team at YCP, are careful to approach the vaccine as part of a broader health initiative. Tayyaba Gul, a polio eradication activist, says some anti-vaxxers in Pakistan believe the campaign is an American plot [Sabrina Toppa/Al Jazeera] Some of the teachers were asking me, Why are you only focusing on polio?, Gul told Al Jazeera. Why not other diseases? Why is this one more important? They were saying, This vaccine is made by America, its not locally made. Haseena Bibi, a 23-year-old working at YCP, says one way of fighting vaccine denial is to inform people that they can also find medicine for common ailments such as fever and the flu at the centre. Some have misconceptions that it causes infertility, others say they have other medical concerns that we are not addressing, said Nageena Arshad, one of the governments polio vaccinators in Nowshera. Given entrenched poverty and substandard healthcare infrastructure, the communitys initial faith in a vaccine is often low. Many see the lack of public spending on basic health services as emblematic of wider neglect and are therefore suspicious of free vaccines. In short, people are unsure why the government would intervene in one health emergency while ignoring several others. Hansa Bibi, a 30-year-old mother-of-two in Nowshera refuses the vaccine for her children. America is our enemy, why are they giving us a free vaccine? she told Al Jazeera. They put ingredients [forbidden in Islam] in the vaccine to sterilise the Muslim population. They put things in this that are making all the children vomit, Bibi said. My in-laws took the vaccine, but I will not give it to my children. Bibi says most of her opinion is formed by Facebook posts and Urdu-language TV channels. She is angry with the Pakistani government for promoting the vaccine, which she says causes impotence and may harm children. In the mosques, imams say that these vaccines are from a foreign laboratory We are poor, and people say take this free thing, but we are saying we dont want it. Why do Americans send vaccines instead of flour? The government always sends a polio team to our house with oral drops, but we dont know why they are always coming so much. It's not an easy situation. We did a lot of hard work on polio in the last seven to eight years in Nowshera. If we stop this programme, it means that we start from zero again. Tayyaba Gul, polio eradication activist Faisal Khan, a Nowshera district health spokesperson for CHIP Training and Consulting, says every refusal is analysed and discussions are held with families who cite multiple reasons for rejecting the vaccine, including the notion that it is is not permissible in Islam or effective, or that it may even sterilise the population. The government should make receiving the vaccine mandatory, he suggests. Earlier this year, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced it would block the ID cards of parents that refuse the vaccine for their children. To build trust, YCP also provides free medical services, such as antenatal and postnatal care for pregnant women and routine immunisations for women and their children. During a recent polio campaign inside the Nowshera centre, Nihar Bibi, a health worker, was approached by two young visitors aged eight and 10 requesting medicine for a skin problem. The area has no government hospitals, and the centre often functions as the neighbourhoods only health facility. Most patients are not there with the polio vaccine in mind; they are concerned about pneumonia, a UTI, or a fever. A group of polio campaign workers stand outside the YCPs Bara Banda centre in Nowshera, Pakistan [Sabrina Toppa/Al Jazeera] Naeem Ullah, who works on the immunisation programme and trains religious leaders, says that raising awareness of the vaccines efficacy is paramount. When people know its benefit, only then can they give the benefit to their children. Last week, a father of an unvaccinated child in Nowshera threatened to kick out Ullah when he knocked on their door. Claiming he needed food, not vaccines, the father expressed doubt about the vaccines safety. I said to him, I will drink this right in front of you, and I will go with you to the mosque if you have any religious opposition to the vaccine, said Ullah. Later, the man accepted the oral drops for his child. This was a very tough polio campaign, says Zubair Shah, monitoring and evaluation officer at YCP. Usually Shah spends the post-polio campaign period with vaccinators revisiting homes where parents denied access to children; however, the suspension of these follow-up visits has redirected YCPs efforts. Now, the centre is trying to mobilise influential community leaders. Its not an easy situation, Gul says. We did a lot of hard work on polio in the last seven to eight years in Nowshera. If we stop this programme, it means that we start from zero again. Lake Chad communities are struggling to survive after increased Boko Haram attacks in Niger. A rise in attacks by the armed group Boko Haram has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes in Niger over the past few years. The United Nations refugee agency has warned of a growing humanitarian crisis. And people in one community by Lake Chad in the Diffa region are struggling to survive. Al Jazeeras Sara Khairat reports. Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, failed in his legal bid to quash charges and will stand trial. Tommy Robinson, a leading British far-right activist, will face a new trial on contempt of court charges, a court ruled on Tuesday. The former English Defence League leader is alleged to have filmed people involved in a criminal trial and shared the video on social media. This activity carries a risk of influencing a jury, potentially resulting in a mistrial. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was freed two months into a 13-month jail sentence in August after a contempt conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal. Attorney-General Geoffrey Cox ruled in March it was in the public interest to bring new charges against him. Two judges at Britains High Court agreed with Cox on Tuesday with the full hearing set for July 4-5. The 36-year-old from Luton could be sent back to jail if found guilty. The charge of contempt of court carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail. A 400-strong crowd of far-right activists and a counter-demonstration organised by Stand Up To Racism gathered outside the court, causing significant disruption. 180811080534282 The far-right activist, who arrived at the court wearing a T-shirt bearing the words Vote Tommy, is standing in the forthcoming European elections, hoping to represent the northwest of England. Yaxley-Lennons supporters chanted Tommy Robinson is going to be our MEP. Im just shocked that they are allowed to be here, criminal defence attorney Rajiv Menon told the Press Association. Im not aware of any other political group that have been allowed to block the road and have a protest in front of the Old Bailey like this. They are allowed to protest this is not about the right to protest but to give them this sort of platform? Nobody else gets that platform Its just outrageous what are City of London Police doing? Other commitments Yaxley-Lennons lawyer asked the court on Tuesday to submit new evidence, saying his client was not able to hand it in previously within the courts deadline as he had a number of other commitments. Andrew Caldecott, representing the attorney general, said there were no cogent reasons for the delay, but the judges allowed the new evidence, including medical evidence, to be submitted. Yaxley-Lennons conduct towards some of those defendants gave rise to a substantial risk that the course of justice would be seriously impeded, according to the attorney general. Caldecott told the court that, in the livestream broadcast, Yaxley-Lennon identified one of the defendants in the trial, encouraging viewers to harass him, find him, go knock on his door, follow him, see where he works, see what hes doing. Yaxley-Lennon said the charges against him are politically motivated. He said he is a journalist who had undergone media training after a previous contempt allegation was made against him. Antonio Guterres visits Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch were 51 Muslims were massacred two months ago. Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has expressed his support and admiration for New Zealands Muslim community as he visited the two mosques where 51 worshippers were massacred in March. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a self-avowed white supremacist, has been charged over the attacks on the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, the worst-ever mass shooting in New Zealands modern history. In comments made during his visit on Tuesday, Guterres called for greater efforts to extinguish hate speech that spreads like wildfire on social media and said he had ordered a UN team be established to develop a global plan of action. Hate speech is spreading and public discourse is being coarsened, Guterres said, Social media is being exploited as a platform for bigotry. We must all show solidarity in response to this dangerous upsurge in hatred, he added. Hate speech is spreading like wildfire in social media. We must extinguish it. There is no room for hate speech online or offline. In Christchurch for this years Ramadan solidarity visit, I expressed my support & admiration for the Muslim community after Marchs horrific mosque attacks. Hate speech is spreading like wildfire on social media. We must extinguish it. https://t.co/bMv0Mw0jRz pic.twitter.com/ccPwPMvVP5 Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 14, 2019 Guterres spent about 30 minutes inside the Al Noor mosque talking to Muslim leaders and survivors of the attacks. Outside the mosque, he told reporters that like many people around the world, he had been moved by the poignant stories of compassion and grace. I know there are no words to relieve the hurt and sorrow and pain, Guterres said. But I wanted to come here personally to transmit love, support, and total and complete admiration. Guterres then headed to the Linwood mosque where he laid a wreath and met survivors including Abdul Aziz, who is considered a hero for chasing the gunman and throwing a credit card machine and a discarded gun at him. Aziz said he was honoured to meet the UN chief. To come here and share the pain with us, it means a lot, Aziz said. Guterres also attended a climate alliance event while on his visit to several South Pacific countries primarily to highlight the problems of climate change. His trip comes in the run-up to the Climate Action Summit that he plans to convene in September in New York. Several wounded as bomb targets police vehicles outside a mosque in the third attack in Balochistan in three days. Islamabad, Pakistan At least four policemen have been killed and several others wounded after a bomb attack targeted their vehicles while they stood guard outside a mosque in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan province. The attack on Monday night, third in the region in three days, targeted two police vehicles parked in the Satellite Town area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, said city police chief Abdul Razzaq Cheema. Police vehicles provide security in various parts of the city for Taraweeh prayers [special prayers during Muslims holy month of Ramadan], Cheema told reporters. As two of these vehicles stopped outside the al-Huda mosque, an explosion took place. Twelve people were admitted to the citys main government hospital following the attack, the hospital spokesperson told Al Jazeera before adding that two of them were suffering from serious head wounds. 161025064258596 Images from the blast site showed blood and glass strewn across the wrecked police vehicles. The attack comes two days after at least three gunmen stormed a five-star hotel in the southern Balochistan port city of Gwadar, about 700km south of Quetta, killing at least five people and engaging in a gun battle with the military that lasted several hours. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an armed ethnic Baloch separatist group, claimed responsibility for that attack. On Saturday, two paramilitary soldiers were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the provinces Pishin district, about 70km north of Quetta, local media reported. The Pakistan Taliban, an armed group that has been fighting since 2007 to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law in the country, claimed responsibility for the Pishin attack as well as the Mondays explosion in Quetta. Targeted killings Balochistan is Pakistans largest and least-populated province. It has seen regular violence in recent years, with attacks claimed by Baloch separatists, Pakistan Taliban and local affiliates of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIL or ISIS). It has also seen a series of killings and bombings targeting Quettas minority Shia Muslim population, killing more than 509 people, according to government data. The province, rich in mineral and natural gas reserves, is also the focal point of much of the $60bn China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects trade component, with a new port constructed at Gwadar and a network of roads under construction. The CPEC trade corridor will link southwestern China with the Arabian Sea through Pakistan, culminating in the port at Gwadar. The Pakistan Taliban has frequently targeted Pakistani security forces and civilians in Balochistan, with attacks increasing in frequency as the group has been displaced from its erstwhile headquarters in Pakistans northwestern tribal districts by sustained military operations. The group is now believed to be based mainly in eastern Afghanistan, carrying out sporadic large-casualty attacks against civilians and government. Additional reporting by Saadullah Akhtar in Quetta. Frances President Emmanuel Macron wants to meet Libyas renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar to push for a ceasefire and resume peace talks. Macron last week called for a truce in the month-long battle for Libyas capital Tripoli after meeting UN-recognised Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. Tripoli is home to the recognised administration but some European countries, such as France, have also supported the eastern commander Haftar as a way to fight armed groups in a country in chaos since the NATO-backed toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. A day after meeting Macron, the internationally recognised government asked 40 foreign firms, including French oil major Total, to renew their licences or have their operations suspended. The situation in Libya is extremely worrying because the proposed UN roadmap to both parties and which almost reached a positive conclusion has today failed on the one hand because of Field Marshal Haftars initiative and Sarrajs non-initiative, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told legislators. Its for this reason that the president wanted to meet one and the other to support the UN initiative. The French presidency said there was no meeting planned at this stage. Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) have struggled to maintain momentum in the advance on Tripoli, faced with a counter-offensive by troops aligned with Sarrajs Government of National Accord (GNA). The GNA has previously rejected any ceasefire unless Haftar pulls his troops back to the areas they held before the April 4, in the south and east of the country. The weeks of fighting have killed more than 430 people and wounded at least 2,110 others, while displacing more than 55,000, the World Health Organization said. As Palestinians mark Nakba day, those wounded in last years March of Return protests discuss how their lives changed. Gaza City Saleh Ashour lay silently on his bed, as sunlight coming through the nearby window touched his permanently closed eyes. Three friends sat beside him, as well as his parents, who spend almost every waking moment with him. All what I want is to see again, the 16-year-old said, wiping his eyelids with a tissue. A year has passed since Salah lost his sight. On May 14 last year, he had made his way, along with tens of thousands of Palestinians, to the areas close to the Israeli fence to protest against the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The demonstration, which was organised by the Great March of Return movement, also called for the right of return for Palestinian refugees, a day before the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, which takes place on May 15 and marks the forced displacement of 750,000 Palestinians in 1948. Over the course of the day, 62 protesters in the Gaza Strip were killed, including six under the age of 18. More than 2,700 others were wounded, including at least 1,204 from live ammunition, the Gaza Ministry of Health said. It marked the deadliest day since the protests were first launched on March 30 last year. Permanent loss of vision On that day, Saleh and his friend made their way to a protest congregation point east of al-Bureij. It was their first time attending the weekly rallies. I was about 150 metres away from the fence, Saleh recalled. I remember an Israeli drone came and hovered above us before dropping a barrage of tear gas canisters. All the people in the area ran away, including my friend. At the same moment, Saleh was shot in the head with a bullet that entered behind his right ear and exited from his left eye. I didnt realize what had happened, he said. My eyes were closed, but I thought it was because of the tear gas. Saleh lost consciousness. Meanwhile, his friend, who saw the blood pouring down Salehs face before he was taken away in an ambulance, thought he had been killed. My relatives searched all hospitals and morgues from the southern Gaza Strip to the north, Salehs father Usama said. I even went near the fence area to search for him. The following day, a relative working in Gaza Citys al-Shifa Hospital called Usama to tell him a teenager that matched Salehs description was in the intensive care unit. After spending three days there, Saleh started to talk and respond, but he still wasnt aware that he had lost his sight. Saleh needs to undergo another surgery soon to implant prosthetic eyes [Hosam Salem/Al Jazeera] The doctors said that Saleh suffered a brain haemorrhage. A week later, he obtained a medical permit and travelled to the King Hussein Medical Centre in Jordan with his father. Saleh underwent surgery to remove infections and shrapnel from his eyes, but the doctors were frank with Usama and told him there was no hope his son could ever see again. With the help of the doctors in Jordan, Usama, who had until then hid the truth of Salehs medical condition from him so as to not affect his psychological state, gradually explained to his son that he had lost his eyesight. It was a great shock to me. I thought it was just a temporary state, Saleh said weakly. Saleh used to spend most of his time outdoors, but after his injury, he has mostly confined himself to his home. My friends come by every day and sometimes take me to the nearby mosque, Saleh said. They try to entertain me, yet I dont feel happy. I see nothing. Double amputee Abdullah Qasem, 17, remembered his eagerness to join the May 14 protest along with his friends and neighbours as the entire Gaza Strip was preparing for that day. Im a refugee from al-Majdal (now called Ashkelon by Israel) and I wanted to call for our right of return, he told Al Jazeera, sitting on his wheelchair. He did not anticipate getting shot with a live bullet, which entered his right leg under his knee and penetrated to the other leg above his thigh. I was in unbearable pain, Abdullah said. I was in and out of consciousness. When I was awake, I was surrounded by chaos. Hundreds of injured people were lying down in hospital corridors, he explained. Blood was everywhere, people were screaming and crying and doctors were struggling to deal with the huge number of casualties. The operation rooms were all busy. Abdullah and his family had to wait for 10 hours before he was finally examined by a doctor. I underwent seven surgeries in an attempt to connect veins and arteries but to no avail, Abdullah said. After 18 days, doctors told Abdullah both of his legs had to be amputated, otherwise, his life would be endangered due to the poisoning caused by the bullet. Abdullah Qasem will receive his new prosthetics exactly a year after he was wounded in May 14 protests [Basher Taleb/Al Jazeera] I had no choice. I had to surrender to my fate, Abdullah said with a strangled voice while looking at his amputated legs. After his legs were amputated, Abdullah teetered between life and death as inflammation coursed through his body, putting his kidneys at risk of failure. Now, here I am today, he said. At first, I needed help with everything I do. Now, I can manage going to school alone, changing my clothes, and climbing up and down the stairs. I dont regret participating in the protest, he insisted. I paid a high price, but everyone here is used to sacrifices. Abdullah was due to have a follow-up appointment in a prosthetics centre supervised by the Red Cross, where he would be fitted with two prosthetic legs after a long wait. Im excited for my new artificial limbs, as Ill be standing up again, he said. What a coincidence, Ill have them on the same date I lost my legs a year ago. The sole breadwinner no more Dawlat Fawzi Hamadeen, 33, was a hairdresser and owned her own salon in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip. On May 14 last year, as she joined the throngs protesting near the Israeli fence, an explosive bullet penetrated the main artery in her thigh, and she was immediately evacuated to hospital. It was the hardest year in life, Dawlat told Al Jazeera. Doctors told my family I was on the verge of death. She underwent a seven-hour surgery, the first of many to follow in the ensuing year. After her application for a medical permit to seek treatment in either Jerusalem or Jordan was rejected by the Israeli military, Dawlat later travelled to Egypt with her father. Dawlat Hamadeen cannot resume work in her salon due to her injury [Bashir Taleb/Al Jazeera] Dawlat spent six months in Egypt, where she underwent seven surgeries, and returned to the Gaza Strip in April. Yet her injury has prevented her from opening up her salon again, a life-altering problem as she was the sole breadwinner for her family. I miss my working life, she said. My familys living conditions sharply deteriorated during this year with no alternative source of income for them. I want to go back to my work, but my condition doesnt allow me. Still, Dawlat said she doesnt regret participating in the protest. It is my destiny. The march could achieve many of its demands such as ending the Israeli blockade on Gaza, but it needs to be sustained over a long period of time. Court rules Zury Rios cannot run due to constitutional ban on relatives of leaders who came to power by force. Guatemala City One of the top contenders for president in Guatemalas June 16 general elections cannot run for office, the countrys highest court ruled Monday. A longtime politician who served four terms in Congress, Zury Rios had been in second place in most recent polls. But the Constitution bars the right-wing Valor party presidential candidate from running, the Constitutional Court ruled in a 4-3 split decision. Guatemalas constitution prohibits anyone who came to power by coup or force from running for president, and the same ban extends to their blood relatives up to the fourth degree of consanguinity. Rios is the daughter of former dictator General Efrain Rios Montt, who seized power in a military coup. The norm is to preserve democratic order, Constitutional Court secretary Martin Guzman said Monday evening at a press conference announcing the decision. The court ruling orders the electoral tribunal to revoke Rioss candidacy within 24 hours. Rios Montt was head of state from March 1982 to August 1983, at the height of atrocities during the 36-year civil war between the army and leftist guerrilla forces that left 200,000 people dead. A UN-backed truth commission concluded the army was responsible for the vast majority of the more than 600 documented massacres, and most of the victims were indigenous Maya civilians. 190402151350957 In 2013, Rios Montt was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in the massacres of 1,771 Maya Ixil civilians. The conviction was vacated and he died before his partial retrial concluded last year, but the tribunal again concluded the state committed genocide during Rios Montts time in power. Rios never wavered in her support for her father and was a key figure in the right-wing and military backlash against his prosecution. Were thrilled Genocide survivors celebrated Mondays court ruling against Rios. In memory of the thousands of campesinos (farmers) and indigenous people massacred by ex-dictator J Efrain Rios Montt, we respectfully salute the decision of the Constitutional Court to deny the registration of Zury Rios [as a candidate], the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR), an organisation of genocide and massacre survivors, tweeted Monday. Were thrilled, AJR president Edwin Canil told Al Jazeera. For many of the communities in which we have a presence, the participation of Zury Rios was of great concern. [Rios] in the presidency would have been a huge step backwards, he said. 190109211600314 Others view the extension of the constitutional ban on relatives as unfair and the ruling as arbitrary. Rios participated as a presidential candidate in the 2015 elections amid conflicting court rulings, and has argued that barring her would violate civic and political rights enshrined in international conventions. It is not just a matter of my participation and my right to be elected. It is also a matter of the rights of citizens [to elect], Rios said at a public hearing on the case last month. Guatemalas constitution recognises the prevalence of human rights and international law, but the articles establishing presidential eligibility are among the core articles of the document. They are not open to interpretation and can only altered through a National Constitutional Assembly, notes Oswaldo Samayoa, a constitutional law professor. The ruling is not a limitation of [Rioss] rights. It is a safeguard of constitutionality, Samayoa told Al Jazeera. In an interview last week with Guatemalan media outlets Prensa Libre and Guatevision, Rios alluded to only respecting a lawful Constitutional Court ruling. Her response raises the spectre of 2003s Black Thursday in Guatemala City, when Rios Montt supporters armed with machetes and guns rioted after a court ruled against his presidential candidacy. In this case, [Rios] is a citizen with every right to disagree with the court, said Samayoa. I think the candidates facing legal challenges should respect the rulings, express their disagreement if they wish to, but at no point should they call for or provoke any incident that could threaten the life or security of people, or of institutions and constitutional order, he said. A campaign spokesman for Rios was not immediately available for comment. Other top contenders may be barred Rios is not the only top contender whose eligibility ended up before the Constitutional Court. On Wednesday, the court is expected to rule on the eligibility of Semilla candidate Thelma Aldana and on whether UNE candidate Sandra Torres, leading in the polls, can be prosecuted for corruption. 190508215916369 A former attorney general renowned for taking on high-level government corruption, Aldana faces an arrest warrant for an alleged corruption case. The judge on the case is now under investigation for accepting bribes in exchange for issuing the warrant. Longtime politician and former first lady Sandra Torres is implicated in a case involving alleged illegal campaign financing in the last elections, in which she came in second place. As a candidate, she has immunity from prosecution, but it can be stripped by the Constitutional Court. Corruption and even drug cartel scandals have plagued other candidates. Ruling FCN party candidate Estuardo Galdamez is now accused of corruption. UCN candidate Mario Estrada was arrested last month in the United States, where he has been charged with drug and weapons charges for allegedly meeting with drug traffickers to seek campaign financing and arrange assassinations of political rivals. Aldana, Torres, Estrada and Galdamez have all denied any wrongdoing. With more than 20 presidential candidates in the running, it is unlikely anyone will obtain an outright majority in the June 16 general elections. If necessary, a second-round runoff election for president will be held on August 11. The president-elect will take office in January 2020 for a four-year term. Armed group hands over security at ports to coastguard in a diplomatic breakthrough after months of stalling. The United Nations has said Yemens Houthi armed group has handed over security of three Red Sea ports to the coastguard under a peace deal that it hopes will pave the way for wider talks to resolve the conflict. UN teams have been monitoring this redeployment which has been executed, partly as agreed by the Yemeni parties in the concept of phase one, the head of a UN mission to monitor the deal said in a statement on Tuesday. There is still a lot of work to be done on the removal of the [military] manifestations, but cooperation has been very good, said Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, head of the UNs Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), after visiting the ports of Saleef, Ras Isa and Hodeidah. The pullout came as Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said seven drones carried out attacks on oil installations inside Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, heightening tensions in the region. The Houthi withdrawal, which began on Saturday, is part of a hard-won agreement struck in Sweden between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the armed group in December. The government backed by a Saudi-UAE coalition have been battling the Houthis since they toppled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi from power in 2014, embroiling Yemen in a devastating conflict. 190514075133749 Aerial attacks and ground fighting have caused what the UN called the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with 3.3 million people displaced and 24.1 million in need of aid more than two-thirds of the population. Aid, oil, commerce and grain Lollesgaard welcomed the handover of the ports used for aid, oil, commerce and grain to the local coastguard and urged the parties to finalise talks for full implementation of the December deal. On Sunday, Yemens information minister accused the rebels of faking the pullout. What the Houthi militia did is a repeated theatrical play of handing over control of the port to its own forces (in different uniforms), Moammar al-Eryani said in a tweet. Delegations from the Yemeni government and the Houthis started talks on Tuesday in the Jordanian capital Amman to discuss the implementation of economic provisions of the Sweden deal. That included discussions on the management of revenues from the Red Sea ports and the use of the revenue to pay public sector salaries in the province and elsewhere in the country. The UN Security Council is due on Wednesday to hear a briefing on Hodeidah, Yemens main port and a lifeline for millions of Yemenis on the brink of starvation, where a ceasefire has largely held, despite the continuation of violence elsewhere in the country. The UNs envoy for Yemen on Tuesday said he was deeply concerned about an escalation in fighting in recent weeks in al-Dhalea region and urged utmost restraint from all parties. Any military escalation risks a setback in the progress towards peace, Martin Griffiths said in a tweet. Ruling on return of case against Serebrennikovs ex-accountant to prosecutors upheld Moskva news agency, Andrey Nikerichev 15:23 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Tuesday upheld a ruling on the return of a case against ex-chief accountant of Seventh Studio stage company Nina Maslyayeva charged with embezzlement allegedly committed along with the Gogol Center theater director Kirill Serebrennikov to prosecutors, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. In April, the case against Maslyayeva was returned to prosecutors. Moscows Meshchansky District Court held that the indictment did not detail Maslyayevas role in the crime she was charged with. Prosecutors were therefore ordered to rectify the violation. Maslyayeva pleaded guilty in full. She confirmed that she was involved in monthly embezzlement and cash out of money at the direction of Serebrennikov, ex-Seventh Studio head Yury Itin and other defendants. On April 8, the Moscow City Court overturned released Serebrennikov, Itin, ex-official of Russias Culture Ministry and current director of the Russian Academic Youth Theater Sophia Apfelbaum, on travel restrictions. Ex-general producer Alexey Malobrodsky was earlier placed on travel restrictions. Producer Yekaterina Voronova, has been put on the international wanted list and arrested in absentia as part of the case. Serebrennikov was arrested in late August 2017 and then placed under house arrest. In early November, Moscows Basmanny District Court seized assets belonging to Serebrennikov including apartment, car, and money in the amount of more than 360,000 rubles ($5,300), over 60,000, and $4,000. Investigators believe that he was an organizer of the budget money embezzlement. He allegedly created Seventh Studio stage company to actualize Platforma project for promotion of art and called alleged accomplices into the organization. He pleaded not guilty. According to investigation, the defendants have embezzled 133 million rubles ($2 million) of 214 million rubles ($3.2 million) allocated from the budget to Seventh Studio for promotion of Russian contemporary art. Investigators claim that Itin, Malobrodsky, and Maslyayeva were falsifying data for the Platforma projects plans in 2011-2014 on the theater directors request. This data was provided to the Ministry of Culture as the rationale for financing from the state budget. Apfelbaum, according to investigators, signed contracts on state grants in the amount of more than 214 million rubles with Serebrennikovs stage company on behalf of the Russian Culture Ministry, and provided further agreement of received reporting documents, which contained overstated information on quantity and cost of the held events, thus abetting the embezzlement. Apfelbaum admitted that she controlled the movement of cash but denied involvement in the crime. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to embezzlement calling charges against them pointless and absurd. Moreover, Serebrennikov and Malobrodsky laid the blame on Maslyayeva. Thousands of pregnant and lactating women face hardships following the destruction of health infrastructure by cyclones. Macomia, Mozambique Alda Lucas Balide is expecting her sixth child, but carrying this child to term will be different from past pregnancies. Unlike before, the 33-year-old has contracted maternal anaemia and malaria a major cause of maternal mortality in southern Africa. Her house was destroyed and her medication washed away by Cyclone Kenneth which made landfall in northern Mozambique on April 25, weeks after Cyclone Idai pounded the countrys central region killing over 600 people. Balide is among an estimated 10,000 pregnant women in the coastal Cabo Delgado province affected by the fierce storm. As with many poor pregnant women and new mothers in the countrys poorest region, Balide has to start from scratch preparing for the newborn, but starting over will be no easy feat. I have the food to give strength for the birth and I know I will make it, but I dont know what I will give to this child, she told Al Jazeera. Balides due date is two months away, but Maria da Silva, the attending doctor at Macomia hospital, over 200km from the tourist town of Pemba, said her medical condition increased the risk of complications: going into premature labour or delivering a baby with a low birth weight. Although Mozambiques maternal mortality rate of 489 per 100,000 live births has significantly reduced, it is still among the highest in the world. The global maternal mortality rate stands at 216 deaths per 100,000 live births. Malaria is endemic to the southern African nation and over 28,000 people have been infected as a consequence of the two cyclones that battered the impoverished nation of nearly 30 million. During pregnancy, anaemia is often a consequence of the deadly fever. According to da Silva, Balides condition could mean she will need an assisted delivery at Macomias district hospital, but the labour ward is barely functional. Health in crisis The Macomia hospital has no electricity or piped water. The water system, cooking facilities, electronic equipment, and even beds were damaged during the heavy downpour. Lousia Dorethea Jerafi feeds her baby as she waits for doctors [Tendai Marima/Al Jazeera] The maternity ward is no longer functional after the roof was blown off and the infrastructure inside the unit was impaired by the cyclone. Across Cabo Delgado, 19 health facilities have been damaged by the Category 4 storm which killed at least 45 people. More than 1.8 million people have struggled to recover from the damaging cyclones, but Mozambiques mothers might be the most in need of help. Mothers who need to have their babies weighed, immunised or measured, have to consult with doctors outdoors. A temporary unit for gynaecological examinations and assisted procedures has been set up by the medical charity, Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, but a better-equipped structure is urgently needed at this rural hospital where on average 120 women give birth each month. Ingo Piegeler, the humanitarian co-ordinator of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), told Al Jazeera the aid agency was preparing to provide temporary reproductive health centres in 20 sites across the affected areas in the northern Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces. The one-stop health unit is intended to enable women to consult with health workers on prenatal and ante-natal care as well as a range of other health issues. Piegeler said the biggest challenge in the establishment of the temporary units was remoteness and inaccessibility in some areas of northern Mozambique. Its quite an endeavour to bring everything from far away to here, particularly this location [Cabo Delgado province], but we are thankful to the government for providing us with the transportation for our supplies, he said. While UNFPA is optimistic the reproductive health centres will be set up very soon, in the meantime, many women still mill about Macomia hospitals yard, waiting for nurses to check their babys health. A mother in need Among the crowds is Louisa Dorothea Jerafi, 26, who delivered baby Louisa in her home, just a week after the cyclone tore through the coastal district. After the rains shattered their house and swept away all their belongings, her husband built a makeshift shelter where they currently live with their four children. Although two-week old Louisa is healthy, Jerafi worries about whether shell be able to produce enough milk as the baby grows. Their food was lost in the storm so they have received 50kg sacks of maize meal, distributed to most families in the rural town. While Jerafi is grateful her family has something to eat, as a breastfeeding mother she needs more than just starch. I need more food, the cassava and maize we have is not enough, the nurses here say I must take more vegetables and fish, but we dont have anything. I dont know how Ill look after this baby if I cant eat and I dont have anything for her. These two [cloth] wrappers and the clothes Im wearing are all we have, the rest went with the water, she said. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is critical for lactating mothers to have energy and protein-rich foods during emergencies to ensure a baby is breastfed well. Breastfeeding is the best protection against diseases. Breastfed babies face much less risk of illness than babies who are not breastfed and, if they are sick, the duration of their illness is usually less, Dr Nellia Mutisse, a specialist in child health with WHO Mozambique said in the organisations report. What can I give her? Jerafi, like many in Cabo Delgado, a food insecure region, struggles with nutrition, but food is not the only post-cyclone struggle new mothers face. Joaquina Alberto, another young mother, faces a similar challenge. Five days after the 19-year-olds home was swept away by Cyclone Kenneth, Alberto gave birth in the small zinc shelter her husband, Joao Antonio, had built for the young family. With the help of a local midwife, she gave birth to a baby girl, Fermida. I prayed to God to help me deliver, I was scared for my baby because there were still floods around us when she was born, but Im thankful shes fine. Now my baby is growing well, but she has nothing, what can I give to her when I have nothing? I need so many things for her, I cant imagine how we [me and my husband] will provide them, she told Al Jazeera. Piegeler said the UNFPA, along with its development partners and the government, would soon begin conducting needs assessments, as one of the key long-term aims of Mozambiques post-cyclone recovery was to re-establish livelihoods. We have to work out how we can provide assistance through small grants or other income-generating activities especially for young women. We need to help them contribute in a sustainable and empowered manner that will help their communities to function again as they functioned prior to the disaster, he said. A senior Iranian MP says Israel may be behind the attack, as a false flag operation to turn up the heat on Iran. Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ruled out negotiation with Washington over its nuclear programme, but also said there wouldnt be a war. Irans ambassador to the United Nations has denied his countrys involvement in an incident at a port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that left four cargo ships damaged. Al Jazeeras Zein Basravi reports from Tehran. FM Javad Zarif says his country anticipated activities to escalate tension by hardliners in the US and Middle East. Iranian officials accused hardliners in the United States and elsewhere of attempting to orchestrate an incident that would ratchet up tensions with the Islamic Republic, as the supreme leader vowed there would be no war. The allegation by Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday came as tensions in the Gulf continue to rise as American military forces head to the region and amid a series of attacks on oil infrastructure. Four ships two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati were damaged on Sunday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) near the port of Fujairah in what Emirati officials described as acts of sabotage. The incident happened 140km south of the Strait of Hormuz, where about a third of all oil traded by sea passes through. We talked about the policies that hardliners in the US administration as well as in the region are attempting to impose, Zarif told Iranian state TV in India after a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. We raised concerns over the suspicious activities and sabotage that are happening in our region. We had formerly anticipated that they would carry out these sorts of activities to escalate tension. In interviews in April, I predicted accidentsnot because I'm a genius but because #B_Team is so brazenly following @AmbJohnBolton's script (https://t.co/beCZByEaCT). After all, half of B-Team were co-conspirators in disastrous Iraq war. Stark reminder https://t.co/ksCi9ntp85 pic.twitter.com/hpkGaap8aC Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 14, 2019 Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday there would be no war with the US despite mounting concerns. He also reiterated Iran would not negotiate with the US on a new nuclear deal. There wont be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance, he said. Neither we nor them seek war. They know it will not be in their interest. Norwegian-flagged oil tanker MT Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah [UAE National Media Council via AP] Details of the alleged oil vessel sabotage remained unclear, and UAE officials have declined to say who they suspected was responsible. Mohammad Javad Jamali, an Iranian member of parliament, accused unidentified countries in the region of trying to drag Trump into a war. I think the talk of explosions in Fujairah is just a hasty scenario and it suffers many shortcomings. Whoever stands behind this is pushing for a failed plan, said Jamali. Fatemeh Aman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils South Asia Center, said any incident could lead to a major conflict. Incidents, like the attack on the ships can even be orchestrated by those who seek a military attack on Iran, Aman told Al Jazeera. Any incident or sabotage could be falsely attributed to Iran, even if Iran had no involvement. Arch foes Saudi Arabia and Iran have both used proxy forces in the region to further their aspirations. Asked by Al Jazeera if Riyadh may be attempting to push the US towards war with Iran, analyst Tim Constantine said: Considering the Saudi position on Iran and the well-known position of the Trump administration on Iran, yes I think the Saudis can be counted on to stir the pot and encourage a very aggressive stance by the United States. No conclusive proof The alleged attacks demonstrated the raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies as tensions are increasing between the US and Iran over its unravelling nuclear deal with world powers. The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for a series of drone attacks on two Saudi Arabian oil facilities in its eastern region on Tuesday, further ratcheting up tensions. The US Maritime Administration said last week Iran could target US commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through Middle East waterways. An unnamed US official familiar with American intelligence told Reuters news agency that Iran was a prime suspect in Sundays sabotage off the UAE coast, although Washington had no conclusive proof. The US ambassador to Saudi Arabia said Washington should take what he called reasonable responses short of war after it determined who was behind the attacks near Fujairah. We need to do a thorough investigation to understand what happened, why it happened, and then come up with reasonable responses short of war, Ambassador John Abizaid told reporters in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday. Its not in [Irans] interest, its not in our interest, its not in Saudi Arabias interest to have a conflict. US military plan? On Monday, the New York Times reported that a top US defence official presented an updated military plan to Trumps administration that envisioned sending up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East, should Iran attack US forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied the report. I think its fake news, okay? Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully were not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, wed send a hell of a lot more troops than that, Trump told reporters at the White House. 190508204815694 Tensions between Iran and the US have intensified since Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal to curb Irans nuclear activities and imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran. Trump wants to force Tehran to agree to a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what US officials have said are threats to US troops in the region. Iran has said the US is engaging in psychological warfare, called the US military presence a target rather than a threat and said it will not allow its oil exports to be halted. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday he was getting indications from talks with both the US and Iran that things will end well despite the current ramping up of rhetoric. But analysts suggest things could quickly escalate as the American military presence in the region grows. Iran could actually view some of this as being a potential buildup for some type of offensive action, said Becca Wasser, a RAND Corp analyst specialising in Gulf security. It raises the risk of accidental escalation. Because the US and Iran dont have clear lines of communication at the moment, everything can be perceived in a very different light than one side is intending. Al Jazeeras Ali Younes contributed to this report The automaker says it expects operating profits to fall by 28 percent in the coming financial year. The troubles at Japans second-biggest carmaker, Nissan, appear to be worsening. As its former chairman Carlos Ghosn defends himself against allegations of financial misconduct, the company said on Tuesday it expects operating profits to fall by 28 percent in the year ending March 31, 2020. Thats after a 45 percent plunge to 318bn yen ($2.9bn) last year. Nissan shares fell nearly three percent in Tokyo on Tuesday ahead of the announcement. They are down more than 20 percent since September. The stock price might increase if Nissans current situation would be improved. However, wed better have a conservative (perspective) based on the official guidance of Nissan until we see some changes. It will take time, Tatsuo Yoshida, an analyst at Sawakami Asset Management, told Al Jazeera. The lower profit forecast by Nissan marks a departure in style since Ghosns time. The company has blamed the fall on a warranty extension for some vehicles particularly in the US where it has been trying to gain a bigger slice of the car market and the weaker global economy in the first quarter of this year. Ghosns shadow Since he was first arrested in November, Ghosn has been released, detained again and is currently out on bail pending trial. He has denied all charges against him. The company is still reeling from Ghosns arrest and has pushed back on efforts by alliance partner Renault SA to more fully integrate the two companies. Ghosn was chairman of both companies before his arrest for financial misconduct. In April, Renault proposed the creation of a joint holding company. In a business plan released in November 2017, Nissan said it intended to boost sales by 30 percent by 2023 to as much as 16.5 trillion yen ($150bn) with a focus on Latin America, India, China and North America. Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors Corp originally wanted to boost combined vehicle sales from nearly 11 million per year to 14 million by 2022. Pyongyang says US has betrayed spirit of last years summit agreement between President Trump and North Korean leader. North Korea has denounced the recent seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States as an unlawful robbery and demanded its immediate return. The US Department of Justice last week said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship that it accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of United Nations sanctions after it was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. In a statement carried on Tuesday, the official Korean Central News Agency reported quoting an unnamed foreign ministry spokesperson that the US had betrayed the spirit of a summit agreement last year between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump. At their landmark summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018, Kim and Trump had agreed to a vague statement calling for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and improved bilateral ties. Their second meeting in Vietnam in February collapsed without agreement. The foreign ministry statement rejected UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea, which the US cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty. This act is an extension of the US-style calculation of trying to hold us in submission with its maximum pressure and is a total denial of the fundamental spirit of the June 12 DPRK-US joint statement, the spokesperson said, using North Koreas formal name the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). Washington was badly mistaken if it believed it could control Pyongyang with force, the ministry statement said, adding it would keep a sharp eye on future US behaviour. US officials said the North Korean vessel known as the Wise Honest was being impounded to American Samoa. The case marked the first time the US had seized a North Korean cargo vessel for allegedly violating sanctions. The US move came hours after North Korea fired two short-range missiles on Thursday. The test of the missiles and the firing of a series of projectiles on Saturday were the first missile launches by North Korea since that of an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017. Kim called for full combat posture following the US seizure of the cargo ship. Incident comes amid growing tensions in the Gulf and a war of words between the United States and Iran. The United States military is investigating the alleged sabotage attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Al Jazeeras Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Washington, said the US military was asked to get involved in the probe. A CENTCOM [US Central Command] official is confirming to Al Jazeera that, at the request of the United Arab Emirates, the US military is helping with their investigation. The incident on Sunday comes amid growing tensions in the Gulf and a war of words between the US and Iran. Irans foreign ministry called the incidents worrisome and dreadful and also asked for an investigation. The four ships two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati were allegedly damaged in what Emirati officials described as acts of sabotage near the port of Fujairah. The incident happened 140km south of the Strait of Hormuz, where about one third of all oil traded by sea passes through. Norwegian-flagged oil tanker MT Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah [UAE National Media Council via AP] Details of the alleged sabotage remained unclear, and UAE officials have declined to say who they suspected was responsible. US President Donald Trump has warned Iran if it does anything in the form of an attack it will suffer greatly. US military plan On Monday, the New York Times reported the top US defence official has presented an updated military plan to Trumps administration that envisions sending up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack US forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons. Citing unnamed administration officials, the Times said Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented the plan at a meeting of Trumps top security aides on Thursday. Trump denied the report on Tuesday, calling it fake news. Tensions between Iran and the US have intensified since Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal to curb Irans nuclear activities and imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran. Trump wants to force Tehran to agree to a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what US officials have said are threats to US troops in the region. Iran has said the US is engaging in psychological warfare, and called the US military presence a target rather than a threat and said it will not allow its oil exports to be halted. The Times said among those attending the Thursday meeting were Trumps National Security Advisor John Bolton, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. UN Human Rights Council calls for financial isolation of the army as part of effort to hold it accountable for abuses. A United Nations fact-finding mission has urged cutting off all business with Myanmars military as part of efforts to hold the army accountable for human rights abuses. In a statement on Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Council said there had been no progress towards resolving the crisis over Myanmars mostly-Muslim Rohingya minority, more than one million of whom have fled military clearance operations in the northwest Rakhine region. The situation is at a total standstill, said Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. Myanmar authorities have razed deserted Rohingya villages and those remaining in the country live in displacement camps in fear of further military reprisals. Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence, Christopher Sidoti, a member of the mission, said in the statement. The mission found that the military committed atrocities against many ethnic groups living within Myanmar. It also faulted armed ethnic groups for committing human rights abuses. Myanmar denies allegations of human rights violations, saying its security forces have not targeted civilians and have taken action only in response to attacks by Rohingya fighters. UN officials and others have likened the actions to ethnic cleansing, or even genocide. The fact-finding mission is to hand its findings to a new group of the Human Rights Council, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, in September. That organisation was set up to handle criminal prosecution of violations of international law. The crisis in Rakhine has soured Myanmars relations with the United States, which had rolled back economic sanctions over the past decade to support political change in the country as it transitioned towards democracy. The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Myanmar security forces and Washington has barred Myanmar military officials involved in the Rakhine operations from US assistance. Britain has also cut some support and the UN, as well as independent rights advocates, want governments to do more to hold the military accountable. US Homeland Security officials considered arresting thousands of migrant families who had final deportation orders and removing them from the United States in a flashy show of force, but the idea was tabled as the Trump administration grappled with straining resources and a growing number of Central Americans crossing the border. Two Homeland Security officials and two other people familiar with the White House proposal described it to The Associated Press news agency. They were not authorised to speak publicly and requested anonymity. The idea was to arrest parents and children in 10 cities with large populations of undocumented immigrants, specifically New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, they said, without naming others. The proposal, first reported by The Washington Post, was meant to send a message and possibly deter others from coming across the border, they said. But then-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) head Ron Vitiello and then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen put the proposal aside over concerns about diverting resources from the border, a lack of detention space and the possibility of renewed public outrage over the treatment of families. In the weeks that followed, Vitiellos nomination to lead the immigration agency was pulled by the White House in a move that caught politicians and even the most senior Homeland Security officials off guard. Nielsen resigned just a few days later. The Trump administration separated children from parents at the southern border last summer, a move that prompted mass outrage and criticism that the US was abandoning its humanitarian role and harming children. Immigration experts say the separations, which were halted last June, did little to stop migrant crossings and, in fact, may have prompted more people to come. 190501212056856 The number of border crossings has risen dramatically in the past few months to more than 100,000 a month. More than half are families who cannot be easily sent back to their home countries. Border officials say they are out of resources and manpower and cant keep up. President Donald Trump has railed against the growing numbers and is furious that he has been unable to stem the flow of migrants despite his campaign promise to clamp down on immigration. The White House recently asked Congress for $4.5bn in supplementary funding, mostly for humanitarian aid and shelter space for migrant children. ICE planes have been used over the past few days to fly migrants to less-crowded locations along the border for processing. The tabled plan it remains under consideration included fast-tracking immigration cases to allow judges to order deportations for those who didnt show up for hearings. It also prioritised the newest cases in order to deport people faster. 190430123727242 A senior administration official said enforcing the judicial orders to remove nearly one million immigrants in the US without documents remains a top priority. The official was not authorised to speak publicly and requested anonymity. The company continues to list rentals in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. A Palestinian campaign has called on people to deactivate their Airbnb accounts on May 15, because the home-sharing platform continues to list rental properties in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The global coalition behind the #deactivateAirbnb campaign asks people around the world to deactivate their Airbnb accounts on May 15, which is the 71st anniversary of the Nakba, the Palestinian Maan news agency said. Widespread protests are expected in the Palestinian territories on the anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes in 1948 as Israel was established. Last November, Airbnb had announced that it would remove listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank that are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians, a statement on the Airbnb website said. It did not promise to remove properties in occupied East Jerusalem. The delisting announcement prompted an outcry from Israeli officials and a flurry of legal claims against the San Francisco-based company. In April, Airbnb said it would not implement the delisting of occupied West Bank settlement properties, which are considered illegal under international law. The company said it would instead donate proceeds from any of these bookings to international humanitarian aid organizations. War crimes In calling for the May 15 boycott, the coalitions statement quoted by the Maan news agency said that Israeli settlements are considered war crimes under international law and are responsible for the displacement of Palestinians and the theft of their land. By doing business in these settlements, Airbnb and other international companies are contributing to the economic viability of settlements and are normalizing Israeli annexation of Palestinian land, it added. 190513145900780 Salem Barahmeh, executive director of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, said: It is time to end this culture of impunity that has allowed the occupation, oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian people to continue. International companies are complicit in perpetuating this injustice and must be held accountable. Through the #deactivateAirbnb campaign, people can choose whether to be complicit in supporting war crimes or ending them, Barahmeh added. In January, human rights organisation Amnesty International issued a report that accused Airbnb and other travel firms of profiting from war crimes by normalising illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The plea bargain saw suspect plead guilty to racially committing an arson, not murder, as had originally been the case. A Palestinian family has denounced a plea deal to clear an Israeli settler from murder charges in a 2015 arson attack in which a Palestinian baby and his parents were burned alive in the occupied West Bank. Saad Dawabshe, 31, his wife, Reham, 27, and their 18-month-old son Ali were killed in the attack when settlers set on fire their home in the village of Duma in Nablus in July 2015. Their firstborn son, then four-year-old Ahmad, was the sole survivor and sustained severe burns to over 60 percent of his body. On Sunday, the Central District Court in Lod (known as al-Lydd to Palestinians) approved a plea deal between the settlers lawyers and the state prosecutors office under which he was cleared of the murder conspiracy charges. As part of the plea bargain, the suspect whose name has been withheld pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a crime motivated by racism. The indictment was modified to specify the crime as arson, and not murder, as had originally been the case. Under the deal, the settler, who was a minor at the time of the attack, would not serve more than five years in prison in connection with the murder. He is still facing charges in relation to three other ideologically motivated incidents, including the torching of a Palestinian taxi in Kafr Yussuf, the burning of a warehouse in Aqraba and vandalism in Beit Safafa. A mourner reacts next to the body of 18-month-old Palestinian baby Ali Dawabsheh, who was killed after his familys house in Duma village was set on fire in a suspected attack by Jewish settlers [File: Ammar Awad/Reuters] This deal proves the complicity of the Israeli judiciary in this horrible crime, Nasr Dawabsheh, a spokesperson for the family, told Anadolu Agency. This deal is unfair and encourages the settler gangs to commit more crimes, he warned. Last July, the Lod District Court released the defendant to house arrest, less than two months after it threw out several of his confessions because they were allegedly extracted under extreme duress by interrogators of the Shin Bet security service. Israeli security agency Shin Bet believes it has the primary suspect in the Dawabsheh attack, a settler by the name of Amiram Ben Oliel, under arrest. His investigation is ongoing. Dawabsheh said the family would pursue all legal measures to bring the perpetrators to justice. We do not trust the Israeli judiciary but we are forced to pursue all legal measures before Israeli courts before going to international courts to bring the perpetrators to accountability, he said. The International Criminal Court (ICC) does not accept cases unless all legal measures are pursued before local courts, he said. Chief accountant of St. Petersburg Church of Scientology released from detention RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov 18:14 14/05/2019 ST. PETERSBURG, May 14 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) Sakhib Aliyev, chief accountant of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg charged with extremism and illegal business, has been released from detention and put under house arrest until August 19, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts has told RAPSI. The St. Petersburg City Court has therefore dismissed the investigators petition to extend Aliyevs detention. However, the religious groups leader Ivan Matsitsky will stay jailed for another three months. Three other defendants in the case are the organizations executive director Galina Shurinova, chief of the official matters department Anastasia Terentyeva and her assistance Constance Yesaulkova. They have been placed under house arrest. Since October, the accused persons have been reading case materials, thats why the terms of investigation and restrictive measures are being extended. In March 2018, searches were conducted at the premises of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg. The raids were directed to identifying more items and documents confirming the criminality of the religious organization leaders actions, the Federal Security Services (FSB) press-service said. According to investigators, from 2013 to 2016, the organization received over 276 million rubles (about $5 million) for rendering its services. However, the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg has not been incorporated under the law, an FSB representative said in court earlier. Dianetics and Scientology are a set of religious and philosophical ideas and practices that were put forth by L. Ron Hubbard in the US in the early 1950s. The scientific community never recognized it as science. A resolution passed in 1996 by the State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, classified the Church of Scientology as a destructive religious organization. The Moscow Regional Court ruled in 2012 that some of Hubbards books be included on the Federal List of Extremist Literature and prohibited from distribution in Russia. Two planes carrying cruise ship tourists collide under unknown circumstances near Ketchikan town in Alaska. Two seaplanes carrying cruise ship tourists have collided midair over southeastern Alaska, killing at least five and injuring 10, while one person is missing. The accident occurred on Monday afternoon over waters about 40 kilometres northeast of Ketchikan town, said Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios, a coastguard spokesperson. The seaplanes collided under unknown circumstances, Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in an email to the Associated Press news agency. Weather conditions in the area on Monday included high overcast skies. Seaplanes have pontoons mounted under the fuselage so they can land on water. Local emergency responders worked with state and federal agencies and good Samaritan vessels to help rescue victims. Cruise ship The passengers were from the cruise ship Royal Princess and were on sightseeing flights. The ship left Canadas Vancouver city on May 11 and was scheduled to arrive in the city of Anchorage in Alaska on Saturday. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by todays accident. Princess Cruises is extending its full support to traveling companions of the guests involved, Princess Cruises said in a statement. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident. The Washington DC-based investigative team from the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to arrive in Ketchikan on Tuesday afternoon, agency spokesman Peter Knudson said. He said board member Jennifer Homendy is also travelling with the so-called Go Team, which investigates major accidents. Misty Fjords The crash site, which the FAA said was at Coon Cove near George Inlet, lies in the vicinity of a popular tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument, about 480km south of Juneau, Alaskas capital. One of the aircraft involved was a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with five people on board and the other was a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 carrying 11 people, FAA spokesperson Allen Kenitzer said in an email message, citing information from local authorities. The Ketchikan-based operator of the larger plane, Taquan Air, said its pilot and nine passengers were rescued and they were receiving medical attention, but one passengers fate remained unknown. That group was returning from a sightseeing tour of Misty Fjords when the crash occurred, Taquan said in a statement. A spokesperson for Taquan Air, the operator of the Otter, said the company had suspended operations while federal authorities investigate the deadly crash. It is not the first time a major plane crash has occurred near Ketchikan, a popular tourist destination. In June 2015, a pilot and eight passengers had died when a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter, operated by Promech Air Inc, crashed into mountainous terrain about 39km from Ketchikan. The NTSB later determined that pilot error and lack of a formal safety programme were behind the crash. Democrats accuse Trump and others of taking Tlaibs comments on Israel and the Holocaust out of context. US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib this week accused Republicans and other critics of purposefully policing her words and twisting [and] turning them to ignite vile attacks after they criticised her over recent comments on Israel and the Holocaust. During an interview with Yahoos Skullduggery podcast that was released on Friday, Tlaib was asked about her support for a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Theres kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, she answered. And the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity. Their existence in many ways have been wiped out, and some peoples passports. 190513174818152 I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post the Holocaust, post the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time, and I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away, right, and it was forced on them. And so when I think about a one-state, I think about the fact that: Why couldnt we do it in a better way? During an interview with @skullduggerypod, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib weighed in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said her Palestinian ancestors provided a safe haven for Jews following the Holocaust https://t.co/IBYHoCi7Rt pic.twitter.com/uvoQ4R6R6j Yahoo News (@YahooNews) May 13, 2019 The congresswoman also stressed that she wanted a place for both Jews and Palestinians. Im coming from a place of love, for equality and justice, I truly am, she said. I am humbled by the fact that it was my ancestors that had to suffer for that to happen, but I will not turn my back and allow others to hijack it and say that its some extremist approach because theyre coming from a place of whatever it is of division, inequality, Tlaib added. Republicans and conservative commentators and politicians quickly jumped on the first part of Tlaibs response to the question. Danny Danon, Israels ambassador to the United Nations, accused Tlaib of anti-Semitism and of trying to rewrite history with her comments, while President Donald Trump called Tlaibs remarks horrible and highly insensitive. Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust. She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019 House Republican Steve Scalise also labelled her comments as anti-Semitic, saying: More than six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust; there is nothing calming about that fact. Tlaib accused her critics of advancing a racist and hateful agenda. Policing my words, twisting & turning them to ignite vile attacks on me will not work. All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably. I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda. The truth will always win. Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 13, 2019 The Congresswoman did not in any way praise the Holocaust, nor did she say the Holocaust itself brought a calming feeling to her, her team said in a statement. The statement added that the criticism was dangerous, and increases hateful rhetoric from those who want to cause harm to oppressed people. The Republican Party has reached a new low, it added. Statement on lies being spread regarding Congresswoman Tlaib's appearance on Yahoo's SkullDuggery Podcast. pic.twitter.com/fBASeibLwV Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) May 13, 2019 Stop attacks against Muslim women Democratic leaders rallied behind Tlaib with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer accusing Republicans of taking Tlaibs words out of context. Republicans desperate attempts to smear @RepRashida & misrepresent her comments are outrageous. President @realDonaldTrump & House GOP should apologize to Rep. Tlaib & the American people for their gross misrepresentations. Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 13, 2019 Tlaib, a Democrat of Palestinian heritage, has previously come under fire or her comments and position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Alongside Ilhan Omar, Tlaib is one of the first two Muslim legislators in US history to sit in Congress. She has criticised Israel and the US approach to the issue before and has called for one state for both. Omar has also faced criticism from Republicans over her comments on Israel. She apologised in February for using what many considered an anti-Semitic trope when criticising a pro-Israel lobbying group. Tlaibs supporters said the criticism had more to do with the fact that the congresswoman is Muslim woman than it did about her comments. Omar, responding to Trumps tweet criticising Tlaib said, You praised people at a neo-Nazi rally. We dont have to imagine. This is another transparent attempt to sow division b/t minority communities and distract from your own criminal behavior by smearing a Muslim woman. No one should fall for it this time. She was referring to the August 2017 United the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. During that rally, a white supremacist drove his car into a group of counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. You praised people at a neo-Nazi rally. We don't have to imagine. This is another transparent attempt to sow division b/t minority communities and distract from your own criminal behavior by smearing a Muslim woman. No one should fall for it this time. https://t.co/y0ggJT83oF Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 13, 2019 Bernie Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential contender, also directed his comments at Trump, tweeting, Mr. President: Stop dividing the American people up by their religion, their race or their country of origin and stop your ugly attacks against Muslim women in Congress. You are taking Rep. @RashidaTlaibs comments out of context and should apologize. Trump rhetoric Many analysts have pointed to the US presidents heated rhetoric as the catalyst for far-right attacks and threats in the country an accusation the White House has rejected. 190419234316461 Last month, police arrested a 49-year-old man on suspicion of leaving racist, homophobic and Islamophobic messages filled with death threats on the voicemails of Tlaib, Democrat Eric Swalwell and Democrat Cory Booker. The man, who reportedly defended President Donald Trump in the messages and warned the politicians to stop criticising the president, has been charged with making threatening communications. Last year, the Anti-Defamation League said all perpetrators who carried out at least 50 extremism-related murders were linked to the far right. That total marked the largest number of people killed by the far right since 1995, the watchdog said. Trump last month tweeted out a video of Omar featuring footage of the World Trade Center burning juxtaposed with her comments, taken out of context to portray her attitude to the 9/11 attacks as glib. Omar said she experienced an increased number of death threats after the video was shared. At least one other man was arrested. The presidents language was also criticised following an anti-Semitic massacre in Pittsburgh last year and during a week-long mail bombing spree that saw another Florida man target high-profile liberal political figures, Trump critics and the news outlet CNN. Florida governor says Russian hackers gained access to voter databases in two counties ahead of 2016 elections. Russian hackers gained access to voter databases in two Florida counties before the 2016 presidential election, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said at a news conference on Tuesday. DeSantis said the hackers did not manipulate any data and the election results were not compromised. He and officials from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were briefed by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security on Friday. The governor said he signed an agreement with the FBI not to disclose the names of the counties, but elections officials in those counties are aware of the intrusions. One person who was not aware was DeSantiss predecessor, now-Republican US Senator Rick Scott, DeSantis said. Were trying to figure out what the state knew at the time, DeSantis said. Obviously, the previous administration and the head of FDLE did not have that information. He said the hackers gained access through a spearfishing email after a worker clicked a link. Scott criticised his opponent in last years election, then-Democratic US Senator Bill Nelson, for saying Russians had hacked elections systems. Scott called the allegations sensational. 190424132928588 Scott will receive a briefing from the FBI on Wednesday, said spokesman Chris Hartline. Hartline confirmed that Scott was not aware of the hacking while he was serving as governor. Its pretty clear during our back and forth in the campaign, there was no information provided to the state, Hartline said. There will be a lot of questions Well know more tomorrow. Special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian interference in the 2016 election also said hackers gained access to the network of at least one Florida county. Republican US Senator Marco Rubio has previously said at least one Florida county had an intrusion. DeSantis said he was frustrated when he saw the vague reference to hacking in Muellers report. Hey, this shows up in the Mueller report, no one ever said anything to me, DeSantis said. Granted, I took office in 2019 and this happened in 2016, so I get why the FBI wouldnt have rushed to tell me about something several years ago. 190418154116647 He did say the FBI and Homeland Security officials said Florida is ahead of the curve in elections cybersecurity in advance of the 2020 election though he warned that attacks change constantly. Threats evolve, so I dont ever want to say, Hey, theres no more threats. Its just something youve always got to be vigilant about. Interference unacceptable Meanwhile on Tuesday, Pompeo warned Russia not to interfere in next years US elections. Pompeo was visiting the Black Sea resort of Sochi where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Pompeo renewed US concerns that Moscow meddled in the 2016 election to try to tip the vote to Donald Trump. Interference in American elections is unacceptable. If Russia engaged in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been, Pompeo said. I conveyed that there are things that Russia can do to demonstrate that these kinds of activities are a thing of the past. I hope that Russia takes advantage of those opportunities, he added. Lavrov, however, rejected the accusations of Russian interference, which a redacted version of the Mueller report said included extensive, shadowy efforts on social media. The facts show that those who are inflating this topic do not have any proof, Lavrov said. On collusion involving high-ranking officials, Lavrov said: Its clear that such insinuations are absolute fiction. We want and we are ready to deal with cybersecurity issues along with our American partners, without any politicisation, he said. Putin later reiterated that sentiment, telling Pompeo that Russia has never interfered in the US election. He also called the Mueller report quite objective. Despite the sharp disagreement on election meddling, Pompeo said that Trump had instructed him to build a better relationship with Russia. Claims of attacks on commercial ships off UAEs Fujairah add to mounting tensions in the Gulf. Suspected sabotage operations on four commercial ships in the Gulf have heightened turmoil in a region already on edge amid an acrimonious standoff between the United States and Iran over Tehrans nuclear programme. Heres what we know about the alleged attacks: What happened? On Sunday, the United Arab Emirates said four commercial ships off the coast of Fujairah, one of the worlds largest bunkering hubs, were subjected to sabotage operations. There were no injuries or fatalities on board the vessels or spillage of harmful chemicals or fuel, the UAEs Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. {articleGUID} Officials identified the damaged ships as the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad, the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory, and a UAE bunkering barge, the A Michel. The Andrea Victorys owners, Thome Group, said an unknown object hit the tanker above the waterline, causing a hole in the hull. The ship is not in any danger of sinking, it said. The Saudi energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, said the attack on the Saudi tankers took place at 6am local time (10:00 GMT) on Sunday and caused significant damage to the structure of the two vessels. The UAE published a picture of the damage to the Norwegian-flagged tanker, but did not provide evidence of damage to the Saudi and Emirati ships. The Norwegian oil tanker Andrea Victory was damaged in an alleged sabotage attacks in the Gulf [Emirati National Media Council/AFP] Adding to the tensions, Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen launched drone attacks on petroleum stations outside the capital Riyadh on Tuesday. The attack caused a fire and minor damage at one pump station, al-Falih said in a statement. Whos behind the suspected attacks? The UAE, with US assistance, has launched an investigation into the Fujairah incidents. It has not named a suspect and there has been no claim of responsibility. Anwar Gargash, UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, called the incidents deliberate sabotage. The UAE foreign ministry called the suspected attack a dangerous development, and al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said the sabotage attacks were aimed to undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world. 190512201108239 Unnamed US officials, quoted by Reuters and The Associated Press, identified Iran as a prime suspect. But the officials offered no proof to back the claim. Why is this significant? The incident took place against a backdrop of heightened tensions between US and Iran, with Washington deploying aircraft carriers, bombers, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to deter what it called credible threats from Tehran. The military buildup, announced earlier in May, came as the US tightened sanctions it reinstated on Tehran after exiting the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The landmark pact imposed limits on Tehrans nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. With the USs maximum pressure campaign triggering an economic crisis in Iran, the countrys President Hassan Rouhani announced plans to scale back compliance with the nuclear deal unless remaining signatories acted to shield Tehrans economy. Both countries said they do not want conflict, but bellicose rhetoric is growing on both sides. A top commander in Irans Revolutionary Guards Corp called the US aircraft carrier a target, saying If [the Americans] make a move, we will hit them in the head. Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that US President Donald Trumps top aides have updated a military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack US forces or develop a nuclear weapon. Trump dismissed the report as fake news, but said: If we did that, wed send a hell of a lot more troops than that. The previous day, he said Iran will suffer greatly if they threaten US interests in the Middle East. Separately, John Abizaid, US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said Washington should take reasonable responses short of war after determining who was responsible for the damage to the ships. What does Iran say? Iranian officials have expressed concern, saying the alleged attacks could have been carried out by third parties to stir up conflict between Washington and Tehran. Hours after the incidents, Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Irans foreign ministry, said they were alarming and regrettable. Calling for the clarification of the exact dimensions of the incident, he also warned against plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, also expressed worry on Tuesday, saying: We had previously predicted that such actions would occur to create tensions in the region. Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a senior Iranian legislator, called for a hotline to be set up between Tehran and Washington to manage the crisis, while the spokesman for Irans parliament, Behrouz Nemati, blamed Israel, Tehrans primary rival for the suspected attacks. An adviser to Rouhani, Hesameddin Ashena, meanwhile accused Trump of moving towards war with Iran, instead of trying to reach an agreement on its nuclear programme. You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead, he said on Twitter. But Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there will be no conflict. Neither we, nor them, is seeking war. They know that it is not to their benefit. Leaders warn that violence will not only increase tension but also hinder the investigation into the Easter bombings. Security forces in Sri Lanka are tackling an increase in violence against Muslims. A curfew is still in place in one province, after attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses. So far, one person has died in the rioting, and the United Nations is worried the unrest could spiral. Al Jazeeras Andrew Simmons reports. Protesters blame military rulers for Mondays violence, while TMC says armed infiltrators carried out the attack. Sudans opposition alliance blamed the ruling military council for renewed deadly street violence, demanding an independent investigation into the attacks that complicated efforts to negotiate a handover to civilian power. At least four people died and dozens were injured during protests in a square outside military headquarters late on Monday as the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and opposition Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) said they had reached a partial agreement for transition. Mondays victims included a military police officer and three demonstrators, state TV said. An opposition-linked doctors committee revised its death toll from six to four, citing a mix-up in counting the bodies of victims, the Reuters News Agency reported. Gunfire rang out in the capital into the night after paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) whose head is deputy of the military council had patrolled the streets using tear gas and guns to disrupt demonstrations. The bullets that were fired yesterday were Rapid Support Forces bullets and we hold the military council responsible for what happened yesterday, Khalid Omar Youssef, a senior figure in the DFCF, told a news conference. 190513160017793 While they claimed that a third party was the one who did so, eyewitnesses confirmed that the party was in armed forces vehicles and in armed forces uniforms, so the military council must reveal this party. Demonstrators continued to block roads and bridges on Tuesday. Call for independent probe Protest leaders demand an independent investigation into Mondays incidents, a call that has not received a response from the TMC yet. Many people believe that it will be very unlikely for the military to sign off such an investigation, Al Jazeeras Mohammed Adow said from Khartoum. The military insists that the incidents were the work of, who they call, armed infiltrators who got access to the square. They say those are the ones who shot people. However, protest leaders deny this claim. Mondays fatalities were the first in protests in several weeks after months of demonstrations that led to armys overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir last month. 190513233212716 The opposition and TMC were meeting again on Tuesday to discuss two sticking points: the military-civilian balance of power in transitional bodies, and the timeframe for elections. Talks would wrap up on Wednesday, DFCFs Youssef said. The United States backed the opposition alliance in pinning the blame for Mondays chaos on the military for trying to remove roadblocks set up by protesters. The decision by security forces to escalate the use of force, including the unnecessary use of tear gas, led directly to the unacceptable violence later in the day that the TMC was unable to control, said the US embassy in Khartoum. Turkeys Erdogan says de-escalation deal signed with Russia at risk as Syrian government presses on with Idlib assault. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the Syrian government of seeking to sabotage Ankaras relationship with Moscow through its latest offensive in the northwest of the war-torn country. Clashes in Idlib province, the last rebel-held stronghold, have killed at least 42 fighters in 24 hours, a United Kingdom-based war monitor said on Monday, and the government bombardment on the region has devastated health services. On Monday, rebels said they mounted a counterattack against government forces in northwest Syria. Idlibs nearly three million residents are supposed to be protected by a so-called de-militarised buffer zone through a deal signed last September by Russia and Turkey that was meant to avert a fully-fledged assault on Idlib. 180818152943556 During a phone call late on Monday, Erdogan told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that the offensive by Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces sought to sabotage Turkish-Russian cooperation, according to a Twitter post by Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency. Russia and Turkey are on opposing sides of the conflict, with Moscow strongly supporting Assads militarily since 2015, while Ankara supported Syrian rebels in the war since it began in 2011. Both have worked closely, along with Iran Assads ally to find a political solution to the conflict. Alarming dimension Erdogan lamented that the regimes ceasefire violations targeting the Idlib de-escalation zone over the last two weeks have reached an alarming dimension. He said it was impossible to explain it as a counterterror effort given the number of casualties and damage to health services. The biggest group in control of much of Idlib is Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate that is independent of the Turkish-backed umbrella of opposition factions in the region. HTS has been designated a terrorist group by Russia, and its presence has been used as a justification for intensified attacks despite the de-escalation agreement. The Turkish leader also warned that the attacks risked undermining the fate of the political process in Syria. On Tuesday, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar also spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoygu to discuss measures to de-escalate tensions in Idlib, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. The latest government-led offensive that began on April 28 has displaced more than 150,000 people, the United Nations said, the biggest escalation in the war since last summer. Last week, Syrian government forces captured the town of Qalaat al-Madiq in northwest Syria. They also launched ground operations against the southern flank of the rebel zone consisting of Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces. The UN has called for all sides to abide by the deal signed in September 2018 with the objective of avoiding a humanitarian disaster and preventing an influx of refugees from entering bordering Turkey. Since the start of the conflict in Syria, more than 400,000 people have been killed, and millions have been displaced. Several protesters and one army major killed in Khartoum as tear gas and live rounds fired against demonstrators. At least five demonstrators and one army major have been killed in Sudans capital, Khartoum, hours after protest leaders and the ruling generals reached a deal on transitional authorities to run the country following the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir last month. The flare-up of violence on Monday came as the prosecutor generals office said al-Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters during the mass protests that led to the end of his 30-year rule on April 11. The major and protesters were killed at a sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum where thousands of protesters remain camped for weeks, demanding that the army generals who took power after toppling al-Bashir step down. Three soldiers and several protesters and civilians were also wounded when unidentified elements fired shots at the Khartoum sit-in, the ruling military council said. A doctors committee linked to the protest movement later said four more protesters had been shot dead, but did not specify if they were killed at the sit-in. In an overnight press briefing, the transitional military council said it would never fire on peaceful protesters, but added that rogue elements had made their way into the groups of protesters to cause trouble. There are people who are infiltrating these groups; they are armed and they targeted some of our military personnel, Huthaifah Abdul Malik, head of military intelligence, said. We are aware of these people, their elements and plans of provocation. We know the means that they use. They have targeted the military with armed ammunition, but these outlaws were using barricaded areas to target some of our soldiers, he added. We reaffirm that we are monitoring all those outlaws and we know who are infiltrating and are provoking the military and all their components. Protesters denial But protesters told Al Jazeera they were sure the crowds outside the army headquarters were not armed, saying everyone coming in out of the sit-in area was being searched at the several barricades set up by them on the roads leading to the site. We also spoke to some of the people who have been receiving treatment at the medical clinics set up in the square and they said they were sure they had seen men wearing the uniforms of the [paramilitary] Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacking them, Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said. So the military, as much as it is denying the fact that their forces and the RSF have anything to do with the attacks and the deaths on the protesters, as well as the death of one of their members, they are going to have a hard time to earn the confidence and the trust of the protesters after what happened today. Earlier, the umbrella protest movement, the Freedom and Change alliance, said the violence was to disturb the breakthrough in the negotiations, blaming the bloodshed on the former rulers. On Monday morning, police and the RSF dismantled barricades and dispersed about 100 protesters who had blocked a road leading from Khartoum North to al-Mek Nimir Bridge and the centre of the capital. For a second day, demonstrators blocked Nile Street, a major avenue running south of the Blue Nile, placing burning branches and stones across the road, as well as several other streets north and south of the river. Later, RSF men used gunfire to disperse protesters next to Blue Nile bridge and thick clouds of tear gas were fired near Jumhuriya Street south of the river, where the RSF were seen beating a rickshaw driver as they patrolled in vehicles armed with sticks and guns, witnesses told Reuters News Agency. Apparent breakthrough Meanwhile, talks between the military and an opposition alliance over the handing to civilian rule resumed on Monday, with both sides saying they had produced agreement on the duties and authorities of sovereign, executive and legislative bodies. We discussed the structure of the transitional authority and agreed on it completely, and we also agreed on the system of governance in the transitional period, said Lieutenant General Shams al-Din Kabashi, spokesman of the transitional military council. 190429115639893 We will continue tomorrow with talks on the ratio of participation on the sovereign level and the length of the transitional period, he said. God willing, we will agree on these two points. Taha Osman, a spokesman for the protest movement, confirmed a deal had been reached following a deadlock in negotiations. At todays meeting, we agreed on the structure of the authorities and their powers, Osman told the AFP news agency. The authorities are as follows the sovereign council, the cabinet and the legislative body, he said. Osman also said that another meeting would be held on Tuesday to discuss the period of transition and the composition of the authorities. The generals insist the transitional period should be two years, while protesters want it to be four years. The question is how much pressure can the opposition put on the military council, because most of the power that they have comes from the protesters on the streets, Al Jazeeras Morgan said. Many of them have been calling for the opposition coalition to stop negotiating with the transitional government; they are saying that they are the people of the country and they are the ones who decide who has legitimacy and the right to govern them. Al-Bashir charged The apparent breakthrough came as Sudans acting prosecutor general Al-Waleed Sayyed Ahmed said al-Bashir and others have been charged for inciting and participating in the killing of demonstrators. The charges form part of an investigation into the death of a medic killed during a protest in the capitals eastern district of Burri, his office said in a statement. Ninety people were killed in protest-related violence after demonstrations initially erupted in December over a government decision to triple the price of bread, the doctors committee said last month. The official death toll is 65. Earlier this month, the public prosecutor ordered al-Bashir to be interrogated on charges of money laundering and financing terrorism. There has been no comment from al-Bashir, who is in prison in Khartoum. Armed drones attacked two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday in what Riyadh called a cowardly act by Yemens Houthi rebels, two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The drone strikes caused minor damage to one of the stations supplying a pipeline running from its oil-rich Eastern Province to the Yanbu Port on the Red Sea, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said in a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran, Falih said. A fire that broke out was later brought under control, but the countrys state-run oil giant Aramco stopped pumping oil through the pipeline. Falih called the attack cowardly, saying recent sabotage acts against its vital installations not only target Saudi Arabia but the safety of the worlds energy supply and global economy. He also promised the production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. Oil prices rose on news of the attacks on the stations, 320km west of the capital Riyadh. Brent was trading at about $71 up 1.2 percent. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said seven drones carried out the strikes on the Saudi oil installations. It was a successful operation. We found assistance from people living in Saudi Arabia, and we had excellent intelligence, Saree said. Andreas Krieg from Kings College London said the drone strikes show the Houthis are now capable of attacking far into Saudi territory. He called the incident very significant because the target was oil production. The Houthi capability has increased massively in recent years, some of it homegrown but [the attack] definitely suggests that the Iranians have helped out, Krieg told Al Jazeera. Theyve never been able to deeply penetrate Saudi Arabia It looks like they are targeting the oil infrastructure. Worrisome and dreadful Earlier on Tuesday, a television station run by Yemens Houthi rebels said it launched drone attacks on Saudi installations, without identifying the targets or time of the attacks. Tuesdays incident comes a day after Riyadh said two of its oil tankers were among four vessels attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday. The attacks also occurred amid a war of words between the United States and Iran over sanctions and the growing American military presence in the Gulf. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday neither the United States nor Iran want war, adding Iraq is in contact with both, state news agency INA reported. Iran was a prime suspect in Sundays sabotage off the UAE although Washington had no conclusive proof, an unnamed US official familiar with American intelligence told Reuters news agency on Monday. Tehran denied involvement and described the attack on the four commercial vessels as worrisome and dreadful. It called for an investigation. Continued aggression 190513191231895 The Houthis have repeatedly launched drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and claimed to have launched strikes on the UAE. This large military operation is in response to the continued aggression and blockade of our people and we are prepared to carry out more unique and harsh strikes, Al Masirah cited one Houthi official as saying. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the Western-backed alliance that intervened in Yemen in 2015 against the Houthis in an attempt to restore the internationally recognised government. 190512182217520 Yemen President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadis government was ousted from power in the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014. The conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis deny being puppets of Iran and say their revolution is against corruption. Yemens conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians. The fighting has triggered what the UN describes as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis with 24.1 million people more than two-thirds of the population in need of aid. Proceedings on Deripaskas defamation suit against Zyuganov closed 19:03 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) - Moscows Tverskoy District Court on Tuesday closed proceedings on the defamation lawsuit filed by Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska against the partys leader Gennady Zyuganov, RAPSI reported from the courtroom. It became known earlier that Deripaska and Zyuganov signed an amicable agreement. The court held that their dispute was a political discussion and Zyuganov did not have intention to insult the businessman. Deripaska filed the lawsuit seeking one million rubles ($15,000) in compensation for moral harm from Zyugankov in late January. The businessman demanded compensation for disparaging remarks about his activity allegedly issued by Zyuganov during the State Duma plenary session on January 9. According to the Communist leader, the statements were aimed not at insulting Deripaska but at the initiation of a parliamentary inquiry into certain circumstances of the tycoons activity. Last week, I spoke one-on-one with Charles Payne, the Fox Business Network (FBN) host and Fox News Channel analyst and frequent substitute host, who is an expert on all things financial and political. Payne will be hosting of a live town hall event on capitalism and socialism on FBN Thursday May 16, at 2 PM EDT, part of the channels series of reports on the subject that are airing this week. Charles Payne 2018 Photo courtesy Fox Business Network Media Relations Charles Payne is a thoughtful, articulate, and engaging personality whose personal story adds layers of insight to his analysis. Payne was born in 1960 and initially lived in several foreign countries and in different parts of the U.S., a requirement of his fathers work for the military. In 1972, when his parents marriage broke up, Paynes mother took Charles and his two brothers from a comfortable life in the suburbs to live in New York Citys Harlem neighborhood. He spent his teenage years navigating Harlems mean streets during its worst periods of crime and blight. At age 17, Payne enlisted in the United States Air Force. During his service, he attended Minot State College and Central Texas College, and earned a B.A. He followed his dream to Wall Street in 1985 as an analyst at E.F. Hutton. In 1991, Payne founded Wall Street Strategies, an independent stock market research firm, where he currently is chief executive officer and the principal analyst. Along the way, Payne honed his communications skills and in October 2007 he joined the Fox Business Network when it launched. He hosts a daily financial program for FBN and frequently appears as a guest host and contributor on FBNs sister outlet, the Fox News Channel. His FBN program, Making Money with Charles Payne, routinely beats the competition on CNBC in its 2 P.M. E.T. time slot. I began our conversation by asking him about the suddenly hot 2020 election campaign issue of capitalism vs. socialism, the subject of the upcoming town hall that he will host on Thursday during his regular time slot on FBN. Peter Barry Chowka: What do you hope to achieve in FBNs reports on socialism vs. capitalism this week and in the town hall event that youre hosting? Charles Payne: Im hoping to be able to create some clarity for our viewers, as to what exactly theyre being asked to embrace. Ive long felt that there is a brewing battle between capitalism and socialism in this country. Its been coming on for the last two election cycles. Some people point to income inequality, others point to the social justice movement. I think its ironic that as the stock market moves higher and higher, and breaks record after record, it makes this an even more dire situation for those who arent in this. It makes it feel like the system is unfair to them. Right now, were getting a lot of things in broad strokes. People have heard of the Green New Deal. Meanwhile, many of the proponents of the Green New Deal arent even sure whats in it. People have heard about socialism but very few people have heard what socialism really entails. For some, it sounds wonderful. Once they have a better sense of it, maybe it wont sound so good. By the same token, when I talk with some of my fellow capitalists, I leave scratching my head, frustrated because it feels like theyre completely tone deaf to a large swath of our population. They don't understand how AOC [Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY] got elected! I do (laughs). I know people who voted for her. I thought she was going to win the election when I saw her videos. Because the stakes are so high, it will be great for people to know exactly where they are being pulled to politically because there are powerful forces that have the voter in a tug of war right now. Peter: This push towards socialism among the Democrats has definitely been brewing. A year ago, I investigated and wrote about the Occupy ICE movement. That was happening at the same time as the socialist Ocasio-Cortez came out of nowhere to win her primary and she soon became the most influential Democrat politician in the country and a media and social media star. Last July, I reported that the Democratic Socialists of America were behind Occupy ICE and local Democrat politicians in key cities were supporting the socialists demands to abolish ICE. Then in the fall, we witnessed many prominent national Democrats adopt the abolish ICE mantra. And now, the Democrat candidates who are running for president in 2020 have all moved farther to the left full-blown socialists in many cases than weve ever seen before. Charles: The success Bernie Sanders had in the [2016] election. The success AOC has had in unseating the number three Democrat [in the House]. The way that played out is a prime example of a lesson to be learned. A very powerful man in the Democrat Party [Democratic House Caucus Chair Joe Crowley, who AOC ousted in the June 2018 primary] didn't even bother to go and ask for the votes of his constituents when his opponent was going door to door. The energy is on the other [Left] side. I think its because theres a feeling that one group is entitled feels entitled and acts entitled while the other group feels like theyve been shut out and overlooked. Even the election of President Trump underscores that this was brewing. You had a lot of dissatisfied voters, many of whom hadnt voted in a long time, who voted for Donald Trump. Union workers voted for him because the things that were promised to them for decades, the economic opportunities, just never materialized. Screen shot courtesy of Charles Payness Twitter Peter: In the FBN town tall event on socialism vs. capitalism on Thursday, what do you expect the strongest or most salable arguments of the socialists will be for transforming our country? Charles:: The strongest one will be that the richest nation in the world has too few people with too much money. And that the notion of real shared prosperity doesnt exist. That you have a system based around serving and protecting corporations which exist to provide money only to shareholders and the CEO of the company. Ive been talking about these things for a long time [including] these crazy stock buybacks by companies that are not doing well. For example, in the past two years, GameStock bought back almost $2 billion of its own stock starting at $58 a share. The stocks around $8 a share now. During that same period, they closed hundreds of stores and fired thousands of people. Thats a small example. I called out IBM for a decade for that kind of behavior. So, in Joe Bidens first official campaign speech, he brought up the subject of buybacks. That was brilliant on his part. Once people understand whats happening that youre going to prop up your stock, give it to your executives while youre firing rank and file people its going to be a problem [for Republicans]. So thats the best argument they have, for opposing this version of capitalism thats being practiced in our country. Peter: In a speech you gave, you talked about your definition of successful leadership. You said, "You cannot lead everyone with the same approach. People have to buy into your leadership with shared goals and objectives. Do you think its possible for Americans to agree now or in the future on shared goals and objectives considering the polarization and the division that are defining us? Charles: I think for the most part the nation does already agree. But people disagree when you label it. A prime example of that is this: My house is a place where people come on big fight nights. So, I get a lot of buddies in from Harlem, from the Bronx, from all over the Tri-State area. People Ive known for 30 or 35 years or even longer. We have these great conversations. If you didnt know better, you would think everyone in the room was a Republican (laughs). They dont like the idea of paying higher taxes. They dont like the idea of someone getting paid welfare and not working. They dont like the idea of wasted government spending. Theyre pro-religion, pro-family, pro-life. Its absolutely remarkable. But as soon as you put a label on each one of these things and say, Well, that's a Republican idea, then they back away from it. Thats why I say you have to be able to articulate your message and understand who your crowd is, learning to articulate to a wider audience. Peter: Your town hall event on Thursday, true to the old motto of Fox News as fair and balanced, will include both sides of the debate on capitalism vs. socialism? Payne: Yes. I'm very excited about it. Weve sent invitations to different political groups, different economic groups, schools. Im going to present both sides. Ive studied this. I have my own opinions. By the same token, though, Im very frustrated extremely frustrated at the nonsense that Im seeing. Im frustrated when I see pro-capitalist business groups say they dont like the new NAFTA because it means more cars are going to be built in America. And this whole notion that they dont like President Trumps trade war and they try to say that its going to make products more expensive? Thats specious! The real problem, Peter, is that businesses would have to suffer for a quarter or two. It seems like theyre rooting for China over President Trump and millions of Americans who have lost their jobs to unfair trade policies. Charles Payne on the set of Making Money With Charles Payne Screen shot courtesy of Fox Business Network Media Relations Peter: I dont know if you want to prognosticate. Do you foresee that President Trump will be able to win re-election next year? Charles: I do, for two reasons. The economic momentum is just remarkable. If it stays this way, no matter how people feel about a mean tweet or something like that, I think when they get in that voting booth theyre going to say, I don't want to mess this up. And also, I just dont see anyone in the Democratic field who I think could take him down. I know Joe Biden is being played up as a so-called blue-collar president, but I think from a point of passion and a point of a game plan, his biggest challenges would be Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. They have something thats completely different, that theyve put years and years of work into, and they believe it passionately. Its centered around one area that really does resonate, particularly with Millennials, and thats the issue of fairness. Peter: And they can communicate their message easily and with simplicity. Not only that: I just got the transcript of Vice President Bidens appearance on Meet the Press on May 6, 2012 when he unilaterally went out in front on the issue of same sex marriage, ahead of President Obama and other major Democrats, and blew the whole thing wide open. Reading the transcript, hes barely coherent at times inarticulate, mumbling, fumbling. Can he even go the distance? Not only does he not have a compelling meme like these other candidates, he just seems way past it now. Charles: He said the other day that he spoke with Margaret Thatcher [1925-2013]. I believe that Warren and/or Sanders, perhaps paired with a Kamala Harris, present the greatest threat to Trumps re-election. But as of right now, unless we get a big time recession between now and November of next year, I think President Trump wins. My conversation with Charles Payne included other topics and I expect to publish another part of my interview with him here in the near future. May 2, 2019 New York NY. Source: BusinessWire. FOX Business Network (FBN) will present a special town hall event to discuss the economic impact of capitalist and socialist policies at 2PM/ET on Thursday, May 16th. Moderated by Making Money host Charles Payne in front of a live studio audience, the special will focus on voters opinions surrounding the ongoing debate between the two models of governing leading up to the 2020 election. Throughout the program, Payne will feature interviews with political and economic experts including philosopher Dr. Cornel West, billionaire John Paul DeJoria, among others. Additionally, Payne will be joined by a panel of experts for analysis of this hot button political issue, including FBNs Neil Cavuto, Kennedy, Stuart Varney, and Lou Dobbs. The event is part of a special week-long series beginning Monday, May 13th in which FBN will dedicate various segments to the debate surrounding capitalism and socialism across network programming. Additionally, FBN correspondent Jackie DeAngelis will be presenting a five-part segment series throughout the week covering the latest developments on how the two contrasting ideologies are at the forefront of the political economy. Here is a preview broadcast Monday on Fox Business Network: Peter Barry Chowka writes about politics, media, popular culture, and health care for American Thinker and other publications. Peter's new website is http://peter.media. Follow him on Twitter at @pchowka. The general public typically equates the Chamber of Commerce with local Mom and Pop businesses in their area which meet for networking and mutual support in local chapters across the country. This is erroneous. According to the Hill: While local chambers cater to the needs of car dealers and restaurant owners, the national Chamber operates as the lobbying arm of large corporations that have never met a big government program they did not like. They are weapons dealers pushing billion-dollar battleships and telecommunication lobbyists protecting slow Internet at the world's highest prices. They are lobbyists for pharmaceutical companies, big banks, and Wall street traders who treat the American people as gullibles to be fleeced without mercy. Even seasoned politicians are susceptible to having misconceptions about the Chamber. Former U.S. senator Jim Demint admits he naively thought it was lobbying for free enterprise and creating a better business environment for everybody. Now he says, "I pronounce them part of the swamp." Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich), a conservative, adds, "I believe in free markets and am against cronyism and corporate welfare, and they [the U.S. Chamber of Commerce] support those things." So what is the USCC? It is a business lobbying group that represents 80% of the Fortune 100 companies and is by far the largest interest group in Washington. According the Wall Street Journal, the Chamber spent $125 million in lobbying in 2014 and $95 million last year. This dwarfs the spending of any other interest group. One tactic the Chamber uses to swell its revenue is to solicit money from big international companies to promote specific goals. Since donor names are not public, the Chamber can pursue controversial fights without identifying the firms behind the effort. The Chamber of Commerce and its president Thomas Donohue came into conflict with Donald Trump and his America First platform very early on. For 18 months during the runup to the 2016 election, the Chamber spared no effort to demonize Trump. In doing so, the Chamber was carrying water for the Hillary Clinton campaign. Donohue and company figured they could better deal with Hillary than Trump in the Oval Office. In this, the Chamber was exactly right. The big hangups the Chamber and its client base had against Donald Trump involved immigration, trade, and tariffs. Adhering to its corporate masters call for a continuous supply of cheap labor, the Chamber lobbies for more immigration and resists tight border controls. Trade is much the same. Past trade pacts have allowed Wall Street to grow obscenely rich in the outsourcing of American jobs to third-world countries for sake of the bottom line of the multinationals. In the process, over a million ordinary Americans were left holding the bag. All this is still playing out today. The president is striving to adjust the unfair trading arrangements that the political class, in cahoots with the big money interests on Wall Street, have saddled the U.S. with. But Trump and his trade team of Robert Lighthizer, Wilbur Ross, Steven Mnuchin, and Larry Kudlow are fighting not just China, but what is effectively a Fifth Column here at home. It's composed of the likes of the Chamber of Commerce and a sizable portion of the political establishment, which is used to dipping its beak in special-interest money. As to this latter point, just look at the breaking news of the dealings of Joe Biden's son, Hunter, with the Chinese government. Writing in the New York Post, Peter Schweizer outlines in detail the $1.5 private equity deal the younger Biden made with the Chinese while Biden was vice-president. And now, Joe Biden is out on the stump soft-peddling the damage China has done to the U.S. economy and downplaying its threat to us and pretending to be for the working man. You can't make this up. It's important not to conflate Big Business (Wall Street) with small business (Main Street). Wall Street is the financial economy. It pushes paper around. For example, they write derivatives on real assets, say stocks, to the point where the value of derivatives traded is far greater than the assets they are based on. Investopedia says this: "The derivatives market is, in a word, gigantic -- often estimated at more than $1.2 quadrillion on the high end." A quadrillion is 1,000 trillion. In dollar terms, a quadrillion is 15-times the GDP of the entire world. Main Street actually makes and sells things. For over a generation or more, Big Biz has dominated Main Street. This is why the Midwest and other places across the U.S. are littered with closed factories and why middle-class wages stagnated. In many ways, the financial economy is parasitic on the real economy. In the 2016 election, Donald Trump represented Main Street while Clinton was in the pocket of the big money interests on Wall Street. What this means is that what is good for Main Street will not be good for Wall Street and Big Biz, at least not in the short run. What benefits the American worker -- fair trade policy and tight immigration control -- will initially hurt Big Biz and Wall Street. And the hurt will continue until the financial economy is scaled back to its proper size and is no longer allowed to the tail that wags the American economic dog. Until then, MAGA is at war with Big Biz and the bought-and-paid-for political establishment. And this explains much of the resistance to Trump's tariffs and trade position. A closing observation says a lot. Thomas Donohue, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, is 80 years old. His board is pushing him to retire. The replacement they are looking at is former Congressman Paul Ryan. A perfect fit given the Chamber's agenda. Recent words by notorious Democrats again prove the old adage: even a broken clock is right twice a day. In this case, we have had two Democrats in less than two weeks accidentally speaking truth to one of the gravest moral issues of our time. First of all, we have Alabama state representative John Rogers (D). At the beginning of this month, the Republican-controlled Alabama House overwhelmingly passed (74-3) pro-life legislation that would make abortion a felony except in cases where the life of the mother is at risk. The bill will likely not become law, as it will probably die in the Alabama Senate. Aware of this, pro-life lawmakers hope to use the legislation as a means to overturn Roe. In debating the bill while attempting to defend the indefensible -- the killing of unborn children -- representative Rogers made clear the Democrats position when it comes to the most helpless and innocent among us when he declared, Some kids are unwanted, so you kill them now or you kill them later. You bring them in the world unwanted, unloved, you send them to the electric chair. So, you kill them now or you kill them later. Note that Rogers here provides us with several bits of rare clarity when it comes to Democrats and the unborn. Repeatedly using the word kill, Rogers reminds us what an abortion actually results in: the death of a human being. As a popular pro-life refrain goes, If it isnt a life, then why do you have to kill it? Also, Representative Rogers failed to resort to the anthropomorphically ambiguous language so common among those who wish to sanitize what is really happening when an abortion occurs. Instead, Rogers made the mistake of referring to unborn children as kids. To protect the right to kill children in the womb, for decades those corrupted by liberalism have sought to dehumanize the unborn. Thus, we often hear children in the womb described as a zygote, embryo, or fetus. Though these terms are medically correct, the left employs such language in order to avoid using the more humanizing words such as baby, child, or kid. Whats more, in order to hide their evil behavior toward children in the womb and to further dehumanize the unborn, the left will often abandon medically accurate terminology for unborn human beings and simply make stuff up. In 2015, writing about the scandal involving Planned Parenthood and the selling of baby parts, Jen Gunter of The New Republic declared, These are not baby parts. She prefers that the tissue specimen be referred to, not as a fetus or an embryo, but as a product of conception. Gunter declared that the term baby doesnt apply until birth. Likewise, on CNN recently, breaking trend with Democrats who have been accidently correct on life in the womb, while debating heartbeat bills that have become law across the U.S., former Speaker of the New York City Council, Christine Quinn -- a Democrat, of course -- said, When a woman gets pregnant, that is not a human being inside of her. It is part of her body, and this is about a woman having full agency and control of her body and making decisions about her body and what is part of her body with medical professionals. Thus, the so-called party of science again reveals just how much stupidity they will stoop to in order to justify their perverse sexual agenda. Speaking of stupid, Alyssa Milano has tweeted again. Rightfully ignoring the threats of the ignorant Hollywood elite, Governor Brian Kemp recently signed Georgias version of a fetal heartbeat bill into law. Like so many others on the Hollywood left, because of the favorable tax laws passed by Georgia conservatives, Milano finds herself working in Georgia. Being a full-fledged member of the sex-crazed ignorant Hollywood elite, Milano cant seem to help interjecting herself into Georgia politics. After Governor Kemp signed the heartbeat bill into law, Milano decided it was time for action. On May 10, through her Twitter account, Milano called for a sex strike. She tweeted: Our reproductive rights are being erased. Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy. JOIN ME by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back. Im calling for a #SexStrike. Pass it on. It seems that liberals are more clueless about biology than we thought. Seemingly unaware of the irony of her call, pro-life conservatives on Twitter soon clued her in. Of course, the world would be a much better place if Milano and her ilk -- men and women alike -- would remain on a sex strike, at least until they are in a committed marital relationship. Sadly, this is not the plan. As a Milano supporter in the New York Post reveals, the real desire for pro-abortionists is to turn states like Georgia into states like New York. Because, if youre in a place where you can still have abortions, like New York State, then one can f all you want! And thus, we see Milano produce even more unintended truth from the left! Without stating so in such clear terms, for decades the left has sold their wicked sexual agenda upon the notion that if voters will just elect Democrats, then one can f all you want! This has resulted in not only a war on the unborn, but a war on marriage, the family, and the ultimate target of the modern left: the truth. Trevor Grant Thomas At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason. www.trevorgrantthomas.com Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com A recent article dealt with the fiftieth anniversary of The Who's rock opera Tommy: "The Who's Tommy at Fifty." Tommy still excites me and makes me shake my head in wonder at how a group of early twenty-somethings could put out such an exquisite piece of music. But that was par for the course for British rock in the late Sixties. They say they dont make em like they used to, and when it comes to Tommy, theyre right. The story validates how the best things in life are always timeless, whether it's a rock, jazz, or classical music album, a piece of antique furniture or an 800-year-old cathedral in Paris. But timelessness not only applies to material things or music for that matter, but to ideas and principles as well. And this gets to the crux of the differences between conservatism and liberalism. The ideas and principles of conservatism have always been timeless, beginning with the father of conservatism, Anglo-Irish statesman and political theorist Edmund Burke, who wrote in "Reflections on Revolution in France" about the destructive consequences of the French Revolution and that by 'throwing out the baby with the bathwater,' you are inviting nothing but trouble when the tried and true are dispensed with and replaced only by reason and ideas devoid of a transcendent morality that in turn unleash all kinds of negative consequences. His thought is boiled down to two words: tradition and obligation. Without these, life will devolve into the anarchy and nihilism of pure selfishness and the viciousness of a competitive dog-eat-dog world. The anarchy of the French Revolution was the perfect manifestation of these unintended consequences that we continue to see reflected in today's liberalism. Liberalism is essentially an ideology of myopia that lives only for the moment -- of instant gratification -- which is why it's strayed so far from its classical roots. From the The Right Side of History: How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great, Ben Shapiro has written an outstanding book where he traces back to the original principles that stood the test of time that led to where we are today: We all grew up in a West formulated on the basis of thousands of years of history. History isn't merely happenstance; movements don't merely wink into existence. To explain our current notions of individual rights, we must look to foundational ideas. The neo-Enlightenment attempts to disown Judeo-Christian values and Greek teleology rest in historical ignorance. Neo=Enlightenment advocates tend to attribute every ill of the past several centuries to religious superstitions and ancient mumbo-jumbo, failing to acknowledge that the values they hold so dear rest on ancient foundations. In this quote neo-Enlightenment and contemporary liberalism are essentially interchangeable. One needs only trace its trajectory from Truman to John F. Kennedy to Carter to Clinton to Obama to the far-left radical socialism promulgated by the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Both Truman and Kennedy would be laughed out of the today's Democrat Party for their policy positions and actions they took as presidents. It was Truman who ordered the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to end a horrific and brutal war, and JFK who significantly lowered taxes in order to get the economy growing again, which became the template for Republican presidents who came later, most notably Reagan, George W. Bush and Trump. The successors of Burkean conservatism were Russell Kirk and William F. Buckley, Jr., two intellectual giants who were the pioneers of contemporary American conservatism. Without them it's hard to say conservatism would exist as it does today in the United States and how the torch of tradition and obligation would be promoted and carried out. The three principles that are the foundation to conservatism are smaller government, low taxes, and personal responsibility, a triad that has and will always result in freedom. With liberalism, everything is about all about the moment, which is why it no longer has any foundational principles. Nothing about contemporary liberalism stands the test of time and therefore everything about it is mired in myopia, the tunnel vision of living for the moment by playing on their supporters emotions and pandering to their immediate wants. As a thought experiment, if the Democrats were to provide the perfect equality of identity politics and universal entitlements for all their constituents, what then? The party would collapse out of a lack of ideas. To a large degree that is what is happening today. Obama was given eight years to implement those ideas and they turned out to nothing but shallow rhetoric that ignored huge numbers of the working and middle class, which is why millions of them crossed over from the Democrats to the Republicans in 2016. Since liberalism now defines itself as the guardian of progress and euphemistically call themselves progressives, they clearly can't see the forest for the trees, i.e., the bigger picture of how their ideas will play into the future along with a startling inability to see the failure in the past of those same ideas and to learn from their mistakes. This liberal relativism -- always changing ideas for the moment -- essentially makes them disposable, no different from always-changing styles of fashion. Whether its cars, smartphones, clothing, or shoes, newness eventually becomes old and therefore something different always has to be introduced in order to keep customers coming back for more. For anyone who can see through this strategy, it's no different then the one used by liberals, who always foist upon a gullible public a 'new and improved' governing style that will make life better for them. Buyer beware. Who hasn't experienced the letdown and the rush of getting something new and eventually the novelty wears out and many times leads to 'buyers remorse.' Is that progress or is it an illusion? I would say it's the latter. The ideas and principles of conservatism stand the test of time, therefore transcending time by being applicable at any point in history. This is why the discerning public should be in favor of them. There is a certain irony that the outstanding music of the Sixties, birthed in rebellion against the status quo. is so appreciated today, simply because the best things in life are those that last. What could be more conservative than that? Liberals did not hear what they wanted to hear in the Mueller report, so now they are waging a different type of battle. The new battle centers on Donald Trumps tax returns. The tax return conundrum and the demand that the President release his tax returns has exploded in both the New York State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The New York Senate has cleverly attempted to circumvent the confidentiality of the tax return by introducing a bill authorizing the release of the returns. New York Senate bill, S2271, requires the disclosure of tax returns by statewide elected officials including the president of the United States. Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated that he would sign the bill. Not to be outdone, Congressman Richard Neal, D-MA, chair of the Ways and Means Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, stated in a press release Last month, the Ways and Means Committee began an investigation into the mandatory audit program at the IRS in an effort to assess the extent to which the IRS audits and enforces the federal tax laws against a sitting President and to determine if those audits need to be codified into federal law. As part of that inquiry, on April 3, I requested six years of the Presidents personal and business tax returns, pursuant to my authority under section 6103(f) of the IRS Code. I believed then, as I do now, that reviewing the requested documents is a necessary piece of the committees work. The New York Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives are vainly attempting to politicize the release of tax returns using the average Americans misunderstanding of the tax code to give the false impression of wrongdoing on the part of the president of the United States. Any CPA, of which I am one, will tell you that there is limited value to viewing someones personal tax return if your goal is to get a full picture of an individuals financial dealings. The nature of tax laws is so complicated that unless one understands all the intricacies of C corporations, trusts, annuities, real estate, subchapter S entities, Limited liability corporations, and partnerships, a review of an individuals personal tax return will merely give you an unbelievably inaccurate perspective of a persons financial dealings and holdings. Unfortunately, the tax laws are so complicated that a review of the tax return may actually be misleading in and of itself. Asking for personal tax returns seems reasonable and prudent when in fact it is irrelevant for the most part. These nuances in tax returns is precisely why financial disclosure forms required by federal officials, including the President, are far more detailed and offer a much more comprehensive look at a persons financial dealings, interests, and potentials for conflict. The President has complied with all such financial disclosures but that does not make good press for those seeking headlines. The tax return controversy surrounding liberal demands of President Trump center on two critical issues -- confidentiality and transparency. A tax return is confidential for every American, not just the President of the United States. For the IRS, Department of the Treasury, or a state to release it without the appropriate laws in place which compel a release may be criminal. The governing law is 26 U. S. Code section 6103. As a CPA, should I release a clients tax returns without proper authorization or legal action, I would be subject to disciplinary action and civil suit (section 1.700 of the AICPA Code of Professional Ethics). There are some who cite a 1924 law that gives congressional committee chairs the authority to request/demand tax returns but only if there is a legitimate legislative purpose and, if done, would be done in a closed executive session. There is a substantial body of thought which believes that the Supreme Court will have to answer this question. The second is that any public official in federal service is required to provide a comprehensive financial statement for public scrutiny. The Presidents financial statement is over 92 pages long excluding attachments. It is extraordinarily thorough and provides substantially more information that any tax return would possibly disclose. The unintended consequence of all of this hoopla relating to President Trumps tax return is that it is merely a distraction. It is a distraction that the president knows is meaningless. Many people have contended that there have been decades of precedent in which former candidates for the presidency and former presidents have released their tax returns. Perhaps they released their returns to satisfy the public, and they could then move freely without interference from the public they supposedly serve. Perhaps President Trump is, once again, bursting a myth of transparency because he knows the issue is not real. Perhaps real reform will occur when senseless laws are replaced with ones which really provide protection for the American people. Perhaps the President is merely draining the swamp one more time. Frank Ryan, CPA, USMCR (Ret) represents the 101st District in the PA House of Representatives. He is a retired Marine Reserve Colonel, a CPA and specializes in corporate restructuring. He has served on numerous boards of publicly traded and non-profit organizations. He can be reached at fryan1951@aol.com. Speaking to a rally to promote the lunatic Green New Deal that would bankrupt America while allowing China, India, and the rest of the world to continue to emit CO2 without restriction for more than a decade, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez revealed the fount of her economic thinking: Karl Marx. Fittingly, she was accompanied by avowedly socialist presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders at a rally at Howard University, where both radical politicians denounced anything short of a full commitment to the radical restructuring of our economy. Obviously alluding to frontrunner Joe Biden's less than full-throated support of the GND, Ocasio-Cortez said there is "no middle ground," setting up a potential third-party green-socialist absolutist challenge should Biden win the Dems' nomination. But most interesting to me was Ocasio-Cortez's descent into the logic of her position, compared to the logic of markets: What we fighting against what we fighting against is a logic that says it is OK to pay someone less than they need to live, and we are here to say no more. Here is video of the portion of her speech where she touched on her economic principles. I notice that she is gesticulating more emphatically than in the past and seems, if anything, more impassioned than before: Grabien screen grab. By tying pay to what people need, rather than to the value of the work they produce (to anyone willing to pay for it), she echoes one of Karl Marx's most famous dicta (from the 1874 "Critique of the Gotha Program"): "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." That seemingly humane principle for valuing work is the key to both the idealistic appeal of communism and its tragic consequences for those who embrace and follow it. Under it, people who do not produce as much as they earn are incentivized, impoverishing the rest of society. The most vivid illustration of this phenomenon was presented by the late Peter Drucker in a lecture of his I attended in the 1980s. He recounted his visits to factories in both East and West Germany that derived originally from the prewar Zeiss optical works. In the East German works, employment had remained the same as it had been prewar if I recall, the number of employees there was huge, well over 10,000. No investment or effort was devoted to efficiency improvements, since they would only diminish employment that provided sustenance "according to their needs" for the workforce. Meanwhile, in the West German works, employment was a tiny fraction, and yet the output was more highly valued on world markets. As a result, East Germans lived at a much lower level of consumption than West Germans, who, because they valued work and the products of work according to the market mechanism, mightily prospered. Ocasio-Cortez is a classic watermelon environmentalist: green on the outside, red on the inside. Here is the full text of the video excerpt, via Grabien: State Duma backs extension of Russian Audit Chambers powers RAPSI 13:44 14/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) The State Duma passed in the third and final reading on Tuesday a bill authorizing Russian Audit Chamber to check subsidiaries of state companies and corporations and other companies receiving federal subsidies. According to the draft law, the Audit Chamber will be entitled to audit economic partnerships and business entities partially owned by state corporations, government companies and public not-for-profit organizations. The Chamber will be also authorized to check legal entities receiving federal subsidies for infrastructural facilities and investment projects. Currently, subsidiaries of state companies and corporations may be inspected by the order of the president, government or both houses of Russian parliament. The authors of the initiative, Vyacheslav Volodin, the State Duma Chairman, and his first deputy Alexander Zhukov, believe the new provisions to more accurately assess the efficiency of utilization of funds such organizations receive from the federal budget and at the expense of other federal resources. The bill will help control the realization of national projects and state programs, according to the documents authors. The mainstream media are making a big deal about their supposed fealty to the Constitution and their dedication to exposing all "abuses of power." What a crock. Where were these people from 2009 to 2016? Start with the strong-arm muscled-through passage of Obamacare back in 2010. President Obama used far from orthodox methods to find the funding for it. The press is yelling now about how President Trump is seeking to shift funds around for a wall at the border. But remember that when Obamacare came up short of funds, the namesake president just unconstitutionally stole the money from taxpayers because it would have been inconvenient to go through Congress and admit to the public that the Democrats lied when they misled the public that Obamacare was paying for itself. The Obama administration was a big booster of unorthodox and unaccountable funding. It set up slush funds at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Justice Department, and the EPA, much of which was made up of confiscated money from the private sector. Instead of handing that over to the supposed victims, they illegally used the money for political purposes and to reward political supporters. ACORN got quite rich from some of these setups. Not once do I remember journalists in the mainstream media giving a damn about abuse of power and a constant violation of the Constitution during the tenure of Obama-Biden. To return to Obamacare, here is a hint: there is nothing unconstitutional in a president allowing people the freedom of choice as to what type of health insurance to buy. In fact, President Obama, his team, and other Democrats deliberately and continuously lied to the public when they said the citizens would have the freedom of choice to keep their plans and doctors if they liked them. Almost all journalists supported this intentional deception to the people and chastised anyone who dared tell the truth to state that Democrats were lying about this. When the founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they focused on giving the power to "We the People." They wanted to limit the power of government because they knew that the more power government officials confiscated for themselves, the greater the threat to take away freedom from the rest of us. President Trump is trying to give the power, purse, and freedom back to "We the People" as fast as he can in support of the founding principles of the United States. He is being fought every step of the way by almost all journalists and other Democrats. Democrats, on the other hand, are trying to take as much power for the government and themselves, which is exactly the opposite of what the Constitution envisioned, and almost all journalists are supporting this quest for power and away from freedom for the rest of us. It is truly disgusting how much journalists, especially those from Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Associated Press, are still willing to lie to the public in order to put Democrats back in power as they holler about how President Trump spends taxpayer money. Pretending they care about the Constitution and abuse of power after supporting Obama and Hillary throughout their corrupt tenure shows how low the news media have sunk and how little they really respect "We the People." Image credit: Navyatha123 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Sri Lanka last weekend saw the sort of "anti-Muslim backlash" that seems to trouble American officials and media so much that they customarily express bafflement as to the motives for attacks when a jihadist yells "Allahu akbar!" while slaughtering infidels. Interestingly, the rioters do not appear to be predominantly Christian, and one account of one attack on a mosque specifies that Buddhist monks were part of the incitement. The religious breakdown of Sri Lanka's population is as follows: Source. While Westerners tend to be more familiar with the anti-Christian and Jew-hating passages of Islamic scripture, in fact, Islam is even more condemnatory of what it calls "polytheist" religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. India, Sri Lanka's huge neighbor, is riven with religious conflict between Muslims and Hindus that the government mightily tries to contain. There has been very little media attention here, but I found this Reuters account from a Hindu (not Christian) source, "Struggle for Hindu Existence." Sri Lankan police fired tear gas at mobs attacking mosques and shops owned by Muslims on Monday and imposed a nationwide curfew after the worst outbreak of sectarian violence since the Easter bombings by Islamist terrorists. ... "There are hundreds of rioters, police and army are just watching. They have burnt our mosques and smashed many shops owned by Muslims," a resident of Kottampitiya area told Reuters by telephone, asking not to be identified for fear of reprisals. "When we try to come out of our house, police tell us to stay inside." Police imposed a nationwide curfew until from 9pm (1530 GMT) to 4am, spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. Authorities also imposed a temporary ban on social media networks and messaging apps including WhatsApp after a clash in another part of the country was traced to a dispute on Facebook. A police source said police had fired tear gas to disperse mobs in some places in North Western Province. ... A Reuters reporter saw a mob of several dozen young Sinhalese men wielding sticks and rods in what appeared to be a standoff in the town of Madulla in North Western Province. Many anxious Muslims were hunkering down at home but young men, some of them carrying rods, were still zipping around on motorbikes, despite regional curfews from 2pm before the nationwide curfew was imposed. Glass was strewn across the Abrar mosque in the town of Kiniyama that was attacked overnight. All the windows and doors of the soft-pink building were smashed and copies of the Quran were thrown onto the floor. A mosque official said the attacks were triggered when several people, including some Buddhist monks, demanded a search of the main building after soldiers had inspected a 105-acre (43-hectare) lake nearby. Interesting that it was Buddhists, not Christians inciting the attack. A 34-year-old man who was at the mosque said about 150-200 came towards the mosque with rods and swords on Sunday but the Muslims who were in the mosque persuaded them to go away with the help of the police. But they came back and this time there were about 1,300 people. The Muslims, huddled in the mosque, asked the police to fire in the air to disperse the mob, but the police said the people wanted to inspect the mosque for weapons. Then the crowd surged into the mosque and ransacked it, the witness said. "They destroyed and burned Qurans, broke every glass window and door and urinated on the water storage which Muslims used to take ablution," he said. Here is a video of the attacks and their aftermath: Image credit: YouTube screen grab. Watch carefully now as various politicians, pundits, editors, news anchors, etc. weigh in on the U.S.-China trade war. You won't know truly who is on Beijing's payroll, but it'll be fun to guess. Watch for surprises and non-surprises (Hi, Senator Feinstein!). Get ready for a barrage of cataclysmic warnings about the U.S. economy and the financial markets. As a scientist, I feel it useful to occasionally engage in facts, and for me, the simpler, the better. So try this scenario: if Country A exports 20X more to Country B than Country B does to Country A, which side do you think has more to lose in a protective tariff war? Could it be the country that exports substantially more? Hmm. Country A in this little exercise is China. Its exports to the U.S. (Country B) dwarf U.S. exports in return. After all, over 40 years, the Chinese swallowed a big gulp of our domestic manufacturing, and it's been hard at work stealing our technology and intellectual property. If China and the U.S. now install similar tariffs, it is not quantum physics to see that a tariff war will hurt China far more than the U.S., as the cost of Chinese exports (the major factor in the equation) mushrooms. After all, the three major trading partners and markets of the U.S. are Canada, Mexico, and Europe not China. Want to bet that the reverse is not true? So as your 401(k) and IRAs start sinking (for now), rest assured that "this too shall pass." In the words of the immortal Admiral Yamamoto, China has "awakened the Sleeping Giant." Things will not be the same. Americans finally elected a populist president, and Beijing is just now waking up to that fact. I think the Beijing air quality will be poorer than normal this summer. Oh, by the way the major American export to China is...? Answer: food. Try making that substantially more expensive in the world's most populous country! Thank you, President Trump! Yet again! We often describe the specter of tens of thousands of unvetted migrants rolling into our country in terms of "losing control of the border," but a new piece by Daniel Horowitz describes what's going on at the New Mexico border near El Paso as something just a bit more literal. Writing for Conservative Review, Horowitz found: In an interview with CR, Couy Griffin, the chairman of the Otero County, New Mexico, county commission, explained how our government has exposed his county, and by extension, the rest of the nation, to unprecedented criminal activity from the Mexican cartels. In his view, by taking down the two secondary Border Patrol checkpoints in his county in order to focus on more processing of illegal immigrants [sic], the federal government is missing the point. "The cartel is winning and winning big; they are kicking our butts," complained the commissioner of this sparsely populated but large county bordering Texas, near El Paso. "We get so tied up and focused on the asylum seekers or the illegal immigrant [sic] aspect of what's going on at our southern border, but the reality of it is that it's nothing but a mere smoke screen for the cartel. They're using these large groups of migrants as nothing more than a smoke screen to smuggle their drugs across the southern border. Meanwhile, as soon as those agents are exhausted, those critical spots, they're sending boatloads of drugs across the border in unsecured areas. The shutting down of the checkpoints on the major drug smuggling corridors is a recipe for disaster. Now they have a green light to shuttle drugs through our counties and through our rural areas, with no security in place." Otero County isn't on the border itself, but at an internal border checkpoint, same as is found near San Onofre in Southern California as trucks and cars head northward from San Diego to Los Angeles. These highway checkpoints are being abandoned as tens of thousands of migrants pour over the border and Border Patrol agents are diverted to process them. The net result of abandoned checkpoints is that Mexico's cartels, smuggling meth and other illegal drugs, are having a field day. Nobody is there to watch for these vast professional drug-smuggling operations because the Border Patrol agents have been redeployed to babysit the crush of asylum-seekers in the country illegally and seeking a left-wing judge who will allow them to stay here and work, well ahead of immigrants (who by definition come to the USA legally). Whether you think killer drugs should be legal or not, the side-effect here is disturbing. The cartels are making their money through illegal operations, and at some point, it's going to be lucrative. Not only will these groups be enriched to wreak havoc on the innocent people of Mexico, but they will be in an ideal position to set up shop here. What happens when more than one cartel realizes how good the gig is? They'll start to fight, with each other. So the kind of violence Mexico has seen with cartels fighting over turf in strategically useful places is effectively about to be imported here. So long as Democrats refuse to permit any solution to the border crisis, the cartels will not only be strengthened, but be doing their fighting over here. Lucky us get ready for some Juarez circa 2007 turf wars, because they are coming. The curious and seemingly counterintuitive conclusion that can be drawn from this is that there really is no such thing as open borders, because someone is always going to control them. We can either have the Border Patrol doing the job or cede the matter to Mexico's cartels and let what happens happen. Nice job, Democrats the border crisis is about to get so much uglier. Communication with submarines is difficult because radio waves do not easily travel through salt water. The obvious solution is to surface and raise an antenna above the water, but surfacing makes the submarine visible to enemy ships and hence vulnerable. Another solution is to use a buoy carrying the antenna that is floated to the surface. The buoy is tethered to the submarine which remains well below the surface. Before long engineers figured out another technique. They discovered that radio waves having very low frequency, in tens of kilohertz and lower, has the ability to penetrate salt water up to several meters. So if the radios on a submarine switched to those frequency they could communicate with the naval base while remaining submerged. The trouble was the size of the antenna required. You see, the wavelength of a radio wave is inversely proportional to its frequency, and the length of the antenna required to transmit and receive such a radio wave is directly proportional to the wavelength. In other words, the lower the frequency of the radio wave, the longer and larger the antenna required. In the case of very low frequencies, 30 KHz and lower, typically used for submarine communication, even a quarter-sized antenna will be several kilometers long. Obviously, an antenna of such dimensions is physically impossible to build. So engineers use antennas that are only a fraction of the wavelength long. The downside of this is the antenna has to be fed an enormous amount of power, because an antenna that is only a fraction of the wavelength long radiates only a fraction of the power it is fed. It is a trade-off engineers have to make in order to keep the size of the antennas down within practical limits. The Goliath site overlaid with location of the antennas and the transmitter & control building. Image courtesy: nonstopsystems.com One of the biggest antennas used for submarine communication, appropriately named Goliath, used to stand near Kalbe an der Milde in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was operated by the Nazis during the war period, and had a transmission power that could be boosted all the way up to 1,000 kilowatts. Transmitting at frequencies between 15 kHz to 25 kHz, the Goliath was able to reach German submarines anywhere in the world even when submerged twenty meters below, except when the submarines were positioned in deep Norwegian fjords. It was the most powerful transmitter of its time. Related: WLW: The 500 Kilowatt Super Station Goliath used three umbrella antennas, so called because of the guy wires that radiate from the mast to the ground. These guy wires not only provide support, but are part of the antenna itself. Umbrella antennas are some of the most efficient antennas in the low frequency spectrum. Aside from military communication, these antennas are commonly used in medium-wave and longwave AM broadcasting stations. The Goliath used three 210-meter-tall steel masts arranged in a triangle and guyed to the ground. The antenna system also had an extensive system of buried ground radials whose total length was at least 350 km. Overall, the complete antenna system had a very impressive efficiencynearly 50% on 15 kHz, and as much as 90% on 60 kHz. After the war, the Soviets dismantled Goliath, packed it into crates and shipped it to Russia, where it was erected near Nizhny Novgorod, about 18 km south of Gorky and 50 km east of Moscow. It is still operated to this day by the Russian navy, who use it for communication with submarines and to transmit time signals. The Goliath transmitter in Nizhny Novgorod. Photo credit: Eugene Katishev/Wikimedia More details about changes to Android OS in the upcoming version Q continue to stream out from last weeks Google I/O Developers conference and among those is new information about the long-expected desktop mode. Spotted by XDA Developers in one of the search giants many half-hour long video sessions posted to YouTube, the company recently outlined some features that will enable better support for a wealth of display types. Developers who take advantage of the incoming changes will be able to build apps that are better suited for foldable panels and larger screen sizes. Of course, thats big news for tablets and folding smartphones, providing a deeper look into how each panel on those is handled, but the biggest changes may just be those associated with extended displays. The desktop mode in Android Q was spotted well ahead of Google I/O 2019 but the video session provides a much deeper look at how that will probably work when it lands. The focus here is to build a way for Android apps to be displayed on external screens in a way thats similar to but will go beyond Samsungs DeX. Advertisement Making use of the new feature Some of the biggest details provided by Google include that Android Qs desktop mode will support multiple instances of a single app on multiple displays as well as the ability to move the keyboard off of either as needed. That means that developers will be able to enable the keyboard on a smartphone or tablet while using the entirety of the other displays real estate for content. Conversely, the keyboard could be shown on both. Advertisement Since apps can be run on two displays simultaneously in different instances, users could feasibly have the same app running two completely different things at the same time or even split functionality between the two. An easy example of how that might be used might be seen in a variety of cases involving media playback such as a video streaming application. The developer could enable the playback on one display such as a television with a smaller version of the playback on the smartphone or tablet. A user might also be able to display something entirely different on the larger display. By connecting a keyboard, the two might be able to be controlled separately too. Thats made possible via some new attribute flags that can be added such as NEW_TASK and MULTIPLE_TASK, enabling what the company calls multi-resume behavior. Advertisement The same concepts will take things much further than that as well. Wallpapers and other customizations, including launcher applications, will be usable on the secondary display separately from the first display, enabling extended desktop style use cases for improved productivity. Android edges closer to Chrome OS The ability to use a smartphone like a desktop computer will very nearly make Android devices nearly identical to Chrome OS computers. In effect, any Android device running the newest version of the OS could be plugged into a display with access to all of Androids apps, Chrome, and web apps. The only feature missing would be Linux apps, which can be run using certain apps to varying degrees. Advertisement That could ultimately be just another step in Googles push toward implementation of its from-the-ground-up operating system Fuchsia but its not only going to benefit mobile users. The new feature will, in fact, benefit Chrome OS since a significant focus for its use is to bring apps to larger screens in a more native and usable format. So, instead of the commonly seen stretched applications with an abundance of wasted real-estate, Chromebooks could see a rise in apps designed expressly to take advantage of the extra space. Motorolas Moto One Vision has leaked out again but is shown in real-world in-hand images this time instead of renders, just ahead of its expected May 15 launch in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The image, provided to 91mobiles by a trusted source, doesnt give away too many design details but does show the front-facing side with a standard pre-installed promotional sticker laid over top. That seems to reconfirm many aspects of the handset that were previously leaked. Specifically, the sticker highlights an AI-enhanced Quad Pixel 48-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization. The selfie shooter is rated at 25-megapixels and is clearly set under the display in a punch-hole cutout. Thats a 6.3-inch FullHD+ CinemaVision panel, according to the sticker. The bezel surrounding that is tiny and nearly equal all the way around, with the lower portion being only slightly taller than its opposing counterpart. 128GB is included for storage in the device thats pictured. Advertisement The final promotional point is that this is an Android One handset, meaning that it will ship with stock Android out of the box rather than featuring a lot of bloatware and a custom UI. That should also indicate that it will receive prompt updates to both security and firmware compared to handsets that arent in the program. What else do we know? As noted above, this is absolutely not the first time the Moto One Vision has been leaked, including a full range of specification. The device also landed at the FCC in recent months and was passing through the Bluetooth SIG for certification of both single and dual-SIM variants as recently as mid-April. Advertisement 4GB of memory are expected to back up the handsets storage as well as a newly introduced for Motorola Samsung-built Exynos chipset. More directly, that will be the Exynos 9609 or 9610 octa-core SoC with an expected base clock frequency of 2.2GHz. Motorola has traditionally stuck with Qualcomm processors and theres no indication whether or not the company will switch over to Samsung more widely. A 3,500mAh battery is expected to power the gadget, coupled with 18W charging for quicker top-offs. The expected price tag has been suggested at around 299 or Rs 23,400 for global users and that will net early adopters a pair of Motorola Verve earbuds as a bonus. Advertisement For cameras, the rear sensor on the Moto One Vision is not expected to stand alone but will be coupled with a 5-megapixel sensor serving as a depth reader for portrait mode. A fingerprint scanner will be part of that package too. A second variant of the One Vision is predicted to be released at the same time for buyers in China, undoubtedly with a few changes under the hood and bearing the Moto P40 branding instead. Whats left? Advertisement Since this is an Android One handset there arent likely to be many extra software features outside of stock Android included and its safe to bet there wont be any. So theres really not much left to show off for the Moto One Vision if the leaks so far have been accurate. Confirmation of pricing and availability are going to be among the bigger aspects of the launch. There may still be a trick or two up Motorolas sleeve regarding specifications too and it will almost certainly have plenty of details to add to the information thats already available. Aside from that, it seems that all thats left to see now is how this device performs in the real world and how accurate the leaks have been. Following todays ambitious announcement, Chinese manufacturer OnePlus is officially done with its flagship killer strategy, not that it didnt start pricing its products above the amazingly value-oriented range a few years back already. By deciding to avoid releasing the regular OnePlus 7 in the United States (and the rest of the continent) and focusing solely on the OnePlus 7 Pro, the firm is leaving us with no room for cutting it any degree of slack. A $700 Android smartphone, which is how much the mid-tier OnePlus 7 Pro configuration costs, is either a full-fledged premium device or something that ought to be judged extremely harshly if it isnt. Luckily, OnePlus didnt pull a BlackBerry KEYone here as its latest phablet is truly a high-end affair and here are five of its top features underlining its flagship, no-compromise capabilities: Advertisement Fluid AMOLED Display It took OnePlus over half a decade to move past the Full HD space but the transition finally happened with a display that covers over 93-percent of its front. Whats more, this 6.67-inch QHD+ panel has a 90Hz refresh rate, which should make your gaming experiences even more responsive, so long as youre fine with sacrificing some battery life for immersion, or perhaps a competitive edge. Its long (19.5:9) screen edges curve ever so slightly, underlining how Samsung perfected this flexible display design to the point that it can deliver that wow factor while almost guaranteeing accidental touches are fully avoided regardless of ones usage habits and hand size. Advertisement Triple rear cameras Much like its approach to mobile screens, the firms pursuit of high-end imagery has often fallen short. Even as OnePlus talked about additional investments in the field, those promises never materialized for unknown reasons. Luckily for all smartphone users in dire need of a more competitive flagship segment, the OnePlus 7 Pro ups the ante in this regard as well, delivering what some image benchmarking experts claim is the third-best mobile camera setup ever created. The three-lens system revolves around a 48-megapixel sensor capable of acting on its own, even in low-light conditions. Advertisement Then theres the intelligent stabilization akin to Huaweis AIS, 3x optical zoom, and a wide variety of other features meant to improve your mobile photography game, including an incredibly fast 16-megapixel front camera. Warp Charge to rule them all A 4,000 mAh capacity battery sounds nice but thats only until you realize a 90Hz display is a power hog and will drain it faster than OnePlus devours variations of its Never Settle logo. Thankfully, the new Warp Charge delivers top-of-the-line performance, being capable of refilling roughly half of the OnePlus 7 Pros battery capacity in a mere twenty minutes. Sure, wireless charging is still not here, but the way things are moving, the next OnePlus device will go from zero to 50-percent by the time you remember where you threw your wireless charger the last time you used it. Advertisement Strength in numbers Assuming youre not looking to lock yourself into a carrier contract, the OnePlus 7 Pro actually presents you with a respectable amount of choice when it comes to memory configurations; while the base model that starts at $669 is equipped with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of (first-ever UFS 3.0) storage space, the top-tier version of the phablet doubles the former and the latter for only $90 more. Combined with two or three colors (depending on the market), the OnePlus 7 series is a truly diversified line even if you ignore the existence of the regular OnePlus 7 and the incoming OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. Naturally, your choices arent that great in the context of individual carrier portfolios, not to mention the fact that the Shenzen-based manufacturer decided the OnePlus 7 will be skipping North America entirely because it wants to push for higher profit margins in the rich West. If flexibility is that big of a concern to you, going unlocked was by far the most viable option you had anyway, regardless of your next smartphone brand of choice. Advertisement Gaming-worthy cooling Sure, the new OnePlus phablet is a powerhouse, so were its predecessors relative to their respective launch years, but when it comes to mobile gaming, graphically intensive games require sustained performance more than they benefit from untenable peaks. The OnePlus 7 Pro should be by far the most consistent performer from the Chinese company to date as its ten-layer liquid cooling system is one of the best in business, guaranteed to help it maintain performance in even the most demanding of 3D titles. Advertisement This smartphone may not be advertised as a gaming-first device but the combination of Qualcomms Snapdragon 855 chip and the vapor-based cooling mechanism is by itself reason enough for serious mobile gamers to consider getting it. By S. Binodkumar Singh/ SATP On May 2, 2019, at a press meet in Kathmandu, a group of conflict victims expressed their concerns over the Governments ongoing appointment process of commissioners and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP). The conflict victims demanded that the Government first amend the Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act 2014 (TRC Act) before appointing members and chairpersons. The Commissions are presently vacant, as their members retired on April 13, 2019. On March 25, 2019, the Government formed a five-member Recommendation Committee to nominate candidates for the chairpersons and members of the two transitional justice bodies (TRC and CIEDP). The Committee, led by former Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra, is to recommend names of 10 persons five each for TRC and CIEDP including a chairperson each for the two Commissions. The Committee has extended the deadline for submission of applications three times so far (the latest deadline was May 12, but there was no further information available in thia regard at the time of writing) in view of the demands of the conflict victims. TRC and CIEDP were constituted on February 10, 2015, in accordance with the TRC Act, to probe instances of serious violations of human rights and to determine the status of those who disappeared in the course of the armed conflict between the State and the then Communist Party of NepalMaoist (CPN-Maoist), between February 13, 1996, and November 21, 2006, the day of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 2006. Despite the tenures of the TRC and CIEDP having been extended twice, the TRC has barely completed preliminary investigations into some 2,800 among the 63,000 cases filed, and is yet to complete a detailed probe into a single case. CIEDP, which received some 3,000 complaints, has completed preliminary investigation into just about 500, but has failed to launch a single detailed investigation. Moreover, TRC and CIEDP have fallen short of international standards, both in their constitution and operation, despite repeated orders by the Supreme Court of Nepal. On January 2, 2014, the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the TRC Ordinance adopted in 2013 by the Maoist-led Government, which provides for amnesties to persons deemed responsible for serious human rights abuses during the countrys civil war of 1996-2006. However, the Government effectively ignored the Court order and promulgated the TRC Act into law on May 11, 2014. Once again, on February 26, 2015, the Supreme Court struck down the amnesty provision in the TRC Act. Demanding reforms in the existing TRC and CIEDP, on November 21, 2018, the Conflict Victims Common Platform (CVCP), an umbrella body of 13 organizations advocating justice for war-era victims, adopted a 23-point Charter of Conflict Victims calling for meaningful participation of the victims themselves in the overall transitional justice process and related mechanisms. Further, on April 29, 2019, conflict victims and civil society members staged a demonstration at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu demanding amendments to the TRC Act, in line with the verdicts issued by the Supreme Court at different times. They also urged the Government to equip TRC and CIEDP with necessary resources human and financial. The conflict victims also demanded that the members and chairpersons of both transitional justice bodies be appointed only after amending the Act. Of late, pressure from the international community has also been mounting on the Nepal Government to ensure transparency and proper consultation before selecting officials for the two transitional commissions. Urging the Government to publicly clarify its plans to take the transitional justice process forward in 2019, Kathmandu-based diplomatic missions of Australia, Germany, the European Union, Finland, France, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the United Nations, in a Press release on January 24, 2019, observed. Similarly, on February 11, 2019, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Amnesty International (AI) and TRIAL International called on the Nepal Government to commit to a transparent and consultative transitional justice process that complied with international law and the judgments of the Supreme Court. Expressing serious concern over the selection process of the new leadership in the two transitional justice commissions and the delay in amending the TRC Act, five United Nations special rapporteurs sent a letter addressed to Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on April 12, 2019. In the 10-page letter, sent through Nepals Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, the rapporteurs stated that the existing selection procedure lacks impartiality, independence and transparency. Meanwhile, making it clear that the Government had not felt necessary any external assistance in concluding the home-grown and nationally-led transnational justice process, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, speaking at an interaction with media persons after his return from the 40th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 5, 2019, declared, Of course, we need international goodwill, but we are capable of concluding the transitional justice process in our own original way. Once again, emphasizing that Nepals peace process was a home-grown initiative which would be settled by domestic stakeholders, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota stated on April 18, 2019, Nepal offers a unique model on transitional justice process and the international community needs to believe in Nepals competence. However, the Nepal Government has drafted a Bill to amend the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Act, 2012, which experts argue would curtail the rights of the constitutional watchdog. The Bill has made it mandatory for the NHRC to recommend cases against human rights violators individuals or institutions to the Attorney General. According to the existing Act, NHRC can directly write to the Cabinet for action against human rights violators. Arguing that such a move could defeat the whole purpose of holding human rights violators to account, Advocate Om Prakash Aryal observed, Since the Government authorities also violate human rights, the Attorney General, who is the Governments legal counsel, may not prosecute the case. There has also been dismal record on the implementation of the rights watchdogs recommendations by the Government. According to the NHRCs Annual Report 2017-18, of the 810 recommendations made by the commission between 2001 and 2017, only 12.5 percent of the total recommendations were fully implemented, 48.3 percent were partially implemented and 39.2 percent recommendations are under consideration. The report further noted that most of the recommendations that were implemented were related to compensation. Recommendations made for taking action against those involved in human rights violations largely remained unimplemented. Expectedly, on April 20, 2019, the NHRC objected the Bill to amend the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2012, observing that the Government was trying to undermine the rights bodys authority by forcing it to recommend the cases it has investigated to the Attorney General. The constitutional body also stated that the Government had ignored its recommendations while drafting the Amendment Bill, as the Commission had submitted a 17-point reference to the Government. Anup Raj Sharma, Chairperson of the Commission, asserted, Not a single recommendation has been incorporated in the draft. To our utter surprise, the Cabinet endorsed the Bill within a couple of days after I personally requested Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to come up with the Bill incorporating our recommendations. Meanwhile, on April 30, 2019, at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights, a heated exchange of words between opposition lawmakers and Minister for Law and Justice Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal occurred. While the opposition lawmakers, along with officials from the commission, demanded revision of the Bill, arguing that it curtailed the authority of the rights watchdog, Dhakal refused to budge. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Rain showers early becoming a steady light rain for the afternoon. High around 45F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 42F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Guwahati: City based Down Town Hospital is conducting the next media OPD clinic at Guwahati Press Club on Saturday (18 May 2019), where the participants will get the opportunity to screen their hemoglobin & sugar (random) level and also grouping of their blood. Member-journalists of the press club will also get free consultations from an experienced doctor in the camp between 3.30 and 5.30 pm. Interested scribes, precisely the lady journalists and spouses of other members, are requested to take the advantage of the media clinic at press club premises. The Birds for GPC screening Guwahati: The Birds, an all time great horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, will be screened at Guwahati Press Club (GPC) on Thursday (16 May, 3.30 pm). The 1963 American movie focuses on a series of sudden, unexplained violent bird attacks on the people of Bodega Bay, California over the course of a few days. The movie has cinematography by Robert Burks and its casts include Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Veronica Cartwright etc. Move to 5G is expected to open up new revenue opportunities for carriers and disruptive new use cases for many industries. A10 Networks, which provides security solutions to mobile operators globally, said companies across the world expect rapid progress toward 5G over the next 18 months. (Representational Image) New Delhi: Deployment of 5G technology will see security emerge as an important area of investment for telecom companies given that the ensuing increase in traffic and connected devices will significantly expand attack surface for cybercriminals, a report by A10 Networks said on Tuesday. A10 Networks, which provides security solutions to mobile operators globally, said companies across the world expect rapid progress toward 5G over the next 18 months. This is expected to open up new revenue opportunities for carriers and disruptive new use cases for many industries. 5G, the fifth generation of cellular network technology, promises to offer faster data speeds and better network quality for consumers. The US and South Korea will be among the first few countries to see commercial deployment of the latest technology in the next few quarters. However, it could take longer for 5G to be deployed in India. "Mobile carriers anticipate significant revenue opportunities and exciting new use cases as they move forward with their 5G deployments. However, the industry also recognises that 5G will dramatically raise the stakes for ensuring the security and reliability of these networks," A10 Networks Global Field Chief Technology Officer Ravi Raj Bhat told reporters here. He added that new mission-critical applications like autonomous vehicles, smart cities and remote patient monitoring will make network reliability vital to the safety and security of people and businesses. "Dramatic increases in traffic rates and connected devices will significantly expand the attack surface and scale for cybercriminals," Bhat said. He said India ranks among the top mobile data consumers and mobile subscriber base, and that 5G technology will play an important role across areas such as manufacturing, educational, healthcare, agricultural, financial and social sector. Bhat cited findings of the 'Securing the Future of a Smart World' survey that found 67 per cent respondents saying they will deploy their first commercial 5G networks within 18 months, and another 20 per cent within two years. Also, 94 per cent respondents said they expected growth in network traffic, connected devices and mission-critical internet of things (IoT) use cases to significantly increase security and reliability concerns for 5G networks, while 79 per cent said 5G is a consideration in current security investments. Sebi move comes in the back of several mutual fund debt schemes being hit by their exposure to CLO instruments. Experts estimate that promoters loan against shares could be at least Rs 1.2 lakh crore. Mumbai: The markets regulator Sebi has asked mutual funds (MFs) to furnish details of their investment in all collateralised loan obligation (CLO) type dealsloan against promoter sharesduring the last few years to establish the total exposure by asset managers to such risky instruments. Experts estimate that promoters loan against shares could be at least Rs 1.2 lakh crore, going by the disclosure of Rs 2.4 lakh crore worth pledges. The Sebi move comes in the back of several mutual fund debt schemes being hit by their exposure to such instruments. Some mutual fund companies which had lent to some troubled groups entities are holding back payments to investors in their fixed maturity plans (FMP). Several FMPs that are due for maturity are not able to repay the entire amount. Investors in six FMPs of Kotak MF will not be able to redeem the entire maturity value. HDFC Mutual Fund has also informed investors its plan to extend the tenure for one of its FMPs coming up for redemption. Mutual funds have substantial exposure in these instruments. Several promoter groups like Zee group and ADAG had raised funds by issuing debt instruments backed by promoter share holding. In most cases of pledge, highly risky double leveraging was done, with holding company borrowing funds with its shares as collateral and then investing as equity in a Special Purpose Vehicle. According to experts, fund managers in mutual funds and insurance companies and analysts at credit rating agencies will have to answer some tough questions over their investments in CLO instruments issued by certain shell companies that have no other assets but only promoters shares and are controlled by promoters of listed companies. These investments by MFs/insurance are in effect lending to promoters against shares (LAS) that are risky and not matching with the risk profile of investors in those schemes. According to regulatory sources, Sebi is concerned about the fact that rating agencies were too generous in granting an investment grade to otherwise effectively special purpose vehicles which have no productive or earning asset. These SPVs are backed by a financial asset (shares) that depends on its value solely on stock exchanges. Fund managers can't argue that it is not prohibited. Had they disclosed in offer documents that they would make such adventurous investments because Sebi doesn't prohibit? This is not only absolutely rubbish and intolerable but will make funds liable for litigation in courts because of their own admission of committing something that is against the scheme objective--concentration of funds and locking funds beyond the maturity date, said a legal expert. Normally, for LAS there are limits and Sebi and stock exchange disclosure requirements. But by camaflauging these as CLOs, promoters were able to raise loans cheaper, say about 11 per cent, he added. The 72nd Festival de Cannes that kicked off with The Dead Dont Die, a zombie film, on Tuesday evening. The cute, quaint town of Cannes on the French Riviera has come alive again. Cannes: The cute, quaint town of Cannes (pronounced Can, with the s staying silent) on the French Riviera has come alive again, like it has done over the last seven decades, for the 72nd Festival de Cannes that kicked off with The Dead Dont Die, a zombie film from American director Jim Jarmusch, on Tuesday evening. The film, starring Bill Murray and Adam Driver as two small-town cops leading the fight against the rising dead, as well as the sword-wielding mortician played by Tilda Swinton, is competing for the prestigious Palme dOr trophy along with 20 other films which include Pedro Almodovars Pain and Glory starring Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz, Terrence Malicks A Hidden Life and Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. There are also the two formidable and Cannes favourite directors in the running Jean-Pierre Dardenne, with Young Ahmed (co-directed by Luc Dardenne) about a 13-year-old in Belgium caught between his imams ideals of purity and lifes many temptations, as well as Ken Loach with Sorry We Missed You, that tells the story of a family of four set in Newcastle. These two directors are among the only eight in the world to have received the Palme dOr twice already. A still from 'The Dead Dont Die'. Loach won his first one in 2006 for The Wind That Shakes The Barley and, 10 years later for I, Daniel Blake. Dardenne won his first Chopard-designed trophy in 1999 for Rosetta, and again in 2005 for The Child. The town of Cannes, whose population, according to unconfirmed statistics, swells up from 74,000 to over 200,000 during the film festival, is being stalked once again by controversy, as has been the case for several years. The festivals 71st edition, which closed in May last year to the stunning revelation and admonishment by Italian actor Asia Argento, who had got up on stage to say, In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here at Cannes. I was 21 years old. This festival was his hunting ground, opened this year with festival director Thierry Fremaux defending the decision to award the honorary Palme dOr to the French actor Alain Delon. Delon has been described by the festival as a giant, a living legend and a global icon who is revered in Japan as the Spring Samurai, has publicly opposed adoption by same-sex couples and has admitted to slapping women. But for Cannes film festival, loyalty trumps misogyny. What are you saying? What did Alain Delon do? Fremaux asked a journalist when he felt a sense of protest at the press conference on Monday. Cannes as a festival condemns certain statements, but we are in favour of freedom of expression, Fremaux said. Were not giving Alain Delon the Nobel Peace Prize, the festival director said, repeating exactly what Hollywood A-lister Cate Blanchett, as president of the jury of the Competition section last year, had said when asked if her jury will be taking affirmative action, gender-wise, while awarding the Palme dOr. Delon, who has been directed by the biggest names in filmmaking (including Michelangelo Antonioni and Jean-Luc Godard) and has starred in The Leopard, the 1975 Zorro and Is Paris Burning?, has a relationship with Festival de Cannes that dates back to the start of his career. In May 1961, he first walked up the red carpet for The Joy of Living and 29 years later, in 1990, arrived by helicopter and boat to present Godards Nouvelle Vague (New Wave). Though Delon has not yet commented on the controversy surrounding the Palme dOr that he will receive on Sunday, he has said, "There is one thing I've missed out on that will always haunt me: I would have liked to have been directed by a woman before I die. He is now 83, and by his own admission, his acting days are behind him. Hours after Fremaux fought hostility from the world press, the festival sent out a list of figures to put things in perspective. It said 20 female directors are part of the 2019 official selection with four films in Competition and eight in Un Certain Regard sections. (Un Certain Regard means a certain glance, but is understood to mean from another point of view, and the section is reserved for films by emerging directors or on unexpected, marginal themes.) Then there are the juries whose presidents, the festival said, have been appointed keeping the balance of gender in mind. While the Competition section is led by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Mexican director who won Oscars for Birdman and The Revenant, actress-director Nadine Labaki heads the Un Certain Regard jury. Lebanon-born Labaki has graduated from Directors Fortnight at the Cannes, an out-of-competition section where her film Caramel showed in 2007, to her film Capernaum about 12-year-old Zain El Hajj who sues his parents for being born competing for the Palme dOr last year. Cannes Film Festival doesnt care for short flings. It likes to nurture long relationships, howsoever tumultuous they may be. There was buzz in April that Quentin Tarantinos film, still being edited, may be brought to Cannes. Fremaux was keen because, he said, Tarantino is one of the most important directors of his generation and hes a friend, and its very pleasant to have ones friend back in the festival. But, he added, I have seen a large part of it... Tarantino is putting all his effort into having it ready. He wants it to be shown in 35mm so the post-production is a bit longer, hes still editing. I wish him courage to be ready and to do a great film what I saw is magnificent. A few days later Fremaux announced that Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood was ready and would be competing for the Palme dOr. Quentin Tarantino, who has not left the editing room in four months, is a real, loyal and punctual child of Cannes... hell definitely be there with a finished film screened in 35mm, he announced. This years edition of the Cannes film festival marks 25 years since Tarantinos Pulp Fiction screened on the Croisette and won the Palme dOr. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time is set in Los Angeles in 1969 against the backdrop of the murders committed by the Mason "family", a cult formed in California by Charles Manson. DiCaprio plays a washed-up actor and Pitt his stunt double who are attempting to revive their careers. 'Once Upon a Time In Hollywood' stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. Fremaux has described the films as a love letter to the Hollywood of (Tarantinos) childhood, a rock music tour of 1969, and an ode to cinema as a whole. Once Upon a Time is the most eagerly awaited film at the Cannes film festival this year. And there is talk that it may well earn the "loyal and punctual child of Cannes" another Palme dOr. Because, at Cannes, loyalty trumps all. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to zero by November 4 or face sanctions. New Delhi: Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif will hold talks with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday in New Delhi to discuss developments after India slashed the import of oil from Iran. New Delhi is stopping import of Iranian oil completely to avoid US sanctions. The issue is expected to figure prominently in the talks, sources said. But, New Delhi is worried over the impact this will have on the strategic partnership with Iran for development of the Chabahar port there that gives New Delhi crucial sea-land connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan. The Iranian Foreign Minister and Ms. Swaraj will also discuss the latest developments pertaining to the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was inked in 2015 that had then paved the way for lifting of US sanctions on Iran. The US under then President Barack Obama had pushed for the deal strongly four years ago. But with President Trump announcing the pullout of the US last year, the US has again turned on the heat on Iran. External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India was prepared to deal with the impact of the US decision. In May last year, the US had brought back sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was struck in 2015. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to zero by November 4 or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India. India, which is the second biggest purchaser of Iranian oil after China, had agreed to restrict its monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonne or 15 million tonne in a year (300,000 barrels per day), down from 22.6 million tonne (452,000 barrels per day) bought in the 2017-18 financial year. India meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Ara-bia and meets about 10 per cent of its total needs. Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing in the last few years. Prime Minister Modi visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand Indias ties with West Asia. During the visit, India and Iran signed nearly a dozen pacts, centrepiece of which was an agreement on development of Chabahar port. Later, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral pact providing for transport of goods among the three countries through the port. Accused being framed due to property row between 2 families: Kin. Srinagar: Several parts of Kashmir erupted on Monday amid a partial protest shutdown and widespread outrage over alleged rape of a 3-year-old girl by her neighbour in Bandipore district of the Valley. At places, irate crowds, mainly youth, clashed with the police who fired teargas canisters and used bamboo sticks to quell protesters and stone-pelting mobs, witnesses said. Scores of persons were injured in these clashes, one of them critically. Witnesses and hospital sources said that the critically injured youth, identified as Arshad Ahmed Dar, was hit by a teargas shell in his head during a clash in Chenbal area of Pattan in north-western district of Baramulla. Students of various educational institutions also held protest demonstrations in different parts of the Valley. The call for shutdown had been issued by Anjuman-e-Itehadul Muslimeen, a religio-political organisation of the Valleys Shia community. The family of the minor girl has alleged that she was raped by her neighbour after luring her to a nearby school in Bandipores Sumbal area on the evening of May 8. The relatives of the accused have, however, denied the charge and said that he has been framed due to a property dispute running between the two families of the area belonging to two different sects of Muslims. The police said that it has arrested the accused and that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the alleged incident. The police has also called the principal of a local school for questioning after it allegedly issued a certificate declaring the accused a minor. As of now, were treating the accused as major. The certificate showing his age that was uploaded on the social media is not authentic, Bandipora SSP Rahul Malik said. Another police officer said that the age of the accused will be determined through scientific medical investigation by a team of senior doctors. DIG north Kashmir, Muhammad Sulieman Choudhary while talking to reporters in Sumbal assured that the investigation being carried out in the case would be foolproof and people should have faith in the police. The case will be investigated in a professional manner. I also personally visited Sumbal and SSP Bandipora is also camping in Sumbal from past few days, he said. He appealed the people not to indulge in violence. J&Ks Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, said, We will take the investigations to logical conclusion and people must remain calm. Various political, social and religious organisations of the Valley have demanded a fast-track investigation into the case and exemplary punishment for the culprit. The incident has also set off sectarian tensions in some parts of Kashmir as the victim and the accused belong to two different sects of Muslims. However, clergy and various political parties have urged the people not to see the crime through a sectarian prism. On Monday, both Shia and Sunni Muslims took part in protest demonstrations against the incident. The BJP, which pounces on the Prime Ministers critics for targeting him, somehow maintained a stoic silence over its mascots paradoxical claims. New Delhi: Even before the clouds over Prime Minister Narendra Modis cloud theory on the Balakot airstrikes passed, another video has gone viral in which he has apparently claimed he was using a digital camera and email since the late 1980s. In a video clip that is circulating wildly across the social media, Mr Modi says he had used a digital camera in 1987-88 to click a colour photo of L.K. Advani, adding that he had used email at the time to send the photo to New Delhi. The fact, however, is that the worlds first digital camera had been sold by Nikon in 1987, that commercial emails were introduced only in 1990-95, and email facilities were not widely available until 1995. The BJP, which pounces on the Prime Ministers critics for targeting him, somehow maintained a stoic silence over its mascots paradoxical claims. Some people observed that digital cameras would have exorbitantly priced in India in that period and targeted the PM for frequently talking about his reported poverty. The social media went into a tizzy with over Mr Modis claims and the twitterati had a field day. Some tweets said: More Modi gems. Nothing adds up. Poverty? Yet by own admission digital camera which few people had. Modi invented digital camera, email, like gas from the gutter & clouds which could not be penetrated by radars. Ask any bhakt And Even Rajiv Gandhi didnt tell the world about the emails he recd from Shri Modiji as well as He currently is using time machine which will be invented after 100yrs. The Congress, not willing to let go an opportunity pass, pounced on the PM. The Congress social media operations head, Ms Divya Spandana, took the first jibe. She tweeted: The question is even if he did have an email ID in 1988 when the rest of the world didnt, who was he sending emails to? AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted: @PMOIndia ke paas batwa nahi tha (kyunki paise nahi the!) lekin 1988 mein digital camera aur email tha? (The Prime Minister had no wallet as didnt have money, but he had a digital camera and email in 1988). He then added: All this would be really funny if it werent so embarrassing. A PM wholl literally say ANYTHING that comes to his mind cant possibly be trusted with our national security. Earlier, the PM had left the nation stunned with his cloud theory. In an interview to a TV channel, he had said: The weather suddenly turned bad, there were clouds... heavy rain. There was a doubt about whether we can go in the clouds. During a review (of the Balakot plan), by and large, the opinion of experts was what if we change the date. I had two issues in mind. One was secrecy... second, I said I am not someone who knows science. I said there is so much cloud and rain. There is a benefit. I have a raw vision, clouds can benefit us too. We can escape the radar. Everyone was confused. Ultimately I said there are clouds... lets proceed. The interview was televised on Saturday ahead of the crucial sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recently blessed with a baby boy, who they named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Ever since they gave the world a glimpse of little Archie, the baby has become the talk of the town. (Photo: ANI) Mumbai: Ever since Prince Archie entered the world on May 6, he has been showered with love and wishes from across the world. Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas joined the list of well-wishers and sent a special gift for the royal baby. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were recently blessed with a baby boy, who they named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Ever since they gave the world a glimpse of little Archie, the baby has become the talk of the town. While social media is overloaded with messages for the prince of Sussex, Mumbai's Dabbawallas have sent their blessings with a special set of silver jewellery all the way to the United Kingdom. "Prince Charles is our friend and he has become a grandfather, so we've become grandfathers too. In Marathi culture, we present gifts to our grandchild," Subhash Talekar, the president of Mumbai Dabbawala Association said. Mumbai's Dabbawallas have sent silver jewellery and blessings for Royal Baby Prince Archie. Courtesy to their friendship with Prince Harry's father over the years, the Dabbawalas have celebrated almost every major event that has taken place in the royal family. Last year, on the occasion of Harry and Meghan's wedding, Dabbawalas of Mumbai gifted a set of Maharashtrian wedding attire to the couple. They even celebrated the royal wedding, which took place on May 19, by distributing sweets to patients of a government hospital in Mumbai. The Dabbawalas' relationship with the British royal family dates back to 2003, when Prince Charles visited Mumbai. Since then, a special friendship was forged. The Dabbawalas even attended Prince Charles' second wedding. The survey was conducted in October-December 2018 and covered 534 LS constituencies, with 2,73,487 voters participating in different constituencies. The survey highlighted voters priorities on 31 listed issues like drinking water, electricity, roads, food, education, healthcare, public transport, etc in their respective regions in terms of its capacity, governance and specific role in improving their living conditions. New Delhi: While the Narendra Modi-led BJPs main thrust is still on muscular nationalism, terrorism and polarisation for the general election, a survey by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the National Election Watch (NEW) found employment is the biggest issue for voters, followed by healthcare, the availability of clean drinking water and agricultural issues. Terrorism remains the least of the priorities. The ADR-NEW survey also found that national parties send the highest number of crorepaties and those with criminal cases, indicating that bigger parties use more muscle and money power. The survey was conducted in October-December 2018. It covered 534 Lok Sabha constituencies, with 2,73,487 voters participating in different constituencies. The main objectives of this survey was to identify voters priorities on specific governance issues, their ratings of the governments performance on those issues, and factors affecting voting behaviour. The survey highlighted voters priorities on 31 listed issues like drinking water, electricity, roads, food, education, healthcare, public transport, etc in their respective regions in terms of its capacity, governance and specific role in improving their living conditions. For assessing this, voters were asked to list their top five priorities. As per the All India Survey 2018, better employment opportunities (46.80 per cent), better healthcare (34.60 per cent) and drinking water (30.50 per cent) are the top three voters priorities at the all-India level, followed by better roads (28.34 per cent) and better public transport (27.35 per cent) at the fourth and the fifth place respectively. Agriculture-related governance issues featured predominantly in the all India top 10 voters priorities such as availability of water for agriculture (26.40 per cent) that was ranked sixth, agriculture loan availability (25.62 per cent) was ranked seventh, higher price realisation for farm products (25.41 per cent) was ranked eighth, and agriculture subsidy for seeds/fertilsers (25.06 per cent) was ranked ninth. Governnace-related issues were the top priorities while terrorism was ranked 30th out of 31 issues, clearly indicating voters priorities, said Maj. Gen. Anil Verma (Retd), the head of NEW and ADR. In fact, voters felt that the worst performance of the government was on the issues of encroachment of public land, terrorism, training for jobs, strong defence/military, eradication of corruption, lower food prices for consumers and mining/quarrying. The survey also found that for most voters (75.11 per cent), the chief ministerial candidate was the biggest reason behind voting for a particular candidate, followed by the candidates party (71.32 per cent) and the candidate (68.03%) himself/herself. It is distressing to see that for 41.34 per cent of voters, distribution of cash, liquor, gifts etc was an important factor behind voting for a particular candidate in an election, the survey found. Interestingly, when it came to voting for candidates with criminal antecedents, most voters (36.67 per cent) said people vote for such candidates because they are unaware of his/her criminal records and they are also willing to vote for a candidate with criminal records if he/she has done good work in the past. While 97.86 per cent of voters felt candidates with criminal backgrounds should not be in Parliament or the state Assemblies, only 35.20 per cent voters knew they could get information on the criminal records of the candidates. The ADR also conducted an analysis of self-sworn affidavits of 909 out of 918 of candidates, and it was found that 170 (19 per cent) out of 909 candidates had declared criminal cases against themselves. Of these, 20 candidates had crimes against women listed against them, including assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, dowry death, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman; while two had cases of rape against them. Ten candidates had cases related to hate speech against them. KATHMANDU, May 14: Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has underscored the need of carrying out thorough investigation to stamp out the growing corruption in the country. Taking part in the discussions on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill (except the tax proposal) for the fiscal year 2076/77 in the meeting of the House of Representatives today, he said, "Corruption is the obstacle to prosperity. We are talking of curbing it. But it is spreading day by day. Thorough investigation should be carried out why people are not afraid to commit corruption." He welcomed the priorities and principles of the forthcoming budget saying these were the right guidelines. Sapkota urged the government to incorporate the suggestions given by the lawmakers on the budget principles by setting the capital mobilization and the expenditure management on the right track. Bill should be brought in a way to protect fundamental rights: NC chief whip Chief Whip of the main opposition party, Nepali Congress, Balkrishna Khand said since the Media Council Bill was brought with the intention of restricting the press freedom and the freedom of expression, it should be retracted. "The bill should be brought in a way so as to protect the fundamental rights and not to restrict the human rights. The government should also pay special attention to guaranteeing the children's right to education and the rights of the older people," the NC chief whip demanded. Stating that the presentation by the government of its policies and programs, and the principles, was itself not orderly, he called on the government to formulate the coming budget by reading the constitution so that it aids in the implementation of the fundamental rights. NCP lawmaker Sujita Shakya urged for making the forthcoming budget women-friendly and for keeping in priority the task of making the national identity cards for the proper utilization of the funds allocated to social security and other welfare schemes. She demanded that the policy of the government providing monetary support for medical treatment of serious types of diseases should be revised and arrangements made to provide the amount through insurance. Lawmaker Shakya said that the budget should pay attention to establishing herbs processing centre for the maximum utilization of the medicinal herbs found in the country. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada is scheduled to respond to the lawmakers' questions on the Appropriation Bill today itself. The House of Representatives meeting is on. RSS Sources also said Stain invited the TRS chief to take part in the meeting of the Opposition leaders in Delhi on May 21. Chennai: DMK president MK Stalin on Monday turned down the federal front proposal from the Telangana Rashtra Samita chief K Chandrasekhar Rao after playing a polite host to the persuasive skills of the Telangana CM for a little over an hour at his Alwarpet bungalow. It was unthinkable for the DMK to leave the Congress-led UPA since it was he who had proposed Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of Opposition alliance, Stalin told KCR. Sources said Stalin pointed out to KCR that the Congress is the DMKs ally in the Lok Sabha elections as well as the by-elections to some Assembly seats. In fact, the Congress had readily conceded the DMK request that it be allowed to contest by-elections to all the 22 Assembly seats, he told KCR, to which the latter reportedly said theres nothing wrong to discuss an alternative front, the federal front, since the Congress would not be able to win enough number of seats to be able to form the government. Stalins response to this was a firm no, sources said. The DMK chief reportedly informed KCR that any talk about a third front call it any name would dilute dangerously the Opposition efforts to combine forces to defeat the BJP and Narendra Modi. He also told his guest that in the present political scenario, the federal front did not inspire confidence it would provide stable government at the Centre, going by the past experience. Sources also said Stain invited the TRS chief to take part in the meeting of the Opposition leaders in Delhi on May 21. Mr Rao has been speaking to various leaders on forging a Federal Front for the regional parties to come together to form the next government at the Centre. He has not found anyone supporting his proposal despite his calling it a mission based on scientific economic model. Perhaps there were more takers for his bete noire Chandrababu Naidus charge that TRS/KCR is the BJPs B-team. The DMK chief had turned down an earlier request from KCR seeking a meeting, conveying inability to keep away from the hectic electioneering for the Assembly by-elections happening on May 19. It turned out that the Telangana CM once again asked on Sunday for a meeting and Stalin with some reluctance agreed for a 4 pm rendezvous at his house. He also invited the DMK treasurer Durai Murugan and headquarters secretary TR Baalu to be present. The permutations and combinations that may emerge at the national level following results to the Lok Sabha elections on May 23 were among the points discussed, the sources said. While the DMK dubbed the meeting as only a courtesy visit, Rao did not meet the waiting reporters. All out efforts are made to keep watch on the social media to so that action can be taken against such elements. Some unscrupulous elements are also using the social media to spread campaign against the update process of NRC and also to spread communal hate campaigns. Guwahati: With the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in its final stage, vested interest groups are alleged to have been working overtime in the state to create problem to disrupt the process. Pointing out as to how some organisations have started issuing provocative statements questioning the process of updating the NRC under the active supervision nof the Supreme Court, security sources said that problem of the state police force has compounded more as sizeable number of paramilitary forces have been withdrawn from the state for election process. More than 100 companies of Central forces have already been withdrawn from Assam after the elections, as forces were required to be deployed in other parts of the country for the election duty. According to intelligence inputs received by the police and security agencies, some organisations are desperate to scuttle the process or at least to delay it by creating disturbances in the state. Sources said that the officials engaged in the process have been receiving demands that the names and addresses of the persons who filed objections should be made public. There have been instances where the persons who filed objections were called up and threatened. It is a serious matter as the names and phone numbers of persons who filed objections should not have been made public. But it is a fact that a number of such persons received calls and they are apprehensive of attending the hearings, a source said. Indicating that fear of such elements targeting the officers and employees engaged in the process of hearing of the claims and objections is also loominmg large, security sources however said that the hearing centres have been classified as per their vulnerability and attempts are being made to provide security cover accordingly. Security sources admitted that it is not possible to provide security cover to all the officers and government employees engaged in the process and only the security of the centres set up for hearing of claims and objections has been augmented. Security sources asserted that law and order problem in any part of the state may slow down the process and said that all district police forces have been directed to remain alert. Several rounds of alerts have been issued to the district police forces from Dispur, police headquarter and the special branch to keep a close watch on the situation and identify the potential trouble mongers. Some unscrupulous elements are also using the social media to spread campaign against the update process of NRC and also to spread communal hate campaigns. All out efforts are made to keep watch on the social media to so that action can be taken against such elements. Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) has asked the NRC authorities to put to strict scrutiny each and every document concerning citizenship of the applicants during the ongoing verification process. The students body in a letter to Assam chief minister also alleged that some families of persons who had filed objections against the citizenship claims of certain individuals were being subjected to severe intimidation. This is very disturbing and we urge the chief minister to initiate immediate and effective measures to check it, it said. Gandhi was in damage control mode when he chided Mr Pitroda at an election rally in Punjab. New Delhi: Trouble continued for Congress leader Sam Pitroda over his hua toh hua remark about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he had not merely asked Mr Pitroda to apologise but that he should be ashamed for what he had said. Mr Gandhi said: What Sam Pitroda said about 1984 is absolutely wrong and he should apologise to the nation for it. I told him this over the phone, I told him what he said was wrong, he should be ashamed and apologise publicly. Mr Gandhi was in damage control mode when he chided Mr Pitroda at an election rally in Punjab. The Congress president had earlier tweeted his disapproval and the party had distanced itself from Mr Pitrodas remarks. Hitting out at the Congress over Mr Pitrodas remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said: 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 a very good friend of Rajiv Gandhi and a guru of Congress naamdar (dynast) president. On Sunday in Amritsar, BJP president Amit Shah asked Mr Gandhi whether the matter had ended with Mr Pitroda tendering an apology for justifying the Sikh genocide. Mr Pitroda had used the words hua toh hua (what has happened, happened) while trying to dismiss questions about the anti-Sikh riots last week, triggering criticism by political parties cutting across ideological lines. Realising his blunder, Mr Pitroda apologised for his remarks and also added he had been misrepresented. He said: What I meant was: move on. We have other issues to discuss on what the BJP government did and what it delivered. I feel sorry my remark was misrepresented, and I apologise. This has been blown out of proportion. But the damage had already been done by then. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. Digvijay has no concern for democracy, says Modi. Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a swipe at Congress veteran Digvijay Singh for choosing not to cast his vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, saying This indicates he (Mr Singh) has no concern for democracy. Addressing an election rally in district headquarters of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Modi dismissed the excuses offered by Mr Singh that he could not cast his vote because his native place was far away from Bhopal where had to stay put to oversee his electioneering. I visited Ahmadabad to cast my vote. What message he (Mr Singh) is giving to the youth by not exercising his franchise. He has no concern for democracy, Mr Modi said. It shows arrogance of Congress leaders, he quipped. Mr Singh who is pitted against BJPs Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency by Congress, on Sunday said he could not cast his vote because his native place of Raghogarh in MP was far away from Bhopal. He was preoccupied with his electioneering in Bhopal which went to elections on Sunday. Were you scared of facing people in Raghogarh? But, you are not even scared of Zakir Naik, the Islamic preacher who has taken asylum in Malaysia, Mr Modi observed sarcastically. Mr Modi also made a light of pundits for dismissing Modi wave in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, despite the elections witnessing increase in polling percentage. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. TMC hits back, says his Kangal Bangla remark an insult. Kolkata: Targeting Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek Banerjee, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday sought an end to the payment of nephew tax, which he claimed had become mandatory for people in West Bengal. Furious over the cancellation of one of his rallies in the state, he also hit out at the West Bengal chief minister over her alleged role in trying to secure her nephews victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Mr Shah even dared Ms Banerjee to arrest him when he leads a roadshow from Shahid Mindar at Esplanade to Swami Vivekanandas house at Manicktala in north Kolkata Tuesday afternoon. Addressing a campaign rally at Canning in South 24 Parganas, he alleged: If you want to buy bricks, cement or iron bars, you were forced to pay tax to the syndicates. Earlier, the tax used to go to the syndicates. Now it has been decided in the past one year that the tax must be paid only to the nephew. Mr Shah then asked the crowd: Do you agree with this nephew tax? Shouldnt it be removed? He also attacked Ms Banerjee after his rally at Atghara Math in Madarhat in Baruipur, also in the same district, was cancelled after the landowners withdrawal of permission to the police on the grounds that the venue was booked for a Trinamul rally first. While Trinamul and BJP workers clashed with each other, Mr Shah pointed out the venues location under Mr Banerjees Lok Sabha constituency Diamond Harbour. I had to visit two-three places. I have already come to Joynagar. But the second place fell under the limits of the constituency of Mamatajis nephew. If I go there, Mamatadi feels scared thinking that her nephew would lose in case the BJP workers get united. That is why she cancelled the permission for my rally there. I have come to tell Mamatadi the people have decided to defeat the Trinamul in the Lok Sabha polls irrespective of whether you allow a rally or not, and grant permission to speak or not, he said at another rally in Joynagar in the district. The BJP president thundered: Mamata Didi says the Jai Shri Ram cant be chanted in Bengal. But I chant Jai Shri Ram here. I will go to Kolkata. If you have guts, arrest me. He also alleged: Mamata Banerjee has turned Sonar (golden) Bangla into Kangal (beggar) Bangla. She is only interested in protecting infiltrators to secure her votebank. But her votebank wont be able to save her from imminent defeat. Countering Mr Shah, Ms Banerjee hit back: He is a fathead, half-literate. All they know is how to start a riot. I am willing to lay down my life, but there will be no riot under my watch. Trinamul Congress MP Derek OBrien tweeted: That puke- worthy Shah had the audacity to use the term Kangal Bangla today at a rally. The people of Bengal will give him and Modi a fitting reply in Phase 7. That #LowLife insults Bengal. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. The Indo-US defence ties are on an upswing and both New Delhi and Washington have said they are committed to expanding it further. Lockheed, which has a longstanding relationship of 25 years in India, unveiled the F-21 during the Aero India show in Bengaluru in February, saying it will address the Indian Air Forces unique requirements. (Representational Image) New Delhi: US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin says it will not sell its newly rolled out F-21 fighter jet to any other country if India places an order for 114 planes, in an offer aimed at pitching itself ahead of its US, European and Russian competitors for the mega deal. Vivek Lall, vice president of Strategy and Business Development for Lockheed Martin, says if F-21 wins the contract, then India will be integrated into the companys global fighter ecosystem, which is a USD 165 billion dollar market. In an interview to PTI, Lall said the new combat jet is designed to operate across over 60 air force stations in India, and its key aspects include superior engine matrix, electronic warfare system and weapons carrying capacity. We will not sell this platform and the configuration to anyone in the world. It is a significant commitment by Lockheed Martin and it shows importance of India and importance of unique requirement India has, he said. Last month, the Indian Air Force issued an RFI (Request for Information) or initial tender to acquire 114 jets at a cost of around USD 18 billion, which is billed as one of the worlds biggest military procurement in recent years. The top contenders for the deal include Lockheeds F-21, Boeings F/A-18, Dassault Aviations Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian aircraft Mig 35 and Saabs Gripen. Official sources said the IAF is pushing for finalising the mega deal in the wake of the Balakot strikes and evolving security scenario in the region. Lall said if Lockheed wins the contract, it will not only set up a state-of-the-art F-21 manufacturing facility along with the Tata Group, but will also help India create an ecosystem for overall growth of the countrys defence manufacturing. On observation that the F-21 is similar to Lockheeds F 16 Block 70 combat jet, he said such a view is unfair as there have been significantly differences between the two platforms. F-21 is different in terms of various aspects including its air frame, weapons capability, engine matrix and availability of engine options. As for example, you are now looking at 12,000 hours of service life air frame in F-21 versus 8,000 hours previously (F 16 Block 70). The additional 40 per cent weapons carrying capability is new in F-21 which was not there in F 16 Block 70. The electronic warfare system is uniquely developed for India, he added. Looking from a distance may make it look similar to F 16 Block 70, but it is different, he added. Besides having a traditional boom-delivered refueling facility, the F 21 also has an extendable hose-and-drogue refuelling probe. This is the only fighter in the world which has both the capability, said Lall, adding the cockpit has a new large area display. It is a modern cockpit and has a significant piece of ability to synthesise information. These are unique capabilities that we are not offering to other countries in the world, said the Lockheed executive. The jet has a Long-Range Infrared Search and Track (IRST), enabling pilots to detect threats with precision and Triple Missile Launcher Adapters (TMLAs) allowing it to carry 40 per cent more air-to-air weapons. Without giving any approximate price of each bare-bone aircraft, he pitched it as the most cost effective compared to the competitors in terms of life-cycle and operational costs. If you look at the US government data, the advantage is 30-40 per cent in terms of cost effectiveness. This is lower compared to the competitors. If you aggregate with years and years of operations in the life cycle, it is a huge amount of saving for India if it goes ahead with F-21, said Lall. Lockheed, which has a longstanding relationship of 25 years in India, unveiled the F-21 during the Aero India show in Bengaluru in February, saying it will address the Indian Air Forces unique requirements. In sync with its priority for India, Lockheed, in September last year, finalised a joint venture with the Tata Advanced Systems to produce F-16 wings in India for export. As we continue to expand our footprint, we are talking to more than 190 companies in India. The idea is to partner with India across a wide variety of interests, said Lall. He said the number of family members of the F 21 aircraft is around the world 3,000 (F 16), and if Lockheed wins the contract, then India will be linked to an ecosystem which is a 165 billion dollar market. This is worlds largest fighter ecosystem. India will be integrated into the 165 billion dollar market which is unparalleled, said Lall. The Indo-US defence ties are on an upswing and both New Delhi and Washington have said they are committed to expanding it further. In June 2016, the US had designated India a Major Defence Partner elevating the defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners. There are estimates that this could perhaps be the single largest LoC funded project from India. The oil refinery project had earlier been approved during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mongolia in 2015. New Delhi: India has inked a pact with its strategic Central Asian partner country Mongolia to establish an oil refinery in Sainshand in the Dornogobi province there. The refinery there will have a capacity of 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) and the project will be funded by the Exim Bank of India under the US$ 1 billion Line of Credit (LoC) from India. There are estimates that this could perhaps be the single largest LoC funded project from India. Mongolia is Chinas neighbour but was historically close politically to the erstwhile Soviet Union which was also its neighbour. Buddhism is culturally a factor that binds both India and Mongolia which refers to India as its third neighbour. The oil refinery project had earlier been approved during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mongolia in 2015. The Indian Embassy in Ulaanbaatar stated, The spin-off benefits of this prestigious project will not only usher an era of energy independence in Mongolia but will also generate new economic opportunities, create employment and enrich the socio-economic fabric of Dornogobi (province) where the refinery is coming up and would most likely touch all aspects of economic activities in Mongolia and boost its economy. The Indian Embassy added, The proposed refinery will use the Crude from Mongolian oil fields ... The crude will be transported through heated and buried pipeline. The Higher Education Department of the state government recommended disciplinary action under the MP Universities Act, 1973. The lecturer Rajeshwar Shastri Musalgaonkar, who taught Sanskrit at Vikram University in Ujjain, predicted a big victory for the BJP and posted his views on Facebook. (Photo: Facebook) Ujjain: A lecturer in Madhya Pradesh has been suspended by the Congress-led state government on disciplinary grounds after he predicted the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the ongoing election. The lecturer Rajeshwar Shastri Musalgaonkar, who taught Sanskrit at Vikram University in Ujjain, predicted a big victory for the BJP and posted his views on Facebook. The Higher Education Department of the state government recommended disciplinary action under the MP Universities Act, 1973. The lecturer made the forecast based on astrology: BJP 300 ke paas aur NDA 300 ke paar (BJP near 300 seats and NDA more than 300). Musalgaonkar told The Indian Express that he was politically neutral and his post was in response to a students query and nothing more. The complaint was registered by an Ujjain-based Congress worker with the district returning officer stating that such a prediction by a government employee was violation of Model Code of Conduct. The district returning officer wrote to the divisional commissioner recommending suspension. The lecturer was suspended on May 7. Musalgaonkar headed of the Department of Sanskrit-led Jyotirvigyan. He said that he made the prediction by analysing the present political scenario and assessing the impact of planets on various political parties. He claimed that he wasnt aware of the post as a student posted the same using his phone without his knowledge. The moment someone brought the post to my knowledge I deleted it and apologised for it, he said. He also said he wasnt given an option to present his case properly. He will move the High Court against his suspension order. Babloo Khinchi, State Youth Congress secretary, who complained against Musalgaonkar, said the prediction was tweeted by a BJP worker to influence voting. In the run-up to 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, Aiyar had referred Modi as 'neech aadmi', a remark that cost his party heavily in the state. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi. (Photo: File) New Delhi: After the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) asked Congress to respond on Mani Shanker Aiyar's "neech aadmi" comment, the party leader denied to give any further clarification. "I have been told that the Congress party has given an official statement. I have been a victim of the media and it has caused me significant damage. A statement has come from my side, there is a whole article, picking out one line from it and saying "now talk on this". I'm not ready to be involved in your games, 'main ullu hoon, lekin itna bada ullu nahi hoon'," said Aiyar. Mani Shankar Aiyar had earlier on Tuesday said that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi and termed his December 2017 remark about the Prime Minister as "prophetic". "I said what I wanted to say in that article, I stand by every word. I have no desire to engage in any argument," Aiyar told ANI over the phone. The Congressman hit yet another low by terming the Prime Minister "foul-mouthed" and added that his ouster is certain on May 23. Aiyar, in an article for an online publication, charged Modi of being "guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of martyrs". "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" the former diplomat wrote in The Print. In the run-up to 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, Aiyar had referred to Modi as a 'neech aadmi', a remark that cost his party heavily in the state. "This person is a 'neech aadmi'. He is not civilised and in a situation like this, there is no need to practise such dirty politics," the Congress leader had told ANI. Party chief Rahul Gandhi had to ask Aiyar to tender an apology given the political storm over his tasteless comment. "Modi needs to be warned that he is guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of our army and CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign; of defaming the Indian Air Force by portraying them as complaisant idiots in his scientific illiteracy; and the Indian Navy as being packed at its highest echelons with traitors who would acquiesce in unauthorised foreigners being allowed to board a top of the line defence vessel," Aiyar wrote in the recent article in an apparent reference to actor Akshay Kumar's visit to INS Sumitra. Kumar had recently gone on record to confirm that he holds a Canadian passport. The Congress leader's comments were met with sharp criticism by the BJP, with party men terming it an attention-seeking act. The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took on the Congress to take the responsibility and respond for its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar justifying his "neech aadmi" jibe against the Prime Minister. "Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitroda's foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his 'Neech' comment for PM!" BJP IT cell chief Amit Malaviya tweeted. Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitrodas foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his Neech comment for PM! pic.twitter.com/0oUcjegjp3 Chowkidar Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 14, 2019 Dubbing Aiyar a 'jewel of Gandhi family', BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted, "So finally ...the "Jewel" of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the "Politics of Love" of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His "Neech comment" on Modi ji as prophetic ..." So finally ...the Jewel() of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the Politics of Love of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His Neech comment on Modi ji as prophetic ... Chowkidar Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 14, 2019 Aiyar is not new to making out of the line remarks, his 'chaiwala' remark ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls had stoked a controversy. Congress would welcome Modi to sell tea at party meetings, he had said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Earlier, the Congress leader attacked PM Modi stating that the biopic made on PM Modi was a joke as he has failed to fulfil his promises. Mumbai: The Congress candidate from Mumbai North constituency, Urmila Matondkar mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his recent comment in an interview where he said that clouds and rain prevented Pakistani radars from detecting Indian fighter jets during the Balakot air strike. "Thank God for the clear sky and no clouds so that my pet Romeo's ears can get the clear RADAR signals," Matondkar tweeted on Monday evening without mentioning the name of the Prime Minister. Thank God for the clear sky and no clouds so that my pet Romeos ears can get the clear RADAR signals pic.twitter.com/lbgtmIo59L Urmila Matondkar (@OfficialUrmila) May 13, 2019 The Indian Air Force (IAF) jets had destroyed a training camp run by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack that claimed lives of 40 CRPF personnel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been receiving criticism from Oppositions for after his statement on the success of Balakot air strike when he advised the IAF to go ahead with the operation despite the officials had shared their reservations about the weather condition. Speaking in an interview to TV channel News Nation on Saturday, PM Modi said, On the night of airstrike, the weather was not conducive. The experts suggested to change the date of the operation. I was skeptical about the secrecy of the operation. I am not an expert who knows these (technological) intricacies but I suggested that the overcast weather and rains may help us to avoid (Pakistan Air Forces) radars. After much thoughts, I directed them to go ahead with the operation. Earlier, the Congress leader attacked PM Modi stating that the biopic made on Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a joke as he has failed to fulfil his promises. "The biopic made on his (PM Modi's) life is nothing but a joke as the prime minister, who claims to have a 56-inch-chest, has miserably failed to deliver anything. The movie made on his life is a joke on the democracy, poverty and diversity of India, which has been damaged," said Matondkar. However, PM's biopic, starring Vivek Oberoi, was stalled after Election Commission barred its release until the Lok Sabha polls were over. Urmila Matondkar joined the Congress in March this year, who is fielded against the BJP candidate Gopal Shetty. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Kathmandu, Nepal, May 14, 2019: Chairman of the National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timalsina has assured that he would take initiatives to amend the proposed 'Bill to Amend and Integrate Media Council Act' as per the fundamental spirit of the media. Talking with a group of journalists from the Nepal Press Union at his office, Singha Durbar on Tuesday, chairman of the National Assembly Timalsina said he would take invitations to make more media-friendly. A team of the Nepal Press Union met the National Assembly Chairman Timalsena to submit a Memorandum paper demanding amendment in the proposed media law. I will do my best to amend the flaws in the proposed media law thereby making it more media-friendly, Timalsena said. Congress' Venugopal had claimed that several BJP MLAs would join Congress after the Lok Sabha poll results. Yedyurappa has claimed that BJP would win a minimum of 22 out of 28 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. (Photo: ANI) Bengaluru: Ruling out any possibility of BJP MLA's switching over to Congress after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results, as claimed by AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, the BJP's state chief B S Yeddyurappa Tuesday dared him to spell out the number of seats the Congress party would win in Karnataka. The former Chief Minister also stated that the rift between the ruling coalition partners in Karnataka would intensify after the Lok Sabha poll results are declared. "What does Venugopal know about Karnataka? Which corner of Karnataka has he visited? I want to ask Venugopal how many seats you will win..tell me if you have the guts. Your's is a coalition government... tell us- you will win these many number of seats," Yeddyurappa said. Claiming that BJP would win a minimum of 22 out of 28 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, he said, "I challenge him, let Venugopal say how many seats Congress will win, leave JD(S). Their (Congress) true colors will come out." In response to a question by reporters' in Kalburgi about BJP legislators going to Congress, he said, "are they mad, why will BJP people go?" Venugopal had claimed on Monday that several BJP MLAs would join Congress after the Lok Sabha poll results as he dismissed speculation about the longevity of the coalition government in Karnataka. Congress leader and Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khantoo on Sunday had said Yeddyurappa was "daydreaming" about coming to power and claimed that around 10 saffron party MLAs were in touch with his party. Nothing serves to run; turtles have already chosen the imperial rice of Japan. The carapaces of eight turtles are provided to the Imperial Palace, but they were not killed for this purpose. (Photo: AFP) Tokyo: During a very old ceremony, which occurs only once per era in Japan, members of the Imperial Palace determined the place of imperial rice cultivation in an unorthodox way: the careful examination of shells of a threatened species of turtle. Two thin curved plates, made of carapace, were thus heated over a flame to reveal cracks. Verdict: Rice, necessary for an important autumn ceremony presided over by the new Emperor Naruhito, will be harvested in the former capital of Kyoto and north of Tokyo, in Tochigi Prefecture. Images of Monday's ceremony, which Naruhito did not take part in, show participants dressed in long black robes and adorned hats, walking in procession to a white and black striped tent to bring the two fragments in a box. The very rare ritual was last performed in 1990, about a year after Naruhito's father, Akihito, acceded to the Chrysanthemum throne. Although the carapaces are made from green turtles, a threatened marine species, they are taken as part of a conservation program for the species, officials said. The reptiles come from the Ogasawara Islands, located in the Pacific about a thousand kilometers from the Tokyo metropolis but of which they are administratively part. People in the area have been eating turtles since the mid-19th century and are allowed to catch 135 turtles per year. A hundred is used for meat (consumed raw) and carapaces are used for crafts. As for the others, their eggs are taken to ensure a stable population, and they are then released at sea. The carapaces of eight turtles are provided to the Imperial Palace, but they were not killed for this purpose. "Real conservation efforts" are being made, AFP official Takeshi Ando told AFP, adding that the number of outbreaks was increasing. The village only captures large turtles, whose shells exceed 75 cm long, as required by the Tokyo government, he said. This tradition that "goes back to ancient times" must "be passed on", assured a Palace official, while being aware of the fact that some consider that a threatened animal should not be used for it. Rice from the designated plots will be used in mid-November for a ceremony during which the emperor will thank and pray for the abundance of crops and for the peace of Japan. Noisy Yellowstone geyser roars back to life after three years. Yellowstone has 1,300 thermal features and 500 geysers, more than anywhere else on Earth. (Photo: AP) Washington: A noisy geyser in Yellowstone National Park has roared back to life after three years of quiet. Ledge Geyser is one of the biggest in Yellowstones Norris Geyser Basin. The Billings Gazette reports the geyser shoots hot water at an angle up to 125 feet (38 meters) high and a distance of 220 feet (67 meters). Yellowstone geologist Jeff Hungerford says Ledge Geyser is noisy because its water and steam must pass through a narrow opening in the ground. Yellowstone has 1,300 thermal features and 500 geysers, more than anywhere else on Earth. Some geysers such as Old Faithful are predictable but most, like Ledge Geyser, erupt erratically. By March there was a broad-based coalition, unlike ever before, seeking the listing of Masood Azhar, says Syed Akbaruddin. Earlier this month, India finally tasted victory after previous failed attempts over 10 long years when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar was finally designated a global terrorist by the United Nations. India's ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin, tells Sridhar Kumaraswami in this e-mail interview from New York on how this was achieved and what it means. How do you broadly see the decade-long quest by India under both the UPA and NDA governments to list Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist amid enormous challenges? Efforts in multilateral fora are long-winded. They require patience and persistence. The initial effort was made in 2009. However, in the last three years we made three subsequent efforts, signalling clear intent and desire to pursue the objective to its culmination. Could you tell us about the diplomatic efforts of India especially after the setback in March this year when China placed a technical hold yet again on the proposal at the 1267 Sanctions Committee? There were many in India who had given up all hope then. We shouldnt give in to mood swings in pursuit of our interests. By March there was a broad-based coalition, unlike ever before, seeking the listing of Masood Azhar. It was not limited to a few members of the Security Council. Seven members of the Council Belgium, Germany, Equatorial Guinea, France, Poland, USA and the UK had signed on as co-sponsors. From outside the Security Council there were seven others Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Italy, Japan and the Maldives who had also joined. It was obvious that the momentum was building. All it required was a few more diplomatic efforts to be undertaken quietly. It helped that some may have thought we had given up hope as it enabled us to pursue our objective without distraction. What were the factors that in your view persuaded China to change its mind after so many years? Was it essentially a political decision? Essentially, the listing of an individual should be viewed for what it is states gathering together to sanction an individual who is seen as a threat to peace and security. That we were able to persuade all states over this fundamental goal is perhaps what swung the pendulum in our favour. Masood Azhar is not an individual that any state should want to be associated with. His terror activities are antithetical to all that members of the UN are committed to. He is no ones friend. Perhaps that realisation, though belated, was the key to the decision to designate him a terrorist. Diplomatic sources in New Delhi have said additional evidence was provided to China since March this year on the terror activities of Azhar. Do you endorse this, and if so, what was the nature of this additional evidence? Our case was very simple. Jaish-e-Mohammed was a proscribed entity since 2001. Masood Azhar, who was the founder-leader of this entity, should also be proscribed as has been the case in other instances of leaders of entities being proscribed for heading terrorist entities. Those who had opposed this in the past had argued that either that Masood Azhar was no longer active or he was no longer associated with the JeM. Evidence presented to the 1267 Committee members this time indicated that he was active in 2019. He was spewing venom and promoting violent extremism leading to terrorism against India. Hence, evidence helped rebutting the arguments against listing put forth in the past. The omission of any reference to the Pulwama terror attack from the 1267 Sanctions Committee resolution despite it being in the initial draft has generated some controversy. Was it quid pro quo to get Chinese consent to avoid the charge of politicisation and has Pakistan been let off the hook as a result? The linkage of the JeM to the Pulwama attack on February 14 was established by the Security Council in its press statement of February 21, 2019. The statement was issued after five days of negotiations. It is now a standalone reference. Also, it was the Pulwama attack and the subsequent statement of the Security Council that was the catalyst for the listing effort initiated on February 27. But for those two developments this effort would not have been launched. In fact, what distinguishes the effort in 2019 from the less successful ones in 2016 and 2017 was the global revulsion against the Pulwama attack. What further gain is to be achieved by putting a reference to Pulwama elsewhere? As diplomats we pocket victories and bank them. Putting back into the negotiating mix what has already been gained is imprudent, as there is always the possibility that those who agreed previously may want to claw back our gains. Could you tell us something about the constant help provided by Western powers the US, UK and France which had moved the proposal that was passed successfully? After all, Azhar was largely seen to be Indias problem. Terrorism is a global scourge. It is a threat that transcends borders. Our experience has taught us that terrorists left unchecked in one place can threaten peace in distant lands. Yes, Masood Azhar was largely Indias problem, but we were able to convince the others that if left unchecked he could be a problem for others too. A terrorist is no ones friend. There is a school of thought that not much may change despite the listing of Azhar and that Pakistan will not feel the heat. Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed is already a global terrorist but has been allowed to move around freely in Pakistan without any fear. Your comments? To think that norms have no value in international relations is a rather crude way of approaching global realities. If that was so why has Hafiz Saeed tried twice to get off the UN sanctions list? Obviously, there is something that he finds not to his satisfaction. Also, that no state has supported his case for getting off the list reflects that we have been able to ensure that he cannot be overtly supported. Establishing global norms is a first step in holding states accountable to acceptable behaviour. Or else they would not even have a benchmark to judge them against. This applies in the case of Masood Azhar too. Those who say they are committed to ensure that their territory will not be used for terrorist activities against others will need to take steps beyond the first. Those of course are issues that need to be pursued, going forward. This is your second major success in the past 18 months as Indias permanent representative at the UN, the first being when India won a fiercely-fought electoral contest against its former colonial ruler Britain for re-election of justice Dalveer Bhandari at the International Court of Justice. What are the lessons learnt personally in the course of your journey at the UN? Diplomacy is not an individual pursuit. It is quintessentially a team game. I just feel blessed that I was a foot soldier contributing in a small way to two of the most challenging situations from which Indian diplomacy has emerged successful in the last few years. Those successes are entirely on account of the sagacity and wisdom of our leadership and the diligence and efforts of all of Team India. Since 2018, Mr Netanyahu has found a soulmate in US President Donald Trump, who is willing to see West Asia and the Gulf through Israeli lenses. Many American influential right wing foreign policy experts and strategic policymakers have not forgotten or forgiven Iran over the occupation of the US Embassy in Tehran by the Iranian college student followers of Ayatollah Khomeini in November 1979 and the subsequent 444-day incarceration of 52 US diplomats and citizens. The repeated shrill cries of destroying this Great Satan emanating from the radical Iranian establishment have only added fuel to the burning embers of US-Iran hostility. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emerged victorious in the recent Israeli elections and is assured of another four-year term. His hostility to Irans nuclear programme and vocal opposition to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ring-fencing Irans nuclear programme in 2015 is well-known. Prime Minister Netanyahu had openly challenged former President Barack Obama by criticising the deal in an address to the US Congress. Mr Netanyahus address to the US Congress on March 3, 2015, was a direct affront to President Obama. The invitation to Mr Netanyahu was sent by Speaker of the then Republican-controlled House of Representatives John Boehner without consulting President Obama or Secretary of State John Kerry. The central theme of Mr Netanyahus address was to convince the US Congressmen to take concrete and urgent action to stop Irans quest for nuclear weapons. His statement had two broad arguments. One was that Irans regime poses a grave threat, not only to Israel, but also to the peace of the entire world. The second was that the deal (JCPOA) has two major concessions one, leaving Iran with a vast nuclear programme, and two, lifting the restrictions on that programme in about a decade (the deal) doesnt block Irans path to the bomb; it paves Irans path to the bomb. Barely concealing his preferred course of action to destroy the Iranian nuclear infrastructure Mr Netanyahu declared to the mesmerised US Congressmen, Nuclear know-how without nuclear infrastructure does not get you very much A pilot without a plane cant fly. Without thousands of centrifuges, tonnes of enriched uranium or heavy water facilities, Iran cant make nuclear weapons. Mr Netanyahus consistent refrain is to plead for a perpetual freeze on Irans uranium enrichment and number of centrifuges as a decade, the time horizon of JCPOA, is too brief a period seen in the historical perspective. Since 2018, Mr Netanyahu has found a soulmate in US President Donald Trump, who is willing to see West Asia and the Gulf through Israeli lenses. There is a certain consistency in President Trumps unilateral moves defying the reservations of its European allies and ignoring any sober advice. Mr Trump had vociferously denounced the US-Iran nuclear deal in the election campaign. He unilaterally walked out of JCPOA in May 2018 leaving the five other signatories in the lurch. His subsequent decisions to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights occupied in the 1967 war hugely strengthened Mr Netanyahus hand in the recent Israeli elections. Strategic analysts are alarmed at the announcement by the hawkish National Security Advisor, John Bolton, last week that B-52 bombers would be stationed at the US airbase in Qatar and the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is being deployed in the Persian Gulf in response to some unspecified threats from Iran. Such carrier groups have the technical capacity to jam Irans radars and anti-aircraft missile systems in case of any external attack. Mr Bolton added that any attack on the US or its allies will be met with unrelenting force. The same John Bolton had authored an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times in 2015 with the title, To stop Irans Bombs, Bomb Iran. In another provocative move, the US has declared Irans elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation. Mr Netanyahu represents a hardline section of the Israeli polity which has for long pleaded with the US for an airstrike against Irans nuclear establishments. In this context, the autobiography of Ehud Barak, Israels former Prime Minister (1999-2001) and defence minister (2007-2013), My Country, My Life, is quite revealing. Mr Barak was defence minister in the Netanyahu government in 2009-13 as well. Mr Barak mentions that Mr Netanyahu fervently believes that the Iranian nuclear programme posed an existential threat to Israel. Israel seriously prepared for a surgical strike on Iran during 2011-12, as it believed that Mr Obamas efforts to have a Libya-style denuclearisation deal with Iran would not succeed. The conservative Israeli strategic establishment believed that Iran must not be allowed to cross the zone of immunity a stage when it acquires even limited nuclear weapons capacity. In 2012, the eight-member inner cabinet of Israel could not take the military option as the move was opposed by the then Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, who took the position that in spite of preparatory planning, training and military intelligence, Israel had not yet crossed the threshold of operational capability. Maybe the assessment of the Israeli Armed Forces today is different under the aggressive leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Israel would also need US cover for electronic countermeasures and midair refueling if it opts for an adventurous course. President Hassan Rouhani seems to have embarked on a dangerous course by announcing partial withdrawal from the detailed technical provisions of the JCPOA. Iran needs to be very cautious in its response. The US under Trump is quite capable of taking reckless unilateral action. Any show of bravado by Iran can be catastrophic as former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein learnt at the cost of his life and regime. A hardliner close to Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has reportedly said that their (US) billion dollar fleet can be destroyed by a single missile. Any turmoil in the Persian Gulf will adversely affect the oil prices and would have major negative consequences for Indias fragile economy. India needs to work closely with all major powers including Russia and China to advise Israel to exercise restraint and urge the European powers to narrow the differences between the US and Iran on the latters nuclear programme. Trump, who had a lengthy talk with Putin over phone, is to meet his counterpart in Japan next month on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. Responding to a question, Trump asserted that none of his predecessors had sanctioned Russia like he had. (Photo:AP) Washington: It makes sense for the United States to get along with Russia, US President Donald Trump said Monday on the eve of the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump, who recently had a lengthy conversation with Putin over phone, is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart in Japan next month on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. The summit would be attended by leaders of the top 20 economies, including India. "I'll be meeting with President Putin also," Trump told reporters at his Oval Office of the White House. "I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia," he said. Responding to a question, Trump asserted that none of his predecessors had sanctioned Russia like he had. "Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it's very unfair -- having to do with the United States and NATO," he said. "There has been nobody that's ever done - and if you really look at something big, our energy business - we're now the biggest in the world. We're bigger than Russia. We're bigger than Saudi Arabia. We're bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I've become president because I've made it so that you can do that. And we're taking in a lot of money," he said. America, Trump said, was doing really well. "We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue. We have tremendous signs," he said. Pompeo is scheduled to meet Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi on Tuesday. The State Department Monday said Pompeo would not travel to Moscow and would fly directly to Sochi, where he would discuss a full range of global issues, including Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, Syria and North Korea, along with the challenges in the bilateral relationship. "President Trump has asked me to go to Russia to talk about a broad range of issues. We have lots of places where I hope we can find overlapping interests with Russia. It may be the case that we can''t, and where we can''t, we''ll go our own ways. But it''s important," Pompeo told CNBC in an interview. "I remember as CIA Director, I worked closely with the Russians on counter-terror. I am convinced that those efforts were important to them. They saved American lives and Russian lives," he said. The alleged Russian interference in US elections would also be a topic of discussion, Pompeo added. Ahead of the meeting, top Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who is a Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter, urged Pompeo to increase pressure on Moscow for its continued brazen aggression against the US and other democracies around the world. "For the sake of our national security, I implore the administration not to return to ''business as usual'' with Russia in the wake of the Mueller Report," wrote Menendez. "This is not a time for reset with the Russian Federation. The US must be firm and abide by its national security commitments to the American people and our allies," he said. Menendez specifically called on Pompeo to use the meeting to announce the imposition of Magnistky and Chemical and Biological Weapons sanctions in response to last year''s chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom, and to reinforce US security assistance for Ukrainian forces. He also urged Pompeo to warn Putin of the consequences of interfering in the upcoming European Parliamentary elections as well as the 2020 US presidential elections. "If Secretary Pompeo is going to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he cannot give him a pass. He must confront Russia''s nefarious, systematic attack on the American election system. There should be no leniency on this issue -- not when the fundamental principle of American democracy is at stake," said Senator Martin Heinrich. Meanwhile, a US District Judge on Tuesday ruled that Florida-based company, RM Broadcasting LLC, was acting as an agent of a foreign principal and must register as such under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). In November 2017, RM Broadcasting and Rossiya Segodnya entered into a services agreement, pursuant to which RM Broadcasting would provide for the broadcast of Rossiya Segodnya's "Sputnik" radio programmes on AM radio channel 1390 WZHF in the Washington, DC region. Under this agreement, RM Broadcasting could not alter Rossiya Segodnya's radio programmes in any way. As the services agreement established Rossiya Segodnya's direction and control over RM Broadcasting, the FARA Unit of the National Security Division informed RM Broadcasting that it was acting as a publicity agent and an information-service employee of Rossiya Segodnya and was required to register as an agent of a foreign principal, the Department of Justice said. Trump's comments came after the United Arab Emirates reported four commercial vessels had been sabotaged on Sunday near Fujairah emirate. Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 pact between Iran and global powers aimed at reining in Tehran's nuclear plans. (Photo:AP) Washington: US President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would "suffer greatly" if it targeted US interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and more jet fighters at a time of rising tensions with Tehran. "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake," Trump told reporters at the White House. "If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Trump's comments came after the United Arab Emirates reported four commercial vessels had been sabotaged on Sunday near Fujairah emirate just outside the Strait of Hormuz. Iran sought to distance itself from the incident. Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 pact between Iran and global powers aimed at reining in Tehran's nuclear plans. Since then, the United States has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran, saying it wanted to reduce its oil exports to zero. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancelled a trip to Moscow on Monday and instead stopped in Brussels to share information on "escalating" threats from Iran with European allies and NATO officials, the US special representative for Iran said. India will be looking with serious concern as relationship between the United States and Iran is in a dire state. Zarif and Sushma Swaraj are likely to discuss the impact of the US decision and how to develop a course of action to deal with it. (Photo:AP) New Delhi: Not everything seems to be good on the Western front! India will be looking with serious concern as the relationship between the United States and Iran is in a dire state and with each passing day it seems to be getting worse. Things are tricky for India, with Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif flying to India on Monday for a scheduled meeting with Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Zarif is hoping India would rally behind Iran and throw its weight in what characteristically looks like a no holds barred conflict with the US. The United States have deployed an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to send a clear message to Iran and the mullahs that it means business. Iran, refusing to back down to the US pressure, has ratcheted up tensions. Zarif is making the trip after a few weeks earlier Donald Trump decided to corner Iran, declaring that US will no longer grant sanctions exemptions to Irans oil customer. The end to the waivers, means India no longer will be able to import oil from Iran, or else its state owned or private firms will face groundbreaking US sanctions. Zarif and Sushma Swaraj are likely to discuss the impact of the US decision and how to develop a course of action to deal with it. They are also likely to discuss the Chabahar port situation as the Trump Administration has assured that exemption on Chabahar will stand. Sources told The Indian Express that the Iran oil issue was flagged during Wilbur Ross visit last week, but US is showing no sign of flexibility to bulge. Sources also reported that Zarif will brief Swaraj on the impact of withdrawal of JCPOA i.e Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its long and short term consequences and impacts. This will be Zarifs second visit in 2019. US policy toward Iran, announced in May 2018, involved withdrawing from JCPOA. It gave all the countries six months to bring down all oil imports to zero. President Donald Trump abandoned the landmark deal between Iran and P-5+1 countries. Other countries in the deal namely UK, France, Germany, China and Russia, along with Iran itself highly opposed the decision. In November, The white house then gave a six month waiver to eight countries, which included India to bring down oil imports to zero. Early April, Washington made it clear to New Delhi that it supported them throughout the pulwama attacks and it expects India to return the favour and reciprocate. They want India to support the Trump administrations will to disrupt and break Irans terror networks. The US were the frontrunners at the United Nations Security Council to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist and during those discussions expected assurances from the Indian government on the Iran issue. India, who are the second biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China, were pushed by the US to restrict their monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonne or 15 million tonne in a year (300,000 barrel per day), down from around 22.6 million tonne (452,000 barrel per day) bought in year 2017-18, as reported by sources. India were rather tight lipped after Donald Trump decided to end the waiver but after the April 22 announcement India said they were well equipped to eclipse the impact of the US decision. Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs, said the government will be working with partner nations, including the US, to find every possible way to secure and safeguard Indias energy and economic situation. We are adequately prepared to deal with the impact of the US decision, he said. India is the worlds third-largest consumer of oil, with 85 per cent of its crude oil and 34 per cent of its natural gas requirements being fulfilled by imports. Best Sex Positions During Pregnancy Everything to Know About Sex While Shes Pregnant Most people have a pretty good idea of the role sex plays in creating a pregnancy. But what happens to a couples sex life after the pregnancy has begun? Thats a subject thats a little less widely understood but still pretty important. After all, getting someone pregnant only takes a second, but being pregnant takes nine months, which is a non-trivial span of time when it comes to a couples sex life. To help clarify things, and to ensure the health and happiness of your partner and the well-being of the fetus in question, we spoke to a wealth of sexperts, doctors and assorted people in the know to bring you the skinny on pregnant sex as well as five (illustrated!) sex positions to keep things hot for the next few months. Things to Know About Pregnant Sex 1. Its Safe to Have Sex During a Pregnancy To start with, by and large, yes, its safe to have sex with a pregnant woman. If the woman has no restrictions to having sex, penetration will not hurt the baby, says OB/GYN Dr. Kameelah Phillips. Guys often feel like they are hitting the babys head and this just is not the case. Lakeisha Richardson, MD, OB/GYN at Delta Medical Group Women's Healthcare Clinic in Greenville, MS, agrees. Sexual intercourse during pregnancy is perfectly safe, says Richardson. Actually, pregnant moms are usually extremely horny during the second trimester. That is, once the morning sickness has ended and before the uncomfortable weight gain, of course. RELATED: Six Ways to Arouse a Woman, Revealed So go ahead and explore those basic human desires during the nine-month duration or pregnancy, says Dr. Yves Dole of Maryland-based clinic Mercy Medical Center. Generally, he says, the baby is safe and protected by a closed cervical canal filled with mucus, as well as an amniotic fluid, sealed within a membrane. In short, youre not going to affect the pregnancy by having sex even if you have a large penis so stop your worrying. 2. You Should Still Check With a Doctor First What you should worry about are a handful of health issues that might turn perfectly normal and healthy pregnancy sex into a potential health hazard for the baby. Sexual activity should be safe at any point in a woman's pregnancy unless there are certain complications such as preterm labor, cervical incompetence, first-trimester bleeding or threatened miscarriage, placenta previa or any condition requiring bed rest, says Brian Salmon, co-author of the recently released book, The Birth Guys Go-To Guide for New Dads: How to Support Your Partner Through Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding. There are only a few cases when women cannot have intercourse during pregnancy, adds Richardson. Pregnant women should refrain from any sexual intercourse if they have a cerclage, history of preterm labor or bleeding in pregnancy, or if they have a placenta previa. Your best bet is to play it safe and check with the professionals, suggests Salmon. If you or Mom have any concerns about whether sex is safe for the pregnancy, do not hesitate to ask your medical provider, he says. Dole agrees, adding that women should always consult with their obstetrical provider and discuss any potential conditions that may make sex more risky to the pregnancy. 3. Using Protection Is Still Something to Consider Considering theres no danger of an unwanted pregnancy once shes already pregnant no, you cant impregnate someone whos already pregnant you might be thinking that you have the all-clear to ditch condoms and have wild, unprotected sex. And the answer is yes sort of. With an established pregnancy, some couples may decide to ditch the protection, but its also important to remember that sexually transmitted infections can still be acquired from unprotected intercourse, says Dole. If youve been sexually intimate with anyone else for any reason and in any capacity its possible that youve contracted a sexually transmitted infection. So get tested first, and until youre sure that youre 100 percent infection-free, you should use condoms. Dole also cautions that now might not be the best time to try out anal sex. The risk of infection also increases with anal sex and worsens if vaginal sex follows, as microbes not native to the vagina will pose a great danger, he warns. 4. Communication Is Important Hopefully, you and your partner have done a fair amount of communicating thus far after all, if youre intending to raise a child together, youll want to have a sturdy foundation of open and honest communication to base that relationship on going forward. But just because youre good at, say, planning what to have for dinner or choosing which movie to watch together doesnt mean you can rest on your laurels when it comes to having pregnant sex. The most important thing a guy should remember about sex with a pregnant partner is to talk, says Megan Davies, a childbirth educator based in Edmonton. It might be a little awkward and its not the most scintillating sex advice, but keeping the lines of communication open will help him understand how his partner is feeling, and will help both partners after the birth as well, when some couples struggle with intimacy. In short, the next few months could be challenging in some ways, and being able to talk frankly about your sex life and to make sure that your partner feels good about it is super important. During pregnancy, a womans desire for sex can be affected by things like her energy levels (moms are usually very tired in the first few months of pregnancy and then more energetic in the second trimester), if she is feeling sick, and how she feels about her changing body, adds Davies. Keep up the communication, remind her she is beautiful, and be supportive of how she is feeling. 5. Not All Trimesters Are Created Equal If youve been reading closely, by now you might be aware that the second trimester weeks 14 through 26 of the expected 39-week pregnancy duration is the sexiest one. Thats largely due to hormonal changes that your partner is going through. "If your partner is already pregnant, be aware that their desire for intimacy can fluctuate significantly through each trimester, says Kaylyn Easton, CEO and founder of Chiavaye, a vegan lubricant company. The first trimester often creates a very low libido while the second trimester can be [extremely] different, with some women reporting high sexual desire and very intense orgasms. Kirsten Brunner, MA, LPC and co-author of The Birth Guys Go-To Guide for New Dads: How to Support Your Partner Through Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding with Salmon says that the majority of women prefer second trimester sex. They often feel like crap during the first trimester because their hormones are really revving up in order to establish the pregnancy. In addition, they tend to be more anxious, because the pregnancy is not fully established and they cant see their growing baby [yet], she adds. So what happens during that famed second trimester? Well, some of it might be a simple rebound from 13 relatively unsexy weeks, but changing hormones within her body also play a role. Pregnancy can also increase estrogen and progesterone during the second trimester, which may result in increased sex drive, says Pill Club's pharmacist, Christine Yu, Pharm.D. And not only is there an increased desire for sex for many women during the second trimester, the sex itself can actually be more fun, according to Salmon. For some women, sex during pregnancy will be more pleasurable than ever, he says. Increased blood flow to the uterus can make the pregnant orgasm far more intense and pleasurable. However, its important to note that the second trimester wont necessarily be a giant sex-fest for every couple. RELATED: Understanding the Female Orgasm Other women might find sex less comfortable or enjoyable, adds Salmon. The hormone prolactin might decrease Mom's libido. Body image concerns, fatigue or morning sickness can impact Mom's sexual appetite. And of course, she might feel discomfort with her changing body. By the third trimester that hormone-fueled burst from the second trimester tapers off, and the increasing size of the fetus starts to make physical activity like strenuous sex pretty difficult. In the third trimester, moms often feel uncomfortable and big, says Salmon. They usually arent sleeping as well and they often have heartburn, so they might not feel too sexy, he adds. 6. You Should Consider Non-Penetrative Sex Regardless of which trimester youre in, it wouldnt hurt to consider shifting the nature of your sex life from one thats focused purely on penetration to one that incorporates non-penetrative acts things like oral sex, manual stimulation of the clitoris and focusing on nipples and other secondary erogenous zones. During the later stages of a pregnancy, a woman can easily have an extra liter of blood circulating in her veins, says Dr. Jacqueline Darna, CEO of NoMo Nausea. In sex terms, that means the clitoris is engorged so if you want to get her stimulated quickly, play with her hood, she says. If mom is experiencing anxiety about the safety of her baby, she might opt for external stimulation (vs. internal stimulation) more than she did in the past, adds Brunner. I really encourage the dads/partners I am working with to follow moms lead, more than ever, she says Each pregnancy is different, and each mom is different. She might not know how she is going to feel about sex and penetration until she is deep in the throes of her pregnancy and experiencing all of the hormones and range of emotions. Luckily, your external stimulation efforts will likely have more of an impact than usual, according to Caleb Backe of Maple Holistics. Most pregnant women report some degree of increased nipple and breast sensitivity, says Backe. This can either mean they will love some extra attention and stimulation to their breasts or that any pressure or touch can be painful. Be sure to communicate with your pregnant partner in order to have the most pleasurable experience possible. 7. Being Demanding Is a Dick Move It might be frustrating for you late in the first trimester, or late in the third trimester, for instance that your sex life has taken a serious backseat to the pregnancy itself. But as exhausting as it might feel to you to watch the sexual intimacy dwindle from your relationship, you should do your absolute best not to make your partner feel guilty about it. In my counseling with pregnant women, I see a wide range in attitudes toward sex and intimacy, says Brunner. Some women feel quite sexy and empowered by their pregnancy, and crave sexual interaction more than ever. RELATED: Heres How to Talk About Your Unsatisfying Sex Life More frequently, however, her clients report feeling anxious. A mama bear instinct has kicked in, and they feel protective of the growing baby in their stomach, so these moms often notice a decrease in their sexual desire, she says. Low energy and even depression are things that I see in pregnancy, which can obviously affect libido and desire. Even women who had a high sexual appetite prior to getting pregnant, might find that she has zero desire throughout pregnancy, she adds. Considering that shes using her actual body to physically produce a child, cut her some slack and be content with masturbating a bit more rather than taking your sexual frustration out on her. 8. Her Body Will Be Changing The list of changes a womans body goes through during pregnancy is so lengthy, it almost feels easier to list the things that wont change. You have to expect that hell look different, feel different, and respond differently to your touch, among other changes. Apart from the fetus growing inside your partner causing her abdomen to swell, a number of other changes could impact your sex life. For one, some women will experience spotting or bleeding after sex, says Salmon. This is due to the cervix being soft. Just keep your healthcare provider up to date. Then, theres the issue of her vaginal secretions. Pregnancy can sometimes cause vaginal dryness, says Richardson. It is safe to use a fertility-friendly lubricant such as Pre-Seed during pregnancy, because it is non-hormonal and safe in pregnancy. However, Backe notes that at times, you might see the inverse increased lubrication. RELATED: The Best Lubricants for Sex, Revealed Because of the increased blood flow to the genitals and hormonal changes of pregnancy, many women experience heightened orgasms and increased vaginal lubrication, says Backe. If you do need a lubricant, stick to a water-based option and avoid anything with chemicals such as glycerin and fragrances. 9. Sex Can Actually Induce Labor Remember how your penis cant actually reach the baby? As much as thats true, it doesnt mean that penetrating your partner wont have any effects. In fact, as it turns out, penetrative sex can actually help induce labor. Semen has a high concentration of prostaglandins, which can help get the cervix ready to change for labor in addition to increasing uterine tone for labor, says Salmon. There may also be some mechanical effects of the penis to the cervix during intercourse that stimulate contractions and resultant labor. Oxytocin is also released during orgasm and nipple stimulation, and oxytocin (the feel-good hormone) is a key ingredient to labor initiation. So if shes nearing her due date and still raring to go, you might want to stick to foreplay, lest you have to interrupt your lovemaking with a trip to the obstetrics ward of the nearest hospital. Pregnant Woman Sex Positions Now that you know some of the basics about pregnant sex, its time to talk positioning. The first thing you should note is that all the things you used to know about sex positions can likely be thrown out the window during pregnancy. Comfortable and pleasurable positions during sex will change throughout the pregnancy, notes Easton. What worked or felt good prior may not be the same now. Communication between partners is extremely important, especially as her body changes and hormone levels shift. Don't be afraid to ask her lots of questions through each trimester, as it's a unique experience for every woman." Why all the changes? Well, basically, her bodys changing in a big way. During pregnancy, a womans cardiovascular status changes, notes Phillips. [A womans partner] has to understand that she may not be able to assume certain positions (lying on her back) for very long, as she may become short of breath. This is a time to get creative with positions that keep the mom upright and comfortable. So what do those positions look like, exactly? Well, here are five to get you started: 1. Wall-to-Wall Carlee Ranger She stands facing the wall with her legs spread and her hands against the wall above her head, says Jess OReilly, Ph.D., host of the @SexWithDrJess podcast. She bends at the hip to accommodate her belly if necessary. Her partner stands behind her and slides inside. 2. Spooner Carlee Ranger She lies on her left side, supported by pillows beneath her knees or hips, as needed, says OReilly. Her partner lies behind her so they both can enjoy the benefits of full-body contact. 3. Legs Up Carlee Ranger She lies on her back with several pillows (or a wedge pillow) beneath her hips.. Her partner kneels between her thighs and lifts her legs up slightly as they slide in from below. 4. Reverse Rider Carlee Ranger She rides her partner facing their feet, says OReilly. She can control the depth of penetration, speed and angle. 5. Hips Up Carlee Ranger She lies on her back with her legs hanging off the side of the bed, says OReilly. Her partner stands on the floor between her legs. All illustrations by Carlee Ranger. You Might Also Dig: CAMBODIA, May 14: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is currently on an official visit of Cambodia, has held a meeting with acting Head of the State Sambdech Vibol Sena Pheakdey Say Chhunm at the Senate house here today. The Head of the State King Norodom Sihamoni is now in Beijing to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in order to strengthen Cambodia-China relations, therefore, the Senate President was assigned as the acting Head of the State. According to Nepali ambassador to Thailand Khagnath Adhikari, the issues relating to bilateral and parliamentary affairs and cultural exchange of both countries were discussed in the meeting. PM Oli is here following a five-day official visit to Viet Nam. Cambodias Foreign Affairs Ministry officials said the visit is expected to strengthen the bonds of friendship with the Kingdom of Cambodia and promote economic, trade, tourism and cultural cooperation, and the exchange of parliamentary experiences between the two countries. Also present on the occasion were, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Chief Advisor of the Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Rajan Bhattarai, secretaries at the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation and Industry, Commerce and Supplies among other delegates. RSS The Verano was discontinued after the 2017 model year, when it was still a sausage-shaped compact sedan with a shiny grille. However, China received a new model range based on the Cruze , complete with a hatchback, and we think this is a mid-life update for that.China is Buick's largest market, and the Verano is their best-seller. Several major design elements are the same, like the placement of the door handles, mirrors and such. However, Buick is doing heavy cosmetic revisions around the front, installing a keener grille+headlight combo.The front end kind of looks like the Regal TourX , which is just a re-badged Opel Insignia. But how is that possible? How can GM have a new design from a company it doesn't own anymore? As one of our readers pointed out, the new owners at PSA (Peugeot) lends Opel's design studio in Germany to other companies.A return of the Verano to North American showrooms can't be ruled out either. Buick killed the Cascada and LaCrosse models recently. And with Ford and Chrysler also pulling out of sedans, there might be some room left. Premium German automakers certainly still believe in the entry-level 4-door, as Mercedes just dropped a new A-Class and CLA.But these spyshots are certainly no reason to get hyped up. Michigan is a prime testing ground for all sorts of GM products, some of which never make it to America. It would be interesting to see how Buick would price and equip the Verano against Audi or Mercedes. A 1.5-liter turbo would be the logical choice, as Buick's customers typically aren't looking for power. Aimed at young and sophisticated customers, the two new models are the Star and the Rockstar. Devised as new trims on the 500 roster, they will be available for both the hatchback and cabriolet versions and can be equipped with a choice of three engines: 1.2 69 hp gasoline, 85 hp Twin Air and 1.2 GPL 69 hp.The Fiat 500 Star is based on the Lounge version and comes in a brand new White Stella finish with pink cues sprinkled here and there, 16-inch alloy wheels, and a glass roof. At the interior, there are two color combinations available - white sand and black or the new Matelasse finish and a 7-inch TFT screen.The Fiat 500 Rockstar is based on the Sport trim and brings satin finish chrome bodywork, 16-inch alloy wheels and a new color for the exterior, Green Portofino. At the interior, the main changes are the seats in black eco leather, the same 7-inch TFT screen, and the Uconnect system.In addition to launching the two new models, Fiat will offer up to 6 months free of Apple Music for the rest of the range. This perk is for now only available for customers in Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland currently, with more countries to follow shortly.For the moment, Fiat did not announce the pricing for the two new 500 versions. Full details on the changes prepared for the 500 lineup can be found in the document attached below.The Fiat 500 came into existence in 1957 and stayed into production until 1975, when it was discontinued. Production of the nameplate resumed in 2007. As youre well aware, Hyundai prepares to N-ify more models. After the i30 and Veloster, a few crossovers and the i20 are up next for the go-faster treatment. The carparazzi caught the i20 N at the Nurburgring last week, and wouldnt you know, someone decided to render the real deal based on the test mule. Economy, trade and investment cooperations are always delight spots in relations between Vietnam and Myanmar.Last year, the two-way trade turnover gained US$ 860 million. As this reasons, the two nations pledged to deepen furthermore the cooperation on the basis of mutual benefits as well as seek new cooperation opportunities to early raise the the bilateral trade turnover target by US$ 1 billion.In order to achieve these targets, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested the partner to foster existing projects for agricultural and seafood industry between the two countries, solving land allocation used for Vietnam's industrial tree development projects in Myanmar, promoting the development of projects connecting roads and coastal shipping.These contents were shared at the meeting between the Vietnamese and Myanmar leaders yesterday.On the same day, Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a talk with the President of Myanmar.At the meeting, Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hoped that Vietnam and Myanmar would continue effective and close collaboration at international and regional parliamentary forums, especially in the framework of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and Inter-Parliamentary Union.Next year, Vietnam will assume the role of ASEAN Chair and the National Assembly of Vietnam will become the President of AIPA; therefore, NA Speaker Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan suggested Myanmar to actively support Vietnam in the important role, aiming to better contribute to the development of ASEAN community. BY VAN NGHIA- Translated by Huyen Huong Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets in Sochi on Tuesday with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin to discuss a long list of issues on which the U.S. and Russia are at complete odds with each other. The big picture: The agenda for the talks the first high-level meeting with Russian officials since last summer's widely criticized Helsinki Summit includes arms control, Venezuela, Ukraine, Syria and Iran, according to the State Department. While it's unlikely the needle will move on any of these sources of longstanding disagreement, Sochi may help prepare for future summits. Context: The Sochi meetings come amid a series of events that send mixed messages about U.S. intentions. On May 3, President Trump had a 90-minute call with Putin, ostensibly to discuss the their countries' standoff over the situation in Venezuela, where Russia has doubled down on Nicolas Maduro and the U.S. has recognized Juan Guaido. Contrary to previous statements by Pompeo, Trump told reporters afterward that Russia "is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela." On May 7, Pompeo canceled a planned meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel just hours before he was due to arrive in Berlin. Shortly after, the U.S. announced Pompeo's visit to Russia sending a cold message to European allies at a time when the transatlantic relationship is already fragile. Pompeo's visit this week may also include planning for a Trump-Putin meeting during the G20 summit in Japan on June 28, where the administration would seek to avoid a repeat of the Helsinki Summit. Between the lines: It would not be unusual for the U.S. secretary of state to meet with his Russian counterpart ahead of a major summit or to pursue negotiations on a specific issue. But Putin's attendance may signal an attempt to leverage the recent call with Trump after which Trump took the Kremlin's line on Venezuela to get concessions on U.S. support for Guaido. Meanwhile, it's doubtful Pompeo will get Russia to scale back support for Iran, which is likely the Trump administrations top priority. The bottom line: Given each party's contradictory aims, the best outcome of the Sochi meeting may be no outcome at all. Alina Polyakova is the David M. Rubenstein Fellow for Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution. Attorney General Bill Barr has appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe and whether law enforcement's methods of collecting intelligence on the Trump campaign were legal, the New York Times first reported and the AP confirmed. Why it matters: Barr had previously signaled that he wanted to review the FBI's surveillance of the Trump campaign, telling senators in a hearing last month that "spying did occur" though he clarified that he did not mean to suggest that it was necessarily illegal. Durham has previously served as a special prosecutor investigating allegations of impropriety by intelligence officials, "including the F.B.I.s ties to a crime boss in Boston and accusations of C.I.A. abuses of detainees," according to the Times. The big picture: This is at least the third investigation into the origins of the Russia probe. The FBI's inspector general Michael Horowitz is currently investigating the government's use of wiretaps through the FISA process, while U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber is also looking into claims of FBI misconduct. Senior administration officials tell Axios that a trade deal with China isn't close and that the U.S. could be in for a long trade war. The state of play: A senior administration official said the differences between the two sides are so profound that, based on his read of the situation, he can't see the fight getting resolved before the end of the year. Trump yesterday held out the possibility of meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 in Japan next month. That statement may have been made in part to calm the stock market, which yesterday had its worst day since January. (Lead Financial Times headline: Global markets reel.") The bottom line: White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow was right when he said on Sunday that "both sides will suffer" in a U.S.-China trade war. The Chinese economy will be harmed. But so, too, will America's. And so will American consumers, who will pay higher prices, and American farmers, who will be targeted for retaliation by China. will be harmed. But so, too, will America's. And so will American consumers, who will pay higher prices, and American farmers, who will be targeted for retaliation by China. The question remains: Can Trump, facing a re-election race in 2020, outlast China's "president for life"? Can Trump, facing a re-election race in 2020, outlast China's "president for life"? Both Trump and Xi have to contend with hardliners in their parties. But only one of them can harness all the tools of authoritarianism. Trumps mindset on the Chinese is simple: They only respond to shows of brute force. And he thinks theyll suffer more than America will, because they buy fewer products. I've asked several current and former administration officials whether Trump actually believes that China pays the tariffs rather than the reality that U.S. importers and consumers do. The consensus is "yes": That's what he actually believes. is "yes": That's what he actually believes. And as one former aide said: Theres little point trying to persuade Trump otherwise, because his belief in tariffs is "like theology." Go deeper ... Trump's trade war: Where American workers are hit hardest Four years ago, a team of researchers based at the University of Pennsylvania wowed the U.S. intelligence community by producing a superior new way to forecast geopolitical events. They were dubbed the "Superforecasters." Driving the news: At a time the science of professional prognostication is sorely battered, the radical innovation arm of U.S. intelligence services is looking to best the UPenn team with a fresh big-money prize competition. What's happening: IARPA, the research arm for the U.S. director of national intelligence, is offering $250,000 in prize money in a contest to forecast geopolitical events such as elections, disease outbreaks and economic indicators. The contestants will have access to all of IARPA's data on the winning UPenn methodology. They can do anything they want use a computer, or no computer, and any methodology. Over the coming eight or so months, they will be asked hundreds of closed-ended questions, such as: "How many missile test events will North Korea conduct in August 2019?" and "What will be the daily closing price of gold on June 2019 in USD?" I asked Seth Goldstein, an IARPA program manager who is running the contest, his dream outcome: "I am hoping to find the next Swiss patent clerk doing forecasting in his spare time," he says. If you are that Einstein, go here to enter. Background: There is substantial rigor to current forecasting, but it is still more an art than a science: "It is largely practiced by an informed elite predicated on gut instinct and intuition, and a range of confirmation biases," says Samuel Brannen, director of the Risk and Foresight Group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. current forecasting, but it is still more an art than a science: "It is largely practiced by an informed elite predicated on gut instinct and intuition, and a range of confirmation biases," says Samuel Brannen, director of the Risk and Foresight Group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Its one thing for algorithms to time market moves and execute trades faster than humans would be capable, and quite another for them to forecast the outcome of U.S.-China trade negotiations, in which the variables are nearly infinite and perhaps impossible to identify," Brannen says. But from 2011 to 2015, IARPA ran another forecasting contest. That's the one that was won by the UPenn team, led by social scientist Philip Tetlock. Tetlock, who had been studying forecasting methods for decades, pushed his team of some 2,000 volunteers to be open-minded, and he championed outsiders with no particular subject matter expertise. Then he culled out a small group that seemed to be preternaturally terrific prognosticators. He called them superforecasters (and in 2015 co-authored a book about the methodology called "Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction"). Tetlock declined to comment for this story. Goldstein calls Tetlock's performance the "gold standard." But now he wants to do better. The contestants will be pitted against another team of expert forecasters randomly assigned to work with machines on prognostications. The maximum $153,000 prize can be won if a team comes in first place and performs at least 20% better than Tetlock's team, and no one else performs at all better. "They get a really nice chunk" of money "plus all of the glory," Goldstein says. Members of Tetlock's group have added to their forecasting renown. Regina Joseph, a Tetlock superforecaster, built a cybersecurity forecasting training program for the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre, in addition to a tournament that launched last year and is still underway. In terms of what forecasting advances might come next, Joseph tells Axios that she would like to see "longitudinal tournaments," in which subject matter experts are pitted against generalist elite forecasters. advances might come next, Joseph tells Axios that she would like to see "longitudinal tournaments," in which subject matter experts are pitted against generalist elite forecasters. "So far, results suggest good forecasting skill can still beat subject matter expertise in niche areas," she says. Go deeper: At the direction of national security adviser John Bolton, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan last week presented top White House national security officials with a plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East in the event that Iran "attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons," the New York Times reports. Details: The plan was reportedly presented during a meeting about the Trump administration's broader Iran policy, attended among others by Bolton, CIA director Gina Haspel, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. It's unclear if President Trump has been briefed on the details of the plan, which did not call for a land invasion of Iran, but requested a similar number of troops involved the U.S.' 2003 invasion of Iraq, per the Times. The big picture: Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have been warning of an unspecified "escalating threat" from Iran in recent weeks, after receiving intelligence from Israel about a possible Iranian plot to attack U.S. interests in the region. Trump told reporters today that hed been hearing little stories about Iran, adding: If they do anything, they will suffer greatly. 1 big thing: Red America's anti-abortion surge The most restrictive abortion laws in generations are currently spreading across America's red states, setting up what could be a precedent-smashing Supreme Court challenge to the abortion status quo. Alabama's state legislature is considering a bill that would ban abortions, with exceptions for the health of the mother. The state legislature is still debating whether rape or incest would also receive exceptions. Women would not be criminally liable for getting an abortion, but providers would face felony charges. a bill that would ban abortions, with exceptions for the health of the mother. The state legislature is still debating whether rape or incest would also receive exceptions. Women would not be criminally liable for getting an abortion, but providers would face felony charges. Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky and Mississippi passed fetal heartbeat laws this year, banning abortions at around 6 weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. passed fetal heartbeat laws this year, banning abortions at around 6 weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Similar motions have been introduced in Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, West Virginia, Missouri and Tennessee, the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute notes. Why it matters: Supreme Court rulings have been cited to allow abortions up to 24 weeks during pregnancy when the fetus is not viable or when a woman's health or life is at risk. But conservatives have been advancing much more restrictive policies in the past few years, hoping to spark a fresh Supreme Court case now that Justice Brett Kavanaugh has replaced Anthony Kennedy. What they're saying: "For pro-life folks, these are huge victories," Sue Liebel, state director for anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List, told AP. "And I think they're indicative of the momentum and excitement and the hope that's happening with changes in the Supreme Court and having such a pro-life president." Sue Liebel, state director for anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List, told AP. "And I think they're indicative of the momentum and excitement and the hope that's happening with changes in the Supreme Court and having such a pro-life president." The gloves are off among abortion opponents, NARAL Pro-Choice America's Kristin Ford told Vox. They feel like they have the wind at their backs and they dont have to dance around their true intentions anymore. The bottom line: We're one major Supreme Court case away from a new era on abortion rights, an unthinkable idea before the election of President Trump. 1 big thing: Trump pushes China and Iran to the brink President Trump is pushing both China and Iran to the brink, betting theyll capitulate and warning of dire consequences if they dont. Why it matters: The stock market is already taking a beating as China retaliates to Trumps tariff hikes on $200 billion in Chinese goods, and analysts are warning of a possible global recession if he follows through with his threat to extend them to all Chinese imports. Meanwhile, Trumps warnings that Iran will suffer greatly if they do anything to provoke the U.S., paired with bellicose statements from senior officials, are deepening fears of another war in the Middle East. Even short of war, Trumps pressure campaign will likely mean higher oil prices, more suffering for the Iranian people and the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal. Between the lines: This is how Trump negotiates, Axios Jonathan Swan emails: He believes in grand displays of hard power extreme threats of military force ('fire and fury' for North Korea, sending the carrier to Persian Gulf) and punitive measures (tariffs and sanctions) more than he does the subtler tools of statecraft. He believes the only way to get what you want from another country is to first force them into a begging position. The leaders in both China and Iran are hardliners who put a premium on maintaining national pride and, as the Chinese explicitly said, dignity." Both countries' leaders have indicated they're willing to be patient with Trump and intend to wait him out. The question is how impatient Trump becomes and how he reacts to the negative domestic effects of some of his punitive policies. The latest: China announced tariff hikes today on $60 billion in U.S. goods. Meanwhile, the Communist Partys propaganda machine kicked into high gear, Bill Bishop reports in his Sinocism newsletter. Chinese media has struck a defiant tone since Friday, blaming the US for the failure, playing the victim with its usual shrill skill, talking tough about being able to outlast the US in any prolonged trade fight, and threatening non-tariff retaliatory measures, Bill notes. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added a last-minute stop in Brussels to his schedule today in order to warn leaders there of the escalating threat from Iran. Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton have continued to raise such threats over the past week without offering specifics. Trump told reporters today that hed been hearing little stories about Iran, adding: If they do anything, they will suffer greatly. Today, the question in Washington and surely in Tehran, too is whether President Trump is making moves that will provoke, instigate, or inadvertently drag the United States into a war with Iran, Robin Wright argues today in the New Yorker. The Administration has vowed to keep increasing pressure until Iran changes its behavior. ... So far, Tehran has not changed course. The stated position from both civilian and military leaders is that the U.S. isnt seeking a military confrontation with Iran but is prepared for one if necessary. The problem, as U.S. history proves, is that the momentum of confrontation is harder to reverse with each escalatory step, Wright contends. What to watch: Last month, as the U.S. stepped up its attempts to block all Iranian oil exports, Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, the worlds most important oil chokepoint, per Fortune. American Airlines' pilots union pressed Boeing executives to fix the planes' anti-stall software or ground the 737 MAX after the fatal Lion Air crash in November 2018, but corporate leadership refused to listen reports the New York Times. Our thought bubble from Axios' Andrew Freedman: It's unusual to have pilots unions ask an aircraft manufacturer to correct a safety feature or possibly ground an aircraft in the first place. For them to be rebuffed on such a request is even more remarkable. This indicates a breakdown in trust between Boeing and the pilots flying its 737 MAX jets after the crash of the Lion Air plane in October and before the Ethiopian Airlines accident in March. Lawmakers and federal investigators are looking into what Boeing told pilots unions about the plane's anti-stall system known as MCAS, which is suspected to have contributed to both crashes. Details: The meeting between the union and Boeing executives became confrontational as pilots asked Boeing to issue an emergency airworthiness directive, per the New York Times. Boeing vice president Mike Sinnett insisted pilots had sufficient training to be able to handle any issue with the anti-stalling software. The pilots were reportedly frustrated that Boeing didn't notify them about the new software until after the Lion Air crash in Indonesia. American pilot Todd Wissing was disheartened that the MCAS system had not been included in the training manual for the 737 Max. Boeing reportedly said it expected all pilots to know what to do if a plane's tail moved uncontrollably. Sinnett admitted there were design flaws that Boeing was looking into, but they didn't want to "rush" into any solutions. Sinnett also said he was confident in the planes. Context: The fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was grounded after deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. Errors in the anti-stall software played a role in both crashes. Go deeper: What we've learned from the Boeing 737 MAX crashes Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called for urgent climate action at a rally on the last stop of the Sunrise Movements Road t0 a Green New Deal tour Monday. Details: Sanders told the Howard University crowd the only way to take on an industry "with unlimited power, money and resources" was for a political revolution, according to AP. Ocasio-Cortez said, "I'll be damned if the same politicians who refused to act [in past decades] are going to try to come back today and say we need a middle of the road approach to save our lives," as an apparent dig at 2020 Democratic front-runner Joe Biden, according to CNN. Go deeper: The state of the Green New Deal Steve Bullock, the 53-year-old governor of Montana, is running for president, making him the 23rd Democrat to enter the diverse field of candidates angling to take on President Trump in 2020. The big picture: As another moderate white guy the 4th male candidate with a last name starting with "B" with little name recognition and a comparably late campaign start, Bullock faces an uphill battle to distinguish himself from the pack. Themes from Bullock's 3-minute announcement video: Bipartisanship: He emphasizes that "as a Democratic governor from a state Trump won by 20 points, I don't have the luxury of just talking to the people who agree with me." He emphasizes that "as a Democratic governor from a state Trump won by 20 points, I don't have the luxury of just talking to the people who agree with me." Fighting corruption: "Today we see evidence of a corrupt system all across America, a government that serves campaign money, not the people," Bullock says, pointing to his fight to ban dark money in elections after the Citizens' United v. FEC ruling in 2010. "Today we see evidence of a corrupt system all across America, a government that serves campaign money, not the people," Bullock says, pointing to his fight to ban dark money in elections after the Citizens' United v. FEC ruling in 2010. Humble beginnings: Bullock talks about being raised by a single mother in a family that struggled to get by. What's next: Bullock will host a campaign launch rally on Tuesday at Helena High School in Montana. Then he'll begin an eight-stop swing to Iowa through this weekend. Go deeper: Keep track of the 2020 candidates with our election graphic Seguin, TX (78155) Today Foggy early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High 81F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 62F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Reports show China's intellectual property theft costs U.S. companies hundreds of billions of dollars a year, and Chinese businesses have clearly benefited from a government-manipulated currency, goods dumping and non-tariff barriers at the expense of American firms. Why it matters: A lack of money is not America's problem, given its $21 trillion economy. But President Trump has yet to explain how a trade war victory benefits working people in places like Louisiana, Michigan and South Carolina who will suffer higher prices on account of his conflict. Instead, the White House looks to be taking a different track: praising the virtue of sacrifice. The big picture: Wars are unpleasant things, and trade wars are no exception to the rule. When a country goes to war, its citizens have to make sacrifices, as Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) acknowledged on "CBS This Morning" Monday. "There will be some sacrifices on the part of Americans, I grant you that, but I also would say that sacrifice is pretty minimal compared to the sacrifices that our soldiers make overseas, that our fallen heroes that are laid to rest in Arlington make." The catch: Cotton's remarks come in the wake of White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow telling Fox News' Chris Wallace on Sunday that "both sides will pay... Both sides will suffer on this." The bottom line: With a trillion dollars of global stock-market losses on Monday alone, and the continued implosion of agricultural prices, Republicans aren't even trying any more to make the case that trade wars are easy to win. Now that they're asking Americans to make sacrifices, they're going to have to start being more explicit about what cause the sacrifices are being made for. Go deeper: Trade war intensifies as China retaliates with $60 billion in tariffs Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have briefly discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during their latest visits to Brussels. The two men attended a dinner which was hosted by European Council President Donald Tusk late on Monday for the leaders of six former Soviet republics involved in the European Unions Eastern Partnership program. It was part of official celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the program. Pashinian revealed his conversation with Aliyev when he spoke to RFE/RL at the EU headquarters in the Belgian capital. It was a little talk about the current situation, Pashinian told RFE/RL. He gave no details. It was Pashinians and Aliyevs fifth face-to-face contact in about eight months. Their first meeting held in Tajikistan in September was followed by a significant decrease in ceasefire violations in the Karabakh conflict zone. Pashinian said that there are no plans yet for another Armenian-Azerbaijani summit. But I am sure that negotiations will continue, he added. And it is very important to bring back Nagorno-Karabakh to the negotiation table. It is impossible to resolve this conflict without Nagorno-Karabakh. Ever since he came to power one year ago, the Armenian premier has regularly called for Karabakh leaders direct involvement in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks. He told RFE/RL that Azerbaijans refusal to negotiate with them is the main hurdle to a peaceful settlement. Speaking to Armenian reporters, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov reiterated Bakus strong opposition to any change in the format of the negotiating process mediated by the United States, Russia and France. I think the key issue is not [Karabakhs] participation or non-participation, Mammadyarov said. We need to show a serious political approach. We need to sit down and complete what I call substantive negotiations because everyone knows very well what document is on the table. Why should we deceive ourselves. Mammadyarov insisted that a Karabakh peace is more important for Armenians than his country. What have the Armenian people gained as a result of the 30-year war with Azerbaijan? he said. Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanian also briefly spoke in Brussels on Monday. They previously met in Moscow on April 15 for talks mediated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. A joint statement released by them said the warring sides reaffirmed their stated intention to strengthen the ceasefire regime around Karabakh and along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and to take other take confidence-building measures. Mammadyarov said that the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are planning visit the region later this month to prepare for another meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers. He confirmed that the meeting would take place in Washington. Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly reaffirmed Chinas desire to deepen political, economic and cultural ties with Armenia when he met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in Beijing on Tuesday. Xi Jinping expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation will develop soon in the areas of trade, industry, transport and culture, Pashinians press office said in a statement on the talks. The Chinese president added that his country will continue to support projects that will contribute to Armenias development and enhance the well-being of the Armenian people. We are united by the common goals of cooperation of civilizations, the statement quoted Xi as saying. We are well aware of momentous events in the history of Armenia. We believe that tragic events that befell the Armenian people must be prevented in the future. Our peoples represent ancient civilizations, Pashinian said for his part. Already in the 5th century Armenian manuscripts described ties between the two peoples. Constructive and productive relations with China are very important for us, he added. Chinese-Armenian relations have been cordial ever since Armenia gained independence in 1991. Xi and former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian reported mutual understanding on issues relating to pivotal interests and concerns of the two countries after holding talks in Beijing in 2015. China underscored its interest in the South Caucasus country in 2017 when it started building a new and much bigger building for its embassy in Yerevan. It will reportedly be the second largest Chinese diplomatic mission in the former Soviet Union. Chinese aid to Armenia has totaled at least $50 million since 2012. In addition, the Chinese government has spent over $12 million on building and equipping a school in Yerevan where hundreds of Armenian children study the Chinese language. Pashinian attended the inauguration of the Chinese-Armenian Friendship School in August last year. Speaking at the opening ceremony, he said that having many Chinese speakers is an economic necessity for Armenia. China is Armenias second largest trading partner. According to official Armenian statistics, Chinese-Armenian trade soared by over 29 percent in 2018, to $771 million. Exports of Chinese goods to Armenia accounted for 86 percent of that figure. Xi was reported to tell Pashinian that China is ready to participate in major infrastructure projects in Armenia such as the ongoing reconstruction of the countrys highways stretching from Iran to Georgia. A Chinese company is already carrying out highway upgrades in the northwestern Shirak region. Pashinian said Yerevan is interested in the implementation of joint projects as part of Beijings ambitious Belt and Road program to re-create the old Silk Road. According to the Armenian government statement, the two leaders also discussed international security issues and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As part of his working visit to Beijing, Pashinian will attend and address on Wednesday the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations organized by the Chinese government. Armenias imprisoned former President Robert Kocharian continued to deny on Tuesday corruption and coup charges brought against him as politically motivated on the second day of his trial. Kocharian claimed that a criminal investigation into the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan has been directed by the current government. A deliberate, biased, premeditated investigation is conducted, he told a district court in the Armenian capital. Your honor, this is how the whole case has been handled. This is the essence of the case. Kocharian, 64, spoke as he and his lawyers made a fresh attempt to have him freed from custody pending the outcome of what promises to be a lengthy trial. Prosecutors continued to oppose Kocharians release, however. One of them, Petros Petrosian, argued that he expressed a desire to leave the country after being set free in August. Also asking the presiding judge, Davit Grigorian, to free Kocharian were Nagorno-Karabakhs President Robert Kocharian and his predecessor Arkadi Ghukasian. According to the lawyers, they are ready to not only post bail but also guarantee in writing that the ex-president would not obstruct justice if set free. Grigorian responded by saying that both Sahakian and Ghukasian must come to the court and personally offer such guarantees. He said that this is a legal requirement. Sahakian and Ghukasian already urged Kocharians release in a letter to Prosecutor-General Artur Davtian sent last week. Davtians office said he is no longer in a position to grant such requests because the case has already been sent to the court. The current and former Karabakh leaders cited Kocharians huge contribution to the Armenian victory in the 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan. The latter ran Karabakh before becoming Armenias president in 1998. Earlier in on Monday, Grigorian rejected the lawyers demand that another judge preside over the trial. They claimed that Grigorian is susceptible to pressure from the prosecution. The judges decision on whether or not Kocharian should remain under arrest will be followed by the main hearings in the trial of the ex-president as well as his former chief of staff Armen Gevorgian and retired Generals Seyran Ohanian and Yuri Khachaturov. They stand accused of overthrowing the constitutional order in the wake of a disputed presidential election held in February 2008. All four defendants deny the charges. Kocharian and Gevorgian have also been charged with bribery. They deny these accusations as well. As the high-profile trial entered its second day dozens of supporters and detractors of Kocharian rallied outside the court building, shouting insults at each other. Riot police kept the rival groups apart. The anti-Kocharian protesters included Vardges Gaspari, a prominent activist who was attacked inside the building on Monday after displaying a poster that branded the ex-president a murderer. One Kocharian supporter ripped up the poster while another hit Gaspari with a bottle. Several Kocharian supporters were briefly detained and questioned afterwards. Among them was the official owner of a pro-Kocharian TV channel. It was not clear whether the police will move to prosecute any of them. I regret everything, Im against violence, any violence, Kocharians son Levon told RFE/RLs Armenian service when asked to comment on the incident. He at the same time condemned Gaspari for trying to bring the offensive poster into the courtroom. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 14, 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan, benefiting great trade potential with China, strives to expand the export of local products to Chinese markets. Azerbaijan is planning to open its Trading House in the Chinese city of Xi'an, the administrative center of Shaanxi province. The 4th Silk Road International Investment and Trade Forum has been held in the city, where more than 200 enterprises from 25 countries participated. The forum was held under the slogan "New Era, New Pattern and New Development". Speaking at the "Silk Road Business Cooperation - Xi'an" round table, dedicated to the e-trade cooperation, Trade Representative of Azerbaijan in China Teymur Nadiroglu said that Azerbaijan is one of the first countries that supported the Belt and Road project and is one of the active participants in its implementation. Speaking about the large-scale infrastructure projects implemented in Azerbaijan in recent years, including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, he noted that the trade and transit area is an important part of interstate e-commerce. Nadiroglu also noted that a memorandum of understanding on transport and transit cooperation between Azerbaijan and Xi'an companies was signed at the signing ceremony of the Azerbaijani-Chinese documents within the framework of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in April. According to the document, it is planned to transport up to 2,500 containers from Xi'an to other countries this year, transiting through Baku and Azerbaijan via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Nadiroglu also stressed that Azerbaijan is interested in increasing sales of products in China through electronic trading platforms. Noting that the two countries have successfully cooperated in various fields of economy, he added that Azerbaijan takes continuous measures to increase non-oil exports to China. Within the framework of the round table, Azerbaijani Trade Representation in China and Xi'an Lotoke E-Commerce Co., Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding on the opening of the Azerbaijan Trading House in Xi'an until the end of the year. Initially, Xi'an will import quality food, drinks and wine from Azerbaijan. Trade office of Shaanxi province will also support opening of Azerbaijan Trading House in Xi'an. Three Azerbaijani trading houses are currently operating in China. This market is especially interesting for Azerbaijan in terms of the supply of alcoholic beverages and agricultural products. Trading houses play an important role in promoting Azerbaijani products to the Chinese market. They help the entrepreneurs to establish direct contacts with their customers, get support in promoting their products and analyze the potential sales markets. Azerbaijani and Chinese companies have recently signed ten agreements covering various fields on the sidelines of the Second Belt and Road Forum. The total worth of the contracts is $821 million. China announced the Belt and Road initiative in 2013, aimed at creating infrastructure and establishing links among the Eurasian countries back. This Chinese strategy envisages two key areas of development: the economic belt of the Silk Road and the maritime Silk Road. It is related to the creation of trade corridor for direct deliveries of goods from East to West on preferential terms. Azerbaijan became a signatory to the Belt and Road Energy Partnership Declaration in October 2018. Azerbaijan is China's key trade partner in the South Caucasus region. Last year, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and China exceeded $1.3 billion, making up 43 percent of Chinas total trade turnover with the countries of the South Caucasus. Over the past period, Azerbaijan invested $1.7 billion in China, and Chinese investments to Azerbaijan exceeded $800 million. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade There is a rich tradition and great potential for the development of cotton growing in Azerbaijan. Further expansion of cotton growing in the country gives impetus to the development of the textile industry. Sakina Babayeva, director of Baku Textile Factory, has told Trend that finished textile products of the company will be exported under the trademarks Alpar and Banu. She said that there is a plan to launch supply of finished product to external markets, because some samples of the companys products, which were presented in the Trading Houses of Azerbaijan, aroused interest among partners in Russia and Arab countries. Babayeva noted that the UAE has already sent an application to the company for exports and cooperation. Baku Textile Factory has already sent some types of textile products and is currently waiting for the results. The director stressed that the factory is also considering other areas of export supplies. She also said that Baku Textile Factory employs 300 people and 7 production lines are involved at the factory. Baku Textile Factory was put into operation in 1939. It was the first factory in weaving not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the entire Caucasian region during the Soviet period. The main purpose of establishing the company was cotton production and demand for it. Cotton was one of the vital resources of Azerbaijan during the Soviet period. In 1991, after the Soviet Union collapsed, serious changes took place at Baku Textile Factory. The enterprise abandoned the planned principles of the Soviet economy and rebuilt its activity based on world standards and global market principles. Today the company uses the best raw materials and technologies from Germany, Italy, Holland, Japan and Turkey. Currently, more than 5,000 different types of high quality textile products are produced in the company, which meet world and European standards. Baku Textile Factory production profile includes special-purpose garments, promo clothing, school uniform, medical clothing, sportswear, underwear, stockings etc. -- Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The ceasefire agreement, reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan with the direct mediation of Russia in 1994, allowed ceasing the massive bloodshed and launching the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement by political and diplomatic means. The statement was issued by Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the execution of the 25th anniversary of signing the Bishkek Protocol. The ceasefire agreement entered into force on May 12 still remains a basis for the ceasefire preservation, the statement says. The Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process is complicated, it is experiencing ups and downs, and it takes time and political will for its participants to come to an agreement on key settlement aspects, the Ministry said. Moscow sees the parties' readiness to continue joint work aimed at achieving sustainable peace. The statement emphasized that this is evidenced by the results of the last meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Vienna and the talks of the two countries' foreign ministers in Moscow. Moscow, for its part, pledges to assist actively Baku and Yerevan in the search for compromise solutions. As before, we will continue to undertake consistent mediation efforts within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship together with the U.S. and France, the statement concluded. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries arose in 1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions - 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan - are under the occupation of the Armenian armed forces. In May 1994, the parties reached a ceasefire regime, and lauched peace negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group and with the co-chairmanship of Russia, France and the U.S. The four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council on the liberation of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent territories have not yet been implemented by Armenia. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A dinner reception has been hosted on behalf of President of the European Council Donald Tusk in honor of heads of state and government of the Eastern Partnership countries. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the reception. Prior to the reception, President Ilham Aliyev and President Donald Tusk posed together for photographs. Heads of state and government of the Eastern Partnership countries then posed for official photos. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the Kingdom of Belgium for a working visit, Trendreports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service. President Aliyev met with King Philippe of Belgium. Azerbaijan-Belgium bilateral relations, regional situation, as well as the issues on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed at the meeting. President Aliyev briefed King Philippe of Belgium on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, underlining that the Azerbaijani lands were occupied by Armenia, and that the settlement of the conflict is only possible on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions, and within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The sides pointed to the economic cooperation between the two countries. The successful development of Azerbaijan-Europe relations was hailed at the meeting. It was noted that President Aliyevs visit to Belgium will contribute to expanding bilateral relations between the two countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade European Union (EU) and Azerbaijan cooperate in different fields and energy cooperation, which was launched in 2006, is especially noticeable. EU is still the main trade partner of Azerbaijan, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels on May 13. He said EU accounts for approximately 42 percent share of Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover. Mammadyarov also stated that EU holds the main place among the biggest investors in Azerbaijan and noted that traditional joint EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum attracts many representatives of EUs various industries and services sector. Then, he added that next business forum will be held in Baku on June 13, where EU states will demonstrate Europes industry and its business objectives in Azerbaijan. Mammadyarov noted that realistic consideration of different challenges in the region must be a base for cooperation within the framework of EaP and this is offered by last Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels in 2017. The FM emphasized that focus must be made on the benefits and potential value-added for countries, which have various degrees of political and trade cooperation with the EU. We believe that once implemented, those deliverables will have a potential to bring a greater degree of resilience, prosperity, development and connectivity to our region, he said. Mammadyarov also stated that discussions on 20 Deliverables for 2020 must be held in equal conditions for partners and tangible results will determine success of this project. He pointed out that some of those goals are also in line with Azerbaijans strategic roadmaps on key sectors. Institutional and structural reforms are being continued in order to ensure a sustainable economic development and socio-economic growth in Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov added. The minister also said that according to the latest Doing Business Report, published by the World Bank, Azerbaijan ranks 25th in the world thanks to the reforms carried out and the improved business climate. Moreover, according to the assessment of Davos World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan is ranked 34th with regard to the quality of growth. Mammadyarov further noted that the Azerbaijani government keeps on carrying out large-scale programs regarding human rights and highlighted the recently adopted State Program on the Development of Justice in 2019-2023. The FM also stressed that promotion of regional trade corridors can be provided by the extension of the indicative map of the Trans-European Networks to Azerbaijan and further to Asia. In fact, port and rail administrations, as well as some private logistics companies from Georgia, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Austria, and Germany are already there with Azerbaijan in some regional trade corridors. That list continues to grow, he said. Mammadyarov underlined the interest of Europe in being partner with Azerbaijan in this strategic trade area and added that zerbaijan shares own opportunities and infrastructure with neighbors and the countries in Asia and Europe. Ttaking into account EUs various cooperation strategies with some Asian countries, East-West, North-South and some synergies are possible, the FM added. Azerbaijan goes beyond its land borders to create more trade dynamic across the wider region, and is doing so despite being a land-locked country. Therefore, we have established credible partnerships with the ports in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Romania, just to name a few, he stated. Mammadyarov also added that Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is in the very final stage of construction. -- Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on May 14. The new edition includes articles: SOCAR Methanol discloses 2019 production plans, Baku Metro to be expanded, New mechanism helps local entrepreneurs to access U.S. markets, Chingiz Mustafayev holds second rehearsal at Eurovision stage, etc. AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az. By Trend The delegation of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan led by the Commander of the Rocket and Artillery Troops, Major General Zahid Huseynov is on a visit to the Republic of Belarus, Trend reports referring to the ministry. The Azerbaijani delegation will take part in the 9th International Exhibition of Arms Military Machinery MILEX-2019 that will start in Minsk on May 15. Within the framework of the exhibition, Azerbaijani delegation will also attend the 8th International Scientific Conference on Military-Technical, Defense and Security Issues and Dual-Use Technologies MILEX INNOVATIONS-2019. The exhibition will run until the 18th of May. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan held a meeting with the CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen ministry. The meeting addressed organizational issues related to the meeting of heads of government of the CIS member states on May 31, 2019 in Ashgabat. Lebedev noted that the chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the CIS this year is important for strengthening ties between the participating states. In Ashgabat, on May 15-16, two CIS events are planned, the 14th Forum of Creative and Scientific Intelligentsia and a meeting of the Intergovernmental Coordinating Council on Seed Production. Turkmenistan, referring to its status of permanent neutrality, decided to participate in the CIS as an associate member in 2005. In 1999, Turkmenistan withdrew from the agreement on visa-free regime with the CIS countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The parties discussed in detail the cooperation of the two countries within the framework of international organizations, and also focused on the situation in Afghanistan, according to the source. In addition, issues regarding the next meeting of the intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation and interaction in the energy, transport and trade sectors were discussed as well. Also, the possibilities of attracting Iranian companies and business circles to multi-functional projects implemented in Turkmenistan were considered during the dialogue. Turkmenistan, having the status of positive neutrality, has a long border with Afghanistan and has repeatedly offered to hold talks in Ashgabat under the auspices of the UN to restore peace in the neighboring state. Official Ashgabat is in favor of providing more ambitious and targeted international economic assistance to Afghanistan, primarily through the involvement of Afghanistan in the implementation of large infrastructure projects in the energy and transport sectors. Examples of this are the projects of laying power transmission lines and fiber-optic communications along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) route, and the construction of railway lines from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan. A large-scale project to lay gas pipeline to India and Pakistan for the supply of Turkmen gas is also connected to the territory of Afghanistan, where unstable situation has remained for a long time. Observers believe that the implementation of this project may contribute to the restoration of Afghanistan, as it will allow creating jobs and provide the country with guaranteed income from transit. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Trend reports referring to Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary (TDH) state agency. One of the topics of discussion was cooperation in the Caspian. By implementing a foreign policy based on the principles of positive neutrality, good neighborliness and equal cooperation built on the balance of national and common interests, our country is for developing constructive partnership in the Caspian both in a bilateral and a multilateral format, said the Turkmen head of state. The topic of the upcoming 1st Caspian Economic Forum, which will be held on August 12 in Turkmenistans Awaza, was also touched upon during the meeting. Berdimuhamedov noted that the forum will facilitate the exchange of views on the implementation of the agreement between the governments of the Caspian states on trade and economic cooperation, along with cooperation in transport, which were signed following the 5th Summit of the Heads of Caspian Littoral States. Prospects for cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, where there are ample opportunities in the context of the favorable geographical position and the huge resource potential of both countries, were also discussed. These factors justify an effective partnership in ensuring energy security, which is a pressing issue of our time, the TDH notes. Furthermore, an exchange of views took place on the prospects of cooperation in key areas, including transport and communication. The two countries have accumulated a lot of experience working together. These include projects both implemented and planned, including the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, as well as the creation of an international Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman corridor, which is intended to contribute to increasing trade and economic cooperation between Central Asian and Middle Eastern states. Turkmenistan and Iran border on the Caspian Sea and have a long land border. Over the years of long-term cooperation, they have implemented a number of large-scale joint projects. In addition to border gas pipelines, the Dostluk (Friendship) dam was built with joint efforts of both countries. As of February 1, 2018, 89 investment projects have been registered in Turkmenistan with the participation of Iranian companies, the total value of which makes up $1,310.95 million, 0.8 million euro and 0.81 million Turkmenistan manats (TMT). According to the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, there are 142 enterprises of various forms of ownership with the participation of Iranian capital, including limited partnerships, subsidiaries, representative offices, and branches. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz (AP) California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo Cal Poly for short voted to recommend that fast-food chain Chick-fil-a no longer be allowed to operate on campus, reported radio station KCBX. The vice chair of the school's Academic Senate, Thomas Gutierrez, brought the measure up for a vote, noting that Cal Poly's "values statement includes language that identifies LGBTQ as a classification of individuals that we want to embrace in our diversity and inclusion model. "Then you have an organization that regularly and publicly shows up in the national news in great tension with this," Gutierrez continued, "so if you have a mission statement that indicates that you value inclusivity and diversity, then you should be making your business decisions based on that." But the school's president, Jeffrey Armstrong, pushed back, saying that tossing the chain off campus would be "a very slippery slope," reported local newspaper the San Kuis Obispo Tribune. In an editorial, the Tribune said that the university was "sending a mixed even hypocritical message by allowing Chick-fil-A on state-owned property while taking a hard line in other areas. "Remember, California is the state that bans publicly funded or sponsored travel by state agencies, including the CSU, to states that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression," the op-ed went on to say. "How hard would it be for the university system to draw up a list of standards that businesses must meet if they want to operate on public property?" The vote comes in the wake of a spiral of lost business opportunities for the chain, which came under fire for donations made to anti-LGBTQ organizations. Chick-fil-a waded into the culture wars with its CEO, Dan Catty, declaring in 2012 that extending marriage equality to same-sex families would be "inviting God's judgment on our nation" for supposedly telling a higher power that "we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage." Since then, the company has publicly distanced itself from Catty's remarks, but Think Progress reported earlier this year that tax filings indicate the Chick-fil-a Foundation gave almost $2 million in 2017 to a trio of overtly anti-gay organizations, with the bulk of the money more than $1.5 million going to the fellowship of Christian Athletes, which ThinkProgress says "is a religious organization that seeks to spread an anti-LGBTQ message to college athletes and requires a strict 'sexual purity' policy for its employees that bars any 'homosexual acts.' " The other two anti-LGBTQ beneficiaries of the foundation's largesse are the historically homophobic Salvation Army, which reaped a contribution of $150,000 from Chick-fil-a, and "Christian residential home for troubled youth" that teaches anti-LGBTQ views to its clients, including a claim that two devoted people of the same gender formalizing their commitment through civil marriage constitute a form of "rage against Jesus Christ and His values," the ThinkProgress report noted. Two cities subsequently voted not to allow the chain to operate in local airports. The city council of San Antonio, Texas, declined to give the company permission to open a new location at the airport, citing a "legacy of anti-LGBT behavior." A week later, the company lost a second airport concession in Buffalo, New York. A New York State Assemblyman led the charge, citing the company's "long history of supporting and funding anti-LGBTQ organizations." The Attorney General of Montana his eye on the prize of employment for his constituents as he begins a race for the governorship responded to the controversy with a tweet But to the Cal Poly faculty, it was a matter of upholding institutional standards. "We don't sell pornography in the bookstore and we don't have a Hooters on campus we already pre-select those kind of things based on our existing values," http://mustangnews.net/the-resolution-to-kick-chick-fil-a-off-campus-passed-but-that-doesnt-mean-its-leaving-yet/|Mustang News quoted Gutierrez as saying. "This is a similar thing.... every dollar a student is spending at Chick-fil-A, is going to these causes that are in violation of our values." Throughout all of this, Chick-fil-a's PR people have insisted that he company has no interest in social issues, and just wants to serve tasty chicken-based food to its customers. The vote may not come to much in practical terms; Mustang news reported that a Cal Poly spokesperson said individual students, faculty, and staff can decide for themselves whether they wish to patronize the chain. "It is the right of each campus member to make their own decisions about supporting or not supporting a given business at Cal Poly," said spokesperson Matt Lazier. Chick-fil-a has a five-year contract with Cal Poly, media reports noted. check out a few of our other related stories... LAWSUIT SEEKS TO HOLD VATICAN AT FAULT FOR ABUSE BY U.S. PRIESTS ST. PAUL, Minn. Three brothers who were sexually abused by a priest from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Vatican, claiming the Holy See bears responsibility because the case was mishandled by former Archbishop John Nienstedt and the Vatican's former ambassador to the United States. The lawsuit attempts to trace a direct line from clergy sex abuse victims to the Vatican, through Minnesota church officials. Luke, Stephen and Ben Hoffman were abused by former priest Curtis Wehmeyer, roughly between 2009 and 2012. "I have too many nieces and nephews to let something like this happen to anybody else," Stephen Hoffman said about his decision to come forward. Nienstedt and the former ambassador, Carlo Maria Vigano, have previously denied the allegations raised in the lawsuit. The Vatican's U.S. lawyer, Jeffrey Lena, had no immediate comment. In the past Lena has described sex abuse lawsuits naming the Vatican as a defendant as publicity stunts. Two other men who are among those suing the Vatican say they were molested by Catholic priests, one in Minnesota and one in California. Those two men sued the Vatican separately within the last year, but their attorney Jeff Anderson withdrew their cases in anticipation of Tuesday's lawsuit. Anderson had also sued the Vatican on two prior occasions without success. The Associated Press The Kern County Sheriffs Offices practice of allowing immigration agents into non-public areas of the county jail has been criticized in a r John Cox can be reached at 661-395-7404. Follow him on Twitter: @TheThirdGraf. Sign up at Bakersfield.com for free newsletters about local business. Cannabis could come to the beach cities. This is how The U.S. Senate has confirmed a Beaumont attorney who once ran for Congress to serve as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Beaumont, drawing praise from Texas' senators. Michael Truncale was recommended to President Donald Trump by Republican U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn after an "extensive" review and interview process, according to a news release from Cruz's office. "Michael's legal expertise and devotion to serving his fellow Texans will make him an excellent federal judge," Cornyn said in the release. "I thank my Senate colleagues for supporting his confirmation and wish him the best as he takes the bench in Beaumont." In 2012, Truncale unsuccessfully ran in the Republican primary for the redrawn congressional seat that is now held by Randy Weber. He has been involved in GOP politics for years at the local, state and national level. Truncale did not respond to requests for comment. >> Related: Trump to tap Beaumont attorney for judicial role The Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, a bipartisan panel of leading Texas attorneys which was established by the two senators, reviewed applications, interviewed candidates and made recommendations to the senators. "The Senate is continuing to deliver on its promise to the American people to confirm principled, constitutionalist judges, and I have no doubt Texans in the Eastern District will be well-served by Michael's professionalism and commitment to the rule of law," Cruz said in the release. Truncale, 62, was recommended by the senators in early 2018. He will fill the vacancy on the bench created when Ron Clark assumed senior judge status. Truncale is a partner at Orgain Bell & Tucker and has been with the firm for 34 years where he handles matters that include products liability and commercial disputes. "We are proud of our partner and wish him well," firm managing partner David Fisher said in a statement. "He will be a find addition to the federal judiciary." He also was appointed by then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry to serve a four-year term as a regent of the Texas State University System and Gov. Gregg Abbott to serve a six-year term as a board member of the Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board, among other accomplishments. Truncale has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Lamar University, an MBA from the University of North Texas and a law degrees from Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law. He is board certified in civil trial by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Scores of children on three continents will get new shoes after almost 40 Southeast Texas churches and businesses took in donations of more than 1,900 pairs. In the one-month donation period for the ninth annual Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive, the shoes were dropped off at several locations across Southeast Texas and later transported to KLBT radio station, where they were sorted and distributed to the main location in Dallas. Among the donation centers in Southeast Texas were almost 10 churches, one being the Little Cypress Baptist Church in Orange. We participate in the drive to show the love of Jesus, donation coordinator Linda Woodward said. There are children who dont have shoes and to be able to meet their need is a blessing. Woodward said the church received more than 60 pairs of shoes and monetary donations to purchase more shoes. Though she said the number of shoes donated was relatively low compared to previous years, she was still grateful to have a hand in helping the children. It becomes personal when we have members of the church who are foster parents and are recipients of the shoes, she said. When the children receive the shoes, they are told about Jesus and it is through our ministry that they get to see the love Jesus has for them. The shoes will travel to South America, Kenya and foster care facilities throughout Texas and the United States to children who are without shoes. I think it is wonderful that many of the donation centers were churches, said Rachel Wallis, the director of Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls. Its an embodiment of what they believe. Its being charitable and providing for those who otherwise wouldnt be able to provide for themselves. She said the organization focuses on the donation of shoes because of the alarmingly difficult process it is to make shoes and get shoes in some areas. Wallis said shoes can be the most basic form of preventative of illnesses that start on the feet. In total the drive brought in over 1,900 pairs of shoes, over 9,200 pairs of socks and over $3,100 which will be used to purchase about 600 additional pairs of shoes. Wallis said about 2/3 of those donations came from the churches. We give the shoes to those children who are very vulnerable, she said. To the kids who wouldnt be able to go to school without them. For most of the children, this is the only pair of shoes they will get for the entire year. erica.apodaca@beaumontenterprise.com Ryan Pelham / The Enterprise The approval of one more governing body is all that remains in a financial dispute related to Bevil Oaks move to the Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District. Hardin-Jefferson and Beaumont ISD have been fighting over how much the former owes BISD for its share of school bonds issued before Bevil Oaks nearly 50 students were annexed into H-JISD at the beginning of this school year. HACKBERRY, Louisiana Fresh off contentious Chinese trade talks, President Donald Trump on Tuesday took the stage at a giant liquefied natural gas facility here to hammer home his economic mantra: American economic independence comes first. Were independent and we dont need anybody, Trump said. We also dont need to be ripped off by other countries anymore. Workers in hard hats waited in the sun for hours to share the backdrop with a giant American flag hoisted by backhoes and the behemoth Cameron LNG terminal itself. Once on stage, Trump spent about an hour freewheeling on the subject of energy independence. He held up the companys new massive export terminal, which he calls a monster work of art, as an example of what American companies have been able to accomplish with his administration. This would have never happened anywhere else, Trump said. What took 25 years to approve, were doing in one. Sempra Energy also took advantage of the occasion to announce it had begun producing liquefied natural gas from one of its liquefaction plants called trains earlier in the morning. The train was prepped for startup last November, but the facility didnt finish its final regulatory check until earlier this month. Once Sempras first phase at Cameron LNG is complete, it will have three trains to create an estimated 12 million tons per year of gas for export. Sempra has invested heavily on the bet that U.S. gas will flood the global market with a second phase planned for Cameron LNG, a terminal facility proposed for Port Arthur, and two phases of projects in Mexico. Port Arthur LNG recently was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Jeffrey W. Martin, Sempras chairman and CEO, also addressed the Louisiana crowd, echoing some of the presidents talking points. Bottom line, the forward-thinking energy policies of this administration are creating a larger role for America in the global energy markets, Martin said. We are proud to play a leadership role in supporting Americas energy renaissance. Sempra might be the first to get off the ground, but it is not the only energy powerhouse looking to bank on record production, especially in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Natural gas production in Texas grew by almost 1 trillion cubic feet last year, the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association reports, driven by continued advances in fracking technology and horizontal drilling. The state leads the country in production. Were unlocking the potential of the Permian Basin in West Texas and are giving it to you through our great pipelines to send it all over the world, Trump said. At least $23.6 billion in new natural gas projects for Southeast Texas and western Louisiana have been announced so far this year from partnerships like Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum and American Ethane. Despite all the seemingly good news for oil and gas giants, the outcome of these export investments still heavily depend on the administrations negotiations on trade, especially with China. Fluctuations from tariffs and trade route disruptions have already started to hamper gains held by some of the investors in Gulf Coast projects, including the quickly building chemical sector that companies like Chevron Phillips are looking to expand in. Chinese retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports could put 55,000 chemical sector jobs and $18 billion in domestic at risk if the two sides cant reach a resolution, according to the American Chemistry Council. American Ethane, which also has Russian ties to oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin, is still waiting on import approvals from the Chinese government before it can proceed with long-term plans to ship $72 billion worth of ethane gas to Asian markets. Mention of China was sparse in Trumps remarks, at least in reference to Fridays trade talks that ended in $200 billion of tariffs on Chinese goods. He did mention American energy was helping reduce trade deficits with China, and was helping him put the European Union in its place. Tuesdays event marked the presidents third trip to Louisiana since taking office and seventh since starting his campaign in 2015, a fact he was happy to bring up to the crowd of construction crews and few members of the public that were assembled. I love the great state of Louisiana, Trump said. And by the votes, you love me, too. Trump also made time in his address for a few jabs at political opponents and even the state of LaGuardia Airport. As further reminder that that there was an election coming in 16 months, he also promised to get his highway administration working on a new Calcasieu River Bridge for Interstate 10 if he is re-elected, that is. Cameron LNGs Louisiana project is run through a joint venture owned by Sempra Energy (50.2 percent), Total (16.6 percent), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (16.6 percent) and Mitsubishi/NYK (16.6 percent). Total, one of the biggest producers of LNG globally, entered into the project through the acquisition of Engies upstream LNG business in 2018. Totals commitment to Cameron LNG and its expansion is in line with our strategy to continue building a strong position in the U.S. LNG market, chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne said in a statement. San Diego-based Sempra Energy has 20,000 employees and reported $11.8 billion in revenue last year. Marissa Luck in Houston contributed. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jdickjournalism The Southeast Texas Humane Society is asking for the public's help in identifying a woman who reportedly dropped her cat off at the shelter, according to information from the shelter. The woman reportedly left the cat with a note saying 17-years-old, deaf and that she wants the cat to be euthanized, officials said. Bexar County law enforcement arrested or indicted 30 people on child sex crime charges in April, according to records obtained by mySA.com. The suspects were charged with a an array of crimes, including indecency with a child, possession of child pornography, sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child and super aggravated sexual assault of a child. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Among those arrested was Kevin Garcia, a 27-year-old pastor accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old relative. Garcia was arrested after the relative allegedly confided in another woman, telling her that Garcia had been molesting her since she was in the 7th grade. READ MORE: San Antonio pastor accused of sexually assaulting child Another suspect, David Clarence Allen, was indicted on sexual assault of a child in April. Allen was first arrested in February after a 15-year-old girl told police the two drank and took drugs together at a Motel 6 before the alleged sexual assault. RELATED: SAPD: Man sexually assaulted 15-year-old girl in Motel 6 room after giving her drugs, alcohol In 2019, Bexar County authorities have arrested or indicted 129 people with child sex crimes, records showed. Booking photos for Daniel Marcus Partain, Kison Haynes, Ignacio Cortes-Aguilar and Antonio Eugenio Hernandez were not available, according to jail officials. Partain was indicted for sexual assault of a child on April 16, Haynes was indicted for aggravated sexual assault of a child on April 23, Cortes-Aguilar and Hernandez were indicted for indecency with a child. Click through the slideshow to see suspects arrested or charged with child sex crimes in April 2019. Texas has a lot of programs that are designed to help poor people improve their lives, and without question some of them are doing that. But paradoxically, other state efforts seem to punish the poor and make it harder for them to move into the middle class. Take, for example, the latest effort to rescind the excessive fees for driving violations that were saddling many poor people with debts they could not repay and causing their drivers licenses to be suspended. That made it difficult if not impossible for most of them to keep jobs. The bill by state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, would allow those with suspended drivers licenses to be eligible for reinstatement on Sept. 1, if his legislation becomes law. Under current law, those convicted of dangerous driving violations or DWI have to pay fees that help fund the states trauma-care programs. The intent was laudable, but state lawmakers are finding out that the fees dont provide the money that was expected for trauma programs. The escalating cycle of fees was also more than many drivers could pay, causing their drivers licenses to be revoked. Of the 1.4 million drivers licenses suspended under that program in 2016, 378,000 of those people said they could not afford the payments that would allow them to regain their licenses. Zerwas bill would revamp the so-called driver responsibility program to eliminate those problems. Yet it would also increase the fines for a first-time DWI offense by $3,000. Thats a huge amount of money for someone making minimum wage (or even slightly more) and living paycheck to paycheck. A fine like that will trap many of them in the same cycle that other parts of the bill are designed to eliminate. Legislators also failed to act on a bill that would eliminate unnecessary paperwork burdens on parents of children on Medicaid. Texas is the only state that requires these parents to verify their income more than just once a year, and at different times of the year for multiple children. Many parents are overwhelmed by a stream of letters demanding proof of income and thus lose coverage for their children. As many as 50,000 children in Texas get dropped from Medicaid each year for these reasons. Yet a third of children who left Medicaid were re-enrolled within a year, suggesting that should have remained in the program all along. Lawmakers in both parties had heard these complaints for years, and both chambers seemed to support a more logical verification process. Yet a bill to that effect never made it to the House floor, and the effort appears to be doomed again in this session. Poverty is tough enough, but state programs that in effect deny drivers licenses or child health care to low-income residents make it even harder. That makes no sense. Lawmakers should ensure that state policies and laws are always a help to people trying to improve their lives, not a hindrance. Here are 10 updates on ASC companies and industry-relevant companies to note: Brentwood, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners reported $416.8 million in first quarter 2019 revenue while growing its same-facility revenue 5 percent. Read more. Surgery Partners is also hosting a career fair May 8 at Millenia Surgery Center in Orlando, Fla. West Bloomfield Township, Mich.-based Lakes Ambulatory Surgical Center joined Phoenix-based The Core Institute. Surgery Partners has an ownership share in this center. Avera Health will stop offering care under its employee health plan at three physician-owned practices as it continues to build its own orthopedic presence. Providence-based Ortho Rhode Island began developing a medical office building and surgery center in Warwick, R.I. Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin's ASC and health center developments could make a $53 million economic impact on the area. The Milwaukee-based health system plans to open a 17,000-square-foot ASC in Polk, Wis. Toronto-based Medical Facilities Corp. increased its revenue to $99.1 million despite drastically decreased operations-derived income. Read more. Three groups have joined Melville, N.Y.-based North American Partners in Anesthesia since Jan. 1: Prince Frederick, Md.-based CalvertHealth Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.-based Aisthesis Partners in Anesthesia Care and Exeter (N.H.) Hospital. Vascular Institute of Chattanooga (Tenn.) opened a new clinic in Cleveland, Tenn. Southeast Regional Surgery Center is moving forward with a single-specialty ASC in Columbus, Ga. A phishing attack on an employee's email account at Oregon State Hospital may have exposed patients' protected health information, KTVZ reports. Oregon Health Authority and the Salem-based hospital have begun alerting patients of the May 6 security breach. In the notice, the health authority said that a spear-phishing email was sent to an Oregon State Hospital employee. Patient information that may have been affected in the phishing attack included names, dates of birth, medical record numbers, diagnoses, treatment care plans and other information. There has been no indication that patient information has been improperly used. More articles on cybersecurity: NewYork-Presbyterian contracts with device makers to run cybersecurity tests Boxes of patients' medical records, blood pathogens found in Michigan dumpster Amazon voice assistant for children allegedly records, stores conversations Pickens County Medical Center in Carrollton, Ala., is facing financial challenges and could be forced to close, according to TV station CBS 42. Hospital Board Chairman Shawn McDaniel told CBS 42 that the 56-bed hospital's financial struggles are partially attributable to having fewer local physicians available to treat patients. "At one time we had nine primary attending physicians in the county, and now we only have four," he told CBS 42. "And so with the lack of doctors, it's a lack of patients that are getting the chance to be seen everyday, and that creates a problem." Mr. McDaniel said the board is doing everything it can to keep the hospital open. If Pickens County Medical Center closes, it would be the second rural hospital in Alabama to close this year. Growing costs and reimbursement cuts forced Georgiana (Ala.) Medical Center to close March 8. More articles on healthcare finance: Kaiser's net income more than doubles to $3.2B in Q1 How to develop a winning self-pay strategy Quorum sees net loss shrink to $39M in Q1 Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center in Pineville is behind on payroll and needs an influx of cash to overcome financial troubles and keep its doors open, according to the Middlesboro Daily News. During an emergency meeting May 9, the Pineville City Council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Scott Madon to gather information about acquiring the licenses to operate Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Americore Health. Mr. Madon said Americore's CEO has agreed to enter into negotiations about turning the hospital's licenses over to the city. However, city leaders aren't interested in managing the hospital over the long term. The goal would be to find an outside company to acquire the hospital's operations. Mr. Madon said city leaders have been reaching out to individuals who previously showed interest in acquiring the hospital, according to the report. Mr. Madon estimated the city would need to borrow about $1 million immediately if it were to take over operations of the hospital. He said the hospital is roughly $400,000 behind on payroll and the facility is bringing in about $500,000 a month. More articles on healthcare finance: Kaiser's net income more than doubles to $3.2B in Q1 How to develop a winning self-pay strategy Quorum sees net loss shrink to $39M in Q1 A top executive of Partners HealthCare said the Boston-based health system's market power allows it to set higher prices than its competitors and in return, force higher reimbursement from private insurers, according to a video obtained by GoLocalProv News. In the video, Peter Slavin, MD, president of Partners' Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said, "The payments we get from insurers are higher than the average payments that go to other hospitals and physician groups in this state." He was responding to a question from an emergency resident at Mass General. The resident asked Dr. Slavin how higher reimbursement from private payers to Partners could affect the viability of smaller hospitals with unfavorable payer mixes. As quoted by GoLocalProv News, part of Dr. Slavin's response was as follows: "One of the reasons Partners was created, but far from the only reason, is that back in the early '90s, the insurance companies were playing MGH and [Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital] off one another and basically [saying] to the MGH if you don't accept our lower rates we're going to move our patients to the Brigham and vice versa. "So we came together as Partners we do contracting together and now insurers have to take either both of us, or neither of us, and that has helped level the playing field." Mass General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital are both under the Partners umbrella, and are among the largest hospitals in New England. Partners is also in the process of buying Care New England, based in Providence, R.I. In an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review, Partners' Vice President of Communications Rich Copp said, "In the video, which is several years old, Dr. Slavin is describing the healthcare environment during the early-to mid-1990s. However, in today's healthcare environment, Partners and other providers across Massachusetts are keeping healthcare cost growth in check, staying well under Massachusetts' cost growth benchmark. Together, Brigham Health and Care New England can help improve access to care while controlling healthcare costs for patients in Rhode Island. Additionally, it is worth noting that Rhode Island hospital rates have been negotiated with the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner and can't be changed. The Governor's executive order keeps the growth in insurance premiums below 3.2 percent each year through 2022." More articles on healthcare finance: Hedge fund manager predicts CHS will go bankrupt Washington health system files for bankruptcy, cites issues with revenue cycle vendor CEO Wayne Smith bets on CHS turnaround with $3M investment Richwood, TX (77531) Today Sun and clouds mixed. Near record high temperatures. High near 80F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 69F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md., and Doctors Community Health System, a single-hospital system based in Lanham, Md., have announced merger plans. Four things to know: 1. The two hospitals have started the due diligence process and are working toward a definitive merger agreement. 2. Through the transaction, which requires regulatory approval, Anne Arundel Medical Center would invest up to $138 million over five years into Doctors Community Health System's campus and its IT infrastructure. The funds would also be used to expand inpatient and outpatient care. 3. Doctors Community Health System CEO Philip Down said the hospital vetted many affiliation opportunities before choosing to enter into merger discussions with Anne Arundel Medical Center. 4. The hospitals said they plan to announce a name for the new health system this summer. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: AdventHealth, Wake Forest Baptist to expand partnership Illinois hospitals end merger talks Bon Secours to merge with Ireland's largest private health system All eight Colorado students who were injured in a school shooting May 7 have now been discharged, according to The Denver Post. Littleton (Colo.) Adventist Hospital officials told the publication that three students were discharged the day of the shooting, and one was discharged May 10. Another student was discharged May 12. Elizabeth Whitehead, spokesperson for Aurora-based Children's Hospital Colorado, said that the victim who was taken to its campus in Highlands Ranch was treated and released on May 7. Two students were transported to Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colo., after the shooting. Linda Watson, a spokesperson for Sky Ridge, told the Post one of those patients was released May 9, and the other was released May 10. The shooting happened at STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter school near Denver with students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Student Kendrick Castillo, 18, was killed after lunging at the shooter, according to a CNN News report. Two shooting suspects, both teenagers, were taken into custody after the shooting. According to the Post, the 18-year-old and 16-year-old suspects are expected at a court hearing May 15. The Mississippi Hospital Association proposed offering residents who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to receive subsidies on the ACA individual market a health plan similar to Medicaid for $20 a month, according to local NBC affiliate WLBT. The program, dubbed "Mississippi Cares," would apply to single residents making about $17,000 a year, or a family of four that makes $35,000 annually or about 300,000 Mississippians, according to the Clarion Ledger. It also includes a $100 copay for nonemergency hospital visits. These low-paid, nondisabled adults could gain access to affordable healthcare under the proposed partnership between the state, private hospitals and an insurance company previously formed by MHA. Tim Moore, president and CEO of MHA, and other officials said the plan could lower uncompensated care costs by 40 to 50 percent, according to WLBT. Mr. Moore and the MHA hope the proposal will drum up support among elected officials. Mississippi is one of 14 states that did not expand Medicaid under the ACA. In an interview with the Clarion Ledger, Mr. Moore said, "This is basically an insurance policy that is paid for by hospitals that are already seeing these patients anyway." More articles on payers: Judge steps down from UnitedHealth case over 'immoral' denial of cancer treatment House Democrats unveil Medicare expansion plan: 8 things to know Humana posts $566M profit in Q1 Washington's insurance commissioner ordered a Delaware-based healthcare-sharing ministry and its administrator to stop selling health insurance in the state. Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler accused Aliera Healthcare and Trinity HealthShare of offering "sham" health insurance coverage and operating illegally in the state. Trinity markets itself as a healthcare-sharing ministry, under which members share healthcare costs among others with similar religious or ethical beliefs. The ministries are exempt from state insurance regulation. However, Mr. Kreidler said Trinity and Aliera, which is an unlicensed insurance producer in Washington, are behind more than 20 consumer complaints received by his office. Some members said they thought they had bought health insurance and not joined a sharing ministry, which resulted in denials based on preexisting conditions, according to the commissioner. "Legitimate healthcare-sharing ministries offer a valuable service to their members," said Mr. Kreidler. "Unfortunately, we're seeing players out there trying to use the exemptions enjoyed by legitimate ministries to skirt insurance regulation and mislead trusting consumers." Aliera and Trinity have 90 days to demand a hearing. In an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review, Aliera said "Aliera has never misled consumer and sales agents about its health plans. For example, our website, marketing materials and other communications clearly state that Trinity's health sharing products are not insurance. More importantly, they have never been represented as insurance. All of our membership materials clearly define plan restrictions, such as preexisting conditions, exclusion periods and more. ... Aliera disagrees that Trinity's inclusive and specific statement of beliefs misleads consumers or violates the applicable regulations governing healthcare-sharing ministries. Trinity clearly communicates those statements of belief so that consumers can make an informed choice that's right for them." More articles on payers: Judge steps down from UnitedHealth case over 'immoral' denial of cancer treatment House Democrats unveil Medicare expansion plan: 8 things to know Humana posts $566M profit in Q1 Joimax, a German developer of systems for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, is presenting its Integrated Navigation Tracking & Control System, Intacs, at the Global Spine Congress in Toronto, Canada. The company will also be showcasing the new technology at the annual meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery from May 12 to May 15 in Wurzburg, Germany. Four things to know: 1. Intracs utilizes electromagnetic tracking, providing simultaneous navigation of multiple instruments such as needles, guiding rods, reamers and endoscopes. 2. It was developed to make planning easier for endoscopic approaches to the spine and other minimally invasive procedures, such as percutaneous fusion. 3. With Intracs, the procedure can be completed without added X-ray control only starting X-rays are needed reducing access, intervention time and radiation exposure. 4. The system is CE-marked. Clinical trials and applications are underway in Asia and Europe where Intracs has already launched. Police arrested retired Pueblo, Colo.-based orthopedic surgeon Jan Davis, MD, May 12 on charges of attempted second-degree murder and domestic violence, local news affiliate KKTV reports. What you should know: 1. Dr. Davis allegedly pulled a gun on his wife with his children in the home. 2. Dr. Davis never fired the gun and there were no injuries. 3. Dr. Davis previously practiced at Pueblo-based Parkview Medical Center and was a member of Parkview Orthopedics group. Food firms from across Northern Ireland will gather for the Balmoral Show from tomorrow, with many still tentatively awaiting the outcome from the Brexit saga. Traditionally the agri-food industry's biggest annual showcase, the continued uncertainty from the status of the UK's future relationship with the EU has left many smaller businesses holding back from investing. Gerald Miller, who heads Milgro in Limavady, our only major onion growing company, said his firm is adopting a "wait and see" approach. A new report by InterTrade Ireland released this week suggested many smaller firms on both sides of the border are doing the same. "There's so much still up in the air and uncertain and the uncertainty is keeping us from investing. We would invest more if we saw a settled market," said Gerald. "We're investing enough to keep us ticking over, but in the last two or three years we're not investing as much as we could do until we see what's going to happen with Brexit." However, the family-owned Limavady business, which supplies Asda, Sainsbury's and the Henderson Group, has continued to diversify. After successfully developing its own-range of tobacco onions, Milgro is now moving into ready sliced and diced products. "It's definitely a growth market. Looking back at prepared meals five or six years ago, the quality wasn't there. Now the quality is there, there are far better products and they're working well," said Gerald. "What we see is customers looking for more convenience. Nobody really wants to sit down and peal these onions and chop them. "They want to buy convenient food. People are out working, they don't want to be labouring over sinks, pealing spuds and onions. We feel there is a good market for semi-prepared or prepared foods." Milgro started out as an experiment 30 years ago at Miller's Myroe farm. Traditionally associated with cereals, the flat and stoneless ground proved an ideal setting to become Northern Ireland's first onion growing operation. "They're not easy to grow and we've made plenty of mistakes over the last 30 years, but you learn from your mistakes," said Gerald. Milgro's first major customers were the former Wellworths and Stewarts retail chains. It later sold to Safeway and then Asda, when it bought the company. Sainsbury, Co-op and the Henderson Group are also major customers. From those few experimental acres in 1989, the company now grows around 28 acres and imports a significant volume during high demand seasons. It generates a turnover of around 2.5m a year. It remains a family operation, with Gerald's wife Irene and their sons William and Ian now full part of the business. William looks after the whole onion side of the business, while Ian oversees the expanding processing end. Milgro successfully diversified into crispy tobacco onions around six years ago and more recently has made moves toward sliced and diced onions. "It has multiplied up and has done well," said Gerald. "We now do four different flavours of tobacco onions, which is stocked by the supermarkets, some butchers and we export some into the Republic. We also do diced brown onions and sliced red onions. We are really only launching the sliced and diced onions, it's a new business we have gone into in the last month. From a workforce of four, the company expanded over the years. Significant investment in mechanism means Milgro's 12 employees can run the entire operation. "You're investing in more modern machinery all the time, speedier machinery, more technology," said Gerald. But the investment has eased since the June 2016 EU referendum. While larger manufacturers have enacted contingency plans and stockpiling, Northern Ireland's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have tended to ease back on major decisions. Yesterday, InterTrade Ireland released its latest quarterly business monitor. Based on responses from 750 firms across the island, it found fewer (11%) planning to increase staff levels this year, with just 4% considering upgrading or changing premises. Just 6% of SMEs plan to spend on research and development over the next 12 months. "We haven't carried out any propriety work on Brexit," said the farmer. "We don't have to forward purchase much product. We grow onions in England as well. "We import onions from the southern hemisphere for about six weeks during the summer time, when everyone traditionally runs out of onions." Something Milgro is planning to do, however, is move towards more environmentally friendly packaging. "We are moving towards fully recyclable products, hopefully by the autumn time," said Gerald. Despite the uncertainty in the market for growers, the Balmoral Show always offers a boost for agri-firms. "Balmoral is always a good show for networking. You're meeting with families in the food hall. They understand food and want to know more, they want to know where it's coming from, what's in it," concluded Gerald. One of Belfast city centre's best known pubs will receive a 1m revamp bringing 40 new jobs, after it was taken on by new tenants, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. The Fountain in Fountain Street has now been snapped up by growing hospitality company Clover Group. The group of four pub entrepreneurs already runs a string of bars in the city centre, including the former Morrisons Bar, now Pug Uglys. Read More It has also snapped up the former Basement Bar and opened Henry's and The Jailhouse, next to McCraken's. In their latest move, they will now be running the Fountain Bar and Restaurant. JAR (IRE) Ltd, the property arm of a wider business including drinks wholesaler Drinks INC, is the owner of the Fountain. Andrew Maxwell, director of Clover, said: The Fountain is an established bar with enormous potential in a bustling part of our city, ideally located for shoppers, commuters and those looking to enjoy a night out. We want to enhance the outstanding features of the bar and its location, maintaining its traditional integrity for existing and new customers alike. Clover Group launched art deco inspired bar Margo at the former Basement Bar in Donegall Street last month. And the group says its investment in the Fountain will work well alongside a separate plan by a company linked with building firm McAleer & Rushe for a new hotel and Grade A offices on the site of the nearby Norwich Union building. Clover Group said it hopes to make the Fountain a bigger part of events in the city by applying for a street trading licence. The other three pub entrepreneurs involved in Clover are Mark Beirne, Paul Langsford and Jim Conlon. Colin Neill, chief executive of pub body Hospitality NI, said the news signalled the gradual spread of the citys nightlife from the Cathedral Quarter to other areas. Anything adding to the pub stock of Belfast has to be welcomed. Mark knows how to run good bars and will put his mark on the Fountain Bar, he said. The building was a linen warehouse until it was bought by Bryson in 1944 Social enterprise charity Bryson is putting its famous Belfast headquarters at a former linen warehouse on the market for 1.95m. Bryson Charitable Group has occupied the listed building at 28 Bedford Street for over 70 years. Now it's selling the majestic, four-storey building, and plans to redevelop another property at Ravenhill Road as its administrative and service centre. The building was designed by architect William J Barre - who also designed the nearby Ulster Hall - and completed in 1867. It served as a linen warehouse until it was bought by Bryson in 1944. Richard McCaig of selling agents Osborne King said it expected interest from occupiers and investors. A group made up of ambitious Northern Ireland aerospace firms has made its latest acquisition. Lisburn-based Causeway Aero has acquired Bristol company Race Completions Ltd. The enterprise was founded in 2016 by firms including Moyola Engineering and Denroy Plastics, in a bid to win bigger aerospace contracts. It has been in acquisition mode since last year in a bid to expand its offering. Read More In October it acquired Dundonald company Belfast Aircraft Stress Engineers (BASE), and earlier this year moved into a new 20,000 sq ft facility in Lisburn. Race Completions is the latest to fall under the Causeway wing, strengthening its design and manufacture capabilities. The Bristol firm has a background in working directly for the main airframers and supplying bulkheads, stowages, crew rests and various composite structures to the aviation industry. Its industrial accreditation will allow Causeway to carry out aircraft interiors' maintenance in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector. The move will see Race Completions' managing director Rick Crosby join Causeway Aero. He said: "Being part of the Causeway Aero Group gives us now the mass production capabilities demanded by many of our existing clients, and the market. "In all my years in aerospace engineering, I've not seen a more experienced team which has been in place from the outset. "Causeway's capabilities and infrastructure are second to none and it's apparent that their new manufacturing facility in Lisburn gives them true mass production capability." Causeway has already secured a multi-million pound deal to make seats for Pitch Aircraft Seating Systems. Last year it sealed a similar sized train contract in Europe, believed to be with Bombardier Transportation. The construction industry is actively seeking business to rebuild its order books and is now heavily reliant on gaining contracts for NI businesses, but with the work located outside NI (stock photo) The construction industry is actively seeking business to rebuild its order books and is now heavily reliant on gaining contracts for NI businesses, but with the work located outside NI. Skilled construction workers are being offered jobs that mean they must regularly travel outside NI to work. In the list of the 100 most profitable businesses in Northern Ireland published next week, 15 are either directly or indirectly dependent on construction and civil engineering activity. The detail of the annual turnover and profits figures does not give a breakdown of the location of the main contracts, but the reliance on external work is widely acknowledged. Read More The business data from the 10 largest construction firms is encouraging. Total turnover for the 10 in the latest year, usually reliant on business in 2017, exceeds 2.2bn and importantly is 17% higher than in the previous year. Many of the 10 make no secret of the large-scale contracts which they have signed, particularly in Great Britain. The other feature from the 10 largest construction businesses is that they are trading profitably. With combined pre-tax profits of nearly 104m, the performance is creditable. A gross margin of over 4.6% is reassuring. The turnover and profits figures are only a partial description of the state of the construction industry. There are evolving difficulties. Construction activity, recently, peaked in the third quarter of 2018. This followed a period of recovery from late 2013 until 2017 as the sector recovered from the recession in the wider local economy. Even in late 2018, construction activity was still nearly 20% lower than in 2008. Prospects for 2019 are subject to serious degrees of caution. There are several interdependent problems. An uncertain Brexit agenda, the absence of a functioning devolved government and a housing market which is operating with degrees of instability: all point to a cautious approach. The workload prospects in Northern Ireland, as assessed by the CEF (Construction Employers Federation) are worrying. The uncertainty about the Brexit negotiations has become something more than a debate on the merits of Brexit. An incomplete and uncertain Brexit makes the negative impact stronger. The goodwill that should have secured a continuing open trading relationship on this island has virtually disappeared. The good intentions of the 'backstop' in the negotiations have been badly misunderstood and opposed by agencies that have not appreciated what the UK and Irish Governments are trying to do. The absence of a forum for decision-making at Stormont has been only inadequately understood. Would the North-South Interconnector, now overdue, have had an agreed launch if a ministerial decision were available? Should the Belfast transport hub have made better progress to get work started? Why has the Belfast Westlink traffic management scheme made so little progress? Where is the decision-making momentum for the A5 road scheme? Possibly even more significant, why has the City Deal concept taken so long to be converted into the first steps of an action plan, both in the Belfast region and in the north-west? Why is there so little concern about the inadequacies of house-building efforts leaving too heavy a reliance on the housing associations to build enough new housing where it is socially needed? The construction industry has adapted well to a local marketplace that is in a disorderly state. The price of this unstructured approach is an unnecessary penalty. Company report: W&R Barnett W&R Barnett is one of Northern Irelands leading private sector, family-owned businesses, headquartered in Belfast but with subsidiary business units in Great Britain and several other countries. The group is a major international grain trader. The group also trades in derivatives, oils and molasses;the operation of dockside facilities; manufacturing animal feeds; and also specialises in horse breeding. In addition the business manufactures corrugated board, and is involved in the design and manufacture of corrugated cases and packaging solutions. In May 2018 the group, through a subsidiary, Logson Holdings, purchased the Braeside Group for just under 11m, which is also involved in the design and manufacture of corrugated cases and packaging. The group has controlling interests in other Northern Ireland trading units in the animal feedstuffs sector including R&H Hall, James Allen & Co, North West Silos, West Twin Silos and BHH Ltd. The group owns or has shareholdings in 80 trading subsidiaries, many of which are registered outside the UK. Operating and pre-tax profits for the year to July 2018 recorded increases of 10% on the previous year. Employment in the group averaged 1,567 people in 2018, an increase of 6% compared to 2017. Shareholders funds were valued at 363m in July 2018, up 15% from a year earlier. In October 2018, after the end of the last financial year, the group purchased and cancelled over 15,000 ordinary shares from the shareholders for 47.8m in a restructuring of the overall ownership structure. William Barnett remains the ultimate controlling shareholder. The level of payouts on trade credit insurance policies have reached a 10-year high in Northern Ireland, an industry expert has said. Nigel Birney, head of trade credit at Willis Towers Watson, has today warned that the spike in credit insurance claims is a reflection of challenges facing Northern Ireland companies amid what he called an extremely worrying number of business insolvencies. The figures from insurance firm Atradius showed the number of recent claims being made in respect of Northern Irish businesses defaulting or failing had increased significantly, representing the highest volume of claims received in a decade. The insurer also found that there has been a 50% year-on-year jump in high value claims last year, ie. those above 90,000. Insolvency specialists Begbies Traynor last month found that almost 7,000 businesses in Northern Ireland were recorded as being in a state of distress in the first three months of 2019. Mr Birney said the backdrop of Brexit and the continuing Stormont limbo is unlikely to offer any significant respite from the pressures weighing on the economy, as the trading environment in Northern Ireland continues to face challenging times. He said in many cases, claims payments from trade credit insurers have offered a lifeline to hundreds of NI businesses, with payouts in 2018 at significant levels. He continued: "The increase in claims is a barometer of what is happening in the wider local economy and unfortunately it doesn't bode well. "We are now at a 10-year high in terms of payouts which is a clear indication of what is going on. "In 2018 we estimate that around 8m in claims was paid to Northern Ireland companies as a result of the failure of one of their customers and unfortunately the trend has continued into Q1 2019 with the failure of a number of high profile local companies." He said mitigating risk and ensuring protection from non-payment is arguably more vital now than ever before. Research by Willis Towers Watson found companies feeling enormous strain on cashflow, with the average number 'days sales outstanding', creeping up, bringing businesses to the brink of failure, particularly in the construction and retail sector. Tony Gordon, head of risk services at Atradius Ireland, said: "The trading environment for business in Northern Ireland continues to be challenging. 2018 was a tough year for businesses and for the economy and the figures for Q1 2019 are showing no degree of comfort that a recovery is imminent with upward trend in claims volumes continuing. "Headline news often pinpoints key sectors such as construction and also foods and agriculture, but in reality, the challenges impact across all sectors. "The key is to have access to up-to-date information and as underwriters it is vital for us to work closely with businesses, constantly monitoring changes and impacts." One in five people in Northern Ireland show signs of a possible mental health problem and there are significantly higher levels of depression here than in the rest of the UK, according to the Mental Health Foundation. To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Linda Stewart talks to three people about their experiences. Civil servant Michael Morrison (44) was the drummer in early Snow Patrol line-up Shrug when he experienced a psychotic episode and was later diagnosed as bipolar. He is now married to Liz (51) and they live in east Belfast with their dog, Tibbs. He says: I was born with a visual impairment and have 6:60 rather than 20:20 vision. I went to mainstream school though, at Campbell College, and seemed to cope fine. I suffered a bit of social anxiety in my teens, but it wasn't until I was at university (in Dundee) that I realised the full extent of my eye condition, which was very difficult. I was fine in school but in large lecture theatres I was finding that I couldn't see a thing and I found myself really lost. I really started struggling in university - I made it to third year and that was when I had the psychotic episode. When I was in third year I made a commitment to really up my game and started organising my files and going to the library a lot and began feeling really confident. The band was also starting to get record company interest and I felt like nothing could stop me. In hindsight, though, I had become 'hypomanic' and it soon escalated into full-blown mania. My behaviour became bizarre and unpredictable and my poor flatmates had to contact my parents and try to explain what was happening. In 1996, I was taken home and had a one-night hospital stay. I thought it was all over with - a 'blip', you know? So I went back to uni the next year, but then, in 1997 I found myself in hospital in Dundee for three months between September and December. I recently came across notes which my dad had made at the time and it was pretty harrowing stuff. They were trying all sorts of medication to try and placate me but it wasn't working. Expand Close Michael with his wife Liz / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael with his wife Liz I would be wide-eyed, chain smoking, singing songs and going up to people and staring in into their eyes thinking I was the second coming - it was really far-out stuff. It was particularly difficult for my mum to deal with. Then we tried new medication (Olanzapine) and I started to come down and was able to be taken home by Christmas. I'd missed a lot of university by now and realised I'd likely be home for good. The band needed to keep going of course and I guess the manager had to make a decision to get another drummer. I came straight back here and spent about five years living with my mum and dad. I did an IT course geared for people with disabilities and then got a job on an internet helpdesk working for BT, then NTL (Virgin). I joined the civil service in 2002. I did have another episode shortly after starting the civil service and was in hospital for maybe two months, but since then I've learned to manage the condition and haven't been hospitalised since 2003. I still have ups and downs but I haven't had any manic episodes, although I've had a few periods of depression. I have to take medication - to this day I take antidepressants every morning and a mood stabiliser at night. It knocks you out when you take it or you're up all night if you don't. It makes me feel completely exhausted. But it's getting the balance right, knowing to take the medication regularly and at the right times. After university, I played guitar in my dad's wedding band over the years, and I really enjoyed it - it was a bit of extra pocket money, too. But after the band finished gigging, I stopped playing completely for about five years. I played drums recently in a blues band for a while and got back into it. I'm really into drumming again - I got myself an electronic drum kit and practice every day. Maybe one day I'll get into another decent band - who knows? Having bipolar disorder doesn't exactly suit the rock 'n' roll lifestyle though, and to be honest I'm grateful not to be involved with doing stadium tours. My sister facilitates a bipolar support group which I sometimes attend. Occasionally you encounter people's parents there trying to grasp what has just happened to their kid who has had an episode. I'm seeing how my parents must have felt 25 years ago and it's kind of heartbreaking, because you know they're in for a long haul. With a condition like bipolar disorder, you do pick up some insight along the way and hopefully come to know your limits and, from experience, how to look after yourself. I gave up alcohol a couple of years ago, for instance, having previously tended to self-medicate. Life can be stressful - you need to learn what triggers you and what to avoid." 'I felt really detached from everybody and everything... I was just in my own world of turmoil and terror' Expand Close Overcoming anguish: Alan McDowell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Overcoming anguish: Alan McDowell Alan McDowell (57), from Banbridge, who has a background in sales and marketing, has battled with anxiety and depression for some years and is now campaigning for PIPS Newry and Mourne and CAUSE. He says: My mental illness lasted for approximately six years. I became so low and was in such anguish and distress that I experienced five hospital admissions. I could no longer work and found it incredibly difficult to function. I can only describe this period as being in a very dark hole with no glimpse of light. I did not know what to do to get relief and those medical staff who were caring for me struggled as well. We tried many different configurations of medication with little effect. The ongoing anguish and negativity impacted on my confidence and self-esteem and I frequently felt suicidal. I just wanted some relief from the mental pain, a break from the darkness, an end to cyclic negative thinking. Tranquilisers like diazepam and lorazepam had little effect and I longed for sleeping tablets to get a couple of hours break. Sleep was very patchy, with the agitation being so severe that I couldn't rest in bed. In hospital, I paced the corridors up and down. In my distress, I felt detached from everybody and everything. I was in my own world of turmoil and terror. This was a horrendous time for my then wife and late elderly parents. When I wasn't in hospital, it was left to them to care for me. They constantly lived in fear that I might take my own life. I received a lot of support from a lovely man called Ken, who ran the OT woodwork workshop at Holywell Hospital. He was very patient and encouraging, and I felt he understood what I was going through. However, the darkness was never far away, and I relapsed on a number of occasions. My depression and anxiety were triggered by a traumatic period in my life. As time elapsed, the intensity of this experience lessened and very gradually, I started to recover. It was very slow and was two steps forward, one step back. As time progressed, I was able to avail of one to one counselling that became more effective. Very, very slowly I started to get glimpses of light and a bit more energy to do things. Gradually, I started to gain a bit more confidence and was able to do a few more simple tasks. Today, life is a whole lot brighter and I experience enthusiasm and passion again. Looking back, I feel my experience of having mental ill-health has made me a stronger person. I now appreciate the simple things in life like being able to laugh and smile again. To those people who are currently experiencing mental illness, I am living proof that you can make a good recovery with the correct help and support. I advocate two fantastic mental health charities who are at the coalface of supporting those who are experiencing mental ill-health and those who are carers of a loved one with mental illness, PIPS Newry and Mourne and CAUSE. I firmly believe that with the right help and support, everybody experiencing mental ill-health can make a recovery and manage this illness very effectively going forward." For more information, contact PIPS Newry and Mourne at 3026 6195 or www.pipsnewryandmourne.org. Contact CAUSE on 0845 603 0291 or visit www.cause.org.uk. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, contact the Samaritans on 084 5790 9090, or Lifeline on 080 8808 800 'I did often feel that life wasn't worth living because I felt that this was going to be my life forever' Expand Close Getting support: Rebecca Dempsey believes people should find professional help and not suffer alone / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Getting support: Rebecca Dempsey believes people should find professional help and not suffer alone Rebecca Dempsey (28), from north Belfast, works in product development and lives with her partner Ruth (31), a social worker. With the help of her GP and AWARE, she is managing anxiety and depression. She says: I would have swung between feeling very, very anxious and then periods of feeling depressed. I had very low self-esteem at school and I would have felt very under pressure. I was basically a perfectionist, very anxious and feeling that I wasn't good enough for anything, inside and outside school. I didn't want anybody to know. I didn't know what it was and because of that I kept it secret for many years. Unfortunately it did get very bad. I wasn't suicidal, but I did often feel that life wasn't worth living because I felt that this was going to be my life forever. I found it very difficult to maintain relationships, both friendships and romantic. It took me probably the guts of a year to do something about it - I kept making GP appointments and cancelling them. AWARE (a depression charity in Northern Ireland) came into our school with a Mood Matters programme and those symptoms they were talking about when I was sitting there listening, they sounded like me. But I didn't want to admit what I was suffering from. About a few months after that, however, I went to the GP. I wouldn't say everything was fine and happy afterwards, but the weight was lifted off my shoulders and that was a really big step. I was put on medication, which did help, but the best thing for me was counselling. I was referred to Holy Trinity for 12 sessions which were just a revelation to me - understanding why I was thinking the way I was thinking and learning coping mechanisms. My problem was that I was missing all these signs and getting more and more anxious, and I'd get to the point where I couldn't feel anymore because I'd used up all my energy. I would come home from school and want to get into bed. It was basically things like recognising when you're being a perfectionist or if I was doing something called catastrophising where I'd jump to the worst scenario. That's what you're doing - thinking about your situation and realising that it's your thoughts that make you feel the way you are and not a reality. Your brain can just run away with thoughts that are completely exaggerated - it's all symptoms of anxiety. I did the AWARE programme Living Life to the Full. It was like the counselling but it was also a kind of support group with other people that feel the way you do. It's like people sitting in a diabetes group - there is no difference between mental and physical health and you shouldn't feel like there is a difference or that there is something wrong with you for having poor mental health. It's not something that you have to live with forever. People who are feeling what I've described can get help - there is so much help out there and you don't have to go through it alone. Getting help and speaking out is the key - it's vital. If you sit and suffer alone, you will only feel worse." The Public Services Ombudsman has ordered Belfast Trust to provide a "meaningful apology" to the patient. [stock photo] Belfast Trust has been told to apologise to a patient for failing to properly assess her care needs before discharging her from the Royal Victoria Hospital. The 67-year-old woman was admitted to hospital on April 30, 2016 after falling at home and fracturing her right arm. The patient said she had raised concerns about her ability to cope at home with nursing and physiotherapy staff prior to leaving hospital. She explained that her next of kin was her 72-year-old cousin who also suffered from various health conditions. She complained that trust staff failed to provide her with an occupational therapy or social work assessment prior to discharging her on 20 May 2016. The patient claimed that in failing to do so, the trust had failed to appropriately provide her with a care package. The woman referred herself to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust's re-ablement team on May 23 and made a complaint to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman team who investigated her care. In a report into the matter Marie Anderson, the Public Services Ombudsman, said that trust staff failed to appropriately assess the patients needs on discharge. "I am satisfied that the failures in care and treatment I have identified caused the patient to experience the injustice of inconvenience and upset," Ms Anderson. "She lost the opportunity to have a suitable care package in place post discharge. I also consider the failures in care and treatment and maladministration caused her the injustice of having to wait for a care package; upset, distress and anxiety in having to care for herself over the weekend period and independently source a care package assessment three days after discharge. " Ms Anderson recommended the trust give a "meaningful apology" to the patient and pay a consolatory payment of 750 to the woman. The ombudsman also recommended further training was given to multi-disciplinary teams on the importance of clear record keeping on assessments, referrals, decisions and communications with patients. The Belfast Trust has been approached for comment. The symbolic bell which has been installed at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children A new symbol of hope has been installed at the Children's Haematology Ward at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. All the young people walking out of the Belfast hospital free from cancer will now mark the moment by ringing a bell to signify the end of their treatment journey. The idea for the bell in the unit came from teenager Baillie Denvir, a patient who had travelled to America for proton therapy. While there, Baillie had the chance to ring their bell once he had completed his treatment there. "He wanted to have something he could pass on to those children going through their treatment now and in the future, having something to say that this is the end and there is hope," his mum Terri said. Consultant Paediatric Oncologist Dr Robert Johnston said the new bell will provide both families and staff with a moment to remember. "We contacted the End of Treatment Bells charity run by Tracey and Phil Payton from Manchester," he explained. "Their daughter was diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer in 2003 and received treatment in Oklahoma where they first came across the bell. "They collaborated with the Maria Watt Foundation, which supplies bells on a charitable basis to many centres across the UK. They've helped provide over 2,000 of the bells across the country. "We see it as a symbol of hope for young people coming to the end of a phase of their journey involving a variety of different types of cancer therapy." Ward Sister Bernie McShane said it will provide many emotional memories. "There's a wide range of staff involved in the care of a child or young person with cancer," she said. "The journey can be varied in length between three months and three years and can involve chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. It's different for every family, but it impacts emotionally. "Staff get involved with the families and that can be difficult as sometimes the young people move on to clinics out of the ward and they don't get to see them complete their journey. "It's very significant that we now have something to mark the end of those journeys. Staff can now have a video to see the joy when that family has a good result." A convicted rapist has lost a High Court battle over being on the sex offenders' register indefinitely. Stuart Lee Johnston, 43, challenged legislation which requires him to notify police of his address and personal details. But judges in Belfast ruled that the current arrangements are compatible with human rights legislation. Johnston, from an undisclosed location in Northern Ireland, received a 12-year sentence for raping a 17-year-old female in 1995. The trial judge described him as a dangerous and violent young man with "a strong sexual appetite" he could not control. He was released from custody in November 2001 and then subject to notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This meant he must inform police of his name, date of birth, accommodation, and any bank accounts, credit cards, passport and identification documents held. Under the terms of the legislation anyone imprisoned for 30 months or more was subject to notification requirements for an indefinite period. Johnston challenged the 2003 Act, and subsequent amending legislation, claiming it breached the European Convention on Human Rights and fell outside the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly. In 2010, the UK Supreme Court held the existing indefinite notification arrangements were incompatible with the Convention as they did not contain any potential for a review in individual cases. The Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 inserted a new clause to provide such a mechanism. An offender can apply to the Chief Constable to discharge him from the notification requirements at the end of an initial review period. The court heard Johnston's application was refused in January 2018 for failing to satisfy police it was no longer necessary to remain on the register for public protection. Dismissing his legal challenge, judges identified the core issue as being the legislation's compatibility with human rights law. Mrs Justice Keegan said Johnston also had the benefit of a review by an experienced Crown Court judge. She held: "We consider that the 2013 Act itself is compliant with Convention rights and as such we do not accede to the applicant's primary case to strike down the legislation or declare the legislation incompatible." With Johnston said to have been given a full and detailed hearing, Mrs Justice Keegan concluded: "It is our clear view that the applicant has been afforded a Convention compliant procedure but he simply does not agree with the result. "As such we do not consider that any relief is merited in this case." The DUP has denied suggestions its first openly gay elected representative has been "gagged" from speaking to the media. Alison Bennington was elected to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council earlier this month, breaking the mould for a party that has been a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage and rooted in traditional Christian values. Her initial selection as a candidate and subsequent election victory has been the subject of much media coverage, however she has not yet spoken publicly on the topic. Read More At the inaugural meeting of the new Antrim and Newtownabbey council on Monday night, Ms Bennington turned down a request to speak to the media. Her fellow DUP councillor Philip Brett denied suggestions Ms Bennington has been "gagged". "She hasn't been gagged. She has just been elected less than a week, it's a very stressful time for her," he told the BBC. "It's not something I think she wants to do (talk to the media) at this stage." Following her election victory earlier this month, Councillor Bennington did not speak to the media at the count centre, exiting Valley Leisure Centre promptly after being elected. The DUP leadership's decision to select Alison Bennington to contest the election has been heavily criticised by several party members, most notably MLA Jim Wells. Mr Wells claimed that party founder and former First Minister, Rev Ian Paisley, would have been be "aghast" at the decision. He also claimed that after Ms Bennington's election he was contacted by many DUP voters who were "very concerned" about the development. Party leader Arlene Foster has stated that, like all members, Alison Bennington has "signed up to the policies of the DUP". The DUP has been contacted for a comment. Every effort should be made to avoid a return to violence in Northern Ireland, former senator George Mitchell has said. The Good Friday Agreement negotiator urged Stormonts politicians to address their problems in a realistic fashion. Paramilitary ceasefire generation journalist Lyra McKee, 29, was shot dead by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during unrest in Londonderry last month. Expand Close Lyra McKee was shot dead by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during unrest in Londonderry (McKee family/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee was shot dead by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during unrest in Londonderry (McKee family/PA) Mr Mitchell said: We should not ignore the fact that significant progress has been made in many areas, most notably in the absence of, or a sharp reduction in, political violence in recent years and we have to be conscious of the fact that a return to violence continues as a possibility not just in Northern Ireland but in every society. He added: We have to take all steps, whatever is necessary, to reduce the likelihood of a return to violence. Here it is particularly acute of course because there has been a long history of political violence here. Mr Mitchell chaired negotiations which led to all sides accepting the principle of non-violence in Northern Ireland. He helped produce the 1998 Belfast Agreement, which he has always described as part of a peace process which needs constant maintenance. The veteran Democrat said: We have to encourage the political leaders of Northern Ireland, in a realistic way, to deal with their problems, but not to create the impression that Northern Ireland is unique or distinct or alone among democratic societies in having social problems and political difficulties. You cannot ignore the issues but you cannot dwell on them to the point where you render yourself incapable of dealing with the issue. Division over identity in Northern Ireland does remain a threat to the stability of the institutions and addressing those issues must be a clear commitment by all of the political parties and all of the leaders in Northern Ireland. Where men and women do not have hope, do not have opportunity, are unable to care for their children, unable to get their children off to the good start in life that they want, there lie the ingredients for violenceGeorge Mitchell Mr Mitchell said economic deprivation underlay sectarianism and violence. He said: Where men and women do not have hope, do not have opportunity, are unable to care for their children, unable to get their children off to the good start in life that they want, there lie the ingredients for violence. Whether there are religious differences or not, whether there are territorial disputes or not, human beings need hope, they need opportunity, they need self-esteem if they are to be successful, contributing members of society and happy in their own lives. That is critical here in Northern Ireland today, just as it was 21 years ago, and I suspect 50 years ago and 75 years ago. No one should lose sight of that fact. Expand Close Miss McKee died in Londonderry, which has traditionally suffered from high unemployment (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Miss McKee died in Londonderry, which has traditionally suffered from high unemployment (Liam McBurney/PA) Miss McKee died in Londonderry, one of the most deprived areas of the UK, which has traditionally suffered from high unemployment. A rallying call for action by a priest at her funeral prompted renewed negotiations by political leaders at Stormont. The British and Irish governments are leading a bid to secure a resurrection of the devolved institutions, which have been suspended for around two and a half years. The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland has said that she is "gravely concerned" at a drop in applications for postal and proxy votes for the upcoming European elections. Virginia McVea told the BBC that the drop off in applications from the recent council elections was a "very concerning matter". The number of people applying for postal and proxy votes for the European election is approximately 14,400. This is a slight increase on the 13,782 postal votes cast during the 2014 European election. Read More However, the Electoral Office issued approximately 22,400 postal votes for the local council elections earlier this month. The deadline to apply for a postal or proxy vote for the European Elections on May 22 was May 2. Mrs McVea said that the drop-off in applications could be due to the confusion over whether or not the UK would be taking part in the European elections. The UK did not originally intend to take part, but were required to after Brexit delays. The Chief Electoral Officer described it as an "unprecedented situation" and said the uncertainty put pressure on the printers of poll cards and ballot papers. "We can meet all of our deadlines within the electoral office, but the 1.3 million people in the electorate have to get poll cards and ballot papers," Mrs McVea told the BBC. "The print house we work with was working right up until the 24 April, it couldn't stop doing the locals. "They shaved all the time off it that they could but, proofing from the 24 April, this was the fastest it could be done." Mrs McVea said she engaged with the Electoral Commission over the issue. "I raised the concerns with the Electoral Commission and provided them with a schedule of the breakdown of printing that showed it wasn't humanly possible in Northern Ireland to have it done any faster," she said. "They couldn't provide me with any other solution as to how it would be done and we knew we would end up in this situation. "But it is of grave concern to me." Hundreds of pallets at a bonfire site in east Belfast have been set alight Police have appealed for information after hundreds of pallets were set alight in east Belfast. The blaze at the Avoniel bonfire site was reported in the early hours of yesterday morning. Event organisers said on their Facebook page they were "devastated" by the incident along with the young people who helped to collect the wood. PSNI Inspector Pollock said: "The incident was reported to us in the early hours of this morning, just before 12.30am. "Firefighters extinguished the fire, in which a collection of pallets had been set alight and destroyed. "Thankfully, there were no reports of nearby properties damaged or anyone injured." Titanic DUP councillor George Dorrian described the fire as "madness". "The youngsters had the pallets stored there for the bonfires but someone has just torched the lot of them," he said. "We have no idea who it was yet. The thing I have about it is they did this without knowing how far the fire could spread. "It's the first time I remember this at Avoniel. The Bloomfield Walkway bonfire was set alight early last year. The difference here is these pallets were just being stored there and hadn't yet been built up." He added: "The only thing you can tell the people who do this is to wise up. The wood is dry and in this weather once a fire starts you can't control it." The bonfire group is one of 13 in the East Belfast Cultural Collective recently set up to promote "the positive celebration of unionist culture" and "offer advocacy support to isolated or smaller bonfires who have been targeted by statutory agencies". Theresa May has spoken to political leaders in Northern Ireland as efforts continue to secure the return of devolved government at Stormont. The power-sharing institutions have been collapsed since January 2017 following a breakdown in relations between the DUP and Sinn Fein. Yesterday, the Prime Minister spoke to Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, vice president Michelle O'Neill, Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann and Alliance leader Naomi Long, and was due to speak to SDLP leader Colum Eastwood. Downing Street said Mrs May had previously spoken to the DUP's Arlene Foster. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The PM is very keen to see progress being made in the talks and the UK Government, working with the Irish Government, is doing everything in its power to make the talks a success." Mary Lou McDonald said that during her conversation with Mrs May she emphasised her determination to resolve "outstanding issues". She wrote on Twitter after her conversation with the Prime Minister that "a deal is possible, with equality at its core". During his conversation with Mrs May, Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann urged her to work to protect the Bombardier plant in Belfast. UUP European election candidate Danny Kennedy said: "I'm very pleased my party leader raised this issue directly with the Prime Minister in his telephone conversation today. "The Prime Minister was able to inform Robin that the Business Secretary Greg Clark would provide an update. "Ideally this would have been done by a locally accountable minister. However, given the ongoing Stormont stalemate, I am pleased that Greg Clark and his department are taking a lead on this. "However, we need to keep attention focused on getting the best result for the Northern Ireland workforce." A secret file on RUC policing compiled during the worst period of the Troubles is to remain under lock and key. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has ruled the PSNI do not have to reveal the content of an MI5 report by Jack Morton, a former colonial police chief in India who recommended a shake-up of RUC Special Branch in his 1973 review. A year after the completion of his report - which was instigated by the then head of MI5, Michael Hanley - the UVF killed 33 people and an unborn child in the Dublin and Monaghan bombs. A number of those suspected to be behind the bombings were said to have had close connections with British Intelligence or Special Branch Officers. While more than 20 academics had called for the content of the Morton Report to be released for research purposes, the ICO refused. Journalist Phil Miller, who made the original Freedom of Information request to the PSNI, said he intends to appeal against the ICO's decision. He tweeted that he had asked the PSNI to release the "secret review of Special Branch" two years ago. "They refused, and now the Info Commissioner has sided with them, so I'm going to court to get it," he said. Daniel Holder, deputy director of the Belfast-based Committee on the Administration of Justice, told the Irish Times the decision was "difficult to conceive" and that it should be released to prevent a repetition of past practices that fuelled conflict. Northern Ireland's largest healthcare union has said it cannot rule out strike action in the face of growing anger over pay and conditions Northern Ireland's largest healthcare union has said it cannot rule out strike action in the face of growing anger over pay and conditions. Unison represents 27,000 health service workers in Northern Ireland and is calling for pay parity with the rest of the UK and an end to one-year pay deals, branding the practice "demoralising" for staff. It is the latest union to threaten strike action as negotiations with health bosses get under way. The Belfast Telegraph revealed on Saturday that the Royal College of Nursing said a walk out by its 15,000 members is a possibility. And yesterday a retired nurse said he had raised concerns over pay as far back as the 1970s. However, a Stormont source has said there is no cash available to meet the unions' demands. They said: "The health service is faced with no minister, no Executive, no Assembly and very tight single year budgets. "There's a reason the department keeps saying it can't spend money it doesn't have. "It's a big ask money-wise just to maintain existing services - to keep the lights on." Anne Speed, head of bargaining and representation at Unison, said: "We will continue talks until June, at which point we will be going to our members with the position and there will be a decision-making process over the summer period. "We could be in the position that we are going to have to fight by September and we will fight this all the way. "There is no doubt that if we fail to come to an agreement that the industrial relations landscape is going to get difficult, to say the least. "It's the responsibility of our politicians to find the money and to make it available, to fight for the health service in Northern Ireland and we expect them to put up a fight." Ms Speed said the union will fight for pay parity for all of its members over the coming months. "We will leave no-one behind," she said. "We have thousands of nurses and we agree with the RCN that there are real pressure points in the profession. "Our nurses are having the same experiences as the ones being discussed by the RCN, but we also represent many other staff within the health service and we will fight for parity across the board." According to Unison, band two staff in Northern Ireland are paid 1,440 less than their counterparts in Scotland. Yesterday a former male nurse contacted the BBC's Nolan Show to say pay concerns dated back decades. He said: "Colleagues and I wrote to the local papers about this back in the 1970s, when the matron of the Royal Victoria Hospital was getting the same pay as a policeman who had taken his sergeant's exam. "So an ordinary police constable, who had taken an exam to become a sergeant, was getting the same amount of money as a matron responsible for over 1,100 nurses." A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "Health and social care pay policy is a devolved issue. "We have made clear that UK-wide pay parity in health and social care would involve significant budgetary and pay policy issues that would require ministerial and cross-departmental decisions." The case against a perverted married couple came to a conclusion after the husband confessed to the last remaining count against them. Standing handcuffed in the dock of Downpatrick Crown Court, 59-year-old Gary Talbot entered a guilty plea to sexually assaulting his victim on some time between July 21, 2012 and July 22, 2014, when she would have been a teenager. At an earlier hearing Newcastle man Talbot confessed to 15 other offences including two counts each of rape, gross indecency with a child and indecent assault along with six offences of taking or permitting to be taken indecent photos of a child, all committed on dates unknown between January 1, 2001 and October 6, 2003 when the victim was aged between three and five-years-old. He also confessed to three counts of distributing indecent images of a child in May 2011. Appearing in the same dock last Wednesday, his 58-year-old wife Heather Talbot confessed to a number of the sex offences against her but due to legal reasons, her pleas could not be reported until now. Mrs Talbot, also from Newcastle, was ordered to sign the sex offenders register after she admitted two counts each of aiding and abetting her husband in the rape of the little girl, indecently assaulting her and committing acts of gross indecency with or towards the child. She also admitted three charges relating to indecent images of children. Following Mr Talbots confession Judge Piers Grant vacated the trial date and remanding the pervert back into custody, ordering a pre-sentence probation report to be completed ahead of sentencing on June 4. Nothing of the facts were heard in court but during a failed bail application last year, the court heard how Mrs Talbot took the child shopping to buy her stockings and lingerie with a view to her husband raping the little girl. Giving evidence to the court a detective outlined how the police uncovered photographic evidence in their former home that showed Gary Talbot and his wife engaging in sexual acts, including rape, with the little girl, who would have been aged between two and five at the time of the offences. When the married couple first appeared in court in February last year, she told the court the couples home was initially searched in October 2017 when a number of devices, computers and a laptop were seized. When the devices were examined, a number of digital images were found which clearly show Gary and Heather Talbot engaging in sexual activity with a child 2-4 years old at their home address. She described how there were images which showed the little girl touching Gary Talbots private parts, sitting naked on the knees of both defendants while others were of the same child wearing stockings and underwear, exposing her genitals. In his interviews, Gary Talbot admitted making a collection of videos, admitted rape, sexually assaulting and gross indecency with the child. He further confessed that his wife was present during some incidents and couldve taken some of the photos, some of which he distributed to like minded individuals in chat rooms. When Heather Talbot was questioned by cops she stated that she had gone with her husband to purchase the dressing up outfits for the victim and that he had discussed with her prior to that that he had fantasised about children. Heather Talbot also admitted to dressing the victim for her husband but claimed she left the room so did not know what happened after that between her husband and the victim. In relation to chat logs found on the couples computer, the detective said Mrs Talbot admitted she had accessed adult swinging websites with her husband and would use fake names on the sites, but claimed the logs about the sexual abuse of children were all written by her husband or that he had distributed the images, not her. Prosecuting counsel Laura Ievers confirmed that both Mr and Mrs Talbot are already on the sex offenders register. Remanding Mr Talbot back into custody, Judge Grant ordered the couple to appear before him to be sentenced on 4 June. Police and the family of Aidan Baldrick from Londonderry are becoming increasingly concerned for his safety and wellbeing. The 33-year-old has not been seen since Friday at 5pm on Clarendon Street in Londonderry. He is described as being approximately 58 tall, of medium build. He is believed to have been wearing blue jeans, dark navy jacket and brown loafers. Police are appealing for Aidan to make contact with police or his family or if anyone knows of Aidans whereabouts please contact police on 101 quoting reference 800 of 12/05/19. Three people were injured as a result. Two police officers and a female pedestrian were injured by a hit and run driver in Newry last Thursday, May 9. The incident took place in the Dublin Road area around 11.30pm. Police received a report of anti-social driving and attended the scene. They observed a vehicle attempting a 'donut'. Officers used their blue lights to signal to the vehicle, which then attempted to flee the scene, colliding with the police vehicle, a parked car and a female pedestrian. The woman was taken to hospital for treatment of her injuries which are not believed to be life threatening. Two police officers also suffered injuries as a result of the incident. Constable Gerry Roberts appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident or may have dashcam footage to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 11 of 10/05/19. 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. The committee ruled that the behaviour was serious. Image poosed by model A social worker has been suspended from work after making obscene sexual gestures and comments about the relative of a child in care. Jennifer Victoria Porter was working in the Looked After Children's team in the Southern Trust when she was accused of using inappropriate and derogatory language, sexualised language about service users and using derogatory references about ethnic minority families. A number of witnesses gave evidence to a fitness to practise hearing, with one claiming she often used foul language. A second former colleague said she described the mum of one family as "fat" and "big". A third witness told the hearing Ms Porter described the mum of one family in a derogatory way, using words like "stinking", "smelly" and "greasy". A fourth witness said Ms Porter had used the word "paedo" to describe the dad of one family, based on a photograph she had seen. A Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) panel also heard evidence from all four witnesses that "other members of staff seemed to think that the registrant's behaviour was acceptable". It noted that Ms Porter's behaviour was "condoned and participated in by her line manager", and there was a "culture of this type of behaviour in some parts of the team at that time". Ms Porter faced two separate charges - that some time between May 9, 2013, and March 16, 2016, she used inappropriate or derogatory language in relation to service users, and that she also used an inappropriate sexual gesture in relation to a kinship carer. The NISCC hearing report said Ms Porter made obscene sexual gestures about him to everyone in the office when she spoke to him on the phone. It said: "Witness four gave evidence that there was a kinship carer that the registrant 'fancied' and she would make different comments about his attractiveness. "The committee considered that it was more likely than not that the registrant on one or more occasions had used inappropriate sexual gestures in relation to a kinship carer." The report continued: "The committee determined that the facts found proved involved repeatedly using inappropriate and derogatory language about a range of very vulnerable service users and vulgar sexual gestures in relation to a kinship carer. "This conduct occurred in the workplace and the committee determined that it was serious." The committee ruled that Ms Porter's behaviour was "deliberate and prolonged" and said it "was not a mistake or error of judgment on one occasion" and concluded it amounted to serious misconduct. It also noted that the public would find her actions "deplorable". The committee also said there was no evidence before them to show Ms Porter had taken any steps to remediate, particularly as there was a "concerning lack of insight on the part of the registrant". The NISCC committee said it was "very concerned about the risk of repetition" and deemed that Ms Porter's fitness to practise was impaired. In determining what action to take, the committee noted that Ms Porter had a good work history and character, with no previous concerns raised before or since. It also said that her action didn't cause any harm to any service user and that it was never done in front of service users. As a result, the panel decided to suspend Ms Porter from the professional register for six months. She cannot work as a social worker until October 2 this year. A spokesman from the Southern Trust said a thorough investigation into social work practices within the Looked After Children's team was carried out. He said the Trust took robust action in response to unacceptable behaviour identified. The spokesman continued: "The Trust is satisfied that these unacceptable behaviours have been appropriately addressed and all staff currently employed are fully aware and committed to ensuring the highest standard of professional social work practice at all times. "The Trust very much appreciated the opportunity to fully address the concerns raised under its whistleblowing policy." Key legislation to ratify Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal in law will be brought before the Commons at the beginning of next month, Downing Street has announced. The UK Government will bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning June 3, a spokesman said, after Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn held fresh talks on Tuesday evening. Mrs May was said to have made clear to the Labour leader that she wanted to bring cross-party discussions to a conclusion and "deliver on the referendum result". Read More A Downing Street spokesman said: "This evening the Prime Minister met the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU. "We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the 3rd June. "It is imperative we do so then if the UK is to leave the EU before the summer parliamentary recess. "Talks this evening between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both useful and constructive. Expand Close Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Gareth Fuller/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Gareth Fuller/PA) "Tomorrow talks will continue at an official level as we seek the stable majority in Parliament that will ensure the safe passage of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and the UK's swift exit from the EU." A Labour Party spokeswoman said Mr Corbyn set out the shadow Cabinet's concerns about the Prime Minister's ability to deliver on any compromise agreement during the talks in Parliament on Tuesday evening. "In particular he raised doubts over the credibility of Government commitments following statements by Conservative MPs and Cabinet ministers seeking to replace the Prime Minister. "Jeremy Corbyn made clear the need for further movement from the government, including on entrenchment of any commitments. "The Prime Minister's team agreed to bring back documentation and further proposals tomorrow." It is understood that Mr Corbyn rejected any suggestion that Labour would support the Withdrawal Agreement Bill without agreement. After a marathon Cabinet meeting earlier on Tuesday, ministers agreed to continue the cross-party efforts to break the impasse but stressed it was "imperative" for a Brexit deal to get through Parliament by the summer recess. With Theresa May's future linked to the passage of a Brexit deal, getting legislation through the Commons and Lords by the summer break could also pave the way for her departure from Number 10. Ministers spent more than two hours discussing the Brexit situation and despite the apparent lack of progress in talks with Labour decided the process should continue, but with a clear view that "we need to get a move on". The Withdrawal Agreement will go before the Commons in the same week US President Donald Trump is due to make a state visit to the UK. Mr Trump and his wife Melania will be in the UK from Monday June 3 to Wednesday June 5. On Thursday June 6, a by-election will be held in Peterborough to find a replacement for MP Fiona Onasanya, who lost her seat through a recall petition after serving time in prison for lying about a speeding offence. A major showcase of work featuring artists' responses to the Troubles hopes to attract record visitor numbers as it embarks on a 12-month cross-border tour. The Troubles Art exhibition has paintings, drawings and photographs from renowned names such as Jack Pakenham, Rita Duffy and Joseph McWilliams, with some pieces going on display for the first time. Drawn from the National Museums NI's art collection, it explores a broad range of themes universal to conflict, such as suffering and loss; violence and destruction; imprisonment; sectarianism; traditions, territory and life in the midst of turmoil. Among National Museums NI's recent acquisitions is acclaimed Magnum photographer Donovan Wylie's record of the physical structure of the Maze Prison over a six-year period during its closure and demolition. Other newly acquired pieces include Gladys Maccabe's Funeral of a Victim, 1969, while visitors can also view works from McWilliams (Rendezvous with Rainbow, 1976) and Victor Sloan (Holding the Ring, Portadown). Anna Liesching, curator from National Museums NI, encouraged as many people as possible to visit the acclaimed exhibition's four host venues in Lisburn, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Armagh. "We now have the largest collection of fine art associated with the Troubles in the world and we really want to get that collection seen," she said. "It's not about trying to give an historical comprehensive account of all that happened during the Troubles, it's about representing what artists created themselves; their own particular reactions and perspectives to the conflict. "It's also about raising awareness and understanding of that artistic response in order to ignite conversations amongst people." Ms Liesching added "Some pieces are about specific incidents but a lot of it is about day to day life and the community and people find it very evocative to be able to see these interpretations of their own experiences presented to them in such a way that has definitely helped them address their own past and to be able to communicate that with others. "This is the public art collection, the public own this, so it's a chance to see your own public art collection in your own home town." The exhibition is part of a new cross-border programme, Making the Future, funded through the PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. Troubles Art will run in the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum until Saturday, June 29. It will then tour to Fermanagh County Museum (July to December 2019), The Market House, Venue and Gallery, Monaghan (January to February 2020), and Armagh County Museum (February to May 2020). Admission is free. A victims group has hit out after it was suggested that the last remaining H-block at the Maze Prison site could be opened to the public. Last week developers said plans for a peace centre had been "set aside". Longstanding political wrangling over what unionists said would be "a shrine to terrorism" and the withdrawal of EU funding put paid to it. But other plans to develop the 347-acre site near Lisburn may now go forward. Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt told BBC NI's Nolan Show that he had seen inside H-block 6 and believed there "is merit in young people going down those corridors and looking at those tiny bare cells, because I can't think of any cause that would be worth going to a prison like that for". He said if we are to learn from the mistakes of the past and not repeat history "then there is merit in opening that H-block 6". Kenny Donaldson of Innocent Victims United (IVU) said victims of terrorism were concerned that H-block 6 could be retained. He said that at an IVU event in Stormont in 2013 "many politicians of all swathes of democratic opinion were in attendance and witnessed the strength of feeling against such a proposal at the Maze being advanced". "At the time we made it clear that we would continue to closely monitor any effort to open up the Maze terror buildings to public access where terrorism idolatry would be a certain outworking. "Politicians' interests may change as the years go by but the principles held by innocent victims and survivors of terrorism which are based upon their lived experiences have not," he said. A new government department should be created in Northern Ireland to specifically deal with tackling sectarianism, an academic report has urged. Ending the scourge of religious bigotry should be top of any future Executive's priority list and must be given the same political focus as other key policy areas, such as economic development, the Ulster University study recommended. Progress can be better monitored if an accountable department takes ownership of the issue, the report said. Read More As well as the Executive department, the academic review also proposes establishing a new civic body to help shape community efforts toward reconciliation. The report recommends setting up a fund to enable businesses to sponsor cross-community projects. The study, which was commissioned by the Sir George Quigley Fund, proposes the creation of a Youth Assembly to give young people a voice and says consideration should be given to lowering the voting age to 16. Penned by UU professor Duncan Morrow, the report does not suggest how the new Executive department would be structured and whether the ministry would be allocated under the conventional d'Hondt process or, like the Stormont justice department, be filled by a politician that does not belong to either of the two main parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein. The proposals will be considered at a special conference in Belfast today which will be addressed by a range of high-profile guests, including the US diplomat that brokered the Good Friday Agreement, former Senator George Mitchell. Comedian Patrick Kielty, whose father was murdered during the Troubles, will also speak at the event. Politicians have been invited to attend, as have church, business and community leaders. Young people from across Northern Ireland will also join the audience at the UU's Belfast campus. The report launch comes amid renewed efforts at Stormont to restore the power-sharing institutions after more than two years without a functioning government. Professor Morrow said the recent murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry should focus minds on the need to act. "The deeply tragic events of recent weeks sharpen the focus on just how dangerously close we remain to this residual threat," he said. "The young people taking part reflect the hope and optimism that we all hold for Northern Ireland, but we have a duty of care and leadership to ensure that the expectation, aspiration and potential of the next and future generations is met and not stifled by sectarian polarisation. "We hope that the review's recommendations will make possible the step change needed." The Sir George Quigley Fund was set up by the Ulster Bank in honour of its former chairman. The leading civil servant and businessman was a strong advocate of initiatives to tackle sectarianism. Ronnie Kells, chair of the Quigley Fund committee, said: "We acknowledge the extremely positive contribution made over the years by many individuals and organisations to address sectarianism, often working silently and unrecognised. "Regrettably, sectarianism still lingers at the heart of our society and acts as a barrier to prosperity and as an insult to a civilised community. "This scourge of several generations will persist unless resolute and sustained action is taken to address it. Everyone has a role to play in addressing this problem - it is not the sole responsibility of government or the political parties in Northern Ireland. "Civic society needs to work with them to ensure it is placed at the top of the public agenda alongside the economy as a key priority. We trust that our conference will help to establish the foundations for a credible solution driven by collegiate and concerted civic leadership and action." Sinn Fein has called on voters to send a clear message to London, Brussels and beyond by returning two pro-Remain candidates in next week's European elections. Launching the party manifesto at Belfast's Waterfront Hall ahead of the May 22 vote, Mary Lou McDonald said there's a unique opportunity for people to show solidarity in wanting what's best for everybody, right across Ireland. Joined by her vice president Michelle O'Neill and Euro candidate Martina Anderson, who topped the poll in Northern Ireland last time round, the party president predicted the return of two pro-Remain candidates to Brussels. "This is a unique and unifying moment of solidarity for people who want what is best for all of us, for everybody right across Ireland, where people can look to shared, common interests and stave off shared common dangers and threats," she said. "Brexit changes everything for all of us, and it's for that reason that we identify this as maybe a unique and unifying moment of solidarity for people who want what is best for all of us right across Ireland. "The only thing to do is to vote for pro-Remain parties and reject Brexit. "Martina Anderson is the strongest advocate of the pro-Remain position. "I think it's important that a pro-Remain candidate tops the poll, but I also think it's very important that, in the round, the pro-Remain argument wins the day. "So I would say to everybody - whether they come from unionism or from nationalism, or they are somewhere in between - think long and think hard, and be sure in this European election that we send the right, the accurate and the progressive signal to Brussels, to London, and beyond, that people here are united in a desire for progress to protect our peace process, our peace agreements, to protect our economy, our livelihoods, our agriculture, that's what a vote for a pro-Remain candidate amounts to. We are Euro critical, we know that farmers, business, ordinary people will be injured and harmed by Brexit. "Those are the facts. "The bare minimum protections that Ireland requires are contained in the backstop - there can be no backsliding from that." Ms McDonald added that she believes that voters have the opportunity to send out a clear message to the Conservative Government. "This really is the election campaign that the Tories didn't want to happen," the Sinn Fein leader insisted. "Martina Anderson really is the person that the Tories wish was not on posters anywhere. This is a moment for all of us to take a stand. "I don't believe this is a moment for us all to retreat into fear or old tribal rivalries. This is a time to look to the future. "There is no credible case to be made for Brexit. "It is extremely dangerous for our peace process and agreements. "A vote for Martina says Ireland will not be collateral damage to the reckless Tory Brexit. "No MEP has defended the Irish case in the way that Martina has. "There are many people across the parliament and institutions in Europe who would tell you likewise. "People have to scrutinise the position adopted by candidates very carefully. "I don't think people should be speaking out of both sides of their mouths on the issue of Brexit." Ms Anderson told the audience that no other party has fought harder for Ireland over the past five years, particularly over Brexit issues. "There would not be a backstop if it hadn't been for Sinn Fein," she said. "We brought the focus and attention to Ireland, demonstrating the damage it was going to do to our country, particularly to those of us who live in the north. "Brexit belongs to the Tories, the Good Friday Agreement belongs to us. "We secured that the Good Friday Agreement needed to be protected in all of its parts, that there would be no hardening of the Irish border." Mrs O'Neill added that Ireland was "at best and as ever an afterthought in the minds of the British Establishment" when negotiating the Brexit deal. "Since 2016 Sinn Fein has campaigned vigorously on the idea of special status for the North, a policy the SDLP, Alliance Party and Green Party have now adopted. "We cannot withstand exclusion from the customs union or the single market. "Team Sinn Fein brought Irish issues to the heart of Europe. "We have stood up to the DUP and the British Government. "Irish unity is now firmly on the agenda in Europe." (left to right) student advocate Damien McClean, MEP candidate Rita Harold, Solidarity TD Ruth Coppiner and domestic abuse survivor Jessica Bowes during the launch of the new No Contact Order Bill to protect victims of abuse (Aoife Moore/PA) A domestic abuse survivor has called on the Minister for Justice to do more for victims and back a new Bill on no contact orders. Jessica Bowes was attacked by her partner, former soldier Jonathan McSherry, 36, who broke nearly every bone in her face and kicked her a number of times in December 2015. Ms Bowes along with Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger, who introduced the Bill to the Dail on Tuesday said she had contacted a number of politicians about introducing such a law, but her calls were ignored. Survivor @i_am_jessica_b has called on the government to protect domestic violence victims. To the Justice Minister she says: If you love the women of Ireland and you want to make us safe, start with early intervention, we need a no contact order to break the cycle of abuse. pic.twitter.com/pC0RZsuKHr aoife moore. (@aoifegracemoore) May 14, 2019 In 2015, I was very seriously assaulted and since then Ive become an accidental advocate, she said. Since my attack, women contact me all the time, telling me their stories, and theres a common feature that they cannot escape the abuse because of constant contact. We need to back awareness up with legislation that supports us, with early intervention from the courts. If someone has to be assaulted or threatened before they can be supported then were not doing enough. We have no legislation to stop our abusers contacting us without a barring order, we have no legal rights to stop the contact that controls our life through fear. I have a message for the Minister for Justice today, if you love the women of Ireland and you want to help make us safe, start with early intervention. We need a no contact order to break the cycle of abuse when we identify whats happening to us. The legislation being tabled is an amendment to the No Contact Order Bill, which is restricted to those in intimate relationships or family members. Changing the scope to anyone known to the applicant would provide protection for victims of stalking and other harassment, Ms Coppinger says. Expand Close Ruth Coppinger (Niall Carson/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruth Coppinger (Niall Carson/PA) The amendment would mean victims only having to provide two examples of harassment, which could be verbal statements or evidence of text messages, to have the order implemented, a model based on the law in Scotland. The changes would allow victims to have an order implemented on the grounds of feeling fear despite not being attacked or threatened. Ms Bowes added: In the days leading to my assault, I wasnt being threatened, I was being sent flowers and being told I was loved. I couldnt call the guards and say, This fella is sending me flowers, but I didnt really feel comfortable with it, and then the emotional abuse starts. I felt like I was holding back the tide, I fell into the same pattern, and its hard to break the pattern when they can contact you. Ms Coppinger said male dominance in the Dail means issues like domestic violence are pushed to the back burner. Launching the #NoContactOrder Bill with Jessica Bowes, Rita Harrold and Damien McClean (USI).#dubw pic.twitter.com/zkLMftvHXC Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) May 14, 2019 This is ongoing, its not a priority for this Government, and it only becomes a priority when theres a huge case and a protest takes place. Its not a consistent issue and we have to make it one, she said. The Bill follows discussions I had with Jessica Bowes, and she approached me believing this is very necessary to help people escape abuse. We would like this to be enacted very quickly. Weve had snails pace change in Dail Eireann on this issue. Theres an epidemic of gender-based violence, nationally and internationally, what weve actually got in terms of change is very little. Expand Close Justice minister Charlie Flanagan (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Justice minister Charlie Flanagan (Liam McBurney/PA) Justice minister Charlie Flanagan later said that although his department could be more proactive, he had taken a number of steps to tackle domestic abuse, including ratifying the Istanbul Convention, and has commissioned a second major national study on sexual violence in Ireland. Ive just seen Deputy Coppingers Bill, Id be very happy to engage with her on that, he said. One of a range of measures that are on my desk. The body of Alesha MacPhail was found in woodland on the site of a former hotel by a member of the public (John Linton/PA) The teenager jailed for a minimum of 27 years for the rape and murder of schoolgirl Alesha MacPhail has been granted leave to appeal against the sentence. Aaron Campbell, 17, snatched the six-year-old from her bed at her grandparents home on the Isle of Bute last summer. He was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 27 years following a nine-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow earlier this year. Expand Close Aaron Campbell was warned he may never leave prison (Police Scotland/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aaron Campbell was warned he may never leave prison (Police Scotland/PA) A court spokesman confirmed on Tuesday the killer has been granted leave to appeal against the length of the punishment imposed by judge Lord Matthews. A hearing date has been set for August 7 at the High Court in Edinburgh. Campbell inflicted horrific injuries on Alesha, from Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, before dumping her body in nearby woodland on July 2 last year. A jury found him guilty unanimously, and he later confessed the crime to those assessing him ahead of sentencing, saying he was quite satisfied by the murder. Lord Matthews described Campbell as calculating and remorseless and warned he may never be released from prison. The Prince of Wales gives a speech during a reception to launch the At Ease Appeal at St Jamess Palace (Tristan Fewings/PA) The Prince of Wales paid tribute to his sons mental health charity work and acknowledged the challenges of the future, as he marked the centenary of a veterans charity. Speaking at a reception for mental health organisation Combat Stress, Charles praised the awful stigma of our society giving way to a more positive and caring attitude. He added: The armed forces have made a concerted effort in this regard and so, I am proud to say, have my sons. The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex are both patrons and founders of the Heads Together initiative, which raises funds for mental health services. Today our charity is 100 years old. Over time a lot has changed, but the #mentalhealth problems #veterans can face are the same as they were in 1919. Were on a mission to help every veteran who needs us today, tomorrow and in the years to come. #CSCentenary #100storiesin100days pic.twitter.com/z9qjOuFO4e Combat Stress (@CombatStress) May 12, 2019 The St Jamess Palace event was in aid of Combat Stress At Ease appeal, launched in the charitys 100th year as it attempts to raise 10 million. Then known as the Ex-Servicemens Welfare Society, the charity launched in 1919 to help men returning from the front line of the First World War. More than 2,000 veterans turn to Combat Stress for assistance each year, and 17% of servicemen and women who served in Iraq or Afghanistan are predicted to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Dean Porter received assistance from Combat Stress when he reached rock bottom after serving with the Royal Anglian regiment in the 2000s. Expand Close The Prince of Wales meets veteran Dean Porter during the reception (Tristan Fewings/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Prince of Wales meets veteran Dean Porter during the reception (Tristan Fewings/PA) He credits the charity with helping him recover after everything came crashing down. Now a personal trainer, Mr Porter had found himself with gambling problems and was bitter towards the Army for a while, before the therapies helped in his recovery. Veterans Minister Tobias Elwood also paid tribute to the charitys work. Commenting on how military attitudes towards mental health have changed since he served in the Army, Mr Elwood said personnel have shifted away from being stubborn, to think theres a stigma about saying that theres something wrong with them. He praised the modern aim for an advanced society that is very proud of the professionalism of its armed forces but also one that should look after them, and acknowledges they may need support. Deputy First Minister John Swinney confirmed five payments have already been made to in-care abuse survivors (Jane Barlow/PA) The first payments have been made under a new scheme set up to help survivors of childhood abuse in care who are elderly or terminally ill. Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced details of the 10,000 advance payments three weeks ago saying then that the move was a significant milestone in our endeavours to do what we can to address the wrongs of the past. Since then five of the payments which are being awarded while the Scottish Government continues to work on a statutory redress scheme for survivors of in-care abuse have been made. Deputy First Minister @JohnSwinney welcomes first payments of 10,000 being made to survivors of childhood abuse in care. Read more https://t.co/ezkbieSXDM https://t.co/QTJBRqd1rU ScotGov Education (@ScotGovEdu) May 14, 2019 Those who suffered abuse in care prior to December 2004, and who are aged 70 or over, or who are terminally ill, are eligible for a flat rate payment under the scheme. A dedicated phone line set up to help abuse survivors apply for the money has taken about 150 calls, with more than 100 application packs also sent out. Mr Swinney said: I am pleased that five payments have already been approved under the Advance Payment Scheme in such a short space of time, with a further 36 applications currently being considered. He added: While nothing can take away the pain that individuals have suffered, the payments are recognition of the harm done to children who were abused while in care in Scotland. We put in place a simple yet robust application process and are focused on helping survivors and their families throughout the process. Those applying for a grant do not need to provide proof that they were abused, but are required to submit documentary evidence which shows that they were in care. A former Google boss has defended the companys record on tax and said the technology giant complies with complicated rules. Eric Schmidt was the chairman of Google from 2001 to 2011 before taking on the role of executive chairman until 2015. He now sits on the board of the search engines parent company, Alphabet. When asked by BBC Newsnight whether Google was doing the right thing by using a Dutch company to reduce its tax bill, Mr Schmidt, 64, said: The global tax system is incredibly complicated. We are required to follow tax rules when those tax rules change, of course, we will adopt them. But there is a presumption we are doing something wrong here. We were following the global tax regime. Documents filed in the Netherlands showed Google moved 19.9 billion euros (17.9 billion) to a shell company in Bermuda, a tax haven. We feel very comfortable with what we have done and I will defend the company, and how it works, for a very long timeEric Schmidt Google has always maintained it abides by tax rules in all of the countries in which it operates. Mr Schmidt said: We feel very comfortable with what we have done and I will defend the company, and how it works, for a very long time. He also defended the firms work in China, calling the world a very interconnected place. Last year, the New York Times reported Google was working on a search engine for use in the country, compliant with Beijings strict censorship rules. The company has since said it is no longer working on the project, after several high-profile resignations. When asked why employees only heard about the project in the media, Mr Schmidt said he had no direct involvement in the work but I can tell you that certainly the people who were building all these products knew about it. Britain should be prepared to decisively raise the proportion of national income it spends on defence once it has left the EU, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. Mr Hunt said major increase in military spending would demonstrate the the UKs commitment to defending democratic values at a time of growing global uncertainty. Addressing the Lord Mayor of Londons banquet at the Mansion House, he said the additional funding should be for new capabilities, such as cyber and artificial intelligence, rather than plugging gaps in existing plans. At the same time, he warned that it was not sustainable to expect the US to carry on spending 4% of its GDP on defence while other Nato allies spent only 1% to 2%. For these and other reasons I believe it is time for the next strategic defence and security review to ask whether, over the coming decade, we should decisively increase the proportion of GDP we devote to defence, he said. I believe it is time for the next strategic defence and security review to ask whether, over the coming decade, we should decisively increase the proportion of GDP we devote to defenceJeremy Hunt The outcome of such investment should demonstrate beyond doubt that when we say Britain stands for the defence of democratic values, when we promise never to leave our great ally, the United States, to perform this task alone, then we are as good as our word and in doing so we encourage other democracies who share our values to follow suit. The Foreign Secretary is widely expected to be a contender for the Tory leadership when Theresa May steps down, and his address will be seen as a pitch to Conservative MPs concerned about the level of defence spending. He acknowledged the UK currently accounted for almost 20% of total EU defence spending, and that British forces possessed a hugely disproportionate share of some key capabilities such as heavy lift transport aircraft. The conflicts of tomorrow could well start with a cyber attack, then escalate into precision strikes by hypersonic missiles followed by swarms of unmanned aircraftJeremy Hunt But at a time of evolving threats, he said the country needed to be prepared to do more to defend its traditional values. We are in a multipolar world without the assurance provided by unquestioned American dominance, he said. We face a more aggressive Russia and a more assertive China. We simply do not know what the balance of power in the world will be in 25 years time. At the same time the nature of warfare is changing. The conflicts of tomorrow could well start with a cyber attack, then escalate into precision strikes by hypersonic missiles followed by swarms of unmanned aircraft. The new domains of space and cyber and the immense capabilities of artificial intelligence will transform the conduct of warfare. If we want Britain to defend the Enlightenment values that owe so much to our finest thinkers, like David Hume in Edinburgh and Adam Smith in Glasgow, then we need to be leaders in these areas too. Mr Hunts comments were dismissed by Labours shadow defence secretary, Nia Griffith. She wrote on Twitter: Jeremy Hunt has been a Cabinet Minister since 2010. Since then the Tories have cut defence spending by 9 billion in real terms. If he was so bothered, youd have thought he might have said something a bit sooner? Mr Hunt, who backed Remain in the referendum but has since sought to appeal to Brexiteers, said it was essential to honour the 2016 vote by leaving the EU cleanly and properly. Mr Hunt, who backed Remain in the referendum but has since sought to appeal to Brexiteers, said it was essential to honour the 2016 vote by leaving the EU cleanly and properly. To do so is to live up to a democratic promise, he said. And to fail would betray the promise of a democracy. It would also fail the values that Britain has always stood for. How could we defend democracy on the international stage if a large part of our population believes we are ignoring it at home? The Duchess of Cambridge has visited Bletchley Park where she was surprised by a memorial to her family who worked at the site during the Second World War. Codebreakers based at the site, near Milton Keynes, fed crucial information to Allied forces in the days and weeks leading up to the largest sea invasion in history in 1944. Kate, who visited ahead of the June 6 commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings, was shown a new memorial wall which contained the names of those who were veterans of the war who served at Bletchley Park. The wall contained commemorative bricks, featuring the names of her grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, and her twin sister, Mary, who both worked at the code-breaking facility during the war. While on her tour of the base, the duchess also took part in the code-breaking exercises with children from Ackley Wood School in Buckinghamshire. The Duchess of Cambridges Grandmother and Great Aunt, Valerie and Mary Glassborow, who worked at @bletchleypark, the home of British codebreaking during the Second World War are the latest additions to Bletchleys Codebreakers Wall. pic.twitter.com/LpeRRpbk0e The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 14, 2019 She helped the children de-scramble German messages, like those during the war, using an original Enigma code-breaking machine, and deciphered the message: The invasion has begun. Speaking about her family connection with Bletchley Park, the Duchess told the children: My Granny and her sister worked here which is really cool. She was sworn to secrecy and she found it very difficult to talk about. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge met with next generation of budding codebreakers (aka visiting school children) taking part in our new interactive STEM learning activities #BletchleyPark #DDay75 pic.twitter.com/yDyzD0pKBD Bletchley Park (@bletchleypark) May 14, 2019 After helping the children, Kate was presented with owl, squirrel, rabbit and fox stuffed toys to give to her nephew Archie, the newborn son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex . Kate arrived at the centre wearing a blue and white polka dot dress from Alessandra Rich, complemented by a brooch which is understood to have belonged to her grandmother. Expand Close Kate wore a blue and white polka dot dress from Alessandra Rich (Joe Giddens/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kate wore a blue and white polka dot dress from Alessandra Rich (Joe Giddens/PA) Expand Close Kates wore a brooch thought to have belonged to her grandmother (Joe Giddens/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kates wore a brooch thought to have belonged to her grandmother (Joe Giddens/PA) After being shown around the newly restored Teleprinter Building where codebreakers received hundreds of thousands of enemy messages, Kate was shown a new special exhibition entitled D-Day: Interception, Intelligence, Information. The Duchess took time to speak to lines of cheering and giggling schoolchildren from College Gerard Philipe, in France, Kinross Primary School, Scotland, and Woodmansterne Primary School, London, who were waving British flags as she made her way through the site. Expand Close School children wait to get a glimpse of The Duchess of Cambridge as she leaves Bletchley Park (Joe Giddens/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp School children wait to get a glimpse of The Duchess of Cambridge as she leaves Bletchley Park (Joe Giddens/PA) Towards the end of her tour, Kate was introduced to four Bletchley Park Veterans by Dermot Turing, the nephew of the famous code-breaker Alan Turing. Rena Stewart, Georgina Rose, Elizabeth Diacon, and Audrey Mather served at the once-secret facility during the war until 1945. The four veterans, who all wore pins in recognition of their service to Bletchley Park, spoke to the duchess about what they remembered from their time gathering intelligence in the build-up to D-Day. The Duchess of Cambridge with @BletchleyPark Veterans Elizabeth Diacon, Georgina Rose, Audrey Mather and Rena Stewart who all worked to feed crucial information to Allied forces in the critical months, weeks and days leading up to D-Day during #WW2. pic.twitter.com/a5VF5OQUuy The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 14, 2019 Kate told them: Its so lovely that its been celebrated. My grandma never talked about it because she felt so protective. Kate also spoke with the veterans about letting their hair down after they had finished their shifts. Kate, who last visited Bletchley Park in 2014, ended her visit after being presented with a bouquet by five-year-old Lawson Bischoff. Expand Close The Duchess of Cambridge met five-year-old Lawson Bischoff after her visit (Joe Giddens/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duchess of Cambridge met five-year-old Lawson Bischoff after her visit (Joe Giddens/PA) He described meeting the duchess as the best and added that he felt happy after she thanked him for her flowers. Legos flagship store in Leicester Square, London, will open at midnight to launch a new mystery set (Caitlin Doherty/PA) Lego fans are queuing at the companys flagship London store ahead of a mystery midnight launch. Excitement is building among superfans from as far afield as New Zealand who are waiting outside the Leicester Square shop, hoping to be the first to get their hands on a new set. @NXOnNetflix Are you ready to unlock this door? It's not Will this time. This message is from us. pic.twitter.com/ksD43sNbEp LEGO (@LEGO_Group) May 14, 2019 Fans have speculated that the launch could be related to Netflix series Stranger Things. Teaser posts on Legos official Instagram page appear to show famous moments from the series replicated in bricks. The third season of the hit show is due to launch in July. One fan, who asked to be described only as Jack from Inverness, has been queuing since 10.30am on Tuesday. Ive grown up with Lego, but Ive never really grown out of it, he said. This is the first time Ive ever joined a midnight queue for anything. Simon, from New Zealand, is in the UK to visit family but has taken time out to join the queue. We dont have anything like this in New Zealand. We dont have Lego stores and we dont have midnight launches, said Simon, who did not want to give his full name. This will be my only chance to do something like this. Expand Close Stranger Things (Netflix/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stranger Things (Netflix/PA) Lego has recreated moments from the big and small screen in the past, with Star Wars, Harry Potter, Flintstones and Scooby-Doo sets proving popular in recent years. Zac Bird, from Welling, London, bought his 2,000th Lego set on Tuesday. He is queuing for the midnight launch but admitted: I dont know much about Stranger Things. I know its on Netflix, but I dont have an account. Who knows, maybe this will convince me to invest. Police have dropped an investigation into broadcaster Danny Baker over an alleged racist tweet about the Royal baby (Victoria Jones/PA) Police have dropped an investigation into broadcaster Danny Baker over an allegedly racist tweet about the royal baby. Baker was sacked from BBC Radio 5 Live for tweeting a joke about the Duke and Duchess Of Sussexs son featuring a picture of a chimpanzee. His tweet came on the day Harry and Meghan, who is African-American, welcomed their first child, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Expand Close Danny Baker will face no further action (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Danny Baker will face no further action (Victoria Jones/PA) Scotland Yard said the force had received an allegation in relation to a tweet posted on May 8 but confirmed on Wednesday it would take no further action. A statement said: An allegation was received by the Metropolitan Police Service on Thursday 9 May in relation to a tweet published on 8 May. Having reviewed the comments made, we do not consider that a criminal threshold has been met and as such we will be taking no further action. Baker, 61, was accused of racism after tweeting a black and white image showing a well-dressed man and woman holding hands with a suited chimpanzee, which he captioned: Royal baby leaves hospital. The DJ apologised for the tweet, saying it was an attempt to lampoon privilege. What the papers say May 14 (PA) The death of a Jeremy Kyle Show guest days after recording an episode is among the leading stories on Tuesdays papers. The Sun leads with the death of Steve Dymond who reportedly took a lie detector test on the show in a bid to prove he had not been unfaithful to his partner. Tomorrow's front page: Jeremy Kyle Show guest died of a drug overdose after failing lie detector test that exposed cheating https://t.co/q7LYbsRBrP pic.twitter.com/32GFTXKVGK The Sun (@TheSun) May 13, 2019 The Daily Mail reports the 63-year-old had been left humiliated and labelled a liar when he failed the test. Pictured: Grandfather, 62, who killed himself after being humiliated' by failed Jeremy Kyle Show lie detector test https://t.co/6aOSWs4e7m Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) May 13, 2019 A friend told the Daily Mirror Mr Dymond had expressed feeling suicidal to his landlady. Tomorrow's front page: Jeremy Kyle guest 'kills himself' after failing lie detector test #tomorrowspaperstodayhttps://t.co/RGmH7j4ldJ pic.twitter.com/4Uwe3Zo4xa The Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 13, 2019 ITV pulled the popular daytime show from its schedules after the death emerged, the Daily Star reports. In tomorrow's @Daily_Star - #JeremyKyle death tragedy - Jodie Comer kills at the #BAFTAs - @piersmorgan has a pop at Ant McPartlin pic.twitter.com/zgElFSOGcU Daily Star (@dailystar) May 13, 2019 Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said Britain should be prepared to decisively raise spending on defence after Brexit, the Daily Telegraph reports. The front page of tomorrows Daily Telegraph: Hunt calls for boost to defence spending pic.twitter.com/wI9xvIYYmZ The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 13, 2019 The US-China trade dispute leads the Financial Times. Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Tuesday May 14 https://t.co/6i91AyHXIr pic.twitter.com/FBsDSW2iYF Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) May 13, 2019 Senior Tories have warned Theresa May she risks splitting the party by striking a Brexit deal with Labour, The Times reports. More than 180,000 individuals are linked to organised crime in the UK, according to warnings by the National Crime Agency reported by the Daily Express. In tomorrow's @Daily_Express - 'Organised crime now deadliest threat we face' - RIP #DorisDay - Nigel Farage predicts Labour wipeout in #EUelections2019 pic.twitter.com/Y6k7jbJdrj Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 13, 2019 The Guardian carries a Nobel prize-winning economists warning that inequality in Britain could rise to levels seen in the US. Protesters in Australia suspended themselves on ropes from Sydney Harbour Bridge in an effort to persuade prime minister Scott Morrison to declare a climate emergency. The Greenpeace protesters were seen dangling from the bridge early on Wednesday, trailing large orange and red flags and holding signs that read 100% renewables and make coal history. According to Greenpeace the protesters were stocked with enough provisions to last for 24 hours, but they were pulled back up on to the bridge by police after three hours. Jo Dodds, a councillor in Bega Valley Shire, New South Wales, joined many on the banks of Sydney Harbour in supporting the protest, which she described as very effective. Weve had most of Australias major media cover the story today, she told the Press Association. Theyre interested because our upcoming national election has become our first climate election. Communities across the nation are waking up to the grave dangers we will face should we continue to mine and burn coal the worst contributor towards climate damage. Im at #ClimateEmergency at Sydney Harbour Bridge demanding urgent action on stopping coal mining and export because its THE biggest contributor to climate damage! @350 pic.twitter.com/K1XVLeWFe0 jo dodds (@JoDodds6) May 13, 2019 Ms Dodds said her community in Tathra has been directly affected by bushfires, losing 69 homes in one catastrophic blaze last year. I watched the homes of countless friends and neighbours burn to the ground, she said. Our fire authorities and experts are all warning that climate change will increase these dangers exponentially. So todays action was to demand that our political leaders declare a climate emergency and take urgent action to stop coal. I was there because I never want to see another community go through what we experienced last year. The protest on Sydney Harbour Bridge is the latest in a series of demonstrations across the world against climate change, such as Extinction Rebellions disruption of Central London in April. Ms Dodds, 56, added she is incredibly grateful to see so many people across the world stepping up and speaking out against climate destruction. Emergency response crews transport an injured passenger to an ambulance at the George Inlet Lodge docks, Monday, May 13, 2019, in Ketchikan, Alaska. The passenger was from one of two sightseeing planes reported down in George Inlet early Monday afternoon and was dropped off by a U.S. Coast Guard 45-foot response boat. (Dustin Safranek/Ketchikan Daily News via AP) A team of US federal air accident investigators was expected to arrive in Alaska to seek the cause of a midair collision between two sightseeing planes that killed at least four people. The four died when the seaplanes carrying cruise ship tourists collided on Monday near the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan, the Coast Guard said. Two others were missing, said Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios, a Coast Guard spokesman. Canadian officials said a Canadian was among the dead. (1/2)We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane accident in Ketchikan yesterday, and are offering our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the traveling companions of guests involved. Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) May 14, 2019 (2/2)We immediately activated our Princess Care Team in the region and will provide updates as we know more. Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) May 14, 2019 Global Affairs Canada expressed condolences but did not identify the person because of privacy reasons, the government department said in a statement. The Washington, DC-based investigative team from the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to arrive in Ketchikan, agency spokesman Peter Knudson said. He said board member Jennifer Homendy also is travelling with the so-called Go Team, which investigates major accidents. The floatplanes collided under unknown circumstances, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. Floatplanes have pontoons mounted under their fuselages so they can land on water. The passengers from the cruise ship Royal Princess were on sightseeing flights, one operated by Ketchikan-based Taquan Air. Eleven people were in Taquans single-engine de Havilland Otter DHC-3 when it went down during its return from a trip to Misty Fjords National Monument, which is part of the Tongass National Forest, the nations largest. Ten people were taken to a Ketchikan hospital. All patients were in fair or good condition, according to Marty West, a spokeswoman for PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Centre. Three of those who died were among five people aboard the second plane, a single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, according to Coast Guard Lieutenant Brian Dykens. The Coast Guard, partner agencies and good Samaritans are responding to the report of two downed aircraft in the vicinity of George Inlet near Ketchikan, Alaska. https://t.co/TEOFjenp2M USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) May 13, 2019 It was unclear which plane carried the fourth victim, whose body was recovered during a Monday night search, Rios said. Local emergency personnel worked with state and federal agencies and private vessels to help rescue and recover victims. Its been a long day and the crews have been working really hard to rescue people and recover the deceased, said Deanna Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough the local government. Taquan Air said the company suspended operations while the crash is investigated. We are devastated by todays incident and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families, Taquan said in a statement. The cruise ship left Vancouver, British Columbia, on May 11 and was scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday. Princess Cruises said in a statement that our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by todays accident. Ship passenger Cindy Cicchetti, said the ship captain announced that two planes had been in an accident. She also said the ship would not leave as scheduled and that details were not provided as to how the accident could affect the rest of the cruise ships trip. Weather conditions in the area where the crash happened Monday included high overcast skies with 9mph southeast winds. The collision came nearly three years after a pilot and eight passengers died when a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter crashed in mountainous terrain near Ketchikan The NTSB later determined that pilot error and lack of a formal safety programme were among the causes of the June 2015 crash. Sri Lankans inspect vandalised shops owned by Muslims in Minuwangoda, a suburb of Colombo (Chamila Karunarathne/AP) A Muslim man was killed and dozens of shops and mosques were destroyed in communal violence in apparent retaliation for the Easter Sunday bombings that killed more than 250 people, a Sri Lankan cabinet minister has said. Rauff Hakeem, a Cabinet minister and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, said the man was hacked to death on Monday in northwestern Sri Lanka when majority ethnic Sinhalese mobs attacked Muslim-owned shops and homes. Expand Close Sri Lankan army soldiers and police stand guard on a road in a Muslim neighbourhood (Eranga Jayawardena/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sri Lankan army soldiers and police stand guard on a road in a Muslim neighbourhood (Eranga Jayawardena/AP) A police curfew was imposed in the region. Communal violence has also been reported in western Sri Lanka. Muslims have been subjected to hate comments in social media since the April 21 suicide attacks on three churches and three hotels. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were carried out by radicalised local Muslims. The Statue of Liberty is visible from the roof observation deck of the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island (Richard Drew/AP) A new museum opening at the Statue Of Liberty is giving visitors another opportunity to explore its history and the impact the structure has had on the world. The 26,000-square-foot museum on Liberty Island is scheduled to open to the public on Thursday. Expand Close The original torch and flame, and full scale face model are displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum (Richard Drew/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The original torch and flame, and full scale face model are displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum (Richard Drew/AP) It is the new home for the statues original torch and other artefacts which had previously been in a smaller museum space inside the statues pedestal. But the pedestal is accessible only to the fraction of the more than four million annual visitors who manage to get limited-availability statue entry tickets. #ThrowbackThursday Nearly 35 years ago, the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation raised funds to restore the #StatueofLiberty. This year @StatueEllisFdn has raised funds to construct our new museum, which opens May 16, 2019. #FindYourPark pic.twitter.com/D6tgn1g8XG Statue of Liberty NM (@StatueEllisNPS) May 2, 2019 The new space is open to anyone who comes to Liberty Island, with admission included in the price of the ferry ticket. Spains decision to remove a frigate on training exercises from a US combat fleet that is approaching the Persian Gulf was taken purely for technical reasons, the countrys defence minister has said. Margarita Robles insisted the decision was not an expression of distaste over the crossing into the Strait of Hormuz by the fleet headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The US fleet is heading to the Persian Gulf at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. Expand Close Spains defence minister Margarita Robles (Francisco Seco/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Spains defence minister Margarita Robles (Francisco Seco/AP) Ms Robles insisted Spains decision was prudent and perfectly admissible under the terms of a two-year cooperation agreement that placed the Mendez Nunez frigate with the US fleet for advanced training. The ship and its 215 people on board have headed to Mumbai, India, she added. The United States government has embarked on a mission that wasnt scheduled when the agreement was signed, Ms Robles told reporters during an official trip to Brussels. She said Spain had never given its blessing for the frigate to go on a mission in the Persian Gulf and that it will return to the US fleet once scheduled operations resume. She declined to comment over the USs hard-line policy toward Iran but said Spain remains a reliable and committed member of Nato. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, second from right, at the Al Noor mosque (Mark Baker/AP) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has visited the two New Zealand mosques where 51 worshippers were killed by a gunman in March. Mr Guterres spent about 30 minutes inside the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch talking to Muslim leaders and survivors of the attacks. Outside the mosque, he told reporters that like many people around the world, he had been moved by the poignant stories of compassion and grace. I know there are no words to relieve the hurt and sorrow and pain, Mr Guterres said. Expand Close Antonio Guterres with Al Noor mosque Imam Gamal Fouda, right, during a visit to the mosque in Christchurch, (Mark Baker/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Antonio Guterres with Al Noor mosque Imam Gamal Fouda, right, during a visit to the mosque in Christchurch, (Mark Baker/AP) But I wanted to come here personally to transmit love, support, and total and complete admiration. Guterres then travelled to the Linwood mosque where he laid a wreath and met with survivors including Abdul Aziz, who is considered a hero for chasing the gunman and throwing a credit card machine and a discarded gun at him. Mr Aziz said he was honoured to meet the UN leader. To come here and share the pain with us, it means a lot, Mr Aziz said. Mr Guterres also attended a climate alliance event while on his visit to several South Pacific countries primarily to highlight the problems of climate change. His trip comes ahead of the Climate Action Summit that he plans to convene in September in New York. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said he has warned his Russian counterpart against any unacceptable Russian meddling in US elections. At a news conference following three hours of meetings, Mr Pompeo said he told Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov that any such action by the Russians in the 2020 elections would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been. Both said the meeting in the Russian city of Sochi covered an array of issues that have heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington. These included Iran, Syria and Venezuela, where the United States supports opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president and Russia backs President Nicolas Maduro. Mr Lavrov defended Russias position and said the threats Mr Maduros government is receiving from US administration officials coupled with Mr Guaidos seeming support for a foreign military intervention, bear no relation to democracy. Iran was a key point of discussion amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Last week, the United States sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in response to intelligence that Iran was planning attacks on American interests. We fundamentally dont seek a war with Iran, Mr Pompeo said. Mr Lavrov said Russia is hoping for a positive response from the United States about extending the New START arms control treaty, which is due to expire in 2021, but we really have some concerns which are related to the re-equipping of launchers of Trident submarines and heavy bombers announced by the United States. A day after US President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit of leaders in Japan in June, Mr Lavrov said it has not received a formal proposal. If such a proposal is received, we will respond to it in a positive way, he said. Mr Pompeo and Mr Lavrov were to brief Mr Putin on their talks in the evening. At the start of their meeting, Mr Lavrov said both countries are overdue to dispel suspicions and prejudices and to start building a new constructive framework of how Russia and the US see each other. My meetings in #Russia will highlight a number of important topics. On some issues we may agree, on others we may disagree, but when its in our national interests, it is our responsibility to find a way forward. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 14, 2019 Mr Pompeo said in televised remarks at the meeting that he came to Russia because Mr Trump was committed to improve this relationship despite differences between the United States and Russia Syria, Iran, the crisis in Venezuela and other matters. A notorious child rapist has denied murdering one of Northern Ireland's most prolific paedophiles whose mutilated body was pulled from a bog. Leo Hoad told Sunday Life he was arrested on suspicion of killing scout master David Sullivan but detectives, who asked was he in a relationship with the predator, now accept he was not responsible. The 40-year-old also claims that while in custody, he was told by a senior police officer that Sullivan was the head of a powerful paedophile ring that abused more than 400 children. "The police told me he was the worst paedophile in Northern Ireland," he said. Hoad insists that he knows the identities of some of the child abusers, naming an ex-teacher at a Fermanagh school, and prominent businessmen from Enniskillen and Co Monaghan. The child rapes that he was jailed for seven years for in 2012 are not connected to Sullivan's crimes, which are now being investigated by a specialist PSNI child abuse team. "I was arrested in 2009 about the murder of David Sullivan in England by a PSNI detective from Fermanagh," Hoad told this newspaper. "It was this detective who told me that more than 400 children had been abused by Sullivan and his paedophile ring. "I was living in Henley-in-Arden (Warwickshire) at the time of my arrest. I was lifted on suspicion of murder because I knew Sullivan." Bus driver Sullivan, who drove hundreds of Fermanagh children from their rural homes to schools across the county, went missing in 1998. The 51-year-old's decapitated body was pulled from a bog near Belcoo two years later. Expand Close Leo Hoad speaks to a Sunday Life journalist. (Photo by Colm O'Reilly, Sunday Life) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leo Hoad speaks to a Sunday Life journalist. (Photo by Colm O'Reilly, Sunday Life) Hoad named two other young men who were arrested in connection with Sullivan's killing, but claims they are also innocent. He said: "I have no idea who killed him. I was brought by the police from England to Belfast City Airport and then on to Omagh PSNI station where I was questioned." Recalling the moment he was arrested in 2009, the sex offender explained: "The police forced their way into my bedroom at 5am. "I was handcuffed at gunpoint and flown back to Northern Ireland. I was held for a bit beforehand in the airport police cell. It was terrifying." Cops questioned Hoad for 24 hours about the Sullivan murder, but he was freed without charge after producing a water-tight alibi. He said: "The day Sullivan went missing in 1998, I was at my godfather Joe Boyd's funeral. That's why the police let me go, because I had a water-tight alibi. They know I didn't murder him." During the interview he was asked if he was in a relationship with paedophile ex-RAF member Sullivan. "The police asked me was I in a gay relationship with him. I said 'no', which is the truth," added Hoad, who married a woman last year after getting out of prison. "They asked me did I kill Sullivan, and I said 'no' again. The police showed me a book of photographs of people who were possible suspects and asked me did I know them. I had to look through it for two hours." Hoad named the detective who he claims told him Sullivan - a youth leader with both St Macartin's Cathedral Youth Club in Enniskillen and the Duke of Westminster High School's Youth Club in Ballinamallard - and his paedophile friends had abused more than 400 kids. He said: "The police told me there were more than 400 victims. Sullivan was a scout master so had access to a lot of children. "The detectives told me there were seven to eight paedophiles working with him abusing children." Prominent businessmen from Enniskillen and Monaghan, and a Fermanagh schoolteacher, have been identified as child abusers by Hoad. Asked why he thought Sullivan was never charged with sex crimes against children while he was alive, Hoad said: "He was never charged because of what he knew. "Sullivan knew there were powerful people in Fermanagh abusing kids and he could have brought them down if he was charged. He was providing them, after all." Hoad's admissions to Sunday Life will lead to him being questioned by a specialist PSNI team set up last week to investigate historic child sex abuse in Fermanagh. At the heart of the probe is Sullivan, who is strongly suspected of procuring young boys for a powerful paedophile ring in Fermanagh. Head of the PSNI's Public Protection Branch, Paula Hilman, said: "Currently we are reviewing evidence and speaking to victims and this will take time. We will take that time. "As head of the Public Protection Branch, I and detectives working alongside me are committed to supporting victims and ensuring we thoroughly investigate these reports of historical sexual abuse, whether in Fermanagh or other parts of Northern Ireland." Sullivan's crimes span two decades, from the 1980s through to his disappearance and death in 1998. The nature of his murder - he had been decapitated after being killed with a blow to the skull - point to a revenge motive. The remains of the paedophile's torso were discovered by a dog-walker in 2000, several days before his head was found nearby. It was an open secret throughout Fermanagh that Sullivan was a child sex predator, with young boys regularly seen coming from his Enniskillen flat. Police investigated several claims that Sullivan was a paedophile after his death. However, the cases were dropped because of a lack of evidence. That is now set to change after the PSNI set up a specialist unit to re-investigate complaints from his victims. More than a dozen men are understood to have come forward in the past six weeks to say they were abused by Sullivan. They have also named others who they say were part of his paedophile ring and who are still alive. Indonesian Muslim women participate in a vigil at the Santa Maria Immaculate Church in Surabaya as they mark the first anniversary in memory of suicide bombings at three churches in the city, May 13, 2019. Updated at 4:35 p.m. ET on 2019-05-14 Desmonda Paramartha was horribly injured during suicide bombings by a couple and their children at three churches here a year ago, but the university student says she holds no grudges. On the anniversary of the coordinated attacks the first terrorist act carried out by an entire family in Indonesia Desmonda joined hundreds of people of different faiths during a vigil at one of the churches targeted in the May 13, 2018 bombings. Together at Surabayas Santa Maria Immaculate Church on Monday night, Christians and Muslims lit candles and prayed for the dead. Fourteen worshippers died in the attacks linked to the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. I have forgiven them for everything, said Desmonda, 21, whose injuries to the back and legs took two months to heal. What strengthens me is the encouragement from my family, my priest, and friends so Im able to accept and forgive the perpetrators. Kurdo Irianto, who served as a priest at the church, said it took five months for the congregation to recover. Being together helps us overcome the trauma more easily, he said. During the vigil members of Indonesias Christian minority and Muslim majority followed each others religious customs in praying for peace. This is a moment to remind us that last years events have made us even more united despite our differences. We dont feel alone, said Abigail Susana, a representative of the Surabaya Central Pentecostal Church. Survivors remain traumatized by the bombings even as they try to move on, she said. They dont even have the stomach to see CCTV footage from the time of the incident. We changed the worship schedule from morning to afternoon, she said. Aan Anshori, an activist with the Gusdurian Network, an Islamic group, was among those who took part in the vigil. The May 13 events are a reminder to strengthen our faith, fight against all forms of intolerance and radicalism. We must never allow this atrocity to happen again, he told other participants. Aan said the attacks had strengthened the bond between religious communities in Surabaya, Indonesias second largest city and the capital of East Java province. We have become closer, meet more frequently to exchange ideas and look after each other, Aan told reporters. Tri Rismaharini, the mayor of Surabaya, welcomed efforts by interfaith communities to maintain harmony in the city. We appreciate that and we will fully support it, she said. Sunday attacks On May 13, 2018, the bombers attacked the Surabaya Central Pentecostal Church, the Santa Maria Immaculate Church and the Indonesian Christian Church. Dita Apriyanto, who police described as the leader of an East Java cell of Jamaah Anshaarut Daulah (JAD), drove a minivan packed with explosives into a church during Sunday services. His wife, Puji Kuswati, and their two daughters, ages 9 and 12, set off suicide bombs prior to another church service. Elsewhere, the couples two sons, ages 16 and 18, blew themselves up at a third church using scooters packed with bombs, police said. JAD is an Indonesian militant network affiliated with IS, according to authorities. The next day, another family launched a suicide bomb attack at a police headquarters in Surabaya. Survivors of Tri Murtiono, who carried out the May 14, 2018, suicide bombing at the police headquarters with his wife and three children, two of whom were killed in the attack, declined to comment. Tri and his family approached the police station on two motorcycles laden with explosives before detonating them, officials said. The bombers daughter who survived the blast is being cared for today at a rehabilitation center outside of Jakarta under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs, said Kukuh Santoso, a local neighborhood leader. Thats what I can say, because the perpetrators relatives still dont want to accept guests, especially from the media. I have been asked to give information to the media, Kukuh said. In total, the four attacks killed 24 people, including children who joined their parents in the bombings. Photographs of suicide bombing victims are displayed at the Santa Maria Immaculate Church in Surabaya, Indonesia, May 13, 2019. [Yovinus Guntur/BenarNews] Deadly spate The Surabaya attacks occurred a few days after terrorist inmates rioted over a food complaint at a maximum-security prison in West Javas Depok district, leaving five police officers and an inmate dead. On May 13, 2018, hours after the church attacks, a bomb exploded prematurely in an apartment occupied by a family headed by a man identified as Anton Febrianto, police said. Anton, his wife Puspita Sari, and a child were killed while three other children survived the explosion in Sidoarja, a regency south of Surabaya. Later that year, Aman Abdurrahman, a JAD ideologue who pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was sentenced to death by a Jakarta court for his role in a series of terror attacks in Indonesia in recent years. In July 2018, a South Jakarta District Court declared JAD an outlawed organization. The bombings spurred the Indonesian parliament to fast-track an anti-terror law that allows police to detain suspects for 21 days without charge. Since the spate of attacks in May 2018, the national police said they had arrested more than 400 suspects. The most recent arrest occurred on Tuesday when the anti-terror Detachment 88 police unit apprehended a militant suspect in the city of Madiun near Surabaya, provincial police spokesman Frans Barung Mangera told BenarNews without releasing additional details. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad gives a thumbs up during a news conference in Putrajaya, the nations administrative capital, May 9, 2019. Updated at 4:56 p.m. ET on 2019-05-16 Malaysia extradited a woman wanted by Thailand for anti-monarchy activities after Bangkok requested her deportation, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Tuesday, but a leading human rights group said the move violated legal obligations because the deportee had sought asylum abroad. Praphan Pipithnamporn, who was registered as an asylum seeker by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), was sent back to Thailand on May 10 after Malaysian police arrested her last month on Bangkoks request, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. If there is a request, then we will send back, Mahathir told a news conference. (We are a) good neighbor. Praphan was sent home based on a January arrest warrant issued by Thai authorities, who accused her of sedition for alleged involvement with the Organization for Thai Federation, a peaceful anti-monarchy group, HRW said in a statement. Malaysias flouting of international law has placed a Thai activist at grave risk of arbitrary detention and an unjust prosecution in Thailand, said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Malaysian authorities have an obligation to protect asylum seekers like Praphan from being forcibly returned to the risk of being persecuted for their peaceful political views, he said. Praphans deportation came on the same day that Thai authorities denied knowledge about the possible extradition from Vietnam of three critics of Thailands monarchy and military junta. The Vietnamese government returned Thai citizens Chucheep Chivasut, Siam Theerawut and Kritsana Thapthai to Thailand on May 8, HRW and Amnesty International (AI) said in separate statements last Friday. The two groups based their information on reports from Thai media and a local NGO, the Thai Alliance for Human Rights. Person of concern Prior to fleeing to Malaysia, Praphan was arrested several times between September and December 2018, and held in incommunicado military detention, HRW said. The threats against her intensified after she participated in peaceful anti-monarchy activity during the birthday memorial for the late King Rama IX on Dec. 5, she claimed in an interview with HRW. On that day, she wore a black T-shirt with a logo of her group and handed out leaflets criticizing the monarchy in a Bangkok shopping mall, the rights group said. Praphan fled to Malaysia in January, and applied for refugee status with UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur. On April 2, the refugee agency registered her claim as an asylum seeker and designated her a person of concern, HRW said. The Socialist Party of Malaysia, an opposition party, meanwhile expressed concerns Tuesday over Praphans deportation. It slammed Mahathirs government for behaving like an accomplice of the Thai military junta in suppressing dissent and limiting democratic space. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad should realize that aiding an undemocratic regime in persecution of pro-democracy political activists, is not something a good neighbor should do, said Choo Chon Kai, the partys international bureau coordinator. Expelled from Vietnam The three Thai activists deported by Vietnam Chucheep, Siam and Kritsana had been arrested in Hanoi for illegal entry and using fake travel documents as they tried to flee persecution from Thai authorities, HRW said. Rights groups said the three men were being held in Bangkok. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters last week that he learned of the three mens extradition only from news websites. The confirmation must come from the Foreign Ministry and special branch of police, he said. Thai authorities had accused the three of broadcasting anti-monarchy radio programs over the internet in violation of the kingdoms strict Lese-Majeste, according to HRW. That law criminalizes royal defamation and carries a prison sentence of three to 15 years. Neighboring countries should not be contributing to Thailands increasingly dire human rights situation by sending asylum seekers into harms way, Adams said in his statement. The reported extradition of the three Thai dissidents occurred after Truong Duy Nhat, a blogger working for the Vietnamese Service of Radio Free Asia (RFA) a BenarNews sister service disappeared from a shopping mall near Bangkok in January. He had fled Vietnam in 2017 to escape arrest over his activism. In late March, RFAs Vietnamese Service confirmed that agents from Hanoi had taken Nhat back to Vietnam. That fueled suspicions that Thai authorities had cooperated in his abduction. The blogger was now in a jail cell in the Vietnamese capital, Nhats daughter told RFA. An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that RFA had confirmed Thai authorities had cooperated in Nhat's abduction. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (center) raises the hands of senatorial candidates Ronald Bato dela Rosa (left) and Bong Go in Manila, May 11, 2019. President Rodrigo Duterte appeared close to gaining full control of the Philippine Senate as early unofficial results of midterm elections showed on Tuesday that candidates he was backing were among the winners, despite widespread condemnation of his war on drugs that has killed thousands. With more than 95 percent of all votes processed by the Commission on Elections, Dutertes hand-picked candidates appear to have taken a clean sweep of the 12 Senate seats up for grabs, shutting out the opposition that had campaigned hard against Duterte and his policies. Among the 12 who received the most votes were Bong Go, Dutertes former personal aide who rose to fame on social media with his selfies with world leaders, and ex-national police chief Ronald dela Rosa, who led the presidents brutal campaign against illegal drugs that, according to official statistics, has left almost 5,300 people dead. Rights groups have a higher figure of anywhere between 20,000 and 30,000, including deaths of suspects blamed on pro-government vigilantes. Also among those who triumphed in the senatorial election was Imee Marcos, daughter of the late authoritarian ruler Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte had publicly supported her after she backed his presidential candidacy three years ago. While the results of the elections are still unofficial, there appears to be an unstoppable trend toward a resounding victory of the administrations favored senatorial candidates, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said. Undoubtedly, the Duterte magic spelled the difference. The overwhelming majority of the electorate have responded to the call of the president to support those whom he said would help pass laws supportive of his goal to uplift the masses of our people and give them comfortable lives they richly deserve, he said. More than 61 million voters registered to choose half of the 24-member Senate. Thousands of local posts, including governors and mayors, and almost 300 seats in the lower house, were also at stake. Mondays vote also saw three of Dutertes children winning the post for mayor, vice mayor and congressman in his political bailiwick of Davao City, even as Panelo said that the president had previously frowned on families perpetuating dynasties. Elsewhere, it appears that other large political clans suffered defeat on Monday. Former President Joseph Estrada lost his election bid as mayor of Manila, while his two sons were out of the winning circle in the Senate race. One of the two, Jinggoy Estrada, ran even as he was still facing a charge of plunder for allegedly funneling millions of pesos in congressional funds into a non-governmental organization that he controlled. Complaints about glitches While the elections were generally peaceful, according to security authorities, poll officials admitted glitches in some vote-counting machines. Transmission of poll results to the elections headquarters in Manila appear to have bogged down the counting and given rise to questions of fraud. We are asking the people to understand, but for our part I think the election was indeed successful, elections chairman Sheriff Abas told a news conference Tuesday. But opposition senatorial candidate Gary Alejano slammed the results, as doubts surfaced over what happened in the counting. The transparency server, as its name connotes, did not function according to its purpose. The people were left in the dark. Let us continue to find out why, he said in a statement. Communist leader accuses Duterte of vote-rigging Jose Maria Sison, founder of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), accused Duterte of rigging the May 13 elections to deliver to his candidates a false victory in the crucial senatorial race. We can therefore expect that Duterte will use his false electorate victory to adopt and implement more draconian measures to suppress the legal democratic opposition, as well as the peoples revolutionary movement, said Sison, who fled to the Netherlands as a political refugee three decades ago. CPPs armed wing, the New Peoples Army, has waged war during the past 50 years mostly in the countrys poverty-stricken countryside and hill areas of provinces far from major cities. At least 35,000 soldiers, rebels and civilians have been killed in the fighting. In 2016, Mr. Duterte a former student of Sison and a self-described leftist opened peace talks with the communist rebels and released dozens of detained insurgent leaders as a goodwill measure. But the relationship soured amid Dutertes allegations that the rebels continued to attack government posts in the south. Mark Navales in Cotabato City and Joseph Jubelag in General Santos City contributed to this report. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha speaks to reporters about his choices for senatorial seats during a news briefing at the Government House, May 14, 2019. The Thai government on Tuesday named 250 new senators, including many who served as military or police officers, forming a crucial voting bloc that could pave the way for incumbent leader Prayuth Chan-o-cha to remain prime minister. The list of senators handpicked by Prayuth's government and endorsed by the king was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday. Because of their backgrounds, the new senators could help the military further entrench its influence in the government, an analyst said, noting that Prayuth became prime minister after leading a military coup in 2014. It reflects power retention of the junta after the election, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University. It highlights the fact that the country hasnt truly returned to democracy as the military continues entrench its power and its role in politics. The announcement came days after the Election Commission officially announced 498 members of the 500-member lower parliament 349 of whom were elected and 149 party-list seats filled using a mathematical calculation based on the total vote. The senate list includes more than 100 active and retired military and police officers, 15 former ministers in Prayuths cabinet, former legislative members and a handful of professionals. Prayuths brother and brothers of his deputies Prawit Wongsuwan and Wissanu Krea-ngam are on the list. Only 26 are women. Under the military-drafted constitution, the two houses of parliament will vote for a new prime minister. To form a new government, a candidate must have 376 votes, one more than half of the 750 legislators. Because he picked the senators, Prayuth expects they will vote for him, meaning he needs only 126 members of the lower house to support him. On Monday, the Palang Pracharat Party (PPP), the major party supporting Prayuth, announced it formed a coalition with smaller parties to reach that number. Published election results showed that PPP won 115 seats. The parliaments first session will take place on May 22 to select the speaker, who will initiate the process of voting for the new premier, the Royal Gazette also said on Tuesday. Wissanu Krea-ngam, deputy prime minister of legal affairs, said the election of the chief executive should be finished by the end of the month. An opposition party leader, meanwhile, questioned the legitimacy of the senate selection process. The senators were appointed by the NCPO ... if the 250 senators vote for Prayuth to be prime minister, will they perform their duty without conflict of interest? asked Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the anti-junta Future Forward Party, referring to the acronym for National Council for Peace and Order, the juntas official name. The Future Forward Party, which won 80 elected and party-list seats, formed an alliance with other parties, including the Pheu Thai Party, which won 136 seats in the election but picked up no party-list seats. The opposition coalition claimed 245 members far short of the number needed to form a government. 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 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. Set up in July 2017 with an investment of Euro 20 million to test new technologies quickly and efficiently and to develop innovative digital products, BI X is at the forefront of the companys efforts to ride the digital wave. From drug discovery to analysing speech patterns for detecting brain disorders and many other possibilities Boehringer Ingelheim is exploring and trying a wide range of new ideas by jumping on a digital bandwagon. Artificial intelligence-supported software, virtual molecular models and open innovations are currently finding their way into Boehringer Ingelheims research laboratories at Ingelheim (Germany) with a goal to develop better medicines. For us Digitalisation is the generic term for new technologies for employing data that is capturing, processing and analysing and the automated steering of processes, said Hubertus von Baumbach, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors of Boehringer Ingelheim. One can hear many acronyms like ADAM, NTC, BRASS, PSP, BI X in the vicinity of the companys sprawling campus here. ADAM stands for Advanced Design Assistant for Molecules while PSP for Pathological Speech Processing, NTC stands for New Therapeutic Concepts, And BI X is the digital lab set by the company to focus on the development of innovative digital healthcare products and solutions. Set up in July 2017 with an investment of Euro 20 million to test new technologies quickly and efficiently and to develop innovative digital products, BI X is at the forefront of the companys efforts to ride the digital wave. The company recently topped up its corporate venture fund with an extra 50 million earmarked specifically for digital health investments, said Michael Schmelmer, Member of the Board of Managing Directors responsible for Finance. He also funded BI X and is in charge of it. He described in detail the process and the possible timelines for ideas getting converted into rollouts and explained how 60 ideas finally get converted into roll outs. ADAM is an application effectively used in drug development for sorting molecules. It constantly keeps updating its algorithms by adding new information as well as using the data from countless current and previous company projects from the companys 50 years of archives. Using this information, within a few seconds each assistant in ADAM informs scientists about what is known about a molecule variant at Boehringer Ingelheim, without users having to search for it every time, making the life easier for the drug developers. Thanks to digital assistants, we will be able to work much more efficiently in the near future, remarked Dr Matthias Zentgraf from the research department. PSP, the companys programme which can monitor speech patterns to diagnose mental illness, is ready to start clinical trials. Using machine learning, the programme analyses speech patterns to detect brain disorders. Graphical analysis of the speech indicates the possibility of the mental disorder since the speech graphs of a healthy person differs from one with mental disorders. The minor differences in the graph could be detected by the computer. The company wants to develop PSP as a diagnostic tool. A digital assistant called BRASS will soon be available for medical scientists of the company for phramacovigilance. The experts can enter their own experiences and assessments we well as background information in the application. Using various analytical methods BRASS can independently develop new findings. It can place data in the context of biomedical expertise. Researchers need to identify the most relevant disease mechanisms they want to address for a drug discovery. The NTC studio application combines and analyses data from the widest range of internal and external sources. The volume of information that is relevant for our research comes from all over the world and increases every day, said Dr Jan Kriegl, Project Leader. He added, Thanks to NTC Studio, researchers have access to many different sources and are always up- to-date with the current state of research. Digital technologies help us to identify relevant disease mechanisms, to discover promising molecules and to explore the unexpected far beyond current horizons through open innovation. The time, quality and knowledge we gain thereby will above all benefit our patients worldwide, explained Dr Michel Pairet, Member of the Board of Managing Directors with responsibility for the Innovation Unit. According to Schmelmer, the future technologies and the trends in the digital health will be 3D bio engineering & tissue engineering and drugs tested on virtual models. In this changing world, the key challenge for us is to enable BI to seize these opportunities rapidly and efficiently, he said and added the complex, expensive and time consuming process of discovering and developing new medicines will be revolutionised with the digital transformation in line with the companys motto better, faster, further. Milind Kokje (The writer was invited by Boehringer Ingelheim to its headquarters in Germany) The advertising industry has evolved into a science. It now pursues statistics to support marketing decisions and often applies this mandate to the creative product too. When this happens we tend to see a lot of formulaic advertising. But there are ways to circumvent this approach. We recently worked on a campaign which did a deep-dive into the small print promise of an iconic South African brand and by doing this, brought their price promise to life. In 1987 I spearheaded the first live South African television campaign - Price Busters for Hyperama - which aired every Friday on M-Net during Open Time. The Hyperama merchandise executives sold goods at great prices from the floor of a studio in Balfour Park with a microwave link to M-Net in Randburg! The offers were valid for two days only and the ROI measurable in real time.Fast forward some three decades to One Lady & A Tribes latest advertising campaign where we did something similar but also unique. We positioned the Dare to Compare Campaign for Game Stores as Taking the High Ground on their most unique asset the price beat promise in their small print. Leveraging off their important (but formerly low-key) price beat policy we elevated the promise - making it visible to the consumer and encouraging foot fall into stores.Price beat is part of Game Stores retail DNA, having been around since the early 1970s. It is a powerful promise which exists 365 days a year and is the only long-term promotion of its kind in South Africa. Up until Dare to Compare it had only been given marginal space in the tabloids and not used fully to entice customers. In other words, we used the small print and made it the big idea.Here are five ways in which one can market a brand by highlighting an untapped offering. In the words of Walt Disney, First, think. Second, believe. Third, dream. And finally, dare.The initial challenge of this is to find that key thing, the golden nugget about the business or product which will showcase its unique selling proposition. Then when you do, my advice is to use as few words as possible to advertise it and do it in the most compelling way. Be uber-confident and issue a challenge across all media channels showing how different your brand offer really is.In the Dare to Compare campaign we elevated their price beat promise and tomake it highly visible to the consumer. Owning the fact that the brand welcomed bargain hunters to bring it,potential shoppers were encouraged to bring their cheaper price finds into store.If you are not outstanding from other brands you dont stand a chance. Think of George Kneller, who said, To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. Your campaign needs to look and sound different from anyone else in the market and if you manage to capture the attention of the potential customer in a daring, disruptive way youre half way there.For Dare to Compare, we used a simple, bold message, promising: Well beat any price, so you get more with every shop. This was carried through across omni-channel platforms including print ads, in taxi TV, on billboards and via social media.If youre making a unique brand promise it needs to be backed up with clarity of the policy and speedy interaction with the customer. In other words, it is vital to be authentic along with the offer.For Game, the challenge to the consumer was clear: Well beat any price, so you get more with every shop. If the customer found any product cheaper they could head to the nearest store with the competitors leaflet. Game would not only match the price but beat it by 10% on the difference.Turn your campaign into a fun challenge through a cheeky marketing proposition. As David Ogilvy said, Where people aren't having any fun, they seldom produce good work. Keep in mind developing something with a competitive, rewarding, fun edge without being combative.Show less product and using more clever tactical punch and talk-ability. For example, instead of featuring eight regular deals, offer three eye-catching, unbeatable offers to tantalise the customer and entice footfall into stores.As an advertiser the overall focus is on delivering improved ROI. This includes using your bold campaign as a motivator for sales merchants. This will also filter down to the consumers when they see how serious the business is about their unique policy.Great brand assets are built over time with disciplined consistency. Focusing on a small brand or product promises is brave. It is a simple consumer proposition and it has proved its success. "There's too much smart-ass advertising today and not enough that emotionally moves consumers to go out and buy something", as one of my advertising heroes Mary Wells said.As always our work is a group effort and making magic with me on the Dare to Compare campaign were the talented Michael Cook, Martin Sing and Didy Anderssson. Muchos thanks to everyone involved.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneLadyandaTribe Twitter: @1LadyandaTribe Instagram: @oneladyandatribe UAE-based Dulsco, a leading human resources and environmental solutions provider, has received an award from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for its employment of UAE nationals. The company - the official waste management partner for Expo 2020 Dubai - was given the honour in recognition of its significant contributions towards securing the UAE Government Accelerators objectives in Emiratisation. In presenting the award, Nasser bin Thani Juma Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, listed Dulsco as a Best Employers in the retail sector or its outstanding efforts in hiring 3,390 UAE nationals. Organised by the ministry, the awarding ceremony was held at the Palazzo Versace Dubai Hotel, where David Stockton, Dulscos managing director and CEO and Mahdi Mohammed, Dulscos COO of Business Support Services, accepted the honour on behalf of the company. Dulscos award is the latest of many the company has received from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, earning it a silver membership in the Tawteen Partners Club, the organisation that recognises private sector involvement in Emiratisation. The departments that Emiratis working at Dulsco have joined include customer services, government relations, marketing, human resources, QHSE management and commercial management. Dulscos business and operational strategies place a priority on investment in and training of local talents and setting programmes to ensure their career development. The company says that it implements an innovative approach in attracting and retaining Emirati employees including offerings which specifically cater to Emirati women and provides them with opportunities for continuous learning, professional development and self-improvement. Abdul Aziz Mohammed Khan, Dulscos chairman said: Dulsco places a priority on supporting the UAE accomplish its Sustainable Development Goals, especially empowering national talents and providing employment opportunities suited to their qualifications. We are proud to be part of the Government Accelerators programme and reaffirm our readiness to continue coordinating with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as well as all other government entities, to outline future strategies that seek to train and empower UAE nationals. We are delighted to receive this award, as it reflects our commitment to providing a work environment that attracts Emirati talent. It also reflects the UAEs diverse community, which embodies the values of tolerance and equal opportunity, as well as honours achievers and innovators, Khan explained. Other accolades that Dulsco has won recently include three awards for environmental and sustainability solutions, which the company received at the third edition of the Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards held in February this year. TradeArabia News Service GAC Qatar, a global provider of integrated shipping, logistics and marine services, has inaugurated its full-fledged office at Ras Laffan, one of the worlds largest hydrocarbons export ports, as part of its expansion plans. The official opening comes as the company celebrates 40 years since its establishment, and confirms its position as one of the leading companies offering full shipping and logistics services as well as support for offshore projects from the port, which is operated and managed by Qatar Petroleum, said a statement from the company. Previously, GAC handled operations at Ras Laffan in an Owners Protecting Agency (OPA) capacity and, from May 2017, with a team based there to provide ship agency and support services, it said. GAC Qatar general manager Daniel Nordberg said that the decision to set up an office there was in direct response to growing activity and demand for services at the port. Ras Laffan is the only port for offshore field support in Qatar, and all the field operators are based there. In 2018, the number of port calls handled by GAC Qatar increased about 70 per cent from the previous year. Much of that growth was related to Ras Laffan, hence the decision to establish a full operation there, said the statement. Nordberg said: We have been able to respond to growing demand for our services at the port with the support of the authorities, for which we are very grateful. LNG is a key driver for growth in Qatar, with exports forecast to increase further by about 40 per cent. We have what it takes to provide the logistics and shipping support for that sector, and we are keen to play our part to support Qatar Vision 2030, both in Ras Laffan and throughout the country, he added. TradeArabia News Service China has hit back in its trade war with the US, announcing plans to impose tariffs on $60 billion of American imports, a media report said. Tariffs will be imposed on 5,140 US products with an annual value of about $60 billion from 1 June, reported Wam, citing the Chinese finance ministry. "Chinas adjustment on additional tariffs is a response to US unilateralism and protectionism," the Ministry said. "China hopes the US will get back to the right track of bilateral trade and economic consultations and meet with China halfway." Saudi Aramco, a leading global integrated energy and chemicals company, said it has responded to a fire at its East West Pipeline Pump station 8 which was caused by a sabotage incident. The sabotage was carried out by using armed drones which targeted pump stations 8 and 9, said an Aramco statement. As a precautionary measure, the company temporarily shut down the pipeline, and contained the fire which caused minor damage to pump station 8. Saudi Aramco confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were reported. Saudi Aramcos oil and gas supplies have not been impacted as a result of this incident, it said. Meanwhile, the security spokesman of the State Security Presidency stated that between 6 am and 6:30 am on Tuesday morning, there was a limited targeting of oil pumping stations of Saudi Aramco in Dawadmi and Afif Governorates in Riyadh Region, said a Saudi Press Agency report. The competent authorities have started their responsibilities on the two sites and any further developments will be announced later, it said. -TradeArabia News Service Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines largest low-cost carrier (LCC), showcased its products and services, highlighting the concept of no-frills flying a pay for what you need system, at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019 in Dubai, UAE. Being the oldest and the only LCC servicing the Dubai-Manila route, Cebu Pacific has enabled over a million UAE-based Filipino passengers to experience no-frills flying which allows them to come home to the Philippines more often, an airline statement said. Candice Iyog, vice president for Marketing and Distribution at Cebu Pacific said: Since the launch of its Dubai-Manila route, Cebu Pacific has proven to be a travel enabler with its value-for-money flights and no-frills travel. Through CEBs services, we ensure that the hard-earned money of overseas Filipino workers will not be wasted and can be enjoyed at the destination. Our participation in ATM is definitely a great opportunity for CEB to highlight this concept as well as our home country as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. In addition, the video of Cebu Pacifics newest campaign, Fly to More Fun, was featured in its booth. Launched during Cebu Pacifics 23rd anniversary this year, the campaign aims to attract UAE residents to discover the Philippines hidden gems and to experience its beauty through Cebu Pacific. The low-cost airline currently services to over 200 nationalities and plans to expand its reach by servicing to over 200 million passengers by 2020. In addition to providing cost-effective services to OFWs, Cebu Pacific is committed to boosting the Philippine tourism. We have been working with the Philippine Department of Tourism and we have recently launched our Fly to More Fun campaign. We aspire to take travellers to local destinations through our domestic networks the widest in the Philippines, Blessie Cruz, director of Marketing and Communications at Cebu Pacific added. Cebu Pacific is extensively expanding its route network and upgrading its fleet to bigger and more fuel-efficient aircraft, according to the statement. And to support the carriers expansion plans, CEB has procured 12 brand new aircraft that include 6 Airbus A321NEO, 5 A320NEO, and an ATR 72-600. And earlier this year, they received one A321NEO and are expecting the delivery of remaining 11 with 2019. Cebu Pacific has accelerated its growth by increasing its frequency as well as servicing nationalities from across the globe and a platform like ATM allows them to showcase our offerings to the customers. Arabian Travel Market is the leading global event for the Middle East inbound and outbound travel industry, is held from April 28 to May 1 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. TradeArabia News Service Tharun Vemulapalli 19 "There is no real governance or policy to deal with climate-induced migration. But there needs to be, and that has really driven me and motivated me to work on this project," he said recently. Vemulapalli focused on two case studiesin Bangladesh and in Tuvalu, an independent island archipelago in the South Pacificto better understand the climate-related circumstances that can force people from their homes, and the kind of domestic and international responses that might best aid them. "The comparison will involve looking at how climate change has interacted with the underlying drivers of migration to see what the commonalities between the two cases are, and if any policy recommendations can be made from the results," he writes in his thesis. His advisor, Associate Professor of Government Laura Henry, said Vemulapalli is doing important work on climate migrants, "an issue of growing concern that has so far generated more speculation than scholarship." "Tharun's interdisciplinary approach examines the slow- and rapid-onset changes to the environment that can cause migration, as well as the political, economic, and social factors that shape peoples decisions about whether to leave their home, their region, or even their country," Henry said. "Given that migration is such a contentious issue today, Tharuns research points to important policy options related to making governance more effective and helping people adapt where they are so that migration is not their only option." A woman has been sentenced to a year in jail after a string of thefts last year as well as stabbing her boyfriend in the neck with the folding knife. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us A woman has been sentenced to a year in jail after a string of thefts last year as well as stabbing her boyfriend in the neck with the folding knife. Jolene Cook, 32, pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court to multiple charges, including theft under $5,000 and assault with a weapon. The most violent of the offences occurred on May 11, 2018 after Cook and her boyfriend had been drinking together and got in an argument. The victim left for a period of time and when he returned Cook attacked him from behind, stabbing him in the neck with a folding knife causing a laceration. She struck him once while he was down before stealing his keys as well as a bottle of liquor and leaving him bleeding on the street. The cut required four staples to close and the victim was released the same day from the hospital. "This was brazen and callous," Crown attorney Marnie Evans told the court, noting the attack was caught on surveillance video. "(Cook) stabs him, takes his alcohol and his keys and walks away he has to pound on the window of a restaurant to get the attention of people who were eating. This must have been a terrifying experience for (the victim). She had no consideration whether (the victim) was going to live or die." Cook also faced numerous shoplifting and theft charges over a span of a couple of months, including four from the Manitoba Liquor Mart two of which occurred within the span of one hour. "There seems to be a general belief in the community currently that the MLCC is an easy target for thefts theyve seen a significant increase in thefts in the past few years across Manitoba as a whole, but also in Brandon locally," Evans said. "A message needs to be sent stealing from the MLCC has serious and significant consequences, and that includes real jail time." Cook was also caught stealing $65 worth of merchandise from The Real Canadian Superstore as well as from Canada Post, where she was found with her hand in the cash register stealing approximately $97 to $115 worth of money plus $62 in gift cards and stamps. "Shes been abused and taken advantage of for most of her life," Cooks lawyer, Andrew Synyshyn said, noting Cook grew up surrounded by addiction, abuse and trauma. Cook has expressed remorse and shame for her actions, Synyshyn added, becoming visibly upset and weeping while discussing the assault charge during an interview for her pre-sentence report. "Im sorry for what Ive done wrong, for the people who I hurt," Cook said. "I just wanted to numb the pain I cant take back what Ive done and Im really sorry." Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta sentenced Cook to 12 months in jail, minus a credit of approximately seven months for time already spent in custody. Cook was also handed one year of supervised probation and $450 in fines. "Youre not getting out of jail today. Youre going to (be in jail) for a little bit longer. Thats to punish you and send the right message to everybody else about how serious what you did was," Hewitt-Michta told Cook. "I think the best hope of you starting to rehabilitate yourself is in a very structured setting where you can get lots of help as much as anything I think this is what you need in order to you to get the help thats required for you to start turning things around." edebooy@brandonsun.com Twitter: @erindebooy RICHMOND HILL, Ont. - A tip from the Canadian and American border agencies has led to the arrests of two men accused of possessing explosive materials, but authorities said the case was not related to national security. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Ralph Goodale leaves a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick RICHMOND HILL, Ont. - A tip from the Canadian and American border agencies has led to the arrests of two men accused of possessing explosive materials, but authorities said the case was not related to national security. York Regional Police said the men Reza Mohammadiasl, 47, and Mahyar Mohammadiasl, 18, were arrested Monday at a home in Richmond Hill, Ont. Police said the investigation was launched last Thursday after a tip from Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Officers searched the home on Friday and found hazardous, explosive materials as well as a detonator device, the force said. Neighbouring residences were evacuated as a precaution while police removed the materials. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Tuesday the case was a local matter for the York Regional Police. "There is no known connection to any issue related to national security," he said in Ottawa. "It is a local policing matter. Obviously they've made arrests, they've laid charges and it's up to them to comment further." Police have asked anyone who knows the accused or who may have information that can help the investigation to come forward. WINNIPEG - A Crown prosecutor says a man on trial for first-degree murder maintained control over multiple women he lived with through surveillance, drugs and abuse. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People enter the Law Courts in Winnipeg on February 5, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods WINNIPEG - A Crown prosecutor says a man on trial for first-degree murder maintained control over multiple women he lived with through surveillance, drugs and abuse. Perez Cleveland, 46, has pleaded not guilty in the death of Jennifer Barrett, 42, whose body was found in a barrel behind their Winnipeg home in December 2016. Prosecutor Breta Passler told a jury during opening arguments on Tuesday that the case is about "one man's control over six women." "They did unthinkable acts at his behest," Passler said. Court heard that Cleveland was living in the home with his adult daughter and five women described as his domestic partners. Some of the women had been in a romantic relationship with Cleveland for many years when Barrett joined them in 2012. In the summer of 2016, Cleveland became convinced that Barrett was cheating on him, Passler said. She was locked in the basement and tortured for days before she was killed. Cleveland told two of the women that Barrett had left town, Passler said, and he ordered two others to dispose of her body. Chemicals were used to speed up decomposition, added Passler, and Barrett's remains were identified through DNA testing. One of the women eventually escaped the abuse and went to police, Passler told the jury. Dennis Wiebe, a real estate agent who also managed the property where Cleveland and the women lived, testified that he met Barrett in June 2016 when she signed the lease on the home. She told him she was a nurse at St. Boniface Hospital and that she would be staying in the home with her husband and daughter, Wiebe said. After they moved in, Wiebe said he stopped getting rent money. In August of that year, Barrett gave him $2,000 cash and promised more was coming. "That was the last time I saw her in person," Wiebe said. A couple months later, Barrett stopped answering phone calls and text messages, Wiebe said. So he began to deal with other people in the home about the rent. The man identified as Barrett's husband said he didn't know where Barrett was, Wiebe said. In November, Wiebe took back possession of the house, changed the locks and started to clean out the property. Animal feces was all over the house, the basement and garage were filled with plastic bags and garbage, and stairs down to basement had been painted, he testified. The door handle to the basement had also been replaced with a keypad lock, Wiebe said. A sealed barrel was found in the backyard but it was too heavy to move to the dump, Wiebe told court. Soon after, he got a call from city police. Jason Dee, an officer with the police identification unit, testified that when the barrel was opened, it became clear what was inside. "We soon saw what we believed to be a body," he told court. Inside the home, officers found a hand-written relationship contract between Barrett and Cleveland signed and dated in 2013, Dee said. There was also evidence of blood in the basement, but Dee said he did not know how long it had been there. OTTAWA - The federal Tories are accusing the Trudeau government of playing politics by stripping specific references to specific religious groups from its annual report on terrorism. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus rises during Question Period in the House of Commons, Tuesday, May 7, 2019 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - The federal Tories are accusing the Trudeau government of playing politics by stripping specific references to specific religious groups from its annual report on terrorism. Conservative public-safety critic Pierre Paul-Hus suggested to the House of Commons national-security committee Monday that the Liberals bowed to "pressure tactics" simply to avoid offending anyone. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the government removed the terms "Sikh," "Sunni" and "Shia" from the report when referring to extremism to avoid conveying the impression that an entire religion or community is a threat to national security. He told the committee it was not a partisan issue but rather an effort to be accurate, precise and fair in conveying information about terrorist threats. "Canadians of all faiths and backgrounds have helped to build our country and continue to be integral members of our communities and neighbourhoods," Goodale said. "It is neither accurate nor fair to equate any one community or an entire religion to extremist violence or terror. To do so is simply wrong and inaccurate." Brampton, Ont., Liberal MP Ruby Sahota told the committee she had raised the wording issue with Goodale several times, saying people expressed concerns to her about the religious references in the report. Paul-Hus accused the Liberals of altering accurate information in response to pressure. "Everyone understands that we're speaking of extremists, it's not everyone who's involved," the Quebec City MP said. "To what extent should politics enter into play just to avoid insulting anyone?" Following the December publication of the 2018 report, the government heard several strong objections particularly from the Sikh and Muslim communities in Canada that the language was not "sufficiently precise," Goodale acknowledged. They saw the report as impugning entire religions instead of properly zeroing in on the dangerous actions of a small number of people, even though such language had appeared in previous government and parliamentary publications, he said. "As I have said before, language matters. And just because something has often been phrased in a certain way does not mean that it should be phrased in that way now or in the future." Goodale requested a review of the language in the report, prompting consultations with the Canadian Sikh and Muslim communities as well as the federal cross-cultural roundtable on security, national-security agencies and members of Parliament. "Going forward, we will use terminology that focuses on intent or ideology rather than an entire religion," he said. For instance, the annual report's original mention of Sikh extremism has been revised to refer to extremists who support violent means to establish an independent state within India. Goodale pointed to the recent rise in hate crimes against ethnic and religious minorities, noting online platforms are making it easier for hateful individuals to amplify their toxic rhetoric. The notion that governments might continue to use language that can be twisted by such violent people as justifications for their hatred "should be anathema to all of us," he added. Goodale disagreed with the notion the wording changes will undermine the fight against extremism, saying Canadian security officials need the goodwill and support of peaceful, law-abiding members of diverse communities to do their work. NDP public-safety critic Matthew Dube welcomed the wording changes. Goodale offered another example of the effort to remove bias from national-security work: For the last several months, the security officials who decide whether someone should be added to Canada's no-fly list have not seen the name or photo of the individual to ensure they do not influence the outcome, he said. Instead, the decision is made solely on the facts in the file. Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter HALIFAX - A consultant's cost analysis on the estimated $2-billion redevelopment of Atlantic Canada's largest hospital complex will be released but not yet, a Nova Scotia legislature committee was told Tuesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. HALIFAX - A consultant's cost analysis on the estimated $2-billion redevelopment of Atlantic Canada's largest hospital complex will be released but not yet, a Nova Scotia legislature committee was told Tuesday. Deputy minister Paul LaFleche said the Department of Infrastructure Renewal wouldn't release the report by Deloitte until pending design and construction bids are evaluated over the coming months. "Once the bids are in and we have evaluated them and made a decision we will put out all of that information," LaFleche told the health committee, although he wasn't specific about a timeline that could take several months or even years. The government has said the bulk of the redevelopment of Halifax's QEII Health Sciences Centre will be funded through a public-private partnership, although the opposition parties have long called for the report's release in order to evaluate the reasoning for the use of the P3 funding model. LaFleche said the government believes the current funding option referred to as "design, build, finance and maintain" is the best for a quicker build and a better fiscal outcome. "If it turns out that they (bids) don't, we're not ideologically wed to things," he said. LaFleche later clarified for reporters that if the bid numbers don't appear to bring the value for money that a traditional public build would, then the department would have to go back to Treasury Board to discuss a potential reconsideration of how to fund the project. "We don't think that's going to happen, but we are anxious to see the (bids)." Under the funding arrangement the government would own the facilities, although the winning bidder would maintain them over a 30-year period. The province began its search for the team that will design, construct, finance and maintain some of the new construction in December, issuing two requests for supplier qualifications. The requests are for a new community outpatient centre to be built on a 15-acre site in Bayers Lake, and for upgrades and additions to the Halifax Infirmary site, which include a new cancer centre, outpatient centre, inpatient centre, more hospital beds and operating rooms, and a new learning centre. John O'Connor, the department's executive director of major infrastructure renewal, told reporters a short list of design teams for the Bayers Lake project would be released soon with a request for proposals to be issued in July and final bids expected by December. He said the contract is expected to be awarded in the spring with construction to begin in the summer or fall of 2020. He said the timeline for the Infirmary site would be longer, with the shortlist of potential teams released by the end of June and a request for proposals issued in January or February. "We anticipate now a February, March time period of 2021 before we have a project team in place on the Halifax Infirmary new builds. Those are four large buildings that have to be planned and designed by those proponent teams during the bidding period." The project's ultimate goal is to move services out of the existing Centennial and Victoria buildings at the Victoria General site in Halifax to prepare for their eventual closure. O'Connor said steps were taken in Deloitte's report to ensure there was no P3 bias on the part of the consultant. He said the report compares data supplied by the province on traditional builds with data supplied by P3 projects from across the country. But NDP committee member Susan Leblanc said her concerns around P3 weren't satisfied by what she heard during the hearing. "We still don't know why P3 is the model the government has chosen," said Leblanc. "We hear that we are getting the best value for our money, but we don't have any details about it, and it sounds like we won't have any details for years to come." Leblanc said she would like to see some sort of comparison to other funding models laid out in the meantime. "This is $2-billion we're talking about. Nova Scotians deserve to understand where their money is going and that it is actually being spent in the best way possible." Prosecutors are asking Ontario's highest court to overturn the acquittal of a former violin teacher who measured his teenage students' bare breasts while fitting them for shoulder rests. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prosecutors are asking Ontario's highest court to overturn the acquittal of a former violin teacher who measured his teenage students' bare breasts while fitting them for shoulder rests. The Crown is appealing a ruling that found Claude Trachy not guilty on dozens of charges related to the sexual violation of more than 20 students in the 1970s and 80s, saying the trial judge made several errors. Trachy, 73, of Chatham, Ont., was acquitted last year after a judge found the now-retired music teacher did not act with a sexual purpose but rather because he believed it was necessary to properly equip the students. The appeal is set to be heard Tuesday and prosecutors are asking the court to convict Trachy on some of the charges or order a new trial on all of them. Court documents filed ahead of the hearing say the complainants, who are now adults, testified they were asked to remove their shirt and bra on the left side so that Trachy could measure them from collarbone to nipple. They testified he touched their breast during this process and often would then have them play with their left breast exposed. Four complainants also alleged he took a plastic mould of their left breast. Trachy told his trial he had the complainants undo their blouse on the left side so he could measure them from collarbone to nipple but maintained he derived no sexual gratification from it. He also denied cupping or rubbing any of the complainants' breasts, as some of them alleged. In its appeal documents, the Crown notes that "no boys, notwithstanding their growth, size or shape, were touched in this fashion." Neither was Trachy's daughter, who also played violin, it says. It also says Trachy didn't have a formula for how the measurement translated into shoulder rest adjustment and had no rationale for how often the girls needed to be assessed. The Crown alleges the trial judge oversimplified the allegations to focus exclusively on whether Trachy acted with a sexual purpose. Prosecutors say sexual intention is only a necessary element of some of the charges against Trachy, such as sexual interference, but does not need to be proven for others, such as sexual assault, which only requires that the touching be of a sexual nature. "In an expedient rush towards simplicity the trial judge lost the full scope of relevance of the complainants' evidence," they allege in the documents. "The failure of the trial judge to assess the relevance of the evidence by assessing what the complainants actually said that they had suffered from and without reference to the specific elements of the various offences charged combined to form an erroneous central core which permeated the balance of the trial." They argue the trial judge also failed to properly consider the evidence of an expert witness, who testified there was no justification for touching the students' breasts as part of a fitting, nor was it a known or documented practice. The Crown further alleges the judge did not consider comments Trachy made to police in which he suggested he had stopped measuring in that way after a previous arrest and conviction in the 1990s related to the sexual violation of two sisters. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, argue the appeal has no legal basis and the Crown is simply seeking a "do-over" of the trial. "Though framed in terms of legal error, the Crown's appeal amounts to a thinly disguised claim of 'unreasonable acquittal,' a ground of appeal that does not exist in Canadian law," they say in written submissions. "Focusing primarily on the respondent's purpose for the touching was in no way improper because, in these circumstances, this was going to be the crucial issue determining proof of guilt," they say. Trachy testified that at the time, he didn't think that his methods could make students uncomfortable, and his acknowledgment that he later dropped the practice "was not an admission of having committed sexual misconduct," the defence says. FREDERICTON - Stanton T. Friedman, nuclear physicist, lecturer and world-renowned devotee of extraterrestrial existence, has died at the age of 84. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FREDERICTON - Stanton T. Friedman, nuclear physicist, lecturer and world-renowned devotee of extraterrestrial existence, has died at the age of 84. The famed UFO researcher died Monday at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, his daughter Melissa Friedman confirmed Tuesday. She said he was on his way home to Fredericton from a speaking engagement in Ohio. UFO scientist Stanton Friedman is shown in a handout photo. Friedman, nuclear physicist, lecturer and world-renowned devotee of extraterrestrial existence, has died at the age of 84. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO She did not disclose the cause of death and asked that the family's privacy be respected. Friedman built a reputation as a leading authority on unidentified flying objects, alien abductions and the so-called Roswell incident, considered by many to be the definitive UFO event. He said his belief in extraterrestrials was based on data about UFO events he found buried in U.S. government documents over the years. Friedman grew up in Linden, N.J., and was employed for 14 years as a nuclear physicist by companies including General Electric, Westinghouse and McDonnell-Douglas. According to his book, Flying Saucers and Science, he first became interested in UFOs in 1958. He began lecturing on the topic in 1967, but he never actually saw one himself. ''I have never seen a flying saucer, and I have never seen an alien. But remember, I chased neutrons and gamma rays for a lot of years as a physicist and never saw one of them either,'' he told The Canadian Press in 2007. ''In fact, I've never seen Tokyo, but I'm convinced it's there.'' It was in 2007 that the City of Fredericton declared Stanton Friedman Day to honour him. At the time, he said he owed his personal success to the fact that people have an endless fascination with space and the unknown. "Can you think of anything that touches more deeply on who we are, where we stand and the mystery and the coverup?" he asked. "People are excited because it opens up the universe to wonderful possibilities." Kathleen Marden was a friend of Friedman for more than 30 years and co-authored three books on UFOs with him. "When he knew the truth, he told the truth," she said Tuesday from her home near Orlando, Fla. "He was the original civilian investigator of the Roswell crash. Stanton was a man who did his homework. He always criticized the debunkers because they hadn't done theirs." Marden said Friedman spoke at conferences and colleges across Canada and the United States and in 20 foreign countries. He was also a frequent guest on radio and television talk shows. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Quebec's secularism bill is causing tension in society and Montrealers feel powerless to do anything about it, Mayor Valerie Plante told committee members studying the controversial legislation Tuesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante attends the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Big City Mayors' Caucus, in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Quebec's secularism bill is causing tension in society and Montrealers feel powerless to do anything about it, Mayor Valerie Plante told committee members studying the controversial legislation Tuesday. Montreal's mayor was firm in her criticism of the bill, but she was also careful not to come off as confrontational. Plante acknowledged during her presentation that some Montrealers agree with the provincial government's plans to restrict people's religious freedoms. The Coalition Avenir Quebec government's Bill 21 would prohibit public sector workers in positions of authority, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols on the job. Premier Francois Legault's government has also invoked a clause in the Constitution that would block people from challenging the law the over rights violations. Plante told the legislature committee that the city supports the government's desire to enshrine into law the secular nature of the state. But she says Montreal has many problems with the government's approach. The bill targets minorities, she said, and affects women more than it does men. Moreover, she added, Bill 21 doesn't include details about how it would be enforced. "When it comes to fundamental rights or their place in society, citizens shouldn't have to live in fear regarding their faith," Plante told the committee. She said the government should allow the bill to stand the test of the courts. "You need to let people feel that the legal processes are available to them," she said. "There is a certain feeling of powerlessness in the face of this bill." Montreal city council voted unanimously in April to oppose the bill, and the mayor has received violent messages online over her public opposition. But the mayor cannot afford to alienate the provincial government. Quebec City funds major infrastructure projects across the city, and Plante made sure to keep a collegial tone throughout her presentation. She stressed that Montreal's diversity is its strength, and immigrants and minorities should be seen as a source of wealth rather than a cause for concern. "In Montreal, our cultures, these minorities, they mix together daily," she said. "I don't want social cohesion to be at risk. And there is tension now. And we feel it." Earlier on Tuesday, representatives from Quebec's English-language education sector told reporters Bill 21 is divisive, unnecessary and a violation of the Constitution. Representatives of anglophone school boards and parent associations noted the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 1990 that minority language communities have the "exclusive authority" to make decisions over aspects of language education, including the recruitment and assignment of teachers. "Therefore ... Quebec cannot impose a prohibition of religious symbols worn by teachers and principals in the English public school network," they said in a statement to the media. Also on Tuesday, sociologist Guy Rocher told the committee studying Bill 21 that the proposed law is not "anti-Islamic" as many opponents have claimed. The only reason people think the bill targets Muslims is because the Islamic religion is currently the "most visible" in society, he said. In a few years, he explained, Jehovah's Witnesses or Christian Evangelicals could rise in prominence. "The government has the responsibility to legislate in order to establish equality between all the religions," Rocher said. Written by Giuseppe Valiante FREDERICTON - Medical authorities in New Brunswick are cautioning people who may have been exposed to a second case of measles in the Saint John area to watch for symptoms and make sure they've been vaccinated. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FREDERICTON - Medical authorities in New Brunswick are cautioning people who may have been exposed to a second case of measles in the Saint John area to watch for symptoms and make sure they've been vaccinated. Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, said the case was confirmed at Kennebecasis Valley High School in the last few days. She did not give the person's age or say if they are a student or staff member, but it appears the virus was contracted from another recently confirmed patient with measles. "The person in that first case is related to the second case in that they were in the Saint John Emergency Department at the same time," Russell said. She said officials are contacting people who may have crossed paths with the latest case. "This person is isolating at home currently, and we're working with the superintendents and the school and the health authority to make sure that everything we can do to identify the individuals who've been in contact with this individual are identified and they know to look for signs and symptoms of measles," she said. Health authorities say the person ate lunch at Shadow Lawn restaurant in Rothesay, N.B., on May 6 and attended the John Cleese show at Harbour Station on May 7. People who were at the restaurant that day or who were at Harbour Station on May 7 seated in Section 26, rows 14-20 or Section 27, rows 14-24, are encouraged to contact their health provider. The first person with a confirmed case of the measles, visited the Halifax Infirmary emergency room last month and later went to the ER and X-ray room at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Officials say anyone who visited the Halifax Infirmary on April 17th and the Saint John hospital from April 18th to April 22nd could have come in contact with the disease and should check their immunization records and watch for symptoms of measles. Public health officials have confirmed the first infected patient recently travelled internationally. Measles is a highly contagious infection and can be prevented with a vaccine. Most people who contract the virus make a full recovery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, one of out of every 1,000 people infected with measles will develop acute encephalitis, which often results in permanent brain damage. The agency adds that one or two out of every 1,000 children who are infected with the virus will die from respiratory and neurological complications. OTTAWA - In the small town of Arnprior, nestled into the Ottawa Valley, at least five suspected opioid overdoses in the span of week prompted police to issue a public warning. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/5/2019 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. This Aug. 29, 2018, file photo shows an arrangement of prescription oxycodone pills in New York. In the small town of Arnprior nestled into the Ottawa Valley, the impact of the opioid crisis has recently been witnessed in the form of at least five suspected opioid overdoses in the span of week, prompting police to issue a public warning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mark Lennihan, File OTTAWA - In the small town of Arnprior, nestled into the Ottawa Valley, at least five suspected opioid overdoses in the span of week prompted police to issue a public warning. Access to extremely dangerous opioids is not limited to larger cities, said the Renfrew detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police, and the drugs have "infiltrated every corner of our province in some form or another." "When you are purchasing drugs illegally, you actually don't know exactly what is in those drugs," said OPP Const. Tina Hunt, a community safety officer with the detachment. "Even though you think you're buying one drug, it could be laced with another type of drug." The problem plaguing Arnprior a town of 9,000 is shared by small communities across Canada, according to 2017 data presented late last year by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), indicating they in fact have hospitalization rates for opioid poisonings more than double those in Canada's largest cities. In its public release, Renfrew OPP also warned of something known as "purp" or purple heroin, typically a combination of heroin and its more-potent cousins fentanyl or carfentanil. Fentanyl is 40 times more powerful than heroin and carfentanil (which was developed as a veterinary painkiller for very large animals) is 100 times stronger than fentanyl, figures that illuminate the challenges of tackling what experts say is increasingly a toxic drug supply. The synthetic opioids are comparatively easy to manufacture and transport. They can be cut with fillers and sold as heroin or pressed into pills that can be indistinguishable from pharmaceuticals that come from legitimate manufacturers. But a tiny excess in the dose can be deadly. The data from CIHI indicated that although hospitalization rates for overdoses varied across the provinces and territories, communities of 50,000 to 100,000 people saw some of the highest rates of opioid poisonings. Brantford, Ont., had an opioid-poisoning hospitalization rate more than 3.5 times the Ontario average. Kelowna, B.C. had one of the highest rates of opioid-poisoning hospitalizations in Canada in 2017. Each has about 100,000 people. Helen Jennens, who lives in Kelowna and lost both her sons, Rian and Tyler, to opioids, said Monday that resources in her community have been improving but said appropriate supports were not in place in her family's darkest hours. Larger communities offer more places for people to go to find help, she said. "There's more outreach centres; the access to help is just better." Both Rian and Tyler had become addicted to opioids after being prescribed painkillers for injuries. Donald MacPherson, the director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, said Monday that smaller communities are "incredibly underserved" by some basic types of programs such as harm-reduction services, adding that reduced capacity, funding issues and higher costs create challenges outside urban centres. The group promotes more liberal drug policies, arguing that the war on drugs does more harm than good. There has been an effort in British Columbia to create community action teams to try to address the need for more on-the-ground services, MacPherson said, noting an enormous problem remains "because the drug market doesn't discriminate." "It exists everywhere, from the smallest places to the largest places," he said. "I think in many places they are left behind ... The rural-urban divide when it comes to the basics of life-saving services is immense." Canada's Rural Economic Development Minister Bernadette Jordan has witnessed some of the impacts in her own community. Jordan, who represents the Nova Scotia riding of South Shore-St. Margaret's, said anyone who think the opioid crisis is an urban issue is wrong. "We are seeing it right across the country, in small communities, in rural communities," she said in a recent roundtable interview with The Canadian Press. "It is a huge, huge challenge; there is no question." She said she has discussed the issue with the health minister. "This isn't just happening in Vancouver, in Toronto, in Montreal," she said. This is happening right across the country." In a statement, a spokesperson for Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor pointed to commitments the Liberals made in their most recent budget. It proposed additional funding of $30.5 million over 5 years, beginning in 2019-20, with $1 million a year committed after that, for targeted measures to address persistent gaps in harm reduction and treatment. "We will continue to do all we can to save lives, because this crisis continues to be one of the most serious public-health issues in Canada's recent history," said Petitpas Taylor's press secretary Thierry Belair. MacPerson said the federal government could accelerate rural innovation in overdose prevention and harm-reduction. "I think there should be a rural strategy developed that the federal government could fund and co-fund maybe with the provinces," he said. "This epidemic is presenting a huge challenge and if one good thing comes out of this disaster, is that we begin to do things differently. So the opportunity is to seize that moment and really be serious about changing the way we operate." Follow @kkirkup on Twitter EDMONTON - A woman serving a life sentence for the murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford says her move from a healing lodge back to a prison was unfair. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/5/2019 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. EDMONTON - A woman serving a life sentence for the murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford says her move from a healing lodge back to a prison was unfair. Lawyers for Terri-Lynn McClintic filed an application in Edmonton court April 30 asking that the move be declared unlawful. Terri-Lynne McClintic, convicted in the death of eight-year-old Woodstock, Ont., girl Victoria Stafford, is escorted into court in Kitchener, Ont., on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 for her trial in an assault on another inmate while in prison. A woman serving a life sentence for the murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford says her move from a healing lodge to a prison was unfair. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins "Ms. McClintic experienced a loss of residual liberty as a consequence of being transferred," said the application. "The decisions which led to that loss ... were unreasonable and procedurally unfair, and therefore unlawful." The application names the Correctional Service of Canada, prison wardens and the federal justice and public safety departments. A judge ruled Monday that a review is warranted but additional papers need to be filed before it can proceed. Victoria Stafford was kidnapped while walking home from school in Woodstock, Ont. in 2009, then raped and murdered. McClintic and her boyfriend, Michael Rafferty, were convicted of first-degree murder. They were sentenced to life with no chance at parole for 25 years. The pair made headlines last year when Rafferty was transferred to a medium-security prison and McClintic was moved to a minimum-security healing lodge. After public outcry, and outrage by Stafford's family, McClintic was moved from the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge near Maple Creek, Sask. to the maximum-security Edmonton Institution for Women. The court application says she has since been transferred to Grand Valley Institution for Women near Kitchener, Ont., which is a minimum-medium security facility. Justice John Henderson wrote in his decision Monday that McClintic "no longer has any connection to Alberta and its courts." "It is unclear as to what basis an Alberta court has jurisdiction." Henderson cancelled an appearance set for Friday and said McClintic has two weeks to file a written submission before the court decides whether to strike the application. A request for comment to McClintic's Calgary lawyer, Kelsey Sitar, was not returned. Healing lodges use Indigenous values, traditions and beliefs to help with inmates with their rehabilitation and get them ready to return to society. Following McClintic's transfer to the healing lodge, the federal government announced changes to make it more difficult for prisoners serving long sentences to be moved to such facilities. Under the new rules, prisoners are not eligible for transfers to lodges without secured perimeters until they near release. The Correctional Service of Canada must also consider behaviour and how close inmates are to being eligible for unescorted temporary absences before they are transferred. Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety, said at the time that the changes apply to past and future cases. "These are decisions that are not taken lightly or capriciously,'' Goodale said. "They are based on evidence and sound principles." A man has been ordered by the High Court to leave a house bought by developer Tom McFeely before he was declared bankrupt. Joe Doyle senior claims he has never ever met Mr McFeely and he was entitled to adverse possession of the house at Meakstown Cottages, Dubber Cross, near Finglas, Dublin. Mr Justice Senan Allen found the house was bought for 300,000 in 2006 by Mr McFeely who, in 2012, was declared bankrupt and who had that bankruptcy extended for nearly another five years in 2016. Joe Doyle senior claimed he has acquired squatter's rights because he has lived in the house uninterrupted and unchallenged since 2004. He claimed the property had been abandoned and he moved in, spending significant money on restoring and also built a large pigeon loft and prayer house at it. Mr Justice Allen ruled that Beltany Property Finance, which acquired title to the property over default on a loan taken out by Mr McFeely in 2006 to buy the house, was entitled to an injunction restraining Mr Doyle from trespassing. He will hear an application next week for a stay on his order after Mr Doyle's lawyer said he and his family would be rendered homeless by the decision. The judge said Mr Doyle's case was that, in the summer of 2004, he told the father of one of the previous owners of the house, David and Nicola Boyle, he was interested in buying it. In fact, Mr Doyle was not interested in doing so but gave the then owner's father the name of a solicitor to contact. Neither the owners nor the man Mr Doyle claimed he spoke to ever followed that up. A couple of months later, it was claimed the Boyles abandoned the property which, the judge said, Mr Doyle senior "annexed". About a year into that occupation, it was claimed that someone else using the name Joe Doyle agreed to buy it. Mr Doyle's son is also called Joe Doyle (junior) and the father claimed his son was involved in buying and selling property but the son became angry when he found out his name appeared on documents prepared for the purchase. Joe senior's former solicitors, Woods Hogan and Co, handled the conveyancing paperwork which was prepared and printed in the expectation the purchaser would be a "Joseph Doyle". However, when the contract was completed, showing a purchase price with a 30,000 deposit and a 270,000 mortgage, it was signed by Tom McFeely in the presence of a solicitor in the Woods Hogan firm, the judge said. As late as May 2018, Joe senior, who had falsely said he was interested in buying the house, was still endeavouring to "identify the Doppelganger" (the other Joe Doyle), the judge said. The judge was not prepared to contemplate that Mr McFeely "wandered into the offices of Woods Hogan and Co and signed a contract for the purchase of this property which had been prepared for Mr Doyle junior". Mr Doyle senior said he "did not know and had never met Mr McFeely", the judge said. Mr McFeely also never visited the property and he was not aware he (McFeely) bought it, Mr Doyle senior said. Mr Doyle senior also claimed that Woods Hogan confused the file in relation to him with a file and instructions he had received from his son, Joe junior. By the time Mr McFeely was declared bankrupt in 2012, some 100,000 was paid off the mortgage. The official assignee handling the McFeely bankruptcy surrendered the property to the bank which originally provided the mortgage and which was then taken over by Beltany. The demonstrable fact was that the Boyles sold the house and "someone put up the money to buy it and serviced the mortgage for years", the judge said. The judge found it incredible that whoever put up that money did so in ignorance of the fact that Mr Doyle was living. It was also incredible to suggest Mr McFeely borrowed money for the mortgage without "knowing and permitting the position on the ground". Kenmare Resources boss Michael Carvill is not anticipating the company becoming a fresh takeover target amid ongoing consolidation in the industry. The Irish mining firm is one of the world's leading producers of titanium feedstocks, via its Moma mine in Mozambique. Four years ago, heavy interest from Australian miner Iluka Resources came to nothing and a far less healthy looking Kenmare, at the time, said it was not reliant on being acquired in order to survive. The company is now debt-free, is looking at ramping up production from Moma by 25% by 2021 and will start paying dividends to shareholders, for the first time, later this year. Speaking after Kenmare's agm, Mr Carvill said: "It's always a predatory world out there. All we can do is do our business as best we can. We see a future as Kenmare, developing and increasing the capacity of this project and returning value back to our shareholders and all stakeholders involved." He also expressed concern over trade tensions between the US and China - the latter a huge market for Kenmare - even though neither country is placing tariffs on material being imported from Mozambique. It's got to have an effect in a general sense because a trade war reduces world growth, and the growth of our market correlates with world growth. Both Mr Carvill and chairman Steven McTiernan expressed frustration to investors over Kenmare's share price performance - down over 19% in the past 12 months. In reply to one shareholder question, Mr McTiernan defended Kenmare's executive pay policy and said a new long-term pay plan will be put before shareholders at next year's agm. A publican lobby group has warned of "rapidly changing" consumer drinking habits to which the industry must adapt. At the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) agm in Cork, chief executive Padraig Cribben said publicans must adapt to younger audiences with a "very different outlook on life", with the number of non-drinkers spiking rapidly in a decade. The amount of teetotal 18 to 25-year-olds has risen from 18% to 29% in a decade, Mr Cribben said. He said publicans must also be cognisant of drinkers who were now looking for the "couch and Netflix" night in, as well as gym-goers and active people. It was a challenge for the industry to flip the "serious negative perception" of alcohol, Mr Cribben said, with the industry, suppliers and retailers all having a part to play. The Cork branch of the VFI had a motion passed calling for the Government to put a cap on insurance claim payouts in line with international norms. Cork delegate Michael Farrell claimed the insurance industry and legal system were presiding over "a runaway gravy train" which was leading to businesses all over Ireland closing because of escalating and disproportionate premiums and payouts. Mr Farrell's call for reform of the book of quantum -- the guidelines for injury payouts -- to be put to the people by way of referendum received almost unanimous approval from VFI members. A referendum "was the only way" to take the capping of payouts away from the legal and insurance industry and enshrining it into law, who have invariably stalled badly-needed reform, Mr Farrell claimed. A bill is currently in the legislative process, having been passed by the Seanad last month. However, Mr Farrell said action to target high premiums had not happened despite "begging politicians" for help. There were too many vested interests, and a referendum was the only solution, he said. Earlier, Mr Cribben claimed that gardai are "targeting the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time" with new legislation targeting drink driving. The chief executive hit out at the increase in Vat from 9% to 13.5% in last year's Budget, claiming it "made no sense" as businesses "outside of the M50" were being disproportionately penalised. He said the industry should brace for more added charges and taxes in this year's Budget with the Government "needing to make money because there is nothing left to play with in the public finances". He called for an Uber-style transport initiative for rural Ireland based on community involvement. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has ordered a telecommunications firm to pay 50,000 to an office manager for her unfair dismissal. WRC Adjudication Officer in the case, Valerie Murtagh found that the firm moved very hastily to dismiss the office manager after she made a bullying complaint against a work colleague, a Ms P. The office manager alleged at the WRC that she was subjected to vociferous hostile treatment from Ms P who formerly acted as personal assistant to the CEO and currently occupies a different role. The office manager made her first complaints on May 19/20, 2018 and she was told on May 22, 2018 by the firms Chief Financial Officer (CFO) that her role was being made redundant due to changes in another of the company's offices. At the meeting, the CFO told the office manager sorry it has come to this. In her findings, Ms Murtagh concluded that the bullying complaint impacted on the telecommunications firm taking swift action to affect the office managers dismissal from the company and thereby nullifying the complaints of bullying. Ms Murtagh concluded that the process adopted by the employer was unfair, unreasonable and disproportionate and coupled with this, the hastiness of the employer in affecting a swift dismissal leads me to conclude that the dismissal was unfair. Ms Murtagh said that she accepted the points made by the employer over the downsizing of the business in Dublin. However, Ms Murtagh found that the dismissal by reason of redundancy was procedurally unfair and therefore has rendered the dismissal unfair. Ms Murtagh also found the redundancy process was flawed on a procedural basis and poorly handled by management. Ms Murtagh found that a reasonable employer would not have behaved in the manner in which the firm carried out the dismissal in this case. Ms Murtagh found that the redundancy consultation process was not a genuine one in circumstances where the outcome had been predetermined one month earlier. The office manager alleged that she was dismissed on foot of a sham redundancy process engineered by her employer in order to achieve a pre-determined outcome. The firm strenuously denied this and told the WRC hearing that it had been impacted by the well-documented restructuring of a connected firm that has seen its global number of employees significantly reduced. The firm stated that over the last 18 months, it has seen the number of people operating from its Dublin office more than halved. The company maintained that the departures from the Dublin office have included all of the senior management executives who are now based internationally. The firm stated that having regard to the reduction in the number of employees in the Dublin office; the departure of almost all of its senior manager executives to other countries and the diminished role of the Dublin office in the provision of the companys day-to-day business services, the office managers role became redundant. The company contended that the office manager made a series of baseless allegations against the firm when alleging she was dismissed on foot of a conspiracy and sham redundancy process orchestrated in response to a dispute between the complainant and Ms P on May 18, 2018. The firm submitted that she persisted with that claim in the face of documentary evidence that the restructuring that gave rise to her position being made redundant was discussed in April 2018 and was recorded in writing to be as a result of the closure of the Dublin office. The firm stated that when the complainant gave evidence of the supposed bullying of her by Ms P on 18 May 2018, it was the office managers conduct rather than Ms Ps that was unreasonable. The firm stated that it engaged in a reasonable and appropriate redundancy process and that there was no animus against the office manager. In her findings, Ms Murtagh stated that the office move was not impending at the time of the dismissal and the break in the lease had not yet been negotiated and it transpired that the move did not take place until October 2018, almost five months after the dismissal. Blood patterns in the room where 14-year-old Anastasia Kriegel's body was found indicate she was struck several times with a weapon while she lay on the floor, a blood spatter analyst has told the trial of the two boys accused of her murder. Other blood stains indicated she was assaulted while upright and an area of blood staining on the carpet further suggests she lay bleeding on the ground for some time before being moved to the part of the room where she was found by gardai three days after she was reported missing. The accused, who are both 14, cannot be named because they are minors. They have each pleaded not guilty to murdering the Kildare schoolgirl at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on May 14 last year and are on trial at the Central Criminal Court. Boy A is further charged with the 14-year-olds aggravated sexual assault in a manner that involved serious violence to her. He has pleaded not guilty to that count also. Mr John Hoade of Forensic Science Ireland today told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC that he visited Glenwood House with members of the Garda Technical Bureau on May 18, 2018 and went to "Room 1" where Ana's body had been found the previous day. Inside he identified seven areas of blood staining which included impact and cast-off staining on the walls and saturation blood staining on the carpet. He explained that impact staining occurs when an object strikes a source of liquid blood. Cast-off patterns occur when blood drops are released from an object such as when a weapon is swung through the air. Saturation staining, he said, is an accumulation of liquid blood and this could be seen on the carpet near the door as one entered the room. Impact and cast-off staining near the skirting board indicated, the witness said, that Ana was struck several times on the head while on the floor. He noted a "large red area on the wall above the skirting board" and told Mr Grehan: "Ana's head was in contact with that area when she was struck with a weapon." The heavy staining to the carpet close to the skirting board, Mr Hoade said, indicated she bled from the head in that area for some time but her body was not found in that location, suggesting she was moved. He could not say how long she lay before being moved. Clothing was strewn about the room and the trial has previously heard that Ana was naked but for a pair of socks when found. There were further areas of staining closer to the level of the windows which, Mr Hoade said, "indicate she was assaulted while she was upright at the back of the room because they are higher than the ones at the skirting board". A swipe pattern close to the skirting board suggested Ana touched this area while bleeding or an item wet with her blood was in contact with the area. DNA analysis showed that the blood on all but one of the areas identified belonged to Ana. A swab taken on one of the areas did not yield blood for analysis. Mr Hoade said he also took items from the scene to the forensic laboratories for further examination including a white stick and a concrete block. Earlier the trial head from Detective Garda Gabriel Newton who told Mr Grehan she took clothing that Boy A was wearing on the day Ana went missing. Boy A told gardai he was assaulted on that day in a park by two men and had suffered injuries. His mother told Det Gda Newton that she washed his top twice because there was blood staining in the collar area. Det Gda Newton said she could make out a dark area on the white top which Boy A's mother indicated was blood staining. There was also blood staining on the bottoms. The clothing, including a pair of boots and a black hoodie were shown to the jury as was an iPhone belonging to Boy A. Det Gda Newton further identified clothing taken from Boy B which included Nike runners, a grey hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms. Under cross-examination the witness told Patrick Gageby SC for Boy A that the parents of Boy A were "absolutely" cooperative. The trial continues in front of Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. A baby whose mother aired concerns for his growth during pregnancy was suffering the effects of placental disease. Nicola Cox Coghlan from Raheny, Dublin 5 expressed concerns for her babys growth at 36 and 38 week scans. Her newborn baby Luke tragically died minutes after birth at the National Maternity Hospital on December 28, 2018 He suffered a brain injury due to placental disease at least 36 hours before delivery, an inquest into his death heard. Dr Declan Keane, Consultant Obstetrician at the hospital, said "it is difficult to know what could have been done differently here". Pathologist Dr Eoghan Mooney said the placenta was smaller than average and this may relate to shallow implantation in early pregnancy. He conducted microscopic examinations of the babys brain at autopsy and found damage to brain cells had been an ongoing process. The baby suffered a hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy around 36 hours before delivery, the pathologist said. There was evidence of a fresh hemorrhage and evidence of previous hemorrhage, so this hypoxic stress was going on for a number of days, Dr Mooney said. Baby Luke had suffered a fetal vascular malperfusion but there was no explanation for what caused it, the inquest heard. This had been ongoing for at least seven days and explained the babys small size. The cause of death was brain injury due to foetal vascular malperfusion due to placental disease. Mrs Cox Coghlan was due to attend a consultant-led clinic on December 29 but she went into labour on December 28. The babys heart rate was recorded at 120 beats per minute less than an hour before birth. However, 15 minutes before birth the babys heart rate dropped and did not recover. Baby Luke was born at 6.05am. He was pale and had no pulse. He was pronounced dead at 6.28am. Through her legal team Nicola Cox Coghlan asked about the possibilities of expectant mothers who have a preference to be referred back to a consultant during their pregnancy. The coroner returned a neutral, narrative verdict and said that given the increase in referrals to midwives clinics in accordance with national maternity strategy, it should be fully communicated to pregnant women that they may refer back to a consultant-led team at any time. Its been very difficult for you; my deepest condolences. The story is so affecting, to hear the absolute tragedy of the loss of your very much loved and wanted baby in those circumstances, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said. The Government is to make changes to help families who are left in "limbo" when a relative goes missing. The Cabinet has approved a missing persons Bill which is designed to assist the families of missing persons in dealing with the management of their estate. Currently, a death certificate cannot be issued for a missing person, life insurance policies cannot be processed and no decisions can be made in respect of the assets of the persons estate. The changes would allow for a presumption of death order where the circumstances of the disappearance indicate that death is virtually certain or where the length of the disappearance indicate that it is highly probable that the missing person has died and will not return. Senator Colm Burke, who first published the Civil Law (Presumption of Death) Bill 2016 along with Senators Marie-Louise O'Donnell and Lynn Ruane, welcomed the Cabinet's approval of a money message to allow the legislation proceed. As the law presently stands, in cases where a person remains missing, and it is clear from all evidence available that they have died, there is no legal procedure available to allow for their estate to be managed," he said. Their families and friends are left in limbo, unable to take any action in respect of the persons affairs. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan also brought the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) annual report to Cabinet which revealed that 24 protected disclosures were made in 2018. GSOC opened 1,921 complaints and a total of 74 sanctions were applied by the Garda Commissioner in 2018 on foot of disciplinary investigations. Those sanctions ranged from advice to reduction in pay. GSOC sent 17 files to the DPP following criminal investigations last year. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will travel to Paris tomorrow where he will join international leaders to launch an initiative to tackle terrorist and violent extremist content online. This initiative, led by Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern and French president, Emanuel Macron, comes in the wake of the terrorist attack in Christchurch New Zealand in March, in which 51 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. The Christchurch Call to Action initiative will commit Governments and online service providers to undertake a series of actions to counter and remove terrorist and violent extremist content online. A quiet and shy Cork man has been sent to jail for possessing 1,027 images of child pornography after his original suspended sentence was deemed too lenient. Greg Lordan, 29, of Parish Field, Clonakilty, pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to possessing child pornography at his home on February 16, 2017. He was given a wholly suspended three-year sentence by Judge Sean ODonnabhain on November 9, 2018, which was found to be unduly lenient by the Court of Appeal today. Giving judgment on the appeal brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said gardai executed a warrant at Lordan's house in February, 2017, where he made admissions. In particular, Lordan admitted that he had an old mobile phone which contained child porn, which he had accessed the previous day. He had been accessing the material for two years. Mr Justice McCarthy said Lordan cooperated with gardai in the subsequent search and handed over the phone, which was located in his bedroom. The phone contained 638 images of child nudity where children aged between three or four and 12 or 13 were seen to have exposed genitalia. Another 386 images depicted male and female children aged three or four and 13 or 14 engaged in sexual activity with an adult or other children. A further three images were found depicting a child aged seven or eight engaged in sexual activity with an animal. Mr Justice McCarthy said there were five categories of seriousness for child porn images. In ascending order, they were: Erotic posing; Solo sexual activity; Non-penetrative sexual activity between adults and children; Penetrative sexual activity between children and adults; Sadism or bestiality. The judge said three images found of Lordans phone fell into the most serious category, 638 fell into the first category and 386 fell into the third category. Lordan had no previous convictions and was not known to gardai. He is in a relationship and currently lives in Spain, the judge said. Lordan 'sincerely remorseful' Subsequent to detection, he contacted a psychologist and underwent therapy. The psychologist stated that Lordan was now sincerely remorseful and was aware of the abusive nature of the pornography as well as its consequences for the victims. The psychologist stated that Lordan was not a paedophile although that was at variance with the psychologists reference to his derivation of sexual pleasure from viewing the material, Mr Justice McCarthy said. Lordan was also described as someone who was very quiet and shy, who struggled with severe social anxiety and insecurity, was bullied at school and has dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Mr Justice McCarthy said the sentencing judge had regard to all relevant mitigating factors including Lordans guilty plea, his cooperation and return from Spain to meet the case, his good work history, the fact he was bullied and isolated at school and that he had undertaken psychotherapy of his own volition. The Director of Public Prosecutions submitted that the sentencing judge failed to have sufficient regard to the necessity for general deterrence, in other words, the need to send the message out to society that offending conduct of this type will not be tolerated. Mr Justice McCarthy said it seemed to the Court of Appeal that this was one of those cases where a custodial sentence was appropriate. He said the sentencing judge fell into error in suspending the entirety of the sentence. The appropriate headline sentence remained one of three years but the court would suspend the final two years rather than all three. Mr Justice McCarthy, who sat with President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, resentenced Lordan to three years imprisonment with the final two suspended. He was required to enter into a good behaviour bond for the suspended period and he undertook to be so bound, before being taken immediately into custody. A father-of-three agreed to store over 320,000 of illegal drugs in his bedroom in exchange for payment of 50, a court has heard. David Fox (51) of Croftwood Cresent, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply at his address on November 5, 2016. Detective Garda Michael McNulty told Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question gardai searched the address on foot of a warrant and discovered a large cardboard box on the floor beside the accused's bed. The box contained 6.92kg of cannabis and 2.59kg of cocaine. The total combined value of the drugs is 320,313. Det Gda McNulty said that Fox initially indicated that one of his three daughters residing in the house was responsible for the drugs and that she seemed to go along with it out of loyalty. Fox later accepted sole responsibility for holding the drugs. The accused told gardai he was short on money and had agreed to hold the drugs for one night in exchange for payment of 50. He said he does not have a drug debt and does not owe anyone else money. Fox has no previous convictions. The court heard he has split from his partner and went through a long custody battle for care of his two youngest daughters. Det Gda McNulty agreed with Michael Lynn SC, defending, that he would not dispute the suggestion that Fox was unaware of the value of the drugs. He said he found it hard to believe Fox only received 50 in exchange for holding them, but said he had no way of disproving it. Judge Melanie Greally commented that in some ways it almost seemed worse that one would involve oneself in criminal behaviour for only 50. She adjourned the matter pending the completion of a psychological assessment to July 17, next. A woman accused of murdering her boyfriend said her doctor had been concerned that she could have been killed after the deceased had previously beaten her, and suggested she have a sharp object handy just in case' he assaulted her again. She described her life as a living hell. The jury was watching a garda interview today in the Central Criminal Court trial of a 48-year-old woman, charged with murdering her 40-year-old boyfriend in her Co Tipperary home. Inga Ozolina, originally from Latvia, but with an address at Old Court Church, Mountrath, Co Laois, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Audrius Pukas at The Malthouse, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, on November 20, 2016. He died from a stab wound to his chest. Detective Garda Stuart Beatty testified that he and a colleague had interviewed the accused later that day. The trial has already heard that she had gone to the garda station to report the incident. D Ga Beatty told Frank Quirke BL, prosecuting, that she said that she had rowed with the deceased about him and his friends drinking in her apartment. She said it became physical when he grabbed her by the hair, pushed her towards the floor and began hitting and biting her. She said that she grabbed the first thing that came into her hand, explaining that she had been making dinner at that time. I started to reach out for some object to defend myself, she said. I could not see what I was taking because he was still pulling me by the hair and I was facing down. She later said that it was a big knife she had grabbed as she tried to get up off the floor. She added that she should have grabbed something else. And then he saw me holding that, she continued. He grabbed me by the hand and started to twist my arm..., but at some stage he flinched and then turned very, very aggressive. She said that this had happened in a split second. He suddenly stood back, letting me go, and went downstairs, she said. "I was very surprised because normally when he gets violent, he hits me to the end. Asked how he had been hitting her, she replied: My recollection is not very good. I was so afraid for my safety. I was afraid that he would kill me. She said that, after a while, she went downstairs to check on him because once he starts on me, he never retreats so easily. She said that he was lying on the floor beside the bed, breathing very heavily. She said she thought that he was having a seizure because he had asthma, so she used an inhaler on him. Then I realised there was blood, she said. I tried to do the First Aid. She said that she soon felt the situation was out of control and chased to the garda station. She told her interviewers that domestic violence had been an ongoing problem in their relationship, that she had previously had a safety order against him and had been in a womens shelter. My life is just a living hell, she said. The safety order didnt stop him assaulting me over and over again. She said that her friends never visited because they were afraid of him, and that her adult daughter had advised her to finish the relationship. I didnt follow her advice, unfortunately, she said. She explained that she had applied for a second safety order when the first one expired, but that her case was put back because the court list was so long. Then, three weeks ago, when he broke the front door, I got very frightened. He was very aggressive, she said. I rang the police, but they never called to my house. She said that they had refused to attend after she said she did not have a safety order. She had left the house instead. However, she said that the gardai had called to the house regularly in the past. But then, at some point, they probably decided not to waste their time anymore, she said, explaining that the deceased was aware that they would not come. He took advantage of that, she said. He was abusing me regularly, knowing that I would never get any help from anyone. After he realised that he would not take any responsibility for his actions, he became even more violent, and more aggressive. However, she said that she did not want him to die. I did caution him that if he continued to assault me, I would defend myself, she said. When the doctor saw my injuries, she told me I should defend myself to make myself safe, ... that I should have some sharp object handy just in case he assaults me again. My condition was so bad that my doctor was concerned that I could have been killed, she added. The trial continues tomorrow morning before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. Gardai have received a complaint about an elderly Cork man who had up to 100,000 taken out of his bank accounts by a person who had power of attorney over his affairs. The report was made to gardai after regular withdrawals from the mans financial accounts were noticed by a relative. Gardai have confirmed they have received the report and are currently assessing it. It is one of several cases of financial abuse among elderly people across the country, according to Age Action. The organisation cited another elderly person who lives alone and has memory loss. Her two daughters are acting powers of attorney for her. According to Age Action, one daughter has discovered that her sister has been taking substantial sums of money from the mothers bank account. The money continued to be taken even after the culprit was confronted by her sister. The case has been referred to the HSE safeguarding team in her area. The Age Action spokeswoman also listed a case in which an elderly man was taken to the bank by his son, to unwillingly withdraw money from his account. The man later told another son that he did it because he was threatened that he would be put into a nursing home. Age Action says one-fifth of substantiated elder abuse cases relate to financial abuse. The organisation said that financial abuse can take a number of forms, including theft of money, the use of a persons identity in relation to credit and debit cards, forging someones signature, use of counterfeit cheques, or being tricked into signing blank cheques. There are also cases of elderly people being pressured into signing documents or changing wills, or threatening to have care withdrawn unless money or property is handed over. Age Action and gardai say that the full extent of elder abuse is not reported either to gardai or the HSE. The HSE National Safeguarding Office can be contacted on 1850 24 1850. This story originally appeared in the Echo Minister for Disabilities Finian McGrath would be happy to have a drug injection centre in his own constituency. The Independent Alliance TD has said that the HSEs strategy for drug injection centres should include the suburbs to avoid creating drug ghettoes in the city centres. I feel very strongly about the need to build these centres in communities not just in town. People should be treated locally, in their own community. We cannot allow a situation where all the drug treatment centres are in the city centre. Thats not good for the city centre, for the addicts or for their families. He pointed to the success of the drug treatment scheme in Portugal which was community-based and had seen a reduction of nine per cent in drug use. Thats the common sense approach. Mr McGrath also called for the setting up of drug treatment services in Drogheda because of the recent drug-related violence in the town. A combination of a health and social care model and strong policing is needed. The bottom line is we have to deal with the criminals too," he said. Fire crews are dealing with a significant gorse fire in Clare this evening where a Condition Orange fire risk warning is in place until Friday. The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine has issued the High Fire Risk warning arising from the current Easterly high pressure weather conditions, forecast high temperatures and low relative humidity levels. Clare County Fire and Rescue Service has also warned that landowners and the public should be aware that dangers exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as gorse, heather, dried grasses and other dead vegetation exist. This evening, fire crews from Ennis are dealing a significant gorse fire near Ruan in Co Clare. On arrival fire crews found flames reaching as high as twenty feet in some areas and quickly set about tackling the blaze. Four units of the fire service, including a water tanker and 4x4 vehicle, responded to the incident which was in an area difficult to access. Earlier in the day, Clares chief fire officer had warned of the dangers of the recent low humidity, lack of rain and current dry conditions. Chief Adrian Kelly said: Our advice is, if you are in the countryside or in the vicinity of forestry or other wild land, that you take extreme caution when travelling through them. Because we have had very little rain in the past few months the ground is very dry and any outbreak could cause a large fire to take place. Forestry can easily catch fire but we are also concerned about undergrowth and even turf under the surface which could also catch fire at this point, Mr Kelly added. One of the countrys largest residential builders, Glenveagh has stated that it will sell 56 apartments in Dublins docklands to Dublin City Council for 22.06 million for social and affordable housing. The apartments are part of plans by Glenveagh to construct 554 apartments at a site at East Rd located near to both the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and the so-called Silicon Docks area. The builder has put the 22 million value on the apartments arising from its requirements under Part V of the Planning and Development Act which requires builders to provide a portion of new developments towards social and affordable housing. Underlining the scale of the proposed deal, the 22 million value just falls short of the 23.17 million total Dublin City Council spent for all Part V dwellings across the city last year when it acquired 98 dwellings in 17 separate developments. Glenveagh currently has plans for the 554 apartments in nine blocks ranging from three to 15 storeys at the East Rd site before An Bord Pleanala under the Governments fast track planning rules. In a letter to the City Council, Director at Glenveagh Living Ltd, Shane Scully said that the 56 apartments includes 35 two-bed apartments at an estimated cost of 454,446 each to the Council. In addition, Mr Scully has put a price tag of 296,821 to the Council on each of the 21 one bed apartments. According to Glenveagh, the combined cost to the Council of the 35 two bed 880 sq ft apartments will be 15.8 million and the combined cost to the Council of the 21 one bed 568 sq ft apartments will be 6.23 million. Glenveagh is proposing that all of the Part V apartments will be located in one of the nine apartment blocks planned for the site. Mr Scully said that the proposal involves providing 10% of the future permitted units on site. Mr Scully stated that the contents of the letter are purely indicative and intended to provide a reasonable estimate of the costs and values of the units. He stated that the information will ultimately be subject to possible amendment and formal agreement with Dublin City Council and this will take finalised after planning permission has been secured. A Glenveagh spokesman declined to comment on the proposed Part V deal and would only state that these units form part of its plans to deliver 2,500 units per annum at scale across the business. The City Council figures show that last year it paid a developer 645,486 for one Part V dwelling at Dollymount Avenue in Clontarf and 571,680 for another dwelling at the same address. The figures show that the Council paid 4.74m for 19 dwellings at the Marianella development at Rathgar - an average of 249,944 each. Individuals paying rent in the private sector are currently paying record rents with the latest daft.ie survey showing that the average monthly rent is 2,002 in the capital. However for those on the City Council waiting list for housing who do go on to secure a home, rent is calculated as 15% of the principal earners assessable income. The Councils rental scheme states that the maximum weekly rent that the City Council can charge is 301 for a one bedroom dwelling and 313 for a two bedroom dwelling. A legal challenge brought by an independent candidate in this month's European Parliament elections over RTE's decision not to include him in a live television debate has been dismissed by the High Court. Mr Justice Senan Allen said proceedings brought by Ben Gilroy, arising out of the RTE decision not to include him on an RTE live debate programme on the election scheduled for May 20, had "no legal basis". The Judge also said he agreed with counsel for RTE Ms Niamh Hyland that the application was brought by Mr Gilroy in an attempt to enhance his electoral prospects in the May 24 ballot. A similar but separate action brought by another independent candidate Eamonn Murphy, who like Mr Gilroy is also contesting the Dublin constituency and has not been invited to participate in the programme, is due before the High Court tomorrow. In his action, Mr Gilroy had sought various declarations to the effect that the decision to exclude him from the debate is unfair, undemocratic and that he has a right to be heard. He claimed the decision to exclude him, and other candidates not invited to participate in the programme, breach the regulations set out by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland on elections. The decision he claimed meant RTE was in breach of its remit as a national broadcaster and gave an unfair advantage to the established politicians and parties who take part in the programmes. In his submissions to the court Mr Gilroy said he did not want to stop the debate, nor was he looking for an injunction that would compel the broadcaster to include him in the debate. He was simply looking for a declaration that RTE's decision was unfair. RTE disputed the claims. In reply David Nally, RTE's Head of Current Affairs said in a sworn statement to the court that certain criteria were set down by RTE for the inclusion on the live debates. These included if a candidate is already elected to EU parliament, Dail, or if the candidate got more than 5% in a recent national election. Mr Gilroy did not meet the criteria, he said. A court order would cause considerable problems for any debate, he added. He said that given there are 19 candidates in Dublin and 59 overall there was no system that would please all candidates, but RTE was satisfied that the selection criteria were fair, objective and impartial. In her submissions to the court, Niamh Hyland SC for RTE said her client believed that it was in court to meet an application by Mr Gilroy for an interim order that would allow him to participate in the planned debate. Counsel said that was not the case, there was no urgency to the case, the proceedings should have been brought by judicial review. Counsel said that it also appeared the application before the court was an attempt by Mr Gilroy to generate publicity to advance his electoral ambitions. Mr Justice Allen agreed with counsel for RTE. He said that the court and RTE had initially believed that he was seeking some sort of urgent interim injunction that would allow him to participate in the programme. That was not the case and Mr Gilroy was now looking for some sort of an interim declaration that might help his electoral prospects. The court could not make such an order, as it is not known in law, and Mr Gilroy should have known that, the Judge said. The Judge also said the application, which had been given some degree of urgency, was not an appropriate use of court time. The Judge said the formatting of the debate as advanced by Mr Nally in his sworn statement was "sensible." In the circumstances, the court was dismissing the application, and awarded costs against Mr Gilroy in favour of RTE. Eamonn Murphy Earlier Mr Murphy informed Mr Justice Leonie Reynolds he wished to bring proceedings against RTE arising out of the decision not to include him on the live debate. Ms Hyland said her client had no prior notice from Mr Murphy that he intended to take proceedings against it. Following a brief adjournment to consider Mr Murphy's claim counsel said Mr Murphy's case differed from Mr Gilroy's, and they should not be heard together. Counsel said the difference was Mr Murphy was also contesting the decision not to show a one-minute video that he furnished to RTE setting out his campaign. Videos of a similar length from other candidates seeking election to the European Parliament are being shown by RTE on its website. However, Mr Murphy's video was deemed to be in breach of the Broadcasting Act and the BAI's code of conduct by RTE, which informed him of its decision. Ms Justice Reynolds said that as separate issues arose in Mr Murphy's intended action that case should be adjourned until tomorrow to allow RTE to respond to the claim. The former chair of the Housing Agency Conor Skehan has called for "joined-up thinking" in terms of projects such as the National Broadband Plan. It was like putting lipstick on a pig to talk about putting broadband into villages that could not treat their water properly. This is representative of the lack of a clear and consistent plan to facilitate the emerging future of Ireland, he told Newstalk Breakfast. The planning lecturer said that there is a need to look at the bigger picture if Ireland is going to make progress. He said that the National Development Plan and the National Broadband Plan contradicted each other with one encouraging more focus on villages and towns with the other offering one for everyone in the audience. One arm (of government) is making plans without thinking of the cost. Were in effect laying out plans without costs. Its all about choices. He said that if the Government wants to look at providing services such as broadband and also building roads and houses then it will have to look carefully at how to fund all that and if necessary to increase taxes. They need a path to decide all that. As we become more urbanised people expect to see specific things for their taxes. There is a responsibility for where money comes from and where it goes to. That calls for a more technocratic form of government. Thats the type of future we have to head to. Mr Skehan said it was not an urban versus rural issue. It was much more nuanced than that with many types of rural Ireland existing, it was not enough to have a broad brush approach, he added. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD is commissioning an independent study on familicide. The specialist in-depth research will focus on the provision of supports to families who are victims of familicide and international best practice in the conduct of domestic homicide reviews. "While familicide is relatively rare in Ireland, these horrific events have a devastating impact on those left behind, both family members and the wider community," said Minister Flanagan. I want to ensure that clear protocols and guidelines are in place so that the State can provide all appropriate supports and do so in a coordinated and timely manner. Minister Flanagan has appointed social worker Norah Gibbons to lead the study. She will be joined by a small team of experts. Ms Gibbons was a member of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, chaired the Roscommon Child Abuse Inquiry and co-chaired the Independent Review Group on Child Deaths. She was also the first Chairperson of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The move comes after Mr Flanagan met the family of Clodagh Hawe earlier this year to discuss her murder. The Hawe family Ms Hawe, 39, was killed along with her sons by her husband, the childrens father, Alan Hawe in the family home in Cavan in August 2016. The study will involve consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including State agencies, family members of victims and non-governmental organisations. "This study will define international best practice and identify how these reviews might apply in Ireland," Minister Flanagan said. The Minister urged those who have lost loved ones in familicide to contribute to the study. "It is important that those who have experienced this unimaginable loss engage with this study," he said. I took great care in choosing the right person to lead this study. Norah Gibbons not only brings experience and expertise, she also brings great humanity and compassion to this important and sensitive study. "Over the years Norah has established a track record of effectively leading collaboratively in dealing with sensitive issues in both the voluntary and state sector, as well as of cross-State agency work." The study will also consider how the media report on familicide and make recommendations on best practice, as well as how social media deals with such events. The man who was said to have set the agenda for the fatal beating of Dale Creighton, 20, on a footbridge in Tallaght five years ago, has had his jail term cut on appeal. David Burke, 29, with a last address at Beechpark, Collinstown, Co Westmeath, initially stood trial for the murder of Mr Creighton along with six others but on the 15th day of their trial those charges were dropped and each accused pleaded guilty to lesser offences. Mr Creighton was assaulted on the footbridge over the Tallaght bypass between Saint Dominics Road and Greenhills Road in the early hours of January 1, 2014. He was falsely accused of stealing a mobile phone and marched up to a kangaroo court on the footbridge, where the beating continued after it was ascertained that he didnt have the stolen phone. He died in hospital the following day, due to blunt force injury to his head and face. David Burke and four others pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the five killers were sentenced to 10 years, with suspended periods, depending on their culpability and circumstances. Sentencing him to 10 years imprisonment with the final two and a half years suspended, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy held David Burke to be the most culpable of the participants. He was the oldest. He set the agenda. He determined what was to happen. However, the Court of Appeal cut David Burkes jail term by nine months today on grounds that his sentence diverged from the next most culpable participant by too much. President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said the court would usually baulk at a limited intervention. But in a case involving multiple defendants, where issues of relativity and parity apply, intervention was required. He said the court had some concern that conclusions about David Burke setting the agenda may go somewhat further than is supported by the evidence. There was no doubt, however, that the greatest culpability rested with David Burke and another of those involved, Ross Callery, Mr Justice Birmingham said. The Court of Appeal was also satisfied that the sentencing judge was correct to draw a distinction between David Burke and Ross Callery because of Burkes involvement in the early stages of the incident, as what might be described as an instigator, and the fact Callery was five years younger. Callery, 25, with an address of Gortlum Cottages, Brittas, Co Dublin, was jailed for six years. David Burke was given an extra 18 months, or 25% more, and was too great a divergence, the judge said. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, resentenced David Burke to 10 years imprisonment with the final three years and three months suspended, leaving him with a net jail term of six years and nine months. Seven defendants appeared in court The Central Criminal Court heard that the seven defendants, who were from Tallaght and were known to each other, had rung in the new year four hours earlier in a local nightclub, where the entrance fee included multiple free drinks. Some also took cocaine. They were David Burke and his sister 25-year-old Aisling Burke, both with last addresses at Beechpark, Collinstown, Co Westmeath; Ross Callery; Graham Palmer, 28, with an address at Park Avenue, Portarlington, Co Laois; James Reid, 26, of Glen Aoibhinn, Gorey, Co Wexford; Jason Beresford, 25, with an address at Coill Diarmuida, Ard a Laoi, Castledermot, Co Kildare; and Gerard Stevens, 29, of Grosvenor Square, Rathmines in Dublin. Aisling Burke, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, was jailed for one year, while James Reid, who pleaded guilty to possession of a knife, was given a wholly suspended two-year sentence. The other five, including David Burke, entered guilty pleas to manslaughter, which were accepted by the State. Only some of the 14-minute assault was caught on CCTV and gardai in Tallaght had to turn the camera back onto the bridge to capture the final four minutes. Ms Justice Murphy imposed the same 10-year sentence on each of the five killers and suspended a portion based on their culpability and circumstances. Ross Callery was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final four years suspended. Graham Palmer was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final five years suspended. Jason Beresford was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final four years suspended. Gerard Stevens was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final seven years suspended. Dale Creightons mother told the Central Criminal Court that the torture and the fear that my son was put through that night will haunt me for the rest of my life". It is my first thought in the morning when I wake up and my last at night when I finally fall asleep. I have nightmares about Dale on the bridge that night. His father said he couldnt believe that my son was left unrecognisable in the bed, that one human being could do that to another Every night for the last three years, I go to sleep thinking of Dale and I wake up to a nightmare. "So much so, the stress of his death has taken a toll on my health that I have suffered three heart attacks. A man has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with attempting to rape a woman as she tried to get into her city centre apartment. The 34-year-old Dublin resident denies attacking the woman late at night on December 18, 2010. Neither the accused nor the complainant can be identified during the trial. Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, told the jury of three women and nine men that at around 2am that night the woman was making her way home after a night out socialising in Dublin. Counsel said the woman, who had lived in Dublin for many years, was opening the security gate into the courtyard of her apartment block when a man came up behind her. This man entered in with her and knocked her to the ground and began to choke her by putting his hands around her neck. He punched her twice in the face and told her to shut up, counsel told the jurors. The State's case is that the man then sexually assaulted her before attempting to rape her. The man then left the scene. When gardai came to the scene they took the clothes the woman was wearing, Ms Rowland said. These clothes were forensically examined and a DNA profile was lifted from semen traces found on them, she said. The defendant was arrested in 2016 and gardai took an oral swab from him and generated a DNA profile from him which matched the DNA profile from 2010, counsel alleged. Ms Rowland told the jury it is the prosecution case that the defendant is the person who ejaculated on the complainant's skirt. The jury were shown photographs depicting the woman's injuries. The court heard these images showed bruising around the eye, swelling to side of the face and jaw area and bruising to the top of the lips. The man has pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm at a place in Dublin on December 18, 2010. The trial continues before Mr Justice Micheal White and the jury. The National Centre for Youth Mental Health has revealed that it sees a 35% increase in the number of young people engaging with its services in the run-up to the exam period. The figures were announced as the charity launches a new mental health website, Jigsaw, dedicated to providing free information on youth mental health. The website is aimed at parents, young people, and teachers and was developed with support from MSD Ireland and Three. It will feature articles, personal stories and videos from Jigsaw clinicians as well as young people themselves on topics such as relationships, bullying, consent, and managing stress and anxiety. Other features such as IM, live group sessions, lesson plans and onscreen supports will be rolled out in the coming months. "Creating Jigsawonline.ie has long been part of Jigsaws wider plans to extend its reach nationwide, said Jigsaw CEO, Dr Joseph Duffy. With 13 services across the country, developing an extensive schools programme as well as an online resource allows us to expand this reach even further. Our model of early-intervention is about equipping young people and those around them with the knowledge and skills to protect and support their mental health. Robert Finnegan, CEO of Three Ireland, who are also Jigsaws Digital Technical Partner said: The aim of this partnership for Three is to connect young people with better mental health and jigsawonline.ie is enabling this. "As part of our skills-based volunteering initiative with Jigsaw, through leveraging the extensive digital expertise of our employees at Three, we have driven the development of this new digital portal. "Research shows that young peoples first touch point when seeking information about mental health is online through their mobiles so jigsawonline.ie will provide them with the support they need through a way that they are comfortable and Three has had an important part to play in achieving this," he said. A 38-year old part-time sales assistant at retailer, Michael Guiney has been awarded 68,636 after she was assaulted by an irate customer with a bicycle locking chain. In a High Court judgement, Mr Justice Bernard Barton has ruled that Limerick woman, Sabrina Douglas receive damages of 50,000 and an additional 18,636 in special damages arising from the customer assault at Michael Guineys store at William Street, Limerick on September 21st 2011. Ms Douglas took the case against Michael Guiney Ltd and Mr Justice Barton found that the retailer is liable for negligence and for breach of statutory duty concerning Safety, Health and Welfare at Work legislation for what happened to Ms Douglas on the date. On September 21, 2011, a customer was first verbally abusive and then struck out at Ms Douglas with the bicycle locking chain after she told him that he required a receipt, in accordance with store policy, if he wished to return the bicycle locking chain that he had purchased the previous day. Describing the assault, mother of two of children aged nine and 11, from Pike Avenue, Garryowen, Limerick Ms Douglas told the court that the customer took the chain off the counter and used it to strike her on the right hand. Ms Douglas said that she tried to defend herself and pushed him away but he then struck out again with the chain which hit her on the right-hand side of her head and face causing a cut to her scalp that started to bleed immediately. The intoxicated man was arrested by gardai who arrived at the scene and he subsequently pleaded guilty to assault causing harm of Ms Douglas. It required a number of people, including the store detective and a garda, to restrain the attacker who was described as a very strong man by the store detective. Ms Douglas was taken to hospital by ambulance. Ms Douglas sustained a permanent scar to her scalp and Mr Justice Barton said that her main injuries were psychological where she was diagnosed with a post-traumatic stress disorder and a depressive disorder. Ms Douglas stated that prior to the assault she was a very outgoing, friendly kind of person who enjoyed social interaction, but that all this had changed. She became socially withdrawn and unable to face going out. About eight months after the assault she attempted to go back to work at Michael Guineys, and this turned out to be a disaster. According to Mr Justice Barton, Ms Douglas could not cope at all and within one day she knew she had to give up. She resigned her employment in 2012. Apart altogether from the anxiety, distress, fatigue, emotional upset and depression, Ms Douglas also suffered from nightmares and day-time flashbacks of the incident. Mr Justice Barton also recorded that Ms Douglas developed a phobia about going to town or putting herself into any situation which involved mingling with crowds or socialising with strangers. In finding in favour of Ms Douglas, Mr Justice Barton said that what is crucial in terms of causation is that Ms Douglas had not received any training or instruction on what to do if she found herself in a verbally heated or other confrontational situation. Finding that Michael Guiney Ltd was negligent in its duty of care to Ms Douglas, Mr Justice Barton said that staff dealing with customers in circumstances with the potential to result in anti-social or aggressive behaviour ought to have received training and instruction on how to deal with same. Mr Justice Barton rejected a defence from Michael Guiney Ltd which put the assault in issue and that Ms Douglas was the author of her own misfortune and was guilty of contributory negligence. Mr Justice Barton said that he found Ms Douglas to be a credible witness and that her minimisation of her physical injuries speaks to her good character. The judge stated that Ms Douglas was involved in a previous accident in May, 2010 when she was knocked to the ground by a drunken patron while attending the Angel Lane Night Club at Robert's Street, Limerick. She suffered a head injury and according to Mr Justice Barton circuit court proceedings arising from the incident were compromised for a very modest sum. In making the award against Michael Guiney Ltd, Mr Justice Barton stated that a fair and reasonable sum to compensate Ms Douglas for pain and suffering to date for her physical and psychological injuries is 40,000 and for pain and suffering into the future 10,000. In addition, the judge awarded special damages of 18,636. A search for a swimmer reported missing off the Kerry coast this afternoon has been stood down. Its now understood that a man, whom it was feared was in difficulty and missing, made his way ashore and presented himself to rescue services personnel apparently unaware that they were searching for him. The alarm was raised shortly before 2.00pm when a male swimmer was reported in difficulty off Fenit. Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted a search and rescue operation. Fenit RNLIs all-weather lifeboat and the volunteer services smaller in-shore rescue craft were launched while the Glenderry unit of the Irish Coast Guard was also requested to assist. The Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, was tasked to assist in the operation. Gardai and National Ambulance Service paramedics were also involved in the search which was concentrated in the vicinity of the lighthouse west of Fenit Harbour. Both lifeboats and Rescue 115 carried out a comprehensive search of a wide area but found no trace of any missing person. Coast Guard search teams also combed the coastline in search of the swimmer. At around 3.20pm, a swimmer came ashore and was met by emergency services personnel. The man confirmed that he had been swimming in the search area and that he saw no other swimmer. Its understood that search teams are satisfied that this was the swimmer for whom the search had been mounted. All search teams were stood down about 90 minutes after the operation was mounted while the Irish Coast Guard has confirmed that call was a false alarm with good intent. High Court proceedings to determine if certain documents given by the FAI to the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) are legally privileged have been adjourned to late June. The materials which the FAI claims are privileged include legal advice it received from its interim CEO Ms Rea Walshe, who is a qualified solicitor and is described by the FAI as its internal legal advisor. The material at the centre of the application is contained in the minutes of several meetings of the FAI board of management held between February 2016 and March 2019. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds, who will determine if the material is legally privileged or not, was told during a brief hearing today both sides were consenting to the case going back to June 25. Kerida Naidoo SC for the ODCE said the matter could be put back in order to allow the sides to discuss matters in order to resolve issues between them. Counsel said the FAI had advanced additional non-privileged material to the ODCE which may help resolve some of the issues between them. Shane Murphy SC for the FAI said his client was consenting to the adjournment in order to facilitate the investigation. The ODCE application, made under the 2014 Companies Act against the FAI, comes as part of its probe into "certain matters" concerning the association. The material was provided by the FAI to the ODCE earlier this month, following a request in April. The FAI claims privilege over certain contents of 10 documents it has provided to the ODCE. It has made the claim in respect of limited passages of the documents in order to protect the FAI position against third parties and not the ODCE. The documents sought include the minutes of all meetings of the FAI Board of Directors and Committees of the board for the period January 1, 2016 to March 21, 2019 inclusive. The items which the FAI claims privilege over includes legal advice the board received from Ms Walshe in February 2016 over an agreement with a prospective sponsor and in November that year of the FAI's potential liability over possible and ongoing legal actions against it. It also seeks to have legal advice the board received regarding an internal investigation and the rights of affected parties to bring appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in June 2017. Other matters it seeks to claim privilege over are legal advice from Ms Walshe regarding disciplinary matters in December 2017 and legal advice concerning an application from one of its members concerning an application for a licence in January 2018. An issue in the case is whether Ms Walshe can be considered as the association's internal legal advisor at the relevant time. This is because of the number of different titles Ms Walshe has held with the association since she was appointed as the FAI head of Legal and Licensing in 2014. The FAI says despite holding the different roles Ms Walshe has worked principally as a legal advisor to the association. The ODCE has argued that there is insufficient evidence before the court that Ms Walshe was qualified to give legal advice to the association at the relevant meetings given that she had different titles with the FAI. The interim head of screening at the National Screening Service has written to women caught up in the CervicalCheck scandal outlining what they can expect if they sign up to an ex gratia scheme but patient representatives said the main reaction was one of disappointment. In her letter to 221 women, or to their estates in cases where the women have died, Frances McNamara says that while the process is not intended to be adversarial, women who wish to consult a solicitor can avail of an allowance of 1,500 plus VAT, payable on a vouched basis. Ms McNamara also outlines how: An independent assessment panel will decide the appropriate payment, and the same amount will be paid to each woman or her estate, if assessed by the panel not to have had appropriate and timely disclosure; While the scheme does not preclude women from pursuing compensation outside the scheme and possibly receiving an award, in those circumstances the amount already received under the ex-gratia scheme should be taken into account by the Court or Tribunal. The size of the payment should be considered in the light of the typical general damages level which applies to settlement of cases involving nervous infliction for emotional suffering/psychiatric injury. The women are asked to apply by May 30 if possible and, where successful in their claim, payments will be made by the Department of Health directly into their bank accounts. The scheme is open to 221 women who were not told their screening histories were part of a CervicalCheck audit or that the audit showed smear test results at odds with what was originally reported. Last night, Lorraine Walsh, a patient representative on the Government-appointed CervicalCheck steering committee, said the reaction among women she had spoken to was one of widespread disappointment. How do we sign up to a scheme when we dont know whats involved? she said. Once you sign up, you are in, and everyone gets the same payment. But we dont know what that payment is. Ms Walsh said the Department of Health had drawn up the scheme and presented it as a fait accompli, only showing it to patient representatives when it was already signed and sealed. She said they would like to have seen an apology to the women included in the scheme and it was a missed opportunity. Ms Walsh also questioned the offer of a 1,500 allowance, saying the Government had still not agreed to cover the 2,000 cost of independent reviews of smear tests of women caught up in the scandal, putting families under huge financial pressure. Ms Walsh and Stephen Teap, also a member of the steering committee, whose wife Irene died of cervical cancer after two misread smears, said they had raised the need to fund the independent reviews at every meeting of the steering committee, only to be continually told it is under review. They said families are paying in the region of 2,000 for an independent review to determine if errors in previous smear results were due to the limitations of screening or negligence. If you are in the middle of cancer treatment and you have a mortgage and kids, having to fork out 2,000 upfront is putting a lot of people under financial pressure, Mr Teap said. There are loads of women not working, with young children who cant afford it and therefore possibly wont ask for an independent review, said Ms Walsh. In a statement, the Department of Health said a request has been made that the costs of private medico-legal reviews of cytology smear tests for women/families in the 221 cohort should be met by the State. As has previously been advised to the CervicalCheck Steering Committee, a submission made to the Minister [Simon Harris] by the Department on this issue is being kept under review. Two Polish truck drivers who denied murdering a man at the truck stop of the Amber filling station in Fermoy were found not guilty today. The jury of eight men and four women took just over two hours to return with their unanimous verdicts at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. Residents of Ballsbridge in Dublin have compared the BusConnects plan to a "savage, unnecessary attack" on their area. The re-design of the city's bus network will mean that some people are set to lose their front gardens, while hundreds of trees will be chopped down. An officer who spearheaded a Criminal Assets Bureau investigation into assets of the Kinahan crime gang has told a High Court jury a file provided to CAB by solicitor Gerald Kean lead to the seizure of a Dublin man's house as the proceeds of crime. Det Sgt Tom Anderson was giving evidence in the continuing action by Mr Kean alleging he was defamed in an article published in the Irish Daily Star on March 11, 2016, headlined 'Kean Caught Up in CAB Probe'. Independent Star Ltd denies defamation and has pleaded fair and reasonable publication for the purpose of discussion of a subject of public interest in the public benefit. Evidence has concluded and the jury will hear closing addresses tomorrow. Det Sgt Anderson, now with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, told Rossa Fanning SC, for the Star, he had sworn "informations" in March 2016 supporting CAB's District Court application for warrants to search 18 premises on March 9, 2016, including Mr Kean's offices, as part of its investigation into the Kinahan gang's finances. CAB was aware Mr Kean's office had acted for a Dublin man, Sean McGovern, in relation to the purchase of a house at Kildare Road, Crumlin, and it wanted to establish where the money for that purchase came from. Mr Kean's office provided the relevant file and documents and CAB later established the 150,000 paid by Mr McGovern for the house came from a Mauritian trust fund, he said. When asked about that, and about the source of 247,000 funds spent on renovating the house, Mr McGovern "had no answer" and had sworn he was of limited means. The High Court later ruled the house was bought with the proceeds of crime and CAB got possession of the house. In cross-examination by Jim O'Callaghan SC, for Mr Kean, Det Sgt Anderson agreed much of CAB's work must be done confidentially for reasons including to prevent loss of assets, that a solicitor cannot provide a clients file without a warrant or court order and that Mr Kean was not among those being investigated by CAB when it got the March 2016 warrants. He said seeking information from various professionals is bread and butter stuff for CAB, 153 such warrants were obtained by CAB in 2016 and, from a CAB perspective, there was "nothing unusual" in the March 2016 events. He was not overly concerned about the Star article and did not know the source of the information for it. A probe by the Garda Ombudsman into a complaint by Mr Kean over the article found no wrongdoing by him or any of his Garda colleagues. The jury also heard evidence from two CAB officers who went to Mr Kean's office with a search warrant on March 9, 2016. Det Garda Tracey Robinson said she introduced herself to Mr Kean as a Garda and a CAB officer, said they were interested in Sean McGovern whom Mr Kean's office had done conveyancing work for concerning purchase of a property at Kildare Road, Crumlin, and showed him the search warrant. Mr Kean did not recognise the name or address but contacted a colleague, Sharyn Coghlan, who recognised the name and went seeking the information. Det Garda Robinson said Mr Kean dominated the conversation and she had not told him Mr McGovern had no convictions and was shot in the Regency Hotel or she had seen documents in Mr McGovern's house indicating the Kean firm acted in the conveyancing. They were in the office about 30 minutes. Det Garda Andy O'Keeffe, now retired, said the visit was a "formal" event. He was exhibits officer and got a copy of the client ledger concerning the conveyancing transaction and also got the file, which had to be retrieved from storage, the next day. He received a call on March 12 from Mr Kean, who seemed very upset, about the article but did not know what he was talking about. He had not supplied information to anyone. He told Mr O'Callaghan he had attended solicitors offices many times as a CAB officer and none of those visits ended up on the front page of a national newspaper. He considered more was made of the article by Mr Kean than by others and the "overall trend" of it "did not cause me great concern". Earlier, Paul O'Higgins SC, also for Mr Kean, concluded his cross-examination of Michael O'Toole, who wrote the article. Mr OToole said Mr Kean is a significant public figure and the article was a fair and reasonable publication on a matter of public interest which was that Mr Kean had been caught up in the CAB operation. He had no malice against Mr Kean, did not consider the article was sensationalised or that running it across three pages with photos of Mr Kean was excessive. He had reported facts, he said. Two candidates in this month's European Parliament elections are seeking High Court orders allowing them to participate in an RTE television live debate. The actions have been brought by two independent candidates - Ben Gilroy and Eamonn Murphy - who are running in the Dublin constituency. Both say they will not be included In a live debate due to be broadcast by RTE on May 20, four days before the ballot. Both seek various orders and declarations form the court that would allow them to participate in the live debate. Mr Gilroy initiated his action late last week, whereas Mr Murphy came to court today and informed Mr Justice Leonie Reynolds he wished to make a similar application. Niamh Hyland SC for RTE, which opposes the two actions, said the broadcaster contends Mr Gilroy's case was not properly constituted. Counsel said RTE only became aware of the action brought by Mr Murphy, who has also been excluded from the RTE live debate, today Counsel said that Mr Murphy's case differed from Mr Gilroys as Mr Murphy was also contesting a decision not to show a one minute video that he furnished to RTE concerning his campaign. Videos of a similar length from all the other candidates seeking election to the European Parliament are being shown by RTE. However, Mr Murphy's video was deemed to be in breach of the Broadcasting Act and the BAI's code of conduct by RTE, which informed him of its decision. Mr Murphy told the court he intends to challenge that decision by RTE. Ms Justice Reynolds, who noted that an issue in the cases could be that the actions should be brought by way of judicial review, adjourned Mr Gilroy's case to this afternoon when it will be heard by Mr Justice Senan Allen. As separate issues seemed to be raised in Mr Murphy's intended action, the judge said it should be adjourned until tomorrow morning. Ireland's Six Nations clash with Italy has ended in victory for the visitors. A late Italian try wasn't enough to pull them back into the game. The proposed Vodaphone take-over of Eircom's mobile phone company Eircell has been thrown into doubt this evening. Vodaphone's share price has dropped dramatically today with the news that the merger may not go ahead. Whether you like it or not, Eurovision 2019 kicks off tonight with the first semi-final. This years contest, which is being hosted by Israel, has proven controversial and has been overshadowed by months of protest and calls for a boycott. A petition asking Ireland's Eurovision entrant Sarah McTernan to pull out of the competition has received 7,000 signatures and comes after Galway City Council passed a motion supporting calls for a boycott of the competition. The motion noted that "it will be openly used for political and militaristic propaganda purposes". RTE has consistently held the line that the Eurovision is a non-political event and that no member of the European Broadcasting Union is boycotting this years competition. As a long-running non-political, entertainment event, the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is designed to bring audiences and countries together. RTE is confident that the European Broadcasting Union and the host broadcaster will take all necessary steps to safeguard the non-political character of the event throughout the organization of the competition. McTernan is set to perform in the second semi-final on Thursday, against countries such as Russia, Malta, Denmark, Sweden and this years favourites The Netherlands. Earlier this week, the 25-year-old struggled with wisdom teeth pain but speaking to RTE today, she said she had recovered well and is feeling confident about her performance. The Clare native will sing 22 which was written by songwriters Janieck, Marcia Misha Sondeijker and Roulsen. She will perform on a moving stage set up to look like an American-style diner alongside two female dancers, Adele Dempsey and Rihanna Binns. Here's a sneak peek of her rehearsal: The second semi-final will air on Thursday, RTE 2 at 8pm. The first semi-final will air tonight, Tuesday (RTE 2, 8pm). The Eurovision Song Contest final takes place on Saturday night, May 18, airing on RTE One from 8pm. Montana Governor Steve Bullock has announced his is running for US president, becoming the 22nd Democrat Party challenger to Donald Trump. The crowded Democrat field expanded further today with Bullock's announcement promising a fair shot for everyone. "To give everyone a fair shot, we must do more than defeat Donald Trump. We have to defeat the corrupt system that keeps people like him in power, and we need a fighter who's done it before," he posted in a tweet alongside his announcement video. Mr Bullock won a second term as Governor on the same day that Trump who the state by over 20 points. To give everyone a fair shot, we must do more than defeat Donald Trump. We have to defeat the corrupt system that keeps people like him in power, and we need a fighter who's done it before. That's why I'm running for President. Join our team: https://t.co/TZXr9AcDr7 pic.twitter.com/XZ0LPUbtBx Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) May 14, 2019 The latest poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden has a clear lead so far with 40% support. Behind him is Bernie Sanders with 16%, according to Real Clear Politics who calculate the average of all major polls . Those two are only over 10%. At present, Donald Trump's only challenger on the Republican side is Bill Weld, who was the Vice Presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party in 2016 before switching back to the GOP to challenge the president in a primary. Six people have been shot and killed in overnight clashes in Sudan between security forces and protesters behind the uprising that ousted president Omar al-Bashir, according to a medical union. The Sudan Doctors Committee, which is part of the Sudanese Professionals Association that has been spearheading the protests, said the six included an army officer. The bubble tea craze sweeping Melbourne's CBD is proving a boon for retail landlords confronted by tough trading conditions and sluggish consumer spending. Vendors of the popular Taiwanese brew - made from sweet, frothy, milk tea with tapioca balls and other treats such as jelly or fruit - are striking small-format lease deals in the northern end of the CBD at rates equivalent to market-leading Collins Street. The drink, adorned with colourful toppings and drunk through a large straw, retails for around $6 a shot. A bubble tea craze is sweeping Melbournes CBD. Credit:Shutterstock It is particularly popular with Melbournes growing cohort of Asian students who lodge and study in the citys northern precinct and are fuelling a food and beverage boom around the northern end of Elizabeth and Swanston streets. Property executive Jack McGougan has resolved a million-dollar unlawful dismissal case against the countrys largest super fund, Australian Super. Mr McGougan, a well-regarded industry veteran who was the former head of property at the fund, accused its top super officials of pressuring him to invest in the industrys ISPT property development fund. The executive claimed he was forced out of his $500,000 a year job after he complained about conflicts of interest and opposed moves by chief investment officer Mark Delaney and director Brian Daley to invest in ISPT. The unlawful dismissal case was lodged in the Federal Court of Australia in September last year. Court documents show the case went into mediation in March and, following two subsequent mediation sessions, was "finalised-resolved" late last month. Three unions representing aviation safety inspectors said in a sharply worded report months before the Boeing's 737 Max was approved for use that the planemaker was given too much authority to oversee itself and that the new jet had safety flaws. Boeing's 737 MAX series was launched by the company in 2011. Credit:Bloomberg The new version of the decades-old 737 was approved with a vulnerable flight-control system and flaws in its fuel tank because Boeing and Federal Aviation Administration management overruled front-line workers, the report charged. The report, obtained by Bloomberg News, didn't raise concerns about a safety feature implicated in two crashes since October that killed a total of 346 people. There's no indication the issues identified by the unions led to incidents. Boeing said in a statement that the plane was certified "in full accordance" with FAA procedures. But the report took aim at a controversial FAA program encouraged by Congress that gave manufacturers such as Boeing more authority to approve their own designs. The agency wanted to transition its workforce of engineers, pilots and inspectors who assess new aircraft designs to focus on only the highest risk issues and on auditing the work of companies. Clayton There is still strong demand for industrial buildings from owner occupiers, according to Crabtrees Chris McKenzie. Mr McKenzie sold 3296 sq m factory warehouse at 1-11 McNaughton Road for $4.9 million. The clear span warehouse had four container-height roller doors and substantial power supply on a 5375 sq m site. Mill Park A parcel of industrial land at 30 Heaths Court has sold for $2.5 million. The 6377 sq m site was zoned Commercial 2. Knight Franks Brent Glassford and Marco Sandrin handled the transaction in conjunction with Ray White South Morang. Mr Glassford said there was strong interest, with offers from local developers. St Kilda Leased to both a pharmacy and F45 training gym, 43 Fitzroy Street has sold off market for $5.8 million. The property was returning more than $200,000 a year, in income equating to a tight 4 per cent yield, Morley Commercials James Lie said. There has been an uplift this year in off-market transactions, he said. Truganina Four new industrial units at 27-28 Permas Way have been sold individually for a total of about $3.87 million. In the Wyndham Industrial Estate off Dohertys Road, the new office warehouses ranged in size from 581 sq m to 1037 sq m, Knight Franks Steve Jones and Joel Davy said. Taiwanese retailer Jenjudan Milk Tea will open at 389 Bourke Street. LEASES Melbourne Taiwanese retailer Jenjudan Milk Tea will open at 389 Bourke Street, their first flagship store in Australia. Jenjudan has 29 stores globally. The tea providore negotiated a five-year lease over 170 sq m through CBREs Tan Thach, Leon Ma and Zelman Ainsworth at annual rent of $243,000. Brunswick East An industrial-style first floor space at 158 Lygon Street has leased for $60,000 per annum net to Stache Hairdressers through Craig McKellar from CVA. The 345 sq m corner space leased on a 5+5 year term, equating to $173.91 per sq m. Somerton Camping specialist Thetford Australia Pty Ltd has inked a five-year lease on a new headquarters at 130-132 Freight Drive. The 2995 sq m industrial office/warehouse was leased through CBREs Daniel De Sanctis and Daniel Eramo, along with Alex Gazis of National Estate at rental of $210,000 per annum (net). Given the extremely low vacancy rate for buildings sized between 2500 sq m and 4000 sq m, we were able to lease this property prior to the landlord experiencing any vacancy, Mr De Sanctis said. Clayton Not-for-profit St Kilda Mums has leased a 2308 sq m office warehouse at 14 Winterton Road in an off-market transaction. St Kilda Mums signed a 5+5 year lease allowing them to streamline their charity to provide greater reach to more families in need. Knight Franks Steven Salopek and Stuart Gill brokered the deal with Steve Bennett from JACX Property. Health More has taken over space once occupied by Stilwell Motors at 41/1508 Centre Road. Colliers Internationals Jonathan Mercuri and Richard Wilkinson leased the 5177 sq m warehousing/distribution centre to Health More, which had previously used a third party logistics provider in Tullamarine. The five-year lease was negotiated at gross face rent of $100 per sq m. Airport West CVAs Craig McKellar has leased a standalone office/warehouse at 2 Hart Street on the corner of Matthews Avenue to a flooring retailer at $55,000 per annum net on a 3+3 year lease. The term equates to a building rate of $144.35 per sq m. Knoxfield Knox Printing & Signage has leased a 243 sq m strata industrial suite on a three-year lease. Colliers Internationals Harry Larwill and Andrew Chrapot said the three-year lease was signed at gross face rent of $102 per sq m. This off-market lease was negotiated following a multitude of offers that were generated despite there being no advertising, Mr Larwill said. MOVERS Japanese retailer Muji believes Australian shoppers are gradually coming around to its simple charms, and it will respond by opening it largest store yet in this market later this year. The chain which commands a cult following thanks to its simple, unbranded products that range from apparel and stationery through to beds, storage and kitchenware opened its first store in Melbourne in 2013 and now has five across in Australia. Muji Australia managing director Takeshi Fujimoto said people were coming around to the store. Credit:Eddie Jim Muji's local sales hit $35.8 million last year, accounts lodged last month with the corporate regulator show, up from $26.7 million a year earlier, helped by the addition of two new stores. Sales were growing rapidly even without the impact of opening new stores, up 10 per cent last year on a "like-for-like" basis, said Muji Australia managing director Takeshi Fujimoto. Parents with children at Christian schools are being urged to consider the protection of religious rights when they cast their vote on Saturday in the federal election described as "the most critical for religious freedom in living memory". Christian Schools Australia has taken the unprecedented step of urging parents with children at its schools around the country to vote according to their religious values. Christian leaders have written to Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison seeking their commitment to protect religious beliefs. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen, AAP A flyer sent to parents does not tell them explicitly how to vote, but says Labor has indicated it would amend the Sex Discrimination Act to remove exemptions that permit religious schools to discrimate against students and staff. It says these exemptions protect what schools can teach and their ability to hire staff with shared religious values and beliefs. It also says the Greens have threatened the ability of schools to employ staff with shared beliefs, while the Liberal Party has said it would protect the right to freedom of religion and rights of equality and non-discrimination in law. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Tanya Plibersek is holding court with an intimate gathering of Labor faithful: "I can picture it," she tells them. "The feeling of an extraordinary win in a seat like this." The Deputy Opposition Leader's rapt audience is at the campaign headquarters of Fiona McLeod, the prominent barrister vying for the blue-ribbon Melbourne seat of Higgins. "Who remembers the feeling of election night 2007? It was amazing to see the back of a conservative government and to have that hope for the future." Later in the night, she tells campaigners in the seat of Macnamara: "I want to feel that joy again." Plibersek a progressive idol with two decades of parliamentary experience now under her belt is on a mission. And if Bill Shorten leads Labor to victory on Saturday, it will be due in no small part to the deputy who has been at his side since the party began rebuilding in 2013. Tanya Plibersek warms up the crowd at the Labor campaign launch in Brisbane. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer As a senior figure of the party's left faction, Plibersek has been a key part of the relative unity and stability that has underpinned Shorten's leadership. She has also been significant in the development of the opposition's bold and risky policy platform. Advertisement On the campaign trail, Plibersek's strengths as a communicator and standardbearer have put her in demand across the country. Four weeks in, she had visited 42 electorates and attended at least 76 events. Plibersek set herself two goals when she became deputy after the 2013 election that saw Labor wiped out punished for the instability of the Rudd and Gillard years. "One was about our culture," she says. "To build a culture that was healthier, where people argued out positions not through the media but through discussion and debate within the party. Where good work was acknowledged and supported. And I think we have achieved that really well. Bill's very good at including people." Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek after the budget reply speech. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The second was to develop a "good, strong, bold" policy agenda to offer voters. "And I think we have done that especially the bold part," she says, with a hint of acknowledgement that some of those policies have introduced risk to the Labor election effort. As deputy prime minister in a prospective Shorten government, she wants to drive the implementation of policy, believing that a "good idea is not enough" and must be backed up by good process. Advertisement In the education portfolio, Plibersek sees an opportunity for major social change. If elected, Labor will be busy across early childhood education, schools, universities and TAFE. As the daughter of Slovenian migrants who had a tough upbringing, she says education is key to opportunity. Loading "People who have been denied an education, lived in poverty, I think see that it is key to not living a life that's hard, physical struggle or unemployment," she says. "If we throw people on the scrap heap when they are three or four years old, what a tragic waste of opportunity that is for us as a nation." There is something of the school prefect about Plibersek, now 49. Or the school principal. Idealistic, earnest, warm, polite, firm, no nonsense, Dux of the school which she was, of course, back in the day. According to her husband, Michael Coutts-Trotter, you can't understand Tanya Plibersek unless you understand that Elinor Dashwood is her favourite Jane Austen character. Advertisement Elinor, the "sense" in Sense and Sensibility. The stoic, honourable, restrained Dashwood sister. Not the emotive and impulsive "sensibility" of Marianne. "She [Elinor] feels deeply but she doesn't feel that those emotions need to be on display all the time," says Plibersek. "So I like her." After the rout of 2013, Plibersek was an obvious leadership option. But she did not put her hand up and was instead elected deputy, unopposed. Deputy Labor leader pictured at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Labor colleagues from across the right and left factions say she has been a unifier and peacemaker who has deftly handled the deputy role, advocating for the priorities of her wing of the party but also working hard to avoid destabilising battles. "A key part of leadership is managing your party and Bill has been a master of that but I think it's fair to say that, without her assistance, he couldn't have achieved that," says a right-wing figure. "She has been very loyal to Bill and I think on those occasions when people have thought we might have to change leader, she has been very supportive of him. He hasn't had to keep one eye on his back. She has been looking after him and she sees that as one of her roles." Advertisement "There's no question she absolutely understands that unity is everything and she has been determined the whole time to do everything she possibly can to unify the team, with others," says retiring Labor stalwart Jenny Macklin, who is close to Plibersek. Insiders generally agree she is not overly engaged in the factional manoeuvrings of the party and doesn't necessarily play an active role as a powerbroker of the left. Other players Anthony Albanese and Mark Butler to name a couple are arguably busier in that space. For her part, the deputy leader says she has learnt lessons from the "difficult times" and long spells in opposition. She now views division as a waste of energy. "I think I find it easier than ever not to focus on personality who I like, who I don't like and just to focus on what needs to be done. That's liberating. It gives you so much more time in your life." Asked about the potential for Labor to implode again should the going get tough, Plibersek insists the party has learnt its lessons. "Quite a few of us have been around for a while and we know that disunity is death. And that what matters is doing a good job for the people who put you there, not focusing on yourselves," she says. "What amazes me is that the Liberals didn't learn that from our period of disunity. It's like they weren't there." Advertisement First-home buyers using the Coalition's controversial deposit scheme will pay tens of thousands of dollars in extra interest and face larger monthly repayments in a major windfall for some of Australia's largest banks and lenders. As Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded the policy would have a "firming" affect on falling house prices, experts warned a key element of the plan will actually leave first-time buyers in debt for much longer. Scott Morrison and Nicolle Flint, the Liberal candidate for Boothby in Adelaide, visiting a hew housing estate to promote the Coalition's first home buyer plan. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer But former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser gave tentative backing to the policy, saying it should help people "at the margin" enter the property market and that caution among banks would prevent borrowers taking on excessive debt. Under the Coalition's election-eve proposal - which was swiftly matched by Labor - first home buyers will only need a 5 per cent deposit for a mortgage compared to the usual 20 per cent. The government will effectively guarantee the difference for up to 10,000 people a year. A major stoush is brewing on Sydney's northern beaches over Liberal senator Jim Molan's rogue re-election campaign as supporters of the sidelined senator try to recruit volunteers away from Tony Abbott's polling day team. Mr Abbott is fighting to hold his seat of Warringah against independent challenger Zali Steggall, while Senator Molan is begging conservatives to vote below the line to return him to the Senate after his party relegated him to an unwinnable spot on the Coalition ticket. Former prime minister Tony Abbott meets supporters and volunteers in Manly ahead of a day campaigning. Credit:Jessica Hromas Freshwater branch president Sean Burke, who is part of the "Re-elect Jim Molan Campaign", emailed party members on Monday revealing plans to "man every booth on the northern beaches" to hand out Senator Molan's how-to-vote cards on May 18. The email claimed "hundreds and hundreds" of people had already joined the campaign to re-elect Senator Molan. Prospective volunteers were asked to commit four hours on polling day and would be furnished with corflutes, how-to-vote cards and Molan T-shirts. South Africa: IEC thanks South Africans The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has thanked voters, who came out in their millions, to participate in the elections peacefully with respect for the democratic electoral process. The commission said this led to yet another free, fair and peaceful election, while cementing the democratic ideals adopted in 1994. Once again, South Africa has risen to the occasion and showed the world that our appetite for democracy is unquenchable, Commission chairperson Glen Mashinini said on Monday. Last week, over 17 million South Africans went to the polls to elect the new administration. The election took place as the country commemorated 25 years since the first democratic polls in 1994. Mashinini also expressed the Commissions gratitude to IEC staff and the 200 000 volunteers who served as election officials with distinction and integrity. The Commission is enormously proud of the hard work, commitment and dedication of the officials, who worked tirelessly for over two years to prepare and deliver yet another successful election. South Africa owes you all a debt of gratitude. In the same vein, the Commission expressed its thanks to the political parties that contested the elections, key government departments such as the Police and Home Affairs, and partner sponsors. Mashinini said the Commission will now focus on debriefing and introspection to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the election. Each election presents us with a sterner test of our people, processes and systems. We must continue to raise the bar and set new benchmarks for electoral excellence. Over the coming weeks and months, we will take the many lessons from these elections and translate them into enhancements and improvements for the next [municipal] elections scheduled for 2021, Mashinini said. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Frontline counselling services for Australians battling with drug, alcohol and gambling addiction would be given a $13.5 million boost, if Labor wins the election. Under the funding package, an addiction treatment program that has been running in Victoria would be rolled out nationwide, Labor will announce on Tuesday. The package would allow addiction treatment centre Turning Point to expand its Ready 2 Change online and telephone counselling program across the country and reach vulnerable Australians, particularly those who are living in rural and regional areas. Labor's health spokeswoman, Catherine King, will make the announcement on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Turning Point director Dan Lubman said the program that has been running in Victoria for the past five years, linked people with local services and addressed the underlying issues fuelling their addiction. James Stevens knows there's no point trying to emulate Christopher Pyne. The 36-year-old Liberal rising star readily concedes the outgoing Defence Minister is "a hard act to follow" in a seat and state rich in the party's history. For the first time in 26 years, Pynes name will not appear on the ballot for the Adelaide seat of Sturt this Saturday. Instead, voters will be greeted by a fresh face with deep ties to state politics. James Stevens, the Liberal candidate for Sturt: "When it comes to the Liberal Party, voters want unity." Stevens is a former chief of staff to South Australian Premier Steven Marshall, a former campaign manager for Pyne and a former SA Young Liberals president. Despite being close to the man he wants to replace, Stevens says he is determined to run his own race. "In many ways, there will never be another Christopher Pyne, so I am not seeking to completely emulate him," Stevens says over a cappuccino at the White Picket Coffee House. They had the guns, bullets and even a car. So who forgot to fill up? It was two days before Christmas 2017 and Damien Featherstone had just walked out of Bathurst jail. High-ranking Finks bikie Troy Fornaciari. But making sure he behaved himself - the cornerstone of any criminal's time on parole - was the furthest thing from his mind. After all, he was the self-proclaimed leader of the Illawarra chapter of Brothers 4 Life - a reincarnation of the feared Muslim gang started by convicted murderer Bassam Hamzy in 2007. Featherstone and Hamzy had once been cellmates in Goulburn Supermax and Hamzy's extreme beliefs had rubbed off on his disciple. Damien Featherstone (left) and Andrew Coe's relationship has morphed from long-standing friends to criminal associates over the years. Fast-forward to December 2017 and Featherstone had already established a small but loyal following among the Illawarra's criminal networks. But this had led to him butting heads with other already established crooks; one in particular. Troy Fornaciari had risen from meddling thug to criminal heavyweight in recent years, in part due to his rather yappy big mouth and penchant for permanently inking his thoughts on his face. By late 2017, Fornaciari had anointed himself the leader of the Illawarra chapter of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang and was trying to make a name for the new club in criminal circles. It's not known what brought the two men into such vehement conflict or when it occurred, but Featherstone made his dislike of his rival well known. His nicknames for Fornaciari included the almost affectionate - "Panda" - to the downright offensive - "F--k Face". Illawarra Brothers 4 Life member Damien Featherstone. By December that year, Fornaciari was number one on Featherstone's hit list. Damien Featherstone believed there were few people he could trust, so any job had to be done in-house. Enter, Andrew Coe. Coe, a young Aboriginal man familiar with the inside of a jail cell, was one of Featherstone's prize recruits - a natural step in a friendship cultivated years earlier. Police arrest Troy Fornaciari. Coe was serving the last two weeks of a jail stint when he and Featherstone were recorded discussing their Fornaciari 'problem'. "Little mongrel won't come out of his nest," Featherstone told Coe in a morning call on January 13, 2018. "F--k me dead he is hiding the motherf--ker. Me and the boys have gone hunting three or four times." For his part, Coe vowed to go "Quami-style" on Fornaciari when he got released - a direct reference to Farhad Quami, one of the gang's most feared and violent leaders. He would get his chance just a few weeks later. Coe got out of prison on January 23 and wasted no time getting down to business. It took just five days for he and Featherstone to devise a plan of attack against Fornaciari, although the recorded conversations between the pair show a degree of ineptitude that could be considered amusing if not for the dire consequences of what they were planning. It seems guns weren't the problem - it was sourcing ammunition that had the pair stumped. "We need food for the skitzo dog," Featherstone told Coe on the morning of January 24. Later that night, Coe asked if they had "petrol for the motorbike", to which Featherstone replied "nah". Over the next few days, Coe and Featherstone had multiple conversations about tracking down ammunition but neither seemed able to deliver the goods. At least they had a plan though: a female friend had agreed to lure Fornaciari from the Finks clubhouse in North Wollongong into the CBD under the pretence of selling him a gold ring. Finally, late on January 27, Featherstone told Coe he had found them some ammunition and the plan could be set in motion. It was all well and good to plan for a CBD hit, but it appeared Featherstone and Coe had not considered how Coe was going to get there to carry it out. He didn't have a car, and it was quickly decided he shouldn't risk driving an unregistered one and getting pulled over with a gun on the passenger seat. The suggestion of a taxi came and went, and eventually Coe tracked down a vehicle to take him into Wollongong. It ran out of petrol mid-trip. (Detectives later mused how they could hear the beeping sound of the car's low fuel warning in the background). Featherstone was furious and accused Coe of chickening out. Coe assured him he was "keen", saying "it's going to happen Bro, it's going to happen but I got to get petrol." Aftermath It didn't happen, either later that day or in the next few days. Then Fornaciari was arrested on unrelated charges on February 1 and the gang's window of opportunity disappeared. Fornaciari was upfront with police about his predicament, telling them he was the subject of a hit by B4L and believed he'd be knocked while in prison. He has spent his entire time behind bars in protective custody. Meanwhile, police raided Featherstone's North Wollongong apartment later that same day, uncovering two firearms. A farm worker who was trapped in a grain bin in the Scenic Rim, south-west of Brisbane, remains in a serious but stable condition at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Emergency services were called to the farm on Coleyville Road at Coleyville just after 9am on Tuesday. LifeFlight Critical Care Doctor Nick Johnson performed a surgery on the scene with the assistance of another doctor after assessing the man's condition. The Coleyville farming accident prompted a large-scale response from emergency services. Credit:RACQ LifeFlight Rescue - Twitter "The paramedics had been working on him, talking to him and reassuring him, while the fire officers put a harness around him, under his arms, to lift him out as his legs were released," he said. Queensland's death toll from the flu stands at 25, with the peak yet to hit. Health authorities have again urged people to get a flu vaccination with the state on track to surpass the 43 deaths recorded in 2018. The elderly and the young are most at risk with the flu, but doctors warn even fit and healthy people could end up in hospital fighting for their lives. Credit:ninevms Doctors say the statistics indicate a horror flu season ahead and people must protect themselves. "We are seeing a lot more cases of flu this year, around three and a half times more than we would expect to see at this time of year," Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said. A farm worker who was pinned by his legs in the bottom of a grain bin for two hours in the Scenic Rim, south-west of Brisbane, has been flown to hospital. Emergency services were called to the farm on Coleyville Road in Coleyville just after 9am on Tuesday. The Coleyville farming accident prompted a large-scale response from emergency services. Credit:RACQ LifeFlight Rescue - Twitter A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said six crews responded with specialist rescue equipment. Firefighters helped to remove the grain from the bin and released the patient, trapped by the processing machinery, just after 11am. Police are hunting for a man who stabbed a stranger repeatedly in the face and chest in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley. The 38-year-old man was taken to hospital with major cuts after being attacked while standing on the intersection of Ann Street and Commercial Road on Sunday about 10.50pm. Police are seeking information about his attacker, who they say is in his mid-20s, with a tanned complexion, solid build and short black hair. AAP The uncertainty gripping Britain in the face of Brexit could have an unexpected silver lining for the Australian medical community, with talented professionals potentially looking Down Under in favour of Britain. Professor David Waugh late last year moved his whole family from Northern Ireland to Brisbane to take a position as the Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at Queensland University of Technology. He said Brexit played a large part in his decision. Anti-Brexit activists protest as they deliver a pile of medical supplies in cardboard boxes to the Department of Health and Social Care in London. Credit:AP That was one of the things which was a big concern for me, and also in large part has affected the ability of UK institutions to attract significant global talent to them, Dr Waugh said. Federal Labors election promise to use $1 billion to protect a corridor between Melbourne and Brisbane for a future bullet train has put high-speed rail firmly back on the political agenda. I played a key role on the accepted "playbook" on high speed rail the High Speed Rail Study Phase 2 Report that was used in 2013 by then infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese to map out how a very fast train could be delivered in our lifetime. High-speed rail has returned to the agenda during the election campaign. It is still an important text, but federal government presses should start booking in time for a reprint one that factors in the biggest infrastructure project in Australia right now big enough to bend the route the high-speed rail would take from Brisbane through Sydney onto Canberra and Melbourne. First, though, there is the important matter of avoiding an additional $11 billion in costs, in the future, by protecting the corridor today. A Victorian council with one of the toughest anti-gambling policies in the nation will take its battle against poker machines to the Supreme Court. Darebin Council Mayor Susan Rennie said she was extremely disappointed that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal had supported Darebin RSL Clubs bid for an extra 15 pokies machines despite opposition from the community. Darebin Council has one of the toughest anti-pokies policies in the nation. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos The council voted to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court at a confidential meeting on Monday night. Cr Rennie said people lost $82 million to gambling on the pokies in the City of Darebin every year and it was a major driver of household debt and family breakdown and contributed to family violence. Planning Minister Richard Wynne has intervened to save Currajong House in Hawthorn from demolition, accusing the local council of failing to protect the historic property. More than 5000 people signed a change.org petition to save the 135-year-old home after Boroondara Council consented to its demolition in July last year. Currajong House has been saved from demolition. Credit:change.ory There has rightly been community concern about the demolition of this grand home, which we have listened to, Mr Wynne said. Weve stepped in to protect this historic property where the council has failed to - our heritage is our history and councils should protect it. Widespread technical glitches have plagued the first day of NAPLAN Online, prompting the Victorian government to reconsider its involvement in the controversial online test. At some Victorian schools, almost every student lost their connection to the online test on Tuesday, while at other schools, students could not log on. It's understood the connectivity problems were related to NAPLAN's national firewall, which is designed to stop hackers accessing the system. The disconnection message that flashed up on students' screens while they were sitting NAPLAN on Tuesday. Credit:Twitter "The rollout and performance of NAPLAN online is simply not good enough and Victorian students, parents and teachers deserve better," Education Minister James Merlino said. Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel allegedly offered a $2 million bribe to a corrupt police officer to destroy a series of his taped recordings that were to form key evidence against him in a drug trafficking case. It came as a retired homicide detective told a royal commission that former police commissioner Simon Overland hindered his investigation into the assassination of informer Terence Hodson, who was killed allegedly on the orders of a corrupt police officer. Tony Mokbel in 2006. Credit:Andrew De La Rue Former crime commander Terry Purtons police diary entries, read aloud to the police informer royal commission on Tuesday, reveal senior police knew Mokbel had tried to bribe an unnamed officer in late 2004. The officer resigned from the force within a year of being asked to get rid of the tapes. Cancer conwoman Belle Gibson has made a long-overdue appearance in court but her lawyer cried foul when told another hearing was needed over her refusal to pay a $410,000 fine for duping Australians. After a string of non-appearances, Gibson fronted the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday, after she was summoned to appear to have her financial records examined, having previously been warned she could face jail over her refusal to pay the penalty. Belle Gibson arrives at Federal Court on Tuesday. Credit:Darrian Traynor The fake wellness guru was in 2017 fined $410,000 for five breaches of consumer laws for misleading and deceiving people, after she accumulated wealth of $420,000 through her cookbook The Whole Pantry and an app, in which she falsely claimed her brain cancer was cured through alternative therapies and nutrition. It was later revealed she never had cancer. A former WA Police officer has been fined $8000 after a court heard extraordinary testimony from a former colleague who was grabbed forcefully on her breast by the ex-senior sergeant while at work. Keith Zhao, 70, admitted indecently assaulting the woman two years ago. Former WA Police officer Keith Zhao leaves Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Credit:Cameron Myles But Zhao, who is now retired from the force, disputed some of the facts around the 2017 incident, which resulted in a trial of issues hearing at the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan said she was satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt the womans breast had been grabbed by Zhao after he put his hand down her shirt and under her bra. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has become involved in a heated exchange with West Australian Labor MP Anne Aly about how their private lunch was reported in the media three years ago. The politicians crossed paths in the northern Perth electorate of Cowan, on Monday where One Nation candidate Sheila Mundy is up against Dr Aly, who holds the seat on a 0.7 per cent margin. Senator Hanson said she was not happy that Dr Aly, Australia's first Muslim woman elected to federal parliament, had spoken to a journalist about the lunch. "I just felt I was set up with that, Anne," Senator Hanson said. While the Deputy Premier, Mr Mulock, made a sensitive speech outlining his cautious support of the legislation tempered by the views dictated by his Catholicism, some of the opponents of the legislation, including the Leader of NSW National Party, Mr Punch, were not so charitable. Christians opposed to the Gay rights bill being passed through State Parliament protest outside Parliament House in Sydney on 15 May 1984. Credit:Susan Windmiller "Why the need for reform," Mr Punch trumpeted. "Why the urgency... is it necessary for the failing Premier to be seen at the head of reform? "What is it that caused the Premier to change his mind... what is it that happened to the Premier during his recent European holiday which caused him to return to Sydney fired with enthusiasm to liberalise homosexual laws?" Mr Punch described the Bill as an "outrageous and smutty epigraph" which would aid the "collapse of civilisation through the breakdown of spiritual values". "Is it beyond the imagination to believe that the Premier, a champion of homosexuals, might one day be the celebrant to a homosexual wedding," he added to a chorus of laughs from the public seated above. Mr Jim Clough (Lib, Eastwood), another emotional opponent of the Bill, was forced at times to stop speaking because of the uproar in the gallery. "In regard to the odd case (of homosexuality) that may or not occur I say that one swallow does not make the summer." Mr Jim Clough, Liberal member for Parramatta Credit:Joanna Bailey Mr Clough referred to the "well known moral depravity" of France (which decriminalised homosexuality many years ago) and said he believed France's "Socialist or Communist Government" had contributed to the "lowering of moral standards and the rise in depravity." Italy and its left-wing Government was also blamed for similar moral "depravity." Mr Clough said he did not believe that homosexuals constituted 10 per cent of the community. "In regard to the odd case (of homosexuality) that may or not occur I say that one swallow does not make the summer. I am convinced that decriminalisation will not assuage the hearts and minds of homosexuals. In my opinion they will only be relieved by rejecting the cause of their torment and there are persons in the community who want to and can help them overcome the cause of their problem," Mr Clough said to the amusement of the crowd. The only member of the Government who voiced his concern over the Bill was Mr George Petersen (Lab, Illawarra). But as an avid and vocal supporter of homosexual law reform, his objections were vastly different to those from the other side of the House. He delivered a strong defence of the proposed amendments but added that he believed the age of consent for homosexuals should be 16 and that homosexuals should be given the right of defence if they reasonably believed an under-age sexual partner was in fact over the age of consent at the time the offence occurred. "Your case is simply one of blind homophobic prejudice..." George Petersen, Labor member for Illawarra Credit:Martin Brennan His attack on the Opposition members who opposed the Bill was at times greeted with gentle clapping from the crowd upstairs. The Queensland government is facing calls to immediately remove children from adult watch houses after revelations they are being held for weeks at a time and without adequate medical care. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers were on Tuesday asked during question time to explain how a girl was held in the same area as two alleged male sex offenders in the Brisbane City Watch House. Children as young as 10 have spent days in Queensland police watch-houses. Credit:Tony Moore ABC's Four Corners program on Monday detailed that incident and other cases of children enduring lengthy periods in adult holding cells because the state's youth detention centres are full. "That is a serious allegation and that matter is currently under a full investigation," Ms Palaszczuk told state parliament. The vision for the Queensland Performing Arts Centre's new 1500-seat performing arts theatre at South Brisbane has been unveiled. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the $150 million venue would be built at the Playhouse Green at South Bank ahead of last year's budget. The facade of the new performing arts theatre would complement the brutalist style of Robin Gibson. A shortlist of five design firms was drawn up and asked to develop concept designs earlier this year, with architect Blight Rayner + Snhetta due to be announced as the winning tenderer on Wednesday. The Queensland Cultural Centre was designed by architect Robin Gibson and developed in four stages from 1976 and 1988. State school tuck shops and public hospitals are exempt from Queensland's food safety laws, while cronuts are posing a headache for officers who crack down on rule-breakers. Auditor-general Brendan Worrall audited the Department of Health, several hospital and health services and the Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns councils to determine whether food safety was being effectively managed. School tuck shops are exempt from Queensland food safety laws. Credit:Rodger Cummins In Queensland, the Department of Health, hospital and health services and 77 councils regulate food safety. In a report, the Queensland Audit Office revealed definitions in the state's Food Act 2006 were so complex, they was difficult for businesses and councils to understand. On April25-28,Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place in the capital city of China. From South Caucasus region only Azerbaijan leader Aliyev was in the list of 36 top-Level attendees (Diplomat, April 27). As Azerbaijan participated in the first forum in 2017 on ministerial level Modern Diplomacy reports in its article Chinas changing interests in South Caucasus that the visit of President in second forum demonstrates intention of both sides for close cooperation within the framework BRI. Despite the fact that Chinas strong ambition to enter European market through BRI makes Georgia one of the most important players in the region (it has FTA both with China and EU) its high-level officials did not attend the forum (Emerging-Europe, January 3, 2018). Generally, South Caucasus region was not in the Chinese focus when the BRI project was unveiled in 2013.Its attitude to the region has changed afterwards. Being part of the Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, South Caucasus has strategic importance for China. At the same time, transportation projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and Anaklia Deep-Sea Port has increased significance of the region. From geopolitical point of view stability in Azerbaijan and Georgias political problems with Russia creates ground for Chinese presence in Caucasus. It is clear that having political problems with West Russia is not willing to confront China. Therefore, using these opportunities and establishing good relations both with Georgia and Azerbaijan China is able to avoid its biggest rival in Eurasia and use shortest way to European markets (Trend.az, April 10). Importance of South Caucasus countries within the BRI framework is not same. Armenia has less potential for BRI. It does not have enough transportation infrastructure and its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey closed. Armenia has a potential to become a corridor to markets of Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Iran. However, it does not have borders with the members of EEU and railway project between Armenia and Iran is not viable due its high costs ($3.2 billion) and less importance in commercial means (Vestnikkavkaza, August 25, 2018).Also, China has borders with two biggest members of EEU and could easily reach EEU markets through them. In the case of Georgia, China is its biggest foreign investor. Chinas Hualing Group controls Kutaisi free industrial zone (FIZ), owns Basis Bank, hotels, wine export enterprise. It also constructs Tbilisi Sea New City near Tbilisi Sea in which company has already invested around 150 million dollars (hualing.ge).Another Chinese company CEFC Energy owns 75% of Poti FIZ (Cbw.ge, March 20). Unlike Georgia, mostly state-owned Chinese companies have invested in Azerbaijan. One of these companies CTIEC Group constructed biggest cement factory in Azerbaijan in 2014.China also has a great interest on Baku International Sea Trade Port as it is one of the main ports within BRI. Based on intergovernmental grant agreement China transferred $2 million worth equipment to the port (Azernews, April 4, 2018). Despite the fact that Azerbaijan is Chinas key trade partner in the South Caucasus (it accounts 43 percent of Chinas trade turnover in the region) it has massive investments in Georgia (Azernews, April 25). It mostly related to political orientation of these countries. Georgia follows more western orientation that made it more attractive for China while Azerbaijan implements balanced strategy and it does not want to feel Chinas pressure. Besides, Azerbaijan is not in need of financial assistance like Armenia and Georgia as it has enough financial reserves. However, recent developments of Chinese-Azeri economic relations within the framework of the Second Belt and Road Forum create new perspectives for Chinas presence in South Caucasus. During the forum 10 agreements worth of 821 million USD has been signed (Azvision.az, April 24). These contracts cover different economic spheres of non-oil sector including the construction of a tire factory in the Sumgayit chemical-industrial park, the creation of a 300-hectare greenhouse complex in the Kurdamir region of Azerbaijan, and the construction of agrological industrial parks in the Guba, Goychay and Khachmaz regions (Turan.az April 24).If we take in account that Chinese investors have invested800 million USD in the economy of Azerbaijan since independence, obtained agreements in the forum worth of same amount shows Chinas growing interest in Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, it does not mean that Chinas preference of Georgia has changed. Within the BRI project both Azerbaijan and Georgia are of geopolitical importance for China. It is in Chinas interest to boost bilateral relations with both of countries. It is apparent that China already has considerable investments in Georgia and now it is time to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan. At the same time Azerbaijan is not going to cross limits of its balanced policy. Chinese companies that signed agreements in second forum are government affiliated companies as well. It again shows that Azerbaijan is willing to deepen cooperation without creating room for pressure in its domestic economy. Cairo: Sudan's former president, Omar al-Bashir, has been charged over his role in the killing of protesters during demonstrations that led to his ouster last month, the nation's public prosecutor said. Ousted: Omar al-Bashir. Credit:AP The prosecutor's office accused al-Bashir and others of "inciting and criminal complicity" in the deaths of demonstrators, according to Sudan's official news agency. The announcement came on a day of bloody clashes in the capital Khartoum between armed groups of unclear affiliation and protesters who are demanding civilian rule. At least one military officer and three protesters were killed, state TV said. Heavy gunfire could be heard inthe city late into the evening. Violence flared after the military council and opposition groups said they had agreed to a power structure for the country's transition following Bashir's ouster. The military denied any role in the violence and blamed saboteurs for last month's deaths. Manila: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's allies look set to win all seats in a key mid-term Senate election, shutting out the opposition in a resounding show of public support for the maverick leader. According to Tuesday's unofficial results, candidates from a coalition slate endorsed by Duterte held all the top spots for the 12 available seats in the 24-seat Senate, with 94 per cent of election returns tallied. President Rodrigo Duterte shows his forefinger with an indelible ink to prove that he has voted in the country's midterm elections in his hometown of Davao. Credit:AP One opposition candidate was trailing in 14th spot, while the rest were way behind. Among the likely winners in the senatorial race were Duterte's former special assistant Christopher Go, who was in third place in the current tally, and Ronald dela Rosa, the police chief who oversaw Duterte's controversial war on drugs blamed for the death of thousands of people, who was placing fifth. Christchurch was the tipping point. Clouds have been gathering for years on the horizons of the big social media giants; but history might look back and see the March 2019 murder of dozens of innocents in a Christchurch mosque, live streamed to thousands on social media, as the moment momentum and support tilted away from Facebook. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is attempting to build a multilateral coalition to pressure the big social media companies to act on violent content at a meeting of digital ministers from G7 countries in Paris this Wednesday. NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with French President Emmanuel Macron. Credit:AP Her "Christchurch Call" pledge, drafted with French President Emmanuel Macron, asks the social platforms to examine their software that directs people to violent content, according to The New York Times. Representatives from Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft were expected to attend. The newspaper said on Sunday that Britain, Canada, Jordan, Senegal, Indonesia, Norway and Ireland were expected to sign the non-binding pledge; the US was not. By Tuesday, Australia was reportedly preparing to join. "WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," the Facebook-owned company said in a statement. WhatsApp engineers worked around the clock to patch the vulnerability and released a patch on Monday, Israel time. They encouraged customers to update their apps as quickly as possible. Security researchers said they had found spyware designed to take advantage of the WhatsApp flaw that bears the characteristics of technology from the company, the NSO Group. San Francisco: An Israeli firm accused of supplying tools for spying on human-rights activists and journalists now faces claims that its technology can use a security hole in WhatsApp, the messaging app used by 1.5 billion people, to break into iPhone and Android phones. The spyware was used to break into the phone of a London lawyer who has been involved in lawsuits that accused the company of providing tools to hack the phones of Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident in Canada; a Qatari citizen; and a group of Mexican journalists and activists, the researchers said. There may have been other targets, they said. Digital attackers could use the vulnerability to insert malicious code and steal data from an Android phone or an iPhone simply by placing a WhatsApp call, even if the victim did not pick up the call. As WhatsApp's engineers examined the vulnerability, they concluded that it was similar to other tools from the NSO Group, because of its digital footprint. The lawyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared retribution, said he had grown suspicious that his phone had been hacked when he started missing WhatsApp video calls from Norwegian telephone numbers at odd hours. The lawyer contacted Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, which has helped uncover the use of NSO Group products in attacks on journalists, dissidents and activists. Ten days ago, as Citizen Lab was looking into the incident, engineers at WhatsApp discovered what they described as abnormal voice calling activity on their systems, said a WhatsApp employee familiar with the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing. WhatsApp alerted human-rights organisations about the threat and learnt from Citizen Lab that the vulnerability had been used to target the lawyer. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Eight candidates will go head to head in todays special election to replace now-Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Council seat. The prospective legislators include two former staffers of the three-term pol, a past staffer for a former Borough President, political aides, and community activists, all vying to represent the Councils 45th district, which includes all or parts of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, Midwood, and Canarsie. The elections victor will serve out the rest of the current term of the office which Williams vacated when he won Februarys special election for Public Advocate but will again have to run for the office in the June primaries, followed by the general election in November for a two-year term ending in 2021. The candidates all share similar platforms of advocating for the districts issues of crime and gun violence, along with rising displacement and gentrification by developers erecting larger buildings in an area with a lot of homeowners and seniors. Here is a closer look at the candidates: Monique Chandler-Waterman Monique Chandler-Waterman is one of two prominent frontrunners in the race, having worked for Williams as a community outreach coordinator for two-and-a-half-years from 2012-2014 and having been a local community activist for years. Chandler-Waterman heads up the local do-gooder group East Flatbush Village where she has worked to reduce gun and gang violence in the area by offering children and teens recreational activities and educational tools. She also founded the anti-violence march Not in My Hood eight years ago. She believes that the Police should not be the first to deal with mentally ill people, but that instead officers from other agencies, such as the Department of Health, should respond to those cases through a separate emergency number. The NYPD should not be responding to those who have mental health illnesses. There should be professionals who deal with mental health, she told Errol Louis in a recent interview on NY1. There should be a different number, not 911 but maybe 811, that a loved one can call when a loved one is in crisis. The candidate has garnered a host of endorsements, chiefly among them Williams himself, who surprisingly gave her his support on April 16, as well as state Senators Zellnor Myrie (D-Flatbush) and Kevin Parker (D-East Flatbush), Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo (D-Crown Heights), Assemblyman Nick Perry (D-Canarsie), and the Working Families Party. Farah Louis Williamss former deputy chief of staff Farah Louis is the other of the two main contenders, who has local name recognition for her six-year tenure for the former legislator. She too has focused her campaign on stemming the displacement of locals by incoming developers and has advocated for what she calls contextual zoning that would mandate new buildings suit the neighborhoods existing character and building sizes. She also wants to reform the federally-mandated formula for determining so-called affordable housing to better reflect local communities. The race grew contentious when she criticized Williams and claimed that her former boss was responsible for the areas over-development and dearth of employment in a radio interview, reported Bklyner.com. We do not have the resources anymore to ensure we can thrive and move forward, she said during the interview. Why is that? Because whoever was there before wasnt focused on that, and I was. Her supporters include several pols and groups that have been in conflict with Williams. They include Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush), who reportedly slammed his treatment of his former staffers, the police union the Patrolmens Benevolent Association, which clashed with the former councilmans criticism of stop-and-frisk, and the Jewish group the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (D-Flatlands), and the late former councilman Lew Fidler, possibly due to Williamss abstention on a vote to condemn the Israel-critical Boycott Divest and Sanction movement. She received the endorsement of powerful Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio, who also threw his support behind Williamss Public Advocate campaign. Xamayla Rose Rose is a community activist and worked as an aide to former Borough President Marty Markowitz. She directed Markowitzs youth services and anti-violence initiatives throughout Kings County and worked as a community activist, motivated by the murder of her brother by gang violence. She set up a do-gooder group in her late brothers name, the Christopher Rose Community Empowerment Campaign, which seeks to curb youth violence by raising community awareness and offering positive alternatives. Her campaign has focused on supporting the areas educational system, working for more affordable housing, economic development, and supporting immigrants. Adina Sash Adina Sash is a community activist, who gained online fame through her social media persona Flatbush Girl. Sash, who is Orthodox Jewish, uses satire and humor to portray her online character as a role model for people fighting against barriers based on gender and has, at times, garnered criticism from rabbis for being immodest. She advocates for more youth involvement in politics and for supporting local mom and pops by showing them the business benefits of using social media. She also pledged to donate half her salary as councilwoman to do-gooder groups that work in the area. Jovia Radix Jovia Radix has focused her campaign on immigration and getting the districts fair share of government resources. She is a lawyer and the daughter of New York Supreme Court judge Sylvia Hinds-Radix. She also worked as a Kings County representative for Gov. Andrew Cuomos office. Her central issues are affordable housing, improved sanitation of the local business corridors, and employment opportunities for young adults. L. Rickie Tulloch Jamaica-born Tulloch immigrated to the us in the 1970s and has served on Community Board 17 for almost two decades. He intends to focus on affordable housing, education, and curbing alternate side parking. Victor Jordan Jordan is a small business owner and adjunct within the City University of New York college system, who has served as a member of Community Board 17, where he chaired the land use and education committees. The former high school math teachers campaign addresses the large amount of displacement and high foreclosure rates in the area, and he will push for more progressive judges on the Supreme Court. He also chairs the education group Association of Black Educators of New York. Anthony Alexis Alexis is a former aide to the Assembly and Council who now oversees city-funded senior centers in the borough. He served as the president of the 42nd Assembly Community Democratic and co-founded the Brooklyn Young Democrats in the 1990s. Reach reporter Kevin Duggan at (718) 2602511 or by e-mail at kdugg an@cn gloca l.com . Follow him on Twitter @kduggan16. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams A fire gutted a Kensington cellphone shop early Monday morning, reducing the store and its inventory to a pile of char, witnesses say. Everything burned down, said Mir Chowdhury, who works at a medical office located within the same building as the cell store. Nothings left. New Yorks Bravest were called to battle a blaze inside a first-floor cell store at the Dahill Road building between Louisa Street and Church Avenue at 2:23 a.m. on May 13, sending 12 units of 60 firefighters and paramedics rushing to quell the inferno, which they quenched following an hour-long battle, according to a spokesman for the FDNY. Two firefighters were later treated for minor injuries resulting from the fire, according to the FDNY spokesman. Several other first-floor commercial properties located within the building appeared undamaged by the fire Monday afternoon, except for a strong odor of smoke, which caused the manager of a pharmacy located there to leave his doors open despite the chilly temperature. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and is under investigation. Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixs on@cn gloca l.com or by calling (718) 260-4505. When Irans President Rouhani announced last week that his country would be partially withdrawing from the the nuclear deal, also known as JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, he left many scared. However, it wasnt a withdrawal as Iran in only crossing limits for enriched uranium (LEU) and heavy water which are permitted under clauses 26 & 36 of the deal. The Middle East Monitor reports in its article Drugs and refugees: Will Iran follow through with its threats to the EU? that his announcement came months after US President Donald Trump unleashed unprecedented sanctions on Tehran. As a result of the sanctions, and the renewed pressure on the Iranian economy, Rouhani announced that he would no longer be able to sustain the countrys counter-narcotics initiatives. The cessation of such policies threaten to flood the European illegal drug trade as drugs grown in areas governed by the Taliban in Afghanistan are smuggled through Iran and Pakistan to cartels in Europe. According to the UN Office of Drugs and Crime, in 2012 Iran accounted for 74 per cent of global opium seizures and 25 per cent of global heroin and morphine seizures. Since 21 March this year, in Tehran alone 2.6 tonnes of narcotics have been seized. Deputy Director of the MENA Program at European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) Ellie Geranmayeh says Rouhanis statement underscore that Iran can no longer bear the cost of basically giving security to Europe, through its fight against narcotics and the flow of refugees from Afghanistan. Iranians are making a direct link between their economic collapse and direct security interests with the Europeans, she explains, adding that this is something that perhaps up to now the Europeans havent taken very seriously. But lax anti-narcotics enforcement wasnt the only threat. Rouhani added that the refugees wont be stopped from going towards Europe. The same evening Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that if the economic situation further deteriorates (due to the sanctions), then the Afghan refugees would be asked to leave. The comments caused instant outrage on social media in Afghanistan. Tehran was accused of using Afghan refugees as political tools. Iranian-American journalist Negar Mortazavi doesnt believe the Afghan refugees status in Iran is under threat. I dont think they are going to be expelled. But then at the same time its not a very crazy argument because a lot of the resources go to the migrants and refugees and their resources are limited, part of the Iranian population might actually demand that the government prioritises. It is a considerable population the number of Afghan refugees. Iran is actually hosting the largest number of refugees in the region and arguably the world. And there are a lot of state resources that go to the migrant and refugee population, so it is a heavy cost for the Iranian government. But I also think this is a threat directly to Europeans because theyre going to be affected by a large number of migrants and refugees if they get expelled. This isnt the first time that EU has been put under pressure over refugees. At the height of the Syrian war, in 2016, Turkey finalised a deal with Europe which saw it quell the number of refugees and migrants travelling to Greece from its shores. A service the EU is paying Turkey $6 billion a year for. Given the increasing rise of right-wing governments in Europe, according to Dina Esfandiary, International Security Program Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy Schools Belfer Center, Rouhani was aiming at something that hits home for Europeans. Tehran wanted to highlight how up until now Iran has been helpful in terms of this issue and refugee flows and they really want to highlight that they have a good player on this issue, and that if they werent, it would make things considerably more difficult for Europe. Given the amount of economic pressure Tehran is now under as a result of the increasing sanctions, it may well follow through with its threats.. If EU wants a solution, it doesnt need to pay Iran 6 billion per year. Those funds would not help the oil rich state overcome its economic woes. But if trade is established with Tehran, then we may see light at the end of the tunnel. This, however, is easier said than done and the EU would have to do a lot of heavy lifting for it. 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 Not only is the recovery rate of the 94 cases resolved so far under the insolvency and bankruptcy code (IBC) higher than the recoveries made through other mechanisms, the recovery rate is twice the liquidation value of the all the 94 cases resolved, said a report by credit rating agency CRISIL. The recovery rate for the 94 cases resolved through IBC by 2018-19 (FY19) is 43 per cent, compared with 26.5 per cent through earlier mechanisms. Moreover, Rs 70,000 crore has been recovered in FY19, which is almost twice the figure recovered through the debt recovery tribunal, Securitisation ... The chief executive and two other senior figures at Jet Airways have quit, the company said on Tuesday, further eroding any hopes of a rescue of the debt-laden carrier that grounded operations last month. Jet, once the biggest private carrier in the country, owes vast sums to its lessors, employees, fuel suppliers and other parties. It stopped all flights from April 17 after its lenders refused to give it any more funds to keep the carrier flying. Jet, also saddled with roughly $1.2 billion in bank debt, was crippled by mounting losses as it attempted to compete with low-cost ... The group may make an announcement on Wednesday about transferring the consumer products business of Tata Chemicals to Tata Global (TGBL) as part of a larger mandate to bring food and beverages under one unit. Tata Coffee, an arm of TGBL, may also be merged into the latter, as the group looks to streamline operations under the consumer and retail vertical, one of the 10 pillars identified by group Chairman N Chandrasekharan, persons in the know ... 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 Grounded has been left without any top-level executive, days after Abu Dhabi-based Etihad put in its letter of interest to re-invest in the airline as a minority partner. The chances of Jets revival appeared bleak without any sign of a majority partner, and with the exit of key officials and a large number of its fleet going to rivals. The top executives who have put in their papers with immediate effect include Jets chief executive officer (CEO) Vinay Dube, chief finance officer (CFO) and deputy and company secretary Kuldeep Sharma. Recenty, Jets chief people officer Rahul Taneja and executive director Gaurang Shetty had also quit, besides other seniors in engineering, network management and corporate affairs teams. Dube, a former senior executive of Delta Airlines, was appointed of Jet in 2017, a few months after the airline had stitched a wide-ranging commercial partnership with the US carrier. While Agarwal had joined the airline as finance head from Suzlon in 2015, two years later he was designated as Jets deputy Both executives said they were leaving for personal reasons. Coinciding with the resignations, an anonymous email was doing the rounds among Jet employees, targeting the senior management for corruption, favouritism, mismanagement and causing loss to the company, while giving a clean chit to the airline founder Naresh Goyal, who stepped down from the board of directors earlier this year. did not respond to a query on this subject, but a senior executive dismissed the contents of the email as rubbish. grounded its operations on April 17 after running out of cash and the lenders-led resolution plan not working. In the bid process, managed by SBI Caps, Etihad put in a letter of interest to re-invest in a minority stake in Jet just before the end of deadline on Friday. The tough conditions set by Etihad and absence of a majority investor add up to a bleak scenario for the Naresh Goyal-founded airline. More than 60 per cent of the airline's slots have been distributed among others and half of its fleet has been repossessed by lessors. While junior employees in the airline have not been paid salaries for at least two months, the senior management and pilots, engineers have not been paid since January. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the Macron administration, recently paid a working visit to Tbilisi. This was the French Interior Minister's first visit to Georgia in the history of bilateral relations. The results of the summit talks (the minister was received by the president and the prime minister) confirmed that extraordinary circumstances had forced Castaner to visit Tbilisi: after the introduction of the visa-free regime between Georgia and the EU in March 2017, the number of illegal migrants from this Caucasian country has risen sharply in France, as well as other Schengen states. There are many criminals among them who have used the visa-free travel to get into desired Europe, where they are engaged in home burglaries and banditry. Equally disturbing for the leadership of France and the EU is another category of illegal immigrants: those who, arriving in European cities as tourists, suddenly declare themselves victims of political repression, military conflicts, police brutality and apply for asylum. European states, in accordance with their legislation, are forced to launch an expensive procedure for judging asylum claims, and sometimes pay benefits to asylum-seekers at the expense of their taxpayers. This problem annoys the EU governments even more than Georgian crime (which is not huge in raw numbers. According to official data, over the past two years of a visa-free regime, more than 60,000 Georgians went to Europe, but did not return home after three months (as provided by the agreement). The French Interior Minister arrived in Georgia with the last warning: if the Georgian authorities fail to solve the problem, the EU will use the agreement clause, which provides for the suspension of the visa-free regime. But the Georgian side was ready for a harsh ultimatum and offered their colleagues a way out that they could not refuse. Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced an important agreement: French officers will arrive in Kutaisi, Tbilisi and Batumi to check documents of those using low-cost airlines to travel to European cities. That is, tourists will be obliged, even on Georgian territory, to present an employment confirmation letter and a bank statement, confirming sufficient monthly income. Those traveling to Europe in search of work, especially with the aim of joining criminal gangs, usually cannot provide such documents. In response, the French side agreed to allow the employees of the Georgian migration service to their borders. They will perform the same function as a "second tier" of protecting the EU from illegal immigrants. Such an option is acceptable for both parties. For the Georgian leadership, the loss of the visa-free travel would become a political catastrophe, especially under the pressure of opposition forces led by ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili. And it is beneficial for the EU (the French minister was authorized by other EU states) because the abolition of the visa-free regime with Georgia would look like the collapse of the entire large-scale and ambitious Eastern Partnership project. Type address separated by commas Your Email: Subhash Chand, who sells ice cream from a small outlet in Chandigarhs posh Sector 17 market, is worried about the future of his business. His chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones that come with a generous sprinkling of chocolate chips and a cherry on top are very popular with shoppers. Even so, Chand is anxious. A native of Himachal Pradesh, he will travel to Kangra to cast his vote in the last phase of the general elections. But his thoughts are focussed on whether the Member of Parliament from Chandigarh will step in to oust the hawkers who, Chand says, are eating into the ... Saudi Arabia is set to do very nicely from President Donald Trumps tougher oil sanctions on Iran. Bloomberg reports in its articleThe Winner From Trumps Iran Sanctions? Saudi Arabia that the Arab kingdom is poised to raise its own output to meet all requests for oil purchases it has received for June, notably from countries that have had to stop buying Iranian crude. Other Persian Gulf Arab countries with spare production capacity Iraq, Kuwait and the U.A.E. will almost certainly follow suit. Room to Raise Saudi Arabia has plenty of room to boost its output without breaching the production targets it agreed for the first half of 2019 as part of the OPEC+ deal to manage oil supplies. That arrangement gave the kingdom a target of 10.3 million barrels a day. Output in April was more than 500,000 barrels a day below that level. The other Arab producers are not in that position. For them, boosting supplies means breaching the terms of Decembers agreement. That is unlikely to stop them from taking advantage of Irans difficulties. The crude from around the Persian Gulf is a much better substitute for the sanctioned Iranian barrels both in terms of quality and location than additional U.S. supplies. The extra output will offset some of the upward pressure on oil prices from the loss of Iranian barrels. Substitutes Crudes from Persian Gulf Arab countries are good substitutes for sanctioned Iranian barrels. But not all of it. These countries dont want to undermine oil prices and are being more cautious with this latest round of sanctions. Last year, they boosted output in anticipation of tough U.S. restrictions that were billed as cutting Iranian exports to zero, only to be caught out by the exemptions that permitted it keep exporting at least a million barrels a day. This time around they will only react to real shortages and actual requests for higher volumes from their customers in order to avoid flooding the market with unwanted crude and depressing prices. Pumping these extra barrels is no act of selfless generosity. They are extracting a high price for their collaboration with the U.S. by raising official selling prices to multi-year highs. The Persian Gulf OPEC countries dont set outright prices for their exports. Instead, they set differentials to regional benchmark crude grades. It is those benchmarks, traded on commodity exchanges, that determine the actual price of their oil. Saudi Arabia uses the Argus Sour Crude Index a proxy for high-sulfur grades from the Gulf of Mexico for sales to America, the Brent-derived Bwave for Europe and an average of Dubai and Oman grades for Asia. Getting Expensive Asian buyers like China, South Korea, Japan and India, the ones most affected by end of the sanctions waivers, are paying the most since 2013, relative to their benchmark, for Saudi Arabias Arabian Medium crude grade. This is the one that is most similar to the sanctioned Iranian barrel. Relative prices in Europe and the U.S. are the highest in more than a decade. Its not just Saudi Arabia that is making the most of Irans woes. Iraq raised the official selling price of its flagship Basrah Light crude for Asian customers to the highest level since 2012, while offering a heavier grade at the smallest discount since it was introduced in 2015. Kuwaits export price to Asia is at its highest in more than five years. Their ability to extract higher prices reflects the relative shortage of heavier, sour crude resulting from U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, a steep drop in Mexican production and the recent contamination of Russian exports to Europe. Most of the refineries built in Asia in recent years werent designed to process the stuff that is now pouring out of the U.S. shale patch. Another advantage for the region is that it is a much shorter journey to deliver oil to Asia from the Middle East than from America. That will keep demand strong for additional barrels from Saudi Arabia and its friends, and allow them to keep cashing in on Trumps economic war on Iran. China, responding to increased tariffs imposed by the US last week, said Monday that it will boost levies on nearly 2,500 American products to 25 per cent, while several thousand other items will be subject to taxes ranging from 5 per cent to 20 per cent. Soon after, Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Chinas Global Times, tweeted that China also may stop purchasing US agricultural and energy products, explore dumping US Treasuries and reduce orders for Boeing jets, in what would mark a ... 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. 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Digital Editor The truce in the US-China trade war is in tatters. China said on May 13 that it will impose new tariffs on a range of American goods in retaliation for President Donald Trumps decision to raise duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports. Although trade talks may continue, for now the trade war that Trump began in January 2018 is back on, which will mean more economic pain for companies and consumers in both the US and China. As an economist who focuses on international trade, I believe there are three reasons the conflict could continue for a long time. 1. Mastering the ... Facebook Inc said on Monday it was raising its minimum wage for all US contract workers, reacting to rising costs of living as it faces intense scrutiny over the treatment of ordinary employees and their pay. The company raised its minimum wage to $20 per hour in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Washington D.C. and to $18 per hour in Seattle. It said it was clear that $15 an hour would not now meet the needs of the workers it employs through third-party contractors as cooks, cleaners, security guards or drivers. The world's largest social media company also said it will ... Imagine if Canada decided to bring the US to heel over its abusive trade practices. Losing patience over its disputes about lumber, sugar, steel, aluminum and anti-dumping processes, Ottawa could instead institute a 25% tariff on all imports from south of the border. Such a notion seems absurd. How could a small economy like Canada cause the US to change its trade practices by force? Less than a fifth of US exports head north, so Canada alone lacks the scale to bend the US to its will.(2) For Ottawa, the multilateral approach via the North American Free Trade Agreement(3) and the ... Shares of Tata Steel were trading lower for the ninth straight day on Tuesday, down 2 per cent in the intra-day trade on the BSE, at Rs 462 apiece during the early morning trade. The stock has been falling ever since concerns over the European Commission's (EC) likely rejection for the proposed joint venture between the company's European arm and ThyssenKrupp surfaced. So far, during the nine trading sessions in May, stock of the steel major has melted 17 per cent, as compared to a 5 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex. It was trading close to its 52-week low price of ... At least 16 Taliban terrorists were killed in an operation carried out by Afghan forces in Farah province on Tuesday. A soldier also died in the operation that was launched after the Taliban attacked security check posts in the district. At least 21 other Taliban militants were wounded in the operation, Afghanistan Army officials told Tolo News. The army also said that two land mines were defused in the area. However, the Taliban has refuted the army's claims. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi and termed his December 2017 remark about the Prime Minister as "prophetic". "I said what I wanted to say in that article, I stand by every word. I have no desire to engage in any argument," Aiyar told ANI over the phone. The Congressman hit yet another low by terming the Prime Minister "foul-mouthed" and added that his ouster is certain on May 23. Aiyar, in an article for an online publication, charged Modi of being "guilty of anti- activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of martyrs". "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" the former diplomat wrote in ThePrint. In the run-up to 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, Aiyar had referred to Modi as a 'neech aadmi', a remark that cost his party heavily in the state. "This person is a 'neech aadmi'. He is not civilised and in a situation like this, there is no need to practise such dirty politics," the Congress leader had told ANI. Party chief Rahul Gandhi had to ask Aiyar to tender an apology given the political storm over his tasteless comment. "Modi needs to be warned that he is guilty of anti- activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of our army and CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign; of defaming the Indian Air Force by portraying them as complaisant idiots in his scientific illiteracy; and the Indian Navy as being packed at its highest echelons with traitors who would acquiesce in unauthorised foreigners being allowed to board a top of the line defence vessel," Aiyar wrote in the recent article in an apparent reference to actor Akshay Kumar's visit to INS Sumitra. Kumar had recently gone on record to confirm that he holds a Canadian passport. The Congress leader's comments were met with sharp criticism by the BJP, with party men terming it an attention-seeking act. "Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitroda's foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his 'Neech' comment for PM!" BJP IT cell chief Amit Malaviya tweeted. Dubbing Aiyar a 'jewel of Gandhi family', BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted, "So finally ...the "Jewel(mnni)" of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the " of Love" of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His "Neech comment" on Modi ji as prophetic ..." Aiyar is not new to making out of the line remarks, his 'chaiwala' remark ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls had stoked a controversy. Congress would welcome Modi to sell tea at party meetings, he had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the rise in mercury, special arrangements have been made in Bangalore's Bannerghatta Biological Park to tackle the hot weather. The park authorities have installed water showers for animals to provide them relief from the blistering heat. According to Bannerghatta Biological Park Executive Director Dr.Sanjay Bijjur, special arrangements have been made by the authorities since the temperature had risen to 35-39degc. "We have experienced increased temperature during the month of April. It becomes very hard for both animals and visitors during the summer. In a step to keep the zoo inmates and the premises cool, we have mounted a lot of water tanks and the water is being sprinkled using the water guns," he said. While emphasising that an initiative called 'Water Budgeting' has been taken to save water for future purposes, he said, "This new initiative includes the planning of various things such as the amount of water consumed by the visitors and the animals, water used for cleaning of animals, cages and other stuff. The authorities can manage water efficiently with this drive." He further stated that the tanks in the park are partially filled and the area observed good rain for the past 15 days. "The beauty of this park is that whenever there's rain in the area, the water is harvested naturally in the tanks in the premises. All these water tanks are interconnected, hence, we have never faced any sort of water shortage here," he said. He also added that two main resources of water they've in the park are bore wells and natural tanks. "Each borewell is attached to one particular zoo, butterfly park, rescue centre, or safari. We planned a rotation so that each borewell gets to rest," he said. Bannerghatta Biological Park is one of the major tourist attractions with a zoo, pet corner and rescue centre in Karnataka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Ashgabat on Monday. During his talks with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the issues of resuming Turkmen gas imports to Iran, settling debts for previously supplied gas and reducing gas prices were discussed. However, as Vestnik Kavkaza has learned, Berdymukhamedov and Zarif failed to agree on these issues. "Iran is facing unprecedented pressure from international sanctions," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, said a few days ago. He explained that sanctions on banking ties have imposed additional expenses on Tehran's financial transactions. Those problems also affect the petrochemical, oil, agricultural and steel industries. According to him, "Iran is under a difficult situation now, but we should not get disappointed.". Against this background, the Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Turkmenistan to hold talks in the political, commercial, transport, energy and customs spheres. However, the main issues at the talks in Ashgabat were the issues of resuming Turkmen gas supplies and debt restructuring. Iran should pay Turkmenistan somewhere around $2 billion for gas supplies in 2007-2008. Because of the cold weather, Iran was forced to increase the volume of Turkmen gas imports. Ashgabat, taking advantage of the situation, increased the gas price from $40 to $360 for every 1,000 cubic meters. Tehran offered to recalculate the received additional gas volumes at the same price, but Ashgabat refused, and unilaterally stopped gas supplies to Iran in January 2017 in violation of the 25-year agreement. Unable to agree on the issue, the parties filed claims against each other in the International Court of Justice. The parties cannot reach a compromise. "Ashgabat insists on paying the debt for gas supplies. Tehran insists that there is no debt, but if it exists, the debt is scanty, and if the recalculation confirms its existence, the Iranian side will pay in consumer goods. Being plunged into a deep economic crisis, Turkmenistan needs money. Ashgabat offers Tehran to pay $350,000 in cash and close the issue," Doctor of Political Sciences, Deputy Director General of the Center for Strategic Estimations and Forecasts Igor Pankratenko told Vestnik Kavkaza. The expert explained Tehrans insistence in trying to resume gas supplies by the fact that Irans northern provinces still need gas supply. He described the reports on the Damgan-Neka pipeline, designed for pumping 40 million cubic meters of gas per day for the northern provinces of Iran, as a fiction. Tehran is also nervous about the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline to supply Turkmen gas to Europe. The signed Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea makes it possible to build this pipeline and connect it to the Southern Gas Corridor. There are almost no legal obstacles. The issue of laying pipelines should be decided between the countries where it will run - Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. But, as head of the Center for Central Asia and Caucasus Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences Stanislav Pritchin told Vestnik Kavkaza, Iran could stand in the way of Turkmen gas. "Those procedures that are spelled out in the convention and in the environmental impact protocol are negotiable, on the one hand, but on the other - prohibitive. The question whether Iran can block the transit of Turkmen gas remains open. It's a long story. It is more profitable for Turkmenistan to negotiate with Iran both in terms of diversifying its supplies and in terms of building pragmatic relations with neighboring countries. Ashgabat does not have many neighbors to rely on. And Iran is one of them," Pritchin said. United States Attorney General William Barr has appointed a top Connecticut prosecutor to examine the origins of the investigation into Russia's alleged collusion during the 2016 presidential elections. The New York Times reported that two officials familiar with the matter apprised that John H. Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, has been appointed by Barr to look into the probe's beginning. However, there is no official confirmation on Durham's appointment. This is the third public investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, Department of Justice inspector general Michael E. Horowitz is examining the use of wiretaps and pieces of information by investigators during the probe. He is also looking for possible political bias against incumbent President Donald Trump. Additionally, John W. Huber, the United States attorney in Utah, has also been reviewing aspects of the investigation. His findings are yet to be revealed. Republicans had conducted their own inquiries when they used to control the House, the newspaper reported. Durham was appointed by Trump in 2017 and has been serving as Justice Department lawyer since 1982. He is known for conducting special investigations under the administration of both parties-Republican and Democrats. Trump and House Republicans have long pressed Justice Department to appoint someone to investigate the inception of Russia's probe. Last month, Special Counsel Robert Muller's report revealed that there was no criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump's campaign during the 2016 polls. Although Mueller probed 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice by Trump, he did not make charges. Subsequently, Barr said that no obstruction charges would be carried out against Trump. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claimed that while BJP is campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the name of Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister is contesting in the name of Pakistan. "BJP is contesting in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while Modi Ji is contesting using the name of Pakistan," he said during a press conference here. "Modi-Shah Jodi (pair) is a threat to the country," he added. On being asked about a post-poll alliance, Sisodia affirmed that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will support a "non-BJP, non-Modi government" at the Cente. The AAP leader went on to say that his party has the faith of locals here, as sitting MP Kirron Kher has not undertaken any developmental work for the region. "People had reposed faith in Kirron Kher by electing her for five years, but she didn't do any work. That's the reason why people would express confidence in AAP this time," he said. Responding to a question on an apparent change in the AAP's ideology and widespread attrition in the party, he said, "AAP is not just a party, it is a revolution and the ideology is not static. In such a setup, careerists could never adjust. It depends on voluntary contribution. AAP runs on the voluntary action of leaders associated with it." Elections to all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place in the last phase of polling on May 19. Results will be declared on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The new 'James Bond' film has hit another roadblock after shooting was reportedly suspended following an injury to the lead star Daniel Craig. As cited by Variety, the 51-year-old actor fell while sprinting on the sets of the film in Jamaica last week and has been flown to the U.S. for X-rays that has led to the suspension of the shoot. The publication cited an unnamed source as saying that Craig was filming one of his final scenes in Jamaica. "He was sprinting during filming when he slipped and fell quite awkwardly. He was in quite a lot of pain and was complaining about his ankle," the source said. While it is currently unknown for how long the production might be delayed, the newspaper reported that the filming at London's iconic Pinewood Studios, which had been scheduled to begin at the end of the week, has been cancelled. This is not the first time that Craig, who performs his own stunts, has sustained an injury on the sets of a Bond film. The actor had two teeth knocked out during his first stunt scene for his Bond debut in 'Casino Royale', sustained a number of injuries, including slicing off the tip of a finger and tearing a shoulder muscle in his next 'Quantum of Solace' and injuring his knee during a fight scene for his most recent outing 'Spectre'. The upcoming 'Bond' film has had a tumultuous journey. The film earlier hit a hurdle following a troubled script process that saw original director Danny Boyle exit the project over creative differences with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, resulting in a delay to the production and a subsequent delay to the planned release date, originally slated for October 2019. The full star cast of the new film was revealed in April as the production officially began, with Oscar-winner Rami Malek confirmed to play the film's villain. Other new additions include Ana De Armas, Lashana Lynch, David Dencik, Billy Magnussen, and Dali Benssalah. Returning cast members include Lea Seydoux, Jeffrey Wright, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Naomi Harris, and Ralph Fiennes. The film will be shot in locations including London, Italy, and Norway. Boyle was replaced by Cary Joji Fukunaga, who is directing the film with a script by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Scott Z. Burns, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The film revolves around Bond, whose "peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter [Wright] from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. The official title of the film is yet to be revealed. The movie is scheduled to hit the big screens on April 8, 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday held a cabinet meeting at the state secretariat to discuss various issues including the relief measures in cyclone Fani-affected areas, scarcity of drinking water, effect of climatic changes, status of employment including NREGS in the state. Though the cabinet meeting built some tension in Andhra Pradesh, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday gave permission for the meeting as the Model Code of Conduct is in place. The ECI gave nod to the cabinet meeting after the Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam paid a visit to CM N Chandrababu Naidu's residence on Monday afternoon to discuss the prevailing situation in the state. The ECI also clarified that it has no objection for the proposed meeting, subject to the condition that any new decisions or revision of rates or any outstanding payment will require ECI's permission before implementation. Further, the ECI restricted to make any media announcement of enhancement of rates. Meanwhile, Naidu alleged that the ECI is acting against TDP in the state as it changed the Chief Secretary of AP and some other senior bureaucrats. TDP has also been very vocal about the new Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam for allegedly favouring YSRCP in the state. However, four ministers - Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Adinarayana Reddy, Sujaya Krishna Rangarao, Pitani Satyanarayana - did not attend the cabinet meeting. Kidari Sravan Kumar, who resigned from his ministerial post recently, also did not attend the meeting. Reportedly, these ministers could not attend the meeting due to personal reasons or as they were abroad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre on Tuesday extended the ban on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another five years, declaring it an "unlawful association" for continuing to adopt a strong "anti-India posture" and posing a "grave threat" to the security of Indian nationals. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that LTTE's objective for a separate homeland (Tamil Eelam) for all Tamils threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and amounts to cession and secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union and thus falls within the ambit of unlawful activities. The activities of the LTTE remnant cadres, dropouts, sympathisers, supporters who have been traced out recently in the Tamil Nadu suggest that the cadres sent to Tamil Nadu would ultimately be utilised by LTTE for unlawful activities, the Ministry said, renewing its 2014 notification to declare LTTE as an "unlawful association" for another five years. The separatist Tamil "chauvinist" groups and pro-LTTE groups continue to foster a separatist tendency amongst the masses and enhance the support base for LTTE in India and particularly in Tamil Nadu, the notification said, adding that it will ultimately have a strong disintegrating influence over the territorial integrity of India. In May 1991, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. The MHA said that LTTE activities and propaganda on the Internet are a threat to the security of VVIPs in India. "The diaspora continue to spread through articles in the Internet portals, anti-India feeling amongst the Sri Lankan Tamils by holding the Government of India responsible for the defeat of the LTTE and such propaganda through Internet, which remains continued, is likely to impact Very Very Important Persons (VVIP) security adversely in India," the notification read. "Central Government is of the opinion that the aforesaid activities of the LTTE continue to pose a threat to, and are detrimental to, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India as also to the public order and, therefore, it should be declared as an unlawful association," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Clashes broke out Tuesday at the mega roadshow of BJP President Amit Shah in Kolkata resulting in utter chaos after sticks were hurled at his convoy and police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the crowd. Clashes reportedly broke out after some miscreants started throwing sticks at the convoy in which the BJP president Amit Shah was travelling in. The incident took place on College Street here when allegedly some TMC supporters began sloganeering and the furious BJP supporters responded by pelting stones and sticks at the University gates, resulting in chaos and mayhem. Visuals from the scene showed a fire outside the university gates. Security forces later got down to control the situation as everything happened in a fraction of second near the Calcutta University here. A statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was also vandalised at Vidyasagar College in the clashes. A short while after the incident Amit Shah took to Twitter to say "Time to pack up Mamata didi." "I am sure this massive support for the BJP among people of Bengal must have shaken the anarchist Mamata government," Shah wrote on the microblogging site. In another tweet, the BJP president thanked people of Bengal "Thank you Bengal. I am overwhelmed with the outpouring of your love and support during the road show in Kolkata" he wrote and tagged both the tweets with the hashtag BengalWithBJP. Earlier in the day, BJP alleged that the Trinamool Congress workers had removed posters and flags of Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi were removed in several areas in the Kolkata, just hours ahead of Shah's mega road show. Senior party leader Kailash Vijayavargiya said , "Mamata ji's goons and police removed all the posters and flags. They fled as soon after we reached here." Dismissing the allegation, TMC leader Derek O'Brien said the BJP was "desperate." "Just figured why the BJP are getting more and more desperate in Bengal. Top exit pollsters confide in private, that BJP hurtling to below 30 in UP" the TMC leader posted on Twitter. Meanwhile, it was a sea of saffron in Kolkata today when Shah atop a truck decked in marigold flowers and flanked BJP's Kolkata north and Kolkata south candidates Rahul Sinha and Chandra Kumar Bose . BJP supporters chanted "Jai Shri Ram" as activists dressed up as Lord Ram, Sita and Hanuman walked along with 'gada' (mace), not often seen on the streets of the metropolis where a distinct Bengali culture exists. There were Sikh men dancing to Bhangra beats. Many in the crowd carried BJP flags. Amit Shah's rally comes days before the seventh and the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Nine seats are all set to go for polls in West Bengal on May 19. The result will be announced on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goa Congress on Tuesday filed a complained with the Election Commission (EC) against state's Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai over his comments on "weaponising" the youth. The complainant Vivek D'Silva, who is North Goa district's Youth Congress president, has said that Sardesai's remark was "an indirect attempt to threaten voters" in the run-up to bypolls in Goa. He further claimed Sardesai made these comments with an intent to "excite disaffection and to create hatred amongst the people of Goa against the government." D'Silva further claimed that Sardesai's comments were "against the state" and demanded that he be booked for sedition. On May 7, Sardesai had reportedly said that he would "weaponise" his party's youth, if the BJP-led coalition government, which he and his party are a part of, did not reverse dilution of domicile norms for recruitment in state government as well as state-funded autonomous bodies like the Goa University. "We are willing to go anywhere to protect the interests of Goans. And this has to happen. And if our government has made a mistake then the Goa Forward youth, we will back them fully. We will weaponise them. I am going controversially to say this...that we will weaponise them to see that Goenkarponn (Goanness) is protected," Sardesai had said. It should be noted that Sardesai's party is a member of the BJP-led coalition government, but Goa Forward is not contesting the upcoming Panaji Assembly bypoll. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday accused the Congress party of failing to get Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar declared as "global terrorist" while in power. "Congress could not get Masood Azhar declared as global terrorists. Modiji was able to get him declared as a global terrorist and the process to seize all his properties across the world has been initiated," Adityanath said while addressing an election rally here. The UP Chief Minister further claimed that Masood Azhar's countdown has begun. "You will see, Masood Azhar will be killed like a dog just like Osama Bin Laden," the Chief Minister said. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "tackling terrorism", Yogi said, "Every terrorist in the world knows that if they do something detrimental to the security of India, then Modiji will find him even from beneath the surface of the earth. If you (terrorists) hide in Pakistan, we will kill you inside Pakistan. This is the capability of New India." He also accused the rival parties of being soft on terrorism. "During the rule of Congress, BSP and SP, terror attacks happened on Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, on Sankamochan Temple in Kashi, on courts in Lucknow. Blasts were carried out in Gorakhpur but the Congress government remained silent," said Yogi Adityanath. "You can understand their attitude towards the country by this (silence on terror attacks). When elections are around the corner, they try the divide the people in the name of caste," he said. 13 seats of the state will go to polls in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 19. The counting of votes will be done on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 21-year-old man who duped people by posing as an Army officer was arrested by police in Lucknow on Tuesday. The youngster, Vikram Singh, is the son of a policeman and conned people dressed as a Lieutenant on pretext of getting them a job in the defence force. He was arrested by a team of Cyber Crime Cell and police after he cheated at least half a dozen people. Singh started deceiving people soon after passing out from a school in 2015. His father, Umashankar Singh, a Sub-Inspector, is currently posted at Wazirganj Police Station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man here was stabbed to death allegedly by his neighbours after he objected to their indecent remarks and gestures directed towards his daughter, said police. The incident took place on Sunday night in Moti Nagar area of the capital. Victim's son was also attacked and is undergoing medical treatment. Tapesh Tyagi, brother of deceased, Dhruv Raj Tyagi told ANI, "My brother and his daughter were returning from the hospital. The lane was almost blocked by 4-5 men. When he honked at them they made lewd remarks and tried to molest her. After dropping her when he went back to them, they attacked him. Their families helped them in the attack. They also attacked my brother's son. Attackers have also a criminal record." All four accused in the incident have been arrested, said police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France is urging all the Council of Europes member-countries to support efforts for preserving Russias CE membership being taken by the current Finnish presidency, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman said. He recalled that French President Emmanuel Macron "has confirmed the importance of finding a solution that would preserve Russias membership of the Council of Europe. Speaking at a joint news conference with the Council of Europes Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland in Paris on May 6, Macron said that France would like Russia to continue to participate in CE activities, TASS recalls. Jagland expressed a similar viewpoint at the beginning of April. Speaking at a congress of local and regional authorities in Strasbourg Jagland voiced the hope that Russia would remain a CE member after June 2019. Amid US-Iran tensions, European Union (EU) has urged Washington to exercise "maximum restraint" and asked Tehran to fully "comply" with its nuclear commitments. "We as the EU always encourage dialogue and diplomatic engagement. [US Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo heard that very clearly today from us...That we are living in a crucial delicate moment where the most relevant and responsible attitude to take is maximum restraint and avoid any escalation on a military side," said Federica Mogherini, the European Union's diplomatic chief, after a meeting with Pompeo. "We still invite Iran to comply with all its nuclear commitments, and we will do our part on our side to continue to fully implement the nuclear deal," added Mogherini. Pompeo cancelled his visit to Moscow and stopped in Brussel instead to apprise EU of Iran's threat. "Pompeo made the unscheduled stop in Brussels because Iran is an escalating threat and this seemed like a timely visit on his way to Sochi, Russia," Al Jazeera quoted Brian Hook, US special envoy for Iran, as saying. "The secretary wanted to share some detail behind what we have been saying publicly. We believe that Iran should try talks instead of threats. They have chosen poorly by focusing on threats," he added. This comes a day after US bombers deployed in the Middle-East conducted their first mission to deter Iran. During his meet with the EU ministers, he also discussed reported attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. "We discussed ... what seemed to be attacked on commercial vessels that were anchored ... We have been requested by the UAE to provide assistance in the investigation, which we are very glad to do," he said. Hook did not comment when reporters asked whether the US believes that Iran is behind the attack. The United Arab Emirates has announced that four commercial ships, including two of Saudi Arabia, were subjected to sabotage operations near UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of Fujairah. However, neither UAE nor Saudi has so far blamed anyone for the attack. When last year, Trump pulled out of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the rest of signatories in the pact- UK, France, Germany, China, Russia and Iran- had criticised the US and vowed to remain a part of the deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling himself a 'Kashi vaasi'- resident of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking re-election from the Lok Sabha seat, issued an emotional message for people of the constituency and sought their blessings for victory. Modi outlined his personal and emotional association with the city and its people in a video released by his website on Monday. "It is often said that whosoever come to Kashi even once, becomes part of the city. In the last five years, I have experienced this every passing moment. In molding me and giving a direction to my political and spiritual being, Kashi has a huge influence on me." Modi underlined that Kashi is not a mere word for him, but an inspiration, in terms of religion, spirituality, and culture. "I am fortunate that its people provided me with an opportunity to serve," he said. The Prime Minister further spoke about the presiding deity of the city- Lord Kashi Vishwanath and said it is a matter of satisfaction for him to be in service of the city. "The city which is favorite of Baba Vishwanath doesn't need anyone else. But that fact that my life could be of any use for Kashi is a matter of great satisfaction for me. My people of Kashi have blessed me by giving me an opportunity to serve them," Modi said in the moving message. Asserting that he is proud of people's participation in the development of Varanasi in the last five years, Modi added that it serves as an example for the whole country. He also outlined various developmental initiatives undertaken in the city during his tenure. "Be it houses or toilets, free LPG or electricity connection, Varanasi has presented an ideal example of development in all sectors. Artisans were able to get global exposure for their products through Deendayal Hastkala Sankul. Construction of two new cancer hospitals provided relief to not only people of Varanasi but also of nearby areas. Every attempt has been made for the welfare of farmers, traders, businessman, youth and 'mallahs' (boatmen) of Kashi," said Modi. He also spoke about road and highway construction and makeover of Maduadih railway station and multi-model terminal on river Ganga, and called them "major infrastructural changes". The city's parliamentarian termed the construction of the new Kashi Vishwanath corridor as a "makeover" while adding that it will be a subject of awe. Modi also stressed upon Kashi's significance and said a lot of work is still left to be do be done. "In last five years, we have done a lot of work for Kashi but a lot is still left. We have to do this together. It is our vow that we will not let the speed of this development stop," he remarked. In what sounded like a hint that he will not be campaigning in the constituency ahead of voting day, the Prime Minister said, "This time when I came for the roadshow, you assured me that you will handle everything. I have faith in every word. For me, those words are a promise. I know that every resident of Kashi is fighting elections for and as Narendra Modi." He urged people to go for early voting and avoid the scorching summer sun and asked them to celebrate the exercise as a festival. "Everyone must participate in the biggest celebration of democracy. You should also encourage your friends and relatives to vote. The whole country will be looking towards Kashi on that day. Go out in large numbers, wear your traditional clothes, and celebrate the day of voting with joy and fervor. Kashi has to make a new record now when the whole country is looking up to it. The record of the whole country should be broken by Kashi," said Modi. Referring to himself as a 'Kashi vaasi', Prime Minister concluded his address with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Har Har Gange'. Modi held a massive road-show in Varanasi before filling his nomination on April 26. In a show of strength, almost all prominent leaders of the BJP, as well as members of the Democratic Alliance (NDA) and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) accompanied him. He won the seat in 2014, defeating Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes. The highly-priced Lok Sabha constituency will vote on May 19, the last phase of polls with results scheduled for May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Comedian Hannah Gadsby is returning to Netflix. The star will soon treat her fans with the upcoming comedy special titled 'Douglas'. The 41-year-old announced on Monday night that the comedy special will stream globally on Netflix in 2020, reported Variety. Gadsby appeared at Netflix's FYSEE event to discuss her special 'Nanette', a stand-up comedy act, which was released on the streaming platform in 2018. "I'm so excited to announce today that Douglas will be released on Netflix in 2020," Gadsby said. "I'm really enjoying touring with the live performance, but there will be places in the world that I won't be able to visit, so it's wonderful that Netflix will bring the show to every corner of the globe," she added. She spoke to Variety ahead of the event to talk about what the viewers can expect from the special. "I think you can't expect. That's a clue. It talks about expectations and how labels can set them up to fail," Gadsby teased. Gadsby's previous special 'Nanette' received an overwhelming response for how effortlessly the comedian handled tough topics like homophobia, misogyny and for her unconventional storytelling style. Despite such attention on 'Nanette', Gadsby said that she didn't worry about topping it with her upcoming special. "Nanette's her own beast. I've pretty much just set up camp in Nanette's shadow and this is where I live now," she told Variety. "The thing about Nanette is, I've said what I had to say in that moment, so that's what I've done with Douglas and I'm just speaking to where I am in the moment, and a lot of where I'm at, at the moment is in the wake of Nanette," Gadsby added. Gadsby premiered 'Douglas' in Melbourne (March 27-April 7) before embarking on a U.S. tour, which kicked off April 30 in San Francisco. 'Douglas' is named after her beloved dog and features content inspired by her breakout success, lessons, and experiences from it. The comedian is currently touring in the U.S. and recently announced plans to next visit the East Coast after wrapping the first leg July 12 in Los Angeles. Additional tour dates will be announced later, including shows in Europe, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, reported The Hollywood Reporter. Netflix also streams stand-up comedy specials from the likes of Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, Jerry Seinfeld and more. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress on Tuesday hit out at BJP over the Hapur gang-rape incident, claiming that rather than the slogan 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' which was coined by the Narendra Modi government, the ideology of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is that of 'beti darao, balatkari bachao' (scare the girl child and save the rapist). Addressing media here, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill accused BJP of not providing help on time to the young widow who was allegedly sold by her father and gang-raped by her 'buyer' and his friends in Hapur. "The shocking incident being reported today all over India that a woman from Uttar Pradesh set herself ablaze and is in critical condition in AIIMS with 80 per cent burns in order to ensure that her voice reaches the BJP government, specifically Uttar Pradesh government, is a living cruel reminder of the fact that the main agenda of the political quarter is not to the save girl child and educate them but to scare the girl child and save the rapist. (beti bachao, beti padhao nahi beti darao, balatkari bachao)." A widow in Muradabad set herself on fire last month after she was gang-raped and sold for Rs 10,000 by her parents and later allegedly turned away by Hapur Police. With more than 80 per cent burns, the victim is struggling for life at a hospital in Delhi. The victim has been identified as a resident of a village under Babugarh police jurisdiction in Hapur. She was allegedly gang-raped in 2016. The Congress spokesperson also took a jibe at BJP's top leaders and claimed that they are not concerned about the rising crime against women across the country but are only concerned about electioneering. "The Prime Minister and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister are busy campaigning and not understanding a woman's pain who became the victim of such a heinous crime. The Indian Congress (INC) demands answerability and accountability from the prime minister and from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on account of rising crime against women. We also want an answer on the pattern that wherever crimes against women take place, why the system under the BJP becomes lethargic and indifferent. We have also noticed that whenever there is a crime against women, BJP workers, lawmakers are involved in some manner or the other," he said. "If at all BJP comes to power again, under Yogi Adityanath's rule, the rapist will have acche din but not women. Under the BJP rule, women have to burn themselves to get justice, Not only in this case but the same happened in Unnao. The victim protested for six long months to get justice. She also threatened the government by saying that she will also burn herself if her plea is not heard," he added. Shergill, in his concluding remark, quoted the latest Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data and said "after BJP came to power in 2014, crime against women alone in Uttar Pradesh has increased by 34 per cent. Child rape cases have also increased in the country by 83 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh asking them to submit two separate detailed reports in connection with the treatment of the Hapur gang rape victim. The DGP has been directed to inform the Commission in detail about the progress of the investigation and arrest if any. The deadline to file both reports is four weeks. The woman, a widow from Muradabad, set herself on fire last month after she was gang-raped and sold for Rs 10,000 by her parents and later allegedly turned away by Hapur Police. With more than 80 per cent burns, the victim is struggling for life at AIIMS hospital in Delhi. The victim has been identified as a resident of a village under Babugarh police jurisdiction in Hapur. She was allegedly gang-raped in 2016. Disgruntled after Babugarh Police allegedly refused to pay heed to her complaints, the woman shifted to Muradabad city out of shame, and set her ablaze last month, the police said. An FIR was registered against 16 people on Sunday and the matter is being investigated after a video clip of her allegations went viral on social media. In its notice, the Commission also highlighted the negligence by the police in the case and stated "remissness and the act of negligence on the part of police authorities for not registering the case timely by arresting the accused person has aggravated the distressful plight of the lady, which cannot be tolerated in a civilized society governed by the rule of law." It also agreed that the content available in the news report pertaining to the matter if true, amount to gross violation of human rights of the victim woman. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal had also written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, urging him to ensure the victim gets justice. "DCW is in receipt of a representation from a survivor of gang-raping belonging to Hapur. The survivor has suffered unimaginable harassment at the hands of the UP police in Hapur who have refused to register an FIR despite repeated complaints," reads the letter dated May 11. "This insensitivity and shameful conduct of the UP police compelled the survivor to immolate herself. She is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi," it further stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday. The meeting between the two foreign ministers comes in the wake of heightened diplomatic tension between Iran and the United States after Washington on April 22 announced that no fresh sanction waivers will be issued for Iranian oil imports to eight countries, including India. Zarif, who is on a two-day visit to India, had said the US is escalating tensions 'unnecessarily'. "Unfortunately the United States has been escalating the situation unnecessarily. We do not seek escalation but we have always defended ourselves," he had told ANI soon after arriving in India. After the US' announcement, India, the second largest buyer of Iranian oil after China, had said it was adequately prepared to deal with the impact of the decision to end waiver. Three of the eight countries who received the waivers, namely Greece, Italy, and Taiwan, have already reduced their Iranian oil imports to zero. On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had said that the country could see economic conditions worse than what prevailed during the 1980-88 war with Iraq, due to 'unprecedented pressure' from international sanctions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shai Hope sustained impressive form and his captain Jason Holder found the right touch for West Indies in the Ireland tri-nations ODI series but they failed to ignite the rest of their team. West Indies were handed a five-wicket defeat by Bangladesh in the penultimate match of the preliminary competition at Malahide on Monday evening. Hope gathered a typically composed 87 from 108 balls, including six fours and one six, and anchored the Caribbean team to 247 for the loss of nine after they chose to bat. The West Indies wicket-keeper batsman was again the glue that held the top order of the batting, carrying his aggregate for the series to 396 runs at an average of 99, as he engineered a recovery with Holder after West Indies stumbled to 99 for the loss of four in the 24th over. Hope, who has scored 1153 at 67.82 over the last 18 months, shared 112 for the fifth wicket with Holder, whose 62 from 76 balls included three fours and one six. There was little stability from the rest of the West Indies batting following his departure as left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman returned with the figures of 4/43 from nine overs and Mashrafe Mortaza took 3/60 from his allotted 10 overs to undermine the lower order. West Indies failed to make an early breakthrough when Bangladesh started their pursuit. However, off-spinner Ashley Nurse was the pick of the bowlers, capturing 3/53. The rest of the Caribbean attack failed to make an impact on the hard, true pitch, and the Bangladesh top-order led by half-centuries from wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim and opener Soumya Sarkar coasted the Asian side to victory with 16 balls remaining. Bangladesh and West Indies will next meet for the final on May 17 at The Village, Malahide. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) International Army Scout Masters Competition as a part of International Army Games will be organised under the aegis of Konark Corps at Jaisalmer from July 24 to 17 August 17, said Defence spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand on Tuesday. "The International Army Scout Masters Competition will witness the participation of the Mechanised Infantry scout teams of eight countries including Russia, which is the founding member of this format of International Army Games," Anand said. Col Anand also said that there is an ongoing visit by delegations from Russia and other participating countries to the Jaisalmer military station and the visiting officials were impressed by the arrangements at the venue where the competition is to be held. "The Russian delegation, senior military and diplomatic dignitaries from other participating countries are on a visit to the Jaisalmer Military Station from May 14 to 15. The delegates were shown and briefed on the special training facilities created at Jaisalmer and Pokhran. The visiting team of officials were impressed with the overall arrangements and complimented the Indian organisers for creating the excellent infrastructure for the competition," he added. The head of the Russian delegation Lieutenant General Budyshkin Albert Alienvich expressed confidence that India will provide the right opportunity for all teams to excel and bring long term tangible benefits to International Military Cooperation. The International Army Scout Masters Competition will be conducted in five stages according to Colonel Aman Anand, which will test the overall skills of mechanised infantry scouts in simulated battlefield scenarios. The combat skills will be adjudicated by a panel of international judges and referees. The competition will showcase combat training and promote camaraderie amongst the contestants, facilitate the sharing of practices as well as develop military and technical cooperation between participating nations. India will be conducting the Army Scout Masters Competition for the first time as part of the International Army Games. It is also for the first time that an Indian team will participate in this competition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special cell of Delhi Police has arrested a wanted Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist, Abdul Majid Baba in Srinagar, said police on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference, in Delhi, Sanjeev Yadav DCP Special cell said, "The team of Special Cell south-western range had been working on the inputs to trace the wanted and absconding Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist arrested Abdul Majid Baba, who had a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh on him and was absconding since past five years." "The team of Special Cell managed to track Baba in Srinagar and he was arrested in the evening of May 11," The DCP added. Yadav further said, "Earlier in February 2007, Baba was arrested with a Pakistani Sahid Gaffur along with two other terrorist and Fayaz Ahmad, Basir Ponu and they were planning a terror strike in Delhi. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from them." "After trial, a lower court had convicted the Pakistani while the remaining three were acquitted. In 2014 acting on our appeal, the High Court had pronounced lifetime jail term for three terrorists, however, they went absconding," Yadav added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Although Kumbh Mela ended on March 4, hundreds of tanneries in Kanpur are still closed. The tannery workers are now returning home or finding other means to sustain their livelihood. Tanneries were closed before the Kumbh Mela in January to stop sewage or industrial effluent flowing into the river Ganga and ensure that pilgrims could have a cleaner holy dip. However, the Kumbh Mela ended on March 4, and the tanneries were yet not opened as Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) did not issue the requisite clearance certificate. Tanning is a highly polluting industry with a host of chemicals and toxicants being discharged into the river causing immense pollution. "We do not know for how long tanneries will remain closed, but losses are already running into crores. Labourers are returning to their villages as they are not getting any work. The government is not giving us any intimation as to how long these will remain closed," said Manoj Gupta, a tannery owner. "I have no work since last one month. We were 10-12 people here earlier and now only 2-3 are left; we are also going," said Furkan, who worked as a helper in a tannery. Nadeem Khan, a leather trader also alleged huge loss saying, "There is a huge loss to the tanneries. Labourers are returning home as there is no work left here. Orders are transferred to Bangladesh and Pakistan." A tannery owner showed no hope of any relief saying, "Since last 6-7 months tanneries are closed, about 350-400 tanneries are closed. Government is not telling when it will reopen. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has met with President of the European Council Donald Tusk in Brussels on May 13, the presidential press service reported. The sides hailed the development of relations between Baku and Brussels. Noting that Azerbaijan is a reliable and responsible partner of the EU, Tusk said that the European Union highly appreciates Azerbaijan's role in the region. Ilham Aliyev noted that relations between Azerbaijan and the EU are developing very successfully, and Baku attaches great importance to the development of these ties. The Azerbaijani President told Tusk about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process. Makers of Salman Khan starrer film 'Dabangg 3' just spilled the beans about the climax shoot of the film. Kichcha Sudeepa, who is essaying the antagonist in the film made the major revelation about the climax of the film on his Twitter handle. "Climax shoot for #Dabangg3 has been very hectic yet a great experience. Huge set n a Humongous Team. Bare body fight against Salman Khan is the least I had ever thought of doing,, everrrr. Yeah, I do carry a Lil confidence today,, n I'm enjoying it," he wrote. The actor gave a hint to the frenzy fans that he had a "bare body fight" with the 'Sultan' actor in the climax scene. A few days back the 'Makkhi' actor posted a picture with Salman where he can be seen striking a pose with him during their workout sessions. "Stay tuned for a surprise," he had captioned the picture. As per media reports, Sudeep will essay the role of a villain in the movie and will be seen in an intense face-off with Salman. While Salman's pictures from the sets of 'Dabangg 3' are going viral on the internet, Sudeep's look has been kept under wraps. Earlier installments of the hit franchise starred Sonu Sood and Prakash Raj in the negative roles. 'Dabangg 3' marks Sudeep's comeback to Hindi cinema after 'Rakhta Charitra 2', which was directed by Ram Gopal Varma. Meanwhile, Sonakshi Sinha reprises her role opposite Salman. Sonakshi, who made her Bollywood debut with the 2010 movie 'Dabangg', plays Rajjo in the film. The actor had earlier shared the look of her character on her Instagram account when she started shooting for the film. The actor kicked off the shoot for the film on April 1 when he jetted off to Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh to shoot with Arbaaz Khan and Prabhu Deva. Salman has been keeping the audiences on their toes by sharing stills and behind-the-scenes pictures from the film's sets on his social media handles. 'Dabangg 3' is being helmed by Prabhu Deva. The film marks the second collaboration of Salman and the director. The two have previously worked together in 'Wanted'. The film is scheduled to release on December 20. Meanwhile, Salman's upcoming film 'Bharat' is all set to hit the screens during Eid. The film stars Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroff, Disha Patani, Sunil Grover and Tabu in pivotal roles. Sonakshi Sinha was last seen in 'Kalank', which released on April 17. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Paris Hilton is all set to enthrall her fans with the music video of her latest track 'Best Friend Ass' that will feature Kim Kardashian. Hilton shared a picture on Instagram with Kim from the sets, where the two are seen wearing silver shimmery dresses as they walk hand in hand. Hilton called Kim her 'gorgeous girl' and captioned the picture, "So much on set of my Best Friends Ass music video with my gorgeous girl Kim Kardashian." [{8f51ea1a-a6d2-41f4-90a5-6b9f3f1f3e82:intradmin/Paris_Hilton.JPG}] The track features Hilton with Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike and was dropped on May 10. Kim, who became mom for the fourth time on Friday, also shared some photos with Paris from the sets and captioned, "So fun shooting this video with Paris Hilton for her new song Best Friends Ass." Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who are already parents to Saint, North, and Chicago, welcomed a baby boy through surrogacy. Meanwhile, Paris made headlines after she saved one of her friends from drunk driving in November last year. In 2006, the 'The World According to Paris' actor got busted for driving under the influence of alcohol and reportedly said that she would not have been able to live had she injured or killed somebody in the drunken driving spree. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Secretary Saurav Sikandar on Tuesday said that party worker Priyanka Sharma will be released on Wednesday. Sharma, a West Bengal BJP functionary was granted bail by the apex court after she was arrested for sharing a morphed picture of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook. Speaking on delay in the release of Priyanka's release, Sikandar told ANI, "We got SC's order around 5:30 PM; prison was closed by then. Still, we spoke to the jailor, she said they have received an e-mail but they cannot release Priyanka on the basis of it." "The jailor has asked us to speak to concerned Chief Judicial Magistrate. Tomorrow we will also speak to DG prison. We are hopeful that we can take Priyanka home tomorrow," he said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail Priyanka Sharma, who was arrested on May 10 for allegedly posting a morphed picture of state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook, after waiving its earlier condition that she tenders a written apology. "Subject to Priyanka Sharma tendering an apology in writing for putting up an objectionable picture on Facebook account, she shall be immediately released. At the time of release, she shall tender an apology in writing," a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said in its previous order. The court called back Sharma's lawyer Neeraj Kishan Kaul and informed him that it was waiving the condition of apology. Senior advocate Kaul, during the hearing, contended that asking for an apology will amount to infringement of the Right to Freedom of Speech. The bench also issued a notice to West Bengal police on Sharma's petition challenging her arrest. She was taken into custody on May 10 on a complaint by a Trinamool Congress member and produced a day later before a Howrah court which sent her to 14 days judicial custody. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking suo motu cognizance of the gang rape of a widow in Hapur, the Commission for Women (NCW) issued a letter to the Uttar Pradesh DGP on Tuesday to take strict and immediate action in the case. "The Commission for Women has come across a media report, wherein it has been reported that the woman who worked as domestic help was allegedly subjected to continuous harassment and gang-rape. It is further reported that when she approached the Hapur police but they refused to register her complaint, the woman has set herself on fire and is battling for her life with 80 per cent injuries," NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said in a letter to DGP OP Singh. The Commission said that it is "seriously concerned" about the rise in crime targeted against women. "Considering the gravity of the matter and as per our telephonic conversation, it is requested that the matter may be thoroughly investigated and also action be taken against erring officials. A detailed action-taken the report to be sent to the Commission at an early date," the letter further read. On May 11, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal also wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging him to ensure the victim gets justice. "The insensitivity and shameful conduct of the UP police compelled the survivor to immolate herself. She is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi," read the letter. Quoting the victim, Maliwal said that she approached Babugarh police station as well Hapur's Superintendent of Police, but no case was registered. An FIR was registered against 16 people on May 12 and the matter is being investigated after a video clip of her allegations went viral on social media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nippon Paint, Asia's No 1 paint brand in terms of revenues, has pioneered a cutting edge technology painting of commercial vehicles. Nippon Paint has introduced its unique 'Wet on Wet (WoW) Painting Technology' in India, with a focus on delivering a lean and extremely efficient painting process to the CV OEMs and major bus body manufacturers. The WoW technology solution will drastically reduce painting cycle time, energy requirement and labour cost and significantly improve productivity in the painting process. With rapid strides in product solutions, Nippon Paint aims to become the clear leader in the commercial vehicles segment space in India by 2021. The launch follows Nippon Paint's recently-announced unique express painting system for the automotive aftermarket. "The Indian commercial vehicle industry is a focus sector for us. Our objective is to develop and introduce state-of-the-art high productivity solutions for the CV industry. We aim to drastically improve throughput for our customers without any major capital investment from their end. This is just the first step in our mission to introduce world-class products developed by our global R & D team that add tremendous value to our CV and light industrial customers", said Sharad Malhotra, President Automotive, Commercial and Wood Coatings, Nippon Paint (India). "The biggest challenge faced by Commercial Vehicle manufacturers in the painting process is how to optimize efficiency. Nippon Paint aims to solve this problem by delivering customized solutions that maximize efficiency based on customer-specific production lines and infrastructure. Our WoW technology solution minimizes sanding and baking processes, thereby delivering efficiency improvements of up to 50 per cent and cost reduction of up to 20 per cent", said Lewis Taylor, Global Technical Manager for Nippon Paint. "Nippon Paint prides itself on being the Paint Process Specialist for the CV industry. Our process is led by our integrated paint and non-paint product solutions, technical expertise for painting lines and superior supply chain capabilities. Our OE and other customers are assured that quality paint jobs will be delivered every single time. With WoW painting technology, customers can now enjoy an extremely efficient system, with superior aesthetics", said Siddarth Sharma, Head for CV Coatings, Nippon Paint India. Nippon Paint currently works with most of the leading OEMs in the country and is also a preferred player in the private bus-body segment in India. Nippon Paint is also working closely with the major State Transport Undertakings in India. 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.) Pakistan on Tuesday denied imposition of visa restrictions by the United States, Radio Pakistan reported. "The United States has not imposed any visa restrictions against Pakistan. It is just going to deport over seventy illegal Pakistanis," said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. He said Pakistan has asked the US to fulfil legal requirements about the Pakistanis being deported. This comes weeks after US State Department announced that it is imposing visa sanctions on Pakistan after it refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa over-stayers, as per the US State Department. "Consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged. This is a bilateral issue of ongoing discussion between the US and Pakistani governments and we are not going to get into the specifics at the time," US State Department spokesperson said on April 27. Other countries against whom the US has introduced visa restrictions are Ghana, Guyana, the Gambia, Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Myanmar and Laos. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Police on Monday raided home of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker on complaint of Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar in Basarat, North 24 Parganas district. Dastidar alleged that the BJP workers were distributing money to influence voters for the forthcoming polling for the Lok Sabha elections. "They are distributing money. BJP is doing this," she said. The BJP, on the other hand, accused the TMC candidate of attacking its meeting. BJP leader Mukul Roy said, "BJP's Arvind Menon was holding a meeting with few leaders in Barasat. Few people led by Dastidar went there and attacked the cars parked outside." Alleging that democratic space was shrinking under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government, he said: "There is no democracy in this state." On May 12, Roy accused the state government of acting out of political vendetta after his convoy was searched by the police. West Bengal has witnessed wide-spread violence in the last six phases of general elections. Barasat along with eight other parliamentary constituencies will vote in the last phase of the Lok Sabha 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.) After a deep internal review of the recent conflict with Pakistan, the Indian Army is planning to deploy a number of its air defence units close to the border to thwart aerial threats emanating from Pakistan. "Some of the fighting formations including air defence and other defensive formations are now planned to be moved closer to the borders," top Army sources told ANI. "With these air defence units deployed closer to the border, we would be able to tackle any possible aerial strike from enemy side and thwart it close to the border itself," they said. The sources said the location of the air defence units deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan were reviewed by the force and it was felt that a number of them can be moved to forward locations to thwart enemy aerial strikes close to the borders itself. The air defence assets of the Indian Army include the indigenous Akash air defence missile systems along with the Russian Kvadrat and other old legacy systems. The force is also set to receive the latest MR-SAM air defence system which has been produced by the DRD-Israel joint venture. After India hit the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot town of Khyber Pakhtunwa province of Pakistan, the neighbouring country launched a big aerial attack in Jammu sector along the Line of Control. Even though the attack was thwarted by the Air Force air defence fighters including the MiG-21s and the Su-30MKIs and one Pakistani F-16 was also shot down, it was felt that presence of air defence units in the area could have caused more damage to the Pakistanis. Due to the aggressive response of the Air Force, the Pakistanis could come only a couple of kilometres inside the Indian territory. The Pakistani air attack on February 27 was in response to the Balakot hits by the Indian Air Force a day earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted parole to Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case convict Santosh Kumar Singh for writing his LLM Exams. Singh is pursuing LLM through a distance learning course and is in the final year. During the parole hearing, Delhi Government counsel did not oppose Singh's plea. He is serving a life term for raping and murdering Mattoo, a law student. Justice Mukta Gupta granted Singh parole for three weeks starting May 21. Singh's exams will be starting from May 24. Court has also asked Singh to furnish a personal bail bond on surety amount of Rs 25000 each. Singh was acquitted by the trial court in the year 1999, but later, the Delhi High Court set aside the trial court order and held him guilty of rape and awarded him capital punishment. In 2010, the Supreme Court reduced his punishment from capital punishment to life sentence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shook hands with BJP supporters chanting pro-Modi slogans, taking them by surprise on her way to a rally in Indore. "Aap apni jagah aur mai apni jagah (You are where you are and I am where I am). All the best," she told them after getting out of her black SUV on Monday. Clad in a red saree, the Congress leader earlier climbed over a wooden barricade to wade her way into the crowd after ending her address at a rally in Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency. Her Special Protection Group (SPG) guards then swung into action to make way for her. She hugged and shook hands with supporters and clicked selfies with some of them. This is not the first time that Priyanka Gandhi has shown amiability towards those gathered for her roadshows and election meetings. After casting her vote on May 12 in Delhi, she waded through the crowd to take the blessing of an elderly woman sitting across the road on a cot. Breaking the security protocol, she had also posed for a picture with two young women who displayed their inked fingers. She has stopped her cavalcade numerous times in the past to greet supporters. At a rally in Assam last month, she had posed for a selfie. On March 29, the Congress leader turned good Samaritan and helped a worker who was got hurt while presenting a framed portrait of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to her. The glass in the frame broke injuring Vishal. On seeing him bleed, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, a put a bandage on the wound. She also asked the ambulance accompanying her convoy to take him for medical help. The last phase of the Lok Sabha election will be held on May 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.) Washington considers sending troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, the New York Times reported citing unnamed U.S. administration officials. The top U.S. defense official has presented an updated military plan to President Donald Trumps administration that , the New York Times reported on Monday. According to the officials, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented the plan at a meeting of Trumps top security aides on May 9, which envisions sending up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Tehran "attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons." The newspaper noted that the Pentagon do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops. The New York Times added that the revisions were ordered by U.S. Presidents national security adviser John Bolton. It is highly uncertain whether Trump has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans. A military observer of the TASS news agency, retired Colonel Viktor Litovkin, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that sending up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East is quite possible, but it will not be effective in terms of putting real military pressure on Iran. "Before the 2003 Iraq campaign, the Americans sent about 180,000 troops to the Middle East, so it's not a problem to send 120,000 troops there - they will be stationed in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The question is whether the it will help the U.S. to defeat Iran, because Iran is not Iraq, one cannot buy the Iranian army, the Iranians will fight desperately, so the Americans can lose a lot of people in this war," he explained. "I dont think that Americans are ready for such losses, they are unacceptable for Trump. Thus, Washington will put psychological pressure. There may be some incidents, interception of small Iranian ships and boats at sea, blocking the exit to the ocean for Iranian boats, although it will be fraught for Americans with big troubles in the region. 120,000 troops is a miserable number against Iran. Iran is able to block the U.S. movement in the Strait of Hormuz, strike Israel through Syria. That is, Washington will need to calculate all the pros and cons of what they can use against Iran very well," Viktor Litovkin added. Head of the Analytical Section of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, Alexander Khramchikhin, in turn, stressed that the U.S. will not send 120,000 troops to the Middle East if their plans are limited to psychological pressure on Iran. "The countries loyal to the U.S. are fully capable of hosting all these military. Naturally, if it happens, it will be a real war, not just a deployment of troops," he said. The expert also added that the United States will not unleash a war against Iran without being supported by other states. "It is not yet clear exactly what this contingent will consist of. But one thing is clear: the Americans will not fight against Iran alone, Alexander Khramchikhin concluded. Narendra Modi launched an attack against the opposition by urging people to compare the property owned by him to those owned by "Mahamilavati" people. The Prime Minister added that despite being in politics for a long time, his property details are an "open book". "People should compare what these 'Mahamilavati' people, who are shedding tears for poor, have done for the poor and for their own family. What are they doing today? Before voting, people should remember how much property do they own. These people exploited poor people's money to indulge in corruption, they have looted the poor," Modi said while addressing a rally here. "I have been the longest Chief Minister of Gujarat. By people's blessing, I became the Prime Minister and worked for five years in Delhi. Even after being in politics for so many years, the amount of property I own is like an open book. You can compare both of them," he added. In a veiled attack at the RJD, Modi said they want to take the state back into the era of "lanterns", the symbol of Lalu Yadav's party. "Fifty years back, Ram Manohar Lohia had raised his voice in front of Jawahar Lal Nehru and said that India has got independence, so many years have gone, but still women in the country are unhappy with two things - water and toilets. Ram Manohar Lohia had raised his voice in front of Nehru, but nobody heard him. Ram Manohar Lohiaji I pay respect to you today... I have tried to fulfil Ram Manohar Lohia's dream by getting almost 10 crore toilets built across India," Modi said. Eight out of the total 40 seats in Bihar are scheduled to vote on May 19, the last phase of polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered for the Russian Aerospace Forces to be developed, setting the creation of defences against hypersonic weapons as one of the key priorities. The Russian leader's directive comes as the USA announced its intent to withdraw from the Cold War-era arms control treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, in February this year. "We know for sure that right now, only Russia possesses (hypersonic) weapons. But we also understand that the world's leading states will obtain such weapons sooner or later. For all of us, it would be better if for them this is 'later'," Sputnik quoted Putin as saying. He added that Washington's February decision should be taken into consideration while discussing the future of Russia's armed forces. Putin also said that the significance of the aerospace forces would increase in the near future. He outlined that the defence systems need to be developed and adopted before any other state arms itself with hypersonic weapons. While announcing this, he highlighted the latest developments in the forces, including the completion of tests for the S-350E 'Vityaz' air defence system. He also stated that modern systems account for 82 per cent of all armaments in Russia's strategic forces. The INF Treaty was signed between the two nations in 1987, banning all nuclear-armed ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles which operate at a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rank Me Online recently announced the launch of "Review Analyzer", an artificial intelligence-driven tool. Through Review Analyzer, brands get actionable insights so that the brands can directly use the data to power their strategy. For example, a person reviews a cafe online as "The coffee was good but the service was bad". Review Analyzer shows that Coffee is termed as positive and service is termed as negative. Now the cafe can directly use this information to start promoting its coffee and internally work on improving its service to the customers. "There is no doubt in saying that customers are the heart of any Just like every human being's first priority is to be healthy, the first priority of any is to keep their customers happy," said Jyoti Gupta, Founder of Rank Me Online. Today's businesses are hungry for data about their customers, their competitors, and their target audience so that they can do the way their customers want them to. More and more businesses are making customer experience their number one concern, and the success of customer first companies like Amazon, Ola, Uber, Flipkart has made sure that everyone understands and follows that. Rank Me Online has emerged to be the one-stop solution for any business to convert into a customer-centric business. There is no magic in the platform; it just uses data and artificial intelligence to derive actionable insights. The platform provides data from all online sources like websites, blogs, forums, reviews, social media websites like twitter, facebook, Instagram, YouTube videos etc. The platform then provides insights into what customers want, what kind of features they like in the product, what are the main things they look for. Rank Me Online works in real time to help businesses scale new heights. The one platform that helps businesses take decisions - faster, sooner and prevent any crisis situations. "If a business wants to know what people talk about them online, all they need to do is - create an account on the platform, enter their brand related keywords like its name, product names etc and voila! All the data will start flowing in the system, analysed by artificial intelligence ready to be used", said Deepti Chauhan, Co-founder of Rank Me Online. The platform is seeing great response from the business community and already has 1500+ users. The start-up was recently covered by Rajya Sabha Channel for their prime show - Arthniti. The vision of the company is to "be the frontrunners in helping organisations of all sizes to derive informed decision using consumer opinion". The platform is meant to serve all businesses small, medium and large such that each business can be benefited from the power of analytics. The future plans of the platform are to be able to serve each and every business sector successfully and at the same time expand its services geographically to reach a wider audience. 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.) In the run-up to the last and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls, BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday accused BJP of not fulfilling election promises while asserting that even RSS has stopped supporting the party fearing public backlash. Speaking to ANI, Mayawati said, "It is known to everyone now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government is losing. It is evident from the fact that even RSS has left supporting them. Owing to public anger over non-fulfillment of poll-promises, RSS workers are not visible to us campaigning for BJP anywhere. Because of this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is nervous and facing a hard time." Denouncing BJP's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, she said, "Country has seen many leaders who have misled the country as Sevak, Jan-Sevak, Chaiwala and Chowkidar but now it wants a pure Prime Minister who can run the country as per the tenets of the constitution for the welfare of the people." The BSP supremo also took a jibe at temple visits by politicians saying it has become a "fashion" for candidates contesting polls to offer prayers before elections. Mayawati, who isn't known for doing road shows, also pressed for the cost of such exercises to be included in candidates' expenditure. "Roadshow and worshipping at different religious places has become a new fad, in which a lot of money is being spent. Election Commission should add this expenditure in the expenses of the candidate. Our party also demands to election commission that the money being spent on road show by any leader should also be added in the expenditure of the candidate from the constituency," said Mayawati to ANI. Her comments come a day after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath offered prayers at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. Mayawati also said that coverage of politicians visiting religious places while being banned by EC from campaigning must be stopped by the poll body. "During a ban on a candidate for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC), if they go to a public place or offer prayers at a temple and it is widely covered by media. This practice must also be banned. Election Commission should take action on it," she said. Exuding confidence of doing well in the ongoing general elections, Mayawati said people have experienced "enough deceit due to dual-character of some leaders". "But this time, it is not going to happen," she added. The last phase of polling will be held on May 19 and results will be declared on May 23. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Presidents of Russia and Turkey discussed ceasefire violations by militants in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone, as per an official statement. Speaking via phone, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lay emphasis on further coordination in the region, reports Sputnik. "(The leaders) continued the thorough exchange of opinions about key issues of the crisis situation in Syria with a focus on the situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone in light of the increased number of ceasefire violations by radical armed groups," the official statement outlined. This comes after Major General Viktor Kupchishin, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's Centre for Syrian Reconciliation, announced that four settlements within the de-escalation zone were bombarded by illegal armed groups. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea will review its contribution towards the Food Program (WFP) food aid projects for babies and pregnant women in North Korea, said South Korean Unification Minister on Monday. The South Korean official, Kim Yeon-chul, made these comments during a meeting with the WFP Executive Director David Beasley here, according to Xinhua. The developments come as Pyongyang recently undertook projectiles launches twice within a span of a week, in what is being perceived as a sign of frustration due to the reigning impasse in the denuclearisation process. Diplomatic tensions have been high between the US and North Korea, especially following the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit, held in Vietnam earlier this year. The summit was expected to chart the way forward in North Korean denuclearisation, but talks ended abruptly as the two sides reportedly could not sort their differences on sanctions waivers. During Monday's meeting, Beasley conveyed that humanitarian assistance to North Korea should be separated from the current political situation. His views were supported by the South Korean official, who vowed to "actively review" his country's contribution to humanitarian assistance to North Korea.Before the projectiles launches, US President Donald Trump had also backed Seoul's food assistance to Pyongyang. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to West Bengal BJP functionary Priyanka Sharma, who was arrested on May 10 for allegedly posting a morphed picture of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook, and asked her to tender a written apology after release. A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna had earlier directed 25-year-old Sharma to furnish an apology before her release. "Subject to Priyanka Sharma tendering an apology in writing for putting up an objectionable picture on Facebook account, she shall be immediately released. At the time of release, she shall tender an apology in writing," the bench had said in its previous order. The court later called back Sharma's lawyer Neeraj Kishan Kaul and informed him about the change in its direction. Senior advocate Kaul, during the hearing, had contended that asking for an apology would amount to infringement of the Right to Freedom of Speech. The bench also issued notice to West Bengal police on Sharma's petition challenging her arrest. She was taken into custody on May 10 on a complaint by a Trinamool Congress member and produced a day later before a Howrah court which sent her to 14 days judicial custody. Kaul had mentioned the plea before the court for an urgent hearing on Monday. However, the bench had agreed to hear it today. The BJP functionary's counsel had yesterday submitted that due to an ongoing strike by lawyers in West Bengal, there was no legal remedy available in the state and therefore, she had to approach the apex court. Sharma, convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing in Howrah, had on May 9 posted a picture of actor Priyanka Chopra at the recent Metropolitan Museum Gala in New York with Banerjee's face allegedly superimposed on the actor's. In Howrah, her family distributed sweets and thanked the Supreme Court for granting her bail. Sharma's mother Raj Kumari said that the state government's decision to arrest was not right. "I am very happy. I am awaiting my daughter's return. I heartily thank the Supreme Court for such a decision. If she had done anything wrong, the government could have warned her but directly putting her in custody and that too for 14 days is not done," she said. Earlier, the family had alleged that she was arrested at the ruling TMC's behest as she worked for BJP. Her mother told ANI on Sunday, "My daughter was arrested because she used to work for BJP. This is all part of a bigger plot. This is the first time she is far away from us. Had she been a TMC worker, nothing bad would have happened to her, This has been done at the behest of TMC. The fact that she is in jail has increased our worries." The arrest led to strong condemnation by BJP leaders, who alleged that TMC was indulging in politics of "hate and violence" and that an "Emergency-like situation' prevailed in the state. On Sunday, BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Sharma's family members and said that the current situation in the state is reminiscent of 'Emergency'. On Monday, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma denounced the West Bengal government for the action and said that such politics is neither good for the country nor the state. "In West Bengal, such things have been going on for long. Even (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji is called 'chor,' liar, expired and all that, but we did not take any action against anyone. This is because we believe that in politics there must be open debate and discussion. The opposition has an important role. But in West Bengal, they (TMC) are threatening our workers and indulging in politics of hate and violence. This is neither good for the country, nor the state," he told ANI. Priyanka Sharma has been charged under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (defamation), sections 66A (offensive messages) and the non-bailable 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to West Bengal BJP functionary Priyanka Sharma, who was arrested on May 10 for allegedly posting a morphed picture of state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook, after waiving its earlier condition that she tenders a written apology. "Subject to Priyanka Sharma tendering an apology in writing for putting up an objectionable picture on Facebook account, she shall be immediately released. At the time of release, she shall tender an apology in writing," a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said in its previous order. The court called back Sharma's lawyer Neeraj Kishan Kaul and informed him that it was waiving the condition of apology. Senior advocate Kaul, during the hearing, contended that asking for an apology will amount to infringement of the Right to Freedom of Speech. The court also issued notice to West Bengal police over the way the 25-year-old was taken into custody. Sharma's plea was mentioned before the bench for an urgent hearing on Monday. However, the bench had agreed to hear it today. The BJP functionary's counsel had yesterday submitted that due to an ongoing strike by lawyers in West Bengal, there was no legal remedy available to her in the state and therefore he had to approach the apex court. Sharma, convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing in Howrah, had on May 9 posted a picture of actor Priyanka Chopra at the recent Metropolitan Museum Gala in New York with Banerjee's face allegedly superimposed on the actor's. Earlier, Sharma's family members had alleged that she was arrested at the ruling TMC's behest as she worked for BJP. Her mother told ANI on Sunday, "My daughter was arrested because she used to work for BJP. This is all part of a bigger plot. This is the first time she is far away from us. Had she been a TMC worker, nothing bad would have happened to her, This has been done at the behest of TMC. The fact that she is in jail has increased our worries." Sharma's arrest led to strong condemnation by BJP leaders, who alleged that TMC was indulging in politics of "hate and violence" and that an "Emergency-like situation' prevailed in the state. On Sunday, BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Sharma's family members and said that the current situation in the state is reminiscent of 'Emergency'. On Monday, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma denounced the West Bengal government for the arrest of the BJP activist and said that such politics is neither good for the country nor the state. "In West Bengal, such things have been going on for long. Even (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji is called 'chor,' liar, expired and all that, but we did not take any action against anyone. This is because we believe that in politics there must be open debate and discussion. The opposition has an important role. But in West Bengal, they (TMC) are threatening our workers and indulging in politics of hate and violence. This is neither good for the country, nor the state," he told ANI. Priyanka Sharma has been charged under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (defamation), sections 66A (offensive messages) and the non-bailable 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act. She was sent to 14 days judicial custody after being produced at a court in Howrah on May 10. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court will hear on May 17 a petition filed by SP-BSP candidate from Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency, Atul Rai, seeking protection from arrest in connection with a rape case. A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna will hear Rai's plea seeking protection from arrest in connection with the case till May 23. Rai, who is an accused in the case, is absconding. In April, a college student in Varanasi had accused Rai of sexually assaulting her. The victim had alleged that she was taken by Rai to his residence on the pretext of meeting his wife. An FIR was lodged against Rai in the matter. On May 8, the Allahabad High Court had turned down Rai's plea seeking anticipatory bail. Since then, he has been absconding. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Facebook-owned Whatsapp on Monday encouraged its 1.5 billion users to update their apps as a precautionary measure after an Israeli firm was accused of installing surveillance software on mobile phones through the messaging application. The New York Times reported on Monday that the Israeli firm accused of supplying tools for spying on human-rights activists and journalists now faces claims that its technology can use a security hole in WhatsApp, to break into the digital communications of iPhone and Android phone users. The spyware designed to take advantage of the WhatsApp flaw, without any user intervention through in-app voice calls, was built by Israel-based the NSO Group. "WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," the company said in a statement. Company officials told The New York Times that the malware was designed to target multiple targets including, a London-based lawyer, who has been involved in lawsuits that accuse NSO Group of providing tools to hack the phones of Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident in Canada; a Qatari citizen; and a group of Mexican journalists and activists, and many others. WhatsApp learned from a Canada-based software developer Citizen Lab that the vulnerability had been used to target the lawyer. Attackers could use the vulnerability to insert malicious code and steal data from an Android phone or an iPhone simply by placing a WhatsApp call, even if the victim did not pick up the call, the company said. The company added it had alerted the Justice Department and other human-rights organisations about the threat. The WhatsApp flaw was first reported on Monday by The Financial Times. According to The New York Times, the products of the NSO Group, which operated in secret for years, were found in 2016 as part of a spying campaign on the iPhone of a now-jailed human-rights activist in the United Arab Emirates through undisclosed Apple security vulnerabilities. Since then, the NSO Group's spyware has been found on the iPhones of journalists, dissidents and nutritionists. Meanwhile, the NSO Group said in a statement on Monday that its spyware was strictly licensed to government agencies and that it would investigate any "credible allegations of misuse." The company added it would not be involved in identifying a target for its technology, including the lawyer amid reports about the latest accusations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After going through something as life-altering as a car accident, the best thing you can get out of it is... Kazakh presidential candidates might hold televised debates, Kazakhstan's Information and Social Development Minister Dauren Abayev said. "As far as I know, the televised debates are likely to be held. There is a good chance that they will be held in a live television broadcast," the minister noted. "You will learn all the details later," Sputnik Kazakhstan cited Abayev as saying. Early presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan on June 9. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) by calling them 'thieves' who looted the state treasury. "SP and BSP have ensured that there's no electricity in Ballia because they are thieves and it is convenient for them to loot in dark," Adityanath said while addressing an election rally here. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conducting an air strike deep in Pakistan on April 27, he said, "With the Balakot strike, PM Modi has shown how to safeguard our nation." "The terrorists know that PM Modi will find them and will retaliate efficiently if they attack. Even if they'll go to Pakistan, PM Modi will not spare them. Only PM Modi can do it and the people have faith in it," he added. While claiming that no encounters or attacks happened in Uttar Pradesh in the past five years, he said, "Earlier, there were so many terror attacks and encounters that happened in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, but no such incident happened in the past five years." Further, he said that whatever PM Modi has given, he didn't look into anyone's caste, religion or creed as his motto is "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. "It is because of PM Modi that our country's face has changed globally in just five years," he added. Over 13 parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will go to polls on May 19 in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An absconding Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist, who was arrested by a team of Special Cell on May 11 from Srinagar, will be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar, police said. The terrorist Abdul Majeed was brought to Delhi on transit remand, police said. The JeM terrorist Abdul Majeed, who had Rs 2 lakh reward on his head, was arrested by a team of Special Cell south-western range from downtown Srinagar. The team was sent to Jammu and Kashmir to trace the wanted terrorists. On May 11, the Special Cell acted upon a tip-off and arrested Majeed from Srinagar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The indefinite curfew imposed in one of the provinces of the island nation will be lifted for two hours from 4 pm to 6 pm in the evening. The Daily Mirror reported that the curfew would be re-imposed from 6 pm until 6 am tomorrow after quoting the police. Some parts of Sri Lanka including North Western Province (NWP) were placed under indefinite curfew and social media was banned since Monday night after a 45-year-old man was killed by a sword-wielding mob in an escalating anti-Muslim backlash following the Easter terror attacks, Al Jazeera reported. Violence broke out late on Monday, three weeks after eight-coordinated bombings killed at least 258 people, with mobs carrying out arson attacks including one involving around 2,000 people who vandalised a mosque, witnesses told Geo News. Earlier on Tuesday, the police said that the nationwide curfew imposed overnight earlier (9 pm local time to 4 am) was raised on Tuesday morning except for the NWP. Police chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned of stern action against rioters, and said that constables have been issued orders to use "maximum force," Al Jazeera reported. "The curfew in the NWP will continue until further notice," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera was quoted as saying. Curfews were previously limited to specific areas where attacks had taken place, including Puttalam, Kurunegala and Gamphala districts near Colombo. In an address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had said a countrywide curfew was declared to prevent unidentified groups orchestrating communal violence. Sri Lanka also temporarily banned some social media networks and messaging apps, including Facebook and WhatsApp, after a posting sparked anti-Muslim riots across several towns. The attacks came during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Residents in NWP said that crowds attacked mosques and damaged Muslim-owned businesses for a second day on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A protest over Bandipora rape case turned ugly on Tuesday when agitators clashed with the security forces in Srinagar. A score of students of Amar Singh College demonstrated against the rape of a minor and hurled stones at the security personnel. The Kashmir Valley has been on the boil after a minor girl was allegedly raped by a local boy in Sumbal area of Bandipora district in north Kashmir on May 9. Police have arrested one Tahir Ahmad Mir in connection with the case. On May 12, nearly 50 security personnel deployed in the Pattan area of Jammu and Kashmir were injured after they were pelted with stones by the protesters. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to complete the investigation on a fast track so that the culprit is brought to justice. The Governor has also directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and IG Police to personally monitor the investigation. A separate inquiry has also been ordered to check the veracity of the age of the accused. The Governor has also requested the general public to maintain peace and harmony, assuring them that the administration is taking each and every step for maintaining law and order. Malik has appealed to the people not to pay no heed to rumours and said the defiant will be dealt with strictly as per the law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There is anarchy in West Bengal under the regime of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Poonam Mahajan here on Tuesday. "There is anarchy in the state under the rule of Mamata Banerjee, but the BJP will continue fighting against the anarchist government in the state," said Mahajan at a press conference here. Referring to the Supreme Court's order to release of BJP worker Priyanka Sharma, arrested for posting a morphed picture of Banerjee on Facebook on May 10, Mahajan said: "Her arrest is a matter of serious concern." "TMC workers are indulging in hooliganism and anarchy. The state police are also helping them. Our workers are even murdered in West Bengal," she said. Commenting on the Supreme Court's order, she said: "The apex court has asked for an apology and we will abide by the court. We thank the apex court but direction of apology is a wrong message on the question of free speech." "We will fight against Mamata Banerjee who has said that the Constitution is in crisis. In her own state, there is anarchy. We are also concerned about the people of West Bengal," she said. The lawyer representing Sharma also spoke at the press conference. "The manner in which Priyanka Sharma was arrested was wrong. She was not produced before a judicial magistrate within 24 hours," said the lawyer. "She was remanded 14 days to judicial custody. The top court has released her because the manner in which she was arrested has been held incorrect. The apex court has clarified that apology is not conditional to Priyanka Sharma's release," said the lawyer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of West Bengal BJP functionary Priyanka Sharma distributed sweets and thanked the Supreme Court for granting her bail in connection with posting a morphed picture of state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook. Sharma's mother Raj Kumari thanked the apex court and said that the state government's decision to arrest her was not right. "I am very happy. I am awaiting my daughter's return. I heartily thank the Supreme Court for such a decision. If she had done anything wrong the government could have warned her but directly putting her in custody and that too for 14 days is not done," she said here. Sharma, convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing in Howrah, was arrested on May 10 a day after posting a picture of actor Priyanka Chopra at the recent Metropolitan Museum Gala in New York with Banerjee's face allegedly superimposed on that of the actor. Questioning Sharma's arrest, her aunt Radha Singh said, "Tell me what had she done? She is a kid. She shared the image just like several others. The policemen said that they will release her after questioning but then things changed. Now, we are happy." The apex court first granted conditional bail to Sharma that she give a written apology for her action at the time of release but later changed it to say that she should do it after the release. Earlier, Sharma's family members had alleged that she was arrested at the ruling TMC's behest as she worked for BJP. Sharma's arrest led to strong condemnation by BJP leaders, who alleged that TMC was indulging in politics of "hate and violence" and that an "Emergency-like situation' prevailed in the state. On Monday, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma denounced the West Bengal government for the arrest of the BJP activist and said that such politics is neither good for the country nor the state. On Sunday, BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Sharma's family members and said that the current situation in the state is reminiscent of 'Emergency'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'cloud-radar' remark, questioning him that whether all aircraft will disappear from the radar whenever it rains in India. "Narendra Modi told officers and Air Chief of Air Force that 'it will be beneficial as radar will not be able to track aircraft in bad weather'. Narendra Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all the aircraft disappear from the radar?" Rahul said at a public rally here. In a recent TV interview, Modi had said that a rainy was a better pick for Balakot strikes as the clouds could help IAF fighter jets evade detection by the Pakistani radar during the operation. Raking up the issues of GST and demonetisation, Rahul claimed that the move by BJP "destroyed" the country's economy and snatched the jobs of 27,000 youth in 24 hours. "Unemployment is at a 45-year high. When demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax came, the economy of our country got destroyed. About 27,000 youth lost their jobs in 24 hours," the Congress president said. Commenting on the Mandsaur police firing case, in which six farmers had died in June 2017, Rahul alleged, "In Mandsaur, farmers were shot. They were crying for help. Modi ji had promised that he would be there for them. But when farmers were attacked he was nowhere to be seen." Continuing his tirade against BJP, Rahul accused the ruling party of backtracking from their promise of assisting the farmers and instead waiving off crores of loans of businessmen like Anil Ambani and Nirav Modi. "In Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, farmers requested you (Modi) to waive off their loans. But you said no. You said that I will waive off loans of thieves like Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya," he said. Rahul said that the promise of farm loan waiver was Modi's 'mann ki baat' and not of Congress. "It was neither mine nor Kamal Nath's 'mann ki baat'. The farm loan waiver was Prime Minister's 'mann ki baat'. When a farmer is not able to repay a loan of Rs 20,000 crore to the bank, he is put behind bars. Is this correct? Nirav Modi took Rs 35,000 crore and fled to London. But he is not in jail. Not even Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi," the Congress president said. Rahul said that the Congress' NYAY scheme will not only help the poor, but will jumpstart the country's economy. "Economists told me that without NYAY, economy cannot be back on track. They told me that it is not an option, you have to do it. So, I pushed forward this scheme which will ensure that every poor family will get Rs 3,60,000 in their bank accounts in five years," he further said. Eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on May 19, which is the last phase of general elections. 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.) The Mumbai police have arrested a suspect accused of allegedly raping a 37-year-old woman at a hospital in the city, with the help of a CCTV footage. A case was registered by Sion police under IPC section 376 after an attendant of a patient admitted in the hospital alleged of being raped in the hospital premises. According to the complaint, the victim was in the hospital to look after her sister undergoing treatment, when she was lured to the fifth floor by an unknown person. The man lured her to the fifth floor of OPD building on the context of getting a concession form filled. Later, with the help of footage from security cameras, police arrested the accused Deepak Annappa Kunchukurve on May 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A ministerial meeting of the developing countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) here on Tuesday urged all the members of the global trading body to engage constructively to resolve the ongoing impasse on the dispute settlement system that threatens to completely paralyse the organisation by this year-end. This was decided at a meeting of 18 developing countries after a two-day meeting chaired by India and attended among others by China. Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu headed the Indian delegation to the meeting that discussed recent developments at the WTO and explore ways for working with all Members to strengthen the multilateral trading system. In the outcome document, the countries said they reaffirmed that the dispute settlement system of the WTO is a central element in providing security and predictability to the multilateral trading system. This has proved to be more effective and reliable as compared to its predecessor, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). "We note with concern that Members have failed to arrive at a consensus in the selection process to fill vacancies in the Appellate Body. This ongoing impasse has weakened the dispute settlement system and threatens to completely paralyze it by December 2019. "We, therefore, urge all WTO Members to engage constructively to address this challenge without any delay in filling the vacancies in the Appellate Body, while continuing discussions on other issues relating to the functioning of the dispute settlement mechanism," the meeting said. Countries also declared the preeminence of WTO as a global forum for trade rules setting and governance. "We note with concern the multiple challenges confronting the rules-based multilateral trading system and agree to work together with all WTO Members to strengthen the WTO, make it more effective and continue to remain relevant to the diverse needs of its Members, in line with objectives of the WTO," it said. The outcome document also said an inclusive multilateral trading system based on equality and mutual respect should ensure that all WTO Members abide by WTO rules and abjure any form of protectionism. The core value and basic principles of the multilateral trading system must be preserved and strengthened, particularly with a view to building trust among Members. "To this end, we urge WTO Members to adopt measures that are compatible with WTO rules to avoid putting the multilateral trading system at risk," the countries said. They felt that multilateral avenues, based on consensus, remain the most effective means to achieve inclusive development-oriented outcomes. Members may need to explore different options to address the challenges of contemporary trade realities in a balanced manner. We note that in the post-MC 11 phase, many Members have evinced interest in pursuing outcomes in some areas through joint initiatives approach. The outcomes of these initiatives should be conducive to strengthening the multilateral trading system and be consistent with WTO rules. The developing countries also recalled that international trade is not an end in itself but a means of contributing to certain objectives, including raising standards of living. Special and Differential Treatment is one of the main defining features of the multilateral trading system and is essential to integrating developing Members into global trade. Special and Differential Treatment provisions are rights of developing Members that must be preserved and strengthened in both current and future WTO agreements, with priority attention to outstanding least developed countries (LDC) issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Headline indices of the Mainland China equity market skidded further on Tuesday, 14 May 2019, as risk off selling continued due to escalating Sino-U. S. trade tensions after China announced tariff increases on $60 billion of U. S. goods on Monday in retaliation for Washington imposing higher tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China on Friday. Market losses were, however, capped on suspected state-backed buying and reports that President Donald Trump had voiced hope for progress in the countries' trade negotiations. At closing bell, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.69%, or 20.10 points, to 2,883.61. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, shed 0.62%, or 9.68 points, to 1,542.07. The blue-chip CSI300 index sank 0.64%, or 23.58 points, to 3,645.15. Selling has intensified for local shares on Tuesday with the escalation of US-China trade tensions. China announced Monday that it will raise tariffs on $60 billion worth of U. S. goods, beginning on June 1. The goods targeted include a broad range of agricultural products. Last week, U. S. President Donald Trump raised duties on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. Earlier, Trump said he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in late June, reigniting hopes for an agreement. Trump also said on Monday that he has not made a decision to go ahead with threatened tariffs on another $325 billion in goods from China. His comments came after China announced on Monday higher tariffs on $60 billion of U. S. goods, effective June 1, in retaliation for Washington's decision last week to hike levies on $200 billion in Chinese imports. CURRENCY NEWS: China's yuan slumped against the U. S. dollar on Tuesday, inline with China's central bank softer midpoint fixing. The onshore yuan weakened 0.1% to its lowest level since Dec. 27, 2018 in late afternoon trade, and stood at 6.8854 per dollar at the close, after the Chinese foreign ministry said it hopes the United States does not underestimate its determination to protect its interests. The offshore yuan climbed off a four-month low following Trump's remarks on prospects for a trade deal, but later erased most of its intraday gains as the onshore market faltered. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the U..S-China trade dispute will affect everyone, though one should not exaggerate its negative impact on the Russian economy. This trade war "cannot but have consequences for the global economic climate," he said, noting that "those consequences are rather negative than positive". At the same time, Peskov stressed that the Russian economy is demonstrating "quite sustainable development from the viewpoint of basic parameters now." The Presidential spokesman said that the measures to stabilize economy and hedge trade and economic turbulence risks being assumed are noticeable. "The stabilizing effect of the governments measures is evident," TASS cited him as saying. The U.S. and China "can wage those trade wars, though that is not our war," Peskov noted. Russia is "interested in building independent relations both with China and with the US," the spokesman concluded. SRF advanced 5.52% to Rs 2,601.10 at 15:21 IST on BSE after consolidated net profit rose 54.06% to Rs 190.89 crore on 27.98% increase in net sales to Rs 2034.81 crore in Q4 March 2019 over Q4 March 2018. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 13 May 2019. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 274 points, or 0.74% to 37,364.82 On the BSE, 1.03 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 11,000 shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 2,625 and a low of Rs 2,333.90 so far during the day. Commenting on the results, Managing Director, SRF, Ashish Bharat Ram said the demand on the specialty chemicals side seems to be coming back on track. The technical textiles business was hit with some inventory losses and fall in demand. SRF is a chemical based multi-business entity engaged in the manufacturing of industrial and specialty intermediates. The company's diversified business portfolio covers technical textiles, fluorochemicals, specialty chemicals, packaging films and engineering plastics. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State Crime Branch police on Tuesday arrested two leaders of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) from Kasargode district on charges of murdering two Youth Congress workers. Krupesh, 19, and Joshy, 24, who were members of the Congress party's youth wing, were attacked on February 17 by three men. While Krupesh died at the Kasaragod district hospital, Joshy succumbed to his injuries on way to a medical facility in Mangaluru city of Karnataka. The police arrested Manikandan and Balakrishnan following their detailed questioning by the Crime Branch team, a spokesperson said. With this, the total arrests in the case have gone up to 13 and one person on the radar of the police has fled the country, officials said. The Congress party and its Kasargode Lok Sabha candidate, Rajmohan Unnithan, have made this murder a major election issue and are expecting to pull off a surprise win in a seat that has been held by the CPI-M over a long period. Reacting to the arrests, state Congress President Mullapally Ramachandran told the media in Thiruvananthapuram that he is not happy with the probe and the state police should investigate more thoroughly in order to unmask the real culprits. The state CPI-M Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has on past occasions dismissed the need for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the crime. --IANS sg/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty-three Nepali girls, who were victims of human trafficking, were rescued in Mizoram and handed over to Nepalese authorities, police said here on Tuesday. The teenage girls were handed over to Nepal government officials on Friday through the border transit of Kakarbhitta, along West Bengal's Siliguri. "Mizoram Police, the state's Social Welfare Department and NGOs handed over the victims to the officials of Nepal's Ministry of Women and Child Development," Aizawl District police chief Karthik Kashyap told IANS. The victims were rescued by the Mizoram Police on April 24 from Champhi area that shares a border with Myanmar. The government has alerted officials about the state becoming a "safe passage" for human trafficking and to keep a strict vigil over the illegal trans-border movement of people. Another police official said that 20 Rohingya Muslim teenagers were rescued in Mizoram during the past three weeks. They are currently lodged in shelter homes. "A middleman and a woman were arrested in connection with the trafficking of the Nepali and Rohingya Muslim young girls and boys," the official said. "The human traffickers are reportedly using the route via Myanmar to traffic young girls and boys to the Gulf and Southeast Asian countries," he said. --IANS sc/mag/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least four policemen were killed and 12 others injured in a blast targeting a police vehicle near a mosque in Quetta city of Pakistan's Balochistan province, officials said. The explosion took place on Monday night in the city's Mini Market area shortly after the police van arrived at the mosque to provide security to the people offering prayers. The Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the blast, just days after its splinter group Hizbul Ahrar claimed the attack on the police guarding Pakistan's oldest Sufi shrine in Lahore. "The police vehicle carrying personnel for mosque security was targeted in the blast in which our four personnel of Rapid Response Group (RRG) lost their lives, while the condition of another was stated to be serious," Quetta Deputy Inspector General Razzaq Cheema told the Dawn newspaper. He said the bomb was planted in a motorcycle parked close the police vehicle near the mosque in the Satellite Town. It was detonated with a remote control device. Many vehicles parked in the area were damaged and windowpanes of nearby buildings were shattered due to the impact of the powerful bombing though the mosque remained safe, the report said. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the elements involved in the blast. This was the second major terror attack in Balochistan within the last three days, as on Saturday a luxury hotel in Gwadar was targeted by gunmen. Five people were killed in the incident. --IANS soni/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 710 companies of the central forces will be deployed for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal covering nine parliamentary seats on May 19, according to Central Police Observer Vivek Dubey. "The 710 companies will be providing 100 per cent coverage in the state. It will include 512 Quick Response Teams led by Assistant Commandants," Dubey added. The Central Police Observer would be travelling to all the constituencies between Wednesday and Friday to review arrangements. The city will soon witness area domination and route marches conducted by the armed forces, said Dubey, who held a meeting with top-police officers to give them necessary instructions. Nine parliamentary constituencies namely Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar will vote on Sunday. The votes will be counted on May 23. --IANS bnd/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Greenpeace activists on Tuesday scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge demanding that the Australian government declare a climate emergency. Before sunrise, three activists were found abseiling from the bridge holding placards which read "100% Renewables" while on the ground, the activists were accompanied by a group of people who have been affected by disasters caused by climate change, reports Efe news. "Climate damage is happening right now. Australia is facing a climate emergency right now. Our political leaders must listen to those already affected by climate disaster and act," Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO, David Ritter, said in a statement. "Burning coal is the number one cause of climate change in Australia - but politicians from both major parties have no plan for making coal history, even though they know it puts our health, our homes and our families at risk." The protesters included residents of the city of Townsville, which at the beginning of the year was affected by the worst floods in decades. The New South Wales Police said that it had arrested 13 people, including the three professional climbers who were abseiling from the bridge in a sea and land operation that lasted more than three hours. Climate change is one of the main issues of debate in the upcoming federal elections in Australia on Saturday. A group of indigenous Torres Strait islanders lodged a formal complaint against the Australian government at the UN on Monday, claiming that their climate inaction violated their basic human rights. The Australian government has pledged to reduce emissions by at least 26 per cent by 2030 with respect to 2005 levels, a target that the independent Climate Council says will not be achieved. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run Air India seems to be finally getting its preferential rights in allocation of traffic rights over foreign routes after losing it to private carriers in the previous UPA government. The government has decided to allot it about 5,700 weekly seats out of grounded Jet Airways' unused quota on the lucrative India-Dubai route. The public sector airline has also been promised over 5,000 seats on India-Qatar route besides about 4,600 additional seats to and from London following the re-allocation of grounded Jet's unused international traffic rights. A Civil Aviation Ministry told IANS that Air India will get preference in allocation of bilateral seat entitlements. "The allocation would be for the ongoing summer schedule and considered temporary given that efforts are on to revive Jet Airways," said a reliable source. Amid faint possibility of grounded Jet Airway's revival anytime soon, the ministry had on May 3 held a meeting with local carriers to discuss re-allocation of the airline's foreign traffic rights. Private carriers SpiceJet, IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara and Air India had pitched for bigger share of the pie in the last meeting. While IndiGo co-founder Rahul Bhatia had suggested for allocating foreign traffic rights in proportion to various airlines' fleet capacity, Vistara argued that smaller airlines be given bigger share. Jet Airways had last month withdrawn operations due to severe fund crunch and remain grounded in absence of a viable revival plan. While re-allocation of traffic rights would ensure additional capacity on various popular foreign routes thus reducing fare level, it will significantly affect the valuation of Jet Airways. Investors are already miffed over the government's move to re-allocate its slots at various domestic airports. (Nirbhay Kumar can be contacted at nirbhay.k@ians.in) --IANS nk/sn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has rejected a "bribe" from an 11-year-old girl who wrote asking the government to conduct dragon research, her office confirmed on Tuesday. The girl, identified as Victoria, wanted to be given telekinetic powers so she could become a dragon trainer, the BBC reported. She included NZ$5 ($3.20) with her letter, apparently as a bribe. Writing back on official letterhead, Ardern said: "We were very interested to hear your suggestions about psychics and dragons, but unfortunately we are not currently doing any work in either of these areas. "I am therefore returning your bribe money, and I wish you all the very best in your quest for telekinesis, telepathy and dragons." In a handwritten note, Ardern added: "P.S. I'll still keep an eye out for those dragons. Do they wear suits?" Explaining the niche request, the girl's brother said her interest in telepathy comes from the Netflix sci-fi series "Stranger Things", which features telepathy and telekinesis - the power to move things using one's mind. This is not the first time Ardern, who gave birth to a daughter last year, has replied to a young girl's letter. In March, one Twitter user posted a letter that was reportedly sent from Ardern in response to an eight-year-old girl who had said it was a "good idea to ban dangerous guns". --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission of India on Tuesday said a delegation from Bangladesh will visit Kolkata on May 18 to observe the poll process in the city, an official said. "The Commission has informed us that Bangladesh representatives will be here on May 18. They will be shown the election process by taking them on a visit to various polling stations," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu told reporters here. He said the Bangladesh nationals can interact with the poll officials and agents. But they will not be allowed to take pictures. "Foreign nationals do pay a visit and Bangladesh representatives will come to Kolkata. The booths and constituencies to be visited will be decided by CEO Ariz Aftab," Basu said. According to sources in the commission, the Bangladeshi deputy high commission in Kolkata had requested ECI for the visit. Asked about state Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya's letter to the CEO regarding the conduct of Central forces, Basu said: "At the moment there is no updated information regarding the letter". Bhattacharya on Monday highlighted some instances where the Central forces resorted to 'baton charges and firing'. He alleged the Quick Response Team(QRT) could not reach some places on time as they were not led by local officers. "I would therefore request that the decision of not having a local officer in charge of QRTs be re-examined. I would also request that the CAPF officers and personnel be sensitised to the needs of the voters who are exercising their franchise, which would reduce the perceived need to resort to physical force against them," Bhattacharya wrote. Talking about the counting day, Basu revealed that this time the process will be directly uploaded on 'Suvidha App' and results.eci.gov.in on real-time basis. The votes will be counted on May 23 begining 8 am. "The results of every round will be declared after sharing it on the above platforms. It means that it will be there on the public domain for everyone to see," he added. --IANS bnd/ssp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Governor of the U.S. state of Nebraska Pete Rickets signed a Proclamation in connection with the 101th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), Azerbaijans Consulate General in the U.S. said in a statement. The document says that the ADR was established on May 28, 1918, and became the first secular parliamentary democracy in the Muslim world, being recognized by other democratic nations, including the U.S. According to the declaration, the ADR granted all people the right to vote, becoming the first Muslim nation to grant women equal political rights with men. It was stressed that Azerbaijan restored its independence in 1991. Over 28 years, the republic has consolidated its sovereignty and independence and Azerbaijan has become a staunch ally and strategic partner of the U.S. in the Caspian region. In conclusion, Pete Rickets proclaimed May 28 as Azerbaijan National Day. 'Knock the door is the BJP campaign in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers have been directed to knock on every door and seek votes for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urge people to cast their votes on the polling day. This campaign has been initiated to ensure a high percentage of polling in the Prime Minister's constituency on May 19. Over 10,000 BJP leaders and workers from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have arrived in Varanasi to help in the campaign. "Our workers will visit every home in Varanasi with voters' slip and convince people to cast their votes. People usually become complacent when they know that their candidate - Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this case - is winning but we are working for a much bigger margin of victory for the Prime Minister," said a local BJP leader. The campaign has been started at the behest of BJP President Amit Shah who will be monitoring its progress every day till the campaign ends. According to sources, every party worker has been entrusted the responsibility of visiting ten homes. The workers will be required to furnish details of the homes they visit at the party office. The campaign has been launched even as Congress leaders are making hectic preparations for the scheduled roadshow of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on May 15. The BJP workers will follow a similar campaign in the neighbouring Chandauli constituency where state BJP President Mahendra Nath Pandey is contesting. He is facing a tough challenge from the SP-BSP alliance candidate Sanjay Chauhan. --IANS amita/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British broadcaster ITV has taken "The Jeremy Kyle Show" off air and launched a review of the long-running programme after a guest died shortly following the taping an episode. The participant died a week after appearing on the show, ITV said on Monday, but no cause of death was confirmed, CNN reported. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: "Everyone at ITV and 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' is shocked and saddened at the news of the death of a participant in the show a week after the recording of the episode they featured in... "ITV will not screen the episode in which they featured. Given the seriousness of this event, ITV has also decided to suspend both filming and broadcasting of 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' with immediate effect in order to give it time to conduct a review of this episode of the show." The daytime tabloid talk show, in which host Kyle quizzes participants on family disputes, has aired on ITV since 2005. Recorded in front of a studio audience, the programme is known for its fierce confrontations and Kyle's combative demeanour with guests. A short-lived US version was launched in 2011. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BSP candidate from the Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Atul Rai, on the run in an alleged rape case, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking protection from arrest till the end of the elections on May 23. A Vacation bench agreed to hear his plea on Friday. Rai's counsel mentioned his plea seeking anticipatory bail from the Vacation bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Indira Banerjee and sought an urgent hearing. Rai is reportedly absconding after an FIR was registered against him in a police station in Varanasi by a college student on May 1. The victim has alleged that Rai has sexually assaulted her. Rai's counsel contended that it is a politically motivated move to prevent him from campaigning in the general election and eventually sabotage his prospect as a candidate from the constituency. Ghosi constituency is located in Mau district of eastern Uttar Pradesh and it is scheduled to go to polls on May 19. --IANS ss/rs/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As one goes deeper and deeper into the concentric circle of rot left behind by the Kochhars, the revelations are confounding. La Familia was never of this magnitude and its bedrock couldn't have been open and naked cronyism to this degree. Paper trails always have a missing link. The missing link leads you to the destination, in this case helps connecting the dots. In Brothers Kochhars case, the missing link is Sharad Mhatre. In hot pursuit of the paper trail of family enterprise, IANS has now found that two investment companies, Elegant Investrade Pvt Ltd and Daisy Finvest, were used by the Kochhars to further their business interests. Elegant was incorporated on January 29, 1997 by Ms Savita Naik and Mr Sidharth Jadhav for Rs 20. Sometime in 1997, it was acquired by Anand Mohan Dalwani, a resident of 6 B Prem Kutir, 177, Backbay Reclamation, Marine Drive, Mumbai-20. The same year, Banque Indo Suez (later known as Calyon Bank), one of the key lenders to Credential Finance Ltd (CFL), filed company petition No 265 of 1997 before the Bombay High Court for winding up of CFL for their failure to repay the loan and the appointment of a liquidator. To cut to the chase, during the pendency of this case, on December 31, 1997, Elegant entered into a deed of assignment with HDFC Bank through which it acquired the rights on the assets pledged by paying Rs 2.75 crore. It remains a mystery as to how a company incorporated with just Rs 20 managed to execute this deed by forking out Rs 2.75 crore. No details are available with RoC (Registrar of Companies) on this turn of good fortune. The provisional liquidator who was appointed by the court on March 7, 2003 and on March 18, 2008 as official liquidator also took over CFL's office at Maker Chambers V. Elegant steps in again at this point and files a company application No 837 of 2008 in company petition No 265 of 1997 seeking direction to the official liquidator to remove the seal of closure of the said office premises. CFL agreed to pay Rs 40 lakh in three instalments to the Banque and paid another Rs 15 lakh on March 2, 2009. On July 24, 2009, the court ordered the official liquidator to release the same office, observing that Elegant was the bona fide purchaser. Elegant is another front of the Kochhars - the shares have changed hands and are now owned by Quality Advisors (Trust). Anand Dalwani with 9999 equity shares of Rs 10 each and Sharad Mhatre with 1 share were replaced by Quality Advisors on October 4, 2016 in the first tranche taking over Dalwani's 9999 shares and on March 31, 2017, the balance 1 share was taken from Mhatre. Over time, the paid up capital of this company has remained at Rs 1 lakh, but between FY 2003 to FY 2011, the company has shown share application money of Rs 2.60 crore and loans as nil. When new rules kicked in 2011, from FY 2012 onwards Elegant started showing unsecured loans amounting to Rs 8.91 crore in FY12 and Rs 5.65 crore in 2017. As it happens this Sharad Mhatre is on the board of directors of Kochhar companies - Supreme Energy, NuPower Wind Farms, Credential Securities, Credential Capital Services, Daisy Finvest et al. In Daisy Finvest, Sharad Mhatre has been on the board since August 21, 2006. Daisy was typically created on December 20, 1996 by Santosh Jabare and Chandra Prakash Soni with a paid up capital of Rs 20. In 2004, a Jaipal S Bhatia purchased the company and the authorised capital and paid up capital was ramped up to Rs 1 lakh. In 2006, Daisy found new buyers in Pacific Capital Services Pvt Ltd, 91 per cent owned by Neelam Mahesh Advani, wife of Mahesh Advani, brother of Chanda Kochhar. Between FY March 2004 till March 2010, the company has shown Rs 4.99 crore funds - Rs 1 lakh paid up equity, Rs 4.25 crore share application money and Rs 73.43 lakh unsecured loans. From 2011 onwards the mystery sets in as the share application money evaporates and instead unsecured loans crop up. This ranged between Rs 6.36 crore and Rs 10.62 crore. Then comes the clincher, in a board meeting on August 31, 2017, a proposal to amalgamate the company with Credential Securities was approved. The road ends with the Kochhars. Credential Securities was incorporated on April 15, 1994 by Deepak and Rajiv Kochhar at an investment of Rs 200. In January 2015 the authorised capital was raised from Rs 25 lakh to about Rs 1.01 crore. On January 12, 2015, the company issued 10 lakh equity shares of Rs 10 each to Dubai-based NRI Jaiprakash Karna. Subsequently, these shares were transferred to his wife Varuna Karna, Chanda Kochhar's sister. As on March 31, 2017, the accumulated losses of the company were Rs 57.99 lakh, up from Rs 57.37 lakh on March 31, 2015 when Karna made the investment. Incidentally, Jaiprakash Karna also set up two companies, Emsol Innovation and Emjay Enterprises, both based in Chennai. It doesn't end there, this wheel comes full circle with an examination of the Kochhar family's business interests, where the final pitstop uncovers a man called Sharad Shankar Mhatre and his strong linkages with the family and multiple directorships in their companies. One such company is Opel Properties where Mhatre has been a director since June 21, 2006. Neither Rajiv or Deepak Kochhar are directors in Opel though. Started in July 2003 by Jaipal Ajit Singh Bhatia and Amit Chimanlal Shah with Rs 1 lakh as paid up capital and Rs 2 lakh as authorised capital, the company changed ownership in 2006 with ubiquitous Pacific Capital Services taking over. It is here that the company ownership takes a curious turn since PCSPL is 91 per cent owned by Neelam Mahesh Advani, Chanda Kochhar's sister in law. During 2005 and 2006, Opel's capital jumped to Rs 6.31 crore on March 31, 2006 from just a meagre Rs 1 lakh on March 31, 2005. This remained steadfast for the next seven years. In FY 2014-15, Opel obtained unsecured loans of Rs 11.29 crore. To trace the origins of the Mhatre-Kochhar connection, one needs to go back to Elegant Investrade Pvt Ltd where Sharad Mhatre is a director. In his application to the company, he has described his profession as service. Elegant Investrade is believed to be a front for the Kochhars. The ownership has changed hands and gone to a trust called Quality Advisors Trust. It is alleged that the assets of NuPower, Kochhar's renewable empire, are held by Pinnacle Energy, a trust whose beneficiaries are Kochhars. This is the modus operandi used by them for wealth succession and retaining a veil of secrecy over their assets. On doing a deeper dive, it is revealed that Mhatre, Director Identification No 00921939,resident of G 1 L Narayan Niwas P.SHB.Palkar Marg, Parel, Mumbai 12, is also a director in NuPower Wind Farms Ltd, Credential Securities Pvt Ltd, Credential Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Daisy Finvest, Pacific Capital Services Pvt Ltd, all seemingly with a Kochhar connect; he is also a director in Nemani Capitals Pvt Ltd, Opel Properties Pvt Ltd with a Chanda Kochhar family connect, Mandeep Software Services Pvt Ltd and Supreme Energy Pvt Ltd. In Nemani Capitals, Mhatre is a director since August 29, 2008 while in Mandeep Software Services, he has been a director since August 26, 2008 along with Neelam Mahesh Advani, Chanda Kochhar's brother Mahesh's wife. Mhatre is also a director in Ruplila Steels; Citius Power and Citius Energy, which have both been struck off in the post DeMo drive against errant shell companies. --IANS prs/vin (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese cargo plane, carrying aid for the economically-stricken Venezuela, arrived in the capital of Caracas, the country's Ministry of Communication told CNN. The plane was carrying approximately 2 million units of medical equipment, including medicine and surgical medical supplies. The supplies will be distributed by agencies designated by the government of embattled President Nicolas Maduro, the Ministry said on Monday. In March, Chinese state TV channel CGTN reported that a plane loaded with 65 tonnes of medical supplies landed in Caracas, marking the first dispatch of relief supplies to Venezuela from China. Maduro retains the backing of China, which has repeatedly opposed any action that causes tensions or unrest in Venezuela. While Maduro has also permitted aid deliveries from NGOs such as the Red Cross, he has refused to open Venezuela's borders to aid from a number of countries, including Canada, the UK, Germany and the US, that recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate interim president. Venezuela's economic crisis has led to mass human suffering marked by shortages of food and medicine, as well as widespread power outages. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab will vote on Sunday for the Lok Sabha elections but unlike in other states, the contest in this border province is reduced to a battle between Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress and arch rival Akali Dal. One of the few remaining states where Congress is in a commanding position, the Lok Sabha battle is being fought essentially on local issues. Amarinder Singh stormed to power two years ago. Despite claiming that it is a national election and the outcome will not be a reflection on his government's performance, the voters are in a mood to put him on a mid-term test. The going is not easy for the Akali Dal as well. The infighting leading to the formation of breakaway Taksali group has the party in disarray. The anger among Sikh voters over the episode of desecration of holy scripture and the subsequent police firing on the protesters during the Akali rule is still simmering. In 2014, the Modi wave failed to inundate Punjab, which gave four seats to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the only state to send members from the new entity to the Lok Sabha. However, the AAP's surge was at the expense of the Congress as the party managed to win only three of the 13 seats while the Akali Dal-BJP alliance bagged six. With the AAP in disarray as most of its prominent faces and sitting MPs -- Dharmavir Gandhi from Patiala and Harinder Singh Khalsa from Fatehpur Sahib -- deserting the ship, both the Akali Dal and the Congress are relieved. They are happy to face each other in a direct contest instead of batting it out in a triangular fight. Considering the overall political situation in the state, the Congress seems to have an edge but it is going to be a tough fight on every seat because of various equations at play. There is anti-incumbency against the state government in some areas and the BJP is confident that the Hindu votes will go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at least in big cities like Amritasar and Ludhiana. Lack of employment is one of the major concerns for voters for which both the central and state governments are being held responsible. There is resentment against the state government for stopping many schemes of the previous regime for the poor. The promise by the Congress government to put a stop on the rampant drug business -- one of the major poll issues in the Assembly elections -- remains unfulfilled. Every region has its own complications that would have their own impact. In Amritsar, the banning of border trade with Pakistan because of the ongoing stand-off has affected livelihood of around 40,000 people. The farmers in the border villages have a major issue with fencing as they face problems in accessing their fields. The Congress will benefit from the split in the Akali Dali, with its Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura floating Akali Dal (Taksali) with others like Rattan Singh Ajnala and Sewa Singh Sekhwan. The Akalis had faced the wrath of the people in the Assembly elections when it came third behind the Congress and AAP winning only 15 out of 117 seats. The Congress got 77, AAP won 20 and the BJP could secure only three. It remains to be seen how much ground has been regained by the Akali Dal-BJP. Union Minister and prominent Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is defending her Bathinda seat, told IANS that the party was on the comeback trail. She appeared confident of winning her own seat and said that her husband Sukhbir Badal, contesting from Ferozpur, will also secure an easy win. The BJP is also facing a challenge. The party has fielded Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri from Amritsar. He is getting little support from the state unit as the campaign on the seat remains on low key. Sunny Deol, fielded by the party from Gurdaspur, seems to be the best bet as the popular star is attracting a lot of attention. It is a prestige battle for captain Amarinder Singh in Gurdaspur as the Congress nominee and state unit president Sunil Jakhar is considered close to him. Vjay Sampla, a prominent Dalit face of BJP, is sulking after being denied ticket from Hoshiarpur. The fields of Punjab are ash blackened due to rampant stubble burning by the farmers preparing for the next sowing season. The political parties are looking for a rich harvest on May 23. (Gautam Datt can be reached at datt.gautam@gmail.com) --IANS gd/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Predicting the defeat of the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said desperation was showing on the faces of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders. Owaisi told reporters that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not be able to form the government again as it will suffer defeat everywhere. "Desperation is there to be seen on faces of the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders. The results will not be on their expected lines. They wrongly assumed that losses in UP would be compensated in West Bengal and Odisha which is not going happen. Everywhere in India they are going to lose seats," he said. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader said the regional parties will play a key role in the formation of the next government at the Centre. Owaisi, whose party is an ally of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), said TRS President and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was moving in the right direction to form the Federal Front. Owaisi said KCR needed to be congratulated for his political sagacity and vision. "Till yesterday nobody knew Federal Front. Today they are recognizing it as an alternative. This will be good for country," he said referring to KCR's meetings with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DMK leader M.K. Stalin. Owaisi claimed that the TRS chief was giving a reply to those who were questioning his secular credentials. "Wait till May 23. I can't answer hypothetical questions," said Owaisi when asked if he would extend support to a Congress-led coalition if the KCR does the same. On the incidents of rape of women in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi accused Modi tsood exposed for his hypocrisy and duplicity. He wondered why Modi was silent on the rape in Hapur in Uttar Pradesh. "The Prime Minister is so arrogant that he does not want to do some introspection when it comes to him. Why is the PM is not concerned about this woman in Hapur when he is so concerned about triple talaq and Muslim women," asked Owaisi and predicted that this arrogance will prove to be Modi's downfall. Poking fun at Modi for his comments about air strikes in Pakistan, the AIMIM chief suggested that Modi should replace 'chowkidar' in his name with 'Air Vice Marshal' as he was deciding where to bomb and how to bomb. On actor-politician Kamal Haasan's statement that independent India's first terrorist was a Hindu, Owaisi wondered what else the killer of Mahatma Gandhi will be called. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable properties worth Rs 483 crore of Mumbai-based KSL and Industries Ltd for allegedly fraudulently availing loans worth Rs 524 crore from Bank of India and Andhra Bank in 2008, the agency said on Tuesday. KSL and Industries Ltd is a firm of Tayal Group, which is promoted by the family of industrialist Pravin Kumar Tayal, the ED said and added that the attached properties comprise 270,374 commercially diverted square feet of land as well as a shopping mall in Nagpur. The ED investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was prompted by three FIRs filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against three different Tayal Group companies -- Actiff Corporation Ltd, Jaybharat Textiles and Real Estate Ltd, and KKTL and Eskay Knit (India) Ltd. "Our investigation has revealed that Mumbai-based companies M/s Actiff Corporation Ltd, M/s Jaybharat Textiles & Real Estate Ltd, M/s KKTL and M/s Eskay Knit (India) Ltd of Tayal Group availed loans to the tune of Rs 524 crore by defrauding the Bank of India and Andhra Bank during 2008," said the ED. It was also revealed that these firms created a maze of shell companies for money laundering, said the agency and added that the shell companies routed the funds to these companies of Tayal Group, which in turn used the money for creation of assets in the name of KSL and Industries Ltd, Mumbai. Earlier in another similar case involving UCO Bank, the ED attached Tayal Group properties worth Rs 234 crore. Tayal Group siphoned off funds obtained from UCO Bank and the accounts became non-performing assets, the agency said. The total attachments of the Group so far are worth Rs 717 crore. "A prosecution complaint has also been filed in the matter before a special PMLA court and further investigations are in progress," the ED added. --IANS rak/rtp (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The European Union (EU) and member states' foreign ministers told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any escalation on the military side with Iran, the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini said. "Mike Pompeo heard that very clearly from us, not only from myself, but also from the other ministers of EU member states, that we are living in crucial, delicate moments, where the most responsible attitude to take is -- and we believe should be -- maximum restraint, and avoiding any escalation on the military side," Xinhua quoted Mogherini as saying to reporters on Monday. During a meeting with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, "we discussed the ways in which we can further advance on the for instance the operationalisation of INSTEX to have first transactions in the hopefully next few weeks," she said. INSTEX, short for the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges, is established by three shareholders -- France, Germany and the United Kingdom -- and backed by the EU to overcome US sanctions and conduct trade with Iran. "There is full determination on the EU side and also all the member states expressed that very clearly on continue to implement in full the nuclear deal with Iran," she said. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US President Jimmy Carter was recovering from a hip surgery following a fall at his home in Georgia. "While leaving to go turkey hunting this morning, former US President Jimmy Carter fell at his home in Plains, Georgia," the Carter Center said in a statement on Monday released on Twitter. Carter, 94, who is the oldest living former president in the history of the country, is "recovering comfortably from surgery to repair a broken hip at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia", the statement added. It also said that his surgery was successful and he was accompanied by his wife, Rosalynn. In a message on Twitter, US President Donald Trump wished Carter well. "Wishing former President Jimmy Carter a speedy recovery from his hip surgery earlier today. He was in such good spirits when we spoke last month - he will be fine!" Trump tweeted. In 2015, Carter's health faltered and it was announced that he had four brain tumours, but after six months he said that he was cancer free following radiotherapy and experimental medications. Carter, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, is notably active and is expected to participate in a house construction project for underprivileged people in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville, Tennessee. He served only a single term as President due to the impact of the crisis involving American hostages in Iran in 1979, but he has continued to influence the of the country from a progressive perspective. From the Carter Center, he has been involved in the observation of elections, human rights and public health around the world. The former President has written around 20 books since leaving the White House. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The OSCE mission has conducted a monitoring on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops today in the direction of Azerbaijans Goranboy district, according to the website of Azerbaijans Defense Ministry. The monitoring, held under the mandate of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Personal Representative, ended without any incidents. The Federal Front proposed by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao may consider taking Congress support, if necessary, to form a government at the Centre, a leader of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) said on Tuesday. TRS spokesman Abid Rasool Khan told IANS that they were confident that the Federal Front, comprising non-BJP and non-Congress parties, will get the numbers to form the government on its own. "We are confident that we will get the numbers to form the government but if we are short of numbers and Congress wants to extend outside support we will consider," said Khan, who believes a consensus candidate among Federal Front partners will be the next Prime Minister. He, however, ruled out either taking the support of BJP or extending support to it to form the government. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, had mooted the idea of non-BJP and non-Congress front last year and since held talks with leaders of various regional parties. The TRS chief on Monday met M.K. Stalin, leader of DMK, an ally of the Congress, to discuss the Federal Front. Last week, he held talks with his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan. "These meetings prompted the whole country to talk about the Federal Front. We are meeting people, talking to them and trying to explain why we want this. After that it is their choice whether they want to come with us or not," said Khan, who quit the Congress late last year. He was confident that parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Trinamool Congress and YSR Congress besides TRS will come together to form the Federal Front. He hoped that many parties from other parts of the country will join them. "Once we have the numbers on board, more people will definitely accept the idea and join us. Everybody would want to have stake in government for development of their states and would see this as a viable idea," said Khan. The TRS leader claimed that KCR was not vying for the post of Prime Minister. "He is doing this in the interest of the country. The country is today heading towards anarchy. The way BJP is acting it has definitely sabotaged the interests of the country. The Congress during its 60-year-rule did nothing for minorities and Dalits. KCR is of the opinion that we should form Federal Front and take charge in Delhi," Khan added. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Getting a new life after surviving the Pulwama terror attack was okay but to feed a paralysed child was really a "satisfactory moment", said CRPF's Head Constable Iqbal Singh, after a video of him feeding the hungry child on a Srinagar street went viral on social media on Tuesday. The 44-year-old Sikh trooper of Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) 49 Battalion, who works as a driver for the paramilitary force, told IANS that he was not aware about who captured the video and uploaded it on social media, which brought widespread appreciation for him on Tuesday. Singh was one of the drivers in the 78-vehicle CRPF convoy that was attacked in Pulwama by a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber on February 14 and he played a crucial role in saving the lives of many soldiers who were injured in the attack. The incident, the worst attack on security forces in Kashmir in decades, left 40 CRPF personnel dead. The 31-second video shows Singh feeding the child who is wearing a black dress and pink slippers while sitting on stairs made of iron in front of a closed shop, in Srinagar's Old City area. He wipes the child's face and offers him water to drink. It is unclear who recorded the video. Within hours of sharing the clip on Twitter, it was seen by thousands of people and tweeted by over 6,000. The trooper's parental gesture has been appreciated across the religious, political and social divide in the strife-torn state. Once viral, the video was retweeted by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti along with a caption that read, "Armed forces operating in Kashmir are often tarred with the same brush. But that generalisation can sometimes be grossly unfair. Salute this man's sense of compassion & humanity." "I was having my lunch in Nawakadal area of Srinagar around 12.30 p.m. on Monday when I saw the boy aged around 10 years sitting in front of a closed shop and signalling me for food. I walked towards the boy and offered my lunch box to him. I felt bad when I realised that his hands were paralytic and he was unable to eat by himself. I then put a sheet on the boy's lap and fed him rice and 'chana dal' (gram pulse)," Singh informed IANS over phone from Srinagar. Inducted into the CRPF in 1996, Singh said he was deployed along with 'C' and 'D' companies of the force for law and order in downtown Srinagar -- the largest and the most densely populated area of the city in Jammu and Kashmir and popularly known as Shehr-e-Khaas -- when he saw the boy. "This is CRPF's basic training to help everyone whether he is a CRPF jawan or a civilian. This is humanity. I fed the child because of this thinking. I don't know who made the video viral," Singh said. Asked if he tried to know about the child's residence and his name, the trooper, also a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, said: "I don't know sir. I found him near our vehicle. After having food the child went somewhere. As he was not able to speak properly I could not ask more details about him." Describing his experience after his survival in the Pulwama attack, the trooper said he was driving the second vehicle from the front of the convoy and the fifth one was hit by the bomber at the Jammu-Srinagar Highway with his explosive-laden vehicle. "I was part of the first team that helped in the rescue operation. But, my survival in the terrorist attack was not as satisfactory as feeding the child." The CRPF said in a series of tweets: "Humanity is the mother of all religions." Taking cognisance of the incident, the CRPF, which is deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for internal security with about 67,000 troops as part of 65 battalions, has decided to decorate the trooper with the director general's (DG) commendation disc and certificate -- the highest service award of the paramilitary -- for showing "exemplary human gesture in spirit of the values enshrined in the charter of the force". The force is deployed in the state for undertaking counter-terrorism and law-and-order duties. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) --IANS rak/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dalit rights activists Jignesh Mevani and Martin Mcwan on Tuesday came down heavily on the Gujarat government for failing to protect the community even as at least five incidents of marriage processions of the Scheduled Castes were attacked in a week. Mevani, an Independent legislator from Vadgam in North Gujarat, and Mcwan of Navsarjan Trust also did not spare Prime Minister Narendra Modi for waxing eloquent on the Alwar gangrape case in Rajasthan while keeping quiet on attacks on Dalits in his home state. Mevani accused the state government and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani of being "casteist" and "mute spectators" while attacks continued on Dalits just because the bridegrooms rode horses and the community took out marriage processions. At least five incidents were reported in the state when marriage processions of Dalits were halted and even attacked despite prior information to the police, the activists told reporters. The incidents occurred in Khambhisar village of Modasa taluka in Arvalli district, Sitavada village of Prantij taluka in Sabarkantha district, Boriya village of Prantij, Lhor village of Kadi taluka of Mehsana district and Gajipur village of Vadali taluka of Sabarkantha district. Only in the Mehsana case, five arrests were made. Mevani asserted: "There is a serious situation in Gujarat. Dalits cannot take out their marriage processions. Chief Minister Rupani has not uttered a single word on the incident," leave alone visiting the areas, Mevani told reporters here. It should have been Rupani's responsibility to appeal to people to stop spreading hatred against Dalits but his government chose to be a "mute spectator". He asserted that the government's approach was like "whatever happens to Dalits, we are going to do nothing. Such is a casteist, callous and indifferent attitude of this government". They announced a statewide boycott of the BJP government in protest against the incidents and the latter's silence. Mevani said the boycott programmes would include statewide demonstrations and even approaching the Supreme Court. The activists demanded that Aravalli district's Deputy Superintendent of Police Falguni Patel should be suspended with immediate effect and an offence lodged against her under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 for allegedly using abusive language during the marriage procession in Aravalli. There are allegations that she even barged into the homes of Dalits and beat up women. Mevani and Mcwan also demanded that all the police heads of the districts in which the incidents took place be chargesheeted and elected representatives of the government go to the villages and ensure that the marriage processions were taken out properly. Asked about allegations that they were giving a political colour to the incidents, Macwan said: "BJP leaders say the issue should not be politicised. But this is a political question because the Chief Minister has remained silent even when the incidents took place despite the police having been informed well in advance." The activists have organised protest demonstrations near Ahmedabad on May 18 and May 22 in Kadi taluka of Mehsana district and Dalits from across the state are expected to be there. --IANS mm-desai/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian government has extended for another five years its ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which assassinated former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, it was announced on Tuesday. The step was taken under sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) with immediate effect, an official notification said. "The LTTE's continued violent and disruptive activities are prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty of India; and it continues to adopt a strong anti-India posture as also continues to pose a grave threat to the security of Indian nationals," the announcement said. The LTTE, which was described as a militant and political organisation, has been blamed for the May 1991 suicide bombing at an election rally near Chennai which killed Rajiv Gandhi and several others, prompting one of the biggest crackdowns in India. New Delhi first outlawed the LTTE in 1992 and has periodically extended the ban. The Tigers were also blamed for many high-profile assassinations including that of then Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa and Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne in Colombo as well as leaders of the rival EPRLF group in the heart of Chennai. At one time, the LTTE controlled one third of Sri Lanka's land territory and two-thirds of the island nation's coastline before it was crushed by the military in May 2009 in a gruesome war that claimed thousands of lives. LTTE supporters based outside Sri Lanka continue to spew hatred against India, blaming New Delhi for the group's military destruction. --IANS team-mr/soni (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.) A 55-year-old Indian-origin woman has been convicted by a jury in the US of strangling her 9-year-old stepdaughter to death in 2016 and faces life in prison at her sentencing next month. Shamdai Arjun of Queens, New York, was found guilty of second-degree murder for strangling her stepdaughter Ashdeep Kaur in a bathtub. It took a jury less an hour to convict the woman, who now faces 25 years to life in prison at her sentencing on June 3, CBS New York reported. Ashdeep Kaur had moved from India to be in the care of her father, Sukhjinder Singh and his wife in 2016. Family members said the girl told them about past abuse at the hands of her stepmother. "This is a horrifying case of a defenceless 9-year-old child, who was to be cared for by her stepmother but was instead strangled to death by her," said Acting Queens District Attorney John M. Ryan on Monday. "Her actions are truly incomprehensible and deserve the maximum punishment allowed under the law." According to trial testimony, Arjun left her home in the Richmond Hill section of Queens on August 19, 2016 around 5.30 p.m. with her former husband and two grandchildren, ages 3 and 5. Asked about the 9-year-old victim's whereabouts, she told an eyewitness that the child was in the bathroom and was waiting for her father to pick her up. The eyewitness then called the girl's father Sukhjinder Singh. Ashdeep's lifeless and bruised naked body was later found in the bathtub. The medical examiner's office determined that the cause of death was strangulation. --IANS soni/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday said that it has ordered an inquiry into why no action was taken on the rape complaint it received last July from a woman in a village in Hapur district. The woman, who is currently undergoing treatment for burns in a Delhi hospital, has accused her father of "selling" her off for Rs 10,000 and that over a dozen people of Shyampur Jatt village - where she was living with her second husband - had raped her. "The woman has earlier made several complaints to police over custody of her three children, dowry and rape by some people," Hapur's Superintendent of Police Yesh Veer Singh told IANS. Asked when her rape complaint was received by the police, he said it was made in July 2018. On whether it has been followed up, he said: "I have asked the officials to share the detailed action report taken on the complaint." Singh also said that he has ordered a departmental inquiry into why then Babugarh police station SHO did not take any action. Asked if anyone has been held so far, he said: "On the basis of her complaint, 16 people have been booked. Till today, no arrest has been made in the case but we will take action after verifying the complaint and allegations... those who are accused will be arrested after collection of evidence." The SP said that the woman, who lived in Moradabad after running away from her second husband last year, has received 35 per cent burns. Asked how the woman got burnt, Singh said that she was admitted to a government hospital in Moradabad on April 28. "But they (the woman and her live-in-partner) did not inform the police, which came to know about the incident from the hospital," he said. Police in Moradabad need to find out if she set herself on fire or there was any other angle into it, he added. The SP also said that a delegation of the villagers have given a memorandum that gives a "completely different picture" of the issue. "People of Shyampur Jatt have given a memorandum to me... that says the allegations made against them are not true. They have said that no such incident (of rape) has occurred and demanded a thorough probe before action." A senior police official related to the probe said that the woman was residing in Moradabad since 2018, and "whenever the police tried to reach her to verify the allegations, she was always unavailable". Earlier in the day, the woman's father denied allegations that he sold her for Rs 10,000. "I had spent over Rs 50,000 in her marriage in 2010, why would I sell her for Rs 10,000? "She has made our life hell," he said, demanding that his daughter and her live-in partner should be put behind bars. Asked about the allegations of rape made by his daughter against people of the village, he said: "Will 14 people rape her? If another day, she accuses the entire village of raping her, then will police put entire villagers behind the bar? The father of the youth she lived with in Moradabad said: "We have tried to made him understand that it was not right to stay with a married woman like this. But when he didn't heed our request, we ended all contact with him for last one year." His first husband told the police that he was married the woman on June 28, 2010 but got divorced after seven months. "Then in the affidavit for her second marriage, they declared me dead in a road accident," he said. The woman's second husband told the police that she ran off one and half year ago. "She left two of the children at home, and the third at her sister's place in Moradabad," he said, adding that his brother-in-law then brought the child back to him. The case came to light after Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal sent a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Police, asking why it had not acted on the woman's complaint. (Anand Singh can be contacted at Anand.s@ians.in) --IANS aks/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Tuesday said that a decision on import of oil from Iran will be taken after the general elections as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her visiting Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, weeks after the US ended its Iranian oil waiver for India and others. Sources said the Iranian Foreign Minister's visit took place at his own initiative to brief the Indian side on his country's approach to the recent developments in the region, including on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear pact) and to review bilateral cooperation. This was part of Tehran's consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the last few days. The visit came amid growing tensions between Iran and US, which last month announced that it would not extend the exemptions granted in November last year to India and seven other countries for importing oil from Iran for a period of 180 days - a period which expired on May 2. During the talks between Sushma Swaraj and Zarif, the Chabahar Port also came up for discussion and both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of the interim contract between India Ports Global Ltd and Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO). On purchase of oil from Iran, she reiterated the position that a decision will be taken after the elections keeping in mind India's commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests. Both sides shared their views on the situation in Afghanistan and agreed to maintain close coordination on the evolving situation. On the nuclear pact, Sushma Swaraj reiterated India's position that it would like all parties to the agreement to continue to fulfill their commitments and all parties should engage constructively and resolve all issues peacefully and through dialogue. Zarif cited Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's announcement on May 8 - exactly a year after the US withdrew from the agreement - that the country was reducing its own commitments under the agreement, signed in Vienna in 2015 in order to prevent the country from building nuclear weapons. Rouhani had also given a 60-day deadline to the pact's remaining signatories - the EU and its members Britain, France and Germany, as well as China and Russia, to fulfil Iran's demands and save the country's banking system and oil trade from international sanctions. India is keen to balance its ties between the US and Iran following Washington's decision against renewing waivers on oil. Besides Iran being India's third biggest supplier, its Chabahar port is seen as a gateway for trade opportunities with Central Asian countries. Lately, tensions in the Persian Gulf have been increasing after the US said that Iran was preparing some kind of an attack and has dispatched warships, including an aircraft carrier, along with B-52 bombers, to the region. Iran has vowed to retaliate if it is attacked. --IANS ps/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Royalty will take on commoner in the Patiala parliamentary seat of Punjab as Preneet Kaur, popularly known as Maharani Sahiba because of her royal antecedents, will face sitting Member of Parliament Dharamvira Gandhi. Kaur is in the fray for the fifth time from this Lok Sabha seat where the fort of her husband and now Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's erstwhile kingdom is located. She is facing the main 'battle' from Gandhi, 69, a cardiologist by profession, who prefers to ride a rickshaw to reach out to his voters for a personal rapport. The Akali Dal-BJP combine has fielded former Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra from this seat, while AAP has fielded greenhorn Neena Mittal, an activist who worked for the party during the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections. "I have travelled to every nook and corner of the constituency. People know me personally. They have seen my clean image and they will vote in my favour as development is my main poll plank," Kaur told IANS. Contrary to her, Gandhi in his election speeches never forgets to talk about her royal lineage: "There is a queen on that side and you have a commoner Gandhi this side. The choice is yours." This time Gandhi, who was ousted from AAP after revolting, is in the fray as a candidate of his newly floated outfit Nawan Punjab Party, which has a backing of the six-party alliance Punjab Democratic Alliance led by AAP firebrand rebel and legislator Sukhpal Khaira. In her campaign to reach Parliament for the fourth time, the 75-year-old Kaur speaks of development during her husband's two-year stint as the Chief Minister vis-a-vis the 10-year "misrule" of the Akalis. "I am focusing on the development works done by the Captain Amarinder government in just two years. I am telling the people that only the Congress can bring them back on the path of progress," said a soft-spoken Kaur, who is known to be an easy access to the public, more than her husband. The former Union Minister, who had won this Lok Sabha seat in 1999, 2004 and 2009, proudly says she has inaugurated projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in her constituency since her husband-led Congress government came to helm in March 2017. However, Gandhi banks on the projects and grants he got them sanctioned after becoming a Member of Parliament. When asked about the issues dominating these elections, he said: "I think local issues will take precedence over national ones. People are fed up with PM Modi's policies." "Here my fight is not against Preneet Kaur, but against Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's style of functioning." A headache though for rickshaw-riding Gandhi in this election is to remind the voters that his party symbol this time is not the 'jhadoo' or broom but a microphone. In his election rallies, Shriomani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Rakhra, who defeated Preneet Kaur in 1999 polls by 78,000 votes, is banking on the Modi wave and development by the SAD-BJP combine government in its 10-year stint in the state. He is also gunning for the Congress government for its failure to fulfil poll promises, mainly loan waiver and eradication of drugs. Asserting that there is no Modi factor in Congress-ruled Punjab, Kaur said: "The BJP tries to divide people along communal lines for petty political gains, which Punjabis will never allow." "The so-called Modi factor failed to click in Punjab even during the 2017 Assembly polls, even though the BJP-led NDA government was still in its prime." She also does not sees any threat from the sitting MP. "In the last (2014) elections, my family members were divided and also Captain Saab was himself busy in contesting from Amritsar against Arun Jaitley. Now, all are campaigning for me." On Dharamvira Gandhi, Kaur, who faced defeat by a slender margin of 20,000 votes in 2014, replied: "I really know very little about Dr Gandhi, except that he is a well-to-do practising doctor." He had joined on AAP plank but had obviously decided to shift his ideology by leaving the party only within two months of entering Parliament. "I don't know whether the party could not fit into his thinking or vice versa. Either way, I do not see him as a threat of any kind," a confident Kaur added. As a consolation, she knows that her party has legislators on seven of the nine assembly segments that fall in the Patiala parliamentary seat, while the Akali Dal has just two. In the 15 general elections held in Punjab since 1957, the Congress won Patiala nine times while the Akali Dal, including its stalwart Gurcharan Singh Tohra, four times. Punjab goes to the polls on May 19 for its 13 Lok Sabha seats. (Vishal Gulati can be reached at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P. Chidambaram, on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking release of Rs 10 crore, deposited with the court's registry regarding his overseas travel. Karti claimed he raised loans to deposit Rs 10 crore and was paying interest on it. His plea was mentioned before the Vacation Bench, comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna. Karti's counsel also informed the court that his client had returned to India. The Bench refused to grant him any relief and instead asked his counsel to mention the matter before the Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. His counsel contended that the court's registry had asked to produce a formal court order regarding the return of the money. "You mention it before the regular Bench," the Vacation Bench said. Earlier, a Bench headed by the CJI allowed Karti to travel to the UK, the US, France, Germany and Spain in May and June this year on a condition that he deposit Rs 10 crore with the Secretary General of the apex court. The court had said it would be returned to him upon his return to India. A similar order was passed by the court in January regarding Karti's overseas travel. The court had said it would "come down heavily", if it comes across that he was not cooperating. Karti is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Karti is facing proceedings in cases linked to Aircel-Maxis and money laundering. One of the cases includes the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for Rs 305 crore of foreign funds, when his father was the Finance Minister. The ED had opposed Karti's travel request. The court had earlier asked Karti to file an undertaking that upon his return, he will fully cooperate with the investigating agencies. Karti had been out of India for 51 days in the last 6 months; the probe agency informed the top court. --IANS ss/pgh/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The best way to help children develop a strong vocabulary is to allow them to have conversations with other children as toddlers learn new words best from other kids, says a new study. The researchers believe that toddlers are interested in the development of their own speech patterns and may be more attuned to the sound of other child speakers that resemble their own. "Much of what we know about the world is learned from other people," said Yuanyuan Wang from Ohio State University in the US. "This is especially true for young children." The research team wanted to determine what age group was most influential to two-year-old toddlers based on how they pick up new words. To evaluate this, they set up two experiments. In the first experiment, toddlers watched side-by-side video clips of two speakers reciting a nursery rhyme while listening to a speech that matched either the age or gender of one of the two speakers. In the second experiment, toddlers were taught new words during a learning task using speakers of different ages. The researchers found the toddlers learned new words more effectively from their peers. "It is fascinating to learn children showed selected learning from other child talkers. This has implications for social cognition and selective social learning," said wang. The study suggests that this ability to learn selectively from a particular social group may serve as a foundation for developing preferences among social groups later in life. The study is scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the Acoustical Society of America being held from May 13-May 17 in in Kentucky, US. --IANS bu/gb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared information on "escalating" threats from Iran with European allies and NATO officials during meetings in Brussels on Monday, the U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook said. "Iran is an escalating threat and this seemed like a timely visit on his way to Sochi," Hook said, referring to Pompeos planned visit to Russia for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Pompeo "wanted to share some details behind what we have been saying publicly," the U.S. diplomat said. According to him, the U.S. urges Iran to "try talks instead of threats." Iran's authorities "have chosen poorly by focusing on threats, Hook noted. He also confirmed that Pompeo, while in Brussels, also discussed reported attacks on several oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported. Asked if Pompeo was blaming Iran for the attacks, Hook said: "We discussed ... what seemed to be attacks on commercial vessels that were anchored off Fujairah ... we have been requested by the UAE to provide assistance in the investigation, which we are very glad to do." A request by M.K. Sakeer, Chairman of the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC), asking the state government to bear expenses of his wife whenever she accompanies him on official trips has been rejected. The request was rejected by the General Administration Department (GAD), which comes under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The GAD on Tuesday said such a facility was not in place even for spouses of Cabinet Ministers and hence it could not be cleared. According to informed sources, the file has now been sent to Vijayan, who will return to the state next week after his European trip. In his request, Sakeer said Kerala should follow what other states do in this regard. The KPSC, a recruitment agency for all government jobs, also advises the state administration on matters related to civil services. --IANS sg/ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday asserted that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, jailed for corruption, will never get out of prison. "Lalu will not get out of jail despite whatever he does. His family has been repeatedly alleging that Lalu was framed by me and he was in jail due to me. It is a baseless accusation as Lalu was convicted by the court and sentenced to jail," the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader told an election meeting here. He said that Lalu Prasad has been trying to get out of the jail on bail to capture power again in Bihar. "During 15 years of Lalu's rule, 'jungle raj' prevailed in Bihar. When he was arrested and jailed in 1997, Lalu made his wife the Chief Minister. "Unlike Lalu's time, today there is rule of law in Bihar. There will be no compromise on this issue," the Chief Minister said. Lalu Prasad's younger son Tejashwi Yadav, who is Bihar's opposition leader, strongly reacted to Nitish Kumar's statement. "It is his desperation ahead of the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha polls." By making such a comment, Tejashwi Yadav said, Nitish Kumar had admitted that he along with his henchmen conspired to sent Lalu Prasad behind the bars. "He has exposed his double face." Lalu Prasad, now undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Ranchi after being convicted in a fodder scam, on Monday accused Nitish Kumar of making compromises to be in power. --IANS ik/pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Braj Bhoomi, the Shri-Krishna land from Bateshwar to Kosi is now drawing a large number of film makers amd video film producers, who find the regions rich history, cultural and religious traditions - and the terrain a complete package for essaying ambitious projects. While Mathura and Vrindavan provide the religious and spiritual content, Agra is a treasure house of romantic tales and adventurous forays that captivate the audience. "The era of the dacoit tales shot extensively in the dreaded Chambal ravines, with such memorable films like "Ganga Jamuna", "Jis Desh mein Ganga Bahti hai", "Mujhe Jeene Do" and later "Bandit Queen", is over. Now the focus has shifted to soft stories, religious anecdotes and even family dramas, using the Braj culture and traditions to advantage," says Mahesh Dhakar, who has keenly watched the film scene eveolve in the region. "I think one reason is the growth of the hospitality industry and better class hotels. Then, you have a variety of exciting locations for shooting. The general ambience of the city has also improved, particularly in the tourist complex area. More importantly, a significantly large number of young local artistes have impressed Bollywood in the past few years, as Agra is now emerging as a happening cultural centre," says Jyoti, the director of the Nritya Jyoti Kathak Kendra named after the danseuse. The daily "Mohabbat at the Taj" evening audio visual show at the Kalakriti auditorium, started in 2012, has won laurels from the film fraternity for the quality of production and the performances of artistes from all over India. Dhakar reeled out a dozen names of youngsters who were making waves in Bollywood from fashion photographer Pravin Talaan, to actors Archna Gupta, Yashraj Parashar and Satyavrat Mudgal. The late eminent poet, Neeraj, has been a celebrated name in the Bollywood film industry for a long time. Sparsh Srivastav of "Chak Dhoom Dhoom fame", as also Akaash Maini and Kartar Singh Yadav have been the latest shining stars of the Taj city. Anil Diwakar, the dance guru from Agra has already made a global impact with his 60-member troupe in the US. In "Slumdog Millionaire", a local boy gave a good performance as did others briefly in Abhishek Bachchan's "Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya" and "Bunty and Bubly". A TV serial, "Shubh Vivah" shot in Agra. revolved around a girl from Agra and a boy from Vrindavan, their love story and eventual marriage. "The colourful Holi celebrations, the festivals in the months of Sawan Bhadon, the sweet fragrance of Braj Bhasha, are drawing film makers to Sri Krishna-Radha's leela bhoomi, says Surendra Sharma, senior tourism industry leader. "If air connectivity from Mumbai could be restored, Agra will benefit a lot. Right now people have to make a road trip to Agra which takes a lot of time and energy. But after the opening of two Expressways there has been a significant improvement in the logistics situation," he added. The biggest attraction drawing film makers to Braj Mandal is a package of incentives by the UP Government. After a series of TV serials used locales in Mathura, film makers are now taking advantage of the Yogi Adityanath government's incentives to promote shooting of Bollywood films. Local MP Hema Malini, herself a film celebrity, has also tried to rope in film industry colleagues in several of her programmes. Recent films like "Toilet ek Prem Katha" and "Tevar" were extensively shot in Braj area, around Barsana and Goverdhan. Films in Braj Bhasha by Shiv Kumar, Braj Bhoomi and Lallo Ram, were instant hits. Senior journalist of Mathura Ashok Bansal said Mathura was the 'karm-bhoomi' of poet Shailendra who had penned some of his most popular film lyrics here. Buoyed by incentives declared by UP Government to promote shooting of Hindi movies in the state, the Brij region comprising Vrindavan, Barsana and Govardhan has now turned into a major centre for the Bollywood, with several films being shot here. In five years at least five movies of top actors and production houses have been shot here, and several are in the pipeline. The Braj region for ages has drawn people from around the world for its temples, culture, festivals and religious congregations. The Sri Krishna circuit promoted by the Yogi government has drawn the attention of film production houses. Additionally, the lure of incentives like subsidy of Rs 1 crore for films which have been shot for 50 percent of their shooting days in UP and Rs 2 crores for films which have been shot for two-third of their shooting days in UP has further enhanced the attractiveness of the region as a shooting venue. Besides free security arrangements and a friendly ambience offered has made Braj area even more popular among the film units, says Shrawan Kumar Singh of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society. According to Tanya Agrawal, Director, Shri Radha Brij Vasundhara Resorts and Spa Centre of Goverdhan, where several film crews of movies like "Tevar", "Toilet ek Prem Katha, "Lukka Chuppi" and others have stayed, "the incentives are so welcome. It adds a new dimension to the economy of the region and benefits the local populace immensely. It also gives a new fillip to tourism of the region and opens an altogether new opportunity for the region." Agarwal said each month lakhs of devotees throng to Goverdhan hill for the parikrama. Other important shrines connected with Sri Krishna and Radha are close by. "We have the best facilities and security systems in place for the high profile celebrities." The growing interest of the film fraternity in the Braj region, has added to the fame and popularity of the circuit and opened new employment potential for the youngsters. The spiritual dimension of tourism offers endless possibilities for round-the-year traffic mobility. "All top babas have their ashrams here and the recent resurgence of interest in Sri Krishna and Vaishnavite traditions will bring in more tourist traffic," said Jagan Nath Poddar of the Friends of Vrindavan. (Brij Khandelwal can be reached at brij.k@ians.in --IANS bk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court scrapped the applicability of Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) for the current year (2019), some 250 medical students who had secured admissions to various post-graduation courses in Maharashtra are now left high an dry. They are on the warpath since one week demanding that the Maharashtra government intervene in the matter immediately and prevent them from losing a valuable academic year, said Krishna Kirkre, spokesperson of the students' group. "The government had promised us yesterday (May 13) that they would promulgate an Ordinance to reserve our seats, but almost a day later, nothing has happened... We have become the scapegoat in their politics," Kirkre told IANS. The PG courses started on May 2, but on May 5 they were informed that their admissions were cancelled, though they had paid full fees and joined duties. They had secured admissions on the basis of the Maratha quota (SEBC) while cancelling their seats won through the All India Quota, but the SEBC quota has been declared invalid for the current year, he added. The worse was, all other options of seeking admissions, like entrance exams, have already closed, and the students stand to lose their academic year, Kirkre said. "The state government has made various assurances, but nothing concrete has come by way of a GR or order so far... We shall be compelled to intensify our agitation," Kirkre warned. Another student, Shivaji Bhosale, said that it was not the mistake of the students to seek admissions under SEBC, but now they are suffering for this. The Bombay HC had, on May 4, said that the March 8 notification on the implementation of the new 16 per cent reservations for the Maratha community under the SEBC quota, would not be applicable to the post-graduate medical admission process which had already got underway earlier. Following this, the state government moved the Supreme Court seeking an ex-parte stay on the Bombay HC ruling and leave to file an appeal. However, the apex court also upheld the Bombay HC order saying that SEBC Act, Sec. 16(2) bars the grant of reservations if the process of entrance test had already started before the Act came into force. The state government contended that these students who secured admission under the SEBC were allotted admissions under the All India quota, which they had cancelled, and hence they could lose one academic year. The SC has extended the deadline for admissions from May 18 to May 25, but students claim that it may not be enough. After these developments, the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell had issued the orders cancelling the admissions given under the SEBC quota. Last year, on November 30, 2018, the Maharashtra government had proposed 16 per cent reservations in jobs and for the Maratha community under the SEBC. Accusing the state government of not taking due legal precautions beforehand, the protesting students attempted to lay siege to the Chief Minister's bungalow on Sunday, but were thwarted by the police. --IANS qn/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malaysian authorities have deported a Thai anti-monarchy activist who was seeking asylum after fleeing persecution in her country, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday. Praphan Pipithnamporn was detained by Malaysian authorities on April 24 following a petition by Thailand, where she faces charges of sedition over her ties to an anti-monarchy group, reports Efe news. "Malaysia's flouting of international law has placed a Thai activist at grave risk of arbitrary detention and an unjust prosecution in Thailand," HRW Asia director Brad Adams said in a statement. The activist, who had been arrested several times towards the end of last year, fled to Malaysia as she felt unsafe after taking part in a symbolic act against the monarchy during a ceremony memorialising the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees office in Kuala Lumpur registered her as an asylum seeker on April 2, which, according to the HRW, put Malaysia under an obligation to prevent her deportation to Thailand. The news of the deportation comes days after three Thai activists of the same anti-monarchy organisation went missing in Laos, where they had gone into self-exile. Vietnamese authorities later confirmed they had detained the three activists as they attempted to cross the border, allegedly using fake passports. They were deported to Thailand, where officials have refused to confirm if they remain in custody. Five other Thai anti-monarchy activists have been abducted in Laos since 2016, three of whose mutilated bodies were found in the Mekong river in December. According to Article 112 of the Thai penal code, acts of lese-majeste, including insults, defamation or threats against the king, the queen, the crown prince or regent, are punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi more "dangerous than Hitler", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the BJP of pumping in "hawala money" in Kolkata to lure voters. Addressing successive rallies in the city for the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Trinamool Congress chief lashed out at Modi for demolishing democratic instituions and highjacking the poll process through money and muscle power. "I have never seen such blatant use of money power. They have hijacked the state machinery. Crores of rupees are being distributed in Kolkata. All this is hawala money. They are distributing as much as Rs 5,000 per vote. Is this an election or a joke," she said at a rally in Jadavpur here. Referring to a "suspicious box" that was spotted being carried out of Modi's helicopter during one of his rallies in Karnataka earlier, Banerjee said choppers ferrying BJP leaders to Kolkata must be checked. "Shouldn't their choppers be checked after they land? I have heard even CRPF vehicles are being used to ferry boxes of money," alleged Banerjee asking people to be wary of BJP's money and muscle power. She also claimed that BJP has brought in goons from other states to Kolkata and asked people to be aware. "Beware of Modi, he is more dangerous than Hitler, he is dangerous than all facists together. If somehow he manages to come back, he will sell off the country. Will you vote for such a man," asked Banerjee. She also targeted Modi for not declaring any information about his wife in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission. "How did the Election Commission allow his nomination? He says he doesn't know about his wife's address or her income or her properties," she said at a rally in Tolygunge. Banerjee accused the BJP of spending money to control Facebook, Twitter and social media. "They are spreading lies on social media. It has become fake-book. They are sharing photos of Bangladesh and passing them off as that of Bengal." Charging Modi with capturing democratic institutions, she said: "Not a single leader in India today is able to speak up. They are intimidating everyone in the name of Central agencies like ED, CBI and IT Department'. "There must be an enquiry into demonetisation. RBI was dead against the move but he carried it out on his whim. They turned their black money into white and bought land in many states. They have set up the party headquarters worth crores of rupees," added Banerjee. Chanting the slogan "chowkidar chor hai", Banerjee said the BJP would be wiped out in the elections. --IANS ssp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India had slipped considerably on the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For instance, in 2015 half the population suffered from hunger. And, three years into the SDGs 29 states have been able to achieve only 42-69 per cent of targets and the Union Territories 57-68 per cent. While Himachal Pradesh and Kerala were top performers (50-64 per cent), Uttar Pradesh and Dadra Nagar Haveli could achieve only 0-49 per cent of the SDGs. With only 11 years to go and the political scenario after the general elections rather uncertain, where does the malaise lie? India has been running centrally-sponsored schemes in all the 17 SDG sectors "but the outcomes have been modest because of several factors", says a former senior government official. "The necessary infrastructure for rapid agricultural growth is missing, skilling programmes need revamp, manufacturing need removal of legal and procedural constraints, many welfare programmes are not well-structured, there are governance and implementation issues especially in poor states, and lastly devolution of central funds is biased in favour of well-off states." Naresh Chandra Saxena, who served in various senior government positions, writes in a paper in a book titled "India 2030, A Socio-Economic Paradigm". What measures are required to speed up movement towards achievement of the SDGs? Starting from the agriculture, Saxena offers a series of suggestions. "We need to build efficient irrigation systems and water conservative strategies in rain-fed regions through conjunctive use of surface and groundwater. Agriculture in semi-arid regions need to move away from traditional crop-centric farming to agri-pastoral farm forestry systems," writes Saxena. "If rain is captured properly with peoples' participation, drought can be banished from India in 10 years. Unfortunately, the slogan of 'more crop per drop' has remained an empty rhetoric, an 'ideology without a methodology'," says Saxena, the 1964 IAS batch topper who retired as the Planning Commission Secretary. On promoting the agriculture value chain, he says as fruit and vegetables give 4-10 times higher returns than other crops, "India needs better mechanisms to increase communication and direct linkage between small landholders and large buyers", to bridge the demand-supply gap. It will also be a "great opportunity" for aggregators and companies to develop new and sustainable business model in the farm sector. On the government plan to double farm income by 2022, Saxena says it's a formidable challenge and demands multiple initiatives, like a procurement infrastructure, to reach out to even small farmers who hardly benefit from the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism. The MSP, at present, is availed by less than 20 per cent paddy farmers. On revamping skilling programmes, Saxena says the labour market reforms and a greater emphasis on labour-intensive industries, like textiles, are required to boost formal employment and sustain urban demand growth. "Three demographic groups are in urgent need of jobs -- better educated youth, farm workers who hope to leave agricultural distress behind and young women who are better educated than before. But due to low investments, low credit off-take, poor capacity utilisation in industry, retarded agricultural expansion, jobs growth has entered a lean phase," Saxena writes. Along with agriculture, improved governance through restructuring bureaucracy, better funds flow to states, revamped rural jobs schemes, upgraded public distribution system (PDS) could go a long way towards achieving SDG goals, the former IAS officer says. Coming to the governance-linked development, says Saxena, reforms "would require strong political support" to weed out "rogue states" where other considerations than development are the order of the day. Saxena's is one of the 28 articles in the book, edited by Sameer Kochhar and Rohan Kochhar of the SKOCH Group think-tank. Among the other contributors to the volume are Wajahat Habibullah, who served two Prime Ministers and was India's first Chief Information Commissioner under the Right to Information (RTI); late S.S. Tarapore, former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India; Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Trasnport and Highways; banker Rana Kapoor; former I&B Minister Manish Tiwari (Congress), and author and business journalist Tamal Bandyopadhyay. (Vishnu Makhijani can be ccontacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) --IANS vm/pcj/am (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sandip Ssingh, producer of the forthcoming biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday criticised Mamata Banerjee as he came out in support of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma, arrested last Saturday for sharing a meme of the West Bengal Chief Minister on social media. "Mamata Didi, finally your ego has lost. Is freedom of speech too much to ask for in your state? We all stand by Priyanka Sharma. Please stop being the Female Dawood of Bengal," tweeted Ssingh, whose movie "PM Narendra Modi" was barred from release by the Election Commission till the end of polls. Ssingh's comment came on a day the Supreme Court granted bail to Sharma and asked her to apologise. Sharma was arrested for sharing on social media Banerjee's photo-shopped picture superimposed on a photo of Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra from a Met Gala event in New York City. The film "PM Narendra Modi", directed by Omung Kumar B and starring Vivek Oberoi, was scheduled for release on April 11, the first day of polling of the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections. But it was stopped by the EC after complaints by political parties. It will now be released on May 24, a day after completion of polling. --IANS rb/akk/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made an emotional appeal to the people of Varanasi in a video posted on his website, calling himself a 'Kashi vaasi and outlining his personal and emotional association with Kashi and its people. "It is often said that whosoever come to Kashi even once becomes a part of the city. In the last five years I have experienced this every passing moment. In moulding me and giving a direction to my political and spiritual being, Kashi has a huge influence on me," he said. Modi underlined that Kashi was not a mere word for him but an inspiration in terms of religion, spirituality and culture. "I am fortunate that its people provided me with an opportunity to serve then," he stated. Talking about the presiding deity of Varanasi, Baba Vishwanath, he said that it was a matter of great satisfaction for him to be in the service of the city. "My people of Kashi have blessed me by giving me an opportunity to serve them," Modi said. He said he was proud of people's participation in the development of Varanasi in the last five years and added that it serves as an example for the whole country. He also outlined various developmental initiatives undertaken in the city during his tenure. Modi stressed upon Kashi's significance and said a lot of work is still left to be be done. "In the last five years, we have done a lot of work for Kashi but a lot is still left. We have to do this together. It is our vow that we will not let the speed of this development stop," he stated. "This time when I came for the road show, you assured me that you will handle everything. I have faith in every word. For me, those words are a promise. I know that every resident of Kashi is fighting the elections for and as Narendra Modi." He urged people to vote early and avoid the scorching summer sun and asked them to celebrate the exercise as a festival. --IANS amita/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea on Tuesday demanded that the US should release a cargo ship seized on suspicions of violating UN sanctions, denouncing the seizure as an "outright denial" of the spirit of last year's first summit between leader Kim Jong-un and American President Donald Trump. "The latest US act constitutes an extension of the American method of calculation for bringing North Korea to its knees by means of 'maximum pressure' and an outright denial of the underlying spirit of the June 12 Joint Statement that has committed to establish new bilateral relations," Yonhap News Agency quoted a spokesperson for the North Foreign Ministry as saying. "The US should ponder over the consequences its heinous act might have on the future developments and immediately return our ship," the spokesperson said in a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The North also said that the time when the "US held sway over the world at its own free will is gone long ago, and it would be a biggest miscalculation if the US thought that North Korea is among the countries where the American-style logic of 'strength might work for'. "We will carefully watch every move of the US hereafter," the statement said. The US Justice Department said last week that the 17,061-tonne Wise Honest, one of the North's largest bulk carriers, was intercepted by Indonesian authorities last year after being loaded with coal in Nampo, North Korea, in violation of sanctions on the regime. The ship is currently in US possession. The department said the North was found to be concealing the origin of the Wise Honest to export tonnes of high-grade coal to foreign buyers and import heavy machinery to the North. North Korea is under multiple global sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, including a ban on exports of coal. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin press service said. "The sides continue to exchange views on key aspects of the crisis situation in Syria with a focus on developments in the Idlib de-escalation zone where frequent ceasefire violations by radical armed groups are carried out," the press service said. Putin and Erdogan stressed "the importance of further close coordination of Russias and Turkeys efforts, including between their defense ministries, on various aspects of Syrian settlement," the Kremlin said. Apart from that, the two leaders discussed current issues of bilateral political and trade-and-economic relations and a number of international problems, and agreed to continue close contacts. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party will win more seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections than in 2014 and added that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will get a two-third majority. "After addressing more than 110 election rallies across the country and sensing people's mood, I can say that the BJP is going to win more seats than it won in 2014. As far as the NDA is concerned, possibility of getting a two-third majority cannot be ruled out," the former party President told the media here at the BJP headquarters. Singh said that in 2014 people were looking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a hope which was now converted into trust and confidence. "In many places, I saw an undercurrent. This government has worked for every section of the society and a feeling of satisfaction was there on the people's face. They want to give Modi another opportunity as they believe he is the man who can take India ahead," he said. Singh hit out at the opposition and demanded to know their Prime Ministerial candidate. "In 2014, the fight was Modi vs Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. In 2019, Modi vs who? It is unknown. In a democratic set-up, people cannot be kept in dark." The Home Minister also slammed the opposition parties for using abusive words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought the Congress response over Mani Shankar Aiyar's justification of his "neech" jibe against Modi. He said: "What does the Congress has to say on his (Aiyer's) justification." In an article published in Rising Kashmir on Tuesday, Aiyar said: "Remember how I described him on 7 December, 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, Aiyar called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party. --IANS bns/pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bad loan recoveries in the last fiscal effected through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) route was at Rs 70,000 crore, posting a recovery rate of 43 per cent, and was twice the Rs 35,500 crore recovered through previous resolution mechanisms like the Debt Recovery Tribunal and Lok Adalat, as per a report by ratings firm Crisil. "The recovery rate for the 94 cases resolved through IBC by fiscal 2019 is 43%, compared with 26.5% through earlier mechanisms. What's more, the recovery rate is also twice the liquidation value for these 94 cases, which underscores the value maximisation possible through the IBC process," said CRISIL Ratings President Gurpreet Chhatwal. Exactly three years since it was legislated, the IBC has made material progress in addressing the logjams it was supposed to - which is faster recovery of stressed assets and quicker resolution timelines, Crisil said. "Recovery through the IBC was Rs 70,000 crore in fiscal 2019 - or twice the Rs 35,500 crore recovered through other resolution mechanisms such as the Debt Recovery Tribunal, Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act and Lok Adalat - in fiscal 2018", the report said. Though keeping to the resolution timeline remains a challenge, the implementation of the IBC process is largely on track, it added. According to the agency, the IBC has shifted the balance of power to the creditor from the borrower. The Code has instilled a significantly better sense of credit discipline, while there is a sense of urgency and seriousness among defaulting borrowers because losing their asset is very much a possibility if the resolution process fails, it said. It quoted a report of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) which says that almost Rs 2.02 lakh crore to Rs 3 lakh crore of debt pertaining to 4,452 cases were disposed of even before admission into the IBC process, as the borrowers made good the amounts in default to the creditors. This gets reflected in slower accretion of new non-performing assets (NPAs or bad loans) in the Indian banking system. CRISIL estimates that the banking sector's gross NPA has declined to 10 per cent in end-March 2019, from 11.5 per cent the year before. The Supreme Court's recent decision to quash the Reserve Bank of India's February 12, 2018, circular does provide banks greater flexibility in resolving stressed assets. But the fact that the apex court also simultaneously upheld the IBC in its entirety is a huge positive, observes the report. Resolution timelines, however, are still an issue. While the average resolution timeline for cases resolved through IBC is 324 days, which is much better compared with 4.3 years- 4 years earlier, it is still above the 270 days set out in the Code. As on March 31, 2019, there were 1,143 cases outstanding under the IBC of which resolution in 32 per cent of the cases was pending for more than 270 days. Significant delays also trigger liquidation. Besides, there are a few big-ticket accounts for which resolution has not been finalised for over 400 days. Then there are other challenges such as burden on the National Company Law Tribunal to resolve a large number of cases, clarity on priority of claims, limited number of information utilities, and creation of a secondary asset market, which need to be addressed. Nitesh Jain, Director, CRISIL Ratings said: "Looking back, we believe that IBC ecosystem is indeed strengthening at a fast pace. Going ahead, success will hinge on timely resolution of stressed assets and a conducive ecosystem." The stressed assets resolution framework in the country is a work in progress. However, IBBI's proactive stance in seeking and acting on feedback from other stakeholders augurs well, as testified by the fact that the IBC has undergone two major amendments already, Crisil said. --IANS ana/sn/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the Sri Lankan Easter Sunday suicide bombers, who blew himself up at a small guest house in Dehiwela near Colombo, was allegedly radicalised by UK's notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary, the media reported. Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, 37, was the link between the Islamic State (IS) and the bombers who carried out the April 21 attacks, which claimed over 250 lives, according to UK security services. The killings at three churches, three luxury hotels and two other locations were blamed by the Sri Lankan government on local Islamic group National Thowheed Jamath, which is believed to have ties with the IS that claimed the carnage. Mohamed tried to blow up the luxury Taj Samudra hotel in Colombo. But botched his attempt to detonate bomb at the hotel and blew himself up at a much smaller guest house in Dehiwela, killing two guests. A UK security official told the BBC, Mohamed was radicalised and supported the extremist ideology. "I tried to reason with him. When I asked him how he got into this, he said he attended the sermons of the radical British preacher Anjem Choudary in London. He said he met him during the sermons," the official said. Choudary, the father of five, spent three years of the five-and-a-half years sentence in prison after he was detained in 2016 under terror laws for encouraging Muslims to join the IS. The Choudary-led extremist group al-Muhajiroun was outlawed by the UK government following the July 7, 2005 attacks in London. But it continued to operate under a number of different images. He helped radicalise some of Britain's most notorious terrorists, including London Bridge terror attacker ringleader Khuram Butt; Michael Adebolajo as well as Michael Adebowale, who murdered British soldier Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. UK counter-terrorism investigators believe the suicide bomber attended the Kingston University in southwest London from 2006-07, before going to Australia for a post-graduate degree. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mohamed's sister Samsul Hidaya said he had been educated to the highest level but became increasingly withdrawn and intense as he descended into extremism. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP), BSP and the Congress of backing terrorists and Pakistan. Addressing an election rally here, Modi said his government's policies were aimed at making India a strong country. "I've succeeded in my efforts to a great extent. But opportunists have been united in opposing me and my work. I believe that if I have the support of the people, I will reverse all their attempts." He asked the gathering if they had ever heard the SP, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) or the Congress speak about terrorism or criticise Pakistan. They "only support terrorists and the neighbouring country", he said. Modi also accused the opposition parties of rampant corruption. "This gang of adulterated parties has made illegal money and amassed both legal and illegal property. Their is only about erecting lavish bungalows for themselves and for their relatives. "And they have been forced to gang up together now that the investigating agencies are after them," roared the Prime Minister. According to him, whether it was the SP, the BSP or the Congress, all that they did was to abuse him. "Not a day goes when the leaders of these parties don't abuse me. And that's because of the frustration building after six phases of polling. They can foresee their defeat. But I take their abuse as a compliment," he said. Earlier in Buxar, Modi asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies were set to win the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "One thing is clear. Our victory is certain (Jeet to nishchit hai)," he told an election meeting to applause from the crowd. Modi said people had given the mandate for his government again in the six rounds of elections completed so far. "Opposition leaders have lost all hope. Their anger is at a high level and they are abusing Modi." He appealed to the people to vote for Union Minister Ashwani Choubey, the BJP candidate from Buxar. --IANS hindi/rtp/ik/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP), BSP and the Congress of backing terrorists and Pakistan. Addressing an election rally here, Modi said his government's policies were aimed at making India a strong country. "I've succeeded in my efforts to a great extent. But opportunists have been united in opposing me and my work. I believe that if I have the support of the people, I will reverse all their attempts." He asked the gathering if they had ever heard the SP, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) or the Congress speak about terrorism or criticise Pakistan. They "only support terrorists and the neighbouring country", he said. Modi also accused the opposition parties of rampant corruption. "This gang of adulterated parties has made illegal money and amassed both legal and illegal property. Their is only about erecting lavish bungalows for themselves and for their relatives. "And they have been forced to gang up together now that the investigating agencies are after them," roared the Prime Minister. According to him, whether it was the SP, the BSP or the Congress, all that they did was to abuse him. "Not a day goes when the leaders of these parties don't abuse me. And that's because of the frustration building after six phases of polling. They can foresee their defeat. But I take their abuse as a compliment," he said. --IANS hindi/rtp/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking action against actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan over his recent statement terming Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as the first Hindu terrorist of free India. BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay mentioned the petition which sought debarring of candidates and de-registration of parties abusing religion for political mileage during polls before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A.J. Bhambhani. The court allowed the plea to be listed for hearing. Upadhyay, in the petition, alleged that Haasan's statement was intended to outrage religious feelings of Hindus. "Haasan has violated the Model Code of Conduct in addition to section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. He is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and brotherhood, which is an offence under section 153A of the IPC. "It is a deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of millions of Hindus, which is an offence under section 295A IPC," he said in his petition. Haasan had made the remark at a rally for his MNM party candidate in Aravakurichi Assembly constituency which will go for a by-poll on May 19. Terming the comment a corrupt practice, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader's petition said: "It is necessary to state that the statement was made deliberately in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain, which is clearly a corrupt practice.." In his plea, Upadhyay said the poll body is yet to take action against Haasan, therefore, he has moved the court, seeking direction to the EC to order an investigation into the misuse of religion, race, caste, community and language by candidates and political office-bearers for electoral gain. --IANS ss/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, here on Tuesday, attempted to establish a link with local voters by saying as the wife of a Punjabi she felt at home in Punjab and among its people. She also hailed the valour of Punjabis and their ability to remain happy in all circumstances. Addressing a public rally, in support of Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Priyanka asked people to teach a lesson to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for harassment meted out to them. While taking on Narendra Modi for brazenly lying and cheating to further his political interests, the Congress leader criticised the SAD on the issues of sacrilege and mafia rule during their regime. Describing Punjab as the land of gurus and criticising Akalis for sacrilege, Priyanka said those who destroyed Sri Guru Granth Sahib were destroying the soul of Punjab. Priyanka, accompanied by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, appealed people to strengthen the Congress with their vote in this battle 'for the future of India' and to teach arrogant Harsimrat Kaur Badal, SAD candidate from Bathinda, a lesson for the Akali misdeeds. Pointing to the poor response to Modi's Monday rally at the same ground, Priyanka hailed people for their befitting reply to the Prime Minister's saga of false promises. Taking a dig at Modi's 'radars in clouds' remark, she said the Prime Minister's truth had come on the people's radar and it was time for him to focus on unfulfilled promises. Lambasting the Akalis, she said they had handed over the state to drugs, liquor, sand and transport mafia during their 10-year-rule. If Punjab's youth were being destroyed by 'chitta', it was because of the BJP and the Akalis, she said. She said when Rahul Gandhi raised the drugs issue before the Assembly elections, they (Akalis) ridiculed him, only to be exposed later. As many as 12,000 debt-ridden farmers had committed suicide during the Modi rule and farmers were getting neither proper prices for their crops nor requisite seeds and other facilities, Priyanka said. The Prime Minister refused to spare even five minutes to listen to woes of farmers, she alleged. --IANS vg/rs/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday attempted to establish an emotional link with local voters by describing herself as a Punjabi 'bahu' (daughter-in-law), saying she felt at home in Punjab and among its people. While hailing the valour of Punjabis and their ability to remain happy in all circumstances, she launched a vitriolic attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by asking the audience whether they wanted a Prime Minister who was using martyrs for political purposes or some one who was son of a martyr. "Do you want a Prime Minister who does of martyrs or want to make a martyr's son (Rahul Gandhi) the Prime Minister?" she asked, addressing a rally in Bathinda in support of Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The Congress leader urged people to teach a lesson to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for harassment meted out to them. While taking on Modi for "brazenly lying and cheating" to further his political interests, the Congress leader also criticised the SAD on the issues of sacrilege and mafia rule during their regime. Lambasting the Akalis, she said they had handed over the state to drugs, liquor, sand and transport mafias during their 10-year rule. If Punjab's youth were being destroyed by drugs, it was because of the BJP and the Akalis, she said. Describing Punjab as the land of gurus and criticising the Akalis for instances of sacrilege, Priyanka said "those who destroyed Sri Guru Granth Sahib were destroying the soul of Punjab." Priyanka, accompanied by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, appealed to people to strengthen the Congress with their votes in this "battle for the future of India" and to teach "arrogant" Harsimrat Kaur Badal, SAD candidate from Bathinda, a lesson for the Akali's misdeeds. Pointing to the poor response to Modi's Monday rally at the same ground, Priyanka hailed people for their befitting reply to the Prime Minister's saga of false promises. Later at a rally in Pathankot, she reiterated Modi vs Rahul Gandhi topic by urging people to distinguish between a Prime Minister who does over martyrs and a son of martyr. Leading a road show atop a truck in support of Sunil Jakhar, party's candidate for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat, Priyanka said Modi was the biggest "abhineta" (actor) who had spent the last five years portraying and spreading lies and falsehoods. Stating that Modi had not even spared martyrs or ex-servicemen, she said, the Prime Minister was for politicising the sacrifices and services of ex-soldiers by claiming 'one rank, one pension' (OROP) scheme was a "gift" to them. Taking a pot shot at the BJP, Priyanka, in an apparent reference to actor Sunny Deol, asked the people if they wanted a "neta" (leader) or an "abhineta" and introduced Jakhar as the real "neta" of the people. --IANS vg/kr/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots on Tuesday protested against the visit of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi here for campaigning in favour of her party's candidate Sunil Jakhar. The protesters pointed out the statement of Congress leader Sam Pitroda's 'hua-to-hua' remark to describe the 1984 violence to oppose her visit. Gandhi was accompanied by Jakhar, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, party's Punjab in-charge Asha Kumari and Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. A day earlier, at a rally in Khanna town, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said he told Pitroda to apologize to the nation for his remarks and said those guilty should be punished. --IANS vg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US law enforcement has started the process of trying to remove protesters from the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, a State Department official said. The eviction process on Monday came after a group of American anti-war activists began moving into the embassy last month. The decision was made on a request of envoys of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom US President Donald Trump's government recognises as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. "The US does not recognise the authority of the former (Nicolas) Maduro regime or any of its former representatives, to allow any individuals to lawfully enter, remain on this property, or take any other action with respect to this property," said the evacuation order. Guaido's envoys in Washington "have requested and directed anyone who is present on this property to depart from it immediately, and to not return without these ambassadors' express authorisation". "Any person who refuses to comply with these requests and orders to depart from this property will be trespassing in violation of federal and District of Columbia law and may be arrested or criminally prosecuted," it added. Medea Benjamin, one of the founders of the anti-war group Code Pink, had previously told CNN that diplomats from the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had given them access to the embassy before they left as the standoff unfolded between Maduro and Guaido. Venezuela's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for North America Carlos Ron denounced the removal of protesters on Monday "The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has not authorised the entry of police officers into the former Embassy building in Washington, DC. This intrusion is yet another violation of international law by US authorities and an aggression against Venezuela," Ron, a Maduro official, said in a tweet. Although some activists have already left the embassy, at least four remained inside, according to Efe news. There were also pro-Maduro activists outside the building who support those who remain inside the compound. Venezuela is facing a political and social crisis that was heightened after Guaido declared himself interim president on January 23 by invoking articles in the Venezuelan Constitution. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia and Kazakhstan will exchange military contingents for participation in exercises to be held in each others territory this year, Russias Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said at the beginning of Russian-Kazakh defense policy coordination consultations. Kazakhstans military contingent will participate in the strategic command-staff exercise Center-2019 in Russia, he noted. In exchange, Russian military personnel will be delegated for taking part in the Shygys exercise in Kazakhstan, Fomin said. He added that the two countries military personnel are to perform "joint combat training tasks within the framework of the exercise to be held in accordance with the CSTOs package of plans entitled Combat Brotherhood," TASS reported. In particular, he emphasized the International Army Games, stressing the "active participation of the Kazakh armys teams in these large-scale competitions." DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP's Tamil Nadu President Tamilisai Soundararajan to quit politics, if they cannot prove that he was in talks with their party for a post-poll alliance. Soundararajan had claimed that Stalin was in talks with Modi for post-poll alliance. Rebuffing her claim, the DMK chief said he would quit if Soundararajan can prove that he was in talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party for a post-poll alliance and asked whether she and Modi would quit if they can't prove their claim. The BJP, which is on the brink of electoral defeat, is a master in creating confusion in the minds of people, he said, alleging that Soundararjan made such a comment in order to prevent the minorities from voting for DMK in the May 19 by-elections for four Assembly constituencies. Stalin also said it was he who first proposed Congress President Rahul Gandhi as a Prime Ministerial candidate and termed Modi as a "fascist, sadist and a dictator". --IANS vj/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 'cloud cover' theory on the Balakot air strike, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked Modi if all planes go out of the radar screen when it rains in India. Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi said: "Modi says that air force officials said that the weather was bad to carry out the air strike in Balakot. Modiji told the officers that the weather was favourable as clouds would not allow the (Pakistani) radar to spot our planes. Modiji, please tell us, when there is rain and storm in India, do all the planes go out of the radar screen?" The Congress President also accused the Modi government of doing injustice to the people and said Congress' NYAY scheme will cure this injustice. "Five crore families will be benefited under the scheme. Demonetization and GST have destroyed the economy, NYAY will improve it. "Thousands of industries were shut due to demonetization and the GST, unemployment also rose. But as soon as people will get the money under the scheme, economy will improve." --IANS hindi-pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After media reports surfaced that tech giant IBM has sacked 300 employees from its services division in India, the company on Tuesday said it is "re-inventing" itself to meet changing requirements of the businesses. "IBM has been in India for over 25 years and remains committed to being an essential part of its growth. "IBM's strategy is to re-invent itself to better meet the changing requirements of our business and to pioneer new high value technologies," the company said in a statement. Most of the "sacked" employees were in the software services. Industry sources, however, told IANS that the number may not be that big and is in the "low triple-digit" range. Last year, a ProPublica and Mother Jones investigation found that IBM adopted hiring practices that favoured younger workers while systematically laying off or forcing the retirement of as many as 20,000 employees over 40. IBM had said in a statement that "We are proud of our company and our employees' ability to reinvent themselves era after era, while always complying with the law. "Our ability to do this is why we are the only tech company that has not only survived but thrived for more than 100 years," IBM spokesperson Edward Barbini had said. Another tech company Cognizant has also fired nearly 600 senior employees in recent times, saying they could not adjust to the "changing environment" of the company, the media reported. --IANS na/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-politician Kamal Haasan-floated Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party on Tuesday demanded the dismissal of Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Dairy Development K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji for saying that Haasan's tongue should be cut. A statement issued here by MNM General Secretary Arunachalam said that Bhalaji had violated the constitutional oath taken by him during his swearing in as a Minister and so should be sacked. Campaigning for his party candidate on Sunday in Aravakuruchi Assembly constituency where bye-election is to be held on May 19, Haasan said about the killer of Mahatma Gandhi: "The first terrorist of independent India was a Hindu -- Nathuram Godse." Reacting to that, Bhalaji on Monday said that Haasan's tongue should be cut for saying that as terrorism does not have any religion. Bhalaji said Haasan made the remark to gain the votes of minorities. He also demanded a ban on Haasan's party MNM. --IANS vj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egyptian filmmaker Sam Abbas has unveiled an international contest for female filmmakers, with the winner's short film to be included in his upcoming feature "Alias Birth", which stars Indian-American actress Poorna Jagannathan. The narrative or documentary short films must be three minutes long or shorter, directed by a woman and never previously screened, reports hollywoodreporter.com. The idea is to include the winning piece as part of a scene where the characters are watching a short film. Abbas said, "I'm always fascinated by films that are split into segments by different directors and how you can see different styles and tastes mix and match into one. The first time I saw this was in '7 Days in Havana' and 'The Fourth Dimension'. I was struck by how each filmmaker added their own to an ultimate piece. "It opens 'Alia's Birth' to the possibilities I may not have thought of. That's the beauty of collaboration." "Alia's Birth" will star Poorna and Nikohl Boosheri. It tells the story of a female couple forced to spend the night apart. Catharine Daddario will also be a part of the film, which will be shot in New York this summer. "While I can't talk much about the narrative, the importance of this short piece being female-directed is crucial. 'Alia's Birth' is female-led, from the acting to behind the camera. I find it easier to communicate and collaborate when working with women. I grew up surrounded by amazing women, and my favourite films are led by women." Abbas is producing "Alia's Birth" through his recently formed ArabQ Films, the first-ever Arab-based LGBTQ-focused production company, with the newly launched Bolivian production company Anacronica and Nakai Mirtenbaum and backed by private investors across Latin America. --IANS dc/rb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sending a strong message to its Chinese rivals, Samsung on Tuesday said it sold record number (five million) of Galaxy A series phones in just 70 days, starting March 1, achieving $1 billion revenue. Samsung India has launched six models in the Galaxy A series -- Galaxy A50, A30, A20, A10, A70 and A2 Core. "Our aim is to make Galaxy A series a $4-billion brand in India this year. We are now on track to exceed our target," Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice-President, Samsung India, told IANS. "2019 will be a record year for us," he remarked. Samsung set itself a target of launching one Galaxy A smartphone every month -- beginning March till June. While the Galaxy A70 was launched in April at Rs 28,990, the South Korean tech giant is now gearing up to unveil Galaxy A80 with a rotating triple camera system and a full-screen display. "The pre-booking of the Galaxy A80 is likely to start this month, while the phone may be launched early next month," Singh said, adding a launch date for the phone in India is yet to be finalised. According to a report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) on Monday, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi maintained its leadership position in the Indian smartphone market in the first quarter of 2019, growing 8.1 per cent year-on-year. Samsung continued in the second position with a YoY decline of 4.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year, the report said. However, in the premium segment, Samsung regained the top spot after losing out to Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus for three quarters in a row, Counterpoint Research said last week. The initial uptake for the Galaxy S10 series drove Samsung to the leadership position in the premium segment, said the market research firm. The company is now upbeat about sales of the galaxy A series and the online-exclusive M-series. "Among the six Galaxy A phones, the Galaxy A50 is selling much faster than our expectations. We are ramping up supply to meet the increasing demand," Singh said. --IANS gb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma, who was arrested for a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna observed that freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights. They said Sharma should apologize in writing upon her release from jail for posting the morphed picture of Banerjee. The bench noted that Sharma is not a common person, instead a member of a political party, therefore, the insinuation of posting such a picture has a different meaning from those shared by common people. "The detenue shall, however, at the time of release, tender an apology in writing for putting up/sharing the pictures on her Facebook account," said the court. Sharma's counsel Neeraj Kishan Kaul vehemently argued against the apology sought by the court. "She has not created the meme but is sharing it enough for arrest?... This is something like a caricature, kind of an evolving political satire. It (the arrest) will set a wrong trend." The bench observed that though freedom of speech is non-negotiable but "your freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights". Initially, the court had ordered Sharma to be released on bail on the subject that she should tender an apology. Sharma's counsel contested this condition and said that an apology would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech. Later, the court modified the order stating immediate release of Sharma, and upon her release, she should tender an apology. "It is made clear that this order is being made keeping in mind the special facts and circumstances and this case shall not operate as a precedent," said the court. Sharma's counsel argued that actions on sharing a meme, specially the incident of arrest, will set in a series of consequences. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was accused of sharing on social media a photo of the Trinamool Congress supremo photo-shopped on a picture of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra from last week's MET Gala event in New York City. Sharma was arrested on May 10 on a complaint by a Trinamool Congress leader under Section 500 (Defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and under other provisions of the Information Technology Act. The court also issued a notice to the West Bengal government seeking its response regarding the prosecution of a political leader for sharing an alleged "objectionable post" referring it to a political satire. The court has listed the matter after court vacations that ends on June 30. --IANS ss/mag/mr (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.) Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief Poonam Mahajan on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to release Priyanka Sharma, arrested for a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, but added the apex court's direction to tender an apology sent out a wrong message. "I am grateful to the Supreme Court for her (Sharma's) immediate release, but the direction to tender an apology sends out a wrong message on the question of free speech," Mahajan said soon after Priyanka Sharma was granted bail. Mahajan also hit out at the West Bengal Chief Minister and described her as "Hitler Didi". "How are political leaders, like Mamata Didi whom we openly call 'Hitler Didi', using their power for political gains and to massage their own egos," she said. There was anarchy in West Bengal and anyone who questioned the state government was put behind bars, she added. "The people of state will give a befitting reply on May 23 when the Lok Sabha election results come out," she said. Priyanka Sharma was accused of sharing on social media a photo of the Trinamool Congress supremo photo-shopped on a picture of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra from last week's MET Gala event in New York City. She was arrested on May 10 and remanded to 14-day judicial custody. --IANS bns/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aurobindo Pharma on Tuesday informed stock exchanges that the company, as well as other firms in the US generic drug industry, are facing a second lawsuit for violation of antitrust laws. This lawsuit, filed on May 10, was the second after the one filed in December 2016. "US states filed a second lawsuit in Federal Court similarly alleging that Aurobindo and other companies in the US generic drug industry had violated antitrust laws by fixing prices and allocating customers (the 'Second State AG Action')," Aurobindo Pharma said in a regulatory filing. The company said the "Second State AG Action" includes additional parties and additional products which were not referenced in the "First State AG Action" . In December 2016, the Attorney General (AG) of the State of Connecticut along with the Attorneys' General of various other US states filed a lawsuit in Federal Court alleging that Aurobindo and other companies in the US generic drug industry had violated antitrust laws by fixing prices and allocating customers - the "First State AG Action". "On 18 June 2018, an amended complaint was filed in the First State AG Action. Aurobindo has denied all the relevant accusations in the First State AG Action and is vigorously defending against the matter," the company said. The statement said the company is reviewing the "Second State AG Action and expect that we will be filing papers with the Federal Court in due course denying each of the relevant accusations." Aurobindo does not, at this juncture, anticipate that these matters will have a material impact on the its operations or business results, it added. --IANS ravi/sn/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka on Tuesday partially lifted an overnight curfew imposed nationwide after an upsurge in anti-Muslim violence and warned that rioters will be dealt with maximum force -- three weeks after the deadly Easter Sunday bombings. The curfew will, however, remain until further notice in the North-Western Province where anti-Muslim violence broke out on Monday, the police said. Twitter was temporarily blocked on Tuesday following a social media ban on Facebook, Whatsapp and Viber to prevent circulation of fake news and incitement to violence, the Daily Mirror reported. Mosques and Muslim-owned shops were vandalized or set on fire in violence and one Muslim man was slashed to death. In several places, the police fired in the air and used tear gas to disperse mobs. In a televised address, Police chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned that officers would respond to rioters with "maximum force". Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier appealed for calm, saying the current unrest was hampering the investigation into the Easter bombings. Tensions have been high in Sri Lanka since Islamist militants attacked three churches, three luxury hotels and two other locations on April 21, killing over 250 people. The riots were centred on three districts north of Colombo. In the north-western town of Kiniyama, windows and doors to a mosque were smashed. The unrest was triggered on Sunday after a group of people stormed into Chilaw town following a Facebook post by a Muslim shopkeeper about "an attack plan", the police said. Several people threw stones at mosques and attacked Muslim-owned shops in the town. A 38-year-old Muslim businessman identified as the author of the post that sparked the violence was arrested, reports say. Violence was also reported in Hettipola town, where at least three shops were reportedly torched. The government said security forces restored calm to streets in the areas affected by violence and that officers are preventing revenge attacks on Muslims, the BBC reported. "What we want to say is that the government is very determined to control this and from tonight onwards it shall be completely controlled," said Shiral Lakthilaka, an adviser to President Maithripala Sirisena. However, there was concern among Muslims that their fears about retaliatory violence were not acted on soon enough. One Muslim businessman, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC he feared for his safety. "We can see many places where the curfew has been announced. The Army is on the streets with guns but they don't take any action against the violence," he said. According to the the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) -- the main body of Islamic clerics -- there has been increased suspicion of Muslims after the April attacks blamed on local Islamic group National Thowheed Jamath, which is believed to have links with the Islamic State that claimed the carnage. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran is unable to export enriched uranium and heavy water exactly because of U.S. sanctions that encumber implementation of certain provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Ermakov said. "As cynical as this sounds, Tehran is doing exactly what Washington was urging it to do through its recent 'nuclear' sanctions. The United States has made enriched uranium and heavy water export impossible. Iran will, therefore, stock it, and only Washington is to blame", Sputnik cited Ermakov as saying. The diplomat noted that Iran's nuclear activities are currently in full compliance with the JCPOA, while, the U.S. actions aimed at undermining major international agreements that promote the strengthening of regional and global security are a real threat to the nuclear nonproliferation regime, but the global community did not properly rebuff the U.S. destructive policies. "Russia and China prepared last year a working document in JCPOA support. However, Europeans and other U.S. allies were afraid to join our initiative. We all see the regrettable results of such an attitude," the director of the department noted. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo will hold talks in Sochi later in the day. Yesterday, Lavrov said that he hoped to hear an explanation of how Washington planned to solve the crisis around the JCPOA. The Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry plans to launch a mega promotional campaign in Thailand to attract tourists from short-haul markets due to a sharp decline in arrivals following the Easter Sunday attacks that claimed over 250 lives. The campaign will kick off in Thailand with the participation of 20 Sri Lanka destination management companies promoting the island country's scenic locations and food at two separate travel events, Xinhua news agency reported. "These promotional programmes are being carried out on the strength of security assurances given by the defence authorities that all necessary precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of tourists," a statement from the Ministry said. It said Thailand, which shares a close relationship with Sri Lanka especially through Buddhism, has been selected as the first country to carry out the new series of promotional campaigns. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Students at many places in the Kashmir Valley took to the streets and clashed with security forces on Tuesday in protest against the rape of a minor in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district. Students of Amar Singh College came out of the campus and fought pitched battles with the security forces here. The students were demanding a speedy trial of the accused, who has been arrested, and justice for the victim. Students also protested in large numbers against the heinous crime in the Kashmir University campus in Srinagar. The students carried banners demanding death for the accused. They appealed that nobody should use the highly sensitive issue for vote bank politics and everyone must try and get speedy justice to the victim. Student protests were also held at a number of other places but these ended peacefully. Protesters demanding exemplary punishment to the rapist again blocked the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. At some places, the moving vehicles were stoned, forcing the traffic to stop. Police have arrested the accused, Tahir Ahmed Mir, and set up a special investigation team (SIT) to complete the investigation speedily. The crime was committed on May 9 when Muslims in the Valley were busy breaking their daily fast during the ongoing holy month of Ramadan. Police have also booked the principal of a private school that had issued a date of birth certificate in favour of the accused showing him as a minor. Preliminary medical examination of the accused shows Mir is an adult. There has been widespread condemnation of the crime with all religious, political and social organisations appealing to people to maintain sectarian brotherhood so that the police are able to take the investigation to its logical end. --IANS sq/mr/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia would like to rebuild ties with the US through a dialogue built on trust because suspicions and prejudices had only served to hinder bilateral security, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday at a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Lavrov told Pompeo, who had flown in earlier in the day, that restoring good relations with the US would be a starting point to finding common ground between the two nations, Efe news reported. "I'm here today because President (Donald) Trump is committed to improving this relationship," Pompeo replied to Lavrov in front of the press. "As I think you said, we have differences, each country will protect its own interests, look out for its own interests," the top US official said. On his first official visit to Russia, Pompeo told Lavrov that he looked forward to tackling a range of bilateral issues although he acknowledged there would likely be areas where the pair would inevitably struggle to find common ground. The pair recently met on the sidelines of the Arctic Council in Finland. "I believe that it is time to build a new more constructive and responsible matrix of our mutual perception and we are ready to do this if our US colleagues and counterparts are willing to do that," the Russian Foreign Minister said. "We see that there are certain suspicions and prejudices on both sides but this is not a way to have a win-win situation because that mistrust hinders both your security and our security," he added. Lavrov said that "the key to restoring positive relations was to re-establish dialogue based on trust at all levels of the relationship". "We'll try it, see how it turns out," he added. Pompeo herald the US-Russian cooperation in the ambit of security and counter-terror, which he said had saved Russian and American lives. He also highlighted the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and regional conflict resolution as other successful areas in the Washington-Moscow relationship. The talks come as the US tensions with Iran escalated, while other geopolitical topics high on the agenda would likely revolve around Venezuela and Ukraine. Tehran remains an ally of Moscow as both sides back Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in the civil war there and both sit on the negotiating table with Turkey in the so-called Astana talks aimed at establishing peace in the war-torn nation. Meanwhile, the US is leading an escalation in tensions against Iran and has ordered an increase in American military presence in the region to ward off what Washington says is the possibility that Iran was readying to mount destabilizing attacks. Pompeo is also due to meet Russia's President Vladimir Putin. --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 hosted his second annual iftar dinner at the White House and said it's "been a very rough time" for Muslims around the world. The dinner, which breaks the daily fast of Ramadan for Muslims around the world, on Monday night was attended by ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps representing Muslim-majority nations, reports ABC News. Trump cited the devastating attacks on Muslims killed in New Zealand, Sri Lanka, California and Pittsburgh. "In their blessed memory, we resolve to defeat the evils of terrorism," he said. Trump's speech emphasised world peace. "We thank god that America is a place founded on beliefs that citizens of all faiths can live together in safety and live together in freedom." He ended his address with a Muslim blessing: "Wish all the people around the world Ramadan Kareem." The iftar dinners have been regularly held at the White House since the former President Bill Clinton's administration. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump said that he would meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) next month. "I will be meeting with President Putin," Trump told reporters at the White House during his meeting with visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The announcement of their meeting at the G20 summit, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, at the end of June, came as the two countries are still at odds over issues including arms control, Venezuela, Ukraine and Iran. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to meet with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday, after skipping a stopover in Moscow for meetings with European and NATO officials in Brussels over Iran. Pompeo will discuss "the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges" with Putin and Lavrov, said the US State Department last week. In early May, Trump spoke over phone with Putin for more than an hour, a conversation which Trump touted later in a tweet as "very productive." Trump cancelled a formal meeting with Putin in Buenos Aires in December last year, citing mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the United States does not want a war with Iran, amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Speaking in Russia, Pompeo said the US was looking for Iran to behave like a "normal country". Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader has also said there will be no war with the US. Tensions have escalated after four tankers were damaged off the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. US investigators believe Iran or groups it supports were involved in the incident but no evidence of Iran's role has emerged. Pompeo, who held talks with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Russian city of Sochi, said the US "fundamentally" did not seek a conflict with Iran, the BBC reported. "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." In remarks carried on state media and on his Twitter account, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "We don't seek a war, nor do they." He also repeated Tehran's position that it would not negotiate with the US on a nuclear deal to replace the one President Donald Trump withdrew from last year. Few details have been released about the incident in the Gulf which is said to have taken place early on Sunday within UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the emirate of Fujairah. Four commercial ships had been targeted in a "sabotage attack" near Fujairah port, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE foreign ministry said. There were no casualties but Saudi Arabia said two of its ships had suffered "significant damage". Another tanker was Norwegian-registered while the fourth was reportedly UAE-flagged. US military investigators discovered large holes in all of the ships and believe they were caused by explosive charges, according to reports quoting an unnamed official. They did not explain how the damage was linked to Iran. --IANS kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the incidents of violence during his Kolkata road show, Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Tuesday accused "the goons" backed by Trinamool Congress of attacking his procession and appealed to the people to give Mamata Banerjee's party a stern reply by voting them out of power. "The goons of Mamata didi's party Trinamool Congress attacked the road show. The attack started near a medical college. Objects were thrown at us and attempts were made to create a stampede-like situation," Shah alleged. "I strongly condemn the kind of violence spread by Banerjee's party. I want to appeal to the people of Bengal to give them a stern reply in the last phase of polling by exercising their voting rights peacefully. In order to eradicate the culture of political violence from Bengal, it is important to defeat Trinamool Congress," he said. The BJP leader also accused the Election Commission of looking the other way from the issues created by Trinamool Congress in Bengal and urged the EC to "immediately arrest all the goons" in the state before the seventh phase of polling. "The Election Commission is sitting with its eyes closed. In order to save its reputation, the EC should issue an order to arrest all the goons roaming around in Bengal before the final phase of polling," he added. A clash broke out between the members of Trinamool Congress students' union and the saffron party activists, participating in Shah's rally, outside the Calcutta University campus and Vidyasagar College. Three bikes were set ablaze and a few people from both side sustained injuries. --IANS mgr/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a meeting of US President Donald Trumps top national security aides last week, Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, administration officials said. The high-level review of the Pentagon's plans was presented during a meeting on May 9 about broader Iran policys, The New York Times quoted the officials as saying on Monday. It was held days after what the Trump administration described, without evidence, as new intelligence indicating that Iran was mobilising proxy groups in Iraq and Syria to attack American force. As a precaution, the Pentagon has moved an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers, a Patriot missile interceptor battery and more naval firepower to the Gulf region. The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John Bolton, Trump's National Security Adviser. They however, did not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops. It remains uncertain whether Trump, who has sought to disentangle the US from Afghanistan and Syria, ultimately would send American forces back to the Middle East. It is also unclear whether the President has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans. On Monday, when asked about if he was seeking regime change in Iran, Trump said: "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake." "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens," he added. European allies who met Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said that they were worried that tensions between Washington and Tehran could boil over, possibly inadvertently. According to The New York Times, deploying such a robust air, land and naval force would give Tehran more targets to strike, and potentially more reason to do so, risking entangling the US in a drawn out conflict. It also would reverse years of retrenching by the American military in the Middle East that began with former President Barack Obama's withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 2011. The report comes as several oil tankers were reportedly attacked or sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. Saudi Arabian officials are investigating the apparent sabotage, and American officials suspect that Iran was involved. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called it a "regretful incident". --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Russia. His plane has landed at the Sochi airport at 14:00 Moscow time. During his first working visit to Russia, the top US diplomat is expected to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and later meet with President Vladimir Putin. The full-fledged meeting, the second one over the past month, will focus on solving the crisis around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, extending the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) and also Syria and Venezuela, TASS reported. The devotees of Lord Balaji in the national capital can attend the 11-day annual 'Brahmotsavam' that will start on May 15 at Sri Venkateswara Swamyvari temple here. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) which administers Sri Venkateswara Swamyvari temple -- located behind RML Hospital -- has been organising the 'Brahmotsavam', a holy cleansing ceremony in honour of Lord Brahma, since 2014. During the festival, Lord Venkateswara along with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi will be taken on a procession on different chariots (vahanams). Various pujas and cultural programmes will also be held. "Elaborate arrangements have been made for devotees to witness the 'vahana sevas' and perform various other pujas at the temple," Andhra Pradesh Resident Commissioner Praveen Prakash told reporters here. The first puja will be on May 15 and with 'Sri Pushpa Yagam' the festivities will conclude on May 25, he said, urging devotees in and around Delhi-NCR to participate in the annual festival. Prakash said efforts are being made to popularise the Swamyvari temple, which was built in 2013 at a cost of Rs 25 crore by TTD, and also attract donations to make it self-sustainable. "Number of visitors to the temples is very less. We want donors to contribute to this temple instead at Tirumala so that the temple is able to sustain," he said, adding that donors contributing over Rs 10 lakh are being offered three VIP 'darshans' in Tirumala for five people. Besides cultural programmes, special stalls will be put up to sell the famous 'Tirupati Ladoo prasadam', souvenirs, flowers and puja items besides silk cloths, he added. This is the third temple of Lord Balaji in north India. The other two are located in Kurukshetra in Haryana and Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirteen Pakistani nationals, including four fishermen, were repatriated to Pakistan on Tuesday through the Attari-Wagah border, the country's High Commission here said. They were handed over to Pakistani authorities in the presence of officials of the Pakistan High Commission, it said. Thirteen Pakistani nationals -- nine civil prisoners and four fishermen, were repatriated on May 14 through the Attari-Wagah border, the mission said in a statement. The Pakistan High Commission here worked closely with the Indian authorities for the release and repatriation of these Pakistani civil prisoners and fishermen, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons died while two others were taken ill after taking homoeopathy drug allegedly laced with some intoxicating substance in Bihar's Begusarai district on Tuesday, police said Sadar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Rajan Sinha said the deceased have been identified as Murari Ram (35) and Bahadur Shah (40), both residents of Kharidi village of the district. The two ill persons have been admitted to a private hospital in Begusarai, he said, adding that both are stated to be out of danger. The SDPO said nothing can be said about the cause of the death as police are investigating the matter. Dr Arun Kumar, who conducted post mortem, said that prima facie it does not seem to be the case of death by consuming spurious liquor. It seems to be the case of poisoning may be caused by some kind of homoeopathy medicine which was laced with some other material. Viscera has been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory, Patna as the cause of death is not clear, the doctor said. Local villagers alleged that the two persons died after taking homoeopathy drug allegedly laced with intoxicating material from a clinic run by a homoeopathy practitioner. Villagers claimed that people in large number visit the homoeopathy practitioner, who allegedly would add some intoxicating material with the medicine in view of the prohibition enforced since April 2016 in the state. Police raided the clinic of of the homoeopathy practitioner, who is absconding since the incident, the SDPO said, adding that police have seized homoeopathy medicines from the clinic. Angry villagers blocked the Matihani-Begusarai main road for several hours demanding payment of Rs 4 lakh to each of the deceased's family as compensation. The blockade was lifted after the Matihani Block Development Officer Bhuvanesh Mishra and Circle Officer Upendra Kumar assured to look into their demands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Two CPI(M) leaders here were arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of two Youth Congress activists in the district in February and were later granted bail, police said. K M Manikandan and Balakrishnan, an area secretary and local secretary of the Left party, were charged under IPC sections 201 (causing disapperance of evidence or giving false information) and 212 (harbouring offenders), sources told PTI. With this, the total number of people arrested in connection with the case has touched 13. CPI(M) local leader A Peethambaran had been arrested earlier for allegedly instigating the killings of Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21), the youth congress activists, they said. Kripesh and Sarath Lal were waylaid and attacked while returning home after attending a function here in February. The opposition Congress and BJP had alleged that the killings were executed with the knowledge and support of the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), a charge which the party had denied. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel has begun building nearly 20,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank during the past decade of Benjamin Netanyahu's premiership, settlement watchdog Peace Now said Tuesday. The group's annual settlement report highlighted how the issue complicates the chances of resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. It said that construction of 19,346 settler homes had started between 2009 -- the year that Netanyahu became prime minister for a second time -- and the end of 2018. "The Israeli government is digging the country a pit to fall in," said a Peace Now statement accompanying the report. "Even if the government does not believe that peace can be achieved in the near future, there is no logic to expanding the settlements and making the solution impossible." The report was published as Netanyahu was on track to begin a fifth term after April's general election and the White House prepared to unveil a peace proposal it has been working on for months. Details have been kept under wraps but given US President Donald Trump's close alliance with Netanyahu it is unlikely to call for widespread dismantlement of settlements. Settlement is illegal under international law but has been pursued by every Israeli government since the Jewish state occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Six Day war. It is widely considered by the international community to be an obstacle to peace and flies in the face of the core Palestinian demand for an independent state alongside Israel. To rally right-wing voters, Netanyahu said during his election campaign that he would start annexing the West Bank settlements if he was returned to power. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has declined to say if the United States would oppose such a move. Peace Now spokeswoman Hagit Ofran told AFP that a two-state solution could demand the relocation of about 150,000 settlers. Such a number would be a political impossibility for the right-wing Netanyahu. Based on aerial photos Peace Now's survey said that 2,100 settler homes were started in 2018. Its report for the previous year counted 2,783. The reports do not include Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the mainly Palestinian sector of the city. About 630,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in tense proximity to three million Palestinians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A powerful remote-controlled bomb blast near a mosque in Pakistan's Balochistan province has killed four policemen and injured 11 others, the second major attack to rock the restive region in the last three days. The explosion occurred on Monday night when people were assembling for prayers near the mosque in the provincial capital Quetta's Satellite Town area. The attack took place shortly after a police van arrived at the site to provide security to the people offering prayers at the mosque. "The police vehicle carrying personnel for mosque security was targeted in the blast in which our four personnel of Rapid Response Group (RRG) lost their lives, while the condition of another was stated to be serious," said Quetta Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Razzaq Cheema. Another 11 people were injured in the attack, Provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langov said. This was the second major terrorist attack in Balochistan within the last three days. Three heavily-armed militants on Saturday stormed a luxury hotel in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, killing eight persons, including a Pakistan Navy soldier and three militants. An improvised explosive device planted in a motorcycle went off close to the police van. Sources said unidentified people parked the explosive-laden motorbike near the mosque in Satellite Town area and detonated it by remote control when the police van arrived there, the Dawn reported. "Three police officials among the injured died soon after being brought here at the hospital," officials at a healthcare facility said. Many vehicles parked in the area were damaged and windowpanes of nearby buildings were shattered due to the powerful blast, though the mosque remained safe in the attack. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace those involved in the blast. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the motorcycle bomb blast targeting the police vehicle, the report said. Prime Minister Imran Khan has strongly condemned the targeted attack. Khan has sought a report on the blast and said the country was fully committed to completely eliminating terrorism. The prime minister said those who target innocent people in the holy month of Ramazan did not have a religion. The nation's spirit is strong and Pakistan is determined to do away with the menace of terrorism, he said. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has also condemned the attack. "Efforts are being made to sabotage peace under a wicked conspiracy. Those creating instability would be fought back with full force," he said. Vowing to improve the security arrangements, the chief minister also directed the concerned authorities to provide the best medical facilities to the wounded persons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five personnel of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) has been killed in Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh while constructing a steel bailey bridge, an official said Tuesday. The incident happened on May 11 when the personnel of Project Arunak were constructing the 180-feet-long bridge along the strategically important Nacho-Tama Chung Chung Road near the remote Limeking circle in the district that shares border with China, Project Arunank Chief Engineer Brigadier R S Rawal told PTI. He said that he received the information of the incident on Tuesday from officials at the accident site due to poor telephone connectivity. Pioneers Baidur Rehman, Pramod Kumar, Mahabir Sah and Tapan Nath died instantly, while hydraulic operator Anil Budhwar, who had suffered grievous injuries in his spine and pelvis, died during evacuation to district headquarters Daporijo, Brigadier Rawal said. "The body of the four pioneers got stuck at the bridge but three were recovered when the last report was received and being sent to their native places," he said. Brigadier Rawal said rescue operations were affected due to incessant rains, besides very strong water current and high water level of the Subansiri river and steep cliff of the accident site. "Diving team, including Army personnel, has been making all out efforts to retrieve the bodies," he said. He said the compensation as per laid down norms would be paid to the kin of the dead, while a departmental inquiry has been ordered. The 128 Road Construction Company (RCC) under 23 Border Road Task Force (BRTF) is constructing the challenging road involving cutting and widening hilly terrain, bridging water gap and surfacing formation cutting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five suspected Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, including a woman, were apprehended by Government Railway Police (GRP) from Guwahati station on Tuesday, officials said. Initially the woman and two men were apprehended and based on their interrogation, two other Rohingyas were also nabbed from the station, the GRP officials said. During routine checking, a GRP team found the woman carrying a court order granting her bail, following her arrest in Manipur. The men had train tickets to Delhi while the woman had a platform ticket. Documents for obtaining Refugee Certificates from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in New Delhi were recovered from them, the officials said. Fake Aadhaar cards, cigarettes, white coffee, made in the neighbouring country, were also recovered from their possession, they said. Preserved fruit packets, sweets and other items made in Myanmar were also seized. The five persons were identified as Makakmyayum Shenaz, Md Zubar, Md Kamal Hussain, Nurul Hakim and Md Kalimula. Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently claimed that a "systematic process" was on to push Rohingya Muslims into the state by "some vested interests" who were making concerted efforts to settle them in Assam and developing a network to raise donations for them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP and the BJP traded allegations on Tuesday over the brutal killing of a businessman in Moti Nagar after he objected to eve-teasing with his daughter, with the former saying the incident should not be given a "religious colour". BJPs Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta questioned the Kejriwal government why it was "silent" on the incident. "Will they speak only if they see some political advantage in reacting or they do not want to react as the accused belong to a particular community and it will adversely affect their vote bank," Gupta charged. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded that police take the "strongest" action against the guilty. AAP's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh condemned the attack, saying "political forces" should not give a religious colour to the incident. "It was an unfortunate incident which should not be mixed with religion. Some fringe groups are trying to give the incident a religious angle but that is unacceptable," he said. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari termed the incident "heartbreaking" and demanded speedy justice and adequate compensation to the victim's family. The 52-year-old businessman was stabbed to death allegedly for objecting to lewd comments made by some boys on his daughter in West Delhi's Moti Nagar area early Sunday. His 19-year-old son was also critically injured in the incident in connection with which two accused have been arrested by police. "All of us should condemn it and demand stern action against the guilty persons and the the members of society should not remain mute spectators over such incidents," Tiwari said. Gupta charged that the Kejriwal government is "responsible" for such "heinous incidents" taking place in Delhi, asking what happened to its promise of installing CCTV cameras across the city. Singh said if the Delhi police fails to probe the incident properly, AAP leaders, including CM Kejriwal, will protest against it. Girish Soni, AAP MLA from Madipur constituency which includes Moti Nagar area, blamed BJP and RSS for trying to give a "religious colour" to the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia Tuesday said his party was ready to join hands with a "non-BJP" front at the Centre to keep the saffron party out of power. The deputy chief minister of Delhi also accused the BJP of playing "divisive" and termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party's chief Amit Shah as the "biggest danger" to the country. "The Modi-Shah duo is the biggest danger to this country. They promote divisions in society and want to capture power by dividing the society. "In this backdrop, we fear that if Modi and Shah come to power again, then riots will increase in the country. The situation in the country will become like Afghanistan and Syria," he told reporters here. Therefore, it is necessary to defeat them, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said. "To keep Modi and Shah out of power, we are ready to join hands with a non-BJP, non-Modi government at the Centre," he said when asked about what role the AAP could play in government formation at the Centre once the Lok Sabha results are declared on May 23. The AAP has fielded former Union minister Harmohan Dhawan from the Chandigarh seat, which goes to polls in the general election's final phase on May 19. Dhawan had joined the Arvind Kejriwal-led party six months back. Replying to a question, Sisodia said, "Modi is campaigning in the entire country, let's see how many seats he gets." "The BJP is fighting the poll in Modi's name. The ruling party (at the Centre) is not talking about issues," the deputy chief minister said. Sisodia said his party is fighting the polls on the basis of its work and performance. To another question, he said everyone knows the condition of institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Reserve Bank of India under the present BJP-led NDA government. On Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal being shown black flags in Punjab, Sisodia said, "It is not the public, but the (AAP's) political rivals who are doing so." On BJP's sitting MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher, he claimed that she does not have much to show on the performance front. "In the last general elections, the people of Chandigarh elected her, but 'madam' remained busy in doing advertisements and shooting (for films), he alleged. Sisodia evaded a direct reply to a question on the AAP's Chandigarh unit apparently remaining "inactive after actor-turned-politician Gul Panag, who had contested the 2014 general elections from here as a AAP nominee, lost. "What should she have done according to you? No, she did not run away anywhere. You may feel the party unit here is defunct, but we are active," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Boeing 737 from the Russian airline Utair that was headed to Milan has returned to Vnukovo Airport near Moscow due to a problem with the plane's chassis, the company said. "After take-off from Vnukovo, the Boeing 737-800 had some technical issues with the undercarriage [It] landed safely," Sputnik cited a representative of the company as saying. According to the representative, the plane carrying 109 passengers got rid of extra fuel first. Shortly after departing from Vnukovo Airport, the crew chief informed air traffic controllers that a technical failure had prevented him from lifting the landing gear. Before landing, the aircraft circled above the airport for some time to get rid of excess fuel. The AIADMK Tuesday appealed to the Election Commission to bar AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran from campaigning for allegedly making personal attacks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam. Calling it a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the ruling party also accused Dhinakaran of criticising Supreme Court and Madras High Court judgments, which the party said, amounted to contempt. "During his campaign in Sulur assembly constituency yesterday, TTV Dhinakaran made personal attacks against TN CM and his deputy that violates election rules and procedures set by the EC," the AIADMK said in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo. Dhinakaran, the AIADMK claimed, has also criticised judgments of the apex court and High Court pertaining to Tamil Nadu with a motive to garner votes for his candidate. The AMMK general secretary was misleading the public by disseminating false information, the letter alleged and urged the CEO to initiate action against Dhinakaran as per provisions of the model code of conduct and Indian Penal Code. "He has to be banned from election campaigns," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar Tuesday pushed aside a microphone, made fists and used an expletive at reporters who questioned him about his neech jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also called the prime minister a coward. Aiyar lost his temper at tv reporters who met him at the Punjab government guest house here and questioned him over an article he wrote, recalling a slur he directed at Modi in 2017. Don't you know there is a person in India, Narendra Modi. Haven't you heard about his sharp attacks. Go and ask him questions, he told them in Hindi. No, He doesn't talk to you as he is a coward. He doesn't talk to the media, he said. Then he raised his arms, waiving them about in an apparent imitation of Modi. He also made a fist at the reporters and pushed away a microphone. You won't ask me any question, he warned one of them. He then used an expletive in English, while asking them to leave. With another set of reporters during the day, Aiyar was calmer. He said it was just one line in his article and he will not get involved in media's "games". "I am a fool, but not such a big fool," he said. Referring to Modi in his article in Rising Kashmir and The Print, Aiyar wrote, "Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, the former Union minister had called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party. This time too, the Congress has condemned the remarks in the article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After months of silence, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar was back in the on Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" slur against Narendra Modi, and also calling him the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen. The article, published in Rising Kashmir and The Print, drew condemnation from the Congress and the BJP, which called Aiyar "abuser-in-chief" and described his party as arrogant. Addressing an election rally, Modi attacked Aiyar and the Congress, saying he takes such abuses as "gifts" and the public will respond to each and every abuses by electing the BJP. In the article, just days before the last phase of voting for the high-stakes Lok Sabha polls, Aiyar said,"remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, the former Union minister called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party. Justifying the slur, Aiyar in his article said,"Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" Later, in Shimla, when reporters questioned him about the controversy, Aiyar said it was just one line in his article and he will not get involved in media's "games". "I am a fool, but not such a big fool," he said. The Congress condemned Aiyar's remarks with chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also hinting at action against the veteran Congress leader saying, "appropriate forum in the party will definitely look at it and take apropriate action". Surjewala also accused Modi of lowering the political discourse by using "downright insulting" and "abusive language" against his opponents and alleged that hatred, violence and abuse is the modus operandi of the BJP and not of the Congress. "We completely reject and condemn the remarks of the likes of Mani Shankar Aiyar and every other person who is violating the time-tested principle of self discipline in political discourse, of mutual respect and adherence to ideas and ideology, and not to verbally abuse while fighting an election," he said. The truth is that Modi has "seriously lowered the prestige of the prime minister's office by his choice of words, anger, uncontrollable rage, and by his quest to seek revenge against opposition leaders", he alleged. Later, Modi used his election rallies to hit out at Aiyar and the Congress. "Yesterday, he (Aiyar) has again said what he stated earlier. But the Congress had then done the drama by suspending him, and later took him back. But the Congress did not view what he had said as wrong and this is the result of that only," Modi said. The Prime Minister further said,"he (Aiyar) is now saying it again, and also emphasising that there is nothing wrong in his abuse against me. The Naamdaar and his family and their people have ruled over this country for years with this arrogance...I take such abuses as gifts. Modi does not need to answer to these abuses, it is the public which will give answer to each and every abuse hurled at me by choosing the BJP." The counting of votes for the seven-phase general elections, which will end on May 19, will be on May 23. BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao put out a tweet saying "Abuser-in-chief Aiyar" had returned to justify his 2017 'Neech' jibe. "...Aiyar then apologized and hid behind poor Hindi excuse. Now he says he was prophetic. Congress revoked his suspension last year for filthy outburst. Double speak and arrogance of @INCIndia on display again!" he said. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill earlier said his party is not on the back foot over Aiyar's remarks and it should be Modi instead, who should be ashamed for his remarks on former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya referred to Congress leader Sam Pitroda's "hua to hua" remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and said,"Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitroda's foot out of his mouth and puts it in his...Reiterates and justifies his neech' comment for PM!". In the article, Aiyar said he has found out why Modi "loathes" Jawaharlal Nehru so much -- because Nehru had a degree in 'Natural Sciences' from the University of Cambridge, and was convinced that to pull Indians out of superstition, modern India must cultivate a "scientific temper". Aiyar said this drives Hindutva supporters "nuts because they like to believe the 'udan khatolas' of mythology were the earliest F-16s to be invented by Hindus, and that Hindu plastic surgery, not a transplant operation, is what led to an elephant's head surmounting Lord Ganesh." "Both these stunningly illiterate claims come from the mouth of none less than the Prime Minister of our country, whose acquaintance with higher education has gone no further than lying about degrees from Delhi and Gujarat universities that he never got and who can obviously not tell a scientific proposition from a dhokla'," Aiyar wrote. He also referred to Modi's recent comment that he ordered the Indian Air Force to strike at Balakot despite heavy cloud cover because he believed that heavy cloud cover at the time would allow Indian jets to evade Pakistani radar. "Did Modi take his senior-most Air Force officers for fools that he could trot out such ridiculous unscientific rubbish before them? And were they so pusillanimous that they dared not correct such a vacuous Prime Minister?" he wrote in the article, which comes as the long-drawn poll process ends on May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nimbly crisscrossing political lines, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar is the BJP's disgruntled ally in Uttar Pradesh who proclaimed his support for the SP-BSP and now seems disenchanted with the 'mahagathbandhan' too. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati don't even know the number of backwards and Dalits in the state, Rajbhar told PTI. The Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), the BJP's ally in Uttar Pradesh, is contesting against the saffron party. The party, which has influence in eastern Uttar Pradesh, is contesting 35 seats and has extended support to the grand alliance in Maharajganj, Bansgaon and Sant Kabir Nagar and to the Congress in Mirzapur. Rajbhar, who is still a cabinet minister in the BJP-led government in the state, said he will take a final call on his party's alliance with the BJP after the polls. In a disparaging reference to Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, Rajbhar said, "They don't even know how many Dalits and backwards castes are in the state. They claim to be leaders of these two sections of the society but they don't know much about them." He described the ongoing Lok Sabha polls as a fight for SBSP's "relevance". "I had demanded only one seat from BJP but even that was denied, so we were left with no other option." He added that the SBSP is not contesting to win elections or to defeat any party. "We are contesting elections to let others know where we stand," Rajbhar told PTI. On the question of his party extending support to the SP-BSP grand alliance on three seats and the Congress on one seat, Rajbhar said it was a decision of the party's local unit. "In SBSP, everyone is party president. So on these four seats, nominations of our party's candidates were cancelled and the local unit decided to extend the support to SP-BSP grand alliance and on one seat to the Congress," he said. The SBSP enjoys support of the Rajbhar community, which constitutes 20 per cent of the Purvanchal population and is regarded as the second-most politically dominant community after Yadavs in eastern UP, parts of which will vote in the last round of the seven-phase election on May 19. In the 2017 assembly elections in the state, the party won seven seats out of the 14 it contested in alliance with the BJP. The SBSP may dent the BJP's hopes of consolidating the votes of the non-Yadav OBCs, who make up over 30 per cent of the electorate in the state. Rajbhar has been a vocal critic of the BJP for the last few months, speaking out against the Yogi Adityanath government and demanding quotas for his community within the reservation for the OBCs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Prakash Javadekar Tuesday demanded resignation of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the "delay" in initiation of action in the Alwar gang-rape case, which, he alleged, was done for political gains during the Lok Sabha elections. On April 26, a woman was travelling with her husband on a motorcycle when the accused stopped them and took them to an isolated place off the road. They allegedly beat the husband and raped her in front of him, threatening them of dire consequences. Her husband claimed that he had approached Rajasthan police on April 30 after the incident, but an FIR was filed on May 7. He had alleged that the police did not take action saying that they were busy with elections. At a press conference here, Javadekar said, "Congress president Rahul Gandhi is said to start touring the state in the coming days. He should ask Gehlot to resign as chief minister. Gehlot is also the state's home minister and it is not possible that he was not informed about such a heinous crime. The case was kept under wraps for six days for political gains." Javadekar, who is also the BJP's state election in-charge, said BSP chief Mayawati supports the Congress government in Rajasthan and she remained "quiet" on atrocities against people belonging to SC and ST communities. The BSP did not withdraw support to the Congress government in the state and now people of the country will punish her in the polls, he said. The Union minister also accused the Rajasthan government of "tweaking historical facts" in the school textbooks. "Maharana Pratap is described victorious in the Battle of Haldighati in class 7 textbook, but stated it to be indecisive in class 10. In class 12 textbooks, Maharana Pratap is being taught to have lost in the battle. The Congress has praised only one family, insulted patriots and Akbar is described 'great' but not Maharana Pratap," Javadekar said. About Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar justifying his "neech" jibe against Narendra Modi and also calling him the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen in articles published in Rising Kashmir and The Print, the Union minister said, it shows the Congress leader's arrogance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Animal rights activists Tuesday slammed the draft rules on prevention of cruelty to animals for egg laying hens published recently by the Centre, saying they fall short of addressing the most serious risks to animal welfare and are "impractical and unenforceable". Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture released Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Egg laying hens) Rules 2019 following the order of the High Court, according to which, poultry farms in the country may be forced to give a space of not less than 550 sq cm and cannot put more than 6-8 birds in a cage. However, criticising the rules, animal rights activists on Tuesday said that the rules merely increase the space given to egg laying hens from 450 sq cm to 550 sq cm, which will still allow egg laying hens to be confined in cramped cages. Gauri Maulekhi, Trustee, People for Animals said through a statement, "The Rules are a mere eye-wash and must be objected to for their failure to adhere to the basic principles of law, and for failure to further the object of the parent Act (i.e. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act. The draft rule, by law and sprit is against the orders of the Delhi High Court." Expressing a similar view, N G Jayasimha, managing director of NGO Humane Society of India said the rules are "impractical and unenforceable". "Whereas the Rules provide for language indicating bio-security, there are no provisions towards enforceability. The rules are extremely impractical and unenforceable. "The issues pertaining to bio-security are dependent on the management practices. With battery cages having increased the instances of diseases, a mere introduction of restriction on use of antimicrobials, without checks and balance, is of no utility," he said. The animal rights activists also said the draft rules will still allow egg laying hens to be confined in cramped cages where they will be unable to perform many important natural behaviours, including walking, perching, dust bathing, nesting, or even fully stretching their wings. "They will continue to suffer psychological stress as well as numerous physical harms, including bone weakness and breakage, feather loss, and diseases," activists said. In 2017 the Law Commission of India, had recommended a phase out of battery cages in the country. The Centre published the draft rules on April 29 following the Delhi high court's April 10 order. The High Court had asked the government to come out with rules to end cruelty to egg laying hens after it was brought to its notice by animal rights activists that the hens used for production of eggs were reared in small, barren wire cages called 'battery cages' a name given due to the arrangement of cages placed side by side. (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 Tuesday chaired a cabinet meeting here, a day after the Election Commission granted conditional permission for the State government to conduct it. While granting permission for the Cabinet meeting, the ECI, in a communique on Monday, had said: "ECI has no objection regarding convening of meeting of Council of Ministers, subject to conditions that any new decisions or revision of rates or any outstanding payment will require permission of the Commission before implementation. It also said no media announcement of enhancement of rates should be done in the meeting. Naidu had sought to conduct regular official meetings citing the wide gap between the polling day and the (vote) counting date. The ECI, however, asserted that the model code of conduct would remain in place till the completion of poll process (May 29) and, as such, no official meetings could be held without prior consent. Naidu had accused the Election Commission of usurping the powers of his government and preventing it from discharging its duties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Senate intelligence committee subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr after he backed out of two scheduled interviews as part of the panel's Russia investigation, the chairman of the committee told his Republican colleagues last week as he tried to stem criticism from the move. Sen Richard Burr, R-N C, outlined the events at a GOP caucus luncheon Thursday after weathering fierce criticism for the subpoena of President Donald Trump's eldest son, according to three people familiar with the remarks. They requested anonymity to discuss the private senators' meeting. Burr told colleagues that Trump Jr had twice voluntarily agreed to interviews and later backed out. The committee had been in negotiations with Trump Jr since December and had scheduled the interviews for March and April, according to one of the people familiar with his remarks. Senators on the committee want to go over answers Trump Jr gave the panel's staff in a 2017 interview and ask further questions. It's the first known subpoena of a member of the president's immediate family, and of the move prompted strong words from Burr's Republican colleagues, including some who went as far as to say they thought Trump Jr. shouldn't comply. Sen Thom Tillis, R-N C, tweeted, "It's time to move on & start focusing on issues that matter to Americans." Sen John Cornyn of Texas, a GOP member of the panel, said he understood Trump Jr's frustration. Cornyn's Texas colleague, Republican Sen Ted Cruz, said there was "no need" for the subpoena. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-SC, said on "Fox Sunday" that if he were Trump Jr.'s lawyer, "I would tell him, 'You don't need to go back into this environment anymore.'" That Trump Jr backed out of the interviews was first reported by CNN. The subpoena highlights a delicate bind facing Burr, a third-term senator who is not expected to run for re-election 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. Burr's committee had renewed interest in talking to Trump Jr. after Trump's former lawyer, Michael 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 the president's first son about other topics, including a campaign meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States is determined to choke off external funding to Iran to prevent it from financing missile development, fomenting regional conflicts and funding terrorist networks, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro in the article for the Financial Times. Much of Irans money comes from metal exports, including $4.2 billion from the sale of steel, which is a 53% increase from 2017, Navarro noted. The country is on schedule to become a net exporter of aluminium by the end of the year. "That is why US President Donald Trump signed a tough new executive order last week, extending existing sanctions to include Iranian aluminium, copper, iron and steel. Without such sanctions, Irans steel export revenues will increase significantly," the article reads. Most, if not all, of Irans export revenues from the metals trade flow right into government coffers. The countrys top three steel producers are all state-owned and account for more than 50 per cent of production. An emerging aluminium industry is entirely state-owned, growing rapidly and was projected to be a net exporter this year. Irans top steel export markets currently include Indonesia, Thailand, Iraq, Turkey, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan and Egypt. "The new sanctions should turn the flow of Iranian metals to these markets into a trickle as Americas partners and allies respond to the higher risks of sourcing materials from Iran and seek out more reliable, alternative sources of supply that do not fund terror with the proceeds," Navarro wrote. According to him, the proposed sanctions should curtail any attempts by Iran to "trans-ship" steel and other metals into the U.S. through third-party countries a scheme that undermines the pre-existing steel and aluminium tariffs the president has imposed for national security reasons. These new sanctions will also send a clear signal that China may pay a heavy price if it continues to support rogue regimes, including Iran. Navarro recalled that historically, China has provided Iranian steel producers with much of the investment, equipment and strategic advice necessary to expand its industry. The Delhi High Court Tuesday allowed the Centre to place before it certain documents in a case which arose from the probe into the 2G scam and pertains to arbitral proceedings commenced by Khaitan Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd against the Union of India. Justice Prathiba M Singh refused to summon the entire, "bulky" trial court record of the case in which Essar Group and Loop Telecom promoters along with others were acquitted. The court however allowed the central government to file relevant record of the trial court which would be useful for this matter in which the Centre challenged the arbitral proceedings. The arbitral proceedings have been initiated by Khaitan Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd against the Union of India, seeking compensation for the cancellation of its Unified Access Services Licences in 2012. The high court had earlier refused to grant an ad-interim stay on the arbitral proceedings. The arbitral proceedings were invoked by Khaitan Holdings pursuant to the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and the Republic of Mauritius for the promotion and protection of investments. The arbitral dispute between the Centre and Khaitan arose from the 2012 Supreme Court order cancelling 21 Unified Access Services Licences (UASL) granted to Loop Telecom. The licences were cancelled in view of the CAG Report that had unearthed the alleged Rs 1.76 trillion 2G scam. When the fresh auction was ordered by the court, Loop Telecom had chosen not to participate in the subsequent bidding process and sought refund of the license fee paid by it to the Centre. The BIT mechanism was triggered in April 2012 for compensation and in September 2013, notice of arbitration under Article 8.2 of the BIT Agreement was issued by Khaitan Holdings on the ground that it held 26.95 per cent in Loop Telecom and being a company based in Mauritius, it is entitled to claim compensation. In December 2017, all 17 accused, including former Telecom minister A Raja, were acquitted in the 2G scam by the Special CBI court. Promoters of Loop Telecom Ltd I P Khaitan and Kiran Khaitan, Essar Group Director (Strategy and Planning) Vikash Saraf and three telecom firms Loop Telecom, Loop Mobile India, and Essar Tele Holding were also acquitted in the other case arising out of the 2G scam probe. The CBI has filed an appeal against the acquittals. Subsequent to the judgement, Khaitan Holdings had sought appointment of the Presiding Arbitrator by the Permanent Court of Arbitration as per the UNCITRAL Rules. The Presiding Arbitrator was thus appointed was appointed in May 2018. In December 2018, the Arbitral Tribunal confirmed the first date of hearing in the arbitration as January 28, 2019. Thereafter, the Centre approached the Delhi High Court in January this year seeking an anti-arbitration injunction. It has challenged the arbitration proceedings on the ground that the decision to cancel the licences was rendered by the Supreme Court in public interest and that there was no expropriation in absence of due process. The Centre has claimed that Khaitan Holdings is not a "genuine investor" as it is controlled by Indian citizens I P Khaitan and Kiran Khaitan and hence cannot invoke the BIT for initiating arbitral proceedings. It has argued that the entire foreign investment, being through the automatic route, was subject to Indian laws under the UASL. Since Loop Telecom had already availed of its remedies against the cancellation of its licences under Indian law, the rights under the BIT stood waived, the Centre has said. It also argued that Khaitan Holdings' status as an 'investor' under the BIT Agreement is to be interpreted by the Arbitral Tribunal and not by the Delhi High Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Deploys Nucleus Vision's proprietary sensor technology in GAP, Nautica & U.S. Polo Assn. stores to offer a personalized shopping experience to consumers As modern-day shoppers are inclining more towards personalization, Indian clothing retail chain Arvind Fashions Limited is exploring new ways to understand their customers better. Arvind, a licensee of numerous international fashion brands, has signed an MoU with Nucleus Vision, an IoT & Blockchain company, to initiate a pilot project aiming to offer a personalized experience to their shoppers. Following the partnership, Arvind will implement Nucleus Vision's proprietary sensor technology in their GAP, Unlimited and U.S. Polo. Assn. stores to strengthen customer analytics. "We see tremendous interest from the customers for a more evolved and personalized shopping experience. Nucleus Vision's revolutionary technology will give us valuable insights into our customer behavior, which will help us improve customer satisfaction and increase revisits," said Rukaiya Rangwala, COO, Digital Centre of Excellence, Arvind Fashions Limited. "We look forward to expanding the scope of our relationship with Arvind Fashions Limited. This is a big step towards our goal to associate with the leading players in the Indian retail market to help them create better shopper experience," said Abhishek Pitti, Founder & CEO of Nucleus Vision. The current Indian retail market amounts to an approximate of USD 800 billion and is estimated to reach USD 1.1 trillion by 2020. Personalization plays a major role in the gigantic market as 63% of Indian consumers prefer personalized experience, according to a report by Forrester-Epsilon. Through this association with Nucleus Vision, Arvind Fashions Limited intends to offer its consumers a more personalized retail shopping experience and therefore tap into new opportunities. About Arvind Fashions Limited Arvind Fashions Limited is India's largest fashion and retail company, home to over 20 national and international brands. With 1500 stand-alone stores and 5000 departmental and multi-brand stores across India, Arvind Fashions Limited is a pioneer in introducing global brands into India. The company has successfully introduced ARROW, the first international menswear brand in India in 1993 and today licenses several brands like GAP, GANT, Nautica, Aeropostale, U.S Polo Association, The Children's Place, Ed Hardy, Sephora among others. Arvind Fashions was responsible for establishing Flying Machine, India's first iconic, home-grown youth apparel brand in 1980. The company also houses its own leading brands like Unlimited, True Blue, The Arvind Store, among others. With unique capabilities in sourcing, design, product development, strong distribution footprint, retail capabilities, channel linkages and management teams, Arvind Fashions is a trendsetter across segments- casualization, tweens, kids, beauty and athleisure. For more information, please visit http://www.arvind-fashions.com About Nucleus Vision Founded in 2014 at Harvard University, Nucleus Vision (http://www.nucleus.vision) is an end-to-end technology solutions provider that captures & provides previously inaccessible data to retailers & 'brick and mortar' businesses through blockchain & real-time sensor technology. Nucleus Vision is backed by Tim Draper, IndusAge Partners, and several other prominent industry players. Nucleus Vision has offices in San Francisco, USA, and Hyderabad, India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American actor-comedian Aziz Ansari is set to visit India with his international tour 'Road To Nowhere'. The 36-year-old "Master of None" star, who is known for his funny take on everyday situations and commentary on the society, will be performing two comedy gigs in Mumbai (May 24 and 25) and one in Delhi (May 26). Ansari is scheduled to perform at National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, while in Delhi his comedy show will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN). Audiences can book tickets on BookmyShow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) worth Rs 483 crore of a Kolkata-based group have been attached by the ED in connection with an alleged multi-crore bank loan fraud case, officials said on Tuesday. They said the agency has issued a provisional order, under the Prevention of Act (PMLA), for attachment of properties of the Tayal group of companies. Sources said the group had availed loans of Rs 524 crore from the Bank of India and Andhra Bank in 2008 which was allegedly defrauded by it using a "maze of shell or illegal companies." This is the second against the Tayal group as it was already being probed by the agency for alleged loan fraud against UCO Bank and worth Rs 234 crore of the business group were attached by it in 2016. The agency has also filed a charge sheet in the UCO Bank case before a special PMLA court in "The agency has been able to recover almost the entire amount of loan fraud through these attachments which will now face judicial scrutiny. The role of bank officials in the second case is under probe," a senior official said. The ED had taken over the case against the Kolkata-based group on the basis of a CBI FIR. "During investigation, it was revealed that the said companies under the umbrella of Tayal group of companies, represented by promoter Praveen Kumar Tayal, were involved in large scale fraud perpetrated on several nationalised banks across the country." "During investigations, it was revealed that the funds received from the banks by the said Tayal group of companies for specific purpose were siphoned off through a maze of fictitious companies and from there to unknown destinations," the ED had earlier said. The utilisation of funds, as claimed by the said Tayal group of companies were found to be fictitious. From the trail of funds, it is abundantly clear that the said funds were laundered through its group companies, it said. "Nevertheless, the said Tayal group of companies despite having a large amount of liabilities to banks, acquired a number of properties and also placed huge amounts in bank accounts, which are believed to represent the value of the proceeds of crime," it said in 2016 while describing the modus operandi of the alleged fraud. Assets worth Rs 483 crore of a Kolkata-based group have been attached by the ED in connection with an alleged multi-crore bank loan fraud case, the agency said Tuesday. The agency said in a statement that it has "provisionally attached immovable properties comprising commercially diverted land of 2,70,374 sq ft along with shopping mall in Nagpur worth Rs 483 crore of KSL and Industries Ltd, Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a bank fraud case." "KSL and Industries Ltd is one of the group company of the Tayal group of companies," it said. It said the group and its 4 firms including KSL and Industries had availed loans of Rs 524 crore from the Bank of India andAndhra Bankin 2008 which was allegedly defrauded by it using a "maze of shell or illegal companies." This is the second PMLA case against the Tayal group as it was already being probed by the agency for alleged loan fraud againstUCO Bankand assets worth Rs 234 crore of the business group were attached by it in 2016. The agency has also filed a charge sheet in the UCO Bank case before a special PMLA court in Kolkata. "The agency has been able to recover almost the entire amount of loan fraud through these attachments which will now face judicial scrutiny. The role of bank officials in the second case is under probe," a senior official said. The ED had taken over the case against the Kolkata based group on the basis of three CBI FIRs in this instance. "During investigation, it was revealed that the said companies under the umbrella of Tayal group of companies, represented by promoter Praveen Kumar Tayal, were involved in large scale fraud perpetrated on several nationalised banks across the country. "It came to light that funds received from banks by the said Tayal group of companies for specific purpose were siphoned off through a maze of fictitious companies and from there to unknown destinations," the ED had earlier said. The utilisation of funds, as claimed by the said Tayal group of companies were found to be fictitious. From the trail of funds, it is abundantly clear that the said funds were laundered through its group companies, it said. "Nevertheless, the said Tayal group of companies despite having a large amount of liabilities to banks, acquired a number of properties and also placed huge amounts in bank accounts, which are believed to represent value of proceeds of crime," it said in 2016 while describing the modus operandi of the alleged fraud. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Tuesday the BJP government at the Centre worked to address the basic needs of people in the past five years and it will strive to fulfil their aspirations if voted to power again. He criticised the Samajwadi Party for practising "nepotism" while doing in the name of socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia. "A family of one political party accumulated a lot of wealth while doing in the name of Lohia who was against nepotism," Adityanath charged. He said BJP's priority is to make India safe and strong with inclusive growth and women empowerment and take the country ahead at the global level. "The party will also put in efforts within the constitutional framework to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya," Adityanath said in Kushinagar district. "Our government during the past five years fulfilled the basic requirements of people and now we have to fulfil their aspirations. BJP will work for women as nothing is possible without them," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "Due to Modi ji's leadership, people's participation in building a base for inclusive growth and a strong country became possible." The government sent Rs 2,000 under PM-KISAN scheme directly into the accounts of farmers, he said. Referring to the air strike in Pakistan's Balakot and India's stand on terrorism during the Modi government, he said, "The BJP has a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and is determined to equip the Indian armed forces with modern and hi-tech equipment and take steps to restrict illegal immigration." Adityanath urged people to vote for Modi as both his name and work are effective. "Modi honoured faith at the global level with the successful Kumbh Mela and worked to ensure that Massod Azhar is declared as an international terrorist," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A number of houses, shops and vehicles were damaged and several policemen injured in clashes that went on for three days between workers of the TMC and the BJP in Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat where polling will be held on May 19, officials said Tuesday. The situation there in South 24 Parganas district is peaceful now and the West Bengal government has sought a report from the district administration. "Several houses, shops and vehicles were ransacked during the clashes that began on Friday night and continued for three days. No casualty was reported," a senior official at the state secretariat told PTI. "This is a political clash, not communal. We have sought report from the district administration on this," the IAS officer said. Enquired about the current situation there, he said, "At the moment everything is normal and peaceful. We have posted a police picket there." The clashes broke out in places of Satgachhia assembly segment under Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat and several policemen were injured in clashes, a district official said. Local people had put up a road blockade when the police tried to enter the area on Saturday afternoon, he said. The policemen were injured when miscreants threw brickbats towards them when they tried to enter the area, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The new James Bond film has hit another roadblock after lead star Daniel Craig's injury reportedly resulted in a suspension of shooting. According to The Sun, Craig fell while sprinting on the "Bond 25" sets in Jamaica last week and has been flown to the US for X-rays that has led to the hold of the filming. Citing an unnamed source, the publication reported that the actor was shooting one of his final scenes in Jamaica. "He was sprinting during filming when he slipped and fell quite awkwardly. He was in quite a lot of pain and was complaining about his ankle," the source said. It is currently unknown how long the production might be delayed, the newspaper reported that the shooting at London's legendary Pinewood Studios, which had been scheduled to begin at the end of the week, has been cancelled. This is not the first time Craig, who performs his own stunts, has sustained injury on a Bond film sets. The actor had two teeth knocked out during his first stunt scene for his Bond debut in "Casino Royale"; sustained a number of injuries, including slicing off the tip of a finger and tearing a shoulder muscle on his next, "Quantum of Solace" and injuring his knee during a fight scene for his most recent "Spectre". The new film in the Bond franchise has had a tumultuous journey. It was previously set to be directed by Danny Boyle with a release date of November 8, 2019. After Boyle dropped out of the project over "creative differences", along with frequent collaborator, screenwriter John Hodge, the film's release date was moved to February 14, 2020. Cary Joji Fukunaga is now attached as director, with Scott Z Burns hired by MGM studio to pen a new script. Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have already drafted a version of the script but it is being reported that the studio is unhappy with their story. Recently, "Fleabag" creator-actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge came on board the movie to "polish" the script of Bond 25. The release of the film was recently pushed back to April 8, 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Tuesday demanded an FIR against officials of Gujarat State Fertilisers and Chemicals for alleged involvement in selling fertliser bags lighter than the marked weight. A delegation led by of state Congress Kisan Cell president Pal Ambaliya met Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Sanjay Prasad. Ambaliya was accompanied by Congress MLAs Harshad Ribadiya, Kirit Patel, Lalit Kagathara and Lalit Vasoya. After the meeting, Ambaliya told reporters that it was a "huge scam" to the tune of over Rs 200 crore. "Instead of taking action against erring officials, the GSFC is trying to cover up this over Rs 200 crore scam. In their press conference yesterday, the GSFC claimed it was just a technical error which resulted into a loss of just Rs 16 lakh to the farmers. This theory is unacceptable" Ambaliya claimed. "GSFC has looted our farmers. Top company officials knew that less fertiliser is being packed and sold to farmers. Yet, no action has been taken against them. We want GSFC to recover money from erring officials and refund farmers," he said. Ribadiya said the delegation asked Patel and Prasad to intervene in this matter and force state-run GSFC to lodge FIR against its officials. "We told them that for the sake of farmers, the government must compel GSFC to register an FIR against its officials. Till that does not happen, our agitation will continue. We also want GSFC to reduce the price of DAP fertiliser in order to compensate farmers who were given less fertiliser all these years," said Ribadiya. Earlier Monday, Sujit Gulati, Managing Director of Gujarat State Fertilisers and Chemicals had said moisture loss coupled with a technical error in the automatic weighing machine at the company's plant were responsible for lighter DAP fertiliser bags. He said an independent expert would probe the issue. A week ago, farmers in the state's Rajkot district had complained that 50-kg DAP fertiliser bags were lighter by around 400 grams after some of them carried out a check at GSFC's fertiliser distribution depot in Jetpur town. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A nephew of the 52-year-old businessman, who was stabbed to death for objecting to lewd remarks made by his neighbours on his daughter, Tuesday said he won't let his sister and aunt stay in a locality where the neighbours are so "apathetic". The businessman was stabbed multiple times by the accused in West Delhi's Moti Nagar area. His family has alleged that the locals did not come to his aid and instead filmed the incident. The man's 19-year-old son, who tried to rescue the victim, was also stabbed. The man succumbed to injuries at hospital on Monday morning. His son, however, a senior police officer said, is out of danger. Deceased's nephew, who did not want to be named, said he is worried about the safety of his aunt and sister, who are in "trauma" after the incident and he will shift them to another place. "It has been traumatic for them. My sister lost her father, who tried to defend her dignity and her brother who tried to save his father, lies in the ICU. The locals and the neighbours, whom we considered family, did not even come to our help and filmed the incident which is hurtful," he told PTI. "I won't let them stay in such a place where there is no security for women and such apathetic people stay there," he said. The victim's nephew claimed that the family has been living in Basai Darapur for over 100 years now. "Our forefathers had settled here more than 400 years ago while the house in which we are staying was bought 100 years ago. It is saddening that our neighbours did not come to our help when we needed them the most," he said. A 45-year-old man and his 20-year-old son have been arrested in connection with the killing. Two other sons of the 45-year-old man, who are juveniles, have been apprehended. The nephew alleged that the women from the family of the accused persons had aided them in the attack. "The wife and daughter of the 45-year-old man, who has been arrested along with his son, were also involved in the quarrel, and one of them handed the knife to the accused, with which they stabbed my uncle," he said. The wife and daughter of the 45-year-old accused have been detained and are being questioned, the police said. If they are found involved, they will also be arrested, they said. A family friend of the victim said only one neighbour, Riyaz, came forward to help. "One of the neighbours Riyaz, who heard the victim's cries, came out of his house and saw the victim was stabbed. He took the victim to the hospital on his scooter," the family friend of the deceased said. He claimed that they had learnt that the accused have a criminal background. However, the police denied the claim and said the accused have had no cases against them in the past. Condemning the killing, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejrwal and political leaders demanded strict action. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal posted on Twitter, "Delhi Police must take strongest action against the guilty." Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari described the incident as "sad and highly condemnable". Congress' candidate from West Delhi Lok Sabha seat Mahabal Mishra met the bereaved family termed the incident as "very unfortunate". Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women issued a notice to Delhi Police seeking details of investigation in the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Neither the air strike in Pakistan's Balakot nor the Rafale jet deal but caste equation is what is likely to decide the winner in Ghazipur, a Hindi heartland Lok Sabha constituency the BJP is desperate to retain. Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha, who is seeking re-election from this seat, faces a tough fight from the joint candidate of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, who had together polled more votes than BJP in 2014 polls. Sinha had won the seat in 2014 by a margin of over 32,400 votes but total votes polled for him at 3.06 lakh were short of 5.16 lakh votes cornered by SP and BSP together. His fight this time has got a bit difficult as local muscleman Afzal Ansari of BSP is the joint candidate of the 'mahagathbandhan' (BSP-SP-RLD alliance). Of about 19 lakh voters in the constituency, about 21 per cent are Dalit and 10 per cent Muslim. While the alliance is hoping to win over Dalit, Muslim and other backward classes for Ansari, the Congress may cut into their votes as its candidate Ajit Kumar Kushwaha comes from the influential backward agriculturist community. And these caste equations seem to be playing on the minds of many, if not all, voters in this seat in Purvanchal a region said to play a crucial role in determining government formation at the Centre. "People who don't know the ground reality talk of basic arithmetic but the election is all about chemistry. Gathbandhan is not working on the ground. People are highly agitated against the alliance. People in Ghazipur are rising above caste and religion to vote for development. People of all castes and classes are with BJP," Sinha said. If some locals are to be believed, 7-9 lakh voters belonging to the Yadav community, traditionally SP voters, Muslims and Dalits will dominate the election. The mahagathbandhan is hoping that BSP candidate Ansari will help retain the Dalit votes, which form the core of Mayawati's party, plus attract Muslims. The crucial question, however, is will SP core votes of Yadav transfer to the alliance. But Sinha, a Bhumihar a caste group preponderant in neighbouring Bihar but numerically insignificant in Uttar Pradesh, is hoping his work will return him to Parliament for the fourth time. An agriculturalist at heart who maintains a low profile, Sinha is a civil engineer and IIT-BHU alumnus. He is fondly called "Vikas Purush" by his followers. Locals vouch for Sinha's work but not all say they will be guided by his development initiatives or BJP's thrust on national security. Neither do they believe in the Congress plank of 'NYAY' and alleged corruption in the Rafale deal. A newspaper vendor from Yadav community, who did not want to be named, acknowledged a lot of development work has happened in Ghazipur under Sinha but said his community is inclined to vote for mahagathbandhan. On the other hand, Raj Narain Yadav, a teacher in Muskabad village, rejected claims his community will support only the mahagathbandhan candidate. "More than half of people from my caste in Ghazipur are literate and progressive. These people have seen the development that has happened in the last 5 years and will vote for development and not caste-based politics," he said. A Muslim shopkeeper said people in his community are not speaking their mind because they fear of being targeted. "Sinha as an individual has done a lot of work in Ghazipur but if we vote for him, (Narendra) Modi-Yogi (Adityanath) will not believe we voted for BJP and continue to target us. We appreciate development but Muslims have no option but to align with gathbandhan," he said. His views were contested by a Muslim student. "This is a common perception that Muslims will align with mahagathbandhan but many of my relatives and people in the village will vote for Sinha ji because of the development work done by him," said Ahmad Rizvi from Arjanipur village. Ghazipur residents acknowledged the improvement in roads, electricity, job opportunities with the start of railway training and research centre in the city. Sinha claimed anger is specifically against the mahagathbandhan candidate. "The person who once said he will puncture cycle, reel off dhoti of Mulayam Singh Yadav from Ghazipur till Ghaziabad is today the candidate of the alliance. Parties have come together but not their hearts," Sinha asserted. He claimed the Congress is not even considered a political party in east UP. "Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has herself said they have fielded candidates to weaken BJP. People have already rejected Congress," Sinha said. He also rejected any impact of Om Prakash Rajbhar leaving the BJP alliance. Ansari claimed the Kushwaha community is agitated with BJP as they projected Keshav Prasad Maurya as the CM face but gave the post to Adityanath. He alleged poor people from all castes and minorities have joined hands against BJP as they feel it wants to finish off Constitution and end reservation. Congress candidate Kushwaha alleged the BJP has not fulfilled its promises. "People are also not happy with the gathbandhan candidate. His image is not good. He has a connection with the crime world. People don't want to vote for him. Sinha as a minister could get roads constructed, set-up railway training centre but jobs were given to those who were close to him," Kushwaha said. Sinha rejected Kushwaha's allegations, saying 7,000 people from all castes were directly hired by companies during a job fair organised in Ghazipur. Polling in Ghazipur is due in the last phase on May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of China's biggest mobile gaming companies said it would sell gay dating app Grindr following pressure from US authorities concerned over the potential misuse of the app's data by the Chinese government. Beijing-based Kunlun Tech Co Ltd said in a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in southern China that it would sell Grindr by June 2020. The app, which bills itself as "the world's largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans and queer people," was founded in 2009 and says it has millions of users worldwide. US officials feared that people with American security clearances who use the app could be blackmailed if China's government demanded user data from Kunlun Tech, The Wall Street Journal reported in March, citing unnamed sources. China and the United States are locked in a tense trade war which includes a side skirmish in technology. China has previously announced a strategy of achieving global dominance in high-tech fields like artificial intelligence and use of Big Data. But that has raised US objections over Chinese state support for its tech players, as well as fears of advanced cyber-espionage by China. The Chinese company was ordered to divest itself of Grindr by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews foreign investments in sensitive industries or those deemed harmful to US national security. Kunlun Tech's exchange filing, submitted on Monday, said it signed an agreement on May 9 with US authorities regarding the sale. The agreement restricts Kunlun Tech from accessing some of Grindr's user information and from transferring sensitive data to people or entities within China. Grindr is also required to stop all operations in China and must get CFIUS approval for three of its board members. In addition, one board must be an American citizen with US security clearance. "If the company sells Grindr shares in the future, it will reduce potential political and policy risks that the company's overseas operations face," Kunlun Tech's filing said. The company paid USD 93 million for a 60 per cent stake in Grindr in 2016, completing the full acquisition two years later for another USD 152 million. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wetlands are drying, hailstorms increasing, mangoes becoming sweeter and oranges taking on sour overtones, says a new report on the impact of climate change in Kerala's scenic hill district Wayanad. The report and its ramifications should be top of the agenda for Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad, said his colleague Jairam Ramesh. The report, titled "Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Resilient Strategies, Wayanad district", was released by Ramesh recently. "The agenda awaits the intervention of the new Wayanad MP," the former minister and senior Congress leader told PTI, anticipating that Gandhi, who is contesting from Amethi and Wayanad, will represent the Kerala constituency in the Lok Sabha. Climate change and crisis in the farm sector were a dominant theme during the election campaign in Wayanad, devastated by floods that swept through the area and several other parts of Kerala last year. Major political parties, including the Congress-led UDF, the CPI(M) led LDF and the BJP-led NDA highlighted the issue of livelihoods of people affected by the floods. Apart from the floods, the insidious impact of climate change is being seen across the district. "Mangoes are becoming more sweet and oranges are becoming sour in taste," says the study on climate change in Wayanad authored by eminent ecologists Dr Balakrishna Pisupati and Deepta Sateesh. Wetlands are drying up and the beautiful streams crisscrossing the hill district carry less water as the area is heavily hit by climate change, it says. "With the change in temperature and humidity (moisture content), the rainfall pattern changes and thus there is a climate change in the region," it says. "Koda, the phenomenon of local cloud formation at very low altitude, has disappeared. Rainfall is less but the intensity of water has increased leading to harsh rains. Hailstorms have increased. Erratic rains/the pattern of rainfall is changing." According to the document, changes in the climate have affected cultivation practices, terrain, lives and livelihood of the people. "The quality of traditional or local grown varieties of fruits is changing: for example, mangoes are becoming more sweet and oranges are becoming sour in taste," it states after a detailed study conducted between January and May 2018. "The nature of terrain is changing," it warns, citing instances of drying up of the wetlands. "Change is inevitable but the rate at which the change is happening is a matter of concern. The change in climate has led to change in all forms. The debate is to deal with these changes and be climate resilient so that it does not affect and environment, nature, ecology and lives of the people," it says. The experts recommend urgent action by policy makers and people's representatives to protect the tribal-dominated agrarian district from ecological disaster. "As the largest percentage of the population of the district is tribal', it is important to include their knowledge and practices into the future development plan and creative interventions, that will enable Wayanad to become a model SDG- ready' district over the next 5-10 years," it says. Sateesh, who authored the report, said a Gandhi Swaraj model development process with the active participation of the local community is an effective way to tackle the threat of climate change in the region. As Wayanad is a monsoon-fed region, the principles of sustainable planning and design need to be applied considering rain as an integrated part of planning, the report says. "The concept of seepage helps in understanding the landscape not just in terms of land and water as two faces of a coin but rather it helps in understanding the intensity of the texture of the landscape according to presence of water in the landscape." The concept of porosity also needs to be given due consideration. "The main issue of the district is how to tackle the problems of drought and flood in the same region. River streams are drying, aquifers are vanishing. This is due to the no permeability of the materials we use in terms of development of construction. The strength of landscape being porous needs to be understood in order to tackle the problems related to water," it says. The report, prepared as part of a project, was conceptualised by the Chennai-based Forum for Law, Environment, Development and Governance (FLEDGE). The Design+Environment+Law Laboratory (DEL Laboratory), Bangalore and MS Swaminathan Research Foundation were partner organisations. Votes for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will be counted on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A complaint was Tuesday filed before a court here seeking prosecution of actor-politician Kamal Haasan for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by terming Nathuram Godse, who had killed Mahatma Gandhi, a "Hindu terrorist". The matter is likely to be listed before a Metropolitan Magistrate on May 16. The complainant has sought Haasan's prosecution for alleged offences punishable under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, language etc) and 295-A (outrage religious feelings by insulting religion etc). The offences are punishable with imprisonment of three-year jail term or fine, or both. The complaint was filed by Vishnu Gupta who claimed to be the president of an organisation Hindu Sena. Haasan "deliberately and maliciously" made "absolutely derogatory comments to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by associating terrorism with the Hindu religion", he alleged. The comment was made with the sole intention "to promote enmity between Hindus and Muslims, and outrage religious feelings and religious beliefs of Hindus, along with that of the complainant", Gupta claimed in his complaint. It was alleged in the complaint that the comment made by Haasan was "grossly offensive and deliberately intended to outrage the feelings of Hindus". Haasan, the president of the Makkal Needhi Maiam, in an election campaign in Tamil Nadu on Monday had said independent India's first "extremist was a Hindu"-- Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. The petition said he had made the comment while speaking at an election rally for his party candidate in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency, where bypolls will be held on May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lashing out at the opposition parties, Prime Minister said Tuesday the and the RJD will push 21st century India into darkness, if voted to power. Addressing a rally here, Modi also claimed that it was just the "BJP-led NDA dispensation that could lead the nation towards light". "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Development for all) is our mantra and we strive to ensure security and respect for all. The Mahamilawatis (opposition), on the other hand, think some castes are beholden to them," he said. Iterating that it was his government that took on the terrorists and the trouble-mongers on both sides of the India-Pakistan border, Modi said, "The mahamilawatis, if elected to power, will give free licenses to stone-pelters, naxals and tukde-tukde gang." The opposition leaders will get a befitting reply from people after May 23, when the general election results are declared, he stated. "Going by the response of people in the six phases of elections, it is clear that the opposition parties will face a humiliating defeat. Their anger has touched the seventh heaven now. They are trying to draw satisfaction from hurling abuses," he asserted. The PM also insisted that he has always lived and worked for the country, without taking any break. "Not for once have I lived for myself or my relatives during my tenure as the Gujarat chief minister or the prime minister. People of this country are my family," he added. The opposition Congress Tuesday sought the support of TDP, CPI, CPI(M) and Telangana Jana Samiti in the bypolls to be held to fill three vacancies in the Legislative Council. State Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy has written to the leaders of the four opposition parties, seeking their support to his party nominees, Congress sources said. The Congress Monday named Uday Mohan Reddy, K Lakshmi Reddy and E Venkatram Reddy as its candidates. The three would be candidates from Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Warangal Local Authorities' Constituencies respectively, for which the bypolls would be held, the party said on Monday. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the bypoll will be held on May 31. The last date for filing nominations is May 14 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 17. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 3. Congress has taken objection to the bypolls, saying rural local body elections are on to elect new Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) and Mandal Parishad Constituency (MPTC) members, who are the voters in the bypoll. The by-election to the three constituencies was necessitated by the resignations of Patnam Narender Reddy, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy and Konda Muralidhar Rao in December last to contest the Assembly polls. The candidates of ruling TRS in the bypoll to the three constituencies are P Mahender Reddy, Tera Chinnapa Reddy and Pochampally Srinivasa Reddy. Meanwhile, the Election Commission Tuesday announced the schedule for bypoll to fill a vacancy caused in the Council by the resignation of M Hanumantha Rao (elected by MLAs). According to the schedule, the notification would be issued on May 21. The last date for filing nominations is May 28. Polling would be held on June 7 and votes are counted the same day at 5 PM. Hanumantha Rao quit as MLC as he was elected to the Assembly in the polls held in December last. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court Tuesday sought response from a close aide of corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar on ED's plea seeking to cancel her anticipatory bail in a case related to negotiations favouring foreign private airlines and causing loss to national carrier Air India. The court issued notice to Yasmin Kapoor and directed her to reply by May 20 on the plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate. The alleged role of Talwar and Kapoor in some aviation deals during the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) regime at the Centre is under the scanner. Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, told the court that "The investigation is still ongoing and is at a crucial stage. She (Kapoor) is a key link to unearth the modus operandi adopted by all the accused persons." The ED's plea, moved by advocate A R Aditya, said that Kapoor was the beneficial owner of properties and entities acquired allegedly through proceeds of crime which were under investigation. Kapoor was granted anticipatory bail by the court on March 22, while Talwar is currently in the judicial custody. The probe agency claimed there were reasons to believe that the tainted money, received from the foreign airlines, has been used for acquisition of Kapoor's New Delhi residence property. "Yasmin Kapoor has assisted Deepak Talwar in laundering the money received by him from foreign airlines and projected it as untainted. Thus, Kapoor has committed the offence of money laundering under the provisions of PMLA," the agency said. The ED claimed that several companies, in which Kapoor was a shareholder along with Talwar, received the proceeds of the crime in which investigation was ongoing. The list of companies in which Kapoor has been a director and shareholder include IDFS, IDFS Trading, Gulshan Promoters, Koncept Retail Services, AykaTradings, Stone Travels. "The companies are directly or indirectly controlled and beneficially owned by Deepak Talwar at different points of time. Investigation revealed that the proceeds of crime received in the foreign bank accounts have been moved to some other entities effectively controlled by Talwar and Kapoor is his close associate and has actively participated in the laundering of the tainted money... "Investigation has revealed that she was actively aiding Talwar in the day to day affairs and functioning of the companies through which the tainted money was processed," the probe agency said, adding that the case involved commission of grave economic offence. Talwar was deported from the UAE last week in connection with a money laundering case. The ED had earlier said that it needed to interrogate Talwar to get the names of officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Aviation Company of India Ltd and Air India, who favoured foreign airlines, including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia. Talwar was booked by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in criminal cases of corruption, while the Income Tax Department charged him with tax evasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Propelled by fascination for the unknown, a variety of creatures, from the abominable Himalayan snowman to its North American cousin Bigfoot, often cross over from myth into reality even though there is little evidence to back their existence. As it was last fortnight when the rekindled the mystery with its tweet showing pictures of large footprints in the snow in the higher Himalayas and claimed they belonged to the abominable snowman. Experts believe the possible reasons behind the enduring obsession with the beings that inhabit the nebulous worlds of legend and folklore and ever so frequently enter the realm of everyday life are many -- from human curiosity and the need to connect with the past to identifying threats to the survival of humankind. Loch Ness, and Almas... the list of such creatures is long, cutting across regions and cultures. The correlation between imagination and imagined reality is once again under the scanner with the releasing pictures and videos of footprints captured close to the Makalu Base Camp in in March. In Nepali folklore, is a mythical bipedal ape-like creature taller than an average human and is said to inhabit the Himalayas, Siberia, Central and East Asia. Nepali officials later clarified the footprints belong to the Himalayan Black Bear active in the area. "As we get farther from the real wild, we seek talismans to connect us to the wild. A half-man, half-ape creature is such a symbol. It gives humanity an identity as an animal in a world where we are otherwise making everything of human manufacture," said American conservationist Daniel C Taylor who has spent 35 years in Nepal's Barun Valley dispelling the myth. "I researched from 1956, when at age 11 I saw my first photograph of the footprint so I knew there was a real animal, to 1983 when I explained scientifically that it was the Himalayan Black Bear," Taylor, who is also the author of the 2017 book, 'Yeti: The Ecology of a Mystery', told PTI. Given the lack of evidence of its existence, the scientific community has generally regarded the Yeti as a legend. Such creatures have also been found to exist in other regions of the world. "Fantasies are something which always give immense pleasure to the human mind and that is the main reason why people enjoy the stories around such mythological characters," said Shweta Sharma, consultant clinical psychologist at Columbia Asia Hospital. "One reason may be that people are afraid and want to watch out for the unknown, since they are wired to keep themselves safe and identify threats for survival," Sharma, who is also a counsellor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Health Center, told PTI. "The second reason could be the basic human nature of curiosity which needs immediate gratification from a psychological point of view," she explained, adding that this also reflects in movies that are made. Stories of the Yeti first emerged as a facet of Western popular culture in the 19th century. Legends of hairy, oversize hominids lurking around the outer reaches of civilisation have been around for centuries and are part of the folklore of several cultures. In North American folklore, Bigfoot or Sasquatch are said to be hairy, upright-walking, ape-like creatures that dwell in the wilderness and leave footprints like Yeti. Depictions often portray them as a missing link between humans and human ancestors or other great apes. "Living in cities and meeting the wild on TV screens, it is interesting that a Google search will reveal more Yeti (especially Bigfoot in US) sightings now than 20 years ago," said Taylor, who is also president of the Future Generations University in the US. The Almas or Alma, Mongolian for 'wild man', is a purported hominid cryptozoological species reputed to inhabit the Pamir Mountains of Central Asia, and the Altai Mountains of western Mongolia. Similarly, in Scottish folklore, the Loch Ness monster or Nessie is a creature said to inhabit the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large in size with a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. Popular interest and belief in the creature has varied since it came to the attention of the world in 1933. Evidence of its existence remains anecdotal, with a few disputed photographs and sonar readings. "I think something like this has little to do with science and more to do with the human imagination and psyche," noted T N C Vidya, associate professor of Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit at Bangalore's Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR). Perhaps when we are not satisfied with reality, we tend to come up with alternative realities to believe in, Vidya said. Closer home, the is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiralling horn projecting from its forehead. The creature was depicted in ancient seals of the Indus Valley Civilization, covering parts of India and Pakistan, and was also mentioned by the ancient Greeks. The is the most common motif on Indus seals. Even in the 21st century, the unicorn holds a place in popular culture. It is often used as a symbol of fantasy or rarity. : The curtains came down on the famed Pooram rituals this afternoon after the presiding deities from Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devi temples 'bid farewell' to Lord Vadkkumnathan, promising that they would meet him next year for Pooram. A scintillating fireworks display in the wee hours Tuesday enthralled thousands of people who had gathered at Thekkinkadu ground in front of the Vadakkunnatha temple here. The 36 hour long festivities ended with the processions of Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu temples on Tuesday morning. There was unprecedented security this time in the backdrop of the Sri Lankan blasts, with around 3,500 police personnel deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the two centuries-old festival. As part of the security drill, no carry bags were allowed and bomb and dog squads mannedthe festival area throughout. People staying in lodges and hotels were kept under surveillance. The festivities began on May 12 with Kerala's tallest elephant 'Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran' pushing open the southern entrance gate of the ancient temple for the "vilambaram" ritual after District collector T V Anupama gave the nod for its participation as it cleared a fitness test. The pachyderm, which is partially blind in the right eye, is said to have killed 13 persons, besides two elephants over a period of time. Since 2014, the elephant has been been performing the ritual and has a big fan following in the state. However, after two persons were killed by the animal during a house warming celebrations in Guruvayur in February this year, the district administration had imposed a ban on its participation in festivals. As doubts were raised about the elephant being allowed to take part in the pooram ritual, the elephant owners association had threatened not to provide any pachyderms for the festival. The association later withdrew its threat and expressed willingness to provide elephants for the pooram. After the Kerala High Court Friday refused to interfere in the matter, the state government sought legal opinion from Additional Advocate General Renjith Thampan. The AAG advisedthe government that the elephant can be allowed to participate only in the Pooram festival with certain restrictions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police has arrested an alleged terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammad carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh from Srinagar, officials said Tuesday. The accused has been identified as Abdul Majeed Baba, a resident of Magrepora district of Sopore, they said. The arrest was made on Saturday evening from Soura in downtown Srinagar, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. Baba will be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar and brought to Delhi on transit remand, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested an absconding Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist from Srinagar, who was planning to go to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), officials said Tuesday. The 51-year-old, who was carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh, has been identified as Abdul Mazeed Baba, a resident of Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir, they said. According to the police, Mazeed, along with his two associates, was convicted by the Delhi High Court in 2014 for delivering a consignment of arms, ammunition and explosives to Pakistan-based terrorist Shahid Gafoor in the national capital. The police said that Mazeed had been evading arrest since 2014 when a non-bailable warrant was issued against him. The Delhi Police sent a team to Jammu and Kashmir to nab him in the case. On March 25, one of the three convicted persons, Fayaz Ahmed Lone, was arrested from Srinagar. During investigation, it was learnt that Mazeed was planning to escape to PoK, the police said. "However, the police got a tip-off on Saturday that Mazeed will come to Shere-e-Kashmir Institute Medical Sciences Hospital in Shoura area in Srinagar. "Subsequently, a trap was laid and Mazeed was arrested from near SKIMS Hospital," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said at a press conference. Yadav said that on February 4, 2007, police had arrested four members of JeM -- Shahid Gafoor, a resident of Pakistan, Bashir Ahmed, Lone and Mazeed, from Jammu and Kashmir -- after a brief encounter at Deen Dayal Upadhayay Marg in Delhi. Three kilograms of highly explosive material, four detonators, one timer, six hand grenades, one pistol, Rs 50,000 and fake USD 10,000 were recovered from their possession, police claimed. During interrogation in 2007, the accused persons revealed that they are active members of JeM. They, along with Haider, who was from Pakistan and was district commander Sopore of JeM, had hatched a conspiracy of a big terrorist attack in Delhi. Gafoor also revealed that he had illegally crossed over to India twice in 1998 and in 2002. He remained in Jammu and Kashmir and carried out ghastly attack on Rashtriya Rifles camp, police said. On August 7, 2013, the lower court in Delhi convicted Gafoor and acquitted Ponnu, Lone and Mazeed. When police appealed against their acquittal, the Delhi High Court convicted all the acquitted three terrorists, the DCP said. After being convicted, Ponnu, Lone and Baba did not surrender and later, non-bailable warrants were issued against them several times since 2014 but no one turned up and a reward of Rs 2 lakh was declared on their arrest, the police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seventeen developing countries Tuesday made a strong case for filling vacancies in WTO's appellate body, saying current impasse could "completely paralyse" the dispute settlement mechanism of the global trade body by December. At the end of the two-day ministerial meeting here, in which 22 WTO member nations participated, also stressed on working collectively to strengthen the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to promote development and inclusivity. The declaration, issued after the meeting, was signed by 17 countries, while the remaining five refrained from backing the 13-point document. The member nations who signed the document said the dispute settlement system of the WTO is a central element in providing security and predictability to the multilateral trading system and stressed that the ongoing impasse threatens to "completely paralyse it by December 2019". "We, therefore, urge all WTO Members to engage constructively to address this challenge without any delay in filling the vacancies in the Appellate Body, while continuing discussions on other issues relating to the functioning of the dispute settlement mechanism," the declaration said. The United States, a WTO member, has blocked the appointment of appellate body. The minimum quorum (3) for functioning of this body will end on December 10, after which it will become dysfunctional. India has flagged the issue on the day one of the ministerial meeting. The declaration has also stressed that special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions are rights of developing Members that must be preserved and strengthened in both current and future WTO agreements, with priority attention to outstanding Least Developed Countries (LDC) issues. The S&DT norms provide flexibility to developing member countries in the WTO. Under this, they enjoy benefits like higher domestic support for the agriculture sector and longer time periods for implementing agreements and binding commitments. The document further said the process of WTO reform must keep development at its core, promote inclusive growth, and fully take into account the interests and concerns of developing Members, including the specific challenges of graduating LDCs. The way forward must be decided through a process that is open, transparent and inclusive. We agree to work collectively with the aim to develop proposals to ensure that our common interests are reflected in the WTO reform process, it added. With reference to the global agreement on agriculture, it said there was a need to provide adequate policy space to the developing countries to support their farmers through correcting the asymmetries and imbalances on priority. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seventeen developing countries, including Saudi Arabia and China, Tuesday made a strong case for resolving the impasse over appointment of members in the WTO's appellate body, cautioning that failure to do so would "completely paralyse" the dispute settlement mechanism of the global trade body by December. This was stated in a declaration released after the two-day ministerial meeting of 22 developing and least developed member countries of the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO), a body responsible for framing global trade rules. It also said that the flexibilities being provided to developing countries under the WTO's 'Special and Differential Treatment' (S&DT) provisions must be preserved as they are rights of developing members. "S&DT is one of the main defining features of the multilateral trading system and is essential to integrating developing members into global trade. S&DT provisions are rights that must be preserved and strengthened in both current and future WTO agreements," it said. The outcome or the Delhi Declaration was signed by 17 of the 22 participating countries. Five countries, including Kazakhstan, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil and Guatemala, did not sign the declaration due to some technical reasons. Briefing reporters on this, India's Ambassador to the WTO J S Deepak said: "Our position is clear that it is an unconditional right. It is not only a principle but a modality to help developing countries including LDCs to adjust themselves to the global trade rules". It is a useful tool which India will continue to use in existing and new agreements, he said, adding in future negotiations, India will demand appropriate and effective S&DT including in issues of fishery subsidies. The S&DT norms provide flexibility to developing member countries in the WTO to enjoy benefits like higher domestic support for the agriculture sector and longer time periods for implementing WTO agreements and binding commitments. Currently, any WTO member can designate itself as a developing country and avail these benefits. As part of reforms in the WTO, the US is arguing that countries which are doing well in terms of economic growth and prosperity should not be allowed S&DT benefits. On the issue of the impasse over the appointment of members in the appellate body of WTO's dispute settlement system, Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan said in the two-day meeting, there was a unanimity across all countries that this is the most urgent and critical issue that needs to be resolved. "It's functioning need to be continued beyond the period when some members will be retired and the quorum will be lost," he said. In the declaration, the 17 countries noted with concern that members have failed to arrive at a consensus in the selection process to fill vacancies in the appellate body. "This ongoing impasse has weakened the dispute settlement system and threatens to completely paralyse it by December 2019," it said adding "We urge all WTO members to engage constructively to address this challenge without any delay". The delay in the appointment would hamper the functioning of WTO's dispute settlement system, which is fundamental for fair global trade as it provides security and predictability to the multilateral trading system. Rulings of dispute panel are challenged in the appellate body of the WTO. Both are part of the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism. The minimum quorum (3) for the functioning of this body will end on December 10, after which it will become dysfunctional. The participating countries also deliberated upon the issue of e-commerce, although the matter was not mentioned in the declaration. Wadhawan said there was a technical session on e-commerce, where there was unanimity on the issue that its scope and definition are still not fully understood and appreciated and its boundaries are still "somewhat ambiguous and unclear". E-commerce is one of the new issues being pushed by developed countries, including the US, in the WTO. They want member countries to negotiate an agreement on this. But countries like India have not yet agreed for that due to certain sensitivities of small players of the sector. The outcome document also stressed on working collectively to strengthen the WTO to promote development and inclusivity. It said the process of WTO reform must keep development at its core, promote inclusive growth, and take into account the interests and concerns of developing members, including the specific challenges of graduating LDCs. "The way forward must be decided through a process that is open, transparent and inclusive. We agree to work collectively with the aim to develop proposals to ensure that our common interests are reflected in the WTO reform process," it added. With reference to the global agreement on agriculture, it said there was a need to provide adequate policy space to the developing countries to support their farmers by correcting the asymmetries and imbalances on priority. "In order to instil confidence among the Members, it is imperative that the Ministerial Conferences of the WTO are organized in a more open, transparent and inclusive manner," it said. WTO notification obligations must consider the capacity constraints and implementation related challenges faced by many developing nations, it said. The 17 members that signed the document include Egypt, Nigeria, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, and South Africa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh Tuesday visited landslide-prone areas on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and directed officers and a construction company to initiate measures immediately to ensure smooth flow of traffic. The highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, is facing frequent closure due to landslides in 12-km zone from Panthiyal to Ramsu in Ramban district. The director general of police, along with IGP (Traffic) Alok Kumar visited a number of places in Ramban and held meeting with officers regarding recurrent closure of the highway and measures required for smooth flow of traffic, a police spokesperson said. Singh along with officers and representative of Hindustan Construction Company Manohar Sharma had an on-the-spot review of the major landslide-prone sites and inspected the measures being taken by the firm so that the highway remains open, he said. The officers briefed the DGP regarding recurring landslides on vulnerable sites and the difficulties being faced by them in maintaining smooth flow of traffic, the spokesperson said. The DGP appreciated the role of Ramban SHO Vijay Kotwal in providing timely CPR aid to a commuter last week, thereby saving a life. "As a token of appreciation, the DGP presented him a commendation certificate and a cash reward of Rs 5,000 and instructed officers to be well versed in providing CPR," the spokesperson said. K Vijay Kumar, the advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir governor has also lauded the SHO and announced a cash reward of Rs 5,000 for him, the spokesperson added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Diplomats have visited a Canadian think tank expert whose detention in China is believed to be an attempt to pressure Canada to release Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Canadian consular officials visited with Michael Kovrig on Monday, the country's diplomatic service said in an emailed message. No details were given in keeping with privacy rules. Chinese official media have accused Korvig, a former diplomat and Asia expert at the International Crisis Group, of acting with Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to steal state secrets. Both were arrested on December 10 after Meng was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 at the request of U.S. authorities who want her extradited to face fraud charges. In its statement, Global Affairs Canada said it was concerned about the men's "arbitrary" detentions and called for their immediate release. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, is accused of lying to banks about the company's dealings with Iran in violation of U.S. trade sanctions. Her attorney has argued that comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest the case against her is politically motivated. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of Huawei's technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. China and the U.S. are currently embroiled in a trade dispute that has beleaguered global financial markets. Another Canadian held in China, Robert Schellenberg, was re-sentenced to death in a drug case following Meng's detention. His case is currently under appeal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : DMK treasurer and senior party leader Duraimurugan called on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu here Tuesday in what was termed as a 'private visit' by the Telugu Desam Party. The meeting came a day after TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao called on DMK chief M K Stalin in Chennai and discussed with him, his proposal for a Federal Front. Duraimurugan's 'unscheduled' visit assumed political significance as DMK has refused to support the TRS' proposed Federal Front. The DMK leader, who had come with his family, refused to speak to waiting mediapersons after the meeting. Naidu has over the past few months been engaged in a one-upmanship with Rao over their roles in national The TDP chief has been claiming he was the one who brought non-BJP parties onto a single platform at the national level. On the other hand, Rao has seeking the support of regional parties to forge a Federal Front that doesn't have either the BJP or the Congress. Interestingly, the two political groupings have not yet taken shape even as the two chief ministers are still toiling to put the pieces together. In this backdrop, the DMK treasurer's meeting with the TDP president generated political interest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized gold bars worth nearly Rs eight crore which was smuggled into India from Myanmar, and arrested six people for allegedly being a part of the smuggling racket, according to an official statement issue Tuesday. The gold was smuggled into India from Myanmar through the porous Indo-Myanmar border at Moreh in Manipur. Acting on specific inputs, DRI officials Monday seized 24.15 kg gold bars valued at Rs 7.99 crore from the possession of six people who were travelling by bus from Manipur to Siliguri via Coochbehar, the statement said. The six people who have been arrested are residents of Manipur and were engaged in carrying smuggled foreign-origin gold for quite some time now, the DRI said in the statement. In the last financial year, the DRI had seized over 464 kg of gold within the geographical precincts of West Bengal and Sikkim, smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and even China,valued at Rs 145.69 crore in 46 cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi University Teachers' Association and students' bodies Tuesday demanded a rollback of the decision of St Stephen's College to include a member of the institution's Supreme Council in the interview panel for selection of students. In a statement, the DUTA also criticised the institution's decision of sending warning letters to three of its governing body members over the issue. The three members of the governing body had objected to the inclusion of a member of its Supreme Council in the interview panel, saying it is a violation of the college constitution. The three members -- Nandita Narain of Department of Mathematics, N P Ashley of Department of English and Abhishek Singh of Department of Economics -- had condemned the "illegal and unacademic decision taken by the Principal", that "could compromise the academic integrity of our admissions process" while demanding its withdrawal. The DUTA said the "vindictive step" to silence dissent, criticism and expression of views has no place in a university and is antithetical to the very idea of a university. "Nothing but a guilty mind faced with public outcry over a serious step that it cannot defend by offering credible arguments can explain such arbitrary and authoritarian action," it said. The DUTA called the principal's action of issuing warning letters to teachers "silly" and demanded the withdrawal of the letters and the reversal of the decision. "The matter at hand is grave and such use of laughable arguments only points to the possibility of sinister, and not merely ignorant, considerations at play. The letters of warning are a threat to the academic character of the institution and the purpose behind the warning is clearly to threaten all teachers against expressing their opinion freely and fearlessly," it said. The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad threatened to mobilise student community if the decision was not withdrawn. "The decision of including a member of Supreme Council in the interview panel is arbitrary and condemnable. This would weaken the secular fabric of the university. This is not only against the constitution of the college but also against the principles laid down in India's constitution," the ABVP said. The Student's Federation of India (SFI), which is the student wing of the CPI (M), said such a move in the institution, which is 95 per cent UGC-funded and five per cent student-funded, will lead to more backdoor admissions in the college. "This move by the college administration is totally dictatorial as most of the teaching staff present in the staff council meeting had strongly protested against the unilateral decision by the administration," it said. The SFI also condemned the "methods of intimidation" adopted by the college administration against the three teacher representatives for speaking the truth. The Supreme Council is a subset of six members of the Governing Body (Managing Committee) and comprises all members of the Church of North India. According to the college constitution, the Supreme Council of the college shall have the control of the religious and moral instruction of students of the college and of all matters affecting its religious character as a Christian college of the Church of North India. The announcement to include a member of the Supreme Council was made at a meeting of the college's Staff Council by the principal held on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the Easter Sunday suicide bombers, who attempted to bomb the luxury Taj Samudra hotel here, was radicalised by British-Pakistani radical preacher Anjem Choudary while he was studying at a university in London, according to a media report. Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, 37, who hailed from a wealthy family involved in the tea trade, reportedly met the radical preacher while studying at Kingston University, the BBC reported. Choudary, 52, is considered one of the UK's most influential and dangerous radical preachers. He was convicted and jailed in 2016 for inviting support for the Islamic State group but was released in 2018. Counter-extremism experts early this year had warned that Choudary's extremist group al-Muhajiroun network was regenerating itself. Jameel, a father of four children, was the link between local radicals and IS or other Islamist groups based abroad, Sri Lannkan security officers told the BBC. Jameel was one of the nine bombers who carried out a series of blasts targeting three churches and three hotels in Colombo in which which nearly 360 people were killed. Jameel's target on April 21 Easter bombings was the Taj Samudra hotel of Tata Group's hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL). But his bomb probably failed and he was seen leaving the premises. He later blew himself up at a motel in the suburb of Dehiwala, killing two guests. Jameel studied in the UK and Australia before he tried to go to Syria. Several years ago, his family became concerned about his hardline views and enlisted the help of a security official. A security official told the BBC: "He (Jameel) was completely radicalised and supported the extremist ideology. I tried to reason with him. "When I asked him how he got into this he said that he attended the sermons of the radical British preacher Anjem Choudary in London. He said he met him during the sermons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking cancellation of bail granted by a trial court to AgustaWestland accused in a separate black money and laundering case. has challenged the trial court's April 16 order granting the relief to Khaitan, saying that in view of his position in society and the gravity of the offence, there was an apprehension of witnesses being tampered with, won over or intimidated by his influence. The agency, in its plea filed through advocate D P Singh, has also contended that the investigation was at a very crucial stage as the role of his alleged accomplices and aides was being examined in the case. said it was filed on the basis of a case lodged by the Income Tax department against him under the provisions of the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. has alleged in its plea that Khaitan, a lawyer by profession, was still maintaining and hiding his black money in overseas jurisdiction. The agency also claimed that the investigation has further revealed that black money has been laundered by him through several shell companies incorporated overseas. Social media giant Facebook is raising minimum wages for contract workers to up to USD 20 per hour in the US, and said it is working on developing similar standards for other countries. The US-based company had drawn flak after reports of contract workers facing tough work conditions and getting low compensation came out. These reports suggested that some workers also suffered from post-traumatic stress. It conceded that its current minimum wages for contract staff may be insufficient to meet the cost of living in some of the places it operates in. "It's become clear that USD 15 per hour doesn't meet the cost of living in some of the places where we operate. After reviewing a number of factors including third-party guidelines, we're committing to a higher standard that better reflects local costs of living," Facebook Vice-President (Human Resource) Janelle Gale and Arun Chandra (VP of Scaled Operations) said in a blogpost. They added that the minimum wage has been raised to USD 20 per hour in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City and Washington DC, and USD 18 per hour in Seattle. "We'll be implementing these changes by mid-next year and we're working to develop similar standards for other countries," they said. The blog said workers in the US, who review content on Facebook, will receive even higher wages. "Their work is critical to keeping our community safe, and it's often difficult. That's why we've paid content reviewers more than minimum wage standards, and why we will surpass this new living wage standard as well. We'll pay at least USD 22 per hour to all employees of our vendor partners based in the Bay Area, New York City and Washington, D.C," it pointed out. Content reviewers in Seattle will receive USD 20 per hour, while those in all other metro areas in the US will get USD 18. "As with all people who do contract work, we're working to develop similar international standards. This work is ongoing, and we'll continue to review wages over time," the blog said. In 2015, Facebook had introduced a minimum wage of USD 15 per hour; a minimum 15 paid days off for holidays, sick time and vacation; and for new parents that don't receive paid leave -- a USD 4,000 new child benefit. A year later, it asked its vendors in the US to provide comprehensive healthcare to all of their employees assigned to Facebook. The social media giant said all content reviewers - whether full-time employees or those employed by partner companies - have access to well-being and resiliency resources. "We're working to make contracts across our Global Operations vendor partners consistent. This includes requirements like quality-focused incentives, no sub-contracting, overtime and premiums for nightshifts and weekends, and healthcare that meets the standards of the Affordable Care Act in the US and appropriate healthcare standards internationally," the blog said. The company is mandating all vendor partners to provide on-site counselling during all hours of operations, and is also rolling out a resiliency survey -- to be conducted twice a year -- to all partner sites globally to "get a better sense of the needs of our reviewers". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF) seized fake Indian currency notes (FICN) of face value of Rs two lakh from two persons from the city's central business district and arrested them, a senior police official said Tuesday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of the force intercepted the two persons near iconic Shahid Minar in Esplanade area at around 11 PM Monday night and seized from them around 100 fake currency notes of face value of Rs 2 lakh from their possession, he said. "Both were arrested. They are Tamil Nadu-based FICN racketeers. We are grilling them to find out whether they are part of any big racket or not," the police official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An FIR was registered against Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President Kamal Haasan here Tuesday for his "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" statement, police said. The case was registered under Sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with 'outraging religious feelings' and 'promoting enmity between different groups', respectively, they said. A release from the Karur district police also warned of stringent action against those inciting violence in the name of religion, caste, language and race. Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. The remarks drew condemnation from BJP and the AIADMK, although Haasan found support in Congress and Dravidar Kazhagam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gold prices Tuesday rose by Rs 377 to Rs 33,395 per 10 gram in the national capital due to rise in domestic demand, according to the All India Sarafa Association. Tracking gold, silver too gained Rs 300 to Rs 38,300 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers. Traders said apart from uptick in local demand, further escalation of trade war between the US and China boosted gold's safe-haven appeal, thereby leading to upward movement in prices of yellow metal. In a retaliatory move, China on Monday said it would raise tariffs on US goods worth nearly USD 60 billion. Globally, spot gold was trading at USD 1,298 an ounce, while silver was at USD 14.83 an ounce in New York. In the national capital, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purity advanced by Rs 377 each to Rs 33,395 and Rs 33,225 per 10 gram, respectively. However, sovereign gold stood steady at Rs 26,500 per eight gram. Meanwhile, silver ready surged by Rs 300 to Rs 38,300 per kg, while weekly-based delivery rose Rs 267 to Rs 37,557 per kg. Silver coins were in good demand and traded higher by Rs 1,000 at Rs 80,000 for buying and Rs 81,000 for selling of 100 pieces, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen killed four Catholics in a religious procession in north Burkina Faso a day after a priest and five parishioners were murdered at mass, church officials said Tuesday. The parade with a statue of the Virgin Mary was moving through the town of Ouahigouya on Monday when "a group of terrorists intercepted the procession, killing four worshippers and burning the statue," said a spokesman for the Ouagadougou Cathedral. According to the Burkina Faso agency AIB, the assailants stopped the procession. "They let the minors go, executed four adults, and destroyed the statue," it quoted a local person as saying. Paul Ouedraogo, president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger, told a meeting of bishops in the capital Ouagadougou the attack had claimed four lives. The killings came a day after a group of 20-30 armed men, according to witnesses, burst into the Catholic church in Dablo, also in the Nord Region of Burkina Faso, shooting dead five parishioners and their priest. The attackers set fire to the church, several shops and a small cafe before heading to the health centre, which they looted, burning the chief nurse's vehicle. Two days earlier, French special forces had freed four foreign hostages in Burkina Faso during an overnight raid that cost the lives of two soldiers. Two weeks ago, there was a similar attack against a Protestant church in Silgadji, also in the north, when gunmen on motorbikes killed a pastor and five worshippers. Burkina 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. The raids began in 2015 in the north before targeting the capital Ouagadougou and other regions, notably in the east. Nearly 400 people have been killed since 2015 -- mainly in hit-and-run raids -- according to an AFP tally. Jihadist groups target Christian clerics as well as Muslim ones they do not consider sufficiently radical. Last month, jihadists attacked a village school in Maitaougou, in the eastern province of Koulpelogo, killing five teachers and a municipal worker. Former colonial ruler France has deployed 4,500 troops in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in a mission condemned Barkhane to help local forces flush out jihadists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Comedienne Hannah Gadsby will be returning to Netflix with a new stand up comedy special titled "Douglas". "Douglas" had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival last month. The Australian comic is currently touring with "Douglas" and is excited to reach out to the world audience with its Netflix premiere. "I'm so excited to announce today that Douglas will be released on Netflix in 2020, I'm really enjoying touring with the live performance, but there will be places in the world that I won't be able to visit, so it's wonderful that Netflix will bring the show to every corner of the globe," Gadsby said in a statement to Variety. The comedienne kicked-off the American tour of "Douglas" in San Franciso on April 29 and the tour is set to conclude after a four week run in Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theater, New York. The show is named after frequently Instagrammed pup, Douglas. In "Douglas", Gadsby talks about her recent autism diagnosis, which she discovered right before she was about to embark on her breakout show "Nanette". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court has sought to know from the Maharashtra government what measures it proposes to tackle "serious" issues like drought in the state. A vacation bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and N J Jamadar was hearing a petition filed by activist Sanjay Lakhe Patil, seeking setting up of independent disaster management committees in each district of the state. Patil sought for implementation of the 2016 disaster management guidelines which listed several measures to be undertaken by the state government to tackle natural calamities and disasters, including drought. When the petition was heard on Monday, Patil produced records before the court to show that water levels in dams and other resources had gone down in the state's Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. "The issue is serious. We want some lawyer from the state government to inform us what measures the government proposes to take (to tackle the issue)," the court said. The bench then posted the petition for further hearing on May 20. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to immediately shut all brothels operating in Meerut. Hearing a PIL filed by advocate Sunil Chaudhari, a division bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery asked the Additional Chief Secretary to obtain a report on steps taken and also about objections by the district magistrate to the allegations made in the petition and place these on record. The petitioner alleged that several brothels are running in Meerut and the district administration is not taking any steps required under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act as well as under other relevant provisions. The court directed the Additional Chief Secretary (Home Affairs) to issue necessary instructions to the district magistrate, Meerut as well as to the SSP, Meerut to take immediate steps to stop operation of the brothels and proceed in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act, and other relevant provisions. According to the petitioner, 75 brothels have been noticed by government agencies which have distributed contraceptives at these places. It was also brought to the notice of the court that the brothels have become centre of criminal activities and even a murder had taken at one such place. The petitioner also claimed that threats have been issued to him to withdraw the PIL, after which the court made it clear that being a public interest litigation and cognisance of which has already been taken by it, the case cannot be withdrawn even if the petitioner desires. The court directed the district magistrate of Allahabad to ensure necessary security to Chaudhari, if required, and directed listing of the matter on May 29 for the next hearing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Offering relief to hundreds of temporary non-teaching employees of the Mumbai University, the Bombay High Court has restrained the varsity from terminating their services and directed it to pay all their pending dues. In a judgement passed on May 3, a single judge bench of Justice A K Menon upheld portions of a 2018 judgement of the industrial court in the city that had restrained the university from terminating the services of around 900 temporary employees without following the due process of law. The industrial court had held at the time that in terminating the services of these employees in 2014, the university had violated provisions of the Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act, 1971(MRTU & PULP Act). The industrial court had also directed the university to pay the dues of these employees from the date of its order. However, these employees, several employees' unions, and the university moved the high court last year, challenging parts of the industrial court's order. While the employees wanted that they be paid their dues from the time they filed the plea, the university argued that it was not an industrial body and therefore, the issue was out of the court's jurisdiction. The varsity also argued before the high court that the employees had been hired on a temporary basis and they were well aware of this fact at the time of their appointment. As per the plea, the petitioners filed it before the industrial court on behalf of 938 employees in 2014. They claimed they had been working for the university for several years and therefore, they must be regularised. The plea said they had completed duty for 240 days in 12 months, as required by the university rules for one to seek regularisation of one's post. However, the university refused to regularise their posts and instead began terminating their services without following due procedure, they claimed. Justice Menon held that the petitioners deserved relief and that the university had definitely violated provisions of the MRTU & PULP Act. "In my view, if education is an industry, the university is one of its crucibles. That having been said, the industrial court has rightly come to the conclusion that the university is not an industrial establishment as contemplated under the Model Standing Orders," the high court said. It directed the university to fill up its vacant sanction posts from among the petitioners and directed it to pay the salaries and other dues to them from the date of their plea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit Tuesday said assembly elections should be held in November after over 30 lakh nomads return from the state's high-altitude areas to the plains. "We want that elections should be held in J-K in November this year. It should be held after the return of Gujjars and Bakerwals back to the plains from the upper reaches of the state. It is the period of November," state BJP general secretary Ashok Koul told reporters here. He said the party does not favour immediate elections in the state. Though, the party is not in favour of any delays in the polls, but at the same time, it doesn't want that a huge population of nomads are deprived of their right to vote, Koul said. He said had assembly elections been held along with the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP would have favoured it."We don't favour immediate polls at this time," the BJP leader said. Koul said over 30 lakh Gujjars and Bakerwals are in the migration phase these days. "We can't deprive them of their rights. So, once they return back from grazing their livestock on hills, assembly polls can be held," he said. Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday last had said the BJP is ready for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir but a final decision on the matter needs to be taken by the Election Commission after considering security-related concerns. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav in March had said the party wants early elections in the state. Replying to questions on the security situation in Kashmir, Koul claimed that only three of the 10 districts of Kashmir are trouble-torn. "The security situation in rest of the districts has bettered and the Centre is dealing with the situation to bring peace and normalcy in these three trouble-torn districts," the BJP leader said. On the withdrawal of his security, the BJP leader said he surrendered his security to protest the "wrong information provided by the police to the governor". "Some police officials had given wrong information to the governor about the security of slain BJP member Gul Mir of Anantnag. "I wrote to the governor to clarify to him about the security of late Mir.The governor has assured that security will be provided to all those political activists after proper verification by the police, Koul said. On opposition parties accusing the BJP of polarising voters and threatening minorities, he said the Congress is polarising voters in the country and it did it recently in Jammu and Kashmir parliamentary polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An online petition by a mayoral authority in the UK calling for a direct flight between India's financial capital Mumbai with Britain's second largest city Birmingham has attracted hundreds of signatures within days. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) issued the petition titled "We need a direct flight to Mumbai from Birmingham" on Change.Org on Friday and was edging towards reaching its target of 1,000 signatures on Tuesday. "Given the significant business (Jaguar Land Rover, JCB, Rolls Royce, Bharat Forge, Pattonair and Bombardier to name a few) links between the Midlands and India, and the strength of the diaspora, there is strong demand for a direct flight between Birmingham and Mumbai," said West Midlands Mayor Andy Street. "There is a business case but there is also a personal case thousands of families will be able to reconnect more easily with a new route. The Midlands and India have a wonderful relationship, we need to strengthen it with a new route," he said. The petition is aimed at reflecting the strength of feeling of the people of the region for such a direct connection when a delegation from Birmingham Airport heads out to India later this month. The airport has been lobbying for a direct flight for some time and Andy Street raised the issue of a direct route to connect Mumbai with Birmingham, the UK's second-largest city, with Indian aviation minister Suresh Prabhu during a previous India visit. Street said: "The Midlands serves a large Indian community of nearly 500,000, with significant populations in Birmingham, Leicester, Northampton, Nottingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton. "I am really pleased there is an Air India flight to Delhi from Birmingham but if people need to go to Mumbai they have to travel to Heathrow". Air India admits demand for more direct routes from the UK to Indian cities, including Goa and Ahmedabad, but says it remains constrained by airport slots. Jet Airways had made a play to cater to some of the demand with a Manchester-Mumbai flight last year before its financial troubles grounded its fleet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Income Tax Department has filed as many as 11 charge sheets against corporate aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar for alleged tax evasion by him and his companies, official sources said Tuesday. They said the prosecution complaints have been filed before a special court here last week under Section 276C(1) (prosecution for wilful attempt to evade tax) and Section 277 (false statement in verification) of the Income Tax Act. While six are fresh complaints, the rest are supplementary charge sheets to the main complaints filed in 2017 by the department against Talwar. These pertain to different assessment years, the sources said. "Investigations have revealed that the accused was the beneficiary of a complex global corporate structure of several entities in different offshore jurisdictions like British Virgin Islands, Mauritius, Singapore, Hong Kong which received funds from foreign entities," a senior tax department official said, quoting contents of the charge sheets. "A part of such money was also routed back in India for investment through multiple layers in foreign countries," he added. The results of investigations conducted so far reveal that the assessee (Talwar) is linked to many other foreign bank accounts and further investigation is in progress, the official said. Talwar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering after he was deported from Dubai early this year. Talwar's role in some aviation deals during the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) regime at the Centre is under scanner. He has been accused of criminal conspiracy and forgery, and charged under various other sections of the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act for allegedly diverting Rs 90.72 crore worth of foreign funds meant for ambulances and other articles received by his NGO from Europe's leading missile manufacturing company. The role of his son Aditya and wife is also under the scanner of the ED.He is also being probed on corruption charges by the CBI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister took a dim view of Premier Imran Khan's remark that a win for in the Lok Sabha elections will revive hopes for Indo-Pak peace, saying he should instead ensure that terrorism is wiped out completely from his country. Singh also said that India would extend all help to in fighting terrorism if it shows sincerity in eradicating the menace emanating from its soil. Asked during an interview to PTI on Sunday whether the recent statement by Khan that it would be good for peace between India and if BJP and Modi returned to power showed he was a fan of the Indian premier, Singh said, "Only he (Khan) can reply to that." After a brief pause, Singh smilingly said if Khan was so serious of wanting Modi to return to power and normalize relations with India then he should first announce that terrorism would neither be nurtured nor allowed to thrive in Pakistan and take effective steps to stamp put terrorism. "Pakistan should announce that terrorism will be wiped out completely from their country and if need be help of India can be taken. If such a statement comes from Pakistan, we will believe that is really a Modi fan and wishes to normalise relations with India," he said. To a question whether India would be willing to help Pakistan, Singh said, "India will wholeheartedly support such a step." A day before the first phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on April 10, Khan met with a group of foreign journalists for an interaction in Islamabad during which he expressed the hope that India-Pakistan peace had a better chance under Mr. Modi The BJP veteran also accused Congress of diluting India's stand on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. "In 2004, (Gen Pervez) Musharraf had agreed for a statement that Pakistan's soil will not be used for terrorism. A year later, during Congress rule a statement was made by New Delhi that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism as India. This was a blunder." He also defended Modi's decision to invite the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014 and also for making an unscheduled visit to his home in Lahore Pakistan. "We wanted to experiment but things did not work the way we wanted," he said. Asked whether an invitation will again be extended to the Pakistani premier if the NDA retains power, Singh said, "It's too early to say who will be called and who will be kept away." On Balakot air strike in February this year, Singh said the Congress should have refrained from repeatedly questioning the government about the number of terrorists killed in the attack. However, Singh side-stepped a reply to a pointed question that the figure of 300 terrorists being killed was first stated by BJP chief Amit Shah. But he hastened to add, "Now see even a foreign journalist has said that nearly 170 were killed." Singh was apparently referring to a claim by an Italian journalist earlier this month that the Balakot air strike killed 130-170 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. Asked for clarity on the number of deaths since several weeks have now passed after the air strike, he said, "I will only say that it was an intelligence-based successful anti-terror operation which has been unheard of in the history of the nation." Without naming Donald Trump, Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu opposed the US President's call for building a wall on the US-Mexico border. Inarritu, who is heading the 2019 Cannes Film Festival jury, said ignorance among the masses makes it easier for governments to "manipulate" them. "I'm not a politician. As an artist, I can express through my job and with my heart open what I think to be truthful. I think the problem is what is happening is the ignorance. People do not know, it's very easy to manipulate," the Oscar-winning director said when asked about Trump's policies. According to Variety, he was addressing a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Inarritu said he tried giving an insight into the condition of immigrants in his 2017 virtual reality (VR) film "Carne Y Arena". The movie, that premiered at Cannes two years ago, was the first VR film to be screened at the prestigious movie gala. Referencing the commencement date of World War II, Inarritu said, "We know how this story ends if we keep with this experience. We think we are evolving with the technology and the social media. It seems like every tweet is a brick of isolation and creating a lot of threat and paranoia." It is for the first time that a Mexican filmmaker is headlining the jury at the festival, which runs through May 25. Inarritu also touched upon the ongoing debate between traditional theatres and streaming services, such as Netflix. "The Revenant" director said cinema is supposed to be a "communal experience", but added that streamers could never completely replace theatres. Inarritu said, "I'm a true believer to watch is not to see a film. To watch is something. To see is another thing. To see is to not to experience. Cinema was born to be experienced in a communal experience. "I have nothing against watching on a phone, on an iPad, on a computer. But I know watching a film there is not the same... Netflix is doing a great job. It's great that they exist on TV. Why not give people the choice to experience cinema?" Also present at the event were eight other members of 2019 Cannes jury, including directors Yorgos Lanthimos, Kelly Reichardt, Robin Campillo, Pawel Pawlikowski and actor Elle Fanning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has been unanimously chosen as co-chair of the consultative group for Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery for the 2020 fiscal, the Home Ministry said in a statement issued Tuesday. The decision was taken during the group's meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday on the margins of the 6th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GFDRR)-2019, it said. The consultative group's meeting was co-chaired by the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states, the European Union (EU) and the World Bank. GFDRR is a global partnership that helps developing countries better understand and reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change. It is a grant-funding mechanism, managed by the World Bank, which supports disaster risk management projects globally. It is presently working on the ground with over 400 local, national, regional, and international partners and provides knowledge, funding, and technical assistance. India became a member of the GFDRR's consultative group in 2015 and had expressed its interest to co-chair its meeting in October 2018. India's candidature was backed by its consistent progress in disaster risk reduction in the country and its initiative to form a coalition on disaster resilient infrastructure, the statement said. This will give the country an opportunity to work with member countries and organisations of GFDRR with a focused contribution towards advancing the disaster risk reduction agenda during the course of the year. This is the first time that the country has been given the opportunity of co-chairing the consultative group's meeting, it said. India would like to pursue a focused agenda and develop synergies with ongoing work streams of GFDRR, the Home Ministry said. Disaster resilient infrastructure will be a central theme of engagement with GFDRR partners and stakeholders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has expressed support to Nigeria's Ambassador to the UN Tijjani Muhammad-Bande as the next president of the General Assembly and called him to make the body more action-oriented to deal with the global scourge of terrorism. The current President of the General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa presided Monday over an informal interactive dialogue with Muhammad-Bande, nominated by Nigeria, where Member States got an opportunity to discuss his vision statement and question him on his priorities and plans if elected as President of the 74th session of the 193-member General Assembly. The dialogue aims to contribute to the transparency and inclusivity of the selection process. India expressed support for the Nigerian Ambassador, describing him a great friend and a well-known son of Africa, with Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin tweeting that India is looking forward to Muhammad-Bande's election by acclamation on June 4. India joins in support of this effort, he said. During the interactive dialogue, Akbaruddin highlighted that in his vision statement, Muhammad-Bande spoke about the issue of terrorism. Akbaruddin drew Muhammad-Bande's attention to the long-pending global convention on international terrorism and called for action in the UN body to adopt it, emphasising that terrorism is antithetical to everything that the UN stands for. Terrorism is antithetical to everything that we here at the UN stand for. It is antithetical to peace and security, to development and to human rights. Yet all of us seem contented only to condemn terrorism and not do anything more, Akbaruddin said, underlining the need for the General Assembly to be more action-oriented rather than talk-oriented. The Indian Ambassador asked his Nigerian counterpart what plans he has to make the General Assembly more action-oriented to deal with the global scourge of terrorism. I'd like to draw his attention to the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT). This is being lying with the General Assembly for years, in fact for decades. Would we see any initiative by him on this important issue, Akbaruddin said. India proposed a draft document on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN in 1986 but it has not been implemented as there is no unanimity on the definition of terrorism among the member states. The Nigerian diplomat replied that there is nothing as urgent as dealing with terrorism because what it has done, like my friend Syed stated, it goes completely contrary, counter to all that this organization stands for. He stressed the necessity for the international community to really work as one, not only as UN but as Member States to see why we have to really continue to collaborate very deeply with others in dealing with this matter. Muhammad-Bande said the UN has many mechanisms and has created a whole office - the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism - to focus efforts on countering terrorism. He added that sometimes nations are not able to find means of communicating on the issue because often the traditions of different countries stand in the way in a matter that is so urgent and everyday affects countries regardless of region, size or economic circumstance. He stressed that the office of the PGA will support the Secretary General by getting Heads of State and Government to really appreciate deeper the need and importance of sharing information and the issue of efforts to deal with education relating to countering extremism. With little headway in any action to adopt the CCIT, India is reviving discussion on the Convention at the world organisation amidst increasing terror attacks on places of worship across the globe. Earlier this month, India had given a clarion call at the UN for strengthening efforts to adopt the long-pending global convention on international terrorism. India's call to adopt the CCIT came just a day after it won a massive victory in the fight against terrorism with the designation of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. The blacklisting of the JeM chief came 10 years after India first moved a proposal in the UN body to sanction him. Speaking at a solemn commemorative event for victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, Akbaruddin had said that as a tribute to the victims in Sri Lanka, "we can all try and strengthen efforts to achieve that objective of a putting in place a global legal framework to counter a global scourge. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Pakistan could be discussing options of de-escalating tensions along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, a Pakistani media report claimed on Tuesday. Quoting official sources, 'The Express Tribune' newspaper reported that the channels of communication that were suspended following the Pulwama terrorist attack in February may have been restored. Pakistan and India might be discussing the options of de-escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary, the paper said. Relations between India and Pakistan have been on the edge since the February 14 Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group which killed 40 CRPF personnel. India launched a counter-terror operation against a JeM training camp in Balakot on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured its pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1 in an effort to de-escalate the crisis. According to the paper, on February 28, a day after Pakistan shot down the Indian fighter jet, intense exchange of fire took place between the two nuclear-armed neighbours along the LoC. Citing sources, it claimed that the Indian Army has requested Pakistan to stop the use of artillery fire. The Indian Army sources in New Delhi, however, rejected the claim, saying it is Pakistan which has been seeking de-escalation as the country is facing mounting international pressure. Last week, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria held an important meeting with Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood at the Foreign Office. Details of that meeting were not shared with the media but the Indian request seeking end to the artillery use was believed to be one of the talking points, the paper said. Neither the Foreign Office nor the Pakistan military's media wing has commented on the Indian request, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government Tuesday again extended its deadline to impose retaliatory import duties on 29 US products, including almond, walnut and pulses, till June 16. A notification of the finance ministry said that implementation of increased customs duty on specified imports originating in the US has been postponed from May 16 to June 16 this year. These deadlines were extended several times since June 2018, when India decided to impose these duties in retaliation to a move by the US to impose high customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. This extension comes in the backdrop of the US decision to withdraw export incentives being provided to Indian exporters under Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme, which is expected to impact India's exports to the US worth USD 5.6 billion under this scheme. America had given 60 days notice, which ended on May 2 but has yet to withdraw those benefits. ALSO READ: India extends deadline to impose retaliatory tariffs on 29 US products Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu held bilateral meetings on May 6 here. Further extension of GSP benefits was part of a trade package being negotiated between the two countries. However, those negotiations hit a roadblock after the US announced its decision to roll back GSP benefits from Indian exporters. The US administration has alleged India in imposing high import duties on products such as paper and Harley Davidson motorcycles from America. India wants US to exempt them from the high duty imposed on certain steel and aluminium products, provide greater market access for agriculture, automobile, automobile components and engineering sector products. On the other hand, the US is demanding greater market access through a cut in import duties for its agriculture goods, dairy products, medical devices, IT and communication items. As part of the imposition of higher import duties, India has notified higher tariffs on several products. While import duty on walnut has been hiked to 120 per cent from 30 per cent, duty on chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and masur dal will be raised to 70 per cent, from 30 per cent currently. Levy on lentils will be increased to 40 per cent. India's exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at USD 47.9 billion, while imports were at USD 26.7 billion. The trade balance is in favour of India. By The Associated Press May. 12, 2019 | 07:13 PM | FRANKFORT A federal judge on Friday struck down a Kentucky abortion law that would halt a common second-trimester procedure to end pregnancies. The state's anti-abortion governor immediately vowed to appeal. U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr. ruled that the 2018 law would create a "substantial obstacle" to a woman's right to an abortion, violating constitutionally protected privacy rights. Kentucky's only abortion clinic challenged the law right after it was signed by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. A consent order had suspended its enforcement pending the outcome of last year's trial in which Bevin's legal team and ACLU attorneys argued the case. The law takes aim at an abortion procedure known as "dilation and evacuation." The procedure was used in 537 of 3,312 abortions in Kentucky in 2016, according to state statistics. McKinley wrote that standard D&E procedures account for virtually all second-trimester abortions in Kentucky. The law would "unduly burden" women seeking the procedure, he said. "If the Act goes into effect, standard D&E abortions will no longer be performed in the Commonwealth due to ethical and legal concerns regarding compliance with the law," he wrote. The result, the judge said, would be that women lose "the right to obtain a pre-viability abortion anywhere in the Commonwealth of Kentucky after 15 weeks." ACLU attorney Alexa Kolbi-Molinas said the judge's ruling "affirms that health, not politics, will guide important medical decisions about pregnancy." "Laws like this are part of an orchestrated national strategy by anti-abortion politicians to push abortion out of reach entirely," she said in a statement. Bevin spokeswoman Elizabeth Goss Kuhn said the governor's legal team will appeal McKinley's decision to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. She predicted the law "will ultimately be upheld." "We profoundly disagree with the court's decision and will take this case all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to protect unborn children from being dismembered limb by limb while still alive," she said in a statement. Kentucky is one of many Republican-dominated states seeking to enact restrictions on abortion as conservatives take aim at the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Energized by new conservatives on the Supreme Court, abortion opponents in multiple states hope to ignite new legal battles that could prompt the justices to revisit Roe v. Wade. Steve Pitt, lead attorney for Bevin's legal team, described the second-trimester procedure as "brutal, gruesome and inhumane" during last year's trial over the law in Louisville. The state's lawyers say the law would still allow use of the D&E procedure, but only after doctors used other methods to induce fetal death. Abortion providers violating the law would be guilty of a felony. Women undergoing such abortions would not face prosecution. The judge said Friday the law would require women seeking a second-trimester abortion at and after 15 weeks to "endure a medically unnecessary and invasive procedure that may increase the duration of an otherwise one-day standard D&E abortion." McKinley said the plaintiffs "successfully showed the Act will operate as a substantial obstacle to a woman's right to an abortion before the fetus reached viability a violation of a woman's Fourteenth Amendment rights to privacy and bodily integrity." The case is part of a bitter legal fight in Kentucky over abortion policy. Kentucky Republicans have pushed through a series of measures putting limits and conditions on abortion since assuming complete control of the state's legislature in 2017. Those laws have triggered several legal challenges. Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer has achieved 10 million production milestone in the country, the company said Tuesday. The company which has three manufacturing facilities at Surajpur (Uttar Pradesh), (Haryana) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu) jointly contributed to the overall production achievement till date. "The 10 millionth product --a FZS-FI Version 3.0 -- was rolled out at the company's Chennai factory in the presence of senior management officials from Yamaha Motor, Group of Companies, Mitsui and Company, vendor park companies, employees...", the statement said. The company said it also achieved a milestone of producing five million units between 2012 and 2019. Of the 10 million units produced till date, 80 per cent of it were manufactured at Surajpur and facilities while remaining from Chennai unit. Motorcycle models contributed to 77.88 lakh units while scooter was 22.12 lakh units, it said. "The journey for Yamaha has been quite exciting all these years. We have received phenomenal response from our customers from across the country. This landmark achievement is a testimony of our growing popularity and demand for our products..," Group of Companies, Chairman, Motofumi Shitara said. The achievement would not have been possible without the support of our employees, dealer partners, suppliers and vendors, he said. Yamaha Motor achieved first milestone in 1999 when the Surajpur facility hit the one million unit production milestone. In 2012, the five million unit production was achieved at the same facility. In 2016, India Yamaha Motor reached the one million production milestone for its scooters in India since the launch of first scooter model 'Ray' in 2012. With a production capacity of 4.5 lakh units in 2015 to nine lakh units in 2019, the Chennai factory is leading for India Yamaha Motor in terms of meeting production targets of the company, the statement added. (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.) An Indian-origin woman in the US has been convicted by a jury of killing her nine-year-old stepdaughter by strangling her in a bathtub in 2016 and faces up to life in prison at her sentencing next month. Shamdai Arjun, 55, of Queens, New York was convicted on Friday of second-degree murder by a jury that deliberated for less than an hour before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder, who indicated that he would sentence her on June 3. Arjun faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Arjun was convicted for the August 2016 strangulation death of her nine-year-old stepdaughter Ashdeep Kaur, who was left in her care. This is a horrifying case of a defenceless nine-year-old child, who was to be cared for by her stepmother but was instead strangled to death by her. Her actions are truly incomprehensible and deserve the maximum punishment allowed under the law, Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan said. According to trial testimony, on the evening of August 19, 2016, Arjun was observed by an eyewitness leaving her apartment in Queens along with her ex-husband Raymond Narayan, and her two grandchildren ages 3 and 5. When asked about the nine-year-old victim's whereabouts, Arjun informed the eyewitness that the child was in the bathroom and was waiting for her father to pick her up. The eyewitness, who observed that the bathroom light had been on for several hours, called the victim's father Sukhjinder Singh and was instructed to break through the bathroom door, at which time she found Kaur's lifeless naked body in the bathtub. There were several bruises on her body. A report filed by the Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of death was manual strangulation. In 2016, Queens Assistant District Attorney Michael Curtis had said that Arjun repeatedly and on numerous occasions threatened to kill the young girl. Kaur's relatives had also said that the young girl had been previously abused by Arjun, who had been entrusted with her care while Singh worked in a local restaurant. Kaur arrived in the US from India just three months before she was killed in August 2016 and was living with her father and Arjun in an apartment in Queens that was shared with another couple. The housemate had seen Kaur go in the bathroom with Arjun, who later came out alone and left the building. She allegedly said that Kaur was taking bath. New York Police Department detectives then went into Narayan's residence and found him, Arjun and the two grandchildren inside the apartment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian pharma majors Dr Reddy's, Workhardt, Aurobindo and Glenmark, which are among the generic drug makers named in an anti-trust lawsuit in the US, Tuesday denied allegations of engaging in conspiracy to fix prices. The homegrown drugmakers are among the 21 generic pharmaceutical firms and 15 other individual defendants against whom the Attorneys General of 49 US states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia had filed a complaint with respect to 116 generic drugs in the US District Court for the District of Connecticut. The companies have been accused of violating antitrust laws by fixing prices and allocating customers. In separate clarifications to stock exchanges, the companies denied the accusations and stated they would defend themselves in the matter. Dr Reddy's said, "We intend to vigorously defend against these allegations and are in the process of filing our response with the District Court of Connecticut." The company said its US subsidiary is specifically named as a defendant with respect to five generic drugs (Ciprofloxacin HCL tablets, Glimepiride tablets, Oxaprozin tablets, Paricalcitol and Tizanidine), for an alleged "overarching conspiracy". It further said,"Currently, we do not foresee any material impact to our operations and consolidated results with respect to this matter." Sun Pharma in a regulatory filing said that its subsidiary Taro Pharmaceuticals USA Inc has been named in the second lawsuit filed by the states. "The allegations made in these lawsuits are without merit and our concerned subsidiaries will continue to vigorously defend against them," the company said in its clarification to stock exchanges over a article. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has not been named in these litigations, the drug major clarified. Wockhardt also said anti-trust action relates to price hike of various generic drugs. The company has denied such accusation at appropriate Forum and is vigorously defending against the matter. Similarly, Glenmark said in December 2016 a similar law suit was filed and the latest one includes some of the parties from the first one as well as additional parties with allegations of fixing prices of additional products which were not referenced in the first law suit. "While the company is currently reviewing the second suit, we expect to file papers with the Federal Court in due course denying the accusations. Given the early nature of the matter, the company does not anticipate material impact of the same," Glenmark added. Aurobindo Pharma also said it is currently reviewing the second anti-trust law suit. "We expect that we will be filing papers with the Federal Court in due course denying each of the relevant accusations. Aurobindo does not, at this time, anticipate that these matters will have a material impact on the Company's operations or business results," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An inter-state narcotics smuggler was arrested and 680 kg of poppy straw seized from him in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Tuesday, a senior police officer said. Kulvinder Singh, a Punjab resident, was driving a truck loaded with 29 bags of poppy straw weighing 680 kg in total, when he was stopped near Dream Land Park on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway as part of surprise checks, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua, Shridhar Patil said. An FIR under relevant sections of the law was registered against the accused driver, the officer said, adding further investigation is on. He termed the drug seizure a "major success". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An internal inquiry has been ordered on disclosure of classified information in the Rafale deal, the Defence Ministry has said in an RTI query. City-based Right to Information (RTI) activist Anil Galgali had filed an RTI seeking information from the Defence Ministry about the "stolen" Rafale files and action taken by the ministry in this regard. Galgali had also sought to know whether the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were aware about the stolen files and if yes, then whether a police complaint had been filed. Replying to his query, Sushil Kumar, the deputy secretary (Air Acquisition) and CPIO Air Acquisition (Capital) Wing, stated that the ministry has ordered an internal inquiry. In his reply dated May 7, Kumar said, "The Ministry of Defense (Security Office) has ordered an internal inquiry on disclosure of classified official information into public domain and violation of manual of security instructions." Reacting to the reply, Galgali said, "It possible that the matter is sub-judice and therefore, the government may not have provided full information. But, it is high time that the government must come forward to clean the air to assure the citizens about the deal." Notably, Attorney General KK Venugopal in March had told PTI that the documents related to the Rafale fighter jet deal were not stolen from the Ministry of Defence and that petitioners seeking a review of the courts earlier verdict were using "photocopies of the original" papers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Deployment of 5G technology will see security emerge as an important area of investment for telecom companies given that the ensuing increase in traffic and connected devices will significantly expand attack surface for cybercriminals, a report by A10 Networks said Tuesday. A10 Networks, which provides security solutions to mobile operators globally, said companies across the world expect rapid progress toward 5G over the next 18 months. This is expected to open up new revenue opportunities for carriers and disruptive new use cases for many industries. 5G, the fifth generation of cellular network technology, promises to offer faster data speeds and better network quality for consumers. The US and South Korea will be among the first few countries to see commercial deployment of the latest technology in the next few quarters. However, it could take longer for 5G to be deployed in India. "Mobile carriers anticipate significant revenue opportunities and exciting new use cases as they move forward with their 5G deployments. However, the industry also recognises that 5G will dramatically raise the stakes for ensuring the security and reliability of these networks," A10 Networks Global Field Chief Technology Officer Ravi Raj Bhat told reporters here. He added that new mission-critical applications like autonomous vehicles, smart cities and remote patient monitoring will make network reliability vital to the safety and security of people and businesses. "Dramatic increases in traffic rates and connected devices will significantly expand the attack surface and scale for cybercriminals," Bhat said. He said India ranks among the top mobile data consumers and mobile subscriber base, and that 5G technology will play an important role across areas such as manufacturing, educational, healthcare, agricultural, financial and social sector. Bhat cited findings of the 'Securing the Future of a Smart World' survey that found 67 per cent respondents saying they will deploy their first commercial 5G networks within 18 months, and another 20 per cent within two years. Also, 94 per cent respondents said they expected growth in network traffic, connected devices and mission-critical internet of things (IoT) use cases to significantly increase security and reliability concerns for 5G networks, while 79 per cent said 5G is a consideration in current security investments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that "there is not going to be any war" with the United States, his official website reported. In a speech to state officials, Khamenei said the showdown between the Islamic republic and the was a test of resolve rather than a military encounter. "This face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war. Neither we nor them (the US) seek war. They know it will not be in their interest," he said, quoted on the Khamenei.ir website. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has pledged the Islamic republic is "too great to be intimidated by anyone" in a late night meeting with clerics. "God willing we will pass this difficult period with glory and our heads held high, and defeat the enemy," Rouhani said late Monday as he met Sunni clerics to mark the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, the official government website dolat.ir said. He was speaking after four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were reportedly attacked off the UAE coast on Sunday, in a sign of mounting regional tensions. Iran has called for an investigation into what it called an "alarming" incident. Iran and the United States have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. US President Donald Trump withdraw the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed stringent sanctions on Iran. Last month, Washington designated Iran's revolutionary guards as a "foreign terrorist organisation", the first time that part of a foreign government has been branded as such. The dispatch of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group plus an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers by the US to the region has triggered fears of possible military clashes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five jailed Catalan separatists elected in polls last month will be allowed to attend the first day of Spain's national parliament on May 21, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday. But the court also ruled against definitively releasing the five, including Catalonia's former vice-president Oriol Junqueras, as demanded by their lawyers. All five have been in custody for more than a year over their role in Catalonia's secession attempt in October 2017 and are currently on trial in Madrid, charged with rebellion. During the parliament's opening session, they will have to promise to comply with the Spanish constitution which pledges the "unbreakable unity" of Spain. Junqueras, who led the list of his ERC separatist party, was elected to Spain's lower house of parliament in the general elections held on April 28. Others elected to the lower house were civic leader Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, Catalonia's government spokesman at the time of the failed attempt to break from Spain. Both were candidates for Together for Catalonia, the party of Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain and avoided arrest. Josep Rull, also part of Catalonia's regional government at that time, was another elected to the lower house. Raul Romeva, in charge of Catalonia's foreign affairs at the time of the secession bid, was elected to the upper house Senate. They were all part of a push to hold an independence referendum in October 2017 in defiance of a court ban. That sparked Spain's deepest political crisis in decades. The referendum in the wealthy northeastern region was followed by a short-lived declaration of independence. Spain's then conservative prime minister moved in, taking direct control of the region, sacking the Catalan executive and calling snap polls. That prompted Puigdemont and others to flee Spain. Those Catalan leaders who remained in Spain were arrested and are now on trial in the Supreme Court in Madrid. The court decided to allow them out on May 21 citing "the need to not jeopardise the right to participate" in It ruled they would have to "immediately go back to the penitentiary centre" once the session closed. In rejecting their permanent release from jail pending judicial proceedings, the court argued provisional custody "does not violate their rights" to freedom of expression and opinion. Spain's April elections saw Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's socialists win but without the necessary majority to govern solo in a fragmented political landscape marked by the far-right's entry into parliament. As such, Sanchez could need the backing of Catalan separatist lawmakers like the five jailed politicians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajasthan government has appointed Jaipur Divisional Commissioner KC Verma as the investigating officer in the Alwar gang rape case. "The state government has given the task to investigate the case to me. I will remain available for public hearing at the office of the subdivisional officer in Thanagazi on May 16 and at the Alwar circuit house on May 17," Verma said. He said any individual or organisation could come forward to give views and present a memorandum related to the case from 10 am to 5 pm. On April 26, a woman was gangraped in front of her husband at an isolated place on the Thanagazi-Alwar bypass. The accused had filmed the crime and circulated it on social media. Police had delayed registering a case, saying they were busy with the elections. The FIR in the case was registered on May 2. Police have arrested six people in the case. The Alwar SP was removed while the Thanagazi police station SHO was suspended after the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It is all up to China at this point, either way they go, they win long term I hate to interrupt the news to China and or Russian theory-bashers, however the trade war and the Sanction war with the United States of America is all but over and as I see it, The Fat Lady is singing loud and clear! Ive maintained for months that Trump has no leverage (never did) in trade talks with China. I have contended that this was all started a day late and a dollar short. If we did have leverage China would have done a deal way before now and currently they are getting pissed as we flounder like a fish out of water as we try to stick a fin into their hand They havent really tried to deal and they probably wont unless youre talking some variety of deal that permits Trump/USA to save lots of face here and there, temporarily. However to be honest Im getting down to doubt whether or not anyone within the White House gives a crap. This is often concerning the Political Powers Game and therefore the individual concept for one country to win in trade, another must lose. Is a pathetic policy for all involved What attempts they made to deal have been met with an attitude from the US, such as putting the CEO of Huawei in jail in CanadaThat is kinda a trade negotiation bummer thing Therefore, a Conference intended to bring Asian countries into closer alliance, starts tomorrow in Beijing. The Conference will propose Civilizational Harmony through Chinas development of Pakistans economic corridor and Chinas Belt and Road infrastructure already expanding through Europe and Africa Asia is in confrontation, not by choice, with the West/USA! Civilizational harmony versus tariffs, sanctions, threats of war What is innovative confronts the out-worn imperial negativeness The members of the western elite have to chose sides now and not ride the fence for much longer WtR Japan has dragged India to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the import duties imposed on certain electronic goods, according to the global trade body. Japan has accused India of "continuously and systematically" raise import duties on these goods after announcement of 'Make in India' campaign in September 2014, according to a communication released by the WTO Tuesday. It has also alleged that these import duties are in excess of bound rates, which is a ceiling of import duty beyond which a WTO member country can not go. Japan has sought consultations with India under the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism. In a communication to the WTO, Japan said that has continued to adjust the rates of various indirect taxes, including custom duties, in support of policies seeking to foster domestic production and value addition. Since announcement of 'Make in India' campaign in September 2014, India has "continuously and systematically raised" import duties on a wide range of products in various sectors, such as electronics systems, mining, automobiles, renewable energy, defense manufacturing, food, processing, automobile components, and textiles and garments, it has alleged. These tariff treatments seem to have been implemented by the Government of India under certain policies, aiming at further incentivising domestic value addition, it added. Through those policies, among its wide range of tariff increases, India appears to subject a number of goods to import duties which are "inconsistent" with its concessions and commitments under WTO norms, it said. "This request for consultation addresses some of the tariff treatments which are, simultaneously, clearly in excess of bound rates and of substantial interest to Japan," the country added. Citing examples, it said that India applies 20 per cent duty on products like telephones for cellular networks, which clearly "exceeds" the applicable bound rate of zero per cent set forth in India's schedule. India also impose 10 per cent or 20 per cent duties on products like machines for reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, "which clearly exceeds" the applicable bound rate of zero per cent. The other goods over which Japan has raised duty issues include telephones for cellular networks, base stations, populated, and loaded or stuffed printed circuit boards. Each of these "measures appears to be inconsistent" with India's obligations under a WTO norm, it added. "Japan looks forward to receiving the Government of India's reply to this request for consultation and to agreeing upon a mutually acceptable date for the consultations," it said. As per the WTO's dispute settlement process, the request for consultations is the first step in a dispute. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations fail to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel. The bilateral trade between India and Japan the countries stood at USD 15.7 billion in 2017-18. Trade is highly in favour of Japan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The collapse of Tata Steel's proposed joint venture with German conglomerate is "marginally credit negative" for the Indian major, a global rating agency has said. The major's Indian operation will largely be able to offset the impact of the collapse, it said. " Ltd and AG's decision to cease efforts on their proposed joint venture is marginally credit negative for Tata Steel," Rating said in a bulletin in the wake of the development. This is likely to depress the ratio of funds from operations (FFO) to debt by about 100 basis points across our forecast horizon, it said. and the German conglomerate decided to call off their proposed steel joint venture (JV), expecting the deal to be rejected by the over "continuing concerns". "The cancellation of the joint venture will also leave exposed to the weaker and more volatile performance of the European operations until the company identifies an alternative strategy to deconsolidate the European operations," the global rating agency said. "However, sustained high steel prices and continued robust profitability of Tata Steel's India business remain the more important factors for our positive rating outlook on the company (BB-/positive)," it said. "We expect supportive steel prices and continued high utilisation in the India business to drive Tata Steel's FFO-to-debt sustainably above 15 per cent over the next six to 12 months. This is notwithstanding the drag from the retention of the business and the lower-than-expected fourth- quarter profitability in 2019," said. The breakup of the proposed JV may also restrict the steel major to go for further acquisition in India. "Any outsized spending by Tata Steel on new acquisitions would be a risk to our estimates, though we view this risk to be low-given that there are no large steel mills left to be auctioned in Indian bankruptcy courts," the bulletin said. Tata Steel and had signed definitive agreements in June 2018 to combine their steel businesses in to create a 50-50 pan European joint venture company which could have formed the continent's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : The Karnataka government Tuesday said it was mulling to set up Indo-German accelerators here and in Berlin to enhance enterprise connects, mentorship, driving investments and collaborations betweenstartups and SMEs. To strengthen the German-Indian startupexchange programme, principal secretary to department of IT, BTand S&T Gaurav Gupta held talks with Ambassador Dr Hinrich Tholken to share the digital trendsand policies in Bengaluru. Also, Gupta held discussions with Indian Ambassador to Germany Mukta D Tomar in Berlin, a press release said. To enhance Indo-German partnership and also promote the flagshipprogramme Bengaluru Tech Summit, a high-profile delegationled by Gupta is currently visiting Berlin, Dsseldorf andMunich in Germany, the release said. Bengaluru Tech Summit is scheduled to be held from November 18 to 20. To maintain the lead position in innovation and science and technology, theKarnataka government was developing 'global innovation alliances' with innovation hubs across the world,the release quoted Gupta was saying during the Asia Pacific Week 2019 in Berlin. "We aim to have specific developmental focus for each country so that we have clear profiles to act upon," he said. "Today, we have strategic alliances with 15 countries, across various sectors including governments, academic institutions, startup incubators, universities, and large tech companies," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karti Chidambaram, facing criminal cases being probed by the CBI and ED, Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking return of Rs 10 crore which he had earlier deposited in the apex court registry for travelling abroad, saying he had taken the money on loan and was paying interest on it. The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna which asked Karti's counsel to mention the matter before the regular bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi later. Karti's counsel told the bench that he had earlier deposited Rs 10 crore in the court registry for travelling abroad and since he has returned to India, the money should be returned by the registry. "I (Karti) had taken a loan of Rs 10 crore. I am paying interest on it. I had returned to India," the counsel said, adding, "I (Karti) was allowed to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore. I have returned back. The registry is saying that you give us a formal order of the court then only we will return the money". After hearing the brief submissions of Karti's counsel, the bench said, "You mention it before the regular bench". On May 7, a bench headed by the CJI had allowed Karti, son of former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel to the United Kingdom, US, France, Germany and Spain in May and June this year. "The applicant (Karti) shall make a deposit of Rs 10 crore only before the Secretary General of this Court, which will be returned to him after he comes back to the country," the bench had said in its May 7 order. The apex court had in January also granted Karti permission to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore with the secretary general of the Supreme Court. The court, on the request of ED, had earlier asked Karti to file an undertaking that he would return to India and cooperate with the investigation. The court had said that it would "come down heavily" on Karti if he did not cooperate. The probe agency had earlier opposed the plea of Karti seeking permission to travel abroad and alleged that he has been evasive, non-cooperative and caused delay in completing the investigations. Karti was abroad for 51 days in the last 6 months, the probe agency had told the court earlier. The ED had earlier claimed that Karti, who is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and money laundering matters, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted by court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case. Karti is facing several criminal cases being investigated by the ED and CBI including one which relates to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father was the finance minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the thirtieth anniversary of exodus of minority Hindus from the valley, a global Kashmiri Pandit organisation will take up their genocide and ethnic cleansing strongly at the UN and other important world fora. However, the organisation strongly appreciates Governor's administration for dealing with separatist and terrorist elements in Kashmir in accordance with the law of the land. "Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) will take up the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Pandits strongly at the UN and other important world fora as well as reputed human rights organisations in different countries of the world to build consensus of opinion on the issue," GKPD Chairman K L Chowdhury told reporters here. Pandits were forced to flee Kashmir Valley from January 1990 onwards in the wake of spread of terrorism in 1989-90. "We have collected the data of killings of minority Kashmiri Hindus in valley by terrorists, temples damaged and destroyed, houses destroyed and encroached of properties of KPs, high degree of deaths due to post traumatic syndrome, major health issues of women, decrease in population, late marriages, loss of language and culture among youngsters", he said. It will be proof before the UN, human rights and other organisations for the case of genocide, Chowdhary said. The Political Steering Committee (PSC) of GKPD, an initiative by uprooted Kashmiri Pandits across the globe, organised an interactive session of prominent KPs at Jammu to deliberate on the new challenges and way forward for the displaced community. He claimed that while human rights violation cases of far less consequence were expeditiously pursued by the State or the central government over the years, not a word has been said about the genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits. The community is, however, appreciative of Governor's administration dealing with separatist and militant elements in accordance with the law of the land, PSC Chairman Moti Kaul said. "For the first time in the three-decade-old history of terrorism, fundamentalism in the state, the actors behind the sedition stand exposed, their networks busted and their funding sources choked," he said. He said that it is shameful that no mainstream political party on regional or national level except the BJP included in their manifestos about the rehabilitation of the displaced Pandits in their homeland. Prof K N Pandita in his address said, "It is an irony that in spite of the demand of the entire displaced community of 700,000 people, the state and the central governments never set up any commission of inquiry to probe the causes and course of the genocide and extirpation of a defenceless and unarmed community known for its peaceful and nonviolent behavior." He alleged that the only reason for the governments to decline setting up of an impartial commission of inquiry is that many "ugly truths" will be uncovered and many actors in the perfidy will be exposed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday deplored the violence during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata and said the party will not tolerate such kind of "goonda raj". Khattar said the Election Commission should look into the matter to ensure smooth conduct of polls in West Bengal on May 19. BJP and TMC supporters fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a roadshow by Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by police. Parts of Kolkata plunged into a welter of violence as the BJP president's convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties, officials said. "I strongly condemn the incident. BJP will not tolerate this type of goonda raj, the Election Commission should take cognizance," Khattar told a hurriedly called press conference at his residence here. He blamed Trinamool Congress' student activists for creating the trouble. "They (Trinamool Congress) can see the writing on the wall, they can see their defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, which is why they are indulging in such acts," he alleged. "There is no place for such things in our democratic system," he said. Khattar said that it was for the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polling, but indicated that options like President's rule can be mulled at a later stage depending on how the situation unfolds. "People of West Bengal are wise, they are watching what they (TMC) are doing. If they cross the limits then other things can be considered like President's rule and other things. But at the moment, priority is that the Election Commission should look into this to ensure smooth conduct of polls," he said. Replying to a question, he said the BJP and other parties are fighting elections in other parts of the country also, but nowhere such lawlessness has been witnessed as is being seen in West Bengal. "They also have objection to Jai Shri Ram slogan. This is matter of somebody's faith, how can they stop that," he said again hitting out at the TMC. Saying that it is the state government's responsibility to maintain law and order, he urged the Mamata Banerjee dispensation in West Bengal to act against the culprits. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday condemned the violence during BJP president Amit Shah's road show in Kolkata saying "lawlessness" is prevailing in West Bengal. Sonowal in a statement also demanded strict action against those involved in incident. BJP and TMC supporters Tuesday fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by Amit Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by police. "Complete lawlessness is prevailing in West Bengal. There is no freedom of democratic activities in the state ruled by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," Sonowal said and urged the Election Commission to take the strongest possible action against those involved in the incident. BJP and TMC supporters Tuesday fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by Amit Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by police. Parts of the city plunged into a welter of violence as his convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties, officials said. Furious BJP supporters retaliated and were seen exchanging blows with their TMC rivals outside the college entrance. Earlier, there was a scuffle when a group shouted slogans against Shah outside the Calcutta University campus in College Street and showed him black flags. Police, however, swiftly brought the situation under control. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a touching gesture, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have surprised a five-year-old boy in the UK with a rare form of terminal bone cancer by sending a Formula One car to his home for him to experience the vroom. Harry Shaw, from Surrey, sent Hamilton, a five-time Formula One World Champion, a good luck message on Instagram from his hospital bed. Harry, who has Ewing's sarcoma, said in his video message: "Hello Lewis Hamilton. Good luck wining the race in Spain and thank you for the gifts. Lots of love from Harry and goodbye." The boy has since moved back to his home for his final days, the BBC reported. Hamilton described Harry as his "spirit angel" as he dedicated his victory at the Spanish Grand Prix to him on Sunday. "Harry, you don't know how much this message means to me buddy. Thank you so much, you are my inspiration today Harry," Hamilton tweeted. "I will try to make you proud. You are such a strong boy, I wish I was as strong as you, I wanted the world to see how strong you are and ask everyone to send their best wishes and prayers to you during this hard time. Sending you love Harry. God bless you. Your friend, Lewis". Mercedes later arranged for one of its cars to be flown to Harry's home, where he is also expected to be presented with Hamilton's winning trophy from the Barcelona race, the report said. In April, Harry's parents were told he had just one week left to live. Harry's father, James Shaw, said: "I don't know Lewis, but I think what we've seen is what a genuine, decent, lovely person he is. "That was a heartfelt message he did and he won that Grand Prix for Harry and that means a lot." Charlotte Shaw, Harry's mother, said: "It's brought smiles into his life at a time when there's a limited amount of fun to be had, to be perfectly honest."She said gifts including signed photographs and a Mercedes cap first brought smiles, adding: "It just went from there, really. "It's just got bigger and bigger and better and better and the smiles have got broader and broader. "It's so special to see Harry enjoying himself. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mahindra Logistics Ltd was scouting for acquisition in Southeast Asia to strengthen its freight forwarding business, expanding its warehousing space and touching Rs 6,000 crore topline by FY'21, its CEO Pirojshaw Sarkari said Tuesday. Warehousing offers better margin for the company and in the current fiscal plans are in place to add two million square feet of space. "We are looking for acquisitions in SE Asia in the freight forwarding sector. This segment is just 5 per cent of our total business," Sarkari said. The company's freight forwarding business is handled through Lords Freight, which it had acquired earlier. Globally, top logistics players generate at least 25 per cent of revenue from freight forwarding. Sarkari said the immediate target is to double the business in this sector. Apart from expanding freight forwarding, we will be expanding warehousing space, he said. "We will add 2 million sq ft in the current fiscal. We have 15 million sq ft now across India and of which 1.5 million will be in east," Sarkari said. Mahindra Logistics which follows the asset-light model for both warehousing and trucks, is setting up a 1 lakh sq ft of sorting hub in Dankuni, Hooghly meant to serve the e- commerce sector. Mahindra Group accounts for 54 per cent of the total business but the same is expected to be below 50 per cent in the near future. Despite a slowdown in automotive and FMCG sectors, Sarkari does not expect any slowdown in the logistics business. "We will continue to grow despite the odds as 95 per cent of logistics is unorganised. Our margin would grow with more warehousing space. We hope to touch Rs 6,000 crore revenue by FY21," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two pumping stations on a major Saudi oil pipeline were attacked by drones on Tuesday, halting the flow of crude along it, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said. He said the attacks on the pipeline from the oil-rich Eastern Province to the Red Sea took place early Tuesday. Yemen's Huthi rebels said Tuesday that they had targeted several vital Saudi targets with drones. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adapted from "Made in Florida: Artists, Celebrities, Activists, Educators, and Other Icons in the Sunshine State'' by Art Levy. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2019. Reprinted with permission.Artist, interviewed in January 2011, when he was forty-seven, Miami.When I was a kid, I loved watching soap opera television, and I dreamed that my life would someday become like that. It was so different from how I actually lived.I grew up in a family of nine, and my mother was a single mother. We lived in a part of Brazil called Recife, and we lived in a very poor part of the city. It was very difficult, very challenging. I was child who didnt understand where the food would come from, where the money would come from. I started painting to bring light and color into my life.Color is a universal language like music is a universal language.Yellow and blue is yellow and blue anywhere in the world.With the way globalization is today, people can see how other people live across the world, and this makes some people feel left out. They feel jealous, and then they want to take things from the other people because they feel like they deserve it. Thats when the problems arise. A lot of times, people go through difficult times and they become angry. I went through difficult times, but Im always trying to see the best in the world.I was studying law, hoping to be a diplomat. I wanted to travel the world and be an ambassador for Brazil and learn about people and countries and everything. But then came a moment that I realized it was not through this that I would find happiness. So I gave up the idea of being a diplomat, and I gave up studying law. I quit everything, and I said: You know what? Im going to just paint.When I create, I put together shapes and colors and then I use the shapes and colors to create a kind of vocabulary that everybody can understand.There is some negative stuff happening around the world, but I still think that theres more beauty happening, and I focus on that beauty. When I look at my work, I feel happy. I feel content. I dont have to drink a bottle of anything. And hopefully, people who see it have that same feeling of joy without having to fill themselves full of alcohol or drugs.When the people who gravitate to darkness and negativity criticize me, it doesnt mean anything. Their words I cant hear. I just keep doing my work.I think there are more people who understand what I do than people who cant, so Im not focusing on what the art critics say. At the end of the day, the people fill up their walls with what they like.I have a great opportunity to walk and talk and feel and see, but Im here not that long. In another fifty years Im going to be gone, so why not do something interesting? Why not fill my every day with colors? To have this opportunity and not do anything, that would be such a waste.It would be a wonderful thing if we could somehow forecast our lives as we do today with the weather, that we could know a little bit ahead of time what we will become. That way, we wouldnt waste time doing things that would be a waste of time. We would just focus on the right thing, but unfortunately, we dont have that yet. We dont have a manual to tell us how to be a human being, how to be a husband, a wife, daughter, son, or friend. So, sometimes, we make mistakes, but Im happy to be here learning from my mistakes.Rainforest canopy researcher, author, interviewed in November 2008, when she was fifty-five, Sarasota.I grew up in Elmira, New York, and my best friend was my neighbor Betsy Hilfiger. She and I used to make little tree forts. Im embarrassed to tell you this, but we would follow our dads when they mowed the lawn, and we took the worms that got cut in half and tried to bandage them back together. We thought we would be vets, but that career failed because no worms survived. Whats funny is she has an older brother named Tommy Hilfiger, and we used to beg him to come out and play with us, but he never would because he was in the basement of their house, sewing bell-bottomed jeans. So, we ended up with our tree forts, and he ended up with a clothing empire that could pay for all my rainforest research.My parents were very patient with me. I used to shriek for them to stop the car when I saw a wildflower I hadnt seen before. They were really very nice to allow me to be this very strange child.I went off to Australia for graduate school because I got a very nice scholarship. During my very early weeks over there, the head of the department kindly took me aside and said, Why on earth are you getting a Ph.D. when youll only get married and have children?Being a woman has caused me to really make sure Im doing good work, pay attention to detail, be organized, and be productive. I was also a single mom, which is like a scarlet letter, at least I felt it was. I had to make sure I could do my share of research and hold onto my job and be a good parent at the same time.In the forest, its very important to cultivate the ability to know where a snake might lurk and be cognizant of that little rustling sound thats a swarm of army ants. Thats my work, to be able to recognize those things, which gives me a sense of comfort in the forest. On the other hand, you have to keep me from walking off the curb when the light is red.Im not a person who loves to go climbing for recreation. I take it pretty seriously. Im real careful when I climb. I did have an accident in Australia -- I fell about 15 feet -- and perhaps that was a really good thing because it taught me to be absolutely careful and not to climb when Im tired or when the conditions are really wet.Ive eaten a lot of insects because theyve been offered to me, but Ive been in some situations where we actually did run out of food. Once, I survived on raisins for three days, and it was pretty darn OK.Art Levy is a Florida Trend associate editor. He writes the Of Counsel law column, the Florida Originals column and many of the magazines Icon features. A graduate of the University of Floridas journalism college, Levy joined Florida Trend in 2005. Before that, he worked for newspapers including the Tampa Bay Times and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Over the years, his stories have won more than 20 awards. To learn more about "Made in Florida'' and other Florida-related books, visit the University Press of Florida website It makes sense for the to get along with Russia, US President said Monday on the eve of the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian President Trump, who recently had a lengthy conversation with Putin over phone, is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart in Japan next month on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. The summit would be attended by leaders of the top 20 economies, including India. "I'll be meeting with President Putin also," told reporters at his Oval Office of the White House. "I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia," he said. Responding to a question, asserted that none of his predecessors had sanctioned Russia like he had. "Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it's very unfair -- having to do with the and NATO," he said. "There has been nobody that's ever done - and if you really look at something big, our energy business - we're now the biggest in the world. We're bigger than Russia. We're bigger than Saudi Arabia. We're bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I've become president because I've made it so that you can do that. And we're taking in a lot of money," he said. America, Trump said, was doing really well. "We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue. We have tremendous signs," he said. Pompeo is scheduled to meet Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi on Tuesday. The State Department Monday said Pompeo would not travel to Moscow and would fly directly to Sochi, where he would discuss a full range of global issues, including Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, Syria and North Korea, along with the challenges in the bilateral relationship. "President Trump has asked me to go to Russia to talk about a broad range of issues. We have lots of places where I hope we can find overlapping interests with Russia. It may be the case that we can't, and where we can't, we'll go our own ways. But it's important," Pompeo told CNBC in an interview. "I remember as CIA Director, I worked closely with the Russians on counter-terror. I am convinced that those efforts were important to them. They saved American lives and Russian lives," he said. The alleged Russian interference in US elections would also be a topic of discussion, Pompeo added. Ahead of the meeting, top Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who is a Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter, urged Pompeo to increase pressure on Moscow for its continued brazen aggression against the US and other democracies around the world. ALSO READ: Unravelling the Putin enigma "For the sake of our national security, I implore the administration not to return to 'business as usual' with Russia in the wake of the Mueller Report," wrote Menendez. "This is not a time for reset with the Russian Federation. The US must be firm and abide by its national security commitments to the American people and our allies," he said. Menendez specifically called on Pompeo to use the meeting to announce the imposition of Magnistky and Chemical and Biological Weapons sanctions in response to last year's chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom, and to reinforce US security assistance for Ukrainian forces. He also urged Pompeo to warn Putin of the consequences of interfering in the upcoming European Parliamentary elections as well as the 2020 US presidential elections. "If Secretary Pompeo is going to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he cannot give him a pass. He must confront Russia's nefarious, systematic attack on the American election system. There should be no leniency on this issue -- not when the fundamental principle of American democracy is at stake," said Senator Martin Heinrich. Meanwhile, a US District Judge on Tuesday ruled that Florida-based company, RM Broadcasting LLC, was acting as an agent of a foreign principal and must register as such under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). In November 2017, RM Broadcasting and Rossiya Segodnya entered into a services agreement, pursuant to which RM Broadcasting would provide for the broadcast of Rossiya Segodnya's "Sputnik" radio programmes on AM radio channel 1390 WZHF in the Washington, DC region. Under this agreement, RM Broadcasting could not alter Rossiya Segodnya's radio programmes in any way. As the services agreement established Rossiya Segodnya's direction and control over RM Broadcasting, the FARA Unit of the National Security Division informed RM Broadcasting that it was acting as a publicity agent and an information-service employee of Rossiya Segodnya and was required to register as an agent of a foreign principal, the Department of Justice said. Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya has settled a legal dispute with Swiss bank UBS to allow him time until April next year to pay off a mortgage loan for his central London home. The bank had sought possession of the 63-year-old businessman's plush Cornwall Terrace apartment over the non-payment of a 20.4-million pounds loan and a trial in the case was due last week. However, according to a court consent order issued by Judge Simon Barker of the Chancery Division of the UK High Court on Monday, the trial has been vacated and the proceedings adjourned following a settlement. "The Defendants [Mallya] should nonetheless be permitted to remain in occupation of the Property in order to allow, if possible, the Loan and Mortgage to be redeemed, but that, if redemption has not taken place by 30 April 2020 the Claimant [UBS] shall be immediately entitled to possession," reads Judge Barker's order. "The Defendants acknowledging and agreeing that the Claimant's agreement to permit the Defendants to remain in occupation of the Property until 30 April 2020 is intended to provide the Defendants with a final opportunity to redeem the Loan, it adds. The prime property, which overlooks Regent's Park in London, has been referred to as the high class home for Dr Vijay Mallya and his family members and United Breweries Group corporate guests during the court proceedings. The case relates to a mortgage taken out by Rose Capital Ventures, one of Mallya's companies, with the former Kingfisher Airlines boss, his mother Lalitha and son Sidhartha Mallya listed as co-defendants with right of occupancy of the property. While Mallya's legal team had claimed that the bank had called in the loan ahead of an agreed period, the bank had insisted that it is within its rights to call in the mortgage for non-payment. The court order issued this week goes in favour of the bank's stand as it acknowledges that UBS has an immediate right to possession and stipulates that unless the mortgage has been redeemed by April 30 next year, Mallya and the co-defendants must immediately hand over possession of the apartment by 4.00 pm on that date. They are not permitted to make any further applications to "postpone or suspend the date for giving up possession". Additionally, Mallya must also pay up interest of 820,333.64 pounds accrued until April 2019 and then any further amount accrued until May 1 next year. He is also liable to pay legal costs of 1,047,081.18 pounds and receivers' costs of 223,863.82 pounds. The court order also forbids any further claims arising out of the bankruptcy proceedings currently instituted in the UK against Mallya by a consortium of Indian banks led by State Bank of India (SBI). Meanwhile, Mallya remains on bail as he appeals against his extradition order to India, a hearing for which is scheduled in the UK High Court on July 2. The former Kingfisher Airlines boss is wanted in India to face charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crores. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed immediate release of BJP's youth wing leader Priyanka Sharma on bail, days after she was arrested by the West Bengal police for allegedly posting a morphed image of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on social media. The top court directed Sharma to tender a "written apology" at the time of her release from jail for sharing the meme on Banerjee saying that freedom of speech of an individual ends when it infringes upon others' rights. Sharma was arrested on May 10 by the police under section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and under other provisions of the Information Technology Act on a complaint of a local Trinamool Congress leader Vibhas Hazra. She was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a trial court there. A vacation bench, comprising justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna, which initially said that Sharma's apology will be a bail condition, later clarified that it will not be a condition for bail but she should apologise for sharing the post at the time of her release. "The detenue, Priyanka Sharma, is directed to be immediately released on bail. The detenue shall, however, at the time of release, tender an apology in writing for putting up/sharing the pictures complained of on her Facebook account. It is made clear that this order is being made in the special facts and circumstances of this case and shall not operate as a precedent," the bench said. The court also sought response from West Bengal government on whether a person can be arrested for sharing a post or meme on social media and posted the matter for further hearing after the summer vacation. At the outset, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Priyanka's brother Rajib Sharma who has filed the plea in the apex court, said she was arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody just for sharing the post which was already widely viral. "She is not the creator of the meme but only shared it on social media which was already shared by thousands of people," Kaul said. To this, the bench said, "There cannot be any equality to the wrong. Your freedom of speech and expression is non-negotiable but your freedom ends when it infringes upon the rights of other." The top court said it could direct her forthwith release but she has to tender an apology for sharing the post. "We have seen the picture which has been shared. If someone is hurt then you can apologise for it," the bench said. Kaul contended that apology will have a chilling effect on the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. "We do not see that there should be any difficulty for you in apologising for your post on social media. We are not asking you to apologise for others. "Let her tender an apology we will forthwith grant bail. You take instruction. Since you are member of BJP the insinuation is different. The other side may have taken it differently. Had you been a common person, then may be it could have been no problem," the bench said. Kaul said the provisions of IT Act and IPC under which she was arrested does not apply in this case. Referring to the apex court's verdict in Shreya Singhal case in which the court had scrapped section 66A of the IT Act, Kaul said Sharma has been arrested by the police under this provision also. The court said that it was keeping the question of law open on whether arrest can be made for sharing such posts and at present is only dealing with the bail. "You are a member of a political party. Elections are going on. We understand all these things," the bench said, adding that "you cannot put anybody's face on anybody. If it is going round. It is wrong". Kaul contended that such an apology would have a chilling effect on freedom and speech and expression and tomorrow West Bengal police can arrest anybody for four days for giving a statement and then ask for an apology. "If you say sorry, it does not bring you down. We are not going on the angle of freedom of speech and expressions," the bench told Kaul at the fag end of hearing. On Monday, Kaul had mentioned the matter in the top court for urgent hearing saying Sharma was forced to move the apex court as there was a complete strike in local courts till May 14 in Howrah and moreover, she had been remanded in 14 day judicial custody by a Howrah court on May 11. Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) entails punishment for defamation with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. Sharma had allegedly shared on Facebook the photo in which Banerjee's face has been photo-shopped on to actor Priyanka Chopra's picture from the MET Gala event in New York. Her arrest was followed by protests from the BJP and other social media users. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court in Maharashtra's Thane has sentenced a 27-year-old man to three-year rigorous imprisonment for abetting his wife's suicide. Assistant sessions judge Shailendra Tambe last week held Ramanuj Buddhiram Gupta guilty under the Indian Penal Code Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting woman to cruelty) and also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on him. According to the prosecution, Gupta, and the victim, Pratiksha Prakash Deshmukh (24), both residents of Thane and studying engineering at a college in Navi Mumbai, got married at a temple in April 2015 against the wishes of their parents. However, when Deshmukh's parents were planning a formal ceremony for them on January 20, 2016, she told them that the accused used to beat her and that she wanted to divorce him. The next day, the woman's parents filed a complaint of harassment against the accused at the Kalwa police station. The victim also later lodged a complaint with the Thane police's cyber cell against the accused for allegedly hacking her e-mail account. Later, on April 10, 2016, Deshmukh allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of her house, the prosecution told the court. The police found a suicide note in which she purportedly blamed the accused for constantly harassing her and driving her to take extreme step. Her parents subsequently filed a case of abetment of suicide against the accused. The judge said considering the nature of the offence committed by the accused, he cannot be released on probation. "In a democracy, law is an instrument of fostering social order and is required to be a channel for doing good and conversely for curbing the evil," he said. "Once an accused is held guilty, he must realise that he has committed an act which is harmful not only to society of which he forms integral part, but also to his own future, both as an individual and as member of the society," he said. He said a punishment is designed to protect society by deterring a potential offender and also preventing the guilty party from repeating the offence. "A lenient as well as too harsh sentence, both lose their efficaciousness," the judge said in his order, while noting the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt all charges against the accused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After months of silence, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar was back in the on Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" jibe against Narendra Modi, and also calling him the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen. The article, published in Rising Kashmir and The Print, drew sharp retorts from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which called him "abuser-in-chief" and described his party as arrogant. In the article, Aiyar also slammed Modi on a series of issues and asked, "Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, the former Union minister called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party. Justifying that comment, Aiyar said in his article, "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao put out a tweet saying "Abuser-in-chief' Aiyar" had returned to justify his 2017 'Neech' jibe. "... Aiyar then apologized & hid behind poor Hindi excuse. Now he says he was prophetic. Congr revoked his suspension last year for filthy outburst.Double speak & arrogance of @INCIndia on display again!" he said. "Pak-crony Aiyar has the audacity to call PM 'anti-national'. Nation knows that @narendramodi ji is the epitome of 'Rashtra Bhakti'. Aiyar is known for 'Parivar Bhakti' as a (political) slave of the dynasty. It isn't surprising at all that all abusers are close Gandhi confidants." BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya also referred to Congress leader Sam Pitroda, in the spotlight for his "hua to hua" remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitroda's foot out of his mouth and puts it in his...Reiterates and justifies his Neech' comment for PM!" he said on Twitter. In the article, Aiyar said he has found out why "loathes" Jawaharlal Nehru so much -- because Nehru had a degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, and was convinced that to pull Indians out of superstition, modern India must cultivate a scientific temper. This, Aiyar said, drives Hindutva supporters "nuts because they like to believe the 'udan khatolas' of mythology were the earliest F-16s to be invented by Hindus, and that Hindu plastic surgery, not a transplant operation, is what led to an elephant's head surmounting Lord Ganesh." "Both these stunningly illiterate claims come from the mouth of none less than the Prime Minister of our country, whose acquaintance with higher education has gone no further than lying about degrees from Delhi and Gujarat universities that he never got and who can obviously not tell a scientific proposition from a dhokla', Aiyar wrote. He also referred to Modi's recent comment that he ordered the Indian Air Force to strike at Balakot despite heavy cloud cover because he believed that heavy cloud cover at the time would allow Indian jets to evade Pakistani radar. "This is to insult our brave airmen and, above all, the Chief of Air Staff. Not one of them was so ignorant of the fact that radar is not a telescope whose vision can be clouded over. Radar is used precisely because, whatever the weather conditions, it can pinpoint incoming aircraft," Aiyar asked. "Did Modi take his senior-most Air Force officers for fools that he could trot out such ridiculous unscientific rubbish before them? And were they so pusillanimous that they dared not correct such a vacuous Prime Minister?" he wrote in the article, which comes as the long-drawn election process draws to a close with the final phase of voting scheduled on May 19. Aiyar wrote that Modi needs to be warned that he is "guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of our army and CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign; of defaming the Indian Air Force by portraying them as complaisant idiots in his scientific illiteracy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Tuesday distanced itself from the remarks of its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it is his personal opinion, even as the party accused the prime minister of lowering the dignity of his office. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said his party is not on the back foot regarding Aiyar's remarks, instead it should be Modi who should be ashamed for his remarks on former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. "Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks are his own as stated by him in his article. The Congress is neither on the back foot nor ashamed of his remarks. It's the PM who should be ashamed for lowering the dignity of the office he occupies by making disparaging remarks against former PM Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi. "The PM should apologise to the country for the abusive language that he has used," Shergill said, referring to Modi recently saying Rajiv Gandhi's life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1' (corrupt number 1). Aiyar was back in the on Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi two years ago, prompting the BJP to call him "abuser-in-chief" and his party arrogant. Aiyar called Modi the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BSP supremo Mayawati Tuesday attacked rival parties over temple visits and roadshows, prompting the BJP to hit back that she lacked the courage herself to hit the road. At a press conference here, Mayawati said the Election Commission should act against leaders who visited temples while they are banned from campaigning. This was an apparent reference to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who offered prayers at temples during the three-day electioneering ban on him over his Ali-Bajrang Bali remark. Mayawati demanded that the EC should include the money spent on roadshows and temple visits in the parties' election expenditure. Hours later, the BJP reacted that leaders like her are unable to muster courage to hit the road. "When the BJP was not in power, we took to the streets to register our protest against the then governments and raise various issues, UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi told PTI. Now, since we are in power, we interact with the masses through roadshows and thank them for their love and affection by going close to them, he said. "There is a distance from the public at rallies. But at roadshows the public can have a very close interaction with its leaders. This is the best way in which people can reciprocate their love for their leaders," he claimed. He said despite several security threats, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah have taken out roadshows. "People like Mayawati, who have been grounded by the people of the state, are unable to muster courage to hit the road. This only shows her nervousness," the spokesperson said. He recalled that Modi held a roadshow in Varanasi, and Shah took part in one in Amethi to support of BJP candidate Smriti Irani. Amit Shah is scheduled to hold another roadshow in Gorakhpur on May 16, he said. Tripathi said roadshows boost the morale of party workers in adjoining constituencies as well. "These have proved to be a successful strategy as far as election campaigning is concerned, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday accused the Gujarat government of being "casteist" and failing to ensure the safety of Dalits after some of their marriage processions were targeted by members of other communities. He said the Vijay Rupani government in the state was a "mute spectator" while Dalits were facing discrimination. "A serious situation has arisen in Gujarat where Dalits cannot take out their marriage processions. Chief Minister Rupani has not uttered a single word on the incident," Mevani told reporters here. He said it was Rupani's responsibility to appeal to people to stop behaving in a "hateful manner" against Dalits. "The Rupani government has become a mute spectator of the entire incident. Whatever happens to Dalits, we were going to do nothing, such is the casteist, callous and indifferent attitude of this government," he said. On Sunday, a Dalit wedding procession was blocked by members of an upper caste community at Khambisar village in Aravalli district, after which stones were pelted, leading to tension in the village. In a similar incident at Sitvada village in Sabarkantha district, the wedding procession of a Dalit groom had to be provided police protection on Sunday after members of the OBC Thakor community opposed it. Last Friday, the Thakor community members objected to a wedding procession as the groom was riding a horse on way to the marriage venue at Lhor village in Mehsana district. Dubbing such incidents as "shameful and painful," Mevani said, "In all such five incidents, Dalits had informed the police in advance. But despite that, the police, the BJP government could not ensure peaceful procession and that the Dalit groom could ride a horse." The Dalit leader, who is an Independent MLA from Vadgam, said neither Rupani nor state social justice minister Ishwar Parmar met the affected people. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being silent on atrocities against Dalits in Gujarat even as he referred to the Alwar gang rape incident in one of his public meetings. "Modiji is busy cornering the Congress government of Rajasthan over the Alwar gang rape incident, but is not ready to say a word on what all is happening here," he said. Mevani also accused the police of failing to protect Dalits in the state. Referring to a video clip in which Aravalli's Deputy Superintendent of Police Falguni Patel was allegedly seen abusing Dalits at Khambisar village after clashes erupted over the Dalit marriage procession, he demanded action against her. Mevani said Dalit leaders will organise a meeting on May 18 in the affected villages. Human rights activist Martin Macwan called such incidents as cases of "anarchy and lawlessness". "The BJP leaders say the issue should not be politicised. But this is a political question because the chief minister has remained silent even when the incidents took place despite the police having been informed well in advance," said the Gujarat-based activist. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's Tamil Nadu President Tamilisai Soundararajan Tuesday claimed DMK was in touch with her party for a possible post-poll tie-up, a statement that received sharp rebuke from M K Stalin, who asked her to prove her statement or quit Soundararajan's remarks in this connection were made before reporters at Tuticorin in the presence of AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Food Minister R Kamaraj. BJP and AIADMK had faced the April 18 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu as allies. The BJP's claim comes a day after TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao met DMK President Stalin here as part of his outreach to regional parties in his bid to stitch up a federal front, sans the BJP and Congress. Asked about reports of Stalin being in talks with BJP, Soundararajan said "that is true" and laughed. "Because on one side (Stalin allies with) Rahul (Gandhi), Chandrasekhar Rao on the other, and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi on another side," she said. "All know DMK changes colours," she said in an apparent reference to the Dravidian party forging alliances. BJP ally AIADMK also claimed DMK was in talks with the saffron party. Senior party leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said DMK "will talk with Congress, Rao and at the same time with BJP." "DMK alone has the capability to sail in three boats at the same time," he told reporters. He also wondered how a "courtesy meet" between Stalin and Rao lasted for one hour. Stalin hit back at the BJP leader with a strong statement, saying he was the one who proposed Congress President Rahul Gandhi as the Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate, besides taking forward a campaign against Modi to unseat the BJP government at the Centre. Soundararajan had uttered a "blatant lie", he said and charged the BJP with "sowing confusion" as it was "on the verge of defeat." Stalin pointed out at his vociferous opposition to Modi, recalling he has been describing the PM as "fascist", "sadist" and "authoritarian", whose government, he said, should be unseated for the "untold miseries inflicted on the people" in the last five years. The DMK leader noted he has been campaigning against Modi not only in Tamil Nadu, but had also spoken against him at the TMC-sponsored rally of opposition parties in Kolkata earlier. He recalled that Rao had met him last year too, and even on Monday, and that the DMK had made it clear their meeting was a "courtesy call." Stalin said the DMK would not be involved in any "back door dealings", vis-a-vis any alliance. "DMK has been transparent. It has said clearly who should be the Prime Minister and who should be not. DMK is determined that Modi should not become PM again," he said. The party was more clear that the next government should be headed by Gandhi, Stalin added. "I am ready to quit if Tamilisai Soundararajan or Modi prove that I am holding talks with them to form a government (post-polls). Are they ready to quit if they fail to do so?" he asked. DMK ally Congress also hit out at Soundararajan, alleging she was making such statements out of desperation. TNCC President K S Alagiri said Soundararajan seems to be "afraid". He said when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had herself refused to speak to Modi over the cyclone Fani issue, "what is Stalin going to discuss with" the Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Makkal Needhi Maiam Tuesday sought the removal of a Tamil Nadu minister who said party chief Kamal Haasan's tongue should be cut off for commenting that independent India's "first extremist was a Hindu". MNM general secretary A Arunachalam strongly condemned senior AIADMK leader and Milk and Dairy Development Minister K T Rajenthira Bhalaji's comments, saying it showed that the minister lacked "political ethics and personal dignity" and sought his ouster. Bhalaji ridiculed the MNM's demand and said his remark was made as an "advice" for the actor, in a bid to inform him of the public anger his comments had led to. He also promised to withdraw his remarks if Haasan expressed regret for his original statement. The Congress' state unit hit out at the minister for his remarks, saying it amounted to violence. Arunachalam said in a statement as the elected representative and a minister, Bhalaji had broken "the promise he made when he took oath as minister. "So he must be removed from his post immediately." However, Bhalaji hit out at the demand and sought to know what violation of oath he had committed and if he was "speaking ill of a particular faith or promoting another." Haasan was not the President, Governor or Chief Minister to seek his removal as a minister, he added. On Monday, Bhalaji had said Haasan's tongue should be cut off for saying independent India's "first extremist was a Hindu". "His tongue should be cut off... he has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian," he said. Bhalaji said Tuesday he did not intend to hurt anybody with his remarks, but that it was reflective of the public mood against the actor-politician. The minister said in public meetings in villages, if someone speaks ill of a particular community, those concerned would respond by "throwing stones" or snap the power supply as "that is how they can show their anger." "If he (Haasan) issues a statement that he had made the remarks inadvertently and that Hindus need not feel hurt due to it, I will also immediately withdraw my statement," he told reporters at Tuticorin. TNCC president KS Alagiri slammed Bhalaji for saying Haasan's tongue should be cut off, saying it amounted to "violence". A court can voluntarily take it up as a case and probe him, he said. "There is no second opinion that Nathuram Godse was a murderer, an extremist. When he killed Mahatma Gandhi he was a member of a Hindu outfit," Alagiri said in a statement. "It is a fact that while Gandhi from the Hindu community was an ahimsavaadi (non-violent) and opposed violence, Godse from that community was violent, a murderer and an extremist," Alagiri said. The congress leader said Haasan had not spoken against Hindus but only those who used the religion for violence, like Godse, and lauded the actor for starting the debate. Haasan had said Sunday "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. His remarks had drawn condemnation from the BJP, which accused him of indulging in "divisive politics", but found support from the Congress and Dravidar Kazhagam. Haasan had said he was one of those "proud Indians" who desires an India of equality and where the three colours in the Tricolour, an obvious reference to different faiths, "remained intact." "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi. Bhalaji demanded to know if the MNM founder would make similar comments against other faiths, adding Haasan has "joined the likes of DMK chief M K Stalin and DK leader K Veeramani who have made it a habit to tease Hindus and Hindu gods." He also took a jibe at Stalin's poll-time temple visits in 2016 and said, "we go everywhere-- to mosque, temple and church." The minister said comments from popular actors like Haasan would become People like him would question the actor if he makes such controversial statements, Bhalaji said. "Why is he lighting a fire, spewing venom (that could create) a law and order problem? His remarks could incite terrorism, extremism... demeaning a particular faith is strongly condemnable," he added. Seeking to know if Haasan was "hobnobbing with separatists," the minister urged the Election Commission to act against MNM. He also lashed out at the state congress chief Alagiri and Veeramani for supporting Haasan. "Alagiri is unift to live in India. He should go to Italy... It is stupid to make such comments," he said. Alagiri had alleged that Hindu outfits like RSS "believe in destroying those with opposing views" and equated the saffron organisation with ISIS. He also backed Haasan's comment, adding he would concur with the actor "not just 100 per cent, but 1000 percent." Veeramani was always known to have "hurt Hindu sentiments," Bhalaji claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Step by step, a group of parent advocates -- the Sidewalk Stompers -- are setting down markers for a campaign in support of more sidewalks, and more safety on the city of Tampas streets for pedestrians and bicyclists.The core mission is to encourage students to walk or bicycle to schools and to build up communities. The group partners with school staff on a Walk to School Wednesday program where students meet and form a walking bus. Rewards, including toys and games, are given to classrooms with the highest percentage participation.There is an added benefit of outdoor exercise when obesity and juvenile diabetes are at epidemic levels nationwide. And, it helps reduce the volume of traffic on local roads.We want to get more kids walking to school, says Emily Hinsdale, one of five founders of the Palma Ceia-based Sidewalk Stompers. But, she says, You have to make sure its safe for them to do so.Hinsdale, the Sidewalk Stompers , the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Florida Department of Transportation and the MPOs School Transportation Working Group are part of a coalition that promotes safe walkability and connectivity in Hillsborough County and Tampa.Recently, Hinsdale and Lisa Silva, a principal planner with the MPO, spoke at a Cafe con Tampa breakfast about the Sidewalk Stompers as well as the findings and recommendations from a 2018 school transportation safety study.Projects evolving from the study could get a significant boost from a voter-approved All for Transportation one-penny sales tax that passed in November 2018. Funds available for new and repaired sidewalks could jump from about $600,000 a year to as much as $6 million a year.The tax currently is under legal challenge from Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White. Taxes collected cant be spent while the lawsuit is pending.The school transportation study looked at 10 schools including Chamberlain High School, Sulphur Springs Elementary School, and Plant High School.Data evaluated roadways within a two-mile radius and considered road and driveway design, visibility and lighting, signage and pavement markings, and a sidewalk inventory.Silva supports the complete streets concept, where roads are designed to accommodate multi-modal travel including transit, motorized vehicles, walking, and biking.I believe our streets should be built for all users, she says.For instance, the need for sidewalks to aid disabled and elderly residents is critical, Silva adds. Its not easy for them to traverse a road without sidewalks.She is encouraged by the partnerships that are coming together on these critical issues. Theres a big need to coordinate, Silva says.One of the goals to aid student walkers is creating a map of preferred routes to schools identifying routes that Silva says would be stellar but also noting routes that are deficient.Problem roadways along school routes are being prioritized to find projects, both short-term and long-range, that can make them safer, she says.As we looked at each school, we started to see the problems and challenges, Hinsdale says. If youre in your car, youre separated from the community. If youre out walking or biking, youre out in the community. Strengthening the community requires face-to-face activities.The model for more school sidewalks and connectivity should be extended to commercial zones, and to parks and libraries, Hinsdale says.We need to find a way to get residents to walk to small businesses in their neighborhood, she says. The next at-risk group would be seniors. Having a safe path to be able to exercise and be in the community is very important.The idea for the Sidewalk Stompers rambled up more than two years ago as a small group of parents met daily to walk their children to Roosevelt Elementary School in a neighborhood with few sidewalks.Hinsdale and her two daughters, now ages 10 and 13, were among the walkers.We have all enjoyed walking our children to school and thought if we enjoyed it, wed like more people walking with us, says Hinsdale. We were looking for a way to promote this idea.They approached school staff at Roosevelt and found ready acceptance for starting the Wednesday walking program.Initially, nearly 90 students showed up, but Hinsdale said the number quickly doubled.The Sidewalk Stompers also recruited more schools into the program. This year five schools participated, with two more ready to start in fall.In West Tampa, Melissa Martin, president of the MacFarlane Neighborhood Association, quickly saw the benefits of the Sidewalk Stompers in a neighborhood with too many sidewalks to nowhere.We advocate quite a bit for sidewalks and getting rid of ditches in our neighborhood, says Martin. We were feeling kind of desperate. Our kids are walking in the middle of the street. Parents walk in the middle of the street. Or nobody was walking.Martin contacted the Sidewalk Stompers and soon Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School became the first school in the neighborhood to organize student walkers.In a neighborhood with four elementary schools, three public and one private, Martin says there is an urgency to addressing the lack of sidewalks and ensuring the safety of students and neighbors who want to walk and ride bikes.She likes the personal approach.Instead of telling people to walk, were doing it ourselves, says Martin.The walks were eye-opening.It wasnt just a lack of sidewalks, she says. In some instances, layers of grass and weeds gobbled up sidewalks installed years ago.MacDill Avenue has some of those disappearing sidewalks. A section of Pine Street near the ballfields off MacDill is built to aid disabled residents, but Martin says, The sidewalk is six to 12 inches wide because of growth'' of grass and weeds covering the sidewalk.Hinsdale is advocating for a review of the City of Tampas sidewalk ordinance with a focus on closing loopholes that block new sidewalk construction.In some instances, property owners can opt out of installing new sidewalks, leaving neighborhoods with pieces of sidewalks and no connectivity, she says.I think we have to start not having it be, 'not in my backyard', says Hinsdale.Currently, new construction in residential and commercial areas may require sidewalk installation. But, if city officials decide sidewalks arent practical, according to city code, waivers can be granted, and a fee in lieu of the sidewalk paid into a sidewalk trust fund.Hinsdale recently approached several new city councilmen on the matter, and, also spoke with the then-mayoral candidate now Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.She is hopeful there will be some traction favoring a sidewalk review.There could be potholes ahead.Some residents dont look favorably on sidewalks. Instead, they see sidewalks and connectivity as an invitation for increased foot-traffic and thus access to neighborhoods that could lead to more crimes being committed.The costs of sidewalks also will be an issue.Sidewalks are a factor in the profits of new development and construction, says David Ferrill, a building contractor and owner of Ferrill Construction . He offered a likely scenario at Cafe con Tampa A $600,000 home built in South Tampa could require nearly $20,000 in impact fees and $3,000 for sidewalks. Probably not a problem, he suggested. But another home built at $350,000 and the same impact and sidewalk fees becomes problematic, he says.It affects how affordable a homes sales price is, and he says, Youre at the point where the straw is breaking the camels back.Hinsdale says homes are more attractive for sale when there are sidewalks and landscaping.I think this is just something were going to have to cope with, she says. Its something we have to buy into. The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Tuesday sought the removal of a Tamil Nadu minister who said party chief Kamal Haasan's tongue should be cut off for commenting that independent India's "first extremist was a Hindu". Milk and Dairy Development Minister K T Rajenthira Bhalaji ridiculed MNM's demand and said his remark was made as an "advice" for the actor, in a bid to inform him of the public anger his comments had led to. He also promised to withdraw his remarks if Haasan expressed regret for his original statement. MNM general secretary A Arunachalam strongly condemned the senior AIADMK leader's comments, saying it showed that the minister lacked "political ethics and personal dignity". "As the elected representative of the people and the minister for milk and dairy development, Mr Rajendra Bhalaji has broken the promise he made when he took oath as a minister. So he must be removed from his post immediately," Arunachalam said in a statement. However, Bhalaji hit out at the MNM's demand and sought to know what violation of oath he had committed and if he was "speaking ill of a particular faith or promoting another." Haasan was not the President, Governor or Chief Minister to seek his removal as a Minister, he added. On Monday, Bhalaji had said Haasan's tongue should be cut off for saying that free India's "first extremist was a Hindu". "His tongue should be cut off... he has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian," the minister had said. On Tuesday, he said he did not intend to hurt anybody with his remarks, but that it was reflective of the public mood against the actor-politician. The Minister said that in public meetings in villages, if someone speaks ill of a particular community, those concerned would respond by "throwing stones" or snap the power supply as "that is how they can show their anger." "If he (Haasan) issues a statement that he had made the remarks inadvertently and that Hindus need not feel hurt due to it, I will also immediately withdraw my statement," he told reporters at Tuticorin. Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. The actor-turned-politician's remarks had drawn condemnation from the BJP, which accused him of indulging in "divisive politics", but found the backing of the Congress and the Dravidar Kazhagam. Haasan had said he was one of those "proud Indians" who desires an India of equality and where the three colours in the Tricolour, an obvious reference to different faiths, "remained intact". "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he had said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi. Bhalaji demanded to know if the MNM founder would make similar comments against other faiths, adding Haasan has "joined the likes of DMK chief M K Stalin and DK leader K Veeramani who have made it a habit to tease Hindus and Hindu gods." He also took a jibe at Stalin's poll-time temple visits in 2016 and said, "we go everywhere-- to mosque, temple and church." The Minister said comments from popular actors like Haasan would become and that people like Bhalaji would question him if he makes such controversial statements. "Why is he lighting a fire, spewing venom (that could create) a law and order problem? His remarks could incite terrorism, extremism... demeaning a particular faith is strongly condemnable," he added. Seeking to know if Haasan was "hobnobbing with seperatists," the Minister urged the Election Commission of India to act against MNM. He also lashed out at TNCC President K S Alagiri and Veeramani for supporting Haasan. "Alagiri is unift to live in India. He should go to Italy... It is stupid to make such comments," he said. The state Congress chief had alleged that Hindu outfits like RSS "believe in destroying those with opposing views" and equated the saffron organisation with ISIS, saying the Islamic organisation does not tolerate contrarian views even from fellow Muslims. He has also backed Haasan's comment, adding he would concur with the actor "not just 100 percent, but 1000 percent." Veeramani was always known to have "hurt Hindu sentiments," Bhalaji added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Tuesday sought the removal of a Tamil Nadu minister who said party chief Kamal Haasan's tongue should be cut off for commenting that independent India's "first extremist was a Hindu". MNM general secretary A Arunachalam strongly condemned senior AIADMK leader K T Rajendra Bhalaji's comments, saying it showed that the minister lacked "political ethics and personal dignity". "As the elected representative of the people and the minister for milk and dairy development, Mr Rajendra Bhalaji has broken the promise he made when he took oath as a minister. So he must be removed from his post immediately," Arunachalam said in a statement. On Monday, Bhalaji had said Haasan's tongue should be cut off for saying that free India's "first extremist was a Hindu". "His tongue should be cut off... he has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian," the minister had said. Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. The actor-turned-politician's remarks had drawn condemnation from the BJP, which accused him of indulging in "divisive politics", but found the backing of the Congress and the Dravidar Kazhagam. Haasan had said he was one of those "proud Indians" who desires an India of equality and where the three colours in the Tricolour, an obvious reference to different faiths, "remained intact". "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he had said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Tuesday accused the of compromising and overruling security by reducing the purchase of the Rafale fighter aircraft to save money. chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala hit out at the after Union minister reportedly admitted that the was curtailed due to do financial constraints. "Finally, truth is out! ' Security' stumped by a pseudo nationalist Modi Govt," Surjewala tweeted. Finally, truth is out! Security stumped by a pseudo nationalist Modi Govt. No. of Rafale aircrafts reduced from 126 to 36 for saving money overruling Air Force & Nations security!https://t.co/6Rpecq4E4D Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 14, 2019 "No. of Rafale aircrafts reduced from 126 to 36 for saving money overruling Air Force and Nation's security!" he added. Gadkari had said the government's "financial availability" dictated the decision to bring down the order of the Rafale fighter jets from 126 to 36 in its purchase agreement. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi insulted his father and grandmother during campaigning but he would not do the same to the latter's parents. Addressing a rally ahead of the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also said Modi should stop talking about "clouds and mangoes" and tell people about issues which matter. Gandhi also said the Congress would defeat the prime minister "with love". "Modi ji talks with hatred. He insults my father, grandmother, great grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about his family, his mother and father. I will die, but will never insult his mother and father. "This is because I am not a RSS or BJP man, but belong to the Congress. I will return him love if hatred is thrown at me...We will defeat Modi ji with love, hugging you," he said. The Congress president was apparently referring to the prime minister's statements made in two interviews: to a channel and another to Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar. "Modi ji talks with hatred...he insulted my father, grandmother and great grandfather...I will die, but not insult Modi ji's mother and father," he said. Gandhi said Modi talked about cloud cover "helping" IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strikes and about climbing trees and eating mangoes. "Clouds and mangoes are being talked about, but nothing is being said on the issues which matter," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Striking an emotional chord with voters of the temple town, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday described himself as a 'Kashi-vaasi' and sought their blessings to pave the way for his election to Lok Sabha for a second term from the seat. Terming Kashi his guiding spirit, the prime minister said his bond with the holy city was very strong as he had come here several times in the past five years, and added that it is believed that if a person comes here even once, he becomes an inseparable part of the city. The prime minister had come here last time on April 26 to file his nomination papers. Modi held a massive roadshow during which he said that he will come to the people again to thank them once the result of the elections was out, implying that he might not come here to campaign. In 2014, Modi won the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, defeating Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal by a huge margin of 3.37 lakh votes. Modi had polled 5,16,593 votes, about half the total votes, while Congress' Ajay Rai finished third. Rai is the Congress candidate again this time from the constituency that goes to the polls on May 19, while the 'gathbandhan' has fielded an SP candidate as its joint nominee. In a video-recorded appeal, Modi said that it was a matter of great satisfaction for him that he was in service of the city, whose presiding deity is Lord Vishwanath. In his appeal the prime minister mentioned the developments that have transformed Varanasi and its neighbourhood, and cited the construction of highway, railway station and multi-modal terminal on river Ganga. Modi, however, said that a lot still needs to be done, a task which, he said, he will complete together with the people so that the speed of development does not stop. "I know that every resident of Kashi is fighting elections for and as Narenda Modi," he said ending his appeal by asking the voters to participate in the biggest celebration of democracy in a grand manner and create a record. Varanasi votes on May 19 in the last round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polling, which began on April 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that cloud cover "helped" IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strikes. Addressing an election rally ahead of the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also said Modi has insulted his family during the campaign but he won't ever speak ill of the PM's parents. At a rally in Neemuch, Gandhi made a veiled reference to the PM's interaction with actor Akshay Kumar in which Modi revealed he loved mangoes as a child and still loves them. Gandhi said Modi talked about cloud cover "helping" IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the air strikes and about climbing trees and eating mangoes. "Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all aircraft disappear from the radar," he said. "Clouds and mangoes are being talked about but nothing is being said on issues that matter," Gandhi said. He sought to know what did Modi do for the jobless youth. "Modi ji, you taught (us) how to eat mangoes; now tell the country what you did for the jobless youth," he said. At a rally in Ujjain, Gandhi said Modi insulted his father and grandmother during the ongoing election campaign but he will never speak ill of the latter's parents. He the Congress would defeat Modi "with love". "Modi ji talks with hatred. He insults my father, grandmother, great grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about his family, his mother and father. I will die, but will never insult his mother and father. "This is because I am not a RSS or BJP man, but belong to the Congress. I will return him love if hatred is thrown at me...We will defeat Modi ji with love, hugging you," he said. "Modi ji talks with hatred...he insulted my father, grandmother and great grandfather...I will die, but not insult Modi ji's mother and father," he said. At a rally in Khandwa, Gandhi targeted Modi on the Rafale deal, adding the "chowkidar" committed theft in it and is therefore unable to speak on corruption. Gandhi said Modi has not responded to his challenge for an open debate on alleged corruption in the Rafale deal for fear of getting exposed. "Modi will not be able to show his face to the countrymen even just after 15 minutes of debate with me," Gandhi said. "The chowkidar is a thief and is frightened since he will be exposed in the debate. He will not be able to show his face to the country," Gandhi said. The Rafale deal would be probed and action would be taken against the guilty after the Congress comes to power, he said. Gandhi said his party's proposed minimum income guarantee scheme Nyay will jump start the Indian economy and set right the "injustice" done due to GST and demonetisation. The economy is in the doldrums due to flawed GST implementation and demonetisation, he said. "Nyay will ensure that people start purchasing goods, while small and medium businesses can start manufacturing the goods resulting in employment opportunities," he said. Gandhi said the money for implementation of Nyay will come from industrialists like Anil Ambani and Nirav Modi. "We will return to the people money taken away by Modi during demonetisation. Nyay will ensure job opportunities and kickstart businesses left in the lurch," he said. Nyay is not an option but a necessity, Gandhi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday launched a scathing attack on opposition parties and threw them an "open challenge" to prove if he had amassed any asset or kept money in any foreign bank. He was addressing an election meeting here in eastern Uttar Pradesh, days before campaigning ends for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. "I am throwing an open challenge to the 'mahamilawati' people that if they have guts then, instead of hurling abuses at me, they should accept my challenge. "My open challenge to the 'mahamilawati' people is that they should prove if I have acquired any benami property, built any farmhouse, bungalow or shopping complex, or deposited money in any foreign bank, purchased property abroad or bought vehicles worth lakhs and crores," Modi said. The prime minister said neither had he ever dreamt of being rich, nor had he committed the sin of looting money of the poor. "We accord top priority to the welfare of the poor, the honour and security of the motherland," he said. "This is the reason that 'hekdi' (arrogance) of Pakistan and its terrorists has vanished in air. The terrorists who used to openly brandish firearms in Pakistan, are today hiding below the ground and praying for Modi's removal. Sometimes they look at the jungle, sometimes the sky, sometimes the sea. "They remain restless and have lost their sleep...I have given a freehand to the bravehearts of the country. Hence, first the surgical strikes took place and then it was the air strikes. Today we have taken the war against terrorism across the border," he asserted. Modi then attacked the SP-BSP, describing them as 'mahamilavati', and also slammed the Congress for questioning the courage of the bravehearts. "Those who could not even rein in local goons, how will they be able to rein in terrorism. The entire world is affected by terrorism and to combat it, there is a need to have a government in Delhi which is strong, does not believe in appeasement and votebank and takes decisions with courage." The prime minister was seeking support for BJP and NDA ally candidates in eastern Uttar Pradesh that go to polls in the seventh and last phase on Sunday. Citing a recent clash between SP and BSP workers in Ghazipur, Modi said, "The workers of SP and BSP were hitting each others, hurling abuses, tearing each others clothes, and the entire country witnessed this. The elections are yet to be over, and they have started settling scores." "The people will give a befitting reply through votes to the abuses hurled at me by these 'mahamilavati' parties," Modi said. He alleged that the opposition leaders dabbled in caste and replenished their coffers, built bungalows and palaces. On the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the prime minister claimed that the parties, which used to abuse each other, would again be at each other's throats the moment results were out. "How these mahamilavati people have duped you and looted you, you know it very well. They, in the name of caste politics, have built bungalows for their relatives, palaces, acquired benami property... This is the reason that parties which once used to abuse each other, are now compelled to forge a 'mahamilawat'," the prime minister said. Hitting out at detractors who question his caste, he said, "I am standing for the honour of mothers, sisters and daughters. I am standing to increase the confidence of the poor. I am working to strengthen the last man of the society. And in despair, the 'mahamilawati' people are asking about Modi's caste...I have been the chief minister of Gujarat for more than the combined tenure of bua-babua." BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav are referred to as 'bua' and 'babua' respectively. "I have contested a number of elections and also made others contest, but never banked on my caste. I may have been born in a extremely backward caste family, but my aim is to make India a front runner in the world," he said. "I have experienced poverty and backwardness. The pain which you are feeling now, I have myself felt it. My backwardness and I are not for alleviating my poverty, but I live for you. I toil for you, so I am confident that we will be successful in transforming this situation," Modi said. The way in which Ballia had revolted against foreign rule, Modi has also revolted against poverty, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP and Congress Tuesday sparred over the disappearance of a woman who had accused Congress Panaji bypoll candidate Atanasio Monserratte of rape in 2016. The woman, who was a minor at the time, was undergoing rehabilitation at a facility in South Goa district from where she went missing on April 28 this year, Verna police had said. Last month, a missing person complaint was lodged and later on May 10, the police registered an FIR for offence of abduction against an unknown person, Verna police inspector Sandesh Chodankar had said Monday. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Goa BJP chief Vinay Tendulkar expressed concern about the missing woman and said the state government should trace her since she was an important witness in the Monserratte case. The decision on framing charges against Monserratte will be delivered on June 3 by local court. "Her disappearance during such a crucial time is a cause of concern," Tendulkar said. The Congress, meanwhile, blamed the state government for the woman going missing. "The state government is trying to cover its own fault," said Carlose Fereira, former advocate general and legal adviser to the Congress. "Maybe the woman has gone for a wedding, maybe she has gone for a party, you never know or maybe genuinely she is missing. We don't know," Fereira said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Monsoon is likely to arrive in Kerala on June 4, three days after its normal onset date, marking the official commencement of the rainy season in the country, private forecaster Skymet said Tuesday. The normal onset date for monsoon over Kerala is June 1. Skymet said monsoon will be "below normal" in the country with a Long Period Average (LPA) of 93 per cent and an error margin of five per cent. "Arrival of monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be on May 22, with an error margin of plus/minus 2 days. Southwest Monsoon 2019 is likely to make onset over Kerala on June 4, with an error margin of plus/minus 2 days. "It seems that initial advancement of monsoon over peninsular India is going to be slow," Skymet CEO Jatin Singh said. "All the four regions are going to witness lesser than normal rainfall, this season. Rainfall in East and Northeast India and central parts will be poorer than Northwest India and South Peninsula," Singh said. According to Skymet, there are 55 per cent chances of a below normal rainfall, which will have an influence of El Nino, a phenomenon linked to the heating of Pacific waters. East and Northeast India will get 92 per cent of the LPA which falls under the below normal category. Risk remains high for Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, while it will be marginal for Northeast India, Skymet said. Northwest India that comprises all north Indian states will receive 96 per cent rainfall of the LPA, which falls on the border line of normal and below normal rainfall category. Hilly states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are likely to perform better than the plains of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi- NCR, the Skymet said. Central India is likely to receive rainfall of 91 per cent of the LPA. Rainfall in Vidarbha, Marathwada, west Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat will be "poorer than normal". This is likely to aggravate the situation as Marathwada and several parts of Gujarat been facing farm distress and drought like situation. Conditions will be more or less similar in South peninsula. "North interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema may see poor rainfall. Kerala and coastal Karnataka are likely to perform better," Skymet said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced Tuesday that he is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, distinguishing himself among nearly two dozen candidates as the field's only statewide elected official to win a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2016. The 53-year-old governor is running as a centrist Democrat who has advanced party values while navigating a Republican legislature and a GOP-leaning electorate. Bullock made his candidacy official in a video that capped months of speculation fueled by his political activity in Iowa, which hosts the nation's first presidential caucus next February. He plans to address supporters later Tuesday in the state capital, Helena, where he grew up not far from the governor's mansion. "What we need to do is get the country back on track, make sure everybody has a fair shot at success," he told The Associated Press in an interview before launching his campaign via online video. "I've been able to get meaningful things done that impact the people of my state. I believe they'll be a strong reception for that." His immediate challenge is corralling enough donors and support in the polls to qualify for the first Democratic debate in June. More broadly, as a white, Trump-state Democrat, Bullock could face an uphill battle to break through in a primary that at least in its early days has been defined by former Vice President Joe Biden's dominance and the progressive energy of a diverse party base. Bullock plans a two-tiered argument. He pitches himself as the rare Democrat who can win over rural and small-town voters a constituency that helped Trump flip key battleground states in 2016. Bullock has done it three times in Montana, whose largest city boasts a population of 110,000 and where Democrat Hillary Clinton got just 36 per cent of the vote against Trump. "We need somebody who can win back some of these places we lost in '16," Bullock said, adding that "voters want somebody that they believe can win, that will fight for them." Yet Bullock emphasises that he governs with mainstream Democratic priorities. He has expanded Medicaid insurance coverage to nearly a tenth of Montana's 1.06 million residents as part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and embraced marriage equality for same-sex couples. He's used executive orders to extend LGBTQ rights and protect net neutrality, and he's vetoed gun bills backed by the National Rifle Association and measures that would have severely limited abortion access in Montana. He also has spent years advocating for tighter regulation of money in politics, unsuccessfully challenging the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling as attorney general and then, as governor, signing a Montana law that requires dark money groups operating in the state to disclose their donors. Last year, he sued the Internal Revenue Service over a Trump administration rule change to stop requiring the disclosure of donor information from certain nonprofit organisations. He's aligned himself with conservationists, environmental activists and outdoorsmen by prioritizing public land use and conservation a key issue in many Western states and one that has helped him draw distinctions with some of his Republican opponents. But he's also been at odds with them at times as the leader of an energy-producing state, such as when he criticized the Obama administration for "moving the goalposts" by proposing stringent carbon dioxide emission reductions under the now-defunct Clean Power Plan. Bullock said he believes his record adds up to progressive results, even if he might not appeal to Democrats' left flank. "The lane that I'll be in is getting stuff done that does make a difference in people's lives," he said. "Is that progressive? Well, being the first state to do something about net neutrality ... is progress. What we've done in health care ... is progressive. I'd put my record on outside spending and dark money against anyone in the field." His time in office has largely been scandal-free, with the occasional hiccup. Earlier this year, Bullock apologised for not doing enough to warn others about a longtime aide of his who was accused of sexually harassing women while working first for the Democratic Governors Association while Bullock was chairman and later for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration. Bullock's attendance at a Paul McCartney concert in Missoula in 2014 also opened the door for critics to scrutinize his use of a state plane that resulted in his having to reimburse $7,000 for flights that mixed official business and campaign trips. The state's campaign regulator determined Bullock's 2016 re-election campaign violated state law by failing to make timely expense reports related to use of the plane. Bullock joins Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper as the only state executives vying for the nomination. The Montana governor is likely among the final Democrats to join one of the biggest presidential fields in modern memory. De Blasio is expected to announce his decision this week on whether to run for the White House. And Stacey Abrams of Georgia continues to indulge speculation that she could scramble the field with a late launch this summer or fall. Although he is not a household name, Bullock is well known and well regarded in Democratic circles beyond Montana. Like Inslee, Bullock has served previously as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) KPMGs Pensions Accounting Survey looks at trends in best-estimate assumptions based on 212 clients with UK Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes reporting under IFRS, UK GAAP or US GAAP at 31 December 2018. Median assumed life expectancies for current pensioners have reduced by 0.2 years (to 86.9 measured from age 65) whilst life expectancies for future pensioners have reduced by 0.1 years (to 88.4 measured from age 45) compared to last years survey. This has led to an improvement in company balance sheets. The trend of falling assumed life expectancies is expected to continue following the recent publication of the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) 2018 model. The latest model introduces a new parameter which allows companies to reflect differences between particular groups of the population (such as pension scheme members), and the general population data on which the model is calibrated. Naz Peralta, Pensions Director at KPMG said: Following the publication of CMI 2018, by the end of 2019 assumed life expectancies will be back to levels last seen in 2009. This lost decade of life expectancy is largely due to the slowing rate of future mortality improvements as projected by the Continuous Mortality Investigation Bureau (CMIB) over the past four years. The initial addition parameter is the second new parameter added in recent years, the first being the smoothing parameter introduced with CMI 2016. Although these in theory allow companies to tailor their assumptions better, in practice it is likely to cause some confusion due to the complexity and subjectivity involved. We expect many companies will use the default assumptions for these new parameters until they are understood better. GMP equalisation Historic industry estimates of the cost of equalising benefits for the effect of unequal GMPs ranged from 1% to 3% of total liabilities. However KPMGs report shows that around 70% of companies have reported an impact of 1% or less as at December 2018. Naz Peralta added: The data shows that historic industry estimates of the cost of equalising GMPs were overstated. Unfortunately for some schemes the administration and cost of compliance will be almost as high as the cost of increasing benefits themselves. The Supreme Court Tuesday granted bail to a BJP activist arrested for allegedly posting a morphed image of Mamata Banerjee on social media and asked her to apologise, while observing that freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights. A vacation bench comprising justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said Priyanka Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, will apologise in writing upon her release from jail for allegedly posting the morphed picture of the West Bengal chief minister. During the hearing, the bench observed that though freedom of speech is non-negotiable but "your freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights". The bench observed that since Sharma is a member of a political party, the insinuation of posting such a picture will be different from those shared by common people. Sharma was arrested on May 10 by the West Bengal Police under section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and under other provisions of the Information Technology Act on the complaint of a local Trinamool Congress leader Vibhas Hazra. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman and her son who were allegedly set ablaze by a money-lender for non-repayment of a loan died Tuesday in a hospital in Nagpur, police said. Kalpana Harinkhade's husband Harishchandra had taken Rs 3 lakh from money-lender Jasbir Bhatia, police said. "Harishchandra had returned Rs 2 lakh to the accused and was supposed to give Rs 60,000 on May 7. However, when he failed to pay the amount, Bhatia poured petrol and set ablaze Kalpana and her son Piyush. She suffered 60 per cent burns while her son suffered 30 per cent. They died today at GMCH Nagpur," said Inspector Prakash Hake of Chandrapur police. Bhatia, who sustained burn injuries in the incident and is hospitalised, has been booked for murder and will be arrested soon, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday visited the popular Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh and prayed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's win in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. The senior BJP leader spent a few minutes at the temple and later claimed that a "tsunami wave of Modi" was sweeping the country in the general elections. "Rupani prayed for a strong government at the Centre and that Modiji may become the prime minister again," BJP's Ujjain unit president Vivek Joshi told PTI. He said the Gujarat chief minister paid obeisance at other some other temples here as well. Later, Rupani told reporters that a "tsunami wave of Modi" was sweeping the country in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. "Only Modiji can form a strong government. He can push forward development as he is determined to serve the 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India) with zeal, dedication and devotion." Referring to the Balakot air strike, he lauded the prime minister for being firm in dealing with terror. Rupani was felicitated by a group of Gujarati community people here, Joshi said. He also addressed a gathering at the Gujarati Samaj Bhawan here before leaving. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A murder accused on the run for almost 16 years was arrested from Borivali railway station in Mumbai by Palghar police, an official said Tuesday. Kamlesh Jain (57), a resident of Bhayander here, was accused of involvement in the shooting of builder Rajesh Patange in Tulinj area on October 25, 2003, said senior inspector Jitendra Vankoti of the Palghar Crime Branch. "A total of 14 people, including Jain, were made accused in the murder case registered at Nalasopara police station at the time. While 10 were arrested, one was killed in an encounter with Mumbai police and three, including Jain, were absconding," he said. "We got a tip-off that Jain was to arrive at Borivali railway station on Monday. We kept watch and nabbed him," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's newly appointed 250-member Senate, which will play a crucial role in selecting the country's next prime minister, will have more than 100 members of the police and military who have wielded power since a 2014 coup ousted an elected government. The appointments became effective Tuesday, when they were published in the Royal Gazette. Virtually all represent conservative elements in Thai society. They include former members of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, as well as many members of the unelected parliament that served under his junta. The senators are expected to act as a bloc supporting Prayuth when a joint vote to choose the next prime minister is held in the next few weeks with the 500 members of the House of Representatives elected in March. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Green Tribunal Tuesday directed 18 states and two Union Territories to submit action plan to ensure utilisation of treated waste water to reduce pressure on the ground water resources throughout the country. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the states and UTs to submit the action plan within three months to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The green panel said the states which have still not furnished their action plans are defaulters for violating the directions of the tribunal for which no valid reason can be seen. It noted that only nine states and five UTs have submitted the action plan. "It is well known that absence of plan for reuse of treated water affects recharge of ground water and also results in fresh water being used for purposes for which treated water can alternatively be used. Proper plans for reuse of waste water can add to availability of potable water which is many times denied this basic need or has to travel long distances to fetch clean water," the bench said. "This being a substantial question of environment, direction is issued to the states/UTs which have not yet submitted their action plans to do so latest by June 30, failing which the tribunal may have to consider coercive measures, including compensation for loss to the environment," it said. The plans may include a monitoring mechanism in the states for coordination with the local bodies and this will be the responsibility of the chief secretaries of all the states and UTs. Accordingly to the CPCB status report, action plans have been received from Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Tripura. The states which have not submitted action plans are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Dadar and Nagar Haweli, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. During the hearing, the Delhi Jal Board told the NGT that the municipal corporations and Delhi Development Authority have agreed to lift the treated water by tankers till pipelines are laid and time bound plans have been prepared for doing the same which have been included in the latest action plan submitted to the CPCB. "We understand that about 103 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) of treated water is not being effectively used by the DJB out of the total 459 MGD. This is a colossal waste of our precious natural resources and cannot be permitted," the green panel said. "This in our view needs to be expeditiously sorted out by Chief Secretary Delhi, Municipal Corporations and DDA by way of coordination. We also direct that laying of pipelines be expedited in a time bound manner and revised plan to this regard be submitted which is duly vetted and ratified by CPCB," the tribunal said. The direction came during the hearing of a plea filed by Mahesh Chandra Saxena, who claims to be associated with an NGO working in the field of ground water conservation. He has sought directions to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to stop construction of rain water harvesting system in a park near the Chhattarpur temple and restriction on ground water usage through borewells. The petitioner has also sought directions for the use of treated water from the DJB's sewage treatment plant at Qutub Metro Station to avoid wastage of water. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Crisis-hit on Tuesday revealed full-year net profits at a near-decade low and forecast a further decline as it battles to recover after the shock arrest of its talismanic former boss The Japanese firm's bottom-line profit for the fiscal year to March fell 57.3 per cent to 319.1 billion yen ($2.9 billion), the lowest since 2009-10 when the company was struggling in the wake of the global financial crisis. Sales fell 3.2 per cent with operating profit down for a third straight year, said -- which is allied with France's and fellow Japanese carmaker The results were in line with its downward revision announced last month. For the year to March 2020, said its net profit would nearly halve further to 170 billion yen with sales projected to fall 2.4 per cent. The results came as ex-chairman Ghosn, now released on bail, awaits his fate after prosecutors hit him with a fourth set of charges over alleged financial misconduct. Among other accusations, authorities suspect he syphoned off around USD 5 million for his personal use from money transferred from Nissan to a dealership in Ghosn denies that charge and insists he is innocent of all allegations against him. DMK President MK Stalin Tuesday said he saw no chances for a non-BJP, non-Congress "third front" post Lok Sabha polls, but a decision could be taken only after May 23, the counting day. Stalin's remarks come a day after TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao, who has been pushing for a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties, called on the DMK chief here. Stalin, also Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, said Rao had not visited the state for forging alliances. "He did not come to form alliances. He came to Tamil Nadu to offer prayers in various temples and on that basis, sought an appointment with me for a courtesy call. That is all," he told reporters here. Rao had earlier visited the Sri Ranganatha Temple at Srirangam before meeting Stalin. Asked about the possibility of a "third front" sans BJP and Congress, the DMK leader said, "It doesn't seem to me that there is a chance for that." "However, that will be decided only after counting on May 23," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after scores of passengers were inconvenienced at the Kolkata airport due to technical glitches in the check-in system, a senior official said it took the authorities nine hours to restore normal services. "The system, which slowed down and conked off around 5.15pm yesterday (Monday), was up and running by 2.30am," Airport Director Kaushik Bhattacharjee said Tuesday. A tweet by Kolkata Airport thanked passengers and other stakeholders for their patience. "The Local Area Network has been restored at around 0230hrs. We thank our passengers, airlines and all the stakeholders for the patience and cooperation," it said. Five Kolkata-bound flights were also diverted Monday evening owing to bad weather in the city. The technical snag did not affect the arrival of flights to Kolkata, thunderstorms and subsequent rain did, a spokesperson of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. "A Singapore Airline flight was diverted to Dhaka, three others were diverted to Bhubaneswar and one to Lucknow," the spokesperson said. The AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports - including the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata. A fault was detected at the local area network (LAN) of NSCBI Airport Monday evening, hampering check-in process of the passengers. Around 30 flights were delayed by an average of 20-25 minutes as boarding passes had to be issued manually. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jet Airways' chief executive Vinay Dube resigned on Tuesday, ending a 21-month long tumultuous tenure during which the once-storied carrier shuttered operations due to cash crunch. An Indian-American, Dube joins the growing list of exits at Jet Airways, which served the Indian skies for more than 25 years. His resignation comes a day after Deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer Amit Agarwal quit. "We wish to inform that Vinay Dube, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has resigned from services of the company with immediate effect due to personal reasons," Jet Airways said in a regulatory filing Tuesday. Before joining Jet Airways as CEO in August 2017, Dube had served in various roles at Delta Airlines, Sabre Inc and American Airlines in the US, Europe and Asia. He took over the reins of Jet Airways almost 15 months after the exit of his predecessor Crammer Ball. During this period, Agarwal was the acting CEO. Earlier on Tuesday, Jet Airways informed stock exchanges that Agarwal has resigned from the company, with effect from May 13, due to personal reasons. The exit of the two top officials also comes at a time when the SBI-led lenders' consortium is trying hard to find a buyer for the ailing Jet Airways. The carrier stopped flying on April 17 after it ran out of cash. Last month, Independent Director Rajshree Pathy, Non-Executive and Non-Independent Director Nasim Zaidi as well as Whole Time Director Guarang Shetty, had quit. In late March, Jet Airways Founder Naresh Goyal along with his wife Anita Goyal as well Etihad Airways' nominee director Kevin Knight stepped down from their respective position following a debt-recast plan. Naresh Goyal also stepped down from the post of Chairman. Etihad is a strategic investor in Jet Airways. In November last year, Independent Directors Vikram Singh Mehta and Ranjan Mathai had resigned from Jet Airways' board. At present, Etihad nominee Robin Kamark, Ashok Chawla and Sharad Sharma, are the only directors on Jet Airways's board, as per the airline's website. On behalf of the lenders, SBI Caps had sought bids for sale of up to 75 per cent stake in Jet Airways. After the first round of bids, private equity firms IndiGo Partners and TPG, Etihad Airways and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) were shortlisted. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways submitted its bid to acquire a minority stake in Jet Airways with a lot of riders that involved finding more investors, leaving little hope for the airline's survival. "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's required recapitalisation," Etihad said in a statement on May 10, which was the last date for submission of bids. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Tom Murray, Head of Product Strategy Life Plus Solutions, Majesco. In particular, the social media giants have been put on the hot-spot by regulators responding to uneasiness in society about how much information they hold. Even those who do not subscribe to these platforms are finding that information about them is available to the large data giants. This is because those members, who do post often, post about other people who were with them and are thereby accidentally posting enough information for the views or preferences of the non-user to be revealed. Much of the media focus has been on the security side, with the spotlight being focused on a seemingly endless series of data breaches, with passwords and usernames being harvested, along with credit card and bank details in the most egregious cases. But the dangers of the mis-use of information by the company themselves is much higher and could ultimately cause them far more in terms of compensation or reputational damage if they get it wrong. For the life and pensions industry, this has got to be the hottest topic of the moment. Sure, technology will allow us to dramatically improve overheads and provide insurance services in a far-more customer focused way than heretofore. But the very nature of our business and the type of information we hold means that data privacy and security have got to remain our number one priority as we embrace our digital future. Our customers have to give us a lot of personal information, ranging from their health details and family history to their current financial position and future goals. This is the kind of information that is clearly dangerous to lose and could cause huge problems for the organisation that loses it. It is a difficult balancing act; providing the online real-time services that the customer wants whilst at the same time ensuring the confidentiality that the customer demands is a big ask. There are plenty of technical security solutions and, while none of them are perfect, there are at least standard approaches to ensuring the protection of data from external sources. However, internally, it is also important that we are focused on the privacy of data. Data supplied for a legitimate purpose cannot be generically used across the organisation. It may be very tempting to use such data to offer services and products to people based on the information the company has stored in the organisation, but without the specific consent of the customer, it is not permissible to do so. Hence, probably the biggest risk to companies, in terms of the customer data, is their own people. Employees, either through carelessness with the security of the data they have available to them or through the temptation to use it in ways for which no consent has been obtained, are constantly at risk of mis-using personal data. And the fines from regulators, not to mention the possibility of collective action lawsuits, should be enough to keep board members awake at night. Amid the excitement of new technology and the creativity of the employees, new ways of doing business and keeping customer satisfaction high are being developed. These are exciting breakthroughs for an industry that was notoriously a laggard in adopting customer-friendly processes. But those putting the brakes on in the name of data security arent holding the firm back, they are keeping the customer at the forefront of their mind. Customers who feel that their data is being used too freely will be very resistant to the new products and services that are aimed at them. Processes and procedures might seem to inhibit innovation. But the risks involved in too lax an approach are very high. Getting the right balance for this is difficult. The companies that know how to walk this thin line will be the real victors of the 21st century. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday blamed BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal for the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, an emotive issue in Punjab. In her first election rally in Punjab for the Lok Sabha polls, Priyanka Gandhi also mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for suggesting that a cloud cover had helped IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strikes. "The soul of Punjab will be lost if anything happens to Guru Granth Sahib. Their (BJP's) own ally indulged in sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib for political gains and votes," she said at the rally in Bathinda, an Akali Dal bastion where Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal is contesting against the Congress' Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The Congress and the SAD have been trading barbs at each other over the sacrilege incident at the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015. Protests over a series of such incidents resulted in police firing in which two persons were killed. Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, invoked the teachings of Guru Nanak -- 'tera, tera' (yours, yours) and 'sarbat da bhala' (welfare of everybody). "But their (BJP's) ally was only for 'mera mera' (mine, mine)," she said, without naming the SAD. The Congress leader also spoke in Punjabi to strike a chord with the crowd. "I am happy to be here. My husband (Robert Vadra) is a Punjabi. He has always faced each challenge with a smile. "I salute the land of Punjab and the Punjabi community. The Punjabi community always face challenges with a strong will. And always remain happy and in state of 'chardi kala' (optimism)," she said. Priyanka Gandhi pointed out that she had come to know about Modi holding a rally in Bathinda a day ago. "I have also learnt that the clouds of Bathinda gave answers to his spate of lies," she said, referring to the strong winds that had uprooted some tents in the prime minister's rally. "Whether it is strong winds or storm or cloudy weather, but the truth about him has now come on the people's radar." Priyanka Gandhi accused Modi of spreading propaganda and lies. "When you hear his propaganda, then you will feel as if no development took place in the past 70 years. All the development took place only in five years," she said. "Perhaps his own radar should be on his promises," she said, while taking a jibe at Modi's "unkept" promises of Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts, doubling farmers income and 2 crore jobs. When Punjab was fighting for India's freedom, Priyanka Gandhi said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders were busy flattering the British. She alleged that land, sand, liquor, transport mafias and 'chitta' (drugs) flourished under the previous SAD-BJP rule. Priyanka Gandhi accused Modi of visiting a number of countries, but not having time to meet the poor and farmers in his own Varanasi constituency. "The PM has visited America, hugged Obama ji (then US president Barack Obama), went to Japan and beat drums there. Africa, Europe, whichever name you take, China, Pakistan -- where he had biryani," she said. "But, he never visited any house of the poor and farmer in his own constituency, Varanasi. He never enquired any farmer and never asked how they were making their both ends meet," she added. Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu also addressed his first poll rally in the state. Later, Priyanka Gandhi held a roadshow in Pathankot in favour of state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who is pitted against the BJP's Sunny Deol. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra surprised BJP supporters, who were shouting "Modi, Modi", by wishing and shaking hands with them when she was coming out of the airport here on Monday for her roadshow. She stopped her car, went up to the people chanting pro-Modi slogans and shook hands with them, and while walking back to her vehicle said "all the best, aap apni jagah hai, aur main meri jagah (you are at your place, I am at mine)". A video of the incident went viral on social media in which the group of Modi supporters is also heard saying "very good, very good all the best aapko bhi, aapko bhi". The Madhya Pradesh Congress later tweeted the video stating, "Some people in Indore in a sponsored manner raised Modi, Modi slogans when Priyanka Gandhi got down from the car and shook hands with them..." State Congress media cell chairperson Shobha Oza told PTI, "It was a BJP sponsored event, but Congress party always believe in respecting other ideologies also." "Priyanka's impromptu gesture shows the Congress believes in compassion and love and will defeat such ideologies with these powerful tools," Oza said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Tuesday mocked Narendra Modi for suggesting that cloud cover helped IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strike, saying the truth about the prime minister is now on the people's radar. Addressing a rally here, the Congress general secretary accused Modi of indulging only in propaganda and making big promises, while projecting that no development took place in the past 70 years. Priyanka Gandhi referred to a recent interview by Modi in which he said there was cloud cover over Balakot when the air strikes were being planned. Modi reportedly said he felt that the crowd cover will help Indian Air Force planes evade Pakistani radars. The truth about him has now come on the people's radar, Priyanka Gandhi said at the rally in support of Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. She accused Modi of not keeping his promise of creating two crore new jobs. She claimed 12,000 farmers committed suicide during the last five years and accused Modi of ignoring them. The Congress leader said these parliamentary elections are for saving democracy and the country. She attacked the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government in Punjab over the desecration of scriptures in 2015, claiming that this happened for political gain. Punjab is going to the polls on May 19, the last phase of elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will hold a roadshow Wednesday in the constituency represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, her party said. The Congress show of strength in the temple town comes nearly three weeks after Modi held his own roadshow here, a day before filing his nomination papers. Congress leaders here said the party's local unit has made elaborate plans to pull in the crowds for Priyanka Gandhi's roadshow. The roadshow will begin from Madan Mohan Malviya's statue at Banaras Hindu University gates, the spot from where Modi's well-attended event began on April 25. Like Modi's roadshow, it will end at the Dashashwamedh ghat. She will then offer prayers first at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and then at the Kaal Bhairav temple in Kotwali area, Congress district unit president Prajanath Sharma said. The Congress has fielded Ajay Rai against Modi, after much speculation that Priyanka Gandhi, who is in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh for the party, may herself take on Modi. The Samajwadi Party has nominated Shalini Yadav, as the opposition alliance candidate. Ajay Rai and party spokesperson Pankhuri Pathak Tuesday released the party's manifesto for the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. The manifesto, Vachanpatra, promises that the party will work towards reinstating the temples which were demolished to build the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. It also lists creation of jobs, boosting farmers' income and women's empowerment among various issues. Meanwhile, 'sadhus' associated with the Vrindavan-based Ram Sena, headed by Vishnu Vinodam, is holding a yagna here for the Congress nominee. We launched the yagna at the Assi ghat yesterday and will continue for the next three days for making the Congress party win the general election, Ram Sena member Neetu Narayani said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protests continued in Kashmir valley on Tuesday over the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Bandipora district of the state, officials said. The state police has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the rape case and one person has been arrested. Even as authorities closed several educational institutions in the valley, students took out protest rallies against the alleged rape of the minor girl in Sumbal area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district last week, the officials said. They said protests erupted at Women's College Maulana Azad Road here as the students came out of their classes and assembled in the campus. The protesting students demanded stern action against the accused, the officials said, adding later, the protestors marched towards the Press Enclave here. Protests rocked Kashmir University in Hazratbal area of the city where hundreds of students of different departments under the banner of Kashmir University Students Union (KUSU) assembled inside the campus to register their protest, the officials said. They said the students chanted slogans against the accused and demanded capital punishment for him. Students of Degree College Kangan in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district also staged a protest demonstration demanding justice to the victim. Scores of the students marched from the college campus to the main market at Kangan and staged a sit-in to express solidarity with the victim. Students took out protest marches at Degree College at Bemina and Amar Singh College in Gogji Bagh areas of the city as well, the officials said. They said clashes erupted between the protestors and security forces at both these institutions after the forces did not allow the students to come outside the respective campuses. The students also carried out a peaceful protest march in Boniyar area of Uri in northern Baramulla district, the officials said. Apprehending law and order problems, several educational institutions were closed by respective district authorities across the valley on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. In Baramulla district, all schools in tehsil Pattan and Singhpora were shut, while Degree College and higher secondary schools in Baramulla and Sopore towns also remained closed, the officials said. They said all government educational institutions including schools and colleges of tehsil Sonawari in Bandipora district also remained closed, while Government Degree College Ganderbal, government girls and boys higher secondary schools in Ganderbal town were also closed. Class work remained suspended at Government Degree Colleges and Higher Secondary Schools in Anantnag and Bijbhera towns of district Anantnag on Tuesday, the officials said. The authorities also ordered suspension of class work in Government Degree College Shopian and in Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), the officials said. Groups of students, lawyers and various NGOs also held protests at the Press Enclave here, demanding exemplary punishment to the accused. A local youth lured the child with a candy and allegedly rap .. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court here Tuesday sentenced a doctor to three-year rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on her in a 2011 pre-nata sex-determination case. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Vishakha Patil convicted Dr Neena Mathrani, a radiologist from the city, under Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Tests (PCPNDT) Act, 1994. Gynaecologist Dr Makarand Ranade, a co-accused, had died during the trial. Both the doctors were exposed after a couple, who was sent to Dr Ranade as decoy, conducted a sting operation in 2011. "A strong case was made out against both the doctors and there was a strong circumstantial as well as electronic evidence. The court convicted Dr Mathrani and sentenced her to three years rigorous imprisonment and also fined her Rs 10,000," Chief Legal Officer of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Manjusha Idhate said. She said Dr Ranade took Rs 9,000 from the couple and sent them to Dr Mathrani's clinic for sex determination test. Idhate said that for the PMC, advocate Anant Randive appeared before the court and examined three witnesses. "The conviction will send a stern and strong message to those from the medical fraternity who are involved in such activities," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said he wanted to "fully restore" strained ties between Washington and Moscow, during a visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "I would very much like your visit to Russia to benefit Russia-US relations and promote their development," Putin said as he received Pompeo at his residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Putin also praised the Mueller report, despite its findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. "Despite the exotic nature of Mr Mueller's commission, on the whole he conducted quite an objective investigation and confirmed the absence of any collusion between the US administration and Russia," he said. Moscow has rejected these claims "from the very beginning as complete nonsense". Pompeo earlier told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that US President Donald Trump was committed to improving relations with Moscow. Pompeo underlined to Putin that Trump wanted to make "our two peoples more successful and, frankly, the world more successful, too." "President Trump wants to do everything we can and he asked me to travel here to communicate that. "Some of our cooperation has been excellent -- on North Korea, on Afghanistan, we've done good work -- (and) counter-terrorism work -- together. These are things we can build upon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Tuesday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, alleging that whenever there is a crisis in the country he "moves to Italy". The chief minister addressed rallies in Ballia, Bansgaon, Khajani, Hata and Doheriya on Tuesday, ahead of the seventh and final phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on May 19. "Whenever there is a crisis in the country, Rahul moves to Italy," he said, alluding to the Congress chief's mother Sonia Gandhi's Italian origins. "If Congress' 'Shehjadi' (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) and (her brother) Rahul have nothing to do with the people of our country, then they should better move to Italy and ask for votes there," Adityanath said. Bringing up Monday's scuffle between Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers in Ghazipur, he said, "Yesterday, SP and BSP workers were fighting with each other.The goons of the SP were brutally beating up the BSP workers." "Mayawati (BSP chief) is sharing the stage with SP leaders only because we have created a safe and secure environment in the state," the chief minister said. On he not being granted permission to hold a poll meeting in Kolkata, Adityanath said he will go to West Bengal on Wednesday. The Uttar Pradesh CM's meeting at Behala in southwest Kolkata on May 15 was cancelled after permission for it was withdrawn by the local administration, a BJP leader had said. Taking a jibe at the Congress, the chief minister said, "Christian Michel, maternal uncle of Rahul Gandhi, is 'Shakuni Mama'. He belongs to Italy and is the broker of the Augustawestland helicopter case." Michel is the alleged middleman arrested in the chopper scam case. "The Congress supports these kinds of brokers and helps them to fly to Italy from the back door. But now we have Modiji, and he brought back the 'mama' from Italy," Adityanath said. The Congress has always been "very loyal" towards its family, but not towards the citizens of India, he said. "The country will never vote in favour of those who do not acknowledge Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. The opposition is more loyal towards terrorists," he said in one of the rallies. The BJP government at the Centre has worked to address the basic needs of people in the past five years and it will strive to fulfil their aspirations if voted to power again, Adityanath asserted. Accusing the SP of practising "nepotism" in politics, the chief minister said, "A family of one political party accumulated a lot of wealth while doing in the name of (socialist leader Ram Manohar) Lohia, who was against nepotism". The BJP's priority is to make India safe and strong with inclusive growth and women empowerment, and take the country ahead at the global level, he said. "The party will also put in efforts within the constitutional framework to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya," Adityanath said in a rally Kushinagar district's Hata area. "Our government during the past five years has fulfilled the basic requirements of the people and now, we have to fulfil their aspirations.The BJP will work for women as nothing is possible without them," he said. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "Due to Modi ji's leadership, people's participation in building a base for inclusive growth and a strong country became possible." The government deposited Rs 2,000 under the PM-KISAN scheme directly into the accounts of farmers, he said. Referring to the Balakot air strike and speaking on India's stand on terrorism, he said, "The BJP has a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and is determined to equip the Indian armed forces with modern and hi-tech equipment, and take steps to restrict illegal immigration." "Modi honoured faith at the global level with the successful Kumbh Mela and worked to ensure that Masood Azhar (JeM chief) is declared as an international terrorist," Adityanath said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has termed Rahul Gandhi a "good leader who has concerns for the nation" and asserted that unlike 1996, non-BJP parties won't commit the mistake of keeping the Congress out if such an alliance forms a government at the Centre. In an interview to PTI on the sidelines of a poll meeting in East Midnapore district's Haldia in support of TMC candidates, he claimed the BJP is on its way out, and batted for a coalition government saying, "It's better to have checks and balances." On the contentious issue of prime ministerial candidate of a non-BJP front, Naidu, who has been rallying regional parties to form such a coalition, said the constituents "will reach a consensus after tallying the number of seats each party gets". He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become desperate on realising that he is losing the Lok Sabha elections. "There is anti-incumbency. PM Modi tried his best, but he has no achievement. Because of that, he started talking about Pulwama (terror attack) and (Balakot) air strikes. In every meeting he is accusing and abusing opposition leaders," the incumbent chief minister of Andhra Pradesh alleged. "If you go through Modi's campaign you will see he is getting weaker and more desperate. Earlier also he was weak but he managed the media. He threatened all politicians so that no one raises their voice," Naidu claimed. On whether a coalition of regional parties will include the Congress in government formation or keep it out if such an opportunity arises, he said, "You cannot have such restrictions. You need the magic figure (272 seats) to form the government. Restrictions will ultimately break the unity." "All of us will sit together and reach a consensus to build the future of this country," Naidu said. He lauded the Congress president by terming him a good leader, but evaded a direct reply to the question whether Rahul Gandhi's name could be proposed as prime ministerial candidate, saying if he names someone others might get hurt which will break the opposition unity. "He (Rahul Gandhi) is a good leader. He has concerns for the nation, unlike Narendra Modi, who is hollow and never listens to anybody. Modi tries to rule by threatening others," the TDP supremo said. Naidu's comments comes just days after his meeting with Gandhi to discuss the post-poll scenario. The Telugu Desam Party president, who was the convener of the United Front government from 1996-1998, said that time the experiment failed because the Congress was kept out of the government. "In 1996, there was an experiment. It failed. As we kept the Congress outside they withdrew support. So for a more stable government, all of us have to come together," he said. The Congress had provided outside support to the United Front government in 1996, but pulled the plug later. On the possibility of the Congress staking claim for the top post if it gets more seats than regional parties, Naidu said, "A decision on it can be taken only after seeing the number of seats each party gets. I am not saying anything today. We will sit together and take a call after tallying the numbers on May 23." Asked whether he has any suggestion for the PM's post, Naidu declined saying, "It is a numbers game as democracy means numbers and everybody has to work together." The TDP chief said he has ruled himself out of the prime ministerial race and one of the reasons behind it was that Andhra Pradesh had only 25 Lok Sabha seats. "Mine is a new state, I have to develop it further. Secondly, my number is only 25 (Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh). The number is very less. I can contribute to nation building and support others," he said. "I got an opportunity in 1996 (during the United Front government). For so many years I have been working as a facilitator. Wherever there is a problem I work with other leaders as part of a collective leadership," Naidu said. On TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's effort to cobble up a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front to prioritize the issues of states and demand decentralization of power, Naidu wondered whether such a proposition would really work. "Is it really possible? Someone thinks that somebody (Congress) will support them from outside out of compulsion? If nobody extends support then what will happen?" he posed. Naidu endorsed a stable coalition government, saying, "Checks and balances of coalition are good for this country." "We have seen coalition governments, then we saw a majority government led by Modi. What has he done? He does whatever he thinks is right. There are no checks and balances. It's better to have checks and balances. At least one can have discussions," he said. Asserting that more than numbers it is the vision and ability of a leader to execute policies that matters, the TDP chief said the economic reforms of the 1990s was carried out by the P V Narasimha Rao dispensation which was a minority government. Naidu criticised Modi for his comment that 40 TMC MLAs are in touch with him, saying said the post of prime minister has dignity and such "immoral and cheap politics" should be refrained. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Intermittent rain in Badrinath and adjoining areas reduced the temperature here, prompting authorities to light bonfires for the convenience of devotees. The district administration appealed to the pilgrims coming to the Himalayan temple here to bring warm clothes with themselves. In view of the sudden change in the weather, Badrinath Nagar Panchayat was asked to light bonfires in the shrine area, Joshimath Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vaibhav Gupta said. Rain in the hilly areas of the state brought down temperatures in the plains, where the sky remained overcast throughout the day. Cloudy conditions prevailed in Dehradun, which recorded a maximum temperature of 31.4 degree Celsius, five notches below yesterday's 36.6 degrees Celsius. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From 6 April, many people living in Scotland will be paying substantially more income tax than someone on equal earnings in the rest of the UK. In his October Budget, the UK Chancellor announced that from April, those earning up to 50k would not pay higher rate (40%) income tax. But as income tax bands and rates are devolved, this didnt apply to workers in Scotland and the Scottish Finance Secretary dashed hopes of an equivalent rise for Scots, leaving the higher rate tax threshold unchanged at 43,430, 6,570 lower than in the rest of the UK. This means people in Scotland start paying higher rate tax on earnings 6,570 sooner than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Many also pay income tax at higher percentage rates, which for earning above 43,430 in Scotland is 41%. Someone earning 50k in England, Wales or Northern Ireland would pay 7,500 in income tax from the 2019/20 tax year, while someone earning the same figure in Scotland would pay 9,044 which is 1,544 a year more or 128 a month extra. For many, this will look like a significant sum and many will be looking for the Scottish Government to demonstrate what extra services Scottish taxpayers are receiving for the difference. To add insult to injury, Scots face a double whammy because in line with the rest of the UK, they will pay National Insurance at a rate of 12% on earnings up to 50k, before this reduces to 2% on earnings above this level. So from next April, a Scottish resident earning 50k or above will pay an extra 340 per year in National Insurance. While this will also be the case across the UK, someone earning 50k in the rest of the UK, is saving 860 a year in income tax, giving them an overall boost to take-home pay of 520 a year from next April compared to currently. For Scots earning between 43,431 and 50,000, one perfectly legitimate or canny way of avoiding paying higher rate tax is through paying more into your pension. Contributions to pensions are granted tax relief at the individuals highest marginal income tax rate. This means someone in Scotland earning 50,000 will be entitled to up to 41% tax relief on their pension contributions, whereas someone earning the same in the rest of the UK would be entitled to only 20% tax relief. For this individual in Scotland, a pension contribution of 6,570 would avoid them paying higher rate tax entirely, giving a total income tax saving of 2693 a year. Some employers will also allow individuals to sacrifice part of their salary in return for a pension contributions being paid by your employer. This has the further benefit of meaning the individual doesnt pay NI on the amount sacrificed. Someone earning 50,000 paying pensions contributions through salary sacrifice could save not only 41% income tax but also 12% National Insurance. The NI saving by sacrificing 6,570 could amount to 788. If thinking of paying extra pension contributions or asking your employer to sacrifice part of your salary, we always recommend you first seek professional financial advice. Ramzan is a "very special" month during which people seek tolerance and peace, US President Donald Trump has said as he hosted an iftaar party at the White House and expressed grief over the gruesome terrorist attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Ramzan is a holy month for Muslims here in the US and all across the world, Trump said as he hosted his second Iftaar as President for eminent Muslim members from his administration and top diplomats from various countries on Monday night. "Ramadan is a time of charity, of giving, and service to our fellow citizens. Ramadan is a very special time. It's a time to draw closer as families, neighbours and communities," Trump said. "Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace. It is in this spirit that we come together tonight for Iftaar, the traditional Ramadan meal that breaks the daily fast," he said in his brief address in the State Dinning Room of the White House. During Ramzan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown and focus on prayers and spiritual life. "This evening, our thoughts are also with the religious believers who have endured many trials and hardships in recent weeks. It's been a very rough period of time. Our hearts are filled with grief for the Muslims who were killed in their mosques in New Zealand, as well as the Christians, Jews and other children of god who were slain in Sri Lanka, California and Pittsburgh," Trump said. Fifty people were killed and several others injured when a white supremacist attacked two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand on March 15. In Sri Lanka's worst terror attack on Easter Sunday targeting churches and luxury hotels, 258 people were killed and over 500 others injured. He resolved to defeat the "evils of terrorism" and religious persecution so that all people can worship without fear, pray without danger and live by the faith that flows from their heart. "We thank god that America is a place founded on the belief that citizens of all faiths can live together in safety and live together in freedom," he said. Every year, the US president hosts an Iftaar party for invited guests in the holy month of Ramadan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Revision of history textbooks with change of governments subscribing to different ideologies has left students in Rajasthan perplexed, with experts cautioning that politics and should not be allowed to interfere in each other's domain. Recently, the Congress government constituted a textbook revision committee in the school department after coming to power in Rajasthan. Based on the committee's findings, the department revised a short biography of RSS ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar introduced by previous BJP government. The committee has removed the prefix 'Veer' from Savakar's name in Class X social science textbooks and it now refers to him as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar who "plotted assassination" of Mahatma Gandhi, who was killed by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948, less than a year after India gained independence from Britain. The committee has included a point stating that before independence Savarkar, who was arrested in 1910 for alleged revolutionary activities, had "apologised" to the British Raj to reduce his 50-year prison term and secure clemency. He was freed in 1921 on the condition that he renounce revolutionary activities. The text book will be introduced in the curriculum from next academic year, Rajasthan School Minister Govind Singh Dotasara said. The revision of school textbooks has once again triggered a war of words between the Congress and BJP leaders who are justifying their own stand and are ready to debate on the historical facts. Noted historian Professor R.S Khangarot said that politics and education should not interfere in each other's domain as changing facts based on ideologies confuse students about the real position. History is always based on facts. Facts never change but interpretation or view of any event can change. Whether someone was great or not, it should not come in hands of politicians. Political parties are connecting the historical facts with their ideologies, Prof. Khangarot said. He said with changing interpretations following change of government, students are in a fix about the real position of great personalities. The professor said that despite Adolf Hitler being hated by the entire world and even German themselves, they do not hide the facts. There is an entire section devoted to Hitler in Berlin museum. The German civil society has left the decision on the new generations to decide whether Hitler was right or wrong, he said. Another historian speaking on condition of anonymity termed such changes as a political gimmick and useless exercise. He said that politicians are least concerned about history and tweak it based on their ideologies. Meanwhile, a few students preparing for competitive examinations said revision of textbooks can be harmful for them while attempting questions on history. Akbar is taught as 'great' in some parts of the country whereas BJP government had changed it. Savarkar has always been known with prefix 'Veer'. Now, Congress government has removed it. In five years, several students have passed examination learning one fact and now it has changed again. It is harmful for students preparing for a competitive examination, Dharmendra Sharma, a student said. He said this is leaving the students perplexed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Revision of history in school textbooks with change of governments having different ideologies has left the students perplexed about the historical facts, with historians cautioning that politics and should not be allowed to interfere in each other's domain. Recently, the Congress government after coming to power in Rajasthan had constituted a textbook revision committee in school department. The department, based on the committee findings, has revised a short biography of RSS ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar introduced by previous BJP government. The committee has removed prefix 'Veer' from Savakar's name in Class X social science textbooks and it now refers to him as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar who "plotted assassination" of Mahatma Gandhi. The committee has included a point stating that Savarkar "apologised" to the British Rule to reduce his prison term and grant mercy. The text book will be introduced in the curriculum from next academic year, Rajasthan School Minister Govind Singh Dotasara said. The revision of school textbooks has once again triggered a war of words between the Congress and BJP leaders who are justifying their own stand and ready to debate on the historical facts. Noted historian Professor R.S Khangarot said that politics and education should not interfere in each other's domain as changing facts based on ideologies confuse students about the real position. History is always based on facts. Facts never change but interpretation or view of any event can change. Whether someone was great or not, it should not come in hands of politicians. Political parties are connecting the historical facts with their ideologies, Prof. Khangarot said. He said with changing interpretations following change of government, students are in a fix about the real position of great personalities. The professor said that despite Adolf Hitler being hated by the entire world and even German themselves, they do not hide the facts. There is an entire section devoted to Hitler in Berlin museum. They do not hide facts as they have left the decision on the young generation to decide whether Hitler was right or wrong. Another historian wishing anonymity termed such changes as a political gimmick and useless exercise. He said that politicians are least concerned about history and tweak it based on their ideologies. Meanwhile, a few students preparing for competitive examinations said revision of textbooks can be harmful for them while attempting questions on history. Akbar is taught as 'great' in some parts of the country whereas BJP government had changed it. Savarkar has always been known with prefix 'Veer'. Now, Congress government has removed it. In five years, several students have passed examination learning one fact and now it has changed again. It is harmful for students preparing for a competitive examination, Dharmendra Sharma, a student said. He said this is leaving the students perplexed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar alleged on Tuesday that opposition RJD was trying to foment social strife in the state with the claim that its jailed president Lalu Prasad has been "framed", though he was serving sentences in fodder scam cases as per court orders. Addressing a rally here in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kumar took potshots at his arch rival for having written an "open letter" addressed to him the previous day and warned the people of the state, referring to the opposition party's poll symbol, "If by any chance they get success in elections, Bihar will be back to the lantern age." "On the one hand is our development plank, our commitment to serving the people. On the other hand are those who are after power for the sake of pelf. They speak of the Constitution and the perceived threats to it. The Constitution provides that a person is held guilty for a charge by the court and awarded punishment," Kumar, who heads the JD(U), an NDA ally in Bihar, said without mentioning the opposition party or its leader by name. "But they have been alleging 'phansaya gaya hai' (he has been framed). We cannot say anybody has been framed when he is convicted by a court of law. But they keep levelling the same allegation to foment social strife hoping that it would bring them electoral gains," the chief minister said. "I was amused to read in newspapers today that he has written an open letter to me. I wonder how he could do that while in jail. Moreover, the way he has spoken about the lantern makes me warn the people of the state. Beware, if by any chance they get success in elections, Bihar will be back to the lantern age." In his open letter, which was circulated among media personnel by the RJD, Prasad - who is in Ranchi - had taken exception to Kumar's repeated barbs using the metaphor of "lantern" and asserted that the lamp symbolised "the light of love and brotherhood" unlike the "arrow" - poll symbol of the JD(U) - which he rubbished as "a symbol of violence" which was outdated "in the present era of missiles". "It has taken a lot of effort for us to pull Bihar out of the mess it was in and replace the lanterns with electric bulbs. It became possible only because we brought electricity to every nook and corner of the state. But if they succeed, they will undo all that," the JD(U) chief, who in alliance with the BJP ousted the RJD from power in 2005, said. In a veiled dig at his predecessor Rabri Devi, the chief minister spoke of the various measures taken by his government for the uplift of women and said "these things never took place during the preceding regime even though the state was ruled by a woman". After snapping the ties in 2013, Kumar had forged a short-lived alliance with Prasad after their parties were drubbed in the previous Lok Sabha polls. The grand alliance that thus came into existence, comprising also the Congress, won the Assembly polls in 2015 but the chief minister walked out of it in 2017 following corruption allegations against Prasad's younger son Tejashwi Yadav, who was then his deputy. The BJP came out with its offer of support and the two parties joined hands again. At present, the coalition in Bihar also includes Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Roma captain Daniele De Rossi is surprisingly leaving his hometown club after 18 years. Roma made the announcement on its website, adding De Rossi will hold a conference later Tuesday. The 35-year-old midfielder is expected to play abroad following his final two upcoming matches with Roma at Sassuolo and at home against Parma. "We will all shed tears when he pulls on the Giallorossi shirt for the last time against Parma but we respect his desire to prolong his playing career even if, at almost 36, it will be away from Rome," club president James Pallotta said. "On behalf of everyone at Roma, I would like to thank Daniele for his incredible dedication to this club and assure him that our doors will remain open for him to return to the club in a new role whenever he wants." The move adds another disappointing chapter to a difficult season for Roma, which is still battling to get into the top four Serie A spots and stay in the Champions League. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moscow and Washington's top diplomats said Tuesday they were ready to improve ties, ahead of the countries' highest-level talks in nearly a year as President Vladimir Putin hosts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo arrived in the sunny Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday amid a raft of disagreements, from arms control to the raging Venezuela and Iran crises. At the start of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and before a planned evening meeting with Putin, Pompeo expressed hope the two rivals could "stabilise the relationship". "I am here today because President (Donald) Trump is committed to improving this relationship," he said. "We have differences -- each country will protect its own interests and look after its own people -- but it's not that we have to be adversaries on every issue." Lavrov said Russia was ready to open a new page in ties. "I believe it's time to start building a new, more responsible and constructive model of mutual perception of each other," he said. "We understand that a lot of suspicions and biases have accumulated on both sides. We win nothing from this." Pompeo's visit to Russia -- his first as Secretary of State -- came as tensions mounted dangerously in the Gulf, with Iran and the United States engaged in a new war of words over Tehran's nuclear deal. Pompeo is the highest-ranking US official to see Putin since last July, when Trump met him in Helsinki. Then, Trump stunned the US political establishment by appearing to accept the Russian leader's statement at face value that he did not meddle in the US election, contrary to US intelligence evaluations. Pompeo was greeted on arrival by local officials including the mayor of Sochi, with whom he exchanged pleasantries on the tarmac. Ahead of the negotiations Putin toured a top military flight test centre in southern Russia and inspected a new nuclear-capable hypersonic missile dubbed Kinzhal (Dagger). His spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that the display of military muscle was designed to send a message to the Americans. At a meeting Monday, Putin also tasked his top brass with developing defences against hypersonic weapons. Peskov slammed what he called Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, saying it would only drive Tehran into a corner. Pompeo cancelled a stop in Moscow on Monday to instead have an unscheduled meeting in Brussels with European foreign ministers, who have been uncomfortable with the hawkish direction of the United States on Iran. The United States has pulled out of the nuclear deal which was backed by the Europeans, Russia and China and slapped sweeping sanctions on Tehran in an all-out effort to curb its regional clout. The United States has recently ramped up the pressure by saying the deployment to the region of an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers was to counter vaguely described threats from Iran. The renewed diplomacy between Moscow and Washington follows a long-awaited report by investigator Robert Mueller. He found that Russia interfered in the 2016 election but that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow. Besides Iran, Washington and Moscow are at loggerheads on an array of urgent strategic questions, including Venezuela, the Syrian civil war and the conflict in Ukraine. The United States has been trying for more than three months to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Pompeo has repeatedly blamed Russia for giving him a lifeline. Both the United States and Russia hope to make some progress on arms control. Moscow is seeking a five-year extension of the New START treaty, which caps the number of nuclear warheads well below Cold War limits and is set to expire in 2021. The Trump administration this year pulled out of another key arms control agreement, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, with NATO allies saying a Russian missile system was in violation. Moscow has denied the claims. Last year Putin revealed a new generation of "invincible" nuclear weapons and warned of a new arms race if America pulled out of weapons treaties. Trump on Monday announced that he expected a "very fruitful meeting" with Putin at the G20 summit in Japan next month, only for Peskov to deny Washington had requested such a meeting. The US president's enthusiasm for courting Putin has little support in Washington, even within his own administration. The administration has kept up a campaign of pressure including sanctions on Russia over alleged election meddling and Moscow's support for armed separatists in Ukraine. Pompeo, despite his close relationship with Trump, left little doubt where he stood in remarks Saturday in California. "We can see now 30 years on, after the end of the Cold War, that the Putin regime slays dissidents in cold blood and invades its neighbours," Pompeo said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TheGoa Congress has complained to the Election Commission (EC) against state's Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai over his comments on "weaponising" the youth and demanded that he be charged with sedition. North Goa district's Youth Congress president Vivek D'Silva in a complaint lodged with the EC on Monday said Sardesai's remark was "an indirect attempt to threaten voters" in the poll-bound Panaji Assembly constituency. He claimed Sardesai's comments were "against the state" and demanded that he be booked for sedition. The Panaji Assembly bypoll, necessitated due to the demise of its sitting MLA and former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, will be held on May 19. Last week, while responding to a question on dilution of domicile clause by the Goa University, Sardesai, who heads the Goa Forward Party (GFP), said they were willing to go anywhere to protect the interest of Goans. "And if our government has made a mistake, then we will weaponise them (youth) to ensure that Goanness is protected," he said. D'Silva alleged that Sardesai made the comments with an intent to wage a war against a government duly instituted under the Constitution, and also against the people of Goa. Sardesai made the remarks with an intent to "excite dissatisfaction" and to "create hatred" among the people of Goa against the government," he said in the complaint. Sardesai, who is currently out of the country, could not be contacted for his response. However, GFP vice president Durgadas Kamat said, "We have already made it clear that when we meant weaponisation, our weapon is 'Goenkarponn' (Goanness). The Congress, by filing a false complaint, has proved that it is anti-Goan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged by what Gulf officials described as sabotage, though satellite images obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed no major visible damage to the vessels. Details of the alleged sabotage to two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati oil tanker on Sunday remained unclear, and Gulf officials have declined to say who they suspected was responsible. But it demonstrated the raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies as tensions are increasing between the US and Iran over its unravelling nuclear deal with world powers. The US has warned sailors of the potential for attacks on commercial sea traffic, and regional allies of the United Arab Emirates condemned the alleged sabotage as the tankers were off the coast of the UAE port city of Fujairah. A US official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told the AP that an American military team's initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation, agreed to reveal the findings only if not quoted by name. The US Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast and operates from a base in Fujairah, has repeatedly declined to comment. The US already had warned ships that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. America is deploying an aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. On Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates that's part of a US-led combat fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of mounting US-Iran tensions. The Ministry of Defense said the Mndez Nez, with 215 sailors on board, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf together with the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Spanish frigate was the only non-US vessel in the fleet. Citing heightened tensions in the region, the United Nations called on "all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace, including by ensuring maritime security" and freedom of navigation, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. The scale of the alleged sabotage also remained unclear. A statement from Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said two of the kingdom's oil tankers, including one due to later carry crude to the US, sustained "significant damage." However, a report from Sky Arabia, a satellite channel owned by an Abu Dhabi ruling family member, showed the allegedly targeted Saudi tanker Al Marzoqah afloat without any apparent damage. The oil tankers were visible in satellite images provided Tuesday to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies. A boom surrounded the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible major damage from above. The MT Andrea Victory, the fourth allegedly targeted ship, sustained a hole in its hull just above its waterline from "an unknown object," its owner Thome Ship Management said in a statement. Images on Monday of the Norwegian-flagged Andrea Victory, which the company said was "not in any danger of sinking," showed damage similar to what the firm described. The U.S. official said each ship sustained a 5- to 10-foot (1.5- to 3-meter) hole in it, near or just below the water line, suspected to have been caused by explosive charges. Emirati officials had requested a team of U.S. military investigators aid them in their probe. Authorities in Fujairah, also a UAE emirate, also declined to speak to the AP. Emirati officials stopped AP journalists from traveling by boat to see the ships. The incident raised questions about maritime security in the UAE, home to Dubai's Jebel Ali port, the largest man-made deep-water harbor in the world that is also the U.S. Navy's busiest port of call outside of America. From the coast, AP journalists saw an Emirati coast guard vessel patrolling near the area of one of the Saudi ships in Fujairah, some 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Dubai on the Gulf of Oman. Fujairah also is about 140 kilometers (85 miles) south of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil at sea is traded. Al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said the attacks on the two Saudi tankers happened at 6 a.m. Sunday. He said "the attack didn't lead to any casualties or oil spill," though he acknowledged it affected "the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world." The U.S. Energy Department later said it was "monitoring the oil markets, and is confident they remain well-supplied." Shortly after the Saudi announcement, Iran's Foreign Ministry called for further clarification about what exactly happened with the vessels. The ministry's spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, was quoted by the official IRNA agency as warning against any "conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers" and "adventurism by foreigners" to undermine the maritime region's stability and security. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are staunch opponents of Iran's government. Asked at the White House about the incident, President Donald Trump responded: "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens." Tensions have risen since Trump withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and restored U.S. sanctions that have pushed Iran's economy into crisis. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia said it had stopped pumping crude oil along a major pipeline Tuesday following a drone attack, hours after Yemen's Huthi rebels said they had targeted vital Saudi installations. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said two pumping stations on the pipeline from the oil-rich Eastern Province to the Red Sea had been targeted early Tuesday. The vital pipeline has a capacity of at least five million barrels per day. "Saudi Aramco took precautionary measures and temporarily stopped operation of the pipeline, as it is evaluating the situation and working on restoring the operations of the affected pump station and the pipeline," Falih said in a statement cited by state agency SPA. The 1,200-kilometre pipeline carries crude from Saudi Arabia's main eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu in the west. It was created several decades ago as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. The pumping stations reportedly targeted lie west of the capital Riyadh, at Dawadmi and Afeef. Yemen's Huthi rebels said Tuesday they had attacked several vital Saudi targets with drones. The reported pipeline attacks came amid spiralling tensions in the Gulf, following a series of mysterious attacks on ships off the coast of the UAE and a major US military deployment to the region. Falih condemned the attacks. "The latest acts of terrorism and sabotage in the Arabian Gulf... not only target the Kingdom but also the security of oil supplies to the world and the global economy," he said. "These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels shut down one of Saudi Arabia's main oil pipelines Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers. Days after the United States deployed bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in the region, the world's largest crude exporter said two pumping stations had been targeted early Tuesday. They lie on the East West Pipeline, able to pump five million barrels of oil a day from the oil-rich eastern province to a Red Sea export terminal. The announcement came hours after Yemen's Huthi rebels said they had targeted vital installations in Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against them. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said Saudi Aramco had "temporarily shut down" the pipeline to "evaluate its condition" but added that oil production and exports had not been interrupted. "The company (Saudi Aramco) is working on restoring the pumping station before resuming operations," he said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. The stations reportedly targeted lie west of Riyadh, at Dawadmi and Afeef. Falih said Tuesday's incident was an "act of terrorism... that not only targets the kingdom but also the security of oil supplies to the world and the global economy". Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdusalam wrote on Twitter that the attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against the Yemeni people. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war to bolster the internationally-recognised government's efforts against the Huthis in March 2015. The 1,200-kilometre pipeline reportedly hit Tuesday serves as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. The reported pipeline attacks came after the UAE said four ships were damaged in "sabotage attacks" off the emirate of Fujairah, close to the Hormuz, on Sunday. Washington and its Gulf allies stopped short of blaming Riyadh's regional arch-rival Tehran for the sabotage, but US President Donald Trump warned Iran against doing anything to harm US interests. "If they (Iran) do anything, it would be a very bad mistake," Trump warned at the White House. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hit back, saying the Islamic republic was "too great to be intimidated by anyone". The attacks came after the United States deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault vessel, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers, triggering fears of a possible military confrontation. "In an environment of rising regional tensions, limited Iranian operations against the UAE and Saudi Arabia might be designed to dissuade Abu Dhabi and Riyadh and signal that war with Iran will not be limited to Iranian soil," said Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel. No casualties were reported and none of the vessels sank. The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said the Emirates will probe the "deliberate sabotage". Saudi Arabia said its two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there was no oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the ship's hull had been pierced "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". Asked whether the United States believed Iran played a role in the attacks, Washington's Iran envoy Brian Hook declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would help the investigation at the request of the UAE. The United Nations urged all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace." Oil prices initially spiked in response to of the attacks, but were largely flat in trading on Tuesday. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran and the United States have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP leader Poonam Mahajan said Tuesday the party's youth wing will challenge the Supreme Court order asking its activist Priyanka Sharma to apologise for posting a meme of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on social media, asserting the verdict has sent out a "wrong message". The court earlier Tuesday granted bail to Sharma, against whom a complaint was filed in Bengal for sharing a photo in which Banerjee's face was photoshopped onto actor Priyanka Chopra's picture from a MET Gala event in New York. The apex court also asked Sharma to apologise in writing on her release from jail. It observed freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon the rights of others. Mahajan said she was "delighted" with the SC order and "grateful" to the court for releasing Sharma on bail. "But the direction of apology sends out a wrong message on the question of free speech," she said. "In July, when the writ petition is coming up, we are going to contest it because this is a bigger issue," said Mahajan, the president of BJP's Yuva Morcha. West Bengal police arrested Sharma on May 10 under section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and under other provisions of the Information Technology Act on the complaint of local Trinamool Congress leader Vibhas Hazra. BJP leaders and social media users have protested Sharma's arrest. "We have been battling the TMC in Bengal for two years and many of our activists have been arrested, beaten up and even killed by their goons. This has exposed how anarchy has spread in Bengal and how in Mamata didi's rule, freedom of expression has been strangled to death," Mahajan alleged. She alleged Banerjee was like "Hitler" and using her ego and power to suppress opposition. "The workers in Bengal are not alone. We are with them, our party president, Amit Shah is with them," she said. "The woman (Banerjee) who is always speaking of democratic rights and talking of how the Constitution is in danger, is not controlling her Hitleresque regime," the Yuva Morcha chief alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to accord urgent hearing on a plea filed by PS Chhatwal, managing director of Torque Pharmaceutical Pvt Ltd, whose nomination papers for Chandigarh constituency as an Independent candidate were rejected. A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said that Chhatwal's plea would come up for hearing in due course of time. "Once election is announced there is bar from interfering in the poll process," the bench said. When Chhatwal's advocate Tarun Khaira said he has a right to contest election, the bench said, "It is the subject matter for Election Commission". Chhatwal, present in the courtroom, has challenged the April 30 decision of returning officer to reject his nomination papers on the ground that his name does not feature in the electoral roll. His appeal against the returning officer decision was dismissed by the Chief Electoral Officer on May 6 following which he moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court for relief. The high court had on May 8, dismissed his plea on the ground that he can file an election petition after the poll process is over. Chhatwal contended that he has valid photo identity card issued by the election commission of India but his nomination papers were rejected as his name did not find mention in the electoral roll. "Once the name to the petitioner was included in the list in the year 1994, thereafter the petitioner was nowhere and at any given point never been disqualified from being an elector so as to have the name of the petitioner deleted from the elector list. Any eror or omission in the deletion of the name of the petitioner from the said list is attributable to the concerned department and the petitioner, for no fault of his, cannot be punished for the error committed by others," Chhatwal plea said. Polling for Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency will be held on May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to hear on May 17 a plea by a candidate of the SP-BSP alliance from Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh seeking protection from arrest in a rape case lodged against him. The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench of justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna by the counsel appearing for petitioner Atul Rai, who is accused of raping a college student from Varanasi. Rai's counsel told the apex court that Rai was contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Ghosi constituency, where polling is scheduled to take place on May 19 in the last phase, and he should be granted protection from arrest till May 23 when the results of the general elections will be announced. "Registration of an FIR does not bar you for contesting the elections," the bench told Rai's counsel. To this, the lawyer said there was no provision of anticipatory bail in Uttar Pradesh and since the high court had on May 8 dismissed Rai's petition seeking protection, he may be arrested in the case. The bench agreed to hear Rai's plea on May 17. An FIR was registered against Rai on May 1 on a complaint by a college student who had alleged that he took her home on the pretext of meeting his wife but later assaulted her. The SP-BSP alliance candidate, who has denied the rape charges, has been on a run since lodging of FIR. Ghosi constituency falls in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh. Rai had contested the state assembly elections as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate from Zamania in Ghazipur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Healthcare Ltd (FHL) informed the that Sebi has asked it to to recover Rs 403 crore from former Ltd promoters Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, who allegedly diverted funds of FHL and its subsidiary Hospital Ltd. FHL made the submission in a recent affidavit filed in an ongoing case by Japanese drugmaker against the Singh brothers and their firms. Daiichi moved the high court seeking execution of the Rs 3,500 crore a tribunal's arbitral award won by it in April 2016. Against the backdrop of Daiichi's ongoing litigation seeking repayment of the amount by Singh brothers, FHL said that while passing any directions on discharge of claims owed by these persons and entities, the high court may also take into account the directions passed by Sebi and the corresponding interest of FHL upon any sums that are sought to be recovered. FHL, in its affidavit filed before Justice Rajiv Shakdher, said it wanted to place on record orders passed by the Securities Exchange Board of (Sebi) in connection with an investigation carried out by it pertaining to alleged diversion of funds of FHL and its subsidiary, Hospital, by Singh brothers. Sebi, in an ad interim ex-parte order of October 17, 2018, had directed that FHL take necessary steps to recover Rs 403 crore along with interest from the Singh brothers and various promoter within three months. The market regulator had also directed Singh brothers and others not to dispose of or alienate any of their assets or divert any funds without its prior permission, till completion of the investigation. In March this year, Sebi gave another order confirming the directions passed in the previous orders. The high court on February 19, 2018 restrained the brothers and 12 others from selling or transferring their shares or any movable or immovable property as disclosed by them before the high court earlier. The high court had on August 10, 2018 restrained the Singh brothers from operating their in or abroad and selling any property. It had directed the brothers and their firms RHC Holding Pvt Ltd and Oscar Investments Ltd to disclose the bank account details. A tribunal had in April 2016 passed the award in Daiichi's favour holding that the brothers had concealed information that their company was facing probe by the and the Department of Justice while selling its shares. The high court on January 31, 2018 had upheld the international arbitral award passed in the favour of Daiichi and paved the way for enforcement of the 2016 tribunal award against the brothers who had sold their shares in Ranbaxy to Daiichi in 2008 for Rs 9,576.1 crore. Sun Pharmaceuticals Ltd had later acquired the company from Daiichi. It had, however, said that the award was not enforceable against five minors, who were also shareholders in Ranbaxy, saying they cannot be held guilty of having perpetuated a fraud either themselves or through any agent. Daiichi had moved the high court here seeking direction to the brothers to take steps towards paying its Rs 3,500 crore arbitration award, including depositing the amount. It had also urged the court to attach their assets, which may be used to recover the award. On February 16, 2018 the had dismissed Singh brothers' appeal against the high court verdict upholding the international arbitral award. Singh brothers' counsel had argued that the award granted consequential damages which were beyond the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal and the award cannot be enforced under the provision of the Arbitration Act. They had claimed that Daiichi was fully aware of all facts and still chose to retain the Ranbaxy shares, instead of terminating the agreement and returning them. (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.) Nearly two dozen people were arrested on Tuesday even as parts of Sri Lanka were under indefinite curfew after a man was killed by majority Sinhalese mobs who set on fire Muslim-owned shops and vehicles and vandalised mosques in an escalating backlash following the Easter terror attacks. The government on Tuesday relaxed nationwide night curfew in all areas except the northwestern province where the Muslim man was killed by a mob on Monday. Sri Lanka Police imposed island-wide curfew on Monday as anti-Muslim violence broke out in the northwestern province spread to other areas in the country as well. Majority Sinhalese mobs set fire to Muslim-owned shops and vehicles. Homes and mosques were also vandalised by large groups of people armed with sticks and weapons. The government also reimposed a ban on social media following the violent clashes. The government which blocked Facebook and WhatsApp on Tuesday extended the blockade to Twitter. The social media blockade is meant to prevent the spread of rumours and hate comments, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said. The recent violence is a fresh backlash from the Easter attacks where nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and injuring over 500 others. Police said they have arrested at least two prominent instigators along with nearly 20 others for violence. "The police will take stringent action against the rioters. They will not be given bail and could spend 10 years in prison," police chief Chandana Wickremaratne said. Muslims said that rioters went about destroying their properties and setting fire to them even after curfew hours. They accused the security forces and the police for becoming silent watchers to the rioting. Muslim political parties said at least one person died in the riots but the security officials have refused to confirm the death. In an address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the military has been asked to quell the anti-Muslim riot and urged public cooperation to the security forces to bring the situation under control. Wickremesinghe said the violence by a handful of people only hampered the ongoing investigations into suicide bomb attacks by local Islamic extremist group National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ). Main opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa blamed the government for its inability to control the violence. Sri Lanka Army Chief Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake warned anyone instigating violence and destroying property that the armed forces would not hesitate to use maximum force to stem any violence. He said the armed forces will ensure that the country will not be getting back to a situation of violent activities and the violence in terms of radicalisation and the terrorists. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena has issued a gazette notice banning three Islamic extremist organisations, including National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that was blamed for the Easter bombings. The other two banned organisations are the Jama'athe Milla'athe Ibrahim (JMI) and the Willayath As Seylani. He also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sikkim University Tuesday removed a professor after a student lodged a complaint of sexual harrasment against him by a student of his department, an official said. The accused professor, who is the head of the Mass Communications Department, was barred from visiting the department and also from evaluating answer scripts of its students, SU Registrar Prof T K Kaul said in a notification. "The HOD of the Mass Communications Department has been removed from the post pending an inquiry into the allegation of sexual harassment against him by one of the girl students of his department," Kaul said. The victim had submitted a written complaint on Sunday and the decision was made on the basis of the recommendations of the internal complaints committee of the university, the registrar said. "The internal complaints committee held a preliminary probe in the matter and recommended action against the accused professor," Kaul said. According to some students, the alleged incident of sexual harassment had taken place about a week back at a marriage reception in a hotel where both the victim and the accused were invited guests along with several other employees and students of the university. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned the attack on BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow by miscreants in Kolkata on Tuesday. In a statement here, Sonowal said such attacks disregarding democracy is highly condemnable. Asserting those involved in the attack deserve to receive severe punishment, Sonowal demanded immediate intervention of the President in the matter. He also thanked his party president for showing restraint during the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan government has banned three Islamist extremist groups, including the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that carried out the country's worth terror attack on Easter Sunday in which over 250 people were killed. President Maithripala Sirisena issued an extraordinary gazette banning a number of extremist organisations on Monday. He also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. According to the Gazette the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), the Jamaathe Millaathe Ibrahim (JMI), and the Willayath As Seylani (WAS) organisations have been banned. On April 21, nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels, killing 258 people, including 44 foreigners 10 of them Indians, and injuring over 500 others. The Islamic State terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ). Over 1,000 have been arrested since the attacks. Sri Lanka's police say they have either killed or arrested all those responsible for the bombings. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. On Monday, the Sri Lankan government enforced a countrywide curfew and blocked social media platforms to stop people inciting violence as communal violence spread to new areas in the island nation in the worst unrest since Easter Sunday bombings. Police also fired tear gas at mobs attacking mosques and shops owned by Muslims in various parts of the country. Meanwhile, Sirisena has also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. "The navigation of any unmanned aircraft or drone in or over the territory of Sri Lanka by any person other than a member of Triforces or police is prohibited until further notice," another Gazette notification said. Earlier, Sri Lankan Civil Aviation Authority banned the use of drone and unmanned aircraft following the devastating terror attack on Easter Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Muslim man has been killed in northwestern Sri Lanka as majority Sinhalese mobs set fire to shops and vehicles during communal violence broke out as a backlash from the Easter Sunday attacks, a Cabinet minister said Tuesday. The government on Tuesday relaxed nationwide night curfew in all areas except the northwestern province where the Muslim man was killed by a mob on Monday, Rauff Hakeem, a Cabinet minister and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, said Tuesday. Sri Lanka Police imposed the island wide curfew on Monday as anti-Muslim violence broke out in the northwestern province spread to other areas in the country as well. Majority Sinhalese mobs set fire to Muslim-owned shops and vehicles. Homes and mosques were also vandalised by large groups of people armed with sticks and weapons. The Sri Lankan government also reimposed a ban on social media following the violent clashes. The recent violence is a fresh backlash from the Easter attacks where nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and injuring over 500 others. Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena has issued a gazette notice banning three Islamic extremist organisations, including National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that was blamed for the Easter bombings. The other two banned organisations are the Jama'athe Milla'athe Ibrahim(JMI) and the Willayath As Seylani. In an address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the military has been asked to quell the anti-Muslim riot and urged public cooperation to the security forces to bring the situation under control. In the wake of violence being reported in some areas, Sri Lanka Army Chief Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake warned anyone instigating violence and destroying property that the armed forces would not hesitate to use maximum force to stem any violence. He said the armed forces will ensure that the country will not be getting back to a situation of violent activities and the violence in terms of radicalization and the terrorists. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The governing body of Delhi University's St Stephen's College has objected to the inclusion of a member of its Supreme Council in the interview panel for selection of students, saying it is a violation of the college constitution. The Supreme Council is a subset of six members of the Governing Body (Managing Committee) and comprises all members of the Church of North India. According to the college constitution, the Supreme Council of the college shall have the control of the religious and moral instruction of students of the college and of all matters affecting its religious character as a Christian college of the Church of North India. The announcement to include a member of the Supreme Council was made at a meeting of the college's Staff Council held on Monday. Professor John Varghese, the college principal made the "shocking announcement", according to a statement issued by three members of the governing body. The three members -- Nandita Narain, N P Ashley, Abhishek Singh condemned the "illegal and unacademic decision taken by the Principal", that "could compromise the academic integrity of our admissions process" while demanding its withdrawal. The trio said all the permanent teachers present at the meeting protested strongly against the "unilateral" announcement. "The decision is in violation of the College Constitution that categorically stipulates that the Supreme Council shall have no jurisdiction in the administration of the college," the statement read. No immediate reaction from the college was available. The 1992 judgment of the Supreme Court that upheld the minority status of the college had permitted the college to have a separate admissions process including an interview with 15 per cent weightage only because the interviews were conducted solely by the teachers of the college, the statement said. "Never in the history of the College has a non-academic person from outside the faculty of the College been a member of the admissions process. In the meeting of the governing body held on March 14, no such decision had been announced by the principal," the statement claimed. The teachers alleged the decision was "in violation of the powers of both the Governing Body as well as the Staff Council". "There is a clear conflict of interest in the principal bringing in another member of the Supreme Council into the interview panel for admissions, as it is the Supreme Council that selects the Principal, and will also take a decision about the renewal of his appointment for another term of five years," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi University's St Stephen's College Tuesday sent warning letters to three of its governing body members for condemning the inclusion of a member of the institution's Supreme Council in the interview panel for selection of students. In a statement, the three members of the governing body had objected to the inclusion of a member of its Supreme Council in the interview panel, saying it is a violation of the college constitution. The three members -- Nandita Narain of Department of Mathematics, N P Ashley of Department of English and Abhishek Singh of Department of Economics had condemned the "illegal and unacademic decision taken by the Principal", that "could compromise the academic integrity of our admissions process" while demanding its withdrawal. The warning letters sent to the three members said they (the trio) issued "false and irresponsible comments to the media". In the warning letters issued by college principal Professor John Varghese, the teachers have been "advised not to repeat such irresponsible and unbecoming behaviour in future", failing which college will take appropriate action against them. "The said guidelines were duly reported in the Governing Body held on March 14, 2019 in the presence of the teachers representatives. "In the light of the above, I am shocked to see that you deliberately chose to ignore the facts and your press release is a complete concoction, factually and legally incorrect, and therefore it is against the code of professional ethics and the ethos of this institution," the letter issued to the teachers read. The letter also accused the teachers of falsely claiming that the decision was made by the principal. The decision was of the Supreme Council, "which has the sole power to decide on the admission policy as the College is a Christian minority institution", the letter said. Sources said a staff association meeting was held on Tuesday, during which it was decided that the teachers will hold a protest against the move on May 17 and will also explore legal options. The teachers will also write a letter to the principal on the issue. The Supreme Council is a subset of six members of the Governing Body (Managing Committee) and comprises all members of the Church of North India. According to the college constitution, the Supreme Council of the college shall have the control of the religious and moral instruction of students of the college and of all matters affecting its religious character as a Christian college of the Church of North India. The announcement to include a member of the Supreme Council was made at a meeting of the college's Staff Council by the principal held on Monday. "The decision is in violation of the College Constitution that categorically stipulates that the Supreme Council shall have no jurisdiction in the administration of the college," the statement by the three members of the governing body read. The 1992 judgment of the Supreme Court that upheld the minority status of the college had permitted the college to have a separate admissions process including an interview with 15 per cent weightage only because the interviews were conducted solely by the teachers of the college, the statement said. "Never in the history of the College has a non-academic person from outside the faculty of the College been a member of the admissions process. In the meeting of the governing body held on March 14, no such decision had been announced by the principal," the statement claimed. The teachers alleged the decision was "in violation of the powers of both the Governing Body as well as the Staff Council". "There is a clear conflict of interest in the principal bringing in another member of the Supreme Council into the interview panel for admissions, as it is the Supreme Council that selects the Principal, and will also take a decision about the renewal of his appointment for another term of five years," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah Tuesday termed the growing clamour within his party to make him chief minister once again as an expression of supporters' "affection", but said he still stands by his word about not contesting the next assembly polls. The Congress Legislature party Leader said he saw nothing wrong in the demand being made by his supporters. "I have made it very very clear that the chief minister's post is not vacant now (hence no question about me becoming CM). What our people are saying is, after next election I should become chief minister once again," Siddaramaiah said. Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, he said, "Is there anything that I should not become (Chief Minister) if people give their blessings? Where is that I should not become, if people bless our party?" "Have they (supporters) said I should become now? In the 2023 election if people bless Congress, Siddaramaiah may become chief minister - this is what they are saying. What is wrong in that?" he asked. However, Siddaramaiah said, he stands by his earlier word, not to contest the next assembly polls. "I have said, I will not contest next election, but is there anything that they (supporters) should also say what I have said, they are expressing their opinion. "I have expressed my opinion that I will not contest next election, even today I will abide by it," he said. Siddaramaiah noted that when people at meetings demand that he should become CM once again, he responds by saying, "if people bless let us see". "What is wrong in responding like that to a particular situation,?" he asked. He also blamed the media for making it a big issue and said, "Where have I said, I will become CM?" Ahead of the May 2018 assembly polls, Siddaramaiah had said it could "most likely" be his last election. Earlier, during the 2013 assembly polls too, Siddaramaiah had said that it was his last election and went on to become chief minister after the polls. For the last few days there has been a growing clamour among Congress legislators to make Siddaramaiah CM once again, which has irked JD(S) leaders and the incumbent Chief Minister of the coalition government H D Kumaraswamy. The issue also had led to a bitter public spat between Siddaramaiah, and his bete noire and JD(S) state President A H Vishwanath. He said state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa was "dreaming" about forming the government and becoming chief minister has become a "laughing stock" in the eyes of the people. "He has been saying this from the day one. He did become the chief minister with 104 MLAs as the single largest party, but had to resign in three days, unable to prove the majority. He should be ashamed about repeatedly claiming that he will become the chief minister? If he had said it once people might have taken it seriously, but repeatedly saying it, no one will believe him," he said. Yeddyurappa had recently claimed that there is an "atmosphere" for the BJP to form government in the state, and had said longevity of the coalition government would depend on the stand taken by about 20 "disgruntled" Congress legislators after Lok Sabha poll results. On his spat with JD(S) state President Vishwanth, Siddaramaiah said, "I have already said what I had to on the issue, I don't want to discuss it publicly again. "I will discuss it in the coordination committee meeting, there ends the matter." Growing differences between alliance partners has resulted in a public spat between leaders of the two parties in the past few days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 1000 students and teachers along with several public health organisations have appealed to the prime minister to enforce a complete ban on e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). In a letter, they said there is gross misinformation about harmful effects of these products among adolescents as they perceive these as "fun devices" that are safe. "We are school students and are extremely concerned about a new type of product called e-cigarettes that is gaining alarming popularity among our peers. We find that students as young as 13 are using e-cigarettes as a fun device and later on getting addicted to it. There is lot of misinformation about their harmful effects even among parents and teachers," a student representative of 1000 school students said in the letter. A recent study, 'Emerging Forms of Tobacco Use in India', by HRIDAY-SHAN, a voluntary organisation of social scientists, to gauge perceptions of ENDS and e-cigarettes amongst school and college students revealed that ENDS products have been gaining popularity among the youth and students as young as those studying in class six and seven were found to be carrying e-cigarettes in their school bags. Last month, several doctors had written to the Prime Minister seeking a ban on these devices before it becomes an "epidemic in India", especially among the youth. Students lauded the Union Health ministry for its advisory as a timely measure to tackle the new emerging threat of e-cigarettes and sought a ban on these products that are easily available in the market and online. "We urge you to please safeguard the youth from falling prey to the new emerging form of addictive products. We request you to ban products like e-cigarettes in India before several young people get addicted to them," the letter said. In August last year, the Health Ministry had issued an advisory to all states and UTs to stop manufacture, sale and import of ENDS after the Delhi High Court took strong exception of the Centre's delay in coming up with appropriate measures to tackle the "new emerging threat" of e-cigarettes in the country. Union Health Secretary, Preeti Sudan, has also written to the Commerce Secretary to block entry of JUUL, a US based company, manufacturing vaping devices like e-cigarettes, from entering India, saying, the entry of JUUL products, if not prevented, could undermine efforts taken by the government towards tobacco control. "E-cigarettes are just a mechanism to deliver nicotine in an attractive format. They are being marketed as a harm reduction product which is contrary to the truth. "Youngsters are being lured as it is easily available in different flavours. People should not get lured into puffing e-cigs because they too, are harmful. E-cigarettes pose significant health risks to users that are frighteningly similar to those of conventional cigarettes," Bhavna B Mukhopadhyay of Voluntary Health Association of India said. A sub-committee group constituted by the ministry, on health effects of ENDS, considered 251 studies/reports and concluded that there is evidence to prove that ENDS and its variants, are harmful to users. This committee of doctors from AIIMS, NCDIR and public health experts have concluded that ENDS are as harmful as any another tobacco product in terms of causing premature deaths and morbidity. According to the committee, there is no evidence to show that they are less harmful, safe and helpful towards cessation efforts. The medical communities across the globe have also questioned the acceptance of ENDS as a harm reduction or tobacco cessation strategy. 13 states in India -- Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Jharkhand and Mizoram -- have already banned use and sale of e-cigarettes, Vape & E-Hookah. 36 countries around the world have also banned sale of e-cigarettes. "I treat patients suffering from cancer caused by tobacco use on a day-to-day basis. I observe that tobacco industry is devising new ways and launching new products specially to lure the young generation. Currently, we are facing new challenge of ENDS and as doctors are deeply concerned since it is being promoted as a harm reduction device," Dr Harit Chaturvedi, Chairman of Cancer care, Director and Chief Consultant Surgical Oncology at Max Hospitals, said. "In reality, these new nicotine products are just another way for companies to increase profits as well as aggressively marketing it to youth with no concern about impact of lifelong nicotine addiction on users," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police on Tuesday detained around 12 college students for selling "Modi pakodas" wearing their degree robes near the venue of the prime minister's rally here. "We took 10 to 12 students in preventive custody. However, they were released after the rally was over," Sector 34 Station House Officer Baldev Kumar said. The students wearing the robes were selling pakodas named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and their degrees Engineer, BA and LLB, near the venue he was to address a rally in support of BJP candidate Kirron Kher. Kher is contesting against Congress nominee and former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal for Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, which will vote on May 19. "We are here to welcome Modi ji for giving us new employment under pakoda yojana. We want to sell pakodas at Modi's rally, so that he knows how great it is to sell pakodas for the educated youth," a woman protester said. In January last year, Modi had asserted in a television interview that people earning Rs 200 a day by selling pakodas cannot be considered unemployed. In an unrelated development in Punjab's Pathankot, 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims protested outside the Model Town Gurdwara against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's visit Tuesday. They protested against the controversial statement of senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda's "hua to hua" remark, said Ranjit Singh, a protester. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of researchers here claimed to have for the first time found that the subduction process in the Indian Ocean is also causing an increase in the dissolved iron which is beneficial for the growth of marine life. The study on the subduction phenomenon was jointly undertaken by the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, and Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). Subduction is a geological process that takes place at convergent boundaries of tectonic plates where one plate moves under another and is forced to sink due to gravity into the earth's mantle. So far, dust particles, riverine inputs, continental margin sediments, extra-terrestrial inputs from meteorites and anthropogenic pollution sources were understood to be responsible for the dissolved iron in the ocean waters, NIO director Sunil Kumar Singh said. "But it has now been recorded only in the Indian Ocean that iron is coming from the subduction area, where the Indian plate is going down," said Singh, who led the study team. "Along with the Indian plate lot of sediments also go down and mix with fluids and dissolve the iron. For the first time, such a result has been found," he said. He said the research in the Indian Ocean was important as under the international GEOTRACES programme, the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans have been sampled and studied in detail for dissolved traces of the element, while very limited surface sampling and depth profiling has been done in the Indian Ocean. The team undertook the study of water samples from the Indian Ocean, he said. "Unlike the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Indian Ocean is land-locked in the north and is characterised by seasonal reversal of monsoonal winds and surface currents," Singh said. The study was challenging because while collecting the dissolved iron from water, the researchers were using ship and gadgets made up of the same material (iron) which was contaminating the samples. "A special gadget was developed in which non-metallic things were used to collect the samples so that they did not get contaminated," Singh said. The researchers also concluded that iron in the water is added in hydro-thermal regions through the inundated mountains in the Indian Ocean. Some iron was also coming from the flow of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, he added. The Physical Research Laboratory is supported mainly by the Centre's Department of Space while the NIO is one of the constituent labs of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held "constructive" discussions with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on all bilateral issues of mutual interests. The talks by the two foreign ministers came 12 days after the US ended six-month-long exemptions from sanctions to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran. It is learnt that the issue figured in the talks. "EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. After the exemptions expired on May 2, India said it will deal with the issue based on three factors -- the country's energy security, commercial consideration and economic interests. In May last year, the US had brought back sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was struck in 2015. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India. India, the world's third biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of its total needs. Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing in the last few years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand India's ties with West Asia. During the visit, India and Iran signed nearly a dozen agreements, centrepiece of which was a deal on development of Chabahar port. Later, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement providing for transport of goods among the three countries through the port. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held "constructive" talks with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and conveyed to him that India will take a decision on import of Iranian oil after the Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind its commercial, economic and energy security interests. The talks between the two foreign ministers came 12 days after the US ended six-month-long exemptions from sanctions to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran. Zarif's visit here came amid escalating face-off between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear programme. In a tweet, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described the discussions between Swaraj and Zarif as "constructive". "EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest. Good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan," he said. Official sources said Swaraj reiterated the position that a decision will be taken after the elections based on commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests. In the meeting, Zarif recalled the steps announced by President Hassan Rouhani on May 8 including decisions linked to the export of enriched uranium and heavy water, the sources said. The Iranian Foreign Minister also mentioned that 60 days timeline has been given to EU-3 and other parties to Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA for restoring Iran's oil and banking channels, the sources said. In a televised address, Rouhani had on May 8 said that Iran would suspend some parts of its "commitments" to the JCPOA, but will not fully withdraw from it. In the meeting with Zarif, the Indian side reiterated its position on JCPOA and said New Delhi would like all parties to continue to fulfill their commitments and that they should engage constructively to the issues peacefully, the sources said. They said the visit took place at Zarif's own initiative to brief India on the Iranian approach to the recent developments in the region, including on JCPOA, and to review bilateral cooperation. "This was part of their consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan, and Iraq over the last few days," said a source. In the meeting, Swaraj and Zarif shared their views on the situation in Afghanistan and agreed to maintain close coordination on the evolving situation, the sources said. They said both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of the interim contract on the Chabahar port between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO). The US sanctions on Iran is unlikely to impact the Chabahar port project. In May last year, the US had brought back sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was struck in 2015. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India. The waiver ended on May 2. India, the world's third biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of its total needs. Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing in the past few years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand India's ties with West Asia. During the visit, India and Iran signed nearly a dozen agreements, centrepiece of which was a deal on development of Chabahar port. Later, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement providing for transport of goods among the three countries through the port. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syrian state TV says six people were killed when insurgents lobbed missiles into a government-controlled displaced people's camp in the country's northwest. Al-Ikhbariya TV said the dead from Tuesday's attack on the Nayrab camp southeast of Aleppo city included two children. An Al-Ikhbariya journalist in Aleppo said the missiles landed around sunset, when Muslims observing the holy month of Ramadan break their fast. The camp houses displaced Syrians and Palestinian refugees who have been living in Syria. The attack on Nayrab comes amid an unprecedented escalation between the government and insurgents who have a last foothold in northwestern Syria, adjacent to Aleppo city. Government troops have been advancing on the insurgent stronghold that is home to 3 million people, gaining ground on its southern edge and displacing tens of thousands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Piyush Goyal Tuesday urged the Election Commission to take strong action against the West Bengal government for the violence during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata. After violence and arson marred BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata, a party delegation, including Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, rushed to the EC, seeking its immediate intervention to ensure free and fair polls in the state. I request the President of India to take cognisance of the matter and ensure a message is send to the voters that they need not to fear and they be getting full protection and should come out fearfully to vote in large numbers on May 19 elections to make the BJP win," he said. Strong action must be taken against the West Bengal government, the Union minister said. It is a total break down of law and order in West Bengal , a 'goondaraj' is prevailing in the state under the Mamata Banerjee government, he alleged. Goyal claimed that stones were hurled, petrol bombs were thrown and criminals attacked people and BJP workers during the roadshow. "Very sadly, we have to say the Election Commission remains a mute spectator to the violence in West Bengal by the state government, it did not act and could not arrest even a single person," he said. Goyal said the EC should appoint a special observer and central forces must be deputed. PTI CORR . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Talettutayi Solar Projects Three Private Ltd has emerged as the lowest bidder in an auction conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India, quoting a tariff of Rs 2.87 per unit on Tuesday. "Out of the 250 MW solar energy projects on the block, Talettutayi Solar bagged 50 MW at a tariff of Rs 2.87 per unit followed by Tata Power Renewable Energy quoting Rs 2.88 per unit for 100 MW at Dondaicha Solar Park in district Dhule of Maharashtra," a source said. Talettutayi Solar is based out of Gurugram. The source also informed that state-run NTPC also won 100MW in this auction quoting a tariff of Rs 2.91 per unit. According to a statement by NTPC, the company participated in the 250 MW tender floated by state-owned SECI for Dondaicha Solar Park. The company said in the reverse auction held on Tuesday, NTPC won 100 MW of solar capacities at a levelised tariff of Rs 2.91 per unit, applicable for 25 years. This solar project shall be set up by NTPC under EPC (engineering procurement and construction) mode and shall add to the installed capacity of NTPC. With this, NTPC's total capacity won under tariff based competitive bidding goes up at 345 MW, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scores of junta loyalists were endorsed as members of Thailand's 250-strong senate on Tuesday, packing the upper house with allies likely to vote for coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha's return as civilian premier after a highly disputed poll. The full list, which included the junta leader's brother and scores of military officers, was appointed by junta number two Prawit Wongsuwan, endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and published in palace mouthpiece The Royal Gazette. Army Chief Apirat Kongsompong and National Police Chief Jakthip Chaijinda are now senators, as expected, thanks to a controversial military-scripted constitution adopted in 2017. But Prawit also selected some 100 serving and retiring military and police officers -- making up 40 percent of the senate. He also picked more than 50 members of the rubber-stamp National Legislative Assembly (NLA), and 15 ministers to be elevated to the senate. Well-known family names of the junta's top-ranking officials and allies are on the list as well, most notably Prayut's younger brother Preecha Chan-O-Cha, who retired from his position at the NLA last week. Joining him are siblings of Prawit and deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, as well as the older brother of deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak. The younger brother of army-aligned fortuneteller Warin Buawiratlert -- who predicted coup leader Prayut would hold onto power after the March 24 poll -- will also be in the senate. The 250 members will vote alongside 500 elected lower house MPs to select the prime minister after parliament convenes in the coming weeks. With the senate in hand, junta-backed Palang Pracharat will need only 126 votes in the lower house for Prayut to sail to the top position. Anti-junta parties would require a whopping 376 votes to gain a majority in the 750-seat parliament and override the senate advantage. So far, the coalition led by junta rival Pheu Thai, linked to billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, holds 245 seats against the 135 promised to Palang Pracharat. Horsetrading and negotiations for the remaining seats are under way. "The nepotism is blatant" in the senate appointments, said analyst Paul Chambers of Naresuan University, adding that the endorsement sends a "negative message" to parties trying to scoop up more seats. "Palang Pracharat now has the upper hand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The TMC Tuesday sought a meeting with the Election Commission over the destruction of a statue of Bengali writer and philosopher Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during clashes between workers of the ruling party and the BJP. Supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (BJP) fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by former's president Amit Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by the police. Parts of the city plunged into a welter of violence as his convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties, officials said. "Trinamool parliamentary team comprising Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Manish Gupta, Nadimul Haque seeks meeting with EC in aftermath of attack on Bengal's heritage after Shah roadshow in Kolkata. BJP outsider ruffians resort to arson & break Vidyasagar's bust," the TMC said in a tweet. Earlier, Brien, also TMC spokesperson, took to Twitter and alleged that "violent mob of outsiders" were behind the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Tamil Nadu police Tuesday filed an FIR against actor-politician Kamal Haasan for his controversial "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remarks referring to Nathuram Godse, as saffron organisations moved the courts in Delhi against the actor-politician. Makkal Needhi Maiyam and a Minister who wanted the actor's tongue to be chopped off for his remarks entered into a war of words, even as the MNM chief found support from Asaduddin Owaisi, the firebrand AIMIM leader. "The one who killed Mahatma Gandhi, whom we regard as Father of the Nation, what do we call him? We call him Mahatma or 'rakshas' (demon)?Call him terrorist or assassin?" he said. "If not calling the person who killed Bapu as terrorist, what else will you call him?" he told reporters at Hyderabad. Stoking a controversy, Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. "I am not saying this because this is Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi. BJP and AIADMK condemned him for his remarks, though Congress and rationalist outfit Dravidar Kazhagam backed him. Police in Aravakurichi in Karur district filed the FIR under sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code,which deal with 'outraging religious feelings' and 'promoting enmity between different groups', respectively. A Karur police release also warned of stringent action against those inciting violence in the name of religion, caste, language and race. In Delhi, two separate cases were filed against Haasan. Moving a PIL before the bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani of the Delhi High Court, BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay sought directions to the EC to "restrict" misuse of religion for poll gains. Upadhyay, also a lawyer, alleged Haasan "deliberately" made the statement in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gains. The petition contended this was "clearly a corrupt practice under Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1951." "As per Model Code of Conduct, no party or candidate can indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic. Similarly, there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. "Haasan has violated the Model Code of Conduct in addition to Section 123(3) of the RPA 1951.Kamal Haasan is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and brotherhood,which is an offence under section 153A of IPC. It is a deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of millions of Hindus, which is an offence under section 295A IPC," it claimed. It also said that despite the alleged misuse of religion for electoral gain by Haasan, the EC has not done anything in this regard yet. The bench allowed the plea to be listed for hearing on Wednesday before an appropriate bench. A Hindu Sena activist also moved the court, seeking Haasan's prosecution for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by terming Godse as a "Hindu extremist." The matter is likely to be listed before a Metropolitan Magistrate on May 16. Complainant Vishnu Gupta, who claimed to be the outfit's president, sought Haasan's prosecution for alleged offences punishable under IPC 153-A and 295-A. The offences are punishable with a three-year jail term or fine, or both. He alleged Haasan "deliberately and maliciously" made "absolutely derogatory comments to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by associating terrorism with the Hindu religion". "The comment was made with the sole intention "to promote enmity between Hindus and Muslims, and outrage religious feelings and religious beliefs of Hindus, along with that of the complainant", he claimed. Meanwhile, MNM demanded that Tamil Nadu Milk and Dairy Development Minister K T Rajendira Bhalaji be removed, following his outburst that its party chief's tongue should be chopped off for his controversial remarks. In a statement, MNM general secretary A Arunachalam said that as an elected representative and a minister, Bhalaji had broken "the promise he made when he took oath as minister." "So he must be removed from his post immediately." However, Bhalaji hit out at the demand and sought to know what violation of oath he had committed and if he was "speaking ill of a particular faith or promoting another." Haasan was not the President,Governor or Chief Minister to seek his removal as a minister, he added. On Monday, he had said Haasan's tongue should be cut off for saying independent India's "first extremist was a Hindu". "His tongue should be cut off...he has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian," he said. Bhalaji said Tuesday he did not intend to hurt anybody with his remarks, but that it was reflective of the public mood against the actor-politician. "If he (Haasan) issues a statement that he had made the remarks inadvertently and that Hindus need not feel hurt due to it, I will also immediately withdraw my statement," he told reporters at Tuticorin. TNCC president K S Alagiri slammed Bhalaji for saying Haasan's tongue should be cut off, saying it amounted to "violence". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN has voiced alarm over the spate of communal violence in Sri Lanka since the Easter Sunday bombings and urged the government and religious groups not to tolerate the spread of prejudice and hate, emphasising that "to be a Sri Lankan" is to be a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian. United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng and UN Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect Karen Smith, in a joint statement on attacks against religious minorities in Sri Lanka, said they are alarmed about the growing acts of violence on the basis of religion, including attacks against homes, places of worship and businesses in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The Special Advisers noted the recent spate of attacks against Muslim and Christian communities in Sri Lanka following the deadly terror attacks carried out on Easter Sunday against churches and hotels in various parts of the country in which nearly 260 people were killed and hundreds injured. The recent violence in Sri Lanka has highlighted a growing influence of nationalist and extremist views of identity in the Asia region, putting religious minorities at risk, they said. "Sri Lanka has a pluralistic society. To be a Sri Lankan is to be a Buddhist, to be Hindu, to be a Muslim, to be a Christian. All these communities are entitled to their identity, to freely exercise their religion and to live in peace and security as recognised by the country's Constitution, the Special Advisers said, calling on all Sri Lankans to respect one another. The Sri Lankan government on Monday enforced a countrywide curfew and blocked social media platforms to stop people inciting violence as communal violence spread in the island nation in the worst unrest since Easter Sunday bombings. A Muslim man was hacked to death on Monday during the rioting between minority Muslim and majority Sinhalese communities in the country. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also appealed for calm after the unrest broke out, especially in Kurunegala district targeting Muslims, and asked the public not to be swayed by false information. Dieng and Smith added that it is in the interest of all ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka, as well as the government, the opposition, civil society and the security sector, to work collaboratively in taking appropriate action and immediately stop these hateful attacks. The country is trying to move forward from a traumatic period of inter-ethnic armed conflict, but these attacks are pushing Sri Lanka backwards. If not adequately dealt with, the recent violence has the potential to escalate even further, they warned. Acknowledging the swift response of the Sri Lankan government, including by deploying the security forces to protect affected communities and addressing the spread of false information and incitement to violence, they encouraged the Government to make sure that these and other past similar attacks are fully investigated and those responsible for instigating or committing these violent acts are brought to justice and made accountable. They added that the Government needs to give the example that it will not tolerate the spread of prejudice and hate among groups within its population. This needs to be done at national and local level, by putting an end to local discriminatory practices that perpetuate religious intolerance and violence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two top UN officials have voiced alarm over the spate of communal violence in Sri Lanka since the Easter Sunday Bombings, saying the government should ensure that spread of prejudice and hate among groups is not tolerated, as they emphasised that "to be a Sri Lankan" is to be a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian. United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng and UN Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect Karen Smith, in a joint statement on attacks against religious minorities in Sri Lanka, said they are alarmed about the growing acts of violence on the basis of religion, including attacks against homes, places of worship and businesses in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The Special Advisers noted the recent spate of attacks against Muslim and Christian communities in Sri Lanka following the deadly terror attacks carried out on Easter Sunday against churches and hotels in various parts of the country in which nearly 260 people were killed and hundreds injured. The recent violence in Sri Lanka has highlighted a growing influence of nationalist and extremist views of identity in the Asia region, putting religious minorities at risk, they said. "Sri Lanka has a pluralistic society. To be a Sri Lankan is to be a Buddhist, to be Hindu, to be a Muslim, to be a Christian. All these communities are entitled to their identity, to freely exercise their religion and to live in peace and security as recognised by the country's Constitution, the Special Advisers said, calling on all Sri Lankans to respect one another. The Sri Lankan government on Monday enforced a countrywide curfew and blocked social media platforms to stop people inciting violence as communal violence spread in the island nation in the worst unrest since Easter Sunday bombings. A Muslim man was slashed to death on Monday during the rioting between minority Muslim and majority Sinhalese communities in the country. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also appealed for calm after the unrest broke out, especially in Kurunegala district targeting Muslims, and asked the public not to be swayed by false information. Dieng and Smith added that it is in the interest of all ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka, as well as the government, the opposition, civil society and the security sector, to work collaboratively in taking appropriate action and immediately stop these hateful attacks. The country is trying to move forward from a traumatic period of inter-ethnic armed conflict, but these attacks are pushing Sri Lanka backwards. If not adequately dealt with, the recent violence has the potential to escalate even further, they warned. Acknowledging the swift response of the Sri Lankan government, including by deploying the security forces to protect affected communities and addressing the spread of false information and incitement to violence, they encouraged the Government to make sure that these and other past similar attacks are fully investigated and those responsible for instigating or committing these violent acts are brought to justice and made accountable. They added that the Government needs to give the example that it will not tolerate the spread of prejudice and hate among groups within its population. This needs to be done at national and local level, by putting an end to local discriminatory practices that perpetuate religious intolerance and violence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Parents, take note! Your toddlers are more likely to learn new words from other children, a study has found. Children are voracious learners who glean all kinds of information from the people around them. In particular, children mimic and learn speech patterns from their family. Previous research has shown that infants attend selectively to their mother's voice over another female's voice. However, scientists from Ohio State University in the US suggest that children learn new words best from other children. "Much of what we know about the world is learned from other people. This is especially true for young children," said Yuanyuan Wang from Ohio State University. According to Wang, speech is loaded with important paralinguistic information about the speaker including age, gender and even social class. Children learn and process this information in speech to understand and integrate speaker-specific information. The research team wanted to determine what age group was most influential to two-year-old toddlers based on how they pick up new words. To evaluate this, they set up two experiments. In the first experiment, toddlers watched side-by-side video clips of two speakers reciting a nursery rhyme while listening to speech that matched either the age or gender of one of the two speakers. The toddlers were successful at matching the vocal age and gender they heard to visual attributes on the screen. In the second experiment, toddlers were taught new words during a learning task using speakers of different ages. The researchers found the toddlers learned new words more effectively from other children. In the study the child talkers were slightly older, between 8-10 years old. "It is fascinating to learn children showed selected learning from other child talkers. This has implications for social cognition and selective social learning," Wang said. Wang believes that toddlers are interested in the development of their own speech patterns and may be more attuned to the sound of other child speakers that resemble their own. This ability to learn selectively from a particular social group may serve as a foundation for developing preferences among social groups later in life. "Sensitivity to talker properties is found to be related to speech processing and language development. These are related to later personal, academic, social and overall achievements," Wang said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump on Monday rejected a report that he is considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran, but didn't rule out sending "a hell of a lot more" soldiers in the future. "I think it's fake news," Trump said of a New York Times report that the White House is considering a plan to send 120,000 troops to the region as part of a tightening pressure campaign against the Iranian government. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump told reporters. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." The Pentagon has already dispatched an aircraft carrier and nuclear-capable bomber planes to the region in the last few days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to help hard-hit American farmers caught in the middle of the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing. China on Monday hit back against the United States, announcing it will sharply increase duties on thousands of US agricultural and manufactured goods to retaliate against Trump's decision last week to more than double the punitive duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise. "Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now," Trump said on Twitter. "Hopefully China will do us the honor of continuing to buy our great farm product, the best, but if not your Country will be making up the difference based on a very high China buy." Since last year, the trade war has gutted US farm exports to China and weighed on both countries' manufacturing sectors. The Trump administration last year offered $12 billion in compensation to American farmers and has vowed to do more, using the revenues from the new tariffs -- which he incorrectly claims is paid by China rather than US importers. "This money will come from the massive Tariffs being paid to the United States for allowing China, and others, to do business with us. The Farmers have been 'forgotten' for many years. Their time is now!" Trump launched the trade war last year to extract profound economic reforms from Beijing and reduce the US trade deficit. He accused China of seeking to dominant global industries through massive state subsidies and theft of American technology -- in violation of its commitments upon joining the World Trade Organization in 2001. The United States and China have so far exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade. Trump also is considering extending tariffs to virtually everything American companies import from China, which economists warn would spill over into the global economy and US industries say would be catastrophic. The US Trade Representative office announced the start of a process to impose new duties on another $300 billion worth of Chinese merchandise, with a hearing scheduled for June 17. Trump said Monday he had not decided whether he would ultimately impose those levies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said he expects to have a "very fruitful" meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next month in Japan, amid escalating trade conflict between the world's two largest economies. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump also said he expects to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. "We are going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan. And that will be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting," Trump said on the possibility of his meeting with Xi. The President's remarks came as trade war between the US and China escalated after Trump last Friday increased the import duty on Chinese products worth USD 200 billion from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. He has also started the process of a similar increase on the remaining Chinese imports of over USD 300 billion. "We are taking in, right now, hundreds of billions of dollars. We are taking in billions of dollars of tariffs.... We have never taken in 10 cents until I got elected. Now we are taking in billions and billions.... In addition to that we have another USD 325 billion that we can do, if we decided to do it," Trump said. "So we are taking it in tens of billions of dollars. We have never done that before with China. We have never done that before with anybody, frankly, because we have been taken advantage of all of our trade deals," he said. The G-20 Summit would also be the first opportunity for a meeting between the Indian prime minister and Trump after the election results are declared in India on May 23. However, Trump, during his interaction with the media at his Oval Office, made no mention of any meeting other than that with Xi and Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. Like the Trump-Xi summit in Argentina last November, all eyes will again be on the two leaders in Japan because of the ongoing trade tension. Ahead of the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Putin on Tuesday, Trump said on Monday that it made sense for the US to get along with Russia. "I'll be meeting with President Putin also. I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia," he told reporters at his Oval Office. Trump asserted that none of his predecessors had sanctioned Russia like he had. "Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it's very unfair - having to do with the United States and NATO," he said. "There has been nobody that's ever done - and if you really look at something big, our energy business - we're now the biggest in the world. "We're bigger than Russia. We're bigger than Saudi Arabia. We're bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I've become president because I've made it so that you can do that. And we're taking in a lot of money," he said. Trump said America was doing really well. "We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue. We have tremendous signs," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Describing the nature of America's ongoing trade tension with China as a "little squabble", US President Donald Trump on Tuesday hoped that the world's top two economies would be able reach an agreement. The President's remarks came as trade war between the US and China escalated after Trump last Friday increased the import duty on Chinese products worth USD 200 billion from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. He has also started the process of a similar increase on the remaining Chinese imports of over USD 300 billion. China retaliated by slapping tariffs on USD 60 billion worth of US imports. "We're having a little squabble with China," Trump told reporters on the South Lawns of the White House before boarding Marine 1. He said the tension with China stemmed from them "treating us very unfairly and predicted "we will be successful". "I think it's going to turn out extremely well, we're in a very strong position," Trump said. The President also described his relationship with President Xi Jinping of China as "extraordinary". "The relationship I have with President Xi is extraordinary... but he's for China and I'm for the USA. It's very, very simple," he said. Trump also boasted about the relative health of the US economy. "Our economy is fantastic. Theirs is not so good," he said of China. Trump was asked about the talks with China having "collapsed". He rejected that characterisation. "We have a very good dialogue... it'll always continue. We had a deal that was very close and then they broke it," he said. The economy is doing very well by every measure, Trump said and he described it as "probably the greatest economy... in the history of our country". On the Middle East, Trump called The New York Times story on the US preparing plans to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East "fake news". But he did say "I would do it", and would actually send "a hell of a lot more". The 11th round of talks in Washington ended Friday with no deal, but Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said that the negotiations had not broken down. Trump has been demanding that China reduce the massive trade deficit which last year climbed to over USD 539 billion. He is also pressing for verifiable measures for protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), technology transfer and more access to American goods to Chinese markets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amidst a fast American military build-up in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump Monday warned Iran against any misadventure. "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake," Trump told reporters at his Oval Office of the White House. He was responding to questions on US military build-up against Iran and if he was at war with Tehran. "I'm hearing little stories about Iran. If they do anything, they will suffer greatly. We'll see what happens with Iran," Trump said, as his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stopped in Brussels to brief NATO allies on the latest developments with regard to Iran. Pompeo cancelled his scheduled trip to Moscow on Monday to make an unannounced visit to Brussels. "The secretary shared information and intelligence with allies and discussed the multiple plot vectors emerging from Iran. We know that Europe shares our concerns about stability in the Gulf and in the Middle East," Special US Representative for Iran Brian Hook told travelling American press in Brussels. Pompeo, he said, had always been diligent about sharing information with allies as threats to peace and security warrant. "Iran is an escalating threat, and this seemed like a timely visit on his way to Sochi," Hook said, adding that Iran was the main topic of discussion for Pompeo with the NATO secretary general as well. During the meeting in Brussels, Pompeo shared details about Iran. "We believe that Iran should try talks instead of threats. They have chosen poorly by focussing on threats," Hook said. "We did discuss the reported attacks on the two Saudi tankers, the Norwegian tanker and the Emirati tanker," he added. The goal of the Trump Administration, he said, continued to be for Iran to behave like a normal nation and not like a revolutionary cause. "They have been exporting violent revolution around the Middle East for 40 years. We have put in place an entirely new foreign policy with respect to the Iranian regime. Iran's era of deniable attacks is over," Hook asserted. "Tehran will be held accountable for the attacks of its proxies. They cannot organise, train and equip their proxies and then expect anyone to believe that they had no role. And so, we will not make a distinction between the Iranian government and its proxies," he said. "If they conduct attacks, we think that given the 40-year history of Iran only responding to pressure and isolation, that this is the best course given the nature of this regime," Hook added. "If talking nicely worked, we would have settled this decades ago. But this is a regime that only understands economic pressure and diplomatic isolation. And we are committed to this strategy because it has the best chances of de-escalating the threats that we see stretching from Lebanon to Yemen," he said. Meanwhile, Senator Marco Rubio urged the Department of Justice to investigate whether former Secretary of State John F Kerry's actions since leaving office related to the Iran nuclear deal violated the Logan Act or the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). A similar allegation was levelled by Trump against Kerry last week. "The American people deserve to know that US laws are enforced regardless of any individual's past position," he said. The Department of Justice should therefore make a determination on whether or not former Secretary of State John F Kerry's recent actions related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran potentially violated the Logan Act or the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Rubio said. A municipal councillor was shot at and injured by three bike-borne robbers in Govind Puri area on Monday night, police said. The councillor, Ravi Verma of Modi Nagar municipality was on his way home on a two-wheeler when the accused intercepted him, Deputy Inspector General of Police Upendra Agarwal said. Verma was shot in the right leg and the accused fled with his gold chain, ring, purse and mobile, the police said. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Meerut. In another incident, a businessman was shot at by robbers when he was returning with his son after closing his shop in G.T Road Ghantaghar on Monday night. The businessman, Sriram Agarwal (80), and his son, Sanjay, were on their way home when the robbers tried to snatch their bag containing cash. When Sanjay resisted, the robbers fired at his father and fled with the bag, the DIG said. Police have launched operations to nab the accused in the two cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned students against taking admission in unapproved institutions in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). "Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. The educational institutions including universities, medical colleges, technical institutions situated in PoJK are neither established by the Indian government nor recognised by statutory authorities including UGC, AICTE and Medical Council of India," UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said in an advisory. "The students are therefore cautioned and advised against taking admission in college, university or technical institution in any territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan, including the so called AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) and Gilgit Baltistan which are currently not recognised in India," he added. Pakistan occupied Kashmir is that part of Jammu and Kashmir state of India which Pakistan had invaded in 1947. It has been divided into two parts called Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK government on Tuesday said that it would take up the issue of the alleged persecution of Christians in India, with a British minister pointing to a "worsening" of such cases in the country. During a scheduled session of oral questions for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the House of Commons, UK Foreign Office minister Mark Field said the British government would raise all specific cases of such alleged religious persecution in India with its counterparts. "India of course is one of many countries where there has been an increased worsening in recent years and we will obviously at a consular level take up all the cases [of Christian persecution]," Field told the Commons. He was responding to a specific intervention by Scottish National Party MP David Linden, who raised the case of a group of Christians allegedly being beaten during a prayer meeting in India in early May and asked for government action over the escalating cases in the country. Earlier, UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt spoke of a roundtable of faith leaders he had attended at the British High Commissioner's residence in Nigeria over the issue. "What emerged is the immensely important role that politicians have in developing countries in not fanning populism and hatred between religions in election campaigns, which is a very easy route to go down with extremely damaging consequences," he said. Hunt also pointed to a report he had commissioned to review the persecution of Christians around the world and consider appropriate measures to counter the problem. "The reason we commissioned this report was a sense that whilst we have called out persecution of people of other religions we have been more reticent in doing that when it's Christians. When actually 80 per cent of all the religious persecution is against Christians, he said. The interim report submitted by the Bishop of Truro earlier this month was described as a truly sobering look at the persecution of Christians worldwide, as it quoted figures from Persecution Relief to highlight 736 such attacks in India in 2017, up from 348 in 2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar's military commanders should be financially "isolated" and brought to trial to face charges of war crimes and genocide against the Rohingya minority, UN investigators said Tuesday. The United Nations fact-finding mission on the situation in Myanmar called on the international community to cut off all financial and other support to the country's military. Marzuki Darusman, who heads the fact-finding mission which just concluded a 10-day visit to surrounding countries, said drastic measures were needed since Myanmar so far had done little to resolve the egregious rights situation in the country. "There has been no movement toward a resolution of the crisis," Darusman said in a statement. "The situation is at a total standstill." Some 740,000 Rohingya refugees fled a military crackdown in August 2017 to cross into Bangladesh where 300,000 members of the persecuted Muslim minority were already in camps. Many Rohingya refugees who fled said there had been mass rapes and slaughters in the villages, and in a report published last September, the fact-finding mission said there were reasonable grounds to believe the atrocities amounted to "genocide". The investigators lamented Tuesday that "both military and civilian sides of Myanmar's government persistently deny the facts and disclaim any responsibility for crimes under international law. "Following this violence, Myanmar authorities have levelled empty Rohingya villages with bulldozers, effectively destroying criminal evidence, while making no substantive progress in resolving the ethnic animosities that have helped fuel the crisis," they said. The UN fact-finding mission was not granted access to Myanmar itself, but during their visit to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, the investigators met exiled representatives from the Chin, Kachin, Shan and Rakhine ethnic communities. "Meeting with these different ethnic communities only underscored our findings that the Tatmadaw (the Myanmar military) has over time committed similar atrocities against many of the ethnic groups living within the borders of Myanmar," expert Radhika Coomaraswamy said in the statement. Another member of the team, Christopher Sidoti, said the investigators so far had "seen no evidence that the Myanmar government is acting in good faith to resolve the crisis or facilitate the safe return of refugees. "The situation demands an increase in international pressure," he said. "Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military - to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence," he added. The fact-finding mission is due to present its final report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next September, and will hand over its findings to a panel tasked with preparing criminal indictments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Monday entered the swirling debate over a US Congresswoman's comments regarding the Holocaust that Republicans have condemned as anti-Semitic. The uproar began last week when Rashida Tlaib, a freshman congresswoman in the House of Representatives whose parents are Palestinian immigrants, said in an interview that she finds "a kind of calming feeling" in the fact that Palestinians were involved in creating "a safe haven for Jews". "There's a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors -- Palestinians -- who lost their land and some lost their lives," she told Yahoo's "Skullduggery" podcast on Friday. "All of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time," she said, adding, "I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that." Trump laid in to Tlaib, saying the congresswoman "obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. "Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?" Top House Republican Liz Cheney also seized on the remarks, saying they represented "vile anti-Semitism" and called on the House's Democratic leadership to take action. "This must cross the line, even for them," she tweeted. Tlaib said on Twitter her remarks were taken out of context and that "All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably." She was backed up by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said "Republicans' desperate attempts to smear (Tlaib) & misrepresent her comments are outrageous", adding that Trump and Republicans needed to apologise. Yair Rosenberg, a writer for the online Jewish magazine Tablet, said Tlaib's comments were historically inaccurate but not anti-Semitic. "Tlaib said she got a 'calming feeling' NOT about the Holocaust, but about how Palestinians gave refuge to Jews from it. This is ahistorical," he wrote on Twitter, "but it isn't anti-Semitic". Bend The Arc, a progressive Jewish association, also defended the congresswoman. "The attacks on Rashida Tlaib are vile & baseless. She did not minimize the tragedy of the Holocaust," the group tweeted. "Shame on GOP leadership for weaponizing antisemitism & Jewish trauma to attack progressive leaders of colour and push Islamophobia." Similar accusations of anti-Semitism were levelled against Ilhan Omar, who after Tlaib is the only other Muslim in Congress, after she said earlier this year that American support for Israel was driven by money from a pro-Israel lobbying group. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US has denied visit visas to three senior Pakistani officials for not taking back Pakistani immigrants who are illegally residing in America, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Tuesday. He said this while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Pakistani media reported. The ban was imposed for not taking back Pakistani immigrants who are illegally residing in US, The Nation quoted minister as saying. The three Pakistani officials were identified by Dawn newspaper as the Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, Interior and Director General, Passport. Qureshi said that US authorities want to "deport more than 70 Pakistanis over which we have asked them to complete legal requirements before taking this step." He confirmed that 70 Pakistani nationals would be deported from the US and they would be brought back on a special chartered plane on Wednesday. The US has not imposed ban on other Pakistanis as the Consular Section of the American embassy in Pakistan was still operating, he said. "The foreign ministry will only issue that many visas that the US does," Qureshi said. "If the US issues visas for five years, then Pakistan will issue it for five years as well," the foreign minister was quoted as saying by Geo Washington's decision to deport over 70 Pakistani nationals and deny visit visas to three senior officials came after a warning issued late last month by the US that the visa sanction policy might also withhold visas of Pakistani senior officials and not just of ordinary travellers, The reported from Washington. The Trump administration after coming to power has made it clear that it will strictly enforce such provisions under the law. Pakistan was the latest to join the list of 10 countries that are facing such sanctions under a law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers could be denied American visas. Other countries against whom the US has introduced visa restrictions are Ghana, Guyana, the Gambia, Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Myanmar and Laos. A senior Pakistani official at the Pakistani embassy in Washington said that the discussions to resolve the visa issue was ongoing, but claimed that the reports of sanctions on the country were misleading. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voicing concern over the rising tensions between the US and Iran, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that his country was closely observing the situation and will formulate a strategy keeping in view the national interest. Speaking with reporters after attending a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Qureshi said Pakistan was concerned over the US-Iran tensions but it will not join any camp. "This is a very sensitive issue. We are closely monitoring the situation. As situation evolves, we are trying to develop a strategy that does not hurt our interests and this region does not get destabilised," he said. He also said that Pakistan would contact Iran on the issue of building a gas pipeline which is not possible due to sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Separately, Qureshi told the National Assembly panel that the US had not imposed any visa restrictions on Pakistan. He also briefed that panel about peace efforts in Afghanistan and the issue of fake marriages by Chinese in Pakistan. Qureshi also said that he would travel to Kuwait this week on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with the Kuwaiti leadership on bilateral and regional issues. He said the Qatari Emir is also expected to visit Pakistan in near future. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US will deport over 70 "illegal" Pakistani nationals and a special chartered plane will bring them back on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Tuesday. Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Qureshi said all these individuals were detained and prosecuted for immigration violations, criminal conduct and other serious charges. "The United States is going to deport over 70 illegal Pakistanis. Pakistan has asked the United States to fulfil legal requirements about the Pakistanis being deported," Geo quoted Qureshi as saying. "These Pakistanis will return to the country via a special charter plane tomorrow," he said. Qureshi rejected reports of the US imposing visa restrictions on Pakistan but acknowledged that three Pakistani officials have been banned by the Trump administration from travelling to America. "The US has banned visit visa for three officials due to some reasons. These include joint secretary, additional secretary interior and DG passport. This is restriction is not on Pakistan and the clarification for this has been given by both the sides," he said. "The foreign ministry will only issue that many visas that the US does," Qureshi said. "If the US issues visas for five years, then Pakistan will issue it for five years as well," the foreign minister was quoted as saying by Geo But The reported that the deportation of the Pakistani nationals comes two weeks after the Trump administration imposed visa sanctions on Pakistan. The decision to deport the Pakistani nationals came on the heels of a warning issued late last month that the imposed visa sanction policy might also withhold visas of Pakistani senior officials and not just of ordinary travellers, the newspaper reported from Washington. Pakistan was the latest to join the list of 10 countries that are facing such sanctions under a law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers could be denied America visas, it said. The US State Department had not clarified the extent of these sanctions, though it said that it was a bilateral issue of ongoing discussion between the two countries. A senior Pakistani official at the embassy said that the discussions to resolve the matter was ongoing, but claimed that the reports of sanctions regime were misleading. "Visa matters are dealt with on the basis of reciprocity," the official said, adding that both countries remain engaged in talks to refine the visa related policies. He said the situation was being monitored and had improved as a result of which Pakistan had revised its visa policy and included the United States in its list of countries whose businessmen can avail themselves of long-term visas and even on-arrival visa facilities. The embassy official also said there were no such sanctions imposed, but the matter was about some individuals and after which both sides had clarified their positions and since have been in discussions to resolve the issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NCP leader Shankersinh Vaghela Tuesday condemned recent incidents in Gujarat of Dalit wedding processions being stopped by some groups, saying such discrimination was a blot on Hinduism. He urged people as well as Hindu seers to take up a campaign to establish harmony among all castes and communities. "I condemn such acts of not allowing Dalits to take out wedding processions. This is blot on Hinduism. Law alone cannot deal with this. The entire society needs to come together to fight this evil and establish harmony," he said. "I urge Hindu seers and saints to focus on this issue and spread awareness among the masses in order to end this discrimination of Dalits," Vaghela told reporters here. He went on to warn that such discrimination would eventually force Dalits to leave Hinduism and convert to other religions. "Dalits also serve in our armed forces and protect our nation. But, when they visit their villages, they become subjects of discrimination for being a Dalit. People of other castes need to spend one day as a Dalit to understand their pain," the former Gujarat chief minister said. Vaghela, who joined the Nationalist Congress Party earlier this year, also slammed the BJP government in Gujarat over water scarcity, claiming that around 70 per cent of villages and towns are affected. "Our workers have been visiting various parts of the state to take stock of the water scarcity situation. We have found out over 70 per cent villages and towns are not getting enough water," he claimed. "It happened because of the BJP government's bad management. Almost all the dams are empty now. People and cattle are suffering because the government did nothing towards long term water management" alleged Vaghela. He said a Gujarat NCP team would meet Gujarat Governor O P Kohli in the coming days to seek his intervention. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four Christian Children and Woman Killed in Syria Five Christians killed in terrorist attack in Suqaylabiyah, Syria. Syria (AINA) -- Four Christian children and one woman were killed in a terrorist attack on the government controlled town of Suqaylabiyah, in the Hama province of Syria. The funeral service was held at the Syriac Orthodox Church. The names of the victims were Bashar, Angie, Suhel, Jessica and Hala. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Christian town. Syria's Christian population, particularly the Assyrians, have been the target of attacks by Muslim groups since the beginning of the war on Syria. Funeral for the five Assyrian victims of the terrorist attack in Suqaylabiyah, Syria. In 2015 ISIS attacked the 35 Assyrian villages on the Khabour river in the Hasakah province and kidnapped 274 Assyrians. 21 were released within one week, three were executed (AINA 2015-10-08) and the remaining were ransomed. ISIS also kidnapped 250 Assyrians in Qaryatain (AINA 2015-08-07). BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya Tuesday sat on a dharna near Esplanade in the city over police not allowing flags and posters on the streets through which BJP president Amit Shah's road show convoy will pass. Shah is scheduled to take out a road show from Shahid Minar in central Kolkata to Swami Vivekananda's house in north Kolkata. Vijayvargia alleged that Kolkata Police is not allowing flags and posters and is even trying to remove a makeshift platform which has been erected to welcome Shah. "We have papers and permission for the road show. Still the police are creating nuisance and are not allowing flags and posters. The police are acting as cadres of TMC," Vijayvargiya said. The police said BJP has permisson only for the road show. But it has elected makeshift platforms at various places. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) said on Tuesday its board has approved merger of two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Vodafone India Digital Limited and Idea Telesystems Limited, with the company. "The scheme is subject to approval of the National Company Law Tribunal, Ahmedabad, besides other approvals as applicable, if any," said in a BSE filing. Idea Telesystems is primarily engaged in the business of wholesale trading of data cards, while Vodafone India Digital is a non-operating company. "The Board of Directors of Limited at its meeting held on May 13, 2019, has considered and approved a Scheme of Amalgamation of Vodafone India Digital Limited and Idea Telesystems Limited (both wholly owned subsidiaries of the company) with the company under the relevant provisions of the Act," the filing said. The amalgamation would, lead to simplification of the corporate structure, and efficient and economical management and control over the running of businesses of the subsidiaries, it said. Other benefits include cost savings (removing duplication in administrative cost and multiple record keeping), increased operational efficiencies and administrative convenience, and optimal utilisation of resources, it added. Shares of Vodafone Idea Tuesday fell by over 3 per cent as the company's March 2019 quarter results failed to cheer investors. The scrip declined 3.11 per cent to close at Rs 14 on the BSE. During the day, it dropped 9.68 per cent to Rs 13.05 -- its 52-week low. At the NSE, shares went lower by 3.11 per cent to close at Rs 14. In terms of traded volume, 126.96 lakh shares were traded on the BSE and over 24 crore shares on the NSE during the day. The results were announced after market hours Monday. Vodafone Idea Monday said its consolidated loss has narrowed sequentially to Rs 4,881.9 crore in March 2019 quarter, as strategic initiatives to improve revenue and average realisation from subscribers helped financials. The loss has narrowed from Rs 5,004.6 crore during the third quarter of 2018-19, aided by 3.4 per cent drop in total expenses. The books of Vodafone Idea recorded a comprehensive loss of Rs 962.2 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago, but the year-on-year figure is not comparable as the merger between India unit of Vodafone Group and Idea Cellular was completed on August 31, 2018. A Vodafone Idea statement highlighted that the company has seen a "sequential stabilisation of revenues in Q4" benefitting from the introduction of 'service validity vouchers' that require customers to make a minimum recharge of Rs 35. "As expected, this resulted in a decline of 53.2 million subscribers as 'Incoming-only' or 'Low ARPU' customers migrated their spending from multiple SIMs to single SIM, taking the overall subscriber base to 334.1 million," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that the United States does not want war with Iran but vowed to keep pressuring Tehran. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Pompeo told a joint conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. But he added: "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." Pompeo said that he spoke both to Lavrov and, on Monday in Brussels, to European allies about the threat the United States sees from Iran. His remarks come after the United States deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East, although President Donald Trump denied a report that he is considering sending 120,000 troops. "We are looking for Iran to behave like a normal country," Pompeo said, pointing in part to Tehran's backing of Huthi rebels in Yemen who are under attack from US ally Saudi Arabia. Huthi rebels "are launching missiles into areas where there are Russians and Americans travelling. These missiles could easily kill a Russian or an American," Pompeo said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran filmmaker Werner Herzog will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 European Film Awards. The 76-year-old filmmaker is considered a pioneer in the global cinema industry. He has films such as "Heart of Glass", "Even Dwarfs Started Small", "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" and "Rescue Dawn" to his credits. Herzog will be feted at the the 32nd European Film Awards on December 7 in Berlin, the organisers said in a statement. He is being recognised for his "outstanding body of work". Ironically, the director has never won a European Film Award and was only nominated once, in 1999 for "My Best Fiend", his documentary on longtime collaborator and German actor Klaus Kinski. Herzog recently released two documentaries -- "Meeting Gorbachev", on the former Soviet leader and "Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin". His latest feature film, "Family Romance, LLC" is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP Tuesday urged the Election Commission to bar West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning in the state and alleged that "constitutional machinery" has collapsed there. After violence and arson marred BJP president Amit Shah's road show in Kolkata, a party delegation, including Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, rushed to the EC, seeking its immediate intervention to ensure free and fair polls in the state. Naqvi accused Banerjee of "complicity" in violence allegedly aimed at the BJP, claiming that she has been "provoking" her Trinamool Congress workers to attack the saffron party's functionaries. "She holds a constitutional post but has been using unconstitutional comments, asking her party workers to take revenge and indulge in violence. She is complicit. She should be immediately barred from campaigning," he told reporters after the BJP delegation met the EC. The "goons" of the TMC have hijacked the state administration and the violence in Shah's road show is an example of this, he claimed. The credibility of the commission is at stake, he said, likening the situation in the state to Bihar in 2005 when the EC had sent a special representative to take control of the administration there to ensure free and fair polls. The BJP also demanded that "miscreants" and "history-sheeters" present in the constituencies, which go to polls in the last phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 19, should be arrested and removed from these places. Central forces should also carry out flag march in the poll-bound seats, the party told the EC. BJP and TMC supporters Tuesday fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by the police. Parts of the city plunged into a welter of violence as his convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties, officials said. Furious BJP supporters retaliated and were seen exchanging blows with their TMC rivals outside the college entrance. Several motorcycles parked outside were vandalised and set ablaze. Shards of broken glass littered the lobby of the college where a bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a noted philosopher and a key figure of Bengal Renaissance, was smashed to pieces. Police personnel were seen trying to douse the fire with buckets filled with water. Contingents of the Kolkata Police deployed for the roadshow swung into action and were seen chasing away the warring groups. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'radar and clouds' remark in relation to the Balakot airstrikes in Pakistan, asking him will all aircraft disappear from the radar whenever it rains in India. Priyanka Gandhi also joined her brother in taking a swipe at Modi's comment that cloud cover 'helped' IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot operation on February 26, saying his truth is now on people's radar. Addressing election rallies in Neemuch, Ujjain and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi said Modi insulted his family during the poll campaign but he will never ever speak ill of the prime minister's parents. "I will die, but will never insult Modiji's mother and father." He also made a veiled reference to the PM's interaction with actor Akshay Kumar during which Modi said he loved mangoes as a child and still loves them. Noting that Modi in the recent days talked about cloud cover "helping" IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the airstrikes and about climbing trees and eating mangoes, Rahul Gandhi asked, "Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all aircraft disappear from the radar." "Clouds and mangoes are being talked about but nothing is being said on issues that matter," Gandhi said. He sought to know what did Modi do for the jobless youth. "Modi ji, you taught (us) how to eat mangoes; now tell the country what you did for the jobless youth," he said. Addressing a poll rally in Bathinda in Punjab, Priyanka Gandhi said she learnt about the prime minister's rally in the same town on Monday. I also learnt that the clouds of Bathinda gave answers to his 'spate of lies', while referring to the strong winds that blew away some of the tents during Modi's rally. Whether it is strong winds or storm or cloudy weather, but his truth has come on radar of people of this country. He indulges in propaganda before you, speaks lies, makes big claims and makes big promises and when you hear his propaganda, then you will feel as if no development took place in last 70 years and that all development took place only in five years, she said. Perhaps his own radar should be on his promises, she said while taking a jibe at Modi and reminding him about his unkept promises of putting Rs 15 lakh into bank accounts, doubling farmers income and 2 crore jobs. In Ujjain, Rahul Gandhi said Modi insulted his father and grandmother during the election campaign but he will never speak ill of the latter's parents. He said the Congress would defeat Modi "with love". "Modi ji talks with hatred. He insulted my father, grandmother, great grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about his family, his mother and father. I will die, but will never insult Modiji's mother and father. "This is because I am not a RSS or BJP man, but belong to the Congress. I will return him love if hatred is thrown at me...We will defeat Modi ji with love, hugging you," he said. At the rally in Khandwa, Gandhi targeted Modi on the Rafale deal, adding the "chowkidar" committed theft and is therefore unable to speak on corruption. Gandhi said Modi has not responded to his challenge for an open debate on alleged corruption in the Rafale deal for fear of getting exposed. "Modi will not be able to show his face to the countrymen even just after 15 minutes of debate with me," he said. "The chowkidar is a thief and is frightened since he will be exposed in the debate. He will not be able to show his face to the country," he added. The Rafale deal will be probed and action taken against the guilty once the Congress comes to power, Gandhi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Tuesday said women security has been the "biggest casualty" under the BJP as it accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Yogi Adityanath led government in Uttar Pradesh of being insensitive towards women. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said both the prime minister and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister have been busy campaigning and do not have the time to address the challenge of women security as they have "failed" to provide justice to the Hapur rape victim. The woman was "sold" for Rs 10,000 and allegedly raped by many men. She had set herself on fire after Uttar Pradesh Police officials allegedly refused to register her complaint. The woman is now admitted to a Ghaziabad hospital with 80 per cent burn injuries. Shergill said Prime Minister Modi should visit the rape victim in hospital and explain to her why there was laxity in providing justice to her despite several complaints made by her, including that to the chief minister's helpline. "Women security has become the biggest casualty under the BJP. The Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh had been insensitive towards women security," he told reporters while attacking Modi and Yogi government for the failure to help even register an FIR on the Hapur rape victim's complaint. "Will the women BJP ministers, who are otherwise very active on social media, now question why justice was not provided to the Hapur rape victim," he asked. Shergill alleged that either the BJP is lax in giving justice to rape victimsor its own people are found involved in such crimes as he cited Unnao and Kathua rape incidents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-owned lender United Bank of India is working towards coming out of Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) farmework by second quarter of the current fiscal, its chief Ashok Kumar Pradhan said Tuesday. After posting losses for seven consecutive quarters, UBI reported a net profit of Rs 95.18 crore in the last quarter of 2018-19. "The bank's entire efforts is towards recovery and to come out of the Prompt Corrective Action by the second quarter of the current fiscal," Pradhan, the bank's Managing Director amd CEO, told reporters. The bank's Gross Non-Performing Asset (GNPA) and Net NPA stood at 16.48 per cent and 8.67 per cent, respectively, at the end of the last fiscal. "Our target is to bring down GNPA levels to 8-9 per cent and NNPA to 3-4 per cent, which will help us in getting out of the PCA, which has also led to restrictions in expansion of branches," Pradhan said. The PCA framework kicks in when banks breach any of the three key regulatory trigger points -- namely capital to risk weighted assets ratio, net non-performing assets (NPA) and return on assets (RoA). The PCA framework imposes lending restrictions and prevents banks from expanding, among other curbs. On capital infusion, Pradhan said, "We want to come out with a QIP amounting to Rs 700 crore to Rs 800 crore, as well as are looking to raise around Rs 150 crore from Employees Stock Purchase Scheme (ESPS)." Currently the government owns 96.83 per cent in the bank. Sounding caution, Pradhan said there were reasons for concerns about lending in the infrastructure sector. "Now NBFCs are likely to create some problem because of the cascading effect of IL&FS. We have to be very careful while lending to them." About NCLT resolutions, Pradhan said the bank was ready to take a haircut of 30 to 35 per cent, which would raise its bottomline. He said the bank is targetting a credit-deposit ratio of 60 per cent by the end of the current fiscal. Its present CD ration is at 54 per cent. Pradhan said as the bank was operating mostly in the eastern and Northeastern regions, the CD ratio was low due to lack of industrialisation. He said the bank's operating profit will be between Rs 2500 crore and Rs 2700 crore in the current financial year. The bank reported an operating profit of Rs 540 crore in the quarter ending March 31, 2019. The bank's business volume crossed Rs 2 lakh crore in the last fiscal. "For the current fiscal, our target is to achieve a business volume of Rs 2.20 lakh crore," Pradhan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ruling out any possibility of BJP MLA's switching over to Congress after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results, as claimed by AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, the saffron party's state chief B S Yeddyurappa Tuesday dared him to spell out the number of seats the Congress party would win in Karnataka. The former Chief Minister also stated that the rift between the ruling coalition partners in Karnataka would intensify after the Lok Sabha poll results are declared. "What does Venugopal know about Karnataka? Which corner of Karnataka has he visited? I want to ask Venugopal how many seats you will win..tell me if you have the guts. Your's is a coalition government... tell us- you will win these many number of seats," Yeddyurappa said. Claiming that BJP would win a minimum of 22 out of 28 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, he said, "I challenge him, let Venugopal say how many seats Congress will win, leave JD(S). Their (Congress) true colors will come out." In response to a question by reporters' in Kalburgi about BJP legislators going to Congress, he said, "are they mad, why will BJP people go?" Venugopal on Monday had claimed that several BJP MLAs would join Congress after the Lok Sabha poll results as he dismissed speculation about the longevity of the coalition government in Karnataka. Congress leader and Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khantoo on Sunday had said Yeddyurappa was "daydreaming" about coming to power and claimed that around 10 saffron party MLAs were in touch with his party. Speaking about the differences in the ruling coalition, Yeddyurappa said people are fed up with the constant war of words between Congress and JD(S). Alleging that the alliance partners have "back stabbed" each other by working for the other party's defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, he said JD(S) state President A H Vishwanath's outburst against coordination committee Chief Siddaramaiah should be seen as statements of that party's supremo H D Deve Gowda or Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and not his own. Vishwanath had on May 10 raised questions about Siddaramaiah's performance as Chief Minister in the previous government and termed the growing clamour for him as the CM again within Congress as 'chamchagiri' (flattery). "The differences and fighting between both the parties will intensify after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results," Yeddyurappa said, as he predicted implications of the election's outcome on the political scenario of the state. Hitting out at the Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Minister Priyank Kharge for their comments against the Prime Minister, Yeddyurappa said "let them first win the Chincholi assembly seat (Kharge's stronghold) that is going for the bypolls on May 19." Mallikarjun Kharge had on Sunday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would hang himself at Vijay Chowk in Delhi if his prediction of the main opposition party getting less than 40 seats in Lok Sabha polls is proven wrong. "Also, let Mallikarjun Kharge win (Gulbarga Lok Sabha seat), let his Minister son make his father win and prove himself before speaking," Yeddyurappa said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Authorities in Northern Iraq Investigate Beating, Robbery of Assyrian Women Nineveh police launched an investigation into a reported robbery on Tuesday in the northern Iraqi town of Bartella that ended with the severe beating of two elderly Christian women and robbery of a mother and daughter (AINA 2019-05-14). "Nineveh Police Staff Commander Hamad Namis directed the formation of an investigative committee comprised of a number of specialized officers to investigate the incident of two criminals carrying out an armed robbery on the house of a Christian family in the Bartella district of Nineveh province," said Saad Maan, the spokesperson for the Iraqi interior ministry, in a statement on Tuesday. The two [elderly] women, a daughter and a mother, were beaten and had their belongings stolen, according to the statement. "Quick measures have been taken," Maan added. Two suspects with "criminal records" living near the burglarized house have been arrested, the statement detailed. Three Kalashnikov rifles, four hand grenades and seven military-grade knives were found in their houses "in addition to finding traces of blood in the house of the two suspects." They are waiting for the results of the forensic evidence to prove the identity of the "real culprits." A page called Ainkawa for All on Facebook posted pictures of the two supposed victims, but no names were provided. Rudaw was unable to independently verify the identities of those depicted. Ainkawa is a predominately Christian neighborhood in the Kurdistan Region capital of Erbil. It effectively serves as the capital for Christian advocates in the country -- home to activists, non-governmental organizations, and media. "An armed group breaks into the house of two ladies of our nation in Bartella and practices the worst type of torture against them. They are now in the hospital," read the caption. While the daughter appeared to be awake, the mother seems to be unconscious in the graphic photos. Muna Yaku, a professor of law in Erbil's Salahaddin University and an activist for Assyrian rights who has served on Kurdistan's Constitution Committee, decried the attack and considered it a systematic effort to drive the Christian population out of their homeland. "It is true that crimes could be committed anytime and anywhere, but some of them can't be just fleeting. Rather, they are part of a well thought plan to strike fear into the people of Nineveh plains and induce them to immigrate," Yaku said in a Facebook post on Monday. She claimed that the gold jewelry of the two women had been stolen. "What do we run from? Demographic change, a lack of services, crumbling infrastructure, the withering away of work opportunities, ethnic and religious discrimination, or lack of security," Yaku said. The plains of Nineveh province -- located in northern Iraq -- are one of the most diverse areas in the Middle East. It's inhabited by Arabs, Christians, Kurds, Shabaks, Yezidis, and other ethno-religious groups. The fertile lands contain disputed or Kurdistani territories which are claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad. Many of the minority groups in the area were forced to flee when the Islamic State (ISIS) took control of the provincial capital of Mosul in 2014 and threatened to overrun the entire country. Christian-inhabited towns and villages hearing of the atrocities committed against the Yezidis to the west along the Iraq-Syria border fled in some cases just hours before the jihadists came. However, many of their buildings and homes were destroyed in the conflict between ISIS and alliance of the Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga -- backed by the US-led international coalition. Less than a third of the 3,800 Christian families have returned to the historically Christian town of Bartella. Iraq's Christian population was estimated at 1 million before 2003. It has declined dramatically due to discrimination, conflict, attacks by al-Qaeda and ISIS. In addition to emigration fanned by war, many areas of eastern Nineveh are claimed by the predominately-Shiite Shabaks and Christians -- with the former garnering recent support from the Shiite-led Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries which have a growing influence in Iraq, as evidenced by last year's parliamentary election. More than 1.66 million Iraqis remain displaced after 18 months after the formal declaration of the defeat of ISIS by the government, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Nearly 500,000 of the IDPs call Nineveh home. President Barham Salih reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to protecting the Christian minority when he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican in November. "During the meeting, the President emphasized that the crimes of genocide Christians, Yazidis, Muslims and other Iraqis have been subjected to, committed by the terrorist organization of ISIS, were not related to the tolerant teachings of the Islamic religion..." read a statement from Salih's office at the time. Yemen's Huthi rebels have handed over security of key Red Sea ports to the "coastguard" but much work remains to remove military equipment, the UN said Tuesday. General Michael Lollesgaard, head of the UN redeployment committee, welcomed the handover "of the security of the ports to the coastguard", according to a UN statement. "There is still a lot of work to be done on the removal of the manifestations, but cooperation has been very good. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bike-sharing company Yulu entered the financial capital Mumbai by launching operations in suburban Powai. The company has introduced 80 bicycles which will be stationed across 15 stations to help people move around in a clean way, an official statement said. * * * British Brewing Company plans to raise Rs 100 crLounge bar British Brewing Company is looking to raise Rs 100 crore for expanding its presence in Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Pune and Jaipur. Mumbai-based Neomile Capital is aiding British Brewing Company to raise the money and will also be part-investing in the funding, an official statement said. * * * * * Games2win announces Rs 10 cr fund for gaming start-ups Mobile games creator Games2win Tuesday announced Rs 10 crore fund for gaming start-ups and entrepreneurs. The start-ups will get project funding to launch new games without having to sacrifice equity, an official statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (AP BSE) has released AP SSC results 2019 today at 11 am. Students can check their scores on bseap.org once the AP Class 10th Results are released. AP SSC class 10th results can also be checked on third-party websites like manabadi.com, schools9.com, indiaresults.com and examresults.net. As many as 94.88 per cent students have cleared the exam. Girls have fared well than boys in AP SSC result class 10 this year. A total of 95.09 per cent girls have passed the exam this year, however, the pass percentage of boys was recorded 96.68 per cent. among all the districts, East Godavari district has recorded the highest pass percentage. 98.19 per cent students have cleared AP SSC exam from East Godavari. Nellore district has performed the least with total 83.19 per cent students have been able to clear the AP Board class 10 exam. Out of 11,000 schools, a total of 5,464 schools have registered 100 per cent results in AP SSC result 2019. Among the best performing subjects, third language subjects, such as Hindi, Telugu have recorded the highest pass percentage. In Science the pass percentage is 94.42 per cent, in Social Science, 99.84 per cent and in Mathematics, 96.25 per cent in this year's AP SSC class 10 examination. The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam was held from March 18 to April 2. This year, a total of 6,21,649 students took the SSC exam under BSE AP. Steps to check AP Board 10th results 2019: Step 1. Visit the official website of the AP Board bseap.gov.in, or third-party portals like manabadi.com, indiaresults.com, etc Step 2. Click on the live link to go to the result page Step 3. Enter your name, date of birth, and roll number Step 4. Click on the submit button Step 5. A new window will open and your AP Board 10th result 2019 will be displayed Step 6. Take a printout for future use Check Andhra SSC Results 2019 - AP Class 10 Result via SMS SMS - SSCROLL NUMBER - Send it to 56263 Andhra Pradesh SSC result will also declared on the Kaizala app and the People First Citizen app. The result will also be available on AP Fiber TV. Last year, 92.43 per cent students cleared AP SSC exam. Over 5 lakh students had appeared for the SSC exam this year in Andhra Pradesh. A Sri Lankan software engineer suspected by authorities in Sri Lanka of having provided technical and logistical support to the Easter Sunday suicide bombers was monitored by Indian intelligence agencies three years ago for links with Islamic State suspects, investigators said. Four sources in Sri Lankan investigating agencies said they believed Aadhil Ameez, a 24-year-old, was the link between two groups that carried out the attacks on churches and hotels that killed more than 250 people and wounded hundreds more. Aadhil has been arrested and is in police custody, the sources said. His arrest has not been made public, but when asked by Reuters, Ruwan Gunasekera, the main spokesman for the Sri Lankan police, confirmed Aadhil was taken into custody on April 25, four days after the attacks. The spokesman declined to give more details. A police official at India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) and another police official in Gujarat said they were providing assistance to Sri Lankan authorities. Aadhil, who describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as a senior engineer/programmer/web designer with a masters degree in computer science and a bachelors in political science from U.K. universities, could not be reached for comment. He does not yet have a lawyer and under Sri Lanka's tough new emergency laws imposed after the attacks, he can be held indefinitely. His father, M. Ameez, who lives in Aluthgama, a town south of Colombo, denied that Aadhil was involved with the plotters and said such "allegations are lies". The Indian investigators said they had been monitoring Aadhil since 2016 and named him in two chargesheets filed in Indian courts against suspected Islamic State operatives as being one of their contacts. According to one of the chargesheets, reviewed by Reuters, he showed up in Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram chats with two of the suspects who are on trial for plotting an attack on a synagogue in the Ahmedabad. The two suspects Ubed Ahmad Mirza, a lawyer, and Stimberwala Mohamed Kasim, a hospital technician, were accused of planning "lone-wolf" attacks, according to the chargesheet. Lawyers for both men rejected the allegations and said they were innocent. Both lawyers declined to comment on the possible role of Aadhil. Aadhil has also been named in another chargesheet filed in court by the NIA for providing propaganda and online material to three Indians arrested in early 2016 for promoting Islamic State. The three men, Sheikh Azhar ul-Islam, Adnan Hassan and Mohammed Rafiq Sadique Shaikh are on trial in a special Delhi court facing charges of criminal conspiracy to propagate the ideology of Islamic State, recruit, raise funds and facilitate the travel of people to Syria, according to the chargesheet. Sheikh Mohammad Munawar, a cousin of ul-Islam, said the charges were fabricated and that he had no criminal record ever. Families of the other two accused could not be reached. Their lawyers were not immediately available for comment. Reuters was unable to determine when the Indians informed Sri Lankan authorities of the surveillance. The two officials declined to say whether they continued to keep Aadhil under surveillance after they completed investigation of the cases in India. Indian intelligence services warned Sri Lankan authorities of a possible attack at least three times in April alone, officials have said. LINK BETWEEN GROUPS Sri Lankan authorities have said two local Islamist groups - the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) led by radical preacher Zahran Hashim and the Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI) - were involved in the synchronised blasts in Colombo, the island nation's capital, and two other towns. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Two sources in Sri Lanka's police Criminal Investigation Department and two military officials said Aadhil was the link between the two groups. The groups used the dark web and WhatsApp to communicate, they said. However, investigators don't know yet whether Aadhil was simply a facilitator for the bombers, or if he was also one of the ring leaders involved in planning and executing the attacks. Last week, police raided IT firm Virtusa, where Aadhil had interned in 2013, according to his profile. One current employee has been detained for questioning in connection with the attacks, police say, but no other details have been provided. ONLINE CHATS India, with one of the world's largest populations of Muslims, has claimed success in foiling several Islamic State cells, mostly in southern and western India. Court documents reviewed by Reuters show that the online conversations between the Sri Lankan and the two Indians in western India, began in the summer of 2016 and lasted until the arrest of the two Indians in late 2017. The documents describe how Aadhil Ax, as he called himself online, asked the Indians if they had heard about the atrocities being committed against Muslims in Sri Lanka by the majority Buddhist community. He talked about his own experiences: that he had been in jail, that his house had been torched and that he limped because of beatings, the documents seen by Reuters show. Investigators and neighbours in Sri Lanka say none of these were true. The Sri Lankan investigators interviewed by Reuters say Aadhil made claims he was a journalist and a PhD candidate in some of his online postings, which also were false. They said they believed Aadhil, operating largely from his home, was a key part of the Easter bombings plot and helped in communications and training. "He was the main technology person for them," said one of the CID sources involved in the investigation. The source said Aadhil was helped in this by Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, one of the eight suicide bombers who detonated his explosives at a guesthouse after failing to do so at Colombo's luxury Taj Samudra hotel. About a week before the bombings, Aadhil met Jameel, Zahran the extremist preacher, and Inshaf Ibrahim and Ilham Ibrahim, the two brothers from a family engaged in the spice trade in Colombo, the other sources said. The latter three men blew themselves up in five-star Colombo hotels. The CID source said that Aadhil, Zahran and the Ibrahim brothers had leased land in Wanathawilluwa town in the north and set up a training camp. Police raided the place in January this year and discovered a large amount of explosives, but did not know at the time who had leased it. When police raided Aadhil's home four days after the bombings, all his computer files were found to have been deleted. "He seems to have played an important role in setting up communications for the attackers, helping organise meetings and training camps," said one of the military sources. Also read: Sri Lanka bans veil in public places after Easter blasts Also read: Sri Lanka attacks: ISIS claims responsibility for serial bombing that killed over 310 people The government is planning to raise Rs 10,000 crore by selling subsidiaries and assets belonging to Air India. The proceeds from the sale will be used to pay off a portion of the Rs 29,000-crore loan which the government had taken over from the flag carrier. The funds will be raised by sale of Air India subsidiaries Air Transport Services Limited (AIATSL), Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) and Airline Allied Services Limited (AASL), The Economic Times reported. The airline's offices in Mumbai and other cities are expected to raise Rs 1,400 crore, the report said. The government had transferred Air India's loans worth Rs 29,000 crore, out of the total debt of Rs 54,000 crore, and transferred them to a special purpose vehicle Air India Assets Holdings. The decision to divest in certain Air India subsidiaries and assets was taken after the plan to divest 76 per cent stake in the state-owned carrier received no takers last year. With this move, the government had reduced Air India's annual interest payment liability to Rs 2,700 crore from the earlier Rs 4,400 crore. ALSO READ: Prepare FY19 financials by June as PMO wants quick disinvestment: Govt tells Air India Meanwhile, the government has asked the airline to make 2018-19 financials for itself and its subsidiaries by the end of June in order to speed up the divestment process of subsidiaries of national carrier Air India. The government attempted to sell the debt-laden carrier in May last year but failed. In June, a committee led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley decided to scrap the stake-sale plan for the time being. Subsequently, the government decided to carry out additional fund infusion into the airline and pare debt by raising resources by selling land assets and other subsidiaries. Air India has a debt burden of around Rs 55,000 crore. ALSO READ: Air India cuts last minute flight booking prices, declares 40% discount on tickets "A meeting was held on April 1 under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary to PM in which it was, inter-alia, decided to speed up the process of disinvestment of AIATSL, AIESL and AASL," civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola told Air India's Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Ashwani Lohani in a letter dated May 6. In order to proceed with disinvestment process of Air India and its subsidiaries, audited financials for 2018-19 will be required, Kharola told Lohani. Aviation secretary Kharola also said the accounts for 2018-19 should be prepared with "utmost caution to reflect the correct financial status" of the airline. They would form the "basis of bidding". Contingent liabilities must be thoroughly verified. Moreover, Kharola added that "account receivables" and "account payables" must be verified and confirmed from the other parties. The secretary also asked Air India CMD to prepare a list of all pending litigations. ALSO READ: Finance Ministry reworking strategic sale procedure for CPSEs The adage 'good news comes in threes' certainly holds true for social video app TikTok, owned by Chinese startup ByteDance. In February, the wildly popular app announced crossing the one billion mark for worldwide installs on the App Store and Google Play, including its lite versions and regional variations. Then, on April 24, the Madras High Court lifted its three-week interim ban on TikTok, a significant break for the player since it has made no bones about its bullish intentions in India. And now comes news that it has overtaken US social media giant Facebook in terms of the number of downloads. According to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, TikTok recorded its best first quarter yet for new users in the quarter ended March, with 188 million new installs between January 1 and March 31. That's a whopping 70% increase year-on-year. On its blog, the app analytics platform added that TikTok's growth was "largely driven by India, where an estimated 88.6 million new users flocked to the app", posting an over eight-fold increase over the same quarter last year. So India accounted for over 47% of its downloads in Q1. In comparison, TikTok added approximately 13.2 million new users in the United States during the period, up 2.8 times over Q1 FY18. Facebook, which is also used extensively on the desktop, came in second with 176 million new downloads in the same period, The Economic Times reported, adding that the largest chunk (21%) came from India. At the end of 2018, Facebook had been the most downloaded application globally. "What we see is going to be unique in the Indian market is that the next wave of 200-400 million joining the internet might experience TikTok as their first social media platform where they can share special moments of their lives with not only friends and family, but also with a global audience with similar interests," TikTok told the daily. Recognising that India is a key battleground in the fight for eyeballs among social media companies - especially in the race to lure young, first-time internet users - TikTok is busy building up a war chest. Last month, even before the interim ban was lifted, its parent Bytedance revealed plans to invest $1 billion in the country over the next three years. It also plans to increase its workforce in India to 1,000 people by the end of this year. Significantly, TikTok recently embarked on monetising its operations in India and premier brands such as Pepsi, Snapdeal, Myntra and Shaadi.com are lining up. However, while TikTok's global push to disrupt a category long dominated by Western firms like Facebook and Snapchat is raising eyebrows, in terms of market share it still has to cover quite a distance to catch up with the biggies. As per Statista data, Facebook has 300 million users in India, while TikTok has 200 million, of which 60% are active on a monthly basis. Also, Sensor Tower data reveals that India's market share of worldwide downloads for all of Facebook's apps across the App Store and Google Play Store stood at nearly 25% in 2018, compared to 11.8% two years ago. Hence, according to experts, since the Chinese contender is limited to a niche category of short-form video, for now it still remains a distant threat to Facebook. At the same time the top cat can't afford to drop the ball. "It is crucial for Facebook to retain dominance in India," Sanders Tran, a data analyst at Sensor Tower, told the daily. "The country holds high prospects in the sense of having strong GDP growth and being the second-largest population in the world. Facebook is blocked in China, therefore India is its next best bet for acquiring large amounts of new users." Last year, Facebook released an app called Lasso that lets users create short videos designed to compete with TikTok. Also, taking a cue from the exponential growth of Tik-Tok in India, Facebook tied up with top labels in India to licence their music for use in videos, messages, stories and other creative content on Facebook and Instagram. It remains to be seen if these moves can slow down TikTok's growth in India. Harish Bijoor, a Bangalore-based brand consultant, goes so far as to tweet, "If you were a betting man, you would bet on TikTok". Also read: TikTok is back on Google Play, Apple App Store after Madras HC lifts ban Also read: WhatsApp fixes vulnerability that allowed attackers to install spyware on smartphones Jet Airways Chief Executive Officer Vinay Dube resigned from the company with immediate effect on Tuesday citing "personal reasons". He is the fifth top level official to quit the beleaguered company after its deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer Amit Agarwal and company's Chief People Officer (CPO) Rahul Taneja put in their resignation papers. The airline ceased operations temporarily around mid-April due to acute liquidity crisis. Most of the airline's board members have also quit in the last one month. Former Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had also resigned from the Jet Airways board as its Non-Executive and Non-Independent Director citing "time constraints" and "personal reasons". Other directors who have put in their papers include Independent Director Rajshree Pathy and top executive Gaurang Shetty. "Pursuant to Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, we wish to inform you that Mr Vinay Dube, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, vide his letter dated 14 May 2019, has resigned from the services of the Company with immediate effect due to personal reasons," the company said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. Vinay Dube was appointed the Jet Airways CEO on August 8, 2017. He holds bachelor's degree from Knox College, Illinois, and a master's degree from University of North Carolina System. The share price of Jet Airways fell almost 13 per cent on Tuesday. At the closing bell, the stock price ended 7.42 per cent lower at Rs 129.10 on BSE and Rs 128.90, down by 7.33 per cent, on the NSE. Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal collectively hold 51 per cent stake in the company. They both had resigned from the Jet Airways board on March 25, transferring the control to the lenders led by the State Bank of India. Meanwhile, Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based airline, has offered fund infusion of Rs 1,700 crore to revive the defunct airline but the UAE-based airline wants the lenders, led by the state-owned State Bank of India, to find a majority buyer and exemption from making an open offer in case its stake breaches 26 per cent mark, reported IANS. Etihad also wants a one-time settlement by banks with operational creditors. Edited by Manoj Sharma Jet Airways revival plan: Etihad puts debt write-down on the list Jet Airways to stop offering security services to foreign carriers New research from Bibby Financial Services has found that while 80% of Irish SMEs plan greater investment in their business in the second quarter of 2019, only 51% of UK businesses intend to follow suit, amid the uncertainty caused by Brexit. The SME Confidence Tracker, produced by Bibby Financial Services, is a national survey of over 200 small and medium sized enterprises across the Republic of Ireland and 1,000 businesses in the UK, conducted on a bi-annual basis. The research shows that 41% of UK SMEs believe Brexit will have a negative impact on their business, and 32% of Irish SMEs similarly seeing it as the biggest challenge to their business. Confidence is particularly low in the UK, where 57% of SMEs believe the country will slip into recession in 2019. However, despite the greater rate of investment in Ireland, the average amount invested by both Irish and UK SMEs has fallen over the last twelve months. In the UK the average investment figure stands at just over 65,000, down from over 100,000 in Q1 of 2018, while in Ireland SMEs are planning an average spend of 110,000 over the next three months, down from 142,000 twelve months ago. The research also points to the divergent approaches adopted by UK and Irish SMEs in their preparations for Brexit. In the UK, businesses have focused on building up their companys cash reserves (21%), establishing new supply sources for goods (15%) and greater stockpiling of goods (15%). In Ireland, by contrast, the main areas of investment are staff training and development (42%), digital and IT capabilities (33%) and additional machinery and equipment (33%). Commenting on the index, Managing Director at Bibby Financial Services Ireland, Mark ORourke said, "The research shows the differing approaches of Irish and UK SMEs in the face of continued Brexit uncertainty. In general, Irish SMEs remain more optimistic than their UK counterparts, and are focusing on investment in order to grow and future-proof their businesses as much as possible." He added, "Worryingly, however, over half of UK SMEs expect the country to enter recession this year, and there has been a marked reduction in investment in response to this." Source: www.businessworld.ie The Nordic Embassies in Dublin and the All Ireland Smart Cities Forum have today launched the first ever joint Nordic-Irish partnership for smart and sustainable city development. The partnership will see representatives from the four Nordic countries of Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden form a new alliance that builds on an existing EUR 6 Billion Irish-Nordic trading relationship for goods, while trade in services continues to grow. The new partnership aims to help match-make Nordic and Irish companies open to collaboration on new, smart and sustainable solutions to address some of the major challenges facing towns and cities today. Those involved believe Irelands reputation as a leading hub for technology and R&D complements the Nordic countries longstanding experience and investment in smart city solutions. The partnership on Smart Cities kicks off in earnest in Dublin today with Irelands first Smart City event in the Nordic Green format, where representatives from the four Nordic countries, Ireland and Northern Ireland will present cutting edge ideas and solutions on a range of Smart City issues. In total, some 30 companies will attend or participate in todays workshop and among the companies from the island of Ireland represented are ESB Networks, Irish Water, GoCar and B9 Energy. The aim is for the companies in attendance to find partners during the workshop to develop Smart City solutions together for the future. Speaking this week, Ambassador of Norway, Else Berit Eikeland said, "Our vision is to develop a Nordic Irish Green. We hope to develop a long-term partnership, to find more sustainable solutions for our common challenges." Vice-President Engagement & Innovation, Maynooth University and Chair of All Ireland Smart Cities Forum, Brian Donnellan added, "The Nordic-Irish Partnership for Smart Cities further strengthens long-standing relations between the Nordic countries and the island of Ireland. In the space of smart cities, there is significant potential to collaborate across industry, academia and policy in harnessing both the potential of the technology and the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of our cities and towns." Source: www.businessworld.ie Few American battles during World War II had as many top level people helping as did the Battle of Kansas in the winter of 1944. There, on wind- and snow-whipped plains, civil and US Army Air Forces teams struggled in deplorable weather to build and modify Boeing B-29s, while crews trained to take the airplane into combat. Dozens of B-29 wing structures fill the vast Boeing plant in Wichita, Kan. Their eventual success is a tribute to motivation, skill, and hard work under appalling conditions. This battle was of visceral interest to world leaders in the US, UK, and Chinanot to mention Japan. President Roosevelt was concerned that China, hard-pressed by the Japanese since 1937, might drop out of the war. At the Cairo Conference in November 1943, he pledged his word to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek that B-29s based in China would bomb Japan by the spring of 1944. In England, Prime Minister Winston Churchill worried that the enormous diversion of resources to the B-29 would affect the war in Europe. His fears were real, for at $3 billion, the B-29 was the wars most expensive program. It was also the most vital, for only the Superfortress could deliver the atom bombs created by the wars second most costly program, the $2 billion Manhattan Project. Weight Vs. Cost The B-29 was needed to keep China in the war until Japan was brought to its knees. Unfortunately, the hoped-for B-29 flood was dammed up by myriad technical problems and the Herculean effort needed to build plants and modification centers while simultaneously training the crews. The most challenging elementdeveloping correct doctrine and tacticscame hard, much later, at a great cost in airplanes, lives, and careers. The B-29 was an immensely complex aircraft, the most sophisticated, advanced bomber of World War II. Each of its major features might have taken five years to test under ordinary circumstances. Without question, the most demanding of all was development of its Wright R-3350 engine. Everything had to be rushed into being concurrently to fulfill Roosevelts promise. The Boeing Airplane Co. had kept up with new technology and routinely met its customer needs before and during World War II. Unfortunately, the Curtiss-Wright Corp., which began operations as Wright Aeronautical in 1919, bumbled toward senility during the same period. Buffeted by the Great Depression, Curtiss-Wrights management avoided risk and placed a greater focus on the bottom line than it did on customer requirements. The significant differences in the way each company conducted its business accounts for both the great successes and the many failures of the B-29. When challenged by the Army Air Corps on Feb. 5, 1940, to build a Hemisphere Defense Weapon Boeing pulled out all the stops to respond with its Model 345. This ultimately became the B-29, incorporating a very streamlined fuselage, a revolutionary high aspect ratio wing with huge Fowler flaps, and a tricycle landing gear. Other refinements included cabin pressurization, a sophisticated central fire-control system, and a flight engineers station to ease the pilots load. More concerned with weight than cost, Boeing created the ultimate World War II bomber. The Air Corps ordered more than 1,500 of them before the first one flew. Only one engine was considered suitable for this new aircraft: the 2,200 hp Wright R-3350. The Wright was a big 18-cylinder, twin-row radial that ran for the first time in 1937. Despite the power plants promise, Curtiss-Wright put the design on the back burner, electing to spend resources on mass production of its bread-and-butter engines, the R-1820 and R-2600. The R-3350 was thus denied the extensive test and development programs necessary to discover and cure its many problems. These included inadequate cooling, insufficient lubrication to upper cylinders, failure-prone reduction-gear design, poor carburetion, and an inefficient mixture distribution. All of these conditions resulted in excessive heat and sometimes fire, which fed upon the engines extensive use of magnesium. The R-3350 got its real test and development in combat, where engine problems brought down more B-29s than the Japanese. FDRs pledge to Chiang Kai-shek presented Gen. Henry H. Hap Arnold, USAAF commander, with a seemingly unsolvable problem. By the time of the Cairo Conference, fewer than 100 B-29s had been produced, and of these only about 15 percent were flyable. They were grounded by everything from engine fires to equipment failures to change orders. Fewer than 70 pilots were checked out in the aircraft, and there were few trained aircrews. Arnold believed Operation Matterhornthe strategic bombing of Japan from India and Chinawould require at least 175 B-29s, with trained crews, appropriate maintenance and logistics, airfields located within range of Japan, and full support from theater commanders. Boeing had a strong presence in Wichita, Kan., having acquired the Stearman Aircraft Corp. in 1934. There it produced almost 10,000 of its famous biplane trainers by 1945. Many were built in what was retrospectively known as Plant I after Plant II was built to produce B-29s. Although it took 18 months to complete after its June 1941 ground breaking, Plant II was in partial operation by June 1942. B-29 wings are mounted in the factory. The Superfortress was a complex, sophisticated aircraft that required a huge, well-trained workforce. Building a new plant was formidable, but staffing it with sufficient adequately trained workers was far more difficult. Many of the employees from the local population had never before actually touched an airplane, much less one as demanding as the B-29. A mammoth recruiting, training, and job placement task eventually created a skilled workforce able to reduce the man-hours required to manufacture a B-29 from more than 150,000 to 20,000. Less obvious, but equally challenging, were the problems faced by the thousands of subcontractors that also had to expand and train their workforces across the country. Arnolds Rage Companies that used to supply simple reels of wire and conventional plug-in connections now had to manufacture the complex wiring bundles required by the B-29. Cannon plug connections, sophisticated enough themselves, needed upgrading to withstand the challenges of mating a pressurized compartment to a nonpressurized area. Similar problems were found in most of the other components. Configuration control was not the science it is today. The revolutionary new airplane required thousands of changes over time, from new sets of wires to new types of Plexiglas. In the rush to complete the aircraft, changes were made on the spot on the production lines as the deficiencies were discovered. But applying the corrections on future aircraft made at other plants was difficult. B-29s were produced by Boeing at Renton, Wash., and in Wichita; by Bell in Marietta, Ga.; and by Martin in Omaha, Neb. Col. Leonard Harman proposed forming a B-29 Special Project Office to coordinate everything from production through flight training. His idea was approved and his boss, Brig. Gen. Kenneth B. Wolfe, took charge of the program. It became standard practice to fly newly manufactured B-29s directly to a modification center where the aircraft could be brought up to full combat readiness. These modification centers were vastly overtaxed, with such limited hangar space that repairs took place in the open, without regard to the weather. In early 1944, Arnold was already suffering from the heart problems that ultimately took his life. Despite this, he was determined to see FDRs promise of bombers in China fulfilled and visited Wichita on Jan. 11, 1944. Arnold walked down the assembly line and selected the 175th fuselage to bear his name, stating he wanted it delivered before March 1, 1944. All of the personnel involved in producing the B-29 worked hard to achieve Arnolds demand. Unfortunately their efforts were hampered by the innate complexity of the aircraft, continuing engine problems, and the slow delivery of key parts. The workers were facing a very steep learning curve. None of this mattered to Arnold when during a March 9, 1944, return to Kansas he found no B-29s available for combat operations. Furious, Arnold plunged into the problem, assigning Brig. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers as special project co-coordinator. The B-29 was to have priority over all USAAF programs. Meyers selected Col. Clarence S. Irvine as his deputy. With Arnolds rage as their clout, Meyers and Irvine imposed order on the chaotic program. Boeing sent 600 workers, and USAAF units were tapped for their top maintenance personnel. Anyone subcontracting parts for USAAF received directions to apply all their efforts to the B-29 program. Most of the workforce had been battling the long Kansas winter for months, working outside with temperatures hovering between two below zero to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Even as spring approached in March, the weather continued to hamper the work effort with large snowfalls. Often the cold was so severe workers could work no longer than 20 minutes at a stretch before going to warm up at one of the small gasoline heaters studding the flight line. Arnolds key deputies applied pressure on everyone to produce more and quickly. As they did, they began to regularize vast numbers of changes. These ranged from physically strengthening the internal structures of the aircraft with steel plates and new skin panels to resoldering thousands of electrical connections and replacing entire rudders. One perplexing problem was the variation in empty weight from one B-29 to another. Eventually it was found that allowable commercial tolerances in equipment and raw materials created a lap error sometimes as large as several hundred pounds. On the flight line, the R-3350-23 engines continued to overheat on takeoff. It was found that reducing the size of the cowl flaps slightly allowed more airflow without increasing drag. All of the aircraft were destined to receive a later model R-3350-3A engine which had somebut not allof the cooling problems solved. Electrical mechanics-in-training work on the miles of wiring in a B-29s wing spar. Because of new and revolutionary materials and features incorporated, the workers faced a steep learning curve. Flying techniques were also improved. One important new method was to delay the climb after takeoff. Maintaining level flight just after liftoff allowed a few more knots of airspeed, reducing the incidences of overheating and engine fires. The shortage of B-29s reduced the scope of Arnolds original plans for Operation Matterhorn. Ultimately, the US decided to build five bases in India to support the effort, plus four advanced bases in China to put the southern part of Japan in range. Among Japans blazing victories in the spring of 1942 was the conquest of Burma and severance of the famous Burma Road, the only land route from India to China. As a result, the bases in China had to be supplied by air. With insufficient conventional transports available, the B-29s themselves were used to carry fuel from India over the Hump of the Himalayas to forward bases. It was a dangerous task for the Superfortress, still untried and in short supply. In a management master stroke, Arnold reserved command of the newly created Twentieth Air Force for himself. It became a small-scale prototype of the future United States Air Force. Brig. Gen. Haywood S. Hansell Jr. became his chief of staff and, effectively, the commander. Under him, Wolfe had charge of XX Bomber Command. The new command was established with two combat wings, each of four groups. The implacable transport problems soon reduced this to a single wing of four groups. It was the start of the slow transformation of FDRs pledge from a war-winning China-based strategy to a show of force. Arnold had selected the right leaders to carry out his forced-draft plan and by April 15, 1944, 150 aircraft were combat ready. Low-level Firebombing Roosevelt realized his exact promise had not been fulfilled, but it was close enough. By May 8, 130 B-29s had made the 11,500-mile journey from the United States to India and China, arriving in immediate need of maintenance and repair. The B-29s, ready or not, were about to go to war. Unfortunately, the logistics and maintenance concepts of Operation Matterhorn had fatal flaws. There were not enough transports available to carry the fuel and bomb loads, so the valuable new B-29s took their place. Writing after the war, Gen. Curtis E. LeMay noted it was necessary to make seven trips in a B-29 to stockpile fuel for a combat mission from its forward base. On the eighth mission, the B-29 flew over the Hump carrying bombs. Brig. Gen. LaVerne G. Saunders led the first raid from China on June 5, 1944, with 98 B-29s attacking Bangkok, Thailand. The mission was a fiasco, with less than two dozen bombs hitting the target railroad yard. Fourteen Superforts aborted en route, 42 diverted to alternate airfields, and five crashed on landing. Things would improve, but only moderately. Ten days later, 68 B-29s took off for the first attack on the Japanese homeland since the Doolittle raid. Only a few aircraft found their target, the steel mills of Yawata, located in southern Kyushu. Losses included a crash on takeoff, one shot down by flak, and six others in accidents. Reconnaissance photos showed only one bomb landed nearbut not onthe target. Arnold replaced Wolfe with Saunders temporarily, assigning LeMay to take command Aug. 30. LeMay introduced new training standards, but was unable to do achieve significantly better results. However, he did experiment with the firebombing techniques he would use later against Japan. LeMay soon realized that the difficulties Wolfe had encountered made operations from China too difficult to sustain. The combination of inexperience, continued problems with the R-3350 engines, and adherence to the concept of precision bombing rendered the magnificent efforts of the previous two years moot. Japan was still at the limits of the B-29s range, and its targets were of a far different nature than those in Germany. The weather, particularly the jet streams, made operations over the enemy homeland from the attackers range unprofitable. Even the Japanese concluded the B-29s were a net loss to the Americans, costing great sums of money without being able to deliver significant damage. Despite the enormous effort, the Japanese assessment was correct. China-based B-29s dropped about 11,000 tons of bombs on Japan but without the necessary accuracy. A fully assembled B-29. By mid-April 1944, 150 Superfortresses were finally combat ready. Other battles, far more costly in time, materiel, and casualties than the Battle of Kansas, changed things. The capture of the Marianas put Japan within reasonable range for the B-29s, and limitless supplies could be provided by ship. There XXI Bomber Command under Hansell began operations against Japan with far more optimism. Hansell persisted in the doctrine of high-altitude precision bombing despite inadequate results. In January 1945, Arnold relieved Hansell, appointing LeMay in his place. High-altitude precision bombing techniques continued for a short while, until LeMay introduced a series of low-level firebomb attacks lethal to Japan. It was quite a turnaround. Initial operations from China indicated that the B-29 was a potential failure, but under LeMays leadership, the B-29 came to symbolize airpower. It offered, at an ever-decreasing cost in aircraft and personnel, the option of victory over Japan. Ultimately, two nuclear weapons provided that victory, one that might have been long delayed without Hap Arnolds furious management of the B-29 development program. Sadly, as the result of a final Battle of Kansas the magnificent contributions of Boeings Wichita plant will end in 2013, an unexpected victim of defense budget cuts. Walter J. Boyne, former director of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is a retired Air Force colonel. He has written more than 600 articles about aviation topics and 40 books, the most recent of which is How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare. His most recent article for Air Force Magazine, Miltons Climb, appeared in October 2011. Reddit officially announced last week that it is opening its first international office in Dublin. The new office space will be located in Dublin 2, overlooking St. Stephens Green. The company plans to build its "Anti-Evil, Security, Community, and Engineering teams" with two dozen new roles in 2019. These teams are responsible for ensuring the integrity, security, and health of Reddit communities. The team will work on core product development, site and user account security, and engineering solutions to detect and prevent policy-breaking content while also adding additional capacity for those teams coverage across time zones. Speaking last week, Reddit CTO, Chris Slowe said, "Weve always taken the approach that our users safety and privacy matters. As our first international office, we chose Dublin to tap into the tech talent pool and extend our efforts focused on the health of the platform and user experience." Source: www.businessworld.ie Chinas governments at all levels finally have a set of comprehensive investment rules to follow. The State Council recently announced the Government Investment Regulations, Chinas first administrative regulations concerning government investment. The regulations have been 18 years in the making. The process of formulating these regulations has been unusually complicated, showing how difficult it was to draft them, as well as how difficult it will be to implement them. Numerous difficulties must be urgently overcome in order to achieve rule of law in the area of government investment. For a long time, government investment was mostly regulated through normative documents, department rules and local rules, which lacked authority, didnt provide enough guidance and werent restrictive enough. This caused a host of problems. The new regulations come from a higher level of legislation, and are more comprehensive and binding. At the same time, the new regulations have benefited from Chinas recent experience of deepening reform in its investment and financing system, its reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, and improve regulation and services, and its local government budget and debt risk reforms. Clear progress has been made in many of the new provisions. For example, the new regulations say that governments and related departments must not break laws and regulations to borrow and raise funds for government investment, and that government investment projects may not be funded by construction units. This helps curb the growth of hidden debt, and control local governments debt risk. The new regulations demand that the state strengthen budgetary constraints on government investment funds and that the annual investment projection be linked correspondingly to this budget. This brings government investment in line with the broader reform direction of budget management. The new regulations also require local governments to treat various types of investment parties equally, without setting any discriminatory requirements. These stipulations are all worth praising. The difficult process of forming the regulations is a reflection of changing times. Drafting began in 2001, and a version was released in 2010 to seek public opinion. Official media outlets have repeatedly predicted that theres a possibility that the regulations will be released this year. This prediction finally came true this month. The root cause is how, in an emerging and transforming China, the boundary between the government and the market is the subject of difficult exploration, and the position of government investment is also only slowly being clarified. Additionally, global and domestic economic fluctuations in recent years, and the entangled interests of various departments, have also closely affected the process. The release of the regulations after all these years is less like the melon falling when the time is ripe but rather brings to mind the Chinese proverb: the arrow is on the bow, and theres no choice but to shoot. The fourth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee decided to clearly mention the creation and improvement of regulations to manage investment, and the hanging sword of local government debt is the biggest real pressure behind the release of the new regulations. The effective implementation of the new regulations will be a serious test for all levels of government. Will the implementation be as difficult as the drafting of the regulations? This depends on whether China can clear the various obstacles that once stood in the way of the regulations being released. All reforms progress differently, and its hard to make a judgment. There are some provisions in the new regulations that are more abstract and require further specification, while others require coordination between the development and reform and finance departments, among others. These imperfections still give the public reason to worry. The hardest issue to resolve when implementing the new regulations will be the reforms aimed at delineating the financial rights and payment responsibilities of central and local government departments. The new regulations say, the arrangement of government investment funding should fulfill the related requirements of reforms to delineate the financial rights and payment responsibilities of central and local government departments. However, no further details are provided. This particular reform has been talked about for many years, but progress has been slow. In 2016, the State Council released a guidance document, requiring reform in this area to be basically complete by the years 2019 to 2020, and requiring a clear framework for delineating central and local financial rights and responsibilities. The finish line is in sight, though many contradictions within the Chinese economy still point to the unclear financial relationship between government departments. The time and tide of reform wait for no one. At the same time, properly resolving the relationship between government and market is the root problem faced by government investment. According to the new regulations, government investment funds must be invested in public projects such as public services, public infrastructure, rural communities and environmental protection, for example. Nonbusiness projects should take precedence. This shows the central governments effort to clarify the boundary between government and market. The new regulations also say that the country will set up an adjustment mechanism to periodically assess the scope of government investment, and continuously improve the direction and composition of government investment. The market economy is dynamic, and the scope of government investment cannot always stay the same. Rather, moving forward in waves is undoubtedly the way to develop the markets decisive function in allocating resources. The shift from construction-focused finance to public finance was the real-world context for the drafting of the new regulations in the past two decades. This transformation, like the drafting process for the new regulations, has had many twists and turns. This is admittedly due in part to external factors like the global financial crisis. Unfortunately, a deeper reason is that the different levels of government became too entrenched in their various roles during the process of economic construction. At the moment, to weaken the role of the government in economic construction, and shift government finance toward providing public goods, China must continue to persevere in transforming the function of government. Otherwise, not only will the effect of government investment squeezing out private investment be difficult to avoid, the illness of local government debt will also be difficult to treat. The efficacy government investment is also worth our attention. The funds used for government investment are the funds allocated in the budget, and closely affect every single taxpayer. Therefore, in addition to implementing the policymaking and approval processes for government investment stipulated by the new regulations, there should also be an active effort to improve the mechanism for assessing the effectiveness of government investment. Deliberation by the National Peoples Congress, information disclosure, and public participation are all essential. Accountability is also an important safeguard for the proper implementation of the new regulations. The regulations devote more ink to the stipulation of legal liability and corresponding punishments, but there still needs to be seamless linking between the various ministries in terms of responsibility for managing government investment. In particular, the relationship between the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance needs to be further clarified. Investment is a major instrument of government power. Through the new regulations, the government is setting rules for itself the sincerity of this action is tangible and deserves recognition. However, we must guard against cutting corners during implementation, which will involve different departments on different levels. Some scholars have already suggested the passing of a Government Investment Law as soon as possible. This is a suggestion worth paying attention to. Now that the latest regulations have been released after an 18-year ordeal, the public hopes that effective implementation can hasten the process of extending rule of law into the field of government investment. MSCI Indexes to Include ChiNext Stocks for First Time By Liu Jiefei and Zhang Yu / May 14, 2019 02:50 PM / Finance Global index giant MSCI will add stocks trading on Shenzhens ChiNext board to its indexes for the first time, allowing foreign investors to tap the tech-focused board by investing in the indexes. MSCI has decided to add 26 Chinese A-shares to the MSCI China A Large Cap Index, of which 18 are ChiNext stocks, according to its press release on Tuesday. In addition, the company will raise the inclusion factor of 238 existing constituents in the index from 5% to 10%, which means 10% of total market capitalization of the shares will be added to MSCI indexes. After all the changes become effective after the market closes for the day on May 28, Chinese A-shares will have an aggregate weight of 5.25% and 1.76% in the MSCI China Index and MSCI Emerging Markets Index, respectively, according to MSCI. The move is the first of MSCIs three steps to increase the weighting of Chinese A-shares in its indexes this year. MSCI will increase the weighting of large-cap Chinese A-shares by raising the inclusion factor to 15% in August and to 20% in November. Additionally, the company will add mid-cap A-shares, including eligible ChiNext shares, with a 20% inclusion factor in November. Related: MSCI to Raise Index Weighting for China Stocks As of March, 1,021 P2P platforms remained in operation, according to the P2P research firm Wangdaizhijia. Photo: IC Photo As Chinas online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending industry undergoes a massive shakeup, a regulator is encouraging consolidation within the sector and across industries. Mergers and acquisitions are among the paths for some platforms to obtain registration qualification, said Zhang Yu, deputy secretary general of Beijing Internet Finance Association, an industry regulator. Zhang called for all players to step up the consolidation process and effectively revitalize existing resources. Some companies including retailer GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd. and Chinese internet firm Sina Corp. have approached the Beijing Internet Finance Association about possible acquisitions, Caixin has learned. Its not clear how many P2P platforms will qualify under a new industry registration system. As a result of the nationwide crackdown on the industry, more than two-thirds of the more than 3,300 P2P platforms have shut down. As of March, 1,021 platforms remained in operation, among which 13 lenders had loan balances of more than 5 billion yuan ($728 million), according to the P2P research firm Wangdaizhijia. An executive of a large P2P platform told Caixin that his company listed 140 potential acquisition targets in 2018. But even before it completed the due diligence process, 40 platforms on the list failed, and most of those remaining were on the brink of collapse, he said. Compared with consolidation within the sector, cross-industry M&A is more likely, Zhang told Caixin. As details of the registration program become clearer, he said he expects many internet players and large industrial groups to consider P2P licenses. In addition to GOME and Sina, Chinas e-commerce giant JD.com, state-owned China National Investment & Guaranty Corp. and real estate developer Gemdale Corp. were also invited to a meeting in late April hosted by the Beijing Internet Finance Association to discuss mergers and acquisitions in the P2P industry. Regulators have set a goal of starting the long-expected registration program in some pilot cities during the second half of this year and complete the registration of the countrys remaining P2P online lending platforms in the national monitoring system by 2020. Lending sites that fail to register will be forced to close, according to a policy document issued in January. But consolidation currently may face challenges because the timetable of the pilot program is still uncertain and there have been no reports of progress. Companies say they are worried that mergers and acquisitions may not guarantee qualification for registration. They also say it is difficult to assess the actual asset quality of acquisition targets. We cant judge whether the acquisition target is qualified for registration, a company executive said at the April meeting. If not, the acquisition would be a failure. If the P2P platform has legal uncertainties, the risk could spread across sectors. The regulator has proposed principles to assess P2P platforms valuations. It suggested that related parties in acquisitions clarify historical risks of a P2P platform in a written document. The original shareholders should be responsible for historical issues to reduce investors risks, the regulator proposed. Contact editor Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Cyber risks will soon become bigger risks than natural catastrophes for the insurance sector, Scor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Denis Kessler said, recommending the industry build a comprehensive, common global scale to assess cyber-related incidents. I dream of a kind of Richter scale for cyber security, Kessler said at a conference on cybersecurity held at the Bank of France, referring to the scale used to measure earthquakes. It would be very helpful to have measurement and modeling tools. Unless we can model, its very difficult for us to provide coverage. We have scenarios but not modeling tools. Cybersecurity experts and top executives in the financial sector as well as representatives from the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve and the central banks of Canada and Japan convened in Paris to assess the risk. Systemic Risk ECB Executive Board Member Sabine Lautenschlaeger said it was but a matter of time before serious incidents would hurt the systemic sector. To try and prepare for potential attacks, the Group of Seven currently presided by France will simulate a cross-border crisis next month. This is a world first and I am confident we will be able to learn a great deal from it, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said at the conference in Paris. Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy said the cybersecurity threats are a major and systemic risk to the financial sector as attacks are more frequent and public action on cyber attacks in the sector is sub-optimal. He said the crisis-simulations should be repeated to enhance the resilience of the financial system. The monetary impact of attacks so far was not so high, negligible. But I dont feel comfortable, calm, not at all, it is a question of time, let me be very clear, Lautenschlaeger said. She called on the financial institutions to review their information systems infrastructure, conduct stress tests and joint exercises to improve their resilience, she said. $600 Billion a Year While the cost of cyber risks has been small until now, the panel agreed it was only bound to increase. Kessler said the cyber risk could exceed $600 billion per year in the worst case scenario. That compares with the yearly cost of natural catastrophes, which he said is about $230 billion. The cyber risk would dwarf it. So it gives you a size of the risk, he said. Still, the demand for cyber risk coverage well exceeds the supply and this is an issue, Kessler said, calling for a re-balance of the situation. The lack of aggregated data monitoring incidents is partly responsible for the shortage of coverage, he said. Kessler said the sector needs to coordinate and also to partner with authorities to build databases and a taxonomy to share information, or a common vocabulary for policy makers and companies to use in assessing cyber-related impact on the financial or industrial sector. For Lautenschlaeger and Kessler, cybersecurity is shared responsibility and companies must invest to have better protections and understanding of the risk, they said. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Dutch company Wolters Kluwer NV makes the software on which many of the worlds small and mid-sized accounting firms run. Earlier this week, a cyberattack took down that software and presented a case study in how not to communicate with customers over a hack. The company told its followers on Facebook and Twitter on May 6 that, out of caution, itd taken some of its cloud-based software applications offline. But the opaque 48-word statement didnt explain why, and left customers frustrated and worried. Going dark as much as you have has done nothing to stop us from fearing the worst, one person replied on Twitter. Has there been a security breach? asked another. Martin Wuite, chief information officer at Wolters Kluwer, was trying to find out, too. Hed become aware of anomalies in his companys servers around 8 a.m. ET Monday after an automated monitoring system had flagged something was wrong. Customers were alerted immediately as soon as we discovered the issue, he said. When we detected the malware, we proactively took a broad range of platforms offline to protect our customers data. Wolters Kluwer, based in small town in the Netherlands and with a market value of around $19 billion, is a little known accounting software giant, providing services to health, tax and compliance industries. According to the company, 93% of Fortune 500 companies are its customers. While Wuite worked on Monday morning in Holland to uncover the extent of the problem, Amber Deiterich, a senior tax accountant at Collings CPA Firm in Tuscon, Arizona, arrived for work prepared for a busy week. Collings non-profit clients face a May 15 deadline to file their tax returns with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Failing to do so may result in financial penalties. Turning on her office computer, Deiterich noticed the software she uses for everything from entering client data to electronically filing tax returns, wasnt working. Shed become accustomed to periodic outages of Wolters Kluwer software which includes CCH SureTax and CCH Axcess since her firm signed on as a customer in the fall of 2018. But this time, something was different. A message told her the software was down for scheduled maintenance and wasnt expected to be up and running again until the next day. She tried to check the website of Wolters Kluwer, but that was offline too. When she called a customer support number in the U.S. a message said the company was experiencing technical difficulties. Then the line went dead. Deiterich turned to social media, where CCH customers across the world were complaining of the same issue. Almost 24 hours after the outage first began, she saw the short message Wolters Kluwer had posted to its U.S. Facebook page not a channel the company had used for such important communication before about its network and service interruptions. You could do a basic Google search and find out more than they were reporting, she said in an interview. Two years ago this week, the U.K.s National Health Service was one of innumerable institutions crippled by a cyber attack and a piece of malware called WannaCry. The malware attack has seen Wolters Kluwer join a growing list of high-profile companies and institutions that failed to protect their core assets from devastating cyber-attacks. Kris McKonkey, who heads the cyber threat detection and response team for accounting and consulting firm PwC in the U.K., said that attacking the software supply chain especially enterprise software that is used across a particular industry or sector is an increasingly popular tactic for sophisticated hackers, including groups associated with nation-states. In 2017, malware known as NotPetya targeted accounting software called M.E. Doc which was used throughout the Ukraine. From there, the attack spread around the globe, ultimately crippling operations at AP Moller-Maersk A/S and a number of other companies. Total damages from NotPetya are thought to run to a reported $10 billion. Security experts believe NotPetya was launched by Russia as part of an on-going cyber campaign against Ukraine. On Tuesday, about 24 hours after Wolters Kluwer confirmed malicious software in its network was the cause of the disruption. More products were pulled offline to try and limit damage. We have a deadline on 5/15 and need to be filing extensions/returns, one person wrote in response on Twitter. Wolters Kluwer, you are going to be responsible for any penalties and interest, another vented. During the outage, Deiterich said she and the other tax accountant who works for Collings, plus an executive assistant, sat idle. Unable to access their time keeping records on CCH, Collings missed its payroll deadline, meaning Deiterich and the other tax professionals will get paid late. Collings had considered resorting to old-fashioned paper forms to meet tax filing deadlines for clients, she said, but even doing that was problematic because all of the client data they needed to fill in those forms was inaccessible, stored on the CCH servers. Many of Wolters clients are small to mid-sized accountancy firms who rely on a whole suite of products. Both Collings CPA and the Tidwell Group, a firm of 200 accountants and consultants headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, use CCHs software not just to file client tax returns, but to keep track of their own billing and accounts receivable. We are one of the firms that has gone all-in with them, Wayne Jordan, the chief information officer at Tidwell Group said of CCHs suite of products. Without it, we were fairly helpless. On May 8, Wolters Kluwer published a statement to say itd created a temporary telephone support line, but with a caveat: While we may not be able to directly answer your question, we will forward your inquiry internally to the appropriate party. It wasnt until the afternoon of Thursday, May 9, that Jordan discovered service had been restored and he could electronically file tax returns with the IRS. He only found out by repeatedly trying to use the service, not through any official channel, he said. Communication was the biggest problem we experienced throughout the whole event. Even Wolters staff were kept in the dark. When asked on Thursday about reports about a malware attack on the company, one customer service representative based in Canada said We dont have any information so far, we dont know yet what happened. Wolters Kluwers Wuite told Bloomberg that the company had seen no evidence that customer data or systems were compromised or that there was a breach of confidentiality of that data, and that law enforcement had been alerted to the breach. There was no indication of data loss or other effects, nor any potential risk to client data, he said. Many products are now back online, while some of which were functional since Tuesday. Wuite said its working with third-party forensic firms to discover the root cause of the attack, but was unable to confirm which piece of malware and which individual or other entity was responsible for deploying it. McKonkey said that hackers will often try to compromise the servers that send out updates and patches to all users of that software, passing off their malware as a legitimate update. In some cases, the hackers target may be one specific firm that they know use that software and the other firms in the industry are simply considered collateral damage. This is called a waterhole attack, McKonkey said, because it is like hunters staking out a water source in the Savannah to find big game. If you get the right software, you are guaranteed to get a whole swath of victims in that specific area, he said. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topnewer brings energy savings to Bestway's Chakwal plant 14 May 2019 On 27 April 2019, Topnewer's commissioning team arrived at Bestway Cement Ltd's Chakwal plant, Pakistan, to commission ball mill No 3 following the replacement of steel grinding media with ceramic grinding balls in the second chamber to reduce specific power consumption. Topnewer was invited to upgrade the ball mill, having successfully installed ceramic grinding balls at ball mill No 2 in February 2018. By the end of April 2019, ball mill 2 had been running for 14 months and produced 1,005,683t of cement. According to Bestway, with this technology, the annual average specific power saving rate is 3.41kWh/t. After two weeks of technical modification and commissioning, ball mill 3 has been operating successfully. When the system was optimised, the specific power saving was over 4kWh/t. The Topnewer team has also succeeded in introducing its innovative technology not only in Pakistan but also to India. Commissioning work will start in the first week of June 2019 at Vikram Cement (UltraTech Cement). Published under A 200-acre development on Snow Hill Road got a recommendation for approval on Monday afternoon after a last-minute switch from a plan that included townhomes to single-family residences only. The approval from the Planning Commission came despite a number of residents voicing their opposition. Developer Billy McCoy initially asked for RTZ-Zero Lot Line zoning for the Sue Hawk and Robert Kelley Jr. farm at the 6400 block of Snow Hill Road. However, a representative from LD Engineering said, due to concerns of residents, it was decided to move away from the initial plan with 598 units to 453 single-family homes. Part of the tract is already zoned R-1, but part is not. County Commissioner Chester Bankston, who had made a motion to deny the RTZ request as soon as the case was called, changed to a motion to approve the R-1. He said many of those he had spoken to after a community meeting said they would not oppose R-1 as long as it was not over three units per acre. The latest plan is 2.27 units per acre. Commissioner Bankston said an additional public meeting will be held to review the new plan prior to a vote by the County Commission. The new plan includes 55 acres of green space, including an area of floodplain in the center of the property, the group was told. The Joshua Cains, who operate a wedding venue next door, were represented by an attorney, who said they had made a large investment based on the pastoral landscape. Neighbors spoke of dangerous conditions on Snow Hill Road and overcrowding at Ooltewah High School. Ruth Talley said, "It's already very difficult to get to I-75." Planning Commission member Chris Mabee said residents had legitimate concerns, but he said, "We are facing a housing shortage, and an R-1 product here would be a good fit." District 2 Hamilton County Board of Education member Kathy Lennon and Commissioner Chip Baker will hold two District 2 Community Budget Information Sessions for the public. The sessions will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Red Bank Middle School and Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at Signal Mountain Middle-High School in the schools theatre. Representatives from Hamilton County Schools will be present at the meetings to provide information about the school district budget for the 2019-2020 school year. The $443 million school budget includes a 5 percent raise for teachers and funds to hire more counselors, social workers, and staff to support special education and improving reading skills for children. The FY 2020 approved budget also includes providing at least five post-secondary courses or certifications for high school students and access to more STEM, arts and innovative programming. Improving school buildings is also a priority in the budget. More detailed information is available about the budget for Hamilton County Schools on the districts website. Click on About Us, then select Budget. Details about the FY 2020 budget can be found under Budget Transparency on the Budget page. The Signal Mountain Council has put off a budget decision, with other members not backing a 22-percent tax hike recommendation by Mayor Dan Landrum. The town of Signal Mountain is facing increasing expenses and reduced income and the council must decide what to do. A grant that helped pay the salaries for firefighters at the new fire station will soon end and the town will become entirely responsible for those employees. Multiple projects have increased in cost since they were begun. This leaves Signal Mountain to pay the differences from the original amounts that were planned. Paving has had one of the largest increases and, after the rainy winter that left roads in bad condition, the cost to fix them is extremely high. It now costs $220,000 to pave one mile. An additional 1.25 miles added to what was originally planned for resurfacing will cost $338,000. And, 2020 is the last year that income will be received from the Hall state income tax. A series of budget meetings have been held that began with a proposed budget created by Town Manager Boyd Veal, based on prioritized requests from department heads. He said the budget he created is balanced assuming an additional $700,000 is generated. One way that was suggested to raise that amount was adding an $18 per month sanitation fee instead of it being paid for from property taxes as it currently is. The recommendation of a 22 percent property tax increase came out of the budget meetings,and Mayor Landrum wanted to make decisions at the council meeting Monday night that would be given to the city manager for drafting the 2019-2020 budget. None of the council members were ready to commit to the large tax increase except for the mayor. Additions that were made to Mr. Veals original proposed budget included a five percent increase for all employees except himself. The council recommended Mr. Veal to be included in the raise. A $1 per hour raise for a police officer who also serves as the towns IT person and an additional 1.25 miles of paving was also recommended. Adding one police officer has been requested by Police Chief Mike Williams. This has been considered, partially to have an officer available for mutual aid calls with the Hamilton County Sheriffs Department which provides policing services to Walden. The chief said the population of Signal Mountain has doubled since 1980 but the number of police has remained the same. With the increase of people, traffic and the number of calls have also increased. Both Vice Mayor Amy Speek and Council member Robert Spalding had given prior notice of previous obligations and that they would not be available to meet when the budget talks were scheduled. The two suggested having another meeting when all could be present, despite the mayor pushing for decisions to be made Monday night. "Even though two members were absent, you met anyway," Ms. Speek told the mayor, and "found a solution which was to raise taxes 22 percent." She said she wanted to look at areas that can be cut back before voting for the large tax increase. Councilman Spalding would like for the public to come to the meetings and contribute to the debates. The council decided to have another budget planning meeting in May where the public is invited to participate. The date is to be announced. After recommendations are given to the town manager and the budget ordinance is written, there will be a first vote, and a public meeting before the second vote on the 2019-2020 budget. In regular business, the council passed ordinances relating to short term rentals in order to comply with Tennessee state laws. Short term vacation rentals will now be part of the towns zoning ordinance so that the administrative hearing officer can hear violations and issue penalties that can be up to $500 per day. A public meeting will be held on this ordinance amendment before the second reading on June 10. The town code was amended to do away with the $15 yearly permit fee and inspections for residents who keep chickens. The initial inspection and $35 fee will remain. After 10 years of allowing chickens, there have been no issues, said Council member Spalding. If a problem arises with no yearly inspections, they can be reinstated. A resolution appointed Laura Malone as a member of the Signal Mountain Beautification Subcommittee. The amount of $28,033 was approved to cover added work for the removal and replacement of the water line associated with the Shoal Creek Falls Bridge replacement. It is expected that traffic will be on the bridge at the end of May. A Dodge Ram 1500 for the fire department was approved at the cost of $32,757. InfoSystems has received System and Organization Controls Type 2 compliance certification, a designation developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants to provide external validation of security processes for businesses managing sensitive data. Over the course of six months, InfoSystems was audited on approximately 130 controls out of the total 186 controls the AICPA has set forth. (Controls not addressed during the audit were not applicable to InfoSystems' service offerings.) The audit is performed in arrears, meaning a company seeking this certification must have proper systems in place in advance of the audit period. We were evaluated on everything from data encryption, security training for our staff, alerting and monitoring systems, business continuity, incident response, policies and procedures, and physical security, all the way to background checks for our employees, said Fred Cobb, vice president of Cloud Services at InfoSystems. Going through the SOC 2 audit was a lengthy process, but its one we were confident that we could achieve due to our commitment to security and compliance. The SOC 2 compliance certification must be renewed annually, and a company seeking to maintain the SOC 2 certification must be re-audited every year. According to Mr. Cobb, as more companies migrate to managed services and cloud computing, data security is an ever-present concern. One of the hesitations we often hear is that customers feel they are giving up control of their data as they move information to the cloud, said Mr. Cobb. By seeking out this third-party validation, we are able to help current and prospective customers see that their data is safeguarded and that we are committed to the utmost level of integrity in our services. For additional InfoSystems information, please visit: https://www.infosystems.biz Friends and family members gathered in the Triangle to witness Bryan Colleges 98th Commencement Ceremony. Tennessees fiftieth governor, Bill Lee, served as the keynote commencement speaker. A seventh-generation Tennessean, Governor Lee resides in Franklin with his wife, Maria. After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he returned home to join the family business his grandfather started in 1944, the Lee Company. In 1992, he assumed the role of president. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a comprehensive facilities solutions and home services company that now employs more than 1,200 individuals and has won numerous awards for work culture and business accomplishments. He is an active member in his local church, Grace Chapel, as well as a devoted father and grandfather. The governor gave a moving testimony regarding his own faith journey and the loss of his first wife. He quoted extensively from Job, reflecting on Gods confidence in Job as a man of God, even despite tragedy. My prayer for each one of you, he concluded, is that you go from here and you walk through life with an eye on the prize. Dont look to the left and dont look to the right, but remind yourself of where youre headed, and know who you are and never veer from it. And the favor of God will follow you all the days of your life. In total, 151 degrees were awarded: 23 masters, 122 bachelors, and 6 associates. Timothy Hostetler received the Highest Scholastic Record award, an honor that goes to the senior who achieves the highest GPA with at least 112 completed semester hours. Gage Goddard and Hollen Christensen were both recipients of the faculty-nominated P.A. Boyd Award, while Grace Graves received the award for Most Progress. Timothy Hostetler served as the student commencement speaker for the graduating class, providing a time for seniors to reflect on their accomplishments and progress over the last four years. I challenge you to be humble, people-loving servants in your homes and the local church, and in the desperately needy world. When you live this way, God will be glorified. You will be satisfied. And you will truly be living with the motto Christ above all. President Stephen Livesay recognized two retiring staff and faculty during the ceremony: Dr. Ron D. Petitte and Dr. Sigrid Luther. The graduating class of 1969 were also recognized by Dr. Livesay for reaching the 50th anniversary of their own undergraduate graduation. Clown fish live symbiotically within anemones, trading cleaning and nutrients for protection and nesting grounds. Clownfish and anemones can be seen in the Tennessee Aquariums new Island Life gallery. - photo by December Media Jemma Craig (facing camera) prepares a sea turtle she rescued floating at sea for a CT scan at the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Center - photo by December Media A Green Sea Turtle, like the ones at the Tennessee Aquarium, takes a close up while swimming along the Great Barrier Reef, one of the largest sea turtle breeding grounds in the world. - photo by December Media Underwater cinematographer Jemma Craig poses for a selfie with a giant cod. Ms. Craig will be in Chattanooga for the premiere of Great Barrier Reef 3D on May 23. - photo by December Media The Giant Maori Wrasse, Wally, is a popular character among divers on the Great Barrier Reef. Posing for photos in exchange for handfuls of sardines, he is the ultimate photobomber. - photo by December Media One of the worlds greatest living wonders. The largest living structure on earth. An ecosystem of extraordinary diversity. Stretching for more than 1,600 miles just off Australias northeast coast, the Great Barrier Reef is the kind of natural wonder draped in superlatives and mind-boggling statistics that still struggle to encompass its splendor and importance. Actually a system of more than 3,000 interconnected reefs, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is considered the worlds largest living structure and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Sprawling across 132,000 square miles an area larger than the combined footprints of Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina it comprises 10 percent of the worlds coral reef ecosystems and is the only natural structure that can be viewed, unaided, from space. The GBR is home to 600 types of coral, 1,600 kinds of fish, more than 200 birds species, 30 species of whales and dolphins and six of the worlds seven Sea Turtle species. Each year, more than 2.5 million people visit the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to experience its abundance of life and stunning underwaterscapes. On May 23, the Tennessee Aquarium will host a special event to debut Great Barrier Reef 3D, the latest IMAX project by the filmmakers at December Media, one of Australias most experienced film and documentary producers. Narrated by Eric Bana, this giant screen epic offers the chance to experience the GBRs vibrant scenery and diverse wildlife on Chattanoogas largest screen and without the hassle or expense of an intercontinental flight. "Great Barrier Reef is an epic adventure into an incredibly vibrant, living world where we tell the story of the reef from the perspective of people who have an intricately close relationship to it, said film director Stephen Amezdroz. We follow researchers and volunteers who work and study on the reef and who are leading the efforts to ensure the Great Barrier Reef has a healthy future. We hope the film inspires people to get out and explore nature and become engaged in conservation efforts no matter where they live." Of the millions who have visited the reef, few can claim to know it as well as marine conservationist and underwater cinematographer Jemma Craig. The central figure of Great Barrier Reef 3D, Ms. Craig was raised in the heart of the GBR on Green Island, a tiny dot of land off the coast of Queensland. Growing up miles offshore, Ms. Craig was brought up surrounded by the majesty of the reef and in the company of a host of animals living in her familys crocodile and marine life habitat and museum, which theyve operated on the island since the 1970s. Green Island is visited by about 300,000 visitors a year, but Ms. Craigs family are its only permanent residents. As a child, Ms. Craig recalls that she and her brother spent much of their time learning all there was to know about their unique home and the amazing animals that shared it. All I would want to do was explore, Ms. Craig writes in a bio on her website, IslandJems.com. I was driven by the natural world around me. The marine life and ocean birds fascinated me growing up, so I spent as much time as I possibly could on the beach exploring and finding shells, snorkeling or diving the reefs surrounding the island. My family has given me the gift of a huge appreciation for the natural wonder that is sitting on our doorstep. Working with animals is fantastic. Great Barrier Reef 3D follows Ms. Craig to many locations in the GBR on a quest to aid a rescued Green Sea Turtle. As they follow Craigs journey, viewers will learn more about her distinctly personal relationship with her home and meet others working to safeguard this natural wonder for future generations. Along the way, theyll see astounding views of the reefs diverse animal residents, from gigantic Manta Rays and Minke Whales to newly hatched Green Sea Turtles and an enormous (and curiously friendly) Maori Wrasse named Wally. Ms. Craig will be on hand at the IMAX 3D Theater on May 23 to introduce a 7 p.m. showing of Great Barrier Reef 3D. After the screening, she will answer questions about the film and her experiences as a reef-native and conservationist. From 6 p.m. until the films debut, guests arriving at the theater will enjoy childrens activities, opportunities to get up close with marine invertebrates and music by Chattanooga-based didgeridoo player Jerry Wallace. Great Barrier Reef 3D will be shown daily at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater at 1, 2, 4 and 5 p.m. with additional screenings at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. After they experience the wonders of the GBR on-screen, viewers can further enhance their understanding and appreciation of reefs and other isolated habitats by touring the all-new Island Life gallery in the Aquariums Ocean Journey building. This extensive addition to the Aquarium features an enormous display of fish found in the Indo-Pacific reefs as well as exhibits featuring a range of other beautiful and cunningly-adapted animals found in isolated places, from glimmering schools of Flashlight Fish and vibrantly patterned Panther Chameleons to sleek Emerald Tree Monitors and colorful Clownfish. For more information about Great Barrier Reef 3D or to purchase tickets, visit tnaqua.org/imax/great-barrier- reef-3d . For more information about Jemma Craig, visit her website at islandjems.com. Great Barrier Reef Fast Facts The Great Barrier Reef stretches for 1,600 miles, equivalent to the distance between Chattanooga and Las Vegas. The reefs depth varies between the low-water mark on the coast to 6,500 feet below the surface. More than 600 types of soft and hard corals are found in the Great Barrier Reef, as are: o 3,000 species of mollusks o 1,600 species of fish o 500 species of worms o 215 species of birds o 133 species of sharks and rays o 100 species of jellyfish o 30 species of whales and dolphins o 14 species of sea snakes The footprint of the Great Barrier Reef includes an area about as large as Italy, Germany, Japan or Malaysia. Its about half as large as Texas. Visitation and study of the Great Barrier Reef has an annual economic impact in Australia of more than $5.6 billion, fueling about 70,000 jobs. The Great Barrier Reef has been used by native Australians for more than 60,000 years. There are about 800 recorded ship and plane wrecks wresting at the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef. These are preserved for tourists and as habitats for marine life. As graduation approaches for the Class of 2019, members of the senior class are preparing to go to college and begin the next chapter of their lives. For Zyan Wynn, a boarding student from the Atlanta area, his next chapter will come with a big assist from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Mr. Wynn has been selected as a 2019 Gates Millennium Scholar, and he will use his award to attend Princeton University in the fall. Mr. Wynn has had an outstanding career at McCallie as a scholar and student leader and was named the winner of the Campbell Award as one of the top students from the Class of 2019, said officials. The Gates Millennium Scholars Program, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to reduce the barriers to college for diverse student populations with a significant financial need. The program provides these students students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline area of interest. Zyan has been a leader on this campus since the day he arrived, Headmaster Lee Burns 87 said. He was going to succeed wherever he went to college, but this scholarship will help him reach his full potential at one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. The Gates Foundation made a great choice, and I know Zyan will take full advantage of this opportunity. Mr. Wynn has been involved in a multitude of service projects in his time at McCallie, and he is a leader in and out of the classroom. He has taken a leadership role in the schools yearly day of service during each of his four years at McCallie, and he has helped organize several charitable efforts and service projects. He served as a resident assistant in Pressly Hall this year, helping lead incoming freshmen through their first year on McCallies campus. Mr. Wynn will be awarded the 2019 Billy Michal Student Leadership Award by the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Zyan is the first McCallie student ever to receive this award. In 2018, he was a national finalist in the National History Day competition with his documentary film about Carter Woodson, the man who invented Negro History Week, which eventually evolved into Black History Month. His film was shown in the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture on the mall in Washington, D.C. Upon finishing their undergraduate studies, Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. Chattanooga's Charles Coolidge is now the oldest living National Medal of Honor recipient after the death of Robert Maxwell at 98. Mr. Maxwell, of Bend, Ore., was presented the medal for throwing himself on an exploding German hand grenade. The heroic act in World War II saved the lives of several nearby soldiers and a battalion commander. He was shielded only by an Army blanket and suffered permanent injuries in the incident in a small courtyard of a house near Besancon, France. Mr. Coolidge was honored for his valor in helping hold a vital hilltop position in France near the German border for four days under heavy German attack. Chattanooga has honored the Signal Mountain native with the naming of a park and a highway. Concerns about the growing measles outbreak both nationally and internationally should not discourage individuals from traveling. However, Erlanger Health System specialists say it is important to keep a few things in mind while preparing for summer travel. Before this years outbreak in the United States, measles was and is still a common disease in other countries. According to the CDC, an estimated 10 million people worldwide (including U.S. residents) are infected with measles every year. Until recently, the disease has been limited in the United States due to the wide use of vaccines in our country. The problem arises when individuals who are not protected from the disease become infected and spread measles to other unvaccinated persons, said Dr. Charles Woods, Chief Medical Officer for Childrens Hospital at Erlanger. Travelers, both internationally and nationally, must now be even more aware of the risks to themselves and others if they have not been vaccinated against measles. This is what travelers need to know, according to Dr. Woods, who is also an infectious disease specialist. Measles is an extremely contagious disease spread by a virus through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes. Handwashing alone is not protective. People who are infected with the disease will experience a fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes for several days before the skin rash develops. They are contagious during this time and for four days after the rash starts. Measles cannot be treated, but it can be prevented with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine. The CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination. The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective. Dr. Woods recommends that those who plan to travel internationally or even in the United States should: Research their destination and review CDC travel notices on measles at the cdc.gov website. Ensure that each person traveling in the group is protected either from laboratory confirmed immunity or has received the recommended vaccines against measles. The CDC recommends that families traveling with infants and young children get vaccinated before any international travel. Infants 6 to 11 months old need one dose of measles vaccine. Children one year old and up need two doses. The doses should be at least 28 days apart. Families with young infants may want to consider delaying their trips until the child is old enough to be vaccinated. The dose in 6 to 11 month olds is to protect infants who may no longer have measles antibodies transmitted from their mothers during pregnancy. As of this time, the CDC has travel warnings related to measles outbreaks in Brazil, Israel, Japan, the Philippines, and Ukraine. A 26-year-old Dalton woman was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison for the murder of her father. Hannah Celese Henderson entered a guilty plea before Superior Court Judge Jim Wilbanks in the slaying of George Henderson, on the evening of Oct. 13, 2018. Ms. Henderson pled guilty to felony murder predicated on family violence aggravated assault. District Attorney Bert Poston said, "Felony murder exists when a person is killed as a result of an intentional violent felony, regardless of whether the defendant intended specifically to cause the death. The aggravated assault charge merged into the murder charge for sentencing purposes." He said Ms. Henderson will have to serve 30 years from the date of her arrest on Oct. 14, 2018 before becoming eligible for parole. She was represented by Natalie Glaser, head of the Public Defenders Office for Whitfield and Murray Counties. DA Poston said, "The case was investigated by Detective Dwayne Holmes of the Whitfield County Sheriffs Office and received significant media attention because of claims that Ms. Henderson made on a recorded 911 telephone call that she had shot her father after walking into his bedroom and catching him touching her one-year-old sons penis. "Recorded 911 calls are generally released upon request even as they relate to ongoing investigations and can give false impression about a case before the rest of the investigative details become public. Detective Holmes investigation revealed that the allegation was most likely false although it becomes very difficult if not impossible to prove a negative that is to prove that something did not happen. "Investigators and prosecutors working on the case did not believe the allegations for a variety of reasons. The shooting took place on the other end of the house, nowhere near the bedroom where the touching was alleged to have occurred and the shooting occurred a good bit later in the evening than the alleged touching. "During the investigation, the Defendant admitted that she had accused her father of molesting her son two days earlier without evidence and based on nothing more than a feeling. As she was questioned about what led up to the shooting, her version of events shifted towards self-defense and away from provocation as initially alleged. "At her guilty plea, Ms. Henderson retracted the allegation, stating to Judge Wilbanks that 'it was a lie then and it is a lie now.' Ms. Henderson expressed remorse for her actions and stated that her father never did anything like that or anything at all to deserve what she did to him. "Detective Holmes investigation further revealed that George Henderson was shot twice in the head and that the Defendant was standing behind her father both times. The first shot was to the back of the head near the base of the skull and was a contact wound. That is, the muzzle of the weapon, a Ruger LCP .380 caliber pistol, was directly touching the victims skin when the defendant pulled the trigger. The first shot passed below the victims skull and the bullet exited through his left cheek bone. Mr. Henderson was standing in the hallway facing towards the kitchen when shot and fell to the ground where a good bit of blood pooled before he was able to move again. The bullet was recovered near the doorway between the kitchen and living room. "Somehow he managed to get into the kitchen and was standing at or leaning on the kitchen table when the Defendant shot him a second time. The Defendant again stood behind her father and this time reached around with her right hand and shot her father in the right temple area. The second shot was near contact, meaning that the muzzle of the gun was approximately 1-3 inches away from the victims temple when the trigger was pulled. The second shot went through the front part of George Hendersons brain, killing him instantly. The bullet was recovered at autopsy. "At sentencing, Ms. Henderson did not offer an explanation for why she had shot her father but stated that she was an addict and not a monster and that she understood the pain that she had caused to so many people and was sorry for what she had done. "Ms. Henderson had a history of substance abuse problems although no significant criminal history. Her father had allowed her and her son to move in with him and was trying to help her when he died. In addition to providing her a place to live, he had provided her with a car and with a food truck so that she could earn an income. As part of the negotiated plea agreement, Ms. Henderson agreed to execute two legal documents. One to surrender her parental rights so that a member of the family could adopt her son and the second to waive any right she might have to inherit from her fathers estate. Georgia law would have prohibited such inheritance and her sentence will keep her in custody until her son is an adult but it is hoped that the legal documents will make it easier and faster to settle the estate and complete the adoption." Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has Tuesday he would not intervene in the execution of death row inmate Don Johnson. He said, After a prayerful and deliberate consideration of Don Johnsons request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and will not be intervening. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to stop the execution. He is scheduled to die by lethal injection. Johnson was convicted of killing his wife, Connie, in 1984 in Memphis. Her body was found outside the Mall of Memphis. A garbage bag had been shoved down her throat and she had injuries on her head. He was 33 at the time and his wife was 30. Cynthia Vaughn, daughter of the couple, also asked for "Christian forgiveness" in the case. Johnson has become an elder in the Seventh day Adventist Church, and several Adventist leaders spoke in his behalf. Johnson was moved to death watch on Tuesday morning shortly after midnight. Death watch is the three-day period before an execution when strict guidelines are implemented to maintain the security and control of the offender and to maintain safe and orderly operations of the prison. During this period, the offender is placed in a cell adjacent to the execution chamber where he or she is under 24-hour observation by a team of correctional officers. Only those individuals who are on the offenders official visitation list are allowed to visit the offender during the death watch period. All visits are non-contact until the final day before the execution at which time the warden decides if the offender can have a contact visit. When your big brother is one of the most famous actors on Earth, you have to use that to your advantage every once in a while. And, Brad Pitts younger brother, Doug Pitt, recently used his brothers fame in a creative and hilarious way to promote Mothers Brewing Company. Brad Pitt | Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images Whats in the box? The ending to David Finchers 1995 thriller Se7en is one of the most recognizable scenes in movie history, and it has led to multiple spoofs over the years. However, the parody that Doug just starred in might be the best one yet. In an ad for Mothers Brewings new Doin Good orange wheat ale, Doug tackles his brothers role as Detective David Mills. But this time, whats in the box isnt his wifes head, its a six-pack of the new beer from the Springfield, Missouri-based brewer. The commercial is titled 6ix, and in the video, Doug Pitt shouts, Whats in the box? Tell me whats in the flippin box! Back in 2012, Doug starred in a TV ad for Virgin Mobile Australia where he played the second most-famous Pitt in his family. The ad campaign attempted to give Doug a glimpse of what life was like for Brad by giving him his first product endorsement. Unlike his brother, Dougs not a superstar, hes never been featured on the front page. and never made big bucks from a celebrity endorsement, says the ad. Virgin Mobile believe in a fair go for all, and want your help to make things a little fairer in the Pitt family. Its not just for beer, its for charity Brad and Doug Pitt grew up in Springfield, and Doug still lives in the southwest Missouri town with his wife of 28 years, Lisa, and their three kids Landon, 25, Sydney, 23, and Reagan, 22. In 2008, Doug founded Care to Learn, a non-profit that serves Missouri children who live in poverty. Care to Learn will receive a portion of Doin Goods sales because as Mothers brewing says: Doin Good is a beer for turning positive vibes into action. According to People Magazine, Doug is also the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Republic of Tanzania, as well as the director of WorldServe International, which is a charity that focuses on providing developing countries with water and sanitation solutions. Brad and Doug Pitt are still very close Even though Brad moved to Hollywood more than three decades ago, he and Doug Pitt remain close. When Brad split from Angelina Jolie back in September 2016 and she accused him of child abuse Doug was there for support. Doug has been a total rock, and he managed to really rally Brads spirits following his split from Angie and get him back on track, says an insider. Brad Pitt's brother Doug re-made the ending of the movie Se7en as a beer commercial, and it's as awesome as you'd expect it to be:https://t.co/2YHYpPKW5h pic.twitter.com/Ih4HnJgiLO Darrel Johnson (@Weather_Prof) May 5, 2019 The Pitts are a giving family Philanthropy is a big part of life for Doug, Brad, and their sister, Julie Neil. While Brads ex is known for her humanitarian work, the Pitt siblings have also traveled the globe to help fight world hunger and third world diseases. Like Doug Pitt, Julie also founded her own charity, and she has five children, including two she adopted from Ethiopia. The Pitt siblings grew up in a very, very tough Southern Baptist home, says Brad, and their parents William and Jane raised the trio with all the Christian guilt about what you should and shouldnt do. Brads back in front of the cameras Since his split from Jolie nearly three years ago, Brad hasnt appeared much on the big screen. There was his blink and youll miss it appearance in Deadpool 2 and his starring role in 2017s War Machine, but since the breakup, the majority of his work has been behind the camera as a producer. That will change this summer when he will star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie in Quentin Tarantinos new movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle introduced their newborn to the world, royal fans immediately fell in love with the sweet face of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. However, there was one thing that Markle did during the brief introduction that had moms all over the world cheering. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor | Photo by Dominic Lipinski WPA Pool/Getty Images Meghans subtle hint Just two days after giving birth, Meghan Markle looked stunning as she stood beside her husband and son at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sussex wore a sleeveless, double-breasted white dress from British designer Wales Bonner that featured brown buttons and a tie-waist, along with sky-high beige Manolo Blahnik heels. We now know who Prince Harry and Meghan Markle named baby Archie after: Tom Archer-Burton! https://t.co/FgfNod1yjO pic.twitter.com/wr7PfrXDmq HollywoodLife (@HollywoodLife) May 13, 2019 Markle was absolutely glowing during the photo op, and she made zero effort to hide her postpartum body. In fact, the tie-waist of her dress accentuated her post-baby bump, and it allowed her to subtly tell the world that this is the reality of what a womans body looks like after she gives birth. Meghan Markle is keeping it real New mothers always look to their friends and family for advice or do research about what to expect when theyre expecting their first baby, but what happens to their body afterward is not usually a topic of discussion. Babys take up a lot of room inside a womans belly, and when they exit, things dont immediately go back to the way they were. The baby bump hangs around for a while, and new moms often still feel and look pregnant. Meghan Markle Shares New Photo of Archie on First Mother's Day with Tribute to Princess Diana #PeopleNow https://t.co/kK2z0J7Oxt pic.twitter.com/9fixWqWTKa People (@people) May 13, 2019 Its something that most celebrities try to hide, but Meghan Markle wasnt afraid to show the truth about her post-baby body. As Madhulika Sikka from the Washington Post pointed out, Meghan showed the world something that many of her royal predecessors have covered up: what a womans body looks like a mere 48 hours after birth. Her simple and understated white dress did not hide what her body had gone through. A simple belt tied high above her waist, in fact, seemed to be an intentional signal. Moms noticed right away The dress immediately had moms everywhere talking. Its not every day that a female celebrity who just gave birth doesnt pretend like her baby bump disappeared in the delivery room. LOVE that Meghan has come to her photo call without trying to hide the after birth baby bump. Absolute icon. This is how 99% of women look after birth, and she is helping normalize it. She looks amazing and is absolutely glowing. Power to her and all new mothers! wrote a fan on Twitter. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle want to keep Archies birthplace a secret https://t.co/5ygR50c6nY pic.twitter.com/t52HQWJy79 Page Six (@PageSix) May 14, 2019 All throughout social media, women praised Meghan Markle for embracing her after-childbirth body. Even with the puffiness and the bump, the Duchess still looked beautiful, and its what many women loved the most about Meghans first public appearance as a mom. Sending a message Meghan Markles first appearance after giving birth was very different from her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, in a lot of ways. But, there was one similarity. While the Duchess of Sussex avoided the famous steps of the Lindo Wing at St. Marys Hospital, she followed in Kates footsteps with her post-pregnancy fashion. After she gave birth to each of her three children, Kate never tried to hide her bump, but her dresses didnt show it off like Meghans did. Kate was also holding her newborns during the photo calls, and their blankets always hung in front of her. Both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton showed off their postpartum body in their own way. And, the Duchesses seem to be telling new mothers that their bodies need time to recover after giving birth and theres no reason to hide it. If youre still wearing maternity clothes weeks after your baby arrived, embrace that reality. It happens to everyone, even famous royals. Kim Kardashian is having a banner year. The reality star just welcomed her fourth child with husband Kanye West and is currently studying to be a lawyer, with plans to take the bar exam in 2022. In spite of all her accomplishments, there are still people who insist on downplaying all of Kardashians accomplishments or maligning her intelligence. That kind of negativity would be hard for anyone to take, but it seems as though Kardashian has the right mindset about it and some inspiring advice that she received from her late father helps her to tackle each days challenges with determination and positivity. Kim Kardashian | Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank Who was Kim Kardashians father? Long before Keeping Up With the Kardashians was E!s most successful show, the Kardashian family lived a much more modest existence in the California suburb of Calabasas. Robert Kardashian was a very prominent lawyer, who shot to fame after he defended his friend, O.J. Simpson, in his 1995 murder trial. The Kardashian family included Robert Kardashian, his ex-wife Kris Jenner, and their four children, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob Kardashian. Although Kris Jenner married former Olympian Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) after her divorce from her first husband, the entire family stayed very close. The Kardashian sisters even lived with their father for a time, learning some of his trade and growing even closer to him as they entered young adulthood. Tragically, Robert Kardashian died of esophageal cancer in 2003, but his influence lives on through his children. His middle daughter, Kim Kardashian, has often spoken out about her father, and how much his wise words have meant to her over the years. What was his advice for her? In an interview with Elle magazine, Kim Kardashian opened up about how a specific memory of her father has helped her to remain confident even in the face of adversity. Kardashian states that when she was 13 years old, and struggling with body image, the senior Kardashian wrote her a letter, designed to build her self-esteem. The letter from her father told her that while she would eventually grow into her figure, and many men would want to be familiar with her because of her body, the most important thing was for her to understand her own sense of self-worth. This advice has helped Kardashian keep perspective on her fame, and also to understand that it doesnt really matter how other people view her. Being happy with ones self is by far the most important thing in life. How her fathers influence stays with her Robert Kardashians legacy lives on in Kim Kardashian in ways besides the strong sense of self-worth that he instilled in her. His dedication to the pursuit of justice has enabled her to take on a whole new direction in life. Even though she has a thriving career and a happy family, Kardashian recently decided that she wanted to use her privilege to take on criminal justice reform. She admitted that she couldnt look away from people who needed her help (such as the first woman she was able to help free from prison, Alice Marie Johnson), and to that end, is studying to become a lawyer, even though she never actually attended college. Kardashian will be able to achieve her goal through a lot of studying, and by working as an apprentice at a law firm in California. Even though at one point, her father told her that being a lawyer would cause her a lot of stress, Kardashian is committed. Hopefully, in the coming years, she will able to think of her late father when she needs just the right burst of inspiration. Merck significantly increased net sales in the first quarter of 2019, primarily on an organic basis. By contrast, EBITDA pre saw a slight organic decline and was adversely impacted by the absence of positive one-time effects from the previous year. Merck confirmed its full-year forecast for organic performance. Our focus on innovation-driven businesses is paying off. We achieved organic sales growth in all three of our business sectors. Regionally, Asia is a particularly strong growth market, said Stefan Oschmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck. For the full year, we continue to assume that the Group will achieve growth for its key figures: sales, EBITDA pre and EPS pre. Net sales of the Merck Group rose by 7.5% to 3.7 billion in the first quarter (Q1 2018: 3.5 billion). Organically, Group sales increased by 5.7%, driven by all three business sectors. Currency-driven sales increases of 2.0% were primarily due to the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen. EBITDA pre, the Groups most important earnings indicator, declined by -4.0% to 929 million in the first quarter (Q1 2018: 967 million). Organically, EBITDA pre declined by -2.0%; positive one-time effects in the year-earlier quarter in the Healthcare business sector created a high comparative basis. Additionally, there were negative exchange rate effects of -1.6% and a portfolio impact of -0.4%. Group EBIT declined by -24.6% to 379 million (Q1 2018: 502 million). This was due to the absence of one-time effects as well as exchange rate factors. Along with lower EBIT, net income decreased in the first quarter by -44.7% to 189 million (Q1 2018: 341 million). Earnings per share declined from 0.78 to 0.43. Earnings per share pre decreased by -15.4% to 1.13 (Q1 2018: 1.33). Net financial debt of Merck increased in the first quarter by 389 million over December 31, 2018 to 7.1 billion (Dec. 31, 2018: 6.7 billion). This mainly reflected the first-time application of the new accounting standard on leases (IFRS 16). Merck is committed to preserving its strong investment grade credit rating, also after completing the Versum acquisition. Merck had 52,140 employees worldwide on March 31, 2019 compared with 53,358 employees on March 31, 2018. Healthcare benefits from new medicines The Healthcare business sector generated organic sales growth of 2.9% in the first quarter. Including slightly positive foreign exchange effects of 0.4%, net sales of Healthcare amounted to 1.5 billion (Q1 2018: 1.4 billion). On the one hand, organic growth was driven by the General Medicine & Endocrinology franchise as well as by the Fertility franchise. In addition, the two new medicines Mavenclad and Bavencio contributed significantly to the positive development. Sales of Mavenclad, an oral medicine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, rose sharply to 43 million (Q1 2018: 13 million). Sales of the immuno-oncology drug Bavencio totaled 22 million (Q1 2018: 12 million). At the end of March 2019, Mavenclad was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and thus in the largest single regional market for this medicine. Merck has also filed for further approvals of Bavencio. The regulatory authorities in the United States, Europe and Japan are reviewing the filing for Bavencio in combination with Inlyta from Pfizer in the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. In the first quarter, sales of Rebif, which is used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, declined organically by -16.4%, particularly as a result of the persistently challenging competitive environment in North America. Including currency tailwinds of 2.1%, Rebif sales amounted to 299 million (Q1 2018: 348 million). At 199 million, sales of the oncology medicine Erbitux were at the previous years level (Q1 2018: 200 million). Organic growth of 1.6% was more than offset by exchange rate effects of -1.9%. Gonal-f, the leading recombinant hormone for the treatment of infertility, remained stable organically, generating sales of 168 million (Q1 2018: 166 million). The other products in the Fertility portfolio generated double-digit organic growth rates. The General Medicine & Endocrinology franchise, which commercializes medicines to treat cardiovascular diseases, thyroid disorders, diabetes and growth disorders, among other things, generated very strong organic growth of 9.5% with net sales increasing to 570 million (Q1 2018: 520 million). EBITDA pre of Healthcare declined organically in the first quarter by -13.9%. Including a slightly positive exchange rate effect of 1.0%, it amounted to 332 million (Q1 2018: 381 million). However, the year-earlier quarter was positively impacted by one-time effects, which created a high comparative basis. This relates mainly to a milestone payment from BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., USA, amounting to 50 million. An important element of Mercks strategy in the Healthcare sector is the alliance entered into in February with GlaxoSmithKline plc., UK, (GSK) to co-develop and co-commercialize the investigational immunotherapy bintrafusp alfa (M7824), which was discovered in-house at Merck. The agreement has a potential overall value of up to 3.7 billion. According to the agreement with GSK, Merck is entitled to an upfront payment of 300 million, which however did not have any effect on earnings in the first quarter. Overall, eight clinical programs for this novel immunotherapy will be in progress or initiated this year. Life Science increases profitability thanks to strong organic growth In the first quarter, the Life Science business sector generated very strong organic sales growth of 9.4%, which was driven by all three business units. In addition, favorable exchange rate effects increased sales by 2.8%; the divestment of the Flow Cytometry business lowered sales by -0.5%. In the first quarter, net sales of the Life Science business sector rose overall by 11.7% to 1.7 billion (Q1 2018: 1.5 billion). At 15.1%, the Process Solutions business unit, which markets products and services for the entire pharmaceutical production value chain, delivered the strongest organic sales increase within Life Science in the first quarter. This was driven mainly by the BioProcessing business field. Here, Merck is working on highly promising new technologies such as the BioContinuum platform, with which Life Science wants to significantly simplify and accelerate the complex manufacturing process for biotech medicines for its customers in the coming years. Including a positive foreign exchange impact of 3.5%, net sales of Process Solutions totaled 700 million in the first quarter (Q1 2018: 590 million). The Research Solutions business unit, which provides products and services to support life science research for pharmaceutical, biotechnological and academic research laboratories, generated organic sales growth of 4.0%. Supported by positive foreign exchange effects of 2.6%, net sales of Research Solutions amounted to 543 million (Q1 2018: 509 million). With its broad range of products for researchers as well as scientific and industrial laboratories, the Applied Solutions business unit recorded strong organic sales growth of 7.7% in the first quarter of 2019. Including positive foreign exchange effects of 1.9%, Applied Solutions generated net sales of 418 million (Q1 2018: 388 million). In the first quarter, the Life Science business sector generated a 13.5% increase in EBITDA pre to 516 million (Q1 2018: 455 million); this increase was mainly due to organic growth of 13.4%. The EBITDA pre margin of Life Science improved to 31.0% (Q1 2018: 30.6%). Performance Materials continues to grow organically As in the preceding three quarters, the Performance Materials business sector delivered organic sales growth in the first quarter. The increase of 3.2% was supported by positive exchange rate effects amounting to 3.9%. Consequently, net sales of Performance Materials grew by 7.1% to 604 million (Q1 2018: 564 million). Sales of the Semiconductor Solutions business unit, which comprises the business with materials used in integrated circuit production, remained roughly stable in the first quarter, amounting to 145 million. Overall, at 128 million, net sales of the Surface Solutions business unit in the first quarter were slightly lower than in the year-earlier period. The Display Solutions business unit generated very good organic growth in its business with OLED materials and liquid crystal technologies. The Liquid Crystals business continued to benefit from projects by panel manufacturers to build up production capacities in China. Sales of Display Solutions amounted to 331 million in the first quarter. EBITDA pre of Performance Materials fell by -1.6% to 193 million (Q1 2018: 196 million). The organic decline of -8.5% stemmed mainly from price declines, but was partly offset by positive foreign exchange effects of 6.8%. At 31.9%, the EBITDA pre margin was below the year-earlier figure (Q1 2018: 34.7%), however it exceeded the long-term target of 30%. Apart from organic growth, Merck is counting on targeted acquisitions in order to expand the position of Performance Materials as a leading supplier of electronic materials. For instance, on April 12, Merck signed a definitive agreement to acquire Versum Materials, Inc., USA, for US$ 53 per share, corresponding to a company value of around US$ 6.5 billion. Versum is one of the world's leading suppliers of innovation-driven, high-purity process chemicals, gases and equipment for semiconductor manufacturing. In addition, on May 6, Merck signed a definitive agreement to acquire Intermolecular Inc., USA, for US$ 1.20 per share, corresponding to an equity value of approximately US$ 62 million. The testing and fabrication capabilities of this U.S.-based company enable material combinations to be tested directly within the specific target application, permitting major time reductions in the development process. Merck confirms and specifies organic outlook for the full year Following a solid first quarter, Merck continues to expect for the full year 2019 a moderate organic net sales increase of +3% to +5% over the previous year. In addition, the U.S. dollar and various emerging market currencies, particularly in Latin America, developed more favorably than assumed at the beginning of the year. Therefore, Merck assumes that exchange rate changes will have a slightly positive effect of 0% to +2% on net sales growth over 2018 (previously: -1% to -2%). Merck now forecasts Group net sales of 15.3 billion to 15.9 billion for 2019. According to Mercks expectations, in 2019 Group EBITDA pre will be in a corridor between 4.15 billion and 4.35 billion (2018: 3.80 billion). Merck confirms its original expectation of a strong organic increase of +10% to +13% in EBITDA pre compared with the previous year. Owing to the updated exchange rate assumption, Merck expects a slightly positive effect of 0% to +2% (previously: -3% to -4%) compared with 2018. A Vermont bill declaring abortion a fundamental right that cannot be infringed is headed to the desk of the states Republican governor. The bill, H. 57, cleared its final hurdle Friday, thrusting the state into a national debate over the unborn. The Vermont Right to Life Committee is calling the bill the most radical anti-life legislation in the nation. Democrats control both chambers. It passed the Senate, 24-6, and the House, 106-37. Republican Gov. Phil Scott is pro-choice, although its not known if he will sign it. The State of Vermont recognizes the fundamental right of every individual who becomes pregnant to choose to carry a pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to have an abortion, the bills text says. Additionally, the bill says the states public entities shall not interfere with an individuals fundamental rights to choose to carry a pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to obtain an abortion. The bill defines public entity as the Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Branch of State Government. The bill even protects women who perform their own abortions. No State or local law enforcement shall prosecute any individual for inducing, performing, or attempting to induce or perform the individuals own abortion, it says. Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington, Vt., said he hopes women choose life, despite what the law allows. I am disappointed that Vermont legislators have decided to move forward with H. 57, even amid many strong, authentic, and educated testimonies in opposition to the bill, Coyne told Catholic News Agency. Regardless of what the law allows, I hope that women will feel safe and supported in their pregnancies and motherhood and choose life for their children no matter the circumstances. Related: 2nd Governor Vetoes Bill Protecting Babies Who Survive Abortion Woman Who Survived Moms Abortion Tells Democratic Senators: I Do Exist Wisconsin Governor Says He Will Veto Bill Banning Infanticide '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: Getty Images/Kagenmi Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ.Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ. The word of God was sweet to my taste, yea sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Christ was revealed to my soul as the chiefest among ten thousand, wrote an 18th-century British seaman in 1789 as he reflected on his conversion that occurred five years previously. This Christian was a previously enslaved man known as Gustavus Vassa, who, through writing his own life story, became the founder of a literary movement known as slave narratives. His work was published under his birth name: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. A resident of London during the 1780s, Equiano became involved in British abolitionism and was a vocal opponent of the slave trade and slavery until his death in 1797. His Interesting Narrative served as the foremost abolitionist writing of the day because he was an African voice that described the violence and degradation of the slave trade and of slavery itself. Equianos narrative spurred nine English editions through 1794 and was published in Dutch, French, and Russian. Distinguishing itself from the arguments of abolitionists Thomas Clarkson and John Newton, Equianos Christian argument against the slave trade and slavery proved historically unique because he wrote about the horror of slavery, having experienced it firsthand. In his memoir, he drew connections between his traumatic life experiences and meeting God: Now every leading providential circumstance that happened to me, from the day I was taken from my parents to that hour, was then, in my view, as if it had but just then occurred. I was sensible of the invisible hand of God, which guided and protected me, when in truth I knew it not: still the Lord pursued me. Life in Igboland Much of what we know today about Equiano comes through his own words. According to his Interesting Narrative, the author was born in what is now eastern Nigeria, in Igboland, in 1745. (Note: While historians have questioned his account, after reading their arguments and doing my own assessment of the documents, I am inclined to trust the veracity of Equianos story.) Unlike accounts of enslaved people that begin in the Western Hemisphere, Equiano introduces his readers to his homeland and people and focuses on the type of government established in his Igbo village, as well as his communitys marriage customs, arts, and agriculture. According to Equiano, one of the Igbo communitys key beliefs was in a Creator of all things who governs events, especially our deaths and captivity. It was this Igbo predestinarian conviction among Igbos that likely made it easier for Equiano to accept the Christian doctrine of the Providence of God and is a major theme of the work. His writings also compare Igbo and ancient Israelite practices, noting Igbo circumcision, and suggest that Igbo and Jewish naming practices are similar because the two cultures name their children in light of an important event or a notable circumstance surrounding ones birth. In fact, the text goes so far as to argue that Igbosall Africans in factoriginated from the Jews. As one of only a handful of 18th-century Afro-British writers, Equiano makes the countercultural argument that Igbos (and Africans) are equal image-bearers to Europeans, and they live in functioning societies complete with a sexual division of labor, a robust system of justice, and a complex religious system. Equianos description of his people contains none of the stereotypes that Europeans employed to paint Africans as savages. Further, he refutes the idea that darker skin denoted inferiority, instead, drawing upon European writings that argued that climate produced dark skin. He also turns to the Bible, citing Acts 17:26: God who hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. The End of Innocence Equiano was 11 years old when Igbo-speaking slave catchers stole him and his sister away from their home. But he wasnt immediately shipped off to the British colonies. Instead, he worked as a slave in numerous households in what is now Nigeria before reaching the coast. While enslaved in his homeland, kidnappers kept Equiano separated from his sister. In his memoir, he writes that he grew to the point where he yearned for death. While he did not record any harsh thoughts he had about his African masters and mistresses, Equiano had choice words for African slave catchers and called them uncircumcised. After about half a year, Equiano arrived on the west coast of Africa, where he was sold once more to European slave traders, and then boarded a slave ship bound for the Caribbean. Equiano refers to his treatment by European slave traders in the Middle Passage as a new refinement in cruelty and paints a picture of a harrowing journey on board a slave ship. No other slave narrative offers an account of the ship ride as lengthy or descriptive as Equianos; he describes the filthy living conditions he and fellow Africans endured, the suicide of a couple of captives, and other types of cruelties hurled at him and his shipmates. At the end of his account of the Middle Passage, Equiano pauses his narrative and addresses the reader: Might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? The slave vessel carried Equiano to Barbados, the eastern-most Caribbean island and an inglorious port of entry for thousands of captive Africans. Equiano remained in Barbados for only two weeks before embarking on another voyage to Virginia. He remained there briefly before he was purchased by Michael Henry Pascal, a lieutenant in the British Royal Navy. Under the ownership of Pascal, Equiano traveled to England, was baptized into the Church of England in 1759, and learned that his baptized state afforded him his freedom. But this legality did little for Equiano. After serving his master for a number of yearseven serving in the Seven Years War (French and Indian War)Pascal decided to sell Equiano. Upon learning this, Equiano protested, arguing that Pascal had no right to sell him because he had been baptized; and by the laws of the land no man has a right to sell me. Unfortunately for Equiano, there was no law; he once more had to swallow the bitter pill of slavery in the Atlantic World. About a century before, British colonies had ruled that baptism had no bearing on the status of an enslaved African. Early in his time as an enslaved boy on a ship, Equiano became obsessed with learning how to read after he saw English people onboard poring over books. During a stay in London in the late 1750s, Equiano worked for two sisters who sent him to school where he began to learn to read and write. After living on the confines of Navy vessels in the Atlantic during the Seven Years War, Equiano was sold to a Quaker who transported goods and enslaved people throughout the Caribbean and in North America. Equiano initially worked on his owners small ship, traveling to different Caribbean ports to sell fruit, tumblers, and other items to Europeans. While Europeans often sought to cheat him out of his money, Equiano nevertheless soon amassed enough money to purchase his freedom in 1766. Though Equiano gained his freedom in the Caribbean, he was also simultaneously confronted with the reality of the unimaginable violence perpetrated against slaves. As Equiano later recorded in his writings, this was a place where slave women were raped and where one slave was punished by being staked to the ground and having hot wax poured on his back. Although free, Equiano himself was nearly beat to death after visiting a local physicians slave. Equiano later recounted a conversation he had with a Mr. Drummond who boasted of selling 41,000 Africans into slavery. Drummond had once cut off a slaves leg who had attempted to run away. Equiano confronted his action, asking Drummond how he would answer to God, and how did that accord with the Golden Rule. Drummond tersely responded that answering was a thing for another world, but his action prevented the slave and others from running away. Gods Plan for Equiano In 1773, Equiano returned to London after a harrowing voyage during which he almost died. His near-death drowning experience had turned his mind to his eternal destiny, and he later wrote that the voyage had caused me to reflect deeply on my eternal state, and to seek the Lord with full purpose of heart ere it was too late. He also explained that he was determined to work out his own salvation, and in so doing procure a title to heaven. Equiano began attending Anglican churches and Quaker meetings, he studied Roman Catholic teachings, and he even considered Judaism. He then consented to just read the four Gospels and whatever sect or party I found adhering thereto such he would join. The following year, Equiano attempted to help a formerly enslaved person win back his freedom after the mans former master illegally re-enslaved him. Despite his efforts and those of other abolitionists, the man was taken back to the West Indies where he died. Equiano was miserable after this news. He wrote, Suffering much by villains in the late cause, and being much concerned about the state of my soul, these things brought me very low; so that I became a burden to myself, and viewed all things around me as emptiness and vanity, which could give no satisfaction to a troubled conscience. It in the midst of his depression, Equiano returned to the sea, traveling back to England. During the voyage, he became introspective and began considering the ways in which God had predestined every good and bad step of his life: I was from early years a predestinarian, I thought whatever fate had determined must ever come to pass. Through the cultural worldview he had learned as a child, Equiano found God at work in his life when he been enslaved and when he had been rescued from near-death experiences. He had survived these things to be able to finally receive the grace offered to him by Christ. Though Equiano desired to return to Africa, he never did. Whether the love of ones country be real or imaginary, or a lesson of reason, or an instinct of nature, I still look back with pleasure on the first scenes of my life, though the pleasure has been for the most part mingled with sorrow, he wrote. Though he admired England and its people and was a committed Christian, he was still an Igbo whom God had chosen. Equiano lent his voice and his pen to the cause of suppressing Britains role in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. In 1797, he died in England, around the age of 52, without seeing the goal come to fruition. Yet the seeds he planted eventually bore fruit when Great Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807. Eric Michael Washington is an associate professor of history at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. His research interests are in African history and the history of Africans in the Atlantic World. How should churches respond to porn use among Christians? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As pornography use is becoming more common and acceptable in todays culture, many practicing Christians feel trapped in a shameful dependency they know is direct disobedience to the will of God. With past surveys showing that as many as two-thirds of practicing Christian men reported looking at porn monthly or more often, professor Samuel L. Perry of the University of Oklahoma contends that many Christian congregations are not effectively addressing the needs of men (and women) struggling with a porn habit. Perry, a professor of sociology and religious studies who comes from an evangelical background, authored the book Addicted to Lust: Pornography in the Lives of Conservative Protestants. The title was released this month, as May marks National Masturbation Month in some circles. The book features interviews and survey data to help Perry present a balanced overview of how increasingly easier access to internet pornography is impacting conservative Protestants in different ways than porn users of lesser or no faiths might experience. I think conservative Christians are really at a difficult place. In the book, I'd like to say I end on a more positive note. I try to be optimistic. I try to give some counsel on what I feel like would be some helpful steps to take for the subculture generally, Perry told The Christian Post. And yet, I got to acknowledge that I think conservative Protestants really face a pickle. As a scholar of religion and families, Perry began researching more closely the topic of pornography around five years ago when he was curious about the link between pornography use and divorce. Today, around 20 of his over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles have focused on the issues of pornography, lust and masturbation. With technological advancements over the years with the internet and smartphones, access to pornographic material is less restricted than ever. Although conservative Christians are known for holding staunch beliefs when it comes to sexual sin, many conservative Christians also report being helplessly trapped in the grip of pornography dependence as technology is making it harder to avoid the temptation. This is a real challenge as the broader culture in the United States becomes more antithetical to a traditional Christian sexual ethic, Perry explained. Perry said one of the main points of the book is that among the negative consequences that conservative Protestant users of pornography face is the experience of consistently, willfully, repeatedly violating their own moral convictions by looking at pornography. [T]hey feel stuck, and they feel judged; they feel like they have to hide it, and lie about it, he said. It hurts their mental health when they have to kind of pretend they're not doing this or they feel bad about themselves. It also certainly hurts their marriages and their intimate relationships because they definitely feel like they have to hide that. Perry added that data show conservative Protestant women are twice as likely to divorce their husbands over the issue of pornography use as compared to non-conservative Protestant women. One of the main problems that Perry sees in many congregations in the U.S. is that bringing up ones struggles with pornography can be a stigmatizing thing and shame-inducing. As a result, those struggling with pornography use are less inclined to bring it up or seek help for true repentance. Leaders in congregations [should] just come out and say, Let's talk about this. Let's have a meeting every year where we come out and talk about the importance of accountability, Perry explained. He said churches need to do more to discuss openly what sexual purity looks like and how congregants can help one another live a sexually pure life. I don't think that's happening in the vast majority of congregations, he said. And so I feel like that's going to be required to move forward. Perry joked that conservative Protestant churches could take a page out of the Catholic Churchs playbook, where parishioners can go to confess before a priest and seek advice on what to do better. Now, obviously, a lot of evangelical communities and conservative Christian communities have instituted accountability groups and small groups, he said. And I think in a lot of these small groups, what was described to me is that you've got a situation where you got a bunch of guys who are sitting around and maybe start off really motivated to get real with one another. And then over the month, it really spirals into like, Hey, let's talk about family. Let's talk about sports. Let's talk about reading the Bible, but let's not entrust to one another how often we looked at pornography in the previous week. With the rise of Neo-Calvinism and a Gospel-centered approach to living out the Christian faith, Perry believes that one of the consequences has come in biblical counseling. There has been an overemphasis on thinking that the solution to moral problems is to just repent and just believe the Good News. Part of that, he said, has been a fear of developing spiritual disciplines to old life patterns or habits. Honestly, from the people I talked to, the most helpful thing that people can do is to develop better life patterns, he said. But I feel like there's such an obsession with the thought that my heart needs to be right and I need to pray about this and think about this and remember the Gospel. And yet, I feel like the most helpful thing churches could do is to get real, practical, real quick. Perry said churches need to develop systems to cut off the source of a believers access to pornography. He believes churches need to do more to encourage their believers to make actual changes in their lives to address the sin they are struggling with. Such ways include trading in a smartphone for a flip phone or beginning to use accountability software like Covenant Eyes or XXXChurch.com. When you've got something like pornography use [and] masturbating, which is as much physiological as it is spiritual, in my opinion, I think people are not getting practical enough, he said. Perry also believes that calling pornography an addiction can make it harder for people to come to grips with the fact that they need to change their behavior to get right with God. The American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not label pornography use as an addiction. Now, that doesn't mean it's not, it just means that the people who make those manuals that are kind of the Bible for psychiatrists and psychologists, they don't consider it an addiction or disorder, Perry said. But I think you've got some evidence to suggest that it doesn't quite behave like we think other dependencies or disorders do, for example. Using the word addiction to describe a persons porn problem can be an attempt to create some rhetorical distance between the sinner and the willful disobedience to God," he noted. For committed Christians, willful repeated disobedience to God is a big problem because even though God has forgiven us of our sins, theologically, we're not supposed to just be able to go back repeatedly time after time, Perry contended. Committing the same sin without repenting of it becomes a theological problem and one starts to wonder, What is my spiritual standing before God? If I just go back to this again and again and again, am I really repented? Am I really changed? A lot of guys that I interviewed in the book are really wrestling with that. '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. Is it a sin to want to die and go to Heaven? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment While desiring to be at home with the Lord in Heaven is not a sin, its important for Christians to walk by faith and trust in Gods promises amid earthly pain and suffering, theologian John Piper said. In a recent podcast, Piper, chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, responded to a listener identified as Marissa, who asked if it was wrong to desire death as an escape from the pain of this world and from the suffering caused by her own sinfulness. Im 31 years old, and my life is ruined, she wrote. I dread the rest of my life. Because of sin, I have lost everyone I love most (and I mean everyone). I feel like my very poor choices cant be redeemed while here on earth, even though I have repented and confessed my sins. Piper first explained that the general biblical answer is that it is not a sin to long for Heaven and for the presence of Christ with a sense of dismay over the sin and sorrows of this world and of our own lives. In fact, I would say that the more one knows of the real condition of this world, and the more one grieves over the remaining corruption of our own hearts, the more natural it is to long for Heaven and Christ, he said. He pointed to the Apostle Pauls words in Philippians 1:2325: My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith. In general, to long to be at home with the Lord is not a sin. It is biblical, and it is healthy, Piper said. However, he clarified that the reason he said that's the general answer "is that I can imagine a situation when it would be a sin to want to die and go to be with Jesus." Piper argued that in Scripture, Paul desired to be with Jesus but knew it was not yet Gods will for him. He took this from the hand of God with confidence that God would give him the strength and the grace for the life that was not his first choice, he explained. Concerning the life he was going to live as he remained on the earth, he said, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, though my first choice would be to go and be with the Lord (see Philippians 1:2325). The key, Piper said, is found in 2 Corinthians 5, where Paul says, We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). He encouraged Marissa to understand that the ruin and dread that you see in front of you for the rest of your life is not, in fact, reality. At least, it need not be, the pastor said. Jesus is calling you, Marissa, to walk by faith and not by sight. I agree from what you can see with the eyes of your head that the future looks hopeless, dreadful, terrifying, unredeemable. Thats true. It does. But thats just not the way you have to live. The Apostle Paul knew the rest of his life would be full of sorrow and pain, Piper said, adding: He would be killed for Christ in the midst of afflictions, not in the midst of comfort. Thats what he saw with the eyes of the flesh, but with the eyes of faith, he saw miracles happening in him and through him. Piper offered the reminder that Gods promises for His people are found throughout Scripture, including in Isaiah 56:5: I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Yes, Marissa, long for Heaven, long for Christ, long for the day when we will sin no more, he concluded. But trust His promises now, like Paul as he faced a painful future and walked by faith, not by sight. Gods promise for you is fruit in the midst of this sorrow. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was one of the leading causes of death in 2017. The overall suicide rate has grown by nearly 30 percent over the past 15 years, prompting some to call it a new public health crisis. In light of this sobering reality, a number of pastors and church leaders have weighed in on the issue of mental illness, suicide and the afterlife in recent years. Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren, who lost his son to suicide in 2013, previously encouraged those struggling with anxiety and depression to remember that focusing on Heaven places suffering in perspective. He cited 1 Corinthians 2:9: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. When you start focusing on truths like that, all of your problems seem inferior compared to the glory, the joy, and the pleasure of the things awaiting us in eternity, he said. Ask God to help you make the choice every day to feed on Gods Word, free your mind of destructive thoughts, and fill your mind with Jesus, others, and eternity. Then youll have won the battle. 4 killed during Catholic procession in Burkina Faso; third attack on Christians in 2 weeks Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Four Catholics carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary were killed in northern Burkina Faso Monday, one day after a priest and five other congregants were killed by gunmen in a neighboring province. Fides, a news agency of the Vatican, reports that an attack on Monday occurred as four Catholics were bringing the statue back to church after a Marian procession took place in the northern municipality of Zimtenga in the countrys Bam province. The Catholic news agency notes that the procession started in the victims home village of Singa and ended in the village of Kayon, which is located about 6 miles away. A spokesman for the Ouagadougou Cathedral told AFP that a group of terrorists intercepted the worshipers as they were moving through the village of Ouahigouya. One source told the Burkina Faso News Agency that the perpetrators halted the procession and let minors go. However, four adults were executed and the statue of Mary was destroyed. AFP reports that Paul Ouedraogo, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger, told an assembly of bishops in the nations capital Ouagadougou that individuals attacked the procession claiming four victims. Christians in the West African nation, a former French colony, have suffered three attacks in a little over two weeks as the country is experiencing a rise in Islamic extremist violence. Mondays attack followed an assault by gunmen on a church in neighboring Sanmatenga province during mass. Reports suggest that between 20 to 30 militants attacked the church, leading to the deaths of the parish priest, Simeon Yampa, and five churchgoers. Gunmen also reportedly burned the church and other buildings in the area. In late April, a pastor and five others were killed during an attack on a Protestant church in Silgadji. At the time, it was said that the April 28 attack was believed to be the first attack targeting a church in Burkina Faso. Although Burkina Faso is majority-Muslim and only about one-quarter Christian, the country has been a place where Christians and Muslims have largely been able to co-exist peacefully. But over the last few years, attacks attributed to Islamic extremist groups linked to outfits like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have increased in frequency. According to an AFP tally, 400 people have been killed since 2015, mostly in hit-and-run raids. In addition to the attacks on Christian worshipers, attacks have been carried out against Muslim clerics who are not considered extreme enough by the terrorists, security sources told AFP. In late April, extremists attacked a school in the eastern province that killed five teachers and a municipal worker. Voice of America News reports that Burkina Faso has seen more than 230 attacks in just over three years, adding that more than 65 people died in ethnic clashes inflamed by Islamic extremists in April. They're trying to target the resilience of this community, which has lived in harmony for thousands of years, U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso Andrew Young told Voice of America. There are Muslims and Christians who are in the same family, and those terrorist groups [are trying] to break down a stable society and attack a fragile democracy. In 2016, American missionary Michael Riddering was among dozens of civilians killed when terrorists believed to be affiliated with Al-Qaeda attacked a cafe in Ouagadougou. In January, a Canadian man was found dead after he was believed to have been kidnapped in the Oudalan province. Last week, French soldiers freed four hostages two French citizens, a South Korean and an American woman during a raid in Burkina Faso that left two soldiers dead. No responsibility has been claimed for the kidnappings. Elderly couples committing 'joint suicides' in nations where legal: 9 in Netherlands in 2018 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The phenomenon of elderly couples committing suicide together in nations where euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is legally permitted appears to be on the rise. In 2018, nine elderly couples in the Netherlands died in this fashion. "The Dutch believe that transparency is more important than right and wrong. So, they allow a continually expanding euthanasia license but are careful to make sure they report later on what death doctors are doing. Hence, the government publishes a yearly, coldly statistical report about how many of their citizens were killed by doctors and why," Wesley Smith of the Discovery Institute noted on the blog of National Review Wednesday. The Netherlands is known for its ever-loosening laws on euthanasia and doctor-facilitated death, though some in recent years have expressed that matters have gotten out of control. The reasons for couples taking their lives together under the Dutch euthanasia and assisted suicide regime are not listed but at least one was a man with terminal cancer whose wife had multiple sclerosis. She reportedly requested to die with him since she would not be able to live independently and did not want to be cared for by strangers. In total there were 6,126 deaths that occurred by euthanasia or assisted suicide, a seven percent decrease from 2017. "But when you consider other forms of patient eradication, such as terminal sedation (putting in a coma until the patient dehydrates to death), about 25 percent of deaths in the Netherlands are 'induced,' Smith noted. Out of all those deaths, 67 were facilitated by psychiatrists and other doctors for mental illness. Three children between the ages of 12 and 17 were put to death, the numbers indicate. "Once euthanasia consciousness grabs a culture by the throat, it never stops squeezing," he quipped. In August, Belgium was scrutinized as reports emerged detailing the number of people legally put to death in that nation through euthanasia, including children as young as 9 and 11. The 2018 statistics come amid increasingly positive framing of the issue in mainstream outlets including an in-depth account of a Canadian elderly who opted to die together. As The Christian Post reported in April of 2018, the Canadian Globe and Mail captured the death of George and Shirley Brickenden who, between the two of them were suffering from a combination of rheumatoid arthritis and fainting linked to heart problems as the final moment in a long love affair. The story described their initial engagement, decades of marriage, and deep love for each other, and noted how neither one was apprehensive about dying. The Brickendens were not the first couple to receive physician-assisted suicide simultaneously but were reportedly the first to speak about it publicly. The couple ended their lives with the support of Andrew Asbil, the Anglican dean of Toronto and rector of St. James Cathedral. Evangelical pastor tackles 45 lies Christians have been told in new book Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment You are saved by Jesus' death on the cross. You must die to self on a daily basis. A real Christian does not commit sins anymore. It is healthy to be afraid of God. You must donate 10 percent of your income to the Church. According to one author and evangelical pastor, these are all lies. Andrew Farley, lead pastor of the non-denominational Church Without Religion in Lubbock, Texas, will have a book released on Tuesday titled Twisted Scripture: Untangling 45 Lies Christians Have Been Told. In the book, Farley seeks to critique common misconceptions about Christian teaching and practice that are believed by Christians themselves. Topics include views on salvation, charitable giving, divine judgment, forgiveness, how the Old Testament relates to Christianity, and other issues. For each lie, Farley offers up arguments and biblical references that seek to undermine the claim. Following each rebuttal, the book includes reflection questions and a short prayer. In an interview with The Christian Post, Farley explained that he compiled the list of 45 lies based off of what he had seen and heard over the years. Over the last 20 years I have seen grave misunderstandings among evangelical Christians about the love of God, the grace of God, God's forgiveness, our identity in Christ. Just seen so many misunderstandings where Scriptures have been taken out of context, explained Farley. So, it just ended up being 45, but because of the reality of what I grew up believing and so many other people believe and so the book is designed to kind of untwist or unclutter and get back to the core message of the Gospel. The Christian Post interviewed Farley on Friday regarding his book and topics related to it, including his views on the "prosperity gospel" and the opinion of some that Christians should unhitch themselves from the Old Testament. Below are excerpts from the interview. CP: You mentioned being raised with some of the lies critiqued in the book. What were some of the lies you included in the book that you once believed? Farley: I was raised to believe, for example, that you have to ask God for forgiveness every time you sinned so that would relate to Part G in the book, "God forgives you little by little each time you sin." So I was petrified that if I forgot to confess one, if I left a sin out, if I didn't realize that I committed a sin that hadn't been confessed that I would, you know, one day meet the final judgment, meet God there and then have to pay for that sin somehow because I had not confessed it or asked for forgiveness. So that would be a good example and then really just the general idea that at the final judgment I would have to answer for my sins. I think many Christians think they have to answer for their sins at the final judgment, when the whole point of the cross is that Jesus Christ took away our sins and He remembers them no more. I kind of engaged in a double talk. I would say "my sins are forgiven" and then five minutes later I would say that I had to answer for my sins or would be judged for my sins. CP: A few of the lies focused on the Christian's relationship to the Old Testament. Author and pastor Andy Stanley has garnered much controversy over his argument that Christians should "unhitch" themselves from the Old Testament. What is your opinion of this view? Farley: I've been teaching that for 25 years, that the entire Bible is the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation, but we have to put the Old Testament in context. The New Testament tells us that we are dead to the law and not under the law and Christ is the end of the law for all those who believe. And I've noticed that in modern day theology, people are sort of hedging on that and watering it down and saying that "we're dead to some of the law, we're dead to the ceremonial law, we're dead to the sacrificial system, but we're not dead to the moral law." And I see that as totally unbiblical. Flirting with Moses is cheating on Jesus. And I think people are running to the Ten Commandments and looking to those as our source of morality and I see Scripture telling us a different story. So my take is, we don't just take Jesus for His blood, we don't just take Jesus for His sacrifice, but we also take Jesus living inside of us for His morality and ethics and we trust Him, not tablets of stone. CP: The final lie you discussed was "God promises wealth and health to every believer." Why do you believe the prosperity gospel continues to have a following despite widespread denunciations by leaders within the Church? Farley: Because those leaders who denounce the prosperity gospel do not have the ear of those who are following the prosperity gospel. Its plain and simple that health and wealth have been pursued by humanity at large for thousands of years and if you simply put a Jesus stamp on those aspirations and tell people that if they come to Jesus they can have guaranteed health and guaranteed wealth, well you're always going to have a line out the door as people are looking at God as a divine slot machine where you pour in your quarters and pull down the handle of faith and out comes the blessings. According to the New testament, that's a pipe dream. The Apostle Paul had something called a "thorn in the flesh" that he asked God to take from him three times and God said His grace is sufficient for Paul. Timothy had frequent stomach ailments and Paul recommended some red wine for that. He didn't tell Timothy to have more faith, he told him to take some red wine. So clearly, Christians are not guaranteed healing every single time just because they're in Christ and likewise, Paul said that for those who look at the Gospel as a means to financial gain are of a depraved mind and that's pretty strong language. CP: What are some of the big things you hope that readers take away from your book? Farley: I want readers to see the goodness of God. I want people to recognize how great the work of Jesus Christ really is in terms of making us totally forgiven and making us right with God forever, no matter what. I want people to see how big God's heart is toward us and how amazing the love and grace found in Jesus Christ really is. Five children killed in bomb attack while playing near monastery in Syrian Christian town Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Five children were killed while playing near a monastery in the Syrian Christian town of al-Suqaylabiyah in what is believed to be an attack carried out by Islamic extremists. According to the nonprofit NGO International Christian Concern, Syrian opposition forces fired rockets into a regime-held Christian-majority town in northwestern Syria on Sunday, May 12. Those killed included five children aged 6 to 10, and one woman on a nearby street. Eight others, including six children, were wounded. The kids went out to play after some days of calm, Father Maher Haddad, a local priest, told the Associated Press. The report continued, A rocket struck near a group of children, instantly killing five and wounding others the woman was killed in a nearby street by a separate rocket. The Greek Orthodox town also suffered widespread material damage as a result of the attack. While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the AP notes the rockets were fired from nearby Idlib, where Al-Qaeda affiliate Tahrir al-Sham and the Free Syrian Army remain active. Tahrir al-Sham has a history of attempting to seize Christian towns in the area of al-Suqaylabiyah. Syrian state media says that the regime retaliated against the al-Suqaylabiyah attack by firing shells toward insurgents on the southern edge of Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. Fighting has escalated between government forces and non-state armed groups in northwest Syria in recent weeks, according to UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Since April 30, Syrian troops have been on the offensive and have repeatedly launched airstrikes against rebel forces there. The escalation in violence has prompted the displacement of more than 180,000 people in the territory and killed more than 120 people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Claire Evans, ICCs Regional Manager for the Middle East, said the ongoing Syrian Civil War is a sad example of the indiscriminate killing of civilians and senseless violence. As the situation escalates in Idlib, many have warned that an increase of targeted massacres would be the result, she said. It has started with Christians paying a high cost as they are often viewed as vulnerable, second-class citizens. Their villages have become a pawn in a greater strategy for the multiple factions involved in the civil war. We must keep the families of the deceased in our prayers, and offer up continued prayers for the safety of those believers who find themselves caught between Syrias warring sides. Open Doors ranks Syria as the 11th worst country in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians on its 2019 World Watch List. The persecution watchdog notes that the countrys ongoing civil war has left the country in turmoil, and Christians have not been spared from that suffering. In government-controlled areas, there is less monitoring of Christians, due to the circumstances of war, it says. The political reputation of denominations, churches and local church leaders plays an important role in the level of persecution or oppression they face from groups that are fighting President Assad. In September 7, 2018, 12 Christians including six children in Mardeh, a Christian village in northeast Syria, were killed in a bomb attack. Twenty people were injured in this attack, which was reportedly committed by an al-Qaeda-linked opposition group and the Free Syrian Army. How one of America's largest black denominations is campaigning against abortion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Black churches across the nation are engaging in a campaign against abortion that involves not only political advocacy against groups like Planned Parenthood but also the provision of resources to vulnerable mothers who choose to give birth. The Church of God in Christ (COGIC), a Pentecostal-Holiness denomination with over 6.5 million members across the globe, is stressing upon churches the need for them to serve as landing pads that assist women facing unwanted pregnancies and the need to engage the dark realities of abortions impact on the black community. Through its Family Life Campaign launched in 2015, COGIC is partnering with Human Coalition, a nationwide network of pro-life crisis pregnancy clinics, to reach and serve African-American women who would have otherwise walked in the doors of Planned Parenthood or another abortion clinic. The Family Life Campaign is believed to be the first sustained pro-life campaign launched by a major black denomination in the U.S. Quite honestly, many denominations white and predominantly black denominations have not taken a stand and literally said, This is what we stand for, Leslie Monet, the international director of COGICs Family Life Campaign, told The Christian Post. But we recognize that Margaret Sanger, who founded Planned Parenthood, was a deeply racist woman. She [advocated] for populations to be decreased because she thought that they were unfit. And that includes the African American community. Throughout history, Planned Parenthood has sought to fulfill Margaret Sangers legacy and aimed for our community. And that's why it is important to the Church of God in Christ. The Family Life Campaign was launched by COGICs Presiding Bishop Charles Blake, who voiced concern about whats happening to children today as data shows that black women disproportionately account for more than one-third of all abortions in the United States. And in a place like New York City, abortions' impact on the black community is so great that the number of black babies aborted in the city outnumbers the babies actually born. Monet said that throughout the nation, COGIC church volunteers have counseled countless women in hopes of making choices for life. "When we find that there is a young woman that is unsure, we talk to her, we put her in the direction of these [Human Coalition] pregnancy centers, and we come alongside them to help them make the choice for life, Monet added. And sometimes this involves providing baby items. And sometimes it could be more expensive, where we need to walk with her throughout her pregnancy. That has been such a rewarding process for us to see these young women not only to save their babies but for them to receive salvation. Monet herself was given up for adoption as a baby after her pregnant mother was taken in by a couple belonging to a COGIC church in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. She is also an adoptive mother living in Raleigh, North Carolina who has personally counseled at least 10 pregnant women. My adoption is a touching story and it's something that fuels me to fight for other women, Monet explained. Because I could not be here, quite honestly. Although it might not be a new occurrence for churches to help women in need, the idea of actively addressing the issue of abortion is not spoken of in most churches, Monet stressed. But Monet is hopeful that will change through the Family Life Initiative. In addition to COGIC churches, she said that a number of independent churches have also expressed interest in participating in the Family Life Campaign. We want every member to be engaged about life. We want every member to know the facts about what abortion does, and how we can help our generations to overcome this cycle of death, Monet told CP. And we want them to know that there's a target, in reference to the African-American community that Planned Parenthood or other clinics have to meet their status quo. Monet recently participated in a jurisdictional training session in Charlotte attended by pastors, lay people, missionaries and evangelists who were taught about the initiative so they can be prepared to respond to situations involving crisis pregnancies in their communities. The church has duplicated this process to be in every church, Monet said. We want to see this life campaign in every church. How the Family Life Campaign operates at the local church level is often left up to the churches and their leaders. It may be that five churches in a community come together and they pray on the outside of the clinic, Monet explained. And if they talk with someone, they're able to share the Gospel, they're able to share what resources we have. And those resources primarily are coming from our pregnancy centers that we link to churches. Monet said that in at least two cases, COGIC has helped mothers who have chosen to give birth to their children either find housing or be able to keep their housing. When you decide you are going to keep the baby, you're on the track to placing yourself in a position where you're going to be welcoming that baby. And every baby needs a home, Monet assured. Every women and child need a place to stay. And so we're able to come alongside her, find her housing for emergency purposes and then work with her to get into a home and apartment. In addition to work supporting mothers who decided not to abort their children, the Family Life Campaign presses upon COGIC members to become foster parents and adopt from the foster care system. There are over 422,000 kids in the foster care system in the U.S. We guide them to get certified and trained within their counties within their state to adopt, then we come alongside them for support, Monet said. The Family Life Campaign also presses upon churches the need to minister to the post-abortive women in their pews. We realized that we needed to target women that are post-abortive because it's one out of every three, Monet said. They're sitting in our churches and there really hasn't been a conversation in many not just the African American community churches about post-abortion and how we get those women healed. So that's a separate initiative for these. Monet travels to various COGIC jurisdictional meetings throughout the country to represent COGICs pro-life campaign and speak out on behalf of adoption and foster care. She stressed that adoption is the answer to abortion. The Family Life Campaign also engages in various forms of political or civic advocacy. In Charlotte, North Carolina, COGIC pastors will be engaging for the next six weeks in a grassroots campaign against the opening of a new Planned Parenthood clinic in Charlotte. Monet spoke out last week about the deceptive practices of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. The organization was accused of establishing a shell company to proceed with its plans for the new clinic in the towns historic Cherry Hill neighborhood under the radar of concerned citizens. We're going to do some press conferences, some lunches, and we're going to be doing a door-to-door type of grassroots process where we engage the Charlotte community and let them know what's going on, Monet explained. And make them aware of how Planned Parenthood has yet again invaded an African American community to slaughter us. Although COGIC is working to change the hears of abortive-minded mothers, Monet admits that the pro-abortion Democratic Party has a political grip on African-Americans at the voting booth. In positions of power, Democrats tend to advance policies that create greater access to abortion as well as policies that are antithetical to the church. Politically speaking, we have to wake up and we have to connect the dots, Monet stressed of the African-American community. Our doctrine has to be more powerful to us than any political party. Earlier this year, black Christian leaders affiliated with the Douglass Christian Leadership Institute, the Georgia-based Restoration Project and the National Black Pro-Life Coalition held the "Sudden Uprising" conference at a COGIC church in Washington, D.C. to speak out against abortion and federal birth control and contraceptive funding. The leaders at the conference called on the Department of Health and Human Services to abolish the Office of Population Affairs, an entity that administers Title X funding and funds clinics that provide long-acting reversible contraception. I committed murder: Violent gang member-turned-pastor reveals moment that changed everything Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Casey Diaz was once a gang member and murderer who took pleasure in the violence and chaos that was inherent to his lifestyle until an encounter with the Bibles message of hope changed his life in the most profound ways imaginable. Diaz, who tells his life-affirming story his new book, The Shot Caller: A Latino Gangbangers Miraculous Escape from a Life of Violence to a New Life in Christ, recently appeared on PureFlix.coms Pure Talk to reveal the ins and outs of his unlikely transformation. The former gang leader said life started to get complex after he and his family immigrated to America from El Salvador when he was just 2 years old. By the time he was 8, familial chaos raged, with drugs and alcohol entering the home and his mother facing abuse from his dad. READ ALSO: John 3:16 Meaning: Understand This Transformative Bible Verse Its one of those things that no kid should ever see, Diaz said of the violence. Watch Diaz share his transformation from violent gang leader to Christian pastor: In addition to fighting in the home, Diaz saw extreme violence in the streets, recounting a truly disturbing moment he observed as a child. It was a normal broad daylight day and a guy in this alley parked his car, walked over to three guys and gunned them down, all three of them, he said. Youre seeing violence in your apartment and your family, and then youre seeing violence in your alley. All of this added to the perception that life is cheap and that harming someone else is no big deal. With these tragic ideas taking root, Diaz joined a gang by the time he was 11 years old a decision that led him on a truly destructive path. That was the beginning of a rough road in violence, he said. It started with stabbing a rival gang member and, over time, committing even more serious crimes, as Diaz was overtaken by the criminal life he had entered into. READ ALSO: I Was an ... Addict: Inside Mike Lindells Amazing Transformation You start to enjoy it, and it sounds sick because it is, he said. But you really enjoy partaking in the violence of it. As Diaz entered his teen years, he was in and out of courts and jail until another more serious crime sealed his fate. At 16 years old, I committed murder and I was a fugitive for 21 days, he said. I was caught by the Los Angeles Police Department I was captured and arrested. Diaz ended up continuing his gang activities in prison, landing himself in solitary confinement. But when a baptist church started visiting the prison and a woman asked if she could approach his cell, Diaz had no idea how much his life would change. She came in there and asked the guards to approach my cell, he said. She said, Im going to pray for you. Im going to put you on my hit list. Im going to pray for you. and Jesus is going to use you. He recalled thinking, This lady is nuts, but over the course of the next year, she continued coming, and Diaz eventually had a life-altering moment that forever changed his trajectory. I had a moment where Christ [made] himself very real in my cell, he said. I knew for a fact that I had sinned before God. That became the pivotal point of change for me. Diaz accepted the Christian faith and was eventually released from prison. Today, hes married, has three kids and is the pastor of a church in Burbank, California. READ ALSO: How Incurable Cancer Transformed This Christian Professors Faith He shares his story of remarkable life change through speeches and his book, The Shot Caller. Its a story that shows the true power that God can have over the human life and heart. Thats what Christ does in the life of anybody, he said of Gods power to transform. Looking for transformation in your own life? Consider the message in John 3:16 and how it applies to us all. Also, consider grabbing a copy of our Inspirational Movie Guide to watch some films that can uplift your spirits and show you the importance of life change. This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free, one-month trial here. Billy Hallowell, author of "The Armageddon Code," has contributed to TheBlaze, the Washington Post, Human Events, the Daily Caller, Mediaite, and the Huffington Post, among other news sites. Through journalism, media, public speaking appearances, and the blogosphere, Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade. Will Democrat and Republican evangelicals put Gospel before party for 2020 election? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment NEW YORK Its Friday night in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and about 50 people are quietly listening to Justin Giboney talk about his big idea for evangelical Christians. Whats needed today, we really believe is nothing less than a paradigm shift. A completely different way of perceiving and engaging politics, Giboney, an attorney and political strategist from Atlanta said to the diverse group of Democrats and Republicans. Through a growing coalition called the AND Campaign, already operating in several major cities like Chicago and Atlanta, the strategist, who is also president and co-founder of the initiative, believes he and his team can convince evangelicals in cities across America to unite and vote the right way come 2020 regardless of the party they support. And the right way for evangelicals to vote, he argues, is with the principles of their faith dictating the way they engage with politics. We stand first for the proposition that faith must be at the center of Christian civic engagement. And that we must ultimately transcend partisanship and political ideology. Those things may be helpful tools but they can never be the masters of our social action, Giboney said as his audience listened politely with a few heads sometimes nodding in agreement. His message sounded at times like a pastor and at others a professor of history and theology as he argued how Christian luminaries like Fannie Lou Hamer, Dorothy Day, and Frederick Douglas worked with political parties without sacrificing their Christian ideals. These folks, while they were willing to partner with, and work within political parties and secular tribes, they werent defined by them, thats not where they found their identity. Their public witness wasnt limited to these worldly theories and philosophers. It transcended those things, he said. The truth is, if they would have allowed themselves to be limited by partisanship and secular ideology, they would have never really served their purpose. Maybe never even been worth claiming. But their witness was bigger than those things because they werent seeking validation or affirmation from the world, he argued. We have to be able to partner with others and wrestle with theory without being converted because cultural and political ideologies proselytize. ... They seek to convert us to their beliefs by nature. Thats what ideas, ideologies do. They seek to convert you. Can we wrestle with those things without being converted? Can we take whats good from those things without being converted? Giboney asked. The Atlanta attorney admits that he is making a big ask of evangelicals already entrenched in the framework of the Democrat and Republican parties but believes the request is necessary. In the two and a half years since he co-founded AND Campaign with recording artist Sho Baraka and Angel Maldonado, lead pastor of The Path Church in Atlanta, Giboney says he has already seen signs that the grassroots activism he is advocating among urban evangelical Christians can be effective while preserving the freedom of Christian principles. The debate The debate on evangelicals engaging politically through the framework of their faith isnt new. In fact, before he was elected president, Donald Trumps candidacy created a divide between evangelicals who wanted to win and those who were concerned about his fidelity to Christian ideals and what supporting candidate Trump would say about their faith. Trump is a misogynist and philanderer. He demeans women and minorities. His preferred forms of communication are insults, obscenities and untruths. While Christians have been guilty of all of these, we, unlike Trump, acknowledge our sins, ask for forgiveness and seek restitution with the aid of the Holy Spirit and our community of believers, The Christian Posts editors warned in 2016 among a chorus of evangelicals who echoed similar concerns. Pastor Robert Jeffress, leader of the influential 12,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, dismissed Republicans who refused to support Trumps candidacy however as "fools." He told CP in an interview that year, that while the Bible does not specifically address how Christians should vote, Christians should apply both faith and reason in voting. "If the Bible gave a checklist for how to choose a candidate, how to vote for a candidate, it would be a simple matter but the Bible provides no such checklist because voting didn't exist when the Bible was written," he said. "You didn't get to vote for kings or for emperors. And I believe there are a lot of criteria that ought to be used in selecting a candidate. His faith is one issue, his character, his leadership ability, his electability are all legitimate criteria to use in selecting a candidate," Jeffress explained at the time. Evangelicals were encouraged, as Giboney is asking now, to vote according to their faith. The results of that appeal in the 2016 general election, however, yielded a sharp disparity between white and minority evangelical voters. White evangelical voters united to vote in high numbers for Trump, 80-16 percent, according to exit poll results. It was the most they had voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004, when they backed President George W. Bush by a margin of 78-21 percent. For evangelicals of color however, the picture looked quite different. Only 7 percent of black born-again Christians voted for Trump in 2016. Some 31 percent of the Hispanic vote went to Trump, while only 37 percent of Asian American born-again or evangelical Protestants gave him their vote. Many voters from both camps presented arguments that they were voting for the lesser of two evils. While black and white evangelicals have very little disagreement about God, the groups disagree sharply over race and social justice. Social justice On Friday night, as Giboney and his team launched the New York City chapter of AND Campaign, they pointed to initiatives that will increase awareness of the cash bail system and help push for reform, encourage civic engagement on issues affecting Christians in the city, and provide diverse biblical perspectives on social issues and messaging through digital media platforms. We believe that at certain times and on certain issues, Christian principles compel us to defy both political conservatism, and political progressivism. When conservatism means preserving unjust systems and institutions then it must be opposed. When progressivism means moving further and further away from Gods truth, it too must be opposed. Because when it comes to political ideology to be conservative or to be progressive at all times on every single issue, is not only intellectually lazy, and easily manipulated, we would argue that its not faithful, the Atlanta attorney said. Giboney believes that the right way for Christian voters to engage politics is to vote in line with biblical principles they profess and not in lockstep with the agenda of their political party, or separate their faith convictions from the social issues they care about. He argues that he is not asking Christians to abandon their political parties but urges them to hold political leaders accountable on issues such as social justice or abortion and not be afraid to vote against agendas that do not align with their values. While some white evangelicals see social justice as a threat to the Gospel, Giboneys team described it as how we express love for our neighbor. He is fully aware that what he is asking of individual believers might seem like a daunting and futile effort, but he believes collectively, Christians can advocate together for more than just the issues. They can advocate for biblical values that benefit the common good such as taking a stand against abortion among Democrats or standing against policies that harm minorities among Republicans. As an individual thats very hard. I can move around and whatever, how effective is that? Thats the point of the AND Campaign. You do it as a coalition, Giboney told CP after his presentation. Our framework is this social justice and moral order. In our politics now, its separate. When you talk about social justice now thats Democrats. When you talk about moral order thats Republicans. Were saying no. The Gospel is both so we have to be both. So thats the framework. So its love and truth, compassion and conviction framework. And that framework, Giboney says is biblical. You dont define your politics by your opposition. Regardless of what white folks and Republicans are doing or these folks over here are doing I have to do whats right. So I think where we get caught up is, the framework comes from the parties, the framework comes from the ideology, were saying the framework should come from the Bible, he said. I talk a lot about identity. If my identity is with progressives then Im not gonna vote the right way when it comes to abortion because Im too stuck on what my identity is there. We advocate to be in a party but my identity is not in the party. Once I have a separate identity, I still can go against that party, he said. The night also featured a panel discussion with professionals involved in social justice work. They were Nena Ruth Ugwuomo, founder and president of Student Dream, a non-profit that trains urban kids to build wealth; Pastor Zac Martin, executive director of Trellis, another nonprofit that helps build neighborhood collaborations to address injustice; and Yolanda Solomon, a ministry fellow for Christian Union at Columbia University. Cardinal Blase Cupich condemns Louis Farrakhan for calling some Jews satanic at Chicago church Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich has condemned Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan for labeling some Jews as satanic during an address at the St. Sabina Church on the city's south side last Thursday. In a statement released by his office on Friday, Cupich said he was not informed by The Rev. Michael Pfleger that Farrakhan, who was recently banned from Facebook, would be allowed to speak at the predominantly black parish. Without consulting me, Fr. Michael Pfleger invited Minister Louis Farrakhan to speak at St. Sabina Church in response to Facebooks decision to ban him from its platforms. Minister Farrakhan could have taken the opportunity to deliver a unifying message of Gods love for all his children. Instead, he repeatedly smeared the Jewish people, using a combination of thinly veiled discriminatory rhetoric and outright slander, Cupich said. He suggested that Talmudic thought sanctioned pedophilia and misogyny. He referred to Jewish people as satanic, asserting that he was sent by God to separate the good Jews from the satanic Jews, he noted. Farrakhan, 86, declared at one point during his speech: Im here to separate the good Jews from the satanic Jews. Farrakhan, who had been invited by Pfleger to respond to his ban by Facebook, wasted no time in defending himself from what he described as an unwarranted attack on his freedom of expression. This is just the beginning. Banning me from a social platform? I used that platform with respect. I never allowed those who follow me to become vile as those who speak evil of us. So I am dangerous, not to you, unless you feel that Fr. Pflegers invitation to me may hurt St. Sabina, he told the congregation. They dont have the power to hurt St. Sabina if you dont give them that power, he continued to applause. I thank you for listening to me. 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, no matter what your color is. As long as you dont attack us, we wont bother you, Farrakhan added. Over a week ago when news first broke that Facebook had banned Louis Farrakhan, high profile stars like rapper Snoop Dogg expressed outrage at the decision and encouraged his nearly 32 million followers to share videos of the Nation of Islam leader. If youre down with it like Im down with it, post your favorite Mr. Farrakhan videos on your Instagram and Facebook page, the rapper said in an Instagram video Thursday. Show some love to a real brother. In another video he asked, How the f**k yall gonna ban Minister Louis Farrakhan for putting the truth out there? I stand with him. Im with him. Ban me, mother**ker. In his statement Friday however, Cupich said Farrakhans comments about Jews shock the conscience. People of faith are called to live as signs of Gods love for the whole human family, not to demonize any of its members. This is all the more true of religious leaders, who have a sacred duty never to leverage the legitimacy of their ministry to heap blame upon a group of persons, and never to deploy inflammatory rhetoric, long proven to incite violence. Anti-Semitic rhetoric discriminatory invective of any kind has no place in American public life, let alone in a Catholic church, Cupich wrote. I apologize to my Jewish brothers and sisters, whose friendship I treasure, from whom I learn so much, and whose covenant with God remains eternal. Mike Pence tells Liberty U. grads: It's fashionable to attack religious liberty Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Vice President Mike Pence warned about the attacks on religious liberty during his commencement address to Liberty University graduates on Saturday. Speaking at Libertys Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia, Pence said he believed its become acceptable and even fashionable to ridicule and discriminate against people of faith in the United States. It wasnt all that long ago that the last administration brought the full weight of the federal government against the Little Sisters of the Poor merely because that group of nuns refused to provide a health plan that violated their deeply held religious beliefs, said Pence, speaking about the nuns' refusal to pay for (directly or indirectly) abortions or birth control methods that could induce abortions. When my wife, Karen, returned to teach art at an elementary Christian school earlier this year, we faced harsh attacks by the media and the secular left. Pence then described how one reporter started a Twitter hashtag #exposeChristianschools to encourage people to share negative experiences attending Christian private schools. These attacks on Christian education are un-American, declared Pence, noting that the Trump administration has taken decisive action to protect religious liberty. I promise you, we will always stand up for the right of Americans to live, to learn, and to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. Pence also touted the Trump administrations handling of the economy, telling the graduates that you picked a great time to graduate, because after two years of the leadership of President Donald Trump, jobs are coming back and America is back. You are entering a growing American economy, Pence said. The America that awaits your energies and ambitions is experiencing a new era of opportunity and optimism. Youre beginning your careers at a time when this economy is growing. And weve restored American stature at home and abroad. In March, Pence announced at the Conservative Political Action Conference that he would be giving the commencement address at Libertys graduation ceremony. It is great for us to be back at CPAC 2019, the largest gathering of conservatives anywhere in America, said Pence at the time. I also want to give a shoutout to all those great conservatives watching across the country, especially all of our friends joining us live from Lynchburg, Virginia, at Liberty University I'll see you in May. Saturdays address marked the second time Pence has spoken at Liberty. His first time was at a Convocation event on Oct. 12, 2016, when he was governor of Indiana. Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. gave introductory remarks for Pence, commending the vice president for his service and devotion to our country, nobility of character, and resilience. He serves our country with high distinction, dignity, and honor, defending Americas freedoms and principles, often under the unrelenting scrutiny of a hostile press, said Falwell. Pence was not the only member of the Trump administration to address the graduates. Dr. Ben Carson, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also spoke. During his remarks, Carson also addressed the graduates, encouraging them to be courageous and to try and do different things despite possible popular opposition. Its particularly important in our county right now, because there are forces of political correctness that want you to shut up and not express what you believe, Carson said. We cannot allow our country to be deprived of the Judeo-Christian values that made it into a great nation. The commencement ceremony came amid allegations that Falwell had former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen intervene in 2015 to prevent personal photographs of him going public. According to a recorded conversation between Cohen and actor Tom Arnold that was reported on by The Washington Post and others, Cohen said the Falwells had a bunch of photographs they wanted to keep private. Cohen called the images ones usually kept between husband and wife. 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, said Cohen to Arnold, as reported by The Washington Post. I actually have one of the photos. Its terrible. For his part, Falwell denied the claim in an interview with conservative pundit Todd Starnes, declaring that there are no compromising or embarrassing photos of me. While we have a longstanding 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. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Big Tech always preaches about treating people equally, but they never do. Funny how their algorithms never seem to suspend liberals accounts. The religion of Inclusion is a fraud. As I write this, my organizations Twitter account (@LifeHasPurpose) has been suspended for over two weeks for violating their cardinal ruledont tweet the truth. On April 13th we responded to Representative Ilhan Omars (D) outrageous diminishment of 9-11 in a speech to CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) saying some people did something. CAIR has been designated, by the way, as a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates. Twitter absurdly accused us of hateful conduct for these words: She describes an act of war as some people did something? #IlhanOmar is not a victim. The 2,980 Americans who were slaughtered by Muslim terrorists were the victims. American Muslims lost no more civil liberties than we ALL did after #September11 thanks to the #PatriotAct. So now historical revisionism is part of Twitters mission statement? As with all things progressive, they look at the world in an inverted way. Instead of seeing the terrorism as the hateful conduct, they deemed a tweet denouncing terrorism as hateful conduct. This clueless censorship happens during a time when yet another terrorist attack, perpetrated by Islamic terrorists via ISIS, slaughtered 250 livesChristians attacked while worshipping Easter. Oh, wait, I mean Jesus. This targeted censorship is just the beginning. My colleague, E.W. Jackson, the outspoken VA Senate Candidate, had his Twitter account deactivated on the same day as mine. Hollywood actor James Woods, who has 2.1 million followers, had his account deactivated on April 20th. It looks like our accounts are still active, but were all locked out of them, so we cant tweet or interact at all. Its no secret. Twitter applies its rules of conduct unequally. How many liberals decry having their Twitter accounts suspended? None. Well, unless they defy the pseudoscience of LGBT activism. A hardcore feminist named Meghan Murphy dared to buck Twitters protections for #LGBTQXYZ. She tweeted a basic scientific fact: Women arent men. Her account has been permanently suspended. Then theres Representative Brian Sims, a Democrat lawmaker and gay activist from my home state of Pennsylvania who spews nothing but hate for Christiansand white people (annnnnnd, hes white). He recently threatened to dox teenage girls and an elderly womanwho were peacefully protesting outside of a Planned Parenthood in Philly. He proudly posted his bullying selfie videos on Twitter. His account remains active, of course. He gets an #LGBT pass. Speaking of racism, theres Louis Farrakhan. His virulent racism and anti-Semitism is spread in repulsive tweets. Twitter, apparently, isnt repulsed. Farrakhans tweet, Im not anti-Semite. Im anti-termite. and many other actual hate-filled words remain untouched on his unsuspended account. Twitters supposed appeal process is a sham, too. Weve submitted five appeals. Although their auto-responder claims it may take up to a few days to respond, theyve never responded. Big Tech is out of common folks reach. Theyre too important to allow contact with an actual human. Free speech and democracy? Not on their watch. Theyre too insecure in their worldview to be challenged with facts by those outside the Silicon Valley bubble of omniscience. Welcome to this not-so-brave new world, where Big Tech largely controls the flow of information, use of pronouns, and how expansively hate is defined. Facebook just recently announced that Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos, Laura Loomer and Louis Farrakhan have been removed, among others, from their platforms. Of course, the Washington Post labeled them all right-wing leaders. CNN called them all far-right extremists. Louis Farrakhan is the extremist, and hes a radical leftist who hates the GOP and Trump in particular. The wicked Jews want to use me to break up the womens movementTamika, Linda Sarsour, Carmen Perez [founders of ultra-liberal March For Women], our sister with the #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter the women shook the world the day after President Trump was elected, Farrakhan told his audience during his vile Saviors Day speech where he claimed to be Jesus. I dont know who the Left thinks theyre foolingeach other, I guess. In a CNN interview Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, made this laughable declaration: The real question behind the question is, Are we doing something according to political ideology or viewpoints? And we are not. Period, Dorsey said. We do not look at content with regards to political viewpoint or ideology. We look at behavior. This is dangerous. Where are all the alleged civil rights groups on this blatant discrimination? Theyre silent on this rampant censorship, because its their leftist ideology thats being protected. These same progressives demanded that a baker from Colorado had to be Open to All and serve everyone and every event. Yet the worlds largest public platforms flaunt their separate and unequal treatment and denial of services to online users every single day. Its Jim Crow 2.0. Out of principle, Im not deleting the tweet (weve been shadow-banned for years anyway). I have no hate for Muslims. I have no hate for Rep. Ilhan Omar. I hate a lie. Its why my wife and I created the Radiance Foundationto illuminate the truth about the human condition and declare that every human life has purpose. Facebook, Google, Twitter and Appletheyre totalitarian tech. This is all just a pre-game show. Theyre merely ramping up for the 2020 elections, purging what theyre bogusly calling misinformation and extremism to clear the Democrats path of ideological obstacles. Theyll continue to widen their hate speech nets to the point where the only thing that slips through are their own intolerant words in a sea of fake diversity. Originally posted at theradiancefoundation.org Gunmen kill priest, 5 churchgoers, burn down church in Burkina Faso Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Suspected Muslim extremists murdered six Christians, including a priest and church elders, who were celebrating mass, before burning down their church in Burkina Faso. On Sunday, between 20 and 30 militants opened fire on a local church congregation in the northern town of Dablo as they gathered for mass, according to the AFP. Armed individuals burst into the Catholic church They started firing as the congregation tried to flee, said the town mayor, Ousmane Zongo. They killed five of them. The priest, who was celebrating mass, was also killed. There is an atmosphere of panic in the town. People are holed up in their homes, nothing is going on. The shops and stores are closed. Its practically a ghost town, he said. According to the BBC, among those killed were a number of the church elders. Following the slaughter, the gunmen set fire to the church, several shops and a small cafe before heading to the local health center, which they looted, burning the chief nurse's vehicle. A local journalist noted that residents were angry that a local army unit did not respond more quickly to the incident. In response to the Iatest church killings, the government condemned the "barbaric and cowardly attack. After "failing to pit communities against each other with targeted killings of traditional chiefs and community leaders, terrorist groups are now attacking religion in an evil plot to divide us," it said in a statement. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres offered condolences and vowed to protect the sanctity of all places of worship. He urged the religious communities in Burkina Faso to stand firmly with one another across communities and not to succumb to efforts to sow discord and breed further violence. Militant Islamic groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda have been waging an increasingly violent war against Christians in Burkina Faso in recent months. Such attacks, paired with military operations and inter-communal violence, have triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has caught many by surprise, according to New Humanitarian News. It reports that home-grown militant groups, as well as extremists linked to al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State group, have been in the countrys arid north (bordering Mali) since 2016, but have expanded to new fronts in the east and south-west, threatening the stability of neighboring countries Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Ivory Coast among them." Burkina Faso is majority-Muslim (around 60%), but also has significant numbers of Christians (over 20%, most of whom are Catholics) and followers of indigenous beliefs (15%), according to the latest census. Sundays attack marks the third on a church over the past five weeks. Last month, six people were slaughtered at a church in the town of Silgadji. Also in April, four people died when a Catholic church was attacked in a nearby village. A local church leader who wished to remain anonymous told World Watch Monitor: The assailants asked the Christians to convert to Islam, but the pastor and the others refused. A day after the killings on April 30, Henri Ye, head of the Federation of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Burkina Faso, said: Its not only the church of Sirgadji that has been attacked; all the values of tolerance, forgiveness, and love that have always led our country have been hurt. The freedom of worship consecrated by our fundamental law (the Constitution) has been flouted. Ye also called on all Burkina citizens, particularly Christians, to resist the temptation to hate. In the face of blind hatred, let us ask God to give us the strength to spread love, which makes us the children of God. The unity of the Body of Christ and of the whole nation must be preserved at all costs. India Supreme Court grants bail to Christian falsely imprisoned for over 10 years Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Supreme Court in India has granted bail to one of seven Christian men that advocates say was wrongly convicted of murdering a Hindu leader over a decade ago in Kandhamal. Gornath Chalenseth was bailed out on May 9 from Phulbani jail in Odisha state on May 9, according to the Asian-Catholic news agency ucanews.com. Chalenseth, along with Bhaskar Sunamajhi, Bijay Kumar Sanseth, Budhadeb Nayak, Durjo Sunamajhi, Munda Badamajhi and Sanathan Badamajhi, was jailed after being accused of murdering Hindu monk Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates on August 23, 2008. In the aftermath of the Hindu leaders death, anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal reportedly resulted in the death of dozens of Christians and the destruction of villages. According to ADF India, which represents the convicted men, over 8,400 houses were burned and 360 churches destroyed as a result of the violence in 2008. According to advocates, the Christian men were convicted on the basis of a fabricated claim without credible evidence. The accused were convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2013. The legal appeals for the convicted men have been pending for the past five years while thousands across the globe have called for the mens release. Although the Indian legal system allows for bail to be granted while convicts await their appeal, bail was denied twice in state court. In its decision last week, the nations Supreme Court ruled that Chalenseth should be released on bail while the state court settles his appeal because he has already served 10 years of his sentence. It is a huge victory for these hapless men who dont have the resources or knowledge to fight for their freedom in Indias complicated judicial system, Dibakar Parichha, a lawyer and Catholic priest assisting the men, told ucanews.com. Parichha is hopeful that the other six men will soon be granted bail as well. Journalist Anto Akkara, who has advocated for the release of the convicted men, told Matters India that the bail order is a landmark and huge victory in the fight for justice for Kandhamals seven innocents. This bail order of the Supreme Court, led by the ADF legal team, I hope, will be the first step towards acquittal of the innocent Christians languishing in jail for a decade for a crime they never committed, Akkara said. The Supreme Courts decision to grant bail comes as Christians in Madhya Pradesh celebrated another court victory last week. On May 6, a state court acquitted Pentecostal Pastor Balu and his family, a ministry leader in a small Indian village in Madhya Pradesh who was accused of violating the states anti-conversion laws in 2016. According to ADF India, Balu was taken in when a group of nationalists stormed his church during service and began beating and harassing worshipers. Police then came and arrested Balu, his wife and son. Nobody should be persecuted because of their faith. The acquittal of Pastor Balu and his family is a vital step towards the protection of religious freedom and the right to freely live out ones faith, ADF India Director Tehmina Arora said in a statement. Now he can continue to tend to his small community of Christians without interference from the state. ADF India points out that Balus case is not the only one in India involving Christians who have been falsely accused under state-level anti-conversion laws that bar anyone from using force or allurement to convert people to another religion. However, the anti-conversion laws have often been used by radical Hindus to persecute Christian ministries and leaders. These laws make religious minorities subject to arbitrary imprisonments and criminal charges, mob violence, and violations of their fundamental rights, Arora added. Last year in the state of Uttar Pradesh, two Pentecostal men were arrested after being accused of forced conversion. India ranks as the 10th-worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2019 World Watch List as Hindu radical attacks against religious minorities have increased since the BJP came to power in 2014. In 2019, violence against Christians has risen significantly, ADF India stresses in a news release. In the first quarter of the year, the United Christian Forum and ADF India documented more than 80 violent mob attacks against Christians in 13 different states across India. The attacks often take a similar shape and rarely receive any police attention. An answer to the prayers of Sierra Leone's desperate mothers Five years ago this month, one of the worst outbreaks of Ebola ever recorded began in Sierra Leone, lasting from 2014 to 2016. The country's health service is still recovering. Ten per cent of health workers were killed and the Government, having taken on huge loans to help cope with the crisis, is still paying for it. This is money that could be spent on improving access to healthcare. It's the world's most dangerous place to give birth: maternal mortality rates there are the highest by a significant margin. For every 100,000 live births in Sierra Leone, 1,360 mothers die, compared to nine in the UK. Lack of access to a healthcare facility or health professional is one major factor in the high number of maternal deaths. If there is no clinic in their village, women in labour can wait up to eight hours before an ambulance arrives. Others travel to hospital on the back of a hired motorbike, but the poorest have no choice but to walk for hours on foot. Many women and babies do not survive the journey. Jebbeh Konneh is heavily pregnant with her fifth child. Pregnancy should be a time of joy but for Jebbeh, it is overshadowed by fear. Her sister, Fatmata, recently went into labour in a nearby village. She had no choice but to walk three hours to the nearest hospital. "My sister was crying out with hunger. She died on the side of the road. She never gave birth," Jebbeh said. "I'm afraid to give birth. Whenever I think about my sister dying, it's painful, and I think the same thing will happen to me." In Pujehun district, southern Sierra Leone where Jebbeh lives, there are three ambulances for a population of 375,000. Tenneh Bawoh was pregnant with her first child when she felt the agony of labour. With no health centre in the village, she turned to the help of a traditional birth attendant. After two days of labour, Tenneh fell unconscious. When she came to, the baby had been born but Tenneh had lost a lot of blood and was very weak. The newborn struggled to breastfeed and at three months old, he died. "If we'd had a nurse and a hospital at the time, my baby would not have died," she says. With the help of a nurse and a temporary health centre in her village, Sawula, Tenneh went on to have a healthy baby. She is pictured with her son, Ansumana Bangali. Mamie Sawyer has given birth to five children but only two girls have survived, now aged 14 and six. She knows well the perils of labour and childbirth and is now pregnant again. In some African countries, it is said that "a pregnant woman has one foot in the grave". This rings true for so many women living in poverty, who do not have access to adequate healthcare. With the support of Christian Aid and its partner organisations in Sierra Leone, women in Pujehun district are taking action. A simple saving initiative using a basic padlocked steel box has meant women in rural villages can pay for themselves to get to hospital in an emergency. Women who join the box scheme, pay a small amount of money each week and when they need to borrow for transport, medicine, school uniforms or other necessary items, they can take a loan and pay it back gradually with interest. Three women are custodians of each box that has three padlocks, needing all three to open it and dispense money. Massah Brewah is a custodian of a box in Bumbeh Pejeh village. She is a widow and has five children. She tells many stories of people in her community who have been helped by the box which is called 'Muloma', meaning 'let's love one another'. "Before [the box], there hadn't been peace and unity between the wives and the husbands but because of the box, we have unity. Poverty was responsible ...Because we didn't have money wives were angry at husbands for not having money. The children are hungry. The women had to face the men with aggression...they fight, they quarrel but with the box it is better." Fatamata Dugba has given birth to five children. Only two have survived: her son, 13, and daughter, 12, who both live with relatives so they can attend school. Fatamata sees them once a year and only then if she is able to take the relatives gifts such as food or palm oil. Her story shows the impact the savings box can have. Six months ago, Fatamata was seven months pregnant when she started to feel pain. An ambulance was called. "I can't remember how long the ambulance took because my condition was...[she trails off]." By the time she reached the hospital, Fatamata had lost a lot of blood and needed an operation. She borrowed money from the box to pay for it. "They had to remove the womb. I wanted to keep it, but my husband gave the authority, he said because of the situation, they should get rid of the womb. The men gave the order, so I just decided to accept what he did for me to have lived. "I would have died if there hadn't been any box." Sierra Leone has some of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy and child marriage in the world with 13 per cent of girls marrying before the age of 15 and nearly 40 per cent before the age of 18. Some 28 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 are pregnant or have already given birth at least once. Not only does this impact their education but teenage pregnancies are also particularly high risk. Nurse Kannie - this is her name, not her occupation says she is 17 but looks younger. Her daughter Betty is less than a month old. Nurse's boyfriend left when her parents found out she was pregnant. Nurse says, "I look at [Betty's father] to be somebody with a curse. He doesn't want to be responsible. "Now my desire for my child is for my baby to leave Africa for the White Man's Land." Working alongside its local partners and communities, Christian Aid is building more health clinics in Sierra Leone, so that pregnant women can deliver their babies safely. The charity works in 22 villages out of 867 in Pujehun district so there is clearly much more still to be done. According to Joanna Tom-Kargbo, Senior Programme Manager at Christian Aid in Sierra Leone, "The communities are yearning for this project. Like yesterday, when we were in Nyandehun [a village that isn't supported by Christian Aid] the nurse was telling me, 'every day I am praying for Christian Aid to come...we've heard a lot of the good things that Christian Aid is doing within those communities'." Joanna goes on to say, "Communities here see a woman dying in childbearing as the will of God. But we work so they know it is unacceptable." Christian Aid is also training nurses to provide urgent care in communities and is improving hygiene, so mothers and babies can fight off diseases. Nurse Judith Lassie has been working in Sawula village since 2017 and when she arrived, she was not happy with the conditions. "What I saw, depressed me so much. The same place is set aside for every function, every operation, delivery...everything in one room." With no running water or electricity, Judith works in cramped conditions and with little equipment. But soon a new health centre will be ready which has been built by the community with the help of Christian Aid. "It gives us hope," says Tenneh. This week is Christian Aid Week, the charity's biggest annual fundraiser which unites more than 12,000 churches every year to support global neighbours in need. The charity is asking people to stand in solidarity with mothers and to raise funds for better healthcare services to support some of the world's poorest communities like in Sierra Leone. It is also inviting supporters to join its campaign to drop Sierra Leone's debt that was incurred during its fight against Ebola. Debt repayments are taking money away from improving healthcare services that are so desperately needed. Claire Meeghan is Media & Communications Adviser at Christian Aid Baby talk is similar all over the world There are vast differences in early child-rearing environments across cultures. For example, the popular French documentary Babies, which documents the life of infants in five different cultures, depicts the multitude of ways infants can be raised across different ecological and cultural contexts. These differences illustrate the reality of infants growing up in distinct contexts. Anthropologists have been documenting such variability for decades producing detailed ethnographies of parenting, family life and socialization practices across different cultural settings. Developmental psychologists have found that these early experiences shape human development. Yet despite these fascinating differences, a whopping 95 per cent of developmental science is based on only five cent of the world's population. The majority of developmental psychology studies are based on WEIRD societies: western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic populations. Given this imbalance, one might wonder whether our knowledge of child development extends beyond urban, North American societies. The answer is, it depends. In my research, I spend time with mothers, fathers, grandparents and babies to look at the ways in which they communicate, interact, teach and learn from one another. I am an associate professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. I was trained by both a developmental scientist (Philippe Rochat at Emory University) and a bio-cultural anthropologist (Joseph Henrich at Harvard University). I use my training in developmental methods to explore questions surrounding early experience and development across cultures. I have been fortunate to be welcomed into the homes of families in different corners of the globe. Attachment parenting For the past six years, I have been working primarily in one community in Vanuatu. Vanuatu is a group of islands, a three-hour flight from Brisbane, Australia. Vanuatu was colonized by both the French and English. I have been working in a community on Tanna, Vanuatu. Historically, nearly half of the population on Tanna island has rejected colonization and all that it imposed: western education, languages and forms of religion. Therefore, Tanna has provided an interesting and remarkable forum for looking at socialization goals and developmental outcomes. Tanna is considered somewhat of a natural experiment for examining the impact of variation in socialization on development. For example, Heidi Keller, professor of psychology at Universitat Osnabruck in Germany has recently suggested that one of the foundational human development theories, attachment theory, is western-biased and in need of revision. Attachment theory suggests that the bond (the first relationship) between a child and her caregiver is the foundational human relationship upon which all other relationships are built. Keller suggests, however, that our understanding of human development is based on child development as it occurs within the western context. In our work, we examine caregivers and their infants in different societies, to determine the essential elements of child development. What is common across cultures and what is different? Which theories need reformulation and which ones hold steady despite cultural differences? Eye-tracking technology In a recent study, my colleague Mikoaj Hernik and I used eye-tracking technology to compare the ways babies and caregivers communicate on Tanna. In this study, we showed babies short video clips with audio recordings of adults speaking in different ways: regular adult-directed speech and baby talk (or, infant-directed speech), and we observed and analyzed the way the babies responded. We found that infants shifted their attention following the infant-directed speech, but not the adult-directed speech. This suggests that infants on Tanna are using communication cues in strikingly similar ways to infants in other regions of the world. This research, alongside other work examining infant development, suggests that parents and babies communicate in remarkably similar ways despite striking variation in cultural practices. Tanya Broesch, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Methodist Church report recommends changing rules to allow same-sex weddings in its chapels A report released ahead of the Methodist Church's Conference this summer has recommended changing the rules to allow same-sex weddings to take place in its chapels. The recommendation was made in a report called 'God in Love Unites Us', prepared by the Methodist Church's Marriage and Relationships Task Group. It has been drawn up in light of huge changes in society regarding same-sex relationships, including the legalisation of civil partnerships and same-sex marriage in the last 15 years, but also the Government's most recent announcement last year to open up civil partnerships to heterosexual couples. The task group added that there was a need to address the "hurt" felt by those in the Methodist Church who feel that its current definition of marriage implies that they are "lesser persons". "Reflecting on this matter, the Task Group urges the Conference to affirm in due course those who enter mixed-sex civil partnerships, just as it has affirmed those who enter same-sex civil partnerships," the report states. "Where it is appropriate, we would then welcome it if the relationship that has led a couple to enter a partnership were to strengthen further and bring them to seek marriage as the Church understands it. "That said, where couples are open and receptive to the possibility of discerning God's love present in what has brought them to form their partnership, and where real pastoral need exists for not simply offering the couple an opportunity to marry in church, we believe it would be appropriate for the Church to offer thanks for and bless such partnerships on its premises. "This would require developing and offering appropriate forms of prayer and orders of service." A clause has been included in the proposals to ensure that ministers who object on grounds of conscience do not have to officiate at a same-sex marriage. Elsewhere, the report says that the Church should be supportive of couples who are cohabiting "but for whom marriage is a difficult option". The task group recommends that the Church "recognises that the love of God is present within the love of human beings who are drawn to each other, and who enter freely into some form of life-enhancing committed relationship with each other, whether that be through informal cohabitation or a more formal commitment entered into publicly". "As a Church we wish to celebrate that the love of God is present in these circumstances, even if that grace is not responded to or even discerned by the people concerned," it states. "The Church has an important calling, therefore, to point to the presence of God's love within such relationships, and to encourage people to respond to it in the renewing and deepening (by whatever means) of their commitment." The recommendations will be put before the Methodist Conference when it is held in Birmingham from June 27 to July 4. If the Conference commends the 67-page report to the Connexion for study and prayerful discussion, the report will then be presented to synods from September 2019 before a vote takes place on the proposals the following spring. A final report will then go before the 2020 Methodist Conference. Rev Ken Howcroft Chair of the Task Group said: "Relationships, sex and marriage are significant issues for everyone and it's important that the Church talks about these matters today. "As part of its calling and mission the Methodist Church must engage with the reality of how people are living. That raises questions about the nature of marriage, cohabitation, living in relationships and living with different sexualities. "Members of the Task Group come from very different theological backgrounds, yet we have sought to understand each other's viewpoint and where we have disagreed, to do so well. What we share in loving God and in knowing we are loved by God, is much greater than anything that divides us." Rev Ashley Cooper from the Task Group said: "No report or set of recommendations will be adequate to hold all the complexities of the issues. We believe that our recommendations will enable Methodists to respect each other's sincerely and faithfully held opinions and practices." Prayer vigil marks 16th birthday of schoolgirl held by Boko Haram because of her Christian faith A prayer vigil was held outside the Nigerian High Commission in London on Tuesday to mark the 16th birthday of a Christian schoolgirl being held by terrorist group Boko Haram. Leah Sharibu was one of over a hundred schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram offshoot the Islamic State West Africa Province in February last year. The other girls were released a few weeks later but Leah, who was 14 at the time, continues to be held hostage by the group after she refused to renounce her Christian faith. In addition to the prayer vigil in London, a special service was being held in Leah's honour at the Nigerian headquarters of her church's denomination, the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), while the US Senate in Washington DC was to hold a cake cutting ceremony. The prayer vigil was joined by David Linden MP, who has written to Prime Minister Theresa May asking her to put pressure on the Nigerian government over Leah's continued captivity. Writing on Twitter ahead of the protest, Mr Linden MP said: "As it happens, I share a birthday with Leah Sharibu. "The difference is, I will get to spend my birthday as a free person whilst Leah remains in captivity. We must continue to press the Nigerian Government for action on this." His letter also calls for the release of other hostages being held by the group, including over a hundred schoolgirls kidnapped in Chibok in 2014 who are still missing. Boko Haram has in the past threatened to kill Leah. It didn't go through with the threat but did kill another female hostage and said that Leah and fellow hostage, Alice Ngaddah, would remain with the group as its slaves for life. CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas appealed to the Nigerian government to secure Leah's freedom. "She has been held by this violent group for over a year now, waiting for the government which negotiated the release of her colleagues to secure her release," he said. "CSW calls on the Nigerian government to act on its promises and move decisively to secure the release of Leah Sharibu, Alice Ngaddah, and the 112 girls who were kidnapped from their school in Chibok in April 2014." A bird with a message: the dodo Broadcaster Liz Bonnin and specialist James Hyslop are moved by a rare dodo skeleton this isnt just a rare and intriguing curiosity, but represents what humans are doing to animal life on the planet offered in London on 24 May Standing 64 cm high (just over 2 feet), with brownish-grey feathers, a tufty white tail, yellow feet and a large black and green beak, the dodo was a strange-looking bird that lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It was, curiously, a larger relative of the pigeon. The first recorded contact between humans and a dodo dates to 1598, when Dutch sailors ventured ashore on the tropical island. Within less than a century of this initial encounter, the dodo had become extinct. I suppose we could be forgiven for thinking, Well, that is just a bird waiting to become extinct, says the natural history broadcaster Liz Bonnin. Yet the birds reputation for being fat and clumsy is unfair; in fact it was perfectly suited to its environment. In reality, the dodos inability to fly was an energy-saving adaptation. And as Bonnin says, the island lacked natural ground predators: Everything was rosy. Dodos thrived on Mauritius. It lived, as far as we can tell, right from the coast up to the highest mountain peaks, explains James Hyslop, Head of the Science and Natural History department at Christies. So why did the dodo become extinct so quickly? The portrayal of it as a gullible little animal that sailors clubbed... probably isnt the whole story, reveals Hyslop. Its much more likely that introduced predation by rats or other animals is what really [drove] the final nail in the coffin. Sixteen contemporary written accounts were made of the bird while it was alive, as well as 15 illustrations, but not long after the final sightings of the animal in the 1660s, it entered the realm of myth. Over the next 200 years, a dried head filled with lead shot at Oxford University, and a long-lost foot in the British Museum, were the only known material evidence of the bird. In the second half of the 19th century, however, the dodo re-emerged, so to speak. Two wonderful things happened, Hyslop explains. Darwin wrote his book On the Origin of Species, which really brought to the front of scientific thought the idea of extinction and evolution. But also, Alice in Wonderland was published, featuring a famous dodo. These books were the catalyst for the dodo to become an icon of the natural world, and of its vulnerability to human interference. Michele Vitaloni (b. 1967), Lost. Oil on wood and iron. 29 x 19 x 15 in (75 x 50 x 38 cm). Estimate: 20,000-40,000. Offered in Science & Natural History on 24 May 2019 at Christies in London The Victorians had an obsession for collecting, and ordering the world, continues Hyslop. The Natural History Museum wanted to have examples of everything and the dodo was a glaring omission. Scientists and sleuths subsequently set sail for Mauritius in search of dodo skeletons. The vast majority of bones were found in a swamp named Mare aux Songes on the southeastern tip of the island. The land belonged to a French amateur scientist named Paul Carie, who began assembling skeletons for museums, made up of fossilised and unfossilised bones from diverse dodos. Today, just 26 institutions worldwide have significant dodo remains in their collections. It was Carie who compiled this skeleton the very last known, privately owned example assembled in the 19th century that is almost anatomically complete. In fact, Carie kept this prized specimen for himself, and it has been passed down through his family ever since. Sign up today The Online Magazine delivers the best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe Saudi Arabia halted its main cross-country oil pipeline temporarily after a drone attack damaged pumping stations along the link, a strike claimed by Iran-backed rebels in neighboring Yemeni. Oil prices rose. Saudi Aramco, the worlds biggest oil exporter, said that supplies of crude and products continued normally without interruption, the official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the energy ministry. These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said in a statement. The attack comes amid rising tensions in the Persian Gulf region as the U.S. increases pressure on Iran, the regional rival of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. On Monday, Saudi Arabia said two of its oil tankers were among several vessels attacked off the U.A.E. coast near the Strait of Hormuz, the worlds most important chokepoint for oil shipments. RELATED: Oil rises as Saudi Arabia reports drone attacks on pump stations Neither Saudi Arabia nor the U.A.E. said exactly what happened to the tankers, and neither country identified potential culprits. However, the manager of one of the tankers that was hit said it suffered hole in its hull after an unknown object struck it off the U.A.E. coast. The U.S. earlier this month ended exceptions to sanctions on Iranian oil sales, prompting the Islamic Republic to threaten to block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has denounced Sundays maritime incident and warned against attempts to destabilize the region. The recent attacks are acts of terrorism and sabotage that target not only Saudi Arabia but also the security of world oil supplies and the global economy, Al-Falih said. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said earlier on Tuesday that they had targeted key Saudi installations using seven drones, according to the rebel-controlled Saba news agency. No injuries or fatalities were reported in the attack, according to an emailed statement from Saudi Aramco. SABOTAGE: Tankers reported damaged off UAE on major oil trade route Rebel Attacks One of the pumping stations that was hit was about 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the Yemeni border. Houthi forces possess unmanned aerial vehicles that can reach targets as far as 1,500 kilometers away, according to a UN report issued in January. The state producer officially known as Saudi Arabian Oil Co. halted the pipeline transporting oil from eastern fields to the port of Yanbu on the western coast as a precautionary, temporary measure after armed drones attacked two pumping stations, igniting a fire that caused minor damage to one, according to SPA. The East-West pipeline spans 1,200 kilometers from Dhahran on Saudi Arabias Gulf coast to Yanbu on the Red Sea, allowing oil shipments from the kingdom to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline can transport 5 million barrels a day across the country for use in its own refineries and for export from the port of Yanbu. Aramco is working to expand the pipelines capacity to 6.5 million barrels of crude a day by 2023, according to a bond prospectus. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. If you wanted to watch the herd of Democratic presidential candidates in televised town halls these past few months, CNN has been the place to go. Week after week, the cable network has given over an hour-plus of prime time to a candidate seeking to challenge President Donald Trump. On one town-hall-happy night last month, it devoted five hours to five of the candidates. A few of the 21 hopefuls have even been featured twice. Unfortunately for CNN, not many people seem to want to watch televised town halls starring Democratic presidential candidates. CNN began airing the made-for-TV forums during the 2016 campaign. The sessions spotlight one candidate in front of a live audience in a locale outside Washington. Audience members fire most of the questions at the candidate (hence, the "town" in town hall), with an anchor serving as emcee and occasionally lobbing follow-up questions. Fox News and MSNBC have occasionally gotten into the act, too. But CNN has gone all in. Since January, it has staged 20 town halls, featuring both well-known candidates like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Sen. Kamala D. Harris (both twice) to long shots like businessman Andrew Yang and self-help book author Marianne Williamson. The network says the primary purpose is informational. "We host them because they create substantive conversations with the candidates that you're not likely to have with a political anchor" in a conventional interview, said Sam Feist, CNN's senior vice president and Washington bureau chief. "The setting is different, the questions are different, the answers are different. We think it's a contribution to the [political] conversation." Both Feist and Mark Preston, CNN's vice president of political and special events programming, say the goal is to provide a public service, not necessarily to boost CNN's ratings. In fact, the opposite has been true. CNN has drawn fewer viewers to its town-hall telecasts than to its usual prime-time lineup of news-discussion programs, which are themselves ratings-challenged. Only four candidates - Harris, Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg - have drawn more viewers than CNN averages on a typical weeknight, around 1.16 million people. The rest, at least in television terms, have ranged anywhere from subpar to flaming disasters. Back-to-back town halls featuring Yang and Williamson drew about 310,000 viewers in April, far below the network's modest 907,000 average for all the candidates. None of its town halls have surpassed regular programming on cable rivals Fox and MSNBC. Perhaps worse for CNN's bottom line is that its town halls are relatively pricey programs to produce. Unlike a typical studio discussion, they require remote venues and remote production facilities, always an expensive proposition in television. Feist and Preston wouldn't disclose figures but acknowledged the higher costs. Which means, again in TV terms, that the town halls are a lose-lose proposition: A more expensive form of programming that has actually driven down viewership at a time when CNN is ramping up for the 2020 elections. This may explain why CNN's competitors have been reluctant to dive headlong into the town-hall business. Fox News has staged only three such programs this year (with Sanders, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and undeclared independent candidate Howard Schultz). It has hedged its bet by moving each one out of prime-time hours, where Fox regularly rules the ratings (the Sanders town hall on Fox from 6:30-7:30 pm on April 15 still attracted 2.55 million viewers, the most of anyone this year across all networks). Fox News will feature Buttigieg in a town hall on Sunday, only its fourth this year. "Our attitude has been, 'Let's do some town halls but be selective about it,' " said Bill Sammon, Fox's senior vice president of news. "There are two dozen candidates. We're not going to get to all of them. That's just reality. So let's carefully select the promising candidates and space them out a bit. We're not going to put them on every night or five in one night. We'll do it every couple or three weeks and have an impact." MSNBC, meanwhile, has done just one, with New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in March. It drew 1.24 million viewers. The network declined to comment for this article. CNN's Feist and Preston say the value of its town-hall telecasts can't be expressed in Nielsen ratings alone. Each event generates news coverage (including on rival cable networks) and attention on social media, they point out, which jump-starts the discussion of politics and burnishes CNN's reputation as a leader in political coverage. The biggest beneficiary of the format, however, may be the candidates themselves. For example, political polling guru Nate Silver, founder of the news site Fivethirtyeight.com, declared Marianne Williamson "a major candidate" a few days after her CNN town hall. Although Buttigieg's appearance on CNN on March 10 was watched by just 545,000 people, it appears to have sparked a Buttigieg surge. When he returned for an encore town hall on April 22, Buttigieg had gone from unknown to solid contender (the second Buttigieg town hall reached 1.18 million). CNN announced Monday that it will hold a town hall next week with former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, whose struggling candidacy could sorely use the exposure. The network is still negotiating with a handful of Democratic candidates whom it hasn't yet had on, including lesser-known ones such as Reps. Eric Swalwell of California and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. It's also hoping to book perhaps the biggest name in the field, former Vice President Joe Biden. A town hall with the leading candidate might be just the thing that CNN would like most: a big crowd watching. NEW YORK - Before theater critics were invited to "Hillary and Clinton" on Broadway last month, the production made an unusual offer to the two people who above all others might have been expected to rake it over the coals. "Bill and Hillary should have the chance to see it, but there's no way they can sit in an audience in a Broadway house and watch this," says actor John Lithgow, who plays the former president in Lucas Hnath's new comedy- drama. "So we offered to perform it for them in an empty theater, just before we opened." Imagine it: The Clintons alone together - maybe holding their breath, or holding hands, or even holding their hands over their eyes - as Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf portrayed them and their eternally puzzled-over marriage. What would they make of a play so blatantly trying to define their relationship, a partnership that has unfolded over the decades as something closer to a rough crossing than a sun-dappled cruise? We may never know. Though the Clintons were given an advance peek at the script, they declined the invitation to come, Lithgow says. Learning this, one's curiosity about the life they have led together only intensifies. "Look, I read the script and I wanted to be in it," Lithgow adds, "but my immediate anxiety was, 'What were these two people going to think?' Because I admire them, I know them, I care about them." Like the other actors in the 80-minute play - Metcalf, Zak Orth, portraying Hillary's then-pollster, Mark Penn, and Peter Francis James, who makes a princely entrance late in the proceedings as Barack Obama - Lithgow decided that the opportunity was too intriguing to pass up, as long as it wasn't an exercise in character assassination. This isn't, after all, the first time a writer has portrayed the couple's turbulent alliance. Joe Klein famously sought to reveal it in his roman-a-clef "Primary Colors." "We think, 'Why are they together?' And Lucas has the nerve to address it in the play," Metcalf says. "We all just wanted to make sure that it wasn't done with a wink, that it was respectfully portrayed, and with as much empathy as possible. Because we all feel that." 3 1 of 3 Photo for The Washington Post by Chris Sorenson Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Photo for The Washington Post by Chris Sorenson Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The cast, which under Joe Mantello's direction brings to life Lucas' story - set immediately before and after the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary - gathered recently in New York to talk about playing political figures whom an audience may feel they know well. From the discussion, one better understood the degree to which "Hillary and Clinton," at the Golden Theatre, owes much to the power of Greek drama. It's an account of two destinies, forever interlocked and yet forever in conflict. "Laurie and I play these two characters who have two parallel, contradictory, cautionary tales in their lives," Lithgow says. "Bill's tale is: Careful what you wish for - you may get it. And hers is: Careful what you wish for - you may never get it." Metcalf has earned a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Hillary, who begins the play wistfully addressing the audience about the peculiar fate to which she has been relegated, never achieving what so many thought was in her grasp. Her brutally raw performance is tinged with gallows humor, melancholy and rage - attitudes and emotions to which Metcalf acknowledges she's professionally drawn. In 2017, she won a Tony as Nora in Hnath's "A Doll's House, Part Two," who returns years later to the family she deserted in Henrik Ibsen's 1879 proto-feminist masterpiece, "A Doll's House." A second Tony followed last year, for Metcalf's turn as the middle-aged version of a dyspeptic dowager played by Glenda Jackson in a revival of Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women." Like "A Doll's House, Part Two," "Hillary and Clinton" is a play about a strong woman contending with the emotional yoke of a controlling and, in Hillary's case, unfaithful husband. But while Nora left, Hillary stayed, a difference that "Hillary and Clinton" chalks up in part to political pragmatism. Hillary is so hungry for an electoral win in New Hampshire - she's already lost the 2008 Iowa caucuses to Obama - that over Penn's vehement objections, she asks Bill to come to the state to help her. "You have to root for those people where the odds are so stacked against them," Metcalf says, referring to Nora and, especially, to Hillary. "I think for the audience also, it's like, 'How many things does she have to go through before something goes right?' And yet she keeps coming back, and fighting and fighting. I like those characters - they're so committed and passionate. To a fault, sometimes." It appears that in an early draft, the Mark Penn character was a particularly potent foil for Bill: "It's a triangle," Orth says. "I don't want the husband there; he doesn't want me there." This carried a romantic dimension, one that is hard to visualize. "In one of the early versions - we never read it, it was gone by the time we came - Mark had kissed Hillary," Metcalf says, laughing loudly. "And Mark and Bill had a knockdown, drag-out physical fight," Lithgow says. (It's enough that what has remained in the play is a partially undressed Bill Clinton, emerging from the commode. "To see Bill walk out of the bathroom, you think, 'Oh, my God, they go to the bathroom,' " Metcalf says.) What also remains, though, is a truth apparent in every public relationship - that the private reality has depths that no one on the outside can fully grasp. James says that a cousin of his from Wisconsin, of a conservative political stripe, came to see the show. "I did not think it was possible to feel empathy for Hillary Clinton," James reports him saying afterward. "I don't sympathize with her. But I did empathize with her." Obama's character has a different function in the play; he arrives in Hillary's hotel room to disclose his pique at the tactics Bill has used to engineer Hillary's surprise New Hampshire win. A messianic air is evident in James's portrayal, as if he were a deity out of a medieval mystery play. To James, this Obama is a manifestation of what Hillary aspires to be: the Anointed One. "I thought," James says, "it was Lucas' way of saying that maybe, there are universes in which Hillary loses, but there aren't universes in which Obama loses." All through "Hillary and Clinton" are moments when the seemingly fundamental unfairness of the universe is clear: that there is a gap in fortune between Bill and Hillary that can never be bridged. The psychic pain resounds too loudly for her to bear hearing him. "She has a hard time listening to what his take on how she should run her campaign should be," Metcalf says. "Very hard time. I mean some of it's at the meat of their marriage, too. He wants something from her that he has to dictate through the campaign." "My most piquant line is: 'It's never not emotional,' " Lithgow adds. "People don't vote with their brains, even the people who think they do, don't. It's never not emotional." Metcalf replies: "One of the things we hit on with her is that it has to be about merit. It can't be about anything else or it's not fair." Talking about how Hillary navigated her political life reminds Lithgow of another sequence that was trimmed from the final version, in which Hillary asks Bill: "What if it had been different?" "Switched around," Metcalf elaborates. " 'What if instead of me supporting you, it had been you supporting me? All of those years. Did we ever consider that possibility?' " Lithgow can't recall how Hnath had Bill reply. Maybe that's because the response would have been superfluous. We all assume we know the answer. --- "Hillary and Clinton," by Lucas Hnath. Directed by Joe Mantello. $39-$299. At Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St., New York. 212-239-6200. telecharge.com. From Clear Lake to Conroe, Saltgrass Steak House restaurants dot the Greater Houston restaurant landscape. And now downtown Houston will get its own. Saltgrass, one of Landry Inc.'s most popular restaurant concepts, is set to open in the fall at Avenida Houston, the pedestrian-friendly restaurant row fronting the George R. Brown Convention Center. Last week a sign went up in the space of the former Bud's Pitmaster BBQ, which shuttered in October the first of Avenida's original restaurant tenants to close shop. Contrary to popular belief, spring is Houston's busiest social season. Everyone assumes that the fall party circuit is the most jam-packed; but alas, that distinction falls squarely on the months of April and May. So let's play a game of catch-up, and re-visit the charitable shindigs you may have missed. The Houston Area Women's Center hosted its inaugural "Believe" luncheon at the Royal Sonesta Hotel last month. A fitting theme considering that keynote speaker Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who presided over the trial of former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar, spent the majority of her fireside chat with emcee Chau Nguyen encouraging attendees to believe sexual assault victims. Aquilina allowed 156 of Nassar's sexual assault accusers to address him in court before handing down a 40 to 175-year prison sentence. STYLISH MOMS: Houston moms who rock style HAWC raised $420,000 towards its mission to end domestic and sexual violence by providing advocacy, counseling, education, shelter and support services. The luncheon co-chaired by Jessica Bertuccio and Myrtle Jones honored Houston Police chief Art Acevedo, Sandra Ramirez Salazar and Halliburton. Then in late April, Amy LeBlanc Cloud and Jeremy Cloud chaired Houston Ballet's annual "Raising the Barre" dinner at Artisans in Midtown. The one-night-only Sunday supper club has become a favorite of ballet next-gen supporters and foodies alike. Dancers teamed up with buzzy local chefs to create inspired dishes for 170 patrons. Soloist Bridget Kuhns and Uchi chef Chris Davies kicked things off with delicate salmon belly, Asian pear, smoked trout roe and cherry tomato. Demi-soloist Natalie Varnum and One Fifth chef Matt Staph followed with jalapeno cornbread, Alabama white sauce, green apple and crispy chicken skin. Next, principal Ian Casady and Artisans' own chef Jacques Fox served a mouth-watering beef wellington over shrimp de Jonghe, french mashed potatoes, baby carrot, braised shiittake mushrooms, bok choy and red wine demi-glace. Soloist Aaron Daniel Sharratt and Fluff Bake Bar pastry chef Rebecca Masson ended the meal on a sweet note with "The Sundae of Aaron's Dreams;" a delectable concoction of cookie dough ice cream, brownies, cocoa pebble crunch and hot fudge. The muse-turned-sous chef soiree raised $100,000 and became the ballet's most successful "Raising the Barre" to date. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Floral gowns bloom in Houston Symphony Ball's "Vintage Music Garden" at the Post Oak Hotel In mid-May, chairmen Marc Melcher and Luz Garcini transformed part of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's campus into a mini San Miguel escape for the 2019 Glassell School of Art Benefit and Auction. A sweet burro named Jackson welcomed some 300 guests and made the perfect paper flower wall, photo-op companion. Inside, benefit-goers perused 51 works of biddable silent auction art as the Los Gallitos mariachi band performed in the background. Under an outdoor, "Cloud Column"-adjacent tent, the Events Company topped dining tables with blue and white Mexican pottery. Keeping in theme, City Kitchen's buffet stations included beef short rib, chicken in tomatillo sauce, tamales with spinach and queso Oaxaca, arroz Mexicana, and jalapeno corn muffins. Patrons danced the night away to Mango Punch! and raised $395,000. 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. Want a book? Head to a rocket ship in Boulder, Colorado, a fairy-tale cottage near Ghent, Belgium, or a tree in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. These are just three of the more than 80,000 Little Free Libraries in more than 90 countries. Unlike traditional libraries, these typically small structures aren't buildings where people check out books from a librarian. "A Little Free Library is a box full of books that, when you find one, you can take a book home with you," explains Margret Aldrich, Little Free Library spokeswoman. "Or if you have a book to share, you can leave it for someone else to read." Little Free Libraries are everywhere: outside homes, inside recreational centers, beside coffee shops. The first was set on a post in front of Todd Bol's home in Hudson, Wisconsin, 10 years ago. The miniature schoolhouse Bol built held free books anyone could enjoy. It became a local hit. "I put up my library and noticed my neighbors talking to it like it was a little puppy," Bol, who died of cancer last year, told The Washington Post in 2013. "And I realized there was some kind of magic about it." Related: Secret weapon of sports gambler who broke the single-game 'Jeopardy!' record? Children's books. A year after installing his library, Bol and Rick Brooks, a friend and business partner, launched Little Free Library, registering it as a nonprofit organization in 2012. Their goal was to make books more widely available while strengthening bonds within communities. They sparked a book-sharing revolution. Little Free Libraries began popping up all over the place - from Salvador, Brazil, to Grand Marais, Minnesota - with the concept's popularity spreading through word of mouth and social media. Today, those who want to build one can download free instructions from the Little Free Library website (littlefreelibrary.org). Some, however, have let their imaginations run wild. Last December, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, resident Sharalee Armitage Howard became an online sensation after posting photos on Facebook of a library she had created out of a dead 110-year-old tree. Debbie Teague of Bossier City, Louisiana, went a different route. The 55-year-old turned an old Coca-Cola ice chest into one. Most love it, she says, but a couple of people claimed she had ruined an antique. Her reply? "What's better? For it to be stuck on a shelf at an antique store not doing anything? Or holding books in my yard for children and adults to come actually read?" For other library owners, the motivation is simply spreading the joy of reading. "There weren't many public places like libraries where I live," says 10-year-old Umayr Ansari, who put a Little Free Library outside his home in Doha, Qatar, in 2013. "I had a lot of extra books, and I wanted to share them so people who didn't have their own books could have a chance to read." Similarly, the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas' Troop 300 have a goal of distributing 300 libraries this year throughout San Antonio in an effort to provide books to kids who may not be able to easily reach a library. The troop has built 285 so far. The experience had a lasting impact on 11-year-old Scout Ava Jellick. "I liked building the libraries and getting the feeling of, 'Wow, I helped make that,' " she says. "That gave me pride and confidence." Even better? She got a copy of "The Hunger Games." --- Read On --To find a Little Free Library near you, check out a world map at littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap.(Not all LFLs are listed.) --Celebrate 10 years of Little Free Libraries with "The Big Share." Visit an LFL, and share a book. Take a photo of your visit. Share (or have a parent share) your visit on social media with #LFL10. There are stickers to download at littlefreelibrary.org/big-share. --Want to build one? Go to littlefreelibrary.org/build for instructions and blueprints. MATSUYAMA, Japan - The Ehime University Museum in Matsuyama has one of the largest collections of insect specimens of any university in the nation, boasting more than 1.2 million beetles, bees, butterflies and other insects from around the world. This is one of the finest collections held by a university established under the post-war education system. Every summer it holds an insect exhibition that mesmerizes insect-loving boys and girls. Large and small butterflies spread their colorful wings in German-style specimen boxes as if they were alive, while stink bugs smaller than grains of rice are lined up in neat rows by type. The boxes are stacked on the shelves in a specimen room filled with the acrid smell of chemicals. According to Hiroyuki Yoshitomi, 46, an associate professor of the Entomological Laboratory at Ehime University's Faculty of Agriculture, 70 percent of the insects in about 4,300 specimen boxes at the museum belong to the coleopterous family. The museum has an especially world-class collection in that type of insect, which includes beetles, ladybird beetles and long-horned beetles. "The collection is the result of about seven decades of effort by teachers and students," Yoshitomi said. The foundation of the museum was established by Tamotsu Ishihara (1918-93), the laboratory's first professor. He later chaired the Entomological Society of Japan. Ishihara became an assistant staff at Kyushu University's laboratory after graduating from the University of Tokyo. In 1945, immediately after the end of World War II, he assumed a post at the Ehime Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry School, the predecessor of Ehime University's Faculty of Agriculture. There were many unknown insects at that time, as there was limited knowledge and experience in this area in the Shikoku region. Directed by Ishihara to collect as many insect samples as possible, teachers and students went around mountains and rivers near the university with insect nets in their hands. At night, they would turn on the lights on the roof of the university building to catch insects drawn to the illumination. They would then mount the insects or dissect them to identify what they were. Their range of activity ultimately spread throughout the entire Shikoku region, the nation and abroad. About 10 students conduct research at the laboratory every year. They often travel to remote islands in Okinawa Prefecture or Southeastern Asia, for example, to gather insects. Yukito Tada, 22, who was a laboratory member until this spring, walked around Ishigakijima island in Okinawa Prefecture for a week during his junior year, searching for coleopterous insects of the Cantharidae family. "Whenever we lab members get together, we talk about where we're going next time to find insects," Tada said. Yoshitomi said, "The collection and classification of insects are a true tradition passed down through generations at our laboratory." "That's why all the lab members - teachers and students - love catching insects more than anything. We're all mushi-ya (insect enthusiasts). Ishihara-sensei was also a mushi-ya first and foremost," he added with a smile. The laboratory has organized a summer insect exhibitions every year since 1997. Future mushi-ya gather at the event every time to see the laboratory's vaunted collection. Shigetomi Matsuno, 32, a staff at the Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Natural History, entered Ehime University and became an insect researcher after he was inspired by the exhibition as a high school student in Hiroshima Prefecture. "I was shocked by the massive collection. I could feel the researchers' love for insects not just from the volume of the collection but also the way they carefully prepared the specimens," he said. Yoshitomi has something on his mind these days: He says an increasing number of parents tell their children not to touch the live insects at the exhibition because, for example, they are "dirty." "Insects are the most familiar way for children to learn about nature and the environment. The personal experience of getting close to them will bear fruit when they grow up. They won't litter garbage and engage in other disruptive behavior, for example," Yoshitomi said. "Making insect specimens may seem simple and unflashy, but it plays a large role." - - - Ehime University Museum The museum is located on Ehime University's Johoku Campus, which is a 20-minute streetcar ride from JR Matsuyama Station and a five-minute walk. Only researchers can enter the specimen room, but part of the collection is on permanent exhibit. This year's exhibition will be Aug. 8-12. Open: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Entrance gate closes at 4 p.m.) Closed on Tuesdays. Admission: Free Information: (089) 927-8293 The Lake Houston Pachyderm Club invited Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle to give the latest update at the Tosca Americana restaurant in Atascocita on Monday regarding flooding-related matters. Justin Lurie, LHPC president, said that the event was organized many months in advance and was also livestreamed on the club's Facebook page. "Since last August, we have already launched 135 of the 237 approved projects," Cagle said, referring to the initiatives in the 10-year bond program passed August 2018. He also addressed possible concerns about not seeing momentum on these projects, saying that many processes are involved among them ensuring that surrounding neighborhoods won't be impacted and acquiring the necessary permits. Cagle was also pleased at the ongoing dredging, giving a nod to Governor Greg Abbott, Harris County Flood Control District and Councilman Dave Martin for initiating it. Cagle said that the notorious mouth bar in the San Jacinto River "is going to be removed." Work to remove the mouthbar, with costs estimated to be in the $40-million range, gained approval from FEMA in April. "The debate is how much of the sediment in the mouth bar is because of Harvey," Cagle added. "We'll have to wait and see. There will be something. It will be done, and it is something I'm excited to see (happening)." Cagle also proposed a look into new technologies that may mitigate flooding in the region. "As we move forward in time, part of what you approve is not just looking into the past but also toward the future to see if we can use the technology that's being used elsewhere around the world to make us a safer place than we are right now," he said. Lurie was echoing a point that residents, particularly those in the Elm Grove area, noticed as they cleared out damp and destroyed furniture last Wednesday. One resident there, Jay Dabbracio, said that his house has no flood insurance. During Harvey the flood water only reached his driveway. While Lurie was pleased that there is a plan in place to address future storms, he said "there is an immediate and pressing need to mitigate flooding here in Kingwood today, including areas that did not flood previously, even during Harvey." nguyen.le@chron.com Archibshop Gintaras Grusas of Lithuania, will present the keynote address at the 2019 University of St. Thomas (UST) Commencement at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at the Smart Financial Centre, 18111 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land, TX. UST will grant degrees to 855 students, including 333 undergraduates and 522 graduate students. This years graduating class includes the first Ed.D cohort. The Archbishops speech is themed, I Know Well the Plans I have for You (Jer. 29:11) and will focus on what the future holds for us in times of uncertainty, turbulent world politics, war, instability, economic uncertainty, self-interest among global leaders, and even a questionable future for our planet. Archbishop Grusas is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum in Rome where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 1994 and was ordained a priest. He then served as secretary-general of the Lithuanian Episcopal Conference until 1997 and from 2001-2003 was rector of the seminary in Vilnius. He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1999 and a Doctorate of Canon Law in 2001 from Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum. In 2010, he was appointed Military Ordinary by Pope Benedict XVI and was consecrated bishop. Honorary Doctorates UST will present an honorary doctorate (honoris causa Latin for the sake of honor) to Archbishop Grusas and to Rev. George Smith, CSB, former UST board member and past General Superior of the Congregation of St Basil (Basilian Fathers). Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award The University of St. Thomas Alumni Association will present Anthony Pizzitola 73, MBA 82 with the 2019 Rev. Vincent J. Guinan, CSB, distinguished Alumni of the Year Award. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the University and society through professional and personal excellence and community involvement. For nearly 50 years, the former president of the UST Alumni Association has served UST in a variety of ways, starting as editor of the Summa yearbook, selling ads to inspire publication. He offers his expertise to UST students, such as organizing an MBA seminar presented by Disaster Recovery Institute International. He also served as Chapel of St. Basil sacristan for eight years, among many other involvements. Graduate Elena Dang 19 to speak on Be Bold: Have Goals The daughter of Vietnamese boat people, Dang has made the most of her college career. She was a member of the American Chemical Society and Student Activities Board, and served as a STEM peer mentor, Presidential Ambassador, Vice Chair of the 2018 Celt Orientation, resident assistant and freshman symposium mentor. During her senior year, Dangs mentor was UST First Lady Melynda Ludwick, a pharmacist who provided her with valuable career counseling and guidance on applying to and selecting a pharmacy school. Dang is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Biology on the Pre-Pharmacy Track. She will attend the University Of Texas College Of Pharmacy in Austin and then plans to pursue a specialized degree in pharmacogenomics, a new field that combines pharmacology and genomics to develop drugs tailored to patients genetic makeup. Her goal is to come back to Houston to conduct research in the Texas Medical Center. The oilfield services company Weatherford International has entered into an agreement with its top creditors that will allow the company to file for a "prepackaged" Chapter 11 bankruptcy after more than four years without making a profit. Weatherford said late Friday that the company had reached an agreement with creditors that hold 62 percent of a type of debt known as unsecured senior notes. Although not backed by company assets, unsecured senior notes have greater seniority and pay higher amounts of interest than other forms of debt. The agreement allows the Swiss company, which has principal operations in Houston, to shed $5.8 billion of its $7.6 billion in long-term debt in exchange for 99 percent of the stock in the reorganized company. The agreement also provides the company with $1.75 billion in fresh credit and loans. Weatherford expects to implement the agreement through a "prepackaged" Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in the United States and similar proceedings in Ireland. In a statement, Weatherford CEO Mark McCollum said high levels of debt hinder the company's ability to invest in growth and prevent it from completing a Feb. 2018 transformation plan. The agreement, he said, would improve the company's balance sheet without interrupting operations, vendors, customers and employees. "We expect a restructuring will provide us with improved liquidity and greater financial stability and flexibility to make investments to enhance our platform while we continue to invest in the resources necessary for our business to grow," McCollum said. "We are confident that these steps will allow us to continue our transformation journey and position Weatherford for long-term success." Financial Woes: Weatherford postpones release of first quarter results Weatherford was originally supposed to release its first quarter earnings and host a conference call for investors early Wednesday morning. But the company abruptly canceled the investors calls on Tuesday and postponed the release of its first quarter results until Friday. The company reported a $481 million loss in the first quarter, widening from $242 million loss from the same period in 2018. Revenues slipped to $1.35 billion of revenue during the first quarter from $1.42 billion a year earlier. In a late Friday afternoon filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Weatherford painted a dismal financial during the first quarter and a bleak outlook for the rest of the year. Among other factors, the company attributed the year-over-year declines to weak energy sector conditions in Canada, weather-related disruptions in the United States, Europe and Russia as well as project startup costs and an unfavorable impact from foreign exchange in Argentina. Weatherford has not made a profit since the third quarter of 2014. With a bleak outlook for demand during the rest of 2019, the company reported that it is supplementing its operations with cash from investing and financing activities. These uncertainties have impacted our company in several ways, including the retention of our key personnel, access to debt and equity credit at suitable terms, our level of working capital and our ability to execute within our targeted timing on our transformation, Weatherford officials wrote. Service Sector: Weatherford proposes reverse stock split to prevent delisting The first quarter results and SEC filing come less than two weeks after the company's board of directors released a ballot asking stockholders to approve a reverse stock split plan to prevent the company from being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. Under the proposed 1-for-20 ratio, the roughly 1 billion outstanding shares of Weatherford stock would be reduced to just over 50 million shares increasing the remaining stock's value. Weatherford's stock has been trading below $1 per share since Nov. 13. New York Stock Exchange officials issued a delisting warning in December and gave Weatherford six months to improve its dismal stock performance. Weatherfords stock closed at 37 cents a share Friday. Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox Founded in Texas, Weatherford is one of the largest oilfield service companies in the world. The global company had 67,000 employees at the beginning of 2014 but today, it employs around 26,500 people in 80 nations. The company has seven locations in Texas, including four in the Houston area. The company posted a $2.8 billion loss on $5.7 billion of revenue in 2018. Under a transformation plan released in Feb. 2018, the company has sold off its non-core assets and now focuses on drilling equipment and digital services. sergio.chapa@chron.com @SergioChapa on Twitter Culture of Health Advancing Together (CHAT), a nonprofit organization based in Gulfton, is holding a Summer Academy, which consists of weekly camps. CHATs mission is to foster the health and well-being of immigrant and refugee communities through the education, arts, advocacy and access to care. Dr. Aisha Siddiqui, the founder of CHAT, noted that there is already an after school CHAT Academy, which helps the students with their homework, and gives them the opportunity to participate in activities such as art, photography and music, so it was a natural continuation to develop a Summer CHAT Academy. We realized that these are the children who are missing out on things and are deprived of things that others would have. We do not want the children to be running around unattended, and not having structured activities, Siddiqui said Aside from integrating and helping the immigrant and refugee children become more social, an important part of the CHAT Academys is helping the students learn English. We found out, based on interviews with people, that both children and adults need help with English, but the children need it more because they are in school, Siddiqui said. The Summer CHAT Academy, and the CHAT organization is located at Ashford Crescent Oaks Apartments, 6718 De Moss Dr, Houston. Children have the option of attending one week long camp, up to all of the camps, for five weeks. The camps start on July 8 through August 9. The camps are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Siddiqui highly encourages the children to come for the entire five weeks. Some of the activities last throughout the entire Academy. For instance, last year, the students worked on a play the entire five weeks. The students wrote the play and then acted it out. The performance was public and open to everyone. The Summer CHAT Academy combats summer learning loss, by providing students with basic curriculum such as math and reading, mixed in with elective activities. Fun Fridays feature fun activities for the children such as baking and cooking classes, or a day at a local splash pad. This year the Academy is partnering with the Houston Food Bank, and a breakfast, hot lunch and snacks will be provided every day. There will be planned field trips based on sponsorship opportunities. Last summer the students were able to go to the museums and Hermann Park, thanks to sponsorships from the museums. Our resources are limited, so most activities take place inside the apartment complex. It is always wonderful to have a sponsor. We can do a lot more with the children that way, Siddiqui said. Siddiqui notes that most of the people that help out with CHAT and the Academys are volunteers from the area colleges and high schools, and CHAT can always use more volunteers. We do not have luxury to hire tutors, but our student volunteers help so much. They all speak the languages and that makes a difference. It makes a stronger connection, Siddiqui said. For volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, go to http://chattx.org, and click on the Volunteer tab, or Contact Us. All the children love the program, Siddiqui said. Siddiqui remembered a nine-year-old boy who attended the Academy last summer. He had lived with his grandmother in South America and had just joined the rest of his family in Houston. He was very shy and would not speak with anyone. In the summer he got very active. He was involved in the writing and the staging of the play. He is a good actor. The mother had tears in her eyes. She could not believe it, Siddiqui said. Parents can register their children, and learn more information at https://chattx.org/summer-camp/. The weekly cost is $65 for children living at the Ashford Crescent Oaks complex, or those already involved with the after school CHAT Academy. For others it is $95 per week. Siddiqui hopes to receive corporate or individual sponsorships to help more children attend the academy. rebecca.hazen@chron.com Although Three Brothers Bakery learned they had lost their Kosher license on the eve of their 70th anniversary, community members from across Houston are rallying behind the popular business. On May 7, the baker's co-owners Janice and Bobby Jucker were preparing to celebrate their big day when they received the bad news that they would no longer be considered Kosher. The situation largely started in August 2017 when Hurricane Harvey left 4.5 feet of water in their South Braeswood location. It closed for 17 days and forced the Juckers to take out disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. But actually, the bakery had faced closures in 2015 and 2016 from flooding as well. Because Three Brothers was a Kosher bakery, it was required by tradition to close during the eight days of Passover. A year ago, the loans were still in a grace period. So the bakery closed except for its commercial business through the back door, which the Houston Kashruth Association had allowed since Hurricane Ike in 2008. However, this year the payments were rolling and due. Jucker and Bobby made the decision in April to take the risk of staying open on the retail side as well so they could pay their loans. "The Houston Kashruth Association (HKA) proudly provided Kosher certification to Three Brothers Bakery for most of its 70 years," according to a written statement from the HKA. "The HKA is grateful for our long-standing relationship with the Jucker family, and while we understand that theirs was a difficult business decision, it does preclude us from continuing the bakery's Kosher certification. Our decision was made with appreciation that the bakery will certainly be missed by the Kosher community, and we wish Three Brothers Bakery continued success." 'KING AND QUEEN OF DISASTER': The owners of Three Brothers Bakery look back at Harvey flooding, only at HoustonChronicle.com. The bakery, now with three locations, was started by three brothers who came to America after surviving the Holocaust. They were a family of bakers, and Bobby is a fifth-generation baker. Jucker said Bobby's family baking has been Kosher for nearly 200 years, since they started back in Poland. She said Harvey impacted their business in ways well beyond the actual physical damage. "There wasn't enough insurance coverage. So flood insurance covers what's in your building, so if there's anything outside your building, (it is not covered). It doesn't cover lost revenues," Jucker said. "These tend to be million-dollar events for us, and we actually calculated our payroll dollars spent on recovery over the course because it's not like you just clean up and reopen. I mean there's a whole lot more that goes into it. And everybody's working overtime. It was three months of payroll that we spent on Harvey recovery." Three Brothers also provides health care coverage and a 401k plan to their employees. Jucker added that the financial burden of health care is greater for food service and retail establishments as employees contribute a smaller amount of the costs (because they make less than other industries) and the employers pay the rest. With being closed for Passover last year, a couple of holidays and weather days, Jucker figures the bakery missed out on about a month's revenues and said she and Bobby had to evaluate the financial facts in front of them. "We just couldn't swing everything. I mean because all those things I'm describing have to come from profits, and if you're closed, it creates a huge financial burden. And we just frankly couldn't afford it anymore." Hearing coverage of the story from local, national and even some international news outlets, people from across Houston have been the visiting the three locations to show their support through buying freshly baked goods and sugary treats of all kinds. One man drove all the way in from Manvel, Texas. Another past customer who hadn't shopped in a while even spent more than $600 on items, Jucker said. "There have been a lot of people like that. I mean just people coming by and just being really supportive and shopping with us. And that's what small businesses need right now. We need, to survive, we all need our local shoppers because we've been hit by the Harvey economic problems. If you were hit physically or not, it didn't matter. Everybody was hit economically." Jucker said she hopes that the uptick in business and support will continue over the long haul, what Three Brothers will really need to be successful into the future. In the meantime, she and Bobby are also considering other ideas to make up the income they will lose from not being Kosher anymore. Some include selling boxed lunches for corporate events, expanding their selections and serving breakfast options. As of publication time, Jucker said she has not heard from the HKA and doubts getting the license back is a possibility because of the restrictions that would financially affect their ability to remain open. She said she regrets that a bakery with a long and rich history of being Kosher lost that status, particularly for a financial decision and not for something like putting bacon in challah or mixing meat and dairy. But for her, it was a question of survival. "You can be a permanently closed Kosher bakery or you can be a bakery that makes Jewish-style baked goods that's open. Those were the two options." Three Brothers Bakery has locations in Southwest Houston at 4036 S. Braeswood Blvd., in Memorial at 12393 Kingsride Lane and in Rice Military at 4606 Washington Ave. tracy.maness@hcnonline.com In a 4-1 vote, Montgomery County commissioners tabled a request by Forensics Director Dr. Kathryn Pinneri to add a staff member to handle an increased workload after taking over hospital death investigations that had previously been handled by the countys justices of the peace. County Judge Mark Keough was the nay vote. During a presentation Tuesday morning, Pinneri told commissioners that Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Matt Beasley learned it was outside the jurisdiction of justices of the peace to investigate cases of anyone who dies within 24 hours of arriving at a hospital. She added she was not sure why that had never been noticed before. These (hospital) deaths, a large number of times, will fall under a JP case, she said. They are going to be unusual, unnatural, accidents, suicides and potential overdoses. The justices of the peace, Beasley noted during the meeting, have been handling all the death calls, including those at the six hospitals in Montgomery County. This month, Pinneri said, her office took over the inquests from the justices of the peace for any deaths at local hospitals. However, the increased work load forced her to request the court approve the creation of a death investigator. Currently, there are two death investigators at the Montgomery County Forensics Center. Because Montgomery County does not have a medical examiners office, it operates under a justice of the peace inquest system making those deaths within 24 hours at a hospital unreportable. Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack questioned the request. If you simply stuck to the law and didnt seek to expand the authority of your office, would you need this person, he asked. Following a long pause, Pinneri responded Not necessarily. No. OK, then I would vote no for sure because I believe this is you looking to take an opportunity to do more than is required and I dont believe that is where we are, Noack said. If it is not required by law, then it doesnt make sense. However, Pinneri quickly fired back. Its not that I want to go above and beyond, she said. I want to do what is right. Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador supported Pinneri. I think it would be some relief for the JPs, he said. I can see the value in it. Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts, who served as the Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace for 16 years, emphasized how important death investigations are. The most important part of the job is investigating deaths, he said. When someone is not walking around breathing anymore, youve got to find out why. Metts suggested the county do a more research on ways to get Pinneri the help she needed without adding a new position to save taxpayers dollars. I think Commissioner Metts is 100 percent right, Noack said. We need to do a little more investigation on this. The court is expect to revisit the issue at a future meeting. cdominguez@hcnonline.com Kristi Nix / Staff photo Fort Bend County Judge KP George will host his fourth listening session in the county dubbed the Listening Tour to hear what residents have to say about county services and hear concerns. The fourth meeting will be held beginning at 6 p.m. on May 22 at Willowridge High School located at 16301 Chimney Rock Road in Houston. The meeting will be held in partnership with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, District Attorney Brian Middleton, Precinct 2 Constable Daryl Smith, and State Rep. Ron Reynolds (District 27). Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg's top lieutenant is out the door after the latest staffing shake-up at an office already plagued by high turnover and ongoing retention problems. Tom Berg, a former defense attorney who came on board at the start of Ogg's administration, confirmed his departure early Tuesday - and though initially he described it to the Chronicle as a firing, officials later said that he resigned when offered a different job title. "I realize that as the office has evolved its needs have necessarily changed," Berg wrote in a letter to Ogg dated Tuesday. "I could not anticipate or adjust to each aspect of the transformation and acknowledge your need to have a First Assistant who is philosophically more aligned with your course for the future." It's not clear if a specific incident prompted the move. Two other employees - Human Resources Director Dean Barshis and Community Outreach Coordinator Shekira Dennis - are shifting roles in similarly unclear circumstances. READ MORE: High turnover continues at Harris County DAs office When Ogg took over the office in January 2017 after ousting Republican incumbent Devon Anderson, she made waves by letting go dozens of veteran prosecutors and replacing them with a number of seasoned defense attorney - including Berg. "Change is coming," Ogg said at the time. "Like any good team that has suffered some under-performing seasons, we're changing management. My administration is heading in a new direction." STAY INFORMED: Text HOUSTON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse But even after Ogg took the helm, the changes continued. As of April, more than 140 prosecutors had left under her tenure, generating a sharp uptick in turnover. Ogg has attributed the turnover to fallout from Hurricane Harvey, which has left courtrooms scattered across a number of buildings and prosecutors working in makeshift offices. Some local attorneys chalked up the departures to leadership issues. "There's a lot of different things going around they're overworked because of the hurricane or they're not going to trial but really it's that there's no leadership," said Josh Phanco, a longtime felony prosecutor who left the office earlier this year. "There's no one you look at and say, 'Oh, I want to be that guy.' They all got fired." In the years before he joined the district attorney's office, Berg served in the military in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He is a Washington, D.C. native later raised in Mexico City. After graduating from Rice University and the University of Houston, he worked as a military lawyer challenging the government's alleged use of torture at Guantanamo Bay. "He put his own career in jeopardy because he believes in the higher principles of law," Ogg said in a 2017 news release announcing his hire. "Anybody with that kind of character, along with 40 years of experience, has the kind of qualifications we need in this office." He also spent more than a quarter century at the Federal Public Defender's Office in Houston, serving as the First Assistant there for 19 years. READ MORE: Shake-up at the courthouse: Incoming DA Ogg hands pink slips to 37 top prosecutors Berg's last day in the office is Wednesday. His sudden departure immediately sparked speculation and surprise in the legal community. "You have a lot of different people leaving," said Murray Newman, a defense attorney and former prosecutor. "If you look at Tom Berg as a good, ethical, stable force and he's at the top and he's leaving it doesn't give you a whole lot of hope for the people who are practicing below him." Officials have not yet said who's replacing him or what alternative position he was offered, and Berg did not offer additional comment. Meanwhile, Yvonne Taylor is stepping in as acting director of Human Resources. Officials would say only that Barshis is still on the payroll. Dennis will continue working for the district attorney's office but as a contractor, employed by her own public-engagement firm. keri.blakinger@chron.com, @keribla A .357 Magnum believed to belong to a man killed in a botched Houston police drug raid was among the evidence investigators recovered after the January shoot-out, law enforcement sources confirmed Tuesday. The news comes a day after a private forensics team analyzed the scene and raised questions about whether either of the people killed by police in the narcotics bust had fired shots at the undercover officers who burst through the front door. The revolver - the same weapon officials originally said Dennis Tuttle fired at police - had multiple spent casings, the sources confirmed. The find could help confirm some aspects of the Houston Police Department's version of events called into question by the outside forensics investigators hired by the families of Tuttle and his wife, Rhogena Nicholas. Mike Doyle, the attorney representing the Nicholas family, did not dispute the claim, but pointed out that it may not prove Tuttle fired a shot, and also highlighted some of his team's other findings - namely, a trove of uncollected evidence, including bullets and teeth. "We're not saying they didn't collect any evidence, all we're saying is that there's a substantial amount of really important evidence that was not collected," Doyle said. "It's certainly possible that at some point in the chain of events something other than a police weapon was fired, but when, who did it and where remains to be seen." ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Autopsies show couple killed in botched drug raid had traces of marijuana, cocaine Chief Art Acevedo could not be reached late Tuesday, and a Houston police spokesman declined to comment, citing the active investigation. It's still not clear what other evidence authorities may have that could back up the official narrative in a case that has blossomed into one of the department's biggest scandals in decades. The gunbattle began early on the evening of Jan. 28, when a narcotics case agent burst in the front door of 7815 Harding Street looking for a pair of suspected heroin dealers. A pit bull lunged at the officer, who opened fire and killed the animal, authorities said at the time. Stay Informed Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse Hearing the gunshot, Tuttle came running out from the back of the house and started shooting, striking the case agent who'd been the first man through the door, according to police. Though officials initially said the 59-year-old Pecan Park resident had wielded a .357 revolver, the gun wasn't listed on the search warrant return officially released in the months since the raid. After he was shot, the wounded lawman fell on the couch near Nicholas, who allegedly made a move for his weapon. A back-up officer opened fire and killed the 58-year-old woman. The shoot-out continued, and in the end, Tuttle and Nicholas were killed and five officers injured including four who were shot. Police maintain the officers were not shot by friendly fire. Authorities have reported that in a search of the home afterward, they turned up four heirloom guns and user-level amounts of cocaine and marijuana. It's unknown if other drugs were recovered with the .357 revolver. INVESTIGATION: Harris County DA seeks dismissal of narcotics officer Gerald Goines active cases, according to HoustonChronicle.com report Even with the discovery of the fifth weapon, other concerns with the case continue to be at the center of multiple investigations across at least three agencies. In the weeks after the raid, the first man through the door - case agent Gerald Goines - retired under investigation amid accusations that he'd lied on the search warrant used to justify the raid. That revelation sparked probes by Houston police, the FBI and the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors are still exploring the possibility of criminal charges against one or more of the officers involved, and have tossed out multiple cases previously handled by Goines and his partner, Officer Steven Bryant, in light of questions about their conduct at Pecan Park. If you're a theater fan, mark your calendars: there's plenty to do when it comes to stage performances in Houston this week, from a speaking event by best-selling authors to a play. 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. Late one night in April, a week before Venezuela's opposition launched its abortive uprising, four men sat on the terrace of the hillside compound in Caracas belonging to the chief justice of the country's Supreme Court. The dim lights of the capital twinkling below them, they sipped Fiji bottled water as they plotted the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro's spy chief, Gen. Christopher Figuera, and Cesar Omana, a 39-year-old Venezuelan businessman based in Miami, were trying to seal a deal hashed out over weeks with Maikel Moreno, the chief justice, according to one of the participants in the meeting. Figuera and Omana were part of the plan to force Maduro out, but they needed Moreno's help. Moreno, sitting before an ashtray laden with the stubs of Cuban cigars, appeared to be having doubts. The 53-year-old jurist voiced concerns about Juan Guaido, the U.S.-backed opposition leader who would become the nation's interim president if the plot succeeded. Then, according to the participant, Moreno offered another candidate to "temporarily" lead the broken country - himself. "In the end, he was trying to safeguard his own power play," one senior opposition figure said. This account is based on hours of interviews with three people familiar with the talks: the participant, a senior opposition official who was kept informed on the developments, and a senior U.S. official briefed on the talks. The account also sheds new light on the key question of what went wrong in the Venezuelan opposition's high-stakes move to oust Maduro on April 30. The three people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal tactics, said Moreno's hesitant pledge to cooperate - and then his reversal - played a crucial role in the plan's collapse. The failure of the uprising has cast new uncertainty on the opposition's months-long effort to oust Maduro. Guaido made a surprise appearance with a handful of troops at a military base in Caracas at dawn on April 30 to announce that he had the support of key military units and to call on others to join in the "final phase" of the campaign against the strongman. But the broader military support never materialized, and Maduro's forces moved against opposition protesters, killing at least four and wounding scores. While U.S. officials still want Maduro out and say they remain engaged, they now say it probably will take longer than they initially believed. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has expressed frustration at his administration's aggressive strategy, complaining he was misled about how easy it would be to replace Maduro with Guaido, according to administration officials and White House advisers. Moreno's backing alone, opposition officials concede, might not have forced Maduro out on April 30. But the plotters were counting on Moreno to provide a vital lever to sway the military to their cause: a legal ruling that would have effectively acknowledged Guaido as interim president and led to new elections. The fact that it never emerged, they believe, scared off key military and other loyalists. They portray the chief justice, a former intelligence officer turned lawyer, as an angler with his own ambitions of power. The senior U.S. official confirmed that the version of events described here concurred with descriptions offered to the Americans by the Venezuelan opposition, which had been updating them on the progress of the talks. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has publicly named Moreno as one of the top loyalists in talks to turn on Maduro. Moreno, through a spokesman, did not respond to a request for comment. He has publicly condemned the plot against Maduro, and in the days since, the court he leads has issued charges, including treason,against opposition figures involved in the attempted ouster. "I express my strong rejection of the illegal intention of a very small group of military and civilians who have sought to take political power with force, going against the constitution and the laws," Moreno said in a call to state TV 90 minutes after the uprising began. Maduro hasn't openly moved against Moreno or any other senior loyalists that U.S. and opposition officials claim were plotting against him. Analysts see two possible reasons: Either the loyalists were feigning interest in ousting Maduro to learn more about the plot or expose it, or Maduro is too weak to act against other senior officials. Opposition officials, while disappointed that the plan did not work, remain convinced that it has shown a critical lack of loyalty, and believe senior officials and justices might still be willing to turn. Figuera, Omana and Moreno met around 11 p.m. on April 23 at Moreno's mansion in the Alto Hatillo neighborhood of Caracas, outfitted with an impressive wine cellar, the participant recalled. Figuera and Omana - a chemicals trader and medical doctor who was working to defuse the crisis by liaising with contacts in loyalist circles, the U.S. government and the opposition - promised Moreno that senior government officials and top military brass were poised to stand up and denounce Maduro. But they needed a legal lever to help provide legitimacy, and one that only Moreno could provide. For weeks, they had gone back and forth on the language of a ruling to be issued by the Supreme Court, and which was expected on the night of April 29. Under the ruling, according to a draft reviewed by The Washington Post, the Supreme Court would withdraw legal recognition of Maduro's Constituent Assembly, one of the key sources of his power, and the status of political prisoners would be "revised." Most important, the Supreme Court would reinstate the National Assembly, headed by Guaido but stripped of its powers by the court in 2017 under Moreno's leadership. It also would call for the backing of the armed forces, and free and fair elections. "The magnitude of the social damage caused to Venezuelan society given the violation of [democratic guarantees] and constitutional principles, is incommensurable," the never-issued draft declared. The National Assembly, widely recognized internationally as Venezuela's only democratic institution, had already declared Maduro an "usurper" and named Guaido the nation's interim president. The Supreme Court ruling would have effectively backed that declaration, providing the armed forces with the constitutional cover they needed to turn against Maudro. In return for the legal ruling, the Supreme Court justices, including Moreno, would get to keep their posts. As described by opposition officials, the operation wasn't meant to be a textbook "coup," but a tightly sequenced chain of official statements meant to force Maduro to step down without a single bullet being fired. The Supreme Court ruling "was essential, because it gave the military as an institution a reason to step forward in an honorable way," said a person present at the meeting. "It made it so their actions were legal, and would not be considered a coup." On that evening of April 23, Moreno, while sympathetic to the opposition's goal, sounded anxious and dubious, the participant said. He had been in communication with a U.S. contact and senior opposition figures living in exile. Yet that evening, he complained that if the plan failed, he might be compelled to leave the country for the United States and "end up carrying my wife's bags at Walmart." Then he raised the issue of who would lead the country if Maduro was pushed aside. "Why Guaido? Why him?" Moreno asked, according to the participant. Moreno suggested he delay the restitution of the National Assembly's powers, and therefore the placement of Guaido as interim president. He presented the Supreme Court - a 32-member body largely seen as pro-Maduro, but with at least two dissenting voices - as the logical interim power. Such a move would have made Moreno, as the court's chief justice, the nation's temporary ruler ahead of any new elections. The participants balked. They envisioned a transition like the one in South Africa, albeit based on social ideology instead of race. But the transition needed a broker with international stature, constitutional legitimacy and popular support. That person, they told Moreno, was Guaido. By the end of the night, Moreno appeared to have come around, the participant said. But in two meetings later that week - the most recent on April 28 with Figuera - he began to have doubts.He insisted the opposition show it had support from the military before the Supreme Court issued its ruling. He also demanded from Figuera a pledge of forces to protect himself and his family after the ruling was issued. None of it would come to pass. Opposition officials say the move was originally scheduled for May 1 but had to be moved up a day when Figuera sent a text at 1 a.m. April 30 saying he had learned he was about to be replaced as head of SEBIN, Maduro's feared intelligence police. Figuera also said Leopoldo Lopez - under house arrest as the nation's most famous political prisoner, and a key player in the effort to oust Maduro - was about to be transferred back to a prison cell. Opposition officials were also told that the government was preparing to take unspecified action against Guaido and other senior opposition leaders. "The message was: We had to act," one opposition leader said. The conspirators made desperate attempts to reach Moreno that day, but their calls went unanswered. Gradually, many of the military men initially backing Guaido at the La Carlota military base began to drift away. Others who had pledged their support never showed up. Said one opposition official: If Moreno had acted, "the cracks [in Maduro's inner circle] would have been deeper, and probably definitive." WASHINGTON - The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee encouraged Donald Trump Jr. to invoke his right against self-incrimination and refuse to answer questions from the Senate Intelligence Committee if he complies with the panel's subpoena for a second closed-door interview. "You just show up and plead the 5th and it's over with," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters Monday, adding that Trump Jr.'s lawyer would "have to be an idiot" to let him testify again. "This whole thing is nuts," Graham continued. "To me, it's over." Graham's comments, which come just a day after he said on Fox News that Trump Jr. should ignore the summons, could serve as a temporary off-ramp in the standoff between the Intelligence Committee, led by Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and GOP senators either aligned with the president or up for reelection in 2020. It is also a remarkable display of one Republican Senate panel chairman undercutting another's work by dispensing free legal advice to a witness in an ongoing investigation - and reflects a greater GOP divide about whether the Senate should hold Trump Jr. in contempt if he continues to flout the intelligence committee's subpoena. Discussions are ongoing. But already, senior senators such as Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the intelligence panel, have publicly taken Trump Jr.'s side. "He's already testified like nine hours. At some point, I think there's other ways to address it," Cornyn said Monday, suggesting that Trump Jr.'s team submit written answers so the panel can avoid being "even more intrusive than we've been." Yet submitting written answers in lieu of appearing in person was never on the table, according to people familiar with the negotiations with Trump Jr. The Senate Intelligence panel is scheduling second-round interviews for members to question key witnesses, as the investigation has been largely staff-run. The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, appeared for a such an interview in late March. Last week, Burr detailed to his GOP colleagues the months-long process of trying to secure Trump Jr.'s testimony. According to people familiar with the negotiations and his explanation, Trump Jr. twice agreed to dates in March and April, but as the interviews approached, his lawyers sought to postpone them. The first time, the panel agreed; the second time, they did not, and issued a subpoena for his testimony. A person close to Trump Jr. described the Intelligence panel's request as "completely unreasonable" on Monday, adding "we are not doing a do-over." The panel has not yet revealed the deadline on its subpoena for Trump Jr.'s testimony. But the ultimate arbiter of whether the Senate enforces the summons with contempt proceedings will be Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell has thus far sought to provide political cover for Burr's probe and last week appealed to Republican senators to let him run the investigation without interference. But the continued defense Trump Jr. by senators such as Graham will complicate the prospect of bringing any contempt resolution to the floor. Looming over the dispute about Trump Jr.'s appearance are questions, particularly from Democrats, about whether he previously lied to lawmakers about telling his father the Trump campaign had been approached by a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr. told three congressional panels that he did not. Yet special counsel Robert Mueller's report details Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen recollection of Trump Jr. calling his father to discuss an upcoming meeting to get "adverse information" on Clinton. Mueller never interviewed the president or his son; Cohen is currently serving a three-year prison term for financial crimes and lying to Congress. - - - The Washington Post's Tom Hamburger contributed to this report. Presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke sat down with the hosts of ABC's "The View" on Tuesday in what is edging close to an apology tour as he seeks to reinvigorate a campaign that began in highflying fashion and has since plummeted to earth. Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Republican senator John McCain, listed things the Democrat from Texas has done over the past few months that she believes a female candidate would never get away with: going on a meandering road trip of self-discovery, joking about parenting his kids only some of the time and saying in a Vanity Fair interview that he was "just born to be in" the presidential race. "You're right," O'Rourke responded. "There are things that I have been privileged to do in my life that others cannot. And I think the more that I travel and listen to people and learn from them, the clearer that becomes to me. . . . I've had advantages that others could not enjoy - so being aware of that and then doing everything in my power to help correct that." The sit-down interview was O'Rourke's first on daytime television since launching his campaign two months ago and it was part of a shift in strategy as he lags in many polls and struggles to raise money. In addition to doing more national television interviews over the past two weeks and scheduling his first televised town hall for next Tuesday on CNN in Des Moines, Iowa, O'Rourke has started campaigning with his wife, Amy O'Rourke, and attending private fundraisers, something that his aides once boasted that he didn't need to spend time doing. With 22 Democrats now running for president, national television has become the go-to place for candidates looking to introduce themselves to voters, win over donors and share their policy ideas. Candidates who have found a way to stand out from the crowd - including Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana - have often done so during highly produced town halls organized by television networks, not the more informal ones hosted by their campaigns. "I can do a better job, also, of talking to a national audience, beyond the town halls that we're having," O'Rourke explained to MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Monday night during his first visit to her show, a stop that most Democratic candidates made much earlier in their campaigns. "I have an opportunity to answer your questions, Rachel, and address those who may not have been able to attend them and make sure that they can hear what this campaign is about and how I answer the questions that are put to me. So I hope that I'm continuing to do better over time." Just before O'Rourke appeared on "The View" on Tuesday morning, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., announced that she had turned down a request from Fox News to participate in a town hall because doing so would add "money to the hate-for-profit machine." Warren has appeared on Fox News in the past, but the move served to separate her from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who participated in a Fox News town hall in April that attracted more than 2.5 million viewers, according to early Nielsen data. "A Democratic town hall gives the Fox News sales team a way to tell potential sponsors it's safe to buy ads on Fox - no harm to their brand or reputation (spoiler: It's not)," Warren said in a series of tweets. Buttigieg plans to participate in a Fox News town hall on Sunday, and several other candidates, including O'Rourke, have said they are open to the idea. Walking onto the set of "The View" carried risk for O'Rourke, as several of the hosts had already criticized him. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg said on the air in March that much of the excitement about O'Rourke's campaign seemed centered on his ability to fundraise, not his ability to lead a country. "Something I heard him say was that he realized he was a guy with white privilege and so he also felt he needed a female to run with him. Well, my question is: What makes you think she wants to be your vice president? Why would you think she needed you to do that?" Goldberg asked, referring to a comment that O'Rourke made that he would be open to having a female running mate. "You have to be careful with privilege like that because things slip out your mouth, so you've got to really sort of clamp down before you open it and have foot inserted." During that same conversation, Abby Huntsman - the daughter of former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, who is now President Donald Trump's ambassador to Russia - said that she once dated "this white bro" who said something similar about being born to run for president. "It lasted about a week," said Huntsman, who is now on maternity leave. "Look, I know these guys. . . . There are guys like that who believe it." "WMP! WMP!" Goldberg said in ending that March segment, her shorthand for "white male privilege." She then quickly shifted and asked O'Rourke to come on the show: "Beto, don't let me put you off. Okay?" On Tuesday, nearly two months later, O'Rourke showed up - and within minutes was agreeing with the hosts' points of view. He also used the platform to go on offense, speaking Spanish ("I'm impressed," one host said) and laying out his approach to this campaign: Focus on issues that unite the country, not those that divide, and reach out to all Americans. The hosts asked O'Rourke if his six years in Congress have properly prepared him to be president (he noted that no one person can solve the nation's problems), what his wife thought of his comment about being a part-time dad (she urged him to rethink it, he said, adding: "Listen, I have a lot to learn and still am, and I'm learning from the best") and how he would handle "nasty" attacks from Trump ("We cannot descend into more of that division and bitterness and hatred and racism that so defines that man," he said). During "a policy speed round," O'Rourke rattled through some of his stances: On cash reparations to African Americans, he said that the country needs to tell "the full, true story of how this country was founded on the backs of people who were kidnapped" before "any transfer of wealth or money." Asked about universal health care, he simply said, "yes." Regarding immigration, O'Rourke promised to not "put kids in cages," to free young undocumented immigrants from the fear of deportation, to lift visa caps and to rewrite immigration law. When the topic turned to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, O'Rourke said he doesn't support abolishing the agency, "but we should abolish some of these internal enforcement practices." O'Rourke also insisted that he's not daunted by his poll numbers, which are often in the single digits and well behind several other Democratic candidates. "There's a lot of time," he said. "Those polls will change - there will be ups, there are going to be downs, and there are a lot of people to meet." - - - The Washington Post's Annie Linskey and Amy B Wang contributed to this report. According to rental site Zumper, median rents for a one-bedroom in Houston are hovering around $1,230. But how does the low-end pricing on a Houston rental look these daysand what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments to find out what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find. Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (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. 470 Maxey Road, #5164 Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 470 Maxey Road, #5164 in Northshore, which is going for $535/month. Pets are not permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is bikeable and has some transit options. (See the full listing here.) 1303 Gears Road Next up is this 484-square-foot studio, located at 1303 Gears Road in Greater Greenspoint and listed for $575/month. The building offers storage space, secured entry and a swimming pool. In the unit, the listing promises a air conditioning, a fireplace and a walk-in closet. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are welcome. The listing specifies a $99 deposit. According to Walk Score, the area around this address is car-dependent, isn't particularly bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (Here's the listing.) 2305 Hayes Road, #4487 This studio apartment, situated at 2305 Hayes Road, #4487, in Briarforest Area, is also listed for $575/month. Pets are not permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, this location is moderately walkable, has some bike infrastructure and offers many nearby public transportation options. (See the listing here.) 503 El Dorado Blvd., #5160 And here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 503 El Dorado Blvd., #5160, in Clear Lake, which is going for $595/month. Pets are not permitted. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location is somewhat walkable, is fairly bikeable and has minimal transit options. (Check out the 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. A local company that once helped the West Virginia town of Minden thrive had for for decades dumped untold amounts of industrial chemicals nearby. Years after that coal-equipment manufacturer shuttered and the rest of the local coal economy fell into decline, those toxic chemicals remained. Now the federal government is saying it will make cleaning up Minden a priority. On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency finally added a site in the tiny town of 250 people to its national priority list for contaminated Superfund sites. The government says it prioritize cleaning up a former manufacturing site for Shaffer Equipment Co. and nearby areas around Arbuckle Creek, where the company used polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which had been added to oil used by electrical equipment until 1984. For years, Minden residents said they were being overlooked by federal authorities, even as many of them were diagnosed with an alarming number of cancers and other health issues. Local activists told The Washington Post that they found about a third of Minden residents have died of or been diagnosed with cancer in recent years. They suspected the cause was PCBs. Yet testing by state and federal officials was not able to definitively establish that link. Still, residents pressed their case with the Trump administration, which proposed last September to add the Minden site to the Superfund list. West Virginia politicians praised the move on Monday, which open remediation of the site up to an injection of new federal funding through the Superfund program. "This is such an important day because the great people of Minden have been hurting for too long and they've been waiting on this level of help for decades," Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, said. So too did local leaders, such as Ayne Amjad, a doctor who helped research the health problems and spent years trying to raise the profile of the town. "So to get so much national support and to see it come to this is such a great feeling," she said Monday, adding that activists will turn now to relocation efforts for Minden residents living near the toxic site. In a sign of how intractable some pollutants are, though, the EPA has already undertaken several rounds of cleanups in Minden since 1984, removing dozens of PCB-laced drums buried underground and hauling away nearly 5,000 tons of soil. The listing is a small part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to revitalize the nearly 40-year-old Superfund program, designed to clean up more than 1,300 hazardous sites across the country. Compelling companies to pay up for cleanup efforts has proved to be one of the few issues on which the EPA has been willing to side with environmental groups during the Trump administration. Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post. President Trump continues to plunge the United States deeper into a trade war with China. Reports Tuesday said he's attempting to secure a $15 billion relief package that would seemingly protect American farmers from China's latest economic response. But most American consumers in need of basic goods will likely have to pay out of their own pockets higher prices for a significant number of household and everyday items. Above, you can click through to see which common, everyday items could see a noticeable price jump thanks to President Trump entering the United States into a trade war with China. Trump sent a second list of Chinese goods on Tuesday morning and ordered the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to compile another grouping for possible implementation of additional tariffs. TRUMP $200 BILLION TARIFF RAISE: Read about how China is responding on HoustonChronicle.com. "At the direction of the president, the United States increased the level of tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on approximately $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, " said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "The president also ordered us to begin the process of raising tariffs on essentially all remaining imports from China, which are valued at approximately $300 billion." The high tariffs are a strong arm tactic to get China to the table over trade disputes. But how will the trade war between the U.S. and China impact you, the consumer? To see the complete second list of Chinese goods that President Donald Trump ordered the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to put together for potential implementation of additional tariffs click here. Peter Dawson is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | Peter.Dawson@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A small flash fire erupted at Intercontinental Terminals Companys Deer Park chemical storage plant Tuesday as workers took apart one of the tanks in the farm that caught fire in March. Pre-staged firefighting crews quickly put out the fire. There were no reported injuries and air monitoring during the incident didnt not show any elevated levels of benzene, officials posted on the Community Awareness Emergency Response, of CAER, Online, a portal maintained by the East Harris County Manufacturer Associations where facilities can post about incidents or events. A San Antonio woman convicted last month of fatally shooting her Army veteran boyfriend and slashing his neck to make sure he was dead was sentenced Monday to life in prison. Bexar County jurors found Laura Flores Messick, 32, guilty in April of the June 2017 killing of Chason Montez DeOca, 40. Testimony at the trial established that the pair had been arguing. On ExpressNews.com: Girlfriend guilty in Iraq veterans brutal slaying Messick told police in a videotaped interview that DeOca brought out the gun, but when he put it down, she grabbed it and shot him through the palm of one of his hands. She told authorities she then went into the kitchen to get a knife, and sliced his neck twice to make sure he was dead. DeOcas mother, Rachel Montez DeOca, went to her sons house when he didnt answer her phone calls and she found him in a pool of his own blood June 10, 2017. Police body camera footage captured the womans wails and cries when police arrived at the scene. In a police interview shown to the jury, Messick told how she left DeOca in the house and repeatedly walked over his dead body while she packed clothing and other items to take from the home hours before his body was found. On ExpressNews.com: Mothers emotional testimony the last jury heard in murder trial of San Antonio woman accused of killing boyfriend Before Messick was led away to begin her sentence, the victims mother addressed Messick and said she forgave her for taking her sons life, which made Messick cry. I forgive you, mija, Rachel Montez DeOca told Messick as both women cried. That morning, he told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. The victims cousin, Anita Montez DeOca, angrily told Messick she killed someone who was very special to the family and someone who would have loved her. I hope you rot in that jail cell the rest of your life, Anita Montez DeOca said through tears. Messick faced five to 99 years or life in prison. Earlier Monday, prosecutors Talia Triesch and Thom Nisbet had urged state District Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl to hand down the maximum sentence, citing Messicks pending cases of driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 in May 2015. At that time, she also was charged with cocaine possession, and was found to have a gun in her purse. Following DeOcas death, Messick picked up another DWI charge while she was out on bond, prosecutors said. Defense attorney Edward Garza called only one witness, Messicks mother, Rosa Maria Almaguer, who through an interpreter told the court her daughter was a good mother who suffered through abusive relationships in the past. She asked the judge to show mercy and compassion for her daughter. Under cross-examination by Nisbet, Almaguer was shown a picture of DeOca and asked if a good mom does what her daughter did. He then asked if she raised Messick to hurt people. To both questions, Almaguer quietly responded, No. When Nisbet asked Almaguer if she would want someone to show mercy to anyone who killed one of her children, Almaguer paused for a few seconds, then said, No. Messick will have to serve at least 30 years before she is eligible for parole. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 (ANSA) - Milan, May 14 - Italian retailer Conad has signed an agreement to buy almost all of French supermarket group Auchan's outlets in Italy, sources said Monday. The operation will see around 1,600 outlets change hands. The process of recruiting talent is seldom simple, rarely swift and scarcely stress-free, such is the nature of hiring. Accepted by many as a long-drawn out affair dictated by manual processes and lethargic systems, the human resources (HR) department is built on the foundations of patience due to the often-frustrating trial-and-error approach. From positing job advertisements, reviewing applications and selecting the right candidates, to conducting interviews, negotiating packages and finalising agreements, employers face many hurdles along the way. Step forward Urbanhire, a HR-tech startup in Indonesia, offering an alternative way of acquiring expertise. If we look at HR technology as a whole, you can see the impact of just about every technology breakthrough making our industry better, observed Nathan Kamstra, CIO of Urbanhire. From making better hiring decisions to giving us better insight into the health, wealth and well-being of our employees, the future of technology is simply making our lives better and more efficient. Speaking to CIO ASEAN from company headquarters in Jakarta, Kamstra said Urbanhire founded in 2016 was created to make hiring more efficient through recruiting software designed to connect employers and employees across Asia. Specifically, the hiring platform allows companies to post jobs across more than 50 portals, including Google, LinkedIn and Line a freeware app which became Japans largest social network in 2013. Tapping into a pool of more than one million active jobseekers, the software-as-a-service (SaaS) follows a data-driven hiring strategy, aligning businesses to a four-step digital strategy of source, assess, recruit and on-board. Three years since launching, key customers include global brands such as AIA, Zurich and The Body Shop, in addition to Indonesian organisations like Danamon, Pertamina and Djarum. Indonesia is a fantastic opportunity given where it is at from a growth perspective, Kamstra added. As a tech entrepreneur, I love the fact that we can use business models that have been successful in more developed countries without a lot of the baggage that comes with historical tech implementations that are no longer sufficient. I love to use the telecom industry as an example. Indonesia was able to go from little infrastructure to a very modern one by not having gone through all the investment steps that countries like the US were forced to do as pioneers. Instead, they were able to from level one to four without having to rationalise the infrastructure investment that steps two and three would have required if they had started earlier. Priorities Before joining the startup as partner and CIO in 2018, Kamstra spent more than 17 years at AON, rising to a global leadership position in his most recent role as senior director of software analytics. In looking ahead, Kamstras priorities are centred around two core technology strategies. Firstly, Im focused on fine-tuning our ecosystem to ensure we can maximise data collection and analysis for our business processes, Kamstra explained. Im choosing the best technology based on its ability to communicate and collaborate ensuring we as a company has the right data at the right time. Second, is our external product focus. Many in our industry discuss the use of artificial intelligence [AI] as an enabler. We firmly believe that technology such as AI will change the way we do business; however, that must start with a solid understanding of data needs and predictive analytics. Much of this year will be about building the foundations that take us to a level where we can achieve our goals and predict the new trends in business in real-time. Kamstra is also keeping pace with supply chain disruption, citing blockchain as having a significant impact, from reducing the cost to eliminating inefficiencies. Yet despite the influx of emerging technologies flooding the HR market, Kamstra acknowledged that measuring success remains a delicate balancing act for CIOs. I think that depends on your needs for the technology in the first place, he said. One measuring stick isnt appropriate for all solutions so having a solid understanding of the data you plan to use to measure success is critical before making any technology decision. The key is figuring out what data is needed, as well as realistic timelines for measurement. For Kamstra, a strong CIO will have a working knowledge of all the tools at their command, to help effectively manage new investments with legacy commitments. First of all, does the investment push the business further to a clearly stated goal and how? he asked. What is the impact of not perusing the investment? If your company is no longer relevant compared to your competitors then you have a very compelling argument. According to Kamstra, something often overlooked or underestimated is the operational cost. Having a clear and detailed roadmap of transition is critical to evaluate the total ongoing charge of any IT investment, he added. Having a firm understanding of IT finance is also critical. Knowing what depreciation, capitalisation has on your investment may help smooth out the expense. Understanding your cash versus profit and loss options and how that affects the business investment is critical. Data With a wide-ranging technology brief, Kamstra said his primary role as CIO is to make information i.e. data available both internally and externally, billed as critical to the success of the business. Data has never been more accessible and cheap, he said. Keeping a constant eye on the new tools available to make your organisation as agile as possible is critical. All aspect from marketing to security depends on us making critical decisions proactively. My success or failure is depending on making us a proactive versus. reactive organisation. Within that, choosing the right processes and software is the key. CIOs have slowly migrated to being the one keeping the lights into a role that is often in the spotlight. So much of business now relies on technology that its no longer about simple cost and risk mitigation. Currently, Kamstra is tasked with expanding business capabilities as Urbanhire evolves from a fledging technology start-up into a mainstream provider. At heart, we are a technology company, and key to our growth is evaluating partner, build and buy opportunities, he added. Also, given our current fundraising efforts, a large part of my time is spent supporting the CEO in securing funds. Kamstra added that the core attributes of a successful modern-day CIO in Asia today centre around five core areas; decisive leadership; being financially astute; having the ability to secure the ship; showing curiosity and being driven by customers. All of this is underpinned by genuinely caring about the people who support you in your mission. (ANSA) - Rome, May 14 - European Union citizenship has existed for years, Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said to Trentino-Alto Adige Governor Kompatscher Arno Kompatscher Tuesday after the latter told Der Spiegel Monday that German and Ladin speaking Alto Adige citizens should have double citizenship as "an intermediate step towards European citizenship". Moavero said he was "stunned" by what the governor had said. "Citizenship of the EU has existed for over a decade, it confers rights and is highlighted by a specific mention written on the cover of the passports in every EU state," Moavero said. Austria has repeatedly called for Alto Adige German speakers to be given a double passport. Cookie Preferences Cookie List Cookie List A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a user asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. 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You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website. Saudi Arabia denounces drone attack against oil pipeline Claimed by Houthi rebels: 'Stop the aggression' (ANSAmed) - DUBAI, MAY 14 - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday denounced a drone attack against one of its pipelines, the Associated Press reports. The attack was claimed by Yemeni Houthi rebels who in this way sent a message to Riyadh to induce Saudi authorities to ''stop the aggression'' in Yemen. According to broadcaster al Masira, a mouthpiece of Houthi insurgents, the drone attack against Saudi oil pipelines was carried out to ''respond to crimes committed every day'' by Saudis ''against the Yemeni population''. According to Saudi authorities, the attacks took place in three different regions of the kingdom - eastern provinces on the Gulf, in the Yanbu district on the Red Sea and in the area of the capital Riyadh in the districts of Dudaymi and Afif. These attacks come two days after announced ''sabotage acts'' attributed to unspecified foreign entities against Saudi oil tankers, along with a Norwegian and an UAE tankers in the Gulf of Oman near the Hormuz Strait.(ANSAmed). Democratic state lawmakers want to act on a number of issues in the remaining weeks of this years legislative session, but allowing more charter schools to open in New York City is not on their agenda. The current cap on charter schools permits 460 to open statewide, but there are no remaining slots reserved for New York City. Though 99 more charters could still open statewide, charter school supporters are pushing to raise the cap this year to continue the industrys growth downstate. And although the movements long-standing allies in the state Senate Republican conference are out of power, Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently revived the issue. We support raising this artificial cap, Rich Azzopardi, the governors spokesman, told the New York Post in mid-April. But the Legislature needs to agree as well. Despite Cuomos support, charter school proponents face resistance from teachers unions and many Democratic lawmakers who want to leave the cap unchanged. The issue is not even on the radar screen, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said recently, according to North Country Public Radio. State senators have also been cool to the idea, and no Democratic lawmaker has proposed legislation on the cap in recent weeks. The general mood among Democrats is that charter schools divert critical resources from traditional public schools. That is where my allegiance lies, said state Sen. Shelley Mayer, who chairs the Education Committee. I never been a fan of raising the cap. The cap will test Cuomos commitment to charter schools at a time when Democrats control both houses of the Legislature and show little desire to help the charter school industry grow. Teachers unions remain opposed, and while some Democratic lawmakers are supportive or at least nominally open to raising the cap, others are adamantly opposed. Hearings are planned in the coming weeks to evaluate education spending and the reporting standards that apply to charters, Mayer said. And while some lawmakers might be lukewarm on charters now, the ongoing popularity of charters suggest that a deal may be possible if the governor pushes hard enough to raise the cap. And there are reasons for Cuomo to try to deliver for charters. A March Quinnipiac University poll found that slightly more New York City voters support, rather than oppose, the idea of expanding charters in the state. Charters have also become particularly prevalent in minority-heavy areas of New York City, such as the South Bronx, Brooklyn and Harlem. More than 120,000 New York City children attend charter schools, and another 52,700 are on waitlists, according to the New York City Charter School Center. Cuomo made a big push for equity in education during the budget season, while giving charters a $37 million increase in funding. At the same time, the charter school lobby has made serving low-income students of color part of its messaging as it pushed to increase the cap. Cuomo has been sympathetic to their interests in the past, most notably in 2014 when he appeared at a pro-charter protest in Albany. Eva Moskowitz, founder and CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, told City & State that the governor has been steadfast in his support of charters. While reaffirming Cuomos support for raising the cap, Azzopardi declined to comment on what the governor has been doing to further that goal when asked by City & State. Charter school interests donated more than $130,000 to Cuomos 2018 reelection campaign, and the governor has not slowed down his prolific fundraising in the first year of his third term. By staying in the good graces of charter schools, the governor may be keeping his options open for future campaigns, whether at the state or national levels. Forcing legislators to raise the cap in exchange for concessions on other issues like rent regulations could also help keep lawmakers in line by dividing them on such a thorny issue. Recent history suggests Democratic lawmakers could go along with an increase as long as they get something in return. In 2017, a deal was struck that effectively raised the cap while nominally keeping it in place. In exchange for an extension of mayoral control, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed to an administrative change that allowed defunct zombie charter school slots to be reissued. A 2015 deal featured a similar win-win, with new charters allowed in New York City while the cap technically stayed at the same level. One possible bargaining chip, mayoral control of New York Citys schools, is off the table since it was renewed earlier this year, but lawmakers could still use the cap as leverage on other issues. People in my conference have been resistant to charters historically, said Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, a Democrat who chairs the Education Committee. We have raised the cap at times after much discussion with the Second Floor and the other house. I would certainly never exclude the idea that going forward that it might happen again that we would raise the cap. Other education issues will take precedence in the coming weeks, but Mayer said upcoming hearings will examine issues that she and other lawmakers say need to be solved before they would support raising the cap. This includes how charter schools report data on topics like special needs students, English language learners and school discipline, and how that differs from traditional public schools. Were going to continue to want to explore that, she said. With respect to the raising of the cap well discuss it in conference. Some lawmakers who have supported charter schools in the past, such as Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, said they are not pushing to raise the cap now but that could change under the right conditions, especially in New York City where the cap has been reached. Im not interested in seeing any caps lifted in the Buffalo area, she said. Now, personally, I would take the same position for New York City but if my colleagues there have an interest in lifting the cap, then I will support them. To be sure, lawmakers have good reasons to avoid raising the cap. The influential United Federation of Teachers, which represents public school teachers in New York City, is pushing back against charter schools. It is time for state government to freeze their growth and to put in place measures to ensure that charters take, keep and educate all kinds of students, while they open up their operations to real public scrutiny, UFT President Michael Mulgrew wrote in a May 3 op-ed in the Daily News. New York State United Teachers took a similar stance against the cap, while also signaling that they will note which Democrats hold the union line in the weeks to come. New York educators will be watching closely throughout the rest of this legislative session to see who aligns themselves with greedy corporate charter interests and who stands with public school children who deserve better from Albany, NYSUT spokesman Matthew Hamilton said in a statement. Charter school supporters have used big rallies at the state Capitol to pressure lawmakers in past years, including in 2015 and 2017. Moskowitz said she has made trips to the Capitol in recent weeks to lobby lawmakers. Supporters have targeted state lawmakers on social media and through visits to district offices recently, but the most high-profile forum lawmakers have noticed in recent weeks have been op-eds in the media where advocates have sought to portray the cap as a social justice issue. For families where traditional school settings arent an option, this cap leaves them with nowhere else to turn, Leonard Goldberg, founder and CEO of Opportunity Charter School, wrote in the Daily News on April 30. Charter school supporters will still have to push hard to raise the cap this year, given the opposition of state lawmakers and organized labor, but they have yet to come out in force a notable contrast to the supporters of other causes who have filled the halls of the state Capitol in recent weeks. That could be because the one supporter who matters most is the governor. His aggressive fundraising this year suggests that the 2018 election will not be his last political campaign, and he has made a point of maintaining a centrist position on charter schools, even as he has shifted left on other issues. Whether or not Cuomo wants to or is able to raise the charter school cap, publicly calling for it may make political sense. Law underpins much of what drives politics and policy in New York. From legislating to lobbying, from courtroom battles to campaign challenges, the states legal professionals are integral players on everything from elections to land use to criminal justice to labor to health care and the list goes on and on. Our inaugural list of the states 50 most influential lawyers highlights the breadth and versatility of the legal profession, featuring leaders who have advised Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, served as top prosecutors at the city, state or federal levels, represented victims of police brutality or sexual harassment, and made their mark on New York government through their work on major real estate developments or hot-button policy debates. This being New York, it will come as no surprise to City & State readers that some of the names at the top of our Law Power 50 list could have been plucked from national headlines for protecting high-profile defendants, filing legal challenges against the Trump administration or advancing the #MeToo movement. We reached out to legal experts to compile this list, ranking each person based on their achievements, track record and their sway with powerful politicians. Since we cover elected officials on a day-to-day basis, we limited this list to those who are not strictly in government but instead influence it from the outside. Were pleased to introduce our inaugural City & State Law Power 50. 1. Benjamin Brafman Submitted Founder Brafman & Associates Maybe even more than his four decades of experience, Benjamin Brafman is known for his quick wit (which frequently makes jurors laugh), his masterful cross-examinations and his list of high-profile clients. Brafman has defended the likes of Jay-Z and Sean Combs, mobsters including John Gottis right-hand man, Sammy the Bull Gravano, and until recently, the infamous Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein (though the two parted ways in January). The son of Jewish immigrants, Brafman was recently described by Esquire as a born fighter. After working as an assistant district attorney under Robert Morgenthau, the legendary Manhattan district attorney, Brafman opened his own firm, Brafman & Associates, thanks to a $15,000 loan from his in-laws. That was back in 1980, and the criminal defense lawyer has been gaining prestige and clients ever since. Brafman frequently butts heads with the government, like in the late 1980s during the crackdown on the Mafia, or in 2003 when he was up against future FBI Director James Comey, or more recently, when Brafman was still working with Weinstein. 2. Donna Lieberman New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director New York Civil Liberties Union Donna Lieberman was born into a family whose members in their own ways all fought for equality, justice and peace. So it made sense for her to go to law school and become a peoples lawyer. Lieberman has been leading the New York Civil Liberties Union since 2001, and under her leadership the organization has developed a strategy combining litigation, public education, advocacy and lobbying to promote and protect civil rights and civil liberties. Currently, the New York Civil Liberties Union has more than 185,000 members and eight offices around the state. She also founded the organizations reproductive rights program, making it the only legal organization in New York state that focuses on reproductive rights. During Liebermans tenure, the New York Civil Liberties Union has focused on reforming, among other policies, stop and frisk, broken windows policing and solitary confinement in state prisons and local jails. As for her leadership style, Lieberman has said that she strives to be a visionary and hopes to be inclusive and respectful. 3. Jerry Goldfeder Stroock Special Counsel Stroock & Stroock & Lavan Jerry Goldfeder, an election, voting and campaign finance attorney and a mainstay of New Yorks political class has been in the profession for more than 35 years. He has represented names as big as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as members of the New York state Legislature and the New York City Council. Now a special counsel at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, Goldfeder once served as special counsel for public integrity to then-state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. He spent decades before that frequently participating in politics and working with ballot lawsuits, residency disputes and recount battles in the city and the state. Goldfeder also spent the past three years as chairman of the New York City Bar Associations Committee on New York City Affairs and chairs the New York City Bar Association Task Force on the Charter Revision Commission. As a professor at both Fordham University Law School and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Goldfeder teaches future generations. He also documented his knowledge in Goldfeders Modern Election Law, which is in its fifth edition. 4. Jonathan Lippman John McCarten/New York City Council Of Counsel Latham & Watkins Jonathan Lippman presided over the states highest court for nearly seven years, serving as both chief judge of New York and chief judge of the state Court of Appeals. During his tenure, Lippman made major decisions that affected New York laws, state government and the day-to-day lives of all New Yorkers, including making New York the first state to require 50 hours of law-related pro bono work prior to bar admission. Now serving as of counsel at the New York office of Latham & Watkins, he has continued to be a major advocate of reforming New Yorks criminal justice system, especially closing the Rikers Island jail complex. Lippman said that the human toll of the status quo at Rikers is unacceptable not only for the prisoners but for the jails workers and communities across New York. Lippman helped draft A More Just New York City, which offered a blueprint for increasing fairness and public safety, cutting the number of people in jail by half, and closing the jail complex on Rikers. 5. Roberta Kaplan Sylvie Rosokoff Co-founder, Times Up Legal Defense Fund Partner, Kaplan Hecker & Fink Before she co-founded the Times Up Legal Defense Fund, Roberta Kaplan was described as a litigation superstar. She was previously best known for representing the late Edith Windsor in United States v. Windsor, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court Case that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and paved the way for legal same-sex marriage. Now, however, Kaplan, who runs her own firm in Manhattan, is making waves for Times Up, which was created during the #MeToo movement in 2017. The fund helps pay for lawyers to fight cases brought by low-paid workers who have faced sexual misconduct or have been the victims of abuse of power. After founding the fund, Kaplan called the #MeToo movement revolutionary and said that she cant see women agreeing to return to the days of isolation and shame. More than 21,000 people worldwide have since contributed more than $22 million. Besides representing women who have been harassed or assaulted, the fund also defends women in efforts that have been undertaken to stop women from speaking. 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 On March 8, Chelsea Manning, the whistleblower who leaked a huge cache of classified US intelligence documents published by WikiLeaks, found herself back in jail. Her incarceration was unexpected: a military court had condemned Manning to 35 years in prison, in 2013, but she was freed, in 2017, after outgoing President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. In March, Manning was put back behind bars after she refused to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. She told a judge in Alexandria, Virginia, that she already revealed everything she knows. The judge held her in contempt. Mannings jailing mostly passed under the radar. WikiLeaks, it seemed, was old news. On April 11, that changed. Ecuador kicked Julian Assange, the controversial founder of WikiLeaks, out of its embassy in London, where he had stayed under diplomatic immunity for seven years. Assange was arrested by British police. Shortly afterward, American authorities unsealed an indictment charging that Assange had conspired with Manning to hack government computer systems, and confirmed they would seek Assanges extradition to the US. On May 1, Assange was jailed in the UK for skipping bail when he entered Ecuadors embassy. The following day, the US formally began its extradition case in British court. Assange was given a chance to consent. I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many, many people, he replied. ICYMI: French media is polarizing. But not in the way we expected. As the AP notes, Assange already faced multinational legal woes. Yesterday, things got even more complicated. Eva-Marie Persson, a top prosecutor in Sweden, announced that an investigation into a rape allegation against Assangedating to 2010would be reopened. The case had been closed in 2017 due to Assanges seemingly indefinite exile in the embassy, but once he was out, a lawyer for his accuser asked for proceedings to recommence. (A second rape claim against Assange expired in 2015.) Swedens decision doesnt carry the force of an indictment; nonetheless, it does allow the government to request his extradition to face questioning. Will the US or Sweden get Assange? Will both? Will neither? The decision rests with Britain. Yesterday, separate extradition experts told The New York Times and The Washington Post that Swedens request could take priority on the grounds that rape is a more serious allegation than computer hacking. Swedish prosecutors argued yesterday that the rape case is urgentthe statute of limitations on the charge will run out next year. The US, however, might counter with a national-security argument, and the chronology of the extradition requests could also be a factor. In any case, we shouldnt expect a verdict anytime soon. Assanges fate will likely be tied up in court for months. Sajid Javid, Britains interior minister, could end up having the final say. In the early 2010s, when Sweden first sought Assanges arrest, many of his supporters sensed a conspiracy. If rendered to Sweden, they reasoned, Assange would simply be forwarded on to the US. In some quarters, a similar line of thinking persists. Yesterdays developments, however, seem to work against that theory. Swedens request, if granted first, would probably at least delay Assanges arrival in America, and Swedish prosecutors said any onward extradition would require Britains consent. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The rape claims against Assange have always been extremely serious, and the press should treat them as such. Whatever happens next, we should also clearly separate them from Americas charges against Assange, which press-freedom experts have called a clear threat to journalism. When Assange was first arrested, several commentators said that Assange isnt a journalist, and that the crime the US has accused him ofconspiracy to hack computerswouldnt criminalize journalistic conduct. The indictment against Assange, however, always looked like a slippery slopean impression reinforced by a separate, recently unsealed affidavit which is broader than the indictment and borrows language, in places, from the Espionage Act. As CJRs Mathew Ingram put it, The hacking charge might just be a hook on which the Department of Justice hopes to hang a much broader case criminalizing much of what journalists do with their sources. Until the last few days, Manning has been somewhat lost in this conversation, even though the grand jury she resisted seemingly sought to bolster the US governments case against Assange. Last Thursday, Manning was released from jail after the grand jurys term expired. A new one, however, will convene this week and will again subpoena Manning; Manning will again resist, and so her freedom could be shortlived. In the meantime, she went on CNN, telling Brian Stelter that investigators want her to divulge details not about her hacking activities, but around how the hacked information got to publication. This administration clearly wants to go after journalists, Manning said. Below, more on Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, and press freedom: The war on leaks: Last week, the US government indicted Daniel Hale, a former National Security Agency analyst, on charges that he leaked classified information, seemingly to The Intercept. For CJR, Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, writes that such prosecutions are the real threat to press freedom. Assange, Simon adds, is almost certainly being prosecuted for what he published. There is also a scenario in which Assange could still face eventual prosecution under the Espionage Act. Last week, the US government indicted Daniel Hale, a former National Security Agency analyst, on charges that he leaked classified information, seemingly to The Intercept. For CJR, Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, writes that such prosecutions are the real threat to press freedom. Assange, Simon adds, is almost certainly being prosecuted for what he published. There is also a scenario in which Assange could still face eventual prosecution under the Espionage Act. Intimate secrets: The New York Times reported yesterday that Manning is writing a memoir, to be published in the winter of 2020. Im really opening myself up to some really intimate things in this book, Manning told the Timess Charlie Savage. Youre probably going to learn more about my love life than about the disclosures. The New York Times reported yesterday that Manning is writing a memoir, to be published in the winter of 2020. Im really opening myself up to some really intimate things in this book, Manning told the Timess Charlie Savage. Youre probably going to learn more about my love life than about the disclosures. A prison visit: Last week, Pamela Anderson, a long-time associate and supporter of Assange, visited Assange in prison in the UK, and spoke to reporters afterward. He does not deserve to be in a supermax prison. He has never committed a violent act, she said. Hes really cut off from everybody. He hasnt been able to speak to his children. Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor in chief of WikiLeaks, previously called the conditions of Assanges detention appalling. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Audit suggests Google favors a small number of major outlets 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. Bryan Carmody, a freelance journalist in San Francisco, often works the night shift, shooting videos of car crashes, police chases, structure fires, and other breaking news events, and selling them in the morning to the Bay Areas local television stations. So he was asleep at 8:20am on Friday when police officers started banging on his front gate with a sledgehammer. The officers had a warrant, and they handcuffed Carmody for five and a half hours while they searched his home and then his office, five miles away. They were looking, Carmody says, for the identity of an anonymous source who had given him a police report on the recent death of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. They searched my house at gunpoint, Carmody says. They were running around like they were a SWAT team, even though they werent. ICYMI: NY journalist handcuffed to railing over his head This was an extraordinary step by San Francisco police, the first such raid of a journalists home or office that Carmodys lawyer, Thomas Burke, can remember. Pressure to unmask anonymous sources is nothing new, nor are legal threats against government employees who leak documents. But police officers storming into a journalists home with their guns drawn is nearly unheard of, frowned upon by custom and statute. Search warrants for journalists are very, very rare, Burke, a partner at Davis Wright Tremaine in San Francisco and a lecturer in media law at the University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism, says. They just dont happen, and they shouldnt happen. Carmody is an imperfect free-speech martyr. Other Bay Area journalists describe him as something of a troll, barraging them with angry tweets when they reported stories critical of the police, or when they were arrested while covering protests. But there is a consensus among journalists and free press advocates that this police raid crossed a line. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project The law in California is clear: Carmody should be able to keep his confidential source confidential. The state constitution includes a strong media shield law that protects journalists from having to disclose any unpublished information, including the identities of sources. They wanted to intimidate him into giving up the source by taking his equipment, which stops his work, his livelihood as a journalist. In some states, and at the federal level, courts can and do issue subpoenas demanding journalists turn over the names of sources. But the San Francisco Police Department did not go to court for a subpoena. It asked a judge to sign warrants so officers could scour Carmodys home and office for evidence. In the process, the officers seized Carmodys computers, phones, and other equipment and information. Its very clear theyre looking for the name of a confidential source, Burke says. That was an act of intimidation. They wanted to intimidate him into giving up the source by taking his equipment, which stops his work, his livelihood as a journalist. Carmody says he has no plans to identify his source. NEW AT CJR: The heavy crown of Gretchen Carlson A San Francisco Police Department spokesman refused to answer any questions about the search. The department issued a statement that said the search was part of a criminal investigation into the illegal release of the confidential Adachi police report and subsequent sale to members of the media. That phrasesubsequent salerankles Carmody. A few weeks ago, two officers from the San Francisco Police Departments internal affairs division came to his home and asked him to give up his source, which he declined to do. Carmody says those officers were interested in whether he had paid his source for the document. That could be a federal case, if an officer sold it to me, Carmody says. Thats public corruption. Carmody says he did not give his source anything of valuenot even a cup of coffeeand he told the officers as much. After Carmody obtained the documents about Adachis death, he sold his report on them to three local news outlets, just as he sells all of his stories. Local stations had the story February 23, the day after Adachi died. They say, Youre selling this document. Thats not accurate, Carmody says. Im selling a story, and that story includes photos and videos and documents and other supporting evidence. Adachi was the citys public defender for 17 years and was a vocal advocate for police reform and the rights of the accused. His death at age 59brought on, a medical examiner concluded, by a mixture of cocaine and alcoholwas a major story in San Francisco. There was no evidence of foul play, and no cocaine found at the apartment where he died. But the reports and photos taken by police at the scene, which were leaked to Carmody and aired on local news broadcasts, included references to an unmade bed, the woman Adachi was with, and cannabis gummies and alcohol found in the apartment. Some people in the city, including freelancer Joe Kukura in SFist, thought police officers were trying to smear Adachi with the leak. Carmody says he wont speculate about his sources motives for leaking the report. Carmody, 49, has been working as a stringer in the Bay Area for 29 years. He has his own news agency, North Bay News, which functions as a small freelance cooperative. Its the same job that was featured in the 2017 Netflix reality show Shot In The Dark, though Carmody says the market in San Francisco is nothing like the cutthroat world of Los Angeles stringers in that show. Carmody is well known and not particularly well liked by other Bay Area journalists. Not long after the news of the police raid hit Twitter, the Oakland-based journalist and illustrator Susie Cagle posted, I blocked this guy several years ago because he used to constantly harass me. But this raid is no less outrageous. Vivian Ho, a reporter with The San Francisco Chronicle from 2011 to 2017, echoed the sentiment, tweeting, Bryan Carmodys harassment of me and other reporters was repugnant and inexcusable, but so is this raid. Other journalists replied with similar comments. ICYMI: She identified herself as a reporter. He then walked behind her and punched her in the side of the head Cagle and Ho both say their unpleasant encounters with Carmody happened years ago, and neither saved any messages or screenshots of his comments. (Carmody has deleted his old tweets.) Both journalists say Carmody sent them insulting tweets after they were arrested while covering the Occupy Oakland protests in 2011 and 2012. Carmody also covered the Occupy Oakland protests. He was particularly vile to me while I was covering Occupy in Oakland, where I was arrested twice while working, which he thought was great, Cagle said in an interview conducted over Twitter direct messages. Ho said her interactions with Carmody were similar. I covered a lot of protests. Anybody who didnt appear staunchly pro-police in their coverage was somebody he harassed, Ho said via direct messages. I dont remember the exact things he said to me, but it was something along the lines of when protestors hurt me, the police wont help me. Asked about Hos recollections, Carmody says he was being snarky, and adds that he found Hos reporting to be reflexively anti-police. Still, he doesnt dispute Hos recollection and says the comment about police not being there to protect her from protestors was a true statement. Ho and Cagle both see irony in the fact that Carmody positioned himself as the pro-police journalist and then wound up with police raiding his home and newsroom. If I were optimistic I would say maybe it would change his perspective on police and press freedom, Cagle messaged. But Im not. Carmody says the incident hasnt changed his outlook. He distinguishes between the department brass and internal affairs investigators, who were behind the raid, and the rank-and-file officers. On Monday, Burke wrote to San Francisco Police Chief William Scott, asking the department to return all of the materials taken during the search, or refrain from reviewing them until the legal challenge is resolved. Police took more than dozen of Carmodys computers and cell phones in the raid, according to the letter. The San Francisco Police Department seized and has control of his entire news operation, Burke wrote, illustrating vividly why such warrants are not permitted under federal and state law. ICYMI: WSJ reporter explains why he was fired Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Tony Biasotti is a freelance writer in Ventura, California. Find him on Twitter @tonybiasotti. Just four months after the launch of an Illinois Press Foundation project aimed at providing nonpartisan statehouse news, nearly 300 papers around Illinois have already reprinted its content, and several editors say its coverage has become an invaluable fixture in their papers. The success of Capitol News Illinois is a hopeful result for political journalism in Illinois, which in recent years has seen its number of capitol reporters dwindle, mirroring a nationwide decline in statehouse coverage as local papers face cutbacks. It also suggests that in the face of existential threats to the news industry, turning to collaborationand away from traditional notions of competitioncan pay off for local news. Our company doesnt have anybody in Springfield, Jon Styf, the editor of The Northwest Herald, a McHenry County property of Shaw Media, says. Its really hard for us to get people because theyre in and out. Its easier for us to get the lawmakers when theyre back in town. Capitol News Illinois really helps us keep in touch and keep on top of whats going on in Springfield. ICYMI: Should a Colorado library publish local news? Illinois Press Foundation Director and Capitol News Illinois Interim Bureau Chief Jeff Rogers says that the idea to operate a news bureau originated on the foundations board over two years ago. (The foundation is the charitable arm of the Illinois Press Association.) John David Reed, a former journalism professor, galvanized the board to take action in the face of Springfields shrinking press corps. A 2014 PEW study on statehouse reporting found that Illinois went from 12 to five full-time newspaper reporters in the press corps from 2009 to 2014. This was the sharpest decline in statehouse reporters in the country, in a state with a known history of political corruption. Since then, partisan outletsincluding newspapers and websites funded by a wealthy conservative talk show host, a news network funded by a right-wing policy institute, and a new progressive site created by a Chicago aldermenhave stepped in to offer ideologically motivated statehouse coverage to newspapers around the state. Capitol News aims to offer a rigorous nonpartisan option. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project This past fall, Rogers announced the projects forthcoming launch and hired three reporters with statehouse experienceRebecca Anzel, Jerry Nowicki, and Peter Hancockas well as full-time intern Grant Morgan. Funding comes from the McCormick Foundation and the Illinois Press Foundation, which receives money from member dues and other programs. All Capitol News content is free to members of the Illinois Press Association. Instead of writing for one paper, feeling like Im in a competitive race against other papers in the same region or the same market, were now working for all of them. The bureaus arrival in Springfield roughly doubled the number of full-time print newspaper reporters working at the statehouse. The team has since settled into its assigned office in the basement of the Illinois Capitol building, which it shares with two other news outlets. Anzel says she and her colleagues lucked out in getting the only press room office without a window, making it easy to focus during long days. First thing in the morning, reporters plan out their days based on the legislative schedule, and by late morning, Rogers sends a tentative budget of anticipated stories to member papers. The reporters have issue-based beats that were decided informally, based on personal interest and availability. Hancock and Nowicki usually write multiple stories each day, while Anzel tends to write a single, more in-depth story daily. Rogers edits all of the content and sends it to member papers, which are free to edit stories as they see fit. Hancock says that the day-to-day work of the job isnt much different than his previous work as a statehouse newspaper reporter in Kansas, but Capitol Newss mission is distinct. Instead of writing for one paper, feeling like Im in a competitive race against other papers in the same region or the same market, were now working for all of them, he says. The effort places Capital News at the intersection of coverage interests that vary around the state. You hear from editors in Southern Illinois saying, Are you following this bill that impacts coal? whereas editors from Northern Illinois might be saying Are you following this bill that impacts wind and solar? Nowicki says. But its the same bill, so youve got some very different perspectives that youve got to satisfy. To date, Capitol News stories have been published in 293 outlets46 daily papers and 247 weekliesand all of their 253 stories have been picked up. For some small papers, Capitol News is the only source for statehouse coverage; at others, like Springfields State Journal-Register and the Chicago Sun-Times, editors use it in addition to reporting by their own staffers. (One notable exception is the Chicago Tribune, the states largest paper, which has never used Capitol News content. The Tribune recently hired a new statehouse reporter after six months without one.) Editors at participating papers are encouraged to reach out to Capitol News with requests for coverage of interest to their region, which reporters do their best to fulfill. John Lampinen, editor of the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago, suggested forming an official editorial advisory committee; starting last month, a group of 20 editors have had weekly phone calls with Rogers to talk about how to make Capitol News work best for them. According to its website, one of Capitol News Illinoiss goals is to increase news consumers awareness, interest and participation in state government. But it can be hard to quantify progress on that front. Rogers says hes heard from a lot of editors that readers are pleased with the statehouse coverage, but he wants to figure out whether increased coverage has spurred increased political engagement. One clear consequence: the bureau has encouraged more discussion among papers across the state. Ive learned a lot about other member news organizations across the state that were often in these kind of siloes working on journalism generally, Chris Coates, Central Illinois editor for Lee Enterprises, says. Lee owns five papers in the state but no longer has a statehouse bureau. Coates says advising Capitol News has led to conversations with other papers about potential collaborations and partnerships. Many local papers find the collaboration spurred by Capitol News more natural than competition. Gone are the days when Capitol News could have been seen as a threat by existing statehouse reporters; instead, the rest of the press corps is relieved to see an energetic new operation joining the ranks. The more eyes we have on officials, Heather Cherone, managing editor for The Daily Line Springfield, says, the better it is for everybody. RECENTLY: The real threat to press freedom is prosecuting leakers This post has been updated to correct the number of newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises in Illinois. CJR regrets the error. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mari Cohen is a Chicago-based freelance journalist. She is associate editor at Belt Magazine and a longtime editor at the South Side Weekly, where she also manages a free journalism workshop series. Previously, she covered criminal justice as a reporting fellow at Injustice Watch. In an era when journalists feel pressure to use social media to build their personal brands, Connie Schultz has done something far more interesting. She has adapted the classic newspaper column to her Facebook page, bringing the best of the traditional formnewsiness, insight, journalistic principles, and personabilityto a forum that often serves as a narrower vehicle for self-promotion. A former columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where she won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, Schultz is now a syndicated columnist and a contributor to Politico Magazine and Parade. But arguably her biggest presence these days is on Facebook, where she has cultivated a community of more than 130,000 followers on a page that serves as both a news source and a forum for civil discussion of tough issues. The Cleveland-centric feed is infused with national headlines; conversations move between the verdict in the Michael Brelo trial to presidential politics to the consent decree between the Department of Justice and the Cleveland Police Department. Theres also a healthy dose of opinionating about LeBron James, naturally, while personal toucheslike photos of Schultzs dog, Franklinserve as disarming points of connection amid the sometimes spirited debate. (Pointedly, Schultz uses a personal page with public settings, rather than a fan page.) As a reader who has sometimes found the big-picture, contextual coverage from Cleveland news organizations wanting, I have discovered that Schultzs Facebook page is energizing. It is also, like any good news source, eminently useful. Threads on the Brelo verdict, for example, traded tips on where demonstrations were unfolding. In breaking-news moments, like the 2012 Chardon High School shooting, it is a place to turn for latest developments, with bad information filtered out. Schultzs clear-eyed moderation staves off rumor-mongering, heightening the credibility of the page, and other journalists, too, weigh in on the discussion. I dont want to be a celebrity, she adds. I want to be a trusted source. And its working. For journalists seeking a path to meaningful engagement with readersnot just a way to blast links and hashtags at themthe page is a model. Schultz, of course, is transparent about her liberal politics, and the fact that she is married to Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat in the US Senate. (It was Browns political career that prompted her to resign from The Plain Dealer in 2011.) But on her Facebook page, people with different political viewpoints are also part of the conversation, as well as people from different cities and varying economic situations. The mix brings depth to the discussion. I like the fact that the toughest online debates Ive ever had have been on her page, Marcia Bryant, a Clevelander and regular reader, said in an email. Not just because she welcomes a diversity of viewpoints but because I care enough about the community shes built there that Im really invested in the conversation. Schultz was actually a reluctant adopter of Facebook, taking to the platform only because reporting demanded it when, in 2007, she was trying to contact Cleveland college students at Virginia Tech in the aftermath of the campus shooting. Even then, she had only a cursory set-up, and it took her awhile to figure out how to post links. Its something my generation of journalists doesnt need to be defensive abouthow we came to this later, Schultz said. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project As her familiarity grew over time, so did her instinct to spotlight the best possible journalism: If were getting news on the web anyway, and increasingly on Facebook, I want to be a forum that presents strong reporting, she said. But there is a distinction between a feed that features links, no matter how well curated, and one that is a full-fledged community. Over the past few years, Schultz has built the latter by both engaging readers and enforcing standards of discussion. Though the page is public, only she can post links. (Readers send her tips via private messages.) When she posts on a controversial issue, she commits to staying online to moderate the beginning of the discussion in order to set the tone. Nothing gets out of control faster than the issue of race, she says. You cant post about race or racial bias and then walk away. You cant do it. That includes the Brelo verdict: Schultz was on duty to remove rumors about demonstrations that never took place and violence that didnt happen. One commenter went off on a local organizer without naming herthat, too, was deleted. To sift through it all, Schultz looks for key phrases: I heard, or perhaps someone told me. Then she replies: Can we have a link to that please? Often, commenters will promptly delete their own posts. Or, if they offer a specious link as evidence, Schultz explains why thats not a credible source and were not going to do that. In short, she practices civility, not snark. (Perhaps not coincidentally, Schultz says that many women have told her the page is the first form of public discourse that theyve engaged in.) In a way, this is teaching media literacysomething Schultz said she is glad to do if it helps people understand what we [journalists] do, and helps create the standards by which they measure our performance. An informed public takes this job seriously. The values that distinguish us from rumor-mongers are important to champion. The page also generates tips and sources that improve her more traditional journalism. Schultz wrote her syndicated column last week about Lois Mickey Nash, an 88-year-old African American woman from Cleveland who marched in a rally after the Brelo verdict. Schultz made the connection because Nash is the aunt of a participant on her page. Schultz offered to pose a question of mine to the readers of her page for this story. I asked them: Why is this Facebook page one that you find worth reading or participating in, and what role do you see it playing in the larger public conversation? What followed was a stream of more than 400 passionate responses; for the first 24 hours, Facebook was pinging me every couple minutes with another reader testimonial. Here is a sampling: Links to great content. Civility. Wit. Willing to think critically about issues facing our democracy, but always through the lens of how do we make this a better place? I feel like this is a group that is committed to building up our society as a whole, rather than just tearing down parts of it. And: Connie is first and foremost a journalist with the ethics and professionalism to go with that designation. Most social media citizen journalists are proof that those trained in the profession are always going to be necessary. Thats how she can post information we trust about topics that make us care. And: Connie has very deliberately cultivated an environment wherein discussion and opinions are encouraged and treated with respect. Added to that carefully-simmered pot are Connies own reasoned and well-informed comments. What results, from nearly every carefully-chosen post she shares, is the sort of public discoursepoliticusthat the early Greeks had in mind but which all too rarely actually takes place. Or, to put it another way, this isnt branding. Its journalism. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Anna Clark is a journalist in Detroit. Her writing has appeared in ELLE Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Next City, and other publications. Anna edited A Detroit Anthology, a Michigan Notable Book, and she was a 2017 Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan. She is the author of The Poisoned City: Flints Water and the American Urban Tragedy, published by Metropolitan Books, an imprint of Henry Holt. She is online at www.annaclark.net and on Twitter @annaleighclark. The Humane Society of the United States has tried for months to stop poultry giant Pilgrims Pride Corp. from calling its chicken 100% natural and humanely raised, claiming its neither. Following complaints to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, the animal welfare group has now filed a 100-page administrative complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Once again, the group is arguing that Pilgrims Pride and its parent Brazilian meat processing giant JBS SA are using misleading advertising and marketing to sell its chicken. This time, though, the group claims the language is hurting investors. Pilgrims Pride is deceiving stakeholders concerned about the suffering of animals with false assurances of the animals living conditions and treatment, the Humane Society said, according to a copy of the complaint filed Thursday with the regulator. Poor animal welfare practices are a serious investment riskthat [can] cause negative effects on demand and can cause stock prices to drop. The group also took issue with the companys claims that the chickens are natural, citing crowded conditions in feces-filled barns and a slaughter method that sometimes results in birds being scalded alive. The alleged misleading statements, Humane Society argued in its filing, are violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Commission Rule 10b-5 because they constitute untrue statements of material fact. Pilgrims Pride and the SEC didnt immediately respond to calls or emails seeking comment. Cameron Bruett, a spokesman for Pilgrims Pride, has previously rejected the Humane Societys allegations. Pilgrims is committed to the well-being of the poultry under our care, Bruett wrote in an email in December. We welcome the opportunity to defend our approach to animal welfare against these false allegations. The $6.85 billion company is one of the largest chicken producers in the U.S., and sells its birds all over the world. With revenue close to $11 billion, Pilgrims Pride estimates that it produces nearly 1 out of every 5 chickens in the country, and has the capacity to process more than 45 million birds each week. Last month, in response to the Humane Societys claims, the FTC declined to take formal action against Greeley, Colorado-based Pilgrims Pride or JBS. In an April 1 letter to the company, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg, the federal agency noted that Pilgrims Pride told the FTC that it had removed the claims. The company told Bloomberg the changes to its websites were part of a previously planned redesign. Bruett said at the time that the website revamp project was unrelated to the complaint. The Humane Society, however, notes that not all of the claims at issue were taken down. The Humane Society told the SEC that claims remaining on the website include Pilgrims strongly supports the humane treatment of animals [and] maintains a strict animal welfare program, and Pilgrims works closely with our grower partners, customers, and other industry stakeholders to humanely raise and process the birds under our care. It is starting to feel like HSUS is tossing spaghetti against the wall and hoping something sticks. The HSUS said in its filing that several undercover investigationsincluding one at a Pilgrims Pride slaughterhouse in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, and one at a Pilgrims Pride contract growing facility in Hull, Georgiashowed that products Pilgrims advertises as humane came from conditions that were anything but. The investigations showed broiler chickens raised in unnatural and cruel conditions, cramped together, and treated horrifically in the process leading to their slaughter. The group said the SEC has jurisdiction in part because an informed consumer base is an essential condition for a free and fair marketplace and protects investors from risks related to misinformation, especially in deceptive advertising. Misleading stakeholders about the level of welfare a company provides creates enormous investment risk; when exposed, retailers, restaurants and individual consumers can seek alternative sources for products and/or alternative products and the companys stock can plummet. SEC enforcement complaints like the one filed by HSUS can result in injunctions, financial penalties or the disgorgement of money resulting from the conduct at issue. In its complaint, Humane Society asked only that the regulator investigate the issue and stop Pilgrims and JBS from making the claims at issue. Ideally, said Peter Brandt, managing attorney of the Humane Societys farm animals litigation arm, wed like them to improve their practices. In March, HSUS sent letters to the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Illinois and Maryland, urging them to open investigations of their own. The company, it argued, was misleading consumers in their states with their animal welfare claims. Today, the organization expanded that list to attorneys general in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico, Vermont, Wisconsin and Rhode Island, as well as the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs in the District of Columbia. Brandt said the organizations shotgun approach to seeking enforcementstates, the FTC and now the SECis simply pragmatism. There are multiple agencies at the state and federal level that would have jurisdiction over the companys statements, he said. The group will go to as many of them as we think is prudent. Some see HSUSs effort in less charitable terms. This latest effort is a testament to persistence or desperation (or both), depending upon your perspective, attorney John E. Villafranco, who practices advertising law at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, wrote in an email. But no matter how you look at it, it is starting to feel like HSUS is tossing spaghetti against the wall and hoping something sticks. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. NEW YORK - Iran is allegedly behind the sabotage of two Saudi oil tankers, US officials were quoted as saying by the media. Preliminary investigations by US armed forces reportedly indicate that the explosive used against the tankers is Iranian. The vessels were sabotaged in UAE international waters and the Emirates asked the US to help in investigations. The Iranian parliament instead claimed that the explosion on Sunday of four vessels including cargo ships and tankers off the UAE port of Fujairah was caused by "Israel's malice", according to the spokesman of the parliament speaker's office, Behruz Nemati, quoted by Irna, reporting on the conclusions of the closed-door meeting held today to discuss the incident. Iran's official position, added Nemati, is the one expressed yesterday by the foreign ministry that denounced the risks of "malevolent conspiracies" to undermine the region. First, states across the U.S. ordered utilities to clean up ponds full of toxic coal waste. Now, theyre balking at how much companies want to charge for the work. Officials from Virginia to North Carolina to South Carolina are pushing back on utilities plans to charge customers for the costs of shuttering coal-ash ponds, long the primary way of storing residue from coal-fired power plants. On Tuesday, the staff of Virginias utility regulator is expected to weigh in on whether Dominion Energy Inc. should be allowed to recover $247 million through monthly bills for cleanup efforts. Its a high-stakes battle for utilities, which have so far escaped any shareholder wrath over cleanup expenses because investors assumed the costs would be baked into customers rates. Duke Energy Corp. in particular would take a big hit as the utility is estimating costs of as much as $10.6 billion in the Carolinas. Officials there are already challenging more than a half-billion dollars. Any disallowance could become problematic for utilities, said Paul Patterson, an analyst with Glenrock Associates. On the flip side, he asked, How do you do this in a manner that it doesnt become the straw that breaks the camels back and makes things unaffordable for customers? In Virginia, Dominion is asking for permission to charge customers the cost of a landfill, sedimentation ponds and water treatment facilities that it began building at an existing coal plant in 2015. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has challenged the request, saying the Richmond-based company failed to consider whether the project was necessary given the regions bounty of cheap natural gas. He noted that Dominion had already decided to close two units at the plant and may shut two more by 2023. The companys project will probably provide little or no value to customers as a result of these multiple decision-making failures, energy consultant Scott Norwood said in testimony on behalf of the attorney general. This has become a common refrain from officials across states that utilities are to blame for letting their own bad situation fester, and for pumping waste into unlined pits for years that could let toxins seep into groundwater. Cleanup costs, therefore, should be borne by the companies and their shareholders, they say. Well Understood Dominion said by email that it looks forward to rebutting the attorney generals claims point-by-point when its case is heard by Virginias utility commission in June. Utilities have, for the most part, argued that they routinely pass on the costs of complying with environmental regulations, so closing coal ash ponds should be no different. And states, they say, knew about the ponds all along. The impact of our operations and the nature of our operations have been well understood by every state in which we operate, Duke Energy Chief Executive Officer Lynn Good said at an annual shareholders meeting this month when pressed about coal-ash cleanup. Duke is fighting to recover coal-ash costs from ratepayers on two fronts. River Spill In North Carolina, Attorney General Josh Stein has challenged decisions by utility regulators that allowed Duke to charge customers for as much as $778 million in cleanup costs. Coal ash has been a topic of fierce debate in North Carolina for years, particularly after 39,000 tons of ash spilled into the Dan River in 2014. Stein in a case now before the Supreme Court of North Carolina argued that Duke mismanaged its coal ash ponds and knew for decades that the pits were polluting groundwater. In South Carolina, utility regulators have moved to deny Duke about $162 million in costs. The state is arguing that the expenses are the result of North Carolinas coal-ash laws, so South Carolina ratepayers shouldnt have to pay. Duke spokesman Tim Pettit said the company runs its North and South Carolina facilities as a single, integrated system. Customers in both states benefit from all the facilities, so the costs of operating that system have traditionally been apportioned between ratepayers in both states, he said. Its the first time South Carolinas utility regulators have questioned coal-ash costs, according to Duke Chief Financial Officer Steven Young. He told investors during a conference call last week that the costs were prudently incurred. They are, he said, part of the life-cycle of a coal plant. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Speaking on the investigations into Russia meddling and Trump conspiracy and obstruction, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared its over and the case is closed. McConnell was wrong. Attorney General William Barr has since been held in contempt of Congress and President Trumps tax returns and his son, Donald Jr., have been subpoenaed by Congressional oversight committees. But the case is closed on McConnell being one of the worst Majority Leaders in history and his career may be over if on election day he still has his current approval rating of 33% in Kentucky. In his senate floor speech declaring the Russian investigation closed and over McConnell also trolled former President Barack Obama for not doing more to confront Russia. McConnell said it was time to move on from partisan paralysis and breathless conspiracy." The same McConnell who blamed Obama for not doing more to confront Russia, has blocked every current bipartisan attempt to condemn past Russia meddling and confront current ongoing attempts by Russia to meddle. Seven days ago he was calling for the end of partisanship and trolling Obama for alleged inaction. Yet after Obamas election, McConnell was saying his job was to end Obamas presidency after one term. The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president, " McConnell said in 2010. To McConnell, making the Obama presidency a failure was a bigger priority than the economy, healthcare, national security, foreign relations. President Trump only half-jokingly retweeted Jerry Falwell Jr.'s half-jokingly calling for Trump to be given an additional two-years on his first term, to make up for the Mueller investigation. Using the Trump/Falwell Jr. logic, President Obama should be returned to office for at least the last year of his second term that McConnell stole, blocking Obamas Supreme Court pick. If not all eight years that McConnell publicly said it was his job to obstruct. One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said, 'Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy," said McConnell. McConnell was proud that he blocked a President of the United States from fulfilling his rightful and lawful duties. So it shouldnt be any surprise hes now eagerly enabling Trumps ongoing obstruction. What was McConnells second proudest moment? Trying to stop Obamacare, that many of his Kentucky constituents now depend on? Maybe the reason McConnell isnt supporting bipartisan legislation condemning and fighting Russia interference is because he sees his Kentucky approval rating has dropped to 33% and he may want the Russians help in 2020. CINCINNATI, Ohio Police have arrested a suspect they say fired a gunshot into a womans vehicle as she drove with her grandchildren during a road-rage incident last week. Quinton Smith, 28, is charged with four counts of felonious assault, two counts of having weapons under disability and two counts of carrying concealed weapons, WCPO Channel 9 reports. Police tell Fox 19 the incident occurred at an intersection last Tuesday. According to WLWT Channel 5, investigators believe Smith became upset with the driving by the 73-year-old woman. The womans grandchildren, ages 12, 8 and 4, also were in the car. The bullet reportedly grazed the cheek of the 8-year-old. Investigators say they found the bullet in the 4-year-olds car seat. You know, a couple inches either way, we could be talking about a homicide here," Cincinnati Police District 3 Cmdr. Paul Broxterman tells WLWT. Police used surveillance video to identify Smiths vehicle and track him down, WLWT reports. Police tell WLWT a semiautomatic handgun was found during Smiths arrest and that he has confessed. Smith is being held in jail on a bond exceeding $1 million, Fox 19 reports. To comment on this story, go to the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. COLUMBUS, Ohio A suspected robber is dead after he was shot early Tuesday morning by an employee inside a smoke shop, according to reports. Police tell WCMH Channel 4 a man reportedly armed with a handgun entered the Outlet Smoke Shop Plus at about 1 a.m. According to 10tv.com, police say there was an altercation between the worker in the store and the suspect. The employee, who also had a firearm, shot the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene, WCMH reports. No charges have been filed and the shooting remains under investigation. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments page. Bill Nye frolicked in a ball pit to explain how the planets populations compete for resources. He took a chain saw to a loaf of bread, comparing it to Earths crust, and he was nearly blown away in a wind tunnel while shouting science! But he's talking about global warming now - and he's in no mood to mess around. "By the end of this century, if emissions keep rising, the average temperature on Earth could go up another four to eight degrees," Nye said, appearing on a segment of HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" on Sunday. The famously zany scientist and host of the PBS series "Bill Nye the Science Guy" then aimed a blowtorch at a globe to illustrate his argument: "What I'm saying is, the planet's on fire," Nye said, punctuating his point with some R-rated profanity. Gone was the Nye of the '90s, the man whose show was a middle school substitute teacher's secret weapon. This was the Science Guy, circa 2019, delivering a sermon squared directly at the legions of Gen Xers and Millennials who were weaned on Nye's brand of wacky pedagogy. And he had a message for his erstwhile pupils, especially those who eventually became members of Congress. "Grow up," he said, injecting some more language that wouldn't fly in public broadcasting. "You're not children anymore. I didn't mind explaining photosynthesis to you when you were 12. But you're adults now, and this is an actual crisis, got it?" Nye took to Oliver's show to teach his audience about global warming and its possible solutions - namely, the Green New Deal and carbon pricing (in his words, "when something costs more, people buy less of it. Safety glasses off. That's it."). Nye appeared to endorse Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's, D-N.Y., trademark legislation, telling lawmakers they needed to do something and chiding those who have said the proposal is too expensive. As he spoke into the camera, the globe continued to burn. "There are a lot of things we could do to put it out," he said. "Are any of them free? No, of course not. Nothing's free, you idiots." His harsh tone surprised some - one viewer wrote on Twitter that he "just heard Bill Nye swear and it's blowing my mind." Another observed, "Global warming is so bad that it now has Bill Nye the Science Guy cursing us out to fix it." Even Oliver, as his show ended, gasped, "I think we've all broken Bill Nye." But for Nye, the man whom The Washnigton Post once dubbed "half mad professor, half Mr. Rogers," the role of climate crusader is not a new one. In recent years, he has talked with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., about the dangers of man-made climate change and has debated Fox News' Tucker Carlson, who questioned whether those dangers really exist. In April 2017, he took the stage at the March for Science in Washington and declared that "science is for all," the best antidote to anti-vaxxers and climate deniers alike. "Our lawmakers must know that science serves every one of us," he said then. "Every citizen of every nation in society. Science must shape policy. Science is universal. Science brings out the best in us. With an informed, optimistic view of the future, together we can - dare I say it - save the world!" That month, he also debuted a new TV series with an equally urgent title: Bill Nye Saves the World. And judging by his turn on Olivers show, hes willing to go to great lengths to get his message out - even if it takes some fire and fury. (c) 2019, The Washington Post Reis Thebault CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County Council offered Cory Swaisgood a $30,000 raise in April in a failed effort to persuade him to remain as the countys internal auditor rather than accept a job as finance director for the city of Huron. Council President Dan Brady told cleveland.com on Tuesday that Swaisgood had declined the offer, which would have boosted his salary to $134,000 a year - $42,000 more than he would make if confirmed for the Huron job. It wasnt about the money, Brady said. He wanted to leave. Swaisgood told cleveland.com he will accept the $92,000-a-year job in Huron if the Huron City Council approves his appointment Tuesday night. His last day with the county would be June 7. In a Tuesday phone call with cleveland.com, Swaisgood confirmed Council spoke to him about a potential raise, but he declined it. Money is not the problem and Im not in it for the money, Swaisgood said. Earlier Tuesday, the editorial board for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer called on council to make every effort to retain Swaisgood as one of two independent watchdogs of the administration of County Executive Armond Budish. Swaisgood is the often-unheralded hero of accountability in Cuyahoga County, the editorial states. Hes been an important brake against misspending, mismanagement and impropriety in county governance. Swaisgood is credited with helping to launch an ongoing corruption investigation of Budishs administration, a probe that has resulted in the indictments of three current or former county administrators. He told cleveland.com on Monday and again on Tuesday that he wants the Huron job so he can be closer to his family and hometown and make an immediate impact in a small community. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will offer free rides on June 22 to coincide with Xtinguish Torch Fest, Blazing Paddles race and a host of other events planned for the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire. The RTA Board on Tuesday accepted a $75,000 grant from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to sponsor the free-fare Saturday. A highlight of Cuyahoga50 is the five-day event scheduled from June 19 to 23. Dozens of community groups and other partners will host a series of clean water events during at various locations along the river. Theres also lots more: lighted boat parade, a Western Reserve Rowing Association regatta, Great Lakes Burning River Fest at the historic Coast Guard Station, doubleheader international mens soccer tournament and an Indians game against the Detroit Tigers. Check out all the fun planned on RocktheLake.com/events. TEL AVIV - The new homes built in Jewish settlements in the West Bank from 2009 until 2018, with Benyamin Netanyahu as premier, were 19,346, 'Peace Now' said. According to the organization, 70% concerned ''isolated outposts''. In 2018, new homes under construction (except for East Jerusalem) were 2,100, up 9% compared to 2017. Between the end of 2008 and the end of 2017, Peace Now estimated ''120,518'' new settlers, including at least 48,372 who relocated to settlements that ''Israel will probably need to leave'' with a two-State solution. UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Two prominent female business leaders and alumna will give John Carroll Universitys commencement speeches on May 18 and 19. Joan Crockett, who graduated in 1972, will give the undergraduate commencement speech on Sunday, May 19. She is one of the first female graduates from JCU and worked at Allstate Insurance for 35 years, rising to senior vice president of human resources. Crockett also served on JCUs board of directors for six years. Nancy Benacci, who will give the graduate commencement speech on May 18, is the managing director and co-director of equity research for Keybanc Capital Markets. Headquartered in Cleveland, Keybanc is separate from KeyBank, though there are employees that work for both. Keybanc, an investment bank, offers advising services in areas such as mergers and acquisitions. Benacci was named a Crains Cleveland Business Woman of Note in 2014. She served on JCUs board of directors for a decade. Both Benacci and Crockett will receive honorary degrees during the ceremonies. CLEVELAND, Ohio The uniformed men and women who have patrolled the Metroparks for decades are getting rebranded. They are rangers no more. They are now called police officers. In recent weeks, the park system began removing the ranger name from signs, including the one in front its ranger headquarters in Fairview Park. The sign now reads Metroparks Police Headquarters. The ranger name will slowly disappear from more signs, uniforms, cars and gear, says Metroparks spokeswoman Jacqueline Gerling. She said the park system is changing the name to better reflect the law enforcement duties of the rangers, who are fully certified police officers. Gerling also described the move as necessary to improve clarity and messaging, explaining that the park system wants people who approach the Metroparks rangers to understand that they are police officers, not naturalists as are some of their brethren in the national parks. The new title reflects the original name of the force, which was established in 1921 and was called the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District Police Department. But the latest change also contradicts the message the park system tried to send in 1967, when the Metroparks changed the name from police officers to rangers. The ranger name more accurately represented the department's outdoor law enforcement functions, the Metroparks website says about the 1967 change. The term was first associated with expert marksmen and skilled mounted forces. Today, the term ranger is proudly used by those whose mission includes the protection and conservation of park lands and wildlife, enforcement of state laws and park regulations, and assistance to park visitors. The Metroparks has 87 full- and part-time rangers who work from 8 field offices. The parks are patrolled 24-hours a day on foot, in vehicles, on horseback or on bicycles. Cleveland.com reported earlier that the issue of changing the name had been discussed during meetings with top ranger staff. Gerling said the Metroparks three-member board of commissioners does not have to sign off on the change. To reiterate, the core values, mission and job duties will remain the same, Gerling says. Metroparks' new sign reflecting the name change. No more rangers. This post was updated at the request of the Metroparks to clarify its number of police field offices. The number eight, not 12, as its website states. The Metroparks also said the police force was established in 1920 but the first officer was not hired until 1921. COLUMBUS, Ohio - Soon-to-be-introduced Ohio General Assembly legislation would require physicians and others performing medication abortions to notify patients that there is a way to reverse it and enable the woman to carry the fetus to term. But experts say the method is not yet scientifically proven. Although anti-abortion activists say the abortion reversal procedure of taking the hormone progesterone is safe and effective, there have been no federal studies on the method. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warned in a 2017 bulletin that the procedure is unproven and unethical. Unfounded legislative mandates represent dangerous political interference and compromise patient care and safety, the college said in the bulletin. The bills are being drafted now and could be introduced later this week. There will be one for each chamber, sponsored by Dayton-area Republicans Sen. Peggy Lehner and Rep. Niraj Antani. Lehner, former president of Ohio Right to Life, said shes been fighting abortion for decades, and said shes spoken with many women who have had abortions. They all had one thing in common: They were terribly conflicted about the choice they had to make," she said. During a news conference outside the Ohio Statehouse Tuesday morning, abortion-rights supporters stood on the periphery with signs deriding the abortion reversal treatment as unscientific. They offered counter points as people spoke: Lies! Lies! Lies," they shouted. "What if she doesnt want to continue her pregnancy? another said in response to a speaker on the Statehouse steps. How medication abortions work As opposed to surgical abortions, medication abortions are performed in the first weeks of a pregnancy. Theyre not recommended beyond 10 weeks. Medication abortions can vary, but generally the procedure requires the woman taking mifepristone, which stops the pregnancy growth by blocking the progesterone. Then the woman takes a second pill at home --misoprostol -- the same day to 72 hours later, which makes the uterus contract to complete the abortion. How abortion reversals are supposed to work, according to supporters: Between the first and second pill, the woman receives a large dose of progesterone orally or through a muscular injection. Thats supposed to reverse the process by diluting the mifepristone so that it cannot deprive the baby of nutrients until the drug is flushed from the womans body, according to information provided by Ohio Right to Life. The progesterone doses continue throughout the first trimester of pregnancy for many women, the organization said. It is a pro-choice piece of legislation, said Aaron Baer, president of Citizens for Community Values, a conservative Christian policy organization. Ohio Right to Life says similar legislation has been enacted in seven states: Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Utah, Kentucky, South Dakota and North Dakota. The science The anti-abortion movement points to studies showing progesterone can reduce miscarriages. The method was developed by a San Diego family practice physician, George Delgado. In 2012, he published a study of six women who underwent the abortion reversal treatment, using different amounts of progesterone. Four pregnancies were carried to term. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists criticized the study because it wasnt supervised by an institutional review board or an ethical review committee, required in scientific studies to protect human subjects. The study also lacked a control group. The college said studies lacking control groups provide the weakest forms of medical evidence. However, there is a group called the Abortion Pill Rescue Network, made up of physicians and other providers across the country who are ready to provide the abortion-reversal treatment -- including 33 providers in Ohio, according to Heartbeat International. Last year, Delgado published research about 754 patients who had called a hotline after taking mifepristone and had been referred to physicians who gave them progesterone. Delgado determined the rate of their pregnancies continuing was 48 percent, although the study was similarly criticized for being observational case studies and not containing enough scientific rigor. More rigorous study is occurring, according to National Public Radio. A doctor at the University of California-Davis has a trial underway that will study progesterones effectiveness compared to placebos on women who have taken mifepristone. Last week, Ohio Rep. John Becker inaccurately said in a separate anti-abortion bill that there are procedures that can re-implant ectopic pregnancies. The Washington Post talked with physicians and found that was incorrect. However, Stephanie Ranade Krider, vice president and executive director of Ohio Right to Life, said her organization wasnt involved in advocacy with Beckers bill, which would prohibit insurance companies from covering abortions unless the womans life is endangered. Ohio Right to Life hasnt taken a position on Beckers bill, she said. Rotunda Rumblings Did you mean to do that? Under the tax plan in the state budget that cleared the Ohio House last week, someone making just over the new threshold of $22,250 for taxable income would take home about $300 less than if that person stayed just under the cutoff. Its part of the plan to no longer tax incomes below $22,250, cleveland.coms data guy Rich Exner reports. This could cause someone caught in this situation to question the value of making that extra dollar, Exner notes. Take a hike: Meanwhile, the small-business group NFIB/Ohio told lawmakers to keep the break that allows those earning up to $250,000 in business income to pay no state income tax while also cashing a 40 percent reduction on earnings above that, the Columbus Dispatchs Jim Siegel reports. Republican state Rep. Bob Cupp of Lima said even by scaling back the threshold to $100,000, 86 percent of small business owners still wouldnt pay income tax. Honeymoons not over: GOP House Speaker Larry Householder and Democratic House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes continued their bipartisan partnership, as they jointly unveiled four priority bills on Monday, cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias writes. The bills include a revival of Gov. Mike DeWines H2Ohio water-quality fund, which House leaders stripped from DeWines budget proposal last week, saying they preferred to borrow the money. Testing the waters: The Ohio Senate introduced a competing H2Ohio proposal on Monday. Like the new House bill, the Senate proposal would borrow money, up to $100 million annually for 10 years, for a new H2Ohio fund. But the Senate proposal calls for a constitutional amendment, which unlike the House proposal, would require voter approval. Sen. Theresa Gavarone, a Bowling Green Republican, said the amendment would make it harder for future lawmakers to undo the fund. Im sure this is a starting point. There will be a lot of ongoing conversations, she said. Another deadline: Redistricting reform advocates who filed the lawsuit challenging Ohios gerrymandered congressional districts have a week to respond to the states request that the U.S. Supreme Court put on hold a ruling that requires Ohio to draw a new map by next month. Cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton has details. In pursuit of standards: Gove. Mike DeWine asked the board tasked with police reform to create standards for police chases, cleveland.coms Evan MacDonald reports. DeWine said he wants consistency across Ohio. I believe a minimum standard for law enforcement vehicular pursuits would help encourage a consistent approach to pursuits, which would be beneficial in instances where pursuits cross jurisdictional lines and could ultimately help save lives. Dream Team: Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge told Politico that if former Vice President Joe Biden were to win the nomination, a team-up with Sen. Kamala Harris of California would be a very strong ticket, no question about that. Fudge, who told cleveland.com in March she didnt think a far left candidate could win, said she wasnt counting out Harris, who she felt could also carry the ticket. Just visiting: Former Republican Gov. John Kasichs frequent trips to New Hampshire must have been more about the foliage than a presidential primary. A new poll released by Monmouth University found Kasichs political rival, President Donald Trump, still has broad support from Republicans in the state. Of the 987 registered GOP voters sampled, 44 percent said they had an unfavorable view of Kasich while 34 percent said they had a favorable opinion. Of that, 25 percent said they had a very unfavorable view of the former governor. And 72 percent of respondents said they would vote for Trump again. Downsizing: Former Congressman Jim Renacci has sold the office building at 150 Smokerise Drive in Wadsworth that served as the headquarters for his businesses and political campaigns. In a posting on Facebook, Renacci described the building as too big for me now. 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. Ear me out: U.S. House Democrats promised to keep an 8-year-old policy in place in Congress set by former Speaker John Boehner of banning earmarks on spending bills, the Columbus Dispatchs Jessica Wehrman reports. Critics of that decision say the ban on earmarks has led to gridlock - members could often be persuaded to vote on a bill if they could bring home federal dollars to their district - and some representatives, both Republicans and Democrats, told Wehrman they were OK with bringing them back. A milli: Republican Sen. Rob Portman isnt up for re-election until 2022, but he still managed to raise $1 million at a Friday fundraiser hosted by the wealthy Lindner family in Cincinnati, per the Associated Press. A spokesperson for the campaign told the AP thats on top of the $100,000 Portman raised in Cleveland last week, bolstering the $2.4 million war chest he reported at the end of the first quarter. Cash reigns supreme: The Supreme Court adopted amendments to the judicial code of conduct allowing justices to start raising campaign cash earlier. Right now, judges can start soliciting and receiving money 120 days before the primary election. The new rule would allow them to raise money 180 days before the primary election. Ku Klux Klan: A chapter of the Ku Klux Klan and the city of Dayton have reached a consent decree over a planned march by the white supremacists and whether theyll be able to cover their face and carry weapons, the Dayton Daily News Chris Stewart reports. While the racist group will be allowed to wear masks, they will be barred from carrying long guns or assault-style rifles. Full court press: Anti-abortion advocates may be eager to test the limits of newly passed bills in Ohio essentially banning the practice, but as USA Todays Richard Wolf reports, they may not get their wish any time soon. Wolf writes that the courts are unlikely to undo precedent in the near future, though they may whittle away at abortion rights by upholding less extreme laws that impose new restrictions on women seeking abortions or the doctors and clinics that provide them. Forever indebted: The four men charged with public corruption in Dayton have had unpaid debts or financial problems for some time, per the Dayton Daily News Laura Bischoff. That includes ex-state Rep. Clayton Luckie, who still owes the Ohio House of Representatives $8,000 for salary he agreed to pay back as part of a prior plea deal. Cheeba sales remain slow: Only 49 percent of people who have legal permission to obtain Ohio medical marijuana have been into a dispensary to buy product, cleveland.coms Laura Hancock writes. This is up from 40 percent of registered patients in March, but over 15,000 patients have not bought medical marijuana. No parking: Well, not exactly. But the Statehouse garage is undergoing renovations, per the AP. Only about a quarter of the spaces will be affected by the yearlong project, according to the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board. Full Disclosure Five things we learned from the May 8, 2019 financial disclosure form of newly sworn-in state Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, a Perrysburg Republican. 1. Ghanbari reported earning $1,000 to $9,999 as a member of the Perrysburg City Council, $10,000 to $24,999 as a member of the Navy Reserves and $50,000 to $99,999 as director of military and veteran affairs at the University of Toledo in 2018. 2. Ghanbari also reported earning $10,000 to $24,999 in rental income from a property in Alexandria, Virginia (technically, Kingstowne). Fairfax County property records show Ghanbari paid $299,900 for the D.C.-area condo. The same property records list the 2019 assessed value at $217,560, though Zillow gives a more favorable assessment of about $237,000. 3. He reported investments including a retirement fund with the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System, a mutual fund with USAA Federal Savings Bank and a Vanguard 401(k) through the Associated Press, where he formerly worked as a photographer. 4. Ghanbari reported owing more than $1,000 at some point in 2018 to Navy Federal Credit Union, USAA, Military Star and American Express. 5. He or one of his family members does business with Traditions Sauces, LLC, which makes the Brickyard Brand Sloppy Joe Sauce. On The Move Jeff Walters, a managing director in the Northeast Ohio offices of CBIZ MHM LLC was installed last week as the new chairman of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Walters will serve a two-year term as the chairman of the Ohio Chambers 66-member board. Citizens for Community Values, a conservative Christian policy organization, hired Rachel Citak, a University of Cincinnati law school graduate, to serve as a legislative liaison out of its Columbus office. Colton Henson, a Republican political consultant in Columbus, is moving to Washington, D.C. to join Dezenhall Resources as a senior director. He most recently was vice president of public affairs for Swing State Strategies. Gov. Mike DeWine has appointed four new members of the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board: state Rep. Phil Plummer (a Dayton Republican and former Montgomery County sheriff), state Rep. Juanita Brent (a Cleveland Democrat), Ohio Department of Public Safety Assistant Director Karen Huey, and Joe Morbitzer, the superintendent of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. DeWine also reappointed three members of the community-police advisory board: Ohio Civil Rights Commission Chair Lori Barreras, Medina County Sheriff Tom Miller and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron OBrien. Straight From The Source I am very sensitive... to how laws sometimes disproportionately affect different communities. But a half pound concerns me. -Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac on the proposal to decriminalize possession of up to a half-pound of marijuana in the city. The proposal is being pushed by Republican Councilman Jeff Pastor and Independent Councilman Chris Smitherman, who is running for mayor. 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio The primary super PAC backing Republican President Donald Trumps re-election has pegged Ohio as a must-win state in the 2020 election. Alone, the news is unsurprising. But coupled with the recent report that Priorities USA, one of the most prominent Democratic super PACs, downgraded the states importance, the designation from America First Policies illustrates the crucial standing of the state for Republicans compared to its lessened status for Democrats. The reason why Ohio is on our radar is its a must-win state for us, said Kelly Sadler, spokeswoman for America First Policies. How were viewing these six states is theyre the states with the most electoral votes and the most expensive media markets to play in. The group is planning a significant investment in Ohio and five other states Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania and Michigan with a goal of spending $300 million. Like Priorities USAs decision, the ranking comes down to simple math. Both groups are trying to find the quickest, most effective way for their respective candidates to reach 270 electoral votes and win the election. For America First, that includes Ohio and its 18 electoral votes. The president also has a firm base of support in the traditionally purple state. For Priorities USA, it does not. The group listed Ohio as a GOP Watch state in its target ratings, essentially meaning it is possible to win but not a requirement. Since the 2016 election and increasing after the 2018 election politicos have debated whether arguably the most notable swing state in the nation is still even a swing state. Trump won handily in 2016 by 8 percentage points over Hillary Clinton. Republicans also won every statewide partisan race in 2018, save for Democratic Sen. Sherrod Browns successful re-election. The parties and candidates on both sides have maintained that they view Ohio as important to national electoral politics. But its unlikely that they would say otherwise out of concern for deflating their supporters or alienating donors. However, where big political money is being spent is an indication that national interests view Ohio as lurching Republican -- if not already there. America First is not allowed to coordinate with the Trump campaign and will instead follow the presidents lead on most messaging, but some concrete plans were shared with cleveland.com by a person knowledgeable about America Firsts plans. Vice President Mike Pence has been a mainstay at the groups events promoting Trumps agenda. Hell continue to do so in the run-up to the election, with his first event scheduled for Monday in Jacksonville, Florida. America First will also heavily focus on the USMCA, the proposed trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada to replace NAFTA. Trump and the leaders of the other two countries have reached a preliminary agreement on the deal, but final ratification has been delayed over several sticking points. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, has said without stricter enforcement mechanisms, the proposed treaty is a nonstarter. Voters in the states listed by America First were drastically affected by NAFTA. Many of them voted for Trump based on his promise to renegotiate the trade deal, a fact America First will push. Mostly, though, America First plans on doubling as an allied attack dog for the president against his rivals. Instead of using broad issues, however, the group plans to micro-target messaging and issues and develop a strategy based on the results. Its currently in the stages of collecting data mostly through polling and focus groups to better identify which issues resonate most. The 2020 election is still more than a year away, and Ohios swing status has been somewhat mixed. Trump has telegraphed that he covets the state personally, with numerous official White House and campaign visits since his election. Plus, hes consistently played a role in GOP politics in the state, hand-picking Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken for that role and playing a role in coordinating the statewide ticket last cycle. Democrats are in a much more precarious situation. The drubbing in 2018 left party members deflated, and national observers have questioned whether Ohio is worth the investment any longer. Some candidates have visited the state, but with big political money hesitant to craft a plan for 2020, those candidates might abandon the state as well, opting instead to target more promising areas. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Like women everywhere, women in Greater Cleveland face barriers in the professional sphere. So cleveland.com reached out to some of the regions most influential women, those who because of their hard work, integrity and vision, have risen to the top ranks of leadership in Greater Cleveland. These leaders are the among the most powerful, connected leaders in Northeast Ohio -- in business, philanthropy and public service. We asked them how society can bulldoze barriers blocking women, how women can handle sexist comments and what theyve learned over the course of their careers. Hear from U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge: As a community, are there steps we should take to help even the playing field for women, so they have the same chances for leadership as men? Employers must first address the leadership gap that exists. Women are kept out the boardroom and high-level executive positions, even when they have the requisite academic credentials and same skill sets as men. In fact, women earn more university degrees at every level than men, except for professional and doctoral degrees. Businesses must eliminate biases that exist in their corporate culture that work against women and penalizes them for being mothers and caregivers. The second step is to recognize the value of paid family leave. Women (and men) need time to care for their families without the concern of lost wages. With paid family leave, women can fully contribute to society and their workplace without the fear of losing their jobs or opportunities for advancement. How do you think women in the workplace should respond when confronted by unacceptable comments, or sexism exhibited by male colleagues? I advise women to have the confidence to speak up. Chances are, you are not the first or the only one experiencing sexism in your workplace. I tell any woman entering a new work environment to create a network of women around you who can be a sounding board and give you the support needed. No matter how great or small the offense, women standing up and speaking out lets employers and coworkers know that sexist comments and behaviors will not be tolerated. If you could distill everything youve learned in your career into one piece of advice, what would it be? Treat everyone with dignity and respect, because every human being has worth. People may not remember what you said to them, but they always remember how you made them feel. Genuine respect for each persons value builds bridges, instead of burning them. Learn more from Greater Clevelands influential women below: CLEVELAND, Ohio Its the power in their poise. The confidence in their tone. The warmth in their voice. These are Northeast Ohios most influential women: women at the top of their fields, whether thats business, sports, philanthropy or public service. Yet, they remain largely outnumbered at the top by men. They are eager to fix that, and happy to talk about it. Cleveland.com surveyed 16 women leaders about what it takes to shatter the glass ceiling, in hopes of passing their lessons to the next generation. Read today about the pipeline of talent in the workplace, Wednesday about dealing with sexism and Thursday about the confidence gap. Click on the photos above to see each womans advice. Or scroll to the bottom to see a list of names. They say success takes hard work, but its not just that. Companies must be intentional about promoting women. They need to change the culture. Women need sponsors who advocate for them, and a chance at the experience required to compete for top positions. Stereotypes need to be retired. Womens perspectives should be valued. And women should be paid equitably. These women have experienced sexism. They push for women to report inappropriate comments, but acknowledge in todays work environment, sometimes thats easier said than done. They believe you make your own luck. Theyve learned from their mistakes. They encourage you to be yourself. These women are influential because of their accomplishments. But theyre more than long job titles and impressive resumes; they matter in Cleveland also because they work to lift more women up to their level. When a half-dozen influential women gathered at a Cleveland script sign for a photo shoot for this project, they squeezed together for a selfie. There were no egos, no attitudes. Just women supporting women. Several of the cleveland.com's influential women recipients took a selfie together at a recent photo schoot. (Photo courtesy: Phyllis Harris) Meet some of the most influential women of Cleveland: Kristen Baird Adams Sherri Bevan Walsh Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells Sari Feldman U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge Phyllis Harris Dee Haslam Grace Gallucci Tricia Griffith Heather Lennox Very Rev. Tracey Lind Loretta Mester Beth Mooney Kristen D.W. Morris Jill Van Auken Kristin Warzocha Comment on the story below: CLEVELAND, Ohio Tricia Griffith has the quintessential climb-the-corporate-ladder story. She started as a claims representative at Progressive and worked her way to CEO. Thats how a talent pipeline is supposed to work. But often with women, it doesnt. While women make up 48 percent of entry level workers, a gender gap emerges in management, according to a 2018 survey of 279 companies and tens of thousands of employees by McKinsey and LeanIn.org. For every 79 women promoted to manager, 100 men are. The result: Women make up 38 percent of managers, while men make up 62 percent. The gap only grows. Women make up 29 percent of vice presidents and 23 percent of senior vice presidents. Griffith is one of 24 women who head Fortune 500 companies. Theres a bunch of different problems, Griffith said. I think the first one is getting enough pipelines so that when you are interviewing for any top role, whether its the CEO or a layer down or a layer down, that theres that opportunity to have a variety of people interviewing. I feel that way both about women and people of color. If theres five white guys going for a job, were going to hire a white guy. So you actually have to make sure you get people to that interview. Griffith and other Northeast Ohio influential women told cleveland.com that increasing female representation in leadership roles should be a priority among all business leaders. Leaders both women and men have an obligation to ensure that diversity and inclusion are part of their business strategies and embedded in their cultures, KeyCorp Chairman and CEO Beth Mooney said. Said Griffith: It cant just come from the typical female CEO. Its got to be every level of leadership has to believe it and know it. When it happens and you see the results then you want more of it. Women are often promoted because of their past performance. Men are promoted because of their potential, according to the McKinsey and LeanIn.org report. Its not that women are leaving their jobs at higher rates than men, either. When women do leave their job, 2 percent say they made the decision to focus on family. Statistics show organizations are better off if they embrace inclusion, said Loretta Mester, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland said. It is well documented that diverse teams tend to be more objective when making decisions and more innovative, Mester said. It even affects the bottom line in that firms with diverse management tend to have above-average earnings. Click on the photos of women below to see their advice. Each bat house can be placed on a wall, shed, barn or pole in a person's yard, with an interior space that mimics the bat's natural habitat. Within the bat house, there's a landing pad and grooves that allow the bats to grip, climb and hang. Each bat house can fit between 80 to 100 bats. The idea of the bat house is to utilize the bats' taste for mosquitoes as a form of natural pest control, as well as a safe place for bats to stay. Forget bug spray, on Sunday's episode of "Shark Tank" on ABC, two entrepreneurs pitched BatBnB, a product that attracts bats to people's backyards for mosquito control and it scored a six-figure deal with Kevin O'Leary. But in the Tank, when the entrepreneurs explained to the Sharks that bats hunt at night, Kevin O'Leary interrupted with his own bat knowledge. O'Leary said that when he was living in Tunisia as a teen (his stepfather, George Kanawaty, moved the family there for his work), he remembers the bats would come out at dusk and blanket the sky. Then O'Leary pointed out that some bats feed on blood. As the other Sharks cracked up over O'Leary's surprising bat expertise, the founders pointed out that the Vampire Bats O'Leary is talking about only live in Central and South America. The founders got the idea for the company in 2016, when the Zika virus transmitted through mosquito bites was making headlines, but most of the bug control products they found on the market were pesticides. As a kid though, Rannefors had built bat houses with his father, and he said he learned that bats can eat up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects per hour (though this seems to be in dispute). BatBnB was born. The co-founders launched on a crowdfunding campaign to get started. In less than a year the company had done $135,000 in revenue, according to the co-founders. The entrepreneurs said they believed there was high-growth potential in the public sector, where counties spend tons of money on pest control. Not all of the sharks were convinced. Robert Herjavec saw it as a hobby market and passed, while Mark Cuban didn't think the business would be big enough to be worth his time. Daymond John said he had bats on his properties and hadn't noticed improvements with mosquitoes, and bats just plain freak out Lori Greiner. But O'Leary was on-board. "I on the other hand have a lot of passion for bats, because they're so misunderstood over the ages, " he said. While the entrepreneurs were seeking $100,000 for a 16% stake in the business, O'Leary offered $100,000 for a 33.3% stake. The entrepreneurs countered with a 25% stake, but O'Leary did not budge. The entrepreneurs accepted O'Leary's offer. Don't miss: 'Shark Tank': Kids of 9/11 firefighter get their late dad's invention a deal with Williams Sonoma Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to ABC's "Shark Tank." President Donald Trump, U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin attend a working dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping after the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 1, 2018. The United States kicked off the necessary process before Washington can impose tariffs on a new set of Chinese imports. While President Donald Trump said as recently as Monday that he had still not decided whether he would slap tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, this sets the legal process in motion. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative formally began that process with a proposal on Monday. The USTR outlines a potential duty of up to 25% tariffs on China for goods with an annual trade value of roughly $300 billion. The committee will hold a public hearing on June 17 followed by another week for comments, meaning the earliest possible action for tariffs would be June 24. This gives the White House a window of time leading up to the G-20 Summit to decide. The USTR unveiled a list of new items that would be subject to the potential round of tariffs. The products, published on the agency's website, include "essentially all products not currently covered" by the previous rounds of tariffs against China. It ranges from milk and animal products to steel and aluminum. The proposed list excludes pharmaceuticals, select medical goods, rare earth materials and critical minerals. Any products given exemptions on prior tariffs "will not be affected," the agency said. Major U.S. indexes suffered their worst trading day since January Monday after news that China plans to raise tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. imports, beginning on June 1. President Trump said China's retaliatory tariffs put the United States in a great position and represents "a very positive step" in the ongoing trade negotiations. President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday that China will be "hurt very badly if you don't make a trade deal." Trump also said that China had a "great deal" almost completed but they "backed out." The list of current targeted goods ranges from TV cameras to tequila, and includes a range of agricultural products. Beijing's move comes after Washington announced last week it would increase tariffs from 10% to 25% on a bulk of Chinese imports. Apple CEO Tim Cook attends the annual session of China Development Forum (CDF) 2018 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China March 26, 2018. The Dow dropped a s much 719 points on Monday as the trade war continued its escalation but is higher in early trading on Tuesday. CNBC did a deep dive through sell-side stock research since the trade war escalated to find companies that analysts are singling out in their respective coverage universes. Wall Street analysts aren't backing down from their buy ratings on stocks that have been hit hard in the latest trade battle between the U.S. and China. While the two countries continue slapping tariffs on each other, many analysts say clients should use the market weakness as a time to buy these beaten down shares because the risks are overblown. Wall Street will be watching Alibaba's earnings report on Wednesday for any signs of the trade war effect on the Chinese e-commerce giant. The most recent actions by the White House have brought "greater uncertainty," to the company, but SunTrust analysts are sticking with their buy rated call. "The latest data out of National Bureau of Statistics of China suggests that the macro environment has been improving, a positive for Chinese consumption, and for BABA in particular," analyst Youssef Squali said. "Long term we view BABA as a winner considering 1) its dominance of the Chinese ecom. mkt and the insatiable appetite for China's growing middle class, 2) it's a 25%+ compounder over the next 5 yrs (our ests), and 3) its portfolio of strategic invests," he added. Shares of the company are down 4% over the last week. Apple has also been hit hard by the ongoing trade uncertainty, but Wedbush analysts say things might not be as bad as they appear. "That said, for Apple in particular we believe the way things stand today the bark will be worse than the bite for Cupertino around China headwinds and we would be buyers of the name on weakness," said analyst Dan Ives who's keeping his outperform rating on the stock. Apple, which was the worst performer on the Dow on Monday, is down more than 8% over the last week. Despite the trade dispute, Credit Suisse analysts are not backing down from their calls on some business services stocks. Alarm.com, provides cloud services for remote control home monitoring services and has an outperform rating at the firm. The company recently reported earnings and stated that tariffs were indeed having an effect. "ALRM highlighted on its most recent earnings call that higher tariffs have modestly impacted hardware sales," analyst Kevin McVeigh said. The stock is down more than 15% over the last week. Here are other buy-rated stocks analysts are sticking by in the trade war: Bitcoin rose above the $8,000 mark on Tuesday, extending a rally that has seen the digital currency more than double in value since the start of the year. According to data posted on the website CoinDesk, bitcoin topped $8,325 before giving up some of its gains. Since the start of the year, bitcoin's value has increased more than 120%. Bitcoin prices have yet to recover to its all-time highs of around $20,000 in late 2017 when a frenzy of interest from retail investors suddenly sent the value of cryptocurrencies dramatically higher. Andy Brenner at National Alliance Securities said while it wasn't possible to confirm who is behind the direct flows of who is buying bitcoin, it looked logical that Chinese investors were using the digital currency as a means to diversify. "We can see that the bid for bitcoin in this latest run has coincided with a big down tick in the value of the Chinese yuan versus the dollar," he said Monday in an email to CNBC. LOS ANGELES The fate of a bill that would allow state-chartered banks and credit unions to provide services to California's marijuana businesses could be determined Thursday when a key hearing is held on the legislation. The proposed legislation, state Senate Bill 51, is designed to help pot retailers and other marijuana firms that have been shut out from the traditional banking system. The measure would allow private banks or credit unions to apply for a limited-purpose state charter so they can provide depository services to licensed cannabis businesses. California's legal marijuana industry is struggling to compete with the black market and is facing challenges that include banking access and high taxes. Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's new state budget plan slashed cannabis tax revenue projections by $223 million. Marijuana businesses, including pot shops, are forced to deal predominantly in cash due to continued federal banking restrictions that make it nearly impossible for them to have bank accounts with federally chartered financial institutions. There's also an effort underway at the federal level to pass legislation that would allow banks to serve cannabis-related businesses without the risk of being prosecuted. "Banks are scared to death, and they just don't want the expense and the trauma of exposing themselves," said Gavin Kogan, chairman and co-founder of Grupo Flor, a cannabis retail and cultivation company based in Salinas, California. "We appreciate the state's efforts here on the banking bill, but it may take congressional action to finally solve this." On Monday, the state Senate Appropriations Committee sent SB 51 to the so-called suspense file, a common procedure for state bills with a fiscal impact. However, the action also sets the stage for a hearing Thursday when committee members could determine the fate of the proposed measure. A state cannabis panel last year issued a report on cannabis banking and stated that "large amounts of cash make cannabis businesses, their employees, and their customers targets of violent crime." It also said "banking relationships can help law enforcement officials and regulators distinguish legal cannabis businesses from illegal market operators." "As policymakers, we have a duty to further the will of the voters while protecting the public safety of our constituents," California Senate Majority Leader Robert Hertzberg said last month when introducing SB 51. "This measure is by no means the ultimate solution, but it's just one small step in the right direction to get some of this money off the streets and into bank accounts." Last year, the Democrat authored Senate Bill 930 to create cannabis banks, but it didn't pass the legislature. Cost concerns has been cited as one of the reasons because it would require hiring new state workers. Then again, some industry observers suggest lawmakers opposed to cannabis sales may be using cost as an excuse. A briefing document for SB 51 assumes 12 new cannabis banks or credit unions would be created, which would require the state to hire personnel such as examiners and incur costs of about $2 million per year. Hertzberg's new bill would set up special checks by pot businesses as a way to pay state and local taxes, fees and rent. The current taxes imposed on the state's cannabis industry were part of Proposition 64, the adult-use legalization measure passed by California voters in November 2016. The governor's May budget revision issued last week is forecasting California's cannabis excise taxes will generate $288 million in revenues in the current fiscal year ending in June, below the $355 million that was projected back in January in the Democratic governor's budget plan. Also, the new budget projects $359 million in cannabis taxes in the next fiscal year, below the $514 million estimated four months ago. Back in 2016, California's Legislative Analyst's Office forecast the marijuana industry's taxes could surpass $1 billion annually after adult-use legalization. California started selling legal marijuana in 2018, but some observers have blamed the aggressive state tax rates and overregulation for continuing underground pot sales. Some industry participants also blamed the lack of legal dispensaries for the shortfall in revenue because of the state law that allows local communities to ban cannabis businesses. There's a state bill that would give legal marijuana businesses a tax break to help them thrive and better compete with the underground market. Assembly Bill 286 was introduced in January in the state legislature and would temporarily cut state excise taxes for legal marijuana retailers from 15% to 11% and also suspend cultivation taxes altogether through 2022. The legislation is scheduled to be heard this week in the Assembly's Committee on Appropriations. "I think 11% is still high, but we'll take all the help we can get," said cannabis entrepreneur Kogan. "On top of the state, we're getting taxed by local governments so it makes it difficult to create products and a new industry. It also puts consumers in a situation where they have to choose whether to buy it at legal dispensaries or the black market." Attorney General of California Xavier Becerra. Getty Images SAN FRANCISCO California is embarking on a new era of privacy on the internet, and Xavier Becerra can't stop thinking about the failed debut of Obamacare. Back in 2013, Becerra, then a Democratic congressman from Los Angeles, watched as technical problems with the website marred the rollout of President Barack Obama's signature law, delaying sign-ups for health insurance and denting the public's faith in the new offering. Now, as California's attorney general, Becerra is worried that a similarly halting start awaits the California Consumer Privacy Act, a far-reaching law that would put some of the world's strictest rules on how tech companies many of which call the state home handle and collect user data. More from NBC News: After avoiding Congress for years, tech companies are now asking for help WhatsApp discovers 'very scary' spyware, pushes patch to 1.5 billion users Supreme Court says Apple customers can sue over App Store monopoly claims The rest of the country is watching closely. No other state has attempted such an ambitious privacy law, and since before the dawn of the internet, Congress hasn't either. The law has numerous parts. It forces companies to reveal what data they collect. It gives users the right to delete that data and prevent its sale. And it will likely restrict how data can be used for online ads. Becerra, whose office will be responsible for enforcing the law when it goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020, said he might not have enough staff to carry out the job, and that as a result the law could collapse under its own weight. "I don't think you ever want to give people a reason to believe that you hoodwinked them," Becerra said in an interview. "Think back to the launch of the Affordable Care Act's website. That really depressed people's belief that this was going to work." The tension around California's law, which passed in June 2018, comes amid growing public and political agreement that the big consumer tech companies, now global powers with valuable data on billions of users, require more oversight. But how to regulate and who should enforce new rules remain open questions. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which took effect last year and was seen as a landmark for privacy protection, has so far resulted in few tangible gains for consumers. California's law goes well beyond requiring pop-up notifications on websites, an annoyance that became synonymous with GDPR. The European law and the pop-ups that followed were intended to inform consumers what data would be collected and ask their consent. California is going several steps further, giving people a clear opportunity to opt out of the sale of their data, in addition to letting them know what a company like Google knows about them. With 40 million California residents, that could be a lot of requests, if companies comply. Already, a scramble is on among lobbyists, advocacy groups and politicians to try to ensure the California law will work, and lawmakers in Sacramento have weighed scores of proposed amendments to refine or rewrite parts of the law. Lobbyists for tech companies are looking to blunt the law's impact, while privacy advocates want to add to it, so the law's future including how it will be enforced is still unclear. The outcome could have far-reaching consequences. Consumer advocates say the law could meaningfully improve online privacy without losing what people like best about the internet. Industry experts, however, warn that if the law is watered down before it takes effect, companies will find ways around the requirements or even cut free, ad-supported service. "I think we can help set the standard for the nation," said California Assembly member James Gallagher, a Republican from Yuba City in Northern California and a supporter of the law. "I think mostly the tech world is, on the surface, asking for some clarification and changes to the law that they feel are gray areas for companies to figure out how or whether they need to comply." "But I have a skeptical eye," Gallagher added. "Look, I want to make sure that whatever is being proposed as a cleanup measure isn't a gaping hole." 'Do not sell' signs Among the law's most powerful provisions is one that requires companies to stop selling people's data upon request at any time. The mechanism for making such a request cannot be buried in a privacy policy because the law requires a "clear and conspicuous" place to click on a website specifically titled "Do Not Sell My Personal Information." The law also has a broad definition of what is meant by "sell." It covers numerous other broad-strokes actions including "disclosing, disseminating, making available, transferring" personal data, and more. Many large companies, notably Facebook, insist that they do not sell user data, instead serving as a kind of all-knowing intermediary that tries to pair up advertisers and consumers with complicated targeting algorithms. Sales of data aside, companies will be required to proactively explain their practices in handling user data, explain consumers' rights and list the categories of personal information that the company has collected, disclosed or sold within the previous year. The law is intended to target only large businesses, defined as having annual gross revenues in excess of $25 million, or having received personal information for 50,000 consumers. In short, Facebook would be affected, but probably not most startups, depending on the details of their business. Proponents believe that California, as the most populous state in the nation, will set a standard for companies operating nationwide, because companies will not want to make different versions of their websites and related online services for different states. At least nine other states, including North Dakota and Hawaii, are now considering their own versions of the California law. Federal legislation that might override California's law has so far failed to materialize. Some Democrats in Congress say they'll oppose any federal bill that stops short of the protections in California's law. Businesses have a simple way to make nationwide compliance easy, said Alastair Mactaggart, a real estate developer who spearheaded the California law's creation: give all Americans the same rights as Californians. "This is a made-in-tech-world problem to foment fear," Mactaggart said. Tech companies "could make it go away by saying that they're going to extend California rights for everybody." Some of the provisions in the law have been criticized as too broad or vague, such as one that appears to prohibit the personalized pricing of goods and services and then later allows the practice. "The bill looks like philosophy, and when a company implements, it doesn't make any sense," said Stu Ingis, a lawyer working with Privacy for America, a coalition of advertising industry trade groups. Ingis called the law "sloppy" and "not well-drafted." Last-minute edits Lawyers, lobbyists and technology experts are attacking the law from all sides, hoping to make industry-friendly changes before it takes effect. The law was passed last June on an expedited schedule to head off a ballot initiative in November. Becerra and a group of privacy advocates want to add a provision granting consumers the right to sue if, for example, a company ignores a person's demand to opt out of data sales. The idea is to complement the state's own enforcement efforts, with civil litigation serving to deter violations of the law. The California Chamber of Commerce, a business lobby group, has said it thinks giving consumers the right to sue would primarily benefit trial lawyers. It "will not only hurt and possibly bankrupt small businesses in the state, it will kill jobs and innovation," the Chamber said in a statement. Many tech companies and their lobbying firms have complained that varying state laws make for an inconsistent playing field and compliance difficult. The Internet Association, which counts among its members some of Silicon Valley's biggest firms, including Google, Amazon and Facebook, said in a statement that the tech sector wants to "ensure that California residents have meaningful privacy protections" under one federal law, "not a patchwork of state laws." Their lobbying efforts could be effective. "Silicon Valley has a lot of power," Justin Brookman, director of tech policy at Consumer Reports, and a former Federal Trade Commission attorney, said in an interview. "I'm hopeful that it won't be meaningfully weakened," he added. "Do I feel confident that it won't be? No." There's also a small army of lobbyists and lawyers pushing to scale back or narrow the law for specific sectors of the economy. The airline industry, for example, says it's already regulated by federal transportation agencies, whose power supersedes that of states, while insurance companies say they're already covered by an existing state law just for them. Automakers are seeking a carve-out, saying the law would hamper their supply chain and complicate dealer services. Bills to amend the privacy law must pass both houses of the state legislature by September, making the next four months critical in determining how it looks. But even then, businesses and privacy advocates are trying to change things. Becerra's office is scheduled this fall to release its detailed rules for enforcing the law, and already it has received 1,305 pages of comments about what it should do, many of them from corporate lawyers. Changing the ads people see The California bill's rules on digital advertising and user tracking have the chance to change the internet and California's major tech companies, most notably Google and Facebook, which make billions by showing ads online. User tracking tends to be most apparent when pervasive digital ads leave users with the feeling that ads are following them around, from website to app and back again. The California law threatens those types of ads by disallowing what the industry calls "third-party behavioral profiling." If a person reads an article on a news website about the Oakland Athletics, the company behind that website would be able to use that information to advertise about baseball on its own site. But if that person goes to a different website, the initial website cannot transfer behavioral data to the next website to enable more ads from Major League Baseball. It is not clear, though, how the ad industry will respond in practice, said Ashkan Soltani, a privacy researcher in Oakland and former technologist with the Federal Trade Commission who worked closely on drafting the California law. "It's a threat because everyone relies on that ecosystem rather than finding alternative ways to monetize," he said. "The ad technology is a cheap and easy fuel for everyone to use, even though it has a lot of externalities." Marla Kaplowitz, CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, a trade group, said in a statement that advertisers want to be sure to preserve certain benefits that require the use of data, such as corporate loyalty programs, as well as "ready access to the wide variety of freely accessible content" on the internet. Where no state has gone before "We believe strongly in the direct-to-consumer space and our content is a key driver of that ecosystem," NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke said in a statement. "The extension of the Hulu content-licensing agreement will generate significant cash flow for us, while giving us maximum flexibility to program and distribute to our own direct-to-consumer platform, as we build that business. Significantly, this transaction also affirms the value of our stake, provides a path to liquidity and ensures our continued equity participation in Hulu's success." As part of the deal, Disney has agreed to pay Comcast for its Hulu content for the next five years. NBC channels will be on Hulu Live at a higher rate than previously agreed. NBCUniversal, CNBC's parent company, will also be able to run the same content on its own streaming service , which is expected to launch in next spring. Comcast also will be allowed to sell its 33% stake in Hulu to Disney in 2024 at a valuation of at least $27.5 billion, even if the streaming service is worth less, according to the agreement. Comcast is guaranteed at least $5.8 billion for its Hulu stake, according to the agreement. Comcast originally wanted to sell its NBCUniversal streaming service at around $12 a month. Then Disney priced its service at $6.99 per month in its recent announcement. This has prompted Comcast to decide to lower the price for its NBC streaming service, likely around $10 per month, according to two people familiar with the matter. The paid version of NBCUniversal's streaming service will not let you watch live linear TV or same-season shows, according to people familiar with the matter. The free version of the service will require users to log in through their cable and satellite TV provider, but they'll be able to stream live TV from NBCUniversal channels and watch current-season episodes of shows, the people said. In effect, only pay TV subscribers will be able to get the fully featured streaming service from NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal will have the option of ending most of its content license agreements with Hulu in three years, according to the announcement. In one year, NBCUniversal will be able to exhibit some of its own content that is currently exclusively licensed to Hulu in exchange for a reduced license fee for Hulu, the release said. Currently, NBC gets paid more than $500 million a year from Hulu for its partnership. Hulu bought back a 9.5% stake from AT&T last month in a deal that valued the company at $15 billion. Disney and Comcast had agreed to fund that purchase in accordance with their two-thirds to one-third ownership. Now, Comcast "will have the option but not the obligation to fund its proportionate share of Hulu's future capital gains calls and will be diluted if it elects not to fund," according to the release. "Hulu represents the best of television, with its incredible array of award-winning original content, rich library of popular series and movies, and live TV offerings," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. "We are now able to completely integrate Hulu into our direct-to-consumer business and leverage the full power of The Walt Disney Company's brands and creative engines to make the service even more compelling and a greater value for consumers." Disclosure: Comcast owns CNBC parent NBCUniversal. Watch: Disney CEO Bob Iger releases statement on Hulu deal with Comcast The CEO of major utility E.ON called for a new carbon tax in Germany on Tuesday, stating that a "better and fairer energy transition" was possible. The tax would be 35 euros ($39) per metric ton of emissions that result from the use of fossil fuels for power generation, transport and heating. Authorities in Germany are currently in discussions about such a tax, according to Reuters. In a printed statement issued at the German firm's annual shareholders meeting on Tuesday, CEO Johannes Teyssen said that the levy would generate 25 billion euros in tax revenues for the German Finance Ministry. As a country, Germany is looking to increase its use of sources such as wind and solar whilst at the same time move away from nuclear power. In 2017, renewables made up 33.3% of gross electricity generation, with wind power, biomass and solar photovoltaics leading the way. Teyssen explained that while electricity in Germany had become "increasingly green" the conversion of its "entire energy system" was supposed to be financed by customers through electricity prices. "As a result, clean electricity has become more and more expensive relative to dirty fossil fuels," he added. Customers with lower incomes were financing the country's energy transition, he said. Teyssen said that the business was "obviously not interested" in burdening customers with more taxes, fees and levies. "We're proposing that in the future the annual cost of Germany's Renewable Energy Law currently around 25 billion euros should be financed by the federal budget with the revenues from the carbon tax," he added. Teyssen added that Germany's electricity tax should be reduced, which he said would cut electricity prices "by almost 9 cents per kilowatt hour." E.ON is in the middle of a major asset swap with another German utility, RWE. Under the terms of the deal, which was announced in March 2018, RWE will transfer its stake in green energy business Innogy to E.ON. In turn, RWE will take on the renewables businesses of both E.ON and Innogy, as well as other assets. At the beginning of March, the European Commission opened an in-depth investigation into E.ON's plans to acquire Innogy. In an interview Tuesday, Teyssen told CNBC's Annette Weisbach about the deal's progress. "We already have some approvals in hand for RWE acquiring (the) renewables business and the participation in us, the more complex part is just in the thorough investigation, but we see it making progress, so no specific worries," he said. Hussain and former Autonomy Chief Executive Mike Lynch are also defendants in a $5 billion civil fraud trial in London's High Court, where Hewlett-Packard claimed they caused it to overpay for Autonomy by fraudulently inflating its value. Sushovan Hussain, 55, was also fined $4 million and ordered to forfeit $6.1 million by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco. The defendant plans to appeal. The former chief financial officer of British software company Autonomy was sentenced on Monday to five years in prison, after a U.S. jury found him guilty of fraud over the $11.1 billion sale of Autonomy in 2011 to Hewlett-Packard. Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's largest computer maker, agreed to buy Autonomy Corp. for $10.3 billion in cash to increase sales of cloud services for businesses while lessening its reliance on personal computers. That trial began in March and is expected to last several months. Lawyers for Hussain were not immediately available for comment. The office of U.S. Attorney David Anderson in San Francisco had no immediate comment. U.S. prosecutors accused Hussain, who moved to England at age 7 from his native Bangladesh, of using backdated contracts and other forms of accounting fraud to inflate Autonomy's revenue, in an effort to attract potential buyers. Hussain, who is married and has two daughters, was convicted in April 2018 on 16 wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy counts. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year prison term, while Hussain sought no more than one year and one day. Both sides agreed on the fine. Hussain is scheduled to report to prison on June 15. Autonomy was the linchpin of former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Leo Apotheker's strategy to integrate his company's computer and printer businesses with higher-margin software. His plan backfired, and Hewlett-Packard took an $8.8 billion writedown a year after buying Autonomy, while accusing Lynch of accounting fraud. Lynch, who founded Autonomy, was once seen as Britain's answer to Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates. Hewlett-Packard split in 2015 into HP Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co. The latter spun off much of its software business in 2017. U.S. prosecutors have also criminally charged Lynch and former Autonomy vice president of finance Stephen Chamberlain over the Hewlett-Packard acquisition. Lynch, through his lawyers, has denied criminal wrongdoing, and blamed the acquisition's failure on Hewlett-Packard. Chamberlain has pleaded not guilty. The social media giant Facebook is headed toward an agreement with the U.S. government over its privacy policies and practices that would put it under 20 years of oversight, according to a source knowledgeable about the discussions. The agreement would resolve a probe of whether the company violated a similar consent pact reached in 2011. There had been expectations a deal was imminent after Facebook set aside $3 billion to pay what it said it expected to be a $3 billion to $5 billion penalty. But two sources said on Monday that no deal was expected this week. One of the sources said that announcement of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission could be a month away. Several U.S. lawmakers have criticized aspects of a potential agreement between the FTC and Facebook that would elevate oversight of privacy policies and practices to Facebook's board of directors and require the social media company to be more aggressive in policing third-party app developers. In a letter to the FTC, Senators Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and Josh Hawley, a Republican, told the agency that even a $5 billion civil penalty was too little and that top officials, potentially including founder Mark Zuckerberg, should be held personally responsible. Facebook's 2011 settlement with the FTC also required it report to the government agency about its privacy practices for 20 years. The FTC has been investigating allegations that Facebook inappropriately shared information belonging to 87 million users with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The probe has focused on whether the sharing of data and other disputes violated the 2011 consent agreement. The lapse, as well as anger over hate speech and misinformation on its platform, has prompted calls from people ranging from progressive presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren to a Facebook co-founder, Chris Hughes, for the government to force the social media giant to sell Instagram, which it bought in 2012, and WhatsApp, purchased in 2014. Despite its scandals, the company's core business has proven resilient as Facebook blew past earnings estimates in the past two quarters. "The company, after an appropriate debate, decided to move to Hong Kong," Schmidt said. "We don't know whether my strategy would have worked or not." "In 2010, I was in favor of remaining in China because I believed they would be better to stay in China and help change China to be more open," said Schmidt in an interview with the BBC . Google co-founder Sergey Brin has gone on record to say he believed the company should not remain in China at the time, telling Spiegel that the censorship "was a real step backward." While Google has backed off its plans to build a censored search engine for China for the time being, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said he had advocated for the company's work there when it originally pulled out of the country. Schmidt "couldn't say" if the renewed China initiative, known internally as Project Dragonfly, was finished for good. The project had sparked an uproar among employees at Google last year who claimed in an open letter that it was contrary to the company's values. But Schmidt said employees working on the project were very much aware of its purpose. "I wasn't involved in those decisions, but I can tell you that certainly the people who were building all these products knew about it," he told the BBC. "And in any case, the company is not pursuing those products at this moment according to our new CEO Sundar [Pichai]." Schmidt first joined Google as CEO in 2001, back when the company only had several hundred employees, and became its executive chairman 10 years later, handing the CEO role over to co-founder Larry Page. He stepping down from that role in 2017, and will leave his board position altogether next month. Google's vocal workforce has been a pillar of the company culture, even when it draws the company into a negative news cycle. Last year, Google employees also staged a walkout after The New York Times reported that the company had paid its former Android leader Andy Rubin a $90 million exit package despite finding sexual misconduct allegations made against him to be credible. Schmidt told the BBC, "a strength of the company is its debate." Watch the full interview at the BBC. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: Google CEO makes privacy pledge in New York Times op-ed Gold retreated from a one-month high hit earlier on Tuesday as stock markets and dollar took heart after the United States and China decided to keep negotiating their trade deal, which has rattled financial markets for months. Spot gold was down 0.3% at $1,296.27 per ounce, after hitting $1,303.26 earlier in the session, its highest since April 11. U.S. gold futures settled $5.50 lower at $1,296.30. "We are seeing a little readjustment because the dollar index is back up a little and stocks are rebounding and (gold)traders are taking a little money off the table for now," said George Gero, managing director at RBC Wealth Management. The dollar index was up about 0.2% after falling to near one-month low in the previous session. The Wall Street opened higher following a sharp selloff in the previous session. Spot gold climbed 1.1% on Monday, marking its biggest one-day percentage rise since Feb. 19, after China announced it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, which followed Washington's decision last week to hike levies on $200 billion in Chinese imports. Since then both the economies have agreed to keep negotiations going to end the prolonged trade war, easing some concerns about a further escalation in trade war. Gold investors were also keeping tabs on escalating tensions between the United States and Iran after Saudi Arabia said that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Headlines such as escalating Iran tensions are keeping gold from selling off, Gero added. Rise in investor interest in bullion was also evident after holdings of SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.44% on Monday, its biggest one-day rise in nearly two months. "Gold is turning bullish on the daily charts as prices have broken above the previous higher low at $1,290," Lukman Otunuga, research analyst at FXTM, said in a note, adding, "a solid breakout and daily close above $1,300 is likely to encourage a move higher towards $1,310 and $1,324, respectively." Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.1% at $14.78 per ounce. Platinum rose 0.1% to $854.25 an ounce, while palladium dipped 0.4% to $1,316.35. Google will more than double its team of privacy experts in Germany as Europe looks to ramp up regulation of Big Tech and user data. CEO Sundar Pichai announced in a blog post on Tuesday that Google would double the number of privacy engineers in Munich to more than 200 by the end of the year, adding that the team would work with Google's global network of privacy specialists to build products that would be used worldwide. "It's no accident that we're building our privacy hub in the heart of Europe, and in a country that in many ways reflects how Europeans think about online safety, privacy and security," Pichai said. He noted that many of the tech giant's products had been built in Munich, such as Google Account, where users can control their privacy settings in relation to Google products. "This is a major milestone in our investments in Europe. Since 2007, we've grown in Munich to more than 750 people, hailing from more than 60 countries," Pichai added. "This year's expansion will take us beyond 1,000 employees for the first time, making the office a true global hub not only for privacy engineering, but for research and product development, as well." Google also announced a 10 million euro ($11.24 million) fund to support non-profits, universities and other organizations working across Europe on a range of internet safety issues from keeping young people safe online to addressing hate crimes. Prosecutors in Tokyo asked a judge for permission to revise one of the key financial misconduct charges facing former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, an allegation that he diverted company cash to a Saudi friend. The move came on the same day that Japan's second-largest automaker announced its 2018 fiscal earnings had plummeted to their lowest level in 11 years. And the scandal surrounding the arrest of the man once credited with saving Nissan is getting at least some of the blame. "This is a very critical situation," Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa told reporters at the company's Yokohama headquarters Tuesday morning. "Today, we have hit rock bottom." Nissan's earnings fell by more than half to just 319.1 billion yen, or $2.9 billion, down from 746.9 billion yen during the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2018. And while Saikawa told journalists he expects to see things turn around over the next two to three years, the situation doesn't look good in the near-term. The automaker is now forecasting its operating profit for the current fiscal year will total 230 billion yen through March 2020, significantly below Wall Street estimates. A poll of 23 analysts by Refinitiv had been projecting an average of 457.7 billion yen. A variety of factors contributed to Nissan's weak performance for the fiscal year, including the slumping Chinese automotive market as well as problems in North America. The automaker had to adjust production and lay out lavish incentives to compensate for overly aggressive sales targets. The company is also plagued with internal strife and confusion since Ghosn's ouster and arrest late last year, several auto industry executives with close connections to Nissan told CNBC. That has become increasingly obvious as the carmaker loses some of its most senior and well-respected executives. Christian Meunier, who only recently was named head of the struggling Infiniti division, left the luxury brand this month to become head of Fiat Chrysler Automobile's Jeep unit. Former Chief Performance Officer Jose Munoz resigned in January after being reassigned to head an investigation into allegations of internal corruption. Once considered a strong contender to replace Saikawa, who is near retirement age, the 52-year-old Munoz joined Korean rival Hyundai in April as its chief operating officer. The turmoil and earnings decline has shined a harsh spotlight on CEO Saikawa, though the 65-year-old Nissan veteran has, in turn, been pointing his finger at his one-time mentor, Ghosn, since the Brazilian-born executive was arrested last November. Saikawa again attempted to shift blame for the past year's poor showing, telling reporters: "Most of the problems we are facing are the negative legacy of our old leader." The carmaker took a 9.2 billion yen charge, or $83 million, during the just-ended fiscal year because of Ghosn's under-reported income. And along with the departure of key executive like Munoz and Meunier, those close to Nissan say the ongoing internal corruption investigation is serving as a corporate distraction. And the Ghosn case doesn't appear to be going away any time soon, as the latest development demonstrates. When the executive was dragged off his corporate jet Nov. 19 after landing at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, he was initially charged with concealing some of his income. Prosecutors have piled on a series of additional charges since then while Ghosn was locked up in the Tokyo Detention Center for five months. He was finally granted bail on April 25, but the courts have restricted his activity, including limiting Ghosn's contact with his wife, ostensibly to prevent him from tampering with evidence. On Tuesday, prosecutors moved to revise one of the harshest charges facing Ghosn, that he committed aggravated breach of trust by transferring Nissan funds to a Saudi businessman and friend. Ghosn who also served as chairman of Mitsubishi and CEO of Renault while also running umbrella Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance before his arrest has remained defiant in maintaining his innocence. He's repeatedly refused to sign a confession even though some observers in Japan have speculated he could use that to negotiate his release and deportation based on time served. Ghosn has repeatedly accused Nissan and unnamed executives there of "backstabbing," and engaging in a "coup." That has widely been interpreted to be aimed at Saikawa, among other former colleagues. So far, Ghosn has had only a few brief opportunities to speak out publicly. He was re-arrested in April, preventing him from confronting Saikawa at Nissan's annual shareholders meeting. He could use an eventual trial to make his own case, potentially creating even more headaches for Nissan and its CEO. Reuters contributed to this report. Fast Retailing, the Japanese company behind the Uniqlo retail chain, announced Monday that the data of more than 460,000 customers on its online shopping sites were accessed by hackers from April 23 to May 10. In a statement released on its website, Fast Retailing said: "It was confirmed on May 10, 2019 that an unauthorized login by a third party other than the customer occurred on the online store site operated by our company," according to a Google translation. The breach gave hackers access to customers' data including their names, addresses and contact details. The company acknowledged that partial credit card information "may have been browsed," though "there is no possibility of leakage" in credit card security codes. Investigations into the extent of the data hack continue. In the meantime, the Japanese retailer has encouraged its online store customers to set passwords that are unique and not easily guessable, in order to lower the likelihood of hackers accessing accounts successfully. Shares of Fast Retailing traded down by about 0.6% during afternoon trade in Tokyo on Tuesday. The latest data breach comes amid increased public scrutiny on the subject of data security, after hackers gained access to the data of hundreds of millions of people at credit ratings giant Equifax and hotel juggernaut Marriott International. Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific Airways announced in October last year that there was a giant data breach involving more than 9 million of its passengers. The airline said that details of about 9.4 million passengers, including passport numbers and Hong Kong identity card numbers, were accessed without authorization, Reuters reported. An attendee passes in front of John Deere brand tractors displayed during the World Agriculture Expo in Tulare, California, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. The state of American agriculture is "rapidly deteriorating" into crisis, J.P. Morgan said Tuesday, due to three factors: declining exports, a poor crop of corn and soybeans and the trade war with China. "Overall, this is a perfect storm for US farmers," J.P. Morgan analyst Ann Duignan said in a note to investors. The most pressing issue facing farmers is that global agricultural markets are oversupplied, and that's putting "increasing pressure" on U.S. agriculture exports, Duignan said. A Department of Agriculture report last week "portrayed a grim outlook for US farmers" in that regard, she said. "As a result of tariffs and excess global supply, US soybean export inspections are down 27%" year over year, Duignan said. She added that, at the same time, South America is having a banner year for production so "the export market is growing ever more competitive. On China specifically, Duignan pointed to an outbreak of African swine fever in its hog herd as likely to cause a significant decline in "Chinese import demand for soybeans." The fever reduced about 30% of China's hog herd, according to J.P. Morgan. A decline in China's import of soybeans would be in addition to the tariffs already placed on U.S. exports of the crop, which has historically been the biggest American agricultural export to China. Domestically, "the Midwest is off to a very slow start in 2019/20," Duignan said. The planting season is "off to a bad start," and corn and soybean crops are far behind in "planting progress" compared with last year, she said. Kai-Fu Lee at a book launch party for "AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order" in September, 2018. Sylvain Gaboury | Patrick McMullan | Getty Images The brewing trade war between the U.S. and China is starting to have a significant impact on the market U.S. stocks suffered their steepest drop since January on Monday as investors feared the prospect of higher tariffs. But in Silicon Valley, that tension has been playing out for months, to the point where many Chinese investors simply aren't doing deals. One of the most notable departures is Sinovation Ventures, the firm started by former Google China president Kai-Fu Lee, who opened a U.S. investing operation in 2013. The head of Sinovation's Silicon Valley office, Chris Evdemon, departed in recent months and informed at least some portfolio companies that the firm was halting investments in the U.S. as it restructured its fund, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the conversations were confidential. As part of President Donald Trump's trade dispute with China, the Treasury Department, through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), is scrutinizing more Chinese investments and increasingly scuttling deals. Last year, the Trump Administration expanded the scope of CFIUS to include review of non-controlling stakes and investments in addition to outright takeovers. The effects are being felt in tech start-ups. Ad-tech company AppLovin was set to be acquired in 2017 for $1.4 billion by a Chinese private equity firm until CFIUS stepped in, and CNBC reported in April that a health-tech company called PatientsLikeMe was being forced to find a buyer after the U.S. government ordered its majority owner from China to divest. Benjamin Heywood, co-founder and president of PatientsLikeMe, speaks at a town hall session on healthcare during the National Summit in Detroit, June 15, 2009. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images Chinese investments in U.S. start-ups have been on the decline since peaking in 2016. Foreign direct investment from China dropped to $4.8 billion last year from $27 billion in 2017 and $46 billion the prior year, according to Rhodium Group. Perhaps the biggest problem for Chinese firms is that they can't get into the hottest start-ups because those companies have access to plenty of capital without dealing with the potential hassle that comes with cash from China. "Even if the CFIUS restrictions are not directly blocking these deals, the environment has changed enough that it's forcing VCs, specifically Chinese VCs, to retreat themselves," said Matt Sheehan, non-resident fellow at MacroPolo, the think tank of the Paulson Institute. Sheehan, who studies the ties between China and California, said U.S. start-ups taking Chinese money "see it as just adding risk at this point." Sinovation has a particular focus on AI, one of the areas that concerns CFIUS the most because of its potential application to the military. On the firm's website, Evdemon is still listed as "CEO of Sinovation North America," but multiple people told CNBC that he indicated he left for personal reasons. Evdemon's LinkedIn profile says that he's also currently a venture partner at Basis Set Ventures, founded by former Dropbox executive Lan Xuezhao. The Basis Set website says Evdemon "was the CEO of Sinovation North America for 9 years." Evdemon joined Sinovation in Beijing in 2009, and was one of the six partners named in the latest fund, a $500 million pool of capital raised in April 2018. The others, including Lee, are all based in China. Angela Bao, who had been Sinovation's other main U.S investor, left in mid-2018 to run the Silicon Valley division of a Chinese education company. After publication of this story, a Sinovation spokesperson disputed the idea that changes within the firm were related to trade issues, and sent the following statement: "Sinovation Ventures disagrees with the trade related speculations in this article. Personnel departures mentioned were based on personal reasons. Sinovation continues to invest in the U.S. directly from our Beijing headquarters." Evdemon forwarded a request for comment to a company representative in Beijing. 'Silicon Valley looks downright sluggish' Sinovation's retreat is certainly not all about politics. Since 2009, when Lee left Google to found the firm, Sinovation has invested the vast majority of its capital in China, where the firm has offices in four cities. Lee, who previously led Microsoft Research, wrote extensively about his bullishness on China in his 2018 book, "AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order." He argues in the book that tech entrepreneurs in China have surpassed their U.S. counterparts, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence. "I've spent decades deeply embedded in both Silicon Valley and China's tech scene, working at Apple, Microsoft and Google before incubating and investing in dozens of Chinese startups," wrote Lee, whose firm manages about $2 billion and counts Taiwanese electronics supplier Foxconn as a top limited partner. "I can tell you that Silicon Valley looks downright sluggish compared to its competitors across the Pacific." Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that war with Iran is ultimately in the hands of the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "It's all on them, and it's a grave risk," Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on CNBC's "Squawk Alley." "I don't want a war, we don't want a war, but that's up to them." Rubio's comments come as the American military is reportedly reviewing plans to send as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East in the event that Iran attacks U.S. forces. President Donald Trump disputed those reports earlier in the day but said he would send "a hell of a lot more troops than that" if necessary. The U.S. and Iran are locked in a dispute over American presence in the region and allegations that Iran is stirring up conflict via proxy groups. The U.S. has also reinstated sanctions on the country as part of a "maximum pressure campaign" designed to curb Iranian military activity. Some sanctions had been lifted under the terms of President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with the country. Trump withdrew the U.S. from that agreement in 2018. The Trump administration in recent weeks has announced the deployment of military equipment to the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a U.S. Air Force bomber task force sent in response to what the administration characterized as "heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations." Rubio said he hoped war would be avoided, but that Trump could not ignore intelligence assessments he said showed that Iran had ordered strikes against American personnel and interests. "Again, I'm not cheering for this, I don't want this to happen, but there is no way the president of the United States can ignore clear movements on the ground coupled with clear intelligence that indicates that Iran is moving towards, or has, in many cases, ordered strikes against U.S. personnel and U.S. interests in the region," Rubio said. "They are doing absolutely the right thing," Rubio said, referring to the Trump administration. "And the question of whether or not there is an armed conflict, that is now in the hands of the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], of General [Qassem] Soleimani, and ultimately of the ayatollah and of Iran." The White House has faced criticism that it is saber rattling in the Middle East and attempting to provoke Iran into a military conflict. Iran's ambassador to the United Kingdom said Tuesday that the United States is playing a "very dangerous game" that could "drag Iran into an unnecessary war," according to USA Today. And Trita Parsi, the founder of the National Iranian American Council, wrote in a post on Twitter that "this is a TOTALLY UNNECESSARY crisis!" "We're only here cuz Trump quit the deal and put Bolton in charge of Iran policy!" he wrote, referring to National Security Advisor John Bolton, who advocated for a preventive strike against the country before he joined the Trump administration. "I still think there's a real opportunity for somebody who is in the middle but has some charisma, has the ability to relate to both sides but is not a politician. The reality is people don't trust politicians," Cuban said in the telephone interview on " Halftime Report ." "We'll see what happens. It would take the perfect storm for me to do it," the billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner said. "There's some things that could open the door, but I'm not projecting or predicting it right now." Cuban told CNBC's Scott Wapner that some things would need to happen for him to be motivated to run in 2020, and if he did, it would be as an independent. Mark Cuban left open the possibility of running for president, telling CNBC on Tuesday, "We'll see." When asked who on the Democratic side has the best chance of winning, Cuban said "nobody right now." "If you look at why people voted for Donald Trump, in my opinion, first and foremost it was because he wasn't a politician." Cuban said the more than 20 Democratic candidates so far are all politicians. "Politicians are the least trusted of every profession," he said. Cuban said none of the candidates stands out, not even former Vice President Joe Biden, who is leading the polls. "I like Vice President Biden I think he's smart and he could do a decent job, but I think it's way too early to tell," Cuban said. Cuban said most of the Democratic proposals so far are just "headline porn." "I don't think they believe what they're proposing is passable," he said. He said most of them include trickle-down taxation, which in his opinion "does not work." "I think that trickle-down economics is a failure. I think trickle-down taxation is just as big a failure," Cuban said. Cuban isn't the first billionaire businessman contemplating an independent bid for the White House in 2020. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced in January he was considering such a move, but he has been keeping a low profile recently. Cuban talked of running in the 2016 campaign. He told CNBC in an email exchange that he would beat Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but he later said he would not run for president because he could have a bigger impact doing other things. In the CNBC interview on Tuesday, Cuban also said Uber's disappointing initial public offering last week was "not a surprise" because the ride-hailing company waited too long to go public. Mark Cuban is the latest billionaire to weigh in on the growing income inequality between the richest and poorest Americans. There is "no question" that the U.S. has a larger wealth gap than other developed nations, Cuban said in an interview with Fox Business at the SALT hedge fund conference in Las Vegas on Monday. But while that widening wealth gap has helped give rise to Democratic Socialist politicians like presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and a push for progressive economic and political reforms, Cuban argues that the solution to income inequality can still be found in our current capitalistic economic model. "I don't think anybody truly believes switching to socialism is going to bridge that gap," Cuban tells Fox Business. "But I do think it's a conversation that we need to have because income inequality leads to social disruption and the biggest risk to this country and the biggest risk to all businesses is violence and you know that's what we want to solve. The question is how do we do it?" Cuban, who says he "leans libertarian historically," believes that capitalism is still the best answer to the country's growing income inequality issue. But he also believes in the need for what he calls "compassionate capitalism," which includes wealthy people like him sacrificing some of their wealth to help "bring the bottom up," he says. "As someone who's wealthy, as someone who is looking to benefit the company, every capitalist has got to do the same thing," Cuban tells Fox Business. "We've got to say, 'Look, if we at the top make a little bit less and we help those at the bottom more, capitalism gets stronger. And it's not socialism, it's stronger and smarter and more, better capitalism.'" While Cuban does not specify exactly how wealthier Americans can sacrifice some of their wealth to help narrow the wealth gap, other leaders from the worlds of business and politics have called for increased taxes on the wealthiest Americans to help solve the issue. Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, speaks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., on Monday, May 1, 2017. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who has cast himself as a bipartisan leader, announced Tuesday he is entering the crowded field of Democrats for the 2020 presidential race, vowing to "take our democracy back." "I believe in an America where every child has a fair shot to do better than their parents. But we all know that kind of opportunity no longer exists for most people; for far too many, it never has," Bullock said in his announcement. "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." Bullock joins a field of more than 20 Democrats vying for the right to face Trump in next year's election. Former Vice President Joe Biden has opened large leads in a variety of polls of Democratic voters, while Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris make up the next tier. While looking to run as a centrist, the two-term governor has worked on several progressive issues, including expanded health care and early childhood education to wage equality and campaign finance reform. He also has courted rural Americans and discussed the unique challenges they face and could broaden Democrats appeal in red states. Bullock, 53, has already been to Iowa several times since last summer, and his Big Sky Values PAC has been adding staff in the key state. He's also traveled to New Hampshire in the past year. The Montana Democrat is chairman of the National Governors Association, a bipartisan group. Other governors have already entered the field of Democrats seeking the 2020 nomination, including Washington's Jay Inslee and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Bitcoin is essentially a "digital game" and is "worthless," "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary told CNBC on Tuesday. The cryptocurrency extended its rally on Tuesday, rising above the $8,000 mark earlier in the day before giving up some of its gains. "It is a useless currency," O'Leary, chairman of O'Shares ETFs, said on "Squawk Box." "To me, it's garbage, because you can't get in and out of it in large amounts." That's because the receiver of the cryptocurrency wants some guarantee of its value, he explained. He ran into this when he tried to use bitcoin to buy Swiss real estate and was unsuccessful. "Let's say you want to buy a piece of real estate for $10 million in Switzerland," said O'Leary, known as "Mr. Wonderful." "They want a guarantee that the value comes back to the U.S. currency," he added. "You have to somehow hedge the risk of bitcoin. That means it's not a real currency. That means the receiver is not willing to take the risk of the volatility it has. It's worthless." Bitcoin has been on a tear since the start of the year, with its value increasing more than 120%. On Tuesday morning, the cryptocurrency topped $8,325, according to data posted on the website CoinDesk. The rally, however, doesn't come close to bitcoin's run in late 2017, when it hit all-time highs of around $20,000. O'Leary isn't a believer in any cryptocurrency. He said he invested in the space as part of a challenge when he taught a class at Harvard University 18 months ago. "I bought all the crypto crap. I put $100 in. It's now worth $30. That's a 70% loss," he said. "People should understand today the hot digital is bitcoin," O'Leary added. "Tomorrow it could be whatever." CNBC's David Reid contributed to this report. Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to ABC's "Shark Tank." South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday shut down his political action committee as he looks to continue gaining steam in a Democratic primary field where some of the biggest names have sworn off donations from PACs. The Hitting Home PAC, which Buttigieg launched in June 2017 following his failed bid to become chair of the Democratic National Committee, raised $403,503 and spent nearly all of it $399,267 by the end of 2018, according to the Federal Election Commission. Buttigieg had used Hitting Home a hybrid version of a super PAC and traditional PAC to send donations of up to $2,000 mostly to Democrats running for Congress in Republican-held districts, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The PAC spent $37,000 on those candidates in the 2018 cycle. In a termination report filed Tuesday, the PAC reported raising nearly $6,000 in contributions in 2019. "We've been winding down the PAC for a while, and as of today we filed the termination papers," said Chris Meagher, national press secretary for Buttigieg's 2020 campaign. By far the biggest contribution to Hitting Home came from Buttigieg's DNC election effort, which rolled $154,000 into the PAC in August 2018. But Buttigieg won hefty donations to the PAC from an array of prominent figures. The top single contribution of $50,000 came from Christel DeHaan, the German-born co-founder of Resort Condominiums International who was reportedly worth $940 million in 2018. Michael Browning, entrepreneur and chairman of the board of Browning Investments, chipped in $5,000 to the PAC. So did Robert Schiff of global consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Other donors included Indiana-based philanthropist Cynthia Simon Skjodt, whose father co-founded shopping mall giant Simon Property Group; Thomas Black, founding partner of law firm Black, Mann & Graham; and a former designer for social media network Pinterest. In the 2020 Democratic "money primary," many of the top contenders have already shunned PAC money. Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have all vowed to reject corporate PAC donations to their campaigns. So have former Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke of Texas, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. In February, Warren took her pledge a step further, promising not to hold high-dollar fundraisers or make personal calls to wealthy donors to ask for their support. "My presidential primary campaign will be run on the principle of equal access for anybody who joins it," Warren wrote in a Medium post at the time. It's unclear if these pledges will make a difference in the race, however. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who has emerged as the clear frontrunner in recent opinion polls, attended a ritzy fundraiser in Pennsylvania on the same day he announced his campaign at the home of David Cohen, senior executive vice president of Comcast, the parent company of NBC News. Biden's campaign later announced it had raised $6.3 million in its first 24 hours, topping all other Democrats' day-one hauls. Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Take-Two Interactive Take-Two reported adjusted quarterly profit of 78 cents per share, 3 cents a share above estimates. Revenue was below Wall Street forecasts, however, and the company gave a weaker-than-expected outlook as it continues to face intense competition from Fortnite and other popular games. CyberArk Software The cybersecurity software company reported adjusted quarterly profit of 56 cents per share, 15 cents a share above estimates. Revenue also beat Wall Street forecasts. CyberArk said it had record cash flow during the quarter, and issued a better-than-expected full-year earnings forecast. Volkswagen Volkswagen said it would move ahead with a plan to list its Traton truck unit in Germany later this year, in what would be that country's biggest initial public offering of 2019. Vodafone Vodafone cut its quarterly dividend by more than 40%, as the telecommunications company tries to deal with rising costs and tougher competition. Tencent Music Tencent reported better-than-expected profit for its latest quarter, although its revenue was slightly below analysts' forecasts. The China-based music streaming service said its bottom line was helped by charging for a greater percentage of its content. Amazon.com Amazon expanded its lead as the world's most valuable retail brand in an annual survey from advertising firm WPP. The survey said Amazon's brand value jumped 91% over the past year to $316 billion, while No. 2 Alibaba saw its value rise 48% to $131 billion. Facebook Facebook could be subject to 20 years of government oversight as part of a potential agreement with the U.S. government, according to a source familiar with the discussions who spoke to Reuters. Walmart Walmart will expand its next-day delivery service to more US homes. Free next-day shipping for about 200,000 products will now be offered in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and southern California, with Walmart planning further expansion later this year. Walmart's move comes after rival Amazon said it would spend $800 million to expand one-day delivery. CVS Health CVS will be involved in up to three days of hearings next month regarding its $69 billion merger with insurer Aetna. The deal has already closed, but still needs final court approval. T-Mobile T-Mobile and Sprint are considering concessions to win approval for their planned $26.5 billion merger deal, according to a Bloomberg report. Among the options: a separation and sale by the mobile carriers of their pre-paid businesses. Coca-Cola Coca-Cola was upgraded to "overweight" from "equal weight" at Morgan Stanley, which said the beverage giant's growth prospects are not reflected in the current valuation. Tyson Foods The meat producer was upgraded to "outperform" from "neutral" at Credit Suisse, which thinks the current stock price does not reflect the potential for higher chicken, beef, and pork prices from the outbreak of African Swine Fever. Apple has fallen prey to the trade war-triggered market sell-off, tumbling 11% in just a week. But a propitious development in its charts could signal a massive rally, says Matt Maley, equity strategist at Miller Tabak. "It's seeing a golden cross. That's when a rising 50-day moving average breaks above a rising 200-day moving average, and I'm usually not a big fan of that indicator but it's been a very compelling one for Apple," Maley said Monday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." The last three times the stock experienced a golden cross in 2009, 2013 and 2016 it rallied around 540%, 110%, and 130%, respectively, through to its peak years after. From the occurrence in 2016, for example, Apple rallied through to its October high last year. The latest golden cross formed in Apple's charts just late last week. "So if this stock can turn back up, that indicator would tell you it just might be see a good run," said Maley. Apple is not the only Dow stock struck down by tariff uncertainty. The index's ABC stocks Apple, Boeing and Caterpillar have each been in dizzying downturns since the trade war escalated at the beginning of last week. Michael Binger, president of Gradient Investments, does not see anything favorable about the Dow's ABCs. Instead, he has identified other stocks with the same initials that would be better buys right now. "If I had to pick an ABC portfolio today, I would pick Amazon for A they just had a good quarter, momentum continues, it's a service and e-commerce company. For B, I would pick Bristol-Myers I actually like the Celgene acquisition. I think it's going to be very accretive," Binger said during the same segment. "For C I would pick Chevron the Anadarko [deal], with the noise behind us, I think the market is going to focus on what are pretty darn good fundamentals." It's been a mixed bag for those three since the sell-off began a week ago. Amazon has fallen 7% in the past week, and Bristol-Myers is down 5%, while Chevron has gained 2%. Disclosure: Gradient Investments holds Apple, Boeing, Amazon, Bristol-Myers and Chevron shares. Gazing at the stars from Earth is awe-inspiring, but would you find it less so knowing there are satellites peering back at you? Space surveillance is going to be big business, says aerospace engineer Moriba Jah, and what's more, it's like the Wild West up there. Remote sensing, as Jah calls it especially information that can be connected to the Internet of Things or tied to human activity on the ground to create a mega-set of information is "like the new gold, the new platinum these days"; it's very valuable and many are going after it, Jah tells CNBC Make It. "It's like a gold rush because people see, 'Oh, wow, there are trillions of dollars to be made with space-based services. There are no space traffic rules. It's like the Wild West. I'm just going to go up there and make my claim and make my money and get out,'" Jah, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a 2019 TED Fellow, said recently on the Recode Decode podcast. "I'll put it this way: People are very surprised with the level of knowledge that a company like Google might have. If [companies] start incorporating space-based information and linking that with stuff going on the ground, that's going to blow people's minds, big time," he told Recode Decode. Google did not respond to CNBC Make It's requests for comment. Using cameras in space to help with disaster relief, like NASA used its satellite technology to help fight the California wildfires last year, is one thing. But "human-based activity monitoring, that's a big deal," Jah said. That could be "everything from government intelligence agencies that want to track motion of certain people around the planet, to people that might say, 'Hey, I want to see what kind of cars are being driven in this parking lot on what days of the week so I can figure out how to strategize and market,'" Jah told Recode Decode. Clearly, that kind of vision from the sky raises privacy concerns. Jah says he is not aware of any privacy laws "about having things on orbit looking down on Earth, Earth observations systems. There's no privacy stuff wrapped around that. And you have things with enough resolution these days that you could see things down to three feet," Jah tells CNBC Make It. At least one company involved in space monitoring says privacy is not an issue for its purposes. Jah points to Planet Labs, which has more than 150 satellites in orbit that can monitor changes in things like roads, forests and agriculture. The company tells CNBC Make It it "values privacy" and even with its "highest resolution imagery, it remains impossible to see a person let alone identify one from another identify a car type, or otherwise discern any identifying information," says company representative Claire Bentley, explaining that "a car represents three-four pixels." Planet Labs tweet Still, the information that can be garnered from space "should be alarming to people," Jah tells CNBC Make It. He says there needs to be international conversations and regulation of space surveillance technology, and he is building a crowdsourced map of what's in space and where it is. The objects Jah is tracking include not only satellites but an estimated half a million pieces of "space junk," which is debris from old spacecraft. Currently, there isn't a uniform map of what's in space and where each object is located, Jah said. I'm honored to count myself amongst you and here to collaboratively lead the way out of our dire space traffic problem via transdisciplinary research and education! The other area of space services that will be a primary source of revenue, according to Jah, is communications. Already SpaceX and Amazon are in the satellite game, and "now they all want to rush to send thousands of satellites up there to provide global internet," Jah told Recode Decode. Indeed, Elon Musk recently joked on Twitter that Amazon boss Jeff Bezos was a "copycat" for announcing the launch of internet satellites after SpaceX. And on Saturday Musk shared a first look at SpaceX's Starlink satellites. TWEET: First 60 Starlink satellites loaded into Falcon fairing. Tight fit. SpaceX pointed out to CNBC Make It that it was after years of work that in March 2018 it was granted permission by regulators to operate a satellite system to "bring high-speed, reliable, and affordable broadband service to consumers in the United States and around the world, including areas underserved or currently unserved by existing networks," according to Federal Communications Commission documents. An Amazon spokesperson pointed CNBC Make It to its Project Kuiper, a "long term initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world," according to the project's website. Amazon plans to launch more than 3,000 satellites as part of the project but "it will be years before the service is available," according to the spokesperson. "If I'm one of the other players, like a Starlink or a OneWeb, my radar just went off like crazy." Jah, who shared his ideas at TED in Vancouver in April, says at some point, the Wild West that is space will be more carefully scrutinized. "People still haven't connected all the dots. But once that happens, things are going to be quite different," Jah tells CNBC Make It. See also: This NASA image shows how California's wildfires are affecting the atmosphere NASA and this Google employee are using AI to find new planets, with an eye toward finding alien life Elon Musk calls Jeff Bezos a 'copycat' on Twitter, for launching satellites Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Coca-Cola (KO), saying the stock trades at a very attractive valuation based on its history and relative to likely better-than-expected earnings in coming years. (CNBC) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will raise a host of issues dividing the U.S. and Russia, including Iran, Syria, and North Korea, when he meets today with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi. (Washington Post) * White House reviews military plans against Iran, in Echoes of the Iraq War (NY Times) Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was "lawful and appropriate." (AP) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced today that he's seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Among the crowded field, he's the only statewide elected official to win a state that Trump carried in 2016. (AP) An internal FAA review has tentatively determined that senior agency officials didn't participate in or monitor crucial safety assessments of a Boeing (BA) 737 Max flight-control system later implicated in two fatal crashes, The Wall Street Journal reports. Facebook (FB) could be subject to 20 years of government oversight as part of a potential deal with the U.S. government over privacy lapses. Such an agreement would resolve an investigation into whether the company violated a similar 2011 pact. (Reuters) * Facebook-owned WhatsApp confirms it's been targeted by spyware (FT) Walmart (WMT) will now offer shoppers the option to have their online orders delivered the next day, following Amazon (AMZN) plans, announced last month, to spend $800 million for one-day delivery for all Prime members. (CNBC) The Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision against Apple (AAPL), saying iPhone users can pursue their antitrust lawsuit involving the tech giant's signature electronic marketplace, the App Store. (CNBC) Germany's Bayer was ordered by a Northern California jury to pay more than $2 billion to a couple who say they were diagnosed with cancer after using the company's glyphosate-based weedkiller Roundup. (CNBC) Despite the fact that Rick Gurley is a convicted felon, attorney Stephen Wyse believes he was within his rights to possess the gun he used to fatally shoot a man in his home in May. It's easy to get lost in a sea of Google I/O information. After all, Google gave us tons of tasty nuggets to digest at its developers' conference last week everything from a new midrange Pixel phone to a totally revamped (again) Android gesture interface so when it comes to the more technical announcements, perhaps it's no surprise to see some of the finer points get a bit muddled. I'm talking specifically about something called Project Mainline a huge effort Google revealed that rethinks the very way security updates are handled across Android. It's without a doubt one of the biggest and most potentially impactful announcements to come out of I/O this year, but much of the coverage surrounding it has been incomplete or flat-out misleading. I've been studying the effort closely and chatting with Google about the specifics over the past several days. Here are some important points to understand about Project Mainline and what exactly it will and won't mean for you. 1. At its core, Project Mainline is a continuation of Google's ongoing deconstruction of Android On this same month nine years ago, Google started wholeheartedly charging forward with a plan to deconstruct Android to pull once-integrated pieces of software out of the operating system and put them instead into the Play Store, where they could be treated like any other apps and updated frequently throughout the year. Equally important, the pieces could be updated directly by Google, without any manufacturer or carrier involvement and in a way that allows the updates to reach all compatible devices at the same exact time. Over the years, Google has extended its ambitions and applied this approach not only to system-level apps like Google Calendar, Gmail, and Chrome (all of which, remember, were once part of Android itself and updated only via full-fledged OS updates just as their Apple equivalents are still treated today on iOS) but also to under-the-hood components like Google Play Services, which powers all sorts of location-, privacy-, and security-related elements (including the entire Google Play Protect system). [Get fresh tips and insight in your inbox every Friday with JR's Android Intelligence newsletter. Exclusive extras await!] This effort has had an enormous impact on Android, as it's made OS updates less all-important (though certainly not irrelevant). The reason is simple: Even if your device doesn't get an OS update in a timely manner, it is still getting updates to all sorts of system-level apps numerous times a month both above the surface and in places you don't actively notice. That pattern continues even when your device gets long in the tooth and is no longer receiving OS updates at all. Particularly considering how poorly most Android device-makers do at providing timely and ongoing OS updates to their users, the importance of this shift can't be overstated. Well, Project Mainline takes that same basic concept and pushes it even further into Android's engine room. Google is now pulling apart more core parts of the operating system and transforming them into a series of standalone components all of which are easily updatable by Google itself, without the need for over-the-air updates or any sort of manufacturer involvement. It's something that Android chief Hiroshi Lockheimer hinted to me might be in the cards when I broached the subject with him a few years back, and now we're seeing that possibility turn into reality. 2. Despite what much of the coverage out there suggests, Project Mainline does not replace Android's traditional monthly security patches I've read lots of reports that make it sound like this new system is meant to be a replacement for the traditional monthly-security-patch setup Android's had for quite a while now. That isn't actually correct. First of all, Project Mainline affects only phones with Android Q in place. So right off the bat and for much of the foreseeable future a huge majority of Android devices will be completely unaffected by this and will continue to rely solely on the traditional monthly patches for critical updates. But more broadly, Mainline isn't meant to replace the monthly patches entirely not anytime soon, anyway. The system handles updates related to 13 specific areas, ranging from media framework components to network components, but any necessary updates that aren't covered by those areas will still happen in a traditional monthly patch-like arrangement even for phones running Q. Google tells me a large part of what's previously been included in the monthly patches will be addressed by the Mainline modules particularly the media-related ones, which represent somewhere around 40% of a typical monthly security patch, according to Google. For devices running Q, the monthly patches will become much smaller as a result. But patches for things like a device's radio or its kernel (the operating system's command center, in the simplest possible terms) will still have to be handled outside of the Mainline system, with a manufacturer- and carrier-dependent over-the-air update the same way they're handled now. Google also noted to me that the list of modules covered by Mainline could very well expand over time, particularly in the areas related to security so what we're seeing now may be only a first step. 3. Project Mainline isn't only about security Despite the general emphasis on security, this new Android Q system actually covers three separate areas: security, privacy, and platform-wide consistency. Nearly half the Mainline modules, in fact six out of 13 fall under the "consistency" banner. So while security is certainly a significant part of the equation, it isn't actually the entire picture. 4. In contrast to what you've probably read, device-makers can't opt out of the automatic update program One of the most muddled areas of Project Mainline is the idea that it's completely optional for Android device-makers. There's a pinch of reality there, but the message got incredibly mixed up along the way. Here's the real deal: Android manufacturers do have the option to decline a handful of the modules within the Mainline program. Specifically, they can choose to prevent their devices from receiving updates related to: Captive Portal Login Conscrypt DNS Resolver Network Permission Configuration Networking Components The reason for this, Google tells me, is that these are areas where certain manufacturers have their own proprietary features that differ from what's present in Google's standard Android software. As a result, automatic updates in those areas could cause things to stop working properly on any associated devices. But that's it: The bulk of the areas Project Mainline will update are mandatory and will be present on all new devices launching with Android Q (as long as they have Google Play support so in other words, pretty much every Android device in America). Manufacturers can't opt out of the program, and the only reason they would opt out of any small part of it is if there were a conflict created by their own software customizations in any of the five areas mentioned above. 5. Project Mainline is actually already active in the latest Android Q beta If you're running the latest Q beta software on your device, surprise: This new updating system is already up and running on your phone. There's just one catch: Right now, in the beta software, any Mainline-provided updates will result in a forced restart of your phone. This is a temporary requirement that Google built into the beta software to allow it to keep track of Mainline updates and remain aware of any issues that might come up with them during this testing period. Once the final Q software rolls out this summer, the updating process will basically become invisible: Android will simply download an update in the background and then apply it automatically whenever a device is next restarted. Also of note: Just like Play Store updates, all Mainline-provided updates will happen whenever they're needed not in a consolidated monthly bundle, like Android's traditional patches. Advanced users who want to keep track of incoming changes will have a way to do so, but for most regular Android-totin' folk, it'll all just happen on its own and without any real interruption or badgering. The more Google takes manufacturers out of the equation, the better things will be Ultimately, it's another piece of an increasingly intricate puzzle Google's creating to try to take control of Android upgrades and work around profit-hungry device-makers who clearly don't care about post-sales software support. Some of the efforts have been wildly successful like the ongoing move to pull pieces out of Android and update them in the Play Store. Some have been far less effective certainly not as effective as anyone would have hoped (hi, Project Treble!). But the more Google can take manufacturers out of the equation and handle updates on its own, the better things will be for us as users and even with its inherent limitations, Project Mainline certainly seems poised to further that goal. No matter what kind of Android phone you're using or what style of software you prefer, it's hard to see that as anything but a step in the right direction. Sign up for my weekly newsletter to get more practical tips, personal recommendations, and plain-English perspective on the news that matters. [Android Intelligence videos at Computerworld] The time is 2001, not long after 9/11, and the place is New York City. Heightened security awareness is the order of the day, and everyone in pilot fishs office is required to carry an access card that activates the office doors. Look out for tailgaters, theyre all told. Those are people dressed like professionals who slide in behind someone with an access card and then steal wallets, coats and more. One morning, fish arrives at the office and passes a man in business-casual attire carrying a laptop tucked under his arm and headed for the elevators. Fish doesnt recognize the fellow, but he does know the co-worker who is running behind him, calling for someone to call building security and the police. The co-worker had returned to an empty desk just seconds after this tailgater had snatched his laptop, well before the tailgater could make a clean getaway. Once the tailgater is in the elevator, he sees that the doors arent going to close in time for him to escape, so he throws the laptop at its rightful owner. But the thiefs victim decides that stopping the perp is more important than breaking the laptops fall, so he jams his foot against the elevator door so he can hold it open until security arrives. The laptop, meanwhile, sails past him and lands on the floor, where it breaks into several pieces. And the thief is arrested not for the first time. In fact, police find a desk warrant in his pocket. Turns out that he is out on bail on robbery charges and was in Lower Manhattan wearing business-casual attire that morning because he was heading to a court hearing. Sharky will give a hearing to your true tales of IT life. Send them to me at sharky@computerworld.com. You can also subscribe to the Daily Shark Newsletter and read some great old tales in the Sharkives. Brady, nine former Cabinet Ministers and four ex-Ministers unite to write to May and say: dont concede to Corbyn on customs or youll split the Party Thirteen of Mrs Mays former cabinet colleagues as well as Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, have written to her with a plea to reject Jeremy Corbyns key demand for a cross-party agreement to secure ratification of her Brexit divorce deal. The group includes Gavin Williamson, who was dismissed as defence secretary this month, and the two leading Brexiteer candidates to replace Mrs May: Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab. Also included are Maria Miller and Sir Michael Fallon, who supported Remain in the referendum. The group points out that they all voted for her deal on March 29. They warn Mrs May that she could lose more Tory MPs than she gains Labour backers if she breaks her solemn promise to leave the EUs customs union, in an intervention timed to coincide with a cabinet meeting today. The Times Those signatory names in full: Brady, Duncan-Smith, Johnson, Davis, Raab, Fallon, Williamson, Miller, McVey, Whittingdale, Harper, Shapps, Hands and Halfon The Times Cabinet meets today as Labour says talks are close to collapse Financial Times Downing Street pondering STV or AV indicative votes Daily Express And publishing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill The Guardian Leadsom and Barclay want No Deal fallback, Rudd wants indicative votes The Sun This is now the longest session of Parliament since the English civil war The Sun > Today: ConservativeHome says: the 22 must tell May to go The ConservativeHome website, an influential voice within the party, said the powerful 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers should be prepared to signal the end of Mrs Mays leadership by changing the partys rules to allow a fresh challenge to her position. The Prime Minister is due to meet the committees executive later this week and the websites editor Paul Goodman, a former Tory MP, said they must act. Daily Mail > Yesterday: Tory Diary Why the 22 Executive must tell May to go this week Gove appeals for the Prime Minister not to be forced out Daily Mail Meanwhile, Brexit confusion engulfs Labour Labours Remainers v Leavers war Financial Times Blair says Labour is trying to face two ways The Guardian During a mammoth meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, MPs from both sides of the debate turned on their leader, questioning his lack of a clear stance on Brexit and his ability to become Prime Minister. It came as party deputy leader Tom Watson added to Labours confusion over Brexit by declaring it was now the party of remain and reform. At the party meeting, second-referendum campaigner Peter Kyle told Mr Corbyn: Jeremy, I urge you to simplify our policy so people realise we are talking with absolute sincerity. Brexiteer John Mann said: We are losing votes in the North and Midlands. If you cannot get this right, you cannot be Prime Minister. Daily Mail Comment This dysfunctional Opposition is in no state to capitalise on a government in trouble Times Editorial Well all pay a price for Corbyns politics of envy Leo McKinstry, Daily Express Labour would not have been so dishonest about Brexit under Smith Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph May serves no-one by clinging to power Robert Shrimsley, Financial Times Corbyn must get off the fence and fight Farage Polly Toynbee, The Guardian Farage on tour. He says he will stand for Parliament at the next election and would back a No Deal Conservative Government In a rally in Hemsworth, near Pontefract in West Yorkshire, a constituency held by Jon Trickett, a shadow cabinet minister, Mr Farage was asked if he would keep a Tory government in power in another hung parliament. If we can save 39 billion, come out of the customs union, come out of the single market, come out of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and be a genuinely independent, self-governing democracy that can choose its own future, Id do a deal with the devil to get that, he replied at an LBC event. Mr Farage also said that it was his duty to stand for parliament at the next election. The Times He says that the Party will unveil policies after the Euro-elections The Guardian He claims May has banned him from meeting Trump The Sun Allen challenges him to debate The Guardian Senior Brexit Party official defended Tommy Robinson Daily Mail Bishop of Leeds attacks violent bile over Brexit Yorkshire Post Sketches and comment: Widdecombe goes bonkers and Farage is on the wagon Henry Deedes, Daily Mail Farage said that he is pretty much off the beer but Ill be back on it when we leave the EU. Quentin Letts, The Times The Brexit Party is terrifying John Crace, The Guardian Farage is dangerous but hes not racist Trevor Phillips, The Times BBC bias bias bias bias Nigel Farage, Daily Telegraph Brian Waldens death and the lost art of the TV interview William Hague, Daily Telegraph > Yesterday: ToryDiary Farages latest row with the BBC suits both sides Leadership contender 1) Hunt calls for higher defence spending Mercer welcomes Foreign Secretarys move The Sun Organised crime offenders twice the size of the army Financial Times Hunts salvo is a very welcome statement of intent Sun Editorial Where would he find the money from? Daily Telegraph Editorial Leadership contender 2) Javid wages war with the Treasury over asylum seeker jobs The foreign secretary made the case for increasing investment in military capability beyond the current benchmark for Nato countries in a speech to diplomats at Mansion House. The call for extra cash which cuts across Penny Mordaunts brief as the new defence secretary was framed as part of a three-part post-Brexit national renewal. In what will strike many as part of a leadership manifesto, he said the country would also have to overhaul its economy and democratic institutions after divorce from the EU. Mr Hunt echoed Donald Trump in saying that it was not sustainable that the US spent more than twice as much per head defending the West as most other members of the alliance. The Times One idea being looked at is to end the long standing ban on foreign nationals who have claimed asylum taking jobs. The controversial move which could be pushed through as part of new post-Brexit immigration rules would save the Treasury a fortune in paying out handouts as well as bringing in extra income tax. But it is being strongly opposed by Mr Javid and his officials. A Home Office source said: We will resist this. How can we allow people to work in any job that involves a degree of trust when we are yet to establish exactly who they are? The Sun Collins DCMS committee says try martial arts and group singing to stop knife crime Daily Mail 56 Northern Ireland murder attempts kept from public Belfast Telegraph Cameron-backed chaotic charity boss pleas to be spared court appearance Daily Mail Leadership contender 3) teaming up with Leadership contender 4) Gove backs calls for driver air pollution fines Environment Secretary steps up scheme to cut food waste The Times Gove: eat shepherds pie, bubble and squeak and oxtail soup to Save the Planet The Sun Weird petition to Number Ten demands that large Pot Noodles come with additional sauce The Sun Brokenshire hasnt just got two ovens, theyre double ovens Daily Mail Tory wars on climate change Rachel Sylvester, The Times Leadership contender 4) teaming up with Leadership contender 3) as Hancock commissions investigation Drivers who leave their car engines running while parked could face instant fines under Government plans to tackle air pollution. Environment Secretary Michael Gove yesterday backed calls to give councils the power to automatically hit drivers in the pocket if they are repeatedly caught idling. Under existing rules, drivers can only be fined up to 80 if they ignore an initial warning from enforcement officers. Mr Goves backing came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was a massive supporter of local authorities banning cars left running outside schools. Daily Mail The Governments Department of Health and Social Care will produce an in-depth review of how bad air pollution is for peoples health, it has announced. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has commissioned the investigation which will reveal the true dangers of dirty air and how they will affect people in the future. His announcement comes just two months after Public Health England also a government department released its own report on how to improve air quality. And Mr Hancock and Environment Secretary Michael Gove released their Clean Air Strategy just five months ago in January, which promised to cut down on pollution. Daily Mail Leadership contender 5) Truss rejects internet sales levy as a tax on familes IFS social justice report launched The Guardian CBI calls for R & D action Financial Times Sturgeon limbers up for Euro-elections However Liz Truss rejected the call for an internet surcharge despite the growing clamour for measures to help smaller shops. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury said she was prepared to reform business rates but was adamant that an internet sales levy would be a tax on families. Miss Truss, who is expected to run to be the next Tory leader, said it would lead to price hikes and hit small UK-based internet retailers as well as the global giants. But she did back calls for cuts to business rates, and proposed a simpler, flatter tax system paid for from cuts to subsidies to businesses. Daily Mail Speaking to the media this morning, the first minister said that a strong performance from the Nationalists at the May 23 poll would send the strongest possible message that Scotland does not want Brexit. The SNP leader added that legislation would be brought forward later this month as part of the intitial steps required to stage a possible IndyRef2. But the Scottish Conservatives said it was time to deliver a sensible Brexit. Ms Sturgeon told MSPs last month that she wanted to stage a second referendum by 2021 if Brexit takes place. Scotsman Kate Andrews: Johnson is wrong to want to pour more and more public money into the socialist NHS Send for Johnson Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph Independents dig in after last weeks local election wins Why the sole emphasis on spending, when countries like Australia spend roughly the same overall on their healthcare as Britain, and produce better patient results? We already know the answers. No amount of money will be able to get this fundamentally outdated system functioning to the standard we deserve. Like any socialist experiment, more and more resources must be soaked up by the state, to produce increasingly mediocre and often dangerous results. If Johnson is serious about tackling the perils of socialism, the NHS is nothing to glorify. In fact, it would be the perfect place to start a campaign of reform. Daily Telegraph Pacing around his mayoral office at Middlesbrough civic centre, sweeping clutter off a shelf as he speaks, Mr Preston gives a clear sense of the scale of his ambitions to remake local politics as party loyalties fade away throughout the UK. The 52-year-old previously belonged to both the Labour and Conservative parties in turn. Now, as the towns newly elected Independent mayor, he is, he insists, freed up to say and do whatever is best for Middlesbrough, vowing to bring in jobs and investment, make the streets safer and end town hall secrecy. He is just one of a legion of Independents making similar promises across the country and who now face the challenge of living up to the hopes they have inspired. Financial Times > Today: Judy Terry in Local Government Suffolk is no longer a safe haven for the Conservatives > Yesterday: Greig Baker in Local Government Reflections from Canterbury on the local elections. Trust is evaporating. News in Brief Andrea Gee is Office Manager to Paul Masterton MP and a candidate in Scotland for the European Parliament. My family and friends think Im mad. Why stand in an election no one wants?, they say, if you want to deliver Brexit, why not stand for the Brexit Party? they ask. The answers to these questions are clear. Yes, I want these elections not to be happening and, yes, I want Brexit delivered but the solution doesnt lie in burying our heads in the sand or jumping ship to another party. The solution lies in coming together and, in my case, standing for election. I am doing so in these European elections for three reasons: no more divisive referenda, respect for the result of the EU referendum, and securing a Brexit that works for Scotland and the UK. Warm words, cliches and a standard party response, I hear you say. But in Scotland, where the politics of grievance reigns, the European elections are yet again a vehicle for the SNPs independence propaganda machine. Nothing is more resolute than my loyalty to the United Kingdom and to preserve the union we need to stand together as a team. I am not letting my vote be used again as a proxy for independence by Nicola Sturgeon. As part of Ruth Davidsons team, we are united in our determination to deliver the result of the EU referendum. We are the only major party who has promised to do so. Lets look at the alternatives. Im not sure anyone knows what Richard Leonards policy on anything is, let alone Brexit. Dare I say, Im not sure anyone knows who Richard Leonard is? (The Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, in case you didnt know.) The Liberal Democrats in their blatant disregard for democracy are entirely irrelevant, seeking only to repeat a referendum to get the result they want. The uninspiring Change UK, The Independent Group, the Tiggers or whatever name they have chosen this week are the epitome of the liberal elite that so many used their franchise to vote against in 2016, and their bland, corporate facade has failed to cut through. The SNP are full of contradictions. It seems they have no problem with unions after all but only unions that take power away from Scotland and the UK. A vote for the one trick pony Brexit Party will deliver electoral success for the SNP, not Brexit. We are the only major party that will free Scotland from the damaging Common Fisheries Policy, provide a positive vision for Scottish businesses and protect the rights of EU citizens. This is our chance to build a bright future for Scotland. Unlike Nicola Sturgeon, who would rather manufacture chaos for the benefit of her own independence agenda, this is our chance to create a positive vision for Scotland. To come together as a country and move on, we need as a Party to come together and move on. This election, which candidates dont want to stand in and members dont want to vote in, is our chance to send a message that we want Brexit; we want it secured as soon as possible. That is our message to Parliamentarians in Westminster on Brexit and our message to Nicola Sturgeon is: start respecting the results of referenda. I cant guarantee that you will agree on Brexit with the the person sitting next to you on the train, the people you work with or your nearest and dearest but, since June 2016, it doesnt matter which side you were on we voted as the United Kingdom and the result of our vote should be respected. There is one thing I think we can all agree on though. We have had enough of Brexit delay, and we want our politicians to concentrate on what matters to us: our schools, hospitals, communities and economy. To achieve this, we need to move on together. Your vote will help us do that. Hilton Brown is the Deputy Chairman (Political) and is a former Chairman of Rayleigh and Wickford Association. I am a life-long Conservative and I have never voted against a Conservative candidate, criticised any Conservative politician or the Conservative Party in public (although I have certainly done so in private conversations with fellow activists). I have been involved in every General Election campaign since 1992, and have been the voluntary Agent five times for Mark Francois in Rayleigh and Wickford and Rayleigh, as it was known prior to the boundary changes. So I am as loyal as they come. But I am afraid I am going to break a habit of a lifetime and call for Theresa May to resign. This gives me no pleasure as I had admired her, despite the 2002 Conference speech, and followed her progress with interest ever since she addressed one of our lunches in 2000 when she was Shadow Education Secretary. Later, as Party Chairman, she came to help us in our campaign to take control of Rochford District Council, which we succeeded in doing, in 2002. While realising that she was a Remainer, albeit a fairly quiet one, I was content when she became Prime Minister in 2016 as I was confident she would succeed in leading us out of the European Union in a manner which satisfied the 17.4 million people who voted for Brexit. The early signs were good. I approved of her red lines and was happy with her contention that no deal is better than a bad one. Her decision to call a General Election in 2017 appeared to be wise as the polls were giving us a lead of around 20 per cent. Before anyone says you cant believe in polls I would point out that the local elections in May 2017 confirmed without any shadow of a doubt that we did indeed hold a very substantial lead over our opponents. Why did it all go so wrong? The 2017 campaign was by far the poorest and most centrally controlled one of the five in which I have been an agent. As an example, letters went out to postal voters without candidates having been able to comment upon or even see them. She wanted to listen to only her two close advisers. Everyone else, including senior Cabinet Ministers, were completely shut out of discussions. I am sure other senior Cabinet Members would have pointed out some of the unwise policies in the Manifesto. It seems that she completely lost her confidence after that election and has never properly recovered. Instead of having a good majority and being able to control the Brexit process, we have a hung Parliament and have to rely on the ten DUP MPs. Without their support in all matters apart from Brexit, it would have been very difficult to govern. Thereafter, she appeared to be completely at the mercy of a small group of her Remain supporting close advisers, certain Cabinet Ministers, and civil servants. One red line after another has been washed away and promise after promise has been broken. We have capitulated to Michel Barnier and his masters at every turn. I think the most disgraceful aspect of all was to have the Cabinet Office working away on a Brexit plan, undermining the Brexit Secretary, who was devising proposals which would have been a true Brexit. This led to the Chequers fiasco. It seems that she saw Brexit as a mistake to be mitigated rather than an opportunity to free ourselves from the constraints of the European Union. The Withdrawal Agreement may, strictly speaking, mean we are leaving the European Union but it is a pale imitation of what was promised at the time of the Referendum and was included in the manifesto of both Conservatives and Labour, not to mention UKIP and the DUP. Many believe we would be better remaining in the European Union rather than be left half in and half out with the danger the backstop will pose to the integrity of the United Kingdom. To me, a Scot who has lived two-thirds of my life in England, and I am sure to most Conservatives, the Union of the United Kingdom is more important than the European Union. We now have the ridiculous situation of the most left wing leader Labour have ever had being invited to talks on the way forward. Jeremy Corbyn has no interest in helping to find a solution; why should he? His only objective is destroying the Government in the hope that he can reach Downing Street, propped up by the SNP. It is a disgrace that we will have to fight elections to the European Parliament and I must say I have still to meet or hear about a Conservative activist who will be willing to raise a finger to help in that campaign. I would be embarrassed to do so. Morale in the Party is at the lowest I have seen and I suspect that if a General Election were to be held this week, the outcome would be as bad as in 1997. I regret to say that May has lost the respect of the voluntary party, in addition to what I am sure is now a majority of MPs. The only way to recover from this is for a new Leader to be elected without delay and it must be one who is a true believer in Brexit. Mohammed Amin MBE is Chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum and Co-Chair of the Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester. He is writing in a personal capacity. About 30 years ago, Perrier discovered that it was selling mineral water contaminated with benzene. The way the company successfully dealt with this problem has become a business school case study in crisis management. Conversely, when Arthur Andersen encountered problems from its audit of Enron, it handled the issue so badly that the firm was destroyed. A textbook example of how not to do it. In Britain, over the last three years, we have seen the Labour Party engulfed by accusations of anti-semitism. For a detailed explanation and analysis, I recommend reading the second edition of Dave Richs book The Lefts Jewish Problem Jeremy Corbyn, Israel and Anti-Semitism. In my view, Labour has been unable to shake off the problem because the attitudes involved go right to the top. Like society as a whole, the Conservative Party has always contained some members who are xenophobic generally, or anti-Muslim in particular. However, I have never believed that this extended to the Partys leadership. Otherwise I would not have been a Party member for 36 years. Nevertheless, we have seen a growing problem with significant numbers of Conservative Party members making anti-Muslim comments. Occasionally, this has extended higher up, for example with Boris Johnson denigrating Muslim women who wear the burqa by comparing them to letterboxes and bank robbers. Despite the Party Chairman asserting a zero tolerance approach on ConservativeHome, the bad news continues to emerge. In the time-honoured words of Lenin, What is to be done? I have some specific advice. Get serious about transparency I recommend watching Brandon Lewis being interviewed on the Andrew Marr Show on 28 April 2019. At 43:57 Mishal Husain asks him some very straightforward questions about cases of Islamophobia within the Conservative Party. Despite claiming to be transparent, the only demonstrated transparency in Lewiss replies is that the Conservative Party has a code of conduct visible to the world on its website. The Party should: Publish monthly on its website the number of Islamophobia complaints that Conservative Campaign Headquarters are dealing with. Publish the tariff of sanctions that are applied, with some illustrations of what types of violation qualify for different levels of sanction. At present we get vilified because people are suspended and then unsuspended. Making it clear that temporary suspension is a normal sanction, and setting out what needs to happen before unsuspension is the only way for the Party to stop looking as if it is guilty when it is actually acting perfectly reasonably. When people are found guilty by the disciplinary process, their names should be published with details of their offense and the sanctions applied. Publish details of the diversity training which needs to be undergone before qualifying for unsuspension. (I am available pro-bono if the Party wants me to talk 1-1 with any suspended Conservatives as part of their re-education. Talking to someone as boring as me might also be seen as a severe penalty!) Commission an independent enquiry into anti-Muslim bigotry and how the Party has dealt with it In 2018 a former Party Chairman who is a Muslim, alongside the Partys longest serving Muslim Peer, and also the Conservative Muslim Forum, all called for such an enquiry. The refusal to respond positively to these requests from senior Muslims within the Party has not been well received by British Muslims generally. In the context of Islamist extremism, Michael Gove has pointed out that you cannot manage by shooting the crocodiles one by one as you spot them. You have to drain the swamp. That is why an enquiry is essential. More active celebration of Islams contribution to Britain In 2007 David Cameron wrote a Guardian column called What I learnt from my stay with a Muslim family. While I am happy to be corrected, I cannot remember a single speech since then from either him or Theresa May focusing entirely on the positive contribution of Muslims to Britain. I do not count positive comments which may have been included speeches focusing primarily on radicalisation. What is needed is not just a single speech, but a series of speeches to celebrate the contribution to our country of Muslims who are by now five per cent of Britains population, and highlighting individual role models. In particular, all Britons need to hear repeatedly about the very large and vital contribution Muslims made to Britains armed forces in both World Wars. Respond to calls for the adoption of a definition of Islamophobia Many leading British Muslims and Muslim organisations have called on the Government to formally adopt the definition of Islamophobia published in November 2018 by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. The Government has ignored these calls. In my view, the Government is right not to adopt the definition. As I explained on this site in February, It is time to abandon the word Islamophobia However I cannot find anywhere an actual statement from the Government saying why it is not adopting the definition. Silence is not a good strategy in this case. It simply makes the Government, and therefore the Conservative Party, look as if it does not care about anti-Muslim hatred. What is needed is a clear explanation of why the definition is not a good one, and that adopting any definition of Islamophobia would add nothing to the existing protections in hate crime and equalities legislation. At the same time, the Government should outline what it is doing to combat anti-Muslim discrimination and anti-Muslim hatred. Closing comments Problems dont go away unless you tackle them. At present, the Conservative Partys only perceived strategy for this problem is dealing with cases one by one, as quietly as possible. It is not working. Henry Newman is Director of Open Europe. Some would have us believe that the reason that the Conservatives are doing so badly in the polls is Theresa Mays Brexit deal. In fact, its precipitous decline coincided not with the advent of the Prime Ministers deal, but with the failure to deliver Brexit on March 29. If the Withdrawal Agreement had passed the Commons earlier, and we had left the EU at the end of March as planned, its hard to see how the Brexit Party would have gained anything close to its current support. The Conservative Partys polling held up reasonably well after the Brexit deal was agreed by Cabinet, and well into 2019. Nigel Farages partys meteoric rise is a direct result not of discontent over the details of the deal, but of delaying Brexit. And of course the European elections themselves are both an obvious manifestation of the lack of Brexit and a perfect platform for the Brexit party. Interestingly, it is a Leave-backing party which is benefiting most. There is, so far, no huge Remainer realignment. Change UK or whatever they are now called managed a pitiful three per cent in last Sundays Opinium poll. The Liberal Democrats were a bit stronger on 12 per cent and the Greens on eight per cent (just up from the seven per cent that they scored in the last European elections back in 2014). By contrast, the very growth of the Brexit Party points to strong continued public support for Brexit. In successive European election polls, around half the projected vote is committed to explicitly pro-Brexit parties in that Opinium poll, the Brexit Party, the Conservatives, and UKIP together reached 49 per cent. And quite a chunk of the Labour vote comes from Leave supporters who do not (yet) see it as an anti-Brexit party. So what should the Conservative Party do? The answer to the current nightmare is frustratingly simple deliver Brexit. Nothing else will stem the haemorrhaging of support and the sense that voters have been betrayed. Almost all Conservative MPs would agree with this analysis, other than the small handful committed to a second referendum. But how to deliver Brexit? The basic problem remains unaltered there is no Commons majority for a No Deal Brexit. This point was well made by Ann Widdecombe who said, a month ago: they dont come more Brexit than I am. I would be perfectly content with a No Deal. Parliament isnt going to go with a No Deal. Therefore the Brexit people in Parliament, whom I support, have just got to get a bit realistic. And to understand that their choice is the Prime Ministers deal which at least sets us on the path to coming out or Ken Clarke keeping us in.Im saying they need to get behind that deal. None of that analysis has changed (although Clarke is in fact a supporter of the deal and Widdecombe has now become a Brexit Party candidate). Ever since the Letwin/Cooper Parliamentary takeover, No Deal would need to command a majority to succeed. The plan of the No Dealer MPs seemed to be to change leader and then win a Parliamentary majority and mandate for a No Deal Brexit. Even in normal times this would be a bold gambit the last time the Tories won a real strong majority, of the sort which would allow a leader to ignore a few dozen recalcitrant MPs, was 1987. With the emergence of the Brexit Party, that sort of majority seems out of reach. A general election could well kill off Brexit altogether. The Sunday Telegraphs poll last weekend suggested that Labour would become the largest party in a general election, gaining power with the support of either the SNP or Liberal Democrats. In such circumstances, voting Farage would mean getting Corbyn; voting for the Brexit Party would likely guarantee no Brexit at all. And the election would, on those numbers, mean the loss of Boris Johnson, Graham Brady and Iain Duncan Smith, amongst many others. The logic of the Parliamentary Brexit position has been apparent to many MPs. It was striking that on March 29 the Withdrawal Agreement was backed by every single Cabinet minister who had resigned over Brexit. Ive been warning for months that the refusal of Brexiteer MPs to vote for Brexit put at risk leaving altogether. This is even more true now. The biggest single problem with the Withdrawal Agreement for many MPs remains the backstop. As Ive written before, I think that much although not all the criticism of this is misplaced. Crucially, the Strasbourg agreement reached in March guarantees that the UK cannot be trapped in the backstop by Brusselss caprice. A new working group on Alternative Arrangements chaired by Nicky Morgan and Greg Hands is exploring possible options for the Irish border (and thus doing what the Government ought to be doing). What they might be able to do is convince critics that there is a path to escaping the backstop. What they wont be able to do is convince the EU to remove the backstop wholesale from the treaty. Will the cross-party talks reach agreement? Its somewhat unlikely but far from impossible. If there were a general election before Brexit is delivered, many MPs on both sides of the aisle would lose their seats there would be a great deal of churn. So for all those MPs, the incentives to find a way to deliver Brexit remain strong. In policy terms, theres little distance between both sides, but the political gap is large. The Labour leadership and particularly John McDonnell are keen to find a way to get Brexit done so things can move on (but are also keen to do damage to the Conservatives). However, other key figures including Keir Starmer, Tom Watson and the Labour Whips Office are strongly in favour of a second referendum. For now, the focus is on the damage to the Conservatives that the Brexit impasse is causing. But there are major risks for Labour too. Yesterdays YouGov poll showed that the Brexit party profoundly damaged both Conservatives and Labour. Labours position is flattered by its continuing ambiguity on Brexit. This would be put at risk by jumping definitively towards a second referendum. The Conservative Party is amply demonstrating its ability to flip from complacency to panic. For months after the 2017 general election, it hardly seemed to respond to the loss of its majority. Now it risks tipping into a tail spin. Rather than re-opening a load of new criticisms of the Withdrawal Agreement, as John Redwood now seems to be doing (and which my colleague Dom Walsh responded to here), critics need to focus on what the actual options are at this point for the country, for Brexit, and for the Conservative party. Ninety per cent of Tory MPs backed the Withdrawal Agreement the last time it was put to Parliament. If the rest could be persuaded to do so too, Brexit could be secured, and the Party could move on to deciding which leader should take forward the next phase of the negotiations. 64% Website 1919gogo.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 4269 bytes (4.17 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-08-29, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 60% Website brimarc.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 14415 bytes (14.08 kb uncompressed) and 4531 bytes (4.42 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-19, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 100% Website cndh.org.mx uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 60176 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 315 bytes (0.31 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-08-25, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. by Sumon Corraya The government carried out inspection of dozens of agencies across the country. Thirty-seven Bangladeshis died off the Tunisian coast. For the countrys Foreign Minister, migrants were trafficked from a Middle Eastern country. Sylhet (AsiaNews) Bangladeshi authorities have carried out checks on dozens of travel agencies across the country after a boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, claiming the lives of some 70 people, 37 of them from Bangladesh. The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) announced that at least 88 agencies in the Sylhet area are involved in human trafficking, including Yeahia Overseas, which organised the trip of three people who died off the Tunisian coasts. The incident in question occurred on 10 May some 40 miles from the city of Sfax, Tunisia. The boat had left the Libyan city of Zuara the day before full of migrants heading towards Europe. This is the worst tragedy in the Mediterranean since January. The Tunisian Navy and local fishermen have recovered only 16 people so far, including 14 Bangladeshis. Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Minister AK Abdul Momen confirmed that Bangladeshi nationals were on board of the boat that was trying to reach an Italian port illegally. He also noted that his government does not allow Bangladeshis to travel to war zones like Libya, so those who died probably entered Libya via any of the Middle Eastern countries with the help of human traffickers. Sujor Ahamad is one of the survivors. Recalling the event, he said, We swam eight hours, if the fishermen came ten minutes later, we all might be dead now. Six of the 37 Bangladeshi migrants who drowned came from Sylhet. The victims' families have asked Bangladeshi authorities to repatriate the bodies of their loved ones. At the same time, they are demanding exemplary penalties for human traffickers and their intermediaries that promise work and well-being to poor young people. According to relatives of the dead, those responsible had assured them a direct flight to Italy; instead the migrants were put on a boat in order to enter the country illegally. by Vladimir Rozanskij Moscow (AsiaNews) - For the past few weeks the Patriarch Emeritus of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church, the 90-year-old Filaret (Denisenko), has been in conflict with the new Metropolitan Epifanyj (Dumenko), his former secretary and successor at the helm of the "national" Orthodox Church . Filaret has threatened to separate from Epifanyj, to create an independent patriarchy, of which he intends to convene a founding synod. The elderly hierarch of Soviet times, who was the first to separate from the patriarchate of Moscow in the 1990s, complains about the young metropolitan's lack of attention to him, despite having retained the primatial name. From the establishment of the new autocephalous Church in early February, Epifanyj would have met Filaret no more than five times. Instead, the patriarch emeritus would like to remain at the side of the successor and first metropolitan of the new Church, to guide the flock of the faithful together and "defend our Church", especially after the April elections in which the president "protector of the Church", Petro Poroshenko, was replaced with the much more secular Volodymyr Zelensky. The new president has already met Epifanyj, without however making promises to the local Orthodox, who nonetheless declared that they wanted to support him. Filaret claims to be named as patriarch in all liturgies of the Orthodox Church, which happens only in some churches, while the name Epifanyj is mentioned in litanies everywhere. The old patriarch continues to deem the jurisdiction he founded to be active, separating himself from Moscow in 1992, and sends his letters on the headed paper of the "Patriarchate of Kiev". He claims to have been "forced" by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople not to advance his candidacy to the founding council last December, otherwise the new Church would now have him as its guide, and he would make use of patriarchal status. The patriarch is not even satisfied with the statute approved by Constantinople with the Tomos of autocephaly, which effectively puts the Ukrainian Church in close dependence on the ecumenical patriarchate, as happens in variable mode for all the other Orthodox Churches, except the Russian one. It is not by chance that the only patriarchies that have the title "metropolitan" are the ancient ones of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem (apart from the papacy of Rome), to which Moscow then forced its addition. The other autocephalous churches have different titles, even patriarchal, but always "national" (patriarchate of Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, etc.), to indicate a more local function, where as the "holy cities" have rather a universal value. It is the historical claim of Moscow to be the "Third Rome", and Filaret would like to attribute this symbolic value also to Kiev, the ancient "mother of Russian cities". Filaret's statements are creating a lot of confusion among the faithful, where a good part of the clergy is still very attached to the patriarch emeritus, while some groups of lay people have already circulated protests against the interference of the old Soviet hierarch. Someone even puts forward the hypothesis of a revocation of the Tomos, in the event of excessive internal divisions of the new Church. For his part, Metropolitan Epifanyj has not commented on the criticisms and threats of his former mentor turned opponent, but some of his statements have created further discussions. According to the Metropolitan of Kiev, "the union with the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, headed by Major Archbishop Svyatoslav (Shevchuk), with whom he has found considerable synthesis. Speaking to Espresso.TV, Epipanyj recalled that "with the Greek-Catholics we are carrying out many important projects, and we are participating together in many demonstrations", and apparently there is already discussion of a possible unification. "In a meeting with His Beatitude Svjatoslav, we talked about further deepening our collaboration. In it we develop a dialogue, and we do not know how far it will take us; theoretically, it is even ultimately possible to reach union ". In the opinion of the head of the autocephalous church, all the Ukrainian Orthodox are destined to unify, meaning both those of Muscovite obedience, and Greek-Catholics. Hurtigruten has partnered with the Norwegian startup Brim Explorer, introducing battery powered catamarans custom-built for Polar water exploration, the company announced. Debuting in the spring of 2020, the 24-meter vessel will operate a variety of daily excursions from her homeport Longyearbyen on the Arctic island of Svalbard - operating under the Hurtigruten Svalbard brand. "Brim and Hurtigruten found each other through our common passion for the oceans. Their vision to change the way people experience the Arctic is a perfect match to our bold sustainability ambitions. We firmly believe the future of travel is emission-free," said Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam. Featuring large battery packs, the hybrid catamaran will be one of the worlds most flexible electric ships. She can be charged at virtually any port and operate on batteries for 10 hours with a cruising speed of 10 knots. "A green footprint is the future of the travel industry in the Polar regions and elsewhere. With a great idea and dedicated partners like Hurtigruten, we have set out to build a ship unlike any the world has seen," added Brim Explorer co-founder and CEO Agnes Arnadottir. Brim Explorers first vessel - similar to her sister that will operate exclusively under the Hurtigruten Svalbard brand - is currently under construction in Norway. Debuting in August 2019, the 140-guest boat will offer Hurtigruten guests travelling along the Norwegian coast unique excursions. In addition to the scenery, guests will be able to enjoy premium food offerings from Hurtigrutens acclaimed, locally sourced food concepts. To fully capture wildlife both above and below the surface, the explorer catamarans will also feature hydrophones and underwater drones from another Norwegian startup already partnering with Hurtigruten Blueye Robotics. Their drones will be introduced to several of Hurtigrutens expedition cruise ships, as well as all Brim Explorer experiences. Facts - MS Bard / MS Brim What: Battery-hybrid powered catamarans, custom built for Polar water exploration. Areas of operation: Svalbard (May Oct), Lofoten (spring/summer/fall), Troms (winter). Length: 24 m Width: 11 m Guests: 140 Outdoor seating: 80 Battery capacity: 800 kwh Exploration time battery power: 10 hours of 10 knots Facilities: Open kitchen and bar Locally sourced food concept Screens and high-tech equipment Blueeye under water drone Under water microphones Flag: Norwegian Crew: Norwegian Nippon Paint Marine announced that it had successfully applied its Aquaterras hull coating to to the AIDAcara. It is the first-ever full application of the revolutionary biocide free, self-polishing (SPC) antifouling to a cruise ship, the company said. This application is the result of a long-standing project with Nippon Paint Marine to find an environmentally-sustainable way of reducing ships energy consumption, said Jukka Ignatius, Superintendent, Innovation & Energy Management, Carnival Maritime, which is responsible for the technical and nautical operation of the AIDA ships. John Drew, Director, Nippon Paint Marine, said: We are delighted that a Carnival brand cruise line has become the sectors first reference for Aquaterras. For AIDAcara, the antifoulings extremely low surface roughness will result in reduced operational expenditure, reduced emissions and reduced hull maintenance. The full installation follows test patches on a number of Carnival Corporation cruise ships. Nippon Paints research has shown that use of Aquaterras can potentially reduce fuel consumption by more than 10 percent compared to standard SPCs, due to the coatings ultra-smooth surface and low friction attributes, the company said. After carrying out surface preparation by full hydro-blasting during the vessels scheduled drydocking in February at CNdM Marseille, France, all underwater areas of AIDAcaras hull were coated with Aquaterras. The coating was applied using standard equipment and without complicated masking, a process that often extends the application time for silicone-type foul-release coatings. The feedback from joint testing and in-water inspections of test patches applied to our ships over the past three years has shown Aquaterras to be an effective antifouling that does not leach hazardous biocides into the water column. The expected reduced frictional resistance also helps towards reducing fuel consumption and, consequently, emissions, which is very much in keeping with our overall strategy of reducing the impact of operations on the marine environment, Ignatius added. After application, surface roughness measurements were as low as 40m and averaged 63m, but since Aquaterras is self-polishing the overall hull roughness should become even lower as the vessel continues on its regular operations. CroisiEurope has acquired the 120-passenger Silver Discoverer and will rename her La Belle des Oceans. The 1989-built Silver Discoverer has sailed for Silversea Cruises since 2014. She is the former Clipper Odyssey, Oceanic Odyssey and Oceanic Grace. Slated to launch service for CroisiEurope next spring, the company said in a prepared statement that it will announce sailing dates and itineraries shortly. The French company already operates another ocean-going vessel, La Belle de lAdriatique, in addition to river boats and barges in Europe, South Africa and Vietnam. Launched some 40 years ago, the company slogan has been to discover the world through its rivers. For 2018, CroisiEurope said it carried more than 220,000 passengers. Ship History: La Belle des Oceans was first launched as the Oceanic Grace in the Japanese market in 1989. NYK built the ship for the high-end market in Japan under the Showa Line and Oceanic Cruises banner and targeted it for coastal cruises and trips to Southeast Asia at the time. The ship then moved to Spice Island Cruises as the Oceanic Odyssey as Oceanic Cruises exited the cruise business in the mid 1990s. In 1998 she was sold again, to Clipper Cruise Line as the Clipper Odyssey for $16 million. Another sale followed to ISP in 2007. In 2013 Silversea announced a long-term charter of the ship, as the vessel moved under the luxury lines banner in 2014. Pullmantur Cruises has awarded Natalia Pestana, a young designer from Madrid, to design new uniforms for the crew. Pestana was selected among 12 designers who participated in a competition organized by the cruise line, Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Madrid and Ad Talent, a platform dedicated to discovering, supporting and promoting new creative talent. The designers presented proposals for uniforms for buffet, bar and restaurant waiters, cabin stewards as well as excursions, photography and animation staff. The winner was announced at an event held at IED in Madrid. President and CEO of Pullmantur, Richard J. Vogel, explained: "Collaborating with talented young designers has been a privilege and a very enriching experience, and one which is not yet over. The next step is to work hand-in-hand with Natalia Pestana to bring her proposal to life and get her designs on board". Pestana commented that winning the award was "a huge leap to introduce me to the world of design, opening doors not only in the field of fashion but also in occupational design." The winning design was chosen by a 13-member jury led by the Spanish designer Juanjo Oliva. They took into account three main criteria: how well the proposal reflected the identity of the brand, functionality and the wearability. Pestana received a three-month scholarship at Juanjo Oliva's couture workshop and a Dubai and Legends of Arabia cruise for two people. Also at this event, Gastrolab Pullmanturs gastronomic platform, headed up by the three Michelin starred chef Jordi Cruz, presented a new gala evening menu. Cruz, together with Kristoffer Baek-Soerensen, head of the company's food & beverage operations, and another of Gastrolab's chefs, Adria Viladomat, also hosted a cooking demonstration. They prepared two of the dishes that will be part of the new gala menu, and which attendees were able to enjoy: sun-dried tomato tartar, frothy honey, basil oil, pickling salt, and ajoblanco of pistachios, grapes, croutons and rocket. If you don't collect it, no one can steal it. Sometimes the best way to secure customer data is not to collect it in the first place. While it can be tempting to "collect it all" just in case, most enterprises need far less data on their users to market to them effectively. Reducing the amount of data collected means that in the inevitable event of a breach, the repercussions will be far less severe. [ How much does a data breach cost? Here's where the money goes. | Get the latest from CSO by signing up for our newsletters. ] "One of the things we're hearing from consumer brands is that they're doing less," Gerry Murray, director of marketing and sales technology research at IDC, says. "They're becoming more thoughtful about 'what do we want to know about you?'" "For most commercial purposes you don't need to know that many things about a person, and sometimes you're better off not knowing," he adds. The apparent breach of a 200 million-record direct marketing list that appears to originate from a 2015 opt-in list puts the issue into focus. What we know about the breached data The breached records, which contain 42 fields, including address, phone, marital status, income, financial net worth, race, gender and religion, appear to have been originally collected by Experian (although Experian denies this) and licensed to thousands of direct marketers around the world, meaning the breach could have happened at any one of them and not necessarily at Experian. The files do not contain social security numbers, driver license or passport numbers, or credit card numbers and are thus not as sensitive as other breaches, such as the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) breach that exposed detailed personnel files of US government employees. Taken in aggregate, however, the information paints a profile of American society at large and could be joined to other breached data by criminals or nation-state adversaries. This kind of direct marketing data ages rapidly, and a list like this that might have fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars in license fees in 2015 is today worth almost nothing to legitimate direct marketers, sources familiar with the industry tell CSO. The files all contain the word Experian in their name, and the fields match a direct marketing list advertised by a third party, Data Monster. (That list has since been removed from the Data Monster site.) Experian told CSO the data was not theirs, writing in an email, "Weve investigated and this is not Experians data." Data Monster also denied being the source of the breach, pointing out that such lists are licensed to thousands of call centers, and the breach could have originated from any one of them. Last week an unknown actor circulated a link on Ghostbin pointing to files shared on mega.nz containing 27.8 million records, including ten states. The erstwhile motive was to offer a large free sample to possible buyers. CSO was able to confirm that data belonging to select employees at IDG Communications, CSO's publisher, was genuine. The links to the files on mega.nz have since been taken down. This is not the first time news of this purported data breach has popped up, but it is the first time actual data has been reported. In late 2016, hacker DoubleFlag offered a similar-sounding database for sale, but no data was released at that time. CSO reached out to DoubleFlag on two different email accounts but did not receive a reply. Experian suffered a confirmed data breach in 2015 of 15 million people, but that breach appears unrelated to the data currently circulating, as it contained social security numbers as well as driver's license and passport numbers. The metadata of the data dictionary spreadsheet included with the leaked data includes a couple of tantalizing clues to its origin, including a 2009 creation date, an author named "Albert Kohl," and a last edit by "Joe." Metadata can be easily faked, however. Chalk up yet another data breach Former Experian CISO for marketing and government services Jasun Tate, now chief intelligence and solutions officer at Bits & Digits, tells CSO that the hacker DoubleFlag is likely a nation-state cutout dropping dox so criminals will use the data and thus cover DoubleFlag's tracks. "All these leaks...are part of a larger campaign from a mature and well-organized institution that has been collecting information on United States citizens for some time," Tate tells CSO. "[They are] learning how we consume, think and are influenced to conduct more surgical campaigns against our institutions leveraging the big data that we throw around so flagrantly." J.M. Porup The fields shown in the CSV files of the exposed direct marketing list Even though Experian has denied that the data is theirs, we don't know for sure whether Experian or a third party was asleep at the wheel when this data got loose. It almost doesn't matter. The market has failed to select for strong cybersecurity controls, and the breaches will continue until regulation and credit bureau security improves. Until then, consider being proactive in reducing your enterprise's data collection footprint. The easiest way to protect your employer from data exfil is to avoid having the data in the first place. In a post-GDPR, post-Cambridge Analytica world, smart brands will find a way to get on the good side of consumers and regulators. "Brands are now looking at how to differentiate themselves around the data relationship they have with their customers," Murray says. "How they treat their customer data is how they treat their customers." Two oil tankers flying Saudi flags, one from Norway and one from the United Arab Emirates hit. Abu Dhabi speaks of a "serious" episode. Tehran hopes for a thorough investigation to shed some light. News sources deny the version of the incident. The US secretary of state in Brussels in search of allies for the war against the Islamic Republic. Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Four commercial ships have been the subject of mysterious "acts of sabotage" off the United Arab Emirates, in the context of a tense situation between the United States (and Arab allies) and Tehran that shows no signs of abating. According to the Riyadh and Abu Dhabi authorities the mysterious attack took place on 12 May and involved two oil tankers flying Saudi flags, one Norwegian and one from the United Arab Emirates. The first to talk about the incident in the Gulf waters was the Emirates Energy Minister Khaled al-Falih, according to whom "two Saudi oil tankers have been subjected to acts of sabotage in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of the emirate of Fujairah . The ships, he adds, "were about to enter the Gulf of Arabia". Abu Dhabi did not want to name the possible perpetrators of the damage, but speaks of a "serious" episode that will have consequences. In fact, some images published yesterday by the Associated Press (AP) deny the sabotage version and the ships that were the object of the (alleged) attack do not show obvious damage on wither bow. An official US source in Washington - without providing supporting evidence - accuses Iran and its allies, who would have used explosives to hit the four boats. But the reality is that the satellite photos provided by Maxar Technologies, a company based in Colorado, reveal little damage only in the UAE A. Michel oil tanker which could have caused the release of crude oil. The other three ships, on the other hand, are intact or without obvious damage. Meanwhile, the Iranian authorities have called for the opening of an investigation, claiming that they were not involved in the incident. "These incidents in the Oman sea are alarming and unbecoming" said Tehran Foreign Ministry spokesman, who warned against "the adventurism (of some foreign actors) to destabilize the region. Immediate reply from the Emirati counterpart, which ensures that "the investigation will be conducted in a professional manner", but Abu Dhabi would already have "its own version of the facts and its own conclusions". The report of the sabotage coincided with the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Brussels yesterday. The head of US diplomacy met with European Union (EU) counterparts to discuss "urgent issues, namely Iran and the nuclear agreement. The context of the meeting [hurriedly organized according to the head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini] is once again the substantial difference of visions between the parties with Europe committed to saving what remains of the nuclear agreement ( Jcpoa). And the United States looking for a pretext to hit the Islamic Republic. "Only Facebook Ireland can respond to your concerns." That is the response you are likely to get from Facebook Inc. if you accuse the world's biggest social network of breaching Europe's tough new laws on data privacy. The company's European headquarters are in Ireland; data from its users in the region is officially controlled and processed there; and its lead supervisor is the Irish Data Protection Commission. This isn't a one-off: Google, Twitter Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Apple Inc. all run their European operations from Ireland, drawn in part because of the country's low tax rates. Why does this matter? Despite the pan-European nature of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its strict approach to policing citizens' data rights, the crucial matter of enforcement ultimately rests with each member state's domestic supervisor - usually the one in the country where a company bases its operations. Even though it oversees the biggest, most data-hungry tech companies in the world, the Irish regulator has been rather quiet. After receiving almost 3,000 complaints, it has issued no fines since GDPR came into force, despite opening more than a dozen inquiries into firms like Facebook and Twitter. Given the law's most potent weapon is the power to issue fines of up to 20 million euros ($22 million), or 4 percent of a firm's revenue, the legislation faces a clear credibility problem if Dublin won't enforce it stringently. The Irish defense is that investigations take time. Its regulator said last year that any fines would come at "the end of a very long path" of inquiry. However, it may well be that an economic model set up to be a welcome-mat for Big Tech is incompatible with a data-privacy framework set up to curb its power. Recent reports by Politico and the Observer newspaper have painted a dismal picture of Ireland's conflicted ties with tech firms, from a regulator that openly embraces negotiation and questionnaires rather than on-site visits and sanctions, to a political class that has been relentlessly lobbied to water down oversight rules. (They deny the accusation that they're a soft touch.) It's reminiscent of financial regulation in the City of London before the crisis of 2008. This should worry a lot of people, including Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes, who is calling for the U.S. to introduce its own GDPR. European regulators and politicians are understandably nervous given Ireland's past embrace of using tax incentives as a way to attract investment - a strategy derided by Joseph Stiglitz as "stealing revenue from all the other countries of Europe." They fear history will repeat itself when it comes to data supervision. In January, the head of France's data-privacy watchdog, CNIL, warned of the risk of "competitive distortions" affecting how tech companies choose their European hubs. As the CNIL prepared to issue a 50 million-euro fine against Google earlier this year for alleged GDPR violations, the search giant - which is appealing the decision - accused it of overreaching by not going through Ireland. The "tech-shaming" of Ireland is going to get creative. Privacy advocates are testing ways to bypass Dublin when going after Big Tech. One example comes from the French chapter of advocacy group Internet Society, which is building up a class-action data-privacy lawsuit against Facebook over alleged GDPR breaches (which the company denies). Its head, Nicolas Chagny, tells me that this specific type of action would be filed in a Paris court, which wouldn't have to surrender competence to Ireland's data regulator. Laurens Mommers, a tech compliance expert at startup PrivacyPerfect, says this kind of initiative, if successful, would help toughen up the GDPR. All this finger-pointing is for a good cause. Some will worry about the risk of "forum-shopping," as plaintiffs and tech firms cherry-pick jurisdictions. But the longer it goes on, the more likely the EU will take action to improve enforcement. With public opinion in Ireland warming to the idea of exercising data-privacy rights, even Dublin should see that as a win. BRIDGEPORT Budget gap or no, Hall School will not be closed or merged with Edison School. The school board voted 8-to-1 on Monday to exclude the closing from consideration as it looks to cut more than $10 million to balance the districts 2019-20 operating budget. Board secretary Joe Sokolovic cast the lone negative vote, saying nothing should be taken off the table before the budget gap is sealed. It is not fiscally responsible, Sokolovic said. The decision to save Hall from consolidation drew cheers from a room full of 50 or more students, parents and staff from both Hall and Edison schools, who showed up in force at the Aquaculture School to tell the board what a big mistake it would be to close a small school where test scores and student attendance are rising. One teacher said she felt like doing cartwheels. Nanci Wiener, another teacher, said Hall is the first school shes taught at in the district where she hasnt spent her day putting out fires or breaking up fights. Hall school is a school where we can teach, Wiener said. Creflo Botweh, a Hall sixth grader, told the board Hall has been a big part of his life for six years. He is moving on to middle school next year but worries about his two younger siblings. So does his father, Ronald Botweh, who said looks can be deceiving. From outside (Hall) doesnt look great but it has character, the elder Botweh said. Teachers there make me feel like I am a family member. Student Trinity Williams said that Hall has the best principal in the district, Cynthia Fernandes. She knows by the look on your face if you are happy or sad, Trinity said. Fernandes told the board that her school community has come out to every budget hearing to support increased funding for the school district. Tonight we are selfish, Fernandes said. We come on behalf of Hall school. Before she spoke, some minds were already made up. Board member Chris Taylor said he would not vote to close any school. Neither would board member Maria Pereira, who said it would bring down property values and endanger the lives of children forced to cross Boston Avenue to get to Edison School. Board Vice Chairman Jessica Martinez, who last week said her mind was made up to make the cut, said on Monday that she was not aware that merging Hall with Edison would force it to lose its national Turnaround Arts status. I learned so much I didnt know, Martinez said. Chairman of the boards finance committee, Martinez asked what would happen if the board proceeded into the new school year without a balanced budget. A similar question was raised eight years ago when the district was given an operating budget that the board said wasnt enough to run the school district. An illegal state takeover of the district resulted. By not closing Hall, the district loses the potential $1.1 million savings from the $10 million it has to cut. The $1.3 million increase pledged by the City Council and $2.5 million increase from the state on top this years $247.7 million operating budget are not enough to cover the $16 million in increases projected in salaries, health care and special education costs necessary to open the doors in the fall. Taylor said he does not trust the numbers and wants a forensic audit. The board agreed to hold a series of special meetings to try and reconcile the budget gap. Dates for those sessions have yet to be set. As for Hall, Pereira asked the administration to explore how much would be saved in transportation costs by adding a seventh and eighth grade to Hall and Edison. Fernandes said there is room and that, ideally, such an expansion would start by keeping seventh graders at the schools. She said it would likely stop the exodus of students from the district to charter schools to avoid going to Dunbar School for the seventh and eighth grade. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck WASHINGTON Attorney General William Barrs decision to select John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, for the task of examining the origins of the Russia investigation should not come as a big surprise Durham was already investigating FBI media leaks in the probe of Moscows involvement in U.S. elections. But Barrs decision to have Durham investigate the investigators has thrust Connecticuts U.S. attorney deeper into a political firestorm. President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have long called for an investigation of the presidents perceived political enemies and the surveillance of Trump associates. But law enforcement officials, especially at the FBI, insist the surveillance was lawful, while Democrats say the administration is trying to invalidate the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller. It certainly is a potential high-risk, low-reward job, said Bill Nettles, former U.S. attorney for South Carolina, of Durhams new appointment. This whole issue has become highly partisan and thats always treacherous waters. Nettles said it would be difficult for Durham to turn down Barrs request to lead the investigation. If the attorney general asks you to do something, you do it, Nettles said. You either do it or you quit. Durham has remained mum on his work for the Trump administration. Were not confirming, denying, or commenting at all on this, Durham spokesman Thomas Carson said. But in January, a letter from House Republicans seeking more information about his findings revealed Durham had been investigating members of the FBI, especially former FBI general counsel James Baker, who has been accused of leaking information in 2016 to a Mother Jones reporter about the existence of a disputed Steele Dossier, alleging ties between Trump and the Kremlin. Mother Jones broke the story about the dossier, a series of memos compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele on supposed contacts between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign. Steele was hired by the research firm Fusion GPS, which had also worked for a firm representing Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee, so the president and his Republican allies called it a fake dossier that was politically motivated. Trump and his GOP allies also assert the dossier was the genesis of Muellers Russia probe. Mueller was appointed after Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey. His report, following an 18-month investigation, reaffirmed the FBI based its probe of the Trump campaign on legitimate factors, including revelations that a Trump campaign adviser, George Papadopoulos, told a foreign diplomat he was informed that the Russians had stolen Democratic emails. Nevertheless, according to a source familiar with the issue, Barr recently assigned Durham to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was lawful and appropriate. Barr has told members of Congress he believes spying did occur on the Trump campaign in 2016. And on Tuesday, Trump told reporters he didnt understand FBI Director Christopher Wrays ridiculous answer that the FBI didnt spy when looking into then-candidate Trumps ties to Russia during the 2016 election. During testimony before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, Wray said spying is not the term I would use. I believe that the FBI is engaged in investigative activity, and part of investigative activity includes surveillance, Wray said. Durham, who was appointed U.S. attorney by Trump, has a long and impressive resume and has been tasked by both Democratic and Republican administrations to handle sensitive investigations. Durham has served in the U.S. attorneys office since 1989, holding a number of positions, including acting U.S. attorney. Before that, he served on the Justice Departments Boston Strike Force on Organized Crime, where he led the prosecutions of several mob bosses, including James Whitey Bulger. In 2009, he was tapped by Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate alleged torture and killing of terror suspects by CIA interrogators and contractors. After a three-year investigation, Durham decided not to bring criminal charges against those involved. Durham also helped prosecute former Republican Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who was charged with accepting $107,000 in gifts from people doing business with the state, and not paying taxes. Richard Rossman, executive director of the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys, said Durham has been well regarded over the years, and appointed to investigate very sensitive investigations by both Republican and Democratic administration. Generally, hes got a fine reputation, said Rossman, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Barbara McQuade, also a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said Durhams investigation of FBI corruption in the Whitey Bulger case earned him a very good reputation, that may have appealed to Barr. Some Republicans, however, wanted the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel, who would have broader powers and more independence, to investigate the origins of the Russia probe. MILFORD One of the Stratford teens accused of burning the Shakespeare theater to the ground pleaded not guilty Tuesday in three other arson cases. Vincent Keller, 18, appeared briefly in Milford Superior Court before Judge John Ronan, where his lawyer, Frank Riccio II, entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf to charges of arson, conspiracy, larceny, criminal mischief and trespassing. The charges are connected to three blazes: A Feb. 8 fire at a vacant home on Richards Place in West Haven. A Feb. 17 fire at the former Bilco Co. in West Haven. A March 23 fire that damaged construction trailers in Silver Sands State Park. Keller and a classmate, 18-year-old Christopher Sakowicz, are accused of setting a total of six recent fires throughout the state, including the Jan.13 conflagration that leveled the Shakespeare theater in Stratford, a Jan. 15 fire at a vacant building at the Southbury Training School and a March 9 fire at Good Earth Tree Care in Stratford. Keller has been released after posting $275,000 in bonds. In court Tuesday, the judge said the lawyers were working on discovery issues before continuing Kellers cases to July 2. Outside the courtroom, Riccio said he was just beginning to look over the evidence. I have reviewed all available material to this point, which is limited to the warrants, Riccio said. I do have some questions from what I read, however, well wait for the discovery to be provided and that might help complete the picture. The lawyer said it isnt yet clear how the cases would ultimately be resolved. As in any case, plea discussions will be listened to, but its certainly too early at this point to truly predict whats going to happen, Riccio said. We have multiple jurisdictions with multiple cases and that adds to the complications that were presented with. The lawyer said Keller, a senior at Bunnell High School who was accompanied by his mother in court Tuesday, is focusing on his education. Hes home now completing his studies, Riccio said. The Shakespeare theater case in which the teens pleaded not guilty last month is being prosecuted in Bridgeport Superior Court, where Keller, Sakowicz and another suspect, Logan Caraballo, are scheduled to appear May 23. Sakowicz, who has been behind bars since his arrest in the Shakespeare theater case last month, is scheduled to appear in Milford court May 21. Vincent Ferrara, the former East Haven police officer whose testimony on the harassment and assault of Latinos helped send four crooked town cops to prison, died Saturday, at age 54. His death, in the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, came 17 months after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He had a 17-year career in law enforcement. In 2010, Ferrara helped the U.S. Department of Justice gather evidence of a systemic, department-wide pattern of abuse and corruption. He later filed an active federal civil rights case against the town, including East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr., charging that he was a victim of retribution from fellow officers and town officials Ferrara said he was shunned, and called a rat, in a departmental atmosphere where veterans of the scandal told younger officers to stay away from him. His lawsuit alleges that fellow officers, asked to back him up in potentially dangerous street encounters, were either slow to respond or failed entirely in arriving. In January the 11-year veteran of the department was fired over the alleged misuse of his agency computer. Ferraras attorney, James Brewer, said Monday that the lawsuit will continue. He stuck his neck out, Brewer said. It took a lot of moral courage to stand up to people he knew were a physical and emotional threat to him. I think he made a decision to not stand by and watch the abuses. He was an honest cop. Some of these other folks should probably look in the mirror and ask what it takes to be a law enforcement officer. In late 2017, around the time Ferrara was suspended over issues that led to his firing over a year later, a series of headaches sent him to doctors who diagnosed the kind of brain tumor that killed U.S. Sen. John McCain. He was put on paid administrative leave for most of 2018. Vincent B. Ferrara Jr. was born in Brooklyn, NY April 16, 1965, the son of Denyse Clolery Ferrara of New Haven and the late Vincent B. Ferrara, Sr. He is survived by his wife and mother, and his children, Allison Grace and Addison James Ferrara of Branford; his grandson Jaxson Ferrara of Branford; and five brothers and sisters. The family will greet visitors Tuesday from 4:00 -8:00 p.m. at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford. Funeral services will be Wednesday morning at 10:00 in the Branford Evangelical Free Church, 231 Leetes Island Road, Branford. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that memorial donations be sent to the Smilow Cancer Hospital, 20 York Street, New Haven, CT 06510. Brewer said he visited Ferrara in recent weeks in the intensive care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital, where he had obviously taken a turn for the worse. He was courageous, Brewer said. Others made decisions not to cooperate with the FBI. I will always wonder what kind of toll the stress took on Vince. Brewer said that procedurally, Ferraras estate will next become the plaintiff in U.S. District Court in New Haven. It doesnt change anything, Brewer said. Vince was adamant that we would go to the conclusion. We have no doubt well win the case on the testimony of the defendants. Vince was a great guy, and he was treated like dirt by these people. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT The victim was named Mohamed Ameer Mohamed Sally and owned a carpentry shop. Violence and aggression against mosques and Muslim businesses throughout the northwestern province. The police were ordered to "use maximum force to contain the violence". Colombo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Sri Lankan authorities have imposed an all-out curfew in the northern province of the capital after yesterday's clashes that led to the death of a Muslim man. Mohamed Ameer Mohamed Sally, the victim, was a 45-year-old resident of Puttalam district (northwestern province). He died in the hospital after being stabbed by the crowd that attacked his woodworking shop. The Muslim is the first person killed in the sectarian violence which has exploded as retaliation for the massacres carried out at Easter in three churches and three hotels in Colombo, which killed 257 people. This morning the curfew was suspended throughout the rest of the island. Ruwan Gunasekera, a police spokesman, said that in the "North-Western Province the curfew will remain until further notice". Then he added: "The security forces are assisting the police, who have been ordered to use maximum force to contain the violence". The intervention of the special departments was necessary following the attacks carried out yesterday against dozens of businesses owned by Muslim faithful and several mosques. Witnesses report that in the Gampaha district the attackers devastated some restaurants and a textile factory. In the city of Kiniyama, the people shattered the stained glass windows of the mosque of Abrar, unhinged the doors and threw copies of the Koran to the ground. Already last week in Sri Lanka there were episodes of violence against the Muslim community in Negombo. This time the dispute arose from a comment posted on Facebook, which read: 1 day u will cry") The author of the post, 38-year-old Abdul Hameed Mohamed Hasmar, was arrested. Card. Malcom Ranjith, archbishop of Colombo, has spoken out in defense of the local Muslim community, which represents 10% of the population on the island. In a meeting with the ambassadors of Islamic countries, having come to offer the condolences of the whole community, he strongly affirmed that "Muslims are in no way responsible" for the Easter massacres. "What happened - he added - is not something political or religious, but the result of the actions of some misguided people. Perhaps there are also other forces behind them, but they have no connection with Islam". To avoid the dissemination of false news and further comments that stir the spirits and incite violent reaction, the director general of the Information Department Nalaka Kaluwewa has ordered the blocking of social media. All telephone companies have been instructed to suspend the functions of famous apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram and Viber. The child was lured into a school bathroom by a 20-year-old man, who tried to claim a younger age. Both victim and attacker are Muslim, but from different sects. For Bishop Ivan Pereira, the Church works a lot on education, putting ourselves on the side of the people. Srinagar (AsiaNews) The rape of a three-year-old girl in Kashmir is "an outrage", said Mgr Ivan Pereira, bishop of Jammu-Srinagar, in a strongly worded condemnation of the sexual violence against the child. The incident, which became public yesterday and sparked street protests, shocked everyone, the prelate said speaking to AsiaNews. Such a tragedy is an act against humanity. The authorities do not protect or take care of girls. The Church is against violence against women and girls." After the case became front-page news yesterday, thousands of people took to the streets, demanding the death penalty for the rapist. As clashes broke out with the police, rioters blocked the highway, whilst security forces resorted to tear gas and shotgun pellets (which are banned but still used by Indian forces). At least a hundred people were injured, on both sides, police sources report. The graphic depiction of the assault has inflamed passions. The girl, whose name is unknown, was lured into a school bathroom, in the village of Sumbal, and raped. On 8 May she was taken to hospital in critical conditions, but her condition remains stable. In an attempt to cover up evidence, the family of the rapist, a 20-year-old youth who works at a car repair shop, produced a fake birth certificate showing he was 13, hoping to avoid a possible life sentence. This instead outraged people. "Both victim and attacker are Muslim but belong to two different sects," said Mgr Pereira. "Probably someone is trying to exploit the situation to their advantage. For this reason, the government has called on people not to provoke violence in the name of religion. "As a Church, we do everything we can to educate respect for others, raise awareness of the value of women, and develop a sense of security among girls," he explained. "We work a lot on education, putting ourselves on the side of the people. We have women's empowerment programmes, women's training programmes, etc. The two Rohingya are aged 20 and 25. The younger one has a UN refugee card and is linked to Islamist rebels in Myanmar. The cell received orders from Syria. The terrorists wanted to avenge the death of an ethnic Malay Muslim firefighter. They were ready to go into action during the first week of Ramadan. Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies) Malaysian authorities foiled a plot by the Islamic State (IS) group to attack Buddhist and Hindu temples as well as Christian churches. Malaysian security forces carried out two operations in Kuala Lumpur and Terengganu, between 5 and 7 May, seizing an automatic pistol, 15 bullets and six improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The would-be terrorists include a Malaysian, an Indonesian and two Rohingya, said Abdul Hamid Bador, Malaysias new chief of police, at a news conference held yesterday. Abdul Hamid told reporters that the group received orders from a Malaysian militant based in Syria, but his identity has not yet been determined. The man in Syria instructed the cell members to launch the attack, and the suspects had been planning it since January, noted the police chief. They communicate via WhatsApp, he added. The four terrorists wanted to avenge the death of a Muslim firefighter, an ethnic Malay, who died last November during sectarian clashes at a Hindu temple in Subang Jaya (Selangor). The cell was ready to go into action during the first week of Ramadan, which began on 6 May. One of the Rohingya suspects in custody is a 20-year-old with a UN refugee card. He admitted to supporting the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an Islamist insurgent group operating in Myanmars Rakhine state. ARSA has been blamed for the initial violence that led to the exodus of 700,000 Myanmar Rohingya to neighbouring Bangladesh. The 20-year-old was also planning to launch an attack at the Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Abdul Hamid said, adding that the second Rohingya suspect was a 25-year-old labourer who had admitted to being part of a local IS cell. A predominantly Muslim nation, Malaysia is seen as a safe haven in Southeast Asia for Rohingya fleeing Myanmar. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the country has taken in at least 90,200 Rohingya, but some NGOs estimate the real number could be as high as 200,000. Last year, Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu expressed worry about the possibility of Rohingya expatriates turning to extremism. We are concerned that the Rohingyas could be manipulated to become suicide bombers or recruited into terrorist cells in this region, he explained. The radicalisation of the Rohingya began in the late 1970s after a first wave of refugees created a permanent problem. Analysts warn that at present Rohingya refugees are being courted by Islamist groups in the Middle East and South Asia, something that turn crowded refugee camps on the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar into a source of instability for the region. When I was first elected to Congress in 1982, women weren't allowed in the House gym, American Motors was still producing cars such as the Gremlin and the Pacer in my hometown of Toledo, and Ohio had just elected 10 Democrats to Congress. That last number might not sound like a big deal, but the chance of that happening today borders on impossible. In 1982, Ohio sent 21 representatives - 10 Democrats and 11 Republicans - to Congress from districts that were drawn to be competitive and compact. Voting patterns haven't changed much since: In 2018, 2,245,403 Ohioans voted to send a Republican to Congress and 2,019,120 Ohioans voted to send a Democrat. That's 52 percent to 47 percent. Yet only four Democrats were elected last fall, compared with 12 Republicans. We all know the culprit: radical, partisan gerrymandering. From January 1983 to December 2012, my district stayed largely the same - always centered around Toledo. But after the Republican victory in 2010, Republicans redrew the lines in their favor, to appalling effect. When GOP operatives emerged from a closed-door hotel conference room in 2011, they delivered one of the most politically gerrymandered congressional maps the country had ever seen. Democrats were packed into as few districts as possible, suppressing the value of hundreds of votes. Cleveland's Democratic congressman, Dennis Kucinich, and I were gerrymandered into the same district - now known as the "Snake on the Lake" - and forced to run against one another. This long, skinny district stretches nearly 100 miles from Toledo to Cleveland, is less than a mile wide in some places and is contiguous only by Lake Erie. And though Ohio lost two seats to reapportionment in that year, Republican representation increased from eight to 12, while our party's share fell from 10 to four. It's stayed there ever since. The damage done by gerrymandering isn't difficult to measure. It breeds partisan legislators, who in turn breed a partisan Congress. Gerrymandering has made virtually all House seats safer - including mine - and the members who hold those safe seats are often less responsive to communities and unwilling to compromise in Washington. The bipartisan camaraderie that once existed in the House is now all but gone. Because members come from safer seats, they have less incentive to build meaningful relationships with those outside their own party, and so they make fewer friends and rarely have constructive debates. The result is both the decay of our national discourse and the failure of our institutions to fulfill their most basic functions. More fundamentally, the gerrymander dilutes the popular vote to protect incumbents. Instead of the voters picking their leaders, the leaders pick their voters. But there is hope. Two weeks ago, a panel of federal judges for the Southern District of Ohio struck down Ohio's congressional district map as an unconstitutional, partisan gerrymander - echoing similar rulings in four other states. Judge Karen Nelson Moore of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit wrote in her opinion that Ohio's map is "so skewed toward one party that the electoral outcome is predetermined," and concluded "the map unconstitutionally burdens associational rights by making it more difficult for voters and certain organizations to advance their aims." The state of Ohio was ordered to submit new legislative maps to the court by June 14. If Ohio fails to enact a remedial plan, or enacts a plan that the court finds illegal, the court will appoint a special master to redraw the lines. Ohio's Republican attorney general has said he will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. This presents the court with an opportunity to consider the will of the voters, to uphold fairness and to restore democracy in Ohio. And it is clear the public wants change: In 2018, Ohio voters approved bipartisan map-drawing by an overwhelming majority - 75 percent to 25 percent. Given how close our elections have been over the past 30 years, my state should probably have eight Republicans and eight Democrats representing it in Washington. In the meantime, gerrymandering contorts communities and makes too many lawmakers politically untouchable. Everyone, in Ohio and the nation, suffers when outcomes are preordained and engineered to the extremes. Restoring representative delegations to Congress must be the first step in restoring the public's confidence in our government. Liberty and justice must be restored. - - - Kaptur, a Democrat, represents Ohio's 9th Congressional District in the House. The top Russian and American diplomats pledged to seek better relations and ease tensions, even as they diverged sharply on issues ranging from Iran and Venezuela to alleged Kremlin meddling in U.S. elections. After talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said the U.S. "fundamentally doesn't want war with Iran" as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of the risk of being pulled into a spiral of crisis over the Islamic Republic. Pompeo said he warned Russia against meddling in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections. Lavrov rejected accusations of interference as "complete fiction." "We agreed on the importance of restoring channels of communications that had recently been frozen," Lavrov said at their joint news conference. "I hope that after the publication of the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, passions on the other side of the ocean will subside and it will be possible finally to move forward toward more constructive interaction." The pair discussed a possible meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the Group of 20 summit in Japan next month, after the U.S. president said Monday that he would see the Kremlin leader. Putin is willing to meet Trump, but here's been no official invitation so far, Lavrov said. The two sides described the talks as "frank," saying that they wanted to improve relations strained for years over the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine and more recently over strategic arms control and U.S. efforts to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Pompeo, on his first visit to Russia as the top U.S. diplomat, said the Trump administration is committed to improving ties and wants to work together where the two countries have what he called "overlapping interests." "I'm here today because President Trump is committed to improving this relationship," he told Lavrov at the start of their meeting. "It's not destined that we're adversaries on every issue." Pompeo, who's also due to meet Putin later on Tuesday before returning to Washington, said he and Lavrov discussed North Korea's nuclear program. Lavrov said they agreed to start arms-control consultations including on a possible extension of the New Start nuclear treaty that's due to expire in 2021. Lavrov also said there may be hope for some agreement on Iran that would win backing by both Russia and the U.S., after Trump pulled out of the international accord on Tehran's nuclear program. They offered few details, however, about the areas where they could improve relations, in contrast to the wide range of differences they outlined. There's "no pivot in sight, no breakthrough in the offing," Dmitri Trenin, Moscow Carnegie Center director, wrote on Twitter before the news conference. "Contacts will continue, but normalization will be long in coming." Before meeting Pompeo, Putin flew to a flight test airbase in the southern Astrakhan region escorted by six of Russia's latest Su-57 stealth fighter jets to inspect new hypersonic weapons he's touted as invulnerable to U.S. defenses. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a scheduled inspection visit and dismissed as "conspiracy theories" suggestions that it was a signal to Washington, the state-run Tass news service reported. Trump stunned Russian officials in November by scrapping a meeting with Putin at last year's G-20 summit in Argentina with a Twitter announcement the day before the talks, blaming tensions over Russia's capture of Ukrainian sailors. That followed the cancellation of talks planned for Paris during Nov. 11 commemorations for the centenary of the end of World War I. It's not clear what's changed since then. At the time, Trump cited Russia's failure to release Ukrainian ships and sailors seized during clashes in the Kerch Strait near Crimea as the reason for his refusal to meet Putin. The sailors remain in detention as Russia continues plans to prosecute them, said Nikolai Polozov, who's leading their defense team. 5 1 of 5 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Last week, the Bridgeport Police Department arrested 11 peaceful protestors and a Connecticut Post reporter during a protest marking the two-year anniversary of the fatal police shooting of Jayson Negron. At a time when police-community tensions are high and trust of police is low due to the recent firing of 16 shots by the police at Paul Witherspoon and Stephanie Washington, two unarmed people in New Haven, and the fatal police shooting of Anthony Jose Chulo Vega Cruz in Wethersfield, this action by the Bridgeport Police Department serves only to further erode what little credibility and trust they have rebuilt since Negrons death. Further, the act of a large number of officers clearing the street escalated the tension at a time when we most need police restraint. Video from the Post reporter seems to clearly indicate that the police arrested people on the sidewalk. The decision to clear the street, undoubtedly made by police leaders on the scene, calls into question whether the Bridgeport Police leadership, Chief Armando Perez, or Mayor Joe Ganim are at all serious about public commitments they made more than three years ago to implement department-wide de-escalation training for all officers and reform and professionalize department practices. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act considerations by credit unions typically revolve around accessibility of their branch network. However, websites and mobile applications may present obstacles to people with physical and visual impairments as well. Updating online channels to ensure that they are fully accessible to all membert can help ward off legal challenges. A recent Los Angeles Times article reports that nearly 5,000 ADA lawsuits were filed against businesses in federal court in the first six months of 2018 alone, alleging that people with disabilities could not access their websites. With online sales, reservations and job postings now a huge part of modern commerce, advocates for the disabled say websites need to be as accessible to everyone, just as brick-and-mortar stores, restaurants and schools are, the article notes. An equally important consideration for banks and credit unions is that websites and mobile apps are essential components of omni-channel service delivery that offers convenient access and ease of navigation to all members, including the 63 million people with disabilities living in North America. New federal standards Several sets of regulations address accessibility rights and requirements at the federal level. The ADA prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American lifeto enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in state and local government programs and services, according to the ADA.gov website. Other laws address electronic accessibility, or information and communication technology (ICT), more specifically. Most recently, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was updated to provide current standards for ICT accessibility, effective January 2018. Though Section 508 applies to federal agencies and businesses with federal contracts, these new regulations provide a model for financial institutions in ensuring that their remote channels are accessible. For example, Section 508 requires that all Internet content should be accessible to people with disabilities, including those with blindness or other visual impairments. Accountholders with visual disabilities visiting a financial services website or using a mobile app should be able to use screen readers that translate written content into audio transmissions and direct users how to interact with the content. Websites also need to support navigation that is compatible with a keyboard. If people with physical disabilities cant use a touchpad, touchscreen, or mouse to get around a webpage, they should be able to use their keyboard or adaptive device to do so. Section 508 is just one source that financial institutions can consult in working to ensure that their online channels are fully accessible. These new regulations are designed to align with industry guidelines set out in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium. Accessible appointment app Kronos recently completed a redesign process for its branch appointment app with an aim to make this member service interface fully compliant with current accessibility standards. The new features of the Kronos FMSI Appointment Concierge include screen reader compatibility that speaks out options for services requested and appointment times, dates, and branch locations and then prompts users to select their choices. Banks and credit unions offering the app to accountholders can also select the fonts, colors, and color contrast on content to support optimal readability for people with visual impairments, including color blindness. And the new version of the app is also navigable by keyboard. Another useful feature for people with disabilities is a comments field that allows them to specify if they will need special accommodations during their appointment. Kronos partnered with the company Accessible 360 to test the functionality of the new app. Accessible 360 is owned and staffed by people with disabilities, so they can provide training and guidance through the redesign process and test the finished product with a first-hand perspective on functionality and accessibility. The new regulations include standards for a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), a document that specifies how information and communication technology complies with Section 508. Under those guidelines, the Kronos FMSI Appointment Concierge will be 99 percent compliant; only the Google map that displays branch locations through the app is not fully accessible. The new version of the appointment app is also more responsive, with a cleaner and simpler design. With options for multilingual translation, this website and mobile application is positioned to provide a convenient and fully accessible means for account holders to connect with financial professionals to provide assistance with their personal money management needs. Like many other aspects of regulatory compliance, staying current with accessibility standards across delivery channels is an ongoing responsibility for financial institutions. In the case of making online banking and mobile applications convenient for all consumers, its also just good business. In 2018, 5,783 graduates left, more than three times than in 2013. Almost a third moved to Japan, which is experiencing labour shortages. South Korea has the most highly educated youth in the OECD with three-quarters of high school students going to college. Although exporting graduates, South Korea is also forced to import blue-collar workers. Seoul (AsiaNews) More and more South Korean graduates are taking part in government programmes to find overseas positions because of unprecedented unemployment at home. State-run programmes such as K-move, rolled out to connect young Koreans to quality jobs in 70 countries, found overseas jobs for 5,783 graduates last year, more than triple the number in 2013, its first year. Due to the growing demand, the government boosted the relevant budget from 57.4 billion won (US$ 48.9 million) in 2015 to 76.8 billion won in 2018. Almost one-third moved to Japan, which is experiencing a historic labour shortage with unemployment at a 26-year low, whilst a quarter went to the United States, where the jobless rate dropped to the lowest in nearly half a century in April. The South Korean programme has the advantage that it does not include an obligation to return home. In fact, the Brain drain isnt the governments immediate worry. Rather, its more urgent to prevent them from sliding into poverty even if it means pushing them abroad, said Kim Chul-ju, deputy dean at the Asian Development Bank Institute. In 2018, South Korea generated the smallest number of jobs since the global financial crisis, only 97,000. Nearly one in five young Koreans was out of work as of 2013, higher than the average 16 per cent among the member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. In March, one in every four Koreans in the 15-29 age group was not employed either by choice or due to the lack of jobs, according to government data. Yet whilst increasing numbers of college graduates are moving overseas for work, South Korea is bringing in more foreigners to solve another labour problem an acute shortage of blue-collar workers. South Korea has the most highly educated youth in the OECD, with three-quarters of high school students going to college, compared with the average of 44.5 per cent. Despite the glut of over-educated and under-employed graduates, most young people refuse to accept less prestigious jobs. For this reason, South Korean companies are forced to incur higher costs to hire immigrants from countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. Is it time for your financial institution to take a stand? Many credit unions give generously to local nonprofits, but it is one thing to support local high schools and quite another to rally against education funding cuts. According to a 2015 study, 91% of Millennials say they would switch brands to one associated with a cause. Another study by Sprout Social revealed that 66 percent of survey respondents say its important for brands to take a public stand on social and political issues, and 58 percent prefer this to happen on social media over other channels. Businesses tend to shy away from social and political issues for fear of being divisive. The fear is understandable, but taking a stand can also unite and energize your base. If your cause is authentic and genuinely resonates with your core membership, you are more likely to garner their loyalty and support than cause unwanted controversy. Here are three tangible, effective ways to highlight your cause on social media: Tell the stories of your members and employees Its one thing to rant and rave; its quite another to share multimedia stories that humanize the issue at hand. If your cause resonates with your members, chances are, they have some stories to share. As one of the only financial institutions in Oregon that provides lending to non-citizens, immigration policy is always a top concern for Point West Credit Union. Point West published a Declaration of Beliefs emphasizing their commitment to a diverse, inclusive community which included stories from their members and shared it via an award-winning social media and print campaign. Capture the conversation with a hashtag A hashtag helps to bring your members into the conversation across social media channels. Not only can a hashtag further engage members but it can help to bring more visibility and build more momentum for the cause. PointWest invited its members to contribute using the hashtag #CitizensofPW, which not only highlighted the needs and challenges of the underbanked, but also resulted in positive word-of-mouth marketing for the brand. While the #bankblack movement was not started by a specific financial institution, OneUnited Bank did an excellent job of incorporating the movement into its marketing because it was already part of its brand identity. If used wisely, this approach can be powerful because while people dont need to be familiar with the brand to use the hashtag, they may be introduced to the brand through the hashtag. Respond to current events When current events surface that relate to your cause, a swift but thoughtful response on social media channels can help you leverage external momentum and bring prospective members into the fold. Wildfang, an apparel company for tomboys, is famous for reacting to current events in unexpected, clever ways that not only generate positive PR but also help to elevate their causes. When Wildfang reacted to Melania Trumps jacket that read I dont really care, do u? by creating its own jacket, I really care, dont u? the company not only generated over 23,000 likes on Instagram and press coverage in hundreds of media outlets, it also donated over $250,000 worth of proceeds to the jacket to RAICES, The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. Just remember, dont take a stand for the marketing value alone. Todays consumers are particularly savvy to inauthenticity, which can backfire spectacularly. On the flip side, as the movement to vote with your dollars continues to grow, taking a genuine stand on an issue can unite and energize your base. It also offers an avenue for differentiation that your products dont. If your cause resonates with your brand and your community, social media can help to amplify your impact, engage your current members, and grow your membership base. Our own Bruce Siwy and Eric Kieta talk about their true-crime cases in Return To View: The Roundtable May 14, 1883 On this day of Americas foremost female impersonator is born in Newtonville, Massachusetts. Julian Eltinge was a stage and silent film star who few actually realized was a man. So popular was he that during the Korean War a troop ship was named in his, or rather, her honor. After appearing in the Boston Cadets Revue at the age of ten in feminine garb, Eltinge garnered notice from other producers and made his first appearance on Broadway in 1904. As his star began to rise, he appeared in vaudeville and toured Europe and the United States, even giving a command performance before King Edward VII. Eltinge appeared in a series of musical comedies written specifically for his talents starting in 1910 with The Fascinating Widow, returning to vaudeville in 1918. His popularity soon earned him the title of Mr. Lillian Russell for the equally popular beauty and musical comedy star. Hollywood beckoned Eltinge and in 1917 he appeared in his first feature film, The Countess Charming. This would lead to other films including 1918s The Isle of Love with Rudolph Valentino and Virginia Rappe. By the time Eltinge arrived in Hollywood, he was considered one of the highest paid actors on the American stage, Eltinge was an intimate of the top Hollywood stars and a wealthy man, worth over $250,000. He built Villa Capistrano, one of the most lavish villas in the Hollywood area, where he lived with his mother and entertained lavishly. He also built a dude ranch for men in Alpine, CA near San Diego But times were changing. The outrageous performances of female impersonators Francis Renault and Bert Savoy, and the drag balls and gay speakeasies of the 20s pansy craze in New York made Eltinges style appear old-fashioned. He began to drink heavily and in 1923 was caught smuggling liquor from Canada. Despite a sensational trial and bad press, he managed to get an acquittal. It was the beginning of his decline and with the arrival of the Great Depression and the death of vaudeville, Eltinges star began to fade.. Eltinge resorted to performing in nightclubs. Crackdowns on cross-dressing in public, a misguided attempt to curb homosexual activity, prevented Eltinge from performing in costume. At one appearance in a Los Angeles club, Eltinge stood next to displays of his gowns while describing his old characters. On May 7, 1941, Eltinge fell ill while performing at Billy Roses Diamond Horseshoe nightclub. He was taken home and died in his apartment ten days later. His death certificate lists the cause of death as a cerebral hemorrhage. Julian Eltinge leaves a legacy as one of the greatest and most forgotten female impersonators of the 20th.century. Raise a glass and remember Julian/Vestta! My heart is simply melting at the thought of Julian Eltinge; His alter ego, Vesta Tilley, too. Since our language is so dexterous, let us call them ambi-sexterous Why hasnt this occurred before to you? Dorothy Parker, A Musical Comedy Thought Vanity Fair, June 1916 Its been nearly two decades since Pennsylvania created a program that has improved the lives of literally hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania children. Known as the Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), it awards funding to children in need so that they may attend the schools of their choice. Scholarships are provided by our job creators in exchange for a tax credit from the commonwealth and are available in three categories: pre-K; K-12; and educational improvement (through after-school and educational activities in public schools). Scholarships in these categories are awarded to children, so he or she can choose what school to attend. Needless to say, these scholarships have opened new doors to so many needy children. Government is so often criticized for not doing enough to help children, but here is a clear example of Pennsylvania opening new doors to help its most needy children. The EITC program provides more than 70,000 students with educational scholarships every year to attend the schools of their choice in nearly all of Pennsylvanias 67 counties and 500 school districts. With such a successful track record since the program was introduced in 2001, its time to expand and help even more students reach their education and professional dreams. Right now, there are over 63,000 eligible students on a waiting list to receive an annual scholarship and the interest is there from the business community to help each and every one of them. The Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED), which oversees the program, has over $135 million in eligible business applications that were denied tax credits this year and were placed on a waiting list. House Bill 800, sponsored by Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, would go a long way in helping to solve this problem by providing an additional $100 million annually. It would include an escalator clause providing an additional 10 percent increase each year when at least 90 percent of the tax credits were claimed in the prior year. An escalator is important because while Pennsylvania was a trailblazer in the EITC program, states like Florida incorporated such a clause and now serve twice as many students. There remains plenty of room for growth of the EITC in Pennsylvania. Despite spending $8 billion annually to fund basic education in public schools, EITC represents less than .03 percent. This is essentially a rounding error in the commonwealths overall $30 billion-plus spending budget in 2018-19. Its important to note all schools that accept EITC scholarship students hold all necessary accreditation requirements by the state Department of Public Education. The schools that scholarship recipients attend provide parents with academic progress reports and college placement statistics, and students take standardized tests that help parents gauge their childs success relative to peers statewide and nationally. The success is evident. For example, private schools that accept EITC have a 95 percent graduation rate, and more than 92 percent of their graduates attend a two- or four-year college. Taxpayers should support EITC programs because it also saves money. Nationally, they saved taxpayers as much as $3.4 billion through the 2013-14 school year, according to a study by Dr. Martin F. Lueken, director of fiscal policy and analysis at EdChoice. It stands to reason that those figures only have grown significantly since then. Its clear that EITC is doing wonderful things for children all across Pennsylvania. House Bill 800 deserves support and passage from the General Assembly and Wolf administration. Sean P. McAleer is the director of education for The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, the public affairs arm of Pennsylvanias Catholic bishops and the Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania. Imagine watching your child go off the rails and feeling utterly powerless to stop it. That was the devastating reality facing Anita Brown when her 17-year-old daughter fled their family home after blowing up their microwave while on drugs - having delivered the parting shot that she wished her own mother was dead. The 49-year-old, from Essex, was left terrified that she'd never see her little girl alive again. By the time her daughter reappeared in a hostel, having lived on the streets for a number of weeks, their relationship was 'in tatters'. But after a lot of hard work and making 'simple changes' to their lives, mother-of-two Anita told how the pair slowly got their relationship back on track. She has since penned A Parent's Worst Nightmares And How to Cope, a book which explores what a parent can do when their teenager is hell-bent on self-destruction. Here she tells FEMAIL how she went from being on the brink of despair to feeling 'immensely proud' of the daughter who once made her life a misery... Author Anita Brown has penned A Parent's Worst Nightmares And How to Cope, a book which explores what a parent can do when their teenager is set on self-destruction Tears rolled unchecked down my face. I was unbelievably angry and hurt. Above it all, I was scared, absolutely terrified and I had no idea what to do now. It had all come to a head the night before, for days I had been walking on eggshells desperate not to provoke my daughter. She on the flip side had been antagonistic almost determined to light the touch paper and watch it all explode. I had been biting my tongue, understanding and soothing. I was eager to listen and help, but the situation had just got worse. The previous night after running an errand which had given me a precious moment of respite from the continual baiting behaviour, I had returned to find the microwave still on fire in the kitchen. It was smouldering away quietly in the corner. My wayward 17-year-old though was fast asleep on her bed. She was predictably dismissive of the broken microwave and the possible consequences. Even though in my heart I knew she wanted to force me into a huge argument I couldn't stop myself. Anita told how her daughter, who wishes to remain anonymous, fled their family home after blowing up their microwave while 'off her face on drugs' - having told her she wished she was dead I told her she could have set the building on fire and she needed to stop getting off her face on drugs. She told me how much she hated me and how she wanted me dead. Distraught and frightened where this conversation was going I sought help. By the time I returned home my daughter had packed her bags and vanished. It hadn't been hard to see that this was the desired outcome. She had been trying to provoke me for days. She wanted a big argument so that she could do the justified slamming door exit she so needed. I knew she wasn't coming back, and sitting alone in my room that was what terrified me the most. We had had a turbulent few years up to that point, a catalogue of self-harming behaviours at a rapid speed, interspersed with numerous visits to what felt like hundreds of counsellors, all to no avail. From an angelic little girl, Anita Brown's daughter spiralled into a catalogue of self-harming behaviours at a rapid speed, interspersed with numerous visits to what felt like hundreds of counsellors I remembered fondly those years where the magic of my kiss could dry up tears and a cuddle could resolve hurt feelings, but those days were gone. The longed-for cosy mother-daughter chats I had dreamed about had never materialised. Instead, it had become a battle of wills, on who had control. There were constant blow ups, tears and tantrums, from both of us. She would then take the opportunity to move out of mine, and move in with her dad, before moving back again when the situation deteriorated there. This time though was different. This time she hadn't done that, this time she had just vanished... The moment when I realised that my child had more than just teenage angst was when she was expelled from school at the age of 15. Up until then, I had believed that her destructive eating pattern and self-harm were a phase that would resolve itself with counselling. The school though considered her an unacceptable risk to herself, and to other students. Mother-of-two Anita said the moment she realised that her child, pictured right with a family member, had more than just teenage angst was when she was expelled from school at the age of 15 What happened to the normal teenage battles to get them to bring their dirty crockery down to the kitchen, instead of hiding it under the bed? The urge to protect my child at all costs was overwhelming, but protect them from what? How do you protect your child from themselves? She had been unwilling to talk about why she was choosing to engage in such self-destructive behaviours. So the immediate response was to tell her to just stop. I had wrongly believed she would stamp her feet, but that she would eventually follow my request. Our relationship instead became even more volatile. She closed her ears and pushed me further away. Too late I realised that I was no longer speaking the same language as her and she was steadfastly heading towards rougher waters, without so much as a backward glance at me. How did I miss what was happening? I must be a bad parent? What have I done to cause this? Had I lost my child forever? Now Anita says her daughter's self-destructive behaviours which tore her life apart are a distant memory, which she couldn't have imagined would be true all those years ago. Pictured with her daughter and a family member The moment when I realised she was gone for good was absolutely one of the worst days of my life. She had no money and nowhere to stay. She was just 17. I had no idea whether I would even see my child alive again and that was a thought I never expected to ever have to face. I obsessively hunted the internet for any trace. I trawled the streets looking for any sign of my child's existence, for hour upon hour. I stalked anyone who might have known where my child was. I tore the house apart looking for clues and found nothing. I cried more tears than I thought I could and I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I found it difficult to communicate with other parents because they didn't understand what I was going through. I almost felt obliged to downplay how serious the situation was and present the typical 'I'm fine' to the world so I didn't feel judged by people around me. I cried more tears than I thought I could and I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest Anita Brown I felt very lonely and out of control. By the time my child re-appeared in a hostel, after living on the streets for a few weeks, our relationship was in tatters. She was still engaging in self-destructive behaviours and showed no sign of addressing them. It was going to take a complete change of approach for both of us... I was driven to write this book to help parents and children facing difficult situations. I am not a professional, but I am a parent who has faced adversity with their child. So I know how soul-destroying it feels. When disaster strikes, the question is, how do you rebuild the relationship with your child - and in this book the answer is you don't. A Parent's Worst Nightmares is available to buy now for 4.49 on Amazon Kindle We as parents often believe that fixing our parent-child relationship will repair the damage in our child's life, but it is only a small part of the picture. A child has unconsciously chosen the current circumstances as a direct result of their entire life experiences. Trying to rebuild a relationship where they still have no control over their life choices and 'mum will fix it all' just leads to more heartbreak. I had to make the difficult decision to let go of my mother-daughter relationship in order to give space for something new to grow. Rebuilding what didn't work wouldn't help my child step into her own power and confront her own challenges. But giving her the tools to face life's adversities would. When your child is facing life-threatening circumstances they need to learn how to protect themselves from harm. They need to learn how to stand up for themselves and to understand how their thoughts can influence their actions and subsequent outcomes. During your journey with your child, you will question and adjust your own patterns as I did. When you finally gain calmer waters together, you will find that you have given birth to a new more mature relationship full of compassion and love. Looking back over my journey with my child I am amazed at how much has changed. We have a great relationship, where we both feel comfortable communicating honestly about how we feel. I also have a beautifully framed picture of my daughter receiving her degree a few years ago, with a huge smile on her face. The self-destructive behaviours which tore her life apart are a distant memory, which I couldn't have imagined would be true all those years ago. It was a lot of hard work but the simple changes which I explain in my book made a huge difference to the outcome. They allowed my daughter to finally have the confidence to stand in her own power and literally change her life. I am immensely proud of everything she has achieved. Therefore if I can help just one parent and child who are struggling, ride the storm together, then I will be a happy woman. The journey with your child may well be horrendous, as it was for me, but you can make a difference. A Parent's Worst Nightmares is available to buy now for 4.49 on Amazon. Rebellious British teenagers were seen covering their noses as they were taken to the morgue in a behavioral TV experiment which viewers praised as a 'great life lesson'. The eight youngsters, aged between 15 and 17, were sent to America's toughest prison, Florida's Brevard County Jail, to correct their anti-social behaviour after getting in trouble with the law. And in the third and final episode of Channel 4's Banged Up: Teens Behind Bars, Layla, 16, Kallum, 15, Korede, 17, Jordan, 17, Red, 15, Hugh, 16, Tunde, 16, and Whitney, 15, were seen looking on in horror as an officer showed them the bodies of murdered gang members. While some viewers branded the approach - designed to show the teens what could happen to them if they continued on their current path - 'extreme', others argued the tough tactic would teach them a life lesson. The final episode of Banged Up: Teens Behind Bars saw the British teenagers covering their noses as they were taken to the morgue in a behavioral TV experiment which viewers praised as a 'great life lesson' The grizzly episode saw the teenagers being taken to a morgue where they were shown the corpses of gangland murder victims and given a glimpse at their organs in jar One shocked viewer wrote: 'A little extreme taking them to the morgue hands over my eyes'. Agreeing, another added: 'Surprised none of the teens threw up or passed out with the smell from the morgue'. However others were all for the tactic, with one writing: 'I think taking them to the morgue may have actually worked their whole demeanor changed'. Elsewhere one agreed, writing: 'Taking the kids to the morgue - excellent work'. 'Banged up teens behind bars great programme hope these youngsters change their ways for the better especially after their visit to the morgue', another added. One shocked viewer wrote: 'A little extreme taking them to the morgue hands over my eyes' 'Banged up teens behind bars great programme hope these youngsters change their ways for the better especially after their visit to the morgue', another added Calling it a life lesson, one admitted: 'I know it's rotten of me ..but I can't bloody wait for these little ****** to see a dead body in the police morgue ..Life lessons they'll hopefully never forget'. 'Great programme hope these youngsters change their ways for the better especially after their visit to the morgue', another added. Some even called for the UK to introduce similar techniques, writing: 'We so need a programme like this in uk prisons. Hopefully these teens going on to lead crime free lives. Great programme'. The final grizzly episode saw the teenagers being taken to a morgue where they were shown the corpses of gangland murder victims and given a glimpse at their organs in jar. This is the final destination when people make the wrong decisions', the officer was heard warning them. 'This is what happens, okay? Youre stacked on a shelf and youre laid on a table. Calling it a life lesson, one admitted: 'I know it's rotten of me ..but I can't bloody wait for these little ****** to see a dead body in the police morgue ..Life lessons they'll hopefully never forget' This is the final destination when people make the wrong decisions', the officer was heard warning them as he showed the teens the morgue The eight youngsters, aged between 15 and 17, were sent to America's toughest prison, Florida's Brevard County Jail, to correct their anti-social behaviour after getting in trouble with the law It doesnt matter what clothes you wear, who you are, youll sit in here like all of these people are doing, waiting for that time to come. That smell will always stay with you, you will never ever forget that.' Taking in the gruesome sight, Whitney, bravely admitted: I know someone who has been murdered and I cant sleep because I think about death so much. I dont know why, but I think about it a lot. What happens to you after youve died? It makes me think about life hard. However the series had a happy ending, and showed the participants going off on different paths, including one teen who decided to return to college. Banged Up: Teens Behind Bars is available to stream on Channel 4OD. Teenagers were given a taste of the strict regime serial offenders are put through in America's toughest prisons Punishments included press ups and a dressing down from the tough guards at the prison in Florida The Duke of York is in South Korea, where he visited the traditional village of Hahoe earlier today. Prince Andrew, 59, looked business-like in a smart suit as he toured the traditional village, located near Andong on the East Coast of South Korea. During his visit, the Duke of York planted an apple tree before relaying and greetings from his mother the Queen to the people of Hahoe. 'I am very pleased that my son is visiting Andong today,' the message read. 'It is over twenty years since The Duke of Edinburgh and I paid a State Visit to the Republic of Korea, and I recall with great fondness the many places we visited in 1999.' After a welcoming performance, locals guided Prince Andrew (pictured) around the village of Hahoe in South Korea 'In particular, I remember the very warm welcome that I received in Hahoe Village, on the occasion of my 73rd birthday,' the Queen's message continued. 'In the months and years ahead, Prince Philip and I wish you every good fortune and happiness.' Prince Andrew met with 93 locals from Hahoe - one for each of the Queen's years of life - and then watched a traditional mask dance. Queen Elizabeth visited Hahoe in 1999, where she was welcomed with a traditional Korean birthday party to celebrate her 73rd birthday. Back in 1999, the Queen was welcomed to Hahoe with a traditional birthday party to celebrate her 73rd birthday Party (pictured) The village was built during the Joseon Dynasty, which was founded in 1392 and lasted until October 1897, when it was replaced by the Korean empire. It was classified as an Unesco World Heritage Site in 2010 and is popular with tourists who want to take a peek at traditional South Korean living. 230 residents live in Hahoe, and they are used to tourists flocking their streets. The village is particularly famous for its Mask Museum and its collection of Korean and international masks. During his visit to Hahoe the Duke of York (right) planted an apple tree. Hahoe was classified as a World Heritage site in 2010 Prince Andrew (pictured) touring the traditional folk village of Hahoe, in Andong, South Korea. The Queen visited Hahoe in 1999 Andrea (middle) was greeted with a welcome performance from the locals. Hahoe is world famous for its masked dances and Mask Museum Masked dance performances also take place around Hahoe. The Duke of York later travelled to the regions Agricultural Co-op centre to watch a daily auction. He also visited Bongjeongsa Temple, Koreas oldest surviving wooden building. Here The Duke laid a fragment of ceramic as a prayer offering, just as Her Majesty did 20 years ago. Later on, The Duke visited the Korean Studies Institute, which holds the largest collection of private printing blocks in South Korea. Prince Andrew will head to the capital city of Seoul, where he is set to host an event for his business-friendly initiative Pitch@Palace tomorrow. The Seoul event will focus on technology and its use in several areas, including cyber-security, agriculture, fintech and blockchain, robotics and artificial intelligence as well as health, fitness and medical innovation. Prince Andrew delivered a message from his mother to the locals of Hahoe, who welcomed her in 1999 with a traditional Korean birthday party The Duke of York founded Pitch@Palace in 2014 to connect entrepreneurs with people able to support their business ventures. Budding entrepreneurs can meet mentors, supporters, and partners via the initiative. Since its launch five years ago, Pitch@Palace helped 785 start-ups and created 3,669 jobs and 885million of new economic activity. A former model has revealed how she considered becoming a plus size model to escape the constant pressure she was under to lose weight - even though she was a size eight. Leanne Maskell, originally from Coventry, started modelling aged 13 and has appeared in Vogue and i-D magazine and modelled for Asos, Nasty gal, Boohoo.com, Urban outfitters. Appearing on Lorraine to speak about her new book to help aspiring models avoid exploitation, Leanne - who is now a legal advisor - explained that she was under pressure to lose weight throughout her entire career, just like every other model she knows. And she said she even considered becoming a plus size model so that she could escape the constant pressure. Leanne admitted that people often ask her: 'Why did you stay in it so long if you hated it?' She explained: 'It's like a domestically abusive relationship. You think nobody else will ever want you, you'll never be able to do anything else.' Leanne Maskell, originally from Coventry, started modelling aged 13 and revealed she was constantly asked to lose weight, even though she was a size 8 Leanne spoke about her experience of the fashion industry on ITV's Lorraine, this morning, and said it caused her to experience severe depression, anorexia and bulimia Leanne's experiences in the fashion industry previously caused her to spiral into a severe depression, anorexia and bulimia after she was told to lose weight. Speaking on today's show she said: 'I've had it all the way through my career. Some points were worse than others. 'Every single model I know has been asked to lose weight, it's a very common thing. They just want you tiny. You can't be a normal size. We should be celebrating people for who they are. Why do you have to be a curve model or very thin? 'It's really not something you can go through and feel OK about if you have this constant pressure. Leanne said she thought becoming a plus size model would be easier than dealing with the pressure of modeling The size eight model compared her modeling career to an abusive relationship, and said she was guilted into agreeing to losing more weight Leanne Maskell, originally from Coventry, started modelling aged 13. At 26, she's spent half her life in the industry. With more than a decade's experience, she's appeared in Vogue and i-D magazine and modelled for Asos, Nasty gal, Boohoo.com, Urban outfitters 'I was going to become a plus size model because I thought that would be so much easier than having 24 hours of 'what have you eaten, what do you weigh. what are your measurements'. 'Just pressure that infiltrates every part of your life, because modelling isn't just a job it's your whole identity.' When she was first asked to lose weight, Leanne pushed back, but quickly realised it wasn't a choice. 'I wish aged 18 I was able to say, "it's not my problem". I initially did say no, but the person who scouted me made me feel quite bad about it. I was on this trail I couldn't get off. Pressured into losing more weight, Leanne quickly developed an eating-disorder, like 68 percent of woman in the fashion industry Previously, Leanne spoke about how difficult it is to escape the industry once you've been sucked in. 'Modelling is like being on drugs: you have that constant craving to be approved by someone and when you're earning 7-an-hour, it's very hard to hear, "Tomorrow you can go to Mexico and be paid 10,000"' she told the The Times. She was also instructed to lose 5cm from her hips to land a shoot with a high fashion magazine. Leanne said she 'hated [her] life' during her modelling career, and was measured weekly and quizzed on what she ate daily Leanne shares shocking anecdotes from her modelling career in her Model Manifesto. She recalls a friend being offered 10,000 in exchange of sex 'It seemed great, but then I asked how much Id earn and was told, "These magazines often dont pay anything" I was, like, "OK, you want me to starve myself and work for free?.' Leanne began modelling as a teenager. After her parents divorced her mother moved her to Cyprus, and despite her objections signed her up to a modelling agency. She quickly got jobs, and balanced a career appearing on the pages of Vogue, with going to school and modelling lessons at the weekends. But constant pressure caused Leanne into a downward spiral of depression and eating disorders. She was among the 68 per cent in the fashion industry to suffer from an anxiety-related disorder. Leanne has spoken out about the dark side of the fashion industry, revealing her poor treatment caused her to spiral into a severe depression, anorexia and bulimia after she was told to lose weight After spending her teen years modelling, she gave it up when she got a place at Queen Mary's University in London to study Law. But she was quickly approached by a scout who asked her to visit an agency. Still a teenager and wearing a size 8, she met was agents but was told she would only be signed if she lost 3cm (1.2in) off her hips. She initially refused, but later took the job after an emotional call from the scout saying she would lose her job if she didn't sign up. After that, she was sent regular emails asking what she ate and had weekly measurements at the agency. Having now traded the catwalk for a legal firm, she's firmly out of the industry and has written a tell all guide for those starting out to avoid exploitation. She says modelling is like 'being on drugs' 'Obviously I became super anorexic and bulimic. I'd starve myself before being measured, then buy a box of chocolates on the way home' she told the publication. After four months, she lost the 3cm from her hips, but was then told she needed to lose another 2cm (three quarters of an inch) to keep getting jobs. She was assigned a personal trainer, and asked to pay for them - at 100 a session. 'Everyone around me was saying "you have the best job ever" but I hated my life' she continued. Leanne began modelling as a teenager. After her parents divorced her mother moved her to Cyprus, and despite her objections signed her up to a modelling agency Still a teenager and wearing a size 8, Leanne was told she could only join an agency if she lost 3cm (1.2in) off her hips. She initially refused, but later took the job after an emotional call from the scout saying she would lose her job if she didn't sign up Her manifesto, which she began writing after 'hitting rock bottom' details how models can avoid exploitation. She speaks about things like taxes. 'A lot of models assume it's already been taken out of their earnings and get a nasty shock when the bill arrives' she said. She also recalls stories of sexual exploitation models often face. In her first job, aged 13, she was laughed at after covering her chest by two male dressers who told her 'we're gay'. In another shocking story she reveals is how an 18-year-old friend was offered 10,000 for sex, and that any night of the week models can 'go clubbing with "rich men"' and get 'a free dinner and as much free alcohol and drugs as you like'. Leanne, who now vouches she will never return to modelling, was sent regular emails asking what she'd eaten Despite public perception, Leanne explains that '99 per cent of models aren't supermodels' and aren't paid well. In one story, she recalls being asked to model for a high fashion magazine and being told it doesn't pay. Leanne, still a teenager for the majority of her career, didn't speak out, for fear of being labelled 'difficult'. Now back in London, after years of travelling and living in Australia, she's determined to never return to modelling. A model who was repeatedly turned down for jobs because of a birthmark on the right side of her body has praised fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing for refusing to airbrush it out. Muriel Villera, 28, from Colombia, claims she was once told to use bleaching cream to get rid of the mark on her thigh. She added that she got sick of seeing images of herself with perfect skin when the reality couldn't be further from the truth. But the swimwear model has praised British retailer PLT after the brand refused to photoshop it out in her latest shoot. Muriel Villera, 28, from Colombia, has praised fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing for refusing to airbrush out a birthmark on her right thigh The Manchester-based company claims it has stopped editing out all stretch marks, birth marks and other scars from its site. Muriel said: 'I've had the pleasure of working in the modeling industry for about 10 years now and throughout that time I've lost countless jobs due to my birthmark. 'My agents would ask me to buy any sort of make-up or bleaching creams to "fix" it. 'Booking a swimsuit job wasn't the easiest and when it did happen, my birthmark would be completely edited out. Stunning Muriel, who claims she was once told to use bleaching cream to get rid of the mark on her thigh, uploaded a shot from her PLT swimwear shoot to Instagram The Columbian model said working with PLT has given her 'hope' for the future of modelling due to the fact her birthmark wasn't edited out of the final shots 'Don't get me wrong, I know it covers a lot of the right side of my body, but it's mine and it took me years to love it because the industry made me feel like it was such a curse. 'Working with brands like PLT has given me hope, though, for the future of modelling and the mental health of those who work in the industry. 'We are enough and we are more than those jobs we don't get. I'm so happy I've found wonderful clients who just want to add to my magic and not change me one bit.' Muriel uploaded a shot from her PLT swimwear shoot to Instagram, describing it as 'a dream'. Muriel described the entire shoot as 'a dream', adding: 'The fact that my birthmark wasn't photoshopped out of any of the images just made it 10,000,000 times more incredible' She told her 98,000 followers: 'This entire shoot was a dream, but the fact that my birthmark wasn't photoshopped out of any of the images just made it 10,000,000 times more incredible! 'Embrace everything about yourself. It's kinda magical when you do - thanks @prettylittlething.' The retailer has been praised recently for its inclusivity, showing clothes on both plus-sized and smaller women. The retailer has been praised recently for its inclusivity, showing clothes on both plus-sized and smaller women and refraining from editing out stretch marks or body markings on its models After campaigns with celebrities like Ashley Graham and Hailey Baldwin last year, the brand announced it was to begin selling clothes in a UK size 28, using the hashtag EverybodyInPLT. A spokesperson for the brand said: 'We're aware that our customers want to see real women, hence our decision to not airbrush any stretch marks, birthmarks or body markings on any of our models. 'Our CEO, Umar Kamani, recently described PLT as 'a girl's best friend' and this decision is a step in the right direction for us to promote being comfortable with the body you're in.' The Queen of the Netherlands looked radiant on the second day of her two-day trip to Ethiopia. Maxima, 47, donned a stylist yet simple beige dress for an United Nations conference in Addis Ababa where she met with development partners. She wore the outfit with a pair of black heels and and completed the look with statement dangling earrings. Maxima is nearing the end of her two-day trip to the East African country. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands (pictured), 47, beamed in a stylish dress as she made her way to an United Nations conference on development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Maxima met with the representatives at the UN conference in Addis Ababa (pictured). She's the the UN's Secretary-Generals Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development since 2009 Maxima looked focused as she spoke during the conference, held in Addis Ababa earlier this morning (pictured) Queen Maxima visited Ethiopia in December 2013 on behalf on the UN and at this years World Economic Forum in Davos she met with Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed. The royal has been the UN Secretary Generals Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development since 2009. In this role she advises the Secretary General and works worldwide to promote safe and affordable access to financial services for all. The royal arrived in East Africa yesterday, sporting black trousers with a matching blazer that had gold buttons on the front paired with flat black shoes. Beaming. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked in high spirits on the second day of her Ethiopia tour (pictured) Queen Maxima speaks during an United Nations conference in Addis Ababa during her two-day trip to Ethiopia Her blonde locks were pulled into a ponytail. The royal's first stop yesterday was a visit to a UN office where Maxima, spoke with partners and private sector representatives. She looked relaxed as she spoke and laughed with the representatives Her trip also includes meeting with Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance, Dr Getahun Mekuria, Minister of Innovation and Technology, and Dr Yinager Dessie, Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia. Maxima shakes hands with one of the United Nations' conference attendees on the morning of 14 May Queen Maxima listening carefully as Vera Songwe, (right) the executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) speaks during a conference ion Addis Aaba The mother-of-three was also scheduled to meet with the President of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, and Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed. In late 2017 Ethiopia launched a national strategy aimed at improving access to financial services for its citizens. Currently around 65 per cent of the adult population do not have access to financial services such as a bank or savings account, insurance, a loan or digital payment methods, reports the Global Findex 2017. The royal opted for a pair of sensible and comfortable shoes on her first day in Ethiopia yesterday (pictured) Ethiopia is a member of the United Nations Economical Commission for Africa, which aims 'to promote the economic and social development of its members, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development.' according to its mission statement. It has been a busy week for Queen Maxima and on Friday she was seen celebrating April Fair with her family in Seville, Spain. Maxima, who is often seen in bold outfits opted for a purple and pink look with her blonde hair pulled back and bright flowers in her hair. Nicola Kime, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, pictured today, was a schoolgirl when she was first abused by her father, Michael Evans A mother has revealed how she was abused by her paedophile father as a child. Nicola Kime, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, was just seven years old and had recently lost her mother to cancer when she was first abused by her father, Michael Evans, now 65. His five-year reign of terror came to an end in 1988 when he was arrested and charged with a string of offences. However Evans, formerly known as Kime, failed to appear in court and evaded authorities for more than 20 years until he was found by police in Kent in 2013. It emerged Evans, who had changed his name by deed poll, was living with a woman named Susan, with whom he had fled Grantham in 1988. She had herself been reported missing after walking out on her husband without explanation. Nicola, a 44-year-old mother of three, is now sharing her story after coming to the realisation that the abuse she suffered was not her fault. She said: 'Not only did Dad take away my childhood, he has stolen most of my life. 'For years, I was afraid of my own shadow, terrified that Dad would hunt me down. I'm so pleased that he's faced justice now. It was worth the wait.' Nicola was eight years old when she lost her mother Ann, 33, to bowel cancer and moved in with Evans and his then girlfriend. Within weeks of Ann's death, Evans had started to abuse his daughter. Nicola recalled: 'One night, he crept into my room while I was sleeping. He forced my legs open and touched me. Afterwards, I felt sick and confused. Michael Evans, left, abused his daughter (right aged five) for five years until 1988 when he was arrested by police. Evans absconded and went on the run for 25 years before being caught 'From then on, Dad forced me to watch him masturbate. It was horrible but I accepted that this is what fathers did to their little girls.' She continued: 'One night when I was eight, he tried to rape me. He snuck into my room and tried to force my legs open. But I clamped my legs together so he couldn't hurt me. 'Thankfully he didn't penetrate me. But I was terrified of him. I felt sick. And refused to tell anyone about the abuse.' After five years of living in fear of her father, Nicola finally confided in a classmate. Nicola said: 'I asked her [the friend] how often her dad it to her. She looked so shocked and said that her dad had never done it to her. I felt confused. Dad had made it seem so normal. Evans started abusing his daughter within weeks of her mother Ann, 33, dying of cancer. Pictured, Evans (then Kime) with Ann and daughter Nicola, then one year old 'The next day, police and a social worker were waiting to speak to me at school, so she must have told someone. 'I revealed what happened and was taken to live with my mum's sister. I finally felt free.' Evans was arrested and charged with attempted rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child but failed to appear in court. Police launched a search for Evans but he could not be traced. Nicola told how her father's disappearance left her living in fear that he would find her. Nicola, pictured aged 14, a year after the abuse ended, told how she lived in fear that her father would track her down 'Whenever I went out, I thought I'd bump into him or that he might be watching me,' she said. 'I became too scared to leave the house. 'Despite police searches, he'd simply vanished. And as the years moved on, my hopes that he would be found died.' In 2013 Nicola was visited at home by two police officers who informed her Evans had been found. 'It had been over 25 years,' she said. 'I trembled and burst into tears.' It transpired Evans had fled Grantham with a woman named Susan, the wife of his then friend. The friend had reported his wife missing after she apparently vanished from the town in May 1988. It emerged Evans and Susan had gone on the run so he could avoid jail. Over the years Evans had assumed Susan's husband identity to help evade police. It was a routine police review of the missing person cold case that led officers to Susan. Nicola added: 'Dad had changed his last name by deed poll from Kime to Evans. I couldn't believe it. I'd given up all hope, I felt so overwhelmed.' In December 2014, Evans (formerly Kime), of Margate, Kent, appeared at Lincoln Crown Court. Now Nicola, pictured, a mother of three, is sharing her story after coming to the realisation that the abuse she suffered was not her fault Evans was found guilty of two charges of attempted rape, six counts of indecent assault of a girl under 14, two counts of indecency with a child and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at Lincoln Crown Court. He was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison. Nicola added: 'I'm so pleased Dad was jailed. His sentence has helped me to move forward with my life. 'And the fact that he ran from the police shows how scared he was. For years, I've felt like I've been running from my past. Now I've realised that I wasn't to blame.' A passionate advocate for body positivity is on a mission to challenge stigmas surrounding disability and body image by posting risque photos of herself online. Alex Dacy, 25, from Chicago, was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a progressive, genetic disease that causes muscle wasting and mobility problems. Under the name 'Wheelchair Rapunzel', Alex has become an online advocate for disabled-body positivity, often Instagramming 'risque' photos of herself in her underwear to break the stigmas, racking up 18,000 followers. Alex, who was only given two years to live when she was born, has also become an entrepreneur, creating merchandise that raises awareness for disabled bodies. Alex Dacy, 25, from Chicago, was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a progressive, genetic disease that causes muscle wasting and mobility problems Alex told Barcroft TV: 'There is a body positivity movement happening today and it's so important for people with disabilities to be represented in this movement. 'People with disabilities can feel sexy in their bodies and we do.' Alex was born with type 2 SMA, which meant she was never able to walk, and when she was first diagnosed, the doctors only gave her two years to live. Alex's mum, Jackie, said: 'I thought she had a dislocated hip or an orthopaedic problem the doctors told me it was no problem until she was finally diagnosed with SMA. 'We were shocked and didn't know what it meant, they only gave her so many years to live.' There are pictures of her posing in her underwear to nude shots with words such as 'sexy', 'strong' and 'beautiful' drawn on her body Alex has uploaded a range of photos on her profile, always receiving thousands of likes and a wave of positive comments Despite this terrifying prognosis, Alex fought to defy what her parents had been told. 'SMA is a very serious disease, but she did very well and continued to thrive without much complication,' explained Jackie. However, in Alex's teen years, she became very thin, to the point of almost needing a feeding tube. SMA affects the muscles that control the head and neck, which made pushing food down difficult. 'With my disease, you lose the ability to swallow, which meant I was not able to eat food. 'I learned a way around it my trick is adding tons of sauce to everything!' Alex said. Alex was born with type 2 SMA, which meant she was never able to walk, and when she was first diagnosed, the doctors only gave her two years to live Feeling inspired by advocacy led to Alex creating merchandise to raise awareness for disabled body image, and she gets support from her friends (pictured) This, along with other SMA-related problems, meant she wasn't always the positive woman you see on Instagram now. 'I haven't always been super confident about my body I have scoliosis so my body is twisted and my ribs protrude I have a different body to most people.' After noticing how little bodies such as hers are represented in the body positivity movement, Alex decided to put herself out there. 'I started Instagramming more formally about a year ago. 'I just love having the ability to advocate for everyone on a large scale like Instagram,' Alex said. She has uploaded a range of photos on her profile, always receiving thousands of likes and a wave of positive comments. Alex Dacy, who was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is pictured with her mother Jackie Dzimitowicz Under the name 'Wheelchair Rapunzel', Alex has become an online advocate for disabled-body positivity, often Instagramming 'risque' photos of herself in her underwear to break the stigmas There are pictures of her posing in her underwear to nude shots with words such as 'sexy', 'strong' and 'beautiful' drawn on her body. 'I post pictures that are more risque I recently posted a picture of me in a thong to exemplify that people with disabilities have booties that we want to show off. 'It got a lot of attention and most of it was positive and it paid off.' Feeling inspired by advocacy led to Alex creating merchandise to raise awareness for disabled body image. Her merchandise, which features the slogans, 'Love Your Genes' and 'Disabled Bodies Matter', aims to make people feel confident about their bodies. 'I'm not a designer by any means, so I had to learn everything myself. It's mainly me with the help of some friends. 'I sell t-shirts, hoodies and bracelets all sorts of really cool things.' Alex added. For Jackie, she feels immense pride in watching Alex work so hard to make others feel better about themselves. 'Alex makes me proud every day watching her happiness as those orders roll in and watching her face light up when her followers have something beautiful to say to her all those things are the joy in my life.' In December 2016, Spinraza became the first approved drug in the US to help treat SMA. Alex has been receiving this treatment with the hope of it stopping the progression of her disease. 'Thanks to Spinraza, I've felt a lot of improvements, particularly in arm strength which is a huge deal for someone with SMA,' she explained. The drug has given Alex hope that her quality of life won't decline as the disease progresses, allowing her to continue teaching people on the danger of stigmas surrounding disability. 'A huge misconception about my disability where do I begin? That people can't feel sexy or have romantic relationships. 'I've never really thought about my disability, I just always knew I have this thing, and if my friends have to drag me from my ankles to get from A to B then that is what we have got to do.' Prince William put on a smart display as he arrived for a meeting at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Tuesday to combat illegal wildlife trade. The Duke of Cambridge, 36, who arrived in a smart suit and red patterned tie, will speak at the first meeting of the United for Wildlife joint taskforce designed to combat the illegal trade in animals. The programme, run by The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, consists of seven conservation organisations uniting to prevent the trafficking of animals and sale of poaching products. William will close the meeting, chaired by former foreign secretary Lord Hague, after contributions from members of United for Wildlife taskforces for the financial and transport sectors. Prince William put on a smart display as he arrive for a meeting at the Royal Geographical Society in London to combat illegal wildlife trade Giving a heartfelt speech, William said: 'Three years ago, we started with just 12 members from the transport sector. Today there are more than 150 members across the transport and finance sectors; a transportation taskforce that spans the globe; and a financial taskforce that has quickly followed suit. 'Together, taskforce members have trained over fifty-five-thousand industry employees. And you have raised awareness of wildlife crime by painting our message on planes and helping campaigns around the world. 'You have supported 52 law investigations, 10 trafficker arrests and played a part in seizing half-a-million dollars worth of illegal animal products. 'Today has been incredibly reaffirming. And we should all feel proud that were starting to see an impact. 'The scale of what we are dealing with remains deeply worrying. In the last four months there have been nine significant seizures in South East Asian countries alone involving tonnes of pangolin scales, rhino horns and ivory. The Duke of Cambridge, 36, who arrived in a smart suit and red patterned tie, will speak at the first meeting of the United for Wildlife joint taskforce designed to combat the illegal trade in animals The Duke of Cambridge speaking at a United for Wildlife joint taskforce meeting at the Royal Geographical Society in London 'I have stood at meetings like this many times over the years, where we have all discussed how important we think it is to end the illegal wildlife trade, and all shared our fears for the future. 'But we must, we must ensure these words become action. We must start to see the people behind this evil crime behind bars.' The summit, which is the first time both groups have come together, will focus on the benefits of the two and share their successes. Since their formation, the taskforces have supported 52 investigations, helped in the arrest of 10 traffickers and assisted with more than 500,000 dollars (384,097) in seizures. The transport taskforce, formed in 2014, develops solutions to wildlife trafficking, such as increasing awareness, reporting and enforcement. In 2018 the financial taskforce was brought together to share resources and intelligence to prevent illegal income generated. The Duke of Cambridge and Iain Duncan Smith at a United for Wildlife joint taskforce meeting at the Royal Geographical Society i The Duke of Cambridge shakes hands with Iain Duncan Smith as arrives at a United for Wildlife joint taskforce meeting at the Royal Geographical Society in London In October, Barclays, HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland were among 30 global banks and financial institutions to back the project with a declaration not to knowingly facilitate the flow of money from the trade in poached animal products such as elephant tusks, rhino horn and pangolin scales. The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth up to 23 billion US dollars (18 billion) a year. The meeting is of the United for Wildlife taskforces for the financial and transport sector. It will be the first time the two groups have come together and will explore what more the 120 members can do to work together to combat illegal wildlife trade. While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could be forgiven for hiring extra help to get them through their first weeks as parents, but the couple have reportedly done the opposite and are relying on a 'scaled down' team. Prince Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, welcomed their first son, Archie Harrison, early on Monday morning of last week, and have been enjoying time as a family at their new home Frogmore Cottage on the Queen's Windsor estate. The couple have yet to hire a nanny, chef or a team of staff at their new family home, royal commentator Katie Nicholl has told Grazia magazine. Instead they have opted to have hands-on help from new-grandmother Doria Ragland, 62, who has been staying with the couple for the past few weeks. The source revealed her help with newborn Archie has been 'indispensable'. New grandmother Doria Ragland has proved 'indispensable' for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who reportedly have yet to hire a team of staff at Frogmore Cottage It's been a busy few weeks for the royals, with Harry breaking up his paternity leave with royal engagements. He visited The Hague just two days after the birth of his son, and plans to go to Italy next week to attend the Sentebale Polo Cup in aid of the charity he founded. There has been much speculation over whether or not Harry and Meghan would hire a nanny, with some suggesting they may opt for a less-traditional male nanny or even an American nanny later in the year. Meghan and Doria have a close relationship, with the grandmother staying with the royal couple for the past few weeks to help with the new arrival But it seems the couple are keen to be maintain normality away from the traditional royal upbringing, as it's been revealed they've yet to hire any outside help at Frogmore Cottage. A source told Nicholl: 'They don't yet have a nanny or a team of staff and there's no chef.' Cooking is known to be a passion of Meghan's, with recipes detailed on her lifestyle website The Tig long before she met Prince Harry. Meghan and Harry are taking a hands-on approach to parenting with the help of Meghan's mother Doria (pictured at the launch of Meghan's first solo royal project, Together Our Community cookbook It's believed the royal couple have yet to hire a chef, although Meghan is known to be a keen cook, having launched her own cookbook Her first royal solo project was to launch the Together Our Community cookbook in support of those impacted by Grenfell tower disaster. Doria, who is said to be very close to her daughter, flew over from her home in Los Angeles before the birth of her grandson, and has been staying with the family at their home ever since. She appears to have stepped into a 'super-grandmother' role, proving incredibly helpful to the first-time parents. The source revealed: 'Doria has been helping out, she has been indispensable.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are yet to hire a team of staff at Frogmore Cottage, having moved in shortly before Meghan gave birth in May The new grandmother was photographed with her daughter, son-in-law and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, as the monarch met Archie for the first time last Wednesday. According to royal watchers, the fact that Doria was given a special mention when Buckingham Palace officially announced the babys birth is also highly significant, an indication of the important part she is expected to play. The Duchesss mother, Doria Ragland, who is overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild, is with their Royal Highnesses at Frogmore Cottage, the announcement read. Doria is not expected to entirely abandon her life in LA, where she teaches yoga and has many friends (plus two much-loved dogs). Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are said to be finding Doria's help with new son Archie (pictured) indispensable However, a suite of rooms has been reserved for her at Frogmore Cottage, and sources say shell be a frequent visitor and a regular on the ten-hour flight to Heathrow. Doria's hands-on behaviour is in sharp contrast to Prince Harry's family, who have been wrapped up with royal commitments and are yet to meet the new baby. Several senior royals, including his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William, are due to meet Archie this week. Appearing on Good Morning America yesterday, royal commentator Omid Scobie said: 'Archie's first week at home with mum and dad was quiet, they wanted that personal space with their newborn. 'This week it's all about the visitors, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting tomorrow and the Prince of Wales visiting later this week.' Advertisement The Duchess of Cambridge spoke of how her code-breaker grandmother felt unable to tell her about the vital work she did at Bletchley Park before she died, as she told other veterans: You were so very important. Kate, 37, who was shown a new memorial of bricks containing the name of her grandmother and great-aunt when she visited the legendary Second World War headquarters today, said her said her granny - like so many others - had been so sworn to secrecy that she never felt able to tell us about what she did. The royal re-wore a 1,750 frock by A-list favourite Alessandra Rich for the outing to Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, this afternoon. She was on hand to view a special exhibition celebrating the role Bletchley Park codebreakers played in D-Day ahead of the 75th anniversary of the landings next month. Bletchley Park holds a special personal significance to the Duchess as her paternal grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, was among those who worked to decipher the secrets of the German Enigma machine at the site. Scroll down for videos The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant in a polka dot dress for the outing to Bletchley Park this afternoon, pictured Kate, 37, re-wore an 1,750 Alessandra Rich frock she donned for Prince Charles ' official 70th birthday portraits for the outing this afternoon The Duchess of Cambridge knelt down to receive a posy from a smartly-dressed little boy as she left the estate Bletchley Park holds a special personal significance to the Duchess, left today, as her grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, right, was among those who worked to decipher the secrets of the German Enigma machine at the site Crowds turned out to greet the Duchess of Cambridge with flags as she arrived for the visit to the wartime exhibition The dress, which is owned by a number of celebrities, flattered Kate's figure as she made her way inside the building Kate looked ready for spring in her flattering mid-length dress, which she previously wore for Prince Charles' official 70th birthday portraits last year. The frock features pretty white buttons and a vintage-inspired contrast collar and cuffs. Meeting four women who had worked as codebreakers, and are now in their 90s, she told them they must be so proud of their achievements, and shared her hopes that a new generation would celebrate them. It was a return visit for the Duchess, who went to Bletchley in 2014 to retrace the footsteps of her paternal grandmother, Valerie Glassborow and her twin sister Mary. The Duchess of Cambridge put an affectionate hand on Lawson Bischoff after he handed her a beautiful posy at the event Both Miss Glassborows worked as duty officers, employed as Foreign Office Civilians in the Cover Management Y section in 1944. They are known to have been formally employed by the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley and worked in Hut 16, now restored as Hut 6 and open to the public. Kate, who was wearing her late grandmothers brooch in honour of her memory, was shown their names carved into bricks alongside dozens of others on the new codebreakers wall. Meeting schoolchildren who were learning to code using enigma machines, she emphasised the lifesaving work of Bletchley staff during the war and encouraged them to learn more. The colours in the Duchess' bouquet contrasted beautifully with the blue and white of her designer frock At the time, they couldnt talk about it could they? she told year six pupils at Akeley Wood Primary School. My granny and her sister worked here. Its very cool. When she was alive sadly she could never talk about it. She was so sworn to secrecy that she never felt able to tell us. The Duchess also spent time with four women, who had worked at Bletchley at the same time as her relatives: Rena Stewart, who worked in Hut 3; Georgina Rose, a Teleprinter Operator and Morse Code Slip Reader in Block E; Elizabeth Diacon, a Teleprinter Room Supervisor, serving Hut 3, Hut 6 and Hut 8; and Audrey Mather, a Teleprinter Operator who was based in Block E. The Duchess of Cambridge smiled as she left Bletchley Park following the afternoon engagement today Kate's codebreaking family history at Bletchley Park The Duchess of Cambridge's grandmother Valerie Glassborow and her twin sister Mary were among the codebreakers stationed at the top secret base at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. The crack team, which also included famed British mathematician Alan Turing, of researchers and cryptographers was tasked with intercepting and interpreting enemy communication and breaking the German enigma code. Enigmas, which resembled large typewriters, were used by German air, naval and army forces to safely send messages throughout the Second World War. It used a complex series of rotors and lights to encrypt messages by swapping letters around via an ever-changing 'enigma code'. The code was eventually broken in 1941 by mathematicians at Bletchley - a feat that proved a crucial turning point in the war. Valerie Glassborow and her twin sister Mary worked in Hut 16 at Bletchley Park. She later married Peter Francis Middleton (pictured on their wedding day) and had four sons, Michael, Richard, Simon and Nicholas. Michael is the father of the Duchess of Cambridge Two women work in hut 6 at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, during the Second World War. Cryptographers deciphered top-secret military communiques between Hitler and his armed forces, which ultimately aided the victory of the Allied forces Then a young, unmarried woman, Valerie Glassborow worked in Hut 16 on the estate, which is no longer standing. Many of her colleagues were 'ordinary' middle-class women like herself, whose work, kept secret for almost half a century, helped change the course of the war. However very few went on to pursue a career in intelligence. Indeed of the 9,000 people who worked at Bletchley Park during World War II, just 600 women went on to join the fledgling GCHQ or other branches of the secret services. Among those to leave the service for a life of domesticity was Miss Glassborow, who married Peter Francis Middleton in 1946 in the village of Adel, Yorkshire. The couple went on to have four sons, Michael, Richard, Simon and Nicholas in quick succession. Michael, the eldest, is the father of the Duchess of Cambridge and is known to have been close to his mother. Miss Glassborow died in 2006, without ever speaking publicly of her wartime service. A black and white photo offering a look inside one of the huts on the Buckinghamshire estate. Among the roughly 9,000-strong workforce was Valerie Glassborow, the paternal grandmother of the Duchess of Cambridge Advertisement Mrs Mather told her: We havent got together like this before. We dont know each other even though we were here at the same time. The Duchess, referring to the element of secrecy, said: My grandmother, for my childhood, never spoke about her work. Are you able to share your stories now? Told yes, she added: I was just speaking to the children next door and they were saying this [codebreaking task] is really complicated. They have got a real appreciation of what you were doing. The Duchess of Cambridge was surprised with two bricks dedicated to her grandmother Valerie Glassborow and her great-aunt Mary Glassborow on the Codebreakers' Wall at Bletchley Park You were very important. Your families must be very proud. Its a real honour to meet you. Mrs Rose offered her congratulations on your beautiful family, to which Kate revealed that little Louis, one, was already running amok. Thank you so much. Louis is keeping us on our toes, she said. The Duchess of Cambridge waved to excited crowds as she made her way into the newly restored Teleprinter Building Schoolchildren were among those who were on hand to welcome Kate to Bletchley Park this afternoon, pictured I turned around the other day and he was at the top of the slide - I had no idea! Given four cuddly toys by the primary school codebreakers: a squirrel, fox, owl and rabbit for George, Charlotte, Louis and baby Archie, she said: They love wild animals. They will look after these. Following one of her favourite trends, Kate plumped for head-to-toe blue and paired the frock with a pair of 425 suede court shoes by Emmy London and a 450 navy Panama Purse by Smythson. She finished the look with her signature bouncy blow-dry and a pair of delicate pearl drop earrings. The Duchess of Cambridge has worn the polka dot number, pictured, once previously: for Prince Charles' official 70th birthday portraits last year. Meghan's former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer wore the frock to the royal wedding The dress is a favourite of celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker and Christie Brinkley and was notably seen on Meghan's friend and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer at the Sussexes' wedding in May last year. The Duchess of Cambridge is on hand to visit the immersive film and audio display, D-Day: Interception, Intelligence, Invasion, which celebrates the role played by codebreakers in the landings. Codebreakers fed crucial information to Allied forces in the days and weeks leading up to the largest sea invasion in history in 1944. The Duchess of Cambridge was typically elegant as she arrived at Bletchley, waving to well-wishers at the site Kate Middleton's unusual fashion accessory The Duchess of Cambridge has worn jeans and boots at recent events, such as last week in Wales. She donned two separate outfits, but kept her ankles covered Kate Middleton's ankle featured a small flesh coloured plaster today, although it's unclear where the injury came from Kate Middleton sported an unusual fashion accessory today a small flesh coloured plaster on the outside of her left ankle. Its unclear how long ago Kate suffered the flesh wound, as at recent events shes covered up in jeans and boots. The royal may have received an injury while tending to her garden ahead of the Chelsea Flower Show. Photographs released yesterday showed the hands-on Duchess of Cambridge amongst the weeds and plants helping to produce a plot for the annual gardening event. Kate, who is more commonly spotted in dresses and skirts, covered her ankles last week during a visit to Wales. She donned jeans and high heeled boots while touring the Caernarfon Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter Base and Wales Air Ambulance. Later she wore a more practical pair as she walked along a beach and helped with a local litter pick. Advertisement Kate wore the polka dot dress with a pair of blue suede heels and a navy leather clutch bag for the outing this afternoon The royal kept her jewellery simple, plumping for a pair of pearl drop earrings that complimented her ensemble Youngsters took out their phones to snap a picture of Kate as she made her way into the exhibition this afternoon The royal mother-of-three smiled broadly as she arrived for the engagement near Milton Keynes Young royal supporters gazed in admiration at the Duchess as she spent time speaking to them on her way into the exhibition The Duchess of Cambridge wore a subtly dark eye make-up look for the engagement this afternoon, as seen left and right The Duchess of Cambridge looks at bricks dedicated to her grandmother Valerie Glassborow and aunt Mary Glassborow who both worked at Bletchley Park, during a visit to view a special D- Day exhibition in the newly restored Teleprinter Building The Duchess of Cambridge uses a German Enigma machine and talks to students during her visit to Bletchley Park to view a D-Day Exhibition in Milton Keynes Kate Middleton got to grips with a German Enigma machine captured during WWII during her visit to Bletchley Park Elle Fanning responded to the criticism behind her placement on the Cannes Film Festival jury during a Q&A with the nine panelists. Last month it was announced the 21-year-old actress would join prominent members in the film industry including Italian director Alice Rohrwacher and Mexican director Alejandro G. Inarritu as the moderator on the jury for the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. This decision was met with some pushback from those who believed the actress was too young compared to older veterans in the industry. But on Tuesday, Fanning addressed the decision and explained her background in Hollywood. Part of the group: Elle Fanning touched down in Cannes, France, earlier this week for the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival, which started on Tuesday Among the best: The 21-year-old actress was chosen as one of the nine panelists to decide the winner for the film festival Backlash: But she faced criticism for being much younger than others on the panel Throwback: She joins Mexican director Alejandro G. Inarritu, who is the moderator, on the panel. The pair worked together in Babel when Fanning was much younger Defending herself: Fanning addressed the criticism by mentioning her years of work in the industry to get to be one of the nine jurists 'I definitely am young,' Fanning said, as reported by the New York Times. 'But I started acting very young as well. I've been on many movie sets and started off with one of the bestI feel proud to represent a young voice at this festival.' Fanning is the youngest person on the panel of nine people within the industry, but she is also justified in her statements about working with some of 'the best' in film. One of her earlier projects was with director Alejandro G. Inarritu, who is working as the moderator for the panel this year. He mentioned working with her on the set of Oscar-winning movie Babel alongside Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. 'That makes me old!' Inarritu reportedly joked at the beginning of the panel when mentioning working with Fanning when she was a child. One person online came to the defense of Fanning by also toting the young actress' achievements in the industry. 'I mean shes worked with everyone from Inarritu, Sofia Coppola (twice), Woody Allen, Mike Mills, and Sally Potter to Ben Affleck, JJ Abrams, David Fincher, and Nicholas Winding Refn. she just turned 21 years old. Thats incredible,' the fan wrote online. This defense comes after people mentioned Fanning's age multiple times and how much younger she was compared to the other eight panelists. Fanning's first role in film was in I Am Sam when she was just two years old at the time in filming. Exciting: On Tuesday, the panel met for a Q&A to kickoff the film festival. Fanning sat next to Yorgos Lanthimos, the Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite Supportive: People came to the defense of Fanning by mentioning her achievements at such a young age in the film industry Adorable: Fanning has been in the industry since she was a baby. Pictured is her in the movie The Door in the Floor in 2004 Chic: Prior to the Q&A, Fanning posed for pictures alongside the rest of the panelists Glam: Opting for a chic monochrome theme, Fanning put on a stylish display in a semi-sheer white shirt which had an intricate lace design and a black mesh bow Jury's out: Fanning is joined on the panel by Yorgos Lanthimos (left), Enki Bilal (second left), Alice Rohrwacher (third left), Maimouna N'Diaye (center), Pawel Pawlikowski (third right), Kelly Reichardt (second right) and Robin Campillo (right), while Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (center) will preside over the jury The jury includes Yorgos Lanthimos, Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite, and French graphic novelist Enki Bilal. Joining them for the 72nd edition of the festival is Pawel Pawlikowski, the Polish filmmaker and screenwriter named best director at Cannes last year for the impossible love story Cold War. Maimouna N'Diaye, who has directed documentaries and acted in films such as Otar Iosseliani's Chasing Butterflies will also sit on the panel, alongside two other female directors. Kelly Reichardt, whose film Wendy and Lucy starring Michelle Williams was a contender for Cannes' Un Certain Regard award in 2008, directed 2016's Certain Women. Italy's Alicia Rohrwacher won best screenplay at Cannes last year for her film Happy as Lazzaro, a satirical fable about a peasant family. French filmmaker Robin Campillo, who took Cannes by storm in 2017 with 120 BPM - Beats Per Minute, winning the Grand Prix for his movie about an AIDs activist, will complete the line-up. Cannes Film Festival started officially on May 14 and will go until the 25th. Earlier on Tuesday, Fanning made her debut for the event's Jury photocall. She wore a semi-sheer white shirt with lace detailing on the front and a black mesh bow. The shirt was paired with a black skirt that fell just below Fanning's knees. Fanning took pictures with the other panelists before they sat together for a Q&A to discuss their roles in the film festival for this year. An online clothing company is now selling tight denim swim briefs for men who can't bear to part with their jeans even when they hit the beach. Shinesty, which prides itself on offering 'outlandish' clothing, is offering the Daytona Dong Sarong 'Jeado' Swim Briefs, which have recently gone viral. While the teeny-tiny male bathing suit certainly looks like a pair of super cut-off jeans, though, they're not actually made with denim, and instead have a denim print on the front and back. Cool kids: Shinesty, which prides itself for offering 'outlandish' clothing, is offering the Daytona Dong Sarong 'Jeado' Swim Briefs Sexy? While the teeny-tiny male bathing suit certainly looks like a pair of super cut-off jeans, though, they're not actually made with denim Denim forever: The polyester-spandex blend swim briefs are selling for $39.99 The polyester-spandex blend swim briefs are selling for $39.99, and the brand has a healthy sense of humor about them. 'They say jorts are the above-ground pool of the shorts world. We'd be inclined to agree,' reads the description. 'Our denim print swim brief, also known as the Jeado, also known as the Daytona Dong Sarong is just like that, except it is the above-ground hot tub of the swim brief world... or something like that. 'It is like eating a bag of chips in church. Everyone looks over at you with disgust, but deep down they want some too. And if you're really risky you'll combine those last 2 sentences, eating a bag of chips in church while wearing this denim swimsuit. You'll probably get tossed out, but you'll look and taste good doing it.' What's more, the site recommends that they 'be paired with caterpillar-style mustaches for optimal results'. 'They say jorts are the above-ground pool of the shorts world. We'd be inclined to agree,' reads the description Blue jean babies: There are also two other color options with an acid wash effect 'It is like eating a bag of chips in church. Everyone looks over at you with disgust, but deep down they want some too,' says the brand The comical 'Jeado' was designed by a woman named Anna P. in Boulder, Colorad, who also designed several other denim swimsuits for the site including a black acid wash version of the 'Jeado'. 'This denim swim brief is the mall-rat older brother who shops at Hot Topic, drinks 32 oz Monsters and has snakebite piercings. Slipknot and Whitesnake, you've met your maker,' reads the description for the darker version. Finally, there's a light acid wash version which have the 'benefits of wearing jorts without all of the chafing that comes with it.' 'We were inspired to create these faux-denim swim briefs when we saw some country boy rocking out at a Florida Georgia Line concert, hammered off of Four Lokos in Daytona,' reads the page. 'The chap was wearing jorts that were way too short - borderline undies. As people flocked away, we knew he was onto something.' Intrigued shoppers may be excited to learn that the denim swimwear isn't just for men, either: The brand also offers also a denim-print bikini and a one-piece swimsuit for women. For the ladies! The brand also offers also a denim-print bikini and a one-piece swimsuit for women Makes a statement: The one-piece looks like a cut-down pair of denim overalls A bit of fun: The brand sells lots of funny and strange designs meant to grab attention Though this particular design isn't made out of real denim, a pair of jean 'panties' that went viral in March certainly are. Y/Project, which regularly makes headlines for its bizarre designs, is offering the 'Navy Denim Panties' as part of its latest collection via the e-retailer SSense. The totally legless, high-waisted jeans have the shape of granny panties or an adult diaper, and have unsurprisingly left shoppers scratching their heads. Each pair retails for $315, and as of now SSense only had them available in size X-Small though it's unclear if that was always the only size for sale, or if the other sizes sold out. Fashion fans really took notice of the item this week after SSense shared an image of them on Instagram. Another odd denim choice: Y/Project, which regularly makes headlines for its bizarre designs, began selling 'Navy Denim Panties' this spring Controversial: The totally legless, high-waisted jeans have the shape of granny panties or an adult diaper, and have unsurprisingly left shoppers scratching their heads Hmm... The website describes them as 'denim brief-style shorts in navy' with fading throughout, three-pocket styling, and belt-loops at the waistband The website describes them as 'denim brief-style shorts in navy' with fading throughout, three-pocket styling, belt-loops at the waistband, copper-tone hardware, and tonal stitching. Commenters, however, describe them as 'ugly as s***' and 'just horrible.' 'This def ain't it ladies,' wrote one commenter, while another wrote simply, 'Oh hell no.' 'This is the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life,' wrote yet another. They were also described as an 'adult denim diaper,' a 'glorified adult diaper,' and 'awful.' The 'panties' were actually first seen at the brand's Spring/Summer runway show at Paris Fashion Week last fall, but it's taken some time for the greater population to notice. What have American women done to deserve new laws which remove their right to decide whats best for their own bodies? The heartbeat bill passed in Georgia last week makes it illegal to have an abortion after 6 weeks (the time doctors say they can detect life in the womb) and will become law next January. Alabama just voted to ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest. This year, restrictions on abortion have been voted into law in sixteen US states including Ohio, Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa and North Dakota. These reactionary laws drive poor and very young women underground (not the middle classes, who can afford to travel), to illegal local abortionists, who can endanger their lives and potentially ruin their chances of ever having kids when the time is right. I feel so strongly about this, because - as a seventeen year old teenager in London - I was stupid enough to get pregnant by a long-standing boyfriend, at a time when it was almost impossible to get an abortion without telling your parents, seeing a doctor and a psychiatrist. Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp, center, signs legislation, Tuesday, May 7, in Atlanta, banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected These reactionary laws drive poor and very young women underground (not the middle classes, who can afford to travel), to illegal local abortionists, who can endanger their lives and potentially ruin their chances of ever having kids when the time is right. Pictured, Janet-Street Porter in her early teenage years Contraception wasnt easily available, and I had exams to sit a few weeks away. There was no way I could tell my mother, our relationship wasnt that close. I panicked, went to clubs and bought drugs which were supposed to precipitate a miscarriage - all they did was make me sick. Eventually, through a friend, I got the phone number of a woman in north London who performed illegal abortions for 25. I took the money out of my savings and arranged to visit late one afternoon when my parents had gone away for a long weekend and I had the day off school. I will never forget the long walk from the train station to a run-down building by a parade of shops. I rang a bell, went upstairs, handed over the money. I was told to take off my knickers and lie down on a kitchen table in a run down apartment. I was quaking with fear. The actress and #MeToo activist Alyssa Milano wants women to go on a sex strike in protest I wont go into detail about the next ten minutes but it was horribly painful. I remember the woman wore a dirty apron and rubber washing up gloves. I staggered back to the station and the journey home passed in a blur. I had confided in one friend, who came around to my house, but couldnt do much to help as I spent much of the next twenty four hours in the bathroom, bleeding profusely, with terrible stomach cramps. Amazingly, my health was not damaged. A couple of years later, I had another abortion, this time in a private clinic, performed by qualified doctors. After that, I always made sure I had contraception and refused to have sex without a condom. My experiences took place over fifty years ago, and yet women in Northern Ireland still face the same ordeal. Unlike the UK, where abortion is legal up to 24 weeks, and later if there is are health risks to mother or unborn child, Northern Ireland is still a country in the dark ages, a place where - incredibly- the life-changing ordeal of rape or incest are not circumstances which automatically entitle women to qualify for an abortion. Bette Midler has also offered her support for the sex strike protest. The television star Jameela Jamil tweeted her own experience- I had an abortion when I was young and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didnt want and wasnt ready for emotionally, psychologically and financially Terminations can only be performed when there is a serious risk to the mothers life, or her mental health. The High Court in Belfast has ruled this is incompatible with human rights legislation, but the law still stands. The British government - with a female Prime Minister who should know better - is shamed by its consistent refusal to hold these backward-thinking Ulster politicians to account. In the South, a vociferous pro-abortion campaign led to a referendum and a vote to change the law in May 2018. Northern Ireland and Malta remain the only EU countries refusing to allow women the right to choose what action to take if they find themselves pregnant. This means that the most vulnerable young women (most are aged between 20 and 24) have to leave home and friends and travel hundreds of miles, at a time when will be distraught and distressed. In 2017, over 900 girls crossed to England from Northern Ireland for terminations, the highest number for six years. If I had gone ahead with my pregnancy, I would have ruined my career, and limited my choices. What I did was right for me, a naive teenager with her whole life lying ahead. Pictured: Janet Street-Porter pictured in the 1960s In March 2018, the British government set up a hotline to make it easier for women from Ulster to make an appointment through the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and have a termination in England. In three months, 342 did so. One girl was just 12 years old. My journey to the female abortionist in a shabby flat in North London in the 1960s was bad enough, but its depressing to consider that over half a century later, a pre-teen schoolgirl is forced to travel across the Irish Sea to another country to have a procedure any decent doctor should have authorised without a second thought. The new law in Georgia has caused outrage in the USA. A letter signed by over 50 actors and performers calls for a boycott of the state and says productions should be moved elsewhere. The actress and #MeToo activist Alyssa Milano wants women to go on a sex strike in protest and Bette Midler has offered her support. The television star Jameela Jamil tweeted her own experience- I had an abortion when I was young and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didnt want and wasnt ready for emotionally, psychologically and financially. I would not have used the word best because theres nothing positive about having an abortion. I blamed myself for being stupid and still do. But if I had gone ahead with my pregnancy, I would have ruined my career, and limited my choices. What I did was right for me, a naive teenager with her whole life lying ahead. In the modern world, all women should be able to choose for themselves - thats a basic human right, which should not be determined by which US state or which bit of the UK you have the misfortune to reside in. Forget a sex ban, women need to start attacking the female politicians who are traitors to the sisterhood by allowing these cruel and archaic laws to remain on the statute book. Theresa May, Im talking about you. If the price of your $6 Starbucks latte gives you heart palpitations, one Southern California coffee chain's fancy cup of joe might just kill you. Klatch Coffee Roasters, which has shops from Los Angeles to San Francisco, is currently selling a very exclusive brew for $75 cup. The shop is the only one in all of the US to sell Elita Geisha coffee, and even they only have a limited quantity: There are just 80 cups of the super-fancy beverage available. Not a budget drink, for sure! Klatch Coffee Roasters is the only coffee shop in the US to offer a coffee called Elida Geisha, which they're selling for $75 a cup The coffee was made at the Lamastus Family Estates in Boquete, Panama, with only 100lbs. produced. Last summer, it was auctioned off at the annual Best of Panama green coffee auction hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama. It sold to several buyers from around the world for $803 per pound, the highest per-pound price ever paid at the coffee auction. Klatch Coffee Roasters bought ten pounds and was the only US coffee shop to get any. Those with a coffee obsession and cash to spare can splash out $75 to try a cup of it before it's gone. A customer who did manage to taste it told KABC in Los Angeles that it's 'very smooth' and has 'good taste,' while another said it 'packs a punch.' Expensive! They bought 10lbs. of it at the annual Best of Panama green coffee auction. At $803 per pound, it was the highest per-pound price ever paid at the coffee auction Hyper exclusive! Klatch Coffee Roasters has just 80 cups worth, and its only available at its Los Angeles and San Francisco locations Klatch, meanwhile, explains on its website that it has floral and fruit flavors. 'Geisha is a rare variety of Arabica coffee that came to Panama from a research lab in Costa Rica but has its origins in Ethiopia,' the site reads. 'It is known for its floral, tea like and stone fruit flavors with Jasmine, Bergamot, Sugar Cane and Stone Fruit (peach or apricot) being common flavor notes. 'Natural describes the processing where the cherry is dried fruit on for many weeks, imparting mixed fruit notes like strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry.' And while the price is certainly sky-high, its possible there will soon be an even pricier cup: The next auction takes place from May 22 and May 25 and may turn out an even more expensive bean. Previously, Klatch had sold the Esmeralda Geisha, which it bought for $601 per pound. The 250 eight-ounce cups available went for $55 each. Doctors have released horrifying images of a girl whose skin was eaten away and left red raw after being bitten by a snake. The unidentified 11-year-old, from a rural part of Zambia, was originally nipped on the arm and went to local healers for 'traditional' remedies. She needed hospital treatment the next day when her left arm turned dark in colour and the 'throbbing' pain in her limb became worse, spreading to her chest. Concerned medics decided to transfer her to a city hospital 50miles (80km) away, although, for reasons unknown, it took her six days to get there. Doctors in Ndola, close to the Democratic Republic of Congo border, diagnosed her with necrotising fasciitis (NF) when she eventually arrived in a 'critical condition'. The unidentified 11-year-old, from a rural part of Zambia, was originally nipped on the arm and went to local healers for 'traditional' remedies (pictured 22 days after going to hospital, before having her wounds reconstructed) Medics who treated her saw a 'patchy brown' rash across her body, alongside 'foul-smelling' skin blisters and visible bite marks in her left forearm. They diagnosed it as NF and worked tirelessly to stop the flesh-eating bug from taking hold, amid fears it would kill her or leave her needing an amputation. NF, more commonly known as 'flesh-eating disease', is a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection. The girl needed skin grafts to 20 per cent of her body. As well as causing NF, the snakebite led to compartment syndrome restricted blood flow to certain bodily parts caused by swelling or bleeding. And she developed mediastinitis swelling in the area between the lungs. The doctors who treated her said it has a high mortality rate. Eventually she fully recovered, her wounds were grafted and she was discharged from hospital, the doctors wrote in SAGE Open Medical Case Reports. It took more than three weeks before she was able to have her wounds reconstructed through multiple skin grafts covering 20 per cent of her body that were attached to her body through a mesh structure (pictured five days after wound reconstruction) NECROTISING FASCIITIS: THE VICIOUS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA Necrotising fasciitis, more commonly known as 'flesh-eating disease', is a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection. 'Necrotising' refers to something that causes body tissue to die, and the infection can destroy skin, muscles and fat. The disease develops when the bacteria enters the body, often through a minor cut or scrape. As the bacteria multiply, they release toxins that kill tissue and cut off blood flow to the area. Because it is so virulent, the bacteria spreads rapidly throughout the body. Symptoms include small, red lumps or bumps on the skin, rapidly-spreading bruising, sweating, chills, fever and nausea. Organ failure and shock are also common complications. Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg. Patients may undergo skin grafts after the infection has cleared up, to help the healing process or for aesthetic reasons. There are 500 to 1,500 cases reported a year, but 20 to 25 percent of victims die. Advertisement Writing in the journal, Chihena Hansini Banda and Chandwa N'gambi, who treated the girl, claimed it is the first time a snakebite has caused mediastinitis, saying that 'no previous reports' have been published. The girl was bitten while playing at a farm. It is unsure what type of snake sunk its teeth into her, or whether she lived at the farm. The medics also did not reveal what kind of traditional medicine the girl was initially given but said it was applied directly to the wound. Medics chose to transfer her to the Arthur Davison Children's Hospital because they feared she had blood poisoning and needed specialist care. Banda and N'gambi described the girl as being 'ill-looking', with a high body temperature, an abnormally fast heart rate and rapid breathing. They decided to begin cutting away her damaged tissue and said she needed an operation to save her limbs from being lost called a fasciectomy. Medics then drained multiple pus-filled blisters in her arm, hand and chest before giving her painkillers and high-dose antibiotics. Her parents were told doctors may have to amputate if she did not show signs of recovery two days after the operation to cut away her rotting flesh. Defying the odds, she overcame her fever, her muscles recovered and only a few pockets of pus were found when they assessed her again. Surgeons removed damaged tissue every two days. However, she developed mediastinitis six days after originally entering hospital. It took more than three weeks before she was able to have her wounds reconstructed through multiple skin grafts covering 20 per cent of her body that were attached to her body through a mesh structure. Children are less likely to smoke now that shops have been banned from displaying cigarettes, research suggests. A study found the number of 11 to 16-year-olds taking up the habit fell by 35 per cent after the ban was phased in across the UK between 2012 and 2015. With shops being forced to store cigarettes out of sight, youngsters are also less aware of different tobacco brands and more likely to find smoking unacceptable. Nearly three quarters of children (72 per cent) now say they don't even notice whether cigarettes are on sale behind the counter. Experts believe 'out of sight, out of mind' stops 'Big Tobacco luring the next generation of smokers into the deadly habit'. Children are less likely to smoke now that shops are banned from displaying cigarettes (stock) The research was carried out by the University of Stirling and led by Dr Allison Ford, a research fellow in the Institute for Social Marketing. 'This is the first study to show the impacts of a tobacco point-of-sale display ban on young people across the UK before, during and after implementation,' Dr Ford said. 'Our work confirms placing tobacco out of sight helps safeguard young people. Our findings help to justify this policy approach in the UK and elsewhere. 'Both partial and full implementation of the display ban were followed by statistically significant reductions in youth smoking susceptibility and noticing cigarettes at point-of-sale.' Smoking is on the decline in the UK with just one in six adults now regularly lighting up and 680,000 giving up the habit completely in 2016. The proportion of adults who were smokers dropped from 19.9 per cent in 2010 to just 15.5 per cent in 2016 in England alone, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. And this decline is occurring across all ages, with the largest fall in 18 to 24-year-olds. Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, claims the UK has the second lowest smoking rate in Europe after Sweden, which he said proves tobacco-control policies are working. Since the 'highly effective' public smoking ban was introduced in 2007, the Government has also raised the tax of cheap tobacco, enforced minimum-sized health warnings on cigarette packaging and phased out packs that contain just ten cigarettes, all in an effort to encourage people to ditch the habit. To uncover how banning cigarette displays has influenced smoking rates, the researchers interviewed 3,791 young people - including 2,953 who had never smoked - before, during and after the policy was implemented. Results - published in the British Medical Journal's Tobacco Control - revealed the number of the participants who smoked before the ban fell from 28 per cent to 23 per cent midway through its phasing in. This then decreased again to 18 per cent after the ban was established. Some 81 per cent of the youngsters noticed cigarettes were displayed by tills before the ban, which went down to just 28 per cent after. And cigarette brand awareness also fell, with the average number youngsters were able to name dropping from 0.97 to 0.69. The researchers also quizzed the children about their perception of tobacco throughout the introduction of the regulations. 'We also found young never-smokers' support for a display ban was very high,' Dr Ford said. 'For example, post-ban, 90 per cent of never smokers aged 11 to 16 years supported the display ban while 77 per cent indicated it made cigarettes seem unappealing and 87 per cent that it made smoking seem unacceptable.' Kruti Shrotri, tobacco control manager at Cancer Research UK, which sponsored the study, said: 'Glitzy displays and glamorous packaging helped the tobacco industry lure the next generation of smokers into taking up a deadly addiction. 'But contrary to 'Big Tobacco's' belief that banning displays would make no difference, this study shows by putting cigarettes out of sight and out of mind far fewer youngsters are taking up the deathly habit.' Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, added: 'Banning the display of tobacco products at point-of-sale has worked and it's fabulous more young people are now turning their backs on smoking, literally saving thousands of lives.' The NHS lost around 212million last year to people who wrongly claimed their prescriptions or dental work for free. Fines sent to patients who should have paid for their medicines totalled 126million in 2018-19, a 10-fold increase from 12million four years earlier. The Government's National Audit Office, which published the figures, said the NHS is losing money in part because its prescribing system is too complicated. And the Royal Pharmaceutical Society added it would be simpler if prescriptions were free for everyone. Almost a third of patient fines (30 per cent) were found to have been sent in error but the NHS is still owed 246million by people who haven't paid up since 2014. There has been a 'significant' increase in the number of penalty charges sent to people who are thought to have claimed prescriptions for free without a genuine reason (stock image) The NAO report said there has been a 'significant' increase in the number of checks the NHS has to run on people claiming they are entitled to free medicine. On top of the 126m lost because of prescription charges not paid, 72m was lost to dental treatments up from 38m. Although the system claims to have reduced prescription fraud by 49m per year between 2012 and 2017, sending out the fines last year cost 11.2m. Between September 2014 and March 2019, more than 114,000 people were sent five or more penalty charges but only one was ever taken to court. As well as people defrauding the health service to get medicine for free, there are widespread concerns a 'confusing' system is leading people to break the rules by accident. The NAO said in a release: 'Rules around entitlement are overly complicated leading to genuine mistakes and confusion for many people'. More than one in three people (36 per cent) sent a penalty charge notice since 2014 have not paid it even though they should have. Only one in five fines adding up to 133m out of a total 676m have actually been paid during that time. Others should never have been sent in the first place or the patient has been let off or just ignored the fine. 'It would be much simpler to have free prescriptions for everyone, as is the case in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,' said Sandra Gidley, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England. WHO CAN GET FREE PRESCRIPTIONS IN ENGLAND? The NHS offers free prescriptions only to certain groups of people in England the standard charge for a single dispensation is 9. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland medicines are free for everybody. In England the following people can get prescriptions for free if they have an exemption certificate: Over-60s Under-16s 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education Pregnant women or mothers with babies up to a year old Hospital inpatients People on various benefits, including income support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Universal Credit or Child Tax Credits Those with a constant physical disability which means they cannot go out alone Cancer patients People with diabetes People with other long-term conditions including myoxedema, myasthenia gravis and Addison's disease To find out more about eligibility or to apply for an exemption certificate visit the NHS Business Services Authority website Source: NHS Advertisement 'Then no-one would have to worry about filling out a form of declaration. They would always have the medicines required, without having to make payment decisions. 'It would also enable the [money spent on] issuing and monitoring penalty charge notices to be spent on patient care.' As well as fraud by people trying to avoid paying for their medication, many of the fines are issued to patients who haven't used the exemption process correctly. This, according to Labour MP Meg Hillier, is a sign the NHS procedure for qualifying for accessing free prescriptions doesn't working well. 'It is right that the NHS tackles prescription and dental fraud,' she said. 'But the NAOs report makes for concerning reading; the rules around entitlement are complicated, leading to confusion and genuine mistakes. 'Almost of a third of prescription and dental penalty charges issued to patients were later revoked, because they had a valid exemption. 'This is not a system that is working as it should. 'The NHS must take urgent steps if it is to avoid causing unnecessary distress to patients, tripped up by an overly complex system, who end up facing large penalty charges.' Ms Hillier's sentiments were echoed by the Prescription Charges Coalition. 'The fact that 30 per cent of penalty charge notices are wrongfully given because of the confusing system confirms that it is excessively complex, out of date and a waste of money,' said the PCC's chairman, Lloyd Tingley. 'People with all long term health conditions should be made exempt from paying the charge, which would reduce the figures of deviant prescription charge notices and make a more effective and fair system. 'Research shows that scrapping charges for just two conditions, Parkinsons and inflammatory bowel disease, could save the NHS over 20m every year by reducing unnecessary GP visits and hospital admissions caused by people not collecting all the medication theyve been prescribed, because they simply cant afford it.' There are around 1.1billion prescriptions filled out by the NHS every year, and around 89 per cent of them are claimed for free. The NAO's audit also included dental work, of which around 47 per cent is done for free for people who have or claim to have medical exemptions. People entitled to free prescriptions include over-60s, under-16s, people in full-time education, people on income support or Jobseeker's Allowance, those with certain permanent disabilities, and cancer patients. The fine for wrongly claiming a prescription for free can be up to 100 plus the cost of the prescription usually 9 and is sent by the NHS Business Services Authority. As well as those claiming free prescriptions because of a misunderstanding, millions of pounds may be being lost because of deliberate fraud. 'Something is clearly going wrong here, with so many cheating the system,' said John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance. 'The NHS has limited resources and money taken away through fraud is money that could be going towards medical treatment and emergency care. 'Either the rules need to be made clearer or enforced more harshly.' A spokesperson for NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) said: 'The NHS loses millions each year to fraud and error and the NHSBSA has recovered in excess of 86m since 2014 when we began administering the service. 'We continue to work with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. 'Together we agree the most appropriate action to take where patients repeatedly claim free prescriptions; or exemption from other NHS charges where they do not hold entitlement to the exemption claimed and refuse to change their behaviour. 'Trained staff investigate repeat offenders and where appropriate a file is submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) who will make the decision on whether the matter is progressed to court or not.' A mother has revealed how her baby boy was left fighting for his life after he was born at just 26 weeks. Elissa Keenan enjoyed a problem-free pregnancy until she felt a 'trickle' at 23 weeks on November 16 last year. The 39-year-old went to her local hospital on the Scottish Isle of Mull, where doctors urged her to make the four hour journey to the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow for specialist care. The next 48 hours were critical with Mrs Keenan and her husband Michael, 39, being faced with the heartbreaking decision of whether to resuscitate their baby if he arrived at 23 weeks - a week before the UK abortion limit. In the end, baby Oran was delivered at 26 weeks by C-section, weighing just 2lb 7oz on December 9 more than three months before his March 13 due date. Although well at first, things took a dramatic turn for the worse when the newborn's lungs collapsed three times in one month. Against all odds, Oran gradually grew stronger and the 'little lion man', as his mother calls him, was finally allowed home on March 29 after 110 days in hospital. Elissa Keenan has revealed how her baby boy Oran (pictured left together in the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow) was left fighting for his life after he was born at 26 weeks. He was doing well when he was born on December 9, however, things took a turn for the worse when his lungs collapsed on Christmas Day, forcing him to require oxygen (pictured right) Against all odds, Oran (pictured recently) gradually grew stronger and the 'little lion man', who still requires oxygen, was finally allowed home on March 29 after 110 days in hospital Mrs Keenan, who was already a mother-of-four, went to her local hospital the day after her waters broke. Doctors then advised she make the 126 mile trip to Glasgow. 'I was told the next 48 hours would be critical and given steroids to help develop the baby's lungs in case he arrived too early,' she said. 'I knew the best place for him was inside the womb, so I held on as best I could.' Once Mrs Keenan and her husband, who are parents to one-year-old Autumn and live with children from her previous marriage, arrived at the Princess Royal, they were told their baby's chance of survival if he arrived at 23 weeks. 'We decided if our baby - a boy - came out strong, then we'd ask them to do all they could,' she said. 'If he didn't, we wanted to be able to hold him and cuddle him properly, without wires and machines.' Despite the scare, doctors monitored her pregnancy over the next three weeks. The medics then thought the baby had a fair chance of surviving and Mrs Keenan opted to have a C-section. Oran initially appeared to be thriving and did not even require a ventilator to breathe despite being born so early. 'At first, Oran looked to be a miracle baby with all his key functions working well,' Mr Keenan wrote on the couple's JustGiving page, which is raising money for the Princess Royal. It was not until Christmas Day that Oran's breathing became laboured, with his lungs collapsing for the first time on New Year's Eve. 'We got a horrible call from the doctor saying Oran's lungs had collapsed,' Mrs Keenan said. 'He was put on an oscillator machine, which essentially held his lungs open to get him as much air as possible. He was also on oxygen, but it all looked very bleak.' While Mrs Keenan stayed at home with her other children, her husband, who works as a fish farmer, welcomed the new year with Oran while he fought for his life. Oran pulled through, but the terrifying episode was just the start of what his parents call an 'incredibly long month', during which time his lungs collapsed twice more. 'We were in the woods for so long,' Mrs Keenan said. 'All we wanted was for Oran to come home, but at every stage, we had huge setbacks and found ourselves back at the beginning. 'Just when it seemed like he was improving and we allowed ourselves to hope, something else would go wrong. 'We tried to hold on to the good days as best we could, though, to get us through the bad.' Oran (pictured left as a newborn with his mother) was born via C-section, weighing 2lb 7oz. His mother and father Michael Keenan were overjoyed to finally be taking him home ( seen right) After recovering from his first lung collapse, Oran then endured the ordeal twice more His parents (pictured with Oran as a newborn) admit the stress of caring for a sick baby and having to make the daily 126 mile journey to the children at home took its toll on their relationship. Mr Keenan claims there were times they 'took it out on each other' While Oran received emergency care, his parents faced a logistical nightmare. Mrs Keenan stayed in Glasgow to be with their newborn, while her husband caught the 5pm ferry home every night to look after the other children. 'Every night, I held my breath hoping nothing would happen while I was stuck on the island,' Mr Keenan said. The stress of having an ill newborn and a family to look after at home took its toll on their relationship. 'With everything going on, it was hard for Elissa and I to just be together,' Mr Keenan said. 'We did take it out on each other. There were times when we'd not like each other very much but we got through it because we love each other.' To help the couple out, Mrs Keenan's parents, Dan, 65, and Joyce Fenwick, 62, flew over from their home in Pennsylvania to look after their grandchildren. Mr Keenan's employer Scottish Sea Farms were also 'enormously supportive'. 'They told me not to worry about work and that they would take care of everything, so that I could just focus on getting my boy home,' he said. 'They even helped us find a nursery near the hospital for Autumn, so she could stay there with her mum while I was back in Mull with the older children. 'Still, the constant travelling between Glasgow and Mull took its toll. I know Elissa worried a lot about my mental state, as I had all that time alone on long drives to think about what was happening.' Oran (left) is now home with his one-year-old sister Autumn and Mrs Keenan's children from her previous marriage. His parents made the decision to resuscitate Oran (pictured right in intensive care) if he were to arrive at 23 weeks - a week before the UK abortion limit Through all the stress, Oran (pictured in hospital) started to grow stronger in February Through all the stress, Oran turned a corner in February and started to grow stronger. 'Before that, we'd been told there was a maximum amount of oxygen they could safely give to him, after which point there was nothing else they could do,' Mr Keenan said. 'Seeing him getting closer and closer to that number broke my heart. To know your son is getting closer to not surviving is awful. But when it started to go back down again, we were chuffed to bits. 'When I was back in Mull, Elissa would send me all these photos of his progress.' After 110 days, Oran was well enough to go home, just over two weeks after what should have been his due date. 'Autumn, when I had her, weighed 9lb 13oz, so I would joke when I was pregnant with Oran that he'd be a 10lb baby,' Mrs Keen said 'The day he came home, he was weighed and he was 10lb exactly. I brought home a 10 pounder after all.' Although still receiving oxygen, Oran is doing well and does not appear to have sustained any brain damage, which premature babies are at risk of. 'Oran is doing amazingly now,' Mrs Keenan said. 'Hopefully he'll keep getting better and better, until you'd never even know he'd had such a dramatic start to life. 'We call Oran our little lion man. He's just amazing.' Mrs Keenan (pictured with her son) made the decision to stay in Glasgow to be close to Oran Mr Keenan (pictured left with Oran in hospital) claims the Princess Royal staff kept him 'involved' when 'dads can be discounted'. Oran (right) does not appear to have suffered brain damage, despite being so premature, and is doing 'amazingly' well Keen to give back to the Princess Royal, Mr and Mrs Keenan are taking part in The Scottish Sea Farms Triathlon Festival later this month. The festival, which includes a number of events and live performances, has chosen the hospital as the charity for its triathlon. 'It would be our way of giving back to the people who went above and beyond,' Mr Keenan said. 'The machine we'd like to buy costs around 20,500 but we hope we can all come together to do something for the hospital. 'The hospital saved our son's life, and were so supportive. Dads can sometimes be discounted in these situations. 'I had so many people ask me, "How is Elissa doing?" without considering Oran is my son too, but the hospital never made me feel that way, and kept me involved every step of the way.' Donate here. An artist has revealed she sees days of the week as abstract images because of her rare condition. Sue Holmes, 63, of Eastbourne, East Sussex, has synaesthesia, which joins senses in an abnormal way, such as smelling sounds or tasting colour. She claims that she pictures Liquorice Allsorts when she thinks of Saturday and that Wednesday looks like a pile of blocks. Ms Holmes also retains memories with graphic accuracy, holding pictures in her head of past events as if they happened yesterday. She was just three when she first told her mother, Sheila, now in her 80s, of her unique way of seeing things. But it wasn't until she was 50 years old that the retired mother-of-two understood her condition, which she says boosts her creativity. At times it can leave Ms Holmes exhausted, as her brain never 'switches off', and it was difficult to learn things at school. Other famous synaesthetes include the late musician Jimmy Hendrix, actress Marilyn Monroe and popstars Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. There is no formal diagnosis for the condition, which is estimated to affect one in every 2,000 people, according to estimates. Sue Holmes, 63, pictured with her brother, has synaesthesia, often described as a neurological condition which joins senses in an abnormal way, such as smelling sounds or tasting colour Ms Holmes has a form known as spatial sequential synaesthesia, meaning she sees things like a day of the week or the time of the day not only as a picture, but as a vivid image in her mind's eye. Ms Holmes said it boosts her creativity, adding: 'I don't see what I see in 2D, 3D or even 4D. I see what I see in holographic and rich technicolour shapes' Ms Holmes, who retired two years ago, said painting relaxes her brain, which never switches off. Pictured, one of her pieces of artwork There is no formal diagnosis for the condition, which is estimated to affect one in every 2,000 people. The American Psychological Association estimates the condition is most common among artists, musicians and writers. Pictured, a painting by Ms Holmes Ms Holmes, pictured as a child, was just three when she first noticed her unique way of viewing things. But it wasn't until she was 50-years-old that she understood she had a condition Ms Holmes said: 'It's not an illness or something you need to treat, it's as much a part of me as your foot is a part of you. 'I've always had it and for a long time I didn't realise everyone else didn't have it too. 'When my mother was teaching me the days of the week, I quickly told her their corresponding colours. 'It wasn't until 50 years later I realised not many other people saw the world that way.' Ms Holmes has a form known as spatial sequential synaesthesia, meaning she sees things like a day of the week or the time of the day not only as a picture, but as a vivid image in her mind's eye. Ms Holmes, who used to work in the public sector until retirement two years ago, said: 'I see everything to do with time and space as a vision. I see the days of the week as a straight line and a year as a distorted loop to my right. WHAT IS SYNAESTHESIA? Synaesthesia is a condition which causes people to experience different senses at the same time. For example, the most common type of synaesthesia, colour-graphemic, causes those with the condition to associate words and numbers with colours. Across the world, one in every 5,000 people have synaesthesia, according to Boston University. But lexical-gustatory synaesthesia in which someone experiences a taste or smell when they read or hear a word is a rare form of the condition and affects less than one in 100,000 people. Experts believe the condition is caused by 'crossed wires' in the brain when signals intended for part of the brain interpreting a particular sense are also sent to something controlling another. This means a single stimulus can trigger multiple sensations at once. James Wannerton, the president of UK Synaesthesia Association said: 'Synaesthesia is caused by cross activation between two normally separate areas of the brain. 'An individual with synaesthesia has extra neural connections linking these separate areas. 'The stimulation of one sense causes an involuntary reaction in one or more of the other senses. 'Someone with synaesthesia may for example, hear colour or see sound.' Advertisement 'I see Monday as a small quarter inch olive green circular saw shape, standing on cream tiles in front of me. Tuesday is the same image and in the same position, but pale green and Wednesday is a little pile of blocks. 'Thursday and Friday are the same shape as Monday and Tuesday, with the former a silvery grey and the latter an indistinct blueish grey and green. 'Saturday is really beautiful. I see seven little Liquorice Allsorts sweets and Sunday is another circular shape, but this time, golden yellow.' Some synaesthetes see colours when they hear music and others experience taste when they see words. For people like Ms Holmes, letters, numbers, words and timelines, feel coloured in some way. There are an estimated 100 different types of the condition, which, according to the American Psychological Association, is most common among artists, musicians and writers - with famous synaesthetes including the painter David Hockney. Hit-maker Pharrell Williams, who also has it, like Ms Holmes sees it as a gift, which helps with his creativity. Believed to be a condition which means the brain processes things like numbers using several senses at once, often those who have it do not know they are synaesthetes for many years - until they realise other people experience things so differently. It wasn't until she was 50 that Ms Holmes, a divorcee, realised the way she viewed the world was so extraordinary. Another symptom of Ms Holme's particular form of the condition is having an unusually good autobiographical memory, which she finds a mixed blessing. While she can recall exactly where she was on, say, July 30 1966 - walking down the road with her friend, Marianne, and wearing a pink T shirt - she also has to live with vivid images of sad memories, including the death of her father Ted in 2012. Ms Holmes said: 'I would like to erase some of the visions that are upsetting, like my dad's last 48 hours and when I had a car crash at 21. Another symptom of Ms Holme's particular form of the condition is having an amazing autobiographical memory. She said she would like to erase some visions, such as her father (pictured), Ted's, last 48 hours before his death in 2012 Ms Holmes, pictured with her mother, Shelia, who is in her 80s, said: 'When my mother was teaching me the days of the week, I quickly told her their corresponding colours' Ms Holmes said although she finds her condition a gift and a blessing, it can be exhausting and school was difficult. Pictured in her home of Eastbourne Ms Holmes, pictured on the beach, said: 'If I think about the Universe, I see a globe shape suspended at my waist level and I see the Milky Way four inches below my right shoulder' 'It is exhausting living with synaesthesia because you never switch off,' she said. 'Even as a child, having quiet time was very important to me. I live alone and when I am in the house, I need silence, so I don't play music or the radio.' Ms Holmes also struggled at school as seeing data and facts visually was heavy going. She said: 'I was a bright child and did well at school, but my teachers would always say, "Susan must learn to remember facts," on my school report. 'You see, for me, if they put up a timeline of the Kings and Queens of England, it wasn't that I couldn't remember them, it was that it looked wrong to me. 'I would have such a strong vision of my own timeline that it was like having to learn everything twice, because I was being expected to learn someone else's timeline, too.' Despite its drawbacks, Ms Holmes said: 'Synaesthesia is part of me, and I can't imagine my life without it. 'Someone asked me recently if there was a pill you could take to get rid of it would you take it and I said no because it would erase what I see as a beautiful gift.' Describing her art work as 'abstract fluid,' Ms Holmes will be exhibiting with the Eastbourne-based Devonshire Collective group of artists later this year and says painting relaxes her brain. She said: 'As I watch the paint flowing, I do relax. I love seeing all those beautiful colours flow and even enjoy preparing the paints. 'I don't see what I see in 2D, 3D or even 4D. I see what I see in holographic and rich technicolour shapes. 'If I think about the Universe, I see a globe shape suspended at my waist level and I see the Milky Way four inches below my right shoulder.' You can view Ms Holme's art on her Instagram page. A mother has revealed how her premature baby defied the odds to survive after a rare condition killed his identical twin brother in the womb. Hannah Robertson, 26, was diagnosed with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) after she endured crippling back pain at 26 weeks pregnant. This occurs when abnormal blood vessel connections form in the twins' shared placenta, which prevents blood from flowing evenly between the babies. The day after she was diagnosed, a scan confirmed baby Felix's heart had stopped beating, while his twin Bowie was fighting for his life. Miss Robertson went into labour five days later, with Felix being delivered stillborn on June 11 last year and Bowie arriving one minute later weighing 1lb 12oz. A typical loaf of bread weighs 1lb 7oz. Bowie spent the next three months in intensive care where he battled kidney failure, pneumonia and sepsis before finally being strong enough to go home to Rosyth in Fife. Hannah Robertson has revealed how her premature baby Bowie (pictured left and right as a newborn weighing 1lb 12oz) defied the odds to survive after a rare condition killed his identical twin brother in the womb. Miss Robertson is also pictured left with her partner Kenny Moyes Miss Robertson discovered she was expecting twins during an early scan (pictured) on January 27. However, a later scan revealed one of the babies had died due to twin-twin transfusion syndrome, which occurs when blood does not flow evenly between the babies Speaking of her diagnosis, Miss Robertson, who is in a relationship with 33-year-old Kenny Moyes, said: 'I went in for that scan and just knew something was wrong. 'When I looked at the screen I couldn't see anything moving. There were about ten people in the room and it went so quiet. 'Then the doctor put his hand on my leg and I heard the words I never imagined I would hear, "I am so sorry but one of your babies' hearts has stopped beating". 'Any air I had breathed in was gone and I felt like I couldn't breathe anymore. I shot up from the bed. I needed to get out the room straight away. 'I just panicked and kept thinking "this cannot be happening". They took us into a counselling room and explained to me and my mum what had happened.' Doctors explained Felix had received too much blood, which caused him to develop hypertension and an enlarged bladder. This put a strain on his heart, causing it to stop beating. 'He was getting pumped with too much fluid and too much blood, and it was making his brain swell,' Miss Robertson said. 'His body was working too much, and he suffered heart failure and died. 'But Bowie was getting all the fluid taken away from him so he was going into kidney failure.' Miss Robertson, who attended the scan without Mr Moyes, then had to break the devastating news to her partner over the phone. 'He was screaming and kept asking "what?",' she said. 'He just couldn't understand what was happening.' Miss Robertson (pictured left while expecting) enjoyed a 'perfect' pregnancy until she developed crippling back pain at week 26. In the first 79 days of his life, Bowie (pictured left in intensive care) endured five blood transfusions, sepsis, pneumonia and near blindness The newborn is pictured wearing an eye mask after laser surgery to prevent him going blind Miss Robertson is pictured left holding Bowie for the first time when he was four days old and right with the healthy youngster, who is approaching his first birthday, at home Miss Robertson noticed her bump (pictured left) was uneven but thought the twins were both on one side. She now knows this was because all the amniotic fluid from Bowie's side had drained to his brother Felix. She calls Bowie (pictured together right recently) her 'starman' After discovering she was pregnant on December 28, 2017, an 'impatient' Miss Robertson booked an early private scan on January 27. This revealed two heartbeats, leaving the parents-to-be thrilled that they were expecting twins. 'I remember when we found out we were having identical twins, we were given a leaflet to read about TTTS but it never sounded alarming and I didn't have any of the symptoms,' Miss Robertson said. Apart from having a particularly large bump, which the mother-to-but put down to carrying twins, Miss Robertson enjoyed a 'perfect' pregnancy until week 26. And she underwent scans every two weeks to ensure both babies were healthy. But things took a turn for the worse when Miss Robertson, who has a history of sciatica, developed back pain. After a few days, she called her local hospital on June 3, and was told to rest and take painkillers. When she called again two days later, doctors told her to have a bath and fizzy drink, and ring back in an hour if things had not improved. By this time Miss Robertson was in tears from the pain and made her way to hospital. A scan then revealed her twins had TTTS. 'When the doctor told us it looked like our twins had TTTS, I completely broke down,' she said. 'I couldn't believe this was happening. 'My pregnancy had been perfect. I never felt healthier. I looked about nine months pregnant when I was only six months but I put it down to having twins. 'One side of my bump was fuller than the other but I thought both babies were sitting on one side.' Miss Robertson now knows this was because all the amniotic fluid from Bowie's side had drained to his brother Felix. Miss Robertson is pictured left meeting Bowie for the first time while he fought for his life. The youngster (pictured right recently) is now 'doing great' and 'meeting all his milestones' Bowie is pictured going swimming for the first time with his father Kenny Moyes Bowie was so tiny when he was born he could almost fit into his father's hand (pictured) After the diagnosis, the couple told themselves everything would be fine, with the twins just requiring laser surgery to treat their TTTS. Laser surgery seals shut the abnormal blood vessels, with surgeons then draining the excess fluid. 'I was never really aware both my babies could die,' Miss Robertson said. 'Even after the diagnosis, we thought I was going to go and get the laser surgery and everything would be fine. 'In that moment I was worrying about things like the fact I was still meant to be working full time.' However, the next morning, before Miss Robertson could be taken to surgery, Felix's heart had stopped beating. 'My mum asked if things might have been different if I'd been seen when I first called on June 3 and he said he didn't know,' Miss Robertson said. 'It's nobody's fault but since then we've been living with this big "what if" hanging over us.' Miss Robertson is pictured in hospital before her twins were delivered via C-section on June 11. She knew Felix died and hoped to continue her pregnancy to give Bowie the best chance The heartbroken parents were told Bowie's best chance of surviving was for Miss Robertson to continue with her pregnancy. The surgery didn't go ahead. Determined to carry Bowie to full term, she went into 'auto-pilot' and took comfort from knowing Felix was still with her. 'I was totally emotional with everything that was happening but I felt like at least I have got a bit longer with him,' Miss Robertson said. 'Now it was about doing everything possible for Bowie. I went into autopilot. I remember getting so angry with everyone and telling them '"we can be sad later". 'I wasn't forgetting about Felix but I needed everyone to remember I was still pregnant, I was still having a baby and I didn't want that experience to be tarnished with sadness. 'The doctor told me to stay healthy, to keep upbeat and positive and that was my plan. Looking back I don't know how I was going to manage it.' Mr Moyes (pictured with Bowie as a newborn) was thrilled when his son was born but was devastated when his partner broke the news over the phone that Felix had died in the womb Miss Robertson is pictured feeding her son during his three month stay in hospital The mother-to-be was discharged from hospital, but as she was packing her bag to head home, her waters broke. 'I remember thinking I had wet myself but when I went to the toilet I realised my waters had broken,' Miss Robertson said. 'I was terrified. I thought my waters breaking meant the baby was coming now. I was so scared. I thought I was going to die and I thought Bowie was going to die. 'I remember thinking "I just wanted a baby, why is this happening?". I managed to stay pregnant for five days.' In the early hours of June 10, Miss Robertson started to experience contractions and the twins were delivered via C-section the next morning. The new parents got to spend spend some time with Felix's body before meeting Bowie, who had been rushed to neonatal intensive care. 'It was both the worst day of my life and the best day of my life,' Miss Robertson said. 'I kept asking "are they okay?". I never acted like Felix was not alive. 'After they stitched me back up, they brought Felix to us and it was perfect. I'm so glad we got to do that. 'I wasn't sure if we were making the right decision but once I held that little boy I knew it was the best decision to meet him and hold him for as long as we could even if it wasn't how we ever imagined.' 'Then we went to meet Felix. He was so small, he could have fit in the palm of my hand. It was totally bittersweet. Every single happy situation was.' Miss Robertson (pictured with her newborn and partner) said Bowie's birth was 'bittersweet' Despite all he endured, Bowie gradually grew stronger and was eventually able to go home The parents are pictured doting on their son as he battled through his time in intensive care Over the next few months, the grieving couple organised a funeral for one of their sons while watching the other fight for his life. After 79 days in hospital, which included five blood transfusions, one unknown infection, sepsis, aspirated pneumonia and near blindness that required laser eye surgery, they took Bowie home on August 27, weighing 4lbs 5oz. The now 11-month-old has since gone from strength-to-strength and is meeting all his milestones. 'At first he was so tiny he looked like he was wearing a leather jacket because his skin was too big for his body,' Miss Robertson said. 'He's meeting all his milestones. He's doing great. We call him our Starman. 'He's a total character and he's got this strength he's had since birth. There's no telling him what to do, he tells us what to do. 'I have a feeling he is going to totally rule my life. He's even more precious than he would have been because of what he has survived.' And the couple are eager to tell Bowie about the twin he lost. 'There was a time I was so angry I thought let's hide everything away but now I want Felix to be involved in everything,' Miss Robertson said. 'At the end of the day, he was my firstborn.' Since the ordeal, Miss Robertson has been keen to raise awareness of TTTS . She was invited to share her sons' story with healthcare professionals and has since been asked to film the talk so it can be used for training sessions. 'If I had had more information, would that have changed the outcome?,' Miss Robertson said. 'We don't know but from now on there shouldn't be any more "what ifs". 'TTTS is rare and it is less likely to happen after 27 weeks however it does still happen. Just because we all live our lives thinking "that won't happen to us" doesn't mean that it won't. 'There's no cure for TTTS but if people noticed the symptoms earlier at least they would be able to say "we tried everything" and they wouldn't have to live with "what ifs".' A mother-of-three was left on death's doors battling 'raging' sepsis after having the contraceptive coil fitted. Linsey LeTubb, 38, from Gwent, South Wales, had the contraceptive coil fitted after the birth of her daughter in 2011. However, in 2016 she got a urinary tract infection [UTI] that didn't seem to go away, even with antibiotics. Then in the summer of 2018, when she experienced excruciating pain in her groin, Mrs LeTubb returned to her GP for more antibiotics. But two days later she was rushed to hospital when the pain became so intense she was unable to walk. Doctors diagnosed pelvic inflammatory disease and a seven centimetre abscess on her fallopian tube from the coil, which triggered sepsis. After ten days fighting the deadly immune response to an infection, her family was told that she would have died if she had not got to hospital sooner. Linsey LeTubb, 38, of Gwent, South Wales, was left on death's doors battling 'raging' sepsis after having the contraceptive coil fitted The mother-of-three was rushed to hospital when she suffered excruciating pain in her groin in summer 2018. Pictured, with her partner Ash, 32, Fin, eight, Hollie, seven, and Ty, 18, in May 2018, before the pains started The mother is now sharing her story to encourage others to warn others of the potential dangers of the contraception. The coil is an effective and safe contraceptive method that might come with some side effects, including heavier periods and pain. Although most experts agree the coil does not increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, the NHS also states there is a small risk of getting an infection in the 20 days after the coil has been fitted, which untreated could lead to a pelvic infection. CAN THE COIL CAUSE SEPSIS? The coil itself cannot directly cause sepsis. According to the NHS, there's a very small chance of getting a pelvic infection in the first 20 days after the IUD has been inserted. A nurse may check for any existing infections before an IUD is fitted, as inserting one may spread already present infection, such as an STI, or push up bacteria into the reproductive organs. Most experts now agree that having an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted does not increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease. Any potential risk is generally within the first three weeks after insertion, according to Mayo Clinic. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is caused by an infection developing in the female upper genital tract. This could potentially lead to sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body's response to an infection. Advertisement A nurse may check for infections before inserting the coil as it could spread an infection further, or push bacteria upwards into the reproductive organs. Sepsis, when the body attacks its own organs and tissues, can be triggered by an infection in any part of the body. Mrs LeTubb, a teaching assistant, decided to get the contraceptive coil as it was a long lasting, low maintenance form of contraception. It is not clear if she got the copper or plastic coil. She said: 'For the first few years, I was fine and didn't notice any problems, until three years ago when I started to get recurrent UTIs. 'But it was something that I dealt with, until I woke up one morning last summer with excruciating pain in my groin and just days later - when the pain was so bad I couldn't walk - I was rushed to hospital. 'When I was there they told me I had raging sepsis which had been caused by the coil, as the coil had caused me to get pelvic inflammatory disease and a seven centimetre abscess on my fallopian tube.' Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the female upper genital tract, including the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, which can cause abscesses to develop. Doctors diagnosed Mrs LeTubb with pelvic inflammatory disease [PID] and a seven centimetre abscess on her fallopian tube from the coil, which triggered sepsis. Pictured with her children a few years ago After ten days fighting the deadly condition, Mrs LeTubb's family, including husband, Ash, were told that she would have died if she had not got to hospital sooner It's normally caused by a bacterial infection spreading upwards from the vagina or cervix, with one in four cases caused by an untreated STI. Mrs LeTubb said: 'Unable to even lift my head, I lost control over my whole body and slipped in and out of consciousness.' A critical care team of nurses were on standby and observed Mrs LeTubb's response to a combination of four antibiotics and an IV drip. 'Scarily, my pelvic area and swollen so much that doctors were unable to remove the coil the evening I arrived.' On the second day in hospital, Mrs LeTubb had the coil removed. After being discharged, it took another two weeks for her to muster up the strength to walk again and she felt run down for months. She said: 'My family were told that if I had left it any longer I would have died, and while I was in hospital I felt like I was on deaths door. 'Hopefully by hearing about my story, it will encourage people to look into the complications - such as PID - of having the contraceptive device fitted before they do so.' While in hospital, Mrs LeTubb was barely able to lift her head. When she was discharged, it took two weeks to walk again. Pictured with her Mr LeTubb on their weeding day in May 2018 Mrs LeTubb, pictured with her daughter, Hollie, now seven, advises women to get tested for infections before having the coil fitted After years of feeling unwell and contracting multiple infections, Mrs LeTubb believes that the coil led to an influx of infections. She said: 'In hindsight, I had been uncomfortable since having the coil fitted - I went to the GP numerous times complaining of cramps, swelling in my stomach and UTIs. 'Although I had been prescribed antibiotics to kill the infection, they were targeting the lower tract rather that the upper tract.' After regaining full health, the mother is sharing her story to encourage other women to look into the complications of contraceptive methods. She said: 'When I was scanned for PID and they looked at the abscess on my fallopian tube the nurse told me that she often saw such things happen as a result of having the coil fitted. 'This is something that I didn't know about, as if I did I definitely wouldn't have had it fitted. 'I would advise women to make sure they get screened both before and after the coil is fitted. 'I would also push for clarity on when the coil should be removed and make sure you have a full understanding of the complications that it can cause.' Hundreds of thousands of patients with sub-clinical hypothyroidism are being prescribed a drug that offers no benefit, research suggests. The drug levothyroxine is offered to people with thyroid problems to treat symptoms such as depression, feeling cold, tired and having muscle aches. More than 32 million prescriptions for the hormone replacement drug were issued by NHS England last year, but experts have now said it is unnecessary for patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, and does not help relieve symptoms for these patients. A study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) concluded that 'almost all adults' with an sub-clinical hypothyroidism 'would not benefit from treatment with thyroid hormones'. Figures from NHS Digital show that more than 32 million prescriptions were issued in England in 2018 for levothyroxine. This is up from 20,426,378 in 2008 The thyroid gland makes a hormone which helps control energy levels and growth. Common symptoms of an sub-clinical hypothyroidism are fatigue, feeling cold, weight gain and depression. Current guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says the condition should be treated by taking levothyroxine, a daily hormone replacement tablet. Figures from NHS Digital show that more than 32 million prescriptions were issued for the drug in England in 2018, up from 20,426,378 in 2008. Once people are on the drugs, they usually have a blood test once a year to monitor their hormone levels. Experts behind the new BMJ review, including from hospitals and universities in Norway, Switzerland, Canada and Belgium, examined data on more than 2,000 people from 21 studies. They said that for adults with subclinical hypothyroidism, levothyroxine hormones 'consistently demonstrate no clinically relevant benefits for quality of life or thyroid-related symptoms, including depressive symptoms, fatigue and body mass index'. They recommended that the drug is unnecessary for these patients, and said their findings 'may substantially alter prescribing trends'. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said the evidence was 'powerful' but patients should not stop taking prescribed medication. 'Prescribing is a core skill for GPs and we will always aim to take into account the physical, psychological and social factors potentially affecting a patient before recommending any form of medication - as well as taking into account relevant clinical guidelines,' she said. 'Thyroid hormones are powerful drugs and GPs will only ever prescribe them if we think they are of genuine benefit to the person sitting in front of us, particularly as it usually means taking the tablets and being monitored in the long-term. 'If evidence shows that they are not going to be of benefit to our patients, it is important that we know this and that it is reflected in the clinical guidelines that inform our decision-making. 'The authors make a powerful case based on emerging evidence, and it is important that this new research is taken on board as clinical guidelines are updated and developed, in the best interests of our patients. 'It is also important that patients do not suddenly stop taking their thyroxine medication, but that they discuss this with their GP at their next routine medication review.' Stomach-churning footage has emerged showing surgeons removing more than 100 nails from a man's intestines. Doctors said Bhola Shankar, from Bundi in Rajasthan state, India, was lucky to be alive after gobbling down the two-inch spikes. At least 116 iron nails, which somehow did not pierce his stomach, were recovered from the 43-year-old's body. While he was in the hospital, doctors discovered the man had also been eating other pieces of metal including wires but could not explain how they ended up inside his body. Scroll down for video Surgeons had to remove more than 100 nails from a man's intestines after an X-ray (pictured) revealed the his unusual habit in Rajasthan, India At least 116 iron nails measuring around two-and-a-half inches long, which miraculously did not pierce his stomach, were recovered from the 43-year-old's body He was brought into the Bundi government hospital and deemed psychologically unwell after an X-ray revealed his unusual habit. The patient - who is thought to be schizophrenic - had reportedly kept it a secret from his family. Dr Anil Saini, who led a team of doctors as they conducted the operation, said it was the first case of its kind in Rajasthan. The team also shot a video of the operation, which showed nails being extracted from the intestine of the patient. He also revealed the patient had been swallowing wires and 'other sharp metal objects'. He added: 'The patient is not able to narrate how the nails ended up in his intestine. 'He is lucky the sharp objects did not puncture his organs or it could have proved fatal.' Bhola Shankar, who is believed to be schizophrenic, is recovering well after the lengthy operation The team of doctors filmed the gruesome procedure (left). They retrieved around 116 nails from his intestine (right) The patient's younger brother said he'd been taking medicine for mental illness for the last two and a half decades. Despite the lengthy operation, the patient was recovering well. In 2017, surgeons retrieved 639 nails from a schizophrenic man's intestines using a magnet. The 48-year-old patient, also from India, was brought into hospital after vomiting repeatedly and complaining about pain in his stomach. Doctors have been advised to cut their hours so they get a bigger pension triggering fears of a new NHS staffing crisis with unimaginable consequences. The British Medical Association has issued guidance for NHS consultants explaining how reducing their hours could lead to an increased pension under new tax rules. Critics said the way the tax system incentivises doctors to work less was complete lunacy and will increase staff shortages and waiting times. Trade union is advising consultants cut their hours to get a larger pension (stock) Senior doctors are being hit by a rule that has cut the tax-free pension allowance of those earning more than 110,000 a year from 40,000 to 10,000. If a doctor earns more than 110,000 any pension contribution they make above the 10,000 cap triggers a tax charge of 55 per cent. This means NHS staff who accidentally breach the cap can be hit with bills of tens of thousands of pounds. Doctors say that because they often work overtime it is more difficult for them to keep track of how close they are to breaking the 110,000 threshold. They also cannot put their overtime income towards their pension so by working extra hours they can bust their pension tax allowance, without making any savings for retirement. NHS GP SHORTAGE IS A 'DESPERATE SITUATION' Official figures showed in 2018 that 41 per cent of GPs around 10,000 doctors are 50 or over and are expected to quit within the next five to ten years. And 2.5 million patients are at risk of their local GP surgery closing because so many are relying on doctors who are close to retirement. At the same time, fewer young doctors are choosing to specialise as GPs and are opting for other career paths as surgeons or specialists. Many GPs are retiring in their 50s, moving abroad or leaving to work in the private sector, increasing the pressure on those who still work in the sector. Appointment waiting times are getting longer and more people are going to A&E for minor illnesses because they can't see a doctor. Despite an NHS a plan to recruit 5,000 extra GPs by 2021, numbers of family doctors are falling. And 762 GP practices across the UK could close within the next five years, according to the Royal College of Nursing. Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, told The Times: 'This is a desperate situation with potentially serious consequences for patients.' Advertisement The BMA said consultants had no option but to substantially reduce their hours or take early retirement, adding that this would inevitably have an impact on patients. They have now posted guidelines online showing how consultants can benefit from a larger pension if they cut their hours. One case study in the video slideshow reveals how a 40-year-old consultant could increase their annual pension by more than 5,000 if they halved their weekly workload. Consultants earn a basic salary of up to 105,042 a year, but hospitals rely on them working extra shifts to keep the NHS running. Tony Goldstone, a consultant radiologist at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals, told the Health Service Journal: This could trigger a workforce crisis of previously unseen proportions and with unimaginable consequences. A BMA survey of 4,000 consultants found 30 per cent planned to cut back hours and 60 per cent planned to retire early because of the issue. Dr Rob Harwood of the BMA said: Without urgent change to current tax and pensions rules, the NHS will see a significant workforce crisis as doctors act to reduce the work they do to avoid these punitive charges. Danny Mortimer of NHS Employers, which acts on behalf of the Government, said: Any suggestion that skilled senior clinicians are looking to reduce or end their NHS commitments should be cause for alarm. John Kell of the Patients Association said: The Treasury must sort this out as a matter of urgency. The Health Department said it recognised the implications of the annual allowance and its impact on NHS high earners and said it was talking to the Treasury about the issue. South Carolina has declared a statewide hepatitis outbreak after cases surged four-fold. Hepatitis A has seen a resurgence in recent years across the US. Between 2016 and 2018, there were 300 percent more cases than there had been in the previous three year period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week. In South Carolina, what began as a single county outbreak has spread to 19 jurisdictions, leading to 59 hospitalizations and even killing one person. South Carolina is not, in fact, among the nine US states that have seen hepatitis A increases of 500 percent or more - but it does have one of the highest rates of opioid prescriptions of any US states. And health officials blame the rise in hepatitis A on the opioid epidemic, which has fueled both dangerous needle sharing and homelessness. South Carolina has declared a statewide hepatitis A outbreak as cases reach 86 across 19 counties with outbreaks, marking a four-fold increases after last years expected number THE 2019 HEPATITIS A OUTBREAKS IN THE US The period from 2016 to 2018, there were nearly 300 percent more hepatitis A cases in the US than in the previous three years. Cases have spiked by 500 percent in nine states and Washington, DC, with some notable outbreaks making headlines. THE ARIZONA OUTBREAK In May, health officials confirmed the state's outbreak had reached 200 cases. Arizona hasn't seen so many cases in a decade. The outbreak is primarily centered around Tuscon, where it has spread among the city's homeless population. HUNDREDS OF FLORIDA STUDENTS EXPOSED TO HEPATITIS A AT PROM Students from at least two high schools in Spring Hill, Florida were exposed to the virus at their prom. An employee of the venue, Silverthorn Country Club, was diagnosed in the weeks following the schools' dances. None of the students have been diagnosed with the virus, though health officials are encouraging them to get vaccines in case. THE CHOCOLATE-COVERED MARSHMALLOW OUTBREAK Modjeskas, popular chocolate- or caramel-covered marshmallows made by Bauer's Candies were recalled across the US in January. The recall came after an employee working in one of its facilities was diagnosed with hepatitis B. No reports of infections among consumers have been made. Advertisement Meanwhile, in nine states - Hawaii, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee - plus Washington DC, hepatitis A cases have increased by 500 percent. Hepatitis A is an entirely preventable viral infection and usually works itself out of the system, but can turn serious or even fatal. Children are supposed to be vaccinated against it, but it is not clear how far beyond 10 years the shot lasts. Even so, its prevalence is generally so low that the liver infection isn't a concern to the population. But that security is less likely to apply to people living in unclean living conditions or misusing drugs. Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted from person-to-person when one person ingests the contaminated feces of another. Although the fecal-oral route is the typical pathway by which hepatitis A spreads, because the virus gets into the bloodstream, blood-to-blood contact or even fecal matter-to-blood contact can also allow transference of the disease. Either of these is most likely to happen when someone uses an unclean or second-hand needle to inject drugs like heroin or fentanyl. Where the opioid epidemic goes, hepatitis follows. In South Carolina, 15.5 out of every 100,000 deaths were due to opioid overdoses in 2017. The state is not actually in the upper echelon for opioid deaths - but it is for opioid prescriptions. In 2016, 79.3 prescriptions for opioid drugs were written for every 100,000 people in South Carolina. In 2015, it was a whopping 109 per 100,000, and both years, the state was in the top 10 for most opioid prescriptions doled out. Hepatitis A cases have come in the wake of opioid prescriptions. Typically, the state would expect to see about 19 cases a year, state epidemiologist, Dr Linda Bell, told Greenville News. In the past seven months, they've had 86 - over four times the number expected in 12 months. Since November 2018, 86 cases of hepatitis A have been reported in South Carolina - and so far each month has only come with an increase, 'We have met the definition of an outbreak in South Carolina based on an increase in the number of cases wed expect to see in a given time frame,' Dr Bell said. 'This also allows us to take some pro-active measures to prevent the ongoing spread.' Dr Bell and her office are pushing for improved hand-washing and vaccination to contain the disease's spread. 'Its important for us to educate people that this is an outbreak, but we are not seeing widespread transmission and we want to prevent that by making sure health care providers are aware of this increase...so they can look for cases and encourage hepatitis A vaccine for prevention,' she told Greenville News. 'If we can increase coverage as quickly as possible, then we can prevent a larger scale outbreak in South Carolina. And thats our goal.' A doctor's first year in residency is so intense that their DNA ages six times faster than usual, according to a new study. Researchers took DNA samples from 250 medical students who graduated from the University of Michigan, first before starting their intern year, then again 12 months later, along with a questionnaire. They were looking for a tell-tale sign of ageing: if the length of their telomeres - the caps on the end of chromosomes, which keep cells intact - had shrunk. As we age, our telomeres shrink and break down, leading to weariness. The new study found dramatic and rapid shortening of telomeres in all new residents. The longer the hours, the bigger the shrink. Meanwhile students in their first undergraduate year at the same school saw no changes to their DNA, despite having to adapt to a new environment and workload. Researchers took DNA samples from 250 medical students who graduated from the University of Michigan, first before starting their intern year, then 12 months later, and found a huge shift The findings hammer home the intensity of a doctor's first year out of school - and suggest DNA swabs could be used to monitor stress and burn-out in all professions. 'Research has implicated telomeres as an indicator of aging and disease risk,' said lead author Dr Srijan Sen, a neuroscientist and psychiatrist at the University of Michigan. 'But these longitudinal findings advance the possibility that telomere length can serve as a biomarker that tracks effects of stress, and helps us understand how stress gets 'under the skin' and increases our risk for disease.' Telomere length varied at the start of the study, a factor which the questionnaires helped to explain. Those with stressful home environments, for example, had shorter ones, as did grads who fit the description for 'neurotic'. But the only thing that influenced telomere shrinkage during their first year in residency was the amount of time they worked. The average work week was 64.5 hours, though many recorded working days far longer than 16 hours, which is the national limit, with some hitting 80 hours a week. 'We found that those who routinely worked that many hours had most telomere attrition,' Dr Sen said. 'Those whose hours were at the lower end of the range had less telomere attrition.' The findings form part of Dr Sen's larger project: The Intern Study, which is tracking intern's mood, sleep and lifestyle using phone apps. Burn-out is a growing issue in all industries, and fiercely in medicine. Dr Sen hopes to compile data on every aspect of work and health to begin mapping out the key issues and work on how to change them. In a previous study, Dr Sen showed how erratic shift patterns impacted physical and mental health, and he is now looking at how that affects telomeres. For now, he says, 'Residency directors should do as much as they can to keep their interns' work hours and work load towards the lower end of the current range.' And as new doctors prepare to graduate and head into their intern years, he advises them to focus on their mood, sleep and stress-relieving activities as much as they can. Articles dated 2 and 15 August claimed that Interpal, a charity supporting Palestinians, funded a 'hate festival' in which children acted out the murder of Jews. In fact, while Interpal donated to the festival, it did not fund or support the play and the Trustees of Interpal unequivocally condemned the activities the play depicted. It was not our intention to suggest that the Trustees promote or condone anti-Semitism or attacks on Jews. The 15 August article also referred to Interpal having been listed as a 'specially designated global terrorist organisation' by the United States. We are happy to make clear that this designation, which took place in 2003, has always been strongly contested by Interpal and its Trustees, and Interpal continues to operate lawfully within the aegis of the Charity Commission. The Trustees assure us, and we accept, that neither Interpal, nor its Trustees, have ever been involved in or provided support for terrorist activity of any kind. We apologise to the Trustees for any distress caused. To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@mailonline.co.uk. To make a formal complaint under IPSO rules please go to www.mailonline.co.uk/readerseditor where you will find an easy-to-use complaints form. You can also write to Readers' Editor, MailOnline, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk After he celebrated his 70th birthday last night, Non-Standard Finance (NSF) chief executive John van Kuffeler will be pitched straight back into the fight to win control of Provident Financial. NSF will formally have the more than 50 per cent of shares it needs for victory when the offer closes today. But that will leave another chunk of stock in minority hands, with many investors rightly unwilling to commit to a deal very dependent on regulatory approval from prudential regulator the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA). Takeover scrapDoorstep lender Provident Financial is being targeted by rival Non-Standard Finance The deal should be blocked by the CMA. Placing so much power over the most vulnerable borrowers in the hands of a Dads Army of NSF executives, and reducing choice, is in the interests of no one. There is plenty of evidence from NSFs breaches of company law, notably paying dividends out of reserves, to distrust its governance. If NSF ends up as a minority owner of the Provvy is there anything it could possibly do to persuade dissenters to get aboard? The best van Kuffeler could do is resign or announce a swift retirement date so that a fresh management team can take charge. Former HSBC and Co-op banker Niall Booker might be the answer. Whatever the outcome, NSF and Provident must focus on the welfare of 10m borrowers at the bottom of the pile. This could be done by abolishing bonuses for executives and redirecting the money and a fixed percentage of profits up to 10 per cent into a charity arm with the task of assisting the most hard-pressed customers so that extreme debtors do not end up on the streets. The whole doorstep lending and extreme-interest credit sector needs to shift its focus away from superior returns to consumer welfare. Read my lips Vodafone should be the brightest light in Britains tech firmament. It was a pioneer in mobile and became a global leader with an audacious series of takeovers. What has followed has been disappointing. The only way to know what is under the hood at Vodafone is to look at free cash flow. Profit and loss have become all but meaningless because successive management teams have been lumbered with huge goodwill writedowns and restructuring charges. The last chief executive, Vittorio Colao, had a chance to set some of this right when he sold the Verizon Wireless stake for $130billion (100billion at todays exchange rate) in 2013. Instead of taking a cautious approach to winning in the global lottery by reducing debt levels and funding future investment, the company handed back a wodge of cash to investors. Six years on it is struggling to pay its way with investment in the German 5G spectrum auction. Growth in Spain and Italy stalled as competition increased. The future it plans to build around the takeover of Liberty Global on the Continent has been held up by competition authorities until July. The mobile market is never static. No sooner has one wave of investment in new spectrum been paid for, another comes along. Meanwhile, competitors, such as Spanish-owned O2, are going full speed ahead with 5G trials. Nick Read did not inherit the best hand from Colao. A dividend yield of 9 per cent for a company of Vodafones size has been sticking out like a sore thumb. It is regrettable that Read, who has a positive take on the future, waited so long to decide to lop 40 per cent off the payout. He should have made sure from day one that legacy issues of debt and the future-proofing issue of investment was dealt with. A more effective chairman than Philips veteran Gerard Kleisterlee, who is expected to leave at next years AGM, might have advised that. The delay and denials diminished Read. Now that the divi cut is out of the way there should be cash headroom for real repairs. Sharing spoils The past decade has been a torrid time for electronics retailing with the disappearance of Comet, HMV, Zavvi and Phones4u. Richer Sounds has avoided the pitfalls by sticking to its formula of brilliant advice from a loyal workforce. Now that founder-boss Julian Richer is stepping back he is transferring 60 per cent of the company to a trust to be run on behalf of workers. There are also bonuses all around. Rather a different approach to that of the fat cats who do a disservice to capitalism. For years, solo travellers have been penalised with extra fees and today, we lay bare the scale of the rip-off. It is particularly cruel for those who have been recently widowed and are just trying to get on with their lives. I can understand why some firms charge single travellers a little extra to have a double room to themselves, but, in some cases, holidaymakers who travel alone are paying almost twice as much as those who are part of a couple, as we reveal today. For years, solo travellers have been penalised with extra fees and today, we lay bare the scale of the rip-off Even worse are those hotels and tour operators that charge an additional supplement, only to put guests in a single room. Yet, despite years of complaints, the travel industry remains deaf to the needs of solo travellers. Surely this is utter commercial madness, given that there are more than 16 million single people in England and Wales alone. Many cruise ships appear not to have any, or very few, cabins for single people. Hotels, too, often have only double rooms. It should be standard practice that a certain number of rooms and cabins are provided for single people. There should also be strict industry guidelines in place on how much extra firms can charge solo travellers. At the very least, companies should be forced to disclose more clearly their prices for those who travel alone. Mark the mules Meet 15-year-old schoolchildren 'C' and 'M'. Recently, 'C' was the target of a knife-wielding gang, who demanded that he hand over his bank card, account details and phone number. 'M' was approached by a group of older school peers and subjected to threats of violence until she gave up her bank card and PIN. These teenagers are victims of a growing trend where criminal gangs prey on children as young as 11 to launder their dirty money, as they think they will be less likely to raise suspicion. As the Mail revealed on Monday, it means that many youngsters are being targeted by so-called 'mule' recruiters outside the school gates and on their local bus routes, and lured in via social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook. Fortunately, in the cases of 'C' and 'M', their bank, Barclays, was quick to notice something was amiss and froze their accounts while it investigated. Though banks and police have launched a major campaign to raise awareness, more still needs to be done to block criminals' profiles on social media. You can help by urging your children and grandchildren to steer clear of too-good-to-be-true adverts and reminding them never to share their bank account details. For more advice, visit moneymules.co.uk Smart tip A big thank you for all your letters and emails over the past week about whether your smart meter has helped save you money it was quite a mixed postbag! Money Mail reader John doesn't think we need a machine to tell us how much power we are using. 'I've had a smart meter for 72 years: it's called a brain,' he says. 'Every electricity appliance has a power rating label. So, based on 1kW of electricity costing approximately 15p per hour, if I use a 9kW electric shower for an hour it will cost 1.35. Easy maths.' Keep your letters and emails coming. Get rich quick Finally, don't miss our How To Get Rich series, starting on Saturday and continuing all next week in the Mail. To get a headstart, click here where we explain how to calculate what your wealth is now so you'll be in a prime position to transform your fortunes. v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk Almost 15 months ago, I began overhauling my investments in search of better returns and a more coherent strategy. Ive done this against a background of swinging stock markets. The FTSE All Share, for example, hit a peak of 4,324 in May last year and a low of 3,596 in late December a near 17 per cent fall from peak to trough. It is now up around 10 per cent from that trough, but remains lower than a year ago. I have weeded out 24 investments and bought some replacements. The FTSE All Share, for example, hit a peak of 4,324 in May last year and a low of 3,596 in late December a near 17 per cent fall from peak to trough My aim was to achieve a better balance that could meet my aims as I meander into my more mature years. I now hold 26 funds and shares across my Isa and Sipp. Some may argue this is too many but thats my business. The key question is whether Ive made good decisions. So, lets start off with one I seem to have got wrong. I sold First State Global Listed Infrastructure a specialist fund that does what it says on the tin in June last year for 2.62 per share. Since then, it has climbed around 11 per cent. Another regret is Axa Framlington UK Select Opportunities, which has gone up by 7 per cent from the 1.59 per share I sold for at the end of November. I had held this for many years, but long-time manager Nigel Thomass retirement prompted my decision. Yet it has outperformed an Investment Association index of similar funds by around 50 per cent over the past six months so perhaps I should have given new manager Chris St John a chance. To complete a trio of mishaps, Quilter Global Best Ideas, which I pondered for some time before selling, is up 4 per cent since I dumped it 15 months ago. Elsewhere, I have no regrets. LF Woodford Equity Income has fallen 10 per centsince I sold one tranche in February last year and 13 per cent since I sold the remainder in June. Neil Woodford has done some restructuring to remove unlisted companies, which should reduce risk and bring it more in line with its original mandate. But, for me, its too late: Ive favoured other income funds. Neil Woodford has done some restructuring with LF Woodford Equity Income to remove unlisted companies, which should reduce risk Of the other funds and shares that I sold last February, Jupiter Absolute Return, Jupiter New Europe, Templeton Emerging Markets and Invesco High Income have all fallen in value; Threadneedle UK Equity Alpha, Man GLG Balanced and Troy Trojan have hardly moved. Through the year, I also dumped Artemis Strategic Assets, Artemis Strategic Bond, Fidelity Open World, Invesco Perpetual Monthly Income, Schroder UK Dynamic Absolute Return and LF Odey Opus none of which have lit up the sky. But this trading would be worthless if I hadnt secured what I feel to be better long-term prospects. Ive used a broad mix of global, European and UK funds. Globally, Ive strengthened my holding in Scottish Mortgage, an investment trust holding strong business such as Amazon, Alibaba and Netflix. Overall, the value of my holding is up by 9 per cent. I bought Lindsell Train Global Equity at prices from 2.02 per unit in February to 2.24 in June and Im showing a profit of around 23 per cent. I also added to my holding in Fundsmith Equity at 3.64 last March. The price is now 4.36 and, including previous investments, the fund is showing me a return of 79 per cent. Another global fund is LF Blue Whale Growth a fund backed by Hargreaves Lansdown founder Peter Hargreaves that holds the likes of PayPal, Facebook, Alphabet (the owner of Google) and Adidas. I bought at the end of August and am showing a profit of 6.4 per cent. But I have also had an eye on charges and decided to increase my holding in two low-cost Vanguard funds, Global Equity and its FTSE UK All Share Index tracker. Both are showing healthy profits. If it sounds as though my whole focus has been global growth, then I should emphasise that I have retained Artemis Income, Newton Global Income and Marlborough Multi Cap Income, as well as adding LF Miton UK Multi Cap Income. All knock Woodford into a cocked hat over the periods of one, three and five years. I added to my holding of Lloyds shares (perhaps not so wise) and bought Standard Life UK Smaller Companies at 92p last March, seeing it rise to 1.01. Ive also bought into a HSBC S&P 500 tracker for cheap, simple exposure to the U.S., which is up around 5 per cent in less than six months even after the past weeks setbacks. One disappointment has been HSBCs FTSE 250 tracker, a fund to which Ive added intermittently over many years and which has performed well when medium-sized UK stocks are in favour. I bought more in February 2018, at 18.70 per share, but its gone nowhere. It is probably suffering more than any other holding through Brexit uncertainty. Its a cheap way to hold these stocks, but its performance is hardly making me cheerful lets see if the next six months put a smile on my face. t.hazell@dailymail.co.uk We switched from British Gas in November last year, but, several months later, it is still holding on to 1,745.34 of our money. In addition it has put debt collectors on to us. We have a small debit on our electricity account, but a large credit for gas. I was told that the debit would be offset against the credit, and then the balance would be repaid to us, but this has not happened. Farcical: British Gas sent in the debt collectors to bully a former customer over a small electricity payment despite owing them 1,745 I have since found out that, whoever tried to offset the debit against the credit made a mistake and doubled the amount owing on the electricity, adding 25 for non-payment. Last night, I received yet another call from the debt collectors. This is upsetting me and affecting my sleep. I am also concerned that my credit rating will be affected by their mistakes. Mrs V. M., Dyfed. Ofgem guidance says energy firms should refund credit money within ten working days of sending a final bill. Failure to do so triggers a 30 compensation payment. British Gas sent you your final bill in November, then held on to your money for more than three months and set debt collectors on you. You even received calls at home in the evening. Centrica, British Gas's parent company, gave boss Iain Conn a 44 per cent pay rise last year to 2.4 million for 'showing resilience' while 'reshaping' the company. I doubt that 'resilience' included having to field calls at home in the evening for money he does not owe. British Gas says you owed 228.13 for electricity but were 1,973.47 in credit on gas. It admits its operator incorrectly debited the electricity account, rather than crediting it with money you were owed on gas, prompting the debt collector to get in touch. It says that, because of the large amount you were owed, it needed to be passed to a manager for it to be authorised. This implies that the more money you are owed, the longer British Gas will take to pay. There was also an issue of the meter reading sent by your new supplier, which implied you had not used any gas for 18 months. Of course, the alternative and correct explanation was that British Gas had been taking too much money. British Gas did eventually settle its debts with you, but, bizarrely, said it wanted to be sure it really owed you the money! It asked you to close the complaint, but you rightly raised the issue of compensation. British Gas offered 75. This derisory amount highlights the different standards employed by financial institutions and utilities though, perhaps, it is all they had available after paying Mr Conn's 2.4 million. A bank or building society that had treated a customer so shabbily would have paid around 200 compensation. But you were happy to accept the amount in order to see the back of this episode. Straight to the point I have been charged more than 1,000 for a Three wi-fi dongle since October 2013. I returned the device the day after buying it and didnt spot the 15.98 direct debit until recently. My bank clawed my money back, but now Three has put a debt collection agency onto me. P. P., by email. Three says you continued to be charged because the retailer had not told them the dongle had been returned. The firm has now cancelled the remaining balance on your account. You have also been paid a 100 goodwill gesture. *** I read in Money Mail that some banks are using voice recognition technology to verify customers identities when they call. How would this work if you have a joint account and use telephone banking? D. A., by email. In the same way you each already have your own telephone banking login credentials, you would just both set up separate voice recognition profiles. Then, when you call the bank, it would match the voice to the correct profile and provide access to the joint account as usual. *** I ordered a custom-made bunk bed from Andersons Themes & Dreams on November 22. I was told it would take between ten and 12 weeks to arrive, but we still do not have it. My daughters, who are aged four and six, are tired of sleeping on mattresses on the floor. C. W., Essex. The family-run firm admitted it was running behind with orders because of a surge in demand. However, it says you should have received the bed last month. The owner says his wife has been ill, and he has promised the bed will be delivered next week. My Virgin Media bill suddenly crept up to 80 per month too high to ignore. I phoned the company in October last year and was persuaded to stay with them for 49 per month for six months and then 59 for the next six.The bill dropped to just over 49 for October, but, by December, it had leapt up again this time to 70. I rang Virgin, but was passed from one person to another, each time having to give repeat my details. Eventually, I was told a manager would review the recording of my conversation and get back to me in 24 hours but I heard nothing. In January, I rang and went through the whole process again. I was put on hold and waited 20 minutes before I realised no one was coming back. I've since tried complaining on Twitter and have filled in a complaints form on the website, but again have heard nothing. M. R, Falkirk. I'm becoming convinced some companies have an unwritten policy of losing complaining customers on their phone systems. The number of times you were left dangling on the phone, and the failure to address your complaint suggest a policy of keeping the customers waiting by whatever means is available. When I made contact, the executive team at Virgin Media checked the recordings of your phone conversation. They say the reduction you were offered was to 65.50 for six months, then 69.50 for a further six months. They have suggested that the misunderstanding may have come because the agent told you your next bill would be 46.57, due to your receiving credits from advance billing under your previous contract. Since October, your bills have ranged from 58.90 to 73.54. The lower ones are due to a credit for loss of service and the higher ones because you made calls outside of your package. Virgin has now offered a further reduction to your bill as a gesture of goodwill. This is all very well, but the real issue is why Virgin didn't deal with your problem in the first place. Why were you passed from pillar to post, and why were you promised calls back that were not made? All you wanted was an explanation, but, instead, you were given the runaround. Bidding war: Amelia Murray with the 600 chairs she bought for just 55 The first floor of the former printworks could pass for a dishevelled furniture showroom. Wide-screen TVs and chests of drawers are lined up around the sprawling space. Sofas are grouped together in makeshift living rooms, with dining-room tables just around the corner. In fact, the warehouse, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, is home to Simon Charles Auctioneers, whose twice-monthly Super Saturday Live Sale is about to start. The auction has been running for more than 70 years and sells more than 5,000 lots each week. It is 9am, and eagle-eyed shoppers have an hour to inspect what's on offer before the bidding begins. Today, there are 286 lots up for grabs, including prams, games consoles, furniture, iPads and jewellery. The goods are given to the auction house by online and High Street retailers looking to shift end-of-line stock and unwanted returns. Simon Charles then pays a commission on the sale. Almost an hour into the auction, the microwave I had my eye on is finally up. It retails at 110, but I don't want to pay more than 30. Determined to win, I wave my laminated piece of paper to offer 30, but then a man, who comes out of nowhere, beats me with a bid for 33 In one corner, new and used washing machines, cookers and other white goods stand in a horseshoe shape. There are around half-a-dozen fridges in perfect working order, but they couldn't be sold at full price because they have minor damage tiny dents from a clumsy delivery is typical. To register to bid, you must bring two forms of ID and put down a 100 deposit at the cash office by the entrance. A catalogue is a further 2. Unlike when you buy something from a regular High Street shop, there are no returns here By arriving before the crowds, I have managed to avoid the inevitable battle for the plug socket. Unlike when you buy something from a regular High Street shop, there are no returns here, even if an item is broken, so it's vital to check that goods are working. Sofas are grouped together in makeshift living rooms, with dining-room tables just around the corner Some items are graded to give shoppers an indication of their condition. For example, grade one is the highest standard of returned product, whereas with a grade two item you would expect to have parts missing. How to join in the bidding If you are on the hunt for homeware, there are similar auction houses such as John Pye, which sells end-of-line goods from big retailers in 21 hubs across the country. Lots are subject to VAT and a 20 per cent buyer's premium. So a 100 bid would cost you 144 in total. Manchester-based Charles Taylor Auctioneers also has fortnightly sales. You must attend to bid. Or you could try an auction where police sell to the highest bidder goods seized from criminals. For example, Frank G Bowen holds sales every two weeks in Leytonstone, East London. Others have their own online shops on eBay, such as Sussex Police at: ebay.co.uk/str/Sussex-Police-Property-Disposals. Transport for London (TfL), national rail companies and airports also sell off lost property. Items are usually held for 90 days before being auctioned at various locations, such as Bristol Commercial Valuers and Auctioneers. Meanwhile, online auction giant eBay has 25 million UK users each month. It sells anything from electric toothbrushes to Princess Diana commemorative plates. Goods can be new or secondhand. I have my eye on a new microwave, so I test out a couple. One doesn't seem to have a working light, but the other looks good to go, so I make a note of its lot number for later. As I wander around the showroom with auctioneer Ed Railton, he points out a fridge-freezer with an inbuilt TV that he says would sell for 3,000 on the High Street. A man dressed in dark clothing and a woolly hat mutters: 'More like 2,000,' before dipping down to inspect a washing machine. 'What are you looking for today?' I ask, cheerfully. The man ignores me and rushes off towards the furniture display. Ed explains that this is typical behaviour: 'Buyers are competitive and don't want others to know what they are interested in.' There is a mixture of people here. Some are looking for goods to resell in their own shops or on websites such as eBay and Etsy. Others want to kit out their properties, with first-time buyers and landlords regular attendees. Come 10am, we all gather around auctioneer Ed, who is standing on a podium. The tension intensifies. Nathan, a 16-year-old employee, moves around the room, pointing out the goods with a stick, while Ed tries to drum up interest. He speaks at quickfire pace, egging on the buyers and trying to push up the bids. Before I know it, an Amazon Fire tablet, which usually costs around 90, has gone for 10. There are 286 lots up for grabs, including prams, games consoles, furniture and iPads The TV fridge-freezer that Ed pointed out earlier is bought for 600, and a Samsung washing machine, which retails for 419, is sold for just 46. One woman picks up six flat-screen televisions, which, presumably, she plans to sell on. Many people are staring intently at their mobile phones. It turns out they are secretly bidding online Many people are staring intently at their mobile phones. It turns out they are secretly bidding online, as anonymous bidders spark less competition than those in the room, Ed tells me later. One online bidder secures a 55in LG HD LED Smart TV that would cost around 1,200 on the High Street for 260. The online option means that, technically, you do not even need to attend the auction. Indeed, many pop in to inspect the goods before bidding from home. Almost an hour into the auction, the microwave I had my eye on is finally up. It retails at 110, but I don't want to pay more than 30. A Samsung washing machine, which retails for 419, is sold for just 46 at the auction Once your bid is accepted, you need to add on a 17.5 per cent buyer's premium plus 20 per cent VAT. So, if you bid 20, for example, the real cost would be 28.20. Large items can be delivered for an extra fee. Bids are now flying between me and a woman sat on a sofa at the front of the room. Determined to win, I wave my laminated piece of paper (I am lucky number 400) to offer 30, but then a man, who comes out of nowhere, beats me with a bid for 33. I'm out. It turns out he is a student landlord looking to furnish his properties. Feeling disappointed, I turn my attention to an Art Deco-style mirrored cabinet by Ideal Home, which usually goes for 199. I win it for 40. Ed Railton raises the hammer at Simon Charles Auctioneers in Stockport, Greater Manchester Fired up, I then go head-to-head with the man who ignored me earlier for four designer dining chairs worth 600. Flustered, I accidentally bid against myself before winning them for 55. On a roll, I next bid aggressively for an orange Willis & Gambier armchair worth 349. The auction has been going for hours, and it is past lunchtime. Either everyone in the room is tired or hungry, or there is little demand for in-your-face furniture in Stockport simply because it is a steal at 50. Unable to take my goods back to London in my wheely trolley, I was told to expect a delivery the following Tuesday or Wednesday. And as I watched buyers struggle to shove televisions in the back of their cars in the rain, I was grateful to be leaving empty-handed. a.murray@dailymail.co.uk Tesco boss Dave Lewis has landed a hefty 4.6million pay packet after overseeing a turnaround for the supermarket that involved putting thousands of jobs on the line. Lewis, who earned the moniker 'Drastic Dave' during his tenure at consumer goods giant Unilever, received a base salary of 1.25million, a 1.6million bonus and 1.3million through the grocer's share plans. According to Tesco's annual report, the boss of the UK's biggest supermarket earned 313,000 in pension savings too. Pay day: Tesco boss Dave Lewis (above) received a 4.6million pay packet for the year The remuneration figures for the last fiscal year emerged just months after Tesco pushed the button on a dramatic cost-cutting exercise that put up to 9,000 head office and store roles at risk. The business expects to find new roles for around half of the staff impacted. The payout, which will be scrutinised at the companys AGM next month, marks a fall on Lewis's total salary last year when, thanks to a much bigger bonus, he received 5.1million. Return to form: Lewis has been at the helm of the UK's biggest supermarket for five year and steered its turnaround Since Lewis took the helm in 2014, he has been widely credited with steering Tesco back to health. He is confident that the mammoth turnaround will be complete by the end of the current year. The top boss also masterminded the company's recent 3.7billion acquisition of cash-and-carry business Booker and the launch of new discount chain, Jack's. Both initiatives are aimed at ensuring Tesco is in a position to fend off the growing threat of the discounters, Aldi and Lidl, and remain relevant in a fast-changing market. The recent round of job cuts relates to a decision to shut down some of Tesco's deli counters. Tesco recently smashed City forecasts with a near-30 per cent spike in full-year profits to 1.67billion. The annual report revealed that Lewis's number two - chief financial officer Alan Stewart - received a pay packet of 2.6million for the year, buoyed by a 834,000 bonus. Vodafone has slashed its dividend for the first time after plunging into a mammoth 6.6billion loss. The cut was a major U-turn after repeated assurances by chief executive Nick Read that the payout was safe. Read, 54, insisted the change was needed to give the British mobile giant 'headroom' to invest in new 5G networks and pay off debts. Vodafone has slashed its dividend for the first time after plunging into a mammoth 6.6bn loss despite repeated assurances by chief executive Nick Read that the payout was safe But it was a major blow to investors, pension funds and savers, many of whom have incomes partly reliant on the Vodafone dividend. The payout last year was worth nearly 3.5billion, or about 13p per share. But Vodafone said this would now be reduced to about 8p, saving it around 1.4billion per year. Read said the decision was 'not taken lightly'. He said: 'Vodafone is at a key point in its transformation and it's critical that we have sufficient headroom to execute this transformation successfully. 'The headroom was getting increasingly tight. And I think there's a moment, as management, you decide you need to stand back and say, 'We need to create more headroom proactively.' It comes after Marks & Spencer also took an axe to its dividend in February, while BT last week froze its payout and warned it was under threat in future. Analysts said other big companies might follow suit. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said the payout 'was too good to be true'. He added: 'This brings to an end a two-decade streak of dividend increases from the company. This is definitely going to have investors worried about which FTSE 100 firm could be next.' He said others that could weigh reducing their payouts were energy firms SSE and Centrica, holiday provider Tui and Standard Life Aberdeen. Tui and Standard Life had dismissed suggestions of a cut, Mould said. 'But if you go back six months, Nick Read was saying something very similar,' he added. It came as Vodafone revealed its massive loss for the year to March 31, having made profits of 2.4billion the previous year. Group sales fell from 40.4billion to 37.9billion over the period. Vodafone blamed the malaise on brutal competition in markets such as Spain and Italy, as well as on the higher-than-expected cost of buying airwaves for new 5G networks. The company was already stung by an auction in Italy in which it forked out 2.1billion, and yesterday Read admitted another bidding process in Germany 'continues to run on, at a higher level than we anticipated'. Yesterday it became the first UK mobile operator to confirm when it would launch 5G services on July 3 in seven cities, rising to 12 by the end of 2019. Vodafone is trying to pay down its 23billion debt pile and seal a 16billion takeover of rival Liberty Global's cable assets in Europe. The dividend cut was the first in its history. The company was spun out of Racal Electronics in 1991. When asked about the future dividends, Read said the priority was paying down debt, adding: 'You shouldn't expect a higher growth from that.' Shares initially rose despite the dividend cut after a 5 per cent drop on Monday but ended down 3.8 per cent, or 4.94p, to 126.84p. Over the past year, the stock is down 38.8 per cent. George Salmon, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Telecoms remains one of the most unloved sectors, and these results are a fair indication of why. 'While a dividend cut is never nice for investors, in the context of the many headwinds facing the group, and the impending acquisition of Liberty Global's European cable networks, we think Nick Read's decision to rebase the dividend is sensible.' Stephanie Bruce, who joins Standard Life Aberdeen next month, will be given 750,000 of shares over the next three years Savings firm Standard Life Aberdeen has been hit by a humiliating shareholder rebellion over a 750,000 golden hello for its new finance boss. A total of 42 per cent of investors voted against its pay report at its annual meeting, one of the biggest revolts this year. Their ire is thought to have been provoked by a lucrative deal offered to finance boss Stephanie Bruce, who joins next month. She will be given 750,000 of shares over the next three years after agreeing to leave accountant PwC. SLA was originally planning to give Bruce the money regardless of performance. But in the face of mounting anger, it agreed to set targets which she must achieve for the full amount. The 50-year-old is starting on 525,000, 17 per cent more than her predecessor Bill Rattray, who is retiring at the end of May after 34 years. Her annual pay packet could reach 2.3million. SLA said: Stephanie is an outstanding addition to our team. The reason we made this award was to allow us to attract a talented senior executive from outside of the investment management industry who was previously remunerated on a comparatively consistent annual reward package. The company behind the Yellow Pages has been accused of aggressive sales tactics and poor treatment of small businesses. Yell, which no longer publishes its famous directory, charges firms hundreds of pounds per year to feature them prominently on its website and for services such as online advertising. But it is facing complaints from frustrated businesses who say they are not getting the services they were promised. Yell, which no longer publishes its famous directory, charges firms hundreds of pounds per year to feature them prominently on its website and for services such as online advertising Some say they were told they could gain more customers by paying to appear at the top of the rankings when users searched on Yell's website or app for services. But a number of these firms are demanding compensation after it emerged others who were listed for free were being ranked in front of them in certain cases on the app. This was because it was basing a business's ranking on how close they were to the user rather than whether they had paid to be higher. Others say they were convinced to buy services such as 'reputation management' or website design which they did not need. The packages are sold on 12-month contracts with no 'cooling-off' period, which is legal but costly to escape. However, some firms claim that this was not explained to them properly. In several cases, those who complained repeatedly said they were met with no response from Yell or promised follow-up phone calls that never came. But when they withheld payment out of frustration, Yell threatened to send debt collectors round. I was trapped in a 170-a-month deal Unhappy customer: Retired graphic designer Laura Templeton Retired graphic designer Laura Templeton said she felt 'foolish and naive' after signing up to Yell. The 66-year-old runs the firm Call-to-Mind, which makes board games to help people with dementia, from her home. She said Yell sold her 'reputation management' services and online advertising, last July for more than 170 per month. But when she had second thoughts the next day and asked to cancel, Yell told her she was locked into a 12-month contract. Templeton, who lives in London with her husband Julian, did not feel this was made clear. She was then sold website design services, but Yell could not make the changes she had asked for and only got a refund after complaining on Facebook. When she halted payments for her other services she says Yell threatened to send round debt collectors. She said: 'The lady from Yell gave me the hard sell, it was very aggressive. She was very persuasive and personable. I feel foolish for having got myself into it. 'This was my labour of love. It is a great product and people love it, but I am not savvy online and I work on my own. 'It sounds naive, but I thought this would be the answer. It has been abysmal. I can't afford it and I may have to close my business.' Yell's terms and conditions set out how premium listings are displayed, but it is understood that this only applies to the company's website and not to its app. Nevertheless after receiving complaints the company updated the app last month to address concerns raised. It comes as Yell switched from publishing to being fully digital. In January, it printed the final Yellow Pages, after 53 years. It now relies on free listings of nearly 3m businesses and around 132,000 paying firms to make money. The company is part of the Hibu Group and reported revenues of 223.8million last year, of which 196million came from its digital business, according to its most recent accounts. Yell turned a 33.7million profit in 2018 and its highest-paid director, thought to be former boss Richard Hanscott, 58, pocketed nearly 7million in pay. Yellow Pages evolution JR Hartley, played by actor Norman Lumsden (pictured), looks for a rare copy of a book on fly fishing The Yellow Pages was first published as a section in the General Post Office's phone directory for Brighton in 1966. It was expanded throughout the UK in 1973 and later became part of BT, which was spun off from the Post Office in 1981. Over the years the directory appeared in some famous television adverts. In one the fictional JR Hartley, played by actor Norman Lumsden, is looking for a rare copy of a book on fly fishing before revealing he was the author. It was so popular a bestselling angling book was later published under Hartley's name. Others featured actor James Nesbitt extricating himself from disasters, including one where he seeks a hairdresser after cutting his niece's hair badly. In 1996, an online version of Yellow Pages, Yell.com, was launched. Now, it is a digital-only business. But small businesses have responded by pouring scorn on Yell, with the its social media pages littered with complaints. 'Can you please contact me before you put me out of business?', one person said. Another business owner wrote: 'They sell you the Earth and deliver nothing. It got very threatening when I tried to cancel.' Yell said: 'Yell is aware of complaints made to the Daily Mail concerning five current and former customers. In the one case we have been able to fully investigate, the complaint was proven to be unfounded. 'However, we endeavour to resolve all complaints and are always disappointed with customer dissatisfaction.' Nissan is at rock bottom after profits fell 45 per cent and it warned the outlook was grim. The Japanese car maker said operating profit dived to 2.3billion in the year ending March 31. It expects profits to fall 28 per cent to 1.6billion this financial year, half the level analysts forecast, and its weakest performance for 11 years. Nissan said operating profit dived to 2.3bn in the year ending March 31. It expects profits to fall 28 per cent to 1.6bn this financial year The results come after former boss Carlos Ghosn was arrested on financial misconduct charges in November, and ousted soon after. Chief executive Hiroto Saikawa apologised for the results, saying: We have hit rock bottom. Most of the problems we are facing are the negative legacy of our old leader. Results were dragged down by a 9.3 per cent fall in sales in the US, where it sold 1.44m cars, blaming a costly Ghosn strategy giving discounts to car dealers in the US. Overall, it sold 5.5m cars worldwide, a fall of 4 per cent. In the UK sales fell 26 per cent to 110,000. Today Money Mail calls on travel firms to treat single people fairly. Last month, we highlighted the case of Peter, from Somerset, who was charged a 'single supplement' to travel alone after his wife died last year. His story prompted a deluge of letters and emails from other solo travellers, many of whom are widowed, who say they have also been penalised by 'unfair and disproportionate' additional fees. Jayne Tee (pictured with her late husband, Bill) cancelled her holiday to Majorca after she found out she would have to pay a supplement for what she thought was a single room Our investigation can now reveal how: Single travellers are routinely charged twice as much to go on holiday as those who book as a couple; Money Mail readers cite cruise firms as among the worst offenders; Widows and widowers can no longer afford holidays after their partners die; Some hotels and cruise ships offer no single rooms at all; Holidaymakers can be made to pay a single supplement even when booking a single room. The population of single people in England and Wales, aged 16 and over, is now 16,361,685 an increase of 3.9million from 2002 to 2017. And 6.6 per cent of this age group 3,139,776 are single because they've been widowed. The travel industry defends the extra charges as necessary because if they charge per room, one person less will be spending on extras such as drinks and food. Yet experts warn that the travel companies are alienating a huge share of the market as a result. Dennis Fisher, 81, from Leeds, knows too well how expensive single supplements can be. He was married to his wife for 58 years, and during that time they enjoyed dozens of cruises. But retired dental nurse Sandra died suddenly from an aneurysm in her brain in February last year. Several months later, Dennis, a retired export director of a clothing company, tried to book another cruise with friends. But the grandfather-of-four soon realised he could not afford it. Princess Cruises had advertised a double room for 2,058 on an 11-night fly-cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Penalised: Dennis Fisher with a photo of him on a cruise with his late wife, Sandra But when Dennis tried booking the same room as a single customer, he found out he would have to pay 1,943 914 more than someone booking as part of a couple would pay. He says: 'It was my fervent wish to continue cruising, but I cannot afford to as a result of these totally disproportionate charges.' Retired local government officer Jayne Tee cancelled her holiday to Majorca after she found out she would have to pay a supplement for what she thought was a single room. The great-grandmother from Fleet, Hampshire, lost her husband, Bill, six years ago. But last month, Jayne, 75, was told by a Saga employee that the 1,014 price for her seven-day holiday included a 140 supplement, even though she thought she was booking a single room. After originally agreeing, she later decided to cancel the holiday as she felt the charge was unfair. She says: 'I was pretty disgusted when they told me.' Money Mail researched the prices of holidays for single travellers online and compared them with those offered to couples. A room on an 11-night cruise around Europe with MSC was on sale for 2,398 for a double booking or 1,199 per person. But a single traveller would still have to pay the full 2,398. And a single holidaymaker would have paid 91 per cent more for a 12-night South Caribbean cruise with Royal Caribbean. While the firm advertised a room for two at a price of 1,760, a single traveller would have to pay 1,678. We researched the prices of holidays for single travellers online and compared them with those offered to couples Campaigners say supplement fees are often too high. Last year, a study conducted by the Good Housekeeping Institute found the often hidden costs of being single, across all aspects of life, amount to 2,049 a year. Pippa Jacks, group editor of Travel Trade Gazette, says: 'A small supplement is not unreasonable, but one which means a solo traveller pays twice as much seems unfair.' Former pensions minister Ros Altmann suggests industry guidelines on charges for single people would ensure that people are not ripped off. She says: 'If a hotel could sell a double room to two people, then a single traveller can't expect to pay half the price, but perhaps there could be an industry norm when it comes to these charges.' Have YOU been hit? Have you been affected by a single supplement? Write to us at moneymail@dailymail.co.uk or Money Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT. Travel Association ABTA says solo travellers may save money by booking organised tours or even sharing a room. All the firms Money Mail approached said supplements varied across all types of bookings. Money Mail also found several hotels belonging to chains such as Marriott, Holiday Inn and Premier Inn offered no single beds and charged per room so solo holidaymakers would have to pay twice as much. Meanwhile, a Best Western hotel in Peckham, South-East London, advertised a single room for 50.01, with a double room at 52.89. One Money Mail reader sent us a receipt from a tour operator showing he had booked a single hotel room for 125 yet was charged a 15 'single supplement', too. 'The room is only big enough for me it is one single bed and one person,' the 85-year-old widow says. 'And, of course, I only eat one person's food each day.' Dennis Fisher wrote to several cruise companies to ask for justification for the charges, but all maintained the supplements were necessary for commercial reasons. Princess Cruises confirmed it did not offer single rooms, and says its pricing is based on two people sharing a stateroom to be economically viable. A Saga spokesman says there were only double rooms in Jayne Tee's hotel. Some were available without a supplement, but as she booked only a month before her departure date, none was left. Both Holiday Inn and Marriott say their booking prices are set on a room-rate basis. MSC says it has a 'restricted number of single cabins' which cost 50 per cent less than a double, but it would not confirm how many. Royal Caribbean declined to comment. A spokesman for ABTA says: 'Sharing a room is not obligatory it's an option. Hotels mainly work on the basis that two people are staying in the room. If you're not paying exactly double, you're effectively getting a discount.' Addressing single-room charges, he adds: 'Modern hotels tend to have more single rooms because of the changing demographics. 'Single rooms are usually more than half the size of doubles and usually have en-suites, so they can cost more than half a double.' A second profit warning in two months has caused alarm for investors in British engineering firm Renishaw. The company, which makes products from precision measuring tools to brain surgery implements, expects revenue to be in the range of 580million to 600million for its full year, down from estimates of 635million to 665million in January, which were revised lower in March to between 595million and 620million. Profits in the first nine months of its financial year, from July to March, have already tumbled by 18.8 per cent to 84.8million compared with the same time a year ago. Engineering firm Renishaw, which makes products from precision measuring tools to brain surgery implements, expects revenue to be in the range of 580m to 600m for its full year The FTSE 250 company did not shed any light on the reasons, other than noting recent order trends. But back in March Renishaw blamed a slowdown in demand from Asia and large consumer electronics manufacturers. Analysts at Peel Hunt said the fact that Renishaw has around 120.5million of spare cash, and tends to keep investing in the business even in hard times, makes it well-placed for the long term. Investors were less convinced as shares slid 6.4 per cent, or 266p, to 3868p. Online estate agent Purplebricks, which recently dialled back its international expansion after disappointing performance, revealed after the stock market closed that hedge fund Toscafund has snapped up a 5.6 per cent stake, worth around 19million. Purplebricks ended up 6.8 per cent, or 7.2p, at 112.4p. The FTSE 100 was back in the black up 77.92 points to 7241.6 after three days of losses, as trade tensions between the US and China showed signs of easing. Stock Watch - Portmeirion Group Crockery maker Portmeirion Group dipped as foreign demand, especially in Korea, fell further than expected. Portmeirion, which owns the Royal Worcester, Spode and Pimpernel brands, said UK sales were up 5 per cent and US sales climbed 8 per cent in the first four months of 2019, compared with the same time last year. But total group sales fell 10 per cent. Profit for the whole year will be significantly below expectations, and shares fell 24.3 per cent, or 295p, to 920p. US President Donald Trump predicted talks with China would eventually be successful, and said he would let the market know in about three or four weeks what the outcome was. Recently, Sino-US relations have become ever-more strained, as the US slapped increased tariffs on Chinese goods it imports and President Xi Jinping retaliated. Kenmare Resources, which owns one of the worlds largest titanium mines in Mozambique, baffled investors as it put out a hastily corrected stock market statement. The note Statement re possible offer suggested it had received a takeover bid from a competitor. But the actual contents of the document merely contained a run-of-the-mill notification that Fidelity International had bought more shares. The company changed the title within eight minutes. But by that time, excited traders who had not read beyond the first line had pushed Kenmares shares up by as much as 8 per cent. They ended 0.5 per cent, or 1p, up at 203p, as a spokesman clarified there was no offer on the table. Beleaguered investment firm Jupiter Fund Management gave its shareholders some respite, announcing the appointment of a new chief financial officer. Wayne Mepham, currently the global head of finance at Schroders, will take over from Charlotte Jones, who is leaving to join RSA Insurance. Shares in Jupiter climbed 2.3pc, or 7.9p, to 359.2p, while Schroders was up 1.5 per cent, or 44p, at 3051p. Iodine producer Iofina, which makes chemicals for the industrial and pharmaceutical sectors, plunged as it revealed it was mulling a fundraising. Its shares had been building substantial gains over the past month. Iofina said it didnt know of any particular reason for this, but added that it was planning to ask shareholders for at least 5million to help pay down debt. Shares fell 35.2 per cent, or 11.25p, to 20.75p. Tanzanian coal miner Edenville Energy rocketed 81 per cent, or 0.04p, to 0.1p as it outlined plans to use the 510,000 it has recently raised to upgrade its plant, and construct roads to a new mining area. The Co-op has urged ministers to look carefully at Tesco boss Dave Lewis's plans to reform business rates. Co-op supermarket chain chief executive Steve Murrells said the proposals, which include a 2 per cent tax on internet sales, could help level the playing field between High Street shops and online rivals. Lewis has suggested the money raised should be used to cut business rates. Tesco boss Dave Lewis has suggested that the money raised through his proposals which include a 2 per cent tax on internet sales, should be used to cut business rates Murrells said: 'As a wholesaler to thousands of independent retailers, the Co-op knows that small shops are the lifeblood of British high streets and healthy high streets play such an important role in bringing people together in their community to do much more than just shop. 'So anything that helps these shops compete effectively has to be worth considering.' Separately, Robert Hayton, head of UK business rates at the property consultant Altus Group, said: 'There is now an overriding consensus that the tax playing field must be levelled. 'The proposal ensures additional revenue is ring-fenced for the good of the entire sector.' Business rates were devised before the internet age, and shops are taxed based on the estimated rental value of their property. They claim this puts traditional stores at a huge disadvantage compared to online players such as Amazon which have huge out-of-town bases where rates are lower. Lewis, who earned 4.6million last year, unveiled his plan in an article for the Mail this week, writing: 'We face an active policy choice: act now... or do nothing and face the inevitable consequences.' Shoppers can pick up their Amazon parcels from hundreds of Next stores from today as the online giant launches a new pick-up service. Going under the name of Amazon Counter, the service works much like the traditional usual click & collect. After choosing to have their parcel delivered at a Next store, shoppers are sent an unique barcode via email once the parcel has arrived. They then have up to 14 days to collect it. Amazon Counter works much like the traditional usual click & collect Simon Wolfson, the boss of high street retailer Next, said: 'In a tough retail environment our aim is that Amazon Counter will contribute to the continued relevance and vibrancy of our stores.' Amazon said that feedback from earlier trials showed that adding Counter to a store helped increase footfall. The new Counter service is in addition to Amazon lockers, which already exist outside some supermarkets such as Morrisons and Co-operative, as well as Shell petrol stations. Counter is also being launched in Italy, where its partners are bookstore chain Giunti and the network of Fermopoint and SisalPay stores. 'We see it as a great way to create more convenience for our customers and create a win-win situation for the retailers who partner with us,' said Patrick Supanc, Amazon's director of lockers and pick-up. The move comes at a time when high street retailers are struggling to get people through their doors. First-time buyers looking for a cash crutch to help them get on the property ladder are increasingly turning to the Lifetime Isa rather than its Help to Buy forerunner. Nottingham Building Society - one of the few providers to offer both - said that in the first three months of this year 7.1 times more people opened a Lifetime Isa with it compared to a Help to Buy Isa. The rules of the Lifetime Isa mean that under-40s can save up to 4,000 a year into a tax-friendly account, and the Government adds up to 1,000 on top of that - boosting contributions by 25 per cent. It was designed to help people save for their first home or retirement and the Lifetime Isa will ultimately replace the Help to Buy Isa, which is being pulled in November. The Lifetime Isa is designed to provide a Government-backed helping hand to first-time buyers by offering them a 25% top-up on up to 4,000 a year of savings Savers can choose either a cash or stocks and shares investment Lifetime Isa and money saved and bonuses given can be withdrawn without penalty if done to buy a first home, or after the age of 60. The government bonus on a Lifetime Isa mimics basic rate tax relief on pension contributions. The latter element makes Lifetime Isas more restrictive than pensions, which offer full tax relief on contributions for most people and money can be accessed after age 55, although this is likely to rise. While the Lifetime Isa can also be used by those saving for their pension, the building society said 78 per cent of those who opened one were doing so for the purpose of saving for a house. It began offering its cash Lifetime Isa in August last year, making it just the second provider to launch one. It launched an online version two months ago, and both accounts pay 1 per cent interest as well as the 25 per cent government bonus. Whether it means the Lifetime Isa is finally proving a hit with first-time buyers after being criticised as a gimmick and as difficult to understand is difficult to determine, as Nottingham doesn't yet have figures on how many customers have used it to buy a house. This is because you have to save into a Lifetime Isa for a year before you can use it to purchase a property, and Nottingham's offer only became available last August. However figures previously released by Skipton Building Society, the first and for more than a year only provider to offer a cash Lifetime Isa, found 3,641 homes were bought with the product's help in 2018. According to the building society, the average age of a first-time buyer was 31, while more than 100,000 Lifetime Isas have been opened with it since its launch two years ago. Newcastle Building Society remains the only other provider to offer a cash product, though more providers offer stocks and shares versions of the product. While Jenna McKenzie Day, senior savings manager at Nottingham Building Society, said she 'wasn't surprised by the stats' and that it 'was clear the Lifetime Isa is primed to fill the gap the Help to Buy Isa will leave when it stops in November', there's a suggestion the product is still struggling to be heard. In March the budget watchdog slashed the amount it expected the Government to have to pay in top-up bonuses by 2021 from 845million to 420million, suggesting take-up had 'fallen short of expectations'. The Treasury Select Committee last July called for Lifetime Isas to be scrapped, criticising their 'perverse incentives and complexity', likely due to the product's attempt to marry the competing aims of saving for a house and a pension. Nonetheless, James Blower, founder of the website The Savings Guru, said: 'Lifetime Isas are brilliant, if you meet the criteria. 'That is, if you are aged 18-40, have never owned a property, are looking to buy a house valued up to 450,000 and don't need to buy for a year. 'If you fit all these criteria then the government bonus of up to 1,000 (25 per cent) on the maximum contribution of 4,000 makes it a no-brainer. 'However, if you are not definitely going to buy a property, or need to buy in less than 12 months, then you should think very carefully whether it's the right product for you.' One particular advantage of the Lifetime Isa is that it is considered in its own category when it comes to Government Isa rules, meaning you could deposit 4,000 a year in it and still have 16,000 left over to perhaps deposit in a cash Isa. By contrast, the Help to Buy Isa is considered a cash Isa, meaning you could not open another cash Isa in the same tax year, except in certain cases. Metro Bank is not having a good year. Its shares have plummeted and rumours about the lender's health have sparked queues of worried customers outside branches. The modern-day bank, which now has 1.7 million customers, became Britain's first new High Street lender in more than a century when it opened branches in the wake of the financial crisis in 2010. Founded by U.S. billionaire Vernon Hill, the bank prides itself on being different. It opens seven days a week and welcomes dogs. It calls branches 'stores' and customers 'fans'. Unease: Customers queue in a London branch of Metro Bank after false rumours circulated on text message service WhatsApp that the bank was facing financial difficulties Children can use the bank's Magic Money machine to count their piggy bank savings, while adults get fee-free transactions in Europe. But, in January, the lender revealed an accounting error that prompted an ongoing investigation by the City watchdog. The bank had underestimated the riskiness of property loans and, as a result, its reserves were not as robust as they should have been. Since then, shares in the bank have fallen by 87 per cent in just 14 months, with concerns over management and repeated pleas for investment fuelling fears over its future. Then, as reports over the weekend revealed Metro Bank is expecting a 350 million cash injection from investors, false rumours circulated on text message service WhatsApp that the bank was facing financial difficulties. The message urged savers to withdraw their money from accounts and safety deposit boxes. This led to pictures of queues of customers at London branches being posted on social media. So what does all this mean if you are a Metro Bank customer and, most importantly, is your money safe? What is the bank saying? Metro Bank was founded in 2010 by flamboyant U.S. billionaire Vernon Hill Metro Bank firmly denies the rumours it is facing financial difficulty, confirming it remains a profitable bank. A spokesman says: 'We're aware there were queries in some stores over the weekend about safety deposit boxes following false rumours about Metro Bank on social media and messaging apps. There is no truth to these rumours and we want to reassure our customers that there is no reason to be concerned. 'We're a profitable bank, rated number one for personal current account service by the Competition and Markets Authority and committed to serving 1.7 million customers.' According to the bank, the 350 million is not being raised to allow it to continue operating, but to grow its 67-strong branch network and online services. Metro Bank says it had increased inquiries about deposits on Saturday in some stores in West London, but this has returned to normal. Is my cash protected? Aside from the bank's reassurances that it is profitable, customers are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Under the FSCS, anyone who holds money in a UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union that fails will be compensated up to 85,000 per person, per bank, or 170,000 for joint accounts, per bank. If you have more than this with any one banking institution, experts recommend withdrawing the extra money and putting it somewhere else to ensure you are covered. However, temporary high balances are covered under the compensation scheme such as money from a house sale, an inheritance, redundancy pay outs or personal injury claims. Metro, which now has 1.7 million customers, became Britain's first new High Street lender in more than a century when it opened branches in the wake of the financial crisis in 2010 Are safety deposits safe? The FSCS scheme does not protect the contents of a safety deposit box. However, Metro Bank has confirmed it does not take ownership of the contents of boxes. This means that what is in your box remains yours and not the bank's regardless of what happens. Metro Bank customers can continue to use safety deposit boxes as normal during store opening hours. Many of the customers seen queuing at the weekend were said to be concerned about their deposit boxes. Are small firms still protected? The FSCS protects the balances of small firms, limited companies and charities, and does not carry out a size test. To find out if your deposits are protected, go to fscs.org.uk/contact-us or call 0800 678 1100. How do I claim compensation? The FSCS will compensate you automatically. It aims to return your money within seven days of any bank or building society failing. Complex claims can take up to 15 working days. Will branches have to close? Metro Bank says it has no plans to close stores or reduce its 8am-to-8pm opening times. It also plans to press ahead with planned new openings. Most of the bank's stores are in London and the South-East, but it aims to open branches in Manchester and Liverpool this year. Stores are also being built in Birmingham and Cardiff. s.partington@dailymail.co.uk Angel investment is a significant source of risk capital for start-up and early stage businesses across Europe. As avid watchers of the BBC's Dragon's Den will know, it offers entrepreneurs not only finance but vital business experience and expertise to enable businesses to achieve their high growth potential. But in spite of a number of high profile women leading the way - Deborah Meaden, Kelly Hoppen, Hilary Devey and Jenny Campbell to name just a few - the gender balance in the angel investment community is off. Jenny Tooth, chief executive of the UK Business Angels Association According to Jenny Tooth, chief executive of the UK Business Angels Association, women make up just 14 per cent of the UKs angel investor landscape. Whether anyone welcomes this situation or not, the heavy skew towards men in this sector is bound to create an unconscious bias, which can potentially leave female entrepreneurs at a disadvantage when it comes to raising investment. Indeed, a recent study in The Lancet looked at Canadian scientists and their ability to raise funding for research in 2014. When the peer review focused on identifying the best scientific ideas, the proposals from male and female investigators were funded in roughly equal proportions. By contrast, when the review focused on assessing the scientist, male investigators were an astounding four times more likely to receive funding than female investigators. It is a reality facing all sectors but there is a growing tide of willingness to push through change to ensure women who are under-supported, receive more support in future. So how can we help female entrepreneurs looking for investment to start or scale-up their business - and female angel investors looking for firms to back (and future profits, of course)? We asked Jenny to explain how a growing number of women investors are helping to reshape the entrepreneurial gender balance in British start-ups. Here's what she said. Women invest in women founders more than men Jenny Tooth, chief executive of the UKBAA There is a clear appetite among women investors to back women founders or co-founders. According to our research, carried out between January 2017 and December 2018, some 54 per cent of women invested in women-founded businesses were already invested in at least one other company founded by women. Nearly 20 per cent were invested in three to 10 women founders. This is considerably higher than for male investors, who typically invest into a small minority of women-led businesses with only a few leading male angels investing in a significant number of women founders. This highlights the importance of women's angel capital in increasing the level of investment in female-founded businesses. Yet currently only 14 per cent of business angel investors here in the UK are women. Female founded firms get less money British Business Bank figures show that female-founded companies get less than 1 per cent of total UK venture capital, while male founded companies get 89 per cent. That is despite the fact that a third of entrepreneurs in the UK are female. In the government-commissioned Rose Review published in March, access to and awareness of funding was highlighted as the number one issue for female entrepreneurs across the entire entrepreneurial journey, from intention to scale-up. Indeed, female-led businesses receive less funding than those headed by men at every stage of their journey. Start-up funding is the number one barrier mentioned by women non-entrepreneurs: women launch businesses with 53 per cent less capital on average than men, are less aware of funding options and less likely to take on debt. Only 1 per cent of all venture funding goes to businesses founded by all-female teams, inhibiting scale up. Pitching to a room of men can be challenging We know that for many female entrepreneurs, the experience of raising finance is especially challenging when they have to present their business idea to a room almost entirely filled with male angel investors. Only 13 per cent of senior people on UK investment teams are women, and almost half (48 per cent) of investment teams have no women at all. Less than 1 per cent of UK venture funding goes to all-female teams and just 4 per cent of deals. This is a complex issue, but not one that we should skirt as it is frequently mentioned by female entrepreneurs who feel they are judged to be less competent than their male peers. Jenny Tooth: Male-led pitches tend to be more idealist in their approach I have seen countless female-led investment pitches across the nation and in my opinion, women will tend to show greater transparency in the limitations of their skills/offer, whereas male-led pitches tend to be more idealist in their approach. Albeit the former can be powerful in its own right, the ability for growth hungry investors to really get the benefit of what you are pitching can be lost, particularly if gender-based unconscious bias is not addressed in the delivery. The aim is that by increasing female investors in the pitching room, this will encourage female founders to ask for the investment that they need in a manner that is relevant to the type of founder they are. Toxic masculine culture penetrates a wide array of male dominated arenas, and in the instance of SME investment, this is much to the detriment of female founded businesses. There is a clear indication that women absolutely have the means and the resources to innovate and invest into British businesses, but without accurate representation and the presence of prominent women lead angels and inspirational figures, growth of female lead businesses albeit possible will not occur. What's holding back female angel investors? A lack of female role models is consistently noted as one of the key barriers inhibiting women from investing, with 48 per cent of women stating that they did not have the confidence to become an angel investor. In addition to this, many women with the capacity to become angel investors noted that financial advisers tended to direct them towards low risk areas of investment such as stocks and shares rather than angel investment. Many female angels also prefer to exist under the radar, meaning that prominent role models are in short supply. Men actively discuss their position as angel investors, but women dont like to look different or arrogant. Despite this fact, its imperative that women see other women who have made that leap. It is evident that there is an untapped pool of investment from women in the UK which could considerably increase the chances of women entrepreneurs and founders accessing the capital they need to both build and grow their businesses. This equates to 250billion of new value that could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as UK men. Even if the UK were to achieve the same average share of women entrepreneurs as best-in-class peer countries, this would add 200billion of new value to the UK economy. Women investors are carving the future financial landscape for female entrepreneurs seeking investment and this is something which needs to be praised and replicated until normalised within the investment sector. Hounded by tourists, supporters and haters, indicted Donald Trump campaign operative Roger Stone has quietly moved out of his $2 million, nine-room Fort Lauderdale mansion where he was arrested by armed FBI agents January 25 and into a condo less than half its size, DailyMail.com has learned. 'Eighty percent of my furniture is in storage,' Stone said of his fall from grace in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com. 'I had to leave my beautiful 4,000-square-foot home on a canal for security and economic reasons.' The security reasons, the 66-year-old claimed, involved the constant stream of people ringing the doorbell from early in the morning until late at night. 'There were some nuts who wanted to hate me, local ladies dropping off a cake or food and even some people to give me a check for my defense fund,' he said. 'After the FBI raided my house and the footage ended up everywhere, people figured out where I lived. 'I travel pretty often, so I didn't want my wife, who is deaf, to be alone in a property everybody felt entitled to enter.' Roger Stone moved out of his $2M, Fort Lauderdale mansion and into a smaller condo. But although Stone insists he is broke, DailyMail.com has learned that isn't quite the case. According to public records, a trust fund controlled by his wife Nydia (pictured together), bought a two-bedroom condo where the couple now lives for $525,000 on March 22 The Trump supporter says he was forced to downsize due to economic and security reasons, claiming people were ringing his mansion's doorbell (pictured) throughout the day. He said: 'There were some nuts who wanted to hate me, local ladies dropping off a cake or food and even some people to give me a check for my defense fund' According to the Broward County Property Appraiser's Office, the condo at the Galleria Lofts (pictured) is a brand spanking new two bedroom place with more than 1,600 square feet of space The tour buses started driving by, pointing out to passengers the home of Stone, the Trump associate awaiting a federal trial on seven counts of lying to congress, witness tampering and obstructing a Congressional investigation. And in the back of the mansion, gawkers on private boats floated past his house on one of the city's famous canals and sometimes docked. 'One car dealer from Michigan pulled up in his boat with two fine, barely dressed women after he saw I was in the backyard getting some sun,' Stone said. 'He asked if he could tie up on my dock and I said sure.' Stone, a long-ago aide to President Richard Nixon who proudly wears a tattoo of the face of his disgraced former boss on his back, spent the next few minutes sipping on martinis with the man and his companions. They left after the man wrote a $1,000-check for his legal defense, Stone said. Which brings up the second reason why Stone moved out from the rented mansion, and he claims it's economic hardship. Stone is on a fundraising tour of local Republican Party clubs in Florida and even had an appearance scheduled in a Richmond, Virginia, strip club to help him pay for the expected $2 million in legal bills to fight the federal charges at a trial scheduled for November 5 in Washington, D.C. 'This has ruined me financially and robbed me of being able to make a living,' he said, adding he hired high-profile South Florida attorney Bruce Rogow. 'So I'm traveling all over for appearances where I sell my books and merchandise.' To help raise money for his legal defense, Stone is on a fundraising tour of local Republican Party clubs in Florida and even had an appearance scheduled in a Richmond, Virginia, strip club Paper Moon (pictured) to help him pay for the expected $2 million in legal bills to fight the federal charges at a trial scheduled for November 5 in Washington, D.C 'This has ruined me financially and robbed me of being able to make a living,' Stone said, adding he hired high-profile South Florida attorney Bruce Rogow. 'So I'm traveling all over for appearances where I sell my books and merchandise' The strip club appearance? 'It's a gentleman's club,' Stone said about the venue, Paper Moon, ironically. 'One year ago, I was speaking at the Oxford Union in England. Now, I'm doing gentleman's clubs. 'That ought to tell you about the effects this investigation had on my life. But, I'm not a family values guy. I'm a libertarian, and I'm struggling for survival. So, a strip club is as good a venue as any.' In his speeches, Stone abides strictly with the gag order slapped on him by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman and doesn't discuss his case. Instead, he talks about politics in general, reminisces about his time with Nixon and dispenses his views on the 2020 presidential race. He says Trump has a good chance to win again if he can survive what Stone claims is censorship by private Internet operators such as Twitter and Google. Stone also markets trinkets like his 'Roger stones,' well-polished white rocks with his autograph. He has sold 22,000 of those at $10 a pop, he claims. And he has sold 10,000 replicas of the black tee shirt he wore when he was arrested. It reads 'Roger Stone Did Nothing Wrong.' Stone also established a defense fund, and people can give online. So far, he says, 42,000 people have made donations. But Stone may not be as broke as he claims, DailyMail.com has learned. When DailyMail.com questioned Stone about his move, he said he is reduced to 'renting a one-bedroom place.' When DailyMail.com questioned Stone about his move, he said he is reduced to 'renting a one-bedroom place.' According to public records, however, a trust fund controlled by his wife Nydia, the Bertran Family Trust, bought the condo where the couple now lives for $525,000 on March 22 When later contacted, Stone said he misunderstood the question about the condo and wanted to protect his wife from his new address getting out. He texted: 'I own nothing' The mortgage documents (pictured), signed by both Nydia and Roger, do not detail the date of maturity and the amount of monthly payments. It just mentions the condo as collateral According to public records, however, a trust fund controlled by his wife Nydia, the Bertran Family Trust, bought the condo where the couple now lives for $525,000 on March 22. And while the deed only bears Nydia's name, Roger and his wife received a $393,750 mortgage from Russell Harris, a California man who owns a $1 million home in Fort Lauderdale, according to Broward County records. The mortgage documents, signed by both Nydia and Roger, do not detail the date of maturity and the amount of monthly payments. It just mentions the condo as collateral. According to the Broward County Property Appraiser's Office, the condo at the Galleria Lofts is a brand spanking new two bedroom place with more than 1,600 square feet of space. When later contacted, Stone said he misunderstood the question about the condo and wanted to protect his wife from his new address getting out. He texted: 'I own nothing.' Private mortgage investor Harris, meanwhile, said he was surprised Stone co-signed the mortgage. Harris, 72, said he knew of Lydia Stone and the fact her credit is 'not bad' but didn't realize Roger would be on the mortgage papers, too. 'That Roger Stone, the Trump guy?' Harris said in a phone interview. 'I dealt with a title company, so I didn't realize it was that family.' Stone, Trump's friend for 40 years, is accused of lying about his ties with Wikileaks, a website that published information damaging to then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party during the campaign Harris said the mortgage is for one year, and Lydia Stone said she'd refinance with a bank next year. 'They're paying about $3,000 a month,' Harris said. 'Her credit wasn't bad, and I figured I'd get a nice apartment for cheap if she defaulted. They put down more than $125,000, so I'm surprise he is crying poverty.' Harris said he considers Roger Stone 'just another crony of a dirtbag president.' 'I might vote for Joe Biden,' Harris said. 'Don't even mention Trump or anyone associated with him. He [Trump] is a dirtbag who spent a lifetime screwing everybody around time, and now he's screwing the entire country. But if the Stones make mortgage payments on time, then we'll be fine.' The charges against Stone, a political consultant and writer who's made political opposition research into an art form, stem from findings by the Mueller Commission, an investigative body charged with finding out whether President Donald Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia and whether Trump interfered with the investigation. Stone, Trump's friend for 40 years, is accused of lying about his ties with Wikileaks, a website that published information damaging to then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party during the campaign. Carl Beech, 51, alleged powerful men including MPs and generals sexually abused and killed children in the 1970s A 'fantasist' whose allegations of a Westminster paedophile ring sparked a massive police investigation wept as he told a story about witnessing a child's murder - a tale which prosecutors say he invented. Carl Beech, 51, allegedly claimed he was left 'covered in blood' when he witnessed a friend being knocked down and killed by a car on instructions from his abusers. But jurors at Beech's trial today were told the story was one of many inventions. Under the pseudonym 'Nick', Carl Beech, 51, made heinous accusations against prominent men including a former Prime Minister, a former Army chief, and head of MI5 and MI6. An 18-month, 2million Met Police investigation into the men was wound up with no arrests. A separate investigation by Northumbria Police then quickly unravelled Beech's allegations, Newcastle Crown Court heard today. Beech's claims were 'totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised, and irredeemably contradicted by other testimony', the jury were told. Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC told the jury: 'These are false allegations including; three child murders, multiple rapes, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and widespread sexual abuse. 'All concerning young boys. It is quite impossible to conceive of allegations of a worse kind to be made.' Beech denies perverting the course of justice. The jury were shown pictures of Carl Beech aged around 10 in his final year of primary school when he claimed the abuse began As prosecutors laid out their claims against Beech, the court was told that: Beech had lived as a fugitive abroad before he was tracked down in Sweden; He accused former Tory MP Harvey Proctor of murdering another young boy; He also gave police a pen-knife which he claimed had been a gift from Proctor; Beech named London Zoo, the Carlton private member's club and military bases among the alleged places of abuse; He also made sketches of the places where he claimed he was abused, which were shown to the court; The defendant was accused of making up a story about a childhood friend being killed by a car; Edward Heath's yacht was not as described by Beech, who claimed he had been abused there; Beech claimed he was afraid of water - but prosecutors showed pictures of him swimming and said he 'seems to enjoy nothing more than a trip to the swimming pool or the sea'. The claims led to raids on the homes of prominent and elderly people including former army chief, D-Day veteran Lord Brammall, whose wife of 64 years died during the investigation, before his named was cleared. Beech handed police this pen-knife (pictured) in 2014 which he said had been a gift from Harvey Proctor, the court heard Beech claimed in 2014 that he had been raped and abused for nine years in the 1970s by a VIP gang he called 'the Group' which included senior members of Parliament, the military, and the media. He said abuse had taken place at the London home, and on the yacht, of former Prime Minister Edward Heath, and that he had held the hand of a dying young boy, murdered in front of him by former Tory MP Harvey Proctor. Jurors were also shown video of Beech crying in a police interview as he alleged he had been 'covered in blood' in 1979 when a childhood friend was killed by a car on instructions from Beech's abusers. Police found no evidence any such child ever existed. The claims made in 20 hours of police interviews caused 'shattering repercussions' for men who had held some of the highest offices in the land. The jury heard that after police suspicion fell on him, Beech fled the country and lived overseas as a fugitive, before being tracked down in Sweden and arrested on a European arrest warrant. The jury was shown pages from Carl Beech's sketchbook which he had told police showed abuse which took place in his childhood This sketch from Carl Beech's notebook carries the message: 'Please no more' Field Marshall Lord Brammal, pictured with his wife of 64 years Dorothy, who died before his name was cleared He made extraordinary unfounded accusations against a list of prominent men including: Former PM Sir Edward Heath: he said he was sexually abused at Heath's home in London and on his yacht Former head of the army Lord Brammall: he said Brammall repeatedly raped him and was present at the first meeting of 'the group' Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor: he said Proctor demanded oral sex, abused him with a pen knife, and murdered two children, one after tying him to a table, raping, and stabbing him Former head of MI5 Michael Hanley, and former head of MI6 Maurice Oldfield: said to be responsible for abuse and torture including spiders being tipped over him, electric shocks, and having darts thrown at him, culminating in threats 'to make him disappear' His step-father, Major Ray Beech: he said his step-father frequently and repeatedly abused, raped, and beat him, the first time in a public toilet at a wildlife park Former Home Secretary Leon Brittan: He said Brittan murdered a child, describing him as a 'mini-Harvey' who was sadistic and enjoyed putting his head under water As well as Heath's home and yacht, Beech claimed the venues for the abuse included Dolphin Square and the Carlton Club in London, Stowe School, London Zoo, and military bases including Imber, St David's Barracks, Erskine Barracks which at the time was the HQ of the British Land Forces, The charges relate to claims Beech made that former prime minister Edward Heath (left), ex-home secretary Leon Brittan (right) and others were part of a child abuse ring Timeline of Beech's alleged falsehoods and the investigations they launched 2014/2015: Over more than 20 hours of recorded police interviews, Carl Beech makes lurid allegations of child rape and murder against senior Establishment figures including Ted Heath and Lord Brammall. November 2014: The Met Police launch Operation Midland, which raids the homes of several elderly men looking for evidence to support Beech's claims. A detective calls the accusations 'credible and true'. April 2015: D-Day veteran and former Army chief Lord Brammal interviewed. June 2015: Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, whom Beech accused of child murder, interviewed under caution. March 2016: Beech notified no further action was to be taken in respect of the allegations he had made. 2016: Northumbria Police conclude Beech's claims are 'totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised, and irredeemably contradicted by other testimony'. November 2, 2016: Police arrive to raid Beech's home in Gloucester. He flees to Sweden and is later extradited back to the UK. 2018: A highly critical review of Operation Midland reports police 'acted like they were searching for bodies' during raids on homes. December 2018: restriction on reporting of Carl Beech's real identity lifted. May 2019: Beech goes on trial for perverting the course of justice. Advertisement He accused 12 men: Major Ray Beech, Carl Beech's step-father; Lt General Beach; General Gibbs; Lord Brammall; Jimmy Savile; Peter Hayman; Harvey Proctor; Leon Brittan; Greville Janner; Edward Heath; Michael Hanley; Maurice Oldfield. Mr Badenoch said the 12-week trial would show Beech's accusations against the men were 'demonstrably untrue.' He said: 'In his forties, Carl Beech claimed that when he was a young schoolboy he had witnessed no less than three child killings, and was subjected to rape, torture, and sexual abuse by literally dozens of powerful men, in politics, the armed forces, intelligence services and in showbusiness, at locations ranging four counties, the coast, and all over London. 'He had been taken out of school once a week for this to occur. That is an extraordinary claim - and it is also untrue.' Beech, as a complainant of sexual abuse, was granted anonymity and it was under the pseudonym of 'Nick' that his allegations were reported. His allegations were described by a Metropolitan Police Officer at the time as 'credible and true'. Mr Badenoch said that when those words were uttered, the officer didn't have the advantage of the enquiries that followed. Operation Midland, into Beech's allegations was set up as a major incident room in November 2014 and estimated costs ran to 2m. Mr Badenoch said: 'These false allegations led to police enquiries being made of living men, amongst them Lord Brittan, Lord Bramall and Mr Harvey Proctor. 'Immeasurable distress was caused to them personally and those close to them, and obvious reputational damage. 'One man - Lord Brittan - had his homes searched by the police and died with these allegations made by Carl Beech still a live enquiry. Police have since apologised to his widow. Court sketch of Carl Beech, known as Nick, at Newcastle Crown Court last week before the jury was sworn in today One of 'Nick's false stories' Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC detailed one of the allegations made by Beech to the jury. He said: 'Mr Beech told the Metropolitan Police that he had witnessed the murder of a young school boy called Scott, murdered at the hands of 'the group' of sexual abusers. 'He had been warned not to be friends with Scott. A warning which he failed to heed leading to his friend Scott being run over and killed in front of him. 'Carl Beech was saying that when he was a young schoolboy he had witnessed the murder of a school-friend who had been deliberately run over and killed for the crime of being his friend, when the 'group' allowed him none. 'The child was a boy at his own school. It was a secret he had carried throughout his life out of fear of speaking out. Nobody knew about this. Only him. ' Mr Badenoch said the Metropolitan Police carried out enquiries and ascertained that Carl Beech was never at school with a missing boy called Scott. He said: 'There was no missing boy. Teachers and school friends from his time at school confirmed that over and over. A complete fabrication and falsehood. 'It is one example from a very long list.' Advertisement D-Day veteran, former head of the army Lord Bramall was in his nineties when he was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police and his home searched by 20 officers for 10 hours. In April 2015 he told police he was astonished and amazed at what was being said about him, and took the officers through his various army postings at the time. Mr Badenoch said: 'He confirmed that he had been married for sixty-four years to his wife who was his only sexual interest. 'His wife died whilst the file was still open. No further action was, ultimately, taken against him.' Harvey Proctor, former Tory MP for Billericay in Essex had his homes searched by 15 police for 27 hours as a consequence of Beech's allegations. He was interviewed under caution for six hours in June 2015, and 'completely denied all that was said about him in the most strident terms.' The barrister said Proctor's interviews would be played to the jury and 'will enable a proper assessment of the first reaction of the accused child murderer, to examine his response when shown the weapon he is supposed to have given Carl Beech around thirty years ago at the time of threatening to cut his genitals.' He said 'entirely innocent' Proctor, who has since held a press conference to declare his innocence and received an apology from the Met Police, is 'still enraged' at having been labelled 'a sadistic abuser of young boys and a murderer'. As the only former MP accused by Beech still alive, Mr Badenoch said, Proctor 'is the only person from that group who can speak about these allegations and he will do so.' Beech handed police a pen-knife in 2014 which he said had been a gift from Proctor, Mr Badenoch said, adding: 'It was the pen-knife which he had asked Metropolitan Police Officers whether any forensic results had been produced from. 'He was informed they were negative on 23 February 2015. Of course they were going to be, it was yet another fabrication.' He said when Northumbria Police spoke to Beech's wife, she told them Beech had not only already shown it to her, but kept it in his 'happy memory box'. Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor was accused of rape and murder by Beech. The court heard he is still 'enraged' by the accusations Beech also claimed boys were murdered by 'The Group', the jury heard, including one child killed by Harvey Proctor in front of him. He said Proctor and another man tied the boy to a table, raped him, and stabbed him. Beech said he held the boy's hand and begged him to wake up but he didn't. Harvey and the other men just laughed and told him that he was next, he claimed, later naming the boy as Martin Allen, a child missing since 1979. Proctor, along with Michael Hanley (former head of MI5), Leon Brittan (former home secretary), and an unnamed fourth man, was also alleged to have murdered another boy, after asking a group of abused boys to elect which one of them should die. One of the other boys was an unnamed corroborative witness, whom police called 'Fred'. Beech claimed the abuse started when he was seven and stopped around his 16th birthday. He said he would be collected from school by an unspeaking driver, and taken to 'parties' where there would be seven or eight boys and as many 10, 15, or more men. Beech told police that he wanted a jury to decide whether Harvey Proctor is 'a sadistic child murderer and abuser.' But the Northumbria Police investigation in 2016 found Beech's allegations to be 'totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised, and irredeemably contradicted by other testimony.' Mr Badenoch said: Carl Beech knew all of that of course and ultimately he pursued his only real option as this enquiry moved to the charging phase. He absconded and sought to set up life in a different country living as a fugitive.' Beech, 51, arrived at Newcastle Crown Court in a prison van. He fled to Sweden and was extradited to face trial 'Gave false hope' When Carl Beech told police he had witnessed child murders in the 1970s, he gave false hope to the family of a 15-year-old boy who went missing in 1979, Newcastle Crown Court heard. Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, said the boy's disappearance was the worst event in the life of Martin Allen's family, and that his brother Kevin had never given up hope of finding out what happened to him. In 2014, Kevin Allen was told by the Metropolitan Police that his disappearance 'may have been linked to a very nasty paedophile ring'. He added: 'The source of that false hope to Kevin Allen, 35 years after his brother went missing, was ultimately the false allegations of this defendant, Carl Beech. 'We will show you what Carl Beech was saying at the time, what he was saying to the Metropolitan Police, and what his hopes and expectations were in respect of the Allen family. 'That's just an example of the broader impact of this case. 'It went directly to those accused, who were still living, and it went further to those who were still looking further for answers 35 years after 1979.' Advertisement Carl Beech was notified on 21 March 2016 that no further action was to be taken in respect of the allegations he had made. Mr Badenoch told the court Beech fled to Sweden after his home in Gloucester was raided by Northumbria Police, an outside force brought in by the Metropolitan Police to investigate Beech himself. In 2016, the same year that no further action was taken in respect of Operation Midland, Beech had his life 'turned upside down' as he became the suspect. Northumbria Police examined the recordings of his witness statements to the Met and Wiltshire forces. On November 2 police raided his home, a three bedroom semi where he lived with his son, in the early morning. His 34,000 white Mustang convertible was parked on the drive. Mr Badenoch said: 'Beech took the only option available to him - he fled the country and lived overseas as a fugitive. 'That was until a specialist fugitive unit in Sweden worked closely with Northumbria Police and the national crime agency to secure his arrest on a European arrest warrant executed overseas. 'He was extradited to face these charges.' In one allegation, Mr Badenoch said, Beech claimed a warning he failed to heed led to his friend Scott being run over and killed in front of him. But Beech was never at school with a missing boy called Scott. The jury was shown Beech's first police interview, in November 2014, in which he sat with his head bowed, his hands in his lap and his voice frequently breaking with emotion as he spoke of Scott. In Beech's first police interview, in November 2014, he sat with his head bowed, his hands in his lap and his voice frequently breaking with emotion as he spoke of Scott The jury was shown Beech wiping away a tear speaking of the horrific ordeal - but police found no evidence 'Scott' ever existed He wiped away tears as he told how his friend was mown down by a vehicle on the orders of 'The Group.' Beech spoke slowly and appeared in distress in the 31 minute video, as he claimed the boy had been killed in the summer of 1979 because he refused the group's orders that he - Beech - could not have any friends. He said Scott had freckles and dimples and short hair that was longer at the back, but could not remember his full name. He said the death was never mentioned at their school and he could not remember at what time of day, or where, the collision occurred other than that the boys were walking towards Kingston upon Thames. Beech told the officer: 'I cannot remember if he was in my class or just the school, I cannot remember how it came about except that he wanted to be my friend. 'He was not connected to The Group, he was just a normal boy who wanted to be my friend. He would try to talk to me and try to involve me in games.' He appeared to be tearful as he said: 'They wanted me not to be friends with him. I did not listen, I didn't listen. They warned me several times but I was selfish, I wanted a friend. 'I didn't understand what the consequences might be so I didn't do as I was told. I didn't know how to be nasty to somebody, to stop them being my friend because I didn't want to.' He described a 'loud, very loud' car engine behind him, and seconds later, he said, Scott was hit and thrown into the air, landing on the road. A terrified Beech ran over to try to help him. He told the officer: 'There was so much blood, I was covered in blood.I felt my arms being grabbed and I was pulled into the back [of the car]'. He said he did not remember whether anyone in the car said anything to him or how he got home, and when asked by the detective he said he had no recollection of Scott's death ever being mentioned in school. Asked: 'Do you remember if the police were called or anything like that?' He responded: 'I don't know, I don't know who he was, I don't know anything.' Carl Beech (pictured left and right) pleaded not guilty to 12 charges as he appeared via video link at Newcastle Crown Court in February The prosecutor told the jury: 'There was no missing boy. Teachers and school-friends from his time at school confirmed that over and over. A complete fabrication and falsehood. It is one example from a very long list.' He said the allegations when investigated led to the conclusion that they are in fact 'incredible and untrue,' contrary to the statement made earlier by the Met. Northumbria Police steadily unpicked Carl Beech's tales of abuse, the jury was told. His allegations about being abused by Ted Heath aboard his yacht were shown to be lies, it is alleged. Tony Badenoch said: ' Carl Beech gave the Metropolitan Police a description of the inside of Ted Heath's yacht. This was again said to be a location for serious sexual abuse. This time by the ex-Prime Minister. 'And so it was that Northumbria Police spoke to the yachtsmen who were responsible for the Prime Minister's yachting activities. Their responses very much chimed with what so many others have said. 'He was accompanied by security staff when he attended the yacht. As to his yachting skills, Ted Heath couldn't sail it on his own. 'They also provided details of the layouts, berths, and moorings for the various yachts. 'No cabins and double beds as described by Carl Beech. These were racing yachts with hammocks.' Beech also claimed to have been abused by Proctor and Heath at The Carlton Club in central London, the prosecutor said. Mr Badenoch said that Mr Proctor did attend the club, but never alongside the former head of government, and a staff member who has worked at the venue for 41 years said it was 'very rare' to see children on the premises. Beech told police that he had been taken out of his schools in London at least once a week for a period of nine years, between the ages of seven and sixteen and that he was collected outside school by a driver to be taken to his abusers. Northumbria Police established with all three schools he attended that his attendance was very good, ranking an A. In some terms he won awards for 100% punctuality. Field Marshal Lord Bramall (left) with Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham. Lord Brammall was 'astonished' by accusations by Beech Investigators also spoke to those closest to the military generals accused by Beech. He claimed his step-father introduced him to the Generals he accused, though police discovered that Major Ray Beech would not have been of high enough rank to mix with those in such high ranks. Capt Steven Bamber, who looked after Lord Bramall's diary told officers that as head of the British Army Lord Bramall could not have been part of 'The Group' as alleged. Mr Badenock said: ' It was at the height of the Northern Ireland troubles. General Bramall would have been a target and lived in barbed wire surroundings under armed guard... 'There was simply no possibility of any individual bringing onto army office premises a young boy called Carl Beech for sadistic sexual abuse.' The court heard Beech googled the men he would accuse, prior to his police interviews in 2014. Analysis of his work-allocated 'Care Quality Commission' laptop revealed that he had conducted 'diligent and targeted' searches in 2014 prior to his interviews with the Metropolitan Police, Mr Badenoch said. 'All of the names of the men given by Carl Beech to the police as child abusers and murderers had been searched, and images of them sought, together with the addresses at which these horrendous events were said to have occurred,' he said. 'Within a few months of conducting these searches, Carl Beech was to tell Metropolitan Police officers that he hadn't done so: the details he was able to give were from his memory, and there had been no internet research, save that he looked at a Google map of Salisbury Plain.' Beech claimed that he could not swim but prosecutors showed the court images such as this one, displaying what they called an 'adult lifetime of swimming memories' And prosecutors debunked Beech's claims to police that he could not swim and had a life-long fear of water which he said his abusers exploited by dunking his head or throwing him off boats. But images shown at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday showed what the prosecution described as 'an adult lifetime of swimming memories' - Beech even went snorkelling on his honeymoon. Tony Badenoch said: 'Carl Beech seems to enjoy nothing more than a trip to the swimming pool or the sea. 'There are photographs and videos of him doing precisely that all over the world, ranging from swimming theme parks with children to honeymoon snorkelling at depth for shells, and at a pool with flippers, mask and snorkel. 'He even had a waterproof camera for photography.' Mr Badenoch said Beech produced sketches of the places he was abused for police and said they were' done from memory.' But on his computer imagery and photographs of the locations were found, which prosecutors said he had used to produce the drawings. One of his pictures of the Carlton Club in London, where he claimed to have been abused by Harvey Proctor amongst others, even had the exact number of front steps as the real building. The jury were shown other sketches by Beech showing shadowy 'demons' with long talons subjecting what appear to be children to bloody tortures. One picture was captioned with the words: 'please, no more.' Carl Beech also provided a counsellor with a drawing which to use her words; 'took her breath away'. The Met Police spent 18 months and 2.5million investigating Beech's claims of a Westminster paedophile ring It was a body map on which he had marked countless fractures to his head and body, puncture wounds to the groin, and burns to his back, to name just a few. He said Beech's medical records tell a completely different story. They show nothing that suggest injuries that were 'the result of infliction of electric torture, fractures and burns.' 'The reason?' asked Mr Badenoch. 'He hadn't been sadistically tortured and abused in the manner in which he described to Metropolitan Police Officers.' The Metropolitan Police's disastrous Operation Midland investigation into his unsubstantiated and unsupported claims collapsed in 2016 with no arrests, despite a senior detective saying Nick's stories were 'credible and true'. The Met has since paid six-figure sums in compensation to distinguished former Field Marshall Lord Brammall and to Lady Brittan whose late husband Leon was also accused by Beech. The Met is yet to agree any compensation deal with former Tory MP, Harvey Proctor, 70, who was falsely accused of rape and murder and lost his home and his job as a result. It is thought Mr Proctor, who received a personal apology from the then Met Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, is seeking more than 500,000 for loss of earnings and damage to his reputation. Leon Brittan and another accused, Greville Janner, both died within a year in 2015, the year following these allegations. Lawyers for the prosecution - Tony Badenoch QC, left - and defence - Collingwood Thompson QC, right - arriving at Newcastle Crown Court Despite a lack of evidence to support the extraordinary allegations, Scotland Yard launched an 18-month investigation, which cost in excess of 2.5 million. During the probe, teams of more than 20 officers mounted dawn raids on the homes of some of the suspects, many of them now old and in poor health. Last year a review of the flawed investigation, conducted by retired High Court judge, Sir Richard Henriques, said the police had acted as if they were 'looking for bodies or bodies parts', when carrying out the searches. Beech is now on trial for seeking to pervert the course of justice and to enrich himself while doing so. He was known simply as 'Nick' before his identity was revealed during his first court appearance in December after a judge lifted a reporting restriction. The fraud charge alleges that he falsely claimed 22,000 in criminal injuries compensation by saying 'he was subjected to abuse by a paedophile ring, knowing this to be untrue and intending thereby to make a gain for himself'. In February sporting a thick greying beard Beech, flanked by his solicitor, spoke only to confirm his identify and to enter his not guilty pleas before the Recorder of Newcastle, Judge Paul Sloan QC via video link. Charges facing Carl Beech, the man identified for years only as 'Nick' Beech, then known only as 'Nick', was charged in November of last year at Newcastle Crown Court, with perverting the course of justice and fraud. Charges against him allege that he: 'Nick', 50, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court accused of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud (stock image) Made a false allegation of witnessing the child homicide of an unnamed boy committed by Harvey Proctor Made a false allegation of witnessing the child homicide of a boy called Scott Made a false allegation of witnessing the child homicide of another unnamed boy Falsely alleged that he had been sexually and physically abused by a paedophile ring, with senior ranking officers within the military, military intelligence, a TV presenter and other unidentified men accused as members Falsely alleged that he had been sexually and physically abused by a paedophile ring, with politicians, a TV presenter, and other unidentified men accused as members Provided a list of sexual abusers and locations falsely alleging that he had been subjected to physical and sexual abuse by the said sexual abusers at the said locations Provided sketches of locations at which he claimed he had been physically and sexually abused, falsely claiming that he had produced them from memory Provided and repeated the name of Aubrey, falsely alleging that Aubrey had been present and subjected to physical and sexual abuse when with him Provided a pen knife and two military epaulettes falsely alleging that he had retained them from when he was abused as a child Falsely claimed that he had suffered serious injuries as a result of having been sexually and physically abused as a child Falsified a 'Proton' email account, and provided false information purportedly sent from 'Fred', an individual who he had named as present when he was abused by a paedophile ring Went together with investigators on site visits and falsely alleged that it was at locations identified by him during those visits that he had been subjected to physical and sexual abuse by a paedophile ring The fraud charge stated that he falsely claimed 22,000 from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority by saying 'he was subjected to abuse by a paedophile ring, knowing this to be untrue and intending thereby to make a gain for himself' Advertisement Sketches handed to police show Beech's 'memory and drawing skills improved immeasurably' after he made the claims, prosecutors say Prosecuting barrister Tony Badenoch QC told the jury at Newcastle Crown Court Carl Beech, 51, from Gloucester, had produced sketches to show his abuse. But he added wryly Beech's skills as a sketch artist had 'improved immeasurably', as had his memory, between a police interview in 2012 and another 2014 - a difference he put down to deliberate falsehoods by Beech. The jury were shown bizarre sketches by Beech showing shadowy 'demons' with long talons subjecting what appear to be children to bloody tortures. One picture was captioned with the words: 'please, no more.' In one of the sketches, Beech described a pool where boys were sexually abused, writing on the paper: 'Each man selected one of us. 'You then stuck with them unless they wanted to swap you with someone else. There would be a lot of touching.' The jury at Newcastle Crown Court were shown pages from Beech's sketchbooks. Beech described a pool where boys were sexually abused, writing : 'Each man selected one of us' Carl Beech provided a counsellor with a drawing which to use her words; 'took her breath away'; a body map on which he had marked fractures to his head and body, puncture wounds to the groin, and burns to his back The prosecutor said in 2012 Beech produced sketches 'any self-respecting toddler could probably manage' Mr Badenoch said: 'When he spoke to Wiltshire Police in 2012 he provided sketches which any self-respecting toddler could probably manage. 'Two years later when speaking to the Metropolitan Police his sketching skills had improved immeasurably as had his memory, if he is to be believed. Neither of those propositions is true. 'The conclusion? Carl Beech copied pictures off the internet and told Metropolitan Police officers that he had been raped and sadistically abused at these locations when he hadn't. 'It is like everything else, a falsehood. An embellishment to a false story said to be from memory.' 'There is nothing in his records to substantiate his claims and he has refused to be examined.' Beech told the Metropolitan police that the 'group' had somebody he understood to be a doctor, who would 'patch up' the boys when the abusers had gone too far. Nobody noticed injuries from this savage abuse over nine years of his life between the ages of seven and 16, the court heard. Some of the later sketches of locations of alleged abuse looked to have been copied from internet photos The court heard one picture Beech said was drawn from memory - of the Carlton Club in London where he claimed to have been abused by Harvey Proctor and Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath - had the exact number of front steps as the real building Dawn Beech met him around five years later when he was in his early twenties and was then married to him for 22 years, she didn't notice any marks on his body, and he didn't complain of pain to his feet. There wasn't anything physical that she saw that supported his claims of electric shock treatment nor any savage abuse. Carl Beech also provided a counsellor with a drawing which to use her words; 'took her breath away'. It was a body map on which he had marked countless fractures to his head and body, puncture wounds to the groin, and burns to his back, to name just a few. He said Beech's medical records tell a completely different story. They show nothing that suggest injuries that were 'the result of infliction of electric torture, fractures and burns.' 'The reason?' asked Mr Badenoch. 'He hadn't been sadistically tortured and abused in the manner in which he described to Metropolitan Police Officers.' The sketchbooks also contain hand drawing of the places he was abused for police and said they were' done from memory.' But on his computer imagery and photographs of the locations were found, which he had used to produce the drawings, the prosecution alleges. One of his pictures of the Carlton Club in London, where he claimed to have been abused by Harvey Proctor amongst others, even had the exact number of front steps as the real building. Unknown figures are seen in these sketches made by Carl Beech, seen by the trial jury Another of the images drawn by Carl Beech who denies perverting the course of justice These drawings from Beech's notebook have been shown to jurors at his Crown Court trial Another of the images which Crown prosecutors have shown to the jury in Newcastle These extracts from Beech's notebooks show a mixture of words and sketches A human figure is seen in this sketch from Beech's notebook alongside written words These pages from Beech's notebooks were also seen by jurors at Newcastle Crown Court A selection of the sketches and drawings from Beech's notebook, seen by the trial jury A 'drunk' passenger was escorted down the aisle and bundled off a plane when it landed in Portugal after he was verbally abusive during the flight. The man, who was said to have been part of a stag party, was seen repeatedly downing what is thought to have been a mixture of vodka and Red Bull before allegedly abusing fellow passengers and the crew. When the Ryanair flight from Dublin to Faro landed, the passenger was escorted from the jet by Portuguese police on the afternoon of May 2. In video footage taken by a fellow passenger, officers from the airport police were seen trying to get the man's boarding pass and bag, but he seemed unable to understand what was happening. One officer repeatedly asked him where his bag was and once he located his passport was forcibly ejected from the aircraft. He repeatedly asked 'what is happening' as another passenger tried to help the officer. Passengers saw the man being escorted from the Ryanair flight from Dublin after it landed in Faro. He was seen being pushed down the aisle by Portuguese police It is thought he was part of a large stag group heading to the Algarve for the Bank Holiday weekend. During the flight he was allegedly abusive to a hen party on the same flight and began arguing with staff when they tried to get him to sit down. Deborah Martin, a marketing consultant, who was on board the jet flying from Dublin to Faro for the long weekend said the man continued to down alcohol even after the crew tried to make him to stop. She said: 'As soon as we took off they [the stag group] were drinking. They seemed quite drunk before we even got on the plane. I thought it was whisky, but another passenger told me it was vodka and Red Bull. 'One guy was out of his mind. He was screaming and shouting and being abusive. He was arguing and swearing with another hen party that was on board. 'He didn't know his own name, he didn't understand what was going on when the police arrive, he didn't know where his boarding pass was, he was comatose. 'But they had their own stash of drink so he still had a plastic cup in his hand and was downing it in one go. He had about four drinks as we were coming into land. 'To be fair most of his group were well-behaved and were trying to calm him down and get him to sit down and shut up.' A Portuguese police officer was seen grabbing the man by his neck and pushing him towards the exit of the plane One passenger said the man 'didn't know his own name' or 'understand what was going on' when police boarded the jet and tried to talk to him Many of the other passengers were intimated by the drunken antics and Ms Martin said she feared the plane would be diverted to another airport. Ms Martin also said Faro, near Albufeira, has become a popular destination for stag and hen parties over the last few years. She added: 'There was a family with a young boy and another with a disabled girl and they had never seen anything like it. 'There were a lot of people waiting to use the bathroom, it meant the crew couldn't get the trolley out. 'The drunk passengers were trying to buy more alcohol from the crew before they started serving drinks. 'The crew were brilliant, they tried to calm him down and get him to sit quietly. 'But despite the warning he carried on and they had to notify the captain and the police got involved. I thought we were going to have to be diverted. 'It really wasn't a nice experience for anyone else on the plane, it was very intimidating for a lot of passengers, some were clearly frightened. 'Something really needs to be done to stop people flying again if they keep doing this sort of thing, otherwise it will keep happening.' Ryanair said the man was 'removed and detained' after becoming disruptive during the flight but did not effect the landing. A spokesman said: 'This flight from Dublin to Faro (May 2) requested police assistance upon landing after a passenger became disruptive in-flight. 'The aircraft landed normally and police and removed and detained this individual. 'The safety and comfort of our customers, crew and aircraft is our number one priority. This is now a matter for local police.' Portuguese police said the incident had been reported to the prosecutor at the Court of Faro for a decision on whether to charge the passenger. With the federal election this weekend, Australians are bracing themselves for what could be a shake-up in government or another term under the Liberal Party. But regardless of who voters elect on May 18, the country is set to be under the leadership of a Taurean, it has been revealed. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten may not share the same views when it comes to their politics, but the two share a star sign meaning they are more similar than they think, according to astrologers. In fact, the two politicians were born exactly one year and a day apart, Mr Shorten turned 52 on May 12, and Mr Morrison turned 51 on May 13. Battle of the Taureans: Whether Australians re-elect Prime Minister Scott Morrison or choose opposition leader Bill Shorten - the country will be ruled by a Taurus Bill Shorten's wife Chloe is a Gemini. Astrologer Ed Tamplin said her horoscope means she could offer great support in ideas and communication to Mr Shorten Astrologists claim people who fall under Taurus - born between April 20 and May 21 - are typically generous, determined, persistent and good-natured. These traits tend to be common in Earth signs, such as Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Sydney astrologer Ed Tamplin has told Daily Mail Australia that the candidates' horoscopes could make for positive leadership roles. 'Earth signs are good because they are stable, essential. Find a leader under Aries, they are a lot more impulsive or independent,' Mr Tamplin said. 'Earth signs tend to be grounded. They don't react in the moment and they take their time with things.' Taureans are known to be enduring and have the ability to 'hang in there', as the country has seen with both leaders, he said. Typically, astrologers can assess an individual's horoscope through their 'birth charts' which is determined by the time a person was born. Although Mr Shorten's birth time is unknown, Mr Tamplin revealed the leader's Venus - the planet ruling relationships and emotions - is in Cancer, a nurturing sign. Before the Morrison government, Australia's last two PMs were Scorpios. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (left) was born on October 24. Tony Abbott, who was elected in 2013, was born on November 4 'His moon is also in Gemini, so he's a good communicator and he speaks very well,' Mr Tamplin said. This is compatible with his wife, Chloe, who is also a Gemini. 'Chloe's Sun is with Bill's Moon. This is an excellent indication of mutual attraction and successful marriage. It also makes for wonderful synastry around ideas and talking points, nice clear lines of communication. 'I feel she would offer great support in these areas, and anything involving media', he added. Mr Morrison's moon is between two signs - Scorpio and Sagittarius - but Mr Tamplin believes it is the latter, due to the prime minster's 'exuberance' and tendency to go 'over the top.' However, in addition to their positive leadership traits, Taureans, who are represented by a bull, can also suffer from being stubborn, possessive, uncompromising, lazy and self-indulgent. 'They don't change their mind in a hurry, so they can be seen as very stubborn. They stick to the status quo,' Mr Tamplin said. 'It's not necessarily a bad thing. In a lot of ways, it just describes how our country operates. 'They tend to play it safe [when it comes to social issues] and the country tends to be very traditional. They'll take care of their own material worlds, so they'll project that onto the nation as well'. These 'cautious' traits can explain why the Labor leader tends to be moderate or more centre-right, Mr Tamplin said. Both Taureans' suns oppose Neptune, a planet representing 'uncertainty' and governs the subconscious. This apparently manifested itself with Shorten's role in getting former Prime Minister Julia Gillard to office and his subsequent support for Kevin Rudd after she became less popular. Despite the good and bad among any of the signs, Mr Tamplin says it all comes down to whether the person's sign matches with that of the country. In fact, he revealed most of Australia's prime ministers have had earth signs, which is due to the country's moon position when it first became a federation on January 1, 1901. Virgo is also the most common sign among Australian PMs which he said is due to the country's moon in that sign on Australia Day on January 26, 1788. But the current government also represents a stark contrast in the last two prime ministers, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. The two leaders were both Scorpio star signs - which are opposite Taureans - and have the reputation to be brave, resourceful and independent. Among their weak traits is their tendency to be distrusting, jealous and manipulative. 'Both [Turnbull and Abbott] of them went about it with emotional intensity. For Scorpios, revenge is a dish best served cold', Tamplin said. The most popular sign is Virgo as the country has seen six Virgo leaders since Prime Minister Andrew Fisher in 1908, and the most recent being Kevin Rudd. The sign, which is symbolised by a female virgin, represents those who were born between August 23 and September 22. People who fall under the sign are known to be analytical, hardworking, practical, among other strengths. Their negative traits include being too self-critical, expecting perfection, and having a cold demeanour. If Shorten is elected on Saturday, he will become Australia's third prime minister under this sign. Prior to this current government, Australia had only see one other Taurean prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, from 1975 to 1983. As Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten desperately woo undecided voters in the final week of campaigning, this Saturday's election is shaping up as a battle between young and old Australians. Labor has taken aim at wealthy baby boomer property investors and has promised to give more help to university students. First-home buyers will be getting help from taxpayers to save up for a mortgage deposit regardless of who wins the election. With the final countdown for the election underway, both major parties are engaging in last-ditch bids to woo undecided voters (pictured is Prime Minister Scott Morrison with wife Jenny in Tasmania) On most housing policies, however, the major parties are divided with Labor vowing to scrap negative gearing tax breaks for existing properties from January should it win the election on May 18 (pictured is Opposition Leader Bill Shorten with his wife Chloe in Cairns) On most housing policies, however, the major parties are divided with Labor vowing to scrap negative gearing tax breaks for existing properties from January should it win the election on May 18. It is also boldly declaring it will strip share-owing retirees from receiving franking credits, or tax refunds if they don't pay income tax. With just four days until schools and community halls open their front gates to voters, the Coalition and Labor are ramping up their campaigns in a bid to win over young home buyers, parents and immigrants. The race has tightened during the past four weeks, with Labor only marginally ahead 51 to 49 per cent after preferences in the latest Newspoll survey. With 20 government and Opposition electorates hanging on margins of less than 2.5 per cent, key seats could go either way perhaps depending on which policies help voters in marginal constituencies. Daily Mail Australia examines the key policy differences to help you decide who to vote for. Just days before the election, the Prime Minister responded to Labor's negative gearing policy by by announcing a re-elected Coalition government would set up a $500million First Home Loan Deposit Scheme First-home buyers Scott Morrison made a play for young first-home buyers on Sunday as he launched the Liberal Party's campaign in Melbourne. Labor has, since 2016, targeted young voters, with its plan to crack down on negative gearing for investor landlords. Just days before the election, the Prime Minister responded in kind by announcing a re-elected Coalition government would set up a $500million First Home Loan Deposit Scheme. Under this plan, taxpayers would stump up the cost of a home loan deposit with property first-timers only needing to put in five per cent to get a mortgage instead of the usual 20 per cent. It will be available for single people earning under $125,000 and couples earning a combined salary under $200,000. Within hours, Labor vowed to match the policy. The Liberal Party launch was held in the Victorian capital where property prices in the city's inner-east have slumped by 15.4 per cent during the past year making it Australia's worst-performing property market, CoreLogic data showed. This is also where the Liberal Party faces losing the marginal seats of Chisholm and Deakin, along with La Trobe farther east where house prices have dived by 12.4 per cent. First-home buyers will be getting help from the taxpayers to save up for a mortgage deposit regardless of who wins the election (stock image) Should Labor win the election, negative gearing will be scrapped for existing properties from January 1, 2020 but not brand new homes like the one pictured at Oran Park in Sydney's south-west Property investors Should Labor win the election, negative gearing will be scrapped for existing properties from January 1, 2020. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten argued this would stop the wealthy 'who may be investing in their sixth or seventh property' from receiving a 'taxpayer-funded subsidy'. 'That's simply not fair,' he told the ABC's Q&A program on Monday last week. Labor is also vowing to halve the capital gains tax discount, from 50 per cent to 25 per cent, for those who sell their property after holding it for more than a year. Opposition costings, released on Friday, estimated its plans to limit negative gearing to brand-new properties and changes to capital gains tax would save taxpayers $32.5billion during the next decade. Critics of Labor's negative gearing policy point out that rents skyrocketed by 31.4 per cent in Sydney and by 33 per cent in Perth during the mid-1980s when a Labor government led by Bob Hawke scrapped negative gearing. The tax concession was reintroduced in 1987, following an outcry from the property industry. Retirees who own shares but don't pay income tax are firmly in Labor's sights (stock image) Rich retirees Retirees who own shares but don't pay income tax are firmly in Labor's sights. Under the existing dividend imputations system, shareholders who receive dividends are given a tax refund, also known as franking credits. This is so they aren't effectively doubled-tax, since a listed company has also already paid corporate tax. Labor wants to undo this generous tax credits system, which John Howard's Coalition government introduced in 2001, extending a system a Labor government set up in 1987. The Opposition estimates this will save $58.2billion over the next decade, and sparing taxpayers $4.4billion in 2020-21. The government has dubbed this 'Labor's Retiree Tax' and has been campaigning strongly against Labor's plan. Mr Shorten has hit back, describing the Liberal Party as a 'pack of liars'. 'Now, there's nothing illegal or immoral about this gift it's very nice,' he told Q&A. 'It is not a new tax to take away a subsidy going to someone.' Labor is also targeting parents, vowing to spend $15.9billion over the next decade subisidising childcare, which will see families earning less than $69,000 a year have all their daycare bills paid Parents Labor is also targeting parents, vowing to spend $15.9billion over the next decade subisidising childcare. 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, families on a household income of to $174,000 will be entitled to receive a rebate of up to $2,100 extra every year for each child. Should it win the election, Labor would set aside $4billion over three years to help 887,000 families reduce their childcare costs. For households earning less than $69,000 a year, they will get all their childcare covered by the taxpayer, saving them from having to pay a typical $145 a day bill. Working parents earning $69,000 to $100,000 will have to pay $21 a day for childcare, compared with $37 under the Coalition. The Liberal Party argued its means-tested child care subsidy had already made childcare more 'accessible and affordable' for nearly one million families, leaving a typical family about $1,300 a year better off since it began in July 2018. The government argued its changes had reduced childcare household out-of-pocket costs by more than 10 per cent. When it came to childcare, Labor wasn't confining itself to reducing family expenses. It is also vowing to spend $9.9billion over the next decade topping up the salaries of childcare workers, provided they work in Commonwealth-funded centres. Then there is another $8.6billion over the next decade to give every three-year-old child subsidised access to kindergarten for at least 15 hours a week. In a play for the immigrant vote, Labor has promised to remove the 15,000 cap on visa places and allow families to sponsor both sets of parents (pictured is Sydney's Pitt Street in the city) Shortly before Anzac Day, the Opposition also announced it would slash the fee for the newly introduced temporary sponsored parent visa by 75 per cent (pictured is Mr Shorten handing out in Sydney's inner-west with Reid candidate Sam Crosby) Immigrants In a play for the immigrant vote, Labor has promised to remove the 15,000 cap on visa places and allow families to sponsor both sets of parents. Shortly before Anzac Day, the Opposition also announced it would slash the fee for the newly introduced temporary sponsored parent visa by 75 per cent. This would take the cost of a five-year visa down to $2,500, down from $10,000 now. The cost of a three-year visa would fall to $1,250 from $5,000. 'Labor's fairer Long Stay Parent visa will allow parents and in-laws to reunite with their families and let all grandparents spend quality time with their grandkids,' the party said. Immigration Minister David Coleman, whose own Sydney electorate of Banks has a high Chinese population, said Labor's policy would be open to abuse. 'Under Labor's new visa, there is absolutely no limit to the number of people who can enter the country for up to 10 years,' he said. 'This is no way to run a sensible immigration program, or population policy.' If elected, it has promised to dedicate $10billion over the next decade for universities and TAFE (pictured is the University of New South Wales in the Sydney suburb of Kensington) Students Labor is also making a big-spending play for the student vote, with policies catering for Australians from the schoolyard to the university and TAFE campus. If elected, it has promised to dedicate $10billion over the next decade for universities and TAFE. This is part of a broader plan to uncap student places, giving an extra 200,000 Australians the chance to go obtain a degree. Labor is promising to spend $16.2billion on schools over the next decade to fund 13,000 teachers and 23,000 teacher assistants. When it comes to retraining older workers, a Labor government would spend $15.2 billion in tax concessions to encourage businesses to take on older and younger Australians. A former Tennessee pastor who repeatedly raped his adopted teenage daughter has been given an effective 12 year prison sentence after dozens of parishioners showed up to court to support him. Prosecutors had sought the maximum term of 72 years behind bars for 41-year-old David Richards, The Knoxville News Sentinel reports. But a judge cited his longtime ministry and the support he still receives as mitigating factors after more than 30 people showed up to support Richards at the sentencing last week. Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword also pointed to the fact he had started a Bible study for fellow inmates at the Knox County Detention Facility. The victim was 16 when she reported the abuse by her sole guardian, saying it began two years earlier. Amber Richards, who chose to speak publicly after the February verdicts, said in her victim impact statement: 'I wanted to throw my body away.' David Richards repeatedly raped his adopted teenage daughter but has been given an effective 12 year prison sentence after 30 parishioners showed up to court to support him Victim Amber Richards pictured with KCSO lead investigator Allen Merritt outside of Knox County Criminal Court on Monday Joined by her biological parents she added: 'Not a day goes by that I don't, in some way, think of what he did to me. I firmly believe if given the opportunity, he would victimize another young girl.' She told authorities where they could find DNA evidence at her home and said Richards had texted her about taking their relationship 'to the next level.' Authorities said they found her mattress stripped bare and his phone factory reset, but they were able to recover his DNA. But Richards, who continued to maintain his innocence, claimed his young victim made her allegations of sexual abuse because of his strict parenting. David Thompson, who worked alongside Richards at My Father's House Church of God in Lenoir City, pictured, was one of those who supported the shamed former pastor He said: 'I stand before you convicted of crimes I did not commit. I simply believe the system just erred in this case 'I'm not sure why I'm here but I assume it's for His purpose.' Richards was found guilty by a jury on nine felony counts, including rape, incest and sexual battery by an authority figure in February. He is seeking a new trial. David Thompson, who worked alongside Richards at My Father's House Church of God in Lenoir City, said: 'I find it impossible for me to believe he's guilty of this. His business needs him. His family needs him. Our church needs him.' Donald Trump compared the Green New Deal to the special counsel probe on Tuesday, saying at an event in Louisiana that they're both hoaxes devised by Democrats. Touring a liquefied natural gas export facility that that opened up earlier that day, the president launched into a familiar attack on windmills and Democrats' renewable energy platform. 'The Green New Deal! Everybody go home! You just lost your jobs! The Green New Deal is, that's a hoax like the hoax I just went through. I'm not sure, that might be a bigger one, and mine was pretty big. Mine was unlimited,' he said, going off script. 'Think of it: The Green New Deal, under that deal -- I didn't have this, this isn't down. ... Under that deal, everybody in this room gets fired! All of the thousands of guys and women standing on these buildings get fired. They go home.' He said the Green New Deal is a 'radical plan' and promised not to let left-wing activists undermine American jobs. He also ripped countries in the European Union for buying gas from Russia and boasted that the U.S. is now energy independent: 'We don't need anybody.' President Donald Trump said tuesday in Louisiana that the Democrat-supported 'Green New Deal' would be disastrous for energy jobs The Green New Deal is an ambitious set of policy proposals meant to realign America's economy toward the primary goal of solving climate change; freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York is its loudest cheerleader Trump ripped countries in the European Union for buying oil from Russia and boasted that the U.S. is now energyindependent: 'We don't need anybody' 'We do not believe in socialism, okay? Is that alright to say? I think that's okay. I think so. If we had socialism here, you'd have nothing standing. And if it was standing from previous generations, it would be falling down right now,' he said. The president said under his leadership, America has a soaring economy and has improved its national security by reducing its dependence of foreign sources of energy. 'You are not only making our nation wealthier, but you are making America safer by building a future of American energy independence. We are independent,' he told residents of Hackberry. 'We don't need anybody. We don't need anybody.' With European Commissioner for the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic standing behind him at the remarks, he complained about European countries buying their natural gas from Russia. 'And we don't need to be ripped off by the rest of the world, either, because those days are over,' he said. 'We used to be the leader, but were going to be the leader again.' He said the LNG plant he was visiting 'could soon supply' more than 25 percent of the natural gas the European Union purchased in 2018. Trump said, 'This extraordinary turnaround is possible because, under my administration, we have ended the war on American energy and we have ended the economic assault on our wonderful energy workers. And you were under assault.' Backing off slightly, he promised U.S. allies buying from rival sources, 'We'll sell you a lot of natural gas.' Trump toured the Cameron liquified natural gas export facility on Tuesday in Hackberry, Louisiana before railing against the Green New Deal in a speech to workers Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the 23 Democrats vying for Trump's job, is backing the Green New Deal proposal as a cure for the 'pain of the climate crisis' new York City Mayuor Bill de Blasio, who could launch his own White House bid soon, rallide in the lobby of Trump Tower on Monday to promote the Green New Deal If the U.S. had to, he said it could go back to relying on foreign sources of energy, but 'it just works out pretty well that way' that it no longer has to, because of increased domestic output. 'But any time we want, we can stop,' he insisted. Trump used the afternoon remarks at the newly-opened facility, which has two more expansions planned, to gripe that the EU and other nations have been taking advantage of the U.S. for more than 20 years. The rant that overlapped with stalled China trade talks. 'I said before, they're just as tough as China. They're just a little bit smaller. They're pretty tough, too. They're all tough,' he said of America's western allies. 'When they're used to taking advantage of your country, they all get much tougher than they should be.' Sefcovic told press traveling with the president on the plane ride to a second stop, 'We are ready to cooperate in this constructive way.' 'I think the relationship is very complex,' he said of Trump's tear. 'So from time to time we need to discuss things.' President Trump said the Green New Deal would cost everyone in his audience their jobs immediately Trump said wind farms are 'bird cemeteries,' returning to a well-worn but questionable contention that the facilities kill birds by the thousands Trump used the speech to highlight his plans to drop out of the Paris climate accord, claiming he'd save the U.S. a trillion dollars by ending American participation. 'No longer will we allow other countries to tie America's hands and take Americas jobs and hurt America's energy,' he said. And he revisited a claim as he slashed his political foes that windmills are bird cemeteries. 'If you go under a windmill, you see them all over the place. Not a good situation. But that's what they were counting on: wind,' he said. 'And when the wind doesnt blow, you dont watch television that night.' The president won Louisiana in the 2016 presidential election a fact he pointed out Tuesday before declaring his love for the state and his job. 'I do. Despite all of the stuff that we go through and despite being in the swamp of Washington,' he said as he gushed about being president. Referencing his promise to 'drain the swamp' if voters sent him to Washington, he proclaimed: 'We are knocking the hell out of the swamp creatures, as we call them.' 'But I love getting up in the morning. I love what I do, because I'm doing a service for millions of people. And I love it,' he said. 'Well, jobs are the same thing. You've got to love it, and if you don't love it, get something else,' he advised plant workers. He said of the American economy, 'So not only do you have rising wages, you have choice. You can go out if you're unhappy with your job. If you don't like the boss, you don't like something, go out. You have six, seven, eight alternatives. 'And you'll find something that you really do love and you really do look forward to waking up in the morning and going to work,' he said. Washington topped the 2019 list of the best states in America, according to a new report. Home to Amazon, Microsoft and Boeing, Washington is ranked number one for the first time since U.S. News & World Report began making the annual list three years ago. 'This confirms what we, in Washington have always known, that our state is great for businesses, workers, and investments, coupled with natural beauty and innovative, creative people,' Washington Governor Jay Inslee said. 'I am pleased to share Washington's success with the world.' U.S. News & World Report evaluated all 50 states on various criteria, including education, health care, infrastructure and local economies. Scroll down for the full list This file photo shows Bellingham Bay in Bellingham, Washington - the top-ranked state in U.S. News & World Report's 2019 list of the best states in America Researchers used more than 70 metrics and tens of thousands of data points to reach their conclusions. 'As people are increasingly concerned about income disparities, rising health care costs, gaps in education and crumbling infrastructure, it's more important than ever to focus on the day-to-day policies that affect people where they live their lives,' said Eric Gertler, executive chairman at U.S. News. Washington's booming economy ranked third in the country behind Colorado and Utah. It also ranked second for infrastructure (behind Oregon) and fourth in health care (behind Hawaii, Massachusetts and Connecticut). The state did less well on crime and corrections (ranked 15), fiscal stability (22) and the environment (14). This file photo shows Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire - which ranked second on the U.S. News & World Report 2019 list of the best states This photo shows the colorful fall landscape in Mendota Heights, Minnesota - which ranks third on the 2019 list of best states to live, according to U.S. News & World Report Overall, New Hampshire ranked second on the list of best states, thanks in large part to its number one rankings on crime and corrections and the overall opportunities available in that state. New Hampshire also ranked fifth on education and fourth on the environment. This table shows the top 10 best states in America for education, according to U.S. News & World Report In third place was Minnesota, which ranked highly (third place) on opportunity and the environment, as well as sixth place on infrastructure. This table shows the top 10 best states ranked by the state of the economy, according to U.S. News & World Report This table shows the top 10 best states ranked by the state of health care, according to U.S. News & World Report Utah came in fourth place, largely due to its second-place rank economically and third-place spot for infrastructure. Vermont ranked fifth overall, in large part due to ranking second on crime and corrections and in seventh place on the environment. Maryland came in sixth place, with a fifth-place ranking for opportunity and eighth-place rank on health care. Virginia came in seventh place, followed by Massachusetts, Nebraska and Colorado. At the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana came in dead last, thanks to last-place rankings on crime and corrections, opportunity and the environment. Alabama followed, in 49th place, with a last place ranking on education and 46th place ranking on health care. Mississippi ranked 48th, after coming in 50th place on health care, 48th on the economy and 46th on education. West Virginia followed, in 47th place, with a last place ranking on the economy and infrastructure. Rounding out the bottom five was New Mexico, which ranked 49th on crime and corrections and education, and 48th on opportunities. A national survey by U.S. News & World Report also found that 38 percent of Americans generally believe their state government is effective with Massachusetts earning the highest score (64 percent). At the other end of the spectrum, Illinois had the lowest ranking on government, with less than 11 percent of residents saying their government is effective. This file photo shows the unusual sandstone rock formations in Bryce Canyon Amphitheater in Utah - ranked fourth on the 2019 list of best states, according to U.S. News & World Report This file photo shows the Creamery Bridge in Brattleboro, Vermont, which ranked fifth on the 2019 list of best states by U.S. News & World Report Labor and Liberal Party politicians on Monday night refused to commit to increasing the Centrelink allowance for unemployed Australians. Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek was quizzed about the government's current $39-a-day Newstart unemployment support payment on Q&A. She said her party wanted to review Newstart and so she could not give an immediate answer on whether it would be increased. Audience member Molly Yates (pictured) asked about Newstart on the show on Monday night The topic was brought up by a 26-year-old woman in the audience named Molly Yates. She said: 'The University of Canberra recommends raising it by $75 a week, which, according to their modelling, would cost about $2billion. 'Could you live on $39 a day? And (will you) commit to an immediate raise of the rate of Newstart?' Ms Plibersek replied: 'I couldn't live on $39 a day. I accept that it is really difficult and the reason we're doing a review of Newstart is because we understand that people are not just living in poverty but it's preventing them getting out of poverty by getting a job. She added: 'It's hard to afford the public transport or a new shirt to wear to your job interview and it's not just Labor that says this or just you, it's a number of business organisations that have acknowledged this. 'But we need to be methodical. We can't just pluck a number out of the air and need to be methodical about how we determine both the amount that Newstart should be, the impact on the Budget, how we afford it. I know it's frustrating for people who would like an immediate answer.' Tanya Plibersek was quizzed about the $39-a-day unemployment support payment on Monday night's Q&A Ms Yates appeared frustrated with that response and said Newstart had not seen an increase in 25 years. She asked why Labor couldn't commit to raising the payment by just $20 per fortnight. Ms Plibersek responded:'I can't give you a better answer than we have to be methodical about it.' Later, host Tony Jones asked Liberal Party frontbencher Simon Birmingham if he could live on $39 a day. 'Well, Tony, I acknowledge that would be incredibly difficult,' Mr Birmingham said. '[But] most people on Newstart have a number of supplementary payments.' Ms Yates scoffed from the audience. Later, host Tony Jones asked Liberal Party frontbencher Simon Birmingham (pictured) if he could live on $39 a day and he said that would be very difficult 'I'm just saying what the facts are,' Mr Birmingham replied. 'Most people on Newstart come off of Newstart thankfully in terms of getting a job and that's the priority of our Government to keep the economy strong, to make sure there are job opportunities.' Miss Yates said: 'Yes. You do make a point about supplementary payments.' '[But] I think it's only something like 40 per cent of people on Newstart receive a supplementary payment. 'Even then, with your supplements, your payment, probably about the weekly cost of a one-bedroom unit. It is still far below the poverty line.' The newest member of the United States Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh (pictured) has explained why he voted to stay an execution for a Buddhist death row inmate who was being denied a spiritual leader in the death chamber, but refused to do the same for a Muslim man The newest member of the United States Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh has explained why he voted to stay an execution for a Buddhist death row inmate who was being denied a spiritual leader in the death chamber, but refused to do the same for a Muslim man. Kavanaugh voted to allow a delay for Patrick Murphy, 57, of Texas, a Buddhist man who was told his Buddhist priest could not accompany him during his final hours. However, he voted against allowing a delay for Dominique Ray, 42, of Alabama, who was executed in February without his requested Imam at his side. Kavanaugh said in his writing on Monday that it came down to a failure of Ray's legal team to raise the issue of equal treatment based on religion under the First Amendment, which Murphy's defense did, and he was granted a delay in his March execution in Texas. In a rare move, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito responded to Kavanaugh by issuing a new statement in the case of Murphy on Monday, arguing that the stay should not have been granted in either case. Murphy is still alive today, and his execution has not yet been rescheduled, according to online records published by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Kavanaugh voted to allow a delay for Patrick Murphy, 57 (left), of Texas, a Buddhist man who was told his Buddhist priest could not accompany him during his final hours. However, he voted against allowing a delay for Dominique Ray, 42 (right), of Alabama, who was executed in February without his requested Imam at his side. Kavanaugh said in his writing on Monday that it came down to a failure of Ray's legal team to raise the issue of equal treatment based on religion under the First Amendment, which Murphy's defense did, and he was granted a delay in his March execution in Texas Murphy was a part of the group called the 'Texas Seven' who killed a police officer after escaping from prison in 2000. Murphy was in prison serving a 55-year sentence for aggravated sexual assault. In his stay of execution case, the state of Texas argued that only chaplains who had been extensively vetted by the prison system were allowed in the death chamber and that while Christian and Muslim chaplains were available, no Buddhist priest was. The high court ultimately granted Murphy a temporary reprieve in March. At the time, only Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch noted their disagreement but did not write to explain why. On Monday, Alito issued a 14-page statement in which he called the court's decision 'seriously wrong.' He said the issue Murphy raised was an important one, but he faulted Murphy for an 'inexcusable delay' in raising it. 'If the tactics of Murphy's attorneys in this case are not inexcusably dilatory, it is hard to know what the concept means,' Alito wrote. On Monday, Justice Samuel Alito (pictured) issued a 14-page statement in which he called the court's decision to stay Murphy's execution 'seriously wrong' He added that the justices are asked to get involved at the last minute in 'virtually every execution' and that in the 'great majority of cases, no good reason for the late filing is apparent.' He said that by tolerating 'such tactics, the Court invites abuse.' In response, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who previously voted to halt Murphy's execution and said Murphy had not delayed, issued another statement. Despite 'greatly' respecting Alito's position, he disagreed. He pointed out that after the court's decision, Texas changed its policy so that no religious ministers are allowed in the execution room, only an adjacent viewing chamber. Kavanaugh called that a 'prompt resolution.' Following the court's decision to stay Murphy's execution, the state of Texas enacted a new policy to ban all spiritual leaders from the death chamber. Murphy's legal team has said that course of action is unconstitutional infringes on the First Amendment right to freedom of religion. Murphy was a part of the group called the 'Texas Seven' who killed a police officer after escaping from prison in 2000. Murphy was in prison at the time serving a 55-year sentence for aggravated sexual assault Murphy is still alive today, and his execution has not yet been rescheduled, according to online records published by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His legal team have said Texas's reaction to ban all spiritual leaders from the death chamber is unconstitutional In the Alabama case involving Ray's execution, however, Kavanaugh voted to deny the stay sought by the Muslim death row inmate. Ray, who was executed on February 7, had a sought a stay over being denied an Islamic spiritual leader's presence with him in the death chamber, but his legal team did not argue he was being discriminated against on the basis of unequal religious treatment under the First Amendment. 'The bottom line is that Ray did not raise an equal-treatment claim. Murphy did,' Kavanaugh wrote. 'Unlike Ray, Murphy made his request to the State of Texas a full month before his scheduled execution,' Kavanaugh wrote. 'This court's stay in Murphy's case was appropriate and the stay facilitated a prompt fix to the religious equality problem in Texas' execution protocol.' The Supreme Court allowed Ray's execution to proceed in a 5-4 decision. Justices cited the fact that Ray did not raise the challenge until January 28 as a reason for the decision. In the Alabama case involving Ray's execution, however, Kavanaugh voted to deny the stay sought by the Muslim death row inmate. The Supreme Court allowed Ray's execution to proceed in a 5-4 decision. Justices cited the fact that Ray did not raise the challenge until January 28 as a reason for the decision. All nine justices of the Supreme Court are shown, seated from left: Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Associate Justice Samuel Alito Jr., and standing behind from left: Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan and Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh Ray was sentenced to death for the 1995 rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl. Tiffany Harville disappeared from her Selma home on July 15, 1995, and her decomposing body was found one month later in a cotton field. Alito was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch in voting against stays in both cases, arguing Murphy did not file in a more timely manner than Ray. 'By the time [Murphy's legal team] got around to filing in federal court, it was March 26, two days before the scheduled execution date. And by the time they filed in this court, the scheduled execution time and the time when the death warrant would expire were only hours away.' Alito noted that the merits of the case could very well warrant the highest court's consideration. 'The claims raised by Murphy and Ray are important and may ultimately be held to have merit,' Alito wrote. 'Prisoners should bring such claims well before their scheduled executions so that the courts can adjudicate them in the way that the claims require and deserve and so that states are afforded sufficient time to make any necessary modifications to their execution protocols.' Kavanaugh noted in his opinion published on Monday, 'I fully agree with Justice Alito that counsel for inmates facing execution would be well advised to raise any potentially meritorious claims in a timely manner, as this Court has repeatedly emphasized.' The high court almost never revisits opinions after the fact, though Monday was the second time this spring that the justices returned to arguments in an already-decided death penalty case. The justices frequently get asked to step in to halt executions at the last minute, and the spats aired on Monday involve cases the court ruled on in March and April. Justices Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas wrote in dueling opinions on Monday about a 5-4 decision along liberal-conservative lines to allow the execution of Christopher Lee Price, whose execution had been halted by a lower court after he raised a challenge to the state's lethal injection procedure. Breyer voted against the execution moving forward and Thomas voted for it In a more recent case that was also addressed on Monday, Alabama asked the Supreme Court to step in and allow the execution of Christopher Lee Price, whose execution had been halted by a lower court after he raised a challenge to the state's lethal injection procedure. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 along liberal-conservative lines to allow his execution. In that case, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote on behalf of himself and his three liberal colleagues that the conservative majority's decision to let the execution go forward 'calls into question the basic principles of fairness that should underlie our criminal justice system' and was evidence that 'death sentences in the United States can be carried out in an arbitrary way.' On Monday, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a 14-page response of his own to 'set the record straight.' Thomas said there was 'nothing of substance' to Breyer's claims, and that by his analysis an 'accurate recounting' of the circumstances surrounding the case show it was 'set to proceed in a procedurally unremarkable and constitutional acceptable manner.' The justices' original decision in the case came after Price's death warrant expired, so a new execution date had to be set. Price, who was convicted of murder in the 1991 stabbing death of pastor Bill Lynn, is now set to be executed May 30. The former finance chief of British software firm Autonomy has been jailed for five years for fraud over the company's $11.1billion sale to Hewlett-Packard. Sushovan Hussain, 55, was also fined $4million and ordered to forfeit $6.1million at a court in San Francisco after a U.S. jury found him guilty of fraud over the 2011 sale. Hussain, who plans to appeal, was accused of fraudulently inflating Autonomy's revenue, in an effort to attract potential buyers. U.S. prosecutors said he used backdated contracts and other forms of accounting fraud before tech giant HP bought the firm. Former Autonomy chief financial officer Sushovan Hussain (pictured) has been jailed for five years for fraud over the company's $11.1billion sale to Hewlett-Packard Hussain, who is married and has two daughters, was convicted in April 2018 on 16 wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy counts. The British national, who moved to England at age seven from his native Bangladesh, is planning to appeal. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year prison term, while Hussain sought no more than one year and one day. Both sides agreed on the fine. Hussain is scheduled to report to prison on June 15. The former chief financial officer, and ex-Autonomy boss Mike Lynch, are also defendants in a $5 billion civil fraud trial in London's High Court. In that trial, Hewlett-Packard claim the two men caused it to overpay for Autonomy by fraudulently inflating its value. That trial began in March and is expected to last several months. Lawyers for Hussain were not immediately available for comment yesterday. The office of U.S. Attorney David Anderson in San Francisco had no immediate comment. Autonomy was the linchpin of former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Leo Apotheker's strategy to integrate his company's computer and printer businesses with higher-margin software. Hewlett-Packard (stock photo) has claimed Hussain caused the firm to overpay for Autonomy by fraudulently inflating its value His plan backfired, and Hewlett-Packard took an $8.8 billion writedown a year after buying Autonomy, while accusing Lynch of accounting fraud. Lynch, who founded Autonomy, was once seen as Britain's answer to Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates. Hewlett-Packard split in 2015 into HP Inc and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co. The latter spun off much of its software business in 2017. U.S. prosecutors have also criminally charged Lynch and former Autonomy vice president of finance Stephen Chamberlain over the Hewlett-Packard acquisition. Lynch, through his lawyers, has denied criminal wrongdoing, and blamed the acquisition's failure on Hewlett-Packard. Chamberlain has pleaded not guilty. Pauline Hanson has had a heated exchange with Muslim Labor MP Anne Aly over a lunch between the pair three years ago. The One Nation leader was visiting an early voting centre in Wanneroo, in Perth's north, on Monday to endorse her party's candidate Sheila Mundy in the seat of Cowan. Dr Aly, who holds the seat on a 0.7 per cent margin, approached her parliamentary colleague to shake hands, 9 News reported. But it didn't take long for the conversation to turn sour, with Ms Hanson raising old grudges about Dr Aly publicising a lunch they once shared together. Pauline Hanson (left) has a heated exchange with Muslim Labor MP Anne Aly (right) over a lunch between the pair three years ago Dr Aly, who holds the seat on a 0.7 per cent margin, approached her parliamentary colleague to shake hands 'You've actually spoken to a journo about it, spoken about our lunch and what was said at the lunch,' she told Dr Aly. Dr Aly invited the Queensland senator to lunch back in 2016. At the time, Ms Hanson had given a speech claiming Australia was 'in danger of being swamped by Muslims'. Dr Aly was the first Muslim woman elected to parliament, and reached out to Ms Hanson. The One Nation leader accepted the invitation and the pair lunched in Canberra. Dr Aly told 720 ABC that she did not raise the topic of the speech, and although the pair disagreed on certain issues, they also shared common ground. 'She would say something that I don't agree with and I'd say, "Look, I understand where that's coming from but I don't agree with it, and here's why I don't agree with it, and here's some of the research that I've done and this is my experience". 'I do believe that there are issues of concern that we may have in common, we just approach them differently.' Dr Aly said the pair even shared a joke, before a parliamentary call for division cut short their meeting. Three years later, and Ms Hanson told Dr Aly she was unhappy the Labor MP had spoken to a journalist about the lunch. 'You've had ample opportunity to raise it with me. Why are you raising it with me now?' Dr Aly responded to Ms Hanson on Monday Dr Aly said there was nothing controversial about it and questioned the Queensland senator's timing 'To see (that lunch) written up in the paper, I wasnt happy about that. 'I thought some of the things you said were not exactly spot on.' Dr Aly said there was nothing controversial about it and questioned the Queensland senator's timing. 'You've had ample opportunity to raise it with me. Why are you raising it with me now?' 'Don't you think it's good for the people to see that we can have a discussion and it's okay?' An upset Ms Hanson eventually turned her back on the Dr Aly to continue to interact with nearby voters. A man who allegedly used children's books to smuggle cocaine from Portugal to Australia has been charged with drug smuggling. The drugs were allegedly hidden in the book covers and had a street value of more than $645,000, according to police. Customs officers intercepted the books when they were shipped in early May. Police arrested the Sydney man in his eastern suburbs home on Friday. They also seized electronic devices and documents, as well as a small amount of cannabis that was allegedly found inside his Vaucluse home. The man allegedly removed the pages from the books and hid the drugs inside black packages inside (pictured) The drugs added to a total of 1.7kgs and had a street worth of $645,000 (pictured) The drugs were smuggled on two separate occasions, May 1 and May 4, police alleged. The shipments were X-rayed by border security officers and it was discovered that 1.7kgs of cocaine had allegedly been smuggled inside the books. The suspect was charged with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs as well as receiving two cannabis cautions after the police search of his home. He was denied bail and was scheduled to face court in Sydney on Tuesday. The alleged will face court in Sydney on Tuesday (pictured) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's fiance Clarke Gayford has revealed how he nearly died while spearfishing in Niue. The 41-year-old, who presents fishing documentary Fish of the Day, opened up about getting up close and personal with ocean wildlife and how fatherhood has affected the risks he takes on the job. Gayford revealed he once had a 'whoopsie' while spearfishing a dogtooth tuna off the small south Pacific island and almost didn't make it back alive. Clarke Gayford, 41, who presents fishing documentary Fish of the Day, revealed how he nearly died while spearfishing a dogtooth tuna in the small south Pacific island of Niue Gayford, who welcomed baby girl Neve with Ms Ardern last June, admitted fatherhood has also come to play a role in how he puts himself in potentially dangerous situations 'I ended up too deep and the line dragged me down to about 30 metres. I didn't quite make it back to the surface. I had a guide who grabbed me as I blacked out - he brought me around,' Gayford told the New Zealand Herald. It wasn't until weeks later, he said, that he realised the gravity of the situation which served as a wakeup call and made him 'take stock' of his life. Gayford, who welcomed baby girl Neve with Ms Ardern last June, admitted fatherhood had made him more risk averse because 'you are now thinking of someone else.' But the father-of-one still wants his daughter to dream big. 'I'd just encourage her to have a go at whatever she has a passion for. I had an awesome family environment but I remember growing up in Gisborne thinking that there were limitations on what you could do', he said. The doting dad also revealed how the new parents' spent their first night away from their baby when they travelled to China together. Gayford is constantly working with wildlife while working on his nature show, Fish of the Day Ms Ardern and Gayford who have been together since 2013, confirmed their engagement earlier this month 'We just spent the whole time talking about her,' he said. The couple, who have been together since 2013, confirmed their engagement earlier this month after Ms Ardern was spotted wearing an engagement ring. Wedding rumours had circulated since baby Neve was born, but neither of them was in a rush. 'I predict we will one day. We happen to have done things in reverse a little bit, but that happens in life sometimes too,' she told RNZ. Days after news broke of the upcoming nuptials, a coy Ms Ardern was unable to dodge reporters' questions about her recent proposal during a post-cabinet press conference in Wellington. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was spotted wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring at a ceremony at Pike River on the West Coast (left). The couple welcomed the birth of their first child Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford (right) in June last year 'This is a very public job and I'm quite happy to put quite a bit of ourselves out there. But there are some things I wouldn't mind keeping to ourselves,' she said. But Ms Ardern confirmed the proposal took place with a beautiful backdrop at the top of Mokotahi Hill in Mahia on North Island's east coast. 'It was Clarke, myself, a member of the DPS (Diplomatic Protection Squad), a couple of locals from Mahia and a dog which tried to eat the chocolate that Clarke bought me at the same time, so it was very romantic.' A man who abducted and raped a schoolgirl in bushland wept in court while pleading guilty to the horrific crime. Brett David Hill, 48, broke down as he entered pleas to a string of charges when he appeared in Newcastle District Court on Monday. The 13 charges were in relation to the kidnapping and alleged repeated sexual assault of the 11-year-old as she walked to school in Newcastle in June last year. The girl was abducted from Hudson Park in Adamstown Heights and released five hours later at Kotara train station. Brett David Hill (pictured) will stand trial in October over the five hour kidnapping and alleged repeated sexual assault of a 11-year-old schoolgirl in Newcastle last year Police at the scene in Adamstown Heights where the schoolgirl was abducted and raped Hill had already pleaded guilty to four charges, including aggravated detaining a person for advantage and three counts of aggravated sexual assault in February. Court proceedings were briefly adjourned on Monday after Hill expressed confusion over what charges he wanted to pleaded guilty to, the ABC reported. 'I am unsure of what is happening because everything has changed,' Hill told the court. He later pleaded guilty to one count of having sexual intercourse with the girl without her consent in circumstances of aggravation, before pleading not guilty to another four identical charges. Hill also pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault and using an offensive weapon to commit indictable offence. He also pleaded not guilty to attempting to have sex with the girl without her consent but pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse material in relation to that allegation. Hill will stand trial on a further eight offences which he pleaded not guilty on October 8 The trial is expected to last 10 days. His young victim, who police and principal at the time of her harrowing ordeal as a 'absolute hero', gave evidence in court ahead of the trial. Brett David Hill, 48, (pictured) wept as he entered pleas to a string of charges when he appeared in Newcastle District Court on Monday The girl was abducted from Hudson Park (pictured) on her way to school last June The move was part of a new initiative aimed at assisting child victims of sexual offences by reducing the stress and trauma involving in giving evidence. The girl was described in court as being strong and calm while giving evidence via audio visual link, the ABC reported. A property tycoon has taken out an AVO against his jewellery designer girlfriend after she allegedly entered his apartment block at 2am and buzzed his intercom for five hours. Nour Issa, a member of Sydney's wealthy Gazal clan, was accused of the evening incident at her ex-fiance Zaki Ameer's Potts Point apartment block the end of last year. Celebrity investor Mr Ameer, who rubs shoulders with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and pub baron Justin Hemmes, went to police claiming Ms Issa 'attended (his) apartment block ... at 2am' last November, court documents said. Wealthy property tycoon Zaki Ameer with his ex-fiancee Nour Issa in happier times Ameer, left, in a happy snap with Prime Minister Scott Morrison; and Ms Issa, right, a member of Sydney's wealthy Gazal clan, lounging on the back of a boat A Sydney court ordered Ms Issa not to assault, stalk or intimidate Mr Ameer - standard AVO conditions 'The defendant (Ms Nour) has entered the front foyer utilising a key that she owns,' the police AVO application alleged. 'The defendant has buzzed the (victim's) unit over several hours leaving the location at about 7am, returning at 2pm that afternoon, where she started buzzing the (victim's) unit again. She left about 30 minutes later'. The alleged incident came after Mr Ameer, 39, dumped his fiancee of three-and-a-half years following an argument. The jewellery designer was in Dubai at the time their relationship imploded. The police document claimed Ms Issa, 36, then bombarded the businessman with emails and, upon her return to Australia, barged into his Sydney office saying 'we need to talk'. Police called Ms Issa to Kings Cross station after Mr Ameer complained he was being harassed. Court documents claimed Ms Issa (right) repeatedly buzzed the intercom of Mr Ameer's apartment last November Ms Issa 'has not denied going to the apartment or the (person in need of protection)'s workplace or messaging him through email,' the court document said. But she gave police a 'different version of events as to what occurred while she was at the locations'. Police did not go into detail about Ms Issa version of events. Ms Issa was told to stop contacting Mr Ameer directly, and he applied for an AVO from police. Zaki Ameer, Nour Issa and her cousin, Roxy Jacenko's former boyfriend Nabil Gazal, while on holidays in Lebanon years ago Mr Ameer, a wealthy property tycoon, previously Daily Mail Australia previously that young people do not have to sacrifice avocado toast to get ahead On Friday, a Downing Centre Local Court magistrate hit Ms Issa with a finalised AVO, which included standard conditions that she must not assault, stalk, harass or intimidate Mr Ameer, and should contact him only through a lawyer. The order was made without admissions from Ms Issa, who was not present in court. Mr Ameer and Ms Issa's relationship has previously captured media attention, including a confrontation with an A Current Affair camera crew earlier this year. Joy Worrall, 81, took her own life after the Department of Work and Pensions froze her pension payments due to an administrative error leaving her with just 5 in her account The Government has apologised 'unreservedly' to the family of an 82-year-old woman who committed suicide after her benefits payments were stopped. Joy Worrall had just 5 in her bank account on the day she died, after her benefits and winter fuel allowance was stopped for 15 months. Work and Pensions minister Guy Opperman told MPs: 'The Government apologises unreservedly for the clerical error. 'It was a clerical error that led to Mrs Worrall's pension payment being stopped.' Labour MP David Hanson (Delyn) raised the case of his constituent on behalf of her family and urged the Government to ensure 'nobody again will commit suicide due to poverty'. Work and Pensions minister Guy Opperman told MPs: 'The Government apologises unreservedly for the clerical error Mr Opperman said his thoughts were with the family and friends of Mrs Worrall. He added: 'We have urgently reviewed our processes and acted so that benefits are longer linked on our systems, to try to ensure that this does not happen again. 'But there is an internal process review and I undertake to write to the honourable gentleman with what we do know in the short term, and more detail when the urgent processes review has taken place.' Ms Worral's devastated son Ben Worrall, 44, told The Mirror on Wednesday: 'The DWP has a case to answer.' 'There's some element of duty of care they're meant to perform for vulnerable people in society. That has not been carried out, by their own admission.' Mr Worrall said that he did not blame the people at the DWP and acknowledged that people make mistakes. He said that his mother was too proud to ask for financial help from her son and her best friend. 'She felt uncomfortable taking money from the state anyway. I feel we've been let down by the DWP, who have failed in their duty of care,' he added. A DWP spokesperson said in a statement: 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mrs Worrall. 'We apologise unreservedly to Mrs Worrall's family for the error that led to her pension payments being stopped and pledge to learn the lessons.' Her heartbroken son Ben Worrall, 44 (pictured), said: 'The DWP has a case to answer. There's some element of duty of care they're meant to perform for vulnerable people in society' Ms Worrall died after jumped into the Rhesycae quarry near her home in north Wales Mrs Worrall was too proud to tell her family about her financial troubles and threw herself off a quarry, as she had always threatened to do if she had major health or money worries, her son said. Now Delyn MP David Hanson is seeking further clarification and an assurance that the procedures have been tightened to prevent a recurrence. In a statement read at the hearing Mr Worrall, of Rhosesmor, near Holywell, said she was fit and well but kept things to herself if anything bothered her. He spoke to his mother, who lived nearby in Church Terrace, Rhesycae, three or four times a week and last contacted her on November 19 last year. Two days later, after a friend got in touch to ask where his mother was, he went to her cottage and raised the alarm when he could not find her. Her car was also missing. A police search was launched and a helicopter was called. The following morning members of the North East Wales Search and Rescue team found Mrs Worrall's body at the foot of a 40-foot face at Rhesycae quarry. Mr Worrall said her death was a shock as there were so many unanswered questions, but when he investigated his mother's affairs and contacted the DWP the true picture emerged. Mrs Worrall, a divorcee, who had been receiving a state pension and pension credits told the Department in 2014 that she had received a recent inheritance. Nothing was changed, but in July, 2017, the situation was being re-assessed. However, instead of only her credits being frozen her entire pension was stopped, with the result that she had no income whatsoever. Mrs Worrall warned she would take her own life in the quarry if her health failed or he faced serious financial difficulties In a letter of explanation to Mr Worrall, Suzanne Mitchelson, the DWP's complaints resolution manager, said the two pensions should have been 'decombined' and her basic pension continued. 'I am sorry to say that due to an administrative error this did not happen,' she wrote. Mr Worrall told the inquest that his mother had only 5 in her account on her death, having apparently spent all of her 5,000 savings. Recording a conclusion of suicide, John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, said it was important that he heard the background, but added: 'It would be inappropriate for me to comment further'. After the hearing Mr Worrall said: 'My mother was a proud woman who was simply left without any capital.' He said he had raised the issue with David Hanson to try to ensure that no-one else found themselves in the same position. 'I feel we have been let down by the DWP who have failed in their duty of care. It's a disgrace how this can happen in modern society and what concerns me is that this could happen to someone else,' he added. Drivers who leave their car engines running while parked could face instant fines under Government plans to tackle air pollution. Environment Secretary Michael Gove yesterday backed calls to give councils the power to automatically hit drivers in the pocket if they are repeatedly caught idling. Under existing rules, drivers can only be fined up to 80 if they ignore an initial warning from enforcement officers. Environment Secretary Michael Gove yesterday backed calls to give councils the power to automatically hit drivers in the pocket if they are repeatedly caught idling Mr Gove's backing came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was a 'massive supporter' of local authorities banning cars left running outside schools. Mr Hancock also claimed that tackling air pollution is a more pressing issue for public health than improving the NHS. He said yesterday: 'Air pollution is a public health emergency. 'Within the Department of Health we are responsible for the health of the population. 'Hitherto we have spent most of our effort and budget looking at hospitals, primary care and secondary care. 'Instead we need to ask what helps people live longer and healthier lives. About one fifth of what determines healthy life is what happens in hospital one third is environment. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was a 'massive supporter' of local authorities banning cars left running outside schools 'There is more of a link from environmental matters to health than the NHS. It is core to the business of your health to care about the environment and clean air.' Mr Hancock added: 'I'm a massive supporter of local authorities who exercise the powers they already have to stop cars idling outside schools.' Part of the Government's Clean Air Strategy, launched in January, involves considering stricter rules to punish idling vehicles. All new cars 'must be electric by 2030' Britain's infrastructure tsar has put pressure on the Chancellor to ban new diesel and petrol cars by 2030 ten years earlier than planned. Sir John Armitt, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission, appealed to the Government to commit to a 'once in a generation' upgrade of Britain's transport, energy and broadband networks to tackle climate change. In a letter to Philip Hammond, he warned against an environmental strategy built on 'vague promises' that only paid 'lip service' to his body's recommendations. One of the commission's key proposals is to invest heavily in preparations for all new vehicles to be electric by 2030 echoing calls made by the Committee on Climate Change this month. Sir John also demanded charge points in rural and remote areas be subsidised by 2022. He said: 'The Government should be more ambitious. It needs to charge up Britain.' Advertisement Current rules mean drivers can only be fined if they ignore an initial warning from enforcement officers, meaning many local authorities failed to issue any fines for idling last year. But councils including Westminster and Camden in London say they want the power to hit repeat offenders with immediate fines. Nickie Aiken, the Conservative leader of Westminster Council, said: 'Fines are our last resort but when we establish a pattern of persistent idling we need to be able to send a message.' She said fines for company vehicles caught idling, such as supermarket delivery vans, need to be 'a four-figure sum to be a sufficient deterrent'. Meanwhile Mr Gove told The Times he supported instant fines for repeat offenders, but that new powers must be 'used proportionately'. Jonathan Grigg, professor of paediatric respiratory medicine at Queen Mary University of London and a member of the campaign group Doctors Against Diesel, said 'standard enforcement' of fines was needed. He suggested drivers should be offered the chance to avoid the fine by going on an air pollution awareness course, similar to the system of speed awareness courses. As part of its clean air strategy, the Government plans to phase out all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 and promote electric cars. Speaking at an event organised by the Conservative Environment Network, Mr Hancock said yesterday: 'I'm a big supporter of electric vehicles. I'm excited to see the development of electric vehicles and see cost come down. 'Traffic and stationary vehicles that produce pollution are bad. We want moving vehicles and preferably moving electric vehicles.' Air pollution is thought to contribute to 40,000 early deaths a year, and is particularly dangerous for the young, the elderly and those with lung conditions. In 2018, Public Health England predicted that more than 2.4million people would be diagnosed with a disease as a result of polluted air before 2035 if current levels persist. Illnesses that have been linked to pollution include heart disease, strokes, lung cancer and asthma. On Saturday Mr Hancock labelled air pollution a 'slow and dirty poison' as he launched a review of its impact on the nation's health. He has asked Public Health England to investigate how many people are at risk of diseases caused by air pollution. Cats may have to stay indoors permanently and rangers could be given powers to seize barking dogs as part of proposed changes to pet laws in Western Australia. The State Government is reviewing current legislation after the number of stray and feral cats increased and dog barking complaints spiked. About 25 people are taken to Perth hospitals for bites each week. The WA Rangers Association (WARA) wants to silence loud barking dogs and are calling for stricter penalties for owners of dogs who attack. Cats may be restricted from going outside after the number of stray and feral cats roaming the streets increased Proposed changes to the Cat Act could see the felines banned from going outside at night or may not be allowed to step outdoors at all. Owners of dogs who attack people or animals will be given a maximum fine of $10,000 or can be jailed for one year for more grave incidents under the current law. Reviews of penalties found they weren't high enough 'to make some people comply with their responsibilities of owning a dog'. 'Greater enforcement powers to authorised officers and further amendments to dog barking offences are also required,' WARA president Dene Lawrence told PerthNow. Rangers are urging to have a proper system to check the history of pets, after dogs who have previously attacked were re-homed or taken to foster care. Cat Haven chief executive Roz Robinson said they were in favour of cats being completely contained inside the home. 'For their health, it's much better. They live a longer and happier life,' Ms Robinson told 9News. Authorities are urging for strict penalties for dog owners who attack after 25 people were taken to Perth hospitals for bites each week Allowing greyhounds to go muzzle free are among the other laws, which may be introduced. Toni Donelly from Greyhound Adoptions WA said the muzzles stop the breed from being adopted. Greyhounds must wear a muzzle, even if they have never raced before. 'Some people don't like friends and neighbours seeing them with the muzzled dog. It can be an impediment,' she said. The state has until August 4 to give feedback on the new laws, which may potentially pass in parliament later in the year. Matthews is the third senior Brexit Party official to have posted offensive comments online following founder Catherine Blaiklock and treasurer Michael McGough Leader Nigel Farage was forced to distance himself over the claims Nigel Farage was forced to distance himself from one of his senior party officials last night after it was claimed he had defended Tommy Robinson and suggested Islamophobia was 'made up'. Noel Matthews, the Brexit Party's national election agent, was said to have posted an article sympathetic to the far-Right activist last year, writing: 'Tommy Robinson Drew Attention to Grooming Gangs. Britain Has Persecuted Him.' This February, according to Buzzfeed News, he also praised a rally organised by Robinson at the BBC, saying: 'Tommy's no politician but it looks like he has the BBC bang to rights.' Noel Matthews, the Brexit Party's national election agent, was said to have posted an article sympathetic to the far-Right activist last year, writing: 'Tommy Robinson Drew Attention to Grooming Gangs. Britain Has Persecuted Him' Meanwhile, in 2017 he wrote that 'Islamophobia is a silly, made up word' and said: 'Poor old Islamophobia. Used to be the best excuse for closing down the debate until those others came along.' The remarks appear to contradict Mr Farage's claims that his new party is 'deeply intolerant of all intolerance'. When he quit Ukip last year, Mr Farage blamed its obsession with Robinson and Islam. Mr Matthews is the third senior Brexit Party official found to have posted offensive comments online. Its founder, Catherine Blaiklock, was accused of having made a series of anti-Muslim comments and later resigned as leader. The remarks appear to contradict Mr Farage's claims that his new party is 'deeply intolerant of all intolerance'. When he quit Ukip last year, Mr Farage blamed its obsession with Robinson and Islam Treasurer Michael McGough also quit after anti-Semitic Facebook posts were uncovered. A Brexit Party spokesman said: 'The party does not condone or endorse any of these views. Noel Matthews was tweeting in a personal capacity before his involvement in the Brexit Party. His views do not represent those of the party or its leader.' It came as Mr Farage said he had been prevented from meeting Donald Trump during the President's state visit next month. Downing Street said the claim was 'nonsense'. Supermarkets and businesses which waste food could face penalties if they fail to tackle the problem, the Environment Secretary said yesterday. Unveiling plans to team up with businesses including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose to halve food waste by 2030, Michael Gove said fines or sanctions could be used to convince other companies to follow suit. The UK wastes 10.2 million tonnes of food each year, the equivalent of about 500 for every household. Supermarkets and businesses which waste food could face penalties if they fail to tackle the problem, the Environment Secretary said yesterday The Government's food waste tsar, Ben Elliott, described the situation as 'an environmental, moral and financial scandal'. In 2016, France announced that supermarket owners would be fined if they failed to sign contracts with food donation charities. Later that year, Italy passed a raft of new measures which incentivised cutting food waste. Michael Gove said fines or sanctions could be used to convince other companies to follow suit Speaking after the Step Up to the Plate event at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, where 300 food companies were invited to sign a pledge committing themselves to halving food waste, Mr Gove said: 'There are hundreds of thousands of tonnes of edible food which could be distributed to those in need which is not being distributed. 'We have announced 5 million in additional money in order to ensure we can help companies who want to ensure the very poorest in our society get that food. 'That is an incentive, but if necessary, in the future, then perhaps penalties might be required as well.' Celebrities including Gordon Ramsay, and BBC Great British Menu judge Oliver Peyton all threw their support behind the campaign, with Mr Peyton urging consumers to 'buy British'. He said: 'You can't be buying lamb from New Zealand or apples from Chile. It's a disgrace. The whole matter of consumerism and waste is one of the great blots on industry and the way we live.' The Environment Secretary was speaking at the Step Up to the Plate event at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, where 300 food companies were invited to sign a pledge committing themselves to halving food waste A bodybuilder has admitted to seriously scalding a young boy by holding him under a burning hot shower, before sitting down to relax with a drink of bourbon and cola. Richard Robert Moppett, 30, was babysitting the two-year-old and a sibling at his friend's home in central New South Wales while she was at work on Saturday night. When the woman returned home later that evening she found her son screaming in his bed, at which point she turned on the light and noticed the child's severe injuries. Moppett was arrested the next day, and on Monday pleaded guilty to two charges of neglecting a child and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm. Richard Robert Moppett (pictured) has pleaded guilty to seriously burning his friend's young son under a hot shower while babysitting on Saturday night According to court documents seen by the Western Advocate, Moppett had looked after the two children at his partner's home in Condobolin. At about 7pm the children's grandfather visited the home and helped Moppett bath the children. The grandfather told police he had noticed a graze on the boy's face, but said when he asked Moppett about it he was told the youngster had fallen off a swing. Police allege that after the grandfather left, Moppett - a gym junkie and regular wild pig hunter - held the toddler under hot water, causing him second-degree burns. Instead of taking the boy for medical treatment, Moppet put the children to sleep. The court documents also claimed Moppett spent the night drinking bourbon and cola mixes, and continued after putting the boy and his sibling down to rest. When the mother returned home at 9pm she saw the children sleeping and sat down to have a drink with Moppett. Court documents indicate the pair then became involved in an argument. Moppett, 30, was looking after the woman's two children while she was at work on Saturday night. He left the home at 11.40pm without telling his friend about her son's injuries The bodybuilder was arrested by police on Sunday and charged with neglecting a child and causing grievous bodily harm. He faced Bathurst Local Court on Monday and pleaded guilty Moppett left the home at 11.40pm but by that stage had not mentioned anything to the child's mother about his injuries. At about 3am the woman was woken by her child's agonising screams and went into his room to check on him. She took him a drink and kept the bedroom light turned off, but when several efforts to settle him failed she turned the light on and noticed the burns. After trying to call Moppett several times without luck, the mother rushed her son to Condobolin Hospital. The child was treated for burns to his face and back, covering approximately two to three per cent of his body. He was transferred to Westmead Children's Hospital the next day where he underwent surgery. After the mother noticed the child's injuries, he was taken to Condobolin Hospital (pictured). The next morning officers from the Child Abuse Unit attended the hospital and began their investigation While at Condobolin Hospital officers from the Child Abuse Unit attended and began an investigation into the matter. They arrested Moppett at his home in Yetholme, central NSW, on Sunday evening. Moppett faced Bathurst Local Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to two charges of neglecting a child and causing grievous bodily harm. He did not apply for bail and it was officially refused. Moppett is due to return to Bathurst Local Court for sentencing on June 24. Millions of Australians could be pocketing more money from their jobs as soon as July 1, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten vowing to raise the minimum wage. Mr Shorten will urge the industrial umpire to raise wages for workers on award rates on his first day of government if Labor wins the May 18 Federal Election. The election promise came after the Australian Council of Trade Unions prepared to push for a six per cent boost to the minimum wage. His election promise meant workers on minimum wages could see an extra $43 a week or $2236 a year in their pockets. Millions of Australians could be pocketing more money from their jobs as soon as July 1, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten vowing to raise the minimum wage (pictured, Bill Shorten visits a Nowra cafe along the NSW south coast in May) His election promise meant workers on minimum wages could see an extra $43 a week or $2236 a year in their pockets (stock image) ACTU president Michele O'Neil will take the case to the Fair Work Commission in Sydney on Wednesday. She will be the first person in that role to address a minimum wage case before the industrial umpire in decades. 'The minimum wage should not just be enough to stop you starving, it should be enough to provide for a decent life for all full-time workers,' she said. Mr Shorten co-authored a letter with employment spokesman Brendan O'Connor, telling the Fair Work Commission president to expect a proposal to increase award rates. 'The Morrison government have failed to argue for Australia's workers, and their submission must be replaced,' the letter said. The Labor leader said he would argue on the first day of government for a real increase to award rates. 'We have made this unprecedented decision on behalf of Australia's workers who rely on the award minimum rates and do it because this government has completely failed to advocate for workers in this country,' the letter said. The opposition has made wages a key election issue, arguing sluggish growth in earnings is being outstripped by cost of living pressures and corporate profits. Labor has also promised to boost wages for childcare workers, as well as restoring cuts to penalty rates. Mr Shorten and Mr O'Connor said since the last election, company profits rose 39 per cent while wages went up 5 per cent. 'If Australians decide against six more years of cuts and chaos from a Morrison government and vote for change, a Shorten Labor government will not delay the pay rise that Australian workers deserve,' the pair wrote in the letter. Businesses will either have to absorb the wage increase and accept lower profits or pass on the impact of the wage rise to consumers via higher prices. Rescue teams are searching the waters of southeast Alaska for two passengers who are missing after a pair of sightseeing planes crashed in midair, killing at least four people and injuring 10 others. The two missing people, an Australian and a Canadian, were among 14 passengers from a Princess Cruises ship who boarded two seaplanes operated by separate tour companies in the town of Ketchikan. Ten people survived but were injured in the collision, which took place over open water on Monday at about 1pm. At least four, including one of the pilots, were killed. Emergency response crews transport an injured passenger to an ambulance at the George Inlet Lodge docks The two floatplanes collided in mid-air Monday near the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan The water temperature off Ketchikan on Tuesday was 48 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. Expected survival time in 40 to 50 degree water is one to three hours, according to the United States Search & Rescue Task Force website. "At this point there is a variety of factors that go into survivability," Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Matthew Schofield said. "But the reality is that Alaskan waters are very cold." Tuesday's search for the two missing passengers involved a Coast Guard helicopter, a flotilla of boats and teams from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ketchikan Fire Department and other rescue units. Schofield said the efforts would continue "until we have exhausted all chance of finding anybody'. All of the passengers on board the planes had arrived in Ketchikan on Monday on the cruise ship Royal Princess during a seven-day trip between Vancouver and Anchorage. Ten passengers and a pilot were aboard one float plane, a de Havilland Otter DHC-3, operated by Taquan Air. Four passengers and a pilot were aboard the second float plane, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, run by Mountain Air Service of Ketchikan. The crash site at Coon Cove lies near a tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument. Ketchikan-based Taquan Air said the plane was returning from a sightseeing tour of Misty Fjords when the crash occurred. A plane from the Taquan Air similar to the one involved in the crash in Ketchikan, Alalska An plane similar to Taquan's single-engine de Havilland Otter DHC-3 which had 11 people on board when it collided with another light aircraft A statement from Princess Cruises confirmed that 10 of its guests and a pilot were on board one plane, while four of its other guests were on the other plane on an independent tour. The Royal Princess was set to dock in Anchorage on May 18. Passengers on the ship said the captain alerted them to the fatal incident via the PA system. The captain waited to the relatives of those involved in the accident to disembark the ship prior to making any announcements. The ship was delayed several hours before leaving Ketchikan and making its way to Juneau. The ship left Vancouver on May 11 and had been scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday. A spokeswoman for Taquan Air, operator of the Otter, said the company had suspended operations while federal authorities investigated the deadly crash. 'We are devastated by today's incident and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families,' Taquan said in a statement on Monday. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Princess Cruises said in a statement: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by today's accident. Princess Cruises is extending its full support to traveling companions of the guests involved.' Five people were on a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. A file image of the same model of plane is seen above Deanna Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the local government, said on Monday evening: 'It's been a long day and the crews have been working really hard to rescue people and recover the deceased.' The team of federal accident investigators arrived in Alaska on Tuesday to try to piece together what caused the deadly mid-air collision between two sightseeing planes. The Washington, D.C.-based investigative team from the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to arrive in Ketchikan in the afternoon. Agency spokesman Peter Knudson said board member Jennifer Homendy is also traveling with the so-called 'Go Team,' which investigates major accidents. The floatplanes collided under unknown circumstances, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. Floatplanes have pontoons mounted under the fuselage so they can land on water. It's not the first time a major plane crash has occurred near Ketchikan, a popular tourist destination. In June 2015, a pilot and eight passengers died when a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter operated by Promech Air Inc. crashed into mountainous terrain about 24 miles (39 kilometers) from Ketchikan. The NTSB later determined that pilot error and lack of a formal safety program were behind the crash. And in 2007, five people were killed when a Beaver floatplane carrying tourists crashed in the same area. A group of bikie gang members who ran a $2.6million ice ring out of a tiny, impoverished town can blame a red Ford Raptor truck for their eventual downfall. Kawerau, in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island, had a massive drug problem, with many of its 6,000 residents addicted to methamphetamine. Families desperate for money to pay for drugs were even prostituting children in order to score ice. Police believed Mongrel Mob gang members were responsible for selling drugs in the town, and the flaunting of wealth through flashy vehicles such as the oversized Ford confirmed their suspicions. A group of bikie gang members who ran a $2.6million ice ring out of a tiny, impoverished town can blame a red Ford Raptor truck (pictured) for their eventual downfall A constable in Kawerau - frustrated at a lack of action - contacted New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush warning him that the Mongrel Mob were taking over the town, the New Zealand Herald reported. The National Organised Crime Group (NOCG) were then assigned to investigate the Mongrel Mob members in Kawerau for six months, beginning in August 2017. The NOCG usually dealt with international criminals and stopped drugs at the top of the supply chain but had been ordered by Mr Bush to look into the situation in Kawerau. Warrants granted by the High Court allowed officers to secretly listen to phone conversations and use hidden cameras to observe the gang members. The Mongrel Mob members used an easy-to-decipher code when speaking to each other, and eventually raids were carried out by police. About 300 police staff were involved in the raids which saw 30 firearms recovered and $2million worth of property seized. More than 50 people were arrested. During the police investigation, 2.6kg of meth - worth about $2.6million - was allegedly sold by the Mongrel Mob. About 300 police staff were involved in the raids which saw 30 firearms recovered and $2million worth of property seized. More than 50 people were arrested The red Ford Raptor was one of several vehicles towed away by police. Kawerau mayor - and town butcher - Malcolm Campbell said New Zealanders needed to 'wake up to the bulls**t that's going on' in his area. 'This is a scourge on society. When you've got young kids walking around fried out of their heads, it's not a good thing. It's not good for the town and it's not good for anyone. We're picking up the pieces,' he said. A search for the mystery owner of a wallet is underway after it was discovered in a park, 40 years after it went missing. Rachel Pollard, from Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales north coast, was celebrating Mother's Day at Boronia Park with her family when she noticed her children carrying what she described as a 'disgusting-looking thing' they had picked up off the ground. The mum's first instinct was to throw it away but she paused upon closer inspection, realising her kids had found somebody's wallet. Rachel Pollard, from Coffs Harbour, was celebrating Mother's Day at Boronia Park when her children discovered an old, weathered wallet in the bush Fascinating photos show the contents of the wallet were relatively still intact, containing a photo ID of a Jennifer Sinclair - pictured at age 18 - who will turn 58 this year 'I'm thinking, "oh God, what have they picked up?" We were going to put it in the bin and then we thought, "oh, it's a wallet. We better check it, obviously hoping to find millions"'', she told Coff's Coast's Hit 105.5 on Tuesday. 'These scraps of really perished paper came out and while we were looking at them, there were really old, weathered ID documents with some beautiful photos of this lady, Jennifer Sinclair'. Fascinating photos show most of the contents were still intact, giving an incredible snapshot of life back in the 1980s. The wallet contained a bookshop card from a university in St Lucia, Brisbane, a card for StereoFM 104, now known as Triple M Brisbane radio station, an old key card and a vintage Commonwealth Bank card with an old-school logo. But perhaps the most astonishing find, was the 1980 ID card of Ms Sinclair, where she is pictured at age 18. The withered card indicates the mystery owner is from, or once lived in, Brisbane, and will turn 58 this year. Ms Pollard, who works as a celebrant in New South Wales, has since issued an appeal on social media to track down the owner and has already received hundreds of reactions from strangers curious to find Ms Sinclair. Other documents, including a Brisbane university bookshop card, indicate the woman lived or is from the Queensland capital The astonishing photo ID shows it was from the 1980s Ms Pollard, a celebrant in New South Wales, has since issued an appeal on social media to track down the owner and has already received hundreds of reactions from strangers curious to find Ms Sinclair 'Jennifer Sinclair - your nearly 40yo wallet complete with bank card, library card and photo ID has been unsurfaced in Sawtell by some intrepid adventurer children. Possibly from Brisbane - D.O.B available on request. Go internet, find Jennifer!' she said in a Facebook post. 'Hint - you're turning 58 this year and you were a total babe when you were 18', she added. The post has been shared 146 times and has generated dozens of comments from users suggesting possible theories of who the woman could be and just how the wallet ended up at the park. However, some theories were more sinister than others. 'Recently [read in the] paper about that murderer from SAWTELL that killed all them women in America !! Seriously get onto cops and even A Current Affair,' one woman suggested. Ms Pollard said she did not initially think to report her findings to the police since the wallet did not contain any items of value, but will consider handing it in in hopes of tracking down the owner. The body of a British soldier who was killed while protecting elephants from poachers in Malawi is being returned to the UK. Matthew Talbot, 22, of the Coldstream Guards, died on Sunday in Malawi while serving his first deployment after training. British Army soldiers carried his coffin, covered with a Union Jack, to the Kamuzu International Airport in the capital Lilongwe, during a tribute ceremony yesterday. The body of a British soldier who was killed while protecting elephants from poachers in Malawi is being returned to the UK Mr Talbot was attacked after the group he was with spotted an elephant and quickly backed off, only for a second to loom up behind them Oxfordshire County Council released a statement to say: 'We have been advised by RAF Brize Norton that the repatriation of Guardsman Mathew Talbot of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards will take place on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.' His body will then be taken to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. Mr Talbot was attacked after the group he was with spotted an elephant and quickly backed off, only for a second to loom up behind them. It charged, trampling Guardsman Talbot under its feet. The rangers fired shots and lit bangers to scare off the elephants but it was too late to save the soldier, who died of his wounds shortly afterwards. It was his first operational deployment. Matthew Talbot, 22, of the Coldstream Guards, died on Sunday in Malawi while serving his first deployment after training British Army soldiers carried his coffin, covered with a Union Jack, to the Kamuzu International Airport in the capital Lilongwe, during a tribute ceremony yesterday Guardsman Mathew Talbot (pictured) died on Sunday, Britain's Ministry of Defence confirmed An Army source said last night: At this time of year the grass is really long and it makes it quite difficult to see great distances. 'Elephants are remarkably quiet creatures. Although they are noisy while they are eating they are really quiet when they are moving so it is quite easy for them to startle humans. Prince William, a fierce critic of poaching, is believed to have written to Guardsman Talbots family to offer his condolences. It is understood the group was patrolling in Liwonde National Park in the south of Malawi. Prince Harry visited Liwonde in 2016 and took part in an operation moving elephants 200 miles to another reserve. He also observed anti-poaching projects there, spending almost three weeks working on the initiative. He described being around elephants as a unique experience. A defence source said: You go to Malawi expecting it to be a safe deployment, its heart-breaking that this has happened. Mr Talbot was helping anti-poaching efforts in Malawi when he was attacked and killed by an elephant in tall grass Lieutenant Colonel Ed Launders, Guardsman Talbots commanding officer, said the soldier was a determined and big-hearted man, who devoted his life to serving his country. He added: It was typical of his character to volunteer for an important and challenging role in Malawi. 'He was hugely proud of his work as a counter-poaching operator, and tragically died doing great good. Mathew was loved by his brothers in arms in the Coldstream Guards. We will sorely miss his humour, selflessness and unbeatable spirit. British soldiers in the fight against poachers UK troops have been deployed to tackle illegal poaching in Africa for years in an effort to bring down criminal networks making billions off the trade in illegal animal parts. The mission in Malawi began last year following a successful pilot scheme in 2017, and focuses on training Malawi's rangers in tracking, bushcraft, infantry skills and information analysis. At least 120 rangers have been mentored by British soldiers so far. Former members of the UK intelligence community are also being used to provide intelligence-gathering training, using skills from Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq to help track and break up poaching networks. Last year more than 2,000lbs (1,000kg) of ivory was seized and 114 arrests made, a ten-fold increase in compared with 2015. The UK government has pledged 26 million up to 2020 to help fight the illegal wildlife trade. Smuggling animal parts is thought to be the fourth largest illegal market in the world, after people, drugs, and weapons. Malawi's elephant population is estimated to have halved from 4,000 in the 1980s to 2,000 in 2015. Advertisement The mission to protect endangered African Elephants (file picture) was Mr Talbot's first foreign deployment for the Coldstream Guards 'My deepest condolences go to his parents, family and loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with them at this desperately sad time. Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said Guardsman Talbot had served with great courage and professionalism and was carrying out vital work. She said it was a reminder of the danger our military faces as they protect some of the worlds most endangered species from those who seek to profit from the criminal slaughter of wildlife. A Ministry of Defence spokesman praised Guardsman Talbot for having befriended locals in Malawi and starting to learn the language. A fan of photography and Frank Sinatra, he was also said to be an avid reader of military history. His company commander, Major Richard Wright, said: Guardsman Talbot bravely lost his life whilst ensuring that endangered species will be around for future generations to learn from and enjoy. Major Wright said the loss would be felt throughout the battalion, adding that he leaves behind his father Steven, mother Michelle, sisters Aimee and Isabel, and girlfriend Olivia. Guardsman Mathew Talbot, of The 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, died on Sunday on his first operational deployment. Soldiers from the Coldstream Guards are pictured in Malawi in April Coldstream Guards are pictured releasing a snare from an animal trapped in woodland in Malawi in April Prince Harry works in Malawi in 2016. He says of this picture: 'A few of us trying to 'tip an elephant'. This young male was fighting the sedative drug and was heading towards the trees, which would have made it very difficult for us to get him on the truck' Guardsman Talbot was described by colleagues in the ranks as a proud Brummie, who worked hard and was always laughing and cracking jokes. His death is the first on a military operation since SAS soldier Sergeant Matt Tonroe was killed in action in Syria in April last year. Operation Corded, the name given to the Armys counter-poaching deployment in Malawi, assists in the training of rangers in a bid to help them crack down on the illegal wildlife trade. They are taught skills such as tracking, partnered patrolling, communications, surveillance, and intelligence-sharing. The first deployment took place in August 2017. More than 30 British troops are based in Malawi. Defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: This may not have been a battlefield but it shows you that theres danger inherent right across what our armed forces do. Its truly sad to learn of his untimely death and our thoughts and prayers are very much with his friends and family at this moment. He was doing an important job and I know thats something that he loved as well. One of the Sri Lankan suicide bombers was allegedly radicalised by hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, 37, was the link between Islamic State and the bombers, according to security services. A security official told the BBC: 'He was completely radicalised and supported the extremist ideology. I tried to reason with him. 'When I asked him how he got into this he said that he attended the sermons of the radical British preacher Anjem Choudary in London. He said he met him during the sermons.' Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, 37, was believed to have been radicalised by Anjem Choudary when he stayed in London British-educated Sri Lanka suicide bomber Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed (pictured as a school boy) Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, the Sri Lanka terrorist whose bomb failed to go off - before he sits next to diners equally unaware they've cheated death Security personnel inspect the interior of St Sebastian's Church in Negombo, a day after the church was hit in series of bomb blasts targeting churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka Choudary is considered one of the UK's most notorious hate preachers. The father of five spent three years of a five-and-a-half year sentence in prison after he was detained in 2016 under terror laws for his encouragement to Muslims to join Isis. The Choudary-led extremist group al-Muhajiroun was outlawed by the Government following the 2005 7/7 attacks on London but it has continued to operate under a number of different images. He helped radicalise some of Britain's most notorious terrorists, including London Bridge terror attacker ringleader Khuram Butt, and Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London. Mohamed tried to blow up the luxury Taj Samudra hotel in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Easter Sunday. But he is believed to have botched his attempt to detonate his bomb at the five-star hotel and is thought to have blown himself up at a much smaller guest house. UK counter-terrorism investigators believe he attended Kingston University in south-west London from 2006-07, before then studying for a postgraduate degree in Melbourne, Australia. In a previous interview with MailOnline his sister Samsul Hidaya said Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed had been educated to the highest level but became increasingly withdrawn and intense as he descended into extremism. 'My brother became deeply, deeply religious while he was in Australia,' she said. 'He was normal when he went to study in Britain, and normal when he came back. 'But after he did his postgraduate in Australia, he came back to Sri Lanka a different man. 'He had a long beard and had lost his sense of humour. He became serious and withdrawn and would not even smile at anyone he didn't know, let alone laugh.' Ministers will today urge Theresa May to pull the plug on Brexit talks with Labour, amid fears a compromise deal could destroy the party. The Prime Minister is set to come under intense pressure at a Cabinet meeting this morning to abandon talks with Jeremy Corbyn, which have dragged on for six weeks without any sign of a breakthrough. Ministers, led by Mrs Mays deputy David Lidington, held fresh talks with their Labour counterparts last night in the hope of finding an acceptable compromise. But senior figures on both sides said the compromises involved were likely to prove unacceptable. The Prime Minister is set to come under intense pressure at a Cabinet meeting this morning to abandon talks with Jeremy Corbyn One minister said: Talking to Corbyn is killing us with the party in the country. Its time to put the whole thing out of its misery. Labour is also split on the issue and Mr Corbyn told a fractious meeting of his MPs last night: The Governments red lines have not changed and the idea that Tory MPs are going to come round any time soon to accept the deal is fanciful. One Tory source with knowledge of the talks said Mr Corbyn appeared open to the possibility of a deal, but was being held back by pressure within his party to secure a second referendum. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday said the second referendum demanded by Labours lead negotiator Sir Keir Starmer would amount to a betrayal of the 2016 referendum. Labour is also split on the issue and Mr Corbyn told a fractious meeting of his MPs last night Communities Secretary James Brokenshire, one of Mrs Mays closest allies, warned that a second referendum would amount to not giving effect to the original vote. Mr Brokenshire said it looked very, very difficult to identify a deal with Labour that could win approval from Parliament. Senior Tories are also alarmed at Labours demand for a permanent customs union. Ministers are expecting a briefing today on proposals for a possible customs arrangement compromise. But International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has already warned that he cannot accept anything that has the same effect as a customs union. Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson savaged Mrs May over the talks with Labour at the weekend, describing the initiative as politically naive and doomed to fail Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson savaged Mrs May over the talks with Labour at the weekend, describing the initiative as politically naive and doomed to fail. Huw Merriman, parliamentary aide to Chancellor Philip Hammond, said Mr Williamson was probably right, adding: The Labour Party will not vote for something that doesnt have a (second referendum) attached to it. Brexiteer ministers, including Dr Fox and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, are expected to urge Mrs May to step up preparations for a possible No Deal Brexit. It came as Michael Gove appealed to Tory grandees not to force Mrs May out before she has delivered Brexit. In a series of interviews, the Environment Secretary said getting Brexit over the line was more important than forcing Mrs May to set out a timetable for her departure. Furious Labour MPs rounded on Jeremy Corbyn over Brexit last night as he appeared in front of the party's backbenchers. During a mammoth meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, MPs from both sides of the debate turned on their leader, questioning his lack of a clear stance on Brexit and his ability to become Prime Minister. It came as party deputy leader Tom Watson added to Labour's confusion over Brexit by declaring it was now the party of 'remain and reform'. Jeremy Corbyn was taken to task by furious Labour MPs over confusion with the party's Brexit policy At the party meeting, second-referendum campaigner Peter Kyle told Mr Corbyn: 'Jeremy, I urge you to simplify our policy so people realise we are talking with absolute sincerity.' Brexiteer John Mann said: 'We are losing votes in the North and Midlands. If you cannot get this right, you cannot be Prime Minister. 'There should be free votes for Labour in this Parliament. Labour voters are divided in a very big way.' Wes Streeting told Mr Corbyn: 'We need clear leadership in order to win the next general election.' Second-referendum campaigner Peter Kyle urged Corbyn to simplify Labour's Brexit policy In a reference to Labour and the Tories working together on the Stronger In campaign in Scotland, Ian Murray said: 'If the UK goes the same way as Scotland, if the dam bursts there will be none of us left.' Steve Doughty said the party's ad campaign for the European elections was not good enough, adding: 'Why is the Brexit Party surging? Because they've got a clear message... We have four sets of adverts they have 36 ad streams.' Mr Corbyn told the MPs: 'I don't want to be in a position where our members don't understand what we are saying, where our voters don't understand what we are saying. We know we are under attack. I absolutely understand the frustration everyone expressed.' One Labour MP said the meeting had been 'absolutely dismal'. A Labour source said the party's Brexit position to respect the 2016 referendum result had not changed, but at the same time, deputy leader Mr Watson said it wanted to stay in the EU and change it. He told the BBC: 'We are a remain and reform party, but obviously when it comes to a deal, people could form their own view.' Mr Watson also joined Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer in saying a second referendum is the only way to break the deadlock. Brexit supporter John Mann questioned whether Corbyn was really Prime Minister material But a Labour shadow minister said there was 'an element of leadership' ambitions motivating the two men's actions. Many of the party's members, who will pick the next leader, support a second referendum even though it is unpopular with many of its MPs who represent Leave-supporting areas. The shadow minister told the Mail: 'The zealots are getting carried away they are not thinking.' Separately, Labour MP Jo Platt said the calls by Sir Keir and Mr Watson were 'not helpful' in areas such as her Leigh constituency in the North West. She told the BBC: 'There is no appetite whatsoever here for another referendum. People are angry they are annoyed that it has not been sorted already. 'If you go back to the election and the manifesto, it clearly stated we would respect the referendum. I knocked on doors where I had to point to the page to say, 'Look, it is in our manifesto'. I now have to go back to those people to explain what our message is.' Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison have called in the political big guns to help them get across the line in the dying days of the campaign. The unpopular current leaders have turned to legendary former PMs, Labor's Paul Keating and the Liberal's John Howard, to give them the edge on the hustings - and they have not disappointed. Showing that they've still got it, the long-time political adversaries unleashed some of the most pointed attacks of the campaign so far. In a throwback to the 90s, former Labor prime minister Paul Keating took aim at Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. 'I joined the Australian Parliament 50 years ago this year,' Mr Keating told ABC radio. 'In those 50 years, I've never seen any public figure as mean or mean-spirited as Peter Dutton.' Mr Keating, renown for his withering attacks on opponents during Parliament question time, told voters they had a chance to 'drive a stake through his dark political heart' at the upcoming Federal Election. Not holding back: Paul Keating (pictured) has slammed Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and labelled him one of the meanest people in Australian politics in five decades The former Labor prime minister made plain his thoughts on Mr Dutton (pictured) in his second appearance in the election campaign on Tuesday Mr Keating's comments followed an explosive serve from former long-serving Liberal prime minister John Howard. Speaking to shoppers at Warringah Mall in Sydney's northern beaches on Monday, Mr Howard took aim at Mr Shorten and his attacks against the 'top end of town'. 'I detect in the community a lot of growing suspicion that Bill Shorten is after your savings,' he said. 'I mean, that is an insult to every successful small businessman who has worked hard, accumulated a bit and wants to leave it to his kids. I mean that's what this country is all about! That's what people aspire to do! 'And this fella Shorten is after those people, and he sneers at them, says, 'You're the big end of town', and his putative treasurer Chris Bowen says if people don't like it, don't vote for us. 'Well I hope that people don't like it and don't vote for it.' The comments from the political stalwart come after former prime minister John Howard (pictured right) blasted Mr Shorten during a visit to Warringah Mall, in Sydney's northern beaches on Monday Mr Howard took aim at Mr Shorten and his focus on 'the top-end of town' as he mingled with voters Who are Paul Keating and John Howard? Paul Keating and John Howard are both former prime ministers and legends of their respective parties. Despite their retirement, both former leaders have maintained a strong political presence. Paul Keating Mr Keating acted as Labor prime minister between 1991 and 1996. Under Keating, his government introduced compulsory superannuation and enshrined native title into statute law. He also created an infrastructure development program to help stimulate the economy following the 1990s recession. John Howard Mr Howard became prime minister after defeating Mr Keating in 1996. The Liberal leader maintained his position until 2007 and is the second-longest serving prime minister. Mr Howard strengthened gun laws following the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre. He also introduced the GST and reformed immigration and industrial relations. Advertisement Mr Keating was Labor prime minister between 1991 and 1996, and has maintained a strong political presence despite his retirement. Under Keating, the government introduced compulsory superannuation and enshrined native title into statute law. He also created an infrastructure development program to help stimulate the economy following the 1990s recession. 'What's amazing about the Liberal party (is) they've actually made a virtue of having no strategy,' he said. He added the constant changes in Liberal leadership had disaffected voters. 'This is what happens when governments fail to have a program, fail to have imagination, fail to have vista, a panorama of where the country is going,' he said. 'And particularly when you see these internecine battles like the ones between Turnbull and Abbott and then Morrison replacing Turnbull. 'People get switched off by the internecine battles, the ideological confusion, the lack of clarity of policy and of course they drift to the minor parties.' Mr Keating sang his political praise for the Labor party line-up, calling it the best frontbench in nearly four decades. 'The last time we saw the Labor Party this good was, really, in 1983 with Bob Hawke's first ministry.' Mr Keating went on to compliment Mr Shorten, calling him a competent leader who was leading a 'solid team.' 'I detect in the community a lot of growing suspicion that Bill Shorten is after your savings,' Mr Howard told voters on Monday Mr Howard visited Warringah Mall on Monday to throw his support behind Mr Abbott ahead of the Federal Election Mr Howard was the Liberal prime minister between 1996 and 2007, after defeating Mr Keating. He is the second longest-serving prime minister in Australia and his key achievements included strengthening gun policy following the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre. He also introduced the GST. Despite his retirement and just like Mr Keating, Mr Howard has been able to maintain a strong presence in politics. Mr Howard had stepped out at the local shopping centre to throw his support behind another former Liberal PM Tony Abbott, who is fighting to hold onto his seat of Warringah. He called Mr Abbott a 'political realist' who 'understands he has a fight.' 'This is going to be a tough election (but) I'm getting more confident as we get closer.' Polling suggests Mr Abbott, who's held Warringah comfortably for 25 years, is in danger of losing the seat on Saturday. Socially progressive independent candidate Zali Steggall has been chipping away at Mr Abbott's primary vote while campaigning on climate change, transport and cost of living. Bookies have Ms Steggall, a former Olympic skier, as the narrow favourite in the contest, though Mr Abbott said he was feeling more confident in the final days of the campaign. 'I'm more confident now than I was a month ago, but this is going to go down to the wire,' Mr Abbott told reporters. Mr Howard had stepped out at the local shopping centre to throw his support behind another former Liberal PM Tony Abbott, who is fighting to hold onto his seat of Warringah (pictured, Mr Abbott and Mr Howard at Warringah Mall on Monday) Gene Charles Bristow lured a 24-year-old backpacker to his hobby farm in Meningie under false pretenses in February 2017 A cattle farmer who kidnapped and raped a Belgian backpacker in a dirty pig shed has been jailed for at least 12 years and six months. Gene Charles Bristow held the woman on his farm in Meningie, 150km south east of Adelaide, for 36 hours after he answered a Gumtree advertisement she had posted in search of work in 2017. Judge Geraldine Davison on Tuesday sentenced him to 18 years in jail, with a non-parole period of 12 years, six months. Bristow, 54, had been due to appear in Adelaide District Court last week but his sentencing was postponed because of an unknown illness. In February 2017, Bristow lured the 24-year-old backpacker to his hobby farm, claiming he could offer the woman temporary farm work, but instead when she arrived at his isolated residence he chained her up in a squalor and repeatedly raped her. Bristow was found guilty by a jury in March on one count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault, and one count of attempted rape. Gene Charles Bristow held the woman on his farm in Meningie, 150km south east of Adelaide, for 36 hours after he answered a Gumtree advertisement she had posted in search of work in 2017 The images were shown to the court before Bristow was found guilty of six charges, including aggravated kidnapping, indecent assault and rape (pictured is the couch) Sickening details of the kidnap and rape previously emerged during Bristow's trial, in which the victim gave evidence in court. She said he took her inside a disused pig shed where he asked to check the soles of her feet for needle marks and then pressed what turned out to be a fake gun to her back. Bristow then bound the woman's hands and feet, and chained her to the ground before leaving her alone in an old pig shed. Bristow, 54, had lured the young woman to the property (pictured) with the promise of farm work when he kidnapped her and kept her captive before raping her repeatedly The horrific scene where a Belgian backpacker was held captive with shackles and raped by a farmer who lured her with the promise of work have been revealed (pictured) Shocking images that were shown in court, show the squalid conditions she endured, including the couch she was shackled to. Bristow threatened to shoot the woman if she tried to escape and told her he was working with others in a kidnapping ring. The now 26-year-old was seen weeping when evidence, including the ties she was shackled with, were tendered to the court. 'I was feeling like it wasn't real, you know, you wouldn't believe that something was happening like that,' she told the jury. Bristow used a toy gun (pictured) to contain the backpacker while he shackled her to the bed in the run down pig shed on his family's farm The 26-year-old was seen weeping when evidence, including the ties she was shackled with, were tendered to the court (pictured are chains used to detain the woman in the shed) 'I was feeling terrible and I would think about my family a lot. I thought I wouldn't see them again. (I thought) I was going to die there,' she said. Police launched a full scale search for the missing backpacker after she managed to free her hands long enough to get to her laptop and alert family and friends to her dire situation. Shortly after, Bristow was apprehended by authorities. Further evidence, which was not included in the trial, revealed the farmer had had conducted internet searches for Rohypnol, commonly known as a date-rape drug, and tasers just four weeks before he abducted the woman, The Advertiser reported. It's also reported Bristow had searched on eBay for handcuffs, shackles, and a toy gun before he committed the horrific crime. Authorities never found drugs nor tasers but prosecutors argued the searches proved the attack was premeditated. A proposed online sales tax yesterday sparked a storm over how to save the nation's high streets. Tesco boss Dave Lewis had called on ministers to slap a 2 per cent levy on web sales. Spokesmen for Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer would not support the tax idea directly but did call yesterday for an end to firms being taxed on the rateable value of their premises. Liz Truss (pictured) rejected the call for an internet surcharge despite the growing clamour for measures to help smaller shops However Liz Truss rejected the call for an internet surcharge despite the growing clamour for measures to help smaller shops. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury said she was prepared to reform business rates but was adamant that an internet sales levy would be a 'tax on families'. Miss Truss, who is expected to run to be the next Tory leader, said it would lead to price hikes and hit small UK-based internet retailers as well as the global giants. But she did back calls for cuts to business rates, and proposed a 'simpler, flatter tax system' paid for from cuts to subsidies to businesses. Tesco boss Dave Lewis (pictured) had called on ministers to slap a 2 per cent levy on web sales She told the Mail: 'The answer to the high street is making them more flexible and reducing the business rates burden. Not slapping a tax on families. I completely agree that we need to reform business rates. And in fact we have reformed business rates. 'But an online sales tax is just going to be passed on to the consumer. It will hit British companies like BooHoo and push up the cost for families.' Writing in yesterday's Mail, Mr Lewis said a 2 per cent levy would raise 1.5billion, funding a rates cut at no cost to the Exchequer and helping small retailers. He dismissed the idea that prices would go up, saying Tesco would 'not pass a penny of it' on to customers. Miss Truss did back calls for cuts to business rates, and proposed a 'simpler, flatter tax system' paid for from cuts to subsidies to businesses (stock image) Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: 'Retailers are united in their concerns about business rates. It is a tax that is paid in full regardless of whether a firm is in profit or in loss, and one which falls disproportionately on retailers. 'However, an online sales tax would punish modern shopping habits, and is yet another cost on an already overburdened industry. As online sales continue to grow, such a tax would become an ever larger cost weighing down the retail sector. 'The solution is a comprehensive reform of business taxation, starting with the broken business rates system that is wreaking havoc on our high streets.' The Sainsbury's spokesman called for 'fundamental reform of business taxation which recognises that, in an increasingly digital economy' (stock image) The Sainsbury's spokesman called for 'fundamental reform of business taxation which recognises that, in an increasingly digital economy, a firm's property assets are no longer a reasonable barometer for how much tax it should pay'. Steve Rowe, chief executive of Marks & Spencer said: 'We recognise the importance of paying a fair contribution, but we believe business rates are an unfair burden of taxation directly contributing to the challenges the high street is facing. 'We believe these challenges will continue until the system is reformed to create a level playing field between high street and online retailers.' A senior retail executive said: 'Everyone wants lower rates but there are different views on what would work.' Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was 'lawful and appropriate,' a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday. Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry, the person said. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Durham's appointment comes about a month after Barr told members of Congress he believed 'spying did occur' on the Trump campaign in 2016. He later said he didn't mean anything pejorative and was gathering a team to look into the origins of the special counsel's investigation. Attorney General William Barr is assigning a United States attorney to look into the origins of the Russia investigation. Barr appointed John Durham (right), the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to head the inquiry Last month, Barr told Congress he believed 'spying did occur' against members of President Trump's (above) campaign Barr provided no details about what 'spying' may have taken place but appeared to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a former Trump associate, Carter Page, and the FBI's use of an informant while the bureau was investigating former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos. Trump and his supporters have seized on both to accuse the Justice Department and the FBI of unlawfully spying on his campaign. 'I think spying on a political campaign is a big deal,' Barr said. But he later backtracked to add: 'I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred. I am saying that I am concerned about it and I'm looking into it.' The attorney general's statements set off a storm of criticism that he was using the terminology the president uses to rail against the Mueller probe. FBI Director Chris Wray said last Tuesday that he does not consider court-approved FBI surveillance to be 'spying' and said he has no evidence the FBI illegally monitored Trump's campaign during the 2016 election. FBI Director Christopher Wray last week told Congress he does not believe that the FBI illegally spied on members of the Trump campaign His stance put him at odds with Barr. Asked by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, if he would say the FBI is 'spying' when it investigates suspected terrorists and mobsters, Wray replied, 'Well, that's not the term I would use.' The inquiry, which will focus on whether the government's methods to collect intelligence relating to the Trump campaign were lawful and appropriate, is separate from an investigation by the Justice Department's inspector general. The agency's watchdog is also examining the Russia probe's origins and Barr has said he expects the watchdog report to be done in May or June. Congressional Republicans have also indicated they intend to examine how the investigation that shadowed Trump's presidency for nearly two years began and whether there are any legal concerns. Barr will likely ask Durham to look into surveillance against former Trump campaign aides Carter Page (left) and George Papadopoulos (right) The recently concluded investigation from Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and the Kremlin to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Barr's statements about 'spying' last month further inflamed Democrats already frustrated by the attorney general's handling of the Mueller report, including his release of a four-page summary letter last month that they say paints the special counsel's findings in an overly favorable way for the president. Democrats on Capitol Hill held Barr in contempt for refusing to hand over the unredacted version of the report. The vote to level contempt charges, held in the House Judiciary Committee last week, was along partisan lines - 24 Democrats versus 16 Republican - and now goes before the full House chamber for a vote, where Democrats hold a 38-seat majority. After the full House votes the issue is expected to end up in the courts. 'We are now in a constitutional crisis,' House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said after the vote. 'This was a very grave and momentous step we were forced to take today to move a contempt citation against the attorney general of the United States. We did not relish doing this but we have no choice,' he added. Special Counsel Robert Mueller (seen above in Washington, D.C. last week) found there was not enough evidence to charge Trump with conspiring with Russia during the 2016 campaign House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat from New York, voted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over the unredacted version of the Mueller report Durham is a career prosecutor who was nominated for his post as U.S. attorney in Connecticut by Trump. He has previously investigated law enforcement corruption, the destruction of CIA videotapes and the Boston FBI office's relationship with mobsters. In nominating him, the White House said Durham and other nominees for U.S. attorney jobs share Trump's vision for 'making America safe again.' Durham was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2018. At the time, Connecticut's two Democratic senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, called Durham a 'fierce, fair prosecutor' who knows how to try tough cases. In addition to conducting the inquiry, Durham will continue to serve as the chief federal prosecutor in Connecticut. A teenage boy is fighting for his life after he was hit by an ambulance on its way to a 999 call. The 15-year-old was struck by the emergency vehicle on Lichfield Road in Walsall, West Midlands at around 5.40pm on Monday. He sustained serious head injuries in the collision, and is now in a critical condition at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The 15-year-old was struck by the emergency vehicle on Lichfield Road in Walsall (pictured), West Midlands at around 5.40pm on Monday He sustained serious head injuries in the collision (pictured emergency services at the scene), and is now in a critical condition at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham The busy road was reportedly closed for more than three hours while further emergency services responded to the incident (emergency services pictured at the scene on Monday) Sergeant Alan Wood, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'It is important for everyone involved that we piece together the events that led to the collision. 'I would appeal directly to anyone who saw what happened and has not yet contacted us, or may have caught the collision on a dash-cam, to get in touch.' The Serious Collision Investigation Unit has asked anyone with information to come forward. The busy road was reportedly closed for more than three hours while further emergency services responded to the incident. Staff from the Midlands Air Ambulance were said to be among the first responders to the accident. The Serious Collision Investigation Unit (pictured police at the scene on Monday) has asked anyone with information to come forward The teenager was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham following the collision on Monday The child was taken to via air ambulance to hospital, while the ambulance crew also involved in the collision were said to be unhurt. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service told Birmingham Live: ' The ambulance crew were assessed but were unhurt, though badly shaken support will be provided to them. A second ambulance was sent to the original call. 'West Midlands Ambulance Service will be working with collision investigators including providing CCTV from the ambulance, to establish exactly what happened.' The former heads of the Department of Homeland Security were removed last month after they halted a secret White House plan to launch a 10-city blitz operation that would have included the arrest and swift deportation of thousands of migrant families and children. Kirstjen Nielsen, the former Homeland Security secretary, and Ronald Vitiello, who was acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), were ousted after they stood in the way of the plan, The Washington Post reported Monday. The Post cited seven current and former officials with the department. The officials said that the Trump administration was planning to target the thousands of families who crossed the southern border from Mexico after President Trump walked back the zero tolerance family separation policy last year. Kirstjen Nielsen (right), former Homeland Security secretary, and Ronald Vitiello (right), former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), were fired after 'resisting a secret White House plan to swiftly arrest and deport thousands of migrant families' The Trump administration separated children from parents at the southern border last summer, a move that prompted mass outrage and criticism that the U.S. was abandoning its humanitarian role and harming children. Immigration experts say the separations, which were halted last June, did little to stop migrant crossings and, in fact, may have prompted more people to come. The number of border crossings has risen dramatically in the past few months to more than 100,000 per month. More than half are families who cannot be easily sent back to their home countries. Border officials say they are out of resources and manpower and can't keep up. The plan to arrest thousands was meant to send a message to migrants that the government would move quickly to detain and deport recent arrivals, even if those included families with children. The purported plan called for fast-tracking immigration court cases, the swift issuance of deportation orders against those who did not show for their hearings, and coordinated arrest raids against parents with children in their homes and neighborhoods. But the plan was never carried out because Nielsen and Vitiello did not believe it was well prepared. The Post reported that they also were fearful of the negative public reaction, and that resources that would be diverted from the border. Cuban migrants are seen above crossing the U.S.-Mexico border from Mexico on April 29. They are seeking asylum in the U.S. The Trump administration has considered ways to reduce the number of migrants crossing into the U.S. Stephen Miller, Trumps top adviser on immigration issues, and ICE Deputy Director Matthew Albence were eagerly pushing the plan, according to the Post. Miller and Albence wanted a dramatic, highly visible show of mass arrests as a way of deterring would-be migrants from coming to the country illegally. The blitz was planned for New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other large sanctuary cities where local law enforcement does not cooperate with ICE. The initial plan contained the names of 2,500 adults and children targeted for arrest and removal, according to the Post. But officials expanded the goals of the plan, which could see as many as 10,000 migrants detained. Stephen Miller, Trumps top adviser on immigration issues, and ICE Deputy Director Matthew Albence were eagerly pushing a plan for mass arrests and deportations of migrants in 10 major U.S. cities, according to The Washington Post The plan as of Monday is still under consideration, the Post reported. According to DHS officials, Nielsen and Vitiello raised concerns that were mostly operational and logistical. They reportedly did not have any objections to moral or ethical dilemmas about detaining families. There was concern that it was being hastily put together, would be ineffective and might actually backfire by misdirecting resources away from critical border emergency response operations, said a DHS official. Nielsen and others in the department believed that the administrations focus should be on deporting criminal aliens rather than families and children. The proposal was nowhere near ready for prime time, the official said. They wanted 10 cities, thousands of targets. The push back that the White House received from Nielsen and Vitiello was a contributing factor to Trumps decision to remove them, according to officials. Vitiello, in particular, was worried that the plan would result in children who are U.S. citizens being separated from their parents while they were away at school or a friends house. One DHS official with knowledge of the discussions told the Post that Vitiello didnt think it was a good idea. Both he and Nielsen instinctively thought it was bad policy and that the proposal was less than half-baked, the official said. But other officials denied this, saying that the plan was crafted after a years worth of discussions. Trump has railed against the growing numbers of migrants crossing into the United States and is furious that he has been unable to stem the flow despite his campaign promise to clamp down on immigration Vitiello's nomination to lead the immigration agency was pulled by the White House in a move last month that caught lawmakers and even the most senior Homeland Security officials off guard. Nielsen resigned just a few days later. Trump has railed against the growing numbers and is furious that he has been unable to stem the flow of migrants despite his campaign promise to clamp down on immigration. The White House recently asked Congress for $4.5billion in supplemental funding, mostly for humanitarian aid and shelter space for migrant children. ICE planes have been used over the past few days to fly migrants to less-crowded locations along the border for processing. Vegan extremists are hiding anti-dairy stickers on children's snacks in the latest campaign to 'educate' animal consumers. A mother said she found a sticker reading 'watch Dairy is Scary on YouTube' on a tub of Pauls Milky Max chocolate snacks at a Woolworths in Ryde, Sydney. 'Anyone else receive a sneaky message from vegans on their dairy products?' she wrote to other mothers on a Facebook group. Scroll down for video A mother said she found a sticker reading 'watch Dairy is Scary on YouTube' on a tub of Pauls Milky Max chocolate snacks at a Woolworths in Ryde, Sydney The video the sticker refers to is a graphic attack on dairy farm practices by American vegan campaigner Erin Janus (pictured) Activists appeared to have taken the pack out of its packaging, put the sticker on, then put the packaging back so the sticker wouldn't be visible on shelves. The stickers can be bought from activist websites for US$9 ($13) for a pack of 120 and easily spammed across supermarkets. The video the sticker refers to is a graphic attack on dairy farm practices by American vegan campaigner Erin Janus. It details how cows are impregnated to keep them constantly producing milk, which is harvested to make various dairy products. Confronting footage shows how cows are artificially inseminated, which Janus likens to rape and admonishes anyone consuming dairy. The details how cows are impregnated to keep them constantly producing milk, which is harvested to make various dairy products Confronting footage shows how cows are artificially inseminated, which Janus likens to rape and admonishes anyone consuming dairy Clips of cows being abused both in the milking process and as they are taken away to be killed after four years of production are also included. 'When you're a dairy cow, you are sexually exploited and emotionally and physically exhausted until you can't take it anymore, and then you're killed for meat,' Janus said. The video also claimed dairy was unnecessary for bone strength and was only thought to be so because of industry lobbying. Dairy is Scary was posted online in December 2015 and has racked up more than five million views since then. The stickers can be bought from activist websites for US$9 ($13) for a pack of 120 and easily spammed across supermarkets Clips of cows being abused both in the milking process and as they are taken away to be killed after four years of production are also included Militant vegans also put stickers on meat products at another Woolworths in Melbourne earlier this month to shame meat-eaters. 'Warning: This packet contains the dead body of someone who wanted to live,' a sticker on a container of sliced chicken read. These stickers can be bought in a 42 pack for $11 on Etsy, a shopping website for custom craft items. Other options include 'eating animals' stickers that can be placed on stop signs to read 'stop eating animals' and 'isn't it time you stopped drinking breast milk?' stickers to be placed on dairy products. Advertisement Shocked witnesses have revealed their horror after a woman plunged to her death of one of Australia's busiest shopping centres. 'Oh my f**king god a lady just... landed near me in Westfield Parramatta... can't stop shaking,' one witness said. A police spokeswoman said officers and emergency services were at Westfield shopping centre in Parramatta after the woman fell on Tuesday about 1pm. 'Emergency services have responded to an incident at Westfield Parramatta where a person has fallen from a height,' Parramatta Police Area Command posted to Facebook. A woman has died after she fell from a balcony at a packed Westfield shopping centre police investigators took photographs of marks on the glass balcony Police officers have arrived and are monitoring the surrounding areas A New South Wales Police spokeswoman said officers and emergency services were at Westfield shopping centre in Parramatta after the woman fell on Tuesday 'Police and security have cordoned the area off while medical personnel attend to the person.' Despite the efforts of emergency services the woman was later pronounced dead. 'I thought it was terrorists - I heard 'BANG', it sounded like a bomb or something,' one witness said. She said she could see 'all the blood' on the ground. Two police officers were positioned on the top level near a Woolworths supermarket. An emergency warden was spotted near the site of the fall monitoring the area and keeping guests clear Areas of the shopping centre have been cordoned off after a woman fell from the top floor of Parramatta Westfield Horrified shoppers posted about the fall on social media, saying the incident was 'really traumatic' 'A lady just... landed near me in Westfield Parramatta... can't stop shaking,' one person said Shoppers were not allowed near the centre of the mall, with workers at Nadia's Cafe even preventing customers from sitting near the window. Many shops are closed from the top level down, with barriers put up preventing a clear view to the police gathered on the second-to-bottom floor. Horrified shoppers posted about the fall on social media, saying the incident was 'really traumatic'. Forensic investigators were seen entering the Westfield shopping centre in Parramatta after the woman fell to her death 'Two minutes after arriving at Westfield Parramatta I hear that someone has just jumped from the level five balcony of the shopping centre,' another person said Horrified shoppers posted about the woman's fall on social media on Tuesday 'Two minutes after arriving at Westfield Parramatta I hear that someone has just jumped from the level five balcony of the shopping centre,' another person said. 'My friend was there when it happened! She's really shaken,' another said. 'I'm so shocked!!! Someone just jumped or fell down from fifth floor of the mall!!! I hope she is still alive! God bless her,' another shopper said. The woman has yet to be identified. Westfield Parramatta is Australia's fourth largest shopping centre and is the busiest Westfield in the country, with 498 stores. A spokesperson for Scentre Group, Westfield's parent company, said: 'The welfare and safety of our customers, retailer partners and people is our priority. 'We have made support and counselling services available to those who need it. 'We would encourage anyone who may need support to contact our centre management office directly.' For confidential support in Australia LIFELINE: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au . Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Advertisement An enormous adult freshwater crocodile has been captured chomping on a turtle as the reptile emerged from the river. Photographs taken at Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve, east of Darwin at the Easter long weekend shows the croc's breakfast catch just a few metres away. The yellow-faced turtle is seen sitting inside the mouth of the hungry freshie before being crushed firmly between sharp teeth. Photographer Tissa Ratnayeke recalled how he could hear the 'loud crunching and shattering of the shell'. An adult freshwater crocodile (pictured) was captured with a Yellow-faced turtle inside its mouth as the reptile emerged from water Photographer Tissa Ratnayeke recalled how he could hear the 'loud crunching and shattering of the shell' during the six-minute ordeal 'It all seemed effortless,' Mr Ratnayeke wrote on Facebook. 'Considering the non-delicate manner of the chomping I'm surprised there were no visible cuts to its jaws or mouth from the large fragment shell.' Mr Ratnayeke saw the turtle's mangled body after the shell was completely shattered, before the croc gulps the body in one piece and slides backwards into the water. He said the ageing crocodile had a number of broken and old, brown teeth suspecting the reptile regularly hunted for turtles. Despite the noticeable damage to the freshwater's teeth, Mr Ratnayeke said they could be easily replaced by a new set. The turtle's destroyed body was completely separated from the animal's shattered shell, before being gulped by the crocodile The freshwater is the one of two Australian crocodile species - the other being the saltwater. Freshwaters can grow up to three metres long and usually lie motionless in the water, using a 'sit-and-wait' method before capturing common small prey such as frogs, fish and turtles. The freshwater stalks larger prey, such as wallabies, before ambushing them, according to The Australian Museum. Meghan Jean Jahr, 31, was arrested after crashing her Mercedes into the side of an SUV in Dallas on Saturday morning. She told police she 'drank some wine and should've Ubered' A woman accused of drink-driving and injuring another motorist told police she 'drank some wine' and should have ordered an Uber. Meghan Jean Jahr, 31, was driving a Mercedes Sedan on McKinney Avenue in Dallas when she crashed into the side of an SUV near Boll Street around 12.30am on Saturday morning. She has been charged with intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury. A female motorist who was driving the SUV was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital with two skull fractures and bleeding in her brain, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News. Police had first stated that Jahr's family was 'interfering with the investigation' and said her father yelled at her to 'invoke the lawyer rule,' according to the affidavit. Jahr had initially declined to undergo field sobriety tests. It is not known if Jahr's father was riding with her in the car when the incident happened. Meghan Jean Jahr, 31, was driving a Mercedes Sedan on McKinney Avenue in Dallas when she crashed into the side of an SUV near Boll Street around 12.30 am on Saturday morning Authorities later collected a blood sample from Jahr and an officer put it to her that she had been drinking and driving. She allegedly told police: 'No, but, yeah, I had some wine with a friend at dinner. I should have Ubered,' according to the affidavit. 'Did I drive home having a legal limit? Yes. Is that smart? No, no, it's not,' she continued, according to the affidavit. 'That's why there's Uber, I get that.' Jahr has been booked into the Dallas County jail and released after posting $5,000 bail. Police claimed that she is also required to install an alcohol interlock device on her vehicle. Some of Australia's most notorious events will be shown on new one dollar coins, including an overthrown captain and battle between miners and soldiers. The coins feature some of the key moments of rivalry in colonial Australia and will be showcased at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney. The Royal Australian Mint released a new commemorative coin series on Tuesday that reflects three of Australia's most significant moments of dissent: the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, the Rum Rebellion and the Eureka stockade. The mutiny of the HMS Bounty features on one of the coins (pictured) The first coin depicts the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, involving the overthrow of Captain William Bligh by his own crew in 1789, who left him with just a rowboat which he miraculously sailed 4,000 miles to shore. The mutiny occurred off the coast of Tahiti after Captain Bligh's sailors - led by officer Fletcher Christian - refused to leave the beautiful island, overrunning their skipper and forcing him to leave with a few crew members. Blight went on to become the Governor of New South Wales after surviving the ordeal. Marlon Brando stars as Fletcher Christian in the 1962 film 'Mutiny on the Bounty' 1962 (file picture) The Rum Rebellion (pictured in a Raymond Lindsay painting) saw New South Wales Governor William Bligh removed from office by pastoralist John Macarthur and rebel troops The second coin features the 'Rum Rebellion' which involved the takeover of the colony of New South Wales under Governor William Bligh. On Australia Day 1808, New South Wales Corps troops led by powerful pastoralist John Macarthur marched from their barracks and arrested governor Bligh. Animosity between Macurthur and Bligh grew after Bligh refused land grants and rum distributions, ultimately leading to Macarthur and his forces overthrowing him. The second coin features the story of the 'rum rebellion' (pictured) The last coin being commemorated in the launch depicts the Eureka stockade, which saw gold miners revolt against colonial authorities. The stockade took place in 1854 when gold miners in Ballarat, Victoria rebelled, over mining licences, resulting in a battle between miners and colonial authorities. The stockade ended with 125 miners taken to prison and 28 killed. 'The coin series acknowledges historical events and people from Australia's tempestuous colonial era, a time that resulted in mutiny and rebellion but contributed to eventual democracy', Mint general manager Mark Cartwright said. The third coin depicts the Eureka stockade (pictured) The launch has come at a significant time for the National Maritime Museum, which is opening an exhibition on William Bligh in July. State-of-the-art software used in the video game and film industries has been used to create the coins for the launch. 'I was determined to capture this part of our history as creatively as possible with the sense of capturing a moment in history as if it were being photographed,' said Adam Ball, Australian Mint coin designer. Each coin comes in both silver and gold and can be purchased from the Mint's website, as well as being showcased in the National Maritime Museum. A man has been jailed for 21 years after shooting dead the half-brother of a notorious gangster following a long dispute over neighbourhood parking. Dale Edward Stone, 50, admitted to fatally shooting Wayne Binse (pictured), the half brother of twice on Deer Park Street Dale Edward Stone, 50, admitted to shooting Wayne Binse twice on Deer Park Street in Melbourne in 2017. 'This was a premeditated, at least in part planned, execution of an entirely innocent man,' Justice Paul Coghlan said in his sentence today. Binse was the half-brother of crime figure Christopher 'Badness' Binse who infamously taunted police by sending them postcards while on the run. The pair were having an argument for weeks over a car blocking his driveway before the disgruntled neighbour shot Binse in the stomach and head before fleeing, according to Nine News. Justice Coghlan described the killing as 'pointless'. Dale Edward Stone shot his neighbour dead after a long argument over Mr Binse parking in his driveway 'The pain and anguish of all the victims is clear but in particular that of the members of the family,' he said. 'That is particularly so because this was a pointless murder.' Stone was sentenced to 21 years and three months in prison for the murder and possessing an unregistered handgun. He will be eligible for release on parole after serving 18 years behind bars. A California woman was beaten to death with an electric scooter Monday afternoon, according to police. Authorities said the deadly attack happened around 12.30pm Monday near the intersection of Odispo Ave and 64th St in Long Beach, California. The unidentified woman, said to be in her 50s, was walking down the sidewalk along Odispo Ave when she was confronted and attacked by a man. The deadly attack happened near the intersection of Odispo Ave and 64th St in Long Beach. A helicopter news camera captured footage of the gruesome scene. The victim's body was blurred. Authorities say an unidentified female victim, believed to be in her 50s, was beaten to death with a Bird electric scooter like the one in this file picture around 12.30 pm Monday A bystander tried to stop the attacker, but the suspect continued the assault after picking up a nearby electric Bird scooter, which was used to bludgeon the female victim to death, according to the LA Times. Fox29 reports that the scooter broke in half during the attack. Long Beach police took a male 'person of interest' into custody early Monday evening. The man they apprehended was buying a pack of cigarettes from a local convenience store when he was approached by police, who found a gun in his backpack, according to a witness interviewed by KCAL. Investigators don't think the attacker and the victim knew each other. Bird, the company that made the scooter used in the attack, released a statement to Fox29 saying it was fully cooperating with investigators. 'We are deeply saddened by this act of violence and our hearts and thoughts go out to the victim and her family. We will work with local law enforcement to help with the investigation into this tragedy,' the company said. Long Beach started its electric scooter ride share pilot program on July 2, according to the Press-Telegram. The program was extended in November and expanded in February. Surveillance footage captured the moment Long Beach police took a male 'person of interest' into custody early Monday evening. The man they apprehended was buying a pack of cigarettes from the local convenience store when he was approached by cops Police have launched a homicide investigation after a university administrator was found dead inside her home in Richmond, Virginia, last week. Suzanne Fairman, 53, was discovered face down in a bathtub by authorities who called around to her Stratford Hills property to perform a welfare check on Thursday night. They were alerted by relatives who had become concerned after the grandmother failed to arrive in Florida on a scheduled vacation. The tub's water was still running and a bloodied knife was found on a counter-top in the same bathroom. However, on Monday, the medical examiner listed Fairman's cause of death as asphyxiation, according to NBC 12. Suzanne Fairman, 53, was discovered face down in a bathtub at her Richmond home last Thursday, and police have now launched a homicide investigation Fairman, who worked at Virginia Commonwealth University, reportedly lived alone at the property (pictured) Police have now classified the case as a homicide, and are appealing to the public for help with the case. Fairman, who worked at Virginia Commonwealth University, reportedly lived alone at the home. Investigators have seized several items of interest from the residence, including three computers, a cell phone, bedding, gloves and a bandanna. Fairman's distraught son, Scott, gave an interview with CBS 6 on Monday, pleading for anyone with any knowledge of his mother's death to come forward. 'This is a horrible crime... it does not do her justice sugar-coating everything,' he sobbed. Fairman failed to arrive in Florida on a scheduled vacation, prompting concerned relatives to contact authorities 'Every little bit of information is vital to every part of this - even if people think this is irrelevant'. 'She was an incredible grandmother; she was a phenomenal mother. She would give even if she had nothing to give.' Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. An online petition calling for the reinstatement of a well-respected and much-loved deputy principal stood down over assault allegations is gaining momentum. Grant Walton was stood down in March after he was accused of assaulting a student while trying to break up a brawl on the school oval. The associate principal at Eaton Community College in Bunbury in Western Australia's south was investigated by the Education Department. The popular teacher faces being sacked from the school where he's worked for 15 years despite no police charges being laid. Associate principal Grant Walton (pictured) was stood down from Eaton Community College following the incident in March. Police investigated but laid no charges The Change.org petition was signed by more than 2,500 former and current students, parents and colleagues within hours of being launched by an ex-student. The petition describes Mr Walton as a role model and acknowledged the school's history of issues between parents and teachers over students 'who have caused problems for the staff'. 'It is clear that teachers do not have enough resources or options and are often forced in situations like this which involve being stood down and usually this happens to people who are the ones that are the nicest and professional and do what is best. In this case, it was Grant Walton,' the petition states. 'It is unfair that Mr Walton has to be stood down as he was doing what is in theory, the means needed to protect other students,' 'This could happen anywhere and to any teacher. The teacher should be praised for his efforts to stop the situation.' 'He is always friendly and in mine and many other people's opinions, always puts students and parents first.' Thousands of locals have come to the defence of associate principal Grant Walton (pictured) Many of those who signed pledged their written support. 'I'm signing because Mr Walton is a fantastic person who was was wrongly fired for doing nothing but breaking up a fight. If that's what loses people their jobs then there is no justice in this world,' one supporter wrote. Another added: 'This is so wrong. Grant is a wonderful, caring, compassionate person. Great teacher and we need more teachers like him. I hope all goes well for him.' They're among the hundreds of locals have jumped to the defence of Mr Walton in the wake of the dramatic footage being publicly leaked. The footage shows the teacher kneeing a student in the back to bring him to the ground, keeping his body weight on the boy's back as other students surrounded him. 'Get off him! Get off him!' students shouted at Mr Walton, before he stood up and released the boy. The student then started swinging his arms at the principal while getting off the ground. The video cut out briefly before showing the boy square up with his fists raised to Mr Walton, who shouted at him to 'get lost' and 'go away'. The schoolyard brawl was reported to police by a parent, but local detectives cleared Mr Walton of any charges after investigating the incident. Kylie, the mother of the boy who was brought to the ground in the confronting footage, claimed her son was wrongly targeted. '(He was) grabbed from behind... for basically no reason,' she told The West. 'He did turn around and tell the teacher involved to 'F... off' and walked away, that's when it happened,' she claimed. 'As my son was walking off, the teacher involved came up behind him and kicked him, kicked his leg out from under him and threw him to the ground pretty much, and jumped on top of him.' A Change.org petition describes Grant Walton as a role model at Eaton Community College She said she had written a complaint to police after they cleared Mr Walton of any wrongdoing in the altercation. State School Teachers Union president Pat Byrne told the South Western Times that staff were encouraged to avoid any physical contact with brawling students. 'What they are required to do is do what they can to get help and issue verbal instructions to stop the fight,' she said. Ms Byrne said the sequence of events that led up to the video footage being filmed needed to be established before a judgement could be made. Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has called on the Education Department to finalise its investigation. 'I'll let it run its course but all I'd say is I feel a great deal of sympathy for him and the fact he had to confront that situation,' he told 6PR Radio. 'And the way those students behaved I thought was unacceptable, surrounding him and shaping up to him and the like.' 'I just thought it was awful to watch how that teacher was treated by those kids and it was unacceptable.' The video cuts out briefly before showing the boy square up with his fists raised to Walton, who shouts at him to 'get lost' and 'go away' More than 300 locals and parents of students have taken to Facebook to defend Mr Walton's actions, saying he's the 'heart and soul' of the school. 'Mr Walton has given everything to that school and the community. Behind him all the way as an ex student,' one comment read. 'This man is outstanding as an educator and principal!!! If he had to intervene it would be to save a child's life and for the safety of the other students. This is a huge mistake and mis justice (sic),' another read. 'Nothing but praise for Grant Walton he always has the kids best interest in mind. Hopefully he can return to his position as soon as possible.' 'As a parent of a child in ECC I stand behind Mr Walton. His actions are just protecting children. So with this rule does that mean if a student is bashing another student they will just let it play out?' another woman said. North Korea on Tuesday demanded the return of a cargo ship seized by Washington last week for violating international sanctions, calling it an 'illegal act of robbery'. The country's state news agency, KCNA, accused the US of betraying the spirit of an accord signed by Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Singapore last year. The American Justice Department said last week that it had taken possession of North Korean-registered vessel M/V Wise Honest in American Samoa. North Korea has accused the US of 'robbery' and 'gangster-like actions' after it took control of a coal tanker called M/V Wise Honest and towed it to American Samoa America took control of the vessel from Indonesian authorities which detained it a year ago, alleging that its crew breached international sanctions It comes a year after the vessel was detained by Indonesian authorities which accused the crew of breaking international sanctions. The detention marked the first time a North Korean cargo vessel had been seized by the US for sanctions violations. Korean shippers have disguised vessels, used false flags and turned off their tracking transponders to avoid discovery. 'The United States carried out an illegal act of robbery by seizing our cargo ship citing UN Security Council sanctions resolutions,' an unnamed spokesman for North Korea's foreign ministry told KCNA. The move was an 'extension of US calculation' to bring Pyongyang to its knees through maximum pressure, he said. 'The US must realise the consequence of its gangster-like actions... and must return our ship without delay,' the statement added. Pyongyang says America seizing the ship violates the spirit of a pact that Trump signed with Kim Jong-un in Singapore last year North Korea is sanctioned under multiple UN Security Council resolutions for its nuclear and missile programmes. Lifting of some of the measures was a key demand at a second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi in February that ultimately broke down without a deal. The announcement of the US seizure of the vessel came as tensions rose over Pyongyang's test launches of short-range missiles last week. Before the United States seized the cargo ship, the 177-meter (581-foot) vessel, named the Wise Honest, had first been detained by Indonesia in April 2018 while transporting a large amount of coal. It was brought Saturday to American Samoa, where it will undergo inspections. North Korea is banned from exporting coal under U.N. sanctions toughened in 2017 to punish increasingly powerful weapons tests that year. Experts believe coal and other exports help finance the North's weapons industry. Donald Trump claimed it has been a 'very rough time' for Muslims and people of other faiths at an event celebrating the month of Ramadan at the White House Donald Trump claimed it has been a 'rough time' for Muslims and people of other faiths at an event celebrating Ramadan at the White House. Trump held an iftar dinner for ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps representing Muslim-majority nations. The dinner breaks the daylong fast that Muslims follow during Ramadan. They have been held regularly at the White House since the Clinton administration as a form of outreach to the Muslim world. Trump said it has been a 'rough time' recently for people of all faiths. He mentioned recent devastating attacks on Muslims in New Zealand, Christians in Sri Lanka and Jews in California and Pittsburgh. 'In their blessed memories, we resolve to defeat the evils of terrorism and religious persecution so that all people can worship without fear, pray without danger and live by the faith that flows from their heart,' he said. 'We thank god that America is a place founded on beliefs that citizens of all faiths can live together in safety and live together in freedom.' He then ended his address with a Muslim blessing: 'Wish all the people around the world Ramadan Kareem,' ABC News reported. Donald Trump hosted his second annual iftar dinner Monday night at the White House, which breaks the daylong fast that Muslims follow during Ramadan Trump referenced recent devastating attacks on Muslims in New Zealand, Christians in Sri Lanka and Jews in California and Pittsburgh, and claimed the U.S. and other countries will 'work together to defeat the evils of terrorism' He claimed Ramadan should be celebrated as a time when people join forces in 'pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace.' Earlier on Monday, Trump joined other Republicans in attacking Representative Rashida Tlaib, who is Muslim, for her recent comments on the Holocaust and Israel. He tweeted: 'Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust. 'She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?.' On the Yahoo News podcast 'Skullduggery' last week, Tlaib was asked about her support for a one-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. In a rambling answer, she said: 'There's kind of a calming feeling I always tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people's passports. Rashida Tlaib, the Democratic congresswoman from Michigan and the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress, (pictured), was attacked on Sunday for comments she made about the Holocaust On Monday Trump had harshly criticized Rashida Tlaib , claiming in a tweet that 'she obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people' 'I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time, and I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways.' Tlaib fought back on Monday saying Trump and top-ranking GOP lawmakers had deliberately misconstrued her words to 'spread falsehoods rooted in hate' after she was roundly criticized for her remarks. Trump also spoke of the devastation caused by terror attacks, several of which have happened around the world over the past year. A total of 51 people were wounded when a gunman opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in March. Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian white supremacist, has been charged with 51 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder in the attacks. He is next due in court on June 14. Trump referenced several terrorist attacks on places of worship including in Christchurch, where 51 people were killed when a gunman opened fire on two mosques An image grab from TV New Zealand taken on March 15 shows a victim arriving at a hospital following the mosque shooting in Christchurch During his presidential campaign, Trump called for a 'complete and total shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. The Trump administration issued a third version of the ban in December 2017, blocking citizens of five Muslim-majority countries and their immediate families from traveling or immigrating to the United States. The ban which affects Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and government representatives from Venezuela was upheld by the Supreme Court in June 2018. The administration announced that waivers would be granted on an individual basis so long as doing so did not threaten national security. But immigrants and their advocates contend theres no formal system to apply for a waiver, and they have sued the government in federal courts in California and New York. Budget airline Scoot has launched flights from Australia to Europe for just $309 one-way as part of a six month promotion. The flights from Perth to Athens via Singapore are available for $309, while journeys from Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast cost $319. They are only available on select dates in June, July and September. The flights from Perth to Athens (pictured) via Singapore are available for $309, while journeys from Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast cost $319 Scoot is also selling one-way flights from Australia to Berlin (pictured) for $309 from Perth and $319 from Melbourne and Sydney Meanwhile, for the same prices of $309 and $319, Scoot is also selling one-way flights from Australia to Berlin. However Europe is not the only destination on offer during the promotion. Flights from Australia to the Maldives will only set travellers back $189 if you travel from Perth between May 20 and late November. For those who fly out of Sydney or Melbourne a one way fare to the Maldives will set you back $220, all flights to the Maldives are via Singapore. If you would prefer go to Singapore instead then flights from Sydney or Melbourne are priced at just $129 one way, however for those in the north of the country flights from the Gold Coast are $10 less. Air fares to Thailand, a favourite for Aussie travellers, are at the rock bottom price of $139 for those flying out of Perth and $180 from Sydney or Melbourne. If you would prefer to just go to Singapore instead then flights from Sydney or Melbourne to Singapore are priced at just $129 one way however for those in the north of the country flights from the Gold Coast are $10 less Air fares to Thailand, a favourite for Aussie travellers, are at the rock bottom price of $139 for those flying out of Perth and $180 from Sydney or Melbourne. Once again the cheapest rates are out of Perth at just $130. These rates are only available from June to November of this year. All offers are for each way fares and don't include extras such as checked baggage or food but it does include the 10kg carry on limit. The special offer is part of Scoot's 'Got to Go' promotion and will launch from 12pm on May 20. Free-range egg farming can actually be worse for chickens than being kept indoors, veterinarians have revealed. The shift from caged eggs to free-range has become more widespread in recent years based on the idea that the latter is the more ethical and animal-friendly choice. However, Australian vets have debunked that myth, revealing free range can actually be harmful to chickens and cause welfare problems. Dr Charles Milne, a chief vet from Victoria, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the birds, who are related to forest-dwellers, are more comfortable in closed spaces. He said humans have assumed chickens prefer wide open spaces, only because they live in such a way. Australian veterinarians have revealed free range can actually be harmful to chickens and cause welfare problems In 2018, 45 per cent of all eggs sold in Australia were free-range - more than a 13 per cent increase from previous years RSPCA scientific officer Dr Kate Hartcher also agreed that chickens could live happily and healthily even if they are kept indoors. 'We don't say free-range is better,' she said. 'They can be perfectly healthy and have good welfare in an indoor system.' However, the organisation maintains battery cages, the most controversial of chicken-keeping methods, are 'horrible', and endorse cage-free barn systems. Cage-free eggs differ from free-range as the chickens are kept indoors, but they are not confined to tight and crowded spaces. Figures show, however, these types of eggs make up only a small percentage of the ones sold at supermarkets. In 2018, 45 per cent of all eggs sold in Australia were free-range - more than a 13 per cent increase from previous years. Research shows chickens actually prefer small areas and do not like roaming in wide open spaces In order for eggs to be sold with a free-range label, farmers must keep them in an outdoor range, have a stocking density of 10,000 hens or less per hectare, according to ACCC guidelines. But researches say being able to roam free isn't all that appealing to hens and it can even put them in predators' way. Professor Tamsyn Crowley, who runs research institute PoultryHub told SMH that having them outside all every day is 'not a good decision for welfare'. 'A chicken does not really like running around in a field where an eagle can come down and go "thank-you very much"', she said. In fact, she suggests it is more likely they would prefer to be cared for inside a bar as studies show the birds like shaded areas, indoor or outdoor. The Trump administration asked Congress on Monday to increase NASA spending next year by an extra $1.6 billion so Americans can return to the moon by 2024. The increased funding request, announced by President Donald Trump on Twitter, comes nearly two months after Vice President Mike Pence declared the objective of shortening by four years NASA's previous timeline for putting astronauts back on the moon for the first time since 1972. The proposed increase would bring NASA's total spending level for the 2020 fiscal year to $22.6 billion. The bulk of the increase is earmarked for research and development of a human lunar landing system, according to a summary provided by NASA. 'Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars,' Trump tweeted on Monday. 'I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!' Scroll down for video US President Donald Trump clenches his fist after speaking at an iftar, the meal that breaks the sunrise to sundown fast of Muslims celebrating Ramadan, at the White House in Washington DC on May 13. The Trump administration asked Congress on Monday to increase NASA spending next year by an extra $1.6 billion Trump announced the increased funding request for NASA on Twitter Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. is seen beside the deployed US flag during Apollo 11 Extravehicular Activity trip to the moon on July 20, 1969. The Trump administration said it wants the US to return to the moon by 2024 NASA previously aimed to return crewed spacecraft to the lunar surface by 2028, after first putting a 'Gateway' station into orbit around the moon by 2024. The newly accelerated goal - an endeavor likely to cost tens of billions of dollars - comes as NASA has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from U.S. soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (pictured) called the revised funding request a 'down payment of confidence' from the White House NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine called the revised funding request a 'down payment of confidence' from the White House. 'Our goal here is to build a program that gets us to the moon as soon as possible,' Bridenstine told reporters on a telephone conference call late on Monday. 'In the coming years, we will need additional funds,' he said. 'But this is a good amount that gets us out of the gate in a very strong fashion.' Phil Larson, a former space policy adviser under Trump's Democratic predecessor, President Barack Obama, questioned whether Congress had fully embraced Trump's ambition to speed up human lunar exploration. 'I'm worried that without proper congressional buy-in, this budget amendment is at best, a massive waste of time, and at worst, pushing risky political timelines that could set NASA back for years,' Larson told Reuters. Bridenstine said $651 million of the extra funding would go toward NASA's Space Launch System - the super-heavy rocket whose decade-long development led by Boeing Co has been hampered by delays and cost overruns - as well as design and construction of a new crew capsule called Orion. The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on April 17. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said $651 million of the extra funding requested by the Trump administration would go toward NASA's Space Launch System - the super-heavy rocket whose decade-long development led by Boeing Co has been hampered by delays and cost overruns - as well as design and construction of a new crew capsule called Orion A graphic artist's depiction of NASA's Curiosity rover landing on Mars. President Trump has said he wants to increase NASA funding so astronauts can 'return to space in a big way' The U.S. Apollo program, NASA's forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earth's natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the moon from 1969 to 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted controlled 'soft' landings on the moon - the former Soviet Union and China - but those were with unmanned robot vehicles. Bridenstine said he was optimistic that Trump's request would draw bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. The amendment envisions a simplified blueprint for the Lunar Gateway, the planned space outpost in lunar orbit that will serve as a stepping stone for sending astronauts to the moon's surface. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaks about the upcoming year's budget during an address to the workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. March 11 NASA officials said they would turn to private companies such as Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin for proposals on the design of Gateway and the human landing system. Bezos, the richest person in the world and founder of Amazon.com Inc, unveiled last Thursday his space company's mock-up of a lunar lander being built by Blue Origin. Bridenstine capped Monday's media call by announcing that NASA's latest lunar initiative would be named Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and of the moon in Greek mythology and the twin sister of Apollo. A paedophile father who raped his daughter repeatedly for a decade starting when she was just five years old tried to defend his actions when his wife caught him in the act. The man - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was found guilty of raping his daughter six times and assaulting her another five times during the 1970s and early 1980s in their Toowoomba home, west of Brisbane. The woman, who is now aged 51, did not report the crimes for more than 30 years out of fear for her life and the lives of her loved ones, Brisbane District Court heard on Friday. On one occasion, he justified the assaults on his daughter by telling his wife he was 'teaching her' when she caught him in the act. He also told his wife 'she's better than you' during another instance, the court heard. A paedophile father who raped his daughter repeatedly for a decade starting when she was just five years old tried to defend his actions when his wife caught him in the act The woman described the assaults as both painful and humiliating, the Courier Mail reported. The man was imprisoned for rape and has been ordered to pay his victim a sum of $972,812 in compensation. The victim told the court how she would sleep under the family home or in the car to avoid her father. He often told her if she were to ever report the abuse, he would kill her and her mother. The woman, who is now aged 51, did not report the crimes for more than 30 years out of fear for her life and the lives of her loved ones He kept a rifle in the home and once fired it into the fireplace during an outburst, the court heard. The woman was also led to believe if she were to confide in authorities, her siblings would be split up an put in foster homes. The victim said she suffered from PTSD as a result of her childhood trauma and experiences depression, anxiety, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, sleeplessness and nightmares in addition to an overall lack of confidence. She also struggles to engage in normal relationships and can't enjoy sex. Some of Australia's worst criminals will be moved into a brand new high-tech jail while security is beefed up at Goulburn's Supermax. The likes of serial killer Ivan Milat, gangster Bassam Hamzy, and convicted terrorists will spend several months at the new facility during the renovation. The 46-bed High Risk Management Correctional Centre 2, as it is called, will then be used as a 'step down' from Supermax to transition inmates to general prisons. Cells inside cells the new prison include a thin mattress, a metal toilet without a seat, shower, desk with a stool, a set of shelves, and a TV The likes of serial killer Ivan Milat (left), gangster Bassam Hamzy (right), and convicted terrorists will spend several months at the new facility during the renovation NSW Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts said the brand new facility in central NSW would keep terrorists and high-risk criminals securely locked up. 'The new unit will house the offenders who have demonstrated a commitment to disengage from radical behaviour, allowing us to combat extremist narratives and challenge ideology,' he said. Photos from inside the prison reveal the solitary cells include a thin mattress, a metal toilet without a seat, shower, desk with a stool, a set of shelves, and a TV. The new jail includes enhanced security features like high-definition digital CCTV cameras, thermal-imaging cameras, and a high-voltage electric fence. High Risk Management Correctional Centre 2 will then be used as a 'step down' from Supermax to transition inmates to general prisons Airport-style metal detectors and scanners prevent unauthorised items being smuggled inside, where inmates have just the most basic essentials The new jail includes enhanced security features like high-definition digital CCTV cameras, thermal-imaging cameras, and a high-voltage electric fence 'These security measures will ensure inmates remain securely inside the facility, but will also stop contraband from getting into the prison,' Corrections NSW Commissioner Peter Severin said. He said a purpose-built control room with advanced access-control systems and communication will also help prison guards better run the facility. Airport-style metal detectors and scanners prevent unauthorised items being smuggled inside, where inmates have just the most basic essentials. The Supermax renovation will increase its capacity from 56 to 75 so more of the country's most dangerous criminals can be locked away. Mob attacks on Muslim communities in Sri Lanka's northwest have left one person dead and dozens of shops and mosques destroyed, a government minister said Tuesday, as communal violence worsened in the wake of Easter bombings that killed more than 250 people. A Muslim man was hacked to death in Monday's violence in which members of the country's largely Buddhist majority ethnic Sinhalese attacked Muslim-owned shops and homes in several towns, said Rauff Hakeem, a Cabinet minister and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. With communal violence also reported in Sri Lanka's west, the government imposed a nationwide curfew Monday and temporarily blocked social media and messaging apps. Scroll down for video A Sri Lankan soldier looks on as he stands guard by a damaged shop after a mob attack in Minuwangoda on Monday Heavily-armed Sri Lankan soldiers ride motorcycles near the Jumha Mosque after the mob attack in Minuwangoda 'The curfew in the NWP will be continued until further notice,' spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. 'Security forces are assisting police who have been ordered to use maximum force to contain the violence.' Police said they fired in the air and used tear gas at several places to deter people attempting to attack mosques. In the adjoining district of Gampaha, mobs smashed Muslim-owned restaurants and at least one garment factory, official sources and residents said. In an address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said a countrywide curfew was declared to prevent unidentified groups orchestrating communal violence. Sri Lanka authorities imposed a nationwide overnight curfew after outbreak of communal violence and clashes in the aftermath of the deadly series of Easter bombings The prime minister said the countrywide curfew was declared to prevent unidentified groups orchestrating communal violence 'At several places in the North-Western Province these groups created trouble, damaged property,' Wickremesinghe said. 'Police and security forces have contained the situation, but these (unidentified) groups are still trying to create trouble.' Wickremesinghe said the unrest would hinder investigations into the April 21 attacks that targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and wounding nearly 500. In a separate TV address, police chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned of stern action against rioters, and said that constables have been issued orders to use maximum force. A Sri Lankan province north of the capital was under indefinite curfew on May 24 after the first death in anti-Muslim riots on Monday Sri Lankan firemen extinguish a fire at a shop after the deadly riots broke out yesterday afternoon The attacks came during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. A state of emergency has been in place since the bombings - which the Islamic State group claims to have helped - and security forces have been given sweeping powers to detain suspects. The latest wave of unrest started when a mob targeted Muslim-owned shops in the town of Chilaw, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Colombo, on Sunday in anger at a Facebook post by a shopkeeper. Internet service providers said they have been instructed by the telecoms regulator to block access to Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram in a bid to prevent the spread of messages inciting violence. Muslims make up around 10 percent of Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka's population and Christians about 7.6 percent. A state of emergency has been in place since the bombings, which the Islamic State group claims to have helped Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Monday labeled James Comey a partisan pundit over the fired FBI directors criticisms of the Justice Departments handling of the Russia investigation. In a speech to business and civic leaders in Baltimore, Rosenstein, who recently left DOJ, recalled writing the memo that was used by President Trump to justify Comeys dismissal in May 2017. After then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation, Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein called ex-FBI Director James Comey a 'partisan pundit' on Monday Rosenstein was reacting to criticisms by Comey, who said Attorney General William Barr (left) and Rosenstein had their 'souls' eaten by Trump It was Rosenstein who appointed Robert Mueller (above) as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections In his remarks on Monday, Rosenstein defended his actions while taking aim at Comey, who recently said that the former deputy attorney generals soul had been eaten by Trump. Now the former director seems to be acting as a partisan pundit, selling books and earning speaking fees while speculating about the strength of my character and the fate of my immortal soul, Rosenstein said. I kid you not. That is disappointing. Rosenstein delivered his speech to some 1,000 people at the annual Greater Baltimore Committee dinner, according to CNN. He insisted that his decisions were not driven by partisan politics but by the rule of law. Earlier on Monday, Rosenstein gave the commencement address at the University of Baltimore Law School. During the speech, Rosenstein said he did not regret appointing Robert Mueller as special counsel to handle the Russia investigation Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told graduating law students that they'll "face pressure to compromise on things that matter most" in a commencement address that hinted at his rocky tenure at the Justice Department https://t.co/I5c0ybPSvG pic.twitter.com/TKNYvlgG7z CNN (@CNN) May 13, 2019 People spend a lot of time debating whose side I was on, based on who seemed to benefit the most from any individual decision, Rosenstein said. But trying to infer partisan affiliation from law enforcement decisions is what you might call a category error. It uses the wrong frame of reference. Rosenstein said he believed Comeys firing was justified because of the former FBI directors handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. The FBI had been investigating Clinton for her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state during Barack Obamas first term in office. After a months long investigation, Comey concluded that there was not enough evidence to indict Clinton. Rosenstein wrote a scathing letter that Trump used to justify the firing of Comey in May 2017 But the public manner in which Comey announced the results of the investigation - as well as the reopening of the probe just 10 days before the 2016 elections - has been roundly criticized. In the memo which was used by Trump to rationalize Comeys dismissal, Rosenstein said Comey was wrong to usurp the Attorney Generals authority by holding a news conference in July 2016 to announce that the email investigation was closed. 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'. Comey has said he felt compelled to go public with the FBIs findings in the Clinton investigation because then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch had a conflict of interest. Rosenstein also told the audience on Monday that he refused Trumps request to include in the memo about Comey that the president was not under investigation. Rosenstein says he refused because number one, I had no personal knowledge of what the director said to the President, and number two, in any event, it was not relevant to my memo. The former DOJ No. 2 says Trump mishandled the Comey firing. Rosenstein was critical of Comey's handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's (above) use of a private email server when she was secretary of state under Barack Obama If I had been the decision-maker, the removal would have been handled differently, with far more respect and far less drama, Rosenstein said. Comey responded to Rosensteins remarks by saying: I wish him the best. Earlier on Monday, Rosenstein gave the commencement address at the University of Baltimore Law School. During the speech, Rosenstein said he did not regret appointing Mueller to handle the Russia investigation. As acting attorney general though it was my responsibility to make sure that the Department of Justice would conduct an investigation that was independent both in fact and in perception, complete it expeditiously, hold perpetrators accountable if warranted by the facts and the law, and work with partner agencies to counter foreign agents and deter crime, Rosenstein said. We achieved those goals. Mueller's report found there not enough evidence to charge Trump with conspiring with Russia during the 2016 campaign. The report also declined to say whether Trump obstructed justice. After the report was concluded, Attorney General William Barr and Rosenstein said they had concluded there was no grounds to charge the president with obstruction. Comey ripped into Barr earlier this month during the attorney general's testifimony before Congress. 'Accomplished people lacking inner strength can't resist the compromises necessary to survive Mr. Trump and that adds up to something they will never recover from,' Comey wrote in an op-ed published in the New York Times when referencing Barr and Rosenstein. 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 'Mr. Trump eats your soul in small bites,' Comey continued. Comey said it takes people with character, like former Defense Secretary James Mattis, who 'resigned over principle,' to avoid the damages Trump causes. Last week, during a CNN town hall, Comey said he believes Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice when he leaves the White House based on the findings of the Mueller report. The former FBI head made it clear that there is no love lost between him and 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. A woman who took part in a sex romp on the back seat of a bus in NSW's Hunter region was to ill to face court on Tuesday. Wonder French, 31, was due to appear at Toronto Local Court charged with offensive behaviour, inciting the commission of crimes, using offensive language and travelling on the bus without a valid ticket. Magistrate David Price said court officers had received a call from French saying she was unwell and unable to attend court. Wonder French, 31, has her case delayed claiming she was sick after she was accused of having sex with a 23-year-old man at the back of the bus (stock image) Mr Price said French had asked for more time to seek legal advice. He adjourned the case to June 5 at Belmont Local Court. French claimed she was recovering after a recent stint in hospital to treat a leg infection, court documents reveal. French's alleged sex partner on the bus, 23-year-old Ryan Jones, has denied the six charges he faces over the incident. Detectives allege Jones and French, both from Windale, had sex on the bus as it travelled between Charlestown and Warners Bay at Lake Macquarie on a Friday morning in late March. Jones, who had been on parole at the time but is now in custody, allegedly spat at the driver who ordered the couple to stop having sex and booted them off his bus. The unemployed and homeless man is charged with assault, behaving in an offensive manner in a public place, travelling on the bus without a valid ticket, intentionally or recklessly damaging property, affray and stalking. He has pleaded not guilty and is due to appear in Newcastle Local Court on May 23. Court documents state Jones spat on the bus's Opal card reader and the driver's partition before threatening two men - causing them to fear for their safety. The bus had to be removed from service to be professionally cleaned. A court has heard that a young man was taunted as he lay dying on the footpath after allegedly being struck in a brawl. Jack Hanley, 22, (pictured) died after being struck by a fatal punch during a six man brawl on Hindley Street, Adelaide in 2017 Jack Hanley, 22, died after being struck by a fatal punch during a six-man brawl on Hindley Street, Adelaide in 2017, The Advertiser reported. The man accused of throwing the punch, Reece Watherston, 21, pleaded not guilty to the charge of manslaughter in the Supreme Court and his lawyer denied the claims his client was the one who taunted Hanley as he lay dying. An eyewitness to the altercation, Christopher Jones, told the court he arrived on the scene to see four men gathered around two other men in a 'four on two' fight. He said Hanley was one of the two-man group. '(Mr Hanley) fell like a tree cut at the base, quite stiff, (Watherston) began taunting him, yelling at him, that he wasn't able to take a hit, that he was a 'bitch',' he told the court. 'He made those comments as (Mr Hanley) was convulsing on the ground, he wasn't concerned. 'He called him a 'little bitch shaking on the ground who can't take a hit', then he left the scene.' Mr Jones said he did not see who threw the punch or see the punch being thrown but he did see Mr Hanley collapse to the ground. The man accused of throwing the punch, Reece Watherston, 21, (pictured centre) pleaded not guilty to the charge of manslaughter in the Supreme Court and his lawyer denied the claims he was the one who taunted Hanley as he lay dying Lawyers for Watherston said Mr Jones's description of the assailants did not match video footage of the incident captured on mobile phones and CCTV cameras. They also said their client was not the man who taunted Mr Hanley. The court was told all the men who were caught up in the brawl were allegedly on a cocktail of drugs including cannabis, MDMA and nitrous oxide. Mr Jones conceded it was possible one of the other men at the scene was the one to taunt Hanley as he lay dying. The trial in the Supreme Court continues. A software engineer educated in Britain is suspected by authorities in Sri Lanka of having provided technical support to the Easter Sunday suicide bombers. Aadhil Ameez was reportedly monitored by Indian intelligence agencies three years ago for links with ISIS suspects, investigators said. Four sources in Sri Lankan investigating agencies said they believed the 24-year-old, whose Linkedin profile claims he went to several universities in London, was the link between two groups that carried out the attacks that killed more than 250 people. Aadhil has been arrested and is in police custody, the sources said. Scroll down for video Investigating said they believed Aadhil Ameez, 24, was the link between two groups that carried out the Easter Sunday bombings Crime scene officials inspect the site of a bomb blast inside St Sebastian's Church in Negombo in the wake of one of the bombs All the bombers died during their attacks while police say they killed two bomb-makers and seized additional explosives to be used in future attacks His arrest has not been made public, but when asked by Reuters, Ruwan Gunasekera, the main spokesman for the Sri Lankan police, confirmed Aadhil was taken into custody on April 25, four days after the attacks. The spokesman declined to give more details. A police official at India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) and another police official in the western state of Gujarat said they were providing assistance to Sri Lankan authorities. Aadhil, who describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as a senior engineer/programmer/web designer with a masters degree in computer science and a bachelors in political science from U.K. universities, could not be reached for comment. He does not yet have a lawyer and under Sri Lanka's tough new emergency laws imposed after the attacks, he can be held indefinitely. His father, M. Ameez, who lives in Aluthgama, a town south of Colombo, denied that Aadhil was involved with the plotters and said such 'allegations are lies'. The Indian investigators said they had been monitoring Aadhil since 2016 and named him in two chargesheets filed in Indian courts against suspected Islamic State operatives as being one of their contacts. Police said life was now 'getting back to normal' despite revenge attacks being carried out against Muslim properties in Negombo, where most people died According to one of the chargesheets, reviewed by Reuters, he showed up in Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram chats with two of the suspects who are on trial for plotting an attack on a synagogue in the western city of Ahmedabad. The two suspects Ubed Ahmad Mirza, a lawyer, and Stimberwala Mohamed Kasim, a hospital technician, were accused of planning 'lone-wolf' attacks, according to the chargesheet. Lawyers for both men rejected the allegations and said they were innocent. Both lawyers declined to comment on the possible role of Aadhil. Aadhil has also been named in another chargesheet filed in court by the NIA for providing propaganda and online material to three Indians arrested in early 2016 for promoting Islamic State. The three men, Sheikh Azhar ul-Islam, Adnan Hassan and Mohammed Rafiq Sadique Shaikh are on trial in a special Delhi court facing charges of criminal conspiracy to propagate the ideology of Islamic State, recruit, raise funds and facilitate the travel of people to Syria, according to the chargesheet. Sheikh Mohammad Munawar, a cousin of ul-Islam, said the charges were fabricated and that he had no criminal record ever. Sri Lanka security forces took to the street in Negombo to protect Muslims businesses after revenge attacks for the Easter Sunday bombings Families of the other two accused could not be reached. Their lawyers were not immediately available for comment. Reuters was unable to determine when the Indians informed Sri Lankan authorities of the surveillance. The two officials declined to say whether they continued to keep Aadhil under surveillance after they completed investigation of the cases in India. Indian intelligence services warned Sri Lankan authorities of a possible attack at least three times in April alone, officials have said. Sri Lankan authorities have said two local Islamist groups - the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) led by radical preacher Zahran Hashim and the Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI) - were involved in the synchronised blasts in Colombo, the island nation's capital, and two other towns. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Two sources in Sri Lanka's police Criminal Investigation Department and two military officials said Aadhil was the link between the two groups. The groups used the dark web and WhatsApp to communicate, they said. However, investigators don't know yet whether Aadhil was simply a facilitator for the bombers, or if he was also one of the ring leaders involved in planning and executing the attacks. Last week, police raided IT firm Virtusa, where Aadhil had interned in 2013, according to his profile. One current employee has been detained for questioning in connection with the attacks, police say, but no other details have been provided. India, with one of the world's largest populations of Muslims, has claimed success in foiling several Islamic State cells, mostly in southern and western India. In total 257 people died in attacks which targeted Christians, in what Sri Lankan authorities said was revenge for the Christchurch mosque attacks Court documents reviewed by Reuters show that the online conversations between the Sri Lankan and the two Indians in western India, began in the summer of 2016 and lasted until the arrest of the two Indians in late 2017. The documents describe how Aadhil Ax, as he called himself online, asked the Indians if they had heard about the atrocities being committed against Muslims in Sri Lanka by the majority Buddhist community. He talked about his own experiences: that he had been in jail, that his house had been torched and that he limped because of beatings, the documents seen by Reuters show. Investigators and neighbours in Sri Lanka say none of these were true. The Sri Lankan investigators interviewed by Reuters say Aadhil made claims he was a journalist and a PhD candidate in some of his online postings, which also were false. They said they believed Aadhil, operating largely from his home, was a key part of the Easter bombings plot and helped in communications and training. 'He was the main technology person for them,' said one of the CID sources involved in the investigation. The source said Aadhil was helped in this by Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, one of the eight suicide bombers who detonated his explosives at a guesthouse after failing to do so at Colombo's luxury Taj Samudra hotel. About a week before the bombings, Aadhil met Jameel, Zahran the extremist preacher, and Inshaf Ibrahim and Ilham Ibrahim, the two brothers from a family engaged in the spice trade in Colombo, the other sources said. The latter three men blew themselves up in five-star Colombo hotels. The CID source said that Aadhil, Zahran and the Ibrahim brothers had leased land in Wanathawilluwa town in the north and set up a training camp. Police raided the place in January this year and discovered a large amount of explosives, but did not know at the time who had leased it. When police raided Aadhil's home four days after the bombings, all his computer files were found to have been deleted. 'He seems to have played an important role in setting up communications for the attackers, helping organise meetings and training camps,' said one of the military sources. Freddie Starr's body is set to be brought back to Britain and buried alongside his mother ending fears he would end up in an unmarked grave in Spain. Sources claim the comedian, who died last week at his Costa del Sol home aged 76, will be laid to rest next to mother Hilda in Liverpool. Relatives have been in touch with Spanish officials after the father-of-six's carer Nelly Georgieva, 47, said she could not afford to pay for a burial and feared he would have a 'pauper's funeral'. A basic funeral in Spain costs around 3,000 while the cost of repatriating him to the UK is around 5,000, and it remains unclear who will cover the cost. The body of Freddie Starr, left, is set to be repatriated to Britain from Spain so he can be buried alongside his mother Hilda in Liverpool. It comes after his carer Nelly Georgieva, right, feared he would face a 'pauper's funeral' in Spain because she could not afford the costs Starr's third wife Donna, pictured with him in 1998, said the family is 'doing our bit' to get him home but that arrangements were not finalised A source told the Mirror: 'Freddie adored his mum. She was the driving force behind his career by encouraging him to do gigs in pubs and clubs. 'Though estranged from his children and former wives, they felt it was only right he was reunited with his mum.' Meanwhile, his third wife Donna, 48, told the Sun: 'We're all doing our bit, but that's all I can say at the moment. 'When we know more we will be in a position we will make that known.' She also urged Ms Georgieva to get in touch with the family after she claimed she hadn't heard from them since Starr's death last Thursday. His repatriation has become more complicated because his passport expired in April, while his funeral arrangements can only be signed off by his last wife Sophie Lea, 37, whom he was separated from in 2015. It comes after Sheffield-based undertaker Michael Fogg offered to pay for the repatriation and burial of Starr in the UK because he was a longtime fan of the comedian and 'couldn't bear the thought of his family being in turmoil'. Starr was found dead at his Costa Del Sol home, pictured, on Thursday last week and documents have revealed that he was in huge debt Starr, right, and left, photographed at home with his second wife, Sandy, in 1974 who he married at the height of his fame. The couple had three children together Writing on Facebook, Mr Fogg said: 'We have been in contact an offered to pay for the Repatriation and also the care for Freddie. 'And no cost to anyone but us rest in peace. A legend x 'Thus (sic) is why iv (sic) been collecting food for foodbanks Clothes for the homeless. Easter eggs for kids who wouldn't otherwise get one. 'No one knows what's around the corner.' Under Spanish law if a body is not claimed, town hall officials take over and perform a pauper's burial. Speaking last weekend, Ms Georgieva said she could not afford the 3,000 needed for a Spanish funeral. She said: 'I only have my savings, I don't have the money to bury him here. 'Although I believe this is what Freddie would have wanted because he always felt a little hurt that the British public had turned against him in the later years. 'I would prefer him to stay in Spain because it would mean I'd get to visit his grave more and pay my respects.' She also claimed she had been left with a bill for thousands of Euros over his unpaid medical bills. Ms Georgieva said Starr, who had been married five times, had been suffering from poor health after being hospitalised just before Christmas and said that his 60-a-day cigarette habit had not helped. She added Starr's finances had been drained in recent years and that he owed thousands of pounds in unpaid water bills and community fees at the complex where he lived. Sheffield-based undertaker Michael Fogg, pictured, has offered to pay for the repatriation of late comedian Freddie Starr to the UK and his subsequent burial amid fears he would end up in an unmarked grave in Spain Mr Fogg said on Facebook he wanted to help the family of Starr because 'no one knows what's around the corner' The carer's comments come after Starr's friend Jim Davidson revealed the comic had 'threatened to kill himself by eating concrete' following his arrests on child sex allegations. The revelation from Mr Davidson came as it was found that the Liverpool-born star 'faced being made homeless' over a huge debt to the woman he lost a libel case against over sex abuse claims. Starr sold up and left the UK in 2015 after losing a 1 million libel case against Karin Ward, then 57. She claimed he had put his hand up her skirt when she was a teenager, before callously dismissing her as an 'a***less wonder.' He sued her for libel after she gave interviews saying she was 'horribly, horribly humiliated' by the fallen comic. A High Court judge ruled Miss Ward was telling the truth and dismissed the case in July 2015. Public Spanish documents show lawyers acting for Ms Ward secured an interim charging order in January 2017 on the Costa townhouse where he died for 380,000 plus almost 115,000 in interest. Starr was also arrested on four occasions between 2012 and 2014 in connection with Operation Yewtree but no charges were ever brought against him. Mr Davidson, 65, revealed that the legal cases had left Starr 'broken' and that his career had ended in a 'sad way'. Starr's sister Brenda Hughes added the comedian 'never recovered' from the allegations. Shocking footage of a man being stabbed in the face and neck by a stranger has been captured on CCTV. Police have released the video of the vicious attack, which happened on Sunday night in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley. A 38-year-old was standing on Ann Street at the intersection with Commercial Road just before 11pm when he was approached by a man he didn't know. Scroll down for video. CCTV footage from outside First Choice Liqour in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley captures the moment the victim is stabbed in the face Once on the ground, the attacker stabs the 38-year-old a number of times before feeling the scene In the footage the men are seen having a brief conversation outside First Choice Liquor, on Ann Street, before the suspect appears to stab the victim who falls over backwards. Once on the ground, the attacker stabs the 38-year-old a number of times before feeling the scene. Just moments before the incident, the alleged attacker is caught on CCTV outside the liqour store tucking a knife into his pocket. The victim was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital with major lacerations to his face and chest. His attacker is described as aged in his mid-20s, tanned complexion, solid build with short dark hair. He was wearing glasses, black shorts, a blue coloured jacket and black runners. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. An adviser to Iran's president mocked Donald Trump as being the poodle of his hardline national security adviser John Bolton Tuesday, as tensions with the U.S. in the Persian Gulf increased. Hessamoddin Ashena, an adviser to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani tweeted: 'You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead. That's what happens when you listen to the mustache. Good luck in 2020!' The mustache was a reference to Bolton, Trump's 70-year-old neo-conservative aide who was once a vocal advocate of war on Iraq and is now seen as a hardline voice on Iran. The mockery aimed at Trump came as the U.S. president knocked down a report that the Pentagon has presented the White House with a plan to deploy 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks U.S. forces then said he would send 'a hell of a lot more' if it came to that. Trump brushed off the report when asked about it as he left the White House for Louisiana Tuesday. 'I think it's fake news, okay?' Trump said. But even as he disputed a New York Times report, the president kept alive the possibility of inserting a major force into the region, where tensions are running high. 'Now would I do that? Absolutely,' Trump offered, after terming the report fake. Ratcheting up the rhetoric: Trump spoke on the South Lawn of the White House to say he would send 'a hell of a lot more' troops to the Gulf than 120,000 if Iran stepped out of line Mockery: An aide to the Iranian president painted Trump as a plaything of his national security adviser, who is known for his large mustache Meet the mustache: John Bolton, 70, is a rare neo-conservative voice in the White House and is seen as being behind the escalation of tensions in the Gulf 'But we have not planned for that,' he said. 'But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that.' 'If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that,' Trump continued. Noting where the report originated, Trump added: 'Well the New York Times is fake news.' Trump's rhetoric was matched by Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said his country won't negotiate with the United States. Iran's state TV quoted Khamenei on Tuesday as calling negotiations with the U.S. 'poison' and saying: 'This is not a military confrontation, because no war is going to happen.' Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said: 'Neither we, nor they are seeking war, they know that it is not to their benefit.' The situation in the Persian Gulf grew even more tense as it was revealed the Pentagon has presented the White House with a plan to deploy 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces The plan for a large mobilization, an alarming echo of the Iraq War, comes after President Trump issued a tough warning to Iran, and military investigators have made a preliminary assessment that Iran or its proxies were behind an alleged 'sabotage' of four ships in the region. Trump warned Monday it would a 'very bad mistake' if Iran launched any attack in the Persian Gulf. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented the plan at a meeting of Donald Trump's top security aides on Thursday, reports the New York Times. Several plans were detailed, the Times said, and 'the uppermost option called for deploying 120,000 troops, which would take weeks or months to complete' - and would be approaching the size of the force that invaded Iraq in 2003. These plans do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require far more troops. Build-up: Four B-52 bombers have been deployed to Qatar as part of the fresh deployment to the region The White House is reportedly planning to deploy 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces in an alarming echo of the Iraq War. Pictured: A helicopter lands on the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed to the Persian Gulf over increased tensions with Iran National Security Advisor John Bolton, who was present in the Oval Office Monday when Trump met with the right wing prime minister of Hungary, leads a group of hardliners who requested the plans, according to the report. Bolton said Sunday: 'The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces.' On Monday, Trump warned that Iran would 'suffer greatly' if it targeted U.S. interests. He told reporters at the White House: 'We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake.' Trump's tough talk followed allegations of 'sabotage' on four oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. Military investigators told CBS Iran or its proxies used explosives to blast holes in the four vessels. Tensions spiked after President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal and announced a series of sanctions meant to isolate Iran. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, pictured, presented the plan at a meeting of Donald Trump's top security aides on Thursday The president's public schedule for Tuesday did not list any security meetings. Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified since Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal to curb Iran's nuclear activities and imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran. Trump wants to force Tehran to agree to a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what U.S. officials have said are threats to U.S. troops in the region. Iran has said the U.S. is engaging in 'psychological warfare', called the U.S. military presence 'a target' rather than a threat and said it will not allow its oil exports to be halted. The Times said among those attending the Thursday meeting were Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. The news comes after an American military team claimed Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies used explosives to blow large holes in four ships anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. The news comes after an American military team claimed Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies used explosives to blow large holes in four ship (pictured, A. Michel, one of the tankers damaged) anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified since Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal to curb Iran's nuclear activities and imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran Each ship has a five to 10ft hole in it, near or just below the water line, and the team's early belief is that the holes were caused by explosive charges. Gulf officials have characterized the damage to the tankers as sabotage. Two Saudi oil tankers, a Norwegian-flagged vessel, and a bunkering tanker flagged in Sharjah, one of the UAE's seven emirates, all suffered similar damage Sunday. The U.S. has warned ships that 'Iran or its proxies' could be targeting maritime traffic in the region, and America has moved additional ships and aircraft into the region. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday called Iran a 'major destabilizing force' in the Middle East while Britain warned of the danger of a war being started in the Gulf by accident. A muscular bodybuilder is facing life in jail after police smashed his alleged drugs empire. Aaron Waters, 26, was arrested at an underground garage in Manly, in northeast Sydney, around 9.30am on Friday following a two-month police probe on the Northern Beaches. Police allegedly found cocaine, 1.3kg of MDMA, and $20,000 cash in the garage - enough to charge him with large commercial drug supply. Aaron Waters, 26, (pictured) was arrested at an underground garage in Manly, in northeast Sydney, around 9.30am on Friday Two Rolex's and two Breitling watches were allegedly discovered in his Collaroy Plateau home, along with knuckledusters and steroids, The Daily Telegraph reported. He was later charged him with dealing with the proceeds of crime. Police also allegedly found 20 Anastrozole tablets and 23 Tramadol tablets in his home, court documents state. Waters, who owns the Dee Why business Superior Pool Care, faces a string of other charges in relation to the illicit items allegedly found at his home and at the garage. Waters (pictured) faces a string of other charges in relation to the illicit items allegedly found at his home and at the garage The heavily-tattooed hunk (pictured) is also an avid gym-goer and often shared snaps with his 24,000 followers of his workouts Waters is very active on social media and has more than 24,000 followers on Instagram. In several images the bodybuilder can be seen soaking up the sun in a number of picturesque locations. While in other photographs Waters is seen dining on refined foods such as seafood and steak. He also shared a picture of himself behind the wheel of a luxurious looking vehicle. Waters (pictured right) shared an image of a recent holiday he enjoyed alongside a female companion Waters (pictured left) appeared in Manly Local Court on Tuesday and did not apply for bail The heavily-tattooed hunk is an avid gym-goer and often shared snaps of his workouts with his 24,000 followers. In one image Waters can be seen standing outside a gym in Phuket, in Thailand, and alongside it, he wrote: 'Back where I belong'. Waters faces a total of seven charges including: two counts of supply prohibited drug indictable quantity and one count of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity. He's also charged with knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, deal with property proceeds of crime, possess/attempt to, anabolic or androgenic steroids. Waters appeared in Manly Local Court on Tuesday and did not apply for bail. His case has since been adjourned until May 21. The mother of a Princeton-graduate accused of shooting dead his millionaire hedge fund boss father will testify against her son, it has been revealed. Shelley Gilbert told police about her suspicions of son Thomas Gilbert Jr just moments after discovering her husband Thomas Sr shot dead in their Manhattan apartment. Police say that Gilbert Jr staged the scene of his father's shooting in an attempt to make it look like a suicide - but his mother allegedly had no doubt that it was murder. On the day of the killing in January 2015, Shelley Gilbert went to pick up a sandwich for her son at his insistence and returned to find her husband shot dead in their bedroom at the family's $6,000-a-month rented apartment in Turtle Bay. Prosecutors say Gilbert Jr was agitated at his hedge fund boss father for cutting his weekly allowance from $600 to $400 and for stopping paying the rent on his $2,400-a-month Chelsea apartment. Thomas Gilbert Jr (pictured) is accused of murdering his father, Thomas Gilbert Sr, after he threatened to cut his $3,000-a-month allowance by just $200 and stopped paying the rent on his $2,400-a-month Chelsea apartment Shelley Gilbert (left) will testify against her son who is accused of murdering her husband Thomas Gilbert Sr (right) at their Turtle Bay apartment Mrs Gilbert told the New York Post that she has to testify against her son as 'it was obvious he'd done it'. She said: 'I don't have any choice. You have to do it. It was obvious he'd done it. There was no one else around. Most trials you have to prove who did it. That's not true of this one. What's cruel is I have to relive it on the stand.' While Gilbert Sr was believed to be worth as much as $200 million at the time of his death, court documents revealed he had less than $10,000 in stocks and bonds, under $20,000 in cash and retirement accounts, and some $500,000 in 'miscellaneous' assets. After police had arrived at the scene of the murder, Gilbert Jr called his mother and casually suggested that 'they get a bite to eat'. Gilbert Jr eventually returned to his Chelsea apartment, where he barricaded himself inside until he was later arrested by cops. Mrs Gilbet said she believes her son is suffering from a mental illness, has delusions claiming he is being poisoned by radioactive fallout at Rikers Island and even on one occasion ate a battery. Mrs Gilbert said she has to testify against her son as 'it was obvious he'd done it', but that he should not be sent to prison as he has a mental illness. She is pictured leaving court during jury selection for her son's trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday Thomas Gilbert Jr's mother said her son is suffering from a mental illness, has delusions claiming he is being poisoned by radioactive fallout in prison and even ate a battery She told the Post: 'Tommy, you're far sicker than we ever knew. That wasn't Tommy. He was always a rational thinker. He's not an evil person.' Gilbert Sr was once a successful Wall Street man who lived in an Upper East Side brownstone but after a bid to start his own hedge fund failed, he was forced to sell the home and start renting a Beekman Place apartment. The family rented out a home in the Hamptons they had owned, where Gilbert Sr had been a member of the tony Maidstone Club. Gilbert Jr - known as Tommy - meanwhile was not working, despite an economics degree from Princeton, and relied on his father to cover the $2,400 rent on his Chelsea apartment as well as a weekly $600 allowance. Mrs Gilbert went on to say she thinks her son should get mental health treatment rather than a possible life sentence if he is convicted. She told the Post: 'He doesn't belong in jail, he belongs in a hospital. There's no value in sending him upstate. 'He's a sick person, who needs to be in a hospital. It's what my husband would have wanted for him if he was still here.' At a hearing in October 2017, which was to establish probable cause in Gilbert Jr's arrest, Detective Cirigliano testified about accompanying Shelly Gilbert to tell her daughter Claire about the shooting. Claire was attending Mass at a nearby church. 'Mrs. Gilbert told Claire, 'Dad's dead and Tommy shot him',' Cirigliano said. Claire 'let out a cry which stopped the entire Mass,' the detective recalled. An exterior view of the Turtle Bay apartment in Manhattan where the alleged murder took place in January 2015 Gilbert Jr (pictured LEFT while at Princeton) experimented with illegal drugs, including LSD, magic mushrooms, cocaine and marijuana, a court heard. He was said to have barricaded himself into his Chelsea apartment after the murder Before Princeton, he went to Deerfield for boarding school and the all-boys, exclusive Manhattan day school Buckley before that. A judge had previously rejected Gilbert Jr's lawyer's plea for insanity, after he said his client had been seriously mentally ill and should not stand trial. The attorney, Alex Spiro, is being paid for by his mother, Shelley Rea Gilbert. Gilbert Jr was taking medication for his mental illness while at Princeton, according to evidence alluded to in a prior State Supreme Court hearing in Manhattan. Police arrested Gilbert, 30, on a murder charge after they say he went to his father's Manhattan apartment, shot him in the head after an argument about money, and tried to make it look like a suicide In the same hearing, the court also learned that Gilbert Jr had experimented with illegal drugs while at Princeton, including LSD, magic mushrooms, cocaine and marijuana. He has also previously talked about people 'infecting his mind' and claimed skits on Saturday Night Live were attempts to mock him. Manhattan socialite Anna Rothschild, 51, dated the accused killer in 2014 and said he was a loner with few friends who deeply resented his father and was obsessed with how he would 'never be good enough' for his dad. The twice-divorced Upper East Side woman said he was jobless - and seemed to have few prospects, and little interest, for finding serious work. Instead, he spent most his time in the Hamptons, going to the gym, doing yoga and surfing. His one professional aspiration was founding his own hedge fund - but he complained that his father wouldn't give him the seed money to start it, Miss Rothschild said. Miss Rothschild said Gilbert Jr was also preoccupied with how controlling his father was with his money and was convinced that he could never do anything to gain his approval The socialite previously told DailyMail.com that she was repeatedly warned by her friend that Gilbert Jr 'would chop her into tiny pieces'. Gilbert Jr's mother Shelley Gilbert (left) is paying for his attorney Alex Spiro (right) Manhattan socialite Anna Rothschild, 51, dated the accused killer (pictured together) in 2014 and said he was a loner with few friends The trial is not Gibert Jr's first brush with the law. While a student, in 2007, he was arrested after head-butting a nurse treating him at a hospital while he was high, but the charges were dropped after he agreed to counselling. Gilbert Jr was also reportedly ordered to undergo anger management in 2013 after assaulting his roommate and friend Peter Smith, breaking his nose during a bust-up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In 2014 he stole a flag from the Smith family estate in Sagaponack, New York, and was charged with petit larceny. He breached a court order later that year by approaching Mr Smith and was questioned after the Smith family home was attacked by an arsonist two weeks later. Gilbert Jr was not charged in connection with the blaze. The millionaire heir was also banned from an exclusive club in the Hamptons after allegedly threatening to kill a member of staff there. Gilbert Jr was a major beneficiary of his father's will which was written just two years before the alleged patricide - and he could receive payments he is due to help pay legal fees. He also has one sister. A man who shot his stepbrother over a dispute about a Mother's Day gift before he turned the gun on himself has died in hospital. Billy Smith, 28, passed away after he shot himself in the head following an altercation with Chris Rundle, 35, on Sunday around midday. Mr Rundle, whose biological mother lives with Mr Smith and other family members on a farm in Bingleburra, NSW, criticised his stepbrother for failing to wish his stepmother a happy Mother's Day or buying her a gift. In response, Mr Smith is understood to have grabbed a .22 calibre rifle and shot Mr Rundle in the chest. The 28-year-old man allegedly shot the 35-year-old man at a rural property 200km north of Sydney on Sunday around midday He then fled to a nearby wooden area where he attempted to take his own life by shooting himself in the head, the Daily Telegraph reported. Emergency services attended the incident and both men were treated at the scene before they were airlifted to John Hunter hospital. Mr Smith was taken to hospital in a critical condition and passed away around 24 hours later on Monday afternoon. His step-brother Mr Rundle remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition. Both men were taken to John Hunter Hospital. The 35-year-old is in a serious but stable condition and the 28-year-old is believed to be fighting for his life The horrific altercation is understood to have taken place in front of family, including the older man's mother. According to neighbours, Mr Rundle had travelled 90km from his home on Tanilba Bay, in Port Stephens, to be with his mother on Mother's Day. Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District are continuing to investigate the incident. On Sunday a police spokesperson said: 'An investigation is underway following a domestic-related shooting in the state's Hunter region today. 'About midday (Sunday 12 May 2019), emergency services were called to Bingleburra Road, Bingleburra, following reports two men had been shot. 'Police have been told two men aged 35 and 28 were involved in an altercation, where the older man sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. Police have said detectives have established a crime scene and investigations are ongoing 'The younger man fled the property and was located nearby, suffering a gunshot wound to the head, which is believed to be self-inflicted. 'Both men were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before they were airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, with the younger man reported to be in a critical condition and the older man in a serious but stable condition. 'Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended the property and established a crime scene, which will be examined by specialist forensic officers. 'Inquiries into circumstance surrounding the incident continue.' A report will also be prepared for the Coroner. Frankie Batchelor, 18, sentenced to five years for a string of violent offences Two teenagers branded 'a menace to the London public' after carrying out a spate of moped muggings that saw them terrify victims with a Rambo knife and an axe have been locked up for a total of eight years. Despite being on licence from youth custody and carrying an axe, a stolen watch and phone, Frankie Batchelor, 18, was released under investigation and only arrested after committing other offences five months later. In the early hours of August 4 Batchelor was captured on CCTV smashing an axe into the windows of a BMW convertible while the terrified passengers handed over their watches - leading to his arrest later that day. The 16-year-old sentenced alongside him for separate offences at Inner London Crown Court was said to have robbed people of their laptops and phones because his mother didn't have enough money for his birthday presents. Batchelor was out of prison on licence at the time and had been severely injured, nearly losing a leg, following a police chase last August. Despite police finding he had a stolen phone and watch and an axe in his backpack he was not arrested until January this year. Following the chase, he was left lying in the road next to a flipped over police car his moped had collided with. The moped driver ran but on Batchelor's release from hospital a month later he was questioned and released under investigation. Batchelor and the 16-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, then paired up on January 3 to rob an estate agents and a Costa Coffee but were also sentenced for separate incidents committed with unknown accomplices. Batchelor, who was identified by his limp, was jailed for five years because of the 'more serious' incident in August last year while the younger boy was handed three years for the January 3 robbery and a separate string of mobile phone thefts the next day. CCTV of a Moped thieves, Frankie Batchelor, 18, and accomplice, 16, robbing a watch and a mobile phone from passengers in a car on Saturday, 4 August at 03:30am on Crawford Street, Westminster Batchelor is seen smashing an axe into the windows of a BMW convertible while the terrified passengers handed over their watches, the 16-year-old sentenced alongside him said to have robbed laptops and phones Judge Usha Karu said: 'Robberies committed by using mopeds are a feature of the present times. The offenders are able to act fast and make a quick get away in the hope they will not be traced. 'More often than not the mopeds are stolen and as the perpetrators wear helmets identification is difficult. 'All of these features apply in your cases. A significant feature is the carrying of a weapon. Plainly on the 3 and 4 January you were wielding a knife described as a hunting knife. 'Batchelor you were fully aware of the weapon on the 3 January. 'On the 4 August last year you had an axe with you and you used it to scare the victims.' She said to the 16-year-old, who was 15 at the time of the robberies: 'You committed offences for financial gain because there was insufficient money and your mother was struggling to buy presents for your 16th birthday.' Opening the case, prosecutor Iestyn Morgan (corr) told the judge in August last year Batchelor was the pillion passenger of a moped that approached a parked car in Crawford Street, Marylebone at around 3.30am. The two teenagers donned crash helmets and threatened an estate agent and cafe customers with an 'eight inch Rambo knife' Batchelor and the 16-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, paired up on January 3 to rob an estate agents and a Costa Coffee. At 16:52pm Batchelor (driving) and the 16-year-old on another stolen moped approached an estate agents in St Gabriel Walk, Southwark. The unidentified teen entered the front office, producing a hunting knife. The three employees fled and hid in a rear room. When they returned, the boy was gone and so were their mobile phones Later that day at 17:06pm, the boy approached two men who were using laptops at a cafe on New Bridge Street, London and attempted to grab one of the laptops but failed. He then produced a large hunting knife and the other male victim handed over his laptop. The pair fled the scene. On 4 January, the Operation Venice Investigation Team obtained CCTV from the estate agent. Both suspects were identified from facial images, but also because of Batchelor's limp He said the muggers watched as the BMW parallel parked outside a house party in the posh neighbourhood and then approached the car, with Batchelor pulling out an axe. Mr Morgan said: 'Batchelor approached the car shouting using the axe to smash the windscreen and sides of the car. 'Two male passengers gave Batchelor their wallets and watches before coming out of the car and running away. 'One of the remaining passengers tried to open the door, Mr Batchelor continued to shout and wield the axe at them. 'She escaped and was followed briefly by Batchelor before he returned to the moped. Both men were wearing helmets throughout, and the moped had been stolen previously. 'Mr Batchelor and the unknown male were involved in a police chase which ultimately ended in a collision. Batchelor was injured in the crash and arrested. The unknown male escaped.' Detective Constable Mark Cooper, Operation Venice Investigation Team said: 'These two violent offenders were a menace to the London public. In their brazen crime spree they used intimidation and violence to threaten, rob and steal from people going about their daily lives. 'They had a total disregard for their own safety and that of others. The put people's lives at risk by recklessly causing a collision with a police car that has left Batchelor with a permanent leg injury, but could have been something far worse for all concerned. 'However, the tenacity of the Venice team led to the capture of the evidence needed to obtain their conviction and this sentence. 'Operation Venice will stop at nothing to bring to justice criminals who rob people, and will use every legal tactic at our disposal, including tactical contact to do so.' Anyone with information should call local police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will meet face-to-face tonight as stalled cross-party Brexit talks teeter on the edge of total collapse. The two leaders are due to sit down together at 7.15pm in Parliament hours after Mr Corbyn's right-hand man, shadow chancellor John McDonnell, declared: 'We are nowhere near what we want'. Labour sources confirmed the meeting was going ahead after seven weeks of often fruitless discussions between the two sides in search of a way to break the deadlock over a Brexit deal. If talks are called off it paves the way for the Government to try to get a Brexit deal through the Commons some other way. This could see MPs take part in so-called 'indicative votes' to find a form of Brexit - or Remain - that can command a majority. Or Mrs May could seek to introduce parts of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) legislation itself - a high risk move in a bitterly divided Commons. The shadow chancellor also said that a gang of Theresa May's former cabinet ministers telling her any deal could be scrapped by her successor 'has not helped' chances of a breakthrough in cross-party talks. A group of 13 former ministers and senior Tories including leadership favourite Boris Johnson have written to Mrs May today, saying she will lose the 'loyal middle' of her party if she strikes a deal with Labour, branding it a 'blind alley'. Mr McDonnell, whose party wants a permanent customs union and may also demand a second referendum as the price for any deal, said this afternoon that the PM's crumbling powerbase 'gives us no security'. He said: 'We are not near what we want. Boris Johnson is certainly going to be in contention for the leadership. Very likely to be the next leader, in a situation where he in his letter today says he is not going to accept a customs union, and, actually, he will overturn the deal that we negotiate'. Today it emerged that EU officials are already talking about a further extension of Article 50 to June 2020 because they don't expect any breakthrough in Westminster before the current October 31 deadline, according Charles Grant from the respected Centre for European Reform. Theresa May welcomed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to Downing Street today ahead of a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn this evening Theresa May (pictured last night) is being urged to turn her back on Labour for the good of the Tory party - and shadow chancellor John McDonnell revealed that chances of a breakthrough look slim Jeremy Corbyn is demanding a customs union deal and is under pressure from his own MPs to demand a second referendum too Talks with Labour resumed yesterday after seven weeks without any breakthrough, and today the Prime Minister came under intense pressure from ministers at a Cabinet meeting this morning Brexiteers urged her to pull the plug immediately. Ministers agreed to continue Brexit talks with Labour but acknowledged it was 'imperative' to get withdrawal legislation through Parliament before the summer break, Downing Street said. But one Cabinet source told MailOnline the two-hour discussion had pretty much kicked the can further down the road - another insisted they had avoided any major confrontation over how to proceed. Today's incendiary letter to Mrs May, signed by Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and chairman of the 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady, warned of the risk of a 'democratic deficit' if a backroom deal with the opposition is hatched. It is also implicit that the rebel group, made up of leadership contenders, would try tear up any soft Brexit agreement with Labour once Mrs May resigns. Cabinet had an 'extensive' two hour discussion on the Brexit talks this morning, the Prime Minister's official spokesman has said. Farage launches new attack on Marr and accuses the BBC of deliberately 'ignoring' the Brexit Party Nigel Farage has again blasted Andrew Marr over his 'ludicrous' interview and accused the BBC of 'secretly' taking millions in EU cash. The Brexit Party leader, 55, clashed with the broadcaster, 59, on his Sunday morning TV show in a row that has shocked and split viewers. Mr Farage said: 'It was bizarre that the ludicrous line of questioning persisted all the way through'. In an incendiary column last night, Mr Farage says he is a victim of BBC 'bias' and had to 'fight like crazy' to get on to Question Time on Thursday, claiming that the corporation is trying to 'exclude' the Brexit Party from TV. He also claimed the BBC was 'still receiving a seven-figure sum from the EU, taking millions in this way from the EU during the past decade. It does so secretly, without mentioning this in its accounts. I find this highly suspicious'. The BBC's Media Action charity was paid more than 3million from Brussels in the 2017-18 financial year, but denies this was secretive because they are independent from the BBC. A spokesman said: 'In the financial year 2017-18, BBC Media Action received approximately 2.7million from the European Commission and 400,000 from the Council of Europe. 'This funding has gone to programmes in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, North Africa, South Sudan and Ukraine. BBC Media Action is an independent charity which is not funded from the BBC licensing fee'. Advertisement Her de facto deputy David Lidington also gave an overview of the discussions with Labour, and a 'very significant' number of ministers spoke, he said. The meeting stressed the 'pressing need to get on with delivering the result of the referendum' and cabinet agreed to continue the discussions with Labour to 'see what was possible', the spokesman revealed. But ministers concluded that it was 'imperative' the Withdrawal Bill based on Theresa May's deal should be brought forward and passed before the summer recess. Former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, who also signed the letter drawn up by ex-ministers, said today he would rather stay in the EU than sign up to the customs union after Brexit - and urged the Prime Minister to sack off talks with Mr Corbyn now. He said: 'The talks clearly aren't getting anywhere. It's a blind alley. It's far better to concentrate on the arrangements in Northern Ireland, the one thing there is a majority for. If a [Labour] deal is going to include a permanent customs union then frankly we are better off staying in the EU because at least then we'd have a voice. We can't say we are leaving then half-stay in it'. Mrs May is set to let MPs decide on how to break the Brexit deadlock as her own furious ministers urged her to end talks with Labour immediately. The Prime Minister will offer the Commons a series of 'definitive votes' to try to settle the matter after the European elections conclude on May 23 - a plan backed by remainers in her cabinet. Brexiteer ministers including Andrea Leadsom are said to prefer bringing back her deal to the Commons and concentrating on getting the EU to change the Irish backstop clause of Britain's divorce deal. Some 13 former ministers, together with the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, have written to the Prime Minister urging her not to concede Labour's key demand of a customs union and potentially a second referendum. The signatories also include Gavin Williamson, who she sacked as defence secretary this month. The group's letter, which was published by The Times, read: 'We are writing to urge you not to agree any customs union with the Labour Party. 'A customs union with the EU is both bad policy and bad politics. On policy, we would be stuck in the worst of both worlds. 'We believe that a customs union-based deal with Labour will very likely lose the support of Conservative MPs, like us, who backed the Withdrawal Agreement in March. 'More fundamentally, you would have lost the loyal middle of the Conservative Party, split our party and with likely nothing positive to show for it. No leader can bound his or her successor, so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worst illusory. 'We urge you to think again, and for the Conservative Party to stay true to our principles and promises, and to reject a customs union solution with Labour.' The letter, signed by Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and chairman of the 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady, warned of the risk of a 'democratic deficit' if a backroom deal with the opposition is hatched Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt walked down Downing Street together today New Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt arrives in Downing Street for an update from the PM on Brexit talks with Labour The cabinet is split with remainer Amber Rudd said to prefer a series of Commons votes to break the Brexit deadlock, with Brexiteers including Andrea Leadsom wanting Mrs May's deal to be tweaked and brought back Ministers, led by Mrs May's deputy David Lidington, held fresh talks with their Labour counterparts last night in the hope of finding an acceptable compromise. But senior figures on both sides said the compromises involved were likely to prove unacceptable. What is a confirmatory referendum and how would it work? Any second referendum on Brexit is expected to be 'confirmatory', which is when the public has the chance to approve or reject a proposition of the Government. If it happened it would most likely be a binary yes/no choice whether to accept Theresa May's Brexit deal, either changed after a deal with Labour, or unchanged. If widened out it could be a straight choice between the Government's Deal vs No Deal - or the Governmnet's Deal vs Remain. Whichever option won more votes would then be implemented. Advertisement One minister said: 'Talking to Corbyn is killing us with the party in the country. It's time to put the whole thing out of its misery.' Labour is also split on the issue and Mr Corbyn told a fractious meeting of his MPs last night: 'The idea that Tory MPs are going to come round any time soon to accept the deal is fanciful.' One Tory source with knowledge of the talks said Mr Corbyn appeared open to the possibility of a deal, but was being held back by pressure within his party to secure a second referendum. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday said the second referendum demanded by Labour's lead negotiator Sir Keir Starmer would amount to a 'betrayal' of the 2016 referendum. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire, one of Mrs May's closest allies, said a second referendum would amount to 'not giving effect to the original vote'. He said it looked 'very, very difficult to identify a deal with Labour' that could win approval from Parliament. What would 'definitive' Brexit votes involve and how would it work? MPs would vote on whether they back Theresa May's Brexit deal - and alternatives to it - on the proviso the PM would then to act on their wishes. Definitive votes have never been held before in the UK, but it would be a similar system to the indicative votes held in Parliament in March and April. MPs would be presented with a ballot paper listing all the selected proposals and would vote 'aye' or 'noe' to whichever ones they choose. They can vote for just one, or all of them. The Government would not be legally obliged to swallow the results but Mrs May could promise to take the top option forward, but only if Jeremy Corbyn also agreed to the process. Advertisement Mr Williamson savaged Mrs May over the talks with Labour at the weekend, describing the initiative as 'politically naive' and 'doomed to fail'. Huw Merriman, parliamentary aide to Chancellor Philip Hammond, said Mr Williamson was 'probably right', adding: 'The Labour Party will not vote for something that doesn't have a (second referendum) attached to it.' Brexiteer ministers, including Liam Fox and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, are expected to urge Mrs May to step up preparations for a possible No Deal Brexit. It came as Michael Gove appealed to Tory grandees not to force the Prime Minister out before she delivered Brexit. In a series of interviews, the Environment Secretary said getting Brexit 'over the line' was 'more important' than forcing Mrs May to set out a timetable for her departure. In a stinging editorial yesterday, the Tory 'Bible' Conservative Home urged the committee to force her out this week. But Mr Gove - who refused to rule out running to succeed Mrs May as PM - urged them to give her another stay of execution. Meanwhile Labour's deputy leader, Tom Watson says a second referendum is the only way to deliver on a Brexit deal He told Sky News: 'I think it's important for us all to acknowledge that she's very graciously said that she will stand down when the withdrawal agreement is ratified. EU: We're still on a Brexit break! The European Union remains on a 'Brexit break' unless there are developments at Westminster, a spokesman said as Theresa May's negotiator Olly Robbins visited Brussels. European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: 'We continue on our Brexit break. 'We will come out of the Brexit break if there is something happening in London. 'We will listen to Olly Robbins tomorrow.' May's chief Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, is due in Brussels to discuss changes to the political declaration on the UK's future relationship with the EU. Robbins will explore how quickly changes could be made to the political declaration if the government and Labour can come to an agreement, Advertisement 'It's all our priority in politics to make sure that referendum mandate is honoured and then to give Theresa the time, space and dignity to leave in a way that she believes is right.' Conservative Home's editor Paul Goodman, a former Tory MP, acknowledged that the committee faced a 'difficult decision' - but warned the party could be plunged into 'oblivion' if the PM was allowed to stay. But he said it was now clear that 'the longer May remains Prime Minister, the deeper the damage to the Party and the country'. He added: 'However unpalatable it may be, the Committee must, if she refuses this week to go by the end of the summer, change the leadership challenge rules immediately... We are well aware that the most painless course for them is to opt for manana. But the wait for tomorrow risks marginalisation - even oblivion.' The analysis was backed yesterday by Jacob Rees-Mogg, who praised Mr Goodman as a 'sage commentator'. Mr Rees-Mogg said that the PM's unpopularity with activists made it impossible to see how she could continue as Tory leader. He added: 'At the moment, nobody is saying anything supportive of the leader or the leader's policy and the majority of people at associations I'm addressing, and these are members of the Party, tell me they're voting for the Brexit Party. So, I just don't see how a leader can go on so removed from the support base of the Party membership.' Calls for Mrs May have intensified since this month's local elections when the Conservatives lost 1,300 seats. Ministers now fear a bloodbath at the hands of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party next week when the country goes to the polls for European parliament elections that would not have taken place if the UK had left the EU on time. A YouGov poll yesterday found that the Tories were on course to slump to fifth place behind the Greens in next week's elections. The survey for the Times put the Brexit Party on 34 points, well ahead of Labour on 16, the Liberal Democrats on 15 and the Greens on 11. The poll put Tory support on just 10 per cent. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from both pro-Remain and pro-Brexit MPs in his party amid complaints that confusion over Labour's position cost them votes in the council elections. At the weekly meeting on Monday of the Parliamentary Labour Party, pro-Remain MP Peter Kyle told the Labour leader their message on a second referendum had been too complicated and had left voters perplexed. 'I urge you to simplify our policy so people realise we are speaking with absolute sincerity,' he told Mr Corbyn. Pro-Brexit MP John Mann called on Mr Corbyn to give Labour MPs a free vote on Brexit issues to reflect the divisions within the party and the country. 'Labour voters are divided in a very big way,' he told him. 'If you don't get this right you cannot be prime minister.' Mr Corbyn acknowledged the MPs' 'frustrations' and said he understood the need to simplify their message, telling them: 'I get that.' A Labour source said: 'Our message is about bringing the country together. That means people who voted Leave and people who voted for Remain.' Earlier, Sir Keir and Labour deputy leader Tom Watson threw their weight behind calls for any Brexit deal to be put to a second referendum - something Mr Corbyn has resisted. Jacinda Ardern and Emmanuel Macron will urge world leaders to sign up to a 'Christchurch Call' aimed at banning violent, extremist content online at the G7 summit in Paris tomorrow. New Zealand's Prime Minister and the French President want to put pressure on tech companies to remove material they say is harmful from their sites, while compelling countries to pass and enforce laws to eradicate it. Britain, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Norway Jordan, Senegal and Indonesia are expected to sign up, but America is thought to be holding out amid fears the new laws could harm freedom of speech. Jacinda Ardern and Emmanuel Macron will use a summit of G7 digital ministers in Paris on Wednesday to push people to sign up to the 'Christchurch Call' aimed at stopping violent, extremist material being published online The accord is named after the New Zealand city where 51 worshippers were shot dead at two mosques by a self-confessed white supremacist who live streamed part of his attack on Facebook. Representatives of Twitter, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and other internet companies will also be present at the meeting Wednesday. New Zealand Ambassador Jane Coombs said the Paris meeting aims to push governments, tech companies and other organizations to make 'concrete commitments.' The accord does not contain any mandatory measures, leaving it up to each country or company to decide how best to deal with the issue, the New York Times reported. But the accord does lay out a broad set of commitments that signatories will abide. Ms Ardern said last month that these will go beyond 'takedown policies' already in place, saying the aim is to stop violent content being published in the first place. According to the Times, the pledge will see tech firms agree to robustly enforce their terms of service, reduce the risks involved with live streaming and share information with each other and regulators about how they flag dangerous content. Representatives from Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft will attend - though Mark Zuckerberg will not be there, after meeting with Macron in Paris last week (pictured) The companies will also agree to alter algorithms that could direct people towards harmful content, and redirect users deliberately looking for such material. Aside from passing laws to ban objectionable content, countries must also set guidelines on how traditional media can report extremism without amplifying it. The move comes as countries around the world seek to crack down on internet firms following attempts to influence elections and the hijacking of platforms to spread extremist messages and disinformation. Singapore last week passed legislation that allows the government to flag and remove content from any tech platform that it deems to be untrue. Australia has also passed laws that compel tech firms to remove violent content, with the threat of massive fines and prison time for failing to comply. Meanwhile the UK is considering legislation that would impose a duty of care on websites to stamp out 'behaviours which are harmful but not necessarily illegal.' Australian Brenton Tarrant has been charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 of attempted murder after he allegedly opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch Part of the massacre were streamed live online and subsequently watched millions of times, leading to calls for a crackdown on social media platforms However, critics have warned that lawmakers are overreacting to the threat by drafting legislation that hands too much power to governments. Constance Bommelaer de Leusse, a senior member of campaign group the Internet Society, said: 'Uncoordinated and hasty action could affect the stability and security of the Internet, its citizens and the global economy. 'The tragic events in New Zealand should not skew the discussions, at the risk of causing serious damage.' Ms Ardern has already hit back at those claims, denying that her new accord will impinge upon freedom of expression. 'This isnt about freedom of expression; this is about preventing violent extremism and terrorism online,' she said. 'I dont think anyone would argue that the terrorist had a right to live stream the murder of 50 people.' Australian Brenton Tarrant has been charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 of attempted murder over the Christchurch attack on March 15. He has not yet entered a plea and has been ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation. His next court appearance is set for June 14. Paul Spence has been jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to 12 charges including attempts to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity A father-of-three who avoided jail when he tried to meet young girls for sex has now been sent to prison after being caught messaging children for a second time. Paul Spence was detained by volunteers in a citizen's arrest then arrested by police after he sent explicit WhatsApp messages to an investigator posing as an 11-year-old girl. But the 47-year-old from New Moston, Manchester, was released under investigation after claiming his messages were a 'joke'. The same group, Child Online Safety Team (COST), caught Spence again seven months later when he began communicating with a volunteer pretending to be a 12-year-old girl. In a series of messages Spence said: 'Have you ever kissed anybody? I could teach you how to kiss. Do you want me to wash your back? Do you want me to see your breasts.' Spence was detained by volunteers in a citizen's arrest then arrested by police after he sent explicit WhatsApp messages to an investigator posing as an 11-year-old girl Spence first came to the attention of the vigilante group in November 2017 when he logged onto the social media network Qeep and began communicating with what he thought was an 11-year old girl. Prosecutor Jonathan Savage told the court Spence encourage the 'girl' to send explicit photos, warned her not to tell anyone and threatened her, saying: 'If you loved me you'd send pictures.' Mr Savage said: 'In the first contact with this person he said: 'Do you like older men?' to which she responded: 'I don't know I'm only 11.' 'He said: "You've got good t**s for 11". They switched to WhatsApp and the defendant asked if she wanted him to be her secret boyfriend and said: 'If you were older you would want me to f*** you.' Mr Savage added: 'He asked her to send him a picture of herself and suggested whatever was said was deleted. When asked what photographs he wanted he said: 'your young t**s.' The 'paedophile hunters' were unable to locate Spence but the following year he began unwittingly messaging another investigator posing as a girl aged 12. During the exchanges he said it was a 'shame she wasn't old enough to join him in the bath.' He also contacted a third decoy through a social media site and asked her to send a picture, telling her she was 'hot for 14' and suggested they meet for sex. He was then confronted for a second time at his home in New Moston, Manchester by the same group who streamed the encounter on social media In October last year the group managed to track his location and rang 999 before confronting him at his home where he told them: 'This is against my rights.' He was taken into custody but released by the police pending investigation. The group began investigating Spence again in March this year after got in contact with a fourth decoy but he said he had destroyed the sim card on his mobile phone. He was re-arrested by police and later charged. In mitigation for Spence defence lawyer Shirlie Duckworth said Spense acknowledged he had a sexual interest in children of an early age. Judge David Stockdale QC told Spence: 'The ages of the decoy profile girls ranged from 11 - 14 years and it is a feature of the case which even when you knew the matter was under investigation by the police, your attempts to pursue young girls continued. 'I bear in mind throughout that these were attempts to commit the offences however this was repeated offending over a lengthy period of time.' Spence was jailed for three years at Manchester Crown Court, after he pleaded guilty to 12 charges including attempts to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He was also ordered to abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period. Ivan Milat has been transported from Goulburn Supermax prison to a Sydney hospital ward in need of serious medical attention. The serial killer was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney's east on Monday in a move that required a huge security operation. New South Wales Corrective Services confirmed the reports on Tuesday, stating that a '74-year-old inmate is being treated in a Sydney hospital'. Scroll down for video Ivan Milat has been transported from Goulburn Supermax prison to a Sydney hospital ward in a secretive high-security operation A source has told Daily Mail Australia that Milat is expected to return to Goulburn within days Milat will be held in a secure annex of the hospital (pictured) that's been specially designed to hold dangerous prisoners Milat's health has deteriorated in recent years due to a number of age-related illnesses and he has been seen by several medical specialists. It is not known why he has been taken to hospital on this occasion. Despite reports that Milat may never return to jail, a source told Daily Mail Australia that the backpacker killer is expected to return to Goulburn 'within days'. Milat will be treated in a secure annex at the Prince of Wales Hospital designed to hold maximum security prisoners. MILAT'S MURDERS Between 1989 and 1992 seven young backpackers went missing while hitch-hiking on the outskirts of Sydney, New South Wales. Their bodies were all discovered in the Belanglo State Forest, near Bowral, south of Sydney, and found to be victims of serial killer Ivan Milat. The victims were: Victorians Deborah Everist and James Gibson, both 19, who were last seen in December 1989, and who were each stabbed multiple times. German Simone Schmidl, 20, who disappeared in January 1991 and died from multiple stab wounds, including a knife through her spinal cord. German Gabor Neugebauer, 21, who was gagged and shot six times and his 20-year-old girlfriend Anja Habschied, who was decapitated after they disappeared in January 1992. Britons Caroline Clarke, 21, who was shot 10 times as if she was target practice and Joanne Walters, 22, who was stabbed. Last seen in April 1992. Ivan Milat received seven life sentences for the murders and will die in Goulburn's Supermax prison. Advertisement While in the hospital Milat will be under constant supervision by at least two armed guards. NSW Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin told Seven News: 'We've got specialist teams to ensure that at any time there is absolute guarantee of safety and security, both in the context of the person but also the context of the environment that the person has to be in for a period of time. 'You can be rest assured it is done in the most secure and safe way possible.' Mr Severin added that those in charge of transporting Milat are highly trained and extensive planning had been carried out to ensure he was moved safely. Milat has left the prison on just two other occasions - once in 2001 for a court appearance and once in 2009 when he cut off his finger. Deborah Everist (left) and Anja Habschied (right) were among Ivan Milat's seven victims. Everist, 19, died after being stabbed multiple times. Habschied, 20, was decapitated Milat was convicted of murdering seven backpackers aged 19 to 22 in the Belanglo State Forest, south of Sydney, and jailed for life in 1996. He stabbed most of his victims - decapitating one whose head has never been found - and shot another 10 times in the head as if using her for target practice. He was also questioned in 2004 about the disappearance of two nurses at Parramatta in 1980 when he was working at the nearby Granville depot of the then Department of Main Roads. In 2006 Milat was named by police at an inquest as the person most likely to have killed a schoolgirl and her boyfriend who disappeared from northern Sydney in 1978. This is the last photo taken of a mother, 34, before she killed herself following a struggle with post-natal depression. Stephanie Housley, 34, had been 'battling demons' before she plunged to her death off a bridge above a dual carriageway near Stoke-on-Trent in March. Her brother Simon shared an image taken hours before her death of them 'enjoying life to the full' on social media before urging people to make the most of their time with their families. Meanwhile her partner James Walton told North Staffordshire Coroner's Court the pair had been 'so happy' during their 18-month relationship and that none of her family were aware she had suicidal thoughts. The inquest was also told she had enjoyed a 'lovely meal' with a relative just hours before she jumped from the bridge. Stephanie Housley, pictured with brother Simon, killed herself after jumping from a bridge above a dual carriageway after struggling with post-natal depression She had been diagnosed with post-natal depression three months before her death after her daughter began suffering with colic - a condition where a baby cries for long spells without any apparent cause. In a statement read out at yesterday's inquest, Mr Walton said his partner 'just wanted to be a mum' but they had struggled because their daughter developed stomach problems. He said: 'We found out we were having a baby together, moved in together, and were so happy. 'Following the birth of our daughter, Steph suffered with post-natal depression. Our daughter was having stomach problems and we discovered she had a dairy intolerance. 'It was a hard time for both of us, especially waking up every two hours, we didn't know what was wrong. 'Steph was admitted to a parent and baby unit to receive some support. It started to become easier and Steph went back to work as a carer at UK Care Management.' He added: 'She loved caring for people, although she did not enjoy the long hours. It restricted time with her daughter as she did 12-hour shifts two days a week. 'This was due to change to three days, that was the only thing playing on Steph's mind, she just wanted to be a mum.' The inquest heard Ms Housley had attempted to kill herself twice before and her father committed suicide when she was a child. Mr Walton said he last saw his partner alive at 7am on March 11 when he made her a cup of tea and took their baby to her. Later Ms Housley and a relative shared three bottles of wine with their meal at the Weathervane pub, in Meir Park. The inquest heard they then walked to a nearby Tesco before the relative took Ms Housley's daughter home. Tributes have been left at the bridge in her memory, pictured, and she was described as a 'loving and caring' woman by her partner James Walton who added she 'just wanted to be a mum' A dog-walker later saw Ms Housley sitting cross-legged on the bridge at 6.41pm. The witness told the inquest said: 'She turned to me and smiled. She looked very well presented and did not look upset. So I carried on walking my dog. 'I looked back but carried on walking down and I called 101 and then 999 to raise concerns.' The inquest heard Ms Housley fell to her death before the police could arrive and her family said they saw no warning signs that she was planning to take her own life. Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner Sarah Murphy said: 'I want to stress that having heard the evidence of Mr Walton there was absolutely no way that Mr Walton, or any of her family, could have known that that was her intention. 'We heard she had a lovely time in the afternoon, there was absolutely no indication that that was going through her mind. 'I hope her family and friends go away knowing there was nothing they could have done to prevent this. She was taking medication and had sought help. 'She was a good mother and had returned to work, doing the best she could for her family.' After the tragedy her heartbroken brother Simon shared the happy last photo of his 'amazing sister' taken only hours before she fell to her death Grief-stricken Mr Housley posted the image online which he said appears to show two people 'who look like they're enjoying life to the full'. He added: 'But unfortunately what you see is two people who have battled their own inner demons for a long, long time.' In a moving tribute, Mr Housley has now urged people and their families to seek help and to spend as much time as possible making memories with their loved ones. Pamela Turner, 44, a mother-of-two and grandmother-of-three, has been identified as the woman who was shot and killed by a police officer in Texas overnight (pictured in an April 25 mugshot) Police in Texas revealed this afternoon that the 44-year-old woman who was seen in a shocking video getting shot and killed by a police officer after shouting 'I'm pregnant' was not, in fact, an expectant mother. Baytown Police Lt. Steve Dorris confirmed in a statement to the media the identity of the shooting victim, Pamela Turner, and announced that 'she was not pregnant.' According to police, Turner struck the officer in the groin with his own Taser, shocking him. In response, the cop fired multiple rounds at the woman, striking her at least once. The officer, who was not named but described as Hispanic, has been placed on paid administrative leave, as per department policy. The 11-year veteran of the department was patrolling the Brixton Apartments complex on Garth Road Monday night and attempted to arrest Turner because he had previously dealt with her and knew she had outstanding warrants, according to police. In the video circulating on social media, Turner is heard saying, 'Youre actually harassing me' and 'Im actually walking to my house.' The 44-year-old woman is on the ground and appears to reach toward the officer when she seems to be heard saying 'Im pregnant.' Moments later he fires five shots, killing her. Footage circulating on social media shows the officer following Pamela Turner through the car park in Baytown, Texas, as she tells him he is 'harassing' her Police claim Turner fired the officer's Taser at his groin before he opened fire on her KPRC spoke to Turner's sister, Antoinette, who said Pamela has two children in their 20s and three young grandchildren. Turner had three outstanding warrants on charges of assault and criminal mischief (pictured in old mugshot) The sister also revealed that the 44-year-old woman had been taking medication for schizophrenia. According to Antoinette, the officer who killed her sister was Turner's neighbor in the apartment complex and she had previously complained about his harassing her. Court records show that Turner had three warrants out for her arrest on a charge of assault resulting in bodily harm and two counts of criminal mischief. Her criminal history also included an arrest on April 25 on charges of disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Antoinette has not been able to confirm that her sister was pregnant, and police said that an autopsy will determine that. Police are seen on the scene at the Brixton Apartments in Baytown, Texas, Monday night, where an officer shot Pamela Turner five times, killing her Turner and the cop were neighbors, and police say he knew she had outstanding warrants According to heavy.com, Baytown Police Lieutenant Dorris said in a Facebook post on the force's official account: 'It is very early in the investigation however what detectives have learned thus far is one of our officers, an 11 year veteran with the department, was patrolling an apartment complex in the 1600 block of Garth Road when he came across a 45-year-old female that he knew from previous encounters and knew she had outstanding warrants. 'The officer contacted the female and attempted to arrest her at which time a struggle ensued, forcing the officer to deploy his department issued Taser at the female. 'It appears that as the officer was then attempting to handcuff the female she was able to gain control of his Taser and turned it on the officer, Tasing the officer, which forced the officer to draw his duty weapon and fire multiple rounds at the female, striking her at least once.' A train driver took his own life just months after hitting and killing a suicidal pedestrian. Scott Walker was unable to cope with the tragedy and was found dead after police broke into his four-bedroom home in Hull. The 43-year-old father-of-four had started drinking heavily after the train he was driving hit a pedestrian, who had ended their own life. Hull Coroner's Court heard that the trauma of the ordeal eventually led to the breakdown of Mr Walker's relationship. Scott Walker (pictured left) had started drinking heavily following the train accident, which eventually led to a breakdown in his relationship (right an Arriva Trains Northern train) His heartbroken ex-partner told the hearing: 'After the train accident, which was confirmed as a suicide in January 2018, it really affected Scott. He was never the same after that. 'He would drink heavily and have a temper. He would usually send me abusive messages. 'It was on October 1, a month before Scott's death, that I decided to move out of the family home with our two children.' Mr Scott worked at Arriva Trains Northern as well as working as a bus driver and for the Yorkshire Evening Post in the printing department. Mr Walker was found dead after police broke into his four-bedroom home on St Michael's Drive, Hull (pictured above) His GP said Mr Scott had explained he was 'of low mood' but had no intention of taking his own life during a visit in July 2018. He had complained of having anxiety and depression and was given medication. Mr Scott had needed several weeks off work after the train accident but was going back to work while being paired up with another driver. He was also being supported by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) following the death on the track, the inquest was told. Hull Coroner's Court (pictured above) heard that there had been no evidence of third party involvement Scott was found dead by police officers who entered his home at around 3.30pm. They told the inquest he was found clutching a note in his hand. Dr Laszlo Karsai, consultant histopathologist at Hull Royal Infirmary, told the hearing the medical cause of death was 'drug poisoning'. Humberside Police officer PC Steven Wood said there was no evidence of third party involvement or suspicious circumstances surrounding Scott's death. Area Coroner Rosemary Baxter concluded the inquest into Scott's death as suicide. She said: 'He had anxiety and depression since the train accident and recently had split from his partner. I find his many personal problems overcame him at the end and he wanted to take his life by his own hand.' If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article then you can call the Samaritans on 116 123, alternatively you can visit the website at by clicking here. Widening inequality of income, health, and political access in the UK are putting Britain on a path to emulate the USA - the most economically unequal nation on earth - according to a Nobel Prize-winning economist. Professor Sir Angus Deaton has launched a five-year, 2.5m study by the Institute of Fiscal Studies amid fears Britain is on the cusp of sinking towards deep and ingrained inequalities following a decade of stagnant pay growth. The IFS said the British-born economist would 'point to the risk of the UK following the US' which has extreme inequality levels in pay, wealth and health. Speaking to the Guardian at the launch of the study, Sir Angus said: 'There's a real question about whether democratic capitalism is working, when it's only working for part of the population. Nobel Laureate in economics Professor Angus Deaton speaks during the 2015 Nobel Banquet at the Stockholm City Hall. He will chair a five-year study into inequality The Sveriges Riksbank Prize: economic award from Nobel committee Technically, there is no Nobel Prize for Economics. In the will he drafted in 1895, Alfred Nobel instructed that most of his fortune be set aside as a fund for the awarding of five annual prizes 'to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.' These prizes as established by his will are the Nobel Prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. The first distribution of the prizes took place on December 10, 1901, the fifth anniversary of Nobel's death. An additional award, the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, was established in 1968 by the Bank of Sweden and was first awarded in 1969. Although not technically a Nobel Prize, it is identified with the award; its winners are announced with the Nobel Prize recipients, and the Prize in Economic Sciences is presented at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony. Source: Encyclopedia Britannica Advertisement 'There are things where Britain is still doing a lot better [than the US]. What we have to do is to make sure the UK is inoculated from some of the horrors that have happened in the US.' He told the paper there is a pervasive sense that 'not everybody is having a fair crack anymore' He pointed to geographical disparities in wealth and health between England and Scotland, and London and the Northeast, he said: 'Theres a sense that if you live in one part of Britain away from the capital, lots of bad things are happening, while lots of good things are happening in the capital and you dont see why you should be left behind that way.' The IFS said the study will be one of the most ambitious of its kind and aim to understand inequality not just of income, but of health, wealth and opportunity. The aim is to 'answer some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of inequality in the 21st century, the forces shaping it, and what can, and should, be done about it'. The panel overseeing the project includes world-leading experts in sociology, demography, epidemiology, political science, philosophy and economics, and will commission work from other experts to help understand inequalities in outcomes by gender, ethnicity, geography, age and education. Sir Angus said: 'I am delighted that IFS and the Nuffield Foundation [who are funding the study] have launched this review, and am honoured that I have been asked to chair it. 'It is an exciting prospect to work with so many distinguished scholars in so many disciplines to try to understand more about the nature of inequality, what it is about inequality that upsets so many people, and what might be done about it.' Professor Sir Angus Deaton, Nobel Laureate and Chair of the Review The study will look to understand what concerns people about inequality, what aspects of it are perceived to be fair and unfair, and how those concerns relate to the actual levels of inequality and the processes by which they are created. In a 2017 study the top one per cent of earners captured nearly 10 per cent of the income in both areas in 1980. In 2016 it had climbed to 12 per cent in Western Europe but had more than doubled to 20 per cent in the United States It will identify the forces that drive inequalities technological change, labour market institutions, education systems, family structures, globalisation and the role of policy in shaping and mitigating them. IFS director Paul Johnson said: 'There can be few things more important than understanding what drives the inequalities we see in the UK, and what we can do to mitigate them. 'I couldn't be more delighted that, in this 50th anniversary year of the IFS, we will be working with Sir Angus and other world leading experts to answer some of the most pressing questions facing not only the UK but the Western world as a whole.' The study will also seek to provide proposals for the most effective policy responses to different types of inequality and give the British government 'a far clearer and more holistic view of the effectiveness of available policy options and trade-offs between them'. The Nobel laureate Professor Sir Angus Deaton - not to be confused with the disgraced TV host whose surname is spelled Deayton - is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton. His main academic interests are in poverty, inequality, health, development, well-being, and the use of evidence in social science and medicine. Professor Sir Angus Deaton He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2015 for his analysis of consumption, poverty and welfare. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He is a fellow of the Econometric Society, and was the first recipient of the Society's Frisch Medal for Applied Econometrics. He is currently writing a book with Anne Case, provisionally titled Deaths of despair and the future of capitalism, to be published by Princeton Press in spring 2020. Source: IFS Advertisement Tim Gardam, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Foundation, said: 'The nature of Inequality, and the forms it takes, are changing rapidly in the 21st century and it is an issue that lies at the heart of our political discourse. 'It is inherent to the increasingly vehement debate around concepts of fairness, rights, gender, ethnicity and identity. 'As an independent funder, the Nuffield Foundation sees the Deaton Review as a project central to our purpose to define and enhance opportunity and social well-being. 'The evidence and argument that will come from the thinking of such a distinguished panel, led by Sir Angus Deaton, has the potential to refashion what we know about inequality and present viable policy options for securing a more emancipated and inclusive society.' It comes after Social Mobility Commission said last month that inequality tin the UK had remained virtually stagnant since 2014 and that it will remain entrenched from birth to work without urgent action. The watchdog singled out two policies which could actually be making the situation worse. The first is the commitment to give working families with young children 30 hours a week childcare, so long as they earn more than 6,500 a year. The commission said this risks impeding social mobility because the lowest earners cannot access it, and because only middle-class families in well-paid jobs benefit from the policy in terms of disposable income. It also criticised the increasing tendency of universities to give unconditional offers to poorer students saying it was leading to lower attainment at A level. In the commissions latest State Of The Nation report, chairwoman Dame Martina Milburn said: We lay bare the stark fact that social mobility has stagnated over the last four years at virtually all stages, from birth to work. Being born privileged in Britain means that you are likely to remain privileged,' she said. A Sydney-based doctor has been found guilty of 18 sex offences including sexual intercourse without the consent of multiple female patients under his authority. Sharif Fattah, 62, had denied 30 charges of sexual or indecent assault committed during medical consultations in the six months from September 2016. He gave evidence the allegations were incorrect, untrue and 'absolutely wrong'. Sydney-based doctor Sharif Fattah (pictured right) has been found guilty of 18 sex offences including sexual intercourse without the consent of multiple female patients But a NSW District Court jury on Tuesday found him guilty of 18 of the charges. These include 13 counts of sexual intercourse without consent and five counts of assault with act of indecency. He was found not guilty of the 12 other offences. The 62-year-old doctor, who practised medicine at Camden Health Centre (pictured), had denied 30 charges of sexual or indecent assault allegedly committed during medical consultations in the six months from September 2016 Fattah was accused of performing medically unnecessary examinations on the women for his own sexual gratification but argued at trial each had a 'proper medical purpose'. The 16 female complainants, who each gave evidence, were aged between 19 and 40. Fattah's matter returns to court on Friday, May 17. A court has heard the creepy details of a married grandfather who stalked four women who lived in his building. Nisbet Eaglesham, 77, kept more than 5000 photos and 2500 pages of diary entries on just one of his victims between 2011 and 2017 in Sydney's Northern Beaches. Eaglesham said he became obsessed with four women in their 20s because he was 'bored' after retiring, and even broke into one woman's apartment and took photos of her underwear. At the Downing Centre on Friday, Judge John Pickering banned the grandfather from Narrabeen, Balgowlah and Manly - where he lives with his wife, The Daily Telegraph reported. A court has heard that married 77-year-old grandfather Nisbet Eaglesham stalked four women who lived in his Manly apartment building, and even managed to get into a woman's unit and took photos of her bed and underwear The Scottish-born retired engineer would secretly take photos of the women as they entered and exited the apartment block, while they were at the beach, and as they were exercising. He also combed Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to get even more information on the women, and even managed to find out the details of the men they were dating. Eaglesham went through the women's rubbish bins and letter boxes, and collected birthday cards, bills, wedding invitations and medical prescriptions. He took photos of the items he took and kept the information in stalker dossiers, which were kept on USB drives with thousands of pages of photos and videos of his victims. Eaglesham went through the women's rubbish bins and letter boxes, and collected birthday cards, bills and medical prescriptions, and then took photos of the items and kept the information in stalker dossiers, which were kept on USB drives with thousands of pages of photos and videos of his victims A photo of Eaglesham completely naked was also found in the secret files. The grandfather also sent presents to the women at their work and homes, using the alias 'Fred'. He sent a pendant to one of the women with a note saying 'I'll be watching to see if you wear it.' One of the women caught him taking photos of her after she got off the Manly Ferry on the way to a yoga class. He even took photos of her underwear and her bed after getting into her unit. Eaglesham landed on the police's radar back in December 2012 after a police caught him putting a package into one woman's letterbox. He was slapped with an apprehended violence order (AVO) for a little over a year, but started his stalking again at the beginning of 2014. Eaglesham continued stalking for three years before police searched his apartment in July 2017 after another woman complained he was following her. At Friday's sentencing hearing, Judge Pickering said 'anyone with a moral compass must have realised this behaviour would have been intimidatory to any woman.' At the Downing Centre on Friday, Judge John Pickering banned the grandfather from Narrabeen, Balgowlah and Manly - where his victims now live He said he had never seen anything like Eaglesham's level of stalking and obsession in his career, and hopes he never has to see it again. '(We can be) only thankful that nothing worse, than what happened, did happen,' Judge Pickering said. Last year, Eaglesham pleaded guilty last year to four counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm and one count of enter a dwelling with intent. On Friday, Judge Pickering sentenced Eaglesham to 500 hours of community service and placed him on a three-year Intensive Corrections Order. He will be strictly supervised by Community Corrections officers, and won't be allowed to enter Manly, Narrabeen and Balgowlah - where the victims live. The order means he will no longer be able to live with his wife at their home. After months of keeping a lid on rhetoric, China unleashed its tightly controlled media as the trade war with the United States reignited Beijing unleashed its tightly controlled media this week after keeping a lid on rhetoric for months as the trade war with Washington reignited, with fiery clips from state media ricocheting around the internet. The spree of editorials and commentaries in China's state media Monday and Tuesday ramped up attacks on Washington and its trade tactics, with Beijing rolling out the propaganda campaign in sync with its retaliation on US goods. China announced Monday it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US exports by next month, responding in kind to President Donald Trump's decision last week to hike duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise. The barrage began Monday night during state broadcaster CCTV's primetime newscast watched across China. "China has already given its answer: talk and the door is open, fight and we'll fight you to the end," an anchor read, looking directly at the camera. "Through 5,000 years of ups and downs, what kind of battle has the Chinese nation not seen! During the great process of realising national rejuvenation, there will inevitably be difficulties, obstacles and even storms," he read. "China's policy toolbox is ready and prepared for a comprehensive response." The clip ricocheted around the Chinese internet, trending on Twitter-like Weibo and going viral on Wechat, inviting a massive show of support from the country's legions of netizens. Official news agency Xinhua on Tuesday accused the United States of "using underhanded means to achieve its aim" and "downright bullying" in an editorial. If the US thinks it "can achieve its goals with trade bullying, it is really underestimating the will and determination of the Chinese people to defend their core interests," the editorial said. The editor-in-chief of nationalistic daily Global Times Hu Xijin said, "For China it is the whole country and all the people who are being coerced, and for us this is a real "people's war," in a Monday commentary and accompanying online video. "Previously the Chinese government always understated the trade conflict with the United States, only said this is trade friction but now the trade friction has hit to this level," said Shi Yinhong, director of the American studies center at Renmin University. "This is only too belatedly they've accepted the fact that it is a trade war," he said. -Downplaying tensions- For months as American and Chinese officials faced off at the negotiating table, China's media downplayed the trade tensions. Propaganda directives handed out last year instructed media to play down the trade war's effect on the stock market, refrain from whipping up public opinion, and halt mentions of Made in China 2025, an industrial policy that drew global criticism, according to China Digital Times, which publishes propaganda directives. Last Monday China's stock market dropped five percent after Trump announced the tariff hike on Twitter, but for hours Chinese media refrained from reporting the reason for the drop while some online comments were censored. Since October the Communist Party's mouthpiece People's Daily gradually reduced mentions of "trade war" in the pages of its paper, opting instead for the less strident "trade friction", according to a content analysis by an independent researcher shared with AFP. This week "trade war" is again spiking, the analysis showed. The US Trade Representative started the process of imposing new duties on about $300 billion worth of additional Chinese merchandise Monday, while Trump said he had not decided whether he would ultimately impose those levies. The anti-American rhetoric will increase, said Shi, adding, "it is for the domestic Chinese audience -- but the Chinese government will not let this kind of logic go too far and damage the prospect of continuing trade talks," he said. "Every time you encounter an enemy, you need to become stronger," said one editorial widely reposted by China's state media on Tuesday. Advertisement Haunting photos capturing the moment Nazi soldiers surrendered to U.S. troops and other scenes from D-Day have been released in time for the 75th anniversary next month. On June 6, 1944, American, British and Canadian troops stormed beaches in Normandy, northern France, in what proved to be a key turning point in the Second World War. In just one day, around 4,300 Allied personnel lost their lives in what would be the largest amphibious invasion ever launched. Images taken from U.S. Army Air Corps photographers flying overhead during Operation Overlord show boats making their way on to the beaches and abandoned ships in the sand. Another shot from the U.S. coastguard, dubbed 'The Jaws of Death', shows troops from Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, wading through the sea as they leave the U.S.S. Samuel Chase. World leaders are to attend memorial events in Normandy on June 6 to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. This haunting photograph which captured the moment a group of Nazi soldiers surrendered to U.S. troops on D-Day has been released for the 75th anniversary next month One snap taken by the U.S. coastguard, dubbed 'The Jaws of Death', shows troops from Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, wading through the sea as they leave the U.S.S. Samuel Chase Here, a group of soldiers from the 16th Infantry Regiment who were injured while storming Omaha Beach are seen waiting by the chalk cliffs for evacuation to a field hospital On June 6, 1944, American, British and Canadian troops stormed beaches in Normandy, northern France, in what proved to be a key turning point in the Second World War. Pictured: Aerial images taken by U.S. Army Air corps showing D-Day beach traffic In just one day, around 4,300 Allied personnel lost their lives in what would be the largest amphibious invasion ever launched. Pictured: a convoy of U.S. landing craft near the beach in Normandy U.S. soldiers can be seen on a landing craft as they prepare to land on the beach in Normandy, France, on the first day of Operation Overlord Medics can be seen attending to wounded U.S. soldier on Utah Beach on the first day of the invasion during the Second World War Gliders flying suppliers to U.S. soldiers fighting on Utah Beach in Normandy, northern France, in a haunting image U.S. soldiers of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, move over a seawall on Utah Beach during the Allied Invasion of Europe Barges carrying supplies for U.S. soldiers are challenged by pounding surf along the coast as they make their way to the beaches U.S. soldiers in cargo vehicles can be seen moving along the beach on the first day of Operation Overlord Members of a landing party can be seen helping injured U.S. soldiers to safety on Utah beach 75 years ago next month Ships carrying soldiers and equipment across the English Channel towards the coast of Normandy on D-Day The editor of pro-Remain newspaper The New European has been blasted on Twitter after mocking Brexit Party supporters by suggesting they were incontinent. In a since-deleted tweet widely shared online Matt Kelly posted a picture from a Nigel Farage event also pocked fun at the age and ethnicity of those present. He wrote: 'An actual Nigel Farage audience. Marvel at the diversity, behold the spread of demographics. 'And bring a mop to clear up the leaked p*** afterwards.' Mr Kelly (left) clashing with Nigel Farage on Good Morning Britain last September. The New European One critic, John Brodie, wrote: 'When you consider that the writer of this disgusting Tweet is editor of The New European, it explains why practically nobody reads this ''newspaper''.' Another sarcastically joked that the tweet was 'classy'. The website is owned by local newspaper group Archant and was set up after the 2016 referendum and has the tagline 'Brexit news for the 48 per cent'. It was initially set to run for just four weeks but sold enough copies to keep going and now sells around 20,000 copies a week. It lists Change UK spokesman Chuka Umunna and former New Labour bigwigs Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell among contributors. After deleting the tweet Mr Kelly posted an apology, saying: 'Clearly this tweet has upset a lot of people; it was meant to be light-hearted but it has caused a lot of people offence for which I apologise.' Former spin doctor Mr Campbell was appointed editor-at-large of the newspaper two years ago. The outspoken Remainer was brought in to help shape editorial policy at the weekly title, and vowed to use the platform to target the 'Brextremist lie machine' and Theresa May's plans for withdrawal from the bloc. KFC has finally responded to claims a student was arrested for eating free chicken for a year after the story went viral following widespread coverage in Africa. KFC South Africa finally responded to the social media fans of the alleged chicken coman, to say: 'It would be legendary if only it were true. Fake is as far as it gets with this story.' The story had spread after African press picked up on a 'rumour' according to the fast-food chain. Reports had claimed a student had been going to the fried chicken shops around Durban telling staff he was from headquarters and was testing standards. KFC has finally responded to claims a student was arrested for reportedly eating free chicken for a year after the story went viral following widespread coverage in Africa [file photo] KFC said the story would have been 'legendary' if true but was unfortunately without foundation He was said to stroll in smartly dressed with a clipboard and walk to the kitchen before taking notes and sampling food. The suited chicken connoisseur was said to brandish an ID card with the words 'head office' and pretended to be quality-testing the meals, while bagging a free dinner, Daily Active Kenya reported. But despite the dishonesty, the fictional conman earned the respect of thousands on social media who praised him as a 'legend.' Twitter user Lee Kirichu wrote: 'He is a legend and is now very experienced taster. KFC should employ him.' While another called Gladys said: 'Seizing the opportunity I call it! His is kinda funny to me.... Whole damn year!' But KFC's official Twitter account in South Africa confirmed today: 'We'd give him all of the props if it were true but unfortunately it isn't, cause this is fake news.' Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has written to staff to calm fears over the ride-hailing firm's disastrous stock market debut. Mr Khosrowshahi emailed employees on Monday after the company's share price tumbled by almost 12 per cent that day to $36.63. That final value was a total of 18.6 per cent lower than Thursday's initial public offering (IPO) price of $45 a share. Keep smiling: Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi at the New York Stock Exchange at his firm's initial public offering, which saw the share price tumble The CEO pointed out in the email, posted on Twitter by New York Times reporter Mike Isaac, that Facebook and Amazon also had rough starts on the stock exchange. 'Remember that the Facebook and Amazon post-IPO trading was incredibly difficult for those companies,' he wrote. 'And look at how they have delivered since.' Amazon was floated in May 1997, falling from $2.44 a share to $1.96 on its first day of trading, and taking two months to recover to its initial price, which has since almost doubled. Facebook plunged 21 per cent in the first month after its May 2012 debut, but has since risen 377 per cent over its starting share price. Hail to the chief: Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi at the New York stock exchange for the floatation of the ride-hailing app firm 'Obviously our stock did not trade as well as we had hoped post-IPO,' Mr Khosrowshahi conceded. 'There are many versions of our future that are highly profitable and valuable, and there are of course some that are less so,' he wrote. 'During times of negative market sentiment, the pessimistic voices get louder, and the optimistic voices pull back.' Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi outside the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday May 10 for his firm's initial public offering Uber has been hit by numerous controversies since it was founded in 2009. The company's previous CEO Travis Kalanick stepped down in 2017 after seven years over allegations that he presided over a toxic workplace culture and ignored allegations of sexual harrassment at the firm. Mr Kalanick remains an Uber shareholder and board member. Licensed cab drivers in France, Spain and other countries have staged protests and strikes against the app they say undercuts their business. In March 2018, pedestrian Elaine Herzberg was run down and killed by an experimental self-driving Uber cab. In January 2018 Alfonso Alarcon-Nunez, an illegal immigrant working as an Uber driver, was arrested for raping, assualting and robbing four female passengers. In October 2015 Indian Uber driver Shiv Kumar Yadav was jailed for raping a 26-year-old woman passenger, an incident which prompted Delhi to ban the the firm. Uber has also been banned in London, the Czech city of Brno, most of the US state of Oregon and the whole of Bulgaria. It has also had its licence suspended in Denmark and Hungary. Animal rights activists have urged Chinese authorities to launch an investigation after a video appears to show live puppies being put inside a claw machine for gamers to grab. The clip, believed to be filmed in a Chinese city, shows about ten pooches apparently trapped inside the arcade prize vending machine with a sign saying 'someone please come to take me home'. A man then seemingly pulls one of the dogs out of the machine before holding it in his arms. The video, now trending on Twitter, apparently shows live dogs being offered as prizes at an arcade in China. Animal rights activists have urged Chinese authorities to investigate the clip The video has gone viral on Twitter after being shared by one user named Daniel Schneider last week. It has sparked accusation of animal cruelty among the viewers, but some also wondered whether the dogs were real. It remains unclear when, where and for what purpose the video was filmed. After watching the footage, one Chinese claw machine expert told MailOnline that the clip was likely produced as a publicity stunt. One Chinese claw machine expert told MailOnline that the clip was likely a publicity stunt. The expert said it was not a trend in China to use live dogs as prizes for claw machine players Xiamen-based Chen Zhitong is billed as the 'king of claw machines' in the country. He has played on hundreds of machines and wins some 1,000 prizes a month on average. Mr Chen stressed that it was not a trend in China to use live dogs as prizes for arcade gamers. He explained: 'To start with, it would not be financially viable for claw machine operators. They wouldn't charge players 1 yuan (11p) per time but give them expensive prizes like this.' However, Mr Chen said he had seen live lobsters and crabs as game prizes. Last year, footage from inside an arcade in Shanghai shows a group of people winning a live lobster from a claw machine. Get your claws out! Claw machine with live lobsters and crabs inside as prizes do exist in China In 2017, a trending video from China appears to show a gamer trying to grab live cats from a claw machine, but the clip turned out to be part of an advertisement. A spokesperson from PETA urged Chinese authorities to look into possible animal abuse after watching the latest trending video. The spokesperson called it 'a matter of urgency' if the dogs are real. The spokesperson also condemned any live animals, including lobsters, turtles and crabs, being put in claw machines as prizes to gamers. Chris Hackett, 34, pictured with his partner Natalie, escaped with his BMW with his puppy before it burst into flames outside his home in Hertford A driver escaped his faulty BMW with his dog in his arms seconds before the car burst into flames. Chris Hackett, 34, put his Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bailey inside his white BMW 320d estate before rushing back inside his flat to get his phone. After he got back behind the wheel he noticed smoke billowing from the vehicle. Fearing for his and puppy's life, he abandoned the car and ran off - only to look back and see the car in flames. BMW claims it sent three letters to Mr Hackett's Hertford home to tell him about two separate recalls to his vehicle. But he maintains he never received them and has been left out of pocket after the company refused to buy him a replacement and stopped paying for a courtesy car. He said: 'I couldn't believe it. I thought how lucky I was to be in a position to get it to a spot and get out. 'If I'd run up to the flat, got the phone and thought I need to do something else Bailey probably would have died.' Fearing for his and puppy's lives, he abandoned the car and ran off - only to look back and see the car in flames (pictured) Mr Hackett called 999 and firefighters extinguished the blaze that left his car a blackened shell (pictured after explosion) Mr Hackett, who lives with his partner Natalie, 35, and restores classic cars for a living, claims he smelt burning plastic when he sat in the driver's seat. But he decided to quickly move the car so it wouldn't explode near his block of flats. He added: 'I panicked and thought I'd better move it away from the flats just in case something bad happens. Escaped: Mr Hackett took puppy Bailey in his arms and ran out of his car 'I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see anymore so I bailed out the car. It was that thick.' He called 999 and firefighters extinguished the blaze that left his car a blackened shell. BMW says it contacted Mr Hackett in May 2018 about a problem with the battery connector, which didn't pose a fire risk, then again in July 2018 about a heater blower regulator issue. The German manufacturer claims it sent another follow-up letter in December to remind him of both recall warnings. BMW recalled 312,000 cars in Britain in May 2018 over a fault with the battery connection. The fault risked the car's battery losing its connection to the fuse box, meaning the car is left powerless and in danger of breaking down, with the driver unable to use the brake or hazard lights. This would be especially dangerous for cars travelling on roads during the night, as other vehicles would not be able to spot them. It also recalled 268,000 diesel cars in the UK due to a potential fire hazard in late 2018. The fault saw potential leaks from the exhaust gas re circulation cooler, which could result in high temperatures and smouldering particles. BMW's previous recall related to petrol vehicles built between December 2009 and August 2011. In flames: Smoke and flames can be seen billowing from Mr Hackett's vehicle outside his Hertford home A BMW spokesman said: 'BMW takes any incident like this very seriously. Why did BMWs get recalled in May 2018? The fault that caused the recall sees the car's battery lose its connection to the fuse box, meaning the car is left powerless and in danger of breaking down, with the driver unable to use the brake or hazard lights. This would be especially dangerous for cars travelling on roads during the night, as other vehicles would not be able to spot them. BMW's previous recall related to petrol vehicles built between December 2009 and August 2011. During this period of production, a particular design of wiring meant vibrations could potentially cause frictional corrosion on the plug of the power distributor. BMW said that it would be contacting all owners whose vehicles are affected. The firm said the fault could be fixed within two hours and involved replacing a plug. It did not advised customers to stop driving the vehicles. Advertisement 'In Mr Hackett's case, BMW conducted two inspections of his car, including by a team which flew in from BMW's head office in Munich, to determine if a manufacturing defect was responsible. 'As his car was subject to the heater blower regulator recall, this component was particularly closely inspected on both occasions and found not to be faulty. 'No clear cause for the fire was established. We have shared our findings in full with the UK safety regulator, the DVSA. 'According to our records, Mr Hackett was sent three letters relating to the two recalls involving his car. 'The first was in May 2018 about the B+ connector - which is not related to fires - the second in July 2018 concerning the heater blower regulator and the third letter was sent in December 2018 to give more detail on both recalls.' But Chris insists he did not get the warning letters. He said: 'We were looking at moving and trying to get things planned for a family. 'Four months of hell, of lingering, waiting and putting everything on hold.' BMW claims they contacted Mr Hackett on three occasions about two recall warnings A one-year-old toddler in north-west China has suffered second-degree burns on his backside after sliding down a metal slide in the scorching heat. The boy was wearing a pair of open-crotch pants and his buttocks were left exposed when he sat on the hot slide at a playground in Xi'an, Shaanxi province on Saturday. The child's grandmother said he cried out in pain as soon as he sat on the slide. The boy had been badly burned and was left with blisters on his bottom. A one-year-old toddler (pictured above) in Xi'an, north-west China has suffered second-degree burns on his backside after sliding down a metal slide in the scorching heat The child's grandmother said he cried out in pain as soon as he sat on the metal slide (pictured above). The boy had been badly burned and was left with blisters on his bottom Temperatures in Xi'an on the day of the accident reached 30.2 (86 F), according to Huashang Daily. The boy was rushed to the Xi'an No. 521 Hospital where he was treated for second-degree burns. He was also given a tetanus shot and antibiotics to prevent infection. The burns he suffered were just three to four centimetres (1.1 inches to 1.5 inches) away from his gentiles, the report added. The boy was rushed to the Xi'an No. 521 Hospital where he was treated for second-degree burns. He was also given a tetanus shot and antibiotics to prevent infection Temperatures in Xi'an on the day of the accident reached 30.2 (86 F), Chinese reports say 'When the child arrived at the hospital, the skin on his buttocks had peeled off,' Dr An Wei said. 'He didn't even slide from the top to the bottom,' the child's mother, surnamed Peng, said. 'He just started crying loudly and I quickly picked him up. Other parents who saw his buttocks told me that he was burned,' The park has cordoned off the slide and its management are currently discussing plans to remove the metal slide, the report said. The park has cordoned off the slide and its management are currently discussing plans to remove the metal slide. The above sign reads 'Faulty facility, do not use' A management staff member also told reporters that they will also pay for the child's medial expenses. Open-crotch pants are commonly worn by babies and toddlers in China as parents see it as alternatives to diapers. However, doctors previously said the design of the pants would leave their private parts exposed to infection easily. Last June, a one-year-old boy got his genitals trapped in an escalator after tripping on it at a mall in Wuhan, Hubei province. Met Police chief Cressida Dick has admitted her force was not prepared for climate change demonstrations which brought parts of London to a standstill in April. Ms Dick said the operation to deal with the Extinction Rebellion protests, which cost 7.5million, saw her officers face new tactics and greater numbers than ever before. The chief commissioner revealed that officers had made 1,200 arrests in just 11 days, with 70 of those charged so far by the Crown Prosecution Service. She also described officers who were seen skateboarding and dancing with protesters as 'not professional', adding they 'took it too far' and had 'been advised'. Ms Dick promised that officers would be 'very fast and assertive' should similar demonstrations threaten to disrupt the capital in the future. The chief commissioner revealed that officers had made 1,200 arrests in just 11 days, with 70 of those charged so far by the Crown Prosecution Service She also addressed complaints that her officers were not forceful enough with protesters, claiming they themselves would have been arrested if they had employed CS gas or mounted police. Scotland Yard had to blow the equivalent of almost half of its violent crime budget on policing the Extinction Rebellion protests. More than 10,000 officers were drafted in to respond to the climate change demonstrations, which put a 'huge strain' on the force, the Commissioner said. At least 7.5million was spent on officer shifts and overtime to deploy 1,400 officers a day, working 12-16 hour shifts over the bank holiday. The Met also had to pay for mutual aid from other forces and kit such as protest barriers and a cherry picker to remove people from trees in Parliament Square. Ms Dick said in future the police would respond better and in greater numbers, pointing to the effectiveness of their response once they did so on the Thursday evening. Ms Dick added that the force would learn how to respond more quickly how to unstick protestors when they glue themselves to property. And she said she had instructed her force to consider putting two prisoners in per cell if it became necessary. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick told the London Assembly the force had learned lessons from the Extinction Rebellion protests Actress Emma Thompson (centre) joins Extinction Rebellion demonstrators at Oxford Circus in London on April 19 The Commissioner told the committee: 'Extinction Rebellion came in larger numbers than we expected, and used different tactics than we had expected.' She said the tactics had not been seen or used before and the force would use 'better intelligence' in the future. Eighty-nine people were arrested multiple times, she said. She said the disruption raised issues as to whether the deterrent for such disruptive crimes was strong enough - calling herself 'just a police officer' she said it would be a matter for Parliament and the judiciary. 'A number of people sitting there thinking 'this is okay' might feel differently if it were a protest for a different political cause,' she said. A federal court for the first time on Tuesday will step into the intensifying clash between the U.S. House of Representatives and President Donald Trump, who is stonewalling multiple probes led by House Democrats of himself and his businesses. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington will hear oral arguments on whether Mazars LLP, Trump's long-time accounting firm, must comply with a House Oversight Committee subpoena seeking financial records for Trump and his company. In an aggressive response to congressional oversight, Trump is refusing to cooperate with any of the probes. Their targets range from his tax returns and policy decisions to his Washington hotel and his children's security clearances. President Donald Trump is taking House Democrats to court to stop their subpoenas for his financial records, and he could either win in court Tuesday or see his hopes fade House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, is targeting Trump's finances, his hotel operations and his children's security clearances The House Oversight Committee claims sweeping investigative power and says it needs Trump's financial records to examine whether he has conflicts of interest or broke the law by not disentangling himself from his business holdings as previous presidents did. Lawyers for Trump and the Trump Organization, his company, last month filed a lawsuit to block the committee's subpoena, saying it exceeded Congress' constitutional limits. Trump's lawyers argued that Congress is on a quest to 'turn up something that Democrats can use as a political tool against the president now and in the 2020 election.' Trump has adopted a zero-cooperation approach to Democrats' demands, declaring that they're all partisan political stunts On Monday, the Republican president's attorneys objected to Mehta's plan to fast-track the lawsuit by holding a trial on Tuesday, saying that would deny Trump a 'full and fair' hearing. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta Either way, Mehta will likely issue a written decision at a later date, although he may indicate on Tuesday how he intends to rule. Whatever the outcome, his ruling will almost certainly be appealed to a higher court. Mehta was appointed in 2014 by former Democratic President Barack Obama, who was investigated almost non-stop by Republicans in Congress during his two terms in office. Mazars has avoided taking sides in the dispute and said it will 'comply with all legal obligations.' Trump's challenge of the Mazars subpoena was his first effort to quash the multiple House inquiries. He has also sued over subpoenas for his financial records sent to Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp. Some legal experts have said Trump's lawsuits are unlikely to succeed. They said Congress has broad power to issue subpoenas, so long as documents requested can help it legislate, and that courts are reluctant to second-guess its motivations. Some Democratic Party leaders have argued that Trump's stonewalling represents a 'constitutional crisis' and could force them to begin impeachment proceedings to remove him from office, even though such an effort would likely fail in the Republican-controlled Senate. Tests for Covid and isolation rules for travellers will stay in place until at least the end of January, according to aviation sources. Such a move would add to the woes of an already beleaguered travel industry. Thousands of holidays for Britons during the festive period - including cruises and Austrian skiing trips - have been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions imposed by destinations. 'We don't anticipate any measures being scrapped until at least the end of January. Even with the promise of a review every three weeks by the Department for Transport, there have been suggestions they'll be in place for two or three months,' one senior aviation insider told The Times. In a bid to tackle the Omicron variant, all international arrivals to the UK must currently take a PCR test on or before the second day following their arrival in the country - and they have to self-isolate until they test negative. Travellers also have to take pre-departure lateral flow or PCR tests. (Pictured left: skiers in the Italian resort of Bormio have their Covid-19 'green passes' checked; top right: Heathrow Terminal 5, on Friday; and bottom right: passengers at Heathrow's Terminal 3.) Huawei's founder said he would 'shut the company down' if his phone company was ever used by the Chinese government to carry out surveillance. According to Tim Watkins, the company's vice-president for western Europe, Huawei's founder Ren Zhengfei said he had never been asked to hand over sensitive information. Speaking in a television interview on the BBC's Today programme Watkins sought to allay fears surrounding the Chinese firm's contract to develop the UK's 5G network. 'Our founder, Mr Ren Zhengfei, has made it clear that he has never been asked to hand over any customer data or information,' Watkins said. Scroll down for video Huawei's founder Ren Zhengfei reportedly has never been asked to hand over sensitive information by the Chinese government Tim Watkins, Huawei's Western Europe Vice-president, appeared on the BBC's Today programme on Tuesday to defend the company 'And he has made it clear that if asked he would refuse and if it was attempted to be enforced he would shut the company down,' Watkins said. The United States has told allies not to use Huawei's technology to build new 5G telecommunications networks because of concerns it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying, an accusation the firm has denied. 'There is no obligation on Huwaei's part to cooperate with the government in the way in which the Americans are indicating,' Tim Watkins later told BBC radio on Tuesday. 'There is no mandate in (China's national intelligence) law that we have to had over customer data or intelligence that we do not wish to hand over or we think should be sensitive.' Watkins added that the code used in their products was safe and secure. It emerged last month that Theresa May was prepared to allow Huawei to supply non-core technology for 5G, which could include antennae and other network components. The news emerged through a highly controversial leak that led to the sacking of Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. Huawei have been banned from taking part in constructing 5G networks in the US and Australia, but no such ban was implemented in the UK Gavin Williamson was sacked from his position as Defence Secretary for allegedly leaking information about Huawei's future involvement in the UK's 5G network Earlier this year, Australia banned Huawei from taking part in the construction of its own 5G network. Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, last week blasted the UK's plans to allow the firm to do so here claiming it would allow China to 'control the internet of the future' and 'divide Western alliances through bits and bytes'. Former MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove warned Huawei could 'disrupt national security' in a crisis if it was allowed to build the 5G network. The ex spy chief also warned against taking mobile phones to China over fears they could be hacked. In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Sir Richard who worked at MI6 for 38 years has slammed the Government's decision to allow Huawei to take part in the construction of Britain's new ultra-fast 5G internet network. In extreme scenarios, he suggested, Huawei's involvement in building the network, which will allow consumers to download films on their phones in seconds and enable the development of sophisticated technologies like self-driving cars and artificial intelligence, could lead to security risks. '[It could mean] you lose control of your robots as it were, maybe, to a foreign power,' he said. Former MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove (pictured) has warned Chinese telecoms giant Huawei could disrupt national security 'In a crisis, they might be able to disrupt our national security communications.' US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has also lambasted Theresa May over the decision. Huawei stole a robot's arm for trade secrets: US government The US government is alleging Chinese tech company Huawei went so far as to steal a robot's arm in its bid to get its hands on T-Mobile's trade secrets. The Justice Department unveiled a 10-count grand jury indictment in Seattle in a case that centers on a T-Mobile phone-testing robot named 'Tappy.' It says Huawei engineers secretly took photos of the robot, measured it and tried to steal part of it from T-Mobile's lab, according to prosecutors. T-Mobile declined to comment. It's separate from a 13-count case that accuses Huawei of misleading banks about the company's business and violating US sanctions. Huawei is China's first global technology competitor and one of the world's biggest cellphone companies and makers of telecommunications parts. It has rejected accusations that it is controlled by China's ruling party and might facilitate spying. But the T-Mobile case portrays a company going to illegal lengths to gain access to others' intellectual property. Advertisement After a recent visit to London he warned the UK that it could lose access to vital American intelligence if it does not distance itself from the Chinese tech firm. In a stinging criticism of the Prime Minister, Donald Trump's top diplomat invoked the memory of 'Iron Lady' Margaret Thatcher, asking: 'Would she have allowed China to control to control the internet of the future?' Earlier he had stood alongside Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and warned that the US would not allow access to its secrets to countries who were not using 'trusted networks'. Washington is urging allies to keep Huawei out of sensitive infrastructure programmes, citing fears that the company may provide a route for China's communist regime to spy on the West. But Mrs May had reportedly gave the green light to the company bidding for work on 'non-core' aspects of the hi-tech 5G network at a secret meeting, overruling concerns from ministers including Gavin Williamson, who was later sacked as defence secretary over suspicions that he had leaked details of discussions. 'Ask yourself: would the Iron Lady be silent when China violates the sovereignty of nations through corruption or coercion?' Pompeo said. 'I know it is a sensitive topic but we have to talk about sensitive things as friends. 'As a matter of Chinese law the Chinese government can rightfully demand access to data flowing through Huawei and (telecoms firm) ZTE systems. 'Why would anyone grant such power to a regime that has already grossly violated cyberspace?' Juan Guaido's plot to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro failed after a key ally got spooked by a last-minute change of plans and pulled out, it has been revealed. Maikel Moreno, Chief Justice of Venezuela's Supreme Court, had agreed to pull the plug on Maduro's rule by issuing a decree declaring his government illegal, giving the military a legitimate reason to join with Guaido. The plan was hatched over cigars and bottles of Fiji water on the terrace of Moreno's Caracas mansion a week before it was due to be put into action on May 1. But at 1am on April 30 a series of messages forced the plotters to rush their scheme forward after it appeared Maduro was about to move against them. Moreno stopped communicating and never issued his decree, even as Guaido went to the La Carlota airbase in Caracas to say Maduro had lost military support. Maikel Moreno, Chief Justice of Venezuela's Supreme Court, agreed to pass a decree stripping Maduro of his powers and allowing the army to step in and remove him - but failed to come good on his pledge, a source has said Moreno lost his nerve after fellow plotter Christopher Figurea (pictured left) sent a text at 1am the day before the plan was due to start, saying Maduro (right) was on to them Fresh details were revealed by the Washington Post, which claimed to have spoken with a source who attended the meeting at Moreno's mansion. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said three people attended the talks beside them - Spy Chief Christopher Figuera, Miami-based businessman Cesar Omana, and Moreno. Plans to force Maduro out in a bloodless uprising had been underway for a while, and included the likes of Vladimir Padrino Lopez, Maduro's security minister. But the plotters had decided that they needed a legal decree to pass their scheme off - one that only Moreno could provide. The degree would provide military leaders with constitutional cover for turning against Maduro, by effectively declaring him a usurper. It would make their actions legal and make sure they were not accused of a coup. In return, Moreno would be guaranteed a spot in the transitional government headed by Guido, while he and his fellow justices would be protected against prosecution. Vladimir Padrino Lopez (left with Maduro after the plot failed) has also been accused of helping the plot, but has claimed he actually ratted out the conspirators to his boss Juan Guaido announced the start of Operation Liberty a day early, on April 30, amid fears he was about to be arrested. It sparked several days of street protests, but quickly fizzled A handful of soldiers defected to Guaido's cause on April 30, but after reinforcements failed to appear they faded away The judge was initially reticent to sign on to the plan, even suggesting that he take the reins of power instead of Guaido, but eventually agreed. May 1, a day of protests for workers around the world, was chosen for the start of Operation Liberty, but plans had to be moved up at the last minute. At 1am on April 30, Figurea texted his fellow conspirators to say he was about to be replaced as head of the secret police and there were plans to transfer Leopoldo Lopez - a political prisoner under house arrest - back to jail. Worse still, there were also rumours of a move against Guaido himself. Against that backdrop, the plotters decided their operation had to begin that day. In the early hours of the morning Guaido put out a video on Twitter showing himself standing in front of a small band of soldiers, declaring that Maduro had lost the support of the armed forces, and was about to fall. The move was intended as a the first domino in a chain of moves that would force Maduro out - but Moreno's backing never came, and the uprising fizzled. Perhaps in an attempt to force Moreno's hand, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later named him as one of the chief plotters against Maduro, to no avail. The judge has since said he backs Maduro, while Vladimir Padrino has also thrown his backing behind the incumbent. Leopoldo Lopez, founder of opposition party Primero Justicia and a political prisoner, was also accused of helping orchestrate the plot while under house arrest Guaido's supporters still believe it will be possible to oust Maduro - on Monday air force general Ramon Rangel (pictured) backed them - but say it will take longer than planned Maduro says he has full confidence in both Moreno and Padrino, saying they informed him of the plot a week in advance alongside presidential guard commander Ivan Hernandez. Figuera has been forced into hiding after Maduro branded him a 'traitor', while 10 opposition lawmakers have been charged over what the President terms a 'coup'. Among them is Guaido's deputy, Edgar Zambrano, who was arrested outside congress after security forces hooked his car to a tow truck and drove off while he was still inside it. However, Maduro has not moved against Guaido amid threats of unspecified 'consequences' from the US if he does so. The plotters have also not given up hopes of pushing Maduro from his perch, but acknowledge the process will take longer than they hoped. On Monday an air force general, Ramon Rangel, joined the calls for Maduro to go, saying the country is being controlled by the 'communist dictatorship' in Cuba. 'We have to find a way to get rid of the fear, to go out into the streets, to protest, and to seek a military union to change this political system,' said Rangel on YouTube. Dressed in a suit with a copy of the constitution in his hand, he added: 'It's time to rise up.' Armed officers in Adelaide shot a man who allegedly threatened them with a knife and a lit up gas cylinder after attempts to taser him didn't work. The 20-year-old man was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious condition, but his injuries were described to be non life-threatening. Officers were called to a house in Ingle Farm, about 12 km north-east of Adelaide's central business district, just before 2.30am on Tuesday following a domestic dispute between the injured man and an 18-year-old woman. Armed officers in Adelaide shot and wounded a 20-year-old man, who allegedly threatened them with a knife and a lit up gas cylinder, after they failed to taser him Police said the man, who was armed with a knife, confronted the officers and lit the gas cylinder. He was instructed to drop the cylinder, but he kept advancing towards the officers and made threats. Both officers used their taser on the man, but were unsuccessful. 'At this time both police officers produced their firearms and shot at the man,' the police said in a statement. Officers were called to a house in Ingle Farm, about 12 km north-east of Adelaide's central business district, just before 2.30am on Tuesday following a domestic violence dispute between the injured man and an 18-year-old woman Assistant Commissioner Paul Dickson said the matter will be fully investigated. 'A police shooting is treated very seriously and there will be a significant investigation into the shooting,' he said. 'The police officers realise the seriousness of the matter, they are shaken from the incident but they are doing quite well. 'Obviously they were very concerned for their own personal safety.' Police said the man, who was armed with a knife, confronted the officers and lit the gas cylinder The injured man was given first-aid at the scene by the officers before he was taken to the hospital. The 18-year-old woman was also rushed to the same hospital with facial injuries. Investigators from Major Crime, Eastern Adelaide CIB and Internal Investigation Section conducted an investigation into the incident along with Crime Scene officers. Advertisement The sabotage attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Gulf of Yemen were carried out using limpet mines, experts believe. The mysterious 'sabotage' has sent tensions spiralling in the Middle East as the U.S. blamed Iran and its allies for the attack - which divers said appeared to be the work of magnetic explosives. Amid a furious exchange of words, a key adviser to Iranian president Rouhani warned of a looming conflict and mocked Trump ally John Bolton, saying: 'That's what happens when you listen to the mustache.' Tensions had heightened further today after two pumping stations on a major Saudi oil pipeline were attacked by explosive-laden drones, halting the flow of crude along it. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said attacks on the pipeline from the oil-rich Eastern Province to the Red Sea took place early this morning, and called it 'an act of terrorism' that targeted global oil supplies. But both sides today tried to calm the situation. Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there 'won't be any war' while U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said the U.S. 'fundamentally does not seek any war'. Trump also dismissed claims that the U.S. was plotting to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East, calling the reports 'fake news'. Donald Trump is mulling over the idea of sending 120,000 troops to the Middle East while Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has warned his country is 'too great to be intimidated by anyone'. Tensions were increased further today in the region as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed to have carried out drone attacks on Saudi oil installations Norwegian oil tanker Andrea Victory, another of the four damaged boats, pictured with a large dent in its stern on Monday morning The A. Michel tanker under the flag of the United Arab Emirates, pictured on Monday, was one of the four tankers damaged in alleged 'sabotage attacks' in the Gulf the previous day President Hassan Rouhani (pictured last night) has warned Iran is 'too great to be intimidated by anyone' after the Pentagon claimed Tehran used explosives to sabotage four commercial ships anchored off the UAE coast Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said attacks on the pipeline (file picture) from the oil-rich Eastern Province to the Red Sea took place early this morning and called it 'an act of terrorism' that targeted global oil supplies Spain has temporarily pulled one of its frigates, the Mendez Nunez (centre front) that's part of a U.S.-led combat fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of mounting U.S.-Iran tensions Kremlin slams America's 'maximum pressure' campaign against Iran as Pompeo prepares to meet Putin in Russia The Kremlin has slammed Washington's 'maximum pressure' campaign against Iran, speaking hours before President Vladimir Putin receives US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the highest-level talks in nearly a year. Pompeo will visit Putin in the balmy Black Sea resort of Sochi to see if Russia and Washington can make headway on a raft of disagreements from arms control to the raging Venezuela and Iran crises. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) shake hands prior to their talks in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi today The visit comes amid mounting tensions in the Gulf, with Iran and the United States engaged in a new war of words over Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Pompeo is the highest-ranking US official to see Putin since July when US President Donald Trump met him in Helsinki and stunned the US political establishment by appearing to accept the Russian leader's statement at face value that he did not meddle in the US election. 'On some issues we may agree, on others we may disagree, but when it's in our national interests, it is our responsibility to find a way forward,' Pompeo tweeted on Tuesday. Peskov slammed what he called Washington's 'maximum pressure' campaign on Iran, saying it would only drive Tehran into a corner. Pompeo cancelled a stop in Moscow scheduled for Monday to meet in Brussels with European foreign ministers, who have been uncomfortable with the hawkish direction of the United States on Iran. Advertisement Today divers on the UAE coast told Splash 24/7 that the damage to the tankers looked like the work of limpet mines. The Pentagon claimed Tehran or its allies was behind the use of explosives to blow holes in the four commercial ships. The US has deployed B-52 bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in the region. Meanwhile, the White House is reportedly planning to deploy 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces in an alarming echo of the Iraq War - but Donald Trump has denied the claims. Asked about the damage, Trump warned that Tehran would 'suffer greatly' if it enraged Washington, predicting a 'bad problem for Iran if something happens'. The war of words continued when President Hassan Rouhani responded by warning Iran is 'too great to be intimidated by anyone'. The Iranian leader told Sunni clerics that 'God willing we will pass this difficult period with glory and our heads held high, and defeat the enemy'. This morning, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels said that they had targeted several vital Saudi targets with drones in response to the kingdom's 'crimes' in Yemen. 'The targeting of Saudi vital installations is a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide crimes and impose a siege on the Yemeni people,' tweeted Mohammed Abdusalam, spokesman for the Iran-aligned Huthis fighting the Riyadh-backed government. Oil infrastructure sites belonging to the country's state-run oil company Aramco were targeted with a fire breaking out at a station along the pipeline. Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who are battling a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen, had earlier claimed to have targeted several vital Saudi targets with drones and later said it was meant to send a message to the kingdom to 'stop your aggression' on their country. The Houthis have repeatedly launched drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and claimed to have launched drone attacks on the UAE. On Twitter, an official was quoted as saying, 'This large military operation is in response to the continued aggression and blockade of our people and we are prepared to carry out more unique and harsh strikes.' Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the Western-backed Sunni Muslim alliance that intervened in Yemen in 2015 against the Houthis to try to restore the internationally recognised government ousted from power in the capital Sanaa in late 2014. What is a limpet mine? A limpet mine is an explosive which uses magnets to attach itself to its target. It gets its name from the sea snail which uses its feet to cling tightly to rocks and other surfaces. It was developed by British scientists during World War II, to be attached to the hull of an enemy ship and detonated from a safe distance. British operatives used the most powerful magnet in the world at the time to attach around 4.5lbs (two kilograms) of explosive to an enemy ship, capable of punching a large hole in the hull. Divers would carry the limpet mines underwater and attach them to ships, causing devastating damage when they exploded. Seven Japanese ships were sunk or disabled by Allied commandos alone, using limpet mines in Singapore Harbour, 1943. Divers now believe the same technology was used to target oil tankers in the Gulf of Yemen. Advertisement The conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis deny being puppets of Iran and say their revolution is against corruption. The drone attacks come with the region already gripped by a tense stand-off between the US and Iran with Britain warning of the risk of a conflict breaking out 'by accident' in the Gulf. Tehran has distanced itself from the ship sabotage, warning of 'adventurism' by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. This afternoon, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi looked to ease the crisis when he revealed he was getting indications from talks with both the United States and Iran that 'things will end well' despite the current ramping up of rhetoric from both sides. Speaking to journalists at a news conference, Abdul Mahdi said Baghdad was communicating regularly with Tehran and Washington, its two main allies who are themselves enemies, and was trying to reduce tensions. The incident, in the Gulf of Oman, has sparked fears of a looming military confrontation along the world's most important oil artery following the collapse of the 2015 deal designed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Saudi and UAE officials have been tight-lipped about the extent of the damage but pictures showed at least one tanker with a hole in its hull. The nature of the sabotage, which happened in heavily patrolled waters where dozens of tankers are moored up, has sparked speculation about the possible use of unmanned vessels, speedboats or even armed drones. Meanwhile, Spain has said its decision to remove a frigate on training exercises from a US combat fleet that is approaching the Persian Gulf was taken purely for 'technical reasons', the country's defence minister has said. Iran warns it is 'ready for any eventuality' Iran has warned Donald Trump that its military is 'fully ready for any eventuality' in the Middle East amid spiralling tensions between the two nations. Tehran's ambassador in London told America not to 'test the determination of Iran' as he fired back at warlike threats from the White House. Speaking to Sky News, Hamid Baeidinejad said the White House was making 'theatrical manoeuvres' but accused America of playing a 'dangerous game'. 'Our analysis is that they, at least President Trump, doesn't want to engage in a military confrontation with Iran,' he said. 'But while we have renounced any military escalation I would assure you that the Iranian government and Iranian armed forces are fully ready for any eventuality in the region. 'They [America] should not try to test the determination of Iran to confront any escalation in the region.' Hesameddin Ashena, another key adviser to Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani, told Trump: 'You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead. 'That's what happens when you listen to the mustache [a reference to national security adviser John Bolton]. Good luck in 2020!'. Iran also warned of 'false flag' operations designed to lure the U.S. into a war. Advertisement Margarita Robles insisted the decision was 'not an expression of distaste' over the crossing into the Strait of Hormuz by the fleet headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The US fleet is heading to the Persian Gulf at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. Ms Robles insisted Spain's decision was 'prudent' and 'perfectly admissible' under the terms of a two-year cooperation agreement that placed the Mendez Nunez frigate with the US fleet for advanced training. The ship and its 215 people on board have headed to Mumbai, India, she added. 'The United States government has embarked on a mission that wasn't scheduled when the agreement was signed,' Ms Robles told reporters during an official trip to Brussels. She said Spain had never given its blessing for the frigate to go on a mission in the Persian Gulf and that it will return to the US fleet once scheduled operations resume. She declined to comment over the US's hard-line policy toward Iran but said Spain remains a reliable and committed member of Nato. This morning, Iranian parliamentary spokesman Behrouz Nemati said the attacks could be blamed on 'Israeli mischief', without providing any details on what role Israel may have played in the incident. As tensions spiralled today, oil prices moved higher with Brent crude futures at $70.30 a barrel at - up seven cents, or 0.1 per cent, from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.11 per barrel, up seven cents, or 0.1 per cent, from their previous settlement. The tinderbox standoff between Iran and the US escalated even further today after four commercial ships were mysteriously 'sabotaged' off the UAE - adding to fears a conflict involving the two nations is looming. In a further twist today, an oil pipeline was targeted in a wave of drone attacks Four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged by what Gulf officials described as sabotage, though satellite images obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed no major visible damage to the vessels. One of the vessels, the Emirati-flagged oil tanker A. Michel, with a containment boom around its stern This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Al Marzoqa off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. It was one of four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a 'sabotage' attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates The Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amjad, pictured in a satellite image yesterday, was also targeted in the sabotage attacks The oil tankers were visible in satellite images provided Tuesday to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies. A boom surrounded the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three, including the Andrea Victory (pictured) showed no visible major damage from above Pompeo is warned against starting war with Iran 'by accident' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been warned about staring a war 'by accident' as he met European leaders in Brussels. Pompeo, who called Iran a 'major destabilising force' in an interview with CNBC, made the stop in Brussels to speak to EU leaders about the threat from Tehran. 'We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side,' Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned. 'Most of all, we need to make sure we don't end up putting Iran back on the path to renuclearisation. Because if Iran becomes a nuclear power, its neighbors are likely to want to become nuclear powers. This is already the most unstable region in the world, and this would be a massive step in the wrong direction.' Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of the potential military conflict occurring by 'accident' Pompeo's talks with EU leaders gave them the chance to warn him of their own fears of a conflict. President Donald Trump is seeking to isolate Tehran by cutting off its oil exports after pulling out of the deal. While the European Union shares some U.S. concerns about Iran, it still backs the 2015 nuclear deal, saying that it is in Europe's own security interests. 'We are very worried about a conflict, about the risk of a conflict ... of an escalation that is unintended,' Britain's Jeremy Hunt said ahead of talks with Pompeo. Britain, Germany and France's foreign ministers were holding separate meetings in Brussels with Pompeo, who cancelled a planned stopover in Moscow in order to brief the European allies on Washington's latest moves. The U.S. State Department billed Monday's talks in Brussels as a chance 'to discuss recent threatening actions and statements' by Iran. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he had told Pompeo during their Monday meeting: 'We do not want it to come to a military conflict.' It was clear that Europe and the United States were 'going about it in different ways ... taking different courses,' he said. Advertisement Shipping experts, meanwhile, have warned of the threat of conflict amid fears shipping lanes in the Gulf could become flashpoints as tinderbox relations between the US, its Allies and Iran boil over. Svetlana Lobaciova, from Gibson Shipbrokers, told the Financial Times: 'We are worried that there could be some military escalation in the Strait of Hormuz that could affect exports out of the region. 'But, at this stage, we do not know what exactly has happened and how significant this is.' The executive director at the UAE's National Media Council, Jaber Al Lamki said the incident was 'an attempt to sabotage not just boats, but one aimed at undermining global oil supplies and maritime security.' But a senior Iranian lawmaker and head of parliament's national security committee, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, suggested Gulf states were to blame for turning the region into a military zone. He told state news agency IRNA: 'There are groups whose interests lay in making the region insecure. Iran and the US need to agree on a red line... so that third parties cannot exploit the situation.' Citing heightened tensions in the region, the United Nations called on 'all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace, including by ensuring maritime security' and freedom of navigation, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. The scale of the alleged sabotage remains unclear. A statement from Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said two of the kingdom's oil tankers, including one due to later carry crude to the U.S., sustained 'significant damage.' However, a report from Sky News Arabia, a satellite channel owned by an Abu Dhabi ruling family member, showed the allegedly targeted Saudi tanker Al Marzoqah afloat without any apparent damage. The oil tankers were visible in satellite images provided to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies. A boom surrounded the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible major damage from above. Intertanko, an association of independent tanker owners and operators, said it had seen images showing that 'at least two ships have holes in their sides due to the impact of a weapon'. The U.S. had earlier warned ships that 'Iran or its proxies' could be targeting maritime traffic in the region, and America has moved additional ships and aircraft into the region. The incident comes after months of increasing diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran, which the U.S. accuses of threatening American interests and allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday called Iran a 'major destabilizing force' in the Middle East while Britain warned of the danger of a war being started in the Gulf by accident. Saudi Arabia has condemned 'acts of sabotage' in the Gulf but the scale of the damage remains unclear. The country's energy minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom's two oil tankers, including one due to carry crude oil to the U.S., sustained 'significant damage' off the coast of Fujairah. However, a report from Sky News Arabia showed the allegedly targeted Saudi tanker Al Marzoqah afloat without any apparent damage. The MT Andrea Victory, another of the allegedly targeted ships, sustained a hole in its hull just above its waterline from 'an unknown object,' its owner said. Pictures of the Andrea Victory, which the company said was 'not in any danger of sinking,' showed damage similar to what the firm described. An unnamed official has said each ship has a hole between five and ten foot in it, near or just below the water line with an American military team's initial assessment that Iran or Iranian-backed proxies used explosives charges to carry out the attacks on Sunday off the UAE. Pictured is the A Michel, with a containment boom in the water around the hull The crude oil tanker, Amjad, pictured yesterday which was one of two reported tankers that were damaged in mysterious 'sabotage attacks', off the coast of the Gulf emirate of Fujairah UAE Navy boats next to Al Marzoqah Saudi Arabia tanker are seen off the Port of Fujairah on Monday afternoon Al Marzoqah is a large oil tanker which is registered in Saudi Arabia. Pictured: Media taking shots of the vessel on Monday An Emirati coast guard vessel passes an oil tanker off the coast of Fujairah in the wake of the incident on Monday Ships anchored at main port of Fujairah on Monday, where media reports initially suggested four boats had been sabotaged by 'explosions'. The UAE later denied this was the case US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured yesterday in Brussels) has scrapped a planned visit to Moscow to head to Brussels instead for talks with European officials on Iran Plan to deploy 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces The White House is reportedly planning to deploy 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces in an alarming echo of the Iraq War. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented the plan at a meeting of Donald Trump's top security aides on Thursday, reports the New York Times. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, pictured, presented the plan at a meeting of Donald Trump's top security aides on Thursday Several plans were detailed, the Times said, and 'the uppermost option called for deploying 120,000 troops, which would take weeks or months to complete' - and would be approaching the size of the force that invaded Iraq in 2003. These plans do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require far more troops. The Times said among those attending the Thursday meeting were Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. Advertisement Emirati officials identified the third ship as the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amjad. Ship-tracking data showed the vessel still anchored off Fujairah, apparently not in immediate distress. The fourth ship was the A. Michel, a bunkering tanker flagged in Sharjah, one of the UAE's seven emirates. The Saudi minister said the attacks on the two Saudi tankers happened at 6am on Sunday. He said 'the attack didn't lead to any casualties or oil spill,' though he acknowledged it affected 'the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world.' One U.S. official said: 'This is what Iran does ... The sort of thing you could see Iran doing ... It fits their MO [modus operandi].' Emirati officials have declined to elaborate on the nature of the sabotage or say who might have been responsible. Reports in Lebanon and Iran had earlier claimed there were explosions near the UAE port but there has been no evidence to support their claims. The apparent attacks come after the U.S. warned ships that 'Iran or its proxies' could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. Washington has yet to officially respond to the claims of sabotage, although the U.S. energy department said it was monitoring world oil markets. American naval investigators are also believed to be helping the UAE with their inquiries. Meanwhile the general-secretary of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council described the alleged sabotage as a 'serious escalation' in an overnight statement. 'Such irresponsible acts will increase tension and conflicts in the region and expose its peoples to great danger,' Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani said. Bahrain, Egypt and the internationally recognized government of Yemen have also condemned the alleged sabotage. Iran's Foreign Ministry called the incidents 'worrisome and dreadful' and asked for an investigation into the matter. A senior Iranian lawmaker said 'saboteurs from a third country' could be behind it, after saying on Sunday the incident showed the security of Gulf states was fragile. Speaking earlier, Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UK was 'very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side'. The alleged sabotage of the merchant ships comes as aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers are deployed to bolster the American Navy's grip on the region A handout photo made available by the US Navy showing an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the 'Jolly Rogers' of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 launching off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln The aircraft carrier strike group is being deployed to the Persian Gulf to counter an alleged but still-unspecified threat from Iran European leaders are warning of the risk of military conflict between the U.S. and Iran In this Friday, May 10, 2019 photo released by the U.S. Navy, logistics specialists attach cargo to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf Yemen's bloody civil war Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when Iran-backed rebels captured the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015 to help government troops facing the Houthi advance. The U.S. supported the coalition for years despite its airstrikes killing civilians, and is only recently beginning to step back after the October killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by Saudi agents. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the Western-backed Sunni Muslim alliance against the Houthis to try to restore the internationally recognised government ousted from power in the capital Sanaa in late 2014. The conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis deny being puppets of Iran and say their revolution is against corruption. Advertisement Fujairah's port is about 140 kilometers (85 miles) south of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil at sea is traded. Washington's Energy Information Administration has called the Strait of Hormuz 'the world's most important oil transit chokepoint'. In recent days the U.S. has warned ships that 'Iran or its proxies' could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. The US has already strengthened its military presence in the region, including deploying a number of strategic B-52 bombers and the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group in response to alleged Iranian threats. America is also sending USS Arlington, carrying Marines, as well as a Patriot missile defense system. The USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship carrying Marines and warplanes, has just left the Persian Gulf and is nearby in the Arabian Sea. Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow and headed to Brussels instead for talks with European officials on Iran. Tensions have flared up again in recent days since Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani warned his country could begin ramping up uranium enrichment if a controversial 2015 deal was not rewritten. Trump last year withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal and restored US sanctions that have pushed Iran's economy into crisis. Tehran has demanded that the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia help Iran to dodge U.S. sanctions. A map of the region near the UAE coast where four ships, including two Saudi Arabian tankers, have been sabotaged European powers have tried to find ways to blunt the impact of new U.S. sanctions, in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by the deal. However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of U.S. punishment. Rouhani said last week that Iran would ramp up nuclear enrichment if fresh help did not materialize. White House defense aide Tim Morrison condemned Iran's attempted 'nuclear blackmail of Europe' and warned: 'Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon.' Rouhani's comments also sparked outrage in Europe, as Britain warned of 'consequences' if Iran gives up its nuclear commitments. The threat also sparked a backlash from Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu warned he would 'not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons'. The sabotaged tankers Tanker Length Year built Owned by A Michel 109m 1998 UAE Andrea Victory 183m 2005 Norway Amjad 330m 2017 Saudi Arabia Al Marzoqah 244m 1999 Saudi Arabia Advertisement Netanyahu, who has accused Iran of breaching the deal, said Israel 'will continue to fight those who seek to take our lives'. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday changed the schedule for his latest trip to Europe, replacing a stop in Moscow for one in Brussels to discuss Iran. We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side,' Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned. 'Most of all, we need to make sure we don't end up putting Iran back on the path to renuclearization. 'Because if Iran becomes a nuclear power, its neighbors are likely to want to become nuclear powers. This is already the most unstable region in the world, and this would be a massive step in the wrong direction.' The U.S. State Department billed Monday's talks in Brussels as a chance 'to discuss recent threatening actions and statements' by Iran. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he had told Pompeo during their Monday meeting: 'We do not want it to come to a military conflict.' It was clear that Europe and the United States were 'going about it in different ways ... taking different courses,' he said. Could Gulf tensions lead to Iran-US conflict? Analysts say guerrilla warfare would be more likely than full-scale battles A surge of tensions in the Gulf has shown the risk of a military confrontation between arch-foes Iran and the United States, even if any conflict would likely be marked by guerrilla warfare rather than full-scale battles, analysts say. A series of mysterious attacks on ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, the key ally of Tehran's Gulf rival Saudi Arabia, prompted President Donald Trump to warn Iran would 'suffer greatly' if it harmed US interests. The United States and Iran have had no diplomatic relations since the seizure by Iranian radicals of American embassy staff in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two sides have at times been close to conflict - in particular during a tense period under former US president George W. Bush - but analysts see a series of factors as making the current moment particularly combustible. Trump dismayed European allies by pulling out of the 2015 deal on Iran's nuclear programme unilaterally and is now ratcheting up the rhetoric against Tehran. Iran and Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States for decades, are both enmeshed on opposing sides in the conflict in Yemen. And in US ally Israel, which Iran refuses to recognise, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for a hard line against Iran. 'The Trump administration has significantly increased tensions in the region and has therefore increased the odds of some sort of inadvertent or even deliberate military clash with Iran,' said International Crisis Group (ICG) Iran project director Ali Vaez. 'The odds of a clash occurring, even without provocation, are quite high.' he told AFP. He said a belief on both sides that the other does not want a conflict 'creates plenty of room for miscalculation' especially at a time when both sides have no direct communication channels. The war in Yemen also intensifies the risk of an incident between Iran and Saudi Arabia - such as an attack by Tehran-backed Huthi rebels on Saudi interests - being magnified and then pulling in the United States. Drone attacks on Tuesday, claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels, shut down one of Saudi Arabia's main oil pipelines, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions. There are 'a lot of non-state actors in the region who could take steps that would push the two sides into a direct confrontation,' said Vaez. But Washington and its Gulf allies have so far stopped short of blaming Tehran for damage to four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, a Norwegian tanker and an Emirati ship. Iran has also distanced itself from the incidents, condemning 'acts of sabotage' and a 'criminal act'. Denis Bauchard, advisor for the Middle East at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said there were elements on all sides who wanted no further escalation. 'Looking at this rationally, this should not go any further as there are people who want to calm this down,' he said, pointing to the US and Israeli military establishment. He said that Iran had so far kept a notably 'low profile' in the current tensions but a risk came from hawks on both sides such as US national security advisor John Bolton in the United States and the Revolutionary Guards in Iran. Any escalation between the United States and Iran would likely be played out at sea and have immediate global implications for energy markets if it affected shipping in the key transit point of the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say that in the event of a conflict, Iran would most likely resort to its tried and trusted strategy of asymmetric warfare which it has seen since the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war as the best way to outflank a more powerful enemy. 'A US-Iran war wouldn't be a naval war at all in the strict sense of the term,' said James Holmes, from the Naval War College in the United States. 'Guerrilla warfare, not the traditional sea fight, makes a better analogy for Iranian maritime strategy,' he said, adding Iranian ships would concentrate firepower in narrow parts in the Strait of Hormuz. Jean-Sylvestre Mongrenier, researcher at the Franco-Belgian think-tank Institut Thomas More, said Iran is well aware it has no match for the aircraft carriers of the United States. He said Iran would not aim to inflict a naval defeat on the United States, but make clear its engagement in the Gulf has a military and material cost. Such actions could include placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, harassing US navy craft with smaller warships and also using anti-ship missiles, he said. A Eurosceptic Tory has said the party should do a deal with Nigel Farage if the current deadlock over quitting the EU results in a general election, warning that 'otherwise Brexit doesn't happen'. Crispin Blunt said that the Conservatives must make an 'accommodation' with the Brexit Party but stopped short of calling for a full coalition. He suggested they try to do a deal where the new anti-EU party 'runs in the seats that we don't hold', in an interview on the BBC's Newsnight. The Reigate MP, 58, also said that Theresa May has to step down as party leader before the conference in the autumn. He told the programme: 'I cannot imagine for one minute that Theresa May is going to want to go to the next Conservative party conference in October and address it as leader. 'I accept of course we're in deep trouble and deep difficulty. But if we, under a new leader, reinvent ourselves properly as a Brexit party, we will be faced with the inevitability at some point of a general election in order to deliver Brexit because this Parliament is stopping the delivery of Brexit. 'And this is where in my judgement we are going to have to come to an accommodation with the Brexit Party. 'The Conservatives as a Brexit party, being very clear about their objectives are almost certainly going to have to go into some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit Party, otherwise Brexit doesn't happen.' Reigate MP Crispin Blunt told Newsnight the Tories would have to agree 'some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit Party' if there was a general election Mr Farage leaving LBC radio in London today. His party is the runaway leader in the polls, with voters expected to vent their fury at both the Conservatives and Labour over Brexit His intervention came as the Tories languished fifth in the polls ahead of the European elections next week. Mr Farage's party is the runaway leader in the polls, with voters expected to vent their fury at both the Conservatives and Labour over their Brexit views and actions. It is on for a predicted 34 per cent of the vote on May 23 - but Theresa May's Conservatives are heading for just 10 per cent, a new YouGov survey has found. He has demanded a say in Brexit negotiations if his party performs well on May 23. Mr Farage revealed yesterday he will stand to be an MP - calling it 'his duty' - as his Brexit Party looks set to thrash the Tories into fifth place in the upcoming EU elections. Asked whether he'd do a deal with the Tories if elected, he said: 'If we can save 39billion, come out of the Customs Union, come out of the Single Market, come out of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and be a genuinely independent, self-governing democracy that can choose its own future, Id do a deal with the devil to get that'. Responding to that comment, Mr Blunt said: 'Nigel Farage said he would do a deal with the devil to get Brexit over the line; the Conservative party is very far from being the devil in this. 'Eighty per cent of the membership of the Conservative Party are very keen to make sure that Brexit happens, we'll be in a position to enthusiastically support leaving the EU with no deal and if we are then able to agree a position to put to the country, I think we would hit the ball out of the park.' The Brexit Party is enjoying a growing lead in a new EU election poll with the Tories now in fifth Mr Farage revealed yesterday he will stand to be an MP - calling it 'his duty'. He has demanded a say in Brexit negotiations if his party performs well in Euro elections on May 23. The Tories and Labour are neck and neck if there was a general election tomorrow, a poll has found A group of 13 former ministers and senior Tories has written to Mrs May, saying she will lose the 'loyal middle' of her party if she strikes a deal with Labour. The letter, signed by Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and chairman of the 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady, warned of the risk of a 'democratic deficit' if a backroom deal with the opposition is hatched. It is also implicit that the rebel group, made up of leadership contenders, would try tear up any soft Brexit agreement with Labour once Mrs May resigns. Former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, who also signed the note, said today he would rather stay in the EU than sign up to the customs union after Brexit - and urged the Prime Minister to sack off talks with Mr Corbyn now. He said: 'The talks clearly aren't getting anywhere. It's a blind alley. It's far better to concentrate on the arrangements in Northern Ireland, the one thing there is a majority for. If a [Labour] deal is going to include a permanent customs union then frankly we are better off staying in the EU because at least then we'd have a voice. We can't say we are leaving then half-stay in it'. Nigel Farage hit back today after it emerged he and Brexit Party MEPs face being barred from getting coveted Parliamentary passes if they win looming European elections. All MEPs are currently able to apply for privileged access to Westminster, allowing them to use the exclusive facilities. But the House of Lords authorities have now recommended that the perk be stripped away - sparking claims that they are trying to shut out anti-establishment politicians. Mr Farage told MailOnline: 'Quite frankly given the current composition of the House of Lords, who would want to visit there anyway? I've been kicked out of better places than the House of Lords. 'They are obviously scared. Perhaps they think we will contaminate the building. 'We are carrying a virus - it's called democracy.' Nigel Farage (pictured in London today) accused the Lords of being afraid Brexit Party MEPs will 'contaminate' Parliament The House of Lords Commission has published a report recommending MEPs have their right to passes removed. Peers will consider the issue on Thursday - just a week before European elections where Mr Farage and his newly-formed party are expected to top the poll. The House of Commons removed the perk in 2009 to stop then-BNP leader Nick Griffin gaining access, but the Upper House refused to follow suit at the time. The report said: 'We consider that the position of the two Houses should now be aligned. 'This fits with wider changes to the pass system designed to simplify and streamline the number and categories of passes.' A House of Lords spokesman added: 'The Commission is proposing to bring the House of Lords rules on MEP passes into line with those of the House of Commons. 'If agreed this would mean MEPs would no longer be able to apply for a parliamentary pass from the House of Lords. Currently only a very small number of MEPs hold passes. 'The House of Lords will consider the proposal on Thursday 16 May. The mooted change is part of a wider crackdown on parliamentary pass allocation by the Lords authorities, amid concerns that the system is open to abuse by lobbyists. Under the plans, peers will now only be able to get passes for individuals who help them with research or secretarial duties on a 'regular and frequent basis'. The tweaked rules would insist that passes must not be used by staff 'in furtherance of any other interests of their own or of other organisations for which they work'. In future Lords will be asked to give details of what work the staffer carries out for them. Security minister Ben Wallace, who has been urging tougher rules in the House of Lords, told MailOnline: 'One of the best ways we can protect our political system from exploitation is transparency.' Theresa May last night made a 'final offer' to Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit, as she bowed to Cabinet demands to accelerate efforts to take Britain out of the EU. In a high risk move, Mrs May told the Cabinet that she would finally bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill legislation in the week beginning June 3 with or without a deal with Labour in the hope of getting a version of her deal through Parliament at the fourth attempt. That is the same week that President Trump is due to make a three-day state visit to the UK. It will also come just after the May 23 European elections in which the Tories are expected to take a huge battering from voters over delays to Brexit. Theresa May (pictured yesterday) last night made a 'final offer' to Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit, as she bowed to Cabinet demands to accelerate efforts to take Britain out of the EU Allies of Mrs May last night denied that she was setting out a timetable for her departure from No 10 in the summer. But the vote is likely to determine her political future. She is expected to tell Tory grandees tomorrow that she is prepared to step aside at the end of July if her deal has gone through. But senior Tories believe that she could not survive her deal being rejected by MPs for a fourth time. She is up against an October 31 deadline, when Britain is currently scheduled to leave the EU after an extension was agreed last month. For Britain to leave with a deal she will have to win a majority for her withdrawal agreement and pass the Bill which enacts it into domestic law. Downing Street said the Cabinet agreed it was now 'imperative' that the legislation is passed before Parliament breaks up for the summer at the end of July meaning it will be brought forward with or without a deal with Labour. Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) is demanding a customs union deal and is under pressure from his own MPs to demand a second referendum too The fresh Commons votes will come shortly after European elections in which the Conservatives are predicted to poll badly. Some polls have shown the Tories dropping to fourth or even fifth behind Labour, the Brexit Party, the Lib Dems and the Greens. The PM may be hoping that a disastrous Conservative result will spook her MPs into supporting a deal to get Brexit over the line. In addition, giving MPs a vote on the Bill - as opposed to the 'meaningful votes' which have taken place already - may help persuade Speaker John Bercow to allow another vote. Citing a convention that dates back to 1604, Mr Bercow said in March that the PM could not keep bringing the same package back to the Commons unless it was substantially different. The new deadline is a significant concession to Brexiteer cabinet ministers, led by Andrea Leadsom. Arriving at Cabinet yesterday, Mrs Leadsom said: 'We've got to get on with Brexit so whatever that takes, we have to deliver Brexit urgently'. After weeks of deadlock, Mrs May surprised Westminster by requesting a face-to-face meeting with the Labour leader last night to decide whether there is any prospect of the two sides agreeing a soft Brexit compromise. The PM told Mr Corbyn that the timetable set a two-week deadline on the cross-party talks that have limped on for six weeks. Earlier, Mrs May briefed the Cabinet on the concessions she was willing to offer in return for Mr Corbyn's support in getting her Brexit deal through Parliament. Labour is increasing the gap between them and the Tories, a new opinion poll revealed today Sources said Mrs May indicated she was prepared to agree a temporary 'customs arrangement' that would see Britain remain in the customs union in all but name until the next election. She also warned ministers that she was willing to sign a deal that would see the UK's labour laws and environmental standards in lock step with the EU after Brexit. Pressure yesterday intensified on Mrs May to abandon talks with Labour's hard-Left leader. Former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon described the talks as 'a blind alley taking us into a customs union' which would be worse than staying in the EU. In an ominous development, the Tories' backbench shop steward Sir Graham Brady joined 13 former cabinet ministers in warning that a deal with Labour would 'split our party' and create such division that it would probably fail to gain a majority. It came as: Former Tory minister Crispin Blunt said the Conservatives would 'almost certainly' have to sign an electoral pact with Nigel Farage's Brexit Party to survive the next election; Tory sources blamed the shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer for 'undermining' the cross-party talks by pushing for a second referendum in order to burnish his own leadership prospects; Jeremy Hunt warned that both main parties would be 'crucified' by voters if they failed to deliver on the 2016 referendum result; The Government's chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins prepared to open talks with the EU today on whether some of Labour's demands could be added to the deal agreed with Mrs May last year; Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell performed a U-turn on calls for a second referendum, saying that the option to remain in the EU should be on the ballot six months after he said that would fail to 'respect the last referendum'; An opinion poll gave Labour a nine-point lead over the Conservatives, potentially putting Mr Corbyn on track for No 10 at the head of a coalition government. Jeremy Corbyn will be smiling today after a new opinion poll put Labour nine points ahead of the Tories if there was a general election At a three-hour Cabinet meeting Mrs May said the public wanted politicians to reach a compromise. She said the Tories had to resist calls to follow Mr Farage in pursuing a No Deal Brexit, saying: 'We can't give in to absolutism.' But Mr Hunt, who is among the favourites to succeed Mrs May, said the decision to take No Deal off the table in March had undermined negotiations, allowing the EU to not be 'as flexible as they might otherwise have been'. Senior Tories believe that Mr Corbyn and his closest allies are interested in striking a deal that would allow him to portray himself as a statesman. But one Tory source said: 'It's as clear as day that Starmer is trying to position himself as the hero of Remain in order to take over from Corbyn.' A Downing Street spokesman said: 'This evening the Prime Minister met the Leader of the Opposition to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU. 'We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the June 3.' Tories slump to FIFTH place behind Lib Dems and Greens as EU election voters flock to Farage's Brexit Party The Brexit Party is enjoying a growing lead in a new EU election poll with the Tories now in fifth The Tories face the ignominy of finishing fifth in the EU elections as Nigel Farage continues to give them a battering, a new poll revealed yesterday. The Brexit Party is racing ahead with a predicted 34 per cent of the vote on May 23 - but Theresa May's Conservatives are heading for just 10 per cent, a YouGov survey found. This would put the Prime Minister's party in fifth place behind the Greens and the Liberal Democrats, who were on 15 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. The collapse in support for the Conservative Party is piling pressure on Mrs May to set a date for her departure from No 10 - but Labour is also down five points on 16 per cent, with confusion over their Brexit position continuing. Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the Brexiteer European Research Group of Tories, appealed for disillusioned Conservatives to stick with the party for the sake of Theresa May's replacement. He said: 'I would appeal to their loyalty, to their tradition and to say that the Conservative Party will get a new leader at some point. We have gone from 40 per cent to 10 per cent in the polls and those are Eurosceptics. It is forgetting about them that is destroying the Tory party's vote'. Advertisement Calls for Mrs May to leave office have intensified since this month's local elections when the Conservatives lost 1,300 seats. Ministers now fear a bloodbath at the hands of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party next week when the country goes to the polls for European parliament elections that would not have taken place if the UK had left the EU on time. A YouGov poll yesterday found that the Tories were on course to slump to fifth place behind the Greens in next week's elections. The survey for the Times put the Brexit Party on 34 points, well ahead of Labour on 16, the Liberal Democrats on 15 and the Greens on 11. The poll put Tory support on just 10 per cent. Despite today's positive general election poll furious Labour MPs rounded on Jeremy Corbyn over Brexit last night as he appeared in front of the party's backbenchers. During a mammoth meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, MPs from both sides of the debate turned on their leader, questioning his lack of a clear stance on Brexit and his ability to become Prime Minister. It came as party deputy leader Tom Watson added to Labour's confusion over Brexit by declaring it was now the party of 'remain and reform'. At the party meeting, second-referendum campaigner Peter Kyle told Mr Corbyn: 'Jeremy, I urge you to simplify our policy so people realise we are talking with absolute sincerity.' Brexiteer John Mann said: 'We are losing votes in the North and Midlands. If you cannot get this right, you cannot be Prime Minister. 'There should be free votes for Labour in this Parliament. Labour voters are divided in a very big way.' Wes Streeting told Mr Corbyn: 'We need clear leadership in order to win the next general election.' Yesterday a former Labour minister under Tony Blair quit the party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's record on Brexit and tackling anti-Semitism saying: 'I joined the Labour Party. Not a cult'. Bridget Prentice, who was MP for Lewisham East from 1992 to 2010, claimed the party had 'been destroyed' under Mr Corbyn's leadership. In a strongly-worded attack she said that 'in all the major issues of the day, you have called it wrong'. Ms Prentice, who served as a whip and junior justice minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, said 'enough is enough' and she was resigning with 'deepest sadness and some anger' after 45 years of party membership. Theresa May's cabinet met again today and discussed how to move Brexit forward in a two hour discussion Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary, and Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary, may favour the PM bringing back her deal Theresa May (pictured last night) is being urged to turn her back on Labour for the good of the Tory party - while Andrea Leadsom, pictured today, said: 'Brexit has to be delivered, whatever it takes' Labour's John McDonnell reveals talks with May have STALLED and says 13 ex-ministers saying a new Tory PM would tear up any cross-party deal 'hasn't helped' as EU reveals it is already preparing to extend Brexit til 2020 Labour's John McDonnell today revealed that Brexit talks with the Tories have stalled badly declaring: 'We are nowhere near what we want'. The shadow chancellor also said that a gang of Theresa May's former cabinet ministers telling her any deal could be scrapped by her successor 'has not helped' chances of a breakthrough in cross-party talks. A group of 13 former ministers and senior Tories including leadership favourite Boris Johnson have written to Mrs May today, saying she will lose the 'loyal middle' of her party if she strikes a deal with Labour, branding it a 'blind alley'. Mr McDonnell, whose party wants a permanent customs union and may also demand a second referendum as the price for any deal, said this afternoon that the PM's crumbling powerbase 'gives us no security'. He said: 'We are not near what we want. Boris Johnson is certainly going to be in contention for the leadership. Very likely to be the next leader, in a situation where he in his letter today says he is not going to accept a customs union, and, actually, he will overturn the deal that we negotiate'. Today it emerged that EU officials are already talking about a further extension of Article 50 to June 2020 because they don't expect any breakthrough in Westminster before the current October 31 deadline, according Charles Grant from the respected Centre for European Reform. Talks with Labour resumed yesterday after seven weeks without any breakthrough, and today the Prime Minister came under intense pressure from ministers at a Cabinet meeting this morning Brexiteers urged her to pull the plug immediately. Ministers agreed to continue Brexit talks with Labour but acknowledged it was 'imperative' to get withdrawal legislation through Parliament before the summer break, Downing Street said. But one Cabinet source told MailOnline the two-hour discussion had 'pretty much kicked the can further down the road' - another insisted they had avoided any major confrontation over how to proceed. Theresa May (pictured last night) is being urged to turn her back on Labour for the good of the Tory party - and shadow chancellor John McDonnell revealed that chances of a breakthrough look slim Today's incendiary letter to Mrs May, signed by Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and chairman of the 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady, warned of the risk of a 'democratic deficit' if a backroom deal with the opposition is hatched. It is also implicit that the rebel group, made up of leadership contenders, would try tear up any soft Brexit agreement with Labour once Mrs May resigns. Cabinet had an 'extensive' two hour discussion on the Brexit talks this morning, the Prime Minister's official spokesman has said. Her de facto deputy David Lidington also gave an overview of the discussions with Labour, and a 'very significant' number of ministers spoke, he said. The meeting stressed the 'pressing need to get on with delivering the result of the referendum' and cabinet agreed to continue the discussions with Labour to 'see what was possible', the spokesman revealed. But ministers concluded that it was 'imperative' the Withdrawal Bill based on Theresa May's deal should be brought forward and passed before the summer recess. Former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, who also signed the letter drawn up by ex-ministers, said today he would rather stay in the EU than sign up to the customs union after Brexit - and urged the Prime Minister to sack off talks with Mr Corbyn now. The letter, signed by Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and chairman of the 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady, warned of the risk of a 'democratic deficit' if a backroom deal with the opposition is hatched He said: 'The talks clearly aren't getting anywhere. It's a blind alley. It's far better to concentrate on the arrangements in Northern Ireland, the one thing there is a majority for. If a [Labour] deal is going to include a permanent customs union then frankly we are better off staying in the EU because at least then we'd have a voice. We can't say we are leaving then half-stay in it'. Mrs May is set to let MPs decide on how to break the Brexit deadlock as her own furious ministers urged her to end talks with Labour immediately. The Prime Minister will offer the Commons a series of 'definitive votes' to try to settle the matter after the European elections conclude on May 23 - a plan backed by remainers in her cabinet. Brexiteer ministers including Andrea Leadsom are said to prefer bringing back her deal to the Commons and concentrating on getting the EU to change the Irish backstop clause of Britain's divorce deal. Some 13 former ministers, together with the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, have written to the Prime Minister urging her not to concede Labour's key demand of a customs union and potentially a second referendum. The signatories also include Gavin Williamson, who she sacked as defence secretary this month. The Democratic presidential field got even more crowded on Tuesday when Montana Gov. Steve Bullock became the 23rd candidate to enter the race for the right to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. Bullock was one of the few Democrats to win statewide in 2016 when he was elected to a second term as governor in a state Trump carried by 20 points - a feat he pointed out in his announcement video. 'As the Democratic governor of a state Trump won by 20 points, I don't have the luxury of just talking to people who agree with me,' he said. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock became the 23rd candidate to enter the field for the Democratic presidential nomination Bullock with his wife Lisa and their three children His first task will be meeting the thresh hold to enter the June Democratic presidential primary debate - which could prove difficult given his late entry into the contest. Bullock must either hit 1 per cent in three polls from a pre-approved list or have donations from 65,000. Bullock centered his campaign announcement on his push to end the influence of money in politics. 'Today we see evidence of a corrupt system all across America. A government that serves campaign money, not the people,' he said in his announcement video. He has spent years fighting for more regulation of money in politics. As attorney general of Montana, he unsuccessfully challenged the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling. As governor, he signed into law a requirement that dark money groups operating in the state to disclose their donors. In the landmark 2010 case, the Supreme Court ruled that the first amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for communications by corporations (including nonprofit corporations), labor unions, and other associations. In his two minute announcement, Bullock recounted his fight to end the influence of money in politics in Montana, including recounting his battle against the wealthy Koch brothers - Charles and David - who have spent close to a billion dollars to help elect Republicans. 'And if we can kick the Koch brothers out of Montana, we sure as hell could kick them out of every place in the country,' Bullock is shown saying in the video. He also sued the Trump administration in July to block it from eliminating a mandate that politically active nonprofits disclose the identities of their major donors to the government. The 53-year-old governor has long been expected to enter the race, given his travels to Iowa and hiring a state in the important early voting state. His focus will be on the early caucus state, whose voters resemble the electorate of Montana. Both are rural states with a heavy population of farmers - a group that supported Trump in 2016. He will spend three days in Iowa later this week. Bullock will likely make electability one of his main arguments to Democrats. Bullock highlighted his fight against money in politics in his announcement video Bullock pointed out he won in a state President Trump carried by 20 points in 2016 He argues as governor he won GOP-leaning voters even as he supported liberal policies 'We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets dark money drown out the people's voice,' he said in his announcement. And he told the Associated Press: 'We need somebody who can win back some of these places we lost in '16.' Bullock argues he has won over GOP-leaning votes in Montana despite his support of liberal policies: he's expanded Medicaid insurance coverage in Montana; he's pro-choice; he's embraced marriage equality; and he's vetoed gun bills backed by the National Rifle Association. His time in office has not been scandal free. In February, he apologized for being 'wrong and naive' in dealing with sexual harassment allegations against his former top aide Kevin O'Brien. Bullock was head of the Democratic Governors Association when O'Brien was fired from a job there because of the allegations. O'Brien also managed his 2012 gubernatorial race and had served as one of his top aides. He and his wife, Lisa, have three children, ages 16, 14 and 12. Bullock graduated from Claremont McKenna College in California and Columbia Law School in New York. A stunning three-bedroom home in an upmarket suburb could sell for as little as $1 when it goes up for auction on Thursday. The property at 3/5 L'estrange St, Glenside in Adelaide, South Australia is up for auction with a $0 reserve - which means the house should be sold to the highest bidder even if the highest bid is just $1. 'The property could absolutely sell for that but this strategy could also generate buyer competition,' selling agent Jordan Ekers told realestate.com.au. 'We're selling the property this way because it's a deceased estate and we want to find out what the market is really prepared to pay for a property like this.' The property at 3/5 L'estrange St, Glenside in South Australia is up for auction with a $0 reserve The gorgeous home contains three spacious bedrooms all with built-in wardrobes The South Australian property also has a charming dining room (pictured) The gorgeous home contains three spacious bedrooms all with built-in wardrobes, a Jack-and-Jill bathroom - with separate sinks but a shared toilet/toilet area, a dining room, and a second living room with heating and cooling throughout. There is also a large courtyard, lockup garage with auto panel lift and a second designated car parking spot. The lucky homeowners will be based within minutes of the local shopping centre, schools, and other amenities, as well as public transport. 'This property is under the instructions of the estate and must be sold at auction' Even though the house might go for as little as $1, Mr Ekers is hopeful it will go for more Even though the house might go for as little as $1, Mr Ekers is hopeful it will go for much, much more. 'I'm confident it will get market value on the night, but if it only sells for $300,000 or less, so be it,' Mr Ekers says. 'This property is under the instructions of the estate and must be sold at auction.' He said up to 90 groups of home buyers have come in to check the property. There have also been people with a limited budget of up to $200,000. The property will be auctioned this Thursday at The Arkaba Hotel, 150 Glen Osmond Rd, Fullarton, at 6.30pm. One of China's biggest mobile gaming companies said it would sell gay dating app Grindr following rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and national security. Beijing-based Kunlun Tech said in a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in southern China that it would sell Grindr by June 30, 2020, as pressure mounts from US authorities concerned over the potential misuse of the app's data by the Chinese government. The news comes as China and the United States are locked in a tense trade war which includes a side skirmish in technology. Beijing-based Kunlun Tech said in a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in southern China that it would sell Grindr by June 30, 2020 following pressure from US authorities concerned over the potential misuse of the app's data by the Chinese government Grindr, which bills itself as 'the world's largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans and queer people,' was founded in 2009 and says it has millions of users worldwide. US officials feared that people with American security clearances who use the app could be blackmailed if China's government demanded user data from Kunlun Tech, The Wall Street Journal reported in March, citing unnamed sources. China has previously announced a strategy of achieving global dominance in high-tech fields like artificial intelligence and use of Big Data. But that has raised US objections over Chinese state support for its tech players, as well as fears of advanced cyber-espionage by China. President Donald Trump (right) expanded his tariff regime to include practically everything China exports to the US; Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) retaliated Monday but said his own tariffs won't go into effect until June. The pair are pictured in November 2017 China announced Monday it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US exports by next month, responding in kind to President Donald Trump's decision last week to hike duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise The Chinese company was ordered to divest itself of Grindr by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews foreign investments in sensitive industries or those deemed harmful to US national security. Kunlun Tech's exchange filing, submitted on Monday, said it signed an agreement on May 9 with US authorities regarding the sale. The agreement restricts Kunlun Tech from accessing some of Grindr's user information and from transferring sensitive data to people or entities within China. Grindr is also required to stop all operations in China and must get CFIUS approval for three of its board members. In addition, one board must be an American citizen with US security clearance. A Chinese worker adjusts a hydraulic lift at a factory which produces construction machinery for export to many countries, including the US, in Jinan, in east China's Shandong province China imports almost four times less than it exports to the United States (file photo) 'If the company sells Grindr shares in the future, it will reduce potential political and policy risks that the company's overseas operations face,' Kunlun Tech's filing said. The company paid $93 million for a 60 percent stake in Grindr in 2016, completing the full acquisition two years later for another $152 million. Founded in 2008 by Tsinghua University graduate Zhou Yahui, Kunlun also owns Xianlai Huyu, a Chinese mobile gaming company. China announced Monday it would raise tariffs on $60 billion in US exports by next month, responding in kind to President Donald Trump's decision last week to hike duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise. However, US President Donald Trump left open the door for reconciliation, saying he expected a 'fruitful' meeting next month with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at a Group of 20 summit in Japan. The heiress of a German biscuits empire has sparked outrage after she appeared to play down the hardship suffered by people forced to work at the family business under Nazi rule. Verena Bahlsen, whose father owns the Bahlsen company, said the firm, which employed some 200 forced labourers during World War Two, 'did nothing wrong' then. Most of the forced labourers at Hanover-based Bahlsen were women, many from Nazi-occupied Ukraine. But Ms Bahlsen, 25, whose great grandfather Herman Bahlsen created the Leibniz biscuits, has triggered uproar by claiming her company treated the forced workers 'well'. She had first dived headlong into controversy with her unashamed claim of being a capitalist who 'wants to make money and buy yachts with my dividends'. As critics reminded her on Twitter that her company profited from forced labourers during Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime, Ms Bahlsen, who is set to inherit a quarter of the family business, hit back. Verena Bahlsen, heiress of the Bahlsen biscuit empire, has sparked outrage for claiming her firm treated forced workers 'well' during World War II. Verena Bahlsen, whose father owns the Bahlsen company, said the firm, which employed some 200 forced labourers during World War Two, 'did nothing wrong' then. Pictured: Workers at Bahlsen's Hanover factory in 1929 'That was before my time and we paid the forced labourers as much as the Germans and treated them well,' she told Germany's biggest selling daily Bild, adding that the company had nothing to feel guilty about. The claim has increased the outcry against her. The Nazi Forced Labour Documentation Centre in Berlin pointed to the case to illustrate the lack of understanding about the plight of those who were put to work against their will. 'Not only is there a great knowledge gap for family members of the #Bahlsen family. The topic Nazi forced labour is often still a blind spot in the collective memory,' the centre wrote on Twitter. It invited people to view its exhibitions to learn about the grim history. The Social Democratic Party's general secretary Lars Klingbeil also criticised the Bahlsen heiress. 'Someone who inherits such great wealth, also inherits responsibility and should not be so arrogant.' On social media, some critics have launched a call to boycott the company's products, others have urged Ms Bahlsen, one of four children of company owner Werner Bahlsen, to do a year of civic service to gain a better understanding of social realities. Karljosef Kreter, who leads a team on the remembrance culture in Hanover, said the Bahlsen heiress' comments were 'thoughtless'. Verena Bahlsen (left) is one of four children of company owner Werner Bahlsen (right) Founded by Verena Bahlsen's great grandfather at the end of the 19th century, the biscuit company employed around 200 forced labourers, mostly women, between 1943 and 1945. The firm now has annual sales exceeding 500 million euros (435million) 'Bahlsen was considered as an important company for the war effort and as such was provided with workers from eastern territories,' he told regional newspaper group RND. 'Forced labourers lived in conditions that were close to incarceration,' he said. Spiegel magazine said that while the young Bahlsen heiress could not do anything to change the past of her company, 'she must face up to its historical responsibility. 'It doesn't change the fact that her obliviousness to history is now the trend,' it added. Founded by Verena Bahlsen's great grandfather at the end of the 19th century, the biscuit company employed around 200 forced labourers, mostly women, between 1943 and 1945. Claims were made against Bahlsen by victims after the war, but they were rejected because of the statute of limitations. In a statement, Bahlsen, which has annual sales exceeding 500 million euros (435million), said it was aware of the moral responsibility that comes with being one of dozens of German companies that used forced labour during the Nazi dictatorship. 'The company is aware of the great suffering and injustice that forced labourers as well as many other people had experienced and recognises its historical and moral responsibility.' Bahlsen says it voluntarily paid some 1.5 million deutschmarks (about 750,000 euros) in 2000-2001 to a foundation set up by German firms to compensate 20 million forced labourers used by the Nazis. Former forced labourers have failed in individual lawsuits to obtain compensation from Bahlsen. German courts have cited statute of limitations laws. Most of the forced labourers at Hanover-based Bahlsen were women, many from Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Pictured: The Bahlsen production line in 1930s Germany Part of a memorial to the victims of forced labour under Nazi rule in Germany is seen at the former Buchenwald concentration camp site in Schwerte, Germany Founded by Verena Bahlsen's great grandfather at the end of the 19th century, the biscuit company employed around 200 forced labourers, mostly women, between 1943 and 1945 Germans voiced anger at the heiress on social media. 'Bahlsen is now officially the official snack food of the AfD,' one Twitter user wrote, referring to the far-right Alternative for Germany party that won its first seats in parliament at the last national election in 2017. 'The Bahlsen package is rather blue,' the user added, referring to the blue colour of both the biscuit box and the AfD party flag. Other Twitter users called for a boycott of the Bahlsen brands. 'never buy #Bahlsen,' tweeted Walter Petermann. Verena Bahlsen was earlier criticised for boasting about her wealth and her love of conspicuous consumption. 'I own a fourth of Bahlsen and I am very happy about that,' she said at a business event in Hamburg earlier this month. 'I want to earn money and buy a sailing yacht.' According to the Nazi Forced Labour Documentation Centre, based in south-east Berlin, 26 million people including prisoners of war, concentration camp internees, Jews, Roma and Sinti worked against their will for the Nazi regime. Rodney Puckett, 70, was arrested on Monday after police found his wife's corpse in the passenger seat of his car during a traffic stop in Eloy, Arizona. The suspect from Sand Springs, Oklahoma, is seen in his mugshot A 70-year-old Oklahoma man has been arrested after he allegedly drove across three states with his dead wife's corpse sitting in the passenger seat. A police officer who pulled over Rodney Puckett on Interstate 10 in Eloy, Arizona, on Monday was talking to the elderly man during the traffic stop when he noticed that a dead woman was sitting next to him. The deceased was identified as Rodney's 74-year-old estranged wife Linda Puckett. Rodney told police that the couple were on a road trip when Linda died at a hotel in Texas, so he moved her body into the car and continued toward their destination, which was not disclosed. The Eloy Police Department and Texas authorities have teamed up to determine whether Linda was the victim of a homicide. Her body was turned over to the Pinal County Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death. Authorities say Rodney and his wife Linda Puckett, 74, were in the middle of a divorce. Rodney is seen above in a photo released last month after he was reported missing in Oklahoma Rodney is currently being held at Penal County Jail on a charge of abandonment or concealment of a body. The investigation is ongoing and police say additional charges against the man from Sand Springs, Oklahoma, may be filed at a later date. Rodney and Linda had been married since 2011 and were in the middle of a divorce. Linda filed for divorce and sought a protective order against her husband earlier this year. The order was granted on February 6 and continued on Monday, according to court records obtained by ABC15. According to the Arizona outlet, Rodney was reported missing in April and a Silver Alert was issued, stating that he had bipolar disorder. The alert was canceled when authorities learned that he hadn't been heard from because he was in a Kansas jail for eluding police. The California woman who was brutally beaten to death with an electric scooter in broad daylight has been identified. Rosa Manjarrez Hernandez, 63, was dropping off a gift at a relative's home when she was suddenly attacked in her Long Beach neighborhood around 12.30pm on Monday. Manjarrez Hernandez had been walking on on the sidewalk when the man, whose name has not been released, suddenly ran up to her and began attacking her. Rosa Manjarrez Hernandez, 63, has been identified as the California woman who was brutally beaten to death with an electric scooter in broad daylight The deadly attack happened near the intersection of Odispo Ave and 64th St in Long Beach. A helicopter news camera captured footage of the gruesome scene. The victim's body is blurred A bystander tried to stop the attacker, but he continued the assault after picking up a nearby electric Bird scooter, which was used to bludgeon Manjarrez Hernandez to death. The scooter reportedly broke in half during the vicious attack before the man fled. Manjarrez Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Long Beach police apprehended a man who was buying a pack of cigarettes from a local convenience store around 5pm. Manjarrez Hernandez, 63, was dropping off a gift from a relative's home when she was suddenly attacked around 12.30pm on Monday A gun was discovered in his backpack, according to KCAL. He has since been charged with murder and is being held on $2million bail. Long Beach police are still working to confirm his identity. A bystander tried to stop the attacker, but he continued the assault after picking up a nearby electric Bird scooter (file photo) Investigators believe the attack was completely random. Neighbors described Manjarrez Hernandez as the 'neighborhood babysitter'. 'She took care of people's kids,' Latoni Robinson told KABC. 'Sweetheart, a loving person, very kind, generous.' Neighbor Robin Fagan saw Manjarrez Hernandez's body on the grass when she returned home from work. Her security video captured the entire attack. '[The police] saw him socking on her, pushed her down, kicking on her, and then she fell down,' Fagan told CBS Los Angeles. 'And then he went and got the scooter and started beating her on the head with the scooter.' Manjarrez Hernandez's family have since created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her funeral expenses. Surveillance footage captured the moment Long Beach police took a male 'person of interest' into custody early Monday evening. The man they apprehended was buying a pack of cigarettes from the local convenience store when he was approached by cops The store's owner told reporters he saw police take a gun out of the backpack worn by the person of interest who was taken into custody. The suspect's name has not been released Bird has since released a statement saying the company was fully cooperating with investigators. 'We are deeply saddened by this act of violence and our hearts and thoughts go out to the victim and her family,' it read. 'We will work with local law enforcement to help with the investigation into this tragedy.' Long Beach started its electric scooter ride share pilot program on July 2. The program was extended in November and expanded in February. One man has been charged with murder after the body of a University of Georgia professor was found in a hot tub and another man at the scene fatally shot himself while being questioned by police. The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office said professor Marianne Shockley, 42, and her boyfriend, Marcus Lillard, 41, were at the Milledgeville home of Clark Heindel, 69, Saturday night. Deputies responded to the scene after Heindel called 911 around 1am. When authorities arrived, Heindel and Lillard were both naked and trying to resuscitate Shockley, who was also nude. The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office said professor Marianne Shockley (left), 42, and her boyfriend, Marcus Lillard (center), were at the Milledgeville home of Clark Heindel (right), 69, on Saturday night Deputies responded to the scene after Heindel called 911 around 1am. When authorities arrived, Heindel and Lillard were both naked and trying to resuscitate Shockley (pictured) Shockley, who was employed by the University of Georgia as an entomologist, was bleeding heavily from a head injury and pronounced dead at the scene, according to WMAZ. An entomologist is a scientist who studies insects. Police then separated Heindel and Lillard and interviewed them about Shockley's death. When they were interviewing Lillard, Heindel was sitting on the front porch of his home. Officers continued to process the crime scene and at some point went to ask Heindel where Shockley's purse was located. When the deputies approached the porch, Heindel was no longer sitting down and the front door was open. Authorities knocked on the door and called for Heindel just before hearing a loud noise. Shockley was employed by the University of Georgia as an entomologist, a scientist who studies insects While deputies were interviewing Lillard (right), Heindel (left) went inside his home and shot himself in the head. Lillard was later charged with murder by strangulation, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another for waiting so long before calling 911 According to the station, the deputies found Heindel dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to head in his bedroom. Sheriff Bill Massee told news outlets that the investigation 'is one of the strangest cases that we've ever worked'. According to Massee, Lillard claimed he was in the woods gathering firewood prior to finding Shockley 'passed out' in the hot tub. He then pulled her out and claimed that he fell while trying to bring Shockley inside and during the fall, the professor hit her head. Before Heindel killed himself, he reportedly told police that he was swimming on the other end of the pool while Shockley was in the hot tub alone. He told police that they started performing CPR on Shockley after Lillard found her unconscious. They then waited 45 minutes to call 911 because she was faintly breathing, according to WMAZ. Lillard claimed he was in the woods gathering firewood prior to finding Shockley 'passed out' in the hot tub and pulled her out. Pictured is an aerial view of Heindel's home with a pool located nearby Lillard was subsequently charged with murder by strangulation, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another for waiting so long before calling 911. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to help with the case after Heindel killed himself. According to his Facebook, Heindel was the owner of the Good Karma Yoga studio in Milledgeville. He had been practicing yoga since the 1970s and opened his studio in 2015. Since their deaths, tributes poured in for both Shockley and Heindel. A GoFundMe page was set up for Shockley, who leaves behind two children, Paul and Nora. 'She was an incredibly kind, energetic, intelligent and loving human. What has happened is beyond comprehension and we are all still in shock,' account reads. 'The family have already had numerous emails, texts and messages from people asking how to help, so this campaign has been created as a way to keep everyone up-to-date with plans, and also offer a place for messages and donations to be left,' family members wrote. According to the GoFundMe account, the donations will go towards the cost of Shockley's funeral, reception and immediate costs for Paul and Nora. Heindel's friend, Zach Farr wrote a tribute to him in a Facebook post. 'You were truly one of the most generous, knowledgeable, and kindest souls Ive ever met,' Farr said. 'You had this amazing ability to foster a loving community that will always inspire me. Your love of yoga and the generosity surrounding it is what led me to deepen my path and teach yoga myself. 'You were my first mentor, and since then youve become one of my best friends. Ill forever cherish every drum circle, fireside jam, pool party, potluck, yoga class, Bob Dylan quote, ever-meandering philosophy conversation, lighthearted (and some even not so) disagreement, bike ride, nature hike, farmers market, and happy hookah weve ever shared. 'Carry on lightly. Oh nobly born, dont be distracted. Youre infinitely loved,' Farr added. An elderly couple in north-west China are forced to make a painful decision after they could no longer afford to treat both their sick son and daughter-in-law. The couple's son, Chen Gang, and his wife Yang Hongyan suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning while burning a coal stove to keep warm at their home in Yan'an, Shaanxi province. Chen, 38, and Yang, 36, were left severely brain-damaged and remained unconscious in hospital after the incident on March 19, Chinese media reported. Chen Gang (pictured above) and his wife Yang Hongyan suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning while burning a coal stove to keep warm at their home in Yan'an, Shaanxi province Chen and Yang (pictured above) were only discovered the next day by their horrified landlord The couple, who have a 14-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter, had passed out after inhaling the colourless and odourless fumes from a coal stove running in their room. They were only discovered the next day by their horrified landlord, who immediately alerted emergency services. Chen, whose condition was more severe, may need to have his left arm amputated, according to Shaanxi Television. Chen's parents (above) had spent more than 200,000 yuan (22,500) on their son and daughter-in-law's treatment after raising funds from donations and borrowing from family The couple's 14-year-old son (above) had been taking care of them at hospital and hadn't gone to school for more than a month Chen's parents had so far spent more than 200,000 yuan (22,500) on their son and daughter-in-law's treatment after raising the funds from donations and borrowing from friends and family. But they said they could not longer afford the expensive medical bills. 'Doctors said my son only has a 10 per cent chance of making a full recovery and needed two more operations,' the patient's father, Chen Liyou, told Huashang Daily. 'It is just costing too much to treat both of them. We don't have that much money,' he said. The couple's 14-year-old son had been taking care of them at hospital and hadn't gone to school for more than a month, he added. 'After careful consideration and much thought, I've decided to give up treating my son and use the money to save my daughter-in-law,' Chen's father, Chen Liyou, said Following the heart-breaking decision, Chen took his son back home (above) in April while his daughter-in-law remained in hospital for further treatment 'After careful consideration and much thought, I've decided to give up treating my son and use the money to save my daughter-in-law,' he said. 'I don't want my grandchildren to become orphans.' Following the heart-breaking decision, Chen took his son back home in April while his daughter-in-law remained in hospital for further treatment. However, last week, Chen finally regained consciousness, reigniting his parents' hope that he might recover from his condition. While Chen is still unable to move or speak, he can now hear his parents talk and smile in response. However, last week, Chen finally regained consciousness, reigniting his parents' hope that he might recover from his condition. While Chen is still unable to move or speak, he can now hear his parents talk and smile in response 'Now, I'll do anything to see him recover. As long as there is hope, we will seek treatment for him,' his father said. Despite the Chinese government's efforts to phase out old coal-fired heating systems, many residents living in poorer or rural areas still use coal boilers to keep warm during winters. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintended carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. China does not release similar nationwide estimates, but the number is likely to be much higher, according to the New York Times in a previous report. A witness to a heated row on a Virgin train said today that a disabled man moved from a train seat into his wheelchair so he could run over the feet of a frustrated woman - after his female companion slapped another passenger in their first class carriage. He told MailOnline: 'Until the drama began, the disabled man was in a normal seat opposite his companion. I think he moved to the wheelchair so he could join in the assault.' The wheelchair user had been sitting opposite a middle-aged woman - believed to be his carer or partner - on a packed service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston on Sunday, and parked his wheelchair in the baggage area across the aisle to their right. Tensions flared when his companion pushed a man and a dark-haired woman standing between them and the wheelchair. The middle-aged woman shouted, 'Get out of the aisle!', before turning to all the passengers and calling them 'ableists' and 'basta**s' - at which point the disabled man somehow moved over to his wheelchair. His irate companion then appeared to slap another woman, who was sitting down. A witness to a heated row on a Virgin train claimed today that a disabled man (pictured) moved from a Virgin train seat into his wheelchair so he could run over the feet of a frustrated woman - after his companion (left) slapped another passenger in their first class carriage. The eyewitness took this photo of the pair when the train stopped at Milton Keynes, Bucks. It wasn't the witness's stop but he made sure fellow passengers kept the doors open while a train guard was summoned to the scene The middle-aged woman is now being sought by police for the alleged 'slapping' assault. Moments later, the dark-haired woman told the female suspect: 'You touch anyone else and I swear to God I'll lose it.' At this point, the wheelchair user, looking uneasy, started to turn his wheelchair around, to which the dark-haired woman screamed, 'You are rolling over my feet!'. The disabled man replied: 'I'm trying to turn around!' The eyewitness told MailOnline: 'It was hard to understand. The middle-aged woman felt the two people standing in the aisle were standing too close to her. 'Maybe she thought that space was a disabled area - or maybe she and her companion had had other negative experiences. They seemed to use the disability issue as a cover to have a bloody good go at everybody. He added: Until the drama began, the disabled man was in a normal seat opposite his companion. I think he moved to the wheelchair so he could join in the assault, quite frankly. 'I can't remember if he made his own way to it or if he was somehow transferred there. And the second after he had sat in it, he ran the wheelchair over the womans feet.' The middle-aged woman (standing, left, next to the wheelchair user) berates passengers sitting down on a Virgin train on Sunday - calling them 'ableists' and 'bast**ds'. An eyewitness told MailOnline: 'Until the drama began, the disabled man was in a normal seat opposite his companion. I think he moved to the wheelchair so he could join in the assault, quite frankly'. During the row, he rolls over the feet of the dark-haired woman standing directly in front of him, and says, 'I'm just trying to turn around' Footage of the incident shows the moment the suspect 'slaps' the woman, and also the wheelchair user looking on uncomfortably with his head in his hands. At one point he says to the dark-haired woman: 'So great with your attitude. I am a human being, you know.' He then adds, 'Patronising.' The suspect, who is standing at the front of the carriage, with the wheelchair user to her side, can be heard saying: 'Look at all of them. Look at all of them. Ableists and bast**ds.' The alleged victim - a young woman sitting down just behind the man in the wheelchair - is seen talking to her. Suddenly, the suspect lunges towards her and a loud whack can be heard as the seated woman tries to put her arm up to defend herself. One shocked witness says: 'Whoa, whoa.' A third woman adds: 'Don't touch people.' At this point, a man's voice is heard, saying: 'Right, the police are being called.' Another says: 'Someone call British Transport Police. The police will be waiting at the next station.' The irate woman appears to hit a woman, sitting down just behind the man in the wheelchair, who looks on uncomfortably. The eyewitness told MailOnline: 'They seemed to use the disability issue as a cover to have a bloody good go at everybody' The disagreement took place on the packed service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston. Above, the seated woman tries to talk to the suspect, who allegedly slaps her moments later While this is going on, the man in the wheelchair continues to fidget and occasionally scratches his neck and head. Meanwhile, another jokingly tells the suspect: 'Just sit down and have a cup of tea or something.' But the third female passenger then gets more involved. 'No one is being abused' she says 'You need to calm down. Your friend wasn't trying to access that spot at that time' - in reference to the seat where the woman was allegedly hit. She then says to the suspect: 'Shut your f**king mouth. You touch anyone else and I swear to God I'll lose it. You are touching innocent people. You've upset that poor girl.' The dark-haired woman (standing in front of the wheelchair user) also gets involved in the argument, telling the suspect: 'You are touching innocent people. You've upset that poor girl.' The wheelchair user then says to the dark-haired woman, 'I am a human being, you know' She then starts talking to the wheelchair user and says: 'Get off me.' He replies: 'I'm trying to turn around.' She responds: 'You are rolling your wheelchair over my feet.' Another passenger replies: 'Can we all just calm down a bit.' The third woman then tells the suspect: 'You are a disgrace, you are a disgrace. I don't lose it very easily, but you've made me lose it.' The man in the wheelchair then says: 'I am a human being you know.' Another customer can be heard on his mobile reporting an 'assault' to the police. All the passengers are then forced to sit or stand in awkward silence. Stunned onlookers called the police after witnessing the ugly scenes, which occurred on the 6:10pm Virgin Train service. The suspect got off at about 7pm at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. A Virgin Trains spokesman said: 'We're aware of the incident and have referred to the British Transport Police.' A BTP spokesman said: 'We received a report at 7pm on May 12 of an assault on a Euston-bound train. 'A woman is reported to have attacked another woman in the first class carriage. The suspect then left the train when it arrived at Milton Keynes Central. 'Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact BTP.' A North Carolina man has been indicted on a murder charge decades after his son's skeletal remains were found under a highway billboard in North Carolina. The remains of Robert 'Bobby' Adam Whitt, who was born in Michigan and raised in Ohio, were only identified earlier this year after they were found in 1998. John Russell Whitt, 57, has now been charged over his death. He was also indicted Monday on a charge of concealing a death. He also faces charges in his wife's death after police then determined an unidentified woman found dead in South Carolina the same year as Bobby was his mother. The case was revived when Orange County Investigator Tim Horne connected with a genetic genealogy consultant and discovered a possible cousin. John Russell Whitt, left, has been indicted on a murder charge decades after Robert Adam Whitt's, right, skeletal remains were found under a highway billboard Charges in Myoung Hwa Cho's death may follow after her body was found in a Spartanburg field in 1998. She is pictured here with Bobby as a baby The child's skeletal remains were found by a mowing crew in September 1998 near this billboard (top left) in Orange County, North Carolina Last year, the consultant who helped solve the Golden State Killer case, Barbara Rae-Venter, used DNA to determine the child was half-Asian and half-white. Online DNA ancestry services identified a possible relative in Ohio. That relative disclosed Bobby's name, saying family didn't report him missing because they assumed his mother took him to South Korea. Based on that information, police determined an unidentified woman found in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, around the same time was Bobby's mother. She was identified as Myoung Hwa Cho with the help of the Korean National Police and INTERPOL, Spartanburg Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt Kevin Bobo said. Police said Cho was found dead in May 1998, the same year her son's body had been dumped near the billboard along Interstate 40-85. Her body was found along a service road near Interstate 85 in South Carolina and charges in Myoung Hwa Cho's death may now follow. Investigators (pictured in 1998) are seen processing the scene where Bobby's skeletal remains were found An autopsy at the time determined Bobby had been strangled around April 1998, a month before his mother's body was found Police said one of their initial clues that Bobby was a little boy was his shoes and other clothing found in the area Investigators in both states said they had never stopped trying to solve the 1998 cases that they never knew were related, separated by 215 miles along Interstate 85. A pathologist who examined Cho after she was found reported that she had ligature marks around her wrists, from where they had been tied, and that she had been suffocated, according to the Observer. Authorities had previously said Cho's husband and Bobby's father confessed to both murders after being interviewed by investigators. Investigators developed a scenario in which John Russell Whitt killed his son and his wife and dumped their bodies along Interstate 85. For years, 10-year-old Robert Adam Whitt's identity remained a mystery. Investigators then developed a scenario in which John Russell Whitt killed his son and his wife and dumped their bodies along Interstate 85 Whitt is in a Kentucky federal prison until until 2037 for robbing people at ATMs and carrying a weapon during those robberies. The child's skeletal remains were found by a mowing crew in September 1998. Investigators reconstructed what the boy's face looked liked from his skull but did not get any matches on the national databases of missing children. Natalie Mosteller, Bobby's cousin, told WRAL: 'The thing that I'm going to miss the most before we knew this was that I always had hope that I would eventually someday find Bobby and Myong on social media or something like that. 'Now, not only am I mourning the loss of my aunt and my cousin, but I'm also mourning the loss of that hope.' Pauline Hanson has scored a spectacular own goal after branding Senator Fraser Anning a racist before saying he was trying to be more like her just moments later. The One Nation leader said Senator Anning was 'extreme' and said he would not be re-elected in the upcoming election, The Australian reported. Senator Hanson was speaking to the newspaper in Perth before flying to Victoria on Tuesday. 'People throw the word racist around too freely, they don't know what they're talking about, but when you actually target a person based on their skin colour, that is racist because that means you believe your race to be superior to them,' Ms Hanson said. 'What he (Anning) says is extreme, it's unacceptable you will find people out there who might have that opinion, but it's not my opinion and not something I've ever said or will ever support. 'I feel now he has nothing to lose, I think he's trying to be controversial, to be another Pauline Hanson.' Scroll down for video 'I feel now he has nothing to lose, I think he's trying to be controversial, to be another Pauline Hanson' Senator Hanson defended her previous comments about Australia 'being swamped by Asians' stating they were 'factual' and not racist. In response Senator Anning said the One Nation leader had 'lost her way' and has changed. He said he was giving voters a chance to vote for the Australia they want and that introducing his plebiscite on immigration was not racist. Senator Anning has constantly come under fire since the Christchurch terrorist attack which saw 51 innocent Muslims brutally murdered while they prayed. He blamed Muslim immigration on the horrific attack. The far-right senator also called for a complete ban on Muslim and black immigration to 'ensure safety for Australians once more.' Senator Anning has constantly come under fire for his controversial comments and posts On Sunday, he shared an image of a Muslim family the El-Dennaouis, which had been made public in 2010 following the disappearance of 19-month-old Rahma El Dennaouis, who had been abducted. Senator Anning captioned the photo: 'If you want a Muslim for a neighbour, just vote Labor'. The post garnered thousands of comments before he eventually deleted the controversial post on Monday. Advertisement The UK is set to bask in glorious sunshine tomorrow as a mini-heatwave sweeps across the country bringing temperatures of up to 75F. After experiencing relatively balmy conditions today, the sunshine will continue into the evening, with most places being dry and chilly overnight. This afternoon many people made the most of the mild conditions and took the opportunity to soak up the sun on the beach in Brighton. While Scotland is usually susceptible to colder spells, sun seekers even flocked to Silverknowes Beach near Edinburgh, to top up their tans and even build a sand castle or two. The sun was quite literally pictured with his hat on at Chanonry Point, a popular dolphin-watching spot in Fortrose, Highland and the orange light can be seen twinkling in the water. The sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hooray! The sun was seen with his hat on in Fortrose (left), while people in Cambridge made the most of the bright weather and took the opportunity to get out and about for a bike ride Two-year-old Sophie Murray, enjoys the sun on Silverknowes Beach near Edinburgh while building an impressive sandcastle One woman was seen pictured in Brighton relaxing earlier today, listening to her music and enjoying the warm weather Stacey Banbrick, 39 and Elizabeth MacMillan, 29, seized the opportunity to top up their tans. Slipping off their shoes and relaxing near the calm waters near Edinburgh Row row row your boat! This morning a group of rowers took advantage of the conditions and headed out to the River Cam Further south in Cambridge, many took the opportunity to put on their running shoes and headed out for a jog on Midsummer Common near the river Cam. Those who enjoy to capture the stars at night will be pleased to hear that we will be sleeping under clear skies, with grass frost affected one or two inland rural valleys. This is while a few mist and fog patches are also set to form this evening, but mainly in eastern England. Wednesday will see a chilly start for most of the UK, there will however by sunshine and light winds, it will feel cooler near breezy southern and eastern coasts. The weather forecast for the next three days shows sunny weather for Wednesday and Thursday while going into the weekend showers could start to appear Time for a bike ride? This woman peddled through Midsummer Common in Cambridge earlier today as the sun continued to shine In London, some people decided to get their running kit on and enjoy some time in Regents Park (pictured above, with peddle boats in the background) Suited and booted! This man looked like he taken a well-deserved break from the office and was pictured on the beach in Brighton with the briefcase Those wanted to soak up the sun should make sure they get out and about today and tomorrow as towards the end of the week conditions are set to worsen (pictured above rowers out in Cambridge) Many have been urged to make the most of the sunny weather as the weekend is set to take a turn for the worst, with 'persistent' showers set to strike on Saturday, with some light showers on Sunday. Speaking to the MailOnline, a forecaster at the Met Office, Becky Mitchell said while we will have sunny and warm weather tomorrow, it wont be a full blown heatwave. 'On Wednesday it will be dry for all areas with plenty of sun. Temperatures could reach 75.2F degrees in northern Scotland where it will be the warmest, while it is set to be cooler on the east coast. 'On Thursday most places will be dry with sunny spells. Temperatures won't be as high as Wednesday. The top temperature of 69.8F will be in northwest Scotland everywhere feeling warm in the sunshine.' But sadly, Friday will see the emergence of cloudier weather, while the weekend will see a mixture of persistent rain on Saturday. 'Sunday will be more sunshine and showers', she added. Taking the scenic route! Many people in Cambridge decided to hop on their bikes today as the sky shone blue across the country Lunch time! This woman came well prepared and enjoyed her packed lunch on the pebbled beach in Brighton earlier today Shorts weather! Two runners were seen hitting the pavements in Cambridge earlier today getting in their steps before we see rain at the weekend Beautiful blue waters: Brighton beach looked stunning today as some people decided to walk their dog along the pebbles, while others took the opportunity to relax Bethenny Frankel has admitted that reality TV isn't always real while testifying during a nasty custody battle with her ex-husband. The Real Housewives of New York City star, 48, is fighting Jason Hoppy for sole custody of their nine-year-old daughter Bryn. After the pair split in 2012, Frankel began dating Dennis Shields, going public in 2016. He passed away from a suspected drug overdose in August last year. Hoppy's lawyer Robert Wallack has suggested that Frankel's relationship with Shields was bad for their daughter, reports People. Frankel has claimed she did not know Shields died of an opioid overdose, but Wallack used an episode of the show to dispute her claim. Bethenny Frankel has admitted that reality TV isn't always real while testifying during a nasty custody battle with her ex-husband Jason Hoppy, pictured together in 2012 before they split The Real Housewives of New York City star, 48, began dating Dennis Shields, pictured together, in 2016. He died of a drug overdose last August In the episode from last month, Frankel told a grief counselor that she was 'going through denial because I would imagine a sudden death from an overdose is extremely different than just knowing someone is going to die from cancer'. When questioned about the episode by Wallack, Frankel said: '[It's] a show you shoot for seven days to get 40 minutes. I can never specifically say that's what happened. Even if you have a transcript, it might not be what I said.' After he continued to question her about the show, Frankel added: 'I dont know. You are more of a fan than I am.' In March, Frankel claimed Hoppy would taunt her with FaceTime calls and emotional abuse. Frankel's attorney Ronnie Schindel played a 2015 FaceTime call in which she said Hoppy refused to let her speak to Bryn, despite the fact that it was Mother Day's weekend and their daughter's birthday weekend. Frankel then told the court that she wanted 'more physical time' with her daughter and said she was asking for 'ultimate-decision making' so that she wouldn't have to email with Hoppy about every single thing related to Bryn's care. Frankel, pictured on May 3, has claimed she did not know Shields died of an opioid overdose, but Wallack used an episode of the show to dispute her claim. She told the court: '[It's] a show you shoot for seven days to get 40 minutes. I can never specifically say that's what happened. Even if you have a transcript, it might not be what I said' The Lib Dems have dropped a probe into former leader David Steel and what he knew about child sex claims against the late MP Cyril Smith. Lord Steel had been suspended by the party after comments concerning Smith he gave to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). The former Holyrood presiding officer said a conversation with Smith had left him 'assuming' the allegations were correct, but that it was 'nothing to do with me'. An internal party investigation has now ruled there were 'no grounds for action' against Lord Steel as Smith 'did not confess to any criminality'. The Lib Dems have dropped a probe into former leader David Steel (shown left) and what he knew about child sex claims against the late MP Cyril Smith (right) His suspension has now been lifted, with Lord Steel saying the party has 'cleared my name'. He said he had voluntarily given evidence to the inquiry and had 'offered open and honest answers, some of which have been erroneously reported and taken out of context'. Lord Steel continued: 'These inaccurate elements led some to question my own such commitment. 'Opinions and assumptions are not facts and those expressed in some quarters have caused me great personal distress.' The suspension has now been lifted, with Lord Steel (pictured) saying the party has 'cleared my name' Scottish party leader Willie Rennie stressed it was important the party carried out the probe because 'we take the issue of vigilance and safeguarding incredibly seriously'. He added: 'The clarifications that David Steel has provided to us state clearly that Cyril Smith did not confess to any criminality which is why he took no further action.' The probe centred around a chat between Lord Steel, then Liberal leader, and Smith in 1979 after a Private Eye article revealed the MP's abuse of children at a care home. The article accused 29-stone Smith, then the MP for Rochdale, of abusing teenage boys at the town's Cambridge House Hostel, of which he was a trustee. Lord Steel admitted to the inquiry that he had a 'fairly brief conversation' about the matter with Smith in the Commons but did not go into details. He said: '[He told me] that he had been in charge of, or had some supervisory role, in a children's hostel, that he'd been investigated by the police and that they had taken no further action. That was the end of the story.' Inquiry counsel Brian Altman then asked: 'So you understood that he's actually committed these offences, from what he said to you?' Lord Steel responded 'I assumed that', causing Mr Altman to ask: 'Wasn't that all the more reason to take matters further and hold some form of inquiry?' Lord Steel (right) had been suspended by the party after comments concerning Smith (left) he gave to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse Lord Steel said: 'No, because it was, as I say, before he was an MP, before he was even a member of my party. It had nothing to do with me.' Smith, a prominent councillor before he represented the town in Parliament from 1972 to 1992, acted as a governor for several Rochdale schools - including council-run Knowl View School, where victims were regarded as 'authors of their own abuse'. Before he died aged 82 in 2010 he was the subject of sex abuse accusations and investigations but never faced trial and received a knighthood in 1988. A Lancashire Police investigation concluded in 1970 - the year he first ran for public office - that he had used his 'unique position' to target eight boys at Cambridge House Boys' Hostel in Rochdale during the 1960s. But the then director of public prosecutions (DPP) Sir Norman Skelhorn chose not to charge him. From 1997 onwards, Greater Manchester Police investigated allegations of physical and sexual abuse in residential homes. Xenophobic and anti-Semitic hate crime rose by nearly 20 per cent in Germany last year, according to the latest interior ministry data published today. In its report, the ministry listed 7,701 xenophobic criminal acts, a jump of 19.7 per cent compared to 2017. Anti-Semitic offences totalled 1,799 after a similar increase on 19.6 per cent. Almost 90 per cent of perpetrators had a right-wing extremist background, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told a press conference. While anti-Semitism was on the increase, Islamophobic crimes were down from 1,075 in 2017 to 910 in 2018, while anti-Christian attacks also decreased from 129 to 121. Participants of the 'Berlin wears kippa' rally wear kippas in Berlin last year to show solidarity with Jews after a spate of shocking anti-Semitic assaults Despite a post-war culture of repentance for the Nazi era and Holocaust, Germany has not bucked a European tend of increasing hate speech and attacks against Jews. In figures revealed in February the German government said police recorded 1,646 offences motivated by hatred against Jewish people last year. Among these were 62 violent offences that left 43 people injured, up from 37 physical attacks the previous year. A mass influx of mostly Muslim refugees and migrants to Germany from 2015 drove the rise of the far-right and anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which since late 2017 is the biggest opposition group in parliament. Leading AfD members, aside from railing against Islam and multiculturalism, have also made comments that play down the Holocaust. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas expressed his concern at the Berlin launch of a European network called Combating Anti-Semitism Through Education. All over Europe, hatred of Jews and violence against minorities are now rampant, Maas said. Around 2,000 people gathered for a march against anti-Semitism in Berlin last April, as the reports of such crimes increased dramatically Historical awareness is the best shield against intolerance, racism and anti-Semitism, he said, urging efforts to close 'gaps in knowledge'. The challenges had increased with the arrival of migrants who grew up with anti-Semitic stereotypes, he said, stressing however that anti-Semitism is 'not an imported product'. Maas urged tolerance toward all minorities, saying that 'in a free and tolerant Europe, we must protect a woman with a headscarf from insults and assaults just as we must protect a man with a kippa'. Felix Klein, Germany's commissioner for anti-Semitism said he was 'extremely alarmed' by the sharp rise. 'Against the background of falling inhibitions and brutalisation of the social climate in Germany, I had expected an increase in anti-Semitic crimes in 2018,' Klein told German daily Welt. 'However, I consider the fact that the increase was so high to be extremely alarming. Klein said Germany must now 'mobilise all our forces in politics and civil society' to counter 'this trend'. Koala numbers have fallen so low across Australia that the species is now 'functionally extinct', animal campaigners believe. The Australian Koala Foundation said there may be as few as 80,000 of the animals left in the wild, meaning they are unlikely to produce a new generation. 'Functionally extinct' describes an animal population which is either so small it has ceased to affect its environment, has no breeding pairs left, or is still breeding but from such a small number of individuals that it succumbs to genetic disease. Koalas may be 'functionally extinct', activists say, meaning they no longer have an impact on their ecosystem or are breeding from such a small gene pool they are vulnerable to disease The foundation says that, since 2010, it has monitored 128 Federal electorates that fall within known koala environments, and in 41 there are no koalas left. While researchers admit that the koala's tendency to move around and its patchwork habitat make it difficult to track, they say numbers are in steep decline. Between 1890 and 1927, more than 8million of the animals were shipped to London after being shot for fur. Research conducted in 2016 showed there were around 330,000 of the animals left in Australia, though this number could be as low as 144,000 and as high as 600,000. The biggest threats to koalas are habitat loss and heatwaves caused by climate change, such as the one last year that saw thousands of animals die from dehydration, studies have shown. Habitat loss and heatwaves caused by climate change, including the one that struck Australia last year (pictured), were identified as two of the biggest threats to the animals Since May 2012, koalas have been officially listed as vulnerable in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. This means their populations are in steep decline or at risk from entering a decline. While the animals are not listed as vulnerable in Victoria or South Australia, local populations are known to have gone extinct - though the species is relatively abundant elsewhere. Koala Foundation chairman Deborah Tabart said: 'I am calling on the new Prime Minister after the May election to enact the Koala Protection Act (KPA) which has been written and ready to go since 2016. 'The plight of the Koala now falls on his shoulders.' Police in Mexico say an American man has been arrested after a chaotic chase to the San Isidro border crossing which saw five people run over and 17 other vehicles damaged. The suspect, whose name has not been revealed, allegedly threatened a pedestrian with a knife on Manuel Marques Avenue in Tijuana. But when police intervened, they say he took off with his female companion in a Chevrolet Silverado pickup with Utah plates. During the chase the suspect's truck is said to have hit five people, 14 vendor stalls and 17 other vehicles. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES The police chase ended just yards away from the U.S.-Mexican border crossing in Tijuana An American man and woman were allegedly beaten by an angry mob at the Mexican side of the San Ysidro border crossing after the male reportedly drove his vehicle into five people and collided with 17 cars while leading police on a chase An American man was arrested Monday afternoon after allegedly leading police on a chase to the San Ysidro border crossing The San Ysidro border entry point that connects the United States and Mexico had extensive delays Monday following the crash Tijuana Municipal police director Mario Martinez said the driver collided with the responding cops' vehicle and then drove into the parking lot of an adjacent shopping center before he hopped over a median. It is alleged that the driver accelerated as he reached the San Ysidro border entry gates, hitting the pedestrians. According to Univision, one of the victims suffered serious injuries. A Chevrolet Silverado with licence plates from Utah was involved in a police chase that ended with five pedestrians injured Truck was heavily damaged in the crash, with its wheels left buckled Mexican Red Cross paramedics treat one of the five people that were injured Witnesses said they heard the loud impact of the driver barreling into other cars that were in queue to approach the border checkpoint. Cellphone footage from a witness near the accident site recorded the moment an angry mob approached the driver and beat him and his companion. The man was arrested and remains in custody of the Public Ministry. The woman was not detained. The accident caused significant delays at the San Ysidro border crossing with San Diego, and led to the shutdown of two lanes. DailyMail reached out to the United States Embassy in Mexico City and also contacted the Consulate General's office in Tijuana for comment. Images from the scene show a damaged black Chevrolet close to the crossing Steven Dymond, 62, of Portsmouth, was due to appear before magistrates earlier this year The Jeremy Kyle Show guest who is said to have killed himself after appearing on the programme had a warrant out after failing to attend court, it was revealed today. Steven Dymond, 63, of Portsmouth, was due to appear before magistrates earlier this year after he failed to pay more than 4,300 in fines relating to two offences dating back more than two decades. In August 1997 he was told to pay nearly 6,000 in compensation for taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent and obtaining property of a registered society by false representation. Today court staff revealed a warrant was out - which would have been executed by civilian enforcement officers - at the time of his death as he missed a court hearing in February fixed in order to settle his unpaid fine. On February 14 the digger driver was due to attend Southampton Magistrates' Court for the non-payment of a fine of 4,329.71 imposed in 1997. Mr Dymond attended Poole Magistrates' Court in 1997 and was told to pay 5,000 in compensation to General Capital Venture Finance for taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. Mr Dymond is said to have taken a lie-detector test to convince fiancee Jane Callaghan (pictured together) he had not been unfaithful but they split after he failed ITV has been urged to end broadcasts of the Jeremy Kyle Show for good following the death Steven Dymond (left), 63, was said to have been left in tears and feeling suicidal after filming for the show with his on-and-off girlfriend Jane Callaghan (right, with Mr Dymond) He was also ordered to pay 895 in compensation to another finance firm for obtaining property of a registered society by false representation. Hampshire Constabulary today confirmed Mr Dymond's no-bail warrant would have been executed by civilian enforcement officers rather than police officers. The death of 63-year-old guest Mr Dymond came a week after the programme was filmed ITV has been urged to end broadcasts of the Jeremy Kyle Show for good after the apparent suicide of Mr Dymond, who failed a lie-detector test on an episode. The talk show was pulled off the air indefinitely by the broadcaster after the death of 63-year-old Mr Dymond, a week after the programme was filmed. Mr Dymond is said to have taken a lie-detector test to convince fiancee Jane Callaghan he had not been unfaithful but they split after he failed. ITV said staff at the broadcaster and the show's production team were 'shocked and saddened' at the death and the episode will be reviewed. Ms Callaghan said Mr Dymond had been 'quietly struggling', but praised the show's team for their after-care efforts. A Hampshire Police spokesman said: 'I can confirm that we were called at 1.24pm on Thursday May 9 following the discovery of a body of a man in his 60s at an address in Portsmouth. 'The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org Police are appealing to the public to help identify a man who illegally entered the Tower of London last month before escaping by climbing down towards the banks of the river Thames. The brazen man was pictured wandering through the grounds of the historic castle, which houses the Crown Jewels, after hours. When challenged by security guarding the tower - not the traditional Beefeaters - the man took off climbing down towards the banks of the river Thames. A late night sightseer is on the run from police after he managed to break into the Tower of London. Police are appealing to the public for help identifying the man The man was last seen escaping towards the Thames foreshore near St Katherine Docks in Wapping, central London, just before 11.00pm on April 6. Met police are appealing to the public to help identify the unknown man and no arrests have been made. Home to the crown jewels, which have an estimated value of between three and five billion pounds, the Tower of London displays 23,578 gemstones, some of which are part of objects still used in royal ceremonies today. The Yeomen Warders, formally known as Beefeaters, guard the Tower of London during the day however they were not working at that time - private security guard the tower at night. A spokesperson said: 'Officers are concerned for the welfare of the man and would ask anyone who recognises him to contact police. It is not known how the man entered the grounds of Tower of London when it was closed (stock image) 'Officers from the Central East Command Unit are appealing to the public to help identify the man who illegally entered the Tower of London last month. 'The incident happened at about 10.50pm on Saturday, 6 April when the man entered the grounds of Tower of London when it was closed. 'He was challenged by Tower of London security and made off. The man was last seen by climbing down towards the foreshore of the Thames near St Katherine Docks.' Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC quoting CAD2706/14MAY. Target: It is not known if the Crown Jewels with an estimated value of three and five billion pounds were at risk during the break in In December security concerns were raised and sniffer dogs were called to the Tower amid fears staff were snorting cocaine just yards from where the 5billion jewels are kept In 2012 a thief broke into the Tower of London and stole keys belonging to guards in an astonishing security blunder. The raider was said to have managed to scale the Front Gate to enter the fortress. The bunch of keys which unlock drawbridges, were in a metal box which was meant to have been securely locked. Guards spotted the thief, but could only radio for assistance, as strict rules meant they could not give chase as they were unable to leave their posts. A shocking undercover investigation has revealed how workers in Asia savagely rip hair off goats to fuel the global cashmere trade. The agonised animals are then sent to slaughterhouses to be cruelly killed, according to the new study from an animal welfare organisation. The research was conducted between last year and early this year on 20 farms in China and Mongolia, two of the world's largest cashmere producers. The shocking investigation shows farmers violently tugging hair of goats with big metal combs The research was done by PETA between last year and earlier this year in China and Mongolia The animals are subject to abuse for years before facing a painful death, according to PETA Disturbing footage released by PETA, the charity behind the project, shows frightened goats screaming in pain as workers forcefully tug hair off their bodies with metal combs. Once proven useless to their owners - usually after years of abuse - the goats are destined for a slow and painful death, according to the PETA report. The investigation shows workers selling the 'useless' goats to slaughterhouses for their skin and meat. In the abattoirs, the animals get bashed in the head with hammers, slit in the throat before being left to die, it is found. PETA urges consumers to stop buying cashmere products in order to stop such cruelty towards animals. The goats are killed slaughterhouses for their skin and meat after they are no longer 'useful' Footage from PETA shows a worker pours alcohol over a wound on a goat after slitting it during the process of hair shearing. Cashmere goats live in the Gobi Desert in China and Mongolia Cashmere comes from goats living in dry areas in central Asia, especially in the Gobi Desert - a 500,000-square-mile area stretching from northern China to Mongolia. It comes from the goat's superfine winter undercoat and is commonly seen in jumpers, scarves, trousers, jackets and gloves in today's fashion industry. According to PETA, one goat produces only 8.5 ounces of cashmere hair per year, and in order to make one cashmere jacket, the hair of six goats is required. Cashmere hair is usually sorted, cleaned and refined in Asia before being transported to Europe to be sold to designers for roughly 90 a pound. Cashmere hair is processed in Asia before being transported to Europe to be sold to designers for roughly 90 a pound. Italy and UK are the main consumers of cashmere in Europe Cashmere comes from the superfine winter undercoat of cashmere goats in central Asia China and Mongolia, together with Iran and Afghanistan, are the world's largest cashmere producers and exporters. While in Europe, Italy and UK are the main consumers of cashmere due to high market demand. In 2016, the two countries consumed 97.25 per cent of the cashmere sent to Europe, according to a latest market report. PETA's expose of the grim situation in cashmere's source countries has prompt popular high street brand H&M to react. The Swedish fashion label vows to stop using 'conventional cashmere' by the end of 2020 and to only use the animal fibre if it's 'sustainable sourced'. An H&M spokesperson said the company had set the goal of banning cashmere a few years ago, and PETA's report highlighted the animal welfare issues to them and prompted them to take actions. Swedish label H&M has vowed to stop using 'conventional cashmere' by the end of 2020 The popular fashion brand says it would only use the animal fibre if it's 'sustainable sourced' The spokesperson said: 'Challenges connected to the environment, animal welfare and traceability are all reasons why we've decided to phase out conventional cashmere.' The brand hopes to source cashmere in more sustainable manners in the future and contribute to making the industry more 'transparent and responsible'. Currently, the fashion industry lacks a standard for 'sustainable cashmere', according to the spokesperson. H&M is not alone. Online fashion retailer ASOS banned cashmere last year following another PETA report on South Africa's mohair industry. The London-headquartered company sells more than 1,000 brands on its website. According to an ASOS spokesperson, the ban went into effect in January and no items made with cashmere, silk, down or feathers is being sold by the company. Gebrele Amare, a 23-year-old from Oakland, has been charged with kidnapping to commit a sex crime and sexual battery by restraint California authorities say that a woman was forced to jump from a Uber driver's car and another threatened to break his window when he tried to make a move at them, according to court documents. Gebrele Amare, a 23-year-old from Oakland, has been charged with kidnapping to commit a sex crime and sexual battery by restraint in connection to two separate rides he took on May 2. Berkeley police say that the Oakland man attempted to get the women to have sex with him and believe that there other victims who have yet to come forward. 'What the riders reported is deeply troubling,' Uber spokesman Andrew Hasbun said to Berkeleyside. He added that once the riders alerted them to the behavior on May 2, Uber removed Amare's access as a driver for the company. Authorities say that the suspect picked up the first woman at approximately 5.30am in Berkeley. The woman - said to be in her 20s - had ordered an Uber to get to work but was propositioned by Amare to get a room. Berkeley police say that the Oakland driver attempted to get the women to have sex with him on May 2 and believe that there other victims who have yet to come forward As the car approached Ashby and Telegraph (pictured), the first woman seized the opportunity to jump out of the moving vehicle. Police state that the woman then ran to a nearby gas station and alerted authorities about Amare's actions According to court documents, the woman refused Amare's advances but then the driver is said to have prevented the woman from using her phone and from getting out the car. As the car approached Ashby and Telegraph, the woman seized the opportunity to jump out of the moving vehicle. Police state that the woman then ran to a nearby gas station and alerted authorities. Authorities state that the woman sustained abrasions to her ankle and elbow. They also shared that as the woman tried to flee the vehicle, Amare allegedly sped up his vehicle. Police soon learned that a teenage woman made similar allegations about Amare later that morning. According to authorities, the driver is said to have touched the woman as soon as she got inside the vehicle. Amara allegedly admitted to police that he 'kidnapped' the woman in Berkeley 'because he wanted to have sex with her and he wanted to "pimp" her.' The suspect denied the second incident The woman is said to have then demanded to exit the car but Amare repeatedly locked the doors and prevented her from leaving. Amare let the girl go once she threatened to break his window. Police arrested Amare on Thursday and he remains in custody. His next court date is listed as May 23 and he is expected to submit a plea at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse. He was arrested at the same location where the first woman jumped out of the car. Amara allegedly admitted to police that he 'kidnapped' the woman in Berkeley 'because he wanted to have sex with her and he wanted to "pimp" her.' The suspect denied the second incident. A zookeeper has been jailed for asking a teenage girl to meet up with him for sex wearing her school uniform. Daniel Atter, 37, who has worked as a zookeeper at Woburn Safari Park, and volunteered at the Natural History Museum, started using internet chatrooms during a 'lull' in his workload. During lewd conversations with a 14-year-old girl he asked her to meet him for sex at a Premier Inn. He asked her to wear her school uniform and wear her hair in pigtails so he could hold onto them. After police raided his home in Powys, Wales, just before Christmas in 2017, they found he had messaged another underage girl saying he would be 'happy to take her virginity'. He was jailed for 21 months and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court. Daniel Atter, 37, has been jailed for 21 years and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court Andrew Taylor, defending, said: 'As a result in a lull in his work he decided to experiment by looking at websites and chatrooms. It became more and more exciting to him. 'He made contact with the teenage girl and asked her to go to a Premier Inn in Oxford saying: 'You can meet your new daddy for sex'.' Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard 'highly intelligent' Atter had previously viewed websites called 'Jailbait' and 'Junior Miss Pageant Nude'. Mr Taylor said: 'There was never an actual meeting partly due to the geographical distance between them. 'The young girl saw the error and danger of speaking to him and was able to draw back.' Police raided Atter's home in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, on 23 December, 2017, after receiving information about his internet activity. They seized a laptop, a Hudl tablet and a USB drive containing more than 1,000 indecent images of children, some as young as five. When interviewed, Atter said he said he had an interest in adult pornography and had only visited adult chatrooms. He is a leading authority on dormice and invertebrates and is licensed to carry out studies on protected European species. The court heard Atter had lost his reputation, his company DA Ecology based in Stroud, Gloucester, has folded, and his long-term girlfriend had left him. Mr Taylor said: 'These offences would not have occurred 30 to 40 years ago when it would have been almost impossible for a man of his age to meet a girl of 15. 'But the web has a dark side and Mr Atter fell into a trap which has led him to where he is today. During lewd conversations with a 14-year-old girl, Daniel Atter (pictured) asked a 14-year-old girl to meet him for sex at a Premier Inn in Oxford 'He is a highly intelligent man who feels a great sense of responsibility and shame. 'He is prepared for his loss of liberty. This has been a very hard lesson for him.' Atter, dressed in a navy suit and tie, wept and shook, as the details of his crimes were given to the court. He admitted attempting to cause a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, causing a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and three charges of making indecent images of children. He was jailed for 21 months and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Judge Peter Heywood told him: 'You are an intelligent man with professional standing - it's sad to see someone of your calibre in the dock. 'You made vile suggestions to a 14-year-old girl - it was totally inappropriate and disgraceful conduct, it was however out of character 'I take the view that these offences pass the custody threshold.' A planned strike by London Underground workers over the coming weekend of the FA Cup final has been suspended. Around 1,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, including maintenance and engineering workers, were due to walk out for three days from Friday morning. The union said LU had agreed to withdraw proposed cuts to train inspection and preparation, the issue at the centre of the dispute. Around 1,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, including maintenance and engineering workers, were due to walk out for three days RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: 'It is a massive achievement for this union to overturn the planned cuts to Tube train inspections and preparation but the campaign doesn't stop here. 'We now expect London Underground to reverse the planned cuts to jobs under their 'transformation' programme and give us an assurance that there will be no further attacks on our members, their working conditions and the safety culture on the Tube network. London Underground has agreed to withdraw proposed cuts to train inspection and preparation, the issue at the centre of the dispute 'Our action this week is suspended but RMT remains vigilant and will have no hesitation in taking whatever steps are required to block cuts and their consequences wherever and whenever they may emerge.' More than 25 people have died in Queensland after contracting Australia's horror flu virus, up 56 per cent on this time last year. Figures obtained by the Courier Mail newspaper show that there are more than three times as many flu cases in Queensland than what is considered normal, according to the five year average. It comes South Australia recorded 12,339 cases of flu since January this year, with 17 deaths. Experts have warned there could be as many as 4000 flu-related deaths this year. Government data showed so far there have been 40,000 laboratory confirmed cases so far - three times the usual amount recorded at this time of the year. Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales governments have reported more than 10,000 confirmed influenza cases in their respective states. Residents are urged to take their flu shots as the influenza virus has already claimed 25 lives in Queensland and 17 in South Australia Queensland health authorities said more than 800 people with flu were admitted to the state's public hospitals for treatment this year. They believe the 2019 death toll will far surpass last year's total of 43. 'Flu is a serious viral illness,' Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said. 'It is not the same as a common cold and these figures clearly show how serious the complications can be. Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza.' Government data showed so far there have been 40,000 laboratory confirmed cases in the Australia so far this year Researchers believe the alarming rate of cases is due to an unusual occurrence where two different A strains are in high circulation, rather than one. The Communicable Diseases Weekly Report, released by New South Wales Health on April 21, revealed there had been a 300 per cent surge in recorded flu cases compared to last year. 'For the year to date there have been 10,121 confirmed influenza notifications reported, much higher than for the same periods in 2018, (with) 3,803, and in 2017, (with) 2884,' the report read. South Australia has been rocked by a sky-high number of flu cases in what has been labelled as an 'unprecedented' start to the flu season. 'Sadly, 13 have been in residential aged care facilities,' South Australia's Chief Medical Officer Paddy Phillips said of the deaths. Mr Phillips noted the number of influenza cases had been 'unprecedented'. 'It is an unprecedented year, we have never seen influenza in these numbers at this time of year,' he said. A Somali village elder is set to testify in a Virginia court against the man he says tortured and tried to kill him 31 years ago. Farhan Warfaa has flown to the US for the trial of Yusuf Abdi Ali, a former colonel in the Somali army. Mr Warfaa alleges Ali was leading the notorious Fifth Brigade which rounded up him and other young men of the Isaaq clan from his village during the Somali Rebellion. Somali village elder Farhan Warfaa of the Isaaq clan with his US attorneys from the Center for Justice and Accountability Col Ali, reputedly known as 'Tokeh', meaning 'the crow' in his army days, was discovered by a CNN news crew working as a security guard at Washington DC's Dulles airport in 2016. He served in the Somali army during the 22-year dictatorship of president Mohammed Siad Barre, who was overthrown by rebels in 1991, plunging the country into anarchy. The case was was brought on Mr Warfaa's behalf in 2004 by California's Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA). 'He is hoping to achieve some measure of accountability for the abuses that he alleges he and others have suffered,' CJA legal director Carmen Cheung told The Guardian. 'Even though these crimes took place a long time ago, even though a Virginia courtroom seems very far away from where these acts took place, it is in some ways the only forum. 'The case is an important one not just for those people from Somaliland but also for us as Americans,' Ms Cheung added. 'What gives me hope is that this case is going forward in an American federal district court willing to allow a US jury to listen to these claims and make an adjudication.' In his opening statement on Monday, CJA lawyer Ben Klein said Mr Warfaa was jailed for several months and was regularly stripped naked and beaten, Klein said. He was also bound in a stress position called the 'Mig,' which Mr Klein said 'was so excruciatingly painful, so unbearable, it would cause Farhan to go unconscious.' Col Ali personally supervised many of the interrogations, Mr Klein claimed. In a final interrogation in early 1988, Mr Klein said resistance fighters attacked Col Ali's brigade in the middle of questioning. At that point, Mr Klein said, Col Ali shot Mr Warfaa five times while he lay on the ground, shackled. Mr Warfaa lost consciousness and was presumed dead, Mr Klein said, so Col Ali ordered him buried But the soldiers realized Mr Warfaa was alive and solicited a bribe from his family to let him live. Ali's attorney Peter Drennan insisted last week that his client 'denies every one of the allegations.' Mr Drennan told the court that Ali was a professional soldier who received training in the US, and claimed the case was brought out of motives of 'clan vengeance.' Frances Henderson arrives at her Health and Care Professions tribunal today A paramedic who said a patient was suffering from 'dying p*** syndrome' has claimed she was trying to explain how races have different tolerances to pain. Frances Henderson denied she was being racist when she made the offensive comment to a colleague during an ambulance journey in September 2017. Referring to a patient treated earlier that day, Henderson said the Asian man was being 'overdramatic' about his symptoms and was exhibiting 'dying p*** syndrome', the tribunal heard. The Bedford-based paramedic admitted making the comment but told the hearing it was made in the context of a conversation about ethnicities and their medical needs. She denied the comment was racist or meant in a discriminatory manner. Jessie Mond-Wedd, for the Health and Care Professions Council, said: 'It is accepted that this term was used. This comment is racist, the word p*** is an offensive word. 'It is clearly an offensive term used to describe Asian people and the idea they can be "dramatic" when all observations are normal. 'Colleague A says it was a lone comment made to her without context or general conversation.' Ms Mond-Wedd added: 'Would it have made the comment acceptable in context? No, we would say.' Henderson argued that the remark was part of a longer conversation, claiming it was one comment made during a 'general chat'. 'What I was trying to explain was that different cultures have different tolerances,' she added. 'Italians can become louder when dealing with uncomfortable news. It is a different tolerance to a pain.' Ms Mond-Wedd said: 'Isn't that a personal thing? Henderson said the Asian patient was being 'overdramatic' about his symptoms Henderson replied: 'Research has shown that some races have higher or lower tolerance to pain. Some cultures tolerate it differently to different cultures.' Ms Mond-Wedd then asked: 'If a paramedic holds a view that different races have different tolerances, could that impact patient care?' Henderson replied: 'Potentially. I also look at the bigger picture. I did not diagnose someone on their race. Ms Mond-Wedd told the tribunal: 'She has not shown full insight. She has sought to mitigate by talking about how other races have different thresholds. 'It is a fundamental tenet of being a paramedic that you must treat all patients equally and not hold racist views.' Michael Attenborough, representing Henderson, said: 'The word that is a comment has clear racist connotations but we say the panel is required to look carefully before you conclude. 'You have to use that comment in its context. The context and the person's state of mind need to be examined. 'It was something said accidentally. She did not believe that what was said was malicious. There was no hostility or prejudice. 'Her assessment was that she had been desensitised to it and it should not have been. 'It was a poorly executed, inappropriate remark to a scene she had experienced earlier.' The hearing was told Henderson has taken steps to improve since the incident, including one-to-one equality training. If the panel finds Henderson's fitness to work is impaired by reason of misconduct she could be struck off. The hearing continues. A traveling carnival worker has been arrested on murder charges after officials say he confessed to killing two Tennessee women and a Georgia teenager who had been reported missing earlier this year. James Michael Wright, 23, of Mendota, Virginia, was arrested on Thursday on three counts of capital murder after submitting to a police interview and reportedly admitting to shooting to death three young women over the course of 18 days. Wright, who was employed as a sub-contract worker with the James H. Drew Carnival, told investigators with the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Virginia that on or about February 28, he gunned down Elizabeth Vanmeter, 22, of Carter County, Tennessee, during an argument. Vanmeter was officially reported missing on March 17. 'Serial killer': James Wright, 23, a traveling carnival worker from Virginia (left and right), has been charged with killing two women and a teen girl over the course of 18 days Wright was employed as a sub-contract worker with the James H. Drew Carnival and met all three victims through work On March 9, Wright told the cops he shot dead Jocelyn Alsup, 17, from Marietta, Georgia, after the two had sex in the woods. Wright claimed that he tried to shoot an animal but inadvertently fired on Alsup. The girl, who was the daughter of Wrights co-worker, had been reported missing a day earlier. Then on March 17, the carnival worker stated that he shot 25-year-old Athina Hopson, of Johnson City, Tennessee, in the head after tripping and falling while armed with a gun. During the interview, Wright reportedly recounted how he was transporting Hopson's body in the back of his truck when it fell out and rolled down an embankment near the bridge on Nordyke Road in Virginia. He then retrieved the victim's body and dumped it in the river, according to a statement from the sheriff's office. Hopson was reported missing by her mother on March 21. Victim 1: Wright reportedly admitted to shooting and killing Elizabeth Vanmeter, 22, of Tennessee, during an argument on February 28 Victim 2: On March 9, Wright said told the cops he shot dead Jocelyn Alsup, 17, after the two had sex in the woods. He claimed he tried to shoot an animal but inadvertently fired on Alsup Victim 3: On March 17, Wright said he shot 25-year-old Athina Hopson, of Johnson City, Tennessee, in the head after tripping and falling When officers executed a search of properties surrounding Wright's home on Mendota Road on Friday, they recovered two human bodies believed to be those of Vanmeter and Alsup. One body was dug up from a shallow grave, according to the sheriff's office, while the other was found near some logs. Police are still searching for Hopson's body. Autopsies will be performed on the recovered remains to positively identify them. Investigators also seized a 22.-caliber rifle that is believed to have been used in all three shootings. Wright had met the victims through his work with the traveling carnival. He claimed that all three shootings were 'accidental,' which Sheriff Fred Newman said he found hard to believe. Law enforcement in Virginia first became aware of Wright two weeks ago, when police in Jonson City, Tennessee, contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office seeking to set up an interview with the 23-year-old regarding Athina Hopson's disappearance. It was Hopson's missing person report that brought the authorities to Wright's doorstep Wright (left and right) insisted that all three women were shot accidentally. Two of the bodies were found buried near his home the 23-year-old could be looking at the death penalty if convicted of capital murder The investigation has established that Hopson was last seen in wright's company in March. An interview was conducted, after which police obtained a search warrant for Wright's truck where they recovered Hopson's cellphone. Wright is being held without bond in the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon, Virginia, on three counts of capital murder, three counts of using a firearm in committing a murder and three counts of concealment of a dead body. Washington County Commonwealth Attorney Joshua Cumbow said while the investigation is still in its early stages, the death penalty is definitely on the table. Investigators at this time have no evidence suggesting that there are additional victims out there, but state authorities assisted by the FBI and the US Marshals Service are working with Wrights employer to determine all the places the travelling carnival had visited to see if people were reported missing there. A businessman has begun his private case against Boris Johnson claiming he misled the public with his Brexit vote claim that Britain sends the EU 350m per week. Marcus Ball, 29, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon to start the private case against Mr Johnson for allegedly abusing public trust during the EU referendum campaign. He alleges that the former foreign secretary committed misconduct in public office by endorsing and making statements which he knew to be false at a time when he was mayor of London and an MP. Marcus Ball with supporters outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London today, where he has brought a case against Boris Johnson for intentionally misleading the public during the referendum Marcus Ball (left) with his solicitor Giles Bright (right). He alleges that the former foreign secretary committed misconduct in public office The allegation relates to the much-trumpeted claim by the Vote Leave campaign that the UK sends 350 million a week to the European Union, which was found to be misleading by the UK Statistics Authority. Mr Ball, a start-up company entrepreneur from Norfolk, attended today's private hearing dressed in a smart navy blue suit. His barristers, Lewis Power QC, Colin Witcher and Anthony Eskander were also present while Adrian Darbishire, QC, attended, representing Mr Johnson. District Judge Margot Coleman asked for the courtroom to be cleared and said: 'This is a private hearing, nobody has been arrested, nobody has been charged or nobody has been interviewed. 'Next week's hearing would be ordinarily be heard in private as well, but because it is a very usual and exceptional and there is a huge public interest case I have taken the view there should be a public hearing.' Mr Ball claims Mr Johnson endorsed and made statements which he knew to be false at a time when he was mayor of London and an MP Mr Johnson was a key player in the Vote Leave campaign. He is pictured next to a bus claiming Britain sends the EU 350 million a week Speaking after the hearing, Giles Bright, Mr Ball's solicitor, said: 'The court has determined that a public hearing will take place on Thursday May 23 at this court. 'At this the judge will consider the application to issue a summons against the proposed defendant, Mr Boris Johnson MP, for the offence of misconduct in a public office.' While Mr Ball said after the hearing: 'We wish to stress again Mr Johnson has not been charged of any criminal offence and is at all times innocent until proven otherwise. 'We will respectfully ask that all those reporting and those supporting to respect the formality of the court.' Speaking before the hearing, he had said: 'This is a purely legal case, it is not about political point-scoring. And we must remember he is innocent until proven guilty.' There will be another hearing on May 23 to determine whether the case will go ahead, Mr Ball said today In a tweet posted to his 13,000 followers before he headed into court, Mr Ball said: 'Today is the first day, after almost 3 years of work, that our prosecution case against Mr Johnson MP is being heard in court.' More than 30 supporters gathered outside the court while Mr Ball's case was heard. They were joined for a brief moment by self-styled Boris Johnson lookalike Drew Galdron - but the 35-year-old left a short time later after Mr Ball's supporters said the 'stunt would muddy the waters' and distract attention from their cause. Before the hearing, Mr Ball said: 'This case is a world first, it has never happened before. A member of Parliament has never been prosecuted for misconduct in public office based upon alleged lying to the public. 'My backers and I aspire to set a precedent in the UK common law making it illegal for an elected representative to lie to the public about financial matters.' Mr Ball previously said he raised more than 370,000 across several crowdfunding campaigns to finance the case, but he declined to provide an update outside court. There will be another hearing on May 23 to determine whether the case will go ahead. An 11-year-old in Ohio who allegedly became pregnant after being raped by a 26-year-old would have no right to an abortion under new state legislation signed into law last month. Ohio passed a bill banning abortion after a heartbeat is detected in the fetus, at around five or six weeks into a pregnancy, in April. As the bill will not come into effect until July, the victim, who cannot be named, will be allowed to have abortion if she chooses, but thousands of other victims will soon be denied the same right. The legislature also means many women will only discover they are pregnant after the time period for a legal abortion has passed. The case has raised serious questions about the so-called 'heartbeat bill', which four other states have passed so far. Now Alabama lawmakers are set to vote on an even stricter abortion bill that would make terminating a pregnancy at any stage illegal tonight. A pregnant 11-year-old rape victim in Ohio would have no right to an abortion under new laws in her state had she been assaulted just two months later. Pictured: protesters fighting against an abortion ban dress up as handmaids outside Alabama State House in Montgomery Attorney General Dave Yost defended the law after being quizzed about this specific case by CBS News. He told the broadcaster: 'Sometimes, the evolution of the law requires bold steps. 'In the last 46 years, the practice of medicine has changed. Science has changed. Even the point of viability has changed. Only the law has lagged behind.' Ohio already bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and the girl will need to gain parental consent or her case to a judge for permission. Tonight Alabama lawmakers are expected to vote on a bill that would make abortion a felony. The only exception would be for when the woman's health is at serious risk. Although the bill passed the House of Representatives 74-3, some GOP state senators have expressed discomfort that the bill doesn't include an exception for rape. 'Overwhelmingly, the people out on the street I'm talking to, they are hesitant to put into law no exceptions,' Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said. A Toronto man was arrested after he allegedly stole a tip jar from a local waffle restaurant while disguised as the Joker. Wafels & More shared surveillance footage of the May 5th incident on its Facebook page, showing the suspect wearing face paint resembling the Batman villain. 'Summer is approaching and the thieves are back...I was waiting for Batman to save the day but he didn't showed up,' the eatery said in the post. 'If anyone has a good tip on how to secure the tip jar feel free to share. Kensington Market area.' Scroll down for video Wafels & More posted video on Facebook of the May 5th incident showing a man disguised as the Joker, stealing the eatery's tip jar The suspect, identified by police as 29-year-old Timothy Lubin, is seen sauntering into the Toronto restaurant with his hair dyed green and white paint covering his face. He walks toward the cash register and appears to try to nab the tip jar, only to stop once a staff woman from behind the counter turns to speak with him. The two have a brief conversation before the woman walks off and Lubin uses the moment to grab the jar and take off. Timothy Lubin, 29, is seen sauntering into the Toronto restaurant with his hair dyed green and white paint covering his face to resemble the Dark Knight's rival. He steals a tip jar from the restaurant People took to the comment section of the post to share that a 'painted face person' routinely bothered various stores in the area. 'This painted face person hits up many places along bloor west,' said Dean Labreche. 'He will attempt to enter staff only areas and take whatever possible. He also does drugs in restaurant washrooms. Heads up.' Christophe Stevens, owner of the bar, wrote that he actually encountered the suspect before. People took to the comment section of the post to share that a 'painted face person' routinely bothered various stores in the area Wafels & More would later post that the Toronto Police Department arrested the suspect, applauding their 'quick and good work' 'Yes i kicked him out my toilet once before where he left me a nice present to deal with,' he said. Wafels & More would later post that the Toronto Police Department arrested the suspect, applauding their 'quick and good work.' Lubin was arrested on Sunday and charged with theft, according to a news release from the Toronto Police Service. He appeared in court on Monday. A Wisconsin mother who crashed her SUV while three times the legal drink drive limit was so drunk she could not remember the names or ages of her three young children who were in the car, police said. Monica Mencheski, 32, from Green Bay, spent 'five minutes vomiting outside the squad' vehicle and yelled about 'following her children's father in her car', according to the criminal complaint. The 'highly intoxicated' mom drove the SUV off the road and through back yards, narrowly missing a house but crashing into a tree near Cormier Road in Ashwaubenon at around 10pm on Friday. Scroll down for video Monica Mencheski (pictured), 32, from Green Bay, was charged with nine counts on Monday including operating a vehicle with a minor inside The intoxicated mom drove her SUV through back yards, destroying lawns and crashing into a tree and a pole before getting stuck on a rock Captain Jody Crocker, from Ashwaubenon Public Safety, told WTAQ the SUV kept going. 'The vehicle then crossed through the yard into the next neighbors yard, pretty much destroying all of the landscaping in the backyard. It then struck a utility pole and destroyed the pole.' Crocker said the car continued until it got wedged on a large landscaping rock, where police apprehended Mencheski. Police said the children were five years, two years and three months old. They were not injured. When officers asked to perform sobriety tests, Mencheski said: 'I am too fat and wobbly to do this', 'I am too drunk', and 'not gonna lie, I'm drunk', the complaint states. A preliminary breath test showed her blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit. Authorities said the children, aged 5, 2 and 3 months, were not injured when their drunk mother crashed the SUV Mencheski is being held in the Brown County Jail and has to come back to court later in May The 32-year-old has two prior drunk driving convictions. Her blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit while driving on Friday Authorities also found a pipe in the woman's SUV and it tested positive for marijuana, according to the complaint. She was charged with nine counts on Monday, including three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, three counts of operating a vehicle with a minor inside, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Mencheski has two previous drunk driving convictions. She is being held in the Brown County Jail and has to come back to Brown County court on May 29. During Ramadan Omar Ashfaq, 24, travelled to mosques in Luton, Derby, Loughborough, Coventry and Birmingham to leave extremist material An extremist who left memory sticks containing terrorist propaganda inside shoes while Muslim worshippers were praying has been jailed today. One was found by a nine-year-old boy who had gone to the mosque with his father and older brother. During Ramadan in May and June last year Omar Ashfaq, 24, travelled to mosques in Luton, Derby, Loughborough, Coventry and Birmingham to leave extremist and violent material. On Friday 1 June last year three USB drives containing imagery and words promoting and encouraging terrorism, were found in the shoes of people attending a mosque in Leicestershire. The following day the same thing happened at two mosques in Bedfordshire, in which four USB drives in total were found. Five drives were also discovered at a mosque in the West Midlands. On Monday 4 June another three devices were found at a Derbyshire mosque. A further stick was discovered at another mosque in the West Midlands a few days later. Worshippers who found the memory sticks informed mosque authorities who were able to identify Ashfaq from CCTV footage and notified the police. The 24-year-old, formerly from Derby, was arrested and a search of his home and a vehicle uncovered numerous bags of USB sticks as well as notes outlining his plans. One document labelled Target: 1 week was a map on which a route was drawn, taking in as far north as Leeds, east to Peterborough, south to London and west to Stoke-on-Trent. Ashfaq was charged with three counts of possessing material of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and eight counts of disseminating terrorist publications. He subsequently pleaded guilty to the possession offences but continued to deny disseminating the material claiming he was merely attempting to highlight extremist material available online to Imams so that they could report it to the police. On the first day of his trial at Birmingham Crown Court, however, Ashfaq pleaded guilty to dissemination and today was jailed for four-and-a-half years, with a further year of monitoring on licence. Deb Walsh from the CPS said: 'Omar Ashfaq found a novel way to spread violent Daesh propaganda in the hope of encouraging British Muslims to commit terrorist acts. 'Instead the mosques he targeted found him on their CCTV recordings and handed in the footage and the memory sticks to the police. 'I want to thank them for acting quickly so the CPS had the crucial evidence we needed to encourage him to plead guilty.' Christopher Ewing, 40, of Missouri, has been charged with felony kidnapping, attempted kidnapping and assault in connection to a portable toilet attack A Missouri man has been charged with overturning a portable toilet after locking a woman inside at a suburban St. Louis light rail station. Christopher Ewing, 40, of Uplands Park, was arraigned on Monday on felony counts of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping and assault. His bond is set at $75,000. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the attack happened on Friday in the parking lot of the North Hanley MetroLink station in Carsonville. Charging documents state he punched a woman exiting a portable restroom, closed her inside and toppled it as the victim was calling 911 for help. Passersby who witnessed the attack were able to lift the portable toilet and free the victim. Authorities say he then made his way to the nearby Thies Farm and Greenhouses, where he tried to force another woman to give him a ride in her pickup truck. Ewing is accused of punching a woman as she exited a portable bathroom at the North Hanley MetroLink station in Carsonville, forcing her back inside and tipping the unit over Ewing then attempted to force another woman to give him a ride at Thies Farm and Greenhouses According to the court papers, the 40-year-old suspect dragged the second woman by her hair and neck as she was exiting her vehicle and attempted to force her back inside. The female motorist screamed, alerting a Good Samaritan who yelled at the suspect to let the woman go. When police arrived to arrest Ewing, the man claimed that he pushed the first woman into the portable toilet because she had assaulted him. Ewing's criminal history includes a 2018 conviction on a charge of domestic assault, for which he was sentenced to probation. The shaman who has stolen Norway's Princess Martha's heart touched down in Norway to be with her on Tuesday ahead of a five-city, joint speaking tour which they are selling tickets for online after announcing their romance to the world on Instagram. The eccentric princess announced on Monday that Shaman Durek, whose real name is Derek Verrett, was her 'twin flame' and new boyfriend. It is unclear where they met or when but photographs of them together date back to November last year. Sources tell DailyMail.com they are 'madly in love' and that she was one of his clients. 'Falling in love with a client was the last thing on Shaman Dureks mind. But their attraction for each other was inevitable. 'They both believe they have known each other for many lifetimes, and that in this lifetime they are suppose to help heal the world together with their tribe, their followers. 'Durek believes he was a King in a past life and that he and Princess Marta were husband and wife in multiple lifetimes,' a friend told DailyMail.com. On Tuesday, Verrett arrived in Oslo with his two nieces. They were greeted by the princess who hugged them all then drove them away. He told reporters upon his arrival that he was there to 'share love'. Starting this weekend, he and the princess will embark on a five-city tour of Denmark and Norway where they will take paying crowds 'on a journey into the mysteries of life' that will focus on 'shamanic exercises and meditation.' Tickets to the two events - which are called The Princess and the Shaman and the more intense, Activating Divinity, are being sold online for between $65 and $140 each. Welcome to Norway: Princess Martha Louise hugs her boyfriend, Shaman Durek, at Oslo Airport on Tuesday Princess Martha embraces her boyfriend, the shaman, while his niece Alexandria Alava stands behind him Martha drove them away from the airport after the reunion on Tuesday afternoon The couple announced their romance on Instagram on Monday in separate posts From Saturday, the pair will visit Stavanger, Tromso, Oslo, Copenhagen and then Fredrikstad. The announcement of their romance also comes just as he begins promotion for his new book, Spirit Hacking, which will be released this October. Princess Martha Louise, 47, divorced her husband, Ari Behn, in 2016 after 14 years of marriage. At the time they said they had simply grown apart but that they planned to share custody of their three children. She had not had any notable romances since then until meeting Verrett. After announcing their relationship on social media, she hit back at critics saying she did not choose it to 'satisfy the norms.' Verrett, 44, was born in Sacramento in November 1974. He claims he first became 'aware' of his shamanic abilities when he was five but that he didn't start training until age 11 and that he is a 'sixth generation healer'. His mother, who he says was who exposed him to the spirit built when he was a baby, was Norweigan-Indian and his father was African-Haitian. Verrett is selling tickets to hear him and his new girlfriend speak at events in Norway and Denmark for between $65 and $140 He claims she predicted his romance with the divorcee royal. 'When I was a teenager my mother told me that one day someone from her heritage in Norway would find me and bring so much joy in my heart. 'I asked her "who mother"? When I was a teenager my mother told me that one day someone from her heritage in Norway would find me and bring so much joy in my heart... she said "a princess" "She said a princess"....she was right my kindred spirit found me,' he said in a recent Instagram post. After spending 'years' training, Durek has cultivated a strong celebrity following and now counts Gwyneth Paltrow, Nina Dobrev and other stars among fans. He is regularly featured on Hollywood shows and on his website, he sells meditation tracks for around $10 each. He also has a collection of books on Amazon. In light of his recently announced romance, he is now selling $65 tickets to an event called The Princess and the Shaman where he and Martha will teach a workshop and answer questions. Verrett's other niece, Natalia, was also with him for the trip. He said on social media that he was excited about bringing them to Norway to discover their 'roots'. His mother has Norweigan heritage, he says Verrett claims to have first learned he had shamanic abilities when he was two-years-old He says his mother (with whom he is pictured) drummed him into a trance when he was an infant and that is how he 'met' his ancestors Verrett teaches bootcamps and workshops around the world in addition to selling online programs He has a devout following in California and in Europe in particular where people flock to see him On social media, Durek says he is romantically interested in both men and women. He lists no qualifications or education other than attending 'the school of loving everyone', 'the school of being humble' and a high school in San Mateo, California. In 1993, he was arrested in Santa Clara County, California, though records were not immediately available to reveal what the alleged crime was. In articles and interviews over the years, he has described how his mother, who now goes by Veruschka Urquhart, introduced him to his late grandmother, who was also a shaman, by drumming him into a trance when he was a baby. He describes his mother as his 'portal of light' and said in one interview with an Icelandic magazine in 2015: 'I was only two years old when I learnt what it meant to be a shaman... My mother told me that she realized while she was still pregnant with me that I was marked and that Id always been a very special child... Celebrities including Rosario Dawson and Kelly Rutherford are among his famous fans He writes for Gwyneth Paltrow's website Goop and considers her a friend along with Nina Dobrev 'She played drums and taught me about the mysteries of plants. I fell into a trance and was then able to see my ancestors. 'I didnt know them, didnt know who these people were. I remember one of the women was dressed in white and had dark skin and she spoke to me very clearly, she called herself mamal. 'I later learned that she was my great-grandmother who had also been a shaman, visiting me from the spiritual realm.' Verrett's father, David B. Verrett, died in 2017. Online, he has made vague references to being beaten as a child and protected by his older sister, Angelina. Verrett also sells meditation tracks which range between $5 and $20 on his website Among the services Durek lists on his website are a shaman bootcamp, workshops and speeches, home clearing and 'shamanic experiences'. He has spoken in the past of being able to get patients to vomit to get rid of 'poisons' in their bodies and says he keeps a bucket in sessions in case they need to throw up. In an interview with E!, he once told of being able to recognize that a famous actress had come to a session after taking cocaine. Verrett said that cocaine was 'also a medicine' and that he helped her understand 'why she needed the medicine' - she was scared about her 'blockbuster' movie that was about to come out, he said. He claims to have once come back from the dead, recovering from a month-long coma, by letting his soul 'burn' and he has also spoken of having to undergo a kidney transplant from his sister as a child. It is unclear why he needed the kidney or how he became wheelchair bound, as he has described. The illness which sent him into a coma is also undisclosed. Writing on Instagram about her new love, the princess penned: 'Durek has changed my life, like he does with so many' Pictured, the couple together. It is unclear how or when they met 'When I woke up from a month long coma, I was told that I would never walk again and that I didnt have much more than a month to live. Seven different specialists told me there was no hope. 'But I received visits from powerful beings who delivered me messages about how I had to set my mind in order to survive this,' he said. His event with Princess Martha, which will take place in Norway and Denmark later this month. They plan to 'talk about life, how to raise awareness, and lead you back to whats true in you' and tickets cost between $65 and $140. Princess Martha Louise tied the knot with author Ari Behn in a lavish ceremony in 2002. They separated in 2016 and said at the time they had simply grown apart In duel Instagram posts, the pair proudly announced their romance. Martha, whose divorce from Ari Behn was finalized three years ago, said: 'When you meet your twin flame, you know. I have been lucky enough to have met mine. [He] has changed my life, like he does with so many.' Durek gushed: 'To be loved or not to be loved for I'd rather be loved unconditionally then not to be loved at all. This is what I feel from Martha Louise, pure acceptance of my multidimensional self. 'Not just the Shaman, however the woman in me, the strong man in me, the little boy, ET, the jaguar, the scientist and the angel and more.' Princess Martha Louise's eccentricity is well documented. In 2017, she was forced to close a school she had opened where children could learn to connect 'to the angelic realm' because it was not making any money. A 17-year-old New Jersey girl was killed in a horrific car crash on the way back from her prom. Alexis 'Lexi' Faye died just hours after dancing the night away with her friends and boyfriend of three years. The Newtown High School junior was one of four teens inside the rented 2017 Mercedez-Benz when it veered off the road and overturned around 5.30pm on Saturday in the rural Fredon Township. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Alexis 'Lexi' Faye died just hours after dancing the night away with her friends and boyfriend of three years at her high school prom (pictured) Anthony Burke, who was behind the wheel, and passengers Maria Fiore, 16, and Nicholas Chavarria, 17, were all seriously injured. Burke, 17, remains hospitalized in stable condition with a concussion. Fiore is in the intensive care unit and expected to recover. Chavarria has since been released from the hospital. Friends told NJ.com that he has been struggling with traumatic flashbacks from the crash. Faye and her friends went to prom on Friday night at Perona Farms, a restaurant in Andover. After the dance finished, Faye's group celebrated at a friend's house. Faye is pictured here with classmates (from L-R) Ryan Sosa, Sydney Hamm, and her boyfriend Anthony McCann before the prom On Saturday, Faye's car first went to spend a few hours at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange before starting the drive home. Faye was one of four teens inside the rented 2017 Mercedez-Benz when it veered off the road and overturned around 5.30pm on Saturday in the rural Fredon Township 'Everyone's just heartbroken over it,' Sebastian Deleon, Faye's neighbor and lifelong friend, told NJ.com. 'All the kids are coming together, everyone's trying to support each other. We have so many memories.' Anthony McCann, Faye's boyfriend, said the couple instantly clicked when they first met their freshman year. 'I'd pick her up almost every day, and we'd go to McDonald's,' he said. 'She loved eating chicken nuggets.' McCann said Faye, the oldest of four siblings, had already known she wanted to study communications in college. While she didn't know which school she wanted to attend, the teen knew she wanted to stay close to her mother Joan Faye. Friend Briana Moffatt said Faye 'lit up every room she walked into'. Faye and her friends went to prom on Friday night at Perona Farms, a restaurant in Andover. After the dance finished, Faye's group celebrated at a friend's house 'She was so easy to get along with and she was really an amazing person,' Moffatt added. 'She really was a blessing in all of our lives.' Residents have since covered the city with white ribbons, which was Faye's favorite color. Counselors will be at Newtown High School to help grieving students and district officials said they plan to create a scholarship fund in Faye's name. 'We never want Lexi to be forgotten,' McCann said. 'And she never will be forgotten.' McCann said Faye, the oldest of four siblings, had already known she wanted to study communications in college South Africa: Jail time for corrupt ex-SARS auditors South African Revenue Service Commissioner Edward Kieswetter has welcomed the three-year direct imprisonment sentences handed to two former SARS auditors in Durban last week. La Mercy resident Pranesh Maharaj and Reuben Moodley from Newlands West were in March last year caught red-handed with a cash bribe of R100 000 in their possession during a police operation. The two auditors acknowledged that they had issued a notice to a well-known KwaZulu-Natal businessman in February 2018, advising him of an imminent audit of companies where he was a director. During a follow-up meeting, they solicited a bribe of R200 000 from him to make his tax problems disappear, SARS said in a statement. Later the same day, Maharaj contacted the businessman, asking for an advance payment of R10 000, which was duly paid. The businessman, however, reported the matter to the police. A decision was taken to set up a police trap in terms of section 252A of the Criminal Procedures Act. The businessman provided the cash, which was divided into two envelopes, each containing R100 000, read the statement. The police pounced on the accused as they were walking away after the businessman handed them the envelopes in the parking lot of the Standard Bank, Kingsmead Branch, on 2 March 2018. The Durban Regional Court also sentenced the two auditors an additional two years imprisonment, conditionally suspended for five years. Maharaj offered to repay the R10 000 that was paid to him by the taxpayer. Both employees resigned during a SARS disciplinary process on in August 2018, SARS said. Welcoming the sentence, Kieswetter said there is no place for dishonest employees at SARS. We have zero tolerance for dishonesty and unlawfulness. As we forge ahead on a path of restoring a culture of integrity and service excellence in our institution, we would like to assure citizens that SARS will take harsh measures against employees who betray public trust, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The foster son of a woman branded Britain's most sadistic mother has revealed how she used to shove hot pokers and steak knives down his throat. Christopher Spry, 30, suffered horrific abuse at the hands of his foster mother Eunice, now 75, over a 13-year period. She systematically tortured him from the age of three, along with her other two foster children Victoria and Alloma. Mr Spry, who lives in Gloucestershire, has been left in constant pain and battling mental health issues after she made him eat his own vomit and rat excrement. In a new documentary called My Mother The Monster, he says: 'I don't really know why Eunice did all this stuff to us, all this abuse. Christopher Spry, 30 (pictured left) suffered horrific abuse at the hands of his foster mother Eunice (mugshot right), now 75, over a 13-year period 'I don't think she was insane, I don't think she was particularly mad, just evil. Just pure evil.' He tells the documentary how she used to force sticks, knives and even a machete down his throat and that he is now terrified of going to the dentist because he suffers flashbacks. Medics found a small part of a metal blade lodged in his jaw where the Jehovah's Witness had attacked him with a knife. Spry, who was released from prison half-way through her 14-year sentence in 2014, would beat the three children with a chair leg at their remote farm in Tewkesbury. She would often starve them and on one occasion locked them naked in a room with nothing for a month. Christopher Spry's hand is pictured covered in blood after suffering horrific abuse at the hands of his foster mother, Eunice Mr Spry and his siblings would have to go without water for three days at a time and were left starving for a week. As punishment for misbehaving, she would also beat them on the soles of their feet and force them to drink washing-up liquid and bleach. She was initially jailed for 14 years for her crimes in 2007, but had the tariff reduced to 12 years by the High Court and was released in the summer of 2014. Her children were outraged the following year when photographs emerged of her out shopping. Mr Spry, who is now a youth worker and married to his wife Emma with whom he wants to have children, suffers from post-traumatic stress and often sleeps for just three hours a night because of the impact the abuse has had on him. He is in constant pain, walks with a limp, and is getting treatment for scars that have turned cancerous. Pictured: Christopher's sister Victoria Evans, who also suffered terrible abuse Spry, who committed the offences between 1986 and 2005, also abused two other children in her care during the 19-year period. She staunchly denied all the claims made against her and insisted the only physical punishment she ever used was 'a smack on the bottom'. But a jury at Bristol Crown Court convicted her of 26 charges, ranging from unlawful wounding, cruelty to a person under 16, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation. At the time, Judge Simon Darwall-Smith told her it was the worst case he had come across in 40 years in law. He told her: 'Frankly, it's difficult for anyone to understand how any human being could have even contemplated what you did, let alone with the regularity and premeditation you employed.' The abuse was finally discovered after a Jehovah's Witness secretly confronted Victoria about marks to her head caused when Spry rubbed sandpaper over her face. After managing to escape the house in 2004, aged 19, she then plucked up the courage to report her foster mother to the police. A huge sandstorm has engulfed a northern Chinese city over the weekend, forcing residents to cover their faces with masks and scarves. Dramatic footage shows a thick wall of sand hitting Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia on Sunday, casting a yellow fog over the city in just seconds. Visibility was reduced to below 1,000 metres (0.62 miles) in parts of the region, according to the China Meteorological Administration. Dramatic footage shows a thick wall of sand hitting Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia on Sunday, casting a yellow fog over the city in just seconds Visibility was reduced to below 1,000 metres (0.62 miles) in parts of the region Xilingol League weather authorities issued a yellow sandstorm warning at 7:30am, advising residents and relevant departments to 'take precautions'. Vehicles were made to slow down and police in high visibility vests were deployed to direct traffic. Temperatures dropped in other areas of Inner Mongolia, including Baotou, Hinggan League, Chifeng and Tongliao. Xilingol League weather authorities issued a yellow sandstorm warning at 7:30am, advising residents and relevant departments to 'take precautions' Vehicles were made to slow down and police in high visibility vests were directing traffic In Ulanqab city, temperatures on Sunday dropped 13 degrees Celsius overnight to only eight degrees Celsius, triggering a rain and snow warning. Such sandstorms regularly occur in the dry season, when winds blow loose, dry soil and sand into urban areas from the Gobi desert, coating cities in a layer of yellow grime. Locals are asked to close their doors and windows and reinforce lose structures such as hoardings, scaffolding and billboards. They are also advised to wear masks and scarves when going out to prevent damage to the eyes and respiratory tract. An Egyptian former teacher who took his daughter from her British mother more than seven years ago may have breached child abduction and perjury laws, a High Court Judge has said. Tamer Salama took his daughter Elsa, then four, from ex-wife Naomi Button in December 2011 while all three were visiting his relatives in Egypt. Ms Button, a leadership consultant from Leeds, was forced to return to England alone and thinks Elsa, now 12, has been living with Salama's mother in Egypt. Tamer Salama (right) took his daughter Elsa from ex-wife Naomi Button (left) in December 2011 while they were visiting his relatives in Egypt Ms Button has launched family court litigation in London in a bid to get Elsa (pictured) back and is continuing that fight She launched family court litigation in London in a bid to get Elsa back and is continuing that fight. Salama, who subsequently returned to England without Elsa and is now living in Manchester, was jailed in January 2012 for breaching family court judges' orders to arrange his daughter's return to England or to reveal where she was. But a High Court judge ordered his release in December 2013 after deciding that continuing to keep him in prison was no longer proportionate or justifiable. The judge currently overseeing the family court litigation thinks police should now examine Salama's conduct. Salama subsequently returned to England without Elsa after the trip to Egypt and he is now living in Manchester Ms Button, a leadership consultant from Leeds, thinks Elsa, now 12, has been living with Salama's mother in Egypt Mr Justice Mostyn, who is conducting hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London, said Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick should see a copy of his latest ruling on Elsa's case so she can consider what steps should be taken. He said in that ruling: 'It seems to me that while the father cannot be further punished for his contempt in continuing to refuse to reveal the whereabouts of Elsa and to cause her to return to England and Wales it ought to be incumbent on the prosecuting authorities to consider criminal proceedings against him for at least two offences, namely conspiracy to commit (an) offence under section 2 of the Child Abduction Act 1984 and perjury. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier this year told Mr Justice Mostyn that Egyptian government ministers had been asked to help find Elsa The High Court Judge was told at the latest hearing of Elsa's case that Egyptian authorities had not traced her 'I shall direct that a copy of this judgment is to be sent to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police for her to consider what steps in this regard should be taken.' Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier this year told Mr Justice Mostyn that Egyptian government ministers had been asked to help find Elsa. He wrote to the judge explaining how an official at the British Embassy in Cairo had discussed Elsa's case with a member of the Egyptian government. Mr Justice Mostyn, who had asked Mr Hunt for help, was told at the latest hearing of Elsa's case that Egyptian authorities had not traced Elsa. But the judge said he appreciated the efforts Foreign Office and Egyptian officials were making. James 'Whitey' Bulger died of blunt force injuries to the head in prison in October last year. He was serving a life sentence for 11 murders and other crimes when he was beaten to death in his prison cell, hours after he was transferred to a West Virginia prison James 'Whitey' Bulger claimed he was 'too mean to die' and told a longtime friend 'not to worry' about him just eight months before he was beaten to death by other inmates, newly published letters he wrote from prison have revealed. The notorious mob boss began writing to Candace Lind in 2014 after he befriended her dad who supervised the prison laundry at Alcatraz in the late 1950s and early 1960s, The Boston Globe reports. After being held in solitary confinement he told Lind in one of 30 letters he sent her that he was 'looking forward to' seeing 'the sun sky + fresh air', adding: 'Better days ahead.' But just three months later on October 30 last year he died aged 89 from blunt force injuries to the head in a gruesome prison attack. He was brutally beaten to death by inmates in his cell at U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia less than 24 hours after he was transferred to the facility. They attacked the wheelchair-bound Bulger, beat him with a lock in a sock, tried to gouge out the mobster's eyes with a shiv and attempted to cut out his tongue. Bulger, who signed off 'your friend' in letters to Lind, had started to print his letters after she told him she found it difficult to read his handwriting. He told her working with her dad during a sting in prison for a bank robbery was the 'best job I ever had in my life'. He called her father 'one of the finest human beings', writing: 'When I get real down I get up wash sox or T shirt wring out hang up to dry look through my albums . . . pictures of people I knew including your father always cheers me up knew they made the most of life that's all you can do I took the wrong road once and never got off it.' After being held in solitary confinement he told Lind in one of 30 letters he sent her that he was 'looking forward to' seeing 'the sun sky + fresh air', adding: 'Better days ahead' Bulger was brutally beaten to death by inmates in his cell at U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia less than 24 hours after he was transferred to the facility. They attacked wheelchair-bound Bulger, beat him with a lock in a sock and tried to gouge out the mobster's eyes The notorious head of the Irish mob who led a decades-long reign of terror in south Boston from the 70s to 90s told Lind about his prison complaints and time in solitary confinement. He is said to have shared details on his medical history - from eight heart attacks to taking nitro pills. In his last letter to Lind he wrote: 'Have experienced much more difficult things and hard times in my life but isolation on elderly is pretty rough. 'Never did dream I'd ever live this long so many close calls and so many of my friends gone all died violently none by natural causes.' Bulger, who was on American's Most Wanted fugitive for years as he was on the run, was finally captured in 2011 living in Santa Monica. Bulger poses for a mugshot on his arrival at the Federal Penitentiary at Alcatraz on November 16, 1959. He began writing to Candace Lind in 2014 after he befriended her dad who supervised the prison laundry at Alcatraz in the late 1950s and early 1960s James 'Whitey' Bulger and Catherine Greig walk together in 1988. Bulger, who was on American's Most Wanted fugitive for years as he was on the run, was finally captured in 2011 He blamed a cat that he and girlfriend Catherine Greig fed for blowing their cover, writing: 'I predicted feeding that cat will cost me my life knew we were being noticed for it. Catherine said if we don't feed the cat he will starve.' But he seemed determined to live for the sake of his partner Grieg, saying: 'She counts on my almost daily letter to keep her spirits up shes 67 now in constant pain from arthritis. In 2013 Bulger - the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's Irish-American mob boss character in Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning 2006 gangster film 'The Departed - was convicted for a slew of crimes including at least 11 murders and was sentenced to life behind bars. The House Intelligence Committee has called four lawyers linked to President Donald Trump and his family for interviews as part of an investigation into whether they tried to obstruct the panel's inquiry into Russian election interference. The panel that's led by Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff sent letters to the four men in March after Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified before several committees in February and spoke to special counsel Robert Mueller about preparations for Cohen's 2017 closed-door interviews before the House and Senate intelligence panels. Cohen told lawmakers that Trump's attorneys had reviewed and edited a written statement that he submitted before those interviews that included false information. The House Intelligence Committee has called four lawyers linked to President Donald Trump and his family for interviews as part of an investigation into whether they tried to obstruct the panel's inquiry into Russian election interference Michael Cohen told lawmakers that Trump's attorneys had reviewed and edited a written statement that he submitted before those interviews that included false information The lawyers who received the requests included Abbe Lowell, lawyer for Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, and her husband Jared Kushner. The attorney is seen here with Kushner on Capitol Hill in 2017 The letters to the lawyers were obtained by The Associated Press from a senior committee official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide the confidential information. The person said the lawyers, who operated together in a joint defense agreement set up to respond to Mueller's investigation and the congressional inquiries, had not yet complied with the committee's requests for interview and document production despite a May 10 deadline. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff is prepared to issue a subpoena to compel cooperation if necessary, the person said. Schiff said in a statement released Tuesday that Cohen's February testimony, along with materials in the committee's possession, raises 'serious, unresolved concerns about the obstruction of our committee's investigation that we would be negligent not to pursue.' Cohen, who is now serving a three-year prison sentence, acknowledged in a guilty plea last year that he misled lawmakers in the statement by saying he had abandoned the Trump Tower Moscow project in January 2016, when in fact he pursued it for months after that as Trump campaigned for the presidency. Alan Futerfas, lawyer for Donald Trump Jr., is also in House Intel's sights The lawyers who received the requests are Jay Sekulow, personal lawyer to Trump; Abbe Lowell, lawyer for Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, and her husband Jared Kushner; Alan Futerfas, lawyer for Donald Trump Jr.; and Alan Garten, lawyer for the Trump Organization. A lawyer for the four lawyers, Patrick Strawbridge, said in a statement that the panel's requests are a 'truly needless dispute' that would force them to violate attorney-client privilege. 'As committed defense lawyers, we will respect the constitution and defend the attorney-client privilege - one of the oldest and most sacred privileges in the law,' the statement said. Also Tuesday, a separate House panel set a May 21 hearing for testimony from another lawyer - former White House counsel Don McGahn, who was a key figure in Mueller's investigation The lawyers argued in an April 5 letter to the committee that the panel did not have jurisdiction or a valid legislative purpose for the investigation. In a May 3 response, Schiff disputed those arguments and set a May 10 deadline for a response, which was not met, according to the committee official. Also Tuesday, a separate House panel set a May 21 hearing for testimony from another lawyer - former White House counsel Don McGahn, who was a key figure in Mueller's investigation. McGahn has not yet confirmed whether he will attend, according to a person familiar with the negotiations over his appearance. The person was not authorized to discuss the talks about McGahn's appearance and spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House has said McGahn cannot turn over documents the committee seeks and prefers he not testify, reflecting Trump's strategy of resisting congressional investigations. Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler has said the committee would hold McGahn in contempt if he does not appear at the hearing. An attorney for McGahn didn't immediately respond for comment. A party boat company in Ibiza is facing a huge fine after playing 13 hours of non-stop music from seventeen boats moored inside a protected marine park, police say. Officers were called when people living near the coast on the Spanish island of Formentera complained that the music had been turned up full volume while holidaymakers shouted and screamed at the top of their voices. The so-called party boats have been prohibited since 2016, a tough stance now being adopted on the neighbouring island of Ibiza. Police were called to this stretch of coastline on the Spanish island of Formentera on Monday, complaining that a group of 17 boats had been hosting a party for 13 hours straight The Civil Guard's nature protection service, Seprona, has since filed a report against the charter company - which it did not name - for breaching the rules. The boats are said to have arrived at 10am on Sunday and 13 hours later, one local resident was so outraged that they called the police. Video footage published in the island's press showing the 17 small yachts lined up close to the shoreline of the Freus nature reserve on Formentera. This zone is within protected waters and is listed as a site of community interest. The Spanish press says the party was organised by a boat company based in Ibiza, which offers different services and nautical experiences with their boats. However, the name of the company has not yet been confirmed by the local council or Civil Guard. Fifteen of the boats, of various lengths, were moored side by side about 30 metres from the coast while the other two, which played the music, were nearer the coast. Formentera council has also filed a complaint with the Civil Guard and maritime authority and says it will asking the Balearic Government to impose sanctions. This is expected to be substantial fines. Police have warned they will be carrying out regular patrols this summer and any illegal party boats will be raided and the organisers fined. Labour's John McDonnell said he and Jeremy Corbyn are both Remainers 'deep' in their hearts today as he revealed he warned the Tories a second referendum might be the price of a Brexit deal. The hard Left shadow chancellor was speaking after talks between Labour and the Government appeared to have totally stalled after more than six weeks. And it came as it emerged that EU officials are already talking about a further extension of Article 50 to June 2020 out of frustration at a lack of progress in Westminster. The shadow chancellor told the Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference in London: 'Deep in my heart I'm still a Remainer.' Asked if Mr Corbyn was also a Remainer in his heart, the shadow chancellor said: 'Yes.' The shadow chancellor went on say that he had warned the Tories that a second referendum or 'confirmatory vote' because of the backing in the Commons for one. Yesterday the talks between the Tories and Labour were left in turmoil after Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said a deal without a second referendum is 'impossible' because up to 150 Labour MPs would reject it. But the Prime Minister has always made clear that a second Brexit poll after 17.4million voted to leave the EU in 2016 is a red line she is not prepared to cross. Mr McDonnell today told the conference the issue of a public vote had come up in the talks. He said: 'Because we are in negotiations, we have been saying to our Conservative colleagues that to get something through Parliament you may well have to concede that there is a public vote of some sort. 'We need to test the numbers on that. And at the moment there has not been much of a shift. 'The point Keir Starmer made at the weekend... is that there are a large number of MPs who will not sign up to anything unless there is a public vote.' Today there were signs that Brussels is well and truly fed-up with the stagnation in Westminster. Charles Grant from the respected Centre for European Reform reported that discussions of another Brexit delay was underway - although such a move is likely to be opposed by France's Emmanuel Macron. Mr Grant wrote: 'The EU is no longer as united as it was on how to handle the British. 'But just about everyone working on Brexit in the EUs institutions and governments is fed up with them, and they do not believe that Britains politicians are capable of getting their act together and resolving the problem. 'Many people in Brussels expect a further extension of Article 50, well into 2020.' Meghan Markle missed her 20-year high school reunion which was held the day before she gave birth to her son Archie, but was still the star thanks to a touching letter she sent to her classmates, DailyMailTV can reveal. Markle, 37, sent an envelope marked 'Kensington Palace' to the reunion of the class of 1999 of her all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles, apologizing for not being there. The reunion was attended by a total of 37 women who graduated Immaculate Heart High School in 1999, out of a class of more than 50. The Duchess of Sussex's school friends were buzzing about the imminent arrival of the latest royal baby and delighted to get Meghan's letter, which arrived on Kensington Palace stationery. 'Everyone was disappointed that they did not get to catch up with Meghan given everything that has happened to her,' said one former friend. Special message: One of the alumna attending the reunion revealed the letter of apology for not being there from Meghan Markle - who gave birth to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor the very next day Reunited: Many of Meghan Markle's class got back together for their 20-year reunion Pride of place: Meghan Markle's high-school yearbook photo featured in a picture display on the wall, as well as throwback pictures to the alumnae's time at Immaculate Hart The way she was: Meghan Markle at her graduation from Immaculate Heart in 1999 Wish you were here: More than 30 of the class of 1999 were at the day-long reunion - and one said that Meghan Markle was the star of the show despite being absent What you missed: More than 300 alumnae of the fee-paying Catholic high school attended the day-long reunion What actually happened: The day after the reunion which Meghan could not attend, she gave birth to Archie Harrison, her first son with Prince Harry, showing him off to the world two days later 'But the whole group was super excited about her giving birth to the first British-American prince, it was all anyone talked about. 'They were so excited to get that letter from her. She is remembered as someone who is very thoughtful, and to get that kind of attention now that she is a Royal went down really well. 'Hopefully she will be able to make it to the 25 year reunion and she is welcome to bring Harry and Archie along with her.' The reunion for the class of 1999 and other classes from years ending in 4 and 9, going as far back as 1939, was held on Sunday May 5. The next day Meghan gave birth to Archie, who is seventh in line to the UK throne, at 5.26am on Monday, May 6 in London with the baby boy weighing in at 7lbs 3 ounces. Following the birth, one of her classmates celebrated on social media, with a comment saying 'IT'S A BOY!' under a photo posted from the reunion. The school joined in the celebrations too, posting a congratulations to their most famous alumna and her husband on its Facebook page. 'The school community extends best wishes of happiness to the Royal Family on this joyous event!' the message said. It is unclear if Markle had attended the three previous reunions held by the school for the class of 1999, in 2004, 2009 and 2014. This year's class of 1999 secretaries were Nicola Monat-Jacobs, a senior administrator at Loyola Marymount College in Los Angeles, and Sarah Watson. DailyMailTV has reached out to them for comment. Other almnae present went as far back as 1949, and the school also celebrated 99-year-old Helen Shanks Cashen, from the class of 1939, a few days earlier. Family time: Meghan Markle was also able to show the new royal baby to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, his great-grandparents, with Meghan's mom Doria Ragland accompanying the new parents in Windsor Castle Pride: Meghan's alma mater posted a message of congratulations to its most famous alumna shortly after she became a mom Fun memories: Meghan took part in drama club while at high school, with performances involving other schools to get over the single-sex status of Immaculate Heart Markle attended middle school and high school at Immaculate Heart in Los Feliz, which now costs $16,850 a year. Her father, Thomas Markle Sr., from whom she is now estranged, has said he 'happily' paid the fees for her to attend a school which has close showbusiness links. Markle is not Catholic, and was baptized into the Anglican faith just before her wedding to Prince Harry, but was welcomed at the school. Its graduates include Mary Tyler Moore, Tyra Banks and Walt Disney's daughter Diane. Many of the Duchess' former classmates and teachers have fond memories of Meghan. One friend previously revealed how she has always been fond of penning personal notes going back to her school days. Michelle Fanara said that 20 years ago Meghan wrote her a note of encouragement that she tucked inside her yearbook. 'To have someone reach out and say, 'Hey, if you ever need someone,' that is pretty special,' Fanara told Inside Edition. Meghan wrote the note when the shy student struggled to cope with the death of a beloved great aunt. 'I wanted to retreat into my own shell and Meghan was like, 'No you can't do that. You're here. You're here for a reason.' She kept pulling me out of my shell.' Christine Knudsen, who taught one of Meghan's senior classes, previously told ABC's 20/20: 'She had a lot of inner strength. She was spunky. She was feisty. 'She loved to sing. She loved to act, but she also had that depth, which kind of moved into all of her other subjects. And that was what came through in the end.' And her former theology teacher, Maria Pollia, said: 'She was a remarkable student even then. She was very enthusiastic about the material, but always took it a step further.' One teacher even went to Windsor to witness the wedding - former drama teacher Gigi Perreau, who Meghan spotted on her carriage ride through the streets and waved to excitedly. Perreau, a former film actor who is now 78, helped train Meghan as an actress long before she landed her role in TV drama Suits. 'You see someone nice to the other kids, who gets good grades, doesn't say anything bad about anybody,' she told The Telegraph when asked about Meghan. 'She was dedicated. I knew she would be something special.' British Steel has asked the government for 75million in emergency funding to prevent its collapse, raising fears for thousands of jobs. The country's second-largest steel firm, which employs 4,500 people, is seeking a further loan to keep trading in the coming months. It claimed 'uncertainties around Brexit are posing challenges for all businesses including British Steel' as unions called on the government to 'take action'. Any additional financial help would come just two weeks after the firm was given funds of around 120million to pay its European Union carbon bill. It is understood that meetings are being held on Tuesday where workers will hear details about the company's plans. British Steel has asked the government for 75million in emergency funding to prevent its collapse, raising fears for thousands of jobs (pictured: the firm's Scunthorpe steelworks) Union officials are now urging the Government to guarantee the future of British Steel and safeguard thousands of jobs. Ross Murdoch, national officer of the GMB union, said: 'This Government has a track record of sitting on its hands while UK manufacturing collapses round its ears. 'Now is the time to take action. Minsters must come out and guarantee the loan required to safeguard British Steel. 'Thousands of UK jobs are on the line, not to mention the entire future of our proud steel industry.' British Steel employs thousands, mainly at Scunthorpe, but has smaller plants in the North East, and as many as 20,000 are employed indirectly through its supply chain. A source told Sky News that one part of the firm could fall into administration this week if funding was not secured. A British Steel spokesman said: 'As we have previously commented, the uncertainties around Brexit are posing challenges for all businesses including British Steel, and we are holding constructive discussions with our stakeholders on how to navigate them. 'Last month the company agreed a short term bridge facility with Government to help it meet its EU emissions obligations, and discussions are continuing about a package of additional support to assist the company address broader Brexit-related issues, whilst continuing with its investment plans.' A spokesman for the Community union said: 'We are aware of the situation and are having ongoing discussions with the company at the highest levels. 'These reports will be extremely worrying news for all British Steel workers and many more in the supply chains. 'We understand that talks are continuing between the company, the Government and lenders. The country's second-largest steel firm, which employs 4,500 people, is seeking a further loan to keep trading in the coming months 'We would urge all parties to recognise the consequences of not taking the necessary steps to ensure British Steel can continue. 'Everyone needs to do absolutely everything to give the company the chance of a future as to do otherwise would be devastating for thousands of workers and their families.' Unite national officer Tony Brady said: 'The workforce of British Steel worked tirelessly to secure the steelmaker's future during the difficult times, and given a fighting chance will do so again. 'Unite will be seeking urgent assurances about our members' futures at British Steel, a company which helps sustain thousands of job in the local economy and wider supply chain. 'Having just secured a big order for rail, Unite is firmly of the view that British Steel can and should have a bright future. To do so though the Government must, as reports suggest, help the steelmaker through the tough times, while urgently addressing the wider underlying problems facing the UK steel industry. 'Brexit is hitting sales and creating uncertainty not just for British Steel, but for the wider industry. At the same time high energy costs are leaving steelmakers competing with their European competitors with one hand tied behind their backs. 'Ministers need to support the wider steel industry with help on business rates and high energy costs, while securing a Brexit deal that secures a customs union and continued tariff free frictionless trade. 'The Government must also put UK steel at the heart of major infrastructure and ensure projects like the Royal Navy's new Fleet Solid Ships are built in the UK using UK steel.' John McFayden was jailed for two years and eight months for his part in a robbery gang A star of the show Big Fat Gyspy Wedding was a member of a violent gang which robbed a terrified mother and threatened to abduct her toddler. John McFayden was in the 12-strong gang which terrorised members of the public, carrying out at least 16 robberies across London on stolen motorcycles. McFayden starred in the hit Channel 4 show in 2012, which featured him and his partner Cheyenne Pidgely exchange their vows in front of 300 members of the gypsy community. The young couple from Walton-On-Thames in Surrey had met when McFayden, then 17, 'grabbed' Cheyenne - then only 14 years old - pushed her in to the car park up against a fence and demanded she kiss him. McFayden and his ruthless gang gained notoriety after their final attack was filmed and shared on social media by Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, 48. The thugs had demanded Ms Holden's neighbour hand over her jewellery in Richmond and threatened to abduct and hurt her toddler if she refused. The gang were yesterday jailed for a total of 64 years, with 24-year-old McFayden and his brother each jailed for two years and eight months. Moped raid crimes in London plunged by 52 per cent in a year after the thugs were arrested, police said yesterday. The brazen gang even stole 170,000 of BBC camera equipment used to film the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, after one attempt on Putney Bridge failed. McFayden starred in the hit Channel 4 show in 2012, which featured him and his partner Cheyenne Pidgely exchange their vows in front of 300 members of the gypsy community The ruthless gang gained notoriety after their final attack was highlighted on social media by Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden (pictured) As befits Gypsy tradition, which dictates that newlyweds start trying for a baby right after their wedding, Cheyenne discovered she was pregnant just one month after their nuptials. They married after a two-month courtship, with Cheyenne joined by 10 bridesmaids in purple dresses, while her own dress - adorned with Swarovski crystals - was so large she struggled to fit through the door. They were transported to the church in a white stretch Hummer and the couple and their 300 guests enjoyed a lobster wedding breakfast. Nine of the crooks in McFayden's gang - which carried out raids between November 2017 and June 2018 - had a staggering 383 convictions for previous offences between them, Kingston Crown Court heard. Terrified Phoebe Reule was walking hand-in-hand with her three-year-old son when four men in black full-face helmets swooped. She grabbed her child and ran into the road to escape while the gang were chased away by builders brandishing scaffolding poles. They also snatched a moped from police in Fulham after letting off two fire extinguishers as a distraction. Three crooks riding on one bike were arrested in May 2018 after a 90-minute high-speed police chase across ten London boroughs. The trio drove the wrong way up the A40, trying to film their escape attempt. The young couple from Walton-On-Thames in Surrey had met when John, then 17, 'grabbed' Cheyenne - then only 14 years old - pushed her in to the car park up against a fence and demanded she kiss him Yesterday the gang, aged between 18 and 36, were sentenced for 12 offences, including conspiracy to rob, burgle and steal, criminal damage and handling stolen goods. Judge Georgina Kent, sentencing, told the gang: 'You have caused a great deal of harm, loss and damage to a large number of victims. 'Apart from the financial cost, there's the human cost in anxiety, distress and fear caused to the victims. Your offending has cost a great deal in police resources. These were very professional, planned and organised offences.' The court heard that ringleader Terry Marsh, 32, already had convictions for 78 offences including burglaries between 2003 and 2014. The judge said of the attack on Miss Reule by McFadyen, his brother Isaac, Marsh, and Weller: 'It's striking that the robbers were so confident that they targeted their victims in full public view.' A French doctor already charged in the poisoning of seven patients was taken into custody Tuesday for questioning over the suspected poisoning of around 50 other patients, a source close to the inquiry said. Frederic Pechier worked as an anaesthesiologist at two private clinics in Besancon, eastern France, when seven patients, aged 37 to 53, went into cardiac arrest from 2008 to 2017. Two of the patients died while the others were reanimated, and investigators later found traces of lethal doses of potassium in their bloodstreams. Frederic Pechier, an anaesthetist suspected of poisoning and murder at the Besancon hospital pictured outside court in Besancon in 2017 Pechier, who was first charged in May 2017, has denied the allegations and was released pending trial. The two-year inquiry has led police to expand their focus to 'around 50 reports of unwanted events,' medical jargon for unexpected complications or deaths among patients otherwise considered healthy, the source said. Pechier's peers considered him a brilliant anaesthesiologist, and while he was not in charge of sedating the seven patients that sparked the inquiry, his quick diagnostics for reanimating them raised suspicions for investigators. Prosecutors have alleged he may have tampered with his colleagues' anaesthesia pouches to create operating room emergencies where he could then intervene to show off his supposed talents. Pechier's lawyers have denied the claims, and in November they accused police of altering declarations he made during his initial questioning. Jeremy Hunt has hinted that the UK might block Huawei from being involved in the 5G network on security grounds, saying Britain would never threaten its intelligence sharing alliance with the United States. The Foreign Secretary said the Government was assessing 'to what extent if, at all, we are able to use Huawei kit' after US secretary of state Mike Pompeo raised objections last week. However, speaking at a conference in London he also played down the idea of a rift with Beijing, saying he wished to avoid 'an unnecessary Cold War with China'. Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. The company has categorically denied this and today its chairman Dr Liang Hua said it is willing to sign a 'no-spy' agreements with countries including the UK to ease concerns about its technology. Jeremy Hunt told a Wall Street Journal conference: 'We as a government are going through the process of making an assessment to what extent if, at all, we are able to use Huawei kit.' The Foreign Secretary told a Wall Street Journal conference the Government was assessing 'to what extent if, at all, we are able to use Huawei kit' Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying Mr Hunt also played down the idea of a rift with Beijing, saying he wished to avoid 'an unnecessary Cold War with China' 'We are never going to make a decision which compromises our intelligence sharing with our five eye partners.' Mr Hunt said that Britain must find a way to work with China, which he said will overtake the United States as the world's biggest economy within the next 25 years. 'The growth of China is something that we should welcome,' he said. 'We need to avoid an unnecessary Cold War with China.' 'We couldn't stop the growth of China if we wanted to,' he said. 'So we need to find a way of living alongside this big, new power in the world because they are going to be there whether you want it or not.' Mrs May had reportedly gave the green light to the company bidding for work on 'non-core' aspects of the hi-tech 5G network at a secret meeting, overruling concerns from ministers including Gavin Williamson, who was later sacked as defence secretary over suspicions that he had leaked details of discussions. Last week Mr Pompeo used a visit to London to issue a humiliating warning to the UK that it could lose access to vital American intelligence if it does not distance itself from Chinese tech firm Huawei - before taking an apparent sideswipe at Theresa May. After meeting Mrs May on a visit to London, and in a stinging criticism of the Prime Minister, Donald Trump's top diplomat invoked the memory of 'Iron Lady' Margaret Thatcher, asking: 'Would she have allowed China to control to control the internet of the future?' Earlier he had stood alongside Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and warned that the US would not allow access to its secrets to countries who were not using 'trusted networks'. The Chinese telecom giant has been under intense scrutiny over claims that its 5G equipment could be exploited for espionage, which it has long denied. During a visit to the UK, chairman Dr Liang Hua said the company would agree to a deal to fend off suggestions that it could be used by the Chinese state as a route to spy on the West. 'We are willing to sign 'no-spy' agreements with governments, including the UK Government, to commit ourselves, to commit our equipment to meeting the no-spy, no back-door standards,' Dr Liang told a press conference in London. Last month, German press reported that Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei had spoken with the country's interior ministry about signing a 'no-spy' agreement. The Huawei chairman said it was 'not our intention to be at the core of such political controversy' and claimed the media attention is 'partly due to the exaggeration of the growing impact of the next generation network, 5G'. Dr Liang claimed Huawei has never been asked to hand over data or information about customers, and supported the views of Huawei's founder, who said he would rather shut down the company than accept any request to collect intelligence for any government. 'There are a lot of Chinese officials making it abundantly clear that there are no Chinese laws requiring any Chinese company to collect intelligence from foreign governments,' he continued. Huawei, the world's second largest smartphone manufacturer and a market leader in equipment needed to build next-generation 5G mobile data networks, has been the subject of controversy in recent months, with the UK Government yet to announce a decision on the company's presence in 5G networks. Last month, details of a meeting of the UK's National Security Council to discuss Huawei's place in UK telecoms infrastructure were leaked. The Daily Telegraph subsequently reported Prime Minister Theresa May would allow Huawei's presence despite concerns raised by several Cabinet ministers. Following an investigation into the leak, Gavin Williamson was sacked as defence secretary, although he denied being behind it. James Comeys had a very lucrative year since he was fired by President Trump. Hes sold several million books, made myriad highly paid speeches, and appeared on all the big talk shows. In doing so, hes become household name. Comeys now a multi-millionaire celebrity living the American dream. He even has his own Oprah-style one-name Twitter account: @Comey. And hes achieved this newfound fame by constantly attacking his old boss, acting in the process like a brazen, politically motivated opponent. Theres just one problem I have with all this: Comey was Director of the FBI, supposedly a top-secret intelligence agency. Former FBI Director James Comeys now a multi-millionaire celebrity living the American dream - and hes achieved this newfound fame by constantly attacking his old boss, Trump His job was to KEEP secrets, not to spill them to anyone with a large check. And what the hell does Comey have to boast about anyway? This is the guy who screwed almost everything up while holding one of the most prestigious and important jobs in federal government. So much so that he is universally loathed and distrusted on both sides of the political aisle. Yet here he is, strutting around like hes a Marvel superhero sent to save America from the bad guys, whilst conveniently overlooking the increasingly likely fact that he himself is one of the very worst of those bad guys. The breath-taking irony of Comeys self-promoting new angelic persona is not lost on former colleagues. Yesterday, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein finally went public on his real thoughts about Comey who recently sneered that Rosensteins soul had been eaten by Trump. The former director seems to be acting as a partisan pundit, Rosenstein retorted, in an address to the annual Greater Baltimore Committee Dinner, selling books and earning speaking fees while speculating about the strength of my character and the fate of my immortal soul. I kid you not. That is disappointing. As zingers go, this ice-cold back-slicing riposte was right up there with being mauled by a Polar Bear in the Arctic. Rosenstein also emphasised his own comparative neutrality. People spend a lot of time debating whose side I was on, based on who seemed to benefit most from any individual decision, he said. But trying to infer partisan affiliation from law enforcement decisions is what you might call a category error. It uses the wrong frame of reference. Exactly. Rosensteins legal assessment of Comey is that he deserved to be fired by Trump because of his inept handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, and especially the public way in which he announced both the results of the investigation and the reopening of it just 10 days before the 2016 election. Rosensteins legal assessment of Comey is that he deserved to be fired by Trump because of his inept handling of the Hillary Clinton (pictured above on her Blackberry) email investigation In a memo used by Trump to justify Comeys firing, Rosenstein said the director was wrong to usurp the Attorney Generals authority by holding the press conference where he announced the initial closure of the investigation, and made comments to the press that were inappropriate, derogatory and unfair. In a damning conclusion, he said it was a textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do. But it is Comeys treatment of Donald Trump that may lead to far more serious consequences for him and some of his former FBI team. Today it emerged that Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney, John Durham in Conneticut, to examine the origins of the Russia collusion investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was lawful and appropriate. Today it emerged that Attorney General William Barr (above left) has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia collusion investigation. This is after former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (above right) also finally went public on his real thoughts about Comey who recently sneered that Rosensteins soul had been eaten by Trump This comes a month after Barr told Congress he believed spying did occur on the Trump campaign in 2016. At the centre of this sensational claim lies a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on former Trump associate Carter Page, and the bureaus use of an informant while it was investigating former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopolous. Separately, the Justice Departments inspector general is also investigating the Russia probes origins. So the heat is being massively turned up on the FBI, and the man who was at its helm at the time: James Comey. In light of Special Counsel Robert Muellers expansive report, which exonerated Trump or any of his campaign team of any collusion with Russia, Comey may now face some very difficult questions. Comeys FBI colleagues like Andrew McCabe (above right) Lisa Page, Bruce Ohr (above left) and Peter Strzok all conspired to compromise the President As I wrote when Muellers report was released, it seems patently clear now that Comeys FBI colleagues like Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page, Bruce Ohr and Peter Strzok all conspired to compromise the democratically elected president of the United States. They are all heavily implicated in numerous acts of alleged crimes involving the misuse of a dodgy discredited dossier compiled by dodgy discredited former British spy Christopher Steele which they used as an excuse to get FISA warrants to spy on Trump campaign team members without any mention of Hillary Clinton and the Democrats financing it. Their treachery, and Trump-hating motivation for it, is all there in their own words. Strzok texted Lisa Page, his secret lover, before the 2016 election, and after he had just helped get Hillary off the email scandal rap, to say a newly-opened FBI investigation against Trump was an insurance policy against him in case he won. McCabe, who succeeded Comey as FBI Director, confirmed to CBS after his own departure that he not only launched a counter-intelligence operation against President Trump, but also later discussed with FBI colleagues whether it was possible to remove him from office using the 25th Amendment. Strzok texted Lisa Page, his secret lover, (both pictured above) before the 2016 election, and after he had just helped get Hillary off the email scandal rap, to say a newly-opened FBI investigation against Trump was an insurance policy against him in case he won What the hell were all these FBI agents, who took an oath to serve the President, doing by plotting against him in such a disgraceful way? And how much did their boss know about what they were doing? Well, now were going to find out. As Comeys behaviour has recently grown more defensive and erratic, there is a mounting belief that he and his FBI agents illegally cut corners and broke the rules in their zealous desire to stop Trump becoming President, and later - under Director McCabe - have him removed when he did. If that is now proven to be true, then the repercussions for all those involved will be incredibly serious and probably involve some of them going to prison. Comey needs to be asked, under oath, at what stage did he decide to proceed from a preliminary investigation or inquiry (a PI) to a full-blown investigation (an FI)? This only happens when the FBI has received substantial information that implicates US citizens as agents of a foreign power. But there are very tough rules about how such information is acquired by FBI operatives against a U.S. citizen. So what information did Comey receive? How did he and his FBI team receive it? Who did they task with getting further information, when did they task it, and how did those sources go about their work? James Comey likes to parade around in some weird kind of moralising halo, but we may be about to discover just how ill fitting that halo is. For when it comes to soul biting, Comeys a shameless shark that has munched great chunks out of the integrity and reputation of the FBI. With every smart-a** tweet, smug talk-show appearance, self-satisfied speech, and mutually back-slapping interview on CNN, Comey causes fresh embarrassment to a bureau that has always prided itself on professionalism and discretion. Now he might soon see his Icarus style attraction to the bright lights of fame rebound on him in spectacular style. The net is fast closing on the FBI shark. And if he doesnt have some very good answers, James Comeys next book may be his prison diaries and his next CNN interview conducted from a cell. President Donald Trump insisted on Tuesday that he did not direct Attorney General William Barr to open an investigation into how the Russia probe was started. 'No, I didn't ask him to do that,' Trump told reporters outside the White House before departing for Louisiana Tuesday morning. 'I didn't know it, but I think it's a great thing that he did it.' 'It was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the people of this country,' Trump said in reference to the Russia investigation. 'And you know what, I am so proud of our attorney general that he is looking into it. I think it's great. I did not know about it, no.' Barr appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe, it was revealed in several reports Monday. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is 'so proud' of Attorney General Bill Barr for appointing a federal prosecutor to investigate the origins of the Russia probe Barr appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham to investigate whether the FBI's methods of collecting intelligence on Trump's 2016 campaign were legal Durham will examine whether the FBI's methods of collecting intelligence on Trump's 2016 campaign, which ultimately led to the investigation, were legal. Previously, Durham served as a special prosecutor investigating improper behavior by intelligence officials. Durham is a federal prosecutor who has previously served as a special prosecutor investigating allegations of impropriety by intelligence officials The attorney general signaled during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month that he wanted to review the law enforcement agency's surveillance of the Trump campaign. He said 'spying did occur,' but clarified that it was not necessarily illegal spying. Trump and Republicans assert that the FBI used 'illegal' and irregular methods to obtain the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant, which allowed the agency to spy on Trump's campaign adviser Carter Page. A former lawyer at the FBI admitted that the agency relied heavily on the Steele Dossier, a document authored by former British spy Christopher Steele that Russians allegedly used to blackmail Trump, to obtain a FISA warrant to spy on Page. During the hearing, Barr said it was possible some of the elements of the dossier could be part of a disinformation campaign by Russia. If it is found that the FBI obtained the FISA warrant to spy on Trump's campaign illegally, it would bring into question the whole origins of the Russia probe. Barr was brought to testify before the committee in April following the release of a redacted-version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report. Initially, Barr issued a four-page summary of the 448-page report in late March, and later in mid-April gave Congress a version where 10 per cent was blacked out for various reasons. That version was made public. The report found that Trump, including those within his campaign and administration, had not conspired with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. 'They want to look at how that whole hoax got started,' Trump said of the federal prosecutor's appointment. 'It was a hoax. And even Mueller not a friend of mine even Bob Mueller came out, 'no collusion.'' Even though the report found there was no collusion, it did outline 10 'episodes' where the president could have potentially attempted to obstruct justice throughout the investigation. Trump claims the report fully exonerated him from all crimes related to the Russia investigation, but Democrats feel there is enough evidence to begin impeachment proceedings on grounds of obstructing an ongoing investigation. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have subpoenaed Barr to produce the full, unredacted report, complete with grand jury testimony. When he refused, the committee said it would hold Barr in contempt of Congress. Despite the subpoena, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure prohibit the attorney general from disclosing a matter that occurred before the grand jury. If he were to reveal this information to Congress, he could be held in contempt of court. Firemen racing to answer an emergency call-out in China fell flat on their baksides on a wet floor one after the other. A clip, filmed on a fire station's CCTV, shows the men storming into action to attend to a nearby fire in Tianjin City. As the alarm rings, a man who was mopping the floor can be seen running to clear the way as the firemen run to get ready. A clip, filmed on a fire station's CCTV, shows the men storming into action to attend to a nearby fire in Tianjin City As they race to put on their safety equipment, one man can be seen slipping and sliding onto his backside. Another fireman races across the floor but comically falls on his backside, followed by another soon after. A fourth fireman slips and falls on the floor - but they all quickly get back up to attend to the emergency at hand. According to reports, the floor was still wet after cleaning, causing the firefighters falling down. Fortunately they appeared to be unfazed by the fall and were not injured before attending to the fire. Iran has warned Donald Trump that its military is 'fully ready for any eventuality' in the Middle East amid spiralling tensions between the two nations. Tehran's ambassador in London told America not to 'test the determination of Iran' as he fired back at warlike threats from the White House. The U.S. suspects that Iran or its proxies were behind attacks on four oil tankers in the Gulf of Yemen on Sunday but Tehran has denied the claims. Tensions heightened further today as Iran-backed rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an explosive attack on Saudi oil pipelines. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today tried to calm the situation, saying: 'This face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war'. The government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) has warned Donald Trump (right) that its military is 'fully ready for any eventuality' in the Middle East amid spiralling tensions between the two nations The news comes after an American military team claimed Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies used explosives to blow large holes in four ship (pictured, A. Michel, one of the tankers damaged) anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday Norwegian oil tanker Andrea Victory, another of the four damaged boats, pictured with a large dent in its stern on Monday morning Speaking to Sky News, Iranian ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad said the White House was making 'theatrical manoeuvres' but accused America of playing a 'dangerous game'. 'Our analysis is that they, at least President Trump, doesn't want to engage in a military confrontation with Iran,' he said. 'But while we have renounced any military escalation I would assure you that the Iranian government and Iranian armed forces are fully ready for any eventuality in the region. 'They [America] should not try to test the determination of Iran to confront any escalation in the region.' Hesameddin Ashena, another key adviser to Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani, told Trump: 'You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead. 'That's what happens when you listen to the mustache [a reference to national security adviser John Bolton]. Good luck in 2020!'. Iran also warned of 'false flag' operations designed to lure the U.S. into a war. Trump warned yesterday that Tehran would 'suffer greatly' if it enraged Washington, predicting a 'bad problem for Iran if something happens' He told reporters at the White House: 'We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake.'. The tinderbox standoff between Iran and the US escalated even further today after four commercial ships were mysteriously 'sabotaged' off the UAE - adding to fears a conflict involving the two nations is looming. In a further twist today, an oil pipeline was targeted in a wave of drone attacks UAE Navy boats next to Al Marzoqah Saudi Arabia tanker are seen off the Port of Fujairah on Monday afternoon The President denied reports that he was planning to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East, but said: ''If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that.' The latest crisis erupted yesterday when Saudi Arabia said two of its tankers and two other commercial vessels had been damaged in 'acts of sabotage'. Saudi and UAE officials have been tight-lipped about the extent of the damage but pictures showed at least one tanker with a hole in its hull. A U.S. military team sent to inspect the damage believes that that Iran or Iranian-backed proxies used explosives to blow large holes in the ships. Matters worsened today when Riyadh revealed that its oil pipelines had been targeted by explosive-laden drones. A pumping station supplying an east-west pipeline between the Eastern Province and to the Yanbu Port on the Red Sea was targeted by drones, the Saudis said. The oil tankers were visible in satellite images provided Tuesday to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies. A boom surrounded the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three, including the Andrea Victory (pictured) showed no visible major damage from above The Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amjad, pictured in a satellite image yesterday, was also targeted in the sabotage attacks Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified since Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal to curb Iran's nuclear activities and imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran Oil infrastructure sites belonging to the country's state-run oil company Aramco were targeted with a fire breaking out at a station along the pipeline. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility, saying the assault on Saudi Arabia was meant to send a message to the kingdom to 'stop your aggression' on Yemen. The incidents have sparked fears of a war breaking out 'by accident' with the U.S. and Iranian militaries on high alert. The U..S has deployed B-52 bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in the region. Tensions have flared up again in recent days since Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani warned his country could begin ramping up uranium enrichment if a controversial 2015 deal was not rewritten. Donald Trump last year withdrew America from the 2015 nuclear deal and restored US sanctions that have pushed Iran's economy into crisis. Spain has temporarily pulled one of its frigates, the Mendez Nunez (centre front) that's part of a U.S.-led combat fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of mounting U.S.-Iran tensions Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said attacks on the pipeline (file picture) from the oil-rich Eastern Province to the Red Sea took place early this morning and called it 'an act of terrorism' that targeted global oil supplies Tehran has demanded that the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia help Iran to dodge U.S. sanctions. European powers have tried to find ways to blunt the impact of new U.S. sanctions, in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by the deal. However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of U.S. punishment. Rouhani said last week that Iran would ramp up nuclear enrichment if fresh help did not materialise. White House defence aide Tim Morrison condemned Iran's attempted 'nuclear blackmail of Europe' and warned: 'Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon.' Rouhani's comments also sparked outrage in Europe, as Britain warned of 'consequences' if Iran gives up its nuclear commitments. The threat also sparked a backlash from Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu warned he would 'not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons'. Netanyahu, who has accused Iran of breaching the deal, said Israel 'will continue to fight those who seek to take our lives'. An adorable toddler had party-goers cheering in amazement as he took centre stage with his incredible dance moves. The clip shows two-year-old Bryce Moody at a student party in Nashville, Tennessee, with his mother, as he decides he wants to boogie. As the students gather to dance to the groovy music, little Bryce, from Detroit, Michigan, jumps in and quickly wins over the crowd's attention with his swift moves. The clip shows two-year-old Bryce Moody at a student party in Nashville, Tennessee, with his mother, as he decides he wants to boogie He can be seen bopping around and pulling impressive hip hop moves as the patygoers form a circle around him and begin filming him. The students soon begin to copy his slick dance moves and the toddler seems unfazed by all the attention. Mother, Ada-Marie, said Bryce loves to dance and usually wows a crowd in social gatherings as he commands attention. She said: 'Bryce dances all day at home to any type of music and learns his moves watching dance videos on YouTube. 'He had been gathering attention the whole event dancing around campus. 'I am totally used to this, he's always the entertainer at parties and events.' The students soon begin to copy his slick dance moves and the toddler seems unfazed by all the attention Yali Geng, 20, pictured arriving today at Maidstone Crown Court had a bank account in her name which had 150,000 paid into et between May 2015 and July 2018 An organised crime gang of Chinese nationals was behind a network of brothels operating across south east England, a court heard. Properties were rented in London, Essex and Kent using fake identities and by people falsely claiming to be employed by telecommunications company Huawei. Young women, themselves often Chinese and advertised as 'high quality', were then put to work in the brothels, referred to by those involved as 'shops'. The organised crime group was said to have 'a large number of sex workers' at its disposal and there was a frequent changeover of women. Brothels were located in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, one in nearby Tonbridge, another in Brentwood in Essex and others in Surrey and various parts of London. During one police raid at a flat in Tunbridge Wells officers found a woman scantily-clad in a Cheerleader's outfit and with 1,000 cash. Three women, including the partner of the man described as the operation's 'central figure', have gone on trial over their alleged involvement in running the sex houses and laundering the cash proceeds. Shuangyan Hu, 37, Yali Geng, 20, and Pikwa Wong, 27, all deny two offences of conspiracy to keep a brothel between December 31, 2014, and July 26, 2018. Three of the alleged sex houses were in a flat at The Depository in Rock Villa Road, Tunbridge Wells, and nearby properties in Lime Hill Road and Dudley Road. The women are also accused of money laundering between the same dates. Maidstone Crown Court, Kent, heard today that approximately 150,000 was paid into a Halifax bank account held in Geng's name between May 2015 and July 2018. Police found 1,000 in cash inside a Gucci handbag when they raided the Islington home of Pikwa Wong, pictured outside Maidstone Crown Court today, Wong lived in the house with Geng Geng, pictured outside the court, denies money laundering and running brothels along with her housemate Wong Prosecutor Alan Gardner said this was the network's 'principal' account into which the money generated by the brothels was paid. When the home she shared with Wong in Islington, north London, was searched last year, police found 1,000 cash in a Gucci handbag. At the heart of the conspiracy was Hu's partner, Dongning Zhang, also known as Leo and referred to as 'the boss', who has pleaded guilty to his involvement. The court also heard the home he shared with Hu and their young daughter in Harrow, Middlesex, was the 'headquarters and call centre' for the brothels. Police found 'a wealth of documentation' at the property in St Kilda's Road, including records of girls' names, customers, and rates charged of 60-70 for a half-hour sex session, or 100-120 for a full hour. Also at the property were 17 mobile phones and 8,000 cash, also said to be linked to the operation. At the start of the trial, Mr Gardner told the jury of eight women and four men: 'This case is about, say the prosecution, an organised crime group of Chinese nationals operating a network of brothels, in south east England largely but also elsewhere. Maidstone Crown Court heard the gang operated a number of brothels across the south east of England 'The organisation seemingly had a large number of sex workers at its disposal as the "business model" for the brothels involved a frequent changeover of sex workers at each location. 'The prosecution case is that each of these women (on trial) were participants in criminal agreements, conspiracies, to run or assist in the running of those brothels and to convert the money generated by those brothels by putting it through bank accounts, money laundering if you like. 'Each of these women played a part. Hu by assisting her partner to run the operation from their home address; Geng and Wong by making bank accounts available for the purpose of funding the operation and by assisting Zhang with the rental of properties.' The court heard much of their phone communication was via an app similar to WhatsApp called WeChat. Wong and 'Leo' discussed business ideas as far back as 2013 and in September 2014 he sent her a message saying: 'The organisation needs you. You can be in charge of renting out properties. 'I can hand this all over to you to handle and I don't have to worry and can concentrate on running the shops. 'You look for people. Each takes half the earnings.' Wong later told police payments made to her totalling 12,500 was money from making bespoke jewellery and from her parents in China. Both she and Geng denied any involvement in brothels or money laundering. However, Mr Gardner told the court: 'They were knowingly assisting Leo in the running of the brothels. They knew the true nature of Leo's operation and they both assisted him in the acquisition of rental properties and the significant amounts paid into the bank accounts.' Hu remained silent throughout her police interview. Mr Gardner said the brothel-related material found at her home was 'all over the house'. 'It was the HQ of the organisation The reality is Zhang was running the brothels from here, assisted by his partner, Hu. It was a call centre for the operation.' The court heard that a second man, Kai Shao, 63, from Millwall, east London, has also pleaded guilty to being involved in the operation. He was responsible for acting as housekeeper, receptionist, security guard and 'babysitter' for the prostitutes at two brothels in Tunbridge Wells. The trial continues. A 25-year-old woman has taken her ex-boyfriend to court to win custody of their adopted dog. Jessica Sardina is fighting for a change in the law that would not only bring her dog Honey back to her, half of the time, but ensure others do not have to give up their pets when they break-up with their romantic partners. She believes animals should be treated like children when it comes to divorce or break-up proceedings and that they are more than mere pieces of property that can be assigned to a single owner. When she and her boyfriend Kelvin Liriano split up, a judge granted him sole custody of the boxer-lab mix because his name was the only one on Honey's adoption papers. They are fighting out the issue in court in Maine. Jessica Sardina is fighting to change the law to win joint custody or visitation rights to her ex Kelvin Liriano's dog Honey (right). They are shown together, left He adopted the dog a month before he moved in with her but she says they were dating and a couple. Now, Sardina says she has just as much right to look after the animal. She and her ex met on Tinder in 2014 but became serious the following year. He moved in to her apartment at the time, bringing Honey with him. Over the next three years, they lived together with her two other dogs. When they broke up in 2018, he claims she stopped him from taking Honey with him when he moved out. Liriano took his grievance to a judge who ordered that he should have sole custody of the animal. Now, Sardina is fighting that decision. Sardina says animals should be treated not like property but more like children when it comes to divorces or break ups. She is pictured with Honey In court, her lawyer said a dog was more than a piece of property. 'A dog that greets you and plays with you and loves you is presently on the same level as an inanimate object, like a couch, a diploma or a blender,' Gene Sullivan, her attorney, said, according to The Bangor Daily News. Ms Sardina has not presented any authority that having sex with someone gives one rights to the other's property The ex-boyfriend's lawyers 'We wont see any of those objects on Christmas cards, but people across the country will put their companion animals on holiday cards to other family members and friends because they view their pets as part of their family. 'This is true for both married and unmarried couples,' he added. The man's attorneys fought back. 'Ms. Sardina has not presented this court with any authority for the proposition that having sex with someone gives one rights to the others property. 'Nor has she presented any authority that the mere act of cohabitating with someone gives one rights in the others property acquired separately and prior to cohabitation,' Jonathan Hunter wrote in a brief. Liriano adopted the dog before he moved in with Sardina. His is the only name on its adoption papers which is why the judge gave him full custody The judge denied her request this week but Sardina is vowing to continue fighting until she gets the dog back, at least part of the time. Sardina is campaigning for what she is calling The Honey Law on social media In a recent social media post on National Puppy Day, she gushed: 'I worked from home the majority of the time I had her, so I was lucky in that I was able to spend every minute of every day with my three pups. I have thousands and THOUSANDS of pictures just of my Honey girl alone. 'She is the sweetest, goofiest, most lovable dog in the entire world. She came into my life somewhat unexpectedly, but I know it didnt happen by coincidence. I have always said she is my once in a lifetime dog, and I believe that now more than ever. 'I have a bond with her that I dont have with my other kiddos...she has always been so incredibly emotionally connected to me. While Ive loved and been loved throughout my life, it wasnt until I had Honey that I truly understood unconditional love. 'She was my little shadow for over three years...couldnt let me out of her sight. 'Not having her right under my feet for the past 6 months is something Im still not used to. Im praying it wont be much longer until my little shadow is right back where she belongs, with her mama. I love you so much, Honey. See ya real soon.' An Ohio high school student plans to use her graduation ceremony to pay a touching tribute to the 49 young people killed in American school shootings in the last two decades. Gina Warren, 18, of Ashville, decorated her commencement cap with a QR code that sends people who scan it with their phones to a website listing victims of gun violence. She hopes to promote gun safety when she wears the hat to pick up her diploma at Teays Valley High School on Sunday. Scroll down for video 18-year-old Gina Warren plans to honor those killed in high school shootings before they could receive their diplomas during her own graduation ceremony on Sunday The teen built a web page listing those who have fallen victim to school shootings in the last 20 years At the top of the web page she built, Warren wrote: 'I graduated. These high school students couldnt.' The list includes 10 high schools where deadly mass shootings have taken place in the last 20 years, starting with the most recent at STEM School at Highlands Ranch in Colorado and ending with Columbine High School in 1999. 'Protect our students,' she wrote below the list. 'Vote.' While most grads-to-be decorate their caps with thanks you and farewell messages, Warren wanted to do something 'powerful'. The teen used the gun control advocacy organization Everytown to compile the 'incredibly long' and 'heartbreaking' list of victims. 'This is mostly about honoring these kids,' Warren told CNN. 'I want more than anything to keep their memory alive. But looking at that list, I'm hoping that everyone is touched and sees that there is a serious, serious problem in our country.' The teen decorated her commencement cap with a QR code that sends people who scan it with their phones to the page listing the victims of gun violence It's not the first time Warren has made a public statement about gun violence. She walked out of school after the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida Warren wore black sneakers emblazoned with the word 'Enough' and an orange pin to prom to raise awareness of gun violence The teenager posted a video of her creation on Twitter, where it was liked more than 300,000 times and retweeted more than 90,000 times. It's not the first time Warren has made a public statement about gun violence. Following the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, she decided to accessorize her prom dress with an orange pin, the color supporting gun safety. She wore shoes emblazoned with the word 'Enough'. Warren also walked out of school twice two protest gun violence and honor the 17 students and teachers killed in the attack. Other students are now asking Warren for a picture of the QR code so they can put it on their graduation caps. President Donald Trump said Tuesday morning that he had no knowledge of what a news report described as a secret, shelved plan to round up thousands of illegal immigrant families who are still in the U.S. despite final deportation orders against them. 'I don't know anything about that. I read that today. Probably fake news,' the president told DailyMail.com as he left the White House for Louisiana. 'I read that this morning. I don't know anything about it,' he reiterated. Homeland Security officials considered arresting the families in a flashy show of force, but the idea was tabled as the administration grappled with straining resources and a growing number of Central Americans crossing the border. Homeland Security officials planned to target parents and children in 10 cities with large populations of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. President Trump told DailyMail.com on Tuesday that he had no idea about a reported Homeland Security Department plan to round up illegal immigrant families and deport them The DHS plan, which has been tabled but not completely abandoned, would focus on illegal immigrants in so-called 'sanctuary cities' who already have final deportation orders against them Homeland Security officials decided against the proposed blitz because it would require removing resources from patrolling the border, where record numbers of people, largely Central Americans, are crossing illegally from Mexico The blitz, first reported by The Washington Post, was limited to 'sanctuary' cities where local law enforcement does not cooperate with ICE. The initial plan contained the names of 2,500 adults and children targeted for arrest and removal, according to the Post. But officials expanded the concept to cover as many as 10,000 people. Then-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement head Ron Vitiello and then-Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen iced the proposal because they didn't want to divert resources from the border and feared they didn't have enough detention space to process the arrestees. The possibility of renewed public outrage over treatment of illegal immigrant families, too, was part of their calculation. The number of border crossings has risen dramatically in the past few months to more than 100,000 per month. More than half are families who cannot be easily sent back to their home countries. Trump has railed against the growing numbers and is furious that he has been unable to stem the flow of migrants despite his campaign promise to clamp down on immigration. Future target? These Central American immigrants crossed the border between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas on May 7 before ICE agents detained them Former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen reportedly refused to pull the trigger on the mass-deportation plan because of legistical concerns, not moral qualms Trump said Tuesday that he had read about the DHS plan only that morning, and denied any knowledge of it The White House recently asked Congress for $4.5 billion in supplemental funding, mostly for humanitarian aid and shelter space for migrant children. ICE planes have been used over the past few days to fly migrants to less-crowded locations along the border for processing. The tabled plan it remains under consideration included fast-tracking immigration cases to allow judges to order deportations for those who don't show up for hearings. It also prioritized the newest cases in order to deport people faster. The White House yanked Vitiello's nomination to lead ICE last month, with Trump telling reporters he would nominate someone 'tougher.' Nielsen resigned a few days later. Stephen Miller, Trump's top adviser on immigration issues, and ICE Deputy Director Matthew Albence were eagerly pushing the proposal, according to the Post. Stephen Miller, Trump's top adviser on immigration issues, and ICE Deputy Director Matthew Albence were eagerly the mass-arrest plan and wanted it to cover 10 major U.S. cities They wanted a dramatic, highly visible show of mass arrests as a way of deterring would-be immigrants from coming to the country illegally. According to DHS officials, Nielsen and Vitiello raised concerns that were mostly operational and logistical and did not raise moral or ethical objections. 'There was concern that it was being hastily put together, would be ineffective and might actually backfire by misdirecting resources away from critical border emergency response operations,' one DHS official said. Nielsen and others in the department believed that the administration's focus should be on deporting 'criminal aliens' rather than families and children. 'The proposal was nowhere near ready for prime time,' the official said. 'They wanted 10 cities, thousands of targets.' A mother-of-two is fighting for her life after being dragged into a large fan used to inflate a hot air balloon in Turkey. Russian tourist Tatiana Golden, 62, was about to have a romantic ride in the balloon in Cappadocia when the horrific events unfolded. It was due to be her first flight and she filmed every moment on her smartphone. Russian tourist Tatiana Golden, 62, was about to have a romantic ride in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia As she was filming the balloon filling up, she walked past the fan and her silk scarf was pulled in by it In the process, she approached a large fan that was used to inflate her balloon. At one point the long silk scarf on her neck was pulled into the fan and dragged her into it. Mrs Golden suffered a horrific blow after being thrown into the air by the powerful air flow produced by the fan. Her friend Tatiana Chursova, who knows the details of the incident, said to local media: 'The powerful airflow threw her into the air like a rag doll. 'She landed head-first on the stone ground and badly injured her head.' Mrs Golden was rushed to the nearby city of Nevsehir in a coma and admitted to the intensive care unit. Mrs Golden was rushed to the nearby city of Nevsehir in a coma and admitted to the intensive care unit The fan that caused the incident which has left Mrs Golden with a severe traumatic brain injury She was diagnosed with a severe traumatic brain injury including a fracture of the skull base and swelling of the brain. Doctors managed to stabilise her condition after performing several surgeries, reports say. Mrs Golden's last video was shared by her relatives with Russian media recently. The footage shows the balloon launching crew inflating a green balloon for the woman's ride then the clip ends abruptly. Doctors managed to stabilise Mrs Golden's serious condition after performing several surgeries The mother-of-two suffered a horrific blow after being thrown into the air by the powerful air flow produced by the fan. The Russian estate agent, pictured here with her husband Nikolai, could not pay for the cost of her treatment with insurance Now, one month after the incident, Mrs Golden's condition has improved. Mrs Chursova said: 'She can move her head, left leg and left hand a little bit. But the right part of her body is completely paralysed.' Mrs Golden's insurance is not enough to cover the cost of her expensive treatment. Her relatives are now trying to raise money for paying the hospital bills and transporting her home to Moscow. The victim's son Aleksey Shteiman blames the Assiana Balloons company for what had happened to his mother. Friend Tatiana Chursova said: 'The powerful airflow threw her into the air like a rag doll. 'She landed head-first on the stone ground and badly injured her head' The victim's son Aleksey Shteiman blames the Assiana Balloons company for what had happened to his mother He said: 'They should have put a fence around the fan or warned my mother not to approach it. 'In her footage I see the company workers walking around and not one of them told her to be careful.' The distressed family is waiting for actions from the Russian Embassy in Turkey who promised to help. Tatiana Golden is a real estate agent. She has two adult sons. The trip to Turkey was her first ever trip abroad together with her husband. Two Navy pilots who drew a penis in the sky with their jet's white contrails never intended for the public to spot their phallic masterpiece, an investigation has revealed. The junior officers with the 'Zappers' of Electronic Attack Squadron 130 had time to kill when they decided to use the unusually well-defined jet trail to draw a penis in the sky over Washington state on November 16, 2017, according to a report obtained by Navy Times. A mother who lives near a training area for the squadron, which is based in western Washington at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, spotted the obscene art and submitted photos of it to a local news station. The story took off as the photos went viral on social media, inspiring countless memes. Two Navy pilots responsible for drawing a 'sky penis' with the jet's white contrails never intended for the public to spot their phallic masterpiece, an investigation has revealed When Navy officials became aware of the incident they swiftly launched an investigation into the officers flying the EA-18G Growler jet. The lieutenants, flying as 'Zapper 21', had taken off from Whidbey earlier that day with another jet. The squadron's commanding officer described the pilot as an introverted 'whiz kid who managed our training and readiness with higher efficiency and effectiveness than anyone else I have seen in a squadron,', according to the investigation. His co-pilot that day was an electronic warfare officer (EWO), who the commander said was his 'best junior officer'. Neither of the offending lieutenants have been identified publicly, and their names were redacted from the report copy given to Navy Times. It was the EWO who first suggested drawing a penis in the sky, the report claimed. 'My initial reaction was no, bad,' the pilot wrote in a statement after the incident. 'But for some reason still unknown to me, I eventually decided to do it.' The cockpit's video recording system captured the entirety of the conversation surrounding the project. 'Draw a giant penis,' the EWO says. 'That would be awesome.' 'What did you do on your flight?' the pilot replied. 'Oh, we turned dinosaurs into sky penises.' 'You should totally try to draw a penis,' the EWO said. 'I could definitely draw one, that would be easy,' the pilot said. 'I could basically draw a figure eight and turn around and come back. I'm gonna go down, grab some speed and hopefully get out of the contrail layer so they're not connected to each other.' 'Dude, that would be so funny,' the pilot said. 'Airliner's coming back on their way into Seattle, just this big [expletive]ing, giant penis. We could almost draw a vein in the middle of it too.' The cockpit's video recording system captured audio of the officers discussing the art project. They can be heard erupting in a fit of laughter as they observe the final product After completing the phallus, the pilot realized how prominent it was in the sky and went back and unsuccessfully tried to obscure it with more contrails before anyone noticed The EWO can soon be heard reporting that the masterpiece was in the making. 'Balls are going to be a little lopsided,' the pilot said. 'Balls are complete,' he said moments later. 'I just gotta navigate a little bit over here for the shaft.' 'Which way is the shaft going?' the EWO asked. 'The shaft will go to the left,' the pilot answered. 'It's gonna be a wide shaft,' the EWO noted. 'I don't wanna make it just like 3 balls,' the pilot said. 'Let's do it,' the EWO said. 'Oh, the head of that penis is going to be thick.' BEST BITS FROM COCKPIT TRANSCRIPT EWO: 'Draw a giant penis. That would be awesome.' Pilot: 'What did you do on your flight?Oh, we turned dinosaurs into sky penises.' EWO: 'We could almost draw a vein in the middle of it too.' Pilot: 'Balls are complete. I just gotta navigate a little bit over here for the shaft.' EWO: 'Oh, the head of that penis is going to be thick.' EWO: 'I have a feeling the balls will have dissipated by then.' Pilot: 'Oh yes, that was f***ing amazing. This is so obvious.' EWO: 'Dude, I'm amazed that this stayed.' Advertisement As he finished up the drawing, the pilot said: 'To get out of this, I'm gonna go like down and to the right, and we'll come back up over the top and try to take a look at it.' 'I have a feeling the balls will have dissipated by then,' his partner replied. When the full image came into view the officers erupted in a fit of laughter, taking photos that they would later delete as they realized their prank had been discovered. 'Oh yes, that was f***ing amazing,' the pilot said. 'This is so obvious.' 'Dude, I'm amazed that this stayed,' the EWO added. A pilot in the other jet that took off at the same time soon radioed in to congratulate the officers for their 'amazing artwork'. In the statement after the fact, the offending pilot wrote: 'Soon after, I realized the extent of our actions, that the contrails were remaining longer than predicted. 'I remarked that we needed to take steps to try to obfuscate it. I flew one pass over it essentially trying to scribble it out with my contrails. That pass was ineffective.' Before they got the chance to eradicate the penis, the plane needed to head back to base as it was running out of fuel. The offending lieutenants took off from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington (above) Soon after the jet landed, the deputy commodore of Electronic Attack Wing Pacific soon contacted the squadron's executive officer (XO) with photos of the phallic-shaped object that had been snapped from the ground. The XO confirmed that squadron jets had been in the area and asked the lieutenants if anything unusual occurred during their flight that day, at which point they immediately confessed and apologized for their childish actions. 'They both apologized and were at once remorseful,' the XO wrote in a summary. Commander of Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm Mike Shoemaker (above), handed down a light punishment a month after the incident One of the lieutenants said he 'deleted the sky drawing photographs from his phone out of shame and as an attempt at damage control to prevent further accidental spread of the photographs', the report claims. The squandron's commanding officer was 'immediately furious' when he learned about the incident, but because neither of the lieutenants had prior disciplinary records, an investigating officer recommended that they only receive 'non-punitive letters of instruction'. 'While the sky writing conducted by [the lieutenants' was crude, immature, and unprofessional, it was not premeditated or planned and not in keeping with their character demonstrated prior to the incident,' the investigator wrote. 'Even so, it has caused the United States Navy severe embarrassment in the public arena and jeopardizes the strategic narrative that underpins the justification of the flight hour program.' The XO defended the lieutenants, calling them both 'fine officers and capable aviators' despite the prank. 'They 100 percent need to be held accountable, but if they are allowed to continue in naval aviation this is not a mistake they will repeat,' he wrote. 'Minus the current circumstances, they have never given me a reason to doubt their trustworthiness or their resolve to be officers in the Navy.' Joe Biden ripped Rudy Giuliani for his aborted plan to travel to the Ukraine to investigate the former vice president's role in the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating an energy company where Biden's son served on the board. 'Rudy Giuliani. It's hard for me to comment on Rudy Giuliani and I don't think I will because my Irish will come up,' Biden told reporters at a campaign stop at The Works in Concord, N.H., on Tuesday. 'It is a personal attack and I expect that from Rudy Giuliani and the president,' he added. 'It's the way these guys play.' Joe Biden ripped Rudy Giuliani for his aborted plan to travel to the Ukraine Rudy Giuliani wanted to investigate Biden's role in firing a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating an energy company where Biden's son served on the board He also defended his son Hunter Biden. 'There is not one single bit of evidence that my son ever interfered or asked me for anything or gotten anything,' he said. He also told a New Hampshire TV station Giuliani's proposed trip was 'inappropriate.' 'It's sort of Giuliani's style and this administration,' Biden told WMUR, an ABC News affiliate in New Hampshire. 'It is inappropriate. Unrelated to me, it's just inappropriate to send your lawyer to a foreign government to try to get them to do something that has no bearing except to try to embarrass.' The New York Times reported on Hunter Biden's five-year tenure on the board of a Ukrainian company, Burisma holdings, during a time where his father went to Ukraine to pressure the government to step up anti-corruption efforts and fire its top prosecutor. The prosecutor had been investigating the company. Joe Biden traveled to Kiev in March 2016 to deliver a stern message, threatening to withhold $1 billion in loan guarantees to the country if the government didn't dismiss the nation's top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. But Bloomberg News reported the investigation into Burisma was 'dormant' at the time that Biden had appealed for the ouster of Shokin. Giuliani, who is President Donald Trump's personal attorney, scrapped plans to visit the Ukraine this week to seek information on the incident. He blamed the Ukrainians, saying he was worried they were trying to set him up, and criticized Democrats for spinning the trip. 'They say I was meddling in the election - ridiculous - but that's their spin,' the former New York City mayor said. Giuliani has been explicitly encouraging a foreign investigation as well as a U.S. investigation that could muddy Biden, vowing the leading Democrat will get investigated before Election Day. 'It's a big story. It's a dramatic story. And I guarantee you, Joe Biden will not get to election day without this being investigated, not because I want to see him investigated. This is collateral to what I was doing,' Giuliani told Fox News host Laura Ingraham last week. President Trump also indicated he could speak to Attorney General Bill Barr about pursuing the matter. 'Certainly it would be an appropriate thing to speak to him about, but I have not done that as of yet,' he told Politico. Biden said the reports indicated his son did nothing wrong. 'All the reports indicated that not a single, solitary thing was inappropriate about what my son did,' Biden told WMUR. 'He never talked to me. He never talked to anybody in the administration.' 'There was no communication with my office,' he added. 'We never once spoke about it. It came out of a law firm in New York City that he was working with. He never once asked me. Never discussed anything with me. And with all the investigation that's been done, there's not a single piece of evidence that he ever talked to anybody in government about it.' Biden defended his son Hunter Biden, saying he did nothing wrong; the two are pictured together in 2016 at the World Food Program's USA's Annual McGovern-Dole Leadership Award Ceremony Biden made his comments during a stop at a coffee shop in New Hampshire After the New York Times broke the story about Giuliani's planned trip to the Ukraine, Democrats accused Republicans of seeking foreign help in their efforts to win the election. 'Today, Giuliani admitted to seeking political help from a foreign power. Again,' House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff wrote on Twitter. Biden's critique of Giuliani came on day two of his first visit to New Hampshire as a presidential candidate. His first stop of the morning Tuesday was at the coffee shop The Works in Concord, where he ordered a small cup of joe, a yogurt parfait, and a blueberry muffin. He walked around the shop to catch with customers - including those who had stopped in for a quick cuppa and were surprised to find the former vice president there. Biden then went to address a crowd at a house party in Nashua, N.H. Kai Wang, pictured, took naked photographs of the naked 13-year-old girl and threatened to send the photographs to her school, if her family reported a 20,000 robbery on their business An armed robber who posed with a naked and gagged 13-year-old girl to blackmail her family into not reporting the crime said he 'hopes she feels better soon' as he was jailed. Illegal immigrant Kai Wang, 37, tied up the young girl and took photographs during a two-hour robbery and then threatened to send the pictures to her school and post them online. Wang and co-defendant Quan Chan, 38, claimed they carried out the knifepoint robbery stealing 20,000 this January to pay back people smugglers after they came into the country a month before. But this was rejected as Wang was jailed for 14 years and three months and Chan for 13 years and six months at Wood Green Crown Court. In a statement read out in court, Wang said: 'I am so sorry to the mother and daughter and I deeply regret this. 'I hope the little girl feels better soon. 'I made a mistake, I will be punished. 'I regret what I did and the damage caused to the little girl.' Sentencing Judge Joanna Greenberg QC branded the Chinese nationals 'enthusiastic' criminals who do not show 'any form of genuine remorse or regret.' Addressing Wang, who cowered and whimpered in the dock, she said: 'You terrorised that child, she must have been terrified. 'You undressed her, she was tied and gagged. You pulled her clothing apart so her breast and vaginal area were exposed and you took photographs of those areas. 'In one of the photographs you are touching her breast. 'You told her the photographs would be sent to her school and shared online if she or her mother reported what you had done. This is the moment police arrested Quan Chan, left, and Kai Wang, right. As well as a 14-year jail term, Wang has been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life 'Both of you were part of the plan to take the pictures. 'You were both confident that they would be too terrified to report what happened but you misjudged their courage.' Defending Wang, Matthew Pardoe said: 'It is clear that Mr Wang was trafficked into this country. 'The reality is that people who are trafficked do so by paying to make sure they get into the country. 'The idea that it was his idea, bearing in mind he was in the country for a short amount of time, is highly unlikely. 'It is clear he was used to carry out this crime. 'He is from rural China and his family fell on hard times when their fishing pond, which was their source of income, was destroyed when a large road was made. Quan Chan admitted to robbery, false imprisonment, possession of indecent images of child and possession of a false immigration document 'His family took the opportunity to send their eldest son to the UK to send money home.' Responding to Wang's wish to stay in the UK, Judge Greenberg said: 'I have no idea where he dreamt that from.' Defending Chan, Daniel Murray added: 'I do not intend to minimise the impact of the act. 'The main aggravating factor was of the co-defendant who was left alone with the daughter. 'Mr Chan was not there, he didn't take the image.' But Judge Greenberg said: 'They are both equally culprit in relation to the making of the photographs and were enthusiastic participants. 'They were taken as part of a planned robbery to keep the victims silent. 'The sexual assault is the only differing factor.' Mr Murray added: 'Mr Chan came here as an economic and illegal immigrant. 'But he got involved with the people who smuggled him in, he was naive. 'He had options but he took the wrong one.' Sentencing Judge Greenberg said: 'I do not accept you met by chance on your arrival in the UK. 'I do not accept that this was carried out to pay off debts to the traffickers. 'Nothing I have heard about your circumstances can justify what both of you did. 'You targeted that shop knowing there were vulnerable people inside - a mother and a daughter. 'You humiliated and degraded them. 'Neither of you show genuine empathy and your distress is only a reaction to your own fate.' Both Wang and Chan wore grey tops and held their hands in the praying position and began to whimper when sentenced Wang fell to the ground when two prison officers attempted to carry him down to the cells and their cries echoed down the stairs through the locked door. Speaking after the case, Senior investigating officer DCI Paul Ridley said: 'It was abundantly clear from the onset of this investigation, the significant harm that these men posed to the public and the levels of violence they were prepared to use. 'It would be difficult for anyone to imagine the sheer fear and trauma caused to these victims, in particular the young girl. 'The significant custodial sentences handed down by the judge demonstrate the abundance of aggravating factors in this case, including the use of weapons, binding the victims, detaining them for a prolonged period and their additional degradation.' Wang pleaded guilty to robbery, sexual assault of a child, false imprisonment, making and distributing indecent images of child and possession a false immigration document at previous hearings. Chan admitted to robbery, false imprisonment, possession of indecent images of child and possession of a false immigration document. Homeless encampments along the Sacramento river are damaging flood levees and could be putting more than 100,000 houses in danger, it has been revealed. Some of the homeless have been digging into the slope of the levees to create a flat surface for their tents, potentially compromising the entire structure. And, due to the number of tents, levee monitors are having a hard time finding the trouble spots that need fixing before the winter flood season. In one instance, they discovered a large encampment had been hiding a four-foot deep trench that was dug into the slope of a levy. Scroll down for video Homeless encampments along the Sacramento river are damaging flood levees and could be putting more than 100,000 homes in danger, it has been revealed In one instance, a large encampment had been hiding a four-foot deep trench (pictured) that was dug into the slope of a levy 'We aren't able to do our visual inspections because there's so much debris,' Kevin King, general manager for the flood control agency Reclamation District 1000, told CBS Sacramento. 'There may be things going on underneath the tarps and tents that are covered up that we just can't monitor,' he added. Tim Kerr, the general manager for the American River Flood Control District, said his engineers find two new trenches a month that could damage the levee. 'You can have wind and wave action battering into the cut and that could weaken the soil and cause chunks of the levee to slip away,' he said. Some of the homeless have been digging into the slope of the levee to create a flat surface for their tents, potentially compromising the entire structure And, due to the number of tents, levee monitors are having a hard time finding the trouble spots that need fixing before the winter flood season '[Flood water] can get into an exposed cut and there's no sod covering to armor the surface of the soil.' But levee monitors do not have the power to banish homeless encampments, and the Sacramento Police Department said they can't make them move either. That's because, just this September, a federal court ruled that homeless people cannot be cited for sleeping outside if no shelter bed is available to them. 'It's a problem throughout the entire state, and we are doing our best to offer services to them,' said Officer Marcus Basquez. But that answer isn't good enough for resident Scott Garrison. But levee monitors do not have the power to banish homeless encampments, and the Sacramento Police Department said they can't make them move either Tim Kerr, the general manager for the American River Flood Control District, said his engineers find two new trenches a month that could damage the levee 'If the levees go, my house would probably be underwater,' he said. 'Doesn't the city care to do something about it?' Sacramento City Councilman Jeff Harris has asked the American River Flood Control District and Reclamation District 1000 to locate the camps that are causing the most damage to the levee. Harris then plans to ask police to talk to the homeless there and educate them on the risks. 'There's no doubt about it, this is dangerous,' Harris told Fox 40. 'When they realize they're being displaced because they're causing harm to our levees the word will get out.' The Reclamation District 1000 board also voted on Friday to send letters to several police departments requesting immediate assistance. Police have dropped an investigation into broadcaster Danny Baker over an allegedly racist tweet about the royal baby. Baker was sacked from BBC Radio 5 Live for tweeting a joke about the Duke and Duchess Of Sussex's son featuring a picture of a chimpanzee. His tweet came on the day Harry and Meghan, who is African-American, welcomed their first child, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Police have dropped an investigation into broadcaster Danny Baker, pictured last week outside his London home, over an allegedly racist tweet about the royal baby Baker claimed he was lampooning privilege when he sent the tweet following the birth of baby Archie who was shown to the public for the first time by his parents the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle Scotland Yard said the force had received an allegation in relation to a tweet posted on May 8 but confirmed on Wednesday it would take no further action. A statement said: 'An allegation was received by the Metropolitan Police Service on Thursday 9 May in relation to a tweet published on 8 May. 'Having reviewed the comments made, we do not consider that a criminal threshold has been met and as such we will be taking no further action.' Baker, 61, was accused of racism after tweeting a black and white image showing a well-dressed man and woman holding hands with a suited chimpanzee, which he captioned: 'Royal baby leaves hospital.' The DJ apologised for the tweet, saying it was an attempt to 'lampoon privilege'. Lynne Graver posed for the image just two weeks after Barry Spearing was jailed for six years over a multi-million pound investment scam The wife of a convicted fraudster has sparked fury after a photo of her on holiday was posted online with the caption: Who says crime doesnt pay? Lynne Graver posed for the image just two weeks after Barry Spearing was jailed for six years over a multi-million pound investment scam. Elderly and vulnerable victims were cold called by a gang who pressurised them into investing 3million in bogus companies and schemes. One 83-year-old victim lost more than 1million. But Mrs Graver, 54, appears unaffected by the misery her husband has caused in the photo posted by a friend on Facebook. It shows her smiling and looking bronzed and relaxed as she perches on a wicker sofa on a sunny patio in Pilar de la Horadada in Alicante, Spain. A comment written alongside the photo said: Loving my bestie staying with me Lynne Graver laughing so much! Who says crime doesnt pay. It was followed by three laughing emojis and the hashtag #lifeisgreat. Angry responses online included one saying: I am utterly disgusted that they think this is a laughing matter. Elderly and vulnerable victims were cold called by a gang who pressurised them into investing 3million in bogus companies and schemes. Pictured: The couple Mrs Graver, an antiques dealer, from Stutton, Suffolk, was not involved in her husbands offences. However, police say they are looking to seize assets belonging to Spearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The gang conned 50 people between 2014 and 2016. Some victims made several payments after being told they had to pay fees to release their assets. The fraudsters used company names often similar to those of genuine ones and the businesses were registered at two London offices to add an air of legitimacy. Spearing, 58, who is also an antiques dealer, was involved in the money laundering side of the scam, recruiting mules who set up bank accounts through which cash was moved. Detectives have admitted they will struggle to get any of the money back as it went abroad to Cyprus and Hong Kong. Spearing, 58, was involved in the money laundering side of the scam, recruiting mules who set up bank accounts through which cash was moved But Detective Chief Inspector Martin Peters, of the eastern region special operations unit, said: We can confirm confiscation proceedings are ongoing in relation to Barry Spearing. This will include looking at what assets he has available, such as properties, cars and cash, and if and to what extent he benefited financially from the crimes he committed. One victim, who lost 300,000, said after the sentencing at Southwark Crown Court: The financial loss has had a significant impact on my family and a longer-term impact on not being able to provide for them. Mrs Graver and the friend who posted the photo have not responded to requests for a comment. But a colleague at her business, Graver Antiques and Interiors, in Stutton, yesterday said I agree when asked if the photo was ill-advised and she should apologise. Mrs Graver and her husband were accused of being involved in the theft of 120,000 of stolen antiques in December 2015. Spearing, who denied theft, and Mrs Graver, who denied handling stolen goods, were cleared of the charges. Spearing said at the time he was glad justice had prevailed. An 11-year-old was removed from her class and sent to the principal for shouting at a group of students giving a Nazi salute after their teacher assigned one to dress as Adolf Hitler for an assignment in their Tennessee school. Keith Jacks Gamble tweeted that his daughter was punished after telling her classmates at the McFadden School of Excellence to 'stop it' and to 'put their hands down' when other children performed the racist action in hallways and at recess. The school, in Murfreesboro, south of Nashville, says she was not punished and was taken into the hallway and to the principal's office to 'calm down'. According to Gamble the issue was a long running one and had been going on for weeks after the project involved one student dressing as the dictator at the school. He wrote that the fifth grader 'has been bullied by classmates and targeted personally with Nazi salutes' after speaking out even though she was told to 'not to address it' by a teacher. His tweet has now been like more than 12,000 times after he asked people to send messages of support to his daughter. Keith Jacks Gamble tweeted that his daughter, pictured, was removed from her class and sent to the principal for shouting at a group of students giving a Nazi salute after their teacher assigned a student to dress as Adolf Hitler for an assignment in their Tennessee school According to Gamble the issue was a long running one and had been going on for weeks after the project involved one student dressing as the dictator at the school Keith, who works at Middle Tennessee State University, then went on to share alleged correspondence with the school principal via a series of emails. In them he says the issue dates back to April when students were given assignments on various historical figures. The emails say students began performing the Nazi salute around campus. During the final rehearsal for the assignment Gamble's daughter shouted: 'Stop it. Put your hands down now.' She was then taken out of the classroom for being 'disrespectful with her tone and body language to teachers', according to Gamble's thread. The girl's mom is even said to have seen students performing the salute who weren't participating when the assignment was shown to parents. Keith Gamble who works at Middle Tennessee State University, shared alleged correspondence with the school principal via a series of emails Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans told the DailyMail.com: 'As part of a World War II exhibit of Living History performed by fifth-graders at McFadden School of Excellence, a student portrayed Adolf Hitler, which involved him delivering a speech, and at the end, giving the Nazi salute. 'During rehearsal on Thursday, May 9, the student gave his presentation, and when he gave his salute, some other students in the class responded with the same salute.' He said she was sent to the principal's office after she became upset and not to be disciplined. The spokesman added: 'The teacher took her to the hallway for approximately two minutes to give her some time to calm down but to no avail. The teacher also phoned the student's mother. 'At approximately 2:35 p.m., the student was taken to the principal to talk about what had happened. She left his office at approximately 2:40. The school dismisses at 2:45. 'The student was not disciplined or punished in any way for her concerns or actions. In fact, the school agrees the actions of the students were completely inappropriate.' A spokesman for McFadden School of Excellence, pictured, said the girl was taken into the hallway and to the principal to 'calm down' The school district also confirmed the salute had happened at least two times outside of the history project. They confirmed the school will no longer feature a student portraying Hitler or the salute as part of the Living History project and will now find alternative means of covering the fifth-grade history standard. Carl Beech, 51, alleged powerful men including MPs and generals sexually abused and killed children in the 1970s The health worker at the centre of Scotland Yard's VIP paedophile ring inquiry made the 'most heinous' false claims including child murders, rapes and sexual abuse against dozens of senior public figures, a court heard yesterday. Father-of-one Carl Beech, known only as 'Nick' during the 2 million inquiry codenamed Operation Midland, accused well-known politicians and former military and intelligence chiefs of the crimes. They included ex-Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, former Home Secretary Lord Brittan and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor, jurors were told. Others who Beech alleged committed appalling offences included the former head of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal Lord Bramall, the ex-head of MI5, Michael Hanley, and Maurice Oldfield, the former head of MI6. The jury was told Beech picked his 'targets' after browsing the internet. Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC said Beech's allegations were once described by a Metropolitan Police detective superintendent as 'credible and true'. But after further investigation by another force, he said, they were found to be in fact 'incredible and untrue'. The jury were shown pictures of Carl Beech aged around 10 in his final year of primary school when he claimed the abuse began The jury was shown Beech wiping away a tear speaking of the horrific ordeal - but police found no evidence 'Scott' ever existed Opening the case at Newcastle Crown Court, Mr Badenoch said 'key elements of the story were totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised and irredeemably contradicted by other testimony'. 'Gave false hope' When Carl Beech told police he had witnessed child murders in the 1970s, he gave false hope to the family of a 15-year-old boy who went missing in 1979, Newcastle Crown Court heard. Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, said the boy's disappearance was the worst event in the life of Martin Allen's family, and that his brother Kevin had never given up hope of finding out what happened to him. In 2014, Kevin Allen was told by the Metropolitan Police that his disappearance 'may have been linked to a very nasty paedophile ring'. He added: 'The source of that false hope to Kevin Allen, 35 years after his brother went missing, was ultimately the false allegations of this defendant, Carl Beech. 'We will show you what Carl Beech was saying at the time, what he was saying to the Metropolitan Police, and what his hopes and expectations were in respect of the Allen family. 'That's just an example of the broader impact of this case. 'It went directly to those accused, who were still living, and it went further to those who were still looking further for answers 35 years after 1979.' Advertisement Beech, 51, formerly of Gloucester, denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud in a trial expected to last up to 12 weeks. THE ACCUSED The court was told Beech first contacted police with allegations of sexual abuse in 2012 in response to Operation Yewtree, the Met investigation into Jimmy Savile. He was referred to his local force, Wiltshire, for the purposes of gathering evidence and he named the perpetrators as Savile, an unnamed lieutenant-colonel, his own stepfather Army Major Ray Beech, and multiple other men who he was either unwilling or unable to name. Mr Badenoch said: 'Wiltshire Police didn't act upon the account. It was taken in a single afternoon, was largely non-specific and those that were named by him were deceased. Two years later, on October 9, 2014, Carl Beech provided the Metropolitan Police with a list of names of men said to be his abusers.' The list of 12 names included Ray Beech, Lt General Beach, General Gibbs, Lord Bramall, Jimmy Savile, Peter Hayman, Harvey Proctor, Leon Brittan, Greville Janner, Edward Heath, Michael Hanley and Maurice Oldfield. Mr Badenoch said the force launched Operation Midland as a result in November 2014. Lord Bramall and Mr Proctor had their homes searched on the back of Beech's allegations, which they both strongly denied. Tory peer Lord Brittan's home was also searched and he died while the investigation was still active. Mr Badenoch said the three men had suffered 'immeasurable distress' and 'reputational damage', telling how Lord Bramall's wife had died 'whilst the file was still open'. THE SCOTLAND YARD INTERVIEWS In interviews with the Met in 2014, Beech said the lieutenant-colonel referred to in the Wiltshire interviews was called General Bramall (Lord Edwin Bramall). He was said to be responsible for repeated rapes of Beech and was present at the first meeting with what he described as 'the group'. Timeline of Beech's alleged falsehoods and the investigations they launched 2014/2015: Over more than 20 hours of recorded police interviews, Carl Beech makes lurid allegations of child rape and murder against senior Establishment figures including Ted Heath and Lord Brammall. November 2014: The Met Police launch Operation Midland, which raids the homes of several elderly men looking for evidence to support Beech's claims. A detective calls the accusations 'credible and true'. April 2015: D-Day veteran and former Army chief Lord Brammal interviewed. June 2015: Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, whom Beech accused of child murder, interviewed under caution. March 2016: Beech notified no further action was to be taken in respect of the allegations he had made. 2016: Northumbria Police conclude Beech's claims are 'totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised, and irredeemably contradicted by other testimony'. November 2, 2016: Police arrive to raid Beech's home in Gloucester. He flees to Sweden and is later extradited back to the UK. 2018: A highly critical review of Operation Midland reports police 'acted like they were searching for bodies' during raids on homes. December 2018: restriction on reporting of Carl Beech's real identity lifted. May 2019: Beech goes on trial for perverting the course of justice. Advertisement Also there were General Gibbs (Sir Roland Gibbs) and General Beach (Sir Hugh Beach), he said. At the Army location called 'Imber Village' were two further abusers known to Beech as Michael and Maurice, and later identified by him to be Mr Hanley and Mr Oldfield. 'These two were responsible for abuse and forms of torture spiders being tipped over him, electric shocks, and having darts thrown at him culminating in threats to make him disappear,' Mr Badenoch said. 'He would be taken to 'parties' where there would be seven to eight boys and ten to 15 plus men. 'Different people were there at different times. Maurice and Michael were at Imber for the parties. The incidents at Imber were video recorded. Pain was regularly inflicted in all manner of ways including with electric shocks and holding his head under water.' Beech also told detectives Mr Proctor murdered a boy in front of him, after tying him to a table. He said the MP raped the boy with another man, then stabbed him. A BOY CALLED SCOTT In a video of a police interview played to court, Beech said he had 'blood on his hands' after a school friend called Scott was run over and murdered by 'the group' when he ignored a warning from them not to speak to him. In a tearful interview in 2014, he said: 'They warned me. I was selfish, I didn't listen to them because I wanted a friend. I didn't understand what the consequences might be.' Beech told a Met officer that Scott died in 1979, when they were both students at Coombe Hill Primary School in Kingston-upon-Thames, south-west London. He said he heard a commotion, turned round and saw his friend get run over by a car. Beech added: 'Nobody mentioned him at school. They never mentioned him. It was like he never existed.' 'FALSE HOPE' OVER MISSING TEENAGER The jury heard that when a journalist showed Beech a photograph of Martin Allen, a 15-year-old who went missing in 1979, the defendant had a 'reaction'. Mr Badenoch said another alleged victim of Beech's claims was Martin's brother, Kevin. 'Something happened in 1979. Former Prime Minister Ted Heath (left) and Home Secretary Lord Brittan (right) were among the high-profile politicians accused of sex crimes by 'Nick' Something which was truly the worst event in the life of a family,' Mr Badenoch said. 'It was in 1979 that a young boy went missing who was aged just 15. His name some of you may know, some of you may not. Around the time you wouldn't. 'His name was Martin Allen. He has never been seen since. 'Martin Allen had a brother and he has never given up hope of seeing him. It was in 2014 that he was told his disappearance may have been linked to a VIP paedophile ring. 'The source of that false hope 25 years after his brother went missing was the false allegations of this defendant, Carl Beech.' BEECH'S 'LIES' UNRAVEL In 2016, when Operation Midland ended without any charges, Northumbria Police was asked to look into 'not the men who had been accused, but the accuser himself 'Nick',' the prosecutor said. His three-bedroom rented property, with his 34,000 Ford Mustang convertible parked outside, was raided in November that year. Mr Badenoch said that during the course of that inquiry, 'many, many, other untruths have been uncovered' against Beech. One of 'Nick's false stories' Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC detailed one of the allegations made by Beech to the jury. He said: 'Mr Beech told the Metropolitan Police that he had witnessed the murder of a young school boy called Scott, murdered at the hands of 'the group' of sexual abusers. 'He had been warned not to be friends with Scott. A warning which he failed to heed leading to his friend Scott being run over and killed in front of him. 'Carl Beech was saying that when he was a young schoolboy he had witnessed the murder of a school-friend who had been deliberately run over and killed for the crime of being his friend, when the 'group' allowed him none. 'The child was a boy at his own school. It was a secret he had carried throughout his life out of fear of speaking out. Nobody knew about this. Only him. ' Mr Badenoch said the Metropolitan Police carried out enquiries and ascertained that Carl Beech was never at school with a missing boy called Scott. He said: 'There was no missing boy. Teachers and school friends from his time at school confirmed that over and over. A complete fabrication and falsehood. 'It is one example from a very long list.' Advertisement The prosecutor said Beech, who had accused Edward Heath of sexual abuse on his yacht, incorrectly claimed it had double beds and cabins instead of hammocks. Beech also claimed sexual abuse happened at the Carlton Club in London. Northumbria Police spoke to Barry White, an employee of the club for more than 40 years, who said it was very rare to see any children in the club. Beech told police his Army major stepfather introduced him to high-ranking generals, including Lord Bramall, and regularly exposed him to their abuse. Northumbria Police established this was impossible, Mr Badenoch said. The jury was told security would have been tight around Lord Bramall as it was during the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Beech told investigators that while he was being abused by 'the group', he was taken out of school and collected by a driver 'at least once a week' over a period of nine years. But detectives found that in one year at high school, he was given an award for 100 per cent attendance, the court heard. THE PEN-KNIFE A pen-knife which Beech alleged was used by Mr Proctor as he threatened to 'cut his genitals' was stored in a 'happy memory box', the court heard. Beech, who previously worked for the Care Quality Commission, the body which regulates health services in England, told Met detectives that the former Conservative MP was 'sadistic'. He said he threatened him with the pen-knife and then handed it over to him, saying he 'wouldn't be so lucky next time'. The jury heard that Beech gave it to the Met when they investigated his claims. When Northumbria Police investigated Beech for allegedly making false allegations, they asked his ex-wife Dawn Beech about the knife. Mr Badenoch said: 'She told them that Carl Beech had not only shown it to her, but said he kept it in his 'happy memory box'. There was no mention or upset at what he told investigators was the real story.' Former Tory politician Harvey Proctor and ex-Armed Forces head Lord Bramall were also included by 'Nick' in the Westminster VIP sex ring The court heard that Beech was married to Dawn for 22 years, having met her in his early 20s. He told officers that between the ages of seven and 16, he had suffered from 'sadistic sexual abuse' and electric shock treatment. Mr Badenoch said Mrs Beech did not notice any marks on his body when they met. 'NICK' GOES ON THE RUN Beech fled to Sweden after his abuse allegations were proved to be false, the court heard. Mr Badenoch said: 'Upon their investigation, in Northumbria, a number of important claims made by Carl Beech when he made the allegations, were found to be provably false. 'He made no response when asked to account for this by Northumbria Police and, ultimately, he took the only option that was really available to him he fled the country. 'That was until a specialist fugitive unit in Sweden worked closely with Northumbria Police and the National Crime Agency to secure his arrest. He was then extradited back to face these charges.' Sketches that made police believe him Three black books of sketches created by Carl Beech were handed to police in order to back up his claims, the court heard. The books contained drawings of 'demons' and children 'restrained by their hands and feet'. One image shown to the jury contained the words 'please no more' alongside a drawing of a 'small person in a pool of red with three demons sketched around', prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC said. This sketch from Carl Beech's notebook carries the message: 'Please no more' Another image was said to depict 'sadistic sexual abuse and torture' at Imber, a military base. A third showed 'some kind of demon or creature forcibly having sex with a small person, again surrounded by red'. One book also included handwritten notes, made by Beech, including the initials 'LB' and 'HP', believed to refer to Leon Brittan, Lord Bramall and Harvey Proctor, Mr Badenoch told the jury. The notes allegedly written by Beech described one incident involving the 'group' around a swimming pool. The jury was shown pages from Carl Beech's sketchbook which he had told police showed abuse which took place in his childhood 'Each man would select one of us,' he wrote. 'You would stay with them unless they wanted to swap with someone else when selected. I would be undressed. They would wrestle with me in the water. Sometimes they would hold my head under water or take you to the diving board and throw you off.' Mr Badenoch told the jury they would not be able to see the actual journals because they are 'nowhere to be seen. We have been looking for them and they have not materialised.' Beech also produced sketches for officers of alleged crime scenes including London's Carlton Club and said he had produced them from memory. Mr Badenoch added: 'Mr Beech told investigators that he hadn't researched images of the crime scenes prior to sketching from his memory and providing the product to police. 'This was entirely contrary to easily accessible internet imagery and photographs of locations recovered from his own computer. It was like everything else a complete lie.' From a southern drawl to a Boston twang, there is no shortage of accents in the United States of America. But no accent is alike - and neither is their sex appeal. Now a new survey has ranked the sexiest and least sexiest accents in America, revealing whether the country prefers the sounds of Mark Wahlberg or the Jersey Shore cast. While Texas and Boston reigned supreme, the likes of Snooki and The Situation would be sad to learn that New Jersey accents ranked almost dead last in the survey by Big 7 Travel. Texan has been voted the sexiest accent in the United States, according to a new survey from Big 7 Travel Only Long Island, located less than 130 miles away, was considered less sexy. The New York city has given us plenty of marquee names - from Lindsay Lohan and Jerry Seinfeld to Alec Baldwin and Billy Joel - but apparently not enough to raise its sexy stakes. And while Fargo has inspired both a famous movie and television show, the Minnesotan accent followed close behind at the bottom of the list at the 48th spot. California as a state made it into the top 10 of sexy accents, but those who hail from Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley didn't fare as well. The famous 'Valley Girl' accent may have been immortalized thanks in part to teen classics like Fast Times At Ridgemont High and Clueless, but all those 'likes'? You must be totally buggin'. Also in the least sexy ranks are Alaskan, Southern Ohioan, Floridian, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Pennsylvania Dutch, and Appalachian. But the likes of Snooki and The Situation would be sad to learn that New Jersey accents ranked almost dead last in the survey, taking the 49th spot Only Long Island was considered less sexy. The NY city has given us plenty of famous names - from Lindsay Lohan to Jerry Seinfeld - but apparently not enough to raise its sexy stakes It was the slow Texas drawl, peppered with many a 'howdy y'all', that took the number one spot on this list. Top 10 most attractive U.S. accents 1. Texan 2. Bostonian 3. New York 4. Mainer 5. Chicago 6. Mississippi 7. Hawaiian 8. Philadelphia 9. St. Louis 10. Californian Advertisement Making its way into second place was Boston, the hometown of major celebrities including Wahlberg, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon. The trio have played many a famous Bostonian in their pictures, including Good Will Hunting and The Town, to help convince Americans that they liked the sound of 'pahk yuh cahr in Hahvuhd yahd'. New Yorkers' fast and 'hypernasal' accent helped them land in the top three, boosted no doubt by iconic movies like Goodfellas, Annie Hall, and When Harry Met Sally. The study authors found that the Maine accent, which came in at number four, was 'surprisingly popular'. Maine natives are known to drop their 'r's' and love using the word 'wicked'. Also managing to edge into the top 10 is St Lois (#9), Philadelphia (#8), Mississippi (#6), and Chicago (#5). Making its way into second place was Boston, the hometown of major celebrities including Mark Wahlberg, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon 10 least attractive U.S. accents 1. Long Islander 2. New Jersey 3. Minnesotan 4. Alaskan 5. California Valley 6. Southern Ohioan 7. Floridian 8. Pittsburgh 9. Cincinnati 10. Pennsylvania Dutch Advertisement Americans 'hella' love long and slow vowels, which helped put California at number 10 and Hawaii in the seventh spot. Miami made its presence known in the 13th spot, thanks to the 'sexy rhythm' influenced by its many Spanish and Cuban immigrants. Midwesterners will be pleased to know they still made the top 20, with Americans enjoying their 'subtle and sweet' twang, according to the study's authors. Meanwhile, Colorado, Providence, Tallahassee, Ozark, and San Franciscan accents were among those who perished in the neutral middle. Speaking of neutral, it appears many are quite found of the 'standard American accent', which came in at 32 on the list of 50. The accent is often used by anchors and commentators on radio and television. Mel Gibson's upcoming film 'Rothchild' is already sparking huge backlash given the stark similarities to the real-life wealthy Jewish banking dynasty and the actor's own infamous history of anti-Semitic slurs. The reaction has been fierce and swift since it emerged on Monday that Gibson was due to star in a dark comedy alongside Shia LaBeouf about a wealthy New York family. The film, which is not even in production yet, drew instant comparisons to the real Rothschild family of wealthy European bankers. Mel Gibson's upcoming film 'Rothchild' is already sparking huge backlash given the stark similarities to the real-life wealthy Jewish banking dynasty and the actor's own infamous history of anti-Semitic slurs Despite the similar name and plot line based on multi-generational wealth, Gibson's representative has insisted the film is not related to the Rothschild family. The comparisons to the ultra-rich Jewish family sparked further criticism for Gibson given his anti-Semitic comments in the past. A drunk Gibson made anti-Semitic comments while being arrested for driving under the influence back in 2006 in which he said: 'F*** Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.' Gibson later apologized but the comments have continued to haunt the actor some 13 years later. Twitter users were quick to bring up his past following the news of his latest casting. 'Mel Gibson, same dude who gave us 'F**ing Jews... Jews are responsible for all wars in the world'. Is starring as the 'sinister grandfather' in 'Rothchild', a 'black comedy'. It's chilling,' Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg tweeted. 'Mel Gibson is a racist, an antisemite, a misogynist, and an abuser. This is all pretty well documented.' Another Twitter user wrote: 'Who better to explore and parody anti-Semitic tropes than *checks notes* Mel Gibson?' In his new film Rothchild, Gibson is set to play the villainous patriarch of a wealth New York family - Whitelaw Rothchild. His outcast grandson, Becket Rothchild, will be played by LaBeouf and tells the story of how he tries to regain some of his family wealth. An Australian man has died after two sight-seeing planes collided in mid-air over the sea in Alaska. The horrific crash killed six people, including the 56-year-old Australian, and injured 10 at 1pm on Monday local time. The victims boarded two seaplanes operated by separate tour companies in the town of Ketchikan as part of a cruise holiday run by Princess Cruises. The two light aircraft crashed into each other over the Tongass Narrows, an inlet that flows past Ketchikan, near the Canadian border. Emergency response crews transport an injured passenger to an ambulance at the George Inlet Lodge docks The two floatplanes collided in mid-air Monday near the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan The Coast Guard said the Australian man's family have been notified. A DFAT spokesman said: 'In accordance with the Consular Services Charter, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Alaska. For privacy reasons we are unable to provide further information.' National Transportation Safety Board board member Jennifer Homendy said the two planes were both on approach to Ketchikan when they collided. They crashed into each other at 3,300ft (1,000m) and one of the planes broke up in the air before they both plunged into the water. The water temperature off Ketchikan on Tuesday was 8C according to the National Weather Service. Expected survival time in water of that temperatures is one to three hours, according to the United States Search & Rescue Task Force website. 'At this point there is a variety of factors that go into survivability,' Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Matthew Schofield said. 'But the reality is that Alaskan waters are very cold.' The downed de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver that crashed after colliding mid-air with another aircraft. NTSB investigators said it was found upside down in the water Tuesday's search for the two missing passengers involved a Coast Guard helicopter, a flotilla of boats and teams from the US Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ketchikan Fire Department and other rescue units One plane carried 10 Americans and a pilot and the second plane carried four passengers and a pilot. Five passengers and pilot Randy Jason Sullivamn, 46, were found dead and nine passengers and the other pilot were rescued, with three in serious conditions. The 10 survivors were recovering in hospital with 'arm fractures to ribs to spine to leg' injuries, none of which were life-threatening. Tuesday's search for missing passengers involved a Coast Guard helicopter, a flotilla of boats and teams from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ketchikan Fire Department and other rescue units. Mr Schofield said the efforts would continue 'until we have exhausted all chance of finding anybody'. All of the passengers on board the planes had arrived in Ketchikan on Monday on the cruise ship Royal Princess during a seven-day trip between Vancouver and Anchorage. A plane from the Taquan Air similar to the one involved in the crash in Ketchikan, Alalska An plane similar to Taquan's single-engine de Havilland Otter DHC-3 which had 11 people on board when it collided with another light aircraft The larger plane carrying more people was a de Havilland Otter DHC-3, operated by Taquan Air. The second float plane, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, was run by Mountain Air Service of Ketchikan and was found partially submerged. The crash site at Coon Cove lies near a tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument. Ketchikan-based Taquan Air said the plane was returning from a sightseeing tour of Misty Fjords when the crash occurred. A statement from Princess Cruises confirmed that 10 of its guests and a pilot were on board one plane, while four of its other guests were on the other plane on an independent tour. The Royal Princess was set to dock in Anchorage on May 18. Passengers on the ship said the captain alerted them to the fatal incident via the PA system. The captain waited to the relatives of those involved in the accident to disembark the ship prior to making any announcements. The ship was delayed several hours before leaving Ketchikan and making its way to Juneau. The ship left Vancouver on May 11 and had been scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday. A spokeswoman for Taquan Air, operator of the Otter, said the company had suspended operations while federal authorities investigated the deadly crash. 'We are devastated by today's incident and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families,' Taquan said in a statement on Monday. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Princess Cruises said in a statement: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by today's accident. Princess Cruises is extending its full support to traveling companions of the guests involved.' Five people were on a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. A file image of the same model of plane is seen above Deanna Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the local government, said on Monday evening: 'It's been a long day and the crews have been working really hard to rescue people and recover the deceased.' The team of federal accident investigators arrived in Alaska on Tuesday to try to piece together what caused the deadly mid-air collision between two sightseeing planes. The Washington, D.C.-based investigative team from the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to arrive in Ketchikan in the afternoon. Agency spokesman Peter Knudson said board member Jennifer Homendy was also traveling with the so-called 'Go Team,' which investigates major accidents. The floatplanes collided under unknown circumstances, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. Floatplanes have pontoons mounted under the fuselage so they can land on water. It's not the first time a major plane crash has occurred near Ketchikan, a popular tourist destination. In June 2015, a pilot and eight passengers died when a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter operated by Promech Air Inc. crashed into mountainous terrain about 24 miles (39 kilometers) from Ketchikan. The NTSB later determined that pilot error and lack of a formal safety program were behind the crash. And in 2007, five people were killed when a Beaver floatplane carrying tourists crashed in the same area. Donald Trump singled out four of his challengers for ridicule on Tuesday, mocking Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O'Rourke and Bernie Sanders and predicting one of them will win the 2020 Democratic nomination. 'Boy, you got some beauties there!' he said during a speech in Louisiana about energy infrastructure. 'Three hundred and fifty million people and that's the best we can do?' 'It's going to be one of these people,' he said. So far 23 different Democratic White House hopefuls have declared their candidacies. He poked fun at O'Rourke for quickly losing what a month ago looked like juggernaut momentum. He jeered Sanders as a lunatic and sneered at Biden's low-intensity campaign style. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his Democratic challenger will either Be Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O'Rourke or Bernie Sanders and mocked them all during a speech in Louisiana Trump said Joe Biden has lost his energy and doesn't resemble the vice president he once was The president called Bernie Sanders 'crazy' and said that while he is more energetic than Biden, his verve would result in massive job losses in the energy sector And he scoffed at Buttigieg's name, hinting that he believes the South Bend, Indiana mayor is too lightweight to warrant real criticism. 'I think we're going to win it big,' he said, forecasting a second term in the White House. 'I'm looking at the competition. You sort of dream about competition like that, but who knows?' 'I got "Boot-edge-edge." I got them all,' he said. Kicking O'Rourke when he's down, he dumped on the former Texas congressman whose star has plummeted so fast that he appeared Monday in the second half of Rachel Maddow's MSNBC program. The president lashed out at former Texas rep. Beto O'Rourke, saying his campaign reboot after a month of plummeting is a bad sign The president suggested Pete Buttigieg, an Indiana mayor who is the youngest Democrat in the field and would be America's first openly gay president, will be in the mix at the end, but chose to just mock his name 'What the hell happened? Remember about four weeks ago he said, "I was made for this." He was made for it! He was made to fall like a rock,' Trump mocked. 'Political geniuses, when you have to restart your campaign, history has said that that does not work out well, right?' he asked. Trump described himself last week as a 'young, vibrant man.' He said Tuesday that Biden, by comparison, has lost a step. 'I don't know what the hell happened to Biden,' he said of the former vice president. 'What happened to him? I'm looking, I said, "That doesn't look like the guy I knew!"' There are now 23 Democrats running for president, including Tuesday's addition, Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana Trump has derided Sanders, a Vermont senator, as short on marbles in the past, and continued the roasting on Tuesday. 'You know, Bernie's crazy! Bernie's crazy!' he said, drawing laughs from a hooting audience at a natural gas terminal. 'But Bernie's got a lot more energy than Biden, so you never know.' 'Bernie's got a lot of energy, but it's energy to get rid of your jobs,' he claimed. 'Not good energy. You don't like his energy.' Trump said 'Pocahontas,' his derogatory nickname for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, won't be successful in her bid for the Democratic nomination Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser met Trump at Chennault International Airport on Tuesday in Lake Charles, wearing socks that are an homage to the president Trump seemed to rule out the possibility of Elizabeth Warren emerging from the pack of Democrats who now number 23 in all. 'Pocahontas, I think, is probably out,' he said, using his derogatory nickname for the Massachusetts senator who is now infamous among Republicans for falsely claiming American Indian heritage. Trump has in recent months offered a direct attack on socialism, responding to the celebrity status of Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Both of those lawmakers describe themselves as democratic socialists, and regularly float policy proposals to match. 'We do not believe in socialism, okay?' Trump said Tuesday. 'Is that alright to say?' 'If we had socialism here, you'd have nothing standing,' he said, gesturing to the natural gas terminal's physical plant. 'And if it was standing from previous generations, it would be falling down right now.' A federal grand jury indicted 96 people allegedly involved in a fraud scheme whereby Vietnamese nationals paid up to $70,000 each to a Houston-based woman so she would arrange fake marriages with Americans in order to obtain green cards. According to the 206-count indictment, a Houston woman, 53-year-old Ashley Yen Nguyen, ran the scheme out of a home in the southwest part of the city. Federal agents raided the home recently, where they confiscated fake wedding photo albums that were used to make marriages look real, KHOU-TV reported. Half of those indicted are Vietnamese nationals who were undocumented before their alleged sham marriages. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released this photo found in a Houston home where a woman is alleged to have run a massive scheme arranging fraudulent marriages for Vietnamese nationals According to the 206-count indictment, a Houston woman, 53-year-old Ashley Yen Nguyen, ran the scheme out of a home (above) in the southwest part of the city The other half are U.S. citizens who were recruited to marry them. Federal authorities allege that the couples involved in the scheme never intended to live together. Fifty defendants were in federal custody as of Monday, according to KHOU-TV. The alleged scheme had Vietnamese nationals seeking U.S. green cards pay Nguyen between $30,000 and $70,000. Nguyen, in turn, would recruit U.S. citizens and paid them a portion of that money in exchange for their agreeing to act as petitioner in the sham marriages, federal authorities say. The indictments allege that the petitioners would often act as recruiters themselves by offering others money in exchange for marrying a Vietnamese national. The agreements between Nguyen and the recruited spouses were prorated, according to the feds. Whenever a Vietnamese national would obtain permanent resident status as a result of the sham marriage, they would pay additional amounts for each immigration benefit they received, including admission into the U.S., conditional permanent resident status, and full permanent resident status, it is alleged. Authorities also indicted a Houston-area lawyer, Trang Le Nguyen, 45, for allegedly preparing paperwork linked to at least one sham marriage Nguyen is alleged to have threatened to kill anyone who f****d with her money. Federal authorities allege that Nguyens organization falsified tax, utility, and employment documents so that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services would approve benefits based on false information. Im shocked, said a man identifying himself as Nguyens brother-in-law. Thats the first time I ever heard about it. Authorities also indicted a Houston-area lawyer, Trang Le Nguyen, 45, for allegedly preparing paperwork linked to at least one sham marriage. Nguyen also allegedly told a witness who provided information to law enforcement to go into hiding, to not engage in any air travel that may alert federal law enforcement to her presence, and to not provide any further information to law enforcement. The indictments include 47 counts of marriage fraud, 50 counts of mail fraud, 51 counts of immigration fraud, 51 counts of false statements under oath, and one count each of conspiracy to engage in marriage fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, and other crimes. Marriage fraud alone is a crime that carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The other crimes are punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Hawaiian surfing legend Vincent 'Sunny' Garcia is showing 'glimmers of hope' as he continues to fight for his life after being found unconscious at his home last month. The 49-year-old remains in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit at an Oregon hospital, in the US, after he was discovered on April 29. A GoFundMe page has been set up on his family's behalf, revealing the surfing stalwart has a long way to go. 'True to Sunny, he is strong and he is fighting,' the page reads. 'Each day brings a glimmer of hope but it will be a very long road ahead. 'Your prayers are reaching him, and there are no words to express how thankful the family is for all of your kind messages and support during this difficult time. They would like to ask everyone to keep praying for Sunny as he fights to recover.' An online fundraiser for Sunny Garcia (pictured) has revealed the surfing legend is continuing to fight for his life after he was found unconscious at his home last month The 49-year-old remains in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit at an Oregon hospital, in the US, after he was discovered on April 29 Garcia is a former world champion and the second surfer to win $1 million in prize money. He is a record six time Hawaiian Triple Crown Champion and an inductee in the Surfing Walk of Fame. As he faces a long road ahead in hospital, the online fundraiser has appealed to his fans and the surfing community to chip in for the mounting medical bills. 'Most of you know how amazing Sunny is and how he has impacted so many people through his generosity, kindness and pure talent. 'We want to help support his family in this tough time, so that they can be there for him without any stress or worry about their own finances while they focus on their father and his road to recovery.' Already the page has raised more than $21,000 of its intended $150,000 target. 'Any donation you can make big or small will help them as they go through this difficult journey. Please reshare this anywhere you can. We are praying for a miracle!' News of the discovery of Garcia at his home sent shockwaves throughout the community, with rumours spiraling quickly. In a since-deleted post, former professional surfer and member of the Bra Boy gang Koby Abberton believed Garcia had passed away. Though in a recent Instagram post he admitted he had been mistaken. 'I was just told something by a good friend that was noT true about a friend passing away. 'I'm so sorry to everyone I affected and hurt. I hurt me just as much as you. I'm so sorry to everyone.' In an Instagram story, surfing phenom Kelly Slater urged people to not jump to conclusions during this difficult time for Garcia. 'Sunny is still on this earth with us. Please be patient for updates. And please don't jump the gun with any if you are not currently in the hospital with him.' As Garcia faces a long road ahead in hospital, the online fundraiser has appealed to his fans and the surfing community to chip in for the mounting bills In a since-deleted post, former professional surfer and member of the Bra Boy gang Koby Abberton believed Garcia had passed away. Though in a recent Instagram post (pictured) he admitted he had been mistaken In an Instagram story (pictured), surfing phenom Kelly Slater urged people to not jump to conclusions during this difficult time for Garcia The achievements of Vincent 'Sunny' Garcia Vincent 'Sunny' Garcia made his debut in the professional surfing world at the age of 17 and managed to catapult his way to the top. He is the second surfer to win more than $1 million in prize money and famously defeated 1984 World Champion Tom Carroll at his debut competition back in 1986. He has also collected a trove of trophies throughout his career. Below is a short list of some of Garcia's most notable achievements: ASP's Men's Most Improved award (1987/88) ASP's Men's Most Improved award (1990) Winner of the Triple Crown of Surfing (1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2004) Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner (1995, 1996, 2000) ASP WCT World Champion (2000) Winner of Vans Hawaiian Pro (2004) Surfing Walk of Fame inductee (2010) Advertisement Only the day before Garcia was discovered at his home, the surfer made a life-affirming post to social media alongside a photo of himself as a young boy. 'If I told this kid the things he would go through and things he would achieve he would tell me Im crazy lol. 'Wow its been a crazy ride since this photo was taken.' In the photo, a sun-kissed Garcia smiles broadly at the camera while enjoying a cold snow cone. Though beneath the surface of the happy post was a history of depression, as Garcia has openly admitted in the past that he has struggled with inner demons. In a 2014 Instagram post he revealed he had been struggling with the condition. 'Depression is no joke,' he posted at the time. 'Waking up feeling like youre ready to take on the world, then a couple of hours later, feeling down on life and wondering whats wrong with you. 'Well, I know Im not alone and Im not sure whats wrong with me because I have no reason to feel the way I do and its been happening for about two years.' As recent as early April 2019, Garcia admitted he had been having some 'bad days'. 'Doesnt get easier you just get stronger so as long as you keep fighting to be better life can be beautiful,' he said in a post. 'And sure we might have those moments when you just want to give up but you have made it so far so keep fighting. 'Ive been having some bad days but Im back to training and seriously been feeling a lot better.' For anyone in need of advice or assistance contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Garcia has openly admitted in the past that he has struggled with inner demons Only the day before Garcia was discovered at his home, the surfer made a life-affirming post (pictrued) to social media alongside a photo of himself as a young boy An estimated 623,000 Americans with children younger than age 18 are addicted to opioids, according to a new study. Less than a third of those parents are receiving treatment for their substance abuse, according to the paper published this week in the Annals of Family Medicine journal. The numbers amount to nearly 1 percent of U.S. parents of minors living with opioid use disorder. The issue can lead to 'disastrous circumstances for children,' lead author and health economist Lisa Clemans-Cope told DailyMail.com. This chart illustrates opiate prescribing trends in the U.S. from 2000-2017, illustrating a sharp increase in the amount of Oxycodone and hydrocodone doled out in the early 2000s, followed by a decline since 2012 Clemans-Cope and other researchers from the Washington D.C.-based Urban Institute used data from the 2015-2017 National Survey of Drug Use and Health a national survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to reach their findings. The parents struggling with opioid addiction tended to be lower income, white and were more likely to be on Medicaid. Researchers also found an additional 4.2 million parents of minors have other substance use issues, including alcoholism. Mental illness, including suicidal ideation is often coupled with the addictions with 20 percent of opioid-addicted parents reporting that they have had suicidal thoughts or actions in the past year, researchers wrote. Parental substance use and mental health disorders are both major risk factors for children's development and their health. -Lisa Clemans-Cope, The Urban Institute 'Parental substance use and mental health disorders are both major risk factors for children's development and their health,' Clemans-Cope said. 'They experience family dysfunction at a higher rate than other children, their parents are incarcerated at higher rates.' 'The children themselves have a higher rate of behavioral disorders and are at higher risk of substance use disorders themselves,' she added. During the same time period, nearly 25 percent said they had struggled with a major depressive episode or another form of mental illness. Clemans-Cope said that some parents struggling with addiction may be afraid of losing their children if they seek help but that treatment is critical for the well-being of the family in the long run. 'A lot of parents don't know that treatment can be really effective and that may be what's holding them back from bringing it up with their primary care provider.' A separate analysis by the U.S. Census found that grandparents in America are increasingly having to step up and raise their grandchildren because their own kids are in the grip of opioid addiction. Researchers found a correlation between the states with the higher rates of opioid prescription and those with high rates of grandparents caring for the next generation revealing a new layer to the complex crisis that was declared a national emergency in 2017. The dual situations are concentrated in the South: Mississippi had the highest rate of grandparents as primary caregivers (2.9 percent), followed by Arkansas (2.2 percent), Louisiana (2.2 percent), Alabama (2.2 percent) and Kentucky (2.1 percent). This graph illustrates the share of all Americans who believe the government spends too little on drug rehabilitation. Source: General Social Survey Meanwhile, Alabama, had the highest prescribing rate, at 121 per 100 residents, followed by Arkansas (114.6), Tennessee (107.5), Mississippi (105.6) and Louisiana (98.1). More than 115 Americans die each day of opioid overdoses, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) believe the government spends too little on drug rehabilitation an attitude increasingly embraced by white Americans as addiction becomes viewed more as a disease and less as a personal failing that primarily affects minorities, according to the General Social Survey. It represents a 50 percent increase since 2012 when just 42 percent of Americans felt that way, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of the GSS - a comprehensive poll that has tracked American attitudes and beliefs since 1972. The share of all Americans who would like to see more spending on rehabilitation is now approaching the peak of 1990 during the height of the crack epidemic when 65 percent said the government spent too little on rehabilitation. Firefighters in Texas took in an 11-month-old child when his mother feared she'd have to spend the night in her car after being turned away from a homeless shelter. Corterra Payton made the tough decision to leave her son, Duran, at Fire Station 68 in Houston just after midnight on Tuesday, after leaving their home following an argument with her live-in boyfriend, she told ABC News. The firefighters had made an exception for Payton in her time of need, as the law in Texas only requires them to take in children 60 days old or younger, and Captain John Nanninga soothed her child in his arms. When she returned as planned an hour later, police were on site and escorted Payton and her child to a Child Protective Services facility where they were able to stay for the night. Payton's plan now is for her son to stay with family in Cleveland, Texas, while she works to get back on her feet. Scroll down for video Firefighter Captain John Nanninga in Texas took in 11-month-old Duran (pictured in his arms) when his mother, Corterra Payton feared she'd have to spend the night in her car after being turned away from a homeless shelter Payton said she left her home with her son late on Monday because she feared an argument with her boyfriend would turn violent. She said she first called her family in Cleveland but they weren't able to help right away, being about an hour away by car. By that time, it was already after midnight so she went to a homeless shelter, where she was told she'd have to come back in the morning. After pulling into a parking lot, Payton began to fear the worst might happen to her and her son. Corterra Payton (left) said she left her home with her son, Duran (right), late on Monday because she feared an argument with her boyfriend would turn violent She said she first called her family in Cleveland but they weren't able to help right away, being about an hour away by car. By that time, it was already after midnight so she went to a homeless shelter, where she was told she'd have to come back in the morning. After pulling into a parking lot, Payton (pictured) began to fear the worst might happen to her and her son. That's when Payton decided to seek the help of southwest Houston firefighters She said she thought to herself, 'We are going to be sleeping in the car, somebody going to come up with a gun, kill us, rob us.' She added, 'Either that or they will see me sleeping. A woman, guy, somebody will come by the car and say, "Oh, she sleeping in the car with her baby, we fixing to call the police."' That's when Payton decided to seek the help of southwest Houston firefighters. In Texas, the Baby Moses Law, also called the Safe Haven Law, designates safe baby sites where parents who are unable to care for their newborns who are 60 days old or younger can take their children, with no questions asks. Duran is pictured in a photo shared to social media in July of 2016 Payton was grateful the southwest Houston Fire Station 68 was able to help, despite Duran being nearly one year old. When she returned as planned an hour later, police were on site The firefighters had made an exception for Payton in her time of need, as the law in Texas only requires them to take in children 60 days old or younger, and Captain Nanninga (pictured) soothed her child in his arms In Texas, the Baby Moses Law, also called the Safe Haven Law, designates safe baby sites where parents who are unable to care for their newborns can take their children, with no questions asks. 'You need to give your baby to an employee who works at one of these safe places and tell this person that you want to leave your baby at a Safe Haven,' the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website reads. 'If you leave your unharmed infant at a Safe Haven, you will not be prosecuted for abandonment or neglect.' Payton was grateful the southwest Houston fire station was able to help, despite Duran being nearly a year old. 'I know they have the law with firefighters the baby cant be over 60 days and they still took him, so I am thankful for that,' Payton said. When Payton came back about an hour later, the Houston Police Department was at the firehouse and took her to a place where she could stay overnight. Early on Tuesday, police escorted Payton and her child to a Child Protective Services facility where they were able to stay for the night. Her plan now is for the child to stay with his grandmother and other relatives in Cleveland, while she stays at a shelter for the night and works to get on her feet On Tuesday, she was in the process of arranging for the child to stay with his grandmother and other relatives in Cleveland, and her plan was to stay at a shelter for the night. 'It's very hard, especially if you don't have an income at the moment,' Payton said. For others who might find themselves in similar situations, it's recommended that people get to a safe place and call police who will have information about access to emergency shelters. Many hospitals also employ 24-hour social workers who will have information about services available until a more permanent solution can be found. People who would like to invoke the Safe Haven Law in Texas can leave their infant with an employee at a designated safe place, which include hospitals, fire stations, free-standing emergency centers or emergency medical services (EMS) stations. Florida's state legislature has passed a bill that would create a public database of pimps and johns convicted of soliciting or procuring for prostitution. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis will now decide whether to sign the bill creating the 'Soliciting for Prostitution Public Database,' which passed both houses of the legislature on May 3. The bill would create a public registry including the names, addresses and photos of anyone convicted of 'soliciting, inducing, enticing, or procuring another to commit prostitution, lewdness, or assignation and who provides or arranges payment for such violations.' It comes as part of a package of measures to crack down on prostitution and human trafficking ahead of the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami, as well as WrestleMania 36 to be held in Tampa next year. Governor Ron DeSantis (above) will now decide whether to sign the bill creating the 'Soliciting for Prostitution Public Database,' which passed both houses of the legislature on May 3 Advocates for sex workers have spoken out against the proposal (file photo) Offenders would be removed from the database after five years, as long as they had no further convictions. Officials in Florida hope the registry would shame johns and discourage them from seeking out paid sex services, reducing the demand for prostitution and and the prevalence of sex trafficking. But advocates for sex workers have spoken out strongly against the bill, saying that the loose way it is described by law makes it inevitable that prostitutes themselves will be listed on the registry. They say that a prostitute who is convicted of providing an apartment or car for a fellow sex worker could easily be included in the registry. 'A prostitution registry is yet another legislative knee jerk reaction to a community based problem that will cause far more harm to marginalized members of our community,' said Alex Andrews, co-founder for Sex Worker Outreach Program Behind Bars, in a statement. 'Surely we have evolved from a culture that punishes a human being with a Scarlet letter that they can't escape,' Andrews said. Police in Jupiter, Florida accused Patriots owner Robert Kraft and dozens of other men of soliciting prostitution at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa (above) in a case they initially claimed involved human trafficking - but no human trafficking charges have been brought in the case The advocates say that the bill, which is titled 'Human Trafficking,' intentionally confuses sex trafficking of unwilling victims with consensual paid sex acts between adults. It comes after police in Jupiter, Florida accused Patriots owner Robert Kraft and dozens of other men of soliciting prostitution in a case they initially said involved human trafficking, but in which no human trafficking charges have ever been brought. The new bill includes several other measures to crack down on prostitution. It would require strip club owners and operators to keep records of their employees' driver licenses or documents with photo IDs and age verification, or face misdemeanor charges. The bill also tightens the requirements to own and operate a massage parlor, in an attempt to assure they are operated by legitimate massage therapists. That section of the bill was added after the sting resulting in the charges against Kraft, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The bill has yet to be formally sent to Governor DeSantis. Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke admitted Tuesday that he regrets launching his campaign on the cover of Vanity Fair, and said the move reinforced his 'privilege.' 'Yeah, I think it reinforces that perception of privilege,' O'Rourke said when appearing on The View after co-host Joy Behar asked if it was a mistake and 'elitist' to appear on the cover of the magazine. 'In the article I was attempting to say that I felt that my calling was in public service,' Beto said in reference to claims that in the interview with Vanity Fair he said he was born to be president. 'No one is born to be president of the United States of America, least of all me.' O'Rourke revealed during the interview for the April issue that he was running for president and was 'just born to be in it'. 'You can probably tell that I want to run,' he said. 'I do. I think I'd be good at it.' Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke said he regrets launching his campaign on the cover of Vanity Fair, and admitted on The View Tuesday morning that the move reinforced his 'privilege' The co-hosts at The View roundtable asked O'Rourke if the move could have come off as 'elitist' O'Rourke launched his campaign in the April issue of Vanity Fair, and the cover story was titled 'Beto's Choice: His road to 2020 begins.' In the article, O'Rourke said he was born to be president 'I want to be in it. Man, I'm just born to be in it, and want to do everything I humanly can for this country at this moment,' O'Rourke told the magazine. The former Texas congressman, who attempted to unseat Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the 2018 midterm elections, faced backlash for the mode in which he decided to announce his candidacy. The View co-host Meghan McCain also asked about the cross-country road trip he took after losing to the incumbent senator, claiming that a 'female candidate wouldn't be able to get away with' that. 'You're right, there are things that I have been privileged to do in my life that others cannot, and I think the more that I travel and listen to people and learn from them, the clearer that becomes to me,' O'Rourke said, and went on to talk about wage inequality between men and women. O'Rourke also said that if he were to earn the Democratic nomination, he would be 'fortunate' to run on the same ticket as Stacey Abrams. 'There are a number of women who aren't running, who may run, including Stacey Abrams, who is a real hero to me. The grace with which she met that defeat on an unfair, unlevel playing field for the secretary of state, perhaps rigging in part that election. Her focus on democracy forum, a new voting rights act, ensuring that every single vote counts in this country, is inspiring stuff at a time that our democracy is so badly broken,' O'Rourke said when asked about the prospect of Abrams running as his Vice President. 'If I were fortunate enough to be the nominee, it's hard to imagine a scenario where i wouldn't be fortunate enough to also be able to run with one of these extraordinary women in our country,' he continued. The former Texas representative clarified that he meant to portray that he was born to be in public service. 'No one is born to be president of the United States of America, least of all me,' he told the ladies of The View He also said while appearing in his first daytime TV interview since launching that he would be 'fortunate' if Stacey Abrams would run as his vice president should he win the Democratic nomination O'Rourke originally floated the idea of choosing a female running mate when making a campaign stop in New Hampshire over the weekend Abrams previously silenced rumors that she would not be running as former Vice President Joe Biden's VP if he won the nomination. She said, 'You don't run for second place' The Democratic candidate was doubling down on comment he made at a campaign stop in Bedford, New Hampshire on Saturday where he expressed the same notion. 'It's hard for me to escape the conclusion that if I were lucky enough to be your nominee, that I wouldn't select one of these extraordinary women with whom I'm running right now, or other extraordinary woman who's not running right now.,' O'Rourke said at the event. 'Stacey Abrams is somebody that comes to mind to me right now.' Although he did not explicitly pledge to run on a presidential ticket with a woman, New Jersey Senator and fellow Democratic candidate Cory Booker did made that vow when appearing on The View earlier this year. In March, before Vice President Joe Biden had even announced he was running for president, there was buzz that Abrams would be his choice as VP if he won the nomination. Abrams told The View roundtable when appearing on the show in late March, that she had no interest in running for vice president. 'If I'm going to enter a primary, then I'm going to enter a primary,' Abrams said. 'You don't run for second place.' Abrams lost her gubernatorial bid against then-Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp in the 2018 midterms. Kemp won with 50.2 per cent of the vote, but Abrams claims she would have won had it not been for racist voter suppression laws. Georgia has been Republican-controlled since 2003. The former Georgia House minority leader also said April 30 that she would not be challenging Republican Senator David Perdue for his seat next year, despite Democrats pushing her to run and flip the seat blue. Former Vice President Joe Biden agreed with a woman on Tuesday who called President Donald Trump an 'illegitimate president' and joked she should be his running mate. The exchange came about at a house party in Nashua, N.H., when the former vice president was taking questions from the crowd of voters. 'I have a very severe case of what is called Trump derangement syndrome,' the woman said to cheers and whoops. Former Vice President Joe Biden agreed with a woman who called President Donald Trump an 'illegitimate president' Biden often criticized President Trump's relationship with President Vladimir Putin She admitted she had more of a 'comment than a question' and spent the next few minutes railing against Trump and his election to the presidency, which she claims came about with the help of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'I don't want to live in a country run by Vladimir Putin. I don't think anybody in the country should want that,' she said. 'He is an illegitimate president in my mind,' she said of the Trump to applause and cheers from the crowd. 'And my biggest fear is that he's going to do it again with the help of Vlad, his best pal, and we're going to be stuck with four more years of him. And that is terrifying. It's terrifying,' she added. 'Would you be my Vice Presidential candidate?,' Biden responded to laughter and cheers. Then he agreed with her charges. 'Folks look I absolutely agree,' he said, 'and one of the things we have to get this part straight in my view. In my view. You will never hear me speak ill of another democratic presidential candidate and there's a simple reason for that: we have to be in a position for the Democratic nominee to win.' He then repeated his vow not to engage in name-calling with the president. 'It may disappoint you but I'm not going to get down in the mud wrestling with him. And I'm not going to stoop to his level. I'm not going to engage in the name calling,' he said. Biden was on his last event of a two-day campaign swing in New Hampshire, his first visit to the state as a 2020 president candidate. Many on the left were incensed by Trump's election and concerned about the role Russian's played in it through posts on social media. Democrats on Capitol Hill are investigating the matter and several presidential candidates have called for reform - all seen as moves to appease the party's base. But Biden took things a step further with his agreement with the allegation Trump is illegitimate. He also used the question to slam Attorney General Bill Barr's investigation of the origins of the Russia probe - a move Trump has pushed for. 'Now that they have an investigation of the investigators who are investigating whether or not Vladimir Putin and the Russians engaged in trying to affect our elections, give me a break. Gosh almighty,' Biden said. Attendees listen as Joe Biden speaks to voters at a Nashua, New Hampshire house party Biden made his comments during his last event of his two-day campaign swing to New Hampshire Biden has repeatedly railed against Trumps relationship with Putin. He accused Trump of embracing our enemies' in a speech in Manchester Monday night. He also referenced Trump's defense of Putin in their July 2018 press conference in Helsinki. Trump was heavily criticized for his comments - including by members of his own party. 'I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today,' Trump said when asked if he believe U.S. intelligence agencies who said Moscow meddled in the 2016 election or the Russian president's denials. The president later walked back those comments. Biden hit him on his original statement, however. Putin, who I know fairly well. Hes a dictator. Hes a kleptomaniac. And he stands there and hes interfering in American elections. And the president stands before the whole world and said I believe Putin over my intelligence community,' he said. Special counsel Robert Mueller' report found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but it left the decision to charge Trump with obstructing the investigation into Barr's hands. Barr, in conjunction with then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, decided not to pursue obstruction charges. However, Mueller's report made it clear that Congress still has the oversight authority to investigate the president on the matter. 'The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the President's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law,' the report stated. Democrats have latched on to that and six of their committees in the House are investigating the president. Grace Mugabe, the wife of former Zimbabwean ruler Robert Mugabe, has been accused of attacking an employee at the family's home with a shoe in 2017, lawyers said Tuesday. She also faces an arrest warrant in neighbouring South Africa for her alleged assault with a power cable on a female model in Johannesburg in the same year. Papers filed in Zimbabwe's high court by lawyers for Shupikai Chiroodza allege that Mugabe used her fists and then her shoe in a prolonged attack that left Chiroodza's face pouring blood. Former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe is accused of assaulting a government-employed domestic worker with a shoe in a brutal 20-minute assault that left the victim 'terrified' and covered in blood Mugabe allegedly attacked Chiroodza after accusing her of 'milking' her husband because she had accepted a cash wedding gift from him, the papers say. Chiroodza was a government employee working at the Mugabes' private Blue Roof mansion in Harare when the alleged attack took place in March 2017, eight months before then-president Mugabe was forced from office. 'I represent Chiroodza, who was part of the domestic staff at Blue Roof in a case of unlawful dismissal,' lawyer Douglas Coltart said. In her court papers demanding her job back, Chiroodza said Grace Mugabe punched her and ordered her to return an unspecified amount of money. 'She started beating me with clenched fists shouting, "Who do you think you are? You are milking my husband behind my back",' Chiroodza said in her court application. 'I was terrified. She removed her shoe and continued assaulting me with it and blood started gushing out of my forehead, mouth and nose. The assault continued for about 20 minutes.' Chiroodza said she received a dismissal letter two months later. President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace in August 2017, five months after the alleged attack took place at their private Blue Roof mansion in Harare Coltart said the civil service commission had indicated it would not contest the case. 'We are hoping to get some form of settlement,' he said. Mugabe, 53, was seen as a possible successor to her husband in a race against Emmerson Mnangagwa, the current president. Mugabe, now 95, was ousted following a brief military takeover in 2017 after 37 years in office and replaced by Mnangagwa, the favoured choice of the military. In August 2017, Grace allegedly attacked Gabrielle Engels using an electrical extension cord at an upmarket hotel in Johannesburg where the Mugabes' two sons were staying. South Africa granted Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity, allowing her to hurriedly leave the country, but a court later scrapped the ruling. She earned the nickname 'Gucci Grace' for her lavish lifestyle as Zimbabwe's economy collapsed under her husband's authoritarian rule. Last month Mnangagwa said Robert Mugabe was in Singapore for medical treatment and was expected back home in mid-May. Advertisement Perhaps youll be tempted to follow the residents of Shepreth, Cambridgeshire, and open the worlds teeniest pub in your local phone box, complete with wooden bar, beer keg, pewter tankards and an agreeably cheery barmaid. You might prefer to convert the 9ft by 3ft 4in premises into a very bijou cafe. Or emulate residents of Kingsbridge, Devon, who in 2011 opened the worlds smallest disco, complete with lights, glitter ball and music system perhaps playing tracks such as Blondies Hanging On The Telephone. Barmaid Natalie Farmer serves a pint at The Dog and Bone in Shepreth (left) and what could be the world's smallest art callery in Settle, North Yorkshire Line dancing: Having a boogy at a kiosk disco in Kingsbridge, Devon, complete with glitter ball The inside of the party box in Kingsbridge, Devon, which is being touted as the world's smallest disco If the options seem endless for the 3,683 iconic red telephone boxes being offered up by BT for adoption by local communities across England, its because, well, they are. Since BT came up with their Adopt-A-Kiosk scheme in 2008, more than 5,800 neglected boxes have been converted into everything from plant nurseries to book exchanges. The booths have become increasingly obsolete, with calls made from them down by 90 per cent over the past decade as mobile phone use continues to surge. But no one wants to see the classic General Post Office boxes, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and introduced in 1926, to disappear from our streets. So, across the land, art galleries and miniature coffee shops are popping up in them, plus teeny tourist information centres, patisseries, bars and log stores. A colourful, flower-filled display at an adopted telephone booth in Leeds (left) and Umar and Alona Khalid with their cafe in Hampstead, North London John Broscombe inspects the advent calendar box in Upper Hopton, Yorkshire, (left) and a log store in the village of Lochgilphead, Argyll and Bute One adopted box in Greenwich, South London, is now a mobile phone repair shop. Health-conscious residents of Cossall, Nottingham, converted theirs into an emergency defibrillator station. On top of those offered in England, hundreds more are up for adoption in Scotland and Wales. So if you are part of a registered public body or charity keen to keep your booth in use, get your thinking caps on. What do you need? A farm shop? Changing room? Bus shelter? For details go to business.bt.com and search for Adopt-A-Kiosk. Tom Haley at a tiny book exchange in Marsh, West Yorkshire (left) and a pint-sized pub outside the Kilberry Inn in Argyll and Bute Now send us pictures of fun phone boxes youve spotted around the country. Email phoneboxes@dailymail.co.uk What a delightful model of political ambition Jeremy Hunt makes. Intelligent, articulate, able. At 52, and still with a few of his best years left in the tank, our Foreign Secretary is also unfailingly well-briefed. At Foreign Office questions yesterday, debate flitted between Sri Lanka, Libya and the Middle East. For a while, we stopped off in the Indian Ocean to check on the Chagos Islands. Each query the Secretary of State answered with that mildly grating self-assurance of the class swot. Jeremy Hunt, pictured with his wife Lucia, left, and the British Ambassador to Ethiopia Dr Alistair McPhail, is on a short tour of Africa Hunt, who was head boy at Charterhouse public school, doesnt do blast or bluster at the despatch box. He radiates a strange inner calm Hunt, who was head boy at Charterhouse public school, doesnt do blast or bluster at the despatch box. He radiates a strange inner calm. Perhaps its all that salsa dancing he and his wife get up to at home. He certainly doesnt get flustered by his Labour opponent, Emily Thornberry, a flinty, malevolent presence who scowls like an extra from Prisoner Cell Block H. Throughout yesterdays session, Thornbug sat chattering and laughing with her front bench colleagues, every now and again emitting a sarcastic Ha! at the Governments responses. Hunt stoically ignored her. If there is a drawback to the Tory Jezzas prime ministerial hopes it is that he lacks passion. Often his delivery resembles that of a middle management type delivering a PowerPoint presentation. Nor is there much evidence of humour. Any charm lurking beneath that cyborg-like exterior remains distinctly vanilla. His Mansion House speech on Monday, in which he called for a vast increase in defence spending, was about as naked a pitch to be Prime Minister as you are likely to witness. And yet not one person in the Commons tackled him on that brazen job application. What a pity. Self-deprecation is a key component to any aspiring leaders political armoury. It would have been interesting to learn if Hunt possesses it. Instead, members bowled him the usual trundlers arms sales to Saudi Arabia; Gibraltars sovereignty; Syria. They were all deflected with a deft Carthusian bat. The meatiest exchanges were over President Trumps state visit to the UK, coinciding with the D-Day celebrations. Daniel Zeichner (Lab, Cambridge) demanded the visit be cancelled, or at least postponed preferably long after the President is slung out. Hunt accused the opposition of ridiculous anti-Americanism. Thornbug puffed out her cheeks theatrically. Hunt pointed out that more than 400,000 American troops were killed in the Second World War. One million British jobs also rely on American investment. The Special Relationship, he noted, went rather beyond just partisan politics. Drippy Jo Swinson (Lib Dem, East Dunbartonshire) suggested the Foreign Office should arrange for Trump to attend some training courses on bullying and harassment during his visit. Ms Swinson was brushed aside by Sir Hugo Swire (Con, East Devon) who suggested this antagonising of our closest ally was extremely embarrassing. He certainly doesnt get flustered by his Labour opponent, Emily Thornberry, a flinty, malevolent presence who scowls like an extra from Prisoner Cell Block H Helen Goodman (Lab, Bishop Auckland) criticised the Foreign Office for its lavish overseas properties, including a 12million penthouse in New York. Hunt replied, saying it was vital Britain has foreign residences capable of entertaining foreign dignitaries. I noticed that Thornbug didnt demur. Doubtless shes looking forward to making full use of them if she and the rest of the Labour Kommandants seize power. Hunts colleague Mark Field was asked several questions on how much the FCO was doing to promote Britains soft power overseas. Quite a lot if the junior ministers year-round sun tan is anything to go by. Raffish chap, Field. Sort of fellow who wears a silken cravat at the weekend. At the end of the session, Marcus Fysh (Con, Yeovil) inquired whether FCO officials involved in Brexit negotiations had sought Belgian citizenship and whether this would be deemed appropriate. This was a mischievous reference to weaselly EU official Guy Verhofstadts recent claim that the Prime Ministers chief Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, had asked him if he could help secure him a Belgian passport. Hunt said he was as intrigued by those media reports as my honourable friend. I think thats what is known as throwing one of your civil servants under a bus. A women's sex toy startup has been re-awarded the robotics prize from organizers of the annual CES gadget show after they revoked it, claiming the firm had violated its rules. An independent panel of judges had selected startup Lora DiCarlo's Ose vibrator last fall for a CES 2019 Innovation Honoree Award in the robotics and drone category. But the Consumer Technology Association disqualified the gadget, telling the company it reserved the right to rescind awards for devices deemed 'immoral, obscene, indecent, profane or not in keeping with CTA's image.' Scroll down for video A women's sex toy startup has been re-awarded the robotics prize from organizers of the annual CES gadget show after they revoked it, claiming the firm had violated its rules Lora DiCarlo criticized the decision, calling it sexist and penning a letter addressing the CTA's decision. 'Lora DiCarlo joined a small percentage of other products that were awarded such a coveted honor each year; this feather in our collective cap made years of research and engineering even more worthwhile and further validated our vision for creating innovative, inclusive products that change lives,' the firm wrote in the letter. Lora DiCarlo CEO Lara Haddock (pictured) said she was 'thankful' that the CTA reinstated the firm's innovation award 'My team rejoiced and celebrated. A month later our excitement and preparations were cut short when we were unexpectedly informed that the administrators at CES and CTA were rescinding our award and subsequently that we would not be allowed to showcase Ose, or even exhibit at CES 2019.' The company pointed out that a sex doll for men was launched at CES in 2018, while an exhibitor has showed off VR porn at the event several times, 'allowing men to watch pornography in public as consumers walk by.' 'Other sex toys have exhibited at CES and some have even won awards, but apparently there is something different, something threatening about Ose, a product created by women to empower women,' the firm added. The move also elicited criticism online, where Twitter users blasted the organizers for being 'sexist' and 'biased.' 'Wow. So @CES will award a company for a sex doll but a vibrator is "vulgar/obscene"? #CESGenderBias,' YouTuber Hannah Hart wrote. On Wednesday, the CTA said it 'did not handle this award properly' and re-awarded the prize to Lora DiCarlo four months after the fact. 'CTA did not handle this award properly,' Jean Foster, CTA's senior vice president of marketing and communications, said in a statement. 'This prompted some important conversations internally and with external advisors and we look forward to taking these learnings to continue to improve the show.' CES has faced claims of persistent sexism at its shows, with critics pointing to the use of 'booth babes', instead of featuring female-run startups or female keynote speakers Lora DiCarlo CEO Lara Haddock said the experience shows the need for 'meaningful changes' at CES. 'I am thankful that the CTA has reconsidered our eligibility for this award and validated the innovation our engineering team is responsible for,' Haddock said. 'The incredible support and attention weve received in the wake of our experience highlights the need for meaningful changes and we are hopeful that our small company can continue to contribute meaningful progress toward making CES inclusive for all.' CES has faced claims of persistent sexism at its shows for several years, with critics pointing to the use of 'booth babes' by exhibitors, instead of featuring female-run startups or having female keynote speakers. This year, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty delivered the keynote address at the annual show, held in Las Vegas in January. San Francisco is on track to become the first US city to ban the use of facial recognition by police and other city agencies. The move reflects a growing backlash against a technology that's creeping into airports, motor vehicle departments, stores, stadiums and home security cameras. Government agencies around the US have used the technology for more than a decade to scan databases for suspects and prevent identity fraud. But recent advances in artificial intelligence have created more sophisticated computer vision tools. These make it easier for police to pinpoint a missing child or protester in a moving crowd, or for retailers to analyse shoppers' facial expressions as they browse. Scroll down for video San Francisco is on track to become the first US city to ban the use of facial recognition by police and other city agencies. (Pictured: Seattle demonstrators cover their faces with masks of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in protest against the company's Rekognition system, in Oct 2018) Efforts to restrict its use are getting pushback from law enforcement groups and the tech industry, though it's far from a united front. Microsoft, while opposed to an outright ban, has urged lawmakers to set limits on the technology, warning that leaving it unchecked could enable an oppressive dystopia reminiscent of George Orwell's novel '1984'. 'Face recognition is one of those technologies that people get how creepy it is,' said Alvaro Bedoya, who directs Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology. 'It's not like cookies on a browser. There's something about this technology that really sets the hairs on the back of people's heads up.' Without regulations barring law enforcement from accessing driver's license databases, people who have never been arrested could be part of virtual police line-ups without their knowledge, sceptics of the technology say. They worry that people will one day not be able to go to a park, store or school without being identified and tracked. Already, a handful of big box stores across the US are trying out cameras with facial recognition that can guess their customers' age, gender or mood as they walk by, with the goal of showing them targeted, real-time ads on in-store video screens. If San Francisco adopts a ban, other cities, states or even Congress could follow, with lawmakers from both parties looking to curtail government surveillance and others hoping to restrict how businesses analyse the faces, emotions and gaits of an unsuspecting public. The California Legislature is considering a proposal prohibiting the use of facial ID technology on body cameras. A bipartisan bill in the US Senate would exempt police applications but set limits on businesses analysing people's faces without their consent. Legislation similar to San Francisco's is pending in Oakland, California, and on Thursday another proposed ban was introduced in Somerville, Massachusetts. Professor Bedoya said a ban in San Francisco, the 'most technologically advanced city in our country,' would send a warning to other police departments thinking of trying out the imperfect technology. But Daniel Castro, vice president of the industry-backed Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said the ordinance is too extreme to serve as a model. 'It might find success in San Francisco, but I will be surprised if it finds success in a lot of other cities,' he said. Government agencies around the US have used facial recognition technology for more than a decade to scan databases for suspects and prevent identity fraud. (Pictured: A protester paints his face in protest against the Amazon's Rekognition system, in Oct 2018) San Francisco is home to tech innovators such as Uber, Airbnb and Twitter, but the city's relationship with the industry is testy. Some supervisors in City Hall are calling for a tax on stock-based compensation after a wave of San Francisco companies going public, including Lyft and Pinterest. At the same time, San Francisco is big on protecting immigrants, civil liberties and privacy. In November, nearly 60 per cent of voters approved a proposition to strengthen data privacy guidelines. The city's proposed face-recognition ban is part of broader legislation aimed at regulating the use of surveillance by city departments. The legislation applies only to San Francisco government and would not affect companies or people who want to use the technology. It also would not affect the use of facial recognition at San Francisco International Airport, where security is mostly overseen by federal agencies. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the bill Tuesday. Recent advances in artificial intelligence have created more sophisticated computer vision tools that make it easier for security cameras (pictured) to pinpoint a individuals in a moving crowd, or for retailers to analyse shoppers' facial expressions as they browse San Francisco police say they stopped testing face recognition in 2017. Spokesperson David Stevenson said in a statement the department looks forward to 'developing legislation that addresses the privacy concerns of technology while balancing the public safety concerns of our growing, international city.' Supervisor Aaron Peskin acknowledges his legislation, called the 'Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance,' isn't very tech-friendly. But public oversight is critical given the potential for abuse, he said. The technology often misfires, with studies having shown error rates in facial-analysis systems built by Amazon, IBM and Microsoft were far higher for darker-skinned women than lighter-skinned men. Even if facial recognition were perfectly accurate, its use would pose a severe threat to civil rights, especially in a city with a rich history of protest and expression, said Matt Cagle, attorney at the ACLU of Northern California. 'If facial recognition were added to body cameras or public-facing surveillance feeds, it would threaten the ability of people to go to a protest or hang out in Dolores Park without having their identity tracked by the city,' he said, referring to a popular park in San Francisco's Mission District. Local critics of San Francisco's legislation, however, worry about hampering police investigations in a city with a high number of vehicle break-ins and several high-profile annual parades. They want to make sure police can keep using merchants and residents' video surveillance in investigations without bureaucratic hassles. San Francisco is on track to become the first U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition by police and other city agencies as the technology creeps increasingly into daily life (Pictured: A security camera in the Financial District of San Francisco) Joel Engardio, vice president of grassroots group Stop Crime SF, wants the city to be flexible. 'Our point of view is, rather than a blanket ban forever, why not a moratorium so we're not using problematic technology, but we open the door for when technology improves?' he said. Such a moratorium is under consideration in the Massachusetts Legislature, where it has the backing of Republican and Democratic senators. Often, a government's facial recognition efforts happen in secret or go unnoticed. In Massachusetts, the motor vehicle registry has used the technology since 2006 to prevent driver's license fraud, and some police agencies have used it as a tool for detectives. 'It is technology we use,' said Massachusetts State Police Lt. Tom Ryan, adding that 'we tend not to get too involved in publicising' that fact. Ryan and the agency declined to answer further questions about how it's used. Massachusetts Sen. Cynthia Creem, a Democrat and sponsor of the moratorium bill, said she worries about a lack of standards protecting the public from inaccurate or biased facial recognition technology. Until better guidelines exist, she said, 'it shouldn't be used' by government. The California Highway Patrol does not use face recognition technology, spokesperson Fran Clader said. California Department of Motor Vehicles spokesperson Marty Greenstein says facial recognition technology 'is specifically not allowed on DMV photos.' State Justice Department spokesperson Jennifer Molina said her agency does not use face ID technology, and policy states 'DOJ and requesters shall not maintain DMV images for the purpose of creating a database' unless authorised. Legislators also sought a face recognition moratorium this year in Washington, the home state of Microsoft and Amazon, but it was gutted following industry and police opposition. Microsoft instead backed a lighter-touch proposal as part of a broader data privacy bill, but deliberations stalled before lawmakers adjourned late last month. Plastic pollution and waste are killing people every 30 seconds in the developing world, Sir David Attenborough warns in a report out today. Single-use plastics, shipped across the world by rich countries like Britain or sold by multinationals, may help to cause up to a million deaths a year. This is according to a report backed by Sir David which says children playing around plastic waste are twice as likely to get intestinal bugs like cholera - the second biggest killer in under-fives. Scroll down for video Sir David Attenborough, 92, (pictured) will present the report today at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council. The damning report led by charity Tearfund calls for action, as Britain alone exports 650,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year to countries including Malaysia and Indonesia Plastic rubbish acts as a breeding ground for mosquitos, flies and rats, which spread malaria and dengue fever. The burning of plastic is also thought to cause a fifth of deaths from air pollution, which kills an estimated 3.7 million people a year. A damning report led by charity Tearfund has called for action, as Britain alone exports 650,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year to countries including Malaysia and Indonesia. Experts have also named multinational companies, whose sachets and plastic bottles are causing particular problems in the developing world. Sir David Attenborough, who will present the report today at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, said plastic waste is an unfolding catastrophe, adding: This report is one of the first to highlight the impacts of plastic pollution not just on wildlife but also on the worlds poorest people. It is high time we turn our attention fully to one of the most pressing problems of today - averting the plastic pollution crisis - not only for the health of our planet, but for the wellbeing of people around the world. Every 30 seconds, according to the report titled No Time to Waste, the UK throws away two double-decker busloads of plastic waste. At the same time, 30 double-decker busloads are burned or dumped in developing countries and a single person dies from diseases caused by mismanaged waste. The problem is both the throwaway culture of the west, and the fact that around half of plastic is used only once before it is discarded. The poorest countries cannot deal with the plastic waste created, burning or dumping 93 per cent of it. Globally, two billion people, or one in four, dont have their rubbish collected. Every 30 seconds, according to the report titled No Time to Waste, the UK throws away two double-decker busloads of plastic waste. At the same time, 30 double-decker busloads are burned or dumped in developing countries and a single person dies from diseases caused by mismanaged waste The poorest countries cannot deal with the plastic waste created, burning or dumping 93 per cent of it. Globally, two billion people, or one in four, dont have their rubbish collected Plastic pollution blocks waterways and drains, combining with poor sanitation so that people living near rubbish-build-ups are twice as likely to get killer diarrhoea-causing diseases like cholera. Meanwhile, according to the World Health Organisation, rain collecting in plastic packaging is notorious for breeding mosquitos carrying dengue fever. Plastic becomes a home to disease-carrying vermin and flies, while causing heart disease and cancer from the tiny particles released into the air when it is burned. The study states: Children playing in the piles of rubbish surrounding their houses, or on nearby waste ground or roadsides, come into direct contact with faecal matter and are exposed to diarrhoeal diseases. Children from slums in Ethiopia with uncollected waste have been found to be six times more likely to suffer acute respiratory infections. Plastic burned in the open air releases harmful black carbon, mercury and compounds called polychlorinated biphenyls. Global plastic production emits 400 million tonnes of greenhouses gases each year, which is more than the UKs total carbon footprint. It is also damaging farming, as goats and cows eat plastic waste, often clogging their stomachs and starving to death. The report names multinational companies Coca-Cola, PespiCo, Nestle and Unilever, which it says dominate the market in fast-moving consumer goods. It calls on them to commit to reporting the number of single-use plastic items they distribute in developing countries by 2020, and halving this by 2025. Dr Ruth Valerio, global advocacy and influencing director at Tearfund, said: The CEOs running these multinationals can no longer ignore the human cost of single-use plastic. Fundamental changes to business models are urgently required. There is no time to waste. The report was produced with the Institute of Development Studies, conservation charity Fauna & Flora International and waste management charity WasteAid. An Elon Musk-backed startup looking to connect human brains to computers has raised most of its $51 million funding target. According to a report by Bloomberg, Neuralink has raised $39 million of its planned $51 million funding round as per a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Prior funding rounds date back two years when the company raised $27 million after aiming for as much as $100 million. While it's unclear what progress Neuralink has made in its technology, if any, the filings come less than a month after the SpaceX and Tesla CEO foreshadowed the startup's endeavors in an ambiguous tweet. In a response on Twitter, Musk said Neuralink technology is 'coming soon.' Scroll down for video Elon Musk believes humans must link up with machines in order to fight the inevitable onslaught of artificial intelligence. In a recent tweet, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO said technology from his latest company, Neuralink, will be 'coming soon' In a new interview, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his latest company Neuralink will have the technology ready to merge human brains with machines 'within the next decade' THE THREAT OF AI: WHAT ARE THE RISKS? While many tech leaders push that AI will become invaluable to humanity, others argue it poses a threat to our species. In November, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that efforts to make AI safe only have 'a five to 10 per cent chance of success.' Musk made his comments in a talk to employees at his firm Neuralink, which is working on ways to implant technology into our brains, according to Rolling Stone. He added that the employees should 'sleep well' after his warning, according to people close with the matter. The warning came shortly after Musk claimed that regulation of AI is drastically needed because it's a 'fundamental risk to the existence of human civilisation.' Advertisement In November last year, Musk told Axios that Neuralink technology would involve an 'electrode to neutron interface at a micro level.' More specifically, it would be 'a chip and a bunch of tiny wires' that's implanted surgically into your skull. 'The long term aspiration with Neuralink would be to achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence and to achieve a sort of democratization of intelligence, such that it is not monopolistically held in a purely digital form by governments and large corporations,' he said in the interview with Axios. 'I believe this can be done...It's probably on the order of a decade.' Musk believes that humans will have to explore the cyborg-like technology as artificial intelligence continues to advance and become integrated into the products we use. 'Essentially, how do we ensure that the future constitutes the sum of the will of humanity?' Musk told Axios. 'If we have millions of people with a high bandwidth link to the AI extension of themselves it would make everyone hyper smart.' He likened AI to 'digital intelligence' that could spiral out of control if we don't pay attention. 'As the algorithms and the hardware improve, that digital intelligence will exceed biological intelligence by a substantial margin,' Musk told Axios. Elon Musk told "Axios on HBO" that humans must merge with machines to overcome the existential threat of artificial intelligence. https://t.co/8UcdLW7hfA pic.twitter.com/mKelOopVEo Axios (@axios) November 26, 2018 '...We're like children in a playground...We're not paying attention.' Ultimately, the development of implanted chips could be what stands in the way of the human race becoming an endangered species, Musk said. '...When a species of primate, homo sapiens, became much smarter than other primates, it pushed all the other ones into a very small habitat,' he added. 'So there are very few mountain gorillas and orangutans and chimpanzees - monkeys in general. 'Even the jungles that they're in are narrowly defined so they were sort of like big cages. 'So, you know, that's one possible outcome for us,' Musk said. Musk said the technology would involve an 'electrode to neutron interface at a micro level.' Put simply, it would be 'a chip and a bunch of tiny wires' implanted surgically into your skull Neuralink will work on what Musk calls the 'neural lace' technology, implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day alter thoughts. Pictured, Keanu Reeves plugging into 'The Matrix' Musk has long been a critic of artificial intelligence, warning that should it fall into the wrong hands or become too smart, it could wreak havoc on the world. He launched San Francisco-based Neuralink in 2016 to develop implantable brain-computer interfaces that could upload and download thoughts. Musk has envisioned other applications for the technology, in fields including medicine. One specific use would be reducing memory loss or curing spinal cord injuries, by implanting electrodes into the motor cortex of the brain, Musk said. This would 'bypass the severed section of the spine and have effectively local micro controllers near the muscle groups,' he added. 'It could restore full limb functionality,' Musk told Axios. The moment that a white-faced darter dragonfly bursts out of its larval skin and gradually hardens in the sun has been caught in a stunning set of images. The shots were captured by wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek Peters, 54, who lay in a Shropshire Bog for three hours watching the insect moulting. The dragonfly is rare in the UK, having only been reintroduced in 2010 after original populations were devastated along with 95 per cent of the original peat bogs. This scarcity makes this series of images all the more unique to behold. Scroll down for video The moments that a white-faced darter dragonfly bursts out of its larval skin and gradually hardens in the sun has been caught in a stunning set of images The stunning shorts were captured by wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek Peters in Whixall Moss, Shropshire, on May 13, 2018. Mr Fusek Peters had to patiently lie still for three hours in order to capture the series of images that show the dragonfly emerging from its exoskeleton. 'This behaviour is rarely photographed,' he said. 'I was lying on a duckboard sinking into the bog for around an hour-and-a-half while this wonderful insect unfurled its wings.' 'It was only about a foot-and-a-half away from me so I needed to be extremely still but it was thrilling to watch!' After the dragonfly had flown away, Mr Fusek Peters was able to pick up the perfectly formed exoskeleton that the insect had left behind. The dragonfly captured in the images is a white-faced darter, Leucorrhinia dubia, so named after the markings on their heads. They live in peat bogs and, in the UK, can be seen flying around between the months of May and August. Like all dragonflies, darter larvae climb out of their pools up plant stems before moulting, shedding its previous exoskeleton to become an adult. The darter larvae splits its skin at the back of its head, before wriggling its new, soft body out and letting it harden. The shots were captured by wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek Peters, 54, who lay in a Shropshire Bog for three hours watching the insect moulting The dragonfly is rare in the UK, having only been reintroduced in 2010 after original populations were devastated along with 95 per cent of the original peat bogs The dragonfly sucks in air to pump out its body and pumps fluid into its winds to spread them to their full extent. Then they can fly away, leaving the husk of their former skin behind. Adult male darters have black bodies with red and orange markings that darken as they get older. However, like the specimen snapped by Mr Fusek Peters, both young males and females of the species have pale yellow markings. The dragonfly sucks in air to pump out its body and pumps fluid into its winds to spread them to their full extent However, like the specimen snapped by Mr Fusek Peters, both young males and females of the species have pale yellow markings In the UK, where 95 per cent of original lowland peat bogs have been destroyed, the dragonfly is rare having only been reintroduced in 2010. This restoration is part of a 13-year plan to re-establish the mossy habitat in which the the darters live. At the moment, the dragonflies are only found in ten locations across England. However, researchers hope that the insect's communities will ultimately become self-sustaining. Whixall Moss (pictured) is home to a number of other rare species, including fork mosses, 27 different invertebrates and the hobby, a bird of prey 'They only hang on in lowland peat bogs and Whixall Moss is one of very few peat bogs in the UK where they persist', said Mr Fusek Peters. 'So it is rare to photograph them emerging like this,' he added. The bog is part of the Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve and the third largest lowland raised bog in the UK. The region is home to a number of other rare species, including fork mosses, 27 different invertebrates and the hobby, a bird of prey. The stunning shorts were captured by wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek Peters in Whixall Moss, Shropshire, on May 13, 2018 Scientists have discovered why snail shells coil to the right. They say the breakthrough could also explain why our hearts are on our left and livers on our right. 'Lefty' snails are rarely found in nature and are shunned as mating partners. Jeremy the 'lefty' snail's failed hunt for love went viral on social media in 2017 while Brian - of The Magic Roundabout fame - had a normal shell that let him enjoy free love. Japanese researchers have now identified a single gene that caused rightward chirality in the Lymnaea stagnalis freshwater snail. Scroll down for video Scientists have discovered why snail shells coil to the right (pictured). They say the breakthrough could also explain why our hearts are on our left and livers on our right. Snails genetically engineered without a functional version of the Lsdia1 gene produced offspring with shells that coiled to the left, their study found. The researchers believed the reason behind asymmetry in different species was probably the same - suggesting a similar process exists in humans. Study author Professor Reiko Kuroda, 71, of the University of Tokyo in Japan, said: 'It is remarkable that these snails with reversed coiling are healthy and fertile, and that this coiling can be inherited generation after generation, we now have 5th-generation leftward-coiling snails. 'Further, these results may have an implication for snail evolution and speciation - given that left- and rightward-coiling snails probably wouldn't interbreed.' Her research team were 'surprised' to see could see signs of 'lefty' shells when the snail embryos were just a single cell. And when the mutant snails could be reared to adults, they produced exclusively leftward-coiling offspring. Professor Kuroda said while it was not yet clear how Lsdia1 could control left-right asymmetry, the gene encodes a 'formin' protein involved in regulating the cell's internal skeleton. And given that genes like Lsdia1 are found throughout the animal kingdom, similar mechanisms for controlling left-right asymmetry could be at play in other species - including our own. 'Lefty' snails are rarely found in nature and are shunned as mating partners. Japanese researchers have now identified a single gene that caused rightward chirality in the Lymnaea stagnalis freshwater snail Professor Kuroda said: 'Although diverse mechanisms have been proposed for different animals, we think a unified mechanism, involving formins and cellular chirality, is probable'. The professor and her colleagues are conducting further research on how the gene influences the cellular behaviours that control handedness. She said studying Lsdia1 could eventually help understand why some babies are born with their heart on the right side of their chest. The findings were made after the research team successfully applied CRISPR gene editing technology to molluscs for the first time. Jeremy the 'lefty' snail's failed hunt for love was the romantic match that captured the hearts of the nation. Jeremy the 'lefty' snail's failed hunt for love was the romantic match that captured the hearts of the nation in 2017. Jeremy (pictured) had a one in a million genetic anomaly that made his shell swirl to the 'sinister' left, rather than the right However, his days of chasing love are sadly now over, after the snail died in October of 2017. A rare mutation meant Jeremys shell coiled from left to right - making sex with a common snail impossible because his genitals were on the wrong side. The gallant 'lefty' gastropod, however, finally found another 'lefty' to start a family with a former love rival, becoming a father to around 100 tiny snail babies. But the news was tinged with sadness as scientists, fascinated by his discovery in a London compost heap in 2016, said the snail died shortly afterwards. Jeremy was rescued from a compost heap in London, and the 'left handed' snail was plucked from obscurity and recognised as one of a kind. Researchers at the University of Nottingham had almost given up on Jeremy's (pictured top) chances for children, after he was bested in a love triangle in June 2017. Jilted Jeremy was matched with two other rare snails, Lefty and Tomeau, who instead mated with each other After discovering his shell swirled the 'wrong' way compared to other snails, scientists put out a call in October 2016 to find the mollusc a mate to preserve his genetic legacy. The search turned up Lefty in Ipswich and Tomeau, who was flown into the UK from a snail farm in Majorca. The threesome was given to the University of Nottingham, who believe that studying the genetic variations which cause the unique shell formations may shed light on a rare heart condition in humans. Despite some initial interest between Jeremy and Lefty, it seems the exotic charms of the Spanish visitor were more to Lefty's tastes. The findings were published in the journal Development. Some beaches around Hiroshima are littered with glass beads made from the condensed remains of the destroyed city. They were formed during the atomic bombing which destroyed the city of Hiroshima when 'Little Boy' was dropped by the US Air Force and detonated with the equivalent force of 15 kilotons of TNT. The teardrop-shaped beads were created as the city was annihilated and made from the vaporised rubble of Hiroshima itself. It caused such destruction that the remains were thrown into a superheated cloud that later rained the condensed matter down on the peninsula, where it cooled and sits to this day. Scroll down for video The teardrop-shaped beads were created as the city was annihilated and made from the vaporised rubble of Hiroshima itself These forms called the Motoujina Fallout Debris (MFD) have been nicknamed 'Hiroshimaites', A scientific paper explains how retired geologist and marine ecologist Mario Wannier found the so-called Hiroshimaites littering the beaches around the razed city. They reminded the experienced scientist of previous samples of rock which were formed 66 million years ago when an enormous meteorite collided with Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs. He believed they were formed by a huge amount of energy and the source of this was obvious as he was a mere 3.7 miles (six kilometres) from where the bomb landed. More than 10,000 samples were collected by Mr Wannier and sent to researchers at the Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley for analysis via electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. It was published in the journal Anthropocene and say the Hiroshima bombing is the only 'coherent explanation'. Most of the city was instantly obliterated when the bomb was released on August 6 1945. It is believed 70,00 people died instantly, followed by approximately a quarter of a million others in the fallout from the bombing due to the radiation and injuries. 'This was the worst manmade event ever, by far,' Mr Wannier said in a statement. 'In the surprise of finding these particles, the big question for me was: You have a city, and a minute later you have no city. 'Little Boy' was dropped by the US Air Force on the Japanese city from the sky and it detonated with the equivalent force of 15 kilotons of TNT. 'Little Boy' was dropped by the US Air Force on the Japanese city from the sky and it detonated with the equivalent force of 15 kilotons of TNT Most of the city was instantly obliterated when the bomb was released on August 6 1945 'There was the question of: 'Where is the city where is the material?' It is a trove to have discovered these particles. It is an incredible story.' They contained a host of elements and chemicals unusual in such formations, such as aluminium, steel and iron. 'Some of these look similar to what we have from meteorite impacts, but the composition is quite different,' explained co-author Rudy Wenk, a professor of mineralogy at UC Berkeley. 'There were quite unusual shapes. There was some pure iron and steel. Some of these had the composition of building materials.' It is believed 70,00 people died instantly, followed by approximately a quarter of a million others in the fallout from the bombing due to the radiation and injuries Smart home devices understand men better than women, according to a new YouGov survey. It found 67 per cent of female owners say that their device fails to respond to a voice command at least 'sometimes', compared to 54 per cent of male owners. It also revealed men are ruder to their devices but experience fewer problems being understood. Scroll down for video Men are more likely to take an brusque tone with theirs than women yet women have more problems with getting a response to their commands. The smart devices seem to respond less well to women than men, based on the survey results. While more than half (66 per cent) men had no problems with their devices, answering that it 'rarely' or 'never' failed, only 32 per cent of women said the same. It also unearthed that women are far nicer to their devices. Almost half of women (45 per cent) say 'please' and 'thank you', while their male counterparts use manners just 30 per cent of the time. The latest YouGov survey on smart home assistants shows that more than half of owners are rude to their devices Previous research has found an inherent bias in personal assistants, favouring men over women. They struggle to understand the quiet and 'breathy' voices of women compared with the deeper voices of men. The software is often developed with the help of male voice examples and so lacks a deeper understanding of female commands. The comment was made by Delip Rao, the CEO and co-founder of R7 Speech Sciences, a company that uses artificial intelligence to understand speech. Mr Rao explained that the fundamental frequency of a person's voice is what is often perceived as the pitch. 'This is also called mean F0. The range of tones produced by our vocal tract is a function of the distribution around that. 'We know the mean F0 for men is around 120Hz and much higher for women (~200Hz),' he said on his website. WHY ARE PEOPLE CONCERNED OVER PRIVACY WITH AMAZON'S ALEXA DEVICES? Amazon devices have previously been activated when they're not wanted - meaning the devices could be listening. Millions are reluctant to invite the devices and their powerful microphones into their homes out of concern that their conversations are being heard. Amazon devices rely on microphones listening out for a key word, which can be triggered by accident and without their owner's realisation. The camera on the 119.99 ($129) Echo Spot, which doubles up as a 'smart alarm', will also probably be facing directly at the user's bed. The device has such sophisticated microphones it can hear people talking from across the room - even if music is playing. A hack by British security researcher Mark Barnes saw 2015 and 2016 versions of the Echo turned into a live microphone. Fraudsters could then use this live audio feed to collect sensitive information from the device. Advertisement The first female astronaut to step foot on the moon could do so in as little as five years from now. NASA has revealed its upcoming moon mission, which is currently tied to an ambitious 2024 deadline, will be led by both male and female astronauts for the first time. Speaking at the Human to Mars Summit in Washington DC on Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine explained that the current crop of astronauts is 'very diverse,' unlike in past decades, and will show the public that 'opportunities like this are available to everybody in America.' Seeing the first woman land on the moon in the foreseeable future will inspire a new generation of young girls, the NASA chief said. The agency has chosen to call the mission Artemis in a nod to this decision and to past missions alike; Artemis is the mythical Greek lunar goddess and twin sister of Apollo. Scroll down for video Speaking at the Human to Mars Summit in Washington DC on Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine explained that the current crop of astronauts is 'very diverse,' and will inspire future generations NASA'S PLAN TO PUT HUMANS BACK ON THE MOON NASA could have humans back on the moon within the next five years under the latest orders from the Trump administration. Vice President Mike Pence recently revealed the new deadline during a speech at the fifth meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama, where he told an audience that the president wants astronauts to touch down on the lunar south pole by 2024. The VP called on NASA to reignite the spark of urgency for space exploration and make it a priority to set bold goals and stay on schedule. This accelerated timeline, however will undoubtedly be met with many challenges; just weeks ago NASA said it was on schedule to have humans on the moon by 2028 a full four years later than the new target. Advertisement Jim Bridenstine said the history of moon landings shows little opportunities were offered to women. But, things have finally begun to change. 'I have an 11-year-old daughter and I want her to be able to see herself in the same way that our current very diverse astronaut corps sees itself,' Bridenstine said during the summit. 'And if we look at the history of moon landings, it was test pilots from the 1960s and 1970s, fighter pilots, and there were no opportunities for women back then. 'This program is going to enable a new generation of young girls like my daughter to see themselves in a way that maybe they wouldn't otherwise see themselves.' Mr Bridenstine has previously said President Trump's desire to put humans back on the moon by the year 2024 would provide an opportunity to test technology and capabilities before carrying out a mission to land on Mars by 2033. He told the summit on Tuesday: 'What we are trying to do is create as much of the architecture as possible so that it can be replicated for our eventual human mission to Mars. 'So again, we are accelerating the path to get to the moon. We want to be there, no kidding, by 2024. 'That accelerates our eventual Mars missions as well. But the first step is getting to the moon. 'We have to learn how to live and work on another world for long periods of time.' The first female astronaut to step foot on the moon could do so in as little as five years from now He added: 'The president has granted us 1.6 billion additional dollars, that didn't come from the science mission directorate, it didn't come from the International Space Station 1.6 billion additional dollars for our acceleration of the lunar program so that we can get the next man and the first woman to the surface of the moon. 'That's important. When we accelerate the lunar program, we are, by definition, accelerating the humans to Mars program. That's what we're doing.' The last manned Moon landing happened in 1972, as part of the Apollo 17 mission. There have only been six times that astronauts have walked on the Moon, all of which were carried out by NASA as part of its Apollo program. The aptly-named Artemis mission will build off these past efforts and push lunar exploration to new heights. Astronaut James Irwin, lunar module pilot, gives a military salute while standing beside the U.S. flag during Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Hadley-Apennine landing site on the moon 'Our #Moon2024 mission is being named after Artemis, who was a sister to Apollo and goddess of the Moon,' Bridenstine tweeted ahead of the summit. 'We're excited to be landing the first woman and next man on the surface of the Moon by 2024.' On Monday, Mr Trump tweeted: 'Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars.' In closing remarks at the DC event, Bridenstine added: 'We've had the conversation about my 11-year-old daughter. 'I'm sure there's people in this room that have their own daughters and want them to see themselves in this role in the future. 'Not that everybody's going to be an astronaut, but people need to understand that opportunities like this are available to everybody in America.' Security researchers have discovered a new set of flaws in Intel processors that could leave users exposed to cyber-attacks akin to those caused by the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. The attack variants include Fallout, RIDL and ZombieLoad, the last of which appears to be the most critical and operates by exploiting a design flaw in Intel chips to leak sensitive user data. Chips made by Advanced Micro Devices and ARM Holdings are not affected by this latest vulnerability. However, it impacts 'almost every computer' with an Intel processor going back as early as 2011, according to TechCrunch. Scroll down for video Researchers have discovered a new set of flaws in Intel processors that could leave users exposed to cyber-attacks akin to those caused by the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities Users can check to see if they've been affected using an online tool created by the researchers. The flaws were discovered by a team of researchers from Austrian university TU Graz, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the University of Michigan, the University of Adelaide, KU Leuven in Belgium, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Germany's Saarland University and a number of security firms. Intel also announced the vulnerabilities in a blog post published today, referring to the set as Microarchitectural Data Sampling (MDS). 'Under certain conditions, MDS provides a program the potential means to read data that program otherwise would not be able to see,' the company explained. 'Practical exploitation of MDS is a very complex undertaking. MDS does not, by itself, provide an attacker with a way to choose the data that is leaked.' Intel said it will ship future processors with the necessary hardware changes to address these vulnerabilities. The chip giant added that it has already begun rolling out updates to operating system and hypervisor software as a fix for the flaws. The attack variants include Fallout, RIDL and ZombieLoad, the last of which appears to be the most critical and operates by exploiting a design flaw in Intel chips to leak sensitive user data ZombieLoad takes advantage of a design flaw in Intel chips that's similar to what caused the Meltdown and Spectre flaws. It exploits a process called 'speculative execution,' wherein a processor works to predict what operations or data an application or system may need in the future, TechCrunch noted. With these new attacks, they target the 'buffers' between a chip's components. Hackers trick the user of a computer being powered by a targeted chip into falling prey, whether by accessing a malicious application or some other means. The attacks bypass security mechanisms in Intel's speculative execution systems to siphon off sensitive data being transmitted in the chip, such as passwords, keys, account tokens or private messages, according to TechCrunch. 'In the split second between the command and the check, using this new form of attack we can see the pre-loaded data from other programs,' security researcher Daniel Gruss said in a statement. Many pointed out that hackers have no control over what data is being transmitted in a chip at a given time, so it's possible that the attack wouldn't return any worthwhile data. If they were to carry out the attack repeatedly, however, hackers would most likely come away with some sensitive data. Users are recommended to update their devices in order to make sure they're safeguarded from any possible attacks made possible by the flaw. Apple, Google and Microsoft have all released patches for users to download, TechCrunch noted. Systems running macOS Mojave 10.14.5 have already been patched and the company intends to issue fixes for Sierra and High Sierra versions as well. Chrome OS devices are protected from attacks and many other Google products and services require no updates to be installed by the user. Microsoft will release software updates through Windows Update. Facebook could have its privacy practices scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission for 20 years as part of an agreement with the agency. The social media giant is in the process of reaching an agreement with the FTC, after the agency opened a probe into Facebook's conduct following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. A settlement could be announced within the next month, according to Reuters. Scroll down for video The social media giant is in the process of reaching an agreement with the FTC, after the agency opened a probe into Facebook's conduct following the Cambridge Analytica scandal The FTC opened an investigation into Facebook's data dealings after it was revealed last Match that some 87 million users' data had been harvested and shared with Trump-affiliated campaign research firm Cambridge Analytica. The probe has focused on whether the sharing of data and other disputes violated Facebook's 2011 agreement with the FTC to safeguard user privacy. Under that agreement, Facebook is required to get permission from users before sharing their data. It also requires 'periodic assessments of its privacy practices' by auditors for 20 years to make sure it's adequately protecting users' privacy. Facebook has said it didn't violate the FTC agreement, according to CNET. The FTC and Facebook have been negotiating the terms of the agreement for some time. Facebook is still reaching a settlement with the FTC over a probe into Cambridge Analytica. Some legislators believe CEO Mark Zuckerberg should be held 'personally responsible' Earlier this month, Facebook revealed that it expects to assume a charge between $3 billion and $5 billion in connection with an ongoing FTC probe. Some legislators have already bristled at the billion-dollar fine, saying Facebook should face stiffer consequences. Addressing the FTC, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley said the fine was a 'bargain' and argued that executives at Facebook, possibly including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, should be held personally responsible for the company's failure to protect user data. 'The Facebook investigation will be a defining moment for the Commission,' Blumenthal and Hawley wrote. 'It must be seen as a strong protector of consumer privacy and begin to set out a new era of enforcement, or it will not be taken as a credible enforcer. Action is overdue.' Advertisement One lucky bartender is being offered the dream summer job - serving pints at an off-shore Caribbean Sea bar. The successful applicant will run Floyd's Pelican Bar, a haven only accessible by boat, which sits on stilts one mile off the coast of Jamaica. Flights and accommodation will be paid for, Virgin Holidays said. No qualifications are needed for the summer escape, and dates will fit around the applicant. One lucky bartender is being offered the chance to land the ultimate summer job - serving drinks at Floyd's Pelican Bar, which is located one mile off the coast of Jamaica No qualifications are needed to be considered for the job on the bar and dates will fit around the applicant The job, which can be applied for online, requires candidates to commute by boat or paddle board, 'even when the weather is a little too beautiful to go to work'. They will also have to manage the music 'to ensure chilled beats are playing at all times' and welcome passing boats looking for a refreshment with a smile. Other duties include chatting to locals and tourists alike over a cool bottle of local beer, and throwing the occasional fish to the resident pelicans, who gave the bar its name, a spokesman said. The opportunity will give Floyd Forbes, the owner, the chance to enjoy his first holiday in eight years. Floyd's Pelican Bar is only accessible by boat or paddle board. Candidates must be willing to commute to the bar, 'even when the weather is a little too beautiful to go to work' Candidates will have to manage the music 'to ensure chilled beats are playing at all times' and welcome passing boats looking for a refreshment with a smile Duties at the bar include chatting to locals and tourists over a cool bottle of local beer, and throwing the occasional fish to the resident pelicans Mr Forbes built his bar on stilts in 2001 to share the area's scenic beauty with others. Model-turned-publican Jodie Kidd, who will be helping to judge the applications, said: 'I love being a pub landlady here in the UK, but if I had the opportunity to take the best of the job and do it all from an island paradise in the Caribbean, I wouldn't say no. 'This is an incredible chance for anyone looking to combine the best job in the world with one of the best overseas destinations and giving a local legend a well-deserved holiday so what are you waiting for?' The opportunity will give Floyd Forbes, the owner of Floyd's Pelican Bar, left, the chance to enjoy his first holiday in eight years. He is pictured with model-turned-publican Jodie Kidd, who will be helping to judge the applications An interior view of Floyd's Pelican Bar. Mr Forbes built his bar on stilts in 2001 to share the area's scenic beauty with others While Joe Thompson, managing director of Virgin Holidays, said: 'We think the Caribbean is your playground filled with so much fun and beauty to explore, from the white beach sands to the vibrant culture. 'We have sent millions of British holidaymakers to explore this idyllic part of the world over the last few decades, but never like this. It's an opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the Jamaican culture a once in a lifetime experience.' Application details, including full terms and conditions, are available at: virginholidays.co.uk/pullpintsinparadise. Advertisement If you're fed up with the mid-flight battle for the armrest then perhaps fly with Aer Lingus more often. That's because it's introducing a brand new fare that guarantees an aisle or window seat in the first row of the aircraft, with the middle seat left unoccupied for a 'roomier and more efficient travel experience'. The Irish flag carrier is offering the fare - called 'AerSpace' - as a 'premium travel experience' on its short-haul flights between Dublin and the UK and Europe. The new fares, available on flights from September 1, 2019, appear to be about three or four times the price of a standard economy ticket. Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus is introducing a brand new fare that guarantees the middle-of-the-row seat on a plane will be left free. Pictured are Aer Lingus staff Marco Mologni and Kate Ryan with Aer Lingus director of network revenue and loyalty, Susanne Carberry When Mailonline Travel did a 'ghost booking' we found that the cost of an 'AerSpace' ticket from London Heathrow to Dublin on September 8 was 190 (165) one way, and as low as 45.99 (40) for a standard economy ticket. It's quite a price hike, but the perks don't end with extra elbow room. AerSpace customers also get a reserved overhead bin directly above the seat, lounge access, fast track security, priority boarding and on-board refreshments. Aer Lingus says: 'Designed with guests' needs in mind, AerSpace is a unique offering in Europe. A screen grab from the Aer Lingus website shows that on a flight on September 8 from Dublin to London Heathrow, an economy fare is 45.99 (40) and an AerSpace fare is 145.99 (126) The AerSpace fares go up to 190.99 (165) on a flight on September 8 from London Heathrow to Dublin 'It promises a seamless travel experience catering for those who require more space and comfort whether it be for business or leisure.' Aer Lingus's most popular short-haul destinations from Dublin are to London, Paris, Manchester and Barcelona. And the airline believes that 25 per cent of passengers travelling between Dublin and London do so for business purposes. Commenting on the launch of the AerSpace fare, Susanne Carberry, director of network revenue and loyalty at Aer Lingus, said: 'We are thrilled to introduce a new fare option which gives greater comfort and convenience to our guests. Perks of the premium fare on Aer Lingus include reserved overhead bins directly above seats, lounge access, fast track security, priority boarding and on-board refreshments 'At Aer Lingus we are committed to innovating our product offering to meet travellers' ever-changing needs. 'AerSpace guests will have reserved seating in row one on our most popular routes, leaving the middle seat free and allowing more space to work or simply relax as they fly. 'Not only will those choosing AerSpace enjoy a suite of complimentary services including lounge access and priority boarding, AerClub members will also collect Avios on their AerSpace purchase. 'We are proud to launch AerSpace in response to feedback from our guests seeking a more premium and spacious travel experience when flying short-haul with Aer Lingus.' Nikki Bella and Brie Bella, the reality star twins and retired wrestlers, swung by the NBCUniversal Upfronts in New York on Monday. The 35-year-olds took the stage in strikingly similar dresses with one similarity - both of them were decorated with polka dots. While Nikki went for a floor-length split off-the-shoulder gown with a splashy colorful motif, Brie slipped into a black and white number hemmed above the ankle. Side by side: Nikki Bella and Brie Bella, the reality star twins and retired wrestlers, swung by the NBCUniversal Upfronts in New York on Monday NBCUniversal is the parent company of both E!, which airs the sisters' reality show Total Bellas, and the USA Network, which has shown them on WWE Raw. As the day wore on, the sister act left the NBCUniversal event at Radio City Music Hall and went to Central Park's Wollman Rink for the Fox Upfronts. They posed up a storm with their WWE personality Paul 'Big Show' Wight, who wore a classically stylish look including a black suit and blue tie. Nikki got in touch with her animal instinct with a skintight leopard-print cocktail dress, while Brie slid into a monochrome number with a frilled hem. Theme: The 35-year-olds took the stage in strikingly similar dresses with one similarity - both of them were decorated with polka dots Both of the Bella twins, who hail from San Diego, California, announced in March of this year that they would be retiring from professional wrestling. Nikki had an on-off relationship with WWE beefcake John Cena, culminating in the end of their engagement over the summer last year. Her latest flame is pro hoofer Artem Chigvintsev of Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars fame - though she is hesitant to call him her boyfriend. Movers and shakers: As the day wore on, the sister act left the NBCUniversal event at Radio City Music Hall and went to Central Park's Wollman Rink for the Fox Upfronts 'She posts about him all the time. They're always together. They're everything. I'm like: "Come on, you guys are official,"' Brie vamped to E! News on Saturday. Brie was being jointly interviewed with Nikki, who held firm about her reticence, saying: 'I just, you know what it is, I so want to take my time.' She explained: 'I think of everything that I've been through, like, it's been an incredibly hard year but a year that I've had so much growth and I've learned so much and I've appreciated so much in my life, that I have this amazing thing in my life that makes me so incredibly happy, that I just am like: "You know what, I'm gonna take it day by day and see where it goes," but I don't want to jump into anything.' What a smile: They posed up a storm with their WWE personality Paul 'Big Show' Wight, who wore a classically stylish look including a black suit and blue tie At the same event, she told People that she 'loved' the fact John has struck up his own new relationship with engineer Shay Shariatzadeh. 'I literally would pray every day, like all I want him is to be happy and to find happiness. And its true. Hes still so close to my family and all I ever want is for his happiness. He seems so happy now and that makes me really happy,' said Nikki. Meanwhile, Brie married her fellow WWE personality Daniel Brian - Christian name Bryan Lloyd Danielson - in 2014 and remains with him to this day. Sizzler: Nikki got in touch with her animal instinct with a skintight leopard-print cocktail dress, while Brie slid into a monochrome number with a frilled hem Sister sister: Nicki and Brie posed side by side, both with their legs crossed, showing off their twin likeness Red hot: Both ladies sported deep red lipstick while at the event in New York City Jodie Comer was the toast of this year's BAFTA TV awards and celebrated her Best Actress win by downing a few vodka shots with her pals. The Liverpool native, 26, also enjoyed a few drinks with her parents who watched their daughter pick up the award for her role as Villanelle on Killing Eve. According to The Sun, Jodie celebrated into the early hours of the morning with her friends and fellow bafta winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Honoured: Jodie Comer was the toast of this year's BAFTA TV awards and celebrated her Best Actress win by downing a few vodka shots with her pals A source told the paper: 'It was a huge night for Jodie and she kept the drinks flowing until the early hours. 'She was dishing out neat shots of vodka to her pals and other guests to toast her success. 'Jodie also threw a fair few back with her parents, who were having the time of their lives.' The insider added that Jodie hit the dancefloor and partied with drag queen and DJ Jodie Harsh before she got a taxi home when the after party came to a close. Party: The Liverpool native, 26, also enjoyed a few drinks with her parents who watched their daughter pick up the award for her role as Villanelle on Killing Eve Jodie delivered a moving speech when accepting her award. She paid tribute to Line Of Duty star Stephen Graham, for offering her plenty of support in the early days of her career. She said: 'Wow, thank you so much BAFTA! Sorry I'm only one who's turned on the waterworks. Thank you Luke Jennings. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, I feel so lucky not only to say that I have worked with you but to call you a friend. 'You are the most talented person I know, thank you for being such an inspiration. 'I would like to thank BBC America, you guys really are the best, and the entire cast and crew for coming back every year and giving it with the biggest smiles on my faces. A source told the paper: 'It was a huge night for Jodie and she kept the drinks flowing until the early hours' 'I also want to thank Stephen Graham; if I don't already owe you a pint, I do now. Thank you for introducing me to to Jane, you have encouraged me and supported me. 'Last but not least, bit of a personal one but I'd love to dedicate this award to my Nanna Francis, who sadly passed away the first week of filming, so she never got to see Villanelle. 'She was the life and soul of everything, and when she was here she used to say to me: ''You get it off me you know''. And I just want to stand up here and say Nanna Francis you were absolutely right all along. Thank you so much BAFTA!' Jodie originally considered a career in music and first got a taste for performing when she was in a girl band. They added: 'She was dishing out neat shots of vodka to her pals and other guests to toast her success' Speaking to the Two Shots podcast, she told how in the middle of rehearsals for a school talent show, she went on holiday with her family. She was then informed by the other members of the group that she could no longer take part because she missed too many rehearsals. Although upset, Jodie decided to re-enter the talent show as a solo act and performed a dramatic monologue upon the encouragement of her mother. She said: 'You know when youre a kid and youre so upset you lose your breath? I remember going up to my mum and being so distraught. Winners: Jodie celebrated her win with Killing Eve creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge (pictured - centre) and her co-star Fiona Shaw (pictured - left) 'She was like, "Why dont you go back and ask your drama teacher if you can do your monologue? Do your own thing".' A few months later, she auditioned to play a young girl in a BBC Radio 4 drama. Jodie admitted that she was taken aback by the international success of Killing Eve. Jodie said: 'If someone said to me last year that people would be dressing as Villanelle for Halloween I would have said, "Shut up!" Performer: Jodie originally considered a career in music and first got a taste for performing when she was in a girl band 'Its been so amazing to be a part of something that has resonated with people and people have enjoyed. 'People always ask me what the message is with Killing Eve. There isnt one, you just have fun with it. I think thats what people have enjoyed so much. Ive never been part of a show which has had such a huge response.' The actress is very close with her family and when she's not filming Killing Eve in London or Europe, she travels back to Liverpool to stay with her mother. She's been urged by fans to dump her boyfriend James Argent following allegations he tested positive for cocaine. Yet Gemma Collins brushed off any signs of personal woes as she headed straight to the Chateau Marmont Hotel just hours after touching down in Los Angeles on Monday. The reality starlet, 38, seemed in high spirits as she happily posed for photographers, with her bronzed hands revealing she had been very heavy-handed with her fake tan for the trip. Loving life: Gemma Collins brushed off any signs of personal woes as she made an animated arrival into Los Angeles on Monday as she was spotted strolling through LAX airport Oh dear! The reality starlet, 38, revealed a hilarious fake tan fail as she flashed her bronzed hands after finally touching down in Los Angeles to film scenes for her new reality show Gemma was dressed to turn heads as she touched down in LAX airport, as she wore an eye-catching snake print co-ord and Versace sliders. The TOWIE starlet wore her platinum blonde locks loose and tousled, whilst she let her natural beauty shine through by going make-up free. She finished off the look by donning a printed Dior tote bag and oversized sunglasses. Tan-tastic: Gemma seemed in high spirits as she touched down in LAX airport earlier in the day, and happily posed for photographers despite the lengthy flight Dressed to impress: The Essex beauty was dressed to turn heads on her arrival as she wore an eye-catching snake print co-ord and Versace sliders Blonde bombshell: The TOWIE starlet wore her platinum blonde locks loose and tousled, whilst she let her natural beauty shine through by going make-up free All about the accessories: She finished off the look by donning a printed Dior tote bag and oversized sunglasses Back to her best: Gemma, who has been spending plenty of time in Los Angeles recently filming, seemed right at home in the City of Angels Last week, Gemma revealed she was headed to Hollywood as 'the Hills have called'. Alongside a picture of the Hollywood sign, she wrote: The hills have called - Im SO EXCITED L.A. BABY cant believe my career has taken me here, cant wait to hit rodeo drive with @foodgod [Jonathan Cheban] and convincing @prattprattpratt [Chris Pratt] to come horse riding with the cowboys and me #divaforever". Gemma, who has been spending plenty of time in Los Angeles recently filming, seemed right at home in the City of Angels after making the trip amid her personal woes. Sipping pretty: The reality starlet stopped off to refuel with a smoothie after her long journey from Essex to Los Angeles Chirpy: Gemma seemed in good spirits on the outing despite fans urging her to dump her boyfriend James Argent amid allegations he tested positive for cocaine Snap happy: Gemma's appeal proved to have crossed oceans as she was stopped by passers-by and asked to take photographs at the airport Pour it up: Gemma nipped into a coffee shop as she chatted with friends whilst enjoying an iced beverage at the airport cafe Chirpy: Gemma seemed in good spirits as she caught up with friends in the airport Text from Arg? The bubbly reality star seemed to be engrossed in her phone Just hours after touching down in Los Angeles, Gemma made a quick change before making her way out of the Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood. The Essex mainstay cut a glamorous figure in black and gold Versace-esque co-ords as she happily posed for snaps with fans. Finishing her ensemble with matching branded sliders, Gemma cut a glamorous figure as she marked her first night in Los Angeles by reuniting with her Dancing On Ice co-star Melody Thornton and professional partner Melody Thornton. I'm here! Just hours after touching down in Los Angeles, Gemma made a quick change before making her way out of the Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood Amazing: The blonde beauty continued to display her amazing bronzed physique in Versace-esque co-ords as she stepped out Superstar: The Essex beauty accessorised her look with black and gold sliders as she headed out of the hotel Lovely: Gemma has also greeted by a delighted fan as she made her way out of the hotel, carrying her essentials in a Louis Vuitton-style clutch bag Smile! The star also reunited with her Dancing On Ice professional partner Matt Evers, as well as co-star Melody Thornton Gemma's boyfriend James has reportedly been sacked from TOWIE after allegedly testing positive for cocaine, according to The Sun. The publication reports that James, 31, failed a routine drug test and a result, was let go from the programme, with his friends now worried about his health. A source said: 'Its a shame but James problems flared up again, and he failed a routine test. 'As a result Lime Pictures arent working with him, and it has sparked more concerns among his friends who fear he isnt looking after himself. 'His weight has rocketed recently which he says he plans to tackle, but getting back involved with drugs is even worse. Its a dangerous path he is going down.' Look where we are! The stars were eager to pose outside the Chateau Marmont, after Gemma's arrival in LA Relaxed: Melody cut a more casual figure in all-black as she reunited with Gemma while Stateside Chic: Gemma also cut an incredibly stylish figure as she opted for the chic black and gold ensemble during her outing Elated: Gemma recently confirmed she would be jetting to Los Angeles this summer as part of her new self-titled reality TV show The paper also reports that James voluntarily agreed to the routine test before he returned to filming because of concerns over his previous issues with drugs and alcohol. The source added that the production crew of TOWIE are very fond of him and hope he can overcome his issues. A spokesperson for Lime Pictures added to the publication that there are no plans for the show to film with James at the present time. Karl Stefanovic rolled up his sleeves for some charity work on Sunday night. The former Today show host, 44, and his sister-in-law Jade Yarbrough helped feed homeless people in Sydney with the organisation Plates 4 Mates. Karl put on his apron shortly after attending his wife Jasmine's luxury slipper launch at the five-star Ovolo Hotel in Woolloomooloo. 'Cooking up a storm': Karl Stefanovic (right) volunteered for a homeless charity in Sydney on Sunday night alongside his sister-in-law Jade Yarbrough (left) 'Cooking up a storm with my brother brother,' Jade captioned a photo of herself volunteering with Karl. The charity later reposted the same image to Instagram, alongside the caption: 'Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.' Plates 4 Mates added the hashtags: 'Homeless people matter' and 'rough sleepers'. Every little helps! The former Today host, 44, joined forces with the charity Plates 4 Mates Another photo from the the night showed Plates 4 Mates volunteers serving up the food that Karl and Jade had helped prepare. The charity's mission statement is 'to help those less fortunate by providing a plate of food to a mate that needs it the most.' They welcome volunteers, donations and support from anyone willing to help. Working hard! Before helping the homeless on Sunday, Karl and Jade had supported Jasmine Yarbrough (right) at the launch of her Ovolo X Mara & Mine deluxe slipper range Before helping the homeless on Sunday, Karl and Jade had supported Jasmine at the launch of her Ovolo X Mara & Mine deluxe slipper range. Karl jokingly told The Daily Telegraph at the event that he has 'a bit of free time on [his] hands' after being sacked from the Today show last year. He added: 'It's an honour to be here to support Jas and Tamie [Ingham, her business partner]. I'm so proud of what they've built together.' Channel 10 has seemingly broken its own terms and conditions by allowing a former employee to win a $10,000 prize on Monday's episode of Celebrity Name Game. Andrew Logue appeared on the Grant Denyer-hosted quiz show with his brother, but it was not disclosed to viewers that he was employed by the network until recently. As reported by industry website TV Blackbox, Andrew worked for Channel 10 for four years until November 2018. Do you think it's fair? Grant Denyer's quiz show Celebrity Name Game has seemingly violated its own terms and conditions by allowing a former Channel 10 employee to win a $10,000 prize The terms and conditions for Celebrity Name Game clearly state that contestants must not have worked for the network in the past two years. Andrew reportedly told casting agents that he used to work on Channel 10's The Living Room, but they saw no issue with his employment history. During his career at Channel 10, Andrew also worked on Studio 10 at the network's headquarters in Pyrmont, Sydney. Awkward: Andrew Logue (right) appeared on Celebrity Name Game with his brother, but it was not disclosed to viewers that he was employed by the network until recently Employment history: Andrew was employed by Channel 10 for four years until November 2018. His LinkedIn profile (pictured) states that he previously worked on The Living Room Back with a bang! Celebrity Name Game is hosted by Grant Denyer (pictured), who was previously quizmaster on Family Feud between 2014 and 2018 Celebrity Name Game is hosted by Grant Denyer, who was previously quizmaster on Family Feud between 2014 and 2018. The show tests contestants' knowledge of pop culture and also features famous guests, including Lisa Wilkinson, Courtney Act and Beau Ryan. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10's publicity department for comment. Game Of Thrones headed towards next weeks finale with the answer to its biggest issue hanging in the balance. No, not 'who will take the Iron Throne? Something more important even to the millions of fans whove followed this central struggle for years namely: can the show save its reputation? Having changed the genre, GoTs place in television history is undoubtedly guaranteed. Scorching! Khaleesi turned up the heat on Cerseis army, and Kings Landing. But viewers and the series were suffering from battle fatigue in Game Of Thrones, by Jim Shelley But whether it can avoid the fate that befell other recent classics like The Wire, Twin Peaks, and arguably The Sopranos - being remembered for blowing its legacy by ending with a damp squib - is another matter. Judging by the penultimate episode it seems unlikely frankly. The Bells, like a lot of Season 8, proved decidedly unsatisfactory if not necessarily actually rubbish, at least compared to its early days - its peak. True, there was a healthy cull of characters: Varys, Euron Greyjoy, Qyburn, The Hound, The Mountain, Jaime Lannister, and most crucially, his sister Cersei. What's gone on? Something more important even to the millions of fans whove followed this central struggle for years namely: can the show save its reputation? But although this purge was long overdue, none lived up to expectation. In fact they were mainly total botch-ups. The Bells was the third movie-length episode of the five so far and symptomatic of the way the final series has suffered from HBO seemingly (inexplicably) being in a rush to get Game Of Thrones over with. The storyline has increasingly lacked subtlety - or sense sometimes with key developments in the narrative feeling too convenient, too sudden. A disaster: But whether it can avoid the fate that befell other recent classics like The Wire, Twin Peaks, and arguably The Sopranos - being remembered for blowing its legacy by ending with a damp squib - is another matter The Night King, for example, dismally failed to deliver at the long-awaited battle of Winterfell - destroyed by a single blow from a young girls dagger (when Arya stabbed him). And after so many threats and fights, out of nowhere, Rhaegal was felled by an arrow (albeit a mega-arrow) - when Daenerys casually flew within range of Eurons ships. All a bit careless to be honest... The Long Night had tried/claimed to depict war in its full chaotic carnage, which was all very admirable but made the way the main protagonists miraculously survived even more unacceptable. Deadly: True, there was a healthy cull of characters: Varys, Euron Greyjoy, Qyburn, The Hound, The Mountain, Jaime Lannister, and most crucially, his sister Cersei The Bells now did likewise. Daenerys obliterated Kings Landing, the Red Keep, and Greyjoys fleet (second time lucky) with such ease (with one dragon) you struggled to remember how she had failed to do the same against The Army of The Dead (armed with two). The whole city was rendered spectacularly to rubble, with the streets filled with bodies, and building ablaze or toppling down. The end is near: Daenerys obliterated Kings Landing, the Red Keep, and Greyjoys fleet (second time lucky) with such ease (with one dragon) you struggled to remember how she had failed to do the same against The Army of The Dead (armed with two) And yet Jon Snow, Tyrion, Euron, Jaime, Cersei, Arya, and The Hound dodged it all, along with every sword or weapon aimed at them for what felt like several hours so that they could fulfil their own personal denouements. Writers David Benioff and director Manuel Sapochnik did a good job conveying the horror of war, using sweeping violins, poetic slow-mo, and the bloody demise of women, children, and unarmed, innocent men. But it was nothing we hadnt seen before in films like Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, or Dunkirk. Winter is here: And yet Jon Snow, Tyrion, Euron, Jaime, Cersei (pictured), Arya, and The Hound dodged it all, along with every sword or weapon aimed at them for what felt like several hours so that they could fulfil their own personal denouements They would have been better off making the big developments in the storyline more surprising or subtle. Appropriately for a series about war, The Bells showed Game Of Thrones had battle fatigue. Lets hope next weeks showdown between Jon Snow and Daenerys is better. Who will win? Lets hope next weeks showdown between Jon Snow and Daenerys is better 10 big flaws with the penultimate episode of Game Of Thrones: 1. Daenerys Some viewers complained that the way Dany abandoned her principles (everything shed ever stood for) and descended into butchery was irrational or rash. In fact if anything it was too predictable to Varys and us anyway, if not Jon and Tyrion. They say every time a Targaryen is born the Gods toss a coin and the world holds its breath, the Spider told the dwarf. We both know what shes about to do. In a fable about power, and the hunger for absolute power corrupting absolutely, it was inevitable much like Varys execution. But the way she spared Tyrion, Jaime Lannister, and even her lover Jon surely made less sense. If anything their betrayals were much greater than his. It was not Tyrions first mistake either and her warning next time you fail me is the last time you fail me didnt sit with her ruthlessness towards Varys or Kings Landing. Sansa trusted you to spread secrets that could destroy your own queen, she hissed. And you did not let her down...Varys knows the truth because you told him. You learned from Sansa and she learned from Jon, though I begged him not to tell her...He betrayed me. 2. Varys Probably the most under-rated, under-used Game Of Thrones character, Varys had known more kings and queens than any man living, as he pointed out to Jon, and survived them all. In fact hed turned survival, seamlessly switching sides, into an artform. So it was unlikely that hed have allowed Daenerys to come for him without conceiving some sort of escape, especially as he knew Tyrion disagreed with his view Jon would make a better ruler. Finally the way her dragon simply torched Varys was a disappointingly, uncharacteristically, coarse form of execution. Rash: Some viewers complained that the way Dany abandoned her principles (everything shed ever stood for) and descended into butchery was irrational or rash 3. Tyrion Tyrions sustained faith in Daenerys being a benevolent, moral, candidate to rule the Seven Kingdoms was never very convincing. Tyrion wasnt ever idealistic let alone naive and, given his acute intelligence, ignoring Varys judgement/counsel just didnt add up either. He had already been suckered by Cersei and Jaime so shouldnt have swallowed Danys promise to hold back after a surrender. Obviously, family is everything in GoT. Tyrion releasing his brother (returning the favour) made sense but urging Jaime to save Cersei (telling him to escape and start a new life) ?? Nope, just dont see Tyrion doing that especially as it was before Dany went on the rampage. 4. Jon Snow The peoples beloved leader and a great warrior (well supposedly) had another ineffectual week. He fell off his dragon in the last battle, no matter what Tormund said, and here he did basically nothing standing around in vain as Daenerys and Grey Worm ran amok. Still at least he pulled back from kissing Khaleesi (for once). Is that all I am to you? Your queen? she purred, moving in for a snog until the thought running through his mind no youre also my auntie got the better of him. 5. Euron Dany obliterated the Greyjoys fleet but as luck would have it, Euron escaped untouched washing up on the shore exactly where Jaime Lannister was. The fight between them taking turns to nearly kill the other was just cliched while Eurons failure to polish Jaime off inexplicable. 6. Jaime Lannister Jaimes whirlwind romance with Brienne, like Sansa Starks sudden affection for Theon, seemed to come out of nowhere - and go so quickly the writers were virtually admitting it was a convenient, cursory, subplot for just an episode. Literally, a one-night stand... The way he survived so many blows, cheated death, turned the tables on Euron Greyjoy, then got up and walked off to find Cersei seemingly unharmed was worthy of Monty Python or The Bionic Man. Unconvincing: Tyrions sustained faith in Daenerys being a benevolent, moral, candidate to rule the Seven Kingdoms was never very convincing 7. Cersei The way she sneaked past The Hound on the stairs, leaving him to fight The Mountain, was comical but her demise seriously ridiculous. I want our baby to live. I want our baby to live! she sobbed, pleading: dont let me die Jaime. Please dont let me die. Nothing else matters, only us! her brother cooed, before they were crushed in an avalanche of rubble. The swathes of violins suggested the show genuinely thought it was romantic. More importantly, after so many enemies through the years, it wasnt an exit befitting Game Of Thrones best character. 8. The Hound and The Mountain The long-awaited showdown between The Hound and The Mountain was another comical anti-climax a fight between two indestructible knights worthy of Monty Python. And after what seemed like several hours of impaling one another, the result was a draw with The Hound shoving The Mountain through the wall, and falling with him to their death. 9. Qyburn Qyburns demise on the other hand was undeservedly brief and blunt: one shove by The Mountain, disobeying his masters command to stand by Cersei, and GoTs Frankenstein was gone. 10. Arya The young Stark girl was another character who miraculously survived the fighting, avoiding all the dragons flames and falling masonry etc. More ridiculous was the way that - despite travelling all that way to assassinate Cersei - (eventually) Arya accepted The Hounds advice/order to forget it and just...went home. Having turned into some sort of Ninja, it was a surprise to see her being crushed by a load of peasants. And having killed The Night King youd have thought she would fancy her chances with Cersei - rather than take The Hounds word for it that either the Dothraki or the fire would get her. Or maybe that dragon will eat her. The image of her leaving on the white horse (presumably a symbol of innocence and peace) was another cliche: poetic certainly, but only in a way an advert might be a Guinness commercial for instance. Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas has said her son Mark should replace Darcey Bussell on the BBC dancing panel. It sent shockwaves through the dance floor when Darcey announced she was going to be leaving the show in April after six years. Naturally Shirley, 58, gushed her child, 32, would be a great choice for the show as she said she would love to bring a 'mother and son dynamic' to the panel. 'Love to have a mother and son dynamic': Strictly's Shirley Ballas claimed her Dancing With The Stars son Mark should replace Darcey Bussell on BBC dancing panel (pictured in 2015) She told The Sun: 'My son would love it and I would love a mother and son dynamic on the panel... 'I know our new executive producer has some brilliant ideas and I think you'll be really enthralled. 'I think they go up a notch every year and I think this year you'll be quite surprised...I embrace change, I think change is always good.' Surprise: It sent shockwaves through the dance floor when Darcey (pictured in April 2019, London) announced she was going to be leaving the show in April after six years The current serving panel now consists of Head Judge Shirley alongside Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel-Horwood. Shirley's son has heaps of experience as a professional ballroom dancer on the ABC program Dancing With The Stars for more than a decade after starting in 2007. While the head judge admitted Darcey leaving had left a 'hole in her heart', she has now been eyeing up the spot for her son. Next phase: Naturally Shirley, 58, gushed her child would be a great choice for the show as she said she would love to bring a 'mother and son dynamic' to the panel (pictured in 2014) In April, Darcey insisted she wasn't leaving because she was upset and she lamented she would miss everyone from the show very much. She said: 'It has been a complete privilege for me to be part of Strictly, working with such a talented team. 'I have enjoyed every minute of my time and will miss everyone from my fellow judges, the presenters, the dancers, the musicians, the entire back stage team, and especially the viewers of the show, who have been so supportive. Line-up: The current serving panel now consists of Head Judge Shirley alongside Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel-Horwood (pictured with Shirley and Darcey in August 2017) 'I am not leaving because of any upset or disagreement at all, I am just stepping away to give more focus to my many other commitments in dance, after seven truly wonderful years that I cant imagine having gone any better. 'I know I will miss being part of this unique show and the fact that it celebrates dance is something I am so passionate about. I hope that I may be very lucky to be asked back again one day.' Head judge Len Goodman left in 2017 after 12 years and caused ructions when he was replaced by dance legend Shirley whose appointment was announced the following May. New journey: Darcey revealed it had been a 'privilege' to work on Strictly but was stepping down to give more focus to her 'other commitments in dance' Last year, it was claimed there was 'simmering tension' between Darcey and Shirley, yet the former shot down these claims. Darcey told The Daily Telegraph: 'Of course I get on with Shirley. Shes hysterical, shes got a great sense of humour, and I totally respect her amazing amount of knowledge. Shes great to be with.' Following the suggestion that only women have to face such rumours, she pushed: 'Funny that I dont know why that is. Maybe we ask for it? Im not sure. If we were in two suits, I wonder if they would treat us differently.' Ben Affleck and his ex-wife Jennifer Garner stepped out for a stroll in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood on Monday morning. The former Daredevil co-stars - who officially divorced in October - were both carrying coffee mugs as they chatted on a sidewalk. The 45-year-old Boston native and the Texan-born, West Virginia-raised 46-year-old have remained impressively amicable ever since their 2015 legal separation. Amicable: Ben Affleck and his ex-wife Jennifer Garner stepped out for a stroll in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood on Monday morning Officially divorced in October: The former Daredevil co-stars were both carrying coffee mugs as they chatted on a sidewalk Bearded Ben layered up in a grey T-shirt, charcoal sweater, beige blazer, black jeans, and matching sneakers. Jen was dressed more casually in a grey hoodie over a black T-shirt, matching leggings, and sneakers. Despite their split, Garner helped stage an intervention for Affleck and subsequently supported his 40-day alcohol rehab stint at a Northern LA facility in 2017 - according to TMZ. 'I'm lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen,' the Triple Frontier action star - who boasts 8.4M social media followers - wrote on Facebook at the time. Close: The 45-year-old Boston native and the Texan-born, West Virginia-raised 46-year-old have remained impressively amicable ever since their 2015 legal separation Salt and pepper: Bearded Ben layered up in a grey T-shirt, charcoal sweater, beige blazer, black jeans, and matching sneakers People's Most Beautiful Person: Jen was dressed more casually in a grey hoodie over a black T- shirt, matching leggings, and sneakers Caring: Despite their split, Garner helped stage an intervention for Affleck and subsequently supported his 40-day alcohol rehab stint at a Northern LA facility in 2017 The Triple Frontier action star wrote on Facebook at the time: 'I'm lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I've done the work I set out to do' '[She] has supported me and cared for our kids as I've done the work I set out to do. This was the first of many steps being taken towards a positive recovery.' Affleck's street sighting came a day after his Mother's Day tribute to People's Most Beautiful Person, which involved donations to Dignity for Incarcerated Women and National Bail Out. The two-time Oscar winner gushed on Facebook about Garner and his mother Christine Anne Boldt, whom he described as 'two incredible mothers who have shown me the meaning of love.' Ben and Jen are amicably co-parenting their 13-year-old daughter Violet, 10-year-old daughter Seraphina, and seven-year-old son Samuel. 'In their honor': Affleck's street sighting came a day after his Mother's Day tribute to Jen, which involved donations to Dignity for Incarcerated Women and National Bail Out Matriarchs: The two-time Oscar winner gushed about Garner and his mother Christine Anne Boldt, whom he described as 'two incredible mothers who have shown me the meaning of love' 2017 family portrait: Ben and Jen are amicably co-parenting their 13-year-old daughter Violet, 10-year-old daughter Seraphina, and seven-year-old son Samuel On Monday, George Clooney revealed that he warned Affleck against playing DC Comics superhero Batman in Batman v Superman (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), and Justice League (2017). 'I actually did talk to him about it. I said, "Don't do it,"' the 58-year-old silver fox told THR's Awards Chatter podcast. 'It was only from my experience, which is, you know...He did great, though.' The two-time Oscar winner said he only received $5M to play the caped crusader in Joel Schumacher's universally-panned three-quel Batman & Robin back in 1997, and admitted he 'wasn't good in it.' Don't do it! On Monday, George Clooney revealed that he warned Affleck against playing DC Comics superhero Batman in Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League (pictured in 2017) The 58-year-old silver fox told THR's Awards Chatter podcast: 'I actually did talk to him about it. I said, "Don't do it." It was only from my experience, which is, you know...He did great, though' She was left heartbroken when she was brutally dumped by Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins on Bachelor In Paradise last year. Now, Cassandra Wood, who debuted her new boyfriend Tyson Davis last month, has revealed the 'funny' albeit awkward moment her current flame was introduced to her ex. In a Q&A video published on YouTube on Monday, the 24-year-old blonde, who appeared alongside her rugby player beau, said the pair 'bumped into' the ex-Wallabies star, 31, at the Manly Wharf Hotel in Sydney's northern beaches last week. 'If you see Nick (Cummins) in public would you say hey?' one fan asked the couple. 'This is actually funny because we bumped into Nick the other week. Of course I would say hello because we're still friends,' Cassandra answered. She continued: 'But Tyson and I were out in Manly at the Wharf Bar and we saw him and we said hello.' Cassandra went on to reveal Tyson and Nick were 'introduced to one another' during the undoubtedly uncomfortable run-in. 'We bumped into him!' Bachelor in Paradise's Cassandra Wood has revealed the awkward moment her new boyfriend Tyson Davis was introduced to her former fling Nick Cummins (right) Tyson said he felt Nick didn't know the pair were officially together at the time, explaining: 'At that point I don't think he knew we were dating because it was still kind of hush, hush.' 'It was a secret, but we were holding hands,' Cassandra countered with a smile. Cassandra and Nick sparked controversy after it was revealed early on during last year's season of The Bachelor that they had dated before the show. The blonde model previously told Yahoo! Be she first met Nick on her 23rd birthday in August 2017, one year before their on-screen reunion. Run-in with the ex! In a Q&A video published on YouTube on Monday, the 24-year-old blonde, who appeared alongside her rugby player beau, said the pair 'bumped into' the ex-Wallabies star, 31, at the Manly Wharf Hotel in Sydney's northern beaches last week And in October last year, Cassandra hinted that she did in fact sleep with the former Wallaby. During an appearance on KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie 'O' show, she laughed nervously and said she wanted to keep their sex life it private 'out of respect' for Nick. Meanwhile, Tyson, who plays for Warringah Rugby Club, first met Cassandra in 2017, but things didn't work out. Saucy news: Cassandra and Nick sparked controversy after it was revealed early on during last year's season of The Bachelor that they had dated before the show Fortunately, the pair reconnected late last year after she returned from filming Bachelor in Paradise in Fiji. They were secretly dating for months before Cassandra confirmed their romance last month on Instagram, when her final Bachelor In Paradise episode aired. She shared a loved-up selfie of the couple on the popular app, alongside the caption: 'I can gladly say I'm the happiest I've ever been.' Former flames: Both Nick and Cassandra have previously downplayed their fling, insisting they only dated casually Cassandra's last days in Paradise were filmed in December 2018, but did not air until last month. She left the Fijian resort in tears after Richie Strahan, 33, said he didn't see a future with her. Explaining his decision, Richie said: 'You're in Sydney. I'm in Perth... It's probably the biggest thing that's playing on my mind. 'I have gone down this avenue before and I know how hard this would be and I know it's going to potentially do a lot of damage. Not just to you, Cass, but to me as well. 'It's so cliche to say, "It's not you, it's me". But it's not me and it's not you.' Netflix has released the first trailer for its new anthology series What/If, starring Renee Zellweger. The show is described as a, 'neo-noir social thriller' that delves into the, 'ripple effects of what happens when acceptable people start doing unacceptable things.' The first season of this anthology series focuses on Anne Montgomery (Zellweger), a wealthy San Francisco woman who makes a 'dubious offer' to a pair of 'cash-strapped newlyweds.' New trailer: Netflix has released the first trailer for its new anthology series What/If, starring Renee Zellweger The trailer begins with a shot of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, as a storm is brewing, while Zellweger's Anne Montgomery is heard in a voice over. 'If you want a life of purpose, you can try inverting the notion that everything happens for a reason,' she says, while seen overlooking this storm. There is also a shot of her book, At Any Cost: Women, Money and Getting What You're Worth,' with Montgomery also described on the book cover as 'the voice of the investment revolution.' Purpose: The trailer begins with a shot of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, as a storm is brewing, while Zellweger's Anne Montgomery is heard in a voice over There are then shots of other random characters, such as a couple kissing passionately, another holding hands and an EMT rushing someone into a hospital, and two guys drinking at a gay bar. 'All your efforts, personal, professional, carnal, you must be willing to make the hard choices, do the unpleasant thing, risk your most valuable assets,' Montgomery continues. There are also shots of Samantha Marie Ware's Angela knocking on a door, with Dave Annable's Dr. Ian Harris answering it, causing her to leave. Reaction: There are also shots of Samantha Marie Ware's Angela knocking on a door, with Dave Annable's Dr. Ian Harris answering it, causing her to leave John Clarence Stewart's Lionel is also seen peeking into a room while slowly opening the door, along with a few cryptic shots that suggest a dead body. 'Because nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without sacrifice,' Montgomery concludes.' Montgomery is also seen chatting with the aforementioned 'cash-strapped newlyweds,' Sean (Blake Jenner) and Lisa (Jane Levy). Newlyweds: Montgomery is also seen chatting with the aforementioned 'cash-strapped newlyweds,' Sean (Blake Jenner) and Lisa (Jane Levy) Montgomery asks them that, since they are so close to 'greatness,' if there are any limitations to what they would sacrifice, asking if she could spend a night alone with Sean. 'Would that be an acceptable condition of a firm offer to finance your company?' Montgomery says to the shocked couple. Montgomery's partner Foster (Louis Herthum) warns Anne that, 'things could get dangerous very quickly,' along with a number of random shots including someone getting hit by a car. Partners: Montgomery's partner Foster (Louis Herthum) warns Anne that, 'things could get dangerous very quickly,' along with a number of random shots including someone getting hit by a car Angela: Angela is seen angrily telling Montgomery that she made a mistake and, 'I do not deserve to lose everything Angela is seen angrily telling Montgomery that she made a mistake and, 'I do not deserve to lose everything,' while Lisa says that, 'regret is all I've felt since the moment we've met.' Foster tells Montgomery that the worst kind of victim is the one who creates another, with Montgomery responding angrily that she is no one's victim. The final scenes of the trailer feature Montgomery ask Lisa if she's sure if this is the choice she wants to make, with Lisa saying she's not who she thinks she is. 'True success comes at any cost,' Montgomery says as the trailer ends, with the limited series debuting May 24 on Netflix. Regret: Lisa says that, 'regret is all I've felt since the moment we've met' Foster: Foster tells Montgomery that the worst kind of victim is the one who creates another Karlie Kloss is brains, beauty and bronze. And on Monday, she was honored for her work in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields at the annual Liberty Science Center Genius Gala 8 in New Jersey. Kloss, 26, rocked a stylish black dress as she received a STEM Award for the work she does through her organization, Kode With Klossy. Fierce woman: On Monday, Karlie Kloss, 30, received a STEM Award at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey The supermodel turned entrepreneur donned a stunning black velvet dress for the esteemed occasion. Wrapping around her neck, the dress came up to under her chin and covered her arms completely as well. A ruffled black embellishment was featured on the side of the modest look complete with black polka dot tights. Stylishly sophisticated: The supermodel turned entrepreneur donned a stunning black velvet dress for the esteemed occasion Karlie wore her hair slicked back into a high bun with strands pulled out on either side to frame her face. The yearly gala is held to honor 'visionary' women and men of science. This year, five movers and shakers were recognized, with Kloss among them. Being a New York University graduate who studied coding, Karlie started a free coding camp for girls after earning her degree. The camp is why the Victoria's Secret model was chosen for the honor. You go girl! Being a New York University graduate who studied coding, Karlie started a free coding camp for girls after earning her degree Kode With Klossy is free of charge, with its' mission solely to teach young women about the world of technology. The camp's site explains the offer saying, 'Our two-week summer program for young women 13 to 18 years old will teach you to build real-life apps whether youve never written a line of code or youre a full-fledged hacker.' Joshue Kushner's wife has been vocal about her love of coding and after attending a two-week course at the Flatiron School, Kloss donated a scholarship to the school for 20 young women to study coding. According to the organization's website the innovators who were handed awards at the gala join a list of 'modern geniuses honored annually at our Genius Gala ceremony.' 'Honorees are chosen not only for their singular brilliance, but also for allowing a spark of creativity to ignite their ideas and open up whole new realms of discovery,' the site explained. Powerful group: According to the organization's website the innovators who were handed awards at the gala join a list of 'modern geniuses honored annually at our Genius Gala ceremony' Thought leaders: Also honored were Martine Rothblatt, Chris Messina and Sally and Bennett Shaywitz Also honored were Martine Rothblatt, Chris Messina and Sally and Bennett Shaywitz. The center boasted having the model in their presence through a post praising her on Twitter. ' Supermodel, entrepreneur, and Project Runway host Karlie Kloss is here at the #GeniusGala! Shes receiving the Strides in STEM Award for her work through her nonprofit Kode With Klossy' the tweet read. Hostess with the mostess: She happily addressed the crowd at the gala Proud sis: Karlie brought her sister, Kariann with her to the event. She also has two other sisters, Kimberly and Kristine Karlie brought her sister, Kariann with her to the event. She also has two other sisters, Kimberly and Kristine. Not seen with Karlie was husband Kushner, whom she first met in June 2012. In July 2018, the couple became engaged and married in October of last year. The high-profile couple have managed to keep their relationship as private as possible. Jasmine Yarbrough is major fixture on Sydney's social scene, thanks to her celebrity friends and cult shoe label Mara & Mine. And the 35-year-old wife of Karl Stefanovic was dressed to impress on Tuesday as she attended day three of Australian Fashion Week. Looking sharp in a double-breasted beige jacket, she was joined at Sydney's Carriageworks by her business partner Tamie Ingham. Stylish: Jasmine Stefanovic looked sharp in a double-breasted jacket while attending a Fashion Week event at Sydney's Carriageworks with Mara & Mine co-founder Tamie Ingham on Tuesday Jasmine paired her quirky jacket with matching cropped trousers and a white turtleneck sweater. Her accessories consisted of tan coloured sandals and a sparkly silver shoulder bag. Tamie opted for a similar beige hue, wearing a sweater and silk dress cinched together with a thin black belt. Brilliant in beige! Jasmine, who is married to former Today host Karl Stefanovic, paired her quirky jacket with a white turtleneck sweater and sparkly handbag She completed her outfit with black sandals and a brown handbag. Jasmine has attended several Fashion Week events already, including Aje's opening show on Sunday and Tigerlily's runway on Monday. The former model recently confirmed she has legally taken her husband's surname, and is now known as Jasmine Stefanovic. Twinning! Tamie Ingham (left) opted for a similar beige hue, wearing a sweater and silk dress cinched together with a thin black belt Jasmine told The Daily Telegraph that the process of updating her official papers and IDs was a lengthy process. 'I'm changing everything over at the moment,' she said. 'I'm getting there slowly. There's a lot to do!' Jasmine met Karl, 44, in December 2016, just five months after he separated from his first wife Cassandra Thorburn. They married in Mexico on December 8. She enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a fashion model for several years. So Erika Heynatz no doubt felt right at home as she attended Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney on Tuesday. While she wasn't on the catwalk, the blonde bombshell, 44, posed up a storm for the cameras in a pretty printed mini dress. Legs eleven... out of ten! Home and Away star Erika Heynatz, 44, flaunted her trim pins in a figure-hugging mini dress at Fashion Week in Sydney on Tuesday Sporting a deep golden glow, the former Home and Away star showed off her long trim pins in the red and white frock. Her dress featured a high neck and long bell sleeves, and was teamed with nude pointed heels. The mother-of-one wore her long locks out and over her shoulders, neatly straightened, and perfectly applied makeup, including dewy foundation, lashings of mascara and a nude lip. Flawless! The mother-of-one wore her long locks out and over her shoulders, neatly straightened, and perfectly applied makeup, including dewy foundation, lashings of mascara and a nude lip Erika also attended Fashion Week on Monday, stunning in a printed beige blouse and skirt. 'The very serious business of Fashion Week,' Erika captioned an Instagram snap from the day, where she posed for photos outside Carriageworks. The musical theatre star previously spoke about her favourite budget fashion brands, telling Mamamia back in 2015 that she loves Top Shop and Zara. 'The very serious business of Fashion Week': Erika also attended Fashion Week on Monday, stunning in a printed beige blouse and skirt 'Within a couple of weeks of the fashion shows they release their own versions of the collections. It's great disposable seasonal wear,' Erika told the publication at the time. She also spoke about her favourite workouts and how she keeps in great shape, saying she loves yoga and using the spin bike at the gym. She added that the spin bike helped her keep fit during her pregnancy. 'It's a great, low-impact exercise that still gets the heart rate up and maintains fitness levels even during third trimester,' Erika said. Erika is married to long-term partner Andrew Kingston, with the pair sharing one son together, Charlie, three. C-listers may have been reportedly banned from attending Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week Australia this year. But that didn't stop Bachelor In Paradise's Megan Marx, 30, and Elora Murger, 28, from finding their way into the prestigious event this Tuesday. Looking proud as punch, the reality TV rejects gleefully posed arm-in-arm ahead of the We Are Kindred runway show at Sydney's Carriageworks. Who let them in again? Bachelor rejects Elora Murger, 28 (left) and Megan Marx, 30, (right) returned to MBFWA for day three on Tuesday... despite claims C-listers have been banned from attending Self-published novelist Megan courted attention with her skin-baring ensemble, which consisted of a plunging black leotard, brown-and-black maxi skirt and fluffy maroon coat. The reality TV star completed her look with a pair of open-toe gold sandals and allowed her raven locks to fall loosely by her shoulders. Meanwhile, Elora, who now owns her own food truck business, pushed the boundaries of style in her sheer mesh dress, graphic-print duster jacket and white cowboy boots. Busting out again! Self-published novelist Megan courted attention with her skin-baring ensemble, which consisted of a plunging black leotard, brown-and-black maxi skirt and fluffy maroon coat Sporting a luminous tan, Elora completed her look with a pair of gold hoop earrings. It's the third day in a row that Megan and Elora have been spotted rubbing shoulders with Australia's style elite at MBFWA - despite rumours that C-listers have been banned this year. On Monday, a report emerged claiming that 'wannabe social climber nobodies' weren't welcome at the week-long fashion industry event. Not her first rodeo! Meanwhile,Elora pushed the boundaries of style in her sheer mesh dress, graphic-print duster jacket and white cowboy boots A fashion publicist reportedly told The Sydney Morning Herald: 'If you haven't supported the brand or the PR all year and think you are getting onto the front row - think again.' The insider added: 'Editors, buyers, digital influencers and content creators are in and C-list reality wannabe social climber nobodies are out.' The source also claimed that any opportunists who try to snag a seat on the front row that wasn't assigned to them will be swiftly turned away. 'We have people dedicated to finding individuals not in their assigned seat and politely returning them to their allocated position,' they said. She's a well-known actress but it was in her role as a director that Olivia Wilde walked the red carpet for in Los Angeles on Monday night. The former House star made her feature directorial debut with the comedy Booksmart and after playing at film festivals, it's set to open in theatres on May 24. And Olivia, 35, looked gorgeous in a red pantsuit with a red pussy-bow blouse as she arrived for the special screening alongside proud fiance Jason Sudeikis. Helmer: She's a well-known actress but it was in her role as a director that Olivia Wilde walked the red carpet in Los Angeles on Monday night at a screening of the comedy Booksmart Wilde's jacket was decorated with red rhinestones on the shoulders and pockets. The tailored trousers were flared and fell over her shoes. She wore her shoulder-length blonde hair with a slightly off-center parting and curled at the ends. She was supported on her big night by her partner Jason Sudeikis, 43, with whom she shares two young children. Couple goals: Wilde was supported on her big night by her partner Jason Sudeikis, 43, with whom she shares two young children Stylish star: The 35-year-old looked gorgeous in a red pantsuit with a red pussy-bow blouse as she arrived for the special screening Lady in red: Wilde's jacket was decorated with red rhinestones on the shoulders and pockets. She wore her shoulder-length hair with a slightly off-center parting and curled at the ends All together now: (L-R) Olivia Wilde, Kaitlyn Dever, Will Ferrell, Beanie Feldstein and producer Jessica Elbaum reunited on the red carpet ahead of the special screening Booksmart revolves around two overachieving high school seniors played by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. On the day of graduation, the pair start to think they should have worked less and played more and so they decide to try and pack four years of partying into one night. 'There hasn't been a movie about two female best friends since Bridesmaids that really, really felt authentic to me,' she explained during a recent interview on iHeartRadio. 'I was like, 'I want to make something that feels funny and authentic and also to celebrate smart girls who aren't trying to assimilate',' she added. 'I knew it could be so funny and important.' Say cheese: (L-R) Writer Katie Silberman, director Olivia Wilde and producer Jessica Elbaum posed for a photo at the after-party later that night In good company: The star was also joined by actress Beanie Feldstein, the sister of Jonah Hill, who plays a key role in the new film Side by side: Olivia and Jessica were in high spirits as they celebrated the launch of their new film on Monday night Dever and Feldstein were on hand for the screening as were their co-stars Billie Lourd, Molly Gordon and Lisa Kudrow. Also there was Will Ferrell who served as executive producer on the film. A special guest was actor Jonah Hill who is Feldstein's older brother and who has been championing her performance in this movie. Feldstein, 25, sparkled in a sleeveless black gown decorated with multicolored sequins and with a black sash around the waist. Hill, 35, wore a black hoodie that identified him as 'Beanie's brother' and paired it with black trousers and a pair of Adidas trainers. Comedy: Booksmart revolves around two graduating high school seniors played by Beanie and Kaitlyn Dever, who decide to try and pack four years of partying into one night Leading role: Feldstein, 25, sparkled in a sleeveless black gown decorated with multicolored sequins and with a black sash around the waist Family: A special guest was actor Jonah Hill, Feldstein's older brother, who has been championing her performance in this movie Proud sibling: Hill, 35, wore a black hoodie that identified him as 'Beanie's brother' and paired it with black trousers and a pair of Adidas trainers Dever, 22, was all business in a white shirt with cuffs buttoned up at the collar. She added tailored black pants and wore a bright pink scarf knotted around her waist. The actress stepped out in platform-soled peep-toe shoes that revealed her pink pedicure. Gordon, 23, walked the red carpet in a plush black mini dress with a low-cut square neckline. The outfit had short sleeves and she wore black sandal heels. On trend: Dever, 22, paired a white shirt and black pants with a pink scarf knotted around her waist. She stepped out in platform-soled peep-toe shoes that revealed her pink pedicure Leggy look: Molly Gordon, 23, walked the red carpet in a plush black mini dress with a low-cut square neckline. The outfit had short sleeves and she wore black sandal heels Famous face: Billie Lourd looked lovely in an ankle-length floral print halter dress. The actress, 26, wore her hair in a high bun and posed up a storm in black sandal heels Lourd looked lovely in an ankle-length floral print halter dress. The red outfit hugged her curves and featured a flounce hem and the 26-year-old, who wore her hair in a high bun, posed up a storm in black sandal heels. Kudrow, 55, brought along as her date her son Julian Murray Stern, 21. The former Friends star was stylish in a sage green blouse and white slacks while her only child with husband Michel Stern wore a brown zipper jacket over a black t-shirt with black jeans and two-tone sneakers. Other guests who showed up for the screening included Busy Philipps and Chrishell Hartley Night out: Lisa Kudrow, 55, who has a role in the movie, brought along as her date her son Julian Murray Stern, 21 Looking good: The former Friends star was stylish in a sage green blouse and white slacks that she wore with pointed toe heels Sweet embrace: Lisa hugged Kaitlyn Dever, 22, who sported a glamorous diamante pin hairdo Special moment: Kaitlyn later embraced Noah Galvin as they celebrated at the after-party on Monday evening Pals: The Friends icon posed for a snap with the Bad Teacher star, who appears in Wilde's upcoming film Dapper: Will Ferrell served as executive producer on the film and arrived in a gray two-piece suit with a natty blue check shirt and blue silk tie On the guest list: Busy Philipps, left, stood out in a hot pink mini dress and animal print heels while Chrishell Hartley, right, opted for a strapless tasseled white dress and silver sandals Date night: Busy was joined by her husband Marc Silverstein for the celebrations Cast shot: Wilde posed for a photo with her leading ladies, Ferrell and producer Jessica Elbaum, far right In the spotlight: Wilde took the stage ahead of the screening to greet the audience and say a few words about Booksmart Here come the girls: Olivia appeared in high spirits as she posed with Katie and Jessica Her time to shine: Olivia and Jessica chatted away as they sipped on cocktails before the director embraced leading lady Beanie Close: (L-R) Jason Sudeikis, Olivia Wilde, Kristen Wiig and Avi Rothman Movie night: Will looked dapper in her dark grey sit as he rubbed shoulders with a casually-clad Jonas Romance: Hill brought along his girlfriend Gianna Santos to the screening of his sister's movie Posing up a storm: Molly Gordon (L) and Billie Lourd (R) played coy for the cameras Festivities: Noah Galvin and Billie looked like they were having a blast at the party Pouty: Beanie and Molly puckered up for the cameras She may be a Victoria's Secret model and David Jones ambassador. But it seems Victoria Lee, 28, is just as Instagram-obsessed as the rest of us, as she was busted scrolling through the app at Fashion Week on Tuesday. While posing for photos backstage at the exclusive event, Victoria was caught out when she accidentally flashed a glimpse at her mobile phone screen. Can't keep her hands off! Model Victoria Lee, 28, was busted scrolling through Instagram while posing for photos at Fashion Week on Tuesday Embarrassingly, Victoria was mid-way checking her Instagram feed at the time. Despite the slip-up, the catwalk model managed to redeem herself with a stellar outfit, which included a button-up denim top with flared sleeves. Her striking top was matched with a pair of flared black jeans that highlighted her slender pins. Whoops! While posing for photos backstage at the exclusive event, Victoria was caught out when she accidentally flashed a glimpse at her mobile phone screen She completed the sleek ensemble with a pair of black patent boots and a cross-body handbag by Dior. Victoria emerged in the spotlight after walking for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret at the 2017 Shanghai Fashion Show. Late last year, she was announced as an ambassador for high-end department store David Jones, following in the footsteps of Megan Gale and Miranda Kerr. Flare for fashion! Despite the slip-up, the catwalk model managed to redeem herself with a stellar outfit, which included a button-up denim top with flared sleeves Speaking to Grazia about working with the retail giant, Victoria said: 'To be a part of such an iconic Australian brand family is something thats very special to me. Victoria hails from the town of Narrandera in rural New South Wales, but is now based in New York. Discussing her humble beginnings, the slender glamazon recently told The Daily Telegraph: 'Growing up in Nerrandera, [my parents] instilled in my brother and me, a very strong work ethic, knowing whats important, doing the best you can, and being a good person.' Married At First Sight star Dan Webb's new flame Vanessa Sierra is anything but shy. The brunette model, who recently split with Jessika Power's brother Rhyce, stripped naked for a racy photo shoot in Melbourne on Monday. Posing on what appeared to be a rooftop car park in the city, the 24-year-old was completely naked at one stage. Naked ambition! Dan Webb's new flame Vanessa Sierra stripped naked for an outdoor photo shoot in Melbourne on Monday Keeping on her trainers and white socks, she left very little to the imagination as she showed off her best angles. Despite temperatures dropping below 10 degrees on Monday, the beauty proved to be professional, managing to smoulder through the chill. The French-Australian model, who has a Master's in computer science, also posed in racy lingerie for the shoot. Professional! Posing on what appeared to be a roof top car park in the city, the 24-year-old modeled some racy lingerie before disrobing completely She's not shy! The French-Australian model, who has a Master's in computer science, also flaunted her pert derriere in a G-string Squatting down on the concrete, Vanessa seductively pushed her left hand through her hair while pouting for the photographer. Her heavily tattooed arm was on full display, giving the shoot an edgy twist. In another take, Vanessa was seen flaunting her pert derriere in a G-string. While posing from behind, a light breeze subtly blew her hair as the setting sun gave her an autumnal glow. Love square! Prior to finding romance with each other, Dan dated his co-star Jessika Power; while Vanessa was in a relationship with Jessika's brother, Rhyce The pictures come after Vanessa was recently spotted getting intimate with Dan. Prior to finding romance with each other, Dan dated his co-star Jessika Power; while Vanessa was in a relationship with Jessika's brother, Rhyce. Taking a swipe at the new couple, Rhyce shared on a meme on Sunday reading: 'Happiness is seeing your ex with someone uglier than you.' Following their break-up, Vanessa publicly accused Rhyce of assaulting her at a Thai fitness camp in March. As previously reported, Vanessa cut her holiday in Thailand short and returned to Australia to file for an intervention order. Under the Victorian intervention order, which is similar to an apprehended violence order (AVO), the heavily-tattooed carpenter is banned from contacting Vanessa. Rhyce became an Instagram star and was dubbed the 'hot brother' after appearing on Married At First Sight for his sister's 'wedding' to farmer Mick Gould. They began dating last fall, but have been friends since 2016. And Camila Mendes looked ever so much in love with boyfriend Charles Melton, as the two stepped out at the premiere of his new film, The Sun is Also a Star, in Los Angeles. While on the red carpet, the couple over half a year couldn't contain their affection for each other. Head-over-heels: Camila Mendes, 24, looked ever so much in love with boyfriend Charles Melton, 28, as the two stepped out at the premiere of his new film, The Sun is Also a Star, in LA Very much in love: While on the red carpet, the couple over half a year couldn't contain their affection for each other Camila, 24, stepped out in a yellow-and-white tiered dress, complete with fan designs over her shoulders. The Brazilian beauty wore her pulled back in a high bun, drawing attention to her gorgeous Ruchi New York earrings. The actress kept her make-up to a minimum, choosing to highlight her natural beauty with a light bronze shadow and a neutral rose lip shade. Charles, 28, looked handsome in a gray suit, sans tie. Into her: Charles' attention was on his leading lady, and she's all in Attractive couple: The Riverdale star stepped out in a yellow-and-white tiered dress, complete with fans over her shoulders. Meanwhile, Charles looked handsome in a gray suit, sans tie Earlier in the day, Camila dedicated a sweet post to her boyfriend, ahead of his big premiere. 'Aside from having the biggest heart out of anyone i know, his passion and tenacity are part of the reason i fell in love with him,' she began, for part of the post. 'Watching him throw his entire heart and soul into this story of love taught me a lot about the kind of person he is. im probably sharing too much, but before we started dating hed often get mad at me for trying to bring logic into love. he taught me that love doesnt have an explanation, it either exists or it doesnt.' Charles responded in the best way he could, by telling her that he loved her. His biggest fan: Earlier in the day, Camila dedicated a sweet post to her boyfriend, ahead of his big premiere The Riverdale co-stars have been dating since at least last October, when Charles shared a picture of the duo on Instagram. Prior to their relationship, Camila was dating ex-boyfriend Victor Houston, from June 2018 until August. She reportedly was the one to end their relationship, according to E!. Their love: Camila and Charles have been dating since at least last October, when Charles shared a picture of the duo on Instagram There are times when it's hard to decide on what to wear - floral or polka dots. But Reese Witherspoon decided to do both, as she stepped out for dinner on Mother's Day on Sunday in Santa Monica, California. The 43-year-old actress looked stunning in a black and blue contrast print dress, which featured the differing patterns. True blue: Reese Witherspoon stepped out for dinner on Mother's Day on Sunday The left side of her dress featured polka dots and the right half was a petal print. She looked stunning as ever, and carried a small black leather clutch. The Legally Blonde star had her trademark blonde locks down and in a side parting. Quirky: The 43-year-old actress looked stunning in a black and blue contrast print dress, which featured the differing patterns The mother-of-three didn't remove her Raybans but appeared to be only wearing very light make-up and a little soft pink lip colour. Reese - who shares Ava, 19, and 15-year-old Deacon with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe and son Tennessee, 6, with husband Jim Toth - made sure to accesssorise with a variety of gold bangles and bracelets, and a heart pendant around her neck. The star was back on the West Coast after being spotted filming scenes alongside Jennifer Aniston for her latest project, The Morning Show. Mixing it up: The left side of her dress featured polka dots and the right half was a petal print Stylish: She looked stunning as ever, and carried a small black leather clutch Well-tressed: The Legally Blonde star had her trademark blonde locks down and in a side parting Shady lady: he mother-of-three didn't remove her Raybans but appeared to be only wearing very light make-up and a little soft pink lip colour Busy: The star was back on the West Coast after being spotted filming scenes alongside Jennifer Aniston for her latest project, The Morning Show Blings: The star ade sure to accesssorise with a variety of gold bangles and bracelets, and a heart pendant around her neck According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Morning Show is a drama that 'offers an inside look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning.' At an Apple event in Cupertino, Witherspoon said that The Morning Show 'is seen through the eyes of two ambitious, aspirational female characters'. Reese described the series as a 'high-velocity thrill ride in which we pose questions without easy answers and shine a light on the fault lines in our society at this very complicated cultural moment.' The show premieres this fall and has already been given the green light for two seasons, with a total of 20 episodes. She's starred on AMC's Fear The Walking Dead since 2015. Alycia Debnam-Carey, 25, showed off a sultry black dress at the premiere of her newest feature film, A Violent Separation, on Monday in Santa Monica, California. The Australian actress was joined by BlacKkKlansman star Laura Harrier, 29, who rocked a lovely floral print dress. Back in black: Alycia Debnam-Carey, 25, showed off a sultry black dress at the premiere of her newest feature film, A Violent Separation, on Monday in Santa Monica, California Alycia showed off her sculpted shoulders and cleavage with her black off-the-shoulder dress, which included straps around her upper arms. The 5ft5in Australian actress paired the dark look with a set of black open-toe heels. She had her raven locks tied back, but left a few strands to frame her lightly made-up face. A Violent Separation depicts a deputy sheriff in a small rural town who covers up a murder committed by his brother. Alycia stars as the sister of the victim, who begins to fall in love with the deputy sheriff. Trim figure: Alycia showed off her sculpted shoulders and cleavage with her black off-the-shoulder dress, which included straps around her upper arms Spring feel: Laura Harrier, 29, opted for a sheer white knee-length dress, which featured long sleeves and rode up to her neck Floral style: The brilliant white outfit was decorated with images of colorful crushed flowers Laura opted for a sheer white knee-length dress, which featured long sleeves and rode up to her neck. The brilliant white outfit was decorated with images of colorful crushed flowers. She matched the flowers with a pair of red suede heels and showed off a white pair of hoop earrings. Though she's not featured in the film, Laura was supporting Alycia, who co-starred with her in the unsold television pilot Galyntine. All business: Claire Holt, who plays Alycia's sister in the film, looked classy in a black and white houndstooth blazer with a prominent print Leggy display: She showed off her cleavage in the low-cut outfit, which featured a short black dress underneath Blonde beauty: The Vampire Diaries actress added in a pair of black heels mirror Alycia's, and let her wavy blonde hair cascade over her shoulders Claire Holt, who plays Alycia's sister in the film, looked classy in a black and white houndstooth blazer with a prominent print. She showed off her cleavage in the low-cut outfit, which featured a short black dress underneath. The Vampire Diaries actress added in a pair of black heels mirror Alycia's, and let her wavy blonde hair cascade over her shoulders. Also present were the film's male leads, Brenton Thwaites and Ben Robson. Thwaites stars as the deputy sheriff involved in a tricky romance, while Robson plays his loose cannon brother. Jules Robinson found love with Cameron Merchant on the last season of Australia's Married at First Sight. And although the buzz around the show has quietened down, the MAFS fan-favourite has remained in the spotlight. On Tuesday, the 37-year-old attended Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney. Stepping out: Married At First Sight's Jules Robinson put on a stylish display at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney on Tuesday Commanding attention and making sure all eyes were on her, the flame-haired beauty stunned in a conservative ensemble. She accessorised with a black belt which pulled her in at the waist and donned a pair of sleek black stilettos. Her makeup consisted of a soft natural palette with a metallic smokey eye and a soft pink lip for a touch of daytime glam. Jules' flame tresses were pulled back in a high quiff, which flattered her striking facial features. Soft and dewy: Her beauty look consisted of a soft natural palette with a metallic smokey-eye and a soft pink lip for a touch of daytime glam All smiles! The reality star looked every inch the A-listers as she schmoozed with celebrities Her appearance at Fashion Week is perfect timing given that Jules recently confirmed plans to launch her own line of shapewear called Figur by Jules. The former reality star, 37, confirmed the news to BW Magazine earlier this month. 'I like my curves. I embrace my body and I like wearing things that accentuate that,' she said. The in crowd! Jules mingled with former Big Brother star-turned-designer Aisha McKinnon The redhead added that she plans to create her own clothing line, as she often has requests from women about where she gets her clothes from. Since appearing on Married At First Sight, both Jules and fiance Cameron Merchant have signed with a top talent agency in Sydney. While Jules is planning to enter the fashion industry, Cam has expressed that he's keen to get into TV presenting or radio. They are often joined at high-profile events by their famous husbands, ex-NRL star Beau Ryan and Red Wiggle Simon Pryce. But on Tuesday, Kara Ryan and Lauren Hannaford enjoyed a girls' day out at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney. The two perfectly contrasted their attires in a pair of glamorous black and white dresses as they attended the Mariam Seddiq runway show at Carriageworks. Girls' day out! Kara Ryan (right) and Lauren Hannaford (left) flaunt their trim pins in neutral hues as they step out without their famous husbands at Fashion Week in Sydney Kara displayed a sharp look as she showed off her slim legs in the matching jet black dress and sparkling stilettos. The footy WAG also wore a pair of elegant purple drop earrings and tied her brunette locks back as she strode across a road with her long-term friend. Lauren, 32, meanwhile opted for a light-toned ensemble and flaunted her slender physique in a cream strapless dress and high heels. Coordinated looks: The two perfectly contrasted their attires in a pair of glamorous black and white dresses as they attended the Mariam Seddiq runway show at Carriageworks The former gymnast kept warm on what was a cool autumnal day as she walked with a matching jacket covering her shoulders. Lauren, who met Simon while touring with the Wiggles in 2011, accentuated her look with a pair of elegant drop earrings. And as she strolled purposefully around the venue, she showed off her flawless visage by tying back her blonde tresses and displaying her pearly whites. Celebrity company: Kara and her former sportsman star husband, Beau, are close friends of radio personality Jackie 'O' Henderson Kara and her former sportsman star husband are close friends of radio personality Jackie 'O' Henderson. Last year, Beau told Daily Mail Australia he and his wife had been helping to support Jackie during her separation from husband Lee Henderson. Lauren, a personal trainer, also stepped out with Simon at the launch of the LEGO Certified Store Launch at Bondi Junction in March. She's been keeping busy promoting her new workout programme, Beach Body with Lucy. And Lucy Mecklenburgh ensured she squeezed some quality time with her loved ones into her tight schedule as she enjoyed a refreshing stroll with her boyfriend Ryan Thomas and his mother Gail during their trip in Athens, Greece, on Monday afternoon. The former TOWIE star, 27, also ensured she spent some much-needed time alone with her other half, as she shared a loved-up swimwear clad snap with Ryan. Family time: Lucy Mecklenburgh, 27, enjoyed a refreshing stroll with her boyfriend Ryan Thomas and his mother Gail during their trip in Athens, Greece , on Monday afternoon Lucy displayed her flair for fashion as she slipped her gym-honed frame into a white belted jumpsuit, which showed off her bronzed tan. Opting for comfort with her choice of footwear, the fitness enthusiast wore a pair of navy canvas trainers. The brunette bombshell tied a trendy denim jacket around her waist, while carrying her possessions in a designer chain-strap handbag. Looking as chic as ever, Lucy protected her eyes from the sun with a pair of rectangle-shaped sunglasses, and accessorised with oversized hooped earrings. Smitten: The former TOWIE star also ensured she spent some much-needed time alone with her other half, as she shared a loved-up swimwear clad snap with Ryan Working it! Lucy displayed her flair for fashion as she slipped her gym-honed frame into a white belted jumpsuit, showing off her bronzed tan Comfy: Opting for comfort with her choice of footwear, the fitness enthusiast wore a pair of navy canvas trainers as she enjoyed an al fresco lunch in the Greece capital Former Corrie star Ryan, 34, was every inch the doting son as he wrapped his arms around his mother Gail during the family walk. Smitten couple Lucy and Ryan have been treating fans to a glimpse at their enviable break, with the pair visiting the city's attraction sites, including Acropolis of Athens. Lucy recently shared that she is keen to take the next step in her relationship with boyfriend of two years Ryan by becoming engaged. The couple recently brushed off split rumours after Lucy was pictured looking very cosy with a man in a Dubai nightclub, believed to be her friend and business associate Adam Rossiter. In an interview with OK! magazine in late 2018, Ryan said: 'Shes always dropping hints about what she wants to happen. I think Lucy wants me to propose next year!' Wow-factor! Smitten couple Lucy and Ryan have been treating fans to a glimpse at their enviable break, with the pair visiting the city's attraction sites, including Acropolis of Athens Set to wed? Lucy recently shared that she is keen to take the next step in her relationship with boyfriend of two years Ryan by becoming engaged TV personality Lucy added: 'Youd better get saving because I want a really heavy left hand!' 'I wouldnt waste my time with someone if I didnt believe we were on the same page about children and getting married. I know we both want the same things in the future.' It appears the pair may already be planning their wedding as, according to new!, Lucy has been looking at inspiration and has liked lots of wedding themed snaps on Instagram, including dresses, flower arrangements and table layout ideas. Lucy and Ryan met on Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls in early 2017 and confirmed their romance that July after months of speculation. He has been linked to a bevy of beauties including Gemma Chan, Kate Beckinsale and Kirsty Gallacher. And Jack Whitehall, 30, has now claimed he is lazy in the bedroom' and has admitted that his lovemaking is 'quick and quiet.' According to The Sun, the comedian shared his bedroom secrets during a recent work in process gig - where he tests out new material on audiences - in Wimbledon, South West London. Confession: Jack Whitehall, 30, who dated Gemma Chan for seven years, has confessed he is lazy in the bedroom and that his lovemaking is 'quick and quiet' (pictured in 2017) The star boldly admitted that being a singleton means he has to make an effort with lovemaking - something he is not fond of. Jack said: 'Now, Ive got to make an effort again, youve got to, you know, put a shift in the bedroom, I dont like doing that.' The Fresh Meat star added: 'I am very unadventurous in the bedroom. People go, "Ooh, Jack what do you like in the bedroom?" Just quick and quiet. Like Im hiding from the Nazis. Sex with me is like arriving late at the theatre and trying to find your seat. 'Some shuffling, a bit of shushing, a pause and then from somewhere in the darkness just a whispered, "Sorry". And never an applause.' Hollywood beauty: Jack was most recently paired up with Hollywood beauty Kate Beckinsale - with the pair spotted enjoying a very passionate kiss at a karaoke bar last November Jack was previously in a relationship with actress Gemma Chan, 35, but the pair called time on their relationship after six years together in 2017. An insider told The Sun at the time the couple remain friends despite the break-up, and decided to go their separate ways after finding it more and more difficult to spend time together. The source said: 'Jack and Gemma secretly pulled the plug on their relationship but remain good friends. 'For the past couple of years they've both been finding it difficult to make proper time for one another and, with their schedules showing no signs of slowing down, have decided to go their separate ways. 'It's sad but they remain supportive of one another.' Jack and Gemma first began dating after meeting on the set of Jack's comedy-drama series Fresh Meat in 2011, and both have gone on to have hugely successful acting careers. Stunning: Jack was also romantically linked to Kirsty Gallacher, 45, back in April 2018 He was also romantically linked to Kirsty Gallacher, 45, back in April 2018. The pair have reportedly been friends for years. The publication reported the chemistry between Kirsty and Jack reached boiling point at a star-studded event, which reportedly resulted in a 'romp'. While Jack is a hugely successful stand-up comedian, he is forging an acting career in Hollywood, most recently starring in Disney's newly-released film The Nutcracker and The Four Realms. Jack was most recently paired up with Hollywood beauty Kate Beckinsale - with the pair spotted enjoying a very passionate kiss at a karaoke bar last November. The due were seen in a steamy embrace as they partied the night away at the exclusive Blind Dragon nightclub in Los Angeles. As the evening progressed, the pair put on a loved-up display as Jack placed a kiss on Kate's head in a loving way. Following their date, the pair were pictured heading back to a 2,000-a-night hotel together. She rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to her fashion choices. And Ferne McCann ensured all eyes were on her once again as she attended Herbalife event at The Brentwood Kitchen in Essex on Monday afternoon. The First Time Mum star, 28, exhibited her style savvy ways as she donned an ab-flashing pink blouse, complete with quirky balloon sleeves and a knotted waist belt. Stepping out in style: Ferne McCann ensured all eyes were on her once again as she attended Herbalife event at The Brentwood Kitchen in Essex on Monday afternoon Highlighting her lean physique, the TV personality slipped into a pair of denim jeans and boosted her height in white strappy heels. The reality star maintained her chic display in the accessory department as she wore a white-strap watch and diamond bangles. With her blonde tresses styled into loose waves, the former TOWIE star complemented her striking visage with pink-toned make-up. She appeared in great spirits as she joined close pal Danielle Armstrong, 31, at the fitness and lifestyle event. Looking good: The First Time Mum star, 28, exhibited her style savvy ways as she donned an ab-flashing pink blouse, complete with quirky balloon sleeves and a knotted waist belt In good company: The reality star appeared in great spirits as she joined close pal Danielle Armstrong, 31, at the fitness and lifestyle event All in the details: She maintained her chic display in the accessory department as she wore a white-strap watch and diamond bangles The blonde shares adorable daughter Sunday, 18 months, with ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins, who she split from when he carried out an atrocious acid attack at an east London nightclub in April 2017. Arthur was found guilty of five counts of grievous bodily harm and nine of actual bodily harm, and was jailed for 20 years. Since splitting from the convicted criminal, Ferne's love life has been relatively quiet, but she recently admitted she is now ready to 'find love and move on' from the horrific incident two years ago. Speaking on her ITVBe reality show, First Time Mum, she said: 'I would love to find true love it's one of the best feelings when you're in love with someone and the feeling's mutual. Glowing: With her blonde tresses styled into loose waves, the former TOWIE star complemented her striking visage with pink-toned make-up Deep in conversation: The close pals mingled with fellow attendees at the event Friends indeed: The pair forged a close relationship during their stint on The Only Way Is Essex 'I feel like it's just such a nice feeling. I feel like I'm, ready to move on and find true love and I feel like I deserve it.' The devoted mother also revealed it had been almost two years since she had been intimate with a man, adding: 'It's coming up to two years, I'm basically a born-again virgin. I need to clean away the old cobwebs!' Speaking in an interview with MailOnline earlier this year, Ferne revealed she was back on the 'dating scene' after making it her new year's resolution to make more effort to meet men. Ferne said: 'I'm on the dating scene. That was my new years resolution and I've stuck to it. I'm enjoying myself. I don't want to make myself exclusive to anyone. My dating life has completely changed [since becoming a mum]. I can't just go on a date.' Their famous feud began in 2007 when Lord Alan Sugar fired him in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice. And 12 years on, Piers Morgan proved there was still bad blood as he waged war on the 72-year-old business magnate after Lorraine Kelly branded him 'rather gorgeous'. Green with envy, the Good Morning Presenter, 54, appeared couldn't resist making a plastic surgery jibe after Lorraine charmed Lord Alan via videolink on Tuesday's show. Feud rumbles on: Piers Morgan proved there was still bad blood as he waged war on Lord Alan Sugar after Lorraine Kelly branded him 'rather gorgeous' on Tuesday's Good Morning Britain On Good Morning Britain, Piers and Lord Sugar broke into a furious row, discussing how Theresa May has failed to implement Brexit. Lorraine then appeared to talk about what was coming up on her show, the TV host asked the 59-year-old: 'Any last thoughts on Lord Sugar Lorraine?' To which she replied: 'Well he's rather gorgeous don't you think?' Astounded, Piers quipped back: 'What?' 'Rather gorgeous': Green with envy, the Good Morning Presenter, 54, appeared couldn't resist making a plastic surgery jibe after Lorraine charmed Lord Alan via videolink Crush: Piers asked Lorraine: Any last thoughts on Lord Sugar?', to which she replied: 'Well he's rather gorgeous don't you think?' Lorraine gushed: 'Well there is something about him, don't you think?' As the camera went to Lord Alan, Susanna Reid commented: 'He's grinning from ear-to-ear.' Annoyed and seething with jealousy, Piers hit back: 'Despite efforts of his plastic surgery, that's not gorgeous.' To which The Apprentice star told him: 'Oh, shut up.' Gobsmacked: To which she replied: 'Well he's rather gorgeous don't you think?' Astounded, Piers quipped back: 'What?' Flattered: As the camera went to Lord Alan, Susanna Reid commented: 'He's grinning from ear-to-ear' Piers and Lord Sugar's feud has rumbled on for years. After The Apprentice, the pair have been at loggerheads on Twitter and nothing has been off limits. On Monday, the businessman rubbed salt into the wound as he shared a selfie with his BAFTA after Piers declared GMB's BAFTA TV loss a 'travesty'. Lord Sugar wrote: Hi Piersy. Shame @gmb didn't get a Bafta. I think the team deserved one but it was the thought of you by the committee that let them down . By the way I have 2 @piersmorgan.' And while their relationship might look hostile, the pair are secretly good friends, with Lord Sugar even being invited to Piers' 50th birthday bash four years ago. Lord Sugar previously told The Mirror: 'Look, lets make it very clear here. He insults me on Twitter - but there's actually a certain comerarderie on there because I look after him. When people say, 'You're not fit to live with the pigs,' I come back and say, 'Well, no stop it because he is!'" She is an Oscar-winning actress known for her stunning sense of style. And Kate Winslet looked effortlessly chic as she arrived at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday. The Titanic actress, 43, revealed her toned and tanned legs as she strolled through the terminal in a chic black mini dress paired with chestnut suede ankle boots. Toned: Kate Winslet looked effortlessly chic as she arrived at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday The elegant dress flattered the star's figure, cinched in at her slender waist, and was paired with a sparkling gold chain. The Reader star added a stylish touch with a white and black patterned scarf and layered up with a slate grey denim jacket. Her caramel locks were pulled back into a simple updo while she showcased her radiant complexion by going make-up free. The mother of three completed her ensemble with the ultimate A-lister accessory, a pair of oversize shades. Flight time: The Titanic actress, 43, revealed her toned and tanned legs as she strolled through the terminal in a chic black mini dress paired with chestnut suede ankle boots Eye for style: The Reader star added a stylish touch with a white and black patterned scarf and layered up with a slate grey denim jacket The sighting comes amid reports Kate is set to star in a remake of Black Beauty alongside Mackenzie Foy, who was last seen on screen The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. The star, and the rising young actress, 18, signed onto the reboot of Anna Sewell's childrens classic earlier this month, it was reported by Variety. In the new film, the Titanic star will voice the horse's inner thoughts, while Mackenzie will take on the role of the 17-year-old lead Jo. Mackenzie's character is set to bond with Black Beauty following the death of her parents, and their friendship will help the teen come to terms with her grief. While the original novel is focused on a carriage horse, the remake will instead focus on a wild mustang in the Wyoming Plains. Kate is currently enjoying a very busy schedule, as she has been filming lesbian period drama Ammonite opposite Saoirse Ronan. In the film Kate plays Mary Anning, an English fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist, opposite Charlotte Murchison a Scottish amateur geologist played by Saoirse. Despite being in the early stages of filming, Ammonite has already faced criticism for a central storyline focusing on a lesbian affair involving Anning and Murchison. Barbara Anning, a distant niece who still lives near the Jurassic Coast where the fossil hunter made many discoveries, insisted there was no proof she was ever in a same-sex relationship. She was reportedly dumped by her boyfriend after her extremely raunchy behaviour at a Porn Idol competition left him 'mortified.' And Katie Price confirmed her reunion with Kris Boyson as he helped remove her surgery stitches during their 'make-or-break' holiday to Turkey this week. The former glamour model, 40, and her toyboy beau, 30, took to Instagram to share a gory video of Katie's stitches from her recent face lift lying on the hotel bed, alongside a pair of scissors. Oh dear: Katie Price confirmed her reunion with Kris Boyson as he helped remove her surgery stitches during their 'make-or-break' holiday to Turkey this week 'Rotten': Kris, 30, couldn't contain his disgust after removing stitches from Katie's face Showing off her brand new visage and a bruise under her left eye, the reality star said: 'Now that is love. Look at that them stitches out. Well done, babes.' A disgusted Kris responded: 'That is rotten, that is.' A source told The Sun the pair had headed back to Turkey - where Katie underwent a facelift, eyebrow life, eye lift, Brazilian bum lift and a tummy tuck last month- in a bid to save their romance. They said: 'Katie and Kris headed out to Turkey on Sunday evening after a rocky weekend together. Grim: The former glamour model, 40, and her toyboy beau, 30, took to Instagram to share a gory video of Katie's stitches from her recent face lift lying on the hotel bed, alongside a pair of scissors 'Kris has been looking after Katie since her last surgery and has now decided to jump on the bandwagon by going to the same place she went to get a new set of teeth.' 'He recently had his car pimped up just like Katie and now he's following in her footsteps with cosmetic alterations.' MailOnline has contacted Katie's representative for comment. The trip comes days after it was claimed Katie had been dumped by a 'mortified' Kris following her antics at the Porn Idol competition last Thursday. The star is said to have 'embarrassed' the personal trainer 'beyond belief' after flashing her breasts and getting groped by a drag queen during a wild night of judging a Porn Idol competition on Thursday. Wow: Showing off her brand new visage and a bruise under her left eye, the reality star said: 'Now that is love. Look at that them stitches out. Well done, babes' Kris was now said to have called time on the couple's on-off year-long relationship and felt 'completely betrayed' by the mother-of-five's actions. A source told The Sun: 'Kris was mortified when he saw the pictures of Katie at the event and on Friday he decided he had enough. They had a furious row about it all and Kris called her tramp and told her she had embarrassed him beyond all belief. 'He admitted he was an idiot thinking she would ever change and has said he feels completely betrayed by her.' Although Kris 'stopped talking' to Katie, he is now believed to have jetted off to Turkey on a make-or-break holiday to see if they can work things out because they 'can't keep away from each other'. The source added: 'They have split up before and that time won't be last - but they can't keep away from each other. Katie knows that Kris loves the media attention and he has to complete on the filming schedule.' Not impressed: A disgusted Kris responded: 'That is rotten, that is' Katie is said to have been 'surprised' by her boyfriend's reaction to her behaviour and insisted 'a drag queen licking her nipples isn't cheating', adding that she was simply 'playing up for the crowd'. Katie is mother to Harvey, 16, from a relationship with Dwight Yorke. She has children Junior, 13 and Princess, 11, from her marriage to Peter Andre, and Jett, five, and Bunny, four, with estranged husband Kieran Hayler. She has married to Alex Reid from 2009-2011 and has also dated the likes of businessman Alex Adderson, sportsman, Danny Cipriani, Dane Bowers and Leandro Penna. MailOnline contacted Katie's spokesperson for comment at the time. Trisha Goddard has defended her eldest daughter, admitting she has 'been through quite a lot' as she discussed her child's 16-year battle with drink and drugs. The television host, 61, appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside Billie Dee Gianfrancesco, 29, on Tuesday, to discuss her daughter's struggles with addiction and suicidal thoughts. PR manager Billie had said earlier this month that she believed her addiction may have stemmed from first drinking on a Caribbean holiday when she was 12. 'She's been through a lot': Trisha Goddard defended eldest daughter Billie Dee Gianfrancesco on GMB on Tuesday as she detailed her child's 16-year battle with drink and drugs Frank: The television host, 61, appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside Billie Dee, 29, to discuss her daughter's struggles with addiction and suicidal thoughts Trisha, who joined Billie on the show from via video link from her home in Connecticut, revealed a little background information on her daughter. She said: 'Billie and I have been through quite a lot, we've dealt with things, a lot of things that weren't dealt with. 'I was the provider, I was bringing home the bacon but I was also doing all the shopping, the cooking and the dog walking. You've got to pay a mortgage, I was the mortgage payer.' She said: 'Billie and I have been through quite a lot, we've dealt with things, but a lot of things weren't dealt with' She said: 'I knew bits and pieces of what was going on but you never know the whole picture. 'As Billie said one thing we lived in the middle of nowhere so there was a lot of boredom, and the other thing is that she wanted to hide it from me.' Trisha - who has struggled with addiction herself - went on to confess how 'proud' she is of her eldest daughter, who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and PTSD after seeking help. She said: 'I've always been proud of Billie and how she's confronted her demons. I'm proud of how she's reached out for help'. Speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Billie said she doesn't 'think anyone was to blame' for her struggles with addiction - but confessed she wishes her mother 'was around more'. She said: 'I don't think anyone is to blame, it's something that can happen to anyone. 'As I said my mum gave us an incredible life, but I do wish she was around more. I was the one who made those decisions, I was the one who chose to drink and take drugs. I don't think anyone can be blamed for that'. Billie also confessed she felt 'very lonely' as a child living in 'the middle of the countryside'. Support: Speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Billie said she doesn't 'think anyone was to blame' for her struggles with addiction - but said she wishes her mother 'was around more' Billie said: 'My mum gave us an incredible life, but I do wish she was around more...But I was the one who made those decisions, I chose to drink and take drugs' (Pictured L-R: Trisha, Maddison and Billie) She said: 'I was very lonely. We lived in the middle of the countryside, I felt quite isolated and I think that boredom contributed to the drug and alcohol use. 'It's something that you glorify as a teenager and especially when I went to university. My lifestyle wasn't that different from the other students.' Billie then revealed how she reached a 'low point' and considered taking her life on numerous occasions. She said: 'I have struggled with suicidal ideation, [which means thinking about or planning suicide], and suicidal thoughts intermittently throughout my teens and adult life.' Lonely: Billie also confessed she felt 'very lonely' as a child living in 'the middle of the countryside' (Pictured with Maddison and mother Trisha in the 1990s) Billie confessed earlier this month that she first drank alcohol during a family holiday to the Caribbean at the age of 12. Four years before she had her first taste of alcohol, the family had moved back to the UK from Australia following Trisha's split from Billie's father Mark Grieve. She attended the Langley School in Norfolk while her mother's TV ratings were going through the roof, with over a million viewers tuning in to watch her confessional talk show. But as she started to go off the rails she began sleeping around and had had 20 sexual partners - men and women - by the time she was 18. Billie then started 'glugging' spirits whenever she felt sad and got hooked to prescription painkillers after her mother gave them to her for period pain. In her later years she binged on wine, MDMA, cocaine and cannabis, while racking up 25,000 in payday loan debt. After years of struggle she finally sought help last year and has been in drug and alcohol recovery since July. Addiction: Billie confessed earlier this month that she started to go off the rails and began sleeping around and had 20 sexual partners - men and women - by the time she was 18 Hooked: Billie then started 'glugging' spirits whenever she felt sad and got hooked to prescription painkillers after her mother gave them to her for period pain She told the Mirror: 'I think [my mother is] proud of me but feels guilty, as when I needed her she was off solving everyone else's problems. She wasn't present enough to help me deal with mine.' Trisha has since admitted she is 'immensely proud of both of her daughters,' but wishes she could have done more to help Billie. The presenter had to cope with her own problems, with her other daughter, Billie's sister Maddison being rushed to intensive care, Billie's father Mark being unfaithful and losing her mother. She suffered her own mental health battle and was admitted to a psychiatric facility where she recalls being on 'suicide watch'. Billie has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. She has been in therapy for the past three years, and in drug and alcohol recovery since July 2018. For confidential support 24/7 365 days a year, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org Jeremy Meeks hit back at rumours he has split with Chloe Green with a defiant Instagram post on Tuesday. The jailbird turned top model, 35, took to social media to shut down speculation after tongues were set wagging when he cosied up to model Andreea Sasu at Cannes Film Festival whilst Chloe, 28, was snapped without her 'engagement' ring on. Although the couple have not confirmed an engagement, the pair are believed to be betrothed, with Chloe happily flashing a giant diamond ring on her finger until last month when it disappeared without explanation. Work it: Jeremy Meeks it back at rumours he has split with Chloe Green hours after he cosied up to model Andreea Sasu at the opening of the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday Setting the record straight: The jailbird turned top model, 35, took to social media to shut down speculation shared a cosy selfie captioned 'We are still very much in love lol' Reassuring fans that he is still dating Chloe, Jeremy shared a cosy selfie of the pair as he penned: 'We are still very much in love lol'. The post came just hours after he was snapped cosying up to fellow model and Instagram star Andreea Sasu, 29, on the red carpet at the opening of the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival. The 'Hot Felon', as he is often known as, posed up a storm at The Dead Don't Die premiere with the stunning brunette linking his arm. Jeremy, who appeared to match with Andreea, opted for a statement black suit with a tailored blazer which featured studs on it and a sculpture on its right shoulder. Strike a pose: The 'Hot Felon', as he is often known as, posed up a storm at The Dead Don't Die premiere with the stunning brunette linking his arm He teamed the item of clothing with a collection of diamond necklaces, a black plunging shirt and matching coloured trousers. Meanwhile, Andreea also opted for a statement look on the red carpet as she wore a black fitted and plunging mini dress, which was embellished with tassels and sequins. The item of clothing also featured an attached chiffon train as well as dramatic shoulder pads which featured long tassels on it. Statement suit: Jeremy, who appeared to match with Andreea, opted for a statement black suit with a tailored blazer which featured studs on it and a sculpture on its right shoulder Bling!: He teamed the item of clothing with a collection of diamond necklaces, a black plunging shirt and matching coloured trousers Andreea finished her look with a pair of patent leather heels, which had studs on them, styling her brunette locks into a blow-dried hairdo and adding a slick of glamorous make-up. Jeremy and Andreea are both in Cannes as guests of fashion designer Philipp Plein, who usually showcases his Plein Resort Collection there each year. The two models were spotted earlier in the day stepping out to enjoy the sunshine in the idyllic French Riviera holiday location. Jeremy cut a casual figure while Andreea walked alongside him wearing a hot pink trouser suit. Matching: Meanwhile, Andreea also opted for a statement look on the red carpet as she wore a black fitted and plunging mini dress, which was embellished with tassels and sequins Details: The item of clothing also featured an attached chiffon train as well as dramatic shoulder pads which featured long tassels on it, the two models also joined Adam Abaida Atarshi (pictured far right) Guests: Jeremy and Andreea are both in Cannes as guests of fashion designer Philipp Plein, who usually showcases his Plein Resort Collection there each year Poised: The 'Hot Felon' was spotted earlier in the day posing outside a white-brick hotel There was no sign of Chloe, with whom he shares son Jayden, 11 months, but last month, she headed to a photocall without her diamond sparkler. Jeremy was first spotted kissing the Topshop heiress on a yacht back in June 28, 2017. Earlier on Tuesday, the 'Hot Felon' as he is often known as, put on a casual display for his outing, wearing a white T-shirt which had an alien face in the shape of a diamond on the front. The tattooed star wore black tracksuit bottoms and box-fresh white trainers. Making friends? The two models were spotted earlier in the day stepping out to enjoy the sunshine in the idyllic French Riviera holiday location Firm friends: Andreea shared this picture of herself modelling with Jeremy at a show in Dubai back in February and they appear to share a sweet bond Romanian model Andreea, who walked a few steps ahead of Jeremy, teamed her pink suit with a white T-shirt and a pair of light-coloured court shoes. Meeks famously made the transition from convict to runway model after his 'hot' mugshot went viral in 2014. He was imprisoned after being convicted of federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and grand theft. Upon his release from Mendota Federal Correctional Institution, California in March 2016, he began a modelling career. That's one way to get noticed: Andreea teamed a pink suit with a white T-shirt and a pair of light-coloured court shoes Casual: The 'Hot Felon' as he is often known, put on a casual display for his outing, wearing a white T-shirt which had an alien face in the shape of a diamond on the front Fashion! Jeremy and Andreea are both in Cannes as guests of fashion designer Philipp Plein, who usually showcases his Plein Resort Collection there each year Meanwhile, Chloe, who is rumoured to be engaged to Jeremy, will be taking part in a Cash & Rocket car rally with a host of other celebrities in June. Last month, the socialite was pictured at the photocall wearing a red boilersuit, having 'ditched' what is thought to be her engagement ring. Chloe will be joining Lilly Becker, Jodie Kidd and other influential women to take part in a four day all-female road trip to fundraise for charities that support women and children around the world. The road trip, that empowers 80 women in total, will hit London, Paris, Geneva and Monte Carlo from June 6-10. The incentive has raised $4.5m since the first tour in 2012 Making an impression: Tattooed star Jeremy wore black tracksuit bottoms and box-fresh white trainers Pensive: He appeared deep in thought as he honoured his professional duties Details: Andreea carried a brown leather bag in her hand as she walked alongside Jeremy Bling: Jeremy wore a selection of chunky gold chains over his T-shirt She is a successful actress and model who is expecting her first child. And Amy Jackson exuded elegance as she arrived at the launch party for Guess 1981 perfume at Kalifornia Kitchen, London on Tuesday. The Supergirl actress, 27, wowed in a belted white mini dress which skimmed over her growing baby bump as she stepped out of a car emblazoned with her campaign image. Maternity chic: Amy Jackson exuded elegance as she arrived at the launch party for Guess 1981 perfume in London on Tuesday The Madrasapattinam actress exuded 50s glamour in the plunging dress, which showcased her ample cleavage and cinched in at her waist with a gold studded belt. The gorgeous gown flowed over her blossoming bump into a chic skirt which fell below the knee. Drawing the eye to her toned legs, she slipped on nude stiletto heels and completed the ensemble with mirrored cat eye shades. Her brunette tresses were styled in soft waves parted on the side while the beauty opted for her signature feline flicks of liner and rose lipstick. New face: The Supergirl actress, 27, wowed in a belted white mini dress which skimmed over her growing baby bump as she stepped out of a car emblazoned with her campaign image Beauty: Her brunette tresses were styled in soft waves parted on the side while the beauty opted for her signature feline flicks of liner and rose lipstick Glow: The gorgeous gown flowed over her blossoming bump into a chic skirt which fell below the knee Amy announced she was pregnant with her first child with billionaire fiance George Panayiotou, 31, in a sweet message on Mother's Day. Sharing the exciting news on Instagram, the star penned: 'Ive been waiting to shout it from the roof tops, and today, being Mothers Day, it couldnt be a more perfect time. 'I already love you more than anything in this world, the purest most honest love. We cant wait to meet you our little Libra one'. Hot mama! Amy proudly showed off the new fragrance at her launch brunch Leggy display: MIC star Emily Blackwell flaunted her toned legs in a khaki green dress Chic: : Ama Peters (L) and Nina Vee posed up at the glittering party It has been the dream start to the year for the beauty queen as she announced her engagement to the son of British business tycoon Andreas Panayiotou on January 1. The couple are believed to have embarked on a romance last year, with their love going from strength to strength ever since. Just a few months prior to her epic love story, she declared a romantic relationship 'is not meant to be right now' in an interview with You Magazine. Duo: Whitney Valverde and Kate Rooney looked stylish at the party Chic: Emily looked radiant as she showed her support for Amy Line-up: Amy looked proud as she posed at her launch party Amy recently starred in her first Hollywood role which saw her take on the role of Imra Ardeen in Supergirl. The actress launched her modelling career at the age of just 16 when she was crowned Miss Teen World in 2009. The model-turn-actress courted attention for her beauty credentials before she was propelled to fame in India as a Bollywood actress. They have been spending time together in Rome while promoting George Clooney's new series, Catch-22. And the star, 58, was pictured leaving his hotel with wife Amal, 41, by his side on Tuesday, after a successful premiere at the Space Moderno the day before. Lawyer Amal looked as stylish as ever, choosing to wear a pretty yellow crocheted mini dress which she teamed with a pair of brown suede thigh-high boots. Style: Amal Clooney wore a yellow mini dress and brown thigh-high boots as she and husband George were pictured leaving Rome on Tuesday after attending the premiere of Catch-22 She linked arms with her movie star husband, who she married in Venice in 2014. He was casually dressed in a blue polo shirt and jeans and sporting designer stubble. The power couple, who are the parents of twins Ella and Alexander, who turn two next month, were seen heading to Ciampino Airport after a two-day trip. Pitt-stop: The power couple, who are the parents of twins Ella and Alexander, who turn two next month, were seen heading to Ciampino Airport after a two-day trip Catch-22 sees Clooney in a triple role as producer, director and actor. George produces the new series, directs the first two episodes and also appears in the show as Lieutenant Scheisskopf. Catch-22 is set to be released in the United States on Hulu on May 17, 2019, while Channel 4 will air the show in the UK. So in love: Amal linked arms with her movie star husband, who she married in Venice in 2014 This comes after George and Amal's wealth grew by 10million last year after he was named as the worlds highest-paid actor. The couple have a joint marital fortune of 270million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. George recently discussed his beloved twins during an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show. The actor and Casamigos founder started revealed that Alexander is taller and they're both very different, despite being fraternal twins. 'They have their own personalities. He goes outside and hugs my car,' Clooney said, which got a laugh from the crowd. He went on to express his frustration that his son is starting to take after his 'very British wife' Amal, since he caught him saying zebra as 'zeh-bra.' She's ready to immerse herself in nature. And Mandy Moore is taking her newfound love of the great outdoors to the greatest of heights as she's set to climb Mount Everest's base camp, according to People magazine. The 35-year-old actress is currently on hiatus from This Is Us and is 'very excited' to be using her trip to head to Nepal for a trek through one of the tallest mountains in the world with husband Taylor Goldsmith by her side. Take a hike: Mandy Moore is taking her newfound love of the great outdoors to the greatest of heights as she's set to climb Mount Everest's base camp, according to People magazine; seen on Instagram The journey will reportedly take nine days on the way in and a few more on the way out, and insisted she isn't feeling nervous about the adventure. 'I'm very excited,' she said. 'It doesn't scare me. It's invigorating! The moments that you push yourself out of my comfort zone are so fulfilling and nourishing.' Mandy admitted hiking has been 'part of the connective tissue in my life for so long,' but she has recently become more adventurous after discovering her 'inner mountain girl' on a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro last year. Nature lovers: The 35-year-old actress is currently on hiatus from This Is Us and is 'very excited' to be using her trip to head to Nepal for a trek through one of the tallest mountains in the world with husband Taylor Goldsmith by her side; seen on Instagram 'That trip really solidified things for me,' she said. 'I discovered my inner mountain girl!' The Everest trek will be lead by Mandy's friend Melissa Arnot, an Eddie Bauer Alpine guide who she met last year and teamed up with last month on a hike in New Zealand. And the guide appreciates her new pal's 'really good attitude' on their trips. Fresh air: Mandy admitted hiking has been 'part of the connective tissue in my life for so long,' but she has recently become more adventurous after discovering her 'inner mountain girl' on a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro last year; seen on Instagram 'She has a passion for the outdoors and really pushing herself,' Melissa said. 'And she's so open and generous. That's a really enjoyable person to travel with.' Mandy's husband Taylor Goldsmith also came on the New Zealand trip after his wife introduced him to her passion shortly after they got married last year. 'I roped Taylor into hiking,' she said. 'On our honeymoon [in Chile] I was like, "Babe, we're going to hike every day," and he was a really good sport about it. It's a through line in our relationship now. And he totally keeps up!' Mandy and and Taylor the frontman for the band Dawes were married at their home in Los Angeles on Nov. 18. Her reported $1 million fee said to be covered by businessman Sylvan Adams Madonna may be unable to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, as organisers claim the superstar has yet to sign a contract. The pop icon, 60, announced in April she would perform two songs during the interval of the competition in Israel on May 18. The concert, which cost organisers $1 million, was rumoured to include a track from her new record Madame X and another from her catalogue of hits. No show: Madonna may be unable to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel on Saturday, as organisers claim the superstar has yet to sign a contract (pictured this month) Show runners are now said to be scrambling to find a new main act for the final of the event as Madonna has reportedly not yet signed a contract. Eurovision's executive supervisor Jon Ola Sand told the BBC: 'The European Broadcasting Union has never confirmed Madonna as an act. 'If we do not have a signed contract she cannot perform on our stage.' Despite the performance being confirmed by Madonna's UK and US publicists in April, Eurovision organisers said 'no final decisions' had been made at the time. Announcement: The pop icon, 60, announced in April she would perform two songs during the interval of the competition in Israel on May 18 (pictured in March 2018) But Sand said the producers 'have an artist who would like to participate' but the 'framework' has yet to be secured. He explained: 'We have an artist who would like to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, and who we would love to welcome on that stage. But for that we need to have the framework secured. 'We are negotiating now, in the final stage of that - but if there is no signed contract this week, she will not be on the stage.' A representative for Madonna has been contacted for comment. Madonna is expected to arrive in Israel on a private jet on Wednesday morning, the Jerusalem Post reported. Drama: Show runners are now said to be scrambling to find a new main act for the final of the event as Madonna has reportedly not yet signed a contract (pictured in 2015) The Eurovision performance would be Madonna's fourth in Israel. The mother-of-six previously performed in the state in 1993, 2009 and 2012. It was claimed in April that the superstar has already butted heads with the contest's producers - because the song she plans to debut contains a political message. It has also been claimed the pop superstar's $1 million (765,000) fee would be paid by billionaire businessman Sylvan Adams, Sky News reported. Israel won the annual contest last year with 529 points after Netta wowed the participating countries with the song Toy. Cyprus came in second with 436 points and Austria was third with 342. Wendy Williams has revealed she is embracing her new life as a bachelorette following the difficult end of her 22 year marriage. The daytime talk show host, 54, filed for divorce from husband Kevin Hunter in April after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed he had fathered a child by another woman - his longtime mistress Sharina Hudson. She discussed her new relationship status on Tuesday's show and revealed she is back on the dating scene and rediscovering her 'love of men.' 'I am a single woman running around New York,' she declared, later dishing that she does indeed 'date', and 'often.' Spilling the tea: Wendy Williams revealed she is rediscovering her 'love of men' during the opening of her show on Tuesday Single and ready to mingle! Wendy described herself as a 'good time girl' and said she is 'often' going on dates 'I do date and I date pretty often': Williams enjoyed the company of a handsome man at an event on Sunday. She revealed he is her security guard... and not her boyfriend. However, she made it clear she is having fun back on the single scene Wendy was pictured out with a 'mystery man' over the weekend but she insisted he was not her boyfriend. She described him as a member of her 'security detail.' She seemed in good spirits as she explained what she's been up to since the split. 'I go out a lot because I am a good time girl, I like to have fun,' she explained, citing her new bachelorette status. 'I right now am a young and pretty New York City girl. I have the ultimate bachelorette pad high atop everything. I have a really really good view and I'm reclaiming my life.' 'I don't have a boyfriend, but I must admit I'm rediscovering my love of men. And, you know, transparency, I do date and I date pretty often,' she dished. Scandal: Wendy filed for divorce from her husband Kevin Hunter (left) after DailyMail.com revealed his mistress Sharina (right) gave birth to a baby girl Wendy is usually all about the 'hot topics', she asked audiences to respect her privacy as much as possible at this time. She understood the irony, however, telling the crowd: 'I am working on my divorce pleasantly right now... When I say "pleasantly", I ask of you, please... It's hard to say "give privacy" because I don't give privacy when I'm doing the rest of the stories. You do what you want, you always do.' Wendy also explained how she and Kevin are still trying to cooperate as parents 19-year-old son Kevin Jr. 'You don't just throw away 25 years lock, stock and barrel,' she said of the split. 'I gotta tell you something right now as a mature, almost single woman. We do have our son and he is away in college and he's home right now, he's home for college break, he sees me, he sees his dad.' 'Reclaiming my life': Wendy (above on Saturday) said she is enjoying living in her New York City bachelorette pad Last week Wendy lashed out at her cheating husband's mistress during her show's chatty opening. 'There are a lot of women with no respect for a marriage,' the 54-year-old said. 'For you lonely girls who can't keep your hands off other people's men, there is a hot place in hell for you!' Williams added, but never mentioning Hudson, 36, by name. This is the first time Williams has ever directly spoken about her husband and mistress' relationship after DailyMail.com revealed their decade-long affair in 2017 and that Hunter was spoiling Hudson with a Ferrari, diamonds, designer duds and setting her up in lavish homes. DailyMail.com revealed Williams knew about Hudson for years but allowed Hunter to continue the affair as long as it did not cause her any public embarrassment. Jab: Wendy took a swipe at her husband's mistress Sharina Hudson on her show last Thursday, but never mentioning her by name, but saying, 'There are a lot of women with no respect for a marriage' Williams served Hunter with divorce papers last month and DailyMail.com revealed that she gave him just 48 hours to clear out of their home. She reached her tipping point with Hunter after learning he had been living the high life with Hudson, splurging on Rolls-Royces, Ferraris and gifting her with diamonds -- all paid for with Wendy's money. DailyMail.com revealed back in 2017 that Hunter was having an affair with Hudson and had set up a separate home with her a few towns over from Williams' mansion. But it was giving birth to his child that reportedly pushed the TV star over the edge. Hunter released an apology admitting he was not 'proud of his recent actions' and was 'trying to right some wrongs' while taking 'full accountability' for what he had done. Williams has since started her 'new life', moving into a new apartment on the lower west side of Manhattan. Wendy was previously living in a sober home in Queens for a month, DailyMail.com revealed, but had said on her show that she was ready to move out and start a 'new life' with her fellow recovering addict son Kevin Jr, 19. A legion of stars descended on the French Riviera for the Cannes Film Festival. And Romee Strijd, Alessandra Ambrosio and Izabel Goulart were among the glamorous model arrivals at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday for the opening ceremony. Working their model prowess on the red carpet, the ladies ensured all eyes would be on them as they made their way inside for a screening of horror flick The Dead Don't Die. Gorgeous: Romee Strijd was among the glamorous model arrivals at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday for the opening ceremony of Cannes Film Festival Romee, 23, flaunted her ample assets in a plunging lace gown with a daring centre split as she made her way down the star-studded red carpet. The Dutch Victoria's Secret model paired her long-sleeved ensemble with gold peep-toe stilettos and wore her golden locks in loose curls around her shoulders. Romee finished off her outfit with a dewy make-up look and opted for a nude lip for the occasion. Stunning: Fellow models Alessandra Ambrosio and Izabel Goulart ensured all eyes would be on them as they made their way inside for a screening of horror flick The Dead Don't Die Fellow Victoria's Secret veteran Alessandra, 38, was also on the red carpet. The model - who hung up her angel wings in 2017 - stunned in an extremely sheer white gown with one voluminous sleeve. The Brazilian model, whose dress had a daring side split, paired her gown with strappy silver stilettos and wore her brunette locks half up, half down for the A-list event. She finished off her red carpet ensemble with statement silver earrings and a gorgeous cuff bracelet. Glamorous: Romee, 23, flaunted her ample assets in a plunging lace gown with a daring centre split as she made her way down the star-studded red carpet Dazzling: The Dutch Victoria's Secret Angel paired her long-sleeved ensemble with gold peep-toe stilettos and wore her golden locks in loose curls around her shoulder The models were joined by Izabel, 34, who opted for a skin-tight purple gown with a cut out panel across her back. She swept her glossy brunette tresses to one side and donned vibrant drop earrings for the occasion. A pair of barely-there black heels completed the ensemble and boosted her model frame even further. Breathtaking: Fellow Victoria's Secret veteran Alessandra, 38, was also on the red carpet. The model - who hung up her angel wings in 2017 - stunned in an extremely sheer white gown Statement: The billowing dress featured an eye-catching train and a voluminous sleeve that trailed behind her as she stormed the red carpet Brunette beauty: The Brazilian model, whose dress had a daring side split, paired her gown with strappy silver stilettos and wore her brunette locks half up, half down for the A-list event Finishing touches Alessandra finished off her glamorous red carpet ensemble with statement silver earrings and a gorgeous cuff bracelet Preparations have been underway for the much-anticipated opening screening of horror flick The Dead Don't Die as a legion of stars arrived in the French Riviera this week. The Jim Jarmusch-directed film stars Disney Channel alum Selena Gomez, 26, and Star Wars actor Adam Driver, 35, as the pair fight for survival when the undead begin to plague the sleepy town of Centerville. The Dead Don't Die, which is tipped for release in the UK on July 19, is in the running for numerous awards at the eleven-day event, including the coveted Palme D'Or award - the highest accolade presented at the festival. It will go up against Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, starring Leonardo DiCarprio and Margot Robbie, Ken Loach's Sorry We Missed You and 18 other hopefuls for the gong. Pretty in purple: The models were joined by Izabel, 34, who opted for a skin-tight purple gown with a cut out panel across her back Breathtaking: Izabel lined her hazel peepers with a smokey plum eye shadow that complemented the vibrant colouring of her glittering gown The 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival will showcase 21 competition titles, plus out-of-competition, midnight and special screenings at the Palais des Festivals from Tuesday until May 25. Actress Elle Fanning, French graphic novelist Enki Bilal and the Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos, will be among jury members during the annual event. Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will preside over the panel that decides on prizes, including the top Palme D'Or award. The jury for the festival's 72nd edition will also include Pawel Pawlikowski, the Polish filmmaker and screenwriter named best director at Cannes last year for the impossible love story Cold War. Maimouna N'Diaye, who has directed documentaries and acted in films such as Otar Iosseliani's Chasing Butterflies will also sit on the panel, alongside two other female directors. Kelly Reichardt, whose Wendy and Lucy starring Michelle Williams was a contender for Cannes' Un Certain Regard award in 2008, directed 2016's Certain Women. Head-turner: Alessandra had made quit the impression as she headed to the festival in her billowing gown, turning the heads of the French residents Working it: Romee worked her angles outside the Hotel Martinez ahead of hitting the red carpet with her fellow Victoria's Secret models Gorgeous: Izabel posed up a storm outside the hotel as bemused passers-by watched on Italy's Alicia Rohrwacher won best screenplay at Cannes last year for her film Happy as Lazzaro, a satirical fable about a peasant family. French filmmaker Robin Campillo, who took Cannes by storm in 2017 with 120 BPM - Beats Per Minute, winning the Grand Prix for his movie about an AIDs activist, will complete the line-up. Comic book creator Bilal, best known for his Nikopol trilogy of science fiction novels, has also directed feature films, including 2004's Immortal, organisers said. She's previously credited sunscreen as the secret to her age-defying complexion. So it was no surprise that Nicole Kidman stepped out to advocate on the importance of sun protection and the use of daily sunscreen at the Neutrogena event in New York on Tuesday. The 51-year-old brand ambassador oozed with style and glamour as she stepped out for the rooftop event. Scroll down for video Effortless beauty: Nicole Kidman showcased her effortless style and stunning glowing complexion on Tuesday at the Neutrogena event in New York City Nicole opted for a chic black and white polka dot dress that featured a subtle frill, sheer long sleeves and was cinched in the waist. Her frock reached to just below her knee and elongated her 5'11" physique. The beauty completed her look with a pair of butter colored heels and a red manicure. Gorgeous: Nicole opted for a chic black and white polka dot dress that featured a subtle frill, sheer long sleeves and was cinched in the waist Legs for days! Her frock reached to just below her knee and elongated her 5'11" physique Gorgeous: Nicole's blonde tresses were styled out into a lose wave with her path slightly to one side. Her glam ensured her naturally dewy and glowing complexion was in full focus with a soft eye, nude lip and blushed cheeks Nicole's blonde tresses were styled out into a lose wave with her path slightly to one side. Her glam ensured her naturally dewy and glowing complexion was in full focus with a soft eye, nude lip and blushed cheeks. Back in 2017, the Big Little Lies stars credited 'smothering' endless amounts of SPF on her porcelain face for her age-defying complexion. Her secret! Back in 2017, the Big Little Lies stars credited 'smothering' endless amounts of SPF on her porcelain face for her age-defying complexion Stable: While Nicole's hair has changed over the years, her complexion has remained clear (pictured 2016) 'In the morning I smother, smother sunscreen on,' she told Allure. 'I'm outside a lot and love exercising outdoors, but I don't like the sun on my skin because it's very fair.' Nicole went on to speak about her upbringing in the harsh Australian sun. Tips & tricks: 'In the morning I smother, smother sunscreen on,' she told Allure . 'I'm outside a lot and love exercising outdoors, but I don't like the sun on my skin because it's very fair' Protecting her skin: Nicole said that she's used lots of sunscreen for years, having grown up under the harsh Australian sun with fair skin (pictured 1983) 'My parents have also had skin cancer, so I have to be really, really careful - I use SPF 100,' she confessed. 'I know it sounds like a lot, but it isn't. I use it on my kids. I use it on myself. I've always had to do that.' Nicole shares daughters Sunday Rose, 10, and Faith Margaret, eight, with husband of nearly 13 years, Keith Urban. She's also the mom to adopted children Isabella, 26, and Connor, 24, with ex-husband Tom Cruise. She recently won a TV BAFTA for her portrayal of deadly assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve. And Jodie Comer was back on the red carpet on Tuesday as she joined her co-stars at the premiere of the much-anticipated second season at Curzon Soho in London. The actress, 26, stunned in a demure white lace gown with billowing flared sleeves as she posed alongside her colleagues. Beauty: Jodie Comer was back on the red carpet on Tuesday as she joined her Killing Eve co-stars at the premiere of the much-anticipated second season at Curzon Soho in London Her statement dress, which featured a gold embroidered panel across her chest, fell to the ground in an A-line skirt from a classic empire waist. Jodie completed her ensemble with dewy, natural make up and wore her caramel locks in loose curls around her shoulders. She was joined at the premiere by Fiona Shaw, who also picked up the TV BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress on Sunday for her portrayal of Carolyn Martens in the spy drama. Model behaviour: The actress, 26, stunned in a demure white lace gown with oversized flared sleeves as she posed for cameras at the event Gorgeous: Jodie's statement dress, which featured a gold embroidered panel across her chest, fell to the ground in an A-line skirt from a classic empire waist Season two cast: (L-R) Julian Barratt, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Nina Sosanya, Fiona Shaw, Owen McDonnell and Edward Bluemel posed on the red carpet at the premiere The actress, 60, wore a gorgeous white gown with a nude wrap top for the star-studded occasion. Killing Eve alum Kim Bodnia (Konstantin) and Owen McDonnell (Niko Polastri) also walked the red carpet ahead of the premiere on Tuesday. Newcomers to the cast Julian Barratt (Julian), Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Aaron Peel), Edward Bluemel (Hugo) and Nina Sosanya (Jess) were also in attendance. The much-anticipated second season of Killing Eve aired on BBC America in the US on April 7, but a release date for British viewers has yet to be confirmed. Accolade: Also at the premiere by Fleabag star Fiona Shaw, who picked up the TV BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress on Sunday for her portrayal of Carolyn Martens in the spy drama Co-stars: Killing Eve alum Kim Bodnia (Konstantin) and Owen McDonnell (Niko Polastri) also walked the red carpet ahead of the premiere on Tuesday It was announced last month that the spy drama, which also stars Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, has been recommissioned for a third series. Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content, said: 'It's fantastic news that there will be a third series of this award winning hit drama and we're delighted UK audiences will be able to see Killing Eve exclusively on the BBC. 'In the mean-time Villanelle and Eve will be returning to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for a second series soon.' New faces: Newcomers to the cast Henry Lloyd-Hughes (left) and Edward Bluemel (right) were also in attendance Jodie's latest A-list outing comes after she delivered a moving speech when accepting her award for Best Actress on Sunday. The actress paid tribute to Line Of Duty star Stephen Graham, for offering her plenty of support in the early days of her career. She said: 'Wow, thank you so much BAFTA! Sorry I'm only one who's turned on the waterworks. Thank you Luke Jennings. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, I feel so lucky not only to say that I have worked with you but to call you a friend. 'You are the most talented person I know, thank you for being such an inspiration. Poised: Good Omens actress Nina Sosanya is also a new addition to the Killing Eve cast as Jess TBC: The much-anticipated second season of Killing Eve aired on BBC America in the US on April 7, but a release date for British viewers has yet to be confirmed Fun night? Jodie seemed in good spirits as she left the premiere after enjoying an evening with her British co-stars on the BBC America drama Mobbed: Jodie was surrounded by fans clamouring for an photograph as she made her way out of the event and headed home 'I would like to thank BBC America, you guys really are the best, and the entire cast and crew for coming back every year and giving it with the biggest smiles on my faces. 'I also want to thank Stephen Graham; if I don't already owe you a pint, I do now. Thank you for introducing me to to Jane, you have encouraged me and supported me. 'Last but not least, bit of a personal one but I'd love to dedicate this award to my Nanna Francis, who sadly passed away the first week of filming, so she never got to see Villanelle. 'She was the life and soul of everything, and when she was here she used to say to me: ''You get it off me you know''. And I just want to stand up here and say Nanna Francis you were absolutely right all along. Thank you so much BAFTA!' Keanu Reeves was honored at a hand-and-foot print ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood on Tuesday morning. The 54-year-old actor was lavished with attention by his John Wick co-star Halle Berry who stood by his side during the photo call. The two looked to be on great terms as they locked arms and looked at each other lovingly. She also called him her 'work crush' on social media. Also at the event were Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Asia Kate Dillon and Mark D. Buddies: Keanu Reeves was honored at a hand-and-foot print ceremony in Hollywood on Tuesday morning. The 54-year-old actor was lavished with attention by his John Wick co-star Halle Berry who stood by his side during the photo call Touched: The two looked to be on great terms as they locked arms and looked at each other lovingly The 52-year-old Berry was stunning in a white and black Teresa Helbig dress that had a high collar and a large keyhole opening in front. The sleeves were long and had the same black detailing on the cuffs as was seen in the front of the top. The skirt portion was flirty as the hemline was short showing off her very toned legs. There was also a short belt that fell down in front. Hot mama: The 52-year-old Berry was stunning in a white and black Teresa Helbig dress that had a high collar and a large keyhole opening in front She's got the look: The sleeves were long and had the same black detailing on the cuffs as was seen in the front of the top. The skirt portion was flirty as the hemline was short showing off her very toned legs. There was also a short belt that fell down in front The Catwoman actress added strappy black heels which matched her clutch purse. Berry wore her highlighted hair in an unusual back-do that looked both messy and stylish at the same time. Reeves played it safe in a black suit with a black shirt and tie. But the veteran movie star went a bit wild with his unbrushed long locks and exotic facial hair. The more the merrier: Also at the event were (L to R) Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishurne, Ian McShane, Asia Kate Dillon and Mark D The Dracula actor was seen raising his arms while speaking to the crowd at the podium. Behind him were logos for John Wick 3 as well as for the TCL Chinese Theater. Reeves seemed to enjoy being front and center. His big day: The Dracula actor was seen raising his arms while speaking to the crowd at the podium. Behind him were logos for John Wick 3 as well as for the TCL Chinese Theater Here it goes: The former Nineties heartthrob wrote his name into the wet cement Dirty hands: Reeves, who was kneeling on a red bench, showed the crowd his paws Good shoes to wear on this big day: Then the Matrix star stepped on the slab Good work Keanu! Here is the finished look with his name, the date, his hands and feet Rock on: Keanu looked elated to be enshrined at the highly popular theater What a big fan! Halle was right there taking photos of Keanu as he put his hands down. She called the actor her 'work crush' 'It is a great honor to be here and to be invited to this remarkable, historical, magical place,' Reeves told the crowd. 'To be included amongst all of the incredible artists who have made their mark here over the past 92 years, to be a part of this Hollywood tradition started by Sid Grauman all those years ago and which continues to this day, I thank you. Thank you very much.' He also looked back at his lengthy career. 'I have been a part of some films that have been embraced, and I am very grateful,' he said. 'They have changed my life. They have given me life. They have provided life. Cuddly: Berry was also seen putting her arms around McShane who wore all black and a Deadwood jacket They were behind the red rope: The duo sat side by side as co-stars sat around them Pals: The pair looked the best of friends as they celebrated Keanu's glitteringcareer Support system: Halle happily snapped photos of her co-star 'And I'm very grateful to the people who have enjoyed these films. Without your support, I am not standing here.' Fishburne noted that Reeves is 'a really private guy.' 'After being in the public eye for so many years he has somehow managed to maintain more than a little bit of mystery, which is really cool,' he said. He also called Reeves one of the 'smartest and most intelligent men that I have every met.' 'He is a deeply sensitive and thoughtful person, and he is also a courageous and passionate artist,' Fishburne said. She knows how to be a movie star: The Oscar-winning actress glowed at the event On the prowl: Halle scintillated in a white mini dress with strappy heels She knows how to stay young looking: Berry is over 50 but has a very youthful vibe Leggy display: Halle showed off her toned legs as she greeted fans Squad goals: Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, Halle Berry, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Asia Kate Dillon, and Mark Dacascos (pictured from left to right) Inside the theater: Reddick, McShane, Berry, Dillon, Dacascos and Chad Stahelski Happy: Halle couldn't keep the delight off her face as she supported Keanu John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum is set to open on Friday in the US. The synopsis reads: 'After gunning down a member of the High Table -- the shadowy international assassin's guild -- legendary hit man John Wick finds himself stripped of the organization's protective services. 'Now stuck with a $14 million bounty on his head, Wick must fight his way through the streets of New York as he becomes the target of the world's most ruthless killers.' Reeves will also soon revisit the role that made him a star, Ted, in Bill & Ted Face the Music. One of next season's most hotly anticipated reboots has released a gut-wrenching first look. An emotional trailer for the Party of Five reboot was unveiled during Freeform's Upfront presentation on Tuesday. A remake of the nineties classic, the reworked drama is centered around a family of five children who are effectively orphaned when their parents are unexpectedly deported to Mexico. First look: Freeform released a heartbreaking glimpse at the Party of Five reboot on Tuesday with a trailer that shows the Acosta family being torn apart by deportation The trailer opens with the Acosta family being torn apart as immigration officers show up to a restaurant and demand to see their 'papers.' 'No! Don't take them!' screams a tearful young girl as her parents are cuffed and led away. As the children grapple with the sudden loss of their parents, the eldest son Emilio, played by Brandon Larracuente, steps up to keep the family together. In a tear-jerking scene, the family patriarch implores his son 'to be strong' while speaking to him through a chain link fence. Hot button issues: The trailer opens with the Acosta family being torn apart as immigration officers show up to a restaurant and demand to see their 'papers' Tragic: The five Acosta children are effectively orphaned when their parents are suddenly deported 'No! Don't take them!' screams a tearful young girl as her parents are cuffed and led away The rest of his siblings are being torn away from the metal barrier in hysterics as their parents are led away. While dealing with the loss of their parents, Emilio struggles in the teaser to keep his siblings together while a social worker looms in the background, ready to step in on behalf of the state. A title card that flashes at the start of the trailer calls the reboot 'a story more relevant than ever.' Different: In the original series, the five Salinger children found themselves on their own when their parents died in an accident Gut punch: In a tear-jerking scene, the family patriarch implores his son 'to be strong' while speaking to him through a chain link fence Hard to watch: A particularly emotional moment came as the siblings were being torn away from the metal barrier in hysterics as their parents are led away In control: The eldest son Emilio, played by Brandon Larracuente, steps up to keep the family together Illegal immigration, an influx of migrants seeking asylum at the southern border, a failed family separation policy and a call from the White House to 'build a wall' has thrust the topics addressed in Party of Five at the forefront of news. While different in many ways, the reboot of Party of Five is reminiscent of the original series in the respective story lines of the siblings: the eldest trying to hold it together, a rebellious sister who starts partying and all of them struggling to care for the youngest. 'Party of Five embodies the heart and soul of what it means to be a family in the most trying of times,' said Freeform president Tom Ascheim. In control: The eldest son Emilio, played by Brandon Larracuente, steps up to keep the family together Embracing tough topics: A title card that flashes at the start of the trailer calls the reboot 'a story more relevant than ever' Inspiration: Party of Five first ran from 1994-2000, cementing itself as a classic nineties drama Themes: While the story is different, the reboot is reminiscent of the original as it addresses rebelling siblings, survival and caring for the youngest baby 'Party of Five embodies the heart and soul of what it means to be a family in the most trying of times,' said Freeform president Tom Ascheim. 'We're so lucky that Freeform gets to be the home for this reimagined story, as we continue to represent the resilience of young adults and the importance of fighting for your voice in times of doubt.' The original Party of Five starred Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, and Lacey Chabert as the Salinger who were orphaned when their parents died in an accident. It cemented itself as a classic of the nineties television landscape and ran from 1994 to 2000. Party of Five creators Amy Lippman and Chris Keyser have returned to helm the reboot which is slated to premiere sometime in the 2019-20 season. Let the bells ring out! I can reveal that distinguished broadcaster Melvyn Bragg is to marry his longtime lover Gabriel Clare-Hunt. The ceremony will take place in his native Cumbria this autumn to coincide with his 80th birthday. The news comes just six months after he divorced Cate Haste, his second wife. Let the bells ring out! I can reveal that distinguished broadcaster Melvyn Bragg (left) is to marry his longtime lover Gabriel Clare-Hunt (right) Cate, who wrote a book about the wives of British prime ministers with Cherie Blair, was granted a 'quickie' divorce in November in a 50-second hearing at the Central London Family Court that brought to an end their 45-year marriage. It is thought that Bragg's daughter, Marie-Elsa, who is a Church of England priest, will officate at the wedding. She is his daughter from his first marriage to Marie-Elisabeth Roche. Known to friends as Lise, Roche killed herself in 1971. Bragg confirmed the news of his impending nuptials to Gabriel, who is in her early 60s, but declined to comment further. 'Gabriel has really looked after him this past year, and her care made him think how great it would be to marry her,' says a friend. The news comes just six months after he divorced Cate Haste (pictured), his second wife 'He wants the double celebration of being 80 in October along with the wedding.' Bragg was first reported to have had an affair with Clare-Hunt more than 20 years ago when she was a secretary at London Weekend Television, where he was arts controller. In papers submitted by Cate, she said the marriage had 'broken down irretrievably' and cited 'two years' separation by consent' as grounds for the divorce. District Judge Anne Hudd granted a decree nisi, with neither Lord Bragg, who presents Radio 4 discussion programme In Our Time, nor Cate present. She is his daughter from his first marriage to Marie-Elisabeth Roche (pictured). Known to friends as Lise, Roche killed herself in 1971 Two years ago, the Labour peer agreed a huge financial settlement with Cate, with whom he has two children: filmmaker Alice and science journalist Tom. He is understood to have shelled out several million pounds to buy Cate her own home in Hampstead, North London, as part of an 'amicable agreement', even though they were not, at that stage, divorcing. Searching for a soulmate gripped Bragg's imagination in his novel Love Without End about two star-crossed lovers, Heloise and Abelard. It seems in real life, love conquers all, too. Lady Edith ditches her corset for belly laughs Laura Carmichael found fame as Lady Edith in period drama Downton Abbey, but claims she performs more convincingly when not forced to wear stuffy corsets. 'There have been some rare times in my life when I can do a scene where I'm just wearing some pyjamas in bed, and I'm like: "Oh, my God, this is the best acting that I've ever done because I'm so comfortable," ' admits the 32-year-old. 'I could do a cop drama next, or a comedy would be so nice. I'd like to laugh; I do a lot of crying. I'm up for a giggle in jeans.' Laura Carmichael found fame as Lady Edith in period drama Downton Abbey, but claims she performs more convincingly when not forced to wear stuffy corsets Harry's polo club chairman gets a blast from the past The turf is flying at Ham Polo Club, where, in happier times, Princes William and Harry have enjoyed high-class sport. Already plagued by banners placed at its entrance (as I disclosed yesterday) alleging that the club is run by 'vindictive bullies', it now threatens to become the battleground between the current chairman, Howard Davis, and his predecessor, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, 70, over who is to blame for a massive operating loss of 330,000 in the last financial year. The turf is flying at Ham Polo Club, where, in happier times, Princes William and Harry have enjoyed high-class sport In a blistering letter to Davis, Colquhoun-Denvers says 'there appears to be an unacceptable strategy to deflect attention from the fact that the 2018 annual accounts will not reflect well on your administration', adding that the alleged ploy is 'both ill-conceived and unacceptable'. In the same letter he defends his wife, Annie, who produced the club magazine. 'I believe that your comments with regards to 'investigating' Annie's involvement at the club were unworthy of someone who holds the post of Chairman.' The club declines to comment but Colquhoun-Denvers, erstwhile President of the Federation of International Polo, the sport's global governing body, evidently has his supporters. 'In 25 years, the club never had a year-end with an operating loss,' says one, 'apart from the year of foot-and-mouth, when it was approximately 8,000.' Mamma Mia! Lily's toy boy is a model beau Having a famous boyfriend is proving unexpectedly beneficial for Mamma Mia 2 star Lily James. The 30-year-old blonde is on holiday in Europe without her other half, actor Matt Smith, but has found a way to keep him firmly by her side by taking a micro-figurine of the 36-year-old as his Doctor Who character. Lily, who has been dating Matt for five years, and with whom she lives in North London, has been sharing pictures on social media of the 1.50 toy which she refers to as her 'pocket-sized boyfriend' in various locations. She is taking a break after finishing her stint in play All About Eve in the West End last week. Having a famous boyfriend is proving unexpectedly beneficial for Mamma Mia 2 star Lily James Lily, who has been dating Matt for five years, and with whom she lives in North London, has been sharing pictures on social media of the 1.50 toy Chloe's hot felon rocks red carpet without her... Testing times, I fear, for heiress Chloe Green. Only days after it became apparent that her father, former Bhs boss Sir Philip Green, is no longer a billionaire, her fiance, convict-turned-model Jeremy Meeks, 35, has been sauntering around Cannes in the company of fellow model Andreea Sasu, 29. The couple were arm-in-arm at the premiere of The Dead Don't Die, to which Meeks (dubbed the 'hot felon') wore a black suit of the sort that he might favour for a court appearance, while Andreea opted for a plunging mini-dress. Chloe, 28, who has an 11-month son, Jayden, with Meeks, was nowhere to be seen. Jeremy Meeks, 35, has been sauntering around Cannes in the company of fellow model Andreea Sasu, 29 Royal designer Jenny Packham is worried about what her scruffy, television presenter brother, Chris, will wear at Buckingham Palace tomorrow when he goes to collect his CBE. My sister said: What on earth are you going to wear? the Springwatch host tells me. She is slightly concerned I might let her down. Speaking at his first pop-up conservation event in Mayfairs Berkeley Square, he adds: She doesnt design menswear, but I have got a very smart suit, so shes got nothing to worry about. Ill wear a tie. The name maketh the man, Archie tells Archie Society magician Archie Manners thinks he may have inspired the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's choice of name for their new son. In some advice for baby Archie, he says: 'As a conjuror, I have performed for your dad on a couple of occasions. 'Obviously, I can't comment on rumours that I used psychic suggestion or telepathy to implant the name 'Archie' in the Duke of Sussex's brain as the perfect moniker for his firstborn. That would be a trangression of my sacred Magic Circle oath. Society magician Archie Manners thinks he may have inspired the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's choice of name for their new son 'You'll just have to make up your own mind about how it happened.' Manners adds: 'With your charismatic, charming name comes certain expectations. Even before people meet you, they'll expect you to be great fun and I must say, I enjoy living up to the image. 'Suppose my parents had called me Nigel or Eric I'd probably be a chartered accountant, not a magician and TV presenter.' Actress and veteran wildlife conservation campaigner Virginia McKenna who with her late husband Bill Travers founded the Born Free Foundation has given her personal approval to Prince William one day taking over from his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, as president of the World Wildlife Fund. William has spoken up for wildlife, she says, and the lead has to come from the top to say that we are in danger of losing animals and, worst of all, tigers. David Baddiel made his name on television alongside fellow comedian and football fan Frank Skinner, releasing the football single Three Lions for Euro 96. Now the comedy duo are set to be reunited on screen. We have talked about it, actually, Baddiel, 54, told me at the National Book Awards. We want to do something. I think people would like to see us back together on TV. Is there an avenue for that? Yes. She jetted into France this week for Cannes Film Festival. And Amber Heard was out soaking up the atmosphere in the French Riviera on Tuesday as she headed to the Hotel Martinez. The Aquaman star, 33, looked effortlessly stylish in a quirky off-white ensemble, which featured wide-leg trousers underneath a sheer midi dress. Stylish: Amber Heard enjoyed the warm weather in the French Riviera on Tuesday as she headed to the Hotel Martinez ahead of the Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony Amber paired her statement jumpsuit with layered gold pendant necklaces by Missoma and wore woven, open-toe heeled co-ord for the outing. The Justice League actress tied her golden locks back in a messy low bun as she posed for photographs with fans outside the star-studded hotel. Amber had arrived in Cannes ahead of the city's film festival, which takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from Tuesday until May 25. Quirky: The Aquaman star, 33, looked effortlessly stylish in a quirky off-white ensemble, which featured wide-leg trousers underneath a billowing top Statement: Amber paired her statement jumpsuit with layered gold pendant necklaces by Missoma and wore woven, open-toe heeled sandals for the outing Actress Elle Fanning, French graphic novelist Enki Bilal and the Oscar-nominated director of The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos, will be among jury members during the annual event. Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will preside over the panel that decides on prizes, including the top Palme D'Or award. The jury for the festival's 72nd edition will also include Pawel Pawlikowski, the Polish filmmaker and screenwriter named best director at Cannes last year for the impossible love story Cold War. Casual: The Justice League actress tied her golden locks back in a messy low bun as she posed for photographs with fans outside the star-studded hotel Selfie! Amber had arrived in Cannes ahead of the city's film festival, which takes place at the iconic Palais des Festivals from Tuesday until May 25 Amber's time in Cannes comes amid her ongoing $50million defamation lawsuit battle against her former husband Johnny Depp, who she was married to from 2015 till 2017. Amber is being called to give even more evidence on her messy divorce from actor Johnny, 55, according to the latest filing in one of the Pirate of the Caribbean star's ongoing legal battles, exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com. There were 10 more videos released from her August 2016 deposition in which she detailed her now-ex's alleged abuse. DailyMail.com's report says the award-winning actor is suing his former law firm for $30million over claims of negligence. The firm - Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman - says Johnny has recently accused them of malpractice in connection with his divorce from Amber and therefore will need to depose the actress in order to build a defense in the case. The firm asks that the plaintiffs - named as Depp and his film companies Scaramanga Bros and Infinitum Nihil, respond in writing to their questions and demand the ability to ask Depp more questions over his 'newly articulated theories'. Magic Mike XXL star Amber filed for divorce from the Kentucky native in May 2016 stating that he had been 'verbally and physically' abusive towards her. Their divorce was finalized in January 2017, with the actress receiving a $7million settlement. Daniel Webb debuted his new romance with model Vanessa Sierra last week, and his ex-girlfriend Jessika Power is determined to show him what he's missing. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday night, the 27-year-old administrative worker shared several behind-the-scenes snaps from a recent lingerie shoot. She posed in the makeup chair wearing a semi-sheer green bodysuit while showing off her plump pout and blonde hair extensions. Revenge selfie: MAFS' Jessika Power showed ex-boyfriend Daniel Webb what he's missing on Tuesday, when she shared this racy behind-the-scenes photo from a recent lingerie shoot Jessika has been shooting plenty of content lately for magazines and her Instagram account as she tries to launch a modelling career. She has also signed with notorious celebrity agent Max Markson, who previously managed Lara Bingle during her tabloid days. 'She's determined to be famous and will stop at nothing to reach her goals,' a friend of Jessika's told Daily Mail Australia this week. Glamazon: The 27-year-old administrative worker posed in the makeup chair wearing a semi-sheer green bodysuit while showing off her plump pout and blonde hair extensions Jessika rose to fame on Married At First Sight earlier this year. She was originally paired with Mick Gould, but her wandering eye soon landed on 'intruder' Daniel Webb (who was matched with Tamara Joy). They eventually hooked up and controversially re-entered the experiment as a new couple, before agreeing to stay together at their final vows. Plastic fantastic! Jessika has been shooting plenty of content lately for magazines and her Instagram account as she tries to launch a modelling career Path to stardom: Jessika has also signed with notorious celebrity agent Max Markson, who previously managed Lara Bingle during her tabloid days End of the road: Jessika and Daniel broke up on live television during an appearance on MAFS after-show Talking Married on Monday April 8 But things fell apart on April 8, when the couple broke up on live television during an appearance on MAFS after-show Talking Married. Since the split, Jessika has been enjoying the single life and casually dating several different men. Meanwhile, Daniel is in a relationship with Vanessa Sierra: the model who publicly accused Jessika's brother Rhyce of assault. Made In Chelsea's Sophie Habboo claimed she split from her ex Sam Thompson because he gave her too much attention as she now romances his BFF Jamie Laing. It is believed the reality star, 25, has already moved on with the Celebrity Big Brother star's best friend Jamie, 30, behind the scenes. Prior to reports she has moved on with his close pal, Sophie, 25, said she had cooled things off with Sam, 26, because he showered her with affection all of the time. No thanks: Made In Chelsea's Sophie Habboo claimed she dumped 'great boyfriend' Sam Thompson because he 'doted on her TOO much' as she 'moves on with his BFF Jamie Laing' She told new! magazine: 'His best was that he doted on my hand and foot, but his worst was maybe that he doted on me too much. Some girls like that, I don't. For me, I don't like someone who's needy. Independence is key for me.' The television personality 'absolutely' ruled out a reunion with her 'faultless' ex as she insisted he wasn't Mr Right. Sophie also detailed the pair don't talk anymore and she revealed they cut contact because they didn't start out as friends. She added: '[I would] Absolutely not [go back out with him]. He treated me well, he was lovely to me and he was a great boyfriend. I couldn't fault him in any way but he wasn't right for me unfortunately. Is it love? It is believed the reality star, 25, has already moved on with the Celebrity Big Brother star's best friend Jamie, 30, (pictured) behind the scenes 'Me and Sam were never friends before we went out so there was no reason for us to be friends afterwards.' At the time of the interview, Sophie stated she did not have a boyfriend but she revealed she was 'open' to finding a new man. Sophie gave the interview to new! magazine before news emerged that she has been romancing Sam's BFF Jamie. Jamie, who recently split from French model girlfriend Heloise Agostinelli, 20, is believed to have set his sights on one of his closest pal's former flames. Fallen out: Sophie gave the interview to new! magazine before news emerged that she has been romancing Sam's BFF Jamie Sam is said to be 'devastated' by Jamie's actions because the Candy Kittens entrepreneur knows how heartbroken he was after Habbs dumped him on-screen last year. The new romance will also no doubt cause ructions between Habbs and one of her close friends Frankie Gaff, 24, who previously dated Jamie on and off for two years. An insider told The Sun: 'Sam has been left devastated by Jamie's actions. They've been close friends for years and Jamie knows how heartbroken Sam was when Habbs finished with him. 'Habbs should have been massively off limits but instead he's been hooking up with her behind Sam's back which has really shocked their entire friendship group.' The Made In Chelsea insider also slammed Habbs for 'breaking girl code' by hooking up with one of her friend's exes. Betrayal? The Made In Chelsea star, 30, who recently split with his former flame Heloise Agostinelli, is believed to have set his sights on his friend's ex, according to The Sun Hurt: Sam is said to be 'devastated' by Jamie's actions because he believes Jamie knows how heartbroken he was after Habbs dumped him last year The source said: 'Its also incredibly hurtful on Habbs' part. Shes good friends with Jamies ex Frankie Gaff and has massively broken girl code.' Representatives for Sam Thompson, Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo have been contacted for further comment. Sophie's representative declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Sam and Habbs endured a tumultuous romance which saw them both stray while dating. They eventually found their way back to each other during their summer trip to Croatia last year. However their happiness was short lived after Habbs dumped Sam at a Christmas party during an emotional chat as she said they just weren't right for one another. Former flame: Up until recently, Jamie had been dating billionaire heiress Heloise, who made her debut on the show last year following his split from Frankie Girl code? The new romance will also no doubt cause ructions between Habbs and one of her close friends Frankie Gaff, who dated Jamie on and off before finally splitting in 2017 Following the rocky romance, Sam decided to quit the show in favour of appearing on reality dating show Celebs Go Dating, where he hoped to mend his heartache. The Celebs Go Dating star shocked fans with the news of his departure six years after first appearing on the show. In an interview with Heart, the reality star admitted he made a departure from the series after struggling to deal with his break-up from Habbs. The TV personality, who dated Habbs from last May until November, admitted the on-screen split had dented his confidence. He told breakfast hosts Lucy Horobin and Jamie Theakston 'Getting dumped all the time was chipping away at my confidence'. Past love: The new romance will also no doubt cause ructions between Habbs and one of her close friends Frankie Gaff, 24, who previously dated Jamie on and off for two years An insider told the website: 'Sam has been left devastated by Jamie's actions. They've been close friends for years and Jamie knows how heartbroken Sam was when Habbs finished with him' Detailing the break-up, he elaborated: 'You don't want to be around your ex. Everyone on there is now more her friend and a lot of my friends have upped and left. He first emerged on the reality TV scene in MIC's sixth series in 2013 as Louise Thompson's protective younger brother. Louise, 29, featured in the E4 reality show from the second season until earlier this year when she is believed to have followed in the footsteps of her sibling and bowed out. Up until recently, Jamie had been dating billionaire heiress Heloise, who made her debut on the show last year following his split from Frankie. 'Thor' and 'Terminator: Salvation' actor Isaac Kappy has been confirmed as the man who jumped to his death from a bridge in Arizona on Monday, according to TMZ. Officials confirmed on Tuesday that Kappy, 42, was struck by a Ford pickup truck after hurling himself from the Transwestern Road bridge onto Interstate 40, where he died, according a statement from Bart Graves, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Public Safety. In the 24 hours leading up to his death, Kappy posted a long statement on Instagram where he wrote, 'I have not been a good guy,' and 'I have been abusive to people who loved me.' The self-admitted drug user made headlines in 2018 for allegedly assaulting Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris, by choking her 'during a game night party.' The native Angeleno has also publicly accused Seth Green of being a pedophile. Thor and Terminator: Salvation actor Isaac Kappy, 42, jumped to his death on Monday, according to TMZ. Seen here in 2012 Isaac Kappy (pictured with Chris Hemsworth in Thor) reportedly jumped to his death on Monday from the Transwestern Road bridge onto Interstate 40 in Arizona Arizona state troopers were called to the scene at 7.26am Mountain on Monday, and Kappy was found deceased upon their arrival, Graves' statement said. Before the Beerfest actor died, 'several bystanders tried physically restraining Kappy from jumping but failed to hold him,' TMZ reported. No one else was reported injured in the incident, and the investigation has officially been closed. Kappy's Instagram post on Sunday was captioned, 'Beware the man has nothing to lose, for he has nothing to protect.' In the message posted as a screenshot of text he wrote, 'Over the course of the last week, through introspection that should have happened MANY years ago, I have come to some stark revelations about my character. It is a testament to my utter ignorance that these revelations had not come sooner. 'You see, I believed myself to be a good guy. I HAVE NOT been a good guy. In fact, I have been a pretty bad guy throughout my life.' Kappy penned a scathing assessment of his own character, writing, I have used people for money. I have betrayed MANY people and much trust. I have sold drugs. I have tax delinquencies. I have debts. I have abused my body with cigarettes, drugs and alcohol.' The native Angeleno was also accused of assault against Michael Jackson's daughter, after 'allegedly choked [Paris] during a game night party' last year, claimed the gossip site. Paris seen here in February 2019 Officials confirmed on Tuesday that Kappy, 42, was struck by a Ford pickup truck after hurling himself from the Transwestern Road bridge (shown) onto Interstate 40, where he died, according a statement from Bart Graves with the Arizona Department of Public Safety Throughout the message, Kappy mentioned 'the Q movement' and said 'I am so so sorry to have brought shame upon the greatest military operation of all time. Kappy referenced suicide in a metaphor, as well, writing, 'Q says they give people enough rope to hang themselves, and I have hung myself.' He also claimed to have 'betrayed' Donald Trump and Jesus Christ in the missive, referencing death again. 'I have told people in the Trump administration that I am willing to admit to my many crimes in a public setting, and committed to execution, in a public setting,' Kappy wrote. 'A nation cannot suffer its traitors, and I am no exception.' Isaac Kappy alongside Christian Bale in Terminator: Salvation. Several bystanders reportedly tried to restrain him from leaping from the Arizona bridge Taking to the social media site on Monday, Kappy wrote a scathing assessment of his own character, which included the words, 'I HAVE NOT been a good guy' Kappy was reportedly being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department for threatening Paris Jackson , and other celebrities. According to TMZ, Kappy allegedly choked Paris during a game night party. This might have been referenced in his farewell message, as well, where he wrote, 'I have been abusive to people WHO LOVED ME, including my FAMILY. 'To the many people I have acted abusively towards, I am very, very sorry. To my former friends I have used and betrayed, I am sorry.' The 21-year-old model had allegedly received 'rambling and scary' texts from her former pal. Sources claim she initially responded to them to help him because she though he was suicidal at that time, as well. She was later forced to move home and hire extra bodyguards, along with blocking Kappy's number. Police opened an investigation into the actor after seeing a particularly menacing tweet from Kappy on August 1 that read: 'In light of the interesting traffic happening around my house I want to make something CRYSTAL CLEAR: While I am a VERY strong advocate of peaceful disclosure, make no mistake, assets are in place and if you kill me or even try, it will rain .50 cals in the Hollywood Hills.' Isaac Kappy is seen here in the 2011 Marvel film Thor, in which he played a pet store clerk called Kyle Kappy made threats and allegations in a video rant about Seth Green (pictured). He is seen here attending the unveiling of Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star last month In a 2018 video, Kappy also alleged Austin Powers actor Seth Green was 'a pedophile'. He's seen here with Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval in 2015 Per his Twitter account, Kappy appeared to be on a crusade to take down people he believes are sexually abusing children. He wrote in his post on Sunday, 'While it's true I have spent many, many hours of research and disseminating information about bad actors, I have had SO LITTLE CARE for introspection about MY OWN actions. 'And while it's true I have outed many pedophiles that were former FRIENDS, I remained in their sphere for much longer than I should have, and attempted to gain from them AFTER I knew about their actions. And in my SHEER ARROGANCE I did not even reflect on this fact.' His timeline is full of retweeted news stories about pedophiles and rants about high-profile people accused of sex crimes and some who aren't. He accused Green of being a pedophile in a video posted in July. Kappy had also, according to his Twitter, tried to reach out to Corey Feldman to take on pedophilia together. Corey blocked him on Twitter and did not respond. He previously called out the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy for defending ousted director James Gunn and Bill Clinton. Kappy added, 'It should be noted that I have recently been made to believe that I am the reincarnation of Judas Iscariot, the great betrayer. And while I could have utilized this period of great awakening to AWAKEN myself, I have used it focused on the darkness OF OTHERS and not the darkness WITHIN.' Kappy ended his final message writing, 'See the light in others. Nurture the light in yourself. This lesson has come too late for me, but perhaps it can inspire you. I will be using the remainder of my time on earth to atone for my transgressions, and to seek the light within, in others and myself.' The letter was mysteriously dated at the bottom, 'July 4th, 2019' and signed off with 'Return of the King Return to THE LIGHT.' For confidential support in the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here. For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here. For confidential support in Australia, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or click here. A fortnight out from the federal election, tens of thousands of Tasmanians are heading to the polls to decide their Legislative Council representatives. Polls open at 8am on Saturday in the northwest electoral division of Montgomery, the Hobart division of Nelson and in Pembroke on the capital's eastern shore. Pembroke is regarded as the most open of the three divisions, with 10 candidates vying to replace departing independent Jim Wilkinson. Montgomery will be contested by just four candidates, including Liberal incumbent Leonie Hiscutt. The state's upper house currently comprises nine independents, four Labor representatives and two Liberals. A nurse has told a court she'd never administered anaesthetic before assisting in a botched breast filler surgery that killed her beauty salon boss in Sydney. Jean Huang, 35, died days after having a seizure during a breast enlargement procedure in her Medi Beauty clinic in Chippendale on August 30, 2017. The nurse in that procedure, Chinese woman Yueqiong Fu, 31, on Friday pleaded guilty to recklessly administered anaesthetic that endangered life and to lying to police. She told the Downing Centre District Court she'd worked at the clinic for three months, had a nursing degree from a Sydney university and clinical experience in China. But Fu conceded she'd never prepared local anaesthetic before she filled several syringes with lignocaine and saline for Ms Huang's procedure. "At that time, I was just using Chinese thinking for (obeying the) doctor's instruction," she told her sentence hearing on Friday. The husband of the victim sobbed in court as he explained he was planning a "full life" with his wife before the "irreversible" change to their lives in August 2017. The nurse said she was remorseful for her role in the procedure. "Before I do anything, I should know what things I do and what things I can't do," Fu said. She has since agreed to give evidence in the manslaughter trial of the Chinese doctor involved in the procedure - granting her a substantial reduction to her eventual sentence. That sentence will be handed down by Judge Sharon Harris on May 17. Prosecutors agree something other than jail would be an appropriate sentence but reject Fu's argument that she should escape without a conviction. Activist group GetUp aims to double its number of volunteers from the last election and issue how-to-vote cards in 29 seats in a bid to promote health and climate on the political agenda. Thirteen parties and candidates featured on the group's election guides released on Saturday include Labor, the Greens, Centre Alliance and Derryn Hinch's Justice Party. GetUp boss Paul Oosting told AAP he hoped to be able to endorse the policy platforms of Liberal and Nationals candidates in future elections. But the coalition parties were currently too "beholden to the hard right" and failed to properly address clean energy and reducing emissions. Liberal frontbencher Peter Dutton, whose seat of Dickson is being targeted, said GetUp lacked credibility. "I've seen some polling on GetUp in my seat and their net favourability is through the floor, so I think people at this election have worked out what GetUp is about," he told Sky News. "They are an extreme left-wing advocacy group ... and I think people have had a gutful of GetUp." GetUp will have at least 1800 members handing out almost 800,000 guides at 335 voting booths on May 18 in the group's "most ambitious campaign ever", according to Mr Oosting. GetUp's cards include several ways to vote on a particular issue. The electorates being targeted are: Dawson; Dickson; Moncrieff; Menzies; Flinders; Fremantle; Kooyong; Corio; Cook; Hughes; Robertson; Warringah; Cowper; Hume; Wentworth; Cunningham; Macquarie; Newcastle; Page; Canning; Pearce; Canberra; Bean; Fenner; Boothby; Grey; Mayo; Clark; and Franklin. The group named independents Anthony Pesec (ACT Senate), Julia Banks (Flinders), Susan Moylan-Coombs (Warringah), Zali Steggall (Warringah), Oliver Yates (Kooyong), Huw Kingston (Hume), Andrew Wilkie (Clark), Rob Oakeshott (Cowper) and Kerryn Phelps (Wentworth) as candidates committed to strong climate and health policies. Bill Shorten has narrowly won the second leaders debate but Scott Morrison can take heart from the 16 per cent of voters who couldn't decide. The two leaders clashed over tax, climate change and education on a day when both lost candidates over offensive online comments. Of the undecided voters at the debate in Brisbane, 43 per cent picked Mr Shorten, 41 per cent picked the prime minister, and 16 per cent had not made up their mind. Mr Morrison regularly brought his answers back to tax and the cost of Labor's policies. "We are facing some very difficult times in the years ahead ... we'll be able to steward you through," Mr Morrison said to close his remarks on Friday night. But Mr Shorten said the economy wasn't working for too many working and middle-income Australians. "Do you really think that life has been so fantastic in the last six years?" he asked. Mr Shorten promised Labor would be the first federal opposition to release its costings more than a week before polling day. The two leaders stood in front of the crowd and got a bit too close at one point. "You're a classic space invader," Mr Shorten told Mr Morrison. Earlier in the day, both leaders had to deal with more rogue candidates. Liberal candidate for the Tasmanian seat of Lyons, Jessica Whelan, and Labor's candidate for Melbourne, Luke Creasey, were under pressure for days over posts they had made on Facebook. Ms Whelan resigned on Friday after admitting she made some anti-Islamic posts while Mr Creasey quit over rape jokes and comments he made about watching a friend have sex. So far, 15 candidates have fallen by the wayside for a variety of reasons, including dual citizenship and inappropriate online comments. On Saturday, Mr Morrison will announce $100 million to boost hospital services in southeast Queensland, including a standalone urgent care service at Logan Hospital. "$100 million will help improve services, reduce wait times and deliver greater access to cancer care and mental health services," Mr Morrison said. Mr Shorten will announce a $1 billion package to protect the environment, including a new National Environment Protection Authority. He said the funding would tackle the extinction crisis, cut single-use plastics, protect beaches and coastlines, clean up the nation's rivers, double the number of indigenous rangers caring for country, and protect the Great Barrier Reef. After narrowly losing his second debate against Labor rival Bill Shorten in Brisbane, Scott Morrison hopes splashing cash on metropolitan hospitals will help him win over more voters in Queensland's southeast. The prime minister will on Saturday pledge $100 million in funding for cancer and mental health services in the region, along with critical hospital infrastructure. A new urgent care service would be based at Logan Hospital using $33.4 million, to take pressure off its emergency department and specialist outpatient services. The package also includes $30 million to redevelop the Redland Hospital, including a renal dialysis and acute patient building. A paediatric emergency treatment service would also be established at Redcliffe Hospital, using $10 million. Unlike Labor's health promises, Mr Morrison will argue his plan improves services, reduces wait times and makes it easier for people to access cancer and mental health treatment without costing Australians elsewhere. "We can deliver this record investment in health without raising taxes for hard-working Queenslanders," he says. The commitment comes as the coalition is fighting to hold ground in the Sunshine State and gain some from Labor. Among seats captured by the funding announcement is north Brisbane's Petrie. The electorate is held by LNP's Luke Hogarth at a margin of 1.65 per cent but is vulnerable to Labor candidate Corinne Mulholland, with Greens preferences expected to put her over the line. Among other electorates affected will be Rankin, currently held by Labor frontbencher Jim Chalmers with a notional margin of 11.3 per cent, and Longman, notionally held by Labor's Susan Lamb by 0.79 per cent after a redistribution. The health focus comes after a messy day on the campaign, in which Liberal candidate for the Tasmanian seat of Lyons and Labor's candidate for Melbourne resigned after social media posts came back to haunt them. The prime minister also ended the day falling just short of Mr Shorten at a debate in Brisbane before an audience of 109 undecided voters. The two leaders clashed over climate change, tax and education funding, with 43 per cent of the audience believing Mr Shorten performed best, compared to 41 per cent who thought Mr Morrison was better. The remaining 16 per cent of the audience remained undecided. Remy Gardner has suffered a concussion and Indonesian rider Dimas Ekky Pratama is lucky to have avoided serious injury after the Australian crashed in the opening lap of the Moto2 in Spain. Gardner, the son of 1987 motorcycle world champion Wayne, was third in a bunched field when he high-sided coming out of the first turn in Jerez on Sunday. The 21-year-old was thrown from his bike, which hit Spanish rider Alex Marquez, whose own bike hit Gardner. The chasing pack somehow managed to avoid the pair but Pratama was knocked off his bike by the Australian. The Indonesian's body in turn struck Marco Bezzechi's bike, causing the Italian rider to fall. The red flags came out and medical teams rushed to the track where Gardner was sitting and both he and Pratama were stretchered away. Bezzechi rode to the pits while Marquez's team pushed his bike away. Gardner was declared unfit to race due to a concussion, while Pratama was miraculously uninjured. The race was restarted as a shorter, 15-lap event with Italian Lorenzo Baldassarri winning and Spaniards Jorge Navarro and Augusto Fernandez completing the podium. Bezzechi finished finished 22nd while Marquez was two places behind him. The crash is a big setback for Gardner, who was sitting fourth in the Moto2 overall standings and had qualified for the Spanish race in fourth. The Australian claimed his maiden podium finish by coming second in Argentina last month and was just 0.002s off the podium in the opening round in Qatar in March. Thousands of workers will march through the streets of Brisbane calling for a pay rise and the return of penalty rates. Rallies will also be held across regional Queensland on Monday to mark the 128th year of Labour Day in the state, with unionists and protesters calling for better job security and higher wages. Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Ros McLennan says people are struggling to make ends meet under current work conditions. "They are stuck in labour hire, casual work or on sham contracts," she said. Ms McLennan said it was common for workers to live week to week, making it hard to map out their financial futures. What exactly six Queensland prisoners ingested before a suspected mass overdose will be subject to further inquiries. The inmates were taken to hospital after falling ill inside Capricornia Correctional Centre, near Rockhampton before 12.40pm on Sunday. The symptoms may be related to drug ingestion but further consultation with paramedics, police and the health department would be needed to establish the cause of the incident, a Queensland Corrective Services statement said. Police said they'd been advised the substance the prisoners had potentially ingested was illicit but further inquiries were needed. All six inmates were understood to be stable in hospital on Sunday night while others still at the prison were being monitored, QCS said. Scott Morrison would encourage manufacturing firms to breathe new life into their operations if the nation decides he should remain prime minister. The leader also wants to ramp up efforts to get more foreigners buying Australian-made products. Mr Morrison has vowed to invest $50 million in a new fund that would give manufacturers incentives to invest in more modern technology. Companies willing to spend between $50,000 and $100,000 on smaller-scale upgrades could apply to have those funds matched, with $20 million of the fund's cash going towards such grants. The other $30 million would be distributed as grants of up to $1 million for major upgrades, for companies willing to invest at least three times as much. Ultimately, the government's initial investment is expected to attract $110 million from the manufacturing industry. That would be good news for Australians looking for a job, Science Minister Karen Andrews says. "We want to keep our manufacturers at the cutting edge so they can create more jobs," she said. The coalition also wants to reinvigorate the 'Australian Made' campaign, to encourage more foreigners to buy products made down under. The revamp, costing $5 million, would promote the Australian Made logo in the nation's key export markets and create new trademarks in other markets such as the European Union, United Kingdom and Canada. Mr Morrison, who will be in Sydney at the start of Monday, says people across the world know the Australian Made logo means quality, thanks to the good reputation Australian manufacturers have built over many years. "Our plan is about giving those hardworking business a competitive edge in overseas markets." The focus on product-making businesses comes after the prime minister spent Sunday on the NSW central coast, talking up the coalition's new plan to crackdown on online trolls. Under their proposed measures, people found guilty of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence would be jailed for up to five years, instead of three. Parents would also have access to resources to help them navigate the challenging task of keeping their kids safe. The prime minister is likely to accuse his Labor rival Bill Shorten on Monday of revealing too little about what his policies will cost at Sunday's Labor campaign in Brisbane. The opposition will deliver its full costings on Thursday or Friday. The Liberal Party will hold its own campaign launch next Sunday, just a week out from the May 18 election Emergency departments in hospitals around the country could get 650 more beds, 1800 more doctors or 3700 more nurses with Labor's promise to slash waiting times. After making health a major focus of its official campaign launch on Sunday, Labor has released individual state breakdowns for its plans to spend $500 million upgrading emergency departments and hiring more doctors and nurses to work in them. Leader Bill Shorten has taken a personal interest in the problems with the nation's hospitals, saying he and wife Chloe know what it's like to be sitting with a child in emergency in the middle of the night. "There's nothing more nerve-wracking, exhausting or dispiriting," he said on Monday, echoing his speech at the launch. "When you're there you can see that our doctors, nurses and ambos are absolute heroes. But you can also see they need more support, and that cuts to hospitals have a real impact." The opposition has seized on figures from the Australian Medical Association showing more than a third of urgent patients - more than a million people - were not seen on time as they waited in public hospital emergency departments. This was worst in South Australia, where two in five patients weren't seen within clinically recommended times, and more than half of urgent cases. Mr Shorten says the picture is only likely to get worse if the coalition is re-elected on May 18. He showcased Labor's plans for health, among other policies, to about 500 Labor supporters in the Brisbane convention centre on Sunday. The party says its policies will lead to an extra $8 billion going to hospitals, Medicare and other health services compared with the government's plans. Mr Shorten will be campaigning in Sydney on Monday, likely with a bounce in his step after narrowly winning the second leaders' debate on Friday and delivering a slick and confident launch on Sunday. However, a pair of polls released late Sunday night had mixed news. The Ipsos poll published in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age had Labor ahead 52-48, a one-point drop from the result a month earlier, while The Australian's Newspoll maintained the race at 51-49 to Labor, albeit with a reduced primary vote. Mr Shorten will face more questions from voters on Monday night when he appears in a special solo edition of ABC's Q&A. WHAT LABOR WANTS TO SPEND ON EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS * NSW - $160 million, equivalent to 211 beds, 586 doctors or 1200 nurses over six years * Victoria - $129 million, equivalent to 157 beds, 435 doctors or 892 nurses * South Australia - $35 million, equivalent to 36 beds, 99 doctors or 202 nurses * Queensland - $100 million, equivalent to 161 beds, 446 doctors or 915 nurses * Western Australia - $52 million, equivalent to 89 beds, 246 doctors or 505 nurses Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned his Liberal colleagues that normally safe seats can no longer be taken for granted. "In today's political environment, there is a greater number than ever before of uncommitted voters and that means that there is no such thing as a safe seat any more, not even on 12.8 per cent," Mr Frydenberg told The Age. Mr Frydenberg, who holds the seat of Kooyong in Melbourne, is among a raft of Liberals in blue-ribbon seats facing stiff competition from high-profile challengers at the May 18 election. A tourist accused of raping a woman in Sydney and fleeing Australia hours later has been extradited from the United States. Nepalese national Balram Shiv didn't apply for bail when his case was heard in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday. He's accused of sexually and indecently assaulting a 21-year-old woman at a Carlton unit in June 2017 and then leaving the country hours later. Shiv was arrested on a federal warrant in New York in January before being moved to Los Angeles, where he was met by NSW police detectives on Thursday. He's expected to face Sutherland Local Court on Monday on two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and five counts of indecent assault. A man accused of indecently assaulting women while praying with them in Sydney homes is behind bars. The 38-year-old was arrested in Oxley Park on Sunday morning and later refused bail by a Parramatta magistrate on two charges of indecent assault. Described as a guru in the Hindu community, the man allegedly met a woman, 29, for prayers in a Rooty Hill home in 2016 before assaulting her in the bedroom, police say. A similar accusation, involving a 34-year-old woman in a Rooty Hill home in 2018, has also been made. The man is due to face Mount Druitt Local Court on June 26. Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has ruled out a shake-up of Australia's security agencies after former prime minister Paul Keating called for a clean out because "the nutters are in charge". Speaking at Labor's election campaign launch on Sunday, Mr Keating called for spy chiefs to be sacked in a bid to improve relations with China. "When the security agencies are running foreign policy, the nutters are in charge," he told the ABC. "You'd clean them out." "They've lost their strategic bearings, these organisations." Ms Plibersek said there would "absolutely not" be a full-scale clean out under a Shorten Labor government. "People love Paul Keating for his colourful language," she told ABC Radio National on Monday. "We have a very good relationship with Australia's security agencies." She said Mr Keating did not run Labor policy, noting the opposition valued regular briefings it receives from agencies. "Paul Keating is right to say that China is an absolutely vital economic partner for Australia and we have to have a good relationship with China," Ms Plibersek said. "I think it's important for any government or potential government to heed the information we get from our security agencies." Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton pounced on Mr Keating's comments, saying security agencies had disrupted 15 terrorist plots since September 2014. "Has Mr Keating advocated the abolition of the Department of Home Affairs and is this the reason Mr Shorten refuses to nominate who would be minister in a Shorten government," he asked in a statement. "Australians also have a right to know who would replace existing personnel in key security and intelligence roles." Ms Plibersek said an announcement about ministerial arrangements wouldn't be made until after the election, if Labor wins. Tourism Australia's boss John O'Sullivan has quit after five years in charge of promoting the nation to the world. Mr O'Sullivan will leave to become the chief executive and executive director of the ASX-listed company Experience Co, keeping him in tourism. "It's with mixed emotions that I now move on, but I feel I'm leaving the organisation in a really good position," he said in a statement on Monday. "Australian tourism is performing well, with international arrivals and spending both at record levels. We've reshaped our marketing narrative." Tourism Australia's regional general manager Phillipa Harrison will be interim managing director until a permanent replacement is found. Perth Glory are set to find out later on Monday whether star midfielder Neil Kilkenny will be cleared to take on Adelaide United in Friday night's home A-league semi-final. Kilkenny underwent scans on Saturday after copping a knock to his ankle at training earlier that day. The club says the scans were only precautionary, and it's hopeful Kilkenny won't be ruled out of action. Kilkenny has played a key role in Glory's success this season, scoring six goals in 26 appearances to help lead the club to the Premiers Plate. The 33-year-old's partnership with Diego Castro in the midfield has given the team a ruthless attacking spark, with Glory finishing the regular season as the highest-scoring side. Glory expect Juande will be fit to return from a leg injury in Friday's semi-final. Adelaide United secured their spot in the semi-finals with a dramatic 1-0 extra-time victory over Melbourne City in Sunday's elimination final. Ben Halloran struck the winner in the 119th minute to send the home fans into overdrive. Glory will earn hosting rights for the grand final if they can beat Adelaide United. If Adelaide win, they will play an away grand final against either Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory. Kaiser Maximilian Celebrates 24 Years, Restaurant Week Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Kaiser Maximilian is celebrating 24 years as one of the city's finest restaurants so, in addition to participating in Vallarta Restaurant Week 2019, which runs through June 10th, they'll be serving their special $466 peso, three-course menu for lunch and dinner through June 11th. Now in its 15th year, Restaurant Week gives everyone a chance to sample some of the best food in Puerto Vallarta at exceptional prices. Most of the participating restaurants offer three courses with three options for each course, but Kaiser Maximilian gives you more choices. "The standard for Restaurant Week is three choices for each course," says Owner/Chef Andreas Rupprechter, "but I've decided to give diners more options for the same low price." At Kaiser Maximilian, you can choose between 10 appetizers, 10 entrees and 9 desserts - all developed from authentic family recipes. The restaurant's Austrian cuisine is expertly prepared with quality ingredients by their expert culinary team and served in an European bistro atmosphere. Kaiser Maximilian's 2019 Restaurant Week / 24th Anniversary Menu Served from 12 noon until 11 pm through June 11 for just $466 pesos with your choice of one dish from each course: Appetizers Spinach Strudel with mixed greens and tomatoes Caesar Salad with crispy potato croutons Duck Confit Salad, sherry vinaigrette, squash, pears, winter greens Marinated Mahi Mahi with green asparagus in vinaigrette Raviolis with fennel filling, prosciutto, mushrooms and tarragon sauce Gnocchi with mushrooms, spinach and truffle sauce Chile Poblano Cream Soup with corn and cheese Onion Soup with white wine, toast and gratinated cheese Garlic and Herb flavored bread soup Red Cabbage Cream Soup with roasted duck crust, potato dumpling Main Courses Beef Tenderloin, creamy gorgonzola cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, potato gratin Trout Fillet with Speck raisin nage, herbs and celery puree Red Snapper Fillet with noodles, pea and hibiscus sauce Zwiebelrostbraten, flat pounded beef loin, Austrian onion rings, sauteed potatoes Chicken Breast with rosemary, mashed potatoes, mustard seed-sauce, vegetables Roasted Leg of Veal, glazed vegetables, Spatzle, cream sauce with mushrooms Veal Scaloppini with angel hair pasta, mozzarella, asparagus, red wine sauce Wienerschnitzel, breaded pork loin with potatoes and Austrian salad Rahmschnitzel, sauteed pork loin scallops with noodles and a cream mushroom sauce Braised Rabbit, fettuccini, Pinot Noir sauce, vegetables, Parmesan Desserts "Rehrucken," flourless chocolate cake with mint ice cream, whipped cream Sour Cream Cheesecake, coconut crust, rum poached pineapple, strawberries Cottage Cheese Strudel and peach compote, vanilla ice cream Warm Pecan Chocolate Bourbon Tart, vanilla ice cream Vanilla Ice Cream covered with a hot crepe, chocolate sauce, pecans Chocolate Pot de Creme, caramel mousse, sea salt Austrian Apple Strudel with vanilla ice cream Creme Brulee, vanilla cream under a caramelized sugar crust Copa Maximilian, vanilla, pecan ice cream, bananas, Kahlua and whipped cream Kaiser Maximilian's Restaurant Week menu is being served at the Espresso Bar from noon until 11 pm and in the Main Dining Room from 5 to 11 pm through June 11th. The regular a la carte menu will also be available. "I would like to welcome all of our long-time clients to join us during Restaurant Week and be part of our 24th anniversary celebration," says Andreas Rupprechter, "and I hope this special menu encourages others to try our restaurant for the first time." Nore: Kaiser Maximilian will be closed for vacation from June 12 to July 24. Both the Espresso Bar and the Main Dining Room will reopen on July 25, 2019. Open Monday-Saturday from 8 am to 11 pm for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Kaiser Maximilian Restaurant & Cafe is located at Olas Altas #38B in the Zona Romantica of Puerto Vallarta. For reservations call (322) 223-0760 or visit KaiserMaximilian.com An anonymous donation of $25,000 has been made to help recover a stolen mobile phone filled with images of a Melbourne couple's baby who recently died. A businessman and his wife, whose son was treated in Monash Children's Hospital several years ago, say they wanted to make a "significant personal offer" for the return of the phone and photos of grieving Boronia parents Dee and Jay Windross' baby Amiyah, who died in the same hospital on April 24, the Herald Sun reports. Mrs Windross left the phone in a toilet cubicle at Chadstone Shopping Centre on Easter Saturday but it was gone when she returned a few minutes later. Jay Windross told 3AW radio on Monday the couple had been inundated with offers of money to go towards a reward for the phone's return but nothing of this scale. "If we had the money, we'd be throwing out a reward to get it back," he said. "Obviously it's Amiyah who has touched us so deeply and everyone she met. Because she's been spread out so far, she's touching everyone else as well." Mr Windross said the donors, who had endured a similar experience, asked to remain anonymous. "I'm very grateful for them that their child was able to make a full recovery," he said. The shopping centre had scoured CCTV footage but it was impossible to see who took the black Samsung Galaxy S8 with a purple cover. However the couple has not given up hope, despite some knocks, including a person who set up a fake crowdfunding page to generate funds in their name and a woman who allegedly tried to extort $1000 for the phone's return. The woman, Siti Nurhidayah Kamal, 24, has been charged with blackmail and will face court on July 8. "You can never give up hope. Just like with Amiyah, we felt things were pretty grim from the start but we never gave up hope," Mr Windross said. "But unfortunately you dont know who you're dealing with in this world anymore. "We've had so many amazing people reach out to us but unfortunately we've come past two or three that have been quite unhelpful." A Sydney drug boss and her male associate have both been jailed for at least 30 years for murdering a meth cook and his partner. Dung Thi Ngo, 43, and Kevin Ly, 27, were each found guilty in November by a NSW Supreme Court jury of murdering Son Thanh Nguyen and Thi Kim Lien Do, whose bodies were found wrapped in bedspreads and dumped in Bankstown and West Hoxton respectively. Both were killed in April 2013 but Ms Do's body wasn't found for nine months. The trial had been told Ngo - who headed an illicit drug group - suspected Mr Nguyen staged a break-in at the Canley Vale house she had leased for him that year to set up a meth lab. Ly and a group of men - numbering four or five - dragged the pair inside and bound them before demanding Mr Nguyen return the drugs, a sentencing hearing on Monday was told. "Don't kill me, I don't know anything," Ms Do screamed at her captors from a bedroom where she sat bleeding from the head. But Ly strangled Mr Nguyen. Ms Do's body was so badly decomposed when it was found it's unclear how she died but Justice Geoffrey Bellew heard smothering, asphyxiation and choking were all suggested The judge described the murders as "brutal and callous" with Ms Do likely killed just to ensure her silence. Ly and Ngo were both handed maximum terms of 40 years in prison - backdated to September 2016 - with non-parole periods of 30 years. Ngo closed her eyes and sunk into the chair in the dock when an interpreter conveyed the sentence. Ly took a sip of water - he showed no emotion. The pair will first be eligible for parole in September 2046. Controversial NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham and Animal Justice Party vegan bodybuilder Emma Hurst will join other new MPs at Macquarie Street for the first sitting of the 57th state parliament. More than six weeks after Gladys Berejiklian became the first woman to be popularly elected NSW premier, the coalition on Tuesday will return to the government benches. Ms Berejiklian has a majority in the lower house but will have to deal with a rabble of crossbenchers in the Legislative Council including Mr Latham and fellow One Nation MP Rod Roberts. They're joined by three Greens members, two MPs from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, two Animal Justice MPs - including Ms Hurst - independent Justin Field and Christian Democrat Fred Nile. The new-look upper house comprises 17 coalition MPs, 14 Labor MPs and an 11-member crossbench. Labor will try to take advantage of the government's weak position in the Legislative Council by teaming up with a handful of crossbench members to block legislation or force parliamentary reform. The Shooters have three lower house MPs too, having wrestled two additional seats from the Nationals at the March 23 election. They're joined in the Legislative Assembly by three independents: Wagga Wagga's Joe McGirr, Sydney's Alex Greenwich and Lake Macquarie's Greg Piper. Ms Berejiklian has promised to focus on education and social inequality this term after years of government spending on roads, railways and stadiums. She told the first meeting of her cabinet in April she hoped to break the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage. Meanwhile Labor will return to parliament without a permanent leader, after Michael Daley stepped down following the election loss. Upper house MP Penny Sharpe is Labor's interim leader with the leadership ballot process expected to begin after the May 18 federal election. Kogarah MP Chris Minns is the favourite for the top job despite simmering tension between him and NSW Labor head office. The number of homes put on the auction block over the weekend crept up compared to the previous week but remained low when viewed alongside the numbers from a year ago. CoreLogic's preliminary count released on Monday said 1,472 properties were taken to auction across Australian capital cities last week - 446 more than the previous week - in a drop from the 2,311 recorded 12 months ago. The early results put the auction clearance rate across the country at 58.8 per cent, up from the previous week's tally of 50.4 per cent, but CoreLogic warned that the final clearance rate - which is expected to be released on Thursday - would likely end up in "the low 50 per cent range". The preliminary numbers indicated 60.8 per cent of homes taken to auction in Melbourne over the last week sold based on the confirmed results of 521 auctions monitored by CoreLogic, while results for another 157 auctions were not recorded. The total 678 Melbourne auctions figure was a sharp decline from the 1,144 held during the same week in 2018. In Sydney, 66.6 per cent of properties taken to auction last week sold based on 326 monitored auctions while results for another 209 auctions were not recorded. Only 28.3 per cent of homes taken to auction in Brisbane last week sold based on the confirmed results of 46 auctions monitored by the research firm, while results for another 44 auctions were not included. There were fewer auctions in the week to May 5 in every capital city compared to a year ago, CoreLogic said. Home values dipped 0.3 per cent in Sydney and 0.2 per cent in both Melbourne and Brisbane during the week, according to the company's weekly summary. A learner driver has apologised in court for a hit-run which left a toddler seriously injured on a Melbourne road as he continued his trip to collect takeaway food. Zachery Davin Larkins, 21, has pleaded guilty to failing to stop and render assistance after the two-year-old boy ran onto the road at Laverton last September. He has also admitted failing to display L plates, driving unaccompanied and failing to report the crash to police. In the Koori Court in Melbourne on Monday, Larkins told the mother of his victim "I'm very sorry for my behaviour," adding he wished he hadn't done what he did. Larkins had been on his way to pick up Subway in his partner's car on the night of September 9 when the toddler ran onto Railway Avenue, the court was told. The 21-year-old was unable to stop in time and knew he hit the child but drove off in shock. Larkins' lawyer said because the man could tell the little boy's family were at the scene to provide assistance, it was different from a case where there was no one around to help. Larkins kept going to Altona Meadows Shopping Centre, where he left the car after inspecting it and collecting his food, walking home to Railway Avenue where both he and his victim's family lived. No driving error or mechanical fault contributed to the crash, prosecutors said. It left the boy in a coma, with injuries including a lacerated liver and bruised lungs, and unable to eat or walk properly. The child's mother told the court her son remained scared to get into cars and was "behind in everything", in contrast to his development before the crash. Larkins remains on bail and is expected to return to court on July 29. Spending on job-creating infrastructure will feature in the Northern Territory budget, Treasurer Nicole Manison says. Ms Manison will deliver the Labor government's third financial blueprint on Tuesday saying it will seek to boost jobs, deliver a safer Territory and drive generational change. "You need to invest in all three areas to tackle the social challenges we face and economic opportunities in front of us," Ms Manison said on Monday. "Budget 19 shows that the government's plans are working and the economy is starting to turn. "There are exciting opportunities to generate more jobs and private investment ahead of us." But Opposition Leader Gary Higgins said the government had shown it was incapable of fiscal discipline and providing measures to "re-inflate" the economy. "The Northern Territory is the worst economy in Australia, we are at the bottom, and we will continue to stay at the bottom unless the Labor government does the hard work that's necessary," Mr Higgins said. Tuesday's budget comes after the release of an independent report prepared to find ways for the government to deal with a looming debt crisis. Former WA under-treasurer John Langoulant warned that unless changes were made, debt would soar to $35.7 billion with a $2 billion interest bill by 2029 that the NT would not able to service. Most of Mr Langoulant's 76 recommendations were accepted, with some fees going up and departments ordered to cut spending by $11.2 billion over 10 years. More than 50 of the Territory's highest-paid public servants were axed along with several hundred other full-time positions. The government further moved to freeze the pay of politicians and public sector executives for three years, to save $25 million. Pay increases for the rest of the 21,000-plus public service were to be fixed at $1000-a-year for the next EBA. The Daily Telegraph and journalist Jonathan Moran are appealing after a NSW judge found the newspaper defamed Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush in articles which made him out to be a pervert and a sexual predator. Justice Michael Wigney in April ruled publisher Nationwide News and Moran were reckless regarding the truth of their story when they reported Rush had been accused of inappropriate behaviour in 2017. Court documents show the news organisation lodged a notice of appeal in the Federal Court in Sydney last week. The Daily Telegraph reports it's appealing on the ground the judge's conduct "gave rise to an apprehension of bias". Justice Wigney found a poster and two articles contained several defamatory meanings but the news organisation didn't prove they were substantially true. "This was ... a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism of the worst kind - the very worst kind," the judge said on April 11. The Telegraph and Moran largely relied on the evidence of actor Eryn Jean Norvill during a Federal Court defamation trial in 2018. She alleged Rush sexually harassed her during a Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear in 2015-16 during which she played the daughter of his titular character. But Justice Wigney found Norvill was at times "prone to exaggeration and embellishment". He said he wasn't persuaded she was entirely credible and awarded Rush $850,000 for general and aggravated damages. The parties were due back in court on Friday for a hearing on special damages for Rush's lost earnings that could run to many millions of dollars. Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie is on track to retain her South Australian seat of Mayo, based on the latest opinion poll. The Advertiser YouGov Galaxy poll quizzed 557 voters across the electorate which stretches from the Adelaide Hills, down the Fleurieu Peninsula and across to Kangaroo Island. It put primary support for Ms Sharkie at 43 per cent compared to 38 per cent for Liberal rival, Georgina Downer. On a two-party preferred basis, she would retain the seat on May 18 with 57 per cent of the vote. It's an almost identical result to last year's by-election when Ms Sharkie defeated Ms Downer with 57.5 per cent support after preferences. The by-election was forced when Ms Sharkie came unstuck over citizenship issues. The poll also found support for Clive Palmer's United Australia Party was just three per cent despite his campaign appearance in Adelaide last week and his local advertising blitz. Independent MP Kerryn Phelps has sought a police investigation into racist emails which falsely claim she is ineligible to run for parliament. The office of Dr Phelps, the member for the Sydney seat of Wentworth, has received dozens of calls about the emails and Facebook messages. One of the emails, obtained by AAP, falsely states she has been disqualified from election because she "is a Jew and entitled to automatic Israeli citizenship". Dr Phelps is an Australian citizen and her parents and grandparents were born in Australia. It also urges voters to "shred" her campaign posters and asks them to vote for Liberal candidate Dave Sharma. The emails have been sent using a variety of names. "The content of the emails is very disturbing," Dr Phelps said. "Whichever individual or group is responsible is trying to influence the outcome of an election and I think they should be investigated and brought to justice." Mr Sharma had condemned the emails, saying he had also referred them to the Australian Federal Police. An AFP spokesman said a referral had been received and would be assessed in accordance with the AFP's standard protocols. Last month, hundreds of Dr Phelps' posters were stolen within a week of them being erected around the electorate. A female police officer has allegedly been assaulted by two men who aggressively approached a couple at a Sydney train station. Police on Monday said the police officer and her partner intervened when they saw two men, aged 26 and 28, "aggressively approach" two people at Toongabbie train station about 2am on Sunday. The younger man shoved the female officer in the chest before the older one grabbed her from behind and the first man assaulted her again, police allege. Pepper spray was deployed after the officer's partner came to her aid and the pair were arrested shortly after. Both men have been granted conditional bail on two counts of assaulting a police officer, ahead of an appearance at Parramatta Local Court on May 15. The younger man was also charged with resisting arrest. Jose Alfredo's Birthday Bash Supports Cheryl's Shoebox Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Our favorite fiesta of the year celebrates Jose Alfredo's cumpleanos in the traditional No Way Jose! style - with amazing food, friends and fun! We invite you to join in the fiesta and enjoy our Restaurant Week Menu, while supporting Cheryl's Shoebox, on Sunday, May 19. "My birthday and Restaurant Week are two of the reasons this party draws an enthusiastic crowd ready to party," shares Jose Alfredo. "Donating to Cheryl's ShoeBox puts the cherry on the cake for us at No Way Jose! Not only do we remember Cheryl fondly, we enjoy furthering her legacy and letting people know how they can reach out and help individual children in the under-served areas of the Bay of Banderas." "Not only will we enjoy our very own Alejandro Pena. Tenor," adds Julie, "We will have mariachi, and other musical guests surprising us throughout the night. This evening promises to be one of the best ways to say "Feliz Cumple" to one of the hardest working men in Vallarta!" In lieu of gifts for the birthday boy, we ask that you donate to Cheryl's Shoe Box. Please bring a new pair of girls' or boys' shoes to donate or bring some extra pesos to throw into the donation box. Cheryl's Shoe Box dedicates their efforts to increase the quality of education in disadvantaged schools throughout the Banderas Bay region by providing families with school shoes and school materials as well as educational supplies to teachers. Please join us on Sunday, May 19 to eat, drink, laugh, sing, dance and be happy! Space is limited, and the Terrace always fills up fast for this party, which starts at 7:30 pm, so visit NoWayJoseMx.com, or call (322) 223-2853 to reserve your table today! The site of the Sari Club, where 88 Australians died in the 2002 Bali bombings, could yet be saved for a peace park after the land owners agreed to sell rather than develop the site. But the owners are asking for $A4.9 million for the site and it's unclear who would come up with the money. The owners' offer to sell the land, rather than go ahead with a restaurant development, was made after a meeting in Bali with members of the Bali Peace Park Association, the ABC reported on Monday. The site in Kuta has remained vacant for most of the 17 years since a car bomb destroyed the Sari Club in October 2002, minutes after another bomb exploded at the nearby Paddy's Bar, with 202 people killed in total. The land owners say they want compensation for loss of future business on top of the sale of the site, the ABC reported. A Bali Peace Park Association spokesperson said he was disappointed and "not optimistic". The Australia-based association represents survivors of the bombings. Bali Governor Wayan Koster had offered the land owners an alternative site about 1.5km away in exchange for the Sari Club plot, allowing it to be turned into a long-planned memorial park. The governor's offer was to Sukamto Tjia, who has owned the site in Kuta since 1997. He said he had been open to selling the land to the Bali Peace Park Association but years of talks went nowhere and he had decided to develop the site. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has criticised the decision by Indonesian authorities to approve the five-storey development, describing it as "deeply distressing". He said the Australian government had provided support and funding to establish a peace park on the site. "The Australian Government will continue to work with the Indonesian authorities to seek to resolve this issue and ensure the memories and families of all those who were murdered in that shocking terrorist attack are properly respected," Morrison tweeted. Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has thrown his support behind reviewing the length of pre-poll voting with almost one million Australians already casting their ballot. According to the latest Australian Electoral Commission figures, 915,000 people have voted in the federal election since early voting started last Monday. That includes 255,000 votes cast on Monday, putting the tally on target to smash through the one million mark on Tuesday. "I would have thought that needs to be looked at," Mr Albanese told Sky News on Tuesday. "I think pre-poll voting is very valuable but three weeks is a very, very long time." He said up to two million people may vote before the coalition's official campaign launch this weekend. "We only had our launch on Sunday. The government is still trying to find some policies to launch next Sunday," he said. Mr Albanese said avoiding queues was a major incentive for people. "Anything that maximises the opportunity for people to vote is a good thing, but three weeks is a long time," he said. Earlier in the week, independent MP Kerryn Phelps said people voting in the final week were doing so under different circumstances to when early voting opens. "We need to look at that. Is that what we really want to see, or should it really be compressed into a week and perhaps some postal voting," she said. In 2007, pre-poll votes excluding postal votes were 8.2 per cent, rising to 22.7 per cent in 2016. Adding postals, the early voting figure for 2007 rose to 13 per cent, while in 2016 it was 31 per cent. A record 16.4 million Australians are enrolled to vote at this election with polls to close on May 18. A man is behind bars over accusations he repeatedly sexually abused four women in Sydney's southwest in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The 56-year-old was arrested on Monday morning and charged with 14 offences, including indecent and sexual assault and abduction. It followed an investigation into reports an 18-year-old woman had been indecently assaulted when she was a child by a man known to her. Detectives allege three other women - aged 40, 41 and 59 - were also abused on "numerous occasions" between 1998 and 2005. The sexual abuse of one of the women started when she was just four, NSW Police say. The man has been refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court on Tuesday. A former NSW financial adviser could face up to 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to dishonestly obtaining about $208,000 from his clients. Trevor Martin plead guilty in the District Court of NSW to three counts of dishonestly obtaining client funds. An ASIC investigation found Mr Martin, who worked for The Salisbury Group and AMP-owned Charter Financial Planning Limited, dishonestly obtained money between 2011 and 2015 by not putting clients' funds into investment opportunities as promised. He used the money for his own personal expenses and other purposes, ASIC said on Tuesday. Mr Martin will be sentenced on August 16. The charge of dishonestly obtaining property by deception carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Wests Tigers utility Michael Chee Kam has been convicted of assaulting a rideshare driver at Sydney's Bondi Beach in late 2018. The 27-year-old was handed a 12-month good behaviour bond and fined $2000 in Waverley Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty in April to the charge of common assault. Magistrate Greg Grogin said while he accepted the NRL star was remorseful and a person of general good character there was a need for punishment. "People must know they can go around NSW without fear of being hit by someone," he said. NSW Police officers have collected a poo hidden inside a book that was dumped outside Tony Abbott's Sydney electorate office. The faeces was placed inside a hollowed out book that had the word "Unpopular" written on the cover, according to photos published by News Corp Australia. Detectives are investigating after the item was left outside Mr Abbott's Manly office on Tuesday morning, a police spokesman told AAP. "Police attended and the item has been collected," he said. The former prime minister's office has been contacted for comment. Police also appealed for information late last week after posters featuring Mr Abbott appeared in his Warringah electorate with expletives written across his forehead. Other posters had "Pell" written across them - an apparent reference to the Liberal MP's friend and convicted pedophile Cardinal George Pell. Travellers on an international and domestic flight are being urged to visit their doctor after a young Tasmanian woman flew while infectious with measles. The 25-year-old returned to Australia last Thursday from the Philippines on Cebu Pacific flight 5J49 and then flew on Qantas flight QF250 from Melbourne to Devonport on Friday. Health authorities are urging people on the two flights, as well as anyone who visited Victoria Street Clinic in Ulverstone as the woman did, on May 4, to contact their GP immediately to ensure they are immune to measles. Amphetamine possession and dealing rose 250 per cent in NSW between 2009 and 2016, a special commission into ice has heard. The inquiry, set up by the NSW government in November 2018, is examining the use and impact of crystal methamphetamines and other illicit stimulants such as MDMA. Counsel assisting, Sally Dowling SC, opened the hearing in Sydney on Tuesday. Figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research submitted by acting executive director Jackie Fitzgerald show possession and dealing of amphetamines all rose 250 per cent in the seven years to 2016. Between 2011 and 2018, ecstasy possession increased by 131 per cent and ecstasy dealing increased by 70 per cent, the figures show. Some 73 per cent of people found guilty of amphetamine possession in 2018 had a prior conviction in the past five years with 20 per cent having a prior conviction for domestic violence and 24 per cent having previously served a prison sentence. A 22-year-old Adelaide man was killed with a single punch to his head, so hard it likely knocked him unconscious before he hit the ground, a court has heard. Reece Watherston is on trial in the Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to the manslaughter of Jack Hanley during a brawl in 2017. Opening the Crown case on Tuesday, prosecutor Mark Norman SC said Mr Hanley died at the scene from catastrophic head injuries caused when he fell backwards fracturing his skull on the concrete pavement. "The accused hit him as hard as he possibly could," Mr Norman told Justice Anne Bampton, who is conducting the judge-alone trial. "The prosecution alleges the punch was an unlawful and dangerous act." The court heard the accused had engaged in a drunken, early hours brawl that initially involved two groups of people. But Mr Norman said the victim posed no threat to Watherston at the time of the fatal blow. He said the punch was captured on a mobile phone by someone who was passing by in a car. "The prosecution suggests it clearly shows the accused attacking the deceased," the prosecutor said. "It equally clearly shows the deceased trying to avoid the accused's attack by physically turning away from him." Mr Norman said it was at that point that Watherston pursued Mr Hanley and landed the "extremely powerful punch". "Indeed so powerful it very likely knocked Mr Hanley unconscious before he hit the ground," he said. The court heard that Watherston immediately walked from the scene and got into a taxi some distance away. It was also told that both Mr Hanley and Watherston had the drugs MDMA and cannabis in their systems. A post-mortem examination found Mr Hanley died from blunt head trauma which caused a severe brain injury. The trial is continuing with Justice Bampton to visit the site of the fight on Hindley Street on Wednesday. A numbers game is underway in Papua New Guinea with rival camps of MPs jostling for dominance ahead of an expected vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. The government says it's confident it has the numbers to beat any moves to oust the prime minister but the opposing camp claims it has the support of 57 members, PNG's Post-Courier newspaper reported. That number would give them a majority in the 111-member parliament. But a head count by the Post-Courier on Monday had the government with 60 members at the Crown Hotel in Port Moresby while the Laguna Hotel camp led by James Marape and Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch had 50 members. Parliament is set to resume on Tuesday afternoon but a motion of no confidence expected to be put by the "alternative government" cannot be voted on until a week after it is tabled. Pruaitch, leader of the National Alliance Party, has announced that the Laguna group nomination for alternative prime minister was Marape. Marape resigned as finance minister last month citing a lack of trust between him and O'Neill, who has been PM for seven years. "We're a country of Melanesian consensus-style leadership, not one-man-style dictatorship," Marape has said. Other ministers followed Marape out of the government including those holding the portfolios of defence, justice, forests and health along with the attorney-general and five provincial governors. "The country must congratulate these leaders for coming out, foregoing privileges of being ministers in government, to hear our people's cry," Pruaitch said, quoted by the Post-Courier. The defectors have accused O'Neill of advancing his own interests and a lack of consultation on key issues, including a major $16 billion gas deal. O'Neill said he was "very confident" his coalition government had the numbers to continue to govern, with 60 members locked in. "Coalition members are very much intact and supportive of the government," he said. Hundreds of extra police have been deployed in Port Moresby in case of violence by the rival camps' supporters who may be angered by the result of the political showdown. PNG is Australia's biggest aid recipient. 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 Perth Glory defender Shane Lowry is confident the club has the depth to cover for Neil Kilkenny if the star midfielder is ruled out of Friday night's A-League semi-final against Adelaide United in Perth. Kilkenny injured his ankle at training last Saturday and didn't train on Tuesday, placing huge doubts about whether he will be able to recover in time. The club is keeping silent on the extent of Kilkenny's injury, deciding against releasing the results of scans. The 33-year-old would leave a massive void if he is ruled out, and would force 21-year-old midfielder Jake Brimmer and Spaniard Juande to shoulder a bigger responsibility. Attacking midfielder Jacob Italiano, 17, could earn a spot on the bench if Kilkenny is ruled out. Lowry is confident that Glory possess enough weapons to replace Kilkenny. "I spoke to him briefly. He's in good spirits," Lowry said. "I'm not too sure (if he will play). I'm sure he'll do his work with the physios and we'll see what happens on Friday. "Our squad is very strong. We've recruited well in the off-season. Whoever plays, everyone knows their role. "We do a lot of video analysis. Everyone knows where they're supposed to be on the pitch and what their job is tactically and physically." Glory will enter the match at HBF Park on the back of a 12-day break. In contrast, Adelaide will have only had five days to recover from their epic 1-0 extra-time victory over Melbourne City last Sunday. Perth spent almost the entire season on top of the table, and Lowry said there weren't any nerves heading into Friday's clash. "Nah, not from us. There's been people hunting us all season," Lowry said. Glory beat Adelaide on both occasions in Adelaide this season, but the only clash in Perth resulted in a 0-0 draw in round 15. Strip searches of children and young people in Tasmanian custody should only be used as a last resort, the state's children's commission says. Tasmanian Department of Justice figures show 218 minors were strip searched while in prison custody last year. On Tuesday the state's Commissioner for Children and Young People Leanne McLean said the process of routine strip searches cannot be justified. She made eight recommendations in a report including the need for new technology such as body scanners. "There is a large amount of evidence that strip searching can cause harm," she said. "If you have been abused or have been traumatised and you are then subjected to a strip search, that can re-traumatise." Her advice was partly prompted by recent media reports of the prison strip search of an 11-year-old boy subjected to a mock arrest in a bid to curb his behaviour. More than 203 unclothed searches were conducted on children and young people at Ashley Youth Detention Centre between June 1 and November 30. Ms McLean said none found contraband. She has also called for a register to record all searches of children and young people held in custody and clearer regulations outlining how searches are to be conducted to ensure minor's dignity and self-respect is maintained. Ms McLean said Tasmania could learn from the Northern Territory, where strip search regulations were tightened after the 2017 Royal Commission into the Detention and Protection of Children. The state Liberal government has welcomed the advice, in particular the need for a consistent approach to strip searching processes. "The Tasmania government has already commenced implementing a new searching protocol which balances the security and self-harm risks with the dignity and wellbeing of minors," Attorney-General Elise Archer said. "The government will continue its discussions, to determine the best approach for a more consistent legal framework." Today's Birthday, May 8: The father of the modern nature documentary Sir David Attenborough (1926-) As Sir David Attenborough prepares to celebrate his 93rd year, he says he can't bear to think about what will happen to Earth and what will be left for his grandchildren after he dies. The father of the modern nature documentary has dedicated his recent years to fighting climate change, but in an interview with The Guardian this year he revealed he is pessimistic about how successful the world will be at stopping it. "I don't spend time thinking about that because I can't bear it," he said. "I don't have many more years around here. I find it difficult to think beyond that because the signs aren't good." Born on May 8 1926 in London, Attenborough grew up on the campus of University College Leicester, where his father was the principal. Despite growing up in a city environment, from a young age he loved collecting fossils and nature specimens. Attenborough went to Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester and then went on to gain a degree in Natural Science from Cambridge University in 1947 before spending two years in the Royal Navy. In 1949 he began to work as an editor for an educational publisher, before starting a training program at the BBC the following year. In 1952 he finished his training and began working as a producer at the BBC. In 1954 he launched the series Zoo Quest, which filmed animals in captivity and in the wild. The series was an attempt to show animals in their natural habitat, a move away from the traditional practice of bringing them into the distressing environment of TV. In 1965 he became the controller of BBC2 and was responsible for the introduction of colour television in Britain. He was Director of Programs in 1969 but resigned in 1972 to explore the world. Attenborough's Life on Earth (1979) created a landmark in television and an estimated 500 million people worldwide tuned in to watch the 13-part documentary series, which took viewers all over the world and introduced them to all manner of exotic species. He's since continued to educate the world about the wonders of nature, writing and producing countless award-winning programs. Attenborough's career has earned him many honours, including a knighthood in 1985. Attenborough married Jane Oriel in 1950, and the pair had two children together. "Kill a worker, go to jail" is the simple change sought by the parents of an 18-year-old apprentice crushed to death by scaffolding on a Sydney worksite. Christopher Cassaniti was crushed to death after 15-metre high scaffolding collapsed on him and a co-worker at a construction site in Macquarie Park on April 1. His parents are now calling for harsher punishments for employers whose employees die in industrial incidents. "Kill a worker, go to jail," mother Patrizia Cassaniti told Seven News on Tuesday "It doesn't matter if it is white collar or blue collar, (workers) should be feeling safe going to work." His father Rob Cassaniti said the culture of the industry in NSW needed to change. Bosses found to have negligently caused the death of a worker can be jailed for up to 20 years in Queensland. A similar industrial manslaughter law is set to be debated in Victoria's parliament by the end of the year. Ms Cassaniti said she'd promised Christopher's colleagues she "won't stop until they feel safe". The apprentice, who turned 18 only days before his death, was farewelled in a memorial service this week. The circumstances of his death are being investigated by SafeWork NSW and police. Some 35 workers died on NSW construction sites in the two years to June 2017, according to the State Insurance Regulatory Authority. Construction is also one of the most common industries for major workplace injuries with one in every 67 workers injured in the year to June 2017. Jarryd Hayne could be close to settling his civil rape lawsuit in California. Hayne's US lawyers and the legal team representing the American woman who claims the NRL star sexually assaulted her in 2015 while he was playing for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers have told US District Court Judge Lucy Koh "the parties are currently in settlement talks and may be close to achieving a resolution of the entire matter". The new joint filing in the case came ahead of Wednesday's scheduled court appearance before Judge Koh in San Jose. The judge agreed to push back the next court date to August 14. Hayne's lawyers and the alleged victim's legal team also pointed to a potential settlement as a reason to extend the deadline for discovery from May 15 to June 25. "The parties have discussed and agreed that a brief and limited continuance of the discovery cutoff, from May 15, 2019 to June 25, 2019, will ... allow the parties to focus on a settlement of the case," the lawyers wrote. A planned May 3 deposition of Hayne by the alleged victim's lawyers was also delayed. The alleged victim, known in court documents as JV, claims she was a virgin and heavily intoxicated when she met Hayne at a San Jose bar with friends. She is seeking "monetary damages". San Jose police investigated but opted not to file criminal charges against Hayne. Hayne has rejected her rape claim and said they "willingly engaged in sexual interaction that did not include sexual intercourse". JV filed the civil lawsuit in California on December 19, 2017, and a jury trial is scheduled for January 27 next year. Australian nurse Kirsty Boden's brave decision to run towards the London Bridge attack scene to help the injured would not have seemed unusual to anyone who knew her, her partner has told an inquest. James Holler has paid tribute to the nurse's heroic actions the night she was fatally stabbed, telling the London inquest how "unspeakably proud" he is of her. Ms Boden, 28, and fellow Australian Sara Zelenak, 21, along with six others were killed after Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba used a van to run down dozens of people on the bridge on the night of June 3, 2017. The three attackers then stabbed dozens of others with ceramic kitchen knives in the nearby Borough Market. Ms Boden heard the van crash while having dinner with two friends at the nearby Boro Bistro, England and Wales Chief Coroner Mark Lucraft told the Old Bailey on Tuesday. "Her immediate response was to leave the table where she was sat with her friends and to go to assist as she was a nurse," Mr Lucraft said. The three attackers coming in the opposite direction saw the South Australian and Butt stabbed her forcefully before running off to attack other people. Zaghba and Redouane then continued to knife Ms Boden and 26-year-old French waiter Alexandre Pigeard, who had fallen on the ground. Ms Boden then ran through an alley towards the The Mudlark pub, but she collapsed and died from her injuries. Ms Boden's partner James Holler told the inquest her heroic actions that summer night would not have seemed unusual for anyone who knew her. "To Kirsty it wouldn't have seemed brave, she loved people and lived her life helping others. To Kirsty her actions that night would have just been an extension of how she lived her life," he said. "We are so unspeakably proud of her and not a day goes by that we are not in awe of her bravery that night." Mr Holler described Ms Boden as a loving and kind human, who constantly "moved heaven and earth" for others. He was thankful that "despite the fact I am a pasty mumbling British accountant", Ms Boden had fallen in love with him. "I am still head over heels in love with Kirsty and I miss her so much, but I'm so thankful for the years we shared together and I will treasure those memories forever," Mr Holler said. Ms Boden's father Ken described how his daughter had been always willing to lend anyone a hand. He said her death had left a hole in his family's hearts and they especially missed hearing her news in their weekly Skype chats on Sunday nights. "Sunday nights will never be the same for us," Mr Boden said. Canadian Christine Archibald, 30, Briton James McMullan, 32, Frenchmen Xavier Thomas, 45, Sebastien Belanger, 36, Mr Pigeard and 39-year-old Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria also died in the attack. Mr Thomas and Ms Archibold were hit by the van while the others were all stabbed to death. The coroner said another 48 people were seriously wounded, while all three attackers were shot dead by police at the scene. Qantas chief Alan Joyce has vowed the airline will continue to campaign on social issues, saying its stance has been vindicated by strong public support. Mr Joyce led the airline's highly visible promotion of same sex marriage during the 2017 plebiscite and says Qantas' brand is stronger than it's ever been, a testament his public position worked for the company. "What you see in any... surveys that have been done on trust, is people want strong leadership and authentic leadership, whether it's in business, in politics, in all forms of life," Mr Joyce told AAP. Where other brands have gone backwards, "we've seen our brand improve in the last few years, supporting marriage equality, supporting gender equality and Indigenous rights," he said. "So we're going to do a lot more of this because it's the best thing I think we've ever done". Speaking at the International Society of Women Airline Pilots conference in Sydney, Mr Joyce said Qantas backing the "yes" campaign was about wanting a "fair go" for the LGBTI community. "We want a fair go for the female community, we want a fair go for the Indigenous community, we want a fair go across the board and that's why we feel passionate about getting this right," Mr Joyce told around 130 female pilots from 30 airlines. The company has close to 40 per cent women on its board and in the senior management group, and has set the same target for their intake of female pilots in 10 years. This a huge jump from six per cent currently flying with Qantas, slightly above the world average which they estimate at around five per cent, and the more than 11 per cent of pilots in their regional arm. While there has already been some progress - 13 per cent of all pilots hired across the company last year were female - Mr Joyce readily admits the problems are "deep rooted". "We have stereotypes still in society that need to be addressed. And that goes back to young girls being encouraged to be cabin crew, to be in service industries, not to be thinking of the technical jobs and we need to change that stereotype," he told the women. Qantas uses female pilots to promote STEM subjects to school-aged girls, has an agreement with six universities to ensure the right pilots are coming into the system and are setting up their own pilot schools in Australia. "I hope that one day, when you get on a Qantas flight, at every second Qantas flight you'll hear a female voice. Wouldn't that be amazing, and that's what we should have," Mr Joyce said. Australia's property market could lose $571 billion in value over the next decade due to the impact of climate change and extreme weather, a new report warns. The Climate Council document also found the risk for Queensland was double that of other states and territories. Report author and climate risk expert Dr Karl Mallon argued billions would be lost by 2030 if greenhouse gas emissions remained high and adequate action wasn't taken. "This is the largest analysis of property risk from climate change ever undertaken in Australia and uses the latest data from our universities," Dr Mallon said in a statement on Thursday. "Queensland is on the frontline of climate change impacts in Australia and the Gold Coast, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast local government areas have been identified as amongst highest risk to extreme weather and climate change because they are very exposed to flooding and coastal inundation." Dr Mallon also suggested that, on current trends, one in every 19 property owners would face the prospect of "effectively unaffordable" home insurance premiums by 2030. The report also found extreme weather events like heat waves and floods were affecting agriculture and food production. It estimated one per cent of gross domestic product could be lost due each year to increasingly severe and more frequent drought conditions. On current trends, climate change impacts are projected to reduce agricultural and labour productivity by $19 billion by 2030 and by $211 billion by 2050, the report says. But fellow report author and University of Melbourne economist Tom Kompas said that figure could swell to $4 trillion over the next 80 years. "This is not a trivial figure - it is more than double Australia's current gross domestic product," Prof Kompas said. The case accusing former teacher Chris Dawson of killing his wife on Sydney's northern beaches 37 years ago is expected to return to court. Lynette Dawson's disappearance in 1982 was the subject of highly popular investigative podcast series The Teacher's Pet before her former husband was charged. An update on the court case on Thursday may answer whether prosecutors will use as evidence any material collected by journalist Hedley Thomas for the podcast. Prosecutors were granted extra time in February to sift through the material, amounting to more than 100 gigabytes. It's unclear whether the accused 70-year-old will be present in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday. He is currently living on Queensland's Sunshine Coast under strict bail conditions. Dawson's solicitor has suggested Thomas potentially compromised the case by interviewing witnesses for The Teacher's Pet. "Not only the accused's case but the prosecution case (too) because what he's done is to impact upon the reliability of witnesses," Greg Walsh told reporters outside court in February. By asking people to relive their experiences, and divulging new information to witnesses, the "risk of contamination and collusion was a real one", Mr Walsh said. Both major parties are under pressure to outline the cost of their promises ahead of the May 18 election, with climate change and tax cuts in the spotlight. The opposition's much anticipated costings will be released on Friday, as leader Bill Shorten continues to face pressure over his party's climate plan. Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek says the cost of Labor's 45 per cent emissions reduction policy will be just over $500 million, but admits the impact on the economy is different. "The impact of Labor's higher ambition for pollution reduction is the same as the government's because we allow pollution to be reduced by purchasing offsets from overseas and the government won't allow that," she told ABC Radio National on Thursday. "The cost on business will depend on how they reduce their pollution." Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mr Shorten traded blows in the final leaders' debate on Wednesday night, but there was no clear winner. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg accused Mr Shorten of being unable to explain his superannuation policy and the impact on housing prices from his changes to negative gearing. "And there are many unanswered questions about his unprecedented decision to use $10 billion of taxpayers money to subsidise private sector workforce wages," Mr Frydenberg said of Labor's plan to top up pay for childcare workers. "Right across the board, Labor has many, many questions to answer." But the treasurer wouldn't say how much the coalition's future tax cuts for high-income earners would cost, which left-leaning think tank The Australia Institute estimates at $77 billion. "All the benefits are laid out particularly in the budget," he told ABC Radio National. Mr Shorten will spend Thursday campaigning in Brisbane, while Mr Morrison is spending the day in northern NSW, in the Nationals-held seat of Cowper. Cowper is under serious threat from independent Rob Oakeshott, who was pivotal in helping Julia Gillard form a minority Labor government in 2010. The Labor leader will pledge $60 million towards cancer services at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Mr Shorten is also promising $6.2 million to refurbish Redcliffe Hospital's intensive care unit and a further $6 million for a second CT scanner. Redcliffe is in the seat of Petrie, which Liberal MP Luke Howarth holds with a margin of 1.6 per cent. Snowtown serial killer Robert Joe Wagner is set to learn if he'll ever be released from jail with the South Australian Supreme Court to rule on his bid to have a non-parole period set on his life sentence. Wagner represented himself before the court in March as he argued that having a possible release date would assist with his mental wellbeing. But his application has been opposed by prosecutors and the relatives of his victims. Prosecutor Carmen Matteo said Wagner's crimes were "of unparalleled seriousness" and urged the court to dismiss his application. While South Australian victims' rights commissioner Bronwyn Killmier told the court Wagner's request was "a slap in the face" for families affected. Since 1999, the 47-year-old has been serving 10 life sentences over the infamous "bodies-in-the-barrels" killing spree. The ringleader in the murders, John Justin Bunting, is similarly serving life without parole. The serial killings were exposed in 1999 when police found eight dismembered bodies in acid-filled barrels in the vault of a disused bank at Snowtown, north of Adelaide. Two more bodies were found buried in a backyard at suburban Salisbury North while detectives later linked two further deaths to Bunting and Wagner. After a trial lasting 170 days, Bunting was found guilty of 11 murders with Wagner jailed over 10 of the deaths. Two other men, Mark Ray Haydon and James Spyridon Vlassakis, are also behind bars over the killings; Vlassakis after pleading guilty to four murders and Haydon for helping Wagner and Bunting dispose of the bodies. The court will rule on Wagner's application on Thursday. Building an extra 250,000 new affordable rental homes will create 46,000 jobs a year and save governments billions of dollars, new research shows. The McKell Institute's modelling of Labor's proposed national rental affordability scheme has backed it to save the federal budget up to $11 billion over the next 10 years. It also predicts the policy will create $40 billion worth of economic activity and create 46,000 jobs every year for a decade. The McKell Institute and Pricewaterhousecoopers found for every person who moves from crisis care into the new affordable homes, the government will save $11,935 in 2019 terms, every single year. "Government doesn't have to choose between doing the right thing and doing the economically responsible thing -- it's the same thing," McKell Institute executive director Marianna O'Gorman said on Thursday. Labor has promised to spend $102 million over the next three years and $6.6 billion over the next 10 years to support the creation of 250,000 new affordable homes. "This small investment in affordable housing not only has significant social but also economic benefits," the report found. In return for investors setting rents for eligible tenants at least 20 per cent below market rates, the scheme will provide an annual incentive of $8500 over 15 years. Dwellings must also be owned or managed by a registered community housing provider. The Productivity Commission revealed in February that a record 599,049 low income households are experiencing rental stress, with single mothers and their children most at risk. A previous scheme to encourage affordable housing was shut down by Tony Abbott in 2014. "Only a Shorten Labor government will address the profound shortage of affordable housing," shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said. He said Labor would make housing more affordable by reforming negative gearing to support new housing construction, and revamping the Build-To-Rent scheme to give investors better tax concessions. Ballarat Airport would get a $14 million upgrade, including runway extensions to cater for larger commercial aircraft, if Labor wins the federal election. The opposition on Thursday announced its commitment, claiming it would allow greater air freight and could enable regular passenger services to the regional Victorian city. Ballarat Airport's two asphalt runways are currently used by emergency services and trainee commercial pilots but are not long enough to serve larger planes, with the main runway also divided by an access road. The upgrade would extend the main runway from 1245 metres to at least 1800m - longer than the 1600m required by some of the most common regional passenger aircraft used in Australia. Labor said the City of Ballarat would source the remaining funds needed for an overall $22.5 million upgrade of the airport. The federal government hasn't ruled out New Zealand's offer to take 150 refugees from offshore detention centres, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says. But Mr Dutton says the offer isn't currently in the government's "best interests". "People smugglers are marketing New Zealand at this point," he told reporters in Townsville on Thursday. "The Labor Party refuses to accept that." Since 2013, New Zealand's government has publicly offered to settle at least 150 refugees being held on Nauru or Manus Island, but has been rebuffed by successive Australian prime ministers. The government has indicated it will only accept New Zealand's offer on condition the refugees sent there from offshore detention are banned from entering Australia. Labor supports the lifetime ban, but Mr Dutton says New Zealand would become a backdoor for entry to Australia. "As a New Zealand citizen you have the ability to come to Australia and get a visa on arrival," he said. "If they (Labor) are elected into government and they bring people en masse from Nauru and Manus, I promise you the boats will restart." The home affairs minister confirmed the coalition's border protection policies would not change if they are re-elected at the May 18 poll. KEY LABOR PROMISES SO FAR Fiscal plan * Balance the budget in 2020 * Bigger surpluses over the medium term than the coalition Tax * Match government's income tax cuts for 6.4 million Australians earning between $38,000 and $126,000 a year. * Extend income tax cuts to 3.6 million Australians earning less than $40,000 a year, at a cost of $1 billion. * Australian Investment Guarantee, allowing all companies investing in Australia to "immediately expense" 20 per cent of the value of eligible depreciable assets in the first year of all new investments, with regular depreciation schedules to apply from the first year onwards. * Reduce company tax for small businesses, oppose company tax cuts for big business. * Reform negative gearing and capital gains taxes, targeted tax treatment of discretionary trusts and removing the payment of franking credits. * Reduce multinational and high-wealth tax avoidance, aimed at generating $4.8 billion in additional taxation revenue over the next decade. * Preventing big corporations using dodgy royalties to avoid tax ($2 billion benefit to budget) Education: * Review of all higher education within the first 100 days in office. * Restore $14 billion over 10 years to public schools, and $250 million to disadvantaged Catholic schools with its first two years of government. Skills and training * $1 billion TAFE and apprenticeship plan * Double its 'rebuilding TAFE fund' to $200 million to renovate campuses in suburban and regional areas. * Pay the up-front fees for 100,000 TAFE places in high priority courses including 20,000 for aged care workers in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. * End the freeze to university funding, allowing for an additional 200,000 local enrolments. * Universal access to preschool and kinder for three- and four-year old children. Health * Pledge to spend total of $8.5 billion more on health than the coalition. * End the Medicare rebate freeze within first 50 days. * Medicare Cancer Plan to reduce out-of-pocket costs for cancer patients. An additional $2.3 billion in Medicare funding will include $600 million for out of pocket diagnostic imaging and $430 million for specialist consultations over four years, covering the cost of all MRI machines. * $2.4 billion for free dental care for pensioners * $2.8 billion extra for public hospitals, including $500 million for emergency departments * $197 million for more Headspace centres for mental health support Infrastructure * Infrastructure Australia to get a $10 billion funding facility. * $22 billion for road, rail, airport and community facilities Climate change/Environment * $5 billion Energy Security and Modernisation Fund * $10 billion extra for Clean Energy Finance Corporation over five years * Incentives for electric vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure investment * $2000 rebate for household solar battery storage systems, and $1 billion investment in hydrogen technologies * $1 billion environment package, including new Environmental Protection Agency. Other * $1 billion advanced manufacturing future fund * $250 million regional tourism fund * $660 million for preventing family violence * Better ABC funding * Remove the staffing cap on the NDIS. * Wages boost for child care workers ($537 million) * Eliminate mobile black spots. * Support for dairy farmers * Assistance to restock the cattle herd of north Queensland An animal advocacy group has slammed a 42-day jail sentence given to a man who mowed down emus with his ute on an outback Victorian road and posted the footage online. Jacob Scott MacDonald committed the sickening attack on Pellaring Road at Cowangie, near the South Australian border, last September. Video posted to social media sparked a nationwide manhunt before MacDonald was charged with animal cruelty and traffic offences and sentenced in Mildura Magistrates Court on Thursday. Wildlife Victoria said his punishment was "insulting to the community". "(This) really flies in the face of what the community expect," the animal advocacy and rescue group's chief executive Megan Davidson told AAP. "Clearly the message that is being given here ... is this is not a very serious crime." Dr Davidson said MacDonald should have been jailed for at least a year. "At least he's got a custodial sentence, but it's an inadequate one," she said. "There is movement. The courts never used to give custodial sentences for cruelty against animals." The detective in charge of the investigation into Terence Hodson's murder has slammed the "incompetent" way officers handled the police informer who was allowed to organise his own protection. Charlie Bezzina led the investigation into the 2004 Melbourne murder of Mr Hodson and his wife Christine, for which drug squad detective Paul Dale was a prime suspect. But Mr Bezzina told Victoria's royal commission into police use of informers that he wasn't given all the information he needed, including that barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo was in a sexual relationship with Mr Dale. He was required to give senior officers including Simon Overland, who went on to become chief commissioner, weekly updates on the case. "Things I've learned, in hindsight I've formed the view Overland was running his own investigation behind my back," Mr Bezzina said. He described it as a "bit of a cluster" by the Ethical Standards Division and said he "had words" with the department on the night the informer and his wife were killed. "I was annoyed as to the fact - why did they leave Hodson to his own devices," he said of the man informing on Dale over corruption allegations. "He didn't want to go into witness protection, but they let him set up his own surveillance - that was a big issue for me." Mr Bezzina suggested it might have been that police had no money to provide Hodson with home security surveillance. "But to me, that was incompetent. I felt that I was left scrambling," Mr Bezzina said. He said he wasn't told about any intimate relationship between Ms Gobbo and Mr Dale, or about recorded conversations between the pair and crime boss Carl Williams. Williams told police he arranged hitman Rodney Collins to kill the Hodsons at Mr Dale's request. Charges against Dale and Collins were dropped when Williams was murdered in prison in 2010. Mr Bezzina interviewed Ms Gobbo after the Hodson killings, saying it was in part to see if she'd encourage her client Tony Mokbel to speak to detectives. The commission also heard on Tuesday that Ms Gobbo's informing included claims Mokbel, currently serving 30 years in prison for drug trafficking, had tried to bribe a police officer with $2 million to destroy tapes containing evidence against him. Retired superintendent Terry Purton worked with the ESD and later investigated complaints and corruption within Victoria Police, including a review of alleged drug squad corruption which prompted changes to police informer handling practices. "There were major, catastrophic issues in relation to informer management. People did their own thing. It was a mess," he said. Mr Purton revealed he'd heard scuttlebutt about Ms Gobbo's relationships with fellow lawyers and that she had "tried to drag some (police) members into bed". "It was strictly controlled but coppers still talk ... because of her behaviour in the media, allegations of sexual relationships with police, allegations other having sexual relations with crooks," he said. He was aware of information said to have been provided by Ms Gobbo, having sat in on meetings with senior officers through 2005. Mr Purton said while use of a barrister as a source was unethical, police had used whatever means they could to end the bloodshed during the gangland wars. Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten could have waved to each other in the air as they both flew to the same battleground seats days out from the election. The prime minister started in the Adelaide seat of Boothby, where he is trying to save Liberal MP Nicolle Flint, before flying to Burnie to target Labor's Justine Keay. The Labor leader did the opposite, making a health announcement with Ms Keay in Braddon before landing in Boothby to hold a campaign rally. With just days to go before the poll, both leaders are crisscrossing the country aiming to win seats and hold the line in others. "What we're seeing from Bill Shorten - look, he's becoming more desperate each day," Mr Morrison told reporters in Burnie on Tuesday. Mr Morrison accused Mr Shorten of a desperate "cheap shot" after the Labor leader attacked the Christian prime minister for not immediately rejecting a journalist's question on Monday on whether he thought gay people go to hell. "I don't believe gay people, because they're gay, will go to hell. I don't need a law to tell me that," Mr Shorten told reporters in Burnie earlier in the day. "I think if you want to be prime minister of Australia, you have got to be prime minister for all people." Mr Morrison said the Labor leader's comments were disappointing, and also said he did not think gay people go to hell. "It is not my view that that's the case. And my faith is about that God's love is for everybody," he told reporters later in Launceston. "I don't think that should have a place in this election campaign. People's faith are people's faith. I'm not running for Pope, I'm running for prime minister." Mr Morrison called on independent candidates to reveal who they will support in government, so voters know what they're getting. "It's like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get with these guys," he said. But Mr Shorten said the coalition should look at why so many Liberal women are running as independents. "Cathy McGowan used to work for a Liberal pollie but ran as independent," Mr Shorten said. "Rebekah Sharkie used to work for a Liberal pollie but she's had to run as an independent. Zali Steggall has never voted Labor, according to her, in her life." Mr Shorten promised to rip up the coalition's submission to the Fair Work Commission on award wages and replace it with a stronger one calling for solid pay increases. Mr Morrison also said his plan to guarantee deposits for first home buyers will firm up the housing market to give people confidence in the value of their homes. Mr Shorten will be in Perth on Wednesday to give a speech, while Mr Morrison will start the day in Launceston. Scott Morrison was determined to focus on bricks and mortar during the crucial final days of his re-election campaign. But a brushfire debate about the prime minister's religious beliefs threatened to bring the house crashing down. It was another day, another construction site, when he strode into the backyard of another semi-built home. Mr Morrison was in the marginal Adelaide seat of Boothby to talk about helping young people into the property market. "What I'm focused on is the ground I'm standing on here," he declared on Tuesday morning. "And the ground I'm standing on is the ground of a first home that someone will own." Mr Morrison tried to deflect questions on a grocery list of grievances he would not be "distracted" by. There was his "clumsy" language on China and the media "beat up" that ensued. And then there were sniping comments from Paul Keating, and homophobic remarks by two Liberal candidates. "We're four days out from an election," the prime minister said. "What people are interested in is the home they are going to buy and the rent they're going to pay." Mr Morrison wanted to talk about plans to lower the deposits for first home buyers. But he was forced to fend off suggestions the $500 million policy looked like a last-minute "Hail Mary", announced just days before the national poll. "The timing of the announcements are designed simply to ensure that people understand the clear choice," the prime minister said. The half-billion dollar housing policy was not taken to cabinet, and the coalition government did not model its impact on property prices. But Mr Morrison said his scheme was months in the making, giving Bill Shorten a whack for supporting it sight-unseen. However, a counter-attack from the opposition leader got under the prime minister's skin. Debate around religion has crept into the campaign as Christian rugby international Israel Folau faces the sack for posting a biblical passage saying drunks, homosexuals, atheists and other sinners will go to hell unless they repent. The Pentecostal prime minister was asked by a journalist on Monday if he believed gay people would go to hell. "I support the law of the country," was his reply on Monday. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten brought the issue up again on Tuesday. "I don't need a law to tell me that. I just don't believe it," Mr Shorten told reporters in Tasmania. When the two leaders later traded locations on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Morrison said he did not believe gay people go to hell and said the issue had nothing to do with the election. "I'm not running for pope, I'm running for prime minister," Mr Morrison said. "These are religious issues and I don't want to see those controversial topics being brought into the political debate. I don't see how that helps anybody." WHAT THEY SAID ON DAY 34 OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN THE BEST LINE "They think gay people should be banned from having children. It's a little late - we did." - Labor's Penny Wong on the attitude of some Liberal candidates. THE BEST LINE (NOT) "Bill Shorten will be the Winx of this election." - Former prime minister Paul Keating. PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON "There was a campaign and an election coming." - Explaining why his big home loan guarantee policy wasn't in the budget a month ago. "I spoke to Julie yesterday, and she sent me a text this morning and she said there's no difference of view between her and I." - Nope, no division between Morrison and Julie Bishop, the woman he beat out for the Liberal leadership. None. LABOR LEADER BILL SHORTEN "In the event we're elected next Saturday, one of our first acts will be to withdraw from the old government's meaningless, insipid, useless submission." - And Labor's written to the Fair Work Commission to tell them so. "I don't believe that gay people, because they're gay, should go to hell. I don't need a law to tell me that." - Following on from Morrison being quizzed about his own faith in the wake of discussion about rugby player Israel Folau's views on gay people. REAL PEOPLE "Where do you get the money from?" - Michael Ded, 83, yells out to Shorten as the Labor leader spruiks his climate plan at a university in Adelaide. THE SUPPORT CAST "We've seen lies saying that Labor wants to take your ute, your weekend and your Tim Tams!" - Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek runs on a pro-utes, weekends and chocolate biscuit platform. Nothing could have saved a talented young woman crushed during a NSW equestrian event, but what happened afterwards points to what could be done to save others, an inquest has heard. Ailsa Carr was watching her daughter, Caitlyn Fischer, compete in a cross country riding event in Sydney in April 2016 when her horse hit a jump and did a "somersault". The 19-year-old died immediately from a blunt force head injury after the horse, Ralphie, landed on her when the pair tumbled. "I looked at Caitlyn and the injuries she had and I knew that she was dead and that there was nothing I could do apart from be there as her mother," Ms Carr told the NSW Coroners Court on Tuesday. Ms Carr was the first person on the scene and, realising her daughter was gone, phoned her husband, Mark, while kneeling beside Caitlyn's body. "My first words to him were that Caitlyn was dead, that she was gone," she told the inquest. The phone call lasted 34 seconds and ended when two first responders arrived and began to remove Caitlyn's protective gear so they could perform CPR. "I started to feel that I was really alone. I needed to talk to Mark. I needed to have someone with me," Ms Carr said, explaining she'd rung her husband back but had ended that call too as the CPR began. "I begged them to stop. I said 'I am a nurse, I am Caitlyn's mother, please stop this'," she said. "She had catastrophic head injuries and I just wanted to hold her." The death came just weeks after 17-year-old Olivia Inglis was similarly killed during a March 2016 eventing competition in NSW's Hunter region. Deputy state coroner Derek Lee is examining the circumstances surrounding both tragedies in a two-week inquest at the coroners court at Lidcombe. The inquest on Tuesday heard it took at least six minutes after Caitlyn's accident for an ambulance to arrive. Volunteer jump judge Sarah Retallack - one of the closest people to the fall - revealed she hadn't received first aid training. Ms Retallack said no one verbally responded by radio to her three calls for assistance although she admitted to experiencing "huge shock". Ms Carr says ensuring judges have first aid training could help save lives. "There is no single thing that will make cross country absolutely safe," she said. "(But) if the jump judge has got to be there for eight minutes by themselves ... they need to be prepared in how to respond to a situation." Ms Carr told the inquest she was unhappy with Equestrian Australia's review of her daughter's death. She said two men from EA had met with her and her husband but the discussion lasted only two hours and the representatives didn't take notes. "We felt it had been a complete and utter waste of time," she said. Even more "alarming" to the grieving parents was the first report into their daughter's death had "many errors". Food delivery riders and union representatives have staged a rally outside Uber headquarters in Sydney to call for better work conditions and fair wages for riders. They delivered a mock invoice to Uber on Tuesday afternoon, calling for what they say is millions of dollars in unpaid wages, superannuation, sick leave, annual leave and compensation for injuries on the job. Paulo, who has worked for both Uber and Deliveroo, spoke about the tough conditions of being a food delivery rider. "It's very dangerous work. I broke my hand and the surgery put seven pins in my hand...," Paulo told the rally. "Deliveroo and also UberEats are decreasing the payment per each delivery. One year ago it was $14, six months ago it was $10, now it's $8, maybe next week it's going to be $6," he said. "I don't think I deserve [to be] paid less, because this work is hard work, we have to work in the rain, we have to work in the worst conditions." The Transport Workers Union's national secretary Tony Sheldon called for an end to wage theft in Australia. "We're saying to Uber and other delivery companies that 18th-century working conditions through an app is not trendy, it's not technologically advanced, it's ripping people off," Mr Sheldon told the rally. "Working people in the gig economy deserve to get wages and conditions the rest of the community expects, they expect a fair go, not an orgy of greed that occurs now in the gig economy when it comes to food delivery and rideshare." Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus said Australia's workplace laws have not kept up with technological change. "We will see our rights move back two centuries if we don't move to upgrade our laws," Ms McManus told the rally. Uber Eats ANZ regional general manager Jodie Auster said delivery partners tell the company they value the freedom of being their own boss. "However, being your own boss does not need to come at the expense of security and support in work," Ms Auster said in a statement on Tuesday. "We believe that everyone should have access to a set of affordable and reliable social protections, whatever category of employment they are in," she said. Ms Auster pointed to recent investments in a support package for Uber workers who are injured or get into an accident. Uber is interested in working on reforms including modernising protections for independent workers, and providing greater support for learning, she said. It comes as up to 5500 former Foodora riders are set to discover this week how much back-pay they will end up with. Foodora quit Australia in August owing riders and the tax office more than $8 million. Its parent company, global food delivery giant Delivery Hero, later wrote a cheque for $3 million, which will be distributed on Friday to those riders who have contacted the company's administrators. The Freewinds cruise ship, owned by the Church of Scientology, was quarantined for two days in Saint Lucia due to a measles case among the crew A cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology that was quarantined in St Lucia for two days because of a measles case has left the Caribbean island and was headed toward Curacao on Friday, maritime tracking services said. The Freewinds left the port capital Castries on Thursday at 11:15pm (0315 GMT Friday) and was cruising toward Willemstad in Curacao, a distance it previously covered in two days, according to myshiptracking.com and cruisin.me. A spokeswoman for St Lucia's health ministry confirmed that the ship had left the island. The Church of Scientology says the 440-foot (134-meter) vessel is used for religious retreats and is normally based in Curacao. The vessel had arrived in St Lucia from Curacao on Tuesday, when it was placed under quarantine by health authorities because of a measles patient -- a female crew member, according to Merlene Fredericks-James, St Lucia's chief medical officer. Resurgence of the once-eradicated, highly-contagious disease is linked to the growing anti-vaccine movement in richer nations, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified as a major global health threat. There were about 300 people aboard the ship, according to Saint Lucia authorities, which said they provided 100 doses of measles vaccine at no cost. The church, founded by science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard in 1953, did not respond to requests for comment. Its teachings do not directly oppose vaccination, but followers consider illness a sign of personal failing and generally eschew medical interventions. Turkish military vehicles on patrol in a de-militarized zone in the northwestern Syrian province of Hama province Eleven members of Turkey's leading medical association were sentenced to prison terms on Friday over criticisms of a military offensive against Kurdish militants in Syria last year. They were given 20 months in prison for "inciting hatred and hostility," one of those convicted, Seyhmus Gokalp, told AFP. The 11 had made up the central committee of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) when it issued a statement in January 2018 saying "war is a man-made public health problem" in response to Turkey's offensive in the western enclave of Afrin in Syria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the time lambasted the group as "a gang of unthinking slaves". One member, Hande Arpat, was sentenced to a further 19 months for "terrorist propaganda" over postings on social media, the association said in a statement. The association has over 83,000 members representing 80 percent of Turkey's doctors. Five of the convicted members remain on its central council. The 11 remain free pending appeal, Gokalp said, adding that the ruling was "a punishment against the right to live healthily in peace" in Turkey. "A punishment was given by the court but we do not accept it. We will do everything we can to annul this. We will fight until the end," TTB chairman and another of those convicted, Sinan Adiyaman, said. Turkey accuses the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) of being a "terrorist offshoot" of Kurdish insurgents within its own territory. Turkey's offensive in Syria ended in March 2018 with the seizure of Afrin city. Hundreds were detained for criticising the operation on social media. Sudanese demonstrators hold Friday prayers at the protest camp outside army headquarters in Khartoum Defiant Sudanese protester Ahmed Hamid insists nothing can stop him campaigning for the army to relinquish power -- not even the start next week of strength-sapping fasting during Muslim holy month Ramadan. Demonstrators remain camped out in the soaring heat of Khartoum calling for civilian rule three weeks after the military ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir. "We cut the head and part of the body is still there and holding the head of this president," Hamid, 21, told AFP Friday at the sprawling protest site. "We will stay fasting here the whole of Ramadan and even after Ramadan until we meet our demand." Sudan has been rocked by months of nationwide protests that initially targeted Bashir's 30-year rule, accusing the leader and his regime of running the country's economy into the ground. On April 6, thousands of protesters braving volleys of tear gas from security agents reached the army headquarters in central Khartoum and set up camp. Five days later the military stepped in and deposed Bashir as calls from the crowds grew for them to intervene and end his rule. But the 10-member army council that then took over has so far rebuffed pressure from the street and international calls to hand power to a civilian body. Sudanese protesters are pushing for the military to hand power to a civilian adminstration after the ouster of veteran leader Omar al-Bashir So the protesters are now rallying against the council, demanding it be dissolved. After several rounds of talks between the generals and protest leaders, the two sides agreed to form a joint civilian-military council that will replace the existing military body. Despite days of wrangling they have been unable to settle on the composition of the new joint ruling body. In the face of that stalemate, the protesters at the army complex show no sign of giving up. - 'Badge of Honour' - On Friday they performed the weekly Muslim prayers at the sit-in under a scorching sun. "People should not forget the martyrs, we must continue with the sit-in as it keeps us united," said an imam, delivering his sermon from atop a mini truck as a worshipper shielded him with an umbrella. Officials say at least 65 people have been killed in protest-related violence since December. As the imam spoke, hundreds of protesters flashing victory sign chanted "freedom, peace, justice", the catchcry of the protest movement that ousted Bashir. Sudanese protesters have stayed put at the sit-in site despite the soaring heat Several volunteers, including teenagers, sprinkled water from small cans on rows of protesters to give them some respite as the midday heat reached 43 degrees Celsius. Others offered drinking water to protesters as a van carrying prayer mats toured the sit-in area. "No doubt I will stay until a civilian government is formed," said protester Awad Mohamed Awad, adding that he has been at the complex since the toppling of Bashir. "I'm already here, I'll be fasting here for Ramadan," said the lawyer, as he draped the Sudanese flag around his shoulders. "I want a civilian government that satisfies the demands of all the people." Protesters say they already have a plan in place for Ramadan, whether it is during the hours of day-time fasting or for the nights. "We have made arrangements for fasting and for Iftar (breaking of fast)," said Jaafar Wad al-Reef, a regular at the sit-in. "Im fine to fast. It's like a badge of honour to us to show our commitment," he said. "Fasting next to the military headquarters in the heat is one of the least things we can do to get what we want." Protesters like Salaheddine Ibrahim Dafallah say they can go on for months. "We are staying during Ramadan, after Ramadan and until Eid al-Adha," said mining company employee Dafallah, referring to another Muslim holiday in August. "If our demands are not met, the sit-in will not be broken." US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured here in Helsinki in July 2018, addressed the situation in Venezuela in phone talks that lasted well over an hour US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Venezuela during wide-ranging telephone talks Friday, the White House said. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters Trump had made clear to Putin "that the United States stand with the people of Venezuela," in talks that also touched on trade, North Korea, Ukraine and disarmament treaties. US-Russian tensions have spiked in recent weeks over the crisis in oil-rich Venezuela where Washington is backing opposition leader Juan Guaido in his bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro -- who is backed by Russia and China. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted this week that Maduro had a plane on the tarmac ready to flee to Cuba, but had been talked out of it by the Russians. "They had a very good discussion," said Sanders, describing the conversation as "overall very positive." The White House said the talks lasted a little over an hour, while the Kremlin said the leaders spoke for almost an hour and a half. Libyan fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) run for cover during clashes forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar south of the capital Tripoli At least 392 people have been killed and 1,936 wounded since strongman Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive against the Libyan capital last month, the UN's World Health Organisation said Friday. More than 50,000 have meanwhile been displaced as a direct result "of the intensifying armed conflict in Tripoli", according to another UN body, the Organisation for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "We are concerned about the alarming figures of displacement," OCHA said on Friday on Twitter. Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) began its offensive against the Tripoli based Government of National Accord (GNA) on April 4. Forces loyal to the internationally recognised GNA have since launched a counter-offensive, leading to a stalemate on the ground on the southern outskirts of the capital. Othman Abdel Jalil, the GNA's education minister and the head of the government's crisis committee, on Thursday said 55,000 people -- some 11,000 families -- had been displaced. Jalil said that 40 reception centres and 27 schools had opened their doors to welcome those in need. Most civilians who have fled the fighting have found refuge with relatives or friends, without registering with the authorities, according to humanitarian agencies. Jalil also said that the authorities have "put in place a strategic reserve of commodities that could last for several months". A curfew was imposed on the city of Negombo after clashes broke out between groups of Christians and Muslims A city near Sri Lanka's capital was placed under curfew by police Sunday, following clashes between Muslim and Christian mobs two weeks after suicide bombings left 257 people dead. A senior police officer said the restrictions were imposed to prevent an escalation of violence after attacks occurred in Negombo -- north of Colombo -- where over 100 people died in a church bombing. "About two motorcycles and a three-wheel taxi had been damaged in the clashes," the police officer told AFP. "We declared a curfew till 7.00 am (0130 GMT) to contain the unrest." There were no immediate reports of casualties. The country's main international airport is located in the area, but police said there was no disruption to airport traffic. The officer said an investigation was underway into the clashes, the first violence between Muslims and Christians since the Easter Sunday attacks targeting three churches and three luxury hotels in the country. The government has blamed the suicide attacks on a local jihadist group which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The country has been under a state of emergency since the attacks. Security forces and the police have been give sweeping powers to arrest and detain suspects for long periods. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, seen in a file photo from July 25, 2018, said that the US still sees a 'path forward' in talks with North Korea even after its recent weapons tests Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the US still sees "a path forward" in its nuclear talks with North Korea, even after Pyongyang's latest round of test launches. "It's a serious situation for sure and we've known that the path to fully verified denuclearization would be a bumpy and long one," he said on ABC's "This Week." But, he added, "We still believe there's a path forward." North Korea's state media said that leader Kim Jong Un had overseen a rocket and tactical guided weapons test on Saturday, after the drill raised concerns Pyongyang was escalating provocations with US nuclear negotiations deadlocked. The tests have been seen as a sign of Pyongyang's frustration over the stalled talks, aimed at providing the North with desperately needed sanctions relief in exchange for its nuclear disarmament. Pompeo told "This Week" that the rockets fired Saturday were relatively short range, had crossed no international boundary, had landed in waters east of North Korea "and didn't present a threat to the United States or to South Korea or Japan." He said US military experts were continuing to study the tests, but he was careful not to say whether it might violate agreements reached since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in Singapore in 2018. On Saturday, Trump had seemed to shrug off the importance of the tests, tweeting that Kim "knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen." The two sides have generally been at loggerheads since the collapse in February of a follow-up summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi. But Pompeo appeared on Sunday to strive for a conciliatory tone. "We still believe that there's an opportunity to get a negotiated outcome where we get fully verified denuclearization," he said. "We want to get back to the table." Pompeo played down the harsh language leveled at him recently by a North Korean foreign ministry official who said Pompeo had made "reckless" and "dangerous" remarks and that the North hoped the US side would appoint a "more careful and mature" negotiator. "The president gets to choose who his negotiators are," Pompeo said with a smile. "He is leading the effort." Kim was said to be deeply frustrated by the failure of the Hanoi summit. An ABC interviewer asked Pompeo about unconfirmed reports that four of the North's foreign ministry officials had subsequently been executed. Pompeo did not confirm the reports, saying however: "It does appear the next time we have serious negotiations my counterpart will be someone else." Central to negotiations is the fundamental question of a timetable for when US and foreign forces might leave Afghanistan, after more than 17 years of conflict Talks between the Taliban and the US have become bogged down over the key issue of when foreign forces might leave Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman told AFP on Sunday. The Taliban and US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad have met repeatedly in the Qatari capital Doha in recent months in a bid to finally end Afghanistan's gruelling war. Central to negotiations is the fundamental question of a timetable for when US and foreign forces might leave Afghanistan, after more than 17 years of conflict. While Khalilzad in February sounded an optimistic tone, suggesting a deal was within reach by July, the two foes have hit a sticking point. Before the US agrees to a withdrawal, it is demanding the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire and other commitments. But the insurgents insist they won't do a thing until the US announces a withdrawal timeline. In an interview with AFP, Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban's political spokesman in Doha, said the two sides are trying "to narrow the differences and have an agreement on a timetable which is acceptable to both sides". "That has not been achieved so far," Shaheen said. Asked if that meant nothing would move forward until America announced a withdrawal timetable, Shaheen said: "In principle, yes", adding that the issue might not be resolved in this round of talks. "If we are not able to finalise it in this round, then ... peace would be far away rather than being closer," Shaheen said. The US embassy in Kabul did not immediately comment, but Khalilzad has repeatedly stressed the troop withdrawal is only one issue in the talks. For things to progress, he says the Taliban must ensure Afghanistan is never again used as a terrorist safe haven, implement a ceasefire, and speak to Afghan representatives. Shaheen said the Taliban are ready to provide the US with the security guarantees it seeks. It was not clear if the talks were to continue Monday, the first day of the holy month of Ramadan. - Peace mega-summit - Many Afghans are aghast at the prospect of the US making a deal with the Taliban, and see the United States as desperate to leave a country that has cost it more than $1 trillion and the lives of some 2,400 troops. They fear an emboldened Taliban would try to seize power and reintroduce its extreme version of Islam, wiping out years of gains by women, the media and others. The Taliban have steadfastly refused to talk to Ghani, who they view as a US puppet, and talks thus far have cut out his government. Khalilzad has tried to reassure Afghans by meeting with representatives from across the diverse country. Thousands of tribal elders and other figures met in Kabul last week to express their red lines for a deal with the Taliban. The Taliban's political spokesman in Doha, Suhail Shaheen, pictured here (L) in 2001 Many in Kabul scoff at the idea the insurgents, who once stoned women to death on flimsy allegations of adultery, have adapted to more modern times. But Shaheen insisted the Taliban do "not have any problem with women's rights," though he said they would be based on "Islamic values." "We have a different culture and different values. Our values, Afghan values are different from that of Western values", he said. At the end of last week's mega-summit, President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban a ceasefire. The insurgents refused, and on Sunday launched a suicide and gunman attack at a police station in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 13 people. The attack was just the latest incident in daily violence across Afghanistan. US forces train Afghan partners on the ground and strike the Taliban from the air, sometimes killing hundreds of the insurgents in a week, in a bid to push the war to a political settlement. Negotiations between the Taliban and the US are complex, with Taliban chief negotiator Abbas Stanikzai leading a 13-member team, while Khalilzad has about two dozen officials with him. The Qatari government is also participating. Negotiations move slowly, with interactions translated back and forth into Pashto and English, while negotiators often pause to confer with higher ups. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's remarks on capital punishment appeared aimed at assuaging worldwide criticism Brunei's sultan said Sunday a moratorium on capital punishment will also extend to sharia laws that include stoning to death for gay sex and adultery, after a furious backlash against the punishments. It was the first time Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah had commented publicly on the new penal code since it fully entered force last month, and his remarks appeared aimed at assuaging worldwide criticism. The laws, which also include amputation of hands and feet for thieves in the tiny sultanate on Borneo island, sparked fury from celebrities, including actor George Clooney, the United Nations and rights groups. In a televised speech ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the sultan said: "I am aware that there are many questions and misperceptions with regard to the implementation of the (sharia penal code)." "There should not be any concern on the sharia law as it is full of Allah's mercy and blessings," he said, according to an official translation of his address. "As evident for more than two decades, we have practised a de facto moratorium on the execution of death penalty for cases under the common law. "This will also be applied to cases under the (sharia penal code), which provides a wider scope for remission." He also vowed Brunei would ratify the United Nations convention against torture which it signed several years ago. Muslim-majority Brunei operates a dual-track legal system with civil courts operating alongside sharia courts that handle issues such as marital and inheritance cases. Some crimes were already punishable with death by hanging under the civil code but Brunei has not executed anyone for decades, and the sultan's comments suggest this will not change with the introduction of the new sharia laws. Rape and robbery are also punishable by death under the sharia code and many of the new laws, such as capital punishment for insulting the Prophet Mohammed, apply to non-Muslims as well as Muslims. The sultan -- one of the world's wealthiest men -- announced plans for the sharia penal code in 2013. The first section was introduced in 2014 and included less stringent penalties, such as fines or jail terms for offences including indecent behaviour or skipping Friday prayers. But the introduction of the harsher punishments in the former British protectorate of about 400,000 people was repeatedly delayed after they sparked criticism. Tunisian security forces have killed three suspected jihadists from an Islamic State group affiliate in the centre of the country, the interior ministry said Sunday. A statement said "three of the most dangerous terrorists" from the Jund al-Khilafa (Soldiers of the Caliphate) group were "eliminated" Saturday evening near the town of Sidi Ali Ben Oun, 230 kilometres (140 miles) southwest of Tunis. Security forces seized weapons, ammunition, explosives and suicide vests, the authorities said. The ministry identified the men as Hatem ben Aid Basdouri, 40, Mohamed ben Ibrahim Basdouri, 35, and Montassar ben Khraief Ghozlani, 31. Aid Basdouri and Ibrahim Basdouri were involved in attacks that killed dozens of members of the security forces in 2014 and 2016, the ministry said. It said they took part in a July 2014 attack which killed 15 soldiers on Mount Chaambi -- an area in the Kasserine region that serves as a hideout for jihadists. The ministry also said Ghozlani took part in attacks that killed a soldier in 2016 and a civilian in 2018 in Kasserine region, and laid mines targeting security forces in Mount Chaambi. In an earlier statement Saturday the ministry said authorities had managed to "thwart terrorist projects" planned for the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan after arresting another suspected jihadist. Tunisian security forces regularly conduct search operations in the mountainous areas near the border with Algeria to hunt down IS- and Al-Qaeda-linked militants. In March the interior ministry said security forces had shot dead three alleged Jund al-Khilafa member accused of involvement in the grisly killings of shepherds in the restive Kasserine region. Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced multiple jihadist attacks that have killed dozens of members of the security forces and 59 foreign tourists. The country has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when an IS-claimed suicide bombing in Tunis killed 12 presidential guards. Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia on Sunday forced the closure of two hospitals in the jihadist-held Syrian province of Idlib Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia on Sunday forced the closure of two hospitals and also damaged a third one in the jihadist-held Syrian province of Idlib, a war monitor said. It came as eight civilians were killed in bombardment by the regime and Russia across the northwestern province, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Idlib and other adjacent territories of Syria held by jihadists have faced intensifying bombardment in the past month. On Sunday, air strikes hit a hospital in Kafranbel and another located underground on the outskirts of Hass. The raids were blamed on Russia by the Observatory. An AFP cameraman filmed the two facilities hit by strikes. "The hospital in Kafranbel is out of order. The patients were transferred to other facilities in the region," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, adding one civilian was killed. In Hass, air strikes blamed on Russia halted services at an underground hospital, said Syria Relief and Development, a non-governmental organisation that runs the facility. "The hospital... is out of order because of the raids," said Ubaida Dandush, who works for the NGO. The facility had been evacuated shortly before the bombardments, he said, thanks to alerts from a warning system set up to analyse the flight paths of warplanes. Footage filmed by the AFP cameraman showed a white cloud rising over farmland where the hospital is located. The Observatory said the facility had been put "out of service" because of "bombing by Russian aircraft". It said a third hospital in the north of Hama province had also been hit by Russian strikes, but added that it had not been able to verify the extent of the damage. The war monitor says it determines whose planes carried out strikes according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions. On Sunday, the official news agency SANA reported the death of a civilian in a rocket attack by "terrorist groups" on a regime-held town near Idlib province. A military source cited by SANA accused "terrorist organisations in Idlib of planning attacks" against government areas and army positions. Idlib is under the administrative control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is dominated by a faction previously known as the Al-Nusra Front, before it renounced ties to Al-Qaeda. Late last month the United Nations condemned attacks in northwestern Syria that damaged a medical centre and put two hospitals out of service. Russia and rebel-backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region, near the Turkish border. But the region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since HTS took full control of it in January. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the bloody repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C) poses with troops after a failed coup attempt against him US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressed Sunday for Russia to get out of Venezuela, while his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, called on Washington to "abandon its irresponsible plans" in the crisis-wracked country. The push and shove set the stage for a Pompeo meeting with Lavrov in Finland this week, and belied the conciliatory tone taken by US President Donald Trump on Friday after what he said was "a very good conversation" with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The top level contacts follow the failure of a US-backed uprising on Tuesday aimed at ousting Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, which Pompeo has blamed on Russia. Diosdado Cabello, the head of the Constituent Assembly, said the powerful pro-Maduro body would strip legislative immunity from opposition lawmakers who backed the uprising. Pompeo has said Maduro had been ready to flee to Havana but the Russians, who had flown military advisers to Caracas to shore up his socialist government, talked him out of it. "The Russians must get out," Pompeo told ABC television's "This Week." "I'm going to meet with Foreign Minister Lavrov in recent days. It's very clear, we want the Russians out, we want the Iranians out, we want the Cubans out. It's very clear." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is demanding that Russia get out of Venezuela Trump undercut Pompeo's position on Friday, telling reporters that Putin had assured him "he is not looking to get involved in Venezuela other than he'd like to see something positive happen for Venezuela." "And I feel the same way," Trump added. Asked about those comments, Pompeo said: "I didn't see the full context of those quotes." In Moscow, Lavrov met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and pushed back against Washington. "We call on the Americans, and all those supporting them, to abandon their irresponsible plans and to act exclusively within the boundaries of international law," Lavrov said. - 'Bumpy roads' - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza appear at a press conference in Moscow on May 5, 2019 Washington has given full-throated backing to opposition leader Juan Guaido, who tried but ultimately failed to ignite the anti-Maduro military uprising. Guaido, who is recognized by more than 50 countries including the US as Venezuela's legitimate interim president, acknowledged that he fell short. "Maybe because we still need more soldiers, and maybe we need more officials of the regime to be willing to support it, to back the constitution," Guaido told The Washington Post. "I think the variables are obvious at this point." He has tried to keep up the pressure with street protests, but his latest call for demonstrations Saturday drew only several hundred people. The attempted uprising set off two days of violent clashes between security forces and protesters that left four dead, dozens injured and more 150 people arrested. Opposition lawmakers who backed the effort now face retribution. "The prosecutor's office opened its file, all the requests to lift parliamentary immunity are coming to the Constituent Assembly, as it should be, and... we will certainly raise our hands to remove parliamentary immunity from all those who actively participated in that act," Cabello said. - Eyes peeled - A woman demonstrating against Maduro holds a sign urging the military to uphold the constitution Pompeo admitted to "bumpy roads" and said it could take "two weeks, four weeks" to remove Maduro. "But Maduro can't feel good. He's ruling for the moment but he can't govern," he said. "This is someone who cannot be part of Venezuela's future." Maduro, meanwhile, appeared at a military exercise on Saturday with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, who top US officials had said was in on the attempted uprising but backed out. "I told the generals and admirals yesterday: loyalty, I want an active loyalty," Maduro said in a speech to some 5,000 troops that was broadcast nationally on radio and television. "I trust you, but keep your eyes open, a handful of traitors cannot tarnish the honor, the unity, the cohesion and the image of the armed forces," he said. He also called on the troops to be "ready" for potential US military action. Pompeo said a "full range of options" are being prepared for Trump. So far, US efforts have focused on diplomatic and economic pressure on Caracas. US President Donald Trump has said Robert Mueller's voluminous report vindicated him of allegations of collusion with Russia, but Democrats want to ask Mueller about evidence the president might have obstructed justice Robert Mueller, the man who led the nearly two-year investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, has been asked to testify to Congress on May 15, a lawmaker said Sunday. David Cicilline, a Democrat and member of the House Judiciary Committee, told "Fox News Sunday" that Mueller's representatives had tentatively agreed to the May 15 date, but later clarified in a Tweet that "nothing has been agreed to yet." "That's the date the Committee has proposed, and we hope the Special Counsel will agree to it. Sorry for the confusion," he wrote. In the interview, Cicilline said that while there was no "absolute guarantee" that Robert Mueller would testify, "the White House has so far indicated they would not interfere." US President Donald Trump has said Mueller's voluminous report vindicated him of allegations of collusion with Russia, but Democrats want to ask Mueller about evidence the president might have obstructed justice. Mueller set forth 10 instances in which Trump sought to thwart the investigation, but the former FBI director did not reach a conclusion on whether a crime was committed. Attorney General Bill Barr, however, said in a four page summary of the report sent to Congress March 24 that the evidence was insufficient to support criminal obstruction. Mueller objected in a letter to Barr three days later on March 27, complaining that the summary "did not fully capture the context, nature and substance of this office's work and conclusions." But in subsequent testimony to Congress last month, Barr said he was unaware of any disagreement Mueller might have had with him over the summary. The public disclosure of Mueller's letter on Tuesday prompted Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, to accuse Barr of committing a crime by lying to Congress. Sudanese protesters are pushing the army to hand over power to civilians following the ouster of leader Omar al-Bashir last month Sudanese mediators have proposed two transitional bodies in a bid to break a deadlock in talks on a power handover from the military rulers to civilians, a protest leader said Sunday. The army and protesters are wrangling over how to replace the existing 10-member military council that took over after the generals ousted president Omar al-Bashir on April 11. The two sides agreed on forming a joint military-civilian last week, but have failed to hammer out the details on the makeup of the body. Now a group of mediators including businessmen, journalists and other prominent figures from Sudanese society are trying to come up with other solutions. "There is a proposal to have two councils, one led by civilians and the other by the military," said Omar al-Digeir, a senior opposition leader and member of the umbrella protest group the Alliance for Freedom and Change. He told AFP the body headed by the military would also include civilian representatives and focus on "issues concerning the security aspects of the country". The "exact job description" of both the councils has yet to be decided, he said. "No final decision has been taken yet." Thousands of protesters remain camped outside the army headquarters in Khartoum, demanding the generals transfer power to a civilian administration. The military has so far rebuffed calls to step aside and it remained unclear if both sides would agree to the new idea. The military council's spokesman Lieutenant General Shamseddine said it had not received any proposals from the mediators. He said the council will respond Monday to propositions on broader future power structures put forward earlier by the protesters. - 'Parliamentary system' - The military and protest leaders have been at odds over the composition of any joint ruling body -- with each party pushing to have a majority. Digeir said the mediators have proposed an overall package that includes not just the proposed two councils, but also how executive and legislative bodies would work in a post-Bashir era. But within the protest camp there was opposition to the new plan if it meant the generals maintaining a major role in running the country. "We are completely against this idea. We only want a symbolic sovereign council with military representation," said Siddig Youssef, head of the Sudan Communist Party, part of the protest movement. Sudanese civil society activists Muawia Shaddad (L) and Omar el-Digeir (R), two of the leaders of the protest movement the Alliance for Freedom and Change "We want a parliamentary system with the authority in the hands of parliament and the cabinet," he told AFP. "The military should be confined only to a body tasked with matters related to security and defence." Protests initially erupted in Sudan on December 19 in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread, and quickly turned against Bashir's thirty-year rule. Despite the toppling of the iron-fisted leader protesters have stayed put around the army headquarters in Khartoum to keep up pressure on the military. - No fuel, no cash - While there are deep divisions over the way forward, the economic problems that brought people out onto the streets against Bashir remain pressing. On the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan Sunday hundreds of people formed long queues at petrol stations and bank machines in Khartoum. "For more than a week now, there's been no cash even in the ATMs installed in our company premises," an employee of a leading industrial corporation in the capital told AFP. A driver with a private tour operator said he got his car partially filled after waiting for an entire day at a Khartoum petrol station. "People at fuel stations are really angry. They have to wait for six to seven hours in this hot sun to get fuel," he said without giving his name. Khartoum's Arab allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have backed the military council, last month announced three billion dollars (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan, including providing food, medicine and petroleum products. US President Donald Trump, on the right in these combined file photos, said on Sunday, May 5, 2019 that Special Counsel Robert Mueller (L) "should not testify" before Congress on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller "should not testify" before Congress on his Russia election meddling inquiry, setting up a confrontation with Democrats already irate over what they view as increasingly brazen administration stone-walling. Trump's statement represented a reversal; he had said two days earlier that he would leave the matter up to Attorney General William Barr, who had raised no objection to Mueller testifying. "There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify," Trump tweeted. "No re-dos for the Dems!" The report actually cited 10 "episodes" of potential obstruction of justice by the president, but it offered no verdict on whether he should be charged. Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has invited Mueller to appear before the panel "no later than May 23" to testify about the findings of his 22-month-long investigation. Trump's comment might have been prompted by a remark earlier Sunday from a Democratic member of the committee, David Cicilline, who said on Fox that Mueller was tentatively set to testify on May 15. Cicilline later stepped back from that, tweeting that "nothing has been agreed to yet." Regardless, Trump's tweet represented a hardening of his own position and seemed certain to infuriate Democrats already angered by administration moves to impede a series of congressional inquiries. Responding on April 24 to a congressional subpoena to one former aide, Trump said, "We're fighting all the subpoenas." - Open warfare - Some analysts predicted open political warfare over the constitutional division of powers, with Democrats defending Congress's right to conduct oversight and the president and his aides pledging to fight against what they describe as politically driven investigations. "These aren't, like, impartial people," Trump said of the Democrats' subpoena requests. "The Democrats are trying to win 2020." Trump's reversal on Mueller was sudden. When a reporter asked him on Friday whether Mueller should testify, he replied, "I don't know. That's up to our attorney general." Barr told reporters on April 18, just ahead of the public release of a redacted version of the Mueller report, that "I have no objection to Bob Mueller testifying." He reiterated that position in testimony last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. But Trump's tweet Sunday left matters in a state of confusion. Barr, whom Democrats accuse of shedding an attorney general's traditional independence to serve as a Trump defender, remains Mueller's boss in the Justice Department and presumably could block him from testifying. - Barr a no-show - Democratic lawmakers were already upset with Barr, who refused to show up for scheduled testimony Wednesday before the Judiciary Committee in the Democratic-controlled House, a day after his appearance before the corresponding Senate panel. Barr had objected to Democrats' plans to use outside attorneys to conduct part of the questioning; Democrats say this has been done before, notably in the Watergate hearings. Democratic demands for Mueller to testify swelled after a March 27 letter from Mueller to Barr surfaced in which the special counsel complained that Barr's public summary of the report "did not fully capture the context, nature and substance" of investigators' work. Democrats are also frustrated that Barr has yet to provide an unredacted version of the Mueller report to lawmakers. The Justice Department said last week that it was "unable" to provide the investigative files Mueller compiled during his investigation, due to a "compelling need to protect the autonomy and effectiveness of its investigations." Nadler on Friday gave Barr until Monday to reply to his request for a fuller version of the report. "If the department persists in its baseless refusal to comply with a validly issued subpoena, the committee will move to contempt proceedings and seek further legal recourse," Nadler wrote. Trump has also said he will not allow former White House counsel Don McGahn -- who was extensively interviewed by Mueller's team -- to testify. "I don't think I can let him... because he was the counsel," Trump told Fox in an interview aired Thursday. Mueller reported that Trump in mid-2017 ordered McGahn to have Mueller removed. McGahn also said the president later asked him to deny having made that request. Donald Trump's announcement came as a major Chinese delegation is expected to arrive in Washington for the latest round of talks to end the trade war between the world's two biggest economies China said Monday it still plans to send negotiators to the United States for trade talks even after President Donald Trump vowed to raise tariffs later this week, a threat that sent stock markets into a tailspin. Trump upped the ante as negotiators prepared to meet in Washington on Wednesday for what has been billed as a last-ditch round of negotiations to reach a deal or revive the trade war. "The Trade Deal with China continues, but too slowly, as they attempt to renegotiate. No!" Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. He picked up the issue again on Monday, tweeting: "With China we lose 500 Billion Dollars. Sorry, we're not going to be doing that anymore!" The US leader said tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods would increase from 10 percent to 25 percent on Friday. The United States is already applying custom duties of 25 percent on $50 billion in Chinese high-tech products. Trump also renewed a threat to impose tariffs on all Chinese imports to the US -- worth $539.5 billion last year. Despite Trump's tweetstorm, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said a Chinese team was "currently preparing to go to the US for negotiations" -- but he did not say when or whether top negotiator Liu He would lead the delegation. Geng said "positive progress" has been made in 10 rounds of high-level negotiations and that the whole world was watching. "We still hope that the US can work together with China, walk shoulder to shoulder and strive for a mutually beneficial win-win agreement on the basis of mutual respect," he said at a regular press briefing. "This is not only in line with the interests of the Chinese side but also the interests of the US and the international community." The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that China was considering cancelling the talks. "China shouldn't negotiate with a gun pointed to its head," the newspaper quoted a person briefed on the matter as saying, using a line Beijing has repeatedly said in the past. Chinese shares sank following the tweets, with Shanghai stocks tumbling by more than five percent, their worst day in more than three years. Hong Kong plunged by 2.90 percent while Shenzhen ended down 7.38 percent. Europe's main stock markets also fell. The two sides have imposed tariffs on $360 billion in two-way trade since last year. But Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to a truce in December to refrain from further escalation. The US side visited Beijing last week for talks that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin described as "productive". "We are currently working on understanding the situation," Geng added on Monday. - Uncertainties - China will now be watching what the US government says officially, said Zhang Yansheng, chief researcher at China Center for International Economic Exchanges, a government-linked think tank. If China's trade team still goes, said Zhang, "the focus will not only be on the trade deal but also on getting an explanation from the US". Trump and Xi were expected to hold a summit to seal any deal. Trump says he wants to reduce the huge US trade deficit with China, which in 2018 totalled $378.73 billion with services trade included. Besides a greater opening of the Chinese market to US goods, Trump is pressing for structural changes such as Beijing ending its alleged practice of forcing US companies to share their technology for market access. Trump is also demanding that China halt intellectual property theft and subsidies to state-owned companies. The US president has insisted that he will not accept a watered-down trade accord, and his administration warned recently that talks could not go on forever. - Resumption of trade war? - For now, the White House insists that the trade war has left the US economy unscathed, unlike the Chinese economy, which last year posted its slowest growth in nearly 20 years. Trump asserted that so far the tariffs he imposed on Chinese goods "are partially responsible" for the robust US economy, which in the first quarter grew at an annual rate of 3.2 percent. But many economists are worried about the longer term effects. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (L) and his Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer arrive for a group photo session after their meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing on May 1 So far, the Chinese side in the talks has agreed for China to buy more US products, mainly in the farm and energy sectors. But one major obstacle to reaching a final deal continues to be a mechanism for enforcing any accord that is agreed upon. The Trump administration says it has seen promises and commitments ignored in the past, so this time it will not sign a deal unless it features measures that will allow Washington to verify that China is keeping its word. President Mohammadu Buhari has a history of ill-health President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Nigeria on Sunday after a 10-day private visit to Britain, his office said, with the trip sparking fresh debate about his state of health. The 76-year-old leader, who has previously been in London for long spells of medical care, did not say whether his latest visit was linked to health problems. "President Muhammadu Buhari Sunday returned to Abuja after a 10-day private visit to the United Kingdom", having left Nigeria on April 25, his spokesman, Femi Adesina said in a statement. From May 2016 until mid-2017, the Nigerian leader was in London for medical treatment for increasingly long periods of time, forcing government denials that he was gravely ill or even dead. To date, he has not disclosed details about his condition, apart from saying he had "never been so ill" and had to undergo multiple blood transfusions. His health status was an issue in the campaign for the February 23 presidential elections, with the opposition insisting he was physically unfit to govern. The retired general, who was first elected in 2015, is scheduled to be sworn in for a second four-year term on May 29. His victory is being contested in court by the main opposition leader Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party. The recent discovery of gigantic gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean has prompted competing claims by the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government and Turkey, which occupies the northern third of the island US officials pressed Turkey on Sunday against going forward with plans to start exploratory drilling for oil and gas off Cyprus, labeled as illegal by the European Union. "The United States is deeply concerned by Turkey's announced intentions to begin offshore drilling operations in an area claimed by the Republic of Cyprus as its Exclusive Economic Zone," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "This step is highly provocative and risks raising tensions in the region. We urge Turkish authorities to halt these operations and encourage all parties to act with restraint." On Friday, Turkey announced its vessels would be carrying out drilling operations in the Mediterranean until September. According to reports in Cypriot media, the operation will encroach on Cyprus's exclusive economic zone. The government of the Republic of Cyprus controls only two thirds of the Mediterranean island, the northern third of which is controlled by a Turkish-backed breakaway administration. Turkey first announced it would be drilling for oil and gas off Cyprus in February. The discovery of gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has prompted claims by the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government and Ankara. European Union member Cyprus has been pressing to develop offshore gas deposits and has signed deals with energy giants Eni, Total and ExxonMobil that have seen them carry out exploratory drilling. Ankara claims that such exploration deprives the Turkish Cypriot minority of benefiting from the natural resources that surround the island. A Yemeni vendor speaks with a costumer in a market in the old city of the capital Sanaa, as the faithful prepare for the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, on May 2, 2019 Mohammad Abkar thought he would be home by the time Ramadan rolled around, but the Yemeni father of three will spend the Muslim holy month in a camp -- displaced. The fasting month begins on Monday amid a war that has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis pushing millions to the brink of famine. Abkar and his family were driven out of their village of Al-Munther in June last year when government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition launched a fierce campaign against Huthi rebels in the nearby Red Sea city of Hodeida. Hundreds of families were forced to flee the port city and its surrounds. "We have been here for about a year. A whole year, and we're still displaced," Abkar tearfully told AFP from a camp in government-controlled Khokha, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) south of Hodeida. "We will remain patient, and the rest is in God's hands." The warring parties agreed to a truce deal on Hodeida in Sweden in December giving people a glimmer of hope, but one that is quickly fading as fighting continues. Most families have been unable to return to their homes over fears they could be caught in the crossfire. Abkar is no exception. He left his home with nothing but the clothes on his back and the crutches he desperately needs to walk. Fasting from dawn until dusk during Ramadan will be no easy feat in conflict-ravaged Yemen as summer temperatures soar Abkar and his wife have three children -- all of them are disabled. They are living through extremely difficult circumstances in a makeshift tent pitched on sand. Fasting from dawn until dusk during Ramadan will be no easy feat as summer temperatures soar. "Back at home, we used to get all sorts of food during Ramadan, such as soup and yogurt, but this year we are displaced," said Abkar. "I am disabled, and my children are disabled, and that it is why we cannot work." Abkar, although grateful for the food aid he receives every month, said he had one message to the world: "Look at us. Look at me and my family." - 'Full of mortar shells' - The Huthis have been fighting government forces since 2014, but the war escalated a year later when the Saudi-led coalition intervened against the Iran-aligned rebels. The conflict has killed tens of thousands people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say. The war has left 3.3 million people displaced and 24.1 million -- more than two-thirds of the population -- in need of aid in a country that has long been the Arab world's most impoverished. Fighting in Hodeida, whose port serves as a lifeline to the rest of Yemen, has largely stopped since the ceasefire went into effect on December 18, but there have been intermittent clashes. Both the government and the Huthis have been accused of violating the Hodeida truce, while an agreed redeployment of forces has yet to be implemented. Yemenis shop in a market in the old city of the capital Sanaa, as the faithful prepare for the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, on May 2, 2019 The conflict shows no signs of abating even in the holy month. A pro-government force told AFP on Saturday that the rebels have been digging dozens of tunnels under Hodeida's ports and airport -- bordering Abkar's home of Al-Munther. For Hodeida resident Hoda Ibrahim, 39, it is imperative the warring parties abide by the ceasefire at least during Ramadan. That is her only hope, she said. "We are constantly looking for gas and fuel, and we do not even have the time to experience the spirituality of this month," said the mother of four. "Ramadan this year is full of mortar shells, and we hope the situation won't get worse." - 'Blocked in' - About 230 kilometres east of Hodeida in the rebel-held capital, residents are also struggling to provide for their families during the fasting month -- which every year witnesses an increase in prices. Many have lost their jobs during the conflict and most government employees have gone unpaid since August 2016, after the central bank was relocated from Sanaa to Aden -- the government's temporary capital. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, another key coalition member, last month offered $200 million in aid to Yemen especially for Ramadan. Reem al-Hashimi, the UAE minister of state for international cooperation, last week accused the rebels of blocking his country's aid from reaching areas under their control, including Sanaa. Mohammed Hussein, a resident of the rebel-held capital, said his family can't observe Ramadan the way they used to. "We can no longer prepare for the holy month the way we did before (the conflict)," he said. "We no longer are able to make purchases because we are blocked in and have no salaries." Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren is pictured with her husband Bruce and their dog Bailey It's impossible to say who will take on Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, but if he is defeated by a Democrat, it's likely that a dog will return to the White House after a multi-year absence. Whether named Maple, Bailey, Champ or Skye, a dog appears to be a must-have accessory for Democratic candidates seeking to take on Trump, who stands out from his predecessors for, among other reasons, not having a pet. From the third minute of the speech launching his campaign on April 14, Democratic phenomenon Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of the city of South Bend in the state of Indiana, brought his two dogs to the fore. Democratic phenomenon Pete Buttigieg (L) and his husband Chasten have two dogs: buddy and Truman "I grew up in South Bend, in the same neighborhood where Chasten (his husband) and I live today, with our two dogs, Buddy and Truman," Buttigieg said. The couple's two dogs have their own Twitter account with nearly 70,000 followers. - Canine photo line - Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also placed her golden retriever front and center in her bid for America's highest office, putting the dog on the same footing as her husband. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren's dog Bailey enjoys a treat as she adderesses an "organizing event" as part of her presidential exploratory committee prior to her official entry into the race "Today, I thought I'd bring the two guys in my life: Bruce and Bailey. If anyone wants to stay around and take a picture, I'll be here and we can do that, and Bailey will be out there with his own separate photo line," she said to delighted cheers from supporters. Photos and videos show her bathing Bailey or taking selfies with the pooch. Another Democratic hopeful, Beto O'Rourke, has two dogs, Artemis and Rosie, who are the stars of many family photos. Among others vying for the presidency, Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio is accompanied by Bear and Buckeye, dogs he has referred to as "two of the best friends our family could have asked for." Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York bombarded her supporters with images of Maple, her goldendoodle, a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle. - National Dogs in Politics Day- Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper has a dog named Skye, which he featured in a video on Instagram in which he spoke with his arm around the pooch. Joe Biden's dog, Champ, pictured in 2012, when his master was still vice president "Hi, I'm John Hickenlooper. This is my faithful dog Skye and I'm running for president," he said. In a country where people celebrate "National Dogs in Politics Day," man's best friend sometimes plays a decisive role. Accused of receiving illegal campaign contributions, California senator Richard Nixon defended himself in a television and radio address before 60 million Americans on September 23, 1952. He assured them that he had accepted only a single gift -- a dog for his children named Checkers. A dog named Daisy wears a Beto 2020 shirt in El Paso, Texas Thus managing to strike an emotional chord with the country, Nixon saved his candidacy, and the "Checkers Speech" went down in history. On the other hand, any failure can be expensive in the politico-canine era. During elections in 2008 and 2012, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was reproached for a dark episode dating from 1983. In June of that year, the Romney family traveled over 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) from Massachusetts to Canada, with their Irish setter strapped onto the roof rack. Despite the installation of a windshield aimed at protecting Seamus, the dog suffered diarrhea. Returning to the 2020 race, of all the dogs in the running, Major and Champ are in the lead, with their master former vice president Joe Biden the current Democratic frontrunner. The Biden couple's dogs could then potentially succeed Bo and Sunny -- the Obama family's Portuguese water dogs -- in the White House. Sully, George H.W. Bush's Labrador service dog, accompanied the former president's casket to Washington, where his funeral was held in December 2018 Before Barack Obama, presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton all had dogs. Both generations of Bush presidential families also had dogs: Barney and Miss Beazley, George W. Bush's Scottish terriers, even had a website, Barney.gov. Sully, George H.W. Bush's Labrador service dog, accompanied the former president's casket to Washington, where his funeral was held in December. President Cyril Ramaphosa hopes to halt the decline in popularity of his African National Congress South Africa's election on Wednesday is set to test whether the ruling ANC party has staunched a decline in popularity caused by corruption scandals, lacklustre growth and record unemployment. The party is still expected to win the vote, but the result will reveal whether its new leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa, can reverse growing resentment among South African voters. The election comes 25 years since Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress (ANC) to power in the country's first multi-racial ballot, which marked the globally-celebrated end of apartheid rule. Support for the ANC has fallen in every election since 2004 with the party winning just 54 percent in 2016 local elections, compared with 62 percent in the last national vote in 2014. Ramaphosa, 66, took office last year when Jacob Zuma was forced to resign as president by the ANC after a nine-year reign dominated by corruption allegations and economic woes. Most opinion surveys suggest the ANC will secure nearly 60 percent of the vote on Wednesday, though one poll suggested its share could slide below 50 percent. Ramaphosa, seen as a pro-business moderate, is a former anti-apartheid activist and trade union leader who was Mandela's apparent favourite to succeed him as president. After being outmanoeuvered in that race, Ramaphosa instead became a wealthy entrepreneur before serving as Zuma's vice president. - ANC look to win big - "Ramaphosa gives hope to the electorate that things can go better," Susan Booysen, a political analyst at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, told AFP. "If the ANC had gone into an election under Zuma, it would not have won with an outright majority." The London-based Eurasia risk consultancy said that an ANC victory with 55 percent or less of the vote would damage Ramaphosa and strengthen aggrieved supporters of Zuma within the party. "This will be the first time that Ramaphosa's popularity will be measured by voters," it said in a briefing paper. Former South African President and ANC leader Jacob Zuma was forced out over a series of corruption scandals "He is not aligned with Zuma and is driving an anticorruption campaign and reform agenda aimed at reversing the damage inflicted during Zuma's tenure." The ANC has been confronted by deepening public anger over its failure to tackle poverty and inequality in post-apartheid South Africa. The economy grew just 0.8 percent in 2018 and unemployment hit a record high of nearly 28 percent in 2017. State-owned companies were at the centre of corruption scandals under Zuma, with power-supplier Eskom now laden with huge debts and forced to ration electricity to many homes, shop and offices. Wednesday's election will have 48 parties on a ballot paper, though only the main opposition centrist Democratic Alliance (DA) and the radical-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are also major political players. The DA hopes to shed its image as a white, middle-class party as its first black leader, Mmusi Maimane, fights in his first general election since he took the helm in 2015. According to Intellidex Capital research, the party is forecast to make only marginal gains from the 22 percent it won in 2014 after struggling to make ground against Ramaphosa -- a more widely popular figure than Zuma. - Leftist radicals on the up? - But the radical leftist EFF, founded just six years ago by a former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, is predicted to make major inroads, growing from 6.3 percent to a forecast 11 percent. The party, which appeals mainly to young voters and the poor, has centred its election campaign on its flagship policy of seizing land from largely white owners to give to poor blacks. Enforced land redistribution has also been adopted as a policy by Ramaphosa's government -- alarming some investors. The challenge to the ANC comes not just from the main opposition Democratic Alliance but the radical-left Economic Freedom Fighters Wednesday's provincial elections will also measure ANC fortunes, with the party in a close fight with the DA for control of Gauteng, which includes the capital Pretoria and the economic hub Johannesburg. Ahead of the vote, tens of thousands of supporters attended rallies at the weekend hosted by the major three parties. "We are humble enough to admit our mistakes," Ramaphosa told the ANC gathering. "We have taken decisive steps to fight corruption... The era of immunity is over, we are now entering a period of accountability." Some 26.8 million voters are registered to cast ballots at 22,925 polling stations. Early results will emerge on Thursday with an official winner declared on Saturday. The party that wins most seats in parliament selects the president, who will be sworn in on May 25. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has a broad appeal outside the African National Congress even if he has enemies inside it South Africa goes to the polls on Wednesday with the leaders of the three main parties vying for votes in a race that could test the ruling ANC's long-held dominance. Here is a look at the three party leaders: - The shrewd president - Cyril Ramaphosa, the leader of the ruling ANC party, finally came to power last year after a dramatic and varied career intertwined with the birth of modern South Africa. He was a pioneering young trade union leader, an anti-apartheid activist and the Nelson Mandela protege who led talks to end white-minority rule and helped write the new constitution. When Mandela walked out of jail in 1990, Ramaphosa was standing alongside him. But after missing out on becoming Mandela's successor as president, Ramaphosa instead became a hugely wealthy businessman through stakes in McDonalds, Coca-Cola, mining and telecoms, and developing a taste for breeding rare cattle. In 2012, his image was badly tarnished when 34 striking mine workers were killed by police 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 leadership of the ANC party in 2017 and then claim the presidency when Zuma was forced out last year. Ramaphosa attracts a support base crossing South Africa's racial and class divides, but still faces strong opposition from inside the ANC. "This is a decisive moment in our country, in the history of South Africa, this is a moment when... we choose hope over despair," he told supporters at the final ANC campaign rally. Born in Johannesburg's Soweto township, Ramaphosa took up activism while studying law in the 1970s, and spent 11 months in solitary confinement in 1974. - The young opposition leader - Mmusi Maimane, 38, is the first black leader of the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's main opposition party. Raised in the Johannesburg township of Soweto -- heartland of the anti-apartheid struggle -- Maimane only joined the DA in 2009 and was fast-tracked through its ranks to take control in 2015. His rapid promotion led to accusations that he was being used by the party's senior white activists to cover up lack of reform within the party. The leader of the Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane is a gifted orator and smooth campaigner A gifted orator and smooth campaigner, he has kept the DA in the spotlight, broadened its appeal and held together its warring factions. But he has struggled to land punches on Ramaphosa or to convince many black middle-class voters that the DA is not still a "white" party. A devout Christian, he has a masters degree in Theology and regularly preaches at church, where he met his white wife Natalie. Before getting into politics, Maimane ran his own management consultancy and lectured at a business school in Johannesburg. His reserved leadership style could come under question if the DA fail to make significant gains on top of its 22 percent of the vote in the 2014 election. - The radical firebrand - Julius Malema, 38, is the former ANC youth leader who launched the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party in 2013 and, against all the odds, has turned it into a political force. Julius Malema founded the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) after being kicked out of the ANC He was kicked out of the ruling party after coming into conflict with the leadership but has thrived as a rebel, delivering fiery speeches spiced with jokes and digs at Ramaphosa, the ANC and South Africa's white minority. Presenting himself as the voice of the young and unemployed, he demands the seizure of land from whites without compensation and the nationalisation of the mines and banks. His threat to the ANC was underlined last year when Ramaphosa adopted a similar stance on land reform to try to hold onto voters. Wearing a red beret and styling himself as "commander in chief", Malema hopes to ride a growing wave of discontent among the poorest of South Africans, 25 years after the end of apartheid. During Jacob Zuma's reign as president, he led his lawmakers in a campaign to disrupt parliament by chanting and heckling, before being thrown out by security officers. The US is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the US Central Command region, National Security Advisor John Bolton said The United States is sending an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran, National Security Advisor John Bolton said Sunday. "In response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings, the United States is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the US Central Command region," Bolton said in a statement. The deployment is aimed at sending "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," Bolton said. "The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces." The statement did not specifically state why the deployment is taking place now, but it comes during a deadly escalation between Gaza-based Palestinian militants and Israel in which the two sides have traded a barrage of rocket fire and air strikes in recent days. The deployment also comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the latter's nuclear program, with the US taking aim at Iranian enriched uranium exports with sanctions. Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah -- one of the world's wealthiest men, who has been on the throne over five decades -- announced plans for the sharia penal code in 2013 Brunei's sultan has announced death by stoning for gay sex and adultery will not be enforced after a global backlash, but critics Monday called for harsh sharia laws to be abandoned entirely. In a speech late Sunday, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said a moratorium on capital punishment that already applies to Brunei's regular criminal code would also extend to its new sharia code, which includes death by stoning for various crimes. The code, which also punishes theft with the amputation of hands and feet, fully came into force last month in the small sultanate on Borneo island, making it the only country in East or Southeast Asia with sharia law at the national level. The move sparked anger from governments and rights groups, the United Nations slammed it as a "clear violation" of human rights while celebrities led by actor George Clooney called for Brunei-owned hotels to be boycotted. In a televised address, the all-powerful sultan made his first public comments about the furore and took the rare step of addressing criticism, saying there had been "many questions and misperceptions" regarding the sharia laws. "Both the common law and the sharia law aim to ensure peace and harmony of the country," he insisted, according to an official translation of his speech. Some crimes in Muslim-majority Brunei including murder and drug-trafficking were already punishable with death by hanging under the regular criminal code -- which is enforced alongside the sharia code -- but no one has been executed for decades. Hassanal said that "we have practised a de facto moratorium on the execution of death penalty for cases under the common law. "This will also be applied to cases under the (sharia penal code), which provides a wider scope for remission." - 'Human rights monstrosity' - But rights groups said the announcement did not go far enough. "It really doesn't change anything," Matthew Woolfe, founder of rights group The Brunei Project, told AFP. "This announcement does nothing to address the many other human rights concerns about the (sharia code)." The maximum punishment for gay sex between men under the sharia code is death by stoning, but perpetrators can also be sentenced to lengthy jail terms or caning. Women convicted of having sexual relations with other women face up to 40 strokes of the cane or a maximum 10-year jail term. Whipping and jail terms, as well as severing of limbs for theft, under the new code were not affected by the sultan's announcement. It was not clear how far other sharia punishments would be enforced. The sultan also vowed in his speech that Brunei would ratify the United Nations convention against torture which it signed several years ago. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said that "the entire law is a human rights-abusing monstrosity that should be scrapped. "It's a quaint but unrealistic idea that a temporary moratorium on the death penalty is worth something in a royal dictatorship where the sultan's word is law." - LGBT stigma still strong - While gay Bruneians were relieved 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. "The announcement last night gave me and my friends some relief because honestly it does make you anxious when such laws are in place," a 32-year-old gay man, who did not wish to be identified, told AFP. But Adam Rozman, a 24-year-old gay university student who gave a pseudonym, added: "I just wish that the country can one day remove laws that discriminate against gay people. "We do exist and we are normal people who are in schools and universities, and have careers and contribute to the whole country." The sultan -- one of the world's wealthiest men, who has been on the throne over five decades -- announced plans for the sharia penal code in 2013. The first section was introduced in 2014 and included less stringent penalties, such as fines or jail terms for offences including skipping Friday prayers, but the harsher penalties were delayed for years after criticism. Analysts say Hassanal is seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials and shore up support among the country's conservatives due to the waning fortunes of the oil-dependent economy, which has been ravaged by recession in recent years. The engine is from a roadcutter, the wings are burlap, the wheels are borrowed from a rickshaw: a Pakistani popcorn seller has caught the attention of the Air Force by building his own plane The engine is from a roadcutter, the wings are burlap, the wheels are borrowed from a rickshaw: a popcorn seller has caught the attention of the Pakistan Air Force by building his own plane. The tale of Muhammad Fayyaz has captured the hearts of many in a nation where millions, just like him, have limited access to education and are fighting for opportunities. "I was literally in the air. I couldn't feel anything else," Fayyaz said of his first flight in a machine he learned to build mainly from viewing TV clips and online blueprints. Pakistan has been thrilled before by stories of scientific prodigies plucked from obscurity before -- notably, that of the engineer who said in 2012 that he had invented a car that could run on water -- a story that was later debunked by scientists. But Fayyaz insists he flew and his claim is being taken seriously by the air force, whose representatives have now visited him multiple times, even issuing a certificate to commend his work, he revealed. There has been a steady stream of visitors wanting to view his creation, which now sits in the empty courtyard of his three-room home in the village of Tabur in central Punjab province. - Dreaming of a jet plane - The 32-year-old said he had dreamed of joining the air force as a child, but his father died while he was in still in school, forcing him to drop out at the eighth grade and do odd jobs to feed his mother and his five younger siblings. As an adult, his passion for flying remained undiminished, so he took a wild gamble on a new dream and put everything he had into creating his own craft. By day he worked as a popcorn seller, by night as a security guard, saving every rupee he could. The first thing he had to acquire was information -- beginning with watching episodes of the National Geographic Channel's Air Crash Investigation for insight into thrust, air pressure, torque, propulsion. Cheap internet access in a nearby city helped fill the gaps, with Fayyaz claiming he spliced blueprints of planes he found online for his own creation. He sold a piece of family land, and took out a 50,000 rupee ($350) loan from a micro-finance NGO, which he is still paying off. He used his meagre funds creatively, buying burlap sacks wholesale and persuading a kind workshop employee who had seen him scouting for materials to build him a propeller. There was trial and error. Some equipment needed to be replaced, designs had to be altered, the wiring had to be reworked. His family worried he was obsessed. "I kept telling him to stop. I kept telling him to concentrate on his family and work, he was being crazy over nothing. But he didn't listen to a single word," his mother, Mumtaz Bibi, recalled. But Fayyaz kept going. And, at the end of it all produced a plane -- tiny, fragile, and painted a bright blue. - 'Locked up with criminals' - In February this year, he said, after more than two years of ridicule, he was ready. Fayyaz claims his friends helped him to block a small road which he used as a runway for that first flight attempt in February. The plane reached 120kph before taking off, Ameer Hussain, a witness who claims to have ridden alongside the plane in a motorcycle, told AFP. "It was between two and two and half feet off the ground," he said. "It flew for about two to three kilometres before landing." AFP has been unable to verify the claim. But the attempt made Fayyaz bold enough to want to try again in front of the rest of his village, many of whom had mocked his efforts. He picked March 23, Pakistan Day, for the unveiling. Police said hundreds of people crowded around his tiny plane, many clutching national flags. But before Fayyaz could even start the engine, the police arrived and arrested him, confiscating his plane. "I felt as though I had committed one of the worst acts in the world, as though I am the worst person in Pakistan," he explained, adding: "I had been locked up with criminals." The court released him with a 3,000 rupees ($19) fine. When AFP visited the local police station, officers said they had arrested Fayyaz as his plane was a safety threat. Officer Zafar Iqbal explained: "The plane was returned to him as a goodwill gesture. Should he obtain a flying license or permit, he is free to fly." Fayyaz's misfortune resulted in social media fame, and he was called a "hero" and an "inspiration" by some netizens. Representatives from the Pakistan Air Force have made two visits to view the plane and the commander of a nearby base issued him a certificate which praises his "passion and dexterity" in building what it described as a "mini basic airplane". Before the US agrees to any withdrawal, it is demanding the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire and other commitments Peace talks between the US and the Taliban were suspended for the beginning of Ramadan on Monday, with the two sides still grappling over the key issue of when foreign forces might leave Afghanistan. The foes have spent much of the past week in a sixth round of talks in Doha aimed at ending America's longest war, with US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad leading negotiations for Washington. A potential deal would see America agree to withdraw its troops after more than 17 years in Afghanistan, in return for the Taliban guaranteeing the country never again becomes a safe haven for terror groups, as was the case with Al-Qaeda before the September 11, 2001 attacks. The US also insists any deal includes a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, and that the Taliban participate in an "intra-Afghan dialogue" with politicians and stakeholders from across Afghanistan. Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told AFP the talks were taking a break for the first day of the holy month of Ramadan -- when Muslims fast during the day -- but would be resumed Tuesday. He said discussions had become bogged down over the issue of when foreign forces might withdraw in return for the Taliban security guarantees. The Taliban have said there is no point even discussing a ceasefire or an intra-Afghan dialogue before the US announces a troop withdrawal, whereas America wants to see all issues addressed at once. Still, Shaheen said "some progress" had been made on the withdrawal issue and the question of Taliban security promises, but "both sides need more negotiations." Sultan Barakat, the director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies in Doha, also said the talks would resume Tuesday, and that they had made "good progress". - 'Month of peace' - 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. Ghani on Monday reiterated his call for the Taliban to respect demands from last week's "loya jirga" summit that saw thousands of tribal elders and Afghans meet in Kabul. "Ramadan is a month of peace and reconciliation," Ghani said. "I once again call on the Taliban to pay respect to this month and the demands of the people for peace and reconciliation reflected (in the Loya Jirga)." The talks in Doha are complex, with interactions translated back and forth into Pashto and English, while negotiators often pause to confer with higher-ups. Khalilzad in February sounded an optimistic tone, suggesting a deal was within reach by July, but it is not clear how much more time is needed for the two sides to come to an agreement. Meanwhile, violence continues apace across Afghanistan. On Sunday, at least 13 people were killed and dozens more wounded after a Taliban suicide bomber and several gunmen attacked a police headquarters in northern Afghanistan. Former prime minister Paul Keating criticised the Australian security forces, saying the "nutters are in charge" Australia's outspoken former prime minister Paul Keating has launched an extraordinary attack on the country's top spies, branding them "nutters" who had gone "berko" over the threat from China. Just weeks before a national election, the opposition Labor Party was on Monday forced to distance itself from its former talisman's comments. Keating -- who was prime minister for five years until 1996 -- told national broadcaster ABC on Sunday that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service had "lost their strategic bearings." "The nutters are in charge," Keating claimed, criticising their suspicions of China. "Whatever you think, China is a great state. It's always been a great state and now has the second-largest economy, soon the largest economy in the world," he said. Australia has long tried to sustain trade relations with China despite profound differences with the country's authoritarian government. But President Xi Jinping's muscle flexing in the South China Sea, the mass detention of Muslims and growing reach in Western societies have made that balance more difficult. The Australian government recently barred China's Huawei from building the 5G network Down Under over security concerns, drawing Beijing's ire. It also introduced requirements to declare paid work for foreign political entities and effectively banned a Chinese billionaire who had permanent Australian residency and had been a major political donor from returning to the country. Keating -- who has worked as an advisor to the state-backed China Development Bank -- said the spies had "all gone berko." Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison leapt on the comments, hoping it could help him claw back some ground in the polls ahead of the May 18 vote. "Our security agencies have prevented 15 terrorist attacks in Australia," he said on Monday. "For "a 'Labor legend' to go out there and attack the credibility of our security agencies that have been saving lives in this country, I think is very disappointing." The latest Ipsos poll shows Labor on 52 percent and the Liberals on 48 percent in a head-to-head race, a slight narrowing of the race. Opposition leader Bill Shorten distanced himself from Keating's remarks. "I don't share those concerns," he said. "Paul Keating's an elder statesman of Australian politics," he said. "He's never been shy of saying what he thinks. But for myself and for my opposition team, we've worked very well with the national security agencies. They know that and we know that." The plane skidded off the runway while landing at the naval air station during a thunderstorm A feature that helps aircraft slow down on landing was broken on a Boeing 737 that skidded into a river in Florida, a top transportation safety official said Sunday. The plane carrying 143 people slid off the runway after a hard landing Saturday at a naval air station in Jacksonville during a lightning storm. Police said 21 people were taken to hospital with minor injuries but no fatalities or critical injuries were reported. Transport safety officials said one of the thrust reversers which are supposed to help to slow the aircraft down was not working. "The aircraft had been in maintenance and the maintenance log noted that the left-hand thrust reverser was inoperative," Bruce Landsberg, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, told reporters Sunday. He said investigators would be examining the maintenance of the aircraft in the weeks prior to the accident "and the condition of the thrust reversers will obviously be of interest." The pilot also requested a change of runway, landing on one air traffic control advised had naval equipment on it, reducing the available runway length by 1,200 feet, Landsberg said. Passengers had to clamber over the wings of the Boeing 737 to escape "We don't know what they were thinking or why they made that choice. That will be one of the things we look to find out, as we go through the cockpit voice recorder," he said. The flight data recorder had been recovered but the cockpit voice recorder remained underwater in the tail of the aircraft. "When we recover it will give us much more information on what the crew was thinking," he said. Thunderstorms and lightning have been hampering efforts to retrieve the plane fuselage. The navy had arranged for divers to recover several pets which are believed to have drowned in the cargo hold, he said. Booms had also been set up to contain jet fuel spilling into the St Johns River. Passengers on the flight from the US base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to Jacksonville included military personnel and family members. Passengers clambered across the wings of the partially submerged plane before being transported to shore in inflatable boats. "We couldn't tell where we were, a river or an ocean. There was rain coming down. There was lightning and thunder. We stood on that wing for a significant period of time," Cheryl Bormann, a defense attorney who was on board the flight, told CNN. The plane involved was a Boeing 737-800, in operation for 18 years, according to the FlightRadar24 website. US aerospace giant Boeing is under scrutiny following two crashes that killed a total of 346 passengers and crew and grounded its newer 737 MAX planes worldwide. Both a Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October and March's Ethiopian Airlines crash outside Addis Ababa occurred shortly after takeoff. Australia's Daily Telegraph is appealing a defamation award to actor Geoffrey Rush accusing the judge of bias in the case and saying the damages awarded were "excessive" Australia's Daily Telegraph is appealing a defamation award to Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush which could cost the Sydney tabloid owned by Rupert Murdoch millions of dollars, the newspaper said Monday. The appeal, lodged on May 1, accused the judge of bias in the case, and said the damages awarded to Rush in his April ruling were "excessive". In a front-page article published in 2017, the Telegraph wrote that the Sydney Theatre Company received a complaint that Rush had inappropriately touched a female co-star during a staging of "King Lear". Following months of legal proceedings, Justice Michael Wigney ruled that the article was a "recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism" and awarded Rush Aus$850,000 (US$608,000) in damages. The judge also ruled that Rush should receive compensation for lost earnings due to the allegations against him, with the amount due to be set at a new hearing this week and expected to run into millions of dollars. The appeal, lodged by Nationwide News, Murdoch's Australian publishing arm, cited 16 grounds for reversing Wigney's ruling, including that the judge's conduct of the case "gave rise to an apprehension of bias". It also challenged the judge's treatment of the actress who made the original complaint against Rush after playing alongside the actor in the production of King Lear in late 2015 and early 2016. Wigney had said evidence from the actress, Eryn Jean Norvill, was inconsistent and that she "was at times prone to exaggeration and embellishment". The appeal also complained that Wigney had refused to hear evidence from a "witness X" who the Telegraph said had worked with Rush in the past and would have corroborated allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Australia's defamation laws are notoriously strict and often favour the person accused of bad behaviour. Rush won the Best Actor Academy Award in 1997 for his role in "Shine" and is one of the few stars to have also won a Golden Globe, an Emmy and a Tony Award. The truce came after the most serious flare-up in violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war Palestinian leaders in Gaza agreed to a ceasefire with Israel on Monday to end a deadly two-day escalation in violence that threatened to widen into a fourth war between them since 2008. An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment on the deal, but there appeared to have been no rocket fire or Israeli strikes afterwards, an AFP correspondent in Gaza said. Israel also lifted restrictions on civilian movements in communities around the Gaza border on Monday morning. Egypt brokered the agreement to cease hostilities from 4:30 am (0130 GMT), an official from the strip's Islamist rulers Hamas and another from its allied group Islamic Jihad said on condition of anonymity. Paramedics carry the body of a wounded Palestinian at a hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip An Egyptian official also confirmed the deal on condition of anonymity. It came after the most serious flare-up in violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war. The escalation began Saturday with massive rocket fire from Gaza, drawing waves of Israeli retaliatory strikes, and continued throughout Sunday. At least 25 Palestinians, including at least nine militants, were killed. Four Israeli civilians were also killed. - Sensitive time - The flare-up came as Hamas sought further steps from Israel toward easing its blockade under a previous ceasefire brokered by Egypt and the United Nations. Smoke billows over Gaza City after Israel carries out an air strike in response to a barrage of rockets fired by Palestinian militants Israel at the same time faced pressure to restore calm and put an end to the rockets hitting communities in the country's south. It commemorates the country's Memorial and Independence Days later this week and is due to host the Eurovision song contest in Tel Aviv from May 14-18, which is expected to draw thousands to Israel. On the Gazan side, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began Monday. Palestinian officials in Gaza accused Israel of not taking steps to ease its blockade as promised under previous ceasefire deals. The Islamic Jihad official said the new truce agreement was again based on Israel easing its blockade. Among the steps, he said, were the relaxing of limits on fishing and improvements in Gaza's electricity and fuel situation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not address the ceasefire in a Monday statement, but said: "Weve forcefully struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad." "The battle is not over and demands patience and discretion," he said. Israeli opposition politicians -- and at least one from Netanyahu's own party -- criticised the agreement. Former military chief Benny Gantz, who challenged Netanyahu in Israel's April 9 general elections, called it "capitulation to blackmail". - Brink of war - Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008 and the escalation brought them to the brink of another. Israel faced pressure to seek to restore calm and put an end to the rocket fire hitting communities in the country's south The Palestinian dead included a commander for Hamas's armed wing who Israel said it targeted due to his role in transferring money from Iran to militant groups in Gaza. It was a rare admission of a targeted killing by Israel's army, and Netanyahu spoke Monday of having "renewed the policy of eliminating senior terrorists". Israel said its strikes were in response to Hamas and Islamic Jihad firing some 690 rockets or mortars since Saturday, with air defences intercepting more than 240 of them. In addition to those killed and injured, the rockets repeatedly set off air raid alarms in southern Israel and sent residents running to shelters while also damaging houses. Palestinian mourners carry the shrouded body of Saba Abu Arar during her funeral in Gaza City on May 5, 2019 The army said its tanks and planes hit some 350 militant targets in Gaza in response. Several buildings in Gaza City were destroyed, including one Israel said included Hamas military intelligence and security offices. Turkey said its state news agency Anadolu had an office in the building and strongly denounced the strike. Gaza's health ministry said the dead from the Israeli strikes included a 14-month-old baby and a pregnant woman, 37. Israel strongly disputed the claim and said errant Hamas fire was responsible for their deaths. Egyptian and UN officials held talks to reach a truce, as they have done repeatedly in the past, and there were international calls for calm The Gazan ministry reported late Sunday that another four-month-old baby was among those killed in Israeli strikes in the northern Gaza Strip. Israel's army had no comment. On Sunday, Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their armed wings had targeted an Israeli army vehicle with a Kornet anti-tank missile. The army said a Kornet missile had hit a vehicle and killed an Israeli civilian. - Calls for calm - Egyptian and UN officials held talks throughout to reach a truce, as they have done repeatedly in the past, and there were international calls for calm. Israel, Gaza Strip US President Donald Trump, for his part, assured Israel on Sunday that it had Washington's full support against "these terrorist acts". The escalation followed a gradual uptick in violence that threatened a previous ceasefire, including Friday clashes along the Gaza border that were the most violent in weeks. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt and the United Nations, had led to relative calm around Israel's election last month. That truce saw Israel allow Qatar to provide millions of dollars in aid to Gaza, paying salaries and financing fuel purchases to ease severe electricity shortages. Boeing said engineers had identified the safety alert issue on its 737 MAX aircraft in 2017 Families of victims in the Indonesia Lion Air crash hit out at Boeing Monday over its admission that engineers had identified a safety system glitch well before the fatal accident, in the latest knock to the plane maker's reputation. Boeing said Sunday engineers had found the safety alert issue on its 737 MAX aircraft in 2017, a year before the deadly crash in Indonesia that killed 189 people. According to Boeing, a supposedly standard piece of equipment that tells pilot about disagreements between angle of attack (AOA) indicators -- which measure the plane's angle vis-a-vis oncoming air to warn of impending stalls -- did not activate unless an additional optional indicator was purchased by airlines. Neither the Lion Air aircraft nor the Ethiopian Airlines jet that went down several months later, killing 157 people, had the feature. "That's negligence from Boeing in regards the AOA system," said Evi Samsul Komar, whose son and nephew were on the fatal flight. "Boeing needs to be more careful." Another relative, Imam Rismanto, whose brother died in the crash, said Boeing should never have sold the plane without the safety feature. "They must take responsibility for these two aircraft accidents," said Rismanto, adding Lion Air was also to blame for not purchasing the optional indicator. Faulty AOA indicator information may have played a role in both deadly crashes, causing the 737 MAX anti-stall system to unnecessarily activate and push the nose down toward the ground even as pilots fought to maintain altitude. Boeing said senior management only "became aware of this issue in the aftermath of the Lion Air accident". A review into the pilot warning system glitch had concluded that "existing functionality was acceptable" until a planned software update. The admission is another blow for Boeing as it struggles to cope with the fallout from the two crashes, according to Jakarta-based aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman. "Boeing's battle to get the 737 Max back in the air is becoming harder with all these new revelations, restoring credibility to the public is going to be harder," he told AFP. Boeing's entire 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since shortly after the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, while investigators study the incidents and engineers work on solutions. Fighters loyal to Libya's internationally recognised unity government run for cover during recent clashes with the self-styled Libyan National Army Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who launched an offensive against Tripoli last month, urged his troops to inflict "an even harder" lesson on forces loyal to the country's internationally recognised government. "Officers and soldiers of our armed forces and affiliates, I greet you during these glorious days and call on you to inflict on the enemy, with your force and determination, an even harder and bigger lesson than before", he wrote in a message to his troops. "We know you can do it... (and) uproot it (the opposing forces) from our beloved country", Haftar's message added, read out by the self-styled Libyan National Army's spokesman General Ahmad al-Mesmari late on Sunday. Haftar's LNA began its offensive against the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) on April 4. Forces loyal to the GNA have since launched a counter-offensive, leading to a stalemate on the ground on the southern outskirts of the capital. Haftar's message also urged his men that "in the event of retreat by the enemy, troops should pursue it with speed and force, prevent it from fleeing and wipe it out". "Air forces should follow up" the action of troops on the ground, he added. "Respect the lives of citizens and their goods. Carry out the orders of this letter and those of your superiors", the message went on. Libya has been mired in chaos since the ouster and killing of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, with Haftar supporting a rival administration in the east of the country. The strongman's message came just a few hours after the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called for "an extendable one-week humanitarian truce starting at four in the morning" on Monday, to mark the beginning of Ramadan. Since April 4, the fighting between the LNA and forces loyal to the GNA has killed at least 392 people, wounded 1,936 and displaced more than 55,000, according to the UN. Iran Air had been planning to update its ageing fleet until the US re-imposed crushing sanctions after withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal Tehran has appointed a new CEO to head national airline Iran Air, state news reported, replacing its first female CEO with a US-blacklisted pilot. Touraj Dehghani Zanganeh, a former air force commander who features on a US treasury sanctions list, was named for the post at a Sunday cabinet meeting. He will replace Farzaneh Sharafbafi, the first Iranian woman to boast a PhD in aerospace, who led the airline for two years. Zanganeh was previously CEO of Meraj Air, which was also sanctioned by the US in 2014. Individuals on the Specially Designated Nationals List are generally prohibited from having US bank accounts. US persons can also face civil or criminal penalties for engaging in business dealings with them, according to the US treasury. Iran Air had been planning to upgrade its ageing fleet after long-standing US sanctions were lifted following the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. But when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the accord early last year and reimposed crippling economic sanctions, the treasury department revoked licenses for Boeing and Airbus to sell passenger jets to Iran. Demonstrators have vowed to carry on with their rally as talks between protest leaders and the military council remain deadlocked They brave the sweltering summer heat and the accompanying dust to pursue their dream: building a new Sudan. While some protesters at a weeks-long sit-in outside Khartoum's army headquarters dare to hope for democracy, others say they will be content just to secure a prosperous future. But they agree on one goal: a Sudan that is free of Islamists, who one protester said "destroyed the country". Thirty years after coming to power in a 1989 Islamist coup that toppled a democratic government, President Omar al-Bashir was deposed on April 11. Despite his departure, protesters have continued to camp outside the vast Khartoum military base to insist that the military council which replaced him hand power to civilians. Hundreds walk each morning along the major boulevard that runs alongside the compound, the epicentre of the demonstrations that led to Bashir's downfall. Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators have been demonstrating for weeks outside army headquarters to demand a transition to civilian rule The smell of coffee and foul, a staple Sudanese dish of beans, mixes with the stench from makeshift toilets used by thousands of protesters who have spent weeks camping there. But whether young or old, the protesters retain their enthusiasm and endure the privations with good humour. "We want a country that recognises our skills, a country led by civilians and not by Islamists," said Mohamed Adel Hai, 22, a student who has never experienced life under a president other than Bashir. "We want a country with civilian and democratic rule." Experts say the shape of a post-Bashir Sudan will depend on the outcome of power-sharing negotiations between the ruling military council and protest leaders. In particular, they cite the need for a compromise acceptable to both sides, as well as a majority of citizens. "There is now a mixture of euphoria and caution about the future," Chatham House said in a recent report. - Modest hopes - For Abu al-Kamel, who was 18 when Bashir came to power, "the people of Sudan, above all, want to satisfy their basic needs of education and health... along with social justice". "(The Islamists) literally destroyed the country by hosting Osama bin Laden and Carlos (the Jackal), which led to international sanctions," said the Khartoum-based university worker. French secret service agents seized the Venezuelan-born leftist militant in Khartoum in 1994 and flew him to France where he was jailed over a string of deadly attacks. Ex-Al-Qaeda supremo Bin Laden lived in Sudan between 1992 to 1996, which led Washington to slap the African country on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. In October 2017, Washington lifted a 20-year-old trade embargo on Sudan, but Sudan remains on the "terrorism blacklist" along with Iran, Syria and North Korea. A Sudanese protestor with a mock TV camera labelled "Sudanese Revolution Channel" stages an "interview" with a fellow demonstrator outside the army base Protests erupted against Bashir in December last year as people blamed him for economic mismanagement, which saw food prices soar, foreign currency reserves plummet and fuel stocks dwindle. Sudanese have seen their purchasing power dwindle dramatically in the last few years of Bashir's rule. Protester Aisha, who gave only her first name, is modest in her hopes. "All we want is to eat our foul and watch our country be rebuilt," she said. But Sudanese people are known for their passion for politics and public debates, something that was curbed under Bashir's iron-fisted three decade rule. Their enduring joviality and slogans feed into a carnival-like atmosphere at the Khartoum sit-in, which has turned into a marketplace for vendors selling lemonade, soft drinks and national flags. Women hawking tea make brisk business, sitting under the shade of trees in the summer heat. Protester Intissar Rabia Mohamed hopes that demonstrators' efforts will not go to waste. Asked what she hopes to for, she said: "a prosperous, developed and dynamic Sudan". The Chinese navy asked the US vessels to leave after they entered waters adjacent to the Spratly Islands, according to the foreign ministry China said two US warships sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea without permission on Monday in the latest US challenge to Beijing's territorial claims in the region. The Chinese navy asked the US vessels to leave after they entered waters adjacent to Gaven and Chigua reefs in the Spratly Islands, which Beijing calls Nansha, the foreign ministry said. The move comes on top of trade tensions as President Donald Trump said Sunday he would raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods on Friday because talks were moving "too slowly". "The relevant actions of the US warships violated China's sovereignty and undermined peace, security and good order in the relevant sea areas," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a press briefing. "The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the operation, Geng added, noting that the ships had entered "without permission". The US Navy regularly conducts "freedom of navigation operations" to challenge Beijing's vast claims in the sea. The People's Liberation Army identified the two US ships as the USS Preble and the USS Chung-Hoon, both guided-missile destroyers. Air and sea forces were deployed to identify and ask the ships to leave, a spokesman for the PLA's Southern Theatre Command said on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform. "The (Southern) Theatre troops will maintain a high degree of alert and take all necessary measures to resolutely defend the sovereignty of the country and resolutely safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," said the spokesman, Li Huamin. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the sea, including on the Spratlys. China claims nearly all of the sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. "China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and its adjacent waters. No matter how provocative foreign warships are, this fact cannot be changed," Li said. Geng said the situation in the sea was "constantly stabilising" due to the "joint efforts" of Beijing and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. "Under such circumstances, China urges the US to stop such provocative acts, to respect China's sovereignty and security interests, and respect the efforts of regional countries to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said. "At the same time, China will continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea." The ICC upheld a reprimand for Jordan for failing to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (left) during a visit to Amman in 2017 when he met King King Abdullah II. International appeals judges Monday upheld a reprimand of Jordan for failing to arrest former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir during a visit to the Arab country two years ago. Amman had appealed a ruling by the International Criminal Court which found that Jordan "failed to comply with its obligations" because it did not detain Bashir in 2017 when he was wanted by the Hague-based tribunal on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC's appeal judges nonetheless eased the blow a bit by reversing a pre-trial chamber judges' decision to refer Jordan to the UN Security Council and the court's Assembly of States Parties (ASP) for further measures. Bashir, 75, was indicted by the ICC in 2009 in connection with fighting in the western region of Darfur, where more than 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million others displaced since 2003, according to UN figures. Despite two international warrants for his arrest on 10 charges arising from the conflict, Bashir freely attended an Arab League summit in Amman in March 2017. "By failing to arrest and surrender Mr. Bashir, in circumstances in which Mr. Bashir was entitled to no immunity, Jordan prevented the court from exercising an important power and a fundamental function," Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji said. - 'No immunity' - Jordan is a member of the Rome Statute, which underpins the tribunal -- established in 2002 to try the world's worst atrocities -- and as such has agreed to comply with the court's orders. In a first for the court, Amman last year appealed the ICC's findings that Jordan had failed to fulfil its legal obligations to seize Bashir, saying it was not obliged to do so. Jordan's lawyers argued that Bashir at the time of his visit was a sitting head of state "and therefore immune to arrest," based on the international legal principle of comity between states. Sudanese refugee children are among the roughly 2.5 million people displaced by the conflict in Darfur, according to UN figures But Eboe-Osuji said Monday that head-of-state immunity did not stop the ICC -- an international court -- from exercising its jurisdiction according to its founding document, the Rome Statute. Easing the verdict on Jordan however, Eboe-Osuji added that the court's pre-trial judges should not have referred the matter to the Security Council and the ASP. "The judges' discretion to refer the case to the UNSC and ASP was tainted," Eboe-Osuji said. Amman replied that it was "mulling" the judgement. It looked in particular at "the part concerning approving the pre-trial chamber's decision suggesting that Jordan has not cooperated with the court in handing Bashir over, which is rejected by Jordan," according to a statement released by foreign ministry spokesman Sufyan al-Qudah. He welcomed the appeals judges' decision to nullify the "unfair, discriminatory and arbitrary decision" by pre-trial judges to refer the issue to the Security Council and ASP. "Jordan has been a strong supporter of the ICC since its establishment and was the first country in the Middle East to ratify its statute," the spokesman noted. Over the last decade Bashir has travelled to a number of countries which did not arrest him, including ICC member states such as South Africa and Jordan. The 75-year-old Bashir has always denied the ICC charges. He was toppled last month after 30 years of iron rule in Sudan, raising hopes that he would finally be extradited to The Hague to stand trial. - 'Fugitive' - Human rights groups applauded Monday's decision saying "today the ICC found that heads of state sought on charges by the court cannot be exempt from arrest." Elise Keppler, an associate director at Human Rights Watch also called for Bashir to be handed over to the ICC. The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) is a rebel group active in the conflict-wracked Darfur region of Sudan "Whether president or prisoner in Sudan, Omar al-Bashir remains a fugitive from the ICC on charges of the gravest crimes committed in Darfur." "He should be surrendered to The Hague to face the charges against him," she said. But legal experts said it seemed more likely that Bashir would be tried in Sudan, despite Sudanese opposition calls for the African nation to "immediately" join the ICC. The conflict in Darfur broke out when ethnic minority groups took up arms against Bashir's Arab-dominated government, which in turn launched brutal counter-insurgency operations. 48 political parties will contest South Africa's general election on May 8 A potpourri of 48 political parties will contest South Africa's general election on Wednesday -- a record number. Here are snapshots of some of the front-runners: - African National Congress - The African National Congress rose from a liberation movement to govern Africa's most industrialised country, but its once-glorious image has been tainted by its record in office. It was founded in Bloemfontein in 1912 to fight against the white minority government's restrictions on free movement and land ownership by blacks. During the anti-apartheid struggle, the ANC espoused socialist values and had many communist members, but in power, it has adopted a more liberal economic programme. It has easily won all post-apartheid elections and has a stranglehold on parliament, where it has held over 60 percent of the 400 seats since the dawn of democracy. It goes into the elections under Cyril Ramaphosa who took over less than 18 months ago from Jacob Zuma, whose rule was defined by corruption among party officials and weak economic growth. - Democratic Alliance - The Democratic Alliance was established in 2000 as a merger of three "white" parties. One among these was the former Democratic Party, which had opposed the then-ruling National Party in parliament, and another the New National Party -- which had tried, unsuccessfully, to distance itself from its predecessor's racist past. The DA has been the largest opposition party for nearly two decades, with 89 seats in the outgoing parliament. Long viewed as the party for middle-class whites, the DA heads into elections under its first black leader Mmusi Maimane, who took the reins in 2015. - Economic Freedom Fighters - The EFF was created in 2013 by the firebrand ex-ANC youth leader Julius Malema, shortly after he was expelled from the ruling party. His new party took 25 seats in parliament in 2014 and polls suggest it could nearly double that on May 8 vote by tapping into the anger of millions of poor, unemployed black South Africans. The EFF describes itself as a "radical and militant economic emancipation movement" and its flagship policy is to seize land from white owners without compensation to give it to poor blacks. The anti-capitalist party also advocates for the nationalisation of mines and banks. - Inkatha Freedom Party - Founded in 1975 as a political and cultural movement, it transformed into a political party 15 years later and has had only one leader: Mangosuthu Buthelezi. It is motivated by Black Conciousness political ideology and derives most of its support from the Zulu ethnic group in the southeastern KwaZulu-Natal province. In the first non-racial elections in 1994, the IFP won 43 seats -- but its showing dwindled to just 10 seats in the last vote in 2014. - United Democratic Movement - Formed in 1998, its leader is Bantu Holomisa, former leader of the apartheid-era Transkei "independent" homeland -- areas where blacks were moved to separate them from whites. Holomisa is another former ANC member. The UDM's biggest support base is in the Eastern Cape province. Contesting its first election in 1999, the party garnered 3.5 percent of the vote and secured 14 seats in the national assembly. Its support has slipped to just four lawmakers in the outgoing parliament. - GOOD - The Good party was formed just six months ago by Patricia De Lille, a former DA mayor in the city of Cape Town who had split from the DA in an acrimonious row. It could take some of the DA support base in the Western Cape, but its political potential is as yet untested. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn said he was 'truly happy' with the country's display of unity after his coronation Thailand's newly-crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn praised a show of "unity" at his first public address on the final day of an elaborate coronation Monday, speaking to a sea of supporters and witnessed by the head of the junta that has led the divided country since a 2014 coup. Walking onto a wooden balcony to the roar of the crowd, Vajiralongkorn said he was "truly happy" with the display. "I want the unity shown here with this goodwill to be an encouraging sign for everybody, all sides to perform their duties for the prosperity of our country," he said. Thousands waiting below shouted "Long live the king!", waved Thailand's national flag and wore yellow hats -- the colour representing the king's birthday. Before the remarks, junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha addressed the king from the ground, pledging "loyalty to his majesty and the great Chakri dynasty with our lives". The 66-year-old is the 10th king in the Chakri dynasty and ascended the throne in late 2016 after the death of his beloved father Bhumibol Adulyadej Vajiralongkorn was accompanied by Thailand's new Queen Suthida, whom he married in a formal ceremony days before the coronation. The 66-year-old is the 10th king in the Chakri dynasty and ascended the throne in late 2016 after the death of his beloved father Bhumibol Adulyadej. Not as well known, Vajiralongkorn spends a great deal of time in Germany and has been divorced three times. The monarchy is shielded by some of the world's harshest lese majeste laws, making any critical discussion about the king all but impossible. But wall-to-wall coverage and social media posts of the ceremony provided rare glimpses into the private lives of the ultra-guarded royal family. After Monday's address, the king's fashion designer daughter Princess Sirivannavari was seen capturing the moment on a smartphone and waving to the crowd. Over the weekend she took to Facebook to post personal shots of her and her family members, garnering more than 120,000 shares. After Monday's address, the king's fashion designer daughter Princess Sirivannavari (L) was seen capturing the moment on a smartphone and waving to the crowd The king's eldest sister Princess Ubolratana has long used Instagram as a way to communicate with fans. She drew headlines in February when she tried to stand for prime minister with an anti-junta party. The king thwarted the bid with a royal command and the party was later dissolved. Though she was seen hugging the king at the ceremony, she was asked in the comments section of a photo she posted Saturday why she did not receive a royal title during the event. "Because my work is in this style," she said. "It's more convenient and effective this way." The three-day coronation -- the first one in 69 years -- cemented Vajiralongkorn's position at the top of one of the world's richest monarchies. He was crowned with the 7.3-kilogram (16 lbs) Great Crown of Victory Saturday after sacred purification rites. Vajiralongkorn's three-day coronation -- the first one in 69 years -- cemented his position at the top of one of the world's richest monarchies On Sunday, the king was carried through Bangkok's historic old quarter on a gilded palanquin flanked by royal guards in a colourful seven-hour procession. The royal ceremonies were wedged between a disputed election in March and the expected announcement of poll results later this week. The arch-royalist junta that seized power in 2014 in a coup has claimed the popular vote, but a coalition of "pro-democracy" parties say they have a lower house majority. Employees of Lebanon's central bank say they fear they will be hit by a planned austerity budget The Beirut Stock Exchange said Monday it had been forced to halt trading because of an open-ended strike by central bank employees over proposed cuts to their benefits. It said it would halt operations until further notice as it could not clear and settle trades because of the strike, which started on Saturday. "To protect the rights of investors, the Beirut Stock Exchange has decided to stop trading," it said in a statement. No shares changed hands on the exchange on Monday, it said on its website. Central bank employees say they are protesting a decision to slash their benefits as part of a new austerity package being studied by cabinet ahead of this year's budget. Representatives of their syndicate met with central bank governor Riad Salame on Monday, it said in a statement. It said it would decide on its next steps during a meeting on Tuesday morning. Syndicate head Abbas Awada told AFP that this is the first such strike since the central bank was established in 1963. Other public sector employees have resorted to similar measures against possible austerity measures in recent weeks. Public sector strikes on Monday handicapped the Beirut Port, the National Social Security Fund, and other state-run bodies, as cabinet met to discuss the austerity package, according to the country's National News Agency (NNA). Lebanon has vowed to slash public spending to unlock $11 billion worth of aid pledged by international donors during an April 2018 conference in Paris. Last month, Prime Minister Saad Hariri vowed to introduce "the most austere budget in Lebanon's history" to combat the country's bulging fiscal deficit, sparking fears among public sector employees that their salaries may be cut. Other officials, including Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, have said that austerity measures will include public sector wage cuts. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil on Monday said that the government is also mulling increasing the tax rate on interest payments from 7 to 10 percent as part of the new budget, according to NNA. Lebanon is one of the world's most indebted countries, with public debt estimated at 141 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, according to credit ratings agency Moody's. Security forces stormed Kyauk Tan village in Myanmar's Rathedaung township in early May Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels. Thousands of troops have been redeployed to Rakhine state where they are using heavy artillery against the Arakan Army (AA). The insurgents are fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in violence that has forced more than 30,000 people from their homes since December. It is the latest unrest in an area riven by complex ethnic and religious divisions in the Buddhist-majority country. The same northern part of the state also witnessed the military's bloody expulsion of some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims in 2017, a campaign UN investigators said amounted to genocide. Last Tuesday security forces stormed Kyauk Tan village in Rathedaung township, separating out 275 men for interrogation in the local school. Troops admitted killing six detainees two days later and injuring eight more, claiming the men tried to attack and disarm them. The village has been completely sealed off since the raid and several residents told AFP by phone Monday food supplies were dangerously low. Those without any land are "really struggling", one woman told AFP by phone, asking not to be named, adding villagers were pooling their meagre supplies. Another man confirmed the shortages under the army's "bullying" tactics and called for the international community's help. Rakhine state lawmaker Tin Maung Win told AFP he was "very worried" about the villagers' plight. He planned to visit the village Tuesday but was unsure security forces would allow him to enter after they turned him away last week. Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun denied people were unable to leave. "People can move around freely," he said, adding it was possible others could not enter. Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult. Zaw Min Tun confirmed 48 more detainees were released Monday, which would leave around 80 still held at the school. "They warned us there would be harsh repercussions if we travelled to other villages," said Than Han Than, 22, one of the newly-released. Than May Khin's husband, Khin Maung Htay, was one of the men shot dead last week. "I cannot forgive his killing," the 38-year-old widow said. Their son -- one of four -- left just before the army operation and did not yet know of his father's death, she added. The killings followed the deaths in April of three other ethnic Rakhine men in army custody. Rights groups have condemned the military's "total impunity". Turkey captured Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, in February 1999 and has kept him in prison on an island off Istanbul The leader of Turkey's militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, has met his lawyers for the first time in eight years, one of them said on Monday. "This is the first meeting with the lawyers since 2011. The meeting lasted approximately one hour" on May 2, Rezan Sarica told an Istanbul press conference. Some 3,000 Kurdish prisoners have been holding hunger strikes since November to protest his isolation, and eight have killed themselves over the issue, according to the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party. Nevroz Uysal, another of Ocalan's lawyers, read out a message from the imprisoned leader for the hunger strikers to limit their protests. "We respect the resistance of our friends inside and outside prisons but want them not to carry this to a dimension that will threaten their health or result in death," Ocalan said, according to Uysal. Ocalan's message also addressed the situation in neighbouring Syria where a US-backed Kurdish militia -- branded as "terrorists" by Ankara -- controls some areas in the north. "We believe that problems in Syria should be resolved by avoiding the culture of conflict," Ocalan said according to the lawyer. He said the Syrian Kurds should have constitutional guarantees, while respecting "Syria's integrity". "In this regard, Turkey's sensitivities should be taken into account," he added. Ankara says the Kurdish YPG -- a key US ally in the fight against Islamic State jihadists -- is a Syrian offshoot of the PKK, and the issue is a major source of friction in Turkish-US ties. Turkey captured Ocalan, then public number enemy one, in February 1999 and imprisoned him on the heavily fortified island of Imrali off Istanbul where he has been kept for 20 years. "It is not yet clear if the meetings with lawyers will continue periodically," added Sarica, who met Ocalan with Uysal. "Only two lawyers were allowed to meet him although four lawyers applied," he added. The PKK is listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. The Kurdish insurgency in Turkey has claimed more than 40,000 lives since 1984. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hardened his rhetoric towards Kurdish rebels since the last ceasefire broke down in 2015, reducing the odds of a political solution to the long-running conflict. Ocalan's brother, Mehmet, was permitted to visit him in prison in January for the first time since 2016. The rebel leader was born into a poor peasant family in the village of Omerli in Turkey's southeast. His official birthdate is April 4, 1949. He was sentenced to death for treason after his capture by Turkish agents in Kenya, but this was commuted to life imprisonment when Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2002, when it appeared close to securing membership in the European Union. Israel said hundreds of rockets and mortars were fired from Gaza Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip agreed a ceasefire Monday after a two-day flare-up that brought them to the brink of war, but analysts remain unconvinced any truce will last. What happened? On Friday two Israeli soldiers were shot and injured during protests and clashes along the Gaza border. Israel blamed the attack on an Islamic Jihad sniper. In response Israel struck a base of the strip's Islamist rulers Hamas, killing two fighters. Beginning Saturday morning, Hamas and its allied group Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets at Israel from Gaza, causing tens of thousands to flee to bomb shelters. Israel retaliated with tank and air strikes in the strip, hitting around 350 targets throughout the weekend. The situation escalated further Sunday, with four Israeli civilians killed by rockets. Over the course of two days the Israeli army said more than 690 rockets and mortars were fired from Gaza. Israel retaliated with tank and air strikes in the Gaza Strip In total 25 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, including two pregnant women and three children, according to Gaza health authorities. Israel disputed responsibility for the death of one woman and a baby, saying they were killed by a Palestinian rocket that misfired. At least nine of the Palestinians killed were identified as members of militant groups. Early Monday morning Palestinian factions said a deal had been reached to restore calm after Egyptian mediation. Israel declined to comment on the deal, but there were no reports of rocket fire or airstrikes. What is the background? Israelis and Palestinians could be forgiven for feeling a strong sense of deja vu. Israel has fought three wars with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza since 2008, the most recent in 2014. Since that last war, there have been multiple flare-ups that have threatened to tip over into full-bown conflict. In March rocket fire destroyed an Israeli house north of Tel Aviv. Another round last November led to the resignation of Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who accused rightwing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being soft on Hamas. Many analysts say that neither Hamas nor Israel want another war, but both face pressures that could lead them into one. What does the truce involve? Palestinian officials said the agreement Monday was to implement what was agreed in November after that round of hostilities. At the time, Hamas officials said Israel had agreed to ease its crippling blockade of Gaza in exchange for calm. Israel says the restrictions are necessary to isolate Hamas and stop it from obtaining materials to make weapons, but critics say it amounts to collective punishment of two million people in the strip. The deal was supposed to see Israel allow large amounts of Qatari funds and fuel into the strip, as well as facilitating projects to redevelop infrastructure in the strip in later phases. Israel never publicly confirmed the unwritten agreement. Hamas official Ismail Radwan told AFP Monday's deal involved Israeli concessions on the zone it allows for fishermen off the strip as well as on fuel and other issues for Gaza. Hamas and Jihad have been frustrated by the slow implementation of the deal, according to Tareq Baconi, analyst with the International Crisis Group think-tank. "Hamas believes they have done everything they committed to under the ceasefire agreement but no aid has materialised," he said. "The two parties seem to be stuck in the first phase of this ceasefire agreement." What have been the reactions? Netanyahu, still trying to form a coalition government after winning last month's elections, has faced serious criticism over his handling of Gaza. Opposition leader Benny Gantz, a former army general, accused Netanyahu of "capitulation" to Hamas. While the parties he is seeking to form a rightwing coalition government with have largely remained quiet, Netanyahu will face pressure to show he is being tough on Hamas. One of those he needs to convince to join his government is Lieberman, who is likely to push for a hard line. What's next? Israel is due to host the Eurovision song contest next week in what the Jewish state sees as a major event. "A Eurovision contest might actually have saved the parties from escalating," Baconi said. "But I think a war is more likely than ever after Netanyahu forms his government, and that what we have seen in the past few days won't necessarily be forgotten." Hugh Lovatt, Israel-Palestine analyst at the European Council of Foreign Relations think-tank, agreed that tensions remained high. "There is little reason to believe that this new understanding reached between Hamas and Israel will be any different, or any longer lasting, than the previous deals reached over the past months," he said. "Absent a more permanent political solution for Gaza we will likely see renewed flare-ups of violence." A former Goldman Sachs banker is scheduled to appear in US court today to face criminal charges in the 1MDB scandal A former Goldman Sachs banker pleaded not guilty Monday in New York to bribery and other charges in the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal after being extradited from Malaysia. Malaysian Ng Chong Hwa, 51, a former managing director at the bank charged in both Malaysia and America over the 1MDB fraud, was extradited to the US on Friday, Malaysian attorney-general Tommy Thomas said. Also known as Roger Ng, the defendant was arraigned before a federal magistrate judge in Brooklyn, pleading not guilty, according to a spokesman for the US Attorney's office in the Eastern District of New York. Ng's attorney Marc Agnifilo said there were no "active" plea negotiations and that his client would consider "all options" after a judge said the two sides were in plea talks, Bloomberg reported. Ng was granted bail after paying $1 million in cash for a $20 million bond, the spokesman said. He faces home detention with electronic monitoring. A US indictment against Ng includes charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Huge sums of public money were stolen from Malaysian state fund 1MDB and used to mass a trove of personal riches, including yachts and artwork, in a scheme allegedly overseen by former Premier Najib Razak and his cronies. Goldman's role is under scrutiny because the Wall Street bank helped arrange $6.5 billion in bonds for 1MDB. Authorities in Malaysia accuse former employees and some of the bank's subsidiaries of stealing $2.7 billion in the process and investigators believe cash was laundered through the US financial system. Thomas said in a statement that an agreement had been reached for "a temporary surrender by Malaysia of Roger Ng for a period of 10 months to enable him to be extradited to the US and for the US prosecution to proceed first." - Facing US charges first - Ng had been in custody in Malaysia since November when the US unveiled 1MDB-linked charges against him and lodged an extradition request. Malaysia later filed its own charges against Ng over the scandal. Ng asked to be sent to the United States but Malaysia initially insisted he remain in the country until legal proceedings there had been completed. Malaysia and the United States have also charged former Goldman partner Tim Leissner for his part in the controversy. Leissner has already pleaded guilty in the US to 1MDB-linked charges. The United States also indicted Low Taek Jho, an alleged mastermind behind the scandal and an intermediary to the Malaysian fund. Low remains at large. The US Justice Department estimates that $4.5 billion was looted from the fund by Najib and his associates. The allegations played a major role in Najib's loss of power last year. He has since been hit with dozens of charges linked to the scandal and last month went on trial. burs-jmb/dg Public support for Australia breaking its ties with the British monarchy slumped following a visit Down Under by Harry and Meghan shortly after the former American actress announced she was pregnant last year Australians campaigning to end the former colony's allegiance to the British monarchy "warmly" congratulated Harry and Meghan on Tuesday on the birth of their son. But in a cheeky message, the Australian Republic Movement reminded the royals that their goal remained a nation where any child can aspire "to the top job regardless of their family". Australians voted to keep the British monarch as their head of state in a 1999 referendum, but the opposition Labor party has vowed to hold a new plebiscite on the issue if they win national elections on May 18, as opinion polls predict. Conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison, a supporter of the monarchy, tweeted "huge congratulations" to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after their baby son was born overnight. The Republic Movement also said it "warmly congratulates Harry and Meghan on the birth of their son", but added that their sentiment extended to "all Australians who welcomed a child into the world today". The movement noted that the baby is the seventh in line to the British throne, "making him unlikely to ever rule over Australians". "We look forward to when our head of state is chosen by Australians, and on merit, instead of birthright," it said. Public support for Australia breaking its ties with the British monarchy slumped following a visit Down Under by Harry and Meghan shortly after the former American actress announced she was pregnant. An opinion poll found only 40 percent of respondents favoured Australia becoming a republic, the lowest level of support in 25 years and 10 points down from a similar survey conducted before the royal couple's October visit. Marrz Balaoro's legal application seeks a court declaration that such same-sex religious ceremonies are not illegal As a transgender pastor of a small Hong Kong church that welcomes all sexualities, Marrz Balaoro wants to conduct religious marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples but fears arrest -- a battle he is now taking to the courts. Despite growing support for gay marriage in the international financial hub, campaigners have made little headway against stiff opposition from the city's successive pro-Beijing governments and religious conservatives. But now an unprecedented legal challenge filed by the Filipino Reverend Balaoro turns the more commonly heard religious argument opposing gay marriage on its head. In a filing with the city's High Court he argues that his congregation's freedom to worship -- a right enshrined in Hong Kong's mini-constitution -- is being trampled on by the city's ban on same-sex marriages. "All we ask for is to be allowed to worship and practise our religious faith in the eyes of God, free from the threat of persecution," Balaoro explained. Despite growing support for gay marriage campaigners face stiff opposition from the city's successive pro-Beijing governments and religious conservatives The 62-year-old pastor -- who has worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong since 1981 -- knows that threat all too well. In 2017 he was arrested on suspicion of breaking Hong Kong's marriage laws for officiating "Holy Union" ceremonies at the city's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight (LGBTS) Christian Church. The denomination originated in the Philippines but has a small following among gay domestic workers in the southern Chinese city. The union ceremonies were religious blessings for same-sex couples with no legal weight and prosecutors eventually dropped the case. - Court protection? - But despite repeated attempts, Balaoro was unable to get written assurances from Hong Kong authorities that he won't be arrested again should he conduct another union. His legal application seeks a court declaration that such same-sex religious ceremonies are not illegal. Balaoro is clear his church's same-sex ceremonies have no legal substance under Hong Kong law, but he says they carry great spiritual importance for his flock. "They know this is just a celebration of love and togetherness," he told AFP, describing the occasions as "joyous". Balaoro says that the unions have no legal substance in Hong Kong law, but great spiritual importance to believers Hong Kong does not recognise same-sex marriage or civil unions and only decriminalised homosexuality in 1991. But a British lesbian won the right to live and work in Hong Kong with her partner in a landmark ruling last year hailed by rights groups. A separate case has been lodged by two Hong Kong men directly challenging the same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional. But Balaoro's application is unusual because it includes a freedom of religion argument. In the filing requesting the court to hear their case, his lawyers said current legislation restricting the "celebration of the religious rite of marriage only to heterosexual monogamous couples" is discriminatory. Balaoro and his parishioners are "treated differently on the basis of their religion, to their detriment". - 'Accepted for who you are' - Originally from the Philippine province of Abra, Balaoro has identified as a male since the age of five. "When I was younger my parents could not even impose on me to wear dresses and skirts, not until I went to a private Catholic (girls') school... I wore shorts under my skirt, and I wore a t-shirt under my long-sleeves, and I took off everything on my way out of the school campus," he said with a laugh. On top of his full-time job as a domestic worker, he became a pastor in 2013, established the Hong Kong branch of the LGBTS Christian Church a year later, and was ordained as a reverend in 2017. Balaoro became a pastor in 2013, established the Hong Kong branch of the LGBTS Christian Church a year later, and was ordained as a reverend in 2017 Born into a Catholic family, he stopped going to church during his high school and college years, citing the discrimination he faced. But when he later encountered the slogan of the LGBTS Christian Church -- "you are accepted for who you are, and safe for what you are" -- he found his calling to propagate faith with advocacy. "I think it is my role, it is my duty, not only to the LGBT community but to all people out there (to say) that we exist and there's nothing wrong with us." There are nearly 370,000 migrant domestic workers in the city -- mostly women from the Philippines and Indonesia -- often performing menial tasks for low wages while living in poor conditions. Gay domestic workers, he says, are especially vulnerable, often facing discrimination at other churches. "The support we need is to defend us, to support our cause, to respect our gender identity. That's what matters to us." Former finance minister James Marape (R) resigned from the cabinet last week and has now been chosen by lawmakers to challenge Prime Minister Peter O'Neill (L) for the leadership Papua New Guinean lawmakers have chosen a former finance minister critical of a multi-billion-dollar natural gas project to challenge Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. Rebel lawmakers, many from O'Neill's party, announced they had selected James Marape -- who resigned from the cabinet last week -- as their alternate PM. O'Neill is expected to face a vote of no confidence tentatively scheduled for May 16. Opponents say they are just a few votes short of the number needed to depose the eight-year veteran prime minister after a string of ruling party defections. Marape has been a vocal critic of a vast liquified natural gas project backed by Total and ExxonMobil and worth as much as $13 billion, raising questions about its future. The Papua LNG project would almost double Papua New Guinea's gas exports, but local communities have complained bitterly about not benefiting from similar deals in the past. Marape, who is from the influential Hela province, resigned citing differences on "work and policy related matters" as well as the lack of local "participation in our gas, oil sector" and mining industry. One of Asia's most impoverished nations, Papua New Guinea is rich in natural resources including large gas fields. Marape "was elected unopposed and will now challenge Peter O'Neill for the top post for next Thursday's vote", said opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer. "The numbers are extremely close, now that the alternative government camp have made their decision on their nominee you can expect movement today." 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Auelkhan, a Chinese citizen of Kazakh descent, says she was part of a network of mostly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang who pass from what China calls "vocational training centres" to factories where they are forced to work for far less than the local minimum wage As Gulzira Auelkhan toiled stitching gloves in a factory in China's troubled Xinjiang region, her managers made no secret of where her production would be sold. "They told us openly that the gloves will be sold abroad, so we should do a good job," Auelkhan recalled of a labour stint she says was enforced by Chinese "re-education" officials. Auelkhan, a 39-year-old Chinese citizen of Kazakh descent, says she was part of a network of mostly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang who pass from what China calls "vocational training centres" to factories where they are forced to work for far less than the local minimum wage. China says the education centres are part of its efforts to fight terrorism and separatism in Xinjiang -- a region populated by mostly Muslim minority groups -- and denies any use of forced labour. But rights groups, and former workers like Auelkhan, say the practice used against Chinese minorities is widespread and at least one foreign company has dropped its Chinese supplier over the concerns. Auelkhan says she was transferred to the glove factory at the Jiafang industrial estate in Xinjiang's Yining county after spending 15 months in two different "re-education" facilities. More than a million people from Muslim minorities -- mostly ethnic Uighurs, but also Kazakhs like Auelkhan, Kyrgyz and Hui -- are being held in internment centres across Xinjiang, according to a United Nations panel of experts. Auelkhan has residency rights in Kazakhstan but had travelled to China to see family when she was detained and put into a re-education centre. She said life in the camps was brutal, with residents struck over the head with electrified batons for spending more than two minutes in the bathroom. - US firm halts imports - So even though they were not free to leave, it was an improvement when she and hundreds of other camp inmates were transferred to work at the factory, Auelkhan told AFP in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty. "Every day we were taken to and from a dormitory three kilometres from the factory," she said, hugging the five-year-old daughter she didn't see for nearly two years. "When we were studying at the camp they told us we would be taught a trade and work for three months," Auelkhan said. Auelkhan said she was paid only 320 yuan ($48/42 euros) for close to two months' work before her time at the factory was curtailed in December and she was allowed to return to her family in Kazakhstan. Xinjiang's average minimum wage ranges between 820 and 1,460 yuan per month, according to official statistics. Beijing and officials in the region have fiercely denied any connection between the camps and under-paid labour. A representative of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region Government Press Office told AFP by email that there was "no labour contract between Education and Training Centers and enterprises" and "no enterprise obtains labour from training centres". But rights groups insist the connection exists and some companies have started taking notice. In January, Badger Sportswear, a firm based in the US state of North Carolina, announced it would stop sourcing clothing from its Xinjiang supplier Hetian Taida over concerns it was using forced labour linked to the "re-education" campaign. Auelkhan believes she was only released from forced labour because of a public campaign launched by her husband and supported by a Xinjiang-focused rights group in Almaty. - 'Assigned a job' - Originally, re-education officials had told her and other centre residents that they would be "at (their) disposal" for at least six months, she said. Several Kazakhs told rights groups their relatives detained or missing in China's Xinjiang have swapped "re-education" camps for other forms of confinement Oil-rich Kazakhstan's government is a Beijing ally that positions itself as "the buckle" in China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road trade and investment agenda, a strategy for infrastructure and development projects throughout Asia, Europe and Africa. Kazakh diplomats have entered into a dialogue with Beijing over Xinjiang, without publicly mentioning the re-education centres or criticising China's policies. In December a representative of Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said during a briefing that China had allowed more than 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs to travel to Kazakhstan as "a kind gesture". The ministry refused repeated requests from AFP to clarify the remarks, which lent hope to many in Kazakhstan that they would be able to bring Xinjiang-based relatives over the border to safety. For most, however, this has been a crushing false dawn. During a recent visit to the Almaty office of the Ata Jurt rights group dedicated to supporting relatives of the Xinjiang missing, AFP spoke to several Kazakhs who claim their relatives have merely swapped "re-education" for other forms of confinement. One of them, Aibota Janibek, 34, said her sister Kunikei Janibek telephoned her from Xinjiang in January after months without contact to confirm she had been "assigned a job" by the state at a carpet factory in Shawan county. Aibota Janibek has since lost touch with her sister, but heard from other relatives that she was transferred from the carpet factory to another position. "A relative told me she is now at a factory that makes paper towels for airplanes," Janibek said. Sri Lankans are still in shock after jihadi bomb attacks killed 257 people Before jihadi bombers targeted Sri Lanka in deadly Easter attacks, Rangana Wijesuriya used to party until the small hours in the pulsating restaurants, bars and clubs of downtown Colombo. Now, after the April 21 attacks that killed 257 people, the buzz is gone. The DJs are performing to empty dance floors and the bar staff are bored. "It is usually really crowded and really noisy here. We were shocked to see that it is really empty," Wijesuriya, 26, told AFP on a recent Friday night. "Usually when we come we stay until morning and drink and go," she said, the international auditing firm employee and her friend the only diners at a restaurant. Sri Lanka is still in shock from being the target of such a horrific attack, and people are afraid to go out Sri Lanka remains on high alert after bombers targeted three hotels and churches in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group. In fact, even though it's only just gone 8:00 pm, the street is such a shadow of its former self that Wijesuriya was thinking of calling it a night. The pedestrianised Park Street Mews used to be heaving, its many bars and chic restaurants the place to be seen for Sri Lanka's party set, plus a few tourists. With the island nation still in shock from being the target of such an audacious and horrific attack people are afraid to go out. While before partygoers would have to elbow through 700 or 800 people on a Friday night, now there are barely 20 people on the street. The tapas bar hasn't bothered hiring the usual band. - Hopeful Harpo - Every Friday and Saturday night Harpo Gooneratne, a larger-than-life bar and restaurant owner, does the rounds of the places he runs in his chauffeur-driven car. Sri Lanka remains on high alert after bombers targeted three hotels and churches in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group "Colombo's nightlife, for the last couple of years, has been picking up because the tourists arrivals are getting bigger and bigger," Gooneratne told AFP. "There were more bars, more restaurants opening, Colombo's nightlife was taking a huge turnaround. Colombo's nightlife was on the up," he said. And he's hopeful that things will bounce back. "It has taken a dip but we are positive that it is going to kick back and it is going to happen. The locals are going to be coming out as soon as possible," he predicted. At the entrance to Park Street Mews, security guards check visitors' bags for explosives, and concrete blocks have been installed to prevent any attacks with vehicles. A French restaurant in the street, the Cafe Francais, used to refuse reservations after 10 pm, and some clientele used to send their drivers to bag one of the coveted tables. The Park Street Mews area, full of restaurants and bars, used to be heaving with partygoers Now sales are down by half and its manager Jean-Charles Toussaint, originally from the southern French city of Montpellier, expects things to remain dire for a while. "The situation isn't great. But it's understandable, less than two weeks since the attacks. Things will have to get going again slowly," Toussaint told AFP. Natalie Jayasuria, owner of the Flamingo House building, where there is a bar, restaurant and a club, agrees. "Sri Lanka is a resilient nation. We fought 30 years of war, we survived that. I believe we can survive anything," she said. Beijing has come under international criticism over its policies in the northwest region of Xinjiang Chinese authorities are using a mobile app designed for mass surveillance to profile, investigate and detain Muslims in Xinjiang by labelling "completely lawful" behaviour as suspicious, a Human Rights Watch report said Thursday. Beijing has come under international criticism over its policies in the northwest region of Xinjiang, where as many as one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities are being held in internment camps, according to a group of experts cited by the UN. Human Rights Watch has previously reported that Xinjiang authorities use a mass surveillance system called the Integrated Joint Operations Platform (IJOP) to gather information from multiple sources, such as facial-recognition cameras, wifi sniffers, police checkpoints, banking records and home visits. But the new study, entitled "China's Algorithms of Repression", worked with a Berlin-based security company to analyse an app connected to the IJOP, showing specific acts targeted by the system. Xinjiang authorities closely watch 36 categories of behaviour, including those who do not socialise with neighbours, often avoid using the front door, don't use a smartphone, donate to mosques "enthusiastically", and use an "abnormal" amount of electricity, the group found. The app also instructs officers to investigate those related to someone who got a new phone number, or related to others who left the country and have not returned after 30 days. "Our research shows, for the first time, that Xinjiang police are using illegally gathered information about people's completely lawful behavior -- and using it against them," said Maya Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The Chinese government is monitoring every aspect of people's lives in Xinjiang, picking out those it mistrusts, and subjecting them to extra scrutiny." - "Moving red-line" - The rights group obtained a copy of the app and enlisted cybersecurity firm Cure53 to "reverse-engineer" it -- to disassemble it and look at its design and data -- and examined its source code. Along with collecting personal information the app prompts officials to file reports about people, vehicles and events they find suspect -- and sends out "investigative missions" for police to follow up. Officers are also asked to check whether suspects use any of the 51 internet tools that are deemed suspicious, including foreign messaging platforms popular outside China like WhatsApp, LINE and Telegram. A number of people said they or their family members have been detained for having software such as WhatsApp or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) installed on their phones during checks by authorities, according to the report. The rights group said its findings suggest the IJOP system tracks data of everyone in Xinjiang by monitoring location data from their phones, ID cards and vehicles, plus electricity and gas station usage. The rights group said its findings suggest authorities track data of everyone in Xinjiang by monitoring location data from their phones, ID cards and vehicles "Psychologically, the more people are sure that their actions are monitored and that they, at anytime, can be judged for moving outside of a safe grey-space, the more likely they are to do everything to avoid coming close to crossing a moving red- line," Samantha Hoffman, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's International Cyber Policy Centre, told AFP. "There is no rule of law in China, the Party ultimately decides what is legal and illegal behaviour, and it doesn't have to be written down." The IJOP app was developed by Hebei Far East Communication System Engineering Company (HBFEC), which at the time of the app's development was fully-owned by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a state-owned technology giant (CETC), said Human Rights Watch. CETC could not be reached and HBFEC did not respond to requests for comment. Washington last year imposed export controls on key Chinese companies including HBFEC and other institutions under CETC, citing risks to US national security and foreign policy interests. Greg Walton, an independent cybersecurity expert who advised on the report, said while the system is a "blunt instrument that may be directly contributing to the massive numbers of people in internment camps", the data if stored could be used in the future for more advanced policing algorithms. "This means that data collected through the app today may well be analysed in a few years' time by far more sophisticated logic," he said. Rampant corruption, ballooning national debt and depressed investor confidence have weighed down the potential of the country under the ANC, which has ruled since the end of apartheid and is widely tipped to win the vote South African President Cyril Ramaphosa may be on course to retain power in Wednesday's election, but he will face the immediate challenge of fixing a floundering economy that is stoking public unrest. While the country is the continent's most industrialised economy with its most developed infrastructure, it is grappling with stagnating growth and unemployment levels creeping towards 30 percent -- rising over 50 percent among the young. Rampant corruption, ballooning national debt and depressed investor confidence have weighed down the potential of the country under the ANC, which has ruled since the end of apartheid and is widely tipped to win again, polling at more than 50 percent of the vote. Its closest challenger, the opposition Democratic Alliance, is forecast to get only about 20 percent. After May 8, the president -- likely to be incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC leader -- will have a tough task creating jobs, attracting foreign money and tackling corruption. Soaring fuel prices, a weak local currency and persistent inequalities further add to the socio-economic malaise. "Persistently low growth and high unemployment rates are key economic challenges," according to global investment ratings agency Moody's. South Africa's economy grew at less than one percent last year and slipped into a brief recession during the third quarter of 2018. Discontent at poor basic services such as water, housing and electricity have sparked a wave of protests, with violent crime further fuelling public anger. - Strong business support - Ramaphosa, who enjoys support from the business community, has prioritised reform and economic revival. South Africa But he faces resistance from within his own party from factional ANC rivals who may work to scupper his agenda. His efforts to dismantle well-organised corruption networks that flourished under predecessor Jacob Zuma will be resisted by some in the ANC, analysts say. "Business has put a lot of resources behind him, to support him to succeed but he's going to have severe political constraints because his party is divided between the good people and the bad people," said Lumkile Mondi, a senior lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. "Any action against those people that were involved in corruption and malfeasance is going to be politicised, limiting his ability," said Mondi. Ramaphosa will have to take bold steps to deal with those caught in the graft web and reduce corruption which has become normalised, boosted by poor policing and a weakened justice system. "It's no exaggeration to say Ramaphosa is caught between a rock and a hard place," Indigo Ellis, of London-based Verisk Maplecroft risk consultants, told AFP. His "ability to achieve key targets, such as his promise of US$100-billion (foreign) investment in five years, depends on his capacity to maintain primacy... within the ANC," said Ellis. South Africa was a prime investment destination in Africa after the downfall of apartheid, but under Zuma's presidency between 2009 and 2018, investor confidence fell to its lowest levels since white-minority rule ended. In 2017, two of the world's leading ratings agencies S&P Global and Fitch downgraded the country to sub-investment levels. - Land reform gamble - One government policy particularly viewed with suspicion is the expropriation of white-owned land without compensation to be redistributed to poor, black people. The plan has spooked investors and analysts say the new president must tread carefully to assure protection of property rights and attract investment. The ANC, which has steadily been shedding support in recent years, but is still the majority party by quite a margin, has to win by a decent margin for Ramaphosa to have a strong mandate. South Africa's outgoing parliament A confident Ramaphosa told the final ANC election rally Sunday he has taken "decisive steps to fight corruption" which has severely damaged state companies such as debt-laden power-supplier Eskom, which has had to impose highly-unpopular power rationing on companies and individuals. "We've done much to restore the credibility and effectiveness of lots of institutions that have been weakened," he said. "We are determined that those found guilty of corruption, will not be allowed to occupy positions of responsibility either in the ANC, in parliament or in government." But wholesale reform of state companies such as Eskom would also likely mean mass redundancies and potentially violent labour unrest -- highlighting the balancing act the next president will have to perform. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is tasked with making sure that Iran is abiding by the terms of a 2015 agreement on its nuclear programme Wednesday marks a year to the day since US President Donald Trump dramatically withdrew from the 2015 agreement between Tehran and world powers on Iran's nuclear programme. But it is the UN's Vienna-based nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has had the task of verifying the deal. In each of its quarterly reports on Iran, the IAEA has so far said Tehran is adhering to the terms of the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, under which Iran agreed to halt its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of biting sanctions. - What role does the IAEA have in Iran? - Set up in 1957, the IAEA has 171 member states and employs some 2,500 experts. Its Board of Governors, comprising 35 states, meets five times a year. The IAEA promotes peaceful uses of atomic energy while at the same time overseeing efforts to detect and prevent possible nuclear weapons proliferation. Because of previous international concern over its nuclear programme, Iran agreed in 2003 to allow snap IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities. However, cooperation broke down in 2006. The IAEA referred Iran to the UN Security Council, which went on to impose sanctions, and Iran halted enhanced IAEA inspections. A renewed diplomatic push eventually led to the JCPOA in 2015, under which the IAEA is charged with regular inspections of declared facilities in Iran such as uranium mines and centrifuge workshops for up to 25 years. The aim is to ensure that Iran is not holding undeclared stocks of nuclear material and is not enriching uranium past a certain level. The deal also included an "Additional Protocol", which allows inspectors "to conduct complementary access to any location in Iran". In its most recent reports on the JCPOA, the agency has taken to reminding Iran that "timely and proactive co-operation" in providing access to locations it wishes to inspect would "enhance confidence". - How do IAEA inspections work? - IAEA chief Yukiya Amano says the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is working The IAEA insists the inspection regime put in place by the JCPOA is the world's toughest. The agency says that its inspection work has doubled since 2013. IAEA Secretary General Yukiya Amano says the agency's inspectors spend 3,000 calendar days per year on the ground in Iran. He has also highlighted the some 2,000 tamper-proof seals attached to nuclear material and equipment and the "hundreds of thousands of images captured daily by our sophisticated surveillance cameras", the number of which has almost doubled since 2013. Amano has called the JCPOA "a significant gain for verification" and said its failure "would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism". - Agency under pressure - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in 2018 that Iran had a "secret atomic warehouse" as part of a clandestine nuclear programme In addition to the US withdrawing from the deal, Israel -- Iran's regional arch-foe -- has also been highly critical of the JCPOA. In August 2017, Washington's envoy to the UN Nikki Haley urged the IAEA to widen its inspections, including to military sites. A year later in an address to the UN General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran had a "secret atomic warehouse" as part of a clandestine nuclear programme and called on the IAEA to inspect the site immediately. In January, Amano rejected pressure on the agency, saying: "If our credibility is thrown into question, and, in particular, if attempts are made to micro-manage or put pressure on the Agency in nuclear verification, that is counter-productive and extremely harmful." Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo waves as he and Wa Lone walk out of Insein prison Two Reuters journalists who had been jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar walked out of prison Tuesday, freed in a presidential amnesty. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were mobbed by media as they stepped out of Yangon's notorious Insein prison after their lengthy detention. Their December 2017 arrests made them a global cause celebre and a sign of Myanmar's deteriorating press freedoms under civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Wa Lone, 33, thanked people from "around the world" for advocating for their release and vowed he would return to work. "I cant wait to go to my newsroom," he said. "I am a journalist and I am going to continue." Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said: "We are enormously pleased that Myanmar has released our courageous reporters". "Since their arrests 511 days ago, they have become symbols of the importance of press freedom around the world. We welcome their return." The two men waved and smiled broadly as they walked out of the jail. The pair were convicted on charges of violating the official secrets act and sentenced to seven years each. At the time of their arrest they had been reporting on a September 2017 massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims in conflict-hit Rakhine state, where the Myanmar army forced some 740,000 of the stateless minority to flee over the border to Bangladesh. The case prompted an outcry around the world and crushed what was left of Suu Kyi's legacy as a rights defender. Reuters has said the two were imprisoned in retaliation for their expose. Last month Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were awarded the prestigious Pulitzer prize, one of journalism's top honours. They were also featured earlier on the cover of TIME magazine as part of its person of the year coverage which featured journalists targeted for their reporting. The case against them become a byword for the war against press freedom, and attracted support from prominent rights attorney Amal Clooney. Rights groups and legal experts say the case against the reporters was riddled with irregularities. A whistleblowing police officer testified during their trial that his superior had ordered his team to trap the reporters in a sting -- testimony the judge chose to ignore. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were given a presidential amnesty after more than 500 days inside Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were released from prison Tuesday after spending more than 16 months behind bars for investigating atrocities against Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar's army. Their conviction for breaching the Official Secrets Act was condemned around the world as an assault on media freedom and shattered the image of Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi's as a rights defender. Here is a timeline of key events in the case. The arrest Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo meet police for dinner at a Yangon restaurant on December 12 2017, and are handed a roll of documents. They are arrested straight afterwards and held under the Official Secrets Act for possessing documents regarding a military crackdown in Rakhine state against Rohingya Muslims. Their whereabouts are unknown for two weeks and they later tell the court they were hooded, deprived of sleep and interrogated. The case The pair are charged with possessing documents linked to security operations against Rohingya militants in Rakhine state, and of breaking a state secrets law. Myanmar's military says it found 10 bodies in a grave at Inn Din in northern Rakhine state, epicentre of the crackdown against stateless Rohingya. Reuters had been investigating in the area. In January 2018, Myanmar's army says security forces killed 10 Rohingya men at Inn Din, admitting for the first time extra-judicial killings by its forces against the Rohingya during the 2017 crackdown. Seven soldiers are later charged and convicted for the massacre. But the Reuters pair remain in custody. In February, Reuters publishes its report into the Inn Din massacre and says the journalists were arrested for probing it. The trial The trial begins in July 2018, with prominent rights attorney Amal Clooney on the legal team representing the journalists. Wa Lone, the first to testify, tells the court that he had followed standard reporting procedures and not broken any laws. During the trial, Myanmar policeman Moe Yan Naing claims a superior ordered a sting to "get" Wa Lone by handing him papers. The prosecution tries to declare him a hostile witness, but the judge later says his testimony can stand. In September, Myanmar court sentences both journalists to seven years jail each for violating the state secrets act. An appeal by the pair is dismissed by a Yangon High Court judge in January 2019, and a further appeal by the Supreme Court is rejected in April. Global outrage The sentence and detention of the two journalists prompts global outrage, including from the United Nations. The pair are later awarded the UN's annual press freedom prize. Suu Kyi is pilloried in September 2018 after breaking her long silence on the case only to defend the court decision. "They were not jailed because they were journalists" but because "the court has decided that they had broken the Official Secrets Act", she says. The one year anniversary of the jailing of the pair is marked by newsrooms across the world with reporters posing for photos flashing the "thumbs up" -- Wa Lone's signature greeting to media at the court. Freedom Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are released from prison in a presidential amnesty in May 2019. The two are mobbed by media as they step out of the entrance to Yangon's notorious prison after spending more than 500 days inside. Wa Lone thanks everyone from "around the world" for advocating for their release. "I can't wait to go to my newsroom," he says. "I am a journalist and I am going to continue." Several bits of the Japanese F-35A stealth fighter that plunged into the sea last month have been found, but key parts remain missing Japan said Tuesday it had recovered some debris from a stealth fighter jet that crashed in April, but was still looking for the "all-important" memory that could offer clues into the accident. Nearly a month after the high-tech F-35A plummeted into the sea off the coast of northeastern Japan, neither the pilot's body, nor the plane's fuselage have been found, said Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya. Experts say Japan and the US are keen to prevent debris from the plane being recovered by Russia or China, with Iwaya admitting last month there were "a significant amount of secrets that need to be protected" on board. Some debris, including a part of the flight data recorder, were recovered "on or after May 3", Iwaya said, adding: "The Defence Ministry is studying (the parts), but at this point, the all-important memory (of the flight data recorder) has not been recovered." The fighter jet went missing on April 9 while flying 135 kilometres (85 miles) east of Misawa, northeastern Japan, on a training mission. The plane lost contact about 30 minutes after taking off from Misawa Air Base with three other aircraft. It was the first reported case of a crash by an F35-A, according to Japan's Air Self-Defence Force. Japanese and US search crews have already found the jet's tail. US and Japanese troops have used data from a Japanese seabed research ship along with a US-chartered special "diving support" vessel for deep-sea operations to pull up the newly discovered parts, Iwaya said. Japan is deploying F35-As, each of which costs more than 10 billion yen ($90 million), to replace its ageing F-4 fighters. They are a key part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to upgrade the nation's military capacity to meet changing power dynamics in East Asia, with China rapidly modernising its military. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was once a staunch advocate for the free press and a darling of the foreign media The case of two Reuters journalists -- freed in Myanmar on Tuesday -- played a key part in shredding Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's reputation as a rights champion after she failed to come to their defence or speak up for the persecuted Rohingya minority. Suu Kyi was once a staunch advocate for the press and a darling of the foreign media, but her silence over the persecuted Rohingya minority has drawn widespread condemnation. During her long years of house arrest under the former junta -- which choked the media inside Myanmar -- it was foreign correspondents who beamed her message of peaceful defiance to the outside world. Glowing profiles burnished her image, with comparisons made to the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Suu Kyi remains adored inside Myanmar. Supporters of her democracy battle say she has limited control over the military, which embarked on reforms in 2010 after almost 50 years in power. Yet former friends and supporters have looked on aghast at her lack of criticism over the military's campaign against the Rohingya, which UN investigators have said amounted to genocide. Tuesday's release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo after 511 days behind bars brought joy and relief for Myanmar's embattled press community, but further highlighted Suu Kyi's crippled legacy. - 'Part of the problem' - Rights groups have slammed the civilian leader for not using her influence to stop the Reuters case from proceeding. Phil Robertson, deputy director for Human Rights Watch in Asia, said Suu Kyi was continuously unhelpful and evasive over the plight of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and her "increasingly hostile attitude toward independent media in Myanmar was a big issue". He said Suu Kyi could have requested a presidential pardon long ago and that she has now become "part of the problem" since the start of the Rohingya crisis in August 2017, playing a role in a "national cover-up of the atrocities". Reuters Myanmar journalists walk free Since sweeping to power after historic elections in 2015, Suu Kyi has had an increasingly fraught relationship with the press. Prosecutions of journalists and media intimidation more redolent of the junta years have been common. Around 20 journalists were prosecuted in 2017, many under a controversial online defamation law. At the same time Suu Kyi has been accused of backing misleading information about the Rakhine crisis. State media published by the Suu Kyi-controlled Ministry of Information has continuously echoed the military line, rejecting many of the allegations of atrocities against the Rohingya as deliberate fake news. That has put her at odds with a mountain of evidence and an international community calling for justice. Political analyst Maung Maung Soe said it was this "huge international pressure" which eventually brought about the release of the two journalists, which was unlikely to have any significant impact on Suu Kyi's reputation. Robertson said Suu Kyi will likely ignore the the journalists' release and "act like justice was served". - Praise for generals - Suu Kyi's defenders say her hands are tied by an army that still controls security matters as well as 25 percent of parliamentary seats. Reuters journalists Wa Lone (L) and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed after a presidential amnesty The stateless Rohingya are also deeply unpopular among the Buddhist-majority public in Myanmar, where Islamophobia has surged in recent years. That reality gives Suu Kyi little political incentive to defend the Muslim minority -- or reporters who write about their plight. But some analysts note a transformation in recent months, from Suu Kyi trying to avoid talking about the issue to supporting the military's kickback against "terrorists". And at a speech in Singapore in August 2018 she referred to generals in her cabinet as "rather sweet". burs/je/joe/rox Authorities have been battling gang violence for years in Melbourne, where wars between rival groups spiked in the decade before the turn of the millennium Some of Australia's most dangerous criminals could have their convictions overturned after revelations their defence lawyer was secretly feeding information to police. For a decade before the turn of the millennium, Melbourne's gangland wars gripped Australia, with police seemingly unable to penetrate the city's shadowy underworld as the death toll soared. The series of up to 40 bloody retributive murders came as rival gangs battled over Melbourne's lucrative drug trade and only eased when key mob figures were put behind bars. But a legal scandal now threatens dozens -- if not hundreds -- of their convictions, with the shocking revelation that criminal defence lawyer Nicola Gobbo was also acting as a police informant at the time. The former barrister represented some of Australia's most dangerous criminals on charges ranging from drug trafficking to murder, while also feeding information about her clients to police. Prosecutors last year informed 22 people that they could have grounds to appeal. But Gobbo -- also referred to as Lawyer X and Informer 3838 -- claims that at least 386 people were arrested and charged based on the information she provided, according to a June 2015 letter that was made public in December. A Royal Commission inquiry is currently underway to determine how many cases have been impacted by Gobbo's double life, with hearings set to resume on Wednesday. "Any conviction in any case where Gobbo played anything but a very minimal role in providing legal services is almost certainly going to be overturned," Melbourne University law professor Jeremy Gans told AFP. - 'Gross misconduct' - Crime boss Tony Mokbel -- who survived a stabbing attack in prison this February -- is among those seeking leave to appeal his 30-year sentence for drug trafficking. Crime boss Tony Mokbel is among those seeking leave to appeal his 30-year sentence for drug trafficking Also challenging his conviction is Faruk Orman, currently serving a 20-year jail term for driving the getaway car in a 2002 shooting murder, who has always maintained his innocence. Gobbo acted as Orman's defence lawyer when he was charged. His new lawyer, Ruth Parker, told AFP that the use of Gobbo as a police source was an example of "gross misconduct and corruption". "Ms Gobbo and every investigator with whom she worked should be investigated both for misconduct in their duties as public officers but also for crimes," Parker said. Victorian Police Commissioner Graham Ashton has staunchly defended the force, saying they acted in "good faith" and their conduct should be viewed in the context of the spiralling gangland war. "It was a desperate and dangerous time and a general sense of urgency was enveloping the criminal justice system, including the police," he told reporters in December. The period inspired a television series, "Underbelly", which gripped Australian audiences for six seasons. Gobbo, who comes from a prominent Melbourne family, was a key police source during the critical years of gangland prosecutions between 2005 and 2009 but was registered as an informant as far back as 1995, two years before she was admitted to practice law. She was recruited as a police informer after being charged with drug offences in 1993 when a raid on her shared house found a stash of cannabis, amphetamines and weapons. She received a good behaviour bond and no conviction was recorded, according to a police informant registration document tabled with the Royal Commission. Victorian police spent five years and millions of dollars fighting in the courts to keep Gobbo's identity a secret, maintaining that she could be murdered if it came to light. Gobbo herself has lost trust in the police and has refused to enter witness protection on the basis she did not believe her confidentiality would be respected. In March, the High Court lifted the suppression order that had protected her anonymity, accusing her of "fundamental and appalling breaches" of her obligations as a lawyer, and accusing Victoria Police of "reprehensible conduct" for their role in the saga. The Royal Commission is also investigating six other possible police sources in the legal profession, including legal secretaries and a former court clerk, though police said only one -- a now-deceased lawyer -- ever provided them with information. Victoria Police said that the way informants are managed has now been completely overhauled, and that such a breach could not happen again. The reaction to the scandal among Australia's legal community has ranged from shock and embarrassment to anger and disbelief, according to Adrian Evans, Emeritus Professor of Law at Monash University. "Overall fairness absolutely requires silence, as otherwise, no one will trust lawyers or the legal system and that will lead to a dystopian existence," he told AFP. The Royal Commission is due to release a report detailing its interim findings by July 1. St. Anthony's was among the three churches attacked by jihadi suicide bombers in coordinated attacks that also targeted three luxury hotels in Colombo on April 21 Sri Lanka's St. Anthony's church partially opened for worship Tuesday even as security forces were rebuilding a shrine inside following the Easter suicide bombing. The faithful were allowed into a section of the church to pray before a statue of Saint Anthony, said Father Edmond Tilakaratne, spokesman for the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. "The church was partially opened today under very tight security," Tilakaratne told AFP. "Renovations are already under way." He said pilgrims will be allowed into the special area of the church for a 12-hour period. Three policemen and three women frisked pilgrims lined up to enter the shrine while heavily armed navy personnel and police kept watch outside. The 1740 church shares a boundary wall with the port of Colombo. New steel barricades were established Tuesday to prevent vehicle access to the church building. St. Anthony's was among the three churches attacked by jihadi suicide bombers in coordinated attacks that also targeted three luxury hotels in Colombo on April 21. A total of 257 people were killed and nearly 500 wounded. At least 44 foreigners were among the dead. Nearly 50 of the victims were young children. The St. Anthony's is venerated not only by Catholics, but also by followers of other religions in this majority Buddhist nation. Christians make up 7.5 percent of the 21 million population of the majority Buddhist Sri Lanka. The government reopened public schools on Monday, but attendance dropped to below 10 percent in many places with parents fearing fresh attacks Sri Lankan authorities have arrested or killed all the jihadists responsible for Easter suicide bombings, but the island still faces the threat of "global terrorism," the prime minister said Tuesday. Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament that his Buddhist-majority nation was a victim of Islamist extremists and needed international support to deal with the persisting threat. "The danger is not over, we are now a victim of global terrorism," Wickremesinghe said. "Even if we have arrested or killed every terrorist responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks, extremists abroad can still cause trouble for us. We need intelligence sharing with foreign partners to deal with this challenge." His comments came as police chief Chandana Wickramaratne said they have accounted for every individual involved in the April 21 attacks that killed 257 people at three churches and three luxury hotels. "All those who organised and carried out the suicide bomb attack have died or is in our custody," Wickramaratne said. "The two bomb experts of the group have been killed. We have seized the explosives they had stored for future attacks." Wickramaratne, who was named acting police chief last week after President Maithripala Sirisena suspended his predecessor over his failure to act on warnings about the attacks, said public life was slowly returning to normal. - Church opens - The St Anthony's church also partially opened Tuesday for prayers amid tight security even as the military and police guarded the historic place of worship dating back to 1740. Police set up steel barricades outside and frisked people entering to pray before a statue of Saint Anthony. Church authorities said they will allow devotees for a 12-hour period until the church was fully restored. Sri Lanka's navy is leading efforts to rebuild the church which is venerated not only by Catholics but also by many people of other faiths who believe in the miraculous powers of Saint Anthony. The government reopened public schools on Monday, but attendance dropped to below 10 percent in many places with parents still fearing attacks. "We have strengthened security for all schools," the police chief said. "We are also conducting a programme to create awareness about safety and security in all schools." Wickramaratne did not say how many people were in custody over the bombings, but police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said Monday that 73 people, including nine women, were being held. The bombings were blamed on a local group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), but the Islamic State group has also claimed responsibility. Police said religious tensions have eased at Negombo, a town north of Colombo that suffered the highest death toll in the Easter Sunday attacks. A bomb at St Sebastian's church in the town killed more than 100 worshippers. Dozens of Muslim-owned businesses, homes and vehicles in Negombo were damaged in clashes on Sunday night. The Roman Catholic Church appealed for calm and urged Christians not to carry out revenge attacks against Muslims. Police said two arrests were made and more suspects had been identified through CCTV footage. Analysts say North Korea wanted to express to the United States its frustration over the breakdown of the Hanoi summit At least one of the weapons North Korea fired at the weekend had many of the hallmarks of a missile, but that was the one word conspicuously missing from descriptions of the tests by Washington, Seoul, and even Pyongyang. North Korea wanted to express to the United States its frustration over the breakdown of the Hanoi summit, when the two sides clashed over sanctions and the extent of Pyongyang's nuclear concessions, analysts say. South Korea had brokered the now-deadlocked nuclear talks between the US and North Korea, and the White House had described the absence of a missile test for more than a year as a major foreign policy success. So Seoul, Washington and Pyongyang all have an incentive to play down the nature of the weekend drills. "President Trump's biggest North Korea policy achievement has been the suspension of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests since late 2017," Hong Min, a senior researcher at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP. "But if we declare the drill involved ballistic missiles at this point, it would all but shatter his self-touted success." North Korea's official KCNA news agency said the Saturday drills involved "long-range multiple rocket launchers" -- which are not targeted by UN sanctions resolutions -- and unspecified "tactical guided weapons". But unlike rockets, missiles have guidance systems, and analysts said the images released by state media showed a device similar to Russia's single-stage Iskander missile. It appeared to be one displayed at a North Korean military parade last year, just as the diplomatic rapprochement on the peninsula began. South Korea's military initially said the North had fired "short-range missiles" but within an hour was describing them as "projectiles". They had a range of around 70 to 240 kilometres (45 to 150 miles) and fell into the sea, it said, but further analysis was required on whether they were short-range ballistic missiles. Similarly, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo avoided calling them missiles, describing them as "short range" in TV interviews, and telling ABC it "didn't present a threat" to the United States, South Korea or Japan. "We hope that we can get back to the table," he added. - 'Ratcheting up tension' - Pyongyang had not launched any missile since November 2017, and last year leader Kim Jong Un declared the development of the North Korean atomic arsenal complete, announcing an end to nuclear and ICBM tests. US President Donald Trump has touted the absence of a North Korean missile test for more than a year as a major foreign policy success While a short-range test would not violate that, any ballistic missile firing could inflict "tremendous damage" on the North-US talks process, said Hong. And the respected 38 North website said in a commentary that Saturday's drills did not amount to a policy reversal by Pyongyang, which would "require a major and wrenching strategic line change". "That could still be done but is unlikely to be undertaken only two months after the Hanoi Summit," it added. But many South Korean conservatives -- who take a more hawkish stance on the North than the liberal Moon Jae-in government -- say Pyongyang did fire ballistic missiles and Seoul's reaction was putting national security at risk. "The North's missiles pose a threat to lives and safety of South Koreans," said MP Na Kyung-won of the conservative opposition Liberty Korea party. "But our military and intelligence are only trying to downplay the risk." The Russian Iskander can carry a small nuclear warhead, the conservative JoongAng Ilbo newspaper added in an editorial Tuesday, and a North Korean version could put "two thirds" of the 20 million people living in or near Seoul at risk. "Even though North Korea is ratcheting up tension, its time-honoured strategy, our government barely reacts." Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in prison under the draconian Official Secrets Act last year after probing a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state Media freedom advocates praised the surprise release of Reuters reporters in Myanmar but stressed the pair should never have been jailed in the first place and called for sweeping reforms of paralysing press laws. The Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters walked free from Yangon's Insein prison Tuesday after more than 500 days behind bars as part of a large presidential amnesty following a global campaign calling for their release. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in prison under the draconian Official Secrets Act last year after probing a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state. The killings occurred in the conflict-wracked region of Myanmar that has been largely off-limits to journalists since an army crackdown forced some 740,000 members of the stateless Rohingya minority to flee to Bangladesh. But as the world cheered the sudden release Tuesday, media watchdogs cautioned against celebrating the move as a new chapter for Myanmar's tainted press freedom record. Nicholas Bequelin of Amnesty International called the case against the Reuters reporters "a travesty of justice from start to finish". He said there were still "a range of repressive laws used to detain journalists, activists and any perceived critic" in place. "Until these laws are repealed, journalists and activists remain under a permanent threat of detention and arrest." The United Nations on Tuesday echoed Amnesty's fears after welcoming the pair's release. About 740,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August 2017 following a brutal military crackdown that UN officials described as "ethnic cleansing" "The situation for freedom of expression (in Myanmar) is dire," the UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in Geneva. She added that "no positive progress has been observed" since the rights office issued a set of recommendations last year aimed at improving free speech in Myanmar. Myanmar is ranked 138 out of 180 countries for press freedom by Reporters Without Borders, and critics say it employs colonial-era legislation to target journalists and activists. That includes a roster of legislation such as the State Secrets Act and laws on unlawful association and incitement. A telecommunications law passed in 2013 has also been used to target reporters and government critics. There are currently almost 130 prisoners behind bars in Myanmar either convicted or awaiting trial for politically motivated reasons, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in Yangon. - 'Face-saving' release - The Reuters saga is not the first time Myanmar has courted unwanted attention for press freedom issues. On June 2017 three journalists from two independent news outlets -- the Irrawaddy and Democratic Voice of Burma -- were arrested by the military at a checkpoint after reporting from an ethnic armed group-controlled area. They were charged with unlawful association and held for 10 weeks before the military dropped the case. Another journalist Swe Win faces an ongoing case of online defamation that has dragged on for almost two years and which requires him to make frequent trips to another city hours away to attend hearings. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo's release does little to change Myanmar's "suffocating media environment", said Matthew Bugher of Article 19, a freedom of expression organisation. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, once considered a democracy icon, faced intense scrutiny for not intervening to secure the reporter's freedom "If the government was serious about media freedom, it could start by reforming the repressive colonial-era law that was used to charge the two men, as well as a whole host of other laws that stifle independent journalism and free speech," he added. Bugher said the pair's release was a "face-saving response to persistent international pressure and bad publicity". Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, once considered a democracy icon, faced intense scrutiny for not intervening to secure the reporter's freedom. Her party swept to power in 2015 elections, the first polls in decades, after spending a combined 15 years under house arrest during the military regime. She is currently in an uneasy power-sharing agreement with Myanmar generals, and she has been stripped of several honours internationally over her failure to speak up for the Rohingya. Suu Kyi has also refused to lend her voice in defence of the Reuters pair despite evidence revealed in court that they had been set up in a sting. A government spokesman said Tuesday that the reporters were released for the "long-term interest" of the country. Reuters lawyer U Khin Maung Zaw thanked President Win Myint Tuesday after his clients were freed and called for more protections for the country's journalists. "We really need an effective law that protects the journalists from going to prison when doing their job," he told AFP. Syria's jihadist-controlled Idlib region has come under increased bombardment by the regime and its ally Russia Threats, interference and aid deliveries in jeopardy -- relief workers say jihadists are adding to the huge challenges they face in violence-plagued northwest Syria where a fragile ceasefire is at risk. The Idlib region, controlled by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, is one of the last areas of the country that President Bashar al-Assad has yet to recapture. Around 2.7 million of its roughly three million residents need humanitarian assistance according to the United Nations. Most rely heavily on food, medicine and other aid brought across from Turkey by the UN and charity groups. But efforts by the "de-facto authorities" in Idlib "to tamper with, impede or frustrate the delivery of humanitarian assistance including by undermining the safety of humanitarian workers, has been an unfortunate reality", said Rachel Sider of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group and its civil wing -- the so-called "Salvation Government" -- cemented control over Idlib in the beginning of the year. "The interference has increased since January," said a humanitarian worker in Idlib, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. "There is not a single aid organisation that has been spared threats, arrests, or closure for very silly reasons," he said, even as Idlib has come under increased bombardment by the regime and its ally Russia over the past month. Around 2.7 million people need humanitarian assistance in Idlib, the United Nations says In April jihadists threatened to detain him because he refused to provide them with food baskets his team was distributing at a camp for the displaced in southern Idlib, he added. "They told me I should give them aid because they are mujahideen," said the 27-year-old. He said HTS also detained him for four days seven months ago in Idlib city for photographing aid deliveries without their authorisation. Militants beat him, confiscated his laptop, and broke his camera, he said. "They told me I should thank God I was being released alive." - 'Interference' - Paul Donohoe of the International Rescue Committee said "aid groups face interference from armed groups in Idlib, such as the restricting of access to vulnerable populations or attempting to influence beneficiary selection and the location of aid delivery." He declined to provide more detail but a second humanitarian worker in Idlib, who also asked to remain anonymous, said several projects by international aid agencies have been dropped in recent months because of such meddling. A plan to provide bakeries in Idlib with free flour was scrapped because the Salvation Government insisted on limiting beneficiaries to bakeries it is affiliated with, the 29-year-old said. "Our activities as an organisation have become very modest since this happened to us," he added. The governing body is also trying to ensure its affiliates are among those who secure tenders with aid agencies, which attempt to avoid this through screening, he said. "They want a cut of any project implemented in the area," he said. The encroachment has sparked concern that relief items and aid money may fall in the wrong hands. Sider, of the NRC, said: "In this environment, aid agencies cannot completely eliminate the risk of diversion and we'd like donors to recognise this." The UN has said it is taking extra measures to combat diversion. They include "additional screening from partners, suppliers, even workers, staff, and third party monitoring, including the use of modern technology -- barcoding, establishing hotlines -- to be able to be sure that aid reaches the right people," the UN regional coordinator for Syria, Panos Moumtzis, told AFP. - 'The pressure only grows' - There has yet to be any major decrease in humanitarian assistance but some donors have cut funding, said Ahmed Mahmoud, Syria director for the Islamic Relief charity. "So far, five major hospitals have had to close entirely and seven other medical facilities -- including hospitals focusing on paediatrics and obstetrics -- severely cut back their operations due to funding cuts," he said. Though there could also be other reasons, "some donors may have concerns regarding the shifts in control in northwestern Syria, which may have affected their funding decisions. "As one facility after another shuts its doors, the pressure only grows on those that remain," he said. For its part, the Salvation Government denies jeopardising relief efforts. A Salvation Government official in charge of coordinating aid, who gave his name as Dr Jihad, said the administration was "striving to organise (humanitarian) work" by strengthening cooperation with relief agencies and facilitating aid deliveries. "The more we share responsibility and decision making and the more we coordinate our work, the better the results," he told AFP. Said Bouteflika (C) was once seen as the real power behind his brother Abdelaziz Bouteflika's rule in Algeria What lies behind the arrests of the powerful brother of Algeria's deposed president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and two former intelligence chiefs? The three have long been considered among the most powerful men in Algeria, but they are now facing charges including "conspiring" against the state. - Who are they? - Said Bouteflika, 61, was widely seen as the real power behind the presidency since his brother suffered a debilitating stroke in 2013. General Mohamed Mediene, known as Toufik, headed the all-powerful DRS intelligence agency from its foundation in 1990 up to his fall from grace in 2015. General Athmane Tartag, his deputy, succeeded Toufik and when the DRS was dismantled in 2016 he served as Algeria's security coordinator under the supervision of the presidency. After Bouteflika's fall on April 2, following weeks of mass street protests against his two-decade rule, Tartag was rapidly dismissed while the president's brother had no official post and Toufik had been retired. - What are the accusations? - The men were detained Sunday on accusations of "undermining the authority of the army" and "conspiring against the authority of the state". They had held meetings aimed at saving the presidential clan and sidelined army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah -- a key powerbroker since breaking with Bouteflika -- according to an Algerian expert on his country's security apparatus. It could equally have been "a simple and everyday power struggle between clans", according to the expert who asked not to be named for security reasons. - Who ordered the arrests? - Many Algerians believe the arrests were ordered by Gaid Salah, who had strained relations with Said Bouteflika and helped the president remove Toufik from his post. Paris-based Algerian researcher Adlene Mohammedi was critical, writing on Facebook that the arrests were nothing more than a "simple and rude manoeuvre" on the part of the army chief. "We offer to protesters... men in cage already ousted from power in order to allow those who are still there to keep themselves quietly," Mohammedi wrote in an English post. - Gaid Salah in control? - According to the Algerian expert, the arrests were "a demonstration of force on the part of Gaid Salah to show that he is in control of the situation... and capable of changing things". With interim president Abdelkader Bensalah lacking political legitimacy, Gaid Salah appears to be in sole command. But he is not the only representative of the Algerian army, which functions largely under a collegial system. The arrests of Said Bouteflika and the two ex-spy bosses were the latest to target the ousted president's inner circle, in effect decapitating Algeria's ruling elite. Numerous powerful and wealthy businessmen, including the country's richest man Issad Rebrab, have also been detained over suspected corruption. More than a month after the departure of Bouteflika, protesters remain on the streets to demand an overhaul of the entire ruling system -- including the removal of Gaid Salah. Employees of Lebanon's central bank say they fear they will be hit by a planned austerity budget Employees of Lebanon's central bank Tuesday said they were suspending a strike that has crippled the country's stock exchange and alarmed officials. Central bank employees launched the strike on Saturday to protest feared cuts to their benefits as part of a new austerity package being studied by cabinet ahead of this year's budget The Beirut Stock Exchange said Monday it had been forced to halt trading "until further notice" as it could not clear and settle trades because of the strike. On Tuesday, Abbas Awada, the head of the syndicate of central bank employees, said they were suspending the strike for three days. The decision stemmed from "a sense of responsibility towards society and the Lebanese economy", he said, while noting that the suspension could be lifted. "The assembly will convene next Friday morning to... decide on whether to continue the open-ended strike or to cancel it," he said, quoted by the state-run NNA news agency. The suspension came one day after central bank governor Riad Salame demanded an end to the strike due to its impact on the economy and financial transactions, according to a statement from the syndicate. On Tuesday, central bank employees received assurances from Salame that their wages and benefits would not be effected by austerity measures, Awada said. Lebanon has vowed to slash public spending to unlock $11 billion worth of aid pledged by international donors at an April 2018 conference in Paris. Last month, Prime Minister Saad Hariri vowed to introduce "the most austere budget in Lebanon's history" to combat the country's bulging fiscal deficit, sparking fears among public sector employees that their salaries may be cut. In recent days, protests have also handicapped Beirut Port and the National Social Security Fund. On Monday evening, President Michel Aoun convened a meeting with Hariri and parliament speaker Nabih Berri. "Everybody knows there's an economic crisis," Hariri said after the meeting, according to a statement from the presidency. "It has to be managed through austerity and reforms, without targeting one side over another." Information Minister Jamal Jarrah said reports of wage cuts for public sector employees stemmed from "leaks" and "rumours". "The leaked information," he said, is "incomplete, and misleads public opinion". Lebanon is one of the world's most indebted countries, with public debt estimated at 141 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, according to credit ratings agency Moody's. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (L) and the head of Tripoli's internationally recognised government, Fayez al-Sarraj, met in Rome Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte warned Tuesday against possible military action in Libya, as the head of Tripoli's internationally recognised government, Fayez al-Sarraj, kicked off a European tour to drum up support against a possible attack by strongman Khalifa Haftar. The contents of a meeting between Conte and Sarraj -- which Italian media said lasted about 90 minutes -- were not made public. But Conte said on the sidelines of a separate event that "there is no military solution that could guarantee the stabilisation of the country". "The military solution would, in any case, come at the cost of human lives and humanitarian crises," Conte said. Sarraj, who heads the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, is seeking support against an attack on Tripoli by Haftar, who has urged his troops to "wipe out" government forces. After his meeting with Conte, Sarraj was set to travel to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel later on Tuesday and then to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday. The visit to France, in particular, comes after the GNA repeatedly accused Paris of politically backing the assault which Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) launched on Tripoli on April 4. Italy, Libya's former colonial power, is a key backer of the GNA and has echoed calls by Merkel for a "unified" European position and a political solution to resolve the crisis. In a slip of the tongue, Conte said he had spoken "with president Haftar," but immediately corrected himself to say: "I've spoken with president Sarraj. I am confident I will be able to meet General Haftar soon. We are seeking to establish how and when." Sarraj may also possibly travel to London as part of his tour. Britain has pushed for a resolution at the UN Security Council demanding a ceasefire in Libya but its efforts have foundered amid divisions at the world body. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on May 13 US President Donald Trump is to host Hungary's firebrand anti-immigration Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House next week, officials said on Tuesday. "President Donald J. Trump will welcome Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary to the White House on May 13, 2019," the administration said in a statement. "Recognizing the longstanding ties between the United States and Hungary, the president and the prime minister will discuss ways to deepen cooperation on a range of issues, including trade, energy, and cyber security." As leaders of NATO countries, the statement said, Trump and Orban will "explore opportunities to meet the many national security responsibilities of their two countries." Orban's anti-immigration campaigns in Europe echo many of the themes of Trump's own drive to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and his attempts to thwart migrants seeking US asylum. With elections to the European Parliament to be held later this month, Orban's hardline -- some say xenophobic -- stance against refugees and "Brussels bureaucrats" has alienated even former conservative allies. His Fidesz party was suspended in March from the EU's biggest and most influential political grouping, the conservative European Peoples Party, after running a controversial billboard campaign accusing European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker of plotting to flood Europe with migrants. On Monday, Orban withdrew his support for the EPP's lead candidate to replace Juncker, Manfred Weber of Germany, a former ally. Weber said Tuesday that Hungary was going in the "wrong direction" under Orban. The Ethiopian government hopes clothing exports will go from $145 million today to $30 billion per year Ethiopia's clothes factory workers, producing items for top fashion brands including Guess, H&M and Calvin Klein, are the worst paid in the world, earning only $26 (23 euros) a month, a report said Tuesday. As Ethiopia seeks to become the continent's leading manufacturing hub, it has sold investors on workers' willingness to toil for less than half the salary of tailors in Bangladesh, said the report by New York University's Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. The report, entitled "Made in Ethiopia: Challenges in the Garment Industry's New Frontier," said that in comparison, notoriously poorly-paid workers in Bangladesh earned $95. Their Kenyan counterparts earn $207 a month, and those in China $326. "Rather than the compliant, cheap workforce promoted in Ethiopia, the foreign-based suppliers have encountered employees who are unhappy with their compensation and living conditions and increasingly willing to protest by stopping work or even quitting," said Paul Barrett, the centre's deputy director. "In their eagerness to create a 'Made in Ethiopia' brand, the government, global brands, and foreign manufacturers failed to anticipate that the base wage was simply too little for workers to live on." Ethiopia has no official minimum wage for the private sector. The report found that workers, many of them young women, received very little training and faced cultural conflicts with managers from south or east Asia. The study took place in the Hawassa Industrial Park, the flagship of Ethiopia's manufacturing drive and one of five hubs inaugurated by the government since 2014. - 'Seemingly unrealistic - Some 25,000 people work there, making clothes for the most sought-after brands around the globe, a number expected to grow to about 60,000. Suppliers from China, India and Sri Lanka have opened factories in the park. Ethiopia is Africa's second-most populous country, with some 105 million people who still largely survive off agriculture, and face punishing droughts and poverty. The government hopes clothing exports will go from $145 million today to about $30 billion per year, a figure the report states is "seemingly unrealistic" not least because low salaries have led to poor productivity, regular strikes and high attrition rates. The report showed that factories replaced all of their workers every 12 months on average. The Stern Centre urged the Ethiopian government to establish a minimum wage and craft a long-term economic plan to strengthen the apparel industry. President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to a former US Army officer convicted of killing an Iraqi prisoner President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to a former US Army officer convicted of the 2009 murder of an Iraqi detainee. Michael Behenna, 35, a former lieutenant in the 101st Airborne Division from Oklahoma, was released from prison in 2014 after serving five years in jail. Behenna was convicted in 2009 of unpremeditated murder for the death of Ali Mansur, an Iraqi who was suspected of belonging to Al-Qaeda. Mansur was picked up by US troops following a bomb explosion that killed two members of Behenna's unit but was released. Behenna later conducted his own interrogation of Mansur and claimed at his trial that he killed him in self-defense. In granting the pardon, the White House said Behenna's case had "attracted broad support from the military, Oklahoma elected officials, and the public." Hina Shamsi, director of the National Security Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, condemned the presidential pardon for Behenna. "This pardon is a presidential endorsement of a murder that violated the military's own code of justice," Shamsi said in a statement. "The military appeals court found Behenna disobeyed orders, became the aggressor against his prisoner, and had no justification for killing a naked, unarmed Iraqi man in the desert, away from an actual battlefield. "Trump, as commander-in-chief, and top military leaders should prevent war crimes, not endorse or excuse them," Shamsi said. The outlook for Uber ahead of its big Wall Street debut is clouded by complaints from its drivers and a call for a strike in US cities over pay and job security Rideshare drivers in major US cities were set to strike Wednesday, casting a shadow over the keenly anticipated Wall Street debut of sector leader Uber. Organizers in some cities were calling for a 24-hour stoppage while the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, which represents both app and traditional taxi drivers, called on drivers to shut down all apps between 7.00 am (1100 GMT) and 9.00 am. The organizers called on drivers for Uber, Lyft, Via and other ride-hailing platforms to stop working as part of the protest. It was unclear how many drivers would take part in the work stoppage amid strike calls in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston and the US capital city Washington. A similar action was expected in London, according to US organizers. The app drivers are seeking improved job security including an end to arbitrary "deactivations," and a better revenue split between the drivers and platforms. In New York, the alliance was expecting most of its 10,000 app drivers to participate in the stoppage as well as some non-members. "Wall Street investors are telling Uber and Lyft to cut down on driver income, stop incentives, and go faster to driverless cars," Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York association, said in a statement. "Uber and Lyft wrote in their (regulatory) filings that they think they pay drivers too much already. With the IPO, Uber's corporate owners are set to make billions, all while drivers are left in poverty and go bankrupt." - IPO in the wings - Lyft has lost 15 percent of its value since its Wall Street debut, raising concerns over whether the "sharing economy" model can be profitable Uber is set to launch its initial public offering (IPO) this week at an estimated valuation of some $90 billion, including its options and restricted stock unit. The launch will be a major milestone for the company which has raised billions and disrupted the taxi industry in hundreds of cities around the world. The move follows a troubled market debut for Uber's largest US rival Lyft, which has lost more than 15 percent of its value since its March IPO. The strike highlights the dilemma for rideshare firms which have faced challenges from regulators and traditional taxi operators, for using a business model relying on independent contractors. Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, said Uber's rideshare "take rate" increased slightly to 21.7 percent in 2018 but that this will remain a hot point of contention for Uber. "We do see added risk from Uber aiming to take greater share of the fare from drivers and expect that the more Uber pushes here, the more drivers will fight back and protest, increasing the likelihood of regulations (particularly at the state level in the US and in Europe) of minimum wage guarantees," Ives said in a research note. Uber said in a statement: "Drivers are at the heart of our service -- we can't succeed without them -- and thousands of people come into work at Uber every day focused on how to make their experience better, on and off the road." Lyft drivers' hourly earnings have increased over the past two years and surpassed $10 billion, the company said in a statement. "Over 75 percent drive less than 10 hours a week to supplement their existing jobs," Lyft said. "On average, Lyft drivers earn over $20 per hour." Both Lyft and Uber set aside some of their shares for drivers as part of their offerings. A protoype of Cruise AV, designed to operate safely on its own, with no driver, steering wheel, pedals or other manual controls, is seen in this 2018 photo from General Motors, which raised an additional $1.15 billion for the unit at $19 billion General Motors' autonomous driving division Cruise said Tuesday it raised $1.15 billion in a new funding round that values the unit at some $19 billion. The news comes as Cruise races toward deployment of self-driving ride-hailing vehicles in a battle with rivals such as Uber, former Google car unit Waymo, Tesla and others. "Developing and deploying self-driving vehicles at massive scale is the engineering challenge of our generation," said Cruise chief executive Dan Ammann. "Having deep resources to draw on as we pursue our mission is a critical competitive advantage." The new investment comes from a group of institutional investors, including T. Rowe Price funds, and existing funding partners General Motors, SoftBank Vision Fund and Honda. The funding announcement offered no update on Cruise plans to deploy autonomous cars, but GM has said it plans to launch self-driving taxis sometime this year. GM acquired Cruise in 2016 and has been conducting testing in the San Francisco area where the unit is headquartered. Syrians sit under the shade of a tree near a camp for displaced people in the village of Atme, in the jihadist-held northern province of Idlib on May 1, 2019 An escalation in attacks on northwest Syria has displaced more than 150,000 people in the past week, the UN said on Tuesday, as the regime and Russia stepped up bombardment. "We are alarmed by ongoing reports of aerial attacks on population centres and civilian infrastructure, resulting in hundreds of civilians dead and injured," said David Swanson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. "More than 152,000 women, children and men have been displaced in Aleppo and Idlib governorates over the past week alone," he told AFP. The northwestern part of Syria controlled by jihadists is made up a large part of Idlib province, as well as adjacent parts of the Aleppo and Hama provinces. The Idlib region has been protected from a massive regime offensive by a September deal inked by Damascus ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey. But the region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, took full control of it in January. The UN humanitarian agency on Tuesday expressed alarm at health facilities being hit in the bombardment. "Between 29 April and 6 May, at least 12 health facilities were hit by airstrikes in northern Hama and Idlib governorates, damaging health infrastructure that provided essential health services to over 100,000 people," OCHA said in a statement. All 12 were out of service, Swanson said, while three health workers had been killed in the bombardment. "Ongoing reports of attacks on health facilities in the region reflect a worrying trend, depriving thousands women, children and men of life-saving medical assistance," he said. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it began. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says a landmark 2015 nuclear deal needs 'surgery' to rescue it from his US counterpart Donald Trump's determination to scrap it US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tightened the screws further on Iran with sanctions on its mining industry after a frustrated Tehran said it would suspend some promises it made under a nuclear deal rejected by Washington. On the anniversary of Trump's withdrawal from the accord he denounced as "horrible," tensions were soaring as the United States deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to the region and accused Iran of "imminent" attacks. In an announcement previewed for days, Iran said it would immediately stop implementing some restrictions under the 2015 deal -- a move aimed largely at pressing Washington's European allies to step up to preserve the agreement. Tehran said it would abandon even more if the remaining parties to the agreement -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- failed to start delivering on their commitments to sanctions relief within 60 days. 2015 Iran nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani said the ultimatum was intended to rescue the nuclear deal from Trump, whose sanctions have caused severe pain in Iran -- which had anticipated an economic boon from the agreement negotiated under then-president Barack Obama. "We felt the (deal) needed surgery and that the year-long sedatives have not delivered any result. This surgery is meant to save the (deal), not destroy it," Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting broadcast live on state television. Rouhani denounced European countries for seeing the United States as the world's "sheriff" and said their view kept them from making "firm decisions for their own national interests." - Cutting Iranian exports - Trump quickly fired back as he moved to inflict greater economic pain on Iran, imposing sanctions that would punish anyone who buys or trades the country's iron, steel, aluminum and copper. US President Donald Trump has said his country is not 'looking to hurt anybody' and that he hopes 'a fair deal' can be worked out with Iran The White House had already acted forcefully to prevent all countries from buying Iran's oil -- its crucial money-maker -- and said that the steel and mining sector was the country's second-largest source of foreign revenue, accounting for 10 percent of exports. "Tehran can expect further actions unless it fundamentally alters its conduct," Trump said in a statement. But in a shift in tone, Trump -- who talked tough on North Korea before two landmark summits with leader Kim Jong Un -- said he was willing to negotiate face-to-face. "I look forward to someday meeting with the leaders of Iran in order to work out an agreement and, very importantly, taking steps to give Iran the future it deserves," he said. At a rally in Florida late Wednesday Trump said he hopes that "a fair deal" can be worked out at some point. "We aren't looking to hurt anybody," he told supporters. "We just don't want them to have nuclear weapons. That's all we want." Observers believe it is highly unlikely that Iran's leaders -- who have made hostility to the United States a bedrock principle since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the pro-Western shah -- would want to meet Trump, who has repeatedly threatened the country. But Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif regularly saw his counterpart in the Obama administration, then secretary of state John Kerry, and recently dangled the prospect of a prisoner swap with the United States. - Moving limits on uranium, heavy water - Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it no longer considered itself bound by the agreed restrictions on stocks of enriched uranium and heavy water. President Hassan Rouhani visits the control room of Iran's Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant, one of the facilities that the nuclear deal allowed it to continue operating, under some restrictions It said that after 60 days, it would also stop abiding by limits on the level to which Iran can enrich uranium and modifications to its Arak heavy water reactor that were designed to prevent the production of plutonium. Uranium enriched to much higher levels than Iran's current stocks can be used as the fissile core of a nuclear weapon, while heavy water is a source of plutonium, which can be used as an alternative way to produce a warhead. Robert Kelley, a former UN nuclear inspector now with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said on a practical level, the commitments Iran was dropping had no bearing on its ability to develop an atomic bomb. He added that Iran was simply seeking to "save face" after "striking a deal which was not respected by the other side." - Concern in Europe - The three European parties to the deal tried to save the accord with a trade mechanism meant to bypass reimposed US sanctions, but their attempt was dismissed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "bitter joke." Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East as it steps its rhetoric against Tehran The European powers voiced alarm at Iran's statement and expressed hope that the nuclear deal could be preserved. "It is important to avoid any action that would prevent the enactment of the obligations by parties currently upholding the agreement or that might fuel an escalation," a French foreign ministry spokesperson said. And German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "We as Europeans, as Germans, will play our part and we expect full implementation from Iran as well." Hardline Islamists have held massive violent protests calling for Asia Bibi to be executed Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who escaped a death sentence for blasphemy, began a new life in Canada Wednesday following a decade-long saga that sparked violent unrest and spotlighted religious extremism in her home country. Neither Islamabad nor Ottawa would confirm her whereabouts, but a Canadian source told AFP: "She is now in Canada" and has reunited with her two daughters. Earlier, Bibi's lawyer Saif ul Mulook and multiple security sources in Pakistan speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP that Bibi had gone to Canada, with another government source adding she had left "of her own free will." One of Bibi's daughters, Esham Ashiq, spoke to AFP last October of her hopes of being reunited with her mother, saying she would "thank God that he has got her released." A laborer from central Punjab province and minority Christian, Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and sent to death row, but acquitted on appeal last year. Her case swiftly became infamous, drawing worldwide attention to religious extremism in deeply conservative Pakistan where blasphemy carries a maximum penalty of death. It is an incendiary issue in the Muslim-majority country, and mere allegations of insulting Islam have sparked lynchings and vigilante violence in the past. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to confirm Bibi's arrival in Canada, citing privacy and security issues, but his British counterpart Theresa May appeared to confirm she had been granted Canadian asylum. "Canada made this offer and we thought it was right and appropriate," May said on the floor of the House of Commons. Short of confirming her whereabouts, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said Washington "welcomes the news that Asia Bibi has safely reunited with her family." "The United States uniformly opposes blasphemy laws anywhere in the world, as they jeopardize the exercise of fundamental freedoms," he said. - Violent protests - Bibi has technically been free to leave Pakistan since January, when the Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge to her October acquittal. Since then, she is widely believed to have been held in protective custody by authorities as she awaited an asylum deal abroad. In November, Trudeau said Ottawa was holding talks with Pakistan about bringing Bibi to Canada, which he said is "a welcoming country." "It is a great relief that this shameful ordeal has finally come to an end and Asia Bibi and her family are safe," said Omar Waraich, deputy South Asia director at Amnesty International. "She should never have been imprisoned in the first place, let alone endure the constant threats to her life. This case horrifyingly illustrates the dangers of Pakistan's blasphemy laws and the urgent need to repeal them." Activists have warned that Asia Bibi's life would be in danger if she stayed in Pakistan Many blasphemy cases in Pakistan see Muslims accusing Muslims, but rights activists have warned that religious minorities -- particularly Christians -- are often caught in the crossfire, with accusations used to settle personal scores. Two politicians have been assassinated in connection with Bibi's case, and she spent much of her prison time in solitary confinement over fears she could be attacked by a guard or another prisoner. Islamist groups have regularly called for her to be executed, and activists have warned she would not be safe in Pakistan. Following Bibi's acquittal in October, the country was gripped for days by violent protests led by the hardline group Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), which called for mutiny in the armed forces and assassination of the country's top judges for acquitting her. In the wake of the nationwide protests, TLP's leaders -- who paralysed the capital Islamabad for weeks in 2017 with an anti-blasphemy sit-in -- were rounded up in a government crackdown and remain in detention. Christians -- who make up around two percent of the population -- occupy one of the lowest rungs in class-obsessed Pakistani society, largely living in slums and working menial jobs as street sweepers, cleaners and cooks. burs-cs-amc/ec Sudanese chant slogans as they gather during a demonstration outside the army headquarters in Khartoum on May 2, 2019 Sudanese protest leaders on Wednesday threatened to launch a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience after accusing the country's military rulers of delaying the transfer of power to a civilian administration. Thousands of people remain camped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum nearly four weeks after the armed forces toppled autocratic president Omar al-Bashir as demanded by a months-long protest movement. The two sides are grappling over whether an overall ruling council that would replace the existing army council -- made up solely of generals -- should have a civilian or military majority. Last week the Alliance for Freedom and Change protest group handed over its proposals for a civilian structure, including executive and legislative bodies, that it eventually wants to rule Sudan after replacing the generals. The 10-member military council late on Tuesday said it agreed to the overall proposals, but had "many reservations". The protest leaders said on Wednesday that the military council was delaying the entire transfer of power. "The military council's response to the proposals of the Alliance for Freedom and Change was disappointing and risked putting the country in jeopardy," protest leader Khalid Omar Yousef told reporters. Responding to a journalist's question on what steps demonstrators would take after the army expressed reservations, Yousef threatened "escalatory measures". The spokesman of Sudan's Transitional Military Council, Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi, speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on May 7, 2019 "The measures of escalation for us are defined -- they are continuing with the sit-in, and we are now preparing for a civil disobedience" campaign across the country, he said. - 'Kidnap the revolution' - US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan pressed Sudan's army ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to reach for an agreement with protesters. In a telephone call with Burhan on Wednesday, he backed "the Sudanese people's aspirations for a free, democratic and prosperous future," the State Department said. Sullivan encouraged Burhan to "move expeditiously toward a civilian-led interim government" and to reach an agreement with the Alliance for Freedom and Change protest group But the alliance expressed concerns about the military dragging the process out. "The military council's response... is moving in the direction of extending the negotiations and not in the direction of a transition" of power, it said in a statement. On Tuesday the military council said the alliance had remained silent on its proposals on ensuring that Islamic sharia remains the bedrock of Sudanese legislation. The protest leaders said the generals "raised irrelevant issues including the language and sources of legislation in a tedious repetition of the biddings of the former regime". "We call on the military council to reach an agreement to transfer power," they said in the statement. The Alliance for Freedom and Change is made up of political groups, leaders and activists, several of them who want to build a new secular Sudan. Thousands of protesters have been camped outside the Sudanese headquarters of the armed forces in Khartoum since April 6, demanding the military hand over power to civilian rule Sudanese media and websites have often reported that for the protest leaders the issue of legislation and Islamic law is something that can be discussed later, but they first want a civilian body established in order to govern the country. The protest movement said the miliary council is acting in a way that seems to "kidnap the revolution and control its outcome". - Election in six months - The military council said Tuesday that if the deadlock with protest leaders is not broken then it has the option of calling for elections in six months. "It's an attempt to legitimise the regime," protest leader Madani Abbas Madani told reporters, indicating that such an election could see the return of previous regime figures. Thousands of protesters have been encamped outside the sprawling military headquarters in central Khartoum since April 6. Initially they gathered there to seek the army's support in ousting Bashir. Sudanese protesters, walking on the railways, wave the national flag during a sit-in outside the army headquarters in the capital Khartoum on April 28, 2019 But now they continue to hold their sit-in against the military council, demanding that it step down and transfer power to a civilian authority. The council and protest leaders have differed on several issues and not just the composition of an overall ruling council. The military council wanted a two-year transition period as opposed to four years proposed by protest leaders. The council was also of the opinion that declarations of emergencies should be in the hands of a "sovereign" authority rather than the cabinet as sought by protest leaders. Protest leaders however insist their key demand remains the same -- a full transfer of power to civilians. "The solution and success of the revolution lies on transfer of power to a full civilian authority," protest leader Mohamed Naji al-Assam said on Tuesday. Dozens of families have set up camp in the fields of Atme For nine days, Syrian matriarch Fatima al-Masri has slept under olive trees near the Turkish border, after fleeing air strikes by the regime and its allies on her hometown. "We ran from the bombardment and the barrel bombs," said the 66-year-old, sitting cross-legged on a woven plastic mat surrounded by her grandchildren, just hundreds of metres from the frontier. "The planes were firing down so nothing would remain alive -- not a tree, person or sheep," she told AFP, wearing a long purple faux velvet robe and a black scarf tied around her wrinkled face. Her family is one of dozens to have set up camp in the fields of Atme, after escaping devastating bombing by the regime and its Russian ally in recent days on the jihadist-held region of Idlib in northwestern Syria. A September ceasefire deal between Russia and rebel backer Turkey was supposed to prevent a mass regime offensive on the region of some three million people. But the jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, dominated by members of a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, taking over the area in January has led to a spike in deadly air strikes and shelling. At the base of the trees they have chosen for shelter, families have stored the bare minimum for a life outdoors The United Nations says more than 150,000 people have fled their homes in just a week, escaping strikes and shelling that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says has killed 84 civilians in the region. In the olive grove in Atme, Masri and dozens of other families have spent the night on thin mattresses or blankets layed out over rugs on the red earth. At the base of the trees they have chosen for shelter, they have stored the bare minimum for a life outdoors: bedding, a water cooler, a saucepan, or a cooking gas canister. They have hung up sheets between the trees for a little privacy, and one family has even brought a solar panel. - 'No aid, nothing' - The families say most camps for the displaced in the area were full when they arrived, and the only one with enough space enforced gender segregation The families say most camps for the displaced in the area were full when they arrived, and the only one with enough space enforced gender segregation. Choosing to keep their families together, they set up camp between the olive trees instead. But Masri said they desperately need better shelter. "We're 35 families here. People want tents," said the matriarch from the town of Kafr Nabouda, an area in the north of Hama province that was overrun by regime forces on Wednesday, according to the Britain-based Observatory. Nearby, Issam Derwish said he fled with his family to the Turkish border from the same town, hoping for safety but also help from aid organisations in the area. "We gathered our children and fled, coming here to Atme" four days ago, said the 35-year-old with a short black beard, dressed in a long brown tunic and trousers. But "there's no aid, nothing," said Derwish, who who arrived at the frontier with his two wives, mother, sister-in-law and children. "We're just sitting here under the trees in the rain and cold." The families fled devastating bombing by the regime and its Russian ally on the jihadist-held region of Idlib in northwestern Syria Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Between the silvery green trees in Atme, some families appear to have received boxes of food on Tuesday night to break their fast after the holy Islamic month of Ramadan started on Monday. But until more help arrives, Jamila Khalof, 50, said she and her family are having to rely on themselves. "We have nothing," said the woman from Maaret Hermeh village, in the southern Idlib countryside, a floral scarf knotted under her chin. "My children have gone back to get our things under the bombing. They'll get them and come back," she said. Trump suggested he was comfortable either with making a deal or with leaving the tariffs in place Chinese trade officials intend to "make a deal" in a new round of talks in Washington this week, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, reviving hopes for negotiations that appeared to be hanging by a thread. However, with negotiations set to resume late Thursday, there was no letup in last minute brinkmanship, and China has vowed to retaliate if Trump follows through on plans to ratchet up existing tariffs this week. Trump has kept the pressure on Beijing, pressing ahead with plans to more than double the punitive duties on $200 billion in Chinese merchandise on Friday -- a prospect that has sent shivers through the global economy since last year. China's Commerce Ministry warned of unspecified retaliation should Trump not back down, saying the escalation was "not in the interests of the two countries' people." "If the US tariff measures are put into effect, China will have no choice but to take the necessary countermeasures," a ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. US officials on Monday effectively ended a six-month trade truce, accusing Chinese negotiators of backsliding on major commitments agreed to in months of talks. Trump suggested he was comfortable without making a deal. US-China trade "We'll see but I am very happy with over $100 Billion a year in Tariffs filling US coffers...great for US, not good for China!" he tweeted on Wednesday. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer released an official notice Wednesday that duty rates on a vast array of Chinese-made electrical equipment, machinery, auto parts and furniture would jump to 25 percent after midnight (0400 GMT) on Friday. Following Trump's first Twitter screed Sunday on tariffs, stock markets around the world sank for two trading days, but were mixed on Wednesday while Wall Street ended a volatile trading day mostly lower. - Profound changes - The world's top two economies have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, gutting US soy bean exports to China and weighing on the manufacturing sectors in both countries. But amid robust US economic growth, American officials have long believed the country is better positioned than China to withstand the pain of a trade war. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He (R) will meet this week with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (C) and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, but China vowed to retaliate if the US raises tariffs Officials with the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday that while the tariffs create a "headwind" for the US economy, the outlook for services and manufacturing was still positive this year. Anthony Nieves, who heads the ISM survey of the services sector, told reporters the tariffs were hitting China "a lot more than what we're feeling over here in the states. There's a lot of pressure on them." Trump also tweeted Wednesday that Chinese officials mistakenly hoped they could hold off to negotiate with a "very weak" future Democratic president "and thereby continue to ripoff the United States... for years to come." However, economists and even Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress, stress that US importers and consumers are the ones that pay the price for higher tariffs. Washington has demanded far-reaching and profound changes to the Chinese economy, such as submitting state enterprises to market principles, reducing massive subsidies and ending the alleged "theft" of US technology. Analysts say China will be reluctant to make many of these changes, which could undermine the Communist Party's political power. Despite the trade war, the value of US imports of Chinese goods have continued to rise, widening the soaring trade deficit with the world's second largest economy. One of the suspects in the deadly May 7 shooting at the Highlands Ranch school in the subsurbs of Denver was a girl, police say One of the two suspects in a Colorado school shooting that left a student dead and eight wounded is a girl, Denver police said Wednesday. The sheriff of Douglas County, in the Denver suburbs, initially said his men had arrested two boys after Tuesday's shooting spree, both students at the Highlands Ranch STEM school. One of the suspects was 18 and the other was a minor. But Sheriff Tony Spurlock on Wednesday said the minor was a girl and that his officers had mistaken her for a boy because of her appearance. The shooting, which follows a series of deadly gun incidents at schools and elsewhere, comes amid heated debate on gun control measures in the United States. Spurlock said that three of the wounded students were still in intensive care in a regional hospital Wednesday, while the others had been discharged. The 18-year-old high school student who was killed was identified as Kendrick Ray Castillo, who had been set to graduate in three days at the end of the school year, officials said. "Our Nation grieves at the unspeakable violence that took a precious young life and badly injured others in Colorado," tweeted President Donald Trump, praising the emergency services for "bravely intervening." Spurlock told a news conference one of the suspects had been "neutralized" by an armed security guard before the police arrived within minutes at the scene of the crime. "We did not exchange any gun fire with them," he said. Two hand guns were seized, he said, noting that the FBI had also joined investigation. Police had scoured the two suspects' social media accounts, mobile phone records and computers for any clue as to their motivation. The older of the two suspects was due to appear in court later in the day for an arraignment hearing. The Democratic governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, condemned the school attack. "America has seen too many of these senseless acts of violence," he said. The state had just commemorated the 20th anniversary of the notorious Columbine school shooting in which two heavily armed students aged 17 and 18 killed 12 of their classmates and a teacher on April 20, 1999, before committing suicide. "This is not who we are. This aberrant act doesn't define us," said George Brauchler, the local district attorney. Shootings by women are a rare occurrence in the United States, where the overwhelming majority of gun violence is carried out by men. According to an FBI study that looked at 160 incidents involving one or more shooters in public places between 2000 and 2013, just six of the people who opened fire were women, or 3.8 percent. Members of the Independent Drivers Guild rallied at Uber and Lyft headquarters in New York as part of a protest to press demands for better pay and working conditions for the independent contractors Thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers turned off their apps Wednesday in a series of job actions across US cities protesting pay and working conditions at the big ride-hailing services. An estimated 10,000 New York drivers heeded a strike call, according to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, an organizer of the action. Around 100 people joined a protest outside a Queens building with New York offices of both Uber and Lyft, some carrying signs reading "Hard work = Fair pay" or "Solidarity." A separate group protested outside the New York Stock Exchange, where Uber is set to list shares, some signs reading "Invest in our lives -- Not their stocks" while some drove in a procession across the Brooklyn Bridge with protest signs on their vehicles. Similar actions were being held in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego and Washington. The demonstrations come weeks after Lyft made its Wall Street debut and days ahead of a massive share offering from Uber that will give the global leader an estimated valuation of $90 billion. The drivers are protesting arbitrary "deactivations" or firing and a shifting revenue-sharing model that critics say leaves drivers behind. The drivers are protesting arbitrary "deactivations" or firing and a shifting revenue-sharing model that critics say leaves drivers behind Cesar Guerrero, a 57-year-old Uber driver who attended the Queens rally, said the platform is taking advantage of its drivers. "I don't think the drivers are taking a fair share of the profits that are big in corporations like Uber and other apps," Guerrero said. Some drivers said much of the money they take in is eaten up by expenses. "If it was not for the drivers all around the country, they would not be going public," said Uber driver Kevin Killilea. The alliance said it called the actions "to shine light on how Uber and Lyft's flawed business model pushes hard-working drivers across the US and the globe into poverty and desperation." - Business model questioned - With the big ride-hailing businesses outlining their path to profitability, protesters claim the ride-hailing business model, which is based on the use of independent contractors, forces drivers to absorb costs to the benefit of the platforms With the big ride-hailing businesses outlining their path to profitability, protesters claim the ride-hailing business model, which is based on the use of independent contractors, forces drivers to absorb costs to the benefit of the platforms. "Uber unabashedly states that denying workers of basic employment protections like minimum wage, Social Security contributions and other benefits is essential to their business model," the New York alliance said in a statement. The 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. Protests were being held in Britain as well with drivers in London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Glasgow called on to log off apps and protest outside Uber offices in each city, according to the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain. Uber and Lyft did not immediately comment on the job actions, and it was unclear if the stoppages had a significant impact on their networks. Uber said that drivers have earned over $78 billion on the platform since 2015, as well as $1.2 billion in tips since the feature was introduced in 2017. Members of the Independent Drivers Guild drive across the Brooklyn Bridge in a protest against Uber and other app-based ride-hailing companies Lyft said it has paid some $10 billion to drivers in the past two years, and that the average earnings amount to more than $20 per hour. A number of studies contend drivers take home far less than the platforms claim after accounting for fuel, insurance and other expenses. The Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, concluded that Uber drivers earned the equivalent of $9.21 in hourly wages, after accounting for commissions and fees and vehicle expenses, and taking into account the health insurance and other benefits earned by employees. Syracuse University professor Austin Zwick, who has researched ridesharing platforms, said the job actions are an attempt to shift the balance of power between drivers and platforms, which now have the power to arbitrarily determine compensation and benefits. "The joint strike plus boycott strategy appear unlikely to succeed nationally as it does not appear that all drivers and passengers are unified behind the cause," Zwick said. "However, this strategy does raise public awareness and begins to build political support to pass local and state regulations. Additionally, ridesharing companies may make changes in certain markets to continue to retain drivers to work on the platform." As a result, Zwick said, "ultimately, your Uber ride will probably be a little bit pricier in the future." A protester flashes a Sudanese flag covered with patriotic slogans outside army headquarters in Khartoum The United States pressed Sudan's military leader Wednesday to reach an agreement with protesters, who have threatened a disobedience campaign unless there is a transfer to civilian rule. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan spoke by telephone with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chairman of the military council, and voiced support for "the Sudanese people's aspirations for a free, democratic and prosperous future," the State Department said. Sullivan encouraged the military leader to "move expeditiously toward a civilian-led interim government" and to reach an agreement with the Alliance for Freedom and Change protest group. He called on the military council to "respect the human rights of all persons" and to "allow peaceful protest and the freedom of expression consistent with Sudan's human rights obligations," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. Thousands of people remain camped outside the military's headquarters in Khartoum nearly a month after the army sacked veteran autocratic leader Omar al-Bashir, a key demand in the protests sparked by rising bread prices and fueled by young people. Military leaders said late Tuesday that they had agreed overall to a proposal by protesters to set up a civilian structure but had "many reservations" -- leading demonstrators to accuse the council of delaying the transfer of power. Tibor Nagy, the top US diplomat for Africa, said that Washington was in touch with all sides in Sudan. "Our fundamental policy is that we want to support what the Sudanese people want," Nagy told reporters. He was speaking in Washington at a first-of-its-kind strategic dialogue with Kenya, which Nagy called "one of our key and most important partners" anywhere in the world. Monica Juma, Kenya's cabinet secretary for foreign affairs, hailed Sudan's protesters as "really responsible" for being both "peaceful" and "patient." "We believe that the Sudanese themselves should forge the future of their country, and that is what our message to Sudan has been," she said. "We called on all parties to act with restraint. We still do that -- because it is important that this process evolves in a peaceful manner." A new study on tech hub San Francisco published Wednesday in Science Advances has found ridesharing companies were the biggest contributors to congestion growth as commuters ditched bus rides or walking The ride-hailing era ushered in by Uber and Lyft once promised to complement public transit, reduce car ownership and alleviate congestion. But a new study on San Francisco has found the opposite may in fact be true: far from reducing traffic, the companies increased delays by 40 percent as commuters ditched buses or walking for mobile-app summoned rides. Published Wednesday in Science Advances, the study went back to 2010, before the advent of so-called transportation network companies (TNCs), and compared journey times and road conditions with 2016, by which time they had become a common sighting. San Francisco, where Lyft and Uber are headquartered, grew from 805,000 inhabitants to 876,000 during that period, as 150,000 jobs were added and the road network updated. The authors, from the University of Kentucky and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), accounted for these changes via a computer model that asked: what would things look like if ride-hailing companies had not come on the scene? Greg Erhardt, an assistant professor of engineering at the university, told AFP his team had found "some substitution" from private cars to TNCs as well as a slight increase in carpooling. "But the net effect is that two-thirds of TNCs are new cars added to the roadway, that would otherwise not be present," he said. Morning commute traffic moves westbound on the western span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge September 8, 2009 in San Francisco, California They also found that weekday vehicle hours of delay -- defined as the difference in travel time in congested versus free-flow conditions -- increased by 62 percent between 2010 and 2016. By contrast, in the simulated model without ride-hailing companies, delays went up by only 22 percent -- meaning that the TNCs were responsible for 40 percent of the increase. - Deadheading and disruption - The findings were challenged by Lyft, which said the study had failed to account for increased freight and commercial deliveries -- an area in which Amazon and others have aggressively expanded in recent years, as well as tourism growth. "Lyft is actively working with cities on solutions backed by years of economic and engineering research, such as comprehensive congestion pricing and proven infrastructure investment," the company said in a statement noting its investments in shared rides and bikes. Uber called for more widespread congestion charging, arguing that "while studies disagree on causes for congestion, almost everyone agrees on the solution." The study came as thousands of rideshare drivers in major US cities staged a series strikes against pay and working conditions. It also came ahead of Uber's keenly anticipated Wall Street debut. Lyft went public in March. Proponents of ridesharing often use the argument that the majority of journeys take place at non-peak times, such as when people have gone for a night out and are returning home from bars. But the study found peaks occurring at 7.00 am and 8.00 am and then again around 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm. Among the cars' most disruptive activities on traffic flow were curbside pickups and drop-offs, especially on major arterial roads, it found. Another notable effect was so-called "deadheading," which Erhardt explained as driving around in search of the next customer. "It doesn't serve a purpose in terms of transporting a person. So that's purely an addition to traffic." - Data scraping - The study comes as rideshare drivers in major US cities were set to stage a series of strikes ahead of Uber's keenly anticipated Wall Street debut The study relied on background traffic speed from GPS data obtained from a commercial vendor, but when the researchers approached the companies to share their own trip data, they were denied access. They were forced then to rely on a method of data scraping developed by Northeastern University that uses the companies' public apps to learn about vehicle movements. Elliot Martin, a research engineer at the University of California Berkeley's Transportation Sustainability Research Center, who was not connected to the study, said its methodology was rigorous. "I think that they did a good job of trying to draw comparisons, to look at what would have happened in a world where TNCs didn't exist versus where they did exist," he said, adding the methodology was the "best available" given the amount of information. Despite the findings, ride-hailing isn't all bad, said co-author Joe Castiglione of the SFCTA. "They are providing services like helping people move around in the evening when transit isn't great, or assisting the visually impaired," he told AFP. The trick, he said, was to determine "how (to) manage the positive benefits without the negative externalities" through new policies like congestion pricing or curbside regulation. Stephen Goldsmith, director of Data-Smart city solutions at Harvard, and the former mayor of Indianapolis, agreed. "There's no love lost today between most cities and Uber, but there's a lot of customer loyalty, which makes it difficult for cities to cut back too much." Attacks on Ebola treatment centers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have complicated efforts to stamp out the outbreak, now in its tenth month The United Nations is stepping up its response to the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, now in its 10th month, and needs additional resources, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday. More than 1,000 people have died from the virus - the second deadliest outbreak on record after the epidemic that killed 11,300 people in West Africa in 2014-2016. Guterres said he was "concerned by the number of new Ebola cases" and praised health workers who have vaccinated over 100,000 people and saved hundreds of lives. "Despite these efforts, the outbreak is now in its 10th month and has claimed more than 1,000 lives," he said in a statement. The United Nations is carrying out "important shifts in its response", he said, adding that "at this critical juncture, additional resources are needed." Guterres did not provide details, but called on countries and partner organizations to help UN agencies secure the needed resources. The United Nations -- and in particular its health agency, the World Health Organization -- came under fire for its slow response to the outbreak in West Africa and it has vowed to learn lessons from those past mistakes. This is the 10th outbreak of Ebola in 40 years in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It began last August in the city of Beni in North Kivu province before spreading to the neighboring Ituri region. Guterres said this outbreak was contained to parts of the two provinces. Efforts to roll back the contagious hemorrhagic fever have been hampered by rebel attacks on health facilities and clinics. There has also been resistance within communities to preventative measures, care facilities and safe burials. Guterres said "the full involvement and engagement of local people remains the key to successfully controlling the outbreak." Donald Trump (L, pictured January 2017) said GM chief Mary Barra (R) had told him of plans to sell the Lordstown, Ohio plant to Workhorse, a company focusing on electric delivery vehicles General Motors Wednesday announced plans to invest $700 million in Ohio and to sell a shuttered plant to a company that makes electric trucks, drawing cheers from President Donald Trump who has assailed the US automaker for cutting American jobs. "GREAT NEWS FOR OHIO!" Trump tweeted, revealing the details ahead of the company's official announcement. Shortly after Trump's tweet, GM confirmed it is in discussions with Workhorse, a Cincinnati-based company that focuses on producing electric delivery vehicles, to sell its plant in Lordstown, Ohio. The factory employed about 1,400 workers prior to ceasing production in March. CEO Mary Barra said in a statement GM will "remain committed to growing manufacturing jobs in the US, including in Ohio, and we see this development as a potential win-win for everyone." Last November, GM shuttered five US plants, including auto assembly plants in Michigan and Ohio, as part of a 15 percent cut in its workforce worldwide -- affecting around 14,000 employees -- a move that drew Trump's wrath. GM Lordstown workers protested the decision to close the plant In March, however, the automaker announced plans to invest $1.8 billion in US operations creating 700 new jobs. About $300 million will be geared towards producing electric vehicles at the auto giant's Orion plant in Michigan, creating 400 jobs. On Wednesday the company said it intends to invest $700 million in facilities in three Ohio cities, creating 450 jobs. That will allow GM to expand diesel engine production for heavy-duty trucks, truck transmissions and other parts. GM did not specify whether the $700 million investment was part of, or in addition to its commitment taken in March. "I have been working nicely with GM to get this done. Thank you to Mary B, your GREAT Governor, and Senator Rob Portman. With all the car companies coming back, and much more, THE USA IS BOOMING!" Trump said. The US president has repeatedly berated companies by name to pressure them into investing more or reversing decisions on job cuts. Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes said the potential agreement for the 50-year-old Lordstown plant "creates a positive outcome for all parties involved and will help solidify the leadership of Workhorse's role in the EV community." - Plans for Canada - GM separately announced Wednesday that it will invest Can$170 million (US$126 million) to transition its Oshawa, Ontario auto assembly plant that had been slated to close at the end of the year, to parts manufacturing and a future site for autonomous vehicle testing. The move will save 300 of the roughly 2,500 union jobs at the plant east of Toronto, with the possibility to grow employment, GM Canada President Travis Hester and Unifor union head Jerry Dias told reporters. GM will save a least some Canadian jobs by reconfiguring a plant due to close at the end of the year "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," Dias said. "We are in a much better position than we were five months ago when the plant was closing," he added. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also took to Twitter to applaud the development, calling it "good news for our auto workers in Oshawa." But he said, "There's more work to do to support our workers, and we will never stop fighting for them & their families." The announcement came after months of talks were held between GM and the Canadian autoworkers union to try to salvage those jobs. Production began in 1953 and at its peak in the 1980s, the plant employed roughly 23,000 people. The plant recently underwent a retooling with the help of a Can$500 million federal grant. The arrests were made in a joint military and police operation across the Volta region, northeast of the capital Accra Police in Ghana said on Wednesday they had arrested 81 people accused of supporting the declaration of an eastern region as an independent country. The sweeping arrests follow the detention of eight of the group's reported leaders on Sunday as they prepared to declare the region as their own nation, according to officers, meaning a total of 89 have been detained. Police said the group were members of the "Homeland Study Group Foundation", or HGSF, which campaigns for a separate nation in Ghana's eastern Volta region, which they call "Western Togoland". The arrests on Wednesday were made in a joint military and police operation across the Volta region, the majority around the town of Ho, some 150 kilometres (95 miles) northeast of the capital Accra. "We arrested 81 members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation for their involvement in an intended demonstration against the arrest of their leaders," said Prince Dogbatse, police spokesman of the Volta region. Of the 81 arrested, two of them are women. The HGSF group, which formed in 1994, says it works to advance the rights of the people in eastern Ghana. "The suspects were picked up after a tip-off by joint police and military forces at various entry points to the Volta region," Dogbatse added. "We are going to process them for court this week." Those arrested on Sunday included the group's leader, 85-year-old Charles Kormi Kudjordji. Kudjordji was released on bail on Wednesday due to his age, but the rest were remanded in custody. They face potential charges of conspiracy to commit treason, as well as charges connected to the alleged training of a militia force. In 2017, HGSF leaders were arrested and warned not to engage in activities against the state. Multiple ethnicities live in the region, a place with 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. The decision to hold a fresh vote for mayor of Istanbul has provoked a chorus of domestic and international criticism Turkey's top election body on Wednesday stood behind a controversial decision to re-run the Istanbul mayoral vote as two former ruling party heavyweights joined a chorus of domestic and foreign criticism. The election board this week voided the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) narrow victory in Turkey's biggest city and economic hub Istanbul and ordered a replay of the vote. "It is unacceptable to personally target and discredit the judges because of the decision they made," the election body said. It added that it "will continue to do its duty despite pressure, slander, insult and threats." President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered a big setback in the March 31 local elections, losing Istanbul and the capital Ankara to the opposition. Both cities have been run by the AKP party and its predecessors for many years. Erdogan's party refused to accept the defeat in Istanbul and submitted an "extraordinary appeal" to the election body for a fresh vote citing "organised crime" and "serious corruption" but did not criticise the results for local districts, where the AKP won a majority. The electoral body accepted the complaints and seven of its members voted this week to cancel the opposition's victory and hold a new election in June. Four members of the body voted against the move. Opposition chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) on Tuesday blasted the seven members of the board as "gang members" under Erdogan's influence. CHP's Istanbul candidate Ekrem Imamoglu was stripped of his mayoral office following the controversial decision and the staff he hired for the municipality was dismissed by the acting mayor, Istanbul governor Ali Yerlikaya, according to the party. The CHP on Wednesday appealed to the top election body for the cancellation of the results for local districts in Istanbul. - Criticism - Two of Erdogan's former allies joined the criticism of the election body -- a rare moment of targeting the strongman directly given their key roles in the party previously. Former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: "The biggest loss for political movements is not losing elections but the loss of moral superiority and social conscience." Abdullah Gul, former president and co-founder of the AKP, said it showed the party failed to make any headway since past constitutional spats. Both men have fallen out with Erdogan since their time in office and there have been persistent rumours over the years that they may set up their own parties. Ekrem Imamoglu was stripped of the Istanbul mayoral office by Turkey's top election body Turkey's Western allies have also voiced concern over the ruling. The United States said that a "healthy democracy" with transparent elections was in Turkey's own interest, while Germany said the decision to annul the election was "not transparent, and incomprehensible to us". The disputed re-run has also mobilised anti-Erdogan Turks on social media. Under the viral slogan "Everything will be fine" opponents of the Turkish leader defiantly flocked to social media to suggest often innovative and even amusing ways to ensure a high turnout for his rival next month. With the election falling at a time when Istanbulites often head south to the beaches, several seaside municipalities held by the CHP predicted snow or sandstorm for election day, while other resorts warned of 150-degree temperatures and 90-percent humidity. Famous musicians and actors -- who have often steered clear of politics for fear of repercussions -- have been galvanised by the election re-run. Huawei Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou, leaves British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver 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. Activists protest China's treatment of Uyghurs outside the court in Vancouver where Huawei's Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou, is fighting extradition to the US 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. 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. Louis Huang of Vancouver Freedom and Democracy for China holds photos of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who are being detained by China, outside British Columbia Supreme Court, in Vancouver 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. President Donald Trump is in a bitter standoff with Congress over the access to his tax returns The New York Senate adopted a bill Wednesday to grant the US Congress access to Donald Trump's state tax returns, after the US president blocked attempts by congressional committees to review his past filings. The bill still has to be approved by the New York State Assembly, but that body is dominated by Democrats, making its passage all but certain. The bill -- the latest round in a battle between the Republican president and the Democrat-led House of Representatives -- will then have to be signed by Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has already signaled his support for the plan. Introduced by Democratic-Senator Brad Hoylman, the bill authorizes the state's fiscal authorities to share tax declarations with three congressional committees in Washington. In most US states, taxpayers have to submit three separate tax returns -- one to the federal government, one to the state and one to the city or municipality they live in. On Tuesday, the US Treasury refused a demand by Congress to hand over Trump's federal tax returns, which it was demanding as part of the wide-ranging investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US elections. The submission of the former real-estate mogul's New York state tax returns could offer a first, if partial, insight into the current financial situation of the president, who has declared himself to be a multi-billionaire. Trump is the first president since the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s not to make his tax returns public. Two years ago, the MSNBC journalist Rachel Maddow uncovered Trump's tax filings from 2005, but nothing more recent has so far been unearthed and the president has refused to any effort to release them. On Tuesday, the New York Times published a report that Trump declared business losses of $1.17 billion between 1985 and 1994. Carla Provost, chief of the US Border Patrol, speaks during a Senate hearing in front of pictures of border patrol agents assisting children The number of migrants detained entering the United States from Mexico without documents in April topped 100,000 for the second month in a row, US border officials said Wednesday. "Our apprehension numbers are off the charts compared to recent years," Carla Provost, the chief of the US Border Patrol, told a Senate hearing on border security. "As of April 30, we apprehended 460,294 people on the southern border," Provost said. "As of Sunday, only seven months into the (fiscal) year, we have now surpassed the total southwest border apprehensions of every fiscal year since 2009," she said. In April, 109,144 migrants were apprehended or deemed inadmissible at the US-Mexico border, according to US Customs and Border Protection figures, up from 103,719 in March. In February, the total was 76,534. Provost said border officials were picking up increasing numbers of families and unaccompanied children trying to cross into the United States from Mexico. "The number of family units and unaccompanied children has skyrocketed to 64 percent of southern border apprehensions," she said. "These populations present significant challenges," the US border chief said. "For the first time in border control history nearly half the adults we apprehended in April brought children," she said. "They have received the message loud and clear -- bring a child and you will be released," Provost said. "Our short-term holding units are beyond capacity," she continued. "It's like holding a bucket under a faucet," she said of the challenge of securing the border. "It doesn't matter how many buckets you give me if we can't turn off the flow." President Donald Trump, who made immigration a central theme of his 2016 White House campaign, has expressed frustration over the continuing influx of migrants, most of whom are fleeing endemic poverty and violence in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Trump launched a sweeping shakeup last month of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border policing activities, and he has deployed thousands of troops to the US-Mexico frontier in a bid to stop the flow. Donald Trump Jr. warms up the audience at a rally for his father President Donald Trump in El Paso, Texas in February President Donald Trump's son Donald Jr was subpoenaed Wednesday to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of its probe into Russian election meddling, US media reported. 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, and comes after Special Counsel Robert Mueller declined to accuse Trump's 2016 campaign of criminal conspiracy to collude with the Russians. The surprise subpoena was issued by a Republican-led committee, opening a new source of strain between the Congress and a White House battling the legislature's pressure on multiple points. It came one day after Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared "case closed" for the Russia investigation. Donald Jr., 41, has 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. He was also quizzed about direct communications he had with Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, which leaked damaging documents and communications stolen by Russians from Clinton's campaign. Committee sources would not confirm the subpoena or what they want to discuss with the president's eldest son, who currently helps run the Trump Organization, the family's real estate empire, and helps his father re-election campaign. Citing a person close to Donald Jr., the Wall Street Journal said he had offered to answer questions in writing from the committee, and planned to fight the subpoena which demands that he testify in person. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says Americans "deserve to know" the prices of healthcare The United States will soon require pharmaceutical companies to disclose the price of their drugs during television commercials, a measure which President Donald Trump on Wednesday welcomed as "historic transparency." It is part of a US government policy to fight the high price of prescription drugs, which often exceeds those in neighboring Canada and Mexico. The price will have to be displayed at the end of the ads, in the same manner as side effects which already must be mentioned. United States television prominently features ads for medicines -- and not just common cold and similar remedies but treatments for complex conditions. The requirement will take effect in 60 days. It covers drugs priced at least $35 for a normal treatment or a month's supply. "American patients deserve to know the prices of the healthcare they receive," said Alex Azar, the Health and Human Services Secretary. The 10 most viewed drugs on television cost between $488 and $16,938 a month, according to the government. About half of Americans have health insurance with a high deductible which can reach thousands of dollars a year, in many cases more than $5,000 or $6,000 anually. This means they usually have to pay the full displayed drug price until they have spent the their annual deductible amount. Those with better coverage pay a fraction of the list price, and the situation can vary enormously from one person to another. On Twitter, Trump hailed the "big announcement." "Drug companies have to come clean about their prices in TV ads," he said. "If drug companies are ashamed of those prices-lower them!" Trump has vowed that his Republicans will become "the party of great healthcare." He is seeking to dismantle "Obamacare," the Affordable Care Act which brought healthcare coverage for millions more Americans when it took effect under then president Barack Obama. The Three Mile Island nuclear plant is to shut down by September 30, 2019 The Three Mile Island nuclear plant, site 40 years ago of the worst ever US nuclear accident, is to shut down in September, its owner announced on Wednesday. Exelon Generation had been seeking subsidies from Pennsylvania lawmakers to keep the money-losing facility open, but the company said that would apparently not happen in time. "We don't see a path forward for policy changes before the June 1 fuel purchasing deadline for TMI," Kathleen Barron, an Exelon senior vice president, said in a statement. Exelon said Three Mile Island Generating Station Unit 1, located in Middletown, Pennsylvania, will shut down by September 30. The energy company had warned two years ago that it may be forced to shut the plant down in the absence of assistance from the state legislature. Three Mile Island had a license to continue operations until 2034. "Today is a difficult day for our employees, who were hopeful that state policymakers would support valuing carbon-free nuclear energy the same way they value other forms of clean energy," said Bryan Hanson, another Exelon senior vice president. Nuclear facilities have been under pressure for years from competition from electricity generated from other cheaper sources such as natural gas. The March 28, 1979 partial meltdown at Three Mile Island remains the worst nuclear accident in US history although it pales in comparison to the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima in 1989 and 2011 respectively. The meltdown registered a five on the International Nuclear Event Scale that peaks at seven, the rate given to the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters No one died at Three Mile Island and no one was seriously injured but the accident sparked nationwide concern about the safety of nuclear power and put the brakes on construction of new reactors. Rideshare drivers for Uber and Lyft protest at the LAX International Airport over what they say are unfair wages in Los Angeles Thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers turned off their apps in a US-wide strike Wednesday over pay and working conditions, casting a shadow over this week's keenly anticipated Wall Street debut of ride-hailing leader Uber. Uber is expected to launch its initial public offering (IPO) on Friday giving it an estimated valuation of some $80 billion, one of the biggest tech listings in recent years but rather lower than its earlier hopes of around $100 billion. The launch will be a major milestone for the company, which has raised billions and disrupted the taxi industry in cities around the world. It will also come in the rear-view mirror of a troubled market debut for Uber's largest US rival Lyft, which has lost more than 15 percent of its value since its March IPO. Strikes that took place Wednesday 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 shares, with some signs reading "Invest in our lives -- Not their stocks." The drivers' strikes have cast a shadow over the keenly anticipated Wall Street debut of ride-hailing leader Uber Similar actions took place in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington and in Uber's home town, San Francisco. Protests were held in Britain as well with drivers in London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Glasgow called on to log off apps and demonstrate outside Uber offices, according to the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain. 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 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." - Lyft shares skid - Uber's inauguration as a public company will follow a rocky market debut for Lyft. Lyft's losses in the past quarter widened to $1.1 billion, according to its first financial report as a public company. Members of the Independent Drivers Guild rallied at Uber and Lyft headquarters in New York as part of a protest to press demands for better pay and working conditions for the independent contractors 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. Lyft shares finished the formal trading day Wednesday down 10.8 percent to $52.91. Uber last month pulled back on its ambitious valuation target, while still pricing its share offering in a range that would make it one of the largest tech market debuts in recent years. The ride-hailing firm said in a securities filing it would sell 207 million shares in a range of $44 to $50 dollars. According to a source close to the matter, Uber hopes to price its shares in the middle of that range and raise about $8 billion in fresh funding. At $47 a share, Uber would be worth just over $80 billion, taking into account stock options. The company is expected to announce pricing Thursday night. But the target -- still subject to change -- fell below earlier ambitions of a valuation of more than $100 billion for the firm operating in some 700 cities around the world. Uber will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "UBER" sometime next month. "We continue to view Lyft as a one-trick pony domestic ride sharing player and 'little brother' to Uber," Wedbush Securities equity research managing director Daniel Ives said Thursday in a note to investors. Uber is "paving a similar road" to what Amazon did to e-commerce and Facebook did for social media, he contended, expressing confidence in the company. - Amazon of transport - 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, ride share or e-scooter at the arriving station 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 lets drivers make money delivering meals ordered from restaurants. Les parents de Riley Howell lors des funerailles de leur fils, qui est mort en luttant contre un tireur sur le cmapus de son universite a Charlotte. With no end in sight to the mass shootings that have traumatized the country in recent decades, Americans are now finding hope in the actions of "heroes" who have sacrificed their lives to save others amidst hails of bullets. Kendrick Castillo became the latest example of this bravery after the 18-year-old confronted one of the gunmen who attacked his school outside Denver on Tuesday. It cost him his life, but allowed other students time to hide under their desks or flee the shooting that also wounded eight people, classmate Nui Giasolli said in an interview Wednesday on NBC television. "They were very heroic. I can't thank them enough," Giasolli said of Castillo and the three students who joined him in battling the unidentified attacker, one of two police say stormed the school. The US Marine Corps also spoke up in praise of Brendan Bialy, who was set to join the force this summer and was among the trio who confronted the gunman. "Brendans courage and commitment to swiftly ending this tragic incident at the risk of his own safety is admirable and inspiring," the corp's local recruiting district said. Less forthcoming were solutions to the mass shootings that have seen gun-wielding assailants kill people in schools, offices and public places across the United States in recent decades. The frequency of the killings has prompted police forces nationwide to encourage people caught in the shootings to "run, hide, fight," said political scientist Robert Spitzer. "The spread of these heroic stories, including the fact that people who intercede are often successful in stopping a shooter even though they are not themselves armed has encouraged more people to act," Spitzer told AFP. And in a country where repeated administrations have failed to stop the violence, "it has encouraged not just action but the hope that doing so might matter." - Unstoppable - A week before the shooting outside Denver, public attention focused on Riley Howell, a 21-year-old environmental studies major who charged a gunman that opened fire on his university campus in Charlotte, North Carolina. Howell's attack took the shooter "off his feet," local police chief Kerr Putney said, and gave officers time to intervene and end the tragedy. But it also made Howell, shot three times, one of two victims of the killings. "(He) did exactly what we trained people to do," Putney said after the shooting. "You're either going to run, hide and shield or you're going to take the fight to the assailant." Gregg Carter, a sociology professor at Bryant University, said police have also grown confrontational amid the proliferation of shootings. "Law enforcement tactics have changed from a slow `wait and see stance... to a `move in quickly but alertly approach since then," he said. As has become typical with American mass shootings, calls to regulate firearms more tightly followed the recent killings. "Lawmakers must stand up to the NRA so students can stop standing up to shooters," non-profit Everytown for Gun Safety tweeted after the Denver shooting, referring to the National Rifle Association. But such appeals have faltered in the face of resistance from elected officials, the strong attachment many American feels to their firearms, and the NRA's powerful lobbying. Shootings have remained commonplace in the US. According to the website Gun Violence Archives, 115 shootings have wounded more than four people in the country since the start of the year. - Politics - Amid the polarization, the NRA and other proponents of gun rights have argued that better armed citizens play an important role in stopping mass shootings. Armed with an AR-15 rifle, 55-year-old Stephen Willeford pursued a former soldier who had killed 25 people, including a pregnant woman, during Sunday mass at a Texas church in late 2017. Willeford succeeded in wounding the gunman before police moved in. President Donald Trump hailed his actions, saying if the "very brave" Willeford had not been armed, "instead of having 26 dead, you would have had hundreds more dead," he said using a toll that included the dead woman's unborn child. Willeford and Trump met at the NRA's annual convention last month, during which the Republican president said lives could have been saved if concert attendees at the Bataclan theater in Paris were armed during a 2015 jihadist attack that killed 90 people. Boeing's global fleet of 737 MAX planes has been grounded since mid-March following two deadly crashes No amount of public relations spin can repair the reputational hit from two deadly plane crashes. But Boeing may have further damaged itself with muddled communications that downplayed its responsibility in the disasters. Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg has insisted there was "no surprise or gap" in the design of the top-selling 737 MAX aircraft, even as the company works to correct issues and persuade regulators that a software update should be enough clear the planes to fly again. The plane has been grounded worldwide since the March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight plunged the company into crisis mode. It came on the heels of an October crash of a Lion Air flight in Indonesia, two accidents that claimed 346 lives. "We own it," Muilenburg has said of the crisis. But some aviation and public relations experts said the Boeing CEO has tried to walk back that buck-stops-here sentiment by blaming the crashes on a "chain of events" with "no singular" cause. "You can't follow one consistent train of thought on anything that's come out of Chicago," Jim Hall, former head of the National Transportation Safety Board, said of Boeing's leadership. "I don't think they've been credible or responsible in the information they've provided," he said in an interview. "They certainly haven't been transparent." And aviation expert Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group said Boeing has been "a little bit more defensive than they need to be." "They really need to stick with taking ownership." But Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the company was restricted in how much it can divulge because of international protocol on crash investigations. "As we've learned additional information, it's incumbent on us to be as transparent as possible," he said. "We know we have work to do to restore the trust of pilots and crews, international regulators and the traveling public." - Shifting blame? - Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg has been criticized for his handling of the Boeing 737 MAX crisis A common link in both accidents was the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS, an automated flight handling program on the MAX that pointed the plane sharply downward based on a faulty sensor reading, hindering pilot control after takeoff, according to preliminary investigations. Boeing has been working on what it calls a "software update" to the MCAS, which Muilenburg said will "break" a "common link" in both accidents. Dennis Tajer, a pilot and spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, said he has been encouraged by Boeing's drafts of the revamped system, which will ensure the MCAS is linked to two sensors instead of one and will no longer point full-nose down. But he criticized Muilenburg's statement that the crashes resulted from a "chain of events." "They were good when they said 'We own this,'" Tajer said. "When you say it's a chain of events, that's like a dog-whistle to us to blame the pilots." Scott Hamilton, founder of Leeham Company, an aviation consultancy, also took issue with Boeing's characterizing of the MCAS problems. "Using Boeing speak this is not a 'fix', this is an upgrade to make the system more robust," he said. - Liability fears - "They won't even acknowledge that this is a fix. And they certainly won't acknowledge this was a design flaw" due to worries about liability and criminal probes stemming from the accidents. Paul Njoroge, who lost his entire immediate family, at a press conference in Chicago, last month after his lawyers announced a lawsuit on behalf of the families of 10 Canadians who were killed in the tragic crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Max8 aircraft Hamilton said the company was further damaged by a "drip drip" of news stories that have painted a confusing picture about how the MCAS was supposed to work, why Boeing didn't respond earlier to signs of problems, and what it told customers and regulators, as well as concerns over a cozy relationship with aviation regulators. But Scott Farrell, leader of the brand reputation group at Golin, a public relations firm, said Boeing was facing a "classic tug of war between managing a crisis with an eye on the court of law versus the court of public opinion," he said. Boeing has "swung too far to the court of law approach." US airlines have said they expect to return the 737 MAX to service over the summer. Yet carriers may face difficulties with public confidence even after regulators clear it to fly again. Nearly half of 1,700 fliers questioned in a recent survey said they would wait a year after the 737 MAX's return to fly the plane, according to Barclays. Barclays downgraded Boeing and conducted the survey because it suspected public apprehension about the planes "could be worse this time than following past incidents given social media and fliers' ability to know the aircraft type in advance of booking." Signs with the US and Chinese flags are displayed in Qingdao free trade port area of Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province, ahead of UE President Donald Trump's plan to raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods President Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted that the tariffs he has imposed on trading partners are a financial windfall for the US treasury, but research shows it is Americans that bear the brunt of the impact. Trump plans to ratchet up tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent on Friday, and said the US will be fine without a trade deal since it is raking in the proceed from the tariffs. But that announcement worries businesses and farmers, and has shaken up investors worldwide. "Tariffs are taxes paid by American businesses and consumers, not by China," said David French, senior vice president of the National Retail Federation. "A sudden tariff increase with less than a week's notice would severely disrupt US businesses, especially small companies that have limited resources to mitigate the impact," French said. According to Trump the duties have brought in an additional $100 billion a year paid by China and other countries, but in fact the taxes are paid by the importers, and ultimately passed on at least partially to consumers. US and Chinese trade officials are set to hold crucial negotiations Thursday and Friday in Washington, under the threat of the new tariffs. And while industry and retailers support the Trump administration's desire to change China's behavior and open access to the massive market, they worry the tactics will begin to cut into their sales as consumers feel the pinch. "We want President Trump to successfully reach a deal with China that puts a check on anti-competitive behavior," said Hun Quach, vice president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association. But he said the middle class will end up paying more for everyday consumer goods. - Jobs threatened, expenses up - Beijing has already committed to buying more US soybeans, which are used to feed pigs, as well as products from the energy sector, but it would take a major increase in imports to reduce the deficit with the United States The Trade Partnership, a private research firm, calculated that increasing existing duties to 25 percent will raise annual expenses for a family of four by $767 and threaten nearly one million jobs Trade with China supports seven million jobs in the United States, out of 39 million US jobs related to international trade. The conflict between the economic powers has engulfed $360 billion in two-way trade. Trump began the tariff war last year because of complaints over unfair Chinese trade practices. Customs duties affect many intermediate products such as steel, leather, rubber and plastics, as well as finished products from household appliances, to televisions and furniture. A recent study by the New York Federal Reserve Bank shows that taxes imposed since March 2018 on steel and aluminum, and in July on Chinese goods, boosted the consumer price index by 0.3 percentage points last year. Research released last month by the University of Chicago and the New York Fed estimated that tariffs imposed on imported washing machines cost American consumers an additional $1.5 billion a year, raising the price of a washing machine by $86 and a dryer by $92. "We want to see meaningful changes in China's trade practices, but it makes no sense to punish Americans as a negotiating tactic," French of the NRF complained in a statement. "If the administration wants to put more pressure on China, it should form a multinational coalition with our allies who share our concerns." On Wednesday, official data from China showed a drop in exports in April, but Beijing's surplus with the United States remained stable despite the tariffs. US-China trade China has retaliated with steep tariffs on US agricultural imports, especially soy beans, although the Trump administration paid $12 billion in compensation to help hurting US farmers. Several Republican politicians from states that voted for Trump said farmers were "losing patience," in the words of Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, 36, was sentenced to death in January after a court in Dalian deemed his previous 15-year prison sentence too lenient 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. Sentenced to death in China But following an appeal, the high court in Liaoning ruled in December that the sentence was too lenient given the severity of his crimes. 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. The Schellenberg case has deepened a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Ottawa 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. Camp Bucca was a sprawling US-run complex in the southern Iraqi desert As Iraq tries thousands of locals and foreigners accused of joining the Islamic State group, experts warn its jails could once again become "academies" for jihadists. Prison was a pivotal moment for many prominent jihadists -- not least of them Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, IS's Iraqi supremo who remains at large despite the collapse of his "caliphate" in March. Baghdadi was held in Camp Bucca, a sprawling US-run complex in the southern Iraqi desert, where he is thought to have essentially "come of age" as a jihadist leader. "For many members of such groups, prison was one of multiple 'stages' of jihad," said Hisham al-Hashemi, an expert in Iraqi jihadist movements. 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 AFP. Iraq has already condemned hundreds of its own nationals as well as scores of foreigners to life in prison for joining IS. It has begun trial proceedings for another 900 Iraqis recently repatriated from neighbouring Syria and has offered to try foreigners stuck in legal limbo there, too. - 'Breeding grounds' - But its prison system is the subject of fierce criticism. Prison was a pivotal moment for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State group 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, a source working in the jails told AFP, and prisoners are often caught smuggling phones or passing on information during family visits, especially to their wives. Those arrested for petty crimes are often held with hardened jihadists, which has facilitated recruitment in the past, said security analyst Fadel Abu Raghif. "Most of those detained were Islamic jurists and thinkers. They're able to argue, provide evidence, brainwash and persuade people," he told AFP. Those recruited in jail are typically not religiously orthodox to begin with, but have instead been drawn by "rhetoric playing on a narrative of oppression", Abu Raghif added. In the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's toppling by US-led forces in 2003, insurgent groups seized on the feeling of marginalisation among the country's Sunnis as fodder for recruitment. More than fifteen years later, observers fear that same perception of persecution is back. Iraq is in the process of trying thousands of locals and foreigners accused of joining the Islamic State group The Soufan Center, a New York-based think tank, said Iraq "suppressed, but never actually addressed" the grievances of its Sunni communities. The deployment of the mostly-Shiite Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary units in Sunni-majority areas recaptured from IS "has fuelled sectarian resentment among local populations", the Center wrote this month. That anger could pave the way for a repeat of the mid-2000s: "As happened before with Camp Bucca, these detention centres are becoming breeding grounds for radicalisation." - No repeat of Bucca - Iraq's government has declined to provide figures on detention centres or prisoners, including how many are facing terrorism-related charges, although some studies estimate 20,000 are being held for purported IS links. Iraq does not want a repeat of the radicalisation which happened at Camp Bucca, Belkis Wille of Human Rights Watch said Some facilities have shut down in recent years, including the Abu Ghraib complex that became infamous for prisoner abuse during the US-led occupation. Others were rocked by riots and prison breaks that allowed detainees accused of "terrorism" to escape. Now, with more repatriated fighters expected to arrive in the coming months, observers fear an already-strained system will be flooded. "The prisons that are being used definitely are insufficient in capacity to hold potentially, thousands of extra people that will be transferred," warned Belkis Wille of Human Rights Watch. HRW has called on the international community to help Iraq improve its judicial processes and revamp its jails -- but Iraq, Wille said, may have something else in mind. "The authorities are very conscious, and do not want something like Abu Ghraib or Bucca to happen again," she told AFP. "It is a part of the reason why so many of the suspects are getting the death penalty or life (in) prison. I think the intention is that these people would not come out of prison, so you would not have the same dynamic." The EU summit venue is Sibiu, a former European capital of culture European leaders are meeting in Romania on Thursday to start the race for the top jobs in Brussels and sketch a future without Britain, as the fate of the Iran nuclear deal teeters in the balance. Just two weeks before European Parliament elections that could usher in a new wave of populists to haunt EU decision-making, the 27 national leaders will meet in the Transylvanian city of Sibiu. But the future of the 2015 Iran deal -- a high water mark for EU diplomacy -- will loom over the gathering, after Tehran said it would no longer respect limits on its nuclear activities. The move came a year after the US pulled out of the accord and reimposed sanctions and leaves the EU -- which has fought tooth and nail to save the deal -- in a difficult position. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May won't travel to Romania for the EU summit For now the EU is not expected to respond to Tehran's announcements but await the next report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has up to now certified 14 times that Iran is abiding by its commitments. The 28th head of government, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, will be absent as the others discuss a five-year strategy to reinvigorate the union and argue over who should lead it. Senior Brussels officials acknowledge there is a sense of relief that at least Britain's tortuous exit from the bloc will not dominate their discussions. "If they stay, they stay. If they go, they go," shrugged Jean-Claude Juncker, who is due to leave his post as president of the European Commission before the end of the year once his successor is chosen. A senior European official involved in drawing up the Sibiu agenda agreed, telling reporters: "This is a Brexit free summit and everybody is relieved." President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker is due to leave his post before the end of the year The meeting will seek to agree a "Sibiu Declaration" -- a short document with 10 overarching commitments to reform in various areas, known tongue-in-cheek by some Brussels diplomats as the "10 Commandments" for the next EU Commission. There will also be an outline "strategic agenda", prepared by EU Council president and summit host Donald Tusk, which will be discussed in more detail so that the leaders can ratify the plan at their June summit. "This is quite a challenge to agree, two weeks before the EP elections," the official admitted, noting that the leaders also represent the warring conservative, socialist, liberal and populist camps vying for seats in the European Parliament later this month. - Competing priorities - Many of the leaders have their own priorities. France's President Emmanuel Macron is pushing an ambitious environmental agenda, while Hungary's Viktor Orban is feuding with his colleagues over immigration. French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing an ambitious environmental agenda The other main issue on the table, and which has gripped discussions in the Brussels corridors of power, is the five-yearly renewal of the top EU jobs. Immediately after the May 23-26 parliamentary elections, leaders will begin haggling over who gets to lead the European Commission, the bloc's executive, and the European Council, which represents national leaders. They will also have a eye on the presidency of the European Central Bank and plum Brussels roles such as that of High Representative for foreign policy. Five years ago, it took three months and three summits to dole out the jobs in an opaque diplomatic process, and Tusk hopes to accelerate matters this time by laying down the ground rules in Sibiu on Thursday. Juncker's replacement at the commission will be the most difficult to agree, amid a tug of war between the Brussels institutions and member states over the candidacy process. Political groups in the European Parliament have chosen so-called "spitzenkandidats", or lead candidates, to head their campaigns and many want the eventual head of the biggest faction that emerge from the poll to get the top job. The EU Treaty, however, states that member state leaders must agree on a candidate -- after appropriate consultations -- and that only afterwards will he or she be approved by the incoming parliament. It is now widely expected that Tusk will announce on Thursday in Sibiu a plan to hold an extraordinary EU summit on May 28, two days after the elections, to start the process of deciding on a candidate. An EU official told AFP in Brussels that they expect some leaders, such as Macron, to use this meeting to try to "kill the spitzenkandidat" and take charge of the process. The party that wins the most seats in parliament selects South Africa's president, who will be sworn in on May 25 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling ANC will retain its parliamentary majority after polls but with diminished support, complicating efforts to revive the embattled party and the country's flagging economy, results showed Thursday. The African National Congress (ANC), in power since 1994, surged into the lead with nearly 57 percent after more than half the voting districts were officially tallied following Wednesday's vote. Ramaphosa, 66, took over last year after the party forced then-president Jacob Zuma to resign after nine years dominated by corruption allegations and economic problems. Results released by the Electoral Commission (IEC) showed the ANC's closest rival, the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) trailing with a distant 23 percent. The Economic Freedom Fighters, founded six years ago by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, was in third place with almost 10 percent. Final results are expected to be officially certified on Saturday. A new projection by South Africa's respected Council for Scientific and Industrial Research forecast the ANC would win with 57 percent -- a five percentage point drop from the last election in 2014. - ANC guarded about results - Jessie Duarte, the ANC deputy secretary-general, said the partial results were neither a "disappointment" nor a "surprise". "What I think is important to recognise is the deepening of our democracy," she said at the IEC in Pretoria. The party that wins the most seats in parliament selects the country's president, who will be sworn in on May 25. "This is an election that will really offer the ANC a last chance to kickstart economic growth," said analyst Daniel Silke. "The pressure is really on Ramaphosa in the next five years." Ramaphosa has so far faced resistance to his reform agenda, especially from Zuma's allies who still occupy several high-ranking positions in the party and government. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa greeted voters before casting his ballot at a primary school in Soweto After casting his ballot on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the election was "heralding a new dawn... a period of renewal, a period of hope". The ANC's reputation was badly sullied under Zuma. Its support has fallen in every election since 2004 with the party taking 54 percent in 2016 municipal elections, compared with 62 percent in 2014's national vote. Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela and the ANC were swept to power with a landslide in the country's first multi-racial polls that marked the end of white minority rule in 1994. Most opinion surveys before the vote had suggested the ANC would secure nearly 60 percent of the vote because of Ramaphosa's appeal and a fractured opposition. Most opinion surveys suggest the ANC will secure nearly 60 percent of the Wednesday's vote Forty-eight parties contested the elections -- a record number. The conservative and predominantly white Freedom Front Plus party, founded in 1994 during the negotiations to end apartheid, was performing strongly as the fourth biggest party in the vote. - 'The poor are getting poorer' - The ANC has been confronted by deepening public anger over its failure to tackle poverty and inequality in the post-apartheid era. "We have given them 25 years but the poor are getting poorer and the rich richer," said voter Anmareth Preece, 28, a teacher. "We need a government that governs for the people, not for themselves." South Africa: still battling inequality The economy grew just 0.8 percent in 2018 and unemployment hovers around 27 percent -- soaring to over 50 percent among young people. The main opposition DA is hoping to shed its image as a white, middle-class party with its first black leader, Mmusi Maimane, contesting his first general election since taking the helm in 2015. "Black South Africans have voted for the DA, white South Africans have voted for the DA. I'm quite content with where we are at the moment as a party," he told reporters at the results centre. Malema's EFF is predicted to make major gains, growing from 6.3 percent to a forecast 11 percent. "We got into the race for significant change," said EFF secretary general Godrich Gardee. Mandla Booi, 45, a voter in Port Elizabeth on the south coast, said "the ANC has taken people for granted". "There is some arrogance which has crept in." About 26.8 million voters were registered to cast their ballots but only an estimated 65 percent did so. The world will be keeping a close watch on Chinese Vice Premier Liu He's talks in Washington, which come days after Donald Trump said he would more than double tariffs on Chinese imports With the eyes of the world on Washington for this week's high-stakes trade talks between China and the United States, none will be more focused than those of Chinese exporters who are increasingly worried about the impact of more tariffs. Companies shipping a range of products from seafood to furniture are among those in the firing line as the economic superpowers try to resolve a trade war that has seen both sides impose levies on hundreds of billions worth of goods. Donald Trump at the weekend raised the pressure on Beijing, saying he would more than double punitive tariffs on $200 billion of imports Friday when China's top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, is in Washington for the two-day meeting. Firms making their wares in China are already hurting under US punitive duties imposed last year and insiders at several of them told AFP that Trump's latest measures would force them to relocate production and lay off staff. "We're waiting for the results of the negotiation. If Trump wants to do anything we can't stop him," said an employee at Tongwei Hainan Aquatic Products, which specialises in tilapia and ships most of its product to the US. "Last year the customer couldn't accept higher prices so our factory needed to lower the price to stay in business," the employee said, adding some smaller competitors had shut up shop. Easy to farm, tilapia is known as "aquatic chicken" in the seafood industry and the cheap fillets that come frozen from China pile up on American dinner tables. Last year 84 percent of US frozen tilapia imports, worth $435 million, came from China, according to US data. But Trump's 10 percent tariffs have hampered sales this year, with American imports of the fish roughly halved in January and down in February. - Sharing the burden - "After the latest tariff news, our customers have suspended shipments and there haven't been any new orders," said Emily Wang of Hainan Zhongyi Frozen Food, which also specialises in tilapia. Ninety percent of the 300-person company's seafood exports go to the US, she said, and shipments leaving this week would not be able to beat Friday's tariff hike. "The whole industry is like this, customers are waiting and watching, suspending orders, holding off on new orders, and suspending shipments," she said. The downturn is broader than just tilapia. US-China trade China's goods shipments to the US fell 10 percent on-year in the first four months of the year, according to customs data released Wednesday. Business slipped at China's largest trade show, the three-week Canton Fair, which wrapped up on Sunday. The number of international buyers fell about four percent from last year's fair, organisers said, and export orders fell one percent. In the US the prices of imports from China have fallen since September, when Washington imposed the 10 percent tariffs, according to research from trade data firm Panjiva. "Our intuition is that Chinese exporters have in some instances lowered the price at which they sell to US buyers in order to share the burden of the tariff," said Christopher Rogers, an analyst at Panjiva. "It would not be a surprise to see more of the same if tariffs are increased to 25 percent on the $200 billion of products," he said. Sun, a manager at a large wood door manufacturer in northeast China that ships the vast majority of its product across the Pacific, said his factory had done just that, splitting the cost of the tariffs 50:50 with their American buyers. - 'Great uncertainties' - But the factory won't be able to share the burden if duties are hiked to 25 percent, Sun said. "If we lower prices any more we won't have any profit," he said. "Our orders will fall but we won't go bankrupt. We will have to retrench but we still have some customers in other countries like Japan and France. We will definitely have to lay off people. We wouldn't need that many workers." After Trump's initial tariffs hit, the door company rented space for a second factory in Indonesia, with production slated to start there later this year, Sun said. Shifting US-bound production outside of China has been a common tactic for Chinese and American firms this year as the long-running trade fight has festered. US-based Brooks Running Company said Wednesday that it is moving some shoe production to Vietnam from China because of the uncertainty of an additional 25 percent tariff, shifting about 8,000 jobs. Markor Furnishings of Urumqi told securities regulators Monday that it had bought a US sofa manufacturer and a Vietnamese wood furniture maker last year to dodge Trump's tariffs. "The unending relapses in China-US trade frictions have brought great uncertainties to our company's international development and exports," the firm said. For now many companies in China producing everything from textiles to shoes to chemicals to tilapia are left waiting for the results of this week's negotiations. "If the tariffs go up to 25 percent, costs will go up, customers so far have suspended orders, I don't know what will happen," said Wang of Hainan Zhongyi. Iran's Supreme National Security Council sent a letter to the nuclear deal's signatories saying it had decided to suspend commitments it made under the deal if no progress was made on its economy The Iran nuclear deal requires that its partners take action to boost the country's economy, but European companies remain fearful of exposing themselves to US sanctions, experts told AFP. Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday sent a letter to the deal's other signatories, saying it had decided to suspend commitments it made under the deal, some immediately and some after 60 days, if no progress was made on its economy. Leaders of China, France, Germany, Britain and Russia all received a letter, but it is of particular relevance to the European countries who have so far proved unable to deliver the promised economic advantages. The main reason is the reluctance of private companies on the continent to do business in Iran. They fear the "so-called US secondary sanctions," lawyer Anahita Thoms told AFP, referring to US penalties that apply to any non-US organisation that engages in certain parts of the Iranian economy. They also face "practical challenges, such as finding a bank, a transporting company or an insurer," added the German-based expert in sanctions law. The banking issue is particularly sensitive, with major European lenders wary of running into problems with US authorities. In April alone, Italian bank UniCredit and British lender Standard Chartered were each fined more than $1 billion for violating US sanctions against Iran and other countries. - Trade 'impossible' - The situation has become more difficult since last year, when the US ramped up measures against Iran's oil industry and key sectors including shipping and aviation, coupled with a blockage in processing financial transactions. "The Iranian financial system has been subject to secondary sanctions since November 2018, which apply to all banking institutions, not just American ones, even if the transactions are in euros or other currencies," said Olivier Dorgans, a sanctions lawyer at Hughes Hubbard & Reed. "These secondary sanctions make it impossible for European institutions to trade, even if they have no banking links with the United States," added the French-based lawyer. The so-called Instex's trading system was set up by Paris, Berlin and London at the end of January to facilitate transactions between Iran and the EU in products not covered by the secondary sanctions, matching Iranian oil and gas exports with EU goods. But Instex does not have a banking licence and must therefore rely on banks to channel the funds -- a service European banks are wary of providing. "It seems very unlikely that the EU will be able to do anything concrete at this stage which would give sufficient comfort to encourage more European businesses to engage in Iran," warned Michael Lyons, a London-based lawyer at Clifford Chance. "Particularly now in circumstances where there is a prospect of the deal falling apart altogether and the sanctions environment tightening," he added. French army minister Florence Parly did not rule out the possibility of the EU imposing sanctions against Iran, while in London, foreign minister Jeremy Hunt spoke of "consequences" if Tehran ceased to respect its nuclear commitments. Observers say the unexpected release of the two Reuters reporters was timed to save face for Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months. Observers say the unexpected release of the two Reuters reporters was a political decision timed to save face for the country's civilian leader, after a vigorous international campaign that saw Amal Clooney join their legal team, Time magazine put the pair on their cover, and journalism awards and honours pile up -- including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. A presidential pardon freed Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, from prison on Tuesday to a media frenzy and messages of congratulations from the White House to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The pair spent more than 500 days behind bars under colonial-era state secrets convictions after probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Global attention on the reporters and the damage already done to the country's reputation were "potentially costly" to the government, said independent analyst Richard Horsey. Aung Sang Suu Kyi and the Rohingya Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi -- already seen as a pariah by many for perceived complicity in the Rohingya's plight -- provoked outcry when she refused to intervene, insisting "rule of law" must be followed. The abrupt decision to release the pair this week was made because Myanmar's leaders had "taken into consideration the long-term interest of (the) country", said government spokesman Zaw Htay. Retired Thai diplomat Kobsak Chutikul, who has worked in an advisory capacity to Suu Kyi's government, told AFP that senior officials had all known a pardon must be granted at some point but "nobody felt they could bring this up with her". Political timing was also a factor, observers say. Myanmar is due to go to the polls next year and this was a chance to "get it out of the way" beforehand rather than risk overshadowing the vote, Kobsak said. - 'Albatross round their necks' - Behind the international condemnation, backroom diplomacy appears to have played a key role in convincing Suu Kyi to pardon the reporters. One man waiting among the crowds outside the gates of Yangon's notorious Insein Prison was British health expert Lord Ara Darzi, whose name barely came up during regular media coverage of the saga. A close confidant of Suu Kyi, he has regularly visited the country over the past two years in an advisory role on a Rakhine state commission. Aung San Suu Kyi provoked outcry when she refused to intervene in the reporters' case But he has known the leader for years, and hosted her in London after her release from house arrest. "From what I hear, he finally found the opportunity to convince Suu Kyi this was an albatross hanging round their necks," said Kobsak, who served alongside Darzi on another Myanmar government commission. The discussion would have taken place "behind the scenes, in quiet conversations in her house", he added. Darzi later hinted about his role to reporters at a press conference following the journalists' release. "The lesson is simple: dialogue works even in the most difficult of circumstances," he said. Presidential pardons are traditionally granted around the Myanmar new year in April. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed in the third amnesty in just over a week that saw a total of 23,000 prisoners released. The pair were handed a seven-year jail sentence last September, upheld first by Yangon's High Court and then the country's Supreme Court last month. Reuters maintained the duo were imprisoned in retaliation for their expose, while legal experts argued the case was riddled with irregularities. With the judicial process having run its course all the way to Myanmar's top court, Suu Kyi "may have been convinced the twisted passage of justice had been served," Yangon-based analyst David Mathieson said, calling her change of heart a "political calculation". Despite the release, observers warn against reading too much into prospects for greater press freedom in the beleaguered democracy, which began a troubled transition from military rule in 2010. "The pardon will not change the conditions that journalists (in Myanmar) are facing," said activist Cheery Zahau. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is on the campaign trail to rally support for his candidates in midterm polls Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's unpredictable speeches frequently contain bombshell pronouncements, but the surprise this time came in the form of a cockroach ambling along the leader's shoulder. The bug popped up on Duterte as he was extolling the virtues of the candidates he has endorsed in next week's midterm polls at a campaign rally late Wednesday. An aide tried and failed to scrape the critter away with some papers, but Duterte brushed it aside as the government broadcast cut to a smiling but bemused audience in the central city of Bohol. Duterte, who was nearing the end of his roughly 90-minute address, joked that the insect belongs to the opposition party. The leader's critics quickly took to Twitter to mock his close encounter with the roach, which is more frequently seen scurrying over refuse. "The cockroach must have realized that duterte is the trashiest trash it has ever seen," wrote @andy_crush. "And I never thought I would say this but GOOD JOB EXPOSING THAT TRASH, DEAR COCKROACH," @keeyaaraaa posted. Duterte is on the campaign trail to rally support for his candidates in next week's midterm polls, in which some 18,000 seats ranging from local councils to the upper house Senate are up for grabs. French President Emmanuel Macron, right, spoke with relatives of the two slain soldiers ahead of an honour ceremony at the Invalides in Paris on Tuesday A grieving France paid its respects Tuesday to two commandos killed during a raid to rescue four hostages in the Sahel region of Africa last week, under the shadow of a row over risks taken by two of those freed. French special forces Cedric de Pierrepont, 33, and Alain Bertoncello, 28, who died in the operation in Burkina Faso, were honoured with a ceremony at the Invalides military complex in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. Crowds joined soldiers, firefighters and veterans in lining the bridge leading up to the imposing 17th-century landmark as the motorcade carrying their coffins made its solemn procession through a sun-lit Paris. "France is a country that does not abandon its children, no matter the circumstances," a visibly emotional Macron said in his speech during a 45-minute ceremony attended by tearful family members and masked fellow special forces. Relatives of French soldiers Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, who were killed in a raid to free hostages in Burkina Faso last week, at the Invalides in Paris on Tuesday "Those who attack French citizens should know that our country will never give way and that they will always encounter our army, our elite troops and our allies," he added. Meanwhile, Benin opened a probe into the kidnappings, prosecutors said. - 'Warning to tourists' - The raid last week freed French hostages Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, who were seized on May 1 while on a safari trip in a nature park in Benin near the border with Burkina Faso. A US citizen and South Korean tourist -- both women whose presence was a total surprise to the French forces -- were also sprung from captivity in the overnight Thursday operation. The kidnapping has shone a spotlight on rising instability in the vast Sahel region lying south of the Sahara desert, where Islamist groups aligned to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS) have been gathering in strength. Along with an outpouring of grief in France over the sacrifice of the two soldiers, there has been criticism of the French tourists who were visiting an area subject to a travel warning by the foreign ministry. The funeral cortege of Cedric de Pierrepont (L) and Alain Bertoncello rolled over the Alexander III bridge in central Paris Leading French daily Le Figaro said in an editorial Monday that the freeing of the tourists had "left a bitter taste". "This tragic event should serve as a warning to our tourists. Our forces are in Africa for a hard and long war and not to pay the price of carelessness," it wrote. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reprimanded the freed men, aged 51 and 46, for taking "significant risks" by visiting an area that was considered a "red" no-go zone under travel advice issued by his ministry. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticised Macron meanwhile for meeting the tourists at the plane that brought them back. "The president shouldn't have gone to greet them almost as if they were heroes," Le Pen told the BFM news channel in a weekend interview. - 'Fulfilled their destiny' - French officials have argued that the raid came in a key window of opportunity as the hostage-takers were planning to transfer their victims to Islamist groups in Mali aligned to either Al-Qaeda or IS. French special forces free 4 hostages in Burkina Faso Lassimouillas admitted that he and Picque should have taken into account the foreign ministry advisories, in a statement read out as the men arrived back in France. But Macron insisted that the men's lives had not been sacrificed. "A life that is halted, even in full youth, is not a life that is lost," he said. "Someone who dies in combat, fulfilling their duty, has not just fulfilled their duty but their destiny." He decorated both men posthumously as members of the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest honour. France's special forces units were in attendance for their fallen brothers in arms on Tuesday, prompting warnings to broadcasters not to show any faces that could jeopardise their safety. The hostages were snatched, and their local guide killed, by an armed group while visiting the Pendjari National Park in Benin which borders Burkina Faso. The deaths were a reminder of the risks encountered in the region by French forces, who have been deployed in the Sahel since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. A total of 26 French soldiers have died in the deployment including de Pierrepont and Bertoncello. Policemen move barriers as federal agents open the door of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington occupied by activists supporting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on May 13, 2019 US police Monday launched a bid to evict Americans who have been occupying the Venezuelan embassy in Washington for weeks in protest against opposition leader Juan Guaido. The administration of President Donald Trump and some 50 other countries recognize Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate acting leader as he tries to force the departure of President Nicolas Maduro amid an acute economic meltdown. Police with flashlights approached the Washington embassy compound Monday night, removed chains attached to its gates by the pro-Maduro activists, and spoke briefly to those inside. The activists -- who are seeking to bar the entry of Guaido's representatives -- were "offered the chance to leave voluntarily," according to Rafael Alfonso, a member of Guaido's delegation in the US. Three left, and the estimated four who remain inside were given notice that they "have to leave the building," Alfonso told AFP. But the standoff continued as, after five minutes, the remaining activists returned to the second floor, where they raised their fists in a gesture of victory through the window. Police then left the gate and re-sealed it with tape. The activists "are defending international law, defending the Vienna Convention and they are worried about the cascade effect," said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, an attorney representing them with the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund. "That is a very dangerous path." A Venezuelan source who asked not to be named said police were now waiting for the right conditions to enter the building. Last week, electricity to the building was cut off. Around 100 Venezuelans waving the red, yellow and blue flag of their country sang the national anthem outside as the US activists peeked out from inside the four-story building. A protester raises her fist from the Venezuelan Embassy window in Washington Carmen Ruzza, a 46-year-old Venezuelan scholar from American University, said she had been visiting the embassy every day with coffee and donuts while a group of people surrounded the diplomatic compound to pressure the activists to leave. "This is a microcosm of the struggle we have in Venezuela," she said. Ruzza called the Maduro government a "criminal regime, a drug trafficking regime that kills, represses." For weeks, an unclear number of Americans belonging to a group calling itself the Embassy Protection Collective has been living in the embassy, with the consent of the Maduro government. The American squatters aim to block the entry of the Guaido delegation. The final Venezuelan diplomats who had been posted to Washington by the Maduro administration left the embassy last month. China imports almost four times less than it exports to the United States Beijing's latest retaliation against US tariff hikes -- an increase on $60 billion of US imports from June 1 -- could leave China running low on ammunition in the trade war. China imports almost four times less than it exports to the United States, and Beijing already levies punitive charges on almost all US goods arriving in China -- $110 billion out of an annual total of $120 billion. So if Beijing does up its tariffs to as high as 25 percent on a range of US products, including liquefied natural gas, chemicals, fruit, vegetables and seafood, it may limit its room for manoeuvre. Here AFP looks at some of China's options: - Tariff tussling? - "Tariffs are a self-inflicted wound. You are raising the import costs of your own producers," said Robert Lawrence, professor of trade and investment at Harvard University. However, in the middle of a trade war "economic considerations are secondary", he said, because "it is much more about posturing, bargaining and politics". "Can China be seen to be passively accepting these measures from the United States?" Cars and auto parts from the US face the prospect of a 25 percent hike in duties. Announced by Beijing in December, the measure was suspended at the beginning of the year but can be easily reactivated. The sector, crucial for the US economy, also represents an important electoral base for Donald Trump. - Devalue the yuan? - Trump regularly accuses the Chinese central bank of lowering its currency rate to support exporting firms, but is it an option? Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific chief economist for IHS Markit, says no. "It is not a realistic strategy for China to try to mitigate a 25 percent tariff by allowing further declines in the yuan," he told AFP. "A key priority for the Chinese government since 2015 has been to stabilise the exchange rate and prevent large capital outflows, in order to protect its foreign exchange reserves. "Therefore the Chinese government is unlikely to want any potentially destabilising decline in the yuan, which could trigger renewed large capital outflows." - Penalise businesses? - China could make life difficult for US companies in the country in the form of regulatory requirements or customs blockages. These measures "will get a lot of support in China, but will further undermine business confidence" abroad, said Jake Parker from the US-China Business Council. If Beijing went for that option, that would constitute an "escalation", according to Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). "If you do that, then you run the risk that the Trump administration decides to do a 'ZTE'," referring to when Washington last year banned all sales of electronic components to the Chinese telecoms giant, jeopardising its very existence. The White House accused the firm of violating embargoes against Iran and North Korea. Donald Trump finally agreed to reconsider the decision. - Call for a boycott? - The Chinese could be encouraged not to buy American flagship products, such as the iPhone. Amid frosty relations with Japan in 2012 or South Korea in 2017, boycott campaigns led to a 50 percent collapse in sales for both countries' car brands in one month. However, such a measure would also penalise the millions of Chinese employed by American companies and their local partners. - Snub Boeing? - China is key to Boeing, to whom it sells a quarter of its planes. The editor of the nationalist newspaper Global Times -- controlled by the Chinese government -- pondered the possibility that the country would reduce its Boeing orders, although the US aircraft manufacturer said it was "confident". At the end of March, Beijing nevertheless finalised a firm order for 300 aircraft from European giant Airbus when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited France. - Sell the debt? - China is the largest holder of US debt (about $1.2 trillion), but selling a big part of it would be risky because any destabilisation of the markets could undermine the value of Treasury bonds held by Beijing. Two Nigerian men have been extradited to Singapore from Malaysia to face charges related to an internet love scam Two Nigerian men believed to be members of an internet love scam syndicate were charged in Singapore on Tuesday with recruiting local women to collect money for them, police said. Such scams, where victims part with cash after a fraudster feigns romantic interest in them, are a growing concern in the city-state with police reporting 660 cases last year. The Nigerians -- identified in local news reports as Oladayo Opeyemi Awolola, 34, and Gbolahan Ayobami Awolola, 37 -- were arrested by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur last month and sent to Singapore on Monday. The men allegedly recruited two Singaporean women "as money mules to receive criminal proceeds linked to internet love scams in Singapore" between 2017 and 2018, according to a police statement. The women received Sg$85,700 ($63,000) during that period and turned the money over to syndicate members in Malaysia, police said. The Nigerians could be jailed for up to five years each and fined if convicted. It is the first time that suspects based overseas and involved in internet love scams have been arrested and sent to Singapore for prosecution, police said. Most of the internet love scams reported last year in the city-state involved fraudsters claiming to have sent parcels containing luxury items or money. Their local accomplices would call the "recipients" and claim the parcels were being held by the authorities for inspection, and would only be released if they transferred money to a bank account. The IMF has renewed calls for the government to restructure the loss-making Sri Lankan Airlines The International Monetary Fund Tuesday released a long-delayed loan instalment to Sri Lanka, providing financial relief to a government still reeling from the Easter Sunday bombings that claimed 258 lives. The Washington-based lender said it was releasing $164.1 million to Sri Lanka under a three-year $1.5 billion bailout that was suspended in October during a power struggle between the president and the prime minister. With the status quo restored, the administration has been able to present a "well-targeted 2019 budget, rebuilding reserves, while maintaining a prudent monetary policy", said IMF deputy managing director Mitsuhiro Furusawa. The power struggle was resolved after the Supreme Court ruled that President Maithripala Sirisena violated the constitution by sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government. The loan programme, begun in June 2016, would be extended by a further year, the IMF said. Sri Lanka estimates that it will lose about $1.5 million in revenue this year as a result of a sharp dip in tourist arrivals following the April 21 suicide bombings. The bombings, blamed on a local jihadi group, targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels. During the political crisis in the final quarter of 2018, three international credit rating agencies downgraded the country's debt making it more expensive to borrow abroad. Official figures show that Sri Lanka will have to repay a record $5.9 billion in foreign loans in 2019. The IMF also renewed its call to the Sri Lankan government to restructure the loss-making national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines, which has accumulated losses and debts of over $2 billion. The government has failed to privatise the airline, but the president has revived attempts to find a partner who could inject new capital to keep the airline afloat. Saudi Arabia said two of its oil tankers, including the Amjad pictured here, suffered significant damage in sabotage attacks Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemen rebels shut down one of Saudi Arabia's major oil pipelines Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of several tankers. Washington and Tehran played down tensions after trading barbs as the Americans sent an aircraft carrier group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the region to counter alleged threats from Saudi arch-rival Iran. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said "this face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war" with the United States. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter and OPEC kingpin, said two pumping stations had been targeted early Tuesday. They lie on the East West Pipeline, able to pump five million barrels of oil a day from oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea port. The announcement came hours after Yemen's Huthi rebels said they had targeted vital installations in Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition against them. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said Saudi Aramco had "temporarily shut down" the pipeline to "evaluate its condition" but added that oil production and exports had not been interrupted. He said the incident was an "act of terrorism... that not only targets the kingdom but also the security of oil supplies to the world and the global economy". Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam tweeted that the attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against Yemenis. The Strait of Hormuz: a strategic passage In a statement, the Huthis warned of other "unique operations... if the aggressors continue with their crimes and blockade". "We are capable of executing unique operations on a bigger and wider scale in the hearts of the enemy countries." - 'Sabotage attacks' - Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war in March 2015 to bolster the internationally recognised government's efforts against the Huthis. The 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) pipeline reportedly hit Tuesday serves as an alternative for Saudi crude exports if the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were to be closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the US. The reported pipeline attacks came after the UAE said four ships were damaged in "sabotage attacks" off the emirate of Fujairah, on the mouth of the Hormuz, on Sunday. The managers of the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory said it had a hole in the hull after being struck by an unknown object Washington and its Gulf allies did not immediately blame Riyadh's regional arch-rival Tehran for the sabotage, but US President Donald Trump has warned Iran against doing anything to harm US interests. The attacks came after the United States deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault vessel, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers, triggering fears of a possible military confrontation. Trump later denied a New York Times report that he was considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump said. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." The international coalition in Iraq and Syria said its troops were not feeling any intensified threat from Iran in the region. "There has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," said Major General Chris Ghika, a British spokesman for the force. - 'Exercise restraint' - A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A. Michel. No casualties were reported and none of the vessels sank. An Emirati official said three Western countries -- the US, France and Norway -- would be part of an investigation into the ship attacks along with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh said its two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there was no oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the ship's hull had been pierced "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". The US has sent an aircraft carrier task force to the Gulf Asked whether the US believed Iran played a role in the attacks, Washington's Iran envoy Brian Hook declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would help the investigation at the request of the UAE. The United Nations urged all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace". Oil prices initially spiked in response to news of the attacks, but were largely flat in trading on Tuesday. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran and the US have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. burs/dm/dv/rsc Fujairah has the only port in the UAE located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in as yet unexplained "sabotage attacks" at a time of Gulf tensions triggered by a bitter US-Iran standoff. Amid rising fears of a conflict, here is what we know about Sunday's attacks off the Emirati coast. - What happened? - The managers of the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory said it had a hole in the hull after being struck by an unknown object A United Arab Emirates government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and a UAE ship, the A. Michel. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the tanker had a hole in the hull area "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". The crew were unharmed and the ship was not in any danger of sinking. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom's two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there were no casualties or any oil spill. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE, both close allies of the United States, have yet given details on the exact nature of the attacks. Adding to the tensions, Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that two pumping stations on a major east-west oil pipeline had been hit in a drones' attack. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels said earlier they had hit several vital Saudi targets. - Who was behind ship attacks? - There has been no claim of responsibility, and neither Riyadh nor Abu Dhabi has pointed a finger of blame. The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, has said the Emirates would probe the "deliberate sabotage" of the ships. Asked whether Washington believed Tehran played a role, Brian Hook, the US special envoy for Iran, declined to comment, saying only US authorities would be assisting the investigation at the UAE's request. - What has been the reaction? - Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional arch-rival, condemned "the acts of sabotage which targeted commercial and civilian vessels", a foreign ministry source said. "This criminal act constitutes a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation and adversely impacts regional and international peace and security," the source added. Without accusing Tehran, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would "suffer greatly" if it does "anything". "I'm hearing little stories about Iran," Trump said at the White House. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Britain warned of the danger of conflict erupting "by accident" in the Gulf, as Tehran distanced itself and called for an investigation into the "alarming and regrettable" attacks. The United Nations urged restraint from all sides. "We are concerned about the heightened tensions in the region. We call upon all concerned parties to exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq. - What is significance of location? - Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Saudi ships hit by "sabotage attacks" Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), 35 percent of the world's seaborne oil transits passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil transit was disrupted in 1984 during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) when more than 500 vessels were destroyed or damaged in a "Tanker War". In 1988, an Iran Air flight from Tehran to Dubai was shot down by missiles fired from a US Navy cruiser patrolling the strait. All 290 people on board were killed. The crew of the USS Vincennes said they mistook the Airbus for an Iranian fighter. - What are the stakes? - Washington's dispatch to the region of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers has sparked fears of possible military clashes. The increasing tensions come after Tehran said last week it has stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal that has since been abandoned by Washington. US national security advisor John Bolton has said Washington's military buildup 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". Around 740,000 Rohingya people have been forced to flee Myanmar to refugees camps like this one in Bangladesh Myanmar's military commanders should be financially "isolated" and brought to trial to face charges of war crimes and genocide against the Rohingya minority, UN investigators said Tuesday. The United Nations fact-finding mission on the situation in Myanmar called on the international community to cut off all financial and other support to the country's military. Marzuki Darusman, who heads the fact-finding mission which just concluded a 10-day visit to surrounding countries, said drastic measures were needed since Myanmar so far had done little to resolve the egregious rights situation in the country. "There has been no movement toward a resolution of the crisis," Darusman said in a statement. "The situation is at a total standstill." Some 740,000 Rohingya refugees fled a military crackdown in August 2017 to cross into Bangladesh where 300,000 members of the persecuted Muslim minority were already in camps. Many Rohingya refugees who fled said there had been mass rapes and slaughters in the villages, and in a report published last September, the fact-finding mission said there were reasonable grounds to believe the atrocities amounted to "genocide". The investigators lamented Tuesday that "both military and civilian sides of Myanmars government persistently deny the facts and disclaim any responsibility for crimes under international law. "Following this violence, Myanmar authorities have levelled empty Rohingya villages with bulldozers, effectively destroying criminal evidence, while making no substantive progress in resolving the ethnic animosities that have helped fuel the crisis," they said. The UN fact-finding mission was not granted access to Myanmar itself, but during their visit to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, the investigators met exiled representatives from the Chin, Kachin, Shan and Rakhine ethnic communities. "Meeting with these different ethnic communities only underscored our findings that the Tatmadaw (the Myanmar military) has over time committed similar atrocities against many of the ethnic groups living within the borders of Myanmar," expert Radhika Coomaraswamy said in the statement. Another member of the team, Christopher Sidoti, said the investigators so far had "seen no evidence that the Myanmar government is acting in good faith to resolve the crisis or facilitate the safe return of refugees. "The situation demands an increase in international pressure," he said. "Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military - to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence," he added. The fact-finding mission is due to present its final report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next September, and will hand over its findings to a panel tasked with preparing criminal indictments. More than 70 were injured in protests over the alleged rape of a three-year-old in Indian Kashmir Police in Indian-administered Kashmir fired tear gas on Tuesday as thousands of students protested for a second day over the alleged rape of a three-year-old child. On Monday more than 70 people were injured, at least 50 of them from the security forces, as demonstrations raged across the restive northern territory. On Tuesday students mostly protested at a university campus in the main city of Srinagar, but hundreds of female students assembled near the city centre demanding quick justice. Police fired tear smoke shells to confine the students to a college, an officer said. No one was injured. School students also protested across many other towns in the region. Authorities imposed restrictions on the assembly of people to prevent protests from spreading by deploying thousands of police and paramilitary troops across the territory. The demonstrators have been calling for the accused to be given a harsh sentence. Authorities imposed restrictions on the assembly of people to prevent protests from spreading Police have set up a special investigation team to fast-track a probe into the alleged rape of the child last week by a 20-year-old neighbour in the northern area of Sumbal. But that has not calmed the anger across the Kashmir Valley where protests over even civic issues often morph into anti-government and anti-India demonstrations. On Monday, police also arrested a school principal who allegedly issued a fake age certificate declaring the accused to be a minor in order to help him evade being punished as an adult. Another case of alleged rape of a teenager came to light Tuesday in the northern Ganderbal area. Police have arrested the accused man and also promised a fast-track investigation. In January 2018, an eight-year-old girl was abducted, starved for a week and murdered after she was raped by several people in the southern Kathua area of Jammu & Kashmir. That incident caused widespread outrage and protests in Kashmir and many Indian cities and towns that lasted weeks. Russian President Vladimir Putin met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Tuesday said his country is not seeking war with Iran, despite a spike in tensions that has seen the Pentagon dispatch nuclear-capable bombers to the region. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meanwhile insisted the showdown between the Islamic republic and the United States was a test of resolve rather than a military encounter. "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Pompeo said during a visit to Russia, a key backer of Tehran which has blamed the current crisis on Washington's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. But Pompeo added: "We have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." "We are looking for Iran to behave like a normal country," Pompeo said, pointing in part to Tehran's backing of Huthi rebels in Yemen who are under attack from US ally Saudi Arabia. Huthi rebels "are launching missiles into areas where there are Russians and Americans travelling. These missiles could easily kill a Russian or an American," Pompeo said. Khamenei echoed Pompeo's rhetoric in a speech to officials. "This face-off is not military because there is not going to be any war. Neither we nor them (the US) seek war. They know it will not be in their interest," he said, quoted on his website. "The definite decision of the Iranian nation is to resist against America," Khamenei said, adding that "in this showdown America will be forced to retreat... because our resolve is stronger." The supreme leader said negotiating with the US was "poison" because the Americans wanted to deprive Iran of its missiles and "strategic depth" in the region. Vladimir Putin, surrounded by top military officers and officials, earlier toured a military flight test centre in Akhtubinsk "Negotiating with the present American government is doubly poisonous... they are not decent humans, they don't stand by anything," he said referring to the US decision to withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. - US 'maximum pressure' campaign - Washington last year pulled out of a nuclear deal backed by Europe, Russia and China, which curbed Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L), with President Hassan Rouhani, attended a government meeting in Tehran Since then it has slapped sweeping sanctions on Iran in an all-out effort to reduce Tehran's regional clout. The US has recently ramped up the pressure, deploying an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to counter vaguely described threats from Iran. On Sunday, mysterious attacks by unknown assailants against four ships in the region, including two from Saudi Arabia, sent war talk up another notch. UN inspectors have said Iran is complying with the deal, and Moscow last week denounced new US sanctions on the country's mining industry, calling for new talks to save the nuclear accord. During Pompeo's visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would work "to ensure this situation does not descend into a military scenario". "I hope that reason will triumph," Lavrov said, adding that he hoped reports in the US media that President Donald Trump is planning to send 120,000 troops to counter Iran turn out to be wrong. Trump himself rejected the New York Times report, saying it was "fake news" but did not rule out deploying "a hell of a lot more" soldiers in the future. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo but there was little sign of agreement later Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier Tuesday slammed what he called Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, saying it would only drive Tehran into a corner. Pompeo cancelled a stop in Moscow Monday to instead have an unscheduled meeting in Brussels with European foreign ministers, who have been uncomfortable with the hawkish direction of the US on Iran. Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who orchestrated protests against the acquital of a Christian facing the death penalty for blasphemy, is to be released on bail A Pakistani court has ordered the release on bail of a hardline cleric who last year paralysed the country by orchestrating violent protests against the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian accused of blasphemy, his organisation said Tuesday. The decision to free the firebrand cleric, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, came days after Bibi left Pakistan after spending eight years on death row in a case which spotlighted religious extremism in the conservative Muslim country. She is believed to have been reunited with her family in Canada. Rizvi was detained in November last year after police launched a crackdown on hundreds of his supporters in Punjab province and the port city of Karachi. He had been charged with terrorism and sedition offences by the Pakistani government, after he led violent protests to oppose the Supreme Court's decision on October 31 to finally overturn Bibi's conviction and death sentence. "Today the Lahore High Court granted bail to Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi," Pir Ijaz Ashrafi, a spokesman for Rizvi's group Tehreek-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), said in a video message posted on Twitter. A Lahore High Court official confirmed to AFP that the court had granted Rizvi bail, and said he was expected to be released late Tuesday. Rizvi and the TLP held furious protests after the Supreme Court's decision to acquit Bibi last year. Demonstrators blocked major roads in protest, burning cars and buses, and leaving large swathes of the country paralysed as they called for her execution. The group also called for mutiny in the armed forces and assassination of the country's top judges for acquitting her. The government managed to defuse tensions by striking a deal that allowed another review of Bibi's case, but when the TLP threatened to launch another protest some weeks later Rizvi and other leaders were taken into custody as part of a crackdown. Asia Bibi finally left Pakistan last week and has been reuinted with her family They have been in detention since. Bibi has technically been a free woman since the review of her case -- also conducted by the Supreme Court -- was dismissed in January. It is believed that she was held in protective custody while awaiting an asylum deal before she finally fled Pakistan less than a week ago. The US has said she has been reunited with her family. Blasphemy is a hugely inflammatory issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders. Bibi's conviction stemmed from an incident in 2009 when she argued with Muslim co-labourer. She consistently denied the charges, and her case rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. She spent eight years on death row before the Supreme Court decision to free her. Map of Burkina Faso locating attacks in Ouahigouya and Dablo Gunmen killed four Catholics in a religious procession in northern Burkina Faso a day after a priest and five parishioners were murdered at mass, church officials said Tuesday. The parade with a statue of the Virgin Mary was moving through the town of Ouahigouya on Monday when "a group of terrorists intercepted the procession, killing four worshippers and burning the statue," said a spokesman for the Ouagadougou Cathedral. According to the Burkina Faso news agency AIB, the assailants stopped the procession. "They let the minors go, executed four adults, and destroyed the statue," it quoted a local person as saying. Paul Ouedraogo, president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger, told a meeting of bishops in the capital Ouagadougou the attack had claimed four lives. The killings came a day after a group of 20-30 armed men, according to witnesses, burst into the Catholic church in Dablo, also in the Nord Region of Burkina Faso, shooting dead five parishioners and their priest. The attackers set fire to the church, several shops and a small cafe before heading to the health centre, which they looted, burning the chief nurse's vehicle. Two days earlier, French special forces had freed four foreign hostages in Burkina Faso during an overnight raid that cost the lives of two soldiers. "This concerns all of us whatever our religion or ethnicity," said President Roch Marc Christian Kabore. - "Stick together" - Kabore urged his compatriots to "stick together," warning such attacks threatened to undermine religious coexistence in a country where some two thirds of the population are Muslim to one third Christian. "Burkina Faso is confronted by a difficult situation," said Kabore. "These terrorists have remodelled their modus operandi. First, by creating inter-communcal conflicts and today inter-religious conflicts as Christians have been killed for their faith, for merely practising their religion. "Burkina has always been reputed as being a tolerant country. We must work to safeguard this richness passed down to us by our ancestors," said Kabore, a Catholic. Two weeks ago, there was a similar attack against a Protestant church in Silgadji, also in the north, when gunmen on motorbikes killed a pastor and five worshippers. Burkina 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. The raids began in 2015 in the north before targeting the capital Ouagadougou and other regions, notably in the east. Nearly 400 people have been killed since 2015 -- mainly in hit-and-run raids -- according to an AFP tally. Jihadist groups target Christian clerics as well as Muslim ones they do not consider sufficiently radical in a country where traditionally both religions have co-existed peaceably. Last month, jihadists attacked a village school in Maitaougou, in the eastern province of Koulpelogo, killing five teachers and a municipal worker. Former colonial ruler France has deployed 4,500 troops in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in a mission codenamed Barkhane to help local forces flush out jihadists. The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln -- seen on the left, sailing in formation in the Mediterranean alongside British, French, Spanish and other US warships last month -- has been deployed to the Gulf as tensions with Iran soar The Pentagon, which has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf, is hoping to defuse the risks posed to US troops in the Middle East by President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy on Iran. US National Security Advisor John Bolton cited "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" when he announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force on May 5. Since then, the US Defense Department said the deployments were "in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests." And then on Monday, Trump put Tehran on notice that any action against US interests would not be tolerated. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake," the Republican leader said. National Security Advisor John R. Bolton (R) announced the new deployments in the Gulf, and US President Donald Trump (L) has ramped up the rhetoric towards Tehran While he did not expand on the nature of the threats, several US defense officials said he was referring to arms shipments and personnel movements by pro-Iranian groups, on land and at sea, as well as orders for those groups to attack US interests in the Middle East. Those targets could include diplomatic installations, as well as consulates or embassies. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested that the Pentagon was suffering the consequences of Trump's aggressive stance, notably his decision to put Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards and its prized Quds force on the US terror blacklist. Iran quickly dubbed the United States a "state sponsor of terrorism" and designated Centcom and its forces a "terrorist group." - Belligerent tone - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says his country is "too great to be intimidated by anyone" From that moment on, Americans became fair game, said one of the US officials, who said he is taking Tehran's threats very seriously. More than 5,000 US troops are deployed in Iraq, where they are helping in the fight to clear the remaining elements of the Islamic State group, despite a declaration of the end of its "caliphate" stretching into Syria. While the Revolutionary Guards officially have no presence in Iraq, they are still influential and were instrumental during the heat of the fight against the IS group, with the head of its foreign wing Major General Qassem Suleimani coordinating fighting across various Iraqi battlefields. The Guards are in Syria, where the US has 2,000 military personnel fighting alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). For months, this close proximity has worried the US military, which fears for its soldiers on the ground as diplomatic tensions soar. It's one of the reasons cited by former defense secretary Jim Mattis when he publicly opposed Washington's withdrawal from the multilateral Iran nuclear deal and the resumption of US economic sanctions on Tehran. Donald Trump hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi -- who has cracked down heavily on the Muslim Brotherhood -- at the White House on April 9, 2019 And when the White House said earlier this month that Trump was considering placing the Muslim Brotherhood -- a nearly century-old Islamist movement born in Egypt with pockets of support across the Arab world -- on the terror blacklist, many in the administration objected, especially at the Pentagon, The New York Times reported. On Monday, in stark contrast to Trump's belligerent tone, US defense officials who spoke to AFP tried to tamp down the uproar. "We have made very clear that we are not interested in a conflict with Iran," one of them said. The US military deployment in the Gulf is "not an invasion force -- it is a force that is made to send a message." Authorities said 554 people had arrived since the start of the month, joining around 100,000 refugees in DR Congo's Uele and Ituri provinces Refugees are flooding into the remote northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo from South Sudan as a September 2018 peace deal hangs in the balance. The refugees, sheltering in the town of Aru in Ituri province, fled fighting along the border between South Sudan and Uganda, the DRC's neighbour to the east. "Among the refugees... there are a lot of widows, as well as unaccompanied children," said Andreas Kirchhof, spokesman of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in the DR Congo Fighting has persisted between government forces and rebels of the National Salvation Front who reject the peace accord between South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and his arch-foe Riek Machar. "Among the refugees... there are a lot of widows, as well as unaccompanied children," said Andreas Kirchhof, spokesman of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in the DRC. Authorities say 554 people have arrived since the start of the month. Fighting has persisted between government forces and rebels of the National Salvation Front who reject the peace accord They are among nearly 100,000 South Sudanese refugees in the DRC's Haut Uele and Ituri provinces, according to the UNHCR. Kiir said last week that a six-month delay agreed with his rivals for the formation of a unity government was not enough time to resolve outstanding issues. The warring parties in the conflict now in its sixth year had agreed to delay the formation of a power-sharing government from May 12 after implementation of the peace deal ran aground. The refugees, sheltering in the town of Aru in Ituri province, fled fighting along the border between South Sudan and Uganda, the DRC's neighbour to the east. Machar had pushed for the delay, while Kiir wanted to move forward with the unity government and deal with outstanding issues later. Under the deal, Kiir would remain president while Machar would regain the vice presidency. US President Donald Trump speaks to the media prior to departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, May 14, 2019 President Donald Trump on Monday rejected a report that he is considering sending 120,000 troops to counter Iran, but didn't rule out deploying "a hell of a lot more" soldiers in the future. "I think it's fake news," Trump said of a New York Times report that the White House is considering a plan to send 120,000 troops to the region as part of a tightening pressure campaign against the Iranian government. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump told reporters. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." The Pentagon has already dispatched an aircraft carrier and nuclear-capable bomber planes to the region in the last few days. According to the Times report, the 120,0000 troops under consideration would not be used to invade Iran, something that planners say would require much bigger numbers. But such a huge deployment would reverse Trump's push throughout his presidency to reduce the US military presence abroad and to wind down what he says have been failed wars in the region. Despite that stance, his government has taken an increasingly hard line with Iran, a longtime foe of the United States and key US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia. Protesters gather on the streets of Cadjehoun, the stronghold of former president of Benin Thomas Yayi Boni, on May 2, 2019 in Cotonou, Benin Amnesty International condemned Tuesday a Benin government clampdown on demonstrations following recent parliamentary elections, which it said left four dead. "The repression reached disturbing levels in Benin where four people were killed during the post-election demonstrations, and the families of the victims are still struggling to recover their bodies," the rights group said in a statement. "In Cotonou, the most populous city in the country, security forces carried out arbitrary arrests, causing serious injuries," it added. According to Amnesty, systematic searches and interrogation of citizens were carried out in Cadjehoun district, where former President Boni Yayi resides, at the epicentre of the post-election violence. The former head of state's home was still surrounded and under surveillance by security forces two weeks after the protests ended. Violent demonstrations erupted in Benin a few days after the 28 April legislative elections, which took place without any opposition candidate. Changes to electoral rules had effectively barred opposition parties from fielding candidates. The final results, showed that all seats were won by the only two parties allowed to take part -- both allied to President Patrice Talon. Voter turnout was 27.1 percent, a record low since Benin transited to democracy nearly 30 years ago. The results have raised concerns of an authoritarian turn in a country formerly known to be a democratic example in West Africa. The 83 elected lawmakers from The Republican Bloc and The Progressive Union will take office on May 16 in Porto Novo. US President Donald Trump told reporters that the escalating battle with China on trade was "a little squabble" President Donald Trump on Tuesday labeled the escalating trade war with China "a little squabble" and again accused Beijing of scuttling an agreement when it was near completion. And although he said he has an "extraordinary" relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Trump insisted he will not sign onto any deal unless it is a good one. "We're having a little squabble with China because we've been treated very unfairly for many decades," Trump told reporters at the White House. Last week, Trump moved to more than double the punitive duties on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese merchandise and the latest round of US-China trade negotiations ended without a deal. On Monday, China hit back, announcing a sharp increase in duties on thousands of US agricultural and manufactured goods in retaliation. And the US has begun the process of carrying out the Republican president's threat to hit all imports from China, extending tariffs to another $300 billion worth of Chinese merchandise. "We're looking at that very strongly," Trump said. He said the tough US stance is working and Beijing wants to make a deal, but he also blamed the Chinese leadership for the setback in the negotiations. "We had a deal that was very close and then they broke it. More than renegotiate, they really broke it. We can't have that happen." - World's piggy bank - Timeline of US-China tariff hikes Trump launched the trade war last year to extract profound economic reforms from Beijing and reduce the US trade deficit. He accused China of seeking to dominate global industries through massive state subsidies and theft of American technology -- in violation of commitments it made upon joining the World Trade Organization in 2001. The United States and China have so far exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade. Since last year, the trade war has gutted US farm exports to China and weighed on the manufacturing sectors in both countries. Earlier Tuesday, Trump pledged to help hard-hit American farmers caught in the middle of the escalating trade war. The administration last year offered $12 billion in compensation to American farmers and has vowed to do more, using the revenues from the new tariffs -- which he incorrectly claims is paid by China rather than US importers -- to buy crops and support prices. "This money will come from the massive Tariffs being paid to the United States for allowing China, and others, to do business with us. The Farmers have been 'forgotten' for many years. Their time is now!" Trump tweeted. "We're the piggy bank everybody likes to take advantage of or take from. We can't let that happen anymore," Trump then told reporters. He has made the US trade deficit a key focus on his policies, taking the unusual view that Americans lose money by buying products from abroad. Economists are nearly unanimous in saying trade benefits companies and consumers by providing products from countries that make them more efficiently and cheaply. Trump said consumers can get around the tariffs by buying from other providers, or companies can move to the United States to manufacture their goods. "That's what I really want. You want to know something? We always win. We always win," he said. WASHINGTON (AP) - While candidates were focused on campaigning in 2016, Russians were carrying out a devastating cyber operation that changed the landscape of American politics, with aftershocks continuing well into Donald Trump's presidency. And it all started with the click of a tempting email and a typed-in password. Whether presidential campaigns have learned from the cyberattacks is a critical question ahead as the 2020 election approaches. Preventing the attacks won't be easy or cheap. "If you are the Pentagon or the NSA, you have the most skilled adversaries in the world trying to get in but you also have some of the most skilled people working defense," said Robby Mook, who ran Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016. "Campaigns are facing similar adversaries, and they don't have similar resources and virtually no expertise." Traditionally, cybersecurity has been a lower priority for candidates, especially at the early stages of a campaign. They need to raise money, hire staff, pay office rents, lobby for endorsements and travel repeatedly to early voting states. Particularly during primary season, campaign managers face difficult spending decisions: Air a TV ad targeting a key voting demographic or invest in a more robust security system for computer networks? FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2018, file photo, voting booths stand ready in downtown Minneapolis. Whether campaigns have learned from the cyberattacks in the 2016 election is a critical question ahead of next year's presidential race. . (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski, File) "You shouldn't have to choose between getting your message out to voters and keeping the Chinese from reading your emails," said Mook, now a senior fellow with the Defending Digital Democracy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center. Mook has been helping develop a plan for a nonprofit to provide cybersecurity support and resources directly to campaigns. The Department of Homeland Security's cyber agency is offering help, and there are signs that some Democratic campaigns are willing to take the uncomfortable step of working with an administration they are trying to unseat. DHS has had about a dozen initial discussions with campaigns so far, officials said. Its focus has been on establishing trust so DHS can share intelligence about possible threats and receive information from the campaigns in return, said Matt Masterson, a senior DHS cybersecurity adviser. The department also will test a campaign's or party's networks for vulnerabilities to cyberattack. "The challenge for a campaign is they really are a pop-up," Masterson said. "They have people coming in and coming out, and they have to manage access." It's unclear how much campaigns are spending on cybersecurity. From January to March, 12 Democratic campaigns and Trump spent at least $960,000 total on technology-related items, but that also includes technology not related to security, such as database or website services. Former congressman John Delaney, the first Democrat to declare his candidacy for president , said he viewed cybersecurity as a fixed expense. "It's not supercomputers cracking through your firewalls," he said. "It's really tempting emails that people respond to and give away information." Candidates can get some advice from the Republican and Democratic national committees, which are in regular contact with Homeland Security and focus on implementing basic security protocols. Republican National Committee press secretary Blair Ellis said the group also works with state Republican parties and emphasizes training. The organization is also developing an internal platform to share real-time threat information with state parties. "Data security remains a top priority for the RNC," she said. The Democratic National Committee last year hired Bob Lord, formerly head of Yahoo's information security. He has created a checklist that focuses on basics: password security, web encryption and social media privacy. This is a bigger priority than talking about the latest network protection gadget. "What's new and interesting is fine, but it's really just about being incredibly single-minded about the basics," Lord said. "It's not glamorous, but neither is the advice for staying fit." The 2016 attacks were low-tech, with Russian agents sending hundreds of spearfishing emails to the personal and work emails of Clinton campaign staffers and volunteers, along with people working for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee. After an employee clicked and gave up password information, the Russians gained access to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's networks and eventually exploited that to gain entry to the Democratic National Committee. Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, fell for the same trick on his personal email account, which allowed Russians to steal thousands of messages about the inner workings of the campaign. But it wasn't as if the Clinton campaign ignored cybersecurity. Mook said training was extensive on cyber threats, two-factor authentication was mandatory, and multiple fake emails were sent to test staffers' ability to detect phishing attempts. The relative ease with which Russian agents penetrated computers underscores the perilous situation facing campaigns. Clinton has been talking about this with Democratic presidential candidates. "Unless we know how to protect our election from what happened before and what could happen again ... you could lose," Clinton said in a MSNBC interview. "I don't mean it to scare everybody. But I do want every candidate to understand this remains a threat." California Sen. Kamala Harris' campaign said it also was preaching the basics of cybersecurity with staff, such as requiring two-factor authentication and using encrypted messaging. "All staff is being trained on threats and ways to avoid being a target," Harris spokesman Ian Sams said. Others running in the Democratic primary avoided discussing the topic. Some campaigns, including those for Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Bernie Sanders, would not comment. The campaigns of Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke didn't respond to requests for comment. Trump's re-election campaign wouldn't talk either. The president has often downplayed Russia's interference in 2016. And his staff told former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen not to bring up election security during her meetings with him - saying she should focus on border security, his signature issue, according to people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Administration officials insist election security is a priority. "We're all in in protecting 2020," Chris Krebs, head of DHS' cyber efforts, told lawmakers Tuesday at a House committee hearing-. "I'd ask, each of you: Do you know if your campaign is working with us?" ___ Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Chad Day, Zeke Miller, Juana Summers and Will Weissert in Washington, Meg Kinnard in Manning, South Carolina, and Sara Burnett in Chicago contributed to this report. ___ Follow Long at http://twitter.com/ctlong1 and Cassidy at http://twitter.com/AP_Christina MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday the country should be making more investments in child care and early education. The California Democrat said better access to affordable, quality early education and child care not only helps children and families, but is a long-term boost to the economy. Pelosi spoke after touring the Eliot-Pearson Children's School at Tufts University in Medford to learn about the school's approach to early childhood education research. U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark, Lori Trahan and Ayanna Pressley - all Massachusetts Democrats - joined Pelosi to meet with early education advocates and tour the facility. Massachusetts has some of the highest child care costs in the country. Pelosi said it's important for members of Congress to ask themselves why they ran for office - and for her the answer has always been about looking ahead, and how best the country can help families care for their children. "My 'why' has always been the one in five children in the United States who live in poverty," she told the gathering of child care advocates, students and elected officials. "Everything that we do has to be about the children and their future." Pelosi said that during a meeting this week with President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to discuss an infrastructure package, she stressed the need to fund program for children with disabilities. Clockwise, from lower left, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., holds 3-month-old Rowan Campbell, as she and Democratic Caucus Vice Chair, Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., pose for a selfie with Campbell's mother Sheila Krishnan of Watertown, Mass., on Friday, May 3, 2019, following a forum, Friday, May 3, 2019, at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds), Pressley said for children the most important infrastructure is their home and family. She said helping stabilize parents financially will pay off for those families and the country in the long run. Clark said the House is also looking at legislation that could help repay the loans of early education teachers. She said some of those teachers have salaries that, while low, may disqualify them from remaining in their subsidized housing, putting them at greater financial risk. The Eliot-Pearson Children's School serves as a demonstration facility, providing a training and observation site for new and experienced teachers and a research facility for faculty and supervised students. The Children's School enrolls approximately 80 children. It has preschool and kindergarten to first grade classes. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., speaks to reporters, flanked by, from left, , Democratic Caucus Vice Chair, Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who is holding 3-month-old Rowan Campbell of Watertown, Mass., on Friday, May 3, 2019 , following a forum, Friday, May 3, 2019, at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks to reporters as, from left, Democratic Caucus Vice Chair, Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., look on Friday, May 3, 2019 , following a forum, Friday, May 3, 2019, at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds), BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian rebel fighters repelled an attack by government forces following brief clashes Friday at the southern edge of the last rebel-held enclave in Syria, activists and the insurgents said. It was the first attempted ground operation to violate a shaky seven-month truce. The clashes came after days of intense government escalation against the rebel enclave in northwestern Syria that included Russian airstrikes and indiscriminate barrel bombs. Russia said its air base in nearby Latakia province came under attack Friday but its forces thwarted the attempt, without elaborating. The increased fighting has undermined the cease-fire negotiated by Russia and Turkey, in place since September. The agreement has since been weakened by recurrent cycles of violence. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, described the escalation as the "fiercest" since September. It said fighting during the last four days had killed at least 38. After a wave of airstrikes, rebel groups and the Observatory said government troops and allied fighters attempted to advance on the rebel enclave from the Qalaat al-Madiq area in Hama province, clashing with insurgents there. The Observatory said the attempted advance followed intense airstrikes on the southern edge of Idlib province and northern Hama. The rebel forces, organized under the name of the National Front for Liberation, said they repelled the advancing government troops and destroyed two vehicles. They also said they had killed government soldiers, a claim that could not be immediately verified. This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a civil defense worker talks on his radio, as he looks to a smoke rises after Syrian government and Russian airstrikes hit the town of Ehssem, southern Idlib, Syria, Friday, May 3, 2019. Syrian state media and activists are reporting a wave of government and Russian airstrikes, including indiscriminate barrel bombs, on the rebel-held enclave in northwestern Syria where a seven-month truce is teetering under a violent escalation. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) The activist-operated Shaam news agency said the rebels had killed Syrian soldiers using armed drones. The head of the Observatory, Rami Abdurrahman, said there had been a buildup of government troops in the area for days. He said the attempted advance appeared designed to expand government control of strategic areas and protect the Russian air base in Latakia. Moscow has previously warned that hostilities in Idlib and the surrounding area threaten the base. A senior Russian military official based in Syria, Gen. Viktor Kupchishin, said his military had foiled an attempted attack on the Latakia air base Friday. He did not provide further information on the attack. Insurgents in Idlib and Hama have previously used drones to target the base but most of the attacks were thwarted, although they often serve to ratchet up tensions in the area. Earlier Friday, the Observatory said at least a dozen air raids overnight on the southern edge of Idlib province had killed six civilians. On Friday, government warplanes dropped over 68 indiscriminate barrel bombs on several villages, including a dozen in Kfar Nabudah alone. Shaam news agency put the death toll from Friday at seven and said the airstrikes also targeted schools in two villages and a medical center in one. Syrian state media said the airstrikes targeted "terrorist groups," and reported that insurgents had also lobbed missiles into government areas. The European Union called on Russia and Turkey to "safeguard" the cease-fire. EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said Friday that increased fighting would endanger the lives of the over 3 million people living in the rebel-held areas and further destabilize the country and the region. The U.N. has also expressed deep concern over the violence. It said the escalation has caused massive displacement inside the enclave, which extends between Idlib and Hama provinces. "These increased hostilities are triggering large-scale displacement, from northern Hama and southern Idlib. There are also reports of deserted villages after civilians fled for safety. An estimated 323,000 people are estimated to have been displaced in the northwest since September of last year," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Thursday. The U.N. said at least 60 civilians were killed in April. This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a civil defense worker, works in front of damaged shops after shelling hit a street in the town of Ehssem, southern Idlib, Syria, Friday, May 3, 2019. Syrian state media and activists are reporting a wave of government and Russian airstrikes, including indiscriminate barrel bombs, on the rebel-held enclave in northwestern Syria where a seven-month truce is teetering under a violent escalation. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a civil defense worker extinguishing damaged shops after shelling hit a street in the town of Ehssem, southern Idlib, Syria, Friday, May 3, 2019. Syrian state media and activists are reporting a wave of government and Russian airstrikes, including indiscriminate barrel bombs, on the rebel-held enclave in northwestern Syria where a seven-month truce is teetering under a violent escalation. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a civil defense worker carry an injured man after shelling hit a street in the town of Ehssem, southern Idlib, Syria, Friday, May 3, 2019. Syrian state media and activists are reporting a wave of government and Russian airstrikes, including indiscriminate barrel bombs, on the rebel-held enclave in northwestern Syria where a seven-month truce is teetering under a violent escalation. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The Latest on the political crisis in Venezuela (all times local): 1:35 p.m. Opposition leader Juan Guaido will take his quest to win over Venezuela's troops back to the streets with a new mobilization effort outside military installations. The man recognized by the U.S. and about 50 other countries as Venezuela's legitimate president is urging supporters to participate in a Saturday morning outreach to soldiers. Guaido said at a press conference Friday that Venezuelans should try talking to troops around the country and telling them to "join the movement." The 35-year-old lawmaker has been attempting to gain the support of the military, but President Nicolas Maduro has managed to maintain control even though dissatisfaction among lower-ranking troops is considered widespread. Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell, speaks during a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil, at the Lebanese foreign ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 3, 2019. Spain's acting foreign minister says a Venezuelan anti-government activist is a guest at the Spanish embassy in Caracas which can't be turned into a center of political activities. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) Few heeded Guaido's call for an uprising on Tuesday. The military is the traditional arbiter of political disputes in the South American nation ___ 10:55 a.m. Human rights groups say a 15-year-old boy is the latest casualty in Venezuela's ongoing unrest. The Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict reported Friday that Yonder Villasmil was killed during a protest in the northwestern state of Merida. The organization says Villasmil died Thursday night in a demonstration over power outages. Four other deaths were previously reported in protests rocking the nation after opposition leader Juan Guaido tried to spark a military uprising Tuesday. Over 200 have been injured in clashes this week. The observatory says 58 people have died during protests so far this year. The nation is engulfed in a power struggle between Guaido and President Nicolas Maduro, whose government is reviled across much of the country as Venezuela struggles to emerge from an economic and humanitarian crisis. ___ 8:15 a.m. Venezuela's ambassador in Madrid is rebuking the Spanish government for allowing a leading opponent of President Nicolas Maduro to speak out from his refuge at the Spanish Embassy in Caracas. Opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez spoke with reporters Thursday at the gate of the Spanish ambassador's home in the Venezuelan capital, days after breaking house arrest to join an attempted military revolt against Maduro. Ambassador Mario Isea tells Radio Nacional de Espana that permitting Lopez to urge Venezuelans to back the uprising is "inappropriate." He says Friday that it's "extraordinary for (Lopez) to use the ambassador's residence as an operational base to abet a military uprising," according to private Spanish news agency Europa Press. Venezuela's top court has ordered Lopez's arrest, but Spain has refused to hand him over. ___ 7:45 a.m. Spain's acting foreign minister says a Venezuelan anti-government activist is a guest at the Spanish Embassy in Caracas, which can't be turned into a center of political activities. Josep Borrell says Leopoldo Lopez has not asked for political asylum and he can't because he would have to do that in Spain if he wanted to. Borrell spoke with journalists on Friday during a visit to the Lebanese capital, Beirut. "He is a guest and was received as a guest," Borrell says. "We can't permit that the Spanish Embassy be the center of political activities in Venezuela." Lopez was detained in 2014 for leading protests against President Nicolas Maduro's rule and placed under house arrest before appearing in public on Tuesday. Lebanese foreign minister Gebran Bassil, left, receives his Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell, at the Lebanese foreign ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 3, 2019. Spain's acting foreign minister says a Venezuelan anti-government activist is a guest at the Spanish embassy in Caracas which can't be turned into a center of political activities. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) ATLANTA (AP) - The 1960s black militant formerly known as H. Rap Brown is challenging his imprisonment for the killing of a sheriff's deputy in 2000, saying his constitutional rights were violated at trial. The 75-year-old inmate, who converted to Islam and now goes by the name Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, gained prominence more than 50 years ago as a Black Panthers leader who famously said, "Violence is as American as cherry pie." He was living in Atlanta as an imam when authorities say he shot two sheriff's deputies, killing one. In 2002, Al-Amin was convicted of murder in the death of Fulton County sheriff's Deputy Ricky Kinchen and the wounding of Kinchen's partner, Deputy Aldranon English. He was sentenced to life in prison. Several dozen Al-Amin supporters packed a courtroom Friday as a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in his constitutional challenge to his imprisonment. Al-Amin argues a prosecutor violated his right not to testify by directly questioning him during closing arguments in a sort of mock cross-examination. Al-Amin also says the trial judge should have let his lawyers question an FBI agent who was at his arrest about another incident involving the agent. FILE- In this March 11, 2002 file photo, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin watches during the sentencing portion of his trial in Atlanta. Al-Amin, the militant civil rights leader known in the 1960s as H. Rap Brown who was convicted of killing Fulton County Sheriff's Deputy Ricky Kinchen and wounding Deputy Aldranon English in a shootout in March 2000, is challenging his imprisonment, saying his constitutional rights were violated at trial. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File) As a radical activist in the 1960s, Al-Amin was a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He called violence a necessary tool for blacks and once suggested he might shoot Lady Bird Johnson, the widow of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. During a five-year sentence for his role in a robbery that ended in a shootout with New York police, he converted to the Dar-ul Islam movement and changed his name. He moved to Atlanta in the 1970s and became the leader of one of the nation's largest black Muslim groups, the National Ummah. On March 16, 2000, Kinchen and English went to Atlanta's West End neighborhood, where Al-Amin lived, was an imam and owned a grocery store, to serve a warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of driving a stolen car and impersonating a police officer during a traffic stop the previous year. English testified at trial that Al-Amin fired a high-powered assault rifle when the deputies tried to arrest him. Then, prosecutors said, he used a handgun to fire three shots into Kinchen's groin as the wounded officer lay in the street. He was arrested four days later in White Hall, Alabama, a small town where he had helped develop a Muslim community. Prosecutors portrayed Al-Amin as a deliberate killer, while his lawyers painted him as a peaceful community and religious leader who helped revitalize poverty-stricken areas. They suggested he was framed as part of a government conspiracy dating from his militant days. Character witnesses during the sentencing portion of his trial included former Atlanta mayor, U.N. ambassador and civil rights leader Andrew Young, who had met Al-Amin in the 1980s. "He was - and is - a very peaceful man," Young said. "I saw no trace of any of the reported anger." Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but jurors chose life in prison without the possibility of parole. During closing arguments, the prosecutor displayed a chart titled "Questions for the defendant" and asked "pointed questions" meant to focus the jury's attention on the fact that Al-Amin didn't testify, his lawyers argue. Al-Amin also had court permission to remain seated during the trial for religious reasons, including not standing when the jury entered. The prosecutor implored the jury, "Don't stand for him." The defense objected to the prosecutor's actions, and the trial judge gave the jury instructions meant to neutralize any harm caused by the prosecutor's statements. In September 2017, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg found that Al-Amin's constitutional right not to testify was violated by the prosecutor's questioning. She also found that the trial court's attempt to mitigate the prosecutor's violation was insufficient and may have actually been harmful. But "there is 'weighty' evidence supporting his conviction," she wrote. Lawyers for Al-Amin say there was strong evidence of his innocence at the shooting scene. Totenberg conceded that that evidence presents a "mishmash of inconsistencies," but she said evidence recovered in Alabama when he was arrested "strongly ties" him to the crime. Al-Amin's lawyers also argue the court violated his rights by refusing to let his lawyers cross-examine an FBI agent involved in his arrest about an earlier incident in which the agent was accused of shooting an unarmed Muslim man in Philadelphia and putting a gun with no fingerprints on it next to the man's body. The guns used to shoot the Georgia deputies that were found near Al-Amin in Alabama also had no prints, and his lawyers contend that the agent planted them. The trial court excluded that evidence because the agent had been investigated and cleared in the Philadelphia incident. Totenberg said the trial court was within its rights to make that decision. Overall, Totenberg found there wasn't "sufficient cumulative error" to find his imprisonment unconstitutional. While the violation of his right not to testify was "serious and repeated," Totenberg said she was constrained by the "onerous standards" imposed by the law and Supreme Court case law. Al-Amin's lawyers want the 11th Circuit to reverse Totenberg's ruling. The judges grilled both sides during Friday's hearing. Circuit Judge Charles Wilson seemed especially troubled by the prosecutor's conduct, repeatedly calling it egregious. But he also said the physical evidence from Alabama and English's in-court identification of Al-Amin was difficult to overcome. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - The Latest on migration to Europe (all times local): 6:40 p.m. Turkish authorities have raised the number of migrants killed off Turkey's Aegean coast to nine. In a statement, the coast guard said it has recovered the bodies of four women and five children after their boat sank off near the town of Ayvalik, in northwestern Turkey. Five other migrants - including one woman and a child - were rescued. Rescue crews were still searching for two other missing migrants and their smuggler. The private DHA news agency said the migrants were members of three families from Afghanistan. ___ 6:00 p.m. A group that operates a hotline for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea says nine people drowned while trying to reach Spain. Alarm Phone activist Maurice Stierl said Friday that the victims were part of a group of 12 traveling on a boat that left Tangiers on April 30. The hotline network says it received a distress call that morning after the boat capsized in the Strait of Gibraltar. Stierl said Alarm Phone notified Moroccan and Spanish authorities the migrants needed help. The group says one of the three survivors has reported Moroccan rescuers reached the boat the next day. Spain's Maritime Rescue Service told The Associated Press it dispatched a helicopter on May 1 to help search for missing passengers and Morocco said it retrieved the survivors and recovered one body that day. ___ 4:20 p.m. The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says it is "alarmed" by reports that asylum-seekers in Hungary have been deliberately deprived of food. Numerous interim measures by the European Court of Human Rights have compelled Hungary to feed the asylum-seekers held in transit zones at the border with Serbia. But without changes to Hungarian laws, the cases keep recurring. Adults who aren't pregnant or nursing, have been denied and are to be expelled from Hungary are deliberately deprived of food, which the U.N says can lead to malnutrition and is "inherently inhumane." "We encourage Hungary to ensure it fulfils its human rights obligations towards those deprived of liberty, regardless of whether they are in transit zones or any other place where migrants are detained and cannot provide for themselves," the human rights office said. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a civic group providing legal assistance to asylum-seekers, says that since August 2018, it has filed legal appeals in 13 "starvation cases," affecting 21 people. ___ 4:15 p.m. Turkish authorities say at least two women and five children have drowned after a boat carrying migrants sank off the Turkish coast. The coast guard said five other migrants - including one woman and a child - were saved in an air and sea rescue mission launched Friday after the boat went down off the Aegean coastal town of Ayvalik, in northwestern Turkey. The town is a main crossing point for migrants wanting to reach the Greek island of Lesbos. The coast guard said the boat was believed to be carrying 17 people. The search is continuing to find four missing migrants and their smuggler, it said. The migrants attempt the perilous journey from Turkey into European Union-member Greece in the hope of reaching more prosperous European nations. MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian kindergarten teacher who forced a boy to his knees and ordered him to kiss the ground is to be fired, according to Russian news reports. Video appeared on social media and news sites this week showing the teacher at the kindergarten in the southern city of Krasnodar harshly speaking to the boy, forcing him to his knees and then telling him to kiss the earth "that feeds you" as other children look on. Some Russian news reports said the 5-year-old boy was originally from Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim Russian republic whose people have encountered animosity in Russia. According to Russian news agencies on Thursday, Krasnodar's education department director Alexei Nekrasov said the teacher will be fired "on the next working day." The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday. The following three days have been holidays so the teacher is presumably to be fired on Monday when schools reopen. Anna Kuznetsova, the Kremlin's children's right ombudswoman, said police are investigating, VERNON, N.J. (AP) - A judge has upheld the jury convictions of a doctor accused of attacking a 12-year-old boy in a "ski rage" incident at a northern New Jersey resort. Samuel Caruthers was convicted last month of child endangerment and other counts. But a Sussex County jury also acquitted him of aggravated assault and a weapons charge. The doctor's lawyer argued the jury verdict was "contradictory." But a judge disagreed in a ruling issued Thursday. Authorities have said Caruthers punched the boy and stabbed him with a ski pole in February 2016. That came after the youth fell into Caruthers and his then-10-year-old son while snowboarding on the bunny slope at the Mountain Creek resort in Vernon. The youth suffered minor injuries in the attack. He said the collision was an accident. BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanon is calling on Iran to use the upcoming holy month of Ramadan to grant amnesty to a Lebanese citizen who is also a U.S. resident imprisoned there for more than three years. The appeal for the release of Nizar Zakka came Friday in a letter sent by Lebanon's Foreign Minister to his Iranian counterpart. The letter was delivered to the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon. Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident, is an advocate for internet freedom and has done some work for the U.S. government. He has been imprisoned in Iran since his arrest in September 2015 while attending a state-sponsored conference. He was sentenced to 10 years on espionage-related charges. In 2017, Zakka went on a hunger strike for over a month calling for his release. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Two members of a white supremacist group pleaded guilty Friday to federal rioting charges in connection with a white nationalist rally in Virginia and political rallies in California. Benjamin Drake Daley, 26, of Redondo Beach, California, and Michael Paul Miselis, 30, of Lawndale, California, each pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to riot. Daley and Miselis are the last of four members of the Rise Above Movement indicted in Virginia to plead guilty. The militant white supremacist group was known for having members who train in mixed martial arts street-fighting techniques. Two other members of the group - Cole White and Thomas Gillen - each previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. All four men admitted they punched and kicked demonstrators who showed up to protest against white nationalists during a torch-lit march at the University of Virginia and the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville in August 2017. The men were indicted in October on two charges: traveling to incite riots and conspiracy to riot. FILE - In this Aug. 12, 2017 file photo, white nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va. Two more members of a white supremacist group have pleaded guilty to federal rioting charges in connection with the white nationalist rally in Virginia and political rallies in California. Benjamin Drake Daley and Michael Paul Miselis each pleaded guilty Friday, May 3, 2019, to a single count of conspiracy to riot. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) Prosecutors said photos and video footage showed the men attacking counterprotesters in Charlottesville and also participating in violence at political rallies the same year in Huntington Beach and Berkeley, California. Each man faces up to five years in prison on the charge, but defendants often get less than the maximum under federal sentencing guidelines. An attorney representing Miselis did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday. Daley moved to dismiss the charges against him, arguing that the federal Anti-Riot Act is unconstitutional because it is overbroad and vague, and infringes on First Amendment activities. The judge denied his request. "Instead of being tried under a broad, vague and unconstitutional statute, Mr. Daley has chosen to plead guilty and appeal the constitutionality of the statute" to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said Daley's attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Lisa Lorish. Prosecutors said Daley, one of the founders of the Rise Above Movement, was "chiefly responsible" for organizing the group's presence at the Unite the Right rally. "These avowed white supremacists traveled to Charlottesville to incite and commit acts of violence, not to engage in peaceful First Amendment expression," U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen said in a statement. As part of their guilty pleas, the men admitted their acts of violence were not in self-defense. Their arrests came more than a year after hundreds of white nationalists descended on Charlottesville in part to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Violence prompted authorities to force the Unite the Right rally to disband. Afterward, a woman was killed and dozens were injured when a car driven by a self-avowed white supremacist plowed into a crowd of peaceful counterprotesters. James Fields Jr. was convicted of state murder and wounding charges by a jury and later pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges. He is awaiting sentencing in both cases. President Donald Trump sparked a public outcry after he blamed both sides for the violence. ST. LOUIS (AP) - In less than a week, Steve Stenger went from being the top elected official in Missouri's largest county to a convicted felon. Stenger pleaded guilty Friday to federal corruption charges for providing political favors in exchange for campaign donations. Sentencing for the former St. Louis County executive is scheduled for Aug. 9. Each crime carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison, though federal sentencing guidelines suggest a likely three to four years behind bars. The indictment of the Democrat was announced Monday. He resigned about an hour later and surrendered his law license - Stenger is both an attorney and accountant. By Thursday, Stenger had agreed to plead guilty to all three counts in the indictment - bribery, mail fraud and theft of honest services. Stenger politely answered U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry's questions during the court hearing but made no statement, and declined comment afterward. His attorney, Scott Rosenblum, told reporters that Stenger had a lot to be proud of during his career, "and today obviously is not one of those proud moments. But he has completely accepted responsibility for his mistakes in judgment, lapses in judgment and his conduct while in office as county executive." Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Reginald Harris said the indictment and Stenger's resignation and guilty plea "should send a message that the Department of Justice and federal law enforcement will not tolerate public corruption at any level of government." Though he had a fast fall, Stenger had been under scrutiny for months. Former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, right, listens as his attorney, Scott Rosenblum, speaks to reporters on Friday, May 3, 2019, in St. Louis., after Stenger pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and faces sentencing in August. In less than a week, Steve Stenger went from being the top elected official in Missouri's largest county to a convicted felon. (Photo by Jim Salter) The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported about questionable contracts with campaign donors. The St. Louis County Council launched an ethics investigation. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS criminal investigation unit had been looking into Stenger's activities since early 2018. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said this week that investigators monitored or recorded several meetings and phone calls and obtained call records, including emails and texts. Stenger was accused of ensuring that donor John Rallo and his companies - Cardinal Insurance and Cardinal Creative Consulting - obtained contracts with the county and received other favors. He also was accused of ensuring that an unnamed company obtained a state lobbying contract from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. In January, the partnership's board of directors forced out Sheila Sweeney, a Stenger appointee. In a statement, Interim County Executive Sam Page, a Democrat and frequent Stenger critic, said: Stenger "betrayed the trust that St. Louis County residents placed in our government. I am committed to reforming County government so that pay-to-play politics never infects it again." Federal prosecutors have said the investigation continues and have declined to say if Rallo or anyone else may face charges. Stenger defeated incumbent Democrat Charlie Dooley in the 2014 primary and won that year's general election. Even under the cloud of investigations, Stenger fought off a strong challenge from businessman Mark Mantovani in the 2018 Democratic primary and easily defeated his Republican challenger in November. About 1 million people live in St. Louis County. Former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, left, arrives at federal court with his lawyer Scott Rosenblum, Friday, May 3, 2019, in St. Louis . In less than a week, Steve Stenger went from being the top elected official in Missouri's largest county to a convicted felon. Stenger pleaded guilty Friday, to federal corruption charges for providing political favors in exchange for campaign donations. Sentencing for the former St. Louis County executive is scheduled for Aug. 9. He could get up to 20 years in prison on each count. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) Police in North Carolina on Friday released four dozen 911 calls, on which students and teachers can been heard frantically describing a deadly shooting on the University of North Carolina-Charlotte campus and asking for help. The calls shed light on the chaos unfolding inside the various buildings on campus after a gunman opened fire inside a classroom on Tuesday. One caller described hearing at least five shots. Another said the gunman was wearing black and carrying a pistol. That caller said: 'He was still shooting when we were leaving.' Another caller was asked if she needed police, firefighters or paramedics. She replied: 'All of it.' Trystan Andrew Terrell, 22, faces murder charges and other counts. The shooting killed two and wounded four. Mourners pause to look at a variety of memorials left at Kennedy Hall at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Thursday, May 2, 2019. A gunman opened fire at Kennedy on Tuesday, killing two and wounding four. (AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan) DELAWARE, Ohio (AP) - Extremely high levels of carbon monoxide were measured inside a home where four family members were found dead in central Ohio, safety officials said at a news conference on Friday. Genoa Township police have identified the family members as 50-year-old Richard Reitter III, 49-year-old Jennifer Reitter, and their two children, 15-year-old Richard Reitter IV and 13-year-old Grace Reitter. The family's three dogs also were found dead. Firefighters went to the home early Thursday afternoon when a relative couldn't get a response at the residence and called 911 saying they had not been able to reach anyone for three days. Police Chief Stephen Gammill said Friday that some family members had complained on Monday about feeling sick. Firefighters donned protective suits to enter the home, where high levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, were detected, Assistant Fire Chief Joseph Ponzi said. Protocol requires firefighters to wear protective suits whenever carbon monoxide levels of 30 parts per million are present, Ponzi said. Levels inside the home were eventually measured in excess of 1,200 parts per million, which Ponzi said he had never seen in his 25 years as a firefighter. Ponzi said it took 90 minutes to completely ventilate the home to make it safe to enter without protective equipment. He also said symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can mimic flu symptoms. No carbon monoxide detectors were found inside the home. Gammill said the Delaware County Sheriff's Office is assisting in the investigation, and that experts will be consulted as appliances and other possible sources of carbon monoxide inside the home are examined. A coroner will make an official determination about how the family died. The Olentangy Local School District, where the two children were students, said it would make grief counselors available on Friday. Genoa Township is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of downtown Columbus. JUBA, South Sudan (AP) - South Sudan's once-warring parties on Friday agreed to delay key next steps in a fragile peace deal by six months after the main opposition warned it might walk away. The agreement came after closed-door talks in neighboring Ethiopia. The chairman of a smaller opposition party that attended, Denay J. Chagor, confirmed the details. The extension needs approval next week by a council of regional foreign ministers from Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya and Uganda. Several attendees on Friday told The Associated Press they expect it to pass. The government and main opposition were not immediately available for comment. The agreement on an extension is a change of heart for the government. A May 12 deadline has loomed for opposition leader Riek Machar to return and again become President Salva Kiir's deputy in a power-sharing arrangement. But Machar's supporters say security arrangements are insufficient. The peace deal that was signed in September ended a five-year civil war that killed nearly 400,000 and displaced millions. Key elements of the agreement have yet to be implemented, including drawing South Sudan's internal boundaries and creating a unified national army. The six-month extension is welcome as long as "serious" work is done in the interim, German Ambassador Jan Hendrik van Thiel told the AP. "If they agree and can plan to timely implement outstanding critical issues, namely on borders and credible security arrangements, and work on creating a free political space and free and fair elections on time, including reconciliation and transitional justice, a delay is better than a rush into an unprepared, non-consensual government," the ambassador said. The previous peace deal signed in 2015 also had Machar return as Kiir's deputy but it ended in gunfire as new clashes erupted in the capital, Juba, in 2016, forcing Machar to flee the country on foot. Some look at the new agreement with skepticism. "Even if you give Salva Kiir and Riek Machar 1,000 years they will never implement any peace deal together. The duo should never work together. The (East African bloc) should try another formula," said Jacob Chol, senior political analyst and professor at the University of Juba. The parties need to reach an agreement but the question is will "we be in any different position six months from now?" asked Alan Boswell, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa PANAMA CITY (AP) - Anger over brazen corruption and weariness over the political status quo are widespread among the Panamanian electorate ahead of Sunday's vote to pick a successor to President Juan Carlos Varela, on whose watch Latin America's fastest growing economy cooled off significantly. In what has been perhaps the shortest and least colorful campaign since Panama's transition to democracy three decades ago, most election talk has focused on government malfeasance following the massive leak of law firm documents in the Panama Papers and a regionwide scandal involving bribes paid by Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht. The Odebrecht case "is particularly relevant in Panama in light of the Panama Papers," said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, alluding to the fact that many of the shell companies that became public through the leak from a Panamanian law firm were used to funnel bribes from the Brazilian company. "Corruption becomes an even more important issue in the context of the country's recent sluggish economic performance," he continued. "Many Panamanians are fed up with the political class and have been disappointed by successive administrations." That discontent could translate into a return to power for the opposition Revolutionary Democratic Party for the third time since the fall of Gen. Manuel Noriega in 1989, after it lost the last two presidential elections. A recent poll by La Prensa newspaper gave party standard-bearer Laurentino Cortizo a double-digit edge over his two nearest rivals. Cortizo, a 66-year-old businessman with a degree in business administration from Norwich University in Vermont, has had to answer questions about corruption like the other candidates as a former Cabinet minister under President Martin Torrijos (2004-2009). Supporters of Panamanian presidential candidate Romulo Roux, holding Democratic Change party banners, attend his closing campaign rally in Panama City, Thursday, May 2, 2019. In what has been perhaps the shortest and least colorful campaign since Panama's transition to democracy three decades ago, most election talk has focused on governmental corruption. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) It was Torrijos who granted the first multimillion-dollar contract to Odebrecht, though the company's business in Panama grew significantly in the subsequent administrations of Ricardo Martinelli and then Varela. Currently there are calls for investigations to restart and extend to the Torrijos government, but that has not diminished Cortizo's standing in the polls. He vows that nobody will be untouchable in his government if he wins the presidency. "What Odebrecht has done in Latin America and Panama cannot be forgiven," Cortizo said in a recent interview days after the campaign's final televised debate. "Convicted companies, forget about Panama!" In all, Odebrecht has acknowledged paying some $800 million in bribes in about a dozen countries across the Americas in return for government contracts. In Panama, the illicit payments amounted to more than $100 million, funds that investigators allege went to associates and relatives of Martinelli during his government. Varela has also been tarnished by the revelation that Odebrecht contributed to the 2009 campaign in which he was running for vice president. Varela says that contribution was not an electoral crime at the time and a complaint in the case went nowhere. Even so, Panamanians' frustration is such that even famed salsa musician Ruben Blades weighed in, recently writing that "The issue of Odebrecht bribes has practically been buried. The generalized national perception is that nothing is going to happen." That has led to independent candidates gaining traction for the first time. One of Cortizo's two nearest rivals is Ricardo Lombana, a 45-year-old lawyer who has rejected large campaign contributions and has not advertised on TV. "This country is crumbling as a result of corruption," Lombana told supporters recently. "If we do not do something, we will be left without a country." Cortizo's other main challenger is Romulo Roux of Martinelli's Democratic Change party, who has tried to capitalize on economic unease, pointing out that while Panama posted 10.7% GDP growth in 2012 when Martinelli was in charge, last year it was just 3.7%. Unemployment of 4.4% in 2012 rose to 6% last year. "We are going to do things differently so that the good returns, so that money returns to the pockets of Panamanians," said Roux, a 54-year-old who was foreign minister under Martinelli. Martinelli has been supporting Roux in recorded messages from behind bars, where he's facing trial for alleged political espionage while president. Electoral officials recently ruled that he would not be allowed to compete in Sunday's elections as a candidate for mayor of Panama City and for the national legislature. While none of the leading candidates are immune to the anger over government malfeasance, experts say Cortizo is best positioned because his party has the most registered members who are considered reliable voters - about 500,000. He also enjoys a strong propaganda and logistical apparatus that will help get people to the ballot box. Cortizo gained notoriety during Torrijos' government for resigning as agriculture minister in the middle of trade agreement negotiations with the United States in 2006. But Max Castillo, owner of a newsstand in the capital, said he seemed to "be the one with the most character." "He will not let himself be ruled by others," Castillo said. In this April 25, 2019 photo, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela attends the opening ceremony of the Metro Line 2, in Panama City. Anger over brazen corruption and weariness over the political status quo are widespread among the Panamanian electorate ahead of the May 5th vote to pick a successor to Varela. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) A couple walk past a sculpture of a hashtag that reads in Spanish: "Give democracy a like", outside the Electoral Tribunal headquarters in Panama City, Thursday, May 2, 2019. In what has been perhaps the shortest and least colorful campaign since Panama's transition to democracy three decades ago, most election talk has focused on governmental malfeasance following the massive leak of law firm documents in the Panama Papers. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) In this April 14, 2019, supporters of presidential frontrunner Laurentino Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, attend a campaign rally in Veracruz, Panama. "What Odebrecht has done in Latin America and Panama cannot be forgiven," Cortizo said in a recent interview days after the campaign's final televised debate. He promised to end corruption if elected: "Convicted companies, forget about Panama!" (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) In this April 14, 2019 photo, leading presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, signs autographs after a campaign rally in Veracruz, Panama. A recent poll by La Prensa newspaper gave Cortizo, a 66-year-old businessman with a degree in business administration from Norwich University in Vermont, a double-digit edge over his two nearest rivals. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) This April 28, 2019 photo shows a billboard promoting presidential frontrunner Laurentino Cortizo of the Revolutionary Democratic Party, PRD, in Panama City. Voter discontent could translate into a return to power for PRD for the third time since the fall of Gen. Manuel Noriega in 1989, after it lost the last two presidential elections. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) An electoral worker demonstrates how to properly handle ballots during a Voting Fair for citizens at the Electoral Tribunal headquarters in Panama City, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Panamanians head to the polls on Sunday, May 5, to elect a new president. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Romulo Roux of the Democratic Change party, walks with supporters during his closing campaign rally in Panama City, Thursday, May 2, 2019. "We are going to do things differently so that the good returns, so that money returns to the pockets of Panamanians," said Roux, a 54-year-old who was foreign minister under Ricardo Martinelli. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) A supporter of Romulo Roux, presidential candidate of the Democratic Change Party, holds up a party leaflet during his closing campaign rally in Panama City, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Roux has tried to capitalize on economic unease. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) In this April 22, 2019 photo, independent presidential candidate Ricardo Lombana listens to a question during an interview, in Panama City. "This country is crumbling as a result of corruption," Lombana told supporters recently. "If we do not do something, we will be left without a country." (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) In this April 25, 2019 photo, independent presidential candidate Ricardo Lombana, center in orange shirt, travels on the subway to a campaign rally in Panama City. Lombana, a 45-year-old lawyer, has rejected large campaign contributions and has not advertised on TV. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The Latest on the release of videos showing a fatal shooting by a Connecticut police officer on April 20 (all times local): 12:45 p.m. Lawyers for the family of a Connecticut man fatally shot by a police officer last month say newly released videos show the officer acted recklessly and are calling for criminal charges against him. State prosecutors on Friday released police dashcam and local surveillance video of the April 20 shooting of 18-year-old Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop and chase in Wethersfield. The videos show Officer Layau Elizier shoot twice through the windshield of a car being driven at him by Vega Cruz, whom police were trying to stop after he fled a traffic stop by another officer. Vega Cruz died two days later. Lawyers for Vega Cruz's family, Ben Crump and Michael Jefferson, urged a prosecutor investigating the shooting to bring "swift justice" for the family. This still image from police dash camera video released Friday, May 3, 2019, by the Hartford State's Attorney shows Police Officer Layau Eulizier pointing his weapon at a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop April 20 in Wethersfield, Conn. Eulizier shot through the windshield, striking Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, who died two days later at a hospital. (Hartford State's Attorney via AP) ____ 9:50 a.m. Connecticut prosecutors have released videos showing the fatal shooting by police of an 18-year-old man that sparked protests. The police dashboard camera and local surveillance videos made public Friday show Wethersfield officer Layau Eulizier shooting through the front windshield of a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop April 20. Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, died two days later at a hospital. Hartford State's Attorney Gail Hardy and Wethersfield officials say they disclosed the videos in the interest of a transparent and thorough investigation. Hardy will determine whether the shooting was justified but was not able to say how long the investigation will take. Vega Cruz's family and activists have questioned whether the use of deadly force was necessary. This sequential combination of images from police dash camera video released Friday, May 3, 2019, by the Hartford State's Attorney shows, from top left, Police Officer Layau Eulizier pointing his weapon at a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop on April 20 in Wethersfield, Conn. Eulizier shot through the windshield, striking Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, who died two days later at a hospital. (Hartford State's Attorney via AP) This still image from police dash camera video released Friday, May 3, 2019, by the Hartford State's Attorney shows Police Officer Layau Eulizier, Jr., pointing his weapon at a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop April 20 in Wethersfield, Conn. Eulizier shot through the windshield, striking Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, who died two days later at a hospital. (Hartford State's Attorney via AP) This still image from police dash camera video released Friday, May 3, 2019, by the Hartford State's Attorney shows Police Officer Layau Eulizier pointing his weapon at a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop April 20 in Wethersfield, Conn. Eulizier shot through the windshield, striking Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, who died two days later at a hospital. (Hartford State's Attorney via AP) BOISE, Idaho (AP) - More California sea lions preying on imperiled salmon in the Columbia River below a hydroelectric project on the Oregon-Washington border are being killed under a revised policy, federal authorities said Friday. The National Marine Fisheries Service made public reduced criteria for removing sea lions at Bonneville Dam about 145 miles (235 kilometers) from the Pacific Ocean. The new guidelines that went into effect April 17 permit any California sea lion seen in the area on five occasions or seen eating a fish to be put on a list for lethal removal. The former criteria required both those marks to be met. Officials say 10 sea lions have been killed so far this year, most as a result of the policy change. Robert Anderson, the agency's marine mammal program manager, said the Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force decided to make the change after dissatisfaction with current efforts. A study found the change could increase the number of sea lions killed by 66 percent. Officials are authorized to remove 92 California sea lions annually from the area, but have never come close to that number. Meanwhile, billions of dollars have been spent in Idaho, Oregon and Washington to save 13 species of Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead protected under the Endangered Species Act. File - In this May 4, 2010, file photo, a sea lion tosses a partially eaten salmon in the Columbia River near Bonneville Dam, where six more sea lions were trapped earlier in the day with one to be euthanized, in North Bonneville, Wash. Federal authorities have started killing more California sea lions preying on imperiled salmon in the Columbia River below a hydroelectric project on the Oregon-Washington border. The National Marine Fisheries Service on Friday, May 3, 2019, made public reduced criteria for removing sea lions at Bonneville Dam 146 river miles from the Pacific Ocean. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File) Salmon and steelhead congregate near the bottom of the dam to go up fish ladders, facing some delays in "getting through the pinch points, and sea lions have figured that out," Anderson said. The California sea lions at the dam are all males, with some 200 to 300 showing up and numbers typically peaking in the spring. They're bulking up on salmon, with some sea lions reaching 1,000 pounds (455 kilograms), before swimming roughly 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to breeding beaches at the Channel Islands off the California coast. Once there they try to establish territories, not eating for a month while mating with females in their area of control and fighting off rival males. "It's kind of classic biology," Anderson said. "Get as big as you can to try to be successful." An estimated 70,000 California sea lions are drawn to the breeding beaches. The overall population rebounded from about 30,000 in the late 1960s to an estimated 300,000 today, following the passage of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. California sea lions at Bonneville Dam were a rarity until they started showing up in the early 2000s. Authorities began the lethal removal list in 2008. Since then, some 400 sea lions have made the list, with 229 removed. Of those, 15 have been sent to zoos or aquariums, seven died during capture, and 207 have been euthanized. Killing sea lions "is not a long-term solution," said Russ Kiefer, an Idaho Fish and Game fisheries biologist, noting the main problem for salmon and steelhead is habitat degradation along their migration corridor. "It won't be a game changer, but it will help." Snake River sockeye salmon, which reproduce in high-elevation Idaho lakes, teetered on extinction for several years before an elaborate hatchery program involving Fish and Game was created. Last year for the first time, Stellar sea lions outnumbered California sea lions at Bonneville Dam, Anderson said. Federal authorities don't have authorization to remove Stellar sea lions, which can reach 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Stellar sea lions at the dam are also all males, bulking up before heading back to the Pacific Ocean and then, the majority, north to breeding areas. In December, President Donald Trump signed a law that allows any California sea lion spotted 112 miles (180 kilometers) upriver from the mouth of the Columbia River to be put on the lethal removal list. However, federal officials haven't been doing that because they don't have authorization, a process that would first require a request from Idaho, Oregon or Washington. Four tribes with fishing treaty rights can also make that request: Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation in Washington, Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon, and Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs in Oregon. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Authorities say two people suspected of defacing the gravesite of former President Gerald Ford and first lady Betty Ford have been charged with misdemeanors. Prosecutors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have charged Christian Johnson with malicious destruction of tombs and memorials and Alexis Binkert with receiving and concealing stolen property. Police had released a photo that appears to show Johnson marking or digging into panels that say, "Lives Committed to God, Country and Love." They had been skateboarding in the area and stopped. Police say they turned themselves in after the March 27 incident and returned a missing letter. Johnson has told The Grand Rapids Press he was sorry and didn't know what the gravesite was. Both await arraignment. The Fords are buried outside a museum dedicated to Gerald Ford's presidency. LITTLE FERRY, N.J. (AP) - A mother accused of fatally stabbing her infant in the family's northern New Jersey home has been charged with murder. Hiralbahen Bhavsar also faces a weapons count stemming from the child's death. Bergen County prosecutors say the 29-year-old Little Ferry woman called 911 Thursday evening and said she was having a medical emergency at her apartment. Responding officers found several of Bhavsar's family members in the apartment, but she was inside a locked bedroom. She eventually came out, and officers then found the child dead from what appeared to be stabbing injuries. The child's age and sex have not been released, but prosecutors said the victim as an infant. It wasn't immediately known Friday if Bhavsar has retained an attorney. LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Portugal's prime minister is warning opposition parties his minority government will resign if parliament approves a bill giving teachers retroactive pay to replace income they lost due to national austerity measures. Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the move would increase public spending by 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) this year and next, wrecking the government's financial planning. Costa issued the warning Friday after opposition lawmakers on a parliamentary committee endorsed the bill. Passage by the full parliament is required for teachers to get the retroactive pay. Portugal's teachers had promotions and associated pay increases frozen between 2011 and 2017 as part of money-saving measures during a financial crisis. Labor unions want to recoup the lost time and entitlements, but the Portuguese government says it can't afford it. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa leaves after addressing the country from the Sao Bento palace, the premier's official residence, in Lisbon, Friday, May 3, 2019.(AP Photo/Armando Franca) ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - The influential brother of former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and two generals once in charge of intelligence have been jailed while under investigation for plotting against the state, a military tribunal said Sunday. A statement from the tribunal in Blida, south of Algiers, said the prosecutor appointed a judge to investigate the ex-president's younger brother Said Bouteflika, Gen. Mohamed Mediene and Gen. Athmane Tartag. They are being investigated for "plotting against the authority of the state" and "attacking the authority of the army," the statement said. The arrest of three key figures from the era of Bouteflika put a new dent in the crumbling power structure of this gas-rich North African nation, which is in the midst of a deep political crisis triggered by a popular but peaceful revolt. The ailing Bouteflika, 82, resigned April 2 under pressure from the army and weeks of street protests after two decades in power. His bid to seek a fifth presidential term had sent defiant citizens into the streets. A dramatic video aired on state television Sunday night showing the three men climbing the steps to the military tribunal. FILE - This Friday April 10, 2009 file photo shows Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, left, and his brother Said Bouteflika arrives at his campaign headquarters in the Hydra district of Algiers, a day after the Algerian presidential election. The influential younger brother of Algeria's former longtime president was detained Saturday May 4, 2019, for questioning along with two generals who previously ran state security agencies, a security official said. (AP Photo, File) Said Bouteflika, 61, was rarely seen during his brother's presidency and the two generals almost never, giving special impact to the video. The younger Bouteflika was widely viewed in Algeria as the man at the center of a political system that enriched the nation's industrialists while young Algerians suffered high unemployment. He has been accused of usurping presidential powers after his brother's 2013 stroke. Mediene, best known as Toufik, was for 25 years in charge of military intelligence service DRS and one of Algeria's most powerful men until he was forced to resign in 2015. Tartag headed the DSS state security service until last month, when he quietly stepped down after Bouteflika resigned. The powerful army chief, Ahmed Gaid Salah, had publicly accused Toufik of plotting against the popular revolt, saying in an April 16 speech that he had "irrefutable proof" and warning of legal action if he did not stop. Without naming him, Gaid Salah denounced Said Bouteflika in another speech, condemning "plots and abject conspiracies, fomented by a gang that made fraud, wrongdoing and duplicity its vocation." A wider anti-corruption campaign, encouraged by the army chief, is in progress with several top industrialists currently jailed. However, Gaid Salah himself is taking criticism from some citizens wary of his direct role in the course of events, fearing the military, which has long run the country from behind the scenes, will usurp the people's revolt. Meanwhile the man officially in charge of Algeria, interim leader Abdelakader Bensalah, gave a speech Sunday night aired on national television appealing for dialogue and cooperation ahead of a July 4 presidential election. He promised that the newly elected president would undertake "deep political reforms" as protesters have demanded, and reiterated accusations that unspecified foreign forces are threatening Algeria's stability. ___ Associated Press writer Aomar Ouali reported this story in Algiers and AP writer Elaine Ganley reported from Paris. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's latest choice to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a former border patrol chief under the Obama administration who has publicly backed the president's border wall. Trump tweeted on Sunday that Mark Morgan "will be joining the Trump Administration as the head of our hard working men and women of ICE." He added: "Mark is a true believer and American Patriot. He will do a great job!" The president tweeted later that Matt Albence will continue to serve as acting director until Morgan's confirmation by the Senate. The announcement follows a shake-up at the Department of Homeland Security triggered by the president's frustration with the increasing number of migrants at the border. The shake-up started last month, when Trump withdrew Ron Vitiello's nomination to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement midway through the confirmation process. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen then resigned, along with Undersecretary for Management Claire Grady, who was in line to be her successor. Morgan, who was named the head of the U.S. Border Patrol in 2016, was ousted early in Trump's presidency. It was not immediately clear if he had been formally nominated for the new role. The acting Homeland Security secretary, Kevin McAleenan, said in a statement that Morgan's "record of service is needed to address the crisis at the border and support the men and women of Immigration and Customs Enforcement." President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A former FBI agent, Morgan was the first and so far the only outsider to lead the Border Patrol. He clashed with its union, which has a strong relationship with Trump. Since he left, he has defended Trump's immigration policies on Fox News and publicly declared earlier this year his support for Trump's efforts to build a wall along the southern border. In April, Trump made his appreciation known, tweeting: "Mark Morgan, President Obama's Border Patrol Chief, gave the following message to me: 'President Trump, stay the course.' I agree, and believe it or not, we are making great progress with a system that has been broken for many years!" ICE is the agency tasked with enforcing immigration law in the interior of the U.S. Part of ICE's mission is to arrest immigrants in the U.S. illegally, which has made it a symbol of Trump's hardline immigration policies. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller should not testify before Congress, abandoning his previous declaration that he would leave that decision to his attorney general. Escalating tensions with House Democrats as they seek to bring Mueller before the House Judiciary Committee, Trump tweeted: "Bob Mueller should not testify. No redos for the Dems!" Democrats are seeking more information about Mueller's report on his Russia investigation. Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has said he doesn't plan to invite Mueller to testify on the report. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last week that testimony from Mueller was "up to our attorney general." William Barr has said he has no objection to Mueller testifying. Trump again asserted on Twitter Sunday that Mueller's report revealed "NO COLLUSION" and argued that there was "NO OBSTRUCTION." On collusion, Mueller said he did not assess whether that occurred because it is not a legal term. He looked into a potential criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign and said the investigation did not collect sufficient evidence to establish criminal charges on that front. Mueller didn't charge Trump with obstruction but wrote that he couldn't exonerate him, either. FILE - In this March 24, 2019, file photo, special counsel Robert Mueller departs St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Trump did not indicate if he would take any steps to block Mueller, who is a Justice Department employee. The president tweeted Sunday after a Democrat on the committee said he was hopeful Mueller would testify, noting that May 15 has been proposed. Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline told "Fox News Sunday" that "we hope the special counsel will appear" at that time and that "we think the American people have a right to hear directly from him." Cicilline later tweeted that "nothing has been agreed to yet." The House Judiciary Committee chairman, Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, said last week the committee was "firming up the date" for Mueller's testimony and hoping it would be May 15. Cicilline said on Fox that "obviously until the date comes, we never have an absolute guarantee" and in his tweet later, said that "we hope the Special Counsel" will agree to the proposed date for his testimony. Spokespeople for the Justice Department and Mueller declined to comment on Cicilline's remarks and on Trump's tweet. Democratic lawmakers expressed their displeasure with Trump's position. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted, in part: "Now he's trying to silence Mueller. For a man who constantly proclaims his innocence, @realDonaldTrump is acting awfully guilty. Mueller must testify publicly before Congress." Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, noted in a tweet that Trump's opposition to Mueller testifying follows his opposition to having a former White House counsel testify. "Barr's testimony alone - designed to protect Trump - isn't going to cut it. They will testify. The American people deserve the truth," said Schiff, who has previously stated that he would like Mueller to appear before his panel. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - The Latest on what is thought to be the first serial killer case in Cyprus (all times local): 6:45 p.m. A Cyprus police spokesman says investigators hunting for bodies dumped by a suspected serial killer pulled a suitcase containing decomposing human remains from a toxic late. Andreas Angelides told The Associated Press that the remains discovered Sunday will be examined by a coroner to determine the victim's identity. The remains of a woman were in a suitcase found at the bottom of a man-made lake a week ago. An army captain who has confessed to killing seven foreign women and girls told police he placed the bodies of three of the victims - a Filipino woman and a Romanian mother and daughter - inside suitcases which he then dumped in the lake. An expert operates a sonar monitoring device from inside a dinghy on a man-made toxic lake in Mitsero, outside of capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, May 4, 2019. The sonar scan of the lake that's a part of a defunct mine aims to locate suitcases in which a self-confessed serial killer placed the bodies of a woman and a girl. The suspect, a 35 year-old Cypriot army captain, told police that he killed seven women and girls. Search crews had previously retrieved from the lake one suitcase containing the body of an adult woman. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) The lake was part of an abandoned mine where the bodies of two women were found last month. ___ 10:50 a.m. A Cyprus police investigator says a man who has confessed to killing seven foreign women and girls on the island is being investigated on additional charges of raping a foreign woman he had photographed as a model. Criminal Investigation Department Chief Neophytos Shailos told a Nicosia court Sunday that the suspect had raped the woman in his car on the outskirts of Nicosia in early 2017 when he picked her up to supposedly give her the photographs. Shailos said the 35-year-old army captain had videoed the rape on his cellphone. The woman, a 19-year-old foreign citizen, had called the suspect's wife at the time and told her what had happened. The court extended the suspect's detention for another eight days. A woman holds a banner that shows seven impersonal face in memory of the seven victims outside of the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. Hundreds of people turned out in front of Cyprus' presidential palace to remember the five foreign women and 2 girls that a military officer has confessed to killing. The officer is widely acknowledged to be Cyprus' first serial killer.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People lie on the street during a protest outside of the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. Hundreds of people turned out in front of Cyprus' presidential palace to remember the five foreign women and 2 girls that a military officer has confessed to killing. The officer is widely acknowledged to be Cyprus' first serial killer.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A diver in a cage is lowered into a man-made lake to search for victims, near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. The president of Cyprus fired the small island nation's police chief Friday, saying botched missing person investigations might have allowed a self-confessed serial killer to claim more victims. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Women lights candles in memory of victims outside the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. Hundreds of people turned out in front of Cyprus' presidential palace to remember the five foreign women and 2 girls that a military officer has confessed to killing. The officer is widely acknowledged to be Cyprus' first serial killer.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People hold placards as they protest outside of the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. Hundreds of people turned out in front of Cyprus' presidential palace to remember the five foreign women and two girls that a military officer has confessed killing. The officer is widely acknowledged to be Cyprus' first serial killer. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Divers and members of the Cyprus Special Disaster Response Unit search in a man-made lake for victims, near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. The president of Cyprus fired the small island nation's police chief Friday, saying botched missing person investigations might have allowed a self-confessed serial killer to claim more victims. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A diver in a case dives with a lift in a man-made lake for search suitcases near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, May 2, 2019. The justice minister in Cyprus resigned amid mounting criticism that police bungled their investigations when some of the seven foreign women and girls slain by a serial killer were initially reported missing. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A diver in a cage is lifted out of a man-made lake after continuing the search for victims, near the village of Mitsero outside of the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 3, 2019. The president of Cyprus fired the small island nation's police chief Friday, saying botched missing person investigations might have allowed a self-confessed serial killer to claim more victims. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian airliner burst into flames while making an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport Sunday evening, and at least 40 people died, officials said. The Sukhoi SSJ100 operated by national airline Aeroflot had 73 passengers and five crew members on board when it touched down and sped down a runway spewing huge flames and black smoke. Elena Markovskaya, a spokeswoman for Russia's Investigative Committee, said early Monday that 41 people were killed. But Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said later that 38 survived, implying the death toll was 40. The victims included one member of the crew and at least two teenagers, according to the Investigative Committee. Video showed desperate passengers leaping out of the plane onto inflatable evacuation slides and staggering across the airport's tarmac and grass, some holding luggage. The airport said in a statement that the plane, which had taken off from Sheremetyevo Airport for the northern city of Murmansk, turned back for unspecified technical reasons and made a hard landing that started the fire. This image taken from video provided by Instagram user @artempetrovich, shows the SSJ-100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines on fire during an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (@artempetrovich via AP) Video broadcast later on Russian television showed flames bursting from the jetliner's underside as it lands and then bounces. The plane apparently did not have time to jettison fuel before the emergency landing, news reports said. The SSJ100, also known as the Superjet, is a two-engine regional jet put into service in 2011 with considerable fanfare as a signal that Russia's troubled aerospace industry was on the rise. However, the plane's reputation was troubled after defects were found in some horizontal stabilizers. The plane's manufacturer, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, said the plane in Sunday's accident had received maintenance at the beginning of April. Aeroflot said the pilot had some 1,400 hours of experience flying the plane. The plane is largely used in Russia as a replacement for outdated Soviet-era aircraft, but also has been used by airlines in other countries, including Armenia and Mexico. This is the second fatal accident involving a SSJ100. In 2012, a demonstration flight in Indonesia struck a mountain, killing all 45 aboard. In this image provided by Riccardo Dalla Francesca shows smoke rises from a fire on a plane at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Riccardo Dalla Francesca via AP) An emergency service officer speaks on a phone in the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Thirteen people died Sunday in a fiery airliner accident at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, a spokeswoman for the Russian Investigative Committee said. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Emergency service vehicles are parked at the entrance of Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) An emergency service cars are parked at the entrance of Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) The Sukhoi SSJ-100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines, center, is seen after an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. The plane belonging to Russian national carrier Aeroflot landed in flames at the airport. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A Russia's Investigative Committee van travels at the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Aircraft crew members leave the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) This image taken from video and provided on the Twitter feed of Mikhail Norenko, shows smoke from a plane on fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Mikhail Norenko/Twitter via AP) An emergency service car is parked at the entrance of Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) MOORESVILLE, N.C. (AP) - A police officer conducting a weekend traffic stop was fatally shot in North Carolina, authorities said Sunday, adding the suspected gunman was found dead in his nearby apartment from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officer Jordan Harris Sheldon, 32, was shot around 10 p.m. Saturday in the Charlotte suburb of Mooresville and later died of his injuries after being taken to a hospital, police said on their Facebook page. The police statement said the suspect fled from the shooting and was subsequently tracked to the apartment, where he was found dead. Mooresville Police Chief Damon Williams identified the gunman as 28-year-old Michael Aldana of Mooresville. Aldana had been known by police but not for any violent acts, Williams said at a news conference Sunday. The police chief declined to say what prompted Sheldon to stop Aldana's vehicle and said he didn't immediately know of a motive for the shooting. Sheldon, a six-year department veteran, was one of the department's K9 officers. He and his dog, Ramon, were on duty when the officer was killed, Williams added. The chief said Sheldon wasn't married but was involved in a relationship. "This isn't a number for us. This is a real person. And we're heartbroken. The pain and sorrow that we feel is - can't express it," Mayor Miles Atkins said, fighting back tears at the news conference. Officer Jordan Harris Sheldon is seen in an undated photo provided by the Mooresville, N.C. Police Department. Sheldon, 32, was shot and killed during a traffic stop around 10 p.m. Saturday, May 4, 2019 police said. The killer was tracked to his nearby apartment and was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the department said on its Facebook page. (Mooresville, N.C. Police Department via AP) Mourners left flowers, balloons and an American flag with Sheldon's police vehicle, which was parked Sunday outside the police department. Sheldon was wearing a body camera and it was operating at the time he was killed, Williams said. He said police were reviewing the footage as they conduct their investigation. Mooresville is a town of about 38,000 people located some 30 miles (45 kilometers) north of Charlotte. WASHINGTON (AP) - Denise Zheng is vice president at the Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of major U.S. companies, where she oversees the technology and internet innovation committee. Her previous background includes work as a technical adviser for the Plan X cyber warfare program at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, known as DARPA. The Q&A has been edited for clarity and length. __ Q: Congress seems to be getting serious now about national legislation to protect the privacy of consumers' data. The Roundtable put forward its framework for legislation in December. What's the gist of it? A: Last summer we heard from many of our member companies that privacy is increasingly a major concern from the standpoint of wanting to build and maintain trust with their consumers. There's also the increasingly complex regulatory landscape on privacy at the state level across the U.S. and also internationally, with the European Union's privacy regime and similar regulations in places like Brazil, China and India. That's why our team put together a working group of chief privacy officers to develop a proposal for legislation that would establish one consistent, federal privacy standard in the United States that would ideally be interoperable with international regimes as well. In this undated photo provided by Business Roundtable shows Denise Zheng, vice president at Business Roundtable, overseeing the technology and internet innovation committee. Zheng talked to the Associated Press about the group's proposal for consumer data privacy legislation and prospects in Congress (Business Rountable via AP) What we're advocating for is to provide consumers with a guaranteed set of individual rights over their personal data. And that includes transparency that would require companies to very clearly disclose to consumers how their data is collected, how it's used, how it's shared; to provide consumers with the right of control over their data, including the right to opt out of the sale of their data to third parties; and the ability to access and correct their information as well as to delete it. Those are very critical individual rights. We also have what we call good governance practices that we're promoting through this proposal. Practices such as privacy by design, where companies are actually embedding privacy mechanisms into their products and services from the ground up. Q: How has the proposal been received by lawmakers? A: I think a lot of folks in Congress are happy to see the Business Roundtable take privacy seriously. Rarely do we ever go around advocating for additional regulation. And that's because we think maintaining and improving consumer trust is important to our companies. And the reception has been very positive to our proposal. It's also worth pointing out that the Roundtable represents basically all the major industry sectors, including technology, and so often a lot of these debates about tech-related legislation break down because you don't have uniformity across the industry sectors. So a lot of the lawmakers and their staff that we talk to are impressed that so many different industries have come to the table and aligned around one proposal. Q: How do you view the prospects for legislation to emerge? A: We're hopeful. We think this is one of the first times that you see all of the industry and consumer groups and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle saying we need to get something done here. Of course the devil's always in the details. So this isn't going to be easy, but I think we're very optimistic. Q: What's the importance for businesses of data privacy in terms of their bottom line? A: I think what's really critical to companies is consistency and predictability. A lot of people misunderstand how the business community views regulation. You don't want regulation to kill innovation; and not all regulation is bad. What we want is consistent regulation and predictability. CONROE, Texas (AP) - Authorities say a 12-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his 10-year-old brother in Texas. The Montgomery County sheriff's office says deputies on Saturday afternoon responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting in Conroe, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Houston. Authorities found the 10-year-old with a single gunshot wound to his chest area. The child was taken to a hospital, where he died. Authorities say the 12-year-old was placed in custody in the Montgomery County Juvenile Detention Facility. Further details of the shooting were not released. Authorities say it's an active investigation. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The next stop in the chase for the Triple Crown is the Preakness, though both Maximum Security and Country House remain noncommittal for the May 18 race following Maximum Security's disqualification from the Kentucky Derby. Owner Gary West said Sunday he is unsure whether to enter Maximum Security in the Preakness as he ponders appealing the historic decision. West also said he realizes the appeals process could extend well beyond the upcoming race at Pimlico in Baltimore. And with Kentucky racing stewards' ruling that Maximum Security interfered with other horses that led to his disqualification, there might not be a point to racing the colt in the Triple Crown series' middle jewel. "When you're not going for the Triple Crown, sometimes it doesn't make sense to wheel the horse back in two weeks," West said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "If there's going to be an appeal it will almost certainly be before the Preakness, but appeals historically take some time to sort out. Win, lose or draw, we're not going to know the outcome of that until probably months, if not years, down the road." Maximum Security was first to finish Saturday's muddy Derby before becoming the marquee race's first winner to be disqualified for interference . Stewards elevated runner-up Country House, a 65-1 long shot, to the winner's circle after determining that Maximum Security impeded his path and two others' exiting the final turn. Maximum Security was ultimately placed 17th of 19 horses after starting as the 9-2 second betting choice, ending his four-race winning streak. Maximum Security is walked off the track after being disqualified for the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Stewards cited a section of the rule that calls for disqualification if "a leading horse or any other horse in a race swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate, or impede any other horse or jockey." Chief steward Barbara Borden said in a news conference that she and two other stewards interviewed riders and studied video replays of the incident during a 22-minute review after the finish. The stewards did not take questions from reporters. West said the earliest he could see the stewards' video evidence would be Thursday, which could determine if he files an appeal in a process he was still trying to understand. "We wanted to have the stewards explain to us what they saw and show us on their video the pictures of exactly what they saw, and they refused to allow us to do that," he said. "That was really pretty bush league, because there is no rule that they can't show the film to the owner and trainer that got disqualified for the first time in the history of the Kentucky Derby other than they aren't working today, or Monday, or Tuesday or Wednesday." The only other disqualification in the Derby occurred long after the race in 1968. First-place finisher Dancer's Image tested positive for a prohibited medication, and Kentucky state racing officials ordered the purse money to be redistributed. Forward Pass got the winner's share. A subsequent court challenge upheld the stewards' decision. President Donald Trump blasted Maximum Security's disqualification, blaming the Derby outcome on "political correctness." "The Kentucky Derby decision was not a good one," Trump tweeted Sunday. "It was a rough and tumble race on a wet and sloppy track, actually, a beautiful thing to watch. "Only in these days of political correctness could such an overturn occur. The best horse did NOT win the Kentucky Derby - not even close!" The Derby finish will be debated for some time, and that's not good for the beleaguered sport. The lead-up to Triple Crown season and the week at Churchill Downs was not what horse racing officials had hoped for. And now, the focus during the run-up to the Preakness will be on what's happening off the track. A scary spill for a filly and jockey opened Friday's Kentucky Oaks for fillies, and winner Serengeti Empress won her first start since pulling up in her previous race because of external bleeding. That followed medication and safety reforms by the industry after the deaths of 23 horses over three months at Santa Anita. Now racing moves to the Preakness and Pimlico, where nearly 6,700 seats at the dilapidated track have been deemed unsafe and will be unavailable. The Canada-based Stronach Group that owns Pimlico and Santa Anita has also clashed with Baltimore officials over concerns that ownership may move the Preakness to Laurel Race Course. And the best story on the track may not materialize: a Maximum Security-Country House rematch. Country House trainer Bill Mott said the colt was in good shape after the Derby but remained noncommittal about the 1 1/8-mile Preakness, which is shorter than the Derby. It would mark his fourth race in eight weeks if he runs. "It may compromise his chances a bit and it's not a normal situation to run so often," Mott said. "But the Triple Crown is not a normal situation." West also declared Maximum Security fine but will monitor him the next few days. "The revenge motive doesn't even enter into my mind," West said. "The horse proved he was the best horse (Saturday) by far. If he's not 100%, we would not even think about taking this horse to the Preakness and then we won't know that for a few days." ___ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Luis Saez riding Maximum Security, second from right, goes around turn four with Flavien Prat riding Country House, left, Tyler Gaffalione riding War of Will and John Velazquez riding Code of Honor, right, during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Jockey Flavien Prat reacts learning he won the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race when Maximum Security was disqualified at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Greg Payan) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Sophie Capshaw-Mack said she was 19 years old in May 2015 when she was raped - but North Carolina laws didn't see her as a victim. She drank too much and accepted a ride home from a fellow college student. But, instead of driving her home, he drove her to his place, where she passed out. When she woke up, she said, he was raping her. She said she managed to escape and go to police. "I did everything right after," Capshaw-Mack told The Associated Press. "I went to the hospital. I got my rape kit. I talked to the police immediately." But her perpetrator was never prosecuted, and Capshaw-Mack believes it may have had to do with a legal loophole that shifts blame to sexual assault victims. In North Carolina, it is legal to have nonconsensual sex with an incapacitated person if that person willingly got drunk or high. It is also legal to drug someone's drink. The state House passed a bill last week to close both loopholes. The measure now goes to the Senate. It's a step for North Carolina to join other states re-examining their sexual assault laws in the era of #MeToo. In this April 25, 2019, photo, North Carolina resident Leah McGuirk poses for a photo in Raleigh, N.C. McGuirk is an advocate for a bill that would make it illegal to tamper with someone's drink and would close other loopholes in the state's sexual assault laws. McGuirk experienced a seizure after one of her drinks was drugged in May 2018. (AP Photo/Amanda Morris) North Carolina is among fewer than 10 states with sexual assault laws that don't recognize as victims people who were incapacitated because of their own actions, according to North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault attorney Skye David. North Carolina is also the only state where a person cannot revoke consent for a sexual act once it is underway. The bill passed Monday does not address this 40-year-old legal precedent. "We are pretty much behind the curve on passing legislation that really supports survivors," said Monika Johnson-Hostler of the coalition. Leah McGuirk fell victim a year ago at a bar in Charlotte. She only took her eyes off her drink for a moment when she fished in her purse for her wallet. Twenty minutes later, she started to feel woozy, and said she heard a hissing sound in her ears, like the sound of opening a soda bottle. Her vision went completely black. "That's when I started to freak out. I felt this sense of urgency like there is something horribly wrong with me," she said. McGuirk passed out and had a seizure. She had only finished half her drink. When McGuirk tried to file a police report, she discovered having her drink spiked didn't make her a victim under the law. Since then, McGuirk has advocated for this legislation, which was introduced by Rep. Chaz Beasley of Charlotte, who is also running for lieutenant governor, and is co-sponsored by 63 other representatives from both major parties. "I hope this is a little bit of solace to others," McGuirk said. "If they are victimized, knowing that there are laws that protect them." Beasley's bill doesn't address the inability to revoke consent. A separate bill filed - for the fourth time - by Sen. Jeff Jackson would allow consent revocation. The bill is sitting in the Senate's Rules Committee. District Attorney Ashley Welch said the current laws are "archaic" and have forced her to tell many victims they cannot file charges because no crime was committed. Capshaw-Mack's tough experience inspired her to start a victims' support group called Survivor's Best Friend, which helps survivors adopt shelter dogs and get their pets certified as emotional support animals. The Associated Press does not usually name rape victims, but Capshaw-Mack agreed to be identified as she has previously spoken publicly as a survivor. Even with changes in the law, a jury still might not view a victim who is drunk or similarly incapacitated as a victim, Capshaw-Mack said. Based on her experience, Capshaw-Mack said there's a lot of negative stigma associated with incapacitated victims. "What I've found is that it takes a long time for public perception to kind of catch up with the law," Capshaw-Mack said. "So I think the first step, apart from passing these laws, would be to educate the public." JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Fire rescue officials say a kayaker pulled a pilot to shore after the pilot's small plane crashed into a north Florida river. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department says the single-propeller, amphibious airplane crashed into the St. Johns River in Jacksonville on Sunday. The agency tweeted that the pilot wasn't injured. The pilot was the only person on board. The small plane crash comes just two days after a chartered jet carrying 143 people landed in the St. Johns River after arriving at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and skidding off the runway. There were no serious injuries in that accident involving a jet that was flying from a military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Muslims in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, and much of the Middle East, including Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, will fast on Monday for the start of the month of Ramadan. Millions more, however, in India, Pakistan and Iran, will likely be marking the start of the lunar month on Tuesday based on moon sightings there. Muslims follow a lunar calendar, and a moon-sighting methodology can lead to different countries declaring the start of Ramadan a day or two apart. Traditionally, countries announce if their moon-sighting council spots the Ramadan crescent the evening before fasting begins. Across the world, Muslims fast each day for the entire month of Ramadan, abstaining from food and drink from dawn to dusk. That means around 15 hours without food, water, cigarettes or caffeine. Fasting is aimed at drawing worshippers closer to God through self-control, remembrance and humility. The challenge of fasting for many is also a chance to reset spiritually and physically, kick bad habits and purify the heart. During the day, Muslims must also abstain from sex, gossip and cursing, and are encouraged to focus on meditative acts like prayer, reading the Quran and charity. A cleric looks through binoculars to sight the new moon that signals the start of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) It's common practice across many Muslim-majority nations for liquor stores and hotels to curb the sale of alcohol during Ramadan. Often, restaurants shutter their doors during the day. Those exempt from fasting include children, the elderly, the sick, women who are pregnant, nursing or menstruating, and people travelling. The Ramadan fast begins with a pre-dawn meal called "suhoor" to prepare hungry stomachs for the long day ahead. A typical suhoor often includes bread, vegetables, fruits, yogurt, tea, as well as lentils and beans. At sunset, when it's time to mark the end of the daylong fast, families and friends gather for an evening meal known as "iftar." Muslims typically break their fast as the Prophet Muhammad did some 1,400 years ago, by eating sweet dates and drinking water, followed by a sunset prayer. Then, the iftar meals are enjoyed. These are often lavish affairs of home-cooked platters of rice, stews and meat, as well as spreads of desserts and other sweets. While Muslims around the world welcomed the start of Ramadan with traditional greetings and messages of peace, the start of the Muslim holy month in the Gaza Strip was marked by sounds of outgoing Palestinian rockets and incoming Israeli airstrikes. Families often shop for food items in the days before Ramadan, but most shops and markets in Gaza were closed due to the heavy round of cross-border fighting. "We got used to this situation, we don't care anymore," said Rushdi Anbar, a 42-year-old architect, as he hurried through one of the few markets still open. In 2014, the latest of three deadly wars between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers began in the second week of Ramadan and lasted for 50 days. Anwar Zeydieh, a mother of three, said she fears a similar scenario this Ramadan. "I don't think we are ready to endure all this suffering again." ___ Associated Press writer Fares Akram reported from Gaza City. Clerics of Pakistan's Moon Sighting Committee search the sky with a telescope for the new moon that signals the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Karachi, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Muslims across the world will be observing the Ramadan, when they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) An official of the Pakistan Metrological Department searches the sky for the new moon that signals the start of the Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan, in Karachi, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Muslims across the world will be observing the Ramadan, when they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) Indonesian Muslims perform an evening prayer called 'tarawih' marking the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Iranians pray at the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim in Shahr-e-Ray prior to the month of Ramadan, south of Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Iranians visit the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim in Shahr-e-Ray prior to the month of Ramadan, south of Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Indonesian Muslims perform an evening prayer called 'tarawih' marking the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) People buy dates, a favorite food for the Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan, at a wholesale market in Karachi, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Muslims across the world will be observing Ramadan, when they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) CAIRO (AP) - The U.N. mission to Libya is calling for a weeklong cease-fire in the capital, Tripoli, where forces loyal to a military commander are battling militias loosely allied with a U.N.-supported government. The U.N. mission says the "one-week humanitarian truce" would begin at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT) Monday. It is calling on all parties to cease military operations, including reconnaissance and mobilization. It was not immediately clear if any of the factions in Tripoli had agreed to the truce, which would come as many Muslims across the world begin observing the fasting month of Ramadan. Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter's forces launched an offensive in Tripoli in early April. The fighting has killed nearly 400 people and wounded nearly 2,000. The U.N. has repeatedly called for a halt to the fighting. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration is energizing its campaign to counter China's growing global influence as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heads to Europe this week on a four-nation trip that will also highlight disputes with Russia over Venezuela and elsewhere as well as deep U.S. isolation on the cause and impact of climate change. With China seeking a greater presence throughout the continent, U.S. officials said Pompeo will renew warnings over the use of advanced Chinese telecommunications technology as well as blunt Beijing's aspirations to play a significant role in the Arctic, a region that is rapidly opening up to development and commerce as temperatures warm and sea ice melts. He departs on Sunday just hours after President Donald Trump threatened to boost tariffs on Chinese imports amid the slow pace of trade negotiations. Despite an apparent internal administration disconnect over Russia's role in the crisis in Venezuela, Pompeo plans to make Moscow's support for embattled President Nicolas Maduro a major theme of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday in Finland, where they will both attend a meeting of the Arctic Council. "I'll certainly bring up Venezuela," Pompeo said Sunday. "It will be one of many topics that Foreign Minister Lavrov and I speak about. Whether there is a particular deal that can be reached, only time will tell." The Arctic Council meeting itself is likely to be dominated by concerns about the Trump administration's climate policies that many believe are focused solely on exploiting its resources and pushing back on Russia and China for strategic and security reasons at the expense of the region's delicate environment. At his next stops in Germany and Britain, officials said Pompeo would sound the alarm over Chinese tech giant Huawei's efforts to expand into Europe, reiterating U.S. concerns that China's government could use the firm to get access to private personal and commercial data and compromise NATO and allied intelligence operations. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, waves as he stands alongside Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, Monday, April 29, 2019, at the U.S. State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) In Berlin in meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, the officials said he would again highlight opposition to Germany's support for the Russian-backed NordStream 2 gas pipeline that Washington believes will increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia. In London, where British Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are struggling to grapple with an impasse over Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, Pompeo plans to deliver a speech extolling the virtues of the "special relationship" between the U.S. and the U.K. Officials said he would also be laying the groundwork for Trump's state visit to Britain this summer and renewing America's interest in sealing a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement once Brexit has been completed. Pompeo will see Lavrov in Rovaniemi, Finland on Monday, following a week in which he and Trump national security adviser John Bolton ramped up criticism of Russia and Cuba for propping up Maduro in the face of a U.S.-backed challenge to his leadership from opposition leader Juan Guaido. But the meeting also comes just three days after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a lengthy telephone call about the state of relations following the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Trump has rejected any suggestion that his campaign colluded with Russia or tried to obstruct the investigation. But he also dialed back on Pompeo and Bolton's Venezuela complaints, saying Putin didn't want to get involved in Venezuela. Pompeo disputed the apparent discrepancy in interviews with three morning television talk shows on Sunday, saying that both Cuba and Russia both need to leave Venezuela. "No, no difference. No difference. The President has said ... that the Russians must leave Venezuela," he told CBS's "Face the Nation." ''We want everyone out, so that the Venezuelan people can get the democracy they deserve. That includes Mr. Maduro leaving." Other than Venezuela, U.S. officials said Pompeo would also raise with Lavrov Russia's intervention in Syria and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, subjects of perennial discussion with Moscow. On the Arctic, officials said Pompeo would stress the administration's insistence on using the forum to promote U.S. economic growth despite risks to the region. Trump announced his intention to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate accord in one of his first foreign policy decisions as president and Pompeo acknowledged to ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that American negotiators had fought to remove references to the Paris agreement from the Arctic Council's final communique that is to be released on Tuesday. Officials said Pompeo would laud U.S. reductions in greenhouse gas emissions despite leaving the Paris agreement, although critics argue those reductions are the result of policies enacted before Trump took office and could be reversed. At the same time, officials said Pompeo would reject Chinese attempts to play any kind of decision-making role in the Arctic Council, a group that includes as full members only the eight nations that border the region. Chinese officials have recently begun referring to their country as a "near Arctic" state, a term that has alarmed Americans and others. Arctic policy will also be a focus of Pompeo's final stop of the trip, Greenland, where he will meet U.S.-funded scientists and others engaged in studying the impact of climate change in the region. VITERBO, Italy (AP) - Italian police have arrested a 22-year-old American and accused him of killing a 74-year-old Italian owner of a clothing store in Viterbo, a city near Rome. Police arrested Michael Aaron Pang on Saturday and allege the killed the Italian storekeeper by striking him with a stool. The body of Norveo Fedeli was found inside his store Friday, Lt. Col. Guglielmo Trombetta said. Trombetta said Pang, who was born in South Korea, is a graphic designer from the Kansas City area who arrived in Italy about two months ago. Trombetta said it was unclear why Pang was in Italy. He said the suspect has not spoken yet with detectives. Pang's lawyer, Remigio Sicilia, said he came to Italy on a tourist's visa and had a desire to learn Italian and work in Italy. He said Pang is from Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. He said Pang appeared to have no criminal past. "He's 22, but he is like a child," the lawyer said. "He's a well-behaved boy from a good American family." Trombetta said Pang ordered designer clothes worth about 600 euros ($670) from Fedeli's store. He said Pang had gone to the store twice before Friday to purchase the clothes, but his credit card was rejected. In this photo taken on Friday, May 3, 2019, forensic police officers inspect the shop where 74-year-old Norveo Fedeli was killed in Viterbo, Italy. Italian police have arrested a 22-year-old U.S. man and accused him of killing a 74-year-old Italian owner of a clothing store in Viterbo, a city near Rome. Police arrested Michael Aaron Pang on Saturday and allege that he killed the storekeeper by striking him with a stool. The body of Norveo Fedeli was found inside his store on Friday, Lt. Col. Guglielmo Trombetta told The Associated Press. (Moscatelli/ANSA via AP) Police allege Pang and Fedeli scuffled before Pang killed the storekeeper. Police say Pang changed his clothes and took the man's wallet before fleeing the store with one of his shoes covered in a bag because it was stained in blood. Police say they found Fedeli's stolen wallet and other evidence linking Pang to the killing at a room he rented in Capodimonte, a lake town near Viterbo. Pang, who faces murder and robbery charges, is expected to appear in court Monday, Trombetta said. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota state lawmaker Matt Grossell was arrested after he refused to leave a St. Paul hospital where he was taken after allegedly causing a ruckus at a hotel bar, police said Sunday. A release from police Sgt. Mike Ernster said that officers were called to the Best Western Plus Capitol Ridge hotel about 1 a.m. Saturday after hotel security complained that an intoxicated man was acting disorderly in the bar area. Grossell, a Republican representative from Clearbrook, had been escorted to his room when officers arrived. Police said officers checked on Grossell and they found that he could not answer basic questions and didn't believe he could care for himself. Officers called paramedics, who decided to transport Grossell to a hospital. After Grossell was evaluated and cleared by hospital staff, police said he was argumentative with staff and refused to leave. He was booked into the Ramsey County Jail for trespassing and released a couple of hours later on a promise to appear in court. Grossell, a retired Clearwater County sheriff's deputy, issued a statement Saturday apologizing "to my family, my constituents, my colleagues, and my friends." A spokesman for Grossell said the lawmaker would have no further comment. OSAGE, Iowa (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Sunday proposed a sweeping agriculture and rural investment plan to break up big agriculture monopolies and shift farm subsidies toward small family farmers. "I think a farmer that produces the food we eat may be almost as important as some crook on Wall Street who destroys the economy," Sanders said during a campaign event in Osage, a town of fewer than 4,000 people. "Those of us who come from rural America have nothing to be ashamed about, and the time is long overdue for us to stand up and fight for our way of life." Sanders' plan expands on themes that have been central to his presidential campaign in Iowa since the start, including his emphasis on rural America and pledge to take on and break up big corporations. During his Sunday speech, Sanders outlined the dire circumstances confronting rural America - population decline, school and hospital closures and rising addiction and suicide rates in many rural counties nationwide - as the impetus for his policy. His plan includes a number of antitrust proposals, including breaking up existing agriculture monopolies and placing a moratorium on future mergers by big agriculture companies. He would also ban "vertically integrated" agribusinesses - companies that control multiple levels of production and processing of a product. One of his competitors in the Democratic race, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, included several of those antitrust planks in the agriculture policy she released in March. But Sanders' policy is more expansive than just targeting major agriculture corporations - he's also proposing greater government involvement in setting price controls and managing supply and demand of agriculture commodities. FILE - In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., answers questions during a presidential forum held by She The People, on the Texas State University campus in Houston. On Sunday, May 5, 2019, Sanders proposed a sweeping agriculture and rural investment plan to break up big agriculture monopolies and shift farm subsidies toward small family farmers. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke, File) His plan calls for a shift from the current farm subsidy system toward a "parity system," which means "setting price floors and matching supply with demand so farmers are guaranteed the cost of production and family living expenses." Critics of the farm bill have argued that the current government subsidy system favors large family farms and corporate farms over small family farms, and Sanders' policy aims to make that distribution more equal. Such a major change in agriculture policy would require congressional action and would likely face fierce opposition from the farm lobby - but Sanders pledged to fight for farmers against corporate interests. "In rural America, we are seeing giant agribusiness conglomerates extract as much wealth out of small communities as they possibly can while family farmers are going bankrupt and in many ways are being treated like modern-day indentured servants," Sanders said. Sanders would also classify food supply security as a national security issue and increase scrutiny over foreign ownership of American farmland. And he suggests re-establishing a "national grain and feed reserve" in case of a natural disaster or severe weather event - a proposal inspired in part by the recent flooding on Iowa's eastern and western borders, which swamped acres of cropland and wiped out farmers' stores. Sanders also wants to change patent law to protect small farmers from lawsuits brought by corporate farms, strengthen organic standards and bolster programs aimed at supporting minority farmers. He includes in his proposal planks focused on rural economic and infrastructure development and on incentivizing the agriculture industry to help combat climate change by shifting to more sustainable farming practices. Sanders' agriculture proposal includes planks that specifically tailor some of his broader policy priorities to rural America. He has proposed increasing funding for public education and establishing a universal childcare system, and his agriculture plan seeks an increase in funding for rural education and a universal childcare system that provides access for rural Americans to daycare. SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) - Authorities arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with a shooting that injured six people at the Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve on California's central coast. Francisco Orozco, 19, could face multiple counts of attempted murder, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office said Sunday. It wasn't immediately known if the Oakland resident has an attorney. Six people were hospitalized following the shooting, authorities said. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office says investigators believe the shooting just after midnight was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public. The conditions of those hurt weren't immediately available. KSBY-TV reports a large crowd was gathered at the recreation area when gunfire erupted. Officials haven't identified a suspect or a possible motive. This Sunday, May 5, 2019, photo shows suspect Francisco Orozco, 19, from Oakland, Calif., in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Authorities arrested Orozco in connection with a shooting that injured six people at the Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve on California's central coast. (San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office via AP) Detectives remained at the scene throughout the night conducting interviews and looking for evidence. The area was closed early Sunday, but it is expected to reopen later in the day. WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. is dispatching an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Middle East following "clear indications" that Iran and its proxy forces were preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region, a defense official told The Associated Press. At the White House, national security adviser John Bolton said Sunday night that the U.S. is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region, an area that includes the Middle East. In a statement, he said the move was in response to "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings," but did not provide more details. U.S. forces at sea and on land were thought to be the potential targets, and the Pentagon approved the deployments in response to those indications, according to the defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to speak publicly. The Abraham Lincoln and its strike group of ships and combat aircraft have been operating in the Mediterranean Sea recently. Bolton's reference to the Central Command area would mean the Lincoln is headed east to the Red Sea and perhaps then to the Arabian Sea or the Persian Gulf, which would take several days. The U.S. Navy currently has no aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Bolton said the U.S. wants to send a message that "unrelenting force" will meet any attack on U.S. interests or those of its allies. "The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces," he said. FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2012, file photo, Navy shore crew haul in lines as the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrives at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. The U.S. is dispatching the USS Abraham Lincoln and other military resources to the Middle East following "clear indications" that Iran and its proxy forces were preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region, according to a defense official on May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) Along with the Lincoln, Bolton mentioned "a bomber task force," which suggested the Pentagon is deploying land-based bomber aircraft somewhere in the region, perhaps on the Arabian Peninsula. Speaking to reporters while flying to Europe, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the actions undertaken by the U.S. had been in the works for a little while. "It is absolutely the case that we have seen escalatory actions from the Iranians and it is equally the case that we will hold the Iranians accountable for attacks on American interests," Pompeo said. "If these actions take place, if they do by some third-party proxy, a militia group, Hezbollah, we will hold the Iranian leadership directly accountable for that." Asked about "escalatory actions," Pompeo replied, "I don't want to talk about what underlays it, but make no mistake, we have good reason to want to communicate clearly about how the Iranians should understand how we will respond to actions they may take." Asked if the Iranian action were related to the deadly events in Gaza and Israel - militants fired rockets into Israel on Sunday and Israel responded with airstrikes - Pompeo said, "It is separate from that." The Trump administration has been intensifying a pressure campaign against Iran. Last month, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. will no longer exempt any countries from U.S. sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil, a decision that primarily affects the five remaining major importers: China and India and U.S. treaty allies Japan, South Korea and Turkey. The U.S. also recently designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group, the first ever for an entire division of another government. Trump withdrew from the Obama administration's landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and in the months that followed, reimposed punishing sanctions including those targeting Iran's oil, shipping and banking sectors. Bolton and Pompeo have in recent months spoken stridently about Iran and its "malign activities" in the region. ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report. FILE - This April 27, 2016, file photo, shows the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. The U.S. is dispatching the USS Abraham Lincoln and other military resources to the Middle East following "clear indications" that Iran and its proxy forces were preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region, according to a defense official on May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the United States and Iran (all times local): 10:25 p.m. A U.S. defense official says the deployments of an aircraft carrier strike group and land-based bombers to the Middle East are in response to indications that Iran and its proxy forces were preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region. The defense official tells The Associated Press that the Pentagon approved the deployments of the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group of ships and combat aircraft. The official says U.S. forces at sea and on land were thought to be the potential targets. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and requested anonymity. A White House statement says the military resources were deployed to send a message to Iran that "unrelenting force" will meet any attack on U.S. interests or those of its allies. FILE - In this April 1, 2019, file photo, the USS Abraham Lincoln deploys from Naval Station Norfolk, in the vicinity of Norfolk, Va. The White House said Sunday, May 5, that the U.S. is deploying military resources to send a message to Iran. White House national security adviser John Bolton said in a statement that the U.S. is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region, an area that includes the Middle East. (Kaitlin McKeown/The Virginian-Pilot via AP, File) ___ 9:40 p.m. A White House statement about deploying additional military resources to send a message to Iran suggests those resources are headed to the Mideast. White House national security adviser John Bolton said Sunday that the U.S. is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region. The Abraham Lincoln and its strike group of ships and combat aircraft have been operating in the Mediterranean Sea recently. Bolton's reference to the Central Command area would mean the Lincoln is headed east to the Red Sea and perhaps then to the Arabian Sea or the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy currently has no aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Bolton's statement suggests land-based bomber aircraft are being deployed somewhere in the region, perhaps on the Arabian Peninsula. ___ 9:30 p.m. The White House says the U.S. is deploying additional military resources to send a message to Iran. White House national security adviser John Bolton said Sunday that the U.S. is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region." That area includes the Middle East. Bolton says the move is in response to what he calls "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings." He isn't providing details, but says the U.S. wants to send a message that "unrelenting force" will meet any attack on U.S. interests or those of its allies. He says the U.S. isn't looking to go to war with Iran but that it's fully prepared to respond to any attack. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Brunei's sultan has said a moratorium on capital punishment is in effect for new Shariah criminal laws including stoning people for gay sex and adultery that sparked an international outcry. The United Nations has called the laws implemented April 3 "draconian" while the U.S. and several other countries have urged Brunei to halt its plans. Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have rallied for a boycott of nine hotels in the U.S. and Europe linked to Brunei. Even before 2014, homosexuality was already punishable in Brunei by a jail term of up to 10 years. The new laws say those found guilty of gay sex can be stoned to death or whipped. Adulterers risk death by stoning too, while thieves face amputation of a right hand on their first offense and a left foot on their second. The new laws apply to children and foreigners, even if they are not Muslim. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said Sunday in a speech to mark the start of Ramadan that he was aware of the "many questions and misperceptions" over the penalties provided for under new sections of Brunei's Shariah Penal Code, but stressed that there should be no fear. Brunei has had a "de facto moratorium" on capital punishment for over two decades and "this will also be applied to cases under the (Shariah laws) which provides a wider scope for remission," he said. The announcement came as a surprise but appeared aimed at deflecting criticism that Islamic criminal laws are cruel. "We are conscious of the fact that misperceptions may cause apprehension. However, we believe that once these have been cleared, the merit of the law will be evident," the sultan said. Sultan Hassanal said Brunei will also ratify the U.N. Convention Against Torture to show its commitment to human rights. FILE - In this April 19, 2018, file photo, the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah listens during the first executive session of the CHOGM summit at Lancaster House in London. Brunei's sultan has said a moratorium on capital punishment is in effect for new Shariah criminal laws including stoning people for gay sex and adultery that sparked an international outcry. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said Sunday, May 5, in a speech to mark the start of Ramadan that he was aware of the "many questions and misperceptions" over the penalties provided for under new sections of Brunei's Shariah Penal Code, but stressed that there should be no fear.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) "Both the common law and the Shariah law aim to ensure peace and harmony of the country. They are also crucial in protecting the morality and decency of the public as well as respecting the privacy of individuals," he added. In an immediate reaction, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on Monday hailed the moratorium on the death penalty but also urged Brunei to revoke other harsh punishments such as amputation and flogging. Brunei is a member of the Commonwealth. Sultan Hassanal instituted the Shariah Penal Code in 2014 to bolster the influence of Islam in the oil-rich monarchy of around 430,000 people, two-thirds of whom are Muslim. There has been no vocal opposition to the new penalties in Brunei, where the sultan rules as head of state with full executive authority. Public criticism of his policies is extremely rare in the country. CHICAGO (AP) - A federal judge on Monday handed an Illinois man a 16-year prison sentence for trying to kill hundreds of people by detonating what he thought was a car bomb outside a crowded Chicago bar, saying she factored in Adel Daoud's mental health in imposing a sentence much lower than prosecutors requested. The sentence - which, with time served, could mean the 25-year-old goes free in less than 10 years - includes prison time for attempting to have an FBI agent killed and for slashing an inmate with a shiv for taunting him with a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman alluded to secret FBI recordings of Daoud made during the 2012 FBI sting that ensnared him. Coleman said Daoud was uniquely immature at the time, when he was 18, noting how Daoud is heard giggling almost constantly as he brainstorms attacks to avenge what he saw as the West's war on Muslims. At an impressionable age, the judge said the "awkward young man with few friends" was immediately drawn to the 38-year-old FBI agent who first met with Daoud. Daoud promptly began tossing out ideas to impress the agent posing as a terrorist, once suggesting they mount an attack with "flying cars" packed with explosives. "He continued to do what teenage boys do ... talk big," Coleman said. Daoud didn't react Monday afternoon when the judge announced the sentence, but he smiled and wished Coleman well as the hearing ended. FILE - This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Marshals office shows Chicago terrorism suspect Adel Daoud. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman handed Adel Daouda 16-year prison sentence for trying to kill hundreds of people by detonating a car bomb outside a Chicago bar in 2012, saying she factored in his mental health in imposing a sentence much lower than prosecutors requested. The sentence announced Monday, May 6, 2019 in Chicago for Daoud includes time for related convictions for later attempting to have an FBI agent killed and for slashing an inmate with a shiv for taunting him with a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad. (U.S. Marshals office via AP, File) His lead attorney, Thomas Durkin, told reporters outside court afterward that the sentence was "just" and "courageous." He added about his client: "This gives him a life. We can't ask for anything more." Prosecutors had asked for a 40-year prison term, saying in one filing that Daoud sounded so eager to proceed with a terrorist attack that agents repeatedly sought delays to give Daoud more time to think and change his mind. "The defendant needed no convincing to kill," the document said. After sentencing Monday, the U.S. Attorney in Chicago, John Lausch, told reporters his office found the length of the sentence "disappointing" and that appealing it was a possibility. In addition to the 16-year prison term, Coleman said Daoud would be on 45 years of supervised release once he is out. She also mandated that he attend what she called "violent extremism counseling." The judge criticized both prosecutors and defense attorneys for "hyperbole" during the case. But she said prosecutors were wrong to challenge, at every step, that Daoud suffered from mental illness. Coleman held three days of hearings on a sentence last week, during which Daoud said he was sorry "for making my parents cry" and "for making a bad name for the Muslim community," among other apologies. He appeared far calmer last week than during earlier hearings, when his jovial exterior belied the seriousness of his legal plight. On Monday, Coleman said Daoud was no "run-of-the-mill defendant." She alluded to how he once accused her of being a "reptilian overlord" in cahoots with the Illuminati. He often seemed oddly happy at hearings, typically smiling and waving to the judge each time he was led into court from jail. "He has been respectful and pleasant to this court ... more so than any defendant I have had," Coleman said Monday. The judge temporarily deemed Daoud mentally ill in 2016, saying she was convinced at the time that he truly believed shadowy figures were out to get him. He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. A hidden camera captured a gleeful Daoud driving with an agent posing as a terrorist to the Cactus Bar on Sept. 14, 2012. He cups his hands in over his face, praying that God ensure the attack made worldwide news and that it strike fear into nonbelievers. He prays this would be the first of many attacks, the video showed. He was arrested after parking a Jeep outside the downtown bar on that Friday night, walking to an alley a block away and pushing a button he believed would set off a 1,000-pound (454-kilogram) bomb inside the vehicle. Daoud pushed the button a second time when it didn't go off. Agents supplied the fake device, which was made to smell like diesel fuel and had wiring contacted to bags of fertilizer to convince Daoud it was real. He was told it would destroy much of the block and kill hundreds of people out on the town. Daoud entered an Alford plea in November, saying at the time that he accepted the "factual basis" of the charges against him but denied culpability and maintained his innocence. ___ Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mtarm 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 Monday. But it's 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 humanity's 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. FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2011, file photo, a lemur looks through the forest at Andasibe-Mantadia National Park in Andasibe, Madagascar. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Jason Straziuso, File) 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 report's 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 "we're in trouble," said Rebecca Shaw, chief scientist for the World Wildlife Fund, who observed the final negotiations. "This is the strongest call we've 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 that's 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. It's 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 report's 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 Earth's 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 world's oceans. A third of the world's 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 world's land mammals - 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 world's 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, it's 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 world's 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 world's 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 world's 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 IUCN's 25% threatened rate to the rest of the world's 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 that's 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. "We're in the middle of the sixth great extinction crisis, but it's 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 what's going on now as a sixth big die-off because current levels don't 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 nature's ability to provide clean air and water, good soil and other essentials. Habitat loss is one of the biggest threats, and it's 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 doesn't 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. ___ Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2018, file photo, birds fly past a smoking chimney in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) FILE - In this June 7, 2017, file photo, two wild elephants, part of a herd that arrived at a wetland near the Thakurkuchi railway station engage in a tussle on the outskirts of Gauhati, Assam, India. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/ Anupam Nath, File) FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2018, file photo, a couple walks through a forest with the Frankfurt skyline in background near Frankfurt, Germany. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2008, file photo, fish swim next to a coral reef at Cayo de Agua in archipelago Los Roques, Venezuela. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File) FILE - In this June 21, 2015, file photo, a fisherman unloads his catch in the port of Suao, north eastern Taiwan. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Wally Santana, File) CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia's prime minister on Monday defended the nation's intelligence agency bosses after a former prime minister described them as "nutters" who have damaged bilateral relations with China. Former Prime Minister Paul Keating on Sunday urged his center-left Labor Party to "clean them out" - referring to the security agency chiefs - if Labor wins government at elections next week. Conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Australian security agencies had prevented 15 terrorist attacks in Australia since the national threat level was increased in 2014. "For what the Labor Party calls a Labor legend to go out there and attack the credibility of our security agencies that have been saving lives in this country, I think is very disappointing," Morrison told reporters. Labor leader Bill Shorten, whom opinion polls suggest will replace Morrison as prime minister after the May 18 election, distanced himself from Keating's comments. "Paul Keating's an elder statesman of Australian politics, he's never been shy of saying what he thinks, but for myself and my opposition team, we've worked very well with the national security agencies," Shorten told reporters. "We, of course, will continue to take the professional advice of the people who help keep Australians safe." Opposition leader Bill Shorten speaks at the launch of Labor's federal election campaign at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Brisbane, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Australia's opposition party officially launched its election campaign putting health care and climate change at the forefront of its bid for election on May 18. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP) Keating, a 75-year-old who was prime minister from 1991 until 1996, made scathing comments about the Australian Security Intelligence Organization and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service during an interview televised by Australian Broadcasting Corp. after Labor's official campaign launch. Relations between Australia and its most important trading partner, China, became strained after former conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in 2017 plans to ban covert foreign interference in politics. The ban followed a classified report by China analyst John Garnaut that found the Chinese Communist Party for a decade had tried to influence Australian policy, compromise political parties and gain access to all levels of government. Keating said security agencies had "all gone berko" - a slang term meaning berserk - since Garnaut's report. "When the security agencies are running foreign policy, the nutters are in charge," Keating said. "They've lost their strategic bearings, these organizations," he added. Security agencies' advice has led to the government banning Chinese technology giant Huawei from involvement in Australia's national broadband network and the rollout of the upcoming 5G network. The agencies were also responsible for Australia this year stripping Chinese billionaire political donor Huang Xiangmo of permanent residency and rejecting his citizenship application. Keating said Australia's relations with China needed to be mended by a Labor government. "There's healing to be done, but I think a Labor government would make a huge shift just really making the point that China's entitled to be there rather than being some illegitimate state that has to be strategically watched," Keating said. Shorten said a Labor government would put Australians' interests first in the bilateral relationship with China. "There is a debate which says we shouldn't look at the rise of China solely through the prism of strategic risk," Shorten said. "We'll mind the security; we'll also make sure that we try and gain the best deal I can for Australian jobs, Australian exports, dealing with China and other Asian economies." Two opinion polls published on Monday showed that Labor is likely to win the election. A Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper showed that 51% of respondents supported Labor and 49% supported the conservative coalition. The poll was based on a nationwide weekend survey of 1,846 voters. It has a 2.3 percentage point margin of error. An Ipsos poll published in The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper found 52% support for Labor and 48% for the coalition. That poll was based on a nationwide survey of 1,200 voters from May 1 to 4. It has a 2.8 percentage point margin of error. WASHINGTON (AP) - A House committee is poised to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress - the opening salvo in what could be a lengthy, acrimonious court battle between House Democrats and President Donald Trump's administration over special counsel Robert Mueller's report . House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler scheduled a Wednesday vote to hold Barr in contempt of Congress, citing the Justice Department's failure to provide the full text of Mueller's report by the Monday morning deadline. Nadler, D-N.Y., said Barr's failure to comply with a subpoena left them with "no choice but to initiate contempt proceedings." The movement to hold Barr in contempt reflects the deepening rift between Democrats and Barr, whom they accuse of spinning the results of Mueller's investigation to Trump's benefit. Barr, in a memo summarizing Mueller's investigation, said there was insufficient evidence that Trump obstructed justice - a conclusion Democrats fiercely dispute. Nadler said the version of Mueller's report that has already been released to the public offered "disturbing evidence and analysis that President Trump engaged in obstruction of justice at the highest levels." Now, he said, lawmakers need the full version and the underlying evidence "to determine how to best move forward with oversight, legislation and other constitutional responsibilities." The committee said contempt proceedings could be postponed if the attorney general makes a "good faith" effort to comply with the committee. In a possible thaw, Nadler said Monday evening that the Justice Department had agreed to meet with his staff Tuesday, adding that he hopes to make "concrete progress" toward resolving the dispute. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., joined at right by Rep. Doug Collins, R-Georgia, the ranking member, waits to start a hearing on the Mueller report without witness Attorney General William Barr who refused to appear, escalating an already acrimonious battle between Democrats and the Justice Department, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said earlier that the department has "taken extraordinary steps to accommodate the House Judiciary Committee's requests for information" regarding Mueller's report, but that Nadler had not reciprocated. She noted that Democrats have refused to read a version of Mueller's report with fewer redactions that has already been provided to Congress. Kupec said officials were continuing to engage with the committee, and Nadler's staff had been invited to the department "to discuss a mutually acceptable accommodation." If the committee approves the contempt resolution against Barr, as expected, it would head to the full House for final approval. But that step is unlikely to lead to criminal charges. A House vote would send a criminal referral to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a Justice Department official who is likely to defend the attorney general. Yet by pursuing contempt, Democrats hope to send a message to the Trump administration about their willingness to invoke congressional powers in the majority. Beyond Mueller's report, House Democrats have, so far mostly unsuccessfully, subpoenaed administration witnesses and made efforts to gain access to Trump's personal and business financial records. Trump has said he will block those efforts, declaring he will "fight all the subpoenas." Democratic House leaders could file a civil lawsuit against the Justice Department to obtain the Mueller report- an option that could take months or even years to resolve. Some committee members have suggested they also could fine Barr as he withholds the information. They could also open impeachment proceedings against Trump, though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she's not interested in doing that, for now. Republicans have lambasted the Democratic tactics as overreach and defended Barr. The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, said "Democrats have launched a proxy war smearing the attorney general" when their anger actually lies with the president. There is precedent for sitting attorneys general to be held in contempt of Congress. In 2012, the House held then-Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt over a botched gun-tracking operation known as Fast and Furious. Republicans cited the Justice Department's failure to turn over, without any preconditions, documents related to the risky operation. The Justice Department took no action to prosecute the attorney general. Mueller's report - now a best-seller even in redacted form - states that his investigation could not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump team and Russia. However, it did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Mueller didn't charge Trump but wrote that he couldn't exonerate him, either. House Judiciary Democrats say Congress is "the only body able to hold the president to account" since the Justice Department has a policy against indicting a sitting president. They say they need the full report and the evidence that it cites, including witness interviews and "items such as contemporaneous notes." Nadler also wants every member of Congress to be able to read the full report. As the fight with Barr has escalated, Democrats have been in negotiations to hear from Mueller himself. Trump complicated those talks Sunday by tweeting that he would oppose Mueller's testimony, reversing from his earlier position of leaving it up to Barr. As long as Mueller remains a Justice Department employee, Trump or Barr could block him from appearing. Trump did not indicate if he would take steps to do so. It's unclear when Mueller will leave the department - or whether he would want to testify in his own capacity when he does. Nadler said last week the committee was "firming up the date" for Mueller's testimony and hoping it would be May 15. The Justice Department declined to comment. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba Monday held extensive talks with Chief of US Naval Operations Admiral John Michael Richardson on ways to further deepen cooperation between navies of the two countries. Admiral Richardson is on a three-day visit to India which began on Sunday. "Major issues discussed included operations and exercises, training interactions, information exchange, capacity building and capability enhancement," the Indian Navy said. It said Admiral Richardson's visit is intended to consolidate bilateral naval relations between India and the US and also to explore new avenues for naval cooperation. The US naval official also interacted with Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa among others. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is still pulling numbers out of thin air on the economy. Trump repeatedly asserted that the U.S. economy is perhaps the best "ever" and insisted that last quarter's gross domestic product was the highest in 14 years. Neither claim is true. The president bragged the U.S. has more people working than ever before, skimming over the fact that the raw numbers are due to population increases. The misstatements came as the "no-collusion" chorus also sang loudly this past week, led by Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin chiming in. That gave rise to substantial misrepresentations of what the special counsel's Russia investigation actually found. In the Democratic presidential campaign, Joe Biden went beyond the facts on Trump's tax cuts, claiming falsely that "all of it went to folks at the top." A look at the claims: President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ECONOMY TRUMP: "We have more people working right now than ever in the history of our country." - interview Thursday with Fox News. THE FACTS: It's true that more people are working now, but that is driven by population growth. A more relevant measure is the proportion of Americans with jobs, and that is still far below record highs. According to Labor Department data, 60.6 percent of people in the United States 16 years and older were working in April. That's below the all-time high of 64.7 percent in April 2000, though higher than the 59.9 percent when Trump was inaugurated in January 2017. On Friday, the Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate dropped last month to 3.6% from 3.8%. That drop reflected a healthy economy for sure, but also an increase in the number of Americans who stopped looking for work. ___ TRUMP: "I think we have the best economy we've ever had."- interview Thursday with Fox News. TRUMP: "It's probably the best economy we've ever had." - interview Wednesday with Fox Business News. TRUMP: "Fact is, every economic aspect of our Country is the best it has ever been!" - tweet on April 29. THE FACTS: The economy is solid but not one of the best in history. The economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.2 percent in the first quarter of this year. That growth was the highest in just four years for the first quarter. In the late 1990s, growth topped 4 percent for four straight years, a level it has not yet reached on an annual basis under Trump. Growth even reached 7.2 percent in 1984. While the economy has shown strength, it grew 2.9% in 2018 - the same pace it reached in 2015 - and simply hasn't hit historically high growth rates. The economic expansion began under President Barack Obama in mid-2009. ___ TRUMP: "We just did 3.2 ... 3.2 is a number that they haven't hit in 14 years." - interview Wednesday with Fox Business News. THE FACTS: First-quarter growth of 3.2% in the gross domestic product is nowhere close to the best in 14 years, by any measure. It's only the best since last year, surpassed in the second and third quarters with rates of 4.2% and 3.4% respectively. Perhaps he meant to say it was the best first-quarter growth in 14 years. But that's not right, either. It's the best in four years. The economy grew by 3.3% in the first quarter of 2015. So Obama has a better first-quarter record than Trump to date. ___ TRUMP: "Wages are rising fastest for the lowest-income Americans." - Wisconsin rally on April 27. THE FACTS: This is true, though he's claiming credit for a trend that predates his presidency. Some of the gains also reflect higher minimum wages passed at the state and local level; the Trump administration opposes an increase to the federal minimum wage. With the unemployment rate at 3.6 %, the lowest since December 1969, employers are struggling to fill jobs. Despite all the talk of robots and automation, thousands of restaurants, warehouses, and retail stores still need workers. They are offering higher wages and have pushed up pay for the lowest-paid one-quarter of workers more quickly than for everyone else since 2015. In March, the poorest 25% saw their paychecks increase 4.4% from a year earlier, compared with 3% for the richest one quarter. ___ BIDEN ON TAX CUTS BIDEN: "There's a $2 trillion tax cut last year. Did you feel it? Did you get anything from it? Of course not. Of course not. All of it went to folks at the top and corporations that pay no taxes." - Pittsburgh rally on April 29. THE FACTS: Not true. While Trump's tax cut did skew to the wealthy, most middle-income taxpayers saw a tax cut this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The average taxpayer received a tax cut of about $1,600 in 2018, the center calculates, with two-thirds of U.S. taxpayers getting a cut and about 6 percent paying more. ___ RUSSIA INVESTIGATION PUTIN on special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation: "A mountain gave birth to a mouse." - remarks Tuesday, echoed in a phone call with Trump on Friday. THE FACTS: Some might say this is a mouse that roared. The investigation produced charges against nearly three dozen people, among them senior Trump campaign operatives and 25 Russians, as it shed light on a brazen Russian assault on the American political system. The investigation did not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia and it reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Yet it described his campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt rival Hillary Clinton and it exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts. The Russians caught up in the investigation were charged either with hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet. ___ TRUMP on Democrats: "Are they looking for a redo because they hated seeing the strong NO COLLUSION conclusion? - tweet Sunday. TRUMP: "The Mueller Report strongly stated that there was No Collusion with Russia (of course) and, in fact, they were rebuffed ... at every turn in attempts to gain access." - tweets Thursday. ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR: "The evidence is now that the president was falsely accused of colluding with the Russians and accused of being treasonous. ... Two years of his administration have been dominated by allegations that have now been proven false." - Senate hearing Wednesday. SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee: "Mr. Mueller and his team concluded there was no collusion." - Senate hearing. THE FACTS: This refrain about the Mueller report stating there was no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign is wrong. Trump's assertion that his campaign denied all access to Russians is false. The Mueller report and other scrutiny revealed a multitude of meetings with Russians. Among them: Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer who had promised dirt on Clinton. On collusion, Mueller said he did not assess whether that occurred because it is not a legal term. He looked into a potential criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign and said the investigation did not collect sufficient evidence to establish criminal charges on that front. Mueller noted some Trump campaign officials had declined to testify under the Fifth Amendment or had provided false or incomplete testimony, making it difficult to get a complete picture of what happened during the 2016 campaign. The special counsel wrote that he "cannot rule out the possibility" that unavailable information could have cast a different light on the investigation's findings. ___ BARR, speaking of Trump: "He fully cooperated." - Senate hearing. THE FACTS: It's highly questionable to say Trump was fully cooperative in the Russia investigation. Trump declined to sit for an interview with Mueller's team, gave written answers that investigators described as "inadequate" and "incomplete," said more than 30 times that he could not remember something he was asked about in writing, and - according to the report - tried to get aides to fire Mueller or otherwise shut or limit the inquiry. In the end, the Mueller report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia but left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. ___ GRAHAM: "As to obstruction of justice, Mr. Mueller left it to Mr. Barr to decide after two years, and all this time. He said, 'Mr. Barr, you decide.' Mr. Barr did." - Senate hearing. THE FACTS: Not true. Mueller did not ask Barr to rule on whether Trump's efforts to undermine the special counsel's Russia investigation had obstructed justice. According to the report, Mueller's team declined to make a prosecutorial judgment on whether to charge partly because of a Justice Department legal opinion that said sitting presidents shouldn't be indicted. As a result, the report factually laid out instances in which Trump might have obstructed justice, specifically leaving it open for Congress to take up the matter or for prosecutors to do so once Trump leaves office. Barr wrote in a March 24 letter that he ultimately decided, as attorney general, that the evidence developed by Mueller was "not sufficient" to establish, for the purposes of prosecution, that Trump committed obstruction of justice. Barr subsequently acknowledged that he had not talked directly to Mueller about making that ruling and did not know whether Mueller agreed with him. ___ VENEZUELA TRUMP says Putin "is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela, other than he'd like to see something positive happen for Venezuela." - remarks to reporters Friday after speaking with Putin on the phone. THE FACTS: Putin is already deeply involved in Venezuela as U.S.-supported Juan Guaido, opposition leader of the National Assembly, challenges President Nicolas Maduro's embattled government. Russia has a political, military and economic alliance with Venezuela over many years and is helping to support Maduro's hold on power. The Russians have provided Venezuela with substantial assistance, including an air defense system and help circumventing U.S. sanctions on its oil industry. "Russia is now so deeply invested in the Maduro regime that the only realistic option is to double down," said Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Moscow Center. ___ NATO TRUMP: "We're getting ripped off on military, NATO. I'm all for NATO. But you know, we're paying for almost 100 percent of defending Europe." - Wisconsin rally on April 27. THE FACTS: The U.S. is not paying "almost 100 percent" the cost of defending Europe. NATO does have a shared budget to which each member makes contributions based on the size of its economy. The United States, with the biggest economy, pays the biggest share, about 22 percent. Four European members - Germany, France, Britain and Italy - combined pay nearly 44 percent of the total. The money, about $3 billion, runs NATO's headquarters and covers certain other civilian and military costs. Defending Europe involves far more than that fund. The primary cost of doing so would come from each member country's military budget, as the alliance operates under a mutual defense treaty. The U.S. is the largest military spender but others in the alliance obviously have armed forces, too. The notion that almost all costs would fall to the U.S. is false. In fact, NATO's Article 5, calling for allies to act if one is attacked, has only been invoked once, and it was on behalf of the U.S., after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. ___ Associated Press writers Christopher Rugaber, Eric Tucker, Lolita C. Baldor and Lynn Berry contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Easter service in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 28. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks during a rally, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Attorney General William Barr testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the Russia report by special counsel Robert Mueller on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., gives an opening statement before swearing-in Attorney General William Barr to testify, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) In this May 3, 2019, photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military lifted protective restrictions on residents in the south on Monday, while Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group reported a cease-fire deal had been reached to end the deadliest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. The escalation had killed 25 on the Gaza side, both militants and civilians, while on the Israeli side four civilians were killed by incoming fire. The Islamic Jihad militant group, which Israel accused of instigating the latest violence, confirmed that a "mutual and concurrent" truce had been brokered by Egypt. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Egyptian mediators, along with officials from Qatar and the U.N., helped reach the deal. He said Hamas could still use "different pressuring tools" to get Israel to ease a crippling blockade of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointedly noted that "the campaign is not over, and it requires patience and judgment." The intense fighting over the past two days came to a halt early Monday and residents on both sides went back to their daily routines. Schools and roads had been closed, and Israelis had been urged to remain indoors and near bomb shelters as intense rocket fire pounded the area. Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and have fought three wars and numerous smaller battles since the Islamic militant group seized Gaza from Western-backed Palestinian forces in 2007. An elderly Palestinian man walks next to the rubble of multi-story building was hit and destroyed on Sunday by Israeli airstrikes, in Gaza City, Monday, May. 6, 2019. The Israeli military has lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel while Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group reported a cease-fire deal had been reached to end the deadliest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) In the latest fighting, which erupted over the weekend, Palestinian militants fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, while the Israeli military responded with airstrikes on some 350 militant targets inside Gaza, including weapons storage, attack tunnels and rocket launching and production facilities. It also deployed tanks and infantry forces to the Gaza frontier, and put another brigade on standby. A Hamas commander allegedly involved in transferring Iranian funds to the group was killed in an airstrike, in an apparent return to Israel's policy of targeting militant leaders. Palestinian medical officials reported 25 deaths, including at least 10 militants as well as three women, two of them pregnant, and two babies. The four Israeli civilians killed were the first Israeli fatalities from rocket attacks since the 50-day war in 2014. One was killed when his vehicle was hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile near the Gaza border. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on an airstrike that killed six civilians, including a 12-year-old boy and an infant, when it destroyed a five-story apartment block in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya. The Gaza public works ministry said 130 housing units were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. Egyptian mediators had been working with the U.N. to broker a cease-fire. Under past Egyptian-brokered deals, Israel has agreed to ease its joint blockade of Gaza with Egypt in exchange for a halt to rocket fire. The latest fighting broke out after Palestinian militants accused Israel of not honoring an earlier cease-fire deal from March and opened fire on soldiers on the Israeli side of the Gaza frontier. The terms of the latest deal were not known, but recent cease-fires have been short-lived. In weary communities in southern Israel, there was criticism that the latest round of fighting had ended without tangible results - and no hope that it would not recur soon. "When we have the upper hand, we need once and for all to finish the terror because this will repeat itself and will not stop," said Jacque Mendel, a resident of the coastal city of Ashdod, where a man was killed in his car by a rocket Sunday night. Israel appears to have little appetite for another prolonged conflict. Later this week, the country marks Memorial Day, one of the most solemn days of the year, followed by the festive Independence Day. Next week, Israel is to host the popular Eurovision song contest, and the fighting could have deterred visitors. Netanyahu, who recently secured re-election in part thanks to the votes of the rocket-battered residents along the Gaza Strip frontier, has traditionally been cautious in his handling of Gaza, for fear of sparking an open-ended war with no clear endgame. But he is under pressure from the same electorate and his potential coalition partners appear to favor a more hard-line approach to Gaza. Even within his own ruling Likud Party, Netanyahu faced unusual criticism for not going further to quash Gaza militants. Likud lawmaker Gideon Saar wrote on Twitter that the reported cease-fire was not an achievement for Israel. "The timeframes between these violent attacks on Israel and its citizens are getting shorter and the terror groups in Gaza are getting stronger between them," he wrote. Benny Gantz, Israel's emerging opposition leader, also criticized Netanyahu, saying that ending the current round amounted to "another surrender to the extortion of Hamas and the terror organizations." In Gaza, a year of Hamas-led protests along the Israeli frontier against the blockade that has ravaged the economy has yielded no tangible benefits. In March, Hamas faced several days of street protests over the dire conditions. Still, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said late Sunday that the militant group was "not interested in a new war," and the start on Monday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan likely lessened motivation for battle. Signs of normal life slowly returned to Gaza, with banks opening after three days. Schools are to reopen on Tuesday. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. People watch the aftermath of a rocket fired from Gaza after it hit in the southern Israeli port city of Ashdod, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Israeli army on Monday lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel, while the Hamas militant group's radio station in the Gaza Strip reported a cease-fire, signaling a deal had been reached to end the bloodiest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) An Israeli soldier stands at a gathering point in Israel Gaza Border, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Israeli army on Monday lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel, while the Hamas militant group's radio station in the Gaza Strip reported a cease-fire, signaling a deal had been reached to end the bloodiest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) A man cries as he carries the body of a four-month-old Palestinian girl Maria Al-Ghazali, who was killed along with her parents in a late Sunday night Israeli missile strike on their family home, during her funeral in town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, May. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) A girl cries during a funeral of a four-month-old Palestinian girl Maria Al-Ghazali, who was killed along with her parents in a late Sunday night Israeli missile strike on their family home, in town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, May. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) An Israeli soldier stands at a gathering point in Israel Gaza Border, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Israeli army on Monday lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel, while the Hamas militant group's radio station in the Gaza Strip reported a cease-fire, signaling a deal had been reached to end the bloodiest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) People cry during the funeral of Moshe Agadi in the city of Ashkelon, Israel, Sunday.May 5, 2019. Agadi was killed outside his home in Ashkelon by a rocket fired from Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) People watch the aftermath of a rocket fired from Gaza after it hit in the southern Israeli port city of Ashdod, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Israeli army on Monday lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel, while the Hamas militant group's radio station in the Gaza Strip reported a cease-fire, signaling a deal had been reached to end the bloodiest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Relatives cry during the funeral of Moshe Agadi in the city of Ashkelon, Israel, Sunday.May 5, 2019. Agadi was killed outside his home in Ashkelon by a rocket fired from Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Smoke rises from an explosion after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Sunday, May 5, 2019. The Israeli military said Sunday it had responded to 450 rockets fired from Gaza with over 250 airstrikes against the besieged Palestinian enclave. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) Palestinians inspect the damage of a destroyed house following a late night Israeli missile strike in town of Beit Lahiya, Northern Gaza Strip, Monday, May. 6, 2019. The Israeli military has lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel while Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group reported a cease-fire deal had been reached to end the deadliest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Smoke rises from an explosion after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Sunday, May 5, 2019. The Israeli military said Sunday it had responded to 450 rockets fired from Gaza with over 250 airstrikes against the besieged Palestinian enclave. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) An Israeli rocket falls over a residential building in Gaza City, Sunday, May. 5, 2019. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Sunday intensified a wave of rocket fire into southern Israel, striking towns and cities across the region while Israeli forces struck dozens of targets throughout Gaza, including militant sites that it said were concealed in homes or residential areas.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Black smoke caused by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Sunday, May. 5, 2019. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Sunday intensified a wave of rocket fire into southern Israel, striking towns and cities across the region while Israeli forces struck dozens of targets throughout Gaza, including militant sites that it said were concealed in homes or residential areas. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Shortly before India's mammoth elections began in April, New Delhi did something unprecedented: It banned civilian traffic on the only major highway connecting the heart of disputed Kashmir with the rest of the country. The government cited unspecified security threats for the twice weekly ban, but the move is indicative of the approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist party have taken to the disputed Himalayan region since taking power in 2014. Gone are the carrot-and-stick methods of previous governments that saw at least attempting to win hearts and minds as a key part of maintaining security in the Muslim-majority region also claimed by Pakistan. Modi's government instead has given the military carte-blanche to counter resistance to Indian rule, which means it has taken aim not just at armed militants but also the regular people increasingly supporting their cause. While deeply unpopular in Kashmir, the campaign has resonated in much of the country, where few issues reach as broad a consensus as that Kashmir must remain a part of India at any cost. Modi has capitalized on a February attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir and his response of bombing militant positions inside Pakistan to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to being India's "chowkidar," Hindi for watchman. And when the first phase of voting in India's five week election kicked off in Kashmir on April 11, it came amid a sweeping crackdown with police arresting hundreds of Kashmiri leaders and activists. Among the districts voting in India's fifth phase on Monday are Pulwama and Shopian in southern Kashmir. The election concludes May 23. FILE - In this July 19, 2009, file photo, an Indian Border Security Force soldier, right, and a Pakistani Rangers soldier face one another at a daily closing ceremony at the Wagah border post near Lahore, Pakistan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a tough stance on Pakistan the centerpiece of his re-election campaign, equating it with a "New India." "India has quit the policy of being scared of Pakistani threats," Modi said at a recent election rally, mocking the ever-present possibility that Pakistan could use its nuclear weapons. "So what do we do then? Are those being saved for Diwali?" he said, referring to India's own arsenal and the Hindu festival of light. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File) The crackdown has been good optics for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party base, and he hasn't had to worry about losing votes in Kashmir. In addition to there being just six seats in the state, turn-out for India's general elections in the region have historically been low, with separatists calling them an illegitimate exercise under military occupation. "Modi and his party have waged a war against people in Kashmir," said Nazir Ahmed, a trader in the outskirts of the region's main city of Srinagar. "This election doesn't matter in Kashmir. But Kashmir matters for election in India." Modi repeatedly cites the airstrikes that followed the February attack, when a self-described Kashmiri member of the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed detonated a bomb in the middle of an Indian military convoy, as evidence of his tough, uncompromising stance on India's archrival. "India has quit the policy of being scared of Pakistani threats," Modi said at a recent election rally. Further efforts to project Modi and the BJP as India's protectors were made in billboards that went up across the country featuring the prime minister and party president Amit Shah with Indian Air Force pilot Wing Cmdr. Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan during the February skirmish and given a hero's welcome when Pakistani forces returned him to India two days later. India's Election Commission took the unusual step of asking parties not to use photographs of soldiers in campaign material. "Optics matter a lot to Modi and his BJP. Be it surgical strikes, or killing militants or jailing separatists or clamping down on resistance groups, they are more of a well-oiled PR machine. They won't do anything quietly even if doing so has proven to be effective in the past for other parties," said Amit Kumar, a political historian in Srinagar, Kashmir's main city. BJP leaders say the party has been pursuing national objectives and refuted being unfairly tough on Kashmir. "If you want peace in Kashmir, the army needs to have a free hand," said Kavinder Gupta, a BJP leader in the region's Jammu city. "Once there's peace, soldiers will be back to barracks, but remember Pakistan is out there with its agents in Kashmir to create chaos." Opposition parties have consistently said that Modi and his party are using Kashmir to pivot away from his economic record and other issues such as youth unemployment and farmer suicides. Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan but has been claimed by both in its entirety since the two nations gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947 and immediately started fighting over the territory. Initially, the anti-India movement in the Indian-controlled portion of the territory was largely peaceful, but after a series of political blunders, broken promises and a crackdown on dissent, Kashmiris launched a full-blown armed revolt in 1989, seeking unification with Islamabad or complete independence for the entire region. The territory continues to be one of the most militarized regions in the world and most residents favor and end to Indian rule. At least 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict in last three decades. Militarization has only increased under Modi, and soldiers now fire shotgun blasts that routinely maim and blind protesters and blow up residential homes with explosives during counterinsurgency operations. Kashmir has been so central to Modi's strongman narrative that even unpopular economic policies have been justified by his government as necessary for national security. Modi introduced demonetization to take 1,000 and 500 rupee notes out of circulation, disrupting business and forcing millions of people to stand in lines to change out their suddenly-worthless bills, as a measure to curb black market money. The Central Bank later said the measure had mostly injured India's poor. But Modi and his Cabinet colleagues defended it as a way to stop "terror" funds reaching Kashmir separatists. While campaigning Modi and other BJP leaders have also cast their party as the antithesis of their main opposition, Congress, which ruled India for about half a century starting from independence. Modi repeatedly accuses Congress of being soft on Pakistan, soft on terror, pandering to Muslims for votes and pampering Kashmiri separatists. But experts say Congress statecraft had carefully calibrated ways to keep dissent in check through a strict surveillance regime, while maintaining an air of democracy working in Kashmir. "Once in power BJP realized that those gaps were actually deliberately placed safety valves allowed to give vent to Kashmiris. With nothing else to show, they are going after these safety valves one after another," said Kumar, the historian. "They've little time to bother for the long-term consequences of their muscular approach on Kashmir as long as it helps them consolidate power nationally in (the) short term," he said. ___ Follow Aijaz Hussain on Twitter at twitter.com/hussain_aijaz FILE - In this April 18, 2019, file photo, election officers sit inside an empty polling station during the second phase of India's general elections, in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, as Kashmiri separatist leaders have called for a boycott of the vote. In the world's largest democracy, few issues reach as broad a consensus as Kashmir, that the Muslim-majority region must remain part of Hindu-majority India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using this, and a February attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir, to consolidate the Hindu vote in India's five-week elections that conclude May 21 to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to be India's chowkidar, or watchman. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin) FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2016, file photo, Indian Border Security Force soldiers patrol near the India-Pakistan international border area at Gakhrial border post days after the country said it carried out "surgical strikes" against militants on the militarized frontier that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, in Akhnoor sector, about 48 kilometers from Jammu, India. In 2016, the government of Narendra Modi ordered a "surgical strike" inside the Pakistan-held portion of Kashmir by special forces against militants to avenge killings of 19 Indian soldiers who died in an audacious militant attack on a military installation in the garrison town of Uri. (AP Photo/Channi Anand, File) FILE - In this April 1, 2019, file photo, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he speaks during an election campaign rally of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Hyderabad, India. In the world's largest democracy, few issues reach as broad a consensus as Kashmir, that the Muslim-majority region must remain part of Hindu-majority India. Modi is using this, and a February attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir, to consolidate the Hindu vote in India's five-week elections that conclude May 21 to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to be India's chowkidar, or watchman. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A., File) FILE - In this April 18, 2019, file photo, young Kashmiri girls carry firewood past voters queueing outside a polling station during the second phase of India's general elections, in Baba Nagri, about 44 kms. (28 miles) northeast of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir. In the world's largest democracy, few issues reach as broad a consensus as Kashmir, that the Muslim-majority region must remain part of Hindu-majority India. Modi is using this, and a February attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir, to consolidate the Hindu vote in India's five-week elections that conclude May 21 to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to be India's chowkidar, or watchman. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin, File) FILE - In this Jan. 22, 2000, file photo, leader of an outlawed Pakistani militant group Masood Azhar, right, walks with two unidentified people at the Karachi airport in Pakistan. In the world's largest democracy, few issues reach as broad a consensus as Kashmir, that the Muslim-majority region must remain part of Hindu-majority India. Modi is using this, and a Feb. 14, 2019 attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir, to consolidate the Hindu vote in India's five-week elections that conclude May 21 to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to be India's chowkidar, or watchman. (AP Photo/Athar Hussain, File) FILE - In this April 18, 2019, file photo, Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol a deserted street during the second phase of India's general elections, in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, after Kashmiri separatist leaders who challenge India's sovereignty over the disputed region called for a boycott of the vote. In the world's largest democracy, few issues reach as broad a consensus as Kashmir, that the Muslim-majority region must remain part of Hindu-majority India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using this, and a February attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir, to consolidate the Hindu vote in India's five-week elections that conclude May 21 to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to be India's chowkidar, or watchman. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin) FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2019, file photo, Indian paramilitary soldiers stand by the wreckage of a bus after an explosion in Pampore, Indian-controlled Kashmir. In the world's largest democracy, few issues reach as broad a consensus as Kashmir, that the Muslim-majority region must remain part of Hindu-majority India. Modi is using this, and a February attack on Indian paramilitary forces in Kashmir, to consolidate the Hindu vote in India's five-week elections that conclude May 21 to bolster his campaign-slogan claim to be India's chowkidar, or watchman. (AP Photo/Umer Asif, File) PANAMA CITY (AP) - Panama's Electoral Court has declared opposition candidate Laurentino Cortizo the winner of the country's presidential elections. The court said Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party won 33%, with 95% of votes counted from Sunday's vote. It said Cortizo, a cattle rancher, will formally be named president-elect on Thursday. Cortizo said just after midnight Monday that "I call on all Panamanians to join in a national effort to correct the country's path, rescue the country and get the economy on the right track." Second-place candidate and businessman Romulo Roux of former President Ricardo Martinelli's Democratic Change party won 31% of the vote but has so far not concedes defeat. The campaign focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub and turned into the tightest presidential contest in recent years. Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, speaks to supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Before the announcement, Roux vowed not to concede defeat, saying the results were too close and suggesting that the race was marred by irregularities. "We have to guarantee the protection of the electoral process and of democracy. Right now, it's in doubt," Roux said, without providing any evidence of election tampering. The PRD, which has social-democratic leanings, will return to power for the third time since the transition to democracy three decades ago following the end of a military-led regime. The last time it in power was from 2004 through 2009 during the administration of Martin Torrijos. There is no runoff in Panama, so the top vote-getter in the field of seven mostly business-friendly candidates wins outright and takes office July 1 for a five-year term. The election followed revelations of money laundering in the so-called Panama Papers that dinged the country's reputation on the world stage. The trove of secret financial documents showed how some of the world's richest people hid their money using shell companies in Panama and other countries. Despite the scandal, Panama remains a strategic location for commerce, anchored by the heavily trafficked Panama Canal shipping route and a recently expanded international airport. Cortizo, a 66-year-old who studied business administration in the U.S., was agriculture minister under Torrijos and campaigned on vows to clean up Panama's image after the corruption scandals. "For Panamanians, as well as many other Latin Americans these days, corruption trumps all other issues, even inequality," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue. "In country after country in the region, people are just fed up and are demanding a real change." Roux, a 54-year-old businessman, had the endorsement of supermarket magnate and former President Ricardo Martinelli, who is in jail awaiting trial on charges of political espionage. Roux held multiple government posts during the Martinelli administration, including minister of canal affairs and foreign minister. Roux highlighted during his campaign that Panama's economy grew only 3.8% last year, versus a 10.7% expansion in 2012, when Martinelli was president. But Roux's association with Martinelli appeared to have hurt his bid for the presidency, said Shifter. The top three was rounded out by an independent candidate who got on the ballot by collecting thousands of signatures. Ricardo Lombana, 45, is a lawyer who gained prominence via a citizen's movement several years ago that questioned impunity and corruption in the country. Lombana had nearly 20% of the vote. Turnout was strong at 72% for Panama's sixth presidential election since a U.S. invasion ousted strongman Manuel Noriega in 1989. Panamanian voters were also concerned about rising unemployment, public schools in decline, unreliable water service and insufficient garbage collection in the capital. Outgoing President Juan Carlos Varela, a 55-year-old conservative and liquor industry veteran, was barred by the constitution from running. Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, applauds his supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, waves to supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, right, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, is kissed by his wife Yazmin during a meeting with supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, right, and his wife Yazmin celebrate during a meeting with supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, waves to supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, applauds his supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Recently printed copies of La Prensa newspaper show photos of the presidential candidates who ran in the previous day's election, with the Spanish headline "Nito Cortizo wins with 33.11%," as they're organized at the newspaper's printing press in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Electoral Court announced late Sunday that Laurentino Cortizo, who's nickname is "Nito," was the "virtual winner" of the election with over 90% of the ballot boxes counted, after a tight race between the country's two most important rival political forces. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Rocks sit on stacks of a street vendor's newspapers that carry headlines announcing the winner of the previous day's presidential election in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Electoral Court announced late Sunday that Laurentino Cortizo, who's nickname is "Nito," was the "virtual winner" of the election with over 90% of the ballot boxes counted, after a tight race between the country's two most important rival political forces. (AP Photo/Juan Zamorano Jr.) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed a new chief for the national carrier, Iran Air, the country's state media reported on Monday. The state-owned IRAN daily said the decision to name Touraj Zanganeh the CEO of the airline was made during a Cabinet meeting on Sunday night. Zanganeh succeeds Farzaneh Sharafbafi, who was the first female CEO of Iran Air and who was in the post since 2017. The report did not elaborate on the reason for the replacement. Zanganeh is on a list of individuals under U.S. sanctions since last May. He was previously CEO of Meraj Air Meraj Air, an Iranian government airline that's been on the U.S. sanctions list over suspicions of ferrying weapons and other cargo to Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. He was also an Iranian Air Force commander and was in charge of flights of high-ranking officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the new CEO, Zanganeh, is on the U.S. sanctions' list, not his predecessor. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Many Muslims around the world began fasting Monday to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan. This means waking up before dawn to eat, hydrate and pray. Once the sun rises, Muslims abstain from food and drink, including water, until sunset. They repeat the grueling routine every day for a month. Here are some questions and answers about Islam's holiest month and how it's observed. WHY DO MUSLIMS FAST? Fasting is meant to bring worshippers closer to God through steady remembrance, reflection and sacrifice. Daily fasting, combined with five daily prayers and extended evening prayers, challenges worshippers to focus on their actions, deeds and thoughts, rather than on material desires and instant gratification. Fasting is a requirement in Islam - a reset for the mind, body and soul. Muslims are expected to show self-control and deeper spirituality during Ramadan. FILE - In this June 30, 2014 file photo, an Indian Muslim father holds the hands of his daughter in his palms and prays before breaking fast on the first day of holy month Ramadan at the Jama Mosque in New Delhi, India. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday, May 6, 2019, for the start of the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File) It's also a month of gratitude. By abstaining from food and water during the day, the faithful are reminded of those less fortunate. Each night during Ramadan, mosques and aid organizations set up tents and tables to serve free evening meals for the poor. ___ HOW DO MUSLIMS FAST? Muslims must abstain from all eating, drinking or smoking from dawn to dusk each day for the entire lunar month, around 30 days. A single sip of water or coffee, or a puff of a cigarette, is enough to invalidate the fast. Sexual intercourse is also forbidden during the daylong fast, and Muslims are encouraged to avoid gossip, arguments and idle time. To prepare for the fast, Muslims wake for a pre-dawn meal called "suhoor." Often the small meal will include vegetables and fruits, tea, yogurt, dates and power foods such as beans and lentils. In many cities in the Muslim world, volunteers wake the faithful for suhoor by marching through the streets chanting and beating drums. ___ HOW DO MUSLIMS BREAK THEIR FAST? Muslims traditionally break their fast like the Prophet Muhammad did some 1,400 years ago, with a sip of water and some dates at sunset. After sunset prayers, a large feast known as "iftar" is shared with family and friends. Iftar is a social event as much as it is a gastronomical adventure. Across the Arab world, apricot juice is an iftar staple. In South Asia and Turkey, yogurt-based drinks are popular. __ CAN MUSLIMS BE EXEMPTED FROM FASTING? Children, the elderly and the ill are exempt, as well as women who are pregnant, nursing or menstruating. Travelers, including athletes taking part in tournaments away from home, are also exempt from fasting. Muslims living in countries with excessively long daylight hours are advised by religious scholars to adhere to the fasting times of the nearest Muslim-majority country. ___ HOW DO MUSLIM-MAJORITY COUNTRIES OBSERVE RAMADAN? Many Muslim-majority countries curb the sale of alcohol during the month of Ramadan, limiting when it can be sold and to whom. In some countries, people who eat in public during the day can be fined or even jailed, although adherence to Ramadan etiquette by non-Muslims is often a personal choice and not enforced by police. In the United Arab Emirates, which has large Western expatriate populations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, restaurants use curtains to conceal customers who eat during the day. In Saudi Arabia, restaurants simply close during the day. ___ WHAT ARE SOME RAMADAN TRADITIONS? Once the start of the holy month is declared, Muslims share holiday greetings such as "Ramadan Mubarak," or "blessed Ramadan," via text messages, calls and emails to family and friends. Another hallmark of Ramadan is nightly prayer at the mosque among Sunni Muslims called "taraweeh." Egyptians follow the tradition of the "fanoos," a Ramadan lantern that is often the centerpiece at an iftar table or seen hanging in shop windows and from balconies. Increasingly common are Ramadan tents in five-star hotels that offer lavish and pricey meals throughout the evening. While Ramadan is a boon for retailers in the Middle East and South Asia, critics say the holy month is increasingly becoming commercialized. Scholars have also been disturbed by the proliferation of evening television shows during Ramadan. In the Arab world, monthlong soap operas rake in millions of dollars in advertising. ___ HOW DO MUSLIMS MARK THE END OF RAMADAN? The end of Ramadan is marked by intense worship as Muslims ask to have their prayers answered during "Laylat al-Qadr" or "the Night of Destiny." Muslims believe that on this occasion, which is usually observed on the 27th day of Ramadan, God sent the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad and revealed the first verses of the Quran. After these intense nights of prayer, the end of Ramadan is met with a holiday called Eid al-Fitr. Children often receive new clothes, gifts and cash. Muslims attend early morning Eid prayers the day after Ramadan. Families typically spend the day at parks, eating in the sunshine for the first time in a month. FILE - In this Sunday, May 5, 2019 file photo, people buy dates, a favorite food for Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan, at a wholesale market in Karachi. Muslims across the world will be observing Ramadan, when they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. Muslims traditionally break their fast like the Prophet Muhammad did some 1,400 years ago, with a sip of water and some dates at sunset. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan, File) FILE - In this July 11, 2018 file photo, Chechens wait to break their fast at a roadside during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, at the main Mosque in Grozny, Russia. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday, May 6, 2019, for the start of the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. (AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev, File) In this Friday, May 3, 2019 photo, Iraqis shop for food in a preparation for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan at the Shorjah market in central Baghdad, Iraq. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday for the start of the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Ali Abdul Hassan) FILE - In this July 4, 2014 file photo, a Palestinian girl reads the Quran, Islam's holy book during Ramadan, at sunset in Gaza City. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday, May 6, 2019, for the start of the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa, File) FILE - In this Sunday, May 5, 2019 file photo, Indonesian Muslims perform an evening prayer called 'tarawih' marking the first eve of Ramadan, at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday for the start of the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File) FILE - In this June 15, 2018 file photo, men place offerings into a box during a prayer service at Masjid Al-Farooq for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday, May 6, 2019, for the start of the month of Ramadan. It's also a month of gratitude in which the faithful, abstaining from food and water during the day, are reminded of those less fortunate. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) FILE - In this June 29, 2014 file photo, displaced Iraqi citizens gather for a communal meal to break their fast during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, northern Iraq. Most Muslims around the world began fasting on Monday, May 6, 2019, for the start of the month of Ramadan. It's also a month of gratitude in which the faithful, abstaining from food and water during the day, are reminded of those less fortunate. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) PARIS (AP) - The toll is shocking: 19 suicides, 12 suicide attempts and eight cases of serious depression among employees at France's main telephone and internet company over three years. A long-awaited trial began Monday in Paris accusing the telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers of moral harassment and other charges. The company was called France Telecom at the time of the suicides. The case initially involved 39 employees with mental health problems, including the almost half who killed themselves. Another 126 people asked Monday to join the case, saying they also were damaged by what they call a culture of unsustainable pressure as Orange was undergoing job cuts and restructuring a decade ago. Unions say France's big companies haven't learned any lessons from what happened at France Telecom, and about 200 activists demonstrated outside the courthouse Monday to urge a conviction. The defendants include the former president of France Telecom, Didier Lombard, former human resources director Olivier Barberot and former deputy executive director Louis-Pierre Wenes. They spoke briefly one by one Monday at the trial, which is the largest to date in France for moral harassment on a company-wide scale. French unions members demonstrate at the start of the trial of French group France Telecom in front of the Paris' courthouse, Monday, May 6, 2019. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) The defendants are suspected of having "degraded work conditions of personnel that risked hurting their rights and dignity, altering the physical or mental health (of personnel), or compromising their professional future." Four other officials are suspected of complicity in moral harassment. In France, moral harassment can be punished by a year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros ($16,790). Orange itself is also on trial, and the court could order the company to grant additional damages to each civil party in the case. An investigation into the wave of employee suicides between 2007 and 2010 was opened following a complaint from the Sud union. At the time, Lombard allegedly referred to the deaths as "the fashion." Lombard, who was replaced as France Telecom chief in 2010, has denied all the charges. He attributed the suicides, attempted suicides and cases of depression to "local difficulties with no links to each other" and no relation to the company's job cuts at the time. The indictment lists the employees who took their lives or tried to, some on the job. Michel, 50, left a note about his decision to end his life on July 29, 2009, according to the prosecutor's report. Michel's note denounced "the permanent sense of urgency, overwork, absence of training, the total disorganization of the company" plus "management by terror." "I'm taking my life because of my work at France Telecom. It's the only reason," the note said. A month earlier, Christel, 37, slashed her veins in an apparent bid to kill herself in front of two superiors who told her hours earlier she would be transferred. In March 2009, 52-year-old Herve was preparing to jump from an office window but the noise he was making drew others to his rescue. Jean-Michel, a father of three children, was 53 when he threw himself in front of a train on July 2, 2008, while on the phone with two union delegates. France Telecom, once a state-owned monopoly, transformed into a private company in the 2000s. Lombard launched a restructuring plan aimed at shedding 22,000 jobs, but most employees were still considered civil servants and so were protected from layoffs. As it sought to reduce staff, the indictment says the company imposed "excessive and intrusive control" on employees, assigned workers to demoralizing tasks, failed to provide training, isolated staff and used "intimidation maneuvers or threats and pay cuts." Presiding Judge Cecile Louis-Loyant said the court "wants to understand why some employees killed themselves, and why others tried to do so." She noted that prosecutors believe "the repetition of cases was enough to characterize moral harassment, but does not accuse the defendants of causing the suicides. (The prosecution) holds that the method of personnel management affected various employees with an increase of psychological-social risk." The judges agreed to include the complaints of the 126 employees who asked to join the case in the case file. Lombard's lawyer, Jean Veil, says his client is innocent because he could not possibly know what was going on in France Telecom's vast network of more than 100,000 employees. "Mr. Didier Lombard is suspected of harassment of people he never saw," Veil has said. "Now there's a surprising accusation." ___ Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed. FILE - In this April 9, 2008 file photo, then French chairman and CEO of France telecom Group Didier Lombard poses at the MIPTV (International Television Programme Market), in Cannes, southern France. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers, Lombard is among them, are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File) French unions members demonstrate at the start of the trial of French group France Telecom in front of the Paris' courthouse, Monday, May 6, 2019. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) FILE - In this Oct.29, 2009 file photo, people enter the headquarters of France Telecom SA in Paris. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial Monday May 6, 2019, accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File) A French unions member wears a shirt reading " 22,000 jobs cut in 3 years. France Telecom must be condemned" at the start of the trial of French group France Telecom, in front of the Paris' courthouse, on Monday, May 6, 2019. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Former France Telecom Chief Executive Didier Lombard arrives at Paris' courthouse, Monday, May 6, 2019. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Former France Telecom Chief Executive Didier Lombard, left, arrives at Paris' courthouse, Monday, May 6, 2019. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) France Telecom's former deputy general director Louis Pierre Wenes, left, arrives at Paris' courthouse, Monday, May 6, 2019. French telecom giant Orange and seven former or current managers are going on trial accused of moral harassment over a wave of employee suicides a decade ago. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Pope Francis told refugees Monday in Bulgaria's showcase refugee center that they are bearing the "cross of humanity," as he pressed his call for the migrant-skeptic Balkan country to welcome poor and desperate foreigners with love. On his second and final day in Bulgaria, Francis sought to encourage both refugees and the tiny Catholic community here, celebrating the sacrament of First Communion for nearly 250 children. But his efforts to warm relations with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church appeared to stall, as religious leaders stayed away from a peace meeting he convened and one powerful metropolitan called his visit "an attack on Orthodoxy." Francis has sought to build bridges with the conservative Orthodox Church and its leader, Patriarch Neofit, welcomed him upon his arrival Sunday. But the church's governing Holy Synod had made clear from the start that its representatives wouldn't participate in his events. Francis opened his day visiting the Vrazhdebna refugee center, in a refurbished school on the outskirts of the capital, Sofia. Children from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere sang for him and gave him drawings. Francis thanked them for their joy and hope, and told them that he knows well the pain of leaving behind their countries. He compared their suffering to the cross Christ bore. Pope Francis blesses a woman as he arrives at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) "Today, the world of migrants and refugees is a kind of cross, the cross of humanity," Francis said. "It's a cross that many people suffer." Bulgaria's center-right government has been criticized by human rights groups and the European Council for its treatment of asylum-seekers, particularly unaccompanied minors. The government, which includes three nationalist, anti-migrant parties, has called for the EU to close its borders to migrants and has sealed off its own border with Turkey with a barbed-wire fence. "He (the pope) is a great man," said Taha Saber Ismael, an Iraqi Kurd who was among about 50 refugees who greeted Francis at the center. "I hope he helps us." Speaking with Bulgaria's Catholic community Monday, Francis said refugees are all children of God and deserve love. "Seeing with the eyes of faith is a summons not to spend your life pinning labels, classifying those who are worthy of love and those who are not," he said. Rather, he urged Bulgaria's Catholics to "create conditions in which every person can feel loved, especially those who feel forgotten by God because they are forgotten by their brothers and sisters." The Argentine pope has made the plight of migrants and refugees a hallmark of his papacy, urging governments to build bridges, not walls, and to do what they can to welcome and integrate refugees. His visit falls just three weeks before the European Parliament elections across the EU in which nationalist, anti-migrant parties are expected to make a solid showing. Francis' outreach to refugees was one of his main priorities of the trip, the second by a pope to Bulgaria after St. John Paul II visited in 2002. Then as now, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was deeply suspicious of the intentions of the leader of the Catholic Church, which split with the Orthodox over 1,000 years ago. Francis had hoped to make progress healing the schism. But no Bulgarian Orthodox religious leader attended his interfaith peace meeting Monday evening on a rain-drenched Sofia square, though none was ever officially expected. The event was attended by Jewish, Protestant, Muslim and Armenian Orthodox faith leaders, as well as Bulgaria's religious affairs director, Emil Velinov. The Vatican had previously only said that a children's choir from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church would sing at the event. Earlier in the day, one of the Holy Synod's members, Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second biggest city, called Francis' visit a "political act" and an "attack on Orthodoxy." "The goal is to unite all the churches around Rome, and when the Antichrist comes, for the Pope to meet him." Nikolay was quoted by the website podtepeto.com as saying. Speaking at a congregation in Plovdiv on Sunday, Nikolay said: "We will not give up Orthodoxy. We did not give up Orthodoxy in the five centuries of slavery," he said, referring to the period when Bulgaria was under Ottoman rule. Nikolay is known for his hard-line views, and he hails from a region near Bulgaria's Catholic stronghold, Rakovsky. Francis traveled Monday to Rakovsky for a First Communion Mass and meeting with the local community, who welcomed him warmly on a sun-drenched spring day. Nearly 250 jittery children in white robes filled the pews of the Sacred Heart church, the girls wearing crowns of white roses, before receiving the sacrament for the first time. In his homily, Francis told them that receiving their First Communion was a celebration of communion with the whole church, and he urged them to share that joy with others. Speaking simply, Francis engaged in a Q&A session with the kids, explaining to them the basics of the sacrament and living a Christian life in Italian that was then translated into Bulgarian. Citing local organizers, the Vatican said some 10,000 people were on hand outside the yellow and white church to greet Francis, who arrived into town in his open-sided popemobile. "I haven't slept all night from excitement," said Nevenka Tanceva, a Catholic woman from Ravkovsky as she waited for Francis to arrive. "Pope Francis is a good father to us, he unites all Catholics and all people." On Tuesday, Francis travels to neighboring North Macedonia for the first-ever papal visit to the country. Pope Francis looks at children singing for him during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis meets refugees during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis looks at children who performed a song for him during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis delivers his message during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A child uses his phone to film Pope Francis during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Pope Francis leaves after celebrating Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Sharpshooters watch over Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Pope Francis celebrates Mass Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Pope Francis speaks with a woman from Syria, at right wearing a scarf on her head, during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) NEW DELHI (AP) - A rare summer cyclone that tore through parts of South Asia killed at least 34 people in India and 15 in neighboring Bangladesh and smashed thousands of thatched-roof huts, officials said Monday. The evacuation of more than 1 million people from about 15,000 villages and 46 towns in India's worst-hit Odisha state prevented a much worse death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades. The preparations demonstrated greatly improved disaster readiness since 1999, when a "super" cyclone killed about 10,000 people and devastated large parts of the state. Authorities in Odisha were still assessing the full impact of Cyclone Fani, which lashed coastal areas with rain and winds gusting up to 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour when it made a landfall on Friday, relief official S.K. Das said. After weakening, the cyclone moved into neighboring Bangladesh through India's West Bengal state. Telephone links were still down Monday in the worst-hit Puri district in Odisha. Hundreds of thousands of people in Puri and Khurda districts were also without electricity, with the state government hoping to restore it later Monday, the Times of India newspaper said. Indian Railways said it would take four more days to restore normal train services in the region. Authorities canceled 287 trains passing through the worst-hit region because of damage caused by the cyclone. A woman cooks a meal outdoors after her house was damaged by Cyclone Fani in the Penthakata fishing village of Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Saturday, May 4, 2019. A mammoth preparation exercise that included the evacuation of more than 1 million people appears to have spared India a devastating death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades, though the full extent of the damage was yet to be known, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo) "Cyclone Fani is one of the rarest of rare summer cyclones to hit Odisha in 43 years. It is also one of three to hit in the last 150 years," said the state's top elected official, Navin Patnaik. Tropical cyclones usually occur in the Bay of Bengal from September to November. Commuters ride past damage caused by Cyclone Fani in the Penthakata fishing village of Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Saturday, May 4, 2019. A mammoth preparation exercise that included the evacuation of more than 1 million people appears to have spared India a devastating death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades, though the full extent of the damage was yet to be known, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo) Children sit on a boat damaged by Cyclone Fani in the Penthakata fishing village of Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Saturday, May 4, 2019. A mammoth preparation exercise that included the evacuation of more than 1 million people appears to have spared India a devastating death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades, though the full extent of the damage was yet to be known, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo) Trumps trade deals harm U.S. investors, research shows By pulling out of the TPP and other trade agreements, were not defending U.S. sovereigntywere abandoning U.S. investors. BUFFALO, N.Y. New research from the University at Buffalo School of Management suggests the Trump administrations decision to withdraw from various multilateral trade agreements may have been misguided. In the study, published in the Journal of Banking and Finance in May, the researchers examined investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS), which allow foreign investors to sue a host government in a third-party international court. Imagine you opened a business in a developing nation and feel youre being unfairly regulated or taxed, says lead author Veljko Fotak, PhD, associate professor of finance in the UB School of Management. Without this dispute system, youre at the mercy of that countrys potentially corrupt court system. Dispute panels are an important componentand source of controversyin trade agreements from which the Trump administration has withdrawn, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Proponents argue the dispute systems help American investors protect their assets abroad. Meanwhile, critics counter that they allow international courts to question U.S. court decisions and undermine national sovereignty. Thats a good soundbite, Fotak says, but in reality, these cases are rarely, if ever, brought against the United States, and without this mechanism, U.S. firms abroad may suffer. To isolate and evaluate the impact of ISDS systems, the research team looked at loans made under bilateral investment treatiesagreements where dispute systems are virtually the exclusive feature. The study compiled more than 45,000 loans made from January 1980 to December 2013, representing 161 countries and a total value of $20.75 trillion. Fotak and the team then compared the loan terms and data, and found the presence of a dispute mechanism increased the availability of capital, average loan size and average time to maturity, and decreased the cost of debt. In their sample, the average loan was for $1.2 billion, and the presence of a dispute system resulted in about $7 million in savings over the life of the loan. Overall, we found investors feel more confident entering developing markets where a treaty allows them to address any grievances and protect their investment, Fotak says. By pulling out of the TPP and other trade agreements, were not defending U.S. sovereigntywere abandoning U.S. investors. Fotaks co-authors were UB School of Management alumnus Haekwon Lee, PhD 18, lecturer at the University of Sydney Business School, and William Megginson, professor and Price Chair in Finance at the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business. The project received funding from the UB School of Managements HSBC Center for Global Business Leadership and Bocconi Universitys Sovereign Investment Lab. PANAMA CITY (AP) - The Latest on Panama (all times local): 11:00 a.m. Panama's Electoral Court has declared opposition candidate Laurentino Cortizo the winner of the country's presidential elections. The court says Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party won 33%, with 95% of votes counted. It says the cattle rancher will formally be named president-elect on Thursday. Cortizo said just after midnight Monday that he was calling on Panamanians "to join in a national effort to correct the country's path, rescue the country, and get the economy on the right track." Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, right, and his wife Yazmin celebrate during a meeting with supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Second-place candidate and businessman Romulo Roux won 31% of the vote but has refused to concede defeat. ___ 7:20 a.m. Cattle rancher Laurentino Cortizo is holding on to his narrow lead in Panama's presidential election with the vote count nearing an end. With 95% of the votes counted, Cortizo has a lead of just over 2 percentage points over businessman Romulo Roux Monday morning. Cortizo's lead amounts to nearly 41,000 votes out of almost 2 million votes cast. Panama's Electoral Court expects the national vote-counting board to confirm Cortizo, of the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party, as the winner after a final recount of the vote. ___ 3:15 a.m. Panama's Electoral Court expects the National Scrutiny Board to confirm the opposition candidate, Laurentino Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, as the winner of the presidential election after a final recount of the vote. The Electoral Court announced late Sunday that Cortizo was the "virtual winner" of the election with 92% of the ballot boxes counted, after a tight race between the country's two most important rival political forces. Presidential candidate Romulo Roux rejected those preliminary results, which put him in second place. According to the early results, Cortizo won 33% of the votes versus 31% for Roux, who is from former President Ricardo Martinelli's Democratic Change party. ___ 2:55 a.m. Presidential candidate Romulo Roux of Panama has rejected the preliminary results announced by the country's Electoral Court that put him in second place. The Court declared opposition candidate, Laurentino Cortizo as the "virtual winner" of Sunday's presidential race by a narrow lead of 2 percentage points pending the final recount. Roux claimed, without offering immediate proof, that his campaign had been hindered by irregularities in the vote. According to the early results, Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party had won 33% of the votes versus 31% for Roux, who is from former President Ricardo Martinelli's Democratic Change party. There is no presidential runoff in Panama, so the top vote-getter in the field of seven mostly business-friendly candidates wins outright and takes office July 1 for a five-year term. ___ 2 a.m. Panama's Electoral Court has declared opposition candidate Laurentino Cortizo the "virtual winner" in the country's tight presidential election late Sunday. The vote followed a campaign focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub and turned into the tightest presidential contest in recent years. After scrutinizing the results from 92% of polling stations, electoral court magistrate Heriberto Arauz said in a televised announcement shortly before midnight that Cortizo had a narrow lead of 2 percentage points over businessman Romulo Roux. The unexpectedly close race pitted the candidates of the country's two most important opposition political forces. Cortizo, of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, had 33% of the votes versus 31% for Roux, from former President Ricardo Martinelli's Democratic Change party. There is no runoff in Panama, so the top vote-getter in the field of seven mostly business-friendly candidates wins outright and takes office July 1 for a five-year term. Before the magistrate's announcement, Roux vowed not to concede defeat, saying the results were too close and suggesting that the race was marred by irregularities. Recently printed copies of La Prensa newspaper show photos of the presidential candidates who ran in the previous day's election, with the Spanish headline "Nito Cortizo wins with 33.11%," as they're organized at the newspaper's printing press in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Electoral Court announced late Sunday that Laurentino Cortizo, who's nickname is "Nito," was the "virtual winner" of the election with over 90% of the ballot boxes counted, after a tight race between the country's two most important rival political forces. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, speaks to supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, applauds his supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, right, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, is kissed by his wife Yazmin during a meeting with supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Supporters wait for Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, on election day in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Presidential candidate Laurentino Cortizo, with the Democratic Revolutionary Party, waves to supporters in Panama City, Monday, May 6, 2019. Cortizo, a 66-year-old cattleman, holds on to a narrow lead Sunday night as returns came in from Panama's presidential election, which followed a campaign that focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - The Latest on Pope Francis' visit to Bulgaria (all times local): 7:45 p.m. Pope Francis is presiding over a peace meeting in Bulgaria with members of the Balkan country's different faith communities and a children's choir singing "We Are the World." There were no immediate signs at the meeting of a high-ranking representative of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The Bulgarian church said it would not participate in any papal events during Francis' two-day trip, though members of its governing body greeted Francis upon his arrival Sunday. The Monday afternoon peace meeting opened with the children's choir singing "We Are the World" in English. The 1985 song by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie was recorded to raise funds for African famine victims. Pope Francis gestures as he gives a speech at a meeting with the Catholic community in the Church of St. Michael Archangel, in Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Francis is traveling to North Macedonia on Tuesday. . ___ 5:40 p.m. Not all Bulgarians are happy with Pope Francis' visit. One of the members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church's governing body, Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second biggest city, has called Francis' visit an "an attack against Orthodoxy." Nikolay is known for his hard-line views. He was quoted by the website podtepeto.com as saying: "The visit by the Pope of Rome is a political act, the goal is to unite all the churches around Rome, and when the Antichrist comes, for the Pope to meet him." Speaking at a congregation in Plovdiv on Sunday, Nikolay said: "We met the Pope of Rome as head of state of the Vatican state, but no one can force us regarding common worship with him." "We will not give up Orthodoxy. We did not give up Orthodoxy in the five centuries of slavery," he said, referring to the period when Bulgaria was under Ottoman rule. ___ 3:40 p.m. Pope Francis is pressing his message in Bulgaria about the need to accept migrants, saying they are all children of God and deserve love. Francis told members of Bulgaria's Catholic community that they shouldn't pin labels on people based on their religious or ethnic background. He said the faithful should try to "create conditions in which every person can feel loved, especially those who feel forgotten by God because they are forgotten by their brothers and sisters." Francis has sought to encourage Bulgaria to welcome refugees during his two-day visit. The center-right government has called for the EU to close its borders to migrants and has been cited by the European Commission for violations of EU asylum standards. Francis was speaking in the Catholic stronghold of Rakovsky. ___ 10:45 a.m. Pope Francis is ministering to Bulgaria's young Catholics, travelling to the Catholic stronghold of Rakovsky for a First Communion Mass and meeting with the local community. Nearly 250 jittery children in white robes filled the pews of the Sacred Heart church Monday, the girls wearing crowns of white roses. Citing local organizers, the Vatican said some 10,000 people were on hand outside to greet Francis. In his homily, Francis told the children that receiving their First Communion was a celebration of communion with the whole church, and he urged them to share that joy with others. Later, he engaged in a Q&A session with the kids, explaining to them the basics of the sacrament and living a Christian life in Italian that was then translated into Bulgarian. ___ 9:15 a.m. Pope Francis has met with refugees in Bulgaria's showcase refugee center and told them they are bearing the "cross of humanity," after he urged the migrant-skeptic government to not close its eyes to their suffering during a visit to the Balkan nation. Refugee children from Iraq, Pakistan and elsewhere sang for Francis on Monday at the Vrazhdebna center, located in a refurbished school on the outskirts of Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. Bulgaria's center-right government has been criticized by human rights groups and the European Council for its treatment of asylum-seekers, particularly unaccompanied minors. Francis is on the second-day of a three-day visit to the Balkans. Later Monday, he is to celebrate Mass in the Catholic stronghold of Rakovsky and celebrate First Communion for more than 200 children. Pope Francis, second right, celebrates a mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative.f. (Andreas Solaro, Pool via AP) Pope Francis is flanked by Vatican Master of Ceremonies, Mons. Guido Marini, right, after giving over the Holy Communion to over 200 children during a Mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with the Catholic community in the Church of St. Michael Archangel, in Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Pope Francis, center, celebrates a mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative.f. (Andreas Solaro, Pool via AP) Pope Francis, center, enters the Church of the Sacred Heart of Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative.f. (Andreas Solaro, Pool via AP) Pope Francis, center, celebrates a mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Rakovsky, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative.f. (Andreas Solaro, Pool via AP) Pope Francis delivers his message during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis looks at children singing for him during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis receives a drawing from a girl during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis meets refugees during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis looks at children who performed a song for him during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis delivers his message during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Refugees film with their phones Pope Francis listening to group of children singing for him during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A child uses his phone to film Pope Francis during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis looks at children singing for him during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Pope Francis leaves after celebrating Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Sharpshooters watch over Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Pope Francis celebrates Mass Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Pope Francis kisses the altar as he celebrates Mass in Knyaz Alexandar Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Children's drawings hang behind Pope Francis during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis speaks with a woman from Syria, at right wearing a scarf on her head, during his visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A child looks at photographers during Pope Francis visit to a refugee center on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pope Francis is visiting Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, a stance that conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) CAIRO (AP) - A Libyan army commander whose forces are advancing on Tripoli is rallying his fighters on in defiance of U.N. calls for a weeklong cease-fire to coincide with the start of the fasting month of Ramadan on Monday. The battle for the Libyan capital, which erupted in early April, has threatened to ignite a civil war on the scale of the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The fighting has killed at least 432 people so far, including combatants and civilians, according to the U.N. health agency. The push was launched by the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Hifter and based in the country's east, which is seeking to take over the city and defeat militias loosely allied to a U.N.-supported government in Tripoli. The World Health Organization said Monday that along with the 432 killed, 2,069 people have been wounded. The fighting has also displaced more than 50,000 people, WHO said. The U.N. has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting. On Sunday, the U.N. mission said a "one-week humanitarian truce" would begin at 4 a.m. Monday and called on all parties to cease military operations, including reconnaissance and mobilization. Libyans hold a demonstration at Martyrs' Square against military operations by forces loyal to Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter in Tripoli, Libya, Friday, May 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Hazem Ahmed) The truce would come as many Muslims across the world begin observing the fasting month of Ramadan. But in released comments, Hifter said Ramadan had not been a reason to halt previous battles when he took the eastern cities of Benghazi and Derna. "I salute you in these glorious days and urge you, with your strength and determination, to teach the enemy a greater and bigger lesson than the previous ones ... till we uproot them from our beloved land," Hifter said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat both strongly appealed again for a cease-fire after meeting at U.N. headquarters in New York. Guterres noted the initiative for a Ramadan truce, but said what is really needed is a halt to hostilities and foreign interference to allow Libyans to come together "and discuss seriously, politically" a way toward national reconciliation, elections and peace. Mahamat said the AU was hoping for a reconciliation conference that was canceled after Hifter's offensive, and its "priority today is a cessation of hostilities." Over the past days, the fighting has been centered along the southern parts of the capital, where Hifter's forcers attempted to breach the militia defenses. Hifter previously challenged the U.N. when he ordered his troops to march on Tripoli even as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting the North African country to push for a U.N.-brokered conference. That gathering, which was aimed at bridging the gap among Libya's factions and drawing a roadmap for new elections, eventually fell apart and was postponed amid the violence. Since Gahdafi's ouster, Libya has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various militias and armed groups fighting over resources and territory. Hifter, who in recent years has been battling Islamic extremists and other militias across eastern Libya, says he is determined to restore stability to the North African country. But his opponents view him as an aspiring autocrat and fear a return to a one-man rule in Libya. ___ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South Africa's Nobel-prize-winning anti-apartheid crusader retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu cast his ballot Monday for the upcoming elections. Tutu, 87, is in fragile health and took part in South Africa's special voting for the elderly and infirm where electoral officials go to their homes or care facilities before the actual voting day of May 8. Using a walking stick and smiling, Tutu came out of his home in Cape Town's Milnerton area with voting officials and waved to the press who had gathered. He did not speak but blew a kiss to the press. Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work crusading against South Africa's brutal apartheid system of racial discrimination. The upcoming elections take place 25 years after the end of apartheid and are the country's sixth all-race polls. Other elderly people are casting their ballots across South Africa in early voting Monday and Tuesday. Mmaphuti Mabitsela, who is registered as 108 years old, voted at her home in Atteridgeville, near Pretoria, on Monday. Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu exits his home after casting his special vote, near Cape Town, South Africa, Monday May 6, 2019. Tutu, 87, is in fragile health and took part in South Africa's special voting for the elderly and infirm where electoral officials go to their homes or care facilities before the actual voting day of May 8. (AP Photo) Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu exits his home after casting his special vote, near Cape Town, South Africa, Monday May 6, 2019. Tutu, 87, is in fragile health and took part in South Africa's special voting for the elderly and infirm where electoral officials go to their homes or care facilities before the actual voting day of May 8. (AP Photo) 108-year-old MMaphuti Mabitsela shows her marked thumb nail after casting her special vote, at her home in Atteridgeville, near Pretoria, South Africa on Monday May 6, 2019. Mabitsela took part in South Africa's special voting for the elderly and infirm where electoral officials go to their homes or care facilities before the actual voting day of May 8. (AP Photo/Phill Magakoe) The Latest on a report on the threat of extinction for the Earth's plants and animals (all times EDT): 7 a.m. Scientists say nature is in more trouble now than at any other time in human history, with extinction looming over 1 million species of plants and animals. That's the key finding of the United Nations' first comprehensive report on biodiversity. The report was released Monday and says species are being lost at a rate tens or hundreds of times faster than in the past. More than half a million species on land lack sufficient habitat for long-term survival and are likely to go extinct, maybe within decades. The oceans are not any better off. Researchers say the problem traces back to humanity but it's not too late to fix it. FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2018, file photo, a couple walks through a forest with the Frankfurt skyline in background near Frankfurt, Germany. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) Conservation scientists from around the world convened in Paris to issue the report, which exceeded 1,000 pages. ___ Midnight Top scientists will tell the world Monday how bad off Mother Nature is. The United Nations plans to issue its first comprehensive scientific report on biodiversity. The report will look at the threat of extinction for Earth's plants and animals and what it means for humanity. Scientists from around the world have been meeting in Paris for the past week to come up with an authoritative statement. The summary from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has to be approved unanimously by more than 100 nations. When the meeting started, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay told negotiators the report will force the world to face the dramatic degradation of biodiversity and come up with solutions. FILE - In this June 7, 2017, file photo, two wild elephants, part of a herd that arrived at a wetland near the Thakurkuchi railway station engage in a tussle on the outskirts of Gauhati, Assam, India. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/ Anupam Nath, File) FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2008, file photo, fish swim next to a coral reef at Cayo de Agua in archipelago Los Roques, Venezuela. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File) FILE - In this June 21, 2015, file photo, a fisherman unloads his catch in the port of Suao, north eastern Taiwan. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Wally Santana, File) FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2011, file photo, a lemur looks through the forest at Andasibe-Mantadia National Park in Andasibe, Madagascar. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Jason Straziuso, File) FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2018, file photo, birds fly past a smoking chimney in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Development that's led to loss of habitat, climate change, overfishing, pollution and invasive species is causing a biodiversity crisis, scientists say in a new United Nations science report released Monday, May 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) SYDNEY (AP) - A Sydney newspaper and journalist are appealing an Australian Federal Court decision that they defamed Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush with accusations of inappropriate behavior toward an actress. The Federal Court on Monday said that The Daily Telegraph and journalist Jonathan Moran had lodged an appeal arguing that Justice Michael Wigney's conduct "gave rise to an apprehension of bias." Wigney ruled last month that publisher Nationwide News and Moran were reckless regarding the truth of their story when they reported the 67-year-old actor had been accused of inappropriate behavior in 2017. Wigney found a newspaper poster and two articles contained several defamatory meanings and the news organization did not prove they were substantially true. "This was ... a recklessly irresponsible piece of sensationalist journalism of the worst kind - the very worst kind," the judge said on April 11. The newspaper and Moran largely relied on the evidence of actress Eryn Jean Norvill during a defamation trial last year. She said Rush sexually harassed her during a Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear in 2015 and 2016 when she played the daughter of his titular character. Wigney found Norvill was at times "prone to exaggeration and embellishment." He said he was not persuaded she was entirely credible and awarded Rush 850,000 Australian dollars ($594,000) in damages. The Daily Telegraph in its notice of appeal alleged the judge's "apprehension of bias" was evident when he found Norvill was an unreliable witness lacking in credibility and awarded "excessive general damages." Nationwide News and Moran want the Full Court of the Federal Court to set aside Wigney's decision or order a retrial before a different judge. No date has been set for the appeal hearing. The lawyers return to court on Friday to consider special damages for Rush's lost earnings that could run to many millions of dollars. Rush won the best actor Oscar in 1996 for his portrayal of pianist David Helfgott in "Shine" and was nominated for roles in "Shakespeare In Love," "'Quills" and "The King's Speech." He is also famed for his portrayal of Captain Barbossa in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films. He received Australia's highest civilian honor in 2014, the Companion of the Order of Australia, for service to the arts. WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker is proposing that all gun owners be licensed by the federal government, a process that would include an interview and safety training. National licensing is one of more than a dozen specific proposals in a sweeping gun control agenda the U.S. senator from New Jersey released on Monday. It's his second policy rollout in three weeks as he tries to break through the crowded Democratic primary field . While current gun owners and first-time buyers would be subject to the federal license requirement, a transition period would allow current owners to come into compliance, the Booker campaign said. No such national gun license program currently exists. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted some form of licensing or permit rules before people can buy guns, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. "I am sick and tired of hearing thoughts and prayers for the communities that have been shattered by gun violence - it is time for bold action," Booker said in a statement. Last month during a high-profile speech in his hometown of Newark, Booker vowed to "bring a fight" to the National Rifle Association, which generally opposes gun restrictions. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., answers questions during a presidential forum held by She The People on the Texas State University campus Wednesday, April 24, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) Booker, a former mayor of Newark, New Jersey's largest city, said gun violence is an issue close to him, with several people being shot in his neighborhood recently. "We must step up and deal with something that is crushing communities, destroying lives and really just tearing apart families," Booker said in an interview on CBS' "CBS This Morning." Booker's gun control agenda includes universal background checks for gun buyers; the reinstitution of a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity firearm magazines; and the modernization of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The plan would face a steep climb to winning approval from a Democratic House and would face even stiffer resistance in a Republican-controlled Senate, where less-sweeping gun control measures have failed in recent years. President Donald Trump has said the constitutional right to bear arms is "under assault." Trump, a Republican, spoke at the NRA's annual convention last month, vowing to fight for gun rights and imploring NRA members to rally behind his reelection bid. Booker, who launched his presidential campaign in February, has struggled to rise from the low single digits in polls of the 21-candidate Democratic primary field, though he recently secured the 65,000 donors necessary to meet both qualifications for participation in next month's first debate . He released an environmental justice plan late last month. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., answers questions during a presidential forum held by She The People on the Texas State University campus Wednesday, April 24, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker tours the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant Monday, April 22, 2019, in the Playa del Rey section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A SpaceX shipment arrived at the International Space Station on Monday with a "cosmic catch" by a pair of Canadians. The Dragon capsule delivered 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of equipment and experiments. Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques used the station's big robot arm - also made in Canada - to capture the Dragon approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) above the North Atlantic Ocean. An external cable that normally comes off during launch dangled from the capsule, but it did not interfere with the grappling. "Welcome on board, Dragon," Saint-Jacques radioed. He congratulated ground teams for their help, in both English and French. Saint-Jacques later told Canadian schoolchildren it was "a big moment of pride" to grab the Dragon using the station's 58-foot (18-meter) robot arm - Canada's main contribution to the space station. He became the first Canadian to use it to grab a visiting spacecraft - "a cosmic catch," in the words of the Canadian Space Agency. In this image taken from NASA Television, a SpaceX shipment prepares to arrive at the International Space Station following a weekend launch, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Dragon capsule reached the orbiting complex Monday, delivering 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of equipment and experiments. (NASA TV via AP) "To be at the controls myself, after all these years of training, it was a very, very special moment - and, fortunately, it all went well," Saint-Jacques told the schoolchildren later in the day. It's the second station visit for this recycled Dragon, which was launched by SpaceX on Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It also flew in 2017. This is SpaceX's 17th delivery to the space station; the first was in 2012. Northrop Grumman is NASA's other shipper; its Cygnus cargo ship arrived just two weeks ago. The Dragon will remain about a month, being filled with science samples for return to Earth. It's the only cargo ship capable of coming back intact. Besides one Canadian, the space station is home to three Americans and two Russians. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. In this image taken from NASA Television, a SpaceX shipment prepares to arrive at the International Space Station following a weekend launch, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Dragon capsule reached the orbiting complex Monday, delivering 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of equipment and experiments. (NASA TV via AP) In this image taken from NASA Television, a SpaceX shipment arrives at the International Space Station following a weekend launch, Monday, May 6, 2019. The Dragon capsule reached the orbiting complex Monday, delivering 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of equipment and experiments. (NASA TV via AP) This March 25, 2009 photo provided by NASA shows the International Space Station seen from the Space Shuttle Discovery during separation. In the background is Earth's atmosphere seen as a blue arc. On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, NASA announced that a major power shortage at the station has delayed a SpaceX supply run later in the week. (NASA via AP) BEIRUT (AP) - The Beirut Stock Exchange suspended trading on Monday due to an open-ended strike declared by the employees of Lebanon's central bank, adding to the country's economic crisis as the government discusses an austerity budget to avoid an economic crash. The ongoing strike by the Central Bank of Lebanon employees began Friday and has raised concerns it could paralyze the country's banking sector, which relies on the central bank for transactions as well as liquidity. Thousands of Lebanese public employees are on strike amid fears that their salaries and benefits would be cut as part of strict austerity measures to reduce a ballooning budget deficit and massive national debt. They include employees at Beirut's port, Social National Security Fund and the main state-run landline telephone company. Professors and instructors of the state-owned Lebanese University also announced an open strike starting Tuesday. Prime Minister Saad Hariri warned against strikes that paralyze the work of state institutions and issued a memorandum in which he called for legal measures to be taken against employees who hold or call for such strikes. A statement posted earlier on Beirut's stock market's website said the clearance and settlement of transactions cannot be done on time "during the period of open strike." It said trading was suspended indefinitely "in order to protect the interest of all investors." An employee stands at the entrance of the Beirut Stock Exchange in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, May 6, 2019. The exchange said it is suspending trading due to the open strike declared by the employees of Lebanon's central bank. Hundreds of Lebanese public employees are on strike amid concerns that their salaries and benefits might be cut as the government discusses an austerity budget. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) Lebanon's economy is struggling with soaring debts, rising unemployment and slow growth. A soaring debt of $85 billion - equivalent to about 150 percent of gross domestic product - and unemployment believed to be around 36 percent are compounding concerns that the country will finally cave in economically. Hariri's government is debating an austerity budget and key reforms with the aim of unlocking billions of dollars in pledged foreign assistance. Protests have criticized the planned measures. The government aims to reduce the percentage of the budget deficit compared with the gross domestic product. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil told reporters Monday that he insists the tax on interest payments at Lebanese banks be raised from 7 to 10 percent. The call to raise the tax on interest payments has angered bankers, who warn that such steps could affect capital flow into Lebanon. PARIS (AP) - Six Paris firefighters are under investigation based on allegations of gang rape in a city firehouse. The Paris prosecutor's office said the suspects were taken into custody as part of a judicial inquiry into gang rape or failure to prevent a crime. The six were presented to a judge Monday who named them all as "assisted witnesses" in the case, according to the prosecutor's office. Under French law, the special status means magistrates have reason to suspect the men were more than simple witnesses and were involved in wrongdoing but don't have enough evidence to file preliminary charges. The six were then released pending further investigation. The Paris fire service wouldn't immediately comment. A police official said a Norwegian student filed a complaint Saturday for alleged rape at a fire station in the Plaisance district of southern Paris. French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the woman told police she had consensual sex with one firefighter but then was raped by several others. The accusation came just weeks after Paris firefighters were hailed as heroes for all-night efforts to save Notre Dame Cathedral from a devastating fire. Paris firefighters are members of the French military. Campus News Two UB undergraduates win prestigious Goldwater scholarships Sophomore Hannah Seppala (left) and junior Dennis Fedorishin are UB's latest Goldwater scholarship winners. Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki By CHARLES ANZALONE A physics and math major whose self-proclaimed strength is to problem-solve from multiple directions, and the U.S.-born son of Belarus immigrants who is determined to become a pioneer in how artificial intelligence can improve national security are UBs latest Barry Goldwater Scholarship winners. Sophomore Hannah Seppala and junior Dennis Fedorishin are recipients of the countrys most prestigious and competitive research scholarship offered for undergraduate STEM students. Seppala has conducted research on sleep deprivation and biomolecules, but pulls no punches about keeping her vast research options open. For my career goals and applications, I am still very much figuring out what I am most interested in, says Seppala, who as a sophomore will receive the $7,500 Goldwater stipend for two years instead of the single years stipend that juniors receive. I hope that the Goldwater will allow me to explore more of my interests, she says. The most interesting and groundbreaking science often takes place where different fields intersect; my research project was half biology and half physics. In the future, I can see myself doing research that is a similar intersection of disparate fields. Fedorishin is a computer science and engineering major, whose family came to the U.S. with $600 and only speaking Russian. It is absolutely a huge honor being named a Goldwater Scholar, he says. My mentor talked up the scholarship semester after semester, calling it the golden ticket to higher education. It definitely feels amazing being recognized for the research I do, giving me more motivation and drive to push forward the field of artificial intelligence. A premier scholarship for undergrads UB administrators call the Goldwater the premier scholarship in the U.S. for undergraduate students pursuing research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Since UB is a research-intensive school, undergraduates who intend a PhD come and engage in research, says Elizabeth Colucci, director of the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. Many start the minute they arrive on campus. Those are the students who are perfect candidates for the Goldwater scholarship. The Office of Fellowships and Scholarships seeks out these students and encourages them to apply for the Goldwater, and then subsequently the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Seppala and Fedorishin are among nearly 500 undergraduates in the U.S., from the 5,000 who applied, to receive Goldwater scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year. Established by Congress in 1986 to honor the work and memory of Sen. Barry Goldwater, the scholarship is awarded to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. While Seppala and Fedorishin will receive the Goldwater scholarship during each of their remaining years at UB, the academic prestige, networking possibilities and entry into the highest echelon of their respective research circles are more valuable than the scholarship award itself, according to Colucci. Past UB Goldwater winners have gone on to prestigious graduate programs at MIT, Berkeley, Cornell and Oxford, she explains, and also have won other prestigious awards, including the Marshall scholarship and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, among others. A synergy of different disciplines Seppala has conducted research in the lab of Priya Banerjee, assistant professor of physics, since fall 2017, including a full-time summer internship in 2018. She contributed to studies on nucleic acid droplets as a model for primordial membrane-less organelles, which are regarded as organizers of diverse biochemical and signaling processes in cells. Seppala describes herself as a physics and math major well used to being one of the only females in a classroom. I am of the belief that diversity goes beyond what can be seen in a mirror, she wrote in her Goldwater application. She credits her older sister, Molly, who was born with severe developmental disabilities, as one of the most subtle, but nonetheless powerful factors shaping her life. Because I grew up with Molly, I knew that people can be different, and can think in different ways or believe different things, she wrote. I also learned being different isnt necessarily a bad thing; while Molly struggled in school, she is nonetheless an important and valuable member of my family. Seppala displays an unwavering and passionate belief that education should be a synergy of different disciplines. I know I want to spend my life expanding upon this knowledge, she wrote. My mathematics major will help me to process large amounts of data and better model complex systems. My physics major is enabling me to learn and comprehend the basic physical laws of various systems, and teaching me to model objects or systems I cannot easily see or touch. Consequently, Seppala balances her drive to learn as much as she can with an appreciation and awareness of vast future possibilities. The idea that there exist branches of physics so fundamental to our existence but of which we have only basic understanding of is astounding to me, she says. I want to be a part of the expansion of basic human knowledge. While many parts of my academic program will relate strongly and directly to my future aspirations, I believe that the most powerful thing I am learning is how to solve problems when I am presented with data that does not resemble anything Ive seen before. Math skills fuel interest in engineering Fedorishin was born to parents who left their home in Belarus, a country ravaged from the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. Coming from a home where only Russian was spoken did not help Fedorishins transition to American schools. Having no influence of English in the household, reading, writing and speaking throughout elementary school was difficult, he wrote in his Goldwater application. Falling behind in reading and writing, I found comfort and peace with the universal language, mathematics. At the start of high school, when finally assimilated into the English culture, I found a passion for engineering through my skills in math. Tapping into what Fedorishin described as his drive for engineering, he became the first in his family to attend college. Having no college fund, or guidance from my parents, I alone dealt with the daunting task of transitioning to a university. But he became aware of his potential right away at UB, thanks in particular to a teachers assistant who noticed him in his freshman engineering seminar class. He (the TAs name was Phil Schneider, and the course was EAS199) brought me into his lab and introduced me into the world of research, Fedorishin wrote. With his guidance, I developed a research grant combining my personal hobbies, the mathematics I grew strong in, all with the use of state-of-the-art sensor and 3D printing technologies. From my upbringing in research for this project, I found my passion to pursue research and a higher education. Fedorishin says his research involves artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning and computer vision. I mostly work in the realm of biometrics, he explains. I do research with things like facial recognition, object tracking, emotion tracking a person exhibits within a video, and any other sort of application you can think of with images and videos. Faculty offer high praise ROME (AP) - Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was discharged from a Milan hospital on Monday, six days after intestinal surgery and vowed to continue his campaign for a seat in the European Parliament. Berlusconi, 82, told reporters outside San Raffaele Hospital he had some fear when he was hospitalized last week for abdominal pain, which led to a diagnosis of an intestinal blockage. "This made me think I had reached the end of the line. Instead, I made a formidable comeback," he said. Berlusconi said he would rest for a while and not lead any election rallies but would campaign for a seat in the European Union legislature on TV, radio and other media. He's running in this month's election for Forza Italia, the party the media mogul founded a quarter-century ago when he jumped into politics. "I still feel useful for the future of Italians, Europeans and of the West," Berlusconi said. After getting out of the hospital, he didn't waste time blasting the populist coalition now governing Italy, saying the two coalition partners "can only do one thing, squabble." Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi speaks to reporters as he leaves the San Raffaele hospital where he underwent laparoscopic surgery for an intestinal obstruction last week, in Milan, Italy, Monday, May 6, 2019. Berlusconi himself is running for European Parliament elections, the first time he has been allowed to run for public office following a ban imposed after a 2012 tax fraud conviction (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) One of the governing parties is the right-wing, anti-migrant League party, which was a key ally in Berlusconi's own coalition governments as premier in three stints. Led by hard-line Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, the party has seen soaring popularity in opinion polls and tension with its governing partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement. Berlusconi said he hopes Forza Italia will be a linchpin of a majority center-right alliance in the European Parliament that could keep nationalist forces at bay. He laid out a vision for a trans-European center-right partnership, including perhaps Salvini and "that crazy head of Orban," a reference to right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Salvini has been wooing Orban for a different political alliance, and the two bonded in Hungary last week over their determination to keep migrants and asylum-seekers out of Europe. He has been working with far-right movements in France, Germany and other northern countries to create a strong populist group in the European Parliament, with the aim of completely reshaping the continent's policies. Berlusconi said he wants to see the European Union become a world power on a military level and to "assume the role of unifying the West, which today is divided." If elected to a seat in the European Parliament, it would be Berlusconi's first public office since he was forced to give up his Italian Senate seat due to a ban from a 2012 tax fraud conviction. Citing his good conduct, a court last year ruled that Berlusconi could be a political candidate again. ___ Frances D'Emilio is on twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio . Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi smiles as he leaves the San Raffaele hospital where he underwent laparoscopic surgery for an intestinal obstruction last week, in Milan, Italy, Monday, May 6, 2019. Berlusconi himself is running for European Parliament elections, the first time he has been allowed to run for public office following a ban imposed after a 2012 tax fraud conviction (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi smiles as he leaves the San Raffaele hospital where he underwent laparoscopic surgery for an intestinal obstruction last week, in Milan, Italy, Monday, May 6, 2019. Berlusconi himself is running for European Parliament elections, the first time he has been allowed to run for public office following a ban imposed after a 2012 tax fraud conviction (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - An Australian DJ popular on the Asian club circuit was found dead after suffering massive bleeding from an injury at a resort complex on the Indonesian island of Bali, police said Monday. Adam Neat's official social media pages carried a statement confirming his death, saying he died while trying to help a friend who suffered multiple fractures on Saturday. Indonesian police said they are still investigating the death of the 42-year-old performer, who used the stage name Adam Sky. An initial police report seen by The Associated Press said Neat suffered a deep and wide cut to his arm that caused massive bleeding. Local police chief Dody Monza said the body was found lying near a bathroom in his bedroom by two housekeepers at Hillstone Villa where the DJ stayed in Bali, a few minutes after they heard a woman scream for help. Police said a 22-year-old Russian woman described as a friend of Neat's was found naked beside the villa with a broken leg, while bloodstained glass fragments were found in Neat's room. Police did not say how the woman was injured. Police Detective Muhammad Nurul Yaqin said a preliminary investigation showed that Neat was drunk at the time and smashed a glass window in his bedroom. Part of the broken window fell on his right arm, causing severe bleeding, he said. In this Saturday, May 4, 2019, photo released by Denpasar Police, officers put up police line around the villa where Australian DJ Adam Neat was found dead after reportedly crashing through a glass window while trying to help a stricken friend in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. (Denpasar Police via AP) "We cannot conclude yet whether he intended to break the glass or accidentally hit it," he said. Monza said Neat's wife arrived in Bali after his death and refused an autopsy. "We are still investigating this case despite an autopsy refusal by Neat's wife," he said. Neat's website says he has toured with artists including Taio Cruz and The Scissor Sisters. In this Saturday, May 4, 2019, photo released by Denpasar Police, officers carry the body of Australian DJ Adam Neat after reportedly crashing through a glass window while trying to help a stricken friend in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. (Denpasar Police via AP) In this Saturday, May 4, 2019, photo released by Denpasar Police, officers inspect the villa where Australian DJ Adam Neat was found dead after reportedly crashing through a glass window while trying to help a stricken friend in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. (Denpasar Police via AP) MADRID (AP) - Catalan regional ex-president Carles Puigdemont and two other separatists who also fled abroad to escape arrest must be allowed to run in this month's European Parliament elections, Spanish courts ruled Monday. The judgments overruled a decision by Spain's Electoral Board, which had said it would prohibit the three from running in the May 26 race to fill the country's allotted seats at the parliament in Strasbourg. Three separate courts in Madrid ruled in favor of appeals filed by Puigdemont and his two associates, who argued that their democratic rights were being violated. All three separatists fled Spain to avoid arrest for participating in Catalonia's failed secession attempt in 2017. Puigdemont and Toni Comin reside in Belgium, and Clara Ponsati in the U.K. It appears that even if elected they wouldn't be able to take their seats since that would require them to first go back to Spain to receive their official parliamentary credentials in person. They are still wanted in Spain and would face arrest. A dozen other separatist leaders who stayed in Spain are currently undergoing trial at Spain's Supreme Court in Madrid. BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian troops captured a village and a strategic hill from insurgents Monday in the country's northwest, pro-government media said, amid the heaviest fighting to hit the region in eight months. A nearby Russian air base was also targeted by a missile attack from militants. The Syrian government's advance was the deepest push so far this year into Syria's last major rebel stronghold. The latest wave of violence, which began April 30, has raised fears the government may launch a wider offensive to retake the area, home to around 3 million people. It is also the most serious challenge to a Russia-Turkey sponsored cease-fire in place since September. A senior Russian official said Russia's air base in the coastal province of Latakia came under fire from the insurgents, the latest assault on the military post since Friday. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin said the base was targeted twice Monday by "multiple missile launcher systems." He blamed the attack on al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group in control of most of the rebel-held enclave. He said 36 missiles were fired using a drone but were repelled by the defense system. There were no casualties or damage, he said. Kupchishin said the situation has "deteriorated dramatically" in the area. His comments were carried by Russia's state-owned Tass news agency. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed great concern at the intensifying hostilities in what was supposed to be a de-escalation area and alarm at reports of aerial attacks on population centers and civilian infrastructure "resulting in hundreds of civilian dead and injured and over 150,000 newly displaced persons," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Three health facilities were reportedly hit by airstrikes Sunday, bringing the total to at least seven struck since April 28, Dujarric said. Nine schools have reportedly been hit since April 30, leading to closures in many areas. Guterres called for an urgent de-escalating as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, and he urged all parties to recommit to cease-fire arrangements agreed to last September, Dujarric said. Insurgents in Idlib and Hama provinces, where the rebel-held enclave is located, have previously used drones to target the base. Most of those attacks were thwarted, but they often serve to ratchet up tensions in the area. Earlier Monday, the government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said the village of al-Bani and the nearby Othman hill in the northern countryside of Hama province had been captured by Syrian troops. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-linked war monitor, confirmed that al-Bani had been captured and that troops were marching toward the hill. The Observatory said the intense fighting on Monday killed 20 people. Jaish al-Ezzat, one of the main rebel groups in the rebel-held enclave Syria, said it destroyed a Syrian army tank and that all the soldiers inside were killed. The group described "fierce clashes" near al-Bani. The latest round of fighting has killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands in Idlib and nearby rebel-held areas, who fled to safer regions further north. It's the worst violence since September, when Russia and Turkey negotiated the cease-fire to avert a government offensive on Idlib and surrounding areas. The Observatory reported more than 60 Russian airstrikes on insurgents Monday alone. Syria's state news agency SANA reported that Syrian troops intensified their shelling of insurgents in northern parts of Hama province and the southern parts of Idlib. JOHANNESBURG (AP) - With revolutionary rhetoric, bright red outfits and left-wing policies, the Economic Freedom Fighters have shaken up South Africa's political landscape, becoming a potent challenge to the ruling African National Congress. Firebrand leader Julius Malema, 38, has a knack for catching headlines and appealing to South Africa's youth. Although the EFF has little chance of winning power in the Wednesday elections , the party's populist stance has pulled the governing ANC to the left. At his final rally Sunday, Malema said his party is demanding a bigger share of South Africa's wealth from the country's white minority. "White people, all we want is to join you at the dinner table and eat with you," said Malema to thousands of supporters in Soweto's Orlando Stadium. "If you do not want us to sit with you at the table, then we have no choice but to destroy the table." It's a classic Malema quote, dramatically vowing to threaten the existing order. As South Africans prepare to vote on Wednesday in what is expected to be a hotly contested national election, the EFF is once again a potential game-changer. Various polls indicate the party may increase its share of the vote to at least 12%, cutting further into the ANC's support. Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, addresses supporters during an election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) When a group of rebellious youths broke away from the ANC in 2013, few saw their new party as the beginning of a realignment of the country's politics. But eight months later, the EFF secured 6% of the vote in the 2014 national elections, making it the country's third biggest political party with 29 representatives in parliament. Two years later in municipal elections the EFF was central to ushering in a new era of coalition politics, exposing the ANC as vulnerable after nearly a quarter-century in power. The EFF members wear red workers' overalls in parliament, saying the outfits show they represent the interests of South Africa's working class. With shouting, singing and other disruptive antics, the EFF representatives have been thrown out of parliament several times. The EFF's militant, rebellious stance in parliament and the courts is partly credited with the removal from office last year of former president Jacob Zuma after persistent allegations of corruption. Under Malema's charismatic leadership, the EFF is a divisive element with its populist brand of politics. Malema, a former ANC youth leader who was expelled from the party for criticizing then-president Jacob Zuma, has become one of the most influential politicians among South Africa's restless youth. The EFF loudly promises that if elected it will expropriate white-owned land without compensation and nationalize South Africa's mines and banks. Despite the dire economic consequences of such policies in countries like Venezuela and Zimbabwe, Malema's rhetoric has struck a chord with many black South Africans who remain poor 25 years after the end of apartheid, the harsh system of racial discrimination. Malema draws capacity crowds when he speaks and many young South Africans see him as representing their struggles, while those who do not subscribe to his brand of politics see him as a radical who should never come close to a position of power. Thapelo Thobejane, a 31-year-old resident of the teeming Alexandra township in Johannesburg, said he supports the EFF and Malema because he can relate to the party's messages about inequality in South Africa, especially in the workplace. He works as a waiter in a trendy downtown district. "White workers earn more than black workers even though we have the same skills and do the same work," Thobejane said. "Malema is not afraid to speak about such things, and that encourages me because he is the only politician who seems to understand our everyday struggles." Whites make up just under 10% of South Africa's population but still hold much of the country's wealth, while blacks make up nearly 80% of the population of 57 million. Political analyst Ralph Mathekga, a researcher at the University of the Western Cape's Center for Humanities Research, attributed the EFF's popularity to the "drama and excitement" it brings. He expects the EFF to grow its electoral support to at least 10% in Wednesday's vote. "They exposed South African politics as being very stale. Theirs is a mix of street, populist and intellectual politics," Mathekga said. "Their leaders are intellectual, educated elites but they appeal to ordinary people because they bring drama and excitement." The rise of the EFF, despite being a leftist party, has similarities to the emergence of right-wing movements in parts of the world that have seen the election of populist leaders like Donald Trump in the United States and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. What they all have in common is an anti-establishment stance, Mathekga said. Malema, who recently was accused of inciting violence against white farmers by singing the anti-apartheid song "Kill the Boer," ("Kill the white farmer") says the EFF is not anti-white but simply seeks equality for South Africa's black majority. "The first thing we will deal with is the issue of land. We want to expropriate the land without compensation so that black people also benefit from its wealth," he said. According to Malema, the EFF is portrayed as anti-white because it threatens the "ill-gotten privileges that white people enjoy, and which are being protected by the ANC." He points to the ANC's "failure" to transform's the country's economy, where fewer than 5% of the companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange are black-owned. Although it is expected to increase its share of the vote in the upcoming elections, the EFF is unlikely to win or even to remove the Democratic Alliance as the official opposition as many South Africans remain skeptical of the party's stance. "I simply do not trust those guys," said Thabiso Nkoana, a 38-year-old resident of Kagiso township in Johannesburg. "Even their popular stance about expropriating land, that is an ANC position for as long as I can remember. I feel that they are simply being too populist so they can get the votes they want." ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, centre, greets supporters at their final election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party arrive for their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, foreground, greets supporters at their final election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) A helicopter pulls an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party's banner, over Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, dances as he holds a party flag during an election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend an election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, centre, with party members sing and dance after addressing supporters during an election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A supporter of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attends an election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, greets supporters as he arrives at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, shares a light moment with party member during his election rally at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, greets supporters as he arrives at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, greets supporters as he arrives at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaign rallies for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, greets supporters as he arrives at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaigning for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, addresses supporters at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Campaigning for South Africa's upcoming election have reached a climax Sunday with mass rallies by the ruling party and one of its most potent challengers. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, attend their election rally at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, Sunday, May 5, 2019, ahead of South Africa's election on May 8. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) MADRID (AP) - Spain's caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with conservative leader Pablo Casado on Monday in his first encounter with opposition politicians in efforts to form a government. Sanchez's Socialist Party won the April 28 national election, but it fell short of a majority and will need help to stay in power either by forming a coalition government or ruling in minority. Despite losing more than half its seats, Casado's conservative Popular Party was left as the leading opposition force in parliament. Casado said after Monday's meeting at the Moncloa presidential palace in Madrid that while his party will not back Sanchez staying in office, it will remain open to agreements for future legislation regarding issues such as pensions, gender-based violence and national security. Casado said that above all he asked Sanchez to ensure that "the government does not depend on parties that want to fracture Spain," in a reference to the Catalan and Basque separatist parties with national lawmakers that the Socialists could need to reach a majority. Sanchez tweeted that the talks with Casado were "cordial" and that it "normalized the relationship" between the two rivals after a heated electoral race. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez smiles during a party meeting at Socialist party headquarters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, April 29, 2019. Spain's political future is no clearer after a third election since 2015, with experts saying Monday that it won't be anytime soon before the muddle is resolved. The incumbent prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, celebrated after his Socialist party won the most votes in Sunday's ballot. But Spanish politicians were doing the math on how Sanchez might survive the next four years without a parliamentary majority. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) On Tuesday, Sanchez will see the leader of the center-right Citizens party, Albert Rivera, and the leader of the far-left United We Can party, Pablo Iglesias. All the stakeholders are expected to hold off on striking deals for a government until after May 26 European and local elections. FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - The Aeroflot-operated SSJ100 passenger jet that caught fire during an emergency landing in Moscow is part of Russia's efforts to maintain a presence in civil aviation in a market dominated by companies like Boeing, Airbus and Embraer. Here's a quick look at the SSJ100 and the Russian company that built it, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft: THE PLANE The SSJ100, or Superjet 100, is a short- to medium-haul narrow body jet with two engines that can be configured to carry up to 103 people. At that size, it's intended for shorter and less travelled routes and as a substitute for larger planes to save costs during slower travel seasons. Regional aircraft are an important part of Russia's transportation system, given the country's enormous distances and many remote towns. The Superjet succeeds older, Soviet-built planes such as the Tu-134 airliner. The plane is built at the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft's plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia's distant Far East region. Although the design is Russian, the company says it uses the latest Western technology as well. The engines are made by PowerJet, a joint venture between France's Safran Aircraft Engines and Russia's Saturn. People gather around the damaged Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 6, 2019. Russia's main investigative body says both flight recorders have been recovered from the plane that caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least 40 people on Sunday. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) The plane first flew in 2008 and entered commercial service in 2011. It is certified by the European Union Safety Agency but is mainly used in Russia and has not made much headway against international competitors, not just from Boeing and Airbus but also from Brazil's Embraer. Aeroflot is the biggest client with 50 of the planes. Mexico's Interjet said Sunday it operated five of the planes "under the highest safety standards." Interjet has previously said it has 22 Superjets but referred in a recent earnings report to the "gradual phase out of the fleet of SSJ100." The company reported it lost sales after some planes were temporarily out of service after a warning from Russia's aviation authority about a potential defect in the tail section in December 2016. Interjet also said it was seeking contractual recovery of maintenance costs associated with the plane. Brussels Airlines said the company ceased using several Superjets provided by Irish leasing firm CityJet because limited supplies of spare parts affected aircraft availability. ___ THE COMPANY The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company bears the name of Soviet aircraft designer Pavel Sukhoi, who was responsible for a series of Soviet military aircraft starting before World War II. Today's firm is part of Russia's United Aircraft Corp., which consolidated many of the legendary names of Soviet aviation such as MiG, Sukhoi and Tupolev. UAC was established by a decree from President Vladimir Putin in 2006 to promote the Russian aircraft industry, which is seen as essential for the security and defense of the country. Much of its production goes to the military, while the SSJ100 is the key project aimed at maintaining a Russian presence in civil aviation. ___ TROUBLES On May 9, 2012, a demonstration flight hit Mount Salak in Indonesia, killing all 45 on board, after the pilot disregarded six alarms from the terrain warning system on the apparent assumption there was a problem with the terrain database, according to the report from Indonesia's air safety regulator. The plane had unintentionally left a circling pattern after the crew was distracted by a prolonged conversation not related to flying the plane. ___ This story has been corrected to correct reference to United Aircraft Corp. from United Aircraft Company. This image taken from a video distributed by Russian Investigative Committee on Sunday, May 5, 2019, shows the Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines on fire, at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia. At least 40 people died when an Aeroflot airliner burst into flames while making an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, officials said early Monday. (The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation via AP) The Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft of Airflot Airlines, center, is seen after an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Moscow News Agency photo via AP) In this photo taken on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the Sukhoi SSJ-100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines that made an emergency landing on Sunday, May 5, 2019 in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, takes off from the Siberian city of Tyumen, Russia. Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Marina Lystseva) This photo taken from a video distributed by Russian Investigative Committee on Monday, May 6, 2019, shows employees of the Russian Investigative Committee working at the wreckage of the Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines at Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow, Russia. Russia's main investigative body says both flight recorders have been recovered from the plane that caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least 40 people. (The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation via AP) The Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines, center in the background, is seen after an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. Scores of people died when the Aeroflot airliner burst into flames while making the emergency landing at the airport Sunday evening, officials said. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) This image taken from a video distributed by Russian Investigative Committee on Monday, May 6, 2019, shows an engine of the Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines in Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia. Russia's main investigative body says both flight recorders have been recovered from the plane that caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least 40 people. (The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation via AP) RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) - Until recently, a Pakistani waiter working in a small cafe in the city of Rawalpindi knew nothing about the TV series "Game of Thrones" - or its antihero character played by U.S. actor Peter Dinklage. But now, 26-year-old Rozi Khan has customers asking to have selfies taken with him and fields constant questions about his uncanny resemblance to Dinklage, 49. The American actor has played Tyrion Lannister, a witty and wily nobleman, since the series began in 2011. People even stop Khan on the streets, he says, also for selfies. Khan does not only have a similar look, haircut and beard as Dinklage, but the two share a genetic condition that results in small stature. The Pakistani waiter says his height is 1.33 meters, or 4 feet 5 inches. Dinklage's Pakistani doppelganger confesses that he likes his newfound popularity and that he has hopes the resemblance could help pull him out of a life of poverty - and maybe even take him to Hollywood. "It is my wish to work with Dinklage in movies," Khan told The Associated Press as customers crowded around him. "For me, it will be a dream come true to meet Dinklage." In this Friday, May 3, 2019 photo, Rozi Khan, a 26-year-old Pakistani shows his picture on his phone next to a picture of the U.S. actor Peter Dinklage who plays Tyrion Lannister on the TV series "Game of Thrones," in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Khan does not only have a similar look, haircut and beard as Dinklage, but the two share a genetic condition that results in small stature. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) Besides working as a waiter serving flatbread, mutton and other traditional Kashmiri dishes in the cafe in the garrison city of Rawalpindi - and thanks to the striking resemblance to Dinklage - Khan has already starred in a commercial for a food delivery service in Pakistan. Khan says the first person to notice and tell him about the resemblance was the restaurant owner's son, Malik Aslam, who shared a photo of Khan on social media about two months ago. That prompted Khan to take a look at some episodes of "Game of Thrones," which is airing on Pakistani cable channels. And although he couldn't read the subtitles - he never went to school or learned to read and write - he enjoyed watching his look-alike. "God created two similar men, one is a popular actor and the other is a poor waiter," Khan added, recounting how smirks and laughs of strangers and even family members had hurt him in the past. "Those people, passers-by and relatives who used to laugh at me because of my short height now take selfies with me," he said. "I may live and die as a waiter, but I am happy that a person (Dinklage) who looks like me is treated with respect." The American actor has done a lot to help dwarfs everywhere fight against the stigma over their height, Khan also said. "Some men like Dinklage were blessed with fame by God. I am happy over his success." In this Friday, May 3, 2019 photo, Rozi Khan, a 26-year-old Pakistani who shares a resemblance to the U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, 49, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the TV series "Game of Thrones," works as a waiter in a small cafe in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Khan does not only have a similar look, haircut and beard as Dinklage, but the two share a genetic condition that results in small stature. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) In this Friday, May 3, 2019 photo, Rozi Khan, a 26-year-old Pakistani who shares a resemblance to the U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, 49, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the TV series "Game of Thrones," works as a waiter in a small cafe in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Khan does not only have a similar look, haircut and beard as Dinklage, but the two share a genetic condition that results in small stature. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) In this Friday, May 3, 2019 photo, Rozi Khan, a 26-year-old Pakistani who shares a resemblance to the U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, 49, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the TV series "Game of Thrones," works as a waiter in a small cafe in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Khan does not only have a similar look, haircut and beard as Dinklage, but the two share a genetic condition that results in small stature. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) NIAMEY, Niger (AP) - Authorities in the West African nation of Niger say at least 55 people are dead after a tanker truck filled with fuel exploded near the country's main airport. President Issoufou Mahamadou called the explosion a "national tragedy" after visiting a hospital where dozens were wounded, some with serious burns. The death toll was expected to rise as doctors said some were in critical condition. Authorities believe the explosion took place after the tanker truck flipped over near a gas station. A crowd of people came to try and collect the fuel that leaked out as a result of the accident. Scores of people have died in similar accidents in West Africa as impoverished people risk their lives to collect fuel leaking from pipelines or trucks. BANGKOK (AP) - Thailand's newly crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn told thousands of cheering people gathered outside Bangkok's Grand Palace on Monday that he was grateful for their good wishes and believed they were a sign everyone would work together for the country's prosperity. Vajiralongkorn became king after the 2016 death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for seven decades, but it wasn't until his formal coronation on Saturday that he became a monarch with full regal powers based on the nation's traditions. Thailand has had a constitutional monarchy since 1932, when a revolution ended absolute rule by kings. The country's monarchs are still regarded as almost divine and seen as a unifying presence in a country that has suffered regular political instability as it rotates between elected governments and military rule. The king and other top members of the royal family are protected by one of the world's strictest lese majeste laws, which makes criticism punishable by up to 15 years in prison. People began lining up early Monday so they could be near the balcony where the king was to appear. Large video screens were placed nearby so those unable to make their way to the front could watch. As the crowd waited in the blazing tropical heat, some broke into cheers whenever a passing cloud blocked the sun. "I'm glad to be born as a Thai," said Tipparat Aiyawan, who works in Bangkok. "I want every child to know that Thailand has had independence for centuries and has survived because our kings are the soul of our nation." Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida are seen through waving national flags as they greet an audience from a balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace during the King's coronation ceremony Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Vajiralongkorn, arriving late, was greeted inside the royal throne hall by dignitaries from business and religious circles. When he and his wife, Queen Suthida, a general in the palace guard whom he married just last Wednesday, stepped outside onto the balcony, a mighty cheer erupted from the crowd, most dressed in yellow, the color representing the monarch's birthday. Nearby, artillery was fired in salute. For about two minutes the king stood with the queen, raising his right hand in greeting before sitting down. Below the balcony, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha read a short speech pledging loyalty to the monarch. The king stood up, stepped in front of a microphone and read from some papers. He said he and his queen were delighted with the goodwill extended by the people, and their good wishes left him "moved." "May your unity in extending good wishes to me on this occasion become a good sign that everyone and every party will work for the prosperity of our nation," he said. The king's 14-year-old son, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, and two daughters from previous marriages then stepped forward to join them on the balcony and wave to the crowd. Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, a fashion designer who is the younger of the king's daughters, took photos with her cellphone and waved enthusiastically. The king and queen then departed for a quick audience with foreign diplomats. Vajiralongkorn is also known as King Rama X because he is the tenth king in the Chakri dynasty, which began in 1782. His coronation has involved a series of elaborate, centuries-old rituals rooted in Buddhist and Brahmanic traditions. A final coronation celebration is planned for October, when there will be a royal barge procession on Bangkok's Chao Phraya River. ___ Associated Press journalists Gemunu Amarasinghe, Tassanee Vejpongsa and Preeyapa T. Khunsong contributed to this report. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida greet an audience from the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace during the King's coronation ceremony Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida wave to an audience from the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace during the coronation ceremony Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida greet an audience from the balcony of the Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace during the King's coronation ceremony Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Rapeephat Sitichailapa) Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn greets an audience from the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace during the coronation ceremony Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida are seen through waving flags as they greet an audience from a balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace during the King's coronation ceremony Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Wellwishers cheer Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn during his speech from a balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) A wellwisher holds a portrait of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn during his speech from a balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Wellwishers cheer Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn during his speech from a balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace Monday, May 6, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) A first aid worker sprays water to comfort soldiers in ceremonial attire as they wait for a public address from Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Thai people sit on a side-road, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall, in which Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Thai people sit on a side-road, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall, in which Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) A Thai man with amulets and a sticker with a tag number related to security clearance around his neck sits on a side oad, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall where Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn is scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) A Thai woman displays a portrait of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn as she sits on a side road, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall where King Vajiralongkorn is scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) A Thai woman displays a portrait of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn as she sits on a side-road, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall, in which Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) People display portraits of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn as they sit on a side road, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall where Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn is scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) People sit on a side road, anticipating access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall where Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn is scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) People sit behind metal detectors anticipating to gain access to Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall where Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn is scheduled to grant a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Thai well-wishers hold the portraits of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn in front of balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall which Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn grants a public audience in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned amid the splendor of the country's Grand Palace, taking the central role in an elaborate centuries-old royal ceremony that was last held almost seven decades ago.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Thai well-wishers hold the portraits of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. Newly crowned King Vajiralongkorn made a spectacular public appearance in front of his countrymen Sunday, carried atop a golden palanquin by soldiers in ancient fighting uniforms in a procession through Bangkok's historic quarter.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) A Thai well-wisher holds the portraits of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 6, 2019. Newly crowned King Vajiralongkorn made a spectacular public appearance in front of his countrymen Sunday, carried atop a golden palanquin by soldiers in ancient fighting uniforms in a procession through Bangkok's historic quarter.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Research News Robust UN troop levels required to quickly bring civil wars to peaceful resolutions Nepalese peacekeepers arrive in Juba, South Sudan to reinforce the military component of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).Photo: cc UN Photo/Isaac Billy By BERT GAMBINI Since the end of the Cold War, U.N. troops have been entering active conflicts, often peacemaking, not peacekeeping. And not all of these operations are created the same in their ability to facilitate faster negotiated settlements. United Nations peacekeeping operations can serve as valuable instruments for reducing the duration of civil wars, but PKOs require robust troop deployments to quickly and effectively move combatants in active conflicts toward negotiated settlements such as cease-fires and peace agreements, according to a new study by a team of UB political scientists. While most research on PKOs has measured their influence on maintaining postwar peace, Jacob Kathman and Michelle Benson, both associate professors in the Department of Political Science, instead address a largely unexamined dimension: the U.N. peacekeeping operations ability to increase the likelihood of a peaceful conflict resolution. Since the end of the Cold War, U.N. troops have been entering active conflicts, often peacemaking, not peacekeeping, says Benson. And not all of these operations are created the same in their ability to facilitate faster negotiated settlements. Peacekeeping forces in the range of approximately 10,000 troops significantly improve the likelihood of ending hostilities. Failing to meet those numbers will make the effort much less effective. Kathman and Benson used fine-grained monthly data sets built from Kathmans U.N. peacekeeping troop data and the Peace Research Institute Oslos Uppsala Conflict Data Program. The findings appear in the Journal of Conflict Resolution. Civil wars can end in a number of ways, according to Benson. One side can emerge victorious. Violence can subside without a clear victor, but with the underlying cause of the conflict remaining unresolved. Then there are peace agreements and other official ways to end the fighting, such as ceasefires. Thats what we look at in this study: How do you get to a peaceful negotiated settlement and are peacekeepers able to facilitate that, says Benson. We found that the presence of a sufficient number of peacekeepers decreased the time to a peaceful negotiated settlement. The U.N. deploys peacekeeping operations when the permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) authorize troop funding, which is then subject to General Assembly approval. The U.N. has no standing army. Member states provide troops for the operation on a voluntary basis. For their study, Kathman and Benson build on previous research on how the U.N. affects civil war. Their new paper has important policy implications that help validate the effectiveness of PKOs and support the idea that the U.N. should outfit peacekeeping efforts with sufficient troop numbers required to reduce the hostility and intractability of civil conflicts. From prior research on the U.N., we know that U.N. peacekeepers are able to reduce civilian deaths and casualties, and sometimes able to reduce the number of battlefield fatalities, says Benson. But what happens if these troops dampen the active fighting to the point that a low-level conflict remains, whats called a hurting stalemate? In the absence of a peaceful resolution, the hurting stalemate could mean a reduction in the immediate number of deaths, but the enduring balance of forces might eventually translate to a high number of deaths in the long term. Thats what we wanted to determine, she says. She and Kathman theorize that facilitating a security guarantee and separating combatants are among the mechanisms by which the troops are able to facilitate a settlement. With substantial troop deployments, the U.N. can help separate the combatants, assist with disarmament and provide a clear path for the unobstructed flow of information between sides, allowing the warring parties to move more quickly toward settlements. The U.N. is not only able to improve the conflict situation, says Benson. Its able to bring conflicts to a conclusion in a peaceful manner. Considered in its broader context, these are important findings, says Kathman. The U.N.s reputation amongst the American public is one of relative impotence, but our findings contribute to a growing consensus of rigorous analyses that U.N. peacekeeping works. In many cases, if peacekeeping operations hadnt been deployed, those conflicts would likely have been much more violent and protracted. NEW DELHI (AP) - A court inquiry on Monday cleared India's chief justice of sexual harassment allegations made by a former employee at his official residence in New Delhi. The inquiry committee said it found no substance to the allegations by a 35-year-old woman against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. The Supreme Court did not give any other details. It said that the report by Justices S.A. Bobde, Indira Banerjee and Indu Malhotra would not be made public. Gogoi appeared on Wednesday before the inquiry committee and denied the allegations. The woman earlier withdrew from the inquiry, saying she felt she was not likely to get justice from the committee. The woman filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court last month alleging two instances of misconduct last October, shortly after Gogoi took over as India's most senior judge. Last year, Indian actresses and writers took to social media with allegations of sexual harassment and assault in a growing #MeToo movement. Junior External Affairs Minister M.J. Akbar resigned last year amid accusations by 20 women of sexual harassment during his previous career as one of the country's most prominent news editors. India has passed new laws aimed at improving women's safety, but critics say they have done little to change the status quo. WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (AP) - Authorities in Curacao say 318 people aboard a Church of Scientology ship docked in the Dutch Caribbean island will remain quarantined at least until Wednesday while they determine how many might be infected with measles. Dr. Izzy Gerstenbluth told The Associated Press late Sunday that a team of health officials took 277 blood samples and sent them to the Netherlands. He said he expects results on Tuesday or Wednesday, adding that the atmosphere on the boat is good and that everyone is cooperating. Gerstenbluth said 31 crew members and 10 passengers provided a vaccination certificate, and that the remainder were vaccinated. "But that is for the future, it will not help them now," he said. The 440-foot Freewinds ship was previously quarantined in St. Lucia after a crew member was diagnosed with measles. Authorities have said she arrived in Curacao on April 17 and visited a doctor April 22 for cold symptoms. A blood sample was taken and sent to nearby Aruba, where officials confirmed it was measles on April 29, a day after the ship had departed for St. Lucia. Curacao health officials then alerted authorities in St. Lucia. The former cruise ship returned to its home port of Curacao early Saturday. The Freewinds cruise ship is docked in the port of Willemstad, Curacao Saturday, May 4, 2019. Authorities in Curacao on Saturday boarded the ship that arrived in the Dutch Caribbean island under quarantine, to start vaccinating people to prevent a measles outbreak. Health officials said only those who already have been vaccinated or have previously had measles will be free to leave the 440-foot (134-meter) ship. (AP Photo/Dick Drayer) Gerstenbluth said the decision to release passengers and crew members will be made after consulting with health officials in the Netherlands and the Pan American Health Organization. Measles has sickened more than 700 people in 22 U.S. states this year, with federal officials saying the resurgence is driven by misinformation about vaccines. Symptoms include runny nose, fever and a red-spotted rash. Most people recover, but measles can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling and even death in some cases. Church officials have not returned calls for comment. According to the church's website, the ship is the home of "a religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling." It says religious conventions and seminars also are held aboard. ROVANIEMI, Finland (AP) - The Trump administration warned China and Russia on Monday that the U.S. won't stand for aggressive moves in the Arctic region, which is rapidly opening up to development and commerce as temperatures warm and sea ice melts. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech in Finland that the U.S. will compete for influence in the Arctic and counter attempts to make it the strategic preserve of any one or two nations. He said the rule of law must prevail for the Arctic to remain peaceful, and he criticized China and Russia for what he said were coercive practices that would destabilize the "high North" if allowed. Critics were likely to seize on the speech for being short on scientific specifics, not using the phrase "climate change," offering no ideas on mitigating its effects and focusing almost entirely on how to responsibly tap the Arctic in an era of fierce global rivalries. "The region has become an arena of global power and competition and the eight Arctic states must adapt to this new future," Pompeo said, one day before he participates in a meeting of foreign ministers from the Arctic Council . He said that group had once been able to focus solely on scientific, environmental and cultural issues, but profound changes in the Arctic's environment and strategic rivalries made that extremely difficult now. "We're entering a new age of strategic engagement in the Arctic, complete with new threats to Arctic interests and its real estate," Pompeo said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks on Arctic policy at the Lappi Areena in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pompeo is in Rovaniemi to attend the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting. (Mandel Ngan/Pool photo via AP) For the U.S., he said that means boosting America's security and diplomatic presence with new military exercises, icebreakers and expanded Coast Guard operations. Pompeo took particular aim at China, which, unlike Russia, does not have any territory or claim in the Arctic but holds observer status in the council. He said China's attempts to inject itself into the region's affairs by pushing infrastructure projects and commercial investments must be checked. He rejected China's assertion that it is a "near-Arctic nation." "There are only Arctic states and non-Arctic states," he said. "No third category exists - and claiming otherwise entitles China to exactly nothing." Pompeo said responsible Chinese investment is welcome in the Arctic but that China's history of what he called predatory activities elsewhere are cause for concern. "China's pattern of aggressive behavior elsewhere will inform how it treats the Arctic," he said. Pompeo noted China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, which has alarmed many of its smaller neighbors. "Do we want the Arctic Ocean to transform into a new South China Sea, fraught with militarization and competing territorial claims?" he asked. China's special representative for Arctic affairs, Gao Feng, who is at the council meeting, dismissed Pompeo's warnings and said countries should be free do deal with China as they wish. "He says it's a new era. OK, competition. Let's see who can get more friends," Gao told reporters after Pompeo's speech. "On the one hand, he can warn. How people react to that is another matter." Pompeo also warned that Russia's intentions in the Arctic, where it has embarked on a massive military expansion campaign, may prove destabilizing given its record. "We know Russian territorial ambitions can turn violent," he said, pointing to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. "Just because the Arctic is a place of wilderness does not mean it should become a place of lawlessness." Despite Pompeo's warnings and defense of U.S. positions, many council members and observers are equally alarmed by the Trump administration's environmental policies and skepticism of climate change. Many of those critics fear the administration is intent on using Arctic resources with no thought for its consequences or mitigation. "The Arctic is changing fast. Global warming will change the environmental and economic landscapes of the region. New sea routes and easier access to natural resources will become a reality," Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini said. One-third of Finland sits above the Arctic Circle. "But climate change will go even further. It may impact the inter-state relations and security in our region. The Arctic countries have a special responsibility - and a possibility - to preserve the Arctic as a region of peace and stability," Soini said. Finland has spent its two-year chairmanship of the council focused on addressing climate change effects. Pompeo's speech, which ran to 2,400 words, failed to mention "climate change." He spoke of "steady reductions in sea ice" but did not address the cause, focusing instead on the opportunity those reductions present. "Arctic sea lanes could become the 21st century's Suez and Panama Canals," he said. He called the Arctic "a frontier of opportunity and abundance" with untouched oil and gas reserves, unmined uranium, raw earth minerals, precious metals and gems. Pompeo sought to assuage environmental concerns by committing to safe and responsible development. And he pointed to the U.S. record on reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Critics argue that those reductions are the result of policies enacted before Trump took office and could be reversed. ___ Associated Press writer Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed to this report. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo leaves the stage after speaking on Arctic policy at the Lappi Areena in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday, May 6, 2019. Pompeo is in Rovaniemi to attend the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting. (Mandel Ngan/Pool photo via AP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks on Arctic policy at the Lappi Areena in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday May 6, 2019. Pompeo is in Rovaniemi to attend the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) ST. LOUIS (AP) - The swollen Mississippi River and its tributaries were receding in many flood-ravaged communities on Monday, but concerns remained high because of the threat of heavy rain over the next few days. The Mississippi's levels slowly fell north of St. Louis after they reached record or near-record highs in many communities. Officials blamed four deaths last week on the flooding, which forced hundreds of people in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri from their homes. The river crested Monday in downtown St. Louis and will do so later this week farther south. But it could rise again, as more rain is expected to fall this week in the central U.S., including 3 inches or more in parts of Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. Mark Fuchs, a National Weather Service hydrologist, warned that there is nowhere for any additional rain to go and that he's especially concerned about the potential for a new rise in the Missouri River, including in parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and northwestern Missouri that were flooded in late March. The new rain also will keep the Mississippi River at major flood stage for even longer in many places, putting more pressure on already-stressed levees, Fuchs said. "You've got water sitting on levees for long periods of time - that's no good," he said. "That's where we're at right now." A vehicle drives through Mississippi River flood water in downtown Alton, Il. on Monday, May 6, 2019. Flooding from the Mississippi River closed streets in downtown, forced the closure of Argosy Casino and flooded the basements of several businesses. The Mississippi River is expected to crest at 34.8 feet later on Monday, almost 14 feet above flood stage. The red painted line beneath the American flag on the grain silos denotes the height of flood water in 1993. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) In tiny Allenville, Missouri, Phil Thompson was among the 100 or so residents who were prepared to move their belongings to higher ground, if necessary. Thompson, 67, said he was holding off, for now, but was keeping a close eye on the skies. "If we get big rains, we're in trouble," Thompson said. Allenville isn't actually on the Mississippi, but a diversion channel built a century ago to drain swampy southeastern Missouri into the river backs up in times of flooding, which has become so common in the past two decades that Thompson has lost count of the number of times he's had to move his things to higher ground. "I don't have enough fingers and toes," he said. The bulging Mississippi tore through a levee in St. Charles County, near St. Louis, forcing evacuations. Another levee broke in northeastern Missouri's Pike County, and several small farm levees in Missouri were overtopped. The river was closed to navigation in St. Louis. The high water also forced the closure of several locks and dams. Problems weren't isolated to communities along the Mississippi. Much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri were under flood warnings. ___ Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, contributed to this report. Marissa Whitman, 20, wades in about 3 feet of floodwater from the swelling Mississippi River, while guiding a boat carrying her boyfriend Brendan Cameron and his mother, Tory Cameron, to their home along Pet Street, Sunday, May 5, 2019, in East Foley, Mo. "I just need to see if the water reached inside," said Tory. The family had to evacuate Saturday when the water rose suddenly. (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's top election authority voided the Istanbul mayoral election won by an opposition candidate and ordered a do-over, ruling Monday in favor of a request by the president's party to throw out the vote it narrowly lost. Opposition leaders said the Supreme Electoral Board's decision to invalidate the results from Istanbul's election raises concerns about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's grip on power and Turkish democracy in general. A top aide for Erdogan told The Associated Press that the voiding of the mayoral election in Turkey's biggest city amounts to "a victory for Turkish democracy" by ensuring the results reflect the voters' choice. Ekrem Imamoglu of the opposition Republican People's Party placed first by a slim margin in the March 31 mayoral election, defeating the ruling party candidate, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. Erdogan's conservative and Islamic-based Justice and Development Party then charged that a series of election irregularities made the results illegitimate. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the Supreme Electoral Board revoked Imamoglu's mandate and called a new election for June 23. As grounds to annul the March 31 results, the board said that some ballot station heads were not civil servants as required by law, the news agency said. Yildirim, the loser in the election, said he hoped the decision would lead to "beneficial and beautiful results for Istanbul." Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition, Republican People's Party's (CHP) mayoral candidate in Istanbul, gestures during a rally in Istanbul, late Monday, May 6, 2019. Turkey's state-run news agency says the country's highest electoral body has ruled for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral election after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party challenged the legitimacy of the vote an opposition candidate narrowly won. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) In a statement to the AP, presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun said: "Having held free and fair elections for nearly seven decades, Turkey will complete this process in a transparent, lawful and orderly manner." Leaders of the Imamoglu's main opposition party held an emergency meeting in the capital of Ankara late Monday. Addressing thousands of his supporters in Istanbul, Imamoglu accused the electoral board of bowing to pressure and threats from Erdogan's party. He vowed to use "democracy" to win back the "rights" that he said were taken away by force. The crowd called for the electoral board members to resign and accused Erdogan of stealing the vote. Kati Piri, the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, said on Twitter: "This ends the credibility of democratic transition of power through elections in Turkey." Police set up barricades around the electoral board's headquarters in Turkey's capital, but there were no immediate signs of major demonstrations. Protesters banged pots and pans in several Istanbul neighborhoods, the opposition Birgun newspaper reported. Howard Eissenstat, a Turkey expert at the nonprofit Project for Middle East Democracy and a Middle East history scholar at St. Lawrence University in New York, said Monday's ruling "removes the last fig leaf of competitive elections" hiding the erosion of democracy in Turkey. "Turkey wasn't democratic yesterday and it's not democratic today," Eissenstat said. He noted that Erdogan's party previously invalidated election results in Turkey's mostly Kurdish-populated regions after a pro-Kurdish party won and replaced elected mayors with government appointees. "Erdogan cannot afford to lose in the second round. It would a disastrous display of weakness," Eissenstat said. The local elections held across Turkey on March 31 produced setbacks for the president. His party lost city hall in the capital as well as in Istanbul, ending 25 years of the Justice and Development Party and its Islamist predecessor governing both cities. The loss of Istanbul, the country's commercial and cultural capital, was particularly hard for Erdogan. He began his political ascent as Istanbul's mayor. At pre-election rallies, the president had repeatedly told crowds, "Whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkey" and "Whoever loses Istanbul, loses Turkey." Istanbul, with its 15 million residents and strategic location straddling Europe and Asia, accounted for 31% of Turkey's GDP of $851 billion in 2017 and draws millions of tourists. The city government had a budget of $8.8 billion last year. The municipality has awarded lucrative contracts to businesses close to the government over the years and offers huge financial resources and employment opportunities. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a ceremony at presidential palace, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, May 6, 2019. Turkey's highest electoral body has ruled for a rerun of the mayoral election in Istanbul, after Erdogan's ruling party challenged the legitimacy of the vote it narrowly lost to the opposition. The Supreme Electoral Board on Monday ruled in favor of Erdogan's party and annulled the results of the March 31 vote in Istanbul.(Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool) Supporters of Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition, Republican People's Party's (CHP) mayoral candidate in Istanbul, react for a rally in Istanbul, late Monday, May 6, 2019. Turkey's state-run news agency says the country's highest electoral body has ruled for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral election after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party challenged the legitimacy of the vote an opposition candidate narrowly won. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Supporters of Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition, Republican People's Party's (CHP) mayoral candidate in Istanbul, gather for a rally in Istanbul, late Monday, May 6, 2019. Turkey's state-run news agency says the country's highest electoral body has ruled for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral election after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party challenged the legitimacy of the vote an opposition candidate narrowly won. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A supporter of Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition, Republican People's Party's (CHP) mayoral candidate in Istanbul, reacts during a rally in Istanbul, late Monday, May 6, 2019. Turkey's state-run news agency says the country's highest electoral body has ruled for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral election after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party challenged the legitimacy of the vote an opposition candidate narrowly won. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) FILE - In this Thursday April 4, 2019 file photo, Ekrem Imamoglu of the opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) mayoral candidate in Istanbul, poses for The Associated Press prior to an interview in Istanbul. After weeks of uncertainty, Turkey's highest electoral board could decide as early as Monday May 6, 2019, whether opposition politician Ekrem Imamoglu, was the rightful winner of Istanbul's mayoral race - or whether a new election must be held. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he talks to members of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara, Turkey, Saturday, April 27, 2019 during a three-day closed door meeting to assess recent local election results. Preliminary results show that AKP lost control of Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, and its capital, Ankara to the main opposition party. (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool) Supporters of Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition, Republican People's Party's (CHP) mayoral candidate in Istanbul, react during a rally in Istanbul, late Monday, May 6, 2019. Turkey's state-run news agency says the country's highest electoral body has ruled for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral election after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party challenged the legitimacy of the vote an opposition candidate narrowly won. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) ATHENS, Greece (AP) - A Greek appeals court has reduced from life to 21 years and five months' imprisonment the sentences imposed on two men convicted of the fatal racist stabbing of a Pakistani migrant in 2013. Monday's Athens court ruling took into account the two Greek men's good conduct after the stabbing. Appeals court judges upheld the lower court's decision that there was a racist motive in the murder of Shehzad Luqman, 27, who was attacked as he cycled to work before dawn in Athens. The defendants were riding a motorbike and claimed the killing followed an argument over who had the right of way. KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani police say a court will allow a doctor with HIV and AIDS to remain in police custody for two more days to determine whether he knowingly spread HIV to over 150 people, mostly children, by using contaminated syringes. Local police chief Wasim Raja Soomro said Monday that Dr. Muzaffar Ghangharo was detained last week, and has denied the charges. Soomro said the initial investigation indicates the doctor had intentionally spread HIV since early April while treating patients for the common cold, diarrhea and other diseases. He said the outbreak was detected when patients with HIV symptoms began coming to a state-run hospital in the southern town of Larkana. Pakistan's Health Ministry has registered over 23,000 HIV cases. LONDON (AP) - The Latest on the newest royal baby in Britain (all times local): 1:20 a.m. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated Prince Harry and Meghan on having their baby son, saying a birth is an "incredibly exciting time." Ardern last year became just the second elected leader in modern history to give birth while holding office. Her daughter Neve is 10 months old. Ardern on Tuesday said in a release she wished the royal family all the best and hoped to see them in New Zealand at some point. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited New Zealand in October. People gather outside the gates of Buckingham Palace to take pictures of the official notice to formally announce the birth of a baby boy to Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, set on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in London, Monday May 6, 2019. The official announcement is traditionally placed on public view in the courtyard of the palace. (Yui Mok/PA via AP) On that trip, Meghan showed she was prepared to continue speaking out about feminist issues in her new role as a royal when she gave a speech congratulating New Zealand for becoming the first country to allow women to vote in 1893. ___ 12:25 a.m. Australia's prime minister has welcomed the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan's son, recalling the British royals' excitement when they announced the pregnancy during a visit to Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Radio Triple M on Tuesday that he also was excited when the couple broke the news in October that the Duchess of Sussex was pregnant. Morrison said: "It's great that the wonderful day has come and everybody is well." He said a baby's birth, whether royal or otherwise, was a fantastic moment for any family. ___ 10:15 p.m. Michelle Obama has congratulated the new parents in Britain's royal family on the birth of their first child, a son. The former U.S. first lady tweeted on Monday: "Congratulations, Meghan and Harry! Barack and I are so thrilled for both you." She wrote that she and former President Barack Obama "can't wait to meet" the baby. ___ 9:30 p.m. The estranged father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has told a British tabloid he is delighted to hear that his daughter and her newborn son are doing well. Thomas Markle told The Sun newspaper he hopes the baby will "serve the crown and the people of Britain with grace, dignity and honor." He also offered congratulations to the infant's father, Prince Harry. Thomas Markle has criticized Meghan in print in recent months, badly straining their relationship. Based in southern California and in Mexico, he didn't attend the couple's wedding last year and has health problems. ___ 5:00 p.m. A formal baby announcement has been posted at Buckingham Palace saying Queen Elizabeth II welcomed the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan's son, her eighth great-grandchild. A pair of uniformed staff members placed the framed announcement on an easel just inside the palace gates Monday afternoon, observing a long tradition hours after the new prince's arrival was announced on social media. The ceremonial easel carried an announcement of Prince William and Kate's third child, Prince Louis, in April 2018. It remained there for about 24 hours. ___ 4:05 p.m. Congratulations are flowing in from across the U.K. after Prince Harry announced that his American wife, Meghan, had given birth to a healthy baby boy. Kind words poured in from Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, and opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland also sent her good wishes. ___ 3:35 p.m. British Prime Minister Theresa May has congratulated Prince Harry and his wife Meghan on the birth of their son. May tweeted: "Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the arrival of their baby boy. Wishing you all the best at this happy time." The baby was born at 5:26 a.m. and weighs 7 pounds, 3 ounces. ___ 2:55 p.m. A beaming Prince Harry says he and his wife Meghan have a healthy baby boy. Harry says he's "incredibly proud" of his wife after she gave birth early Monday morning. The baby weighs 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and palace officials say he was born at 5:26 a.m. Monday. The infant, now the seventh in line to the British throne, has not yet been named. The prince says he is "over the moon" about the birth of their first child and said more details will be shared in the coming days. He spoke Monday before TV cameras. Officials say senior royals including Queen Elizabeth II have been informed of the birth, as has the family of his late mother, Princess Diana. ___ 2:45 p.m. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are the proud parents of a new baby boy. The baby, who has not yet been named, is seventh in line for the British throne and is Queen Elizabeth II's eighth great-grandchild. It is the first child for Harry and Meghan, who married a year ago. Harry spoke before cameras on Monday afternoon. The duchess is a 37-year-old retired American actress formerly known as Meghan Markle. The 34-year-old prince is the son of Prince Charles - next in line for the throne - and Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997. Harry has long spoken of his desire to start a family. ___ Read all Associated Press coverage of the latest royal baby at https://www.apnews.com/RoyalBaby The BT Tower displays a message in celebration of the birth of Prince Harry, and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex's new baby boy, in London, Monday May 6, 2019. (Yui Mok/PA via AP) Britain's Prince Harry speaks at Windsor Castle, Windsor, England, Monday May 6, 2019, after his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex gave birth to a baby boy. It is the first child for Harry and Meghan, who married a year ago. (Steve Parsons/Pool via AP) FILE - In this file photo dated Monday, March 11, 2019, Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex arrive to attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day in London. Prince Harry on Monday May 6, 2019, said Meghan has given birth to a baby boy.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, FILE) FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2017 file photo, Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle arrive at Nottingham Academy in Nottingham, England. Buckingham Palace said Monday May 6, 2019, that Prince Harry's wife Meghan has gone into labor with their first child. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File) Royal fans celebrate outside Windsor Castle in Berkshire after Buckingham Palace announced the news of the birth of a baby boy born to Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Monday May 6, 2019. It is the first child for Harry and Meghan, who married a year ago. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP) LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Taken down as the Kentucky Derby winner, Maximum Security is now out of the Preakness. Maximum Security's co-owner said Monday he will not run the horse in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The announcement came hours before his appeal of the horse's disqualification as Derby winner was denied by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Gary West told The Associated Press by phone there is "really no need, not having an opportunity to run for the Triple Crown, to run a horse back in two weeks." The 1 1/8-mile Preakness is May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. Though shorter than the Kentucky Derby, the race requires a quick turnaround. West didn't want to burden his colt with the Triple Crown off the table. Maximum Security was scheduled to leave Churchill Downs on Monday and arrive early Tuesday at Monmouth Park, where trainer Jason Servis is based, the New Jersey track said. "The horse will be better off long term with the rest," West said. "He ran a really good and a really hard race on Saturday. Luis Saez reacts after Maximum Security was disqualified from the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) "Really, there are a lot of other Grade 1 races the rest of the year for 3-year-olds. So we'll let him gather himself and point to one of the other races. I don't know which one that will be, but it will definitely not be the Preakness." Maximum Security, the first to finish the muddy race by 1 lengths on Saturday, became the first Derby winner to be disqualified for interference. After an objection by two riders, stewards ruled the colt swerved out and impeded the path of several horses between the far and final turns. Country House, a 65-1 shot, was elevated to first. Country House's status for the Preakness is unclear. That race would mark his fourth start in eight weeks. Trainer Bill Mott has said there's no rush to decide on whether he'll run in Baltimore. But he acknowledged the race's importance and added, "The challenge of the Triple Crown is that there's three races really close together, and it takes a champion." The only other Derby disqualification was in 1968, and long after the race. First-place finisher Dancer's Image tested positive for a prohibited medication, and Kentucky racing officials ordered the purse money to be redistributed. Forward Pass got the winner's share. A subsequent court challenge upheld the stewards' decision. West has said he realizes the appeals process will take "months, if not years." He remains bothered that his request to view replays with stewards after the race was denied. An appeal filed Monday morning was denied later in the day by the KHRC, which stated in a letter to West's attorney that the stewards' decision is not subject to appeal. The commission also denied a request to stay the disqualification ruling pending appeal. "Based on everything that has happened so far, I'm not surprised," West told The Associated Press in a phone interview after the appeal was denied. "We'll file suit in whatever the appropriate court is. I don't know the answer to that, but the lawyers that I have retained will know what the appropriate venue is." Maximum Security was placed 17th of 19 horses after starting as the 9-2 second betting choice, ending his four-race winning streak. Stewards cited the rule that calls for disqualification if a "leading horse or any other horse in a race swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate, or impede any other horse or jockey." Chief steward Barbara Borden said in a news conference she and two other stewards interviewed riders and studied video replays during a 22-minute review after the finish. The stewards did not take questions from reporters. ___ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Luis Saez rides Maximum Security across the finish line first followed by Flavien Prat on Country House during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. Country House was declared the winner after Maximum Security was disqualified following a review by race stewards. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) BILOXI, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on the killing of a Biloxi police officer (all times local): 10 p.m. A Mississippi police chief says one of his officers driving home spotted the suspect wanted in the fatal shooting of a Biloxi police officer, leading to the 19-year-old's arrest 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of the crime scene. Biloxi Police Chief John Miller says the officer was driving home through Wiggins when he saw a man on the side of the road who looked like Darian Tawan Atkinson. Miller says the officer called Wiggins police, who arrested Atkinson before sunset Monday on a capital murder charge. Atkinson is accused of fatally shooting Biloxi Patrolman Robert McKeithen Sunday night in the parking lot of the coastal city's police station. Miller says he's not sure how Atkinson got to Wiggins, but says he expects at least one other person will be arrested on charges of illegally aiding Atkinson. Atkinson arrived in a police cruiser at the same police station where the shooting took place, and was walked inside for questioning before reporters with a row of cheering officers watching. It's unclear whether Atkinson has a lawyer or when he will see a judge. This undated photo provided by the Biloxi Police Department via the City of Biloxi, Miss., Public Affairs Department shows Darian Tawan Atkinson. Police on Mississippi's Gulf Coast said late Monday, May 6, 2019, that they have captured Atkinson, a suspect in the slaying of a uniformed officer gunned down outside a Biloxi police station, concluding a tense manhunt. (Biloxi Police Department/City of Biloxi Public Affairs via the AP) ___ 9:15 p.m. Police say they have captured a Mississippi man wanted in the fatal shooting of a Biloxi police officer. Gulfport Police Sgt. James Griffin says Darian Tawan Atkinson was captured Monday evening in Wiggins. He's wanted for capital murder in the slaying of Biloxi Patrolman Robert McKeithen. The officer was shot Sunday in a parking lot outside the Biloxi police station, launching an intensive manhunt on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A police station surveillance camera took a picture of a man that Griffin says was later identified as Atkinson through tips and interviews. The picture was taken before officials say Atkinson shot McKeithen. Biloxi Police John Miller handed the investigation to Gulfport police, saying it was better that a different agency investigate the death of a Biloxi officer. ___ 6 p.m. Mississippi authorities have released the name of a suspect in the fatal shooting of a Biloxi police officer. Police told a news conference Monday evening that Darian Tawan Atkinson is wanted on a murder charge in the slaying of Patrolman Robert McKeithen. The officer was shot Sunday in a parking lot outside the Biloxi police station. Gulfport Police Chief Leonard Papania said Atkinson remains at large and "is a genuine threat to this community." Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson says investigators still don't have a motive. A police station surveillance camera took a picture of a man before the shooting death of McKeithen. Officers have appealed for help in arresting Atkinson, and a reward offer has risen to $35,000. Police were seen searching some apartments in the Biloxi area Monday. ___ 4 p.m. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says investigators believe they have identified the man accused of shooting and killing a Biloxi police officer. Bryant told the Sun Herald that investigators know who they are seeking as the governor visited the Biloxi police headquarters on Monday afternoon. Authorities haven't released a suspect's name. Biloxi Patrolman Robert McKeithen was shot to death in the police station's parking lot Sunday night. A police station surveillance camera took a picture of a man before the shooting death of McKeithen. Officers have appealed for help in identifying the man, and a reward offer has risen to $35,000. And on Monday, police were seen searching some apartments. Bryant writes on Twitter that the shooting is "senseless" and that he met with Biloxi Police Chief John Miller. Bryant, a onetime deputy sheriff, writes "we will find the coward who fired the shots" and arrest him. ___ 9:30 a.m. A Mississippi Gulf Coast police chief says a gunman who killed one of his officers outside the police station is an "animal," and he's still on the run. Biloxi Police Chief John Miller says he believes the man who fatally shot officer Robert McKeithen is still in the area, but says he has no information to support that. Authorities say the man walked up to McKeithen in the parking lot of Biloxi's police station Sunday night, shot him multiple times and then ran. Firefighters rushed the officer to a hospital emergency room, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities released images showing the suspect wearing navy blue shorts, a black T-shirt, a red beanie cap and dark high top sneakers with red tops. Officials are pleading for the public's help, saying there's a $5,000 cash reward being offered through Crime Stoppers. ___ 6:40 a.m. Police in Mississippi are looking for a gunman who approached a uniformed officer outside a Biloxi police station and shot him dead. News outlets report that authorities say the man walked up to the Biloxi officer in the station's parking lot Sunday night, shot him multiple times and then ran off. Firefighters rushed the officer to a hospital emergency room down the street, where he was pronounced dead. Chief Leonard Papania of the Gulfport Police Department is leading the investigation along with the Harrison County sheriff and prosecutors' offices. He says the suspect was wearing navy blue shorts, a black T-shirt, a red beanie cap and dark high top sneakers with red caps. A law enforcement helicopter has been flying over Biloxi as officers search the area. WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. is sending an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East ahead of schedule and warning that Iran and its proxy forces are showing "troubling and escalatory" indications of a possible attack on American forces in the region. Exactly what prompted the action was unclear, but it marked a further step in sharply rising tensions between the Trump administration and the Islamic Republic. National security adviser John Bolton said Sunday night the U.S. was deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Middle East, intending to send a message that "unrelenting force" will meet any attack on American forces or allies. "The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or regular Iranian forces," Bolton said. Neither Bolton nor other officials would provide any details about the supposed threat, which comes as the Trump administration wages a campaign of intensifying pressure against Iran and nearly a year after it withdrew from an Obama-era nuclear deal with Tehran. In Iran, the semi-official ISNA news agency on Monday quoted an anonymous official as saying that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani planned a broadcast address Wednesday and might discuss "counteractions" Tehran will take over America's withdrawal from the international nuclear deal. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to the media on the sidelines of the Arctic Council ministers' working dinner at the Arktikum museum in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday, May 6, 2019. The U.S. is dispatching an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Middle East following what it says are indications that Iran and its proxy forces are preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) The agreement limited Iran's enrichment of uranium amid Western concerns that Tehran's program could allow it to build nuclear weapons. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes. With its pressure campaign, the U.S. administration is trying to get Iran to halt activities such as supporting militant activities that destabilize the Middle East and threaten U.S. allies, including Israel, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. "Our objective is to get the Islamic Republic of Iran to behave like a normal nation," Pompeo told reporters during a visit to Finland. "When they do that, we will welcome them back." The order to the carrier group would get the Abraham Lincoln into the Middle East about two weeks earlier than initially planned following exercises in the Mediterranean region, according to a U.S. defense official who wasn't authorized to speak publicly, so spoke on the condition of anonymity. It forces the ships to cancel a planned stop in Croatia. For years, the U.S. maintained a carrier presence in the Persian Gulf and Middle East region. During the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there were two carriers in the area, but that was reduced to one. Last year the administration decided to end the continuous carrier presence, and send a strike group only intermittently into the region. The U.S. Navy currently has no aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Bolton said the U.S. wants to send a message that "unrelenting force" will meet any attack on U.S. interests or those of America's allies. Jon Alterman, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, questioned whether the U.S. adequately understands Iranian motivations and actions, and whether the military move was warranted. "I don't think we should let the Iranians pull our chain at the time and place of their choosing," he said. "You can communicate seriousness to the Iranians without moving a lot of assets around, because moving assets is expensive and keeps assets from being in other places." He added, however, that Iran has the capability to harm Americans, but it's difficult to assess the situation without knowing more about the intelligence that prompted the move. Mark Dubowitz, who studies Iran for the Washington-based policy institute Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said a credible threat of overwhelming force "will make war less likely." "If past is prologue, the regime will always move aggressively forward when it senses American weakness and recoil when it sensed American strength," Dubowitz said. Along with the Lincoln, Bolton mentioned "a bomber task force," which suggested the Pentagon is deploying land-based bomber aircraft somewhere in the region, perhaps on the Arabian Peninsula. Pompeo said the actions undertaken by the U.S. have been in the works for a while. The request for the accelerated move came over the weekend from the military's U.S. Central Command after reviewing various intelligence reports for some time, according to the U.S. official. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved the request on Sunday. "It is absolutely the case that we have seen escalatory actions from the Iranians and it is equally the case that we will hold the Iranians accountable for attacks on American interests," Pompeo said. "If these actions take place, if they do by some third-party proxy, a militia group, Hezbollah, we will hold the Iranian leadership directly accountable for that." Asked about "escalatory actions," Pompeo replied, "I don't want to talk about what underlays it, but make no mistake, we have good reason to want to communicate clearly about how the Iranians should understand how we will respond to actions they may take." Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Monday that the carrier move sends an important message to Iran but the administration needs to give Congress more information. "I worry that it could be misinterpreted," Blumenthal said. "I'm trusting that it isn't meant as a provocative act, but I need to know what the thought process and justifications are." Asked if the Iranian action was related to the deadly events in Gaza and Israel - militants fired rockets into Israel on Sunday and Israel responded with airstrikes - Pompeo said, "It is separate from that." The Trump administration has been intensifying its pressure campaign against Iran. Last month, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would no longer exempt any countries from U.S. sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil, a decision that primarily affects the five remaining major importers: China and India and U.S. treaty allies Japan, South Korea and Turkey. The U.S. also recently designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group, the first ever for an entire division of another government. Trump withdrew from the Obama administration's landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and, in the months that followed, reimposed punishing sanctions including those targeting Iran's oil, shipping and banking sectors. ___ Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2012, file photo, a U.S. fighter jet lands on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier during exercises in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. is dispatching the USS Abraham Lincoln and other military resources to the Middle East following "clear indications" that Iran and its proxy forces were preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region, according to a defense official on May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2012, file photo, Navy shore crew haul in lines as the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrives at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. The U.S. is dispatching the USS Abraham Lincoln and other military resources to the Middle East following "clear indications" that Iran and its proxy forces were preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region, according to a defense official on May 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Students from federal high schools in Brazil protested sharp budget cuts ordered by President Jair Bolsonaro's administration - the latest clash in a highly divisive battle over Brazilian education. Hundreds of high schoolers were joined by university students, teachers and parents at the entrance to a Rio de Janeiro military school where Bolsonaro was speaking at the school's 130th anniversary celebration. "Military schools are examples of education and excellence for Brazilian education," he said. "Together with the defense and education ministries, we intend to implement a military high school in all the state capital cities in Brazil." Outside, protesters blocked traffic and chanted "Bolsonaro, take your hands off my school" while waving textbooks in the air. "It's really sad. We're freshmen. We took the standardized test and got into the industrial mechanics course and our school won't have the budget anymore," said Rafaela Correa, a 15-year-old attending a technical high school. A schoolmate, Gabriel Alves, added, "I really just want to graduate." Public school professors and students protest budget cuts in education, as one holds the Portuguese message: "The class is in the street today!" outside a military school where Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, May 6, 2019. Students and professors are protesting sudden budget cuts for federally funded public high schools and universities, implemented by Bolsonaro's far-right administration. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) Federal public universities, generally the country's most competitive and highest-ranked schools, were stunned last week when the Education Ministry announced a 30% cut in their funding. The ministry also announced cuts for some federally funded high schools, including a network of 14 prestigious schools in Rio dating from the first half of the 19th century. Administrators said their budget was reduced 36% and that will result in "devastating consequences." The ministry said that the cuts were taken to meet a spending cap imposed by Bolsonaro's new administration and that officials will study other criteria for budgeting, such as academic performance and impact of courses on the job market. "It's totally absurd. Education was already not getting the attention it deserves, but now they're making it impossible," said Leticia Martins Dias, a protester whose two children's high schools were affected by the cuts. She said that she and her husband are both unemployed and cannot pay for private school. Daniel Cara, coordinator of the National Campaign for the Right to Education, said Brazilian schools will likely close before the end of the school year because such a significant cut will not allow them to pay staff and bills. "These cuts show Bolsonaro's desire to make public education become very precarious. It's the first step towards privatization," Cara said. "It's strangulation." Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, is a supporter of Schools Without Party, a movement that contends Brazil's public schools are biased and full of teachers who "indoctrinate" students with a leftist viewpoint. Last week, a legislator from the president's party introduced a bill to strip Paulo Freire, a celebrated education theorist, of his ceremonial title as the "patron of Brazilian education." Freire is internationally recognized for developing a literacy program for impoverished sugarcane workers. Public school students hold up history and sociology books during a protest against budget cuts in education outside the military school where Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, May 6, 2019. Students are protesting sudden budget cuts for federally funded public high schools and universities, as well as the government's proposal to withdraw philosophy and sociology from public universities. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) Public school students hold a flag from the Pedro ll school during a protest against budget cuts in education outside the military school where Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, May 6, 2019. Students are protesting sudden budget cuts for federally funded public high schools and universities, implemented by Bolsonaro's far-right administration. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) Public school students protest budget cuts in education outside the military school where Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, May 6, 2019. Students are protesting sudden budget cuts for federally funded public high schools and universities, implemented by Bolsonaro's far-right administration. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Tens of thousands of teachers are expected to walk out across Oregon this week, adding to the string of nationwide protests over class sizes and education funding. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, will close for at least part of Wednesday as educators press for more money from lawmakers. Some schools will stay open, as teachers opt for sit-ins or after-school rallies. Most schools participating in the walkout will still have staff on hand to administer national Advanced Placement testing or provide food and care to low-income students. Oregon schools have some of the highest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the United States. Districts have just one librarian, or none at all, fewer than the recommended number of counselors and been forced to cut programs like physical education and music. "Our educators have been trying their hardest to cover up for our funding losses and try to do more with less," said John Larson, president of the Oregon Education Association. "We are to a point now that we can't do that anymore. We want to show that Oregon isn't immune to the problems we see in other walkouts throughout the country." The action follows a wave of teacher activism that began in West Virginia in 2018 and was followed by Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arizona. Teachers in North Carolina and South Carolina rallied at their respective state capitols last week seeking more money. But unlike other states, Oregon teachers want to make it clear they're not pushing for pay raises or other union demands. They say they're walking out to highlight the conditions inside the classroom and how years of lower funding has affected children's learning opportunities. In this April 10, 2019 photo educators from across the metro are gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square to press the Oregon Legislature for more school funding. Tens of thousands of teachers are expected to walk out across Oregon this week, adding to the string of nationwide protests over class sizes and education funding. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, will close for at least part of Wednesday, May 8, 2019 as educators press for more money from lawmakers. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP) "This has nothing to do with bargaining and everything to do with providing for our kids," said Imelda Cortez, a fifth-grade teacher at Howard Elementary School in Eugene. "The conditions have gotten so difficult that we haven't been able to meet their needs. It's sad to admit as a teacher, but these kids deserve a better education than what they're currently receiving." Cortez attended the same elementary school where she's now been a teacher for the past 15 years. She watched as the education she received as a child slowly disappeared: Class sizes swelled from 17 to 32 kids, and a lack of funding meant fewer nurses and librarians in addition to cutting extracurricular activities. Teachers also say they're unequipped to handle the complex behavioral problems increasingly exhibited by their students. Oregon has half the nationally recommended amount of school counselors at a time when 17% of eighth-graders say they have contemplated suicide in the past year, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The state's school funding problem can be traced to the 1990s, when voters passed two ballot measures to limit property taxes. Suddenly, the state - not cities - had primary authority over funding schools. Lawmakers were never able to keep up with the rising costs of educating students and underfunded schools by as much as 38% of recommended levels in 2011, according to the state's Quality Education Commission. The Legislature this year is poised to pass a $1 billion per year funding package for schools to use to boost academic performance and expand mental health services. The House sent the proposal to the Senate last week, but the measure, which relies on a minimal tax on Oregon's wealthiest businesses, will likely be sent to the voters to decide. "Our current school funding formula simply isn't enough to fund schools," said Barbara Smith Warner, the Portland Democrat behind the measure. "Teachers are at a crisis point and are now visually showing the public how bad the situation's become." ___ Follow Sarah Zimmerman on Twitter at @sarahzimm95 . In this April 10, 2019, photo, educators from across the metro are gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Ore., to press the Oregon Legislature for more school funding. Tens of thousands of teachers are expected to walk out across Oregon this week, adding to the string of nationwide protests over class sizes and education funding. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP) TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - Water levels are surging in the Great Lakes and likely will set records this summer, forecasters said Monday - a remarkable turnaround from earlier this decade that's bringing welcome relief to shippers and marina owners, but causing flooding and heavy erosion in some areas. A six-month bulletin from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicted Lake Superior and Lake Erie soon will reach unprecedented high points, as a heavy winter snowpack across the region's northern section melts and mingles with water gushing into the lakes from rivers swollen with spring rainfall. Levels have been trending upward at varying rates since 2013, when Lakes Huron and Michigan fell to their lowest points and the other Great Lakes were significantly below normal. That was the nadir of a nearly 15-year slump that stranded pleasure boats, forced cargo vessels to lighten loads, dried up wetlands and fueled conspiracy theories that water was somehow being siphoned off to the parched West. "It's quite the shift," said Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of watershed hydrology with the Corps' district office in Detroit. "Now we're at the other extreme." Lake Superior, which holds more water than the other four combined and sends them a continuous flow through its southern outlet, is about 15 inches (38.1 centimeters) above its long-term average level for this time of year, and nine inches (22.9 centimeters) higher than a year ago. Lake Erie is 26 inches (66 centimeters) over its long-term average. Michigan, Huron and Ontario aren't expected to set records but are well above average, Kompoltowicz said. FILE - In this April 6, 2017 file photo, big waves crash against a breakwater light as strong winds create dangerous conditions on Lake Michigan, at Washington Park in Michigan City, Ind. Federal officials predict surging water levels across the Great Lakes and record highs in Lakes Superior and Erie over the next six months. A report Monday, May 6, 2019 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the lakes have been rising steadily for several years and are getting an extra boost as winter's melting snow mingles with recent heavy rainfall. It's a remarkable turnaround from early this decade, when lake levels were slumping and some hit record lows. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP, File) Great Lakes levels are known to fluctuate over time. But experts said the prolonged drop-off of the past decade and the more recent rise likely result at least in part from a warming climate. "These events are quite consistent with what scientists have been expecting with long-term climate change patterns," said Drew Gronewold of the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability. "The challenge is that it's very hard to forecast when those extremes are going to occur and when the transition between them might occur." Kolleen Jones, co-owner of the Betsie Bay Marina in Elberta, Michigan, said the recovery was a blessing. The previous owners were hammered when levels dropped so low that many of the 95 boat slips were unusable. "We were considering not even buying it," Jones said. "Now, we're working our tails off to raise our docks to get them out of the water." The low water was costly for ships that haul iron ore, coal and other bulk commodities between Great Lakes ports. Things are much better now, although with water so high, vessels must slow down on rivers and channels to avoid creating wakes that damage shoreline docks, said Glen Nekvasil of the Cleveland-based Lake Carriers' Association. "These vessels have very high operating costs and anything that lengthens a voyage adds to those costs," Nekvasil said. Another sign that the pendulum may have swung too far for comfort: flooding and erosion, which the Corps expects to worsen. The agency dispatched a technical team Monday to help with proper placement of sandbags in Sodus, New York, where Lake Ontario overflows loom. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared an emergency last week because of flooding in southeastern Michigan. Storms that have battered the central U.S. this spring have filled Great Lakes tributary waters while kicking up big waves that are eroding shorelines, said Guy Meadows, director of the Great Lakes Research Center at Michigan Technological University. "We expect lake levels to fall again but this episode of high water is going to take a couple of years to work its way through the system," Meadows said. "It's going to be a big hit." ___ Follow John Flesher on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/johnflesher DENVER (AP) - Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." A citizen-led initiative appearing on ballots Tuesday follows a path that led to marijuana's legalization in Denver and later in Colorado. Campaign organizers, though, say their only goal is to prevent people from going to jail for possessing or using mushrooms. Here's a look at the effort and the history of the drug: WHAT ARE "MAGIC MUSHROOMS"? Varieties that contain psilocybin are often referred to as "magic mushrooms." The psychedelic substance, federally illegal since 1968, became more commonly associated with recreational use than medical purposes. Legendary rock bands like the Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Band frequently used images of mushrooms in their logos, T-shirts and other paraphernalia. The federal government still classifies psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, defined as having no medical purpose and a high potential for abuse. The decision stymied research into its medical use for decades but small studies have resumed in recent years. Chris Olson holds a sign near a busy intersection in downtown Denver on Monday, May 6, 2019, urging voters to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." Voters will decide Tuesday whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the drug. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) IS IT SAFE TO USE MUSHROOMS? Medical researchers have found the substance can help treat anxiety and depression in cancer patients. Those studies were small and closely supervised but the preliminary results gave researchers hope that psychedelic drugs could be used to treat cancer anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. But researchers warn that psilocybin should only be used under medical supervision and can have negative effects, including anxiety and paranoia. WHY DO PEOPLE USE THEM RECREATIONALLY? Psilocybin is among the substances described as psychedelics or hallucinogens. Researchers say they have been used in religious practices for decades for their effects on users' perceptions and spiritual experiences. The effects also appealed to recreational users, whose 1960s "hippie" culture continues to dog researchers seeking funding for medical work on psilocybin and other substances. Participants in recent medical studies using psilocybin have described seeing vivid colors and geometric patterns and experiencing powerful spiritual connections and emotions. WHAT ARE DENVER VOTERS BEING ASKED? Denver's initiative would effectively decriminalize use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older, making it the lowest enforcement priority for local police and prosecutors. The proposed ordinance also prevents city funds from being used for criminal penalties on possession or use and creates a panel of officials to study the effects of the change. The initiative does not legalize psilocybin or permit its sale by Denver's cannabis businesses. WHO OPPOSES THE IDEA? The city's mayor and district attorney have publicly opposed the proposal. District Attorney Beth McCann, whose office handles all criminal charges in Denver, has said she appreciates the inclusion of a panel to study the effects of the change. But there is almost no organized opposition to the pro-psilocybin campaign, Decriminalize Denver. HOW OFTEN ARE PEOPLE PROSECUTED NOW FOR MUSHROOM USE OR POSSESSION? According to McCann's office, only 11 of more than 9,000 drug cases referred for possible prosecution between 2016 and 2018 involved psilocybin. Prosecutors filed charges of possession with intent to manufacture or distribute in three of those cases. HAVE THERE BEEN SIMILAR CAMPAIGNS ELSEWHERE? A California effort to decriminalize the use, possession, growth, sale and transportation of psilocybin failed to qualify for the statewide ballot in 2018. Organizers in Oregon are trying to gather enough support to put a similar initiative to a statewide vote in 2020. Voters in California, Colorado and Oregon all have voted in favor of broadly allowing marijuana use in recent years, both for medical and personal use. Taylor Tongate, of Monterey, Calif., holds flyers at an intersection in downtown Denver on Monday, May 6, 2019, as he urges voters to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." Voters will decide Tuesday whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the drug. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) Chris Olson gives drivers a thumbs-up near a busy intersection in downtown Denver on Monday, May 6, 2019, as he urges voters to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." Voters will decide Tuesday whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the drug. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Police solved the 1988 stabbing death of an 80-year-old South Carolina woman not just with a cutting-edge DNA test but also with nearly two years of interviews and other old-fashioned police work, authorities said. The DNA test in 2017 only proved the suspect had been in Alice Haynsworth Ryan's car, which was stolen after she was killed in her Greenville home, Greenville Police Chief Ken Miller said. It took dozens of interviews with the suspect, his family, friends and others involved in the case to finally lead to a murder charge, Miller said at a news conference Monday. Brian Keith Munns, 51, was arrested in February on lesser charges, but Miller said he intentionally kept the arrest secret so detectives could do more interviews and get the best case they could in the death of the daughter of a well-known mill president and the great-aunt of the current Greenville Mayor Knox White. One of those interviews was the key to the murder charge. "An acquaintance of the suspect revealed detailed information the suspect described about the murder of Alice Ryan to include method of entry, injuries inflicted, area of the encounter, location of evidence and the timeline of events," Miller said. Joe Ryan, left, of Greenville stands with his wife near a photo of his late mother Alice Haynesworth Ryan, during a city police announcement of an arrest in the 1988 cold case homicide in Greenville Monday, May 6, 2019. Police arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP) Munns, who is a registered sex offender in South Carolina after a 2001 rape conviction, now is charged with murder, burglary and armed robbery. He was living in Americus, Georgia, when he was arrested. A message to Munns' lawyer Monday wasn't returned. The chief did not say what may have led Munns to Ryan's home that day or if he knew her or her family. Munns lived within 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of Ryan, and Ryan's stolen 1967 Ford Galaxie was found between the two houses with items used to attack Ryan and things stolen from her home found nearby, authorities said. The DNA that linked Munns to Ryan was found in that car and could be tested nearly 30 years after her death. Authorities did not give more details about the nature of the evidence. "Fortunately these detectives have done an amazing job maintaining and preserving evidence," prosecutor Walt Wilkins said. Ryan was killed after her daughter dropped her off at home after a chemotherapy treatment and left for less than an hour to run errands. She returned to find the rear door forced open and her mother's car missing. In April 2017, Greenville police gave the murder case file to its expanded cold case unit. The DNA test came back with a match to Munns in November 2017 and detectives started a number of interviews including with Munns, Miller said. Ryan's son thanked the investigators who never quit looking for his mother's killer. "The people who have been working this thing are unbelievable," Joe Ryan said. "They have gone all out, and all out for a long time. And they don't give up." The cold case squad in Greenville has made arrests in three old cases in the past year. The first two were cracked with DNA results from family genealogy sites. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP . Read his work at https://apnews.com/search/jeffrey%20collins ___ This story corrects the police chief's last name to Miller from Thomas. This undated photo provided by the Greenville Police Department in South Carolina shows Brian Keith Munns. Authorities said Monday, May 6, 2019, they have arrested Munns, who they say stabbed an 80-year-old woman to death in her South Carolina home more than 30 years earlier. (Greenville Police Department via AP) A Greenville police photo of arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns is displayed as police chief Ken Miller talks about an arrest in the 1988 cold case homicide of Alice Haynesworth Ryan, during a city police announcement in Greenville, S.C., Monday, May 6, 2019. Police arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP) Greenville police Chief Ken Miller, left, talks near Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, right, about an arrest in the 1988 cold case homicide of Alice Haynesworth Ryan, during a city police announcement in Greenville, S.C., Monday, May 6, 2019. Police arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP) Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, left, talks with Joe and Caroline Ryan about an arrest in the 1988 cold case homicide of Joe Ryan's mother Alice Haynesworth Ryan, after a city police announcement in Greenville Monday, May 6, 2019. Police arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP) Joe Ryan, left, of Greenville stands with his wife near a photo of his late mother Alice Haynesworth Ryan, during a city police announcement of an arrest in the 1988 cold case homicide in Greenville, S.C., Monday, May 6, 2019. Police arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP) Greenville police Chief Ken Miller, left, talks near Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins, right, about an arrest in the 1988 cold case homicide of Alice Haynesworth Ryan, during a city police announcement in Greenville, S.C., Monday, May 6, 2019. Police arrested suspect Brian Keith Munns. (Ken Ruinard/The Independent-Mail via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the U.S.-China trade talks (all times local): ___ 5:15 p.m. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says the higher tariffs on China that President Donald Trump threatened over the weekend will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Friday. Lighthizer adds that trade negotiations with the Chinese will resume on Thursday in Washington. In a briefing with reporters, Lighthizer accused Beijing of "reneging on prior commitments" after 10 rounds of high-stakes negotiations over China's aggressive drive to supplant American technological dominance. A man looks at his smartphone near a display showing stock prices at a brokerage house in Shanghai Monday, May 6, 2019. China's benchmark Shanghai Composite index dives on U.S. President Donald Trump threat of more China tariffs. At right is a reflection off a display board. (AP Photo) People walk by a globe structure showing the United States of America on display outside a bank in Beijing, Monday, May 6, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump raised pressure on China on Sunday, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in a tweet that sent financial markets swooning. Trump's comments, delivered on Twitter, came as a Chinese delegation was scheduled to resume talks in Washington on Wednesday aimed at resolving a trade war that has shaken investors and cast gloom over the world economy. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) FILE- In this July, 5, 2018, file photo, two jockey truck drivers pass each other in the container yard where rubber tire gantry load and unload 40-foot shipping container at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, 2019, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2019, file photo President Donald Trump holds a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) FILE- In this May 9, 2017, file photo packages labeled "Made in China" are loaded on a UPS truck for delivery in New York. President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, 2019, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) FILE - In this July, 5, 2018 photo, a bay of 40-foot shipping container fill the stern of a container ship at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, 2019, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2019, file photo President Donald Trump, left, meets with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, far right, at the White House in Washington. Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) FILE - In this July, 5, 2018, file photo, a jockey truck passes a stack of 40-foot China Shipping containers at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, 2019, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) FILE - In this June, 19, 2018 photo, a jockey truck driver waits for his load of a shipping container to clear his trailer as a shore crane lifts the 40-foot onto the container vessel Ever Linking at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, 2019, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) FILE - In this July 5, 2018, file photo a gantry moves to the next stack of shipping containers at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China Sunday, May 5, 2019, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) A man walks past a U.S. fashion apparel store and advertisements showing iconic American movie characters in Beijing Monday, May 6, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump raised pressure on China on Sunday, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in a tweet that sent financial markets swooning. Trump's comments, delivered on Twitter, came as a Chinese delegation was scheduled to resume talks in Washington on Wednesday aimed at resolving a trade war that has shaken investors and cast gloom over the world economy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) FILE - In this Wednesday, May 1, 2019, file photo, members of U.S. and China delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, stand for a group photo session after their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Chinese envoys are preparing to travel to the United States for trade talks, a government spokesman said Monday, May 6, 2019, suggesting negotiations on ending a bruising tariff war will proceed despite President Donald Trump's threat to raise import taxes. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool, File) A woman touches a bull statue on display outside a bank in Beijing, Monday, May 6, 2019. Shares and oil prices have tumbled after President Donald Trump jolted markets with a threat to raise more tariffs on imports from China, spooking investors who had been expecting good news this week on trade. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) GARY, Ind. (AP) - A northwestern Indiana woman has agreed to plead guilty to a reduced neglect charge stemming from her 2-year-old daughter's shooting death. Twenty-two-year-old Dashana Fowler of Gary agreed Monday to plead guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury in the Sept. 4 death of Jayla Miller. Under the plea agreement, Fowler will be sentenced to three years in prison. She originally was charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in a death, which carries a prison sentence of 20 to 40 years. Court documents say Fowler's son told investigators his sister reached under a pillow, grabbed a handgun and shot herself. Fowler also agreed to testify against her former boyfriend, a convicted felon accused of owning the gun that killed Jayla. Her sentencing is set for June 3. MEXICO CITY (AP) - The bodyguard for a prominent Mexican journalist thwarted an attempt to steal the columnist's car in an upscale Mexico City neighborhood Monday, killing one of three armed robbers and wounding another in an exchange of gunfire, authorities said. Columnist Hector de Mauleon, who was inside a nearby restaurant and not injured, is known for his critical writing on organized crime for the newspaper El Universal and has been threatened on numerous occasions. The newspaper said de Mauleon had hired the retired military officer as his bodyguard because of the threats. El Universal said that as de Mauleon sat in the restaurant on a tree-lined street in the Condesa neighborhood, three gunmen approached the car, where the armed bodyguard was waiting. The paper said the bodyguard "confronted the assailants and left one of them dead, while another was wounded and one more fled." The city prosecutor's office confirmed that gunfire was exchanged, but mentioned only the dead assailant and the wounded one. It said the wounded assailant was taken to a hospital in police custody. An Associated Press journalist at the scene saw a body loaded into a forensic van. De Mauleon writes frequently about organized crime in Mexico's capital and has been outspoken about extortion rackets in Condesa. In 2017, Mexico's National Human Rights Commission condemned a chilling video threat against De Mauleon. Forensic investigators examine a vehicle after the bodyguard of prominent Mexican journalist Hector de Mauleon repelled an assault, in Mexico City, Monday, May 6, 2019. One man was killed in the attack and It was not immediately clear if de Mauleon was targeted or if it was an attempted carjacking. (AP Photo/Peter Orsi) Mexico's federal security agency condemned Monday's incident on Twitter. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on the Tennessee House speaker's chief of staff (all times local): 7 p.m. The Tennessee House speaker's top aide has resigned amid allegations that the aide sent racist and sexually explicit texts. Chief of Staff Cade Cothren resigned Monday, hours after he also admitted to doing cocaine in a legislative office building years ago when he was press secretary for the Tennessee House Republican Caucus. House Speaker Glen Casada confirmed the resignation to The Associated Press late Monday. Cothren did not give a clear response Monday to allegations that during the time he was doing drugs, he also sent texts in which he used a racial slur and called black people idiots. WTVF-TV first reported on the texts last week. In an email to the AP, he said that he had done things he was "not proud of." Nor did he respond definitively to allegations reported in The Tennessean on Monday that he sent sexually explicit messages to and made "inappropriate" advances toward former interns, lobbyists and campaign staffers between 2014 and 2016. The Tennessean quoted Cothren as saying that he had sent "derogatory" texts to women in the past. The newspaper quoted House Speaker Glen Casada as saying that his own involvement in the sexually explicit messages amounted to comments on "a relationship between two consenting adults." ___ 6:15 p.m. A newspaper is reporting that the Tennessee House speaker and his top aide sent each other sexually explicit text messages about women. The Tennessean on Monday also reported Chief of Staff Cade Cothren sent sexually explicit messages to and made "inappropriate" advances toward former interns, lobbyists and campaign staffers between 2014 and 2016. The newspaper said the text messages between the two men did not involve the former interns. It did not say if they involved the others. Cothren told The Associated Press in an email the accusations are "years old." He also referred the AP back to a statement he had sent earlier Monday in response to other allegations. In that statement, he said he had done things he was "not proud of." The Tennessean quoted him as saying that he had sent "derogatory" texts to women in the past. It quoted House Speaker Glen Casada as saying that his own involvement in the messages amounted to comments on "a relationship between two consenting adults." Also Monday, Cothren admitted to using cocaine in the legislative office building years ago when he was press secretary for the Tennessee House Republican caucus. WTVF-TV first reported the drug use. ___ 2:40 p.m. A top aide for Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada has admitted using cocaine in a legislative office building. Chief of Staff Cade Cothren on Monday told news outlets he used the drug at work several years ago but no longer does so. But Cothren didn't give a clear response to allegations that during that time frame he also sent texts in which he used racial slurs and called black people idiots. WTVF-TV first reported on the texts last week. The TV station quotes the 31-year-old aide as saying in an email Monday that because the texts allegedly happened years ago, "I can sincerely say it is hard for me to remember things with absolute clarity." UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. women's agency launched a campaign Monday to bring a young generation of women and men into the campaign for gender equality ahead of next year's 25th anniversary of the conference that adopted the only international platform to achieve women's rights and empowerment. UN Women announced its new "Generation Equality: Realizing women's rights for an equal future" at a news conference where it also made public events planned to mark adoption of the 150-page platform for action to achieve gender equality by 189 governments at the 1995 Beijing women's conference. "Today, nearly 25 years after the historic Beijing conference, the reality is that not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality," said a statement from UN Women's executive director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. "Despite some progress, real change has been too slow for most women and girls in the world, and we see significant pushback in many places." "Women continue to be discriminated against and their contributions undervalued," she added. "They work more, earn less and have fewer choices about their bodies, livelihoods and futures than men - and they experience multiple forms of violence at home, at work and in public spaces." Mlambo-Ngcuka said the General Equality campaign is aimed at speeding systematic change "on the laws, policies and outdated mindsets that must no longer curtail women's voice, choice and safety." UN Women's deputy executive director, Asa Regner, said at the news conference that there have been positive results since Beijing. She pointed to a record number of girls in school, better access to health care, a decrease in maternal mortality, more women in top positions in the business world and fresh efforts to address violence against women and to put women at peace negotiating tables. But she said the biggest challenges are to change male-dominated "power structures" that leave far more women and girls facing poverty and violence. Ahead of next year's anniversary events, UN Women has asked all 193 U.N. member nations to submit details and data on what their countries have done to implement the 1995 Beijing platform, Regner said. As of Friday, she said, it had received 22 responses but hopes the entire membership will answer. UN Women plans to analyze the data ahead of next year's anniversary, she said. The Beijing platform called for bold actions in 12 critical areas for women and girls including combatting poverty and violence, improving human rights and access to reproductive and sexual health care, and ensuring that all girls get an education and that women are at the top levels of business and government, and the top table in peace negotiations. Regner said next year's anniversary events will include the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women's annual meeting in March 2020 devoted to Beijing's implementation, a high-level meeting when world leaders gather for their annual General Assembly session in September 2020, and a "Global Gender Equality Forum" co-hosted by France and Mexico in France bringing civil society representatives and activists of all ages together to look to the future. No date has been announced yet for that event. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at Monday evening's opening of an exhibition on women who were part of the Soviet Union's military effort in World War II that "we will not achieve peace" or any of the U.N.'s development goals for 2030 "without the full and equal participation of women." "Yet we all know that there is still a stark imbalance of power around the world, and we are even seeing a backlash in some areas against women's rights," he said. Regner said the majority of countries favor progress on gender equality, but there is "pushback." There are governments and movements, she said, that value "so-called traditional family values and other ideas around women's and men's roles both in families and in societies which do not correspond to international agreements, and which would not necessarily give women the space and possibility to decide over their own lives, bodies, economic empowerment, etc." Regner, a former Swedish minister, said UN Women's task is to spur implementation of Beijing and other agreements - and "we will never back down." SAN DIEGO (AP) - An Argentinian man who ran an international extortion scheme that victimized lovelorn believers in witchcraft has been sentenced in California to two years in prison. Ariel Boiteux was sentenced Monday in San Diego federal court. Authorities say Boiteux and his associates, working out of Paraguay, placed online ads offering to perform magic spells to help people find love. Clients were told to record themselves performing sexual acts and send the recordings to Boiteux to complete the spells. Instead, authorities say victims were threatened with having their recordings posted online unless they paid up. One public figure reportedly received demands for $250,000. Authorities say more than 200 people worldwide were conned. Boiteux was arrested in Paraguay, extradited and pleaded guilty last year to foreign transmission of an extortionate threat. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations has honored 115 U.N. peacekeepers and staff from 43 countries who lost their lives working for the global organization, standing in silent tribute to their sacrifice at a memorial service. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted their "often perilous" work and stressed that all who perished "died in the service of humanity - keeping the peace, providing humanitarian assistance" and promoting U.N. development goals. The names of all 115 staffers - 103 of them African peacekeepers - who died between January 2018 and March 2019 were read at Monday's service attended by families of the fallen and diplomats from many nations. In addition, Guterres paid tribute to 19 civilians from U.N. agencies and programs who died and 21 U.N. colleagues who perished in the Ethiopian Airlines disaster in March. CHICAGO (AP) - Chef Ashley Christensen's comfort food at Poole's Diner in North Carolina and the modern Israeli cuisine at Zahav in Philadelphia took top honors Monday night at the James Beard Awards, which many consider to be the Oscars of the culinary world. Zahav's nod for outstanding restaurant comes two years after Zahav co-owner and Chef Michael Solomonov, who is from Israel but was raised in Pittsburgh, took home the outstanding chef award. Zahav's current menu features hummus with a daily chef's selected topping, duck and foie gras kebab and a concord grape sorbet with poached quince and peanut baklava. This year's outstanding chef is Christensen, who's been nominated in the category before but has never won. Christensen opened Poole's Diner in Raleigh in 2007 and her biography on the restaurant's website describes it as an "evolving chalkboard menu of comfort-food classics, re-imagined through a philosophy of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and French-influenced technique." Christensen's restaurants also include Beasley's Chicken and Honey, Chuck's, Fox Liquor Bar, and Death and Taxes, all in Raleigh. The medals were handed out Monday evening at Chicago's Lyric Opera, where the Beard Awards moved in 2015 after being based in New York for more than 20 years. The awards honor those who follow in the footsteps of Beard, considered the dean of American cooking when he died in 1985. The winner of this year's best new restaurant was Frenchette in New York and the outstanding baker was Greg Wade of Publican Quality Bread in Chicago. Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz of Chicago's Boka Restaurant Group, which includes Stephanie Izard's Girl and the Goat, won outstanding restaurateur. Boka Restaurant Group had been nominated in the category three times before Monday's win. The rising star chef of the year award went to Kwame Onwuachi of Kith and Kin in Washington, D.C. The James Beard Foundation's lifetime achievement award went to multiple James Beard Award winner Patrick O'Connell, who is a chef, author and owner of The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has pardoned a former U.S. soldier convicted in 2009 of killing an Iraqi prisoner, the White House announced Monday. Trump signed an executive grant of clemency, a full pardon, for former Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna, of Oklahoma, press secretary Sarah Sanders said. Behenna was convicted of unpremeditated murder in a combat zone after killing a suspected al-Qaida terrorist in Iraq. He was paroled in 2014 and had been scheduled to remain on parole until 2024. A military court had sentenced Behenna to 25 years in prison. However, the Army's highest appellate court noted concern about how the trial court had handled Behenna's claim of self-defense, Sanders said. The Army Clemency and Parole Board also reduced his sentence to 15 years and paroled him as soon as he was eligible. Behenna's case attracted broad support from the military, Oklahoma elected officials and the public, Sanders said. She added that Behenna was a model prisoner while serving his sentence, and "in light of these facts, Mr. Behenna is entirely deserving" of the pardon. Oklahoma's two Republican senators, James Lankford and Jim Inhofe, hailed the pardon, thanking Trump for giving Behenna "a clean slate." FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008, file photo, 1st Lt. Michael C. Behenna, left, and his defense attorney Capt. Tom Clark, right, walk in Camp Speicher, a large U.S. base near Tikrit, north of Baghdad, Iraq. The White House announced Monday, May 6, 2019, that President Donald Trump pardoned Behenna, a former U.S. soldier convicted in 2009 of killing an Iraqi prisoner. (AP Photo/Vanessa Gera, File) Behenna acknowledged during his trial that instead of taking the prisoner home as he was ordered, he took the man to a railroad culvert, stripped him, and then questioned him at gunpoint about a roadside bombing that had killed two members of Behenna's platoon. Behenna, a native of the Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond, said the man moved toward him and he shot him because Behenna thought he would try to take his gun. Oklahoma's attorney general first requested a pardon for Behenna in February 2018 and renewed his request last month. Attorney General Mike Hunter said he believed Behenna's conviction was unjustified because of erroneous jury instructions and the failure of prosecutors to turn over evidence supporting a self-defense claim. FILE - In this March 14, 2014, file photo, Michael Behenna, center, is embraced by his brother Brett and girlfriend Shannon Wahl following his release from prison in Leavenworth, Kan. The White House announced Monday, May 6, 2019, that President Donald Trump pardoned Behenna, a former U.S. soldier convicted in 2009 of killing an Iraqi prisoner. (Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman via AP, File) SINGAPORE (AP) - Asian airlines are cutting routes, revamping their schedules and leasing extra aircraft to fill gaps left by the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8s after deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. So far, regional carriers have managed to avoid major disruptions, but analysts expect that idling the Max 8s, a fuel-efficient update of Boeing's popular 737, will crimp growth plans in the near future. As investigations into the crashes continue, Boeing anticipates a $1 billion increase in costs related to the 737 Max, including fixing software implicated in the disasters, adding pilot training and compensating airlines and families of crash victims. Investigators are examining the role of flight-control software that pushed the planes' noses down based on faulty sensor readings. Nearly 400 Max jets were grounded at airlines worldwide in mid-March after the Ethiopia crash. In Asia, where air passenger traffic is growing the fastest, the groundings are pushing airlines' costs higher at a time of rising fuel prices, squeezing carriers' profits. Chinese airlines had 96 Max 8 jets but have managed to avoid massive cancellations by swapping in other models of aircraft, said Kelvin Lau of Daiwa Capital Markets in Hong Kong. This April 13, 2019, photo shows Lion Air's Boeing 737 Max 8 on the tarmac at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia. Asian airlines are cutting routes, revamping their schedules and leasing extra aircraft to fill the gaps left by groundings of Boeing 737 Max 8s after deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. (AP Photo/Nicole Evatt) "However, this may limit their capacity growth for the coming peak season," he added. China Southern Airlines, which has 25 Max 8 jets, will likely revise its targeted growth for passenger capacity, he said. Indonesian carrier Lion Air, whose Flight 610 disappeared into the sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, killing 189 people, said Friday in a statement that it was "operating normally by minimizing the impact" from the grounding of its 10 Max 8 jets. "Lion Air continues to serve routes that have been operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8 by replacing them using other Lion Air fleets," spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro said in a statement. India's SpiceJet has said it would lease 22 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, nine of which are already in service. The carrier said it also will deploy five Bombardier Q400 aircraft. "The new inductions will not just bring down flight cancellations to nil but also help in SpiceJet's aggressive international and domestic expansion plans," chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said in a statement. Not all carriers, even those without Max 8s, have managed as well. Budget carrier Scoot, which is owned by Singapore Airlines, announced that it would suspend services between Singapore and four cities, with the first suspension starting from June. The routes were served by the Airbus A320. Scoot, which does not have any Max 8 jets, said in a statement that the cuts were "due to a combination of weak demand and a shortage of aircraft resources." "The aircraft shortage is arising as SilkAir, due to the grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet, will no longer transfer its Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to Scoot in the financial year 2019/2020," it said. SilkAir, the regional arm of Singapore Airlines, withdrew its six Max 8 jets from service on March 12, and its parent carrier has reassessed its capacity and fleet, opting to have Scoot grow more slowly, said Brendan Sobie of aviation consultancy CAPA. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg recently said the company was nearly finished an update to the Max that "will make the airplane even safer." But given the concerns that deepened with the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 on March 10, it's unclear when the update will be deployed and how long it will take for aviation regulators and airlines to decide it's safe for the aircraft to resume operations. That's a hardship for carriers, especially during the peak summer travel season. "Airlines don't know exactly when the Max will be back in service. This makes it a little difficult to plan, even though there is some flexibility within their fleets," Sobie said. ___ Emily Schmall in New Delhi and Niniek Karmini in Jakarta contributed to this report. FILE - In this March 13, 2019, file photo, workers walk past a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane being built at Boeing Co.'s Renton Assembly Plant in Renton, Wash. Asian airlines are cutting routes, revamping their schedules and leasing extra aircraft to fill the gaps left by groundings of Boeing 737 Max 8s after deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia's prime minister was hit on the head with an egg, and a 70-year-old woman was knocked off her feet Tuesday during a protest ahead of a general election next week. The egg appeared to strike Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the back of the head and then bounce off without breaking as he spoke to a rural women's conference in the town of Albury. Bystander Margaret Baxter was knocked to the floor as security guards grabbed the 24-year-old woman accused of throwing the egg, Amber Holt, and carried her outside. Morrison helped Baxter to her feet. It was unclear what Holt was protesting. Outside the hall, she told reporters she did not mean to knock anyone down. She described throwing the egg as "the most harmless thing you can do." Police said Holt was charged with common assault and possession of a prohibited drug, cannabis. She was released on bail and is to appear at Albury Local Court on May 27. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left, talks with attendees at the Country Women's Association NSW annual conference in Albury, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Morrison was was hit on the head with an egg and a woman was knocked off her feet during a protest at the event. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) Morrison called for more civility in the election campaign. "Pardon the pun, but I don't want to over-egg this thing. At the same time, what my concern was, for Margaret and the disregard the individual seemed to have for those others who were in the room," Morrison told reporters. "We've just got to disagree better about these things. Just because you have a difference of view to someone doesn't mean you have to engage in these sorts of ugly types of protests," he added. Baxter later said she had been knocked over by a cameraman. She said she landed on her hip but was not injured. "The prime minister helped me get up off the floor and I was very grateful for his assistance," Baxter said. "I recently had surgery on my stomach so my main concern was holding my stomach to make sure it didn't get hit or somebody land on it," she added. If re-elected on May 18, Morrison has promised to change laws to prevent vegan activist organization Aussie Farms from publishing the addresses of farms it accuses of animal cruelty and encouraging the public to harass the farmers. Morrison had tweeted earlier that, "Our farmers have to put up with these same idiots who are invading their farms and their homes." Morrison conceded that Holt was unlikely to be a vegan since she threw an egg. Opposition leader Bill Shorten condemned the protest as "appalling and disgraceful behavior." "In Australia, we have violence-free elections," Shorten told reporters. "People are allowed to protest peacefully, but anything approaching violence is unacceptable." Morrison was campaigning in an electorate held by his conservative Liberal Party. The party fears that an independent candidate could win the seat at the election. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's ability to charge minors for supporting terrorist groups has been hampered by a 2018 Supreme Court decision, forcing prosecutors to hand off at least one such case to local authorities in a state without anti-terrorism laws. The court's decision in a case unrelated to terrorism opened a loophole that could allow young supporters of groups like the Islamic State to skate on charges from the federal government. The legal gap was highlighted by the case of Matin Azizi-Yarand , who was sentenced in a Texas state court last month after plotting to shoot police officers and civilians at a suburban shopping mall in an Islamic State-inspired rampage planned to coincide with the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. In most cases like this, federal prosecutors would have brought terrorism charges. But U.S. prosecutors in Texas didn't charge Azizi-Yarand because he was 17 at the time and considered a minor under federal law. Federal law allows prosecutors to charge anyone supporting or working with a State Department-designated terror group, even if the person was not in contact with the group. But to charge a juvenile with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the attorney general would have to determine that the suspect committed what's known as a "crime of violence" under federal law. The Supreme Court struck down part of that law last year, finding it too vague to be enforced in the case of a Philippine man who was facing deportation over burglary convictions. Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the court's more liberal judges, finding that the law crossed constitutional boundaries and that the law was not specific enough because it failed to adequately define what would be a violent crime. FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2017, file photo, the Supreme Court in Washington, at sunset. The Justice Department's ability to charge minors for supporting terrorist groups has been hampered by a 2018 Supreme Court decision, forcing prosecutors to hand off at least one such case to local authorities in a state without anti-terrorism laws. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) "Vague laws invite arbitrary power," Gorsuch wrote. Facing only state charges, Azizi-Yarand struck a plea deal and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 10. Prosecutors presented the case as an example of local and federal collaboration, but also said that the criminal charge that would have best fit Azizi-Yarand's acts is unavailable in state court. A charge of supporting a terror group "would've fit this crime better than the laws that we used," Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said in April. After the Supreme Court ruling, the Department of Homeland Security said the decision "significantly undermines" its ability to deport people convicted of "certain violent crimes," but the implications for terror cases weren't immediately apparent. It isn't clear how many cases the Justice Department has handed off or dropped because of the Supreme Court ruling. The agency did not comment in response to multiple inquiries from The Associated Press. Trying terrorism cases in state court can be problematic. Many states, including Texas, have no criminal statute against aiding a foreign terror organization. And, where such laws do exist, bringing state charges can complicate federal investigations. Handling a case connected to terrorism can be a challenge for state prosecutors unschooled in radical ideologies, according to Seamus Hughes, deputy director of George Washington University's Program on Extremism. "For state prosecutors it's a learning curve," he said. "You have to understand the nuances of ISIS ideology." This leaves federal law enforcement "in this strange limbo where either they kick it to a state level case or they track that individual until they turn 18," Hughes said. Prosecuting juveniles for terrorism is rare and the Supreme Court decision may have little impact on overall terror prosecutions because the decision makes it difficult to bring "a very narrow band" of terror cases, said Nick Lewin, a defense attorney and former federal prosecutor. Davilyn Walston, a spokeswoman U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas, said depending on the facts of a case minors could be prosecuted as adults under other parts of federal law. But "unless and until" Congress changes how "crime of violence" is defined in federal law the Supreme Court decision could continue to affect prosecutions, she said. There's no indication a change in legislation is imminent. ___ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. ___ Follow Bleiberg at twitter.com/JZBleiberg and Balsamo at twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1 ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - In a story May 7 about (topic), The Associated Press reported erroneously that the apparel retailer Gap sources clothing made in Ethiopia. Gap does not source clothing made in Ethiopia and the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights regrets its error in identifying Gap in its report about labor in Ethiopia. A corrected version of the story is below: Report: Ethiopia's garment workers are world's lowest paid Report: Ethiopia's garment workers are the world's lowest paid at $26 a month By ELIAS MESERET Associated Press ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Ethiopian garment factory workers are now, on average, the lowest paid in any major garment-producing company worldwide, a new report says. The report by the New York University Stern Center for Business and Human Rights comes as Ethiopia, one of Africa's fastest-growing economies, pursues a bold economic experiment by inviting the global garment industry to set up shop in its mushrooming industrial parks. "The government's eagerness to attract foreign investment led it to promote the lowest base wage in any garment-producing country - now set at the equivalent of $26 a month," according to the authors of the report, Paul M. Barrett and Dorothee Baumann-Pauly. In comparison, Chinese garment workers earn $340 a month, those in Kenya earn $207 and those in Bangladesh earn $95. Drawn by the newly built industrial parks and a range of financial incentives, manufacturers for many international brands employ tens of thousands of Ethiopian workers in a sector the government predicts will one day have billions of dollars in sales. The new report is based on a visit earlier this year to the flagship Hawassa Industrial Park that opened in June 2017 in southern Ethiopia and currently employs 25,000 people. Ethiopian leaders often show off the industrial park, 140 miles (225 kilometers) south of Addis Ababa, to visiting foreign dignitaries. According to the report, most young Ethiopian workers are hardly able to get by to the end of the month and are not able to support family members. "I'm left with nothing at the end of the month," one factory worker, Ayelech Geletu, 21, told The Associated Press last year. The minimum monthly living wage in Ethiopia is about $110), according to Ayele Gelan, a research economist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. "Given relatively little training, restive employees have protested by stopping work or quitting altogether. Productivity in the Hawassa factories typically is low, while worker disillusionment and attrition are high," the report says. Ethiopian politics are also unexpectedly disrupting factory operations. "The Ethiopian government should address ethnic tension in Hawassa and elsewhere," the report says. It calls on the government to implement a long-term economic plan for strengthening the apparel industry and establish a minimum wage that ensures decent living conditions. Abebe Abebayehu, head of Ethiopia's Investment Commission, told the AP that most garment and apparel factories prefer to locate in places with low labor costs. "If that was not the case, Chinese companies wouldn't have come to Ethiopia," Abebe said. He also questioned the report's monthly pay figure of $26 per month: "That is a basic salary but in Ethiopia the factories also provide a workplace meal and other services." ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa BEIJING (AP) - Efforts to end a U.S.-China trade war are in shambles after the United States accused China of reneging on its commitments and prepared to raise import taxes on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. A Chinese delegation is headed to Washington to salvage talks aimed at resolving a dispute over China's aggressive push to challenge American technological dominance. Negotiations are set to resume Thursday. The setback in negotiations caught financial markets by surprise, and the U.S. stocks fell Tuesday for the second straight day. For weeks, Trump administration officials had suggested that negotiators were making steady progress. China confirmed Tuesday its economy czar, Vice Premier Liu He, will lead China's delegation, ending speculation that he'd skip the talks or that the Chinese team would back out altogether. The announcement suggests President Xi Jinping's government is putting its desire to end a conflict that has battered Chinese exporters ahead of the political need to look tough in the face of U.S. pressure. The decision to have Liu take part in talks might keep alive hopes the two biggest global economies could make peace as early as this week. FILE - In this Wednesday, May 1, 2019, file photo, members of U.S. and China delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, stand for a group photo session after their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Chinese envoys are preparing to travel to the United States for trade talks, a government spokesman said Monday, May 6, 2019, suggesting negotiations on ending a bruising tariff war will proceed despite President Donald Trump's threat to raise import taxes. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool, File) The Trump administration is pressing Beijing to roll back plans for government-led development of Chinese global competitors in robotics, electric cars and other technologies. Washington, Europe, Japan and other trading partners say those violate China's market-opening commitments and are based in part on stolen technology. Trump's announcement Sunday that he would increase tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25% from 10% on Friday caused global stock markets to plunge. Markets steadied after a Chinese spokesman said Monday that envoys still were preparing to go to the United States, though there was no word then whether Liu would take part. On Tuesday, China's main stock market index rose 0.7% and most other Asian markets also rebounded. The American side is led by Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. A Commerce Ministry statement announcing Liu's plans gave no indication whether other details, such as the size of his delegation, might change. Washington and Beijing have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's exports, disrupting trade in goods from soybeans to medical equipment. Estimates of lost potential sales so far range as high as $25 billion. Both governments have said negotiations were making progress, but Trump expressed frustration Sunday at the pace. Mnuchin said Monday that Chinese officials "were trying to go back on some of the language" that had been negotiated in 10 earlier rounds of talks. In response, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said Beijing "is sincere in continuing consultations." Asked whether China took Trump's threat seriously, Geng said similar situations had happened "many times before." "We hope the United States can still work together with China," Geng said at a news briefing. "On the basis of mutual respect and equality, we will resolve each other's legitimate concerns and strive to reach an agreement of mutual benefit and win-win." The decision to send Liu to Washington as scheduled shows China "urgently hopes to reach an agreement," said Ma Hong, a professor at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management. "They couldn't abandon it just because of a Twitter comment," said Ma. The conflict is testing how far Beijing is willing to go in changing a state-led economic model it sees as the path to prosperity and global influence - and how much power Washington will have to enforce any agreement. The United States accuses Beijing of pressing foreign companies to hand over technology in exchange for market access, improperly subsidizing Chinese firms and stealing American trade secrets. No details of the talks have been released. But private sector analysts say Beijing is willing to change details of its plans so long as it preserves the ruling Communist Party's dominant economic role. The Trump administration has imposed 10% tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports and 25% tariffs on another $50 billion. The Chinese have retaliated by targeting $110 billion in U.S. imports. Trump said Sunday he also planned to impose 25% tariffs on another $325 billion in Chinese products. That would extend penalties to everything China ships to the United States, its biggest foreign customer. A stumbling block in the talks is U.S. insistence on an enforcement mechanism with penalties if Beijing fails to keep its promises. The Trump administration wants to keep tariffs on Chinese imports to maintain leverage over Beijing. Chinese negotiators have balked at what economists say they might see as giving Washington too much control. "It is not completely an economic issue," said Ma. "After all, it concerns the rights of a sovereign country." ___ Associated Press Economics Writer Paul Wiseman in Washington contributed to this report. The sunlight is cast on women as they walk by a brokerage house in Beijing, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Accusing Beijing of "reneging" on commitments it made in earlier talks, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says the Trump administration will increase tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods beginning Friday, a sharp escalation in a yearlong trade dispute. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) A beam of sunlight is cast on a woman on her way to work at the Central Business District in Beijing, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Accusing Beijing of "reneging" on commitments it made in earlier talks, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says the Trump administration will increase tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods beginning Friday, a sharp escalation in a yearlong trade dispute. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) A mannequin showcases a clothing by Forever 21, an American fast fashion retailer which is offering clearance discounts after it pulled out from China's market, at a shopping mall in Beijing, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. China confirmed Tuesday its economy czar will go to Washington for trade talks despite fears he might cancel after President Donald Trump threatened to escalate a tariff war over Beijing's technology ambitions. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Chinese women carry paper bag of Forever 21, an American fast fashion retailer which is offering clearance discounts at a shopping mall after it pulled out from China's market, in Beijing, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. China confirmed Tuesday its economy czar will go to Washington for trade talks despite fears he might cancel after President Donald Trump threatened to escalate a tariff war over Beijing's technology ambitions. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) L'honorable Robert Bapooh Lipot, depute UPC archives Hon. Robert Bapooh Lipot, Secretary General of the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (Union des Populations du Cameroun - UPC) has in an interview on the 1:00pm news on CRTV radio Tuesday, May 14, 2019, said it is unimaginable that some persons want troops withdrawn from the restive North West and South West Regions. Reacting to proposals made to Prime Minister Dion Ngute Joseph in Bamenda that troops be withdrawn from the North West and South West Regions so that dialogue can start, Lipot says the military is performing her regular missions that of securing the citizens and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country. The UPC lawmaker said when some people pick up arms against the institutions of the republic, the role of the Head of State is to mobilise one of the institutions of the state, which in this case is the army, to restore order. We cannot even imagine that the army that took an oath before the national flag to safeguard the sovereignty of the people, the integrity of the territory, and the security of the citizens, can be asked to leave a certain area. The army is playing its role, Lipot said. On President Biyas readiness to dialogue on all subjects except separation, as stated by the Prime Minister, Lipot said it is a republican decision because President Biya was sworn into office to guarantee the unity and indivisibility of the country. The unity of the country was hard earned, with the founding fathers of the nation earning it with their blood so that we can become a nation, said Lipot. The Secretary General of the opposition party that is in alliance with President Paul Biyas Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM) party says images of the Prime Ministers recent visit to Bamenda are testament to the fact that the people of the North West and South West Regions are not for secession. They feel Cameroonian and are attached to the unity of the country. Lipot said Biya has always chosen dialogue to solve problems and that for the UPC, the essential thing today is to safeguard Cameroons unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He regretted that we have an opposition that thinks that their true country is the international community. Such an opposition, he says, always looks up for solutions to domestic problems from the international community. He said those who want to use Cameroonians as sacrificial lambs to achieve their ends will not succeed because the people of Cameroon are sovereign and a problem that concerns Cameroonians should find its solution within Cameroonians. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia's attorney general said Tuesday that the U.S. will return $196 million recovered from seized assets linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund, part of which has already been repatriated. Attorney General Tommy Thomas said Malaysia has received a first tranche of $57 million that came from a settlement reached with Red Granite Pictures Inc., the production company behind the 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio film "The Wolf of Wall Street." Red Granite, owned by the stepson of former Malaysian leader Najib Razak, paid the U.S. government $60 million last year to settle claims that it benefited from the 1MDB scandal. Thomas said the U.S. withheld $3 million to cover its investigation costs. Thomas said in a statement that the U.S. is in the process of remitting another $139 million from the sale of a Manhattan property linked to fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, who is wanted in both the U.S. and Malaysia. U.S. investigators say more than $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB by associates of Najib between 2009 and 2014 and authorities are working to recover some $1.7 billion. They say the ill-gotten gains were laundered through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries to finance Hollywood films and buy hotels, a luxury yacht, art works, jewelry and other extravagances. Some $700 million from the fund that Najib set up for Malaysia's economic development allegedly landed in his own bank account. Anger over the 1MDB scandal led to the spectacular election defeat of Najib's long-ruling coalition a year ago. Najib is now on trial for multiple counts of corruption linked to 1MDB. Thomas said Malaysia's government has recovered a total of $322 million worth of 1MDB assets so far. Apart from the U.S. recoveries, Singapore is also returning 50 million Singapore dollars ($36.7 million) in funds linked to 1MDB and the government sold a luxury yacht bought with 1MDB funds by Low for $126 million, Thomas said. "1MDB asset recovery efforts across the globe are still ongoing and Malaysia is optimistic of recovering further monies in the coming months," he said. ROVANIEMI, Finland (AP) - The Arctic is melting, but don't ask U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to talk about climate change. Nor even to agree on a text that mentions it. For the Trump administration, disappearing sea ice in the world's "high north" appears to be first and foremost an economic opportunity to exploit rather than a crisis to mitigate. That position was made clear by Pompeo over two days of meetings in the northern Finnish Arctic city of Rovaniemi involving the foreign ministers of the eight members of the Arctic Council - Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. "Steady reductions in sea ice are opening new naval passageways and new opportunities for trade, potentially slashing the time it takes for ships to travel between Asia and the West by 20 days," he said in a speech Monday, which was met with polite but muted applause. "Arctic sea lanes could become the 21st century's Suez and Panama canals." Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini, whose country is wrapping up its two-year chairmanship of the council, said Tuesday there was no joint declaration given the inability to get the U.S. to agree on a text that included language about climate change. From left, Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stand for a group photo, during the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via AP) Instead, a brief joint statement reaffirmed a "commitment to maintain peace, stability and constructive co-operation in the Arctic." Soini told reporters that he didn't want to "name and blame anybody" and called the outcome "good enough" for all parties. Finland's chairmanship of the council had largely focused on climate change concerns. A senior U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, downplayed the failure to craft a declaration and defended Pompeo's omission of "climate change" from remarks. "Just because you don't have a certain phrase in it, you can't infer that the United States has taken a position that is anti-environment," the official said. Pompeo did acknowledge environmental concerns, and told the meeting Tuesday that "the Trump Administration shares your deep commitment to environmental stewardship." "The Arctic has always been a fragile ecosystem, and protecting it is indeed our shared responsibility," Pompeo said. Over the summit, Pompeo also defended President Donald Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord in 2017, a day after a U.N. biodiversity report warned that extinction loomed for over 1 million species of plants and animals. "Collective goals, even when well-intentioned, are not always the answer," Pompeo said. "They are rendered meaningless, even counterproductive, as soon as one nation fails to comply." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country is "open to the widest kind of cooperation in the Arctic" and that "there are no reasons for conflicts and for getting military methods involved in solving any issues arising here." Bill Erasmus, the chairman of the Arctic Athabaskan Council, a Canada-based group of indigenous people, expressed disappointment that a joint declaration had not been reached. "We recognize that climate change is real," he said. "Climate change is man-made, and our elders tell us that we are clearly in trouble." Official U.S. statements and documents prepared for the meeting did not refer to "climate change" and their scientific focus was limited to reductions in U.S. carbon emissions that predate the administration. According to statistics Pompeo presented, U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions fell by 14% between 2005 and 2017, while global energy-related CO2 emissions increased more than 20%. In terms of black carbon, which is a particular threat to the Arctic, U.S. emissions were 16% below 2013 levels in 2016 and are projected to nearly halve by 2025, he said. "I'm sure it was a good party," Pompeo said of the negotiations in Paris. "I'm sure it felt good to sign the agreement. But at the end of the day, what matters to human health, what matters to the citizens of the world, is that we actually have an impact on improving health. And our technology, our innovation, the R&D we put in in the United States, that's what will drive better climatic outcomes, that's what will create cleaner air and safer drinking water, and that's what I hope the whole world will focus on." Pompeo again declined the opportunity to mention "climate change" on Tuesday when he met with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland who pointedly referred to the phenomenon as she played down a dispute with the United States over the sovereignty of the Northwest Passage. "We have a very close, very fruitful collaboration," she said. "And actually, as we see the conditions of the Northwest Passage changing with our changing climate, I think that's actually grounds for closer collaboration with the United States." Pompeo replied by saying the U.S. is more concerned about Russia and China in the Arctic than ownership of the Northwest Passage. "The challenges in the Arctic aren't between the United States and Canada, let me assure you," he said. "There are others that threaten to use it in ways that are not consistent with the rule of law." Canada's Freeland also noted that "unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change" are causing security threats and navigational issues. Iceland's foreign minister, Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, was bleak in his assessment. "We can expect due to climate change more drastic changes in the next two decades than we have seen in the last 100 years," he said. ___ Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland, Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dorothee Thiesing in Rovaniemi, Finland and David Keyton in Rovaniemi, Finland contributed. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to the media on the sidelines of the Arctic Council ministers' working dinner at the Arktikum museum in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday, May 6, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, chats with Finland's Foreign Minister Timo Soini ahead of a bilateral meeting at the Lappi Areena in Rovaniemi, Finland Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to the media on the sidelines of the Arctic Council ministers' working dinner at the Arktikum museum in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday, May 6, 2019. The U.S. is dispatching an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Middle East following what it says are indications that Iran and its proxy forces are preparing to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to the media on the sidelines of the Arctic Council ministers' working dinner at the Arktikum museum in Rovaniemi, Finland, Monday, May 6, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Taliban targeted the police on Tuesday in Afghanistan's eastern Laghman province, killing four police officers, including a district police chief, provincial officials said. The attack came just hours after the insurgents struck security checkpoints in northeastern Takhar province's Khwaja Bahaudin district late on Monday night, killing eight members of the security forces - three soldiers and five policemen. In the Laghman attack, Arif Sadat, district police chief in Alingar district, was killed along with three others when his vehicle exploded near the district police headquarters, said Asadullah Dawlatzai, the provincial governor's spokesman. Four other officers were wounded in the attack, said Dawlatzai. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing but Dawlatzai blamed the Taliban who are active in the province and especially in Alingar district. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the Takhar attack, which took place in Khwaja Bahaudin district, according to Wafiullah Rahmani, head of the provincial council. The insurgents stage near-daily attacks on Afghan forces, even as peace efforts have accelerated to find an end to the country's 17-year war. In another report, from western Farah province, coalition forces on Sunday carried out airstrikes against Taliban-run heroin labs, killed 15 laborers, said Dadullah Qaneh, councilman in Farah. But Mohibullah Mohib, the provincial police chief's spokesman, said those killed in Bakwa district were all members of the Taliban. The Taliban run most of Afghanistan's drug trade and control vast opium poppy fields. BANGKOK (AP) - Eleven white-painted elephants, their tusks garlanded, gathered with their handlers before Bangkok's Grand Palace on Tuesday to pay respects to Thailand's newly crowned king. Hundreds of mahouts, or handlers, dressed in royal yellow sang the royal anthem and kneeled with their elephants before a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The ceremony followed a celebration a day earlier in which thousands of Thais watched and cheered as the king and his family waved from a palace balcony. The elephants, which came from across the country, trumpeted at the end of the ceremony. They also posed for group photos. "I am delighted for His Majesty that everyone shows their respect to him, even the elephants showed their respect for him. And they did it so well," said Phuraporn Gorgerd, one of those attending the event. Thais consider white elephants a sacred symbol of royal power, and an elephant adorned the national flag until 1917. The elephants are not entirely white, and are sometimes painted to look lighter colored than their natural patchy color. Vajiralongkorn took the throne after the 2016 death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for seven decades. Elephants are paraded outside the Grand Palace in honor of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn following his coronation ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Rapeephat Sitichailapa) BEIRUT (AP) - Employees at the Central Bank of Lebanon on Tuesday suspended their open-ended strike for three days, saying they hope their wages and benefits will not be cut. The strike began Friday and raised concerns it could paralyze the country's banking sector, which relies on the Central Bank for transactions and liquidity. Tuesday's decision came a day after the Beirut Stock Exchange suspended trading due to the strike. The Beirut Stock Exchange announced the resumption of trading as usual starting Wednesday. Thousands of Lebanese public employees are on strike amid fears their salaries and benefits could be cut as part of strict austerity measures to reduce a ballooning budget deficit and massive national debt. Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government is debating an austerity budget and key reforms with the aim of unlocking billions of dollars in pledged foreign assistance. The employees said they will meet later this week to decide on whether to resume or end the strike. FILE - This Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 file photo, a man heads to the Lebanese central bank, in Beirut, Lebanon. The Beirut Stock Exchange said Monday, May 6, 2019, that it is suspending trading due to the open strike declared by the employees of Lebanon's central bank. Hundreds of Lebanese public employees are on strike amid concerns that their salaries and benefits might be cut as the government discusses an austerity budget. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) On Monday night, Hariri said Lebanon is far from bankruptcy but that if austerity measures are not taken it will be suicidal for the country's economy. He spoke after a meeting with the president and parliament speaker during which he said the budget is expected to be adopted by the Cabinet by the end of this week before being sent to parliament for approval. "We call upon the media not to participate in spreading rumors," Hariri said about recent leaks about wage cuts. Central Bank employees are paid a 16-month salary per year and there have been reports that the four-month annual bonus will be cut, a move strongly rejected by the bank's staff. Lebanon's economy is struggling with soaring debt, rising unemployment and slow growth. The $85 billion debt - equivalent to about 150% of gross domestic product - and unemployment believed to be around 36% are compounding concerns that the country will finally cave in economically. Your daily look at late breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. CHINA'S ECONOMY CZAR HEADING TO WASHINGTON President Xi Jinping sends his top economic adviser despite worries Beijing might cancel after Trump threatened to escalate a tariff war over China's technology ambitions. 2. US-IRAN TENSIONS RISE Iran's president is weighing next steps following a sudden White House announcement that a U.S. aircraft carrier and a bomber wing would be deployed in the Persian Gulf. 3. MYANMAR FREES REUTERS REPORTERS Reuters journalists Wa Lone, left, and Kyaw She Oo wave as they walk out from Insein Prison after being released in Yangon, Myanmar Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The chief of the prison said two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking the country's Officials Secrets Act have been released. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists were imprisoned for violating the country's secrecy law for their reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims. 4. POPE MAKING HISTORIC VISIT Francis arrives in North Macedonia for the first-ever papal visit to the Balkan nation, encouraging the recently renamed country to integrate with European institutions. 5. WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT IN DENVER Voters in Colorado's capital could make it the first U.S. city to decriminalize psilocybin - the psychoactive substance in "magic mushrooms." 6. YOUNG TERROR SUSPECTS FIND LOOPHOLE The Supreme Court ruling in a case unrelated to terrorism could allow minors who support militant organizations to escape federal charges, AP learns. 7. WHO IS BEING TARGETED FOR UNWANTED NUPTIALS Poor Pakistani Christian girls and women are being lured into marriages with Chinese men and end up trapped in China, unable to return home, AP finds. 8. GEORGIA SIGNING STRICT ABORTION BAN The legislation would ban abortions at around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant. 9. WHERE'S THE BEEF A new era of meat alternatives is here, but patties from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods can be nutritionally similar to beef. 10. WHERE FEATHERS, BLING AND IDEAS ABOUT 'CAMP' REIGNED Inside the Met Gala, high-wattage guests sipped on cocktails, ate canapes and tried to "out-camp" each other in wild outfits. Pope Francis is presented a drawing at the Mother Teresa memorial in Skopje, North Macedonia, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Francis, who is on a three-day trip to the Balkans, is visiting North Macedonia for the first-ever papal visit to the country. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) BEIRUT (AP) - Government forces intensified their bombardment of rebel-held towns and villages in northwest Syria, killing at least eight people Tuesday, including five in an airstrike on a market, opposition activists said. The new wave of violence that began on April 30 is the worst since September, when Russia and Turkey brokered a cease-fire that averted a government offensive on Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold. The new wave of violence has resulted in hundreds of civilian dead and injured and over 150,000 newly displaced persons, according to the U.N. Idlib province, that is home of 3 million people many of them displaced from other parts of Syria, is mostly controlled by al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The latest wave of violence was triggered by attacks by HTS gunmen that killed dozens of troops. Opposition-linked first responders, known as the White Helmets, said warplanes bombed a market in the village of Ras el-Ain on Tuesday morning, killing five people, including three children, and wounding 20. White Helmets also said that three other people were killed in the villages of Maar Tamater and Bara. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported airstrikes and shelling on Idlib and northern rebel-held parts of Hama province. It said 13 civilians were killed on Tuesday alone. This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows members of the Syrian Civil Defense workers carrying a victim after a deadly airstrike hit a market killing several people in the village of Ras el-Ain, in the northwestern province of Idlib, Syria, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Opposition activists say government forces have intensified their bombardment of rebel-held towns and villages in northwestern Syria. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) The Observatory said insurgents Tuesday attacked army positions in Latakia province on the edge of Idlib killing nine soldiers and pro-government gunmen. The Observatory said three insurgents were killed in the attack. Syrian state news agency SANA said troops were pounding insurgents' positions "in retaliation for their violations of the truce." An HTS military commander known as Abu Khaled al-Shami said in comments posted online that the looming battle "will be decisive and we will use all our capabilities that will surprise the enemy." On Monday, Syrian troops captured the village of al-Bani and the nearby Othman hill in the northern countryside of Hama province. This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows a member of the Syrian Civil Defense group, searching for victims under the rubble of a house that was destroyed by a Syrian government forces airstrike, in the village of Ras el-Ain, in the northwestern province of Idlib, Syria, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Opposition activists say government forces have intensified their bombardment of rebel-held towns and villages in northwestern Syria striking a market where four people were killed. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) NEW DELHI (AP) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Tuesday that American technologies and expertise could play an important role in developing India's economy, but were facing significant barriers to accessing its markets. Ross told a gathering of business leaders in New Delhi that foreign companies were at a disadvantage due to India's tariff and non-tariff barriers and myriad regulations. Ross said India was already the world's third largest economy and by 2030 it would become the world's largest consumer market because of the rapid growth of its middle class. "Yet today, India is only the U.S 13th largest export market due to overly restrictive market access barriers." Meanwhile, the United States is India's largest export market, accounting for something like 20% of the total. "That's a real imbalance, and it's an imbalance we must drive to counter," he said. He noted that India's average applied tariff rate is 13.8%, the highest of any major world economy. India's Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu said India would like to work with the United States to resolve such issues in a way that benefits both countries. US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross speaks at the 11th Trade Winds Business Forum and Mission hosted by the US Department of Commerce, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Top executives of more than 100 U.S. companies are visiting India to meet with government leaders, market experts and potential business partners to boost reciprocal trade. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) "We will address the issues with the United States in a manner that will make this relationship better not just between the United States and India, but for the rest of the world as well," Prabhu said. Ross said that American companies now have a unique opportunity to increase defense technology sales to India which in turn would help balance the trade relationship between the two countries. Bilateral trade in goods and services registered a 12.6% rise to $142 billion in 2018. Exports of U.S. goods and services to India reached $58.9 billion in 2018, up 19% from 2017, according to the U.S. Embassy. India offers business opportunities in the sectors of aerospace, defense, energy, health care and environmental technologies. Representatives of more than 100 U.S. companies are visiting India as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce's largest annual trade mission program, Trade Winds. They're looking for opportunities in aerospace, defense, energy, health care and environmental technologies. The delegation met with government leaders, market experts and potential business partners in New Delhi on Tuesday. They also will visit Ahmadabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross speaks at the 11th Trade Winds Business Forum and Mission hosted by the US Department of Commerce, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Top executives of more than 100 U.S. companies are visiting India to meet with government leaders, market experts and potential business partners to boost reciprocal trade.(AP Photo/Manish Swarup) ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Officials say a far-left Greek extremist serving 11 life terms for a string of assassinations is in the hospital following a five-day hunger strike over prison authorities' refusal to grant him temporary leave. Dimitris Koufodinas, 61, was being treated in the central town of Volos Tuesday, health officials said. Koufodinas was the main hit man for the November 17 group, which killed 23 people, including Western diplomats, between 1975-2000. N17 was eradicated in 2002. Since late 2017 Koufodinas has been granted six furloughs - once after a hunger strike - and transferred from a maximum-security Athens prison to a laxer penitentiary near Volos. That has sparked protests from relatives of his victims and U.S. officials. Anarchist groups in Athens plan a march in support of Koufodinas later Tuesday. GUJRANWALA, Pakistan (AP) - Hundreds young women from Pakistan's small Christian minority have been trafficked to China as brides in recent months as their impoverished community is targeted in an aggressive new marriage market, activists and officials say. Brokers offer desperately poor parents thousands of dollars to give girls in marriage to Chinese men, even cruising outside churches for potential brides. They are helped by Christian pastors paid to preach to their congregations with promises of wealth in exchange for their daughters. Once in China, the girls - most often married against their will - can find themselves isolated in rural regions, vulnerable to abuse, unable to communicate and reliant on a translation app even for a glass of water. Touted as wealthy Christian converts, the grooms often turn out to be neither, according to accounts from brides, their parents, an activist, pastors and government officials, speaking to The Associated Press. "This is human smuggling," said Ijaz Alam Augustine, the human rights and minorities minister in Pakistan's Punjab province, in an interview with the AP. "Greed is really responsible for these marriages ... I have met with some of these girls and they are very poor." The Associated Press interviewed more than a dozen Christian Pakistani brides and would-be brides who fled before exchanging vows. All had similar accounts of a process involving brokers and members of the clergy. "It is all fraud and cheating. All the promises they make are fake," said Muqadas Ashraf, who was 16 when her parents married her off to a Chinese man last year. Less than five months later, she returned to Pakistan, pregnant and seeking a divorce. In this April 14, 2019 photo, Muqadas Ashraf speaks to The Associated Press in Gujranwala, Pakistan. Muqadas Ashraf was just 16 when her parents married her off to a Chinese man who had come to Pakistan looking for a bride. Less than five months later, Muqadas is back home in Pakistan, pregnant and seeking a divorce from a husband she says was abusive. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) In China, demand for foreign brides has mounted, a legacy of the one-child policy that skewed the country's gender balance toward males. Brides initially came largely from Vietnam, Laos and North Korea. Now men are looking further afield, said Mimi Vu, director of advocacy at Pacific Links, which helps trafficked Vietnamese women. "It's purely supply and demand," she said. "It used to be, 'Is she light-skinned?' Now it's like, 'Is she female?'" Pakistan seems to have come onto marriage brokers' radar late last year. Saleem Iqbal, a Christian activist, said he first began to see significant numbers of marriages to Chinese men in October. Since then, an estimated 750 to 1,000 girls have been married off, he said. Pakistan's small Christian community is particularly vulnerable. It is among the country's poorest and has little political or social supporting, numbering some 2.5 million in Pakistan's overwhelmingly Muslim population of 200 million. Among all faiths in Pakistan, parents often decide a daughter's marriage partner. The deeply patriarchal society often sees girls as a burden because the bride's family must pay a dowry and the cost of the wedding. By contrast, potential Chinese grooms offer parents money and pay all wedding expenses. Some of the grooms are from among the tens of thousands of Chinese in Pakistan working on infrastructure projects under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. Other grooms search directly from China through networks. They present themselves as Christian converts, but pastors complicit in the deals don't ask for any documentation. They pay on average $3,500 to $5,000, including payments to parents, pastors and a broker, said Iqbal. Muqadas' mother Nasreen said she was promised about $5,000, including wedding costs. "But I have not seen anything yet," she said. "I really believed I was giving her a chance at a better life and also a better life for us," Nasreen said. When her daughter became increasingly miserable in China, Nasreen contacted the husband and demanded her daughter be sent home. Dozens of Pakistani priests are paid by brokers to find brides for Chinese men, said Augustine, the provincial minorities minister, who is Christian. Many are from the small evangelical churches that have proliferated in Pakistan. In Gujranwala, a city north of Lahore, more than 100 local Christian women and girls have been married off to Chinese in recent months, according to Iqbal. The city has several mainly Christian neighborhoods, largely dirt poor with open sewers running along narrow slum streets. Pastor Munch Morris, who serves at a local evangelical church, opposes such marriages. But he said he knows a group of pastors in his neighborhood 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 flock against such marriages. Human Rights Watch called on China and Pakistan to take action to end bride trafficking, warning in an April 26 statement of "increasing evidence that Pakistani women and girls are at risk of sexual slavery in China." On Monday, Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency arrested eight Chinese nationals and four Pakistanis in raids in Punjab in connection with trafficking, Geo TV reported. It said the raids followed an undercover operation that included attending an arranged marriage. The Chinese embassy said last month that China is cooperating with Pakistan to crack down on unlawful matchmaking centers, saying "both Chinese and Pakistani youths are victims of these illegal agents." __ Kang reported from Linyi, China. Associated Press researcher Shanshan Wang in Beijing contributed to this report In this April 29, 2019 photo, graffiti advertising a marriage agent is spray-painted on the wall of a warehouse in Pei County in eastern China's Jiangsu province. In China, demand for foreign brides has mounted, a legacy of the one-child policy that skewed the country's gender balance toward males. In recent years, tens of thousands of Chinese workers have gone to Pakistan to work on China's Belt and Road construction projects, and some returned to China with Pakistani wives. (AP Photo/Dake Kang) ESSOMBA BENGONO facebook Member of the Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, Essomba Bengono Engelbert has tabled an apology to the Anglophone community, especially to victims of the ongoing war, after he played down on the number of lives lost so far in the ongoing war. During a program, Equinoxes Soir on Equinoxe Television on Monday,, the government fan, while defending the countrys response to the humanitarian situation especially the 1850 lives already lost in the North West and South West, said they were more concerned about the number of patriotic Cameroonians than the lives already lost in the war. Do you know the number of times God , the creator, cleared the human race to build a nation?...We are not counting deaths, we are counting active Cameroonians everyday, who invest blood and water for this nation to survive", he said. The CPDM activist, was referring to the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as the flood during the days of Noah and the Ark in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible Many persons reacted furiously over his comments on social media, which to them meant Essomba was indirectly calling on Paul Biya to continue killing Anglophones in the North West and South West for the sake of a peaceful country. However he went to his Facebook page today to say sorry. He called on Anglophones of various tribes and in all the divisions to forgive his rants. "I sincerely apologise for my declaration on Equinoxes TV on the 13th of May 2019, about victims of the Armed conflict that prevails in your villages and towns, since the crisis occurred there. A situation that has yet caused the death of civilians and Republican soldiers. May the souls of the killed persons rest in peaceI deeply regret and I pray the Almighty God to Help us to solve definitely this bad situation, he said. Since 2016, more than 1850 people have died as a result of the ongoing violence in he North West and South West regions, 530,000 are internally displaced, while over 40,000 are seeking refuge in Nigeria, according to the International Crisis group. BANGKOK (AP) - Thailand's Election Commission on Tuesday officially endorsed results from the country's March 24 general election, declaring that the Pheu Thai party associated with fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra topped the field by winning 136 constituencies. The commission said the rival military-backed Palang Pracharath party ran second with 97 seats. It is still unclear who will form the next government, as both of the top two competitors are seeking partners to achieve a parliamentary majority. The Election Commission came under heavy criticism for releasing delayed and confusing preliminary vote totals, and has been accused of tilting in favor of the military. There are 500 seats in the House of Representatives, and the committee endorsed 349 of the 350 won by direct vote. The remaining 150 so-called party list seats will be awarded based on a proportion of the overall nationwide vote derived from a complicated formula, and the commission must allocate them by Thursday. It has hedged on exactly how the formula will be applied, making it difficult to project the total allocation of seats in the lower house. One constituency seat was left unendorsed after the Pheu Thai candidate who topped the vote was disqualified for breaking an election rule by donating money to a Buddhist monk during the campaign. FILE - In this Sunday, March 24, 2019, file photo, an election officer counts votes at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand's Election Commission has officially endorsed the results from the country's March 24 general election, declaring that the Pheu Thai party associated with fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra topped the field by winning 136 constituencies. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) Thaksin, a billionaire who made his fortune in telecommunications, became prime minister in 2001 as the head of a party he founded. His populist policies won him support among the less well-off rural majority but drew the wrath of the country's traditional ruling class, led by the military and conservative royalists, who felt his electoral strength threatened their influence. After protests in Bangkok accusing him of corruption and abuse of power, he was ousted by a 2006 military coup, and went into exile to avoid going to prison on a conflict of interest conviction. But his ouster set off a long and sometimes violent battle for power between his supporters and opponents, and pro-Thaksin parties were returned to power twice by elections. A government formed by his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted by another coup in 2014. Deputy Election Commission Secretary-General Sawang Boonmee cautioned that the endorsements announced Tuesday could be withdrawn after investigations into more than 400 complaints are resolved. When asked when the commission will finish investigating all cases, he said "we will try to investigate as fast as possible." He said the commission has up to a year after election day to order new votes where candidates are disqualified. The commission's critics fear it will disqualify mainly members of the Pheu Thai party and its would-be allies. Aside from any possible mismanagement by the commission, the election was controversial because the military junta that has ruled Thailand since taking power in a 2014 coup changed the constitution and other laws to create an electoral system that severely disadvantaged parties without links to the military. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army commander staged the coup in 2014 and since then has served as prime minister, is the candidate selected by Palang Pracharath to take the job again after the election. Prayuth should easily be able to return to office because the prime minister will be selected by a joint vote of the lower house and the appointed Senate, which represents conservative interests and essentially will be chosen by the junta. However, if his rivals control the lower house, he will have a hard time passing laws and getting a budget approved. GENEVA (AP) - The U.N. human rights office is praising the release of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo from prison in Myanmar, but says a "very dire situation" remains for freedom of expression in the Asian country. Rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani hailed "good news" but insisted that the two Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists "should never have been convicted in the first place." The journalists were pardoned and released on Tuesday. They had been convicted of violating Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims. Shamdasani cited a rights office report in September, after the convictions, that laid out "very constructive recommendations" to Myanmar's government to improve freedom of expression. She said there has been "no positive progress" in relation to those recommendations. Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo celebrates with wife Chit Su Win and their daughter after being released from prison after a presidential pardon, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Yangon, Myanmar. The two journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters reporter Wa Lone holds his daughter with wife Pan Ei Mon after being freed from prison, in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters reporters Wa Lone, center right, and Kyaw Soe Oo hold their children after being freed from prison, in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The two journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters reporter Wa Lone and his wife Pan Ei Mon hold their daughter after Wa Lone was freed from prison in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters reporter Kyaw Soe Oo, center, holds his daughter with his wife Chit Su Win after being freed from prison, in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters reporters Wa Lone, center, and Kyaw Soe Oo, second left, celebrate with their family members after being freed from prison, in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo, left, holds his daughter next to wife Chit Su Win, and Reuters journalist Wa Lone poses with wife Pan Ei Mon and daughter after being released from prison after receiving a presidential pardon in Yangon, Myanmar, May 7, 2019. The two journalists were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) Reuters reporters Wa Lone, center right, and Kyaw Soe Oo, center left, hold their children after being freed from prison, in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The two journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar's Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces' abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said. (Ann Wang/Pool Photo via AP) BRUSSELS (AP) - AB Inbev, the world's biggest brewer and the owner of brands like Bud and Stella Artois, is considering listing some of the shares of its Asian business on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The company, which is based in the Belgian town of Leuven, said Tuesday that the move would lower its high debt levels and allow it to consider more acquisitions in the region. AB Inbev is worth about 154 billion euros ($172 billion) and its Asian operations are reportedly worth as much as a third of that. It owns massive brands like Bud from its takeover of Anheuser-Busch in 2008, as well as Corona, Becks, and Fosters. It further established its dominance in the market in 2015 when it bought it next biggest rival, SABMiller. With plane crashes making headlines over the weekend, one in Florida with no fatalities and another in Russia that killed dozens, travelers might question whether flying has become less safe. Aviation experts regard the recent incidents as a statistical blip, however, pointing out that such accidents and fatalities are a fraction of what they were as recently as the 1990s. Advances in aircraft and airport design, better air traffic control, and improved pilot training are often cited as factors in reducing accidents. "I don't think we'll ever get to zero accidents, but aviation is still the safest it's ever been," said Seth Young, director of the aviation program at Ohio State University. In the U.S., no airline passengers were killed in accidents from 2009 until April 2018, when a woman on a Southwest Airlines jet died after an engine broke apart in flight. Worldwide, there were more than 50 fatal airline accidents a year through the early and mid-1990s, claiming well over 1,000 lives annually, according to figures compiled by the Flight Safety Foundation. Fatalities dropped from 1,844 in 1996 to just 59 in 2017, then rose to 561 last year and 209 already this year. FILE - This March 27, 2019, file photo shows a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane on the assembly line during a brief media tour of Boeing's 737 assembly facility in Renton, Wash. Recent crashes have caused an uptick in airline fatalities in 2018 and 2019 after a long trend of safer flying. Boeing 737 Max accidents have raised concern over the ability of all pilots to handle automation. Still, aviation deaths are down sharply from the 1990s, and experts credit advances in aircraft and airport design, better air traffic control, and more pilot training. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) Nearly half of the airline deaths in 2018 and 2019 occurred during the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max jets in Indonesia and Ethiopia. In each case, investigators are examining the role of flight software that pushed the nose of the plane down based on faulty sensor readings. That raises concern about safety around automated flight controls, said William Waldock, an expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "Pilots are not being trained as much as pilots as they are system operators and system managers," he said. "So when something happens and the automation fails, they get flummoxed." Beyond the two Max crashes, safety experts see little immediate connection between other incidents such as the deadly weekend crash of a Russian plane that caught fire after an emergency landing in Moscow and the case of the charter airliner that ran off a Florida runway into a river; no one died in that one. Investigators probe crashes in search of clues to prevent more accidents from the same cause. In the case of the Aeroflot jet that caught fire, killing more than 40 people on board, attention is likely to turn to Russian media reports that lightning disabled the plane's communications system and whether pilots should have burned off fuel before the emergency landing. Lightning strikes are not uncommon. In the U.S. alone, there are about 25 million every year, according to the National Weather Service. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said airline planes get hit about once a year on average. Planes are built so that the fuselage acts as an electricity-conducting shield, keeping the voltage away from passengers and critical systems. The jolt is often dissipated off wings or the tail. Critical electronics have surge protection. Nitrogen is used to reduce the risk that electrical arcing could spark a fire in a fuel tank. Newer planes like the Boeing 787, which uses carbon composite material instead of aluminum, includes fine wiring in the wings to direct current off the plane, said John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at MIT. "They should be designed to take a lightning strike," Hansman said, "but if you don't have a perfectly grounded airplane, if you don't have the right surge suppressors, it's possible you can take out some of the avionics or electronics." Sunday's fiery crash in Moscow raised questions about making an emergency landing shortly after takeoff, while the plane is still fully loaded with fuel and likely over the maximum landing weight. Only very large airliners have the ability to dump fuel. Most jetliners including the popular Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 do not. That leaves only one option for lightening the fuel load on a plane like the Russian-made Sukhoi SSJ100 - circling long enough to burn fuel. John Cox, a former airline pilot and now a safety consultant, said he would only circle if he were concerned that something was wrong with the plane's landing gear, or the runway was too short. Video of the landing showed the Aeroflot plane seem to touch down on its main landing gear, then bounce up before coming down hard a second time. At that point, flames can be seen coming from the jet. Video also captured passengers toting their carry-on luggage as they fled the burning jet. Passengers on U.S. airlines are told to leave personal belongs in an emergency because it can slow the evacuation when seconds are precious. "We will never know if more lives could have been saved if the bags were left behind," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants. PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP) - Sheriff's officials say a Florida woman pulled a small alligator from her yoga pants during a traffic stop. The Charlotte County sheriff's deputy stopped a pickup truck Monday afternoon after it ran a stop sign and 22-year-old driver Michael Clemons told him he and his 25-year-old passenger Ariel Machan-Le Quire were collecting frogs and snakes under an overpass. He gave the deputy permission to search bags in the truck. When the deputy found 41 3-stripe turtles in the woman's backpack, he asked if she had anything else. She pulled the 1-foot (0.3-meter) gator from her yoga pants. Charlotte County Sheriff's officials suggested an explanation on Twitter for the incident: "Not to be outdone by #FloridaMan, a #FloridaWoman pulled an alligator out of her pants." The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission took over the investigation. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Denmark will hold a general election on June 5, the prime minister announced Tuesday, with immigration a hot-button issue for voters. Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, who heads the Liberals, has been in power since 2015. He later formed a coalition with the smaller Liberal-Alliance and the Conservatives. But it depends on the anti-immigration Danish People's Party and its 37 seats to muster a majority in the 179-seat parliament. Overall, Danes have supported the government's tough stance on immigration after the 2015 migration crisis in which mostly Muslim asylum-seekers sought refuge in European countries, including Denmark. Political experts say people who traditionally voted for the populists are drifting mainly to the Social Democrats, which have moved toward supporting a stricter immigration policy. Voters also appear to be turning away from the Danish People's Party because of fraud scandals involving European Parliament funds. The government has notably adopted laws tightening asylum and immigration rules, including a ban on garments covering the face and a law requiring newly arrived asylum-seekers to hand over valuables such as jewelry and gold to help pay for their stays in the country. Other laws include requiring anyone who becomes a citizen of Denmark to shake hands at the naturalization ceremony, a move widely seen as aimed at some Muslims who for religious reasons decline to touch members of the opposite sex. Another law sends rejected asylum-seekers or those with a criminal record awaiting expulsion to an island that once housed a defunct laboratory for contagious animal diseases. Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, right, arrives for the funeral service for the three children of the CEO of clothing brand Bestseller, Anders Holch Povlsen and wife Anne, at Aarhus Cathedral, Denmark, Saturday May 4, 2019, who were victims of the bombings in Sri Lanka on April 21. More than 350 people were killed in bombings of churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Recent polls show Loekke Rasmussen's center-right government bloc trailing behind the five-party, center-left opposition headed by the Social Democrats. Surveys indicate the governing coalition will get 46% while the opposition would garner 54%. In announcing the election, which comes just 10 days after the European Parliament vote, Loekke Rasmussen stressed that the government didn't resign. Under the Danish Constitution, a vote must be held by June 17, when the current parliament, elected in 2015, completes its term. The election could mark the return to power of the Social Democrats, the country's largest party, which have spent four years in opposition. In recent months, the Social Democrats have moved closer to the stricter immigration agenda of the Danish People's Party - a party with a euroskeptic line founded in 1995. The populists, now Denmark's second-largest party, grabbed more than 21% in the 2015 election in its best vote ever. This time around, polls say the Danish People's Party will win 15% of the vote. LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Britain's departure from the European Union (all times local): 1:35 p.m. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says one of his biggest mistakes in office was failing to get involved in the Brexit referendum campaign and counter what he says were the lies spread. Juncker told reporters that he stayed out of the June 23, 2016 vote at the request of then prime minister, David Cameron, and that his mistake had been "to listen too carefully" to the premier. Juncker says "it was a mistake not to intervene and not to interfere, because we would have been the only ones to destroy the lies which were circulated around." Juncker, whose term of office runs out at the end of October, said: "I was wrong to be silent." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker talks to journalists during a news conference following a College of Commissioners meeting at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Juncker says one of his biggest mistakes in office was failing to get involved in the Brexit referendum and counter what he says were the lies spread during the campaign. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) ___ 9:55 a.m. The British government is making a final push to do a Brexit deal with the opposition Labour Party, amid mounting outrage from Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party at the prospect of compromise. Senior Conservative and Labour lawmakers are meeting to see whether they can reach a compromise. Several weeks of talks have so far not produced a breakthrough. Almost three years after Britain voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of Brexit remain uncertain because lawmakers have repeatedly rejected May's divorce deal with the bloc. That has led her to seek a deal with Labour - to the fury of pro-Brexit Conservatives, who are demanding May's resignation. The head of a powerful Conservative committee is due to meet May Tuesday to deliver a demand for "clarity" about her departure date. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker gestures during a news conference following a College of Commissioners meeting at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Juncker says one of his biggest mistakes in office was failing to get involved in the Brexit referendum and counter what he says were the lies spread during the campaign. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) BRUSSELS (AP) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is urging people to carefully weigh their votes in the upcoming EU elections as polls show that populist and nationalist parties could gain ground. Juncker said Tuesday that voters should ask themselves what the "European landscape" would look like in the coming years if everyone voted for extremists. He underlines that the May 23-26 ballot to choose members of the European Parliament "is the largest transnational election anywhere in the world." Juncker slammed political attacks on EU Council President Donald Tusk comparing him to Hitler and Stalin as "totally unacceptable, I have to say, highly disgusting." Polls suggest mainstream parties will lose some support but still hold control over the assembly while fringe groups are likely to win more seats. LONDON (AP) - A British soldier has been killed by an elephant while on anti-poaching operations in Malawi. Britain's Ministry of Defense says Guardsman Mathew Talbot of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards was on patrol in Liwonde National Park when he was killed on Sunday. His commanding officer, Lt. Col. Ed Launders, said Tuesday that the 22-year-old soldier "was hugely proud of his work as a counter-poaching operator, and tragically died doing great good." About 30 British soldiers are in the southern African country to help train rangers tasked with protecting endangered wildlife. Defense Secretary Penny Mordaunt said Talbot's death "is a reminder of the danger our military faces as they protect some of the world's most endangered species from those who seek to profit from the criminal slaughter of wildlife." MANDALAY, Myanmar (AP) - A Myanmar court on Tuesday allowed police to detain an American entrepreneur accused of operating a marijuana plantation for two more weeks while he is investigated. John Frederic Todoroki and two Myanmar co-workers appeared in court in Mandalay region's Myingyan district for the first time since their April 23 arrests. They could face charges carrying penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment. Myanmar's anti-drug agency said 349,300 marijuana plants, 5,200 seedlings, 380 kilograms (838 pounds) of marijuana seeds, 1,804 grams (64 ounces) of marijuana oil, and chemicals and equipment were found when the 20-acre (8-hectare) plantation on an industrial estate in central Myanmar was raided. Plantation operator III M Nutraceutical Co. said in an April 26 statement that the plants are actually hemp, and its project was approved by the Mandalay region government last August for research and development purposes. It said its farm has been growing industrial hemp, kenaf, peppermint, coffee and eucalyptus, and is strictly doing research, with no sales or distribution. The company said its work was focused on hemp, which can be processed into CBD - cannabidiol - a non-intoxicating compound that many believe has health benefits, but also has many other uses. Hemp can be grown legally in many countries, and is often used for making CBD products. Marijuana is another form of cannabis and another source of CBD. But it has psychoactive effects, causing a high. Myanmar law does not seem to clearly distinguish between the two plants. U.S. national John Fredric Todoroki is escorted by police for a court hearing on his arrest for operating a marijuana plantation, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Ngazun Township, Mandalay region, central Myanmar. A lawyer for Todoroki says his arrest for growing 20 acres of cannabis plants is unjust because authorities knew his company was doing scientific research and police were confusing hemp with recreational marijuana. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Khin Maung Than, a lawyer representing Todoroki and his two colleagues, insisted that they had been growing hemp, which was why the project had been approved. The company said it employs more than 170 people and seeks "to implement the first employee-owned agriculture company in the region with the goal of creating long-term, sustainable employment with benefits for the local community." It said it teaches high-tech agricultural techniques to local villagers and donates equipment to them. Several local farmers turned up at court Tuesday to offer moral support. "This is a great loss for us because when we met Mr. John, we understood that all of his kindness was for our farmers in rural areas," said Ohn Myint, a farmer from Kwae Gyi village of Ngunzun township. "He is here to help the development of our farmers." The parents of Shunlei Myat Noe, one of the arrested Myanmar employees, also were at court. "She is not in charge of the laboratory, she has no connection with the laboratory," said her father, Myo Min Aung. "She studied English, that's why she is working there. ... She doesn't know anything. She is just a daily worker." "I want to bring my daughter back today if possible," said her mother, Yi Yi Win. "My heart is broken. My daughter is innocent. She is working just to take care of her parents." Police have said they are also seeking to arrest Alexander Skemp Todoroki. It's unclear where the Todorokis, believed to be father and son, last lived in the U.S. U.S. national John Fredric Todoroki leaves a local court after being arrested for operating a marijuana plantation, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Ngazun Township, Mandalay region, central Myanmar. A lawyer for Todoroki says his arrest for growing 20 acres of cannabis plants is unjust because authorities knew his company was doing scientific research and police were confusing hemp with recreational marijuana. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) U.S. national John Fredric Todorok leave a local court after being arrested for operating a marijuana plantation, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Ngazun Township, Mandalay region, central Myanmar. A lawyer for Todoroki says his arrest for growing 20 acres of cannabis plants is unjust because authorities knew his company was doing scientific research and police were confusing hemp with recreational marijuana. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) Population in Pinyin rejoice after standing up to Amba boys Whatsapp The population of neighbourhood in Pinyin, Santa subdivision of the North West on Monday, May 13 stood up against a suspected gang of separatists, also known as Amba boys, as they attempted to kidnap one of theirs. Sources in Pinyin say the said gang of at least eight men have been carrying out criminal activities and exploiting villagers through kidnappings, where they ask for ransoms. Having had enough of their activities, these villagers couldn't take it any more and all rose against the boys. One of them who filmed the act and sent on social media, shouted out that, "This is the end of Amba boys in Pinyin". The perpetrtors were arrested, beaten and handed over to the military. Excesses of some separatist groups are pushing communities to reveal their hideouts or rising up against them, which was formally the contrary. Their leaders in the diaspora have constantly disputed reports that fighters are carrying out criminal offences against those they claim to protect. They often claim these attacks are carried out by a government sponsored group. However, the increasing wave of crimes in the North West and South West pushed many neighbourhoods to create vigilante groups, in order to fight back perpetrators of frequent robbery attacks who claim they are Amba fighters. Many of these quarters are using whistles to raise alerts, in case one of them is in trouble. One month ago, community members of Ntasen and Mancho in Bamenda held security meetings, where they agreed to step up security. Yes, we are just from a security meeting with the quarter head and some notables. We have formed a vigilante group too. Every landlord contributes 1000FRS each monthly and every tenant 500FRS .This is to help assist our boys who would be out during the curfew hours., said one of the residents. Most of them complained they are attacked almost everyday and their attackers come prepared to take a life, if you dont cooperate. Men armed with guns and machetes, attack quarters in the night, ask you to open your door and or if they are the ones who finally open it, they would shoot you or cut off your arms. Once inside, they ask for all the money you have in the house. They do the search themselves and take your money, a victim narrated. Recent reports suggests some of these robbery attacks lead to sexual harassment and rape. BENTON, Ky. (AP) - A defense attorney representing a teenager accused of killing two classmates during a shooting at a Kentucky school has asked that the trial be moved outside Marshall and neighboring counties. The Paducah Sun reports public defender Tom Griffiths cited multiple reasons for the move including pretrial publicity and strong local opinions about the case. Seventeen-year-old Gabriel Parker was a sophomore when police say he killed students Preston Cope and Bailey Holt and injured more than a dozen others at Marshall County High School on Jan. 23, 2018. Parker has pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges. The motion indicates it will be heard before a judge on May 17. Parker is charged as an adult. A prosecutor has indicated he'll seek a sentence of life in prison if Parker is convicted. ___ Information from: The Paducah Sun, http://www.paducahsun.com "The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West," by David McCullough (Simon and Schuster). When the Revolutionary War was over, and the Treaty of Paris had Great Britain recognize that a new country had been formed, Britain also gave the new government of the United States vast land northwest of the Ohio River, David McCullough notes in "The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West." While Congress was working on establishing a Constitution, a Massachusetts minister named Manasseh Cutler visited the area, trying to persuade people to pass a law declaring the area a new territory. The Northwest Ordinance was the first of its kind since the act passed promising freedom of religion, free education and the prohibition of slavery. Soon the first pioneers braved the wilderness and established a permanent home in the area. They settled off the banks of the Ohio River and named the town Marietta after the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. McCullough is a master of research along with being a wonderful storyteller. He takes the history of the area, and turns what could be dry and somewhat dull into vibrant and compelling tales. The people who risked the vast wilderness fought disease, lack of food, and harsh winters without supplies. Each colonist had different reasons for gambling for a better future for themselves and their families. The region and its occupants truly come alive in the hands of McCullough. It is a history that unfamiliar to most, and brushes with the famous and infamous add to the surprises. He also includes the viewpoint of Native Americans, and does not gloss over the uncomfortable reality that westward expansion had devastating consequences for existing populations. Not everybody who journeyed to Ohio was virtuous, and he includes stories from a diverse cast of characters. The book covers the movement to the area in 1787 up to 1853, when the State of Ohio had over 1.5 million people. This cover image released by Simon & Schuster shows "The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West," by David McCullough. (Simon & Schuster via AP) Lovers of history told well know that McCullough is one of the best writers of our past, and his latest will only add to his acclaim. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning said in a new legal motion that she will never testify to a grand jury in Virginia investigating the website Wikileaks, and it therefore makes no sense to continue to keep her in jail for refusing to do so. Manning has been jailed in Alexandria for two months for refusing to testify to the sitting grand jury. She appealed her incarceration to the federal appeals court in Richmond, but a three-judge panel unanimously rejected her appeal last month. Now, in a motion filed Monday in Alexandria, Manning argues she has proven she'll stick to her principles and should therefore be released. "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. 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. If a judge were to determine that incarcerating Manning were punitive rather than coercive, Manning would be set free. 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. 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 wrote. She also said she is suffering physical problems related with inadequate follow-up care to gender-reassignment surgery. Manning 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 Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and requested his extradition. Prosecutors have not yet responded to Manning's most recent motion. They have previously stated that Manning's claims she is being persecuted by the Trump administration are speculative and that she has the same duty as any other citizen to provide truthful testimony when subpoenaed. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Authorities in the northern Mexico border state of Tamaulipas say they have detained 289 Central American migrants, including some children with measles and other illnesses. The Tamaulipas state government says the migrants were found crammed into the freight compartments of two tractor-trailer trucks. Authorities had to punch a hole in one of the freight containers to free the migrants, who had been transported from the Gulf coast state of Tabasco toward the U.S. border. Some of the children were also found to have chickenpox. The state said Monday the migrants were given food, water and medical attention and turned over to immigration authorities. KEYSTONE, S.D. (AP) - Fireworks will return to Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota for the Fourth of July celebration in 2020. Mount Rushmore's fireworks were discontinued after 2009 due to concerns related to the pine beetle infestation that increased fire concerns in the Black Hills National Forest. The forest has since rebounded, and there have been advances in pyrotechnic safety. Gov. Kristi Noem, federal Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith on Tuesday announced the resumption of fireworks. Noem said the agreement came after several months of meetings and discussions. BOSTON (AP) - A Boston police officer whose service weapon was stolen during a rendezvous with two strippers at a Rhode Island hotel has been fired. Sgt. John Boyle says Emanuel Brandao was fired March 28 due to conduct considered unsatisfactory. The 37-year-old Brandao had been placed on leave after the gun was stolen from the glove box of his car in early February. Brandao told authorities he and the women were "hanging out" at a Pawtucket hotel, and he discovered his gun missing after they left. The gun was found in the mail slot at a Providence fire station. The women told authorities Brandao paid them $2,500 for sex. A man who answered the phone Tuesday at a listed number for Brandao said it was the wrong number. Another number rang unanswered. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - The former chief executive of Danske Bank, which has admitted to massive money laundering at its Estonian subsidiary, faces undisclosed preliminary charges over the scandal. Thomas Borgen resigned in September after an internal investigation found that some 200 billion euros ($224 billion) that had flowed through the bank's accounts from 2007 to 2015 was suspicious in nature. Borgen's lawyer, Peter Schradieck, on Tuesday told the Boersen newspaper that investigators searched Borgen's home on March 12. That led to preliminary charges, a step short of formal charges. The nature of the charges was not disclosed, which is possible in the Danish legal system. In November, Denmark's top prosecution authority filed preliminary charges against the bank for "violation of the laws on money laundering." The prosecutors couldn't immediately be reached for comment. HOPKINTON, R.I. (AP) - A second Rhode Island town declared itself a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary Monday to oppose the governor's push for stricter gun control laws. The Hopkinton Town Council passed a resolution, 3 to 2. The Burrillville Town Council passed a similar resolution last month. The towns say they won't enforce new laws they feel infringe on their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Four more towns are considering doing the same thing, and other jurisdictions nationwide have also adopted the term "Second Amendment sanctuary" in opposition to various new gun laws. Hopkinton Town Council President Frank Landolfi said he doesn't trust the state legislature and the governor to ensure the safety of residents and he doesn't want new restrictions on where he can carry a gun, The Westerly Sun reported . Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo wants a ban on guns in schools and a statewide ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The legislature is considering several gun-related proposals. Raimondo has said that if the stricter gun laws pass, she expects every single city and town to follow them, "period." Republican state Sen. Elaine Morgan asked the five towns in her district, including Hopkinton, to declare themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries. Another Republican state lawmaker, Rep. Justin Price, praised towns for "standing up against the state's infringement on their rights." His district also includes part of Hopkinton. The towns of Glocester, Richmond, Foster and West Greenwich are all considering similar measures, The Providence Journal reported . TIRANA, Albania (AP) - An Albanian drug trafficker who went on the run for three years has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Tirana's Serious Crimes Court on Tuesday convicted Kelmend Balili of drug trafficking and money laundering. Balili, a former senior official at the local administration in the southern city of Saranda, surrendered in January after going on the run for three years following an arrest warrant issued by neighboring Greece, which accused him of being the head of a drug trafficking ring. Fighting organized crime, drug trafficking and corruption are top priorities for Albania, which is seeking to launch full membership negotiations with the European Union later this year. House panel votes Barr in contempt, escalating Trump dispute WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, escalating the Democrats' extraordinary legal battle with the Trump administration over access to special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia report. The vote capped a day of ever-deepening dispute between congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump, who for the first time invoked the principle of executive privilege, claiming the right to block lawmakers from the full report on Mueller's probe of Russian interference to help Trump in the 2016 election. Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York declared the action by Trump's Justice Department a clear new sign of the president's "blanket defiance" of Congress' constitutional rights to conduct oversight. "We did not relish doing this, but we have no choice," Nadler said after the vote. The White House's blockade, he said, "is an attack on the ability of the American people to know what the executive branch is doing." He said, "This cannot be." ___ Teen who charged attackers was lone death in school shooting HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (AP) - The lone fatality in the Colorado high school shooting was Kendrick Castillo, a friendly 18-year-old who, witnesses said, leaped from his desk in a literature class and charged the two attackers, sacrificing his life to buy classmates time to escape. Another 18-year-old who was preparing to enter the Marines also tackled at least one of the shooters. And an armed security guard then confronted and detained one of the gunmen, officials said. Authorities said these acts of bravery helped minimize the bloodshed from the attack, which also wounded eight people. "We're going to hear about very heroic things that have taken place at the school," Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said Wednesday. The attackers were identified by law enforcement officials as 18-year-old Devon Erickson and a younger student who is a juvenile and was not named. They allegedly walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch through an entrance without metal detectors and opened fire in two classrooms. ___ Trump's tariff hike menaces strong economy WASHINGTON (AP) - What trade war? For months, the U.S. economy has shrugged and chugged along as America and China slapped tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of each other's goods in the fiercest trade fight since the 1930s. Growth was steady. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.6%, a 50-year low. Stocks soared to record levels. But President Donald Trump's decision to hike import taxes on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports from 10% to 25% could upend all that. "A game changer," Steven Cochrane, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Moody's Analytics, said of the tariffs slated to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday. He called the move a "worst-case scenario" that after one year will slash 1.8 percentage points from U.S. economic growth, which was a healthy 2.9% last year. (And it could get even worse. Trump has threatened to extend 25% tariffs to another $325 billion in Chinese imports, covering everything China ships to the United States.) ___ Europeans struggle to preserve Iran nuclear accord BERLIN (AP) - The world powers struggling to preserve a nuclear deal with Iran are facing an increasingly uphill battle, with a new deadline from Tehran on finding a solution to make up for last year's unilateral U.S. withdrawal from the accord and the increasing economic hardship that has put on the Islamic Republic. After Iran notified Britain, Russia, China, the European Union, France and Germany of its intentions in a letter, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised address Wednesday that the nations have 60 days to come up with a plan to shield his country from the sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump after he pulled Washington out of the deal. "If the five countries join negotiations and help Iran to reach its benefits in the field of oil and banking, Iran will return to its commitments according to the nuclear deal," Rouhani said. The 2015 deal, intended to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, promised economic incentives in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities. Despite efforts so far by the others to keep the deal from collapsing, Iran's economy has been struggling and its currency has plummeted in value after the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions. Later Wednesday, Trump issued an executive order announcing new sanctions targeting Iran's steel, aluminum, copper and iron sectors, which provide foreign currency earnings for Tehran. ___ Trump administration seeks to target nationwide injunctions WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that the Trump administration intends to try to challenge the right of federal district courts to issue nationwide injunctions. In a speech at the Federalist Society conference in Washington, Pence argued that nationwide injunctions issued by federal judges "prevent the executive branch from acting, compromising our national security by obstructing the lawful ability of the president to stop threats to the homeland where he sees them." 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." Top administration officials have often complained about the proliferation of nationwide injunctions since Trump became president on issues ranging from immigration to health care, so the idea of pushing back is not new. Indeed, the administration has asked the Supreme Court to deal with nationwide injunctions in the past, including in the travel ban case. But the court never addressed the nationwide extent of the injunction against the ban issued by lower courts because the justices upheld the ban in its entirety. ___ New York Senate OKs giving US House Trump state tax return ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's Senate easily approved a bill Wednesday that would allow three congressional committees to get access to President Donald Trump's state tax returns, giving Democrats a potential end-run around the administration's refusal to disclose the president's federal returns. The bill, which now goes to the state Assembly, doesn't target Trump by name but would authorize state tax officials to release any state returns filed in New York if requested by the leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or the Joint Committee on Taxation. Both chambers of the state Legislature are controlled by Democrats. The vote fell along party lines, with 39 Democrats in the 63-seat Senate voting for the measure. Republicans said Democrats should be focused on lowering the state's high taxes and improving the lives of New Yorkers, not going after the president's tax returns, a move GOP senators deemed intrusive and a violation of privacy rights. "I find that extremely troubling. This is bad public policy," said John Flanagan, a Long Island Republican who leads the Senate's GOP minority. ___ Midwest downpours prompt more evacuations, flash flood fears KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Rain swamping the nation's midsection forced people from their homes in Kansas, stranded dozens of Texas children at school overnight and strained levees along the surging Mississippi River in Illinois, Missouri and elsewhere Wednesday prompting yet more flash flood concerns. The flooding began in earnest in March, causing billions of dollars of damage to farmland, homes and businesses across the Midwest. Rivers in many communities have been above flood stage for more than six weeks following waves of heavy rain. Some parts of Kansas received up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) from Tuesday through Wednesday morning, said Kelly Butler, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wichita. She described that as a "ridiculous amount of water" on top of grounds that already were saturated by days of rains. Several Kansas districts canceled classes, and numerous water rescues were reported. Emergency management officials began evacuating people from their homes near the Kansas college town of Manhattan around 5 a.m. Wednesday as Wildcat Creek overflowed its banks. The Cottonwood River spilled over in Marion County, prompting more evacuations and the surging Slate Creek also forced people from their homes in Wellington and closed a stretch of the Kansas Turnpike near the Oklahoma border. "It seemed like our poor fire department folks were going out constantly overnight, whether it was sandbagging, barricading streets or assisting citizens," said Keri Korthals, the emergency management director in Butler County, where crews rescued around a dozen people from vehicles stuck in rising water from the Walnut and Whitewater rivers. ___ Records: 9-year-old boy charged in mother's shooting death FAWN RIVER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A 9-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his mother in their southern Michigan home, according to court documents. The woman was found early Monday morning in Fawn River Township, St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough told WWMT-TV . Fawn River Township is about 160 miles (260 kilometers) west-southwest of Detroit. The boy also is charged with using a firearm during the commission of a felony. Documents filed Tuesday in St. Joseph County Circuit Court show the woman was shot with a rifle. WOOD-TV first reported the charges. The Associated Press is not identifying the victim because to do so would identify the juvenile suspect. The boy was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at a state-run juvenile facility, according to county Sheriff Bradley Balk. It isn't clear if he was charged as an adult or a juvenile. Authorities have not released the circumstances of the killing or details of why the child was charged. ___ Travel ban forces Americans to wait years for loved ones NEW YORK (AP) - Eight-year-old Mutaz cries when he sees his classmates with their mothers at teacher conferences. His 9-year-old brother, Adel, gets into trouble at school. In hourslong weekend calls with their mother, the children always have the same question: When are you coming to America? It's a question with no answer. Their mother, Amena Abdulkarem, is stuck in Yemen with her two younger sons, the boys' brothers. She's been waiting three years for a visa to come to the United States to join her husband, Sadek Ahmed, and the children. Their family's situation is representative of the toll that the Trump administration's travel ban has taken on an untold number of families. Ahmed, a 31-year-old school maintenance worker in New York and a U.S. citizen, and other Americans with relatives from countries targeted by the ban see no end to their separations. And they say they have no idea how to get a coveted waiver created, but seldom issued, by the government to help families avoid being apart for so long. "I really don't understand how long it's going to take ... I have two kids here. I need to know when she's going to come. The kids keep asking me," said Ahmed, tears in his eyes. "It's hard for them, because they're so young." ___ South Africa votes with corruption, jobs as big issues JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South Africans voted Wednesday in presidential and parliamentary elections, with signs of a relatively low turnout and voters saying they were disillusioned by widespread corruption and unemployment. Despite the demise of apartheid 25 years ago, South Africa remains divided by economic inequality . The African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela that has been in power since 1994, is likely to win a majority but it will face a difficult challenge to match the 62% of the vote it got five years ago. The party has been tarnished by corruption scandals and a national unemployment rate of 27%. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who leads the ANC, has campaigned on promises to clean up his party, an acknowledgment of the problems that forced out his predecessor last year. "Corruption got into the way," Ramaphosa said after voting, saying graft has prevented his party from serving the people. Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor Anyior aka Agbor Balla, President of the banned Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC) has told Cameroon-info.net that if invited, he is willing to meet and discuss with Prime Minister, Head of Government Chief Dr. Dion Ngute Joseph as he begins a four-day visit to the South West Region today Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The Founder/President of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) describes as laudable the peace mission initiative of Prime Minister Dion Ngute but hopes it is sincere and holistic. Generally, a peace mission is a laudable initiative and is something that each and every one will support. My only hope is that it should be a peace mission that is very sincere and that the peace mission will be very holistic; meaning that each and every one who is a party or stakeholder should be invited or given an opportunity on the peace table to contribute their own quota towards lasting peace, Agbor Balla said. The former President of the Fako Lawyers Association (FAKLA) who was among those who held talks with government in 2016 and January 2017 to rescue Common Law practice in a bi-jural Cameroon said he will not miss an opportunity to bare his mind before the Prime Minister. Hear him: If the PM invites him for talks, it will depend on why he is doing so. In what capacity will he be inviting me? Who am I to be invited by the Prime Minister for talks? But as I have always said, I remain open to dialogue, to listen and to share my views and experiences with whomever. We have been doing that with those in the international community, with the UN, EU, Canada, US, UK and Germany. We have been doing advocacy all over the world. So, nothing stops me from meeting the Prime Minister to have a discussion with him and to have a frank talk with him. I will not pamper his ego. I will tell him the way I feel. I will tell him that for him to talk about peace; he must first of all create an enabling environment. He should ensure that there could be reconstruction of the more than 200 villages that have been burnt. He should ensure that those who are in detention are released and then we sit on the dialogue table. To those who have taken up arms to fight for the independence of a country they call Ambazonia, Human Rights Lawyer Agbor Balla did not mince words when he said they have to start shifting grounds and showing good faith as well. Also, I will urge those who have taken up arms to reconsider their position because if we need to dialogue, it will be give and take. We cannot be fixed on our particular positions and want things to change. All of us should be ready to ensure that at least we give in something so that peace can reign in the country, said Agbor Balla. He also reacted on the European Parliament resolution that called on government to unban the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC) he once led with Dr. Fontem Afortekaa Neba as Secretary General. His words: I read the EU with regards to the unbanning of the consortium. I think it is a good thing. Some of us have moved beyond the Consortium but if they can work with groups, not just the Consortium but other groups that are out to finding a lasting solution to the crisis. If they can allow the Cardinal Tumi led initiative [the Anglophone General Conference] to go on and other moderate voices to go on with their conferences and attempts at dialogue. Unbanning the consortium will be a laudable initiative. Dont forget the consortium was a centric organisation that took the interest and consideration of each and every Southern Cameroonian federalists, those who believe in separation, and unitary state. It was very much all-inclusive. Agbor Balla was arrested on January 17, 2017 along with Consortium scribe Dr. Fontem Neba moments after the CACSC they led was banned by Cameroons Territorial Administration Minister at the time, Rene Emmanuel Sadi. He was held in detention until September 1, 2017 when he was freed along with some detainees arrested in connection to what has become known as the Anglophone crisis. During his stay in jail, he was charged under the 2014 law on the suppression of acts of terrorism and appeared before the military tribunal facing the maximum sentence. Today, he has forgiven all who have wronged him and also calls on those he might have hurt through his actions and inaction to forgive him. WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, escalating the Democrats' extraordinary legal battle with the Trump administration over access to special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia report. The vote capped a day of ever-deepening dispute between congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump, who for the first time invoked the principle of executive privilege, claiming the right to block lawmakers from the full report on Mueller's probe of Russian interference to help Trump in the 2016 election. Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York declared the action by Trump's Justice Department a clear new sign of the president's "blanket defiance" of Congress' constitutional rights to conduct oversight. "We did not relish doing this, but we have no choice," Nadler said after the vote. The White House's blockade, he said, "is an attack on the ability of the American people to know what the executive branch is doing." He said, "This cannot be." But Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said it was disappointing that members of Congress "have chosen to engage in such inappropriate political theatrics." House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Barr made "extraordinary efforts" to provide Congress and the public with information about Mueller's work, she said. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said neither the White House nor Barr "will comply with Chairman Nadler's unlawful and reckless demands." Late Wednesday the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee issued his own subpoena to the Justice Department for the full Mueller report, as the confrontation intensifies. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California, whose committee had previously requested the documents, said he has "no choice" but to compel the department's compliance. He warned that if it continues to "ignore or rejects our requests," the panel could take legal action. Kupec declined to comment. Though the White House initially hesitated on invoking privilege, Trump told his staff and political advisers in recent weeks to refuse to cooperate with Democrats, believing the party's goal was simply to damage him politically going into his re-election campaign. The coming legal battle could stretch to 2020, and the White House is aiming to tie up congressional probes until Election Day. Executive privilege is the president's power to keep information from the courts, Congress and the public to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. The president's decision was weeks in the making, the next inevitable escalation between the White House and Congress over a number of probes. The White House has rejected all efforts to probe Trump's business dealings or tax returns as well as the West Wing's security clearance procedure. The committee voted along party lines, 24-16, to recommend the full House hold Barr in contempt, but only after some five hours of heated and, at times, emotional testimony. Democrats made their case that Congress was at a historic juncture as it confronts what they consider Trump's stonewalling of lawmakers' ability to conduct oversight of the administration. Republicans portrayed the majority as angry and lashing out at Barr after the special counsel did not find that Trump colluded with Russia to swing the 2016 election. Said Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas: "The president now seeks to take a wrecking ball to the Constitution of the United States." And Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana said the road ahead may be "messy" but Democrats must fight to "protect our democracy." Other Democrats called the standoff a "serious" and "grave" moment. However, the panel's top Republican, Doug Collins of Georgia, said Democrats were manufacturing a crisis and rushing the process to "sully Bill Barr's good name." Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a Trump ally, said the Democrats were trying to "delegitimize" the president and biding time before they try to impeach him. "Get over it," Gaetz said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the next step will be consideration by the full House. Nadler said that will happen soon. If approved by the House, where the Democrats hold a solid majority, the contempt resolution would almost certainly move to an unusual, and potentially protracted, multi-pronged court battle with the Trump administration. The contempt finding could be referred to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a Justice Department official who would be likely to defend rather than oppose Barr. Democratic House leaders could also file a lawsuit, though the case could take months or even years to resolve. Some committee members have suggested they also could fine Barr as he withholds information. Nadler said Wednesday the Trump administration's refusal to provide the special counsel's full Russia report to Congress presents a "constitutional crisis." In a letter Wednesday to Trump , Barr explained that the special counsel's files contain millions of pages of classified and unclassified information. He said it was the committee's "abrupt resort to a contempt vote" that "has not allowed sufficient time for you to consider fully whether to make a conclusive assertion of executive privilege." Barr told Trump he should assert privilege now, "pending a full decision on the matter." Talks with the Justice Department broke down over the committee's subpoena for an unredacted version of the report. Barr released a redacted version of Mueller's 400-plus-page report to the public last month, but Democrats subpoenaed the full document , along with underlying evidence. The department has rejected that demand, while allowing a few top lawmakers from the House and Senate to view a version with fewer redactions. That version blacks out grand jury information, which needs a judge's approval for release, and it doesn't include the report's underlying evidence. Democrats have said they won't view that version until they get broader access. Almost half the report's pages contain some type of redaction including those around the Russian influence campaign, presidential pardons and other topics. Barr has refused to testify in public to the committee after a disagreement over the Democrats' demand that he answer questions from a staff attorney in addition to lawmakers. The committee is in talks for Mueller himself to appear May 15, but there is no agreement yet, and Trump has said Mueller should not testify. Nadler also has threatened to hold former White House Counsel Don McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesn't testify before the committee later this month. Nadler rejected a White House claim that documents McGahn refused to provide despite a subpoena are controlled by the White House and thus McGahn has no legal right to them. Pelosi, who has tamped down calls from her liberal flank to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump, said in a Washington Post interview Wednesday that the president, by obstructing Congress was becoming "self-impeachable." Mueller, in his report, said he could not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there were not grounds to charge Trump with obstruction. ___ Jonathan Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo and Laurie Kellman in Washington contributed. FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, Attorney General William Barr is sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The House Judiciary Committee is moving ahead with a vote to hold Barr in contempt of Congress despite last-minute negotiations with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE - In this March 24, 2019, file photo, special counsel Robert Mueller departs St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., addresses questions from a bi-partisan group, during her visit to the Institute of Politics and Global Affairs at Cornell University, Tuesday May 7, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Special counsel Robert Mueller departs after having dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago) Special counsel Robert Mueller departs after having dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago) Special counsel Robert Mueller departs dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the ranking member, talk as Nadler moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the ranking member, talk as Nadler moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran threatened Wednesday to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels in 60 days if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its 2015 nuclear deal, raising regional tensions as a U.S. aircraft carrier and bombers headed to the Middle East to confront Tehran. A televised address by President Hassan Rouhani, who once pledged that the landmark deal would draw Iran closer to the West, saw the cleric instead pressure Europe to shield Tehran from the sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the agreement exactly a year earlier. Rouhani's threats put the world on notice that it cannot continue to rely on Iran complying with terms of the unraveling deal in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, a U.S. campaign of sanctions hammering Iran's anemic economy and blocking its sale of oil on the global market is only making life worse, putting further pressure on both its Shiite theocracy and its 80 million people. Later Wednesday, Trump issued an executive order announcing new sanctions targeting Iran's steel, aluminum, copper and iron sectors, which provide foreign currency earnings for Tehran. Rouhani earlier compared the situation to a medical emergency for the Islamic Republic, only 40 years after its founding. "We felt that the nuclear deal needs a surgery, and the painkiller pills of the last year have been ineffective," Rouhani said. "This surgery is for saving the deal, not destroying it." In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani heads a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rouhani said Wednesday that it will begin keeping its excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms to its nuclear deal with world powers before it will resume higher uranium enrichment. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) Iran on Wednesday stopped its sale of excess uranium and heavy water as a first step, Rouhani said, something required under the deal. The U.S. last week ended deals allowing Iran to exchange its enriched uranium for unrefined yellowcake uranium with Russia, and to sell its heavy water, which is used as a coolant in nuclear reactors, to Oman. In 60 days, if no new deal is in place, Iran will increase its enrichment of uranium beyond the accord-permitted 3.67%, which can fuel a commercial nuclear power plant. Rouhani did not say how far Iran would be willing to enrich, although the head of its nuclear program again reiterated Iran could reach 20% enrichment within four days. Once a country enriches uranium to around 20%, scientists say the time needed to reach the 90% threshold for weapons-grade uranium is halved. Iran long has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, Iranian state television's English-language service Press TV, citing sources close to presidency, said the country would withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty if Europeans sought to sanction Iran at the U.N. Security Council. Rouhani also said that if the 60 days pass without action, Iran will halt a Chinese-led effort to redesign its Arak heavy water nuclear reactor. Such reactors produce plutonium that can be used in nuclear weapons. Iran notified Britain, Russia, China, the European Union, France and Germany of its decision earlier in the day. All were signatories to the nuclear deal and continue to support it. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met Wednesday in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and offered a letter as well. "If the five countries join negotiations and help Iran to reach its benefits in the field of oil and banking, Iran will return to its commitments according to the nuclear deal," Rouhani said. Zarif separately issued his own warning from Moscow. "After a year of patience, Iran stops measures that (the) US has made impossible to continue," he tweeted. World powers have "a narrowing window to reverse this." Reaction came swiftly from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a staunch critic of Iran and the nuclear deal. "I heard that Iran intends to continue its nuclear program. We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said. "We will continue to fight those who seek to take our lives, and we will thrust our roots even deeper into the soil of our homeland." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in London, said America "will wait and observe" what Iran does next. "They have made have made a number of statements about actions they have threatened to do in order to get the world to jump," Pompeo said. Rouhani also made an implicit threat as well to Europe, saying Iran now cooperates on issues like targeting Afghan opium and hashish traffickers and controlling immigration. "You are obliged ... for your own security, for protecting your youths against drugs as well as controlling influx of immigrants," the president said. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called Iran's threat to resume higher enrichment of uranium an "unwelcome step." French Defense Secretary Florence Parly was much more dire. "Nothing would be worse than Iran leaving this deal," he told BMFTV. Iran's move comes at a sensitive moment in the wider Middle East. The White House said it dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf over what it described as a new threat from Iran. Israel, which has conducted pre-emptive bombings of nuclear facilities in Iraq and Syria, has vowed to never allow Iran to obtain an atomic weapon. Apparently responding to that, the general staff of Iran's armed forces issued a statement applauding Rouhani's decision and warning its enemies. "Any possible movement by them will face a regrettable response by Iranian nation and its armed forces," the statement said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The 2015 deal lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. It reached the deal after years of negotiations, including secret talks in Oman between Iran and the administration of former President Barack Obama. The U.S. withdrew from the deal under Trump, whose administration contends the accord should have limited Iran's ballistic missile program and what it describes as Tehran's malign regional influence. However, the U.N.'s atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, repeatedly has verified that Iran stuck to terms of the deal. The agency did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. After the U.S. withdrew from the accord, it restored the crippling sanctions, exacerbating a severe economic crisis. The Iranian rial, which traded at 32,000 to $1 at the time of the accord, traded Wednesday at 153,500. That Iran chose to keep its excess uranium and heavy water first, rather than abandon the accord in its entirety, shows it still hopes to secure a deal. In years of negotiations over its nuclear program, Iran similarly has gone step-by-step in ramping its activities while holding talks. It also protects Rouhani, a relative moderate cleric within Iran's Shiite theocracy, from criticism by hard-liners who long maintained Iran gave up too much in the nuclear deal. On the streets of Tehran, the mood was mixed as people are struggling to make ends meet as the Iranian currency collapses. "It was a good but late decision by Iran," said Soroush Kamali, a 21-year-old geography student. "The West should learn that they cannot remain idle while Iranian people are suffering from sanctions." Zahra Ahari, a 43-year-old homemaker, simply wished for things to get better. "I do not understand the terms and words of officials. They should do something to make our life easier," Ahari said. "I hope the new decision will have such an impact." ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Matthew Lee in London contributed. In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rouhani said Wednesday that it will begin keeping its excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms to its nuclear deal with world powers before it will resume higher uranium enrichment. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani, center, heads a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rouhani said Wednesday that it will begin keeping its excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms to its nuclear deal with world powers before it will resume higher uranium enrichment. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rouhani said Wednesday that it will begin keeping its excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms to its nuclear deal with world powers before it will resume higher uranium enrichment. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) FILE - In this June 6, 2018 frame grab from Islamic Republic Iran Broadcasting, IRIB, state-run TV, three versions of domestically-built centrifuges are shown in a live TV program from Natanz, an Iranian uranium enrichment plant, in Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is reportedly set to announce ways the Islamic Republic will react to continued U.S. pressure after President Donald Trump pulled America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Iranian media say Rouhani is expected to deliver a nationwide address as soon as Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding the steps the country will take. (IRIB via AP, File) FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2010 file photo, a worker rides a bike in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, outside Bushehr, Iran. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is reportedly set to announce ways the Islamic Republic will react to continued U.S. pressure after President Donald Trump pulled America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Iranian media say Rouhani is expected to deliver a nationwide address as soon as Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding the steps the country will take. (AP Photo/Majid Asgaripour/Mehr News Agency, File) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, speaks at a joint press conference with Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the Foreign Office in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the two nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A near total ban on abortion won approval Wednesday in an Alabama legislative committee, as lawmakers in multiple conservative states have begun passing bills aimed at overturning the Supreme Court decision that made the procedure legal. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-2 for the bill making it a felony to perform an abortion. The committee added an exception for rape and incest. The bill's sponsor, Republican State Rep. Terri Collins, objected to that addition, saying that allowing it could weaken the goal of creating a court case to weigh whether embryos and fetuses are people with rights of personhood. "Is that baby in the womb a person? And if so, that baby has a right to life. That baby has a right to be," the Decatur lawmaker told the committee. "I believe science shows that baby is a person." The proposal is expected to go before the full Senate on Thursday, Senate Rules Chairman Jabo Waggoner said. Emboldened by conservative justices who have joined the Supreme Court, abortion opponents in several states are seeking to spark a legal challenge that could eventually lead the court to revisit Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Women's heath clinic escorts, from left Mia Raven, Margeaux Hartline and Kari Crowe walk into the gallery to watch debate on the abortion ban bill at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday April 30, 2019. The House of Representatives on Tuesday will debate the proposal to make performing an abortion a felony. The bill contains an exemption for the mother's health but not for rape or incest. The legislation is purposely designed to conflict with the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationally. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) The Alabama bill comes soon after Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy. The Alabama bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives 74-3 last week, goes further by seeking to outlaw abortion outright. "This is the most egregious bill we are seeing in the country despite what Georgia signed into law yesterday," said Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast. The bills signal a shift from some conservative states attempting to chip around the edges of Roe and abortion access to a go-for-broke strategy of pushing outright abortion bans. The rape and incest exception would be in addition to another exception protecting the mother's health that was already in the Alabama bill. The newest amendment was approved on a voice vote. Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, said he thought the bill "may not survive the Senate" without the amendment. But Collins said she will ask the Senate to strip the amendment. The committee approval followed a sometimes emotional public hearing. Samantha Blakely, who said she had an abortion after she was raped, said a ban would endanger women's lives because women would seek them anyway. "If abortion was not legal, I would still have one, somewhere, somehow. Or I just would not be here because there is no way that I would be able to carry my rapist's child," Blakely said. Christy Harmon, who works with a Christian adoption agency, said there are families waiting to adopt unwanted children. She said an embryo is a person. "We were embryos who were given the time and protection to be born," Harmon said. Obstetricians spoke for and against the bill. Some called for keeping abortion available while others described patients who were relieved they did not choose abortion. "I remember the stories of folks that were considering abortion and now they are coming back and showing me pictures of their children graduating and what a joy that is," said Dr. Lance Radbill. Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, who voted against the bill, unsuccessfully proposed an amendment that would require the state to provide financial support to women who are forced to give birth and raise children against their will. "I wish God for one day would flip the switch and say the men would be able to become pregnant and have the children," the Birmingham Democrat said. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey has not publically said whether she will sign the bill if it's approved by lawmakers. "As this legislation is still making its way through the legislative process, the governor intends to withhold comment until it makes its way to her desk for signature," deputy press secretary Lori Jhons wrote in an email. FILE - In this Tuesday, April 30, 2019 file photo, Rep. Terri Collins answers questions during debate on the abortion ban bill at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala. An attempt to outlaw abortion in Alabama is headed to a committee vote in the Alabama Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote Wednesday morning, May 8, 2019, on the bill following a public hearing. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP, File) HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (AP) - When a gunman burst into his high school classroom, Kendrick Castillo did not hesitate. The 18-year-old immediately charged, pinning the attacker to the wall before Castillo was fatally shot protecting classmates, witnesses said. As he charged, so did two other students. One of them, Brendan Bialy, wrestled the gun from the shooter's hand and the students subdued him. A second shooter was captured by an armed security guard. Authorities said these acts of bravery helped minimize the bloodshed from Tuesday's attack, which also wounded eight people. "We're going to hear about very heroic things that have taken place at the school," Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said Wednesday. The attackers were identified by law enforcement officials as 18-year-old Devon Erickson and a 16-year-old who prosecutors identified as Maya McKinney but whose attorney said uses male pronouns and the name Alec. The two allegedly walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch through an entrance without metal detectors and opened fire in two classrooms. Attendees illuminate their mobile telephones during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Because the attack happened only miles from Columbine High School and just weeks after the shooting's 20th anniversary, questions quickly arose about whether it was inspired by the 1999 massacre. But investigators offered no immediate motive. Castillo sprang into action against the shooter "and immediately was on top of him with complete disregard for his own safety," said Bialy, a close friend of Castillo's who has signed up to join the Marines. A member of the school's robotics club and a relentless tinkerer, Castillo had an infectious smile and gentle sense of humor, according to friends. He worked part-time at a local manufacturing company that had offered him a job after an internship because he was such a standout employee. "To find he went down as a hero, I'm not surprised. That's exactly who Kendrick was," said Rachel Short, president of the company, Baccara. Cecilia Bedard, 19, had known Castillo since elementary school and said he was always friendly, modest and excited to help people. He made a point of always joining his father at Knights of Columbus fundraisers and bingo nights. "He was amazing," Bedard said. "He was honestly the sweetest kid I ever met. Never said a mean joke." Bialy smiled as he recounted the struggle with the shooter to reporters, saying that he wanted to focus on the positive. "They completely and utterly failed in a matter of half a minute," he said of the attackers. "What I saw yesterday was the absolute best of people," he added. Bialy would not identify the third student who helped subdue the gunman, but the family of Joshua Jones put out a statement saying he was shot twice while disarming one of the attackers. The security guard who detained the second armed suspect was employed by Boss High Level Protection, a company started by a former SWAT team leader who responded to the Columbine shooting. The owner, Grant Whitus, told The Associated Press the security guard is a former Marine who ran to the area of the shootings and confronted one of the armed students in a hallway. The guard drew his weapon and apprehended the person, Whitus said. "He doesn't even realize how many lives he saved by stopping a school shooting," Whitus said. About 2,000 people held a vigil at a nearby high school Wednesday night to honor the victims and survivors of the attack. Both suspects were students at the school, and they were not previously known to authorities, Spurlock said. Erickson made his first court appearance Wednesday and kept his head down. His black hair, streaked with purple dye, covered his face as he nodded in response to most of District Court Judge Theresa Slade's questions. At one point, the judge requested a verbal answer to whether he had any questions about the proceedings. Erickson simply replied "No." McKinney, who has a short brown haircut, made eye contact with the judge and answered questions in a clear but quiet voice, saying "Yes, your honor" and "No, your honor." District attorney George Brauchler said he has not decided whether to file adult charges but added that McKinney is old enough to be charged as an adult without a judge's review. Formal charges were expected to be filed by Friday. Brauchler said he could not discuss any motive or weapons used in the attack. A message left at a phone number listed for Erickson's home was not immediately returned. Josh Dutton, 18, said he was close friends with Erickson in middle school but had not seen him for four years while attending a different high school. On Sunday, he spotted Erickson at a local light rail station and said he was shocked at how much his friend had changed. Erickson wore all black and was significantly thinner and did not seem interested in talking. "He said he'd just turned 18 and he owned rifles," Dutton said. The shooting took place exactly a week after a gunman killed two students and wounded four at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. In that case as well, one of the fatalities was a student who charged the attacker. The Colorado attack unfolded came nearly three weeks after neighboring Littleton marked the anniversary of the Columbine attack that killed 13 people. The two schools are separated by about 7 miles (11 kilometers) in adjacent communities south of Denver. Brauchler said the community remains resilient in the face of multiple shootings, including Columbine, the 2012 theater shooting in the Denver suburb of Aurora and the 2013 shooting at Arapahoe High School. The attacks are "aberrant acts" although they might seem otherwise to the rest of the world, he said. "Who we are is a kind, compassionate, caring people, and this does not define us." ___ This story has been updated to correct the name of the student who charged the shooter to Joshua Jones, instead of Jason Jones. ___ Riccardi reported from Denver. Associated Press writers Dan Elliott and Colleen Slevin in Denver and AP researchers Monika Mathur in Washington and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. Young people console each other during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., center, greets attendees during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Students leave during a community vigil held to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Colorado State Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Aurora, center, applauds for speakers during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Sullivan lost his son, Alex, in the massacre at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Young women console each other during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Young women console each other during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Audrey Glenn, left, hugs Andrew Schoenherr, a student at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the school Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Glenn attended the STEM school before moving over to Highlands Ranch High School. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Kelly and Steve Holley hold their son Nate, 12, across the street from the STEM School Highlands Ranch in Highlands Ranch, Colo, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Nate is a sixth grader at STEM and was in the gymnasium when the gunshots began. Nate and his classmates hid in a closet for close to half an hour before the police came through and cleared the school. "I asked Nate yesterday how he felt about going to school and he said, 'It's not safe," said Steve Holley about a conversation with his son. (Kelsey Brunner/The Gazette via AP) From right, Dena Martin speaks as her son, Brendan Bialy, second from right, family attorney Mark Bryant and father Brad Bialy, left, look on as Brendan Bialy recounts his role in stopping the attack at the STEM School Highlands Ranch during a news conference Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) This undated photo provided by the Joshua Jones family shows Joshua Jones. The family of Jones put out a statement saying he was shot twice while disarming one of the attackers who allegedly walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch through an entrance without metal detectors and opened fire in two classrooms Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Courtesy of the Joshua Jones family via AP) Deputies shield the parents of the victim of the attack at the STEM Highlands Ranch school as they arrive for the arraignments of the two suspects Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Castle Rock, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Deputies shield the parents of the victim who died in the attack at the STEM Highlands Ranch school as they attend the arraignment hearings for the two suspects Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Castle Rock, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Devon Erickson, an accused STEM School shooter, appears at the Douglas County Courthouse in Castle Rock, Colo., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The attackers were identified by law enforcement officials as 18-year-old Erickson and a younger student who is a juvenile and was not named. They allegedly walked into the STEM School Highlands Ranch through an entrance without metal detectors and opened fire in two classrooms. (Joe Amon/The Denver Post via AP, Pool) JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South Africans voted Wednesday in presidential and parliamentary elections, with signs of a relatively low turnout and voters saying they were disillusioned by widespread corruption and unemployment. Despite the demise of apartheid 25 years ago, South Africa remains divided by economic inequality . The African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela that has been in power since 1994, is likely to win a majority but it will face a difficult challenge to match the 62% of the vote it got five years ago. The party has been tarnished by corruption scandals and a national unemployment rate of 27%. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who leads the ANC, has campaigned on promises to clean up his party, an acknowledgment of the problems that forced out his predecessor last year. "Corruption got into the way," Ramaphosa said after voting, saying graft has prevented his party from serving the people. Selina Molapo, a 38-year-old resident of Tembisa township in eastern Johannesburg, agreed with him, complaining the ANC has not delivered on its promise of jobs. Electoral commission agents start counting the votes in Wednesday May 8, 2019 general elections in Johannesburg, South Africa. South Africans voted Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) "In 2014, we voted for the ANC but our situation has not changed," Molapo said. "I am voting for a different party." Firebrand opposition leader Julius Malema voted in his home area of Polokwane in northern Limpopo province and said he expects a good turnout for his party, the populist, leftist Economic Freedom Fighters . "If the people want to continue unemployed, if the people want to continue landless, then they can continue voting for the same party," Malema said, referring to the ruling ANC. "But if you need change, the EFF is the way to go!" Young voters make up about 20% of the electorate and largely support Malema, who broke from the ANC six years ago. However, registration of voters under 30 was relatively low. Mmusi Maimane, leader of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, was one of the first voters at the Dobsonville polling station in Soweto, Johannesburg's largest black township. "Soweto represents to me the home of the struggle against apartheid and it is where we are now struggling against corruption and for a new government," Maimane said. Black support for his party is limited because it is generally perceived to be run by whites. The ANC has vowed to embark on a program of seizing white-owned land without compensation, for which it needs a 67% majority to change South Africa's constitution. In the most likely scenario, the ANC will need to form a coalition government with another party to get the votes needed. That is likely to be the EFF, which supports land seizures. If the ANC's share of the vote slips below 60%, Ramaphosa could be vulnerable and his party could oust him and choose a new leader. More than 40 smaller parties also are vying for power in the balloting. Neither the president nor the parliament is elected directly. Voters cast ballots for a national party and the number of votes won by each party determines how many representatives are sent to the legislature. The president is the leader of the party that gets the most votes. At the polling station in the overwhelmingly white, upscale Parkhurst suburb of Johannesburg, a lanky young man hustling as one of the city's "car guards" - the ubiquitous youths who offer to keep an eye on a vehicle while the driver is away - paused to say he had given up on the ANC and was voting for the Democratic Alliance instead. "They ate a lot of millions," 26-year-old Anthony Molele said of the ANC's many corruption scandals. At a lonely-looking table for the populist EFF, party agents and domestic workers Marie Lekgothoane and Sophie Tsoai watched the arrival of mostly white voters. Lekgothoane described how she and her 13-year-old daughter must wake up at 5 a.m. daily to commute more than an hour by minibus to Parkhurst, where she works and once lived before being asked to move out. "We struggle a lot," Lekgothoane said, adding that she has put her faith in the EFF and its promise of change. "I like this party with all of my heart," she said. "I like the way they talk." When South Africa held its first all-race elections in 1994 after the end of the harsh apartheid system of racial discrimination, voters waited in long, snaking lines. Few such scenes were evident Wednesday, except in the poor Diepsloot township north of Johannesburg. Voter apathy could be trouble for the ANC. Winston Rammoko, 41, did not vote because he said he did not believe it would be significant. "We all know that the ANC is going to win the elections so I do not think mine will make any difference," said Rammoko, who sells tires in the eastern suburb of Kempton Park. "They have won since 1994 and it will happen again." Tracy van Tonder, 20, is one of the younger South Africans who did not register to vote. "By the time I got interested in voting, the deadline to vote had already passed," she said while accompanying her older sister. Van Tonder is one of the nearly 6 million eligible voters under 30 who did not register. Some 26 million people of South Africa's population of 57 million are eligible to vote, and the day is a national holiday to encourage turnout. Most of the 22,900 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 9 p.m. (0500 to 1900 GMT). Preliminary results will be announced from the electoral commission in the capital, Pretoria. Final results are not expected for 48 hours. ___ Associated Press writer Cara Anna contributed. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Electoral workers count ballots in view of party agents after the close of polls at the Parkhurst Primary School in Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Residents of Alexandra Township queue to cast their votes in Johannesburg, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) Residents of Alexandra Township queue to cast their votes in Johannesburg, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) An electoral worker empties a ballot box for counting in view of party agents after the close of polls at the Parkhurst Primary School in Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) South Africans queue in the early morning cold to cast their votes in the mining settlement of Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, in South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) South Africans queue in the early morning sun to cast their votes in the mining settlement of Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, in South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Electoral workers place ballot boxes on the stage of the school hall prior to counting, in view of party agents, after voting closed at the Parkhurst Primary School in Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) A South African woman casts her vote at the end of the day at a polling station in Dobsonville, Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Two supporters of the African National Congress (ANC) take selfies as they queue in the early morning cold to cast their votes in the mining settlement of Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, in South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) President Cyril Ramaphosa casts his vote at the Hitekani Primary School in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane casts his vote Wednesday, May 8, 2019 in general elections in Soweto, South Africa. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Residents of Saulsville, Pretoria, South Africa queue to cast their votes Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans voted Wednesday in presidential and parliamentary elections, with early signs of a relatively low turnout, as voters say they are disillusioned by widespread corruption and unemployment. (AP Photo) Esther Mahlangu, a contemporary South African artist, has her thumb ink-marked before casting her vote in presidential and parliamentary elections at a polling station at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga, South Africa, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans have started voting in presidential and parliamentary elections amid issues of corruption and unemployment. It is 25 years after the end of apartheid, but despite the demise of the system of racial discrimination the country remains divided by economic inequality. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) President Cyril Ramaphosa greets supporters after casting his vote at the Hitekani Primary School in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Voters cast their ballots in Diepsloot, near Johannesburg on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California has overhauled its sex education guidance for public school teachers, encouraging them to talk about gender identity with kindergartners and give advice to LGBT teenagers for navigating relationships and having safe sex. LGBT advocates praised the new recommendations for giving attention to a community that is often left out of sex education policies. But some parents and conservative groups assailed the more than 700-page document as an assault on parental rights, arguing it exposes children to ideas about sexuality and gender that should be taught at home. The guidance approved Wednesday by the California State Board of Education does not require educators to teach anything. It is designed as a guide for teachers to meet state standards on health education, such as nutrition, physical activity and combating alcohol and drug abuse. But it's the parts about sex that got the most attention during a public hearing on Wednesday. The framework tells teachers that students in kindergarten can identify as transgender and offers tips for how to talk about that, adding "the goal is not to cause confusion about the gender of the child but to develop an awareness that other expressions exist." It gives tips for discussing masturbation with middle-schoolers, including telling them it is not physically harmful, and for discussing puberty with transgender teens that creates "an environment that is inclusive and challenges binary concepts about gender." "As the parent of three kids, we're on a careful trajectory here not to be introducing things as though they are endorsed in some way," board president Linda Darling-Hammond said. FILE - In this June 12, 2013 file photo second-grade teacher Vickie Boudouris goes over a an English work sheet with her students at the Cordova Villa Elementary School, in Rancho Cordova, Calif. The California State Board of Education is set to vote, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, on new guidance for teaching sex education in public schools. The guidance is not mandatory but it gives teachers ideas about teaching a wide range of health topics. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) But Patricia Reyes, a 45-year-old mother of six, doesn't believe that. She traveled more than 400 miles (about 644 kilometers) from her home in Southern California to attend Wednesday's hearing, bringing along her 4-year-old daughter, Angeline, who held a sign that read: "Protect my innocence and childhood." "It's just scary what they are going to be teaching. It's pornography," she said. "If this continues, I'm not sending them to school." Much of the pushback focused not on the framework, but on the books it recommends students read. An earlier draft of the document suggested high schoolers read the book: "S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties." It includes descriptions of anal sex, bondage and other sexual activity. Several parents read from the book and held it up so board members could see the pictures, which many described as "obscene." The board responded by removing the book, plus a few others, from the guidance. "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 said. "But the removal will help avoid the misunderstanding that California is mandating the use of these books." More than 200 people signed up to speak during a public hearing on Wednesday that lasted for several hours. Supporters and opponents mingled together in the lobby of the California Department of Education, where parents handed out snacks to appease their young children while waiting for their number to appear on dry-erase board telling them it was their turn to get one minute of time at the microphone. Speakers included 16-year-old Phoenix Ali Rajah, a transgender boy who said he is rarely taught information for people like him during sex education classes at his Los Angeles area high school. "I'm never taught about how to be in a relationship with gay men," he said, adding that the "conversation with sex starts from a different place." Michele McNutt, 49, focused on the framework's attention to healthy relationships and consent, something she said is never too soon to teach her two daughters in public school, ages 11 and 9. "Withholding medically accurate, scientific information from them actually causes more harm and does not actually protect innocence," she said while wearing a purple T-shirt that read "protect trans students. "If you don't give kids accurate information about their own body ... how are they able to make good choices?" The guidance was developed with input from teachers across the state, and several spoke in favor of the recommendations on Wednesday. But not Tatyana Dzyubak, an elementary school teacher in the Sacramento area. "I shouldn't be teaching that stuff," she said. "That's for parents to do." Opponents of a proposal to makes changes to the sex education guidance for teachers, rallied at the Capitol Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. The California State Board of Education is set to vote Wednesday on new guidance for teaching sex education in public schools. The guidance is not mandatory but it gives teachers ideas about how to teach a wide range of health topic including speaking to children about gender identity. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Nghia Nguyen, right, waits to testify in support of proposed changes to sex education guidance for teachers, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. The California State Board of Education is set to vote Wednesday on new guidance for teaching sex education in public schools. The guidance is not mandatory but it gives teachers ideas about how to teach a wide range of health topic including speaking to children about gender identity. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Angelie Reyes, 4, joins her family from Anaheim Hills to protest proposed changes to sex education guidance for teachers, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. The California State Board of Education is set to vote Wednesday on new guidance for teaching sex education in public schools. The guidance is not mandatory but it gives teachers ideas about how to teach a wide range of health topic including speaking to children about gender identity. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Linda Darling-Hammond, left, president of the State Board of Education huddles with the Karen Stapf Walters, right, the boards executive director, during a meeting where proposed changes to sex education guidance for teachers are to be voted on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. The guidance is not mandatory but it gives teachers ideas about how to teach a wide range of health topic including speaking to children about gender identity. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Tens of thousands of teachers across Oregon walked off the job Wednesday to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, closed for at least part of the day. Most offered day care and free lunch programs. An estimated 25,000 people massed in a downtown Portland park for a rally before marching through the city. The mix of teachers, parents and students wore red to support the "Red for Ed" campaign that's taken hold nationwide and chanted that slogan. It was one of many protests statewide that called on lawmakers to expand school funding in Oregon, which has some of the largest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the United States. Kathy Paxton-Williams, who attended public school in Oregon and has been teaching in Portland for more than 20 years, said she has seen dramatic changes. "Every year, for the last 21 years, there's been cuts and cuts and cuts," she said. Thousands of teachers and education supporters march in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Tens of thousands of teachers across Oregon walked off the job Wednesday to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian via AP) The walkout follows a wave of teacher activism that began in West Virginia in 2018 and was followed by Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arizona and elsewhere. Teachers in North Carolina and South Carolina rallied at their respective state capitols last week seeking more money. Unlike other states, Oregon teachers are not seeking pay raises or other union demands. They say they're walking out to highlight classroom conditions and how years of low funding has affected learning opportunities. Some school administrators didn't agree with the walkout. In Grants Pass, one of Oregon's most conservative cities, students are volunteering to wash firetrucks or play music in nursing homes to show why the community should value education, Superintendent Kirk Kolb said. "Walking out of school and closing school, we agree that's not a message we want to represent," Kolb said. "We have to be there for our kids because they rely on us to provide them a real positive, stable place." Districts decided whether to close schools, and in many cases, they will have to make up for the lost time. Portland Public Schools, for example, closed all day when more than 500 teachers said they would participate, spokesman Harry Esteve said. The district is adding a day to the end of the year. The walkout comes as Republican senators are blocking a vote on legislation to raise $1 billion a year for schools. The absence of all 12 Republicans for a second day Wednesday denied the Senate enough members to vote on the half a percent tax on some of Oregon's wealthiest businesses. Republicans say the tax plan would raise the prices of consumer goods without fixing the education system. They also said they would not support a funding package that doesn't address the state's pension debt, which has soared past $25 billion. GOP Sen. Tim Knopp says Republicans are "in for the long haul" and won't return to the state Capitol in Salem until majority Democrats agree to renegotiate. About 1,500 teachers and supporters marched to the state Capitol, chanting, "Do your job!" to press Republicans to come back to vote. They poured inside and shouted their support for fully funded schools. John Larson, president of the Oregon Education Association, said Republicans' refusal is exactly why teachers are protesting. "It just mystifies me that adults just can't sit in a room and do what's right for kids," he said. Oregon schools are unusually dependent on state money after voters changed the school funding formula in the 1990s in an effort to limit property taxes. Since then, lawmakers have struggled to find an adequate source of revenue to keep up with rising costs. The walkout builds on the previous strikes nationwide but also shows teacher demands are going beyond pay, said Robert Bruno, an expert on teacher labor issues at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. "Now the issues are far more diverse, and they're about cultural inclusion, they're about fighting poverty, about making sure that you get schools some nurses," he said. For example, teachers in Woodburn say they need more counselors and support staffers to respond to the increasing number of students displaying complex behavioral problems. A third of students are English language learners and over 40% of families rely on food stamps in the town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Portland. "They have to be both a teacher and a counselor to the more than 30 kids in their class," said Cherene Mills, a teacher at Valor Middle School. Some parents said they understood the reasons behind the walkout. "It's inconvenient, yeah, but it's something that has to happen," said Armando Gonzalez, who said he worked from home to care for his two daughters. "But, hey, what's a little inconvenience when it's about doing right by our kids?" ___ Zimmerman reported from Salem. Thousands of teachers and education supporters march in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Tens of thousands of teachers across Oregon walked off the job Wednesday to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian via AP) Protesters inside the Oregon State Capitol shout their support for Oregon schools to be fully funded, Wednesday, May 8, 2019 in Salem, Ore. Tens of thousands of teachers across Oregon walked off the job Wednesday to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky) Teachers and supporters gather at the intersection of 29th Ave. and Willamette St. in Eugene, Ore, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, during a walkout in support of more funding for education in Oregon. (Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via AP) Thousands of teachers rally in a downtown Portland park, joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) Teachers and others rally in Woodburn, Ore., joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Sarah Zimmerman) Teachers and others rally in Woodburn, Ore., joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Sarah Zimmerman) Eva Berg, 3, from Beaverton, Ore., joins thousands of teachers and others at a rally in a downtown Portland, Ore., park, who walked off the job to demand more money for schools. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) Thousands of teachers and education supporters march in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Tens of thousands of teachers across Oregon walked off the job Wednesday to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian via AP) Thousands of teachers rally in a downtown Portland park, joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - After a jury convicted an Oregon man of having sex with a passed-out partygoer, one of the jurors left the courthouse and wept. Cash Spencer and three other jurors believed the defendant was innocent, but after a lunch break, one changed her mind. Hours later, another changed her vote to guilty, saying she had to take care of her children and didn't want to return the next day, according to Spencer. That put the number of guilty votes at 10 - enough to convict Olan Williams of felony sodomy, condemning him to a mandatory minimum eight years in prison. The vote of Spencer, the only African American on the jury in which the defendant was also black, meant nothing. Oregon is the only state in America that allows nonunanimous jury convictions. Voters in Louisiana, the only other state that had adopted it, scrapped the provision in 2018. Now, momentum is building for the same in Oregon, with several lawmakers sponsoring a ballot measure to eliminate an amendment to the state constitution that allows nonunanimous verdicts. In addition, a Louisiana case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court could have far-reaching effects in Oregon. "We have evolved, and it's time for our criminal justice system to reform and to move ahead," state Sen. James Manning Jr., co-sponsor of a resolution that would put the issue on the ballot in the 2020 election, told The Associated Press. CORRECTS YEAR OF CASE TO 2016, NOT 2017 - In this Tuesday, April 30, 2019 photo, Cash Spencer poses for a photo in Portland, Ore. Spencer was a dissenting juror in a sodomy case in the 2016 conviction of Olan Williams. Oregon is the last state to allow split juries in criminal cases. Just ten of twelve jurors need agree for a guilty verdict. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer) The amendment allowing split-jury verdicts dates back decades and has roots in white nationalism. In 1933, Jacob Silverman, a Portland hotel proprietor with a sketchy past, was on trial for the murder of a small-time crook. Eleven jurors believed he was guilty, but one voted for acquittal. They settled on convicting Silverman, a Jew, of a lesser manslaughter charge. He was sentenced to three years, which caused a stir. Anti-minority sentiment was prevalent in Oregon. The Ku Klux Klan even helped elect a governor a few years earlier. In an editorial, the Morning Oregonian newspaper, which covered Silverman's trial, said the "vast immigration into America from southern and eastern Europe, of people untrained in the jury system, have combined to make the jury of twelve increasingly unwieldy and unsatisfactory." The Legislature put the issue on the ballot, and voters passed it in 1934, allowing 10-2 verdicts for crimes except first-degree murder convictions. Oregon officials don't compile data on how many jury verdicts are nonunanimous, but a 2009 study by the Office of Public Defense Services concluded they "occur with great frequency in felony trials throughout the state." The office found 65% of the verdicts were nonunanimous in trials during 2007 and 2008 in which public defenders were involved and juries were polled. Last year, a man was exonerated after being convicted by a nonunanimous jury in 2017 of sexual abuse of a minor and sentenced to 50 years in prison. The case was tossed after new evidence showed the alleged victim lied under oath. The Oregon District Attorneys Association says it favors the ballot measure because "adding the requirement of unanimity is another important safeguard against both wrongful convictions and wrongful acquittals." Three district attorneys dissented, noting in a newspaper column that an accused person can also be acquitted by a split jury, even of murder, and insisting that requiring unanimous verdicts would increase hung juries. Rep. Jennifer Williamson, another co-sponsor of the ballot measure resolution, takes strong exception to that stance. "It's outrageous to me that they would say that for efficiency's sake we shouldn't have unanimous juries," Williamson said. Requiring unanimous verdicts pushes juries to consider evidence more thoroughly, lessening the chances for wrongful convictions, she said. "It results in more deliberation time." During Williams' 2016 trial in Portland, the jury reached its 10-2 verdict within hours. In a recent interview at a Portland park, Spencer, wearing hoop earrings, her short hair frosted blond, remembered a court clerk checking in with jurors near the end of the first day of deliberations. He wanted to see when they planned to return the next day. Three jurors still maintained the prosecution failed to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Williams, who is gay, had sex with a heterosexual man who had passed out from alcohol. After the clerk left, one of the holdouts announced she would vote with the majority because she had children to care for and didn't want to come back, Spencer said. "And that was it," Spencer said. "The foreman called the clerk back in and said we had come to a decision." Spencer went to her car outside the courthouse but couldn't drive because she was so distraught. "This man's life was ruined without everyone agreeing he was guilty," Spencer said. "I remember just bawling in the car." Williams, who is out on bail, declined a request for an interview. Spencer, who works as a health benefits manager, said she doesn't believe race was a factor in the jury's deliberations. But she thinks it's unfair to Williams that the vote of the only juror who was the same race as him - in a state where blacks account for only 2.1% of the population - made no difference. "This right here shows how far we are off the rails when we think we are actually a diverse state," Spencer said. Marc Brown, Williams' public defender, appealed, saying the nonunanimous verdict violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause. But the Oregon Court of Appeals said it lacked the scope to rule on that issue. Brown has asked the appeals court to reconsider. He can also take the case to the state Supreme Court, and if it denies a review, to the U.S. Supreme Court. Brown would notify the high court that his appeal covers the same issue as the Louisiana case it will consider in the fall. That case involves Evangelisto Ramos, who was convicted in 2016 by a nonunanimous jury of second-degree murder in the killing of a woman in New Orleans. The change in Louisiana's constitution applied only to crimes committed on or after Jan. 1. If the U.S. Supreme Court finds nonunanimous juries unconstitutional, it will impact Oregon, legal experts say. "It will directly affect all cases going forward by requiring unanimous jury decisions for convictions in all felony cases, thus bringing Oregon in line with all the other states and the federal system," said Aliza Kaplan, a professor at Portland's Lewis & Clark Law School. Cases on appeal also would be affected because they are not yet considered final decisions, she said. Potentially hundreds of cases on appeal could be sent back for retrial. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling is expected months before Oregonians would vote on any ballot measure passed by the Legislature. A decision in favor of Ramos would nullify the 1934 amendment to Oregon's constitution, but the ballot measure would still be useful because it would remove a provision rooted in racism and xenophobia, Williamson said. "It's just a really interesting time," Brown said. "We've been fighting about this for many years." ___ Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky FILE - In this July 2016, file photo, Olan Williams listens during a hearing in a Multnomah County courtroom in Portland, Ore. Williams was convicted of a felony by a nonunanimous jury. Oregon is the only state in America that allows nonunanimous jury convictions. Voters in Louisiana, the only other state that had adopted it, scrapped the provision in the 2018 election. Momentum is building to do the same in Oregon. (Aimee Green/The Oregonian via AP, File) In this photo taken April 12, 2019 photo, Marc Brown, a lawyer with Oregon's Office of Public Defense Services-Criminal Appeals Section, poses in Salem, Ore. Brown represents Olan Williams, who was convicted of a felony by a nonunanimous jury. Oregon is the only state in America that allows nonunanimous jury convictions. Voters in Louisiana, the only other state that had adopted it, scrapped the provision in the 2018 election. Momentum is building to do the same in Oregon. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky) LOS ANGELES (AP) - A developer was hit Wednesday with a record $15.58 million fine for constructing a high-priced hotel on the Southern California coast after initially obtaining a permit for a property with moderately priced rooms, in what state officials called a "bait-and-switch" building scheme. Sunshine Enterprises violated a state law that enshrines public access to beach areas, according to the California Coastal Commission. Commissioners unanimously approved the fine - the largest in the agency's 40-year history - but decided not to immediately levy an additional, staff-recommended $5.9 million in mitigation fees linked to approval of a new permit. The fees would have been held in an account to help fund projects offering lower-cost alternatives for people who might have stayed in the moderately priced rooms, such as rehabilitating old motels or expanding campgrounds. Instead, the commissioners postponed a decision on issuing the fees and granting an after-the-fact permit. Commissioners indicated that they wanted to see dozens of replacement rooms created either at the current hotel or nearby. No deadline was given. "Past behavior is often a predictor of future behavior," Commissioner Aaron Peskin said before the vote. "I don't want their money - I want their hotel rooms. Why can't they just convert 87 of the 164 rooms to an affordable price point?" This Monday, May 6, 2019 photo shows the exterior of the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif. The California Coastal Commission is fining the hotel's developer $15 million for building the high-priced hotel near the Santa Monica Pier after obtaining a permit for a property with moderately priced rooms. Officials say Sunshine Enterprises perpetrated a "bait and switch" while violating the state's landmark Coastal Act, which enshrines public access to beach areas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Sunshine Enterprises was permitted to rebuild and expand two motels - the Pacific Sands and a Travelodge - that were among a dwindling number of affordable accommodations along a tourist-heavy strip of pricey hotels near the Santa Monica Pier. The new hotel would not offer a bar, restaurant, spa or other "luxury" amenities and rooms would cost about $165 a night, according to the permit application. But the company let that permit expire and instead built the boutique Shore Hotel, where rooms with a "bed and breakfast package" start at around $300 and ones featuring Pacific Ocean views can run up to $800, documents show. Under the landmark Coastal Act, the commission protects resources including marine habitat, fisheries, shoreline public access and less-expensive visitor accommodations. "We don't want beaches to become only a place for the wealthy. We have many residents who don't live within driving distance to the coast and they should be able to enjoy it and spend some time," Commission Supervisor Andrew Willis said earlier this week. Efforts to make sure lower-income people can visit beaches and also afford to spend the night are central to the commission's mission, said Sean Hecht, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Commissioners lambasted Sunshine Enterprises before the vote. "It's almost textbook environmental injustice," Commissioner Mark Vargas said. Sunshine Enterprises had said in a Tuesday statement that it will pay all penalties and work with the commission to reach "full resolution of this matter." "Shore Hotel recognizes the hotel was opened without the Coastal Commission's permit and regrets this violation took place and the length of time it has taken to rectify this violation of the Coastal Act," the company said. Sunshine Enterprises lost in court after suing when commissioners denied an after-the-fact permit for the new Shore Hotel. An appeals court this year upheld the commission's denial. "The court upheld that it was a bait-and-switch," Lisa Haage, the commission's chief of enforcement, said of Sunshine Enterprises' actions. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The Latest on Iran's decision to step away from embattled nuclear deal (all times local): 7:15 p.m. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the United States will wait to see if Iran follows through on threats to limit its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal before deciding how to react. Speaking in London with British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Pompeo says Iran's threat to resume higher enrichment of uranium in 60 days appeared aspirational and was vague on whether it would follow through. Because President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the accord last year, Pompeo says the administration's position on compliance depends on what Iran does, not what it says it may do. Iran threatened earlier Wednesday to stop full compliance with the deal unless the European parties are able to deliver on sanctions relief it had been promised. That relief has been hindered by the U.S. withdrawal and the re-imposition of sanctions. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, is greeted by Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) ___ 6:55 p.m. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says Iran's threat to resume higher enrichment of uranium is an "unwelcome step." He urged Iran to adhere to a 2015 nuclear deal with the West, which the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from last year, to the dismay of its European allies. Speaking at a news conference Wednesday in London alongside U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Hunt said "I urge Iran not to take further escalatory steps." But he said Britain was not ready to give up on the deal. Hunt said "for as long as Iran keeps its commitments then so too will the United Kingdom." He said Britain and the United States agreed on the need to confront the threat from Iran, but "it's no secret we have a different approach on how best to achieve that." Pompeo said his discussions with Hunt on Iran had been "forthright." ___ 6:25 p.m. Germany is expressing "great concern" at Iran's threat to resume higher enrichment of uranium, and calling for further escalation to be avoided. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday that "we have learned of Iran's announcement with great concern and we will look at this very closely now." He said Berlin wants to hold on to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from last year, and is in talks with the remaining parties. Maas added that "all steps must be avoided that could endanger regional stability and security." ___ 4:55 p.m. France's defense minister has voiced deep concern over Iran's threat to resume higher enrichment of uranium, saying that the question of sanctions "will be raised" if the nuclear deal isn't respected. Florence Parly has told BFMTV that "nothing would be worse than Iran leaving this deal." Iran has threatened to resume higher enrichment of uranium in 60 days if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its 2015 nuclear deal that President Donald Trump withdrew from a year ago. President Hassan Rouhani also said that Iran would stop exporting excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program - two requirements of the deal. Parly said that "we (Europeans) absolutely want to keep this agreement alive." ___ 4:30 p.m. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States is to blame for Iran's decision to partially withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear accord limiting Tehran's nuclear program. Lavrov has met with Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif in Moscow and reaffirmed their support for the deal, and blamed the U.S. for undermining it. The Russian foreign minister says "the U.S. is to blame for the situation and it makes it difficult for both Iran to fulfill its obligations and ... for the general state of the nuclear non-proliferation regime." Lavrov said that the ministers agreed to continue working with all remaining signatories to the deal to ensure obligations are honored even if the U.S. won't return to the table Zarif insisted that Iran's decision to partially withdraw from certain provisions did not violate the agreement, and asserted it was provoked by U.S. actions toward Iran. He also said Iran will uphold its obligations if European signatories to the deal uphold theirs. ___ 3:30 p.m. China says the U.S. has "further aggravated" tensions over the Iran nuclear issue. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday that China appreciated Iran's "strict implementation" of its 2015 nuclear deal, which President Donald Trump withdrew from a year ago. Geng said China "calls on all parties concerned to exercise restraint" and avoid escalating tensions. Geng's comments came after Washington moved to deploy an aircraft carrier and a bomber wing to confront unspecified threats from Tehran. Iran threatened Wednesday to resume higher enrichment of uranium in 60 days if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for the 2015 deal. A key Iranian ally and trading partner, China was a signatory to the deal and continues to support it, along with Britain, Russia, the European Union, France and Germany. 2:30 p.m. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the situation surrounding the fate of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord has been complicated by "irresponsible behavior" from Washington. Lavrov is meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Moscow on Wednesday. The nuclear deal will be at the top of their agenda after Iran announced it would suspend some of its commitments in response to U.S. sanctions. Lavrov says they will discuss the "unacceptable situation" that has been exacerbated by the United States. Russia appears poised to stand by Tehran and cast blame on Washington, which withdrew from the nuclear deal last year. Moscow is a signatory to the deal, along with the European Union, Britain, France, Germany and China. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned there would be consequences for "ill-advised" steps taken by the U.S. against Iran. ___ 2 p.m. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is responding to Iran's decision to withdraw partially from the nuclear deal with world powers. Netanyahu spoke Wednesday at a state Memorial Day ceremony in Jerusalem and said Israel would "not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons." Israel's prime minister has been an outspoken critic of the 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers, and welcomed President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the deal last year. Netanyahu considers Iran to be Israel's greatest threat, and Iranian leaders frequently condemn Israel and call for its destruction. Netanyahu says Israel "will continue to fight those who seek to take our lives, and we will thrust our roots even deeper into the soil of our homeland." Iran has denied ever seeking nuclear weapons, insisting its atomic program is for entirely peaceful purposes. 1:15 p.m. A Russian member of parliament says Iran's partial withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord is a direct response to increased pressure from Washington. Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Russian State Duma's foreign affairs committee, told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. has been ramping up pressure on Iran since President Donald Trump withdrew America from the deal last year. He noted that "U.S. sanctions were reinstated, the (Revolutionary Guard) was branded a terrorist organization, and just yesterday national security adviser John Bolton said, on Washington's behalf, that ships and bombers would be deployed to the Iranian coast." Slutsky says there is still hope of preserving the agreement and called on all sides to return to the negotiating table. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is meeting his Iranian counterpart in Moscow on Wednesday. ___ 10:15 a.m. Iran's president says the Islamic Republic will keep its excess enriched uranium and heavy water, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms for its nuclear deal. Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that if that deadline passes without better terms, Iran will begin higher enrichment of uranium. He made the comments in a live address on Wednesday, the anniversary of President Donald Trump pulling America out of the accord. The 2015 deal saw sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. The U.S. has restored crippling sanctions since withdrawing. Iran sent letters on its decision to the leaders of Britain, China, the European Union, France and Germany. All were signatories to the nuclear deal. A letter was also to go to Russia. ___ 9:30 a.m. Iranian state television says letters outlining the Islamic Republic's partial withdrawal from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers have been delivered to ambassadors. State TV made the announcement Wednesday. It did not elaborate on what steps Iran planned to take. The letters were to be delivered to the leaders of Britain, China, the European Union, France and Germany. All were signatories to the nuclear deal, which saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. A letter was also to go to Russia. The move came a year to the date President Donald Trump withdrew America from the accord. The letters will come as officials in the Islamic Republic previously warned that Iran might increase its uranium enrichment, potentially pulling away from a deal it has sought to salvage for months. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif enter a hall during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif smiles during his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, back to camera, talk during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, is greeted by Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is greeted by Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, right, in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, is greeted by Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) Paul Atanga Nji Minat Cameroon's Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul on CRTV 1:00pm radio news today Monday, May 13, 2019 said President Biya's government is always open to dialogue but says dialogue can only take place when schools reopen and ghost towns no longer in place. CRTV: You just came back from Bamenda where the Prime Minister stayed for four days. In what state of mind did you leave Bamenda and the North West in general? Atanga Nji: I think that overall, the people of this region have welcomed the visit of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute . The PM he was in Bamenda on the very high instructions from the Head of State to continue the work left by his predecessor, that is to say continue to dialogue, listen and transmit the grievances of the people to the Head of State who ultimately decides what can be done as a solution. CRTV: Through his emissary, the President of the Republic said that we can talk about everything except secession. What is the reception that has been reserved for this offer of dialogue? Atanga Nji: The Head of State is constant and the Head of State is Republican. The Head of State himself said in 1983 that one does not need to take the path of the maquis to express oneself. Cameroon is a democratic country, it is a country of freedom and there is no taboo subject. It is this message that the Prime Minister took to the populations of the North West, that "the Head of State has charged me to come and tell you that we can discuss everything, but we will not talk about the form of the state, we will not talk about secession ". Because the President of the Republic takes an oath to defend the Constitution, the State and the territorial integrity ... But for this dialogue to take place, it is necessary that calm returns, that children go to school, that activities resume and there are no more ghost town. CRTV: The PM also met the local elite. Does this elite adhere to this message? Atanga Nji: The PM has been very open. He discussed with everyone: religious authorities, traditional leaders, commercial motorcycle riders, teacher unions, students, associations, and NGOs. At the end, he will report to the Head of State and the Head of State will take into account. CRTV: After these exchanges with the population, what next? Atanga Nji: We live with hope, so everyone hopes. The President Biya has always said that we need to preserve the achievements of the nation, starting with peace, stability; because when there is no peace and stability, we can have no positive business. CRTV: The PM was at the centre hosting ex-separatist fighters. How did it go? Atanga Nji: When the PM arrived, the ex-combatants first sang the national anthem, in front of the flag. They told the PM: "We have been misled by enemies of the nation. Nobody can deceive us twice " . So, I believe that the PM's visit to the DDR center has allowed the whole world to see that the Head of State does what he says and says what he does. He said that those who lay down their arms will not go to prison. Today it has been found that those who have laid down their weapons are not in prison, they are well supervised in this center. It is a reintegration center that allows them to have a bright future. JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The Latest on South Africa's elections (all times local): 9 p.m. Polls are closing in South Africa's national election. People who are still in line are able to vote but counting will now commence. Final results are expected by Saturday. Some 26 million people of South Africa's population of 57 million were eligible to vote but there have been signs of a relatively low turnout. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ruling African National Congress have faced frustration from voters over corruption scandals and a weak economy with high unemployment. Residents of Alexandra Township queue to cast their votes in Johannesburg, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) The growing unrest 25 years after the end of apartheid is expected to lead to a higher share of votes for top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters. ___ 12:25 p.m. South Africa's president has voted in the national election. President Cyril Ramaphosa tells reporters that he is "truly humbled" by the turnout. He says South Africans want to see a country that is working and officials who will work for them. He says "corruption got into the way" of serving the people and he apologized. Despite pressure on his ruling African National Congress from leading opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, Ramaphosa says he is "excitingly confident." He says the election outcome will be a "major boost" for investors in the country, whose economy has been largely stagnant. He vows to fight inequality that has persisted in the 25 years since the end of the racist system of apartheid. ___ 11:55 a.m. Firebrand opposition leader Julius Malema has voted in South Africa's election in his home area of Seshego, part of Polokwane in northern Limpopo province. Speaking after casting his ballot, Malema said he expects a good turnout for his party, the populist, leftist Economic Freedom Fighters. "If the people want to continue unemployed, if the people want to continue landless, then they can continue voting for the same party," said Malema, referring to the ruling ANC, in power since 1994. "But if you need change, the EFF is the way to go!" Malema said he is happy to see South Africans voting, 25 years after the end of apartheid, because "a lot of people died for to have the right to vote." ___ 7:55 a.m. The leader of South Africa's main opposition party has cast his ballot in Dobsonville, a part of Soweto, Johannesburg's largest black township. He was one of the first voters at the Dobsonville polling station. Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane has vigorously campaigned against the corruption scandals that have tarnished the ruling African National Congress party. But black support for Maimane's party is limited because it is widely perceived as being run by whites. The African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela that has been in power since 1994, is likely to win a majority in Wednesday's poll but it will face a difficult challenge to do as well as five years ago. ___ 7 a.m. South Africans have started voting in presidential and parliamentary elections amid issues of corruption and unemployment. Wednesday's vote comes 25 years after the end of apartheid, but despite the demise of the system of racial discrimination the country remains divided by economic inequality . The party of Nelson Mandela that has been in power since 1994, The African National Congress, is likely to win a majority but it will face a difficult challenge to do as well as five years ago. The party has been tarnished by widespread corruption scandals and a national unemployment rate of 27% that has left many voters disillusioned. ANC head President Cyril Ramaphosa has campaigned on promises to clean up his party, an acknowledgment of the problems that forced his predecessor to resign last year. Residents of Alexandra Township queue to cast their votes in Johannesburg, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Mujahid Safodien) Elderly voters queue to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections, near Durban, South Africa on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans have started voting in presidential and parliamentary elections amid issues of corruption and unemployment. It is 25 years after the end of apartheid, but despite the demise of the system of racial discrimination the country remains divided by economic inequality. (AP Photo/Mlungisi Mbele) Esther Mahlangu, a contemporary South African artist, has her thumb ink-marked before casting her vote in presidential and parliamentary elections at a polling station at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga, South Africa, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans have started voting in presidential and parliamentary elections amid issues of corruption and unemployment. It is 25 years after the end of apartheid, but despite the demise of the system of racial discrimination the country remains divided by economic inequality. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane registers before casting his vote in general elections Wednesday, May 8, 2019 in Soweto, South Africa. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) South Africans queue in the early morning cold to cast their votes in the mining settlement of Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, in South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) South Africans fill ballot paper at a polling station during elections at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga, South Africa, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans have started voting in presidential and parliamentary elections amid issues of corruption and unemployment. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) South Africans queue in the early morning cold to cast their votes in the mining settlement of Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, in South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) South Africans queue in the early morning cold to cast their votes in the mining settlement of Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg, in South Africa Wednesday, May 8, 2019. South Africans are voting Wednesday in a national election that pits President Cyril Ramaphosa's ruling African National Congress against top opposition parties Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, 25 years after the end of apartheid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) WASHINGTON (AP) - As they negotiate a record fine against Facebook, federal privacy regulators sparked a debate in Congress Wednesday over how effective such penalties can be in preventing future abuses by big companies. Members of a House consumer protection subcommittee also gave a sympathetic hearing to the Federal Trade Commission's request for greater powers and funding to police privacy. "A large fine in a single case does not solve the problems that consumers face," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., chairwoman of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee, at a hearing with the five members of the FTC. She said the agency needs more funding and authority "at a minimum to restore consumers' confidence." Rohit Chopra, one of the FTC commissioners, said that for some big companies, fines alone are a mere "parking ticket." "We cannot change behavior without finding out who at the top caused those problems," Chopra said. Although Schakowsky and Chopra didn't specifically mention Facebook, the giant social network was top of mind for lawmakers as the FTC appears close to ending its yearlong investigation of the company's privacy practices and looks to punish Facebook for alleged violations of users' privacy. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons testifies during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) The question is whether big fines can be just a cost of doing business for huge companies, failing to deter bad conduct. The fine against Facebook is expected to run as high as $5 billion - stacked against the company's revenue of $55.8 billion last year. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, said even a large fine "is inconsequential for a company the size of Facebook." The FTC is considering a rare action to hold Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally accountable for Facebook's alleged failure to honor a 2011 agreement over privacy lapses. The agency also may limit how Facebook targets advertising to its massive user base - potentially making the action far more than a regulatory slap on the wrist. Beyond the fine, comprehensive action by the FTC could mark a watershed in federal action against the tech industry in the name of consumer privacy. By usual practice, the FTC - an independent agency - is split with three Republicans and two Democrats. FTC Chairman Joseph Simons has advocated tougher enforcement action against tech companies and must obtain the agreement of at least two other commissioners for any action on Facebook. In his testimony, Simons urged the lawmakers to enact privacy and data-security legislation to be enforced by the FTC. The agency has brought more than 65 data security cases and 60 general privacy cases and helped return more than $1.6 billion to consumers in the fiscal year ended in October, Simons noted. Lawmakers have started work on a new national privacy law that could sharply curtail the ability of the biggest tech companies to collect and make money off people's personal data. The role of the FTC as an enforcer of privacy protections is a key issue in the debate over legislation. Consumer privacy advocates and Democratic lawmakers say the agency currently lacks teeth and have pushed for expanding its powers and funding. The FTC doesn't have the authority, for example, to levy civil money penalties for first violations for most unfair or deceptive practices. It can only issue orders halting the conduct, as it did with Facebook in 2011. The agency would be expected to write new privacy rules should Congress pass a new law. Behind the momentum for a new law is rising concern over a string of scandals and the compromise of private data held by Facebook, Google and other tech giants that have reaped riches by aggregating consumer information. The industry has traditionally been lightly regulated and has resisted closer oversight as a threat to its culture of free-wheeling innovation. Republicans have generally opposed an expansion of federal authority, but in the wake of the Facebook and other privacy scandals, some have taken a more open view toward the FTC's powers and funding. Some business groups are also proposing an expanded role in privacy protection for the FTC. The 2011 consent decree with the FTC bound Facebook to a 20-year privacy commitment. Violations could subject the company to fines of $41,484 per violation per user per day. The agreement requires that Facebook users give "affirmative express consent" any time that data they haven't made public is shared with a third party. The agency started investigating Facebook's privacy practices more than a year ago after reports surfaced that the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica had improperly accessed the data of as many as 87 million Facebook users without their consent. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons testifies during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Federal Trade Commission commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips, left, speaks during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. FTC commissioner Rohit Chopra, right, listens. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons arrives to testify for a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons testifies during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons, left, testifies during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. Simons is joined at the witness table by, from left, FTC Commissioners Christine Wilson, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, Noah Joshua Phillips and Rohit Chopra. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons, left, testifies during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding consumer protection on data privacy. Simons is joined at the witness table by, from left, FTC Commissioners Christine Wilson, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, Noah Joshua Phillips and Rohit Chopra. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) - Google announced new privacy tools Tuesday intended to give people more control over how they're being tracked on the go or in their own home, part of a broader effort by big tech companies to counter increasing scrutiny of their data collection practices. The updates give people some much-needed sway over how Google saves personal information and what apps constantly track location, privacy advocates say. But other experts aren't ready to celebrate Google's moves. CEO Sundar Pichai kicked off the company's annual developer conference by noting that the company wants to do more to stay ahead of "constantly evolving user expectations" on privacy. That focus echoed throughout the day, with the company demonstrating how many of its artificial intelligence capabilities - including some facial recognition and voice searches - are beginning to be processed on devices, rather than by constantly sending information to company servers. Some critics, however, say Google's privacy updates sidestep more substantial changes that could threaten its ad-driven business model. "They're sort of marginal improvements," said Jeremy Tillman, president of Ghostery, which provides ad-blocking and anti-tracking software. "They are not bad, but they almost seem like they're designed to give the company a better messaging push instead of making wholesale improvements to user privacy." Google's Alexander Hunter gives a demonstration of the Nest Hub Max at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google also announced updates for its artificially intelligent voice assistant as well as a cheaper Pixel phone and a rebranding of its smart-home products. Data privacy and security at Google and its Big Tech counterparts have been under the microscope for more than a year now. Facebook dedicated much of its own conference last week to connecting people though more private channels rather than broadly on the social network. Google announced smaller but tangible changes across many of its products. The company makes billions of dollars annually by selling digital ads that are targeted at the interests people reveal through their search requests and data collected by Google apps and services. For instance, the company said it will extend an "incognito mode" feature to its Google Maps and search apps. When activated, the app won't record user searches or movements, analogous to how the same feature works in its Chrome browser and YouTube now. The latest version of Google's Android phone software will also alert users when apps may be exploiting access to phone location data, which Stephanie Cuthbertson, an Android senior director, called "some of your most personal information." Android Q, as the new operating system is currently known, will also let users restrict apps' access to location more generally - for instance, by only allowing apps currently in use to gather the data. (Some apps record location data continuously in the background.) Location data has been a sore subject for Google. In 2018, an Associated Press investigation found that Google continued storing phone location data even when users turned off a "location history" setting in Android. The breadth of Google's changes is "impressive," said Joe Jerome, a policy counsel with the Center for Democracy and Technology, a nonprofit backed by industry that advocates for an open internet and user privacy. He pointed especially to the controls that allow people to manage which apps can access location data. Google's updates seem more tangible and less aspirational than what Facebook announced last week, Jerome said, largely because many of Facebook's updates are still aspirational with no release dates. Google also revealed plans to overhaul Chrome to let users rein in so-called tracking cookies, which are bits of software that follow people around on the web. The move, which could have major repercussions for the digital advertising industry, would require companies to identify cookies used by third-party websites and advertisers to track users. "Unimpressive," declared Princeton computer scientist Jonathan Mayer, who said the scheme would be easy for advertisers to evade. "This is not privacy leadership - this is privacy theater." In coming months, Google said that change will enable users to clear most of those tracking cookies without disturbing others that keep users logged into sites or that personalize website settings. Chrome currently only allows people to clear all cookies. Competing browsers such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox already build in privacy tools to block sites from tracking online activity. Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, also found the privacy measures lacking. "Unless the Federal Trade Commission is prepared to bring enforcement actions against companies, these promises to protect privacy matter very little," he said. On the AI front, Google said its digital assistant will get a series of updates this year, including one that lets it book rental cars and movie tickets. Google says its assistant will be able to make the bookings using online forms on Android phones later this year. The technology behind this, called Duplex, was announced with much fanfare last year when Google demonstrated it making a call to book a restaurant reservation. The Google Assistant will get shrunk down so that it can work directly on a phone, eliminating the need to communicate with Google's cloud servers to understand and act on certain commands. The phone-only capability will be available on new Pixel phones later this year. Google also announced a new, cheaper Pixel phone and a larger smart home display called the Nest Hub Max. Both are packed with AI capabilities, including many that take place on-device without sending information to servers. That might give Google slightly less information about its customers, said Gartner analyst Werner Goertz. But Google collects information across its many products, and it might not even greatly miss the data it foregoes, he said. The Nest Hub Max signals the integration of Nest into Google. The $229 display screen is similar to last year's Google Home Hub , now renamed the Nest Hub, although the new product adds a camera made for video calling that can be turned on and off. The hub can also be set to recognize different household members using facial recognition - again on the device itself, not in the cloud. ___ O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke contributed reporting from San Francisco. Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) A group of attendees take photos while waiting in line for the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, file photo, Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during a news conference in New Delhi. Pichai is expected to showcase much-anticipated updates to the company's hardware lines and artificial intelligence Tuesday, May 7, 2019, during his keynote at the company's annual I/O conference for software developers. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal, File) Developer Jesus Suarez wears Google Glass glasses waits for the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google's Aparna Chennapragada speaks during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Attendees listen to speakers during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google's Sabrina Ellis speaks about features on the Pixel 3a phone during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google's Stephanie Cuthbertson speaks during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google's Sabrina Ellis speaks about features on the Pixel 3a phone during the keynote address of the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) The audio jack is shown on a Google Pixel 3a XL phone at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google Pixel 3a phones are displayed at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) The camera on a Google Pixel 3a XL phone is displayed at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) A Google Pixel 3a phone is shown at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Google's Kayitta Johnson gives a demonstration of the Nest Hub Max at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) FILE - In this May 8, 2018, file photo, a Waymo logo is displayed on the door of a car at the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif. Google's self-driving car spinoff Waymo is teaming up with Lyft in Arizona to attempt to lure passengers away from ride-hailing market leader Uber. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) JERUSALEM (AP) - Israelis came to a standstill for two minutes on Wednesday to honor the memory of fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism on the country's Memorial Day. At Jerusalem's ordinarily boisterous and bustling Mahane Yehuda market, shoppers and vendors froze in place and cafe patrons stood at their tables during the two-minute siren at 11 a.m. (0800 GMT). Motor vehicles stopped on highways and their passengers exited to stand with heads bowed. Bereaved Israeli families visited cemeteries and attended memorial ceremonies. Television and radio aired somber music, documentaries about slain soldiers, and broadcasts of state memorial services. Israel has fought half a dozen wars with neighboring Arab countries, battled two Palestinian uprisings and endured dozens of deadly militant attacks since its founding in 1948. The country honors 23,471 fallen soldiers, and the list of slain civilians, over 3,100 long, grew after four Israelis were killed by Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza over the weekend. Speaking at a state memorial ceremony at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Iran's announcement that it would partially withdraw from its nuclear deal with world powers in response to U.S. pressure. "We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said. "We will continue to fight those who seek to take our lives, and we will thrust our roots even deeper into the soil of our homeland." Students sit on a tank just before a ceremony marking the annual Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror, at the Armored Corps memorial site in Latrun, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) At Memorial Day's commencement on Tuesday evening, approximately 9,000 people attended a joint Israeli-Palestinian ceremony in Tel Aviv. Around 100 Palestinians from the West Bank attended the memorial event after Israel's High Court of Justice overturned an order by Netanyahu, as the country's defense minister, to refuse them entry to Israel for the ceremony. Israeli police said five people were arrested for public disturbance during a protest outside the joint Israeli-Palestinian ceremony. Combatants for Peace, the event's organizers, said a record number of people attended this year's ceremony, which aims to "acknowledge the pain of those living on the 'other side,'" by bringing together bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families. At sundown, the country transitioned from solemn remembrance to joyous celebration, kicking off its 71st Independence Day. Thousands gathered for the festive ceremony at Mount Herzl, where live orchestras played and patriotic fireworks burst above the stage. In an annual ritual, 12 honorees lit torches, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Jeff Finkelstein, the president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, where 11 congregants were killed in a synagogue shooting last fall, was chosen to light a torch on behalf of the greater Jewish Diaspora. He dedicated it to the Pittsburgh shooting victims, who "loved the land of Israel and the nation of Israel with all their hearts and all their souls." In a subtle reference to tensions between Israel's Orthodox establishment and liberal Jewish communities overseas, Finkelstein called for unity between Israeli society and the Jewish Diaspora, including members of "all streams and all opinions." Students sit on a tank just before a ceremony marking the annual Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror, at the Armored Corps memorial site in Latrun, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Students sit on a tank just before a ceremony marking the annual Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror, at the Armored Corps memorial site in Latrun, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Students sit on a tank just before a ceremony marking the annual Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror, at the Armored Corps memorial site in Latrun, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Israeli soldiers and families of fallen soldiers stand still as sirens sound during Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and civilians at the military cemetery in the northern Israeli city of Hadera, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Israeli honor guards march in formation during rehearsal just before a ceremony marking the annual Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror, at the Armored Corps memorial site in Latrun, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Israel marks the annual Memorial Day in remembrance of soldiers who died in the nation's conflicts. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Israeli honor guards march in formation during rehearsal just before a ceremony marking the annual Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror, at the Armored Corps memorial site in Latrun, Israel, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Israel marks the annual Memorial Day in remembrance of soldiers who died in the nation's conflicts. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's Senate easily approved a bill Wednesday that would allow three congressional committees to get access to President Donald Trump's state tax returns, giving Democrats a potential end-run around the administration's refusal to disclose the president's federal returns. The bill, which now goes to the state Assembly, doesn't target Trump by name but would authorize state tax officials to release any state returns filed in New York if requested by the leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or the Joint Committee on Taxation. Both chambers of the state Legislature are controlled by Democrats. The vote fell along party lines, with 39 Democrats in the 63-seat Senate voting for the measure. Republicans said Democrats should be focused on lowering the state's high taxes and improving the lives of New Yorkers, not going after the president's tax returns, a move GOP senators deemed intrusive and a violation of privacy rights. "I find that extremely troubling. This is bad public policy," said John Flanagan, a Long Island Republican who leads the Senate's GOP minority. Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat who is one of the main sponsors, said Republicans were "misinformed" about the issue, pointing out that current federal law already allows congressional committees to request a person's tax returns from the IRS. New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., about a senate bill to authorize the release of individual New York state tax returns to Congress. Behind her are New York state Sens. Todd Kaminsky, D-Long Island, left, and Michael Gianaris, D-Queens, right. The bill now goes to the Democrat-led state Assembly after the Democrat-controlled Senate easily passed it. (AP Photo/Tim Roske) "The power of the Congress to see your federal taxes already exists," he said. "We're not doing anything new here." An alternative proposal that wasn't brought up for a vote would have limited the available returns to only those filed by select officeholders, including U.S. president and vice president, U.S. senators, the state's governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general or comptroller. White House officials didn't respond to a request for comment. Trump's home state is New York, where many of his business enterprises are based. Financial information in state returns is likely to mirror much of what is in his federal returns. Federal law allows Congress to demand the president's tax returns under certain circumstances, but on Monday Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin declined to disclose Trump's federal returns to the Democratic-controlled House, saying the request "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose." That refusal set the stage for a possible legal battle. Any law passed in New York might also be destined for a court challenge. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Trump's businesses lost more than $1 billion from 1985 to 1994, based on tax information the newspaper acquired. Previous efforts to bring the legislation to a floor vote in the Senate were blocked by Republicans, who lost control of the chamber in the November elections. The measure, which would amend state laws prohibiting private tax information from being released, isn't scheduled for a vote yet in the Assembly, where more than 90 Democrats in the 150-seat chamber support the legislation. The New York bill wouldn't make Trump's returns public, but Congress could potentially decide to do so. "Americans have the right to know if the president is putting his business empire, or the interests of the public, first," said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, a group that supports the legislation. Another Senate proposal that had been considered would have been limited to returns filed by select officeholders, including U.S. president and vice president, U.S. senators, the state's governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general or comptroller. It would have applied to filings related to personal income and other taxes and covered up to five years of returns before the person took office. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, has said he supports legislation allowing the president's tax returns to be made public, but only if it also applies to all state lawmakers and statewide elected officials in New York. Cuomo, now in his third term, recently released his federal and state tax returns, something he has done every year since becoming governor in 2011. Ahead of the vote on the tax returns bill, the Senate approved legislation designed to ensure that a presidential pardon doesn't cover similar criminal charges filed at the state level. The bill was crafted to eliminate an unintended loophole in the state's double jeopardy law that prosecutors say could undermine New York's ability to prosecute anyone pardoned by Trump. The Assembly hasn't scheduled a vote on that bill. ___ This story has been corrected to show the bill applies to any New York state tax return, not just to those filed by certain state and federal officeholders. This story has also been corrected to show that a different proposal would have applied to filings related to personal income and other taxes and covered up to five years of returns before the person took office. New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, center, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., about a senate bill to authorize the release of individual New York state tax returns to Congress. Listening at left is Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, state Sen. Michael Gianaris, D-Queens, right. The bill now goes to the Democrat-led state Assembly after the Democrat-controlled Senate easily passed it. (AP Photo/Tim Roske) State Sen. Michael Gianaris, D-Queens, speaks on the Senate floor regarding legislation, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., that authorizes state tax officials to release, if requested, individual New York state tax returns to Congress. The bill now goes to the Democrat-led state Assembly after the Democrat-controlled Senate easily passed it. (AP Photo/Tim Roske) State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, D-Long Island, speaks on the Senate floor at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, regarding a bill that authorizes state tax officials to release, if requested, individual New York state tax returns to Congress. The bill now goes to the Democrat-led state Assembly after the Democrat-controlled Senate easily passed it. At right is state Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, (AP Photo/Tim Roske) State Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, standing, discusses legislation Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., that authorizes state tax officials to release, if requested, individual New York state tax returns to Congress. The bill now goes to the Democrat-led state Assembly after the Democrat-controlled Senate easily passed it. (AP Photo/Tim Roske) State Sen. Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island, speaks on the Senate floor at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, against a bill that authorizes state tax officials to release, if requested, individual New York state tax returns to Congress. The bill now goes to the Democrat-led state Assembly after the Democrat-controlled Senate easily passed it. (AP Photo/Tim Roske) SUBOTICA, Serbia (AP) - When they set off for Europe with their families some four years ago, two Afghan brothers never expected a European Union country to crush their dreams in the dark of night. Their hopes were dashed when Hungarian authorities deported the two families of asylum-seekers to Serbia a few hours apart on Tuesday night - altogether four adults and seven children. Night deportations are unusual, and human rights groups said no one was waiting to pick up the families on the Serbian side of the border. The U.N. Refugee Agency strongly condemned the expulsions Wednesday. "Hungary's actions overnight to force two asylum-seeking Afghan families to leave the country under duress is deeply shocking and a flagrant violation of international and EU law," the agency said. The European Court of Human Rights suspended Hungary's plan to deport a third Afghan family, according to both the U.N. agency and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights group. Hungary tightened its asylum eligibility rules last year. One change denied petitions from asylum-seekers who traveled through countries where they were not persecuted or at risk of persecution before reaching Hungary. That would include those who took the land route through the Balkans and entered Hungary from Serbia. Gholam Arab, right, one of Afghan asylum-seekers who was deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, stands with family members in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A teenage member of the second family ejected from Hungary after its asylum application was rejected told The Associated Press that "everything was terrifying last night" and both families were deeply disappointed. Speaking at a Serbian migrant camp in the border town of Subotica, Mohammad Arab, 16, said Hungarian police told his family of five they could be sent either to Afghanistan or to Serbia, where they had already spent more than two years. "They treat us like we are not human, like we are animals," Arab said in English. "They don't care if my mother is pregnant, they don't care about any human rights, they don't care about anything." Hungary has a double line of fences crowned with razor wire and equipped with sensors, cameras and watchtowers on its southern border with Serbia. The government has insisted several strands of electrified wiring in front of the fences are not meant to harm trespassers. The government of right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban added the reinforcements starting in mid-2015. At the time, the height of a mass migration wave that caught Europe unprepared for refugees fleeing Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly 10,000 people entered Hungary from Serbia on some days, hoping to reach countries in western Europe. Arab said his family, which lived in Iran before starting their journey through Turkey, Greece and what is now known as North Macedonia, waited for more than two years in Serbia for a chance to seek asylum in Hungary. They didn't want to enter the country illegally with the help of people smugglers, as many migrants do, he said. The family then spent more than three months in Hungary's border migrant camp. Arab said his family felt that Hungarian authorities did not seriously consider their asylum application before rejecting it. They appealed, but in vain. "Two and a half years I spent to go to Hungary, and it was useless," he said. The teen said they learned of their deportations the night before and "didn't believe them at first." Reality set in when police officers arrived to take them Tuesday. "My uncle's wife fell down (and) started crying. My mother passed out. They took her to hospital," Arab said. The U.N. agency said staff members in Hungary observed the families crossing the border and alerted colleagues in Serbia, who in turn informed Serbian authorities. "The treatment of these families, including their removal from Hungarian territory with no serious effort to look at their claims to refugee status, is deeply regrettable," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said. Arab and his cousin, who is also named Mohammad, said human rights workers gave them the name of a Serbian refugee official to contact. The official eventually picked the Afghan families up at the border. The 16-year-old said their belief in Europe's high human rights standards has been badly tested. He said they might seek asylum in Serbia, a poor Balkan country that went through a series of wars and crisis in the 1990s. "We hoped to have better future and (to) study ... to be someone useful for people, not be a useless person," the teen said. "I don't have my dreams anymore." ___ Associated Press writer Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report. A family are transported to a transit zone for asylum seekers by police bus, in Roszke, Hungary, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Hungary has deported a family of six asylum-seekers to Serbia, making them cross a gate in the border fence in the dark, with no one waiting for them on the Serbian side. A Hungarian human rights group said they had secured an interim measure to stop the deportation of one of two other families awaiting a similar fate. (AP Photo/Pablo Gorondi) Pregnant Ashurma Arab, one of the Afghan asylum-seekers who was deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, stands in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A general view of the transit zone for asylum seekers in Roszke, Hungary, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Hungary has deported a family of six asylum-seekers to Serbia, making them cross a gate in the border fence in the dark, with no one waiting for them on the Serbian side. A Hungarian human rights group said they had secured an interim measure to stop the deportation of one of two other families awaiting a similar fate. (AP Photo/Pablo Gorondi) An UNHCR worker speaks with a family of Afghan asylum-seekers who were deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, at a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A child of Afghan asylum-seekers who were deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, plays in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Afghan asylum-seekers who were deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, stand and speak in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A migrant child plays with a doll in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A child of Afghan asylum-seekers who were deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, plays in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Mohammad Arab, one of the Afghan asylum-seekers who was deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, speaks during an interview with the The Associated Press in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Shadows of children of Afghan asylum-seekers who was deported to Serbia in the middle of the night, are cast in a center for asylum-seekers in the northern Serbian city of Subotica, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Hungary, which greatly tightened asylum procedures last year, rejected the families' asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) SPRINGFIELD, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania school principal will no longer say "God bless America" after leading students in the Pledge of Allegiance. Peter Brigg's practice at Sabold Elementary School in Springfield led at least one parent to complain to the Freedom From Religion Foundation, whose attorney contacted the district. The group claimed it violated the U.S. Constitution's prohibition of government sponsoring religious messages. The district decided to cease the practice after consulting with its lawyer. In a statement , the district says it is not prohibiting students from reciting "God bless America" after the pledge on their own. The foundation says "young elementary school children don't need to be coerced into affirming God's name every morning." ___ This story has been corrected to show the group's name is Freedom From Religion Foundation, not Freedom for Religion Foundation. BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore police arrested seven people on Wednesday as they ended a monthlong sit-in in the lobby of an administrative building at Johns Hopkins University, where a group of protesters have demonstrated against the creation of a campus police force and the institution's contracts with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. City police officers and firefighters "provided assistance" at the school's Homewood campus shortly before 5 a.m. to reopen Garland Hall, the primary administrative building, the university announced. Protesters had chained the doors shut and blocked stairwells, defying a city fire marshal's orders to keep the entrances and exits clear. Firefighters used an electric saw to get inside, finding a few protesters who chanted slogans like "No justice, no peace! No private police!" and sang decades-old folk songs. The few who had locked themselves inside were escorted into a police van, their hands secured by plastic ties, as other protesters converged on the scene. Images broadcast early Wednesday show two protesters lying down on the pavement, trying to block the van's exit. Another screamed at officers through a distorted megaphone. A few others tried to drape blankets over TV news cameras. It appears that four of those arrested were students at Hopkins, and three were not. The Baltimore Police Department said its officers arrested five people for trespassing and two others for impeding vehicle traffic, but the city's top prosecutor swiftly dismissed the idea of prosecuting them. "No one arrested, student or community member, will be prosecuted," said Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's spokeswoman, Melba Saunders. Hopkins said "protesters and outside activists significantly escalated the situation" on May 1 by forcing the evacuation of students and staff from the administrative building. The school said the protesters also covered all security cameras and chained shut all exterior doors. This interrupted essential campus services, including support for students with disabilities, and raised concerns about the safekeeping of students' personal and financial data kept inside. Baltimore Police carry chains that protesters had used during a monthlong sit-in at Garland Hall on Johns Hopkins' Homewood campus, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Baltimore police arrested seven people as they ended a monthlong sit-in in the lobby of an administrative building at Johns Hopkins University, where protesters have demonstrated against the creation of a campus police force and the institution's contracts with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP) "The university's request for assistance was based on grave concerns about the unsafe circumstances in and around Garland Hall and followed multiple offers of amnesty from university officials and warnings from the police," the university's early Wednesday statement said. University President Ronald J. Daniels and Provost Sunil Kumar had warned the day before that the protest constituted criminal trespassing and that any student who didn't leave peacefully could be suspended or expelled. Hopkins has long sought its own armed campus police force. A private research institution with one of the world's foremost medical schools, it has three campuses in a city beset by intense violence, and currently depends on security guards and off-duty officers from the same police department that's under federal oversight for patterns of abuse. After the Maryland legislature authorized the creation of the campus force last month, Daniels promised to build a department that is "constitutional, community-oriented, and publicly accountable." City Solicitor Andre Davis praised officers for how they handled the Wednesday incident, telling The Baltimore Sun that city lawyers reviewed the operation to ensure that it complied with Baltimore's federal consent decree mandating sweeping police reforms. He said the law enforcers' conduct "was a model of restraint, control and respect to the students." The protesters who chained the hall's doors shut mainly object to the armed campus police force and the university's contracts with ICE. Hopkins has three ICE contracts totaling more than $1.7 million, all of which are set to expire this year, and it says the work has nothing to do with the agency's role along the nation's border with Mexico. It's among various colleges being pressured to cut ties with ICE amid public outcries over the separation of migrant families. Turquoise Baker, a Hopkins student who was one of the organizers of the Garland Hall protest, described their occupation as a "final stand" in their efforts to stop abuses by police, among other goals. "This is an effort to protect black, brown, queer and all marginalized people who Hopkins is actively endangering," she asserted, flanked by a dozen or more fellow protesters following the early morning arrests. But Hopkins stressed it has gone to "extraordinary lengths to accommodate the protest" since it began over a month ago and attempted to engage with the demonstrators even though some forcibly took over the hall. "We are unshakeable in our support of freedom of expression, which lies at the core of academic life. We had hoped to find a constructive means to resolve this increasingly dangerous situation, and we are disappointed that the decisions of the protesters necessitated a law enforcement response. We remain open to dialogue and will continue to support our students as we find ways to move forward together," the university said. ___ Follow McFadden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmcfadd A John Hopkins student is arrested after blocking a police van carrying fellow protestors, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Baltimore police arrested seven people as they ended a monthlong sit-in in the lobby of an administrative building at Johns Hopkins University, where protesters have demonstrated against the creation of a campus police force and the institution's contracts with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP) Opal Phoenix, center, is taken into custody after authorities ended a monthlong sit-in at Garland Hall on Johns Hopkins' Homewood campus, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Baltimore police arrested seven people as they ended a monthlong sit-in in the lobby of an administrative building at Johns Hopkins University, where protesters have demonstrated against the creation of a campus police force and the institution's contracts with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP) A pair of Hopkins students lay in the road in front of a police van carrying fellow protestors, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Baltimore police arrested seven people as they ended a monthlong sit-in in the lobby of an administrative building at Johns Hopkins University, where protesters have demonstrated against the creation of a campus police force and the institution's contracts with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP) A pair of Hopkins students lay in the road in front of a police van carrying fellow protestors, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Baltimore police arrested seven people as they ended a monthlong sit-in in the lobby of an administrative building at Johns Hopkins University, where protesters have demonstrated against the creation of a campus police force and the institution's contracts with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP) BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian troops pushed their way into a northwestern rebel-held enclave Wednesday, clashing with insurgents and capturing a strategically located village at the southern edge, widening an offensive that had previously involved mainly aerial bombings and shelling. The pro-government Central Military Media said the troops entered Kfar Nabudah, a rebel-held village on the southwestern edge of the enclave, igniting heavy clashes with the insurgents. The CMM said the government forces seized control of the village after hours of fighting and began clearing it of land mines. This is the most serious challenge yet to a cease-fire in the region brokered by Russia and Turkey in September. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the ground operation, which was launched with close air support. It also said government forces captured the village after clashes that killed at least nine soldiers and 18 rebels. There was no report of casualties in the pro-government media. Rebel groups said they targeted government vehicles and detonated a car bomb. Capturing Kfar Nabudah severs the link between the southern edge of the rebel-held enclave in Hama province with its western and eastern flanks, as well farther to the north. Activist-operated media group Enab Baladi called Kfar Nabudah the "first line of defense of Idlib." This photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows members of the Syrian Civil Defense workers carrying a victim after a deadly airstrike hit a market killing several people in the village of Ras el-Ain, in the northwestern province of Idlib, Syria, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Opposition activists say government forces have intensified their bombardment of rebel-held towns and villages in northwestern Syria. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) Rebel spokesman Nabji al-Mustafa confirmed the government seized the village, adding his fighters remain on its edge. He said the new fighting has a caused a new wave of displacement from rebel-held Khan Sheikhoun town, which sits on the highway linking Aleppo and Damascus and is less than 15 kilometers (9 miles) to the east of Kfar Nabudah. Khan Sheikhoun has come under increasing fire after Kfar Nabudah was captured, al-Mustafa said. The latest wave of violence, which began April 30, has raised fears the government may launch a wider offensive to retake the area, home to around 3 million people. Already, over 150,000 have been displaced within the enclave, according to the U.N., mostly civilians escaping front lines. "They entered Kfar Nabuda but the clashes continue with government forces at the edge," al-Mustafa said. In recent days government forces have intensified their bombardment of the rebel-held areas in northwestern Syria, as a cease-fire appears to have all but collapsed. Government forces seized a village and a strategic hill on Monday. The government appears to be trying to secure a major highway that cuts through the rebel-held enclave. The highway was to reopen before the end of 2018 following the cease-fire agreement, but it remains closed. The World Health Organization on Wednesday strongly condemned attacks on health facilities in the region. In just nine days since April 29, WHO said 12 health structures have been hit. On May 5 alone, two major hospitals and another facility were hit, killing three health workers, the U.N. agency said. WHO said there are now no functioning hospitals in northern Hama, affecting close to 300,000, and emergency care is being provided by only three surgical units supported by the U.N. agency. LOS ANGELES (AP) - George Clooney is hoping the media will be gentler to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, after she gave birth to a baby boy. "I think people should be a little kinder. She's a young woman who just had a baby, you know?" Clooney told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Clooney is a good friend of Meghan and Prince Harry. He and his lawyer wife Amal attended the royal wedding last year, and Amal was one of the guests at Meghan's baby shower. Clooney has been outspoken in his defense of Meghan, a former actress and American, who has been the subject of harsh gossip in some publications. At the premiere of his new Hulu series "Catch-22," Clooney said the media scrutiny will likely intensify now that the baby, who was named Archie, has arrived. He conceded that some of that comes with the royal territory. "If you're a royal, that's what you have to do," he said. "It's the other versions of it: Going to interview people's parents, that kind of stuff. It starts to step into a really dark place." Besides celebrating upcoming May 17 debut of "Catch-22," Clooney was also in a joyous mood because of the release of two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who had been imprisoned in Myanmar. They were released early Tuesday after more than a year behind bars. They won the Pulitzer Prize last month for international reporting, along with the AP. George Clooney and Amal Clooney arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of "Catch-22" at TCL Chinese Theatre on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) "My wife spent the last year, every day, with (Reuters chief counsel) Gail Gove and with (Reuters editor-in-chief) Stephen Adler, working, as hard as you could work, behind the scenes, to get these guys out," he said. "And last night, for my (58th) birthday, at my birthday dinner, those two men walked out," Clooney continued. "And I have to tell you, I couldn't be more proud of my wife. I couldn't be more proud of Reuters and the way they stuck up for journalism." He added: "It's a dangerous time to be a journalist. So, to win one, I'm very proud of my wife. And congratulations to everyone - and the AP." Jan Egeland Twitter Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and a former UN aid chief has told the United Nations Security Council Arria-Formula meeting Monday, May 13, 2019, that families in Cameroons North West and South West regions are terrorized beyond belief while in the Fako North Region, civilians feel abandoned. The NRC head said the Anglophone crisis is "one of the world's most neglected" after a visit to Buea last month where he assessed the humanitarian situation in Cameroon, and made recommendations on the way forward. Mr. President, UN Security Council members, I wish to thank the Security Council for this opportunity to speak about the massive human suffering I witnessed when I visited Cameroon three weeks ago, Egeland opened his statement. I traveled to both the South West Region of Cameroon and the Far North. In the former, I met with communities fleeing armed conflict. In the latter, I spoke with refugees and internally displaced families fleeing Boko Haram violence, he said, thanking Cameroon for being a generous host to refugees, including from the Central African Republic and Nigeria. We appreciate the cooperation of the authorities in providing sanctuary to people in great need, Hear Egeland: When brutal fighting displaces hundreds of thousands of civilians, it usually sets international alarm bells ringing. But, the shocking unmet needs of tens of thousands of people fleeing violence in South-West and North-West Cameroon has resulted in no systematic mediation efforts, no large relief programme, little media interest and too little pressure on the parties to stop attacking civilians. He said the collective silence surrounding the atrocities is as shocking as the untold stories are heart-breaking. That is why this session is so important. The former UN Aid chief said a group of displaced and disillusioned women he met told him that they felt abandoned by the international community, as well as by the conflict parties. They asked him, where is international solidarity? Where are the African organisations, the donor nations? Where is Europe? This conflict has roots in generations of interference from European powers. In Buea, he met with families from the hundreds of villages that have been burned. They affirmed that tens of thousands of people are still hiding in the bushes, and that new attacks are taking place every week. His words: Children have been denied their right to education for years because of the political conflicts between grown adults. Most schools have been closed, and the Ministry of Education affirms that at least 780,000 children are out of school. We risk losing a generation to illiteracy. I was also shocked by the scale and brutality of the crisis. Even hospitals have been attacked, and health workers fear for their lives. The absence of a humanitarian response commensurate to the hundreds of thousands of people in great and unmet need is striking. We are too few humanitarian actors on the ground, and we are gravely underfunded. The Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary General said his colleagues and other relief organisations in Cameroon tell him they can reach people in need in the South West and North West despite the insecurity and that parties to the conflict said they are ready to support access to all areas of great need. This includes the South West Governor who I spoke with in Buea, and armed opposition groups with whom we are in contact. Our immediate priority is access and assistance to people hiding in the bushes, who as of today receive no assistance or protection. They fear they cannot return to their torched villages, nor do they feel that it is safe for them to go to the urban centres. These families are terrorized beyond belief, Egeland wept. He says the situation in Cameroons Far North Region is no different. Similarly in the Far North, civilians feel abandoned. The humanitarian response is severely underfunded and underreported. The displaced children I met in the capital town, Maroua, and surrounding areas, had hoped one day to return to their ancestral lands from where they fled Boko Haram violence. But insecurity still plagues these areas. The only thing that has changed for these communities is that their suffering and the violence raged against them has disappeared from our TV screens, hearts and minds. In my 40 years as a humanitarian worker, I have too often seen how the lack of early intervention results in smaller conflicts becoming horrific and endless wars. There is still time to avoid the conflict in the South-West and North-West from escalating further, with untold suffering as a consequence. Equally, there is time to give hope and durable solutions to displaced families in the Far North, and to the Central African refugees that Cameroon hosts. Egeland said the UN, the UN Secretariat, the Security Council, and all the agencies and programmes of this great family of organisations, need to do better in what they have all pledged; act to ensure conflict prevention, conflict resolution and bridge building before it is too late. The crisis in the English-speaking part of Cameroon is one of the worlds most neglected. The lack of information and international political attention has allowed the situation to deteriorate from peaceful demonstrations to the atrocities committed by both sides. We need more independent information and reporting from the crisis. And more than anything we need to protect and assist defenseless civilians. We urgently need national and international conflict resolution resources to help stop the violence and start UN talks about the many grievances that exist. Mediation or facilitation of peace talks should be done by local, national or international actors that have the trust of both the government and non-state armed groups. Organisations and countries with influence over the conflict parties must make it clear that the attacks on civilians, on their homes and villages, and their schools and their hospitals, are crimes under international law that cannot be allowed to continue. The deep and acute protection crisis might also be alleviated by a greater presence by international organisations. The UN Country Team should be given the financial and human resources needed to put protection at the centre of its response. A first step to break the vicious cycle could be a concerted international effort to reopen and provide protection for schools and schoolchildren. Today, the political and strategic conflict among politicians and armed men has paralyzed education for young people. It must be possible to de-politize education. The grown adults must at agree on finding a way for children to return to school, as the mothers I met pleaded for. To do this, both parties must show willingness to make compromises on the issues that so early became contentious in this conflict. UN and humanitarian partners also need to strengthen their efforts to pave the way for an effective education response. We need to ramp up the humanitarian response. As the Emergency Relief Coordinator noted, many of the 1.3 million people who need humanitarian support have received no assistance. A massive funding injection is needed to save lives. We need to extend the scope of the humanitarian response beyond city centres and into rural areas in South-West and North-West region. The total funding for Cameroon must be increased; money cannot just be shifted from other regions towards the crisis in the South-West and North-West. If we do not act today, lives will be lost. The future of a generation of Cameroonians hangs in the balance. WASHINGTON (AP) - TV pitches for prescription drugs will soon include the price, giving consumers more information upfront as they make medication choices at a time when new drugs can carry anxiety-inducing prices. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Wednesday the Trump administration has finalized regulations requiring drug companies to disclose list prices of medications costing more than $35 for a month's supply. "What I say to the companies is if you think the cost of your drug will scare people from buying your drugs, then lower your prices," Azar said. "Transparency for American patients is here." In a tweet, President Donald Trump celebrated the announcement, saying: "Historic transparency for American patients is here. If drug companies are ashamed of those prices_lower them!" Drug companies responded that adding prices to their commercials could unintentionally harm patients. "We are concerned that the administration's rule requiring list prices in direct-to-consumer television advertising could be confusing for patients and may discourage them from seeking needed medical care," said the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the main trade group. FILE - In this March 13, 2019, file phtooHealth and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar testifies before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Azar says drugmakers will soon have to reveal prices of their prescription medicines in those ever-present TV ads. The Trump administration will issue final regulations on May 8 requiring drug companies to disclose list prices of medications costing more than $35 for a month's supply. Azar tells The Associated Press if drugmakers are scared to put prices in ads that means they should lower those prices. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) But one major firm - Johnson & Johnson, based in New Brunswick, New Jersey - has already started disclosing the cost of its blood thinner Xarelto in TV advertising. And polls indicate many patients are not taking their medications as prescribed because of cost. Drug pricing details are expected to appear in text toward the end of commercials, when potential side effects are disclosed. TV viewers should notice the change later this year, perhaps as early as the summer. The government is hoping that patients armed with prices will start discussing affordability with their doctors, and gradually that will put pressure on drugmakers to keep costs of brand-name drugs in check. Pricing disclosure was part of a multilevel blueprint President Donald Trump announced last year to try to lower prescription drug costs . Democrats say it still won't force drugmakers to lower what they charge, and they want Medicare to negotiate on behalf of consumers. Leigh Purvis, a pharma expert with AARP's research division, said disclosure will help dispel a "cloak of darkness" around prices and encourage more informed discussions between patients and their doctors. But she cautioned against expecting too much. "The overall idea of reducing drug prices is something for which there is no silver bullet," said Purvis. "This is just one step, one tool in what will have to be a very big arsenal." Other ideas from the Trump administration include regulations affecting Medicare and legislative proposals in Congress. With the cost of medicines a top concern for voters, Trump and lawmakers of both major political parties want accomplishments they can point to before the 2020 elections. Drugmakers also complained that the price reveal will infringe on their First Amendment free speech rights by forcing them to disclose prices. It's unclear if that will prompt a court challenge, but Azar points out that the government has for decades required carmakers to post their sticker prices on vehicles. "Prices of automobiles are vastly less important to your health and affordability than drugs," he said. According to the latest government figures, the 10 most commonly advertised drugs have prices ranging from $488 to $16,938 per month or for a usual course of therapy. The disclosure requirement will not apply to print or radio ads for the foreseeable future. It encompasses all brand name drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid, which is nearly all. In a twist, enforcement of the rule will rely on drug companies suing each other over violations under a longstanding federal law that governs unfair trade practices. "There are very large legal practices built on pharma companies suing each other," Azar said, calling it a "quite effective mechanism." Most people count on lower-cost generic drugs to manage their health problems, but the advent of highly effective and extremely expensive medications for once-fatal or intractable diseases has put consumers on edge. Some genetic and cellular-based treatments can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, straining on the budgets of insurers and government programs. A recent poll from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation found that 1 in 3 Americans said they haven't taken medications as prescribed because of costs. People who take four or more medications, those who spend $100 a month or more on meds, patients in fair to poor health and middle-aged adults are more likely to report affordability problems. Although most patients do not pay the full list prices that will be included in ads, experts say those are still important. Patient copays are often based on list prices. And many people who have high-deductible insurance plans pay list prices because their insurance doesn't start covering until patients spend several thousand dollars of their own money. In other economically advanced countries, governments negotiate drug prices to keep medications more affordable for patients. But the U.S. has held back from government-set prices. Azar, who is leading Trump's efforts on prescription drugs, is a former drug company executive. He held senior posts with Indianapolis-based insulin maker Eli Lilly and Co. after an earlier stint in government service during the George W. Bush administration. The regulations will take effect 60 days after they're published in the Federal Register. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The latest on the political conflict in Venezuela (all times local): 7:30 p.m. Venezuelan lawmakers say security forces have arrested the No. 2 leader in the opposition-controlled congress as political tensions mount in the crisis-wracked nation. The lawmakers say National Assembly Vice President Edgar Zambrano was in his car when it was surrounded by heavily armed police outside his Democratic Action party's headquarters Wednesday. Party head Carlos Prosperi says security forces towed the car away with the lawmaker still inside. Government officials announced that Zambrano and several other lawmakers were under investigation for treason and instigating an insurrection. FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2019 file photo, incoming National Assembly Vice President Edgar Zambrano, left, arrives with incoming National Assembly President Juan Guaido, center, and Omar Barboza, outgoing president of Venezuela's National Assembly, to a special session at the Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela. Zambrano was arrested on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, according to Carlos Prosperi, leader of the Democratic Action party, who said Zambrano was in his car when it was surrounded by heavily armed police outside the party's headquarters. His arrest follows a government announcement that Zambrano and several other lawmakers were under investigation for treason and instigating an insurrection. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File) Zambrano is one of nine opposition politicians who appeared with opposition leader Juan Guaido during last week's failed attempt to encourage a military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. ___ 3:05 p.m. The head of Venezuela's top court says the United States is trying to manipulate the Venezuelan justice system in an attempt to foment a coup. Maikel Moreno, president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, spoke Wednesday following U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's remarks that the U.S. would extend sanctions to all members of the Venezuelan court if they continue to be a "political tool" of President Nicolas Maduro. Moreno says Pence's comments threaten the sovereignty of Venezuela, where a power struggle between Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition leader, Juan Guaido, has been going on for months. Pence also said Tuesday that the U.S. lifted sanctions on a top Venezuelan general, Manuel Figuera, who broke ranks with Maduro during Guaido's failed call last week for a military uprising. ___ 8:10 a.m. Spain's acting foreign minister says the U.S. government's approach to Venezuela's crisis is "like a western cowboy" who is threatening to draw his gun. Josep Borrell says the Latin American country needs "a peaceful, negotiated and democratic solution" to its problems. Borrell told Spanish public broadcaster TVE on Wednesday that Spain and other European countries "will continue to reject any pressure that borders on military intervention" in Venezuela. U.S. officials have repeatedly said that "all options are on the table" as they weigh how to remove socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power. Both Spain and the United States have recognized congress leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. They say Maduro's re-election last year was fraudulent. ___ 12:05 a.m. The U.S. has lifted sanctions on a top Venezuelan general who broke ranks with President Nicolas Maduro, trying to help the opposition regain momentum in the face of a government crackdown following last week's failed uprising. Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech Tuesday that the immediate lifting of financial sanctions for Gen. Manuel Figuera is intended to encourage others in the military to abandon their support for Maduro. The Treasury Department says the move involving Venezuela's former spy chief is a display of "good faith" designed to elicit "concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order" by dozens of other sanctioned Venezuelan insiders. Figuera was the sole regime insider to defy Maduro during the uprising called for by opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom the U.S. considers the country's legitimate president. Leomar Aguilar, 23, gathers with friends outside a building occupied by squatting families in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Venezuela is in the midst of a growing political and economic crisis as, the U.S.-backed Juan Guaido declared himself interim president in January, saying President Nicolas Maduro's re-election last year was rigged and one in a series of increasingly authoritarian steps since he replaced the late Hugo Chavez in 2013 as president. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) BANGKOK (AP) - Thailand's Election Commission on Wednesday announced the final results of the March 24 general election - the first since a military coup in 2014 - that gave no party an absolute majority and likely will prompt legal challenges. The commission distributed 150 party list seats in the 500-member House of Representatives under a complicated formula related to each party's nationwide popular vote total. Twenty-six parties were granted seats, 14 of them one apiece, while one seat was held open pending a re-vote in one constituency where the winning candidate was disqualified. The commission's failure to clearly explain its formula had led to suspicions it might fiddle with the total. It has already been heavily criticized for releasing delayed and confusing preliminary vote totals, and was accused of tilting in favor of the military-backed Palang Pracharath party. Palang Pracharath was awarded 18 party list seats Wednesday, while the rival Pheu Thai party associated with fugitive former Prime Minster Thaksin Shinawatra received none. On Tuesday, each party was allocated its share of the 350 constituency seats. Pheu Thai topped the field by winning 136 constituencies, while Palang Pracharath was second with 97 seats, though it received the most popular votes. Neither party received a majority, and both are attempting to put together coalitions with smaller parties to form a government. FILE - In this Sunday, March 24, 2019, file photo, an election officer counts votes at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand's Election Commission has officially endorsed the results from the country's March 24 general election, declaring that the Pheu Thai party associated with fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra topped the field by winning 136 constituencies. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) The explanation of the party list formula released by the Election Commission before the polls, as generally understood, would have denied seats to many of the smaller parties awarded them Wednesday. The formula as applied Wednesday instead benefited them, at the apparent expense of parties allied with Pheu Thai. Pheu Thai issued a statement saying the Election Commission "deliberately intended to commit wrongdoing and misused its power, violating the constitution and the law. The party will later take legal measures in every aspect against the EC." The Future Forward Party, which shares Pheu Thai's anti-military stance, has agreed to join it in a coalition and ranks third in seats. It also complained about the Election Commission's actions, which lowered its seat total to 80 from a projected 87. Party Secretary-General Piyabutr Saengkanokkul called the commission's calculations "absurd." Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army commander staged the 2014 coup and since then has served as prime minister, is Palang Pracharath's candidate to continue in that position. Prayuth should easily be able to return to office because the prime minister will be selected by a joint vote of the lower house and the appointed Senate, which represents conservative interests and essentially will be chosen by the military junta. But he will have a hard time if his foes control the lower house. Prayuth's legal adviser has said he expects a new government to be seated by early June. Thailand has been under military rule since 2014, when the military ousted a government led by Pheu Thai. The party is the main vehicle for supporters of Thaksin, a billionaire who became prime minister in 2001 with populist policies that won him support among the less well-off rural majority. His popularity threatened the influence of Thailand's traditional ruling class, led by the military and conservative royalists. He was ousted by an earlier 2006 coup amid accusations of corruption and abuse of power and went into exile to avoid going to prison on a conflict of interest conviction. The coup set off a long and sometimes violent battle for power between his supporters and opponents, and 2014's military takeover ousted a government formed by his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. The military regime that took power instituted changes in the constitution and election law to try to prevent a comeback by Thaksin's loyalists. The party list system was established to benefit medium-size parties unable to win many seats in head-to-head constituency races, but with a large number of votes nationwide, while parties winning many constituency seats had a cap on the number of party list seats they could be awarded. The Election Commission has already said the allocations may change anytime in the year after the vote, if winners or their parties are disqualified and new polls must be held. MANDAN, N.D. (AP) - Authorities have charged four teenagers with multiple felonies in adult court for what they described at a riot last year at North Dakota's youth prison. The four are accused of assaulting staff while trying to escape on Jan. 28, 2018, from the Youth Correctional Center outside of Mandan. Five male workers in supervisory or security roles received medical attention for minor injuries and did not miss any work. Charges against the youths range from assault to terrorizing to escape. Elijah Barse, of Rapid City, South Dakota, appeared in court Tuesday and had bond set at $100,000, in part because he is considered a flight risk, The Bismarck Tribune reported. Court documents don't list an attorney for him. Gavin Johnson and Starson Buckles, both of Mandan, pleaded not guilty earlier and are set for trial July 10. Julian Wolf, of Bismarck, pleaded guilty in March and awaits sentencing. All of the boys are in their upper teens, according to court documents. They were residents of a housing unit for male juveniles considered high risk or high maintenance, according to the state Corrections Department. In this May 2018 photo, Tim Tausend, director of the North Dakota Youth Correctional Center, shows a look inside one of the dorm rooms inside the 25-bed Pine Cottage for high-risk male juveniles in Mandan, N.D. Authorities have charged four teenagers, including one from South Dakota, with multiple felonies in adult court in what they described as a riot earlier this year at North Dakota's youth prison. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) ___ This story has been corrected to show that Barse appeared in court Tuesday, not Monday, and that the incident happened in 2018, not 2019. ___ Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report (all times local): 10:50 p.m. The House Judiciary Committee has voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. The vote Wednesday capped a day of ever-deepening dispute between congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump, who invoked executive privilege to block lawmakers from the full report on Robert Mueller's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York declared the action by Trump's Justice Department a clear new sign of the president's "blanket defiance" of Congress' constitutional rights to conduct oversight. Nadler said after the contempt vote, "We did not relish doing this, but we have no choice." FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, Attorney General William Barr is sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The House Judiciary Committee is moving ahead with a vote to hold Barr in contempt of Congress despite last-minute negotiations with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) But Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec says it was disappointing that members of Congress "have chosen to engage in such inappropriate political theatrics." __ 7:10 p.m. The House intelligence committee has subpoenaed the Justice Department for special counsel Robert Mueller's full, unredacted report and underlying evidence. The subpoena comes the same day that the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for not providing the same materials. The intelligence committee subpoena requires Barr to produce the documents by May 15. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and the top Republican on the committee, California Rep. Devin Nunes, have asked for the unredacted Mueller report for several weeks. Schiff says in a statement that the Justice Department "has repeatedly failed to respond, refused to schedule any testimony, and provided no documents responsive to our legitimate and duly authorized oversight activities." __ 5:05 p.m. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says the panel's recommendation to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress will come before the full House for a vote soon. Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York calls the committee's vote Wednesday a "grave and momentous step" as Congress battles the Trump administration for access to a full version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the Trump-Russia probe. The panel voted along party lines. Ahead of voting, the White House invoked executive privilege, claiming the right to block lawmakers from the seeing the full document. Nadler says Democrats on the committee "did not relish doing this" but "have no choice." He calls the executive privilege claim an "assertion of tyrannical power by the president" that "cannot stand." __ 5 p.m. The Justice Department says the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has held a "politically motivated and unnecessary contempt vote." The statement comes after the committee voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena. The panel sought a full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the Russia probe and underlying investigative documents. Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec says it is disappointing that members of Congress "have chosen to engage in such inappropriate political theatrics." She says Barr made "extraordinary efforts" to provide Congress and the public with information about Mueller's work. The contempt resolution against Barr now moves to the full House. __ 4:30 p.m. The House Judiciary Committee has voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, escalating the legal battle with the Trump administration over access to special counsel Robert Mueller's report. The committee voted 24-16 to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department rejected House Democrats' demands for the full Mueller report and the underlying evidence. Ahead of the vote, President Donald Trump asserted executive privilege over those materials and reserved the right to block them. The contempt resolution against Barr now moves to the full House. If it is approved, it would trigger a criminal referral to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, which would decide whether to prosecute. Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said the panel had to act because Trump's stonewalling is creating a "constitutional crisis." __ 10:40 a.m. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler says President Donald Trump's assertion of executive privilege over special counsel Robert Mueller's report is a clear escalation of his administration's "blanket defiance" of Congress. Nadler made the comments ahead of a committee vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. The committee is moving to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department rejected House Democrats' demands for a fuller version of Mueller's report and other documents. Executive privilege is the president's power to keep information from the courts, Congress and the public to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. Asserting privilege would allow Trump to withhold the Mueller materials from Congress. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump had to assert privilege due to Nadler's "blatant abuse of power." __ 10:35 a.m. The Justice Department says President Donald Trump has exerted executive privilege over the full Mueller report and other investigative records that had been subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee. Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd says Wednesday that the Justice Department is also ending its negotiations with the committee. Boyd says the committee's chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, scheduled an "unnecessary contempt vote." Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of Mueller's report to the public last month, but Democrats want to see the full document, along with underlying evidence. The Justice Department has rejected that demand, but allowed a handful of congressional leaders to view a less redacted version. __ 10:30 a.m. President Donald Trump is invoking executive privilege over special counsel Robert Mueller's unredacted report and other documents subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee. The claim would allow Trump to withhold those materials from Congress. The House Judiciary Committee is meeting to decide whether to vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt for not turning over the full report and certain other materials. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says in a statement that: "Chairman Nadler's blatant abuse of power, and at the Attorney General's request, the President has no other option than to make a protective assertion of executive privilege." __ 8:50 a.m. House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler says there's a "constitutional crisis" over the Trump administration's refusal to provide Congress with a fuller copy of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on his Russia investigation. The New York Democrat told CNN on Wednesday the committee will move forward with a Wednesday morning vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with the panel's subpoena for a fuller copy. Talks between the Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department failed to reach an agreement Tuesday on releasing more of the report to a broader group of lawmakers on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees. The Justice Department indicated the White House might invoke executive privilege to block the release. Nadler told CNN the country faced "a constitutional crisis" because "the president is disobeying the law, is refusing all information to Congress." He said he had hoped the administration would change course ahead of Wednesday's scheduled vote. __ 12:38 a.m. The House Judiciary Committee is moving ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. Barr released a redacted version of Mueller's report to the public last month, but Democrats want to see the full document, along with underlying evidence. The Justice Department has rejected that demand, while allowing a handful of lawmakers to view a less redacted version. Staff members from the House Judiciary Committee met with Justice Department officials Tuesday afternoon and into the night without reaching a compromise. But the committee's chairman, New York congressman Jerrold Nadler, says a vote is still scheduled for Wednesday. Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee, from left, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., object to efforts by Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to move ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., gavels in a hearing on the Mueller report without witness Attorney General William Barr who refused to appear, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) LOCKHART, Texas (AP) - A Texas jury has sentenced a 28-year-old man to life imprisonment for the murder of a college student. The jury in Caldwell County in Central Texas sentenced Robert Fabian on Wednesday, one day after finding him guilty of murder and evidence tampering in the death of 21-year-old Zuzu Verk. She was a Fort Worth-area woman and a student at Sul Ross State University in the West Texas town of Alpine. She was dating Fabian at the time of her disappearance in October 2016. Her remains were found the following February in a remote shallow grave near Alpine and identified through dental records. A judge previously ordered the trial moved from Brewster County in West Texas to in Caldwell County, south of Austin, citing pretrial publicity. NEW YORK (AP) - Six family members, including four children, were killed early Wednesday when a fire that apparently started on a stove ravaged a Harlem apartment, authorities said. Firefighters, who were called at about 1:40 a.m., pushed quickly and aggressively into the flames and thick smoke and found a man and a woman, as well as two girls and two boys ages 3 to 11, in bedrooms of the fifth-floor apartment, according to Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro. They were pronounced dead by emergency medical technicians. "Preliminarily we believe the fire was an accident and that it started in the kitchen on the stove, quickly extended out of the kitchen and eventually involved every room in this apartment including the two rooms where the victims were found," Nigro said at a briefing. "We're in the lifesaving business and we take this very personally when we're unable to save this family," Nigro added. "It's horrible to look at, and as a father just thinking ... that yesterday evening four children went to bed and they're gone now is very, very painful," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The head of the New York City Housing Authority, Kathryn Garcia, said a battery-operated smoke detector in the apartment had been tested in January. Leon Black, a resident of building burned in a fire, visits the scene in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Television reports showed neighbors standing in a circle and praying outside the Frederick E. Samuel Houses. "I was trapped in my building, in my apartment until the fire department came and got me out," a resident, Patricia Flowers, told The Associated Press hours after the fire. "I have a mom, and I didn't know what to do to get her out. ... So it was very frightening." "I woke up in the middle of night after hearing the fire truck and I could see the fire and it was so hot, even from across here it was so hot," said Deborah Belton, who lives across the street. "As the fire was burning I was hearing one of the little girls screaming," fourth-floor resident Eric Allen told the New York Post . "They were beautiful kids." Abdul Salaam, 25, told the Post that he saw the flames from the street and called 911. "I heard glass breaking, kids yelling," said Salaam. "They were clearly in fear for their lives." One resident said that he and his 75-year-old mother, who live on the fifth floor, fled down a fire escape. "There was so much smoke you couldn't even see," Geraldo Morales told the Post. "The smoke - I got asthma - so it was like I was getting suffocated." Several people suffered minor injuries when the building was being evacuated. Fire marshals sift through a burned out apartment in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Members of the New York Fire Department work near debris from a fire in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) New York City police stand near a stuffed animal left by a child in front of a fire damaged building in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) People look at a fire damaged building in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged the apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Fire marshals sift through a burned out apartment in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Fire marshals sift through a burned out apartment in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Fire marshals sift through a burned out apartment in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Six people, including four children, were killed Wednesday when an overnight fire ravaged an apartment in a city-owned Harlem building. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - 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 Pennsylvania's 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 nation's largest fossil fuel-producing states. Three Mile Island's 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 doesn't see "a path forward for policy changes before the June 1 fuel purchasing deadline for TMI." FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2006, file photo, cooling towers of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant are reflected in the Susquehanna River in this image taken with a slow shutter speed in Middletown, Pa. The owner of Three Mile Island, site of the United States' worst commercial nuclear power accident, is acknowledging in a Wednesday, May 8, 2019 statement that it is unlikely to get a financial rescue from Pennsylvania and says it plans to go through with a shutdown starting June 1. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) A roughly $500 million package for Three Mile Island and Pennsylvania's four other nuclear power plants has stalled without a vote in the Legislature, and Wednesday was the state Senate's last scheduled session day of May. The rescue package split the leadership of the state Legislature's Republican majorities, and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, never threw his support behind it. Wolf's office on Wednesday said he was disappointed at the news, and said it is still essential to maintain and expand Pennsylvania's "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 bill's 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 state's considerable natural gas industry, not to mention industrial users and consumer advocates. Three Mile Island faced particularly difficult economics because 1979's 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 Energy's 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 Island's roughly 675 employees willing to relocate. The 1979 accident at Three Mile Island's 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. FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2005, file photo, steam billows from two active cooling towers of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pa. The owner of Three Mile Island, site of the United States' worst commercial nuclear power accident, is acknowledging in a Wednesday, May 8, 2019, statement that it is unlikely to get a financial rescue from Pennsylvania and says it plans to go through with a shutdown starting June 1. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) FILE - This undated file photo shows the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in, Middletown, Pa. The owner of Three Mile Island, site of the United States' worst commercial nuclear power accident, is acknowledging in a Wednesday, May 8, 2019 statement that it is unlikely to get a financial rescue from Pennsylvania and says it plans to go through with a shutdown starting June 1. (AP Photo, File) MOORPARK, Calif. (AP) - John and Molly Chester, a filmmaker and a chef, had made a decision that many urbanites only fantasize about: They decided to leave their life in Los Angeles and start a farm that would function in harmony with nature. Their family and friends thought they were crazy, but they were determined. They'd bought 200 acres of land 50 miles away from downtown LA, in Moorpark, California, and they'd found an investor to fund the adventure. The only problem? The land was dead and they knew nothing about farming. Eight years later, visiting the idyllic and suspiciously lovely smelling Apricot Lane Farms - where they grow over 100 types of vegetables, 75 types of fruit, from avocado to citrus, and raise animals including cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, guinea hens and a pig named Emma - you'd hardly know either of those things. But the Chesters have pulled the curtain back on what it took to get there in the documentary "The Biggest Little Farm," which opens in select theaters Friday. The film, which John Chester directed, does not gloss over the hardships, the doubt and the occasional death that came with their dream of not using chemicals on the crops or drugs on the animals in this intimate look at how they made a biodynamic farm out of nothing. John Chester said it's "life affirming" to go back and watch how far they've come. "It was about continuing to move forward in the presence of great failure and great embarrassment," he said. They didn't set out to make a film initially. John Chester had left the business behind, and, besides, he figured, they weren't even experts. Still, being a documentarian at heart, he had the itch to film nonetheless and starting amassing footage of everything (mostly failures). But then five years in, things started to change: The farm was actually working. This April 17, 2019 photo shows John Chester, left, and his wife Molly, of the documentary film "The Biggest Little Farm," at Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) "We saw the return of so much wildlife and we saw pest and predator relationships start to balance things out and I was able to capture those things," John Chester said. "I knew at that moment that we had a very unique opportunity to tell a story." The technique employed at Apricot Lane Farms is something known as biomimicry, which basically relies on the idea that any problem can be solved through nature. They secret to everything, they say, is in the soil and the cover crops that rebuilt the land and preserved the water. "The food we grow truly is special," said Molly Chester. "It's very nutrient-dense and flavorful because we focus on soil development." The produce, meat and eggs from the farm are sold at local groceries and at various farmers' markets, from Calabasas to Santa Monica. The Chesters have already seen a raised profile for themselves and the farm through film festivals like Telluride, Toronto and Sundance, and are readying themselves for even more recognition and interest as audiences meet the film's stars like Emma the pig, the guardian dogs, Maggie the cow and others. In fact, they hear the same question often after screenings of the film: "Is it real?" They do offer private tours, including some for children, but as a working farm, it's not open to the public every day. And they're renovating space that eventually will be usable for farm-to-table dinners and movie nights. John Chester said that the tours are a way to, "inspire people to support what we do and what other farms like us do." "We're not the first to do this," he said. "We're mimicking many mentors who have done this far longer than we have. We're just maybe the first in this neighborhood." As for whether or not they'd recommend following in their footsteps, both say yes, but with some caveats. "I would recommend it on a smaller scale and not with 250 things," John Chester said. "You can find as much joy in a quarter acre as you can on 200 acres. You have to design the farm and where it is based around the life you want to live. Learn from other farmers, volunteer, use their mistakes as your lessons. That's something I wish we would have gotten to do more of. Less pressure, more time under somebody else's dime." ___ Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr This April 17, 2019 photo shows John Chester, left, and his wife Molly, of the documentary film "The Biggest Little Farm," at Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) This April 17, 2019 photo shows John Chester, left, and his wife Molly, of the documentary film "The Biggest Little Farm," at Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) This image released by Neon shows a scene from "The Biggest Little Farm." (Neon via AP) HOUSTON (AP) - It was a scene that has repeated itself countless times in the Houston area: heavy rainfall made area roadways impassable and flooded homes, schools and businesses. On Wednesday, the Houston area was drying out after severe thunderstorms a day earlier caused flash flooding , inundating streets and stranding students at some schools. A break in the weather was expected to be short-lived as more rainfall was predicted over the next few days. Meanwhile, heavy rain elsewhere in the state caused flash flooding in numerous parts of northern, central and western Texas, causing one death in Austin. The rainfall was nowhere near what the area experienced during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which flooded more than 150,000 homes in the Houston area and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage in Texas. But it represents what is becoming the new normal for Houston and surrounding communities, according to a local expert on flooding. "We're going to have to learn to live with flooding in Houston and we haven't quite accepted that reality yet," said Jim Blackburn, co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters Center at Rice University in Houston. There are various reasons why Houston repeatedly floods: The city barely rises above sea level; it has insufficient infrastructure, including drainage; and it's experienced rapid development over the years that has drastically reduced wetlands that could soak up stormwater runoff. Kurt Rowland surveys the scene at the intersection of Austin Parkway and Sweetwater Blvd. in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rowland bought the kayak shortly before Hurricane Harvey and was glad to have it, he said. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Students in the school districts in Cleveland and New Caney, northeast of Houston, were forced to spend at least part of Tuesday night at their campuses after flooded roads prevented buses from leaving and parents from reaching their children. About 60 students at an elementary school in Cleveland spent the night there. In Kingwood, a suburb north of Houston, almost 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain fell, causing almost every street there to be under water for several hours, said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. "We're going to be in an unsettled weather pattern between now into Saturday and Sunday. We are watching the situation very, very carefully," Turner said. Neighboring Fort Bend County issued a disaster declaration after receiving up to 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rain, said County Judge KP George, the county's top administrator. In Sugar Land, a Houston suburb in Fort Bend County, up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain fell, flooding all major roadways and resulting in more than 100 abandoned vehicles, said city spokesman Doug Adolph. Most of the street flooding had cleared on Wednesday. "It was pretty bad. It was raining nonstop, thunder and lightning and people were stuck on the side of the road. So, it wasn't fun. I swam home last night," said Matthew Graver, who lives in Richmond in Fort Bend County. Blackburn said the rain overwhelmed local drainage systems, many of which need major improvements. Houston's storm drain and pipe system is minimal compared with that of other cities and at most can take 1 1/2 inches (3.8 centimeters) of rain. Houston's streets serve as secondary drainage systems, and most will fill with water during intense rainfall, Blackburn said. He also said some storms hitting the area are becoming "more and more severe and they tend to linger over multiple days and that's becoming a scary pattern and perhaps is related to our changing climate." Scientists say climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme weather such as storms, droughts, floods and fires, but without extensive study they cannot directly link a single weather event to the changing climate. After Harvey, Houston-area voters approved a $2.5 billion bond program for a variety of flood control projects, more than 130 of which are already under construction. "We need to spend the bond money and get those improvements made," Blackburn said. Elsewhere in the state, the body of a man was recovered Wednesday afternoon from Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin about a half-hour after a man was reported to have been swept away from a flooded street. In the West Texas town of Merkel, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Abilene, Police Chief Phillip Conklin told KTXS-TV of Abilene that seven people were rescued Wednesday from floodwaters. Three were rescued from an apartment complex, two from flood-stranded vehicles and a couple from their home. Flash floodwaters washed out a Texas Pacifico Transportation railroad track near Mertzon, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of San Angelo in West Texas. Thunderstorms in the Panhandle prompted scattered reports to the National Weather Services of funnel clouds, but no tornadoes were reported. ___ Associated Press journalists John L. Mone in Richmond, Texas, and David Warren and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 Children play in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Siblings Katie and Lander Meinen survey their street by kayak with their dog, Bailey, in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Hsien-Min Yeh, his wife, Julie, and their 20-month-old baby Winston, walk down Austin Parkway at Sweetwater Boulevard back to their home after spending the night in their car in a church parking lot in the Colony Bend area of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The family could not get through to their home during the heavy rain of Tuesday night and pulled into the parking lot of St. Laurence Catholic Church. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) A Stafford high water vehicle evacuates people out of the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land to First Colony Mall, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Residents drive down Austin Parkway across Sweetwater Boulevard in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. In a video released Wednesday morning, the mayor of Sugar Land told residents that levees to the Brazos River had been closed, and that water was now being pumped over the levees into the Brazos, making the water recede much more slowly. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) A truck drives down a flooded William Grant street in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. In a video released Wednesday morning, the mayor of Sugar Land told residents that levees to the Brazos River had been closed, and that water was now being pumped over the levees into the Brazos, making the water recede much more slowly. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) People cross Sweetwater Boulevard at Austin Parkway in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. In a video released Wednesday morning, the mayor of Sugar Land told residents that levees to the Brazos River had been closed, and that water was now being pumped over the levees into the Brazos, making the water recede much more slowly. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Ramond Giles walks past drying clothes, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Kingwood, Texas. Heavy rain battered parts of southeast Texas prompting flash flood warnings, power outages and calls for water rescues. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP) Jay Dabravio removes drywall from his flooded house in the Sherwood Trail subdivision, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Kingwood, Texas. Heavy rain battered parts of southeast Texas prompting flash flood warnings, power outages and calls for water rescues. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP) Thick crowd welcomes PM Dion Ngute to South West Atia Azohnwi Cameroons Prime Minister, Head of Government Chief Dr. Dion Ngute Joseph has arrived the South West Region this morning for a four-day working visit in continuation of his peace mission to the restive North West and South West regions of the country. Dance groups, market women, bike riders, politicians, traditional rulers, the elite and administrative and security officials of the South West were among the thick crowd that converged on the Mungo Bridge, gateway into the South West Region, to give the Prime Minister and Traditional Ruler of the South West Region a messianic reception. Dion Ngutes convoy crossed the Mungo Bridge into the South West Region at exactly 11:00am. Governor Okalia Bilai Bernard gave him the first welcome handshake before other officials followed amidst chants of joy and ululations from the many dance and socio-cultural groups that had honoured the appointment with history. The traditional rulers of the South West Region conducted the PM into a traditional hut along the banks of the Mungo River, constructed for the occasion. There, Dion Ngute was clad in traditional regalia befitting of his rank and prerogatives as Prime Minister, Head of Government and Traditional Ruler of the region. When they emerged from the traditional hut, the PM and his peers traditional rulers performed a rite at the banks of the river before hitting the road to Buea. The course of his convoy was lined up by an enthusiastic population who hunger for a return to peace. The Head of Government is in the South West Region as bearer of the Head of States message to the people of the restive region. He had told the people of the North West Region that the Head of State, President Paul Biya is open to an inclusive dialogue with true representatives of the suffering masses of the two regions on all subjects excluding separation. He called on all in the bushes to drop their weapons and come to the dialogue table. PM Dion Ngute said the situation in these two regions has spared no one, and it is therefore time to give peace a chance. This Tuesday, PM Dion Ngute will hold a one-hour working session with administrative and security officials from 2:00pm, administrative authorities, heads of security services, local and external elite of the South West, Mayors, Government Delegates, Members of the National Assembly, and Senators will take turns to meet the PM. On Wednesday, leaders of legalised political parties will individually be received by the PM. Traditional Authorities and then Religious Authorities will hold talks with the Head of Government in two separate audiences before he leaves for Limbe where he will hold similar audiences and handover fishing materials. He will leave Buea for Kumba in Meme Division on Thursday where he is expected to preach the gospel of peace before returning to Buea same day. The Prime Minister will end his visit to the South West Region on Friday, May 17, 2019 after he would have had heart-to-heart discussions with the people of the region. VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The lawyer for a senior executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei who was arrested in Canada on a U.S. extradition warrant said Wednesday he'll try to prevent the case from going ahead by arguing that comments by President Donald Trump suggest the case against her is politically motivated. Attorney Scott Fenton referred to Trump during a court appearance by Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. Her lawyers said they would be requesting a stay in proceedings. Canada arrested Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, on Dec. 1. She is wanted in the U.S. on fraud charges. The U.S. and China have tried to keep Meng's case separate from their trade dispute, although Trump has said he would consider intervening in the case if it would help forge a trade deal with Beijing. Fenton called Trump's comments "intimidating and corrosive of the rule of law." Meng's lawyers will also look for a stay in the proceedings by saying she was searched and interrogated before being told she was under arrest. Meng is accused of lying to banks about the company's dealings with Iran in violation of U.S. trade sanctions. Her lawyers also say they will argue that what she is alleged to have done is not a crime in Canada. Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, back right, who is out on bail and remains under partial house arrest after she was detained Dec. 1 at the behest of American authorities, is accompanied by a private security detail as she leaves her home to attend a court appearance in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) Huawei spokesman Benjamin Howes said outside court that Meng's rights were violated. "Her U.S. ordered arrest was unlawful abuse of process, one guided by political considerations and tactics, not by the rule of law," Howes said. Howes said the allegations against Meng are untrue and said the business activities of Meng were conducted openly and transparently with the full knowledge of banking officials. Howes refused to take questions. Meng is free on bail in Vancouver and asked the court Wednesday if she could live in her larger Vancouver multimillion-dollar home that recently underwent a renovation. A judge granted her request and the judge also ruled she'll hear arguments on evidence disclosure in late September and October. A decision on whether she is extradited to the U.S. could take years. Meng's lawyers previously said Trump "has repeatedly stated that he would interfere in Ms. Meng's case if he thought it would assist the U.S negotiations with China over a trade deal." Her arrest at the Vancouver airport set off a diplomatic furor that has had led to the worst relations between Canada and China since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor on Dec. 10 in an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng. Kovrig and Spavor haven't had access to a lawyer since being arrested. A Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial on allegations of drug trafficking, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier. China is also blocking imports of the agricultural product canola from Canada. Huawei is a focus of U.S. security concerns. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Outside the court, protesters called for the release of the two detained Canadians and protested China's internment of an estimated 1 million Uighurs (WEE-gurs). ____ Gillies contributed from Toronto. Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, center, who is out on bail and remains under partial house arrest after she was detained Dec. 1 at the behest of American authorities, is accompanied by a private security detail as she leaves her home to attend a court appearance in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is out on bail and remains under partial house arrest after she was detained Dec. 1 at the behest of American authorities, is accompanied by a private security detail as she leaves her home to attend a court appearance in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is out on bail and remains under partial house arrest after she was detained Dec. 1 at the behest of American authorities, leaves her home to attend a court appearance in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A plane operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines skidded off the runway while landing Wednesday evening at Myanmar's Yangon International Airport, injuring at least four people including a pilot, an airline official said. Biman spokesman Shakil Meraj said the accident occurred when the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft was landing in bad weather after a flight from Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. Flight BG060 was carrying 33 people, including two pilots and two flight attendants, he said, adding that the condition of the four injured people was not life-threatening. Photos of the plane showed it lying partly on the wet runway and partly on the grass. Its fuselage appeared to be broken in at least two spots. Meraj said he was unaware of news reports that about 15 people had been hospitalized, but he could confirm there were no fatalities. The Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star quoted Bangladesh's ambassador in Yangon as saying: "All are injured more or less but no one was in critical state. However, 15 of the injured are hospitalized." Myanmar rescue members help an injured passenger in Yangon International airport, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Yangon, Myanmar. A plane operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines skidded off the runway while landing Wednesday evening at Myanmar's Yangon International Airport, injuring at least four people including a pilot, an airline official said. Biman spokesman Shakil Meraj said the accident occurred when the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft was landing in bad weather after a flight from Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. (AP Photo/Aye Win Myint) Meraj said the airline was sending a special flight to bring back the passengers and crew. "We want to ensure that everybody is treated properly in case of any injuries," he said. Asked if passengers could decide to stay in Yangon, he replied, "We can't force anybody, but what we want to ensure is that everybody is OK, and they can return with our team." Airport authorities briefly halted runway operations after the accident but announced later they had resumed, though flight delays were expected. ___ Associated Press writer Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to this report. In this handout photo provided by Myanmar Department of Civil Aviation, the Biman Bangladesh Airline plane is seen after an incident in Yangon International airport, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Yangon, Myanmar. A plane operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines skidded off the runway while landing Wednesday evening at Myanmar's Yangon International Airport, injuring at least four people including a pilot, an airline official said. Biman spokesman Shakil Meraj said the accident occurred when the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft was landing in bad weather after a flight from Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. (AP Photo/Aye Win Myint) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The city of Minneapolis will work with a court-appointed mediator to try to resolve the lawsuit over the death of a black man who was shot by police in 2015, city leaders said Wednesday after a federal judge demanded answers about settlement negotiations. U.S. District Judge Michael Davis summoned Mayor Jacob Frey and other city leaders to court on Wednesday after he received an email saying the City Council rejected an offer to settle the case over the death of Jamar Clark. The decision not to settle was made behind closed doors on Friday - the same day the city announced that it agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit over the 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. "The court wants to have a full understanding of where it's going and what's occurred," Davis said of the case. "The court is not knowledgeable about what's going on." The deaths of Damond and Clark unfolded under different circumstances. Damond, who was white and a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, was shot by a police officer when she approached his squad car minutes after calling 911 to report a possible rape in the alley behind her home. Mohamed Noor, the Somali American officer who shot her, was convicted of murder. Last week, Frey cited the murder conviction, along with Noor's failure to identify a threat before using deadly force, as reasons for the large payout to Damond's family. The 24-year-old Clark was shot in the head after a struggle with two white officers. The Hennepin County attorney declined to bring charges, saying an investigation found Clark was shot after trying to get an officer's gun. Clark's death sparked large protests and an 18-day occupation outside the police station on Minneapolis' north side, the section of the city where the shooting occurred. FILE - In this March 30, 2016 photo, demonstrators raise their fists in the air at the Government Center in Minneapolis during a protest over two Minneapolis police officers fatally shooting Jamar Clark, a black man, in November 2015. On Wednesday, May 8, 2019, a federal judge summoned Minneapolis city leaders to court after learning that the city had rejected an offer to settle a lawsuit over the killing of a black man by police in 2015 - with the rejection coming the same day the city announced it had agreed to pay $20 million to the family of a white woman killed by police. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) William Starr, the attorney for Clark's father, James Clark, said in court that the settlement offer in his case was "nominal" and was made before the settlement was reached in the Damond case. He said he believes race is a factor in how the two cases were handled differently and he now wants a "transformative settlement" - echoing language used to describe the Damond settlement. He also said the case could go to trial, but agreed to continue to negotiate. Starr also said he would file motions to resolves some legal issues. After Wednesday's hearing, he explained that since James Clark is Jamar Clark's adoptive father and there are several siblings, he has to file a motion to settle next-of-kin issues. James Clark also said race is a factor. "We just want justice," he said. "(Jamar) definitely didn't deserve that from police when they are supposed to serve and protect. ... They don't care about a black person." Davis had ordered Frey, City Council President Lisa Bender, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and City Attorney Susan Segal to appear in court for Wednesday's hearing. Councilman Jeremiah Ellison also attended. ___ Follow Amy Forliti on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amyforliti GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) - A 19-year-old man accused of killing a Mississippi police officer walked up behind him in the police station parking lot and shot him several times in the back, according to a sworn statement filed by a sheriff's investigator. The statement is included in court records in the case of Darian (DEHR-uhn) Atkinson of Biloxi, the Sun Herald reported Wednesday. He is charged with capital murder in the death of 57-year-old Biloxi Police Patrolman Robert McKeithen (muh-KEETH-en) on Sunday . The newspaper reported that a video from outside the Biloxi police station showed Atkinson running through the parking lot after the shooting. Atkinson was arrested Monday in Wiggins, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of the crime scene. He smiled and hummed as he was led into a courtroom Wednesday at the Harrison County Jail in Gulfport, where he made an initial appearance on the capital murder charge. Atkinson was wearing a knee-length sleeveless vest that the sheriff said is for inmates considered suicide risks. He told Justice Court Judge Brandon Ladner he doesn't know if he needs a public defender because he hasn't been able to call his family. "I got to get on the phone. ... I got to talk to my folks," said Atkinson, who was in wrist and ankle shackles and wearing a green garment that Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson called a "suicide vest." Dozens of people bowed their heads to honor fallen Biloxi police officer Robert McKeithen during a prayer vigil on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, outside the police department in Biloxi, Miss. A Biloxi police officer, McKeithen died after being shot multiple times in the parking lot of the Biloxi Police Department, Sunday night. (Justin Mitchell/The Sun Herald via AP) Such garments, also called anti-suicide smocks, are designed to be difficult to tear or otherwise fashion into a noose. Atkinson's mother, Pamela Broger, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that her son had been having mental health problems in recent months. She said she had to call police to her home because of him. "There is some truth to that," Biloxi Police Chief John Miller told reporters Tuesday after a prayer vigil for McKeithen. Broger also said officers told her they couldn't do anything because her son hadn't hurt anyone. "That's probably not what was said exactly," Miller said. He did not elaborate. Broger declined to comment again Wednesday. Ladner scheduled a hearing Friday to decide whether Atkinson needs a court-appointed attorney. Darian Atkinson is being held without bond. A charge of killing a working law enforcement officer, prosecutor, judge or firefighter means the death penalty is possible. Atkinson's 21-year-old brother, Davian Atkinson is charged as an accessory after the fact in the killing of McKeithen and also made an initial court appearance Wednesday. The judge said Davian Atkinson is accused of driving his brother to Wiggins and of letting him make phone calls. Davian Atkinson said he will hire his own lawyer. His bond is set at $500,000. If convicted, Davian Atkinson could face up to 20 years in prison, Harrison County Prosecutor Herman Cox said. ____ Associated Press reporter Janet McConnaughey in Biloxi, Mississippi, and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. Pamela McKeithen, whose police officer husband was shot in the parking lot of the Biloxi Police Department on Sunday, listens to prayers during a memorial service for Patrolman Robert McKeithen in front of the department on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Biloxi, Miss. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey) A Biloxi police vehicle that was assigned to patrolman Robert McKeithen is covered in flowers as Biloxi Police Capt. Milton Houseman, rear, talks , with a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Biloxi, Moss. Houseman said he was one of the officers who brought Darian Tawan Atkinson, 19, to Biloxi after his arrest in Wiggins on May 6, in the death of Patrolman McKeithen. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey) A Biloxi police vehicle that was assigned to patrolman Robert McKeithen is covered in flowers as Biloxi Police Capt. Milton Houseman, rear, talks , with a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Biloxi, Moss. Houseman said he was one of the officers who brought Darian Tawan Atkinson, 19, to Biloxi after his arrest in Wiggins on May 6, in the death of Patrolman McKeithen. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey) Pamela McKeithen, left, prays as pastors lead a prayer vigil Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in honor of fallen Biloxi police officer Robert McKeithen, who died after being shot multiple times in the parking lot of the Biloxi Police Department, Sunday night. (Justin Mitchell/The Sun Herald via AP) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Brazilian authorities issued arrest warrants Wednesday for three executives of the Banco Paulista as part of a sweeping investigation into money laundering linked to the construction conglomerate Odebrecht. Federal prosecutors said the three are suspected of involvement in the laundering of more than 48 million reals (about $12.2 million) between 2009 and 2015. The bank is accused of having hired front companies that issued fictitious contracts to justify non-existent services. In a statement, Banco Paulista said it was cooperating with authorities. Authorities also issued 41 search and seizure warrants in Sao Paul, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre, targeting companies they say received more than 280 million reals ($71 million) from the bank. Prosecutor Julio Noronha said the operation was the beginning of a process to "hold accountable agents in the financial and banking sectors who have allowed millions of reals to be laundered and paid as bribes." It was not immediately clear if any of the three arrests had been made. The operation is part of the so-called "Car Wash" investigation. The probe, launched in 2014, revealed how construction companies received bloated contracts and then kicked back billions of dollars in bribes to politicians and other government officials. SHANGHAI (AP) - Patient Number One is a thin man, with a scabby face and bouncy knees. His head, shaved in preparation for surgery, is wrapped in a clean, white cloth. Years of drug use cost him his wife, his money and his self-respect, before landing him in this drab yellow room at a Shanghai hospital, facing the surgeon who in 72 hours will drill two small holes in his skull and feed electrodes deep into his brain. The hope is that technology will extinguish his addiction, quite literally, with the flip of a switch. The treatment - deep brain stimulation - has long been used for movement disorders like Parkinson's. Now, the first clinical trial of DBS for methamphetamine addiction is being conducted at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital, along with parallel trials for opioid addiction. And this troubled man is the very first patient. The surgery involves implanting a device that acts as a kind of pacemaker for the brain, electrically stimulating targeted areas. While Western attempts to push forward with human trials of DBS for addiction have foundered, China is emerging as a hub for this research. Scientists in Europe have struggled to recruit patients for their DBS addiction studies, and complex ethical, social and scientific questions have made it hard to push forward with this kind of work in the United States, where the devices can cost $100,000 to implant. Dr. Li Dianyou uses a tablet computer to adjust the settings of a deep brain stimulation device implanted in the brain of a methamphetamine user named Yan, left, on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, at Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China. Western attempts to push forward with human trials of DBS for drug addiction have foundered, even as China has emerged as a hub for this kind of research. But the vast suffering wrought by the U.S. opioid epidemic may be changing the risk-reward calculus.Now, the experimental surgery Yan underwent is coming to America. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) China has a long, if troubled, history of brain surgery for drug addiction. Even today, China's punitive anti-drug laws can force people into years of compulsory treatment, including "rehabilitation" through labor. It has a large patient population, government funding and ambitious medical device companies ready to pay for DBS research. There are eight registered DBS clinical trials for drug addiction being conducted in the world, according to a U.S. National Institutes of Health database. Six are in China. But the suffering wrought by the opioid epidemic may be changing the risk-reward calculus for doctors and regulators in the United States. Now, the experimental surgery Patient Number One is about to undergo is coming to America. In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration greenlighted a clinical trial in West Virginia of DBS for opioid addiction. ___ HUMAN EXPERIMENTS Patient Number One insisted that only his surname, Yan, be published; he fears losing his job if he is identified. He said doctors told him the surgery wasn't risky. "But I still get nervous," he said. "It's my first time to go on the operating table." Three of Yan's friends introduced him to meth in a hotel room shortly after the birth of his son in 2011. They told him: Just do it once, you've had your kid, you won't have problems. Smoking made Yan feel faint and slightly unhinged. Later, he found meth brought crystalline focus to his mind, which he directed at one thing: Cards. Every time Yan smoked, he gambled. And every time he gambled, he lost - all told, around $150,000 since he started using drugs, he estimated. His wife divorced him. He rarely saw his son. Yan checked into a hospital for detox, moved to another town to get away from bad influences, took Chinese traditional medicine. But he relapsed every time. "My willpower is weak," he said. Last year his father, who had a friend who had undergone DBS surgery at Ruijin, gave him an ultimatum: Back to rehab or brain surgery. "Of course, I chose surgery," Yan said. "With surgery, I definitely have the chance to get my life back." Before there were brain implants in China there was brain lesioning. Desperate families of heroin users paid thousands of dollars for unproven and risky surgeries in which doctors destroyed small clumps of brain tissue. Brain lesioning quickly became a profit center at some hospitals, but it also left a trail of patients with mood disorders, lost memories and altered sex drives. In 2004, China's Ministry of Health ordered a halt to brain lesioning for addiction at most hospitals. Nine years later, doctors at a military hospital in Xi'an reported that roughly half of the 1,167 patients who had their brains lesioned stayed off drugs for at least five years. DBS builds on that history. But unlike lesioning, which irreversibly kills brain cells, the devices allow brain interventions that are - in theory - reversible. The technology has opened a fresh field of human experimentation globally. "As doctors we always need to think about the patients," said Dr. Sun Bomin, director of Ruijin Hospital's functional neurosurgery department. "They are human beings. You cannot say, 'Oh, we do not have any help, any treatment for you guys.'" Sun said he has served as a consultant for two Chinese companies that make deep brain stimulators - SceneRay Corp. and Beijing PINS Medical Co. He has tried to turn Ruijin into a center of DBS research, not just for addiction, but also Tourette syndrome, depression and anorexia. In China, DBS devices can cost less than $25,000. Many patients pay cash. "You can rest assured for the safety of this operation," Yan's surgeon, Dr. Li Dianyou, told him. "It is no problem. When it comes to effectiveness, you are not the first one, nor the last one. You can take it easy because we have done this a lot." In fact, there are risks. There is a small chance Yan could die of a brain hemorrhage. He could emerge with changes to his personality, seizures, or an infection. And in the end, he may go right back on drugs. ____ A BUZZING DRILL Some critics believe this surgery should not be allowed. They argue that such human experiments are premature, and will not address the complex biological, social and psychological factors that drive addiction. Scientists don't fully understand how DBS works and there is still debate about where electrodes should be placed to treat addiction. There is also skepticism in the global scientific community about the general quality and ethical rigor - particularly around issues like informed consent - of clinical trials done in China. "It would be fantastic if there were something where we could flip a switch, but it's probably fanciful at this stage," said Adrian Carter, who heads the neuroscience and society group at Monash University in Melbourne. "There's a lot of risks that go with promoting that idea." The failure of two large-scale, U.S. clinical trials on DBS for depression around five years ago prompted soul-searching about what threshold of scientific understanding must be met in order to design effective, ethical experiments. "We've had a reset in the field," said Dr. Nader Pouratian, a neurosurgeon at UCLA who is investigating the use of DBS for chronic pain. He said it's "a perfectly appropriate time" to research DBS for drug addiction, but only "if we can move forward in ethical, well-informed, well-designed studies." In China, meanwhile, scientists are charging ahead. At 9 a.m. on a grey October Friday in Shanghai, Dr. Li drilled through Yan's skull and threaded two electrodes down to his nucleus accumbens, a small structure near the base of the forebrain that has been implicated in addiction. Yan was awake during the surgery. The buzzing of the drill made him tremble. At 4 p.m. the same day, Yan went under general anesthesia for a second surgery to implant a battery pack in his chest to power the electrodes in his skull. Three hours later, Yan still hadn't woken from the anesthesia. His father began weeping. His doctors wondered if drug abuse had somehow altered his sensitivity to anesthesia. Finally, after 10 hours, Yan opened his eyes. ___ BODY COUNT According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 500,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in the decade ending in 2017 - increasingly, from synthetic opioids that come mainly from China, U.S. officials say. That's more than the number of U.S. soldiers who died in World War II and Vietnam combined. The body count has added urgency to efforts to find new, more effective treatments for addiction. While doctors in the U.S. are interested in using DBS for addiction, work funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health is still focused on experiments in animals, not people. At least two U.S. laboratories dropped clinical trials of DBS for treating alcoholism over concerns about study design and preliminary results that didn't seem to justify the risks, investigators who led the studies told The Associated Press. "The lack of scientific clarity, the important but strict regulatory regime, along with the high cost and risk of surgery make clinical trials of DBS for addiction in the U.S. difficult at the present time," said Dr. Emad Eskandar, the chairman of neurological surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. China's studies have offered mixed results. Sun and his colleagues have published one case study, describing a patient who used heroin and fatally overdosed three months after getting DBS. But a separate pilot study published in January by doctors at a military hospital in Xi'an showed that five of eight heroin users stayed off drugs for two years after DBS surgery. Based on those results, SceneRay is seeking Chinese regulatory approval of its DBS device for opioid addiction, and funding a multi-site clinical trial targeting 60 participants. SceneRay chairman Ning Yihua said his application for a clinical trial in the U.S. was blocked by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But in February, the FDA greenlighted a small, separate trial of DBS for opioid use disorder, said Dr. Ali Rezai, who is leading the study at the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. They hope to launch the trial in June, with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The FDA declined comment. "People are dying," Rezai said. "Their lives are devastated. It's a brain issue. We need to explore all options." ___ 'YOU CAME TOO LATE' Two unsteady days after Yan's surgery, doctors switched on his DBS device. As the electrodes activated, he felt a surge of excitement. The current running through his body kept him awake; he said he spent the whole night thinking about drugs. The next day, he sat across from Dr. Li, who used a tablet computer to remotely adjust the machine thrumming inside Yan's head. "Cheerful?" Li asked as the touched the controls on the tablet. "Yes," Yan answered. Li changed the settings. "Now?" "Agitated," Yan said. He felt heat in his chest, then a beating sensation, numbness and fatigue. Yan began to sweat. Li made a few more modifications. "Any feelings now?" "Pretty happy now," Yan said. He was in high spirits. "This machine is pretty magical. He adjusts it to make you happy and you're happy, to make you nervous and you're nervous," Yan said. "It controls your happiness, anger, grief and joy." Yan left the hospital the next morning. More than six months later, he said he's still off drugs. With sobriety, his skin cleared and he put on 20 pounds. When his friends got back in touch, he refused their drugs. He tried to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife, but she was pregnant with her new husband's child. "The only shame is that you came too late," she told him. Sometimes, in his new life, he touches the hard cable in his neck that leads from the battery pack to the electrodes in his brain. And he wonders: What is the machine doing inside his head? ___ Associated Press researcher Chen Si contributed to this report. Follow Kinetz on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ekinetz Bloodied white mesh covers the head of a methamphetamine user named Yan on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, three days after he had a deep brain stimulation device implanted as part of a clinical trial at Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China. The hope is that DBS will extinguish his addiction, quite literally, with the flip of a switch. Critics say such human experiments are premature and risky, but U.S. regulators in February greenlighted a human trial of DBS for opioid addiction at West Virginia University. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) This Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, photo shows a brain scan of a methamphetamine user with the path of electrodes that doctors at Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China implanted to stimulate an area of the brain associated with addiction. Western attempts to push forward with human trials of deep brain stimulation for drug addiction have foundered, even as China has emerged as a hub for this kind of research. But the vast suffering wrought by the U.S. opioid epidemic may be changing the risk-reward calculus.Now, the experimental surgery for addiction is coming to America. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) A brain surgery patient walks down the main corridor of Ruijin Hospital's functional neurosurgery center in Shanghai, China on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018. Doctors at Ruijin are experimenting with brain surgery to treat a range of psychiatric conditions, including anorexia, Tourette syndrome and addiction. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) People walk past an entrance to Ruijin Hospital on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, in Shanghai, China. Doctors at Ruijin have tried to turn the hospital into a center of deep brain stimulation research. The hope is that the technology will heal a host of conditions, including addiction, with the flip of a switch. Western attempts to push forward with human trials of DBS for addiction have foundered, even as China emerged as a hub for this kind of research. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) Doctors discuss a plan on how to implant a deep brain stimulation device in the brain of a methamphetamine addict named Yan on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. Western attempts to push forward with human trials of DBS for drug addiction have foundered, even as China has emerged as a hub for this kind of research. But the vast suffering wrought by the U.S. opioid epidemic may be changing the risk-reward calculus.Now, the experimental surgery Yan underwent is coming to America. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) A nurse walks through the functional neurosurgery center at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018. Doctors at Ruijin are experimenting with brain surgery to treat a range of psychiatric conditions, including anorexia, Tourette syndrome and addiction. Six of the eight human trials of deep brain stimulation for addiction underway globally are being done in China, according to a U.S. government database. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) Orderlies roll a brain surgery patient out of the functional neurosurgery center at Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018. Doctors at Ruijin are experimenting with deep brain stimulation as a treatment for addiction. The hope is that the technology will extinguish addiction, quite literally, with the flip of a switch. Critics say such experiments are premature and risky, but U.S. regulators in February greenlighted a human trial of DBS for opioid addiction at West Virginia University. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) A stereotactic device presses into the head of a brain surgery patient at Ruijin Hospital's functional neurosurgery center in Shanghai, China on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018. Doctors at Ruijin are experimenting with deep brain stimulation as a treatment for addiction. The hope is that the technology will extinguish addiction, quite literally, with the flip of a switch. Critics say such experiments are premature and risky, but U.S. regulators in February greenlighted a human trial of DBS for opioid addiction at West Virginia University. (AP Photo/Erika Kinetz) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Former University of Oklahoma President David Boren has asked for an opportunity to personally address the university's regents about allegations of sexual misconduct made against him. Boren's attorney Clark Brewster said Wednesday that the ex-president wants to speak to regents about the "obvious and provable falsities that need to be addressed." Brewster says he sent a letter to the university Monday requesting the meeting. The university retained the private law firm Jones Day to look into allegations made by a former student teaching aide that Boren touched him appropriately on multiple occasions in 2010. Boren has denied wrongdoing. Brewster says he has received a copy of the Jones Day investigation and responded in writing last week. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation also has launched an investigation into the allegations. SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - A top aide to Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) has won the party's primary to replace him as mayor of his Indiana hometown. James Mueller won the Democratic nomination for South Bend mayor with 37% of Tuesday's vote to comfortably lead a nine-candidate field. Mueller is the city's Department of Community Investment director and Buttigieg endorsed his high school classmate for the nomination. Buttigieg called Mueller's victory "good validation" of his administration's work in the 100,000-person city since he became mayor in 2012. The 37-year-old Buttigieg has become one of the hottest names among Democratic presidential hopefuls, positioning himself as face of a new generation. Mueller faces Republican Sean Haas, a high school teacher, in November's election. South Bend hasn't elected a Republican mayor since the 1960s. In this Tuesday, May 7, 2019 photo, outgoing South Bend Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, right, and his husband Chasten Buttigieg, center, congratulate James Mueller, left, after Mueller won the democratic primary for South Bend Mayor in South Bend, Ind. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP) In this Tuesday, May 7, 2019 photo, outgoing South Bend Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, right, hugs and congratulates James Mueller after Mueller won the democratic primary for South Bend Mayor in South Bend, Ind. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP) FILE - In this April 19, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg during a campaign stop at a dairy company in Londonderry, N.H. The relatively few Democratic presidential candidates from red states have taken different approaches to convincing voters that a familiarity with Donald Trump country could help them denying him a second term. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Latest on a walkout by Oregon teachers to protest education funding (all times local): 4 p.m. The Oregon Education Association estimates that 25,000 people showed up at a teacher walkout and rally in Portland to call for more education funding. Hundreds more people turned out Wednesday in Eugene and Salem, where they protested on the steps of the state Capitol and in a nearby park. The walkout comes as Republican lawmakers prevented a vote on a $1 billion education tax for the second day in a row. Rep. Barbara Smith Warner, the Portland Democrat who helped craft the legislation, says it's now up to teachers to keep up pressure on Republicans. Thousands of teachers and education supporters march in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Tens of thousands of teachers across Oregon walked off the job Wednesday to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian via AP) Dallas High School senior Braydon Wallace says classes are so crowded that students have to sit on the floor and textbooks are missing pages. ___ 2 p.m. Some school districts in Oregon think a walkout isn't the right way for teachers to air their grievances about how much money the state is spending on education. Tens of thousands of teachers walked out of classes statewide Wednesday. Oregon schools have some of the largest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the United States. Grants Pass Superintendent Kirk Kolb says students will instead be participating in volunteer events to show why the community should value education. Kolb's district is in one of the most conservative cities in Oregon. He says "walking out of school and closing school, we agree that's not a message we want to represent." Most schools gave a week's notice and offered day care and free lunch programs, something parents say they appreciate. ___ 1:15 p.m. Thousands of teachers are marching through downtown Portland to call for more money for Oregon schools. Crowds gathered on sidewalks Wednesday to watch, and many onlookers cheered in support. The Portland protest was one of many statewide as teachers walked out to draw attention to education funding. Kathy Paxton-Williams grew up in the Portland Public Schools and has been teaching for more than 20 years. She says she has seen dramatic changes for kids and that every year there's been cuts after cuts. Oregon schools have some of the largest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the United States. ___ 12:20 p.m. Oregon's Senate Republicans have failed to turn up for a second day, keeping majority Democrats from voting on a $1 billion education tax as tens of thousands of teachers walked off the job over school funding. The 12 GOP senators didn't show both Tuesday and Wednesday, denying the chamber enough members to vote on the legislation. Republican Sen. Tim Knopp says the party is "in for the long haul" and won't return to the Capitol until Democrats agree to renegotiate the tax plan. The measure would raise revenue through a half a percent tax on some of Oregon's wealthiest businesses. More than 600 schools in 25 districts have been forced to close as teachers protest Wednesday for more classrooms money Knopp says Republicans won't support new revenue for schools that doesn't address the state's spiraling pension debt. ___ 8:40 a.m. Holding signs and wearing T-shirts declaring "Proud Educator," teachers across Oregon are staging a one-day walkout to rally for more money for schools. Many schools in Oregon were to be closed for at least part of the day Wednesday, including dozens in the greater Portland area. Oregon schools have some of the largest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the United States. The action follows a wave of teacher activism that began in West Virginia in 2018 and was followed by Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arizona and elsewhere. ___ 10:24 p.m. Thousands of teachers plan to walk out across Oregon to protest education funding. Schools around the state will close for at least part of Wednesday as teachers try to put pressure on lawmakers for more money. Oregon schools have some of the highest class sizes and lowest graduation rates in the United States. The action follows a wave of teacher activism that began in West Virginia in 2018 and was followed by Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arizona. Teachers in North Carolina and South Carolina rallied at their respective state capitols last week seeking more money. The state's school funding problem can be traced to the 1990s, when voters passed two ballot measures to limit property taxes. Thousands of teachers rally in a downtown Portland park, joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) Teachers and others rally in Woodburn, Ore., joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Sarah Zimmerman) Thousands of teachers rally in a downtown Portland park, joining thousands across Oregon who walked off the job Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to demand more money for schools, holding signs and wearing red shirts that have become synonymous with a nationwide movement pushing lawmakers to better fund education. Schools around the state, including Oregon's largest district, Portland Public Schools, planned to close for part of the day. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) BOSTON (AP) - Kurt Lang, an expert on Nazi Germany and a sociologist who with his wife, Gladys, wrote several books about the influence of television on politics and public opinion, has died. He was 95. Lang died May 1 of respiratory failure at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his daughter, Glenna Lang, said Wednesday. Lang fled Nazi Germany for New York City with his family in 1936 when he was 12. Drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II, he returned in 1944 to his homeland, where he saw combat, most notably at the Battle of Remagen. He later entered the Counter Intelligence Corps, where he used his German skills to help root out hardline Nazis. He stayed in Berlin at war's end to investigate Germany's descent into fascism and its struggle to become a democracy. On the strength of an essay he wrote criticizing the American army's formulaic approach to screening German citizens for employment, he was hired as a research associate in the Intelligence Branch of the U.S. Office of Military Government's Information Control Division. As a field worker monitoring German political activities and attitudes and as an analyst, Lang assisted scholars assessing the progress of de-Nazification - work that inspired him to become a social scientist. This September 2011 photo provided by his daughter Glenna Lang shows Kurt Lang, an expert on Nazi Germany and a sociologist, who died of respiratory failure on May 1, 2019, in Cambridge, Mass. He was 95. Lang fled Nazi Germany for New York City with his family in 1936 when he was 12, and was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II. (Glenna Lang via AP) He enrolled in the University of Chicago when he returned to the U.S., earned three degrees in six years, and married fellow sociology graduate student Gladys Engel. They co-authored books and articles on the impact of television on American politics, including analyses of the Nixon-Kennedy debates, and the Watergate hearings. Lang taught at Queens College, City University of New York; the University of California, Berkeley; Columbia University; and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He became director of the communication school at the University of Washington in 1984 and remained there until his retirement in 1993. He and his wife moved to Massachusetts in 2014 to be closer to their children. The Langs were also art collectors and in 2014 donated a collection of 1,400 prints to the Smith College Museum of Art. Gladys Engel Lang died in 2016. Kurt Lang's survivors include two children, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. A memorial service is planned for June 15 at the Cadbury Commons assisted living community in Cambridge. DETROIT (AP) - General Motors is negotiating the sale of its shuttered factory in Lordstown, Ohio, to a company that builds electric trucks. The company confirmed Wednesday that it's in talks with Cincinnati-based Workhorse Group to sell the huge facility, and also announced plans to invest $700 million in three Ohio factories to create 450 additional jobs. The potential sale, first announced on Twitter by President Donald Trump, could preserve some jobs at the sprawling plant 60 miles east of Cleveland. But it also dashes any hope that GM would reopen the factory where until March, it had built cars for more than five decades. Workhorse Group, led by Workhorse founder Steve Burns, would acquire the facility and would hold a minority stake in a new venture, a GM statement said. But it was unclear who would own the rest. "This potential agreement creates a positive outcome for all parties involved and will help solidify the leadership of Workhorse's role in the EV community," said CEO Duane Hughes. The company would build a commercial electric pickup truck if it buys the facility, Burns said in the statement. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks on the cellphone with GM CEO Mary Barra, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, about the company's plans to sell its shuttered factory in Lordstown, Ohio, to a company that builds electric trucks. DeWine, a Republican, said he wanted to hear more details about the plan, including the reaction of the UAW, but said the potential project was better than the plant sitting idle. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins) Should the project go forward, initial job numbers would be in the hundreds, said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, moments after fielding a call from GM CEO Mary Barra. That number could rise to 3,000 over several years if Workhorse were to win a contract with the U.S. Postal Service, DeWine said. "We have people who are I would say knowledgeable about the negotiations who have told us that. That would be one of the goals of the company as they grow their business - to get a contract with the post office," DeWine said. DeWine said he welcomed the news but said a lot depends on upcoming UAW negotiations and the union's reaction. "It would appear that with this company that there is potential for growth and maybe significant potential growth, which is what we want," he said. Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill said he's waiting for details, including how many people might be employed. "It's definitely better than having 6 million square foot building sitting empty," he said. But news of the pending sale was greeted gloomily by workers in Lordstown who were hoping that GM would reopen the factory that stopped producing the Chevrolet Cruze compact car in March. Tim O'Hara, vice president of the United Auto Workers union local at the plant, said workers were hoping the union could negotiate a new product for Lordstown, allowing them to stay in the area and continue careers with GM. Many will be forced to transfer in order to preserve seniority and pension eligibility, O'Hara said. "I guess that means they're done in Lordstown," O'Hara said of GM. "Anybody that wants to continue working for them is going to have to transfer out." Lordstown had about 1,400 hourly workers on one shift at the time the plant stopped production. But hundreds of others had been laid off earlier as GM cut two shifts to deal with slumping demand for the Cruze. Terry Dittes, the UAW's national vice president, said in a prepared statement that the company should still assign a new product to Lordstown and keep the plant open. The union has sued over the closure of Lordstown and three other U.S. plants, saying the moves violate GM's contract with the union. GM said the 450 jobs would be added at plants in Toledo, the Cleveland suburb of Parma and the Dayton suburb of Moraine. The Moraine plant would get expanded diesel engine production for GM heavy-duty pickups, while a Toledo transmission plant will add workers to build 10-speed truck transmissions. A stamping plant in Parma, near Cleveland, will see expanded production and new laser welding technology, the company said. GM said more than 1,350 blue-collar workers have accepted transfers to other GM factories from four U.S. plants that are slated to close. Trump happily tweeted the news about Lordstown after a conversation with Barra, calling the announcement "great news for Ohio." Lordstown had been pulled into the 2020 presidential campaign as Trump has pressured companies to add jobs in the U.S. Ohio is key to Trump's re-election campaign, and he has attacked GM for plans to close the plant as part of a larger restructuring effort. Workhorse CEO Hughes said Tuesday the company is making progress in the transition from development to the production. The company is on target, he said, to begin delivering its new electric vans at the end of this year. Workhorse reported that its first quarter sales for this year were at $364,000, down from $560,000 for the quarter in 2018. It also reported $2.8 million in cash and short-term investments. The announcement came just after GM and the Canadian auto workers union reached a deal to save 300 jobs at an Ontario factory that is slated to close by the end of this year. They'll work in a parts-stamping operation that will continue to make components for GM vehicles as the company seeks other business. But the remainder of the 2,600 workers at the plant in Oshawa, near Toronto, are still scheduled to be laid off. ____ Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed from Columbus, Ohio. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - The head of the human rights commission of Rio de Janeiro's legislative assembly is blaming state Gov. Wilson Witzel for a surge in police killings, which totaled a record 434 in the first three months of the year. Legislator Renata Souza said in a letter sent Tuesday to the U.N. special investigator on extrajudicial killings that Witzel has made statements "legitimizing" police violence in the state's slums and suburbs. Souza criticized Witzel's campaign promise to use helicopters as a platform for sharpshooters, who could target anyone carrying a weapon. "Rio's biggest problem is that there is no public security policy," Souza said in a separate statement. "What we have, is a governor who thinks he is a vigilante, and says that the only security protocol applicable in his government is to aim and shoot in the head." The letter came a few days after Witzel posted a video of himself flying in a helicopter with police officers aiming rifles at residential areas below. Souza and other critics say the shooting of suspects from helicopters is illegal, and can only be justified in very specific cases, such as when victims are held hostages. FILE - In this March 12, 2019 file photo, Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Wilson Witzel attends a press conference regarding the arrest of two suspects in the killing of councilwoman Marielle Franco, at Civil Police headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The human rights commission of Rio de Janeiro's legislative assembly said in a letter sent Tuesday, May 8, 2019, that it is blaming Witzel for a surge in police killings. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado, File) Witzel defended his security strategy Wednesday at an event attended by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, a political ally. To confront "the absolute degradation and unacceptable violence" in the state, there is no other option but to use "the maximum toughness in the fight against organized crime," Witzel said. Witzel is accustomed to describing drug traffickers who operate in the state as "narco terrorists" that should and will be treated as such. Souza's letter to the U.N. also cited recent cases in which the police and armed forces are accused of human rights abuses, such as the killing of a musician whose car was shot 80 times as he was driving to a baby shower with his family. Authorities are investigating the case and say the soldiers confused the car with that of criminals. Authorities are also investigating the killing of 13 individuals by police officers in February in Rio's Fallet-Fogueteiro slum. Residents said the victims had already surrendered when the police started shooting. Investigators found 120 bullet marks on the walls of the house where the bodies were found. In her letter, Souza asked the U.N. to send its recommendations to the Brazilian state and to ask authorities for an official statement. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - A jetliner flown by a subsidiary of Air France that made an emergency landing in Iran stayed on the ground for several hours Wednesday before flying to Dubai, according to the airline. The Airbus A340 flown by the low-cost carrier Joon was heading from Paris to Mumbai when it landed in the central Iran city of Isfahan. Joon said in a statement that the plane, operating as flight AF218, landed out of precaution over a malfunctioning ventilation circuit. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said local authorities provided services to passengers. It said all were in good health. Air France said the plane was checked by local maintenance teams and then departed for Al Maktoun International Airport in Dubai, where it was expected to arrive early Thursday. Air France said it would re-route passengers to Mumbai on other airlines as soon as possible. In December, a Norwegian Air Boeing 737 Max made an emergency landing in Iran while flying from Dubai to Oslo. Passengers were able to leave the following day, but Norwegian's U.S.-made jet stayed in Iran for several weeks awaiting repairs. The airline cited paperwork involved in shipping aircraft parts to Iran because of U.S. sanctions against Tehran's nuclear program. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A member of a secretive North Carolina church will enter a plea on a federal fraud charge as part of an investigation into an unemployment scheme benefiting businesses with ties to the congregation, according to court documents. Diane McKinny is scheduled for a plea hearing Friday in Asheville on a federal charge of making a fraudulent claim for unemployment benefits, according to a court filing this week. Prosecutors allege that McKinny used tax reporting software to help prepare workers' unemployment claims while she was corporate secretary for a business owned by Kent Covington, who was also a minister at the Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale. "In reliance on McKinny's submissions, (government officials) caused the payment - ultimately, from federal funds - of substantial benefits to which the claimants were not, in fact, entitled," prosecutors wrote in a court filing Tuesday. Amos Tyndall, a lawyer for McKinny, declined to comment Wednesday. 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. FILE - This 2016 image from video shows the entrance to the Word of Faith Fellowship church in Spindale, N.C. On Friday, May 10, 2019, Diane McKinny, a member of the secretive North Carolina church, is expected to enter a plea on a federal fraud charge as part of an investigation into an unemployment scheme benefiting businesses with ties to the congregation, according to court documents. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz) Covington used his position as a church leader to coerce employees, many of whom were members of the congregation, to comply, prosecutors say. Covington and McKinny also encouraged other businesses owned or managed by church members to manipulate unemployment benefits in a similar way, according to the court documents filed this week. Prosecutors wrote this week that the schemes at multiple businesses cost the government hundreds of thousands of dollars. Covington 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. 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 DERBY LINE, Vt. (AP) - U.S. officials marked the completion of a new U.S.-Canada border crossing facility that is designed to smooth the flow of people and trade between the two countries while keeping the U.S. safe from terrorism and criminal organizations. The new $33 million facility at the northern end of Interstate 91 in the Vermont town of Derby Line replaces another facility that was built in 1965. High-tech improvements make the new facility more energy efficient and it includes technological upgrades and larger spaces where officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection can process both people and cargo. "It's built to last for many years and we can improve on security features and technology as it develops down the road," said Gregory Starr, CBP's regional port director for Vermont said after a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. Construction of the new port began in the fall of 2016. The port of entry processes around 1.1 million people a year, said Christopher Averill, the regional administrator of the General Services Administration. The area around Derby Line away from the port of entry is a regular route for people trying to enter the United States illegally. Within the last few weeks, U.S. Border Patrol agents - whose job is separate from that of officers at the ports of entry - have apprehended about a dozen people in at least two separate groups nearby. Starr said the officers who staff the ports of entry are also watching for people trying to enter the United States illegally. Trucks go through the U.S. border post on Wednesday May 8, 2019, at the new border crossing facility on the U.S.-Canadian border at Derby Line, Vt. The new, energy efficient border post at the northern end of Interstate 91 that processes about 1.1 million people a year as well as cargo, is designed to ensure the free-flow of people and commerce between the two countries. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) "It's kind of a regular occurrence, that's part of our job, that's what we do," Starr said. "We'll deal with those things as they occur." A customs officer stands by a vehicles crossing through the U.S. border post on Wednesday May 8, 2019, at the new border crossing facility on the U.S.-Canadian border at Derby Line, Vt. The new, energy efficient border post at the northern end of Interstate 91 that processes about 1.1 million people a year as well as cargo, is designed to ensure the free-flow of people and commerce between the two countries. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) Vehicles wait at the U.S. border post on Wednesday May 8, 2019, at the new border crossing facility on the U.S.-Canadian border at Derby Line, Vt. The new, energy efficient border post at the northern end of Interstate 91 that processes about 1.1 million people a year as well as cargo, is designed to ensure the free-flow of people and commerce between the two countries. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) Vehicles go through the U.S. border post on Wednesday May 8, 2019, at the new border crossing facility on the U.S.-Canadian border at Derby Line, Vt. The new, energy efficient border post at the northern end of Interstate 91 that processes about 1.1 million people a year as well as cargo, is designed to ensure the free-flow of people and commerce between the two countries. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Relatives of a Connecticut man killed by a police officer last month called Wednesday for him to be arrested, while the family's lawyers described the officer as a "ticking time bomb" because of problems he had at another police department. The family members, attorneys and NAACP officials gathered for a news conference outside the police department in Wethersfield, where officer Layau Eulizier shot 18-year-old Anthony Jose Vega Cruz on April 20. Police body camera and business surveillance videos show Eulizier firing through the front windshield of Vega Cruz's car as Vega Cruz drives at him while trying to flee a traffic stop. Lawyers Ben Crump and Michael Jefferson said there was no reason for the officer to run in front of the car and create a dangerous situation. They also cited personnel records, first reported Monday by The Associated Press , that said Eulizier had problems handling stressful situations and making tactical mistakes when he was a Manchester officer from 2015 until 2018. The officer joined Wethersfield police in August. "You have this ticking time bomb that they put on patrol here in this city and it begs the question, did they even look at his personnel file from his previous employer and, if so, then why would you hire this officer," said Crump, a Florida attorney known for representing the families of young black men killed by police. "There is no reason, when you look at the history of this police officer, that he should have been on the street," Crump said. "It was foreseeable that this tragedy or one like it would occur." Jefferson called Eulizier "a cowboy engaging in reckless behavior." Anthony Colon, left, comforts Jose Vega, whose son was killed by a police officer, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Wethersfield, Conn. Relatives and lawyers gathered in front of the police department to decry the killing of Anthony Jose Vega Cruz by Wethersfield Officer Layau Eulizier on April 20. Eulizier's lawyer said the shooting was justified. (AP Photo/Dave Collins) Vega Cruz was Hispanic, while Eulizier is black. Crump and Jefferson called the shooting another example of a national problem of police officers unjustifiably killing and wounding young people of color. Wethersfield Police Chief James Cetran has declined to discuss details of the shooting, the records from Manchester police and the reasons Eulizier was hired. "Out of respect for the process undertaken by the Connecticut State Police and the Hartford State's Attorney we will not have any comment on any aspect of this event until their work has been completed," Cetran said in an email to the AP on Wednesday. Hartford State's Attorney Gail Hardy is leading an investigation of the shooting, while Eulizier is on paid leave pending the review under normal police protocols. Eulizier has not returned messages seeking comment. His lawyer, Elliot Spector, said Tuesday that he believed deadly force was justified because the officer's life was in danger when the car came at him. Eulizier had to run in front of the car, when it stopped briefly, because he couldn't see the driver through the darkly tinted door windows, Spector said. Spector also said the Manchester documents portray Eulizier unfairly. While Eulizier did make "some rookie mistakes," the records pertain only to a small fraction of Eulizier's time on the Manchester force and don't show all the good he did, Spector said. Eulizier is upset about what happened and wishes Vega Cruz had not driven at him, Spector said. The Manchester records show that Eulizier had been told by several Manchester police officials that his conduct in some cases was unacceptable and that he had been sent to remedial training several times. The records describe several episodes in which Eulizier lost his composure with the public and made tactical mistakes. "It is my opinion that Off. Eulizier needs immediate attention," Manchester Sgt. Jamie Taylor wrote in 2016. "I worry that if he does not vastly improve his work performance under stress he is going to hurt himself or someone else." Former Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy reprimanded Eulizier in January 2018 for improperly approaching a car during a traffic stop with his gun drawn and pointed at the driver. Montminy wrote to Eulizier that although department officials had made several attempts to help the officer correct performance problems, "we are still observing deficiencies." Eulizier also was involved in a fatal police-involved shooting in 2015 that was ruled justified. A state trooper killed a man threatening the officers with a box cutter. Eulizier also fired at the man but missed. Vega Cruz's sister, Kassandra Vega, said she wants justice for her "little brother." "I want the cop to be in jail," she said. "There was no reason for him to shoot him." Attorney Ben Crump, center, and relatives of Anthony Jose Vega Cruz gather in Wethersfield, Conn., Wednesday, May 8, 2019, to decry the killing of Vega Cruz by a Wethersfield police officer. Officer Layau Eulizier fatally shot Vega Cruz on April 20 as Vega Cruz drove toward the officer while fleeing a traffic stop. Eulizier's lawyer said the shooting was justified. (AP Photo/Dave Collins) Attorney Ben Crump, center, and relatives of Anthony Jose Vega Cruz gather in Wethersfield, Conn., on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, to decry the killing of Vega Cruz by a Wethersfield police officer. Officer Layau Eulizier fatally shot Vega Cruz on April 20 as Vega Cruz drove toward the officer while fleeing a traffic stop. Eulizier's lawyer said the shooting was justified. (AP Photo/Dave Collins) Stephanie Santiago, girlfriend of Anthony Jose Vega Cruz, who was killed by a police officer, stands outside the police department in Wethersfield, Conn., on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, after a news conference. Relatives and lawyers decried the April 20 fatal shooting of Vega Cruz by Wethersfield Officer Layau Eulizier. Santiago was in a car with Vega Cruz when the officer fired through the front windshield. (AP Photo/Dave Collins) Attorney Ben Crump, center, and relatives of Anthony Jose Vega Cruz leave a gathering in Wethersfield, Conn., on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to talk about the killing of Vega Cruz by a Wethersfield police officer. Officer Layau Eulizier fatally shot Vega Cruz on April 20 as Vega Cruz drove toward the officer while fleeing a traffic stop. (AP Photo/Dave Collins) This sequential combination of images from police dash camera video released Friday, May 3, 2019, by the Hartford State's Attorney shows, from top left, Police Officer Layau Eulizier pointing his weapon at a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop on April 20 in Wethersfield, Conn. Eulizier shot through the windshield, striking Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, who died two days later at a hospital. (Hartford State's Attorney via AP) This still image from police dash camera video released Friday, May 3, 2019, by the Hartford State's Attorney shows Police Officer Layau Eulizier, Jr., pointing his weapon at a car being driven at him by Anthony Jose Vega Cruz during an attempted traffic stop April 20 in Wethersfield, Conn. Eulizier shot through the windshield, striking Vega Cruz, of Wethersfield, who died two days later at a hospital. (Hartford State's Attorney via AP) KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - The United States on Wednesday urged Sudan's transitional military council to move "expeditiously" toward a civilian-led government following last month's overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan "expressed support for the Sudanese people's aspirations for a free, democratic and prosperous future" in a phone call with the head of the military council, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the State Department said in a statement. Sullivan encouraged the military to reach an agreement with the protesters' coalition "that reflects the will of the Sudanese people" and urged it to respect human rights. The military removed al-Bashir from power last month, ending his 30-year reign after four months of mass protests. The protesters have demanded a rapid transition to a civilian-led government and have been locked in tense negotiations with the military council in recent weeks. The military council said late Tuesday that a constitutional proposal from the protesters ignored the idea that Islamic Sharia law is the basis for the country's legislation. Shams al-Deen al-Kabashi, spokesman for the council, said council members have generally agreed with the protesters' proposals for a transitional government. FILE - In this April 30, 2019 file photo, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military council, second right, speaks at a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan. As the uprising against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir gained strength, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia began reaching out to the military through secret channels to encourage his removal from power. (AP Photo) But he said the proposal "failed to mention the sources of legislation, and the Islamic Sharia, norms and traditions should be the source of legislation." The protesters called the council's response "disappointing." Al-Bashir came to power in a 1989 military coup orchestrated by Islamists and imposed a harsh version of Islamic law in the 1990s, including punishments like amputations and stoning. The laws required that women dress conservatively and enshrined notions of male guardianship. The protesters have called for a civil, democratic state but have not adopted a firm position on Islamic law, perhaps fearing it could split their coalition. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) - North Macedonia's top prosecutor is accusing Interpol of allegedly refusing to issue an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who has fled to Hungary to avoid serving a jail sentence. Prosecutor Vilma Ruskovska claimed Wednesday that the international police body has provided no explanation for its alleged decision. Gruevski, who governed the country from 2006-2016, absconded to Hungary last year after receiving a 2-year jail sentence over the unlawful purchase of a luxury car. Hungary has granted him asylum and North Macedonia is seeking his extradition. The Interpol warrant that North Macedonia wanted issued was on additional charges of allegedly being one of the organizers of a violent parliament invasion in 2017. These charges, if proved, carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Wednesday confirmed a trio of nominees to the Export-Import Bank, reviving a U.S. agency that provides loans and other help to foreign buyers of U.S. exports. Confirmation of the nominees, including Republican Kimberly Reed as board president, restores a quorum and permits the bank to process larger transactions to help companies like Boeing and others with export deals. Congress reauthorized the agency in 2015, but GOP opponents of the bank prevented both President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama from populating its board, which must approve deals exceeding $10 million. Almost $40 billion in pending deals has been held up while the bank languished without a quorum. It has many GOP critics who say it distorts markets and that too much of its help benefits large corporations like Boeing. Some U.S. businesses, including airlines, say the bank effectively subsidizes foreign competitors. Supporters of the board, including most Democrats and the GOP's establishment wing, say foreign governments unfairly subsidize domestic companies and that the bank helps level the playing field. "China has multiple, massive export credit agencies, and we need a fully functioning Export-Import Bank to help American exporters compete globally," said top Banking Committee Democrat Sherrod Brown of Ohio. The bank's charter expires at the end of September, so further action by lawmakers is required or it will shut down again. MILWAUKEE (AP) - The wife of a Milwaukee police officer who was shot to death while serving a search warrant has revealed she's pregnant. Caroline Rittner found out three days after her husband's funeral that she is going to have a baby, police said Tuesday. The girl is expected to arrive in October, joining the son the Rittners had earlier. "It was met with mixed emotions," police Lt. Kristin Felsman told WISN-TV. "Extremely joyful emotions because, (it's) another legacy of Matt, and obviously very sad emotions because Matt would not be there to share in the joy of a new life." Officer Matthew Rittner was killed Feb. 6 while helping serve a search warrant for suspected illegal guns and drugs at a Milwaukee duplex. Sgt. Roberto Colon told WDJT-TV that the police force will be there for the Rittner family. "She knows that she can come anytime and knock on our door," he said. "She doesn't even have to. We're going to be there bothering her all the time anyway. She'll probably have to kick us out of the house most of the time." FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2019, file photo, Timothy Nelson, of Oak Creek, Wis., places small flags in a bouquet near a squad car adorned with flowers as a memorial for fallen Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner at the Neighborhood Task Force police building in Milwaukee. Rittner's widow Caroline Rittner found out three days after her husband's funeral that she is going to have a baby. The girl is expected to arrive in October. Rittner was killed Feb. 6 while helping serve a search warrant for suspected illegal guns and drugs at a Milwaukee duplex. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) Suspect Jordan Fricke has pleaded not guilty to three charges, including first-degree intentional homicide. He's scheduled for trial beginning July 8. LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on California's move to ban a widely used pesticide blamed for harming child development (all times local): 10:50 a.m. The manufacturer of a pesticide that California plans to outlaw says the decision will hurt farmers trying to control pests. Gregg Schmidt, a spokesman for DowDuPont, says the company is disappointed with the decision to ban chlorpyrifos (klohr-PY'-rih-fohs). California environmental officials say the pesticide known to harm child development was worse than previously thought and is unsafe to use. Hawaii banned the pesticide last year and New York lawmakers just passed a bill that would ban the chemical. State Environmental Secretary Jared Blumenfeld says the state's action is partly due to the Trump administration's reversal of an effort under President Barack Obama to phase out the pesticide nationwide. DowDuPont says the chemical is used in about 100 countries and is highly effective in controlling insects. ___ 9:32 a.m. California plans to ban a widely used pesticide shown to harm the brains of babies. The state Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it was taking the action to ban chlorpyrifos (klohr-PY'-rih-fohs) after it was deemed a toxic air contaminant and discovered to be more dangerous than previously thought. The decision comes after several steps in recent years to restrict the pesticide currently used on about 60 different crops in the nation's most productive farm state, including grapes, almonds and oranges. State Environmental Secretary Jared Blumenfeld says it's the first time the state has ever sought to ban a pesticide and the move is overdue. Hawaii banned the pesticide last year and New York lawmakers just passed a bill that would ban the chemical. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - One of the most exclusive and dramatic hiking spots in the southwestern United States could see bigger crowds under a new proposal unveiled Wednesday. The Bureau of Land Management is weighing increasing its daily visitor limits from 20 to 96 people a day at The Wave, a popular rock formation near the Utah-Arizona border. A 6-mile (9.5-kilometer) round trip hike through tall sandstone buttes and sage brush is required to get to the Wave, a wide, sloping basin of searing reds, oranges and yellows in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. The agency is asking for public comment and changes could be implemented as soon as October, agency official Mike Herder said. Applications to hike The Wave have drastically increased over the past five years as the trail's colorful, contoured landscape becomes increasingly well-known. Visitors compete for permits in a monthly online lottery and at daily walk-in drawings at the Kanab visitor center in southern Utah. Less than 5% of the 150,000 people who wanted to hike the trail last year were actually able to do it, according to federal data. FILE - This May 28, 2013 file photo shows a on a rock formation known as The Wave in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. A new proposal could mean bigger crowds at one of the most exclusive hiking spots in the southwestern United States. The Bureau of Land Management proposed changes Wednesday, May 8, 2019, that would increase daily visitor limits from 20 people to 96 people per day at The Wave, a popular rock formation near the Utah-Arizona border. (AP Photo/Brian Witte, File) The limit is designed to protect the delicate sandstone environment and create a peaceful solitude, Herder said. Increasing the number of visitors would harshly impact The Wave's fragile desert landscape and hikers' experience, said Taylor McKinnon, a senior campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity in northern Arizona. "It could mean more people in your photographs, more people walking off trail onto sensitive soil, more wildlife disruption," he said. "The agency needs to make sure any user increase is compatible with environmental protection." Herder said the move, which has been discussed for over a year, is aimed at giving more people an opportunity to do the hike. During peak season, between the spring and the fall, the office will receive as many as 400 requests a day from people all over the world, he said. Beckie Lambert, a medical assistant from Colorado, was denied a permit to hike The Wave in January. She's excited about the plan to increase accessibility for avid hikers like her, but is concerned that more hikers could be risky, she said. "It's a delicate wilderness area, quadrupling the number of people leads to more trash, more monitoring," she said. The agency is seeking feedback on how to best navigate safety and environmental concerns related to the proposal, Herder said. He said agency officials have already discussed adding additional restrooms, parking and other resources outside of the trailhead to accommodate more people. It's said to be one of the most photographed spots in North America, but The Wave isn't without dangers. In August, a Belgian man died from heat exhaustion after getting lost on the trail. There was a trio of deaths at The Wave in 2013, after which the agency posted new trailhead signs, and safety warnings. MEXICO CITY (AP) - A union official accompanying protesting street vendors was shot to death Wednesday during the demonstration outside city hall in the south-central Mexico city of Cuernavaca, and another trade unionist also was killed, officials said. A TV cameraman and another person were wounded. Morelos state authorities said the shooting of union official Jesus Garcia came as vendors demonstrated over their possible expulsion from the city's main plaza. Cuernavaca's mayor, Francisco Antonio Villalobos, said the other person killed also was a union official but did not release the victim's identity. State prosecutor Uriel Cardona said the preliminary investigation indicated the shooting was not aimed at the protesters or media. He said it also appeared that only one shooter was involved and that was the man arrested quickly after the incident. Bullets hit two other people, including TV cameraman Rene Perez, who was covering the protest. Perez was being treated for non-life-threatening wounds at a local hospital. Federico Mayorga, the host of the program Perez works for, said violence has gotten out of hand in Cuernavaca, a city popular with tourists because of its mild climate and exuberant vegetation. "Things cannot go on like this," Mayorga said. Police and paramedics attend a person who was wounded by a shooter outside City Hall in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. A man opened fire at the entrance of City Hall where journalists were interviewing government officials, killing two people, including a union member who was apparently with street vendors who were protesting nearby, and injuring two others, including a TV cameraman, according to officials. (AP Photo/Tony Rivera) Authorities did not say what might have motivated the shooting. Disputes between groups of street vendors and rival unions have resulted in violence in the past, and vendors have also been subjected to extortion by criminal gangs. Police arrest a man who started shooting outside City Hall in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The man opened fire at the entrance of City Hall where journalists were interviewing government officials, killing two people, including a union member who was apparently with street vendors who were protesting nearby, and injuring two others, according to officials. (AP Photo/Tony Rivera) Police arrest a man who started shooting outside City Hall in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The man opened fire at the entrance of City Hall where journalists were interviewing government officials, killing two people, including a union member who was apparently with street vendors who were protesting nearby, and injuring two others, according to officials. (AP Photo/Tony Rivera) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the California State Board of Education's vote to revise sex education guidance for public school teachers (all times local): 5:04 p.m. California has overhauled its sex education guidance for public school teachers, encouraging them to talk about gender identity with kindergarteners and giving advice to help LGBT teenagers navigate relationships and practice safe sex. LGBT advocates praised the new recommendations for giving such attention to a community that often is left out of sex education policies. But some parents and conservative groups assailed the more than 700-page document as an assault on parental rights. They argued those issues should best be taught by parents in the home. The guidance approved by the California State Board of Education on Wednesday does not require teachers to teach anything. But it is designed to expose them to the latest research and help them make sure students are meeting state standards. ___ 1:02 p.m. California education officials have recommended against suggesting teachers use certain books to help students understand sex education. The State Board of Education is scheduled to vote on new sex education guidance for California's public school teachers. On Wednesday, a few hundred concerned parents protested the changes. Much of the backlash has been focused on the books the document recommends children read. One book is "S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties." It includes descriptions of anal sex, bondage and other sex acts. State Board of Education member Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon said Wednesday the books have created a panic and distracted from the department's education goals. She recommended they be removed from the guidance. The board is expected to vote on the document later Wednesday. ___ 11 a.m. A few hundred protesters have gathered to protest proposed changes to sex education guidance for California's public school teachers. The California State Board of Education is scheduled to vote on new health education guidance for teachers. The proposal includes advice about how to teach sex education, including discussing masturbation with middle-schoolers and recommending books that teach healthy practices for LGBT high schoolers. Four-year-old Angelie Reyes held a sign that read: "Protect my innocence and childhood." She traveled more than 400 miles to Sacramento with her mother, Patricia Reyes, who called the proposal "pornography." Michele McNutt, a mother with two children in elementary school, said she supports the proposal because it is never too early to teach her daughters about healthy relationships and consent. ___ 10:17 p.m. The California State Board of Education is set to vote on new guidance for teaching sex education in public schools that some opponents are calling unnecessary and even obscene. The guidance gives teachers advice about talking to kindergarteners about gender identity, discussing masturbation with middle-schoolers and recommending books that teach healthy practices for LGBT high schoolers. The board meets Wednesday to consider a document designed to give teachers ideas to meet the state's health education standards. The guidance is not mandatory. The proposal has angered some parents and conservative groups who say it goes too far. Equality California Communications Director Samuel Garrett-Pate said many parents support the changes. He said too often LGBTQ students don't receive information during sex education that teaches them about healthy practices. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The International Criminal Court's prosecutor warned Libya's warring parties Wednesday that her office is prepared to investigate and prosecute anyone committing war crimes or crimes against humanity. Fatou Bensouda's warning in a briefing to the Security Council followed the U.N. health agency's tweet that 443 people have been killed and 2,110 wounded since an offensive was launched against Libya's capital of Tripoli on April 4 by Khalifa Hifter, leader of the self-styled Libyan National Army. The offensive could plunge the oil-rich country into possibly the worst violence since the 2011 civil war that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The chaos that followed resulted in a divided Libya, with a weak U.N.-supported administration in Tripoli overseeing the country's west and a government in the east aligned with Hifter. Each is backed by an array of militias and armed groups fighting over resources and territory. Hifter launched the offensive days before a national conference of all Libyan parties was scheduled to begin, aimed at an agreement on elections for a new government. It has been postponed. With the number of people displaced by fighting approaching 60,000, the World Health Organization said in a tweet Wednesday that it is working to coordinate health services for them. Migrants who fled fighting gather at a detention center in Zawya, Libya, west of Tripoli, on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Humanitarian organizations and international institutions are concerned about the situation of thousands of migrants in Libya caught between forces loyal to the U.N.-supported government in Tripoli and the government in the east, which Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter is aligned with. (AP Photo/Hazem Ahmed) The U.N. refugee agency called for refugees and migrants in detention centers in conflict areas in Tripoli to be immediately evacuated to safety, after an airstrike injured two migrants. The agency said it has relocated over 1,200 people from high-risk locations to safer areas since the offensive began, but some 3,460 refugees and migrants remain in detention centers near conflict-affected areas. "The risks are simply unacceptable at this point," Vincent Cochetel, the refugee agency's special envoy for the Central Mediterranean said in a statement. "People inside detention centers in Tripoli are facing ever-increasing dangers, making it vital that we immediately move them out of harm's way." In Paris, Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, who heads the U.N.-supported government, said after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron that he is prepared to return to the peace process "as soon as possible." But he said in an interview with France 24 that a fresh peace effort would be difficult due to Hifter's offensive, which he called an attempted coup. At the Security Council, Bensouda expressed "great regret" that "fighting in Libya continues unabated" and that violence has escalated over the past six months. She stressed the requirement of combatants to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and detention centers. "I urge this council and all member states of the United Nations to ensure a consistent and unambiguous message is conveyed to all warring factions in Libya that the rules of international humanitarian law must be fully respected, and that perpetrators of atrocity crimes will be held individually criminally responsible," she said. Many council members called for a cease-fire and a return to a political path. The Security Council referred the situation in Libya to the ICC in 2011 but Bensouda complained to the council that the three suspects sought by the court remain at large - Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the late dictator's son; Mahmoud al-Werfalli, a commander in the Libyan National Army; and Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, former head of the Libyan Internal Security Agency. Bensouda said her office is assessing "the feasibility of bringing cases before the ICC in relation to crimes against migrants." She said that "the body of evidence collected by my office indicates that crimes including torture, unlawful imprisonment, rape and enslavement are committed against migrants throughout their journeys and in both official and unofficial detention centers." Migrants who fled fighting gather at a detention center in Zawya, Libya, west of Tripoli, on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Humanitarian organizations and international institutions are concerned about the situation of thousands of migrants in Libya caught between forces loyal to the U.N.-supported government in Tripoli and the government in the east, which Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter is aligned with. (AP Photo/Hazem Ahmed) LONDON (AP) - Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor slept through his first press conference, but royal experts say the merino wool wrap in which he snuggled said a lot about how his parents, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will approach his future. Meghan, a former TV star, is known for promoting social causes and niche brands with her clothing choices. Yet she and Harry introduced their son to the world Wednesday in a hand-finished shawl and cashmere cap made by G.H. Hurt & Son of Nottingham, whose intricate knitwear has swaddled royal babies for decades. Wrapping Archie in a shawl knitted by the small, family-run English company suggests that Meghan and Harry aren't as intent on shaking up the royal family as much as some people have forecast - or feared. "I read this as an attempt to reassure the public that they are not going to stray too far from tradition," said Pauline Maclaran, co-author of "Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture." ''There has been a lot of press recently taking a slightly negative tone about Meghan, and this is an opportunity to show that she's not trying to change everything." Princess Diana wrapped Harry and his older brother, Prince William, in G.H. Hurt. William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, chose the firm for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The royals don't advertise, but they do set trends with whatever they are wearing, seeing or doing. Whether it was Queen Victoria popularizing Christmas trees or Princess Diana's fluffy collars, people have long tried to copy or emulate their style. Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during a photocall with their newborn son, in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle, Windsor, south England, Wednesday May 8, 2019. Baby Sussex was born Monday at 5:26 a.m. (0426 GMT; 12:26 a.m. EDT) at an as-yet-undisclosed location. An overjoyed Harry said he and Meghan are "thinking" about names. (Dominic Lipinski/Pool via AP) These days, the royal effect is turbocharged by social media. The internet offers fans the opportunity to examine royal fashions in minute detail, to look at the fine stitching on a baby blanket and identify it instantly. Websites such as whatkatewore.com and whatmeghanwore.net quickly identify designers of the outfits they are wearing and tell their stories. Susan Kelley, the American founder of whatkatewore.com, said the public's fascination with Meghan will likely trickle down to her son. And as a former actress, she has a great sensitivity to the messages sent by her sartorial selections. "Meghan is somebody who wants to carve her own path, but she is respectful of the monarchy and traditions of it," Kelley said. "The fact that Meghan is a feminist doesn't mean she doesn't honor tradition." Still, by selecting the Leaves And Flowers Baby Shawl with shell detailing (105 pounds, $137), Meghan chose one of G.H. Hurt's less-traditional designs. The company saw traffic on its website increase immediately after pictures of young Archie hit the news. In less than an hour, 266 visitors had looked at the shawl, up from five to 10 a day previously. The firm, which has been in business since 1912, has a collection of vintage hand-frame knitting machines that date back hundreds of years and work alongside modern knitting technology. "Babies at the best of times are wonderful news and they are wrapped up with so much emotion and goodwill," said Richard Taylor, part of the family firm. "But from a business point of view ... we get coverage right around the world." ___ Read all Associated Press coverage of the latest royal baby at https://www.apnews.com/RoyalBaby TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A plan for fixing problems in the troubled Kansas prison system that could have created bipartisan harmony has instead inspired finger pointing and prompted complaints that the Republican-controlled Legislature botched pieces of the next state budget. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican legislators agreed that the state Department of Corrections needed extra funds to boost employees' pay, deal with inmate crowding and address other issues. They also agreed on a figure: almost $36 million, or an extra 8.8% for the budget year beginning in July. However, the department, Kelly and her fellow Democrats are unhappy because of strings Republican legislators attached to the new funds. One provision blocks the department's plan to address staffing problems at a maximum-security state prison for men by temporarily closing a cell house and moving inmates to private prisons. Interim Corrections Secretary Roger Werholtz said another provision could thwart the department's plans to create new space to house female inmates. Also, to spend most of the new funds, the department must first have its plans reviewed and approved by the governor and eight top legislative leaders. "It's slowing down our ability to respond to the conditions that we've got," Werholtz said during an Associated Press interview. "It can create some significant problems for us if we can't get the money released quickly." In this May 4, 2019 photo, Kansas Interim Corrections Secretary Roger Werholtz speaks with reporters about budget issues, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas. Werholtz says he is worried that strings attached to extra funds for the state prisons system will prevent it from addressing its problems quickly enough. (AP Photo/John Hanna) Kansas has more than 10,000 inmates, slightly more than the capacity of its prisons, with continued population growth expected. It has been beset by staffing shortages and had four riots at three prisons from June 2017 through November 2018. Werholtz initially received praise from GOP legislators for giving them a more complete picture of the department's problems than his Republican-appointed predecessor. But some Republicans now worry that he's resisting legislative oversight. "We're talking about 35 million taxpayer dollars," said state Rep. J.R. Claeys, a central Kansas Republican and House budget committee member. "There has to be a level of oversight." GOP lawmakers added the stipulations during an impasse over the budget and Kelly's unsuccessful attempt to pass a Medicaid expansion bill this year. Some Democrats saw the final version of the spending bill as a "revenge" budget. Republicans said they wanted extra oversight because Kelly outlined her proposals for the extra spending last week, days before lawmakers finished their work. Werholtz said discussions about possible proposals began in late March. "The money is pretty much there," said Sen. Rick Billinger, a Republican from western Kansas involved in drafting the budget's final version. "Justifying additional pay to increase staff and things like that are pretty easy to sell, I think." Kelly said Wednesday that she is "pretty confident" that her administration can work with the budget provisions but called the strings attached "unfortunate." "When you're playing with people's lives, you need to be a lot more careful," she said during a brief interview. The budget includes more than $16 million for the department to house 600 inmates in private prisons, though only a third of the money would be available immediately. One provision prevents the Department of Corrections from temporarily closing one of its cell houses at its maximum-security prison outside El Dorado, about 30 miles northeast of Wichita, where riots occurred in June 2017 and July 2018. The state declared an emergency there in February so it could lengthen employee shifts. Werholtz said the prison would close a cell house and move inmates to private prisons or county jails until it could hire the 35 to 40 new employees it needed to reopen the cell house. Claeys questioned the wisdom of closing a cell house when the state's prisons already are crowded and said boosting pay and aggressively recruiting new officers are the real answers. The budget mandates a 15.9% pay increase for El Dorado's officers, to boost their hourly wage above $18. Werholtz had proposed pay raises of up to 13% and said lawmakers didn't provide enough money to go higher across the board, potentially creating morale problems later. And the budget sets aside $3 million for "renovations" at the state's juvenile corrections center in Topeka, to create separated space for 120 adult female inmates so the state women's prison, also in Topeka, is not overcrowded. However, Werholtz said the department wants to use the money to hire staff and set up a substance-abuse treatment program, not make extensive renovations. He said the budget's wording might prevent him from spending the money on those items. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida Bar disciplinary investigation will continue into a tweet sent by Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz about President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen. Bar officials said in a statement Wednesday the matter is being examined by a grievance committee. Gaetz represents the Panhandle and is an attorney and Florida Bar member. The potentially intimidating tweet came in February on the eve of Cohen's testimony criticizing Trump before a House committee. Cohen is imprisoned after pleading guilty to several crimes. Gaetz tweeted: "Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she'll remain faithful when you're in prison. She's about to learn a lot..." Gaetz said in an email he's confident in the investigation's outcome. NEW YORK (AP) - Eight-year-old Mutaz cries when he sees his classmates with their mothers at teacher conferences. His 9-year-old brother, Adel, gets into trouble at school. In hourslong weekend calls with their mother, the children always have the same question: When are you coming to America? It's a question with no answer. Their mother, Amena Abdulkarem, is stuck in Yemen with her two younger sons, the boys' brothers. She's been waiting three years for a visa to come to the United States to join her husband, Sadek Ahmed, and the children. Their family's situation is representative of the toll that the Trump administration's travel ban has taken on an untold number of families. Ahmed, a 31-year-old school maintenance worker in New York and a U.S. citizen, and other Americans with relatives from countries targeted by the ban see no end to their separations. And they say they have no idea how to get a coveted waiver created, but seldom issued, by the government to help families avoid being apart for so long. "I really don't understand how long it's going to take ... I have two kids here. I need to know when she's going to come. The kids keep asking me," said Ahmed, tears in his eyes. "It's hard for them, because they're so young." The Trump administration issued a third version of the ban in December 2017, blocking citizens of five Muslim-majority countries and their immediate families from traveling or immigrating to the United States. The ban - which affects Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and government representatives from Venezuela - was upheld by the Supreme Court in June 2018. In this March 21, 2019, photo, Sadek Ahmed walks with his sons Adel, 9, right, and Mutaz, 7, after picking them up from school in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Their mother, Amena Abdulkarem, is stuck in Yemen with her two younger sons, the boys' brothers. Their family's situation is representative of the toll that the Trump administration's almost-forgotten travel ban has taken on an untold number of families. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) The measure has devastated not only overseas relatives who have been unable to visit family in the United States but also American citizens such as Ahmed - husbands who have been separated from wives and parents from children. The administration announced that waivers would be granted on an individual basis so long as doing so did not threaten national security. But immigrants and their advocates contend there's no formal system to apply for a waiver, and they have sued the government in federal courts in California and New York. They describe an arbitrary process with no clear guidance on how to make their cases or ensure that consular officials accept their documentation. Even the success stories, of visas sometimes handed out without the need for waivers first, prove there's no rhyme or reason to the decisions, they said. "It makes you question the legitimacy of this waiver process. It makes you question your existence in this country," said Ayyad Algabyali, director of advocacy at the Yemeni American Merchants Association, which has been helping families write essays to make their cases. The State Department said the president's proclamation "clearly explained" the conditions under which a waiver could be issued, and that applicants should come forward during their visa interviews with any information that could help demonstrate their eligibility. The travel ban's effect has been stark: Almost 38,000 people seeking immigrant or tourist visas have been blocked from the U.S. since the ban took effect. Only 2,673 waivers were granted between December 2017 and January 2019, according to the State Department, which did not comment on how the waivers were granted. That coincides with a sharp decline in immigrant visas allotted to people from the five majority-Muslim countries seeking to move permanently to the United States. In the 2018 fiscal year, the U.S. issued 4,167 immigrant visas to people from those five countries, compared with 25,538 visas two years earlier. Mike Razi, an immigration attorney in Los Angeles, said his American clients separated from relatives in Iran are being discriminated against based on their family's heritage. "Nobody has a right to come to the United States," Razi said. "But you have a right as a U.S. citizen to petition your family members. If you are from the Philippines, you can do that, but if you are Iranian, you can't." Ahmed, who came to the U.S. as a teen in 2005, married Abdulkarem in 2008, after meeting her in Yemen through mutual connections. She remained there and he would visit. Their older two sons were born in 2009 and 2011. Ahmed became a citizen in 2011 and petitioned first for the older boys in 2012, but it took until 2015 for them to be allowed to join him, in a harrowing trip from a country filled with unrest. Adel, the oldest son, is in weekly therapy to help him cope with the traumatic departure. Ahmed doubts the sessions are doing any good. In March 2016, he applied to bring his wife to the U.S., and they have been waiting ever since. They should have waited only a few months, but because of a backlog, the application was still being processed when the ban took effect. Abdulkarem had an interview in Djibouti in October 2018, and Ahmed gave a consular officer material that he and his attorneys put together to request a waiver. They have heard nothing since. Now the family is split up. He and the couple's two older children are in Brooklyn with his parents. She lives in Yemen with their younger sons, ages 5 and 1. The ban also has completely upended the life of Shamim Darchini Astaneh, a 25-year-old Californian heading to graduate school in the fall for a career as a pharmacist. She cannot concentrate. Her hands shake, and she spends nearly all her waking hours tethered to a computer in the hopes of sharing her life with her 33-year-old husband, Amin Sirati, a dentist stuck in Iran. She came to the United States as a teenager after her mother won a green card lottery and met Sirati when she went to visit family in Iran. Four years ago, the couple married knowing they could be apart for two years while their visa application was reviewed. Since the ban, they now face the prospect of an indefinite separation. At home in Irvine, California, she gets migraines. Her family takes her to the emergency room when her tremors are severe. During college, she kept her laptop open while she studied so her husband could be with her, at least virtually. She left it by her bed at night so he could watch her fall asleep. "We don't have too much time to see each other. When I am going to bed, he is going to work," she said in a phone interview. "All the time we are on FaceTime." In July 2017, the couple were interviewed at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and told a visa should be ready in about two months. Since then, she has sent consular officials letters from doctors describing the toll of the wait. In January, officials replied by saying they would no longer send updates on her waiver request. "I believe there is no waiver, and everything is just window dressing," she said. ___ Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California. ___ Hajela and Taxin cover immigration for The Associated Press. Follow Hajela on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dhajela and Taxin at https://twitter.com/ataxin . In this Thursday, March 21, 2019, photo, brothers Adel Ahmed, 9, center, and Mutaz Ahmed, 7, video chat with their mother in Yemen while their father Sadek Ahmed drives them to a doctor's appointment in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Their mother, Amena Abdulkarem, is stuck in Yemen with her two younger sons, the boys' brothers. In hourslong weekend calls with their mother, the children always have the same question: When are you going to come to America? (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) In this Thursday, March 21, 2019, photo, Sadek Ahmed, second from right, prays with his sons Adel, 9, right, and Mutaz, 7, second from left, before heading to his evening job in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Their mother, Amena Abdulkarem, is stuck in Yemen with her two younger sons, the boys' brothers. Their family's situation is representative of the toll that the Trump administration's almost-forgotten travel ban has taken on an untold number of families. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) In this Thursday, March 21, 2019, photo, Sadek Ahmed walks with his sons Adel, 9, right, and Mutaz, 7, after picking them up from school in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Their mother, Amena Abdulkarem, is stuck in Yemen with her two younger sons, the boys' brothers. Their family's situation is representative of the toll that the Trump administration's almost-forgotten travel ban has taken on an untold number of families. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) In this Thursday, March 21, 2019, photo, Sadek Ahmed walks with his son Mutaz, 7, after picking him up from school in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The Trump administration's travel ban has forced American citizens to live apart from their husbands, wives and children for years, and there's no end in sight for many families. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) HAMBURG, Pa. (AP) - A truck driver has been charged with vehicular homicide in a fiery crash last fall that killed a couple driving to their wedding in Pittsburgh. State police say 24-year-old Jaspreet Singh Chahal, of Frenso, California, is also charged with reckless endangering and misdemeanors in the Nov. 14 crash on Interstate 78. The Reading Eagle reports that police in Berks County allege he was distracted by a cellphone conversation and didn't see traffic stopped ahead of him before striking another vehicle. Killed were 35-year-old Kathryn Schurtz, of Jersey City, New Jersey, and her fiance, 42-year-old Joseph Kearney. Court documents don't list an attorney for Chahal. A message could not be left Wednesday at a phone listing for him. GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Prosecutors said Wednesday they have opened an investigation into a Supreme Court judge who ordered the detention of former chief prosecutor and presidential candidate Thelma Aldana, who gained international renown for pressing high-profile graft cases against Guatemala's wealthy and powerful. A spokeswoman, Julia Barrera, said the probe of Judge Victor Manuel Cruz Rivera involves purported acceptance of bribes. The announcement followed a report from the newspaper El Periodico that Cruz allegedly received millions in return for issuing the detention order for Aldana on March 18. He hasn't commented on that report. Supreme Court spokesman Mario Siecavizza said the court did not have knowledge of the case. "Criminal responsibility is personal, and it will be the judge who must resolve his situation," Siecavizza said. The judge's secretary, Karla Douma, said he could not immediately comment. FILE - In this March 10, 2019 file photo, Thelma Aldana, Guatemala's former chief prosecutor, listens to a journalist's question as she gives a press conference during her campaign event for president, in Guatemala City. The Guatemalan prosecutors' spokeswoman announced Wednesday, May 8, that they have opened an investigation into a Supreme Court judge that involves purported acceptance of bribes for ordering the capture of Aldana. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros, File) Cruz also has received security protection from a government agency that normally provides exclusive protection to the president and his family, including bodyguards and an armored vehicle, El Periodico said. The newspaper said he had been receiving that benefit since a week after ordering Aldana's arrest. The detention order was never executed as Aldana was in El Salvador at the time. She has not returned to Guatemala. Aldana and a U.N.-supported anti-corruption commission sought, unsuccessfully, to prosecute current President Jimmy Morales, but lawmakers have not approved measures to withdraw the immunity he enjoys as sitting president. He denies wrongdoing. Rotman Perez, Aldana's lawyer, said the investigation of Cruz offers further reason to doubt his impartiality and argued that the judge should be removed from his client's case. "We hope this is not simply the beginning of an investigation due to social pressure, but rather a diligent investigation and not just a passive attitude," Perez said. Cruz has heard other high-profile cases including an investigation of former Judge Blanca Stalling on accusations of influence-trafficking and a recent case involving alleged bribes paid by businesspeople to lawmakers during the administration of ex-President Otto Perez Molina. Perez Molina, who is behind bars on corruption charges, was put there in part by Aldana, whose office was instrumental in bringing the case against the then-president in tandem with a U.N.-sponsored anti-graft commission. He denies the charges. Two other ex-presidents have also been jailed on corruption allegations. The 63-year-old Aldana launched a political career after leaving her prosecutor post last year. Around the time she became a presidential candidate, a group of friends and relatives of people Aldana put behind bars filed a complaint against her over a purported hiring irregularity. The same day her candidacy was formally registered, Cruz issued the detention order for Aldana. She has said she will not return to El Salvador until she feels it is safe. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee's House speaker pushed back Wednesday against calls to abandon his top legislative leadership post from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, releasing a plan intended to restore trust in his office. House Speaker Glen Casada has faced increased scrutiny after his top aide, Cade Cothren, stepped down earlier this week amid allegations he sent racist and sexually explicit text messages. Cothren also acknowledged using cocaine in his legislative office several years ago. As pressure built, a handful of Republican members expressed outrage at the speaker's handling of the allegations against Cothren, and added they were uneasy over his admitted participation in the text messages with him. As of Wednesday, four GOP House members and one GOP Senate member had joined Democratic support of calls for Casada to resign as speaker. However, Casada rebuffed those calls and instead organized an emergency conference call with the GOP House caucus to quell concerns. "I take complete ownership over the text messages with inappropriate comments about women that I exchanged with my former chief of staff and another individual several years ago," said Casada in a statement shortly after the call adjourned. "It's embarrassing and humbling to have it displayed in this manner." FILE - In this May 2, 2019, file photo, House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, left, talks with Cade Cothren, right, his chief of staff, during a House session in Nashville, Tenn. Cothren has resigned amid allegations of racist and sexually explicit texts. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) Along with the lengthy statement, Casada released a four-point plan for regaining trust. It included asking the House Ethics Committee to review the termination of Cothren, as well as conducting a review of legislative policies and consideration of drug testing for new employees. Casada also said he asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney Generals Conference about Cothren possibly tampering with evidence in a criminal case involving a young black activist, who was arrested earlier this year at the Capitol during a protest. Casada's open acknowledgement of the racist and sexually explicit text messages was a stark difference from defensive remarks he had given this past week, in which he initially questioned if the texts had been fabricated. News of the leaked text messages first broke last week after a news outlet asserted Cothren may have participated in evidence tampering and transmitting racist text messages. "I've never in those 10 years known any kind of racist or bigoted action out of him and so if an individual is willing to run a story that's not true about receiving emails, what else are they making up?" Casada had told reporters last week. Then, on Monday, more text messages were released showing that Casada and Cothren had exchanged sexual explicit text messages about women nearly three years ago. Cothren quickly resigned, though Casada told The Tennessean that his own explicit texting was a comment on "a relationship between two consenting adults." By Wednesday, Casada asked for forgiveness, saying he was a changed person and described those conversations as "locker room talk." Meanwhile, Cothren never acknowledged sending the racist text messages, but was quoted by the Tennessean newspaper as saying that he had sent "derogatory" messages to women in the past. He told The Associated Press that he could not remember the content of all his past messages, but that he had done some things in the past "that I'm not proud of." Rep. Jeremy Faison was one of the Republicans calling for Casada to resign from his speakership. "I see no way possible for him to be an effective leader in this state moving forward," Faison told the AP. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has declined to say if Casada should resign, but has described the recent events as disturbing and intolerable. "Racist slurs, illegal activity, objectification of women, those themselves are not the higher standard," Lee told reporters earlier Wednesday. "Those who choose to be in public service have a higher responsibility to stand against those things." House speakers in Tennessee serve two years before seeking reelection. Casada has only been in office since January. He received 47 secret-ballot votes out of 73 Republicans in the 99-member chamber to become speaker-elect in November. Then the majority leader, he defeated Reps. Curtis Johnson of Clarksville and David Hawk of Greeneville. "Democrats' only hope is for Republican division or scandal, and you will have neither with me. I don't play political games," said Rep. Curtis Johnson, during the GOP caucus elections in November. Separately, Casada has also faced allegations of spying on legislative members - which he has adamantly denied. However, House Democrats have sent a complaint to the U.S. Attorney's office requesting an investigating, which has been referred to the FBI. PARIS (AP) - The head of Libya's U.N.-backed government said Wednesday he is prepared to return to the peace process "as soon as possible" but that a fresh peace effort would be different due to the offensive on Tripoli by his rival, which he called an attempted coup. Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj made the remarks in an interview with France 24 after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. The offensive on Tripoli was launched April 4 by the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter and based in the country's east. The LNA is battling rival militias loosely allied with Sarraj's government. Sarraj denied as "propaganda" claims this week by Hifter's LNA that fighters shot down an enemy plane over Tripoli on Monday and captured its European pilot. The Libyan National Army released video footage Tuesday of a man in bloodied clothes who identified himself as a 29-year-old Portuguese national working as a contractor. Both sides in Libya's fighting accuse their opponents of being backed by foreign powers. French President Emmanuel Macron, right, welcomes Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Sarraj met Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Tuesday in Rome. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Sarraj claimed there are no more than five armed groups in Tripoli - compared to 115 when he arrived - and that they are integrated into the security forces. He said that Hifter's attack on Tripoli must be condemned "because it's a coup (attempt), an attempt to take power by weapons, by force. ... He's dreaming of entering Tripoli." Macron's office expressed France's continued support for Sarraj's government and made no reference to claims by Sarraj's side that France is secretly backing Hifter's offensive. Sarraj said Paris must "take a clearer position." The statement from Macron's office said the French president "encouraged" and unconditional cease-fire and proposed an "evaluation of the behavior of armed groups in Libya," working with the U.N., including those under Sarraj's government. There was no elaboration. Libya spiraled into chaos after the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. A peace process under U.N. auspices has hit a dead end with the offensive. Sarraj said he did not reject the peace process but said without elaborating that it would be "different." "We are prepared to return to the peace process as soon as possible," he said. Sarraj is visiting European capitals to shore up European support for his embattled government. After Rome, Paris and Berlin, Sarraj was headed to London. French President Emmanuel Macron, right, welcomes Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Sarraj met Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Tuesday in Rome. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena5 French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Sarraj met Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Tuesday in Rome. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool) MIAMI (AP) - Policarpia Gaspar, a Guatemalan civil war exile who co-founded a Florida organization mentoring Indian refugee children and connecting pregnant women to doctors has died, her family said Wednesday. She was 53. Her son, Glenn Mendez, said his mother had been battling leukemia for more than three years and died last week. She was buried Wednesday. Gaspar gained a prominent role in helping many Guatemalan families adapt to a new life in Florida during and after their country's brutal armed conflict. She continued to speak her native Maya language and dress in traditional indigenous garb. "She was all about helping Guatemalans transition properly into the U.S. culture and helping their kids to advance," said Mendez. "But she wanted them to still maintain their heritage." Born to peasant farmers on Dec. 3, 1965, in the village of San Miguel Acatan, Gaspar and her family fled their country's hostilities in 1980, when the Guatemalan government was systematically destroying villages seeking to root out leftist guerrillas. According to the United Nations, about 200,000 people were killed during Guatemala's 36-year conflict, which ended in 1996. The conflict forced thousands of Guatemalans to escape, and many exiles settled in Florida. FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2007, file photo, Maria Xuncax, left, stands beside her daughter Policarpia Gaspar, center, during her marriage to Juan Mendez, right, at the Sacred Heart Church in Lake Worth, Fla. Gaspar, a Guatemalan civil war exile who co-founded a Florida organization mentoring Indian refugee children and connecting pregnant women to doctors has died at 53. Gaspar's family said she battled leukemia for three years. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) Gaspar attended high school in California, where her family originally arrived, before moving to Florida. She then graduated with an associate's degree from Palm Beach Community College, now known as Palm Beach State College. Gaspar and a Catholic priest who ran the diocese immigration and refugee office in West Palm Beach founded the Guatemalan Maya-Center in nearby Lake Worth in 1992. Father Frank O'Loughlin had already worked with the petite Guatemalan woman assisting other refugees with immigration procedures in Indiantown, where many Guatemalans worked in the farm fields. Growing up speaking the ancient language of Kanjobal, Gaspar would help translate information between immigrants and lawyers. She also drove pregnant women to doctor's visits, so they wound understand the medical orders. The nonprofit has grown since its creation and now serves 1,000 families monthly. There are some 80,000 Guatemalans living in Florida, many of them are concentrated in Palm Beach County, home to Lake Worth. Known as Polly, Gaspar and her husband Juan Mendez also began a Saturday mentoring program to help refugee children with little schooling and limited English. Gaspar was known for wearing traditional long and loose tunics designed with vivid patterns of birds, flowers or geometrical shapes, known as huipiles. "She was unapologetic. She was taken out of her country, but the country wasn't taken out of her," said her daughter Mallyn Mendez. Gaspar is survived by her two parents, her husband, eight siblings and three children. BERLIN (AP) - The world powers struggling to preserve a nuclear deal with Iran are facing an increasingly uphill battle, with a new deadline from Tehran on finding a solution to make up for last year's unilateral U.S. withdrawal from the accord and the increasing economic hardship that has put on the Islamic Republic. After Iran notified Britain, Russia, China, the European Union, France and Germany of its intentions in a letter, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised address Wednesday that the nations have 60 days to come up with a plan to shield his country from the sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump after he pulled Washington out of the deal. "If the five countries join negotiations and help Iran to reach its benefits in the field of oil and banking, Iran will return to its commitments according to the nuclear deal," Rouhani said. The 2015 deal, intended to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, promised economic incentives in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities. Despite efforts so far by the others to keep the deal from collapsing, Iran's economy has been struggling and its currency has plummeted in value after the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions. Later Wednesday, Trump issued an executive order announcing new sanctions targeting Iran's steel, aluminum, copper and iron sectors, which provide foreign currency earnings for Tehran. Many international corporations are reluctant to risk running afoul of Washington and have severed ties with Iran; a complicated barter-type system set up by the Europeans to allow their businesses to skirt direct financial transactions with Iran - and thus evade possible U.S. sanctions - is not yet finalized. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, attend a news conference during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) Iran has continued abiding by the stipulations of the deal, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, but had been expressing increasing frustration with the inability of the Europeans to provide economic relief, culminating with Wednesday's threat to resume higher enrichment of uranium in 60 days unless new terms are negotiated. Despite Rouhani's threatening rhetoric and the now-ticking clock, Europeans were cautiously hoping the Iranian president was not on the verge of breaking the deal but instead seeking to show strength domestically as the economy slumps. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his office had been in contact with all the others involved in the Iran deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, since the announcement to see what could be done to get Tehran to back down. "Our opinion is and remains: We want to preserve the agreement, in particular to prevent Iran from coming into possession of nuclear weapons," he told reporters. "We don't need further escalation in the region." Similarly, French Defense Minister Florence Parly told BFMTV television that "nothing would be worse than Iran leaving this deal." "We absolutely want to keep this agreement alive," Parly said. At a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in London, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called Iran's threat "unwelcome" and urged it not to take "further escalatory steps," while emphasizing Britain was not ready to give up on the JCPOA. "For as long as Iran keeps its commitments then so, too, will the United Kingdom," he said. Hunt said Britain and the U.S. agreed on the need to confront the threat from Iran, but "it's no secret we have a different approach on how best to achieve that." Pompeo was restrained in his own assessment of the letter that Iran sent to the JCPOA group outlining its intentions. "I think it was intentionally ambiguous," he said. "We'll have to wait to see what Iran's actions actually are. They have made have made a number of statements about actions they have threatened to do in order to get the world to jump." In his television address, Rouhani also tried a gambit designed to hit a sore spot for Europe, over the issue of migration and drug-smuggling. Noting that Iran now cooperates on issues like controlling immigration and targeting Afghan opium and hashish traffickers, he said: "You are obliged ... for your own security, for protecting your youths against drugs as well as controlling influx of immigrants." There was no immediate response from officials in Europe, which has seen an influx of refugees and migrants from the Middle East in recent years. China, a key Iranian ally and trading partner, suggested that Washington's recent decision to deploy an aircraft carrier group and a bomber wing to the Middle East to confront unspecified threats from Tehran had added fuel to the fire. "We regret that the U.S. has further aggravated the tension on the Iranian nuclear issue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said. "We call on all parties concerned to exercise restraint, strengthen dialogue and avoid escalating tensions." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went a step further, saying the situation surrounding the fate of the 2015 nuclear accord has been complicated by "irresponsible behavior" from Washington. After meeting in Moscow with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, Lavrov reaffirmed Russia's support for the deal and blamed the U.S. for undermining it. "The U.S. is to blame for the situation and it makes it difficult for both Iran to fulfill its obligations and ... for the general state of the nuclear non-proliferation regime," Lavrov said. Zarif insisted that Iran's decision to partially withdraw from certain provisions did not violate the agreement, and asserted it was provoked by U.S. actions toward Iran. He also said Iran will uphold its obligations if European signatories to the deal uphold theirs. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Jill Lawless in London, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Elaine Ganley in Paris, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Matthew Bodner in Moscow contributed. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, and Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt attend a joint press conference at the Foreign Office in central London, Wednesday May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the two nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, leaves after meeting British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London for talks with British officials on the status of the special relationship between the two nations amid heightened tensions with Iran and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) PITTSBURGH (AP) - A gateway to illegal marketplaces on the darknet has been shut down, the FBI announced Wednesday, and two of its alleged operators have been arrested and accused of making millions of dollars in kickbacks for their services. A grand jury in Pittsburgh returned indictments against the two Israelis on charges of money laundering conspiracy. They're accused of receiving more than $15 million from the operation, which ran from Oct. 2013 through this week, prosecutors said. Both were arrested Monday, one in France and the other in Israel. The website was identified as DeepDotWeb, accessible under a slightly different name on the darknet, part of the internet but hosted within an encrypted network and accessible only with anonymity-providing tools. DeepDotWeb provided users with access to marketplaces where vendors sold everything from illegal narcotics such as fentanyl, heroin and crystal methamphetamine; to assault rifles, malicious software, hacking tools and stolen financial information. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady called DeepDotWeb "a one-stop information center for people who were trying to access the dark web." U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady, of the Western District of Pennsylvania, center, speaks as Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard W. Downing, left, of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, and Pittsburgh FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones, right, listen during a news conference about the arrest of people operating and the shutting down of an internet site that was a gateway to the dark web, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Pittsburgh. The investigation was led by the United States Attorney's Office in Western Pennsylvania and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Many major cybercrime investigations have taken place in Pittsburgh because they have some of the most experienced cybercrime investigators in the U.S. The FBI has two cybercrime units in the city. The website also provided reviews of marketplaces on the dark web, as well as tutorials on how to use it, he said. DeepDotWeb got kickbacks from purchases made from the websites where it referred customers, prosecutors said. Darknet marketplaces operate on the "Tor" network, a computer network designed to facilitate anonymous communication over the internet. Because of Tor's structure, a user who wanted to visit a particular Darknet marketplace needed to know the site's exact address. DeepDotWeb simplified this process by including pages of hyperlinks to various Darknet marketplaces addresses. To conceal the source of the illegal proceeds, the two transferred the kickback payments from their DeepDotWeb bitcoin wallet to other bitcoin accounts and to bank accounts they controlled in the names of shell companies, prosecutors said. A poster showing the seized website screen of Deep.Dot.Web is displayed during a news conference about the shutting down of the web site and the arrest of the people running it, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Pittsburgh. The investigation was led by the United States Attorney's Office in Western Pennsylvania and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady, of the Western District of Pennsylvania, speaks during a news conference about the arrest of people operating and the shutting down of an internet site that was a gateway to the dark web, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Pittsburgh. The investigation was led by the United States Attorney's Office in Western Pennsylvania and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) A poster showing the seized website screen of Deep.Dot.Web is displayed as law enforcement official leave a news conference about the shutting down of the web site and the arrest of the people running it, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Pittsburgh. The investigation was led by the United States Attorney's Office in Western Pennsylvania and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) DETROIT (AP) - Like my vote? Michigan voters are now free to photograph their ballots in the voting booth, under a lawsuit settlement announced Wednesday. The state's ban on displaying a completed ballot had been around since 1891. The law was aimed at stopping pressure from political parties, which distributed ballots at that time and compelled people to vote for certain candidates. Joel Crookston, a voter in the Kalamazoo area, photographed his ballot in 2012 and posted it on social media. Although he wasn't challenged by election officials, a lawyer warned him that it was illegal. So Crookston sued in 2016 to overturn the ban, arguing that it violated free speech rights. Under the settlement, voters will be allowed to photograph their marked ballots but still won't be allowed to photograph themselves in a polling place. "It's really about taking a picture, leaving a polling place and posting it online," said Crookston's attorney, Stephen Klein. "There haven't been problems in states that have embraced this. People are just celebrating their vote." Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued a statement calling the settlement fair. "We reached a resolution that allows voters to have a full opportunity to express themselves, while at the same time ensuring that voters retain the ability to vote in private and without disruption or discomfort," said Benson, a Democrat who took over the office in January from Republican Ruth Johnson, who had defended the ban. The state also will pay $90,000 for Crookston's legal fees. The Wisconsin Legislature is also considering allowing photos to be taken in the voting booth, as a state Senate committee heard testimony Tuesday from proponents and opponents of the proposed change. Court rulings on ballot photos have been mixed across the country after several cases sprung up from the 2016 presidential elections. Courts in New Hampshire and Indiana found that laws in those states that prohibit photos were unconstitutional. A New York law, though, was upheld. Photos have been legal in California since 2017. ___ Follow Ed White: httsp://twitter.com/edwhiteap FAWN RIVER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - The Latest on a 9-year-old boy accused in the fatal shooting of his mother in southern Michigan (all times local): 3:30 p.m. Court records show a 9-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his mother with a rifle in their southern Michigan home. The documents show the child is also facing a felony firearm charge. It isn't clear if he is charged as an adult or a juvenile. The Associated Press is not identifying the victim because to do so would identify the child. WOOD-TV first reported the charges. St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough told WWMT-TV that the woman's body was found early Monday morning in Fawn River Township, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) west-southwest of Detroit. In this Monday, May 6, 2019 photo, St. Joseph County Sheriff deputies stand outside the site where a woman was fatally shot in Fawn River Township, Mich. Authorities say a 9-year-old is suspected in the shooting of a woman in her southern Michigan home. (Corky Emrick/Sturgis Journal via AP) Authorities have not released the circumstances of the killing or details of why the child is considered a suspect. ___ 1:20 p.m. Authorities say a 9-year-old is suspected in the fatal shooting of a woman in her southern Michigan home. WWMT-TV reports that St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough said the woman was found early Monday morning in Fawn River Township, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) west-southwest of Detroit. The woman's name hasn't been released. McDonough declined to say if the child and victim were related. The circumstances of the killing and details of why the child is considered a suspect have not been released. Sheriff Bradley Balk says the youth was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at a state-run juvenile facility. The Associated Press left messages Wednesday seeking comment from the county prosecutor and sheriff. ___ Information from: WWMT-TV, http://www.wwmt.com OSAGE, Iowa (AP) - Before Elizabeth Warren pitches voters on her tax plan, she talks about her memories of her mom's struggle to pay the mortgage. Before she talked about government ethics on a recent stop, she told locals their town reminds her of her Oklahoma home. The personal touch may be unexpected from a former academic who made her name explaining housing policy. But in bakeries, breweries and hotel ballrooms, the Massachusetts senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate is proving a down-to-earth campaigner, adding a homespun delivery to her complex proposals. After losing ground in the early fundraising chase, Warren appears to have steadied her campaign, building a strong foothold in Iowa. Democrats here are as likely to credit her connection with voters as her policy chops. "She talks to a lot of people, but I feel like whatever she does in her stump speech, it moves you. It sneaks up on you," said Penny Rosfjord, of Sioux City, a member of the Iowa Democratic Party's state central committee. "I wasn't ready for her to be as passionate as she was." Passion alone won't pave the way to the White House, of course. Warren typically trails former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders in early polling, landing in a cluster of other Democrats. Her plan to break out of the 21-candidate Democratic primary is built on an expensive field organization in the early states. With about 50 paid staffers in Iowa, her operation dwarfs the competition and will be difficult to sustain through a long campaign. Her campaign raised more than $6 million during the first quarter of the year despite eschewing high-dollar fundraisers, but it burned through about $5 million of that total. Warren transferred more than $10 million left over from her Senate win last year to her presidential coffers. She may still have to make tough choices to hang on, said veteran Iowa Democratic strategist Matt Paul. "I expect her to be someone who, if she can calibrate her operation with the resources available to her, she'll continue to do well," said Paul, who helmed Hillary Clinton's winning 2016 operation in the state. Especially in a situation where Biden and Sanders are pitted against each other, Paul added, which "could create a big opportunity for one of the other candidates to drive a truck through." 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to local residents during an organizing event, Friday, May 3, 2019, in Ames, Iowa.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Whether Warren will be that candidate depends on more than just her skills on the stump. It's unclear whether her calls for "big, structural change" will fly with more moderate Democrats. Meanwhile, polls showing that Democrats are prioritizing a candidate's ability to beat President Donald Trump over other concerns suggest that perceived electability could ultimately outrank personal connection when Democrats pick their nominee next year. A Suffolk University survey of New Hampshire voters released last week found Warren in fourth place in the state, host of the first-in-the-nation primary. Her electability against Trump was the central concern of 18% of those who didn't support her. For now, though, signs of Warren's steady strategy are piling up. She gained ground in two national polls released last week, even after Biden muscled his way into the race as an early front-runner. And she's drawing notable crowds in Iowa: During her fifth visit last month, the president of the Linn Phoenix Club in Cedar Rapids said the crowd she turned out was much bigger than any they'd seen for a candidate visit. The next day, in Tipton, Iowa, supporters lined up down the block outside a local diner where Warren stopped to speak to the overflow crowd before her main event. Warren's political courtship skills were evident in Osage. Kurt Meyer, the prominent local Iowa Democrat who introduced her there, elatedly told the crowd about exchanging text messages with the candidate. Warren used touches of humor and personal detail. When she got around to touting her proposed 2% tax on the rich in Iowa, it came as a plainspoken call to set aside "2 cents" of those wealthy Americans' dollars for public benefits such as universal child care. And "12 free steak knives, if you order now," she joked to laughter from the 150 people who turned out in the town, whose population is under 4,000. She recalled the financial stress that her father's heart attack put on her family. The minimum-wage job her mother got, Warren tells voters, saved their house and "it saved our family." "What my mother taught me by example: No matter how scared you are, no matter how tough it is, you reach down deep, you find what you need to find, you pull it up, and you do what has to be done to take care of the people you love," she said in Osage, connecting that experience to the current moment's economic squeeze of income inequality. "She feels like she's one of us," Stephanie Dicken, 50, of Denver, Iowa, said after Warren's event. "She doesn't feel like she's a politician who has so much more information and her life is so completely different than mine. She feels like my neighbor." In fact, Warren does have more information - in the form of pure policies - than many others in the crowded Democratic primary. Since April, she's launched new plans for student loan debt cancellation , public land protection , military housing, corporate taxes , and fighting opioid addiction . T-shirts declaring "Warren has a plan for that" became the fastest-selling item on her campaign's website after their recent release. But voters tend to praise her specificity and the connections she can draw between her plans and her personal ideals. Osage resident Penney Morse, 68, lauded Warren as "relatable," adding that "I want to support somebody who's got some policies. I want to know what I'm voting for." Warren has had plenty of practice. Before she became a political celebrity and leading consumer advocate during the Great Recession, she appeared on the popular talk show "Dr. Phil" in 2004 and 2005 to counsel viewers on financial literacy. "People forget that the reason she was famous in first place, long before she entered politics, was that she had a unique ability to translate complex financial issues into terms people could understand and relate to," said Adam Jentleson, a former senior aide to onetime Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. "There's a reason Dr. Phil, of all people, decided to put her on his show." ___ Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe in Tipton, Iowa, and Juana Summers in Houston contributed to this report. 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to local residents during an organizing event, Friday, May 3, 2019, in Ames, Iowa.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to local residents during an organizing event, Friday, May 3, 2019, in Ames, Iowa.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Federal authorities say an 18-year-old Texas man has pleaded guilty to recruiting fighters on behalf of a Pakistan-based terrorist group. Prosecutors say Michael Kyle Sewell entered a guilty plea in federal court Wednesday to conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Sewell admitted to trying to recruit another person to join Lashkar-e-Taiba, the militant group behind a 2008 attack in India's financial capital of Mumbai that killed 166 people. Prosecutors say Sewell put the person in contact with someone he thought would facilitate joining Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan but was, in fact, an undercover FBI agent. Sewell is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 12. He could face up to 20 years in prison. WALTON, Ky. (AP) - The lawyer for a Kentucky high school student who wasn't allowed to participate in school activities because he wasn't vaccinated for chickenpox says his client has now contracted the illness. Attorney Christopher Wiest of Covington told The Kentucky Enquirer that 18-year-old Jerome Kunkel came down with chickenpox last week. Wiest says Kunkel is "fine" and "a little itchy." After an outbreak, students who weren't vaccinated were ordered to stay away from Our Lady of the Assumption Church school and activities. Kunkel sued the Northern Kentucky Health Department, claiming the vaccine is against his religious beliefs, and others joined in. A judge last month denied the request to return to activities. Wiest said Tuesday about half his clients have contracted chickenpox since filing the case. He said he told parents that a child's getting chickenpox would be the quickest way to resolve the case, since a bout of chickenpox confers immunity. The Health Department said in a news release Wednesday that Wiest's statement was "alarming and disappointing." The department said people who contract chickenpox can expose others to the virus before the disease becomes apparent. "While the tactic Wiest suggests may provide an individual with future immunity from chickenpox, this infected person can easily spread the virus to other, unsuspecting people, including those particularly vulnerable to this potentially life-threatening infection," the department said. Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin said in March during an interview on Bowling Green radio station WKCT that he deliberately exposed his children to chickenpox so they would catch the disease and become immune. The Republican governor said parents worried about chickenpox should have their children vaccinated but suggested that government shouldn't mandate the vaccination. Kentucky requires that children entering kindergarten be vaccinated for chickenpox, but parents may seek religious exemptions or provide proof that a child already had the disease. ___ Information from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com FAWN RIVER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A 9-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his mother in their southern Michigan home, according to court documents. The woman was found early Monday morning in Fawn River Township, St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough told WWMT-TV . Fawn River Township is about 160 miles (260 kilometers) west-southwest of Detroit. The boy also is charged with using a firearm during the commission of a felony. Documents filed Tuesday in St. Joseph County Circuit Court show the woman was shot with a rifle. WOOD-TV first reported the charges. The Associated Press is not identifying the victim because to do so would identify the juvenile suspect. The boy was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at a state-run juvenile facility, according to county Sheriff Bradley Balk. It isn't clear if he was charged as an adult or a juvenile. Authorities have not released the circumstances of the killing or details of why the child was charged. McDonough and Balk have not responded to messages left by an AP reporter seeking comment. In this Monday, May 6, 2019 photo, St. Joseph County Sheriff deputies stand outside the site where a woman was fatally shot in Fawn River Township, Mich. Authorities say a 9-year-old is suspected in the shooting of a woman in her southern Michigan home. (Corky Emrick/Sturgis Journal via AP) Alecia Pieronski of Sturgis told WWMT-TV that the boy threatened to stab her 8-year-old daughter to death in February last year. Pieronski said she told their elementary school principal but that nothing was done. When contacted Wednesday by The AP, Pieronski said she was not comfortable discussing the comments she made to the TV station. Sturgis Public Schools Superintendent Arthur Ebert released a statement to the media, but said nothing about the child or his circumstances. "As a district it is our goal to provide support to our students, staff, and the community," Ebert said. "We are limited in what we can share due to privacy laws and the sensitive nature of this tragedy." FARMINGTON, Mo. (AP) - The stepson of a Missouri Ku Klux Klan leader who was fatally shot two years ago has been found guilty of manslaughter, abandonment of a corpse and other crimes. Frank Ancona Jr. was killed in 2017. He identified himself as an imperial wizard of the KKK. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Paul Jinkerson Jr. was convicted Wednesday by a jury in St. Francois County. His mother, Malissa Ancona, pleaded guilty in April to second-degree murder, admitting that she fatally shot her husband. She was sentenced to life in prison. Malissa Ancona initially claimed that Jinkerson shot her husband while he was sleeping. But in her guilty plea, she said Jinkerson had no role in the shooting, though he helped clean up the crime scene and dump the body. ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) - Paraguay declared a state of emergency Wednesday in a province along the border with Argentina as torrential rains continued to swell rivers and cause floods. About 40,000 Paraguayans have been forced to evacuate their homes in recent weeks due to rising waters. Officials say that more than 11,000 of the evacuees live in the capital of Asuncion. Although, they were moved to higher ground at military bases, public squares and roadsides, some have complained of an inefficient government response. "The government treats us like animals," said evacuee Cecilia Salgueiro. "It should have rolled up its sleeves and built a defensive (barrier) along the coast" to avoid the waters from reaching low-lying flood-prone slums. The emergency declaration covers hard-hit Neembucu province, about 190 miles (300 kilometers) south of Asuncion. Most of its territory contains wetlands, and Gov. Luis Benitez said in a tweet that "the situation is difficult and critical for six of our towns." Other evacuees are spread throughout the landlocked country along the rain-swollen Paraguay River, which originates in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Its normal stage is 4 meters (13 feet), but it has reached 6.75 meters (22 feet) in the capital due to unusually heavy rains since March. A boat transports people displaced by a flooded street in Asuncion, Paraguay, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Officials in Paraguay say they have had to evacuate some 40,000 people in recent weeks because of flooding from unusually heavy rains across the South American nation. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) "We're not getting any help from the National Emergency Office," complained Alejandro Ortiz, who is staying on the first floor at his home after the ground floor flooded. The overhead view shows the"Banado Norte" neighborhood left flooded in Asuncion, Paraguay, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Officials say they've had to evacuate some 40,000 people due to unusually heavy rains since March. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) Cristaldo family members, displaced by floods, wash their clothes at a shelter entrance in Asuncion, Paraguay, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. About 40,000 Paraguayans have been forced to evacuate their homes in recent weeks due to rising waters. Officials say that more than 11,000 of the evacuees live in the capital of Asuncion. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) An overhead view of the Plaza de Armas where people displaced by the floods are being sheltered in downtown Asuncion, Paraguay, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Officials say they've had to evacuate some 40,000 people due to unusually heavy rains since March. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) A boat transports people displaced by a flooded street in Asuncion, Paraguay, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Officials in Paraguay say they have had to evacuate some 40,000 people in recent weeks because of flooding from unusually heavy rains across the South American nation. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) The overhead view shows the Santa Ana neighborhood left flooded in Asuncion, Paraguay, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Officials say they've had to evacuate some 40,000 people due to unusually heavy rains since March. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) Patricio Nunez maneuvers his boat as he transports people displaced by a flooded street in a neighborhood in Asuncion, Paraguay, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Officials in Paraguay say they have had to evacuate some 40,000 people in recent weeks because of flooding from unusually heavy rains across the South American nation. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) The Plaza de Armas public park is filled with shacks that were set up by people whose homes have been flooded, in downtown Asuncion, Paraguay, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Officials say they've had to evacuate some 40,000 people due to unusually heavy rains since March. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for the man charged with fatally shooting five people at a Maryland newspaper. Judge Laura Ripken, in court papers filed Tuesday, ordered that Jarrod Ramos receive the evaluation at the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center. The maximum security facility is Maryland's forensic psychiatric hospital. Lawyers for Ramos pleaded last month that he was not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. The evaluation is to determine competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. A doctor independent from the prosecution will write a report with recommendations. It will be sent to attorneys and the court. A November trial is scheduled. Ramos is charged with first-degree murder in the June 2018 shooting attack on the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations secretary-general said the world must dramatically change the way it fuels factories, vehicles and homes to limit future warming to a level scientists call nearly impossible. That's because the alternative "would mean a catastrophic situation for the whole world," Antonio Guterres told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview. Guterres said he's about to tour Pacific islands to see how climate change is devastating them as part of his renewed push to fight it. He is summoning world leaders to the U.N. in September to tell them "they need to do much more in order for us to be able to reverse the present trends and to defeat the climate change." That means, he said, the world has to change, not in small incremental ways but in big "transformative" ways, into a green economy with electric vehicles and "clean cities." Guterres said he will ask leaders to stop subsidizing fossil fuels. Burning coal, oil and gas triggers warming by releasing heat-trapping gases. He said he wants countries to build no new coal power plants after 2020. He wants them to put a price on the use of carbon. And ultimately he wants to make sure that by 2050 the world is no longer putting more greenhouse gases into the air than nature sucks out. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during an interview at United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Guterres said the world has to change, not in small incremental ways but in big "transformative" ways into a green economy with electric vehicles and "clean cities" because the alternative "would mean a catastrophic situation for the whole world." (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Global temperatures have already risen about 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius) since the industrial age began. The issue is how much more the thermometers will rise. In 2015, the world's nations set a goal to limit global warming to no more than 0.9 degrees (0.5 degrees Celsius) from now. Most scientists say it is highly unlikely, if not outright undoable, to keep man-made climate change that low, especially since emissions of heat trapping gases are rising, renewable energy growth is plateauing, and some countries' leaders and voters are balking. A panel of scientists the U.N. asked to look at the issue ran computer models for more than 500 future scenarios, and less than 2% achieved those warming limits. Guterres said the wholesale economic changes needed to keep the temperature from rising another degree or more may be painful, but there will be more pain if the world fails. "If you don't hang on to that goal, what you'll achieve is a total disaster," the secretary-general said in his 38th floor conference room. If countries only do what they promised in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, it would be catastrophic because the world would warm by another 4.5 degrees (2.5 degrees Celsius), Guterres said, adding "that is why we need to dramatically accelerate... what everybody knows needs to be done." Yet, globally the trends are going the other way. University of Michigan environment dean Jonathan Overpeck said it looks unlikely that the world could prevent another 1.8 degrees (1 Celsius) of warming, let alone 0.9 degrees. And in an odd way that gives the U.N. chief optimism. Because as disasters mount and deaths increase, the public, especially youths, will realize that warming is "a dramatic threat to the whole of humankind," Guterres said. So the worse it gets, the more people will demand change, he said. That's why he's about to visit the islands of Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean, which he said is hit hardest by climate change. Guterres said he wants to use the determination and moral authority of the people who live on the threatened islands to convince world leaders to make necessary change. Here are some excerpts from the 25-minute interview with Guterres, who said he used to love steak houses but now only goes once every three months because livestock contribute significantly to warming. The questions and answers have been edited for clarity and length: Q: How can you be optimistic? A: That is the paradox. Things are getting worse. Temperatures are rising faster than expected. We see the Arctic melting. We see glaciers disappearing. We see corals bleaching. We see biodiversity being dramatically threatened. So things are getting worse and worse. But the political will has been slow. We need to reverse this trend. We need to make people understand that this is not sustainable. And the reason why I'm optimistic is that I feel that more and more people are convinced of that. And as more and more people are convinced of that, I believe governments will feel the need to increase their political will which at this present moment is still lagging behind. You have seen the fantastic attitude of young girls and boys making a strike in favor of climate action. You see more and more business and communities assuming responsibilities. Q: Can you fight climate change and biodiversity loss at the same time? A: Climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. It's because of climate change that species are disappearing. So we need at the same time to be concerned with the climate action... with our oceans... to make sure that we keep the richness of a planet that was created by God. And I don't believe God would be very happy to see many of his creatures disappearing." Q: How do you see the United States and the Trump administration on climate? A: In the United States I disagree with the policies that the government has implemented. But I see fantastic attitudes and fantastic developments in what is done by large businesses, by cities, by the civil society. I can see the United States a country with an enormous potential to achieve what needs to be achieved for us to be able to defeat climate change. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during an interview at United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Guterres said the world has to change, not in small incremental ways but in big "transformative" ways into a green economy with electric vehicles and "clean cities" because the alternative "would mean a catastrophic situation for the whole world." (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is photographed during an interview at United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Guterres said the world has to change, not in small incremental ways but in big "transformative" ways into a green economy with electric vehicles and "clean cities" because the alternative "would mean a catastrophic situation for the whole world." (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The Trump administration's revocation of International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's U.S. visa didn't hinder her from coming to the United Nations on Wednesday to address the Security Council. Bensouda did not mention the visa ban in her briefing to the council on Libya but she told several reporters afterward that she was given a visa to travel to the U.N. for work, as required under the "host country agreement" between the U.S. and the U.N. "They said the visa on file was revoked, but the visa for purposes of doing my work at the U.N. wasn't," Bensouda said. "I can stay in New York anywhere - nowhere else." In March, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ordered the revocation or denial of visas to ICC staff seeking to investigate allegations of war crimes and other abuses by U.S. forces in Afghanistan or elsewhere. Bensouda's U.S. visa was revoked before last month's decision by ICC judges rejecting her request to open an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan as well as alleged crimes by U.S. forces linked to the conflict. The judges said an investigation "would not serve the interests of justice" because an investigation and prosecution were unlikely to be successful, as those targeted, including the United States, Afghan authorities and the Taliban, were not expected to cooperate. Human Rights Watch sharply criticized the ruling, calling it "a devastating blow for victims who have suffered grave crimes without redress." Pompeo said he may also revoke visas of those who seek action against Israel. ICC prosecutors have been conducting a preliminary inquiry since 2015 in the Palestinian territories, including Israel's settlement policy, crimes allegedly committed by both sides in the 2014 Gaza conflict and Hamas rocket attacks aimed at Israeli civilians. Bensouda said Wednesday that her U.S. visa was revoked because of her ICC and U.N. work. "It's all because of my work, which I will continue to do ... undeterred," she said. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Salt Lake Tribune announced plans Wednesday to become a nonprofit as it moves toward a nontraditional model that it hopes will ensure long-term stability after years of financial struggles fueled by declines in advertising and circulation revenues. The plan for the Utah newspaper that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017 would be similar to setups at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Tampa Bay Times, which are both are owned by nonprofit foundations. The Tribune's wealthy publisher, Paul Huntsman, told the staff Tuesday, and the newspaper published a story Wednesday. Huntsman purchased the newspaper in 2016, leading to a period of increased stability after the newspaper had dealt with staff reductions and feared closure under the previous owner. But one-third of the staff was laid off last year as the financial hardships emerged again. Jennifer Napier-Pearce, editor of The Salt Lake Tribune, said the current financial is broken with revenue declines looking irreversible. "You got to try something. If you just let the future wash over you, we're going to go out of business. So that's just not acceptable," Napier-Pearce said. "Print is not dead. But it's dying, so you've got to find some other piece to prop up the stool. That third piece is going to be philanthropy." The newspaper plays an important role in the state as the largest independent news outlet. The other large newspaper in the state, the Deseret News, is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The majority of the state's lawmakers and about two-thirds of the state's residents are member of the faith. FILE - This April 20, 2016, file photo shows the Salt Lake Tribune in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Tribune has announced plans to become a nonprofit as it moves toward a nontraditional model that it hopes will ensure long term stability after years of financial struggles. Salt Lake Tribune editor Jennifer Napier-Pearce said Wednesday, May 8, 2019, the move is aimed at finding a better way to fund the newspaper's operations because declines in advertising and circulation revenues that have plagued the industry seem irreversible. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) The newspaper requested permission from the Internal Revenue Service to convert from a for-profit business to a nonprofit, Napier Pearce said. Additionally, the Tribune plans to create a separate journalism foundation to support independent journalism in the state, she said. Both are expected to be up and running early 2020. Napier-Pearce said the newspaper can't seek donations yet, but that early conversations over the last nine months reveal significant interest locally and nationally to support the model. Newspaper analyst Ken Doctor predicted the model's viability will depend on local support in Utah, and it would be greatly aided if the Huntsman family or another wealthy family or community foundation kicked it off with a sizable endowment. H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, the owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com, in 2016 turned the company over to a nonprofit institute called the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and gave a $20 million endowment to get it started. That helped the Inquirer, though the newspaper still isn't bathing in funding, Doctor said. "There's not national money for ongoing support of newspapers," Doctor said. "There's money for models and experimentation, but there's not money for ongoing support. That's got to come locally." The setup in Philadelphia has helped the Inquirer double the size of its investigative news team to 14 people, led to investments in new technology and funded a fellowship for digital journalists from diverse backgrounds, said Jim Friedlich, chief executive of the Lenfest Institute. The institute has doubled the initial $20 million thanks to support from the Knight Foundation, Facebook and Google, among others, he said. The institute supports journalism efforts in Philadelphia and nationally. Huntsman and his team came to visit the institute to learn about their experience, Friedlich said. "The business of local news has become extremely challenging at precisely the moment when our communities and our democracy need it most," Friedlich said in a texted statement. "Salt Lake is part of a larger trend. There's no question that more local news organization owners will seek to convert these important civic assets into community trusts, foundations or non-profits." Last year's layoffs at the Salt Lake Tribune were the fourth round of layoffs since 2011. Napier-Pearce hopes the new model signals a brighter future. "It means stability, we hope, sustainability for the future," Napier-Pearce said. "We've been around for 150 years. We want to be around for at least that long on the back end." WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is prone to upending tradition and shattering presidential norms. His refusal to follow other recent presidents in releasing his tax returns to the public - and his fight against a demand by House Democrats for six years' worth of his personal and business returns - is but one battle in a broader war against oversight demands by congressional Democrats. The fight over Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal's demand for the returns is about to head to federal court, but an incomplete picture of Trump's taxes and finances has emerged from media investigations. Trump's tax returns hold the promise of information about his business entanglements, relationships with foreign creditors and governments, whether he has been truthful in reporting the value of his assets, and whether he got a personal windfall from the 2017 tax bill. Here's where things stand: ___ WHAT DO WE KNOW? President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for a trip to Florida to tour areas impacted by Hurricane Michael, and to attend a political rally, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Thanks to reporting this week from The New York Times, which was given copies of summaries of Trump's tax returns from 1985 to 1994, we know that Trump, a developer and real estate investor in Manhattan, suffered enormous business losses over that period. Those losses exceeded $1.1 billion, according to the Times, from bad investments such as now-defunct Eastern Air Lines and the Trump Taj Mahal hotel and casino in Atlantic City. Taking to Twitter Wednesday, Trump seemed to confirm the gist of the Times investigation. "You always wanted to show losses for tax purposes....almost all real estate developers did - and often re-negotiate with banks, it was sport," Trump tweeted. "Additionally, the very old information put out is a highly inaccurate Fake News hit job!" Earlier reporting by the Times about the Trump family finances found that Trump "participated in dubious tax schemes during the 1990s, including instances of outright fraud" to reduce taxes paid as his father's holdings were transferred to him and his siblings. Trump has also been a party in numerous lawsuits over the years that have provided many glimpses into his business dealings. He has frequently skated close to and over ethical lines, critics charge. His tax lawyer testified that Trump's 1984 tax return was fraudulent. ___ WHAT DON'T WE KNOW? A lot. This week's Times report relies on summaries of Trump's returns but lacks details to answer basic, obvious questions. For starters, Trump's critics say he has long exaggerated his wealth, and the returns promise answers on that front. They would also reveal how much he has paid more recently and what techniques he uses to avoid taxes. Much of what is known about Trump's taxes dates to the 1980s and 1990s, when Trump was a casino magnate and a more active developer. His businesses have changed since then. Trump's Washington D.C. hotel on Pennsylvania Ave blocks from the White House hadn't been developed yet, for instance. He has also shifted toward licensing deals, where a developer essentially pays the Trump Organization to use his name. A key period for investigators could be recent years when Trump was running for president and whether that affected his businesses. Ways and Means Chairman Neal has requested Trump's returns from 2013 to 2018. ___ WHAT ARE DEMOCRATS LOOKING FOR? Plenty. Trump's former attorney and "fixer" Michael Cohen testified before Congress that Trump would falsify financial records when seeking loans or filing his taxes. Trump's returns would help lawmakers sort out if this is true. Then there's the question of how Trump financed his businesses. How much foreign money is involved? Who does he owe money to and what is their business before the U.S. government? "There are a lot of dots that are out there not yet connected," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. "The situation with Donald Trump and the myriad ways in which he could potentially be compromised - specifically with who is holding his enormous debt ... these are all absolutely major reasons why it is legitimate to see the tax returns," said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. The Democrats have asked the IRS to provide Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018. WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that the Trump administration intends to challenge the right of federal district courts to issue rulings blocking nationwide policies, arguing that such injunctions are obstructing President Donald Trump's agenda on immigration, health care and other issues. In a speech at the Federalist Society conference in Washington, Pence argued that nationwide injunctions issued by federal judges "prevent the executive branch from acting, compromising our national security by obstructing the lawful ability of the president to stop threats to the homeland where he sees them." 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." Top administration officials have often complained about the proliferation of nationwide injunctions since Trump became president, so the idea of pushing back is not new. Indeed, the administration has asked the Supreme Court to deal with nationwide injunctions in the past, including in the travel ban case. But the court never addressed the nationwide extent of the injunction against the ban issued by lower courts because the justices upheld the ban in its entirety. For the Supreme Court to issue a definitive ruling on nationwide injunctions, it would first have to rule against the administration on the underlying merits of the case before it. Only at that point could the court consider whether a lower court order should apply nationwide or only to the people who are challenging an administration policy. Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Federalist Society's annual Executive Branch Review Conference, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) A nationwide injunction has the effect of stopping "a federal policy everywhere," the administration told the Supreme Court in the travel ban case. The more common practice is for a judge to issue an order that gives only the people who sued what they want. A White House official said the administration would be looking for potential relevant cases to press the issue, and said Pence also discussed it at the end of the Cabinet meeting convened by the president on Wednesday. In his remarks, Pence quoted from an opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas, who joined the majority opinion upholding the Trump travel ban last June, but also wrote separately to say nationwide injunctions "are legally and historically dubious" and that the high court would have to step in "if federal courts continue to issue them." Trump has long railed against district courts, especially the 9th Circuit, for blocking his initiatives, including efforts to overhaul the nation's immigration system. At a re-election rally Wednesday night in Florida, Trump said, "Activist judges who issue nationwide injunctions based on their personal beliefs undermine democracy and threaten the rule of law." But Trump won a 2-1 ruling from the 9th Circuit on Tuesday that allows the administration to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico for immigration court hearings while a court challenge continues. __ Follow Colvin and Sherman on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj and https://twitter.com/shermancourt PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - President Donald Trump promised a swift infusion of federal aid to the Florida Panhandle seven months after devastating Hurricane Michael as he rallied supporters Wednesday for his re-election. Trump addressed a crowd of thousands at an outdoor amphitheater, looking to rally loyalists in the reliably Republican corner of the swing state as he kicks his 2020 efforts into high gear. Federal emergency funds to the area hit by the Category 5 hurricane and elsewhere have been caught up in a Washington standoff over Trump's opposition to more hurricane aid for Puerto Rico. "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, "And we're not going to let anybody hold it up." Trump took a victory lap after last week's jobs report showing the nation's unemployment at a generational low, crediting his cuts to taxes and regulations. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who accompanied the president to Florida on Air Force One, said the 2020 election was a referendum on whether to allow Democrats to undo Trump policies like tax reform. "This election is about reversing all of that," he said. "It's about going backward on all of that." President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Trump also told his supporters not to worry about this week's talks between U.S. and Chinese negotiators, including his threat to increase tariffs on nearly all Chinese imports at the end of the week. "They broke the deal" in talks meant to de-escalate a year-long trade war, he said. "We won't back down until China stops," Trump said. "The era of economic surrender is over." Trump earlier 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. "We've already given you billions and billions of dollars and there's a lot more coming," Trump said. Trump was greeted by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and local elected officials as he arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base, which was severely affected by the storm. Almost every building appeared damaged in some way, including a collapsed hangar. 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. After touring the base, Trump took credit for rebuffing some who wanted to close the base as a result of the damage, promising officials it will be rebuilt "better than ever." The area 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. Trump repeated his claim that $91 billion has been spent in Puerto Rico, and said falsely it was the largest-ever federal disaster program. According to the White House, Trump's $91 billion figure includes about $50 billion in expected future disaster disbursements that could span decades, along with $41 billion already approved. Actual aid to Puerto Rico has flowed more slowly from federal coffers - about $11 billion so far. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said House Democrats were once again taking up a $17.2 billion disaster relief package this week, with added money for Midwestern and Southern states hit by recent storms. But she said Senate Republicans have been more committed to "hurting our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico than healing communities everywhere." "Meanwhile, the president has doubled down on Republicans' callousness" by delaying assistance payments to the island, she said. The campaign rally comes as Trump and congressional Democrats are locked in a bitter fight over constitutional powers related to special counsel Robert Mueller's report and probes into the president's tax returns. Trump called on Democrats to stop the investigations and work with his administration to boost infrastructure spending, predicting their efforts would boost his re-election chances. "They want to do investigations instead of investments," said Trump. "I think it drives us right on to victory in 2020." Supporters of President Donald Trump cheer as he arrives to speak at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) NEW YORK (AP) - The executives at Uber are working hard to design a future where the company earns billions of dollars by allowing riders to summon fully automated robotaxis. Until then, they must rely on an army of human drivers - nearly 4 million across the globe - to keep the business humming. The challenge is to figure out how to make their drivers happy while also making money, and right now the company is losing on both fronts as it heads into its initial public offering on Friday - the largest technology IPO of the year. Drivers complain about low wages and being classified as contract workers instead of employees, which cuts them off from the benefits that go with it. Lyft, which beat Uber to the public market last month, is dealing with similar issues. On Wednesday, drivers for both companies participated in strikes across the country, pledging to turn off their apps for hours to call attention to their plight, although it's unclear how many actually took part and the impact on customers appeared minimal. "The drivers are the one who helped Uber to be $100 billion, nobody else, and the drivers are the ones who are suffering," said Inder Parmar, 54, an Uber driver who lives in a suburb of New York City. "Uber and Lyft, they figured out how to exploit the drivers, and that's what they're doing right now." Uber is being challenged around the globe to treat its drivers as employees instead of contractors. Fighting those battles is expensive. What's more, losing those battles and being forced to classify drivers as employees would exacerbate its financial difficulties. Annette Ribero, left, of San Jose, and Jeff Terry, of Sacramento, hold signs during a demonstration outside of Uber headquarters Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in San Francisco. As Uber executives lure investors to infuse the company with billions of dollars ahead of the largest technology IPO this year, the men and women behind the wheels of the largest ride-hailing companies are pushing for higher wages and recognition for their role in building the companies. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) "That would be the nightmare scenario," said Dan Ives, managing director of equity research at Wedbush Securities. "That continues to probably be the biggest threat to the business models." Although both Uber and Lyft have been growing at impressive rates, they have also been consistently losing money. Lyft, with its 1.1 million drivers and 18.6 million active riders in more than 300 markets in the U.S. and Canada, lost nearly $3 billion since its 2012 inception. Uber, which boasts 3.9 million drivers for its ride-hailing and food delivery services in more than 700 cities and 63 countries worldwide, lost nearly $8 billion over a decade. By continuing to treat drivers as independent contractors, Uber and Lyft avoid paying for health insurance, overtime or benefits such as workers compensation, said Shannon Liss-Riordan, partner at Lichten & Liss-Riordan, who has represented drivers in the employment classification cases. "This is basically a big giveaway to these massively successful companies, often off the backs of the workers who are fueling their success," Liss-Riordan said. Both Uber and Lyft say the development of autonomous vehicles will help reduce the expense the companies pay to drivers, but experts say that won't happen anytime soon. Uber states in its IPO filing that there will be a long period of "hybrid autonomy," where autonomous vehicles will be gradually introduced while drivers continue to serve most consumer demand. But it also acknowledges that this could lead to dissatisfaction as drivers watch themselves get replaced by robots. For now, the strategy is to preserve drivers' status as independent contractors, which Uber justifies by pointing to the fact that drivers get to choose whether, when and where to provide services, are free to work for competitors and provide their own vehicles. Daniel Danker, head of Uber driver products, said he could not comment on the driver classification cases, but said Uber is constantly looking for ways to address drivers needs and in some markets gives drivers vacation pay. Uber rolled out a suite of benefits for drivers last week, which includes discounts on gasoline and car repairs and tuition reimbursement for Arizona State University Online for qualified drivers who log a certain number of trips. "I'm not trying to diminish the importance of earnings, of course they're important," Danker said. "But they are by no means the only part of the story. And I think we have an opportunity here to make good on a far more complete picture of what motivates drivers and how they want to be recognized for what they do." Despite those new benefits, dozens of drivers picketed in Atlanta and Los Angeles Wednesday. "There are drivers I know of who would love to participate and fully support the strike but they can't even afford to take a couple of hours off work because of the amount of money they are making," said Austin Gates, a part-time Uber driver who helped organize the Atlanta protest. Drivers represent one of the largest expenses for ride-hailing companies. Customers have grown accustomed to the instant availability of rides and are only willing to wait a few minutes to get in a car. At the same time, drivers also pose their own problems. Uber has been grappling with accusations of drivers sexually assaulting passengers and has introduced a number of safety features to combat that issue. Lyft, meanwhile, has been trying to distinguish itself as more trustworthy ride-hailing option. There have been some success stories for drivers in their push for higher wages. 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. That made a difference to Donald Saunderson, a former social studies teacher who drives for both Uber and Lyft in New York City. Before the wage rule, Saunderson had to work 10 to 12 hours to make $300, but now he can make that money in seven or eight hours. "It's beautiful," Saunderson said. "I'm definitely making more money, there's no doubt about it." Other drivers complain that they don't think they're making the minimum wage despite the rule. Parmer said his wages have declined over the last four years. "My expenses have not been reduced by one penny, but my income has been reduced by more than 50%," he said. Lyft said drivers' hourly earnings have increased 7% over the last two years, and that over 75% drive less than 10 hours a week to supplement existing jobs. They make $20 per hour on average before deducting vehicle-related expenses, Lyft said. But drivers expect pay to get worse as Uber and Lyft face pressure from investors to cut costs. Nonetheless, the companies shouldn't forget the workers who helped built their empire, said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, which represents taxi and app-based drivers. "We don't want drivers to be drowned out by even more people that will have a stake in these companies' profits," Desai said. ___ AP Writer Sanya Mansoor in Atlanta and AP photographer Damian Dovarganes in Los Angeles contributed to this report. Uber and Lyft drivers carry signs during a demonstration outside of Uber headquarters Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in San Francisco. As Uber executives lure investors to infuse the company with billions of dollars ahead of the largest technology IPO this year, the men and women behind the wheels of the largest ride-hailing companies are pushing for higher wages and recognition for their role in building the companies. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) This Friday, May 3, 2019 photo shows Uber driver and NYTWA member Inder Parmar in his vehicle in New York. "The drivers are the one who helped Uber to be $100 billion, nobody else, and the drivers are the ones who are suffering," said Parmar, 54, who lives in a suburb of New York City. "Uber and Lyft, they figured out how to exploit the drivers, and that's what they're doing right now." (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) BILOXI, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on the killing of a Mississippi police officer (all times local): 3:30 p.m. A man accused of killing a Mississippi police officer walked up behind him in the police station parking lot and shot him several times in the back. That's according to a sworn statement filed by a sheriff's investigator. The Sun Herald reports the statement is included in court records in the case of Darian (DEHR-uhn) Atkinson. The 19-year-old from Biloxi is charged with capital murder in the death of 57-year-old Biloxi Police Patrolman Robert McKeithen (muh-KEETH-en) on Sunday. The newspaper reports that a video from outside the Biloxi police station showed Atkinson running through the parking lot after the shooting. Atkinson told a judge Wednesday that he doesn't know if he needs a public defender because he hasn't been able to call his family. The judge scheduled a Friday hearing. Pamela McKeithen, whose police officer husband was shot in the parking lot of the Biloxi Police Department on Sunday, listens to prayers during a memorial service for Patrolman Robert McKeithen in front of the department on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Biloxi, Miss. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey) ____ 10:19 a.m. The 19-year-old accused of killing a veteran Mississippi police officer smiled and hummed as he was led into court Wednesday but was wearing a knee-length vest the sheriff said is for inmates considered suicide risks. The Sun Herald reports Darian (DEHR-uhn) Atkinson told Justice Court Judge Brandon Ladner he doesn't know if he needs a public defender because he hasn't been able to call his family. The judge scheduled a hearing Friday. Atkinson was in a jail courtroom for his initial appearance on a charge of capital murder in the death of 57-year-old Biloxi Police Patrolman Robert McKeithen (muh-KEETH-en) on Sunday. Atkinson's 21-year-old brother told the judge he'll hire his own lawyer. The judge said Davian Atkinson is accused of driving his brother out of town and letting him make phone calls. A Biloxi police vehicle that was assigned to patrolman Robert McKeithen is covered in flowers as Biloxi Police Capt. Milton Houseman, rear, talks , with a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Biloxi, Moss. Houseman said he was one of the officers who brought Darian Tawan Atkinson, 19, to Biloxi after his arrest in Wiggins on May 6, in the death of Patrolman McKeithen. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on scandal surrounding Speaker Glen Casada's office (all times local): 3:30 p.m. Embattled House Speaker Glen Casada says he's asking for multiple probes of the scandals surrounding his office, saying he takes "complete ownership" of exchanging sexually explicit text messages with a former top aide about women. In a letter Wednesday, Casada said he wrote the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorneys General Conference asking them to investigate an email by his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren. He also apologized for his own conduct. The investigation, he says, would probe whether Cothren tampered with evidence by making it look like a student activist had emailed Casada in violation of bond conditions after his February arrest during protests at Casada's office. Casada says he's confident the email wasn't forged. FILE - In this May 2, 2019, file photo, House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, left, talks with Cade Cothren, right, his chief of staff, during a House session in Nashville, Tenn. Cothren has resigned amid allegations of racist and sexually explicit texts. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) Casada also wrote that he has asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate Cothren's employment termination and his work with legislative administration to review personnel policies and consider possible drug testing of new employees. Cothren acknowledged drug use in a legislative office several years ago. ___ 1:45 p.m. A handful of Republican lawmakers are joining calls for House Speaker Glen Casada to resign from his top legislative leadership position. Casada has faced increased scrutiny on Wednesday after his top aide, Cade Cothren, stepped down Monday amid allegations he sent racist and sexually explicit text messages. Cothren also acknowledged using cocaine in his legislative office several years ago. Republican Rep. Jeremy Faison told The Associated Press he saw no way for Casada to be an effective leader. Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Dunn is Casada's immediate successor and told The Tennessean he agreed Casada should step down. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has declined to say if Casada should resign, but has described the recent events as disturbing and shouldn't be tolerated. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate intelligence committee has subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr., calling him in to answer questions about his 2017 testimony to the panel as part of its probe into Russian election interference. That's according to two people familiar with the subpoena who discussed it on condition of anonymity. It's the first known subpoena of a member of President Donald Trump's immediate family, and a new sign that the Senate panel is continuing with its own Russia investigation even after the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the same subject. It's unclear if Trump Jr. will comply with the subpoena. A person close to the president's eldest son, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter, said Wednesday that he has continued to cooperate by producing documents and answering written questions. The person called the new request a public relations stunt and criticized the chairman of the panel, North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr, for calling Trump Jr. in. The 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 2017 he was only "peripherally aware" of the proposal. The panel has also investigated a meeting between Trump Jr., other campaign staff and a Russian lawyer. Emails leading up to the meeting promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump Jr. speaks ahead of his father President Donald Trump at a Make America Great Again rally Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) Mueller's report, released last month, says Cohen recalled being in Trump's office "when Trump Jr. told his father that a meeting to obtain adverse information about Clinton was going forward." The report notes that Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee, however, that he did not inform his father about the emails or the upcoming meeting. Cohen reported to federal prison this week to start a three-year sentence for crimes including tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to hush-money payments made to protect his former boss. A spokeswoman for the committee would not confirm the subpoena. But Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican member of the panel, hinted after Cohen spoke behind closed doors to the Senate intelligence panel that the committee would want to talk to Trump Jr. again. She said senators "clearly need to re-interview some witnesses whose accounts (Cohen) contradicts." The Senate intelligence committee has been investigating Russian election interference and Trump's ties to Russia for the last two years. The panel is expected to try to call in several witnesses as it winds up its investigation over the next several months. Burr told The Associated Press last week that he doesn't expect to have any more public hearings and that he hopes to be finished with the investigation by the end of the year. The subpoena puts Burr at odds with some of his Republican colleagues who want to move on after the release of Mueller's findings. The Mueller report said he could not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell gave a floor speech Tuesday in which he declared "case closed" on the probe. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul took a shot at Burr after the subpoena was reported, tweeting that "apparently the Republican chair of the Senate Intel Committee didn't get the memo from the Majority Leader that this case was closed." Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for Trump Jr., declined to comment on the subpoena. The subpoena was first reported by Axios. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - The rivalry between Robert Kraft's New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins appears tame compared to the heated contempt expressed between Florida prosecutors and Kraft's defense attorneys in his misdemeanor prostitution solicitation case. One day after prosecutors accused attorneys Alex Spiro and William Burck of lying in court, the duo fired back in court documents Wednesday, calling the accusation "scurrilous" and "baseless." Prosecutors Judith Arco, Greg Kridos and Craig Williams want Judge Leonard Hanser to find the pair in contempt of court; Burck and Spiro want the prosecutors sanctioned. "The prosecutors have now gone beyond trampling the rights of Mr. Kraft and into sullying the reputations of defense counsel," Spiro and Burck wrote. The only explanation for the allegations, they said, is the prosecution's "bad-faith efforts to distract from its own misconduct and from fatal defects in its case." The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office declined comment. TV cameras did catch Arco last week using an obscenity under her breath to describe Spiro. That happened during a hearing over a request from Kraft's attorneys to suppress video secretly recorded by Jupiter police. The video allegedly shows Kraft twice paying for sex at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in January. Kraft, 77 and worth $6 billion, is one of 25 men charged with paying between about $50 and $100 for sex at the spa. The owner and some employees have been charged with felonies. Kraft has pleaded not guilty but issued a public apology for his actions. Neither the attorneys for the prosecution nor those for the defense typically handle second-degree misdemeanors at this stage of their careers. Arco, Kridos and Williams usually handle major felony prosecutions. Burck represented former White House Counsel Don McGahn during special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Spiro represents Jay-Z, Mick Jagger and other celebrities in various matters. Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp is questioned by Alex Spiro, right, attorney for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, during a motion hearing in the Kraft prostitution solicitation case, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Kraft's attorneys argue that undercover surveillance videos allegedly showing their client paying for sex at a Jupiter day spa should be ruled inadmissible and the evidence thrown out. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool) The current fight is mostly over Spiro's questioning, during the suppression hearing, of Jupiter patrol officer Scott Kimbark, who pulled over Kraft's chauffer after one of the spa visits to uncover his passenger's identity. As part of their undercover operation, Jupiter detectives watched live video of customers inside the spa. If they saw a customer have sex with an employee, they would relay that information to officers in the parking lot and nearby. They would follow the customer until he allegedly committed a traffic violation and then stop him, getting his identification so he could be charged later with soliciting a prostitute. The customers were not told at the time that they had been seen inside the spa. Spiro asked Kimbark whether he had told other officers that to justify pulling over a customer who left shortly before Kraft he would "make some (expletive) up." Kimbark said he didn't remember saying that and didn't think he would. Spiro asked that question or a variation of it three more times. Prosecutors said Spiro knew Kimbark never used that language or said he would concoct a reason to stop the driver. They said the traffic stop was legitimate, but that in order to preserve the integrity of their undercover operation, Kimbark said he would disguise where the infraction happened if asked. They said Spiro and Burck sullied Kimbark's reputation by implying he would lie to justify a stop. Spiro and Burck wrote in Wednesday's rebuttal that Spiro's questions accurately reflected Kimbark's actions and were based on the recollections of the other customer's attorney, who had seen the officer's body camera video. Prosecutors also accused Spiro of trying to intimidate Kimbark during a lunch break, allegedly telling the officer he had video of Kimbark saying "stupid" things. Spiro and Burck wrote that Arco and other police officers witnessed Spiro's conversation with Kimbark, but no one raised any objections to Hanser that day. "Far from being threatening in tone, the atmosphere in the hallway was amiable and light hearted ... to the point that Officer Kimbark even joked he would like to have a job working for the defense," the pair wrote. Hanser has not yet decided whether he will suppress the video. No matter how he decides, his ruling will likely be appealed. Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp is cross-examined by Assistant State Attorney Judith Arco, during a motion hearing in the Robert Kraft case in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, April 30, 2019. The Florida health inspector testified Tuesday that she saw possible evidence of human trafficking at the massage parlor where police say New England Patriots owner Kraft later was accused of paying for sex, leading her to fear for her safety. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP) Alex Spiro, attorney for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, stands in front of a copy of a search warrant as he questions Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp during a motion hearing in the Kraft prostitution solicitation case, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Kraft's attorneys argue that undercover surveillance videos allegedly showing their client paying for sex at a Jupiter day spa should be ruled inadmissible and the evidence thrown out. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool) Jupiter police officer Scott Kimbark testifies during a motion hearing in New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft prostitution solicitation case, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Kimbark stopped the car containing Kraft. Kraft's attorneys argue that undercover surveillance videos allegedly showing their client paying for sex at a Jupiter day spa should be ruled inadmissible and the evidence thrown out. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool) LOS ANGELES (AP) - Attorneys general from 33 states on Wednesday urged Congress to approve a proposal intended to fully open the doors of the U.S. banking system to the legal marijuana industry. Most Americans live in states where marijuana is legally available in some form. But most banks don't want anything to do with money from the cannabis industry for fear it could expose them to legal trouble from the federal government, which still considers marijuana illegal. "This is simple: not incorporating an $8.3 billion industry into our banking system is hurting our public safety and economy," said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, whose state is the nation's largest legal pot shop. The bill "would reward taxpayers and small and local licensed businesses who play by the rules," he said in a statement. The conflict between state and federal law has left many growers and sellers in the burgeoning pot industry in a legal dilemma, shutting them out of everyday financial services like opening a bank account or obtaining a credit card. It also has forced many businesses to operate only in cash - sometimes vast amounts - making them ripe targets for crime. The pending bill would allow pot businesses to access loans, lines of credit and other banking services, while sheltering financial institutions from prosecution for handling pot-linked money. FILE - In this May 14, 2013, file photo, medical marijuana prescription vials are filled at a medical marijuana dispensary in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles. Attorneys general from 33 states are urging Congress to approve a bill intended to fully open the doors of the U.S. banking system to the legal marijuana industry. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) In a letter to congressional leaders, the attorneys general also argue that under existing law, authorities are less able to track potential financial crimes and it is more difficult for businesses to pay - and for states to collect - tax deposits. The number of banks and credit unions willing to handle pot money is growing, but they still represent only a tiny fraction of the industry. One of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Colorado Democrat, said the endorsement from the state officials "underscores the need to respect states' rights on this issue and make our communities safer by allowing the marijuana industry and related businesses access to the banking system." Along with California, states signing the letter included attorneys general from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It was also signed by attorneys general from the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A United Airlines flight from Billings to Denver safely returned to Billings less than an hour after takeoff because of a sensor malfunction. The Billings Gazette reports the flight took off from Billings Logan International Airport at 11:13 a.m. Wednesday and turned around seven minutes later. The plane circled the airport for more than 30 minutes before landing at 12:09 p.m., according to FlightAware tracking. Kevin Ploehn, the airport's aviation director, said it appeared the plane had a bad de-icing sensor, which would make it difficult to show ice buildup on the plane's wings. He says there were 48 people on the plane. Ploehn was not sure if United was planning to re-book passengers on different flights or try to repair the sensor and resume the trip with the same plane. ___ Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (AP) - Immigration officials will train dozens of U.S. border patrol agents to start screening immigrants arriving on the southwest border for asylum amid a surge in the number of families seeking the protection, a government official said Wednesday. L. Francis Cissna, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said his agency will train about 60 border agents over the next few months to join in conducting the screenings on the U.S.-Mexico border. The first group of 10 agents will start receiving training in Los Angeles next week. "These agents are going to be receiving weeks of training. They're going to be here at least a month," Cissna said in an interview with The Associated Press on a visit to immigration offices in Laguna Niguel, California. "And so too will all the subsequent cadres of border patrol agents." The move comes as the Trump administration is grappling with a surge in the number of families with children arriving on the border. Border arrests are down compared with decades ago, but the number of children and families seeking asylum, many of them from Central America, has risen in recent years. The number of immigrants apprehended on the border topped 100,000 for the second month in a row in April, the highest number recorded since 2007. L. Francis Cissna, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, sits for a photo in Laguna Niguel, Calif., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. In an interview, Cissna said immigration officials will train dozens of U.S. border patrol agents to start screening immigrants arriving on the southwest border for asylum amid a surge in the number of families seeking the protection, Cissna said his agency will train about 60 border agents over the next few months to join in conducting the screenings on the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/Amy Taxin) Asylum officers conduct initial interviews of immigrants arriving on the border to determine whether they have a credible fear of returning to their countries or should be sent back. Those who pass the interviews are allowed to seek asylum before an immigration judge, but their cases may take years to wind through the backlogged immigration courts. Immigrant advocates have voiced concerns about border patrol agents conducting the screenings, which are mean to be interviews, not interrogations. Clara Long, senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, said agents often intimidate immigrants when initially asking if they fear returning to their countries. "What we see over and over again is Border Patrol just has a culture of disbelieving asylum seekers," she said. "It's really hard to imagine these agents being able to create the openness and trust and listening that's really required for a credible fear interview." A message was sent to U.S. Customs and Border Protection seeking comment. Cissna said he was confident agents could conduct the interviews and would be fully trained. In addition to the border patrol agents, two dozen employees at the immigration services agency who have worked on asylum in the past are helping conduct the screenings, and a few dozen more have volunteered to do so, Cissna said. "We have more people in the pipeline, another few dozen, at least, across the agency who have volunteered," he said. The move should help speed up the screening of immigrants in detention facilities who are waiting to see if they are eligible to seek asylum, and free up more detention beds, Cissna said. In the months from October through January, officers completed credible-fear screenings in 10 days or less about half of the time, according to agency statistics. There are currently about 200 officers assigned to conduct the screenings, the agency said. The U.S. government also recently revised training documents for hundreds of asylum officers who carry out the screenings. Officers will now also need to explain why immigrants are found credible, while previously they only needed to spell out why immigrants were not, he said. Megan Brewer, an immigration attorney in Los Angeles, said when she used to work as an asylum officer she often saw changes in training documents or guidance. While the laws surrounding asylum didn't change, the revisions seemed intended to get officers to shift how they were handling cases, she said. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump spent his first campaign as an underdog, written off by the political establishment and down on his own chances on election night. But as he and his team gear up for reelection, they're claiming an unfamiliar position: front-runner. Trump and his allies are exuding optimism about his 2020 bid, touting a strengthening economy, their organizational and fundraising head-start and a crowded Democratic primary poised to turn ugly. With the Mueller report completed and no GOP primary challenger gaining traction against Trump, many Republicans believe - and have started to act like - the president is the odds-on favorite to win a second term. "We're confident, not cocky," said Sean Spicer, Trump's first press secretary, who now advises the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action. Trump will have a chance to showcase his growing assurance at a political rally in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday night. The sentiment is a far cry from the 2016 campaign and the early days of the administration when some Republicans fretted that the chaos surrounding Trump would doom the GOP's ability to hold onto the White House. And it's emboldening Trump to become even more aggressive in pursuing his agenda, whether it's slapping tariffs on China or stymieing the work of congressional investigators. The risk of overconfidence is clear. Trump's 2016 Electoral College landslide was won on a razor's edge - about 77,000 votes across the upper Midwest. His path back to the Oval Office is fraught with uncertainty: Will the economy remain on the upswing? Which Democrat ultimately emerges from the packed field of challengers? Can Trump hold onto the working-class voters who propelled him to the White House in the first place? President Donald Trump arrives at a rally at Resch Center Complex in Green Bay, Wis., Saturday, April 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) "It's a long race, and we're not taking anything for granted," said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh, "but we like the position that we're in." Trump's supporters believe history is on their side. When unencumbered by primary challengers, sitting presidents have never lost their reelection bids in the modern era, bringing to bear structural advantages, not the least of which is that they don't have to persuade voters to imagine them in that role. "The advantages of not having to fight for re-nomination are enormous," said Michael Nelson, a professor of political science at Rhodes College and the author of the book "Trump: The First Two Years." ''Every dollar you raise can be spent advancing your own cause and tearing down your opposition." That was the biggest X-factor in 2016, when it was an open question whether voters would take a chance on a controversy-prone reality television star who had never held public office. "That's the biggest change," said former White House spokesman Raj Shah. "The president winning reelection right now doesn't surprise anyone." The president's self-assured posture has been reflected in his campaign strategy, which has focused so far on rousing Trump's hardcore supporters, rather than projecting a persuasive message to more skeptical moderates. Enough of those voters will eventually come along, Trump's team believes, once the Democratic primary race concludes, as the GOP is set to brand the eventual rival as a "socialist" and outside the mainstream. Trump's team has taken to cheering every call to impeach the president, believing such talk only further motivates Trump's supporters and turns off moderates from the Democratic Party. The president himself still intends to run as the victim of perceived slights by the media and Democrats, in large part because he believes the aggrieved stance rallies supporters to his defense. Recent surveys have shown Trump's approval ratings improved from 2018 lows and near the historical threshold consistent with reelection. And though the midterm elections were tough on the GOP, Trump's team believes Republicans struggled because the president's name wasn't on the ballot. Some early head-to-head polling between Trump and his potential rivals places Democrats on top, but Trump's team believes that's because they haven't yet been able to define their eventual opponent. The confidence is not just confined to Trump's team. Republicans on Capitol Hill, who never fully embraced Trump but remain fearful of his ire, are digging in for the long haul. And many Washington lobbying shops, which previously viewed the Trump years as a four-year interlude from traditional politics, have come to believe Trump has more staying power. Even Democrats have taken to hyping the president's positioning as they race to cash in on fears of another Trump term. "He has been preparing his entire presidency for this election," warned a Tuesday fundraising email for Joe Biden's campaign. "He already has $40 million in the bank." "Two key strengths of Trump's last campaign were that no one believed he'd be as bad as people warned and no one believed he'd actually win," said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson. "This time, Americans know he can win and know he's turned out much worse than anyone could have imagined." Friday's jobs report, which showed unemployment at 3.6%, the lowest in 50 years, was the latest in a string of positive developments since the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, which didn't find evidence of conspiracy with Russia or make a recommendation of charges against the president. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump is confident that the American people believe he fulfilled his campaign promises. "You're more comfortable when you have a record of accomplishment to point to, and he does," she said. The confident talk is backed up by a massive political operation that integrates the campaign and the Republican National Committee - a partnership that was strained in 2016 by lingering resentments over Trump's insurgent takeover of the GOP. Now Trump's grasp on the party is total, and the recent spate of good news has snuffed out any talk of a serious challenge from within. Trump has raised more than $150 million for his reelection effort since taking office as Republican donors who were wary of backing Trump in 2016 rushed in to aid the 2020 effort. Now campaign manager Brad Parscale said he hopes to raise a record $1 billion by Election Day. "There are a lot of advantages where the Trump team is campaign-wise compared to four years ago," said Jason Miller, Trump's 2016 campaign's senior adviser for communications. "It's apples and oranges." ___ Follow Miller on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The man accused of breaking into the Louisiana Governor's Mansion has been released from jail on $32,000 bail. Reynard T. Green told The Associated Press on Wednesday he is seeking legal advice and declined to discuss his arrest. He said he has not yet spoken to an attorney about the counts of burglary, trespassing and criminal property damage he faces. Booking records show Green was released from jail May 2. He was taken into custody April 17 after authorities said he was found asleep on a couch in the Governor's Mansion. Green also is accused of breaking an antique table. State Police have not said how Green allegedly broke into the building. Gov. John Bel Edwards has declined to say whether he and his wife were home at the time. LAS VEGAS (AP) - Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie say a move by U.S. House Democrats to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt does not create a "constitutional crisis," as one key Democratic lawmaker said. Sessions and Christie spoke about special counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Barr's handling of the report at a conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Their comments came hours before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Barr in contempt for failing to release the full report and underlying evidence. The contempt resolution, which moves to the full House for consideration, followed comments from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York that the dispute over the report presents a "constitutional crisis." Sessions disagreed. "We're not even close to it," he said, and joked about it being "an exciting time." The former Alabama senator, sitting on stage with Christie at a conference organized by former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, said there have been "squabbles" for years between Congress and the Department of Justice and the current situation was another example of a "squabble." "Maybe it can be worked out. Usually those things are worked out. They're co-equal branches," Sessions said. Christie, a former federal prosecutor, noted there is precedent for a sitting attorney general to be held in contempt, pointing out that in 2012, the House held then-Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt over a bungled firearm-tracking operation called Fast and Furious. "So if that wasn't a constitutional crisis this certainly is not a constitutional crisis," Christie said. Sessions and Christie were among a cadre of people from Trump's world speaking at the conference. Wednesday night, Scaramucci appeared on stage with former White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, the man who fired Scaramucci from his White House job. Kelly dismissed any portrayals of him as someone who was brought in to control the president, saying his role as the chief of staff was to ensure the president was well-informed and well-staffed. Scaramucci asked Kelly whether he thought the president was a "stable genius," as Trump once claimed in a tweet about himself. "I wouldn't pass judgment on either one of those," Kelly said with a laugh. "He's a smart man. He's an accomplished man. He feels very, very strongly that he ran on an agenda and he's trying to follow through on the agenda, which is kind of unique for a politician." Kelly, who also served as Trump's Homeland Security secretary, spoke about the administration's separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border. Kelly said the president wanted to secure the border and the country "from all sorts of malign influences," and as the president "was pressuring the government to make decisions, some components of the government made decisions," including Sessions' decision to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for families crossing the border. He said the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services were unprepared for the decision and "it didn't go well." Kelly also said there's "a lot of misinformation" about facilities for migrant children who arrived in the U.S. without a parent or guardian accompanying them. Kelly, who recently joined the board of a conglomerate that operates the largest of those facilities in the country, said, "These kids are not in these detention facilities. It's purely for humanitarian purposes." Trump's Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and former campaign adviser David Bossie were scheduled to make appearances Thursday. ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Latest on charges against the head of an alternative school in suburban St. Louis (all times local): 4:45 p.m. The head of a suburban St. Louis child welfare agency and alternative school for children with severe behavioral problems has been indicted by a grand jury. The two-count indictment charges 58-year-old Vincent Damian Hillyer of Eureka with attempted endangering the welfare of a child, a felony, and misdemeanor assault. Online court records do not show an attorney for Hillyer. The charges in the indictment replace the original ones, which included six felony child endangerment counts. His bail was set at $205,000. Hillyer was arrested Tuesday after police executed a search warrant at Great Circle Academy, an alternative school that offers boarding in Webster Groves, Missouri. The organization has five other schools across Missouri and serves other children through its counseling centers. Communications director Bev Pfeifer-Harms said in a written statement that the investigation centered on "care provided in a small number of circumstances." Hillyer has been placed on administrative leave. ___ 9:50 a.m. The head of a suburban St. Louis child welfare agency and alternative school has been charged with child endangerment and assault. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Vincent Damian Hillyer, of Eureka, was arrested Tuesday after police executed a search warrant at Great Circle Academy, an alternative school that offers boarding in Webster Groves, Missouri. The organization has five other schools across Missouri and serves other children through its counseling centers. Hillyer is charged with six felony counts of first-degree child endangerment and misdemeanor counts of attempted child endangerment and fourth-degree assault. His bail is set at $205,000. No attorney is listed for him in online court records. Communications director Bev Pfeifer-Harms said in a written statement that the facility learned about the investigation Tuesday but declined to provide more details. BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The smoke hasn't cleared yet, but Beverly Hills is poised to become the first U.S. city to end most tobacco sales. The City Council in the world-renowned enclave of the rich and famous unanimously indicated Tuesday that it's ready to snuff out most sales when it meets again on May 21. The proposal currently contains a loophole allowing cigarette-loving tourists to obtain smokes at hotels. Three plush cigar lounges would also be exempt from the ordinance. The city "has always taken the lead when it's come to restricting smoking," Mayor John Mirisch said. "Let us try to be a light to the other cities if we can." Beverly Hills already restricts the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products and bans smoking in hotel rooms and restaurants. Under the proposed law, 24 tobacco-selling establishments - mainly gas stations, grocery stores and convenience markets - would have to clear their shelves of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products beginning in some cases as early as next year. Cigarettes are displayed on store shelves Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Beverly Hills is considering outlawing the sale of tobacco products, a move that would make the glamorous California city the first in the nation to enact such a ban. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Gas station owners denounced the measure at Tuesday's hearing, saying it unfairly targets their businesses and that lost revenue would likely force them to lay off employees. Some said they are considering legal action. "I've been doing this for 40 years, and I can tell you the main reason people pull into a gas station is for gas and cigarettes," said John Pouldar, whose family has owned a popular Union 76 for decades. If they can't get both, he added, they'll drive another mile into neighboring Los Angeles and get gas and cigarettes - and maybe a bottle of wine, soda and chips. He estimated the tobacco ban could eat away 30 percent of his business. Public health advocates say they sympathize but retailers must realize their industry is changing and it's now well-known that the tobacco products they sell harm and even kill people. "The costs are enormous to the smokers themselves," said William McCarthy, a University of California, Los Angeles, professor of health policy and management who has spent 30 years studying the effects of smoking and ways to curtail it. "Ninety-percent-plus of smokers try to quit sometime in their lifetime but millions fail to because of their addiction," he said. Research shows that convenient access to tobacco makes it easier for students to buy and develop a smoking habit, he told the City Council during a two-hour public comment period that featured dozens of speakers and showed the audience was evenly split on the issue. Some people accused the city of being hypocritical by allowing access to tobacco at cigar lounges and hotels. "It's obvious it's not an issue about saving people's lives like they've been saying but just self-serving personal interests wanting to look like in the public eye that they're doing something," said Jaime Rojas of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets. Gary Ross, chairman of the city's health and safety commission, defended the cigar clubs for at least keeping smokers off the streets in the city where people often complain they are inundated by clouds of blue smoke along Rodeo Drive and other glittery shopping streets lined with luxury stores such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Cartier. A lot of the smokers are tourists from Asia and Europe, where smoking is commonplace, said Cezar Diaz, who manages the upscale Sarah Pacini clothing store. The smoke from people lingering outside a restaurant next door sometimes gets so bad that he has to close the door to keep it away from the pricey clothes, he said. Accommodating tourists was the reason council recommended a concierge be allowed to deliver cigarettes to hotel guests, although they would still have to smoke them outside. "Our hotels are the lifeblood of our community," Vice Mayor Lester Friedman said. Visiting from France, Meyer Joseph, center, smokes a cigarette in front of luxury shops while talking with Lily Levy Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Beverly Hills is considering outlawing the sale of tobacco products, a move that would make the glamorous California city the first in the nation to enact such a ban. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) SAN DIEGO (AP) - The Marine Corps says it has relieved a commanding officer who oversaw a battalion based at Camp Pendleton, citing a 'loss of trust and confidence' in his ability to lead. Officials on Wednesday declined to give details as to what led to the removal of Lt. Col. Francisco Zavala as the commanding officer of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. Maj. Jeffrey Erb was named in his place. Zavala had served in the position since 2018. Zavala, a native of Helotes, Texas, joined the Marine Corps in 2000 and had been on multiple deployments, including to South Korea and Iraq. ST. LOUIS (AP) - The head of a suburban St. Louis child welfare agency and alternative school for children with severe behavioral problems has been indicted on assault and attempted child endangerment charges after a hotline call alleged that he choked a student. Vincent Damian Hillyer, 58, of Eureka, was arrested Tuesday after police executed a search warrant at Great Circle Academy, an alternative school that offers boarding in Webster Groves, Missouri. On Wednesday, prosecutors said a St. Louis County grand jury indicted Hillyer on one count each of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, a felony, and misdemeanor assault. The charges in the indictment replace the original ones, which included six felony child-endangerment counts. Hillyer's bond was set at $205,000. Online court records do not list an attorney for him. A police probable cause statement said a hotline call to the Missouri Department of Social Services indicated a child was choked at the academy. A video shows Hillyer restraining a child and choking the child on a couch, according to the statement. The indictment alleges that on April 17, Hillyer choked and used restraints on a child. Subordinate employees were then ordered to "falsify reports regarding the child," according to the indictment. Great Circle is an organization that provides behavioral health services to thousands of children in state custody and students with mental illness and learning disabilities. It operates six schools throughout the state as well as counseling centers, and provides home services. The Webster Groves school has about 250 students in kindergarten through high school. It was visited in September by U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and other federal health officials who were traveling the country learning about efforts to battle opioid addiction. "Working with young clients who have acute behavioral health needs can often be difficult," Great Circle spokeswoman Bev Pfeifer-Harms said in a statement, noting that the investigation by Webster Groves police centered on "care provided in a small number of circumstances." "While we remain confident in the therapeutic approach used in our facilities, as an organization, we will fully cooperate with all of those who are investigating this matter," Pfeifer-Harms said. Hillyer was placed on administrative leave at his own request, Pfeifer-Harms said. WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - An inmate being tried for the murder of a correctional officer during a riot at Delaware's maximum-security prison was the "puppet master" of the uprising, a convicted murderer who also participated in the riot told jurors Wednesday. Royal Downs, a former Baltimore gang member serving a life sentence, also testified about two prison letters that Roman Shankaras wrote to him after the February 2017 riot in which prison guard Steven Floyd was killed. Two other guards were released by inmates after being beaten and tormented. A female counselor was held hostage for nearly 20 hours before tactical teams burst in and rescued her. Sixteen of the inmates were charged with murder. In sometimes rambling, disjointed sentences, the letters from Shankaras describe details of the riot and of prior discussions among a small group of inmates, noting that "persistence procreated the resistance." "Some had to be convinced, some had to be tricked, and others had to be forced," Shankaras wrote. Downs testified, however, that he never saw Shankaras take part in any violence, and that Shankaras mostly stayed in his cell. "For lack of a better word, I guess I would say 'puppet master,'" Downs replied when asked by a prosecutor what role Shankaras played in the riot. "Everything, I believe, was ran through him," Downs said. Under cross-examination, however, Downs testified that he wondered why Shankaras would get involved in the uprising, given that he had only a short time left on his sentence. Downs indicated that he thought a protest of prison conditions should be handled by inmates serving life or other long sentences. "I didn't agree with him getting caught up in it," Downs said of Shankaras. Shankaras, 32,recently completed a 7-year sentence for unrelated riot and robbery charges. He is being detained on $2.8 million cash bail on the prison riot charges. He is charged with murder, assault, kidnapping, conspiracy and riot. Shankaras was one of 18 inmates indicted after the riot, 16 of whom were charged with Floyd's murder. The first two trials against seven inmates resulted in only one - who admitted planning the uprising - convicted of murder. Downs' cellmate, Kelly Gibbs, killed himself in November, just days after pleading guilty to rioting, kidnapping, and conspiracy. In March, prosecutors dismissed cases against six of the remaining inmates, opting to move forward only against Shankaras and two others. Downs, meanwhile, pleaded guilty to a single count of riot shortly after a grand jury issued an indictment in late 2017, agreeing to testify against other inmates. With little physical evidence, and no surveillance camera footage, prosecutors have relied heavily on testimony from Downs and other inmates, whose credibility has been successfully attacked by defense attorneys. Downs has claimed repeatedly that he advocated for a peaceful protest as a way inmates could air grievances about their treatment, perhaps by staying in their cells and refusing to come out. He claims he was overruled by other inmates who wanted to take over the building where they were being held. Once the riot broke out, however, Downs became a key player, taking a walkie-talkie from another inmate and participating "for a long period of time," he said, in hostage negotiations with law enforcement officials. Downs testified that he later told police that, in deciding to take a central role in the incident, he had to put on his "O.G.," or "original gangster" face. "I got involved for the most part to save lives," he said. As the siege ended, Downs began cooperating immediately with investigators, telling them that he knew what happened and wanted to talk to a prosecutor. Downs said that after receiving the letters from Shankaras two months after the riot, he hid them in his cell and later smuggled them out to a family member, knowing they could prove useful to him. "I held on to them because I knew I was going to be charged. ... It was clear my involvement in this," he said. Downs later pleaded guilty to a single count of riot and agreed to testify against other inmates. WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Duncan Hunter says he will ask President Donald Trump to pardon a Navy SEAL if he is found guilty of murder in the stabbing of an Iraqi war prisoner. Hunter, R-Calif., screened combat footage collected from a helmet camera to a group of lawmakers Wednesday, saying the footage exonerates Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of one of the charges against him. "I wanted to give them an opportunity firsthand to see there is no case," Hunter told a small group of reporters after the screening. He said he believes Gallagher is innocent and a war hero and admonished the military justice system, calling it "absolutely broken" and "rigged." "I don't trust the Navy to give him a fair trial, but I think with all of the focus on this case that he stands more of a chance of getting a fair trial now," Hunter said. Gallagher is accused of killing a teenage Islamic State fighter under his care and then holding his reenlistment ceremony with the corpse. Navy prosecutors also accuse Gallagher of shooting two civilians in Iraq and opening fire on crowds. Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His lawyers have said he did not murder anyone and that disgruntled SEALs made the accusations because they wanted to get rid of a demanding platoon leader. His trial is set for May 28 at Naval Base San Diego. Members of Congress have previously issued statements on Gallagher's behalf. In March, 40 lawmakers signed a letter urging the Navy to free Gallagher pending trial. Soon after, Trump announced on Twitter that Gallagher would be moved to "less restrictive confinement." Trump has already used his pardon power in a military case, pardoning on Monday a former U.S. soldier convicted in 2009 of killing an Iraqi prisoner. Former Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna was convicted of unpremeditated murder in a combat zone after killing a suspected al-Qaida terrorist in Iraq. A military court had sentenced Behenna to 25 years in prison. He was paroled in 2014 and had been scheduled to remain on parole until 2024. Hunter, who represents a district in San Diego County and was an early Trump supporter in the 2016 presidential campaign, is himself facing federal corruption charges involving the personal use of campaign money. The congressman and his wife pleaded not guilty last year to a 60-count indictment alleging they spent more than $250,000 in campaign finance funds on family trips, tequila shots, Costco shopping sprees and other items. He won re-election despite the charges. Hunter's trial is scheduled for September. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A former U.S. soldier from Oklahoma who was pardoned this week for his 2009 conviction for killing an Iraqi prisoner said Wednesday that he initially didn't answer the White House's phone call to tell him of the pardon. Former Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna said he was on the phone with his father, retired FBI agent Scott Behenna, when the call came about 2:30 p.m. Monday as he was driving. He didn't recognize the number and thought it might be a telemarketer, so he let it go to voicemail. After checking his messages, he returned the call and was told President Donald Trump was granting him a pardon and would call him back. When Behenna's phone rang again, it was Trump's office putting the president on the line so he could tell Behenna personally. "I had tears in my eyes, my heart's beating fast and I'm smiling from ear to ear. I had a feeling I knew what it was for," the 35-year-old Behenna said, adding that the call was a surprise because he expected his attorneys to inform him of the decision instead. Behenna was convicted in 2009 of unpremeditated murder in a combat zone in the 2008 killing of Ali Mansur Mohamed, an unarmed Iraqi prisoner. Behenna said he acted in self-defense when the man reached for Behenna's handgun, but the Army said the argument didn't hold up because Behenna was pointing his weapon at the prisoner. Michael Behenna, right, answers a question during a news conference Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Oklahoma City. At left is his mother, Vicki Behenna. Behenna has been pardoned from his 2009 conviction for killing an Iraqi prisoner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Behenna admitted during his trial that instead of taking the prisoner home as he was ordered, he took the man to a railroad culvert, stripped him, then questioned him at gunpoint about a roadside bombing that had killed two members of Behenna's platoon. A military appeals court in 2012 found that jury instructions on self-defense were incorrect and that prosecutors failed to tell the defense of a crime scene expert who supported the claim of self-defense, but the court said the errors were harmless and did not affect the outcome of the trial. "What I was told by President Trump ... was that I received a pardon because of the prosecutorial misconduct that happened during the trial," Behenna said Wednesday. The first person he told about the pardon was his father, who didn't believe him. Scott Behenna recalled later that after talking to his son, he called the same number and was put in touch with a White House attorney who assured him the pardon was real. Behenna's mother, former federal prosecutor Vicki Behenna, stood waiting outside her son's vehicle after he had parked, unaware of the topic of his phone conversations. Once he told her, she also didn't believe him. Behenna, a native of the Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond, said he initially planned on a career in the military, but is now focused on a 20-acre (8-hectare) cattle ranch he owns in Guthrie, where he lives about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Oklahoma City. Supporters of Behenna's pardon request include Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford, both Republicans, and Republican state Attorney General Mike Hunter, who twice sent a letter to Trump, urging that a pardon be granted. Michael Breen, president and CEO of Human Rights First, which describes itself as an organization that urges "the U.S. government and private companies to respect human rights and the rule of law," criticized the decision. "President Trump's pardon of a servicemember convicted of murder by the U.S. military undermines the morale of our armed forces, erodes our allies' trust of the armed services overseas and - by showing that we won't hold our forces to the same standards we demand of others - places our servicemembers in greater danger in combat zones and beyond," Breen said in a statement. Behenna said he has maintained contact with several soldiers he served with in Iraq and that many have called him since Monday to say his pardon was overdue. Michael Behenna, center, stands with his brother Brett Behenna, right, and his mother Vicki Behenna, left, during a news conference Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Oklahoma City. Behenna has been pardoned from his 2009 conviction for killing an Iraqi prisoner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Michael Behenna answers a question during a news conference Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Oklahoma City. Behenna has been pardoned from his 2009 conviction for killing an Iraqi prisoner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Michael Behenna, right, looks on as his mother Vicki Behenna, left, speaks during a news conference Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Oklahoma City. Behenna has been pardoned from his 2009 conviction for killing an Iraqi prisoner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Michael Behenna, right, stands with his mother Vicki Behenna, left, during a news conference Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Oklahoma City. Behenna has been pardoned from his 2009 conviction for killing an Iraqi prisoner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Dancer's Image crossed the finish line first in the 1968 Kentucky Derby, only to become the first horse ever disqualified days later as the result of a positive drug test. It was the start of a four-year legal odyssey by owner Peter Fuller, who spent $250,000 - the equivalent of $1.52 million in today's dollars - unsuccessfully fighting the disqualification. Now, the owners of Maximum Security are dealing with a DQ of their own. Their horse led throughout the 145th Derby and crossed the wire first on Saturday, only to get disqualified for interference 22 minutes later after a video review by the stewards. "Initially, I was flabbergasted," said Abby Fuller, who watched in Florida. "I said there's no way they're taking this horse down because it was the Derby." She was a 9-year-old in the winner's circle with her father, Peter, in 1968. Dancer's Image rallied from last to win by 1 lengths over Forward Pass even though jockey Bobby Ussery lost his whip. FILE - In this May 4, 1968, file photo, Dancer's Image, right, jockey Bob Ussery up, crosses the finish line to win the 94th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Forward pass, center, was second, and Francie's Hat, left, was third. Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, Dancer's Image rallied from last to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Forward Pass. The result was declared official, but Dancer's Image was later disqualified after traces of phenylbutazone, known as bute, were found in Dancer's Image's post-race urinalysis. Dancer's Image was placed 14th and last; Forward Pass was declared the winner. (AP Photo/File) Traces of the anti-inflammatory phenylbutazone, known as bute, were found in Dancer's Image's post-race urinalysis. Then it was legal at some tracks, but Churchill Downs wasn't yet one of them. Veterinarian Alex Harthill had given the colt a dose of bute six days before the race, seemingly enough time for it to clear his system. Dancer's Image was disqualified by the stewards and placed 14th and last; Forward Pass was declared the winner. The trainer of Dancer's Image and his assistant each received 30-day suspensions. "There's still some mystery to it, but it brought about some changes that were good for racing," said Abby Fuller, citing the advent of split samples in drug testing. The positive drug test was reported to Churchill Downs stewards two days after the Derby. After hearings, the stewards ordered the purse money to be distributed to the four horses finishing directly behind Dancer's Image. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission upheld that order eight months later. But a circuit court in Kentucky overturned it in December 1970 on the grounds that tests conducted by the commission's chemist were inadequate and contradictory. In April 1972, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled that Dancer's Image wouldn't get the winner's share of the purse; instead that money was awarded to Forward Pass, who finished second. The appellate court unanimously reversed the circuit court ruling and upheld the state racing commission's ruling that said Dancer's Image won the Derby but denied him the purse of $122,600. Today, the winning owner receives $1.8 million. The legal fight also cost Dancer's Image untold money in stud fees because Peter Fuller said breeders were reluctant to pay for the colt's services while the issue played out. Fuller never fully accepted the legal defeat. "For him, I know that it was probably like a deep injustice. He didn't run horses in Kentucky again," Abby Fuller said of her father, who died at age 89 two weeks after the 2012 Derby. Peter Fuller sent the winner's gold trophy back to Churchill Downs to be engraved, but the track never returned it. "He always wished he had it still," his daughter said. Ussery kept his gold trophy. "As far as I'm concerned, I won the Derby in 1968 because they made the race official," he said. "What they did with Dancer's Image was another thing. It had no reflection on me." The Derby media guide includes the official chart showing Dancer's Image as the winner, with a two-sentence explanation about the DQ, but in other sections Forward Pass gets the credit. Ussery, now 83 and still attending the races at Florida's Gulfstream Park, watched the Derby and noticed Maximum Security veer out from his path along the rail. He didn't initially realize the impact the colt's move had on other horses, including War of Will. "The rules in racing are you got to keep a straight course and not interfere with another horse," he said. "He did come out in front of that horse." The 1968 Derby inspired Abby Fuller to become a jockey and she's now a racing ambassador at Gulfstream. She disagreed with the most recent DQ. "I feel like it was political correctness," she said, citing the impact that the deaths of 23 horses at Santa Anita this winter has had on the industry. "Anyone who has watched races has seen worse. Maybe that's not a good argument anymore. If that's going to be the new way, then so be it." Still, Fuller noted the "hard road" facing Maximum Security's owners, Gary and Mary West, if they choose to challenge their horse's DQ. The couple already has lost the first round. The Wests filed a protest and appeal of the DQ, which the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission denied Monday. The decision was hardly surprising because Kentucky regulations state that stewards "shall make all findings of fact as to all matters occurring . during the running of a race" and "shall not be subject to appeal." The Wests' next move would be to go to court. Gary West said by phone Wednesday that he expects to comment further on the matter in the next couple of days. "We're making our decisions on one thing and that's what happened in the race," he told The Associated Press. "We don't care about anything that happened before that." Once this year's Derby was declared official and the Country House backers were paid, there's no way for Maximum Security bettors to collect even if the courts were to reverse the outcome. In 1968, the backers of Dancer's Image got their winning pari-mutuel payoffs; this year, bettors on Maximum Security lost $9 million in win, place and show wagers because the horse was disqualified before the race was declared official. West has said Maximum Security won't run in the Preakness on May 18; Country House won't either. Much like 51 years ago, Fuller is amazed people are still buzzing about the Derby result. "I'm laughing because we're relevant," she said. "I bet a lot of them will be watching the Preakness to see what's going on." ___ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports FILE - In this May 4, 1968 file photo, jockey Bob Ussery celebrates aboard Kentucky Derby winner Dancer's Image on his way to the winner's circle flanked by owner Peter Fuller, left, and trainer Louis C. Cavalaris Jr., right, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, Dancer's Image rallied from last to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Forward Pass. The result was declared official, but Dancer's Image was later disqualified after traces of phenylbutazone, known as bute, were found in Dancer's Image's post-race urinalysis. Dancer's Image was placed 14th and last; Forward Pass was declared the winner. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this May 4, 1968, file photo, jockey Bob Ussery sits atop Dancer's Image in the winners circle at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., after winning 94th Kentucky Derby. Holding the bridle is trainer Louis C. Cavalaris, Jr., center right, and owner Peter Fuller. At left is Fuller's wife and children. Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, Dancer's Image rallied from last to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Forward Pass. The result was declared official, but Dancer's Image was later disqualified after traces of phenylbutazone, known as bute, were found in Dancer's Image's post-race urinalysis. Dancer's Image was placed 14th and last; Forward Pass was declared the winner.(AP Photo/File) WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) - Crews have recovered the body of another victim of an explosion at a northern Illinois silicone plant that left four workers dead. Waukegan Fire Marshal Steve Lenzi says the body was recovered late Tuesday from the rubble of the AB Specialty Silicones factory in Waukegan, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Chicago. The identity of the victim hasn't been released. The Lake County Coroner's Office on Tuesday identified two of the victims of Friday's blast as 57-year-old Jeff Cummings of Kenosha, Wisconsin and 53-year-old Byron H. Biehn of Brighton Township, Wisconsin. Officials previously identified a third victim as 29-year-old Allen Stevens of Salem, Wisconsin. Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper says an autopsy of the fourth victim is set for Thursday. Lenzi has said there is no evidence of foul play and the explosion appears to be the result of an accident within the processes at the factory. NEW YORK (AP) - New York City lawmakers voted Wednesday to close the "Kushner loophole" that critics say encourages landlords to file false paperwork with the city. The rule approved by the City Council will require regulators to double-check that landlords are telling the truth in construction permits when they claim to have no specially protected tenants who pay low rates. Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign the new rule into law. It follows an Associated Press report last year that found Jared Kushner's family real estate company had falsely claimed it had no rent-regulated tenants in dozens of buildings when, in fact, it had hundreds. Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser. Critics say many landlords file false paperwork to avoid extra scrutiny that could stop them from using repairs and construction to drive out such tenants and replace them with ones who pay more. The AP cited a study by the watchdog group Housing Rights Initiative that found New York City landlords filed paperwork falsely claiming they had no rent-regulated tenants more than 10,000 times in the 2 years through June last year. It also found that the Kushner Cos. filed false paperwork at least 80 times for 34 buildings over a three-year span when the company was run by Jared Kushner. The city fined Kushner Cos. $210,000 for false filings last year after the AP report. FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2018, file photo, White House Adviser Jared Kushner waves as he arrives at the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington. New York City lawmakers voted Wednesday, May 8, 2019 to close the "Kushner loophole" that critics say encourages landlords to file false paperwork with the city. The rule approved by the City Council will require regulators to double-check that landlords are telling the truth in construction permits when they claim to have no specially protected tenants who pay low rates. Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign the new rule into law. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) The Kushner Cos. has said that the paperwork was filled out by third parties and mistakes were corrected soon after they were discovered. It has said it does not use construction to push out tenants who pay low rates. The rule approved Wednesday will require regulators to check with tax records to make sure landlords are telling the truth. If the paperwork is false, the city's investigations unit and the state attorney general's office, among other authorities, must be alerted and all the landlord's buildings audited. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A possible hazardous material that prompted the evacuation of a Minneapolis apartment complex and injured a University of Minnesota student could be ricin, the FBI said Wednesday. The bureau said that a preliminary test by the Minnesota Department of Health lab of the material found in an apartment "indicated the presumptive potential presence of ricin." The FBI also said the female student "may have been intentionally handling the material." Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans. The FBI said evidence will be sent to the bureau's lab in Virginia for positive identification. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it would take a deliberate act to make ricin to poison people and unintentional exposure to the poison is highly unlikely, except through the ingestion of castor beans. The toxin is relatively easy to make. When ricin is extracted and purified, it can be used as a weapon capable of causing death. A few milligrams are enough to kill an adult if it's eaten, injected or inhaled. Early symptoms include chest pain, breathing difficulties and coughing. Ricin kills the body's cells by preventing them from creating protein. Members of an EMT team stand by as a Dinkytown apartment building was being evacuated after a report of a hazardous materials incident in Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Fire crews are evacuating the residential building near the University of Minnesota because of a suspected hazardous materials incident. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP) Emergency crews were called Tuesday to The Marshall, a 316-unit complex that caters to students at the nearby university. The complex was evacuated but residents were allowed to return after authorities determined there was no danger to the public. The student remains hospitalized. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Former President Michel Temer was ordered to return to jail by a federal judge Wednesday while he is investigated in several cases of alleged corruption. Temer's lawyer, Eduardo Carnelos, told Globo Television that he could only "lament" the court's decision. He said Temer would have to present himself to authorities Thursday. "I consider this to be an injustice. My understanding is that there are no foundations for this detention," Carnelos said. Temer, 78, was jailed for a few days in March but then freed. He is being investigated as part of the sprawling "Car Wash" corruption probe that has ensnared many of Brazil's top politicians and business leaders. He denies any wrongdoing. Temer became president in 2016 after President Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from office for allegedly violating rules on handling federal finances. His administration was clouded by corruption allegations and prosecutors charged him with corruption on three occasions. But Congress' lower house never gave its consent to lifting Temer's immunity from prosecution, which Brazil's sitting presidents have. His immunity ended when he left office Jan. 1. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - World-premiere operas derived from the gender-bending Broadway hit "M. Butterfly" and from meditations on Victorian-era repression in Bram Stroker's "Dracula" are coming to the Santa Fe Opera and its open-air stage in the high desert. Opera General Director Robert Meya on Wednesday announced upcoming productions for 2020 that include retooled staples such as "Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)" and the revival of Tim Albery's version of Mozart's "Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute)." In recent years, Santa Fe has been the backdrop for productions about the dawn of the nuclear age in 1940s New Mexico and a world premiere of a techno-infused opera about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been a regular visitor to performances in Santa Fe. The upcoming operatic version of "M. Butterfly" comes from playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang - author of the Broadway play about a French diplomat's romantic affair with enigmatic opera star in China. That play has parallels with "Madama Butterfly," the 1904 staple of operatic repertoire from Giacomo Puccini. The new "M. Butterfly" opera is scored by Chinese-born Huang Ruo, whose prior work "Dr. Sun Yat-Sen" ran in Santa Fe and was banned in mainland China. In a pre-recorded interview played at a press conference announcing the performances, Huang says he adapted elements of an overture in Puccini's Butterfly. The Santa Fe Opera awaits its summer season on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Santa Fe, N.M. Opera General Director Robert Meya announced they will stage the world premiere in 2020 of the gender-bending story "M. Butterfly" from playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee) "I invert it into a Chinese operatic style," he said. "It sounds quite Pekingese opera-ish." The Santa Fe Opera also is preparing for the premiere in 2021 of an opera set in Victorian England based in part on "Dracula." Meya says "Lord of the Cries" addressed issues of repression and human nature with contemporary touches that can appeal to younger audiences - something opera companies across the country are striving to achieve. "New audiences are much more apt, as we've seen with Steve Jobs and 'Cold Mountain,' to buy a ticket and come to the theater and experience opera on our stage if the subject matter is topical and relatable," said Meya, referencing the prior adaptation of Charles Frazier's novel set in Civil War-era North Carolina. Opera offerings this summer include a new fairy-tale thriller from a Danish composer who created an operatic version of "The Handmaid's Tale." Poul Ruders' composition titled "the Thirteenth Child" is inspired by a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. As a marketing emblem for its 2020 season, the opera is using a minimalist painting from the collection of the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum - a 1972 work from the reclusive artist titled "The Beyond." Since last summer, a casino operated by Tesuque Pueblo has taken its place adjacent to the opera - though out of view from the theater. The opera has installed new seatback translation devices that provide text in English and Spanish of what's being sung on stage. Santa Fe Opera General Director Robert Meya announces, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Santa Fe, N.M, the company will stage the world premiere in 2020 of the gender-bending story "M. Butterfly" from playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang. A minimalist painting from the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, right, will serve as an emblem for the 2020 season. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee) SAO PAULO (AP) - Eight former Brazilian environment ministers lashed out at far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday, saying his administration is "wrecking" environmental protections. Gathered at the University of Sao Paulo, the former officials issued a blistering statement on what they called the government's attacks on public policies that protect the ecosystem. "We are witnessing a series of unprecedented actions that are draining the Ministry of the Environment's capacity to formulate and implement public policies. Key government figures deny climate change and signal setbacks in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said the statement signed by the eight former officials, who served in different administrations over the past quarter century and hold differing political views. They said the Bolsonaro government, which took office Jan. 1, has installed a sense of "impunity" that may favor deforestation in the Amazon, the vast expanse of rain forest whose existence many scientists consider vital to curbing climate change. "We risk an out-of-control increase in deforestation," the statement said. Marina Silva, who was environment minister in 2003-2008, said it was the first time that "a government had as policy to destroy everything done before." Former Environment Minister Marina Silva speaks to reporters in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Eight former environmental ministers presented a joint letter denouncing the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) As a congressman and presidential candidate, Bolsonaro repeatedly questioned the reality of climate change and claimed that environmental groups operate under foreign influence, hampering Brazil's economic growth. His foreign minister, Ernesto Araujo, has called the campaign to curb climate change a "Marxist" plan designed to benefit China. Bolsonaro's administration has transferred the Brazilian Forest Service, responsible for forest conservation, to the Agriculture Ministry. In addition, the ministry was empowered to determine the demarcation of indigenous lands, also seen by critics as a major win for Brazil's agribusiness. "The president is showing that the environment ministry is an extension of agriculture. Everything the agribusiness wants, the government does. That is the current policy," said one of the signers, Jose Sarney Filho, who was environment minister in 2016-2018. HOUSTON (AP) - The Latest on heavy rain reported across much of Texas (all times local): 7:30 p.m. The body of a man has been recovered from Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin about a half-hour after a man was reported to have been swept away from a flooded street. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services reported it was called shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday on a water rescue on flood-swollen Shoal Creek on the western edge of downtown Austin. A rescue helicopter was summoned to aid in the search for the missing person. Austin police reported they may have spotted the victim floating eight blocks downstream. A short time later, about 1:30 p.m., the rescue helicopter crew reported spotting a motionless body in the lake about a mile downstream from the creek outlet. About 1 inches of rain was reported to have fallen on the lake within two hours around midday Wednesday. Children play in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) ___ 6 p.m. Heavy rain reported across much of northern, western and central Texas caused widespread road closings and scattered reports of high-water rescues. In the West Texas town of Merkel, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Abilene, Police Chief Phillip Conklin told KTXS-TV of Abilene that seven people were rescued Wednesday from floodwaters. Three were rescued from an apartment complex, two from flood-stranded vehicles and a couple from their home. Flash floodwaters washed out a Texas Pacifico Transportation railroad track near Mertzon, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of San Angelo in West Texas. Thunderstorms in the Panhandle prompted scattered reports to the National Weather Services of funnel clouds, but no tornadoes were reported. ___ 10:01 a.m. Dozens of students in the Houston area had to spend the night at school after flooded roads prevented buses from leaving and parents from reaching their children. Most of the approximately 1,500 students at an elementary school in Cleveland, northeast of Houston, were able to leave by the end of the day after being stranded for a time Tuesday as up to 10 inches (254 millimeters) of rain swamped the region. However, the school district says about 60 students stayed overnight. The downpour brought flooding to schools and homes as emergency personnel worked into the night to evacuate people. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings. It warned that storms could continue to batter the state's Gulf Coast with rain later into the week. Kurt Rowland surveys the scene at the intersection of Austin Parkway and Sweetwater Blvd. in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rowland bought the kayak shortly before Hurricane Harvey and was glad to have it, he said. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Siblings Katie and Lander Meinen survey their street by kayak with their dog, Bailey, in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Hsien-Min Yeh, his wife, Julie, and their 20-month-old baby Winston, walk down Austin Parkway at Sweetwater Boulevard back to their home after spending the night in their car in a church parking lot in the Colony Bend area of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The family could not get through to their home during the heavy rain of Tuesday night and pulled into the parking lot of St. Laurence Catholic Church. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) A Stafford high water vehicle evacuates people out of the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land to First Colony Mall, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Residents drive down Austin Parkway across Sweetwater Boulevard in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. In a video released Wednesday morning, the mayor of Sugar Land told residents that levees to the Brazos River had been closed, and that water was now being pumped over the levees into the Brazos, making the water recede much more slowly. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) A truck drives down a flooded William Grant street in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. In a video released Wednesday morning, the mayor of Sugar Land told residents that levees to the Brazos River had been closed, and that water was now being pumped over the levees into the Brazos, making the water recede much more slowly. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) People cross Sweetwater Boulevard at Austin Parkway in the Colony Bend neighborhood of Sugar Land, Texas, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Residents have been surprised that the water has not receded more quickly as it has in the past when the rain has stopped. In a video released Wednesday morning, the mayor of Sugar Land told residents that levees to the Brazos River had been closed, and that water was now being pumped over the levees into the Brazos, making the water recede much more slowly. More rain is forecast for the coming days. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) Ramond Giles walks past drying clothes, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Kingwood, Texas. Heavy rain battered parts of southeast Texas prompting flash flood warnings, power outages and calls for water rescues. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP) Jay Dabravio removes drywall from his flooded house in the Sherwood Trail subdivision, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Kingwood, Texas. Heavy rain battered parts of southeast Texas prompting flash flood warnings, power outages and calls for water rescues. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP) DENVER (AP) - Voters narrowly made Denver the first U.S. city to decriminalize psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in "magic mushrooms." Decriminalization led by a slim 51%, according to preliminary figures on Tuesday's election released by Denver's Election Division. As many as 1,300 votes still remain to be counted, but that figure was not enough to swing the vote the other way, division spokesman Alton Dillard said. Final election results will be released on May 16, he said. "I think today's outcome really demonstrates that the conversation is going to continue, and the world is ready for it," said Cindy Sovine, chief political strategist for the campaign to decriminalize the drug. "Psychedelics are already here. Now we can start to have the conversation about using them mindfully," she added. Organizers turned to the same strategy that marijuana activists used to decriminalize pot possession in the city in 2005. That move was followed by statewide legalization in 2012. A number of other states have since broadly allowed marijuana sales and use by adults. A vendor bags psilocybin mushrooms at a pop-up cannabis market in Los Angeles on Monday, May 6, 2019. Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Organizers say their only goal in the mushroom measure is to keep people out of jail in Denver for using or possessing the drug to cope with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and other conditions. "We're not talking about legalization, we're talking about not putting people in jail," Sovine said. The initiative effectively decriminalizes use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older, making it the lowest enforcement priority for police and prosecutors. It does not legalize psilocybin or permit its sale by cannabis businesses. Kevin Matthews, director of the Decriminalize Denver campaign, said psilocybin has helped him deal with depression for years. "This is not something you have to take every day," the 33-year-old Denver native said. "It provides a lot of lasting benefits, weeks and months after one experience." Psilocybin has been federally outlawed since the 1960s, when it was widely known as a recreational drug. The ban stymied medical research, but small studies in recent years have found the substance had positive effects on anxiety and depression for cancer patients. Users have described seeing vivid colors and geometric patterns and experiencing powerful spiritual connections and emotions. Magic mushrooms have been used in religious practices for decades because of their powerful effect on perceptions and spiritual experiences. Those same effects have appealed to recreational users dating to the 1960s counterculture movement. A California effort to decriminalize psilocybin failed to qualify for the statewide ballot in 2018. Organizers in Oregon are trying to gather enough support to put an initiative to a statewide vote next year. It took the pro-psilocybin organizers in Denver three tries to develop language approved by city officials for the ballot. They collected more than 8,000 signatures to qualify for Tuesday's election. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and District Attorney Beth McCann opposed the initiative, but there was no organized campaign against decriminalization. The city's election largely focused on a six-way race for mayor and a heated effort to end Denver's "urban camping" ban that affects people without housing. Voters roundly rejected an end to the camping ban. In the mayor's race, incumbent Michael Hancock will face a June 4 runoff election against challenger Jamie Giellis. The mushroom ordinance also prevents city funds from being used to pursue criminal penalties on possession or use and creates a panel to study the effects of the change. ___ Associated Press writer Thomas Peipert contributed to this report. Voters fill out their ballots at the Denver Elections Division Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Denver. Voters could make Denver the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychoactive substance in "magic mushrooms" if the measure passes. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) A voter fills out her ballot at the Denver Elections Division Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Denver. Voters could make Denver the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychoactive substance in "magic mushrooms" if the measure passes. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's trip to the Florida Panhandle (all times local): 9 p.m. President Donald Trump is telling supporters at his campaign rally in Florida not to worry about the trade talks the U.S. will be holding with China this week. A Chinese delegation is scheduled to meet Thursday with U.S. trade officials in Washington. Ahead of the talks, the U.S. government has filed plans to raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports from 10% to 25% Friday. The tariffs war has rattled investors this week. Trump said Wednesday of the talks: "Whatever happens, don't worry about it. It will all work out. You know why? It always does." President Trump speaks at a rally in Panama City Beach, Fla., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) The Trump administration decided to increase tariffs after accusing China of reneging on commitments it made in earlier talks. ___ 8:45 p.m. President Donald Trump is mocking potential Democratic rivals for the presidency, saying, "We've got some real beauties" and "Let's just pick somebody, please, and let's start this thing." Trump is adding South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) to the mix of potential rivals that have his attention. He said mockingly Wednesday at a rally in Florida that he would like to see the 37-year-old Buttigieg representing the U.S. against President Xi Jinping of China in trade talks. He said, "Representing us against Xi in China. That will be great." Trump also renewed his focus on labeling former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. He says, "We have a choice between Sleepy Joe and Crazy Bernie, and I'll take any of them." ___ 8:20 p.m. President Donald Trump is telling supporters that Florida will get $448 million in disaster recovery funds to help it recover from Hurricane Michael last year. At a rally Wednesday in the Florida Panhandle, Trump called for Democrats in Congress to work with the administration on other relief funding. He says the newest funds will come through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Trump's opposition to more hurricane aid for Puerto Rico has sparked a standoff with congressional Democrats that is blocking assistance to the island and elsewhere, including the Florida Panhandle. Trump says, "You're getting your money one way or another, and we're not going to let anybody hold it up." ___ 4:35 p.m. President Donald Trump is set to view recovery efforts in the Florida Panhandle following last year's Hurricane Michael, as well as lingering damage from the devastating Category 5 storm. Trump on Wednesday was headed to Tyndall Air Force Base, which itself was severely affected by the hurricane, ahead of a reelection rally in nearby Panama City Beach. The area 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 campaign rally comes as Trump and congressional Democrats are locked in a bitter fight over constitutional powers related to special counsel Robert Mueller's report and probes into the president's tax returns. President Trump greets supporters as he arrives onstage to speak at a rally in Panama City Beach, Fla., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) President Trump arrives for a rally in Panama City Beach, Fla., Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Supporters of President Donald Trump cheer as he arrives to speak at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Supporters of President Donald Trump wait for s rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater to begin Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Republican-led Michigan House early Thursday approved a plan to reduce the state's high auto insurance premiums, moving to no longer require that drivers buy unlimited medical benefits through their car insurer to cover crash injuries. The move set the stage for a potential showdown with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who threatened to veto separate auto insurance legislation that cleared the GOP-controlled Senate earlier in the week. The top House Republican said he hoped to soon reach a compromise with senators and the governor. "The goal here is to get a signature by the governor and deliver rate relief for the people of our state. We're going to have the conversations that are necessary to make that happen," said Speaker Lee Chatfield of Levering. The House bill - which passed 61-49 on a largely party-line vote after 2 a.m. - would let motorists forego mandatory unlimited personal injury protection, a requirement only in Michigan. Insurers would have to cut PIP rates, for five years, by between 10% and 100%, depending on the coverage chosen. That could equal an estimated $120 and $1,200 in savings for someone paying $2,400 annually per car, assuming the PIP fee accounts for half their bill, according to Republicans' projections. A recent study showed that Michigan's estimated annual premium of $2,610 is highest in the country and almost double the national average. "It affects the people who live in every one of our communities. We have been overpaying for decades, and people are demanding a change," said Rep. Jason Wentworth, a Clare Republican. Rep. Andrea Schroeder, R-Independence Township, left, and state Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township, work at their desks ahead of a planned House vote on auto insurance legislation on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Lansing, Mich. The bill would require a reduction in personal injury protection benefits as part of no longer requiring Michigan drivers to have unlimited coverage. {AP Photo/David Eggert) While the House vote was a big step forward in efforts to cut premiums after years of legislative stalemates, the bill's prospects were uncertain. Majority Republicans have made car insurance changes their top priority, but Whitmer has been more focused early in her term on trying to fix the roads with a proposed fuel tax increase as part of her first budget. Many of her Democratic allies in the House blasted the insurance legislation, and criticized how it was unveiled and approved within a matter of hours with no public review or committee testimony. "If our constituents are angry now about their insurance rates, imagine how angry they'll be when they realize that with the bill before us at it stands, their rights and benefits have been taken away - given away - and our rates haven't really been lowered," said Rep. Donna Lasinski of Washtenaw County's Scio Township. Under the measure, people opting out of unlimited medical coverage and instead choosing between $0 and $500,000 in benefits would not have to pay much of what will soon be a $220 annual per-vehicle fee that reimburses auto insurers for expenses surpassing $580,000 for the severely injured. The bill would stop car insurers from having to pay much more than private and public health insurers do for the same medical services, a factor driving claim costs. They would follow a fee schedule similar to what exists for workers' compensation injuries. The legislation also would direct state insurance regulators to write rules banning the use of non-driving factors if there is no "rational correlation" with insurance losses. Democrats said the measure is flawed. They contended that a prohibition on the inclusion of credit scores or other non-driving elements in the rate-setting process should be explicitly written into the law, and they said insurers could still hike rates in the long term. "The insurance companies got a gift today," said House Minority Leader Christine Greig of Farmington Hills. After the five-year period of mandated lower premiums, Michigan would scrap a file-and-use system that lets rate increases take effect before regulatory review. Rates instead would be subject to prior approval. The bill would also create a task force to target fraud, limit reimbursement for family attendant care and no longer let insurers use sex as a rating factor when pricing policies issued on a group basis. Three of 52 Democrats joined all 58 Republicans to vote yes. Reaction from key players in the auto no-fault system was mixed. The Insurance Alliance of Michigan, an industry group, said the legislation addresses major culprits of a "broken" system such as overcharging by medical providers and a lack of consumer choice. But it expressed "serious concerns" that the House, unlike the Senate, added "arbitrary rate and regulatory mandates." The Michigan Health & Hospital Association said the bill "stinks," and it urged the Legislature to start over. Chatfield said the fact that the insurance and health industries are "uncomfortable" with parts of the legislation indicates "we have struck an excellent balance." ___ Online: House Bill 4397: http://bit.ly/2Wz5nbE ___ Follow Eggert on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 BEIJING (AP) - Ratcheting up tension ahead of talks in Washington, China vowed Thursday to defend its own interests and retaliate if President Donald Trump goes ahead with more tariff hikes in a dispute over trade and technology. Beijing will impose "necessary countermeasures" if the increases take effect Friday as planned, the Commerce Ministry said. It gave no details but a ministry spokesman said Beijing has made "all necessary preparations," suggesting it might be bracing for worsening conflict. Trump threw global financial markets into turmoil with Sunday's threat to raise import duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10% to 25%. Trump complained Beijing was trying to backtrack on earlier agreements. "If the U.S. tariff measures are carried out, China will have to take necessary countermeasures," said a Commerce Ministry statement. The spokesman, Gao Feng, said later that Beijing has the "determination and ability to defend its own interests." The volley of threats reignited jitters about global economic growth, prompting another round of losses on world stock markets. If tariff hikes go ahead, "risks of a financial market collapse, extreme risk aversion, and sharp slowdown in global growth will spike," said Philip Wee of DBS Group in a report. In this April 28, 2019, photo, workers assemble truck's tires at a plant in Nantong city in east China's Jiangsu province Sunday, April 28, 2019. China's exports fell in April amid a bruising tariff war with Washington, adding to pressure on Beijing on the eve of negotiations aimed at settling the fight over its technology ambitions. (Chinatopix via AP) In early trading, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.5% and France's CAC 40 lost 1.3%. Hong Kong's main benchmark skidded 2.4% and the Shanghai Composite Index lost 1.5%. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 lost 0.9%. Before this week's acrimony, both sides said negotiations were making progress, which helped to stabilize financial markets. But economists warned a deal might be further away than investors hoped. Trump raised duties on $250 billion of Chinese imports starting in July over complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. That includes a 25% charge on $50 billion of goods and 10% on $200 billion. Washington is pressing Beijing to roll back plans for government-led creation of Chinese global competitors in robotics, electric cars and other technologies. The United States, Europe, Japan and other trading partners say those violate Beijing's market-opening commitments. American officials also want Beijing to reduce subsidies they say violate Chinese free-trade pledges and to narrow its multibillion-dollar trade surplus with the United States. Beijing responded with penalties on $110 billion of American imports, but is running out of goods for tariff hikes due to their lopsided trade balance. China's economy czar, Vice Premier Liu He, was leaving Thursday for Washington, according to Gao, the government spokesman. Liu expressed hope the two sides will "meet each other halfway and care for each other's concerns," Gao said. However, he added, "at the same time, China has made all possible preparations." Chinese authorities already have extended retaliation beyond imports by targeting operations of American companies in China. Regulators have slowed down customs clearance for their shipments and delayed issuing licenses in finance and other industries. Beijing has an array of other weapons including launching tax, anti-monopoly or other investigations that can hamper company operations. Chinese leaders see industry development directed by the Communist Party as a path to prosperity and global influence. They deny their plans violate Beijing's trade commitments but have offered to change details that provoke the most foreign opposition. "China is not afraid of conflict," said the Global Times, a newspaper published by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily that is known for its nationalist tone. It said Beijing has measures in place to "minimize losses" for its companies. "Mentally and materially, China is much better prepared than its U.S. counterpart," the newspaper said. Despite such bluster, factories in Chinese coastal regions that serve the U.S. market have been devastated. Industries including electronics that the Communist Party is promoting as China's economic future have suffered declines of up to 40% in sales to the United States. That has increased pressure on President Xi Jinping, who political analysts say faces criticism within the ruling party that he has failed to manage Trump. Chinese exports to the United States plunged 13% from a year ago in April and are off 9.7% since the start of 2019. Total Chinese exports sank 2.7% in April, well below forecasts of growth in low single digits. Imports of American goods tumbled 26%. FILE- In this July 5, 2018, file photo, a jockey truck passes a stack of 40-foot China Shipping containers at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. For months, the U.S. economy has shrugged off the tariffs slapped by America and China on tens of billions of dollars of each other's goods. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) A woman smokes in a quiet shopping district in Beijing on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. China's exports fell in April amid a punishing tariff war with Washington, adding to pressure on Beijing on the eve of negotiations aimed at settling the fight over its technology ambitions. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Women walk pass advertisements in a shopping district in Beijing on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. China's exports fell in April amid a punishing tariff war with Washington, adding to pressure on Beijing on the eve of negotiations aimed at settling the fight over its technology ambitions. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2017, file photo, factory workers watch as a machine uses suction to lift a box containing an air conditioner at a Haier factory in Jiaozhou near Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong Province. For months, the U.S. economy has shrugged off the tariffs slapped by America and China on tens of billions of dollars of each other's goods. The higher duties would cover thousands of Chinese imports, from refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines to bamboo mats, microphones and cigarette paper. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Federico Higuain broke Columbus' career assist record in the first half and added a goal in the second in the Crew's 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night. Columbus (5-6-1) snapped a five-game losing streak, avoiding tying the club record. Los Angeles (7-3-1) lost back-to-back games for the first time since last September. It hasn't won in Columbus since 2011. Higuain, in his eighth season with Columbus, got his 62nd assist on a long pass to Robinho, who sent it across goal for a redirection from Gyasi Zardes in the 27th minute. Early in the second half, Higuain connected with Zardes on a give-and-go for his first goal in 11 games. Hector Jimenez made it 3-0 in the 66th minute by knocking home a loose ball in front of the net for his first goal in five years. It was the Crew's first three-goal game since July against the New York Red Bulls. Los Angeles scored in the 87th when Daniel Steres tapped home Sebastian Lletget's corner kick. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea on Thursday described its firing of rocket artillery and an apparent short-range ballistic missile over the weekend as a regular and defensive military exercise and ridiculed South Korea for criticizing the launches. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency published a statement by an unnamed military spokesman who called South Korea's criticism a "cock-and-bull story," hours before senior defense officials from South Korea, United States and Japan met in Seoul to discuss the North Korean launches and other security issues. Details from the meeting weren't immediately announced. A separate statement by a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman, also unnamed, described the launches as a "routine and self-defensive military drill." It said Pyongyang has been demonstrating "maximum patience" over the impasse in nuclear talks with Washington and that "baseless allegations" against the North's legitimate exercise of sovereignty and self-defense rights would threaten to push things toward a direction "neither we nor they want to see at all." South Korea's presidential Blue House and Defense Ministry have raised concern that Saturday's launches went against the spirit of an inter-Korean military agreement reached last year to cease all hostile activities and urged North Korea to refrain from acts that could escalate tensions. North Korean state media on Sunday showed leader Kim Jong Un observing live-fire drills of long-range multiple rocket launchers and what appeared to be a new short-range ballistic missile fired from a launch vehicle. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff a day earlier said it detected North Korea firing multiple projectiles toward the sea from near the eastern town of Wonsan. The launches, which likely represented North Korea's first ballistic missile test in more than 500 days, were clearly a sign of Pyongyang's frustration at stalled diplomatic talks with Washington meant to provide coveted sanctions relief in return for nuclear disarmament. Following the collapse of his summit with President Donald Trump in February, Kim said he was open to a third meeting with Trump, but only if Washington offers mutually acceptable terms for an agreement by the end of the year. FILE - This Saturday, May 4, 2019, file photo provided by the North Korean government shows a test of weapon systems, in North Korea. North Korea on Thursday, May 9, 2019, has described its firing of rocket artillery and an apparent short-range ballistic missile over the weekend as a regular and defensive military exercise and ridiculed South Korea for criticizing the launches. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File) Saturday's drills also highlighted the fragility of the detente between the Koreas, which in a military agreement reached last September vowed to completely cease "all hostile acts" against each other in land, air and sea. The North Korean statements implied that the launches countered joint military drills by the United States and South Korea in March and April. The North also criticized the test of a U.S. Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile from a U.S. Air Force base in California last week. While the United States and South Korea have replaced their annual large-scale military exercises with smaller ones since last year to create room for diplomacy, the North has still criticized the South for continuing joint drills with the United States. The statement by the North Korean spokesman for the office in charge of military talks with South Korea said the South's "war-thirsty" military has "no qualification" to vilify the North and question its commitment to the inter-Korean military agreement. It said South Korea recently staged a "provocative combined air drill with the U.S." and kept silent about the Minuteman test, which it said was meant to threaten the North. "The (South) Korean military regards the combined air drill they staged together with the United States and the U.S intercontinental ballistic missile as an acrobatic flight and fireworks, but deem the tactical guided weapon of the fellow countrymen a bolt from the blue," said the statement. It added: "The close examination of the military agreement will make them feel guilty of their provocative acts ... and deprive them of the 'courage' to take issue with the dialogue partner. And they will be careful in speech. Otherwise, they will be subject to a pelting rain of kicks and blows." The statement by the North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said the labeling of the North Korean military drill as provocative is an "undisguised manifestation of the attempt to press the gradual disarmament of our state and finally invade us." South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff has not confirmed whether the North fired a ballistic missile, but said a "new tactical guided weapon" was among the weapons tested by the North, which also included 240 millimeter- and 300 millimeter-caliber multiple rocket launchers. The JCS said the various projectiles flew from 70 to 240 kilometers (44 to 149 miles) before splashing into the sea. Experts who analyzed photos from the North Korean state media say it's clear the North tested a new solid-fuel missile that appears to be modeled after Russia's Iskander short-range ballistic missile system. North Korea last conducted a major missile test in November 2017 when it flight-tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that demonstrated potential capability to reach deep into the U.S. mainland. That year saw a string of increasingly powerful weapons tests from the North and a belligerent response from Trump that had many in the region fearing war. During the diplomacy that followed those weapons tests, Kim said that the North would not test nuclear devices or ICBMs. The short-range projectiles launched on Saturday don't appear to violate that self-imposed moratorium, and they may instead be a way to register Kim's displeasure with Washington without having the diplomacy collapse. TOKYO (AP) - Japanese automaker Toyota and electronics giant Panasonic are forming a joint venture combining their housing businesses in Japan to showcase technologies such as connected cars and the internet of things. Toyota Motor Corp., which offers housing as well as vehicles in Japan, said the new company will offer homes showcasing those technologies. Panasonic Corp. said its housing subsidiary will become part of the joint venture. The companies said Thursday the deal should concluded by January 2020. Both sides said communities will increasingly want connected cars, autonomous driving, car-sharing and ecological vehicles, and homes offering sustainable energy and gadgetry. Earlier this year, Toyota and Panasonic announced a joint venture to research, manufacture and sell batteries for ecological autos, an increasingly lucrative sector amid concerns about global warming. The companies have been studying working together on batteries since 2017. Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation Masayoshi Shirayanagi, left, and Senior Managing Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation Makoto Kitano talk during a press conference in Tokyo, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Japanese automaker Toyota and electronics maker Panasonic are forming a joint venture combining their housing businesses in Japan. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) The housing joint venture brings together all the two companies' housing brands, including Misawa Homes Co., Toyota Housing and Panasonic Homes Co. Toyota Chief Executive Akio Toyoda said the automaker was eager to collaborate with various companies as the industry develops. He said he wanted to bring "together the strengths of Toyota, with its vehicle business and connected business, and Panasonic, with its home appliance business, battery business and IoT business, and enhancing our competitiveness," in the housing venture. Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga said the companies want to move ahead on "town development." "We will put our respective strengths together to offer new value in everyday life," he said. Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, has been bullish on partnerships with other automakers and with technology outfits such as ride-sharing giant Uber and Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. Toyoda has repeatedly said that to survive Toyota must do more than just sell cars, and have various net, ecological and robotics technology under its wings. ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en Senior Managing Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation Makoto Kitano, right, speaks as Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation Masayoshi Shirayanagi listens during a press conference in Tokyo, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Japanese automaker Toyota and electronics maker Panasonic are forming a joint venture combining their housing businesses in Japan. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) NEW YORK (AP) - Last year's tumble for the stock market wasn't enough to scare workers off of saving for retirement. Instead, many ended up saving more. Even after a nearly 20% plunge for the S&P 500 rattled nerves at the close of 2018, workers upped their contributions into 401(k) accounts in the ensuing months. The average worker set aside a record $2,370 during the first quarter, up 15% from a year earlier, according to Fidelity Investments. Not only that, employers increased their own contributions to a record average of $1,780. "I've been in this industry for almost 20 years, and we have been consistently saying that if you have access to a 401(k) or a 403(b), you should take a long-term view," said Katie Taylor, vice president of thought leadership at Fidelity Investments. "It's really encouraging that people are doing that now. That we have savings rates going up, employers adding more, it's all great news." Altogether, workers saved an average of 13.5% of their pay during the first three months of 2019. That's the closest they've ever come to Fidelity's recommendation of setting aside 15% for retirement, including any employer match. Many factors were likely behind the increase, Taylor said. Some workers may have reassessed their savings after filing their tax returns. Others may have unwittingly raised their contributions, because employers sometimes set plans to automatically increase savings rates unless workers opt out of it. It didn't hurt that stock prices were storming higher early this year, as worries about a possible recession receded, and the S&P 500 had its best first quarter since "Titanic" was pulling in moviegoers in 1998. FILE- In this Nov. 15, 2017, file photo, new $1 bills with the signatures of U.S. Treasurer Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are cut and stacked at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington. Last year's scary tumble for the stock market wasn't enough to scare workers off of saving for retirement. Instead, many ended up saving more. During the first quarter of this year, the average worker set aside a record $2,370, according to Fidelity Investments. Including employer contributions, workers saved an average of 13.5% of their pay during the first three months of 2019. That's the closest they've ever come to Fidelity's recommendation of 15%. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) Those gains, plus workers' additional contributions, meant the average 401(k) account balance stood at $103,700 at the end of March, according to Fidelity. That's up from $95,600 at the start of the year and $102,900 a year ago. Balances for individual retirement accounts and 403(b) accounts had similar gains, up to averages of $107,100 and $85,800, respectively. Retirement experts have long asked workers to stay the course when it comes to their savings. The stock market tends to have steep drops of 20% or more every six or seven years, and temptation can be high in such moments to sell out of stocks to protect whatever's left in the nest egg. But the stock market has - eventually - gone on to recover all its losses after every one of its past downturns. Following the last severe drop, of 56.7% from 2007 into 2009, it took roughly six and a half years for the S&P 500 to get back to its record level. More savers are now using a special type of mutual fund that can help with the temptation to sell out of stocks. Target-date retirement funds take care of the investment decisions for savers, including how much of a nest egg to put into stocks and how much to put into bonds. More than half of all savers at Fidelity now have all of their 401(k) account in a target date fund. That rate of 52% is up sharply from 16% a decade earlier, when the stock market finally hit bottom following the 2008 financial crisis. Workers who have access to a 401(k) plan often have higher incomes than other Americans, which is a factor in their increasing balances. But Taylor said she's seeing improvements for savers along the income scale. "A lot of people think you have to make a lot of money to save a lot of money," she said, "but many people who make less than $100,000 are doing very well saving 10% to 15% for retirement." GLYNDON, Minn. (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday the Trump administration is working "literally hour by hour" to reach a trade agreement with China, as the deadline loomed on a U.S. threat to raise tariffs on Chinese imports. Flanked by farmers and ranchers invited to a northwestern Minnesota farm to talk about the new North American trade agreement, Pence told reporters he was hopeful a deal with China could be reached before 12:01 a.m. Friday. However, he said the U.S. is going to "continue to stand firm" to reset an unbalanced trading relationship. Should the U.S. follow through and raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports from 10 to 25%, Pence said "you can very confident" that the administration is going to "look for ways" to provide additional support to farmers affected by the trade dispute. He was not specific. Pence changed the subject from China to "the good news," referring to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. He spent most of his one-on-one time with the friendly audience gathered at R&J Johnson Farms promoting the deal and telling producers that Congress needs to act on it. Pence called on Minnesota Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, to help persuade Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put the USMCA to a vote. The vice president said it's sure to pass. Peterson put out a statement before Pence's comments stating he is the most senior Democrat who supports USMCA. A spokeswoman for Peterson did not immediately return a phone message seeking reaction on Pence's plea for assistance. FILE - In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019 file photo, Vice President Mike Pence speaks at an auto industry discussion of the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in Taylor, Mich. Pence plans two tour stops in Minnesota on Thursday, May 9, 2019, to talk about the stalled trade deal with Mexico and Canada. He's likely to hear differing opinions on part of the plan to replace NAFTA. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) "Farmers need certainty and getting USMCA done is one part of that," Peterson said. Jake Hein, 29, one of the attendees at Thursday's event, said farming has been in his family for five generations, tracing back to the original farm in Norway. His wife, Christina, 28, is expecting in October and he's hoping by that time he won't have to worry about selling crops from his Audubon, Minnesota farm. "I'm thankful the vice president came here to talk about something that is just extremely important to us in rural Minnesota," Jake Hein told The Associated Press after talking with Pence. "If we can get the USMCA ratified it would really go a long way toward making our farms profitable again." One subject that didn't come up Thursday was Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum, which Minnesota Farm Bureau President Kevin Papp calls a "tax at the border" that is "killing us in agriculture." Pence was scheduled later Thursday to give a speech to workers at Gerdau Ameristeel, one of the mills that Trump's tariffs are meant to help. Robert Kudrle, an international trade specialist at the University of Minnesota, said it's "tricky business" for Pence to be selling a package that includes a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum. The Mexicans and Canadians don't like it, nor do most Republicans in Congress, Kudrle said. "The fact that it is still there is something (Pence) can talk to the steelworkers about," said Kudrle, who added that some of his audiences have no clue about tariffs because they were "kind of a thing of the past until a few years ago." U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican whose district includes northeast Minnesota's Iron Range, said the steel tariffs have stopped countries like China from dumping steel into the market, noting that U.S. shipments went up 5 percent last year while steel imports dropped by 4 million tons. At the same time, he said the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, will allow farmers to export more products to Canada. "President Trump and his administration is not trying to pit the farmers against the steel workers or the manufacturers against the steel workers at all," Stauber said. "Our Minnesota farmers not only feed our Minnesotans and this country, they also feed the world and we want to make sure that we give them the opportunity to move their products across this globe in a free and fair way." Vice President Mike Pence, center, holds a tube of soy beans as he tours the R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon, Minn., Thursday, May 9, 2019, to talk about the Trump administration's trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. Famers who visited with Pence emphasized the importance of selling soy beans as Minnesota ranks third among all states in soy bean production. (AP Photo/Dave Kolpack) Vice President Mike Pence, left, visits with farmers and future farmers as he tours the R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon, Minn., Thursday, May 9, 2019, to talk about the Trump administration's trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. Famers who met with Pence emphasized the importance of selling soy beans as Minnesota ranks third among all states in soy bean production. (AP Photo/Dave Kolpack) Vice President Mike Pence waves to steel workers as he arrives to address them at the Gerdau Ameristeel mill Thursday, May 9, 2019, in St. Paul, Minn. where he promoted the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) LONDON (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has canceled a visit to Greenland to return to Washington amid an escalation of tensions with Iran. Pompeo had been due to wrap up a trip to Europe on Thursday with a stop in Greenland aimed at promoting the Trump administration's Arctic policies. Those policies were criticized earlier this week for not containing the words "climate change" when Pompeo attended an Arctic Council meeting in Finland. The State Department says that Pompeo will still order a restoration of a permanent U.S. diplomatic presence in Greenland. The Greenland stop was the second Pompeo canceled on what was supposed to be a four-nation tour of Europe. On Tuesday, he abruptly dropped a trip to Germany to fly to Baghdad for meetings with Iraqi leaders. WASHINGTON (AP) - 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 news 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. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., center, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, right, arrive for a farewell ceremony for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, right, in the Great Hall at the Department of Justice in Washington, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Rosenstein is set to step down as Deputy Attorney General May 15. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) 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. ___ Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Catherine Lucey and Eric Tucker and video journalist Padmananda Rama contributed to this report. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner, D-Va., who leads the panel with Republican Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina, departs after a meeting at committee's secure facility on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Republicans are lashing out at Burr for his committee's subpoena of President Donald Trump's son to answer questions about his 2017 testimony to the panel as part of its probe into Russian election interference, a move that suggests the Russia investigation is not "case closed" as some in the GOP insists. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Donald Trump Jr. speaks ahead of his father President Donald Trump at a Make America Great Again rally Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin Republicans voted Thursday to scrap expanding Medicaid, legalizing medical marijuana, raising the minimum wage and a host of other priorities of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers as they begin dismantling his two-year budget plan. Evers and Democrats remain defiant, saying the public is on their side in support of expanding Medicaid. They ran on their promise to expand the health program for the poor and believe their victories in 2018 were due in large part to that position. Polls also show broad public support. "Medicaid is being removed in this first motion because you're losing," said Democratic Rep. Evan Goyke. "This is a popular item supported by the people of the state of Wisconsin and every single day it's getting more popular." But Republicans who control the Legislature aren't bending from their long-held opposition, which they believe is popular with their base of supporters, even as some GOP lawmakers have publicly talked about trying to find a compromise. State Rep. John Nygren, the Republican co-chair of the budget committee, said Thursday that he wouldn't compromise on taking something less than full expansion, rejecting that as "Medicaid light." Democratic members of the committee said they were open to reaching a deal, but Republicans were not offering any alternatives. "No is not a compromise," Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach said. "No is not a place to start. No is irresponsible, reckless. It's hard to negotiate with someone who just says 'No.'" Gov. Tony Evers speaks at a news conference regarding Medicaid expansion as Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, left, stands next to him, at Milwaukee City Hall, Thursday, May 2, 2019. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) In response to Democratic criticism that rejecting expansion hurt poor people, Republican Sen. Tom Tiffany said: "I do not have a moral problem." "We have been responsible to the taxpayers of the state of Wisconsin and we have done the right thing," he said. The GOP-controlled budget committee voted along party lines to kill Medicaid expansion and a host of Evers' other priorities with one of its first votes Thursday. In the coming weeks, the Joint Finance Committee will be voting to reshape the $83 billion Evers budget into something Republicans can vote for later this summer. Evers said the vote was disappointing but "not the end." "I'm going to keep reminding Wisconsinites what's at stake and I'm going to keep fighting to expand Medicaid," he said. Republicans are refusing to listen to the will of the people or work together, and Wisconsin residents will pay the price, Evers said. He's already released data showing how each of the state's 72 counties would benefit from accepting $324 million in federal money for expansion, which would leverage $1.6 billion in more spending on health care across the state. Of that, $836 million comes at no cost to the state. That includes increasing reimbursement rates for doctors and other health care providers, raising county aid for crisis mental health and substance abuse services, and spending more on women's health care initiatives, dental health care and fighting lead poisoning. To date, Wisconsin has missed out on $1.1 billion in federal money for Medicaid expansion. It is one of only 13 states that have not accepted Medicaid expansion money and the only one that did a partial expansion without taking the money. The Republican moves will create a $1.4 billion hole in the budget, roughly the amount Evers proposed spending on K-12 education. Republicans have already said they weren't on board with spending that much on schools. Republicans will have to come up with other cuts, or tax increases, to make up the difference. Under the Evers plan, about 82,000 people are expected to become Medicaid-eligible as the income cutoff increases from 100% of poverty to 138%. That would raise eligible annual income from $25,750 for a family of four to $35,535. For a single person, it would increase from $12,490 to $17,236. Of those 82,000, about half are buying heavily subsidized plans through the marketplace now. Part of the Republican argument against expansion is it doesn't make sense to put people on Medicaid when they can buy affordable plans through the exchange. Republicans also say the move would disrupt the private insurance market, and that they're concerned the federal government will decrease its reimbursement to the state, leaving taxpayers to foot a larger bill for more people on Medicaid. Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, which supports Medicaid expansion, said removing the plan from the budget now doesn't mean the fight is over. "Until the governor signs his budget, it's not final," Kraig said. "It's going to be a long debate and there's still plenty of time for the public to be heard." ___ Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sbauerAP Wisconsin Republican state Rep. John Nygren, co-chair of the Legislature's budget committee, defends the committee's voting to kill Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' plan to accept full Medicaid expansion on Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Madison, Wis. Republicans, who control the Legislature, have long opposed Medicaid expansion and Nygren says he does not support any compromise on the issue. ( AP Photo/Scott Bauer) WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday the country faces a "constitutional crisis" over President Donald Trump's resistance to congressional investigation, and she promised a methodical, if lengthy, effort to pursue oversight of the White House. Pelosi made no promise for a swift House vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress over his refusal to release special counsel Robert Mueller's full report, deferring to a fresh subpoena for the document from the Intelligence Committee that's due back next week. She continued to tamp down talk of impeachment. Instead, Pelosi foreshadowed a long-game strategy of Congress confronting a White House she suggested is all but goading her with its refusal to comply with oversight demands. "The president thinks it is a laughing matter," Pelosi said. "This is 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 -- so we can prevent it from happening again." "We won't go any faster than the facts take us or any slower." The step-by-step approach has been Pelosi's touchstone for the escalating standoff between the two branches of government in the aftermath of Mueller's report. By rebuffing Congress, she said, the White House is essentially committing the kind of obstruction of justice Mueller probed in his report. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., meets with reporters the day after the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, eat a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) "The president is almost self-impeaching," she said. The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to hold Barr in contempt of Congress, capping a day of ever-deepening dispute between congressional Democrats and the Republican White House. Ahead of the vote, Trump for the first time invoked the principle of executive privilege, claiming the right to block lawmakers from the full report on Mueller's probe of Russian interference to help Trump in the 2016 election. Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York declared the action by Trump's Justice Department a clear new sign of the president's "blanket defiance" of Congress' constitutional rights to conduct oversight. "We did not relish doing this, but we have no choice," Nadler said after the vote. The White House's blockade, he said, "is an attack on the ability of the American people to know what the executive branch is doing." He said, "This cannot be." But Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said it was disappointing that members of Congress "have chosen to engage in such inappropriate political theatrics." Barr made "extraordinary efforts" to provide Congress and the public with information about Mueller's work, she said. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said neither the White House nor Barr "will comply with Chairman Nadler's unlawful and reckless demands." Late Wednesday the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee issued his own subpoena to the Justice Department for the full Mueller report, as the confrontation intensified. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California, whose committee had previously requested the documents, said he had no choice but to compel the department's compliance. He warned that if it continues to "ignore or rejects our requests," the panel could take legal action. Kupec declined to comment. Though the White House initially hesitated on invoking privilege, Trump told his staff and political advisers in recent weeks to refuse to cooperate with Democrats, declaring the party's goal was simply to damage him politically going into his re-election campaign. The coming legal battle could stretch to 2020, and the White House is aiming to tie up congressional probes until Election Day. Executive privilege is the president's power to keep information from the courts, Congress and the public to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. The president's decision was weeks in the making, the next inevitable escalation between the White House and Congress over a number of probes. The White House has rejected all efforts to probe Trump's business dealings or tax returns as well as the West Wing's security clearance procedure. Democrats made their case that Congress was at a historic juncture as it confronts what they consider Trump's stonewalling of lawmakers' ability to conduct oversight. Republicans portrayed the majority as angry and lashing out at Barr after the special counsel did not find that Trump colluded with Russia to swing the 2016 election. Said Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas: "The president now seeks to take a wrecking ball to the Constitution of the United States." But the panel's top Republican, Doug Collins of Georgia, said Democrats were manufacturing a crisis and rushing the process to "sully Bill Barr's good name." If the contempt citation is approved by the House, where the Democrats hold a solid majority, it would almost certainly move to an unusual, and potentially protracted, multi-pronged court battle with the Trump administration. The contempt finding could be referred to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a Justice Department official who would be likely to defend rather than oppose Barr. Democratic House leaders could also file a lawsuit, though the case could take months or even years to resolve. Some committee members have suggested they also could fine Barr as he withholds information. In a letter Wednesday to Trump , Barr explained that the special counsel's files contain millions of pages of classified and unclassified information. He said it was the committee's "abrupt resort to a contempt vote" that "has not allowed sufficient time for you to consider fully whether to make a conclusive assertion of executive privilege." Barr told Trump he should assert privilege now, "pending a full decision on the matter." Barr released a redacted version of Mueller's 400-plus-page report to the public last month, but Democrats subpoenaed the full document , along with underlying evidence. Mueller, in his report, said he could not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there were not grounds to charge Trump with obstruction. ___ Jonathan Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo and Laurie Kellman in Washington contributed. FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, Attorney General William Barr is sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The House Judiciary Committee is moving ahead with a vote to hold Barr in contempt of Congress despite last-minute negotiations with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., talks to reporters after leading his Democratic majority to vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, escalating the legal battle with the Trump administration over access to special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The committee voted 24-16 to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department rejected House Democrats' demands for the full Mueller report and the underlying evidence. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) FILE - In this March 24, 2019, file photo, special counsel Robert Mueller departs St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., addresses questions from a bi-partisan group, during her visit to the Institute of Politics and Global Affairs at Cornell University, Tuesday May 7, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Special counsel Robert Mueller departs after having dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago) Special counsel Robert Mueller departs after having dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago) Special counsel Robert Mueller departs dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the ranking member, talk as Nadler moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the ranking member, talk as Nadler moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) OGDEN, Utah (AP) - Michael Kwan can't help but think about what life was like on a daily basis for his great-great-grandfather in the 1860s, working 12-hour days in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range on the Transcontinental Railroad that would reshape the American landscape. "You're not talking about 12 hours sitting at a desk or sitting on a bench. You're talking about 12 hours of lifting and hammering and blowing things up," said Kwan, a judge in Salt Lake City. "And I complain when my trainer says we're going to add 10 pounds." Kwan and other Chinese Americans are pushing for these workers - some of whom lost their lives building the Western portion of the railroad - to get more than a token mention in history books. This week marks 150 years since the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, and several days' worth of events are planned. Kwan, who is president of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association, and his group are participating as part of a drive to be more involved in railroad celebrations and long-term projects. "We haven't really pushed the envelope and insisted that these contributions be recognized until fairly recently," Kwan said. On Thursday, group member Margaret Yee helped tap a ceremonial spike alongside Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and a descendant of Union Pacific's chief engineer on the project at an event in Ogden. Several thousand people attended the anniversary celebration, which featured a pair of restored 1940s-era steam engines. "They say the Chinese built the railroad. The railroad built America," Yee said. Margaret Yee, whose ancestors helped build the railroad, pose in front of the the Big Boy, No. 4014 during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad completion at Union Station Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Ogden, Utah. Yee, helped tap a ceremonial spike alongside Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and a descendant of Union Pacific's chief engineer on the project at the event Thursday in Ogden, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) During a brief presentation, Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz hailed the laborers who put in 12-hour days in brutal conditions to build the railroad by hand, saying their work "changed America forever." "Travel that took six months to go from New York to San Francisco at the risk of your life literally turned into a 10-day excursion in relative comfort," he said. The completion of the railroad is considered a pivotal moment in U.S. history that ushered in a new era of travel, shipping and trade and symbolically united a nation that was divided by the recent Civil War. The Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association will be in remote Promontory Summit on Friday for a photo reenactment of the hammering of the final golden spike of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. The descendants group also is raising money for a statue of a Chinese railroad worker at Golden Spike National Historic Park. Like previous years, they are sponsoring this week's Golden Spike Conference, which includes theatrical productions and panels, including one with Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Michael Solorio feels fortunate that his family was able to determine that his maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Lim Lip Hong, worked as a foreman on the Central Pacific Railroad while thousands of other workers remain nameless. A junior at Stanford University, it's not lost on him that he is attending a school founded by Central Pacific Railroad president Leland Stanford, who profited from Chinese labor. "It feels kind of weird to know that this school stands because of the labor of my great-grandfather and many others like him put in," Solorio said. "Even after all this work was put in to make the railroad, there continued to be real intense racism against the Chinese." The 20,000 Chinese immigrants who worked on the Central Pacific portion, from California to Utah, between 1864 and 1869 accounted for about 90% of that railroad's workforce, said Stanford University professor Gordon Chang. Other groups including the Irish, members of The Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and former slaves navigating Reconstruction also helped work on the entire railroad. Chinese laborers were often the most exploited. They contended with racism, pay disparity and dangerous tasks in grueling terrain. At an elevation as high as 7,000 feet (2,133 meters) on the Sierra Nevada range, they were ordered to blast through solid granite using nitroglycerine. Some suffered brutal deaths in explosions. Avalanches also took lives. "Their bodies weren't recovered till next spring. Sometimes they would be uncovered as the snow melted with their work tools still in their hands," Chang said. There is no definitive data on the death toll among Chinese workers. While some reports back then suggest about 150 died, Chang believes deaths numbered in the hundreds. In his book, "Ghosts of Gold Mountain," he points to newspaper articles that mention the shipping of remains or "bone boxes" to China and Chinese groups in America keeping their own census records. Clamoring for recognition for them has gotten louder in recent years. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor inducted the Chinese railroad workers into their Hall of Honor. New York Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat, introduced a resolution in March that would honor them and renewed a call for an honorary postage stamp. Chang has gone further in ensuring Chinese laborers and their sacrifices are embedded in the historical narrative as director of the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project. The project has amassed a treasure trove of oral histories, letters, periodicals and other materials since 2012. Chang said he was surprised when hundreds of people attended a project showcase at Stanford. "I think it indicates there's a tremendous interest and curiosity and hunger for this," Chang said. Max Chang, a board member of the Golden Spike foundation that's been helping plan anniversary events, has been giving volunteer presentations on Chinese workers at elementary and middle schools throughout Utah. The Salt Lake City native is not a descendant, but it always bothered him that Chinese laborers were "a really small footnote" in history classes. "I had to do a lot of research to make sure I got the story right," he said. "I'm just a parent who wants to make sure my children and grandchildren will eventually know the story of the Chinese railroad worker." He is in talks with Utah education officials about making the lessons a permanent part of history classes. Kwan, of the descendants group, said education can help dispel the tendency for people to see Asian Americans as not fitting the image of what is "American." "We've been here for more than 150 years and we have contributed every step of the way," Kwan said. "That's the dream: Have people stop asking us where we're from." ___ Tang reported from Phoenix. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ttangAP In this Tuesday, May 7, 2019, photo, Michael Kwan poses for a photograph in Salt Lake City. Kwan can't help but think about what life was like on a daily basis for his great-great-grandfather in the 1860s, working 12-hour days in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range on the Western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad that would reshape the American landscape. Kwan and other Chinese Americans are pushing for these workers some of whom lost their lives to get more than a token mention in history books as several days of celebrations kick off this week in Utah to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the completion Transcontinental Railroad. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) In this photo made between 1862 and 1869, railroad workers, including some Chinese laborers, are seen near an opening of the Summit Tunnel of the Central Pacific Railroad in Northern California. Members of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association are gathering in Utah in May 2019 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the railroad's completion. (Alfred A. Hart/Stanford University via AP) 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) Chairman, President and CEO Lance Fritz and Margaret Yee, whose ancestors helped build the railroad, pose for a photograph during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's completion at Union Station Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Ogden, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The crew from the Living Legend, No. 844 pose for a photograph 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) The crew from the Big Boy, No. 4014 pose for a photograph 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) The crew from the Living Legend, No. 844 pose for a photograph 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) In this Tuesday, May 7, 2019, photo, Michael Kwan poses for a photograph in Salt Lake City. Kwan can't help but think about what life was like on a daily basis for his great-great-grandfather in the 1860s, working 12-hour days in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range on the Western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad that would reshape the American landscape. Kwan and other Chinese Americans are pushing for these workers some of whom lost their lives to get more than a token mention in history books as several days of celebrations kick off this week in Utah to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the completion Transcontinental Railroad. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Big Boy, No. 4014, left, and the Living Legend, No. 844, right, are photographed 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) The crew of 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) PROMONTORY, Utah (AP) - The May 10, 1869, completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was a pivotal moment in the United States, ushering in a period of progress and expansion nationwide. The presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in remote Promontory, Utah, to mark the occasion, driving a ceremonial last spike to connect their rail lines. The Baltimore Sun, relying on telegraphed dispatches by The Associated Press from Utah and dispatches from other U.S. cities, published the following article on the event and how it was celebrated across the U.S. It first appeared on May 11, 1869. The AP is reprinting it in honor of the Transcontinental Railroad's 150th anniversary. ___ COMPLETION OF THE PACIFIC RAILROAD. FILE - In this May 10, 1869, file photo, provided by the Union Pacific, railroad officials and employees celebrate the completion of the first railroad transcontinental link in Promontory, Utah. The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was a pivotal moment in the United States, ushering in a period of progress and expansion nationwide. The Union Pacific's Locomotive No. 119, right, and Central Pacific's Jupiter edged forward over the golden spike that marked the joining of the nation by rail. (Andrew Russell/Union Pacific via AP, File) Official Announcement - Telegraphing the Hammer Strokes - Rejoicing and Congratulation - Ringing of Bells and Other Demonstrations. PROMONTORY SUMMIT, Utah, May 10, noon. - To the Associated Press: The last rail is laid. The last spike is driven. The Pacific railroad is completed. The point of junction is 1,086 miles west of the Missouri river, and 690 miles east of Sacramento. LELAND STANFORD, Central Pacific Railroad T.C. DURANT, SIDNEY DILLON, JOHN DUFF, Union Pacific Railroad ___ THE NEWS RECEIVED IN NEW YORK NEW YORK, May 10. - The last spike in the Pacific railroad was driven today at five minutes past 3 o'clock P.M., New York time. San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Plaister Cove, the end of the cable, were connected with Promontory Point by telegraph, and the hammer strokes on the last spike were duly transmitted according to arrangement. When the news was received in New York a hundred guns were fired in the City Hall Park, and Mayor Hall forwarded a congratulatory message to the Mayor of San Francisco. A commemorative celebration had previously been held in Trinity Church, at which a telegram forwarded by the Chamber of Commerce to the Chamber in San Francisco was read, and an address delivered by Rev. Dr. Vinton. After prayer and reading of portions of the Episcopal service, the organ pealed and chimes rung as the large congregation left the church. Flags on the city hall and on many public and private buildings were displayed all day in honor of the great event. ___ FREE TRADE AND THE PACIFIC RAILROAD. A meeting of the American Free Trade League of New York was held at Cooper Institute tonight at which many of the prominent members of the organization were present. David Dudley Field called the assemblage to order, and Howard Potter presided. Addresses were delivered by William Cullen Bryant and Edward Atkinson, and the following resolution was adopted: "Resolved, That in the opening of the great Pacific railroad today, connecting New York and San Francisco, we recognize a pledge, not only for one country, one constitution and one destiny, but with a due regard to the revenue, for the freest sort of trade with all countries and all continents." ___ RINGING THE BELLS IN PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, May 10. - At 2:30 o'clock P.M. precisely, Philadelphia time, the news was received of the driving of the last spike of the Pacific railroad. Word was sent to the mayor, and in a few minutes the bells in Independence Hall and the various fire stations were rung, drawing crowds into the streets under the impression that a general alarm of fire was being rung. The people soon ascertained the reason of the ringing of the bells, and flags were immediately displayed everywhere. A large number of steam fire engines ranged in front of Independence Hall with screaming whistles and hose carriage bells ringing. Joy was expressed in every face at the completion of this great work of country. The sudden flocking of the people to the State House reminded one of the reception of the news of the surrender of Lee's army, when a similar scene was enacted. ___ THE REJOICEING AT CHICAGO. Chicago, May 10. - The celebration of the completion of the great inter-ocean railroad connection today was the most successful affair of the kind that ever took place in Chicago, and probably in the West. It is entirely impromptu, and therefore almost every man, woman and child in the city did their part toward making it a success. The procession was unique in appearance and immense in length, the lowest estimate putting it down at seven miles. During the moving of the procession, Vice President Colfax received the following dispatch: "Promontory Summit, Utah, May 10. - Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Vice President: The rails were connected today. The prophecy of Benton is today a fact. This is the way to India. "G.M. DODGE, "JOHN DUFF, "SIDNEY DILLON, "T.C. DURANT." This evening Vice President Colfax, Lieut. Governor Bross and others addressed large audiences at Liberty Hall, in which they spoke eloquently of the great era which this day marks in the history of our country. During the evening there was general indulgence in fireworks, bonfires, illumination, &c. ___ THE CELEBRATION ELSEWHERE. There was great rejoicing over the event at Scranton, Pennsylvania, where cannon, bells and whistles of locomotives were employed to give eclat to the occasion. In Buffalo, New York, a large gong was attached to the telegraph wire, and at 2:41 P.M. by the time of that city began to ring out the hammer strokes. The crowd sung the Star-Spangled Banner, and jubilee speeches were made by the orators. Omaha dispatches say that telegrams from Echo City report that the troubles of the railroad laborers near Piedmont were amicably settled. ___ The AP Corporate Archives contributed to this report. FILE - In this April 28, 1869, file photo, workers laying tracks for Central Pacific Railroad pause for a moment at camp "Victory," a few miles from Promontory, Utah. The May 10, 1869, completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was a pivotal moment in the United States, ushering in a period of progress and expansion nationwide. The presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in remote Promontory, Utah, to mark the occasion, driving a last ceremonial spike to connect their rail lines. (AP Photo, File) SINGAPORE (AP) - Singapore has passed a law criminalizing publication of fake news and allowing the government to block and order the removal of such content. The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill passed Wednesday night by a vote of 72-9, a lawmaker with the opposition Worker's Party, Daniel Goh, said on Facebook. The law bans falsehoods that are prejudicial to Singapore or likely to influence elections and requires service providers to remove such content or allows the government to block it. Offenders could face a jail term of up to 10 years and hefty fines. Opponents in Parliament said it gave government ministers too much power to determine what was false and broadly defined public interest. The Strait Times newspaper reported Law Minister K. Shanmugam said the orders to correct or remove false content would mostly be directed at technology companies, rather than individuals who ran afoul of the law without intent. Human Rights Watch sharply criticized the law. It is a "disaster for online expression by ordinary Singaporeans" and a "hammer blow" against the independence of online news portals, said Phil Robertson, the group's deputy Asia director. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong smiles after a press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Singapore reportedly has passed a law criminalizing the publication of fake news and allowing the government to block and order the removal of such content. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File) Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last month defended the proposed law, saying many countries had them and that Singapore had debated the issue for two years. He rejected criticism the law could further stifle free speech in Singapore, which already has stern laws on public protests and dissent. "They criticized many things about Singapore's media management, but what we have done have worked for Singapore. And it is our objective to continue to do things that will work for Singapore. And I think (the new law) will be a significant step forward in this regard," he said on a visit to Malaysia. Speaking at the same news conference, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned such laws were a double-edged sword that could be abused by governments to stay in power. Malaysia's own fake news ban was rushed into law by the government Mahathir's coalition ousted in a shock election result in 2018. Mahathir has promised to try to repeal the law, though a first attempt to do so failed. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama lawmakers on Thursday postponed a vote on a proposed abortion ban after anger erupted in the state Senate when some Republicans stripped an exception for rape and incest from the bill. Shouting broke among senators when the exemption for rape and incest was removed without a roll call vote. Democrats and some Republicans objected to the change to the bill, which would make performing an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony, being gaveled through quickly. "You've got 27 men over on the other side ready to tell women what they can do with their bodies," Democratic Sen. Bobby Singleton said. "You don't have to procedurally just try to railroad us." Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth said legislative procedures were properly followed Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh suggested lawmakers go home for the weekend to cool off and resume debate on the bill Tuesday. Marsh said he supports an exemption for rape and wants a roll call vote on the matter next week. He said the bill still has a favorable outlook in the GOP-dominated chamber. The anger over the procedural dispute underscored tensions over the proposal that would become the most stringent abortion restriction in the country if approved. FILE - In this Wednesday April 17, 2019 file photo, Bianca Cameron-Schwiesow, from left, Kari Crowe and Margeaux Hardline, dressed as handmaids, take part in a protest against HB314, the abortion ban bill, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Ala. An attempt to outlaw abortion in Alabama is headed to a committee vote in the Alabama Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote Wednesday morning, May 8, 2019, on the bill following a public hearing. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP, File) Emboldened by conservative justices who have joined the Supreme Court, abortion opponents in several states are seeking to spark a legal challenge that could eventually lead the court to revisit Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The Alabama bill comes soon after Kentucky , Mississippi , Ohio and Georgia approved bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy. The Alabama bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives 74-3 last week, goes further by seeking to outlaw abortion outright. Republican State Rep. Terri Collins, the sponsor of the bill, objected to an exception for rape and incest, saying any exceptions could hurt the goal of creating a court case to weigh whether embryos and fetuses are people with rights of personhood. She has argued that lawmakers could come back and add exemptions if states regain control of abortion access. "This bill goes directly to the question of personhood," Republican Sen. Clyde Chambliss said. Chambliss said the bill was not about the right of privacy, referring to the legal basis behind Roe, but about "the right of an unborn child to live." "That child has the right to develop and be delivered without its privacy being invaded, invaded by forceps and scalpels," Chambliss said. Opposed senators said supporters were grandstanding in a political fight that will cost the state legal fees that could be spent on health care and other needs. "I hope that the 27 men on the other side of the aisle are able look at the women in their family in the eye, or the women who are in their district, and be able to explain away their votes to them," Singleton said. The bills signal a shift from some conservative states attempting to chip away at the edges of abortion access to a go-for-broke strategy of pushing outright abortion bans. "The others haven't worked," said Rep. Rich Wingo, a House member who worked on the bill. "We are going right through the front door directly after Roe." Critics have promised a swift lawsuit to challenge the ban if enacted, and people on both sides say they expect lower courts to block the measure from taking effect. Their expectations differ on what will happen when an appeal gets to the Supreme Court. Eric Johnston, president of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition and a lawyer who wrote much of the bill, said it was purposely written to conflict with Roe in the goal of getting a Supreme Court review. Randall Marshall, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said other abortion related cases, including Alabama's attempt to ban a common second trimester abortion procedure, are in the appellate pipeline. "With all of the problems that we face here in Alabama that cry out for funding, .... it makes no sense for this body to pass a bill that is just to going to add to the taxpayers' bill and does nothing to address the real problems in Alabama," Marshall said. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Calling it "a stain on the state of California," Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday vowed to use part of a historic budget surplus to tackle homelessness in the nation's most prosperous state. "This homeless issue is out of control," Newsom told reporters on as he unveiled his revised state budget. "(People) are outraged by it, they are disgusted by it, they are wondering what the hell is going on in Sacramento, and they should." Newsom outlined a proposed $1 billion in spending to combat the problem as part of his $213.5 billion state spending plan, an increase of $4.5 billion from his first plan in January. His proposal included a massive state surplus of $21.5 billion, most of which he used to pad state reserves and pay down debt as he warned of a coming recession. That still left him billions more to invest in homelessness as well as teacher training, health care for young immigrants living in the country illegally and a tax credit for working families. While homelessness in America has declined by 13 percent since 2010, it has jumped by 9 percent in California during the same time period, driven in part by a lack of housing and soaring rental and home costs. Newsom's spending plan gives $650 million to local governments to build shelters, offer rental assistance and convert hotels and motels to temporary or permanent housing. The state's 13 largest cities would get $275 million, and the counties would get $275 million. The rest would go to community organizations. Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised state budget that includes a proposed $21.5 billion surplus during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a $213.5 billion state government spending plan that boosts spending on homelessness, wildfire prevention and K-12 education. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) "Being on the streets, living in cars and other uninhabitable places is not acceptable. We need those immediate dollars to get out and deal with that," said Anya Lawler, policy advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty. Newsom is also calling for a fresh $20 million to provide legal assistance to people facing eviction or in disputes with landlords and another $40 million that would help the state's public colleges and universities aid homeless students. His total spending on homelessness is up by several hundred million dollars from January. He had already called for putting half a billion dollars into a tax credit program for building low income housing. More broadly, Newsom's budget aimed at addressing California's high cost of living by spending $1.2 billion more to increase a tax credit for working families with young children from $200 to $1,000. "We call it a cost-of-living refund. Others will call it a tax cut," Newsom said. Newsom's budget announcement kicks off negotiations with lawmakers, who must pass a budget by June 15 or lose their pay. California's projected revenue grew by $4.5 billion since January after state officials collected more individual income taxes in April than they had planned. But Newsom said he's "feeling anxiety" about the next recession, which he said could cost the state $70 billion in revenue and lead to a deficit of $40 billion over three years. That's why he wants to spend $15 billion to pay down debt and fill the state's reserves. It's a message that echoes his predecessor, fellow Democrat Jerry Brown, who prioritized saving money in anticipation of a coming economic downturn that could wipe out tens of millions of dollars in state revenue. "The headwinds are real," Newsom said. Still, Newsom's proposal spends significantly on public education, including expanding preschool programs and spending more on teacher training. In total, Newsom said about 45 percent of state spending will go to public education. Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting, who chairs the budget committee, said the budget must invest in the state's social infrastructure. "At a time of unparalleled prosperity in our state, nearly 20% of Californians live in poverty and millions more are living right on the edge," he said. Republicans criticized Newsom for including new new taxes that would pay for clean drinking water in rural areas and bolster the state's 911 emergency system. "We already have the revenue to do those things without increasing taxes," Assembly Budget Committee vice chairman Jay Obernolte said. But others praised Newsom's budget for its commitment to spending on the homeless. They included Fresno Mayor Lee Brand, who said Newsom's $650 million in aid to local governments was "very encouraging." The issue is personal for Brand, who said his daughter was homeless for several years while battling drug addiction. He said she has now turned her life around and lives drug-free in Indiana, where she has a job in manufacturing. "I learned don't give up on people," he said. "You see people out there, they all were at one time sons and daughters." __ Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed. Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures to a chart as he discusses his revised state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a $213.5 billion state government spending plan that boosts spending on homelessness, wildfire prevention and K-12 education. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised state budget that includes a proposed $21.5 billion surplus during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a $213.5 billion state government spending plan that boosts spending on homelessness, wildfire prevention and K-12 education. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2019-2020 state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom, a Democrat, has proposed a $213.5 billion a spending plan. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures towards a chart with proposed funding to deal with California homelessness as he discusses his revised state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2019-2020 state budget proposal during a news conference, Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised state budget that includes a proposed $21.5 billion surplus, the largest in at least 20 years, during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures to a chart showing an increase in funding for the state's rainy day fund as he discusses his proposed $213 billion revised state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures towards a chart with proposed funding to deal with California homelessness as he discusses his revised state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom, a Democrat, has proposed a $213.5 billion a spending plan. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2019-2020 state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom, a Democrat, has proposed a $213.5 billion a spending plan. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2019-2020 state budget during a news conference Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom, a Democrat, has proposed a $213.5 billion a spending plan. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) State Sen. Republican Leader Shannon Grove, of Bakersfield, talks to reporters about Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed 2019-2020 revised state budget during Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom, a Democrat, has proposed a $213.5 billion a spending plan. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) DENVER (AP) - A security guard credited with capturing one of the two suspects in this week's suburban Denver school shooting fired his weapon inside the school, a law enforcement official with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press on Thursday. The security guard has not been identified but is a former Marine who has stayed out of the public eye since Tuesday, when two suspects opened fire at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, killing one student and injuring eight. Two news organizations cited anonymous sources reported that authorities are investigating whether the guard mistakenly fired at a responding sheriff's deputy and may have wounded a student. The law enforcement official spoke to The Associated Press on anonymity because the official was not authorized to make information public. The official did not address whether anyone was hit by the security guard's firing. An attorney for the guard declined to directly answer questions Thursday about the media reports. But the attorney, Robert Burk, said his client acted in the best interests of protecting the children at the school and helped resolve the situation without further bloodshed. An American flag unfurls in the wind in a small tribute placed below the sign for STEM School Highlands Ranch following Tuesday's shooting, in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) "He ran there as quick as he could and took what I think is decisive action that helped save lives," Burk said. Three students have been hailed as heroes for disarming one of the suspects during Tuesday's shooting. One of them, Kendrick Castillo, was shot and killed during the struggle and a second, Joshua Jones, is recovering at home after being shot twice. The security guard ran to the area of the shooting and apprehended one suspect in a hallway, said his employer, Grant Whitus of Boss High Level Protection, a former SWAT team leader who responded to the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. "He doesn't even realize how many lives he saved by stopping a school shooting," Whitus said Wednesday. In the years after Columbine, Whitus trained police across the country how to immediately confront active shooters in similar situations. Burk also said the security guard heard reports of gunfire over his radio and ran to the area as fast as he could. Burk would not describe what his client saw or did once he arrived, saying he did not want to interfere with the ongoing investigation. But he said the guard, a Marine Corps veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan and previously worked for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, was a hero. "I know that he took action to protect the children and help resolve the situation without further bloodshed or violence, and I don't know of any facts to support anything that my client did that was legally wrong or wasn't in the best interests of protecting the children," Burk said. Officials have identified the suspects as 18-year-old Devon Erickson and 16-year-old Maya McKinney, whose attorney said uses male pronouns and the name Alec. The two allegedly walked into the school through an entrance without metal detectors and opened fire in two classrooms just miles away from Columbine High School and just weeks after the 20th anniversary of a massacre there. Investigators have not offered a motive for the shooting. Erickson and McKinney are scheduled to appear in court Friday to hear the charges filed against them. An anonymous person who said she was the parent of a student at the school called the school district in December to make a number of complaints about the school, including that there was a lot of drug dealing and use and that there was student violence because of the high-pressure environment there. The call was described in a defamation lawsuit filed by the school in response to the complaint. The other allegations included that the school was embezzling funds and sending money to China and Mexico and that students had learned to build a bomb at the school. The school denied all of the allegations. KUSA-TV reported that a district letter summarizing the complaint said that the parent expressed concerns about the possibility of a repeat of the school shootings at nearby Columbine and Arapahoe high schools. But the lawsuit does not mention specifically mention anything about a shooting. Castillo was remembered Wednesday night at a vigil that was hit by disruptions, with many students staging a walkout amid complaints the vigil had been politicized and failed to include their voices. Hundreds packed a high school gym for the event organized by the student arm of the Brady gun control group that included pro-gun control speeches by presidential hopeful Sen. Michael Bennet and U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, both Democrats. At one point, someone shouted that students should be allowed to speak, and organizers talked with students in a hallway about how to include them. Some students chanted and others railed against the media and called for remembering Castillo. Students eventually were invited to speak. Teacher Emily Muellenberg told Colorado Public Radio that organizers had reached out to students before the event but didn't hear back. A light snow covers bouquets of flowers placed on the sign for STEM School Highlands Ranch following Tuesday's shooting, in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Young women console each other during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Students and other attendees walk out of a community vigil held to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Students and other attendees walk out of a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., stands in the lobby as attendees walk out of a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Students leave during a community vigil held to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Attendees illuminate their mobile telephones during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., center, greets attendees during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Young people console each other during a community vigil to honor the victims and survivors of yesterday's fatal shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, late Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) BEIJING (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 Xi's own prestige on the line. It also has cast into question the ruling Communist Party's 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 on Thursday on the dispute over Beijing's technology ambitions in meetings overshadowed by President Donald Trump's threat to raise tariffs further as of Friday. 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. FILE - In this April 27, 2019, file photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he arrives for a press conference at the closing of the Belt and Road Forum at Yanqi Lake on the outskirts of Beijing. 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. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) A failure to reach agreement in this week's 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 London's 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 China's 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 party's presence at all levels. Xi's 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 China's 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. That's 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. China's 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 Xi's 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 Xi's 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. China's Commerce Ministry said Thursday that Beijing would retaliate. Early in Trump's 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 Xi's ability to rule as a "single, dominant voice," Mitter said. Xi faces time pressures from the party's 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 Xi's 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. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang sidestepped a question about whether top trade negotiator and Vice Premier Liu He's plan to attend this week's talks showed China was negotiating under threat from the U.S. "We hope that the U.S. can still work together with China and meet us halfway, address each other's legitimate concerns and strive to reach an agreement of mutual benefit and win-win on the basis of mutual respect and equality," Geng said. PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad defended his government's record on the anniversary of its election victory Thursday and reiterated that he will hand over power to his successor, Anwar Ibrahim, though he wasn't clear on when. Mahathir's four-party alliance ousted the coalition that has been in power since independence in 1957 amid anger over then-leader Najib Razak's massive financial scandal and the rising cost of living. But euphoria over the victory has faded and the new government has been accused of backsliding on reform promises in its election manifesto. Mahathir told foreign journalists there had been hiccups in pushing through some reforms due to insufficient support in parliament for constitutional changes. "The manifesto is for five years, not for one year, so we are working on that ... there are some promises that have been delayed because of legal problems. For example, certain changes we want to make require some changes in the constitution. For that we need a two-thirds majority" in parliament, he said. Last year, the opposition-controlled senate rejected a bill to repeal a fake news ban rushed through parliament by the previous government ahead of elections. Attempts to abolish capital punishment faltered, and instead courts were given the power to decide whether to impose the death penalty only on some offenses. The government has also withdrawn plans to ratify a U.N. anti-discrimination treaty and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court after coming under pressure from the majority Muslim opposition. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad listens to questions during an interview with foreign media in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Mahathir reiterates that he is an interim prime minister and will stick to his promise to hand over to his successor Anwar Ibrahim. Mahathir told foreign journalists at a briefing to mark his government's first anniversary in power that they will next focus on bolstering the economy after moves to combat corruption and fix the country's finances in the past year. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) Mahathir said in a televised address later Friday that some election promises such as abolishing highway tolls also can't be done yet amid financial constraints following huge debts caused by the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund, economic mismanagement and expensive infrastructure projects. Apart from 1MDB, the government had to spend 24 billion ringgit ($5.8 billion) to bail out land development authority Felda and Muslim pilgrimage fund Tabung Haji, he said. The government can't call off a massive rail link project involving China due to a requirement for heavy compensation but managed to get a sharp discount, he said. "The fact remains that the wrongdoings by the ... government under Najib are a huge problem that is disrupting the country's recovery," he said. Mahathir said Najib, who is on trial for corruption charges linked to 1MDB, and his followers have sought to portray the current government as failing to protect Malay rights under decades-old affirmative action policies to divert attention from Najib's misconduct. Najib's wife, his former deputy and several high-ranking officials also face charges. U.S. investigators say at least $4.5 billion have been stolen from 1MDB and laundered by associates of Najib. Mahathir said his untested alliance of four parties had managed the country well, ferreting out corruption and implementing much-needed institutional reforms. Going forward, Mahathir said economic development will be based on the concept of "shared prosperity" for all races to bolster purchasing power and close the wealth gap between them by 2030. Malay Muslims account for about two-thirds of Malaysia's 32 million people, with large Chinese and Indian minorities. Earlier Friday, Mahathir said he was unfazed by a drop in his popularity in a recent poll by the independent Merdeka Center that showed his approval rating had dropped to 46% from 71% last year. He said it was normal for such ratings to drop as people have high expectations for his government's reform plans. Mahathir, now 93, said he believes he can fix the country's problems within two years but there's no fixed period for him to leave. He stressed he will keep his promise to hand over power, though he didn't mention Anwar Ibrahim by name at the briefing. "I said that I will be an interim prime minister, I hold to that," Mahathir said. "The successor we are thinking of has been with the party for a long time. I think if there are any changes by him, they will not be radical." Mahathir was prime minister for 22 years until 2003, and Anwar was a high-flyer in the former ruling coalition who was convicted of homosexual sodomy and corruption after a power struggle in 1998 with Mahathir. He was freed in 2004 and convicted again in 2015 of sodomy, which he said was concocted to destroy his political career. Due to anger over the 1MDB fiasco, Mahathir returned to politics and he and Anwar put aside their feud to help their four-party alliance win elections last year, with an agreement that Mahathir will hand over power to Anwar. Malaysia's king freed and pardoned Anwar, 70, shortly after the polls but uncertainties over the timing of the handover rattle some investors who fear it could disrupt the economy. TOKYO (AP) - The U.S Navy said Thursday it has suspended its search for a Japanese air force F-35A stealth fighter that crashed off Japan's coast last month, after the allies scrambled to locate the aircraft to protect its military secrets. The pilot is still missing, and Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Japan will continue its search. The Navy said in a statement that it was withdrawing after a salvage vehicle, CURV 21, found debris from the aircraft. It crashed in the Pacific off the eastern coast of Aomori in northern Japan during a night training flight on April 9. It went missing about half an hour after taking off from Misawa air base with three other F-35As and about a minute after the pilot abruptly ordered an end to the training exercise. The Navy was unusually quick in the salvage effort amid air and maritime activity in the region by China and Russia. It dispatched the guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem and P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft to join a Japanese search and rescue team. From April 9 to 17, the U.S. search covered more than 5,000 square nautical miles (17,150 square kilometers) before deploying the CURV 21 remotely operated vehicle, which is capable of salvage operations at a depth of up to 20,000 feet (6,000 meters). Iwaya told the upper house Diplomatic and Defense Affairs Committee that the U.S. salvage vehicle recovered parts of a flight data recorder but the flight data were missing. A joint effort using sonar by the Japanese deep undersea vehicle Kaimei also located and recovered parts of a canopy and other equipment, he said. Iwaya said Kaimei has also withdrawn, but the surface and underwater search is continuing with the participation of Japanese Air Self-Defense Force vessels as well as a private salvage boat. FILE - In this April 10, 2019, file photo, a Japan Coast Guard's vessel and U.S. military plane search for a Japanese fighter jet which crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a night training flight, in the waters off Aomori, northern Japan. The U.S. Navy said in the statement Thursday, May 9, 2019, it is halting its search for a Japanese F-35A stealth fighter that crashed off Japan's coast last month. (Kyodo News via AP, File) "We will continue our search and recovery for the pilot and the aircraft that are still missing, while doing our utmost to determine the cause," he said. Findings of the investigation could affect Japan's F-35 purchase plans, though officials say there has been no change. Japan started deploying the expensive F-35s last year as part of a plan to bolster its capability to counter potential threats from North Korea and China. Under guidelines approved in December, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government plans to buy 147 F-35s, including 105 F-35As, costing about 10 billion yen ($90 million) each. Some were assembled by Japanese defense manufacturers under licensing contracts with Lockheed Martin, a plan that has been scrapped because of higher costs. Japan's government earlier hoped to make the country a regional assembly and maintenance hub for F-35s. The crashed aircraft was the first assembled in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The crashed jet had previous safety issues and they will be reviewed, Iwaya has said. During a test flight in September 2017, it made a "precautionary landing" due to a problem related to a cooling system. In August 2018, it made another unscheduled landing because of a navigation system problem. All 12 remaining F-35 jets at the Misawa base remain grounded. The U.S. Air Force has grounded some F-35A jets in the past after pilots experienced symptoms of hypoxia, or oxygen deficiency. ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese court held an appeal hearing Thursday for a Canadian who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling in a case that has deepened a diplomatic rift between the two countries. The intermediate-level court in northeastern Liaoning province said Robert Schellenberg's sentence would be announced at an unspecified date. Convicted of playing a central role in a methamphetamine smuggling operation, Schellenberg was initially sentenced to 15 years in November, only to be handed the death sentence at a hastily-scheduled January retrial. That came after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, on a U.S. extradition warrant in December. Days later, two Canadians - Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor - were detained in China in apparent retaliation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Schellenberg's sentencing in January and accused China of "arbitrarily" applying the death penalty. Schellenberg, who was arrested in 2014, has maintained his innocence. FILE - In this file image taken from Jan. 14, 2019, video footage run by China's CCTV, Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg attends his retrial at the Dalian Intermediate People's Court in Dalian, northeastern China's Liaoning province. A Chinese court has held an appeal hearing Thursday, May 9, 2019, for the Canadian who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling. No decision was immediately announced after the hearing. (CCTV via AP, File) More than 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of methamphetamine were seized as part of Schellenberg's case, the court said. It called the 36-year-old Canadian the "principal offender" and said the evidence presented was "true and sufficient." Canadian Embassy officials were notified and Schellenberg's litigation rights were lawfully protected during Thursday's proceedings, the court added. Schellenberg's attorney Zhang Dongshuo said it was not clear when the court would announce a decision. "Both sides comprehensively debated what each believes to be the issues in the case," Zhang said, adding that at this stage he cannot assess what the final judgment will be. The appeal hearing followed Meng's court appearance Wednesday in Vancouver. Meng is accused of lying to banks about the company's dealings with Iran in violation of U.S. trade sanctions. Her attorney, Scott Fenton, has argued that comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest the case against her is politically motivated. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of Huawei's technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. China and the U.S. are currently embroiled in a trade dispute that has beleaguered global financial markets. ___ Follow Yanan Wang on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yananw KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan broke ground Thursday on a shipyard to produce submarines to counter China's growing military threat. The self-governing island's President Tsai Ing-wen presided over a ceremony in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, saying submarines were an effective way to deter a foe from surrounding the island by sea. "We must have concept and thinking of asymmetric warfare," Tsai said, referring to the military concept where a smaller opponent can hold off a larger one using specialized strategies and tactics. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory to be annexed for force if necessary, operates a growing navy that boasts some 75 submarines, including latest generation homebuilt vessels. Taiwan operates just four aged submarines but pressure from China has prevented it from buying more abroad. Plans call for the shipyard to produce eight diesel craft, with the first due for completion in 2025. Taiwan relies on the U.S. for much of its defense needs, but the U.S. now only produces nuclear-powered submarines. Taiwan navy sailors salute from a Dutch Zwaardvis-class submarine during a groundbreaking ceremony for the island's naval submarine factory in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) Holland's decision to sell Taiwan two Zwaardvis Class submarines 30 years ago resulted in a major diplomatic rift with Beijing and, under Chinese pressure, they would not sell more, Tsai said. "Therefore, building them indigenously is our only way." she said. Despite Chinese pressure, more than a dozen foreign firms have reportedly expressed strong interest in taking part in the submarine projects under the Kaohsiung-based Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation, also known as CSBC. Tsai has made reviving Taiwan's indigenous armaments industry a priority for her administration. Since Tsai took office in 2016, China has stepped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan in hopes of compelling her to endorse its contention that the island is a part of China, known as the "One-China Principle." That has included sending ships to nearby waters and military aircraft to circle the island, with warplanes this year crossing the center line of the Taiwan Strait for the first time in years. Surveys show large majorities of Taiwanese reject Beijing's demands for political unification between the sides, preferring to maintain their current de-facto independent status. Taiwan navy sailors salute from a Dutch Zwaardvis-class submarine during a groundbreaking ceremony for the island's submarine factory in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen cheers during a groundbreaking ceremony for the island's naval submarine factory in Kaohsiung, southern of Taiwan, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech during a groundbreaking ceremony for the island's naval submarine factory in Kaohsiung, southern of Taiwan, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen breaks ground for Taiwan navy''s indigenous submarine factory during a groundbreaking ceremony in Kaohsiung, southern of Taiwan, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) WASHINGTON (AP) - Authorities served an eviction notice Monday to activists who have stayed for more than a month inside the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington and asked them to leave immediately. The activists have been inside the embassy because they consider Nicolas Maduro the legitimate president of Venezuela. The U.S. and 50 other countries say Maduro's reelection was fraudulent and have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. Gustavo Tarre, Venezuela's representative to the Organization of American States, told The Associated Press that after the eviction notice was served, three activists left the building. Four remained, Tarre said. Brian Becker, national director of the Answer Coalition, which supports the activists, said those still inside the building will not leave voluntarily. He said police cut the chains that were locking the front gate and handed the order to activists who came to the ground level to meet them. Rafael Alfonso, director of operations for the embassy, said it appeared unlikely that the remaining activists would be removed from the embassy Monday night and that the situation would be revisited sometime on Tuesday. Alfonso said once the building had been cleared of activists, he would assess any damage on behalf of the embassy. It was not clear Monday night which U.S. agency issued the eviction notice, though Secret Service agents and District of Columbia police surrounded the embassy. An activist who supports Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro stands by the window of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, Monday, May 13, 2019. U.S. authorities have served an eviction notice to activists who have stayed for more than a month inside the embassy and asked them to leave immediately. (AP Photo/Luis Alonso Lugo) Carlos Vecchio, whom the U.S. recognizes as Venezuela's ambassador, tweeted that "next steps" will be announced soon. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - An oil pipeline that runs across Saudi Arabia was hit Tuesday by drones, the Saudi energy minister said, as regional tensions flared just days after what the kingdom called an attack on two of its oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. While both U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said they were not planning for conflict, the volatility was felt in oil markets with benchmark Brent crude trading over $71 a barrel, up more than $1 on the day. The pipeline that runs from the kingdom's oil-rich Eastern Province to a Red Sea port was shut down, but Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih Al-Falih vowed that the production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. The Houthis, who are at war with Saudi Arabia, said earlier Tuesday they launched seven drones targeting vital Saudi installations, without elaborating. They later claimed responsibility for the pipeline attack in comments broadcast by Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari. In a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, al-Falih called the pipeline attack "cowardly," saying recent acts of sabotage against the kingdom were targeting not only Saudi Arabia but also the safety of the world's energy supply and global economy. The attacks demonstrated the increased risks in a region vital to global energy supplies amid heightened tensions following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and the subsequent re-imposition of U.S. sanctions to cripple the Iranian economy. Iran has since said it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels by July 7 if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. An Emirati coast guard vessel passes an oil tanker off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) The Saudis did not immediately assign blame for the drone assaults, which targeted two oil pumping stations west of the capital supplying the pipeline that runs from the east of Saudi Arabia to the Yanbu Port on its western coast. Still, al-Falih in his statement named Yemeni rebel Houthis as a group that must be internationally confronted and accused them of being backed by Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival. Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Houthis and their allies in Yemen since March 2015, targeting the Iranian-allied rebels with near daily airstrikes. "This is a message to Saudi Arabia: Stop your aggression," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam told The Associated Press. "Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing everyday against the Yemeni people." Saudi Aramco, the government-controlled oil company, said that as a precaution, it temporarily shut down the East-West Pipeline and contained a fire, which caused minor damage to one pumping station. It added that Saudi Aramco's oil and gas supplies were not affected. Saudi Arabia said the two petroleum pumping stations that were struck by drones are located in the greater region of Riyadh, home to the landlocked capital. The stations, targeted around the same time early Tuesday, are located in al-Duadmi and Afif, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west and 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of Riyadh city, respectively. Saudi Arabia built its pipeline in the 1980s amid fears that the Iran-Iraq war would cut off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The 1,200-kilometer (746-mile) pipeline is actually two pipes that have a total capacity of 4.8 million barrels of crude oil a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The two oil pumping stations are over 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Yemen's northern border with the kingdom. The drone strikes reflect how the Houthis have tried to expand their capabilities during the four-year war. The rebels have targeted Riyadh with missiles and used drones to disrupt air traffic at Saudi airports near the Yemen border. Iran has been accused by the U.S. and the U.N. of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis, which Tehran denies. In Washington, Trump told reporters he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops to the Middle East, but that he's not planned for that and hopefully won't have to plan for that. While Trump dismissed a report in The New York Times that the White House is reviewing military plans against Iran that could result in sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons, he said if the U.S. was going to get into a military conflict with Iran, "we'd send a hell of a lot more" troops. Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader who has final say on all state matters, was quoted by state TV as telling senior officials that his country won't negotiate with the United States, calling such talks "poison." But he also said, "Neither we, nor them is seeking war. They know that it is not to their benefit." At a Tuesday evening gathering, he reportedly added: "This is not a military confrontation, because no war is going to happen." Washington recently deployed an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. The U.S. has recently warned ships that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. Meanwhile, the details around alleged acts of sabotage to four oil tankers, including two belonging to Saudi Arabia, off the coast of the UAE's port of Fujairah remain unclear. Satellite images obtained Tuesday by the AP showed no visible damage to the vessels, and Gulf officials have refused to say who they suspected was responsible. The MT Andrea Victory, one of the alleged targets, sustained a hole in its hull just above its waterline from "an unknown object," its owner Thome Ship Management said in a statement. Images of the Norwegian ship, which the company said was "not in any danger of sinking," showed damage similar to what the firm described. Satellite images provided to the AP by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies showed a boom surrounding the Emirati oil tanker A. Michel, indicating the possibility of an oil leak. The other three showed no visible damage from above. A U.S. official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told AP that a U.S. military team's initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation and thus spoke on condition of anonymity. Speaking in New Delhi, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad said he spoke with Indian officials about concerns of "suspicious activities and sabotage in the region." "We announced that we had previously predicted these sorts of activities aimed at escalating tension in the region," he said. Also Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates that was part of a U.S.-led fleet from near the Persian Gulf because of the mounting tensions. The Ministry of Defense said the Mendez Nunez, with 215 sailors aboard, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf with the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Spanish frigate was the only non-U.S. vessel in the fleet. ___ Associated Press writers Maggie Michael and Samy Magdy in Cairo and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amjad off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Emirati-flagged oil tanker A. Michel off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Norwegian-flagged oil tanker Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Al Marzoqa off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Norwegian-flagged oil tanker MT Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Emirati-flagged bunkering tanker A. Michel off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Norwegian-flagged oil tanker MT Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) A fisherman prepares his boat near an oil storage tank in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) A fishing boat sails in waters off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) In this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a meeting with governmental officials in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Khamenei said his country won't negotiate with the United States and there will be no war between the two countries. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) In this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a meeting with governmental officials in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Khamenei said his country won't negotiate with the United States and there will be no war between the two countries. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) CUCUTA, Colombia (AP) - Arelys Pulido had already lost one baby in a neglected Venezuelan hospital where doctors and medical gear are in increasingly short supply, so when she got pregnant again she decided to give birth in a foreign land. She packed suitcases filled with clothes and a few prized ceramic statues of saints that she hoped would grant her and her unborn child protection as they passed through one of the perilous illegal crossings into Colombia. Earlier this year, Zuleidys Antonella Primera was born, a lively girl with dark hair and eyes bearing no hint of the odyssey her mother went through so she could deliver her in a hospital across the border in the city of Cucuta. Yet little Zuleidys so far has neither the citizenship of the country her parents fled nor that of the nation where she was born. She is one of a growing number of children who have been left essentially stateless. "It's one more thing to worry about," said Jose Antonio Primera, the baby's father, a former military officer who now paints motorcycles for a living. While the children born to migrants qualify for Venezuelan citizenship, they would need to formally register at a consulate or travel to Venezuela to obtain it. Both options are out of the question for many families. They do not want to return until conditions improve and consulates are closed after President Nicolas Maduro severed diplomatic relations with Colombia in February. Arelys Pulido holds her two-month-old daughter Zuleidys Antonella Primera after she had her feet prints taken for her birth certificate at the Erazmo Meoz hospital in Cucuta, on Colombia's border with Venezuela, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Colombia's government grants newborns like Zuleidys Antonella Primera, born of illegal Venezuelan migrants, full health care during the first year of life and allows them to enroll in school, but experts on statelessness fear that if Venezuela's crisis drags on for years, they could approach adulthood without key rights such as the ability to travel legally, buy property or get married. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Colombia's government grants the newborns full health care during the first year of life and allows them to enroll in school, but experts on statelessness fear that if Venezuela's crisis drags on for years, they could approach adulthood without key rights such as the ability to travel legally, buy property or get married. Colombia's National Civil Registry counts at least 3,290 children born since December 2017 who have been unable to obtain citizenship. Rights groups contend the numbers could be as high as 25,000. Even by the lowest count, advocates say, the number of children at risk of statelessness now living in Colombia is worrisome. "It is a significant number when you think of it being created out of one crisis," said Amal de Chickera, co-director of the Netherlands-based Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion. "And if it is prolonged and if it's not nipped in the bud it can become much bigger." Nearly 1.3 million Venezuelans now reside in Colombia, about 40% of whom are in the country without any legal status. Colombia has received more Venezuelan migrants than any other nation, and the numbers are not expected to dip any time soon. Even with the border between the neighboring countries officially closed, thousands stream into Colombia each day using the same dirt roads that Pulido crossed while pregnant. Colombia's constitution only offers birthright citizenship to children who have at least one Colombian parent or a mother or father who can prove legal residency based on visa status. Many Venezuelan arrivals do not have a passport, let alone a visa. A temporary, two-year visa that Colombia's government has provided as a stopgap measure to nearly 600,000 Venezuelans does not qualify babies for citizenship. That has left many babies in a legal limbo. Colombian officials say it is Venezuela's fault that a new generation of children born abroad are virtually statelessness, but they are working on finding a remedy. "We're all in agreement that exceptional measures need to be taken," said Alfredo Posada, a spokesman for Colombia's National Civil Registry. A government proposal in the works would allow any Venezuelan child born in Colombia since the current exodus began in August 2015 to qualify for citizenship and is expected to be approved in the weeks ahead while legislators are considering a similar bill in congress. Statelessness first became an international concern between World War I and World War II as the population of those fleeing persecution or excluded from nationality laws rose, said David Baluarte, an expert on statelessness at Washington and Lee University. The issue caused heightened alarm during World War II when Jews were stripped of their citizenship in Nazi Germany before being sent to concentration camps. Two United Nations treaties were created protecting the right to citizenship, but today an estimated 10 to 15 million people around the globe are considered stateless. Statelessness experts say the onus is on Colombia to rectify the status of Venezuelan children born on its territory. "In the present moment, these children would be stateless in Colombia, so the obligation is on them to grant citizenship," de Chickera said. "That would be a really strict reading of the law, but I think it's important to take into consideration that this is quite an extraordinary moment." When born in Colombia, the children are given a birth certificate, but it clearly states at the bottom, "Not valid for nationality." "The fact that the parent is an undocumented migrant shouldn't mean that the child is born an undocumented migrant," lawyer Xiomara Rauseo said. At the present moment, Venezuelan parents can try going through the courts to get Colombian citizenship for their children, but few have succeeded. Two cases are currently being considered by the constitutional court, said Lucia Ramirez, a coordinator for investigations and migration issues at the human rights non-profit Dejusticia. Others have tried going through the Ministry of Foreign Relations, which must consider any cases in which a foreign consulate does not provide citizenship within three months. Ramirez said Dejusticia is only aware of one case that has succeeded to date. That child, however, was not born to Venezuelan migrants. "It's not a pathway that people are using," she said. At the Erasmo Meoz University Hospital in the border city of Cucuta, parents clutching newborns stand outside a registry office, eager to ink their children's feet and obtain their official birth record, only to find out the country isn't granting them citizenship. "The normal thing to do would be for them to all get Colombian citizenship," said Eduardo Bravo, a former police officer, while bouncing his infant daughter in his arms. "We aren't here in Colombia because we want to be. It's out of necessity." Pulido, 44, first crossed the border into Colombia four months into her pregnancy for ultrasounds she couldn't get in her home country. The journey on foot and over a river on a makeshift canoe wore on her, as did painful memories of her last pregnancy: The child died during childbirth after a usually minor complication. Pulido blames that on Venezuela's worsening humanitarian crisis. "Several friends died giving birth there," she said. "I had to come." At eight months pregnant, she packed her bags and left for good. On a recent afternoon, Pulido and her husband Primera examined the piece of white paper with their daughter's tiny black footprints provided by the hospital. They were at a loss of how to interpret it, at once happy but also confused. The couple said they didn't care so much about whether Zuleidys grows up Colombian or Venezuelan so long as one of those two countries recognizes her. "As long as she has rights like any other human being, as a citizen," Primera said. In the meantime, the family is struggling with a host of equally or more pressing concerns as they try to build a new life abroad. Work has been hard to come by for Primera. The couple sleeps with the baby on a mattress on the floor in an apartment with three rooms that house 13 people. And they still don't have a refrigerator. The statues of saints that Pulido lugged across the border sit on a concrete cement shelf below reused Pepsi bottles storing water. "We're in the hands of God," Primera said. ___ Christine Armario on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cearmario Arelys Pulido, right, holds her two-month-old daughter Zuleidys Antonella Primera as they are processed for her baby's birth certificate at the Erazmo Meoz hospital in Cucuta, on Colombia's border with Venezuela, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Colombia has received more Venezuelan migrants than any other nation, and the numbers are not expected to dip any time soon. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Arelys Pulido holds her two-month-old daughter Zuleidys Antonella Primera, waiting to obtain the baby's birth certificate at the Erazmo Meoz hospital in Cucuta, on Colombia's border with Venezuela, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Pulido had already lost one baby in Venezuelan hospital where doctors and medical gear are in increasingly short supply, so when she got pregnant again she travelled to Colombia and gave birth to Zuleidy. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Two-month-old daughter Zuleidy Primera sleeps at her family's home in Cucuta, Colombia, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Zuleidy is one of a growing number of children born to undocumented Venezuelan migrants in Colombia who have been left essentially stateless. "It's one more thing to worry about," said Jose Antonio Primera, the baby's father, a former military officer who now paints motorcycles for a living. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Venezuelan migrat Jose Antonio Pulido stands next to her two-month-old daughter Zuleidys Antonella Primera at their home in Cucuta, Colombia, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Zuleidys so far has neither the Venezuelan citizenship of the country her parents fled from nor the Colombian citizenship, the nation where she was born. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Siblings and cousins newly born Zuleidys Antonella Primera, sit in the living room of their home in Cucuta, Colombia, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Nearly 1.3 million Venezuelans now reside in Colombia, about 40% of whom are in the country without any legal status. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Vegetables, appliances, plates, cups, cutlery, toys and statuettes of popular saint stand in the kitchen of the Primera Pulido family in Cucuta, Colombia, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Arelys Pulido, brought the prized ceramic statues of the saints from her home in Venezuela, hoping they would grant her and her unborn child protection as they passed through one of the perilous illegal crossings into Colombia. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Former Venezuelan police officer Eduardo Bravo, right top, Bravo cradles his baby Aranza Gabriela Bravo as they wait at the Erazmo Meoz hospital to get her birth certificate, in Cucuta, Colombia, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Colombia's National Civil Registry counts at least 3,290 children born since December 2017 who have been unable to obtain citizenship. Rights groups contend the numbers could be as high as 25,000. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Alabama Senate passes near-total ban on abortion MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama's Senate passed a near-total ban on abortion Tuesday, sending what would be the nation's most stringent abortion law to the state's Republican governor. The Republican-dominated Senate voted 25-6 for the bill that would make performing an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison for the abortion provider. The only exception would be when the woman's health is at serious risk. Senators rejected an attempt to add an exception for rape and incest. The amendment was voted down 21-11, with four Republicans joining Democrats in the seeking the amendment. "You don't care anything about babies having babies in this state, being raped and incest," Democratic Sen. Bobby Singleton said after the amendment's defeat. "You just aborted the state of Alabama with your rhetoric with this bill." Rep. Terri Collins, the bill's sponsor, said she expects Gov. Kay Ivey to sign the bill into law. Ivey has not publicly commented on what she'll do. ___ Global worries flare over whether US sliding toward Iran war WASHINGTON (AP) - International worries that the Trump administration is sliding toward war with Iran flared into the open Tuesday amid skepticism about its claims that the Islamic Republic poses a growing threat to the U.S. and its allies in the Persian Gulf and beyond . The U.S. military rebutted doubts expressed by a British general about such a threat. President Donald Trump denied a report that the administration has updated plans to send more than 100,000 troops to counter Iran if necessary. But Trump then stirred the controversy further by saying: "Would I do that? Absolutely." The general's remarks exposed international skepticism over the American military build-up in the Middle East, a legacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq that was predicated on false intelligence. U.S. officials have not publicly provided any evidence to back up claims of an increased Iranian threat amid other signs of allied unease. As tensions in the region started to surge, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his nation was worried about the risk of accidental conflict "with an escalation that is unintended really on either side." Then on Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates from the U.S.-led combat fleet heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. That was followed by the unusual public challenge to the Trump administration by the general. "No, there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," said Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, a senior officer in the U.S.-backed coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Ghika, speaking in a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the coalition monitors the presence of Iranian-backed forces "along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in." ___ Analysis: Persian Gulf tensions, unclear threats raise risks DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Murky claims of sabotage to oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A drone attack on a pipeline in Saudi Arabia. A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group steaming toward an unspecified threat. The events roiling the Persian Gulf in recent days have the potential to affect everything from the price of a gallon of gas to the fate of nations. And for those feeling confused by it all, don't worry: Everyone else seems to be puzzled too, only raising the possibility of a miscalculation. Just as what sparked the rapid series of market-moving events remains unclear; so does the reason for the White House deploying warships and B-52 bombers to the region. Days later, Iran marked the anniversary of President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers by announcing it also would begin backing away from the accord. It set a 60-day deadline for Europe to offer it a better deal before it would begin enriching uranium to higher levels that the West fears could allow it to obtain atomic bombs. ___ Trump's defense of tariffs based on dubious claims WASHINGTON (AP) - He's been contradicted by one of his top advisers, dinged in regular fact checks and called out by top economists. Still, President Donald Trump has held firm to dubious declarations about trade policy, raising questions among experts and even his allies about whether he either can't - or won't - grasp the fundamentals of the issue. This week, as he escalates a trade war with China, Trump has misstated how the tariffs are paid, who pays them and the significance and size of the trade deficit. His assertions came even as others in the White House worry about whether Trump's zeal for tariffs could have a political price. The president's frequent claims provide a window into his long-held beliefs on trade and the difficulty of changing his economic worldview. They also signal that Trump may not back off the hawkish approach easily and is almost certain to continue to misrepresent the likely impact. Trump's views on tariffs depart from conventional economics in at least three ways: He has repeatedly claimed that the Chinese - not Americans - are paying the 25% tariff he has imposed on $250 billion of Chinese imports. He has described the trade deficits that the United States runs with other individual countries as total economic losses. And he argues that the U.S. trade deficit with all other countries combined is a result of bad trade policy. On all three questions, trade experts fundamentally disagree. ___ Border wall to go up in national monument, wildlife refuge PHOENIX (AP) - The U.S. government plans on replacing barriers through 100 miles (161 kilometers) of the southern border in California and Arizona, including through a national monument and a wildlife refuge, according to documents and environmental advocates. The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday again waived environmental and dozens of other laws to build more barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Funding will come from the Defense Department following the emergency declaration that President Donald Trump signed this year after Congress refused to approve the amount of border wall funding he requested. Barriers will go up at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, a vast park named after the unique cactus breed that decorates it, and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, which is largely a designed wilderness home to 275 wildlife species. The government will also build new roads and lighting in those areas in Arizona. Environmental advocates who have sued to stop the construction of the wall say this latest plan will be detrimental to the wildlife and habitat in those areas. ___ AP sources: Panel reaches deal with Trump Jr. for interview WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Intelligence Committee has struck a deal with Donald Trump Jr. to appear for a closed-door interview next month, pulling the two sides back, for now, from a confrontation over a subpoena as part of the panel's Russia investigation. Under the terms of the deal, according to two people familiar with the agreement, Trump Jr. will talk to the committee in mid-June for up to four hours. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday to discuss the confidential terms. The deal comes after the panel subpoenaed President Donald Trump's eldest son to discuss answers he gave the panel's staff in a 2017 interview. Trump Jr. had backed out of interviews twice, prompting the subpoena, according to people familiar with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr's remarks to a GOP luncheon last week. Those people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Burr's remarks in the private senators' meeting. The deadline for Trump Jr. to respond was Monday, according to one of the people familiar with the terms. His lawyers drafted a letter to the committee declining an appearance and the president's son expected to be held in contempt for declining to be interviewed. But before the letter was sent, the committee reached out Monday evening and extended the deadline. The deal was then struck. ___ Consumers could be collateral damage if US expands tariffs WASHINGTON (AP) - For many Americans, President Donald Trump's trade war may soon get very real. His administration is preparing to extend 25% tariffs to practically all Chinese imports not already hit with duties, including toys, sneakers, shirts, alarm clocks, toasters and coffeemakers. That's roughly $300 billion worth of products on top of the $250 billion targeted earlier. "The administration's decision to announce a tax on every product coming from China puts America's entire economy at risk," the Retail Industry Leaders Association said in a statement. "Americans' entire shopping cart will get more expensive." Trump's tariffs are meant to put pressure on China in trade negotiations. The two countries have held 11 rounds of talks over American allegations that China steals technology, forces foreign companies to hand over trade secrets and unfairly subsidizes its own companies in a push to challenge U.S. technological dominance. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Monday published a list of 3,805 products that could be hit for the first time with 25% tariffs. The list includes things like tuna, pacifiers, saw blades, flashlights, door chimes, billiard balls and golf carts. It excludes pharmaceuticals and rare-earth minerals used in electronics and batteries. ___ San Francisco bans police use of face recognition technology SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - San Francisco supervisors voted Tuesday to ban the use of facial recognition software by police and other city departments, becoming the first U.S. city to outlaw a rapidly developing technology that has alarmed privacy and civil liberties advocates. The ban is part of broader legislation that requires city departments to establish use policies and obtain board approval for surveillance technology they want to purchase or are using at present. Several other local governments require departments to disclose and seek approval for surveillance technology. "This is really about saying: 'We can have security without being a security state. We can have good policing without being a police state.' And part of that is building trust with the community based on good community information, not on Big Brother technology," said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who championed the legislation. The ban applies to San Francisco police and other municipal departments. It does not affect use of the technology by the federal government at airports and ports, nor does it limit personal or business use. The San Francisco board did not spend time Tuesday debating the outright ban on facial recognition technology, focusing instead on the possible burdens placed on police, the transit system and other city agencies that need to maintain public safety. ___ Synagogue shooting suspect pleads not guilty to hate crimes SAN DIEGO (AP) - The man suspected of killing a woman in a shooting at a Southern California synagogue pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges Tuesday. John T. Earnest spoke twice during the brief hearing - to acknowledge his name and to say he agreed with his court-appointed attorney's decision against seeking bail. Earnest, 19, is charged with bursting into the Chabad of Poway synagogue on April 27 and opening fire with an assault rifle, killing one and injuring three. Peter Ko, an assistant U.S. attorney, told the judge that the government had not decided whether to seek the death penalty. He reaffirmed plans to try Earnest separately and simultaneously with a state charge of murder that is classified as a hate crime, which also exposes Earnest to a potential death sentence. Earnest had a buzz haircut and didn't wear glasses, unlike his first appearance in state court two weeks ago, when he had a full head of hair. He looked blankly at Magistrate Judge Michael Berg as the judge explained the proceedings and followed along with his attorney, Kathryn Nester, as she flipped pages of the charging document that the judge read aloud. Earnest's wrists and ankles were shackled. ___ Comedian Tim Conway of 'The Carol Burnett Show' dies at 85 LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tim Conway, the impish second banana to Carol Burnett who won four Emmy Awards on her TV variety show, starred aboard "McHale's Navy" and later voiced the role of Barnacle Boy for "Spongebob Squarepants," has died. He was 85. Conway died Tuesday morning in a Los Angeles care facility, according to Howard Bragman, who heads LaBrea Media. Conway's wife, Charlene Fusco, and a daughter, Jackie, were at his side. The cause was a disorder in which there is an excess of fluid on the brain, Bragman said. Burnett said in a statement Tuesday that she was heartbroken. "He was one in a million, not only as a brilliant comedian but as a loving human being. I cherish the times we had together both on the screen and off. He'll be in my heart forever." Tributes also came from across the comedy world, including from Conan O'Brien, who said "no one made me laugh harder than Tim Conway" and Kathy Griffin, who called him "a wildly talented, comedy giant." Al Roker tweeted out a link to Conway playing a hysterically incompetent dentist. A native of Ohio, Conway credited his Midwestern roots for putting him on the right path to laughs, with his deadpan expression and innocent, simple-minded demeanor. NEW BERLIN, Wis. (AP) - Business was good at the merchandise table as Republicans meeting at a suburban Milwaukee bowling alley picked out their Trump 2020 "Keep America Great" hats, now available in pink, blue and camouflage in addition to the trademark red. Bruce Kudick, a proud Donald Trump supporter with a little extra money in his pocket these days, bought two. The 60-year-old says he hoped to retire and move to Florida in 2014 after he sold the bar and bowling alley he owned. But health insurance got too expensive and his insurer pulled out of the individual market "because of Obamacare," so Kudick got a job with a Wisconsin blood center setting up blood drives. He just got a $3.75-per-hour raise - an example, he says, of how the economy is booming with a businessman in the White House. "You can't tell me if you walked up to anybody and asked, 'Is your life better?' they can say anything other than 'yes,'" Kudick said. The economy already is at the center of the 2020 fight for president, particularly in Midwestern states that supported Trump in 2016 and that Democrats are determined to recapture next year. The Democrats' challenge may be especially difficult in Wisconsin, a toss-up state that has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Trump boasted of the job numbers during a rally in Green Bay last month, also noting the U.S. economy's better-than-expected 3.2% growth in the first quarter. Nationally, unemployment is at 3.6% - a 50-year low. Wisconsin's is 2.9%. In this May 3, 2019 photo, Bruce Kudick shows off the Trump 2020 hats he bought during a Waukesha County GOP gathering in his hometown of New Berlin, Wis. Kudick, who retired but went back to work at a Wisconsin blood center, just got a raise and he's giving President Donald Trump credit for the strong economy. (AP Photo/Sara Burnett) Democrats insist that Wisconsin families should still be aggrieved: that they should be seeing more of the economy's benefits, but wealthy people and corporations are taking too much. The Democratic group Priorities USA launched ads ahead of Trump's visit - part of a $100 million early investment planned for Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan. The group noted Wisconsin's average annual wage was more than $4,000 below the national average. How people feel is the key question. In AP VoteCast, a national survey of voters in last year's midterm election, 68% of Wisconsin voters rated the economy as good or excellent and about as many said their family was holding steady financially. Rita Lock, a 54-year-old Democrat from Milwaukee, said she's dissatisfied and was happy to see former Vice President Joe Biden get into the 2020 presidential race. She believes that former President Barack Obama, who took office during the Great Recession, deserves credit for the turnaround and that too many people still are struggling. "People have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Everything will be better when a person can just work one job," said Lock, who runs an organization that advocates for criminal justice reform. The state's economy is driven largely by manufacturing, health care and agriculture, with Wisconsin - known as "America's Dairyland" - the country's largest cheese producer. Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Trump's trade policies have contributed to falling milk prices. Mexico, Canada, Europe and China imposed retaliatory tariffs on American dairy products after Trump placed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum. "Donald Trump has been a disaster - for our state, for our country, for our dairy farmers," Barnes said at a Democratic gathering before Trump's Green Bay event. Barnes and Gov. Tony Evers defeated Republican Gov. Scott Walker last fall in a victory that energized Wisconsin Democrats. Barnes said he hopes their campaign can serve as a lesson for Democrats in 2020 to be bold. "People didn't always want to talk about criminal justice reform. They didn't want to talk about immigration. They said 'don't mention it. You're going to lose people,'" Barnes said. "But when we talked about it we found out that we gained people." They've also pressed for expanding Medicaid and spending more on education. Democratic Party of Wisconsin leader Martha Laning said the win was aided by more than 200 grassroots teams formed across the state after Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss. Those teams, knocking on doors in both urban and rural areas, will be back in action in 2020, Laning said. But just a few months after the 2018 midterms - when Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin also easily won reelection - a conservative Republican won a statewide seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, again prompting questions about which way the state leans politically. Terry Dittrich, GOP chair in reliably Republican Waukesha County, west of Milwaukee, says the party may have been complacent in 2018, but not now. "Our grassroots will be out in force," Dittrich said. "This state is going to be a razor-thin race." Tight races are not unfamiliar in Wisconsin. Three of the last five presidential races have been decided by less than 1 percent of the vote, with the exception being Obama's wins in 2008 and 2012. Obama picked up support in traditionally conservative areas that had lost thousands of industrial jobs, but those areas swung heavily to Trump in 2016. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said the state's party balance has moved from 3 to 5 percentage points pro-Democratic a few years ago to a dead-even split. He noted Trump's favorability rating here has been in the low- to mid-40s since he became president - which is higher than before the 2016 election. "Trump has a more unified Republican Party behind him now than he had going into November of 2016," Franklin said. "He has a Democratic Party that's very opposed, but they were already opposed. ... And with independents he did make some improvements." Franklin also said the economy is "absolutely" a plus for an incumbent who has the numbers Trump is seeing in Gross Domestic Product, earnings and unemployment. Nik Rettinger, the 28-year-old first vice chairman of Waukesha County GOP, said he knows several people who were Trump skeptics but have come around to him in no small part because of the economy. "We want people moving out of their parents' basements," he said. "A lot of people said, 'I don't know if he can do it.' Now they think: He's done it." ___ Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. In this May 3, 2019 photo, Waukesha County GOP chairman Terry Dittrich and volunteer Valerie Houk gather for a "pints and politics" meeting in New Berlin, Wis. The economy already is at the center of the 2020 fight for president, particularly in states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania that supported Trump in 2016 and that Democrats want to recapture next year. (AP Photo/Sara Burnett) In this May 3, 2019 photo, Waukesha County GOP volunteers Wendy Radant, left, and Valerie Houk, right, sell Trump merchandise during a party gathering in New Berlin, Wis. The economy already is at the center of the 2020 fight for president, particularly in states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania that supported Trump in 2016 and that Democrats want to recapture next year. (AP Photo/Sara Burnett) BEIJING (AP) - Diplomats have visited a Canadian think tank expert whose detention in China is believed to be an attempt to pressure Canada to release Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Canadian consular officials visited with Michael Kovrig on Monday, the country's diplomatic service said in an emailed message. No details were given in keeping with privacy rules. Chinese official media have accused Korvig, a former diplomat and Asia expert at the International Crisis Group, of acting with Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to steal state secrets. Both were arrested on Dec. 10 after Meng was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities who want her extradited to face fraud charges. In its statement, Global Affairs Canada said it was concerned about the men's "arbitrary" detentions and called for their immediate release. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, is accused of lying to banks about the company's dealings with Iran in violation of U.S. trade sanctions. Her attorney has argued that comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest the case against her is politically motivated. FILE - In this file image made from March 28, 2018, video, Michael Kovrig, an adviser with the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based non-governmental organization, speaks during an interview in Hong Kong. Diplomats have visited a Canadian think tank expert on Monday, May 13, 2019, whose detention in China is believed to be an attempt to pressure Canada to release Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. (AP Photo, File) Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of Huawei's technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. China and the U.S. are currently embroiled in a trade dispute that has beleaguered global financial markets. Another Canadian held in China, Robert Schellenberg, was re-sentenced to death in a drug case following Meng's detention. His case is currently under appeal. BANGKOK (AP) - A United Nations fact-finding mission urged Tuesday that countries cut off all business with Myanmar's military as part of efforts to hold the army accountable for human rights abuses. The independent investigators, working under a mandate from the U.N. Human Rights Council, said in a statement that there has been no progress toward resolving the crisis over Myanmar's mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, more than 1 million of whom have fled military "clearance operations" in the northwest Rakhine region. "The situation is at a total standstill," said Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. Myanmar authorities have razed deserted Rohingya villages and members of the minority remaining in the country live in displacement camps and in fear of further military reprisals. "Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military - to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence," Christopher Sidoti, a member of the mission, said in the statement. The mission found that the military has committed atrocities against many ethnic groups living within Myanmar. It also faulted armed ethnic groups for committing human rights abuses. FILE - In this June 29, 2018, file photo, Rohingya refugees look out from their camp near a fence during a government-organized media tour to a no-man's land between Myanmar and Bangladesh, near Taungpyolatyar village, Maung Daw, northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. The U.N. Human Rights Council said in a statement on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 that there has been no progress in the crisis over Myanmar's mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, more than 1 million of whom have fled military "clearance operations" in the northwest Rakhine region. It said those remaining in the country live in displacement camps and in fear. (AP Photo/Min Kyi Thein, File) Myanmar denies allegations of human rights violations in Rakhine, saying its security forces have not targeted civilians and have taken action only in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. U.N. officials and others have likened the actions to ethnic cleansing, or even genocide. The Fact-Finding Mission is to hand its findings to a new group of the Human Right Council, the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar, in September. That organization was set up to handle criminal prosecution of violations of international law. The crisis in Rahkine has soured Myanmar's relations with the United States, which had rolled back economic sanctions over the past decade to support political change in the country as it transitioned toward democracy. The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on Myanmar security forces and Washington has barred Myanmar military officials involved in the Rakhine operations from U.S. assistance. Britain has also cut some support. The U.N. and independent rights advocates want governments to do more to hold the military accountable. No major Western powers make sales or provide aid directly to Myanmar's military. But the military has holding companies in several major civilian economic sectors, and in some cases, Western countries allow business to be done with companies in which the army holds a stake, contributing to its revenues. Any effort to stop the flow of money to the country's military is likely to fall short because of Myanmar's close relationship with China, which maintains no sanctions and as its top trade partner accounts for about one-third of all imports and exports, in addition to being a leading investor. China is also by far the top supplier of arms to Myanmar, according to statistics published by the Swedish International Peace Research Institute. Russia and Belarus, also without sanctions against Myanmar, were the second and third biggest suppliers of arms from 2014 to 2018, according to the institute. ___ This story has been corrected to attribute the Tuesday statement to the Fact-Finding Mission instead of the U.N. Human Rights Council. Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of phones without any user interaction. The Financial Times identified the hacking group as Israel's NSO Group, which has been widely condemned for selling surveillance tools to repressive governments. WhatsApp all but confirmed the identification, describing hackers as "a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware." A spokesman for the Facebook subsidiary later said: "We're certainly not refuting any of the coverage you've seen." WhatsApp has released a new version of the app containing a fix. The spyware did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption that makes WhatsApp chats and calls private. It merely used a bug in the WhatsApp software as an infection vehicle. The malware allows spies to effectively take control of a phone - remotely and surreptitiously controlling its cameras and microphones and vacuuming up personal and location data. Encryption is worthless once a phone's operating system has been violated. Hackers are always looking for flaws in apps and operating systems that they can exploit to deliver spyware. State-run intelligence agencies including the U.S. National Security Agency invest tens of millions of dollars on it. Indeed, Google's ProjectZero bug-hunting team scoured WhatsApp last year looking for vulnerabilities but did not find any. Instead, it was WhatsApp's security team that found the flaw. FILE - This Friday, March 10, 2017, file photo shows the WhatsApp communications app on a smartphone, in New York. WhatsApp says a vulnerability in the popular communications app let mobile phones be infected with sophisticated spyware with a missed in-app call alone. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File) The development comes as Facebook looks to triple down on its messaging services by merging WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct and bringing WhatsApp-level encryption to the others. The attack would not affect Facebook's ability to do that. The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone using the app's voice calling function, said the WhatsApp spokesman, who was not authorized to be quoted by name. He said an unknown number of people - an amount in the dozens at least would not be inaccurate - were infected with the malware, which the company discovered in early May, the spokesman said. John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack "a very scary vulnerability." "There's nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app," he said. The vast majority of hacks involve some sort of user interaction, such as clicking on an infected link. The WhatsApp spokesman said its flaw was discovered while "our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls." He said engineers found that people targeted for infection "might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them. In the process of calling, this code gets shipped." WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. He said WhatsApp also provided information to U.S. law enforcement officials to assist in their investigations. "We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities," WhatsApp said in a statement. Although WhatsApp urged all users to update the program on their phones, only a minuscule percentage run the risk of being targeted by such malware. NSO said in a statement that its technology is used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to fight "crime and terror." "We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system," the statement said. A spokesman for Stephen Peel, whose private equity firm Novalpina recently announced the purchase of part of NSO, did not return an email seeking comment. The revelation adds to the questions over the reach of the Israeli company's powerful spyware. Prior to the latest WhatsApp revelation, NSO's spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year and whose body has never been found. Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are currently suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking. On Monday, Amnesty International - which said last year that one its staffers was also targeted with the spyware - said it would join in a legal bid to force Israel's Ministry of Defense to suspend NSO's export license. That makes the discovery of the vulnerability particularly disturbing because one of the targets was a U.K.-based human rights lawyer, the attorney told The Associated Press. The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons, said he received several suspicious missed calls over the past few months, the most recent one on Sunday, only hours before WhatsApp issued the update to users fixing the flaw. In its statement, NSO said it "would not or could not" use its own technology to target "any person or organization, including this individual." While the timing of the hack is unfortunate for Facebook as it trots out a "privacy-focused" vision centered on messaging, people quickly forget about these problems, said Nate Elliott, who runs the research firm Nineteen Insights. Just a day after WhatsApp disclosed the flaw, Intel revealed a hardware vulnerability that could affect millions of machines around the world. The bug is embedded in the architecture of computer hardware and can't be fully fixed. But Intel said Tuesday there's no evidence of anyone exploiting it outside of a research laboratory, as it's difficult to pull off. ___ AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco contributed to this story. ___ Follow Frank Bajak at http://twitter.com/fbajak and Raphael Satter at http://twitter.com/razhael JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's government went on a spending binge in its West Bank settlements following the election of President Donald Trump, according to official data obtained by The Associated Press. Both supporters and detractors of the settlement movement have previously referred to a "Trump effect," claiming the president's friendlier approach to the settlements is leading to additional West Bank construction. While the new Israeli figures obtained in a freedom of information request do not prove a direct connection, they indicate this process may already be underway, showing a 39% increase in 2017 spending on roads, schools and public buildings across the West Bank. Hagit Ofran, a researcher with the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now, said it appears that Trump's election has emboldened Israel's pro-settler government. "They are not shy anymore with what they are doing," she said. "They feel more free to do whatever they want." Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, offered even sharper criticism. "This proves that the current U.S. administration encouraged settlement activities," he said. FILE - This Jan. 10, 2019 file photo, shows a newly opened segregated West Bank highway near Jerusalem. Israel's government went on a spending binge in its West Bank settlements following the election of President Donald Trump, according to official data obtained by The Associated Press. Both supporters and detractors of the settlement movement have previously referred to a "Trump effect," claiming the president's more lenient approach to the settlements would result in additional West Bank construction. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File) Since capturing the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, Israel has settled some 700,000 of its citizens in the two areas, which are considered occupied territory by most of the world. The international community has objected to Israel's moving people into settlements in those territories as both illegal and a deliberate obstacle to any future Palestinian state. The Palestinians, who claim both the West Bank and east Jerusalem as parts of their future state, consider the settlements illegal land grabs. Scores of fast-growing settlements control strategic hilltops and swaths of the West Bank, making it increasingly difficult to partition the territory. For decades, the international community and the U.S. have expressed concern over the settlements while doing little to halt their construction. But since taking office, Trump, whose inner circle of Mideast advisers have longstanding ties to the settler movement, has taken a different approach. The White House has urged restraint but refrained from the blanket condemnations of its Republican and Democratic predecessors. "The Trump administration is undoubtedly the most friendly American administration of all time," said Oded Revivi, the chief foreign envoy of the Yesha settlers' council. "In contrast, the Obama years were extremely hard for Israel. Now we are making up for lost ground." The government statistics, released by Israel's Finance Ministry, showed Israeli spending in the West Bank in 2017, Trump's first year in office, rose to 1.65 billion shekels, or $459.8 million, from 1.19 billion shekels in 2016. The 2017 figures were the highest in the 15 years of data provided by the Finance Ministry, though spending also climbed in 2016. At the time, President Barack Obama, a vocal critic of the settlements, was a lame duck, and relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were cool. In contrast, the lowest year of Israeli spending was 2009, when both Netanyahu and Obama took office, when it was 760.7 million shekels. The data included only the first half of 2018, so full-year comparisons were not available. The ministry released the data after two years of requests from the AP, which received backing early this year from "The Movement for Freedom of Information," a legal advocacy group that assists journalists. The figures include only government spending, so construction and purchases of private homes are not included. Israel also does not include items like police, education, health and military spending, saying such services are provided to all Israelis regardless of where they live. In addition, spending in east Jerusalem is excluded. Israel considers the area part of its capital, although the vast majority of the world does not recognize its annexation. But even with these caveats, the data provide a valuable snapshot of Israel's priorities. The figures include spending on public construction projects, such as roads, schools, social centers, synagogues, shopping malls and industrial parks. They also include special development grants for local governments and mortgage subsidies. The areas with the strongest growth in 2017 were in school construction, which jumped 68%, and road construction, which rose 54%. Revivi, who is also mayor of the Efrat settlement near Jerusalem, said the spending was badly needed. He said that school spending was legally required because of the fast-growing population. He also said that roads in the West Bank have been in "dire condition" for years, and there is a drastic need for improvements. Netivei Yisrael, the public company that oversees road construction, said it carries out its projects at the instruction of the Transportation Ministry. In the West Bank, these projects often allow settlers to bypass Palestinian villages to minimize friction. In a statement, the company said it is "proud to lead a long line of projects throughout Israel, including Judea and Samaria, with the goal of improving safety for travelers and saving lives." Israel's Education Minister Naftali Bennett declined to comment, while Transportation Minister Israel Katz did not respond to a query. Both men are strong supporters of the settlements. Netanyahu's office also did not answer a request for comment. But Peace Now's Ofran said that road construction has deeper implications. She said new roads bring easier commutes and a better quality of life for settlers, drawing more people. "We see it very immediately, after the opening of a road, a big boom in construction along the road," she said. "I think the investments we have these years in the roads are dramatic and will allow the expansion of settlements dramatically. That is very much worrying." After winning re-election last month, Netanyahu is in the process of forming a new coalition that also is expected to have close ties with the settlers. In recent months, both Peace Now and settler advocates have released reports claiming that Trump's policies have laid the groundwork for a settlement boom in the near future. In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem repeated the White House policy. "While the existence of settlements is not in itself an impediment to peace, further unrestrained settlement activity doesn't help peace," it said. The new data added to Palestinian distrust of the U.S., boding poorly for a new peace plan the administration says it is preparing. The Palestinian Authority cut off ties with the White House after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved the American Embassy to the contested city. U.S. cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians have further poisoned the atmosphere. Claiming the Trump administration is unfairly biased, the Palestinians already have said they will reject any U.S. peace plan. Abu Rdeneh, the Palestinian spokesman, said the numbers are "another reason why we think that the U.S. plan is unfair." The Finance Ministry data is collected each year and shared with the U.S., which under a policy going back to President George H.W. Bush deducts the sum from loan guarantees for Israel. It also includes a small, but unspecified sum spent in the Golan Heights. Just a few thousand Israeli settlers live in the Golan, and Peace Now said the sums spent there were "not significant." FILE - This Jan. 10, 2019 file photo, shows a checkpoint at newly opened segregated West Bank highway near Jerusalem. Israel's government went on a spending binge in its West Bank settlements following the election of President Donald Trump, according to official data obtained by The Associated Press. Both supporters and detractors of the settlement movement have previously referred to a "Trump effect," claiming the president's more lenient approach to the settlements would result in additional West Bank construction. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File) MOSCOW (AP) - Natalya Konkova got a call from her 5-year-old son's day care center at School No. 1357, asking her to pick up Yaroslav because he was running a fever and having trouble walking. He got worse over the next 24 hours, with severe diarrhea and vomiting, before an ambulance took him to a hospital. He was eventually diagnosed with dysentery. "I've never seen anything like this before. It was scary," Konkova recalls. Yaroslav was one of 127 children aged 3 to 7 who were diagnosed with dysentery after eating food at seven state-run day care centers and kindergartens in Moscow in mid-December. While reports of dysentery are not new in Russia, they mostly have struck provincial areas far from the capital and in much smaller outbreaks. Even more unusual is that the catering firm blamed by opposition activists for the outbreak at six of the seven Moscow sites is owned by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin, who has won $2 billion in contracts for supplying food to Moscow schools since 2009, built an empire on catering and maintenance contracts for the army and has been nicknamed "Putin's chef" for serving Kremlin functions. He also has been reported to run a private military company known as Wagner that sends Russian contractors to Syria and other countries. In this photo taken on Monday, March 11, 2019, Natalya Konkova holds her son, Yaroslav, during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia. Konkova's son was one of nearly 130 Moscow children who were diagnosed with dysentery after eating food at one of the state-run day care centers and kindergartens in Moscow in December. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) The magnate was among the Russians indicted last year by a U.S. grand jury in the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, alleging he funded the internet trolls involved in interfering with the U.S. presidential election in 2016. The U.S. also imposed sanctions on Prigozhin and two of his companies, Concord Catering and Concord Management and Consulting. Prigozhin has denied any involvement, and Putin said last year that while he knew the businessman, he "doesn't count him" among his friends. Prigozhin's company has denied it is to blame for the dysentery outbreak. The cases have caused an outcry, thanks to a lawyer who has turned a spotlight on the caterers and has mounted a campaign to help the parents whose children fell ill. Lyubov Sobol, who works for the investigative team of anti-corruption campaigner and opposition leader Alexei Navalny, documented Prigozhin's rise from ex-convict in St. Petersburg to Putin's Kremlin circle. She has taken up the case on behalf of the parents of the stricken children. She also has a personal interest in sanitary conditions at the schools, since her 5-year-old daughter attends a Moscow day care center, although not one of those that were affected. Inna Chepeleva, whose daughter attended day care at School No. 1357 and came down with pneumonia attributed to the dysentery outbreak, said she was shocked at the refusal of officials there to explain what happened. "Something was going on, but we knew nothing," she said. Even though 11 children at day care at School No. 1357 had symptoms consistent with dysentery, the day care center wasn't shut down for a quarantine for nearly three days. A month after Sobol began a campaign on the outbreak, which included a YouTube video that got more than 300,000 views, Russia's chief investigative body launched a criminal inquiry into conditions at the day care centers. Separately, parents of 27 children filed a lawsuit against Moscow authorities and Concord Ready-Meals Factory. The trial was supposed to start in April but the court has suspended hearings for at least two months pending the official probe. Another group of parents filed a similar lawsuit last month. The Federal Consumer Oversight Agency confirmed 127 cases of dysentery. At public hearings in March, the capital's chief sanitary official, Yelena Andreyeva, denied early reports that blamed it on cottage cheese supplied by a company from southern Russia. Health and education officials would not say whether the outbreak would make them reconsider signing new contracts with Concord. Six companies that are either directly owned by Prigozhin or affiliated with him have controlled almost all school and kindergarten catering in Moscow since 2011, providing prepared meals that can be reheated at school kitchens, according to public filings and the Spark-Interfax database. His companies also have other lucrative deals to cater to state-owned hospitals and clinics in Moscow and the region. Prigozhin and his representatives have rarely spoken to the media, but they invited the parents of two stricken children to tour one of their facilities. He also offered to pay compensation to the affected families as "financial aid," Concord's press office said, although his company denies it is to blame for the outbreak. Concord representative Yuri Ostyuk told The Associated Press that "it's too early to talk about responsibility because the investigation is ongoing," adding that the company has implemented measures, including more lab tests, to ensure food quality. In a written reply to Sobol's complaint, the Consumer Oversight Agency said numerous inspections at Concord Ready-Meals Factory as well as other firms affiliated with Prigozhin found violations of "sanitary standards" and some of the food tests at its facilities and schools produced "unsatisfactory results." The agency did not elaborate, and Concord did not immediately comment. Sobol alleges she has faced a smear campaign from Prigozhin-controlled media, most recently when the Federal News Agency, or FAN in Russian, reported she does not have a university degree, while she says she graduated from a top law school with honors. Anti-corruption campaigners like Sobol and Navalny have also complained of harassment from unidentified individuals. Both of them have worked on high-profile corruption investigations involving Russia's political and business elite. When asked about reports of harassment and intimidation, Concord told the AP it was unaware of any, adding that Sobol has a "bad reputation in Russia." Two employees of two school catering companies linked to Prigozhin - Moskovsky Shkolnik and Shkolnik-UZ - have cited lax sanitary standards and poor quality of food. The dysentery outbreak did not affect schools served by those two companies. Natalya Shilova, a former manager at Moskovsky Shkolnik, said in an interview broadcast in March that staff ignored food safety standards when she worked there in 2017. Her son was among the children diagnosed with dysentery and was hospitalized for months for complications from the illness. Moskovsky Shkolnik filed a defamation lawsuit last month against Shilova, as well as Sobol, Navalny and his anti-corruption foundation that released the video interview. Fyodor Mishenev, who worked in two management positions at Shkolnik-UZ between 2016 and 2018, documented sanitary problems, posting photos on Instagram of rotten apples, oranges with worms and kitchen staff smoking on the premises. He said some staff at Shkolnik-UZ had to buy their own gloves and detergent because of a lack of supplies, adding that he and his colleagues often scrubbed kitchens before state sanitary inspections. Representatives of Shkolnik-UZ could not be reached for comment, and Concord has denied any connection to the other firms supplying catering to Moscow schools and kindergartens, including Moskovsky Shkolnik and Shkolnik-UZ. Filings show that Prigozhin's Concord Ready Meals and the other companies that supply catering to Moscow schools have listed the same phone number, share registration addresses or have had the same management. In making his accusations, Mishenev also said that the schools and parents bore some responsibility for making sure that authorities adhere to sanitary standards. "I don't want to blame it all on Prigozhin or the government," he says. "It's our fault. We are not controlling them properly." Young Yaroslav has developed pancreatitis, must take medication daily and has been advised to stay home because his immune system is too weak. His mother has had to quit her clerical job to care for him. He misses his friends, he said as he played with his favorite toy, a rubber scorpion, but does not want to go back to the school. "I'm scared," Yaroslav said. ___ Video journalist Tanya Titova contributed to this story. In this photo taken on March 11, 2019, Natalya Konkova sits during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia. Konkova's son was one of nearly 130 Moscow children who were diagnosed with dysentery after eating food at one of the state-run day care centers and kindergartens in Moscow in December. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) FILE - In this Nov. 11, 2011, file photo, Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, serves food to then-Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at Prigozhin's restaurant outside Moscow, Russia. Scores of children were diagnosed with dysentery after eating food at several state-run day care centers and kindergartens in Moscow in December 2018. Their parents have filed suit against a catering company controlled by Prigozhin, a Putin ally. Prigozhin's catering company denies it is to blame for the dysentery outbreak. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, Pool, File) FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2010, file photo, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, shows Russian President Vladimir Putin around his facility that produces school meals outside St. Petersburg, Russia. Scores of children were diagnosed with dysentery after eating food at several state-run day care centers in Moscow in December 2018. Their parents have filed suit against a catering company controlled by Prigozhin, a Putin ally. His company denies it is to blame for the dysentery outbreak. (Alexei Druzhinin/Pool Photo via AP, File) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Latest on developments in the Persian Gulf, elsewhere in Mideast, amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local): 10:30 p.m. An adviser to Iran President Hassan Rouhani says President Donald Trump is moving toward war with Iran instead of trying to reach a deal. Hessamoddin Ashena said in a tweet Tuesday: "You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead." 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. Ashena believes Trump is being misled by U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton. He says: "That's what happens when you listen to the mustache," referring to Bolton's bushy mustache. In this photo taken in March 2006 and made available by the Ministerio de Defensa de Espana, sailors stand on board the Mendez Nunez Spanish frigate, in Ferrol, Spain. Spain has temporarily pulled out the frigate that was part of a United States-led combat fleet from waters near the Persian Gulf, where tension is mounting between the US and Iran. (Ministerio de Defensa de Espana, via AP) ___ 9:25 p.m. Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says his country won't negotiate with the United States and there will be no war between the two countries. Iran's state TV quoted Khamenei on Tuesday as calling negotiations with the U.S. "poison" and saying: "This is not a military confrontation, because no war is going to happen." Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said: "Neither we, nor they are seeking war, they know that it is not to their benefit." The Ayatollah's comments come as tensions have escalated between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration has sent the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber squadron to the region in response to unspecified threats by Iran against American interests. ___ 7:50 p.m. President Donald Trump is dismissing a report that the U.S. is planning for a military conflict with Iran. Trump was responding to Tuesday's report in The New York Times that the White House is reviewing military plans against Iran that could result in sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons. Trump says it's "fake news." He says he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops, but that he's not planned for that and hopefully won't have to plan for that. He says if the U.S. was going to get into a military conflict with Iran, "we'd send a hell of a lot more" troops. Trump spoke to reporters at the White House before traveling to Louisiana. ___ 6:30 p.m. The head of the Arab League has condemned attacks claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels against an oil pipeline and other energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Aboul-Gheit says in a statement on Tuesday that the attacks were a "serious threat to the regional and international security, and the world economy." He says the Arab League stands by Saudi Arabia to "counter these terrorist threats aimed at stabilizing the region." The attacks on Saudi oil targets marked the latest incidents challenging Mideast security after the alleged sabotage of two Saudi oil tankers and two other vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. The attacks come amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran and the unraveling of the Iranian nuclear deal with world powers. ___ 6:10 p.m. Yemen's Houthi rebels say their drone attack on Saudi Arabia was the biggest since the civil war in Yemen erupted in 2015. Yahia al-Sarei, a spokesman for Houthi-affiliated forces, said in a video statement that seven drones were involved in Tuesday's attacks against an oil pipeline and other energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. He says the attacks were a "legitimate response on the crimes committed against the Yemeni people." ___ 4:25 p.m. Egypt has condemned drone attacks claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels against an oil pipeline and other energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. A statement by the Foreign Ministry says Egypt stands alongside Saudi Arabia "to counter all attempts meant to stabilize the kingdom" in the wake of Tuesday's attacks. The statement says Egypt is coordinating with Saudi Arabia to face "terror and all threats to its national security." The attacks on Saudi oil targets marked the latest incidents challenging Mideast security after the alleged sabotage of two Saudi oil tankers and two other vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran and the unraveling of the Iranian nuclear deal with world powers. ___ 4 p.m. Spain's defense minister says the government's decision to remove a Spanish frigate from a U.S.-led combat fleet approaching the Persian Gulf was taken for "technical reasons" and had no political motive. Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Tuesday the decision "is not an expression of distaste" over the crossing into the Strait of Hormuz of the fleet headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The U.S. fleet is heading to the Persian Gulf as tension mounts between the United States and Iran. Robles told reporters the Gulf mission was not included in a cooperation agreement signed two years ago that placed the Mendez Nunez frigate on a training mission with the U.S. fleet. She says the frigate will return to the fleet once normal operations resume, declining to give an opinion about the U.S. policy toward Iran. Spanish media, citing government sources, said Spain is concerned it could be dragged to an unwanted conflict as a result of the crisis between Washington and Teheran surrounding the unraveling nuclear deal. ___ 3:40 p.m. Iran's foreign minister says the sabotage attack on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this week was meant to stir up wider conflict in the region. Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke on Tuesday while visiting New Delhi for meetings with Indian officials. He says they discussed the recent incidents of "suspicious activities and sabotage in the region." Zarf says he had "previously predicted this sort of activities, aimed at escalating tension in the region." The official IRNA news agency also quoted Zarif as saying he discussed the dangers imposed by "hard-liners in the U.S. administration and the region." He did not elaborate. Zarif regularly accuses the Trump administration, Israel and Saudi Arabia of pushing the region into war. ___ 3:05 p.m. Yemen's Houthi rebels say their drone assault on Saudi Arabia was meant to send a message to the kingdom to "stop your aggression" on Yemen. The spokesman of the rebels, Mohammed Abdel-Salam, says the Houthis launched a series of drone attacks on Tuesday on the kingdom. He told The Associated Press: "This is a message to Saudi Arabia, stop your aggression." Abdel-Salam also says: "Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing every day against the Yemeni people." Yemen has been devastated by a brutal civil war in which the Houthis, who have occupied the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, are battling government troops, backed by a Saudi-led coalition. ___ 2:35 p.m. Saudi Arabia says oil infrastructure sites belonging to the country's state-run oil company Aramco have been targeted and that at least one of the attacks was carried out by drone strikes. The announcement came shortly after Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed an assault on the kingdom. The state Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih as saying that between 6-6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a petroleum pumping station supplying an east-west pipeline between the Eastern Province and to the Yanbu Port on the Red Sea was targeted by drones. He says a fire broke out at a station along the pipeline and was subsequently put out. Aramco has temporarily stopped pumping petroleum through the pipeline until inspection of the damage is complete. The kingdom's state security body also says two oil infrastructure sites in the greater region of Riyadh, its landlocked capital, were targeted at the same time. The statement described it as a "limited targeting" of petroleum stations in areas al-Duadmi and Afif in Riyadh region. ___ 11:50 a.m. Spain has temporarily pulled out a frigate that was part of a U.S.-led combat fleet from waters near the Persian Gulf, where tensions are mounting between the United States and Iran. The Spanish Ministry of Defense says the Mendez Nunez frigate, with 215 sailors on board, will not cross the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf together with the fleet headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The Ministry declined to elaborate on the reasons of the sudden change. Spanish media, citing government sources, said Spain is concerned that it could be dragged to an unwanted conflict as a result of the crisis between Washington and Teheran surrounding the unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. The Spanish frigate was the only non-U.S. vessel in the fleet, which is scheduled to sail to California in late October. ___ 7:50 a.m. New satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press show the oil tankers that Gulf officials alleged were the targets of "sabotage" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The images, provided on Tuesday by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies, show the oil tankers. Two are from Saudi Arabia, one is Norwegian and the other is Emirati. A boom surrounds the Emirati oil tanker, suggesting officials worry about an oil leak from the vessel. Otherwise, the vessels do not show signs of massive damage. The Norwegian ship sustained a hole just above its hull in the incident. A U.S. official, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, said all the ships sustained similar damage. -Lolita C. Baldor in Washington; This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Emirati-flagged oil tanker A. Michel off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amjad off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Norwegian-flagged oil tanker Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Al Marzoqa off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. As many as four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. (Satellite image 2019 Maxar Technologies via AP) This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Norwegian-flagged oil tanker MT Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Emirati-flagged bunkering tanker A. Michel off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) This photo provided by the United Arab Emirates' National Media Council shows the Norwegian-flagged oil tanker MT Andrea Victory off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Two Saudi oil tankers and a Norwegian-flagged vessel were damaged in what Gulf officials described Monday as a "sabotage" attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While details of the incident remain unclear, it raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies at a time of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. (United Arab Emirates National Media Council via AP) A fisherman prepares his boat near an oil storage tank in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) An Emirati coast guard vessel passes an oil tanker off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 13, 2019. Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near Fujairah in attacks that caused "significant damage" to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell) CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - The leaders of both of Australia's major political parties agreed on Tuesday that gays don't go to hell because of their sexual orientation, as Christian beliefs rose to extraordinary prominence in the final days of an election campaign. Prime Minister Scott Morrison opposed gay marriage while opposition leader Bill Shorten argued for marriage equality ahead of a national vote in 2017 that led to Australia legally recognizing same-sex unions. Morrison, a Pentecostal Christian, accused Shorten, a Catholic before converting to his second wife's Anglican faith, of a "desperate, cheap shot" ahead of elections on Saturday by challenging the prime minister to say whether he believed gays went to hell. Morrison said he did not believe gays went to hell, after failing to directly answer the same question from a journalist a day earlier. "I'm not running for pope, I'm running for prime minister," Morrison told reporters. "So ... theological questions, you can leave at the door." Australian political leaders' religious views are rarely raised in election campaigns, which have long been regarded as a strictly secular argument over who should govern. Australian Labour Party leader Bill Shorten, center, speaks to volunteers during a community barbecue in Adelaide, Australia Tuesday, May 14, 2019. A federal election will be held in Australian on Saturday, May 18, 2019. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image via AP) But nine prominent Christian church leaders wrote to both leaders this week demanding protections for religious beliefs and freedom of speech after Australian rugby union team star Israel Folau, the son of a Pentecostal preacher, was found guilty by the sport's administration last week of breaching the sport's code of conduct by using social media to say gays were damned to hell. While Morrison is a centrist, his opposition to gay marriage was out of step with the 62% of voters who supported gay marriage. Shorten attacked Morrison for failing to address the theological fate of homosexuals when questioned on Monday. "I cannot believe that the prime minister has not immediately said that gay people will not go to hell," he told reporters. Also Tuesday, police charged 15 Greenpeace activists following a protest on Sydney Harbor Bridge demanding climate change action. Labor has pledged to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 45% below 2005 levels by 2030. The government has committed to reduce emissions by 26% to 28% in the same time frame. Three activists managed to climb the bridge and attach themselves by ropes, dangling from the bridge. They unfurled banners reading "100% Renewables" and "Make Coal History." They were later lowered into a police boat in the harbor and arrested, police said. Greenpeace Australia-Pacific chief executive David Ritter called on Morrison to declare a "climate emergency" before the elections. But Morrison's only response was to ask the protesters to show consideration for the bridge users, after peak hour traffic was slowed by the demonstration. "I'm passionate about a lot of things, but I don't want to stop traffic on the Sydney Harbor Bridge because that would be inconsiderate to my fellow Australians," he said. PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday defended a military operation to free hostages held in Burkina Faso that left two French special forces officers dead. Crowds lined the Alexander III Bridge in central Paris as the funeral cortege carrying the coffins of the two Marine commandos drove slowly past, part of an elaborate national ceremony honoring the men. "The mission was perilous. The mission was necessary," Macron said in a solemn, emotional speech at the gold-domed Invalides monument that houses Napoleon's tomb. French hostages "were under threat. We had to save them," Macron said. He shook hands with members of the special forces who attended the ceremony with scarves over their faces to conceal their identities. The two officers, Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, were killed Friday in an operation that also left four extremists dead. The officers were part of France's Barkhane military operation aimed at rooting out Islamic extremists in Africa's Sahel region. Macron vowed that France "will continue to fight tirelessly against terrorism" in the Sahel, the Syrian region and on French soil. French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with special forces soldiers during a national tribute for late special forces soldiers Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, who were killed in a night-time rescue of four foreign hostages including two French citizens in Burkina Faso last week, at the Invalides, in Paris, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. France is honoring two special forces officers killed in an operation that freed four hostages held in Burkina Faso. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool via AP) The operation liberated two French tourists who had been visiting a wildlife reserve in Benin, as well as an American and a South Korean. Macron paid his respects to the French tourists' local guide, who was killed by the hostage-takers. The tourists drew criticism in France for venturing into an area near Benin's border with Burkina Faso that is known to be dangerous. The criticism peaked with Macron's decision to greet the freed captives at a French military airport Saturday, along with the South Korean hostage. No information was publicly released about the identity of the American woman, who was put in the care of U.S. authorities. Macron justified the operation in his speech honoring the slain officers Tuesday, saying that the kidnappers were planning to hand over the hostages to "terrorists" in Mali within a few hours. "France is a nation that doesn't abandon its children, whatever the circumstances," he said. "Those at the other end of the planet, those who attack a French person, should know that our country will never back down." This photo provided Friday May 10, 2019 by the French army shows navy soldiers Cedric de Pierrepont, left, and Alain Bertoncello. Two French soldiers have been killed in a military operation in the West African nation of Burkina Faso that freed four people from the U.S., France and South Korea who were kidnapped in neighboring Benin. (French Army via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron honors the late special forces soldiers Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, who were killed in a night-time rescue of four foreign hostages including two French citizens in Burkina Faso last week, during a national tribute at the Invalides, in Paris, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. France is honoring two special forces officers killed in an operation that freed four hostages held in Burkina Faso. (Philippe Wojazer/Pool via AP) TOKYO (AP) - Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that its annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward. Nissan Motor Co.'s profit for the fiscal year that ended in March totaled 319.1 billion yen ($2.9 billion), down from 746.9 billion yen the previous fiscal year - its worst showing since the global financial crisis a decade ago. Nissan said profit for the fiscal year through March 2020 will drop to 170 billion yen ($1.5 billion), as its earnings are slammed by restructuring and product development expenses combined with currency-related losses and rising material costs. "This is a very critical situation," Nissan's chief executive, Hiroto Saikawa, told reporters at its headquarters in Yokohama. He said efforts were underway to reshape Nissan's business, especially in North America, where profits have dropped because of incentives and over production. Nissan's sales for the fiscal year totaled 11.6 trillion yen ($105 billion), down 3% from the previous fiscal year. Vehicle sales for the fiscal year slipped 4% to 5.5 million. Nissan did not break down quarterly results. Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa speaks during a press conference at its Global Headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Saikawa promised that Nissan's business will be turned around over the next two or three years. He blamed what he called an overly aggressive sales growth strategy spearheaded by Ghosn, though Saikawa himself has faced criticism over his leadership since he became CEO in 2017. Saikawa apologized to customers and shareholders for the shoddy results, giving a short bow rather than the usual deep bow held for nearly a minute by Japanese executives apologizing for corporate wrongdoing. Ghosn, who led Nissan and its alliance with Renault SA of France for two decades, was arrested in November on financial misconduct charges. He has been accused of under-reporting retirement compensation, having Nissan shoulder investment losses and diverting Nissan money for personal gain. On Tuesday, Tokyo prosecutors said they had amended one of their indictments against Ghosn to include an allegation that he received $20 million from a Saudi Arabian businessman in connection with a currency swap deal cited in a charge of breach of trust. He says he is innocent. He says the compensation was never paid or agreed upon, the losses were never suffered and the payments were for legitimate services. Ghosn has expressed concern over Nissan's operations, saying its current leadership lacks vision. The scandal over Ghosn's arrest and dismissal added to Nissan's problems. It logged 9.2 billion yen ($83 million) in costs for the fiscal year through March from alleged underreporting of Ghosn's compensation. Some analysts say the brand has been tarnished. It is unclear when Ghosn's trial will start, as preparations in Japan take months. Prosecutors wanted Ghosn kept incarcerated during the preparation, but he was released on bail in March, rearrested and then released again in April. The latest release forbids Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, from contact with his wife, a restriction that prosecutors have defended as necessary to prevent evidence tampering. Saikawa brushed off speculation that Renault may be pushing for a merger, saying Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, who recently joined Nissan's board, agrees that fixing Nissan comes first. Renault owns 43% of Nissan. Nissan, which makes the Leaf electric car, March subcompact and Infiniti luxury models, owns 15% of Renault. Saikawa also brushed off a reporter's question about his resignation. He said he planned to hand over the reins to another leader "when the timing is right." For now, he said, he needs to focus on a turnaround. ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa bows during a press conference at its Global Headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa speaks during a press conference at its Global Headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa arrives for a press conference at its Global Headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Japanese automaker Nissan, reeling from the arrest of its former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, reported Tuesday that annual profit nose-dived to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer results going forward.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) BERLIN (AP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated Tuesday that she would like to join other European countries in aiming to eliminate virtually all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but stressed the goal needs to be achievable. Merkel initially refused to join the initiative put forward last week by French President Emmanuel Macron and eight other EU countries, despite domestic pressure to do so. Speaking at an international climate change meeting in Berlin, Merkel said she's now intending to discuss the idea at a Cabinet sitting at the end of May. "The discussion is not about whether we can achieve it, but about how we can achieve it," she said. "If we can find a sensible answer, then we can join the initiative." Germany has lagged behind other European countries, including France and Britain, in its efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Merkel noted that Germany will miss its own target for reductions by 2020. As a country that took in more than 1 million migrants fleeing war and poverty elsewhere in the world in recent years, Merkel suggested Germany has a particular interest in minimizing global warming. The Brandenburg Gate stands behind an ice block set up by Climate activists in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The ice block is part of a slogan reading 'Last Exit' set up by Greenpeace in front of the Brandenburg Gate as a protest in reference to the 'Petersberg climate talks'. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) "If we fail to protect the climate, then in view of the growing world population, increasing conflicts are inevitable because resources are becoming scarce," she said. Merkel said rallies staged by students protesting their leaders' inaction on climate change showed how important the issue has become for young people. "That puts pressure on politicians around the world," she said. Merkel, who was Germany's environment minister from 1994 to 1998, said rich countries that are responsible for most man-made emissions have a particular responsibility to tackle climate change and doing so will pay off in the end. "The question isn't what will it cost us to reach these goals, the question is rather: how much more would it cost us if we don't do anything." Her comments appeared directed at those leaders who have refused to join international efforts to fight climate change, most notably U.S. President Donald Trump. Announcing the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate accord two years ago, Trump cited the "draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country" and warned millions of American jobs could be lost as a result. The U.S. sent a small technical delegation to the talks in Berlin and is expected to attend this year's U.N. climate summit in December, hosted by Chile. Carolina Schmidt, Chile's environment minister, told reporters she hoped American cities, states and private companies that are committed to climate action would also join the talks in Santiago. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, from left, and German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze and Chilean Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt attend the 10th Petersberger Klimadialog climate conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (Tobias Schwarz/Pool via AP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze attend the 10th Petersberger Klimadialog climate conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (Tobias Schwarz/Pool via AP) Climate activists of the Greenpeace organisation protest with big ice blocks reading 'Last Exit' in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The protest is in reference to the Petersberg climate talks. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) MOSCOW (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's first trip to Russia is scheduled to start Tuesday in the Black Sea coastal city of Sochi, where he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are sitting down for talks and then having a joint meeting with President Vladimir Putin. A look at the top issues Pompeo and Lavrov are expected to discuss before briefing Putin: ___ ARMS CONTROL The state of arms control treaties between the United States and Russia is likely to feature prominently in the talks. The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of a 1987 nuclear missile pact this year, accusing Russia of violations. Putin responded in kind, saying he was suspending Russia's participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty and accusing Washington of making false allegations. Trump has said he wants to negotiate new arms control accords that reflect current conditions and to bring in other nations, notably China. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, arrives for a meeting with European foreign ministers at the Europa building in Brussels, Monday, May 13, 2019. The EU backers of the Iran nuclear deal meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss ways to keep the pact afloat. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) The U.S. president said after he and Putin spoke by phone last week they were considering a deal that would "get rid of some of the tremendous firepower that we have right now" and also include China. Speaking ahead of Pompeo's visit, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday that Moscow wants to focus on extending the START treaty, another key arms control deal between Moscow and Washington which runs out in 2021. Ryabkov added that Moscow wants to focus on bilateral commitments first before bringing China into treaty negotiations. ___ ELECTION INTERFERENCE Pompeo's sit-down with Putin and Lavrov will be the highest-level face-to-face talks between Washington and Moscow since the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has downplayed the Russian interference and insisted Mueller's report cleared him of wrongdoing. U.S. officials acknowledge Russia inserted itself in the 2016 campaign and think it will try to do so again in the United States and elsewhere. While Putin has repeatedly denied Russia played any role in other countries' elections, U.S. officials say Pompeo will raise the subject of election-meddling in Sochi. At a meeting in Finland earlier this month, Pompeo said he told Lavrov the interference is "not appropriate and that we're going to do everything we can to deter it." ____ SYRIA The United States has urged Russia to end escalating airstrikes in the last Syrian province under rebel control. U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey is accompanying Pompeo to Sochi to get a sense of Russia's long-term plans for Idlib. The Russian military has described its current operations there as limited and solely in response to frequent rebel attacks on its air base. But U.S. officials appear concerned that Russia could be laying the groundwork for a full-on offensive by Syrian government forces. Russia and Turkey struck a cease-fire deal for Idlib in September, averting what was then seen as an inevitable offensive on the rebel stronghold. Syrian and Russian military planes started bombing the province on April 30. Russian officials publicly expressed their impatience with Idlib's rebels, but said they oppose a major offensive. Lavrov is likely to press Pompeo on the U.S. military presence in Syria as well as the international sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. Russia argues the sanctions hamper the much-needed reconstruction efforts for the war-battered country. ___ IRAN Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have spiked since Trump withdrew a year ago from a 2015 nuclear agreement between six world powers and Tehran while reinstating economic sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors. Russia is one of the remaining signatories, and Lavrov is likely to stress to Pompeo the deal's importance for international security. Iran said this week it would partially end its compliance with the agreement unless the European parties are able to circumvent the U.S. sanctions and preserve the benefits the Middle East country expected to see from the accord. Pompeo scrapped the short visit to Moscow on his trip itinerary Monday and made an unplanned stop in Brussels to discuss the future of the Iran nuclear deal with European officials. Last week, the U.S. said it was dispatching an aircraft carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in response to intelligence that Iran was preparing to retaliate for the sanctions with attacks on American interests in the region. Trump also said he would like to meet Iranian leaders "someday" to "work out an agreement." ___ NORTH KOREA Pompeo is coming to Sochi likely wanting to know if Moscow can do more to get North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to abandon his arms buildup. Russia is likely to press the U.S. to provide more security guarantees to North Korea as a first step to break the diplomatic stalemate. Kim traveled to Russia last month to meet with Putin, who appears to be eager to play a bigger role in solving the security dilemma of the Korean Peninsula. With no formal agreements signed or announced, Putin said Kim was willing to give up nuclear weapons, but only if he gets ironclad security guarantees supported by a multinational agreement. North Korea tested three new missiles last week. The launches were seen as a possible warning to Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations as the two sides continue to struggle with mismatched demands on sanctions relief and disarmament. North Korea has contended that it needs a nuclear arsenal to defend itself against what it sees as U.S. hostility, and wants concrete reassurances of its safety, including the removal of the American nuclear threat. A summit between Trump and Kim in February failed. Kim later criticized Washington for taking a "unilateral attitude in bad faith," causing a diplomatic standstill. ___ Matthew Lee contributed from Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives for a meeting with European foreign ministers at the Europa building in Brussels, Monday, May 13, 2019. The EU backers of the Iran nuclear deal meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss ways to keep the pact afloat. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) - The Dutch Grand Prix will return to the Formula One calendar next year for the first time since 1985. The Zandvoort track on the Dutch coast, which hosted 30 F1 races from 1952-85, will be rebuilt in the coming months to host the race. It's not clear when the race would slot into the already packed calendar, which also has a new race in Vietnam confirmed for 2020, but F1 organizers said Zandvoort will host races until at least 2022. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who is Dutch, is in third place in the F1 standings and has a large and devoted fan base in the Netherlands. "With the popularity of Max Verstappen I'm sure there will be a huge number of fans in attendance," FIA president Jean Todt said. "There is now a lot of preparation needed to bring the circuit up to the required safety standards to host a Formula One race." The last driver to win an F1 race at the Zandvoort track was Niki Lauda, then a driver for McLaren and now the non-executive chairman of the Mercedes team. FILE - In this Friday, April 26, 2019 file photo, Red Bull's Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gestures before the first free practice at the Baku Formula One city circuit, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Dutch Grand Prix will return to the Formula One calendar in 2020 for the first time since 1985. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File) ___ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced Tuesday that he is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, distinguishing himself among nearly two dozen candidates as the field's only statewide elected official to win a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2016. The 53-year-old governor is running as a centrist Democrat who has advanced party values while navigating a Republican legislature and a GOP-leaning electorate. Bullock made his candidacy official in a video that capped months of speculation fueled by his political activity in Iowa, which hosts the nation's first presidential caucus next February. "What we need to do is get the country back on track, make sure everybody has a fair shot at success," he told The Associated Press in an interview. "I've been able to get meaningful things done that impact the people of my state. I believe there'll be a strong reception for that." His immediate challenge is corralling enough donors and support in the polls to qualify for the first Democratic debate in June. He told reporters during an appearance at the high school from which he graduated that he hopes to do that over the next month, but he'll still be out campaigning even if he doesn't make the cut. "The debate stage would be lacking a bit if they didn't have somebody who actually got reelected in a state where Donald Trump won," he said. "I'll do the best I can to get there." More broadly, as a white Trump-state Democrat, Bullock could face an uphill battle to break through in a primary that has been defined by former Vice President Joe Biden's dominance and the progressive energy of a diverse party base. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, officially announces his campaign for president Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Helena High School in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Bullock plans a two-tiered argument. He pitches himself as the rare Democrat who can win over rural and small-town voters - a constituency that helped Trump flip key battleground states in 2016. Bullock has done it three times in Montana, where Democrat Hillary Clinton got just 36 percent of the vote against Trump. "We need somebody who can win back some of these places we lost in '16," Bullock said, adding, "Voters want somebody that they believe can win, that will fight for them." Yet Bullock emphasizes that he governs with mainstream Democratic priorities. He has expanded Medicaid insurance coverage to nearly a tenth of Montana's 1.06 million residents as part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and embraced marriage equality for same-sex couples. He's used executive orders to extend LGBTQ rights and protect net neutrality, and he's vetoed gun bills backed by the National Rifle Association and measures that would have severely limited abortion access. He also has spent years advocating for tighter regulation of money in politics, unsuccessfully challenging the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling as attorney general and then, as governor, signing a law that requires dark-money groups operating in the state to disclose their donors. Last year, he sued the Internal Revenue Service over a Trump administration rule change to stop requiring the disclosure of donor information from certain nonprofit organizations. He's aligned himself with conservationists, environmental activists and outdoorsmen by prioritizing public land use and conservation - a key issue in many Western states. But he's also been at odds with them at times as the leader of an energy-producing state, such as when he criticized the Obama administration for "moving the goalposts" by proposing stringent carbon dioxide emission reductions under the now-defunct Clean Power Plan. His time in office has largely been scandal-free, with the occasional hiccup. Earlier this year, Bullock apologized for not doing enough to warn others about a longtime aide who was accused of sexually harassing women while working first for the Democratic Governors Association while Bullock was chairman and later for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration. Bullock's attendance at a Paul McCartney concert in Missoula in 2014 also opened the door for critics to scrutinize his use of a state plane that resulted in his having to reimburse $7,000 for flights that mixed official business and campaign trips. The state's campaign regulator determined Bullock's 2016 reelection campaign violated state law by failing to make timely expense reports related to use of the plane. Bullock joins Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper as the only state executives vying for the nomination. The Montana governor is likely among the final Democrats to join one of the biggest presidential fields in modern memory. De Blasio is expected to announce his decision this week on whether to run for the White House. And Stacey Abrams of Georgia continues to indulge speculation that she could scramble the field with a late launch this summer or fall. Although he is not a household name, Bullock is well known and well regarded in Democratic circles beyond Montana. He currently chairs the bipartisan National Governors Association. Some Democrats had hoped he'd challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines in 2020, but Bullock insisted Tuesday that he is focused solely on the presidential race. "This isn't for me a vanity project," Bullock said. "I wouldn't be getting into it if I didn't think I had something really significant to offer." Bullock and his wife, Lisa, have three children, ages 16, 14 and 12, who attend the same Helena public schools where the governor was educated. Steve Bullock graduated from Claremont McKenna College in California and Columbia Law School. He spent part of his legal career in Montana state government and had stints at law firms in Washington, D.C., and New York, and his own private practice in Helena, before being elected attorney general in 2008. He won the governor's race with 48 percent of the vote in 2012 and was reelected with 50.2 percent of the vote the same day that Trump won 56.2 percent of presidential ballots. ___ Barrow reported from Hampton, N.H. ___ Follow the reporters on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP and https://twitter.com/MattVolz Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, officially announces his campaign for president Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Helena High School in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, officially announces his campaign for president Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Helena High School in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, officially announces his campaign for president Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Helena High School in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, officially announces his campaign for president Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Helena High School in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, officially announces his campaign for president Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Helena High School in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, holds a roundtable discussion with members of the local media Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at his campaign headquarters in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, holds a roundtable discussion with members of the local media Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at his campaign headquarters in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Democratic presidential candidate Montana Gov. Steve Bullock answers a question during a news conference in Helena, Mont., Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Bullock announced his candidacy earlier in the day. (AP Photo/Matt Volz) FILE -In this Feb. 23, 2019, file photo, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock walks to a meeting during the National Governors Association 2019 winter meeting in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Gov. Steve Bullock, Democratic presidential candidate, holds a roundtable discussion with members of the local media Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at his campaign headquarters in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) NEW YORK (AP) - A free e-book collection allows fans of Tracy Chevalier, JoJo Moyes and more than 40 other writers to read early excerpts of their upcoming books. "Buzz Books 2019: Fall/Winter," published Tuesday, features such works as Chevalier's "A Single Thread" and Moyes' "The Giver of Stars." Other excerpted books include memoirs by Adrienne Brodeur and by former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power, and Stephen Chboksy's novel "Imaginary Friend," his follow-up to "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." The compilation also includes 12 debut novels, among them Kiley Reid's "Such a Fun Age." "Buzz Books 2019" was released by Publishers Marketplace (buzz.publishersmarketplace.com), the online industry newsletter. A companion "Buzz Books" volume will feature young adult titles for the fall and winter. FILE - In this May 23, 2016 file photo, author Jojo Moyes attends the world premiere of "Me Before You" at AMC Loews Lincoln Square in New York. A free e-book collection allows fans of Moyes, Tracy Chevalier and more than 40 other writers to read early excerpts of their upcoming books. "Buzz Books 2019: Fall/Winter," published Tuesday, May 14, 2019, features such works as Moyes' "The Giver of Stars" and Chevalier's "A Single Thread." (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - In Yemen, the high-pitched whine of drones has been a part of life for over 15 years, ever since the first U.S. drone strike here targeting al-Qaida in 2002. But now, Iran-backed Houthi rebels increasingly deploy drones in Yemen's brutal civil war. Neighboring Saudi Arabia, which has been battling the rebels since 2015, said drones attacked an oil pipeline, targeting two pumping stations west of its capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday. The Houthis claimed a coordinated drone attack, underscoring how the Arab world's poorest country has become one of the world's top battlefields for drones. Both the rebels and the Saudi-led coalition fighting them, as well as the U.S., continue to use them for surveillance and attacks. While the U.S. uses American-made drones and the coalition has turned to Chinese suppliers, the manufacturer of the Houthis' drones in both the air and the sea has been a contentious question. Here are some key details about the rebels' drones: THE IRAN LINK FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2017 file photo, the remains of an Iranian Qasef-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, used as a one-way attack to dive on targets and then detonating its warhead, which was fired by Yemen into Saudi Arabia, according to then-U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, is seen during a press briefing at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. Saudi Arabia said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines as other assaults targeted energy infrastructure elsewhere in the kingdom on Tuesday, May, 14, 2019, shortly after Yemen's rebels claimed a coordinated drone attack on the Sunni power. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) A 2018 report by a United Nations panel of experts on Yemen looked particularly at the Houthis' Qatef-1 drone. The report said that although the rebel media announced the Houthis had manufactured the drone, "in reality they are assembled from components supplied by an outside source and shipped into Yemen." The Qatef, or "Striker," it added, "is virtually identical in design, dimensions and capability to that of the Ababil-T, manufactured by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries." The Ababil-T can deliver up to a 45-kilogram (100-pound) warhead up to 150 kilometers (95 miles) away. A research group called Conflict Armament Research, with the permission of the United Arab Emirates' elite Presidential Guard, also examined seized drones used by the Houthis and their allies to crash into Patriot missile batteries in Saudi Arabia. The research group similarly said those drones share "near-identical design and construction characteristics" of Iranian drones. ___ THE DRONE BOAT Saudi-led coalition forces last year also showed journalists a Houthi "drone boat," filled with explosives that had failed to detonate. The officials also shared black-and-white images they said came from the "drone boat." They said the pictures and associated data from the boat's computer showed Iranians building components for its guidance system in eastern Tehran, with a hat in the background of one picture bearing the symbol of Iran's hard-line paramilitary Revolutionary Guard forces. They said those involved in building the components probably believed it would be destroyed in the blast, so they didn't wipe the computer's hard drive For its part, Iran repeatedly has denied supplying the Houthis with drone or ballistic missile technology. However, Iran would have an interest in seeing Saudi Arabia, its archrival in the region, tied down in a bloody, protracted conflict with no clear end in sight. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap . FILE - In this June 19, 2018 file photo, a boat that officials described as being a "drone boat" once loaded with explosives by Shiite rebels in Yemen, is on display at a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. Iran-backed Houthi rebels increasingly deploy drones in Yemen's brutal civil war. Neighboring Saudi Arabia, which has been battling the rebels since 2015, said drones attacked an oil pipeline, targeting two pumping stations west of its capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell, File) LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan's Republican-led Legislature voted Tuesday to ban a common second-trimester abortion procedure, pushing ahead with legislation Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she would veto. The bills would prohibit physicians from performing abortion by dilation and evacuation except to save a woman's life. Anti-abortion advocates refer to the procedure by the non-medical term "dismemberment abortion." The procedure, in which the fetus is removed in pieces with a surgical instrument such as forceps, was used in 1,777, or 6.7%, of abortions in the state in 2017. It accounted for half of all second-trimester abortions, including 78% done after the 16th week of pregnancy. The Senate and House passed identical legislation , on 22-16 and 58-51 party-line votes, at a time Republicans across the U.S. are advancing tough anti-abortion bills they hope can pass muster with the Supreme Court. With Whitmer vowing to veto the measures when they are sent to her desk - as soon as next week - Right to Life is preparing to launch a citizens' initiative that could be enacted by lawmakers without her signature. The group has successfully used the maneuver four times before to put anti-abortion bills into law. "This is a horrific, barbaric procedure. It literally rips arms and legs off of living babies. This is not OK. This is not OK for any civilized person," said Genevieve Marnon, legislative director for Right to Life of Michigan. State Sen. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, speaks in opposition to anti-abortion legislation on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at the Capitol in Lansing, Mich. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vows to veto the bills. (AP Photo/David Eggert) Whitmer said Tuesday she will veto the legislation. "I think that these are decisions that should be made between a woman and her doctor," she said. "I've always supported a woman's autonomy and freedom to make her own choices, and that should be no surprise to anyone in this town." Democrats criticized the bills during floor debates that drew passionate and at times tearful, personal speeches from both sides of the aisle. Opponents called the legislation an unconstitutional and "sexist attack," and shared stories of women who ended their pregnancy after learning the fetus would be born with severe health problems. "Not only is this legislation dangerous to the health and well-being of women, it also infringes upon the rights of patients and their families to make difficult, compassionate decisions to spare unbearable suffering," said Sen. Winnie Brinks, a Grand Rapids Democrat. The organization representing the state's doctors, the Michigan State Medical Society, also opposes the legislation. But one of the bill sponsors, Republican Sen. Tom Barrett of Charlotte, said legislators were "taking a stand for life" by restricting a procedure that should "shock the conscience" of the public. GOP Sen. Ed McBroom of Vulcan acknowledged the difficulties facing any woman whose fetus has medical issues but said: "If it's a life, how can we justify snuffing it out?" Dilation and evacuation, or D&E, has been barred by 12 states. Bans are in effect in Mississippi and West Virginia but are on hold in eight other states because of legal challenges. North Dakota's law, signed last month , only becomes effective if a federal appeals court or the U.S. Supreme Court allows its enforcement. Indiana's ban, which also was enacted in April, is set to take effect in July but is being challenged in court. The Michigan legislation would modify a ban on a method that opponents call partial-birth abortion to also include the dilation and evacuation procedure. It would be a crime for physicians or others to use the D&E method, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $50,000 fine. ___ Online: House Bills 4320-21 and Senate Bills 229-30: http://bit.ly/2VEhUOs ___ Follow Eggert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 MADRID (AP) - Spain's decision to remove a frigate on training exercises from a U.S. combat fleet that is approaching the Persian Gulf was taken purely for "technical reasons," the country's defense minister said Tuesday. Margarita Robles insisted the decision was "not an expression of distaste" over the crossing into the Strait of Hormuz by the fleet headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The U.S. fleet is heading to the Persian Gulf at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. Robles insisted Spain's decision was "prudent" and "perfectly admissible" under the terms of a two-year cooperation agreement that placed the Mendez Nunez frigate with the U.S. fleet for advanced training. The ship and its 215 people on board have headed to Mumbai, India, she added. "The United States government has embarked on a mission that wasn't scheduled when the agreement was signed," Robles told reporters during an official trip to Brussels. She said Spain had never given its blessing for the frigate to go on a mission in the Persian Gulf and that it will return to the U.S. fleet once scheduled operations resume. In this photo taken in March 2006 and made available by the Ministerio de Defensa de Espana, sailors stand on board the Mendez Nunez Spanish frigate, in Ferrol, Spain. Spain has temporarily pulled out the frigate that was part of a United States-led combat fleet from waters near the Persian Gulf, where tension is mounting between the US and Iran. (Ministerio de Defensa de Espana, via AP) She declined to comment over the U.S.'s hard-line policy toward Iran but said Spain remains a reliable and committed member of NATO. BRUSSELS (AP) - The impoverished West African country of Mali on Tuesday urged the European Union to step up support for the Sahel region amid a spate of extremist attacks, as France buried two officers killed during a hostage rescue mission. "It's a race against time," Foreign Minister Tiebile Drame said, following attacks in central Mali and across the border in northern Burkina Faso. He called for action from "Europe and other countries in the world that have the means and feel concerned by the terrorist threat." Speaking to reporters in Brussels after a meeting of EU and Sahel country government ministers, Drame said that "we need support. We need to speed up procedures. We need international mobilization in a concrete way." Security has deteriorated in the Sahel over the past decade, with extremist attacks occurring frequently. Both fighters and people seeking better lives in Europe move easily across the region's long, porous borders. Several groups linked to the Islamic State organization and al-Qaida are active in the region. In a rare video released late last month, Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi congratulated "brothers" in Burkina Faso, Mali and other countries for pledging allegiance. Once-peaceful Burkina Faso has been increasingly destabilized by jihadists from across the border in Mali. On Sunday unknown gunmen attacked a Catholic church during Mass, killing a priest and five worshippers. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, front row center, poses along with ministers for a group photo after an EU Foreign and Defense Ministers meeting with their counterparts of the G5 Sahel countries at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Attacks have included the kidnapping of foreigners. The French special forces officers were killed Friday during an operation to free foreign hostages in Burkina Faso. They were part of a French military operation trying to root out Islamic extremists in the Sahel. The region also includes conflict-torn Libya's neighbors Chad and Niger, as well as Mauritania further west. "This is a situation that's getting worse and we must do something about it," Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said. The region is a transit hub and path for migrants trying to reach Europe, and the EU has earmarked around 8 billion euros ($9 billion) in development support for Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Mauritania for 2014-2020. Last year the EU and other donors raised more than 400 million euros to fund a regional counter-terror force. The 5,000-strong force remains short of equipment and training. A branch of al-Qaida set off a car bomb at its headquarters in central Mali last year. Reynders said the Europeans "want to see the very clear willingness of the Sahel countries to take charge of border control, the security aspects of all those pathways used by armed groups to get from one country to another." He also said the EU must do more to bolster the regional force with military and police support. Mali's Drame said many of the region's problems are exacerbated by the conflict in Libya. "The misery of a country like Mali comes from Libya, from the collapse of Libya and the chaos there," he said. "We want the EU to step up action and coordinate policies to contribute to peace and stability in Libya. If not, all our efforts will be wasted." ___ Associated Press writer Cara Anna in Johannesburg contributed. Poland's Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, left, talks to Belgian Defense and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders during an EU Foreign and Defense Ministers meeting with their counterparts of the G5 Sahel countries at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini shakes hands with Chad's Foreign Minister Cherif Mahamat Zene prior to a meeting at the Europa building, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) NEW YORK (AP) - A new museum opening at the Statue of Liberty is giving visitors another opportunity to explore its history and the impact the iconic structure has had on the world. The 26,000-square-foot (2,415-square-meter) museum on Liberty Island, scheduled to open to the public on Thursday, is the new home for the statue's original torch and other artifacts which had previously been in a smaller museum space inside the statue's pedestal, which is accessible only to the fraction of the more than 4 million annual visitors who manage to get limited-availability statue entry tickets. "We looked at this small museum and thought, wouldn't it be wonderful to ... move it out to a place where more people could experience it," said John Piltzecker, National Park Service superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. The new space, located somewhat away from the entrance to the statue, is open to anyone who comes to Liberty Island, with admission included in the price of the ferry ticket. From the outside, the glass walls and copper-colored roof appear to be rising out of the earth, with a giant staircase rising to a rooftop terrace at the center. The entire structure is meant to connect to Lady Liberty, using the same granite that's part of the statue pedestal and including copper as a nod to the material the statue is made of, said Cameron Ringness, the project designer at FXCollaborative, which created the museum's overall design. "It's really trying to belong to the site and the landscape and not feel like this building that just got placed here out of nowhere," Ringness said. "We wanted to enhance the feeling that it's really special to be in proximity to the statue." The Statue of Liberty Museum, set to open Thursday May 16, 2019 on Liberty Island, is shown in this photo, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Inside, there are three main gallery spaces, starting with a theater where visitors walk through as they watch a film that goes into how the idea for the statue came about, the efforts that went into its making in France and its arrival in the New York harbor, as well as talking about what liberty meant then and what it means in the current day. The film uses unusual footage taken by drones, including an interior shot rising up through the inside of the statue. Another gallery goes into the building of the statue, with exhibits meant to show what it would have been like in Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi's studio, and the models and molds used to make it, as well as a replica of the statue's foot. Another section shows how iconic the statue has become, not only in American culture but around the world, with items like a menorah where each candle holder is a small Lady Liberty, as well as comic book covers, decorative plates, and dolls. In the final section, visitors are encouraged to take digital self-portraits and add their thoughts on what liberty means to them, as they look at the original torch and a replica of the statue's face. Including that last part was vital, said Edwin Schlossberg, president and principal designer at ESI Design, which created the exhibition spaces. "This statue was built to congratulate the United States for fighting the Civil War to free the slaves," he said. "It is based on this idea that liberty was a critical thing that we all had to struggle for, so that idea had to continue as a core value in this experience." In conjunction with the museum's opening, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which spearheaded the effort to raise the $100 million in private-sector funds for the project, also developed an app with Apple to bring aspects of the museum to people who cannot visit in person. Users will be able to explore the museum's life-size replica of the statue's foot, for instance. With augmented-reality technology, which superimposes animation over a real-life setting, users will be able to walk around and see the virtual replica from different perspectives. Other features include a look at the city skyline through the decades from the Statue of Liberty's eyes, as well as how the statue itself looked before its copper exterior turned green. The app is available only on Apple mobile devices, not Android. Some features, including an audio tour, will be available only on location. The foundation is also launching a three-part podcast exploring the statue's history and symbolism. The podcast won't be limited to Apple's podcast distribution channels. ___ Associated Press writer Nick Jesdanun also contributed to this report. The Statue of Liberty is reflected in the windows of the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) A full-scale model of the Statue of Liberty's foot is among the artifacts displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The original torch and flame, and full scale face model are displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The original torch and flame are displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) A 1920's Mohawk one-dial radio and speaker is among the artifacts displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The Statue of Liberty is visible from the roof observation deck of the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The original torch and flame are displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The original torch and flame, and full scale face model, right, are displayed in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) A worker arranges tools in a display of an iron armature in the new Statue of Liberty Museum, on Liberty Island, in New York, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) WASHINGTON (AP) - Several activists ignored a trespassing warning and remained holed up in Venezuela's embassy in the United States on Tuesday, highlighting a dispute over who is the legitimate leader of the South American nation. The activists, who consider socialist Nicolas Maduro to be the legitimate president, have protested inside the embassy in Washington for more than a month, sometimes chanting slogans from the windows of the red-brick building as opposition supporters heckle them from the street. They said they planned to stay in the building despite warnings from law enforcement, defying U.S. government recognition of congressional leader Juan Guaido's claim to be Venezuela's rightful leader. "We are not following the order," activist Kevin Zeese told reporters from a window on the second floor. He said there were four protesters inside and that they still have enough food and water to continue the sit-in. In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, meanwhile, security forces deployed around the opposition-controlled congress on Tuesday, blocking access to the building ahead of a planned debate there. Masked agents of Venezuela's police intelligence agency as well as National Guard troops stood around the perimeter of the National Assembly building. The congress posted videos on social media of several of its members criticizing the police deployment. Opposition lawmaker Biagio Pilieri said police had entered the assembly grounds, allegedly to look for suspected explosives. One of four activists staying inside the Venezuelan embassy in Washington talks to reporters on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Luis Alonso Lugo) The National Assembly has come under increasing pressure from Maduro since the opposition appealed in vain for a military uprising on April 30. The assembly's vice president, Edgar Zambrano, was arrested May 8 for alleged treason and other crimes. The number of assembly members facing such allegations since the tumultuous events of April 30 rose to 14 on Tuesday after Venezuela's top court announced that another four were under investigation. Some have gone into hiding or sought refuge in foreign embassies in Caracas. Guaido condemned the court's move and said his envoy in Washington, Carlos Vecchio, will on Monday meet Adm. Craig Faller, head of the U.S. Southern Command. The Venezuelan opposition is looking for ways to increase international pressure on Maduro. U.S. officials have said "all options are on the table" in the campaign to oust him, though there is no sign that a military operation is imminent. Maduro, meanwhile, tried to project Venezuelan military resolve as well as his command over forces that have remained loyal despite some defections. He visited navy troops in a nationally televised ceremony and declared they were ready to defend Venezuela. In Washington, the embassy trespassing warning came after Vecchio, designated as the new ambassador to Washington by Guaido, requested U.S. assistance in clearing the building. The U.S. State Department said that "until the trespassers are gone, no individuals will be permitted to enter the embassy." A crowd of Venezuelan expatriates who demand the eviction of the activists remained outside the building, along with a large police presence. The protest started with at least 30 activists staying at the embassy, but their numbers have dwindled considerably. They have been without power since last week. The U.S. and more than 50 other countries say Maduro's re-election was fraudulent and back Guaido's claim to be Venezuela's interim president. Washington has imposed sanctions on indivduals linked to Maduro's government as well as the country's oil industry in an attempt to force a change of government. Maduro, whose allies include Russia and Cuba, says he is the target of a U.S.-designed coup plot. In Russia on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and said later that he had urged Moscow to end its support for Maduro. Both the U.S. and Russia accuse each other of meddling in Venezuela's affairs. ___ Torchia reported from Caracas, Venezuela ___ Follow Luis Alonso Lugo on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/luisalonsolugo One of four activists staying inside the Venezuelan embassy in Washington talks to reporters on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Luis Alonso Lugo) Juan Carlos Moreno, and his son Jairo, repair a car headlight at their shop, on a sidewalk of the Agua Salud neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. They charge about the equivalent of 2 dollars to repair plastic headlights. They say they average about two clients a day. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Venezuela's opposition leader and interim president Juan Guaido, smiles during an appearance at his campaign office in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Since declaring Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro as illegitimate, Guaido has been in the midst of a power Maduro. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Juan Carlos Moreno, and his son Jairo, wait for clients in their car headlights repair business, on a sidewalk of the Agua Salud neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. They charge about the equivalent of 2 dollars to repair plastic headlights. They say they average about two clients a day. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Opposition lawmakers Romel Edgardo Guzamana, left, and his collage Angel Torres, stand in front of a cordon of Venezuelan Bolivarian National Police blocking the access to congress, in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Security forces have deployed around the opposition-controlled congress on Tuesday morning, blocking access to the building ahead of a planned debate there. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The company that makes OxyContin did not stop pitching the powerful opioid painkiller to doctors even when its sales representatives raised concerns that they were prescribing the drug inappropriately, the Pennsylvania attorney general's office said in a lawsuit announced Tuesday. The lawsuit against Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma was filed on May 2 under seal and announced on Tuesday. It made Pennsylvania at least the 39th state to sue the company seeking to hold it responsible for the toll of opioids, which have been killing more people in the U.S. and Pennsylvania each year than car crashes. The suit says Purdue drug representatives have made 531,000 detailing calls on doctors in the state since 2007, when the company settled with Pennsylvania and 25 other states agreeing to stop identifying illegal diversion of its OxyContin and to promote it only for federally approved uses. Only California doctors heard from the company more, the state says. The suit names several doctors whom the state says the company continued to call on to promote opioids despite signs that they were prescribing to addicts or worrying pharmacies with their prescribing levels. The complaint singled out one - Philadelphia doctor Jeffrey Bado - as one of the nation's biggest prescribers of opioids. The doctor lost his license in 2013 and was convicted in 2016 crimes including causing the death of a patient. The state says the company stopped calling on Bado at points because of concerns over his prescribing practices but kept returning again to promote the drugs. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro arrives at a news conference in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Shapiro filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing the company that makes OxyContin of fueling the opioid epidemic, making it at least the 39th state to make such a claim against Purdue Pharma. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Purdue said the company denies the allegations. "The complaint is part of a continuing effort to try these cases in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system," Purdue spokesman Robert Josephson said in a written statement. Attorney General Josh Shapiro did not rule out future legal actions against Purdue sales representatives and executives. He said he decided to sue because the company after two years of serving as a leader of a multistate investigation into the opioid industry and negotiations with companies on a settlement. "It has become clear that just one company, Purdue Pharma, has not been willing to negotiate in good faith," he said at a news conference. Josephson disputed that, saying the company is in complicated negotiations with state attorney generals, local governments and others. Around 2,000 local governments, including several in Pennsylvania, along with unions, hospitals and Native American tribes have also sued various industry players including Purdue and other drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies. Purdue, a privately held company based in Stamford, Connecticut, earlier this year publicly threatened bankruptcy as the litigation mounts. Some states have also started suing members of the Sackler family, which includes prominent philanthropists and owns the firm. In March, the company and the Sacklers settled a case with Oklahoma for $270 million. The company settled with Kentucky in 2015 for $24 million. For 2017, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied a record of nearly 48,000 opioid deaths. In Pennsylvania, the state Health Department said that more than 4,200 people died of overdoses involving any drug last year, down from nearly 5,600 in 2017. ___ Associated Press reporter Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this article. ___ Follow Geoff Mulvihill at http://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on memorial services for former Sen. Richard Lugar (all times local): 1 p.m. A couple hundred people stood as a military honor guard carried former Sen. Richard Lugar's flag-draped casket into the Indiana Statehouse Rotunda for the start of a two-day tribute. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett hailed the longtime senator as someone who "helped bring more peace to an increasingly dangerous world." Lugar was the Indianapolis mayor before he was first elected to the Senate in 1976. He was a senator for 36 years and helped spur the dismantling of thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons. He died April 28 at age 87. Hogsett and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb placed wreaths next to the casket as about eight hours of public viewing began ahead of Lugar's funeral on Wednesday. A military honor guard escorts the casket of Sen. Richard Lugar into the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Lugar was a longtime Republican senator and former Indianapolis mayor who's been hailed as an "American statesman" since he died April 28 at age 87. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) __ 10:25 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence will be traveling to his home state for Wednesday's funeral of longtime Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar. Pence says in a Twitter post that Lugar is "an American statesman whose contributions to our nation are countless." The former Indiana governor says he will deliver a eulogy for a "great man who inspired so many in public service - including me." Lugar left the Senate in 2013 after 36 years and died April 28 at age 87. He was a foreign policy expert who helped spur the dismantling of thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons Two days of memorial services for Lugar begin with a midday Tuesday ceremony during which his casket will be brought into the Indiana Statehouse Rotunda, followed by about eight hours of public viewing. __ 8:40 a.m. Two days of memorial services for former Sen. Richard Lugar will begin with a tribute at the Indiana Statehouse. The senator's casket will be brought into the Statehouse Rotunda for a midday Tuesday ceremony that will include remarks by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, followed by about eight hours of public viewing. Lugar was a longtime Republican senator and former Indianapolis mayor who's been hailed as an "American statesman" since he died April 28 at age 87. Lugar will lie in repose in the Rotunda until noon Wednesday, followed by his funeral beginning 1 p.m. at St. Luke's United Methodist Church on the north side of Indianapolis. Lugar helped spur the dismantling of thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons while serving in the Senate from 1977 until 2013. NEW YORK (AP) - Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst jailed for leaking government documents, has a book deal. Farrar, Straus and Giroux announced this week that Manning's memoir, currently untitled, will come out next winter. According to the publisher, Manning, 31, will write about her childhood and military service, about why she decided to send hundreds of thousands of classified materials to WikiLeaks, and about her life as a trans woman. Manning was sentenced to 35 years, but was released in May 2017 after President Barack Obama commuted her time in prison. Recently, she was jailed for two months for refusing to answer a grand jury's questions about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. FILE - In this May 24, 2018 file photo, Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst who served about seven years in federal prison for leaking government documents to Wikileaks, speaks at the C2 business conference in Montreal. Manning has a book deal. Farrar, Straus and Giroux announced this week that Manning's memoir, currently untitled, will come out next winter. According to the publisher, Manning will write about her childhood and military service, about why she decided to send hundreds of thousands of classified materials to WikiLeaks and about her life as a trans woman. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP, File) ATLANTA (AP) - A man has been charged with murder and other crimes in the death of a University of Georgia professor at a central Georgia home where authorities say the homeowner apparently killed himself after investigators arrived. Sydney Clark Heindel, 69, called 911 around 1 a.m. Sunday to report that a woman had been under water in the hot tub at his home in Milledgeville for a minute or two and was unresponsive, according to a Baldwin County Sheriff's Office incident report. When deputies arrived, they found Marianne Clopton Shockley, 43, naked and unresponsive on the pool deck bleeding heavily from a head injury. Heindel and "another nude male subject," identified as 41-year-old Marcus Allen Lillard, were performing CPR on Shockley. Lillard told deputies Shockley was his girlfriend. Shockley had no pulse and emergency medical personnel declared her dead shortly after arriving, the incident report says. Shockley was a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. This undated photo provided by the Baldwin Sheriff's Office shows Marcus Lillard. Lillard is charged with murder in the death of a University of Georgia professor at a central Georgia home. (Baldwin Sheriff's Office via AP) "On behalf of the university, I'd like to express our deepest sympathy to the family, students and colleagues of Dr. Marianne Shockley," university spokesman Greg Trevor said in an email. Lillard said he had been in the woods for about 15 minutes gathering firewood and when he returned he noticed Shockley "passed out" in the hot tub, the report says. The deputy noted in his report that there was already a large pile of firewood near the firepit by the pool and that it seemed odd to be gathering more because it had been raining heavily earlier in the day. When Shockley didn't respond, Lillard picked her up from the hot tub, jumped in the pool, swam her to the other side and set her on the pool deck, Lillard told deputies. Lillard said he fell while carrying Shockley and that's how her head was injured. Heindel said he was at the other end of the pool swimming while Shockley was in the hot tub and that when Lillard returned from the woods and found Shockley unresponsive, they pulled her out and started doing CPR, the report says. Shockley appeared to be breathing faintly, Heindel said, so they assumed she was regaining consciousness and didn't call 911 until about 45 minutes later. Deputies called a detective and separated Lillard and Heindel, with Lillard in the back of a patrol car and Heindel on his front porch. Deputies found a pair of glasses on the pool deck with what appeared to be blood next to them on the concrete. They also found two spots in the grass just off the pool deck that appeared to be blood soaked and found a woman's bracelet nearby in the grass. When a deputy went to ask Heindel a question, he found that Heindel was no longer on the porch. As the deputy knocked on the screen door and called Heindel's name, he heard a "loud but muffled noise," the report says. Deputies entered the home and found Heindel inside the master bathroom dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the report says. Lillard was taken to the sheriff's office for further investigation. The sheriff's office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Monday afternoon that Lillard had been arrested on charges of murder, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another. Lillard was being held in the Baldwin County jail in Milledgeville, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta. A sheriff's office spokeswoman didn't know whether Lillard had an attorney who could comment on the charges, and no online court records were available. MIAMI (AP) - Three Democratic lawmakers are asking a government watchdog agency to investigate how a private company tied to former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly secured a no-bid contract to hold migrant children in a Florida facility. South Florida U.S. representatives Donna Shalala, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell sent a letter to the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Health and Human Services on Monday. In the document made public Tuesday, the House members ask for a probe of Kelly's role in the contract negotiations, given he was a board member of the contractor's umbrella company, Caliburn International. "We are deeply concerned with the conditions surrounding the contracting, particularly as this for-profit company continues to financially benefit from the prolonged detention of children," the letter says. "We find it troubling that General Kelly's tenure in the administration led to a dramatic increase in both the number of children held at the Homestead facility and the duration of time that unaccompanied children are being kept in government custody." Tesia Williams, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services, said in an email that the office had received the letter and was reviewing it for appropriate response. The government manages a network of more than 160 facilities around the country for child migrants in HHS custody. The one in Homestead is the largest. About 2,200 teens are held there after crossing the border without a parent or legal guardian. But the facility could expand to hold up to 3,200 children. Previous contracts for the Homestead, Florida facility were awarded in a competitive process. But in April, HHS awarded Caliburn's subsidiary Comprehensive Health Services a contract worth more than $341 million to expand the center in a no-bid phase. FILE - In a Monday, April 8, 2019 file photo, from left to right: Rep. Donna Shalala (D-FL), Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) speak to the media after being denied entrance to the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Migrant Children by the Trump administration in Homestead, Fla. The three Democratic lawmakers are asking a government watchdog agency to investigate how a private company tied to former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly secured a no-bid contract to hold migrant children in a Florida facility.(Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, File) As Homeland Security secretary, Kelly was the first official to publicly say the U.S. government was considering separating migrant families, saying it would be a deterrent for others considering migrating north. The government ended President Donald Trump's policy that led to the separation of migrant families last summer, but minors who cross the U.S.-Mexico border unaccompanied continue to be apprehended and transferred to the custody of HHS. Kelly, who was appointed White House chief of staff in July 2017, stepped down from the post in January. In early April, he was spotted touring the Homestead camp. Before joining the White House, Kelly was already affiliated with DC Capital Partners, the Washington private equity firm that formed Caliburn. BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri received a U.S. official Tuesday as Washington mediates a maritime border dispute with Israel. Acting Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield arrived earlier in the day to begin a two-day visit to meet officials in Lebanon, which is in an economic crisis. He did not speak to journalists after his meeting with Hariri. Lebanon's economy is mired in debt and struggling to grow as the civil war in neighboring Syria stretches into its eighth year. The war has brought more than a million refugees into the Mediterranean nation. Beirut hopes that oil and gas brings cash into the state's dried up coffers. Satterfield's visit comes a week after President Michel Aoun presented the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon with a "unified stance" regarding the demarcation of the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel. Last month, Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told the commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Maj. Gen. Stefano del Col, that Beirut is ready to establish the maritime border and special economic zone with Israel similar to the one used to demarcate the land border between the two countries after Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. There are some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of waters claimed by the two countries, which are technically in a state of conflict. Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah fought a monthlong war in 2006. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield, left, speaks during his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Satterfield's visit comes a week after President Michel Aoun presented the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon with a "unified stance" regarding the demarcation of maritime border between Lebanon and Israel. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) In December 2017, the Lebanese Cabinet approved licenses for three international companies to carry out exploratory drilling off the Lebanese coast. The licenses will allow Italy's Eni, France's Total and Russia's Novatek, who bid for two of Lebanon's 10 offshore blocks, to determine whether oil and gas exist. Last month, Lebanon's Energy Minister Nada Boustani announced a second round of bidding for licenses to search offshore for oil. Boustani said the deadline for companies to submit their offers for three new blocks is Jan. 31, 2020. Lebanon is expected to begin drilling for oil and gas later this year in block 4 that is off the coast north of Beirut and in block 9 along the maritime border with Israel in January 2020. Lebanese governments have long sought energy development but political bickering and the dispute with Israel over the maritime border has caused delays. Satterfield visited earlier Tuesday the headquarters of the Moronite Calthoic church, where he paid condolences for the passing away of its former patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, who died on Sunday. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield, speaks during his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Satterfield's visit comes a week after President Michel Aoun presented the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon with a "unified stance" regarding the demarcation of maritime border between Lebanon and Israel. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) WASHINGTON (AP) - International worries that the Trump administration is sliding toward war with Iran flared into the open Tuesday amid skepticism about its claims that the Islamic Republic poses a growing threat to the U.S. and its allies in the Persian Gulf and beyond . The U.S. military rebutted doubts expressed by a British general about such a threat. President Donald Trump denied a report that the administration has updated plans to send more than 100,000 troops to counter Iran if necessary. But Trump then stirred the controversy further by saying: "Would I do that? Absolutely." The general's remarks exposed international skepticism over the American military build-up in the Middle East, a legacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq that was predicated on false intelligence. U.S. officials have not publicly provided any evidence to back up claims of an increased Iranian threat amid other signs of allied unease. As tensions in the region started to surge, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his nation was worried about the risk of accidental conflict "with an escalation that is unintended really on either side." Then on Tuesday, Spain temporarily pulled one of its frigates from the U.S.-led combat fleet heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. That was followed by the unusual public challenge to the Trump administration by the general. "No, there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," said Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, a senior officer in the U.S.-backed coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Ghika, speaking in a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the coalition monitors the presence of Iranian-backed forces "along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in." But he added, "There are a substantial number of militia groups in Iraq and Syria, and we don't see any increased threat from any of them at this stage." President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, before boarding Marine One for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., to travel to Louisiana. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Late in the day, in a rare public rebuttal of an allied military officer, U.S. Central Command said Ghika's remarks "run counter to the identified credible threats" from Iranian-backed forces in the Mideast. In a written statement, Central Command said the coalition in Baghdad has increased the alert level for all service members in Iraq and Syria. "As a result, (the coalition) is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to U.S. forces in Iraq," the statement said. At the White House, Trump, who has repeatedly argued for avoiding long-term conflicts in the Mideast, discounted a New York Times report that the U.S. has updated plans that could send up to 120,000 troops to counter Iran if it attacked American forces. "Would I do that? Absolutely," he told reporters. "But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." Reinforcing Trump's denial, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a joint news conference in Sochi with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, "We fundamentally do not seek war with Iran." A Trump administration official said a recent small meeting of national security officials was not focused on a military response to Iran, but instead concentrated on a range of other policy options, including diplomacy and economic sanctions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Lavrov said Pompeo told him that a potential deployment of 120,000 U.S. troops to the Mideast was only a "rumor." Lavrov said the international community needs to focus on diplomacy with Iran, including on the potentially explosive issue of Iran's nuclear program, which is constrained by a U.S.-brokered deal in 2015 that Trump has abandoned. U.S. Iran envoy Brian Hook told reporters traveling with Pompeo in Brussels that the secretary of state shared intelligence on Iran with allies since "Europe shares our concerns about stability in the Gulf and the Middle East." What the Europeans do not share, however, is Washington's more aggressive approach to Iran. "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters in Brussels. "What we need is a period of calm to make sure that everyone understands what the other side is thinking," Hunt said. Last week, U.S. officials said they had detected signs of Iranian preparations for potential attacks on U.S. forces and interests in the Mideast, but Washington has not spelled out that threat. The U.S. has about 5,000 troops in Iraq and about 2,000 in Syria as part of the coalition campaign to defeat the Islamic State group there. It also has long had a variety of air and naval forces stationed in Bahrain, Qatar and elsewhere in the Gulf, partly to support military operations against IS and partly as a counter to Iranian influence. Gen. Ghika's comments came amid dramatically heightened tensions in the Middle East. The U.S. in recent days has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf region, plus four B-52 bombers. It also is moving a Patriot air-defense missile battery to an undisclosed country in the area. As of Tuesday, the Lincoln and its strike group had passed through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, but officials would not disclose their exact location. Tensions rose another notch with reports Sunday that four commercial vessels anchored off the United Arab Emirates had been damaged by sabotage. A U.S. military team was sent to the UAE to investigate, and one U.S. official said the initial assessment is that each ship has a 5- to 10-foot hole in it, near or just below the water line. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation, said the early interpretation is that the holes were caused by explosive charges. The official on Tuesday acknowledged seeing some photographs of the damage to the ships, but those images have not been made public. The official also said that the team is continuing to conduct forensic testing on the ship damage and that U.S. leaders are still awaiting the final report. The team's initial assessment is that the damage was done by Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies, but they are still going through the evidence and have not yet reached a final conclusion, the official said. ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee and AP writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is dismissing a report that the U.S. is planning for a military conflict with Iran. Trump was responding to Tuesday's report in The New York Times that the White House is reviewing military plans against Iran that could result in sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons. Trump says it's "fake news." He says he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops, but that he's not planned for that and hopefully won't have to plan for that. He says if the U.S. was going to get into a military conflict with Iran, "we'd send a hell of a lot more" troops. Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday at the White House before traveling to Louisiana. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Intelligence Committee has struck a deal with Donald Trump Jr. to appear for a closed-door interview next month, pulling the two sides back, for now, from a confrontation over a subpoena as part of the panel's Russia investigation. Under the terms of the deal, according to two people familiar with the agreement, Trump Jr. will talk to the committee in mid-June for up to four hours. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday to discuss the confidential terms. The deal comes after the panel subpoenaed President Donald Trump's eldest son to discuss answers he gave the panel's staff in a 2017 interview. Trump Jr. had backed out of interviews twice, prompting the subpoena, according to people familiar with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr's remarks to a GOP luncheon last week. Those people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Burr's remarks in the private senators' meeting. The deadline for Trump Jr. to respond was Monday, according to one of the people familiar with the terms. His lawyers drafted a letter to the committee declining an appearance and the president's son expected to be held in contempt for declining to be interviewed. But before the letter was sent, the committee reached out Monday evening and extended the deadline. The deal was then struck. A spokeswoman for Burr declined to comment. The North Carolina Republican has weathered fierce criticism for the subpoena from the president and his GOP colleagues. FILE - In this Thursday, March 28, 2019, file photo, Donald Trump Jr. speaks at a rally for President Donald Trump in Grand Rapids, Mich. The chairman of the Senate intelligence committee says the panel subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. after he backed out of two interviews that were part of its Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) Trump said Tuesday he believed that his son was being treated poorly. "It's really a tough situation because my son spent, I guess, over 20 hours testifying about something that Mueller said was 100 percent OK and now they want him to testify again," Trump told reporters at the White House before traveling to Louisiana. "I don't know why. I have no idea why. But it seems very unfair to me." It's the first known subpoena of a member of the president's immediate family, and some Republicans went as far as to say they thought Trump Jr. shouldn't comply. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., tweeted, "It's time to move on & start focusing on issues that matter to Americans." Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a GOP member of the panel, said he understood Trump Jr.'s frustration. Cornyn's Texas colleague, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, said there was "no need" for the subpoena. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on "Fox News Sunday" that if he were Trump Jr.'s lawyer, "I would tell him, 'You don't need to go back into this environment anymore.'" Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has defended Burr, telling his colleagues during the private GOP luncheon last week that he trusted the intelligence committee chairman. On Tuesday, McConnell told reporters that "none of us tell Chairman Burr how to run his committee." Still, McConnell made it clear that he is eager to be finished with the probe, which has now gone on for more than two years. Burr has "indicated publicly he believes they will find no collusion" with Russia, McConnell said. "We're hoping we will get a report on that subject sometime soon." It's uncertain when the panel will issue a final report. Burr told The Associated Press earlier this month that he hopes to be finished with the investigation by the end of the year. The subpoena has highlighted a delicate bind facing Burr, a third-term senator who has said he is not running for reelection 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. Burr's committee had renewed interest in talking to Trump Jr. after Trump's former lawyer, Michael 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 the president's eldest son about other topics, including a campaign meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. ___ Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, responds to reporters about Donald Trump Jr. being subpoened by his panel after he backed out of two scheduled interviews as part of the panel's Russia investigation, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) VALLETTA, Malta (AP) - The Latest on European migration issues (all times local): 6 p.m. The European Union's border agency says the number of migrants entering the bloc without authorization continues to drop. Frontex said Tuesday that it spotted 4,900 "illegal border crossings" in April, a fall of 19% over the previous month. In all, about 24,200 crossings were detected in the first four months of 2019, 27% down from in 2018. More than half the unauthorized migrants were detected on Europe's eastern borders. One in four were Afghans, while one in five were citizens of Turkey, a candidate for EU membership. Rescued migrants desembark from the Mare Jonio rescue ship of the Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans as it docked at the port of the Italian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Friday, May 10, 2019. According to Mediterranea Saving Humans, some 30 migrants, including two pregnant women and a small child, were rescued a day earlier off the Libyan coast. (Elio Desiderio/ANSA via AP) Just over 200 people crossed the central Mediterranean, once Europe's busiest migrant route. The EU was plunged into a political crisis in 2015 over how to handle migrant arrivals. Surveys say migration is a key issue in the May 23-26 EU elections. ___ 1:40 p.m. A Maltese court has fined the captain of the German humanitarian ship that rescued more than 200 migrants because it entered the Mediterranean island nation's waters last year with a ship that was not properly registered. Though the court opted Tuesday against jailing the captain, Claus-Peter Reisch, due to the humanitarian backdrop, it did impose a fine of 10,000 euros ($11,300). Reisch has eight days to decide whether to appeal the fine. The court also denied a prosecution motion to confiscate the vessel. The Lifeline has been in a Maltese port since last June, and will be free to leave once any appeal is settled. Malta agreed to give it safe harbor following a six-day standoff, but only after Italy and other EU nations agreed to take in the migrants. HACKBERRY, La. (AP) - President Donald Trump showcased his "America First energy policy" on Tuesday during a trip to Louisiana designed to highlight his administration's efforts to increase liquefied natural gas exports and boost the country's energy infrastructure. Trump toured the outskirts of a $10 billion export terminal that will liquefy natural gas for storage and shipping. The process involves cooling gas vapor to a liquid state. Sempra Energy announced Tuesday ahead of Trump's visit that the Louisiana plant has begun producing liquefied natural gas and will begin shipping to global markets in the next few weeks. "Under my administration we have ended the war on America energy and ended the economic assault on our wonderful energy workers," Trump said in a wide-ranging speech to workers that emphasized energy efforts but also touched on the 2020 Democratic field, the economy and his 2016 election. Trump cites an increase in liquefied natural gas exports as boosting jobs and cementing the U.S. role as an energy provider for international markets. The administration has also promoted liquefied natural gas from the U.S. as a way for Europe to reduce its reliance on Russia for energy. "We should be producing energy at home, not enriching foreign adversaries abroad," Trump said. Europe will be the largest purchaser of U.S. liquefied natural gas in the future, Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the European Union, told reporters on Air Force One. President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "For too long, Europe has been in the stranglehold of Russian LNG and pipe gas. This is the beginning of the end of that stranglehold," Sondland said. Declaring that production of liquefied natural gas was increasing, Trump said: "What does it really mean? It means jobs, jobs, jobs." He also criticized the Democrats' Green New Deal proposal for aggressively cutting carbon emissions, predicting that "under that deal, everybody in this room gets fired." Still, it has not been all good news for U.S. producers. China announced Monday that it planned to increase its tariffs on liquefied natural gas from the U.S. to 25% as the trade war between the two nations intensified. The president and congressional leaders are trying to work together on an infrastructure package that would boost energy development as well as rebuild roads, bridges and airports. Trump and Democratic leaders agreed to work toward a $2 trillion package, but it will be difficult for lawmakers and the White House to agree on how to pay for it. Some Republican lawmakers have described raising taxes to pay for public works improvements as "a nonstarter." Democrats, meanwhile, will be wary of speeding up environmental reviews to hasten construction. The nation's top business groups and labor unions support increasing the federal gasoline tax, currently 18.3 cents a gallon. It was last raised in 1993. Democrats are waiting for Trump to unveil what he can support, knowing an infrastructure package will go nowhere in a Republican-controlled Senate without his strong backing. As he spoke about his 2020 prospects, Trump made an infrastructure promise to Louisiana, a state that strongly supported him in 2016. "If we win this election, we're giving you a brand new I-10 bridge," he said. "We're gonna have it all set, ready to go Day One, right after the election." Trump also used the official government event to handicap his potential 2020 Democratic opponents. He said that former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke is "falling fast," and he mocked former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Trump claimed to the crowd: "Bernie's got a lot of energy. But it's energy to get rid of your jobs." The visit is Trump's third to Louisiana since he took office. He also used the trip to attend a fundraiser in Metairie. President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Workers applaud President Donald Trump as he arrives to speaks at the Cameron LNG Export Terminal in Hackberry, La., Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) President Donald Trump speaks during an event on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump speaks during an event on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump walks as he tours the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump speaks during an event on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump speaks during an event on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump speaks during an event on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump participates in a tour of the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives to speak on energy infrastructure at the Cameron LNG export facility, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Hackberry, La. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on standoff between the two largest economies in the world as they trade retaliatory tariffs. (all times local): 12:33 p.m. President Donald Trump is downplaying the escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and China as nothing more than "a little squabble" between friends. Trump says the U.S. has been treated unfairly by China "for many, many decades" and says he thinks things will "turn out extremely well" because, "We're in a very strong position." As for who is winning the dispute, Trump tells reporters as he leaves for a trip to Louisiana that, "We always win." Trade talks between the two countries have broken down, with U.S. officials listing $300 billion more in Chinese goods for possible tariff hikes and Beijing vowing Tuesday to "fight to the finish" in an escalating trade battle that is fueling fears about damage to global economic growth. A worker at the imported beef section of a supermarket that used to carry U.S. products chats with another in Beijing on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. China announced higher tariffs Monday on $60 billion worth of American goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest penalties on Chinese products. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Trump says that the two countries were close to a deal, but says China "broke it." _____ 11:29 a.m. U.S. officials targeted $300 billion in additional goods from Chinese goods for possible tariff hikes while Beijing vowed to "fight to the finish." Global markets stabilized Tuesday but did not fully recover from a widespread sell-off that began the week as risks to global economic growth escalated. The U.S. Trade Representative's Office issued its target list after Beijing announced tariff hikes Monday on $60 billion of American goods in their spiraling dispute over Chinese technology ambitions and other irritants. China was reacting to President Donald Trump's surprise decision last week to impose punitive duties on $200 billion of imports from China. A man chats with workers near a fruit section selling oranges from the United States and fruits from China at a supermarket in Beijing, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Sending Wall Street into a slide, China announced higher tariffs Monday on $60 billion worth of American goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest penalties on Chinese products. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Oranges from the United States are on sale at a supermarket in Beijing, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Sending Wall Street into a slide, China announced higher tariffs Monday on $60 billion worth of American goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest penalties on Chinese products. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) A shopper eyes display of seafood including oysters from the U.S. at a supermarket in Beijing on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. China announced higher tariffs Monday on $60 billion worth of American goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest penalties on Chinese products. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) - Officials say a fire and subsequent explosion at a Georgia-Pacific paper mill in eastern Oklahoma injured five workers and left two firefighters with heat exhaustion. Muskogee County Emergency Medical Service operations director Ron Morris says four injured workers were taken to a hospital with smoke inhalation and undisclosed "minor trauma." A fifth worker was treated at the scene. Georgia-Pacific spokeswoman Karen Cole said two people were still hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition. The fire and explosion that followed occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Monday at the Georgia-Pacific plant in Muskogee, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Tulsa. Fire Chief Mike O'Dell said the fire began when a hydraulic line on a propane-fueled fork lift ruptured, spraying fluid that ignited on the propane tank. O'Dell said the two firefighters with exhaustion were treated at the scene. The Democratic Unionist Partys first openly gay election candidate has been elected. Alison Bennington hugged supporters at a Belfast count centre for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council north of the city. She attracted 1,053 votes as part of her campaign for the pro-union and Christian party and praised her supporters good, hard work and good teamwork. The DUPs founder, the late Rev Ian Paisley once led a campaign to, in his words, Save Ulster from Sodomy and prevent the decriminalisation of homosexuality. His fundamentalist party is staunchly opposed to same-sex marriage and has thwarted recent efforts to legalise it. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where it is banned, despite five attempts by the devolved administration to introduce it and calls on Westminster to bypass Stormonts quarrelling politicians. The centralist Alliance Party topped the local government poll in part of Belfast during early vote counting. The party has appealed for support to both unionists and nationalists and is trenchantly critical of Brexit and the Stormont powersharing stalemate which was denounced following the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. Alliance held the balance of power between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists in the outgoing Belfast City Council, the largest in Northern Ireland. Good weather is thought to have boosted turnout (Joe Giddens/PA) Former Alliance leader David Ford said: People want serious politicians getting on with serious issues rather than what we see of the two main parties squabbling and failing to form the Executive at Stormont. The Green Party also topped a poll in part of the capital, but the Ulster Unionists appeared to have slumped. Sinn Fein and the DUPs votes held up in early tallying. Former Stormont justice minister Mr Ford added: I think certainly we have been in touch with the zeitgeist because we have been out and about talking to people, listening to them, hearing about genuine concerns and working on real issues. There have been a lot of people on the doorsteps bad-mouthing both the DUP and Sinn Fein and I hope that this election will be a wake up call for them. Arlene Foster voted in the local election in Brookeborough, Co Fermanagh (Michael McHugh/PA) It is the first poll since Miss McKee, 29, was shot dead by dissident republicans during disturbances in Londonderry in April. Her death prompted revulsion against the group blamed for the killing and a call by a Catholic priest for politicians to redouble efforts to restore devolved powersharing. The Stormont Assembly and ministerial Executive have been suspended since early 2017. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill (Joe Boland/PA) The last Democratic Unionist/Sinn Fein-led powersharing coalition imploded amid a row about a botched renewable energy scheme. The rift between the erstwhile partners-in-government subsequently widened to take in disputes over the Irish language, same-sex marriage and the legacy of the Troubles. Fresh negotiations are due to begin next week following Ms McKees death. Sinn Feins deputy leader Michelle ONeill told the BBC she was glad to see progressive parties like Alliance doing well. Aine Grogan from the Green Party topped the poll in part of South Belfast. She told the broadcaster: A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this. We dared to dream. We are overwhelmed by it all. A total of 819 candidates are standing for 462 available seats across 11 council areas in Northern Ireland. Antrim and Newtownabbey voters have re-elected a former DUP mayor following his recent conviction for drink driving. Thomas Hogg served a five-month suspension from the council earlier this year. He said: I am overwhelmed to have been elected with 999 votes my largest ever. In Londonderry in the far west, the nationalist SDLPs Mary Durkan was elected. The barrister is the sister of Stormont Assembly member Mark H Durkan. In Newtownabbey, near Belfast, the DUPs first openly gay candidate Alison Bennington is standing for a party which has repeatedly vetoed same-sex marriage and holds strong Christian values. Among noteworthy races for seats will be Sinn Feins former West Tyrone MP Barry McElduffs efforts to return from the political wilderness. He was forced to step aside after offending the families of those shot dead by republicans at the height of the Troubles in Kingsmill, Co Armagh. Mr McElduff is running for a place on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in the far west. The council election is being conducted by single transferable vote, a proportional representation system. A Tory MP has accused the SNP of slashing council budgets in north-east Scotland in retaliation for the region electing Conservatives to Holyrood and Westminster. Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson criticised the SNP for the political choice to cut local authorities budgets, claiming the regions four councils will see their general funding cut by 100,000 a day. Speaking at the Scottish Conservative annual conference in Aberdeen, Mr Thomson said the cuts are because the north east had the audacity to recognise the value of electing Scottish Conservatives to local government, Holyrood and Westminster, rejecting the failed SNP policies. He continued: The Scottish Government is now getting more revenue from the UK Government than it has had in the past. While the SNP waste more time with their obsession with independence, one thing is clear, only @RuthDavidsonMSP and the @ScotTories will stand up to the SNP, stand up for our communities and give us a #FairSharefortheNorthEast #SCC19 pic.twitter.com/vQZsNRHwPv Ross Thomson (@RossThomson_Abz) May 3, 2019 Its budget has consistently grown and what we are seeing is in terms of priorities the SNP are prioritising spending in other ways and want to cut budgets to local government. Thats a political choice of theirs and it has consequences. Ross Thomson MP has criticised local government cuts by the Scottish Government (Chris McAndrew/PA) He claimed the SNP are blinded by their obsession for independence and using the north-east region as a cash-cow to fund the central belt in Scotland. He added: When it comes to public services, Nicola Sturgeons Government has dealt cut after cut. Thats cuts to teacher numbers and catastrophic reforms that have limited opportunities and choice for young people up and down our country. A whole generation of young people are being failed by the SNP Government in Edinburgh. Commenting on the return of Ruth Davidson as leader of the party in Scotland, Mr Thomson said: Theres a real sense of optimism because Ruth is coming back. We all look forward to her getting stuck into Nicola Sturgeon and holding her feet to the fire. The SNPs Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart responded to Mr Thomsons speech on cuts, saying: These claims are simply not true. Our budget is 2 billion lower in real terms than it was in 2010 as a direct result of Tory austerity, but despite this local government in Scotland is seeing a real terms increase in their budgets this year. Rather than simply making up numbers, the Tories would be better explaining how our schools and hospitals would cope under their plans to cut the budget by 500 million to pay for a tax cut for high earners like Ross Thomson. When Ross Thomson was a councillor in Aberdeen he called for spending in the north east to be tightened. Now when the SNP has continued to deliver for the north east in the face of massive cuts from Westminster, he still isnt happy. Time and time again gypit Ross Thomson has shown a total lack of consideration on the biggest issues of the day Im sure the folk of Aberdeen South cant wait to have their say on his time in office at the next election. Sajid Javid has launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming the Labour leader would rig our precious democracy if he got into power. The Home Secretary warned if Labour won the next General Election which he suggested could well come before 2022 the Tories could be out of power for a generation. He hit out at Mr Corbyn during a speech at the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen. Home Secretary Sajid Javid addresses delegates during the Scottish Conservatives annual party conference at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (Jane Barlow/PA) Mr Javid said: All the tricks of permanent revolution will be visited upon our country. His great prize will be to rig our precious democracy, just the way he started rigging the Labour Party as soon as he got in. Whether its changing the electoral system, refusing to equalise constituency boundaries or threatening press freedom to name a few. In short: undermining the norms of our multi-party democracy, not for any noble democratic principles but to keep the hard lefts grip on power no matter what the will of the British people. In a speech that could be seen as a leadership pitch to Scottish Conservatives, Mr Javid emphasised his one nation credentials and warned delegates a divided Tory party would usher Mr Corbyn into Downing Street with the support of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. He added: Its clear our union, our country and our party are all at a crossroads. And we know that its in times of uncertainty that the seeds of radicalism are sown. There are three different revolutions seeking to exploit this situation: Corbyns socialism. SNP-style separatism and far-right populism. He condemned the fact the UK had failed to leave the European Union and warned the Tories risked losing voters trust for not delivering on a promise at the heart of our last manifesto. Setting out areas he felt the Conservatives would face a tough election campaign, he said: We need people to know that we share their values and understand their needs. Thats the underlying reason why we have struggled with some ethnic minority voters, young voters, working-class voters and, yes, Scottish voters until recent times. After losing more than 750 councillors, the former Local Government Secretary said: This morning, we all woke up to disappointing local election results in England. Of course we knew it would be a tough time in the cycle. We knew there was frustration about our national politics. I heard plenty of it myself knocking on doors in Wakefield yesterday. And, theres no denying the European elections in a few weeks will be even more challenging in every part of the UK. He added: We shouldnt be surprised if people tick the protest box on the ballot paper. Without anything else at stake, it will be a verdict on the delivery of Brexit. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and Home Secretary Sajid Javid during the conference (Jane Barlow/PA) Rejecting the ideas of a second referendum on the EU or Scottish independence, Mr Javid described the idea as an absolute gift to the Nats. Mr Javid added: I know Nicola Sturgeon has never met a referendum she hasnt wanted to overturn but I say to her: Stop trying to rerun the referendums of the past and stop weaponising Brexit for your own narrow agenda. No more second guessing. No second referendum on EU membership. No second referendum on Scottish separatism. Responding to the speech, Scottish Labour deputy leader Lesley Laird said: It is the recklessness of the Tories which has harmed our economy, with years of austerity hitting living standards. A Labour Government will transform our economy for the many with investment in public services, and Jeremy Corbyn has been clear that there will be no deals or pacts with the SNP. Outlander star Sam Heughan has said he is happy to be back home in Scotland filming series five of the hit show. Heughan revealed the cast has a couple of episodes under its belt as he took time out to visit the music and drama school where he trained as an actor. The 39-year-old, who grew up in Dumfries and Galloway, also has two action films awaiting release. Heughan with Outlander co-star Caitriona Balfe (Jane Barlow/PA) Speaking at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, Heughan said: Weve just started production were a couple of episodes in. I also have two movies coming out this year I shot a movie with Vin Diesel (Bloodshot) in the summer break and also another action movie called SAS. Its been a busy year but its nice to be back in Scotland. Outlander follows the adventures of English nurse Claire Randall, who travels back in time from 1940s Scotland to the 18th century, where she meets and falls in love with Highlander Jamie Fraser, played by Heughan. The adaptation of Diana Gabaldons book series concluded its fourth series in January. The first book was published in 1991 and it was adapted for television in 2014. Fans of the series have since flocked from Europe and North America to visit locations featured in the show. Heughan said of series five: Scotland is doubling this year as North Carolina. The set design has been incredible. Its the build-up to the War of Independence and Jamie Fraser is stuck between two fires. Hes working for the British but doesnt believe in their cause. Royal fans have been left pondering if the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby is overdue after Harry postponed part of a visit to Holland. His trip to Amsterdam on May 8 will be rescheduled for a later date due to logistical planning concerns for the press covering royal events next week. But his planned trip to The Hague on May 9 will still go ahead, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said. Royal fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Meghan and Harrys baby (Chris Jackson/PA) With wife Meghan due to give birth any day now, there has been speculation about whether the visit, announced on Wednesday, would go ahead. The palace said in a statement: Due to the logistical planning for the travelling press to cover visits and engagements by the royal family, we have taken the decision to postpone the Duke of Sussexs scheduled visit to Amsterdam on Wednesday 8th May 2019. The Duke is currently scheduled to travel to The Hague on Thursday 9th May for the launch of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 as planned. The Invictus Games is a sporting event for injured servicemen and women and veterans founded by the duke. Royal fans are on tenterhooks waiting for any news of the royal birth. Meghan gave a clue about her due date when she told a well-wisher, during a visit to Birkenhead in January, that her baby was due at the end of April and beginning of May. Next week is a busy period for senior members of the Royal Family, with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall undertaking a four-day tour of Germany beginning on Tuesday. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are to visit Germany next week (Chris Jackson/PA) Charles is to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel while in Berlin. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spending the day in North Wales on May 8, and will visit the Caernarfon Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter Base and travel to Anglesey to visit the local business Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt. Theresa May has accused the Scottish First Minister of using Brexit for one thing and one thing only to press her obsession with independence. The Prime Minister hit out at Nicola Sturgeon, claiming the SNP leader did not have the same old-fashioned belief in democracy that she has. She criticised Ms Sturgeon for both backing a Peoples Vote on Brexit and for pushing for a second Scottish independence referendum, with the First Minister having already declared her intention to have another such vote within the next two years. The future that awaits us is a bright one - but we'll only reach it by standing together as a proud union of nations.#SCC19 pic.twitter.com/QPEXmLbDuB Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) May 3, 2019 Mrs May said her SNP rival had put the divisive issue of independence back on the agenda immediately after the Brexit referendum in June 2016. She told the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen: I would have welcomed a First Minister of Scotland who wanted to work with me to deliver a good Brexit deal for the UK. Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly claimed her Scottish Government offered to compromise on Brexit, arguing for both Scotland and the UK to remain part of the single market and customs union, only for UK ministers to reject their calls. But on the issue of a good Brexit deal for the UK, Mrs May said: I knew from the start that Nicola Sturgeon was not interested in that outcome. She saw Brexit as an opportunity to further her partys obsession with one thing and one thing only independence. Mrs May said before the dust had even begun to settle on the Brexit result in 2016, the First Minister had invited the television cameras into Bute House to put the most divisive issue in Scottish politics, in her words, back on the table. She accused the SNP leader of wanting to re-run the independence referendum because she did not like the decision of the people of Scotland. Mrs May went on to criticise the First Ministers support for a second Brexit referendum. David Mundell (left) Sajid Javid (centre) and Ruth Davidson share a joke before the PMs speech. (Jane Barlow/PA) She said: Let me just put it this way, I have an old-fashioned belief that in a democracy, if you put a question to the people, you should respect the answer they give you. That seems to be a pretty big difference between Nicola Sturgeon and me. On fighting to keep Scotland part of the United Kingdom, the PM pledged: We have never stopped making this case. And we never will. She told the conference: Scotlands success matters to me. It matters to everyone who cares about our United Kingdom. And a Conservative government will always put the interests of our union first. PM speaking to a packed hall in Aberdeen after arriving to a standing ovation #scc19 pic.twitter.com/9FzMQpCwvQ Eddie Barnes (@EddieBarnes23) May 3, 2019 The Prime Minister hailed Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, saying she had transformed the party north of the border. With Ms Davidson having just returned to frontline politics from maternity leave, Mrs May said she had shown that success in one of the biggest jobs in British politics should be no barrier to a woman starting a family. Under Ms Davidsons leadership, the Scottish Tories have risen to become the second largest party at Holyrood. At the next Scottish elections in 2021, Mrs May said her party would offer the people of Scotland a Government that is devoted 100% to improving the lives of Scots a Scottish Conservative Government. Rescuers are searching for an experienced hillwalker who has been missing for two days. Martin Rhodes, 46, from West Yorkshire has not been seen since around 8.30am on Wednesday. It is believed he planned to go walking in Kinlochewe, Highlands, and was reported missing when he failed to return to his accommodation later that day. A search operation was launched and anyone with information that could help the investigation is being urged to come forward. Martin Rhodes has not been seen since Wednesday (Police Scotland/PA) Police, Torridon and Dundonnell mountain rescue teams, the Search and Rescue Dogs Association and the HM Coastguard helicopter have been searching the area on Friday. Inspector Jamie Wilson said: Martin is an experienced hillwalker but it is out of character for him to be out of contact for this length of time. We are continuing to urge anyone with information which could help locate him to get in touch. Our searches have been focused on the popular Slioch hillwalking route from Kinlochewe but I would ask anyone who believes they might have seen Martin, or has information on where he planned to walk, to let us know. With the conditions having turned colder, I would also ask anyone with a shed, outhouse or somewhere that a person could have sought shelter to check them thoroughly. Anyone with information which could help is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 4582 of May 1. Photo: The Canadian Press Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter broke his hip Monday at his south Georgia home when he fell while leaving to go turkey hunting, a spokeswoman for the Carter Center said. Carter was treated in Americus, Georgia, near his home in Plains, and was recovering comfortably after successful surgery, spokeswoman, Deanna Congileo, said in a statement. His wife of 73 years, Rosalynn, was with him, Congileo said. In an indication Carter was in good spirits, Congileo said Carter's main concern was that he had not reached his limit on turkeys with the shooting season ending this week. "He hopes the State of Georgia will allow him to rollover the unused limit to next year," the statement said. In March, Carter became the longest-living chief executive in U.S. history, exceeding the lifespan of former President George H.W. Bush, who died Nov. 30 at the age of 94 years, 171 days. The milestone came despite a cancer diagnosis more than three years earlier. Carter disclosed in 2015 that he had melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. He received treatment for seven months until scans showed no sign of the disease. "I've had a wonderful life," he said at the time he revealed the cancer. "I've had thousands of friends, I've had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence." Carter's legacy since leaving office has long overshadowed his rocky White House tenure, where he lost after one term amid a hostage crisis. He and Rosalynn founded the Carter Center in Atlanta in 1982 to focus on global human rights issues. The centre has monitored elections around the world and worked to resolve conflicts and eradicate disease, including guinea worm. The former president and first lady still live in Plains, a town of about 750 where they were born, raised and married. A devout Christian, Carter regularly teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church, drawing hundreds of visitors to Plains for each session. The Prince of Wales is to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week during his official visit to the country. Charless trip, from May 7 to May 10, is at the request of the British Government and aims to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the UKGermany bilateral relationship and its enduring importance to both countries, Clarence House said. The timing of the trip means Charles could be in Germany when the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs first child is born. The whirlwind tour is the latest in a string of Brexit diplomacy visits to Europe by the Royal Family as the UK prepares to leaves the EU. Charles will meet Angela Merkel during his time in Berlin next week (Michael Sohn/AP) Charles, who will be accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, will meet Mrs Merkel in Berlin on May 7, and then be introduced to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Clarence House said. The royals will attend a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, and be guests at the Queens Birthday Party, an annual event hosted by the British Ambassador at his residence in Berlin. On May 8, Charles and Camilla will spend the day in Leipzig, attending bilateral youth exchange organisation UK-German Connection. They will also visit St Nicholas Church to meet those who played a role in the Peaceful Revolution which helped bring about an end to the division of Germany in 1989. The royal couples visit comes at the request of the British Government (Andrew Milligan/PA) Clarence House said the couple will be in Munich on May 9 and 10, focusing on partnerships for green growth, sustainable organic produce and economic co-operation. Camilla will also meet women who have suffered domestic abuse, as part of her commitment to support survivors of domestic violence in the UK and overseas. The couple will also visit a local tavern to meet a dance group for the elderly. They will also join key political, business and cultural figures at a dinner hosted by the Bavarian minister-president, at the historic Residenz, and the visit will end with a trip to see local produce at an organic farm. Donald Trump has spoken with Vladimir Putin for more than an hour about nuclear weapons agreements, the conflict in Venezuela, North Korea and special counsel Robert Muellers report on Moscows interference in the 2016 US election. They had a very good discussion. Spoke for a little over an hour, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at the White House. They discussed nuclear agreements, both new and extended, with the possibility of having conversations with China on that front as well. There was a discussion about extending the current nuclear agreement, as well as discussions about potentially starting a new one that could include China as well, she said. Sarah Sanders addresses outside the White House (Evan Vucci/AP) She did not specify which treaty. The current strategic nuclear arms treaty expires in 2021. Ms Sanders also said they discussed trade and how it has increased between the two countries since Mr Trump became US president. They also talked about Ukraine and North Korea. They spoke about North Korea for a good bit of time on the call, and reiterated both the commitment and the need for denuclearisation, and the president said several times on this front, as well, the need and importance of Russia stepping up and continuing to help and put pressure on North Korea to denuclearise, she said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un travelled to Russia last week to meet the Russian president. Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP) Ms Sanders said Mr Putin and Mr Trump talked very, very briefly about the Mueller report, but she dodged a question about whether they had discussed Russian election interference, instead blaming the Obama administration for not doing enough to stop it before the 2016 election. Asked about a meeting at the Pentagon regarding the situation in Venezuela, she reiterated the US stance that all options continue to be on the table. Moscow is helping to prop up the embattled government of Nicolas Maduro, which the US wants to see toppled. Were looking at a number of different fronts, she said about Venezuela. I dont have any new announcements or change in direction. We continue to stand with the people of Venezuela and the president is continuing to push for aid to be delivered to those people. Beyond that I dont have any updates, but all options continue to be on the table. The presidents going to do what is required, if necessary. A DUP candidate who was convicted of drink-driving has won back his council seat with an increased vote. Thomas Hogg, 30, a former mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, was re-elected to the Macedon DEA on the first stage of the count with 999 votes. That was almost double the 581 votes he received in the last local government election in 2014. Speaking to Press Association, he said: I am delighted with the results that we have received. The party has retained three seats in the area and I am particularly pleased that my own vote has increased by over 400 votes. The partys strength in the area is based on hard work and I hope that my result is a reflection of the record of delivery by the party in the area. I am grateful to my colleagues and constituents for their support and I look forward to representing the area with renewed vigour and enthusiasm over the next four years. Thomas Hogg was re-elected in Antrim and Newtownabbey (PA) He also took to social media to express his delight, saying he was overwhelmed to have achieved his largest ever share of the vote. MACEDON DEA After stage 1 the candidates deemed elected are: Billy Webb Paul Hamill Thomas Hogg Robert Foster@eoni_official pic.twitter.com/0fwImJAmtu Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council (@ANBorough) May 3, 2019 Mr Hogg was handed a 12-month driving ban and a fine after admitting drink-driving in Belfast last May. The Local Government Commissioner for Standards suspended Mr Hogg as a councillor for five months. He was also suspended by the DUP for eight months over the matter. Mr Hogg issued an apology at the time, saying: My conduct let down my constituents and party. It was wrong and will not happen again. The Democratic Unionist Partys first openly gay election candidate has been elected. Alison Bennington hugged supporters at a Belfast count centre for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council north of the city. She attracted 1,053 votes as part of her campaign for the pro-union and Christian party and praised her supporters good, hard work and good teamwork. The DUPs founder, the late Rev Ian Paisley, once led a campaign to, in his words, Save Ulster from Sodomy and prevent the decriminalisation of homosexuality. His fundamentalist party is staunchly opposed to same-sex marriage and has thwarted recent efforts to legalise it. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where it is banned, despite five attempts by the devolved administration to introduce it and calls on Westminster to bypass Stormonts quarrelling politicians. The centralist Alliance Party topped the local government poll in part of Belfast during early vote counting. The party has appealed for support to both unionists and nationalists and is trenchantly critical of Brexit and the Stormont powersharing stalemate which was denounced following the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. Alliance held the balance of power between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists in the outgoing Belfast City Council, the largest in Northern Ireland. Good weather is thought to have boosted turnout (Joe Giddens/PA) Former Alliance leader David Ford said: People want serious politicians getting on with serious issues rather than what we see of the two main parties squabbling and failing to form the Executive at Stormont. The Green Party also topped a poll in part of the capital, but the Ulster Unionists appeared to have slumped. Sinn Fein and the DUPs votes held up in early tallying. Former Stormont justice minister Mr Ford added: I think certainly we have been in touch with the zeitgeist because we have been out and about talking to people, listening to them, hearing about genuine concerns and working on real issues. There have been a lot of people on the doorsteps bad-mouthing both the DUP and Sinn Fein and I hope that this election will be a wake up call for them. Arlene Foster voted in the local election in Brookeborough, Co Fermanagh (Michael McHugh/PA) It is the first poll since Miss McKee, 29, was shot dead by dissident republicans during disturbances in Londonderry in April. Her death prompted revulsion against the group blamed for the killing and a call by a Catholic priest for politicians to redouble efforts to restore devolved powersharing. The Stormont Assembly and ministerial Executive have been suspended since early 2017. The last Democratic Unionist/Sinn Fein-led powersharing coalition imploded amid a row about a botched renewable energy scheme. The rift between the erstwhile partners-in-government subsequently widened to take in disputes over the Irish language, same-sex marriage and the legacy of the Troubles. Fresh negotiations are due to begin next week following Ms McKees death. Sinn Feins deputy leader Michelle ONeill told the BBC she was glad to see progressive parties like Alliance doing well. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill (Joe Boland/PA) Aine Grogan from the Green Party topped the poll in part of South Belfast. She told the broadcaster: A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this. We dared to dream. We are overwhelmed by it all. A total of 819 candidates are standing for 462 available seats across 11 council areas in Northern Ireland. Antrim and Newtownabbey voters have re-elected a former DUP mayor following his recent conviction for drink driving. Thomas Hogg served a five-month suspension from the council earlier this year. He said: I am overwhelmed to have been elected with 999 votes my largest ever. In Londonderry in the far west, the nationalist SDLPs Mary Durkan was elected. The barrister is the sister of Stormont Assembly member Mark H Durkan. Among noteworthy races for seats will be Sinn Feins former West Tyrone MP Barry McElduffs efforts to return from the political wilderness. He was forced to step aside after offending the families of those shot dead by republicans at the height of the Troubles in Kingsmill, Co Armagh. Mr McElduff is running for a place on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in the far west. The council election is being conducted by single transferable vote, a proportional representation system. The lull before the storm of the local elections saw yet more Brexit in-fighting as Tory and Labour MPs pointed fingers at colleagues they said would damage their partys chances by being too Remain, too Leave, or too stuck on the fence. So what has happened and what will happen next? Days to go 181, if Brexit comes on the latest deadline of October 31. Or 58, if ratification happens in time for the UK to leave on June 30 and avoid the need for MEPs to take up their seats. What happened this week? Labours National Executive Committee decided more fudge was the answer to the Brexit problem, going into the council elections on a manifesto designed to appeal to both Leave and Remain voters but which ended up not appealing enough to either as the party lost more than 100 seats despite expecting gains. Meanwhile, the Tories cross-party talks with Labour continued without any breakthrough and Theresa May faced a savage grilling from the Liaison Committee on Wednesday over her continuing failure to compromise on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. Even an apparent pact of silence on Brexit ahead of Thursdays votes was not enough to stop the Conservatives haemorrhaging more than 1,000 council seats. What happens next? There are murmurs the Government talks with Labour could see a breakthrough on a deal next week ahead of the European elections but shockingly bad council results for both main parties will have an impact. Labour will set out its Euro election manifesto early next week. Supporters of another referendum, who have so far been on the losing side, have been tight-lipped on its contents. Mrs May appears to have privately conceded she has run out of time to prevent the European elections from happening. However, she is still holding out hope she can get a Brexit deal through before UK MEPs have to take their seats in Brussels. (PA Graphics) Good week Sir Vince Cable The Lib Dem leader was the biggest winner in the local elections, with his party winning about 600 seats, the biggest number of any party. Set against a bloodbath of losses for the two main parties, Sir Vince credited the success to their clear stance against Brexit and demand for a Peoples Vote. Bad week Tom Watson Labours deputy leader lost his battle for a clear Euro manifesto pledge for a second referendum on any deal at Labours National Executive Committee. Jeremy Corbyn and his allies pledged to only seek a new vote if Labour cannot enact its own Brexit plan or force changes to Theresa Mays own strategy. Quote of the week Labour MP Yvette Cooper clashed with Theresa May over her handling of Brexit negotiations at the Liaison Committee, telling her: Resilience is a strength but stubbornness is a weakness. Tweet of the week The only parties that did well in the #LocalElections2019 are unambiguously pro-Remain. The message is clear. We need to square up to the country and tell the truth. Brexit is a disaster and the Leave campaign lied to you. Labour MP David Lammy. The only parties that did well in the #LocalElections2019 are unambiguously pro-Remain. The message is clear. We need to square up to the country and tell the truth. Brexit is a disaster and the Leave campaign lied to you. pic.twitter.com/FqJPFX0dLR David Lammy (@DavidLammy) May 3, 2019 Word of the week Munchkin Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom told Labour MP Chris Bryant he could certainly be a munchkin if she was the Wizard of Oz. The bizarre exchange came after Mr Bryant complained Brexit business had dragged the current parliamentary session out to 296 days the longest session since the Glorious Revolution in 1688. A man suffered serious injuries when he was attacked from behind by two men in balaclavas wielding a metal pole. The 20-year-old was walking from Linlithgow Road towards the Hillcrest area of Boness when the pair targeted him on a footpath near a convenience store. He fell to the ground and sustained serious leg and facial injuries in what police have described as an unprovoked attack. SERIOUS ASSAULT - BO'NESS We're appealing for witnesses after a 20-year-old man was approach and attacked by 2 men near to #JessfieldPlace on Tuesday 30 April. The victim sustained serious leg and facial injuries requiring hospital treatment. Read more: https://t.co/6gwdUloEKe pic.twitter.com/BxJeMieawI Falkirk Police (@FalkirkPolice) May 3, 2019 He was taken to the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert and was released following treatment. Police are appealing for information about the incident, which happened at around 5.15pm on Tuesday. Detective Sergeant Donald Rodger said: This was an unprovoked attack on a young man who has sustained serious injuries as a result of this attack. Police have appealed for information (Joe Giddens/PA) The area is largely residential and I would appeal to anyone who may have been in the Hillcrest or Jessfield Place areas in the early evening on Tuesday April 30 to come forward. Equally, anyone who may have any information that can help us trace those involved is asked to get in touch with officers as soon as possible. We have had an increase in patrols in the local area since the incident and I would advise anyone who witnesses any suspicious behaviour to report this to police via 101. In an emergency always dial 999. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3450 of April 30, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained. Russias Investigative Committee says 13 people have died in a fire on an airplane that made an emergency landing at Moscows Sheremetyevo Airport. Video on Russian news channel Rossiya-24 showed passengers leaping from the plane onto an inflatable slide from the front of the aircraft. They are then seen fleeing across tarmac and grass of Sheremetyevo Airport. Smoke from a plane on fire at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport (Mikhail Norenko/Twitter via AP) Russian news agencies cited sources saying the plane, a Sukhoi SSJ-100 regional jet, had taken off for the northern city of Murmansk but returned when fire broke out. The agencies reported the plane had 78 people on board. Tributes have been paid to a happy, polite schoolboy who died after falling into the sea off the coast of North Wales. Dillan Brown, 13, from Llandudno, is understood to have slipped, hit his head, and plunged into the water on Saturday while playing with a friend. Police said a local teenager was recovered by coastguards at Pigeons Cove, on the Great Orme, at about 9.20pm on Saturday. The pupil from Ysgol John Bright school was airlifted to Bangor hospital but later died. It happened as the coastal town hosted the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza an annual three-day bank holiday festival which sees thousands of visitors lining the streets Samuel Williams, who has a child with Dillans sister Kelly, said in a statement on behalf of relatives: He was a happy, polite soul, always well-mannered and loved his YouTube and Xbox. Dillan Brown (Family handout/PA) He was absolutely fantastic with my daughter Lilly-May, he was a brilliant uncle to her. Last night was a tragic turn of events he had gone to Pigeons Cove with a friend and unfortunately he slipped, hit his head and fell into the sea, unfortunately he did not survive. His friend tried to help but he couldnt get to him in time and so he was airlifted to hospital. On behalf of his mother, brothers and sisters, they would like to thank everybody for their kind words and actions in this tragic situation. Although this has absolutely destroyed the family, their faith in humanity has been restored. A fundraiser has been started to cover the schoolboys funeral and support his grieving family and a memorial gig for the teenager is being played on May 24, Mr Williams said. North Wales Police said there were not thought to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Superintendent Nick Evans said: Our deepest condolences are with the family. We would ask that the familys privacy is respected at this difficult time. The coroner has been informed. A man has died and another was left seriously injured after a car deliberately hit pedestrians in east London, the Metropolitan Police said. The 52-year-old man died in hospital on Sunday afternoon after being run over in Leytonstone in the early hours. A 32-year-old man remains in hospital, where his injuries are described as serious but not life-threatening. Murder investigation launched after a car collides with pedestrians in Leytonstone https://t.co/jQsqvsK1nU pic.twitter.com/hPY9igX1Rl Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 5, 2019 Police, paramedics and an air ambulance were called to the scene on High Road at around 12.40am and officers have urged anybody with any information to come forward. A murder investigation has been launched and Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wrigley said: At this early stage, it appears that this was a deliberate act by the driver of the car. There had been an altercation in the street prior to this incident and I am appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information who has not yet come forward to contact police. Photo: Contributed Three Central Okanagan members of the Canadian Home Builders Association captured national industry awards over the weekend. The National Awards for Housing Excellence were held at the 76th annual CHBA national conference in Niagara Falls, Ont., and three local companies were among the nine B.C. winners. West Kelownas Paradise Estates captured the community development award, Mission Group was deemed the best in the attached homes (mid- to highrise condominium or apartment projects) for Ella, and Marvel Pro Contracting and Renovations Ltd. won in the luxury master bath bathroom category. For more on this story, visit Okanagan Edge. At least 40 people died when an Aeroflot airliner burst into flames while making an emergency landing at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport, officials said. The Sukhoi SSJ100 operated by national airline Aeroflot had 73 passengers and five crew members on board when it touched down and sped down a runway spewing huge flames and black smoke. Elena Markovskaya, a spokeswoman for Russias Investigative Committee, said early on Monday that 41 people were killed. But Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said later that 38 survived, implying the death toll was 40. The victims included one member of the crew and at least two teenagers, according to the Investigative Committee. The Aeroflot Airlines plane on fire during an emergency landing (@artempetrovich/AP) Video showed desperate passengers leaping out of the plane onto inflatable evacuation slides and staggering across the airports tarmac and grass, some holding luggage. The airport said in a statement that the plane, which had taken off from Sheremetyevo Airport for the northern city of Murmansk, turned back for unspecified technical reasons and made a hard landing that started the fire. (PA Graphics) Video broadcast later on Russian television showed flames bursting from the jets underside as it lands and then bounces. The plane apparently did not have time to jettison fuel before the emergency landing, news reports said. The SSJ100, also known as the Superjet, is a two-engine regional jet put into service in 2011 with considerable fanfare as a signal that Russias troubled aerospace industry was on the rise. However, the planes reputation was troubled after defects were found in some horizontal stabilisers. A Russian Investigative Committee van travels to Sheremetyevo airport (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) The planes manufacturer, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, said the plane in Sundays accident had received maintenance at the beginning of April. Aeroflot said the pilot had some 1,400 hours of experience flying the plane. The plane is largely used in Russia as a replacement for outdated Soviet-era aircraft, but also has been used by airlines in other countries, including Armenia and Mexico. This is the second fatal accident involving a SSJ100. In 2012, a demonstration flight in Indonesia struck a mountain, killing all 45 on board. Fugitive Joseph McCann, who is being hunted for the abduction and horrific rapes of three women, is also wanted in connection with the abduction of two more women on Sunday, police said. A fresh manhunt is under way for the extremely dangerous 34-year-old after the women were forced into a black Fiat Punto in Congleton town centre, Cheshire, at around 6.45pm. The vehicle made off after it was spotted and pursued by officers, before it hit another car and the driver fled, leaving the victims unhurt but extremely shaken inside, Cheshire Constabulary said. Road checks in and out of the town are taking place amid a large police presence in the area. Scotland Yard detectives previously launched a hunt for the suspected rapist and kidnapper after he allegedly snatched two women in their 20s off the streets in north London on April 25 in separate incidents. He is also suspected of abducting a 21-year-old woman at knifepoint in Watford in the early hours of April 21 and raping her. Officers believe McCann was being hidden by a friend or family member. He is described as being muscular, about 5ft 10ins, and he has a distinctive tattoo of the name bobbie on his stomach. He is said to have blue eyes, a bald head or shaved blond hair with a light-coloured beard, and a slight Irish accent. The Ministry of Justice launched an urgent review after it emerged McCann may have been wrongly released from prison in February. CCTV handout image issued by the Metropolitan Police of a suspect involved in the abduction and rape of two women in north London (Met Police/PA) He was freed automatically half-way through a three-year sentence for burglary and theft but should have gone before a parole board, it is understood. McCann is believed to have been subject to a life-long licence after he was released from prison in February 2017 having served 10 years of an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP) for an aggravated burglary. Scotland Yard has offered a reward of up to 20,000 for information leading to his arrest and prosecution. Police have warned McCann is extremely dangerous, known to use false names and may be wearing a disguise. Officers said he has recently gone by the name of Joel and has links to Watford, north-west London, Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and Ipswich in Suffolk, as well as historic family links to Manchester. Superintendent Sarah Pengelly, of Cheshire Constabulary, said: McCann is a dangerous individual and I would advise anyone who sees him not approach him but instead call us immediately on 999. Enquiries to locate him are ongoing and there is a large police presence in the Congleton area. This includes road checks in and out of the town. The two women abducted in Congleton were not injured. However, they have been left extremely shaken as a result of their ordeal and are currently being supported by specially trained officers. Officers hunting fugitive Joseph McCann over three rapes and two abductions have located a man in Congleton who is currently talking to trained negotiators, police said. Cheshire Constabulary said the suspect had been secured by officers in a rural area of the town where a police presence was on the ground and in the air overnight. According to reports, the man was evading capture by hiding in a tree on a country lane as police helicopters monitored the scene from above. Earlier two women were forced into a black Fiat Punto in the town centre at around 6.45pm, sparking fears that the extremely dangerous suspected rapist had struck again. McCann allegedly snatched two women in their 20s off the streets in north London (Met Police/PA The vehicle made off after it was spotted and pursued by officers, before it hit another car and the driver fled. Police said the women had been left extremely shaken as a result of their ordeal but were unhurt. Cheshire Constabulary later said officers had tracked down a man wanted in connection with the abductions. The man has been secured by officers in a rural area of Congleton and is currently talking to trained negotiators, the force said. #BreakingNews -Officers investigating the abduction of two women have located a man in connection with the incident. The man has been secured by officers in a rural area of Congleton and is currently talking to trained negotiators. https://t.co/BB1VvGD4ep pic.twitter.com/CUHIBcsqBE Congleton Police (@PoliceCongleton) May 5, 2019 BBC News reported that the suspect was in a tree on Smithy Lane, a country road just outside the town, while the Stoke Sentinel said there was police activity in the area. Scotland Yard detectives previously launched a hunt for the suspected rapist and kidnapper after he allegedly snatched two women in their 20s off the streets in north London on April 25 in separate incidents. He is also suspected of abducting a 21-year-old woman at knifepoint in Watford in the early hours of April 21 and raping her. Officers believe McCann was being hidden by a friend or family member. The Ministry of Justice launched an urgent review after it emerged McCann may have been wrongly released from prison in February. Superintendent Sarah Pengelly said McCann is a "dangerous individual" (Met Police/PA) He was freed automatically half-way through a three-year sentence for burglary and theft but should have gone before a parole board, it is understood. McCann is believed to have been subject to a life-long licence after he was released from prison in February 2017 having served 10 years of an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP) for an aggravated burglary. Scotland Yard offered a reward of up to 20,000 for information leading to his arrest and prosecution. Cross-party Brexit talks are set to continue this week as ministers urged Jeremy Corbyn to do a deal with the Government to break the deadlock. Negotiations between Labour and the Conservatives will resume on Tuesday, with reports over the weekend suggesting Theresa May is poised to propose a temporary customs arrangement with the EU. But shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Prime Minister of jeopardising the talks, claiming she had blown the confidentiality of the discussions. He said he no longer trusts Mrs May, following reports in the Sunday Times that she was prepared to give ground in three areas: customs, goods alignment and workers rights. Negotiating with the Tories is like trying to enter into a contract with a company that's going into administration. #Marr pic.twitter.com/KkWjKgysz8 John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellMP) May 5, 2019 Meanwhile Rory Stewart, the newly appointed International Development Secretary, warned that the Tories could lose four million voters if the party takes a harder line on Brexit and tries to outdo Nigel Farage. He said Labour and the Conservatives positions were a quarter of an inch apart, telling Sky News Sophy Ridge of Sunday: I think a deal can be done, a lot of this rests on whether Jeremy Corbyn really wants to deliver a Brexit deal. Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (PA) But I think if he wants to do it, it will be actually surprisingly easy to do because our positions are very, very close. "If the Conservative Party were to make the mistake of trying to out do Nigel Farage then we'd lose four million remain voters" says Rory Stewart MP. Follow live reaction to Sunday politics here: https://t.co/0sH2jHtVXQ pic.twitter.com/yECj9ZNG8f Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) May 5, 2019 And Mrs May wrote in the Mail on Sunday: To the leader of the opposition, I say this: lets listen to what the voters said in the elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Lets do a deal. Elsewhere, a poll by political blog Conservative Home found that 82% of its party member panel respondents want Mrs May to stand down as party leader and to call a leadership election. Mr Stewart, who also confirmed that he would run to be the next prime minister when Mrs May stands down, said: Most Brexit voters voted for the Conservative Party but four million Remain voters voted for the Conservative Party. New International Development Secretary Rory Stewart openly says he'd run for Tory leader when the leadership race opens. Follow live reaction to Sunday politics here: https://t.co/0sH2jHtVXQ pic.twitter.com/oKulM8EOH4 Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) May 5, 2019 If the Conservative Party were to make the mistake of trying to outdo Nigel Farage, which Im sure we wont but it is something that a few of my colleagues are talking about, then we would lose those four million voters. Wed lose young people, wed lose Scotland, wed lose London and wed lose a lot of the most energetic parts of this country. Weve got to be a broad party. Weve got to be able to stretch all the way from Ken Clarke right the way through to Jacob Rees-Mogg. Scotland should consider establishing a citizens assembly on the countrys European interests, according to a new report. A study by the Scottish Centre on European Relations (SCER) evaluates the future challenges for the EU, and considers Scotlands contribution to that future. Ahead of the new session of the European Parliament, the report sets out a total of 40 recommendations on how such challenges can be met. It also provides an analysis of how Scotland could look to develop its European role and indicates that the Scottish Government must develop a stronger and clearer strategy for promoting Scotlands interests in Europe, regardless of Brexit. In one of its key recommendations, it states that migration policy should be devolved in part or in whole and that the hostile environment policy must end given the damage it is doing to the UKs overall image, to its economy, and to the cultural sector. The reports top recommendation to the Scottish Government is: To develop a clear, overarching European strategy and vision, taking as its starting point the current major issues, priorities and strategic debates within, and facing, the EU. The report considers Scotlands contribution to Europe (Jane Barlow/PA) However, the report also considers the possibility of Scotland being viewed as a role model. It read: Scotland has many strengths in the EU context, and can in some ways look to act as a role model or innovator, in areas ranging from bringing youth and civil society into shaping policy to human rights (including socio-economic rights) to migration to climate change to development. These areas can help to provide the building blocks for a more coherent Scottish European strategy. It continues to state that Scotland needs to raise its European ambitions. The report reads: Scotland does not have devolved competences or great influence in all the big areas of challenge for the EU. But that is where the Scottish government and other actors business, universities, NGOs, unions, media, the cultural sector and more need to ensure their networks, policy and communication strategies are all as sharp as can be. Scotland needs to undertake bilateral audits of its European relations, establish civic dialogues on Europe and consider establishing a citizens assembly on Scotlands European interests. In one of its main recommendations to the EU, it states that it should develop a strong new overarching and inclusive strategy for sustainable development a green new deal and a 21st-century industrial strategy. It adds: This can help overcome divisions (social, political and economic) at home and internationally. Director of SCER Dr Kirsty Hughes, who edited the report, said: The Scottish Government must develop a stronger, clearer and consistent strategic framework for its European and wider para-diplomacy. Whatever happens next with Brexit, or with the independence debate, Scotland needs a strategic approach now to promote Scottish interests in, and Scotlands contribution to, our shared European future. Brexit must not distract from this. A Scottish Government spokesman said: The Scottish Government has continuously said that the best outcome for Scotland is EU membership, which is what the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly for in 2016. The EU has given the UK more time under the extension period, that time must not be wasted. It is essential that there is a credible choice given to the people in a second EU referendum. The Scottish Government offered compromise in the form of membership of the European single market and customs union, that compromise has been repeatedly rejected by the UK Government. Two Scottish teenagers are set to become the youngest people ever to address the UNs Committee Against Torture. EJ Carroll and Katrina Lambert, both 18, will give evidence on Scotlands human rights record to the Committee on Monday, supported by the Childrens and Young Peoples Commissioner for Scotland (CYPCS) in their roles as Human Rights Defenders. The evidence session will inform the Committee as it prepares to examine the UK Government on Tuesday over where the UK and devolved governments currently fail to meet international human rights obligations. Focus on Scotland will include the Committee hearing about the age of criminal responsibility, the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, physical punishment of children and the use of so-called mosquito devices. Ahead of speaking to the Committee, EJ Carroll, who is from Midlothian, said: Children and young people have the right to be included and our views taken seriously at the highest levels when it comes to issues that affect our lives. Katrina Lambert, from Edinburgh, added: Having young people at the heart of the UN is absolutely crucial. Were so excited to have this opportunity to address the Committee but we dont want to an exception to the norm; children and young people should be included here and in other places of influence. EJ Carroll and Katrina Lambert will address the UN in Geneva on Monday (Anthony Devlin/PA) CYPCS Bruce Adamson said it was important that young people made their own case to the UN about the issues that affect children and young peoples lives including the age at which children are criminalised. The Scottish Government wants to be a human rights leader but is acting contrary to that by choosing to set the age at which we criminalise children at 12, Mr Adamson said. He added: This debate has seen unprecedented interventions from the United Nations and the Council of Europe who have been absolutely clear that anything below 14 years cannot be justified in human rights terms. The positive and progressive things we do in Scotland dont allow us to ignore international minimums which apply to all countries. Only last week, the First Minister announced a commitment to fully protect the rights of children by incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law, by the end of this Parliament in 2021. While this announcement is to be applauded, it shouldnt distract from the areas where Scotland is clearly failing, areas that young people themselves will evidence in Geneva on Monday. A Scottish Government spokesman said: Human rights has been one of the undoubted successes of devolution. The Scotland Act and The Human Rights Act, taken together, transformed the context in which human rights issues are considered and decided in Scotland. The Scottish Government has adopted a rights-based approach to key social policies, such as new social security powers. The Human Rights Leadership Group, established by the Scottish Government in 2018, will determine how best to extend human rights protections. Rights and protections for children are key to our ambition for Scotland to be the best place in the world for children to grow up. The First Minister has confirmed that by 2021 we will fully incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law. In raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12, we are leading the way in the UK, and in international terms, Scotland already has a leading, progressive approach to justice issues for young people. The Minister for Children and Young People has signalled the Governments intention to allow consideration for future changes, and will set up an advisory group to do so. We are delighted that two young people from Scotland will be giving evidence to the committee. We agree that their views should be taken seriously at the highest levels. That is why we made sure to listen to the views of hundreds of children and young people from all over Scotland on our proposals to raise the age of criminal responsibility. Measures to reduce air pollution could make heatwaves more severe, a study has suggested. Researchers believe that tiny man-made particles, such as those produced by car exhausts, could have an influence on the severity of future heatwaves. Scientists from the University of Edinburgh used a computerised model to carry out research on the impact of particles in the atmosphere. They concluded that cutting air pollution could inadvertently make heatwaves worse in some parts of the world by disrupting the formation of clouds that reflect heat from the sun back into space. Scientists studied the impact of man-made particles on heatwave severity (Lewis Whyld/PA) The researchers suggest this would cause peak day-time temperatures to increase, with heatwaves in the northern hemisphere more likely to be affected because of widespread efforts to improve poor air quality in countries within that region. Professor David Stevenson, of the University of Edinburgh, said: We desperately need to improve air quality. However, our results suggest that in doing so, we may inadvertently worsen heatwaves. Air pollution and climate change are inextricably linked and we need to develop smart pollution control policies that take these links into account. Holyrood must look to recapture the radical spirit of devolution 20 years ago, according to Richard Leonard. Speaking two decades on from when the first elections to the Scottish Parliament took place, Mr Leonard said the parliament has too often been distracted by questions on the constitution. The Scottish Labour leader said his party would rededicate itself to a radical social and economic agenda if elected to government in Edinburgh, having been voted out of office following the Scottish elections in May 2007. Labour delivered a Scottish Parliament, and the next Scottish Labour government will implement the most radical economic and social agenda in the history of devolution, said Mr Leonard. We will rededicate ourselves to realising the radical vision politicians like Donald Dewar and John Smith had for our parliament. The early years of devolution saw real action from Labour on land reform, scrapping tuition fees, introducing the smoking ban and the free bus pass. Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said his party would implement a radical agenda at Holyrood (Jane Barlow/PA) Recent years have seen great strides in equalities legislation like equal marriage. But too often in recent years the parliament has been distracted by constitutional debate rather than real action on the issues people care about, like jobs, schools and hospitals. Meanwhile, the use of the new powers over tax and social security have been far too timid, the wealth and incomes of the richest have soared in the past decade, and one in four children are growing up in poverty. That makes me even more determined to win power to bring about real change. To make the richest pay their fair share to build a fairer society for all of us. SNP MSP Bruce Crawford accused Mr Leonards party and the Scottish Conservatives of failing to stand up for devolution. He said: In the 20 years since devolution, the Scottish Parliament has made great progress on a number of issues. The ability to take positive decisions to improve the lives of people in Scotland, in a Parliament which is accessible and ready to listen, has made our country a better place. While weve managed to take better decisions in devolved areas, the status quo of the Westminster system has failed Scotland, and led to disastrous consequences like Brexit. Any pretence Scotland will be treated as an equal partner in the UK has long gone. It is now clearer than ever why it is time to complete our journey towards independence. At a time when Labour and the Tories are failing to stand up for devolution, Scotland must have the right to make our own decisions. Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called for unity. He said: At its beginning, the Parliament was a force for unity and shared endeavour. It is such a disappointment to so many that the goodwill of 20 years has been squandered by the forces for division on extremes in the Brexit and independence debates. The days of unity of 1999 could teach us something in 2019. The public want politicians to put the constitutional divisions behind us, unite for a better country and focus on getting our public services back on track. Thats the task we face today. Brexit, radical preacher Anjem Choudary and childbirth make headlines on Monday, while Line of Duty also features on several fronts after Sunday nights season finale. International Development Secretary Rory Stewart said Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are just a quarter of an inch away from agreeing a Brexit plan, the Daily Express says. But doubts remain over a deal between the leaders being struck due to the potential backlash from their own parties, the i reports. Monday's front page of i Labour casts doubt on a Brexit deal with Theresa May#tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/n8J3k7Zj3z Oly Duff (@olyduff) May 5, 2019 The Times says Mrs May is due to offer Labour a temporary customs union in an effort to break the deadlock, but the move could be rejected by 100 Tory MPs. And The Guardian says senior Labour figures believe a plan will not be countenanced by their MPs unless Mr Corbyn promises a second referendum. Guardian front page, 6 May 2019: Labour MPs 'will not back Brexit deal without second referendum' pic.twitter.com/FuHYhloG5y The Guardian (@guardian) May 5, 2019 An audit by the Daily Mail suggests it is riskier to give birth at night or on a weekend on three quarters of maternity wards because of a lack of consultants on site. What the papers say - May 6 (PA) Radical preacher Anjem Choudary has returned to his north London home after his release from prison, raising concerns he poses a new threat to national security, the Daily Telegraph reports. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'Terror fears as Choudary returns to the streets' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/23C78XjHtD The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 5, 2019 The Sun manages to combine expectations around the Duchess of Sussexs baby and the conclusion of BBC hit Line of Dutys fifth season. Tomorrow's front page: Meghan and Harry tune in to #LineOfDutys epic finale as their baby wait continues https://t.co/us1cN7xYUg pic.twitter.com/E7ClQ3Hv30 The Sun (@TheSun) May 5, 2019 Apple is to be investigated by the EU over allegedly disadvantaging competitors with rival music services on its own gadgets, the Financial Times reports. Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Monday 6 May https://t.co/miEc21P6ta pic.twitter.com/6QFxISRIN4 Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) May 5, 2019 And the Daily Mirror leads with claims by a mother that her daughter killed herself after watching controversial Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. Panamas Electoral Court has declared opposition candidate Laurentino Cortizo the winner of the countrys presidential elections. The court said Mr Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party won 33%, with 95% of votes counted from Sundays vote. It said Mr Cortizo, a cattle rancher, will formally be named president-elect on Thursday. He said on Monday morning: I call on all Panamanians to join in a national effort to correct the countrys path, rescue the country and get the economy on the right track. Laurentino Cortizo waves to supporters in Panama City (Arnulfo Franco/AP) Second-placed candidate and businessman Romulo Roux, of former president Ricardo Martinellis Democratic Change party, won 31% of the vote but has not conceded defeat. The campaign focused on corruption and slowing economic growth in this Central America trade and financial hub and turned into the tightest presidential contest in recent years. Before the announcement, Mr Roux vowed not to concede defeat, saying the results were too close and suggesting the race was marred by irregularities. We have to guarantee the protection of the electoral process and of democracy. Right now, its in doubt, he said, without providing any evidence of election tampering. Romulo Roux arrives to vote in Panama City with his wife and daughter (Arnulfo France/AP) The PRD, which has social-democratic leanings, will return to power for the third time since the transition to democracy three decades ago following the end of a military-led regime. The last time it in power was from 2004 to 2009 during the administration of Martin Torrijos. There is no run-off in Panama, so the winner in the field of seven mostly business-friendly candidates wins outright and takes office on July 1 for a five-year term. The election followed revelations of money laundering in the so-called Panama Papers that damaged the countrys reputation on the world stage. The trove of secret financial documents showed how some of the worlds richest people hid their money using shell companies in Panama and other countries. Despite the scandal, Panama remains a strategic location for commerce, anchored by the heavily trafficked Panama Canal shipping route and a recently expanded international airport. An electoral worker shows a ballot during a manual count (Arnulfo Franco/AP) Mr Cortizo, a 66-year-old who studied business administration in the US, was agriculture minister under Mr Torrijos and campaigned on vows to clean up Panamas image after the corruption scandals. Mr Roux, a 54-year-old businessman, had the endorsement of supermarket magnate Mr Martinelli, who is in jail awaiting trial on charges of political espionage. Mr Roux held multiple government posts during the Martinelli administration, including minister of canal affairs and foreign minister. Turnout was strong at 72% for Panamas sixth presidential election since a US invasion ousted strongman Manuel Noriega in 1989. Outgoing president Juan Carlos Varela, a 55-year-old conservative and liquor industry veteran, was barred by the constitution from running. Photo: Facebook/Caleb Beaudin RCMP in Saskatchewan are investigating a video on social media that they say shows someone burning a Nazi flag which a man claimed to have removed from a rural home. The video posted on Facebook on Saturday shows a man, his face covered by what appears to be a Confederate flag, spreading a Nazi flag on the ground while a person out of the frame sets it on fire. Photos of a home in Kelliher, Sask., were shared on social media late last week showing Nazi and Confederate flags flying from an antenna on a roof. Kelliher mayor Darcy King said Friday that the parents of the man who raised the flags had promised they would be taken down. King said over the weekend that the flags were no longer up, but he didn't know if they had been removed by the owner or stolen. The person who posted the video did not respond to interview requests by The Canadian Press. "Stop racism," the man says in the video. "It has to end now and not later. "I'm real and I'm not fake." RCMP said in a release Monday that they would be meeting with the occupant of the home as part of an investigation into the video. Cpl. Rob King said last week that police had received complaints about the Nazi flag. And that while displaying the flag wasn't illegal, officers had spoken to the man in the home about it. A driver has been seriously hurt in a single-vehicle crash in Aberdeen. The 35-year-old was travelling on the road between Kirkbrae, Cults, and Kingswells on Sunday when the collision occurred at around 6.10pm. A Police Scotland statement said: A 35-year-old man who was driving the Vauxhall Corsa suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he remains in a serious condition. Anyone who witnessed the collision or who saw the car beforehand is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 3165 of May 5. Widespread freezing temperatures overnight have brought one of the chilliest starts to an early May bank holiday. Temperatures dipped as low as minus 4.3C (24F) as icy Arctic air flowed southwards, leaving northern areas with patches of frost and some sleet over high ground in Scotland. The minimum was recorded at Katesbridge in Co Down, while a low of minus 2.4C (27.7F) was seen at Shap in Cumbria, minus 1.7C (29F) in Sennybridge, Brecknockshire, and minus 1C (30F) at Loch Glascarnoch in the Highlands. The lowest recorded temperature for the early May bank holiday Monday was minus 5.9C (21.4F) on May 7 2012 at Kinbrace in Sutherland. Whether you're planning an active or chilled #BankHolidayMonday, here's the all important 4-cast pic.twitter.com/DZrTwPlZeI Met Office (@metoffice) May 5, 2019 Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: Were stuck between high pressure to the west of us and low pressure to the east, which is giving us northerly winds its drawing air straight down from the Arctic. Temperatures are expected to peak at 14C (57.2F) or 15C (59F) in the south on Monday afternoon, although northern parts will struggle to see double digits as a band of rain pushes towards the south and east. People walk among bluebells on the mountainside at Rannerdale in the Lake District in Cumbria on Sunday (Owen Humphries/PA) Its going to be fairly chilly during the day, below average for the time of year, but its not going to be too bad and the winds going to be light, Mr Partridge said. #Pollen levels will be low today even in areas with prolonged fine weather. Tree pollen is coming to an end, and grass pollen hasn't got going yet pic.twitter.com/eg88TiTXIj Met Office (@metoffice) May 6, 2019 It will be generally dry, although there is a band of showery rain thats going to slowly move its way from Scotland southwards through parts of Northern Ireland and northern England then eventually into parts of East Anglia. That will make it feel a bit cooler through there, but either side of it will generally be dry and bright with sunny spells. It will stay mostly dry in the south, where it will be warmest, so Wales and much of southern England will be fine. The Israeli military lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel on Monday, while the Hamas militant groups radio station in Gaza reported a ceasefire, signalling that a deal had been reached to end the deadliest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. The escalation had killed 23 people on the Gaza side, both militants and civilians, and on the Israeli side, four civilians were killed by incoming fire. There was no official ceasefire announcement from either side, but the intense fighting over the past two days appeared to come to a sudden halt in the early hours and residents on both sides returned to their daily routines. Smoke rises from an explosion after an Israeli air strike in Gaza City (Hatem Moussa/AP) In announcing its decision, the Israeli military said that as of 7am, all protective restrictions in the home front will be lifted. Schools and roads had been closed, and residents encouraged to remain indoors and near bomb shelters as intense rocket fire pounded the area, threatening to escalate into all-out war. In Gaza, Hamass Al-Aqsa radio station broadcast a short item saying a ceasefire had been reached. However, neither the strips Hamas rulers nor the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group that was the driving force behind the recent fire from Gaza issued any formal announcement. Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and have fought three wars and numerous smaller battles since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. Palestinians gather around the wreckage of a vehicle following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City (Khalil Hamra/AP) In the latest fighting, which erupted over the weekend, Palestinian militants fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, while the Israeli military responded with air strikes on some 250 militant targets inside Gaza, including weapons storage, attack tunnels and rocket launching and production facilities. It also deployed tanks and infantry forces to the Gaza frontier, and put another brigade on stand-by. Buildings were toppled and a Hamas commander involved in transferring Iranian funds to the group was killed in an air strike, in an apparent return to Israels policy of targeting killing of militant leaders. Palestinian medical officials reported 23 deaths, including at least nine militants as well as two pregnant women and two babies. The four Israeli civilians killed were the first Israeli fatalities from rocket attacks since the 50-day war in 2014. One was killed when his vehicle was hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile near the Gaza border. Mourners at the funeral of a man who was killed outside his home in Ashkelon, Israel, by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. (Sebastian Scheiner)/AP) Egyptian mediators had been working with the UN to broker a ceasefire. Under past Egyptian-brokered deals, Israel has agreed to ease its joint crippling blockade of Gaza with Egypt in exchange for a halt to rocket fire. The latest fighting broke out after Palestinian militants accused Israel of not honouring an earlier ceasefire deal from March, and opened fire on soldiers on the Israeli side of the Gaza border. The terms of the latest deal were not known, but recent ceasefires have been short-lived. In weary communities in southern Israel, there was criticism that the latest round of fighting had ended without tangible results and no hope that it would not recur soon. I think that a ceasefire at this moment is a terrible mistake. I think that when we have the upper hand, we need once and for all to finish the terror because this will repeat itself and will not stop, said Jacque Mendel, a resident of the coastal city of Ashdod, where a man was killed in his car by a rocket on Sunday night. Despite its fierce response, Israel appears to have little appetite for another prolonged conflict. Later this week, the country marks Memorial Day, one of the most solemn days of the year, followed by the festive Independence Day. Next week, Israel will host the popular Eurovision Song Contest and the backdrop of fighting would have likely overshadowed the occasions and deterred foreign tourists. Israeli warplanes fly over the city of Ashkelon, near the border with the Gaza Strip (Sebastian Scheiner/AP) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently secured re-election in part thanks to the votes of the rocket-battered residents along the Gaza Strip frontier, has traditionally been cautious in his handling of Gaza, for fear of sparking an open-ended war with no clear endgame. But he is under pressure from the same electorate to end its anguish and his perspective coalition partners appear to favour a more hardline agenda on Gaza this time. Even within his own ruling Likud Party, Mr Netanyahu faced unusual criticism for not going further to quash Gaza militants. A ceasefire, in the circumstances reached, bears no achievements for Israel, Likud politician Gideon Saar wrote on Twitter. The timeframes between these violent attacks on Israel and its citizens are getting shorter and the terror groups in Gaza are getting stronger between them. The campaign has not been prevented, just delayed. Benny Gantz, Israels emerging opposition leader, also criticised Mr Netanyahu, saying the violence was the result of Israel losing it deterrence. Ending the current round amounted to another surrender to the extortion of Hamas and the terror organisations, he said. Rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP) In Gaza, a year of Hamas-led protests along the Israeli frontier against the blockade that has ravaged the economy has yielded no tangible benefits. In March, Hamas faced several days of street protests over the dire conditions. Nevertheless, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said late on Sunday that the militant group was not interested in a new war, and the start on Monday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is also likely to have reduced motivation for battle. Tory MPs are increasing pressure on Theresa May to set out a clear road map to her resignation as Prime Minister. With negotiations between the Government and Labour on trying to end the Brexit impasse set to continue on Tuesday, Tory impatience with Mrs Mays failure to name a firm date to stand down is growing. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the powerful 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, said Mrs May should announce a road map for her departure after the European elections set for May 23. He told the BBC: We are now having to face the prospect of European elections which none of us wanted to face. They are going to happen. And, I would have thought that fairly soon after that would be time for her to think about setting a schedule to find her successor. That is regardless of whether there is a deal on offer or not. Prime Minister Theresa May (Andrew Matthews/PA) We should move on as Conservatives. Mrs May has said she will step down if her Withdrawal Agreement is ratified, but with the deadline for Brexit extended to the end of October has not made clear how long she intends to stay if no deal is reached. Reports that Mrs May is poised to propose a temporary customs arrangement with the EU as part of the talks with Labour also drew criticism from Sir Geoffrey. He said: It is unlikely that I will vote for a deal containing a customs union. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Prime Minister of jeopardising the talks, claiming she had blown the confidentiality of the discussions. Negotiating with the Tories is like trying to enter into a contract with a company that's going into administration. #Marr pic.twitter.com/KkWjKgysz8 John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellMP) May 5, 2019 He said he no longer trusts Mrs May, following the reports that she was prepared to give ground in three areas: customs, goods alignment and workers rights. Referring to talks with Labour, Childrens Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: Currently, if you look at the Withdrawal Agreement, the customs arrangements, or the alignment with the EU would go on until December 2021, if Labour believe, actually, that they would rather go to the next general election, which is 2022, for example, then, actually, thats still a temporary customs arrangement. And then, whoever is leader of the Conservative Party can then lay out their stall as to the next instalment of negotiations. Mr Zahawi said a new referendum with Remain as an option would be bad for the country and seen as an attempt to unpick the result of the 2016 poll. Labour MP Caroline Flint said Labour should push for a Brexit deal with the Tories. Ms Flint told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I think if a deal is struck in which Labour achieves many of its goals in that deal, that it takes us up to a general election in which all parties will be able to then set out their stall, then I think that is a deal that is worth pursuing. And if Labour signs up to a deal that includes those goals I think a majority of Labour MPs will support that position. Ms Flint disagreed with reports that two thirds of Labour MPs would not back a deal without a confirmatory referendum. She insisted there was not a majority among MPs for a second referendum. Liberal Democrat former Cabinet minister Sir Ed Davey said voters who want to battle climate change should come out against Brexit. He said: If Britain leaves the EU, we leave Europes key climate talks. We cannot influence 27 other countries on climate change without a seat at the table and therefore we will witness the influence we have on the world through the EU dramatically reduced. So, anyone who wants to stop our climate crisis should vote to stop Brexit. Two men have died and two others were injured as a wall collapsed at a farm. The incident happened at a property near Whitecross, in the Falkirk area, at around 10.10am on Monday. Police Scotland said two men suffered serious injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other men suffered injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening. One was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary while the other was airlifted to Glasgows Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The emergency service attended shortly after 10am on Monday (Jane Barlow/PA) Police Scotland said inquiries to establish the full circumstances are being carried out and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been informed. Chief Inspector Damian Armstrong, the local area commander for Falkirk, said: My thoughts and sympathies are with the families of those affected by this incident and a multi-agency inquiry at the farm is ongoing. If anyone believes they have any relevant information that may be of use to this investigation then please come forward and quote incident 1081 of May 6. An inquiry into the circumstances is being carried out (Jane Barlow/PA) The property where the incident happened lies off the A803, between Linlithgow and Falkirk. Local road closures were put in place while the emergency services attended. A fire service spokeswoman said: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service responded at 10.11am on Monday with emergency service partners to a farm in the Falkirk area following reports of a collapsed wall. Operations control mobilised a number of fire appliances to the Whitecross area. A White House decision to dispatch an aircraft carrier to send a message to Iran followed clear indications that Iranian forces were preparing to possibly attack US forces in the region, a defence official told the Associated Press. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information, said that the Pentagon approved the deployments. They added that US forces at sea and on land were thought to be the potential targets. White House national security adviser John Bolton said in a statement Sunday night that the US is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the US Central Command region, an area that includes the Middle East. National security adviser John Bolton said the US will use `unrelenting force if threatened (AP/Evan Vucci) Bolton said the move was in response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings. He didnt provide details, but said the US wants to send a message that unrelenting force will meet any attack on US interests or those of its allies. The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces, he said. The Pentagon had no immediate comment on the Bolton statement. The Abraham Lincoln and its strike group of ships and combat aircraft have been operating in the Mediterranean Sea recently. Last Wednesday a group of senior Albanian government officials visited aboard the Lincoln as it sailed in the Adriatic. Boltons reference to the Central Command area would mean the Lincoln is headed east to the Red Sea and perhaps then to the Arabian Sea or the Persian Gulf. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the actions undertaken by the US had been in the works for a little while. It is absolutely the case that we have seen escalatory actions from the Iranians and it is equally the case that we will hold the Iranians accountable for attacks on American interests, Pompeo said. If these actions take place, if they do by some third-party proxy, a militia group, Hezbollah, we will hold the Iranian leadership directly accountable for that. The Trump administration has been intensifying a pressure campaign against Iran. Last month, President Donald Trump announced the US will no longer exempt any countries from US sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil, a decision that primarily affects the five remaining major importers: China and India and US treaty allies Japan, South Korea and Turkey. The US also recently designated Irans Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group, the first ever for an entire division of another government. Three years ago Trent Alexander-Arnold watched from the stands at Anfield as Liverpool produced another remarkable European comeback to beat Borussia Dortmund. On Tuesday the England international will be on the pitch trying to replicate a similarly difficult task as they seek to overhaul a 3-0 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. Back in April 2016 Liverpool faced their Bundesliga opponents on the back of an encouraging 1-1 draw in Germany. However, they found themselves 4-2 down on aggregate with 24 minutes remaining but edged through with an added-time winner from Dejan Lovren. I was here as a fan. It was one of those special nights. You always remember where you are when those games happen, said Alexander-Arnold, who sat out the first leg as manager Jurgen Klopp surprisingly selected Joe Gomez at right-back. I am sure the fans will believe we have it in us to score that many goals and not concede. Three years after watching a brilliant Liverpool comeback Trent Alexander-Arnold hopes to be part of one against Barcelona (Peter Byrne/PA) Realistically it is a really uphill battle for us but it is important to have that belief. It is a slim possibility but the possibility is still there. We have got to go out there and be fearless. The only way to get the result is to not hold back. If we get caught up thinking about the players they have got, it is not going to work. Of more concern to Liverpool at the moment is the absence of their key players. Leading scorer Mohamed Salah has been ruled out with concussion and with Roberto Firmino out with a muscle tear the Reds have only Sadio Mane left of their feared front three. However, Alexander-Arnold remains optimistic they can handle being without their 26-goal talisman. I dont think it will feel that strange, he added. We train with different line ups and different players in different positions. It is something we do in training as well. We have got two of our main goalscorers off but it also presents an opportunity for others to make themselves heroes and if we do overturn the deficit, whoever scores, their name will always be remembered because it will be a really special night. The lads who maybe dont get as many minutes will be looking to take the opportunities. I am sure whoever comes in will have an understanding with all the players. The main thing is to have that versatility and squad depth that whoever comes in can do a job. The Duchess of Sussex can expect to spend around 12 to 18 hours in active labour, according to an antenatal expert. On average, first babies take between a day to a day-and-a-half to arrive, but some come much quicker or take even longer. It is not known how long Meghan has already been in labour as she and the Duke of Sussex prepare to welcome their first child. The Duchess of Sussex with her hand on her bump during a visit to the National Theatre in London (Jon Bond/The Sun/PA) Although every womans labour is different, Meghans sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, went into hospital at around 6am on the day her first child, Prince George, was born and he arrived 10-and-a-half hours later at 4.24pm. When Kate gave birth for a second time, she delivered Princess Charlotte just two hours and 34 minutes after being admitted to the Lindo Wing of St Marys Hospital in Paddington. Kate gave birth to George around 10-and-a-half hours after being admitted to hospital (Dominic Lipinski/PA) With Prince Louis, news came at 8.34am that Kate had gone to the Lindo Wing early in the morning, and her third child arrived less than three hours later at 11.01am. It is not known how long the duchess was in labour with George, Charlotte and Louis before she was admitted. Val Willcox, antenatal teacher at the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), said: On average, the active stage of labour, once the woman has got to about 4cm or 5cm dilation, from there to the birth is around 12-18 hours. But thats an average. You can have some births that are much much faster and some that unfold over two or three days. Its a very, very individual thing. So long as the mum and baby are OK, it usually doesnt matter how long it takes. Its about making sure mum and baby are both OK, resting, staying fed and hydrated if its a longer labour thats really, really important. #TopTip Eating something light in early labour helps keep your energy levels up later on: https://t.co/bSBtWRFdtJ pic.twitter.com/TEVZGxafRG NCT (@NCTcharity) September 23, 2017 Mrs Willcox added that Meghan, like many pregnant women, might have initially been in labour without knowing. Some women dont realise when their labour starts because they might be getting aches and pains and niggly things that theyve been having during their pregnancy, she said. There might be quite a lot going on in their body before they realise these are regular contractions and this is definitely labour. Prince Harry came into the world at the private Lindo Wing at 4.20pm, weighing 6lb 14oz, on Saturday September 15 1984. Harry, now the Duke of Sussex, arrived in the same room at St Marys Hospital in Paddington, London, where older brother Prince William was born two years earlier. The Prince and Princess of Wales with newborn Prince Harry (PA) The Princess of Wales was in labour for nine hours and the delivery of the baby prince, then third in line to the throne, was said to be uncomplicated. Charles, who had been at Dianas side, told the waiting crowd that the arrival had been much quicker than last time and his baby son had pale blue eyes and hair of a sort of indeterminate colour. The first glimpse of the tiny face of the newborn Prince Harry as he is carried home from hospital by his mother Diana (PA) Speaking to reporters, he described the baby as marvellous, adding when asked if he expected a boy: No. It doesnt matter what it was as long as its alright I couldnt be more delighted. The prince had first phoned the Queen, and then Dianas father Earl Spencer, telling him: Hes a lovely baby. The Prince and Princess of Wales leaving hospital with baby Prince Harry (PA) Less than 24 hours later, 23-year-old Diana left hospital as the proud parents showed off their newborn on the steps of the Lindo. Two-year-old William had been brought in the morning by his father to meet his younger brother. Charles and his two-year-old son Prince William enter the Lindo Wing to meet baby Harry (PA) The newspapers reported how the blond toddler, who was dressed in red shorts, a white shirt with red embroidery, white ankle socks and traditional leather bar shoes, ran down the corridor into Dianas arms as she called his name. He was said to be very, very excited about seeing his new brother. One royal aide revealed at the time: There was a lot of laughter coming from the princesss bedroom. William waves to the crowd as he leaves the Lindo Wing with his nanny Barbara Barnes (PA) The introduction was judged a success, with William holding baby Harrys hand as he lay in his cot. He reportedly spent 20 minutes there, before being taken home by his nanny Barbara Barnes, waving to the crowds as he left like a royal pro. Harry, whose full name was announced as Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, made his first journey in the back of a blue Daimler home to nearby Kensington Palace. Hours later, Charles celebrated the birth with an impromptu drinks party from the back of a Land Rover at Smiths Lawn polo ground in Windsor. The Prince and Princess of Wales with baby Prince Harry (PA) The heir to the throne handed out champagne in plastic cups to polo friends after a match he organised to mark the occasion. But all was not well behind the scenes in the royal couples marriage. The princess years later told her biographer Andrew Morton when she collaborated with him on the bombshell book Diana: Her True Story that she had known Harry would be a boy, but not told her husband. I knew Harry was going to be a boy because I saw it on the scan. Charles always wanted a girl I knew Harry was a boy and I didnt tell him, she said. Diana claimed Charless first comment was, Oh God, its a boy, followed by and hes even got red hair. The princes joke was the beginning of the end of their marriage, with Diana recalling: Something inside me closed off. The princes biographer Jonathan Dimbleby wrote that following Harrys birth, the couple were living within the shell of a normal marriage and lacked intimacy and mutual understanding. Dimbleby said that, in the months that followed Harrys birth, Diana continued to suffer from mood swings, distress and paranoia, and that the gulf between husband and wife, who went on to separate in 1992, failed to close. With the Duchess of Sussex in labour, the wait is on for the official announcement of the royal babys birth. News of an arrival will be emailed to the press by Buckingham Palace, coinciding with an expected confirmation on Harry and Meghans official Instagram account @SussexRoyal, and then on the @RoyalFamily Twitter account and the monarchys royal.uk website. Harry and Meghan have promised to share news of their son or daughters birth once they have had the chance to celebrate privately as a new family. They will want to inform the Queen and family and friends before telling the world. The palaces traditional statement usually follows the form of saying the duchess has been safely delivered of a son or a daughter, stating the weight of the baby and the time. Meghan and Harry will want to tell their families first (Richard Pohle/The Times/PA) It also usually reveals whether the father was at the mothers side, as Harry will undoubtedly be, whether the mother and baby are doing well, and how the news has been shared with delighted family members. Having recently launched their own Instagram account, Harry and American former actress Meghan could use it to expand on the traditional, formal statement with a more relaxed, informal post about their babys birth. On @SussexRoyal recently, they thanked the public for sharing the love and followed it with a heart emoji. The arrival of their first child is also likely to be celebrated with a bulletin on display at Buckingham Palace. The notice is usually on display for 24 hours before it is taken down. It is then sent to the Privy Council Office so the details can be recorded in the Privy Council records. The bulletin which was hung outside Buckingham Palace in February 1960 announcing the birth of Prince Andrew (PA) The names given to royal babies are not usually revealed straight away, and the public is often left guessing for several days. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took two days to announce George and Charlottes names and four days for Louis, each time informing the Queen of their choice beforehand. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 4, 2015 When the Earl and Countess of Wessexs son was born in 2007 and named James Alexander Philip Theo, the palace revealed in a statement that the monarch and Sophies father were consulted over the names and were happy with the choices. The palace said: The Queen and Mr Christopher Rhys-Jones have been consulted and are content. Mike and Zara Tindall used Twitter to unveil their daughters name six days after she was born in 2014, with the proud father tweeting: For everyone who has asked what our daughters name is, its Mia Grace Tindall. When Princess Beatrice was born in 1988, it was two weeks before her name was known. In 1982, the Prince and Princess of Wales waited seven days before deciding on and announcing Prince Williams name. Prince Williams debut outside the Lindo Wing with his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales (PA) The Prince of Waless name remained a mystery for a month and was only declared ahead of his christening in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace in December 1948. Royal births are also often celebrated with a 41-gun salute in Green Park or Hyde Park and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London but the decision is in the Queens gift. The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery firing a gun salute to welcome the birth of Prince George in 2013 (PA) Baby Sussex, who is not currently entitled to be an HRH, will be seventh in line to the throne. Royal births are registered in the normal way, although the home secretary is required to notify certain officials including the lord mayor of London, and the governors of Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Photo: Columbia College Was a Vancouver college student a lieutenant of Mexican drug lord Joaqin "El Chapo" Guzman? Columbia College principal Robin Hemmingsen says staff can't find any evidence that a passage in a former DEA agent's book is true. "I had two people in Saturday combing through our records. He was not a student in our college under that name," Hemmingsen told CTV News. The business student apparently was enrolled as an elaborate cover for the Sinaloa cartel, Andrew Hogan's book Hunting El Chapo alleges. The book claims the 22-year-old was sent to Vancouver to run the cartel's Canadian drug distribution network. "His key cartel lieutenants could exploit weaknesses in the Canadian system: the top-heavy structure of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police hampered law enforcement efforts for even the most routine drug arrest and prosecution," the book claims. "Hondo only attended a few classes, instead spending most of his time hanging out at clubs or taking girls sailing on the British Columbia coast," it continues. The revelation comes in Peter German's money laundering report to the B.C. government. German also says one student at another college showed up with $9,000 in cash in a duffel bag and asked to deposit it, minus a $150 fee. Columbia says it doesn't accept cash from foreign students and uses immigration checks to ensure students' identities. with files from CTV Vancouver The Duchess of Sussex had a busy pregnancy in what was her first year as a member of the royal family. American actress Meghan, 37, fell pregnant around two months after marrying the Duke of Sussex in a historic royal wedding in Windsor Castles St Georges Chapel. Harry and Meghan at the Natural History Museum in London for a gala performance of The Wider Earth (Yui Mok/PA) Harry joked Theres a heavy baby in there at a reception for the Endeavour Fund Awards when Meghan was seven months pregnant. Celebrations ahead of the birth included a solo trip to New York City where the American former actress caught up with friends including stylist Jessica Mulroney, and attended an exclusive baby shower, with the private jet journey and penthouse suite, reportedly funded by friends, said to have cost some 300,000. The heavily pregnant royal also carried out an official overseas tour in her third trimester, when she and Harry travelled to Morocco at the request of the British Government. The Duchess of Sussex - with a henna design on her hand - talks to two girls during a visit to the Education For All boarding house in Asni Town, Atlas Mountains, Morocco (Tim Rooke/PA) Harry and Meghan leave the residence of the King of Morocco in Rabat (Yui Mok/PA) In early March, the duchess joined the Queen and other royals at a special reception in Buckingham Palace to mark 50 years since the Prince of Wales was invested with his title. The Queen joined by Charles, and Kate, Camilla, William, Harry and Meghan at the palace reception (Dominic Lipinski/PA) She also made a surprise appearance on stage with Harry at the WE Day UK event in London, and carried out a solo engagement on International Womens Day (IWD). Meghan was brought on stage by Harry at the WE Day UK event in Wembley (Jonathan Brady/PA) The duchess revealed she does not read newspapers or engage with Twitter to avoid getting muddled by the noise, whether positive or negative, as she joined a star-studded panel of feminists and national figures on IWD. The Duchess of Sussex after a panel discussion convened by The Queens Commonwealth Trust (Yui Mok/PA) The Duchess of Sussex joins today's unique #InternationalWomensDay panel, convened by @QueensComTrust, to discuss the obstacles that women face and the global opportunities that could be unlocked if girls and women are treated fairly and equally alongside men. #IWD2019 #IWDxQCT pic.twitter.com/qyWsUj3aSH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 8, 2019 On Commonwealth Day on March 11, Meghan and Harry met young Canadians at Canada House, and were given a baby bodysuit and pair of tiny moccasins. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are given baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the UK (Chris Jackson/PA) They went on to gather with the royals at the annual Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey. Meghan chats to the Prince of Wales in Westminster Abbey (Richard Pohle/The Times/PA) This was due to be Meghans last official public appearance before the baby was due, although she continued to hold private meetings behind the scenes. But the duchess carried out an additional engagement in the wake of the Christchurch mosque terror attacks in New Zealand, when she signed a book of condolence in London with Harry on March 19. The duchess signing a book of condolence at New Zealand House in London (Dominic Lipinski/PA) She was spotted making a private trip with the duke to the holistic spa Ilapothecary near Kensington Palace on March 29. The couple set up their own Instagram account @SussexRoyal, part of splitting their household from William and Kates, on April 2, posting a message saying it would be used to share important announcements. Then on April 4 came the news that Harry and Meghan had finally moved in to their new home in Windsor, Frogmore Cottage, after building work was completed ahead of the arrival of their baby. Fugitive Joseph McCann has been arrested over the abduction of two 14-year-old girls and is being investigated for other attacks around the country including the rape of an 11-year-old boy. Police confirmed the extremely dangerous McCann had been arrested in Cheshire after a stand-off with officers overnight. The 34-year-old is now being investigated over seven incidents across Cheshire, Manchester, Lancashire, London and Hertfordshire between April 21 and Sunday. The attacks involved a total of 12 victims, aged between 11 and 71, the Metropolitan Police said. Residents described how police descended en masse on a rural lane near Congleton in Cheshire at the weekend after McCann fled up a tree. Two teenage girls were forced into a car in the Cheshire town earlier on Sunday. Joseph McCann (Metropolitan Police/PA) The black Fiat Punto made off from the town centre at around 6.45pm but was spotted and pursued by officers before it hit another car and the driver fled, leaving the victims unhurt but extremely shaken, Cheshire Police said. The suspect was found in the tree in Smithy Lane, a country road just outside the town, following road checks and closures. Negotiators and paramedics were deployed and he was eventually taken into custody at around 3am on Monday morning. Scotland Yard detectives launched a hunt for suspected rapist and kidnapper McCann after he snatched two women in their 20s off the streets in north London on April 25 in separate incidents. The 34-year-old is also suspected of abducting a 21-year-old woman at knifepoint in Watford in the early hours of April 21 and raping her. Police said a woman aged in her 30s was falsely imprisoned at a location in Haslingden, Lancashire, on Sunday morning at around 8am and, during the same incident a teenage girl and boy, aged 11, were raped. At 1.30pm on the same day a woman aged 71 was abducted and raped in Bury, Manchester. Two hours later two 13-year-old boys and a 13-year-old girl were abducted in Heywood, Manchester. During that incident the 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted, police said. DCI Katherine Goodwin, from the Mets homicide and major crime command said: Between Sunday April 21 and Saturday May 5, McCann is suspected to have been involved in a number of attacks across different parts of the country. I can confirm he is now being investigated for offences committed in Cheshire, Manchester and Lancashire in addition to London and Hertfordshire. Detectives from the Met continue to lead on this investigation and are working very closely with policing counterparts where he is suspected to have carried out further offences. These offences will be jointly investigated. At this early stage, there are believed to be nine further victims following the attacks in Hertfordshire and London. These attacks were grotesque and horrifying. These victims are now being supported by specialist officers. Further details concerning specific offences will become clearer in due course. I would urge any other victims to come forward. We also need to hear from anyone who has been approached or been in contact with McCann between and May. Officers believe McCann was being hidden by a friend or family member. The Ministry of Justice launched an urgent review after it emerged McCann may have been wrongly released from prison. He was freed automatically halfway through a three-year sentence for burglary and theft but should have gone before a parole board, it is understood. McCann was subject to a life-long licence after he was released from prison in 2017 having served 10 years of an indeterminate sentence for public protection for a previous aggravated burglary. Scotland Yard offered a reward of up to 20,000 for information leading to his arrest and prosecution. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are settling into life as a family of three after welcoming their baby and now expectation is growing about their sons name. Harry announced to the world on Monday his wife had given birth to a boy and could not hide his happiness at becoming a father for the first time, to a baby he said was absolutely to-die-for. The infant 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. Asked about a name for his son Harry said on Monday: Still thinking about names. The baby is a little bit overdue, so weve had a little bit of time to think about it. Arthur is the favourite with many of the bookies a traditional royal moniker that features among the middle names of the babys grandfather, the Prince of Wales, and his uncle the Duke of Cambridge. The seventh in line to the throne baby boy an eighth great-grandchild for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh arrived at 5.26am on Monday, weighing 7lb 3oz. The as-yet-unnamed infant was believed to have been born in the sanctuary of Frogmore Cottage the Sussexes home on the Windsor Estate. But the Daily Mail reported that Meghan had her son at a London hospital, possibly The Portland. 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. In his announcement, Harry said on Monday: How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension but were both absolutely thrilled and so grateful to all the love and support from everybody out there. Its been amazing so we just wanted to share this with everybody. (PA Graphics) He went on to say: As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so Im just over the moon. The duke was at his wifes 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. The couple are due to present their newborn to the world during a photocall that is likely to take place on Wednesday, allowing mother and baby a few days to recover. And they are expected to receive visits from family and friends this week to congratulate the couple on their new arrival. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526hrs. The baby weighs 7lbs 3oz and The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth. Read the full announcement here: https://t.co/RCUFjQG8pe The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2019 Thomas Markle, the duchess estranged father, has already offered his well-wishes to Harry and Meghan on the news of their firstborns safe arrival. 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. The Queen and Philip, Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are all said to be delighted with the news. Doria Ragland, the duchess mother, who was with the couple on Monday and is thought to be staying with them, was also overjoyed with the arrival of her first grandchild. Ahead of the birth, Harry and Meghan made a personal decision to keep their arrangements private, amid speculation that they had opted for a home birth at Frogmore Cottage, close to the Queens Windsor Castle residence. They also said they would only share the news of the babys arrival once they had had a chance to celebrate privately as a family. Baby Sussexs birth comes less than a year after Harry married American former actress Meghan in a glittering ceremony in St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle. Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, became engaged following a whirlwind 16-month romance after going on a blind date in London. Scottish Government plans to reduce a flight tax will face a vote in Parliament as Labour pushes for the SNP policy to be scrapped. The Scottish Government has proposed cutting air departure tax (ADT) by half, but, after declaring a climate emergency last week, Nicola Sturgeon appeared to soften her stance on the flagship policy and boosted opposition hopes that it could be abandoned. Now Labour has announced it will force a vote on the plans to cut ADT, urging the Scottish Government to drop what it describes as a 150 million tax cut that benefits the richest the most and increases emissions. Labour transport spokesman Colin Smyth said: Like the rest of the world, Scotland needs to face up to the climate emergency our planet faces. Thats why the misguided policy of cutting air departure tax needs to go. Nicola Sturgeon joined Labour in declaring a climate emergency but as it stands her flagship policy would further contribute to climate change and only make it worse. The last thing our public services need are more cuts, the last thing our planet needs is more emissions and the last thing our society needs is more inequality. Labour are urging the Scottish Government to abandon plans to halve Air Departure Tax (Lesley Martin/Edinburgh Airport/PA) So it would be ludicrous to press on with a 150 million tax cut that benefits the richest the most and increases emissions. Holyrood can take the first step towards facing up to the scale of the climate crisis, by uniting and rejecting this policy. Climate change should be treated as an emergency. That means @NicolaSturgeon should bin her plan to give frequent flyers a 150million tax cut. pic.twitter.com/cl2M58Exjw Richard Leonard (@LabourRichard) May 2, 2019 At First Ministers Questions on Wednesday, Labour and the Scottish Greens argued that the reduced levy must be shelved if the Government is serious about tackling climate change after committing to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland to net zero by 2045, in line with advice from the Committee on Climate Change. The First Ministers spokesman said afterwards that all policies will now be looked at regarding enhanced targets proposed for climate change legislation going through Holyrood, including the proposal to replace the current air passenger duty with a 50% lower air departure tax. Asked directly if the proposed cut in the levy could be dropped, the spokesman said: That policy, along with a whole raft of relevant policies that impact on emissions and climate change targets, will be evaluated and re-evaluated in terms of where we need to get to. Ahead of this weeks vote, Scottish Liberal Democrat energy spokesman Liam McArthur MSP said: The SNP have been in the pocket of the aviation industry for years. When Liberal Democrats asked what the evidence was for abolishing air passenger duty, Keith Brown referred us to a report on the easyJet website commissioned by four airlines. If the SNP is serious about upgrading our planets predicament to a climate emergency then it must finally abandon this 250 million tax cut for airline companies. Passenger numbers are going up and up already. This money should be going towards our schools, hospitals and making the changes needed to our transport system that can help save our planet. It is time these priorities got the first-class treatment instead. Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Jamie Greene told the BBC that his party still backed the cut to ADT and suggested offering the reduction to long-haul passengers. Our proposal for making reductions in passenger tax were actually for long-haul flights where there really are no alternatives and the point there is that would open up markets such as Asia, the Middle East, the Americas the growing economies that we need to be doing business with, he said. There are land alternatives for travelling within the UK and, to an extent, within Europe, so that is why the Scottish Conservatives proposals want to make a cut where its targeted at actually benefiting the economy whilst being sympathetic to the notion that we do need to be making lifestyle changes to benefit the environment. A beaming Duke of Sussex is pictured across Tuesdays front pages after Meghan gave birth to a baby son. Several pick out Harrys proclamation that the little thing is absolutely to-die-for. The duke said he was so incredibly proud of his wife during an appearance at Windsor Castles Royal Mews. Tomorrow's front page: 'I'm so incredibly proud of my wife. This little thing is absolutely to die for'#tomorrowspaperstodayhttps://t.co/jjeqjltLn2 pic.twitter.com/YgHK5JMYRB The Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 6, 2019 Harry said Meghan and the baby were doing incredibly well and it had been the most amazing experience, the Daily Telegraph reports. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'This little thing is absolutely to die for - I'm just over the moon' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/uVQaDBQXsM The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 6, 2019 The infant was born at 5.26am as day broke on Monday, The Sun reports. The baby was born with a birth weight of 7lb 3oz, the Daily Express reports. What the papers say - May 7 (PA) Meghan had hoped to give birth at home, but the 37-year-old was taken to hospital in London, the Daily Mail reports. Harry appears on the front of The Guardian, although the paper leads with warnings over human destruction of natural habitats. The Guardian front page, Tuesday 7 May 2019: Humanity facing 'urgent threat' from loss of Earth's natural life pic.twitter.com/w897slY5kR The Guardian (@guardian) May 6, 2019 The warnings, which come after a landmark UN report, are also on the front page of the i. Tuesday's front page: Planet in crisis as research finds 'one million species at risk of extinction' #tomorrowspaperstoday #skypapers #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/j7Pwo0hLU8 i newspaper (@theipaper) May 6, 2019 A global recruitment drive for tens of thousands of foreign nurses will be launched by the NHS, The Times reports. Donald Trumps threat to slap tariffs on all Chinese imports and the resulting market jitters lead the Financial Times. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are set to begin a four-day tour of Germany on Tuesday. At the request of the British government, Charles and Camilla will travel to Berlin, Leipzig and Munich to highlight the UK and Germanys shared history and cultural connections. On the first day of their tour, the prince and the duchess will be greeted in Berlin by Her Majestys Ambassador to Germany, Sir Sebastian Wood, and his wife Lady Caroline Wood at Berlin Tegel Airport. To mark their arrival in the capital, there will also be a Guard of Honour from the countrys Federal Defence Forces. Chancellor Angela Merkel (Brian Lawless/PA) The couple will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Federal Chancellory before attending a meeting her in private study. They will then travel to Schloss Bellevue where they will be welcomed by the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. After a private meeting with the president, Charles and Camilla will visit and walk through Brandenburg Gate with the Mayor of Berlin, Michael Muller. Mr Muller will give the couple a brief history of the gate, as well as explaining its importance to the city. The prince and the duchess will then take the opportunity to meet members of the public outside the famous landmark. For their final engagement of the day, the couple will attend the Queens Birthday Party at the British Ambassadors residence. Charles will deliver a speech at the annual event in which he will emphasise the importance of an enduring relationship between the UK and Germany despite their relations currently being in transition. A fresh bid to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland will get under way later. The UK and Irish governments have convened a new talks process to try to break the logjam that has left the region without a properly functioning government for over two years. Leaders of the five main parties have been invited to Stormont House the UK Governments base on the Stormont estate in Belfast for an opening meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Substantive negotiations are unlikely to take place on Tuesday, with the initial exchanges instead focusing on how the process will run in the days and weeks ahead. Efforts to resurrect the devolved institutions have been injected with fresh urgency following the dissident republican murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry last month. Lyra McKee (Family handout/PA) Politicians are facing mounting public pressure to find consensus amid concern the violent extremists are exploiting the power vacuum. Last weeks local council elections recorded a surge in support for middle ground parties such as Alliance, with many interpreting the result as a sign of growing disaffection at the polarised Stormont stand-off. While the DUP and Sinn Fein failed to make the gains at council level that some predicted, they remain the regions two pre-eminent political forces and the fate of the Stormont talks is still in their hands. The last DUP/Sinn Fein-led powersharing 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. Martin McGuinness (Liam McBurney/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. A number of attempts to find a negotiated deal to restore the institutions have ended in failure. The last process broke down in acrimony last February with claim and counter-claim on what had been agreed. Sinn Fein said DUP leader Arlene Foster had agreed a draft deal to re-enter devolved government that included concessions on the Irish language a claim Mrs Foster denied. Arlene Foster (Liam McBurney/PA) Many of the disputes are linked to a controversial voting mechanism that enables blocs of unionists and nationalists to veto measures which command overall majority support in the Assembly. A number of the smaller parties are calling for changes to the contentious petition of concern, believing its reform could unlock several logjams at the heart of Stormonts impasse. With the UK Government reluctant to reintroduce direct rule from Westminster, Northern Ireland has operated in a political limbo for the last two years, with senior civil servants being left to run public services. Those civil servants are seriously hamstrung, unable to make key policy decisions in the absence of elected ministers. As a consequence, numerous governmental decisions are in abeyance with many major policy initiatives in cold storage. Theresa May is expected to have discussions with the chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers as calls increase for her to set a firm resignation date. Tuesdays meeting with Sir Graham Brady comes after the 1922 Committee requested clarity about the Prime Ministers timetable for standing down and triggering a leadership contest. As talks between the Government and Labour over a Brexit deal resume on Tuesday, there is growing Tory pressure for Mrs May to quit. Leading Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash told the Press Association: The time has come for her to resign. She needs to be given a date. The sooner the better. But it needs to be done in an orderly manner. Sir Graham Brady (Victoria Jones/PA) The comments came as the Daily Telegraph reported that grassroots Tories will hold a no-confidence vote in Mrs May on June 15. The vote by members at an EGM of the National Conservative Convention would not be binding, but would add pressure on Mrs May to quit if passed. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told the Press Association: Im amazed she is still there. Sir Bill Cash (Jonathan Brady/PA) Mrs May has said she will step down if her Withdrawal Agreement is ratified, but with the deadline for Brexit extended to the end of October has not made clear how long she intends to stay if no deal is reached. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee, put the spotlight on a departure date by insisting Mrs May announce a road map for her resignation after the European elections set for May 23. The resumption of Government talks with Labour comes amid increased tension between the two sides. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he had no trust in Mrs May after reports emerged that she is ready to offer a temporary customs arrangement with the EU to the opposition. John McDonnell (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Labour accused Mrs May of having blown the confidentiality of the talks. Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Brexit had a big impact on last weeks local election results, which saw huge losses for the Tories and a disappointing showing for Labour. A number of senior Tory Brexiteers have said they would not vote for a customs union. Referring to talks with Labour, childrens minister Nadhim Zahawi said: Currently, if you look at the Withdrawal Agreement, the customs arrangements, or the alignment with the EU, would go on until December 2021, if Labour believe, actually, that they would rather go to the next general election, which is 2022, for example, then, actually, thats still a temporary customs arrangement. And then, whoever is leader of the Conservative Party can then lay out their stall as to the next instalment of negotiations. An inquest into the deaths of eight people killed in the London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack is due to open. Three women and five men died when three men ploughed into crowds in a white van before stabbing revellers with 12in (30cm) ceramic knives on June 3, 2017. The victims were Christine Archibald, 30, Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39. The victims of the attack (Met Police/PA) Their attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police at the scene. An eight-week inquiry into the deaths of the victims will begin at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, which will be followed by a separate hearing for the inquests of their killers in front of a jury. Chief coroner Mark Lucraft QC will deliver a short opening speech before hearing pen portraits of the victims from their loved ones. The attack came just three months after 52-year-old Khalid Masood mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in a hired car before stabbing a police officer to death. The inquest is expected to examine why there were still no barriers to protect pedestrians on London Bridge by June 3. The attackers Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba were shot dead by police(Met Police/PA) Families will also want answers to the question of how Butt was able to plan and carry out the attack while he was under investigation by security services. Another issue likely to be raised by lawyers acting for the relatives of the victims is the lack of security checks required to hire rental vehicles after cars and lorries were used as weapons in Nice, Berlin and Westminster Bridge. In the coming weeks, the court will hear from witnesses, the family and friends of the attackers, and a senior MI5 officer. Other evidence is expected to include CCTV footage of the attacks and the terrorists movements, body-worn video from police officers and footage from members of the public caught up in the carnage. The court will not sit on the second anniversary of the atrocity next month. Two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Burmas Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces abuses of Rohingya Muslims have been pardoned and released. The convictions of Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, in Burma also known as Myanmar had drawn condemnation from rights groups, Western governments and press associations, and the two journalists had garnered several awards. In April, they shared with their Reuters colleagues the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting, one of journalisms highest honours. The two were freed after President Win Myint issued a blanket pardon for 6,520 prisoners, said Zaw Zaw, chief of Insein Prison in the countrys largest city Yangon. On April 23, Burmas Supreme Court had rejected the journalists final appeal against their seven-year prison terms. Their convictions were related to reporting on security forces abuses of the Muslim Rohingya minority. The reporters contended they were framed because of official displeasure over their reporting. I want to say that I am very happy today, Wa Lone said to reporters who had gathered in front of the prison. I want to thank our friends and families who were trying for our freedom and also to those from all over the world who sympathised with us. He added: I am really excited to see my family and colleagues. I cant wait to go to my newsroom. Reuters reporter Wa Lone reacts as he is freed from Insein Prison (Ann Wang/AP) Burmas military launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in the western state of Rakhine in 2017, driving more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. UN officials and others claim the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing, and even genocide. The military has said its actions in Rakhine state were a response to attacks by Rohingya guerrillas, and it did not have a policy violating human rights or the laws of war. The Reuters reporters had worked on an investigation into the killings of 10 Rohingya villagers in Inn Din village, for which the government last year said seven soldiers were sentenced to up to 10 years in prison with hard labour. The two reporters were arrested in December 2017 and sentenced last September after being accused of illegally possessing official documents, a violation of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. We are enormously pleased that Myanmar has released our courageous reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, said a statement issued by Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen Adler. Since their arrests 511 days ago, they have become symbols of the importance of press freedom around the world. We welcome their return. The case drew attention not only as a media freedom issue but also as an example of how democratic reforms in long-isolated Burma have stalled under Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyis civilian government, which took power in 2016. The military maintains control of key ministries including those handling security, but Ms Suu Kyi wields executive power and her stance on the Rohingya crisis has disappointed many admirers and dampened hopes for greater democracy in the country. The United Nations office in Burma said it welcomed the journalists release. The UN in Myanmar considers the release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo a step toward improving the freedom of the press and a sign of Governments commitment to Myanmars transition to democracy, it said in a statement. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, also applauded the release, but noted Burma is prosecuting other bloggers and journalists for their reporting on the military and the government. Myanmars faltering respect for media freedom indicates the dire situation facing human rights and democracy as the country moves toward national elections in 2020, he said in a statement. Family members of the two reporters were elated. Chit Su Win, the wife of Kyaw Soe Oo, said just before their reunion that she does not know how to express her feelings, but now the three of us can hug each other and we are so happy for that. Maung Saung Kha, director of Athan Freedom of Expression Movement from Burma said he still has concerns about freedom of expression in Burma, because there are still trials of journalists. The online magazine The Irrawaddy and other media outlets have been sued by the army for their coverage of recent fighting between the government and the Arakan army ethnic rebel group, which also operates in Rakhine state. Photo: Iran News Wire An oil pipeline that runs across Saudi Arabia was hit by drones Tuesday west of its capital of Riyadh, the Saudi energy minister said, shortly after rebels in Yemen claimed they carried out co-ordinated drone strikes against the kingdom. The attacks followed reports of sabotage against oil tankers in the Persian Gulf off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, with tensions rising between the U.S. and Iran. Oil prices rose Tuesday, with benchmark Brent crude trading over $71 a barrel, up more than $1 on the day. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih Al-Falih vowed that production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. In a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, he called the pipeline attack "cowardly," saying that recent acts of sabotage against the kingdom's vital installations were targeting not only Saudi Arabia, but also the safety of the world's energy supply and global economy. Yemen's Houthi rebels said they launched seven drones against vital installations in Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen to the north. Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Houthis and their allies in Yemen since March 2015, targeting the Iranian-allied rebels with near daily airstrikes. "This is a message to Saudi Arabia: Stop your aggression," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam told The Associated Press. "Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing everyday against the Yemeni people." The attacks demonstrated the increased risks in a region vital to global energy supplies amid heightened tensions following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, and the subsequent reimposition of U.S. sanctions to cripple the Iranian economy. Iran has since said it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels by July 7 if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. Al-Falih said the drone attacks reaffirm the need of the international community to confront the activities of groups like the Houthis, whom he accused of being backed by Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival. He said the drones had targeted petroleum pumping stations supplying a pipeline running from its oil-rich Eastern Province to the Yanbu Port on the Red Sea. Saudi Aramco, the government-controlled oil company, said that as a precaution, it temporarily shut down the East-West Pipeline and contained the fire, which caused minor damage to one pumping station. It added that Saudi Aramco's oil and gas supplies have not been affected by the attack. Saudi Arabia said the two petroleum pumping stations that were struck by drones are located in the greater region of Riyadh, home to the landlocked capital. The stations, targeted around the same time early Tuesday, are located in al-Duadmi and Afif, about 200 kilometres west of Riyadh city and 400 m west of Riyadh. The four oil tankers that were targeted Sunday off the coast of the UAE's port of Fujairah were allegedly damaged in what Gulf officials described as sabotage, although satellite images obtained Tuesday by the AP showed no visible damage to the vessels. New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the birth of their son and revealed the countrys gifts for the royal baby. Australian prime minister Scott Morrison also sent his huge congratulations to the couple, while opposition leader Bill Shorten also said he was delighted by the news. Meghans pregnancy was announced as the couple embarked on a tour of Australia and New Zealand last year. Ms Ardern said New Zealand would make a donation to a group which prepares baby boxes for families in need and the Wellington government will buy native trees to be planted in New Zealand. She told TVNZ: A donation will be made to a group called Little Sprouts who prepares baby boxes for families in need on the birth of their babies. And also, well be purchasing 10 trees through the Trees That Count programme, native trees to acknowledge the birth of their baby. So, theyll be planted here in New Zealand as well. So, I hope New Zealanders think those are nice gifts on their behalf. Last year Ms Ardern became only the second elected leader in modern history to give birth while in office. Harry and Meghan toured Australia and New Zealand last year (Dominic Lipinski/PA) In Australia Mr Morrison, who climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge with Harry, said it was great that the wonderful day has come and everybody is well. Huge congratulations to Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on the birth of their baby boy today, he wrote on Twitter. Becoming a parent is one of the greatest joys of life! Meanwhile Mr Shorten said he and his wife Chloe were delighted for Harry and Meghan on the arrival of their baby boy. They are a lovely couple and will make wonderful parents. The men are currently on the campaign trail ahead of a federal election later this month. With the Queens role as Australias head of state a continual topic of debate Down Under, the arrival of the seventh in line to the throne was an opportunity for critics to voice their dissatisfaction. The Australian Republic Movement said it warmly congratulates Harry and Meghan on the birth of their son, and all Australians who welcomed a child into the world today. Huge congratulations to Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on the birth of their baby boy today. Becoming a parent is one of the greatest joys of life! #RoyalBaby pic.twitter.com/Cj2I8lzRSN Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) May 6, 2019 The group said in a statement: Baby Sussex is the 7th in line for the British throne, behind Prince Harry, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William and Prince Charles, making him unlikely to ever rule over Australians. We look forward to when our head of state is chosen by Australians, and on merit, instead of birth right. An Australian republic will mean that each child born today can grow up aspiring to the top job regardless of their family, social status or wealth. Congratulations have flooded in from around the world after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed a baby son. The royal arrival has also been marked in different ways, including Niagara Falls being illuminated in blue and trees being planted in New Zealand. Congratulations, Meghan and Harry! Barack and I are so thrilled for both of you and can't wait to meet him. #RoyalBaby https://t.co/mfE7uc6ooV Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 6, 2019 Former US first lady Michelle Obama led famous well-wishers, tweeting that Barack and I are so thrilled for both of you and cant wait to meet him. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said the country joins the world in celebrating a new addition to the @RoyalFamily! Congratulations, Prince Harry & Meghan! Enjoy every minute of this happy time together as a new family of three, he tweeted. In Canada, Niagara Falls was bathed in blue light to mark the baby boys arrival, while in Toronto the CN Tower was illuminated in purple. Tonight at the top of the hour the #CNTower will be lit purple to welcome the newest member of the Royal Family, a son for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. #RoyalBaby pic.twitter.com/daLiXkCHRW CN Tower / Tour CN (@TourCNTower) May 6, 2019 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern congratulated Harry and Meghan and revealed the countrys gifts for the royal baby. She told TVNZ: A donation will be made to a group called Little Sprouts, who prepare baby boxes for families in need on the birth of their babies. And also, well be purchasing 10 trees through the Trees That Count programme, native trees to acknowledge the birth of their baby. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also sent his huge congratulations to the couple, tweeting: Becoming a parent is one of the greatest joys of life! Just heard that the world just got heavier by 7 pounds and 3 ounces. Much love to him and his incredible parents. Learned first hand 7 months ago how transformational becoming a parent is and couldnt be happier for Meghan and Harry as they begin this adventure. #playdatesoon Patrick J Adams (@halfadams) May 6, 2019 Meghans former Suits co-star and on-screen love interest Patrick J Adams said: Just heard that the world just got heavier by 7 pounds and 3 ounces. Much love to him and his incredible parents. Sarah Rafferty, who also starred alongside Meghan in the US show, tweeted: Hearts are leaping for a beautiful, wondrous and healthy baby boy! Sending much love and wishes for every blessing across the pond today and everyday! Bishop Michael Curry sent `prayers of blessing for Harry, Meghan and the new baby (Owen Humphreys/PA) Bishop Michael Curry, who gave the rousing sermon about love at Harry and Meghans wedding, tweeted: The Jewish tradition reminds us that the birth of every child is a reminder that God is not finished with us yet. There is hope. Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and prayers of blessing for them and their baby. Actress and friend of the duchess Priyanka Chopra regrammed Meghan and Harrys Instragram announcement, commenting: Congratulations, M & H alongside a pink heart. Former One Direction star Liam Payne also sent his congratulations, tweeting: So happy for the both of you. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to receive his first prison visitor other than one of his lawyers when Pamela Anderson meets him in the high-security jail where he is being held. The US actress met Assange on several occasions when he lived at the Ecuadorean embassy in London. She will be accompanied on the visit to Belmarsh Prison in south-east London by WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson. Assange was dragged out of the embassy last month and has been sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for a bail violation. He is fighting extradition to the United States where he is wanted for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks. Mr Hrafnsson said Assange is in general solitary confinement because he mostly spends 23 hours a day in his cell, adding that the situation was unacceptable. Speaking after a court hearing last week, he said: We are worried about Julian Assange. We are hearing that the situation in Belmarsh Prison is appalling because of austerity and cutbacks. Julian Assange (Victoria Jones/PA) For the last weeks since he was arrested, he has spent 23 out of 24 hours a day in his cell most of the time. That is what we call in general terms solitary confinement. Thats unacceptable. That applies to most of the prisoners in that appalling facility. It is unacceptable that a publisher is spending time in that prison. United Nations rights experts have voiced concern about the disproportionate sentence given to the WikiLeaks founder as well as his detention in a high-security prison. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in a statement on Friday it was deeply concerned about the disproportionate sentence imposed on Assange. The Working Group is of the view that violating bail is a minor violation that, in the United Kingdom, carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison. It is worth recalling that the detention and the subsequent bail of Mr Assange in the UK were connected to preliminary investigations initiated in 2010 by a prosecutor in Sweden. It is equally worth noting that that prosecutor did not press any charges against Mr Assange and that in 2017, after interviewing him in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, she discontinued investigations and brought an end to the case. The Working Group is further concerned that Mr Assange has been detained since 11 April 2019 in Belmarsh prison, a high-security prison, as if he were convicted for a serious criminal offence. This treatment appears to contravene the principles of necessity and proportionality envisaged by the human rights standards. The Working Group has previously stated that Assange was arbitrarily detained in the Ecuadorean embassy and should have had his liberty restored. A teenager has been charged with the murder of a 15-year-old boy. Aspiring musician Tashaun Aird was stabbed to death in Somerford Grove in Hackney, east London, on Wednesday evening. Scotland Yard said Romaine Williams-Reid, 18, of Erith Crescent, Romford, will appear at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with Tashauns murder, and grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to a second victim. The scene in Somerford Grove, Hackney, east London, where Tashaun Aird was stabbed to death (Isabel Infantes/PA) Detectives believe the youngster was killed after a fracas with a group of youths in a park. In a statement released through police on Friday, his family said: Tashaun was family-orientated, he loved his family and we loved him dearly. He was passionate about his music and he loved drawing. He was a loving, caring boy with an infectious laugh. There are no words to avoid this empty void we now have, a huge part of us is now missing. He was a talented young boy and worked hard in his studies, particularly with his English. We are deeply shocked and saddened by our loss; we have lost a dear son, a brother, a nephew, a grandson and an uncle in Tashaun. Another teenager, aged 16, was riding a bicycle when he was chased and stabbed, before seeking refuge in a convenience store. He was found with stab injuries in nearby Shacklewell Road, but police said his injuries were not life-threatening. A 2 coin commemorating the 75th anniversary of the DDay landings, seen as a crucial turning point in the Second World War, has been launched by the Royal Mint. The Mint said the coin was designed as a tribute to those who planned and participated in the epic landing operations on June 6, 1944. The commemorative 2 coin, designed by the Royal Mints graphic designer Stephen Taylor, takes inspiration from military maps to depict the strategy taken by the Allies to land on five Normandy beaches. The coin represents the huge scale of the operation, which is often cited as the day that turned the tide of the Second World War and was an allout assault by land, sea and air, the Royal Mint said. The commemorative 2 coin, designed by the Royal Mints graphic designer, Stephen Taylor, takes inspiration from military maps (Imperial War Museums/Royal Mint) With a huge invasion force, the Allies stormed five beaches code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Overcoming a series of defences known as the Atlantic Wall, the Allies were able to secure a foothold on the continent and begin the liberation of occupied Europe. Created in association with Imperial War Museums (IWM), the commemorative coin is not going into general circulation and is available to buy from the Royal Mints website, with prices ranging from 10 for a brilliant uncirculated version to 845 for a gold proof coin. A donation from every D-Day coin purchased from the Royal Mint goes to Imperial War Museums to help them continue their work (Imperial War Museums/Royal Mint) A donation from every D-Day coin purchased from the Royal Mint goes to IWM to help them continue its work. Nicola Howell, director of the consumer division at the Royal Mint, said: The DDay landings is one of the most significant events in our nations history, and its important that we remember the instrumental impact that the landings had on the outcome of the Second World War. Seventy-five years on, our commemorative 2 coin is a fitting tribute to the significance and scale of the operation, and is an important recognition of the bravery of those that made DDay possible. Pressure on Theresa May to set a firm resignation date has increased ahead of a meeting with the chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers. Tuesdays meeting with Sir Graham Brady comes after the 1922 Committee requested clarity about the Prime Ministers timetable for standing down and triggering a leadership contest. Meanwhile, senior Tory activists will consider the question of Mrs Mays leadership at an emergency meeting of association chairmen next month. A revolt against Mrs May could become more likely if talks with Labour result in a Brexit compromise which would be unacceptable to Tory Eurosceptics. Government ministers and their Labour counterparts will resume talks in Westminster aimed at breaking the deadlock. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said both sides need to be willing to compromise. Mr Hunt said that after both main parties lost ground in the local elections in England, it was a crucial week coming up for the Brexit negotiations. (PA Graphics) However, he said that he did not believe a permanent customs union with the EU supported by Labour offered a sustainable, long-term solution to the current impasse. I personally think that any kind of permanent customs union wouldnt work in the long run because our economy is too big, but lets see what the parties come up with, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Anger within the Tory ranks at Mrs May has been fuelled by the potential for a softer Brexit deal with Labour. Leading Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash told the Press Association: The time has come for her to resign. Sir Bill Cash (Jonathan Brady/PA) She needs to be given a date. The sooner the better. But it needs to be done in an orderly manner. Grassroots Tories will hold a no-confidence vote in Mrs May on June 15. The vote by members at an EGM of the National Conservative Convention would not be binding, but would add pressure on Mrs May to quit if passed. In a message to members of the convention, reported by the Conservative Home website, chairman Andrew Sharpe said they would be asked to vote on a motion stating that we no longer feel that Mrs May is the right person to continue as Prime Minister to lead us forward in the negotiations and therefore with great reluctance ask that she considers her position and resigns. Mrs May has said she will step down if her Withdrawal Agreement is ratified, but with the deadline for Brexit extended to the end of October has not made clear how long she intends to stay if no deal is reached. (PA Graphics) Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee, put the spotlight on a departure date by insisting Mrs May announce a road map for her resignation after the European elections set for May 23. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told the Press Association: Im amazed she is still there. The resumption of Government talks with Labour comes amid increased tension between the two sides. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he had no trust in Mrs May after reports emerged that she is ready to offer a temporary customs arrangement with the EU to the opposition. John McDonnell (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Labour accused Mrs May of having blown the confidentiality of the talks. But Downing Street rejected the claim, with Mrs Mays official spokesman saying: I dont believe that is the case. We have preserved the confidentiality of the talks. Cabinet discussed the Brexit talks for around an hour on Tuesday morning, said the spokesman. The Prime Minister said that while an agreement with the opposition had not been reached, the public had sent a clear message in the local elections that they want both of the main parties to get on with delivering Brexit, said the spokesman. She said it was right to continue with the talks process. The spokesman said that at Cabinet there was a broad understanding that there is a need to get on with this. Last weeks local elections, which saw disastrous results for Conservatives and disappointing losses for Labour, have increased pressure on both sides for a breakthrough in the cross-party talks, which have run on for over a month without producing agreement. No formal deadline has been set for the conclusion of talks. But it is thought likely that if no progress is made this week, the Government may move towards a process of indicative votes on Brexit options in the Commons. Mrs May has made clear that she would like both the Government and Labour to commit to respecting the outcome of any such votes. The Prime Ministers spokesman said: What is absolutely vital is that we find a way forward which can command a stable majority in the House of Commons. Thats what the Prime Minister is working to achieve. Mrs Mays effective deputy David Lidington was leading the Government side in Tuesdays Brexit talks at the Cabinet Office, with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, chief whip Julian Smith, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Number 10 chief of staff Gavin Barwell also expected to attend. A young hen harrier fitted with a satellite transmitter has been declared missing after disappearing in an area of South Lanarkshire described as a black hole. The female named Skylar was being monitored by nature conservation charity RSPB Scotland as part of the EU-funded Hen Harrier LIFE project. She suddenly disappeared on February 7 after roosting overnight in an area of rough grassland a few miles south of the village of Elvanfoot for several days. The charity is now appealing for information about Skylar though there are fears they will not find out what happened to the creature. Project manager Dr Cathleen Thomas said: Skylar has been a fascinating bird to follow; we were amazed to see her make a brief, week-long sojourn to Ireland in autumn 2017 before she returned to winter in South Lanarkshire in 2017/18. She spent much of summer 2018 in Highland Perthshire, before returning to South Lanarkshire for the winter 2018/19, where she remained until she disappeared. The area where Skylar disappeared has a history of similar cases (RSPB Scotland/PA) Her tag was working as expected, then suddenly stopped. There have been no further transmissions, and the birds body has not been located. Had she died of natural causes, we would have expected the transmitter to continue working allowing us to recover her body. Sadly, well probably never know exactly what has happened to Skylar. Dr Thomas also said the disappearance follows a depressingly familiar pattern with the area having a history of similar cases and illegal bird of prey killings. Two birds, a hen harrier and short-eared owl, were shot dead on a grouse moor in 2017 a few miles away from Skylars last known location. Another tagged hen harrier was also found shot nearby in April 2015 with two other tagged hen harriers vanishing in the area one in June 2014 and another in May 2016. RSPB Scotland is appealing for information from the public after a young female hen harrier, Skylar, fitted with a satellite transmitter, disappeared suddenly on a moor near Elvanfoot https://t.co/2hUnHSJ0ZP pic.twitter.com/77NlQcjEpg RSPB Scotland (@RSPBScotland) May 7, 2019 Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotlands head of investigations, said: Yet again, a young harrier has disappeared close to a driven grouse moor, never to be seen or heard of again. This area of South Lanarkshire has been notorious for some years as a black hole into which protected birds of prey simply disappear. Skylars disappearance comes at a time when the Scottish Government has commissioned an independent enquiry into grouse shooting, including looking at options for greater regulation. A step change is now urgently required, as current laws and enforcement measures are proving inadequate to deal with such systematic criminality, and the negative cultural attitudes towards birds of prey that remains in many grouse moor areas. The most intensively managed driven grouse moors should be licenced, with sanctions to remove licences to operate, where the public authorities are satisfied that wildlife protection laws are being routinely flouted. Sarah-Jane Laing, Scottish Land & Estates executive director, said it was disappointing that it has taken three months for the alarm to be raised about Skylar. She added: Landowners in the area are surprised that this is the first that they have heard of any issues and stand ready to assist the police in any investigation that they may undertake. Our view is the sooner concern is raised the more assistance can be given to find the bird, and where a crime has been committed then it would surely help increase detection and prosecution. This is why a more independent and transparent system of monitoring satellite-tagged birds should be established. We support the appeal for information about the hen harrier, Skylar. Any missing protected species is a cause for concern and anyone with information should contact the police immediately. We also question the presumption that grouse moor management is responsible without evidence to support it. That is a matter for any police investigation. Information about Skylar, or any illegal killing of birds of prey, can be reported to Police Scotland on 101 or the RSPBs Raptor Crime hotline on 0300 999 0101. Former deputy leader of the Alliance Party Seamus Close has died. The 71-year-old had recently been diagnosed with liver cancer. He served as an Assembly Member for Lagan Valley from 1998 to 2007 and had held a number of senior roles within the Alliance Party, including chairman. Alliance leader Naomi Long paid tribute, saying Mr Close was larger than life and full of fun. He was a straight-talker people didnt always like the message he brought but he gave it to them with both barrels, and hes somebody I had huge affection for, she said. So, genuinely really sad to have heard the news this morning. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long paid tribute to Seamus Close (Liam McBurney/PA) Its a very, very sad day he will be really missed. Mrs Long told BBC Radio Ulsters Nolan Show that Mr Close, from Lisburn, played a significant role in her partys negotiating team during the Good Friday Agreement. I knew he had been ill and I had phoned last week, but he was sleeping at the time I phoned so we never got to have a final chat, which is a shame because I would love to have just had an opportunity to speak to him, but thats the life way goes, she said. Everyone who knew Seamus will genuinely miss him. The number of police officers in Scotland has risen over the last year, according to official statistics. Between March 31, 2018 and March 31 this year, the number of full time equivalent (FTE) officers increased by 81, to a total of 17,251. The figures include a rise of 77 FTE officers in the last quarter from December 31 last year. Since March 2007, the number of FTE police officers in Scotland has risen by 1,017 from a total of 16,234. The numbers are however lower than the high of almost 17,500 FTE officers who were employed at the start of 2013. We are investing in Scotlands police service to help contribute to a #saferscotland for all. pic.twitter.com/6SbPEJWC3d ScotGov Justice (@ScotGovJustice) March 1, 2019 The Scottish Government allocated more than 1.2 billion in its budget for policing in 2019/2020, with a 3.7% increase in the SPAs budget expected to bring an additional 42.3 million to the service. The number of FTE police officers has risen (Andrew Milligan/PA) In February, a letter was sent by the Scottish Government to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, calling for any additional costs related to the policing of Brexit to fall to the UK Government. Minister for Community Safety, Ash Denham, said: Police officer numbers in Scotland remain significantly above the level in 2007 in comparison to a drop of 20,000 officers in England and Wales. This most recent increase reflects Police Scotlands additional recruitment of officers in February to prepare for a range of Brexit-related contingencies. We remain committed to protecting the police revenue budget in real terms in every year of this Parliament, delivering an additional 100 million over that period. Ministers have been clear that any costs related to EU exit should not have a detrimental impact on Scotlands public finances and should be met by the UK Government in full. Eight people were killed and 48 more were seriously injured in less than 10 minutes of high and terrible drama during the London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack, the chief coroner has said. Mark Lucraft QC addressed the families of the eight victims killed in the 2017 atrocity on the first day of an inquest in a packed court one at the Old Bailey on Tuesday. He expressed his condolences as he said: The lives of many people were torn apart by what took place in less than 10 minutes of high and terrible drama. Mr Lucraft said: It is important to acknowledge that many lives were saved by the rapid response of members of the public and members of the emergency services. A number of those were eyewitnesses to the unfolding drama and will give evidence of what they saw. Mr Lucraft QC told the court that he hoped the inquest would answer the obvious and understandable questions of the relatives of those who died and give the bereaved families some comfort. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, the head of UK counter-terrorism policing Neil Basu and the Commissioner of City of London Police Ian Dyson joined the families in standing for one minutes silence. (top row left to right) Christine Archibald, James McMullan, Alexandre Pigeard, Sebastien Belanger, (bottom row left to right) Kirsty Boden, Sara Zelenak, Xavier Thomas and Ignacio Echeverria (Metropolitan Police/PA) Following the Chief Coroners opening statement, the court will hear a series of pen portraits of the three women and five men who died. The attack took place on Saturday June 3 2017, a night many people were out watching the Uefa Champions League Final in Cardiff on big screens in London. Three women and five men died after three men ploughed into crowds in a white van before stabbing revellers with 12in (30cm) ceramic knives. The victims were Christine Archibald, 30, Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39. Their attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police at the scene. The attack came just three months after Khalid Masood mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in a hired car before stabbing a police officer to death. Mark and Julie Wallace, the parents of Sara Zelenak, arrive at the Old Bailey (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The inquests are expected to examine why there were still no barriers to protect pedestrians on London Bridge by June 3. Families will also want answers to how Butt was able to plan and carry out the attack whilst he was under investigation by security services. Another issue likely to be raised by lawyers acting for the relatives of the victims is the lack of security checks required to hire rental vehicles after cars and lorries were used as weapons in Nice, Berlin and Westminster Bridge. In the coming weeks, the court will hear from eye witnesses, the family and friends of the attackers and a senior MI5 officer. Other evidence is expected to include CCTV footage of the attacks and the terrorists movements, body-worn video from police officers and footage from members of the public caught up in the carnage. Parks Canada says the proposed South Okanagan National Park Reserve is not a done deal, and a decision on the project is likely years away. Representatives of the federal agency met with media Tuesday to discuss the results of public consultations on the proposal. Four-in-ten participants in the process have voiced concerns, many worried access to the backcountry will be limited for activities like off-roading and hunting. The grazing community is also concerned tenures and licenses which cover the entire proposed park area will be impacted. Parks Canada says they do not have the solutions to those concerns just yet. If we were to answer every issue right now having received this report within 48 hours, the suggestion could be made that youve got this all cooked up. We dont, said Kevin McNamee, director, protected areas establishment. He said they will be bringing the results of the survey back to the projects steering committee, consisting of representatives of the Canada and B.C. governments and Osoyoos and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands. We recognize very clearly that in order to gain that trust, we have to be a good neighbour on the land. McNamee called the park proposal complex with a breadth of issues to tackle before moving forward. At the same time, it is probably one of the most significant opportunities Parks Canada and the country has in terms of a natural ecosystem grassland ecosystems are probably one of the most endangered ecosystems and landscapes on the planet. Parks Canada did point out, however, that concerns about the impact of hordes of tourists descending on the area could be somewhat overblown. Project manager Sarah Boyle said a South Okanagan national park will not be Banff or Jasper and is expected to attract just 2,000-4,000 new visitors to the area in the formative years. With a wildfire currently burning west of Osoyoos within the proposed boundaries, Boyle said a South Okanagan National Park would have its own dedicated wildfire response team stationed locally. Its hoped a proposed boundary and non-binding memorandum of understanding could be in place this summer, prior to the start of formal negotiations between the governments of Canada, B.C. and the Okanagan Nation Alliance. McNamee guessed those negotiations would take two years at least. Parks Canada is holding a series of open houses in four South Okanagan and Similkameen communities this week. On Tuesday, May 14 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Parks Canada representatives will be at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver. On May 15, they will have two stops, one at Sonora Community Centre in Osoyoos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and one at Keremeos Victory Hall from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Finally, on May 16 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., they will be at Penticton's Shatford Centre. The likely title of the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby son links the royal newborn to an ancient Scottish kingdom and the legend of Merlin. As the son of a duke, the baby is entitled to be known as the Earl of Dumbarton, one of the subsidiary titles given to Harry on the morning of his wedding by his grandmother the Queen. Harry, in consultation with the Queen, might however decide that his son will not use the title in which case he could simply be Lord (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor. The Queen gave Harry his subsidiary title Earl of Dumbarton on his wedding day (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) With Harry and Meghan forging their own path within the royal family, they might even decide not to use any title, with the baby being Master (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor. But any decision would have to be made with the Queens agreement. The Queen could still step in and issue a Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm and make the baby boy a prince. Founded in the fifth century, the town of Dumbarton, on the River Clyde, west of Glasgow in Scotland, was once the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde. Need some weekend inspiration? Go on one of our great tours of Dumbarton Castle! Booking required: https://t.co/2Ilr0Qrucb @WDCouncil pic.twitter.com/njTretsxFt Historic Scotland (@welovehistory) October 27, 2016 Dumbarton Castle sits on the dramatic twin peaks of the 240ft high Dumbarton Rock a volcanic plug which in-filled the crater of a volcano which was active 350 million years ago. It guards the point where the River Leven joins the River Clyde. According to Historic Environment Scotland: Dumbarton Rock was a mighty stronghold in the Dark Ages. Waters swirl around the base of the volcanic rock, which rises almost vertical into the sky. From its twin peaks White Tower Crag and the Beak you can see for many miles. The fort, was according to legend, visited by King Arthurs wizard Merlin in the 6th century. Legend has it that #Merlin visited King Riderch of Strathclyde at 'Alt Clut' - the old name for Dumbarton Rock, where #DumbartonCastle now sits. #FolkloreThursday https://t.co/hfODE4OJN5 pic.twitter.com/2vGdPnXNqb Historic Scotland (@welovehistory) July 12, 2018 Known as Alt Clut Rock of the Clyde, it was later called by the Gaelic name Dun Breatann Fortress of the Britons from where the name Dumbarton is derived. Vikings led by Ivar the Boneless and Olaf the White later beseiged the fortress, eventually pillaging and destroying it. The medieval castle was built by King of Scots Alexander II in 1220. It was a cornerstone of medieval royal power and later served as a military base and prison. An important royal refuge, it was the hiding place for the young Mary Queen of Scots, before she fled to France at the age of five. In the 1800s, shipbuilding was the major industry in the town of Dumbarton, and it went on to become known for its glassmaking and whisky production. Its most famous homegrown star is Game Of Thrones actor James Cosmo. On Georges death at St German-en-Laye in France, the title passed to his son, also called George, who became the second Earl of Dumbarton. The title became extinct when the second earl died in 1749, until it was handed to Harry. On marriage, Meghan became the Countess of Dumbarton. Dumbarton was a Royal Burgh between 1222 and 1975. An organiser of a pro-independence march in Glasgow has defended his decision to refuse an order from the police and council for it to be started earlier. Manny Singh was reported to the procurator fiscal following the All Under One Banner (AUOB) march on Saturday, which police estimate was attended by around 35,000 people. It had been advertised to start at 1.30pm, however Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland had ordered that to be amended to 11am due to concerns about public safety and disruption to the community. Organisers failed to comply with the order and Mr Singh was subsequently reported in connection with section 65 of the Civic Government Act 1982. It states that anyone convicted of holding a procession that does not comply with the relevant council order can be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of up to three months. In a statement, Mr Singh claimed that the unionist Glasgow City council which is led by the SNP is pushing for his prosecution over the failure to change the starting time of the event. He said: I always knew that the unionist Glasgow City Council could push for this. I evaluated the risks to myself and only myself about what would happen if I defied GCC and their ridiculous demands to keep numbers low. Worst case a heavy fine and three months custodial sentence. That is nothing compared to others not just in Scotland but worldwide who endured death, torture, jail to make their nations free. There are demonstrations happening all over Britain just now that dont have one per cent of the planning and organisation that we put into the Glasgow march which was entirely peaceful. Mr Singh added: We told the police and the council a year ago what time we would start. We had people coming from far and near and we just couldnt change the start time at the last minute. I will be defending this charge to the fullest, and will cite the freedom of assembly section of the European Convention of Human Rights. Freedom can never be won by bending the knee. According to AUOB, around 100,000 people joined the march in Glasgow (Lesley Martin/PA) Glasgow City Councillor Rhiannon Spear tweeted: I can assure you Glasgow City Council is anything but Unionist. Manny has been reported to the PF because he did not comply with the council orders start time. His comments here are bizarre + entirely unhelpful. I hope he works with the council from the start next time. A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said that it would not be appropriate to comment at this time due to ongoing proceedings. A teenage boy has appeared in court charged with the murder of 17-year-old Ellie Gould, who died from stab wounds. The 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via videolink at Salisbury Magistrates Court on Tuesday. He was accompanied by his solicitor at Melksham Police Station and spoke only to confirm his name, address, date of birth and nationality. The boy is charged with murdering Ellie, whose full name Eleanor Rose Gould was given in court, in Calne on May 3. A police cordon remains in Calne (Claire Hayhurst/PA) After the hearing, police confirmed that Ellie had died as a result of stab wounds. District Judge Peter Greenfield told the boy: I am going to send your case for trial by jury at Bristol Crown Court. I am going to remand you in custody to appear before a judge in Bristol on May 9 at 10am. Keith Ballinger appeared for the prosecution, while Jonathon Lewis represented the defendant during the short hearing. The 17-year-old was charged with Ellies murder by Wiltshire Police on Monday evening. Ellie was pronounced dead after emergency services were called to a house in Springfield Drive at 3.15pm on Friday. On Sunday, Wiltshire Police released a picture of the teenager that had been chosen by her family, who have asked for privacy. Incredibly proud of our school this weekend. Staff have been amazing and pupils have behaved with great dignity at a very difficult time. So tragic for the whole community. Hardenhuish Governors (@GovsHardenhuish) May 6, 2019 In a statement, Hardenhuish School said it was shocked and saddened by her death. Ellie was a talented, popular and much-loved member of our school community who will be dearly missed, the school said. Our thoughts and condolences are with Ellies family at this devastating time. I joined the senior team of @HardenhuishSch alongside their Head Lisa Percy this afternoon. It was so important for the school to open the 6th form area up to allow students, parents and teachers to come together following such sad and awful news this weekend. A helpful sanctaury Kier Pritchard (@wiltspoliceCC) May 5, 2019 Kier Pritchard, the chief constable of Wiltshire Police, joined the schools senior team there on Sunday afternoon. He said that student, parents and teachers had been able to come together following the awful news. Any loss of any life is traumatic but when a young person with their whole life ahead is taken so suddenly it is desperately sad for all family, friends and those who supported her in life, he tweeted. There are professional on hand to guide people through this. An initiative to boost the number of youngsters from deprived communities in Scotlands universities should provide a step change in knowledge on how to achieve this. The new Framerwork for Fair Access has been hailed as a significant milestone towards the ambition of ensuring those from poorer areas have the same chance of going to university as students from more affluent parts of Scotland. A key part of it is a new website, to provide evidence on what can be done to increase access. In addition a new forum, called Scotlands Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP), has been set up to share and develop best practice on this. Principal of @EdinburghUni Professor Peter Mathieson welcomes everyone to the launch of the Framework for Fair Access this morning. He opens by sharing his own experience as the first in his family to go to university @CommFairAccess pic.twitter.com/8Z4PiPdfSD Universities Scotland (@uni_scot) May 7, 2019 The framework has been set up after being recommended by the Commission on Widening Access The latest figures show 15.6% of full time undergraduate students starting university come from 20% of the most deprived backgrounds. A new framework aimed at improving access to university from youngsters from poorer backgrounds has been launched (Chris Radburn/PA) The Scottish Government wants to see 20% of new entrants to higher education coming from these areas by 2030 with an interim target of 16% by 2021 also having been set. Commissioner for Fair Access, Professor Sir Peter Scott, said: The framework is designed to produce a step-change in our knowledge about which fair access activities work best. It is also designed to act as a focus, even a rallying point, for grass-roots access and participation practitioners across Scotland. The new website should support a dynamic process of continuous improvement in access practice and research in Scotland, he added. @CommFairAccess tells #frameworkforfairaccess launch latest figures show 15.6% of full time undergraduate entrants from 20% most deprived backgrounds: nearly at 2021 target already. @uni_scot members setting the pace. pic.twitter.com/piOPzhCIFF Alastair Sim (@AlastairSimUS) May 7, 2019 Higher education minister Richard Lochhead said: Scotland is ahead of the curve in delivering equality of access, with 15.6% of entrants to Scottish universities now coming from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland just 0.4% short of our goal for 2021. However, we can do more. Sharing learning on how best to support disadvantaged learners to realise their potential is key to this. I am delighted to see the education sector in Scotland come together to bring to life one of the key recommendations made by the Commission on Widening Access in the form of the framework. Universities Scotland director Alastair Sim said: The framework is one of many exciting developments in the access landscape in Scotland already this year, which includes bold action from universities to set minimum entry requirements for under-represented students starting degrees in 2021. A survivor of the Russian commercial airliner that crash-landed in Moscow on Sunday, killing 41 people, has said there was lightning moments before the plane began its emergency descent. Investigators are still working to understand what happened to cause the plane to ignite in a fireball upon landing. A lightning strike is one theory. Dmitry Kharinin, an engineer and resident of Volgograd, told a local news outlet that he saw the lightning: It was very strong, and could be heard throughout the cabin. Mr Kharinin said he did not witness a direct lightning strike on the Russian-made plane. However, he speculated that the electromagnetic discharge of the lightning may have disabled plane systems. The plane landed hard, destroying the landing gear and igniting the engines, he said. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will renew their friendly sporting rivalry when they launch a sailing regatta the couple will compete in. William and Kate will go head to head in the Kings Cup Regatta in August, staged in the waters off the Isle of Wight, to raise awareness and funds for eight of their patronages. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will host the inaugural regatta The Kings Cup this summer to raise awareness and funds for eight of Their Royal Highnesses patronages. pic.twitter.com/rcdRPCr8BA The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 7, 2019 The couple will launch the event at the Cutty Sark on Tuesday, the famous tea clipper ship in Greenwich, south-east London, and will be joined by children and young people from a number of their chosen charities. The regatta will be hosted by William and Kate on August 9 on the Isle of Wight, and will see the couple compete as the skippers of rival boats, part of an eight-strong field. Kate steers a yacht as she competes against William in a race featuring Americas Cup yachts during their 2014 visit to New Zealand (Anthony Devlin/PA) The winning team will be awarded the Kings Cup, a historic trophy first presented by King George V at Cowes Royal Yacht Squadron in 1920. William and Kate hope the Kings Cup will become an annual event, bringing greater awareness to the wider benefits of sport, while also raising support and funds for their causes. The duke trounced his wife when they competed in a dragon boat race in Canada in 2011, but Kate got her revenge three years later when she won a sailing event in Auckland during their tour of New Zealand. William took the honours again during a visit to the German city of Heidelberg in 2017, when he was victorious in a riverboat race against his wife. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cox rival boats during a race in Heidelberg between the German town and its British twin Cambridge (Bruce Adams/Daily Mail) The eight boats taking part in the Kings Cup will each represent one of the charities that are being supported this year by the royal couple. These include Child Bereavement UK, Centrepoint, the London Air Ambulance Charity 30th Anniversary Campaign, and Tusk four causes which the duke supports as patron. The duchess will support four of her patronages: Action on Addiction, Place2Be, the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, and The Royal Foundation in connection with her work on the early years development of children. The duchess was beaten by the duke when they took part in a dragon boat race on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada (John Stillwell/PA) Members of the public can watch the race from the SailGP Race Village along the Cowes foreshore, which is free to access and will include an 800-seater grandstand. Footage from the race will play on screens across the town and there will be a number of family-friendly activities and exhibits to promote sailing around the event, including initiatives and programmes for children and young people. A witness who claims there was loyalist gunfire during the Ballymurphy shootings is bidding to give inquest evidence from behind a screen. Witness X is also seeking anonymity before he delivers his second-hand and contested account of what happened. Mrs Justice Siobhan Keegan is investigating the shooting dead of 10 people in the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast in August 1971 when internment without charge was introduced. Karen Quinlivan QC, representing the family of shot priest Father Hugh Mullan and other victims, told the Belfast inquest that Witness X was seeking to falsely claim her clients were associated with the IRA and that they were shot by loyalists rather than soldiers. The people killed at Ballymurphy (Ballymurphy Massacre Committee/PA) She said: This witness is essentially a liar and we are entitled to have the matter properly dealt with. If Witness X was not granted screening and subsequently refused to give evidence before the inquest he should be compelled to appear so his account can be cross-examined by lawyers, she added. Witness Xs evidence involves second-hand accounts given to him, known as hearsay, a lawyer said. A ballistics expert has found no evidence that a weapon the witness identified was fired in Ballymurphy, barrister for the coroner Sean Doran QC said. Ms Quinlivan said: This witness has sought to put information deeply prejudicial to my clients before the court in circumstances where we dont have an opportunity to test the evidence. This exercise is simply an exercise in trying to denigrate the next of kin. That needs to be dealt with. Mr Doran said the witness cannot give direct evidence of the events. Families of those who died at Ballymurphy (Liam McBurney/PA) Another witness, C3, gave evidence to the inquest about events when he was aged 16. He said he saw eight men with weapons running for cover, and that the person at the back of the group was armed, was shot by the Army and fell. He said he overheard an Army officer identify the person as a gunman and order one of the soldiers to shoot him. C3 said he saw a priest, later identified as Fr Mullan, giving last rites to the victim and claimed the clergyman moved his weapon. At that point the priest was also shot, the witness said. He added: I heard a soldier (an officer) say, I have identified a gunman, and fired a shot at him. I am certain that only two shots were fired from the Army who were positioned in and around the Ferret (an armoured vehicle). He said he did not hear any automatic gunfire and did not believe loyalists were responsible for the killings. The inquest has previously been told the first man to be shot was unarmed and that the priest tending to him had not lifted any weapon. Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson spoke of her shock after visiting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a high security prison and declared: I love him, I cant imagine what he has been going through. The actress met Assange on several occasions when he was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London before he was dragged out last month and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for a bail violation. He is fighting extradition to the United States where he is wanted for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks. On Tuesday, Ms Anderson was accompanied on the visit to Belmarsh prison in south east London by WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson.Admitting it was very difficult to see Assange in jail, Ms Anderson said: He does not deserve to be in a supermax prison. He has never committed a violent act. He is an innocent person. US actress Pamela Anderson and WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson speak to the media as they leave Belmarsh Prison in south east London after she visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Gareth Fuller/PA) She said he has no access to information, is really cut off from everybody and has not been able to speak to his children. He is a good man, he is an incredible person. I love him, I cant imagine what he has been going through. It was great to see him, but this is just misrule of law in operation. It is an absolute shock that he has not been able to get out of his cell, the actress added. Revealing she felt sick and nauseous, Ms Anderson, who was draped in a shawl with writing scrawled across it, appeared to wipe away tears at one point. It is going to be a long fight and he deserves our support. He needs our support, so whatever anyone can do maybe write to him, encourage him. We just have to keep fighting, because it is unfair. He has sacrificed so much to bring the truth out and we deserve the truth. Pamela Anderson outside Belmarsh (Gareth Fuller/PA) Asked about the lengthy prison sentence Assange could face if he is extradited to the US, Ms Anderson said: We need to save his life. Thats how serious it is. After what he called their first social visit, Mr Hrafnsson said they were both quite emotional, adding that it was shocking to see his friend, a journalist and an intellectual, sitting in a high-security prison. He said: This is not justice. This is an abomination. Someone said that you could judge the civilisation of a society by visiting its prisons. Frankly, I have to say from my heart that this visit did not reflect well on the society here. This must end, this will be a fight. United Nations human rights experts have voiced concern about the disproportionate sentence given to the WikiLeaks founder as well as his detention in a high-security prison. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in a statement on Friday it was deeply concerned about the disproportionate sentence imposed on Assange, who spent nearly seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy after seeking refuge to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning over sex assault allegations. The number of cancelled operations in Scotlands hospitals is on the rise, sparking calls for the Health Secretary to ease pressure on the NHS. Latest figures show that the number of cancellations in March was 2,508, up from 2,457 scrapped procedures in February. Compared to March 2018, when the Beast from the East storm was still affecting services, the percentage of cancellations dropped from 12.6% of planned operations to 8.5%. Official NHS statistics for March 2019 reveal that, of the total 29,632 planned operations, 934 (3.2%) were cancelled by the patient; 965 (3.3%) were cancelled by the hospital for clinical reasons; 490 (1.7%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons and 119 (0.4%) did not go ahead for unspecified reasons. Commenting on the findings, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: Hundreds of patients are missing out on planned operations through no fault of their own. The pain and suffering this causes is utterly unacceptable. For many patients, the hassle of cancelled and rescheduled surgeries can cause a lot of anguish. People naturally worry about surgery and cancellations cause huge disruption to their lives. NHS staff do an incredible job but the simple fact is they havent got the resources they need to meet demand and keep operations running to schedule. The SNP have repeatedly promised to staff our NHS effectively, yet there is no part of the service which is now not coming under pressure. The Scottish Government has relied on the goodwill of staff for far too long. Scottish Liberal Democrats demand better, starting with the publication of the long-overdue integrated health and social care workforce plan. Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, right, has criticised cancellation figures (David Cheskin/PA) NHS Glasgow and NHS Lothian were the two worst performers, followed by NHS Grampian. North East Liberal Democrat MSP, Mike Rumbles added: It is no comfort to see NHS Grampians performance move from being the worst to third worst. I am sure that if our health board received its fair share, more could be done to help stop non-clinical cancellations. People in the North East are being repeatedly failed by the Scottish Government for allowing NHS Grampian to be underfunded. It is time for this to end. Last month Labour shadow Health Secretary Monica Lennon warned that cancelling hundreds of operations a month because hospitals cannot cope has become a grim norm. Responding to the lastest figures, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: Todays statistics show us that in March there were more than 870 operations carried out on average each day, with fewer than 2% of all operations cancelled for capacity or non-clinical reasons. The decision for a board to postpone an elective procedure is never taken lightly. We continue to work closely with health boards to ensure cancellations are kept to a minimum and that any postponed procedures will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity. Our Waiting Times Improvement Plan, backed with more than 850 million of funding, will help increase capacity and efficiency and introduce new models of care which will help us to further reduce the number of cancellations. We recently announced the next round of funding of 70 million to target long waits in this financial year. Photo: Contributed Vernon North Okanagan RCMP were called to help the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department at a fire that broke out Tuesday morning on a rural farm sending two people to hospital. Just before 11 a.m., members of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP received a call for help after a fire broke out on a farm in the 4700 block of McLeery Road in Spallumcheen. Officers attended along with the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department and found a shed on the property engulfed in flames. The fire was quickly extinguished, but two employees of the farm received moderate burns to their bodies, RCMP said. "Two employees of the farm sustained injuries as a result of the fire and were transported to the nearest medical facility, with one being airlifted out by the BC Ambulance Service," said Const. Kelly Brett. Fire investigators are on scene, however there is no indication that the fire is suspicious. RCMP said it may have been caused by a propane-powered pressure washer being used by farm staff shortly before the fire broke out. No animals were injured as a result of the fire. Political leaders in Northern Ireland have begun talks in a fresh bid to restore powersharing. The UK and Irish governments called the new talks process to try to break the logjam that has left the region without a properly functioning government for more than two years. Arriving at Stormont House in Belfast for the opening meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said her party was there to do the business. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley (Brian Lawless/PA) The current stalemate is not acceptable and not sustainable, there are outstanding issues that need to be resolved, and we believe they can be resolved, she said. If everybody is prepared to show leadership, if everybody is prepared to respect the clear public desire for equality and peoples rights to be recognised and delivered on, we can find our way back to powersharing. The last DUP/Sinn Fein-led powersharing 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. 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. Flanked by party colleagues outside Stormont House, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood warned that the new talks could not be privatised into bilateral negotiations confined to the two largest parties. It is hoped the meeting can kick-start powersharing after an impasse of more than two years (Brian Lawless/PA) I think the mistake has been made over the last couple of years that this process has been privatised between the DUP and Sinn Fein, he said. The strategies that have been employed by those two parties up to now havent worked, so I think its time for a re-think. He said politicians on the campaign trail for the local and European elections had heard a stark message from the voters. I think any of us who have been knocking doors over the last few weeks, and some of us have more doors to knock, will understand what the public are saying, he said. Yes, they have strong views on all the big issues, but they also want us to deal with the issues in the health service, the education system, Brexit, the economy, and they want us to do it in government. Robin Swann said the meeting should not just be window dressing (Brian Lawless/PA) None of those things will be solved by standing outside and shouting at each other, so this is an opportunity for those of us in these talks to listen to what the public have told us. I think they want us to get back to work, to come back together, to remember the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement. Arriving at the talks venue, Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said the process must not be just window dressing. What we need to actually get to this set of talks is to sort out a governance structure that doesnt give a veto to one party that can simply crash democracy in Northern Ireland because of their will, he said. I think today is a start of what well see for the rest of this talks process. If today is simply window dressing then were wasting our time and insulting the people of Northern Ireland; if this is simply five parties sitting round a table again to re-establish red lines, weve let the people of Northern Ireland down, and if those parties who come in with red lines established are sticking by them, then they are letting the people of Northern Ireland down. The DUP and Alliance Party, the other local participants in the meeting, did not speak to the media outside Stormont House prior to the meeting. Substantive negotiations are unlikely to take place on Tuesday, with the initial exchanges instead focusing on how the process will run in the days and weeks ahead. Outrage over Lyra McKees murder led to fresh efforts to bring back powersharing (David Young/PA) Efforts to resurrect the devolved institutions have been injected with fresh urgency following the dissident republican murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry last month. Politicians are facing mounting public pressure to find consensus amid concerns the violent extremists are exploiting the power vacuum. Last weeks local council elections recorded a surge in support for middle ground parties such as Alliance, with many interpreting the result as a sign of growing disaffection at the polarised Stormont stand-off. While the DUP and Sinn Fein failed to make the gains at council level that some predicted, they remain the regions two pre-eminent political forces and the fate of the Stormont talks is still in their hands. A number of attempts to find a negotiated deal to restore the institutions have ended in failure. The last process broke down in acrimony last February with claim and counter-claim on what had been agreed. Mrs Foster has acknowledged the huge frustration among the public over the deadlock at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA) Sinn Fein said DUP leader Arlene Foster had agreed a draft deal to re-enter devolved government that included concessions on the Irish language a claim Mrs Foster denied. Many of the disputes are linked to a controversial voting mechanism that enables blocs of unionists and nationalists to veto measures which command overall majority support in the Assembly. A number of the smaller parties are calling for changes to the contentious petition of concern, believing its reform could unlock several logjams at the heart of Stormonts impasse. With the UK Government reluctant to reintroduce direct rule from Westminster, Northern Ireland has operated in a political limbo for the last two years, with senior civil servants being left to run public services. Those civil servants are seriously hamstrung, unable to make key policy decisions in the absence of elected ministers. As a consequence, numerous governmental decisions are in abeyance, with many major policy initiatives in cold storage. Australias prime minister has been hit on the head with an egg and a 70-year-old woman was knocked off her feet during a protest ahead of a general election next week. The egg appeared to strike Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the back of the head and then bounce off without breaking as he spoke to a rural womens conference in the town of Albury. Bystander Margaret Baxter was knocked to the floor as security guards grabbed the 24-year-old woman accused of throwing the egg, Amber Holt, and carried her outside. Mr Morrison helped Ms Baxter to her feet. It was unclear what Holt was protesting about. Outside the hall, she told reporters she did not mean to knock anyone down. An egg hits the head of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (Channel 9 via AP) She described throwing the egg as the most harmless thing you can do. Police said Holt was charged with common assault and possession of a prohibited drug, cannabis. She was released on bail and is to appear at Albury Local Court on May 27. Mr Morrison called for more civility in the election campaign. Pardon the pun, but I dont want to over-egg this thing. At the same time, what my concern was for Margaret and the disregard the individual seemed to have for those others who were in the room, Mr Morrison told reporters. Weve just got to disagree better about these things. Just because you have a difference of view to someone doesnt mean you have to engage in these sorts of ugly types of protests, he added. Ms Baxter later said she had been knocked over by a cameraman. She said she landed on her hip but was not injured. The prime minister helped me get up off the floor and I was very grateful for his assistance, Ms Baxter said. I recently had surgery on my stomach so my main concern was holding my stomach to make sure it didnt get hit or somebody land on it, she added. If re-elected on May 18, Mr Morrison has promised to change laws to prevent vegan activist organisation Aussie Farms from publishing the addresses of farms it accuses of animal cruelty and encouraging the public to harass the farmers. Mr Morrison had tweeted earlier: Our farmers have to put up with these same idiots who are invading their farms and their homes. He conceded that Holt was unlikely to be a vegan since she threw an egg. Opposition leader Bill Shorten condemned the protest as appalling and disgraceful behaviour. In Australia, we have violence-free elections, Mr Shorten told reporters. People are allowed to protest peacefully, but anything approaching violence is unacceptable. Proud father the Duke of Sussex has been welcomed to the sleep deprivation society that is parenting by his older brother the Duke of Cambridge. William celebrated the latest addition to the royal family with the quip, and also said he was absolutely thrilled about the birth of Harry and Meghans first child. Speaking outside the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, south-east London, ahead of an engagement on Tuesday afternoon, William was asked how he felt and replied: Obviously thrilled, absolutely thrilled, and obviously looking forward to seeing them in the next few days when things have quietened down. Im very pleased and glad to welcome my own brother into the sleep deprivation society that is parenting. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526hrs. The baby weighs 7lbs 3oz and The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth. Read the full announcement here: https://t.co/RCUFjQG8pe The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2019 Baby Sussex, who has yet to be named, arrived at 5.26am on Monday, weighing 7lb 3oz, and is thought to have been born at the couples Frogmore Cottage home near Windsor Castle. But there are some reports claiming the baby was delivered in a London hospital. Asked if he had any pearls of wisdom for his younger brother, as a father of three, William laughed and said: Plenty of advice, plenty of advice, but no, I wish him all the best and I hope the next few days they can settle down and enjoy having a newborn in their family and the joys that come with that. The Duchess of Cambridge added: Its such a special time, obviously with Louis and Charlotte just having had their birthdays its such a great time of year to have a baby, spring is in the air. Kate and William at the Cutty Sark (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Kate went on to reveal they have not had the chance to see Harry and Meghans newborn yet and had no clues about his name. She said: As William said, were looking forward to meeting him and finding out what his names going to be so its 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. Harry was at his wifes side during the birth on Monday and he later confessed he had only had a few hours sleep, suggesting Meghan had spent much of the night in labour. We couldnt be more delighted at the news and were looking forward to meeting the baby when we return. The Prince of Wales on the birth of his new grandson, speaking to well-wishers today in Berlin. #RoyalVisitGermany pic.twitter.com/Liyq1nJ97B The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 7, 2019 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. During an official visit to Germany with the Duchess of Cornwall, Charles said: We couldnt be more delighted at the news and were looking forward to meeting the baby when we return. His grandmother the Queen accepted the congratulations of a Windsor Castle guest who asked life is good for your Majesty? following the birth of her latest great-grandchild. The Queen, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, was hosting a lunch for members of the Order of Merit and smiling said in reply yes, thank you. Congratulations another great-grandchild, the guest added. She was then asked: How many of them have you got now? The Queen replied: Eight. The infant 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. Alexander and Spencer are the new favourite names for the infant with many of the bookies after the long-term pick Arthur was dethroned in a flurry of betting. Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson spoke of her shock after visiting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a high security prison and declared: I love him, I cant imagine what he has been going through. The actress met Assange on several occasions when he was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London before he was dragged out last month and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for a bail violation. He is fighting extradition to the United States where he is wanted for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks. On Tuesday, Ms Anderson was accompanied on the visit to Belmarsh prison in south east London by WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson.Admitting it was very difficult to see Assange in jail, Ms Anderson said: He does not deserve to be in a supermax prison. He has never committed a violent act. He is an innocent person. US actress Pamela Anderson and WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson speak to the media as they leave Belmarsh Prison in south east London after she visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Gareth Fuller/PA) She said he has no access to information, is really cut off from everybody and has not been able to speak to his children. He is a good man, he is an incredible person. I love him, I cant imagine what he has been going through. It was great to see him, but this is just misrule of law in operation. It is an absolute shock that he has not been able to get out of his cell, the actress added. Revealing she felt sick and nauseous, Ms Anderson, who was draped in a shawl with writing scrawled across it, appeared to wipe away tears at one point. It is going to be a long fight and he deserves our support. He needs our support, so whatever anyone can do maybe write to him, encourage him. We just have to keep fighting, because it is unfair. He has sacrificed so much to bring the truth out and we deserve the truth. Pamela Anderson outside Belmarsh (Gareth Fuller/PA) Asked about the lengthy prison sentence Assange could face if he is extradited to the US, Ms Anderson said: We need to save his life. Thats how serious it is. After what he called their first social visit, Mr Hrafnsson said they were both quite emotional, adding that it was shocking to see his friend, a journalist and an intellectual, sitting in a high-security prison. He said: This is not justice. This is an abomination. Someone said that you could judge the civilisation of a society by visiting its prisons. Frankly, I have to say from my heart that this visit did not reflect well on the society here. This must end, this will be a fight. United Nations human rights experts have voiced concern about the disproportionate sentence given to the WikiLeaks founder as well as his detention in a high-security prison. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in a statement on Friday it was deeply concerned about the disproportionate sentence imposed on Assange, who spent nearly seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy after seeking refuge to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning over sex assault allegations. Assange entered the embassy while under intense scrutiny over the leaks of hundreds of thousands of classified US diplomatic cables on the whistleblowing website. The drastic move came after he exhausted all legal options in fighting extradition to Sweden over two separate allegations one of rape and one of molestation. Assange, claiming he was the subject of an American witch hunt, said he was at risk of being taken to the US if he was sent to the Scandinavian nation. Prosecutors in Sweden are said to be considering whether to reopen the sexual assault case against him, which Assange denies, and was dropped in May 2017. It was shortly after Assange was removed from the embassy that US prosecutors announced he had been charged with conspiring alongside intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to infiltrate a Pentagon computer. The charge carries a maximum of five years imprisonment and relates to Assanges alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in US history. Prosecutors claim he assisted Manning in cracking a password to help her leak classified records to the whistleblowing website. College lecturers have suspended planned strike action to allow for pay talks. Members of the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) will no longer walk out on Wednesday after progress was made in discussions last week. A further meeting with employers will take place on Thursday. I warmly welcome the progress made in these negotiations and suspension of strike action which is good news for students and staff. Ministers are not at the table but will continue to maintain contact with both sides. https://t.co/i2LaRzpAVf Richard Lochhead (@RichardLochhead) May 7, 2019 EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: We welcome the constructive dialogue around pay which took place with Colleges Scotland last week and hope that this positive movement will continue when we meet again on May 9. The FELA Executive has acknowledged its commitment to continuing negotiation and resolving this pay dispute, by the suspension of the strike action planned for this week. Lecturers are demanding what they say is a fair cost of living increase, in line with public-sector pay policy. College lecturers have suspended strike action amid talks (Tom Eden/PA) Strikes had been fixed for May 8, 15 and 16. The Colleges Scotland Employers Association said last month it had tabled eight offers trying to reach agreement in the 2017-20 pay dispute. Further Education Minister Richard Lochhead tweeted on Tuesday: I warmly welcome the progress made in these negotiations and suspension of strike action which is good news for students and staff. Ministers are not at the table but will continue to maintain contact with both sides. John Gribben, director of employment services at Colleges Scotland Employers Association, said: Colleges welcome the decision by the EIS-FELA to suspend their strike action on Wednesday and, while we are moving closer to reaching a deal, we recognise there is more work to be done. Were disappointed that the EIS-FELA continues to target the students by withholding their assessment results and has not called off strike days scheduled for Wednesday May 15 and Thursday May 16. Colleges have made a further improved financial offer to the EIS-FELA subject to agreement on terms and conditions. We believe lecturers would accept the deal and have asked the EIS-FELA to take our offer to its members for approval. Kyle Edmund suffered a fourth consecutive defeat in losing to 10th seed Fabio Fognini in the opening round of the Mutua Madrid Open. The British number one is unusual among his countrymen in being perfectly at home on clay but he has struggled on the surface so far this season and fell to a 6-4 6-3 defeat in the Spanish capital. It was a very tough draw against the hugely talented Italian, with Fognini on a winning run after claiming the Masters title in Monte-Carlo last month. Edmund had chances, particularly in the first set, but, after recovering an early break, he could not forge ahead against the player who beat him in five sets in the third round of the French Open last summer. Edmund showed resilience in saving 12 of the 16 break points he faced but his second serve proved vulnerable and he will head to Rome next week desperate for wins ahead of Roland Garros. The 24-year-old will see his ranking of 22 fall after reaching the quarter-finals here last season, where his scalps included Novak Djokovic. Tory leadership hopeful Rory Stewart insisted his ambition to replace Theresa May would not interfere with his job running the UKs international aid department. International Development Secretary Mr Stewart said he was one of at least six Cabinet ministers with their sights on Number 10. But he faced questions about whether he could balance the demands of his first Cabinet job with a leadership campaign. He was questioned by Tory MP Nigel Evans as he appeared before the Commons International Development Committee. Mr Evans asked how can we be absolutely convinced that you are committed totally to the job you have just been put into when you could be in a leadership election in the next few weeks. Rory Stewart was challenged about his leadership ambitions as he appeared before the International Development Committee (parliamentlive.tv/PA) Mr Stewart, who was appointed in a reshuffle on May 1 following Gavin Williamsons sacking as defence secretary, said he had the advantage of considerable experience at the Department for International Development. I completely understand where you are coming from, he told Mr Evans. I have some advantages taking over this job. I am probably the only Secretary of State who occupied every Commons junior ministerial role in this department before I took over. I understand therefore our programmes in the Middle East, Asia and Africa in enormous detail. The former diplomat added that he had spent much more of my working life in international development than, I assume, anyone else who has taken over this job. He added: It is true that the Prime Minister has signalled that she is stepping down and therefore I, and at least half-a-dozen other Cabinet colleagues, have expressed interest in succeeding her. But I am sure they, like me, will remain entirely committed to doing our jobs as powerfully as possible. The Government has accepted it cannot get its Brexit deal through Parliament in time to avoid European elections on May 23. Theresa Mays effective deputy David Lidington confirmed the elections will go ahead, but said the Government was redoubling our efforts to get an EU Withdrawal Agreement ratified by the start of July so the MEPs elected this month never have to take their seats. Mr Lidington was speaking shortly before cross-party Brexit talks with Labour resumed in Whitehall. Pressure on both sides to make progress was heightened by their poor performance in last weeks local elections, which both Conservative and Labour leaderships interpreted as a message from voters to get on with delivering Brexit. Mrs May had been hoping the talks would deliver a compromise deal in time to allow her to call off the European Parliament elections. But, more than a month after the talks began, Mr Lidington acknowledged time is now too tight to get a Withdrawal Agreement Bill through both Houses of Parliament by the date of the poll. David Lidington (Andrew Milligan/PA) Speaking at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, he said that, after its Withdrawal Agreement was rejected three times by MPs, the Government was trying to find a way forward that has maximum possible support amongst politicians of all political parties. What this now means, given how little time there is, is that it is regrettably not going to be possible to finish that process before the date that is legally due for European parliamentary elections, he said. Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman and shadow chancellor John McDonnell arrive at the Cabinet Office (Stefan Rousseau/PA) We very much hoped that we would be able to get our exit sorted and have the treaty concluded so that those elections did not have to take place. But legally they do have to take place unless our withdrawal has been given legal effect, so those will now go ahead. But we will be redoubling our efforts and talks with MPs of all parties to try to make sure that the delay after that is as short as possible. Ideally wed like to be in a situation where those MEPs never actually have to take their seat at European Parliament certainly, to get this done and dusted by the summer recess. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: On the basis of advice in relation to parliamentary timetables, we will look to complete this ideally by June 30, but if not then, by summer recess. When Britain does finally leave the EU, the European Parliament will reduce from 751 MEPs to 705, with 27 of the UKs 73 seats being distributed among the remaining member states. A man has been arrested as part of an attempted murder investigation in Edinburgh. The incident happened at around 5.30pm on Wednesday March 13 at a property in Pitcairn Grove in the south-west of the city. It involved an alleged attempted murder of a 48-year-old and an alleged serious assault on a 22-year-old man, who tried to intervene. Police Scotland said a man has been arrested in connection with the alleged attack but released while inquiries continue. A man has been arrested as part of the investigation into the attempted murder of a 48-year-old man and serious assault of a 22-year-old man at an address in Pitcairn Grove on 13th March. He was released pending further inquiries and the investigation continues. EdinburghPolice (@EdinburghPolice) May 7, 2019 Officers launched the investigation after reports three balaclava-wearing men had assaulted the victims while armed with a blade. The deployment of armed police officers to more than 5,000 routine incidents last year has been defended by the Minister of Community Safety. Figures revealing that Scotlands firearms officers attended 5,250 incidents that did not require an armed response were criticised by John Finnie MSP, a former police officer. However, questioned in the Scottish Parliament about the recent policy change allowing armed officers to attend routine calls, Ash Denham MSP said it was a sensible use of police time. Ms Denham said: These changes have allowed armed officers to utilise their core policing skills and attend incidents where speed of response or vulnerability was a key factor. The incidents refer to equate to around 0.3% of the total number of police incidents Police Scotland officers attend each year. The Scottish Governments Minister of Community safety Ash Dunham MSP (Scottish Parliament/PA) Officers in armed response vehicles also helped find more than 3,500 missing or vulnerable people since their role was extended last May, as well as providing medical assistance at over 600 incidents. They have also dealt with more than 1,000 road traffic matters including collisions, speeding and drink-driving offences, according to Police Scotland. The force respond to approximately 1.8 million incidents each year, Ms Denham explained, adding that she had spoken to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), who told her the use of armed police was proportionate. Ms Denham added that the SPA is keeping the policy under review and will discuss the issue at their board meeting later this month. Commenting on the figures, Chief Superintendent Matt Richards, commander of Police Scotlands Specialist Services Division, told BBC Scotlands The Nine: Our armed response officers are extremely highly trained. Overall, theyre providing a higher level of service and more quickly to the public. Mr Richards added that the use of firearms is always a last resort, saying that in his experience even the presence of a Taser had caused a huge drop in nviolence and, in particular, injuries to the public. Firearms officers are equipped with a handgun and a Taser, which they carry while attending routine incidents. They also have access to a semi-automatic G36 carbine rifle, which can be deployed during firearms incidents and a launcher for so-called rubber bullets. Photo: RCMP "Cali" at the Osoyoos RCMP station Osoyoos RCMP have reunited a stolen dog with its Burnaby owner with the power of social media. Cali, a 15-week old beagle/spaniel cross was reported stolen to police in Burnaby on Friday. Her owner said two acquaintances had taken the dog and were headed to Quebec in a light blue car with unknown Quebec licence plates. Calis owner posted about the theft on social media with photos of the two suspects. A store employee in Osoyoos recognized the two people as a pair that had entered the shop to buy a dog leash and dog food. The suspects also visited another store looking for the same items and asking about free places to camp in the Osoyoos area. The employee reached out to Calis owner via social media who in turn contacted the Osoyoos RCMP, said Sgt. Jason Bayda. RCMP officers set off to search the Strawberry Creek Road area, eventually finding two people with Cali. After doing some hard time at the Osoyoos RCMP detachment (which included treats, water, a soft bed and lots of belly rubs), Cali was returned to her grateful owner who drove straight to Osoyoos from Burnaby. "This is a great news story which highlights the power of social media when used for a positive purpose said Cpl. Dave Smith of the Osoyoos RCMP. Police did not comment on what happened to the dog thieves. A 52-year-old man has been arrested by detectives investigating the murder of a father outside a school in Belfast. Jim Donegan, 43, was shot as he waited to collect his 13-year-old son from St Marys Christian Brothers Grammar School in west Belfast in December. The suspect was detained in Liverpool on Tuesday, police said. PSNI detective chief inspector Pete Montgomery said: Jim was brutally murdered as he sat in his car outside a school on the Glen Road in west Belfast on December 4 2018. I would continue to urge anyone who has any information, or who witnessed the murder, to contact the police on 101. Or if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers. A fire has broken out, sparking a huge dust cloud, at a business park in Northamptonshire. Huge plumes of dark grey smoke were seen rising into the sky above Sywell Aerodrome Business Park in Wellingborough Road. Fire crews were called at 12.47pm on Tuesday to the blaze at a factory, and workers from surrounding businesses were evacuated. The service said the building where the blaze happened was not occupied at the time, and there are not thought to be any casualties. Rob Doyle, a local resident, said: Its a huge dust cloud and whilst we were there, the police advised that the roof of the buildings that went up was asbestos, so bit of a health concern for local residents and further afield. He added that he believed dust was spreading and settling miles away from the scene. A fire broke out at Sywell Aerodrome Business Park (Rob Doyle/PA) Rachel Noding, who works in a marketing business near to where the fire broke out, said she and her colleagues were shocked at how quickly it spread. She said: The fire took hold really quickly. Within 20 minutes it was just massive. It was quite scary. Residents have been advised to shut their windows and doors for health and safety reasons while the firefighters tackle the blaze. A number of road closures are in place. Detectives investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee have searched the headquarters of the republican Saoradh organisation. They seized items in the Chamberlain Street area of Londonderry, but there were no arrests. Inquiries are continuing, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statement said. Miss McKee was a promising young Belfast author, 29, and was a bystander when she was shot in the head during rioting in Londonderry in April (Liam McBurney/PA) Miss McKee was a promising young Belfast author aged 29. She was a bystander when she was shot in the head during rioting in Londonderry on April 18. Saoradh means liberation in Irish, and it describes itself as a revolutionary Irish republican party. It has the support of the New IRA, which admitted responsibility for Miss McKees killing. She was standing next to a police vehicle in the Creggan estate when she was hit as a masked gunman fired towards police. Police believe the violence was orchestrated in response to an earlier search by officers to avoid imminent trouble associated with the anniversary of the Easter Rising. Detectives investigating the murder of Lyra McKee have carried out a number of searches in Chamberlain Street in Derry/Londonderry this morning. A number of items were seized during the search for further investigation. No arrests were made. Enquiries are continuing. Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) May 7, 2019 Several people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the murder. Miss McKees death sparked calls for fresh political negotiations at Stormont to break a powersharing impasse and deliver the resumption of devolution. Talks led by the British Government and involving the main Stormont parties began on Tuesday in response. A mural of the journalist has been painted in Belfast. The poignant image in the city centre was created by Dublin artist Emma Blake. Blake and 21 other artists blanketed most of Kent Street in new artwork over the bank holiday weekend as part of the annual Hit the North street art festival. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers on the first day of their tour of Germany, after the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby. On his visit to the president of Germany in Berlin on Tuesday, Charles was given a teddy bear, as the president said: First of all, let me congratulate you. The congratulations from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier came at the beginning of a day which was filled with hundreds of messages from members of the public who came to catch a glimpse of the prince. Camilla also received gifts for the new baby, as she visited an outpatient clinic for victims of domestic violence. Camilla received a gift for the new baby (Arthur Edwards/The Sun) The duchess was given a onesie decorated with German art as well as a balloon with the words Its a boy written on it. Camilla said: As soon as we return I will deliver it to them, direct from Germany. Im sure they will be thrilled. Charles and Camilla ended their afternoon engagements with a visit to the Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds gathered to pass on their congratulations. The Prince of Wales with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany, at Bellevue Palace. #RoyalVisitGermany https://t.co/EcOUyuityD The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 7, 2019 Replying to one comment of Congratulations on the new grandchild, Charles said: Thank you, Im collecting a rather large number of them. Asked if he had seen the baby yet, Charles said: Not yet. How many grandchildren have you got? None yet? Just you wait. Addressing people in the capital, the Prince of Wales said: We couldnt be more delighted at the news and were looking forward to meeting the baby when we return. The couple were welcomed to Berlin on Tuesday by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The three of them posed for photographs before heading into the Federal Chancellery for a private meeting. Before he made his way inside, one man shouted through the gates to Charles, saying: Congratulations, grandfather. The couple are also due to visit Leipzig and Munich on their four-day tour. Two men who died after a wall collapsed at a farm have been named by police. The incident happened at a property near Whitecross, in the Falkirk area, at around 10.10am on Monday. Peter Walker, 53, from Blackburn in West Lothian and 48-year-old James Henderson, known as Paul, from Grangemouth, suffered serious injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. The two men died following the collapse of a wall (Jane Barlow/PA) They were undertaking maintenance work on the wall when it collapsed and fatally injured the pair. Two other men, aged 21 and 36, were also seriously injured with one taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary while the other was airlifted to Glasgows Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Police Scotland is now working alongside the Health and Safety Executive and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service as part of inquiries into the circumstances of the incident. MEN WHO DIED AFTER WALL COLLAPSED AT #FALKIRK FARM NAMED Peter Walker (53) from Blackburn & Paul Henderson (48) from Grangemouth sadly died at the scene, while two other men were seriously injured. An investigation with @H_S_E is underway. Read more - https://t.co/qhNq6xPJQo pic.twitter.com/irinzCup7p Forth Valley Police (@ForthValPolice) May 7, 2019 Detective Chief Inspector Jim Thomson of Forth Valley CID said: Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families of Peter and Paul, as well as all those affected by this tragic incident, at this very difficult time. A multi-agency investigation is underway to establish exactly what happened and provide both mens loved ones, and their workmates, with the answers they require. If anyone believes they may have any information relevant to this inquiry then please come forward. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took part in an on-screen sailing race as William cheekily urged his crew member to tip his wife out of the boat. The couples competitive spirits were stoked as they sat in rival simulator boats and attempted to beat each other to the start line of a race. But William displayed some rather underhand tactics, telling his helmsman to ram the vessel carrying his wife. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will host the inaugural regatta The Kings Cup this summer to raise awareness and funds for eight of Their Royal Highnesses patronages. pic.twitter.com/rcdRPCr8BA The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 7, 2019 Pointing at the screen showing the boats progress, he said to seven-year-old Ethan, a pupil at Drapers Mills primary school in Margate, Kent: Ram them, ram them! Aim for them. Tip them out. He later shouted over to Kate: Are you sinking yet? Ten-year-old Sam, from the same school, was paired with Kate, and said: It was tense, very tense, its the duke and duchess! The pressure builds who wins, who loses. In just a few months time William, and Kate will go head to head in the Kings Cup Regatta to raise awareness and funds for eight of their patronages. The Duke of Cambridge uses a sailing dinghy simulator at the launch the Kings Cup Regatta (Ben Stansall/PA) The regatta will be hosted by William and Kate on August 9 on the Isle of Wight, and will see the couple compete as the skippers of rival boats, part of an eight-strong field. The couple launched the event at the Cutty Sark on Tuesday, the famous tea clipper ship in Greenwich, south-east London, and were joined by children and young people from eight charities which will be represented by the fleet. Before the launch, they took the opportunity to congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the birth of their son, with a thrilled William joking that he was happy to welcome his brother to the sleep deprivation society. After struggling to cross the start line on time, and conceding a draw, the pair then met the heads of the charities of which they are patrons. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge unveil the trophy (Ben Stansall/PA) William spoke with CEOs of Tusk, the London Air Ambulance Charity, Child Bereavement UK and Centrepoint. The duchess met representatives from Place2Be, Action on Addiction, the Anna Freud National Centre for children and families and the Royal Foundation. They later unveiled the Kings Cup which will be given to the winner of this years regatta a historic trophy first presented by King George V at Cowes Royal Yacht Squadron in 1920. The Duchess of Cambridge meets well-wishers as she leaves after launching the Kings Cup Regatta trophy (Ben Stansall/PA) Sir Keith Mills, chairman of the Royal Foundation, joked to the room as he invited the couple on stage: I think they are both going to sneak in some practice between now and August. After leaving the Cutty Sark, the couple took time to say hello and shake the hands of some of the crowd of well-wishers gathered outside. William and Kate hope the Kings Cup will become an annual event, bringing greater awareness to the wider benefits of sport, while also raising support and funds for their causes. The duke trounced his wife when they competed in a dragon boat race in Canada in 2011, but Kate got her revenge three years later when she won a sailing event in Auckland during their tour of New Zealand. William took the honours again during a visit to the German city of Heidelberg in 2017, when he was victorious in a riverboat race against his wife. There is a lack of understanding in Scottish schools about how learning a language can help pupils improve their literacy, MSPs have been told. Holyroods Education Committee has been hearing evidence from a range of people within the sector as part of its inquiry into subject choice at schools. It has previously been suggested that pupils at schools in areas of higher deprivation are being offered fewer subjects to choose from. Our #subjectchoices inquiry continues next week - Geography, Gaelic, Languages and Sciences teachers will be there, along with @EISUnion , to give their perspective. Our papers, including an analysis of our teachers' survey, are now online: https://t.co/0BmNs1h4jU pic.twitter.com/WTU31rqT5q Education, Children and Young People Committee (@SP_ECYP) May 3, 2019 Francisco Valdera-Gil, a lecturer in modern languages, told MSPs some of the most deprived schools in Glasgow are not offering modern languages to pupils. Addressing the impact of that, he said: Theres a lack of understanding, although its very clear in policy, of the role modern languages plays in literacy. To me, that is not totally understood by the profession. I work in teacher education, I also work with teachers delivering the one plus two, and I can see that there are schools in Glasgow that are (the) most deprived are the ones that tend not to do the modern languages. MSPs are examining subject choice at Scottish schools (Ben Birchall/PA) Theres 4,000 words in English that come from French and its through the learning of language that our students are exposed to that. Mr Valdera-Gil also suggested languages could be offered in conjunction with other subjects. He said: Theres no reason why modern language could not be part of another qualification theres no reason why it cannot be part of science, of geography, of art, of any other subject. I think there is a notion in the four nations of the UK that people are just bad at languages, the thought that a language is more difficult than another subject, it is not. But whether we like it or not, that is a myth that people live with and that makes them not take the subject. There is work to be done in schools to convince the population, to manage their expectations, that languages can be done. Meanwhile, Catriona MacPhee, of the Gaelic Secondary Teachers Association Comann Luchd-Teagaisg Ard Sgoiltean, warned reduced subject choice is affecting Gaelic learning. She said: The narrowing of subject choices in many Scottish schools has had a profoundly negative effect on the uptake of Gaelic especially, but not exclusively, that of Gaelic learners. It does need urgent intervention to protect Gaelic itself, Gaelic education and most relevant today, the right of Scotlands young people to learn Gaelic in their schools. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: Learning languages equips young people with skills for an increasingly complex and globalised world and, since 2013, we have invested an additional 30.2 million for the implementation of our ambitious 1+2 language policy. Evidence shows language learning is becoming the norm, with data from 2018 showing 91% of primary schools and at least 62% of secondary schools across Scotland providing the full entitlement to learning a second language from P1 through to S3. Wherever possible, schools should ensure young people can choose their preferred subjects in the senior phase, working with partners to make their offer as broad as possible. Where a subject cannot be offered by the school, national guidelines encourage flexibility, enabling schools to consider alternative approaches that best meet learners needs and aspirations. The views of NHS staff are being sought as part of a consultation on plans to address how whistle-blowers are treated. Holyroods Health and Sport Committee raised concerns last year, as part of its inquiry into how NHS staff are managed, that the current arrangements for whistle-blowers are not adequately robust. In its report, the committee said significant changes would be needed to ensure concerns can be raised by staff, with a third found to be unwilling to speak up. Lewis Macdonald MSP is the convener of Holyroods Health and Sport Committee (Scottish Parliament/PA) Fears among staff that they could be blacklisted when looking for a new job if they had been a whistle-blower were also raised as part of the inquiry. A proposal to address the issue has been put forward by the Scottish Government which would see the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) act as the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) for Scotlands NHS. It would mean the role of the SPSO, completely independent of Government, would be to review how the health board, family health service or independent provider handled the whistle-blowing concern, and if it acted reasonably in making any decision. It would also be able to investigate the treatment of the whistle-blower by their employer. Legally-binding protections for doctors in training and other postgraduate trainees who are whistle-blowers have also been introduced by the Government. Health and Sport Committee convener Lewis Macdonald said: Our review last year into the governance of NHS Scotland raised a number of concerns when it came to the issue of whistle-blowing. The report made clear that the current whistle-blowing arrangements were not nearly robust enough in terms of their effectiveness or independence from NHS employers and Scottish ministers, and that whistle-blowers must not be prejudiced as a consequence of their actions. We want to hear from those working as part of Scotlands NHS to see whether they feel these proposed Scottish Government changes will give them sufficient assurances to make them feel comfortable to blow the whistle. The committee is clear that all NHS staff should be able to report any concerns they have in confidence and that those concerns must be fully investigated in a fair, transparent and independent manner. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: This is a welcome development which will contribute to the continued work we are undertaking to embed a positive culture across the NHS. On April 30, the Scottish Government introduced legislation to the Scottish Parliament to allow the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to take on the role of Independent National Whistleblowing Officer for NHS Scotland (INWO). The SPSO, in her role as INWO, will independently review the internal handling of whistleblowing cases where there has been a complaint and will also investigate how the individual has been treated as a result of whistle-blowing. We anticipate that the INWO role will be established by summer 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took a trip down memory lane today, visiting old friends in North Wales where they lived after they married. William and Kate met some of the dukes former colleagues from when he worked as a search and rescue pilot based at RAF Valley on Anglesey. The unit has now moved from the island to a new base, HM Coastguard Search and Rescue Caernarfon, on the mainland and is run by Bristow Helicopters, which took over the contract from the military, but still with some of the same crew from Williams time as a helicopter pilot. William told his old crew that he does miss his old job, which involved flying rescue missions in all kinds of weather and terrain. Coastguard helicopter winchman Paul Jones and his wife Gemma, were with their sons, Finlay, 12, and Alex, aged nine, who were much younger the last time Kate and William saw them. Today The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are visiting North Wales to meet individuals and organisations who are encouraging people to look after their communities and protect the natural environment starting with a visit to Caernarfon Coastguard Search and Rescue pic.twitter.com/1vsQTzvpwn The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 8, 2019 Mr Jones said: Its lovely to see him, we worked very closely for three years and then he moved away. It was like hes never been away. The royal couple also clambered aboard the Coastguards new 30 million Sikorsky S92 helicopter, which replaced Sea King helicopters used during Williams time with the unit. Both royal visitors sat in the cockpit as they were told about the aircrafts capabilities and performance during the around 300 or so rescue missions undertaken each year from Caernarfon. The Duchess of Cambridge in the cockpit (Phil Noble/PA) Rich Taylor, a winchman who served with William and met him again today said: It was great. It was a real honour and privilege. Hes a very nice guy, very engaging, very professional. He worked very hard obviously to keep a balance in the worlds hes within. He was outstanding in his role as a pilot. The Duke of Cambridge catches up with Mike and Rich, who The Duke worked alongside during his time as a Search and Rescue Pilot. pic.twitter.com/dXARYjiYiH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 8, 2019 William and Kate also joined a discussion with Coastguard crew members and staff from Wales Air Ambulance, about the mental health challenges that result from working as emergency personnel. Mr Taylor added: Hes been involved first hand with some awful situations as anyone who works in this search and rescue or air ambulance will have been, so he knows first hand the effects it can have on people. When we worked with William it was a real honour and a privilege and that continues that hes taken the time out to come and see us and have a look around and catch up again. The Duchess of Cambridge with a young well-wisher (Phil Noble/PA) I think like anybody involved in aviation, especially emergency services and support and helping others, its a passion, its a vocation, so I can understand he does miss it. William and Kate spent around 90 minutes at the base before shaking hands and saying goodbyes as they travelled to their next stop on the royal visit at Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt, a local business on Anglesey. The royal couple completed their visit to North Wales by joining schoolchildren in a beach clean-up organised by the Isle of Anglesey County Council and marine conservation group Surfers Against Sewage. The group aims to reduce the impact of single-use plastics, such as straws, bottles, sachets and balloons, through its Plastic Free Anglesey campaign. Before they embarked on the litter pick at Newborough Beach with pupils from Ysgol Santes Dwynwen, Sian Sykes, of Surfers Against Sewage, told them: This is some stuff that we have collected. These are cotton buds that have been flushed down the toilet, and these take 150 years to break down. What we want you guys to do today is rummage through the seaweed because with the incoming tide it brings up some plastic. The duke asked: Have you done testing for microplastics here? Ms Sykes replied: This is a tiny bit of the microplastics we have been finding which is quite frightening to see, but the Bangor University has been getting involved in a lot of research which is great. The Duchess of Cambridge joined primary school pupils in a beach clean-up (Paul Ellis/PA) The royal couple then crouched down with the pupils to uncover plastics which were noted down as part of a survey. Wet wipes, balloons, flip flops and fishing lines were among the finds as Kate asked George Boyce, 10, if he watched Sir David Attenborough. Kate said: Hes amazing, isnt he. Which programmes do you like of his? The youngster replied: Blue Planet. Ms Sykes said it was wonderful that the royal couple had returned to the area. She said: We want to inspire people who come to visit Anglesey. What I would ask people is to bring reusable bottles, bring reusable coffee cups, help out with beach cleans and boycott single use plastics. The duke and duchess also explored the beachs wildlife habitat with the Menai Bridge Scout Group. Kate, who previously volunteered with the Scouts during her time in Anglesey, told the group how the couple used to collect mussels when they lived there. William asked the group: Whats the coolest thing you have found out on the beach? Finlay Burke, 12, replied: A bullet. A surprised Kate said: Really? Where did you find that? Finlay said: In the water. The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to hold attorney general William Barr in contempt of Congress. The move escalates the Democrats extraordinary legal battle with the Trump administration over access to special counsel Robert Muellers Trump-Russia report. The vote capped a day of ever-deepening dispute between congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump. For the first time he invoked the principle of executive privilege, claiming the right to block lawmakers from the full report on Mr Muellers probe of Russian interference to help Mr Trump in the 2016 election. House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler (J Scott Applewhite/AP) Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler declared the action by Mr Trumps Justice Department a clear new sign of the presidents blanket defiance of Congress constitutional rights. Every day we learn of new efforts by this administration to stonewall Congress, Mr Nadler said. This is unprecedented. But White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said it was rather a response to the blatant abuse of power by Mr Nadler, a Democrat. Neither the White House nor attorney general Barr will comply with chairman Nadlers unlawful and reckless demands, she said. Though the White House initially hesitated on invoking privilege, Mr Trump told his staff and political advisers in recent weeks to refuse to co-operate with Democrats, believing the partys goal was simply to damage him politically going into his re-election campaign. The coming legal battle could stretch to 2020, and the White House is aiming to tie up congressional probes until election day. Executive privilege is the presidents power to keep information from the courts, Congress and the public to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. The presidents decision was weeks in the making, the next inevitable escalation between the White House and Congress over a number of probes. The White House has rejected all efforts to probe Mr Trumps business dealings or tax returns as well as the West Wings security clearance procedure. The committee voted along party lines, 24-16, to hold Mr Barr in contempt but only after some five hours of heated and, at times, emotional testimony. Democrats, who have the majority in the House, made their case that Congress was at a historic juncture as it confronts what they consider Mr Trumps stonewalling of lawmakers ability to conduct oversight of the administration. Republicans portrayed the majority as angry and lashing out at Mr Barr after the special counsel did not find that Mr Trump colluded with Russia to swing the 2016 election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the next step after the committee vote will be consideration by the full House. If approved by the House, where the Democrats hold a solid majority, the contempt resolution would almost certainly move to an unusual, and potentially protracted, multi-pronged court battle with the Trump administration. Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claimed that while BJP is campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the name of Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister is contesting in the name of Pakistan. "BJP is contesting in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while Modi Ji is contesting using the name of Pakistan," he said during a press conference here. "Modi-Shah Jodi (pair) is a threat to the country," he added. On being asked about a post-poll alliance, Sisodia affirmed that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will support a "non-BJP, non-Modi government" at the Cente. The AAP leader went on to say that his party has the faith of locals here, as sitting MP Kirron Kher has not undertaken any developmental work for the region. "People had reposed faith in Kirron Kher by electing her for five years, but she didn't do any work. That's the reason why people would express confidence in AAP this time," he said. Responding to a question on an apparent change in the AAP's ideology and widespread attrition in the party, he said, "AAP is not just a party, it is a revolution and the ideology is not static. In such a setup, careerists could never adjust. It depends on voluntary contribution. AAP runs on the voluntary action of leaders associated with it." Elections to all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place in the last phase of polling on May 19. Results will be declared on May 23. -ANI MSPs have voted for an urgent investigation to be carried out into midwives concerns over Scottish Government reforms. Holyrood voted by 92 to 26 in favour of the probe as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said the Best Start changes would require health boards to take on more staff to help care for pregnant women. The reforms would mean every woman has continuity of care from a primary midwife throughout their pregnancy, delivery and beyond. But midwives in NHS Lothian have raised safety concerns the changes could leave them pushed to their limits, warning they could become increasingly overtired, stressed or unwell. Best Start needs resources and staffing says RCM on Scottish Parliament debate on maternity @ScotlandRCM Read media release here https://t.co/wIgw5Z6f5t #RCM #beststart #midwives #msws Royal College of Midwives (@MidwivesRCM) May 8, 2019 Dr Mary Ross-Davie, RCM director for Scotland, said to bring in the changes successfully health boards will need, at least temporarily, to increase the number of midwives in the system. The Scottish Government has set out a radical vision for maternity services, she said. The Scottish Government wants mothers-to-be to receive most of their care from the same midwife or group of midwives (Yui Mok/PA) Such a huge change requires significant ongoing investment and careful implementation. We recognise the positive start with the commitment of 12 million for implementation made by the Government. We also recognise the year-on-year increase in student midwife places, the continuation of the student bursary and the new safe staffing legislation. This will all contribute to ensuring that we have enough midwives and maternity support workers to provide safe care. But with the changes being trialled in five early adopter board areas, Dr Ross-Davie stressed it was vital ministers and health bosses support and listen to their midwives. She said: Midwives need to have patterns of working that enable them to have a good work-life balance, they need to have workloads that enable them to provide high quality care and any changes need to be shaped by the midwives themselves. Not all midwives wish or are able to work in this different way and their contribution needs to continue to be valued. She spoke after Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey told MSPs providing continuity of care in midwifery services was the right thing to do for women and for families and for midwives. But she said: I understand that many midwives in Scotland have never worked this way and that change is daunting. Thats why its so important that boards work in partnership with their local maternity staff to ensure they feel safe and supported during the transition. She added: Reforming services is not easy but we should not shy away from moving forward when we know it is the right thing to do. Delighted to meet midwives at University Hospital Wishaw this morning to hear about the amazing work they do. @ScottishLabour is calling for more funding for the implementation of Best Start, so that midwives have the resources they need to care for women and babies. pic.twitter.com/NA1VykCZMW Richard Leonard (@LabourRichard) May 8, 2019 Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon, who highlighted the midwives concerns in the debate, said afterwards she was pleased that Parliament has recognised the significant workforce pressures faced by midwives and that the concerns raised by midwives in NHS Lothian need urgent investigation. She added: Scottish ministers must act swiftly to initiate an investigation and keep Parliament updated. These are challenges which are faced by midwives across the country and thats why we are also calling on the SNP to ensure that the Best Start reforms to midwifery and neonatal services are properly resourced. Midwives are absolutely crucial to the care of women and babies. The best way to celebrate their contribution to the NHS is by listening to their concerns and ensuring they have enough resources to do their jobs. Theresa May has dodged backbench demands for her departure timetable. Backbenchers on the 1922 Committee had demanded she set out precise dates for when she would make way for another leader of the Conservative Party. Mrs May had met 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady privately on Tuesday night, and he was expected to share their discussion with Tory MPs on Wednesday night. But Brexiteer MPs emerged grim-faced from the meeting, where it emerged the Prime Minister had persuaded colleagues to allow her to kick the can down the road for another week despite disastrous local election results. Leaving the meeting, Sir Graham suggested the delay was to allow Mrs May one last push to get her Brexit deal through Parliament before the European elections, which are expected to be another brutal defeat for Conservative candidates. He said: The executive is very keen to meet the Prime Minister and will have a full opportunity to discuss and to reach whatever conclusions it wishes to reach next week. Its my understanding its the Governments intention to bring a second reading of the Bill forward in the near future, certainly the intention is before the European election takes place. Sir Graham Brady (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Personally I hope the Bill will be brought forward in a form which contains elements of the Political Declaration brought forward that would obviate the need ever for the Irish backstop to apply. Sir Graham would not confirm whether he was seeking a departure date from Mrs May at the meeting next Wednesday. But the Tory MP indicated the Withdrawal Agreement Bill could be brought back next week when he said he expected it hopefully in the much nearer future than the elections on May 23. Leaving the 1922 meeting, Brexiteer MP Nadine Dorries expressed impatience. She said: Shes not given any decision, theres no timetable and they need to get on with it. We need to make sure we get that final decision soon because everybody needs it. Conservative MP Alberto Costa told the Press Association Sir Graham expected Mrs May to leave once she got her Brexit deal through Parliament. He said: The Prime Minister has been very clear she will step down as soon as the Withdrawal Agreement is passed. My understanding is that in respect of the request Graham Brady made two weeks ago he expects to be given an assurance that her Withdrawal Agreement will once again go before Parliament. Tory MP Simon Hart said backbenchers were resigned to the idea a leadership change would not solve the problems with the current Brexit deal. This would be all very well as a temporary pain relief measure, he said. But if it doesnt actually change the prospects of delivering an orderly Brexit, then we could be about to go through quite an agonising process to replace the Prime Minister with a keen and enthusiastic new person who is then going to come up against exactly the same problem as the current one My fear about that is everybodys expectations would be built up, public and colleagues, only to be thwarted when the reality dawns that nothing has changed. It would be much better if the current Prime Minister finishes this horrible stage of the process and then they can do the easy bit. The Duke of Sussex is likely to find leaving his baby son so soon after his birth agonising, a leading parenting expert has said. Harry is due to travel to the Netherlands on Thursday to promote next years Invictus Games three days after the safe delivery of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Parenting expert Suzie Hayman said she thought the duke would feel a pang to be leaving his wife, Meghan, and their child, and that he would probably be wanting to return very quickly as soon as he can. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother Doria Ragland as they show their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle (Chris Allerton/copyright SussexRoyal) The agony aunt and author said: I would have thought the greatest stress would be to him. This is a very involved dad, who was present at the birth, and I think hed find it actually agonising to leave his baby and his wife this early. Baby Sussex, whose name was revealed to the world after the family-of-three posed for photos for the first time, was born at 5.26am on Monday. Harry and Meghan could not hold back their smiles, with a delighted Harry calling the baby our own little bundle of joy. The new father will visit The Hague on Thursday to take part in a programme of activities to mark the one year countdown to next years Invictus Games. It is not known whether he will return to the UK the same day. Ms Hayman continued: I would have thought that for somebody who is that involved, and very much clearly from the photos that weve seen adores his baby as well as his wife, hed actually find it quite hard. The babys not going to suffer mum may miss him. Babies dont really notice much of whats going on as long as they are cuddled, and fed, and kept warm and secure, theyre, at that stage, not necessarily aware of whos gone and whos there. Two men have been jailed for a total of 29-and-a-half years after setting up a handgun factory supplying weapons to Londons criminal underworld. Kyle Wood and Greg Akehurst, both 30, and a third man, Mark Kinman, 63, were in the process of manufacturing around 120 weapons at the site in Hailsham, East Sussex, when it was raided on August 18 last year. The National Crime Agency (NCA) believes the illegal factory, which operated under the name MFK Engineering, is the first of its kind to be uncovered in the UK. Watch as NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Chris Farrimond discusses how two men have been jailed for a combined 29-and-a-half years for conspiring to sell handguns made at an illegal gun factory in East Sussex. Full story: https://t.co/fnT3cLCQZY pic.twitter.com/1sF9wFRsVX National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) May 8, 2019 The weapons were based on the design of the Browning 1922-type pistol by building a template from an original. None of the weapons had serial numbers or manufacturers markings, indicating they had been made by Kinman the craftsman of the operation from scratch. Wood, from Littlehampton, West Sussex, and Akehurst, of no fixed address, were tracked to the industrial estate on Diplocks Way and tried to flee, resulting in a standoff with an NCA firearms unit. Akehurst was quickly detained and was found with a loaded firearm tucked in his waistband, but Wood tried to escape on foot and pulled a handgun from his pocket, prompting officers to Taser him. Greg Akehurst (National Crime Agency/PA) He was found to have a plastic bag full of ammunition on him following his arrest. Kinman left the MFK unit a short while later and was found to have three rounds of ammunition in his pocket upon arrest. Akehurst was jailed for 18 years at Kingston Crown Court after admitting possessing a firearm and conspiracy to sell or supply firearms. Wood was jailed for 11-and-a-half years after admitting conspiracy to sell or supply firearms on the first day of his trial on May 1, having previously admitted possession of a firearm. Kinman admitted the same charges but died in prison before he could be sentenced. Mark Kinman (National Crime Agency/PA) Since the three were arrested, six guns made at their factory have been found by police one of which had been used in two attempted murders in the capital. NCA deputy director of investigations Chris Farrimond said following the sentencing: This case is unique. It is the first time that the NCA or indeed any UK law enforcement has found an illegal gun factory of this nature. He added: The weapons being made there were lethal and for the criminal marketplace. The fact they had no serial markings made them all the more valuable to criminals. They represented a direct and real danger to our communities. A number of the weapons manufactured there we know have been used to commit violent acts on the streets. Kyle Wood (National Crime Agency/PA) Detective Chief Inspector Steve Rayland, of Sussex Police, said: Intelligence gathered by our officers was instrumental in helping to start this NCA investigation, and our local officers, with our specialist search and firearms teams, also provided valuable support when NCA officers carried out the arrests in Hailsham. He added: This is another example of the way in which intelligence gathered from local people can impact on the constant need to combat organised criminality at national level. However, there is no evidence that the weapons being produced were intended for use in Sussex, or that there was any specific risk to communities in Sussex. Theresa May has rebuffed demands to set out a timetable for her departure from No 10 amid growing pressure from Tory MPs to make way for a new leader. The chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady, who met the Prime Minister privately on Tuesday, made clear she had not offered any further clarity about her future. He said she would meet the committees 18-strong executive next week amid grass roots fury over the partys worst local elections performance in 24 years. Sir Graham Brady said the 1922 Committee executive will meet Theresa May next week to discuss her future (Victoria Jones/PA) Sir Graham suggested she could make a final effort to get her Brexit deal through Parliament before European elections on May 23, when the party is expected to suffer even heavier losses. He said he expected ministers to bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill required to ratify her deal in law in the near future. The executive is very keen to meet the Prime Minister and will have a full opportunity to discuss and to reach whatever conclusions it wishes to reach next week, Sir Graham said. Its my understanding its the Governments intention to bring a second reading of the Bill forward in the near future, certainly the intention is before the European election takes place. At Prime Ministers Questions earlier, Mr May faced a direct call from a Conservative MP to stand down. Brexit-backing Andrea Jenkyns told Mrs May she had failed in EU withdrawal negotiations and forfeited the trust of the public. The public no longer trust her to run Brexit negotiations, she said. Isnt it time to step aside and let someone else lead our country, our party and the Brexit negotiations? Mrs May retorted: This is not an issue about me and its not an issue about her. If it were an issue about me and the way I vote, we would already have left the European Union. Downing Street made clear the Prime Minister was not ready to go beyond her earlier promise to the 1922 to quit as Tory leader when the first phase of Brexit negotiations dealing with the divorce terms is complete. The PM made a very generous and bold offer to the 1922 Committee a few weeks ago that she would see through phase one of the Brexit process and she would leave and open up for new leadership for phase two, a No 10 source said. Thats the timetable she is working towards. She wants to get Brexit done. With her effective deputy David Lidington suggesting he hoped a deal could be concluded by July, there is speculation she may seek to hang on until the annual party conference in the autumn. Nigel Evans, the executive secretary of the 1922, warned she would need to give MPs some greater certainty before then. August 1 is the next new date, he told the BBC. It could be kicked down the road even further. Thats not what we want. We want some clarity from the Prime Minister. David Lidington, Mrs Mays de facto deputy, said talks with Labour have been `difficult (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Meanwhile, Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom said she is seriously considering standing for the Conservative leadership, which will be triggered when Mrs May stands down. Ms Leadsom, who stood for the leadership in 2016 but pulled out to give Mrs May a clear run at the job, told ITV1s Good Morning Britain: Ive supported her for the last three years to get Brexit over the line. She has said shes going so yes I am seriously considering standing. Meanwhile, talks between the Government and Labour on a compromise deal to end the deadlock are set to resume next week, following a second day of extended discussions in Whitehall. A No 10 spokesman said the latest meeting demonstrates the seriousness with which both sides are approaching these talks. The spokesman added: Over the coming days, there will be more meetings of the bilateral working groups and further exchanges of documents as we seek to nail down the details of what has been discussed. A Labour Party spokesman said: After the second day of talks this week, the negotiating teams are working to establish scope for agreement and will meet again at the beginning of next week. Earlier, Mr Lidington, who is leading the Government team, acknowledged the discussions were not proving easy, but said there was a responsibility on all parties to try to find a way out of the impasse. It has been difficult at times I wont deny that because there are differences between the two political parties, he said. But I think all Members of Parliament have a responsibility to try to work together. One of the two suspects in the Colorado school shooting has appeared in court, with his head bowed and hair shielding his face. Devon Erickson, 18, made his first court appearance on Wednesday, shackled at the waist with his hands cuffed as he sat in a courtroom flanked by two defence lawyers. Erickson nodded frequently in answer to the judges questions. He is scheduled to return to court on Friday, when charges are expected to be filed. His court appearance came as Kendrick Castillo, 18, was named as the single fatality. He leapt from his desk and charged the two alleged attackers, sacrificing his life to buy classmates time to escape, authorities said. Eight other pupils were injured after two students opened fire at the school in Denver on Tuesday. The shooting at Highlands Ranch came nearly three weeks after neighbouring Littleton marked the grim 20th anniversary of the Columbine school massacre that killed 13 people. Douglas County Coroner Jill Roman has identified the deceased victim of the STEM School shooting as Kendrick Ray Castillo, 03/14/2001. We ask that the media please respect the family's privacy at this time. #STEMshooting DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) May 8, 2019 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said the students walked into the school in a suburb of Denver and began shooting at pupils in two classrooms. Within minutes, deputies at a nearby sheriffs department substation entered the school and arrested the two suspects after a struggle. Another teenager preparing to enter the Marines also tackled the gunmen. An armed security guard then confronted and detained one of them. Authorities said these acts of bravery helped minimise the bloodshed from the attack, which also wounded eight people. Were going to hear about very heroic things that have taken place at the school, Mr Spurlock said Wednesday. The alleged attackers were identified by law enforcement officials as Devon Erickson and a younger student who is a juvenile and was not named. They allegedly walked into the school through an entrance without metal detectors and opened fire in two classrooms. Because the attack happened only miles from Columbine and just weeks after the shootings 20th anniversary, questions quickly arose about whether it was inspired by the 1999 massacre. But investigators offered no immediate motive. Student Nui Giasolli told NBCs Today show that she was in her literature class when one of the suspects came in late and pulled out a gun. Vehicles block the road to the Highlands Ranch school(David Zalubowski/AP) Castillo lunged at the gunman, who shot the teenager. Castillos swift action gave the rest of the class time to get underneath their desks and then run across the room to escape, Giasolli said. Castillo worked part-time at a local manufacturing company. To find he went down as a hero, Im not surprised. Thats exactly who Kendrick was, said Rachel Short, president of the company, Baccara. Cecilia Bedard, 19, had known Castillo since primary school and said he was always friendly, modest and pleased to help people. He was amazing, Bedard said. He was honestly the sweetest kid I ever met. Never said a mean joke. Honored to meet & thank the Douglas CO 911 Comms Officers who handled the very 1st calls about the STEM shooting. Thanks to their behind the scenes professionalism & efficient action, our law enforcement officers were able to respond in under 2 minutes to protect the students. pic.twitter.com/32PphgqUyU Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) May 8, 2019 Brendan Bialy, 18, who was enrolled in a delayed-entry programme for the Marines, charged the gunmen as well, helping fight them off, according to authorities and witnesses. His decisive actions resulted in the safety and protection of his teachers and fellow classmates, Marine Captain Michael Maggiti said. Then, as the gunmen moved through the 1,800-student campus, an armed security guard detained one of them, Mr Spurlock said. The guard was employed by Boss High Level Protection, a company started by a former Swat team leader who responded to the Columbine shooting. The owner, Grant Whitus, told The Associated Press the security guard is a former Marine who ran to the area of the shootings and confronted one of the armed students in a hallway. The guard drew his weapon and apprehended the person, Mr Whitus said. He doesnt even realise how many lives he saved by stopping a school shooting, he added. Both suspects were students at the school, and they were not previously known to authorities, Mr Spurlock said. Douglas County District Attorney George Brauchler said the community remains resilient in the face of multiple shootings, including Columbine, the 2012 theatre shooting in the Denver suburb of Aurora and the 2013 shooting at Arapahoe High School. The attacks are aberrant acts although they might seem otherwise to the rest of the world, he said. Who we are is a kind, compassionate, caring people, and this does not define us. It wont today and it wont tomorrow, he said. The Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby son Archie has the surname his great-grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh was not permitted to give to his own children. After Elizabeth IIs accession in 1952, the Queen declared that the royal familys surname would still be Windsor and not Mountbatten, much to the Duke of Edinburghs annoyance. The Queen with the Duke of Edinburgh on her coronation day (PA) Im just a bloody amoeba, he is said to have shouted, when learning his children would not bear his surname, complaining he was the only man in the country not allowed to do so. In 1960, the Queen, in a gesture to her aggrieved husband, gave him a concession. It was announced that the Queens direct descendants other than those with the style of royal highness and the title of prince or princess when they needed a surname would use Mountbatten-Windsor, although the royal house remained the House of Windsor. Harry and Meghan have named their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Baby Archie, who is seventh in line to the throne (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Royal author Penny Junor said: I would think the Duke of Edinburgh would be absolutely thrilled with that. She added: Archie is a lovely name, but the fact that theyve chosen to call him Mountbatten-Windsor. Prince Philip was never allowed to call his children by his own surname. I think thats a really nice tribute to Harrys grandfather. The Duke of Edinburgh with his great-grandson Archie, and the Queen, Harry, Meghan and Doria Ragland (Chris Allerton/SussexRoyal/PA) A delighted-looking Philip was pictured with his great-grandson, alongside the Queen, who was smiling broadly, and Harry and the duchesss proud mother Doria Ragland, as Meghan showed off their baby in her arms. The duke and duchess could have chosen for their son to use a courtesy title and become an earl instead. The surname Mountbatten-Windsor first appeared on an official document in 1973, in the marriage register at Westminster Abbey for the wedding of Princess Anne to Captain Mark Phillips. Harry and Meghan with baby Archie Mountbatten-Windsor (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge used the surname during an invasion of privacy court case in France over photos taken of Kate while she was on holiday in 2012. The Earl and Countess of Wessexs 15-year-old daughter is Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, although it was announced when her name was revealed in 2003 that she would be known as Lady Louise Windsor. Philip became a naturalised British subject ahead of his 1947 wedding to Princess Elizabeth. He ditched his surname Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg the family name of the Danish royal house from which his father was descended for Mountbatten, an Anglicised version of Battenberg, his mothers family name. A young Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten before his wedding to Princess Elizabeth (PA) The royal familys name was radically switched to Windsor more than 100 years ago because of anti-German feeling during the First World War. King George V decided that it was inappropriate for the royals to hold the German name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha which came to the family in 1840 with the marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert while Britain was fighting Germany. On July 17 1917, the king issued a royal proclamation changing the royals house and surname, declaring that they would be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor. The partner of murdered journalist Lyra McKee has compared the dissident republicans behind her death to paedophiles. Sara Canning said the young people who had killed the woman she was going to marry had been groomed and attracted into a life of violence. They are grooming young men and women, she said. Theyre no better, they speak out about paedophile gangs, but theyre no better than paedophiles. They literally take young people who are disenfranchised at the best of times, who are living in poverty, who dont see a future for themselves in Northern Ireland because there is literally very little here for them and they tell them that the way forward is a gun in their hand. The way forward is never a gun in your hand. Ms McKee was a bystander when she was shot in the head during rioting in Londonderry on April 18. She was a promising young Belfast author aged 29. Speaking about the murder, Ms Canning told Channel 4 News: It was so indiscriminate. There was no regard for human life They took away an amazing person. Ive lost the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. She added: Wed planned the rest of our lives together and in one split second some idiot with a gun took that away. Ms Canning described the statements issued by Saoradh and the New IRA after her death as pathetic and mealy-mouthed apologies. You cant apologise for killing someone, she said. You cant call it an accidental shooting. You fire a gun at a crowd, its not an accidental shooting. Youre aiming to shoot someone. I mean, its ridiculous. Theyre not defending anyone. Theyre literally a scourge on their communities. Theyre a scourge. They are a scourge. The order of service at the funeral of Lyra McKee (Liam McBurney/PA) In a message to Northern Ireland leaders, Ms Canning said they needed to look beyond their red lines in an effort to restore powersharing at Stormont. We need to look beyond red lines at the minute, she said. Same-sex marriage and an Irish language Act are important. They are important, dont get me wrong, but whats more important is having a working government who are doing whats right for the people of Northern Ireland. Because we are, weve been left adrift. In the interview, Ms Canning recounted that at Ms McKees funeral she had accused Prime Minister Theresa May of a dereliction of duty to Northern Ireland. I basically told her (Mrs May) that she was massively derelict in her duties to Northern Ireland to tell us that issues like gay marriage and abortion rights are a devolved matter is completely out of order, she said. Were not a devolved state anymore. Were completely unsuccessful. It has been shown that we cant work together so the British Government has to be our government. And they have to be our voice and they have to do better. Ms Canning said she told Irish premier Leo Varadkar that he needed to use his position as a world leader to facilitate talks aimed at resolving powersharing at Stormont. Karen Bradley offered her condolences and I accepted them graciously, Ms Canning said. Karen Bradley at the funeral service for Lyra McKee at St Annes Cathedral in Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA) I wasnt rude. But I did tell her that she was doing a pretty terrible job as the Secretary of State. Her lack of knowledge around Northern Ireland was appalling. She needed to go and educate herself. Ms Canning added that Ms Bradley had agreed with her. As a Derry woman, I had to say to her, to offer your condolences on Lyra when you have turned around and said that soldiers who indiscriminately opened fire in the Bogside on Bloody Sunday were doing their job in a dignified manner. I said they are no different to the thug that opened fire in Creggan on Holy Thursday and shot Lyra. Ms Canning also told reporter Alex Thompson that she was still trying to come to terms with Ms McKees death. I still expect to hear from her every morning, she said. I expect to wake up beside her, and I dont. She said on the night Ms McKee died she had gone into reporter mode. Initially, I Lyra was clumsy, and I thought shed tripped over her own feet and I looked down, and I knew straight away that she hadnt tripped, she said. And then I noticed that she had a head wound and I put my hand to it and I started screaming for help. Ms Canning and Ms McKee had been due to get engaged on Wednesday. Discussing their relationship, she said Ms McKee had planned a really elaborate proposal at a lake house on the lake in Central Park. It was incredibly romantic, and she was such a thoughtful person, she said. She put her heart and soul into everything for everybody. She was always making sure that people were OK and wanted to make everything as perfect as she could. The lives of 4,700 babies could be saved every year if women who have suffered a miscarriage were given a hormone in their next pregnancy, researchers say. A study found that women with a history of miscarriage who have early bleeding in their next pregnancy could benefit from progesterone. Researchers from the University of Birmingham said an estimated 4,700 babies lives per year in the UK could be saved. The research involved 4,153 pregnant women who presented with early pregnancy bleeding at 48 UK hospitals. They were randomly assigned by computer into one of two groups one group of 2,079 women who were given 400mg of progesterone twice daily as a vaginal pessary, while the other group of 2,074 were given a placebo. While the study did not show that progesterone could help all women who suffered early pregnancy bleeding, it was found to help those who had suffered a previous miscarriage. Thousands of babies could be saved thanks to a new trial looking at how to prevent miscarriage (PA). Of the 777 women given progesterone who had previously had one or two miscarriages, 591 (76%) went on to have a live birth, compared with 534 women out of 738 in the placebo group (72%). The benefit was greater for the women who had suffered three or more miscarriages, with a 15% increase in the live birth rate in the progesterone group compared with the placebo group. Of 137 women with three or more previous miscarriages, 98 (72%) went on to have a live birth, compared with 57% (85 out of 148) of women in the placebo group. The PRISM trial, which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was the largest of its kind. Arri Coomarasamy, professor of gynaecology at the University of Birmingham and director of Tommys National Centre for Miscarriage Research, said: The role of progesterone in women with early pregnancy bleeding has been studied and debated for about 60 years, however what we have previously lacked is high-quality evidence. The largest study before the PRISM trial had less than 200 participants, whereas our study had more than 4,000 participants and was of very high quality, which means we can be confident in our findings. Our finding that women who are at risk of a miscarriage because of current pregnancy bleeding and a history of a previous miscarriage could benefit from progesterone treatment has huge implications for practice. This treatment could save thousands of babies who may have otherwise been lost to a miscarriage. We hope that this evidence will be considered by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) and that it will be used to update national guidelines for women at risk of miscarriage. Jane Brewin, chief executive of the Tommys baby charity, said: The results from this study are important for parents who have experienced miscarriage they now have a robust and effective treatment option which will save many lives and prevent much heartache. It gives us confidence to believe that further research will yield more treatments and ultimately make many more miscarriages preventable. Dr Adam Devall, senior clinical trial fellow at the University of Birmingham and manager of Tommys National Centre for Miscarriage Research, said: Miscarriage is a common complication of pregnancy, affecting one in five women, and vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy is associated with a one in three risk of miscarriage. Several small studies have suggested that administering progesterone, a hormone essential for maintaining a pregnancy, may reduce the risk of miscarriage in women presenting with early pregnancy bleeding. A Tory MP has told Theresa May he will no longer support the Government in the Commons unless the historical prosecutions of ex-servicemen and women ends. In a letter to the Prime Minister, former Army officer Johnny Mercer said he found the repeated investigations into allegations some dating back decades personally offensive. He said he was not to prepared to vote for Government legislation except on Brexit until the Government took 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. I have written to the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/H3lJKI6oA5 Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) May 8, 2019 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 Governments legislative actions outside of Brexit until legislation is brought forward to protect veterans from being repeatedly prosecuted for historical allegations. Johnny Mercer int his office at the Houses of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mr Mercer has campaigned against the pursuit of legacy cases from the conflicts in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq since he entered Parliament in 2015. His intervention will be seen in Westminster as further evidence of the Prime Ministers crumbling authority. He recently accused the Tory whips office of contacting former Army comrades in an attempt to dig up dirt on him. He wrote in his letter: It has not been an easy decision to make. But this incident with your chief whip has forced my hand. It appears that my values and ethos may be slowly, but very firmly, separating from a party I joined in 2015. There was no immediate response from Downing Street to his letter. Delhi Police has arrested an alleged terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammad carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh from Srinagar, officials said Tuesday. The accused has been identified as Abdul Majeed Baba, a resident of Magrepora district of Sopore, they said. The arrest was made on Saturday evening from Soura in downtown Srinagar, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. Baba will be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar and brought to Delhi on transit remand, police said. -PTI Increasing numbers of single women and those in same sex relationships are turning to IVF and donor insemination to conceive a baby, data suggests. A new report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) shows a steep rise in the last decade across the UK in women outside heterosexual relationships seeking help to have a child. Between 2016 and 2017, IVF and donor insemination for women in female same-sex relationships rose by 12% to 4,463 cycles, while there was a 4% rise among single women to 2,279 cycles. Treatments for surrogates rose by 22% to 302 cycles. In 2007, just 351 IVF treatments were for single women with no partner, but this jumped to 1,290 in 2017. In 2017, 671 cycles of fertility treatment (including IVF and donor insemination) were for women aged 40 to 42 with no partner, while 278 were for those aged 43 to 44. New trends in IVF are revealed in a report from the fertility regulator, (PA). A further 191 treatments were for women aged over 44. The report also looked at egg freezing, such as for women wanting to delay having a child or due to cancer treatment. This is the fastest growing fertility treatment type, with a 10% jump in cycles since 2016 to 1,463 in 2017. In 2017, most egg freezing was among older women with just 33% in the under-35s. Some 426 cycles were for women aged 35 to 37, while 313 were for those aged 38 to 39, 192 for those aged 40 to 42, and 42 for those aged 43 to 44. A further 10 cycles were for those over 44. The report showed that heterosexual couples make up the vast majority of patients (91% of fertility treatments are for this group), and fertility treatments among heterosexuals rose 2% between 2016 and 2017. Some 6% of fertility patients said they had a female partner, 3% said they had no partner and 0.4% said they were a surrogate. Overall, 54,760 patients from any group underwent 75,425 fertility treatments in 2017, with IVF making up 93% of these cycles. Overall, 20,555 babies were born as a result of IVF carried out in 2017. The data showed that the average birth rate for women of all ages using their own eggs reached 22% per cycle. For women under 35 using their own eggs, who have the highest chance of success, the rate was 30% for a cycle using fresh embryos and 27% for a cycle using frozen embryos. The report also found that the one in 10 fertility treatment births are for twins or triplets, down from 24% in 2008. Sally Cheshire, chairwoman of the HFEA, said: We are seeing a gradual change in the reasons why people use fertility treatments, which were originally developed to help heterosexual couples with infertility problems. While the increases in same-sex couples, single women and surrogates having fertility treatment are small, this reflects societys changing attitudes towards family creation, lifestyles and relationships and highlights the need for the sector to continue to evolve and adapt. The report found that the average age of a patient undergoing IVF is rising, from 33.5 in 1991 to 35.5 in 2017. It also pointed to marked national differences across the UK in public funding for fertility treatment. While funding in Scotland and Northern Ireland has been increasing, it remains stable in Wales but has been falling in England. Currently, 62% of treatment cycles are NHS-funded in Scotland, 50% in Northern Ireland, 39% in Wales and 35% in England. Dr Jane Stewart, chairwoman of the British Fertility Society (BFS), said: While uptake rises, the availability of NHS funding continues to fall. Infertility is a real disease, recognised by the World Health Organisation, and it should be treated just the same as any other. The reality is that infertility has been sidelined and that represents a false economy. The costs to the NHS of not treating infertility are significant, particularly in regard to the impact of infertility on mental health. ScotRail has been criticised for its Byzantine compensation scheme for delayed passengers, after research revealed the process is among the UKs most complicated. Consumer group Which? said its study of online claim forms shows customers seeking payouts for disruption face a fragmented and confusing system. The operators with the most complicated compensation processes were found to be Great Anglia, London Northwestern, ScotRail, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains. Each demands 24 separate details before a claim can be submitted. The scheme by ScotRail owned by Abellio has been described as cynical and triggered renewed calls for services to be owned by the public. TSSA union leader Manuel Cortes said: On top of suffering the worst punctuality and reliability since Scotlands railways were privatised, now ScotRail passengers have to navigate a Byzantine claims process and provide 24 pieces of information in order to claim compensation for the delays. ScotRail customers face providing 24 pieces of information to make a claim for compensation, research found (PA) This is pure cynical greed. Abellio know that the harder it is for passengers to claim a refund the more likely they are to give up on the process. Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Jamie Greene said: Obviously some level of detail is required to safeguard against fraud but its hard to see how 24 pieces of information could be necessary. If ScotRail made it more straightforward it would much improve goodwill between them and passengers, something which is sadly severely lacking at present. Scottish Labour transport spokesman Colin Smyth said: This is cynical stuff from ScotRail, given the thousands of passengers who will suffer from delayed, cancelled and overcrowded trains. Passengers shouldnt have to jump through hoops to get the compensation they are due for a shambolic service. Labour would bring our railways back into public hands so they work for passengers, not profits. The firms delay repay guarantee allows customers to be compensated when their journey is delayed by 30 minutes or more. If anyone misses a connection because of that delay, they can claim for that expense too. A ScotRail spokesman said: We know how much of an inconvenience it is to customers when things dont go to plan, and it is only right that they are compensated when that happens. The delay repay system is easy to use and we regularly remind our customers to claim for compensation if their journey is delayed by 30 minutes or more. A UK high street chain is to stop selling wet wipes from the end of September as part of efforts to limit the damage they cause to water systems. Holland & Barrett is removing all 34 products in its wet wipe range from its 800 UK and Ireland stores and replacing them with sustainable, waste-free and reusable alternatives such as double-sided cotton cloths, unbleached cotton muslin cloths, cotton pads and an exfoliating mitt. Millions of wet wipes are sold in the UK every year, with uses ranging from make-up removal and hand sanitisers to surface cleaners, with increasing numbers causing problems in sewers and waterways. Volunteers for the Marine Conservation Societys annual beach clean last year found an average of 12 wet wipes per 110 yards (100m) of beach cleaned and surveyed, an increase of more than 300% in the last decade. Sewer-blocking fatbergs, which are mainly caused by a build-up of wet wipes, oils and grease into a solid mass, have also increased in frequency in recent years. Industry body Water UK has introduced a fine to flush symbol for wet wipe products that have passed testing confirming that they do not contain plastic and will break down in the sewer system. Holland & Barrett is stopping the sale of wet wipes from September (Nick Ansell/PA) But Holland & Barrett said such moves did not go far enough and is calling on other retailers to follow its lead. Joanne Cooke, head of beauty at Holland & Barrett, said: There is a growing awareness of how much our current throwaway culture is damaging our oceans, beaches and rivers. We want to encourage our customers to think about what they currently throw away and encourage them to swap to more sustainable alternatives. The quickest way for us all to make a positive impact on the world we live in is to choose to spend our money on more sustainable products. There are a variety of eco-friendly alternatives to wet wipes that are just as easy, efficient, and safe to skin, and were excited to be leading the way on these, alongside our exciting suppliers, who are already making huge strides in moving towards a more sustainable future. Jo Ruxton, founder of Plastic Oceans Foundation, said: We are delighted that Holland & Barrett are taking a clear lead on sustainability by banning one of the problem products we see in our rivers and oceans single-use, disposable wet wipes which use the worlds precious resources to manufacture, still come in plastic packaging, and still get flushed down the loo or thrown in the bin. We hope that other large retailers will join Holland & Barrett on their mission to make the high street a more environmentally-conscious place. A review of how Northern Irelands justice system deals with serious sexual offences has recommended banning the public from trials. The Gillen Review, which commenced in May last year, is an independent review of how courts are set up to deliver justice in serious sexual offence cases. A former Lord Justice of Appeal, the Right Honourable Sir John Gillen, led the review, supported by an advisory panel. Sir John Gillen (Liam McBurney/PA) The most notable recommendation was that in order to protect the complainant in these cases, the public should be banned from attending trials. 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. Sir John first outlined the proposal in his preliminary report in November. Following a public consultation exercise, it has now been retained as a key recommendation in his final report. I have spoken to maybe 35 to 40 complainants, who have been through the system, and that sense of public humiliation, in a small place like Northern Ireland, where everybody knows everybody even if you get a few people attending trials in local areas such as Strabane or Newry or Derry, its like putting it in the paper, Justice Gillen said. Everybody knows everyone, and the legal right to have anonymity completely disappears. Secondly, this is the most intimate personal details of their lives, theyre at their most vulnerable moment when they are explaining these things, and to do it in front of the cruel gaze of the public is one of the reasons why we have such few people coming forward to report these offences. Its not the only reason, but its an important one. The overall conviction rate at the Crown Court for serious sexual assault cases dropped from 73.8% in 2016/17 to 63.8% in 2017/18. By comparison the Public Prosecution Services overall conviction rate for all offences in Crown Court is 85%. Justice Gillen says that due to the nature of the offences, conviction rates may never be extremely high. In serious sexual offences where its one word against the other, theres usually no witnesses, no forensics, neither of those involved have ever been in trouble before, youre always going to get a high bar set for conviction, all of those will always create a problem. With matters such as a rape, social media and other influences can influence the way juries look at these matters. The longest chapter in the Gillen Review, with the most recommendations made on one topic, concerns social media, which Justice Gillen says poses a real threat of polluting justice. The Gillen Review report (Liam McBurney/PA) Jurors are hearing and reading matters that they should not be and the idea of protecting the anonymity of the complainant disappears. The chances of the jury hearing completely prejudicial material is also something we have to address, he said. Even if its only two or three jurors hear this, that is enough to pollute the stream of justice, so Ive made a huge number of recommendations about that. If we keep the public out, apart from members of the press and the families of the complainant and accused, that will control to some extent the flow of social media information. A public consultation for the review engaged with more than 200 organisations and individuals, including victims, human rights groups, the judiciary, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, those with legislative responsibility for justice and the law, and those with an academic view. The team also conducted extensive research in Northern Ireland supported by the experiences of 16 countries and various jurisdictions across Europe, the US, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Justice Gillen added that his team had received 150 extensive written submissions, more than 400 respondents to an online survey and extensive public and media interest. The report has made 16 key recommendations covering more than 200 separate points, 75% of which do not involve legislative change, however some could be held up due to the suspension of the Assembly. The public has spoken and what they are saying, very loudly and very clearly, is that now is the time for radical improvement in the way our justice system deals with serious sexual offences, Justice Gillen added. The recommendations have been presented to the Criminal Justice Board. Augmented reality is being used for the first time to build a race car intended for use in competitive racing, according to a university. Students at the University of Bath are using a new AR tool developed by technology company Rocketmakers in the project. When complete, their vehicle will race in the 2019 Formula Student competition run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. AR has previously been used in tests and demonstrations by car manufacturers but it is believed this is the first time the technology will be used to build a car intended for use in competitive racing. The AR tool will help with the construction of the cars shell, known as a monocoque, specifically with the application of carbon fibre laminates. This process will be conducted over a week, with students from Team Bath Racing working in shifts to apply each pre-cut carbon fibre laminate in the correct location. The tool will help build a racing car for a competition (University of Bath/PA) The Rocketmakers tool creates an AR version of the monocoque with the correct shape, location and orientation of each segment of laminate visible to the wearer during the application process. It will be used through two Microsoft Hololens headsets, with computer assisted design (CAD) files that the students have developed. Jack Harris, a student of mechanical with automotive engineering at the University of Bath, said: After youve spent most of a year designing a car, the week-long process of carbon fibre layup is really nerve-racking. Weve been talking to Rocketmakers for months to determine where the best use of AR technology would be for assisting car construction. Carbon fibre layup is definitely one of those jobs that, despite the high tech equipment we use for our design and testing, still relies mostly on hand-eye co-ordination. Having a tool to assist with the stressful, backbreaking process is really exciting. It is hoped that the tool will provide users with an improved work experience and accuracy rate than current methods. Carbon fibre laminates are typically applied by robots in production vehicles. Their application in small-scale production is considered one of the more physically and mentally demanding parts of building bespoke vehicles. One misplaced carbon fibre segment can have large negative consequences for the integrity of the final result. The Formula Student competition challenges student engineers to design, build and race a single-seat car in one year. Richard Godfrey, chief executive of Rocketmakers, said: It will be great knowing when we see the Team Bath Racing car zip around the track that our designers had a hand in making it one of the worlds first AR-assisted cars. Delayed rail passengers are being asked to submit up to 24 separate pieces of information to claim compensation, according to research. Consumer group Which? said its study of online claim forms shows customers seeking payouts for disruption face a fragmented and confusing system. The operators with the most complicated compensation processes were found to be Great Anglia, London Northwestern, ScotRail, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains. Each demand 24 separate details before a claim can be submitted. Even the firms with the simplest forms Chiltern Railways and Heathrow Express ask for 10 pieces of information. The amount of compensation which can be claimed following disruption varies between train companies and depends on the length of delay and the type of ticket. The process of claiming compensation for disruption varies between operators (Nick Potts/PA) Some operators offer Delay Repay 15, which enables payouts for delays of more than 15 minutes. Recent Transport Focus research found just 35% of passengers who are eligible for compensation submit a claim. Which? found that customers are often asked for seemingly irrelevant details which creates unnecessary barriers to receiving the money they are owed. The worst companies ask for 13 pieces of information about a ticket including whether it was a paper ticket, its cost, the class of travel and how it was paid for. Six firms ask people to provide departure and arrival stations more than once, while Merseyrail demands customers date of birth. In October, the Department for Transport announced that train companies will be obliged to offer one-click compensation claims by smartphones and smartcards in future franchises to make it easier to obtain payouts. Which? expressed concern that the new system will continue to feature barriers, and urged the Government-commissioned Rail Review to call for automatic compensation across the network as soon as possible. The groups managing director of public markets, Alex Hayman, said: Its clear this fragmented and confusing compensation system leads to people losing out on a lot of money when they have already suffered enough from unacceptable levels of delays and cancellations. The technology exists to deliver compensation automatically, but the industry continues to drag its heels, while benefiting from a system that deters passengers from claiming the money they are owed. Passengers want to see swift changes, so the Governments Rail Review must prove it is serious about putting them first by ensuring that automatic compensation is introduced across the network. Jacqueline Starr, chief operating officer at the Rail Delivery Group, which represents rail firms, said: Train companies want to make it easy for passengers to claim compensation, and asking questions like what train they caught and the price of their ticket ensures they receive what they are entitled to as quickly as possible, while also guarding against fraudulent claims. Were doing more to encourage claims, including sending reminders to people who booked online, making announcements on trains and handing out claim forms, which has led to an 80% increase in compensation over the last two years to 81 million a year. A Department for Transport spokesman said: We want rail passengers affected by delays and cancellations to have easy, rapid access to the compensation they are entitled to. That is why were working to introduce Delay Repay 15 on all our franchises, as well as automated one-click compensation, available via smartphones and smartcard registration, on future franchises. Last month we announced that half of our franchises have signed up to Delay Repay 15 schemes, showing that we are making important progress in creating a railway focused on putting the passenger first. A compulsory levy on the gambling industry is needed to address the vastly underestimated harm it is causing to society, according to academics. Major investment and an overhaul of UK gambling laws are needed to alleviate the growing economic burden of gambling on society as it is increasingly recognised as a public health issue, the study, published in the BMJ, said. The extent and cost of gambling has been significantly underestimated in Britain, which spent less than 1.5 million on prevention activity last year for a population of 65 million, according to the paper Gambling and public health: we need policy action to prevent harm. In contrast, New Zealand had an annual budget of more than 9.3 million for prevention for a population of 4.7 million. The academics, from England, Scotland, Wales and Australia, are calling for a revision of the 2005 Gambling Act, a compulsory levy on industry to generate funds and a shift in responsibility for gambling from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to the Department of Health and Social Care. According to the paper there are now 33 million active online gambling accounts in Britain, while the prevalence of online gambling has increased from less than 1% in 1999 to 9% in 2016. According to the paper there are now 33 million active online gambling accounts in Britain (Andrew Milligan/PA) It also notes that 14% of children aged 11-16 have been found to have gambled over a week, with about 55,000 reporting problems from their gambling behaviour. It said gambling was now associated with wide-ranging harms that extended beyond individuals to families, communities and societies, and included financial problems, relationship breakdowns, abuse or neglect of partners and children and adverse childhood experiences that disturbed relationships and educational progress. Dr Heather Wardle, assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the papers lead author, said: Gambling harms have been vastly underestimated. It is placing major burdens on resources, relationships and health. Professor Gerda Reith, the University of Glasgows Professor of Social Sciences and an author on the paper, said: As a society we need to face up to the broad environment that gambling harm is produced in the role of the industry, as well as the policy climate that they operate in. Gambling doesnt just affect an individual. The impacts ripple out beyond them to their family, friends, communities and society. Not only does this have major implications for our health services but it is also a social justice issue. Gambling harms disproportionately affect poorer or more vulnerable groups in ways that can exacerbate existing inequalities We urgently need a marked change in approach, and one that is long overdue. A Government spokesman said: While millions of people enjoy gambling responsibly, protecting people from the risks of gambling-related harm is absolutely vital. Operators must adhere to strict rules protecting children and vulnerable people, and the Gambling Commission has strong powers to ensure they comply. We are also expanding specialist support for gambling addiction through the NHS Long Term Plan and Public Health England are committed to reviewing gambling-related harm. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby son, makes his front page debut on Thursday. The infant royal appears across the papers after he was introduced to the world by his proud parents at Windsor Castle. The Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and The Sun and the Metro all dedicate their front pages to the baby, who was pictured with the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and grandmother Doria Ragland. Tomorrow's front page: Harry and Meghan present Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor https://t.co/l3jC8BLi7k pic.twitter.com/44K6dDzF6W The Sun (@TheSun) May 8, 2019 Archie appears on the front of The Guardian, although the paper leads with warnings that whole communities may need to be relocated in coming decades due to the threat from flooding caused by climate change. Guardian front page, Thursday 9 May 2019: Climate crisis may force UK towns to be abandoned pic.twitter.com/nenhtQE72W Guardian news (@guardiannews) May 8, 2019 According to The Times millions of children attend schools in Britain with dangerous levels of air pollution. The Times 9/5/2019 Duke and Duchess of Sussex with her mother, Doria Ragland, showing their new son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle. 8/5/2019. Photo : Chris Allerton#thetimes #tomorrowspaperstoday #sussexroyal @thetimes pic.twitter.com/WNe2mo1eHM The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) May 8, 2019 US secretary of state Mike Pompeo invoked Margaret Thatcher in his warnings over the UKs potential adoption of Huawei technology, the Daily Telegraph reports. What the papers say - May 9 (PA) The i says the US has warned Prime Minister Theresa May that the special relationship may be in peril if the UK allows the Chinese tech giant to help build Britains 5G network. After Mr Pompeo met Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in London, the Financial Times leads with warnings by Europe and the US to Iran over its nuclear activities. The Duke of Sussex will travel to the Netherlands later, just three days after the birth of his son Archie. Harry will visit The Hague to launch the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games 2020, after introducing Archie to the world alongside Meghan in an eagerly anticipated photocall on Wednesday. Leading parenting expert Suzie Hayman said Harry is likely to find leaving his baby son so soon after his birth agonising, and said he would feel a pang to be leaving his wife and child. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their baby son Archie (Dominic Lipinski/PA) But Meghan is likely to still have the company of her mother Doria Ragland at their Frogmore Cottage home while Harry is away on the short trip. Harry and Meghan announced they had called their baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor after the duchess movingly described her son and husband as the two best guys in the world. The couple broke with royal convention by not using a title for their baby boy, and have given their firstborn a name familiar to fans of the American Archie comic featuring a main character who has red hair just like the duke. The new parents were pictured showing off baby Archie to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, alongside Ms Ragland, at Windsor Castle. The name is German in origin and means genuine, bold and brave, and is short for Archibald, but is now a name in its own right. Harrison means son of Harry so is likely to be a tribute to the duke. It is English in origin and famous Harrisons include the Star Wars actor Harrison Ford. Archie is not entitled to be an HRH or a prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V. Prince George, Archies cousin, reportedly told a dog walker earlier this year that his name is Archie when questioned by the pet owner. Fashion magazine editor Glenda Bailey will be among those collecting honours in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. The Harpers Bazaar editor-in-chief, who was presented an OBE in 2008, will be made a dame for services to UK prosperity, charity, fashion and journalism. The award will be presented by the Duke of Cambridge. Ms Bailey was appointed Harpers Bazaar editor in 2001 after a spell with the US edition of monthly magazine Marie Claire, which became the first in the United States to be given the Amnesty award for International Journalism. Meanwhile, musician Nitin Sawhney and artist Yinka Shonibare are among those to be awarded a CBE. In 2012, the Royal Opera House commissioned his Globe Head Ballerina to be displayed. His work has also featured in the Tate Collection, and Victoria and Albert Museum in London; National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Rabbi Warren Elf, who spoke during a memorial service a year after the Manchester arena terror attack in May 2017, will collect an MBE. The rabbi, formerly of the Manchester Reform Synagogue, has also served as the community development officer of the Faith Network for the city. He was granted the award for services to the community in Manchester. Among those to be given an MBE includes volunteer Jonathan Hart for services to Mountain Rescue in Scotland and to charity after spending more than 20 years as a volunteer with Lochaber Mountain Rescue. He has travelled the world as a specialist in avalanche rescue and technical rope rescue techniques. A final vote is to take place on legislation to ensure more children can record evidence ahead of jury trials in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament is to decide on the Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Bill, which aims to minimise distress and improve the quality of evidence given. If passed on Thursday, it would see evidence from children involved in the most serious cases being recorded at an earlier stage in proceedings, ahead of the trial. Offences it would cover include murder, culpable homicide, assault to the danger of life, abduction, plagium, sexual offences, human trafficking, domestic abuse and female genital mutilation. The Scottish Government estimated the changes would benefit hundreds of youngsters each year. Minister for Community Safety Ash Denham will lead a final debate on the legislation on Thursday, after MSPs have considered final proposed amendments to the legislation. Alleged serial rapist Joseph McCann is to be forced to appear in court after refusing to attend a hearing on Wednesday. Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot authorised the use of force to bring him before her by videolink from Belmarsh prison. McCann, 34, was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday but refused to come up from the cells. Security was so tight six uniformed officers had been placed on guard outside the courtroom. McCann, from Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, has been charged with 12 offences, including five rapes. He was arrested near Congleton, in Cheshire, in the early hours of Monday, just over two weeks after he is alleged to have abducted a woman in her 20s in Watford in the early hours of Sunday April 21 before raping her in a residential property. Joseph McCann has been charged with 12 offences including five rapes (Metropolitan Police/PA) He is charged with kidnap and rape over the alleged attack. McCann is further charged with two kidnappings, four counts of rape, one count of false imprisonment, two counts of causing a female to engage in sexual activity and one count of assaulting a female by penetration in London between April 24 and April 27. The charges relate to two women, who are in their 20s, who were separately snatched off the street in Chingford and Edgware, in London, before being raped in a car. An investigation by Scotland Yards Homicide and Major Crime Command is continuing and the Metropolitan Police said a file remains with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in relation to further alleged offences. A Hungarian woman found dead in a freezer in a London flat had come to Britain for a better life, a charity worker has said. Police named Henriett Szucs as one of two women discovered in a chest freezer at a property in Canning Town last month. The 34-year-old had been in the UK for several years, but had no fixed address, the Metropolitan Police said. Ms Szucs is said to have moved alone to London looking for work after giving up her job as a factory packer in Miskolc, an industrial city in northern Hungary. However she became destitute and was last heard from by her family in summer 2016. She is said to have been a daily visitor at the Welcome Centre, a homeless charity in Ilford, east London. Manager Sonia Lynch told Sky News it was a terrible shock to hear Ms Szucs had died and the circumstances in which she was found. Despite the difficult circumstances of being a female and homeless in the UK, she was quite a warm, kind and caring person, always smiling, always drawing and to know she has come to this end is quite distressing, she said. When we knew Henriett she had no issues with drugs and alcohol and other issues. Peoples perception of homeless people are that they brought this upon themselves. police forced entry to the flat in Vandome Close on April 26 (PA) Its not that at all. People like Henriett came here for a better life, get work, support themselves but it didnt work out like that. Ms Lynch said Ms Szucs was very talented and often sketched for other people who used the centre. She last visited the centre in August 2015 and sounded like she was getting her life together, but was not heard from by staff again, Ms Lynch said. Her body was discovered after police forced entry to the flat in Vandome Close on April 26. Officers also found the body of a second woman, identified as missing mother-of-three Mihrican Mustafa. The 38-year-old, who was also known as Mary Jane and MJ, disappeared last May. No formal cause of death has yet been established for the women but post-mortem examinations showed they both suffered multiple injuries. Zahid Younis, 34, who lived in the flat, appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court last week charged with two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body on or before April 27. He was remanded in custody to appear at Kingston Crown Court on May 29. The Brexit Party has announced its candidate in the Peterborough by-election as a former Conservative businessman who has appeared on Channel 4s The Secret Millionaire. Mike Greene, 54, will stand for Nigel Farages new party in its first shot at a seat in Westminster. The citys by-election on June 6 will find a replacement for MP Fiona Onasanya who lost her seat through a recall petition after serving time in prison for lying about a speeding offence. Ms Onasanya, who was elected as a Labour MP in 2017, said she will not stand in the by-election. Mr Greene wrote on Twitter: I am proud to be taking on the challenge of standing for the Brexit Party and rebuilding trust in democracy. George Galloway, who last week announced that he would be standing, has withdrawn from the contest after the Brexit Party named its candidate. Mike Greene will stand for Nigel Farages Brexit Party (Joe Giddens/PA) I tried to persuade @Nigel_Farage to support my candidacy in #Peterborough to emphasise the broad democratic alliance the campaign must be and balance the candidatures of Ms Widdecombe and Ms Rees-Mogg. Now that the #Brexit Party have named their candidate I have withdrawn my own George Galloway (@georgegalloway) May 8, 2019 He said he had tried to persuade Mr Farage to support his candidacy to emphasise the broad democratic alliance the campaign must be and balance the candidatures of Ms (Ann) Widdecombe and Ms (sister of William Rees-Mogg, Annunziata) Rees-Mogg. All candidates for the by-election have to be declared before 4pm on Thursday, which is the deadline for nominations. Nominations remain open for the #Peterborough parliamentary seat by-election on 6 June. Nominations close at 4pm tomorrow (Thursday 9 May). https://t.co/bSrS7EL5yA Peterborough City Council (@PeterboroughCC) May 8, 2019 Candidates announced so far include Lisa Forbes for Labour, Paul Bristow for the Conservatives, Beki Sellick for the Lib Dems, Joseph Wells for the Greens, John Whitby for Ukip, Patrick OFlynn for the SDP and Alan Howling Laud Hope for the Monster Raving Loony Party. Renew, UKEUP and Change UK have indicated plans to field candidates. The Conservatives lost Peterborough City Council to no overall control in last weeks local elections after three years in charge of the consistently marginal authority. The Tories now hold 28 of 60 seats on the council. Labour remain the second largest group on the council with 17 seats, followed by the Lib Dems with nine. A royal burial site discovered beneath a roadside verge in Essex has been hailed as the UKs equivalent of Tutankhamuns tomb. The find was made during widening work on a section of road between a pub and an Aldi supermarket in Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, in 2003. Artefacts have been analysed by a team of experts who suggest the body may be that of Seaxa, brother of Anglo-Saxon King Saebert. The royal burial site discovered beneath a roadside verge in Essex (Joe Giddens/PA) Sophie Jackson, director of research and engagement for Mola (Museum of London Archaeology), said it is the earliest dated Christian Anglo-Saxon princely burial in the country. Archaeologists have estimated it would have taken 113 working days to build the chamber, which contained exotic artefacts from around the world. I think its our equivalent of Tutankhamuns tomb, she said. Its getting an intact version of this and seeing how everything is positioned and what hes got with him. She said the site had been fully excavated because, once discovered, it was vulnerable to potential theft. Remains of the only surviving example of painted Anglo-Saxon woodwork in Britain (Joe Giddens/PA) Artefacts uncovered include a lyre (a stringed musical instrument), a 1,400-year-old painted wooden box, and a flagon believed to be from Syria. It is the first time a lyre has been recorded in complete form, and the box is the only surviving example of painted Anglo-Saxon woodwork in Britain. Other finds included the gilded silver neck of a wooden drinking vessel used for wine, and decorative glass beakers. Conservator Claire Reed inspects decorated glass beakers found at the site (Joe Giddens/PA) I think the thing thats so strange about it is that it was such an unpromising looking site, said Ms Jackson. Its between a bit of railway and a bit of road, essentially a verge. Its not where youd expect to find it. Carbon dating indicated that the male died between 575AD and 605AD, so could not have been King Saebert, who died in 616AD. Fragments of adult tooth enamel suggest he was over the age of six, and the size of the coffin and placement of items within suggest he was about 5ft 8in. A gold belt buckle discovered in the burial chamber (MOLA/PA) Ms Jackson said it was possible it was the kings brother, Seaxa, adding: That may also not be correct, but thats the best guess. Theres a lot of debate about whether he was a fully-fledged hairy beast Saxon warrior, or younger, she said. Had he died before he could really prove himself as he could have been buried with more kit? The presence of artefacts from other kingdoms suggest wealth, she said. Its a really interesting time when Christianity is sort of creeping in and this is all possibly before Augustinian sent his mission to Britain to convert the country to Christianity so they would have been just on the transition between having pagan burials with all your gear but also having these crosses, she said. Reconstruction drawing of the chamber (MOLA/PA) The chamber, which was about 13ft (4m) by 13ft (4m) and around 5ft (1.5m) deep, contained some 40 artefacts. Some of them will be displayed at an exhibition at Central Museum in Southend which opens to the public on May 11, and research will also be published in two books. The project was funded by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Historic England. Formula One is returning to Holland for the first time in 35 years after announcing the Dutch Grand Prix will be on the calendar next season. Max Verstappens rise as one of the sports biggest stars has encouraged F1 to strike a deal in the Dutchmans homeland. And, on Tuesday morning, it was confirmed that Zandvoort, which last staged a grand prix in 1985, becomes Liberty Medias second new race under its regime. The race in Holland is set to replace the Spanish Grand Prix. While a grand prix in Vietnams capital Hanoi will also be added to the schedule in 2020, the future of the British Grand Prix, remains uncertain. The race at Silverstone in July is set to be the last unless a new agreement is reached. Max Verstappen will have a home race to look forward to in 2020 (David Davies/PA) Silverstone chiefs, who were in Barcelona last weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix, are confident a contract extension will be agreed, but say there are a number of sticking points which could yet scupper the deal. Formula One is returning to Holland for the first time in 35 years after announcing the Dutch Grand Prix will be on the calendar next season. Max Verstappens rise as one of the sports biggest stars has encouraged F1 to strike a deal in the Dutchmans homeland. And, on Tuesday morning, it was confirmed that Zandvoort, which last staged a grand prix in 1985, becomes Liberty Medias second new race under its regime. The Dutch round is set to replace the Spanish Grand Prix, which is one of five races out of contract at the end of the year. While a grand prix in Vietnams capital Hanoi will also be added to the schedule in 2020, the future of the British Grand Prix is uncertain. The event at Silverstone in July is set to be the last unless a new agreement is reached. The future of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone is unknown (Martin Rickett/PA) Silverstone chiefs, who were in Barcelona last weekend, are hopeful a contract extension will be agreed, but say there are a number of sticking points which could yet scupper the deal. They are keen to avoid heading into this years race without a future agreement in place. Zandvoort has signed up to a three-year contract with F1, and the additions of rounds there, and in Vietnam, could see the calendar increase to an unprecedented 23 races next season. But along with Britain and Spain, the races in Italy, Germany and Mexico are also in the last term of their respective deals. Dutchman Max Verstappen is currently third in the F1 standings (David Davies/PA) Monza and F1 recently announced an agreement in principle to continue racing at the historic venue until 2024, but there is a feeling that Spain, Germany and Mexico are set to be dispersed with. Plans for a race in Miami have also been sidelined due to local opposition. The Zandvoort track will undergo a facelift in order to bring it up to speed with modern-day grand prix racing. The circuit was a prominent fixture on the F1 calendar until 1985 a race won by Niki Lauda. Jackie Stewart was a former winner of the Dutch Grand Prix, which was held from 1948 to 1985 at Zandvoort (PA Archive) We are particularly pleased to announce that Formula One is returning to race in the Netherlands, said the sports chairman Chase Carey. From the beginning of our tenure in Formula One, we said we wanted to race in new venues, while also respecting the sports historic roots in Europe. Next season therefore, we will have a brand new street race that will be held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, as well the return to Zandvoort a track that has contributed to the popularity of the sport all over the world. Jump on board with Max for a lap of the Zandvoort circuit as #F1 announces the return of the #DutchGP More here https://t.co/8FhaFTuz2o pic.twitter.com/NJbn8lI6fo Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) May 14, 2019 In recent years, weve seen a resurgence of interest in Formula One in Holland, mainly due to the enthusiastic support for the talented Max Verstappen, as seen from the sea of orange at so many races. No doubt this will be the dominant colour in the Zandvoort grandstands next year. Targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland are the most ambitious in the world, according to experts. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government agreed to a target of net-zero emissions by 2045. It followed recommendations set out by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) that Scotland meet the target five years ahead of the UK in 2050. Here is our report on #NetZero in the UK by 2050. The culmination of an immense programme @theCCCuk The target must cover ALL sectors, ALL greenhouse gases, achieved through domestic action alone. This target meets our Paris obligations, affirming UK global leadership. READ IT https://t.co/SLVitvVF50 Chris Stark (@ChiefExecCCC) May 2, 2019 Speaking at Holyrood on Tuesday, representatives from the CCC told MSPs it is a critical moment for targets to be set in order to combat climate change. In its report, the CCC indicated that Scotland has greater potential to remove pollution from its economy than the UK overall, and therefore concluded that the country could credibly adopt a more ambitious target than the UK. Professor Piers Forster, a CCC member, said: Some other countries are considering quite similar targets but I think we can say with confidence that the 2045 target for Scotland we set is currently the most ambitious in the whole world. The CCC has advised the UK to set a Net-Zero emissions target for 2050 (Jane Barlow/PA) As part of the work towards achieving the goal, Scotland will also aim to reduce emissions by 70% by 2030 and 90% by 2040. Chris Stark, CCC chief executive said setting such a target would be a fundamental step. He added: We dont have that much more time to achieve these kinds of targets. The luxury of looking at it, thinking we have decades and decades of time, will soon evaporate. So setting a target like this at this moment is quite a fundamental step. This is the moment for us to do as fundamental a piece of work as we can on this so that parliaments up and down the land can make the right decision. Mr Stark told MSPs that the the possibility of setting an earlier date for the UK, and for Scotland had been considered. However he explained that setting an earlier Scottish target would be less likely to be met. Any date prior to 2050 for the UK and prior to 2045 for Scotland carries a huge amount of risk of failure, said Mr Stark. There are physical and real barriers to achieving it and those things are not easily fixed, even over a time period of 25 years. Today the CCC advises the UK should set a Net-Zero emissions target for 2050, including emissions from aviation and shipping. This stops the UKs contribution to global warming and is achievable at low cost through UK domestic effort. (1/20)#NetZeroUK Climate Change Committee (@theCCCuk) May 2, 2019 The CCC chief executive added that by adopting ambitious targets, Scotland and the UK can have a positive influence on other countries to decide to take similar measures. He said: A rich, industrialised economy like Scotland, like the UK, setting a target as ambitious as this gives a much stronger platform for the EU to actually set the target thats been proposed by the Commission. I think we can feel much more confident about the world getting on a better pathway if we approach it that way. The counter-argument is, if we dont do it, it would be very easy for other parties, especially the EU, not to do it as well. So this is a really critical moment to set a target like this. At the SNP conference last month, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared a climate emergency and said that Scotland would continue to lead by example on tackling the issue. Every effort should be made to avoid a return to violence in Northern Ireland, former senator George Mitchell has said. The Good Friday Agreement negotiator urged Stormonts politicians to address their problems in a realistic fashion. Paramilitary ceasefire generation journalist Lyra McKee, 29, was shot dead by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during unrest in Londonderry last month. Lyra McKee was shot dead by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during unrest in Londonderry (McKee family/PA) Mr Mitchell said: We should not ignore the fact that significant progress has been made in many areas, most notably in the absence of, or a sharp reduction in, political violence in recent years and we have to be conscious of the fact that a return to violence continues as a possibility not just in Northern Ireland but in every society. He added: We have to take all steps, whatever is necessary, to reduce the likelihood of a return to violence. Here it is particularly acute of course because there has been a long history of political violence here. Mr Mitchell chaired negotiations which led to all sides accepting the principle of non-violence in Northern Ireland. He helped produce the 1998 Belfast Agreement, which he has always described as part of a peace process which needs constant maintenance. The veteran Democrat said: We have to encourage the political leaders of Northern Ireland, in a realistic way, to deal with their problems, but not to create the impression that Northern Ireland is unique or distinct or alone among democratic societies in having social problems and political difficulties. You cannot ignore the issues but you cannot dwell on them to the point where you render yourself incapable of dealing with the issue. Division over identity in Northern Ireland does remain a threat to the stability of the institutions and addressing those issues must be a clear commitment by all of the political parties and all of the leaders in Northern Ireland. Mr Mitchell said economic deprivation underlay sectarianism and violence. He said: Where men and women do not have hope, do not have opportunity, are unable to care for their children, unable to get their children off to the good start in life that they want, there lie the ingredients for violence. Whether there are religious differences or not, whether there are territorial disputes or not, human beings need hope, they need opportunity, they need self-esteem if they are to be successful, contributing members of society and happy in their own lives. That is critical here in Northern Ireland today, just as it was 21 years ago, and I suspect 50 years ago and 75 years ago. No one should lose sight of that fact. Miss McKee died in Londonderry, which has traditionally suffered from high unemployment (Liam McBurney/PA) Miss McKee died in Londonderry, one of the most deprived areas of the UK, which has traditionally suffered from high unemployment. A rallying call for action by a priest at her funeral prompted renewed negotiations by political leaders at Stormont. The British and Irish governments are leading a bid to secure a resurrection of the devolved institutions, which have been suspended for around two and a half years. New trains have been launched on the East Coast Main Line, five months later than planned. Publicly owned operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) said its Azuma trains will boost capacity and reduce fares. A preview for rail industry executives, politicians and media was held at London Kings Cross on Tuesday, ahead of the first public service which will run from the same station to Leeds on Wednesday morning. A new #Azuma train arrives at London Kings Cross for a preview ahead of the fleet entering public service for @LNER on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/3KNd6p1i75 Neil Lancefield (@NeilLancefield) May 14, 2019 Sixty-five Azumas will eventually replace 45 LNER trains. The word Azuma means east in Japanese, and the new fleet is modelled on the countrys bullet trains. Each has up to 100 extra seats compared with existing rolling stock and will cut journey times through faster acceleration. The interior of a standard class Azuma train carriage (LNER/PA) Other passenger benefits include 7cm of additional leg room in standard class, free Wi-Fi and electronic reservation displays. Azumas will initially be used on the London Kings Cross-Leeds route, before being rolled out in the coming months to the rest of the LNER network, which stretches from London to Inverness and Aberdeen via the East Midlands, Yorkshire, north-east England and Edinburgh. By the end of June around a fifth of LNER services will be operated by the new trains. LNER managing director David Horne told the Press Association: The new trains are really the start of the transformation on the East Coast route. Theyre replacing trains which are 30 and 40 years old at the moment. David Horne, managing director of @LNER, tells me why the new #Azuma trains are a significant improvement. pic.twitter.com/7jZnKDVdGq Neil Lancefield (@NeilLancefield) May 14, 2019 These trains will bring lower fares. On the Leeds to London route in the coming weeks well be offering about 10,000 extra fares a week at the lower end of the price range those fares that are 29 or less. That is us taking one of the key benefits of these trains the extra capacity and taking that in the form of cheaper fares for customers using the route. Azumas are built by Hitachi Rail at its factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. They are the same type of trains Class 800 Intercity Express (IEP) launched by Great Western Railway (GWR) in October 2017. Their first scheduled GWR journey suffered a leak from an air conditioning unit and a 41-minute delay. Azumas were due to be launched by LNER in December but this was delayed due to a series of problems, including their compatibility with Network Rails signalling equipment, safety tests, staff training and new timetables. Major work to update the East Coast Main Lines equipment and technology was required to enable them to operate passenger services. Hitachi Rail managing director Karen Boswell said: Putting trains into service is really complex. The balance of building new technology and working with the infrastructure is always very challenging. The brilliant thing is its in service today. Rail minister Andrew Jones said: There will be more services, the experience on the trains will be better and each train will have many, many more seats. From a passenger perspective its a far better experience. The level of assaults in Scottish prisons is not acceptable, the countrys Community Safety Minister has said. Ash Denham faced questions on rising levels of violence as prison officers are to be balloted on industrial action in a pay row. During topical questions at Holyrood, Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr pressed Ms Denham to make a full statement to the Scottish Parliament on the ballot and prison violence. He accused the Scottish Government of having ignored ideas from his party which he claimed may help stem prison violence, such as equipping prison officers with body-worn cameras. Mr Kerr said: If a strike goes ahead it is entirely the fault of the SNP, adding the ballot is a mark of failure. Liam Kerr drops a shocking stat in the Scottish Parliament - assaults in prison are up 50 per cent since the SNP came to power in 2007. pic.twitter.com/hLcP9qVS9w Colin Malaney (@ColSMal) May 14, 2019 He said: The Prison Officers Association says that they face rising levels of violence. Ive compiled figures from every prison service annual report since the SNP came to power in 2007 and they show that the number of assaults in prison has never been higher and it has risen 50% on the SNPs watch. Does the Minister think that that is acceptable and will she apologise to the prison officers for that appalling statistic? Ms Denham said: No, its not acceptable. She said the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) had set up a national strategic group to oversee the response to violence against staff and local groups were also in place. She said these could commission a range of tactical options, such as national search operations, to help recover weapons and contraband that can lead to, or be used in, violence. The Minister added: We have not seen the same levels of violence in Scottish prisons as experienced in prisons in England and Wales. We are not complacent about that and we support the ongoing work of the SPS in tackling the violence in our prisons. Ash Denham said the level of violence was `not acceptable (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) She continued: We recognise the sometimes difficult and dangerous circumstances that prison officers work in and were very grateful to them for the service that they give. Ms Denham said the SPS has robust contingency measures in place to ensure the safety and security of staff and prisoners, adding Scotlands prisons are generally stable and secure environments. She stressed the issue with the prison officers association is about pay, not conditions. The recognised trade unions have submitted to the SPS their pay proposal for 2019/20, and that is being considered ahead of formal pay negotiations, the Minister added. Announcing the decision to ballot prison officers on industrial action, the Prison Officers Association Scotland said its members are feeling anger and frustration as they face what union bosses claim is the prospect of another year of capped pay rises. A date has not yet been set for the ballot. College lecturers across Scotland are to go on two days of strike action this week amid a long-running pay dispute. Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) Further Education Lecturers Association (FELA) will again walk out on Wednesday and Thursday. Those going on strike have already taken four days of action in this dispute with the further two days coming despite a meeting with Colleges Scotland on Monday to resolve the issue. Lecturers are demanding what they say is a fair cost of living increase, in line with public-sector pay policy. College Lecturers will be taking strike action on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Please make an effort to attend the demo at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 12:30pm. Info with buses and pick ups on our website: https://t.co/0fR5GYL6TX pic.twitter.com/4YkdUR6FL1 EISFela (@EISFela) May 14, 2019 Pam Currie, EIS-FELA president said: We are balloting our members on national terms and conditions which we agreed with college management as a separate workstream. This agreement provides for flexible working for college lecturers a practice which already exists in the sector. College lecturers are striking over pay (Tom Eden/PA) It underlines lecturer professionalism and allows for work, such as preparation and marking, to be done off site, with the involvement of the line manager. To seek to portray this as a four-day working week is disingenuous and only serves to frustrate efforts to find a resolution to what is a dispute over pay. Lecturers will be on the picket lines in force on Wednesday and Thursday at colleges across Scotland, and are also continuing with action short of strike including a boycott of college results systems. The EIS would urge colleges to come back to the negotiating table, ready to engage in talks on a meaningful basis, so that we can agree a fair pay settlement that will allow lecturers to return to working normally in support of students across the country. Interim director of employment services for Colleges Scotland Employers Association, Heather Stevenson, said the number of lecturers on strike has waned by almost a quarter since the first strike action. She added: Colleges are doing everything we can to end this dispute for the sake of students, who are being deliberately targeted by the EIS-FELA. Progress has been made in recent discussions, so it is incredibly disappointing that the EIS-FELA has rejected our calls to suspend the strikes. The EIS-FELA should not be attacking students in this way by striking during exams and withholding students assessment results, but colleges are mitigating the impact of their action and we are confident their attempts to cause maximum disruption will not succeed, despite them paying their members to go out on strike. Scotlands response to the global climate emergency must be hardwired into our national psyche, Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham has said. Speaking at Holyrood on Tuesday, Ms Cunningham said that evidence of climate change is irrefutable and said that future generations would have to pay the price if action is not taken now. At the SNP conference last month, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared a climate emergency and said that Scotland would continue to lead by example on tackling the issue. @NicolaSturgeon: "Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world there is no planet B. Our obligations to the next generation are the most important we carry lets make sure Scotland lives up to fulfilling them.https://t.co/t3gZaMRpVm The SNP (@theSNP) May 14, 2019 Scotland has always been an innovator. This is one of our great strengths, said Ms Cunningham. Responding to the climate emergency will not be easy, but Scotland is not in the business of taking the easy way out. Scotlands response to the climate emergency must be hardwired into our national psyche. We must take this journey together, seize the economic opportunities available to us and redefine what world leadership means, not just as a government but as a country. Nicola Sturgeon declared a climate emergency in April (Andrew Milligan/PA) Scotland has declared a global climate emergency and now Scotland must act as one to safeguard our planet for future generations. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government agreed to a target of net-zero emissions by 2045 an aim described by experts as the most ambitious in the world. It followed recommendations set out by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) that Scotland meet the target five years ahead of the UK in 2050. Here is our report on #NetZero in the UK by 2050. The culmination of an immense programme @theCCCuk The target must cover ALL sectors, ALL greenhouse gases, achieved through domestic action alone. This target meets our Paris obligations, affirming UK global leadership. READ IT https://t.co/SLVitvVF50 Chris Stark (@ChiefExecCCC) May 2, 2019 Last week, the Government scrapped plans to cut the amount of tax paid by passengers flying from Scottish airports. The move would have seen a reduction in air departure tax (ADT) by 50% before being abolished altogether. Ms Cunningham outlined the Governments decision to change its approach on ADT, along with the announcement of a deposit return scheme, rail-freight industry funding, supporting low-carbon farming practices, and granting funding for e-bikes, as steps towards combating climate change. The Cabinet Secretary also urged people from across the country to consider what measures can be taken to cut down on waste. This must be a shared national endeavour. We all need to think more about how we can make our lives more sustainable, cutting down on waste and excess, said Ms Cunningham. We will be consulting widely over the summer to feed into the update of the climate change plan and let everyone have their say on what needs to happen across Scotland in response to the climate emergency. Today @scotgov will make a statement on the #ClimateEmergency. Here's 3 tests: Align the Scottish Budget with our climate goals A Green New Deal for Scotland Recognise that some fossil fuels must be left in the groundhttps://t.co/Q1MK7oVGfI Scottish Greens (@scottishgreens) May 14, 2019 Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden said: I can pledge that, as the only opposition party to have produced a detailed policy document on the environment and climate change, we stand ready to work with the Government to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our age. Scottish Labour MSP Claudia Beamish added: This is indeed a global climate emergency and Scotland must respond with the responsibility of a developed nation and recognise intergenerational justice. Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell said: Im very pleased that the Government is listening to the Greens and committing to put climate at the heart of the next programme for government, but also critically, the spending review in a couple of years time. But of course the climate emergency cannot wait for the next spending review. Id like to make it clear that the Greens cannot commit to negotiations over the next annual budget unless it has climate change and a Green New Deal at its heart. Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur said that his party would commit to engaging constructively with the Government and with all parties in addressing the climate emergency. A team of US federal air accident investigators was expected to arrive in Alaska to seek the cause of a midair collision between two sightseeing planes that killed at least four people. The four died when the seaplanes carrying cruise ship tourists collided on Monday near the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan, the Coast Guard said. Two others were missing, said Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios, a Coast Guard spokesman. Canadian officials said a Canadian was among the dead. (1/2)We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane accident in Ketchikan yesterday, and are offering our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the traveling companions of guests involved. Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) May 14, 2019 (2/2)We immediately activated our Princess Care Team in the region and will provide updates as we know more. Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) May 14, 2019 Global Affairs Canada expressed condolences but did not identify the person because of privacy reasons, the government department said in a statement. The Washington, DC-based investigative team from the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to arrive in Ketchikan, agency spokesman Peter Knudson said. Emergency response crews transport an injured passenger to an ambulance at the George Inlet Lodge docks, Monday, May 13, 2019, in Ketchikan, Alaska. The passenger was from one of two sightseeing planes reported down in George Inlet early Monday afternoon and was dropped off by a U.S. Coast Guard 45-foot response boat. (Dustin Safranek/Ketchikan Daily News via AP) He said board member Jennifer Homendy also is travelling with the so-called Go Team, which investigates major accidents. The floatplanes collided under unknown circumstances, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. Floatplanes have pontoons mounted under their fuselages so they can land on water. The passengers from the cruise ship Royal Princess were on sightseeing flights, one operated by Ketchikan-based Taquan Air. Eleven people were in Taquans single-engine de Havilland Otter DHC-3 when it went down during its return from a trip to Misty Fjords National Monument, which is part of the Tongass National Forest, the nations largest. Ten people were taken to a Ketchikan hospital. All patients were in fair or good condition, according to Marty West, a spokeswoman for PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Centre. Three of those who died were among five people aboard the second plane, a single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, according to Coast Guard Lieutenant Brian Dykens. The Coast Guard, partner agencies and good Samaritans are responding to the report of two downed aircraft in the vicinity of George Inlet near Ketchikan, Alaska. https://t.co/TEOFjenp2M USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) May 13, 2019 It was unclear which plane carried the fourth victim, whose body was recovered during a Monday night search, Rios said. Local emergency personnel worked with state and federal agencies and private vessels to help rescue and recover victims. Its been a long day and the crews have been working really hard to rescue people and recover the deceased, said Deanna Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough the local government. Taquan Air said the company suspended operations while the crash is investigated. We are devastated by todays incident and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families, Taquan said in a statement. The cruise ship left Vancouver, British Columbia, on May 11 and was scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday. Princess Cruises said in a statement that our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their lives and the families of those impacted by todays accident. Ship passenger Cindy Cicchetti, said the ship captain announced that two planes had been in an accident. She also said the ship would not leave as scheduled and that details were not provided as to how the accident could affect the rest of the cruise ships trip. Weather conditions in the area where the crash happened Monday included high overcast skies with 9mph southeast winds. The collision came nearly three years after a pilot and eight passengers died when a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter crashed in mountainous terrain near Ketchikan The NTSB later determined that pilot error and lack of a formal safety programme were among the causes of the June 2015 crash. Land at Dublin Airport has been allocated to cater for the potential spillover of freight traffic in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it has been claimed. Lord Malcolm Bruce, the British Liberal Democrat, said there is potential for serious congestion in Dublin as a result of stacking of freight vehicles if a Brexit deal is not reached. Addressing the 58th plenary of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) in Co Wicklow, Lord Bruce said checks on freight transport crossing ports in Ireland and the UK will be a major issue for cost and time. .@DarrenMillarAM, Chair of BIPA Committee on European Affairs, is presenting his Committee's report on European Security Cooperation: Port Security and Infrastructure to the assembly. British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (@BritishIrishPA) May 14, 2019 He made the comments as Welsh Conservative Darren Millar presented a BIPA committee report into the European security co-operation after Brexit. Members from the Committee on European Affairs heard evidence from experts on European and UK-Irish security co-operation in Dublin and Belfast. They also met officials from Dublin Port Company and Irish Ferries as well as the port services manager at Holyhead. The British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Niall Carson/PA) Committee member Lord Bruce told the Assembly: In order to manage the potential stacking of vehicles, Dublin port have actually taken land at the airport where they are going to park vehicles. Some of these vehicles will be parked for two or three days before the port can actually handle them and then there is the potential that it can lead to pretty serious congestion in the city of Dublin. Its clearly a big problem. A port area is very constrained and theyve had to be pretty creative and imaginative to maximise the use of all the land they have got. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, as I understand it, 100% of food products have to be inspected. When you need a couple of minutes for each vehicle and then you add the number of vehicles, you quickly realise this is a major issue in cost, time and delay. Shipping containers at Dublin Port (PA) Mr Millar said Dublin port authorities have invested heavily in preparations for Brexit. The situation in Holyhead is different, it has a lot more relaxed approach about the impact of Brexit on the port, he added. It did not feel there was any sense of emergency in Holyhead, it had the attitude that we can take everything in our stride. He also told the committee that people and companies are trying to find alternative routes into continental Europe from Ireland. There has been increasing requests for movements of goods and people between the Dublin and Cherbourg (France) link and therefore new vessels are being put on to that link and they expect that will continue to grow and develop, he added. Our biggest concern is that there was a huge effort and huge expense going into all of these preparations and they may not be required at the end of the day. There was a different approach at Holyhead than the approach being taken in Dublin. We were told that the UK Government informed Holyhead port that it was not planning to impose any additional checks on any of the vehicles that were coming from Ireland and they were able to take a more flexible approach because of the UK Governments plan to try to minimise disruption post-Brexit. They expected that there might be some minimal checks that would have around 30 seconds processing times. SOFIA, May 14 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. -- Bulgaria summoned the Turkish ambassador to Bulgaria over his statement that Bulgaria should encourage studying of Turkish language if it wants to attract more Turkish investments. Ambassador Hasan Ulusoy said his words were wrongly interpreted and that Ankara has no intention to meddle in Bulgaria's home affairs. (24 Chasa, Trud) SEGA - The government will increase social support for heating during winter time by 22 percent to 91 levs ($52.29) per month. -- Bulgaria and Latvia have the lowest average life expectancy in the European Union at 74.9 years, a new survey showed. (Sega, 24 Chasa, Trud, Capital) ($1 = 1.7402 leva) Pakistan is probably the one country that appears to have as much at stake in the outcome of the 2019 General Elections, as India has. On the one hand, the long drawn election process in India is being watched with a mixture of anxiety, even trepidation, and with hope and expectation, on the other hand. Like in India, for Pakistan, this election is about Narendra Modi. The way the Pakistanis see it, the strategic calculus in the region is hinged on whether Modi retains power or is ousted. It isnt about whether or not BJP forms the next government, but about whether or not Modi is the Prime Minister. The silver lining? Pakistan can handle a BJP or even a Congress led/supported government; Modi is however a totally different ball game, because he is unpredictable, unconventional, and most of all, unafraid to take risks. On the eve of the elections, the Pakistanis were quite enthused by reports in Indias English language media that Modi faced an uphill electoral battle and could even end up losing power. False alarm: On the eve of elections, Pakistanis were under the impression that Modi might end up losing the electoral battle (Source: India Today) But as the campaign gathered pace, and the post Pulwama events unfolded, the Pakistanis seemed to resign themselves to the possibility that they might have to deal with Modi for another five years. The one hope the Pakistanis still harbour quite desperately, is that even if Modi is re-elected, he will be much weaker. His dependence on allies will hobble him and prevent him from taking the sort of aggressive and assertive steps that he took in his first term. The Pakistanis exaggerate their importance by imagining that this election is almost entirely focussed on Pakistan-bashing. A recent analysis of the speeches of Prime Minister Modi revealed that on an average, there were only nine mentions of Pakistan in ten thousand words that were spoken. Even so, the Pakistanis are probably correct when they say that regardless of who wins these elections, no future government in India will have the political space for re-engaging Pakistan to bring some degree of normalisation in the otherwise fraught relationship between the two countries. Gandhis are Pakistan's favourite: Pakistan wants Modi's opponents to win so they can engage in a dialogue with Pakistan (Source: India Today) Under the circumstances, the prospect for some kind of a negotiated settlement on the more contentious issues like Kashmir or terrorism appears virtually non-existent. While the Pakistanis harbour a visceral hatred for Modi and would like nothing better than to see his back, there is also a sort of hope (articulated by none other than Imran Khan) that if anyone can settle matters with Pakistan, it is him. Of course, there is no clarity on what the contours of any such settlement will be. Imran Khan himself was a bit fuzzy when he spoke about some kind of settlement being reached. The simple fact of the matter is that Pakistanis are living in cloud cuckoo land if they think that Modi will make any compromise on Indias sovereignty or territorial integrity on Kashmir just to get into Pakistan's good books. Forget Modi, it is inconceivable that any other Indian leader regardless of the party he/she represents will enter into such a compromise. Without Modi, the Pakistanis feel there is a better chance for restoring a modicum of normalisation and lowering of tensions between the two countries. By upping the ante the surgical strikes, the Balakot airstrikes, the threat of missile strikes and the nuclear sabre-rattling (which might have offended some in strategic circles in India but delivered the message loud and clear to Pakistan that their nuclear blackmail is neither a deterrent nor a shield behind which they can merrily sponsor terrorism in India with impunity) Modi has seriously disrupted the strategic calculus of Pakistan. Borderline delusional: Pakistan is under the impression that Modi will compromise India's sovereignty to have a dialogue with them (Source: India Today) The Pakistanis hope that Modis opponents in India will revert to the old model of India turning the other cheek. The sort of namby pamby approach of Modis opponents to Pakistan suits that country. The reason is that at a time when Pakistan is surrounded by all sorts of crises the economy is bankrupt, economic distress is going to increase, the strategic scenario is negative with Afghanistan in a flux and Iran on brink of a conflict with the US Pakistan cannot afford a state of heightened tension with India. The post Balakot crisis has already blown a major hole in Pakistan's finances, and that too at a time of an escalating economic crisis. Modis decision to withdraw the MFN status and impose punitive tariffs on Pakistan have also hurt. Pakistan will find it more expensive to replace imports from India which will further impact the competitiveness of Pakistani exports. On tenterhooks, The Pakistanis hope that if Modi loses, his successor will reverse some of the punitive measures and could re-engage Pakistan. That this will be a desultory peace process is fine by Pakistan because it will give them some breathing space on the cheap without having to change any of their hostile and inimical policies towards India. Withdrawing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status has hurt Pakistan's economy (Source: India Today) The Pakistanis believe that unlike Modi, his opponents will be chary of paying Pakistan back in the same coin, which will allow them to continue bleeding India without having to pay a price. But if Modi is re-elected, then Pakistan will have a lot to worry about - especially, if they arent ready to change their policy of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. (Courtesy of Mail Today) Also Read: Naya Pakistan: Will it be a country of accountability? Acorn Energy, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of technology driven solutions for energy infrastructure asset management. It operates through the Power Generation (PG) and Cathodic Protection (CP) segments. The PG segment offers wireless remote monitoring and control systems and services for critical assets, as well as Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The CP segment includes remote monitoring of cathodic protection systems on gas pipelines for gas utilities and pipeline companies. The company was founded by George Morgenstern in 1986 and is headquartered in Wilmington, DE. Read More American Cannabis Company, Inc., together with its subsidiary, Hollister & Blacksmith, Inc., doing business as American Cannabis Consulting, provides solutions for businesses operating in the regulated cannabis industry in the United States and Canada. The company offers advisory and consulting services, including commercial cannabis business planning, cannabis business license application, cultivation build-out oversight, cannabis regulatory compliance, compliance audit, cannabis business growth strategy, and cannabis business monitoring services. It also sells products and equipment used in the cultivation, processing, transportation, or retail sale of cannabis, such as The Satchel, a pouch-like case designed as a child-proof exit package solution for the regulated cannabis industry; SoHum Living Soil, a just-add-water soil; High Density Racking System, which ensures that space is used in an efficient manner; The Cultivation Cube, a self-contained and scalable cultivation system; and other products for cultivation operations, medicinal and recreational cannabis dispensary operations, and infused-products. In addition, the company designs industry-specific products; and offers exclusive and non-exclusive customer products. American Cannabis Company, Inc. is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Read More 1+ days ago Lufthansa, United, Delta cancel flights over Christmas FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) At least three major airlines said they have canceled dozens of flights because illnesses largely tied to the omicron variant of COVID-19 have taken a toll on flight crew numbers during the busy holiday travel season. Germany-based Lufthansa said Friday that it was canceling a dozen long-haul transatlantic flights over the Christmas holiday period because of a massive rise in sick leave among pilots. Read Article Shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF reverse split on Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the market closes on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split. The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides Internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 952 branches and approximately 3,540 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,400 branches, 5,200 ATMs, and 22 contact centers internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada. Read More First Quantum Minerals Ltd. engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral properties. It primarily explores for copper, nickel, pyrite, gold, silver, and zinc ores, as well as produces acid. The company holds 100% interests in the Ravensthorpe nickel and cobalt mine in Australia; the Sentinel copper project in North Western Province of Zambia; the Las Cruces copper mine in Spain; the Guelb Moghrein copper-gold mine in Mauritania; the PyhAsalmi copper, pyrite, zinc mine in Finland; and the Aayeli copper-zinc mine in Turkey. It also holds an 80% interest in the Kansanshi copper-gold mine and copper smelter in Zambia; and a 90% interest in the Cobre Panama project located in Panama. In addition, the company has interests in copper, gold, and molybdenum projects at various stages of development located in Argentina, Peru, and Zambia. The company was formerly known as First Quantum Ventures Ltd. and changed its name to First Quantum Minerals Ltd. in July 1996. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Global Payments: ACTIVE Network - Communities and Sports, Active Network (HK) Limited, Active Network IPICO (CA) Inc., Active Network IPICO (US) Inc., Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Innovation Inc., Active Networks LLC, AdvancedMD, Athlaction Intermediate LLC, Athlaction Topco LLC, AuctionPay, Comercia Global Payments Entidad de Pago S.L., DEBITEK INC, Digital Dining LLC, Dinerware LLC, DolEx Europe S.L., Educational Computer Systems Inc., Ematters Australia Pty Ltd., Equifax Credit Services LLC, Ezi Holdings Pty. Ltd., Ezi Management Pty Ltd., Ezidebit, Ezidebit (NZ) Limited, Ezidebit HK Ltd., Ezidebit Pty Ltd., GP Finance LLC, GPC Financial Corporation, GPS Holding Limited Partnership, GPUK LLP, Global Payment Holding Company, Global Payment Systems Asia-Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd., Global Payment Systems LLC, Global Payment Systems of Canada Ltd., Global Payments - Caixa Acquisition Corporation S.a.r.l., Global Payments - Realex Payments Holding Limited, Global Payments - Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 1 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 2 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 3 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 4 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 6 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation HK Holding Limited, Global Payments Acquisition PS 1 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 2 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 3 C. V., Global Payments Acquisition PS1-Global Payments Direct S.e.n.c., Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong Holding) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (India) Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Shanghai) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Singapore Holding) Ltd., Global Payments Asia-Pacific Lanka (Private) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Macau Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Maldives Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Philippines Incorporated, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Processing Company Limited, Global Payments Australia Pty 1 Ltd., Global Payments Australia Pty 2 Ltd., Global Payments Canada GP, Global Payments Canada Inc., Global Payments Card Processing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Global Payments Check Recovery Services Inc., Global Payments Check Services Inc., Global Payments Direct Inc., Global Payments Europe d.o.o. Sarajevo, Global Payments Europe s.r.o., Global Payments Gaming Canada Inc., Global Payments Gaming International Inc., Global Payments Gaming Services Inc., Global Payments Integrated, Global Payments Limited, Global Payments Process Centre Inc., Global Payments South America Brasil-Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments UK 2 Ltd., Global Payments UK Ltd., Global Payments s.r.o., Greater Giving Inc., Heartland Acquisition LLC, Heartland Payment Solutions Inc., Heartland Payment Systems, Heartland Payment Systems LLC, Heartland Payroll Solutions Inc., IPICO South Africa (Pty) Ltd., JumpForward LLC, Maximum Solutions LLC, Merchant Services U.S.A. Inc., Modular Data Inc., NDC Holdings (UK) Ltd., NDPS Holdings Inc., PCAmerica LLC, Pay and Shop Limited, PayPros LLC, Payment Processing, Payroll 1 Inc., Realex Payments, SICOM Systems, Sabrir Invest S.L., Sentral Education, Spolecnost pro informacni database a.s., Storman Holdings Pty Ltd., Storman Software Inc., Storman Software Limited, Storman Software Ltd., Storman Software Pty Ltd., TeamPages Inc., The Active Network (Asia) Pte. Ltd, The Active Network (Aus-NZ) Pty. Ltd., The Active Network (EU) Ltd., The Active Network Ltd., The Active Network Ltd. (Chengdu), The Active Network Ltd. (Xian), Total System Services, TouchNet Information Systems Inc., UCS Terminal Joint Stock Company, United Card Service Joint Stock Company, VEPF III AIV VI-C Corp., VEPF IV AIV VII-C Corp., VFF I AIV IV-C Corp., Web Active Corporation Pty Ltd., Xenial, Xpient LLC, eWAY, eWay Europe Limited, eWay Payments Asia Pte Ltd., eWay Payments Inc., eWay Payments New Zealand Limited, eWay Payments North America Inc., and eWay Payments Pty Ltd.. There is not enough analysis data for Hansteen. 2.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes Hansteen has received 208 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Hansteen has received 263 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Hansteen has received 55.84% underperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Hansteen and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe HSTN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe HSTN will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next John Wood Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, provides consulting, project management, and engineering solutions to energy and built environment worldwide. It operates through four segments: Asset Solutions Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia; Assets Solutions Americas; Technical Consulting Solutions; and Investment Services. The company offers operations solutions, including maintenance, modifications, commissioning and decommissioning, and aftermarket services, as well as industrial services, such as painting, insulation, scaffolding, rope access, E&I, asbestos removal, and civil and earthworks services; engineering, procurement, and construction management; plant operations and life extension; technology solutions; supervision and management services; fabrication and inspection services; and construction and field services. It also provides environment and infrastructure solutions comprising environmental studies and compliance, environmental remediation, public infrastructure, and geotechnical and materials services; clean energy solutions; mine planning and design, mineral processing and metallurgy, mineral resources and project assessment services; and automation and control solutions, such as asset protection and facility and process automation solutions, as well as simulation, learning, and virtual systems. In addition, the company offers subsea and export systems, including subsea, umbilical, riser, and flowline design, as well as planning, design, and development of marine terminals and pipelines; and hull and marine services. It serves oil and gas, infrastructure, industrial and manufacturing, mining, power, and government sectors. John Wood Group PLC was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Aberdeen, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. 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Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. 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Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. Toachi Mining Inc. engages in the mineral exploration activities. It holds an option to acquire 60% to 75% interest in the La Plata gold-rich copper-zinc-silver-lead volcanogenic massive sulphide project located to the southwest of Quito, Ecuador. The company was formerly known as Ferrum Americas Mining Inc. and changed its name to Toachi Mining Inc. in March 2016. Toachi Mining Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Toronto, Canada. Read More Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More Any outside group, any marginalized group, any group that is made to be seen as other becomes vulnerable and incredibly targeted by the forces of white nationalism and white supremacy, she said. It is incredibly important that all of us try to develop the sensitivity to understand groups we dont identify with who are suffering in the same or in greater ways in this time that we live, she said. According to the citys website, Unity Days has been developed as a way for the community to come together in a spirit of healing and unity for a variety of event that educate, inspire and honor people in our community in order to move towards economic and racial justice. Unity Days events will be held between May and August. Each month has a theme. May focuses on the citys history of race relations. June centers on economic and racial justice. July is for honoring community and neighborhood leaders. And in August, four days will be set aside for remembrance of the violence. The next Unity Days event will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday in City Council Chambers and will involve a presentation by author Kirt von Daacke on the history of blackface at UVa. Tyler Hammel is a reporter for The Daily Progress. Contact him at (434) 978-7268, thammel@dailyprogress.com or @TylerHammelVA on Twitter. 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 public comment period on the agreement runs through June 20. Most of the violations were the result of unprecedented rainfall throughout the spring and summer of 2018, Mountain Valley spokeswoman Natalie Cox wrote in an email. MVP appreciates the oversight of the WVDEP and the MVP team will continue to work closely with project inspectors to maintain its high standards of safety and environmental stewardship, the email said. The $4.6 billion project is still scheduled for completion by late this year, Cox wrote. However, at least two members of the five-partner venture have said in recent financial reports that a delay is likely, considering legal challenges that led to suspended permits. Rosser said the fine, which represents well less than 1% of the projects cost, is unlikely to lead to significant change. The concern is that paying the fine is cheaper than doing it right in the first place, she said. Mountain Valley and other pipelines being built in West Virginia have all encountered the same problems, Rosser said, and its becoming apparent that state-approved plans to control erosion are not working. Obama eventually put in place arcane requirements to issue public reports on civilian death tolls (but just in certain military theaters), to limit targets to high-level militants (again, in certain battlefields), and require interagency approval (also only for certain targets). Trump has peeled back all of those requirements because, well, he can. We now know more than we did about U.S. drone wars when Obama first took office, but less than when he left. You can also blame cowardly, partisan politics for hearing little from lawmakers about these escalations. Republicans, of course, no longer criticize these sorts of things even if they subscribe to Trump's Obama-rebuking, "America First" isolationism. And Democrats who might take issue with unaccountable wars and civilian deaths know to do so they'd have to acknowledge Obama's role in the mess, and so ... Trump's tax returns it is. You can't, however, blame the media for this one. Refreshingly, many mainstream outlets have been reporting on this escalation for months if not years. From Foreign Policy to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal to Fox News, The Washington Post to CNN, the issue is getting coverage. Whether Americans care or not is another story. Terms and Conditions Lee BHM Corp. 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THIS WEB SITE IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS," WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Lee BHM Corp. MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT ANY CONTENT CONTAINED ON THIS WEB SITE SATISFIES ANY APPLICABLE GOVERNMENT LAW, REGULATION OR REQUIREMENT. Neither Lee BHM Corp. nor its employees, agents, third-party information providers, merchants, licensors or the like warrant that the Web site or its operation will be accurate, reliable, uninterrupted or error-free. No agent or representative has the authority to create any warranty regarding the Web site on behalf of Lee BHM Corp.. Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to change or discontinue at any time any aspect or feature of the Web site. Exclusion of Liability UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, SHALL Lee BHM Corp. OR ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, STORING OR DISTRIBUTING THE WEB SITE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND EXPENSES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS, AND DAMAGES ARISING FROM LOST DATA OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH USE OF THE WEB SITE, DELAY OR INABILITY TO USE THE WEB SITE, OR FOR ANY INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEB SITE, WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARE BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. YOU SPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT NO LICENSOR, SUPPLIER OR INFORMATION PROVIDER TO Lee BHM Corp. OR ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS, OR ANY OF THEIR SUCCESSORS OR ASSIGNS, SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY REASON OR UNDER ANY THEORY WHATSOEVER, BASED UPON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ON OR THROUGH THE WEB SITE. Because some states do not permit the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, some or all of the above limitation may not apply to you. Indemnification You agree to defend, indemnify and hold Lee BHM Corp., its officers, directors, affiliated companies, employees and agents, licensors and suppliers harmless from and against any and all claims, actions or demands, liabilities and settlements, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees, resulting from, or alleged to result from, your use of the Lee BHM Corp. site, or any content, product or service offered through the Lee BHM Corp. site, in a manner that violates or is alleged to violate these Terms and Conditions. Lee BHM Corp. shall provide notice to you of any such claim, suit or proceeding and shall reasonably cooperate with you, at your expense, in your defense of any such claim, suit or proceeding. Featured Links and Advertisements The Web site may contain hyperlinks to Web sites offered by parties other than Lee BHM Corp.. Such hyperlinks are provided for your reference and convenience only. Lee BHM Corp. does not control such other Web sites and is not responsible for their content; nor does Lee BHM Corp.'s inclusion of hyperlinks to such Web sites imply any endorsement of the material on such Web sites or any association with their operators. Unless otherwise specifically stated on this Web site, Lee BHM Corp. does not endorse any product or service or make any representation regarding the reliability, quality or accuracy of any products or services featured in, or linked to, any advertisement appearing on this Web site. Linking Unless you are subsequently advised otherwise by Lee BHM Corp., you are hereby licensed to create hyperlinks to the content on the Web site, provided that the hyperlink accurately describes the content as it appears on the Web site. Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to revoke this license generally, or your right to use specific links, at any time, and may normally break any hyperlink after 14 days. Under no circumstances may you "frame" the Web site or any of its content or copy portions of the Web site to a server, except as part of an Internet service provider's incidental caching of pages. Each page within the Web site must be displayed in full (including all trademarks, branding, advertising and promotional materials), without any accompanying frame, border, margin, design, branding, trademark, advertising or promotional materials not originally displayed on the page within the Web site. Software Available on Web Site Any software that is made available to download from this Web site is the copyrighted work of Lee BHM Corp. and/or its suppliers. Your use of the software is governed by the terms of the End User License Agreement, if any, that accompanies or is included with the software. You may not install or use any software without first agreeing to the terms of such End User License Agreement. For any software not accompanied by an End User License Agreement, Lee BHM Corp. hereby grants to you a personal, nontransferable, non-sublicensable license to use the software for viewing and other purposes within the scope of use of such software anticipated by Lee BHM Corp. in accordance with these terms and conditions, and for no other purpose. Any such software is provided to you subject to the warranty and liability exclusions set forth in these terms and conditions. Copyright Except for material in the public domain under United States copyright law, all material contained on the Web site (including all software, HTML code, Java applets, Active X controls and other code) is protected by United States and foreign copyright laws. Except as otherwise expressly provided in these terms and conditions, you may not copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, modify, rewrite, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any material contained on the Web site without the prior consent of the copyright owner. None of the material contained on the Lee BHM Corp. site may be reverse-engineered, disassembled, decompiled, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any language or computer language, retransmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photo reproduction, recordation or otherwise), resold or redistributed without the prior written consent of Lee BHM Corp.. Violation of this provision may result in severe civil and criminal penalties. You may make single copies of materials displayed on the Web site for your own personal and noncommercial use only, provided any copies include the copyright and other notices displayed with the materials on the Web site. You may not distribute such copies to others, whether or not for a charge or other consideration, without prior written permission from Lee BHM Corp. or the copyright owner of the copied material. Requests to reproduce materials on the Web site for distribution or other purposes should be mailed to: Lee BHM Corp. Contact us via e-mail Trademarks Trademarks appear on the Web site with permission from their respective owners. Your unauthorized use of trademarks appearing on the Web site may constitute trademark infringement, which could subject you to substantial civil penalties. Termination of Privileges Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to terminate your privilege of using all or any portion of the Web site if you breach any of these terms and conditions of use. If Lee BHM Corp. receives notice or otherwise discovers that you have posted material that infringes another party's copyright or trademark rights or violates another party's rights of privacy or publicity, Lee BHM Corp. may terminate your access to the Web site, including all of your privileges or accounts that you may have established in connection with the Web site. Copyright Infringement Lee BHM Corp. will not tolerate copyright infringement of any kind. Lee BHM Corp. does not, however, monitor user-submitted materials for copyright infringement. If you believe that any material on the Web site infringes your copyright, you may seek to have the material removed by sending Lee BHM Corp. notice that includes all of the following information: your full name, address and telephone number your e-mail address identification of the copyrighted work(s) that you believe is being infringed identification of the infringing material and information sufficient for Lee BHM Corp. to locate the material your statement of good faith belief that (a) the material infringes your copyrights, (b) the information provided in the notice is accurate and (c) under penalty of perjury, you are authorized to act for the copyright owner your physical or electronic signature Direct such notice to Lee BHM Corp. designated agent for receiving copyright infringement notices: Lee BHM Corp. 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68102-1811 Contact us via e-mail Upon receipt of notice complying with the above requirements, Lee BHM Corp. will act to remove infringing materials and, if applicable, send notice to the user that posted such materials on the Web site. If Lee BHM Corp. removes materials posted by you as a user due to alleged copyright infringement, you may seek to have the materials reinstated by notifying Lee BHM Corp.'s designated agent in writing and including the following information: your full name, address and telephone number your e-mail address identification of the material that has been removed or to which access has been disabled, including its location before it was removed or disabled your statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material your statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the district in which your address is located, or, if you reside outside of the United States, Omaha, Nebraska (where Lee BHM Corp. may be found), and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notice of copyright infringement or from such person's agent your physical or electronic signature Upon receipt of a notice meeting the above requirements, Lee BHM Corp. will send a copy of the notice to the copyright owner who initially claimed copyright infringement. Within 10 to 14 days following receipt of the notice, Lee BHM Corp. will replace or enable access to the removed material unless Lee BHM Corp. receives notice from the copyright owner who submitted the first notification that it has filed an action seeking a court order to restrain the user that posted the materials from engaging in infringing activity. Please note that parties who misrepresent that materials are infringing or were removed by mistake or misidentification are subject to substantial civil liability to Lee BHM Corp. and/or the copyright owner or Web site user. User Content Lee BHM Corp. may allow you to upload, post, transmit or otherwise provide content to Lee BHM Corp. Web sites, including, but not limited to, photos, video, audio, comments, articles, blogs, forums and any other such communication in which you provide content to the Web site ("User Content"). You agree that you are solely responsible for your communications and any content you provide. Rules Governing User Content: In consideration for being allowed to post or contribute content, you agree that your failure to abide by the following rules in using the Web site shall constitute a material breach of these Terms and Conditions: Do not disrespect the privacy and views of others, or use the service to stalk or harass another; Do not use or provide User Content for commercial purposes, including but not limited to the promotion of any specific goods or services; Do not provide User Content that is harmful to minors in any way; Do not provide obscene, profane, sexually explicit, libelous, slanderous, defamatory, harmful, threatening, illegal or knowingly false User Content; Do not provide User Content containing expressions of bigotry, racism or hate; Do not provide User Content encouraging conduct that may constitute or contribute to a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or violate any national, state or local law, regulation or authority; Do not impersonate another person, or permit any other person or entity to use your identification to post or view User Content; Do not provide User Content that infringes on the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or other intellectual property rights of others; Do not provide User Content that violates the privacy or publicity rights of others; Do not provide User Content that supports or provides resources to any organization(s) designated by the United States government as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; and Do not provide User Content containing malicious code, including but not limited to computer viruses, Trojan horses, or other programs designed to disrupt, damage or restrict the use of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment. Respect the Intellectual Property Rights of Others. You may not post or transmit content belonging to any person or party other than yourself, without the prior written consent of such owner. Simply because material is available on the Internet does not mean it is in the public domain. The vast majority of materials on the Internet are protected by copyright and trademark laws. Lee BHM Corp. shall have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor any User Content areas of the Web site to determine compliance with these Terms and Conditions and any other operating rules that may be established by Lee BHM Corp. from time to time. Lee BHM Corp.'s Right to Remove User Content. Lee BHM Corp. does not assume any responsibility for the consequences of any user-generated or contributed content on the Lee BHM Corp. site. If notified by a user of communications that are alleged not to conform to the rules set forth in this Section, Lee BHM Corp. may investigate the allegation and determine in its sole discretion to remove or request the removal of the communications. Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to remove communications that fail to conform to these Terms and Conditions. In addition, Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right (but is not obligated) to delete any User Content posted on the Lee BHM Corp. site, regardless of whether such communications violate these Terms and Conditions. Lee BHM Corp.'s Right to Use User Content. Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to record, re-purpose or re-publish User Content on its Web sites, newspapers, broadcast stations or other publishing forums. By posting User Content, you are granting to Lee BHM Corp. and its licensees a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive and irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display any posting by you (in whole or in part) and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media or technology now known or hereafter developed. Responsibility for User Content. You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Lee BHM Corp. and its officers, directors, affiliated companies, employees, agents, licensors and suppliers, from and against any and all claims, actions or demands, liabilities and settlements, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees, resulting from, or alleged to result from, your use of any User-generated or Contributed Content or use by others of any User-generated or Contributed Content with respect to you, including, without limitation, any claim of libel, defamation, harassment, violation of rights of privacy or publicity, loss of service or infringement of intellectual property or other rights, or violation of these Terms and Conditions. NOTE TO USERS. Lee BHM Corp. does not represent or guarantee the truthfulness, accuracy or reliability of any User Content or endorse any opinions expressed by such users. ANY RELIANCE UPON USER CONTENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Termination of Privileges Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to terminate your privilege of using all or any portion of the Web site if you breach any of these terms and conditions of use. If Lee BHM Corp. receives notice or otherwise discovers that you have posted material that infringes another party's copyright or trademark rights or violates another party's rights of privacy or publicity, Lee BHM Corp. may terminate your access to the Web site, including all of your privileges or accounts that you may have established in connection with the Web site. General These Terms and Conditions (including the privacy policy attached hereto, which shall be deemed to be a part of these Terms and Conditions) constitute the entire agreement and understanding between you and Lee BHM Corp. with respect to use of the Web site, superseding all prior or contemporaneous communications and/or proposals. These Terms and Conditions also are severable, and in the event any provision is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions. Lee BHM Corp. reserves the right to make changes to these Terms and Conditions immediately by posting the changed Terms and Conditions in this location. By continuing to use the Web site, you are agreeing to all changes made by Lee BHM Corp.. A printed version of these Terms and Conditions shall be admissible in judicial or administrative proceedings based upon or relating to use of the Web site to the same extent and subject to the same conditions as other business documents and records originally generated and maintained in printed form. Jurisdiction The Web site is controlled and operated by Lee BHM Corp. from its principal office at 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America. Lee BHM Corp. makes no representation that materials on the Web site are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Those who choose to access the Web site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable. The Web site is not intended to subject Lee BHM Corp. to the laws or jurisdiction of any state, country or territory other than Omaha, Nebraska and the United States of America. Lee BHM Corp. PRIVACY POLICY For each visitor to the Web site, Lee BHM Corp.'s servers automatically collect information about which pages are visited and the domain name of visitors. This information is used for internal review, to tailor information to individual visitors and for Web site traffic audits. We also provide this information (as well as information from third-party market researchers) about our users on an aggregated, anonymous basis to our advertisers. Lee BHM Corp. may place a "cookie" on the browser of your computer. The cookie itself does not contain any personally identifying information. A cookie may be used to tell when your computer has contacted the Web site. Lee BHM Corp. uses the information for editorial purposes and for other purposes such as delivery of features and advertisements, so Lee BHM Corp. can customize delivery of information to you without compromising privacy. For example, cookies may be used to ensure that you will not see the same banner advertisement too often in a single session. Lee BHM Corp. may, in the course of providing services through its Web sites, ask you to disclose voluntarily certain information about yourself. This could include information that identifies you or your household. Any information in Lee BHM Corp.'s possession solely as a result of your use of the Web site and that is associated with you or your household is considered "Personal Information." It consists of both information supplied by you (e.g. name, address, telephone number and e-mail address) and information collected about how you use the Web site (e.g. the fact that you have bought merchandise through the Web site). 'Personal Information' does not include statistical data about large numbers of users, none of whom are identifiable, nor does it include information that you have posted for public view on the Web site or otherwise publicly disclosed. Like many other commercial sites, our site may utilize an electronic file called a Web beacon to count users who have visited a page or recognize users by accessing certain cookies. Our site and/or the Web sites of advertisers and merchants with which we have a relationship may use Web beacons (a) for auditing purposes and to collect information from the Web sites of certain advertisers or merchants; (b) to report anonymous individual and/or aggregate information about our users from such advertisers or merchants. Aggregate information may include demographic and usage information. No personally identifiable information about you is shared with such advertisers or merchants. You may choose to opt-out by contacting us in accordance with the information set forth at the bottom of this policy. In addition, Lee BHM Corp. service providers and third-party advertising service providers may use their own cookies, web beacons and other technologies to collect the information listed above. The data collected in connection with ad serving and ad targeting does not include your name, postal address, email address, telephone number, birthdate or gender unless you affirmatively provide information within the ad. However, it may include device identifying information such as the IP address, MAC address, cookie or other device-specific unique ID. These service providers also may assign an anonymous identifier to the tracking pixel or session cookie. The collection of information by our service providers and third-party advertising service providers is governed by their relevant privacy notices, for which we have no responsibility or liability, and are not covered by our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions regarding the privacy notice of one of our service providers, you should contact the service provider directly for more information. If you would like more information about the information collection practices of a particular third-party advertising service provider, or if you would like more information on how to opt out of a third-party advertising service providers information collection practices, go to www.aboutads.info, or for apps, at www.aboutads.info/appchoices. Additionally, some of our third-party advertising service providers are members of the Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI"). You can obtain more information about these third-party advertising service providers' information collection practices, and opt out of such practices (and at the same time opt out of the collection practices of other, or all, NAI members) by following the opt out instructions on the NAI's website at http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp. Please note that one of our third-party advertising service providers is DoubleClick. You can opt out of the use of cookies by DoubleClick by visiting http://www.google.com/settings/ads. How does the Web site use the information it gathers? Information collected on the Web site, including traffic patterns and user behavior, is used primarily for the following purposes: Internal research. The Web site is continuously assessing how visitors use the site. This data assists us in making decisions about how to improve the site and to better serve our users. Research data are aggregated and do not include data about specific individuals. We may share aggregated research (but not individual user information) with our advertisers or business partners. Additionally, the Web site may use your information to contact you to ask for your participation in a focus group, survey, or some other type of research effort. To customize your experience on the Web site. As the Web site improves its service, it may offer users more opportunities to customize content and other aspects of the site. Information provided by you may be used to assist in the customization process, if you elect to participate in these features. To tailor advertising efforts. Most of the information and services available to you at the Web site are free. In order to continue providing services free of charge, the Web site sells advertising. Advertisers prefer to target their communication toward audiences who are most likely to be interested in their products. The information gathered on the Web site helps us advise advertisers in general terms about certain aspects of site visitors (e.g. how visitors use the site, general demographic attributes of visitors, usage patterns on various parts of our site, etc.). This information helps both advertisers and the Web site make better decisions about where to place advertising. This information may also be used to send targeted marketing, such as emails, to users that we think would be interested in such marketing. Visitors who choose to conduct financial transactions with advertisers on the Web site may also provide specific data to those advertisers during the process of their transactions. Additionally, any information provided during the purchase on the Web site of products or services will result in the collection of certain information required to complete the transaction. To use third party service providers. We provide some services and products through third parties. These third party service providers may perform functions on our behalf, like sending out and distributing promotional emails. We may share your personally identifiable information with such service providers as necessary to allow those service providers to fulfill orders, send mail or email, administer contests or sweepstakes, remove repetitive information on customer lists, analyze data, provide marketing assistance, provide search results and links, process credit card payments, operate the Web site, troubleshoot, or provide customer service. We may also collect personal information from individuals and companies with whom we have business relationships ("Affiliates") and may share your information with service providers to accomplish our administrative tasks. For example, when you order a service, the third party payment processor we use releases your credit card information to the card-issuing bank to confirm payment for the service. The use of your personally identifiable information by these third parties is governed by the privacy policies of these third parties and is not subject to our control. More specifically, here is how the Web site may use information you provide: E-mail addresses. If you supply the Web site with your e-mail address, either by registering on the site, by communicating with us via e-mail, or signing up for promotional offers or emails we may, from time to time, send you information that we believe would be of interest to you via e-mail. This information may be from the Web site or sent by us on behalf of one of our quality advertisers. Note: If we send you e-mail on behalf of another company, your personally identifiable information is not disclosed to that company unless you purchase a product or service from that company in which case it may need your information to fulfill your purchase. Rather, the company provides us with the information it wants to send, and we prepare and send the e-mail directly to you. We may use a third party service provider to manage or send emails on our behalf, but that third party is only authorized to use your information as necessary to send our email to you and it is not authorized to sell or transfer your information. Postal addresses. If you supply the Web site with your postal address, we may send you periodic mailings with information on new products, coming events, surveys or other research materials, or other information we think might be of interest to you. Telephone numbers. If you provide your telephone number or cell phone number, the Web site may call or text you regarding orders you have placed online, to tell you about new products, services, or coming events, or to offer other information that may interest you. Additionally, the Web site or one of its agents may call you for research purposes. Sale transaction information. From time to time, we provide offers from our advertisers who, as part of their offer, request information on customers who purchased their offer in order to allow the advertiser to fulfill the purchase. In those cases, we share some of your personally identifiable information with that advertiser. Sharing this Information may allow that advertiser to market directly to you should it choose to do so. However, we will only share personally identifiable information with an advertiser if you provide us that information and enter into a transaction with that advertiser on or through our Web site. We are not responsible or liable for the actions of such advertiser. Business transfer. We may also share your information in the case our business is sold or transferred. If this occurs, the successor company would acquire the information we maintain, including personally identifiable information. Except as necessary to process your requests or orders placed with advertisers or merchants featured on the Web site, or as otherwise described above, Lee BHM Corp. does not rent, sell, barter or give away any lists containing Personal Information for use by any outside company. Lee BHM Corp. also respects the privacy of data on your personal computer and does not access, read, upload or store data contained in or derived from your private files without your authorization. Prohibited Uses This Site is not intended for use by persons located within the European Economic Area (EEA). We do not request or accept personal information concerning or supplied by persons who are located within the EEA at the time they access this Site. If you have accessed this Site from within the EEA, you should immediately discontinue your use. If you have supplied personal information to us in violation of this provision, whether through the registration of new user accounts or otherwise, please contact us via e-mail. Facebook Connect Our Web site may allow users to access Facebook Connect to interact with friends and to share on Facebook through Wall and friends' News Feeds. If you are logged into our Web site and Facebook, when you click on "Connect with Facebook" your profiles will merge if the email addresses match. If the email addresses don't match, we ask you if you want to merge them and you must enter your Web site password to validate that they control that account. If you are already logged into our Web site but not logged into Facebook, when you click on "Connect with Facebook" you will be prompted to enter your Facebook credentials or to "Sign up for Facebook." By proceeding you are allowing the Web site to access your information and you are agreeing to the Facebook Terms of Use in your use of our Web site. Similar access to your information may occur if the Web site allows users to access other social applications similar to Facebook. Conversely, if you are not currently registered as an the Web site user and you click on "Sign in Using Facebook," you will first be asked to enter your Facebook credentials and then be given the option to register and join the Web site. Once you register on our Web site and Connect with Facebook, you will be able to automatically post recent activity back to Facebook. You have the option to disable Facebook Connect at any time by logging into "My Profile" and clicking on "My Facebook Profile." Further, you can edit privacy settings for the reviews that appear on Facebook or disconnect this service by visiting the Facebook Application Settings page. Links The Lee BHM Corp. site contains links to other sites. Lee BHM Corp. is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites, including any sites that may indicate a special relationship or partnership with Lee BHM Corp. (such as co-branded pages or "powered by" or "in cooperation with" relationships). Lee BHM Corp. does not disclose personally identifiable information or unique identifiers to those responsible for the linked sites. The linked sites, however, may collect personal information from you that is not subject to Lee BHM Corp.'s control. To ensure protection of your privacy, always review the privacy policy of the sites you may visit by linking from the Lee BHM Corp. site. Opt Out Procedures You always may opt out of receiving future mailings or other information from Lee BHM Corp.. If the mailing does not have an e-mail cancellation form, send us an e-mail the type of information that you no longer desire to receive. You may opt out of any or all contacts from the Web site at any time. All e-mails sent to you from the Web site will allow you to opt out of any further e-mail from us. You may e-mail us to opt out of our email programs. You may also write or call us at the following address and phone number to notify us regarding use of your information: 333 Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23219; phone: 804.649.6588. When you register on the Web site, you will be given the opportunity to opt out of further communication from us. You may accept certain kinds of contact and decline others. For example, you may choose to accept e-mails, but not postal mail or telephone calls. If, at any time in the future, the Web site decides to use information provided by you in a way not described here, we will contact you beforehand to explain the use of the information and give you the opportunity to decline that use. Children's Privacy The following additional terms, conditions and notices apply to use of the Web site by children under the age of 13 years whenever Lee BHM Corp. becomes aware that a user is in that age range: Users under 13 years of age may not submit or post information on the Web site without the consent of the user's parent or legal guardian. Prior to collecting any personal information about a child under 13, Lee BHM Corp. makes reasonable efforts to obtain consent from the child's parent after informing the parent about the types of information Lee BHM Corp. will collect, how it will be used, and under what circumstances it will be disclosed. Although Lee BHM Corp. will apply these children's terms and conditions whenever it becomes aware that a user who submits Personal Information is less than 13 years old, no method is foolproof. Lee BHM Corp. strongly encourages parents and guardians to supervise their children's online activities and consider using parental control tools available from online services and software manufacturers to help provide a child-friendly online environment. These tools also can prevent children from disclosing online their name, address, and other personal information without parental permission. "Personal information" collected from children may include any of the information defined above as "Personal Information" with respect to general users of the Web site and may be used by Lee BHM Corp. for the same purposes. Except as necessary to process a child's requests or orders placed with advertisers or merchants featured on the Web site, Lee BHM Corp. does not rent, sell, barter or give away any lists containing a child's Personal Information for use by any outside company. If a child enters a game, contest or other activity sponsored by Lee BHM Corp. on the Web site, the child may be required by Lee BHM Corp. to provide the minimum Personal Information reasonably necessary for the child to participate in such activity. A child's parent or legal guardian may request Lee BHM Corp. to provide a description of the Personal Information that Lee BHM Corp. has collected from the child, as well as instruct Lee BHM Corp. to cease further use, maintenance and collection of Personal Information from the child. If a child voluntarily discloses his or her name, e-mail address or other personally-identifying information on chat areas, bulletin boards or other forums or public posting areas, such disclosures may result in unsolicited messages from other parties. Cancellation Your subscription will not automatically stop at expiration. To cancel your subscription, please contact customer service. Returning subscribers wishing to opt-out of premium editions must do so when restarting. Refund Policies Subscriber refunds will be issued within two weeks of cancellation. Refunds will be issued per the original method of payment. There is a $5 processing fee for all refunds remitted to the customer. Advertiser refunds will be granted upon cancellation of an entire run schedule if notice of cancellation is received from the advertiser prior to the beginning of the run schedule. Refunds will be issued per the original method of payment and will be processed within 10 business days of the request. Account Setup Fee All new subscriptions and restarts of subscriptions stopped for 30 days or more may be charged a one-time account setup fee as listed below; if not paid in advance, this may shorten your subscription expiration date. Mailed Subscription Renewal Charge Your renewal notice now includes a $3.95 charge for mailing it. 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Contact us via e-mail Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The joint venture between Geely Technology Group, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, and Daimler Mobility Services GmbH has been established on May 9, according to the business research platform Qixinbao. The joint venture, dubbed Weixing Technology Co.,Ltd, involved registered capital of RMB1.7 billion with Liu Jinliang, Chairman of Geely-backed ride-hailing platform Caocao Zhuanche, as its legal representative. Both two parent companies hold 50% of equity in the joint venture with respective subscribed capital amounting to RMB850 million. It is noteworthy that the business scope of the joint venture is to cover the car rental service, electricity supply, the installation, maintenance and operation of charging piles, ride-hailing service, cargo transport and passenger ferry. Geely Technology Group and Daimler Mobility Services claimed as early as last October that they would co-build a 50/50 joint venture headquartered in Hangzhou to provide premium ride-hailing services. Then on March 28 this year, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and Daimler AG announced the formation of a 50/50 globally focused joint venture to operate and further develop Smart brand as a leader in premium-electrified vehicles. The Weixing Technology is what the joint venture is dubbed. In accordance with Geelys official introduction, Geely Technology Group, previously known as Geely Group Limited, focuses on the strategic investment of clean energy, innovative technology and creative business models in the automobile ecosystem. The Group is aiming to become the leading investor and operating entity of MaaS (mobility as a service) ecosystem in China. Daimler Mobility Services GmbH is the financial holding company for Daimler mobility services including car2go, moovel and Ride4Hire, said Daimler AG. Baleno is the only premium hatchback that registered a positive MoM growth. Elite i20s MoM demand went down by more than 14 per cent. WR-Vs market share drops to a little over 5 per cent now. Polos negative MoM growth saw its market share fall below 3 per cent. Jazz saw its YoY market share drop by almost 4 per cent. The premium hatchback segment saw a MoM drop in demand by 10 per cent. Barring the segment leader Baleno, all cars in this segment experienced a drop in sales. Maruti Suzuki launched the Baleno facelift earlier this year and recently introduced BS6 petrol engines on the hatchback that saw its prices going upwards. Despite the unfavourable circumstances, it is impressive that the Balenos demand has not dropped. We present you a more detailed analysis of each and every car in the segment, but before that have a look at the table below to find out the sales numbers of individual models in April 2019. April 2019 March 2019 MoM Growth Market share current(%) Market share (% last year) YoY mkt share (%) Average sales (6 months) Maruti Suzuki Baleno 17355 17264 0.52 56.04 42.2 13.84 16743 Hyundai Elite i20 10411 12172 -14.46 33.62 34.58 -0.96 11582 Honda WR-V 1604 2552 -37.14 5.18 11.45 -6.27 2623 Volkswagen Polo 798 1342 -40.53 2.57 5.33 -2.76 1360 Honda Jazz 796 1078 -26.15 2.57 6.42 -3.85 1200 Total 30964 34408 -10 33508 Balenos position at the top under no threat: Marutis premium hatchback has cemented its spot at the top of the charts and it doesnt look like it will give it up anytime soon. March and April sales figures indicate that the Baleno has been doing better than its average monthly sales over the last six months. Elite i20 the other big player in the segment: When a car as popular as the Baleno exists in a segment, rivals usually succumb under pressure. The exception to the rule, however, is the Elite i20. Hyundais premium hatchback continues to do well and has the second position locked down for itself. April did see its volume sales go down by more than 14 per cent but Hyundai still managed a market share of 33.62 per cent. WR-Vs demand decreases compared to last six months: While this is a crossover and not a proper hatchback, it still sells in the same price bracket as other cars on the list. Its demand has reduced by more than 37 per cent compared to March. The scenario remains the same when you compare its April numbers to the average monthly sales over the last six months. It still managed to get itself a little more than 5 per cent of the market share in the month of April. Polos demand plummets: VW has been selling more than 1300 units of the Polo on an average every month, when you look at the data from the last six months. April however saw the demand for the Volkswagen hatchback go down a little under 800 units, meaning it lost out on more than 40 per cent of its volume sales when you compare it with the figures from March. Localisation of the MQB A0 platform in India raises our hope of getting the new Polo in India, but it is unlikely to come before 2022. Jazz is the bottom feeder on the list: The Jazz is not far behind the Polo as Honda only shipped two units less in comparison. Over the last six months, however, the average monthly sales gap between the two is more than 150 units. The fourth-gen Jazz is on the way to its world premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show in October this year and it will feature hybrid tech from day one this time around. Honda is yet to officially confirm its plans to launch the new Jazz in India. Also Read: Buy Or Hold: Wait For Toyota Glanza Or Go For Rivals? Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho. In total, close to 500 SME companies have got listed on BSE and NSE since the market regulator came out with detailed listing guidelines for SMEs in May 2010. Mumbai: The BSE SME Exchange platform is close to hosting 300 small and medium enterprises on its SME platform, with the 298th company, Evans Electric, getting listed on Monday. In total, close to 500 SME companies have got listed on BSE and NSE since the market regulator came out with detailed listing guidelines for SMEs in May 2010. The NSE's Emerge platform for listing SME companies has 198 companies listed on it since 2012 when SMEs started getting listed on bourses. Evans Electric, a Maharashtra-based company engaged in the repairing, re-winding and re-designing, including inhouse manufacturing, of replacement components of electric motors, generators and transformers. SME platform helps small and medium enterprises to tap the larger world of finance by raising equity capital for their growth and expansion. After listing on the SME Exchange platform, 61 companies have now migrated to the main board of BSE. Adding NSE-listed SME's migrations, , in total 71 companies have moved to the main board post-listing. Any company on the BSE SME Platform having a paid-up capital of more than Rs 10 crore can apply to move to the main board after two years of listing. The 298 companies listed on BSE SME Platform have raised Rs 3,073.03 crores from the market and total market capitalization of 298 companies as on May 13, 2019 is Rs 17,929.16 crore. "Primary Capital market is again picking up pace. We are witnessing quality companies getting public. We are having very handsome pipeline of growth businesses and aim to introduce them to capital markets in near future," said Mahavir Lunawat, Group Managing Director, Pantomath Advisory Services Group. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, the son of late Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, hit back at Union Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks claiming that the former CM was only concerned about getting his son a role in a film during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008. In a statement on Twitter, without naming Goyal, the 40-year-old actor said that his father "never spoke to a director or producer to cast me in a film." He also said that the minister had every right to "question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself." He began his tweet by saying, "Honourable Minister, It is true that I had visited the Taj/Oberoi Hotel but untrue that I was there while the 'Shooting and Bombing' was happening as you claimed." He continued, "It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film. He never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast me in film & I take pride in that." "You have every right to question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself. A bit late, 7 yrs ago - He would have replied to you. My best wishes with your campaign Sir. Love and Regards, Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh," he concluded his post. Goyal on Sunday referring to 26/11 Mumbai attacks had said that the late Maharashtra CM was only concerned about getting his child a film role even as the city was under attacks. "I am from Mumbai. You might remember the 26/11 terror attack. The then Congress government was weak and could not do anything. The then Chief Minister (Vilasrao Deshmukh) had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel while shooting and bombing was going on inside. CM was concerned about getting his child a film role," Goyal had said while addressing the business community on Sunday. The minister also termed the erstwhile UPA government led by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as a "coward government" for failing to respond to 26/11 attacks that shook Mumbai in 2008. "Our Armed Forces were capable then too but the decision was to be taken by the leadership. The security forces kept hoping that they would be allowed to give a befitting reply but they were not allowed to take action. That was a coward government," the Union Minister added. BJP has made national security a poll plank in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls with its leaders referring to surgical strikes post-Uri and air-strike in Pakistan's Balakot as an example of the party's "zero-tolerance" policy on terrorism. Mumbai: American actor-comedian Aziz Ansari is set to visit India with his international tour 'Road To Nowhere'. The 36-year-old "Master of None" star, who is known for his funny take on everyday situations and commentary on the society, will be performing two comedy gigs in Mumbai (May 24 and 25) and one in Delhi (May 26). Ansari is scheduled to perform at National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, while in Delhi his comedy show will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN). Audiences can book tickets on BookmyShow. A Hungarian movie that was shot in namma Tamil Nadu Lend me your eyes, Baltazars also contains some Tamil dialogues. The 2017 release won the best directors prize in the documentary film category at the Jaipur International Film Festival in 2018. With support from the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade the film has recently been dubbed in Tamil and Hindi. The spiritual depth of the people of TN is brought out to the Hungarian public as seen through the eyes of mentally challenged artistes of the Hungarian theatre. The film is focused on helping the children who are devastated by down syndrome. According to a recently published WHO study, one in four people in the world are affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Mental disorder is among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide. In India at least 13.7 % of the population suffers from various mental disorders (National Mental Health Survey). Nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional. Stigma, discrimination and neglect prevent care and treatment from reaching people with mental disorders. The documentary depicts the journey through the state and to Vaiteeswaran Koil that lets us see faith through the filter of art and monitors how the mentally challenged artistes of the Hungarian theatre embrace the spirituality of India and how this belief created a very strong spiritual bond linking them to Tamil Nadu. Diretor Dora Elek of the award winning documentary and founder of Baltazar Theatre Company mentioned that in the course of its 21-year long history, the company has travelled a long way both in terms of the artistic level of their performances as well as in setting a highly successful example of how art is able to address some fundamental issues of social integration of people with special needs. She had been planning to visit India for a long time, especially south India for getting in touch with the local culture. The theatre is one amongst a few artistic companies in the international scene that employs and focuses on people with mental disabilities, and their artistic level currently is second to none. The concept behind the documentary falls in background story of the theatre Baltazar Theatre, founded in January 1998 in Budapest whose members are actors and actresses living with mental disability (down syndrome) trying to break new ground by putting the disabilities in the background emphasising their talent. They aim to create conditions for disabled people to express their talent and to ensure that social judgement on mentally disabled people changes. Ever since the company was founded, the actors had a dream of travelling to India and it came true in January 2015. The spirituality to be found here is their main source of inspiration. On the screening of the film in city, Consul General of Hungary in Mumbai Ferenc Jari pointed out that the ministry was pleased to support the Hindi and Tamil language dubbing of the documentary. "Through this film a unique cultural and social bridge has been established between Hungary and India, enriching the already diversified scope of interactions between governments, companies, institutions and citizens of the two countries. We should explore ways and means of exchanging best practices and supporting each other to be able to address better the issues of mental disability and mental health in our societies. This film can serve as an important stepping stone in this endeavour." A bit like Venice after the acqua alta (the rise of the waters)was the source of inspiration for the French artist. (Photo: AFP) Paris: The liquid and sprawling universe of the French artist Laure Prouvost, between realism and imagination, apocalyptic and aesthetic visions, is one of the highlights of the 2019 edition of the Biennial of Contemporary Art in Venice, which was open this weekend. Placed under the theme "May you live in interesting times", this 58th edition of one of the major international events of contemporary art this year gives pride of place to women. The visual adventure proposed by Laure Prouvost, 41, is a journey between installations, videos and performances, all along a journey where water, as in the surrounding lagoon, is omnipresent. To achieve this, you must first cross a small side door of the French pavilion, whose facade is intact since its creation in 1912. Born in Lille but trained in Britain, the French artist offers a multi-disciplinary work full of imagination under the enigmatic title "See this deep blue melting". After having climbed the steps that lead to the second floor of the pavilion, the visitor walks through what seems to be a sea that has withdrawn, leaving behind octopuses, remnants of mobile phones, eggshells, bags plastic, dead jellyfish and wandering pigeons alive. A bit like Venice after the acqua alta (the rise of the waters), source of inspiration for the French artist. Prix Turner in 2013, Laure Prouvost, does not stop there and returns on his journey from Cross in the north of France to Venice, in a film where characters of all ages, ethnic origins or professions are told. In a third room, two actors dance, wrap themselves in transparent canvases, interact with the audience and with the blue reflections of a glass lamp from Venice. So many spaces that allow him to mix imagination with reality, to play with different languages and characters but also with the public. "It's a work you have to live in. It's direct, physical," she said in an interview with AFP. "It's a journey in the unconscious, but also physical, which evokes where we come from but also where we go," adds. Internationally recognised, the artist has already produced major exhibitions in Miami, Los Angeles, Istanbul, Lucerne, Milan, Beijing, New York and Munich. In June, Laure Prouvost is expected in Paris at the Palais de Tokyo, which will host it for an exhibition entitled: "Ring, Sing and Drink for Trespassing". Victims feel more and more comfortable and legitimate to speak in the public debate. (Photo: AFP) Paris: A dark year "and" a sad record ": physical assaults against LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans) reached a level unmatched in 2018, a sign of homophobia" more and more violent "according to the report annual SOS Homophobia unveiled recently. With 231 recorded physical assaults, "2018 was a dark year for LGBT people," write Veronique Godet and Joel Deumier, co-chairs of SOS Homophobie, in the preamble of the report, which deplores a "sad record". The precedent was in 2013 - 188 cases - marked by a spike in homophobic acts related to the adoption of the law authorising marriage and adoption to same-sex couples. "This shows that we face a homophobia and transphobia more and more violent," notes Joel Deumier. Sometimes until death, with the murder in August of Vanesa Campos, a transgender sex worker shot dead in the Bois de Boulogne. The year 2018, which recorded a 66% jump in LGBT phobic physical attacks compared to 2017, owes its poor results in its last quarter, during which one case of aggression per day on average was reported to SOS Homophobie. In the autumn, several victims had created the excitement by relaying on their social networks their swollen faces. "Victims feel more and more comfortable and legitimate to speak in the public debate," rejoices Joel Deumier. On 21 October, a crowd of 3,000 people gathered in Paris at the call of several associations after this series of homophobic attacks in the capital. In response, the State Secretary in charge of the fight against discrimination, Marlene Schiappa, presented at the end of November a plan to fight against LGBT violence. "Of the ten measures announced, only two have been implemented: a circular from the Minister of Justice Nicole Belloubet addressed to the prosecutor's office and an awareness campaign to the school launched in January.For us, it is largely insufficient ", points Joel Deumier. He expects a "first quantified assessment" of the number of police, gendarmes, magistrates and teachers trained in LGBT violence. Asked by AFP, Ms Schiappa's office did not respond. A 52-year-old businessman was stabbed to death allegedly for objecting to lewd comments made by some boys on his daughter in West Delhi's Moti Nagar area, police said on Monday. (Photo: Twitter/ANI) New Delhi: The daughter of the businessman, who was stabbed to death for protesting against lewd remarks against her confirmed on Tuesday that a fight broke out between her father and the boy which led to his death. "My father and I were returning from hospital and when a boy made lewd gestures, my father went back to complain to boy's family. Later, a fight broke out and my father was stabbed," she said. A 52-year-old businessman was stabbed to death allegedly for objecting to lewd comments made by some boys on his daughter in West Delhi's Moti Nagar area, police said on Monday. The man's family members also alleged that locals filmed the incident but did not come to help. The man's 19-year-old son was also injured in the incident that took place in the early hours of Sunday, they said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Monika Bhardwaj said a case has been filed and two persons a 20-year-old man and his 45-year-old father have been arrested. Two other sons of the 45-year-old man, who are juveniles, have also been apprehended in connection with the incident, she added. The boys allegedly made indecent gestures and passed lewd comments on the businessman's 27-year-old daughter when they were returning home on a two-wheeler from a hospital, police said. The man had taken his daughter to a hospital after she complained of severe headache, they added. The businessman dropped his daughter home and then went to complain to the boys' father about their behaviour. His daughter told her brother and mother about the incident, claimed a family member of the businessman, who did not want to be named. When the man reached there, an argument broke out over the issue between him and the boys, and in the midst of it his son arrived, he said. "The verbal abuse led to heated arguments. My cousin arrived to control the situation. However, they started thrashing him and my uncle, who also tried to defend themselves. No one was carrying any weapon at that point of time," the family member said. When the situation went out of control, the boys fled the spot, he said. "My cousin chased the accused, and later when he returned to the spot, he could not find his father. Then he ran towards the house of the accused, where he found his father lying on the staircase with stab injuries. He tried to shield his father from the attackers and in the process, he also sustained stab injuries," he added. The man was attacked and stabbed multiple times, the family member alleged. When the father-son duo did not return, the family members rushed to the house of the accused. Hearing the commotion, some people came out of their houses, but none intervened, a family member said, adding that they were recording videos of the incident on their mobile phones instead. Police said the businessman died because of his injuries on Monday morning, while his son is critical. The family member who did not wish to be named added that the man received multiple injuries in his abdomen and stomach. The family of the dead man claimed that one of the accused boys was recently released from jail. The body was handed over to the family after the autopsy and a report is awaited, police said. All four accused in the incident have been arrested, said police. The shocking incident came two weeks after the deceased intervened to stop a child marriage in his Ayanavaram locality. (Photo: Representational) Chennai: Weeks after stopping child marriage, Chennai man hacked to death in public view. On the fateful night of Sunday, 45-year-old auto driver Jebaseelan was murdered in front of his family members by an armed gang. His wife, who protested the attack, was severely injured, The New Indian Express reported. The shocking incident came two weeks after the deceased intervened to stop a child marriage in his Ayanavaram locality, hence giving rise to speculation that 'revenge' could be the motive. On the auspicious day of his daughter's wedding reception, Jebaseelan was attacked by the armed gang on his way to the event, just a few metres away from his home. Relatives and other guests were the silent spectators of the murder, the police said. On April 17, the Jebaseelan saw a poster of the wedding of a 16-year-old girl and informed the police about it. He later accompanied the cops to stop the wedding. Two days ago, Jebaseelans daughter got married in Tirupati. The reception was scheduled to happen on Sunday evening, said a police officer. He was remanded after being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Manjeri. (Representational Image) Thiruvananthapuram: A 47-year-old man was arrested by Kerala police on Monday for expressing his support to terror groups like ISIS and Jaish-e-Mohammed in a Facebook post, reported News 18. The man has been identified as Askar, a native of Anakkayam. He was charged for encouraging communal disharmony and hatred. The investigation found that he has been propagating messages of communal discord through his social media post. Several of his posts were in support of various terror groups. He was remanded after being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Manjeri. Earlier, Haasan had stoked a controversy by saying free Indias first 'extremist was a Hindu' -- Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Makkal Needhi Maiyam founder Kamal Haasans tongue should be cut off for saying that free Indias first extremist was a Hindu, Tamil Nadu Minister K T Rajenthra Bhalaji said Monday. Bhalaji, a senior AIADMK leader, also sought a ban on MNM for sowing violence and demanded that the Election Commission of India act against Haasan. His tongue should be cut of..he has said (free Indias first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian, the State Minister for Milk and Dairy Development told reporters here and accused Haasan of acting to garner minority votes. He is acting and making such remarks to garner minority votes..., he said. Bhalaji, known for his outspoken remarks on various issues, charged the actor-politician with spewing venom, and accused the latter of making such comments to satisfy someone. Why are you spewing venom. Every word (Haasan utters) is venom. Haasans party which is sowing violence should be banned and the Election Commission should act against him, he said. Earlier, Haasan had stoked a controversy by saying free Indias first extremist was a Hindu -- Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. His remarks drew condemnation from the BJP which accused him of indulging in divisive politics but found the backing of the Congress and Dravidar Kazhagam. Addressing an election campaign in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi Sunday night, Haasan had said he was one of those proud Indians who desires an India of equality and where the three colours in the tricolour, an obvious reference to different faiths, remained intact. I am not saying this because this is a Muslim dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free Indias first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts, he had said. Aravakurichi is one of the four Assembly constituencies where bypolls are scheduled on May 19. MNM has fielded S Mohanraj from this segment. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Mumbai: Have you missed any news today? Here are the top national, international headlines of the day. Violence at Shah rally: In Kolkata on Tuesday when BJP president Amit Shah held a roadshow taking the battle against arch-rival TMC to Mamata Banerjee, an unprecedented chaos erupted between BJP supporters and students of Calcutta University, threw stones and bottles. Read: Clash breakes out at Shah's Kolkata rally, stones hurled, vehicle burnt Priyanka Gandhi on RSS: Priyanka while addressing a polly rally on Tuesday said when the entire Punjab was fighting for country's independence, RSS people were doing 'chamchagiri' (flattery) of Britishers. They never fought in the independence movement," she said. Read: RSS never fought for nation, only did 'chamchagiri' of Britishers: Priyanka DMK-BJP alliance?: Tamil Nadus BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan said her party was in contact with the DMK. They are talking through somebody and establishing contact. BJP is all set to win, all poll predictions point to BJP's victory, wherever you go BJP is winning, she added. Read: We will win, we are talking to DMK: Tamil Nadu BJP president 'Neech aadmi' jibe: After the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) asked Congress to respond on Mani Shanker Aiyar's "neech aadmi" comment, the party leader denied to give any further clarification. Read: 'Main ullu nahi hoon': Mani Shankar stands by 'neech aadmi' jibe for PM Iran FM meets Sushma Swaraj: Things are tricky for India, with Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif flying to India on Monday for a scheduled meeting with Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Zarif is hoping India would rally behind Iran and throw its weight in what characteristically looks like a no holds barred conflict with the US. Read: Amid US pressure, Tehran sends Foreign Minister to India for talks Sri Lanka Easter Bombing: Four sources in Sri Lankan investigating agencies said they believed Aadhil Ameez, a 24-year-old, was the link between two groups that carried out the attacks on churches and hotels that killed more than 250 people and wounded hundreds more. Read: Sri Lankan engineer, under Indian surveillance, key in Easter attack 'Beti darao , balatkari bachao': Congress hit out at BJP on Tuesday over the Hapur gang-rape incident, claiming that rather than the slogan 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' which was coined by the Narendra Modi government, the ideology of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is that of 'beti darao, balatkari bachao' (scare the girl child and save the rapist). Read: 'Beti Darao, Balatkari Bachao,' Congress hits out at BJP AAP's dig at Modi: "BJP is contesting in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while Modi Ji is contesting using the name of Pakistan," Sisodia said during a press conference here. Read: BJP campaigns on Modi's name, Modi on Pakistan's, says AAP Inspiration to all: Age is just a number and Tao Porchon-Lynch proves it well. Tao, a 100-year-old, is an India-born American citizen who has no plans of stopping practising and teaching yoga. Read: The dance of life at 100 Mayawati slams PM Modi: Prime Minister Modi governments ship is sinking, even the RSS has stopped supporting them. In view of unfulfilled election promises and the public agitation, their swayamsevaks are not being seen putting in the work, it has made Shri Modi nervous, the BSP chief tweeted. Read: Modi govts ship sinking, RSS stopped supporting them: Mayawati slams PM Mamata's meme row: The Supreme Court Tuesday granted conditional bail to a BJP activist arrested for allegedly posting a morphed image of Mamata Banerjee on social media and asked her to apologise, while observing that freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights. Read: Say sorry for morphed Mamata photo, SC tells Bengal BJP leader, gives bail 'He did not come to form alliances. He came to Tamil Nadu to offer prayers in various temples and on that basis, sought an appointment with me for a courtesy call. That is all,' he told reporters here. (Photo: File) Chennai: DMK President MK Stalin Tuesday said he saw no chances for a non-BJP, non-Congress "third front" post Lok Sabha polls, but a decision could be taken only after May 23, the counting day. Stalin's remarks come a day after TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao, who has been pushing for a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties, called on the DMK chief here. Stalin, also Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, said Rao had not visited the state for forging alliances. "He did not come to form alliances. He came to Tamil Nadu to offer prayers in various temples and on that basis, sought an appointment with me for a courtesy call. That is all," he told reporters here. Rao had earlier visited the Sri Ranganatha Temple at Srirangam before meeting Stalin. Asked about the possibility of a "third front" sans BJP and Congress, the DMK leader said, "It doesn't seem to me that there is a chance for that." "However, that will be decided only after counting on May 23," he added. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Sharma's plea was mentioned before the bench for an urgent hearing on Monday. However, the bench had agreed to hear it on Tuesday. (Photo: Facebook) New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday granted conditional bail to a BJP activist arrested for allegedly posting a morphed image of Mamata Banerjee on social media and asked her to apologise, while observing that freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights. During the hearing, the bench observed that though freedom of speech is non-negotiable but "your freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights". The bench observed that since Sharma is a member of a political party, the insinuation of posting such a picture will be different from those shared by common people. Priyanka Sharma was arrested on May 10. "Subject to Priyanka Sharma tendering an apology in writing for putting up an objectionable picture on Facebook account, she shall be immediately released," a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said in its order. The court also issued notice to West Bengal police over the way the 25-year-old was taken into custody. Sharma's plea was mentioned before the bench for an urgent hearing on Monday. However, the bench had agreed to hear it on Tuesday. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Sharma, had on Monday submitted that due to an ongoing strike by lawyers in West Bengal, there was no legal remedy available to her in the state and therefore he had to approach the apex court. Sharma, convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing in Howrah, had on May 9 posted a picture of actor Priyanka Chopra at the recent Metropolitan Museum Gala in New York with Banerjee's face allegedly superimposed on the actor's. Read: Bengal BJP leader held for pasting Mamata face on Priyanka Chopra's MET Gala look Earlier, Sharma's family members had alleged that she was arrested at the ruling TMC's behest as she worked for BJP. Her mother told ANI on Sunday, "My daughter was arrested because she used to work for BJP. This is all part of a bigger plot. This is the first time she is far away from us. Had she been a TMC worker, nothing bad would have happened to her, This has been done at the behest of TMC. The fact that she is in jail has increased our worries." #WATCH Family of BJP youth wing worker Priyanka Sharma who has been granted conditional bail by SC celebrates the decision. Priyanka Sharma was arrested for posting an objectionable picture of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on social media. pic.twitter.com/vH9zil0KaJ ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 Sharma's arrest led to strong condemnation by BJP leaders, who alleged that TMC was indulging in politics of "hate and violence" and that an "Emergency-like situation' prevailed in the state. On Sunday, BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Sharma's family members and said that the current situation in the state is reminiscent of 'Emergency'. Also Read: Emergency-like situation in WB: Himanta Sarma on BJP worker Priyanka's arrest On Monday, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma denounced the West Bengal government for the arrest of the BJP activist and said that such politics is neither good for the country nor the state. "In West Bengal, such things have been going on for long. Even (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji is called 'chor,' liar, expired and all that, but we did not take any action against anyone. This is because we believe that in politics there must be open debate and discussion. The opposition has an important role. But in West Bengal, they (TMC) are threatening our workers and indulging in politics of hate and violence. This is neither good for the country, nor the state," he told ANI. Priyanka Sharma has been charged under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (defamation), sections 66A (offensive messages) and the non-bailable 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act. She was sent to 14 days judicial custody after being produced at a court in Howrah on May 10. Lockheed, which has a longstanding relationship of 25 years in India, unveiled the F-21 during the Aero India show in Bengaluru in February, saying it will address the Indian Air Forces unique requirements. (Representational Image) New Delhi: US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin says it will not sell its newly rolled out F-21 fighter jet to any other country if India places an order for 114 planes, in an offer aimed at pitching itself ahead of its US, European and Russian competitors for the mega deal. Vivek Lall, vice president of Strategy and Business Development for Lockheed Martin, says if F-21 wins the contract, then India will be integrated into the companys global fighter ecosystem, which is a USD 165 billion dollar market. In an interview to PTI, Lall said the new combat jet is designed to operate across over 60 air force stations in India, and its key aspects include superior engine matrix, electronic warfare system and weapons carrying capacity. We will not sell this platform and the configuration to anyone in the world. It is a significant commitment by Lockheed Martin and it shows importance of India and importance of unique requirement India has, he said. Last month, the Indian Air Force issued an RFI (Request for Information) or initial tender to acquire 114 jets at a cost of around USD 18 billion, which is billed as one of the worlds biggest military procurement in recent years. The top contenders for the deal include Lockheeds F-21, Boeings F/A-18, Dassault Aviations Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian aircraft Mig 35 and Saabs Gripen. Official sources said the IAF is pushing for finalising the mega deal in the wake of the Balakot strikes and evolving security scenario in the region. Lall said if Lockheed wins the contract, it will not only set up a state-of-the-art F-21 manufacturing facility along with the Tata Group, but will also help India create an ecosystem for overall growth of the countrys defence manufacturing. On observation that the F-21 is similar to Lockheeds F 16 Block 70 combat jet, he said such a view is unfair as there have been significantly differences between the two platforms. F-21 is different in terms of various aspects including its air frame, weapons capability, engine matrix and availability of engine options. As for example, you are now looking at 12,000 hours of service life air frame in F-21 versus 8,000 hours previously (F 16 Block 70). The additional 40 per cent weapons carrying capability is new in F-21 which was not there in F 16 Block 70. The electronic warfare system is uniquely developed for India, he added. Looking from a distance may make it look similar to F 16 Block 70, but it is different, he added. Besides having a traditional boom-delivered refueling facility, the F 21 also has an extendable hose-and-drogue refuelling probe. This is the only fighter in the world which has both the capability, said Lall, adding the cockpit has a new large area display. It is a modern cockpit and has a significant piece of ability to synthesise information. These are unique capabilities that we are not offering to other countries in the world, said the Lockheed executive. The jet has a Long-Range Infrared Search and Track (IRST), enabling pilots to detect threats with precision and Triple Missile Launcher Adapters (TMLAs) allowing it to carry 40 per cent more air-to-air weapons. Without giving any approximate price of each bare-bone aircraft, he pitched it as the most cost effective compared to the competitors in terms of life-cycle and operational costs. If you look at the US government data, the advantage is 30-40 per cent in terms of cost effectiveness. This is lower compared to the competitors. If you aggregate with years and years of operations in the life cycle, it is a huge amount of saving for India if it goes ahead with F-21, said Lall. Lockheed, which has a longstanding relationship of 25 years in India, unveiled the F-21 during the Aero India show in Bengaluru in February, saying it will address the Indian Air Forces unique requirements. In sync with its priority for India, Lockheed, in September last year, finalised a joint venture with the Tata Advanced Systems to produce F-16 wings in India for export. As we continue to expand our footprint, we are talking to more than 190 companies in India. The idea is to partner with India across a wide variety of interests, said Lall. He said the number of family members of the F 21 aircraft is around the world 3,000 (F 16), and if Lockheed wins the contract, then India will be linked to an ecosystem which is a 165 billion dollar market. This is worlds largest fighter ecosystem. India will be integrated into the 165 billion dollar market which is unparalleled, said Lall. The Indo-US defence ties are on an upswing and both New Delhi and Washington have said they are committed to expanding it further. In June 2016, the US had designated India a Major Defence Partner elevating the defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday told visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif that India would take a decision on continuing oil imports from Iran "after the elections keeping in mind our commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests", Government sources said on Tuesday. On the issue of oil imports, it may be recalled that India has been in the process of completely stopping its oil imports from Iran to escape US sanctions. However, the new government that is expected to be in place within the next three weeks in New Delhi is expected to take a final decision on the matter. Iranian foreign minister Zarif had made a brief visit to New Delhi on Tuesday to hold talks with Ms Swaraj. The ministry of external affairs meanwhile only issued a brief statement, saying Ms Swaraj and Mr Zarif held constructive discussions on all bilateral issues of mutual interest and that there was a good exchange of views on the evolving regional situation, including Afghanistan. The Indo-Iranian strategic cooperation on the Chabahar port was also discussed, with government sources saying both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of the interim contract on the Chabahar Port. New Delhi has been worried over the impact that American policy against Iran will have on the Indo-Iranian strategic partnership for the development of Chabahar port in Iran that gives New Delhi crucial sea-land connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. It may be recalled that the United States had earlier given six-month waivers to eight countries including India, China, Japan and South Korea for exemption from the November 4 deadline last year of stopping Iranian oil imports completely. India relies heavily on foreign oil imports to meet its energy demands. Kolkata: Bengali polymath Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagars statue was vandalised during two rounds of violent clashes, including arson, between Trinamul and BJP supporters, marring BJP president Amit Shahs mega roadshow in central Kolkata on Tuesday evening. The area turned into a war zone instantly with both sides engaged in a street-fight. The second round of clash unfolded at around 6.45 pm when the roadshow was near Vidyasagar College (New Campus) at 17 Bidhan Sarani in Amherst Street area. Violence erupted after stones were pelted on the procession allegedly by Trinamul supporters from the college campus. In retaliation, BJP workers torched two motorbikes and a cycle. Storming the college with sticks and rods, they went on the rampage and triggered arson. Shards of broken glass littered the lobby of the college where a bust of Vidyasagar, a noted philosopher and a key figure of Bengal Renaissance, was smashed to smithreens. Lambasting Mr Shah, Ms Banerjee said, Each vote against the BJP will be revenge for attack on Vidyasagars statue. Mr Shah brought people from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in his rally. The BJP workers broke Vidyasagars statue to pieces. Such a shameful incident never happened in Kolkata earlier, not even during the Naxalites time. It will take a second to take over the BJP office if we want. Calling Mr Shah a goonda, she earlier told a rally in Behala in the city, If you lay your hands on Vidyasagar, what will I call you other than a goonda. She also asked if Amit Shah was a God that no one can protest against him. What does Amit Shah think of himself? Is he above everything? Is he God that no one can protest against him? Ms Banerjee told reporters after visiting the Vidyasagar College in north Kolkata. They are so uncultured that they have broken the bust of Vidyasagar. They are all outsiders. They BJP had brought them to be used on the day of polls, she said. Countering the TMC chief, Mr Shah said, There was an attempt by TMC hooligans to attack me. Mamata Banerjee tried to provoke violence. But I am safe. The BJP president said, I appeal to the people of Bengal to give their reply to violence through their votes peacefully in the last phase of the election. Defeating the Trinamul is necessary to end violence in Bengal forever. In a rare charge of bias against the EC, the BJP president said, History-sheeters are arrested across the country but in Bengal the EC has turned a blind eye to the Trinamul. If the EC has to maintain its establishment, it has to order the arrest of the goons roaming freely. The Trinamul alleged that the BJP brought outsiders for his road show in Kolkata who were responsible for the violence. She alleged that the BJP is transporting money in CRPF vehicles for distribution among people of the state. Before the clashing mobs took over the streets of central Kolkata, Mr Shah led a saffron surge in parts of the city as chants of Jai Shri Ram, Jai Jai Shri Ram alternated with frenzied chorus of Modi, Modi. Clad in a kurta-pyjama ensemble and a pink Modi jacket to boot, Mr Shah smiled broadly from atop an open roof vehicle, waving at people and thrusting a clenched fist into the air while a massive crowd followed him in the BJPs show of strength five days before the final phase of general election. Bhopal: AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra won over fans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Indore on Monday evening by casting a spell of her charisma on them. A video showing Ms Vadra stopping her car on her way from the Indore airport to the city to shake hands with a group of people shouting Modi, Modi and wishing them the best with a smile on Tuesday went viral in social media. Aap apni jagah, main meri jagah (You are on your ground, I am on my ground). All the best, she told them smilingly leaving them amused. Aap ko bhi Best of luck (We too wish you the best), some of them who could not resist reciprocating her gesture, replied to greet her as she was turning back to her car. Ms Gandhi later staged a roadshow in Indore electrifying the atmosphere in the city, which is known to remain awake round-the-clock. She was greeted with slogans like Desh ki aandhi, Priyanka Gandhi by Congress supporters all through the route of her 4-km-road show. She was showered with flower petals at many places by locals during her roadshow. Wearing a red sari and sporting sandalwood tilak on her forehead, Ms Gandhi was seen gracefully waving at cheering onlookers. Hyderabad: The monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on June 4, three days behind schedule. It will hit Telangana state four to six days late, according to Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency. Skymet said the onset date for Andhra Pradesh was not clear because of its proximity to the Bay of Bengal where many weather systems could change frequently. The agency said there would not be heavy rains during the onset unlike every year, which is an usual phenomenon. Scanty rains would prevail in the first half of June and pick up later. Heavy rain is expected in July everywhere, including in Telangana state. The Indian Meteorological Department is expected to release its forecast on Thursday. Last month, the IMD had predicted a near normal monsoon. Skymet CEO Jatin Singh said the monsoon would arrive over the Andamans on May 22, with an error margin of plus or minus 2 days. The initial advancement of the monsoon over peninsular India is going to be slow. According to Skymet, there are 55 per cent chances of a below normal rainfall, which could experience the effect of El Nino, a phenomenon linked to the heating of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean. It said the monsoon would be below normal in the country with a Long Period Average (LPA) of 93 per cent and an error margin of five per cent. Central India is likely to receive 91 per cent rainfall of the long period average (LPA, the average of the last 50 years). Rainfall in Vidarbha, Marathwada, west Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat will be poorer than normal. Therefore, the regions of Telangana state which are adjacent to Marathwada and Vidarbha, like Nizamabad would receive slightly below normal rainfall. Bhopal/Neemuch/Bathinda(Pb): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday made reference to recent interviews given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the media while raining jibes at him. Addressing an election meeting at district headquarters of Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Gandhi recounted comments made by the Prime Minister on different subjects in his interviews, one by one, to take a dig at him. He took a swipe at the PM for his remarks that clouds had helped Indian Air Force fighter jets evade Pakistani radar during the attack on terror camps in Balakot, quipping, Clouds, rains, and storms help aircraft evade radar. Kamal hai! Mr Gandhi also cited Bollywood star Akshay Kumars interview of the Prime Minister, where the latter expressed his fondness for mangoes, and said, Mr Modi taught us how to peel mangoes and eat them. But, he did not say why there is joblessness in the country. Mr Gandhi lamented that Mr Modi had hurled abuses at his late father Rajiv Gandhi and said, I will rather prefer death to talking ill of Mr Modis parents, because I am a Congress man. He said the Congress would defeat Modi with love. Modi ji talks with hatred. He insulted my father, grandmother, great grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about his family, his mother and father. I will die, but will never insult Modiji's mother and father. The more you hurl abuses, the more I will shower love on you, he declared.The leader also highlighted steps taken by the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh to uplift farmers. This is because I am not a RSS or BJP man, but belong to the Congress. I will return him love if hatred is thrown at me...We will defeat Modi ji with love, hugging you, he said. Our government in MP waived the loans of farmers whereas the previous BJP government in the state opened fire on peasants, he said recalling the June 2017 incident where police officers fired on agitating farmers in Mandsaur in MP, killing six demonstrators. Perhaps his own radar should be on his promises, she said while taking a jibe at Modi and reminding him about his unkept promises of putting Rs 15 lakh into bank accounts, doubling farmers income and 2 crore jobs. The duo decided to take the extreme step after receiving frequent calls from the bank through the day to repay the loan or face attachment proceedings. Thiruvananthapuram: The tragic death of a woman and her daughter who set themselves ablaze on Tuesday after a nationalised bank repeatedly threatened to go ahead with attachment proceedings for housing loan default has triggered widespread condemnation across the state. Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac sought an explanation from the Canara Bank in connection with the gruesome incident. Lekha, 40, and her daughter Vaishnavi, 19, a BBA student, set themselves on fire after pouring kerosene on them when they were alone in their house near Marayamuttom. The duo decided to take the extreme step after receiving frequent calls from the bank through the day to repay the loan or face attachment proceedings. While Vaishnavi died on the way to hospital, Lekha succumbed to her injuries later in the evening. The police has ordered a probe into the incident. n From Page 1 Thiruvananthapuram: ...The Vellarda CI will investigate the case under the supervision of Neyyattinkara DySP. Colletor K. Vasuki has submitted a preliminary report in which she has confirmed the allegations of harassment levelled by the family against the bank. The case pertains to a housing loan of `5 lakh taken by Lekhas husband Rudran Chandran from the Neyyattinkara branch of the Canara Bank in 2005. As he was away in the Gulf, it was his wife who was dealing with the bank. Chandran, a carpenter by profession, lost his job in the Gulf which landed his family in severe debt. Down with physical ailments, he was forced to take up unskilled jobs. We paid back `8 lakh. The bank was insisting on repaying the remaining `6.80 lakh. We were expecting a buyer to purchase the land and house for `24 lakh. Last week a clear assurance was given to the bank officials that Rs 5 lakh would be repaid once the transaction takes place. Even the buyer had spoken to the bank officials assuring that he would hand over the money directly to them, he said. But with the man who promised to purchase the land backing out, the bank officials started making threatening calls on his wifes phone. The woman and her daughter were panicked over this forcing them to end their lives. Isaac slams Canara Bank Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said the Canara Bank had gone against the state governments well-stated policy that houses should not be attached for loan default. The governments policy is to provide house to each family. The banks could attach the adjoining land but not the house. The question is not whether the bank is legally right or not. If they had any social commitment, the bank officials would have thought twice before attaching a house where a family comprising two women resided. Isaac said banks will have to reconsider their existing policies on repayment of loans. We will convene a State-Level Bankers Committee meeting in the backdrop of this tragic incident and discuss the issue in detail. But for the moment, the bank should pay adequate compensation to the family, he said. He admitted that the government had limited powers over banks as they are governed by the RBI Act. We have limited powers. But the government can take decisions in SLBC. In the previous meetings, the Canara Bank had shown a positive attitude. But the move to attach the house was clearly against the spirit of the decision, he said. Isaac said the next SLBC is likely to be convened only after the counting of the Lok Sabha polls on May 23. Local MLA had intervened in the matter: Parassala MLA C.K. Hareendran said he had personally negotiated with the bank manager to seek more time. I had spoken to the bank manager following the local panchayat presidents request to intervene in the matter. The bank officials promised to give additional time. However, they went ahead with attachment proceedings against the assurance given to me. It was not a humanitarian move on their part, he added. Bank clarifies Meanwhile, Canara Bank Deputy General Manager Kerala Circle in a statement issued here said that Mr Chandran had taken loan on November 2005. The loan had become a non-performing asset by 2010. When an advocate commission set up for recovery process visited their house on May 10, his wife had given a written assurance that they would repay the remaining amount of `6,80,000 on May 14 as a one-time settlement. The one time settlement was announced following the application submitted by Mr Chandran to the advocate commission. This was a normal procedure in all such cases which are under the consideration of the court. He maintained that the bank officials had not put pressure or threatened Mr Chandran and his family. Protests against bank officials. Protests broke out in the area with local residents accusing the bank of harassing the family. People blocked the Karakonam- Parassala road demanding registration of a murder case against the officials who had allegedly threatened the family. Police personnel douse burning vehicles during BJP president Amit Shahs election roadshow for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls in Kolkata on Tuesday. (Photo: AP) Kolkata: Bengali polymath Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagars statue was vandalised during two rounds of violent clashes, including arson, between Trinamul and BJP supporters, marring BJP president Amit Shahs mega roadshow in central Kolkata on Tuesday evening. Sixteen people involved in the clashes were arrested. Furious over the violence, Trinamul supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of destroying the icons statue, before visiting the college at night to take stock of the extent of damage. She announced a protest rally on Wednesday against the vandalisation of the bust of Vidyasagar. She threatened to capture the BJP office in a second. To counter Ms Banerjee allegations, Mr Shah put the blame on her party for the violence. He also complained that the Election Commission has been silent on complaints of violence perpetrated by Trinamul workers during the Lok Sabha polls. As the violence broke out, Mr Shah was escorted to safety by police but was forced to cut short the jamboree. The afternoon roadshow by the BJP chief, who on Monday dared Ms Banerjee to arrest him, was marred by controversy since beginning. It was earlier scheduled to start from Shahid Minar in Esplanade before ending at Swami Vivekanandas house in Manicktala. The location was changed to Dharmatola later due to lack of permission. When the grand campaign rally was passing by Calcutta University on College Street in the evening, a group of supporters rushed out and showed black flag shouting Amit Shah Go Back slogan. Agitated, the BJP activists hurled water bottles and pelted stones on them. New Delhi: Congress hit out at BJP on Tuesday over the Hapur gang-rape incident, claiming that rather than the slogan 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' which was coined by the Narendra Modi government, the ideology of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is that of 'beti darao, balatkari bachao' (scare the girl child and save the rapist). Addressing media here, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill accused BJP of not providing help on time to the young widow who was allegedly sold by her father and gang-raped by her 'buyer' and his friends in Hapur. "The shocking incident being reported today all over India that a woman from Uttar Pradesh set herself ablaze and is in critical condition in AIIMS with 80 per cent burns in order to ensure that her voice reaches the BJP government, specifically Uttar Pradesh government, is a living cruel reminder of the fact that the main agenda of the political quarter is not to the save girl child and educate them but to scare the girl child and save the rapist. (beti bachao, beti padhao nahi beti darao, balatkari bachao)." A widow in Muradabad set herself on fire last month after she was gang-raped and sold for Rs 10,000 by her parents and later allegedly turned away by Hapur Police. With more than 80 per cent burns, the victim is struggling for life at a hospital in Delhi. The victim has been identified as a resident of a village under Babugarh police jurisdiction in Hapur. She was allegedly gang-raped in 2016. The Congress spokesperson also took a jibe at BJP's top leaders and claimed that they are not concerned about the rising crime against women across the country but are only concerned about electioneering. "The PM and the UP CM are busy campaigning and not understanding a woman's pain who became the victim of such a heinous crime. The Congress demands answerability and accountability from the PM and from the CM on account of crime against women. We also want an answer on the pattern that wherever crimes against women take place, why the system under the BJP becomes lethargic and indifferent. We have also noticed that whenever there is a crime against women, BJP workers, lawmakers are involved in some manner or the other," he said. "If at all BJP comes to power again, under Yogi Adityanath's rule, the rapist will have acche din but not women. Under the BJP rule, women have to burn themselves to get justice, Not only in this case but the same happened in Unnao. The victim protested for six long months to get justice. She also threatened the government by saying that she will also burn herself if her plea is not heard," he added. Shergill, in his concluding remark, quoted the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data and said "after BJP came to power in 2014, crime against women alone in Uttar Pradesh has increased by 34 per cent. Child rape cases have also increased in the country by 83 per cent." Ever since they gave the world a glimpse of little Archie, the baby has become the talk of the town. (Photo: ANI) Mumbai: Ever since Prince Archie entered the world on May 6, he has been showered with love and wishes from across the world. Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas joined the list of well-wishers and sent a special gift for the royal baby. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were recently blessed with a baby boy, who they named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Ever since they gave the world a glimpse of little Archie, the baby has become the talk of the town. While social media is overloaded with messages for the prince of Sussex, Mumbai's Dabbawallas have sent their blessings with a special set of silver jewellery all the way to the United Kingdom. "Prince Charles is our friend and he has become a grandfather, so we've become grandfathers too. In Marathi culture, we present gifts to our grandchild," Subhash Talekar, the president of Mumbai Dabbawala Association said. Mumbai's Dabbawallas have sent silver jewellery and blessings for Royal Baby Prince Archie. Courtesy to their friendship with Prince Harry's father over the years, the Dabbawalas have celebrated almost every major event that has taken place in the royal family. Last year, on the occasion of Harry and Meghan's wedding, Dabbawalas of Mumbai gifted a set of Maharashtrian wedding attire to the couple. They even celebrated the royal wedding, which took place on May 19, by distributing sweets to patients of a government hospital in Mumbai. The Dabbawalas' relationship with the British royal family dates back to 2003, when Prince Charles visited Mumbai. Since then, a special friendship was forged. The Dabbawalas even attended Prince Charles' second wedding. These advocates went into hiding after Sunil got arrested. DRI investigation found that Sunil, a conductor, had smuggled gold earlier also. Thiruvananthapuram: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials are on the lookout for two advocates who had been entrusted by Thirumala native Sunil to smuggle gold through the airport. Both lawyers, Vishnu and Biju, are absconding. DRI had on Monday seized gold worth Rs 8 crore from the Thiruvananthapuram airport, weighing 25 kg. It was found that the mission was assigned to Sunil, a native of Tirumala by these lawyers. A Kazhakuttom native Zarina accompanied him after they arrived from Muscat through an Oman Air flight. These advocates went into hiding after Sunil got arrested. DRI investigation found that Sunil, a conductor, had smuggled gold earlier also. The DRI investigation also found that this team including goons and advocates are very active in the capital city. A search has been intensified for the advocates involved in the incident. Based on secret information, the two were taken into custody by the DRI from the customs hall. The gold bars of 1kg weight was wrapped in a black paper and hidden in the handbag. Sunil and Zarina who ran a beauty parlour flew to Dubai two days back. They got the gold from there. It has been hinted that some crucial details have been obtained on the gold smuggling mafia after questioning the two. Many cases of gold smuggling had been reported from the airport in the past. DRI arrested an employee of AISATS, the ground cargo agency of the airport, for aiding gold smuggler on April 11. A passenger was nabbed at the airport for attempting to smuggle gold worth Rs 9 lakh after concealing it inside his body. The DRI also arrested a person for trying to smuggle 1.4 kg of gold worth Rs 45 lakh inside an iron box in January. He was identified as Sudheesh Mohan (30) of Geetha Bhavan, Thurvikkal of Akkulam, a passenger on Air Arabia flight from Sharjah who had brought the gold by placing it in place of the iron rod of the iron box. The Air Customs Intelligence unit on duty at Trivandrum International Airport In December seized over two kg of gold that smuggled in on an Emirates flight from Dubai, identified as Muhammed Shuhaib, a resident of Poonthura. Sisodia termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party's chief Amit Shah as the 'biggest danger' to the country. (Photo: File) Chandigarh: Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia Tuesday said his party was ready to join hands with a "non-BJP" front at the Centre to keep the saffron party out of power. The deputy chief minister of Delhi also accused the BJP of playing "divisive" politics and termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party's chief Amit Shah as the "biggest danger" to the country. "The Modi-Shah duo is the biggest danger to this country. They promote divisions in society and want to capture power by dividing the society." ''In this backdrop, we fear that if Modi and Shah come to power again, then riots will increase in the country. The situation in the country will become like Afghanistan and Syria," he told reporters here. Therefore, it is necessary to defeat them, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said. "To keep Modi and Shah out of power, we are ready to join hands with a non-BJP, non-Modi government at the Centre," he said when asked about what role the AAP could play in government formation at the Centre once the Lok Sabha results are declared on May 23. The AAP has fielded former Union minister Harmohan Dhawan from the Chandigarh seat, which goes to polls in the general election's final phase on May 19. Dhawan had joined the Arvind Kejriwal-led party six months back. Replying to a question, Sisodia said, "Modi is campaigning in the entire country, let's see how many seats he gets." "The BJP is fighting the poll in Modi's name. The ruling party (at the Centre) is not talking about issues," the deputy chief minister said. Sisodia said his party is fighting the polls on the basis of its work and performance. To another question, he said everyone knows the condition of institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Reserve Bank of India under the present BJP-led NDA government. On Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal being shown black flags in Punjab, Sisodia said, "It is not the public, but the (AAP's) political rivals who are doing so." On BJP's sitting MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher, he claimed that she does not have much to show on the performance front. "In the last general elections, the people of Chandigarh elected her, but 'madam' remained busy in doing advertisements and shooting (for films), he alleged. Sisodia evaded a direct reply to a question on the AAP's Chandigarh unit apparently remaining "inactive after actor-turned-politician Gul Panag, who had contested the 2014 general elections from here as a AAP nominee, lost. "What should she have done according to you? No, she did not run away anywhere. You may feel the party unit here is defunct, but we are active," he said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that West Bengal police has not allowed a single Gujarati to stay in Barasat district of West Bengal even when the polls are six days away. BJP state executive member and Chairman of IIM Shillong Shishir Bijoria has tweeted saying the following: .@WBPolice officers have informed that no Gujaratis can stay in the district of Barasat & they have to leave immediately even though next phase of polls is 6 days away Their message is rather clear NO GUJARATIS @swapan55 @BJP4Bengal @BJP4India chowkidar shishir bajoria (@shishirkb) May 13, 2019 On Monday, BJP chief Amit Shah addressed a rally in Barasat, which is situated about 40 kilometres from Kolkata. Hours after Shahs address, a routine check of hotels was undertaken by the police on the insistence of Trinamool Congress candidate Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as she suspected that BJP workers were staying in a local hotel with arms and cash ahead of the election on May 19. The workers were from Gujarat. Though the workers left the hotel after arguments, Dastidar protested outside the local police station demanding action against the BJP workers. The workers went to the house of Tuhin Mondal, a local BJP leader. As the workers arrived in multiple vehicles, it escalated tensions after the local vandalised some of the vehicles forcing police to reach the spot to probe the matter. The police made repeated requests to open the house but to no avail. Eventually police forced its way into the house by breaking the door. After the lights were switched on, BJP workers including a local leader Pradeep Banerjee were found to be inside the house. NDTV reported Banerjee to have said that they were about to start party meeting. He confirmed that meeting was attended by co-incharge of Bengal Arvind Menon. The Trinamool Congress workers protested outside the house and the police escorted the BJP workers to the police station. BJP leader Mukul Roy reached the police station around 1:30 a.m. Roy alleged that it was Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee who travelled with cash in cars that follow her. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "There is no place for political violence in a healthy democracy, it's unfortunate that more and more incidences of violence are taking place in West Bengal. What can be more unfortunate, that the chief minister is unable to stop violence in the state?" Nine constituencies Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Mathurapur, Jaynagar, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolakata Dakshin and Kolata Uttar, in West Bengal will vote on May 19. Vijayvargia alleged that Kolkata Police is not allowing flags and posters and is even trying to remove a makeshift platform which has been erected to welcome Shah. (Photo: File) Kolkata: BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya Tuesday sat on a dharna near Esplanade in the city over police not allowing flags and posters on the streets through which BJP president Amit Shah's road show convoy will pass. Shah is scheduled to take out a road show from Shahid Minar in central Kolkata to Swami Vivekananda's house in north Kolkata. Vijayvargia alleged that Kolkata Police is not allowing flags and posters and is even trying to remove a makeshift platform which has been erected to welcome Shah. "We have papers and permission for the road show. Still the police are creating nuisance and are not allowing flags and posters. The police are acting as cadres of TMC," Vijayvargiya said. The police said BJP has permisson only for the road show. But it has elected makeshift platforms at various places. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Bihar: Lashing out at the opposition parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday the Congress and the RJD will push 21st century India into darkness, if voted to power. Addressing a rally here, Modi also claimed that it was just the "BJP-led NDA dispensation that could lead the nation towards light". "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Development for all) is our mantra and we strive to ensure security and respect for all. The Mahamilawatis (opposition), on the other hand, think some castes are beholden to them," he said. Iterating that it was his government that took on the terrorists and the trouble-mongers on both sides of the India-Pakistan border, Modi said, "The mahamilawatis, if elected to power, will give free licenses to stone-pelters, naxals and tukde-tukde gang." The opposition leaders will get a befitting reply from people after May 23, when the general election results are declared, he stated. "Going by the response of people in the six phases of elections, it is clear that the opposition parties will face a humiliating defeat. Their anger has touched the seventh heaven now. They are trying to draw satisfaction from hurling abuses," he asserted. The PM also insisted that he has always lived and worked for the country, without taking any break. "Not for once have I lived for myself or my relatives during my tenure as the Gujarat chief minister or the prime minister. People of this country are my family," he added. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Modi spoke about road and highway construction and makeover of Manduadih railway station and multi-model terminal on river Ganga. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Calling himself a 'Kashi vaasi'- resident of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking re-election from the Lok Sabha seat, issued an emotional message for people of the constituency and sought their blessings for victory. Modi outlined his personal and emotional association with the city and its people in a video released by his website on Monday. "It is often said that whosoever come to Kashi even once, becomes part of the city. In the last five years, I have experienced this every passing moment. In moulding me and giving a direction to my political and spiritual being, Kashi has a huge influence on me," Modi said. Modi underlined that Kashi is not a mere word for him, but an inspiration, in terms of religion, spirituality, and culture. "I am fortunate that its people provided me with an opportunity to serve," he said. The Prime Minister further spoke about the presiding deity of the city- Lord Kashi Vishwanath and said it is a matter of satisfaction for him to be in service of the city. Asserting that he is proud of people's participation in the development of Varanasi in the last five years, Modi added that it serves as an example for the whole country. He also outlined various developmental initiatives undertaken in the city during his tenure. "Be it houses or toilets, free LPG or electricity connection, Varanasi has presented an ideal example of development in all sectors. Artisans were able to get global exposure for their products through Deendayal Hastkala Sankul. Construction of two new cancer hospitals provided relief to not only people of Varanasi but also of nearby areas. Every attempt has been made for the welfare of farmers, traders, businessman, youth and 'mallahs' (boatmen) of Kashi," said Modi. He also spoke about road and highway construction and makeover of Manduadih railway station and multi-model terminal on river Ganga, and called them "major infrastructural changes". The city's parliamentarian termed the construction of the new Kashi Vishwanath corridor as a "makeover" while adding that it will be a subject of awe. Modi also stressed upon Kashi's significance and said a lot of work is still left to be do be done. "In last five years, we have done a lot of work for Kashi but a lot is still left. We have to do this together. It is our vow that we will not let the speed of this development stop," he remarked. In what sounded like a hint that he will not be campaigning in the constituency ahead of voting day, the Prime Minister said, "This time when I came for the roadshow, you assured me that you will handle everything. I have faith in every word. For me, those words are a promise. I know that every resident of Kashi is fighting elections for and as Narendra Modi." He urged people to go for early voting and avoid the scorching summer sun and asked them to celebrate the exercise as a festival. "Everyone must participate in the biggest celebration of democracy. You should also encourage your friends and relatives to vote. The whole country will be looking towards Kashi on that day. Go out in large numbers, wear your traditional clothes, and celebrate the day of voting with joy and fervor. Kashi has to make a new record now when the whole country is looking up to it. The record of the whole country should be broken by Kashi," Modi said. Referring to himself as a 'Kashi vaasi', Prime Minister concluded his address with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Har Har Gange'. Modi held a massive road-show in Varanasi before filling his nomination on April 26. In a show of strength, almost all prominent leaders of the BJP, as well as members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) accompanied him. He won the seat in 2014, defeating Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes. The highly-priced Lok Sabha constituency will vote on May 19, the last phase of national polls with results scheduled for May 23. New Delhi: The BJP Tuesday attacked the West Bengal government over incidents of political violence in the state, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh holding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "responsible" and alleging that anarchy existed there. The party also targeted Banerjee over the arrest of its youth activist Priyanka Sharma for sharing a meme of the chief minister, and Union minister Arun Jaitley likened her to a dictator who does not like people laughing at her. "Humour, wit, sarcasm survive in a free society. They have no place in autocracies. Dictators laugh at people. They don't like people laughing at them. Bengal, today is a case in point," Jaitley said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed immediate release of Sharma on bail and asked her to tender a "written apology" at the time of her release from jail for sharing the meme. At a press conference, Singh in reply to a question, said freedom of speech does not mean "abusing" somebody, but added to another question that all sorts of pictures depicting leaders, including him, are put out routinely. On another query about the court asking her to apologise, he said it can be challenged. Singh also slammed the state government for incidents of political violence during elections and asked Banerjee to "own up" responsibility for them. "Law and order is a primary responsibility of a chief minister. She is unable to stop it... There is anarchy. I hold the state government responsible," he told reporters. He, however, added that the Centre can do little in the matter and it was for the Election Commission to take cognisance. Singh also lashed out at Banerjee for not answering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to her when Cyclone Fani hit the region, saying this might have been the first time when a chief minister did not respond to a PM's call. "If a chief minister behaves like this, then what will happen to India's federal structure, its constitution," he asked. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi. (Photo: File) New Delhi: After the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) asked Congress to respond on Mani Shanker Aiyar's "neech aadmi" comment, the party leader denied to give any further clarification. "I have been told that the Congress party has given an official statement. I have been a victim of the media and it has caused me significant damage. A statement has come from my side, there is a whole article, picking out one line from it and saying "now talk on this". I'm not ready to be involved in your games, 'main ullu hoon, lekin itna bada ullu nahi hoon'," said Aiyar. Mani Shankar Aiyar had earlier on Tuesday said that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi and termed his December 2017 remark about the Prime Minister as "prophetic". "I said what I wanted to say in that article, I stand by every word. I have no desire to engage in any argument," Aiyar told ANI over the phone. The Congressman hit yet another low by terming the Prime Minister "foul-mouthed" and added that his ouster is certain on May 23. Aiyar, in an article for an online publication, charged Modi of being "guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of martyrs". "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" the former diplomat wrote in The Print. #WATCH Mani Shankar Aiyar, Congress: Statement has come from my side, there is a whole article, picking out one line from it and saying "now talk on this". I'm not ready to be involved in your games, 'main ullu hoon, lekin itna bada ullu nahi hoon'. pic.twitter.com/xsqhdycxXA ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 In the run-up to 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, Aiyar had referred to Modi as a 'neech aadmi', a remark that cost his party heavily in the state. "This person is a 'neech aadmi'. He is not civilised and in a situation like this, there is no need to practise such dirty politics," the Congress leader had told ANI. Party chief Rahul Gandhi had to ask Aiyar to tender an apology given the political storm over his tasteless comment. "Modi needs to be warned that he is guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of our army and CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign; of defaming the Indian Air Force by portraying them as complaisant idiots in his scientific illiteracy; and the Indian Navy as being packed at its highest echelons with traitors who would acquiesce in unauthorised foreigners being allowed to board a top of the line defence vessel," Aiyar wrote in the recent article in an apparent reference to actor Akshay Kumar's visit to INS Sumitra. Kumar had recently gone on record to confirm that he holds a Canadian passport. The Congress leader's comments were met with sharp criticism by the BJP, with party men terming it an attention-seeking act. The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took on the Congress to take the responsibility and respond for its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar justifying his "neech aadmi" jibe against the Prime Minister. "Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitroda's foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his 'Neech' comment for PM!" BJP IT cell chief Amit Malaviya tweeted. Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitrodas foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his Neech comment for PM! pic.twitter.com/0oUcjegjp3 Chowkidar Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 14, 2019 Dubbing Aiyar a 'jewel of Gandhi family', BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted, "So finally ...the "Jewel" of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the "Politics of Love" of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His "Neech comment" on Modi ji as prophetic ..." So finally ...the Jewel() of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the Politics of Love of Rahul Gandhi in #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining His Neech comment on Modi ji as prophetic ... Chowkidar Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 14, 2019 Aiyar is not new to making out of the line remarks, his 'chaiwala' remark ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls had stoked a controversy. Congress would welcome Modi to sell tea at party meetings, he had said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Asked about reports of Stalin being in talks with BJP, Soundararajan said 'that is true' and laughed. (Photo: ANI) Chennai: The BJP's Tamil Nadu President Tamilisai Soundararajan Tuesday claimed DMK was in touch with her party for a possible post-poll tie-up, a statement that received sharp rebuke from M K Stalin, who asked her to prove her statement or quit politics. Soundararajan's remarks in this connection were made before reporters at Tuticorin in the presence of AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Food Minister R Kamaraj. BJP and AIADMK had faced the April 18 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu as allies. The BJP's claim comes a day after TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao met DMK President Stalin here as part of his outreach to regional parties in his bid to stitch up a federal front, sans the BJP and Congress. Asked about reports of Stalin being in talks with BJP, Soundararajan said "that is true" and laughed. "Because on one side (Stalin allies with) Rahul (Gandhi), Chandrasekhar Rao on the other, and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi on another side," she said. "All know DMK changes colours," she said in an apparent reference to the Dravidian party forging alliances. BJP ally AIADMK also claimed DMK was in talks with the saffron party. Senior party leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said DMK "will talk with Congress, Rao and at the same time with BJP." "DMK alone has the capability to sail in three boats at the same time," he told reporters. He also wondered how a "courtesy meet" between Stalin and Rao lasted for one hour. Stalin hit back at the BJP leader with a strong statement, saying he was the one who proposed Congress President Rahul Gandhi as the Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate, besides taking forward a campaign against Modi to unseat the BJP government at the Centre. Soundararajan had uttered a "blatant lie", he said and charged the BJP with "sowing confusion" as it was "on the verge of defeat." Stalin pointed out at his vociferous opposition to Modi, recalling he has been describing the PM as "fascist", "sadist" and "authoritarian", whose government, he said, should be unseated for the "untold miseries inflicted on the people" in the last five years. The DMK leader noted he has been campaigning against Modi not only in Tamil Nadu, but had also spoken against him at the TMC-sponsored rally of opposition parties in Kolkata earlier. He recalled that Rao had met him last year too, and even on Monday, and that the DMK had made it clear their meeting was a "courtesy call." Stalin said the DMK would not be involved in any "back door dealings", vis-a-vis any alliance. "DMK has been transparent. It has said clearly who should be the Prime Minister and who should be not. DMK is determined that Modi should not become PM again," he said. The party was more clear that the next government should be headed by Gandhi, Stalin added. "I am ready to quit politics if Tamilisai Soundararajan or Modi prove that I am holding talks with them to form a government (post-polls). Are they ready to quit politics if they fail to do so?" he asked. DMK ally Congress also hit out at Soundararajan, alleging she was making such statements out of desperation. TNCC President K S Alagiri said Soundararajan seems to be "afraid". He said when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had herself refused to speak to Modi over the cyclone Fani issue, "what is Stalin going to discuss with" the Prime Minister. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Loya Jirga is an Afghan Pakhtun institution predating the modern era. It signifies the democratic base of Pakhtun society. Loya means big because delegates are invited from all over Pakhtun lands in Afghanistan. The delegates are important tribal leaders, ulema, teachers and men with influence in their communities. The jirga is called when Afghanistan is faced with a bigger issue of national importance such as endorsing a new head of state in case of sudden death, adopting a new Constitution, war and peace and national or regional issues. It is essentially a Pakhtun gathering. There is no limit on the number of attendees. There is no time limit for the duration of the jirga. It continues for as long as the issues at hand are fully debated and a verdict arrived at. Other nationalities of Afghanistan now participate as observers. It is not easy to manipulate the outcome of the Loya Jirga. That is why the verdict of the jirga has sanctity among Pakhtuns. Of the 20 or so grand jirgas held since 1700, eight were called in a short period between 2001 and 2019. This is because the Pakhtuns themselves are divided between the Taliban and the rest as to what sort of polity Afghanistan should be. The frequent convening of the Loya Jirga for partisan purposes has eroded the sanctity of this great institution. There is no tradition of a Loya Jirga among the Pakistani Pakhtuns. However, a Loya Jirga was convened by Bacha Khan on June 21, 1947, in Bannu to deliberate over Pakistani Pakhtuns in the wake of Independence. The jirga demanded that the Pakhtun lands of British India should form an independent country. The British rejected the demand. The Red Shirts boycotted the referendum held to determine the future status of the then NWFP after Partition. With mounting financial and human cost over 17 long years of war, President Donald Trump is calling it a day. The mood to withdraw from the global scene has been set by him. His concentration is on an America First policy. The withdrawal from the world stage has been a recurring theme in American history. Trump wants to get the hell out of Afghanistan, and called it a folly for a world power to keep fighting unwinnable wars. The decision to withdraw is as good as made. Direct talks between the US and the Afghan Taliban started in 2005 in Doha, Qatar. A retired US ambassador called it divorce proceedings. The proceedings are stretched because the engagement was long. What has made the peace process so complicated is that the Taliban do not recognise the third party to the conflict: the government of Afghanistan. President Ashraf Ghani could not sit idle when the present round of talks in Doha started on May 1. He called a Loya Jirga of 3,200 delegates, one-third of which are women. The exercise is to shore up his position against the Taliban, the US decision to withdraw, and the upcoming presidential election. This is the best he could do and nothing else if America declares victory and quits. Loya Jirgas do not cut ice if the Afghan nation is divided in the middle. When the fighting Taliban ignore its decisions the exercise is as good as having gone to waste. The Taliban sustained their long struggle against a foreign aggressor in the name of Islam. Their struggle was valiant and firm as exhorted by their faith. But the resort is to pick and choose when it come to religious injunctions, including those contained in the verses of the Quran. The Taliban should make peace now both with the US and the government when they are so inclined. The government in Kabul is a compelling reality. The Taliban denial cannot make it disappear. Their sacrifices were given in order to win back Afghanistan from the US and not to steal a march on Kabul once the American troops left the country. Further intransigence will cause more Afghan blood to be spilled, adding to the long casualty list of 75,000 already killed, and that blood would be on the hands of the Taliban. By arrangement with Dawn JBL Go+ is a truly handy speaker and fits snuggly in your palm. Portable Bluetooth speakers come in a wide spectrum of sizes and price. We got to try two recent launches, each from a reputed global brand and each serving its particular niche audience. JBL Go+: I, me and myself Now part of the Samsung-owned Harman brand, JBL Go+ is a truly handy speaker and fits snuggly in your palm. Yet it is a little dynamo of clear sound, belting out 3 watts and some 5 hours of music on a full charge of its batteries. The speakers have some noise cancelling features that are useful if you are taking a phone call. I'm guessing its size is made for personal use, not for parties. This featherweight (200 gm) speaker comes in a durable fabric skin and while the original price is Rs 2799, I could see it on e-biz sites for almost Rs 1000 less. Blaupunkt BT-100: Join the party The BT-100 from German audio specialist Blaupunkt seems aimed at small parties with eclectic tastes: hence the choice of music sources: Bluetooth devices, 32 GB SD card, AUX cable and when nothing is available, FM radio. The sound of the 6W x 6W speakers is deep with good bass and the battery is good for 8-10 hours. Sensibly encases in waterproof casing, for poolside parties which tend to get wet, the Blaupunkt BT - 100 is priced Rs 2,999 -- but online discounts will knock off Rs 500 or so. --IndiaTechOnline Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The buyer group, which includes Taiwanese flat screen maker TPK Holding and Chinese investment firm Harvest Group, had planned to formalize the investment decisions by mid-June. A Chinese-Taiwanese group is delaying an up to 80 billion yen (USD 729.33 million) investment planned as part of a rescue deal for Apple Inc supplier Japan Display as it wants to reassess the targets prospects, the Japanese firm said. A prolonged delay could put at risk the survival of the cash-strapped smartphone screen maker, which has been hit by Apples slowing iPhone sales and a late shift to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens. The buyer group, which includes Taiwanese flat screen maker TPK Holding and Chinese investment firm Harvest Group, had planned to formalize the investment decisions by mid-June. The bailout deal, announced a month ago, would allow the buyers to become Japan Displays biggest shareholders with a 49.8 per cent stake, replacing the Japanese government-backed INCJ fund. But the group has informed the company that they will make such decisions after re-examining the prospects for Japan Displays business performance, the company said on Monday, adding there was no time frame for the review. TPK and Harvest did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. A source familiar with the matter said that Japan Displays financial situation has changed since the deal was agreed, prompting the group to reassess the business. The source declined to elaborate on the change in the situation. Japan Display has estimated it will post its fifth straight year of net losses for the year ended in March, as disappointing sales of Apples iPhone XR, the only model with a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, dashed hopes for a turnaround. The company will announce its financial results on Wednesday. Some analysts said the move could be deal tactics. The buyer group is apparently pressurising Japan Display to sweeten the offer, said Masayuki Otani, chief market analyst at Securities Japan, who is not involved with the deal. Its a good deal for the group as it gets solid panel technologies, but the cheaper the better. The Chinese groups investment is part of a 232 billion yen (USD 2.1 billion) bailout plan, in which INCJ will accept a debt-to-preferred equity swap totalling 75 billion yen and extend senior loans worth 77 billion yen. Japan Display said INCJ has told the company it would not change the plan, although the final agreement will be made in line with the buyer groups investment decisions. Japan Display was formed in 2012 by combining the LCD businesses of Hitachi Ltd, Toshiba Corp and Sony Corp in a deal brokered by the government. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Hundreds of Mozambicans were killed and thousands made homeless recently by Cyclones Idai and Kenneth. Almost immediately, there were reports of a sadly familiar story: women being forced to trade sex for food by local community leaders distributing aid. Globally, international organisations appear to be grappling with the issue more seriously than before. Yet reports about sexual exploitation keep coming. How does the aid community strategise to protect womens safety in disaster situations? Over the past 15 years, I have done research on sexual exploitation of displaced women in Uganda and Colombia. I have also worked with a variety of humanitarian organisations on accountability and legalisation. Through this, I have identified the factors necessary to bring justice to the victims of predatory aid workers. Sexual exploitation must be recognised as a real and widespread problem. There must be staff and management accountability. Transgressions must be sanctioned through disciplinary or penal measures. But there are also major dilemmas that need to be understood and tackled by governments, agencies and, most importantly, local communities. The sexual abuse of vulnerable women and girls in several African countries by international aid workers was recently described as endemic. (Photo:AP) Sexual exploitation in aid The sexual exploitation of disaster and conflict victims is a global and longstanding phenomenon. Over the last 25 years, there have been radical changes in the standards of global public morality around the conduct of personnel working for international organisations and NGOs when vulnerable adults and children are involved. Nevertheless, the willingness to see sexual exploitation as an inherent feature of the international communitys intervention to bring development, humanitarian aid or peace has been much slower to evolve. It was only 24 years ago that UNHCR issued guidelines on sexual violence and refugees that expressly mentioned international refugee workers as being implicated in sexual violence against refugees. The sexual abuse of vulnerable women and girls in several African countries by international aid workers was recently described as endemic. It was also noted that perpetrators easily moved around the sector undetected. Several recent cases have been reported from Cote divore, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. These have involved aid workers and peacekeepers, as well as local aid workers and government employees. In my research on refugees, accusations concerning sex for resettlement registration surface regularly. I found these to be frequent while working on refugee resettlement in Kampala 15 years ago. Despite the UNHCRs promise to reform, similar accusations keep resurfacing, most recently in Kenya. The time has come for the international community to seriously debate the power mechanisms embedded in the resettlement process that enable sexual exploitation to fester. Several recent cases have been reported from Cote divore, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. (Photo:AP) What will fix the problem? The first step is to organise accountability. Humanitarian accountability first emerged as a concern in the 1980s. It was institutionalised in the 1994 Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief . The 1996 Joint Evaluation of Emergency Assistance to Rwanda was a defining moment. That report resulted in several sector-wide initiatives. Five years ago efforts were made to streamline these in the revised Core Humanitarian Standards. Throughout this period, sexual exploitation has been considered the worst possible behaviour humanitarian workers can be guilty of. But it has not been clear what constitutes exploitation and in which relationships it takes place. The lack of a definition, the unwillingness to articulate and enforce robust norms for professional behaviour and the absence of effective complaint mechanisms and protections for whistle-blowers have contributed to a culture of impunity for predatory behaviour against aid recipients. Early policy responses to sexual exploitation were concerned with reputational issues. But over the past 15 years the humanitarian sector has seen a flurry of institutional initiatives to grapple with this specific issue. The effort to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse is led by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. The aid sector is now engaging in safeguarding exercises. These emerged after the Oxfam scandal in Haiti. The organisation was seen as failing to act on sexual misconduct by staff in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, and then to have attempted a cover-up. Safeguarding includes all actions by aid actors to protect staff from harm (abuse, sexual harassment and violence) and to ensure staff do not harm beneficiaries. This broad definition represents both a welcome recognition of the scope of the problem and an opportunity for a comprehensive approach. But it also creates some new challenges. Three are particularly worth noting. Throughout this period, sexual exploitation has been considered the worst possible behaviour humanitarian workers can be guilty of. (Photo:AP) The challenges Who gets a voice: There has been vocal concern about the lack of inclusiveness in how safeguarding is practised. Critics have noted that a safeguarding industry was hatched with little attention to local and national context or participation. There is a view that safeguarding is yet another Western-centric practice. I think this critique is true. But it also creates a dilemma: should global norms about sexual exploitation in international aid be up for local negotiation? Regulation and criminalisation: In recent years, there have been calls to regulate foreign aid actors more robustly. This is understandable. Aid actors have operated with a great deal of license and even impunity under the humanitarian banner. But drawing up new laws also creates problems. This is particularly true in a context where African civil society generally is under pressure from new restrictive laws that curtail their activities. Responding to the call to do something, the international community has embraced criminalisation and criminal prosecutions to promote and strengthen the fight against impunity. But opting for criminal law and the courtroom rests on a deeply simplistic framing of structural power imbalances in aid. Legal strategies are costly and slow. The focus on sexual violence in disasters and conflicts also risks crowding out concern for other aspects of womens lives. Localisation: Since 2016 there has been a significant focus on the localisation of aid. The Charter for Change focuses on contracting, resource allocation, transparency and communication. It highlights the importance of not undermining local capacity. The process is generally painfully slow and a shockingly small percentage of international aid funding is actually allocated to local actors. At the same time, there is a persistent call for international actors to do, control and know more about what goes on locally to limit corruption, incompetence and abuse. This call comes partly from media in donor states addressing taxpayers, but also from watchdogs within the sector. This is also the case for sexual exploitation. In its report, Human Rights Watch demands that international partners, particularly the UN, should ensure greater oversight of the conduct of local officials during the distribution of humanitarian aid. This will not come for free. The question is how a balance can be found between control and localisation and who gets to determine what this balance should be. This article appeared in 'The Conversation- Global Perspective' Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace, US President Donald Trump said. (Photo:AP) Washington: Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace, US President Donald Trump said on Monday. Donald Trump hosted an Iftaar dinner for Muslim members from his administration and top diplomats from various countries at the White House on Monday night. Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims all across the world, he said. During this month of worship, Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown and focus on prayer and spiritual life to deepen their devotion to god. Also Read: US plans 15 billion in aid to farmers to see off China trade war: Trump "Ramadan is a time of charity, of giving, and service to our fellow citizens. Ramadan is a very special time. It's a time to draw closer as families, neighbours and communities," Donald Trump said. "And Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace. It is in this spirit that we come together tonight for Iftaar, the traditional Ramadan meal that breaks the daily fast," he said in his brief address in the State Dinning Room of the White House. President Donald Trump joins an iftar dinner, which breaks a daylong fast, celebrating Islam's holy month of Ramadan, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) "This evening, our thoughts are also with the religious believers who have endured many trials and hardships in recent weeks. It's been a very rough period of time. Our hearts are filled with grief for the Muslims who were killed in their mosques in New Zealand, as well as the Christians, Jews and other children of god who were slain in Sri Lanka, California and Pittsburgh," he said. Donald Trump resolved to defeat the evils of terrorism and religious persecution so that all people can worship without fear, pray without danger and live by the faith that flows from their heart. "We thank god that America is a place founded on the belief that citizens of all faiths can live together in safety and live together in freedom," he said. Every year, the US president hosts an Iftaar party for invited guests in the holy month of Ramadan. Arjun was convicted for the August 2016 strangulation death of her nine-year-old stepdaughter Ashdeep Kaur, who was left in her care. (Photo: Facebook/ Glenoaksfamily) New York: An Indian-origin woman in the US has been convicted by a jury of killing her nine-year-old stepdaughter in 2016 and faces up to life in prison at sentencing. Shamdai Arjun, 55, of Queens, New York was convicted on Friday of second-degree murder by a jury that deliberated for less than one hour before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder, who indicated that he would sentence her on June 3. Arjun faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Arjun was convicted for the August 2016 strangulation death of her nine-year-old stepdaughter Ashdeep Kaur, who was left in her care. "This is a horrifying case of a defenseless nine-year-old child, who was to be cared for by her stepmother but was instead strangled to death by her. Her actions are truly incomprehensible and deserve the maximum punishment allowed under the law," Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan said. According to trial testimony, on the evening of August 19, 2016, Arjun was observed by an eyewitness leaving her apartment in Queens along with her ex-husband Raymond Narayan, and her two grandchildren ages 3 and 5. When asked about the nine-year-old victim's whereabouts, Arjun informed the eyewitness that the child was in the bathroom and was waiting for her father to pick her up. The eyewitness, who observed that the bathroom light had been on for several hours, called the victim's father Sukhjinder Singh and was instructed to break through the bathroom door, at which time she found Kaur's lifeless naked body in the bathtub. There were several bruises on her body. A report filed by the Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of death was manual strangulation. In 2016, Queens Assistant District Attorney Michael Curtis had said that Arjun repeatedly and on numerous occasions threatened to kill the young girl. Kaur's relatives had also said that the young girl had been previously abused by Arjun, who had been entrusted with her care while Singh worked in a local restaurant. Kaur had arrived in the US from India just three months before she was killed in August 2016 and was living with her father and Arjun in an apartment in Queens that was shared with another couple. The housemate had seen Kaur go in the bathroom with Arjun, who later came out alone and left the building. She allegedly said that Kaur was taking a bath. New York Police Department detectives had then gone to Narayan's residence and found him, Arjun and the two grandchildren inside the apartment. Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 pact between Iran and global powers aimed at reining in Tehran's nuclear plans. (Photo:AP) Washington: US President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would "suffer greatly" if it targeted US interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and more jet fighters at a time of rising tensions with Tehran. "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake," Trump told reporters at the White House. "If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Trump's comments came after the United Arab Emirates reported four commercial vessels had been sabotaged on Sunday near Fujairah emirate just outside the Strait of Hormuz. Iran sought to distance itself from the incident. Also Read: Two Saudi oil tankers attacked near UAE waters: Saudi Minister Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 pact between Iran and global powers aimed at reining in Tehran's nuclear plans. Since then, the United States has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran, saying it wanted to reduce its oil exports to zero. In this Sunday, May 12, 2019 photo released by the U.S. Air Force, a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron taxis for takeoff on a runway at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. (Photo:AP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancelled a trip to Moscow on Monday and instead stopped in Brussels to share information on "escalating" threats from Iran with European allies and NATO officials, the US special representative for Iran said. He did not provide more details on what kind of an aid package it would be. (Photo:AP) Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about USD 15 billion in aid to help US farmers whose products may be targeted with tariffs by China in a deepening trade war. "We're going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about USD 15 billion, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well," Trump told reporters at the White House. He did not provide more details on what kind of an aid package it would be. Also Read: Trade deal now or 'far worse' in 2020: Trump to China American farmers, a key constituency of Trump, have been among the hardest hit in the trade war. Soybeans are the most valuable US farm export, and shipments to China dropped to a 16-year low in 2018. Sales of US soybeans elsewhere failed to make up for the loss. US soybean futures fell to their lowest in a decade on Monday. US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday that Trump had asked him to create a plan to help American farmers cope with the heavy impact of the US-China trade war on agriculture. A new aid program would be the second round of assistance for farmers, after the Department of Agriculture's USD 12 billion plan last year to compensate for lower prices for farm goods and lost sales stemming from trade disputes with China and other nations. In this March 5, 2019 photo, a cargo ship arrives at the Port of Tacoma, in Tacoma, Wash. U.S. and Chinese negotiators resumed trade talks Friday, May 10, 2019, under increasing pressure after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on USD 200 billion in Chinese goods and Beijing promised to retaliate. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) "Out of the billions of dollars that we're taking (in on tariffs on Chinese imports), a small portion of that will be going to our farmers, because China will be retaliating, probably to a certain extent, against our farmers," Trump said. The tariffs are not paid by the Chinese government or by firms located in China. They are paid by importers of Chinese goods, usually American companies or the US-registered units of foreign companies. On Monday, China said it would impose higher tariffs on a range of US goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, striking back in its trade war with Washington after Trump warned it not to. Also Read: China delusional, they want Joe Biden to get elected: Donald Trump Last year, Beijing imposed tariffs on imports of US agricultural goods, including soybeans, grain sorghum and pork as retribution for US levies. While farmers have largely remained supportive of Trump, many have called for an imminent end to the trade dispute, which propelled farm debt to the highest levels in decades and worsened credit conditions for the rural economy. A man chats with workers near a fruit section selling oranges from the United States and fruits from China at a supermarket in Beijing, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Sending Wall Street into a slide, China announced higher tariffs Monday on USD 60 billion worth of American goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest penalties on Chinese products. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Trump's pledge on Friday to buy American farm products that China normally imports and distribute them to poor countries drew criticism from Canada. "Dumping products in developing countries is not the way we do things," Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told reporters on a conference call from the G20 meeting in Japan, adding such efforts required multilateral coordination. "It seems easy, but it is complicated to do it the right way," Bibeau said. "Obviously, it may create some distortion in the market and this is what we want to avoid." Zarif and Sushma Swaraj are likely to discuss the impact of the US decision and how to develop a course of action to deal with it. (Photo:AP) New Delhi: Not everything seems to be good on the Western front! India will be looking with serious concern as the relationship between the United States and Iran is in a dire state and with each passing day it seems to be getting worse. Things are tricky for India, with Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif flying to India on Monday for a scheduled meeting with Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Zarif is hoping India would rally behind Iran and throw its weight in what characteristically looks like a no holds barred conflict with the US. The United States have deployed an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to send a clear message to Iran and the mullahs that it means business. Iran, refusing to back down to the US pressure, has ratcheted up tensions. Zarif is making the trip after a few weeks earlier Donald Trump decided to corner Iran, declaring that US will no longer grant sanctions exemptions to Irans oil customer. The end to the waivers, means India no longer will be able to import oil from Iran, or else its state owned or private firms will face groundbreaking US sanctions. Also Read: It would be big blunder for Iran to try anything against US: Donald Trump Zarif and Sushma Swaraj are likely to discuss the impact of the US decision and how to develop a course of action to deal with it. They are also likely to discuss the Chabahar port situation as the Trump Administration has assured that exemption on Chabahar will stand. Sources told The Indian Express that the Iran oil issue was flagged during Wilbur Ross visit last week, but US is showing no sign of flexibility to bulge. Sources also reported that Zarif will brief Swaraj on the impact of withdrawal of JCPOA i.e Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its long and short term consequences and impacts. This will be Zarifs second visit in 2019. US policy toward Iran, announced in May 2018, involved withdrawing from JCPOA. It gave all the countries six months to bring down all oil imports to zero. President Donald Trump abandoned the landmark deal between Iran and P-5+1 countries. Other countries in the deal namely UK, France, Germany, China and Russia, along with Iran itself highly opposed the decision. In this Sunday, May 12, 2019 photo released by the U.S. Air Force, a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron taxis for takeoff on a runway at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. (Photo:AP) In November, The white house then gave a six month waiver to eight countries, which included India to bring down oil imports to zero. Early April, Washington made it clear to New Delhi that it supported them throughout the pulwama attacks and it expects India to return the favour and reciprocate. They want India to support the Trump administrations will to disrupt and break Irans terror networks. The US were the frontrunners at the United Nations Security Council to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist and during those discussions expected assurances from the Indian government on the Iran issue. India, who are the second biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China, were pushed by the US to restrict their monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonne or 15 million tonne in a year (300,000 barrel per day), down from around 22.6 million tonne (452,000 barrel per day) bought in year 2017-18, as reported by sources. India were rather tight lipped after Donald Trump decided to end the waiver but after the April 22 announcement India said they were well equipped to eclipse the impact of the US decision. Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs, said the government will be working with partner nations, including the US, to find every possible way to secure and safeguard Indias energy and economic situation. We are adequately prepared to deal with the impact of the US decision, he said. India is the worlds third-largest consumer of oil, with 85 per cent of its crude oil and 34 per cent of its natural gas requirements being fulfilled by imports. A satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Amjad off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on Monday. (Photo - AP) Riyadh: Saudi Araba said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines as other assaults targeted energy infrastructure elsewhere in the kingdom on Tuesday, shortly after Yemens rebels claimed a coordinated drone attack on the Sunni power. The assaults marked the latest incidents challenging Mideast security after the alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates earlier this week amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran. Yemens Houthi rebels, whom Saudi Arabia has been fighting against since March 2015, said they launched a series of drone attacks on the kingdom, across the border from Yemen. The spokesman of the rebels, Mohammed Abdel-Salam, told The Associated Press: This is a message to Saudi Arabia, stop your aggression. Also Read: Two Saudi oil tankers attacked near UAE waters: Saudi Minister Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing everyday against the Yemeni people, he added. In a statement carried on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that drones attacked a petroleum pumping station supplying a pipeline running from its oil-rich Eastern Province to the Yanbu Port on the Red Sea. A fire broke out and firefighters later brought it under control, though the state-run Saudi Aramco stopped pumping oil through the pipeline. The kingdoms state security body also said two petroleum pumping stations in the greater region of Riyadh, the landlocked capital, were targeted at the same time. The statement described it as a limited targeting of petroleum stations in areas al-Duadmi and Afif in the Riyadh region, without elaborating. Tuesday's drone strikes hit two pumping stations on the kingdom's east-west pipeline. (Photo:AP) Al-Falih called the attack cowardly, saying that recent sabotage acts against the kingdom's vital installations not only target Saudi Arabia, but the safety of the world's energy supply and global economy. He said this reaffirms the need of the international community to confront the activities of groups like the Houthis. He also promised the production and export of Saudi oil would not be interrupted. Benchmark Brent crude traded at USD 71 a barrel on Tuesday, up USD 1.27 on the day. The attack on Saudi oil targets comes after four oil tankers anchored in the Mideast were damaged by what Gulf officials described as sabotage, though satellite images obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed no major visible damage to the vessels. Details of the alleged sabotage to two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati oil tanker on Sunday remained unclear, and Gulf officials have declined to say who they suspected was responsible. But it demonstrated the raised risks for shippers in a region vital to global energy supplies as tensions are increasing between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. The U.S. has warned sailors of the potential for attacks on commercial sea traffic, and regional allies of the United Arab Emirates condemned the alleged sabotage as the tankers were off the coast of the UAE port city of Fujairah. A US official in Washington, without offering any evidence, told the AP that an American military team's initial assessment indicated Iran or Iranian allies used explosives to blow holes in the ships. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation, agreed to reveal the findings only if not quoted by name. The US Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast and operates from a base in Fujairah, has repeatedly declined to comment. The US already had warned ships that Iran or its proxies could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. America is deploying an aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, still-unspecified threats from Tehran. Facebook's WhatsApp urged users to upgrade to the latest version of its popular messaging app after reporting that users might be vulnerable to having malicious spyware installed on phones without their knowledge. WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging tools, is used by 1.5 billion people monthly and it has touted its high level of security and privacy, with messages on its platform being encrypted end to end. "WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," a spokesman said. "We are constantly working alongside industry partners to provide the latest security enhancements to help protect our users," he said. WhatsApp did not elaborate further. WhatsApp informed its lead regulator in the European Union, Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), of a "serious security vulnerability" on its platform. "The DPC understands that the vulnerability may have enabled a malicious actor to install unauthorised software and gain access to personal data on devices which have WhatsApp installed," the regulator said in a statement. "WhatsApp are still investigating as to whether any WhatsApp EU user data has been affected as a result of this incident," the DPC said, adding that WhatsApp informed it of the incident late on Monday. INCOMING CALL Earlier, the Financial Times (FT) reported that a vulnerability in WhatsApp allowed attackers to inject spyware on phones by ringing up targets using the app's phone call function. It said the spyware was developed by Israeli cyber surveillance company NSO Group and affects both Android and iPhones. The FT said WhatsApp could not yet give an estimate for how many phones were targeted. The FT reported that teams of engineers had worked around the clock in San Francisco and London to close the vulnerability and it began rolling out a fix to its servers on Friday last week and issued a patch for customers on Monday. Asked about the report, NSO said its technology is licensed to authorised government agencies "for the sole purpose of fighting crime and terror," and that it does not operate the system itself while having a rigorous licensing and vetting process. "We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system. Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies," the company said. WhatsApp disclosed the issue to the US Department of Justice last week, the FT said. Social media giant Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes last week wrote in The New York Times that fellow co-founder Mark Zuckerberg had far too much influence by controlling Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, three core communications platforms, and called for the company to be broken up. UPPER CHICHESTER Commissioners observed a moment of silence at their monthly meeting in memory of longtime township Fire Marshal Dave Holland. Holland, 65, died suddenly on April 28 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, surrounded by his family. He served as township fire marshal 30 years and also served as director of emergency management. Ive known Dave for 40 years, said Commissioner Ed Raikowski, who was the best man in Hollands wedding. He did so much for the residents of Upper Chichester. He checked up on people all the time and was such a caring person. It was great to see all the firefighters come out to pay tribute to Dave. A lifelong resident of Upper Chichester, Holland was employed by Congoleum Corp. where worked for 46 years, and for 28 of those years served as plant fire marshal. He was a lifetime member of the Ogden Fire Co. where he dedicated 50 years of service and held the positions of chief and president. Holland served as the First District Fire Marshal for many years and was a life member and past president of the Delaware County Firemans Association, and a life member of the Delaware Valley Fire Chiefs Association. This is a sad loss for our community, said Commissioners President Mike Gaudiuso. Dave was a great guy and was totally committed to Upper Chichester. He will be greatly missed. Lovingly known as fireplug, Holland will be greatly missed by his colleagues and the entire firefighting community. Dave never wavered in his effort to improve fire and emergency services in Upper Chichester, said William Robinson, chief of the Ogden Fire Co. He demonstrated a strong commitment and his personal sacrifice should be an example to all and is unparalleled in todays demanding volunteer environment. Holland was laid to rest last week with full firefighter honors. Its not race. And its not religion, gender, income inequality, or socio-economic standing. The single-greatest threat to American peace and prosperity, and the number one reason that the gulf in this nation is as wide as its ever been, is the mainstreaming of double standards. Call it what you will hypocrisy, inconsistency, unfairness the result is the same: America is being ripped apart by the forces of intolerance in their unrelenting push for dual standards: Those that fit their agenda (when convenient), and those for everyone else. The only thing worse than this purge of civility is the silent majority who, despite abhorring such actions, refuses to stand up and be counted. On every issue this column tackles, from immigration to education to foreign affairs, solutions are always offered. But given that the intolerance is growing at breakneck speed, and the left one-ups itself on a weekly basis, there appears to be no way out of this situation until someone is pushed too far. At that point, it is possible, and perhaps even probable, that America may experience another Civil War, in whatever form that may take, all because weve forgotten how to respect others opinions and disagree civilly. Heres a look at just a few recent double standards that have people fuming, yet are done deals with no repercussions: 1) At a rally for presidential candidate Joe Biden who has been in lukewarm, if not hot, water over allegations that he touched multiple women inappropriately a female supporter yelled, You can hug and kiss me anytime, Joe! According to NBC News, the crowd roared in approval. So in the span of a few seconds, a Democratic woman, and thousands around her, completely obliterated much of the #MeToo movement and, in doing so, invalidated the genuine harassment so many women have endured. How ironic, since many Democrats politicized the #MeToo charge, and attempted to steamroll any Republican whom they viewed as a harasser, lack of evidence notwithstanding. So it was acceptable for them to destroy Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaughs reputation over unsubstantiated claims from three decades ago, and condemn anyone who didnt automatically believe a woman over a man, but when its their favored politician on the hot seat, they not just look the other way, but openly joke about it and discredit his accusers. And the media is no different, as the women on The View gave Mr. Biden a free pass on his documentable offenses, when they excoriated Republicans for a whole lot less. Too bad so few care about the value of looking in the mirror. Not calling out your own when they go off the reservation is a disservice to everyone especially yourself. 2) Pennsylvania Democratic state Rep. Brian Sims videoed himself harassing peaceful prolife protestors in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic, including bullying young girls and elderly women. Sure, there was outrage, but mostly from Republicans, as Mr. Sims party and his abortion constituency refused, for the most part, to call him out. Should he resign, as some demand? Absolutely not, since the decision to remove an elected official should always remain with the people. And should charges be filed, as some suggest? Not a chance and those advocating such are being the very snowflakes they so love to criticize. But its the hypocrisy that is so alarming. Former Republican state Rep. Nick Miccarelli was effectively forced from office by advocacy groups and his own colleagues for sexual harassment allegations. Not only were those accusations unsubstantiated at the time, but they ultimately turned out to be nothing, as no legal action was ever taken. This author blasted those who condemned Mr. Miccarelli without affording him due process including his own GOP leadership but his fate was sealed. Yet in the case of Rep. Sims, where we have documentable evidence of egregious behavior, his actions were effectively condoned by the left, and he was given political cover, simply because he suited their agenda. 3) Liberal black actor Jussie Smollett was prosecuted and that word is used very lightly by a liberal black States Attorney for numerous crimes that would have, by virtually all accounts, resulted in a slam-dunk conviction. But instead of justice, Mr. Smollett had all charges dropped despite the prosecutors office stating that it believed he was guilty. Does anyone really believe the result would have been the same had a conservative actor lied about being assaulted by black Obama supporters? Not a chance, as the book would have been (correctly) thrown at him. But this isnt just a political double standard, as most average blacks, had they lied to the police and made them engage in a massive and expensive wild goose chase, would have faced the music. The take-away lesson is that if youre rich and famous, you get special treatment. And if not, too bad. 4) The principal at Sabold Elementary School in Springfield has stopped saying God bless America after the Pledge of Allegiance because a single person complained, and garnered the backing of a liberal organization that demanded the change. Rather than fighting the preposterous charge, the school district solicitor caved while citing a wholly incorrect legal opinion resulting in yet another tradition being scrapped. Yet the lefts intolerance is highly selective. They have no problem burning the flag and eradicating God Bless America despite Congress starting each session with a prayer, and In God We Trust being prominently featured on our currency, among countless other non-denominational references to God but they dont hesitate banning Columbus Day, Confederate monuments, the General Lee car from The Dukes of Hazzard, college mascots, tag in school, and even Valentines Day. And locally, its the same. First, it was the statue of legendary Mayor Frank Rizzo being dumped from City Hall. Now the iconic statue of Kate Smith has been unceremoniously removed from by the Philadelphia Flyers, with Ms. Smiths legacy forever tarnished with the racist label all because one disgruntled individual was offended. Its bad enough that the Flyers ownership displayed such cowardice and lack of backbone, but worse is that the storied life of Ms. Smith from her patriotism selling war bonds to the incredible strides she made in mending race relations is now relegated to the dustbin of history. Rather than practicing restraint and tolerance, the left continues its march toward not just revising history, eliminating that which it doesnt approve of from our history books. 5) When blacks are targeted by law enforcement simply because of their color, including the use of stop and frisk, the result is heightened animosity between that community and police. And no matter whether a white police officer shoots a black suspect, or a black suspect kills a white officer as just happened, with the alleged perp smiling for the cameras the immediate reaction should not be one that invokes racism, especially when facts are few. But far too often, police are immediately condemned by agenda-driven activists as being racist before even the slightest information is known. Playing the race card is never a winning hand, but it is increasingly the go-to tactic favored by the left to the detriment of everyone. Wittingly or not, leftists are winning because by protesting anything and everything, it is inevitable that some of their agenda will stick. And they are sophisticated enough to know that their opponents not just the right, but most of Middle America will either only whisper disdain at the water cooler, or express outrage for a few days before moving on with their jobs and lives. The result is the same: Their aggrievements from banning God bless America to toppling statues are catered to by weak, appeasing leaders who prefer hoisting the white flag rather than fighting back. But as usually is the case, the extremists will push it too far. In doing so, they will awaken a sleeping giant tired of double standards being shoved down its throat. And at that point, we may be in for a war that will be anything but civil. Chris Freind is an independent columnist and commentator. His print column appears every Wednesday. He can be reached at CF@FFZMedia.com. BLUFFDALE An argument over money allegedly owed for landscaping work led to one man being shot Sunday night, according to police. Saratoga Springs police say Ryan Holladay, 36, went to a Bluffdale man's house Sunday about 9:30 p.m. "to discuss landscaping work that was performed by the suspect for the victim and a disagreement about payment for the work performed." But at some point during the discussion, Holladay pulled out a gun and fired six times, striking the 34-year-old victim twice, police stated. The man was shot in the arm and torso. "The victims mother placed a tourniquet on the victims arm and his wife then drove him a few blocks to the fire station where he was treated by paramedics and transported to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray," police stated. Holladay fled in a 2017 Ford pickup truck that was later found abandoned near the Salt Lake City International Airport. According to his Facebook page, Holladay is the owner of Landscaping and Sprinkler Specialists in Riverton. The bio on his company's Facebook page states "He feels that landscaping is not only his passion, but his calling in life. Ryan is also a family man. He is happily married to his sweetheart." Court records, however, show Holladay has a history of domestic violence and he filed for divorce from his wife in April. In 2017 he was charged with felony trespassing for going to his ex-wife's residence without permission, according to charging documents. The case was later dismissed when both parties reached an agreement, court records state. In 2016, Holladay was convicted of assault against his wife, who was estranged at the time, court records state. In 2014 he took a plea in abeyance, pleading guilty to a charge of stalking involving his ex-wife, court records state. In 2012, Holladay was charged with robbery and domestic violence in the presence of a child for another incident involving his ex-wife. The case was later dismissed when witnesses failed to show up for court, according to court records. In 2003, Holladay was convicted of robbery, possession of a weapon by a restricted person and impersonating an officer, and was sentenced to one to 15 years at the Utah State Prison. That sentence was ordered to run concurrent with a 2002 conviction of aggravated robbery for which Holladay was sentenced to five years to life at the Utah State Prison. Anyone with information about the incident or Holladay's whereabouts can call police at 801-766-6503. SALT LAKE CITY Victor Vescovo has just broken the record for the deepest manned solo dive in history, and he returned with depressing news: theres plastic waste down there. An announcement made Monday said that on May 1, the 53-year-old Vescovo descended 35,853 feet, or nearly seven miles into the bottom of Challenger Deep, which is part of the Pacific Oceans Mariana Trench, according to CNN. Thrilled to announce the success of our Fourth Dive to the DEEPEST point on the planet. https://t.co/f9urYVYbap The Five Deeps Expedition (@FiveDeeps) May 13, 2019 Vescovo was part of a mission to chart the worlds deepest underwater places, and the Mariana Trench is considered the deepest place in the ocean, according to the BBC. "It is almost indescribable how excited all of us are about achieving what we just did, Vescovo told the BBC. "This submarine and its mother ship, along with its extraordinarily talented expedition team, took marine technology to a ridiculously higher new level by diving rapidly and repeatedly into the deepest, harshest, area of the ocean." Vescovo made multiple trips through the trench. Once at the bottom, he explored the seafloor for four hours in his submersible, The Limiting Factor, according to CNN. Vescovos team discovered four potentially new species of prawn-like crustaceans called amphipods, a spoon worm at 7,000 meters and a pink snailfish at 8,000 meters. They also discovered brightly colored rocky outcrops that were possibly created by microbes on the seabed, according to the BBC. Vescovos mission also discovered less than exciting findings: plastic bags and candy wrappers at the bottom of the trench. Scientists plan on testing the creatures collected on the expedition to see if they contain microplastics. Vescovo, a financier with a naval background, told CNN that his journey was about testing human limits as much as scientific discovery. "Going to the extremes I believe is a natural inclination of man," Vescovo said. I think it is a wonderful part of human nature that makes us want to push ourselves to the limits, which has helped propel us as a species to where we are now." Vescovos journey was filmed for Discovery Channel and has been dubbed the Five Deeps Expedition. Its mission is to chart and conduct detailed sonar mapping at the five deepest places in the ocean: the Puerto Rico Trench (Atlantic Ocean), the South Sandwich Trench (South Atlantic), the Java Trench (Indian Ocean) and Molloy Deep (Arctic Ocean), according to CNN. The Molloy Deep has yet to be explored, and Vescovos team will be there in August, according to CNN. According to BBC, the first dive into the Mariana Trench occurred in 1960 by U.S. Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh and Swiss engineer Jacques Piccard. The previous deep solo dive record was held by Titanic and Avatar director James Cameron, who completed the dive in 2012. "I felt like I literally in the space of one day have gone to another planet and come back, Cameron told CNN at the time. "You know, there's so much we don't know," Cameron added. "I'm hopeful that we'll be able to study the ocean before we destroy it." Vescovo said, "It is very important to us that we show some initial scientific discoveries, just to give a small sample of what we could do if the sub was in the hands of a professional research organization. "That is my sincere hope to sell the system to an institute, government, or individual, that can use the whole diving system to advance marine science for decades to come." SALT LAKE CITY A LaVerkin man charged Friday with numerous weapons violations is now facing additional charges for alleged sex abuse of a child. Tucker Reynolds, 48, was charged Monday in Washington County's 5th District Court with two counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, and three counts of forcible sex abuse, a second-degree felony. Those counts are in addition to charges filed on Friday for possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony, and three counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony. In his latest charges, a girl told police that Reynolds frequently abused her between the ages of 12 and 15. The girl said she was not comfortable telling him to "stop," according to charging documents. "She also told me that she pretended to be asleep and not saying anything to him because she knew what he was capable of. When asked what she meant she stated he taught her to shoot guns, how to fight back, make bombs and other things. She said he also taught her how to stab, cut and do the most damage to someone. She also stated she knew with her small frame she wasn't going to be able to do much against him so she didn't do anything," the charges state. On Thursday, LaVerkin police assisted investigators from the Department of Homeland Security with serving a search warrant on Reynolds' home, according to a Washington County Jail report. "I was advised Tucker Reynolds had ordered a full automatic selector switch for a Glock. Possession of the switch itself is considered an unregistered machine gun," the report states. Because Reynolds was convicted in 2005 in federal court of possessing an unregistered destructive device, he is currently prohibited from possessing dangerous weapons, according to the report. Reynolds was sentenced to five months in federal prison for that incident. As investigators were serving the warrant, they noticed him driving by in his truck. After pulling him over, police found "a Glock 19 handgun in a compartment in the head rest. The firearm was loaded with a round in the chamber," the report states. Inside his house, three "large knives" were seen on Reynolds' nightstand next to his bed, according to the report. Reynolds was ordered to be held on no bail. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Natalie Blanchard helps her husband, Matt, with his wheelchair after speaking at the kickoff for the Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Matt Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Matt Blanchard talks about not using a seat belt at the kickoff for the Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Matt Blanchard buckles up as he and his wife, Natalie, leave the kickoff for the Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Matt Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News A photo of Matt Blanchard water skiing is displayed during the kickoff of Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Matt Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Family photo Utah Highway Patrol Maj. Tyler Kotter helps kick off the agency's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019 Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Matt Blanchard talks about not using a seat belt at the kickoff for the Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Utah Highway Patrol Maj. Tyler Kotter helps kick off the agency's Click it or Ticket campaign in Taylorsville at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019 Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Matt Blanchard talks about not using a seat belt at the kickoff for the Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Utah Highway Patrol Maj. Tyler Kotter talks with Matt Blanchard during the kickoff for the Click it of Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Matt Blanchard gets ready to leave the kickoff for the Utah Highway Patrol's Click it or Ticket campaign at the Calvin Rampton Building in Taylorsville on Monday, May 13, 2019. Blanchard refused to buckle up, even after his co-worker asked multiple times. He and his co-worker were in a car crash near Cedar City, and while the buckled co-worker survived with minimal injury Blanchard became a paraplegic. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Julian Assange apparently is prepared to argue that he could not receive a fair trial in the United States because of his fame and his alleged links to political scandals specifically, that he played a role in helping Russian efforts to hack Democratic computers during the 2016 presidential election. For some people Assange presents a problem. He obtained top secret files from the U.S. military and diplomatic corps, some of which were embarrassing to the nation and its allies. How, they wonder, does this differ from what Daniel Ellsberg did a half-century ago, bringing to light atrocities and lies concerning the Vietnam War? The answer lies in process. Ellsberg gave the files he obtained to The New York Times and The Washington Post. Trained journalists know to consider such information against a variety of factors, including its potential harm to innocent people. The Posts publisher, Katharine Graham, is considered legendary for her deliberations of the merits of publishing what were known as the Pentagon Papers, and then her courage in doing so amid government challenges once she had made her decision. Assange, by contrast, dumped hundreds of thousands of classified documents on the public without a thought toward consequences, and apparently without having read them all himself. He selectively targeted the United States, endangering Americans and many of the nations allies, equating U.S. forces to the old East German secret police while ignoring the atrocities committed by the Taliban or other enemies. He implied in an interview on Dutch TV that Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee worker killed in a robbery, was murdered for providing him stolen information something for which no evidence exists. The Washington Times recently retracted its stories pushing that conspiracy theory. Assange appears to have been giving cover to Russian efforts to influence the U.S. election. All this may seem like hair-splitting when it comes to deciding how to define the difference between journalism and espionage. The U.S. Constitution clearly makes it difficult to define who gets to wear the title of a journalist. But in this case, Assange seems to have had little concern about the public good, protecting the innocent or the responsible dissemination and analysis of the information he obtained. A British judge soon may have to decide whether to extradite Assange to the United States or to send him to Sweden to face rape charges. A rape charge is serious, but sending him to Sweden may make it difficult for him to come to the United States to face charges here. He is likely to make the claim that the United States wants him mainly for political reasons. Thats unconvincing, considering the Trump administration allegedly gained the most from his work. The United States has consistently sought to try Assange, dating back to the Obama administration. Its time for him to come to the United States and defend himself in court. Its time to hear evidence and, once and for all, determine the truth about his actions and his motives. SALT LAKE CITY On Thursday, Utah's Department of Public Safety used a helicopter to lift thousands of pounds of trash left behind at homeless camps from a hillside. The operation was the first of its kind, officials said, and needed to happen after recent homeless camps have "gotten out of control," creating a public health crisis. A number of homeless camps have popped up along the hillside just northwest of the state Capitol near Beck Street and Victory Road in Salt Lake City, leaving the waste in their wake. "(We're) doing a major cleanup on the side of the hill up there," said Kerry Cramer, the supervisor of the bureau of sanitation for the Salt Lake County Health Department. "(The) number of homeless camps that weve been forced to clean up because theyve just gotten out of control (is) creating a health problem. Cleaning up homeless camps on the hillside is nothing new, but bringing in a chopper to haul away the thousands of pounds of stuff has never been done before. "There is quite a bit out there. Its surprising how much," said DPS chief pilot Luke Bowman. "Biggest challenge we have today is a little bit of wind." Work release inmates from the county jail were brought in to help clean up the camps. They hiked their way into the location and filled dozens of orange bags that were piled onto a net that the helicopter would then pick up and take to the bottom of the hill. Those bags were later loaded into two huge dump trucks to be taken to the landfill. "We are looking at tons of solid waste. Some of the camps have been up here a long time, and the longer theyve been here the more stuff they accumulate. So it just reaches a critical mass. Something has to be done," Cramer said. One worker said she couldnt believe the amount of junk crews were pulling out of makeshift houses located in discreet areas. Health officials said for the past two weeks they've been getting the word out to those living on the mountainside so that they could gather their belongings while the operation got underway. Relief organizations have been helping those people find other living arrangements. WEST VALLEY CITY Starting Tuesday, some Utah teachers won't have to leave school grounds in order to visit a doctor or bring their kids in for a checkup. They won't be billed for it, either. The Granite School District has converted a former Latter-day Saint seminary building at a West Valley junior high into a doctor's office that administrators say is the first of its kind in the Beehive State. The center opens as Utah schools battle to hire new instructors amid a teacher shortfall. The clinic "will be and already is an awesome recruitment tool," Karyn Winder, Granite School Board president, said Monday as district and government leaders celebrated the new center. Sandy and the Utah Transit Authority have similar versions of the clinic, but Granite officers say no other school district has anything like the Granite Employee Wellness Center, which is next door to Valley Junior High. The new doctor's office opens Tuesday morning to about 5,000 full-time employees and retirees, plus those on their health plans just shy of an estimated 12,000 patients altogether, Winder said. It will provide urgent and primary care, plus mental health counseling and appointments to help people manage more long-term conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol. Physical therapy will also be available down the road. No visit will come with a price tag, according to the district. There's no copay, and medication and blood work also come free. District coffers and employees' premiums $265 a month for a family plan will foot the cost of their visits, said district spokesman Ben Horsley. And while the center can't fill outside prescriptions, it can dispense drugs ordered in-house, including birth control, said Sally Epperson, the center's family nurse practitioner. Granite isn't hiring its own doctors, however. It signed a contract with the Nashville-based Premise Health to provide six employees to start, including Epperson, and a full-time physician. The five-year contract will run the district about $7 million, a cost administrators believe to be a bargain. Up until this week, Granite has poured $70 million into health care for its workers and their families each year, Horsley said, in large part due to pharmaceutical and insurance costs. The district expects it will eliminate millions in those expenses by taking care of them in-house at the center, and Granite does not seek to turn a profit, Horsley said. The Tuesday opening will be a relief to many instructors and other employees who have struggled to see a doctor in the Salt Lake Valley, said Star Orullian, executive director of the Granite Education Association. "You can get a primary care physician, but you may wait eight months to see them," she said. Orullian hopes the new center will change that trend, but she and others emphasize that Granite employees can keep their current providers if they choose. The concrete-and-steel building, after a roughly $2 million renovation, spans about 6,200 square feet. As they gave tours of its five exam rooms on Monday, district administrators emphasized they will never have access to a current employee or retiree's private medical information. The office's hours are more friendly to a teacher's schedule than some. It's open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 pm., and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The schedule continues through the summer. Administrators are considering whether to open another branch on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley, Horsley said. BYD has this week delivered 15 pure electric 12-metre eBuses to Spain's southwest city of Badajoz one of the largest eBus orders for BYD in the country. Public transport operator, TUBASA (Transportes Urbanos de Badajoz, SA), part of Grupo Ruiz and one of Spain'sprincipal road passenger transport groups, has already put the vehicles into service. The zero emission BYD eBuses are delivered as fleet replacements for TUBASA and are already returning substantial savings when compared to the company'sprevious diesel-powered buses. 15 BYD eBuses delivery in Badajoz The BYD eBus delivery was marked at a special handover ceremony in Badajoz on Thursday 9th May including representatives from TUBASA and the Mayor of Badajoz, Franciso Javier Fragoso. The BYD fleet delivery means Badajoz becomes the largest user of electric buses in Spain, with TUBASA operating the highest percentage of electric buses within any public transport fleet in Europe. In a significant commitment to making the city even more environmentally friendly, the Mayor has pledged that the move to a 100% all-electric bus fleet will continue in Badajoz. Powered by BYD Iron-Phosphate batteries, the new BYD eBuses boast a 250km range between charges under SORT 2 conditions. Based at El Nevero industrial estate, TUBASA has installed 15 recharging points and 100% recharge is achieved in just four hours. TUBASA has established a clear commitment to emission-free operation in Badajoz, said Mr. Javier Contijoch, V.P. Sales for BYD Europe, and we are delighted that the company has chosen BYD as its eBus partner. We have demonstrated that pure electric operation will deliver significant cost savings for TUBASA, but, moreover, the benefits for passengers, other road users and the wider public will be realised for many years to come. From left to right] Mr. Julian Pocostales, Managing Director of TUBASA; Mr. Jesus Coslado, Councilor for Transports of Badajoz; and Mr. Javier Contijoch, VP Sales of BYD Europe BYD also confirmed an order for eight 12-metre eBuses for Badalona in Barcelona province, scheduled for delivery very soon, with further orders for bus operators in Madrid and Valencia. The Portuguese city of Coimbra is also gearing-up to receive a delivery of eight BYD eBuses next week, signaling the growing demand across the Iberian Peninsula for BYD'spure electric 100% emission-free eBus products. Isbrand Ho, Managing Director at BYD Europe: Our potential in the Iberian market is rapidly growing with consecutive orders from Spain and Portugal. Up till now we have confirmed 32 eBuses that will be running in both countries by summer 2019, and we have confidence there will be more to come. We are pleased that these cities have already chosen for zero emission buses that contribute to the air quality. PROVO BYU's Honor Code Office announced Tuesday specific "improvements" it has made since multiple students in recent weeks publicly raised concerns about the way it has sometimes enforced the school's code of conduct. The announcement came in the form of a letter from Honor Code Office Director Kevin Utt, and was posted on the school's website Tuesday. It specified three areas of change: Students will now be told during their first contact with the office what they were being accused of. "I want to reiterate that you will not be presumed in violation of an honor code policy unless you either accept responsibility or the investigation process makes such a determination," Utt wrote. Accused students will be given the names of those making the allegations against them, "except in situations where it is a matter of safety to a member of our campus community." Students will be told from the beginning what they can expect from the investigation process and what support resources are available. "This includes an explanation of the steps we will take to find information that corroborates or disputes the original report; the preponderance of evidence standard that universities use; and the possible outcomes if found responsible for the policy violation," according to Utt. A spokesman for one of the student groups pushing for changes welcomed the school's statement. "We're feeling very optimistic that they're publishing something like this because we've had radio silence since the initial Q&A was released (about a month ago)," said Riley Madrian, a spokeswoman for the Restore Honor Movement. "We're very excited we have a formal statement from BYU, especially one that comes directly from the director of the Honor Code Office." Madrian said she believes Utt has brought a "different attitude" to the Honor Code Office since holding the position in January. "It's just not enough to have one person trying to change things from the top down, when there has been a culture in place for decades. We're very excited to be working with him, and he seems very committed to reviewing the process and fixing what needs to be fixed," she said. BYU, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, requires its students to sign an honor code promising to be honest, live chaste lives, obey the law and campus policies, abstain from drinking alcohol and regularly participate in church services, among other things. Protests and a social media campaign by students and former students targeted the school over claims from some that they have been treated unfairly, harshly or intrusively by BYU's Honor Code Office. Utt said he has welcomed discussions with "several hundred students and counting" in recent months and said his office has began reviewing procedures and making changes. "For instance, when we learned that an online form associated with our housing office was creating confusion about reporting honor code violations, we removed the confusing language. As I mentioned in the Q&A posted in April, encouraging others in their commitment to comply with the honor code is not synonymous with 'turn someone in.' Utt wrote about what it was like to take over in January and what his first impressions of the honor code were. "When I was hired as the director, I was asked to review each of the policies and practices of my office to be in accordance with current best practices," he wrote. "The honor code process should serve to help students reflect and commit to the honor code, as they strive to achieve the high standards set forth by BYUs mission and aims. "I want students to be respected and treated fairly throughout their interaction with this office. I understand the concerns that have been raised with some of our procedures, which we will continue to address in the months ahead. The constructive dialogue that I and others are having with students is helpful as we continue to refine our policies, trainings and practices," Utt said. Madrian, who got involved when a friend who was part of forming the group graduated, called the changes "not just words" and very promising, although the group hopes this is just the beginning of substantive changes. "We're very excited about the cooperation happening," said the senior majoring in Middle East studies and Arabic. "They're committed to improving their relationship with students, and to improving the honor code process." She said Restore Honor has several events in the works for this summer. She said its most substantive meetings occurred after the protest on the BYU campus last month, which drew several hundred people in a rare on-campus action. "We're still pushing for some other changes," she said. "This is a good baby step in the right direction." SALT LAKE CITY Washington state lawmakers have passed an act waiving tuition at two- or four-year public colleges for students whose families make $50,000 or less per year, according to the Seattle Times. Students from families that make up to the median income nearly $92,000 will also receive aid. The Workforce Education Investment Act, which will provide for nearly 110,000 students, will go into effect in 2020. It would raise almost $1 billion over a four-year period through added surcharges to businesses who use highly skilled workers, such as computer science, engineering and accounting. Washington joins 20 states that offer some form of tuition-free higher education, according to CNBC. While some experts, such as former Missouri State University president Michael T. Nietzel, are lauding Washington lawmakers for the plan, calling it a standard for making college affordable that other states should carefully consider, it also might not be the magic bullet for every state. Here are some points to consider: 1. Funding is based on a controversial tax. Funding for Washingtons legislation comes from a business and occupation (B&O) tax levied only in Washington, West Virginia and Ohio, that varies based on the way states classify businesses. Washington state business owners cite frustration with the tax because it has been amended, tweaked and updated to include hundreds of exemptions, exceptions and classifications, says Seattle news editor Chris Grygiel in Seattle Business Magazine. Although most classifications result in a tax of less than 1 percent, Grygiel continues, businesses get taxed whether they make money or lose money, which critics of the levy say is especially hard on startups and small firms. Even in those years youre not making a profit, the government gets paid before the owner of the business, Steve Neighbors, chairman of Terra Staffing Group in Bellevue, Washington, told Seattle Business Magazine. 2. Amazon and Microsoft will contribute a healthy chunk of the funding and both are excited about the plan. Tech mammoths Microsoft and Amazon, will contribute between 2 percent and 3.6 percent of the total $380 million in revenue the tax increase will raise over the first two years, said Katherine Long. Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a joint op-ed in the Seattle Times that because his company relies heavily on highly educated workers, he supports paying a bit more through this act. Amazon also agreed, stating: We have a long history of supporting local education. We have welcomed the constructive dialogue on (the act) and are supportive of the outcome that delivers increased funding for higher education in Washington State. In Washington State, service industry businesses, including tech firms, are taxed most heavily. Other states, however, have different tax structures and dont have firms like Microsoft and Amazon, making Washington's plan unique to that state. 3. Students can use their aid flexibly. The act allows students to use the money they receive for various certificate programs or apprenticeships as well as part-time attendance. This no-strings approach, or the fine print as Nathan Daun-Barnett, University at Buffalo professor of educational leadership and policy, called it in a university news release, helps students participate in and complete the programs they start. Several financial aid programs are designed to encourage students to enter particular fields or encourage on-time completion, Daun-Barnett said. In exchange, students are obligated to certain conditions. If you do not meet (the requirements), you lose eligibility. Daun-Barnett also said that often, a failure to meet the stipulations surrounding some funding agreements means a grant becomes a loan that requires repayment. 4. The plan will require changing existing higher-ed programs to meet student demand. In a Seattle Times op-ed piece, the presidents of Microsoft and the University of Washington, and the vice chairman of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges write that Washington will need to change its higher ed opportunities in order to facilitate this new approach to funding students: Many of todays students and tomorrows workforce will benefit by pursuing career pathways that take them through community and technical college or apprenticeships," they write. "Lets expand capacity at our public community and technical colleges and our four-year colleges and universities because we lack room in our programs in critical high-demand fields like nursing, engineering and computer science. The act sets aside $300 million over two years for public universities and colleges to make targeted investments to boost high-demand fields and (provide) foundational support to recession-proof the states colleges and universities, according to the Seattle Times. Washingtons course of action speaks to higher eds overall need for reinvention, as Babson College president-elect Stephen Spinelli, Jr. writes in the Boston Globe: The educational experience is no longer linear. It is not limited to a four-year experience with a defined beginning and end. Rather, students seek a long-term, ongoing relationship with education, one with many connection points over the course of their lives. SALT LAKE CITY Sen. Mitt Romney broke ranks with Senate Republicans on Tuesday to vote against a Trump administration judicial nominee who disparaged President Barack Obama eight years ago. Romney, R-Utah, cast the lone GOP "no" vote against Michael Truncale, who the Senate confirmed 49-46 as a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas. In a June 2011 speech before the Golden Triangle Republican Women, Truncale called Obama an un-American imposter. He later told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he was at the time merely expressing frustration by what I perceived as a lack of overt patriotism on behalf of President Obama." Romney, who lost to Obama in the 2012 presidential race, later explained his vote against Truncale to reporters. "He made particularly disparaging comments about President Obama, and as the Republican nominee for president, I just couldn't subscribe to that in a federal judge," Romney told Politico. "This was not a matter of qualifications or politics. This was something specifically to that issue as a former nominee of our party." Democrats and civil rights groups opposed Truncale, a staunch conservative and one-time GOP congressional candidate, because of his views on abortion, immigration and voting rights. Though Romney backs President Donald Trump most of the time, he is among Republicans who have shown a willingness to buck the president. He voted against Trump's national emergency declaration to fund a border wall and announced he would not vote for Herman Cain to serve on the Federal Reserve Board. SALT LAKE CITY Two University of Utah students suffered chemical burns in College of Engineering labs the past two years despite safety inspections that identified major deficiencies just before the incidents. Not correcting the problems is reminiscent of inaction at other universities that led to severe injuries over the past decade, including a death at UCLA, according to a Utah legislative audit released Tuesday. The Office of the Legislative Auditor General says the problems identified in the 64-page report show a "broken system" that puts lab workers at risk. The audit focused on the occupational hazards in U. academic labs. "Though the university has not had a fatality, it has experienced serious accidents. Safety deficiencies need to be addressed to ensure future accidents are minimized," according to the audit. Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, said she has seen many audits, but "I've never seen one that says broken. This is a broken system." Mayne, who requested the lab safety audit, said the problems have not gone on for years but for decades. She said when she asked U. officials five years ago if the school was compliant with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, she was assured it was. "I says youre untruthful because I know youre not," Mayne said. The two separate incidents within 13 months in the same research group at the U. engineering lab was "not surprising" based on a history of uncorrected safety hazards, auditors wrote. "We consider the University of Utah fortunate that more serious injuries have not occurred," Brian Dean, deputy auditor general told the Legislative Audit Subcommittee, which is made up of House and Senate leaders. The audit also identified inadequate safety practices in other academic labs, including the hepatitis B program, where records show some employees working for years without a vaccine they requested per Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations. Also, the university is not following prescribed practices to perform health assessments for employees working with laboratory animals. U. President Ruth Watkins said university officials recognized the need to improve lab safety before the audit was conducted. Between 2016 and 2019, the U. spent $20 million on safety measures, including fume hoods, emergency eye washes and showers, chemical storage solutions and fire alarm system upgrades. "The findings of this audit are of such importance that the university administration has already begun implementing changes to most effectively address the challenges and opportunities that were identified," Watkins wrote in a response to the audit. Auditors say Watkins has the ultimate responsibility for lab safety on campus. The university president created a Lab Safety Culture Task Force after a peer review found concerns in 2017, but no recommendations were implemented, according to the audit. "We recommend that the University of Utah president direct administrators to prioritize and enforce the goal of eliminating repeat safety deficiencies from lab safety audits and inspections," auditors wrote. The audit showed 49 percent of labs on campus were repeating rather than correcting major deficiencies, "which is alarming," Tim Bereece, audit supervisor, told lawmakers. Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, called the repeat issues "very problematic, very problematic." "I don't think I need to say this, but Ill say it anyway: You better get this fixed U. of U.," he said. In July 2017, a student suffered a burned cornea when sodium hydroxide or lye got into his eye. The student washed the eye in an emergency eye wash that was several halls away due to construction in the building. In August 2018, a student suffered burns to his leg and feet when a bottle with a 70 percent concentration of nitric acid broke. He was rushed to a nearby emergency shower and then taken to University of Utah Hospital. Two months before the first incident, the U. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety found nine "major" deficiencies, including no chemical hygiene plan or spill kit, inappropriate chemical storage and container labeling, and improper compressed gas storage, according to the audit. Another incident in February 2018 involving chemicals that combust when exposed to air the same kind that led to the death of a UCLA researcher in 2008 injured two lab workers in the chemistry department. Auditors say it could have turned out much worse had safety precautions not been taken. A flame-resistant lab coat prevented the U. researcher from being burned on the chest, though his gloves did not stop second-degree burns on his hands. Also, a spotter stood by with a fire extinguisher. "Unfortunately, we observed and (the occupational safety department) has reported repeatedly that lab coats in general are not being worn consistently," auditors wrote. Auditors says the U.'s lab safety program lacks adequate oversight, coordination and communication between the administration and occupational health and safety department. "Therefore, each group lacked valuable feedback and guidance from the other, resulting in repeat deficiencies and unresolved safety concerns that affected critical safety issues," auditors wrote. The audit found poor management practices leave safety issues unresolved and that lab workers must take ownership in assessing their safety performance. Andrew Weyrich, U. vice president of research, told lawmakers the university agrees with all of the audit's recommendations. He said the U. is in the midst of a restructuring process to "get all of this right." Mayne said she expected school leaders would say they were sorry and would fix the problems. "They should have been sorry a long time ago," she said. SALT LAKE CITY President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will participate in a ministry tour of the churchs Pacific Area beginning on May 16. President Nelson will be joined by his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, along with Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong. The group will meet with and minister to Latter-day Saints and community members, including government and religious leaders, according to the Church News. Where will President Nelson visit during the tour? Here's a brief look: Thursday, May 16: Kona, Hawaii, United States Church leaders began the tour by talking to members at the Kona Hawaii Stake Center. Saturday, May 18: Apia, Samoa There was a devotional that was broadcasted to all congregations in both Samoa and American Samoa. Sunday, May 19: Sydney, Australia Church leaders hosted a devotional from the International Convention Centre in Sydney. It will be shared with members across Australia. Tuesday, May 21: Auckland, New Zealand Church leaders broadasted a meeting from Auckland to missionaries throughout the Pacific Area. Later in the day, there were proceedings from a larger devotional at Spark Arena that will be shared throughout New Zealand. Wednesday, May 22 (Suva, Fiji) and Thursday, May 23 (Nuku'alofa, Tonga) Devotionals were held in Suva and Nukualofa that will broadcast throughout both Fiji and Tonga. Friday, May 24: Papeete, Tahiti President Nelson, Sister Nelson, Elder Gong and Sister Gong will visit the cultural program that will celebrate the 175th anniversary of missionaries arriving in French Polynesia. There will be a devotional after the celebration. It is difficult to imagine that merely a year back Vicky Kaushal was fairly absent from our lives. The heights of stardom that he has witnessed in such a short span of time is almost unreal, but more than box-office success and critical appreciation, he has made a straight dive in the hearts of his fans who cannot adore him enough. As our ankhon ka tara celebrates his thirty-first birthday on 16 May, we desperately wish we could have been a part of it. The actor is all set to ring in his birthday in New York with his close friends. He has been chilling at a villa in New York and treating us to gorgeous pictures from the trip. A source to the actor revealed, At the villa, he plans to relax and catch up with college friends who will arrive from Boston and New Jersey. It will be a birthday reunion of sorts." The source also added, There are a few burger joints and pancake restaurants in the city that Vicky loves and is revisiting all the old hunts. After his birthday, the actor will catch the award-winning Broadway play Sleep No More, an immersive, site-specific telling of Shakespeares Macbeth. Looks like not just his talent, but his birthday plans are also as unique as him. Well, we cant join him for the celebration but we surely know what we want to on our next birthday. On the work front, he will work on Udham Singhs after the trip and also prep for Karan Johars Takht. Fate can often we be so cruel that we can barely comprehend it. In the most unfortunate incident, the Pyaar Ke Papad actor Pratish Vora recently lost his two-year-old daughter when she choked on a toy. Spotboye recently published a story where the actor recounted the details of the horrific incident that led to the death of his two-year-old. He said, It all happened at home when we were having pizzas with few friends who had come over. In fact, my daughter didn't stay in Mumbai, just like my wife. They both were in Rajkot and had just come for a holiday since the last 10 days. When my daughter swallowed a cubical piece of a toy, I immediately put my hand inside her mouth. But she bit me. The bite was hard. She was resisting me. I think she got very nervous and the piece went largely inside. My hand hence couldn't reach sufficiently inside and I guess the damage was done in those few seconds of struggle." Pratish continued, We stay in Mira Road. We reached the hospital soon, but my daughter had started to bleed by then. The doctors stopped the bleeding but her heart was skipping a few beats. The oxygen levels were fine but the carbon dioxide emission was not enough. After a while, we were told that she was almost normal. But the doctors said that they would need to keep her for 24-48 hours under observation. Then suddenly, she started to bleed again. The heart beats became more irregular. By 1 am, we were told that she wasn't with us anymore. The doctors tried very hard for the last one hour, but it didn't go in our favour. We flew down to Rajkot and laid her to rest around 7 am. He revealed that the family is still reeling under the shock, but it is his wife who is his priority right now. Pratish also mentioned how his daughter was lucky for them. In fact, their daughter was born 13 years after they got married and thus was incredibly special. He said, My wife and I succeeded more professionally after she was born. She is gone and it is going to be very tough for us. I feel that she is still with us. If I try to divert my mind, I still midway through anything and everything I remember her and the whole scenario--- and I suddenly stop. But I won't say that we have lost faith in God. All I can say is that life needs to go on. The actor also mentioned how the cast and crew of his show have stood behind him like a rock in these trying times. We cannot even fathom what this family must be growing through right now. There can be nothing more crushing than what they are going through and we only hope that God gives them the strength to tide over this loss. Indonesian market leader Telkomsel has partnered with its venture capital unit MDI Ventures and Singtels Innov8 to set up a $40 million fund for investment. The operator groups subsidiary Telkomsel Mitra Inovasi (TMI) will be in charge of the fund, which will be primarily invested in startup firms. Telkomsel will allow new firms to make use of its assets and ecosystems, as well as helping them to develop growth strategies to boost their long-term value. Ririek Adriansyah, president director of Telkomsel, said: We recognise that Southeast Asia is a region that is growing very fast. Our collaboration through TMI will provide Telkomsel the ability to bring engagement models that are more flexible, responsive and reliable for start-ups looking for access to our strategic capital, and at the same time can provide a better user experience with mutually beneficial cooperation in the long term. As per reports, a senior CRPF officer has said that the jawans are getting addicted to the game and is affecting the troops operational capabilities. At some point or the other, most of us would have thought about how good military personnel will be at playing PUBG. Well, it seems that they are indeed good at the battle royale game, however, PUBG is apparently affecting them dearly. The Central Reserve Police Force, or CRPF, has instructed its commanding officers to enforce a ban on troops playing PUBG on their mobile phones. According to a report, the armed forces internal survey has revealed that jawans are getting addicted to the online gaming app which is affecting their operational capabilities. Many of them have stopped socialising with their fellow jawans. It has also led to sleep deprivation because of reduced physical activity, a senior CRPF officer posted in CRPFs Delhi headquarters was quoted as saying. Another officer said that a violent game like PUBG has led to aggressive thoughts, emotions and behaviour, affecting the jawans mental well-being. Spending most of their time on the virtual game has left them socially inactive. Apparently, several jawans have isolated themselves from the real world, which is dangerous for physical and mental health. On May 6, Bihar unit of CRPF issued an order detailing the situation, as well as listing out instructions for senior officers. It has been reportedly learnt that CRPF troops, young personnel are addicted to PUBG app. Its a game app and getting these men addicted to it and getting them engaged to great extent which is affecting their ops performance, aggressive and attitudinal issues, the order said. All deputy inspectors-general (DIGs) to ensure and instruct all unit/company personnel under your command to get it deleted/deactivated such apps from their mobile phones. All company commanders will ensure that this app is deleted in all phones and random check of phones should be done, the circular, sent to all CRPF formations and the forces anti-insurgency CoBRA unit, added. PUBG Mobile was temporarily banned by the city administration of Rajkot and later by the district authorities of Gujarat in Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath. According to reports that followed the ban, ten players were arrested for playing PUBG Mobile in public spots like cinemas and colleges. Hyderabad-based Forum Against Corruption is also working to get a ban on PUBG Mobile in schools. Earlier this year, a class 9 Hyderabad student was given psychiatric medication for PUBG Mobile addiction. Reportedly, the spyware detected was developed by Israeli company NSO Group and is called Pegasus. WhatsApp has fixed a vulnerability in the apps calling feature that allowed cybercriminals to inject spyware on people phones, a media report has said. The spyware, called Pegasus, was developed by Israeli company NSO Group that licenses its products to governments to fight terrorism and crime. According to The Financial Times, which first reported the development, the spyware could be installed on iPhones as well as on Android devices; all an attacker has to do is make a WhatsApp call to the target. The company says that it fixed the vulnerability on Sunday and issued a patch for customers on Monday. This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company known to work with governments to deliver spyware that reportedly takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems. We have briefed a number of human rights organisations to share the information we can, and to work with them to notify civil society, the company said without naming NSO Group. WhatsApp, an instant messaging app used by 1.5 billion people worldwide, disclosed the issue to the US Department of Justice last week, Financial Times cited a person familiar with the matter, as saying. Meanwhile, NSO said that it had carefully vetted customers and investigated any abuse. The company also says that it is investigating the issue. Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies. NSO would not, or could not, use its technology in its own right to target any person or organisation, NSO was quoted as saying. Pegasus is NSOs flagship programme that can turn on a phones microphone and camera, and collect location data. The company has Middle Eastern and Western intelligence agencies as its customers. It is suspected that the attack was launched by a Middle Eastern country to allegedly suppress the criticism of its human rights practices. The report said that in the past, human rights campaigners in the Middle East have received text messages over WhatsApp that contained links that would download Pegasus to their phones. As late as on May 12, there was an attempt to compromise the phone of a UK-based human rights lawyer who helped a Saudi dissident in Canada, and sue NSO in Israel. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Torontos Citizen Lab, said the attack had failed. We had a strong suspicion that the persons phone was being targeted, so we observed the suspected attack, and confirmed that it did not result in infection, added Scott-Railton. OnePlus will launch its OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro smartphones today. The launch event is slated to begin at 8:15 PM IST. OnePlus started out by establishing itself as a flagship killer in the Indian smartphone segment. However, the company changed its strategy along the way and started releasing more premium phones, which were still inexpensive in comparison with other flagship phones. Today, it is set to unveil its latest OnePlus 7 series of handsets that consist of the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro Information about the two phones has leaked numerous times and to such an extent that the official announcement might only serve to confirm the reports. Heres how to watch the launch event live, rumoured specs and pricing of the devices and more. How to watch the live stream Todays OnePlus 7 series launch event will happen Bengaluru at 8:15 PM, and simultaneously in London, and New York. The company will be live streaming the event via its social media channels but you can watch it from the video embedded below. In Bengaluru, the OnePlus 7 launch event will take place at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre and as one wouldve guessed, tickets for the event sold out soon after they were made available. OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro specifications With such prolific tipsters and sources of leaks, its not surprising that almost everything about the OnePlus 7 phones is already reported. However, the company itself has been revealing tidbits of information about the upcoming phones, with a key focus on the OnePlus 7 Pro The companys CEO, Pete Lau, revealed that the OnePlus 7 Pro would come equipped with a super-smooth display and a report leaked the information that the handset could be equipped with a Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz screen refresh rate. The two phones are expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC. Recently, the entire spec sheet of the OnePlus 7 Pro leaked online, which hinted at a 6.67-inch display panel. The phones display was recently confirmed by OnePlus to be HDR10+ compliant and support Netflix HDR streaming. The upcoming handset will also feature a new vibration motor that is touted to be 200 percent more powerful than the one used previously and it is also confirmed to feature a triple rear camera setup. Multiple previous reports suggest that the OnePlus 7 Pro might be equipped with a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with f/1.6 aperture. Then, there could be a 16MP secondary wide-angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a tertiary 8MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture, 3x optical zoom and 78mm focal length. The handset might feature stereo speakers and might be backed by a 4000mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30 (5V/6A). The OnePlus 7 Pro might also feature a pop-up module on the top edge, which is rumoured to feature a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor. Coming to the OnePlus 7, leaked renders of the smartphone hint at a design akin to the OnePlus 6T. The phone might feature a waterdrop notch on a 6.2-inch AMOLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is speculated to feature dual rear cameras with a 48MP main sensor. The OnePlus 7 could be equipped with a smaller 3,700mAh battery but both the phones are expected to sport an in-display fingerprint sensor. OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro rumoured pricing As per the tipster Ishan Agarwal, the OnePlus 7 Pro could be the companys most expensive smartphone yet. It could start at Rs 49,999 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant, while its 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model will be priced at Rs 52,999. The 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant will be priced at Rs 57,999. The tipster Roland Quandt also tweeted the phones alleged European pricing. The 6GB RAM + 128GB storage option of the phone could be priced at EUR 699 (Rs 54,700 approx), while the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant is said to cost EUR 749 (Rs 58,600 approx). The top-most 12GB RAM + 256GB storage option could cost EUR 819 (Rs 64,100 approx). With the OnePlus 7 Pro hogging all the limelight, there has been very less information about OnePlus 7s pricing. The move is aimed to accelerate HMD Globals 4G and 5G commercialisation plan for Nokia-branded devices. American chip-maker Qualcomm and HMD Global, which sells Nokia-branded phones, have announced that they have entered into a direct worldwide license arrangement. Under the terms of the agreements, Qualcomm has granted HMD Global royalty-bearing patent licenses to develop, manufacture and sell branded 3G, 4G and 5G single-mode and multimode complete devices. We are driven by our unique promise of delivering phones that get better over time. In this, we work closely with best-in-class partners globally. Our collaboration with Qualcomm enables us to bring leading innovations to the market and deliver on our unique consumer promise, Florian Seiche, CEO of HMD Global, said in a statement. Alex Rogers, Executive Vice President and President, Qualcomm Technology Licensing, said, Qualcomm is pleased to sign 3G, 4G and 5G multimode licensing agreements with HMD Global that build on our long-standing technology relationship. Qualcomm is leading the transition to 5G, and we are proud to make our breakthrough 3G/4G/5G technologies available to leading OEMs like HMD Global and to support them in delivering compelling products around the world. In its latest quarterly review, Counterpoint Research said that Nokia phones did well in targeting the quality conscious users with a value proposition around the latest Android version providing a great user experience. With more Qualcomm chipsets, we could see more premium Nokia phones, and the frequency of the Android security updates is likely to increase. Further, the agreement also suggests that HMD Global is now jumping on the bandwagon of 5G-enabled phones. The move comes as Nokia Software is eyeing trials for Indias 5G telecom network. The company says that it is already participating in the pilot runs in deploying 5G networks commercially in the US, South Korea and Japan. India is both a very important talent base and large, local market for us. (in) 5G, we are not just in pilots or trials, we are in commercial deployment, The Economic Times quoted Bhaskar Gorti, President of Nokia Software, as saying. According to Gorti, the company has built significant software capability in India, and the country acts as an innovation lab for customers globally. The report also said that the Finnish company is looking to build cloud-based solutions that leverage the advantages of 5G such as low-latency and high throughput. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to meet after fresh stand-off A day after the United States brought back its punitive tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods and China announced higher tariffs on a range of US goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month. China said on Monday it planned to set import tariffs ranging from 5 per cent to 25 per cent on 5,140 US products on a $60 billion target list. It said the tariffs would take effect on 1 June. "China's adjustment on additional tariffs is a response to US unilateralism and protectionism," its finance ministry said. "China hopes the US will get back to the right track of bilateral trade and economic consultations and meet with China halfway." In the middle of the negotiations last week, Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. The move affected 5,700 categories of Chinese products, including internet modems and routers. The US blames China for stalling trade talks by deleting commitments from a draft agreement that its laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers. China ignored US President Trumps warnings not to retaliate against American tariffs on Chinese products and slapped tariffs on $60 billion worth of American imports and spooking the world bracing for a trade war. Trump, who sticks to his "America First" agenda, said he would talk to Xi at a G20 summit in late June. "Maybe something will happen," Trump said in remarks at the White House. "We're going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan and that'll be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting." At the same time, Trump warned Beijing to mend fences now before things get out of control. Beijing said it would never surrender to external pressure. Its state media said the door to talks was always open but vowed that China would defend its national interests and dignity. China will never succumb to foreign pressure, the countrys foreign ministry said in a statement about the retaliatory move that will kick in tariffs against more than 5,000 US products on June 1. We are determined and capable of safeguarding our legitimate rights and interests. We still hope that the US will meet us halfway. The US Trade Representative's office said it planned to hold a public hearing next month on the possibility of imposing duties of up to 25 per cent on a further $300 billion worth of imports from China. Cellphones and laptops would be included in that list but pharmaceuticals would be excluded, the office said. While there is the prospect of the trade dispute between United States and China spiralling into a no-holds-barred trade war, the fact remains that China and the US cannot live without each other. The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councilor Wang Yi, said during a trip to Russia that China-US talks were not a "one-way street" and needed to be conducted on the basis of equality, according to China's Foreign Ministry. "Both countries' negotiating teams have the ability and wisdom to resolve each other's reasonable demands, and in the end reach a mutually beneficial, win-win agreement," he said. The comment period on the planned new tranche of U.S. duties - which covers 3,805 product categories - is much shorter than in previous rounds and could potentially leave Trump in a position to trigger those tariffs by the time he meets Xi. U.S. farmers are among those most hurt by the trade war, with soybean sales to China plummeting and U.S. soybean futures hitting their lowest level in a decade. Trump said on Monday his administration was planning to provide about $15 billion to help farmers whose products might be targeted. Trump has said he is in no rush to finalise a deal with China. He again defended the move to hike US tariffs and said there was no reason why American consumers would pay the costs. Weighing up trade-offs between food security and climate mitigation International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) researchers collaborated with colleagues in Japan to clarify the impacts of stringent climate mitigation policies on food security. The team identified smart and inclusive climate policy designs where the risk of food-security for hundreds of millions of people could be addressed at a modest cost. In a study published today in Nature Sustainability, an international research group that included researchers from IIASA, Kyoto University, Ritsumeikan University, and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan, for the first time estimated how food security could be negatively affected by the climate mitigation policies implemented by multi-Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and the cost associated with avoiding adverse side effects. More specifically, they clarified the relationship between food security and climate mitigation, and provided cost estimates for possible solutions to the trade-off between food security and climate mitigation, taking into account the uncertainty represented by an ensemble of IAMs. Food security is one of the areas addressed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of SDG2 in particular, is to achieve "zero-hunger" by 2030. The issue of food security has been studied extensively in the context of climate change impacts associated with yield changes over the last few decades, and more recent studies also explored the effect of climate change mitigation on agricultural markets. The Paris Agreement defines a long-term temperature goal for international climate policy: "holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C". Accordingly, studies investigating the climate change mitigation required by the Paris objectives have identified a potential need for land-based measures like afforestation and large-scale bioenergy production, which could in turn raise concerns about implications for food security. These low emission scenarios are making the connection between SDG2 (hunger) and SDG13, which specifically concerns climate action, increasingly crucial. According to the researchers, climate change mitigation exclusively aimed at attaining climate goals could generate a risk of negatively impacting food security. If not managed properly, the risk of hunger due to mitigation policies is remarkably amplified: under the 2C and 1.5C scenarios, for instance, the risk of hunger drastically changes compared to the baseline scenarios. Depending on the scenario, the results indicate that an additional 130 to 280 million people could be at risk of hunger in 2050. The team further examined the costs of possible solutions to such unintended adverse-side effects through "smart and inclusive climate policies". Several economic alternatives were explored, including agricultural subsidies, food aid to low-income countries, and food aid only to populations at risk of hunger. The costs of the alternatives were found to be between 0 and 0.46 per cent of GDP. These are very modest figures if compared to the costs of climate change mitigation. The researchers note that direct impacts of climate change on yields were not assessed and that the direct benefits from mitigation in terms of avoided yield losses could be significant, thus further lessening the above costs. While results vary across models and model implementations, the qualitative implications are robust and call for a careful design of climate mitigation policies taking into account agriculture and land prices. "While we found a similar effect in an earlier joint paper published in Environmental Research Letters, this time we applied multiple alternative models and showed that the results are robust and have a very high confidence," explains Shinichiro Fujimori from Kyoto University, lead author of the paper and a guest researcher in the IIASA Energy Program. "We would like to emphasise that land and food related climate change mitigation policies should be carefully designed. Policymakers should be aware that potential issues could arise as a result of the uniqueness of the food system compared to, for example, the energy system." "The findings of the paper are central to understanding that we can reach very low climate targets together with sustainable land-use and agricultural development," adds IIASA Energy Program Director Keywan Riahi. "Climate policies need to go beyond carbon pricing, take into account distributional effects, and shield the poor. If properly managed, the costs of such policies will be relatively small." Sensex gains 227 points; PSU banks rally Market close: Benchmark indices closed in the green after falling for nine consecutive sessions. Sensex was up 227 points at 37,318.53, while Nifty closed at 11,222, up 73.80 points. About 1223 shares have advanced, 1260 shares have declined, and 132 shares are unchanged. Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Indiabulls Housing and Vedanta were among top index gainers, while TCS, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies and Bajaj Finance were among the top losers on the index. Except IT that fell over 1 percent, all sectoral indices were trading in the green. PSU Bank is the biggest gainer, surging about 3 percent. Nifty Midcap 100 was up 80 points at 16737.25, while Nifty Smallcap 100 was at 6,142.80, up 43 points Jet Airway's temporary suspension leaves over 750 slots vacant at domestic airports in the country. The Slot Allocation Committee has allocated nearly 480 of Jet's slots to other airlines. SpiceJet has been allotted the most slots at 130 followed by IndiGo, which received 125 slots. Vistara was the third biggest gainer at 110 slots, while GoAir, AirAsia India got around 40-45 slots. Market update: Sensex is down 64.86 points or 0.17 percent at 37025.96. Nifty is down 16.80 points or 0.15 percent at 11131.40. About 816 shares have advanced, 1304 shares have declined, and 109 shares are unchanged. Sun Pharma, Vedanta and Indiabulls Housing were among top gainers. TCS, Bajaj Auto, Tech Mahindra and Tata Steel were among the biggest losers. CLSA ITC: Buy rating, Target at Rs 400 per share Vodafone Idea: Sell rating, Target cut to Rs 12.50 per share from Rs 27 per share HDFC: Buy rating, Target raised to Rs 2,500 per share from Rs 2,360 per share DB ITC: Buy rating, Target raised to Rs 375 per share from Rs 350 per share Vodafone Idea: Buy rating, Target at Rs 70 per share HDFC: Buy rating, Target at Rs 2,300 per share Macquarie ITC: Outperform rating, Target at Rs 376 per share HDFC: Maintain outperform, Target cut to Rs 2,350 per share from Rs 2,400 per share Market Opens: It is flat opening for market as Nifty has opened at 11,151.65, up 3 points. Sensex has opened at 37,146.58. About 316 shares have advanced, 713 shares have declined, and 35 shares are unchanged. Sun Pharma, Vedanta, Reliance, IndusInd Bank, ITC, Adani Ports and Eicher Motors are among major gainers on the indices, while losers are Tata Steel, Infosys, ONGC, Asian Paints and L&T. Among sectoral indices, FMCG, Pharma and PSU banks are trading higher. Rupee Opens: The Indian rupee marginally added in the early trade on Tuesday. It opened higher by 1 paise at 70.51 per dollar versus previous close 70.52 yesterday. Wall Street ends lower: Wall Street sank on Monday after China defied Washington by announcing retaliatory tariffs, the latest salvo in the two countries' increasingly belligerent trade war, sending investors fleeing equities for less risky assets. Asian market trade lower?: Shares in Asia extended losses on Tuesday following sharp falls on Wall Street overnight, the yen strengthened and US Treasury yields ticked lower as the trade war between China and the United States escalated. The jockey was happy. So was the trainer. Then they werent. I dont know if the horse, Maximum Security, knew he had won, which was a good thing, as the victory would turn out to be almost as fleeting as his run. But back in the stables his oats would probably taste just as good. I saw the fouls, or infractions, or whatever they call them. I said to KM as they came down the stretch, Hes all over the track. Ive watched enough races to think it was going to be a problem and was surprised no one was talking about it when the race ended. Come on Randy Moss, you had to have seen that. Talk about going from the heights to the depths in a matter of minutes. My first reaction was to blame the jockey, Luis Saez. But the next day I read what Bill Mott, the trainer of Country House said, that it wasnt the fault of Saez. Local graduates of the associate degree nursing program include Blue Springs: Jacob Kendrick Williams. Local graduates of the practical nursing program include Eufaula: Erica Jackson and Shakeema Robinson. WCCD offers many paths and schedule opportunities for nurses to further their education. The Associate Degree Nursing class this semester is a combination of Licensed Practical Nurses and students who are entering the nursing profession for the first time as Registered Nurses, said Ms. Jackie Spivey, ADN division director and program director. The Practical Nursing program offers classes in the evenings and weekends to accommodate students family and work schedules. The demand for skilled healthcare workers continues to grow. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a faster than average to much faster than average growth in each of WCCDs allied health and nursing preparation areas for the years 2016-2026, including the projected need for approximately 438,000 new nurses by the year 2026. Nurse Julie Bailey (third from right, front row) of Eufaula Primary School traveled to Montgomery today. Bailey is a member of the executive board of the Alabama Association of School Nurses. She attended the presentation of a resolution. The Alabama Speaker of the House (Representative McCutcheon) put forth a House Joint Resolution (HJR) recognizing School Nurses. The resolution states: School nurses play an integral role in the health of the students and in schools overall. A Daleville man charged with his brothers murder last fall is incompetent to stand trial at this time, a Dale County court found. Future court proceedings for Thomas Michael Goulart are suspended until he is found competent to stand trial. A report to the court from Dr. Michael T. DErrico, a forensic psychologist, stated Goulart is manifestly dangerous to himself and others. A joint motion was filed by Dale County Assistant District Attorney David Emory requesting Goulart be committed involuntarily to the Alabama Department of Mental Health to attain competency and/or evaluation or treatment. The motion states within 91days of Goularts admission to the facility, a written report must be filed with the clerk of court regarding the defendants mental status. An additional report is to be filed every 91 days there after informing the court of Goularts mental status. Goulart will also appear in court six months after admission to the mental facility. Goulart was indicted by a grand jury on Nov. 29 and pleaded not guilty to the Nov. 24 murder and attempted murder charges by reason of mental disease or defect. Beginning next week, the Dothan Eagle will publish the names of graduates of our Wiregrass schools, along with photos of each school's valedictorian and salutatorian. Letters were sent to each school last month requesting the information. The canopy of the gravesite tent collected a massive amount of water. Wilkerson said his brother-in-law attempted to cover Walter with an umbrella, but a sudden gust of wind rendered it useless. At the same time, the wind lifted the canopy and dumped all of the water it had collected onto Walter. Still, Walter never flinched, giving Wilkerson and his family plenty to discuss in the following week. They asked me How did she have that discipline? the Army recruiter said. I told them, We have values. We pay honor to those who went before us. Walter credited her poise to mental preparation. I had already known it was going to happen, she said. I was just mentally prepared. I think that is why I was able to focus and not lose my bearings. The conversation about Walters actions uplifted the family, so Wilkerson posted a photo he snapped of Walter and asked Facebook friends to help identify her almost a week later. The comments and shares poured in, and it did not appear to take long for someone to post Walters name. The five-day Special Legislative Session that addressed the increase in the gas tax to fund an infrastructure rebuilding program for the state was a remarkable success. I still marvel at the adroitness, efficiency, and expediency in which the governor accomplished this monumental initiative. She called for a special session on the night of her State of the State address and within one week it was signed, sealed, and delivered. I have seen some successful special sessions in my lifetime of watching Alabama politics. However, I have never seen anything like this. George Wallace used special sessions continuously and regularly during his 20-year reign as King of Alabama politics. He got things accomplished this way. It is the way to go to crystalize the importance of an issue. Kay Iveys success made Wallaces hardball ploys look minor league. She got her mission accomplished in the minimum five days. It was an amazing success story that will be told in political circles for years. She did her homework. She dug in and made it clear that infrastructure improvement was a must for Alabama. She had a plan, she worked it and she won and the people of Alabama won. Anord Mardix has officially opened phase one of its new purpose-built 91,000 sq/ft facility at Tanola House, Coes Road, Dundalk. This 4.5m investment represents a continued commitment to ensuring production capacity exceeds the requirements of clients now and into the future and is part of the overall long- term investment plan. It will bring the fabrication and assembly of their innovative power distribution equipment under one roof, along with housing global office functions. The Nordon family originally established the company in 1969 with just two employees. With nine manufacturing facilities across Europe, Asia and the USA, with more in development, Anord Mardix will continue to be a leading provider to the global data center industry and a vendor of choice to many of the worlds cloud computing / data center players. This is a new step for Anord Mardix, as we bring our sub-assembly fabrication in house to create a centre of excellence in Dundalk. With 100 years of collective experience in the industry, this is a huge vote of confidence in the local workforce. says Global CEO, James Peacock. "Our production capacity will double and our new sheet metal and copper fabrication machinery along with a state-of-the-art powder coating paint facility, will rival those in any industry continues Peacock and bring our workforce to 250 in Ireland. In addition, this purpose-built facility will enable us to scale our production to meet the needs of our clients and reduced the time to market Officially opening the facility, Minister Paschal Donohoe said: I am privileged to be here to celebrate this occasion with Anord Mardix. The growth over the last 50 years is testament to the innovation they bring to this sector and a symbol of change across our economy. This new facility represents the commitment of the company to Dundalk and to local employees well into the future. "The data centre market has seen unprecedented global growth year on year and Anord Mardix are not only meeting the needs of this new global economy but allowing global companies to see Ireland as a launching pad to Europe. "With global ambition and an existing global footprint, Im excited to see growth over the next 50 years Congratulating Anord Mardix on the opening of its new facility, Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Global Business Development said: Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with Anord Mardix over the past number of years in support of the companys development in Dundalk. This is a company with global ambition using innovation to drive its growth and expand its reach in international markets, while building its resilience to challenges such as Brexit. "Enterprise Ireland looks forward to continuing to work with the Anord Mardix team as they expand and scale and we wish them every success in this new phase of development. In other news, James Peacock has been appointed as Global CEO of Anord Mardix, as Kevin Finegan retires after 45 years of long standing service. Harold Feld on Twitter: @HaroldFeld Public Knowledge on Twitter: @PublicKnowledge Public Knowledges website: PublicKnowledge.org Get your FREE copy of The Case for the Digital Platform Act at DigitalPlatformAct.com or by texting PLATFORM to 52886. Jordan Zakarin on Twitter: @JordanZakarin Progressives Everywhere on Twitter: @Progressives50 Progressives Everywhere website: ProgressivesEverywhere.org Join Progressives Everywhere in supporting Amy Laufer in her campaign to win Virginias 17th District state senate race by clicking HERE. Jordans important project: Election-Calendar.com Give us a five-star review at iTunes! The GOTMFV Show Facebook page is HERE! Music clips Intro and transition music: You Dress Like an Asshole by Not The 1s Progressives Everywhere intro/outro: Theyre Everywhere by Jims Big Ego Outro music: Complain (from the movie Bob Roberts) by David Robbins & Tim Robbins Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more Headless commerce has become an e-commerce buzzword lately, but how can brands use it to their advantage? In its most basic terms, headless commerce refers to the decoupling of a websites presentation layer the front end from its commerce and business logic/function layer the back end, said Meghan Stabler, vice president of product marketing at BigCommerce. A headless commerce approach helps a merchant support both the latest in technology and/or end-user devices and also build powerful, personalized and engaging commerce experiences, she told the E-Commerce Times. As brands have increased the amount of website content that must be updated regularly, they increasingly have been seeing the advantage of decoupling that content layer from the business layer, while ensuring their customers have a seamless experience between consuming content and making purchases. As online shopping increasingly replaces the brick-and-mortar retail experience, consumers have developed an expectation that online brands double as purveyors of rich and engaging content, observed Stabler. For them, the experience they have online needs to mimic the one they were accustomed to in-store, and engaging content offers them a digital way to connect more deeply with the brands they like. Headless commerce ultimately is an important integration strategy. Headless commerce is the key to blending these two experiences content and commerce in a more harmonious way, because it allows the merchant to tap one platform for content and another for commerce, rather than forcing a single platform to handle all aspects of its website, as had been the case previously, Stabler pointed out. Headless commerce comes into play whenever a customer comes into contact with a brand. Headless commerce essentially brings two concepts together a turnkey SaaS back end with the core commerce functionality and utility APIs as the delivery mechanism to connect the head, said Adam Sturrock, vice president of customer success at Moltin. It may seem counterintuitive, but headless commerce is not actually headless, he told the E-Commerce Times. A head is the customer touchpoint where the transaction and value exchange takes place such as a website a customer visits, or a mobile app they download and interact with to buy something. Headless Commerce Benefits A primary benefit of headless commerce strategies is that they give companies greater flexibility and allow for extensive customization. In the past, merchants were forced to choose between a website that focused on the content and experience but faced extreme commerce limitations, or one that had all the bells and whistles of a high-performing e-commerce site but lacked some of the pizazz of a content-first experience, said BigCommerces Stabler. If done correctly, headless commerce promises to grant retailers the choice, flexibility and customization capabilities they need to effectively compete in todays crowded e-commerce landscape, she added. Headless commerce can improve the customer experience. The benefits to brands of adopting a headless commerce solution are that it gives them flexibility to deliver more innovation and customer experiences quicker, noted Kevin Murray, managing director of Greenlight Commerce. They can use these services as building blocks with less overhead and costs when having to change their existing digital landscape, he told the E-Commerce Times. It can give them a lot more control over the experiences they want to deliver to their customers. Headless commerce helps a brand prepare for future challenges. It allows services to be swapped by new providers as needed, which is easier than changing an entire e-commerce platform, said Murray. Separating the content on sites from the e-commerce levels while allowing those levels to have the same look and feel for customers just makes sense for most businesses, he suggested. This means that logic related to certain processes can be stored in one place and then consumed by something else more easily, Murray explained, rather than having to duplicate the same functionality for different presentation purposes. This is even more important due to the continued emergence of different presentation layers that require e-commerce capability desktop and mobile browsers, apps, kiosks, social media. With headless commerce, updating content across multiple touchpoints is efficient, noted Darin Archer, CMO of Elastic Path. It enables marketing teams to make design and content updates very quickly without requiring IT support, he told the E-Commerce Times. It also allows companies to enable commerce in all customer touchpoints, including nontraditional touchpoints such as voice commerce or VR. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Evolution of Headless Commerce Headless commerce is still gaining traction, and in the coming years, its likely to become much more common, suggested Stabler. Were only just seeing the full spectrum of use cases, she said. Currently, headless commerce is predominantly focused on the connection between e-commerce and the CMS platform, but the functionality itself can be replicated for a seemingly endless number of use cases. Because the front end and back end are decoupled, merchants can expand their opportunities and outreach to more customers in rapid time. Headless commerce likely will become the norm, as innovative new channels and experiences are being created that meet the customer at new points of engagement and potential purchase moments, said Moltins Sturrock. No longer are we constrained to destination-based commerce interaction, visiting a store or website, but we can now weave commerce interactions and transactions into our daily lives seamlessly. Its not just e-commerce sites that are adopting headless commerce strategies. Increasingly, brick-and-mortar stores are seeing its value, as well. As end-user technology continues to innovate, the customer commerce experience must innovate also, said Stabler. We see that with the traditional brick-and-mortar stores who are experimenting with AR/VR in their stores and by extension to their online presence, she noted. I expect that we will see many brands integrating a headless/API-first commerce strategy into other experiences on mobile, voice, AR/VR, even standalone kiosks, Stabler predicted. With merchants and brands needing to get their goods into the hands of the consumer as quickly as possible, headless commerce will help them do just that. Teachersand their implicit biasescan directly impact the opportunities afforded to students of color. Teachers make the first decisions about behavioral consequences that lead to referrals and suspensions . And they often serve as gatekeepers for gifted, honors, and Advanced Placement courses, deciding who to recommend for these tracks. As part of efforts to address these inequities, some districts are turning to professional development. Theyre holding trainings that aim to make teachers more aware of their unconscious biasesand, hopefully, change their behavior in the classroom. Since Ive been working in the district, weve had all kinds of PD on stereotypes, but this was a little different, said Joi Mahoney-Curry, the Title I literacy lead at Boulevard Elementary School in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City school district, who participated in the districts implicit-bias training. Historically, teacher diversity trainings have been focused on understanding the behavior or characteristics of students who come from different backgrounds than their teachers, said Kathleen King Thorius, the executive director of the Great Lakes Equity Center in Indianapolis. Implicit bias and equity training flips this script, asking teachers to critically examine how their own identities have shaped their experiences. And it proposes a call to action: What should we, as teachers, do about inequities? Shift in Mindset In Californias Long Beach Unified school district, students are leading some of these conversations. The district is working with Californians for Justice, a youth advocacy organization for equity in California schools, on a partnership aiming to lessen the racial disparities in the school system. In the district last school year, almost 10 percent of black students and 7 percent of Pacific Islander students had been suspended at least once, compared to about 2 percent of white students. As part of its work, the advocacy organization has offered two voluntary trainings open to district staffone on relationship-centered schools, and one on implicit bias. Sessions are facilitated by students who have been trained as youth leaders by CFJ. Kristina Kim, a high school Spanish teacher in the district, attended the implicit-bias training in April. When one student talked about a teacher who had made offhand insensitive comments, Kim took note. Teachers may not realize when they make hurtful remarks, she said, but students notice. The training reminded her not to make assumptions about students based on things like their clothing choices or the way they speak. Like in Long Beach, implicit-bias trainings in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City school district are also designed to close opportunity gaps. When the district started its equity initiative in the 2014-15 school year, black and Latino students made up about 80 percent of the district. But they only comprised about 15 to 20 percent of most Advanced Placement classes, and were overrepresented in suspensions, expulsions, and referrals, said Sandy Womack, the director of principal leadership and development and the head of the districts equity initiative. The district had offered diversity PD before, said Womack, but it was voluntary, and focused mostly on holidays like Black History Month. Now, equity training is essential professional learningthe district advocated to include it in teachers negotiated contract in 2016. A series of three trainings are mandatory for all teachers in the district: a course on self-identity, one that explores stereotypes and microaggressions, and one that addresses the historical marginalization of students of color in the United States. Eric Cohen, a 4th grade gifted-intervention teacher who is white, said the trainings have pushed him to reflect on his own discipline practices. If two black boys broke a rule in his class, for example, had he doled out the same consequences as he would have to two white girls? Facilitators gave teachers the tools to make different choices, Cohen said. Instead of writing a referral for a student whos misbehaving, think aboutwell, whats going on? Whats happening in that kids life, and how could I address it in a different way than a referral? he said. Asking these questions contributes to a shift in mindset, said Mahoney-Curry: Instead of cataloguing students and families perceived deficits and casting blame, teachers are encouraged to focus on tackling the structural barriers at school that prevent student success. But even as some teachers have examinedand changedtheir practice, not everyone is ready to have these tough conversations. Joyce Bukovac, a high school math teacher in the district, was part of the equity task force and participated in the pilot trainings. Exploring identity and bias with her fellow equity council members in those first sessions felt safe, she said, because she trusted them. But when she participated in a later training with a broader group of district staff, she noticed that some people were visibly uncomfortable. Its hard to build trust in a 45-minute or half-hour session, she said. Preaching to the Choir? This is the tension that school districts face in deciding how to roll out professional learning around implicit bias. Make these trainings optional, and the staff that show up are invested in changing school culture and their own practice. Make trainings mandatory, and youll reach everyone but face additional challenges. Before people from diverse backgrounds can feel comfortable discussing their experiences with race, they need to spend time developing psychological safety, said Womack. Even once teachers build that trust, they have different beliefs about what causes opportunity gaps, he said. Schools and districts need to decide for themselves which approach works best for them and their teachers, said Norma Rodriguez, the organizing and policy director of Californians for Justice. Starting with one school or one group of committed teachers can still effect change, she said. The trickle effect rolls out. Long Beach hasnt mandated the CFJ workshops for all teachers, and is still in an exploratory phase when it comes to developing districtwide equity and bias trainings, said Jill Baker, the deputy superintendent of schools for Long Beach Unified. These CFJ trainings could form the foundation of an eventual training curriculum, she said. In Cleveland, ongoing training has been essential, said Mahoney-Curry. Teachers need continuing conversation with colleagues. Its not something where you can say, Here: Do this, and youll be fixed. English-language learners and students with disabilitiesgroups of children once taught in isolated classrooms with specially trained instructorsspend more time in general education classrooms now than in years past. But many general education teachers are not equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of English-learners or students with disabilities, researchers have found. Its an issue that could be tackled at least partly through school and districtwide professional development, but the knowledge teachers need does not always reach them. Theres been a large increase in students who come from diverse backgrounds that are in schools and unfortunately, in many instances, teachers arent adequately prepared to address their needs, said Jennifer Flores Samson, an associate professor and the chairwoman of special education at the Hunter College School of Education in New York City. Samsonwhose research focuses on how teachers can better serve students who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diversehas studied whether teachers in states with sizable English-learner populations are adequately prepared to work with those students. She reached a sobering conclusion: Theyre not. Federal data indicate that 6.7 million students with disabilities, and 4.8 million English-learners are enrolled in public K-12 schools in the United States. Millions of those students are spending much of their days in general education classrooms, often with teachers not specifically trained to work with them. In some states, task forces and commissions have tackled the issue, offering recommendations to remedy the problem. In other parts of the country, educators have turned to regional education agencies or colleges of education to fill the professional development gap. In 2015, Californias Statewide Task Force on Special Education released a report that found students across all categories of disability spend less time learning in general education classrooms than their peers in all but three other states. Too often, neither general education nor special education teachers are well prepared to meet the needs of students with disabilities in a general education classroom, the report concludes. Thats a problem in a state where roughly 10 percent of students receive special education services, said Mildred Browne, a former California special education administrator of the year who served on the task force. Special education students are taught in general education classrooms whenever possible, driven by federal policy that requires teaching students in the least restrictive environment that is appropriate for them. To that end, general education teachers who work with students with disabilities need to know how to do three things well, Browne said: Read and understand individualized education plans, teach reading, and keep families informed about their students progress. Knowing how to read IEPs is key, Browne said, because students with disabilities often struggle in general education classrooms when teachers dont understand their needs. Teachers, especially those who work with students with dyslexia or language-based disabilities, must know the nuts and bolts of reading instruction and vocabulary development to give students opportunities to connect with the curriculum. Away From Labels When trying to train teachers to work with students who learn differently or speak a language other than English, the focus should be on the students, not the labels attached to them, researchers and practitioners say. Teachers should spend more time homing in on the needs of students because too often disability is seen as something separate from general education, said Christine Ashby, an associate professor in the teaching and leadership department at Syracuse Universitys School of Education. The instruction thats given to [general education] teachers tends to be disability-of-the-week focused, said Ashby. Its much more about learning to see kids as individuals than it is about learning, This is what autism is, this is what learning disabilities are. Janet Hiatt, a former English-learner teacher leader in the Des Moines school district, now helps train educators who work with English-learners in central Iowa. She and Samson both suggest that building and district-level administrators, along with teachers, need training to support the inclusion of English-learners. In a study published in the National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, Hiatt and a colleague collected data on teachers perceived preparedness to work with English-learners. Language development is important and crucial and should be incorporated, but culture should be the starting point, Hiatt said. They need to know relevant ELL-specific background such as each students native country, prior education, and literacy level in their first language. All of that information informs what theyre going to do in their classrooms, Hiatt said. Hiatt also recommends that schools focus on inclusive leadership, not just teaching strategies; research indicates that, in order to help students succeed, school administrators must be equally prepared to support the teachers and students. That may include developing plans for sustained professional development and avoiding one-day or short-term workshops. Schools should opt instead for training that focuses on helping general education and English-as-a-second-language teachers co-plan lessons and share and analyze data. Mary Lynn Boscardin, the president of the Council for Exceptional Children , an international organization dedicated to improving the educational success of students with disabilities and gifted and talented students, said most teachers have the content knowledge to work with all students. Where they need support is in developing strategies to collaborate and communicate with families and colleagues. Before the shift to more inclusion, each teacher had their own classroom, they were pretty much isolated, said Boscardin, a professor of special education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Now were transitioning into a teamwork framework. In a 2012 report prepared for the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, Samson and a colleague also found many teachers were ill-prepared to work with English-learners. While evidence exists that preparation and training have improved in the time since, Samson still thinks the recommendations for professional development she outlined in the reportincluding focusing on oral language development, academic language, and cultural diversityremain relevant. That means teachers working with English-learners must be aware of the similarities and differences between first- and second-language development, and the importance of nonverbal communications and visual aids in language acquisition; recognize the difference between conversational language and academic languagethe vocabulary that helps students understand story problems or science concepts, which can be difficult for native-English speakers to grasp and is often even tougher for ELLs; and, perhaps most importantly, teachers must recognize that the cultural norms of their classrooms may be vastly different than what students experience at home. They need to support the soft skills of teachers in understanding the backgrounds of the students they work with, the cultures, the families, the socioemotional needs, the challenges they face in the context in which the children live, is really critical, Samson said. Administrators must prepare new teachers, even those who had preservice training, to work with English-learners or special education students, because they have no idea what they dont know, Samson said. They are going to walk into the classroom on that first day and be shell-shocked. Increase in financial support for higher education students proposed The government has announced plans to increase the level of maintenance support available to students studying at higher education level. Subject to Tynwald approval, from 1 September the maximum maintenance support for qualifying students studying in the UK will increase from 5,500 to 7,500 a year. Students studying in London and any country outside the UK will also see an increase from 6,000 to 8,000. For students studying at University College Isle of Man, the maintenance grant has also been increased for non-degree courses from 2,500 to 2,750 and for degree course from 4,000 to 5,000. Peel lifeboat launched to assist yacht Peel lifeboat were launched on Saturday night to assist a 13.5 metre yacht in Peel bay. The yacht which had been on the bay mooring throughout the day in fresh seas was in danger of parting its mooring rope and drifting onto Peel foreshore. The alarm was raised by a fellow sailor on Peel breakwater through Belfast coastguard who in turn called out the lifeboat. The lifeboat under the command of coxswain Frankie Horne put crewmen Jonathon Corlett and Mike Faragher on board the yacht and they managed to raise the crew and assisted in successfully bringing the yacht alongside Peel breakwater under its own power accompanied by the lifeboat. Defense ministers discuss measures to reduce tension in Idlib Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar held a phone calls with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu to discuss Syrias Idlib. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar discussed with his Russian counterpart the latest developments in Syria's northwestern Idlib province in a phone conversation, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. REGIONAL SECURITY ISSUES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED According to a statement, Akar and Sergey Shoigu also discussed measures to reduce tension in the area, within the scope of the Sochi agreement and discussed regional security issues as well. In recent weeks, the Syrian regime and its ally, Russia, have intensified attacks against the last major rebel enclave, Idlib. The offensive threatens to unleash a major humanitarian catastrophe with 180,000 civilians already being forced to flee their homes in the last two weeks. Some 1,5 million people reside in Idlib, half of whom are refugees from other parts of the country. As guarantor of the Syrian regime, Russia is responsible for preventing attacks by regime forces and Iranian-backed militias, who repeatedly violated last years Sochi agreement that aimed to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests. Iraq and Qatar urge peaceful solution to Mideast crises Last week, Washington sent a Patriot missile battery and a Navy amphibious transport dock ship to the Middle East in response to unspecified threats from Iran. Iraq and Qatar on Monday called for a peaceful solution to crises in the Middle East region. 'THE PEACE PROCESS MUST BEGIN' The call came in a phone call Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. Talks between the two diplomats dwelt on the latest developments in the region and the need to reach peaceful solutions to crises, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Tension has been rising between the US and Iran since Washington unilaterally withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Israeli cunning behind Gulf tanker attacks The tanker attacks off the coast of the United Arab Emirates were 'Israeli cunning,' an Iranian parliamentary spokesman said on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official said Tuesday that his country believes that Israeli cunning stood behind the alleged targeting earlier this week of four oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. "WE BELIEVE THAT ISRAELI CUNNING STANDS BEHIND THIS INCIDENT" According to Irans Mehr news agency, Bahruz Nemati, a spokesman for Irans parliament, said the assembly had recently discussed the issue in a closed-door session. In a press statement carried by the news agency on Monday, Nemati said: We believe that Israeli cunning stands behind this incident. He did not elaborate. On Sunday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) claimed that four oil tankers including two Saudi vessels had been sabotaged off the coast of Fujaira (one of the UAEs seven emirates). Abu Dhabi did not blame any party for the alleged attacks, which Irans Foreign Ministry later described as worrying and regrettable. In a statement, Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Sayed Abbas Mousavi also called on the UAE to provide more information on the circumstances of the alleged sabotage attacks. Notably, the latest developments come amid mounting tension between Iran and the US after the Pentagon earlier this week announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf. The Pentagon justified the naval deployment by citing intelligence of a possible looming Iranian attack on US interests in the region. Tehran has responded by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a main artery for global oil shipments that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Russia wants independent ties with US and China' Washington and Beijing may be waging these trade wars, but this is not our war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says. Russia does not support any sides in the US-China trade war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. "THIS IS NOT OUR WAR" "Washington and Beijing may be waging these trade wars, but this is not our war. Russia is interested in building independent relations with both China and the United States," Peskov told reporters in Sochi and said Russian-US relations are "incommensurably" worse than Russian-Chinese. He tried to distance Moscow from the possible effects of the spat between the two biggest world economies. "The trade war between the US and China cannot but have consequences for the global economic climate. Of course, it is rather the consequences of a minus sign than a plus sign, he said. At the same time, we should not exaggerate such consequences for our country. After all, our economy is now developing quite steadily in terms of basic parameters. Washington and Beijing are engaged in a trade war since Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from China in 2018. Last week, Trump put pressure on Beijing by raising tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports after he claimed China was renegotiating a trade deal. And he threatened tariffs on another $325 billion from goods from China. In a tit-for-tat move, China imposed tariffs on $60 billion of American imports Monday. PepsiCos retraction from its lawsuit marks the triumph of partisan motives and not farmers interests. The furore generated by PepsiCos lawsuit against a few farmers in Gujarat for alleged infringement of the companys patents over a certain potato variety, has brought home the fact that the very mention of the word farmer can turn any issue in this country into a matter of moral outcry. This is perchance an inevitable reaction in a country where over half the population finds its livelihood in a sector that is overwhelmingly skewed in the distribution of the means of production and volatile in terms of income. Herein, the fear of unscrupulous power play by a multinational corporation cannot be dismissed. But this apprehension becomes a matter of concern when it covers the logical mind. More importantly, in this paranoia of creating a Goliath, we miss out the inept governance of the existing Saulthat is, the statewhich has pushed agriculture off the track of inclusiveness. Let us look beyond the legal turf, to some elementary issues. Given the contention that a big corporation is flexing its market power to exclude farmers from their right to cultivate a crop variety of their choice, one is intrigued by the question: Why did farmers, reportedly smallholders in this case, choose a variety that has high marketing barriers, if there was no assured buyer in their backyards? Researchers will describe a surprising similarity between the sounds of Nigerian drums and the sound a ripe watermelon makes when tapped at the 177th Acoustical Society of America meeting WASHINGTON, D.C., May 14, 2019 -- The quickest way to decide if a watermelon is ripe or not is by tapping on it. And if you're having trouble detecting the subtleties of the sound, listen to some Nigerian traditional music to get your ears attuned, says an international group of physics and music researchers. Nigerian researcher Stephen Onwubiko has found a link between the sounds of drumming in traditional Nigerian music and the sound of fingers drumming on watermelons in the markets. Onwubiko, a classically trained vocalist and researcher on African musical acoustics, has teamed up with physicist Tracianne Neilsen, from Brigham Young University in Utah and music researcher Andrea Calilhanna from the University of Sydney in Australia to quantify the watermelon-drumming phenomenon. Neilsen will present the findings at the 177th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which takes place May 13-17, at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. "Most people don't have much idea about the noises around them or how they affect them," Onwubiko said. "Everyday experiences, even decision-making, are influenced by the sounds around us." Onwubiko is working with watermelon sellers and consumers in Nigeria about their perceptions of the sounds, a field known as psychoacoustics, while Neilsen is analyzing the frequency spectrum of the traditional drum, the igba. Calilhanna is working with a mathematical approach to music theory to quantify these sounds. The team proposes that the ingredients of traditional Nigerian music -- pitch and rhythms with shifted accents, nonaccented rhythms and syncopations -- are the perfect ear-training for watermelon identification. "The sounds of ripe and unripe watermelons are heard in traditional music. An African drum pattern is made from the same two sounds," said Neilsen. An igba is cylindrical in shape and is between 70 and 75 centimeters long. The pitch-pattern analysis can be used to measure, determine and correlate the internal ripeness and quality of watermelon with pitch from a Nigerian drum. This method allows identification at a 60% level of efficiency. Sounds are an integral part of culture, pointed out Calilhanna. "People do not realize the amount of important information that is conveyed in the sound around us and how these sounds impact cultures. In order to preserve cultures, we need to analyze traditional sounds and their impact on everyday life experiences." ### Presentation #2aMU1, "Non-destructive correlation of Nigerian drum beat-pattern and pitch to detect a ripen watermelon," will be at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 14, in the Breathitt room of the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. USEFUL LINKS Main meeting website: http://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/ Technical program: https://ep70.eventpilotadmin.com/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING19 Press Room: http://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/ WORLD WIDE PRESS ROOM In the coming weeks, ASA's World Wide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay language papers, which are 300-500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at http://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/. PRESS REGISTRATION We will grant free registration to credentialed staff journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact the AIP Media Line at 301-209-3090 or media@aip.org. Our media staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips or background information. LIVE MEDIA WEBCAST A press briefing will be webcast live from the conference Tuesday, May 14, in the Laffoon Room of the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Register at https://aipwebcasting.com to watch the live webcast. The schedule will be posted at the same site as soon as it is available. ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world's leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. For more information about ASA, visit our website at http://www.acousticalsociety.org. Washington State University researchers found young children not only initiate conversation, but also choose the topics -- work to be described at the 177th Acoustical Society of America meeting in Louisville WASHINGTON, D.C. May 14, 2019 -- Conversation is an important part of what makes us human. Previous research has shown that children begin to develop this skill at a young age. While many assume that mothers instigate communication with their children, new research suggests that children are the ones who get the conversation started. "I was surprised that kids were drivers of conversation," said Mark VanDam, from Washington State University, who will present his team's research findings at the 177th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which takes place May 13-17, at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. "This is exciting, because kids are active participants in shaping their own world. They have the freedom to pick what they talk about and when," VanDam said. Conversation is important for language development. VanDam and his team miked up 17 toddlers (about 30 months old) and gathered day-long audio recordings of conversations with their parents. The team used automatic speech recognition technology to sift through more than 1,400 hours of recordings. "This type of work would have been impossible a few decades ago," VanDam said. "With the power of computers and automatic speech recognition, we have developed a new dataset that takes place in a naturalistic setting rather than in a lab." The team started the study to understand how toddlers interacted with each parent. In particular, they wanted to explore who initiated the conversation in the family and if there were any differences in these conversations between boys and girls. The team normalized the conversations to account for families that were naturally chattier. They found that children more frequently initiated conversations with their parents, followed by the mother and then the father. (The study was limited to nuclear, different-sex parenting households.) "There is a ton of evidence that girls at this age have a better command of language, but we found no difference in how boys and girls initiated conversation," VanDam said. "We also did not see any sex differences in how the children spoke to either parent." According to VanDam, these results lay the groundwork to understand how mothers and fathers interact with their children. "These results provide a template of how to use high-tech methods that are only very recently available to target new approaches to help moms and dads interact with their kids," VanDam said. "We could use this information to develop new targeted therapies to help children that have language delay or behavioral issues and to improve the ways we interact with computers." ### Presentation #2pSC4, "Preschoolers initiate more conversations than their parents," will be given during a poster session beginning at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 14, in Grand Ballroom C of the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. MORE MEETING INFORMATION USEFUL LINKS Main meeting website: http://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/ Technical program: https://ep70.eventpilotadmin.com/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING19 Press Room: http://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/ WORLD WIDE PRESS ROOM In the coming weeks, ASA's World Wide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and with lay language papers, which are 300-500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at http://acoustics.org/world-wide-press-room/. PRESS REGISTRATION We will grant free registration to credentialed staff journalists and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact the AIP Media Line at 301-209-3090 or media@aip.org. Our media staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips or background information. LIVE MEDIA WEBCAST A press briefing will be webcast live from the conference Tuesday, May 14, in the Laffoon Room of the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Register at https://aipwebcasting.com to watch the live webcast. The schedule will be posted at the same site as soon as it is available. ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world's leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. For more information about ASA, visit our website at http://www.acousticalsociety.org. Understanding the patterns underlying vegetation distribution is vital for creating predictive models to forecast responses of natural systems to global change. Savanna ecosystems cover at least 40 percent of the global tropics, but the distribution of vegetation in savannas has long evaded understanding and characterization, making it impossible to fully capture within such a model. According to a new study published May 13th, 2019 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, airborne surveys show that, on a large scale, the spatial arrangement of savanna trees follows distinct patterns that can be described mathematically regardless of variation in environmental factors. "Concluding that some universal process governs spatial patterns in tree distributions may be premature," said lead author Carla Staver, an assistant professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University. "However, we can say that, although the tree layer may look unpredictable locally, at scales relevant to prediction, such as global vegetation models, vegetation is instead strongly structured by regular statistical distributions." These findings were derived from LiDAR data collected in Kruger National Park in South Africa by the Global Airborne Observatory (GAO) at Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science. The GAO is an airborne laboratory directed by Dr. Greg Asner that houses advanced Earth mapping technologies. Past work to determine such patterns relied on small-scale plots that failed to reveal discernable patterns or identify relationships between environmental factors, like rainfall or soil characteristics, and distribution. The high-resolution LiDAR data enabled a closer examination of tree clusters, and the large scale of the area surveyed uncovered patterns that are not discernable at smaller scales. The pattern of clusters they found at the larger scale can be explained neatly by a power law distribution, which captures significant statistical correlations that cannot be applied at a smaller scale. "When you are looking at things from the ground, what you see is a messy jumble," Staver said. "What we found was still a jumble, but it was a very structured jumble." Going forward, Staver and her colleagues plan to investigate whether such mathematical laws also govern the distribution of vegetation in other ecosystems. Future work also includes broadening the scope of the study to include more diverse environmental variation in the landscape surveyed. ### Scientists from Arizona State University, Texas A & M University, Princeton University, University of Witwatersrand, and South African National Parks Service are co-authors of the study. Primary funding for the study was provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and by the National Science Foundation. RTHK: Nepal investigates journalists over Dali Lama news Three Nepali journalists are being probed for circulating a news item on the Dalai Lama, officials said on Tuesday, in a sign of Beijing's growing influence on its small Himalayan neighbour. The journalists, who work with Nepal's national news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), were asked for clarifications after translating a wire report about the Dalai Lama's discharge from a hospital and his return to Dharamshala in April. The circulation of the translation coincided with the visit of Nepal's president Bidhya Devi Bhandari to Beijing at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. Hari Adhikari, chairman of RSS, said that a committee has been formed and the management will decide whether to take any action against the three after it submits a report. "As the national news agency, we don't carry news that is against the foreign policy of our country and affects the relationship with our neighbours," Adhikari said. Nepal, home to around 20,000 Tibetans, is under intense pressure from its giant neighbour China over the exiles, and has repeatedly said it is committed to one-China policy. China is among the top development partners for the impoverished nation, pumping in over US$58.7 million in the last fiscal year into developing hydroelectricity, roads and infrastructure. In May 2017, Kathmandu signed up to Beijing's Belt and Road initiative. "China's interest and influence of China has been consistently increasing in Nepal and our government is also positive towards addressing their security and strategic concerns," said Geja Sharma Wagle, Kathmandu-based foreign policy analyst. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. New York, NY (May 14, 2019) - The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation announced that six physicians with novel approaches to fighting cancer have been named the 2019 recipients of the Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award. The awardees were selected through a highly competitive and rigorous process by a scientific committee comprised of leading cancer researchers who are themselves physician-scientists. Only those scientists showing bold initiative and a commitment to finding new cures for cancer were selected to receive the award. Physician-scientists are crucial to moving scientific discoveries from the lab to patients, but only one percent of all doctors are physician-scientists. That number is at risk of shrinking further, due to lack of funding. Fewer MDs are choosing to go into research because the career path is challenging and the remuneration lower than clinical practice. To help increase the number of physician-scientists, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation created the Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award, which provides physicians who have earned an MD degree and completed clinical specialty fellowship training the opportunity to gain the research skills and experience to become leaders in translational and clinical research. To address the financial burdens that often deter physicians from pursuing a research career, Damon Runyon provides significantly higher funding than most research fellowships--$460,000 over four years. The award also retires up to $100,000 of medical school debt still owed by an awardee (the average medical school debt is now more than $200,000.) "Physician-scientists have the unique ability to blend their insights from treating patients and working in the laboratory in a way that enables and accelerates medical advances," said Yung S. Lie, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. "If the current shortage of physician-scientists continues, we risk a situation in which major laboratory research discoveries may not reach patients at all, and that would represent a true crisis in cancer research." The Physician-Scientist Training Award was established in 2015 thanks to the generosity of Damon Runyon Board Members Leon Cooperman and Michael Gordon. 2019 Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award Recipients: Edmond M. Chan, MD, with mentor Adam J. Bass, MD, at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA Defects in the cellular DNA repair machinery can promote cancer formation and cause cancer cells to rely on back-up DNA repair processes. These cancer cells are particularly vulnerable to drugs called PARP inhibitors, which target a DNA repair process known as homologous recombination. Dr. Chan hypothesizes that a similar treatment strategy can be used for cancers with deficiencies in DNA mismatch repair, which causes microsatellite--short, repeated sequences of DNA--instability (MSI). Microsatellite instability is found most often in certain colon, stomach, uterine and ovarian cancers. Using CRISPR screening technology, Dr. Chan discovered that cancer cells with faulty mismatch repair become dependent on a gene called WRN to survive. He is characterizing this vulnerability for MSI cancers with the goal of finding new drugs that inhibit this pathway. Andrew J. Dunbar, MD, with mentor Ross L. Levine, MD, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY Mutations in the cancer-causing oncogene JAK2 are a hallmark of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), a blood disorder characterized by over-production of mature blood cells. While currently available JAK2 inhibitors improve symptoms, they are unsuccessful at completely eradicating diseased cells, so remissions are rare. Using genetically engineered mice, Dr. Dunbar will investigate how MPN cells remain dependent on JAK2 signaling for cell growth, and how additional mutations in the epigenome (the proteins involved in regulating gene expression) might contribute to drug resistance. His research aims to identify improved JAK2 inhibitors and lend insight into whether targeting both oncogenic drivers and epigenetic defects could be required for effective therapy. Ultimately, he hopes these findings will translate into better treatments for patients with these cancers. Gabriel K. Griffin, MD, with mentors Bradley E. Bernstein, MD, PhD, and Arlene H. Sharpe, MD, PhD, at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA Immunotherapy drugs, which spur the body's own immune system to attack tumors, hold great promise but still fail in many patients. Dr. Griffin aims to identify therapeutic targets that can enhance the efficacy and scope of immunotherapy in melanoma and other cancer types. His unique approach focuses on retrotransposons, repetitive sequences of DNA that are evolutionary remnants of viruses and comprise upwards of 50% of the human genome. These genetic elements are usually silenced via DNA methylation but can activate an immune response at certain times. Dr. Griffin's research will characterize the epigenetic pathways that silence these repetitive elements in cancer cells, thus helping tumors evade surveillance by the immune system. This basic understanding may guide the development of epigenetic therapies capable of triggering anti-tumor immunity. Ashley K. Koegel, MD, with mentors Wendell A. Lim, PhD, and Mignon Loh, MD, at the University of California, San Francisco, CA Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the most common type of blood cancer, is curable in less than 30% of all patients. Recently, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has successfully cured patients with certain types of leukemia. This approach has not yet been effective for treatment of AML, in part because these cells look very similar to certain types of healthy blood cells that are critical for life. Dr. Koegel has engineered a variety of scientific tools (specific receptors) that can be used to develop next-generation CAR-T cells that can effectively kill AML cells without significant toxicity to normal, healthy blood cells. The first receptor acts as an ON/OFF switch and is regulated by a small molecule drug. The T cell is turned ON only in the presence of the small molecule. The second receptor allows T cells to discriminate AML cells from healthy blood cells. Successful next-generation immunotherapy strategies will provide AML patients with much needed treatment options. Jonathan E. Shoag, MD, with sponsor Christopher E. Barbieri, MD, PhD, at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. Remarkably, work over the past decade has demonstrated that even the worst prostate cancers are dependent on the same signaling pathways that govern normal prostate behavior. Dr. Shoag's objective is to identify drugs that have activity against the normal prostate and can be used to understand and treat prostate cancer. Dr. Shoag will apply novel statistical and machine learning approaches on large scale clinical data to discover new therapies and pathways important in prostate cancer. He will then test these therapies in genetically engineered and patient-derived prostate cancer models. Identifying active drugs against prostate cancer that are already FDA-approved or have been previously studied in clinical trials for other cancers can aid in understanding prostate cancer biology and can rapidly benefit patients with advanced disease. Rabi Upadhyay, MD, with mentor Dan R. Littman, MD, PhD, at New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY Immunotherapies using checkpoint inhibitors have shown amazing results in certain solid cancers. However, there are vast differences in treatment outcomes for patients who have remarkably similar cancers (based on histology and genetics) and many patients develop resistance. In addition, predicting who will benefit from the treatment has been unreliable. Recent research found that the diversity and specific quality of microbes that colonize the intestines (the gut microbiome) can impact the success of cancer immunotherapy, but there is no consensus about the underlying mechanisms. Dr. Upadhyay aims to build a mouse model of lung cancer that replicates the previous findings and then dissect the intricate biology between the gut microbiota and tumors in the lung. He plans to further define the cells and molecules involved, with the hope that more effective immunotherapy treatments can be designed for patients. About the Foundation To accelerate breakthroughs, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation provides today's best young scientists with funding to pursue innovative research. The Foundation has gained worldwide prominence in cancer research by identifying outstanding researchers and physician-scientists. Twelve scientists supported by the Foundation have received the Nobel Prize, and others are heads of cancer centers and leaders of renowned research programs. Each of its award programs is extremely competitive, with less than 10% of applications funded. Since its founding in 1946, the Foundation has invested over $370 million and funded over 3,750 young scientists. This year it will commit over $19 million in new awards to brilliant young investigators. 100% of all donations to the Foundation are used to support scientific research. Its administrative and fundraising costs are paid from its Damon Runyon Broadway Tickets Service and endowment. ### A study led by Hiroshima University finds that nuclear membrane protein Lem2 acts as a valve to control the size of the nucleus, keeping it in proportion to the size of the cell Hiroshima, Japan - The size of the nucleus, often described as the command center of a cell, is proportional to cellular size, resulting in a constant ratio of nuclear and cellular volumes throughout the cell cycle. Using a deceptively simple system, multinucleate cells rely on the relative amount of cytoplasm to govern nucleus size, causing the nuclear volume to change in concert with cell growth. The nucleus is surrounded by an envelope that is part of a subcellular membrane network, with the nuclear membrane being continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum. It stands to reason then that as the nucleus increases or decreases in size, so too does the nuclear membrane. Yet the mechanisms controlling nuclear size and the contribution of the membrane to this process are largely unknown. In a study published this week in Nature Communications, a multinational research team from Hiroshima University and The Francis Crick Institute show that inner nuclear membrane protein Lem2 is key to nuclear size control in model eukaryotic organism Schizosaccharomyces pombe. As lead author of the study, Dr Kazunori Kume of Hiroshima University explains how the team zeroed in on Lem2 and confirmed its role in nuclear size control. "We created deletion mutants of various inner nuclear membrane proteins in S. pombe and assessed any resulting changes in the nuclear volume/cytoplasmic volume ratio. While no aberrations were detected in the single-mutant cells, deletion of Lem2 augmented the previously-documented nuclear enlargement of a rae1-167 mutant strain." Because the nuclear membrane is connected to the subcellular membrane network, it can flow between the nucleus and other parts of the cell. By alternately blocking membrane synthesis and nucleocytoplasmic transport in normal and lem2 mutant cells, the researchers discovered that Lem2 controls the flow of the membrane between the nuclear envelope and the rest of the cellular membrane system. Further, by expressing excess Lem2 in rae1-167 mutants, they could prevent the nuclear enlargement normally seen in these cells. Interestingly, the team also found that endoplasmic reticulum protein Lnp1 could compensate for the lack of Lem2, effectively acting as a secondary barrier to membrane flow. The presence of a back-up system highlights the importance of nuclear scaling to the physiology of the cell. "We propose that Lem2 acts as a valve to control membrane flow into and out of the nuclear envelope, forming part of a nuclear size control mechanism," says Dr Kume. "It is likely that similar mechanisms may regulate the sizes of other organelles in the eukaryotic subcellular membrane network, helping to keep these organelles in proportion to the rest of the cell." ### Since its foundation in 1949, Hiroshima University has strived to become one of the most prominent and comprehensive universities in Japan for the promotion and development of scholarship and education. Consisting of 12 schools and 11 graduate schools, ranging from International Development and Cooperation to Integrated Arts and Sciences, the university has grown into one of the most distinguished research universities in Japan. English website: https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en In a records review of 290 people at risk for Alzheimer's disease, scientists at Johns Hopkins say they have identified an average level of biological and anatomical brain changes linked to Alzheimer's disease that occur three to 10 years -- some even more than 30 years -- before the disease's first recognizable symptoms appear. "Our study suggests it may be possible to use brain imaging and spinal fluid analysis to assess risk of Alzheimer's disease at least 10 years or more before the most common symptoms, such as mild cognitive impairment, occur," says Laurent Younes, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics at The Johns Hopkins University. A report of their findings was published online April 2 in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. Younes cautions that brain changes vary widely in people, and that their research findings reflect an average level of such changes in a small group of research subjects. As a result, he says, the scientists cannot yet use them to draw any precise conclusions about brain changes in individual people. Nor, they say, are there any drug or other interventions yet known to slow or stop the disease process even if risk is identified early. But the work, he adds, could lead eventually to a test to determine an individual's relative risk for Alzheimer's disease and to guide the use of treatments when and if they are developed. For the study, the scientists reviewed medical records collected from 290 people age 40 and older by the National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as part of the BIOCARD project, an effort to develop predictors of cognitive decline. It is currently directed by Johns Hopkins neurologist Marilyn Albert, Ph.D. Most of the 290 people had at least one first degree relative with dementia of the Alzheimer's disease type, putting them at higher than usual risk. As part of the BIOCARD studies, scientists collected cerebrospinal fluid and performed MRI brain scans of study participants every two years between 1995 and 2005. They also conducted five standard tests of memory, learning, reading and attention annually from 1995 to 2013. Because all 290 participants were cognitively normal when the study began, the scientists were able to track various biological and clinical features associated with Alzheimer's disease in the years leading up to the appearance of symptoms. By the time of their last appointment with the BIOCARD project, 209 study participants remained cognitively normal, and 81 were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. In the 81 people who developed cognitive problems or dementia, the Johns Hopkins team found subtle changes in cognitive test scores 11 to 15 years before the onset of clear cognitive impairment. They also found increases in the rate of change of a protein called Tau, which has long been considered a marker of Alzheimer's disease, in cerebrospinal fluid an average of 34.4 years (for t-tau, or total Tau) and 13 years (for a modified version called p-tau) before the beginning of cognitive impairment. ### **Note to journalists: Michael Miller, Ph.D., will discuss this research at the Johns Hopkins Science Writers' Boot Camp on June 10 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Learn more and register for the free, daylong immersion in topics about mental health and addiction. BAR HARBOR, MAINE -- The MDI Biological Laboratory has announced that it has received more than $30,000 in cash and in-kind awards in support of its second annual "Applications of Organoid Technology" course, to be held May 26 through June 1 at the institution's Bar Harbor campus. The awards include contributions from Baker, Bio-Techne, Biological Industries, Corning, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Fisher Scientific, Greiner Bio-One, Leica Microsystems, Nikon, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., STEMCELL Technologies, ThermoFisher Scientific and Vertex. The week-long biomedical innovation course is among the first to provide extensive hands-on training in organoid culture, course director Hugo de Jonge, Ph.D., a professor at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, has said. De Jonge has been a visiting scientist at the MDI Biological Laboratory since 2008. The course is offered in partnership with Hubrecht Organoid Technology (The HUB), a non-profit organization based in Utrecht, Netherlands. The HUB was founded to implement the pioneering work of Hans Clevers, M.D., Ph.D., who discovered methods to grow the stem cell-derived three dimensional mini-organs from patient tissues. "Organoids have applications in basic research, drug discovery and regenerative medicine," said Jane E. Disney, Ph.D., director of education at the MDI Biological Laboratory. "By offering in-depth training in organoid culture, we are accelerating the adoption of an emerging technology that offers huge potential for human health." The course attracts advanced graduate students, post-doctoral trainees and researchers from universities, medical schools, research institutions and technology companies interested in using organoids to study disease, for pre-clinical drug development and to predict a patient's reaction to a drug or drug combination. The course will use cultures from the Living Biobank at The HUB, including organoids from patients with cystic fibrosis and cancer. The students will also develop their own organoids from mouse cells. A 2019 addition will be a module on kidney organoids led by Leif Oxburgh, D.V.M., Ph.D., of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute. "We would like to make organoid technology available to everyone," course director Sylvia F. Boj, Ph.D., scientific director at The HUB, has said. "But it is easier learned from training than from a lab protocol. The good news is that once participants have mastered the technique, their knowledge can benefit their entire home institutions." Organoids grown from organ-specific adult stem cells, which is what are used in the course, maintain the genetic make-up and properties of the patient's diseased tissue. They provide a platform for investigation that is truer to the disease than conventional two-dimensional cell cultures, but simpler than working with a patient. The course grew out of research by de Jonge on cystic fibrosis in organoids derived from biopsies of human intestinal tissue. De Jonge was drawn to the use of organoids as a substitute for cells from the dogfish shark, which he had formerly used to study the disease. Another benefit of organoids is that they can replace animal models. ### For inquiries about the course, please email education@mdibl.org. About the MDI Biological Laboratory We are pioneering new approaches to regenerative medicine focused on developing drugs that slow age-related degenerative diseases and activate our natural ability to heal. Our unique approach has identified potential therapies that could revolutionize the treatment of heart disease, muscular dystrophy and more. Through the Maine Center for Biomedical Innovation we are preparing students for 21st century careers and equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to turn discoveries into applications that improve human health and well-being. For more information, please visit mdibl.org. In 1969, the Soviet Union moved troops and military equipment to its border with China, escalating tensions between the communist Cold War powers. In response, China created a new military strategy of "active defense" to repel an invading force near the border. There was just one catch: China did not actually implement its new strategy until 1980. Which raises a question: How could China have taken a full decade before shifting its military posture in the face of an apparent threat to its existence? "It really comes down to the politics of the Cultural Revolution," says Taylor Fravel, a professor of political science at MIT and an expert in Chinese foreign policy and military thinking. "China was consumed with internal political upheaval." That is, through the mid-1970s, leader Mao Zedong and his hardline allies sought to impose their own visions of politics and society on the country. Those internal divisions, and the extraordinary political strife accompanying them, kept China from addressing its external threats -- even though it might sorely have needed a new strategy at the time. Indeed, Fravel believes, every major change in Chinese military strategy since 1949 -- and there have been a few -- has occurred in the same set of circumstances. Each time, the Chinese have recognized that global changes in warfare have occurred, but they have required political unity in Beijing to implement those changes. To understand the military thinking of one of the world's superpowers, then, we need to understand its domestic politics. Fravel has synthesized these observations in a new book, "Active Defense: China's Military Strategy since 1949," published by Princeton University Press. The book offers a uniquely thorough history of modern Chinese military thinking, a subject that many observers have regarded as inscrutable. "One way to understand how great powers think about the use of military force is to examine their [formal] military strategy," Fravel notes. "In this respect China has not been studied as thoroughly or systematically as the other great powers." Rethinking Mao Fravel's book examines military thinking during the entire length of the People's Republic of China, dating to 1949, when Mao led the communist takeover of the country. China was not at that point regarded as a serious military power, although Fravel notes that the country's leaders were giving the idea serious thought back then. "I think some people might be surprised to learn that China has been dedicated to building a modern military, and thus thinking about strategy, since the birth of the People's Republic," Fravel says. As Fravel sees it, based on a significant amount of original archival research, there are nine times in modern China's history when the government has issued comprehensive new military strategies. These formal strategic plans, he thinks, are critical to understanding what Chinese leaders have thought about military force and how to use it. "It's an articulation of principles that should guide subsequent activities," Fravel says. Of these nine strategies, Fravel finds three to be particularly significant: Those issued in 1956, 1980, and 1993. The first of these articulated a posture of forward defense meant to insulate the country from invasion by, principally, the U.S. By the 1960s, however, the country had shifted toward a different military posture, one more in line with Mao's own thinking, which featured an emphasis on guerilla-style retreat and concession of territory in the face of a potential invasion. The idea, deployed by Mao in China's civil war in the 1930s, was to wear an enemy down over time while providing elusive targets for opponents. The Soviet massing of military forces just outside China in the late 1960s raised concerns that it might be better to pursue a more "active defense" -- and thus the title of Fravel's book -- in which China positioned its armed forces to contain enemies near the border. But given all the internal political conflict (and leadership purges) within China, this shift did not gain enough traction to be implemented in the 1970s. Moreover, as a distinct change from Mao's ideas, the notion of active defense required considerable political unity to be implemented. "In that sense it was profoundly different and perhaps challenging to pursue," Fravel says. "They had to de-emphasize one of Mao's core strategic principles." Still, the new strategy became official policy, and remained such for over a decade -- until Chinese military leaders watched the 1991 Gulf War on television and recognized that the new era of precision aerial warfare demanded another shift in strategy for them as well. "I think in many countries, the Gulf War catalyzed a complete rethinking of warfare in very short order," Fravel says. And yet, even as this was occurring, China was experiencing yet another moment of internal political division, following the Tianamen Square massacre of 1989. It took another year or two, and a new internal political consensus, before China could develop a new, contemporary strategy for fighting high-tech wars. "What they wanted to do was really challenging," Fravel says, noting that the new strategy requires complex coordination of different military domains -- air, sea, and land -- which had not previously been unified. The nuclear exception China's 1993 statement of strategy remains a guidepost for its current military thinking. However, as Fravel notes, there is one area of military force -- nuclear weapons -- which is an "exception to the rule" he postulates about policy following unity. China has had nuclear weapons since the 1960s, while always considering them a deterrent to other countries, and not threatening first use of them. "When you look at the nuclear domain, they've basically had the same strategic goal since testing their first device in 1964, which is to deter other countries from attacking China first with nuclear weapons," Fravel says. "It's also the one element of defense strategy never delegated by top party leaders. It was so important to them, they never let go of the authority to devise nuclear strategy." For Fravel's part, he says that identifying the strong pattern leading to changes in China's military strategy will help as a guide to the future, as well. "China is a country we know less about, in the study of international politics, than the other great powers," Fravel says. "If there is a significant shift in the kinds of warfare in the international system, then China would be more likely to consider changing its military strategy." ### Additional background BOOK: "Active Defense" http://press.princeton.edu/titles/13400.html ARCHIVE: Nuclear and present danger http://news.mit.edu/2017/nuclear-and-present-danger-security-experts-us-north-korea-1004 ARCHIVE: MIT political scientist awarded prestigious Carnegie fellowship http://news.mit.edu/2016/taylor-fravel-awarded-prestigious-carnegie-fellowship-0419 ARCHIVE: China and Japan remain miles apart on uninhabited islands http://news.mit.edu/2013/china-japan-conflict-0417 ARCHIVE: Taylor Fravel decodes China's foreign policy http://news.mit.edu/2011/profile-fravel-1114 A new study in the Review of Economic Studies suggests that areas where Dutch colonizers built sugar factories in the 19th century are more developed today. Colonial powers have typically organized economic activity in the colonies to maximize their economic returns. Previous literature has emphasized the long-run negative economic impacts of colonization. This research examined economic development in the context of the Dutch cultivation system, the integrated industrial and agricultural system for producing sugar that formed the core of the Dutch colonial enterprise in 19th century Java, an island in today's Indonesia that is home to almost 57% of the country's population. Java was the main population center of the vast Dutch colonial empire in the East Indies. From the early 1830s through the 1870s, the Dutch forced peasants in Java to cultivate sugar, which was processed in local Dutch-owned factories for export to Europe. The revenues extracted from this system (mostly sugar) made Java among the world's most lucrative colonies. With a population of over 160 million people and 10,000 villages, Java was instrumental in sugar processing and transport- via both forced and free labor. The Dutch made two main changes to the economy due to colonization: they repurposed land and reorganized surrounding villages to supply labor. Researchers matched historical records from the Dutch archives to modern locations in current data to trace out the long-run impacts of these institutions. The researchers here showed that people today living withing a few kilometers of historical sugar factories are more likely to be employed in manufacturing or retail than people who live farther away, who are more likely to work in agriculture. This study indicated that people also appear to be better off economically in places where colonial extraction was more intense. Households living within a few kilometers of a historical factory location have per-capita consumption about 10 percent higher than those living more than 10 kilometers away. "Colonial powers typically organized the colonial economy to maximize their own returns," said the paper's lead author, Melissa Dell. "While the previous literature has mostly emphasized potential negative consequences, this study shows that the creation of a colonial manufacturing industry in rural Java by the Dutch in the 19th century led to a more modern economy. Today, places near historical Dutch sugar factories are more industrialized, have more public infrastructure, and the population living nearby has higher levels of schooling and is richer than people living near plausible counterfactual sites for the Dutch factories." ### The paper, "The Development Effects of the Extractive Colonial Economy: The Dutch Cultivation System in Java" is available (at midnight EST on May 14) at: https://academic.oup.com/restud/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/restud/rdz017 Direct correspondence to: Melissa Dell Department of Economics Littauer Center M-24 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 02138 melis-sadell@fas.harvard.edu To request a copy of the study, please contact: Daniel Luzer daniel.luzer@oup.com Sharing on social media? Find Oxford Journals online at @OxfordJournals Recently, multi-component materials have become one of the most promising materials in the engineering and biomedical applications. Compared with traditional alloys, the composition design of multi-component materials is more complicated, and lots of alloys with different compositions need to be prepared and tested. In addition, the relationship between the mixing entropy and performance of multi-component materials are nonlinear, thereby the structure and performance cannot be effectively predicted by mixing entropy values, which makes it more difficult to design the alloys efficiently. In this case, high-throughput technology is effective way to solve this issue. A recent study reported that high-throughput screening of the composition and Young's modulus of Ti-Zr-Nb alloy was successfully achieved by co-sputtering technology with the aid of a physical mask. The research paper, entitled "High-throughput screening for biomedical applications in a Ti-Zr-Nb alloy system through masking co-sputtering", is published in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy in Issue 9 of 2019, with Prof. Yong Zhang from Beijing University of Science and Technology as the corresponding author. To develop the new alloys with special properties, e.g., excellent mechanical properties, or biomedical properties, is usually a time-consuming process. The conventional "trial and error" method cannot meet the requirements. On the other hand, owing to the limitations of research methods, only few specific compositions can be obtained from a set of experiments using conventional methods. Taking biomedical materials as an example, the obtained low Young's modulus value is generally a relatively low value in a small composition region, rather than the lowest value of a global system. Therefore, the conventional "trial and error" method inevitably causes incompleteness and contingency in research results. High-throughput technology is an effective way to obtain a composition with desirable properties in a larger composition region while improving efficiency. On the basis of multi-target co-sputtering, an auxiliary physical mask was used to facilitate the preparation of compositional gradient materials and 16 independent specimens were obtained in this work. Particularly, the Young's modulus of the Ti-Zr-Nb alloys were tested by nanoindentation. The tested Young's modulus values were fitted to 3D surface maps and contour maps, as shown in Figure 2. Significantly, a low Young's modulus region is evident in Figure 2(a). To determine whether a lower modulus composition existed in the blank areas between the specimens with lower Young's moduli, further optimization of the composition was conducted. Based on the screening results, the formation, structure and mechanical properties of bulk alloys can be further discussed in detail. It should be noted that the application of the physical mask is necessary to prevent component diffusion between the sample units. In general, the composition of the materials obtained by the multi-target co-sputtering could be continuously changed, which means that the process of component diffusion is inevitable. To ensure the composition difference of the specimens, a separate mask has been used in this work. This work not only offers novel multi-component alloys with prominent properties for practical applications, but also shed new light on development of high-throughput preparation technology in general. ### This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Grant No. 51671020). See the article: Xue-Hui Yan, Jiang Ma, and Yong Zhang, High-throughput screening for biomedical applications in a Ti-Zr-Nb alloy system through masking co-sputtering, Sci. China-Phys. Mech. Astron. 62, 996111 (2019), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11433-019-9387-7 http://engine.scichina.com/publisher/scp/journal/SCPMA/62/9/10.1007/s11433-019-9387-7?slug=fulltext It has become a hot topic to further improve the efficiency of polymer solar cells (PSCs) from device physics. Ternary strategy provides a very potential solution for simultaneous optimization of materials selection and device fabrication process. Since 2013, Prof. Fujun Zhang's group focused on the research of ternary PSCs. Zhang's group has carried out a series of researches on ternary system, such as polymer/small molecule, polymer/polymer, small molecule/small molecule, double donor, double acceptor, etc. The preparation technology of "two-step method" and "inverted method" were reported successively, and some new methods were designed for studying the exciton and carrier dynamics in ternary PSCs. The compatibility of materials is a key factor to affect the phase separation of active layer, intermolecular interactions, device performance and working mechanism. The working mechanisms of ternary PSCs are still under investigation. For example, the "alloy model" may be a macroscopic phenomenon caused by the degeneracy of the excited state energy level between materials, and its microscopic nature is not changed. Recently, ternary PSCs with 16.27% efficiency were reported by Fujun Zhang's group, which has been published on the Science Bulletin in the form of Short Communication. PM6:Y6 and PM6:IT-4F two binary PSCs exhibit complementary short circuit current density (Jsc, 25.08 mA cm-2 vs. 19.75 mA cm-2), open circuit voltage (Voc, 0.836 V vs. 0.860 V) and fill factor (FF, 73.2% vs. 75.1%). The three photovoltaic parameters of PM6:Y6:T-4F ternary PSCs can be optimized by adjusting the content of IT-4F in acceptors. When the content of IT-4F is 20 wt%, the ternary PSCs achieve optimized efficiency of 16.27% with a Jsc of 25.40 mA cm-2, a Voc of 0.844 V and a FF of 75.9%. In this work, the up-side-down solvent vapor treatment was employed to optimize the phase separation of active layers, which was firstly proposed by Zhang's group. Simple preparation process and high repeatability are the inevitable requirements for the industrialization of PSCs. The ternary PSCs without solvent additive show great potential in the industrialization of organic photovoltaic. In addition to enhancing the photon harvesting of active layer, the third component can also optimize photogenerated excitons bulk distribution to improve the performance of PSCs. This work further proves that the ternary strategy have the potential to become the first choice for the industrialization of PSCs. ### This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2018JBM061), National Natural Science Foundation of China (61805009, 61675017). Beijing Natural Science Foundation (4192049). Qiaoshi An, Xiaoling Ma, Jinhua Gao, Fujun Zhang. Solvent additive-free ternary polymer solar cells with 16.27% efficiency. Science Bulletin, 2019, 64(8)504-506, doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2019.03.024 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095927319301768 If you look at a snail's shell, the chances are it will coil to the right. But, occasionally, you might find an unlucky one that twists in the opposite direction - as fans of Jeremy the lefty snail will remember, these snails struggle to mate with the more common rightward-coiling individuals. This chirality (direction of coiling) of snail shells is an outward manifestation of left-right asymmetry: a phenomenon seen across animal evolution and extending to humans - your heart is (probably) on your left side, while your liver is to the right. But how does this asymmetry come about? Researchers from Japan, writing in the journal Development, think they now have a definitive answer - for one species of freshwater snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) at least. Successfully applying CRISPR gene editing technology to molluscs for the first time, Masanori Abe and Reiko Kuroda (working at Tokyo University of Science, but recently relocated to Chubu University, Japan), have now made snails with mutations in a gene called Lsdia1, which had previously been suggested - but not conclusively proven - to be involved in snail shell coiling; snails without a functional copy of Lsdia1 produce offspring with shells that coil to the left, showing that this single gene is responsible for rightwardcoiling. Surprisingly, the researchers could see signs of asymmetry at the earliest possible stage of development - when the snail embryo was just a single cell. Moreover, the mutant snails could be reared to adults, when they produced exclusively leftward-coiling offspring. According to Kuroda: "It is remarkable that these snails with reversed coiling are healthy and fertile, and that this coiling can be inherited generation after generation (we now have 5th-generation leftward-coiling snails). Further, these results may have an implication for snail evolution and speciation - given that left- and rightward-coiling snails probably wouldn't interbreed." It's still not clear how Lsdia1 might control left-right asymmetry: the gene encodes a formin, a protein that is involved in regulating the cell's internal skeleton, but more work is needed to understand how this influences the cellular behaviours that control handedness - which is something Kuroda and her colleagues are actively working on. But given that genes like Lsdia1 are found throughout the animal kingdom, similar mechanisms for controlling left-right asymmetry could be at play in other species - including our own. As Kuroda says: "Although diverse mechanisms have been proposed for different animals, we think a unified mechanism, involving formins and cellular chirality, is probable". So while it may seem a big leap from snail shell coiling to human left-right asymmetries, it's possible that future studies on how Lsdia1 works in snails might eventually help us understand why some babies are born with their heart on the right (which is of course the wrong) side of their chest. ### If reporting this story, please mention the journal Development as the source and, if reporting online, please carry a link to: http://dev.biologists.org/content/146/9/dev175976 REFERENCE: Abe, M. and Kuroda, R. (2019) The development of CRISPR for a mollusc establishes the formin Lsdia1 as the long-sought gene for snail dextral/sinistral coiling (Development, in press) doi: 10.1242/dev.175976 TORONTO - According to a new study published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), patients who have severe obstructive sleep apnea have a significantly higher risk of complications related to their heart in the first 30 days after major surgery. "We found that the risk of postoperative complications related to their heart was 50% higher in patients with sleep apnea compared to those without sleep apnea," says Dr. Frances Chung, a Clinician Investigator with the Krembil Research Institute and a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the University Health Network and University of Toronto. Severe obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep breathing disorder and has also been associated with a higher risk of cardiac diseases, hypertension, stroke, atrial fibrillation, diabetes and cognitive impairment. It is also associated with three-fold increase in death rate. During obstructive sleep apnea, the upper airway is blocked by the tongue and surrounding tissues during sleep, which may result in a lack of oxygen to the brain. "As a result, in the general population, obstructive sleep apnea is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular complications including high blood pressure, angina, irregular heartbeat, heart failure and sudden death," says Dr. Chung. "In this study, we wanted to determine whether sleep apnea would pose a similar risk to surgical patients." Key Findings: The authors identified 1,218 pre-surgical patients newly diagnosed with sleep apnea and followed them for 30 days after their surgery. These surgical patients had a 50% higher risk of complications related to their heart. The authors believe this is due to the sleep apnea going undiagnosed and untreated. On further analysis, patients with severe sleep apnea were associated with a 14-fold increase in cardiac death, an 80% higher risk of heart injury and an almost 7-fold higher risk of heart failure. Since sleep apnea occurs while you're asleep, 80% of men and 90% of women with sleep apnea may not even know they have it. Bottom Line: 30% of our surgical population has unrecognized moderate to severe sleep apnea. The patients in this study were not diagnosed and they were not treated before surgery. "The key takeaway here is that if patients have symptoms of sleep apnea, perhaps they should be treated before undergoing major surgery," says Dr. Chung. "Further study is needed to determine how best to prevent patients with severe sleep apnea from having a higher risk of heart complications." ### About the Krembil Research Institute The Krembil Research Institute (or Krembil) is one of the principal research institutes of the University Health Network. The Krembil is focused on research programs dedicated to brain & spine, arthritis and vision disorders, with a goal to alleviate debilitating chronic disease through basic, translational & clinical research. Krembil is located at the Toronto Western Hospital in downtown Toronto and is supported by the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation, which raises funds for research, education and patient care. http://www.uhn.ca/Research/Research_Institutes/Krembil About University Health Network University Health Network (UHN) comprises Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and The Michener Institute of Education. The scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN has made it a national & international source for discovery, education, commercialization and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, spanning cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is affiliated with the University of Toronto. http://www.uhn.ca MEDIA CONTACT Heather Sherman, Senior Advisor, Public Affairs Neuroscience | Arthritis | Vision University Health Network | 416-603-5294 | heather.sherman@uhn.ca Researchers of the Universities of Bonn and Amsterdam and of the MPI in Gottingen are developing a novel human nerve cell model Nerve cells derived from human stem cells often serve as the basis for research into brain diseases. However, these cells differ considerably in their quality and produce varying results. Scientists around the world are therefore looking for simple cell models that lead to consistent results when an experiment is repeated. Research teams from the University of Bonn, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Gottingen describe a model derived from stem cells that consists of only one human nerve cell. It was obtained from pluripotent stem cells through a fast forward programming method and provides highly standardized conditions for investigating nerve cell functions. The two studies have now been published in the international journal Cell Reports. Using cell reprogramming, so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) can be generated from a blood or skin sample. The body cells are reset into an embryonic stage and are then able to differentiate further into a huge variety of cell types again such as heart muscle or brain cells. The expectations of these all-rounders are accordingly high. "Nerve cells produced from iPS cells are nowadays the most attractive tool for research into brain diseases and pharmaceutical research," said Prof. Dr. Oliver Brustle from the Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB). Such human nerve cells derived from iPS cells can vary considerably. Depending on the cell culture method and production route chosen, they react very differently in experiments. "However, we are looking for a cell model that is able to produce the same results when an experiment is repeated," explains Dr. Michael Peitz from Brustle's team. After all, the results of the studies should be statistically verified. For this reason, the UKB scientists, together with the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Experimental Medicine in Gottingen and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, developed and tested a cell culture model consisting of a single nerve cell obtained from human iPS cells via a highly standardized cell programming method. This "single" sits on glial cells, which are natural neighbors of nerve cells and crucial for their maintenance and function. The nerve cell is talking to itself The special feature: The "single" brain cells talks to itself because its main nerve fiber (axon) ends up connecting to processes of the same nerve cell. "In principle, it's a single neurons with a short-circuit," explains Dr. Kristina Rehbach, one of the lead authors of the two studies at the Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology at the UKB. This allows the scientists to eavesdrop on the "single" nerve cell chatting with itself. The circular signal transmission between the axon and the respective neuron takes place via synapses. These are interfaces at which electrical signals cause the release of messenger substances, which again lead to electrical impulses on the receiver side. Here the signals can be amplified or reduced. The scientists at the MPI in Gottingen and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam tested how this single-cell model behaves in stimulation experiments. They used both neurons responsible for excitation in the brain as well as inhibitory nerve cells. "We were able to demonstrate that this model, which consists of only a single nerve cell, yields highly reproducible data in the functional tests and thus represents a very good basis for high-throughput experiments," says Prof. Dr. Matthijs Verhage from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Various applications The research team sees many possible applications for the "single" nerve cell model. It can be used to study disease mechanisms. "For example, if a protein at a synapse is altered by a gene mutation, the consequences for signal transmission can be observed directly in this model," said Prof. Brustle. Another advantage is that iPS cells reprogrammed from the skin or blood of patients can be used to generate neurons with disease- and patient-specific features. The cell model could of particular interest for pharmaceutical research because it is standardized, scalable and applicable to a wide variety of brain diseases. "The excellent cooperation of the various research teams in this project shows that the combination of stem cell technology and functional synapse biology opens up entirely new perspectives," says Prof. Dr. Jeong Seop Rhee from the MPI for Experimental Medicine in Gottingen. All three research teams work together in the European joint project COSYN. ### Publications: A Single-Cell Model for Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity in Human iPSC-Derived Neurons, Cell Reports, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.058 An Autaptic Culture System for Standardized Analyses of iPSC-Derived Human Neurons, Cell Reports, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.059 Media contact: Prof. Dr. Oliver Brustle Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology University Hospital Bonn Tel. +49 (0)228-6885 500 E-mail: r.neuro@uni-bonn.de The bowl-shaped design can efficiently convert CO2 gas into carbon based fuels and chemicals, helping combat the climate change threat posed by atmospheric carbon dioxide. A team of scientists has created a bowl-shaped electrode with 'hot edges' which can efficiently convert CO2 from gas into carbon based fuels and chemicals, helping combat the climate change threat posed by atmospheric carbon dioxide. The research team, from the University of Bath, Fudan University, Shanghai, and the Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, hopes the catalyst design will eventually allow the use of renewable electricity to convert CO2 into fuels without creating additional atmospheric carbon - essentially acting like an electrochemical 'leaf' to convert carbon dioxide into sugars. Using this reaction, known as the reduction of carbon dioxide, has exciting potential but two major obstacles are poor conversion efficiency of the reaction and a lack of detailed knowledge about the exact reaction pathway. This new electrode addresses these challenges with higher conversion efficiency and sensitive detection of molecules created along the reaction's progress - thanks to its innovative shape and construction. The bowl shaped electrode works six times faster than standard planar - or flat - designs. The bowl-like shape of the design, technically known as an "inverse opal structure" concentrates electric fields on its hot edges - the rim of the bowl - which then concentrates positively charged potassium ions on the active sites of the reaction, reducing its energy requirements. The Copper-Indium alloy electrode can also be useful to sensitively study the reaction process via measuring the Raman signal, which is higher compared to a typical electrode. The study is published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A. Professor Ventsislav Valev, from the University of Bath's Department of Physics, said: "There is no more pressing human need than breathing. Yet for hundreds of million people this most basic activity is a source of anxiety over lowering life expectancy, rising child mortality and climate change. There is evidence that CO2 increases surface ozone, carcinogens, and particulate matter, thereby increasing death, asthma, hospitalization, and cancer rates. It is therefore crucial to keep researching new ways for lowing the CO2 levels in the atmosphere." The team wants to continue research to develop the most efficient catalyst to perform carbon reduction. Professor Liwu Zhang, from Fudan University, said: "CO2 is causing climate change, making our planet warmer. By using clean electricity, we can convert CO2 into chemical fuels, which can be used again. This builds a cycle of CO2, with no increment of CO2 concentration and will help save our world. "However, to improve the efficiency of transforming CO2 into chemical fuels, it is extremely important to know the reaction pathway, and find the most suitable catalyst. "Just as plants transform CO2 into sugar we are finding suitable electrochemical 'leaf' for CO2 conversion." ### The study: "Hot edges" in an inverse opal structure enable e?cient CO2 electrochemical reduction and sensitive in situ Raman characterization" is published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A. The study was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, and National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in Condensed Matter Physics (CDT-CMP), and the Royal Society. For further information, please contact Chris Melvin in the University of Bath Press Office on +44 (0)1225 383 941 or c.m.melvin@bath.ac.uk Notes University of Bath The University of Bath is one of the UK's leading universities both in terms of research and our reputation for excellence in teaching, learning and graduate prospects. The University is rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), the Government's assessment of teaching quality in universities, meaning its teaching is of the highest quality in the UK. In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 research assessment 87 per cent of our research was defined as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'. From developing fuel efficient cars of the future, to identifying infectious diseases more quickly, or working to improve the lives of female farmers in West Africa, research from Bath is making a difference around the world. Find out more: http://www.bath.ac.uk/research/ Well established as a nurturing environment for enterprising minds, Bath is ranked highly in all national league tables. We are ranked 6th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide 2019, 5th for graduate employment in The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, and 4th in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018. Improving upon an existing line of robotic pets, a UC professor and her class have created a lifelike dog that can provide care in addition to companionship It's no secret that pets bring joy to their owners' lives. Caring for animals keeps us active, gives us purpose, provides stress relief and builds a loving bond -- studies show pets can even increase people's lifespans. For some older populations, having a pet isn't possible. Perhaps they can't care for an animal or their retirement community doesn't allow it. Robotic companions have entered the market to fill that void, and one University of Cincinnati professor is reimagining these high-tech pets to not only provide companionship, but care. Claudia Rebola is an associate professor and graduate studies coordinator in UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Together with graduate students from DAAP and UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science, Rebola is giving an existing line of robotic pets a makeover inside and out so they look and feel more realistic and offer expanded capabilities, like checking a user's vital signs. Rebola's work combines design, science and technology to create innovative, interactive health products. Innovation is a cornerstone of UC's strategic direction, Next Lives Here. Rebola also is an expert on aging and researches disabilities, health, technologies, robotics and applying accessible design, from wearables to user experiences, tailored to the older adult population. In 2017, while working at Rhode Island School of Design, Rebola wrote a grant for a project called ARIES -- or Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support -- with researchers from Brown University and Butler Hospital and industry partner Hasbro, one of the largest toymakers in the world. The team received a $1 million National Science Foundation grant to reenvision an acquired Hasbro brand, Joy For All Companion Pets, purchased by a new company, Ageless Innovation, created by former Hasbro executives. On the market since 2015, these robotic cats and dogs feature simple, toylike designs, sounds and movements to provide comfort, companionship and fun for elderly users. Rebola's team is setting out to reimagine the pets from appearance to function, creating the next-generation robotic intelligence that provides psychosocial support for older adults. Working collaboratively with industrial design and engineering graduate students, Rebola focuses on human factors, such as "understanding the user, their needs and how to translate those needs into unique design opportunities for these pets," she says. Part of that research involves pilot studies and focus groups with older adults and their caretakers in the community to get feedback on the robots to better improve the design. Cincinnati area communities, including Scarlet Oaks Retirement Community and Episcopal Retirement Services, are currently participating in a longitudinal study of the existing robotic pets, and Rebola has recruited members from UC's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) to evaluate their new ideas along the way. "You are the experts," Rebola told participants at a recent focus group, "not us. We are just the enablers." Feedback from these sessions led the class to concentrate on redesigning the robot dog, which resembled a cartoonish yellow stuffed animal and had the most room for improvement. They found that users wanted a dog with more realistic features from its fur to movements, so they modeled the new prototype after the Yorkshire terrier -- one of the most popular breeds among older adults they discovered. Rebola hopes that in the future buyers can order custom breeds and colors to perhaps resemble a pet they used to have. The class sourced high-quality faux fur from Donna Salyers' Fabulous Furs in nearby Covington, Kentucky, making the new dog "more pettable and lifelike," as described by focus group participant Kathi Lawrence. As a dialysis patient, she thought she could benefit from a robotic pet during her treatments. "I'm amazed that you made the dog as lifelike as the cat," she said. "It's not rigid like the other dog. The fur and color are wonderful." Students also redesigned the body to make it less mechanical and more flexible, like a lapdog, and refined features like the eyes, nose and paws, all while being mindful of the technology that also must be incorporated in the body.While some students worked on improving the physical components of the dog, others centered on the caregiving possibilities. The result is four areas of care: detecting/preventing falls, connecting users to caregivers and loved ones, checking vital signs and providing helpful reminders. The class envisions a smart collar for the robotic pets that can enable these functions. To prevent falls, the pet could promote activity and detect risky situations such as low light. If a user did experience a fall, it would alert emergency services or a caregiver. For connectedness, loved ones could communicate through the pet, track the user's activity and interaction and even use it to serve as an audiodiary. The pet could monitor a user's vitals by way of a simple hug, while also monitoring sleeping, medication intake or emergencies, all while sharing the health data with caregivers. Finally, a memory function could act as a smart alarm clock, reminding users to make doctor's appointments, take medicine or charge the robot, while helping them find misplaced objects and detecting intruders. The students were mindful of the costs that would be added with these technologies while also making the monitoring as unobtrusive as possible -- they didn't want this to feel like an intrusive Big Brother. "I'm very proud of my students for working on this for months when it takes years to work on robotics." UC geriatric medicine physician Dr. Jeffrey D. Schlaudecker sees the advantages of these robot pets for his patients. "A robotic pet that combines the benefits of companionship with the opportunities for tech-based monitoring for older adults, especially those with cognitive impairment, is an idea with huge potential," he says. "My patients affected with memory disorders can really benefit from the sensory aspects of a robotic pet -- touch, sight and sound can all create a real consecutiveness. This companion could help ease transitions as well. For example, a visit to a provider's office or a hospitalization can be very traumatic for a person with cognitive impairment. The presence of a known companion that can be transported easily anywhere can be a great addition to smoothing these sometimes bumpy transitions." Rebola and her team will continue to fine-tune the prototype this year and hope to give Ageless Innovations a robust, improved pet to be launched in the market in 2020. "Ten years ago I was exposed to an organization that gave me funding to do a project for a retirement community. I fell in love, [reminding me] about why I was doing design and the role of technologies to really help people's lives. Now I cannot stop. Whenever I can write a grant or work with students, it's all about giving something meaningful for the older adult population, improving or saving their lives." This project is just one of many Rebola is working on to better the community through design. Another is AntiOD, a smart lifesaving naloxone-dispensing device and an educational campaign to inform the public about the opioid epidemic and how to help. AntiOD will soon be installed in Cincinnati's public library downtown and on May 16, the State of Ohio's Drug Abuse Heroin Unit will honor Rebola for her work on the field at Great American Ballpark when the Cincinnati Reds take on the Chicago Cubs. As the robotic pet class's final session came to an end, participant Candas Stacey, who has worked as a caregiver, shared a story about a former patient who passed away shortly after her cat died. She saw great potential in the project. "You are saving lives," she affirmed. ### When Stephen Pruett-Jones, PhD, an ecologist at the University of Chicago, first came to Chicago in 1988, he stumbled on a unique piece of the city's history: the monk parakeets of Hyde Park. The squat, bright-green birds aren't native to Illinois, or the United States at all. The U.S. originally had two native parrot species: the Carolina parakeet and the thick-billed parrot. The Carolina parakeet is now extinct; the thick-billed parrot, a Mexican species that ranged into the southwestern states, was driven out of the U.S. In the 1950s and 60s, tens of thousands of monk parakeets were imported from South America as pets. Inevitably, many of them escaped or were released. By 1968, they were found breeding in the wild across 10 states, including a colony in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, home of the University of Chicago campus. Pruett-Jones, who usually studies wrens and other wild birds in Australia, noticed a large group of the parakeets on his daily commute. He started sending students out to study the birds and eventually organized an annual lab project to count them. "I have never actually held a wild parrot in the United States," he said. "But indirectly I've become the spokesperson for parrot research here because when I saw the monk parakeets in Chicago, I realized nobody else was working on them." Those monk parakeets aren't the only parrot species thriving in the U.S. as a result of the pet trade. In a recent study, Pruett-Jones teamed up with Jennifer Uehling, a former UChicago undergraduate student now working on a PhD at Cornell University, and Jason Tallant of the University of Michigan to research data on bird sightings from 2002 to 2016. They found that there were 56 different parrot species spotted in the wild in 43 states. Of these, 25 species are now breeding in 23 different states. "Many of them were escaped pets, or their owners released them because they couldn't train them or they made too much noise--all the reasons people let pets go," Pruett-Jones said. "But many of these species are perfectly happy living here and they've established populations. Wild parrots are here to stay." A diverse new landscape for parrots The study, published in the Journal of Ornithology, uses two different databases of bird sightings to track this diverse new landscape of naturalized parrot species. The first, the Christmas Bird Count, is an annual survey organized by the National Audubon Society that captures a snapshot of birds in the U.S. during a two-week period from December 14 to January 15 each year. The second resource, eBird, is an online database for bird watching enthusiasts to log all the birds they have seen. Once Uehling, Tallant, and Pruett-Jones compiled the data, the most common species were monk parakeets, the Red-crowned Amazon, and the Nanday Parakeet. Most of these birds are concentrated in the warmer climates of Florida, Texas and California, but there are other large populations concentrated around cities like New York and Chicago. Pruett-Jones says there are now more Red-crowned Amazons living in California than there are in their original habitats in Mexico. "The entire conservation focus for this species is now on a non-native, introduced, naturalized population," he said. "The survival of the species is most likely going to come from efforts to save it someplace where it never existed before." Monk parakeets are reported to be agricultural pests in South America, but other than a few isolated examples, there is no evidence that any of the feral parrots in the U.S. are invasive or competing with native birds. Monk parakeets are the only species of parrot that build their own nests, however, and the bulky structures are known to damage utility lines. Good luck talisman The story of Chicago's parakeets is one with the city, that of tenacious survival in spite of the elements. Most of the year they feed by foraging in parks and open grassy areas. They don't migrate, but one of Pruett-Jones' students discovered that they survive Chicago's harsh winters by switching almost exclusively to backyard bird feeders from December to February. Harold Washington, Chicago's first African American mayor, lived across the street from one of the city's best-known parakeet colonies and called them a "good luck talisman." After he died in 1987, the USDA tried to remove the birds, but local residents threatened a lawsuit. The parakeets stayed but their numbers have dwindled from a peak of about 400 birds to just 30 today. Some of the them have dispersed to greener areas in the suburbs, although the largest colony is now under the Skyway bridge connecting Illinois to Indiana. There are also signs of a nationwide decline in all birds, perhaps due to a disease or parasite. Pruett-Jones may have become a national expert on parrots by accident, but he says this work is crucial to understand conservation of endangered species and how non-native or invasive species can spread. "Because of human activity transporting these birds for our own pleasure, we have inadvertently created populations elsewhere," he said. "Now for some of these parrots, they may become critical to the survival of the species." ### In solving quantum-physical problems in many-body systems, such as predicting material properties, conventional computers rapidly reach the limits of their capacity. Digital quantum simulators might help, but until now they are drastically limited to small systems with few particles and only short simulation times. Now, Heidelberg University physicist Dr Philipp Hauke and colleagues from Dresden and Innsbruck (Austria) have demonstrated that such simulations can be more "robust" and hence much more stable than previously assumed. The results of their research were published in "Science Advances". In quantum physics, many-body theory describes a large number of interacting particles. In the state of thermodynamic equilibrium, the many-body system can be described by only a handful of values such as temperature or pressure, which are largely homogeneous for the entire system. But what happens over time after a major perturbation, such as when energy is abruptly deposited in a material sample by short laser pulses? Precisely calculating the so-called nonequilibrium dynamics of interacting many-body systems is a high-profile problem in quantum physics. Calculations using conventional computers require resources that increase exponentially with the number of constituent quantum particles. "So computationally exact methods fail with just a few dozen particles. That is far less than the number needed to predict material properties, for example. In such cases, scientists rely on approximation methods that are often uncontrolled, particularly when it comes to dynamic properties," explains Dr Hauke, a researcher at the Kirchhoff Institute for Physics and the Institute for Theoretical Physics of Heidelberg University. Digital quantum simulation provides one possible workaround. The nonequilibrium dynamics are studied with simulators that themselves are governed by quantum-mechanical laws. Depicting the time evolution in a quantum computer requires discretising it into individual operations. But this approach - also known as Trotterization - unavoidably generates an error inherent in the simulation itself. This Trotter error can be mitigated by sufficiently fine discretisations. Extremely small discretisation steps must be chosen, however, to depict reliably a longer time evolution. Until now, research has maintained that the error quickly grows over long time periods and with a larger number of particles - which for all practical purposes drastically limits digital quantum simulation to small systems and short times. Using numerical demonstrations and analytical arguments, the researchers have now shown that quantum simulation is much more "robust" and hence more stable than previously assumed, as long as only values that are relevant in practice - such as averages across the entire system - are considered and not the full state of each individual particle. For such values, there is a sharp threshold between a region with controllable errors and a simulation that can no longer deliver a usable result. Below this threshold, the Trotter error has only limited impact - in fact for all time periods that could be practically simulated and largely independent of the number of constituent particles. At the same time, the research showed that digital quantum simulation can deliver astonishingly precise results using unexpectedly large Trotter steps. "A simulation that can predict the behaviour of many quantum particles over a longer time therefore becomes more and more likely. This further opens the door for practical applications, ranging from materials science and quantum chemistry to issues in fundamental physics," states Dr Hauke, who heads the "Quantum optics and quantum many-body theory" research group. ### The research was conducted in collaboration with Dr Markus Heyl of the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden and Prof. Dr Peter Zoller of the University of Innsbruck. At Heidelberg University, it was carried out as part of the Collaborative Research Centre "Isolated Quantum Systems and Universality in Extreme Conditions" (SFB 1225). Working group led by physicist Professor Ulrich Nowak at the University of Konstanz, in collaboration with a team of physicists from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, demonstrates how skyrmions can be used for the computer concepts of the future When it comes to performing a calculation destined to arrive at an exact result, humans are hopelessly inferior to the computer. In other areas, humans are still lengths ahead of it: An example is signal processing, which plays an important role in autonomous driving. In the search for new computer concepts that are closer to the human brain, research is concentrating, amongst others, on probability-based computing. Together with his team, physicist Professor Ulrich Nowak from the University of Konstanz is investigating how these computers of the future can be made possible by using what are known as skyrmions, i.e. magnetic vortex-like configurations, as bit units. In collaboration with physicists from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, the researchers have now been able to show both in theory and experimentally how magnetic vortices can be used for new computing methods. The results were published in the current issue of the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology. In waking state, humans continually perceive everything going on around them. This perception generates data streams that the brain analyses on an ongoing basis. For example, if a sound becomes louder and louder, from a certain threshold upwards it might be identified as the danger of an object flying towards you. The brain does not react to specific numerical values but instead to signals that occur with certain probabilities. As with the quantum computer, it is hoped that the future generation of computers, which uses skyrmions to process and store data streams, will offer far higher storage capacity, speed and energy efficiency. Indeed, the stable magnetic skyrmions also have the advantage that they make computing with random signals conceivable. The working group in Mainz led by Professor Mathias Klaui has succeeded in developing a material in which skyrmions can form. The researchers have also developed a method to exploit thermal diffusion of skyrmions in what is referred to as a reshuffler, a component needed for probabilistic computing. Ulrich Nowak's team was able to show in a simulation that the skyrmions observed indeed behaved like particles and moved around randomly in the plane, similarly to atoms that distribute themselves in gas or liquid at finite temperature. This property is used for the reshuffler. "We have shown according to which laws diffusion occurs, its length and time scales and that it can be measured," said Ulrich Nowak, summarizing the Konstanz researchers' contribution to the joint project. Up until now, there have been no quantitative predictions for this. Only the combination of the measurements performed by Nowak's colleagues in Mainz and the simulations conducted in Konstanz has shown the relevance of skyrmion diffusion. Since skyrmions can be produced and rearranged by means of electric currents, they are suitable candidates for a reshuffler. What is understood by a reshuffler is a component of probability-based computing that automatically scrambles input data like a kind of mixer. The reshuffler produces a sequence with the same number of memory units but in a different order. Their probability has therefore remained the same. ### Key facts: * Original publication: Jakub Zazvorka, Florian Jakobs, Daniel Heinze, Niklas Keil, Sascha Kromin, Samridh Jaiswal, Kai Litzius, Gerhard Jakob, Peter Virnau, Daniele Pinna, Karin Everschor-Sitte, Levente Rozsa, Andreas Donges, Ulrich Nowak & Mathias Klaui: Thermal skyrmion diffusion used in a reshuffler device. Nature Nanotechnology, 22 April 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-019-0436-8 * Collaboration between the working groups led by Professor Ulrich Nowak at the University of Konstanz and his colleague Professor Mathias Klaui from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Mathias Klaui worked at the University of Konstanz from 2003 to 2008, earning his habilitation (postdoctoral qualification) at the University of Konstanz in 2008. * Combination of measurements from Mainz with simulations from Konstanz show the relevance of skrymion diffusion. * The research work by the University of Konstanz was funded in the framework of the "Skyrmionics" Priority Programme of the German Research Foundation and Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 767 of the University of Konstanz. Note to editors: You can download a photo here: https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/fileadmin/pi/fileserver/2019/Bilder/ein_schritt_skyrmionenmixer.jpg Caption: The reshuffler works like a skyrmion mixer: A specific initial sequence is entered and the outcome is a randomly altered sequence of output states. Copyright: Working group of Professor Ulrich Nowak, University of Konstanz Film: Computer simulation of diffusive skyrmion motion in a thin magnetic film. http://www.uni-konstanz.de/broschueren/video/ein_schritt_diffusionmovie.mov Copyright: Working group of Professor Ulrich Nowak, University of Konstanz Contact University of Konstanz Communications and Marketing Phone: + 49 7531 88-3603 E-Mail: kum@uni-konstanz.de Preschoolers who watch TV sleep significantly less than those who don't, according to new research by University of Massachusetts Amherst neuroscientist Rebecca Spencer and developmental science graduate student Abigail Helm. More surprising to Spencer, known for her groundbreaking research into the role of naps in children's memory and learning, 36 percent of 3- to 5-year-olds had TVs in their bedroom, and a third of those kids fell asleep with the TV on, often watching stimulating or violent adult programming. The study, published in Sleep Health, the journal of the National Sleep Foundation, suggests that TV use by young children affects the quality and duration of sleep, measured for the first time by an actigraphic device kids wore like a watch on their wrist. Moreover, while daytime napping was found to increase among the kids who watched the most TV, it did not fully compensate for the lost sleep at night. "The good news is, this is addressable," says Spencer, referring to the opportunity to educate parents about the new, myth-shattering evidence that TV does not help young children fall asleep. "Parents assumed that TV was helping their kids wind down. But it didn't work. Those kids weren't getting good sleep, and it wasn't helping them fall asleep better. It's good to have this data." The findings of Spencer and Helm come on the heels of new guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), which say children between age 2 and 4 years should have no more than one hour of "sedentary screen time" daily - and less or no screen time is even better. Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that daily screen time for 2- to 5-year-olds be limited to one hour of "high-quality programs," and that parents should watch the programs with their children. The WHO also emphasized the importance of young children getting "better quality" sleep for their long-term health. Some 54 percent of kids in the UMass Amherst study are not meeting the WHO's TV-viewing guidelines on weekdays, and the figure jumps to 87 percent on weekends, Spencer says. In addition to a dearth of data on TV viewing and sleep among this age group, previous research that does exist has relied on parent-reported measures of sleep, and "parents tend to overestimate sleep duration," according to the study. "One of the biggest advantages we have in our approach is the use of these actigraphs," which have been found to provide a reliable measure of sleep, Spencer says. The new research piggybacked on Spencer's larger study about young children's sleep and cognition, supported by a National Institutes of Health grant. "Given that we already have some data about why sleep and naps are important for young kids, we decided to look into what are the factors that determine when they sleep, how they sleep and why they sleep," Spencer says. A "very diverse" group of 470 preschoolers from Western Massachusetts participated in the study, wearing actigraphs for up to 16 days. Their parents and caregivers answered questionnaires about demographics and the children's health and behavior, including detailed questions on TV use. Among the findings: Preschoolers who watch less than one hour of TV per day get 22 more minutes of sleep at night - or nearly 2.5 hours per week - than those who watch more than an hour of TV daily. On average, young children without TVs in their bedrooms slept 30 minutes more at night than those with a TV in their bedroom. Although kids with TVs in their bedroom slept on average 12 minutes longer during naps, they still slept 17 minutes less during a 24-hour period than kids without TVs in their bedroom. Spencer says she plans to expand future child sleep studies to examine the impact of hand-held digital devices, such as iPads and smartphones. She also points out that TV use by kids as reported by their parents is likely to be underestimated. "I think TV is its own beast to understand," she says. ### 'Quantum technologies' utilise the unique phenomena of quantum superposition and entanglement to encode and process information, with potentially profound benefits to a wide range of information technologies from communications to sensing and computing. However a major challenge in developing these technologies is that the quantum phenomena are very fragile, and only a handful of physical systems have been identified in which they survive long enough and are sufficiently controllable to be useful. Atomic defects in materials such as diamond are one such system, but a lack of techniques for fabricating and engineering crystal defects at the atomic scale has limited progress to date. A team of scientists demonstrate, in a paper published in Optica, the success of the new method to create particular defects in diamonds known as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) colour centres. These comprise a nitrogen impurity in the diamond (carbon) lattice located adjacent to an empty lattice site or vacancy. The NV centres are created by focusing a sequence of ultrafast laser pulses into the diamond, the first of which has an energy high enough to generate vacancies at the centre of the laser focus, with subsequent pulses at a lower energy to mobilise the vacancies until one of them binds to a nitrogen impurity and forms the required complex. The new research was carried out by a team led by Prof Jason Smith in the Department of Materials, University of Oxford, and Dr Patrick Salter and Prof Martin Booth in the Dept of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Warwick. It took place within the research programme of NQIT, the Quantum Computing Technology Hub of the UK Quantum Technologies Programme, with support from DeBeers UK who supplied the diamond sample. The scientists' new method involves a sensitive fluorescence monitor being employed to detect light emitted from the focal region, so that the process can be actively controlled in response to the observed signal. By combining local control and feedback, the new method facilitates the production of arrays of single NV centres with exactly one colour centre at each site - a key capability in building scalable technologies. It also allows precise positioning of the defects, important for the engineering of integrated devices. The rapid single-step process is easily automated with each NV centre taking only seconds to create. Prof Martin Booth says: 'Colour centres in diamond offer a very exciting platform for developing compact and robust quantum technologies, and this new process is a potential game-changer in the engineering of the required materials. There is still more work to do in optimising the process, but hopefully this step will help to accelerate delivery of these technologies.' The scientists believe that this method might ultimately be used to fabricate centimetre-sized diamond chips containing 100,000 or more NV centres as a route towards the 'holy grail' of quantum technologies, a universal fault-tolerant quantum computer. Prof Jason Smith says: 'The first quantum computers are now starting to emerge but these machines, impressive as they are, only scratch the surface of what might be achieved and the platforms being used may not be sufficiently scalable to realise the full power that quantum computing has to offer. Diamond colour centres may provide a solution to this problem by packing high densities of qubits onto a solid state chip, which could be entangled with each other using optical methods to form the heart of a quantum computer. The ability to write NV centres into diamond with a high degree of control is an essential first step towards these and other devices.' ### For more information or to request images, please contact the University of Oxford press office at ruth.abrahams@admin.ox.ac.uk / 01865 280730. The paper is available here: https://www.osapublishing.org/optica/fulltext.cfm?uri=optica-6-5-662&id=412315 Notes to editors About the University of Oxford Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the third year running, and at the heart of this success is our ground-breaking research and innovation. Oxford is world-famous for research excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions. Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 170 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past three years. NQIT NQIT, the UK quantum computing technology hub, is the largest of the four Hubs in the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. NQIT is a consortium of nine universities and organisations, led by University of Oxford, working towards building a quantum computer demonstrator and creating a quantum computing sector in the UK. PITTSBURGH, May 14, 2019 - The same sources thought to inflict oxidative stress on cells--pollution, diesel exhaust, smoking and obesity--also are associated with shorter telomeres, the protective tips on the ends of the chromosomal shoelace. A new study from the University of Pittsburgh, published today in Molecular Cell, provides the first smoking gun evidence that oxidative stress acts directly on telomeres to hasten cellular aging. "Telomeres consist of hundreds of guanine bases, which are sinks for oxidation," said senior author Patricia Opresko, Ph.D., professor of environmental and occupational health at the Pitt Graduate School of Public Health and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. "Is it just a coincidence? Or could it be true that oxidizing those guanines in the telomeres is really contributing to shortening?" To find out for sure, Opresko needed some way to inflict oxidative stress on telomeres and nowhere else. So, she enlisted the help of Marcel Bruchez, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences and chemistry and director of the Molecular Biosensors and Imaging Center at Carnegie Mellon University. Bruchez developed a method for zeroing in on the telomeres using a special light-activated molecule that latches onto the telomere and delivers localized free radicals--the molecular agent of oxidative stress--on command. "One of the main challenges to targeting oxidative damage to specific loci in living cells has been achieving precise temporal and dose-control of this damage," Bruchez said. "By combining telomere targeting with our optochemogenetic generation of singlet oxygen, we are able to selectively control when and how hard the oxidative stress is applied specifically at the telomere sites." The researchers repeatedly exposed cultured cancer cells to this targeted oxidation procedure, mimicking conditions of environmental oxidative stress and inflammation, and, indeed, they saw the telomeres break and shorten with each cell division, despite repair efforts by the telomere lengthening enzyme telomerase. As the DNA repair machinery tried to fix the broken telomeres, the ends of the chromosomes often fused together, destabilizing the genome and preventing cells from dividing properly. Whereas telomere shortening spells bad news for healthy cells, Opresko said, the flipside is that targeting telomeres might offer a way to fight cancer. With short enough telomeres, cancer cells would stop dividing. "If we can understand what causes telomere shortening and how cells compensate for that," Opresko said, "then we'll be in a better position to design intervention strategies that protect telomeres in healthy cells and target telomeres in cancer cells." ### Other authors on this study include Elise Fouquerel, Ph.D., Ryan Barnes, Ph.D., Shikhar Uttam, Ph.D., and Simon Watkins, Ph.D., all of Pitt. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (K99ES027028, R01ES022944, R01CA207342, R01ES02842, R21/R33ES025606 and R01EB017268). To read this release online or share it, visit http://www.upmc.com/media/news/051419-opresko-ros. About the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences The University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences include the schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Graduate School of Public Health. The schools serve as the academic partner to the UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Together, their combined mission is to train tomorrow's health care specialists and biomedical scientists, engage in groundbeaking research that will advance understanding of the causes and treatments of disease and participate in the delivery of outstanding patient care. Since 1998, Pitt and its affiliated university faculty have ranked among the top 10 educational institutions in grant support from the National Institutes of Health. For additional information about the Schools of the Health Sciences, please visit http://www.health.pitt.edu. About UPMC A $20 billion health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 87,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 700 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, and a 3.5 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. In the most recent fiscal year, UPMC contributed $1.2 billion in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region's most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution, and paid $587 million in federal, state and local taxes. Working in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC shares its clinical, managerial and technological skills worldwide through its innovation and commercialization arm, UPMC Enterprises, and through UPMC International. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside on its annual Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals. For more information, go to UPMC.com. http://www.upmc.com/media Contact: Erin Hare Office: 412-864-7194 Mobile: 412-738-1097 E-mail: HareE@upmc.edu Contact: Cyndy Patton Office: 412-586-9773 Mobile: 412-415-6085 E-mail: PattonC4@upmc.edu The way humans use land across the British Isles has changed beyond recognition during the past 8,000 years. But what impact has that had on biodiversity and are there lessons from the past that could enhance conservation practices now and in the future? Those are among the key questions being posed through new research led by the University of Plymouth, in conjunction with Historic England and the University of Birmingham. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust, it hopes to compile the first ever comprehensive database of both land use change and its impact on plant and insect life. The three-year project will involve collating existing archaeobotanical datasets, which will be used to generate a detailed picture of how land use has changed at regional levels. Historical pollen and insect data will then be used to demonstrate what impact those changes had on crops, and many of the creatures that came to rely on them. The ultimate aim of the research is to place current trends in their long-term context, examining whether changes in land use can predict patterns of biodiversity across different spatial scales. This information will then be presented to conservation agencies, giving them a holistic picture of biodiversity in the British Isles over the past eight millennia which can be factored into future policy. Professor Ralph Fyfe, Principal Investigator on the project, said: "A lot of modern thinking on biodiversity is based on datasets collected by ecologists over the past 50 years, based on what people have observed and might remember from these earlier times before later agricultural intensification occurred. There is a danger that the middle of the 20th century is thus seen as some kind of hotspot. But while change has certainly happened, archaeological studies enable us to assess this in the light of much longer time frames and provide people with a bigger picture. Through that, we can show more precisely how our landscapes have been shaped and this can be factored into future debates on conservation and biodiversity management." The new study builds on previous research at the University, also funded by the Leverhulme Trust, which has shown how landscapes have changes in Britain and across continental Europe over more than 6,000 years. Deforesting Europe demonstrated how the continent was transformed from a land of forests to its current agricultural state, while Changing the Face of the Mediterranean examined how the region of southern Europe has been shaped by its distinctive climate and human activities. Dr Jessie Woodbridge, who worked on those studies and is Research Fellow for the current project, added: "The British Isles are among the most intensely studied regions in the world. But while there is abundant data from archaeologists, pollen and insect experts, this has not systematically been drawn together so there is no comprehensive picture of how our changing land use has impacted on the diversity of plant and insect species. This study gives us the opportunity to remedy that and to show how lessons of the past might improve biodiversity in the British Isles in the future." Ruth Pelling, Senior Archaeobotanist at Historic England, will lead the archaeobotanical research which in the first instance will include a large data gathering exercise across the country. She added: "Cereal remains and arable weeds tend to be particularly well represented in archaeobotanical collections, providing an indication of past vegetation and habitats on a much more local scale than pollen. Analysing data covering centuries and from across the country will enable us to model long term ecological change on a more local scale, particularly of arable fields, than pollen alone could. The resulting database will be a valuable resource, creating a stronger knowledge and skills base in the sector, something which Historic England is committed to support." ### Fines and fees are standard procedure in the criminal justice system -- and the greater an accused person's involvement, from challenging a traffic ticket to a felony conviction, the higher the costs. What's more, the entities levying those fines and fees aren't always the public agencies in charge. Private companies often contract to provide the very services that citizens are required to pay for: a bail bondsman after an arrest, a drug and alcohol assessment for a DUI, phone calls and video chats while in prison. Put simply, these private companies are profiting from a captive population, and at the direction of the government, said Alexes Harris, a University of Washington professor of sociology. Harris, who is leading a national study of legal financial obligations, has demonstrated the disproportionate impact of court-imposed fines and fees on the poor and on people of color. In Washington state, for example, African Americans are 2.3 times more likely than whites to be sentenced to fines and fees, and carry about three times the debt from unpaid monetary sanctions, according to a preliminary analysis of data that Harris presented last spring with her then-UW colleague Frank Edwards, who is now at Rutgers University. In a paper published May 13 in the journal Criminology and Public Policy, Harris and two research assistants, Tyler Smith and Emmi Obara, use two Washington state examples as case studies of what they see as the extensive reach of the private sector into an already discriminatory system. One is Seattle Municipal Court's use of a private fee-collection agency, as well as various penalty expenses associated with a DUI case, such as the installation of an ignition interlock device. The other is the contract between the Washington state Department of Corrections and a prison technology company called JPay, which handles financial accounts for inmates and provides music players and video-chat capabilities. Both arrangements, Harris said, demonstrate how the private sector is embedded in the system of fines and fees. "We're raising the question: To what extent is this more efficient and effective? These kinds of fees -- probation fees, private electronic monitoring, DUI services -- become barriers to certain individuals who can't afford to pay," Harris said. "When you overlay that with private entities who are in the business to make a profit, we should ask: Is there a less expensive way to levy punishments where private entities aren't making profits off of people?" In the article, Harris and her colleagues describe how the connection between public and private has grown over time. As tougher crime laws in the late 20th century led to higher inmate populations, a concurrent interest in managing costs led lawmakers around the country to open the door to private prison-management firms. As of 2015, about 126,000 people who were incarcerated were being held in privately run prisons, an 83 percent increase since 1999. Other researchers have termed this trend the "corrections-commercial complex," the offloading of traditionally public responsibilities to private providers in the name of cost savings and revenue generation, and the levying of financial penalties "offender-funded justice." In the case of DUIs in Seattle Municipal Court, people may face a series of financial obligations, based on the conditions imposed by a judge. They may be required to post bail; to install an ignition interlock device on their car (and pay a monthly calibration fee); participate in electronic home monitoring; attend Alcohol and Drug Information School; submit to periodic urine tests, and more. These costs can run into the hundreds of dollars -- all court-mandated expenses, and all paid to private entities. It's not unreasonable for people to have to pay some penalty for their role in a crime, Harris pointed out. But when legal financial obligations far exceed a person's means -- while, at the same time, people who can afford to pay can more easily fulfill their court-mandated requirements -- that creates a "two-tiered system of justice." "We should consider how to make financial punishments proportionate to the crime and to people's ability to pay," she said. Recently the Washington State legislature passed a bill that amended how legal financial obligations are sentenced. Among the changes S.B. 1783 prospectively eliminated was the interest on fines and fees sentenced, though 12% interest remains on any restitution imposed on defendants. The legislation requires judges to use an existing state law to determine whether a person is indigent for the purposes of imposing and enforcing the collection of legal financial obligations. In their article, Harris and her colleagues identify a national prison tech firm, JPay, as an example of a virtual monopoly within the walls of a prison. For the Washington state Department of Corrections, JPay manages inmate financial accounts, through which people who are incarcerated can buy items at the prison commissary and pay for phone calls and other services. Transferring money to an inmate's account from outside carries a fee, as does a transfer from a general account to a special JPay Media Account, which is established strictly for purchasing JPay's preprogrammed music players, and video chats. With a contract to provide all the available goods and services, JPay-- or any company with such an arrangement -- essentially has a monopoly inside the prison, Harris said. There's no incentive to lower prices, she added. State policymakers should examine such contracts and ask not only whether there is a less costly way of providing services, but also how the services are being evaluated -- starting with whether the people who use the services are happy with them. There are signs of movement on the issue of legal financial obligations. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Constitution's Eighth Amendment, which prohibits excessive fines, fees and forfeitures, along with "cruel and unusual punishment," also applies to the states. The question, Harris added, is how states will define "excessive." In Washington, the state Supreme Court in April ruled that a person's Social Security benefits could not be used to satisfy legal financial obligations, however courts may still sentence people who receive such benefits to mandatory fines and fees. Previous rulings have defined indigence and how that definition can apply to a person's ability to pay certain court-imposed fines and fees. And at the local level, Kitsap County in April and May held "Legal Financial Obligation Reconsideration Days," when people could appear before a judge and argue for debt forgiveness. An estimated 1,000 turned out. These sorts of developments can rally people around the issues of legal financial obligations, and the entities that charge and collect them, Harris said. "These systems force a frequently captive audience, literally and figuratively, to pay these private fees for required court sentences and ways to maintain connections to their families," Harris said. "Can we have a conversation about punishment that addresses the unequal nature of our system of justice, one that creates a lifelong financial burden for people who are poor, and allows private companies to profit?" ### Co-authors on the article were Smith, a graduate student in the UW Department of Sociology and Obara, a doctoral candidate in the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. For more information, contact Harris at yharris@uw.edu or 206-685-4763. Small, hardy planets packed with dense elements have the best chance of avoiding being crushed and swallowed up when their host star dies, new research from the University of Warwick has found Astrophysicists from University of Warwick publish a 'survival guide' for exoplanets Tough, rocky planets are most likely to survive Most planets will be pulled towards a star when it dies, but some may be pushed outwards instead Research will guide astronomers on where to search for the next exoplanet finds Small, hardy planets packed with dense elements have the best chance of avoiding being crushed and swallowed up when their host star dies, new research from the University of Warwick has found. Astrophysicists from the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group have modelled the chances of different planets being destroyed by tidal forces when their host stars become white dwarfs and have determined the most significant factors that decide whether they avoid destruction. Their 'survival guide' for exoplanets could help guide astronomers locate potential exoplanets around white dwarf stars, as a new generation of even more powerful telescopes is being developed to search for them. Their research is published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Most stars like our own Sun will run out of fuel eventually and shrink and become white dwarfs. Some orbiting bodies that aren't destroyed in the maelstrom caused when the star blasts away its outer layers will then be subjected to shifts in tidal forces as the star collapses and becomes super-dense. The gravitational forces exerted on any orbiting planets would be intense and would potentially drag them into new orbits, even pushing some further out in their solar systems. By modelling the effects of a white dwarf's change in gravity on orbiting rocky bodies, the researchers have determined the most likely factors that will cause a planet to move within the star's 'destruction radius'; the distance from the star where an object held together only by its own gravity will disintegrate due to tidal forces. Within the destruction radius a disc of debris from destroyed planets will form. Although a planet's survival is dependent on many factors, the models reveal that the more massive the planet, the more likely that it will be destroyed through tidal interactions. But destruction is not certain based on mass alone: low viscosity exo-Earths are easily swallowed even if they reside at separations within five times the distance between the centre of the white dwarf and its destruction radius. Saturn's moon Enceladus - often described as a 'dirty snowball' - is a good example of a homogeneous very low viscosity planet. High viscosity exo-Earths are easily swallowed only if they reside at distances within twice the separation between the centre of the white dwarf and its destruction radius. These planets would be composed entirely of a dense core of heavier elements, with a similar composition to the 'heavy metal' planet discovered by another team of University of Warwick astronomers recently. That planet has avoided engulfment because it is as small as an asteroid. Dr Dimitri Veras, from the University of Warwick's Department of Physics, said: "The paper is one of the first-ever dedicated studies investigating tidal effects between white dwarfs and planets. This type of modelling will have increasing relevance in upcoming years, when additional rocky bodies are likely to be discovered close to white dwarfs." "Our study, while sophisticated in several respects, only treats homogenous rocky planets that are consistent in their structure throughout. A multi-layer planet, like Earth, would be significantly more complicated to calculate but we are investigating the feasibility of doing so too." Distance from the star, like the planet's mass, has a robust correlation with survival or engulfment. There will always be a safe distance from the star and this safe distance depends on many parameters. In general, a rocky homogenous planet which resides at a location from the white dwarf which is beyond about one-third of the distance between Mercury and the Sun is guaranteed to avoid being swallowed from tidal forces. Dr Veras said: "Our study prompts astronomers to look for rocky planets close to - but just outside of - the destruction radius of the white dwarf. So far observations have focussed on this inner region, but our study demonstrates that rocky planets can survive tidal interactions with the white dwarf in a way which pushes the planets slightly outward. "Astronomers should also look for geometric signatures in known debris discs. These signatures could be the result of gravitational perturbations from a planet which resides just outside of the destruction radius. In these cases, the discs would have been formed earlier by the crushing of asteroids which periodically approach and enter the destruction radius of the white dwarf." ### The research received support from the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council. 'Orbital relaxation and excitation of planets tidally interacting with white dwarfs' published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz965 UPDATE: The Pound to South African Rand exchange rates traded in a narrow range through Wednesdays session, with the pairing stuck at around 18.4019 amidst hopes a US-China trade deal could still be reached. This comes in the wake of a series of tweets by Donald Trump, in which the US President appeared to downplay the recent flaring of tensions, suggesting a deal would be made when the time is right. At the same time, the Pound was left muted during the European session, with the announcement of another parliament Brexit vote being met by trepidation by GBP investors. UPDATE: The British Pound to South African Rand exchange rate fell to a three-week low over the course of Tuesday's session, finding a floor around 18.35. Into Wednesday, Sterling failed to recuperate and was last seen trading at 18.39361. The stronger ZAR comes on the back of an ANC election victory - with the expectations that Ramaphosa's majority in the elections will be enough to support his ability to see through his pro-reform agenda - alongside a firming of risk-appetite as turbulence around US-China trade subsides. In a fresh series of tweets President Trump wrote "When the time is right we will make a deal with China," adding that "It will happen, and much faster than people think!. It "seems every time stock markets are down, he starts tweeting about a deal coming. However, the nationalistic sentiment is growing on both sides and that could make it even harder to get a deal done," wrote Danske Bank senior analyst, Piet Christiansen, adding "new talks are no guarantee of a deal and we see it as increasingly likely that it will take more financial stress for the two sides to feel enough pressure to find a compromise. This could easily drag into H2..." Given the Rand's EM status and risk-sensitivity, fluctuating risk-appetite could remain a key driver in the near-term while the positive impact of structural reforms probably wont be factored into markets until we see some progress thereon. On the data front, Wednesday will see the latest SA retail sales figures with the volume of sales forecast to contract by 0.9% (y/y). "Year-on-year retail sales is likely to fall in March mainly due to a combination of load shedding and base effects," wrote ABSA economist Peter Worthington. For Sterling, the continued lack of Brexit progress has had a net negative impact on the GBP with the sliding against a majority of peers. With European elections round the corner, progress is likely to remain stalled in the near-term as UK lawmakers shift into election mode. GBP/ZAR Exchange Rate Plummets on Renewed Risk Appetite The Pound South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) exchange rate plummeted by -0.8% today and is currently trading around R18.4228. The South African Rand (ZAR) soared against the Pound (GBP) following the return of risk appetite as US President Donald Trump promised a trade deal with China when the time is right. Trump tweeted: We have to be allowed to make up some of the tremendous ground we have lost to China on Trade since the ridiculous one sided formation of the WTO. It will all happen, and much faster than people think! With the South African economy so closely tied to Chinas, this has restored market confidence in the South African Rand. Today saw the printing of the South African unemployment rate figures for the first quarter, which rose to 27.6% against the previous reading of 27.1%. The Pound, meanwhile, struggled following the release of the UK average earnings figures for March, which eased to 3.2% against Februarys 3.5%. Pound Slides despite Best Unemployment Rate Since 1974 Sterling was unable to make any gains on the South African Rand today despite the UK ILO unemployment rate figures for March sinking to 3.8% its lowest rate since 1974. Alok Sharma, the Minister of State for Employment, commented: Maintaining our record employment rate with unemployment falling again to just 3.8%, its lowest rate since 1974, once again shows the success of our balanced approach to managing the economy. Brexit developments are dampening market confidence in the Pound, with cross-party talks between Labour and Conservatives looking gloomy, as both parties remain pessimistic about securing a Parliamentary support for a UK-EU deal. This came after the former Defence Minister, Gavin Williamson, amongst many other Conservative MPs, urged Theresa May in a joint letter not to compromise with Labour over the customs union. Mike Fallon, the former Defence Secretary, also commented: This is a blind alley taking us into a customs union. We said we would leave a customs union very clearly at the time of the election. If you go into a customs union you cant start pursuing independent trade deals. GBP/ZAR Outlook: Brexit Developments in Focus South African Rand traders will be looking ahead to tomorrows Chinese data releases, with the retail sales figures for April remaining in focus. Any signs of an improvement in Chinese economy could benefit the South African Rand further, with increasing risk appetite likely to return in force following the easing US-China trade discussions. Tomorrow will also see the South African retail sales figures for March, which, however, are expected to ease. Pound traders will be keeping a close eye on Brexit developments, and with any signs of a cross-party consensus, this could see the Sterling claw back some of its losses. The GBP/ZAR exchange rate will be driven by political developments, and with any further indications of a US-China trade deal being imminent, this could see the South African Rand rise further. About AEA The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association and the largest in its field. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products and organizations to improve their effectiveness. AEAs mission is to improve evaluation practices and methods worldwide, to increase evaluation use, promote evaluation as a profession and support the contribution of evaluation to the generation of theory and knowledge about effective human action. For more information about AEA, visit www.eval.org. Actress Olivia Nice came into her first production of Once with chops as a pianist. Three stagings later, she has picked up ukulele, accordion and guitar. Thats partly because some of the actors in the show play more than one instrument. You feel like a slacker to only play one, she said. Nice, who plays a character known only as Girl in The Public Theater of San Antonio rendering opening Friday, is not alone in adding instruments to her repertoire because of the show. Jane Haas, who is primarily a pianist but also plays the organ, clarinet and flute learned to play the accordion specifically for the production. And Mary Morrow spent much of the past year brushing up on the violin, which she hadnt played seriously in years. Its so cool, getting to see all of these instruments on stage, said Nice, whose next project is a San Francisco staging of the show. The musical is based on the 2007 movie, which follows the relationship between an Irish guitarist and songwriter known only as Guy (Robby French) and a Czech pianist (Nice) who meet by chance, collaborate on some music and slowly fall in love. In the stage adaptation, all of the adult roles call for the ability to play at least one musical instrument, upping the level of difficulty for casting the show substantially. On ExpressNews.com: The Public rocks in Million Dollar Quartet George Green, who is directing the show and who is the CEO and artistic director for The Public, did have a sense of what he was up against going into the show. He directed the theaters whizbang production of Million Dollar Quarter, which also called for a cast comprised almost entirely of actor musicians. Both Once and Quartet reflect a growing trend, he said. Were seeing more and more of that coming out of Broadway, he said, pointing to both of the shows The Public has done as well as Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Not that these shows are new, there are just more and more of them. And the level of difficulty of them has greatly increased, I think. Nices credits reflect that shift. Once is the fifth actor/musicians show shes done, she said, including [Very Serious] This is Serious, a project she developed with Comet creator Dave Malloy for which she played the theremin. Actor musician shows are so popular right now, she said. You cant just be a triple threat anymore, you need to be a quadruple threat. Shows that have been around for a while, like Million Dollar Quartet, have networks of performers who are cast in productions all over place. Most of the actors who did the production at The Public had done it at least once before. A similar community is growing for Once, Green said. Paul Henry, who is in the show at The Public, helped Green find other actors. Once is still fairly new, but Paul was able to reach out to his network and have some additional talents submit that we could look at, Green said. Green also worked closely with Zack Baker, the shows music director, on casting to make sure the performers could achieve the sound he wanted. The cast includes actors who are based in San Antonio and actors from out of town. Its quite the puzzle to put together, Green said. Its a relief to see this cast on the stage and making the magic that we had hoped that they could make. On ExpressNews.com: The Vexs Cabaret cast works to get the German right Morrow, an actress whom regulars at The Public might recognize from her graceful turn as an Italian-born farm wife in last years The Bridges of Madison County, said shes enjoying working on the show. She grew up playing the violin but set it side in high school to focus on acting and singing. She played off and on over the years, but Once gave her the push she needed to put more energy into it. I feel like its my old self reuniting with my new self, acting and singing and putting it all together in one big experience, she said. And I have to tell you, I kind of identify with the castmates in this show more than I would in other shows because theyre all musicians, and I feel at home with that. Auditions were about a year ago, she said. The requirements for that alone required her to step up her game in an unexpected way. For the audition, you were supposed to prepare a piece with your instrument and sing, she said. And violin? Thats pretty unheard of. I YouTubed singing violinists, and I could find one but he would play and then take a break and sing. I learned that people that are in Once say, Yeah, the only time Ive ever done that was for Once. So its kind of cool to say I now can do that. Haas, an actress who also often serves as music director for shows all over town, had never played the accordion. When Green approached her to see if it was something that she might be willing and able to learn for the show, she said she probably could. The trickiest part of the process at that point was simply tracking down an instrument that she could learn on. No one that I know has a full-sized accordion, she said. And I looked for used ones and I found out that theyre not very available that work, unless you want to spend thousands of dollars. She was able to borrow a childs accordion from the music department at the University of Texas at San Antonio, which gave her a feel for it. In the show, she is playing an accordion she borrowed from Baker. Its quite beautiful, she said. Its also quite heavy. The playing of the accordion is not nearly as difficult as the hauling, she said. Its 20 pounds, which doesnt sound like a lot, but then you carry it on your back in the show and try to move around with it and try to move it without clunking. She is unlikely to continue playing the instrument, she said, mostly because she doesnt own one. Still, shes glad to have picked it up: Youre always glad to have one more instrument in your repertoire, she said. And, like Nice, she, too, is now considering other instruments shed like learn: I want to learn mandolin because I am kind of jealous of all these musicians. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN Once opens Friday. It can be seen at 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through June 9 at The Public Theater of San Antonio, San Pedro at Ashby. Tickets range from $20 to $40, and are available at thepublicsa.org or by calling 210-733-7258. Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN UPDATE: San Antonios Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery inside the Pearl now will debut its first beer made with all-Texas ingredients Saturday. The launch date originally was set for May 20, but it was moved up. The beers name also has been changed. Originally, the pale ale-style beer was to be called Texas Native Pale Ale but now will be called Texas Born and Bred. With 4.9 percent alcohol by volume and 40 IBUs, the brew is made with Hanks Hops grown in Von Ormy, Maverick Malt out of Widorado and yeast from Texas Yeast Labs in New Braunfels. WASHINGTON Former Rep. Beto ORourke said Monday that he can do a better job of communicating his 2020 campaign message, acknowledging that he must take steps to revive his once-promising presidential bid after seeing his polling dip in recent weeks. Appearing on Rachel Maddows MSNBC show, ORourke said that after two months in the race, and more than 150 town halls, he recognized he had to broaden his strategy to appeal to a national audience and not only the voters and news media at his events. I have an opportunity to answer your questions, Rachel, and address those who may not have been able to attend them and make sure that they can hear what this campaign is about and how I answer the questions that are put to me, he said. So I hope that Im continuing to do better over time. It was a striking concession from ORourke, whose surprisingly strong challenge against Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas last year vaulted him into national prominence and won him high expectations when he entered the presidential race. But after his highly anticipated debut, and a strong surge of fundraising that accompanied it, ORourke has struggled in this sprawling Democratic field to replicate the energy that infused his Senate bid. He has often sounded like the candidate from Texas he once was, rather than a White House hopeful, while sprinkling his stump speech with anecdotes from the Senate race. And his polling has sagged, both in national surveys and in the leadoff nominating states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Now ORourke is all but acknowledging that he must reset his presidential candidacy. In addition to making his first appearance on Maddows show as a White House hopeful, ORourke is scheduled to appear on The View on Tuesday, and this month he will also participate in a CNN town hall in Iowa. I recognize that I can do a better job, also, of talking to a national audience beyond the town halls we are having, he said after Maddow asked him about an Associated Press article from last weekend about the reintroduction of his campaign. At the same time, ORourke made a case for himself, arguing that he could help fulfill the long-standing Democratic goal of putting Texas into play. Texas and its 38 Electoral College votes have been unlocked, he said. They are in contention, and we will have a seat at the table. Facing largely friendly questions from Maddow after an initial inquiry about his campaigns difficulties, ORourke took aim at President Donald Trump, calling his foreign policy a complete disaster and accusing him of seeking to cover up or obstruct justice. His new interview strategy amounts to an admission that this primary is taking place as much on television and social media as it is at the town halls and coffee shop visits that he livestreamed in his Senate campaign and that he perhaps assumed would translate in the presidential race. ORourke, who bridled last month when he was asked at an event in Virginia why he was not on television more, is hardly alone in bowing to the new format. The televised candidate forums and town halls have become highly watched events among the most engaged voters; it was Pete Buttigiegs CNN town hall in March that elevated the South Bend, Indiana, mayors campaign among many voters and activists. Yet ORourke is not only shifting his campaign style. He is also attempting to broaden his appeal with more specific policy proposals: His first was a sweeping plan to address climate change, and he has taken steps to professionalize his campaign. His campaign manager, Jennifer OMalley Dillon, settled at his El Paso, Texas, headquarters this month and has installed Jeff Berman to run ORourkes delegate strategy. Both OMalley Dillon and Berman are veterans of former President Barack Obamas campaigns. And on Monday, ORourke held his first major fundraiser of the campaign, appearing with supporters in New York City. But his interview illustrated how much his political stock has fallen: He did not appear until 35 minutes into the program, well after Maddow delivered her usual monologue. This article originally appeared in The New York Times WILLIAM LUTHER /San Antonio Express-News The Alamo Colleges District will offer more than 70 degree programs fully online beginning in the fall semester, easing the path to associates degrees for students who would otherwise have to commute to one of five community colleges. In our efforts to make a college education accessible to as many residents of our region as possible, developing and promoting our online offerings plays a key role, Chancellor Mike Flores said in a prepared statement. The Texas Education Agency has notified the Southside Independent School District that it will start replacing appointed managers with elected trustees in the next year, with a return to a fully-elected board in May 2022. In a letter sent Friday, Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced that the three-year transition process will begin no later than May 18, 2020. The district, which has just under 6,000 students, was taken over by the state in 2017, after an accreditation investigation found that trustees were unable to govern the district and were acting individually on behalf of the board in violation of the state education code. Investigators also said the district had failed to comply with state contract procurement requirements. On ExpressNews.com: Southside ISD voters turn down former trustees comeback attempts Morath appointed five managers, who will remain in their seats as the transition back to local control begins, according to his letter. Seven trustees three elected in 2017 and four elected earlier this month have been sidelined and will remain so until Morath seats them. State law mandates a gradual handoff over three years, with one-third of the elected trustees seated each year. The initiation of the transition to return governance of the district to the elected board of trustees will occur no later than May 18, 2020, Morath said in the letter, sent to Superintendent Mark Eads, the five managers and the seven trustees. At that point, I will expand the board of managers to seven members, he said, two of whom will be chosen from the elected trustees. He will designate three more trustees to take their seats and replace three of the managers on May 18, 2021, and on May 18, 2022, the remaining two elected members of the board of trustees will replace the last two appointed members of the board of managers. A similar transition is under way in Edgewood ISD, where an elected board is expected to be seated by May 2020. The TEA took over the district in 2016, and began returning elected officials to the board in 2018. On ExpressNews.com: Voters reject Southside ISD bond proposal but affirm Southwest ISDs Southside administration referred all inquiries to the TEA. Earlier this month, Southside voters elected four trustees, rejecting comeback attempts by board members who were ousted by the state and running to reclaim their seats. Maggie Morales, Mary Silva and Katie Farias were elected to the districts board for the first time, while Lisa Salazar, who previously served from 2006 to 2013, was re-elected. Trustees Ruth Arocha, Benito Flores and Anita Reyna were elected in May 2017, weeks before the board of managers were sworn in and replaced them. Their terms expire in 2021. LTeitz@express-news.net Trinity University will keep Chick-fil-A in its food court over the objections of the Student Government Association, administrators told students in an email. We do not make vendor decisions based on their political or religious beliefs, administrators told students in the email, sent Friday. In a resolution passed unanimously on May 1, the Student Government Association had asked the administration to remove Chick-fil-A from the twice-monthly rotation of restaurants served at Revolve, a food station in the Commons Food Court. Trinitys values of diversity and inclusion and Chick-fil-as values regarding the LGBT+ community are mutually exclusive, the resolution stated. On ExpressNews.com: Trinity University students want Chick-fil-A ousted As primarily a student service, vendor selection for Revolve was and will continue to be based on utilization, variety of options, vendor performance and campus-wide feedback, the university response said. Based on these criteria, Chick-fil-A appears to be a preferred vendor by students and the broader Trinity community. Vice President for Strategic Communications Tess Coody-Anders said in a statement last week that Aramark, the universitys food service vendor that contracts with Chick-fil-A, would take the student feedback into consideration as part of its annual review of food services. The final decision rests with university administrators, she said. In the email to students, the administration said it will not recommend removing Chick-fil-A from Revolve. We appreciate the dialogue initiated at the end of this semester and encourage students to engage with faculty and staff to further explore critical issues. Our assessment of vendors, including soliciting input from students, faculty and staff, will continue annually, the message said. Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox Student government resolutions are non-binding and used by students to formally recommend or request action by administrators. Student government president Ty Tinker said last week that the association decided to consider the issue after students, including Trinitys LGBT group, PRIDE, brought it up. Debate over Chick-fil-As place on campus followed City Councils decision to remove the company from an airport concessions contract. Officials at St. Marys University, the University of the Incarnate Word and the University of Texas at San Antonio, all of which have Chick-fil-A locations on campus, said last week that no action is underway to close those sites. LTeitz@express-news.net About 1,200 dead animals, most of them juvenile fish, washed up onto the Galveston Bay Foundations property in Kemah after two vessels collided on the Houston Ship Channel Friday. The spill sent about 9,000 barrels of gasoline blend into the busy waterway. Bob Stokes, president of the foundation, said about 1,000 juvenile fish, roughly 1-inch long, a handful of adult flounder, sheepshead and a variety of drum species, and about 200 blue crabs appeared Sunday on the property about eight miles southwest of the collision. The ship channel was temporarily closed after the 755-foot tanker Genesis River, carrying liquefied natural gas, collided Friday afternoon with a tugboat pushing two barges. One barge capsized and the other was damaged, leaking a gasoline product called reformate, a highly flammable chemical thats mixed with gasoline and is dangerous to marine life. It contains significant amounts of benzene, toluene, and xylene. Officials on Monday reported numerous dead fish in an isolated area, one raccoon and three birds were found dead on the barge. Foundation members also spotted dead fish Monday, but in much smaller numbers, Stokes said. Efforts to skim the material out of the ship channel may have contributed to the reduction. Theyve been doing a good job, but unfortunately it takes a little bit of time, he said. The concern with the smaller fish, he said, is that the birds easily pick them up. When we have a lot of dead juvenile fish floating around, its not good for the bird population either, Stokes said. The birds are likely to ingest whatever toxins are inside the fish and get sick. I suspect the number of dead seagulls will go up. The Kills and Spills Team of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department responded to the fish kill report from the Galveston Bay Foundation, the only report so far, said Julie Hagen, in the Coastal Fisheries Division. Given the compounds in reformate, high mortality of aquatic life is expected after a spill like this, but then it would typically drop down very quickly afterward as it evaporates and deteriorates, said George Guillen, executive director of the Environmental Institute of Houston. It has not been determined if the thousands of dead fish are a direct result of the spill. Shoreline cleanup assessment teams have been sent to areas where the gasoline product may have reached the shore. The next step is to determine the best cleanup process of the shoreline, Stokes said, whether thats washing it with water or removing sediment. The Galveston Bay Foundation has about 400 feet of shoreline. More information on the Ship Channel spill Claims Hotline: 1-800-241-9010 Regional Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222 Impact to fish and wildlife: 979-215-8835 Air monitoring information: 281-757-3017 Joint Information Center: 281-755-4670 Updates: www.bayport-response.com See More Collapse Six skimmers are also on scene and have recovered more than 376 barrels of product-water mixture, according to the latest release from the Bayport Channel Collision Response website. There is active cleaning underway along Bay Shoreline due to reports of sheen. More than 20,000-feet of boom has been deployed around the barges as well as surrounding sensitive shoreline areas. Containment boom was also placed around the damaged barge and skimming operations are in place as precautionary measures in case product is released when is transferred from the barge. Craig Kartye, with the Texas General Land Office, said they were expecting to be done transferring the product from the damaged barge Monday evening, which would give officials a better idea of how much was actually spilled. The barge has a capacity to carry 25,000 barrels. The Texas Department of State Health Services has halted oyster harvesting in Galveston Bay and advises against eating fish caught north of the line between the Texas City Dike and Smith Point. Oysters are particularly sensitive, Guillen said, because they are filter feeders and concentrate toxins. Continuous monitoring will be needed to determine any long-term impacts, experts said. Its definitely a major spill and certainly its effects will be very significant, Guillen said, how bad that is? Its very hard to tell. As of 3 p.m. Monday, the agencies reported that 4,735 air quality assessments had been taken in the community and that no results showed above actionable levels. The Houston Ship Channel is opened with the following restrictions in place: no meeting or overtaking at Light 73, wake and surge considerations from Light 66-76, vessels are to favor the red side of the channel as a safety precaution. The captain of the Port of Houston-Galveston has re-opened traffic to recreational boaters. A one nautical mile safety zone is in effect around the damaged barge. Chambers County sent out a release on Monday alerting the community of the possibility of increasing odors as a result of shifting winds. While its not common to have large spills like this, Stokes said, it does seem to occur at some level every few years. The man-made, 50-mile channel is one of the busiest ports in the world. Sometimes accidents happen, Stokes said, other times its Mother Nature (fog, wind, extra current in the bay). The important thing is to figure out what happened and to learn from it to ensure it doesnt happen again. perla.trevizo@chron.com 2 1 of 2 Submitted / Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Carlos Javier Sanchez | Contributor, Photojournalist / Carlos Javier Sanchez | pixelreflexmedia.com Show More Show Less A partial recount of the East Sides District 2 race for San Antonio City Council wrapped up Tuesday without changing the outcome, according to the city. Former Councilman Keith Toney and local business owner Jada Andrews-Sullivan will face off in the June 8 runoff to determine the next East Side council member. Greg Brockhouse took his fight for mayor into a new realm Tuesday one that has been owned for two years by his opponent, Mayor Ron Nirenberg. Since his first day in the mayors seat, Nirenberg has championed the need to address climate change. At the first City Council meeting, he set a vote affirming the Paris accord, which Brockhouse supported. Soon after, Nirenberg led City Council in beginning work on what is now SA Climate Ready, a blueprint still in draft form for how the city could address climate change. On Tuesday, Brockhouse promised to quash the plan even as he left the door open to keeping some of it. In its place, he proposed a narrower alternative that he calls business-friendly. He said he would convene a working group, including the San Antonio Water System, CPS Energy, the conservation community and the energy sector. In 30 days, the group would provide the City Council with a list of best practices about climate change. Some of those best practices, Brockhouse said, could spring from the mayors climate plan, which has been in the works for nearly 18 months. A lot of people put a lot of hard work into that plan, he said. You dont need to trash the entire plan. Nirenberg scoffed at Brockhouses proposal, arguing its essentially a watered-down version of what the city already is doing. He pointed out that CPS and SAWS have been involved in drafting the Climate Ready plan. He is regurgitating the things that were doing as a city and repackaging initiatives that are already under way, Nirenberg said. Brockhouse also pledged to plant 10,000 trees across the city and broaden conservation incentives offered by CPS and SAWS. The mayor pointed out that the city already has a robust tree-planting program, with Parks Director Xavier Urrutia saying last year that San Antonio had maxed out the available space. The councilmans plan goes further than he has in the past by calling for an end to SA Climate Ready, but it also aligns with his previous promises to right-size the project. Tuesdays proposal was the second in what Brockhouse said will be a series of policy proposals outlining the measures he would pursue in his first few months if elected mayor. Nirenbergs camp has derided Brockhouses proposals as a last-ditch, conveniently timed effort to pretend he has policy chops. Voters will decide between the two candidates in a June 8 runoff. Early voting starts May 28. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio looks for new places to plant trees The plan Nirenberg is pursuing lays out strategies the city can take to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. That means the city wouldnt add any more greenhouse gases to the environment after that point. Some examples are replacing the citys fleet of vehicles with electric ones and retiring coal and natural gas as electricity sources. The mayor and other architects of the plan have stressed the strategies dont automatically take effect upon adoption. It is a framework to achieve the overall community goal, Nirenberg said. The next steps would be over the course of the years, as we identify the actions we want to take. To that extent, Nirenberg argued, Brockhouse is doing a version of the same thing by calling for the new working group. I have a committee, Nirenberg said. Hes opposed to the committee. Now he wants a new committee. It sounds like Councilman Brockhouse has a problem for every solution. But the challenger maintained that his strategy is different in scope and approach. Brockhouse labeled SA Climate Ready Rons Green New Deal, referring to a polarizing agenda put forth by the liberal wing of congressional Democrats. Were not going to do 200 things in this plan, he said. Brockhouses proposal eliminates the goal of carbon neutrality in 30 years, and his pro-business approach means hed likely select far fewer of the strategies than a council led by Mayor Nirenberg would. The councilman has also ridiculed the Climate Ready plan for the way it evaluates the costs of various strategies. The current draft has a vague metric, ranging from one to three dollar signs. A new draft expected to be released this month may nix that metric altogether. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio official says next climate plan draft may drop vague cost estimates altogether Brockhouse said nothing would get a vote under his administration without a cost-benefit analysis. To me, it just needs to end, he said. If you cant put a cost on it, lets move on. But the mayor said that isnt a change from the current process either. He said the strategies will get a full vetting, including a cost-benefit analysis, when they come up later for actual ratification. Brockhouse also stressed that his working committee would have a firm deadline of 30 days. Study, study, study, vacillate on a decision, and then never get anything done, Brockhouse said in describing Nirenbergs approach. The mayor hit back: Councilman Brockhouses style is ready, fire, aim. I think we need a little bit more thoughtful leadership on that. Officials released the first draft of the climate plan earlier this year, and it drew criticism from both environmentalists and the business community. The former argued it didnt do enough to truly address the threat of a warming climate, while the latter worried about its effect on the economy. Business leaders also said they felt left out of the process of drafting the plan. NuStar and Valero reportedly threatened to move their headquarters if the plan was adopted, though NuStar later denied that claim. Brockhouse on Tuesday cited those reports to say SA Climate Ready would kill 20,000 jobs if enacted. The political arms of NuStar and Valero donated the maximum $1,000 contribution to Nirenbergs campaign last year. NuStar confirmed this weekend that its political committee is supporting Nirenberg in the runoff. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio City Council to delay climate plan vote again Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, another leader on climate change, said Monday, before Brockhouse released his proposal, that the council wont move forward on the strategies in SA Climate Ready without the stakeholders including the business community reaching some consensus. Thats just not how Ive seen the city work, and thats certainly not how I would want to lead the implementation of this plan, she said on the Express-News Puro Politics podcast. Votes on SA Climate Ready have been postponed twice. Nirenberg has said that has been to encourage more public debate, though Brockhouse has said those delays were politically motivated to push the councils vote back until after the elections. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics in San Antonio. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinness AUSTIN Texas is poised to become the latest state to boost the smoking age from 18 to 21, months after a top federal health official called youth e-cigarette use an epidemic. The House approved Senate Bill 21 on Tuesday to raise the purchasing age for all tobacco products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes, though people serving in the armed forces would be exempt. The bill is likely headed back to the Senate for approval on the Houses five amendments. The bill would then need approval from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has voiced support for raising the legal age for smoking. Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday Already 13 other states have adopted so-called Tobacco 21 legislation, amid a nationwide surge in teen vaping that U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb labeled an epidemic last September. In Texas, nearly one in three high school students and more than one in 10 middle-schoolers have tried an electronic cigarette, according to state surveys. The biggest users, however, are young adults between the ages of 18 and 29, according to the 2019 report by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Senate Bill 21 is a change of pace for Texas lawmakers, who have taken steps this session to undo city ordinances, including those that require businesses to offer employees paid sick leave. This bill would instead create a law statewide that resembles an ordinance adopted last year in San Antonio. The bill, cheered by public health advocates and lawmakers as a way to help curb teen smoking, has even garnered support from major tobacco companies. About 95 percent of smokers start before age 21. By stopping the sale of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and similar products to those younger than 21, the Texas Legislature has taken a major step to help Texas youth live healthier lives, said Shelby Massey, Texas government relations director for the American Heart Association. Opponents contend that people ages 18 through 20 should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to smoke. If these adults at the age of 18, when we flip a switch, if they can be adult enough to vote for us to come here and represent them, I think we should be able to allow them to smoke, said Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, whose amendment to make the bill read voting age rather than 21 was dismissed. The bill is a response to a 78-percent increase in e-cigarette use in high schools and middle schools from 2017 to 2018 that was reported in February by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It concluded that 3.6 million of the students were using them in 2018. The San Antonio ordinance went into effect Oct. 1, amid a federal crackdown on e-cigarette companies. The city began enforcing the ordinance this year. Other cities including Kirby and Leon Valley have followed suit. An amendment was added to the House bill by Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, that preempts cities from passing ordinances that further raise the age. Interim assistant city manager Colleen Bridger, who spearheaded San Antonios effort to pass the ordinance during her tenure as director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, called it an investment in the communitys health. People are really realizing tobacco and its addictive harm on our young people, Bridger said. We paused for a second when it looked like smoking was going down among youth, and now we have to pick our pace back up and realize that as smoking use is declining among youth, vaping is increasing. Theyre still getting that exposure to tobacco, which is rewiring their brains. Still, the city policy was challenged early on by tobacco retailers. In December, three retail associations filed a federal lawsuit against the city of San Antonio, arguing that the ordinance singled out retailers with its enforcement measures. The lawsuit was brought by the South Texas Merchants Association Cooperative, the Association of Convenience Store Retailers and the Texas Food and Fuel Association. Clint Glenny, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement that the passage of SB 21 would result in a dismissal of the lawsuit as moot. Our clients welcome the passage of such legislation as it would result in all retailers being treated equally, he said. Unlike the San Antonio city ordinance, which has had the opposite effect. The statewide bill by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, cleared the Texas Senate last month after it was amended to exclude active-duty military personnel. It means Texans who are over 18 years old and serving in the armed forces would still be allowed to purchase tobacco products with a valid military ID. At least one major tobacco company is supporting the legislation. Altria, which owns tobacco giant Phillip Morris as well as the makers of Copenhagen and Skoal snuff, said in a March statement that it has advocated for strong minimum age laws in all U.S. jurisdictions. The bill is also supported by leading e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, which is partially owned by Altria. "We cannot fulfill our mission to provide the worlds one billion adult smokers with a true alternative to combustible cigarettes, the No. 1 cause of preventable death in this country, if youth-use continues unabated, said Ted Kwong, a Juul spokesman, in an April statement. Lauren Caruba contributed reporting from San Antonio; Sami Sparber contributed reporting in Austin. San Antonio got a wealth of good news last week in two new immigration studies. One showed the not-so-insignificant contributions immigrants make to the local economy; another, specifically about Mexican immigrants, found their attainment of bachelors degrees has doubled since 2000. Together, the two studies challenge San Antonio to best position itself to reap the continued rewards from immigrants of all nationalities and legal status. The first study was conducted by the bipartisan New American Economy. It found that overall, immigrants contribute billions of dollars annually to the local economy and hundreds of millions to federal Social Security and Medicare programs. They also disproportionately fill technology and engineering jobs. OnExpressNews.com: West Side braces for San Antonio's latest wave of gentrification The second study, conducted by the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute and Southern Methodist University, found that the number of Mexican immigrants with a bachelors degree or higher rose from 269,000 in 2000 to 678,000 in 2017 nationwide. In Texas, that number rose from 61,000 to 185,000 in the same period. Only California had more. The study found that two-thirds of those highly-skilled Mexican immigrants are naturalized citizens or legal permanent residents. The data shows that after India, China and the Philippines, Mexican immigrants are the fourth-largest group of college-educated immigrants in the United States. The Migration Policy Institute report pierces through common perceptions about Mexican immigrants as low-skilled workers. The new evidence shows San Antonio has the youngest Mexican immigrants and that two-thirds of them are already English-proficient. Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, an associate policy analyst at the institute and one of the studys authors, said this suggests that San Antonios Mexican immigrant population arrived as young people and could be the benefactors of a previous state investment: Texas was the first state to offer in-state tuition to immigrants, he said. The state already has invested in these students, he said. Now it can really capitalize on that investment. OnExpressNews.com: Do San Antonians speak a different kind of Spanish? While the perception of immigration from Mexico and public debate have focused on low-skilled immigrants, almost one in five Mexicans arriving in Texas between 2013 to 2017, and one in six in the United States overall, had a college degree, as compared to slightly more than one in 20 during the 1996-2000 period, the report said. It was the institutes first look at highly skilled, college-educated Mexican immigrants in the United States. Overall, this group still comprises only 7 percent of the Mexican foreign-born population in Texas, and only 8 percent nationally. But it comes as state demographer Lloyd Potter reiterated to a San Antonio audience last week that the city will grow by 1.1 million people in the next 20 years and as the city grows, so does the opportunity for immigrant growth, he said. The Migration Policy Institution report begs questions on how governmental agencies, universities and potential employers could respond to the data in new or additional ways. Ruiz Soto said it also raises questions about the underemployment of Mexican immigrants whose degrees or professional credentials from Mexico arent being adequately or fully used. He said language programs, alternative certification programs or other approaches could assist, though he cautioned that any program should be inclusive to other underemployed Texans or be expanded to include highly-skilled Mexican immigrants. In some ways, the news isnt new, said Harriet Romo, director of the Mexico Center at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She conducted a study of San Antonio as a transnational city, with a Rockefeller Foundation grant. For centuries, Mexican families across socioeconomic levels have made San Antonio home, but Romo said she was surprised by the concentration of highly educated, wealthier Mexican families in areas such as Sonterra on the citys North Side. They show entrepreneurial spirit, a commitment to local investment and reinforcement of the widespread use of the Spanish language. She points out that these immigrants have been successful in both countries, understand both cultures and have knowledge of business and professional practices in both countries. And in the United States, they fill a need for highly educated, bilingual, bi-literate professionals, especially important in the Southwest, she said. Former Democratic congressman and Houston mayoral candidate Chris Bell says he's definitely interested in running against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas in 2020. Bell, 59, said he had hoped to see Beto ORourke or U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, challenge Cornyn. But when the two Democrats decided to pursue other options, Bell said he started to give it serious consideration, as the Texas Tribune first reported Monday. Bell said he plans to decide by this summer. Its hard to have been in Washington and then to look at whats going on today and not think that perhaps you can make a positive difference and want to make a positive difference, he said. Bell, a lawyer with his own practice in Houston, said his experience holding and running for statewide office and advocating for issues such as climate change, immigration and gun reform over the last 20 years would give him a standing start. He said he was energized to stay involved in politics, like many Democrats, after President Donald Trumps election. For subscribers: Decorated veteran MJ Hegars candidacy brings heat to 2020 Texas Senate race Bell would join an already crowded field that includes MJ Hegar, who nearly unseated longtime Rep. John Carter in a congressional contest last year, and announced she would run in late-April. Several others have already jumped in the race: Beaumont NAACP chair Michael Cooper, who narrowly lost the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor last year to Mike Collier; Sema Hernandez, who was runner-up to Beto O'Rourke in last year's Democratic primary to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz; and Adrian Ocegueda, who pulled in 4.4 percent of the vote in the 2016 gubernatorial primary. Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, have also said theyre considering running. Bell, the runner-up in the 2006 gubernatorial campaign, has run for office at the local, state and federal levels over the past 20 years. He served on the Houston City Council from 1997 to 2001 and won a seat in the U.S. House in 2003 that he held for one term. For subscribers: Bell: Congress should pass new gun laws, even if it means losing an election He was one of the incumbent Texas Democrats who encountered a tough challenge after the states controversial redistricting, losing in the primary to Rep. Al Green in 2004. He came much closer to victory in his race for Governor in 2006 when he won the Democratic primary and picked up 30% of the vote in the general election but ultimately lost to Rick Perry, who won with 39% of the vote. In 2008, he competed in a special election for Texas Sen. Kyle Janeks District 17 seat (which he said he regrets as a moment when he bowed to the encouragement, you might say, and it didnt turn out well) and also lost campaigns for Houston mayor in 2001 and 2015. I never really let those setbacks define me because there have also been setbacks that led to great opportunities, Bell said. And theres something to be said for perseverance, and theres something to be said for resilience. Politicians fearful of the National Rifle Association have allowed the gun lobby to run amok so that America now has more guns than people, but there is still true heroism out there in the face of gun violence: students who rush shooters at the risk of their own lives. Lets celebrate, and mourn, a student named Kendrick Castillo, 18, just days away from graduating in Highlands Ranch, Colo., who last week helped save his classmates in English literature class from a gunman. 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, Nui Giasolli, a student in the classroom, told the Today show. Kendrick was killed, and eight other students were injured. At least three boys in the class one of them Brendan Bialy, who hopes to become a Marine tackled and disarmed the gunman. They were very heroic, Nui said. Bravo as well to the police officers who arrived within two minutes of the shooting and seized the two attackers. The courage of those students in Colorado echoes the previous weeks bravery of Riley Howell, a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Riley, 21, charged a gunman there and continued even as he was shot twice. As he tackled the gunman he was shot a third time, in the head, and killed, but he ended the shooting. Riley was deservedly given a heros funeral, and presumably the same will happen with Kendrick. But their parents didnt want martyrs; they wanted children and grandchildren. And it is appalling that we as a society have abandoned American kids so that they must die to save their classmates. When New Zealand experienced a mass shooting in March, it took the government of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern just 26 days to tighten gun laws and ban assault rifles. In contrast, America has had 53 years of inaction since the University of Texas tower shooting in 1966 claimed 17 lives. Sandy Hook ... Las Vegas ... Parkland so many dead; so little done. Since 1970, 1.45 million Americans have died from guns suicides, murders and accidents. Thats more than the 1.4 million Americans estimated to have died in all the wars in U.S. history going back to the American Revolution. This should also make us all cringe: In a typical year, more American children ages 4 and younger die from firearms (110 in 2016) than police officers do in the line of duty (65 in 2016). So lets send thoughts and prayers to the families of victims in Colorado and North Carolina, but lets also push for a sensible gun policy that would make such heroics less necessary. Granted, this is complicated. America has so many guns out there that new restrictions may not be as effective as we would hope. The 10-year ban on assault rifles from 1994 to 2004 had trouble defining assault weapons and had an uncertain impact. Still, there are obvious steps worth taking. A starting point would be to require universal background checks before all firearms sales. Some 22 percent of guns are still acquired in the U.S. without a background check; a person wanting to adopt a rescue dog often undergoes a more thorough check than a person buying an assault rifle. Safe storage of guns in gun safes or with trigger locks prevents children and others from accessing firearms. Voluntary gun buybacks would reduce the pool of firearms out there. We should also invest in smart gun technologies that require a code or fingerprint to fire. We need more red-flag laws that make it more difficult for people to obtain guns when they present a threat to themselves or others. And tell me: Why do we bar people on the terrorism watch list from boarding planes while still allowing them to purchase guns? In 2011, a spokesman for al-Qaida, Adam Gadahn, urged would-be terrorists in America to pick up an assault rifle at a gun show, where there might not be a background check. Other steps to lower gun deaths dont even directly involve firearms. Programs like Cure Violence and Becoming a Man have been shown effective in reducing violence among at-risk young people. The military has conducted experiments showing that counseling can reduce suicides (a majority of gun deaths in America are suicides). Every day in 2017, the last year for which we have figures, an average of 107 people died in America from guns. We need not have the courage of the students who charged gunmen; we just need to demand action from our members of Congress and state legislators. Thats the best way to honor heroes like Kendrick Castillo and Riley Howell, by making such heroics less necessary in classrooms around America. The newest report on sexual assault in the military shows more service members report being victimized. Translated: Pentagon efforts to eliminate this scourge are not making headway. This newspapers 2011 series Twice Betrayed and reporting by this newspaper and others of abuse scandals, including at recruit training at Lackland revealed rampant sexual assault in the military. Since then the military has instituted reforms. But its clear these are not enough. The culture that allows such behavior to occur is apparently still flourishing. Although men are also victimized, the vast majority are servicewomen. The Defense Departments report, done biannually, revealed that 6.2 percent of female service members between the ages of 17 and 24 reported being attacked. Thats up from 4.3 percent in 2016. That means 13,000 service women reported some sort of sexual contact or penetrative assault. Women make up about 20 percent of the armed forces. And in one indication that the culture that abets this behavior lingers, the figures also show that only 38 percent of women victims, and 17 percent of men, report their assault. Among active-duty women, 1 in 4 reported sexual harassment, as did 6.3 percent of active-duty men. Sexual harassment and assault are linked. The harassment is an indication that the culture that discourages reporting is at work. And heres what else is part of the culture: Commanders still have authority over prosecutions in the case of sexual assaults. The newspapers series found a widespread reluctance for commanders to act and, too often, allowing or turning a blind eye toward retaliation against those who report. Retaliation is now a crime because of past reforms, and, still, 1 in 5 women reporting assault said they were also victims of retaliation. Something is seriously askew here. All the more reason to take the authority to prosecute out of commanders hands. These decisions must be made by professional prosecutors, those steeped in the law. That is a logical next step one that must be imposed by Congress because the military is opposed. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, acknowledging failure, directed the Pentagon to develop tools for a plan to be presented by Sept. 30. Those plans must also explore why trials for reported offenses remain relatively rare. Congress has given the Defense Department ample time to address all these problems. This latest report reveals that for whatever reason, the Pentagon is faltering. Civilian oversight of the military is one of the strengths of our form of government. It must be more fully exercised when it comes to sexual assault in the military. Air Serbia has concluded a long-term lease for an Airbus A319 aircraft, with the jet recently being painted in the carriers livery at Shannon Airport in Ireland. The sixteen year-old aircraft was previously operated by Royal Brunei Airlines and Cobalt Air, prior to being stored at Shannon for the past five months. The jet, the ninth of its type in Air Serbias fleet, will support the airlines growing destination network which will see the addition of 21 routes over the next two months. The aircraft has been registered as YU-APK. Its delivery to Belgrade is expected soon. As previously reported, the Serbian carrier will also wet-lease a Bombardier CRJ900 jet from Nordica between June and October. Air Serbia recently said, "Discussions on the long-term development of our fleet continue to be a part of strategic talks with our partner Etihad Airways. The airline industry is experiencing significant competition, which is becoming stronger. With changes in demand and aggressive competition, as well as fluctuating fuel prices as the biggest fixed cost for any airline, all carriers are carefully examining the long-term development of their fleets. Air Serbia's existing Airbus fleet, which also includes one wide-body A330-200 jet, has an average age of thirteen years. The airline leases all of its aircraft produced by the European manufacturer. In January, Air Serbia cancelled an order for ten Airbus A320neo aircraft made on its behalf by Etihad. Deliveries were to commence late last year. However, Serbias Finance Minister, Sinisa Mali, recently noted the airlines short haul Airbus fleet would be replaced within a three-year leading up to 2025. The acquisition of the neos has not been terminated but moved for the period between 2022 and 2025, as the aircraft we have been leasing so far have shown to be very efficient. Since the A319 and A320 have done a stellar job, there is no need to acquire the A320neos at this point. They are better in terms of fuel efficiency, but considering Air Serbia's destination network, which is primarily made up of short haul routes, this efficiency would not give desired results". BRIDGEPORT Little information on the arrest of 11 protestors in Bridgeport last week has been released by the city or its police department. The arrests happened Thursday on Fairfield Avenue, as protesters gathered at the site of the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Jayson Negron on the two-year anniversary of his death at the hands of a Bridgeport police officer. Aside from those charged, a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter was handcuffed and detained that night. Hearst has filed requests for communications and body camera footage from that night. So far, the only video released by police shows police and angry protesters from earlier that evening, but does not include footage of the later confrontation in which police ordered demonstrators off of Fairfield Avenue and proceeded in in formation toward the crowd. A letter sent to Mayor Joe Ganim and Perez by Matt DeRienzo, vice president of news and digital content for Hearst Connecticut Media, asking for a full explanation regarding the detention and release of the reporter has not received a return letter. Over the weekend, Ganim replied simply Thank you to the letter via email, and Police Chief Armando Perez said via email that he would speak with the city attorney before responding. The protesters gathered included family and friends of Negron and activists from across the state. And initially, the protesters had been peaceful. Bridgeport police had escorted the group throughout the Fairfield Avenue area as they walked on sidewalks and across streets demanding that Officer James Boulay, who fired the shots that fatally wounded Negron, be fired and charged with Negrons death. Waterbury States Attorney Maureen Platt said in a report Boulays actions were justified after a state police investigation into the shooting. Police presence Police cruisers shut down a stretch of Fairfield Avenue last week during rush hour, around the same time Negron was fatally shot, to keep protesters safe. The group of about 40 gathered in the middle of the road and set up a makeshift memorial for Negron. According to one officer that night, the protesters had not obtained a permit for Thursdays gathering. Last year, and in the days after Negron was killed, Perez said he overlooked the lack of permit on the part of those protesting the teens death. We want them to have their protest, Perez said back in August 2017. They have their right to free speech. A photo taken Thursday by a Hearst reporter before any arrests were made showed at least 26 Bridgeport police officers and one deputy chief. There were also an unknown number of detectives at the scene. The 26 officers, according to prior information from the police department, would all have been wearing body cameras that evening. The city has not released the names of the officers involved. Asked Friday, if additional body camera footage would be released, city officials said the Police Department was working on the video to make any necessary privacy redaction such as blurring the faces of juveniles before making anything more available. A request for a statement made Tuesday about why more footage hasnt been released was not immediately returned by city officials. Hearst Connecticut Media has requested all documents and body camera footage related to the events that evening through the Freedom of Information Act. Clearing the street According to a statement from the city, shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday, the protesters became increasingly agitated and were yelling obscenities at the police officers. According to the statement, two glass objects were thrown at police. The statement said officers told the protesters they had five minutes to disperse, referring to the gathering as an unruly assembly. Officers moved in fairly quickly to maintain safety and detained 12 individuals, the statement said. All of the individuals detained we arrested because they did not comply or disperse. The 12 people detained were 11 protesters and one Hearst Connecticut Media reporter filming the interactions between police and the protesters from the sidewalk. The reporter was eventually un-arrested and released without charges after being taken to booking. Of the 11 protestors charged, five of them were from New Haven, one from Hartford, two from Bridgeport, two from Fairfield and one from Milford. Those arrested face charges of breach of peace, disorderly conduct, inciting a riot and interfering with police or resisting arrest. A request for comment sent to one of those arrested who is involved with the Justice of Jayson group has not been returned. Those charged are expected in court on May 20 and May 21. FAIRFIELD When The Star Spangled Banner played during their graduation ceremony at Warde High School cafeteria, the 20 French students from Nimes read the lyrics from a sheet of paper. When it was turn for La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, the students raised their heads, smiling as they sang. In an exchange program that has connected Fairfield Warde High School and the Lycee Albert Camus in Nimes for nearly 40 years, American and French students venture from across their side of the Atlantic to experience each others culture and maybe get a taste of cheeseburgers or crepes. Emma Bojan celebrated her 18th birthday last Wednesday in what was her first time in the U.S. On a pu voir la plupart des idees, nous sommes dans un etape speciale, Bojan said. We have been able to see and experience so many things, we are in a very special phase (of our lives.) Rabia Mairech, a French teacher at Warde, has overseen the program for the last 12 years. Its great to see the happiness and the way they make friendships, thats what this program is all about, Mairech said after the graduation ceremony as the French students sang to Queens Dont Stop Me Now by the podium. The 20 French students, in black robes and graduation attire, were presented with certificates from the exchange program. The French flag, or the tricolour, hung from the podium. Fabienne Goizin and Celine Casili, the English and history teachers from Nimes, respectively, celebrated what they deemed to be another successful trip. I think this trip was a big success, Goizin. You have been able to exchange and interact with others through this program I hope we will be able to maintain this exchange and that Americans will come in more numbers next year. Teachers and students also thanked Fairfield families for opening up the doors to their homes. Thanks to you they have experienced a very nice stay, Goizin, who has participated in the exchange program for over 10 years, added. Warde students flew to France back in mid-April in a trip that took them to Marseille, Montpellier, Nimes and Paris and were one of the last people to see Notre Dame Cathedral the day before it burned. The Albert Camus students arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport April 30 and stayed with host families in town until May 11. Throughout their stay, the students went on various day trips to New York City, Yale University and Fairfield offices and historic buildings. This was a great experience, Achint Gupta, whose family hosted two French students, said. I think my French has become much better and they were very nice about helping me and correcting some of the things I said. humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.com In the U.S., Southwest Airlines and American Airlines have steadily pushed the return of the Max further into the future. Both have removed it from their schedules into August, although executives suggested last month that the plane could be back before then. United Airlines, the only other U.S. carrier to operate the Max, took them out of the schedule until early July. Harrisburg, Pa. High school students who are pursuing an education in a dairy-related field can apply for one of ten $3,000 Student Leader scholarships made available through the Pennsylvania Dairymens Association and Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation for the 2019-20 academic year. The deadline for students to apply for the annual Student Leader Scholarship is June 1. The scholarships recognize outstanding students in dairy, including undergraduate students and high school seniors who are entering college in the fall. We truly believe investing in the education of tomorrows dairy leaders will sustain a bright future for Pennsylvanias dairy industry, said Brittany Haag, dairy education program manager for the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation. We are pleased that our organizations are once again partnering to offer these Student Leader Scholarships. Eligibility To qualify, students must demonstrate a commitment to working in the dairy industry. Selection of recipients is based on academic performance, interest in a dairy-related career, evidence of leadership, character and integrity, and application compliance. Applications are now available online and are due to the Dairy Excellence Foundation office by June 1, 2019. Consideration for this scholarship shall be given to Pennsylvania residents who are full-time undergraduate students planning to enroll or currently enrolled in a qualifying field of study. This includes dairy and animal science, agricultural marketing and business, nutrition, food science, agriculture and extension education, agricultural communications, agricultural engineering, or related fields. Students can receive the $3,000 scholarship twice during their undergraduate academic career. Students employed by the Center for Dairy Excellence as an intern or in another capacity are not eligible to apply for the scholarship during the period in which they are working for the Center. To learn more, visit centerfordairyexcellence.org or contact Brittany Haag at 717-346-0849 or by email at bhaag@centerfordairyexcellence.org. Dairy Crest's chief executive Mark Allen is stepping down just weeks after Canadian dairy processor Saputo took over. Dairy Crest, the UK dairy company behind products such as Cathedral City cheddar, was bought by Saputo in a deal worth just under 1bn in April 2019. The company has since announced its new senior management team following the acquisition. Mark Allen is stepping down as chief executive. Saputo said the move had been 'mutually agreed upon'. Taking his place, Tom Atherton, Dairy Crest Deputy Chief Executive and Group Finance Director, is appointed the company's new boss. Mr Atherton has worked for Dairy Crest since 2005. He was appointed as an Executive Director and Group Finance Director in 2013 and has also held the position of Deputy Chief Executive since January 2018. Headquartered in the UK, Dairy Crest is a large dairy company which manufactures and markets cheese, butters, spreads and oils under leading British brands, such as Cathedral City, Clover, Country Life and Frylight. Dairy Crest employs approximately 1,100 people in seven locations across the country. Jobs have been unaffected by Saputo's acquisition. For the year ended March 31, 2018, Dairy Crest had revenues of approximately 456.8 million and profit after tax for the period of approximately 149.5 million. Concerns have been raised with the Scottish government after a number of farmers have complained of mapping changes just days before the Single Application Form deadline. Some businesses that received a land inspection in 2018 have started receiving letters and revised maps this week just as the SAF 2019 is about to close on 15 May. The SAF is the form needed to fill in if farmers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland want to claim payments from schemes such as BPS and agri-environmental ones. An estimated 1150 land inspections were undertaken in 2018, the majority of which resulted in very few or no adjustment to maps. However, some farming businesses have reportedly received significant changes to the maps associated with their application in 2018 and these new maps must be used for the 2019 SAF. NFU Scotland has raised concern over the late mapping letters, calling it an 'unsatisfactory move' which is leading to 'confusion'. President Andrew McCornick is one of those who has received revised maps in the past few days. He said: Delays in Scottish government processing land inspection information from 2018 has created a worrying and inconsiderate situation where revised maps are only being issued a few days before the 2019 SAF deadline. The fact remains that the SAF application window closes on the 15 May and all claimants, including those with land inspections in 2018, must meet this deadline if they wish to avoid any deductions for late submission. Members have the comfort of knowing that, while obliged to stick to the 15 May deadline, limited changes to their 2019 SAF form that relate to new maps can still be made up until 31 May 2019 without penalty, he said. The union said that if farmers have a concern regarding the submission of SAF 2019, particularly those who receive maps between now and 31 May, they should contact their local SGRPID area office for clarification. A new vaccine developed by scientists can immunise wild boar against African Swine Fever, a disease which is currently threatening 55 pig-producing countries. The deadly, highly-contagious disease is ravaging parts of Europe and Asia including Vietnam and the world's biggest pig producer, China. But scientists have now demonstrated that oral immunisation of wild boar conferred 92% protection against a highly pathogenic strain of ASF. Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, researchers also provide evidence that this immunity can be passed on via contact with immunised wild boars, but further studies are needed to examine exactly how this occurs, as well as the safety of repeated administration. African swine fever is of enormous concern to the pig industry, says Dr. Jose Angel Barasona, a researcher at the VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre and co-author of this research. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of the first oral vaccine against this disease on Eurasian wild boar. The complex nature of the ASF virus, gaps in knowledge concerning infection and immunity, as well as technical difficulties, have hindered vaccine development. But in 2017, a wild boar in Latvia provided a breakthrough. Serum from a wild boar hunted in Rietumpieriga, Latvia, was confirmed as African Swine Fever Virus positive at the EU reference laboratory in Madrid, Spain, Barasona adds. This was a weakly virulent strain of the disease, which enabled us to produce a live vaccine. When we inoculated wild boar in our laboratories with this live strain, they showed no symptoms of this disease but produced antibodies against the virus, ultimately giving them protection against the more dangerous form. When tested, as well as proving its effectiveness against one of the most dangerous strains of African swine fever, it revealed an additional capability to immunise other wild boar through contact with orally vaccinated animals. The 'shedding' of this vaccine might help amplify vaccination coverage, reducing the need for expensive production and large-scale administration of vaccine in the field, explains Barasona. This vaccine, which would be administered in bait to the wild animals, represents considerable progress in the control of African Swine Fever in the wild and, subsequently, at the domestic/wildlife interface. However, Barasona cautions more research is needed before it can be used widely. If the safety of the vaccine can be established, then it may help mitigate the uncontrolled spread of African Swine Fever across Europe and Asia, like the success so far in halting the spread of Classical Swine Fever. Future studies should examine the vaccine's safety following repeated administration, the process of 'shedding', and its genetic stability during passage from one animal to another, he says. Earlier this year, the government confirmed that there is a 20% chance of African swine fever reaching the UK's pig population. Whilst the UK is currently ASF-free, around 2,000 wild boars inhabit the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, a figure which the National Pig Association (NPA) calls 'way above levels considered to be sustainable'. Thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused to a fruit farm in Scotland after vandals destroyed bee hives and ripped polytunnels. Police are now investigating the incident which happened on Saturday evening (11 May) at East Seaton Farm in Arbroath, Angus. A number of polytunnels, which are expensive and time-consuming to construct and maintain, were damaged, and a number of beehives sited within them were badly damaged or destroyed, police said. Farm manager Allen Innes said thousands of pounds of damage has been caused by the senseless rampage. Bumblebee hives trashed, tunnels slashed, ripped and been climbed all over. We have been getting a little bit of damage most days now, he said on a social media post highlighting the incident. Due to this we are going to have to increase security, erect fencing in hotspots. This will affect general public access and dog walkers. We apologise for this, however we must take steps to protect our business. Mr Innes added: We will be asking people to not walk in certain areas and know this will cause problems but hopefully people will understand. Speaking to The Courier, he now thinks the polytunnels will cost at least 4,000 to repair. He will also have to buy new beehives. It is not the first time vandals have targeted the farm. Tyres were slashed on 180 fruit trolleys and eight trailers in 2013. The hills around Fethiye have been echoing to the sounds of naval guns this week as ships and aircraft involved in Operation Sea Wolf made themselves heard. The military exercise began on Monday and continues in the Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean until May 25. The boom of guns was audible throughout yesterday and at dusk as armed forces were put through their paces, rehearsing strategies which could be utilised in times of crisis or if Turkey went to war. Security With the exercise, we aim to show Turkish Armed Forces resolution and capability in protecting the countrys security as well as its rights and interests in the seas, national defence minister Hulusi Akar was quoted as saying in The Daily Sabah newspaper. The navy is leading the manoeuvres but in all, 131 warships, 90 aircraft and 25,900 personnel are involved in Operation Sea Wolf. It will also test missile systems and includes the operation of military drones. Search and rescue teams are also involved along with Turkeys submarine force. On patrol A Turkish navy gunboat. Picture by Steve Parsley. Protection Naval forces will continue activities with the highest technology based upon (the) domestic defence industry. While showing maximum attention to good relations with our neighbours, we will protect our peoples interests in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea, Minister Akar was reported to have said. The exercise is the second large-scale operation this year, with 13 frigates, six corvettes, 16 assault boats, seven submarines, seven mine hunting vessels and 14 patrol boats also involved in Blue Homeland in February. Vicky Kaushal is going to bring in his 31st birthday in a special way on May 16. Uri: The Surgical Strike star has flown to New York and will be joined by his college friends there. The actor has rented a villa in the countryside of the city. As per reports, Vicky has taken a two-week break from his tight schedule. He was supposed to take this break last month but because of his work commitments, he couldnt. He has booked a villa in the countryside of the city where he plans to relax and catch up with college friends who will arrive from Boston and New Jersey. It will be a birthday reunion of sorts. The reports further suggested, There are a few burger joints and pancake restaurants in the city that Vicky loves and is revisiting all the old hunts. After his birthday, the actor will catch the award-winning Broadway play Sleep No More, an immersive, site-specific telling of Shakespeares Macbeth. Last year was a busy year for Vicky Kaushal with three releases, Raazi, Sanju and Manmarziyaan. This year too started on a good note for Vicky with Uri: The Surgical Strike creating some new records at the box-office. Currently, the actor has Shoojit Sircars Udham Singh and Karan Johars Takht in his kitty. Post returning from New York, he will resume shooting for Udham Singh. We hope the actor has a blast bringing in his birthday! There is your lover and then there is the partnership you have made together, the marriage or the relationship, which has its own value, she writes. Youre not just there for him or her or you, but also for some third thing that exists beyond the two of you. SRK Has Stopped Taking Rai's Calls Talking about the same, a source told the web portal, "Shahrukh has stopped taking Rai's calls. He blames Rai entirely for the fiasco that was Zero. What was Aanand Rai thinking? This is what Shah Rukh now wonders, like everybody else." He Is So Shocked ''Shahrukh is so shocked with the failure of the movie, both creative and financial, that he has put all his future projects on hold including the hit franchise Don.'' King Khan Does Not Want To See Rai's Face Another insider close to Shahrukh, revealed, "They had mutually agreed to share a creative partnership. But after the release of Zero I don't think Shahrukh even wants to see Aanand Rai's face.'' On A Related Note Talking about the movie's failure, King Khan had told a Chinese website, "It's a different experience, because we made the film with a lot of love, but many people did not like it. If the audience didn't like it, then so be it, there's nothing that can be done." This Time I Didn't Feel Like Doing It When asked about his upcoming projects, he said, ''This time, I didn't feel like doing it. I thought, this time, I will take out time to watch films and listen to scripts and read books. My kids are also finishing their college life. Suhana is still in college, Aryan will hopefully pass his college in a year. I want to spend more time with my family.'' I Won't Even Sign Any Film In June "I said somewhere that I might decide in June about my next project. But I won't even do it in June, I will only do a film when I feel like doing it from my heart. I only act when it comes from my heart, but this time I don't feel like doing it.'' ''A lot of people are telling me stories, I've heard 15-20 stories, I liked 2-3 of them. But I haven't decided yet which film to do. Because the moment I take a decision, I will have to start working on films. I will completely be engrossed in it." Here's How Ali Abbas Got The Title 'Bharat' "I felt if he (Salman Khan's character) is synonymous with what the nation has been over the generations. He should be named after the country. One night at 3AM, I was tossing on the bed, thinking hard, and then I had it - Bharat," said Ali Abbas Zafar. I First Thought Of 'Ram' Or 'Arjun'! Before zeroing in on Bharat, Ali Abbas Zafar revealed that he first thought the movie should be named as 'Ram' or 'Arjun'. He said, "I thought Ram is an ideal hero from mythology. Could the character be called Arjun because he is doing it for his dharma, karma? Or should he be called Karna, a selfless hero. What do I call the film?'' Salman Khan Was Impressed With The Title 'Bharat' As soon as Ali Abbas Zafar conveyed that the movie will be named Bharat, he said, "Producer Sajid Nadiadwala had the title registered under him so I told him about our film. Both Salman and Atul also jumped on it. Once I found the title, I started writing the film." The Nations Journey With Bharat! "I didn't want to call it 'Ode to My Father.' I wasn't looking only at the promise he makes to his father but a lot of other things. I told Salman I'll make the film as not only his but the nation's journey. But I needed to know what the character should be called," Ali Abbas Zafar told PTI. Bharat Starcast & Grand Release Bharat starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Disha Patani and Sunil Grover is all set hit the theatres on June 5, 2019. The film is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and co-produced by Salman Khan, Sajid Nadiadwala and Atul Agnihotri. The 'Someone Special' Is A Cute Doggy Named Nero! Well well, the 'someone special' and Kriti Sanon's 'date' is none other than the cutest doggy she met while holidaying in Turkey. Nero. Nero Is Lazy Just Like Me, Says Kriti Sanon ''And i found my date for the trip! Meet Nero! Lazy like me, loves cuddles & has the purest hazel eyes that just need Love! @vishakhawadhwani #Antalya #Turkey,'' captioned Kriti Sanon on Instagram. So Sweet! The lovely Kriti Sanon captioned this picture as, "I love you too #Nero #Antalya #TurkeyTravel," hinting that doggy Nero has fallen in love with her and she's reciprocating. Visiting Tourist Spots Kriti Sanon let her hair down and hit the streets of Antalya, Turkey just like a commoner and shared the video clips on her Instagram stories. She's surely having one helluva time there, folks! The actress is also giving us all some serious holiday goals. Maybe it's time for a break and go on a holiday just like her too! 3 Celebratory Events Announced SEOUL, South Korea, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bithumb Global, a blockchain based fintech company, officially launched a global exchange service incorporating multiple fiat currency trading pairs, as well as perpetual futures trading, with leverage up to 100x. The Open Beta version allows users to trade perpetual futures with test money, thereby reducing risk for users gaining trading experience and awareness of the futures platform. Leverage can be adjusted up to 100x by the user, offering a responsive environment to implement trading strategies and realize leveraged returns, once the service goes live. The celebratory events will be opened to users only for a limited time. Users may earn up to $90 in BUSD by simply completing KYC steps and participating in perpetual trading. In addition, depending on the trading activity level, users may participate in exclusive airdrop events. A representative from Bithumb Global stated, "We are expanding into U.K., Canada, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and 10 additional jurisdictions. Our service will include cryptocurrency exchanges, security token offerings, blockchain based project incubation, and ultimately culminating into a technology driven techfin, financial service institution." Bithumb Global has been operating Bithumb DEX, a decentralized exchange in H.K, since October 2018 as well as ORTUS, an OTC desk catering to institutional clients founded in February 2019. With today's launch of the global exchange service, Bithumb Global is continuing to grow its presence in the global crypto market. Check for more detail here https://www.bithumb.pro Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/885760/Bithumb_Global_Exchange.jpg CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2019 / Asia Cannabis Corp. ("ACC" or the "Company") (CSE:ASIA), announced today that Kenneth McKinnon has submitted his resignation as a director of the Company. Mr. McKinnon has agreed to continue with the Company in a consulting role, and a contract with a two-year term has been executed with him in that regard. About ACC: ACC is an early stage international agri-technology company which has begun the process of creating a business focused on the development, evaluation, testing, application and, ultimately, supply to the market of proprietary organic hybridization technology and certain products derived from that technology. The core approach of the business will be centred on the planting, growth and harvesting of new and valuable strains of hemp and related crops in commercial quantities under the terms of the InPlanta License Agreement. In conjunction with InPlanta, the Corporation plans to develop varieties of hemp with superior growth and production characteristics in the various environments found in the licensed territories With the data and associated knowledge gained from these activities, the Corporation intends to leverage the technology to develop a portfolio of strategic hemp investments to take advantage of both the changing social climate relative to hemp use and the historic acceptance of the use of these products and their derivatives in certain of the jurisdictions granted under the License Agreement. For further information, contact: David Pinkman Chief Executive Officer (403) 612-5655 Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Asia Cannabis Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545279/Asia-Cannabis-Corp-Announces-Resignation-of-Director 5 new chemical entities advancing in pipeline 9 significant regulatory submissions planned from 2019 to 2022 2022 financial outlook of Group Net Sales around 3.2 billion1 and Core Operating margin greater than 32.0% of net sales Regulatory News: Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY), a global specialty-driven biopharmaceutical group, today will host an Investor Day in Paris to present a comprehensive corporate update, with a focus on its advancing R&D pipeline. David Meek, Chief Executive Officer of Ipsen stated: "The business momentum of Ipsen is strong, delivering industry-leading top-line growth and investing to build an innovative and sustainable pipeline. The execution of our R&D strategy over the last two years through accelerating key internal programs and externally sourcing innovation has significantly strengthened the focus and value of our pipeline "Ipsen currently has five new chemical entities in clinical development, nine significant regulatory submissions planned from 2019 to 2022 and several mid-to-late-stage program readouts in the coming months. We remain committed to executing on our top-line, bottom-line and pipeline growth strategy to create and deliver long-term value to patients and shareholders. In Rare Diseases, palovarotene is a late-stage and largely de-risked drug candidate for the treatment of rare and extremely disabling bone disorders with no current treatment options. Palovarotene has Orphan Drug, Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy and Rare Pediatric Disease designations and is supported by robust clinical data. The company expects to submit an NDA to the FDA in the second half of 2019 for the first indication of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). In Neuroscience, Ipsen is pursuing two new therapeutic indications to maximize the potential of Dysport. The Company is also leveraging its research and development expertise building upon its neurotoxin franchise to advance its proprietary next-generation neurotoxin program with a fast-acting neurotoxin to enter Phase 2 clinical development in the second half of 2019 and a long-acting neurotoxin in preclinical development. In Oncology, there are numerous ongoing mid-to-late-stage programs to broaden the scope of Cabometyx(cabozantinib) and Onivyde(irinotecan liposomal). The Phase 3 CheckMate 9ER trial in combination with nivolumab has the potential to strengthen Cabometyxs presence in the first-line renal cell cancer market, with top-line results expected in the first half of 2020. In addition, the Phase 3 trial in combination with atezolizumab for first-line hepatocellular carcinoma has the potential to expand the use of Cabometyx earlier in the treatment paradigm and to serve as the registrational trial to enter China. Regarding Onivyde, the interim analysis of the Phase 2 combination trial for the treatment of first-line metastatic pancreatic cancer indicates encouraging results on the disease control rate and has been accepted as an oral presentation by the ESMO World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in July 2019. There is also an ongoing Phase 2 trial for second-line small cell lung cancer with top-line results expected in the second half of 2019. In earlier-stage Oncology development, Ipsen is advancing its innovative Systemic Radiation Therapy program with satoreotide (IPN 1070 and IPN 1072) which is expected to move into a Phase 2/3 trial in neuroendocrine tumors by the first quarter of 2020 and IPN 1087 which is currently in Phase 1 development for pancreatic cancer. Both are platform technologies with the possibility to expand to additional solid tumors and to provide precision targeted treatment to patients. _______________ 1 Assuming current level of exchange rates Ipsen will also execute on its external innovation and business development model in its key therapeutic areas, building on its strong balance sheet and cash flow generation to acquire assets and invest in R&D pipeline for long term shareholders' value. Along with an R&D pipeline update, Ipsen will also provide updates on its corporate strategy, commercial highlights of its key Specialty Care products, and new objectives on its capital allocation strategy and mid-term financial outlook. 2022 Financialoutlook Ipsen provides its 2022 financial outlook to reflect the strong momentum of its Specialty Care business and the impact from the acquisition of Clementia closed in April 2019: Group Net Sales around 3.2 billion 2 Core Operating margin greater than 32.0% of net sales This outlook includes only the existing commercial portfolio of products under current approved indications and assumes the approval and launch of palovarotene in FOP indications3 only. It assumes the earliest possible entry of somatostatin analog (SSA) generics based on market intelligence. It does not include the potential short-term, low single-digit Core Operating margin dilution of business development transactions to further accelerate building an innovative and sustainable pipeline. Webcast and Conference call Ipsen will host an audio and video webcast and conference call of the Investor Day on Tuesday 14 May 2019 at 1:00 p.m. (CEST, BST+1) available at www.ipsen.com. Participants should dial in to the call approximately 5 to 10 minutes prior to its start. No reservation is required to participate in the conference call. Standard International: +44 (0) 2071-928-000 France and continental Europe: 33 (0) 1 76 70 07 94 UK: 08-445-718-892 U.S.: 1-6315-107-495 Conference ID: 8463129 A recording will be available for 7 days on Ipsen's website. About Ipsen Ipsen is a global specialty-driven biopharmaceutical group focused on innovation and Specialty Care. The group develops and commercializes innovative medicines in three key therapeutic areas Oncology, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases. Its commitment to Oncology is exemplified through its growing portfolio of key therapies for prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, renal cell carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. Ipsen also has a well-established Consumer Healthcare business. With total sales over 2.2 billion in 2018, Ipsen sells more than 20 drugs in over 115 countries, with a direct commercial presence in more than 30 countries. Ipsen's R&D is focused on its innovative and differentiated technological platforms located in the heart of the leading biotechnological and life sciences hubs (Paris-Saclay, France; Oxford, UK; Cambridge, US). The Group has about 5,700 employees worldwide. Ipsen is listed in Paris (Euronext: IPN) and in the United States through a Sponsored Level I American Depositary Receipt program (ADR: IPSEY). For more information on Ipsen, visit www.ipsen.com. _______________ 2 Assuming current level of exchange rates 3 Including both flare-up and chronic indications for FOP Forward Looking Statement The forward-looking statements, objectives and targets contained herein are based on the Group's management strategy, current views and assumptions. Such statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated herein. All of the above risks could affect the Group's future ability to achieve its financial targets, which were set assuming reasonable macroeconomic conditions based on the information available today. Use of the words "believes", "anticipates" and "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, including the Group's expectations regarding future events, including regulatory filings and determinations. Moreover, the targets described in this document were prepared without taking into account external growth assumptions and potential future acquisitions, which may alter these parameters. These objectives are based on data and assumptions regarded as reasonable by the Group. These targets depend on conditions or facts likely to happen in the future, and not exclusively on historical data. Actual results may depart significantly from these targets given the occurrence of certain risks and uncertainties, notably the fact that a promising product in early development phase or clinical trial may end up never being launched on the market or reaching its commercial targets, notably for regulatory or competition reasons. The Group must face or might face competition from generic products that might translate into a loss of market share. Furthermore, the Research and Development process involves several stages each of which involves the substantial risk that the Group may fail to achieve its objectives and be forced to abandon its efforts with regards to a product in which it has invested significant sums. Therefore, the Group cannot be certain that favorable results obtained during pre-clinical trials will be confirmed subsequently during clinical trials, or that the results of clinical trials will be sufficient to demonstrate the safe and effective nature of the product concerned. There can be no guarantees a product will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that the product will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the Group's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the Group's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The Group also depends on third parties to develop and market some of its products which could potentially generate substantial royalties; these partners could behave in such ways which could cause damage to the Group's activities and financial results. The Group cannot be certain that its partners will fulfil their obligations. It might be unable to obtain any benefit from those agreements. A default by any of the Group's partners could generate lower revenues than expected. Such situations could have a negative impact on the Group's business, financial position or performance. The Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements, targets or estimates contained in this press release to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The Group's business is subject to the risk factors outlined in its registration documents filed with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers. The risks and uncertainties set out are not exhaustive and the reader is advised to refer to the Group's 2018 Registration Document available on its website (www.ipsen.com). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005766/en/ Contacts: Media Christian Marcoux Senior Vice President, Global Communications +33 (0)1 58 33 67 94 Christian.marcoux@ipsen.com Fanny Allaire Director, Ipsen France Hub, Global Communications +33 (0) 1 58 33 58 96 Fanny.allaire@ipsen.com Financial Community Eugenia Litz Vice President, Investor Relations +44 (0) 1753 627721 eugenia.litz@ipsen.com Myriam Koutchinsky Investor Relations Manager +33 (0)1 58 33 51 04 myriam.koutchinsky@ipsen.com Regulatory News: ORPEA (Paris:ORP) (the "Company") (Euronext Paris: FR0000184798), a world leader in long-term care (nursing homes, post-acute and rehabilitation hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and homecare services), announces the launch today of an offering of bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares ("OCEANE") due May 17, 2027 (the "Bonds") for a maximum nominal amount of 500 million by way of a private placement to institutional investors only (the "Offering The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to address the Group's general financing needs, and will mainly be dedicated to its business development across all of its geographies, through both greenfield and targeted acquisitions projects. The issuance will enable the Group to pursue the diversification of its sources of funding, to extend the average maturity profile of its indebtedness and to optimize related costs. Yves Le Masne, Chief Executive Officer of ORPEA, comments: "As part of its ambitious international development plan, through both greenfield projects and targeted acquisitions, the Group seizes an attractive financing opportunity through this convertible bonds issue. This transaction enables the Group to diversify its funding sources and to benefit from the most attractive costs of financing for an 8-year maturity. Consistent with its financial flexibility strategy, ORPEA takes the best financing opportunities in order to accelerate its international developments The nominal unit value of the Bonds will be set at a premium of 42.5% to 47.5% above ORPEA's reference share price1 on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris ( Euronext Paris The Bonds will be issued at par and will bear from the Issue Date (as defined below) a coupon ranging from 0.375% to 0.875%, payable annually in arrears on May 17 of each year (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day), and for the first time on May 17, 2020 (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day). The final terms of the Bonds are expected to be announced today and the settlement-delivery of the Bonds is expected to take place on May 17, 2019 (the Issue Date Unless previously converted, exchanged, redeemed or purchased and cancelled, the Bonds will be redeemed at par on May 17, 2027 (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day). The Bonds may be redeemed prior to maturity at the discretion of the Company, under certain conditions. In particular, the Bonds may be fully redeemed earlier at par plus accrued interest, at the Company's option at any time from June 9, 2025 until the maturity date of the Bonds, subject to giving at least 30 (but not more than 60) calendar days' prior notice, if the arithmetic average, calculated over a period of 20 consecutive trading days chosen by the Company from among the 40 consecutive trading days preceding the publication of the early redemption notice, of the products of the Company's volume weighted average price on Euronext Paris on each trading day within the relevant period and the applicable conversion/exchange ratio on each such trading day exceeds 130% of the nominal value of the Bonds. In the event of a Change of Control of the Company (as defined in the terms and conditions of the Bonds), any bondholder may, at its discretion, request the early redemption in cash of all, but not some only, of the Bonds it owns at par plus accrued interest. Existing shareholders of the Company shall have no preferential subscription rights (or priority subscription period) in connection with the issue of the Bonds or the underlying new shares of the Company issued upon conversion. Application will be made for the listing of the Bonds on Euronext AccessTM (the former open market of Euronext Paris) to occur within 30 days from the Issue Date. BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Natixis and Societe Generale are acting as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners of the Offering (the "Joint Global Coordinators Intentions of existing shareholders The Company is not aware of the intention of any of its main shareholders to participate in the Offering. Conversion/Exchange Right Bondholders will be granted a conversion/exchange right of the Bonds into new and/or existing shares of the Company which they may exercise at any time from the Issue Date and until 5.00 p.m. (Paris time) on the 7th business day (inclusive) preceding the maturity date or the relevant early redemption date. The conversion/exchange ratio is set at one share per Bond subject to standard adjustments in certain cases. Upon exercise of their conversion/exchange right, bondholders will receive at the option of the Company new and/or existing Company's shares carrying in all cases all rights attached to existing shares as from the date of delivery. Lock-up In the context of the Offering, the Company will agree to a lock-up undertaking for a period starting from the announcement of the final terms of the Bonds and ending 90 days after the Issue Date, subject to certain customary exceptions or waiver from the Joint Global Coordinators. Dilution For illustrative purpose, based on a 500m Offering, the 102.50 closing price of May 13, 2019 and a 45% conversion premium corresponding to the mid-range of conversion premium, the dilution would approximately represent 5% of the outstanding share capital, should the Company decide to exclusively deliver new shares upon conversion. Legal framework of the Offering and placement The Offering will be conducted pursuant to the authorization granted by the Company's extraordinary general meeting held on June 28, 2018 (18th resolution) and will be offered, in compliance with Article L. 411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier), by way of an accelerated bookbuilt private placement to institutional investors only, in France and outside of France (excluding in particular the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan). Available information The Offering is not subject to a prospectus approved by the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the AMF ). Detailed information on ORPEA, including its business, results, prospects and related risk factors are described in the Company's registration document (Document de Reference) filed with the AMF on May 10, 2019 under number D.19-0474 which is available, together with the press releases and other regulated information about the Company, on ORPEA's website (www.orpea-corp.com). About ORPEA (www.orpea-corp.com) Founded in 1989, ORPEA is one of the main world leader in long-term care, with its network of 950 facilities, with 96,577 beds (17,388 of them under construction) in 14 countries, including: 33,443 beds in France (2,587 beds under construction) at 354 facilities 63,134 beds outside France (Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland) at 596 facilities (14,801 beds under construction) ORPEA is listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN code: FR0000184798) and a constituent of the SBF 120, STOXX 600 Europe, MSCI Small Cap Europe and CAC Mid 60 indices. This press release does not constitute a solicitation to purchase or an offer of the Bonds or the shares of ORPEA (together, the "Securities") in the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the Securities Act. ORPEA does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the Bonds in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering of the Securities in the United States. The Bonds will be offered only by way of a private placement to institutional investors comprising, for the purposes of this press release, the professional clients and the eligible counterparties within the meaning of MiFID II (as defined hereafter). The Bonds may not be offered or sold to retail investors (as defined hereafter). No Key Information Document under PRIIPS Regulation has been and will be prepared Disclaimer Important information This press release may not be released, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Australia, Canada or Japan. The distribution of this press release may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes, should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No communication or information relating to the offering of the Bonds may be transmitted to the public in a country where there is a registration obligation or where an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country in which such registration or approval would be required. The issuance or the subscription of the Bonds may be subject to legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; none of ORPEA and the Joint Global Coordinators assumes any liability in connection with the breach by any person of such restrictions. This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of November 4, 2003 as amended (the "Prospectus Directive This press release is not an offer to the public, an offer to subscribe or designed to solicit interest for purposes of an offer to the public in any jurisdiction, including France. The Bonds will be offered only by way of a private placement in France and/or outside France (excluding the United States of America, Australia, Canada and Japan), solely to persons referred to in article L. 411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier). There will be no public offering in any country (including France) in connection with the Bonds. This press release does not constitute a recommendation concerning the issue of the Bonds. The value of the Bonds and the shares of ORPEA can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional adviser as to the suitability of the Bonds for the person concerned. Prohibition of sales to European Economic Area retail investors No action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make available any Bonds to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. For the purposes of this provision: (a) the expression "retail investor" means a person who is one (or more) of the following: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II"); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EU (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a "qualified investor" as defined in the Prospectus Directive; and (b) the expression "offer" includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Bonds to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Bonds. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPS Regulation. MIFID II product governance Retail investors, professional investors and ECPs only target market Solely for the purposes of each manufacturer's product approval process, the target market assessment in respect of the Bonds has led to the conclusion that: (i) the target market for the Bonds is retail investors, eligible counterparties and professional clients, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) all channels for distribution of the Bonds to retail investors, eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate. Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the Bonds (a "distributor") should take into consideration the manufacturers' target market assessment; however, a distributor subject to MiFID II is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Bonds (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers' target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels. For the avoidance of doubt, even if the target market includes retail investors, the manufacturers have decided that the Bonds will be offered, as part of the initial offering, only to eligible counterparties and professional clients. France The Bonds have not been and will not be offered or sold or cause to be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Any offer or sale of the Bonds and distribution of any offering material relating to the Bonds have been and will be made in France only to (a) persons providing investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers), and/or (b) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) acting for their own account, as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier United Kingdom This press release is addressed and directed only (i) to persons located outside the United Kingdom, (ii) to investment professionals as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), (iii) to people designated by Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order or (iv) to any other person to whom this press release may otherwise lawfully be communicated pursuant to applicable law (the persons mentioned in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) all deemed relevant persons (the "Relevant Persons The Bonds and, as the case may be, the shares of ORPEA to be delivered upon exercise of the conversion rights (the "Financial Instruments"), are intended only for Relevant Persons and any invitation, offer of contract related to the subscription, tender, or acquisition of the Financial Instruments may be addressed and/or concluded only with Relevant Persons. All persons other than Relevant Persons must abstain from using or relying on this document and all information contained therein. This press release is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. United States of America This press release may not be released, published or distributed in or into the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act). This press release does not constitute or form a part of an offer of securities for sale or an offer of securities for sale or of any offer or solicitation to purchase securities in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act or the law of any state of the United States. The Bonds will be offered or sold only in offshore transactions outside of the United States, in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act. ORPEA does not intend to register any portion of the proposed offering of the Bonds in the United States and no public offering will be made in the United States Australia, Canada and Japan The Bonds may not and will not be offered, sold or purchased in Australia, Canada or Japan. The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in Australia, Canada or Japan. The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law. 1 The reference share price will be equal to the volume-weighted average price of ORPEA shares recorded on Euronext Paris from the start of trading today until the determination of the final terms (pricing) of the Bonds on the same day. NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE OR AN OFFER OF THE BONDS (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR THE SHARES OF ORPEA (TOGETHER, THE "SECURITIES") IN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"). THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES UNLESS THEY ARE REGISTERED OR EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. ORPEA DOES NOT INTEND TO REGISTER ANY PORTION OF THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE BONDS WILL BE OFFERED ONLY BY WAY OF A PRIVATE PLACEMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS COMPRISING, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PRESS RELEASE, THE PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS AND ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES (AS DEFINED HEREAFTER). THE BONDS MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD TO RETAIL INVESTORS (AS DEFINED HEREAFTER). NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT UNDER PRIIPS REGULATION HAS BEEN AND WILL BE PREPARED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005955/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations ORPEA Steve Grobet Finance Corporate Secretary s.grobet@orpea.net Helene de Watteville Investor Relations Officer h.dewatteville@orpea.net Investor Relations NewCap Dusan Oresansky Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 orpea@newcap.eu Media Relations Image 7 Priscille David Reneaume Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 70 74 61 preneaume@image7.fr BAAR, Switzerland, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Message Services (GMS) is delighted to announce the start of an official partnership with du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), a top mobile network operator in the UAE. Based on a competitive tender, GMS has been chosen as an international Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging hub and managed services partner. Du's intention to improve service quality and unlock new revenue streams was perfectly in line with GMS's ambition to extend its global monetization footprint. Commenting on the partnership, du's Executive Vice President Enterprise Business, Hany Aly said: "Connectivity and communication are core pillars of our operations and we are always in a constant drive to explore ways to improve the quality of service delivery for our end customers. We are happy to partner with GMS in effective monetization of international A2P traffic. Ultimately, the benefits will be plentiful for both du and GMS with the monetization of our SMS channels and we look forward to building our expertise and trusted solutions in this field as our partnership ensues." Successful achievement is preceded by conducting a deep analysis of the legal, technical and commercial environments, identifying weak spots which need to be eliminated and implementing the necessary steps to secure the network. In line with this, du and GMS have established direct connectivity over Signaling System No.7 (SS7). Such connectivity offers edge over other technologies in that it is of very high quality, speedy and most importantly, offers complete transparency, providing correct delivery reports to the traffic generator (enterprise) for all messages and thereby giving the full picture to both the enterprise and the MNO. "Du stands out for its approach and attention to detail, and GMS has the exact same vision on doing business. We believe that GMS' expertise will enable du to maximize its messaging business and achieve steady revenue growth," GMS' Managing Director, Iurii Makarenko said. About Global Message Services (GMS) GMS is a global messaging provider offering services for mobile operators and enterprises. Pioneers in A2P, P2P and P2A monetization and leaders in the CIS market since 2006, GMS has expanded globally with a current reach of 900 mobile operators, more than 240 of them directly connected, all over the world. GMS multi-channel messaging platform, Hyber, allows enterprises to deliver messages across different channels worldwide: SMS, Push, OTT messengers, email, etc. GMS is Viber's official partner. GMS Monetization solution for Mobile Operators enhances operator's SMS business by addressing technical issues, as well as commercial and legal. A step-by-step project plan will heighten the security and overhaul the business processes to put the operator in complete control of his network and increase revenue. Headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. About Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (EITC) Founded in 2005, EITC is a UAE-based telecommunications provider responsible for operating both the iconic du and Virgin Mobile brands. EITC also runs a number of pioneering, transformative business subsidiaries under its corporate canopy, including EITC Investment Holdings, Edara, UAE-IX, Khazna and datamena. Implemented in 2013, in alignment with the National Plan, EITC also partially runs FedNet which supports the UAE mGovernment initiative. EITC is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates International Telecommunications and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name 'Du'. Contact details Martyrosian Mariia Head of Brand Communication Division Mobile: +380955008493, +31645726022 Email: m.martyrosian@gms-worldwide.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/884694/GMS_Logo.jpg Passenger volume climbs at Frankfurt and most of the Group airports FRANKFURT, Germany, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FRA/rap - Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed more than six million passengers in April 2019, a gain of 5.1 percent year-on-year. This noticeable increase can also be attributed to the Easter traffic, which occurred completely in April 2019 due to the later Easter holidays this year (compared to 2018). FRA posted a 3.3 percent increase in total passenger during the first four months of 2019. Aircraft movements in April 2019 climbed slightly by 1.8 percent to 43,683 takeoffs and landings. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) rose by 1.6 percent to about 2.7 million metric tons. In contrast, cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) fell by 6.0 percent to 178,342 metric tons - due to weaker global trade and the later occurrence of the Easter holidays. Most of the Group airports in Fraport's international portfolio recorded growth in April 2019. Traffic at Slovenia's Ljubljana Airport (LJU) remained almost unchanged, increasing by 0.1 percent to 157,992 passengers. With combined traffic of about 1.2 million passengers, Fraport's Brazilian airports in Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA) saw traffic climb by 12.1 percent. The 14 Greek regional airports achieved a 7.2 percent jump in traffic to a total of 1.4 million passengers. The busiest airports included: Thessaloniki (SKG) with 523,498 passengers (up 0.3 percent), Rhodes (RHO) with 228,921 passengers (up 16.3 percent); and Chania (CHQ) with 168,911 passengers (down 12.9 percent). Serving 1.8 million passengers, Peru's Lima Airport (LIM) advanced by 7.3 percent in the reporting month. Bulgaria's Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR) airports reported a 14.6 percent drop in traffic to 106,205 passengers. At the gateway to the Turkish Riviera, Antalya Airport (AYT) received 2.2 million passengers, representing growth of 16.0 percent.Russia's Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg's (LED) grew by 6.0 percent to about 1.4 million passengers. Traffic at Xi'an Airport (XIY) in central China reached 3.8 million passengers, up 4.0 percent. Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are available for free downloading via the photo library on the Fraport Web site For TV news and information broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for downloading. If you wish to meet a member of our Media Relations team when at Frankfurt Airport, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact details are available here For further information about Fraport AG please click here. Fraport Traffic Figures April 2019 Fraport Group Airports1 April 2019 Year to Date (YTD) 2019 Fraport Passengers Cargo* Movements Passengers Cargo Movements Fully-consolidated airports share (%) Month ? % Month ? % Month ? % YTD ? % YTD ? % YTD ? % FRA Frankfurt Germany 100.00 6,039,629 5.2 174,895 -6.3 43,683 1.8 20,837,963 3.3 693,923 -2.8 160,264 2.6 LJU Ljubljana Slovenia 100.00 157,992 0.1 928 -4.6 2,799 -11.0 500,628 2.8 3,839 -4.2 10,404 -0.5 Fraport Brasil 100.00 1,175,080 12.1 4,865 -29.6 10,553 -1.1 5,116,173 12.4 24,756 -4.0 44,991 3.1 FOR Fortaleza Brazil 100.00 536,130 20.9 1,806 -51.5 4,428 10.9 2,431,987 23.8 12,845 -6.0 20,095 17.3 POA Porto Alegre Brazil 100.00 638,950 5.7 3,059 -4.0 6,125 -8.2 2,684,186 3.7 11,911 -1.7 24,896 -6.1 Fraport Regional Airports of Greece A+B 73.40 1,434,650 7.2 585 -12.4 13,236 8.9 3,354,134 7.8 2,317 -2.4 33,404 9.1 Fraport Regional Airports of Greece A 73.40 875,455 -0.5 430 -16.0 7,663 1.4 2,326,026 5.9 1,782 2.5 21,303 5.3 CFU Kerkyra (Corfu) Greece 73.40 130,674 15.3 13 9.0 1,219 6.5 195,376 6.4 57 29.3 2,246 -5.6 CHQ Chania (Crete) Greece 73.40 168,911 -12.9 34 -14.3 1,304 -2.3 322,138 -7.4 136 3.3 2,716 10.5 EFL Kefalonia Greece 73.40 17,220 0.5 0 -100.0 254 22.7 26,999 4.2 0 -83.5 570 21.3 KVA Kavala Greece 73.40 7,026 -29.1 8 -19.7 154 -0.6 25,729 -71.7 31 63.5 514 -53.9 PVK Aktion/Preveza Greece 73.40 8,081 77.1 0 n.a. 115 -6.5 9,339 65.5 0 n.a. 298 -13.1 SKG Thessaloniki Greece 73.40 523,498 0.3 375 -16.4 4,345 1.1 1,717,641 13.4 1,555 0.9 14,387 12.5 ZTH Zakynthos Greece 73.40 20,045 5.5 0 -96.1 272 -6.8 28,804 2.3 4 43.7 572 -14.0 Fraport Regional Airports of Greece B 73.40 559,195 22.1 155 -0.5 5,573 21.1 1,028,108 12.4 535 -15.9 12,101 16.5 JMK Mykonos Greece 73.40 60,360 30.6 8 -3.0 712 39.1 84,974 25.2 18 49.1 1,164 29.8 JSI Skiathos Greece 73.40 2,398 28.2 0 n.a. 76 0.0 5,325 7.9 0 n.a. 200 -5.7 JTR Santorini (Thira) Greece 73.40 154,278 22.3 16 17.4 1,437 19.5 283,494 17.8 50 8.8 2,648 17.4 KGS Kos Greece 73.40 67,583 49.9 24 2.0 723 30.7 122,008 43.7 84 17.6 1,719 29.2 MJT Mytilene (Lesvos) Greece 73.40 28,575 3.5 33 2.8 439 37.2 101,269 11.8 116 -12.6 1,811 44.0 RHO Rhodes Greece 73.40 228,921 16.3 56 -0.9 1,844 11.1 380,437 -0.3 193 -32.5 3,369 -2.8 SMI Samos Greece 73.40 17,080 21.4 18 -16.6 342 23.0 50,601 15.3 73 -16.0 1,190 23.3 LIM Lima Peru 70.01 1,830,154 7.3 19,981 -7.9 16,058 2.5 7,371,197 4.9 82,511 -5.7 62,570 -0.6 Fraport Twin Star 60.00 106,205 -14.6 844 1.2 958 -17.6 309,811 -9.1 2,206 -33.1 2,949 -15.3 BOJ Burgas Bulgaria 60.00 26,114 -44.7 841 1.9 275 -41.7 62,079 -26.8 2,172 -33.6 771 -22.7 VAR Varna Bulgaria 60.00 80,091 3.8 3 -64.3 683 -1.2 247,732 -3.1 33 27.5 2,178 -12.3 At equity consolidated airports AYT Antalya Turkey 51.00 2,154,463 16.0 n.a. n.a. 14,470 18.8 4,871,240 10.1 n.a. n.a. 34,032 14.0 LED St. Petersburg Russia 25.00 1,359,348 6.0 n.a. n.a. 12,886 2.7 5,003,742 12.2 n.a. n.a. 48,934 7.2 XIY Xi'an China 24.50 3,826,235 4.0 27,742 27.3 28,164 4.0 15,109,909 6.9 100,857 16.8 110,590 5.5 Frankfurt Airport2 April 2019 Month ? % YTD 2019 ? % Passengers 6,039,842 5.1 20,838,890 3.3 Cargo (freight & mail) 178,342 -6.0 705,493 -3.3 Aircraft movements 43,683 1.8 160,264 2.6 MTOW (in metric tons)3 2,668,593 1.6 9,972,479 2.6 PAX/PAX-flight4 147.3 3.2 139.4 0.6 Seat load factor (%) 80.8 76.3 Punctuality rate (%) 74.9 76.1 Frankfurt Airport PAX share ? %5 PAX share ? %5 Regional Split Month YTD Continental 65.0 4.6 62.7 3.3 Germany 10.5 -0.7 11.1 0.5 Europe (excl. GER) 54.5 5.7 51.6 3.9 Western Europe 45.2 4.9 42.8 3.1 Eastern Europe 9.3 9.9 8.8 7.8 Intercontinental 35.0 6.2 37.3 3.3 Africa 4.8 13.9 4.9 8.9 Middle East 5.5 6.6 5.8 -1.2 North America 11.5 6.7 11.2 3.1 Central & South Amer. 3.4 6.1 4.2 6.9 Far East 9.8 2.2 11.1 2.4 Australia 0.0 n.a. 0.0 n.a. Definitions: 1 According to ACI definition: Passengers: commercial traffic only (arr+dep+transit counted once), Cargo: commercial and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep excluding transit, in metric tons), Movements: commercial and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep), preliminary figures; 2 Commercial and non-commercial traffic: Passengers (arr+dep+transit counted once, incl. general aviation), Cargo (arr+dep+transit counted once, in metric tons), Movements (arr+dep); 3 Inbound traffic only; 4 Scheduled and charter traffic; 5 absolute change vs. previous year in %; *Cargo = Freight + mail One of the leading financial solutions groups will offer a new way to invest in real estate with the launch of its property investment business. DUBAI, UAE, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Holborn Assets will add to the investment options available in-house by the Dubai-based group. With a range of investment strategies, Holborn looks to appeal to a range of clients from seasoned investors to first-time buyers. The new venture brings a streamlined approach to real estate investment with an end-to-end service unlike any other. Andrew Pigott, Operations Head of Holborn Property said: "Our bespoke service is designed with the client in mind. "Having a UK based operation that works closely with renowned developers and solicitors means we can offer an unparalleled level of service and due diligence - that's what sets us apart from our competitors." Tareq Samaha, Global Property Sales Manager adds: "House prices in the North West increased faster than anywhere else in the UK last year and projections from Savills suggest this is a trend we can expect to continue." Currently the focus is on property in the North West and the Midlands, two locations which have become increasingly desirable thanks to government investment, continued development and economic growth. Property value in the North West has increased by 4% over 12 months, followed by 2.9% and 1.6% in the West and East Midlands respectively. Thanks to lower initial investments compared to London, a growing number of investors are now turning their attention to the North. Rental yields in the region are some of the best in the country with Manchester at 7% and Liverpool at nearly 10%. Robert Parker, CEO of Holborn said: "The UK remains a very attractive market for investors. "Offshore investors have the added benefit of the weak sterling caused by Brexit uncertainty. "House prices in the North West increased faster than anywhere else in the UK last year and projections from Savills suggest this is a trend we can expect to continue." Holborn Assets is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Economy, the South African FSB, the Labuan Financial Services Authority in Malaysia, the Confederation of Insurance Brokers in Hong Kong and in the UK by the FCA. The business is registered on the UAE's Insurance Authority (IA) List within the Insurance Broker category. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886065/Middlewood_Plaza_Manchester_Holborn_Assets.jpg) (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/719435/Holborn_Assets_Logo.jpg) We began Veteran Roasters with a single goal: do what we can to give homeless and at-risk veterans a place to work and regain their lives, Marty said. With the support of our partner, Passion House Coffee Roasters, we can not only find and roast some of the worlds best coffee beans but further our mission of positively impacting the daily lives of our military veterans in the Chicago community. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Alba Minerals Ltd. ("Alba") (TSX - Venture: AA / Frankfurt: A117RU / OTC: AXVEF) is pleased to highlight the Lyons Property which features 9 historic mines. The Property is 19 km from the La Sal Complex operated by Energy Fuels Inc. where they are currently running a test mining program targeting vanadium. (To view the full-size image, please click here) *Sage Plain Report: http://www.energyfuels.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Sage_Plain_Technical_Report_March_18_2015.pdfhttp://www.energyfuels.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/La_Sal_-Technical_Report_March_25_2014.pdfhttp://www.energyfuels.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Whirlwind_Technical_Report_Mach_15_2011.pdf The Lyons Property is located in Montrose County, Colorado and abuts the Utah-Colorado border. It consists of 144 lode claims with an area of 2975.04 acres (1204 hectares). The claims are adjacent to Colorado Highway 90, which is an extension of Utah Highway 46 that changes designation at the state line. The property is accessible via 4-wheel drive roads off of the highway. Figure 1 - Lyons claims. (To view the full-size image, please click here) This property has seen extensive exploration and development work, which began in 1913 and has been intermittent since that time. The major amount of mining occurred in the 1950s. The primary commodity of interest historically has been uranium. Vanadium was also recovered as a byproduct and sometimes as the primary element depending on demand at the time (Carter and Gualtieri, 1965). Pre-1946 vanadium production from the La Sal Creek district, of which the Lyons property is a part, is estimated at 11,440 tonnes containing 220,788 kg of V2O5 (approximately 1.9% V2O5) (Chenowith, 1981). Nine mines are shown within the Lyons claim block on the geologic map of the La Sal Quadrangle (Carter and Gualtieri, 1965). Figure 2 - A portion of the geologic map of the La Sal quadrangle showing the locations of the nine mines within the Lyons Property. Available vanadium-uranium ratios for the various districts in the quadrangle report 6.3: 1 in La Sal. (To view in the full-size image, please click here) Several of the mines were discussed in detail in the text of the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) report and Table 1 is a listing of the U3O8 and V2O5 grades and their approximate ratios for each mine discussed by Carter and Gualtieri (1965) up through the end of the study (1956). Mine Name U3O8 (%) V2O5 (%) Approximate Ratio Angle 0.70 2.60 4:1 Confusion 0.47 2.13 4:1 Evening Star 0.24 2.00 8:1 Marjorie Ann 0.26 1.37 5:1 Morning Star 0.13 1.80 14:1 New Yellow Spot 0.13 1.70 14:1 Sumner 0.07 1.79 12:1 Vista Grande 0.44 2.57 6:1 Wedge 0.38 1.68 4:1 Table 1 - Average grades mined through 1956. Figure 3 shows some of the extensive exploration work completed by the USGS up through 1956 (modified from (Carter and Gualtieri, 1965, Plate 4). The small circles on the map indicate diamond drill holes. In all of the La Sal Creek Mineral Belt the USGS drilled a total of 505 holes with a total footage of 123,371 feet (37,603m) of drilling. The outline of the Lyons claim block has been superimposed on the map. Figure 3 - La Sal Creek area showing work completed by the USGS. (To view the full-size image, please click here) Ten surface grab rock samples were collected from the Lyons property in September 2018. The samples were sent to ALS Laboratories in Reno, Nevada for analysis. Figure 6.4 shows the locations of the samples within the Lyons claim block. Table 2 lists the UTM coordinates, uranium and vanadium assay results. Figure 4 - Locations of samples collected September 26, 2018. (To view the full-size image, please click here) Sample Number East UTM North UTM U ppm V ppm V % V2O5 Equivalent % 320475 1196225 4274004 280 12750 1.275 2.28 320476 1196704 4274874 230 10150 1.015 1.81 320477 1196678 4274882 280 3740 0.374 0.67 320478 1197012 4274377 550 4040 0.404 0.72 320479 1197106 4274319 420 2960 0.296 0.53 320480 1198237 4275013 <50 3890 0.389 0.69 320481 1198140 4274995 110 2870 0.287 0.51 320482 1198094 4274949 <50 2020 0.202 0.36 320483 1198005 4274904 <50 4890 0.489 0.87 320484 1198065 4274946 <50 8570 0.857 1.53 Table 2 - Lyons surface sample assay results. The transaction with Journey Exploration Inc. remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Bradley C. Peek, MSc and Certified Professional Geologist, who is a Qualified Person with respect to the Torado Vanadium & Uranium Project as defined under National Instrument 43-101. References Carter, W. D. and Gualtieri, J. L., 1956, La Sal Creek Area, Montrose County, Colorado: U. S. Geological Survey Trace Element Investigation TEI-620, pp. 57-60. Chenowith, William L., 1981, The Uranium-Vanadium Deposits of the Uravan Mineral Belt and Adjacent Areas, Colorado and Utah: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 32nd Field Conference, Western Slope, Colorado. About Alba Minerals Ltd. Alba Minerals Ltd. is a Vancouver-based junior resource company with a diverse portfolio of projects and investments in North and South America. Alba is focused on the development of the following interests: 3,800,000 common share ownership interest in Noram Ventures Inc., a lithium exploration and development Company whose principal property hoests a 146,000,000 inferred resource in Clayton Valley Nevada. The Quiron II Lithium Property consists of 2,421 hectares of prospective lithium exploration in the Pocitos Salar, Province of Salta, Argentina. The Property is located approximately 12 km northeast from the Liberty One Lithium Corp and 19 km from Pure Energy Minerals Ltd.'s Pocitos prospects. The Chascha Norte property consists of 2,843 hectares of prospective lithium exploration in the Southeastern part of the Salar de Arizaro, Salta, Argentina in closest vicinity to Argentina Lithium & Energy Corporation's and Lithium X's Arizaro lithium brine projects. The Rainbow Canyon Gold Property consists of 417 hectares of prospective gold exploration in the Olinghouse mining district, in the Washoe County Nevada. The Muddy Mountain property consists of 450.41 hectares of prospective lithium exploration in Muddy Mountains of Clark County, Nevada. Please visit our web site for further information: www.albamineralsltd.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Sandy MacDougall" Chairman & Director Phone: (778) 999-2159 This news release contains projections and forward - looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements; the uncertainty of future profitability; and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Actual results and future events could differ materially from anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward- looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressed qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstance or management's estimates or opinions change. 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. SOURCE: Alba Minerals Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545223/Alba-Acquires-Torado-Vanadium-Uranium-Project-Lyons-Property-Highlight--9-Historic-Mines Amsterdam/'s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, 14 May 2019 In the period from 7 May 2019 until 13 May 2019 Van Lanschot Kempen has repurchased 38,485 of its own shares (depositary receipts for Class A ordinary shares). The shares were repurchased at an average price of 22.59 per share for a total amount of 869,214. These repurchases are part of the share buy-back programme for at most 370,000 of own shares, which was announced on 21 February 2019. The total number of shares repurchased to date is 266,135. More information, including a detailed overview of the repurchase transactions under this programme, is available on www.vanlanschotkempen.com/sharebuyback. Media Relations: +31 20 354 45 85; mediarelations@vanlanschotkempen.com Investor Relations: +31 20 354 45 90; investorrelations@vanlanschotkempen.com About Van Lanschot Kempen Van Lanschot Kempen, a wealth manager operating under the Van Lanschot, Evi and Kempen brand names, is active in Private Banking, Asset Management and Merchant Banking, with the aim of preserving and creating wealth for its clients. Van Lanschot Kempen, listed at Euronext Amsterdam, is the Netherlands' oldest independent financial services company with a history dating back to 1737. vanlanschotkempen.com Disclaimer This document does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the sale, purchase or acquisition in any other way of or subscription to any financial instrument and is not an opinion or a recommendation to perform or refrain from performing any action. This document is a translation of the Dutch original and is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of any disparities, the Dutch version will prevail. Share buy-back programme weekly press release (http://hugin.info/133415/R/2244272/886178.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: Van Lanschot Kempen via Globenewswire Templestay and Temple food event to take place in Torino and Roma, May 20 - 25 TORINO, Italy and SEOUL, South Korea, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ven Jeong Kwan, who has been recognized as a heroine of Netflix series "Chef's Table" with the introduction of Temple food, is going to visit Italy. How about trying Temple food in Italy with her if you have never tried it before? The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism announced that it will participate in the "2019 Korea Week in Torino," organized by the Korean Embassy in Italy, the Consulate General of Korea in Milano and the Korean Cultural Center in Italy. The event's highlight will be Ven Jeong Kwan's workshop for Baru Gongyang, or a traditional way of formal monastic meal, using a wooden bowl called baru. 20 participants, who applied in advance, are qualified to attend each workshop. During the workshop, Ven Jeong Kwan will explain the meaning of temple food and Baru Gongyang and provide a chance to try it. Meanwhile, the Korean Cultural Center in Roma will offer a lecture on May 22, where participants have a chance to make Temple food by themselves. At the lecture, its characteristics and recipes will be introduced, followed by making Yeonnipbap, or steamed rice wrapped in a lotus leaf, stir-fried shiitake mushrooms in grain syrup and kimchi made of tomatoes and vegetables. At this event, The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism will also provide 'Templestay' experience, a traditional cultural tourism content of Korea. Templestay literally means "staying at a temple" and it allows participants to experience a day of Buddhist monks, learning Korea's Buddhist culture. There will also be Templestay promotional video screening, exhibition of paper dolls and Temple Food, and making Lotus lantern. For more information on detailed programs and application submission, please visit the Website of the Korean Cultural Center in Italy at http://italia.korean-culture.org. < Schedule of the Event > Date Program Venue May 20 (Mon) Templestay Experience Event Museum of Eastern Art, Torino May 21 (Tue) Baru Gongyang Workshop May 22(Wed) Templestay Experience Event Korean Cultural Center, Roma Lecture on Temple food May 24 (Fri) Baru Gongyang Workshop Grand Hotel Palace, Rome May 25 (Sat) Temple Food VIP Dinner Contact: Templestay Information Center, support@templestay.com , +82-2-2031-2000 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/885191/2019_Korea_Week_in_Torino.jpg TNSBERG, Norway, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Winter weather destroys paved roads. Quick repairs are difficult. Damage to your car is costly. Hit a deep hole, and repairing your car can cost anywhere from 250 to 1,000 or more. And if you drive a Tesla? With the repair backlog, how long are you without that vehicle? There's an unusual solution: The instant fix of EZ Street Asphalt. A pair of Swedish-American brothers have joined forces with Conzept AS in Tnsberg for faster, easier road repair. Now, road crews can go out in any weather and fix the road before it destroys your car. EZ Street is an advanced-technology, quick, permanent asphalt. It can be used in cold, rain and snow. It is a proven performer in famously harsh climates, including Alaska, the Yukon and the Outback. And now, with almost 25 years of production around the globe, this product is being produced in Norway by Conzept AS. They also guarantee that a repair made with EZ Street is permanent. Traditional road repair means filling winter's holes with a temporary patching product. These repairs normally do not last until the permanent repair. A temporary repair can happen two or three times or more-if it even happens. Eventually, a crew with hot mix goes out and makes the permanent repair. EZ Street is faster, easier and less costly. With EZ Street, the crew goes out one time. They go out in any weather. They patch the hole as quickly as with a temporary product-but the repair is permanent. It costs less because it requires no second repair crew with hot mix. And since it requires fewer resources and is made with bio-diesel, it's better for the environment. EZ Street completely changes the model of road repair. Asphalt plants normally close from December to April because hot mix is unusable. But EZ Street is used cold. It can be made in January and put in a stockpile. It's ready to use any time a crew wants to repair a road. And unlike hot asphalt, there is virtually no waste. Any unused EZ Street goes back into the stockpile. Conzept AS is making EZ Street available to all of Norway. The product is available in bulk, 1000 kg bulk bags and 22 kg bags. For more information, contact: Conzept 99614638 Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvcLqgvjLY 14 May, 2019 U.S. Oil & Gas Plc. ("U.S. Oil" or the "Company") Operations update U.S. Oil & Gas Plc, the oil and gas exploration company with assets in Nevada, makes the following announcement: On 26 April 2019, the Nevada Division of Minerals informed the Company it had approved its application to frack the Eblana-3 well on federal lease #87414 in Hot Creek Valley, Nevada. At its AGM of 30 May 2019, the Company informed shareholders that the fracking plan was currently being evaluated by its technical team and by independent experts in the light of a developing geological picture of the oil system in the valley. On receiving their considered views, the Board would then decide whether or not to proceed with the frack. The Board would also take into account alternative exploration proposals. Technical review The review exercise is now complete. Recommendations to the Board are that it should not proceed with fracking Eblana-3, as it may not offer a sufficiently high chance of producing a well capable of flowing hydrocarbons for an extended period at acceptable rates. The decision of the Board is therefore not to proceed with the frack but instead to allocate the funds to drilling a further well or wells. Drilling The latest geological studies carried out by the Company indicate that oil in the valley centre is mostly migrating through the lease area of Eblana-1 and Eblana-3 rather than being trapped in large quantities. Significantly more prospective locations with possibly superior traps are believed to exist within the Company's lease area to the west and to the east. The western play targets Paleozoic strata and the eastern play the Tertiary. Subject to funding and regulatory permissions, the Company is considering drilling a further well or wells to the west, where the current basin model indicates a structural analogue of Railroad Valley's Grant Canyon field may be present. Grant Canyon historically included the most productive onshore well in the USA, flowing at over 4,000 bopd. Based on geomagnetic, geochemical and existing seismic data, as well as downhole data from Eblana-1 and Eblana-3, the prospectivity of the western play is highly encouraging. In this area, the Paleozoic strata rise to relatively shallow depths, currently estimated to be 3,500 ft. or less, potentially allowing for the development of low-cost wells. Intensive data analysis and modelling efforts are ongoing, and planned data collection includes seismic surveys to confirm structural aspects of identified leads. The Company anticipates that further funds will be required for drilling, although funds hitherto earmarked for fracking Eblana-3 will significantly reduce the requirement. The Tertiary play on the Company's eastern leases, updip to the Eblana-1 and Eblana-3 wells is also considered highly prospective. The play appears to be analogous to Railroad Valley's Trap Springs field and, subject to further data collection and analysis, may also provide promising targets for drilling. Lease expiries Federal lease #87414 (the location of the Eblana-1 and Eblana-3 wells) and lease #87415 are set to expire on May 31 2019 if they do not produce oil in paying quantities. Since no drilling will take place before that date on Lease 87415, and the Company is not now proceeding with fracking operations on lease #87414, those leases will be relinquished. The above-named leases account for less than 7% of the Company's total lease area. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The statements in this communication reflect the current thinking of the Board and the Company's present plans. The Company reserves the right to alter plans in the light of developing knowledge and circumstances. Shareholders' attention is drawn to the note below concerning Forward-looking Statements. This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information". Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: business plans and strategies of US Oil and Gas; operating or technical difficulties in connection with drilling or development activities; availability and costs associated with inputs and labour; drilling and exploration costs; the speculative nature of oil exploration and development; diminishing quantities or quality of reserves; synergies and financial impact of completed acquisitions; the benefits of the acquisitions and the development potential of properties of US Oil and Gas; the future price of oil; supply and demand for oil; the estimation of reserves; the realization of reserve estimates; costs of production and projections of costs; success of exploration activities; capital expenditure programs and the timing and method of financing thereof; the ability of US Oil and Gas to achieve drilling success consistent with management's expectations; net present values of future net revenues from reserves; expected levels of royalty rates, operating costs, general and administrative costs, costs of services and other costs and expenses; expectations regarding the ability to raise capital and to add to reserves through acquisitions, assessments of the value of acquisitions and exploration and development programs; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems; treatment under governmental regulatory regimes and tax laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT Neither this announcement nor the information contained herein constitutes an offer or solicitation by U.S. Oil and Gas Plc for the purchase or sale of any securities nor does it constitute a solicitation to any person in any jurisdiction where solicitation would be unlawful. For further information contact: Brian McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer +353 (1) 631 9022 About U.S. Oil & Gas: U.S. Oil & Gas plc is an oil and gas exploration company with a strategy to identify and acquire oil and gas assets in the early phase of the upstream life-cycle and mature them. The Company's main asset is in Nye County, Nevada where it holds the entire share capital of US-based company, Major Oil International LLC ("Major Oil"). Major Oil has acquired rights to exploration and development acreage in Hot Creek Valley, Nye County, adjacent to the oil and gas rich Railroad Valley area of Nevada, both of which are part of the Sevier Thrust of central Nevada and western Utah, USA. Award-winning Dayforce platform will help charity deliver real-time, actionable insights and improve people operations across 35 countries Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (NYSE: CDAY; TSX: CDAY), a global human capital management (HCM) company, announced today that Christian Aid will deploy Dayforce, its cloud-based platform, to integrate all aspects of their employee lifecycle worldwide. Helping people across the world is no easy task, and for charitable organisations like Christian Aid, technology can be key to ensure they stay on course to improve the lives of those in need. Christian Aid, a charity dedicated to ending poverty, employs staff in some of the world's most vulnerable communities within Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean, often in remote locations where infrastructure and internet access are not always reliable. It was looking for a HCM solution with a strong mobile offering to enable remote employees, volunteers, and managers to perform their day-to-day roles effectively and with ease on the device of their choice. From employees having the freedom to record their time without being tied to a physical location, to managers communicating with colleagues in multiple languages through the message centre, the Dayforce mobile app met all their needs. "We wanted a solution that would help simplify our organisation's increasingly complex HR practices and compliance requirements and Dayforce ticked all the boxes," said Nicola Williams, Head of People, UK and Ireland, Christian Aid. "To find a product in the marketplace that allows our team to manage staff across 35 countries, from a single system at any time, is really exciting. We plan to leverage insights across Dayforce to ask better questions and make more informed decisions." "With workers' expectations of their employers increasing, and companies operating across borders dealing with elevated levels of regulatory complexity, charities like Christian Aid are realising that technology can help them navigate the changing world of work," said Ross Tracey, Managing Director, Ceridian Europe. "Today's employee wants to engage with their employer from anywhere with any device and, with Dayforce, Christian Aid is getting a modern platform and unified suite that was built to ensure the employee experience is very intuitive." For more than seventy years, Christian Aid has been working in some of the world's poorest communities where there is a great need, regardless of religion, to provide urgent and effective humanitarian assistance, advocacy, and development. Christian Aid will be presenting its Dayforce journey at the Ceridian HCM Executive Summit in London on 22nd May. For more information and to register for the Summit, visit: Ceridian.com/HCMSummit/London. About Ceridian Ceridian. Makes Work Life Better. Ceridian is a global human capital management software company. Dayforce, our flagship cloud HCM platform, provides human resources, payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management functionality. Our platform is used to optimize management of the entire employee lifecycle, including attracting, engaging, paying, deploying, and developing people. Ceridian has solutions for organizations of all sizes. Visit Ceridian.com or follow us @Ceridian. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005075/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Teri Murphy Teri.Murphy@Ceridian.com +1 647.417.2117 ISTANBUL, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Offering services with uninterrupted power solutions for 25 years, Teksan Generator is growing fast on the global scale by expanding its geographical coverage and fortifying market position through its strong sales and services network. The company, which is enlisted among "Turkey's Top 500 Industrial Enterprises," provides diesel, natural & biogas gensets, lighting towers, cogeneration-trigeneration and hybrid power systems with comprehensive technical services. Furthermore, Teksan can serve its customers with niche solutions such as super-silent solutions as well as composite canopies, which are the choice of the professionals that are in search of uniqueness in comfort and better designs in their architectural projects. Teksan, which exports approximately 60% of its production to more than 130 countries foremostly UK, Holland, Greece, Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Algeria, Libya, Kenya, Thailand and so on, distinguishes against competitors through its technology, R&D, and innovations. Company that innovates tailor-made power solutions for major projects such as construction, telecommunication and data center projects, retailers, hotels, hospitals, residences, mining facilities, financial institutions, sport centers and industrial plants, has noteworthy references like Anfield Stadium (UK), Raiking Hospital (Thailand), Allai Newroz Telecom (Iraq), Rejal Alma Sewage Treatment Plant (Saudi Arabia), ING Bank Haagse Port Investment Banking (Holland) and so on. Teksan, one of the few companies in the world that can use hybrid power generation technologies, is also differentiated with its natural & biogas driven cogeneration-trigeneration systems, which utilize renewable sources to deliver higher energy efficiency rates up to 90%, and decrease the payback period of the investment to a short span such as 2-3 years while to reduce carbon emission by 40%. Teksan Hybrid Genset, a solution where diesel engine and battery bank can be integrated to renewable resources such as solar and wind to power off-grid projects such as telecom towers and oil drilling platforms, decreases payback period of investments up to 1,5 years by reducing fuel consumption up to 65%. Teksan's Lighting Towers, solutions which also have hybrid power technology, are being used particularly in the enlightenment of outdoor areas such as construction sites and provides savings in fuel consumption up to 73%. In addition to the savings in fuel consumption, Teksan's environmentally friendly hybrid solutions also decrease operational expenses through longer service intervals that can be handled with fewer technical personnel and delivers extended economic life of the engines due to lower engine operation times. For further information regarding Teksan you may visit: www.teksan.com. Contact: Deniz Saglam denizsaglam@teksan.com Sherwood Lodge rated 'Outstanding' across all five CQC categories Cygnet now has the only two learning disability hospitals in the country to have achieved this extremely rare accolade LONDON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cygnet Health Care is delighted to announce that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated the care provided by Sherwood Lodge, Cygnet's specialist learning disability hospital and Sherwood House, Cygnet's specialist rehabilitation mental health hospital as 'Outstanding'. The services provided by both hospitals, near each other in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, have been rated as 'Outstanding' overall, and Cygnet Sherwood Lodge has achieved the extraordinary accolade of being rated as 'Outstanding' across all five of the CQC's assessment categories for caring, safe, effective, responsive and well-led services. The hospital joins Cygnet Elms as the second of only two learning disability hospitals in the country to have achieved this extremely rare honour. The CQC's report for Sherwood Lodge praises the hospital's 'innovative and pioneering approaches to care' and highlights how employees treated service users 'with kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and understood the individual needs of patients'. The efforts of all staff are commended in the report for the 'compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership', to the staff in general who empower patients 'to have a voice and realise their potential.' The CQC also commended the 'highly motivated' team at Sherwood House with carers informing the CQC inspectors that 'staff went the extra mile and their care and support exceeded their expectations'. The specifically tailored nature of the care was singled out in the report which describes the 'proactive approach to understanding the needs of different groups of people' and how care was delivered to meet those needs. Claire Griffiths, Hospital Manager at Cygnet Sherwood Lodge said: "I am incredibly proud of the entire Sherwood Lodge team. To achieve an 'Outstanding' CQC rating in all five assessment categories is a fitting testament to the excellent care and support we provide. "This report is a welcome acknowledgement of the commitment of our staff to ensure patient-centred care, quality and innovation are at the heart of our service." Nita Roper, Hospital Manager at Cygnet Sherwood House said: "The team at Cygnet Sherwood House already had a strong belief that we were an outstanding service so this report is a fantastic recognition of our hard work and dedication to providing the best of care to our service users. "This is a remarkable achievement for everyone involved and we are proud to have set the standard for mental health services across our region." Tony Romero, CEO of Cygnet Health Care said: "Many congratulations to all staff at Cygnet Sherwood Lodge and Sherwood House, who thoroughly deserve this fantastic acknowledgement. The dedication and enthusiasm they show in caring for some of society's most vulnerable people is an inspiration to us all. "Cygnet Health Care is proud to run the only two learning disability hospitals in the entire country to be rated as 'Outstanding' across all five assessment categories." Notes to editors Cygnet Health Care has seven facilities that are rated as outstanding, with two of these being rated as outstanding in all five categories. Cygnet Health Care has four additional hospitals that have outstanding individual CQC assessment categories. Over 80% of Cygnet's facilities are rated as good or outstanding, which is above the national average. About Cygnet Health Care Cygnet Health Care has been providing a national network of high-quality, specialised mental health services for the NHS and local authorities for the past 30 years. Cygnet Health Care's pioneering services support people with complex and acute mental health needs across the UK. As one of the best quality providers in mental health services in the country, Cygnet Health Care's focus is always on the best outcomes for those who use or commission its services. www.cygnethealth.co.uk/ Interviews and pictures available on request For more information please contact Sapience Communications: Richard Morgan Evans, Charlotte Cheal, James Gittings, Rhianna Miller, James Sharples E. cygnet@sapiencecomms.co.ukT. +44-0203-195-3240 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886397/Cygnet_Logo.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886398/Sherwood_House.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886399/Sherwood_Lodge.jpg Volkswagen, Moovster and Vinturas work with IBM to provide business insights across the automotive value chain PARIS, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced relationships with European companies - Volkswagen (Germany), Moovster (Germany) and Vinturas (Netherlands) - that could redefine the future of their auto industry with hybrid cloud and AI. "Our relationship with vehicles and the way we experience mobility is expected to change drastically over the coming decade," said Dirk Wollschlaeger, General Manager Global Automotive, Aerospace & Defense Industries at IBM. "AI and Hybrid Cloud are viewed as key drivers of evolving business models, such as personalized digital services in and around the vehicle." A September 2017 IBM survey of automotive executives from around the world revealed that 73 percent surveyed believe future mobility services will need to be co-created with consumers as digital technologies redefine our relationship with our vehicles.1 IBM is working to introduce hybrid cloud and AI solutions - including IoT and Blockchain - to automotive companies to help them enable their digital reinvention. IBM Announcing Relationships Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH, in Zwickau, Germany, is laying the groundwork to meet Volkswagen Group's commitment to sell more than one million electric vehicles annually by 2025. VW Sachsen has been working with IBM to implement SAP S/4HANA, which serves as a pilot to streamline financial processes worldwide for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand. Moovster, the Munich-based mobility and artificial intelligence start-up, developed a new Mobility-as-a-Service platform for employers, employees, citizens and smart cities that want to change mobility in big cities for the better. Moovster makes everyday mobility more flexible, saves the user money and rewards sustainable and healthy mobility behavior. As a response to the increasingly congested cities, Moovster motivates users to choose alternative transport options for example personal bicycle, electro scooter, sharing offers or public transport. The solution is running in the IBM Cloud. Follow them at getmoovster.com. Vinturas, a Netherlands-based automotive logistics company, is deploying IBM Blockchain technologies to help improve the experience of buying a new or used car. By using blockchain to replace previously paper-based systems, the Vinturas platform will build greater transparency and efficiency into the movement of vehicles between manufacturers, dealers, and leasing companies - helping to increase the confidence of buyers and reduce VAT, mileage and import-tax fraud, which costs billions of dollars in Europe every year. About IBM For more information about IBM: https://www.ibm.com Media Contact Vince Smith IBM Europe Communications +44 7802 216940 smithv@uk.ibm.com Jeannine Kilbride IBM External Relations + 1-860-997-6277 jkilbri@us.ibm.com _______________________________ 1 James, Duncan; Lulla, Sachin; Marshall, Anthony; and Stanley, Ben. "Driving Digital Destiny; Digital Reinvention in Automotive, IBM Institute for Business Value, https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/6PNR9QXO Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95470/ibm_logo.jpg GlobalMeet Delivers Cloud Phone Services to European Market Starting in the UK ATLANTA and LONDON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today PGi, a business communications provider with a focus on helping people connect, announced the launch of its unified communications as a service (UCaaS) offering via the GlobalMeet platform in EMEA on the heels of the U.S. announcement in March. GlobalMeet includes cloud voice capabilities and an award-winning collaboration app that drives productivity and teamwork for over 17 million users each month around the world. This combination allows companies to streamline the number of software tools and vendors utilised, optimise employee productivity and accelerate business growth in a rapidly evolving technology market. The move marks PGi's commitment to supporting European businesses with their productivity and growth requirements. According to the analyst firm, Frost & Sullivan, hosted IP telephony and UCaaS users accounted for only 5.1 percent of the total workforce in 2017 and this figure is expected to reach 20.9 percent by 2024. The cloud voice and UCaaS market in Europe is ripe for growth and organisations are eager for competitive solutions to enable them to communicate more effectively so that they can drive business progress. UCaaS Availability in the UK By using PGi's carrier-grade, global network, GlobalMeet targets businesses who need enterprise-quality voice communications, powerful collaboration, business messaging capabilities and a great customer experience. GlobalMeet customers can replace existing PBXs and other phone systems and consolidate their business communications and collaboration services onto a single, unified solution and user experience. The GlobalMeet platform is cloud-native - an important feature to customers for speed and efficiency. This cloud-native architecture is reinventing the concept of reliability for UCaaS customers and sets GlobalMeet apart from the competition. Smart Collaboration Goes 'Freemium' GlobalMeet Collaboration is now broadly available as a freemium offering that allows businesses to host unlimited feature-rich video meetings. Thanks to flexible pricing models, enterprise customers can opt for a version of GlobalMeet Collaboration that offers advanced meeting features and tools, while those with simpler needs can begin to use the solution at no cost to host their video meetings. The GlobalMeet platform also delivers automated calendar management and awareness through Active Directory Integrations with Office 365 on a new Home tab. The integration allows GlobalMeet to scrape your calendar to add upcoming meetings and appointments into the desktop application, making GlobalMeet the de-facto application to manage all communication and collaboration requirements. Key Quotes Don Joos, Chief Executive Officer, PGi said, "The GlobalMeet platform will enable European businesses to drive greater productivity and efficiencies by offering a cloud phone system that is easier to install, deploy, service and support. Work gets done on the phone, in chats and over meetings and our team has worked hard to centralise and streamline this functionality in one simple to use app. With GlobalMeet, organisations of any size can drive productivity across teams, regardless of their technology budget." Elka Popova, North American Program Director, Unified Communications & Collaboration Information and Communication Technologies, Frost & Sullivan said, "The European, and the UK market in particular, for UCaaS is growing rapidly. There is plenty of space within the market for healthy competition. The GlobalMeet platform has capabilities that will enable organisations to leverage contemporary cloud communications solutions to compete more effectively. This heritage in delivering successful business communication solutions positions PGi favourably to drive the market forward in a way that newer players are unable to, especially among mid-market and larger enterprise clients." Call To Action PGi will demonstrate the capabilities of GlobalMeet, including its UCaaS offering and new smart meeting features, at UC Expo, 15-16 May 2019, ExCel London (Stand E112). Stop by our stand to learn how GlobalMeet can improve your business communications. Patrick Harper, CTO, PGi will also speak at UC Expo on 15 May, 12.20-12.50 PM in the 'Future of Work' Theatre about, 'How Digital, Disruptive Tech is Elevating the Communication Experience'. About Premiere Global Services, Inc. | PGi PGi provides business communications that unleash productivity at work. Its cloud-based communications and collaboration platform, GlobalMeet, connects people, teams and enterprises around the world. To learn more about GlobalMeet collaboration, hosted voice, webcast and webinar solutions, visit pgi.com, or follow PGi on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. PGi Media Contact: Kelly Strain PGi, PR & Social Media Manager Email: kelly.strain@pgi.com | Phone: +1 303-482-9033 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/470502/PGi_Logo.jpg Each of RBCs flagship ciders dry, semi-dry and blossom will be available among the eight tap lines, while the other five will offer three rotating, experimental ciders currently blueberry, lime and melon and two rotating kegged cocktails. Morgan said she and Davis are excited to finally have the bandwidth to create experimental ciders, plus an outlet to serve them. For cocktails, theyve worked with Chicago distillery Koval a bit on ideas and are imagining many options, including some cider-centric riffs on classic drinks. LONDON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Laws of Attraction, a business consultancy specialising in the science of interpersonal relationships, has developed Vibe - an innovative employee engagement platform to exponentially increase business performance. Recognition and praise have been identified as the two key components behind successful workplace relationships. Laws of Attraction believes that communication forms the fabric of a thriving business, hence why they have developed Vibe, an innovative feedback platform that enables organisations to enhance engagement. Vibe harvests big data to drive cultural change by producing insightful, easy-to-understand reports that inspire conversations and ignite debates about the things that matter most to their people. The feedback collected by Vibe encourages more empathetic behaviour, as it quickly and accurately highlights any patterns in employees' thoughts and feelings. Companies with highly engaged employees outperform their competitors by 147 per cent. No one knows this better than Simon Sinek, author and organisational consultant. He said: "Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first." To learn more about how Vibe can improve workplace relationships, read the full article. About Business Reporter Business Reporter is distributed with The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and City AM, each of our publications reaches an average of 1.5 million people. Content is also published through the Business Reporter and TEISS websites, which includes video debates, online articles, and digital magazines. This content is meant to deliver news and analysis on the issues that are affecting businesses to our global audience. In addition to publications, Business Reporter hosts conferences, breakfasts meetings, and exclusive summits. These events bring together some of the most influential decision makers and innovators in modern business. These exclusive events for business leaders complement the content and direction of editorial projects, allowing them to have direct contact with their readers. Above all, Business Reporter's commitment is to make meaningful analysis for every business owner. Whether individuals are running a small business, the head of a local company or an executive in a multinational corporation, there will be something for them at Business Reporter. https://www.business-reporter.co.uk -- Dr. C.A. (Oscar) Izeboud, Managing Director at NIBC Bank N.V., strengthens Board with first-hand experience in medtech and financial markets -- Luciole Medical AG announced today the appointment of C. A. (Oscar) Izeboud, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors. Dr. Izeboud currently leads the Life Sciences and Equities Markets at NIBC Bank N.V. in Amsterdam and brings to Luciole his in-depth knowledge of financial markets within the healthcare and life sciences sectors, which will be advantageous as Luciole Medical continues to develop its innovative products to measure brain oxygenation levels. "Being able to recruit Oscar to our Board is a great achievement for Luciole Medical and an important step in our strategy to establish the company as the leading developer of innovative solutions to monitor and evaluate brain function in patients," commented Dr. Philippe Dro, CEO of Luciole Medical. "Given Oscar's impressive track record in the financial and healthcare industries, we are honored to welcome him to Luciole Medical and look forward to his contributions as we continue to position the company and its technology for success." Dr. C. A. (Oscar) Izeboud is currently Managing Director at NIBC Bank N.V. in Amsterdam, where he leads its corporate finance and capital markets services. Before joining NIBC Bank, he successfully developed the Life Sciences and Healthcare practice of Kempen Co., a Dutch merchant bank. During his tenure at Kempen Co. and NIBC Bank, Dr. Izeboud was instrumental in numerous public and private transactions in Europe and the US. Prior to entering the banking industry, Dr. Izeboud served as the Director of Business Development at the biotechnology company, Crucell, which was later acquired by Johnson Johnson in 2011. He holds a Ph.D. in immunopharmacology from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. "Luciole Medical's next-generation devices are addressing an area of immense medical need, enabling clinicians to monitor a patient's brain function in real time and make informed, quick decisions that can be vital for survival," added Dr. Izeboud. "I am impressed with what the Luciole Medical team has achieved thus far and am looking forward to contributing to Luciole's development." Luciole Medical has developed a technology platform that uses the absorbance and transmittance properties of light at the near-infrared spectral range to measure brain oxygenation levels and cerebral blood flow, critical parameters necessary for proper brain function. Luciole Medical's first product developed using the platform, called RheoProbe, is a minimally invasive device that received market authorization in Europe. The company's second device, RheoPatch, a non-invasive patch, is in the final stage of development with approval expected in late 2019. About Luciole Medical Luciole Medical AG is developing a unique, next-generation platform of brain monitoring sensors to rapidly provide important information allowing the proper diagnostic and monitoring of compromised oxygen supply conditions and complications. The platform also uses a proprietary complex algorithm to analyse large data sets and extract clinically relevant information. The company obtained the CE mark for a minimally invasive probe for ICU and is developing a patch for external measurement of brain oxygenation parameters. The Swiss-based private company is a spin-off from the Swiss Polytechnic Institute and the University of Zurich. For more information, visit http://www.luciolemedical.ch View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005378/en/ Contacts: For Luciole Medical: Dr. Philippe Dro, CEO Phone: +41 43343 96 04 Philippe.dro@luciolemedical.ch Media requests for Luciole Medical: Gretchen Schweitzer or Dr. Jacob Verghese Trophic Communications Phone: +49 89 2388 7730 or +49 173 364 1607 verghese@trophic.eu MILAN, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacuzzi - the world leader in the SPA industry and one of the most authoritative wellness brands around - was among the biggest draws at Fuorisalone 2019, where it unveiled to European endconsumers the bathtub ARGA. The tub offers unique and innovative solutions such as Swirlpool technology, a gentle water vortex which creates a warm embrace for users, as well as colour therapy and an integrated salts diffuser, for an unparalleled wellness experience which ARGA delivers in the utmost silence, thanks to the presence of Whisper+ Technology. Produced in Italy, ARGA is already available in the best showrooms. But that's not all: the Italian swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri also appeared at the event to do a swimming demonstration in the SwimSpa SwimExpert17, not only a swimming pool ready to use all seasons but an aquatic gym for special circuit training. "In recent years, the bathroom and SPA sectors have experienced significant developments in terms of technology and design," said Fabio Felisi, the President and General Manager or Jacuzzi EMEA. "Our company has always been one step ahead of the curve in the face of these changes and we will make sure that continues for whatever the future holds. We are constantly innovating in order to tackle new market challenges and ensure further international growth. Fuorisalone allows us to interact with design lovers, opinion leaders and architects, who are a strategically important target audience for us. We want to engage with architects more and more in the future, promoting new ideas and solutions that can be enhanced thanks to the prestige that comes with our brand." About Jacuzzi : Jacuzzi EMEA (based in Milan, Italy) operates in Europe, Africa and Asia directly, through various regional commercial offices and indirectly through an extensive sales network. Design, Wellbeing, Performance and Care: these are the values that constituted the essence of Jacuzzi, a brand that anticipates needs and trends, creating innovative products and solutions designed to meet requests of any kind. Spas, whirlpool baths, multifunction showers, shower enclosures, saunas and hammams, and much more: a wide range of products with a unique combination of state-of-the-art technology, design and exclusive functions, that guarantee the highest performance both in domestic/residential and the professional environment of hospitality sector. Press Info: Giorgio Terzuolo Brand & Communication Manager EMEA & Asia gterzuolo@jacuzzi.eu Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/881692/Jacuzzi_Fuorisalone_2019.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/799294/Jacuzzi_Logo.jpg Bright Pattern, leading provider of omnichannel cloud contact center technology for innovative companies, has been selected by Customer Contact Week's esteemed panel of judges as a finalist for Omnichannel Provider of the Year SAN BRUNO, California, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bright Pattern today announces its placement as a finalist for the 2019 Customer Contact Week (CCW) Omnichannel Provider of the Year award. The winner will be announced at Customer Contact Week, the world's largest customer experience event in Las Vegas, June 25, 2019. The Excellence Awards honor, recognize, and promote companies who drive superior customer experience performance. The Omnichannel Provider of the Year award is dedicated to recognizing innovative industry-leading thinking, creativity, and execution of effortless and personal omnichannel technology. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886258/Bright_Pattern_CCW.jpg Bright Pattern's cloud omnichannel contact center platform is used globally in over 26 countries. Innovative companies powering their customer experience with Bright Pattern include Mercedes Benz, FedEx, TTEC, American Girl, Logitech, Chanel, Overstock.com, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Weebly, and Kaiser Permanente. The nominated companies were judged on omnichannel key differentiators, omnichannel customer success and use cases, and customer satisfaction through ratings and testimonials. "In our CX-driven economy, companies have been oversaturated with buzzwords like omnichannel, which has created confusion among product offerings," said Michael McCloskey, CEO of Bright Pattern. "Customer Contact Week's Excellence Awards for Omnichannel Provider of the Year cuts through the buzz and recognizes true omnichannel providers that offer seamless customer experience across traditional and emerging channels like video, text, bots, and social messengers. We are honored that Bright Pattern was recognized as one of the top omnichannel providers and the award is a reflection of our innovation and customers' success using omnichannel communications to disrupt the customer service industry." Omnichannel Key Differentiators: Easy Enterprise Contact Center Built for the Future: Bright Pattern is an end-to-end omnichannel contact center with built-in omnichannel quality management with 100% uptime and enterprise scalability. Bright Pattern integrates with best-of-breed AI from IBM, Google, Amazon, and others, and is open to integrations with any bot provider. Bright Pattern is the only cloud contact center that can run on all cloud infrastructures, including AWS and Microsoft Azure. Bright Pattern is an end-to-end omnichannel contact center with built-in omnichannel quality management with 100% uptime and enterprise scalability. Bright Pattern integrates with best-of-breed AI from IBM, Google, Amazon, and others, and is open to integrations with any bot provider. Bright Pattern is the only cloud contact center that can run on all cloud infrastructures, including AWS and Microsoft Azure. True Omnichannel-Traditional and Emerging Channels: Bright Pattern allows companies to communicate in a seamless conversation across traditional channels, such as voice, chat, text, and email, as well as messaging channels like Facebook Messenger, LINE, Telegram, and Viber. Bright Pattern also takes a mobile-first approach with in-app communication, where within your app, you can text, chat, video chat, share location, and send media or file attachments. Bright Pattern allows companies to communicate in a seamless conversation across traditional channels, such as voice, chat, text, and email, as well as messaging channels like Facebook Messenger, LINE, Telegram, and Viber. Bright Pattern also takes a mobile-first approach with in-app communication, where within your app, you can text, chat, video chat, share location, and send media or file attachments. Easy-to-Use and Low Cost: Bright Pattern can be easily deployed in weeks with one-time professional services that cost a fraction of what other vendors charge. Once deployed, business users can make changes quickly with no costly professional services. Omnichannel Customer Testimonials: Rob Duncan, CEO of Omni Interactions "Bright Pattern makes it very easy for us to deliver the omnichannel experience our clients need. We looked at several cloud-based companies that offered omnichannel services, and Bright Pattern was the only one to provide everything we need to support our Fortune 1000 clients and our at-home agents in a scalable, reliable, and super easy-to-use package. Unreliability is not an option. We count on Bright Pattern to provide a reliable cloud infrastructure, so that our clients can depend on us." Roger Meador, Co-Founder at TruSource Labs "Bright Pattern is a true omnichannel contact center, built for the modern contact center. I keep up my due diligence but I haven't found anyone doing it better. Our contact center model is still evolving on a lot of fronts. As our business matures and our customers' needs evolve, we need a contact center infrastructure that we can rely on to evolve with us. We can do things with Bright Pattern, like detailed skills-based routing, that would be very difficult with other contact center solutions. Our contact center infrastructure is mission-critical because it provides our primary value proposition. Bright Pattern delivers everything we need." Gavin Blair, Head of Customer Experience at Canary "We initially struggled to find an omnichannel contact center solution that flawlessly integrated with Zendesk, but with Bright Pattern, the integration worked from day one. My job is to go where the customer conversation is happening. Because Bright Pattern is so dedicated to bridging the gap between customers and customer service centers, I believe their service will continue to provide channels that are cutting-edge. If you want a sophisticated omnichannel solution that works with the other SaaS tools you may be using, Bright Pattern is the solution for you." About Bright Pattern Bright Pattern provides the most simple and powerful contact center for innovative midsize and enterprise companies. With the purpose of making customer service brighter, easier, and faster than ever before, Bright Pattern offers the only true omnichannel cloud platform that can be deployed quickly and nimbly by business users-without costly professional services. Bright Pattern allows companies to offer an effortless, personal, and seamless customer experience across channels like voice, text, chat, email, video, messengers, and bots. The company was founded by a team of industry veterans who pioneered the leading on-premises solutions and today are delivering an architecture for the future with an advanced cloud-first approach. Bright Pattern's cloud contact center solution is used globally in over 26 countries and 12 languages. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/634980/Bright_Pattern___Logo.jpg 14 May 2019 Employee Director appointments Capita has today appointed two employees as non-executive directors, becoming the first FTSE 250 company since the late 1980s to appoint workers to its board. Lyndsay Browne and Joseph Murphy will join the board as employee directors with effect from 1 July 2019, with an initial appointment period of three and two years, respectively. Lyndsay is a chartered accountant and has been at Capita since 2003. She is currently a finance manager in Insurance Services, where she is responsible for four separate contracts and works closely with the operations directors. Joseph is a chartered civil engineer and joined the company in 2015. He is a project manager in Real Estate and Infrastructure where he carries out technical due diligence and advises on infrastructure projects. In their new non-executive roles, they will provide an employee's perspective and expertise, and input into strategic decision-making with the same level of authority as other directors. Lyndsay and Joseph will both continue in their current day-to-day roles, with time allowances made for them to be able to fulfil their employee director responsibilities. They will receive the same remuneration as other non-executive directors, and provided with a full programme of training to equip them for their new roles. Their appointment follows an extensive recruitment process across Capita's staff of more than 63,000. All employees with two years' continuous service were eligible for the roles - and almost 400 people applied. The Capita board currently comprises eight directors - the chairman, chief executive officer, chief financial officer and five independent non-executive directors. Sir Ian Powell, chairman of Capita, said: "I am delighted to welcome Lyndsay and Joseph to the board and proud that Capita is the first FTSE 250 company in many years to make such appointments. "We are determined that the employee's perspective and increased diversity of thought are represented at board level. "Lyndsay and Joseph bring very different skills, experience and insights. I have no doubt they will prove strong members of the board." . ENDS Media enquiries: Capita Press Office 020 7654 2399 media@capita.co.uk Powerscourt 020 7250 1446 capita@powerscourt-group.com Notes: In accordance with the UK Listing Rules, the Company confirms that there are no further details that are required to be disclosed under paragraph LR9.6.13(1) - (6) of the UK Listing Rules in respect of Lyndsay Browne and Joseph Murphy. Capita is a leading provider of technology-enabled business services, operating across five key markets: Software; People Solutions; Customer Management; IT & Networks; and Government Services. Working across the UK, Europe, India and South Africa, we use our expertise, talent and technology to partner with our clients to transform services and add value for all their stakeholders. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L). Further information on Capita can be found at: http://www.capita.com Disengagement Among Deskless Workers Accounts for 80 Percent of the Global Workforce and Costs Organizations Billions of Dollars Annually Due to Limited Reach Communication Channels LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019, the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions for the deskless workforce , today announced that its new eBook, entitled " How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global Employee Engagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion Deskless Employees ," is now available. The new eBook examines why individuals often become disengaged, pointing to the statistic that 80 percent of the global workforce (consisting of 2.7 billion deskless employees) are deployed remotely and offsite, according to Emergence Capital1. The eBook outlines how mobile technologies can inspire employee engagement and turn this trend around. Deskless employees face more limitations than those onsite in terms of communication and access to company systems, which negatively impacts their level of engagement and, as a result, bottom line success. The Bureau of National Affairs reports that $11 billion is lost each year due to employee turnover - a consequence of employee disengagement. The gig economy and a subsequent increase in remote working over the last decade go hand-in-hand with a shift toward a more mobile workforce based in varied locations, which often precipitates inadequate reach to deskless employees. While telecommuting and other forms of remote working need not lead to out-of-the-loop workers if the right technology tools and platforms are used, many businesses haven't prioritized a systematic approach for facilitating reliable two-way communication with their deskless staff to increase engagement. Often these deskless workers lack even the basics when it comes to internal communication. As a result, the vast majority (84 percent) of deskless employees receive too little communication to perform their jobs effectively, according to Tribe Inc.2 These individuals may find themselves dealing with: Limited or no access to desktop or laptop computers No company email address or limited access to email No access to a company intranet No or infrequent access to company notice boards Printed company newsletters are infrequently produced and quickly become out of date Limited communication/collaboration with peers in other locations Limited feedback or communication from line manager No access to corporate documents on the go Limited or no access to company news and updates The business benefits of full-company engagement are numerous and clear. When employees feel invested in an organization and are committed to helping the company reach its mission and goals, it bolsters brand advocacy. Engagement also improves mutual trust, feelings of credible leadership, employee job/career satisfaction, and accountability, with more focused staff keen to take up new challenges and adopt a problem-solving attitude. This positivity can lead to better performance, increased productivity, and higher profit for the entire organization. The eBook describes how new mobile engagement technologies such as StaffConnect's platform offer a solution for driving up engagement levels, and can help deskless workers in a number of ways, including the ability to: Access company information 24/7 using a mobile app, regardless of role or location Receive real-time updates from the company and CEO Feel connected to the organization's goals/mission, understanding how their role affects the company's success and becoming its best brand advocates Share best practices with their peers Have a voice in the company Communicate within communities by sharing content and comments with their peers, having visible support, and knowing who to ask when they have questions Instantly access relevant corporate documents, videos, and reference information for training and knowledge attainment, which improves processes and efficiencies (e.g., better onboarding, access to safety and compliance procedures, and crisis communications if the networks go down) "In a world that's increasingly digitally driven and focused-combined with a shift toward a workforce that is now primarily deskless-the key to increasing employee engagement is integrally connected to technology," said Geraldine Osman, CMO, StaffConnect. "To effectively drive engagement across the entire organization, businesses need to implement mobile-enabled apps that are capable of reaching every employee and delivering an engaging user experience. This prevents the silos between office and field-based employees and facilitates a more unified and positive culture that ultimately leads to better performance, retention and customer satisfaction." To download and read, "How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global Employee Engagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion Deskless Employees," visit: https://www.staffconnectapp.com/download-the-deskless-workforce-ebook/ Video Links: The Deskless Workforce - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PInhpPdo5rc The Impact of Employee Disengagement - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZdk-Zx3OY Tweet this: .@StaffConnectApp publishes new eBook "How Can Enterprises Overcome the Global EmployeeEngagement Crisis That Impacts 2.7 Billion DesklessWorkforce" https://www.staffconnectapp.com/latest/press-releases/ About StaffConnect StaffConnect is the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions for the deskless workforce.The StaffConnect platform transforms the employee experience by enabling enterprises to connect, communicate and engage their entire workforce, especially remote, deskless employees. The customer-branded mobile app gives employees 'a voice' - with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target that content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. From offices in London and San Francisco, StaffConnect's platform and domain expertise are supporting large businesses around the world to inspire their workforces to deliver better performance, improved customer experiences and greater shareholder value. For further information, please visit: www.staffconnectapp.com . Media Resources PR Contact: Sabrina Sanchez The Ventana Group for StaffConnect 1 http://desklessworkforce2018.com (All financial figures are approximate and in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.) CALGARY, Alberta, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina" or the "Company") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA) will host its annual Investor Day and provides update to 2019 capital program. Pembina's annual Investor Day will be held today at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, with a corporate presentation scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET. The presentation will feature Pembina's executive team providing an update on corporate strategy, a business overview including project updates, and a review of Pembina's financial position. In conjunction with Investor Day, Pembina announced an update to its forecasted 2019 capital expenditures. The update reflects the aggregate impact of recent project announcements including the Peace Pipeline Phase VIII expansion, additional spending at the Duvernay Complex, incremental funding for the Jordan Cove LNG project, as well as additional equity contributions to joint venture partnerships and advances to related parties. As a result, the Company now expects 2019 capital expenditures of approximately $2 billion. A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed on Pembina's website at pembina.com under Investor Centre, Presentation & Events, or by entering: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=reg20.jsp&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pembina.com%2Finvestor-centre%2Fpresentations-and-events%2F&eventid=1937346&sessionid=1&key=4D073BB38FB75C61173632B2C3D4BB5FTag=&sourcepage=register in your web browser. After the presentation a copy of the presentation and an archive of the webcast will be available on the website. About Pembina Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading transportation and midstream service provider that has been serving North America's energy industry for over 60 years. Pembina owns an integrated system of pipelines that transport various hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas products produced primarily in western Canada. The Company also owns gas gathering and processing facilities and an oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics business. Pembina's integrated assets and commercial operations along the majority of the hydrocarbon value chain allow it to offer a full spectrum of midstream and marketing services to the energy sector. Pembina is committed to identifying additional opportunities to connect hydrocarbon production to new demand locations through the development of infrastructure that would extend Pembina's service offering even further along the hydrocarbon value chain. These new developments will contribute to ensuring that hydrocarbons produced in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the other basins where Pembina operates can reach the highest value markets throughout the world. Purpose of Pembina: To be the leader in delivering integrated infrastructure solutions connecting global markets; Customers choose us first for reliable and value-added services; choose us first for reliable and value-added services; Investors receive sustainable industry-leading total returns; receive sustainable industry-leading total returns; Employees say we are the 'employer of choice' and value our safe, respectful, collaborative and fair work culture; and say we are the 'employer of choice' and value our safe, respectful, collaborative and fair work culture; and Communities welcome us and recognize the net positive impact of our social and environmental commitment. Pembina is structured into three Divisions: Pipelines Division, Facilities Division and Marketing & New Ventures Division. Pembina's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under PPL and PBA, respectively. For more information, visit www.pembina.com. Forward-Looking Statements & Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information and statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that are based on Pembina's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends. In this news release, such forward-looking information and statements can be identified by terminology such as "plans", "will", "would", "expects", "continue", "anticipate", "potential", "may", and similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to capital expenditure estimates in relation to Pembina's and its affiliates' pipeline and infrastructure expansions. These forward-looking statements are being made by Pembina based on certain assumptions that Pembina has made in respect thereof as at the date of this news release, regarding, among other things: those specifically noted in this news release, the ability of Pembina to successfully negotiate and complete final commercial agreements; that counterparties to material agreements will continue to perform in a timely manner; that Pembina's joint venture partners will continue to provide support for joint venture projects; the ability of Pembina and any required third parties to effectively engage with stakeholders; oil and gas industry exploration and development activity levels; the success of Pembina's operations and growth projects; prevailing commodity prices, margins, volumes and exchange rates; that Pembina's future results of operations will be consistent with past performance and management expectations in relation thereto; the continued availability of capital at attractive prices to fund future capital requirements relating to existing assets and projects, including but not limited to future capital expenditures relating to expansion, upgrades and maintenance shutdowns; that any third party projects relating to Pembina's growth projects will be sanctioned and completed as expected; that any required commercial agreements can be reached; that all required regulatory and environmental approvals can be obtained on the necessary terms in a timely manner; that there are no unforeseen events preventing the performance of contracts; that there are no unforeseen material construction, integrity or other costs related to current growth projects or current operations; and prevailing interest and tax rates. Although Pembina believes the expectations and material factors and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that these expectations, factors and assumptions will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that events or circumstances could cause results to differ materially from those predicted, forecasted or projected. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information. These known and unknown risks and uncertainties, include, but are not limited to: the regulatory environment and decisions; the ability of Pembina or its joint venture partners or customers to raise sufficient capital (or to raise sufficient capital on favourable terms) to fund future expansions and growth projects and satisfy future commitments; failure to negotiate and conclude any required commercial agreements or failure to obtain project sanctioning; increased construction costs, or construction delays, on Pembina's expansion and growth projects; labour and material shortages; non-performance of agreements in accordance with their terms; the impact of competitive entities and pricing; reliance on key industry partners, alliances and agreements; the strength and operations of the oil and natural gas production industry and related commodity prices; the continuation or completion of third-party projects; actions by governmental or regulatory authorities including changes in tax laws and treatment, changes in royalty rates or increased environmental regulation; adverse general economic and market conditions in Canada, North America and elsewhere; construction delays; labour and material shortages; and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Pembina's public disclosure documents including, among other things, those detailed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Pembina's management's discussion and analysis and annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2018, which can be found at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the above statements and speak only as of the date of this document. Pembina does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information contained herein, except as required by applicable laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. For further information: Investor Relations: Scott Arnold, (403) 231-3156, 1-855-880-7404, e-mail: investor-relations@pembina.com, www.pembina.com Advancing its mission to equip humanity in exploring Earth's last frontier, underwater drone company CHASING has established a US company in Seattle, WA and hired industry veteran Sage Raterman as GM. "With Sage Raterman joining our company, we will improve sales and service quality in the Americas, and potentially the whole world, "says Jacky Yang, CMO of CHASING. Sage Raterman states, "I'm excited to join a group of people who are designing truly great products and have built a strong culture. CHASING is at the forefront of the underwater drone industry; they're customer-centric and have the R&D and manufacturing required to lead this space." A cross-functional strategic expert in business and product development for 15+ years, Raterman successfully launched PowerVision in North America and Australia as Sr. Director of Sales after helping establish and lead Autel Robotics to a #2 market position behind DJI in aerial drones. His prior work at BOSCH and other companies cemented his ability to help international companies find sales, marketing and operational success in the desirable and challenging North American market. With CHASING, Raterman and his team are focused on delighting end-users with world-class local sales, support and service. They are vigorously enhancing the level of CHASING's products and services. Through constant promotion of stepwise growth via word-of-mouth marketing, they aim to redefine the business model of the underwater drone industry, making CHASING the world's leading underwater drone manufacturer. CHASING's founder and CEO Johnson Zhang and COO Joen Zhou are excited to have Raterman onboard. Zhang believes Raterman's strong alliance with his team will inject vitality into the company, a great value in developing CHASING's strategic global organization, and the promotion of its core business. "I love technology, building a company, and delighting customers," said Raterman. "CHASING is the best opportunity to do what I love, with people I enjoy. I'm looking forward to joining together, strategizing, and executing with our six co-founders to expand CHASING's international market." CHASING is a leading underwater drone company with sales to 40+ countries and world regions. With industry-leading underwater drone research and development and integrated manufacturing technology, CHASING is redefining underwater exploration. The company is headquartered in Shenzhen, China with established offices or subsidiaries in Beijing, Chengdu, Kunming and Seattle, USA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005464/en/ Contacts: CHASING Underwater Drones (USA) www.CHASING.com +1-(800) 557-4933 sage@chasing.com Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Leucrotta Exploration Inc. (TSXV: LXE) ("Leucrotta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire certain infrastructure including a battery, compression, water injection and pipelines in the Two Rivers area of British Columbia that are in the immediate vicinity of Leucrotta's previously drilled A10-08 Upper Montney light oil well. Minor repairs and upgrades will be required, but Leucrotta now estimates the previously drilled A10-08 Montney light oil well will be on production in Q419. The A10-08 Upper Montney light oil well was tested on clean-up for 13 days and had a flow rate on the last day of the test of 1,842 boepd comprised of 685 bopd of 42 API light oil, 5.6 mmcf/d of gas and estimated potential NGL recovery of up to 224 boepd. The acquisition of the infrastructure will now allow for further development of the Two Rivers property that encompasses approximately 80 contiguous sections of Leucrotta's total 220 section of Montney lands in the greater area. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this document contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company's production and capital programs. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions relating to prevailing commodity prices and exchange rates, applicable royalty rates and tax laws, future well production rates, the performance of existing wells, the success of drilling new wells, the availability of capital to undertake planned activities and the availability and cost of labour and services. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production rates, costs and expenses, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, marketing and transportation, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in tax, royalty and environmental legislation. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this document are made as of the date hereof for the purpose of providing the readers with the Company's expectations for the coming year. The forward-looking statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. BOE Conversions BOE's may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 Bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Production Rates Any references to peak rates, test rates, IP30, IP90, IP180 or initial production rates or declines are useful for confirming the presence of hydrocarbons, however, such rates and declines are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will commence production and decline thereafter and are not indicative of long term performance or ultimate recovery. IP30 is defined as an average production rate over 30 consecutive days, IP90 is defined as an average production rate over 90 consecutive days and IP180 is defined as an average production rate over 180 consecutive days. Readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating aggregate production for the Corporation. Test Rates The A10-08-83-16W6 well was production tested for 6 days after the original cleanup and produced at an average rate of 1,100 boe/d (48% gas, 52% Oil and Condensate) over that period, excluding load fluid and energizing fluid. At the end of the test, flowing wellhead pressure and production rates were stable. A pressure transient analysis or well-test interpretation has not been carried out on these wells and thus certain of the test results provided herein should be considered to be preliminary until such analysis or interpretation has been completed. Test results and initial production rates disclosed herein may not necessarily be indicative of long term performance or of ultimate recovery. Abbreviations bbl barrel bbl/d barrels per day mmcf million cubic feet mmcf/d million cubic feet per day boe barrel of oil equivalent boe/d barrel of oil equivalent per day For further information, please contact: LEUCROTTA EXPLORATION INC. 700, 639 -5th Ave SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 0M9 www.leucrotta.ca Phone: (403) 705-4525 Fax: (403) 705-4526 Robert Zakresky President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (403) 705-4525 Nolan Chicoine Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer Phone: (403) 705-4525 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44758 SamanTree Medical, committed to reducing the need for cancer surgery re-operation particularly in breast surgery, announced today the successful closing of its CHF 9.5 million Series A financing. Proceeds will be used to commercialize the patented Histolog system, notably the recently CE mark Histolog Scanner v2, for enabling precise tumor removal at first surgery. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005476/en/ Histolog Scanner (Photo: SamanTree Medical) Panakes Partners, the Medtech European leading venture capital mixing strong corporate and investment expertise, has led this round, alongside the Sioux Tech Fund, the venture arm of Sioux Technologies, a company with expertise in high-tech manufacturing, software development and data analytics. Existing shareholders and new investors BOM Brabant Ventures and btov Partners were participating as well. "The timing is impeccable with the recently awarded European project, we are combining the right supports for executing on our mission to bring the gold standard in the Operating Room" said CEO and Co-Founder Bastien Rachet. The European Innovation Council awarded SamanTree Medical with EUR 2.3 million grant in September 2018, via its H2020 SME's Instrument Program. More than 500,000 lumpectomies are performed annually in the USA and Europe alone and up to 25% require re-operation. Additional operation is a burden for the patient and it increases the stress relative to the treatment; it also results in annual costs of $2.7 billion. Surgeons face a difficult trade-off: maximize confidence in removal of the entire tumor and minimize removal of healthy tissue. The "Gold Standard" for margin assessment is histopathology microscopy these laboratory results, however, aren't available until days after surgery. Surgeons need faster support for margin assessment in the operating room, ideally in real-time and with accuracy comparable to this "Gold Standard". SamanTree's Histolog is the only solution that enables a global mapping of a lumpectomy for full margin control with histology-grade confidence in few minutes before closing the incision. With this innovative and highly practical imaging modality, the clinician is one touch-on-the-screen away from visualizing cancerous cell on a surgical specimen immediately during surgery. Enhancing the decision-making process during the surgery, this solution carries the promise of a better patient care, by increasing the confidence in a complete tumor removal at first surgery. About SamanTree Medical SamanTree Medical, a spin-off company from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), develops disruptive imaging modalities and data analytic solutions for improving cancer treatment care. Founded in December 2014, SamanTree is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. www.samantree.com About Panakes Partners Panakes Partners is a Venture Capital investor that finances medical companies, early stage startups and SMEs, with extremely promising products and great ambition, in Europe and Israel, improving both patient outcomes and healthcare economics. Investments focus on the medical device, diagnostics and healthcare IT fields. Panakes Partners is headquartered in Milan, Italy. www.panakes.it / Contact: contact@panakes.it About the Sioux Tech Fund The investment fund of high-tech company Sioux Technologies, together with regional and European partners (such as the Brabant Development Agency and the European Angel Fund), invests in promising technical start-ups. This gives innovative ideas a chance for faster development in terms of technological progress and faster market introduction. www.sioux.eu / Contact: info@sioux.eu About BOM Brabant Ventures BOM (the Brabant Development Agency) works together with entrepreneurs to create a strong, sustainable, and future-proof Brabant economy. BOM uses the Brabant Ventures label to focus, using knowledge and capital, on the accelerated and future-proof growth of ambitious Brabant startups and scaleups in the high-tech systems and software, agri-food, life sciences health, maintenance, supply chain, and bio-based economy top industries. www.bom.nl / Contact: info@bom.nl SamanTree Medical has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.823284. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005476/en/ Contacts: For more information regarding this press release, please contact: Florence Besnier, Executive Office Manager +41 21 625 09 40 Email: info@samantree.com Howard Stern speaks, which comes as no surprise to the millions of people who listen to him, and last weekend he was speaking to me, saying, Twenty years ago I had so much more energy and my narcissism was so strong that I really enjoyed talking about myself. But now I realize that I dont like talking about myself so much and that there is great value in listening to other people. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Outcrop Gold Corp. (TSXV: OCG) ("Outcrop" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with Cedar Capital Corporation ("Cedar") to acquire the Santa Ana Silver Project (the "Property") in consideration for 7,000,000 common shares of the Company (the "Transaction"). The Property comprises 669 hectares in the core of the historical Mariquita silver district, one of Colombia's most prolific colonial silver mining camps with production dating back to the 16th century and continuing until at least 1914. The Santa Ana Mine Group was one of the more important producers in the district. The Property is located approximately 190 kilometres east-northeast of Bogota in Tolima, Colombia. The social, security and logistical aspects of the property are considered favourable. The grade of the colonial Santa Ana mines is described in a NI 43-101 Technical Report completed on the Santa Ana property for CB Gold dated April 2013, coauthored by Doublewood Consulting Inc. and Antediluvial Consulting Inc., that cites the following archival information from historical Spanish documents regarding past production at Santa Ana: "The La Porfia, El Dorado, La Manta and La Obdulia mines are located within the property as part of the historic colonial Santa Ana silver mines. The average smelter return for silver ore during those days was '4 marcos per quintal' (approximately 17 kg/t Ag) according to official reports of Hacienda Santa Fe (year 1585) also reporting widths exceeding 1 1/2 varas (4 1/2 feet). More veins were discovered in the Santa Ana (today Falan) and Frias region following exploration during the sixth century, adding 14 new mines to the district, all of them producing over 1 marco of silver per quintal (approximately 4.3 kg/t Ag)." There is very limited access to any of the colonial workings as most of the adits are either flooded or have collapsed. Most accessible workings are from nineteenth and early twentieth century production - but the veins developed by colonial era mining will be incorporated into a systematic exploration program to be conducted by Outcrop Gold. The ancient mining history, the 11 km extent of the Mariquita district within the Tolima belt mineralization that extends over 25 km, and the high grades of silver and gold reported in the Santa Ana mines suggest that the Project is in one of the most prospective silver-gold vein systems in Colombia. The Santa Ana Project is central to the Mariquita district and covers six mapped and interpreted vein zones that taken together accumulate over 6 km of total strike. Each zone contains a package of several parallel veins. Veins mapped to date are north-south, but locally east-west veins are observed, and some historic reports indicate production from both vein-trends. The district has a 2.5 km width, with numerous north-south and east-west veins distributed within the north-trending regional Palestina fault zone in second and third order faults. Figure 1 notes: Mapped and inferred veins and historic mine areas from Condor. It is likely more veins will be discovered. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6343/44765_f48563c474f48a23_001full.jpg The veins are interpreted to be a composite of early polymetallic gold-silver orogenic thrust-fold related and later epithermal open-space veins in highly deformed Paleozoic schist, quartzite and gneiss of the Cajamarca Formation. Veins are commonly associated with small intrusive body margins. The orogenic veins may have an intrusive affinity, evidenced by associated tungsten minerals. The veins are both high and low-angle and comprised of pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and silver-bearing minerals and native silver in quartz, quartz-carbonate and quartz-adularia gangue. There are probably multiple overprinting mineralization events over a very long period during rapid terrain uplift. The colonial mines reported average mine widths of 1.5 m and this generally conforms to observations in workings and in modern drill intercepts discussed below. The veins range from 0.20 m to 4 m in width. Historic Condor Precious Metals drill results Condor Precious Metals completed a total of 1,170.5 m drilled in 8 holes on the Santa Ana project. All 8 holes were drilled from a single platform from August 12th, to September 16th, 2012. The drill-holes were fanned out to test 100 m of strike and 150 m down-dip below open workings locally showing assays greater than 10 g Au/t and 1,000 g Ag/t in channel sampling. All eight holes intersected projected veins. Drill results are provided below. Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t) CP-1201 78.45 79.30 0.85 1.34 667 760 CP-1202 110.03 110.56 0.53 1.21 389 473 CP-1203 83.82 86.86 3.04 3.68 1495 1751 CP-1203 100.58 102.40 1.82 1.26 1378 1465 CP-1204 133.15 134.97 1.82 0.47 149 182 CP-1205 70.10 74.70 4.60 0.32 179 201 CP-1205 88.00 88.80 0.80 1.64 532 646 CP-1205 104.84 107.22 2.38 0.38 193 219 CP-1206 124.66 125.15 0.49 0.34 742 765 CP-1206 137.00 137.66 0.66 1.89 685 816 CP-1207 170.47 170.76 0.29 2.45 746 916 CP-1208 164.00 169.16 5.16 3.51 527 771 includes: 164.00 165.34 1.34 10.17 1839 2545 Table Notes: Intersections were composited using a cut-off grade of 100 g/t AgEq, calculated as g Ag/t plus Au times 69.44 (assuming Au price of US $1,250 per ounce and Ag price of US $18 per ounce)). Intersected lengths do not represent true vein thicknesses which are generally 25 to 30% less. Azimuths and dips are not available at the date of this news release. Figure 2 notes: Typical drill sections from Condor Precious Metals drilling below workings. 25 to 30 m grid looking south. Veins here are high angle with three veins occurring over intervals of 15 to 25 m. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6343/44765_f48563c474f48a23_002full.jpg Reconnaissance prospecting Preliminary prospecting was carried out by Condor between 2012 and 2014. Chip samples across the vein collected in 2012 from the historic Santa Ana mine tunnels returned assay values as high as 11 g/t Au and 2,820 g/t Ag. Other high silver values from veins included 929 g/t Ag, 600 g/t Ag and 443 g/t Ag. Values for Condor prospecting samples ranged from less than 50 g Ag/t to 4,530 g Ag/t from veins from sample widths of 0.20 to 1.0 m. Chip samples collected by Condor from outcrops in 2013-2014 returned several high gold values along with high silver values, including: 68 g/t Au and 422 g/t Ag; 48 g/t Au and 81 g/t Ag; and 36 g/t Au and 163 g/t Ag. The high gold values suggest that precious metal zonation may occur with Ag:Au ratios varying across on the project. Follow-up reconnaissance prospecting from 2016 to 2018 that returned values from 52 to 250 g Ag/t from surface samples on the project and up to 600 g Ag/t along southern extensions to the Santa Ana mine vein system near the project. Transaction Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Cedar's wholly-owned subsidiary Malew Overseas S.A. ("Malew"). Malew's wholly owned subsidiary Lost City S.A.S. owns the Property. In connection with the Transaction, the Company proposes to issue 350,000 common shares (the "Finder's Shares") to Morten Borch, an arm's length party to the Company, as a finder's fee. The closing of the Transaction is subject to various conditions, including the completion of satisfactory due diligence by Outcrop, and the approval of the Transaction and the Finder's Fee by Outcrop's board of directors and the TSX Venture Exchange. QA/QC for Historic Drilling Condor's quality control procedures during collection of drill core data included the insertion of commercial certified standards and blanks. Rock and drill core samples were sent to the ALS laboratories sample preparation laboratory in Bogota, Colombia, where they were dried, crushed, split and pulverized. The 250g pulps were then sent to Condor's head offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and subsequently delivered to the ALS Laboratory in North Vancouver for analysis. The samples were analysed for gold using standard fire assay on a 50-gram sample with a gravimetric finish, and for multiple elements by ICP-MS using either an aqua regia (ME-MS41) or a four acid (ME-MS61) digestion. High silver results triggered ore grade Ag analysis using the AG-OG62 procedure. Outcrop Gold thinks that the Condor drill results are reliable at this stage of exploration. About Outcrop Gold Outcrop is a gold prospect generator active in Colombia. The Company emphasis is on acquiring gold exploration projects with world-class discovery potential. Outcrop performs its own grass roots exploration and then employs a joint venture business model on its projects to maximize investor exposure to discovery and minimize financial risk. Outcrop has Newmont Goldcorp as an active funding partner on its Lyra project in Antioquia directly south of Buritica. Qualified person The technical information in this news release has been approved by Joseph P Hebert, a qualified person as defined in NI43-101 and President and CEO to the Company. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph P Hebert, Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1-775-340-0450 Email: joseph.hebert75@gmail.com www.outcropgoldcorp.com TSX Venture Exchange Disclaimer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Transaction and the completion thereof and the Company's ownership interest in the Property upon completion of the Transaction. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "potential", "we believe", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Outcrop to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, capital expenditures and other costs, financing and additional capital requirements, completion of due diligence, general economic, market and business conditions, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, political uncertainties, and the state of the securities markets generally. Although management of Outcrop have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Outcrop will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44765 Elixir Medical Corporation, a developer of products that combine state-of-the-art medical devices with advanced pharmaceuticals, announced today that it will release at EuroPCR in Paris 9 and 12-month clinical and imaging data for the DynamX Novolimus-eluting Bioadaptor System, a next-generation coronary intervention system designed to treat blocked arteries via a novel "uncaging" mechanism. EuroPCR is the annual meeting of the European Association for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions. Conventional drug-eluting stents cage the coronary artery in a rigid, immobile frame inhibiting the vessel's natural ability to expand in order to preserve the blood flow during disease progression. Stents also impede the artery's physiologic pulsatility and hemodynamics during the cardiac cycle, potentially contributing to further adverse outcomes. Elixir's Symposium on Wed., May 22 will feature the DynamX Bioadaptor that allows the vessel to resume pulsatility, restore positive adaptive remodeling and vessel angulation, and return to a natural hemodynamic state allowing the treated artery to elegantly return to de novo function. Following are some of the highlights of Elixir Medical's scientific sessions at EuroPCR in chronological order at the Palais Des Congres de Paris in Central European Summer Time (CEST): Wednesday, May 22 10:30 AM Noon, Room 353, Level 3 Latest Generation DES What do I need to know? DynamX Novolimus-eluting Bioadaptor Engineering design and pre-clinical evaluation of an innovative device that adapts to patients' physiology, for PCI treatment of coronary artery disease Dean J. Kereiakes, MD, Medical Director, The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Medical Director of the Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ Hospital, and Professor of Clinical Medicine, Ohio State University, OH, USA 16:30 18:00 (4:30 6 PM), Room 253, Level 2 Elixir Medical Symposium DynamX Bioadaptor: The New Frontier Beyond Stenting for PCI Co-Chairs Dean J. Kereiakes, MD, Medical Director, The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Medical Director of the Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ Hospital, and Professor of Clinical Medicine, Ohio State University, OH, USA Martin B. Leon, MD, Mallah Family Professor of Cardiology at the Columbia University Medical Center; Director, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy; Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, NY, USA Panelists Alexandre A. Abizaid, MD, PhD, Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, Sao Paulo, Brazil Antonio Colombo, MD Director of Invasive Cardiology, Columbus Hospital, Milan, Italy Director of Invasive Cardiology, Columbus Hospital, Milan, Italy Stefan Verheye, MD, PhD, ZNA Middleheim Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium Thursday, May 23 8:30 10:30 AM, Posters' Lab, Level 3 Five-year follow-up from the EXCELLA BD study and five-year clinical follow-up for the EXCELLA II study Stefan Verheye, MD, PhD, ZNA Middleheim Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium Alexandre A. Abizaid, MD, PhD, Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, Sao Paulo, Brazil About Elixir Medical Elixir Medical Corporation, a privately funded company based in Milpitas, California, has developed the broadest portfolio of coronary and peripheral stents, scaffolds, and bioadaptors including DESyne, DESyne BD, DESolve, DESolve CX, DESolve NXT, Prava, and the breakthrough DynamX Bioadaptor System. The company's next-generation systems are designed to restore the normal pulsatile motion and adaptive remodeling capabilities of the blood vessel. For more information, visit www.elixirmedical.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005373/en/ Contacts: Vinayak D. Bhat, Ph.D. Elixir Medical Ph:(408) 636-2006 ALBANY, New York, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The global specialty silica market showcases a highly consolidated vendor landscape as it is confined with a handful number of players. However, Transparency Market Research (TMR) notes that the dominant players in the specialty silica market hold up to 50% of the total market share. A few renowned companies in the market are continuously innovating and transforming to exceed industry standards and client expectations. These companies in the global specialty silica market also hold a superior customer base and offers an extended technical service in order to gain more prominence. On the other hand, some of the startups are constantly focusing on creating, manufacturing, developing the superior engineered specialty chemicals and ingredients to achieve a good position in the market. However, well-established companies are majorly focusing on their industrial silica manufacturing, which can be executed in enhancing the appeal, performance, and processing of a wide array of products used in consumer-based applications. A few companies' names appear at the top of the list in the global specialty silica market include Cabot Corporation, Huber Engineered Materials, Tokuyama Corporation, Solvay S.A, and PPG Industries. Request a Sample of Global Specialty Silica Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=11183 TMR's analysts' prediction reveals that the global specialty silica market is projected to grow at a promising 5.9% CAGR during the assessment tenure. The market is anticipated to gain a valuation of US$ 7.32 bn at the end of the forecast period. The market stood at US$4.62 bn in 2016. From the perspective of applications, the rubber segment holds the highest share in the global specialty silica market. This is accountable to the wide use of tires, footwear, and industrial tool in several industries worldwide. Geographically, Asia Pacific is dominating over other regions in the global specialty silica market as the region has witnessed rapid manufacturing in the country such as China. Request For Multiple Chapters: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=11183 Specialty Silica Drives Dynamics of Global Automotive Industry Specialty silica majorly consists of silica (SiO2). This is predominantly produced in the coarse form of fine powder, round pebbles, or trimmed blocks, which are highly used as a key additive during the formulation of numerous products. These products are fabricated in a wide array of end-use industries such as electronics, automotive, coatings, inks, and personal-care products. Such applications are majorly driving the global specialty silica market. Additionally, enormous demand from food, rubber, coatings, and healthcare industries is also a significant factor influencing the growth of the global specialty silica market. With such an extended application range, automotive industry accounts for the top application segment for specialty silica on account of the production of special types of tires as well as the efforts towards lowering carbon emissions. Besides this, rising concern of depletion of fossil fuels and governments' strict emission rules, automotive industry worldwide is inclining towards using green tires, which in turn is also contributing demand in the global specialty silica market. Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=11183 Flourishing Paint and Coatings and Personal Care Industries Stoke Demand in Market Due to such excellent properties such as UV protecting, anticaking, and dispersive nature of specialty silica, it is extensively adopted in various other industries include personal care, agriculture, electronics, and paints and coatings. Soaring demand for specialty silica in cosmetics products and mushrooming paints and coatings industries worldwide are also providing impetus to the growth of the global specialty silica market. Other properties such as abrasion resistance and high tensile strength opens doors for specialty silica to be widely used in rubber industries, which is further fueling growth of the global specialty silica market. Browse Press Release: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/specialty-silica-market.htm The review is based on a market research report by TMR, titled, "Specialty Silica Market (Products - Precipitated Silica, Fumed Silica, Fused Silica, Silica Gel, and Colloidal Silica; Applications - Rubber (Tire, Footwear, and Industrial), Crop Protection, Paints & Coatings, Electronic Components, Food & Beverage, Animal Feed, Plastics, Personal Care & Cosmetics, Textile, and Paper) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024". The segmentation of global specialty silica market is based on: Product Carbon/Carbon SiC/SiC Oxides/Oxides Others End Users Industries Aerospace & Defense Automotive Energy & Power Electrical & Electronics Other End-Use Industries Regional North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France U.K. Italy Spain Rest of Europe Asia Pacific Excluding Japan China India ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa GCC Egypt South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Browse Chemicals and Materials Market Research Reports Popular Research Reports by TMR: Precipitated Silica Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/precipitated-silica-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/precipitated-silica-market.html Silica based Matting Agents Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/silica-based-matting-agents-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/silica-based-matting-agents-market.html Silica Flour Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/silica-flour-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/silica-flour-market.html Industrial Silica Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/industrial-silica-sands-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision. Contact Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: http://www.europlat.org/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg Leiden, the Netherlands, May 14, 2019 - Batavia Biosciences announced today that it will work together in a consortium including the European Vaccine Initiative and Stanford University, icddr,b, and headed by the University of Tokyo, to develop an epidemic preparedness vaccine against the Nipah virus. For this purpose, the University of Tokyo received a $31 million grant from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) - which finances and coordinates the development of vaccines against infectious disease - to use its measles vector technology to develop and stockpile a Nipah vaccine. There is currently no effective medical countermeasure against the Nipah virus and therefore it is listed as one of the main priorities of the WHO. The virus is prevalent in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent and causes illness ranging from fever and headache, to acute respiratory illness, and even fatal encephalitis. The Nipah virus is also known to cause severe disease in domestic pigs, resulting in significant regional economic loss. "The need for effective medical intervention strategies against this virus is huge and therefore, we are very excited to be working with the consortium in developing a Nipah vaccine", says Dr. Menzo Havenga, President & CEO of Batavia Biosciences. As partner in the consortium, Batavia will receive $9.6 million to deliver a low-cost manufacturing process that can be easily applied for stockpiling of the Nipah vaccine. Dr. Christopher Yallop, Chief Operations and Scientific Officer at Batavia Biosciences elaborates: "We will deploy our High Intensity Process technology in combination with the NevoLine production technology (Univercells; Belgium) to develop a manufacturing process, deliver GMP drug product for clinical trials, and transfer the process to a Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturer for stockpiling purposes. We are excited that after years of developing our highly intensified manufacturing platform, we are now taking the next step to strengthen global health initiatives." --- About Batavia Biosciences Batavia Biosciences significantly contributes to the easing of human suffering from infectious diseases by improving the success rate in the translation of candidate medicines from discovery to the clinic. We offer our novel technologies and in-depth know-how in order to help our partners to complete preclinical phases in biopharmaceutical product development at higher speed, reduced costs and increased success. The company focuses on the early stages of product development including cell line generation, upstream process development (mammalian & microbial), purification development, product characterization and clinical manufacturing. Headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands, with a subsidiary in Woburn, Massachusetts, and offices in Hong Kong, Batavia Biosciences is privileged to have strong strategic partners worldwide. www.bataviabiosciences.com About the Nipah virus Nipah virus belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family of viruses, genus Henipavirus, alongside Hendra virus. Nipah is a zoonotic disease, meaning it passes from animals to humans. The natural hosts of the virus are fruit bats of the genus Pteropus. Nipah virus can be spread through contact with infected persons or animals. Nipah virus infection can cause severe, rapidly progressive illness that affects the respiratory system and the central nervous system, including inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Symptoms begin between five and 14 days after infection, and include fever, altered mental state, cough and respiratory problems. People are advised to avoid contact with ill pigs and bats in countries where Nipah virus is known to occur. They are also advised to avoid drinking raw date palm sap, which can be infected with bodily fluids from bats. There are currently no vaccines or therapeutics against Nipah virus approved for use in humans. About the University of Tokyo The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 as the first national university in Japan. UTokyo is Japan's leading university and one of the world's top research universities. The vast research output of some 6,000 researchers is published in the world's top journals across the arts and sciences. Our vibrant student body of around 15,000 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate students includes over 2,000 international students. Find out more at http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/ or follow us on Twitter at @UTokyo_News_en . Attachment PORTSMOUTH, England, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A UK-based IT company is doing something that has never been done before - producing the world's first remanufactured, carbon-neutral laptops. Circular Computing has invested in the world's first purpose-built computer remanufacturing facility. The Company use a circular business model that is unique to them. It is shipping thousands of remanufactured enterprise-grade laptops each month to the rapidly increasing number of businesses around the world focusing on moving their strategy from cradle-to-grave to cradle-to-cradle - in other words, recovering and re-using products. As well as countries across Europe, the company recently signed a contract with US Fortune 200 business process services giant, Synnex, to supply its customers across North America. The IT industry causes as much greenhouse gas pollution as the entire airline industry, with figures rising as internet usage soars. More than 160 million new laptops are made every year, responsible for around 17% of electronic waste, and production depends on many of the earth's dwindling resources, including rare 'conflict' minerals, metals and water. This is the first time that computers have been remanufactured. Over 600Kgs of CO 2 are sequestered by every laptop. This means they have a zero carbon footprint as well as having the original CO 2 from OEM manufacturing reversed. Up to now, computers have only been refurbished - in other words, repaired, without performing or looking like new, so tend to come without any long-term warranty and are of little interest to corporate decision-makers looking to invest in IT. Circular Computing's laptops are completely re-built to perform and look like new, which is why so many corporations across the globe are aligning their IT investment with sustainable purchasing. These computers have to meet original factory performance and are arguably, in fact, better than new because all known failure modes for the product or part have been addressed in the remanufacturing process. They cost around 40% less than their equivalent new top-brand laptop, and the company re-purchases the laptops every three years to re-join the remanufacturing process and be redeployed to other areas where they remain fit for purpose. In total, the company estimates three re-loop cycles and another nine years of useful life, which in turn creates enormous positive environmental, ethical and social impact. The company also invests in high-impact clean energy and social initiatives to mitigate climate change, create jobs and empower local communities to become more sustainable. Circular Computing plant five trees for every laptop sold (tens of thousands already in a range of countries across the globe) through reforestation projects - meaning it not only offsets, but also compensate for legacy carbon emissions. The newly signed US deal will result in reforestation of more than 1.5 million trees. Circular Computing Circular Computing is a trademarked brand of A2C Services Limited, based in the UK, which is pioneering the sustainable use of technology by distributing pre-used enterprise-grade laptops that have undergone complete remanufacture and offer a 'no compromise' option when compared to new. Founded in 1992, A2C Services is dedicated to ensuring that businesses have a clear path to be able to grow their green initiatives better. www.circularcomputing.com www.circularcomputing.com/synnex-better-video (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886162/Circular_Computing.jpg ) Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smoke-free products and associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI's smoke-free IQOS product portfolio includes heated tobacco and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of March 31, 2019, PMI estimates that approximately 7.3 million adult smokers around the world have already stopped smoking and switched to PMI's heated tobacco product, which is currently available for sale in 47 markets in key cities or nationwide under the IQOS brand. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ROCKVILLE, Maryland, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This Fact.MR study reveals the pod vapes market status by highlighting its growth in recent years. The major developments are driven by the amalgamation of industry-specific and macroeconomic factors. To be precise, pod vapes are receiving high-end traction owing to their compact and portable size that provides effective nicotine delivery. The research report titled "Pod Vapes Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking - Global Market Insights 2018 to 2027", carefully discourse vital knowledge associated to trends and opportunities expected to propel the target market in the near future. Based on this intelligent study, pod vape sales are likely to hit 500 million units in 2019. Also, the concerned market is anticipated to register Y-o-Y growth of 18.5% over 2018. Observing the current scenario, growth of the pod vapes market can be credited to the growing concerns linked to adverse impact of smoking on human health, along with the availability of a host of flavored pod vapes. Request For Sample Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=3062 Some of the prime observations related to the pod vapes market are mentioned below: Talking about the prominent consumer base for pod vapes, popularity among high school and college students is quite high. Based on a recent report issued by the National Institutes of Health, the count of 12th graders preferring pod vapes surged by more than 37% in 2018. Since intense marketing via social media platforms together with launch of various flavors like orange, coffee, mint, cotton candy and Bavarian cream, have been supporting the acceptance of pod vapes in the recent past. Conversely, consumers trying to quit smoking are changing their track towards pod vapes for fulfilling their nicotine intake. It has been observed that nicotine salts are progressively gaining fame in the pod vapes market since manufacturers are utilizing these salts over e-liquids. As increasing concentration of nicotine relating to normal vape juices are linked to throat infections and diseases. Nicotine salts have appeared as a comparably benign alternative to deliver higher levels of nicotine concentration although easing the sensation on the throat. Browse Full Report on Pod Vapes Market with In-depth TOC- https://www.factmr.com/report/3062/pod-vapes-market As marijuana legalization continues to extend around the world, there are rising chances that new lucrative prospects are impending for the players across the pod vapes market. For example, the manufacturer of Marlboro cigarettes, Altria, purchased 10% stakes in the Canadian marijuana production company at US$ 1.8 billion indicating an expected roar in the industry. cigarettes, Altria, purchased 10% stakes in the Canadian marijuana production company at indicating an expected roar in the industry. Sales of pod vapes are curbed since multiple health conditions are getting linked to the product such as respiratory diseases, cancer risks, and frequent signs of asthma attacks. In addition, recent studies indicate increasing vulnerability of addiction to other drugs trailing nicotine addiction that have fired up concerns related to health influences of pod vapes. At the global level, regulatory authorities have imposed strict regulations on pod vapes. Quite recently, the American Food and Drug Administration considered a ban on pod vapes and other e-cigarettes to control their use amid teenagers. Request Methodology of this Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RM&rep_id=3062 The final section of the report examines the competitive scenario active in the global pod vapes market. Some of the primary players profiled in the report are Japan Tobacco Inc., Shenzhen iSmoka Electronics Co Ltd., Shenzhen Joye Technology Co Ltd., Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen Kanger Technology Co Ltd. Popular Food Industry Market Reports from Fact.MR Cocoa Market- Fact.MR report on the cocoa market envisages an impressive CAGR of 11.23% during the forecast period of 2018 - 2028. As the most preferable flavor ingredient, cocoa-based products are highly exploited by the multiple industry verticals. Cheese Market- The global cheese market is expected to exhibit a sluggish CAGR during 2017 to 2022. The global cheese market is anticipated to exceed revenues worth US$ 100,000 Mn by 2022-end. Soybean Oil Market- As per the study by the Fact.MR, the global soybean oil market is set to increase at a steady rate over the next five years and reach a valuation in excess of US$ 21,373 Mn by 2022-end. About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Rohit Bhisey Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ ALBANY, New York, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The global endpoint security market is anticipated to experience a tough competition in the span of forthcoming years. The market scenario appears to be highly fragmented. This is credited to the presence of several big and small players operating across the region and globally in the endpoint security market, says Transparency Market Research (TMR). Looking at this landscape, the key players are concentrating on presenting a unique and clear positions such that every firm can claim the services and products different from the others. Besides, veneered firms are as well stressing on taking on small scale companies to improve their market portfolios and position. The major players operating in the global endpoint security market include Kaspersky Lab, IBM Corporation, Trend Micro, Microsoft Corporation, and Webroot. According to a recent report by TMR, the global endpoint security market is anticipated to project a robust CAGR of 14% within the forecast period from 2017 to 2026. The endpoint security market is likely to account for a worth of US$ 40,000 Mn by the end of forecast period. Request to View Sample of Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=36251 In terms of application, the antivirus tools segment is leading in endpoint security market globally, by churning out the highest revenue. This is credited to the lesser possibilities of infection in endpoints by threats, for example, spyware, Trojan, worms, rootkits, key loggers, viruses, and adware. As per the geography, North America and Europe are the major regions leading the global endpoint security market. This is attributed to the rising demand for high speed internet and usage of mobile phones in the aforementioned regions. Moreover, the regions are a hub for several important players in the market, which makes them an obvious choice for the players to invest more. The players in the region provide various end-use solutions to automobile, healthcare, and BFSI industries. Increasing Adoption of Unsegregated Security Suites to Pump Market Demand Unsegregated security suites are gaining popularity since past few years. This makes as an important factor driving the growth of endpoint security market, globally. However, the users across the world prefer the firms which provide converged and integrated security suites. Another major reason behind the purchasing criteria is the increasing complexity of the network infrastructure. These are some of the major factors contributing in the development of global endpoint security market in the forthcoming years. Currently the market calls for an urgent requirement of BYOD conditions in the several companies, along with emergence of cloud computing in the upcoming years. Importance to reduce the IT security risks is another factor pumping growth in the endpoint security market. Request PDF Brochure of Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=36251 Failure to Control Cyber-attacks Hinders Market Growth On the other hand, the global endpoint security market is likely to face certain drawbacks that would affect the growth in future. One of them is the repeated failure to control cybercrimes. Companies mainly ask for security patches so get rid of bugs and viruses. Nevertheless, the concerned experts mostly tend to overlook them. As a result, the threat of cyber-attacks are rising consistently, affecting the growth of the global endpoint security market. To overcome this challenge, the firms are making efforts to reduce attacks on personal devices via internet. This is why the firms are deploying the end-point security solutions such as firewalls in gadgets like smartphones and tablets. Have Any Query? Ask Our Industry Expert: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=ASK&rep_id=36251 The information presented in this review is based on a TMR report, titled "Endpoint Security Market (Deployment Type - On-Premises, and SaaS; End-User - Large Enterprises, and Small & Medium Enterprises; Application - Malware Detection, Antivirus Tools, Firewall Management, Web & Email Security, Patch Assessment, and Other Applications; Industry - BFSI, Healthcare, IT & Telecom, Retail, Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2026." Request for Discount on This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=36251 The global endpoint security market is segmented as follows: Industry Manufacturing Energy Utilities Retail IT and Telecom Healthcare BFSI Applications Patch Assessment Web and Email Security Firewall Management Antivirus Tools Malware Detection End User Small Enterprise Medium Enterprise Larger Enterprise Region Middle East and Africa and Israel Nigeria South Africa Gulf Cooperation Council countries Asia Pacific Australia Singapore Thailand Malaysia India China Japan Europe Germany UK Italy Spain France Latin America Argentina Mexico Brazil North America Canada US Browse More IT & Telecom Market Research Reports Popular Report by TMR: Optical Character Recognition Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/optical-character-recognition-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/optical-character-recognition-market.html Mobile Point-of-Sale (mPOS) Market- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/mpos-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/mpos-market.html Data Center IT Asset Disposition Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/data-center-it-asset-disposition-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/data-center-it-asset-disposition-market.html Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market -https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-mobile-supply-chain-solutions-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision." Contact Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: http://www.europlat.org/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg Legal Entity Identifier: 213800NN42KX2LG1GQ40 14 May 2019 LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC Unaudited Half Year Results For The Six Months Ended 31 March 2019 This Announcement is not the Company's Half Year Report & Accounts. It is an abridged version of the Company's full Half Year Report & Accounts for the six months ended 31 March 2019. The full Half Year Report & Accounts, together with a copy of this announcement, will shortly be available on the Company's website at www.finsburygt.com where up to date information on the Company, including daily NAV, share prices and fact sheets, can also be found. The Company's Half Year Report & Accounts for the six months ended 31 March 2019 has been submitted to the UK Listing Authority, and will shortly be available for inspection on the National Storage Mechanism (NSM): www.hemscott.com/nsm.do For further information please contact: Victoria Hale, Frostrow Capital LLP 020 3170 8732 Company Performance Financial Highlights As at As at 31 March 30 September % 2019 2018 Change Share price 829.0p 818.0p +1.3 Net asset value per share 827.6p 812.8p +1.8 Premium of share price to net asset value per share^ 0.2% 0.6% Gearing1^ 1.3% 1.4% Shareholders' funds 1,557.0m 1,411.8m +10.3 Number of shares in issue 188,126,712 173,691,712 +8.3 Six months to One year to 31 March 30 September 2019 2018 Share price (total return)2^ +2.4% +13.2% Net asset value per share (total return)2^ +2.9% +13.1% FTSE All-Share Index (total return)* (Company benchmark)2 3 -1.8% +5.9% Ongoing charges1^ 0.7% 0.7% Year ending Year ended 30 September 30 September 2019 2018 First interim dividend 8.0p 7.2p +11.1 Second interim dividend Yet to be declared 8.1p 1 See glossary 2 Source - Morningstar 3 Source - FTSE International Limited ("FTSE") FTSE 2019* ^Alternative Performance Measures ("APMs") The disclosures of performance above are considered to represent the Company's APMs. Definitions of these APMs together with how these measures have been calculated can be found in the Glossary. This report contains terminology that may be unfamiliar to some readers. The Glossary gives definitions for frequently used terms. Chairman's Statement Performance In the six months to 31 March 2019 the Company delivered a net asset value total return of 2.9% and a share price total return of 2.4%. It is again pleasing to note that both have outperformed the Company's benchmark, the FTSE All Share index, which fell by 1.8% over the same period. The principal contributors to the Company's net asset value performance were Diageo, Mondelez International and Sage Group. The main detractors were Hargreaves Lansdown, Schroders and Manchester United. Further information on the Company's portfolio can be found in our Portfolio Manager's Review. Share Capital Consistent demand for the Company's shares has led to the issue of a total of 14,435,000 new shares in this half year, raising 112.8 million. As at 31 March 2019 the Company had 188,126,712 shares of 25p each in issue (31 March 2018: 165,646,712). Since the end of the half-year to 13 May 2019, being the latest practical date, a further 4,990,000 new shares have been issued raising 43.1 million. As at 13 May 2019, the Company had 193,116,712 shares in issue. Dividend The Board has declared a first interim dividend of 8.0p per share, compared to last year's first interim dividend of 7.2p per share, an increase of 11.1%. The dividend will be paid on Thursday, 16 May 2019 to shareholders who were on the register on Friday, 5 April 2019. The associated ex-dividend date was Thursday, 4 April 2019. The 11.1% increase to the first interim dividend of 8.0p per share when compared to the corresponding dividend in 2018 has been made to reduce the disparity between the first and second dividends. The Board expects to declare the second dividend for the year ending 30 September 2019 in late September 2019 and for it to be paid to shareholders in November 2019. Gearing As at the half year end the Company was in the final year of its three-year secured fixed term committed revolving credit facility of 75 million with an additional 25 million facility with Scotiabank Europe PLC. The amount currently drawn under the Facility of 36.7 million lies comfortably within the Company' gearing limit of 25% of net assets. As reported in my last Chairman's Statement in December 2018, it is intended that this facility will be renewed with effect from October 2019. Outlook As we look forward, our Portfolio Manager remains optimistic about the outlook and opportunities for the companies in our portfolio. Your Board continues to believe that our Portfolio Manager's strategy of investing for the long-term in durable cash generative franchises capable of sustained dividend growth will continue to deliver superior investment returns to shareholders. Anthony Townsend Chairman 14 May 2019 Portfolio Manager's Review We know some shareholders are concerned about the possibility of a prolonged period of underperformance from our strategy - because they tell me so. In particular they expect the underperformance to come from one important part of the portfolio. That is they worry about a downturn in the share prices of our consumer branded-goods companies - that downturn to be caused either by the possible overvaluation of such companies or by deterioration in their business performance, or both. It is true that over 45% of Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC's ('FGIT') portfolio is invested in consumer brand owners - A G Barr, Burberry, Diageo, Heineken, Mondelez, Remy and Unilever. And also true that all of these have been wonderful long and short term investments for FGIT. You could also argue that this strong performance has left their valuations looking too high. I disagree. Although by that I don't mean to suggest that they might not go through a period of dull stock market performance - as can happen to any company in any part of the market. Of course they could. But I disagree that they have become perilously expensive. But where I do agree with the sceptics is that there is a bigger question. That being the debate as to whether changes in consumer tastes and the digital disruption of the 21st century are impairing the growth and value of big brands. Now although we have deliberately picked companies where we have most confidence in the sustainability of their brands, of course we give consideration to this question. And there is evidence that some previously successful brands are struggling, notably in processed foods and household care. To be clear, we know we must sell out of any company where long term brand equity is being lost. Practically what we do is continually monitor the performance of the businesses we are invested in to be alert to warning signals. But so far as FGIT is concerned the signals delivered over the last six months by our consumer companies are encouraging, we think and this has been confirmed by their share price performance. Over the period four of our top five performers were global brand owners - led by Diageo and including Mondelez, Unilever and Heineken. (Sage was actually the fourth best - a welcome recovery from its poor performance in the first half of 2018.) All of these gave positive returns over a period when the FT All-Share Index was down. Burberry was the only one of our consumer shares to fall. But returning to the question of the fortunes of big 20th century consumer brands in the 21st century - it's worth thinking about Unilever. Of all our holdings Unilever is undoubtedly the most challenged by changes in consumer tastes and buying behaviour because it has the most mass or mid-market brands. And one might indeed be cautious about the outlook over the next 25 years for the brand power of its packaged foods and washing powder assets. Nonetheless one has to be impressed by the mitigations Unilever has been able to present against these trends and concerns. For instance, the biggest single brand in Unilever is Dove - at about 9% of total group revenues. This global property - it is available in more than 170 countries - "delivered another year of broad based growth" in 2018 and that means just under 8%. Dove's revenues are up 84% over the last decade - that's over 6% CAGR and that rate has accelerated over the last 7 years. This does not indicate a moribund, irrelevant 20th century brand. In fact, Dove, established in 1957, sells more and is almost certainly more valuable as we get toward the end of the second decade of the 21st century than any other time in its history. It is an example of the advantages that can accrue from scale for truly global brands, delivered by truly global companies. Another consolation for investors in Unilever is that surely it is right to be optimistic about increasing wealth around the world? And it is indisputable that Unilever is a beneficiary of increasing wealth. Its sales in Asia - 44% of the total - grew by more than 6% last year. Consumers in Europe may be blase about soap powder, but sales at Unilever's Home Care division were up over 4% last year, led by Sunlight (a 19th century brand) in India and China. We were also reassured by the account given to us by Unilever's new chief executive, Alan Jope. He pointed out that when he joined Unilever as a graduate over 30 years ago the Beauty and Personal Care division accounted for only 8% of Unilever's sales. Today it is 40% and growing more quickly than the rest of the group. This is an example of how big consumer companies can change over time, responding to the changing tastes of consumers and helps explain the longevity of these rare and very valuable companies like a Nestle, P&G and Unilever. This phenomenon of truly global brands increasing in value in 2019 - even as local/regional brands without the same economies of scale struggle - can be seen in other key properties owned by companies in FGIT. For instance, Diageo's Tanqueray grew over 20% last year, as the global gin boom rolls on. Johnnie Walker net sales were up 6% over the same period too. Heineken's eponymous brand - still the biggest earner in the group - grew by 7.7% last year, its best rate for a decade. Mondelez' Oreo biscuits - the world's #1 brand - grew high single digits in the US, its biggest market and mid single digits in its second biggest market, which is China. Meanwhile Cadbury (owned by Mondelez and an important reason it is such a major holding in FGIT) grew double digits in India. Remy's cognacs grew 15% year on year. I know I'm cherry-picking statistics here and that all these companies have portfolios of brands, for some of which trends may not be so encouraging. But already here is a formidable counter-argument to the proposition that big brands are necessarily doomed in the 21st century. To the contrary, it seems to us there is a decent argument that beloved and prestigious brands are more valuable than ever before. That's why IRN-BRU, Burberry's iconic check, Guinness, Tiger Beer, Toblerone, Cointreau and Magnum Ice cream (to name some other great brands FGIT owns) still fill us with enthusiasm. They certainly remain central to our hopes to deliver satisfactory investment returns for FGIT shareholders. Nick Train Director Lindsell Train Limited Portfolio Manager 14 May 2019 Investment Portfolio as at 31 March 2019 Market Value % of Investments Sector '000 portfolio Diageo Consumer Goods 166,283 10.5 Unilever Consumer Goods 159,231 10.1 RELX Consumer Services 151,218 9.6 Mondelez International1 Consumer Goods 135,060 8.6 London Stock Exchange Group Financials 128,623 8.2 Hargreaves Lansdown Financials 121,062 7.7 Burberry Group Consumer Goods 120,104 7.6 Schroders* Financials 112,290 7.1 Sage Group Technology 100,261 6.4 Heineken2 Consumer Goods 91,301 5.8 Top 10 Investments 1,285,433 81.6 Remy Cointreau3 Consumer Goods 55,740 3.5 Daily Mail & General Trust (non-voting) Consumer Services 55,354 3.5 Pearson Consumer Services 37,228 2.4 A.G. Barr Consumer Goods 34,891 2.2 Manchester United1 Consumer Services 27,876 1.8 Rathbone Brothers Financials 27,822 1.8 Lindsell Train Investment Trust plc Financials 14,750 0.9 Euromoney Institutional Investor Consumer Services 11,830 0.7 Young & Co Brewery (non voting) Consumer Services 11,025 0.7 Fuller Smith & Turner Consumer Services 7,875 0.5 Top 20 Investments 1,569,824 99.6 Celtic** Consumer Services 5,544 0.3 Frostrow Capital LLP4 *** Financials 1,885 0.1 Total Investments 1,577,253 100.0 All of the above investments are equities listed in the UK, unless otherwise stated. 1 Listed in the United States. 2 Listed in the Netherlands. 3 Listed in France. 4 Unquoted partnership interest. * Includes Schroders (non-voting) shares, fair value 8,421,000. ** Includes Celtic 6% cumulative convertible preference shares, fair value 294,000. *** Includes Frostrow Capital LLP AIFM capital contribution, fair value 550,000. Comparison of Sector Weightings with the FTSE All-Share Index as at 31 March 2019 Finsbury Growth & Income FTSE All-Share* Finsbury Growth & Income (under)/overweight Sector % % % Consumer Goods 48.3 14.6 33.7 Consumer Services 19.5 11.5 8.0 Financials 25.8 25.7 0.1 Technology 6.4 1.1 5.3 Oil & Gas - 14.2 (14.2) Basic Materials - 8.1 (8.1) Industrials - 11.0 (11.0) Telecommunications - 2.7 (2.7) Utilities - 2.8 (2.8) Health Care - 8.3 (8.3) Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 * Source: FTSE International Limited ("FTSE") FTSE 2019 Income Statement For the six months ended 31 March 2019 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Six months ended 31 March 2019 Six months ended 31 March 2018 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 Gains on investments at fair value through profit or loss - 38,642 38,642 - 19,006 19,006 Currency translations - (60) (60) - (35) (35) Income (note 2) 13,145 - 13,145 9,973 - 9,973 AIFM and Portfolio Management fees (note 3) (1,354) (2,748) (4,102) (1,193) (2,423) (3,616) Other expenses (583) - (583) (498) - (498) Return on ordinary activities before finance charges and taxation 11,208 35,834 47,042 8,282 16,548 24,830 Finance charges (137) (279) (416) (112) (227) (339) Return on ordinary activities before taxation 11,071 35,555 46,626 8,170 16,321 24,491 Taxation on ordinary activities (209) - (209) (149) - (149) Return on ordinary activities after taxation 10,862 35,555 46,417 8,021 16,321 24,342 Return per share - basic and diluted (note 4) 6.0p 19.8p 25.8p 5.0p 10.0p 15.0p The "Total" column of this statement represents the Company's profit and loss account. The "Revenue" and "Capital" columns are supplementary to this and are prepared under guidance published by The Association of Investment Companies ("AIC"). All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. The Company had no recognised gains or losses other than those declared in the Income Statement. There is no material difference between the net return on ordinary activities before taxation and the net return on ordinary activities after taxation stated above and their historical cost equivalents. Statement of Changes in Equity for the six months ended 31 March 2019 Called up Share Capital Total (Unaudited) Six months ended 31 March 2019 share premium redemption Special Capital Revenue shareholders capital account reserve reserve reserve reserve funds '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 '000 At 30 September 2018 43,423 684,726 3,453 - 643,037 37,151 1,411,790 Net return from ordinary activities - - - - 35,555 10,862 46,417 Reclassification of the special dividend received from Dr. Pepper Snapple* - - - - (2,499) 2,499 - Second interim dividend (8.1p per share) for the year ended 30 September 2018 - - - - - (14,077) (14,077) Issue of shares 3,609 109,214 - - - - 112,823 At 31 March 2019 47,032 793,940 3,453 - 676,093 36,435 1,556,953 * Dr Pepper Snapple paid a special dividend in July 2018. At that time it was treated as being capital in nature. During the six month period, Dr Pepper Snapple clarified that 28.4% of this dividend should be regarded as revenue. Accordingly 2,499,000 of the special dividend has been transferred from the Company's capital reserve to the revenue reserve. (Unaudited) Six months ended 31 March 2018 At 30 September 2017 39,724 572,791 3,453 12,424 515,039 20,990 1,164,421 Net return from ordinary activities - - - - 16,321 8,021 24,342 Second interim dividend (7.4p per share) for the year ended 30 September 2017 - - - - - (11,786) (11,786) Issue of shares 1,688 48,904 - - - - 50,592 At 31 March 2018 41,412 621,695 3,453 12,424 531,360 17,225 1,227,569 Statement of Financial Position as at 31 March 2019 (Unaudited) (Audited) 31 March 30 September 2019 2018 '000 '000 Fixed assets Investments designated at fair value through profit or loss (note 1) 1,577,253 1,431,672 Current assets Debtors 6,576 4,886 Cash and cash equivalents 12,245 13,175 18,821 18,061 Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (2,421) (1,243) Bank loan (36,700) - (39,121) (1,243) Net current (liabilities)/assets (20,300) 16,818 Total assets less current liabilities 1,556,953 1,448,490 Creditors: amounts falling due after one year Bank loan - (36,700) Net assets 1,556,953 1,411,790 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 47,032 43,423 Share premium account 793,940 684,726 Capital redemption reserve 3,453 3,453 Capital reserve 676,093 643,037 Revenue reserve 36,435 37,151 Total shareholders' funds 1,556,953 1,411,790 Net asset value per share - basic and diluted (note 5) 827.6p 812.8p Statement of Cash Flows for the six months ended 31 March 2019 (Unaudited) 31 March 2019 '000 (Unaudited) 31 March 2018 '000 Net cash inflow from operating activities before interest (note 7) 7,610 6,147 Interest paid (400) (337) Net cash inflow from operating activities 7,210 5,810 Investing activities Purchase of investments (111,378) (49,294) Sale of investments 5,584 3,607 Net cash outflow from investing activities (105,794) (45,687) Financing activities Equity dividends paid (14,077) (11,786) Shares issued 111,791 50,036 Net cash inflow from financing activities 97,714 38,250 Decrease in cash and cash equivalents (870) (1,627) Currency translations (60) (35) Cash and cash equivalents at 1 October 13,175 11,482 Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March 12,245 9,820 Notes to the Financial Statements 1. Basis of preparation The condensed Financial Statements for the six months to 31 March 2019 have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of investments and in accordance with FRS 104 'Interim Financial Reporting' and with the AIC's Statement of Recommended Practice ("the SORP") for Investment Trust Companies and Venture Capital Trusts issued in November 2014 and updated in January 2017 and February 2018 with consequential amendments, and the Companies Act 2006. The accounting policies used for the year ended 30 September 2018 have been applied. Fair Value Under FRS 102 and FRS 104 investments have been classified using the following fair value hierarchy: Level 1 - quoted prices in active markets Level 2 - prices of recent transactions for identical instruments Level 3 - valuation techniques using observable and unobservable market data. The financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value in the Statement of Financial Position are grouped into the fair value hierarchy at the reporting date as follows: As at 31 March 2019 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 '000 '000 '000 Total Equity investments 1,555,074 - - 1,555,074 Limited liability partnership interest (Frostrow Capital LLP) - - 1,335 1,335 AIFM Capital contribution (Frostrow Capital LLP) - - 550 550 Preference shares investment 294 - - 294 1,555,368 - 1,885 1,557,253 As at 30 September 2018 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 '000 '000 '000 Total Equity investments 1,429,520 - - 1,429,520 Limited liability partnership interest (Frostrow Capital LLP) - - 1,335 1,335 AIFM Capital contribution (Frostrow Capital LLP) - - 550 550 Preference shares investment 267 - - 267 1,429,787 - 1,885 1,431,672 2. Income (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Six months ended Six months ended 31 March 2019 31 March 2018 '000 '000 Income from investments Franked investment income - dividends 11,593 8,781 Unfranked investment income - overseas dividends 1,527 1,171 - limited liability partnership - priority profit-share on AIFM Capital Contribution 25 21 Total income 13,145 9,973 3. AIFM and Portfolio Management fees (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Six months ended Six months ended 31 March 2019 31 March 2018 '000 '000 AIFM fee 1,026 904 Portfolio management fee 3,076 2,712 Total fees 4,102 3,616 4. Return per share - basic and diluted The total return per share is based on the total return attributable to equity shareholders of 46,417,000 (six months ended 31 March 2018: return of 24,342,000) and on 179,928,909 shares (six months ended 31 March 2018: 162,609,813), being the weighted average number of shares in issue during the period. Revenue return per share is calculated by dividing the net revenue return of 10,862,000 (six months ended 31 March 2018: return of 8,021,000) by the weighted average number of shares in issue as above. The capital return per share is calculated by dividing the net capital return attributable to shareholders of 35,555,000, (six months ended 31 March 2018: return of 16,321,000) by the weighted average number of shares in issue as above. During the period there were no dilutive instruments held, therefore the basic and diluted returns per share are the same. 5. Net asset value per share - basic and diluted The net asset value per share is based on net assets attributable to shares of 1,556,953,000 (30 September 2018: 1,411,790,000) and on 188,126,712 shares in issue (30 September 2018: 173,691,712). At 31 March 2019 there were no dilutive instruments held, therefore the basic and diluted net asset value per share are the same. 6. Transaction costs Purchase transaction costs for the six months ended 31 March 2019 were 548,000 (six months ended 31 March 2018: 247,000). These comprise of stamp duty costs of 498,000 (31 March 2018: 221,000) and commission of 50,000 (31 March 2018: 26,000). Sales transaction costs for the six months ended 31 March 2019 were 1,000 (six months ended 31 March 2018: 2,000. These comprise solely of commission. These transaction costs are included within the gains on investments within the Income Statement. 7. Reconciliation of total return before finance costs and taxation to net cash inflow from operating activities (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Six months ended Six months ended 31 March 2019 31 March 2018 '000 '000 Total return before finance charges and taxation 47,042 24,830 Less: capital return before finance charges and taxation (35,834) (16,548) Net revenue before finance costs and taxation 11,208 8,282 Increase/(decrease) in accrued income and prepayments (687) 679 Increase/(decrease) in creditors 33 (21) Taxation - irrecoverable overseas tax paid (196) (370) AIFM and Portfolio management fees charged to capital (2,748) (2,423) Net cash inflow from operating activities 7,610 6,147 8. 2018 accounts The figures and financial information for the year to 30 September 2018 are extracted from the latest published accounts of the Company and do not constitute statutory accounts for the year. Those accounts have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and included the Report of the Auditor which was unqualified and did not contain a reference to any matters to which the Auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report, and did not contain a statement under section 498 of the Companies Act 2006. Governance/Interim Management Report Principal Risks and Uncertainties The principal risks and uncertainties facing the Company were explained in detail within the Annual Report for the year ended 30 September 2018. The Directors are not aware of any significant new risks or uncertainties and in the view of the Board these principal risks and uncertainties are applicable to the remaining six months of the financial year as they were to the six months under review. The Company acknowledges the continued uncertainty surrounding the UK's decision to leave the EU. Related Party Transactions During the first six months of the current financial year, no transactions with related parties have taken place which have materially affected the financial position or the performance of the Company. Going Concern The Directors, having made relevant enquiries, are satisfied that it is appropriate to prepare financial statements on the going concern basis as the net assets of the Company consist primarily of liquid securities, all of which, with the exception of the partnership interest in Frostrow Capital LLP, are traded on recognised stock exchanges. In preparing the financial statements as the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. In reviewing the position as at the date of this report, the Board has considered the guidance on this matter issued by the Financial Reporting Council. Directors' Responsibility Statement The Directors confirm that, to the best of their knowledge: (i) the condensed set of financial statements contained within the Half Year Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards; (ii) the Interim Management Report includes a fair review of the information required by Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule 4.2.7R (an indication of important events that have occurred during the first six months of the financial year and a description of the principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the financial year); and (iii) the Interim Management Report includes a fair review of the information required by Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule 4.2.8R (disclosure of related party transactions and changes therein). In order to provide these confirmations, and in preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in business; and the Directors confirm that they have done so. The Half Year Report has not been reviewed or audited by the Company's Auditor. The Half Year Report was approved by the Board on 14 May 2019 and the above responsibility statement was signed on its behalf by: Anthony Townsend Chairman Glossary of Terms and Alternative Performance Measures ('APM') AIC The Association of Investment Companies. Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) The Alternative Investment Fund Manager Directive (the "Directive") is a European Union Directive that entered into force on 22 July 2013. The Directive regulates EU fund managers that manage alternative investment funds (this includes investment trusts). Alternative Performance Measure (APM) An APM is a numerical measure of the Company's current, historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows, other than a financial measure defined or specified in the applicable financial framework. In selecting these Alternative Performance Measures, the Directors considered the key objectives and expectations of typical investors in an investment trust such as the Company. Discount or Premium (APM) A description of the difference between the share price and the net asset value per share. The size of the discount or premium is calculated by subtracting the share price from the net asset value per share and is usually expressed as a percentage (%) of the net asset value per share. If the share price is higher than the net asset value per share the result is a premium. If the share price is lower than the net asset value per share, the shares are trading at a discount. As at As at 30 31 March 2019 September 2018 Share Price (p) 829.0 818.0 Net Asset value per share (p) 827.6 812.8 Premium of share price to net asset value per share 0.2% 0.6% FTSE Disclaimer "FTSE" is a trade mark of the London Stock Exchange Group companies and is used by FTSE International Limited under licence. All rights in the FTSE indices and/or FTSE ratings vest in FTSE and/or its licensors. Neither FTSE nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the FTSE indices and/or FTSE ratings or underlying data. No further distributions of FTSE Data is permitted without FTSE's express written consent. Gearing (APM) Gearing represents prior charges, adjusted for net current assets expressed as a percentage of net assets. Prior charges includes all loans and bank overdrafts for investment purposes. 31 March 30 September 2019 2018 '000 '000 Prior Carges - (36,700) Net Current Assets 16,400 16,818 Net Debt (20,300) (19,882) Net Assets 1,556,953 1,411,790 Gearing 1.3% 1.4% Net Asset Value (NAV) The value of the Company's assets, principally investments made in other companies and cash being held, less any liabilities. The NAV is also described as 'shareholders' funds' per share. The NAV is often expressed in pence per share after being divided by the number of shares which have been issued. The NAV per share is unlikely to be the same as the share price which is the price at which the Company's shares can be bought or sold by an investor. The share price is determined by the relationship between the demand and supply of the shares. Net Asset Value Total Return (APM) The total return on an investment over a specified period assuming dividends paid to shareholders were reinvested at net asset value per share at the time the shares were quoted ex-dividend. This is a way of measuring investment management performance of investment trusts which is not affected by movements in discounts or premiums. 31 March 30 September NAV Total Return 2019 2018 Opening NAV per share (p) 812.8 732.8 Increase in NAV per share (p) 14.8 80.0 Closing NAV per share (p) 827.6 812.8 % Increase in NAV 1.8% 10.9% Impact of dividends re-invested* 1.1% 2.2% NAV per share total return (p) 2.9% 13.1% * Total dividends paid during the period of 8.1p (14.60p paid during the 2018 financial year) were re-invested at the cum dividend NAV price during the period. Where the dividend is invested and NAV price falls, this will further reduce the return, if it rises, any increase would be greater. The source is Morningstar who have calculated the return on an industry comparative basis. Ongoing Charges (APM) Ongoing charges are calculated by taking the Company's annualised operating expenses expressed as a proportion of the average daily net asset value of the Company over the year. The costs of buying and selling investments are excluded, as are interest costs, taxation, cost of buying back or issuing ordinary shares and other non-recurring costs. As at As at 30 31 March 2019 September 2018 '000 '000 Operating Expenses 9,638* 8,670 Average Net Assets during the period/year 1,392,688 1,291,632 Ongoing Charges 0.7% 0.7% * Estimated expenses for the year ending 30 September 2019, as at 31 March 2019. Share Price Total Return (APM) The change in capital value of a company's shares over a given period, plus dividends paid to shareholders, expressed as a percentage of the opening value. The assumption is that dividends paid to shareholders are re-invested in the shares at the time the shares are quoted ex dividend. 31 March 30 September Share Price Total Return 2019 2018 Opening share price (p) 818.0 736.5 Increase in share price (p) 11.0 81.5 Closing share price (p) 829.0 818.0 % Increase in share price 1.3% 11.1% Impact of dividends re-invested* 1.1% 2.1% Share price total return (p) 2.4% 13.2% * Total dividends paid during the period of 8.1p (14.60p paid during the 2018 financial year) were re?invested at the cum dividend NAV/share price during the period. Where the dividend is invested and NAV/share price falls, this will further reduce the return, if it rises, any increase would be greater. The source is Morningstar who have calculated the return on an industry comparative basis. - END- Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary - 0203 170 8732 14 May 2019 - 85% of US CEOs and business leaders are AI optimists - 87% of respondents are investing in AI initiatives this year - 47% see China as the biggest obstacle to the advancement of AI in the US NEW YORK, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A study of US CEOs and business leaders, conducted by EY, revealed that most senior executives (85%) classify themselves as artificial intelligence (AI) optimists, citing increased investment and trust in the technology. Eighty-seven percent say their company will invest in AI initiatives this year. US C-suite faces international and domestic challenges with AI Despite the growing optimism around AI among the US C-suite, they are faced with international and domestic challenges with AI that could derail the US' position in the global AI race, with China taking the lead. More than half of respondents (52%) ranked the US first when asked which country was leading the global AI race and half of respondents (50%) selected the US as the country with the best long-term AI strategy. However, China was the clear runner-up; 47% of respondents selected China as the country that is the biggest obstacle to the advancement of AI in the US. Most respondents (80%) feel the US has the government that is most open to working with companies to adopt AI technology and most (71%) were in favor of uniform global regulation of AI, underscoring a need for countries to work together to develop ground rules for the technology. Jeff Wong, EY Global Chief Innovation Officer, says: "AI is transforming businesses for the better as CEOs and boards are seeing the bottom-line impact the technology is having on their businesses. This drive for greater economic impact has led to a global race for adoption, scaling and greater efficiencies in the technology. While US business leaders believe that the US is leading this race, China is focused on becoming an AI leader by 2030 and the gap is already smaller than it seems for this aspiration to become a reality. For the US to maintain a strong position, business leaders need to advocate now for stronger AI education programs, collaboration among both the public and private sectors and focus on ensuring the reliability and performance of the technology." CEOs and business leaders trust AI, but employees are more cautious While CEOs are eager to implement AI and optimistic about how it can improve their businesses, the survey revealed that employees may not be so keen. According to respondents, employee trust (33%) is one of the greatest barriers to AI adoption even though 87% of CEOs and business leaders completely or somewhat trust the technology. To help employees feel as optimistic about AI as their C-suite does, it is important to underscore reliability and performance (44%) and security (38%), which are the key factors contributing to an organization's trust of AI. With 82% of respondents expecting that their businesses will be disrupted by AI to some extent within the next three years, reliability and performance are of paramount importance. In addition, of this percentage, more than one-in-four respondents (29%) said that AI will disrupt more than half of their business, demonstrating how crucial it is for AI's performance to show precise and consistent outcomes. For the technology to perform consistently, enterprises must understand, govern, fine-tune and protect all the components embedded within and around the AI system. Wong says: "AI is about collaboration. This collaboration is imperative in the widespread adoption of the technology and it starts within the workforce. As the global AI race heats up and businesses increase their investment in AI technology, leaders need to work with their employees to ensure reliability and performance remain top of mind when integrating AI. Employees need to be able to trust, utilize and maximize the full potential of the technology, as well as see its benefits for scaled implementation to be successful in any organization. Beyond company walls, businesses, governments and academia need to build a road map for success that includes solutions for developing strong talent and upskilling the current workforce." To download the report, please click here. Notes to Editors About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation is available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients. About the study The data was collected via an online study conducted by Engine on behalf of EY among a sample of 500 US CEOs and business leaders ages 21 and older who work for a company with US$25m-US$50m in revenue or US$50m + in revenue. To qualify for the study, respondents also had to have C-suite job titles, or director or above titles and involvement in technology-related decisions for their company. Online interviews took place in March 2019. Kailyn Smigelski EY Global Media Relations +1 973 715 3624 kailyn.smigelski@ey.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/708904/EY_Logo.jpg North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Aurora Solar Technologies Inc. (TSXV: ACU) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received an order to supply a major China-based manufacturer of high-efficiency PERC solar cells with four DM-110e measurements systems. The systems will be shipped in June 2019. Aurora's DM-110e was launched as a less expensive version of our DM product line, to address the price-sensitive market for the automation of manual sheet resistance measurements. The DM-100e is typically used by manufacturers for more limited testing after diffusion and, like all of our DM products, is a reliable non-contact system that prevents cell damage during testing, while providing high measurement accuracy and excellent repeatability. "We are excited to have been awarded this initial business from a major new customer in Aurora's most important market," said Gordon Deans, Aurora's Chief Executive Officer. "This customer is one of the largest solar cell manufacturers in the industry, with aggressive expansion plans over the coming months. This order again validates our business strategy for the unique China PV market and continues to demonstrate the appeal of Aurora's products for manufacturers focused on cost-effective high yield PV cell production," he continued. About Aurora Solar Technologies: Aurora's mission is to deliver exceptional results to the photovoltaic industry through measurement, visualization and control of critical processes during solar cell manufacturing. We measure and map the results of critical cell fabrication processes, providing real-time visualization of material properties, cell parameters and production tool performance. Our products provide process engineers and production-line operators with the means to rapidly detect, analyze and correct process excursions, limit variations, and optimize processes, thereby increasing yield and profits. We are creating the quality control standard for the global photovoltaic manufacturing industry. For more information, Aurora's website is located at www.aurorasolartech.com. For further information contact: Gordon Deans, P.Eng. President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Solar Technologies Inc. Phone: +1 (778) 241-5000 info@aurorasolartech.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44757 New York, New York and Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - NexTech AR Solutions (OTCQB: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE: N29) (the "Company" or "NexTech") today announced the availability of its Infinite Pet products on Walmart.com, under the Pet Supplies section. The company is aggressively expanding the distribution as well as working on ARitizing() its recently acquired eCommerce brands. For the month of April 2019 the Infinite Pet brand generated $134,318.59 (USD) in revenue, while combined revenue for NexTech's AR-enabled eCommerce division hit a record $391,291.25 for the same time period. Infinite Pet's all-natural and vet-approved Hip + Joint supplement, in both chews and powder, and Essential Probiotics are now easily accessible by Walmart.com's approximately 100 million monthly shoppers. Made with quality organic ingredients that are guaranteed to show results, Infinite Pet's products are an attractive item for any dog owner looking to safely and reliably improve and sustain their pet's health. In addition to expanded distribution with Walmart.com the company plans to enhance the value of the brand by using its AR technology to launch a brand ambassador as a 3-D hologram which will activate off the Infinite Pet logo, creating an exciting one of a kind shopping experience, expected to launch in the next 30 days. "We're excited to be selling Infinite Pet's products on Walmart.com, as it's one of the most popular online shopping destinations and a platform that pet lovers use every day to find quality pet products at reasonable prices," said Evan Gappelberg, CEO of NexTech. "Infinite Pet Life was a great acquisition and is a fantastic opportunity for NexTech to showcase its augmented reality capabilities. We believe that by leveraging the magic of AR into the pet industry, through our own brand, we will create tremendous value for our shareholders." A record $72.5 billion was spent on pets in the U.S. last year, according to the American Pet Products Association. Walmart recently announced an increased focus on the pet industry, with the opening of in-store veterinary clinics and an online pet pharmacy, as reported by CNBC.com. The company recently said it has seen a roughly 60% increase in the number of dog- and cat-related health-care items sold on its website over the past year. PetFoodIndustry.com also reports that the pet supplement industry was worth $580 million in 2016, supplements for joint and digestive health topping the list of those purchased. NexTech announced its acquisition of Infinite Pet Solutions in April of 2019 as part of its growth through acquisition strategy. About NexTech AR Solutions Corp. NexTech is bringing a next generation web enabled augmented reality (AR) platform with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics to the Cannabis industry, eCommerce, education, training, healthcare and video conferencing. Having integrated with Shopify, Magento and Wordpress, its technology offers eCommerce sites a universal 3D shopping solution. With just a few lines of embed code, the Company's patent-pending platform offers the most technologically advanced 3D AR, AI technology anywhere. Online retailers can subscribe to NexTech's state of the art, 3D AR/AI solution for $79/mo. The Company has created the AR industry's first end-to-end affordable, intelligent, frictionless, scalable platform. To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://www.nextechar.com. On behalf of the Board of NexTech AR Solutions Corp. "Evan Gappelberg" CEO and Director For further information, please contact: Evan Gappelberg Chief Executive Officer info@nextechar.com Media contact: Erin Hadden FischTank Marketing and PR ehadden@fischtankpr.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be", "looking forward" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the Company increasing investors awareness are based on the Company's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of NexTech to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including capital expenditures and other costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. NexTech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44772 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Sarama Resources Ltd. ("Sarama" or the "Company") (TSX-V: SWA) is pleased to announce that it has executed a definitive agreement (the " Agreement") with Acacia Mining plc ("Acacia") that provides for the termination of the 2014 earn-in agreement between the two companies in respect of the South Hounde Project (or the "Project") in south-western Burkina Faso. The Agreement provides for Sarama to resume operatorship and regain a 100% interest(7) in the Project, which is contiguous to Sarama's neighbouring 100%-owned ThreeBee Project(4) (refer to Figure 1). The South Hounde Project hosts an inferred mineral resource of 2.1Moz Au(1), including an oxide and transition component of 0.6Moz Au(1). The ThreeBee Project hosts the Bondi Deposit which has a historical mineral resource(2) of 0.3Moz Au measured and indicated; and 0.1Moz Au inferred. Together, these projects form the foundation for possible development in the region which is underpinned by the current inventory of free-milling material, suitable for processing by heap leaching or a conventional gold plant. Sarama will benefit from approximately US$13M of historical exploration expenditure by Acacia on the South Hounde Project and significant exploration potential remains on both the South Hounde and ThreeBee Projects with the initial focus for Sarama being attractive oxide targets. Sarama's President and CEO, Andrew Dinning, commented: "We are very pleased to have executed the agreement to finalise Acacia's exit from the South Hounde Project and look forward to resuming full ownership and management. Acacia's exit is fundamental to consolidating our regional position and allows us to finally start advancing our key assets up the value curve and towards mine development. Sarama looks forward to re-commencing management of the project and will initially focus on resource development work which includes drilling attractive near-field and extensional oxide and free-milling targets, whilst framing-up potential development options for the project." For further information on the Company's activities, please contact: Andrew Dinning or Paul Schmiede e: info@saramaresources.com t: +61 (0) 8 9363 7600 Future Project Direction Upon resuming operatorship of the Project, the Company will focus exploration efforts on attractive oxide and free-milling targets on both the Project and the Sarama's adjacent ThreeBee Project. Potential exists to expand the current oxide and free-milling inventories on each of the project areas. Sarama's recent exploration activities at the Zanawa and SE Splay Prospects at the ThreeBee Project have indicated further potential to add to the mineral inventory where recent reconnaissance drilling(6) has extended the strike of new mineralisation to 1km and delivered encouraging intersections including: 22m @ 3.85g/t Au from 5m in DJR0029; from 5m in DJR0029; 29m @ 1.44g/t Au from 1m and 10m @ 1.24g/t A u from 67m in DJR0030; from 1m and from 67m in DJR0030; 5m @ 4.54g/t A u from 15m in DJA0141, and u from 15m in DJA0141, and 3m @ 4.71g/t Au from 51m and 3m @ 19.86g/t Au (EOH) from 69m in DJR0013. The Company is actively pursuing these targets and has identified a number of areas at the MM, MC, Obi and Kenobi Deposits on the South Hounde Project for immediate follow-up. Concurrent with exploration activities, the Company will commence scoping work to frame project development options, which will generally focus on the component of the mineral inventory which is amenable to processing by heap leaching or a conventional gold plant. In this regard, the South Hounde Project hosts an inferred mineral resource of 0.6Moz Au(1) (oxide and transition) and the Bondi Deposit, located on the ThreeBee Project has a historical estimate of mineral resources of 0.3Moz Au (measured and indicated) and 0.1Moz Au (inferred)(2) in free-milling oxide, transition and fresh material. Key Commercial Terms The contractual relationship between Sarama and Acacia (the "Parties") will be varied to reflect the following key commercial and operating terms: upon satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, the earn-in phase will terminate (the " Termination Date ") and Sarama will resume sole operatorship of the Project, Acacia will relinquish its right to an ownership interest in the Project and Sarama will retain 100% ownership; ") and Sarama will resume sole operatorship of the Project, Acacia will relinquish its right to an ownership interest in the Project and Sarama will retain 100% ownership; Sarama will make cash reimbursements to Acacia, subject to certain conditions being satisfied, according to the following schedule: US$500,000 on the Termination Date; US$750,000 at 6 months after the Termination Date; US$500,000 at 12 months after Termination Date; and US$250,000 on satisfaction of certain other conditions precedent relating to issuance of exploration permits; Sarama will grant Acacia the right to commercial production-based payments consisting of: US$1,000,000 on production of 10,000 oz gold; US$1,000,000 on production of a further 5,000 oz gold; royalty payments, capped at gold production of 1Moz Au, according to sliding-scale royalty rates of: 1.0% for gold price =US$1300/oz; 1.5% for gold prices >US$1300/oz and =US$1500/oz; and 2.0% for gold prices >US$1500/oz; and Sarama will grant to Acacia the following warrants for common shares in Sarama, exercisable for 5-years: 2.5M warrants, exercisable at C$0.10 per share; and 2.5M warrants, exercisable at C$0.20 per share. The issuance of the warrants is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Figure 1 - Sarama's 100%-Owned Interests(7) in the Southern Hounde Belt ABOUT SARAMA RESOURCES LTD Sarama Resources Ltd (TSX-V: SWA) is a West African focused gold explorer and developer with substantial landholdings in Burkina Faso. Sarama is focused on consolidating under-explored landholdings in Burkina Faso and advancing its key projects towards development. Sarama's 100%-owned(7) South Hounde and ThreeBee Projects are located within the prolific Hounde Greenstone Belt in south-west Burkina Faso and are the exploration and development focus of the company. Its exploration programs have successfully discovered an inferred mineral resource estimate of 2.1Moz gold(2) at the South Hounde Project which is complemented by the ThreeBee Project's Bondi Deposit (historical estimate of mineral resources of 0.3Moz Au measured and indicated and 0.1Moz Au inferred(2)). Together, the projects form a cluster of advanced gold deposits, within trucking distance of one another, which potentially offers a development option for a multi-source fed central processing facility in the southern Hounde Belt region of Burkina Faso. Sarama has also built a growth pipeline which features a new 600km exploration position in the highly prospective Banfora Belt in south-western Burkina Faso. The Koumandara Project hosts several regional-scale structural features and trends of gold-in-soil anomalism extending for over 40km along strike. Sarama holds approximately 25% participating interest in the Karankasso Project Joint Venture ("JV") which is situated adjacent to the Company's South Hounde Project in Burkina Faso and is a JV between Sarama and Semafo Inc. ("Semafo"). Semafo is the operator of the JV and in October 2015 Savary Gold Corp. ("Savary" and since acquired by Semafo), declared a maiden inferred mineral resource estimate of 671,000 ounces of contained gold(3) at the Karankasso Project JV. Incorporated in 2010, the Company's Board and management team have a proven track record in Africa and a strong history in the discovery and development of large-scale gold deposits. Sarama is well positioned to build on its current success with a sound exploration strategy across its property portfolio. FOOTNOTES 1. South Hounde Project - 43.0Mt @ 1.5g/t Au (reported above cut-off grades ranging 0.3-2.2g/t Au, reflecting the mining methods and processing flowsheets assumed to assess the likelihood of the inferred mineral resources having reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction). This mineral resource contains an oxide and transition component of 16.0Mt @ 1.2g/t Au for 611koz Au (reported at a cut-off grade of 0.3g/t Au for oxide and 0.8g/t Au for transition material). The effective date of the Company's inferred mineral resource estimate is February 4, 2016. For further information regarding the mineral resource estimate please refer to the technical report titled "NI 43-101 Independent Technical Report South Hounde Project Update, Bougouriba and Ioba Provinces, Burkina Faso", dated March 31, 2016 and prepared by Adrian Shepherd. Adrian Shepherd is an employee of Cube Consulting Pty Ltd and is considered to be independent of Sarama. The technical report is available under Sarama's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 2. Bondi Deposit - 4.1Mt @ 2.1g/t Au for 282,000oz Au (measured and indicated) and 2.5Mt @ 1.8g/t Au for 149,700oz Au (inferred), reported at a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off. i. The historical estimate of the Bondi Deposit reflects a mineral resource estimate compiled by Orezone Gold Corporation ("Orezone") which has an effective date of February 20, 2009. The historical estimate is contained in a technical report titled "Technical Report on the Mineral Resource of the Bondigui Gold Project", dated date of February 20, 2009 and prepared by Yves Buro (the "Bondi Technical Report"). Yves Buro is an employee of Met-Chem Canada Inc and is considered to be independent of Orezone and Sarama. The technical report is available under Orezone's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ii. Sarama believes that the historical estimate is relevant to investors' understanding of the property, as it reflects the most recent technical work undertaken in respect of the Bondi Deposit. iii. The historical estimate was informed by 886 drillholes, assayed for gold by cyanidation methods, were used to interpret mineralised envelopes and geological zones over the area of the historical estimate. Gold grade interpolation was undertaken using ID methodology based on input parameters derived from geostatistical and geological analyses assessments. Field measurements and geological logging of drillholes were used to determine weathering boundaries and bulk densities for modelled blocks. iv. The historical estimate uses the mineral resource reporting categories required under National Instrument 43-101. v. No more recent estimates of the mineral resource or other data are available. vi. Sarama is currently undertaking the necessary verification work in the field and on the desktop that may support the future reclassification of the historical estimate to a mineral resource. vii. A qualified person engaged by Sarama has not undertaken sufficient work to verify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource and Sarama is therefore not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource. 3. Karankasso Project - 9.2Mt @ 2.3g/t Au (at a 0.5g/t Au cut-off). The effective date ("Effective Date") of the most recent Karankasso Project JV mineral resource estimate that is supported by a technical report is October 7, 2015. For further information regarding that mineral resource estimate please refer to the technical report titled "Technical Report and Resource Estimate on the Karankasso Project, Burkina Faso", dated October 7, 2015 and prepared by Eugene Puritch and Antoine Yassa. Eugene Puritch and Antoine Yassa are employees of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. and are considered to be independent of Savary and Sarama. The technical report is available under Savary's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Sarama has not independently verified Savary's mineral resource estimate and takes no responsibility for its accuracy. Semafo is the operator of the Karankasso Project JV and Sarama is relying on their Qualified Persons' assurance of the validity of the mineral resource estimate. Additional technical work has been undertaken on the Karankasso Project since the Effective Date, including but not limited to, metallurgical testwork, exploration drilling and mineral resource estimation, but Sarama is not in a position to quantify the impact of this additional work on the mineral resource estimate referred to above. 4. The ThreeBee Project comprises the Djarkadougou, Botoro, Bamako(5) and Bouni(5) Properties and Sarama has, or is entitled to have, a 100% interest in each of the properties. The Djarkadougou, Bamako and Bouni Exploration Permits are going through a process with the government of Burkina Faso where it is required they be reissued as a new full-term exploration permit. The Company anticipates this to be completed in due course, though there can be no assurance that the process will be successfully completed on a timely basis, or at all. 5. For further information regarding the drilling on the Bamako and Bouni Properties, please refer to the technical report titled "NI 43-101 Independent Technical Report South Hounde Project Update, Bougouriba and Ioba Provinces, Burkina Faso", dated October 28, 2013 and prepared by Adrian Shepherd. Adrian Shepherd is an employee of Cube Consulting Pty Ltd and is considered independent of Sarama. The technical report is available under Sarama's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 6. Drilling previously disclosed in Sarama news release of September 20, 2018. 7. Upon satisfaction of certain conditions precedent and completion of the Termination Agreement. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Information in this disclosure that is not a statement of historical fact constitutes forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information includes statements regarding the potential for the receipt of regulatory approvals, the completion of definitive agreements, the potential of the projects to host mineralization of significance to support regional development plans, the timing and prospects for the reissuance of the Djarkadougou, Bamako and Bouni Exploration Permits by the government of Burkina Faso, plans for exploration at the South Hounde, ThreeBee and Koumandara Projects, the potential to expand the present oxide component of the existing estimated mineral resources at the South Hounde Project and the reliability of the historical estimate of mineral resources at the Bondi Deposit. Actual results, performance or achievements of the Company may vary from the results suggested by such forward-looking statements due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such factors include, among others, that the business of exploration for gold and other precious minerals involves a high degree of risk and is highly speculative in nature; Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves, they do not have demonstrated economic viability, and there is no certainty that they can be upgraded to Mineral Reserves through continued exploration; few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; the actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. There can be no assurance that any mineralisation that is discovered will be proven to be economic, or that future required regulatory licensing or approvals will be obtained. However, the Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, Acacia's continued funding of exploration activities, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration activities, the sufficiency of funding, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold and other precious metals, that the Company will not be affected by adverse political events, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain further financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Sarama does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. QUALIFIED PERSONS' STATEMENT Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to the Company's exploration activities in Burkina Faso is based on information compiled or approved by Guy Scherrer. Guy Scherrer is an employee of Sarama Resources Ltd and is a member in good standing of the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Guy Scherrer consents to the inclusion in this disclosure of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to the preparation of the South Hounde Project mineral resource estimate is based on information compiled or approved by Adrian Shepherd. Adrian Shepherd is an employee of Cube Consulting Pty Ltd and is considered to be independent of Sarama Resources Ltd. Adrian Shepherd is a Chartered Professional Member in good standing of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Adrian Shepherd consents to the inclusion in this disclosure of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Scientific or technical information in this disclosure, in respect of the Bondi Deposit relating to mineral resource and exploration information drawn from the Technical Report prepared for Orezone on that deposit has been approved by Guy Scherrer. Guy Scherrer is an employee of Sarama Resources Ltd and is a member in good standing of the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Guy Scherrer consents to the inclusion in this disclosure of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to the quotation of the Karankasso Project's mineral resource estimate is based on information compiled by Paul Schmiede. Paul Schmiede is an employee of Sarama Resources Ltd and is a Fellow in good standing of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Paul Schmiede has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Paul Schmiede consents to the inclusion in this disclosure of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Paul Schmiede and Sarama have not independently verified Savary's mineral resource estimate and take no responsibility for its accuracy. SOURCE: Sarama Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545301/Sarama-Resources-Executes-Definitive-Agreement-to-Regain-100-Ownership-Of-South-Hounde-Project-in-South-West-Burkina-Faso LONDON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks a triple celebration for Essentia Trading Limited. Our consultancy is five years old, we have relocated our London office, and today we launch our new brand name ETL. ETL is a close-knit team of experts who enable public and private sector clients to transform their environments. Formed in 2014 by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, ETL re-invests profits within the Trust. Our rebrand ties in with rapid business growth, in five years we have expanded to a team of over 80 professionals with main offices in London and Oxfordshire. Additionally, we have staff based in Cambridge, East Anglia, Manchester and Dublin. We have never been better placed to provide the breadth of expertise our clients need in the markets they operate in. As our business evolves it makes sense for our brand to mature with us. The simple transition to our new name, ETL, reflects the need to create some distinction from where we began, while preserving our public-sector roots. An evolution, not a revolution. These improvements to identity coincide with the relocation of our London Office to a prime position close to Tower Bridge: India House, Second Floor, 45 Curlew Street, London SE1 2ND. ETL's expansion in the City mirrors an increase in headcount at our Milton Park office in Oxfordshire. What hasn't changed? We are still the same team with the same high-standards, values and expertise. Our structure and leadership team remain unchanged and we are unwavering in our pursuit to provide a healthier perspective on our projects. Our greatest asset continues to be our people. Put simply, we make deep-rooted connections with the organisations we work with and the communities they serve. Our results go beyond improving the functionality of the estate or repurposing a building. We transform environments and build legacies. Notes to Editors About ETL Trading Ltd ETL is a unique multidisciplinary consultancy that enables public and private sector clients to transform their environments and create a meaningful legacy. Formed in 2014 by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, ETL re-invests profits within the Trust. Comprising of 80 experts, ETL has offices in London, Oxfordshire and staff based in Cambridge, East Anglia, Manchester and Dublin. ETL provides infrastructure advisory services in healthcare, higher education, science and research sectors across Capital Development, Cost Management, Project and Programme Management, Property Consultancy, Health Strategy and Planning and Sustainability. Importantly, ETL is a corporate member of the Association for Project Management (APM) and is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It is also a Crown Commercial Service approved supplier. For more information visit www.etl.co.uk. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886781/ETL_London_Office.jpg) (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886753/ETL_Logo.jpg) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Ridgestone Mining Inc. (TSXV: RMI) (OTCQB: RIGMF) ("Ridgestone Mining") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Benjamin Asuncion to the Company's Board of Directors. Over the past decade, Mr. Asuncion has accumulated extensive experience in the capital markets and the natural resources sector. From 2017 through 2019, Mr. Asuncion has held senior management or director roles with a number of public companies throughout the mining, healthcare, technology and life sciences sectors. From 2007 through 2016, Mr. Asuncion was with Haywood Securities Inc., a privately-owned Canadian sell-side brokerage firm, as a research analyst covering mining companies from exploration through to production. During his tenure at Haywood, he was involved in a number of sectors including oil and gas, technology and telecom, in addition to his core focus on mining. Prior to joining Haywood, Benjamin was involved in the management of an endowment fund at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Mr. Asuncion holds a Bachelor of Business degree from SFU with concentrations in finance, accounting and management science. Erwin Wong, Ridgestone's Board Director and Chief Financial Officer, commented: "We are excited and fortunate to welcome Ben to our Board of Directors. His wealth of capital markets experience in the mining sector on the research, valuation, and investment side significantly complements the skill set of our existing board members. We look forward to his valuable input and advice in the exciting development of our Rebeico gold-copper project in Mexico." About Ridgestone Mining Inc. Ridgestone is a TSX Venture Exchange-listed junior mineral exploration company with offices in Taipei and Vancouver, B.C. The Company's focus is on precious metals and copper in Sonora, Mexico, and specifically the Rebeico Gold-Copper project. For further information, please contact: Erwin Wong, CFO & Director Ridgestone Mining Inc. Telephone: 604-377-8758 This news release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. In this news release such statements include but are not limited to any ongoing drilling programs or exploration results, or any results from the MarketSmart program. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the Company's regulatory filings available on www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not exhaustive. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. The impact of any one factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as such factors are dependent on other factors, and the Company's course of action would depend on its assessment of the future considering all information then available. All forward-looking statements in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44709 Markham, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - iFabric Corp. (TSX: IFA) ("iFabric" or the "Company"), today announced its financial results for its second quarter and six months ended March 31, 2019. "Necessary steps have been taken to finalize the impact on areas of business we are no longer active in. In addition, there were significant one off expenditures that impacted the earnings and cash flow of the corporation this quarter. This included a successful defense of a patent infringement allegation against our best-selling bra. With these impediments behind us, and with growing commitments in all areas of the business, I believe we have positioned the company for an exciting future," concluded Hylton Karon. Q2 2019 HIGHLIGHTS: Revenues of $2,503,793 compared to $4,201,249 in Q2 2018, representing a decrease of $1,697,456 or 40%. Revenues in the Intimate Apparel division decreased by 60% or $2,025,725 to $1,339,797 from $3,365,522 in Q2 2018, whilst revenues in the Intelligent Fabrics division, increased by 36% or $290,654 to $1,100,783 from $810,129 in 2018. The decrease in Intimate Apparel revenue in Q2 2019 versus 2018 was primarily the result of the discontinuance of sleepwear products. This decrease was partially offset by increased revenues in the Intelligent Fabrics division during the second quarter of 2019 compared to 2019, mainly from initial performance apparel programs. Net loss before tax of $514,732 in Q2 2019 compared to net earnings of $590,585 in 2018. The decrease in net earnings is largely attributable to decrease in revenue of $1,697,456 and a decrease in gross profit dollars of $1,162,103. The impact of these decreases was partially offset by lower share-based compensation costs as well as increased exchange gains in Q2 2019 versus Q2 2018. Adjusted negative EBITDA of $456,076 compared to adjusted EBITDA of $707,527 in Q2 2018. This decrease was for the reasons discussed above. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue was 37% in Q2 2019, compared to 50% in Q2 2018. The decrease in gross profit percentage is attributable to a numbers of factors, namely, a higher proportion of Intelligent Fabric segment sales at lower margins, in Q2 2019 versus Q2 2018, a packaging refresh in respect of the key products of the Intimate Apparel division, as well as incentives provided to a major customer of the Intelligent Fabrics division, in respect of initial finished performance apparel programs. Gross profit in dollars decreased by 55% or $1,162,103 to $934,811 in Q2 2019 compared to $2,096,914 in Q2 2018. Net loss after tax attributable to shareholders was $386,487 ($0.015 per share basic and diluted) compared to net earnings attributable to shareholders of $371,076 in Q2 2018 ($0.014 per share basic and diluted). Other comprehensive loss, being unrealized currency gains on the translation of foreign operations, amounted to $8,649 in Q2 2019, compared to other comprehensive earnings of $165,254 in Q2 2018. Total comprehensive loss amounted $395,593 in Q2 2019 compared to total comprehensive earnings of $535,314 in 2018. Working capital decreased by $407,673 to $7,680,277 compared to $8,087,950 at the end of the previous quarter ended December 31, 2018, Cash decreased by $763,945 to $2,649,274 compared to $3,413,219 at the end of the previous quarter ended December 31, 2018. Income tax payments and the loss for the quarter were the main factors contributing to the reduction in cash. The Company's bank operating line was unutilized as at March 31, 2019, leaving the full operating line of $3,750,000 available to fund operations. Total liabilities at the end of Q2 2019 were $2,731,521 compared to $3,269,722 at the end of the previous quarter, representing a decrease of $538,201. Shareholder Equity attributable to common shareholders was $9,899,650 compared to $10,275,966 at the end of the previous financial quarter representing a decrease of $376,316. SIX MONTH HIGHLIGHTS: Revenues decreased by $4,362,347 to $4,975,674 compared to $9,338,021 for the corresponding six months in 2018, representing a decrease of 47%. With respect to the reportable operating segments of the Company, revenue decreased by 61% or $4,201,198 in its Intimate Apparel division and revenue decreased by 8% or $198,763 in its Intelligent Fabrics division. As discussed above, the decrease in Intimate Apparel revenue which was mainly attributable to the discontinuance of sleepwear products. The lower revenues in the Intelligent Fabrics segment during the first six months of 2019 compared to 2018 was due to the absence of license revenue in 2019 compared to $320,000 received in 2018. The decrease was partially offset by revenues from new finished performance apparel programs. Gross profit as a percentage of revenue decreased to 37% for the six months ended March 31, 2019 from 50% in the same period of 2018. The decrease in gross profit percentage is attributable to a numbers of factors, namely, a higher proportion of Intelligent Fabric division sales at lower margins, a packaging refresh in respect of the Intimate Apparel division's key products, as well as incentives provided to a major customer of the Intelligent Fabrics operating segment, in respect of initial finished performance apparel programs. Gross profit in dollars decreased by 61% or $2,867,688 to $1,816,419 for the year to date 2019 from $4,684,107 in the same period of 2018. The decrease in gross profit dollars was primarily caused by both the decrease in revenues and the decrease in gross margins. Net loss attributable to iFabric's shareholders during the six months ended March 31, 2019 was $943,609 ($0.036 per share, basic and diluted) compared to net earnings attributable to shareholders of $1,321,556 for the six months ended March 31, 2018 ($0.051 per share, basic and $0.048 diluted). The reduction in earnings for the first two quarters of 2019 compared to 2018 is largely attributable to lower revenues, lower gross profit, and increased foreign exchange losses. Other comprehensive earnings, being unrealized gains on the translation of foreign operations, amounted to $116,436 for the first six months of 2019 compared to $178,561 for the first six months of 2018. The total comprehensive loss amounted to $827,371 for the current six months compared to comprehensive earnings of $1,499,577 in 2018. Hylton Karon provided the following update and outlook: CORPORATE UPDATE & OUTLOOK:- Following the first full year sales cycle of initial performance apparel programs at a major Canadian retailer, which exceeded budgeted sales by a wide margin, these programs have been renewed for 2019/20. Our unique blending of technologies with our apparel manufacturing knowledge has excited an ever increasing range of customers. Both retailers and brands have increased their development requests. We believe this unique strategy will give rise to impressive growth in the years to come. Clinical trials in respect of a combination of our Protx2 antimicrobial and RepelTX durable water repellant are being scheduled for late summer 2019, at one and potentially two major healthcare groups in the USA. The US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) registration for public health claims are anticipated around the same time the clinical trial results are published, before the end of calendar 2019. Together the results of the clinical trials and the EPA registration will serve as a powerful tools to expand our medical market business. In response to customer demand, our technology team have added a class leading PFC (Perfluorocarbon) free version to our RepelTX DWR (durable water repellant) portfolio. Perfluorocarbons are extremely harmful to the environment and most major retailers and apparel manufacturers have announced their intention to move to PFC free repellants within the course of a few years, thus creating a large market opportunity for this technology. We will commence shipping this product before the end of calendar year 2019. Launch of new products in the summer of 2019 in the core bra and accessories business, coupled with a packaging refresh, gives us confidence that this area of the business will resume being a profit contributor in the future. We successfully defended a patent infringement allegation against our top selling bra. As a result of the outcome, we believe that additional sales opportunities exist for this product. Complete Financial Statements are available on www.sedar.com FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Quarter Ended March 31 Six Months Ended March 31 2019 2018 2019 2018 $ $ $ $ Revenue 2,503,793 4,201,249 4,975,674 9,338,021 Income (loss) from operations (500,102) 660,362 (989,268) 1,887,693 Share based compensation (18,820) 44,494 (92,198) 89,977 Adjusted EBITDA *(Note) (456,076) 707,527 (969,311) 2,134,857 Net earnings (loss) before tax (514,732) 590,585 (1,141,886) 1,889,478 Net income (loss) after tax attributable to shareholders (386,487) 371,076 (943,609) 1,321,556 Other comprehensive earnings (loss) (8,649) 165,254 116,436 178,561 Total comprehensive earnings (loss) (395,593) 535,314 (827,371) 1,499,577 Net income (loss) per share - basic (0.015) 0.014 (0.036) 0.051 Net income (loss) per share - diluted (0.015) 0.014 (0.036) 0.048 *Note: Adjusted EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and share based compensation. ABOUT iFABRIC CORP: Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, iFabric Corp www.ifabriccorp.com currently has 26.2 million shares issued and outstanding. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Intelligent Fabric Technologies (North America) Inc. ("IFTNA") and Coconut Grove Pads Inc. ("Coconut Grove"), the Company offers a variety of products and services in both of its strategic divisions: IFTNA is focused on performance apparel as well as proprietary chemical formulations that render fabrics, foams, plastics and numerous other surfaces intelligent, thereby improving the safety and well-being of the consumer. Coconut Grove, operating as Coconut Grove Intimates, is a designer, manufacturer, distributor, licensor and licensee of ladies intimate apparel products and accessories. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: Forward-looking statements provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements. The use of any words such as "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the development potential of the Company's products. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements as the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors affect the Company's business, or if the Company's estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Therefore, the Company cannot provide any assurance that forward-looking statements will materialize. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason except as required by applicable securities laws. Any financial outlook or future oriented financial information in this news release, as defined by applicable securities legislation, has been approved by management of iFabric. Such financial outlook or future oriented financial information is provided for the purpose of providing information about management's reasonable expectations as to the anticipated results of its proposed business activities. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, please contact: Hilton Price, CFO Tel: 647.465.6161 Email: hilton.price@rogers.com Gary Perkins - Investor Relations Tel: 416.882.0020 Email: garyperkins@rogers.com Jean-Francois Dube (Quebec) - Investor Relations Tel: 514.233.9551 Email: jfdube@mac.com Website: www.ifabriccorp.com Neither the TSX nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44756 High Grade Intersects Include 22.15% PbEq or 815 g/t AgEq Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Pan Global Resources Inc. (TSXV: PGZ) (OTC: PGNRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce results from its first exploration drill program at the Aguilas Project in Spain. The company completed 20 wide-spaced drill holes for a total of 2,944 metres in April 2019. This includes 13 drill holes along 4.1 kilometres of the Zumajo Pb-Zn-Ag trend and 7 drill holes along a 5.2 kilometre segment of the Torrubia Cu trend. This is the first drilling on these targets with high metal grades intersected in several drill holes. Tim Moody, President and CEO, states: "These are encouraging results for the first drill holes in the Aguilas Project. We believe the exploration potential remains significant given the wide spacing and shallow depth of the drill holes completed to date. The drill holes on the Zumajo trend show that the high grade Pb, Zn and Ag mineralization extends beyond the historical mine workings and remains open in all directions." On the Zumajo trend, significant drill results are reported along approximately 1.5 km of strike extending from the San Juan, San Rafael and Dos Centimos mine workings, open down dip and along strike. This includes high grade polymetallic mineralization (Pb, Zn, Ag Cu, Au) within an 8 to 20m wide, steeply dipping zone of multi-stage breccia and veins. High grade intervals include up to 16.85% Pb, 1.9% Zn, 85 g/t Ag (22.15% PbEq or 815 g/t AgEq) over 0.6 metres (drill hole VAC-006). The drilling also indicates that Pb and Ag mineralization near the San Luis and San Cayetano mine workings is open along strike and at depth. The drill holes on the Torrubia trend include 40-90 metre wide intervals of intense multi-stage breccia and hematite-quartz-carbonate alteration. The breccia is anomalous in Cu in each drill hole. The best grades include 2.65% Cu, 125ppm Co and 3 g/t Ag (2.76% CuEq) over 0.8m and 1.65% Cu, 240ppm Co and 2.1 g.t Ag (2.05% CuEq) over 0.7m in the northernmost drill hole, TOR-001. Copper appears to increase to the North where the target remains open and untested. Recent exploration has also extended the Torrubia trend a further 4 km to the south, giving a total strike length of 16 km. Drilling highlights: VAC-002: 17.5m @ 1.66% Pb and 8.5 g/t Ag, including 8.5m @ 3.38% Pb, 0.11% Zn, 0.02% Cu, 17.3 g/t Ag (includes 0.9m @ 5.14% Pb, 0.12% Zn, 0.02% Cu, 34.8 g/t Ag and 1.3m @ 14.85% Pb, 0.11% Zn, 0.04% Cu, 67.1g/t Ag ) VAC-005: 15.3m @ 0.88% Pb, 0.27% Zn, 6.2 g/t Ag, including 7.85m @ 1.68% Pb, 0.48% Zn, 10.2 g/t Ag (includes 0.85m @ 0.93% Pb, 3.22% Zn, 16.5 g/t Ag and 1.9m @ 6.05% Pb, 29.8 g/t Ag) VAC-006: 17.7m @ 0.84% Pb, 0.48% Zn, 5.1 g/t Ag, including 8.6m @ 1.72% Pb, 0.94% Zn, 0.15% Cu, 10.2 g/t Ag , (includes 0.6m @ 16.85% Pb, 1.9% Zn, 0.08% Cu, 85.1 g/t Ag, 0.02 g/t Au and 1.6m @ 1.18% Pb, 1.9% Zn, 0.07% Cu, 7.3 g/t Ag, 0.03 g/t Au ) ZUM-003: 9.2m @ 2.4% Pb and 9.4 g/t Ag , including 3.4m @ 5.55% Pb, 16.4 g/t Ag TOR-001: 16m @ 0.30% Cu, 30.5ppm Co, 0.6 g/t Ag, 0.05 g/t Au , including 0.8m @ 2.65% Cu, 125ppm Co, 3 g/t Ag, 0.004 g/t Au and 0.7m @ 1.85% Cu, 240ppm Co, 2.1 g/t Ag, 0.02 g/t Au; 0.7m @ 0.55 g/t Au Mr Moody added: "The next round of drilling on the Zumajo trend will focus on further testing the continuity, grade and extent of the polymetallic mineralization. The drilling on the Torrubia trend shows the breccia is anomalous in copper over several kilometres of strike and provides an indication of a potentially strong mineralized system, with drill hole TOR-001 demonstrating potential for high copper grades. We have applied for access to drill test the northern extension of the Torrubia trend where the strongest and widest soil copper anomaly is located." About the Aguilas Project The Aguilas project covers more than 16,000 hectares in northern Andalucia, Spain. Exploration to-date has focussed on major fault structures cutting the Pedroches Batholith. This includes Pb Zn Ag mineralization along the >20 km long Northwest oriented Zumajo historical Pb Ag mine trend and hematite-dominant iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) style mineralization along the >10 km long Northeast oriented Torrubia trend. None of the targets have been drill tested previously. In 2018, soil sampling along a 5 km section of the Zumajo trend delineated two large lead-zinc-silver targets. Surface sampling returned very high values up to 8.9% Pb, 0.97% Zn, 17.5g/t Ag and 672ppm Cu in soils and up to >20% Pb, 20.7% Zn, 235g/t Ag and 12.75% Cu in rock grab samples from mine dumps and occasional outcrop. The historical mine workings along the trend are mainly shallow, with the deepest shaft being approximately 120m depth. The mines operated from the late 1800's to 1958. Exploration by the company in 2017 and 2018 resulted in the definition of two large copper anomalies on the Torrubia copper trend at Torrubia and Cerro Aguila, with up to 0.69% Cu in soils and up to 28% Cu, 33% Fe, 1.7g/t Au, 15.5g/t Ag and 0.13% Co in rock grab samples. Drilling commenced in September 2018 designed to provide the first test of the polymetallic and IOCG targets, and provide information on the geology and style of mineralization. New exploration on the Torrubia trend in 2019 suggests the structure extends a further 4 km to the South giving a potential total strike length of approximately 16 km with further exploration required. The majority of the Aguilas Project has not yet been explored, including several areas still under mineral rights application. Drill results are summarized in Table 1 and Table 2. Drill hole collar information provided in Table 3. Drill hole locations are shown in Figure 1. Zumajo trend A total of 13 drill holes were completed along a 4.2 km section of the >20 km long Zumajo trend testing a combination of Pb-Zn-Ag soil geochemistry, IP anomalies and down-dip or along strike from the historical mine workings at San Juan, San Rafael, San Luis and San Cayetano (Figure 2). High grade Pb, Zn, Ag Cu mineralization was encountered in several drill holes along approximately 1.5 km of strike extending from the historical mine workings at San Juan, San Rafael and Dos Centimos. High Pb Ag grades were also encountered along strike from the San Luis and San Cayetano mine workings. The mineralization extends from surface and is open along strike and down-dip at both areas associated with multi-stage breccia, vein and stock work. This includes coarse grained galena, pale sphalerite, chalcopyrite and chalcocite. Fracturing, veining and quartz, carbonate, clay and weak hematite alteration increases approaching the Pb-Zn-Ag mineralization and chlorite-sericite-epidote alteration more peripheral. Scope exists to considerably extend the high grade polymetallic mineralization on the Zumajo trend at depth and along strike. Average distance between drill holes is currently approximately 415m. Distances of 450 to 680m separates the highest grade intercepts in drill holes VAC-002, 005 and 006. A gap of >1.1km with very little exploration separates hole VAC-006 to the nearest drill hole to the East at San Luis. Torrubia trend The first phase of drilling included 4 drill holes over approximately 800m of strike in the south of the Torrubia target and 3 drill holes over approximately 360m of strike at the Cerro Aguilas target. The drill holes show intense IOCG-style hematite-quartz-carbonate hydrothermal alteration and multistage breccia over widths of 40 to 90 metres and surrounded by a broader zone of chlorite-sericite-hematite alteration. The breccia contains anomalous levels of Cu Co, Ag and Au in each drill hole. High copper grades are confirmed over narrow intervals in drill hole TOR-001. Drill holes TOR-001, TOR-002 and TOR-003 show increasing copper down-hole before being truncated by a post-mineral fault, suggesting the full width of the copper mineralization has not been intersected (Figure 3). The results show copper increasing at depth and towards the North where the structure continues un-tested for a further 5 km. Access is awaited to test the strongest and widest soil copper anomaly extending approximately 1.7 km north of hole TOR-001. The drill holes on the Cerro Aguilas target returned anomalous levels of copper (100's ppm to 0.33% Cu) in the breccia. The widest breccia intervals were encountered at Cerro Aguilas and appears to widen towards the intersection with the Zumajo trend. The results do not explain the source of the high copper grades found in boulders at surface. Table 1 - Zumajo drill results summary Hole_ID From (m) To (m) Int. (m) Pb % Zn % Ag g/t Cu % Au g/t PbEq % AgEq g/t Comment ZUM001 21.4 42 20.6 1.1 ZUM002 64 73 9 0.98 <0.01 3.9 <0.01 <0.01 1.12 42 including 64.8 67.4 2.6 3.02 0.01 9.3 0.01 <0.01 3.33 125 ZUM003 76.2 92.5 16.3 1.37 0.01 2.2 <0.01 <0.01 1.57 59 incl. halo 78 87.2 9.2 2.4 0.01 9.4 0.01 0.01 2.71 102 including 79 82.4 3.4 5.5 <0.01 16.4 0.01 0.01 5.99 225 including 85.4 86 0.6 2.2 <0.01 18.1 0.01 <0.01 2.74 103 ZUM004 Weakly anomalous Pb (maximum 2m @ 0.3% Pb from 56.0m) ZUM005 Weakly anomalous Pb (maximum 1.4m @ 0.11% Pb from 64.0m) ZUM006 138.1 144.6 6.5 0.58 0.01 4.5 0.01 <0.01 0.74 28 including 138.1 139 0.9 2.04 0.01 20.8 <0.01 <0.01 2.64 99 ZUM007 No significant results VAC001 100.15 105.85 5.7 0.19 0.15 5.4 0.04 <0.01 0.69 26 Mine tunnel - Low recovery VAC002 166 183.5 17.5 1.66 0.06 8.5 0.01 <0.01 2.01 76 incl. halo 169 177.5 8.5 3.38 0.11 17.3 0.02 <0.01 4.06 152 including 170 170.9 0.9 5.14 <0.01 34.8 0.01 <0.01 6.14 230 including 173.7 175 1.3 14.85 0.11 67.1 0.03 <0.01 16.91 634 VAC003 122.8 134.1 11.3 0.2 0.5 3.6 <0.01 <0.01 1.03 39 VAC004 Abandoned in mine workings. Hole ends in 2.62% Pb, 0.22% Zn, 11 g/t Ag VAC005 51 66.3 15.3 0.88 0.27 6.2 0.01 <0.01 1.48 55 incl. halo 57.15 65 7.85 1.68 0.48 10.2 0.02 <0.01 2.7 101 including 57.15 58 0.85 0.93 3.22 16.5 0.04 <0.01 6.16 231 including 60.1 62 1.9 6.05 0.08 29.8 0.03 <0.01 7.06 265 VAC006 59.3 77 17.7 0.84 0.48 5.1 0.08 <0.01 1.94 73 incl. halo 66.6 75.2 8.6 1.72 0.94 10.2 0.15 0.01 3.86 145 including 67 67.6 0.6 16.85 1.89 85.1 0.08 0.01 22.15 831 including 73.6 75.2 1.6 1.18 2.04 7.3 0.07 0.03 4.62 173 Note: AgEq and PbEq Metal prices used: Lead US$0.9 per pound, Zinc US$1.3 per pound, Copper US$2.90 per pound, Silver US$15 per ounce, Gold US$1275 per ounce. Assumed 100% recovery. Table 2 - Torrubia drill results summary Hole_ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Cu (%) Co (%) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) CuEq (%) TOR001 90 106 16 0.3 30.5 0.6 0.05 0.36 including 91.15 91.95 0.8 2.65 127 3 0.04 2.76 including 100.4 101.1 0.7 1.85 240 2.1 0.02 2.05 TOR002 63.1 70.5 7.4 0.14 16.3 0.4 0.01 0.16 TOR003 No significant results TOR004 54.3 59 4.7 0.17 40 0.3 0.02 0.22 CDA001 Weakly anomalous Cu (maximum 0.35m @ 0.12% Cu from 58.70m) CDA001 Weakly anomalous Pb (maximum 1m @ 0.19% Pb from 81.0m ) CDA002 Weakly anomalous Cu (maximum 0.4m @ 0.33% Cu, 138ppm Co from 73.2m) CDA003 No Significant results Note: CuEq Metal prices used: Copper US$2.90 per pound, Silver US$15 per ounce, Gold US$1275 per ounce, Cobalt US$20.0 per pound. Assumed 100% recovery. Table 3 - Drill hole collar information Hole_ID Easting 1 Northing 1 Z (m) Azimuth True (o) Dip (o) Length (m) ZUM001 377185 4238618 792.70 220 -50 104.7 ZUM002 377129 4238699 779.41 220 -60 141.5 ZUM003 376561 4239213 751.94 220 -60 119.8 ZUM004 376817 4238945 761.94 220 -70 147.7 ZUM005 376147 4239528 742.96 220 -65 146.5 ZUM006 376663 4239183 754.54 220 -65 176.8 ZUM007 377053 4238745 778.05 220 -65 141.3 VAC001 374704 4240683 738.47 215 -65 135.3 VAC002 374769 4240719 743.81 215 -60 224 VAC003 373965 4241137 712.51 210 -60 159.9 VAC004 374336 4240870 730.91 210 -60 44.6 VAC005 374337 4240871 730.87 210 -70 83.3 VAC006 375296 4240292 741.90 220 -60 122.7 TOR001 373603 4246593 650.20 120 -60 151.5 TOR002 373611 4246588 650.40 120 -45 88.2 TOR003 373525 4246568 644.00 130 -60 189.3 TOR004 373110 4245978 643.56 130 -60 181.4 CDA001 370703 4242288 697.92 130 -60 160.5 CDA002 370923 4242568 724.96 130 -50 193.4 CDA003 370870 4242523 715.94 130 -65 231.1 1 coordinates are in ERTS89 datum UTM30N Figure 1 - Drill hole locations To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5190/44724_cb690dc7d4e1d89e_001full.jpg Figure 2 - Zumajo Long section (approximately 4.2km) To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5190/44724_cb690dc7d4e1d89e_002full.jpg Figure 3 - Cross section TOR001, 002 and 003 To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5190/44724_cb690dc7d4e1d89e_003full.jpg QA/QC Drilling was subcontracted to an independent drilling company. Typically, all holes were collared in PQ to approximately 10m and continued in HQ. All drill hole collar positions were surveyed using a Differential GPS Leica 900 with centimetric precision. The trajectory of each borehole was surveyed using a Mag Cruiser Sensor Module SM1 series 1801. Core was logged and processed at PGZs secure core storage facility at Villanueva de Cordoba. Average core recovery for the program was 88%, ranging from 95% to 53% (low recoveries were experienced in several holes after intersecting historic underground mine workings). Nominal sample size was 1m (0.5m-1.5m) in prospective lithologies and 2m intervals in unaltered non mineralized material. Samples were half core and competent drill core was cut using a bench water cooled diamond saw, and fractured unconsolidated material was manually split. Core was photographed before and after cutting. Samples were hand delivered to the ALS Sample preparation facility in Seville, Spain and crushed and pulverised using method CRU-31, SPL-22Y, PUL-31 protocol. Samples were analysed in the ALS analytical facility in Loughrea Ireland using ICP-AES 4 acid digest, ME-ICP61, Au-ICP22 (50g Fire assay) and over grade samples re-analysed using atomic absorption spectrometry (OG). Quarter core duplicates were inserted at a frequency of 1 per 50 samples and Certified reference materials inserted at a frequency of 1 per 30 samples. No notable issues were observed with the duplicates or standards, however local issues were observed between drill hole recovery and grade where ground was highly fractured or historic mine workings were intersected. All sample reject and pulp material and remaining half and unsampled core is stored at the PGZ warehouse. Qualified Person Robert Baxter (FAusIMM), a Director of Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Mr. Baxter is not independent of the Company. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively engaged in base and precious metal exploration in Spain and is pursuing opportunities from exploration through to mine development. The company is committed to operating safely and with respect to the communities and environment where we operate. On behalf of the Board of Directors www.panglobalresources.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: info@panglobalresources.com Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44724 FAIRPORT, New York, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualitrol is happy to announce two innovations that enhance the usability of their market leading online Gas Chromatography DGA monitor, TMx. Optional Helium carrier gas cylinder with a usage lifetime of 12 years - up from a previous 5 years. Calibration gas lifetime has been extended to 5 years - up from previous 3 years. Helium Qualitrol has teamed up with a global gas manufacturer to offer users of our TMx Online DGA monitor an innovative, ultra-high-volume Helium cylinder. The cylinders contain significantly more gas than conventional cylinders yet possess similar dimensions, ergonomics and safety classification. These cylinders utilize advanced materials to achieve an increased pressure rating. The valve on the cylinder includes an integrated regulator that steps the outlet supply pressure down to approximately 9,000 kPa (1,300 psig), so the new high capacity cylinder is immediately compatible with all our existing regulators and gas tubing. Increased volume of gas means the new cylinder will offer considerably longer durations between cylinder exchanges Purchasing a large supply of gas in one cylinder protects against any future gas commodity price increases Cylinder contents are always displayed, even without a regulator attached thanks to the integrated pressure gauge Practically, this innovation means that only one cylinder exchange is required to provide the monitor with a lifetime of carrier gas - up to 24 years of gas with one exchange Calibration Gas. Based on a proprietary and verifiable production and testing processes, coupled with industry experience and access to a global network of research and development facilities our calibration gas supplier, working with Qualitrol, have created an innovative calibration gas cylinder that extends the usable life of the TMx calibration gas cylinder from 3 years to 5 years. This change effects on the lifetime only. Physical size and operation remain unchanged. The cylinder need only be replaced every 5 years as compared to the previous version which expired after 3 years This is a step change in the use of Gas Chromatography for online dissolved gas analysis: These two innovations result in a 60% reduction in site visits to manage consumable gases while ensuring the Qualitrol Serveron TMx monitor provides lifelong, high accuracy, laboratory grade DGA data. Learn more at: https://www.qualitrolcorp.com/products/dissolved-gas-analyzers/single-gas-analyzers --- Established in 1945, Qualitrol is one of the largest and most trusted global suppliers of condition monitoring solutions for transformers, generators and other high-value electrical assets globally. At Qualitrol we are defining condition monitoring. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Pivit Exploration Inc. (CSE: PIVT) (FWB:P11)(the "Company" or "Pivit") advises that it intends to conduct an immediate strategic review with the objective to maximize value on behalf of shareholders of the Company's publicly-traded business (the "Strategic Review"). Among other possibilities, the Strategic Review will examine potential opportunities in the cannabis, CBD/hemp and mining sectors. The Corporation cautions that this Strategic Review does represent any declaration concerning a change of business. In addition, the Strategic Review may not result in any change to the operations or existing nature of the Company as a mining entity. Furthermore, the Company advises that it has not signed any binding or non-binding agreements of any nature nor entered into any formal discussions regarding a potential transaction. The Corporation advises that it may engage external advisors with respect to the Strategic Review and looks forward to updating shareholders as the Strategic Review progresses. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Michael England Chief Executive Officer, President and Director Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Pivit Exploration Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545280/Pivit-Announces-Strategic-Review As another year marked by the global pandemic comes to an end, our photojournalists remain challenged and, frequently, awed - by the constant state of change. We documented our ever-evolving world in ways few photo staffs could as we all worked to regain normalcy amid COVID-19s seemingly unbreakable hold on our communities. We showed the relieved faces of people receiving a coveted vaccine, telling the story of a scientific breakthrough with images of those benefitting from it. We covered new workplace policies, school protocols and policing practices. We traveled half-way across the world to an Olympics where the athletes couldnt hug each other, masked medalists step atop the podium and no one came to watch. The Chicago Tribune faced its own series of changes, too. We have new owners. New bosses. Endured another move. Gained new talented journalists and lost many others from the newsroom ranks. The one constant has been our dedication to providing photography on a daily basis that is relevant to the communities we cover: The joy of picnicking at the lakefront on a summer afternoon, the pain of children, police officers and neighbors all falling victims to violent crime. Documenting whos in and whos out in the political landscape, escaping to your favorite cultural event or sports competition. We hope this installment of the annual Photos of the Year project reminds us of the moments that shaped our lives and the thoughtful way we portray them. Its also a platform for acknowledging the talent and dedication of Tribune photographers, and all photojournalists, who make change a way of life. The Chicago Tribune staff photographers for 2021: Brian Cassella, Erin Hooley, Terrence Antonio James, Vashon Jordan Jr., John J. Kim, Youngrae Kim, Jose M. Osorio, Antonio Perez, Armando L. Sanchez, Chris Sweda, Abel Uribe, E. Jason Wambsgans, Stacey Wescott and Raquel Zaldivar. Tribune visual editors: Mark Hume, Andrew Johnston, Marianne Mather, Steve Rosenberg and Peter Tsai. - Todd Panagopoulos, Director of Content/Visuals Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Currie Rose Resources Inc. (TSXV: CUI) ("Currie" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has received approval of its Notice of Work Permit application. This will enable the Company to commence drilling at the Rossland Gold Project in southern British Columbia. Work by the company to date, has included an extensive document review of all exploration data within the Rossland Gold Camp including: the historic, high grade Rossland mines (Le Roi, War Eagle and Centre Star Mines) that produced over 2.7mozs gold between 1894 and 1941 and more recent historical exploration activities within the package that identified extensions to the historical mines through detailed geological mapping, geophysics and diamond drilling (Figure 1). From the review, Currie identified 3 initial drill targets (Figure 1) which have been the subject of recent exploration by Currie in the form of a drone magnetic survey and re-processing of historic VLF-EM geophysics. This recent work, coupled with substantial historic information, has built target confidence through multiple anomaly data layering. (Refer: Press Release - Rossland Project Update 2019-03-04). Michael Griffiths, Currie's President and CEO, commented; "The work done by our exploration team has identified significant iron rich anomalies commonly associated with the known gold mineralisation mined at Rossland. We are now in a position where drilling is the next step to bring new life to the Rossland Gold Camp." Mr Griffiths further commented, "We remain committed to working closely with the Rossland community and other stake holders to ensure any impacts will be minimised through consultation and discussion." Figure 1: Rossland Gold Project To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2005/44748_b56cefe114739b1d_001full.jpg About the Rossland Gold Project The Rossland Gold Project is situated 10km west from the Trail Zinc Smelter in south-central British Columbia. The Currie package surrounds most of the Rossland mines that produced more than 2.7 million ounces of gold, 3.5 million ounces of silver and 71,000 tonnes of copper between 1894 and 1941 and ranks as the third largest lode gold camp in British Columbia. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN RESPECT OF CURRIE ROSE, PLEASE CONTACT: Mike Griffiths, CEO Office: 905-688-9115 Email: info@currierose.com Catherine Beckett, Manager Corporate Affairs Office: 905-688-9115 Email: info@currierose.com About Currie Rose Resources Inc. Currie Rose is a precious metal explorer focused on identifying high value assets in Canada and delivering responsible exploration outcomes that meet shareholder expectations and provide community opportunities. The company is currently focussed on the Rossland Gold Project in British Columbia. Please visit our website located at www.currierose.com Qualified Persons Scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and reviewed and approved on behalf Currie Rose Resources by Michael Griffiths, FAusIMM, President & CEO for Currie Rose, a Qualified Person. Forward Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements about the closing of the transaction, expected terms of the transaction, the number of securities of Currie Rose that may be issued in connection with the transaction, and the parties' ability to satisfy closing conditions and receive necessary approvals are all forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. Statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances, unless otherwise required to do so by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44748 Del Mar, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Defense Technologies International Corp. (OTC Pink: DTII) ("the Company"), an innovative provider of security technology with broad and diverse applications, is pleased to announce the settlement with Firstfire Global Opportunity Fund. The Company executed a Settlement Agreement with Firstfire Global Opportunities Fund LLC and thereby reduced its general outstanding debt by $102,500.00. With this the Company expects to establish a more stable market and increase investor confidence. For details on the settlement with Firstfire please see: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1533357/000109690619000186/defense.htm The Company is moving closer to its goal to the start of full production and sales. We are pleased to present the Company's Subsidiary's Video Production of the "Passive Portal", the Company's walk-through, passive weapons and metal detector scanner. Corporate Video: https://youtu.be/rFV6Y1tOdG4 Technical Video: https://youtu.be/uv4EYsjUmL4 Small Cap Corner: https://video214.com/play/6UOwWXj9ShcTz8Zq40uvLQ/s/dark?fbclid=IwAR0DzvLBxU5J1p5VsfuF94xQp5G2-O4HyQHpbGbDB8gMqjOVu0-PYUrcouA For more information on the Passive Security Scan Technology and the Passive Portal, please visit http://www.defensetechnologiesintl.com/ The "Passive Portal" technology is based on the 'Earth's Magnetic Fields' with no emissions emitted for detection and is therefore extremely safe for any person passing through the 'Passive Portal'. The Passive Security Scan system uses highly developed field sensing technology using patented methods to sense and pin point the location of contraband detected. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Contact: Defense Technologies International Merrill W. Moses, President & CEO Phone: 800 520-9485 Email: dtii@defensetechnologiesintl.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44767 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Blackrock Gold Corp. ("Blackrock" or the "Company") (TSXV: BRC) is pleased to announce that Andrew Pollard has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company. He replaces Greg Schifrin in the position who has resigned to pursue other opportunities. The Company thanks him and wishes him the best in his future endeavours. For nearly fifteen years, Andrew Pollard has established himself as a sought-after management consultant within the mining industry. Mr. Pollard founded the Mining Recruitment Group Ltd (MRG) in 2006 and has amassed a "Who's Who" network in the mining & finance world, leveraging his personal relationships to help shape what have become some of the most prominent and successful resource companies. In a sector where management is crucial, he has served as a trusted advisor to exploration companies and producers ranging in size from seed round through to over $100 billion in market capitalization. Andrew Pollard, CEO, stated, "Blackrock's Silver Cloud project, a low-sulphidation epithermal gold target, is situated within the Northern Nevada Rift, one of the richest gold districts on the planet. Limited drilling by Teck and subsequently Placer nearly two decades ago resulted in multiple high-grade gold drill intercepts that have yet to be followed up on. Despite trying times in the resource space, Nevada remains a hotbed of activity both for discovery and acquisitions. My expertise in the resource space is focused on building world-class management teams and experience dictates that quality assets like the Silver Cloud tend to attract quality management teams. My role here is to leverage my extensive network to source and build a management team capable of advancing this project and driving shareholder value." Further to the appointment, BRC has granted 750,000 incentive stock options to Mr. Pollard. The options, which are subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, may be exercised at a price of $0.05 per share for a term of 5 years. The Company also wishes to announce that Mr. Schifrin has also voluntarily surrendered 750,000 stock options granted to him on May14, 2018 at $0.12. These Stock options granted to him are now cancelled effective immediately. For further information, please contact: Andrew Pollard Chief Executive Officer Blackrock Gold Corporation Telephone :604-817-6044 Email: andrew@blackrockgoldcorp.com The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44768 Delta, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Desert Gold Ventures Inc. (TSXV: DAU) (FSE: QXR2) (OTC PINK: DAUGF) ("Desert Gold" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that the previously disclosed business combination between Ashanti Gold and the Company was approved at yesterday's special meeting of Ashanti Gold shareholders. ABOUT THE ASHANTI GOLD ACQUISITION On April 1, 2019 the Company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ashanti Gold Corp by way of a 3-cornered amalgamation ("the Combination Agreement"). Pursuant to the Combination Agreement, Desert Gold will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Ashanti on the basis of 0.2857 Desert Gold common shares for each Ashanti Share. The transaction is expected to close by the end of May 2019 and is subject to regulatory approvals and is conditional on Ashanti being granted a new exploration license over the Kossanto East exploration permit area in Western Mali. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Jared Scharf" ___________________________ Jared Scharf President & Director ABOUT DESERT GOLD Desert Gold Ventures Inc. is a gold exploration and development company which holds 3 gold exploration permits in Western Mali (Farabantourou, Segala West and Djimbala) and its Rutare gold project in central Rwanda. For further information please visit www.SEDAR.com under the company's profile. Website: www.desertgold.ca CONTACT Jared Scharf, President and Director Email: jared.scharf@desertgold.ca Tel. No.: +1 (858) 247-8195 This news release contains forward-looking statements respecting the Company's ability to successfully complete the Offering. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations, are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such statements, including the inability of the Company to successfully complete the Offering. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the capital markets, the price of gold; operational, funding, and liquidity risks; the degree to which mineral resource estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources; and the degree to which factors which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable are present; the risks and hazards associated with mining operations. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at www.sedar.com and readers are urged to read these materials. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements unless required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the united states securities act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the united states or to the account or benefit of a U.S. person absent an exemption from the registration requirements of such act. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44774 Medical Day Spa and Plastic Surgery Office Brings Latest Facial, Body Enhancement Techniques to Peoria-Area Residents PEORIA, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Dr. Brian Bruggeman, M.D., announced today the opening of his new practice in Peoria, Arizona. Bruggeman Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics brings cutting-edge medical aesthetics, plastic surgery, body enhancements and more to the Western Salt River Valley where fun in the sun often leads to premature wrinkling, uneven skin pigmentation, and other signs of aging. "Our office provides a luxurious, day-spa feeling while under the care of a licensed plastic surgeon or medically-trained aestheticians" said Dr. Bruggeman. "We provide both the latest beauty treatments as well as plastic and reconstructive surgery to correct and enhance a patient's appearance." Bruggeman Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics provides an array of plastic surgery and aesthetic services for a healthier, more youthful appearance. Patients may select from IPL, laser hair removal, skin tightening, Dermalinfusion(R), feminine rejuvenation, Botox(R) and more. Medically-trained aestheticians analyze patients' skin and recommend products and procedures to enhance and correct common skin problems. Among the innovative offerings is Crisalix(R), a virtual reality system that enables patients to visualize in 3D and 4D what they will look like before and after a procedure. For more information about Crisalix, please check out https://bruggemanplasticsurgery.com/crisalix-aesthetic-solutions/. "It's revolutionary," Dr. Bruggeman said, "It answers the common question many patients have: 'What will I look like after the procedure?'" Dr. Bruggeman also performs plastic surgery services including reconstructive surgery after mastectomy, rhinoplasty (nose jobs), face lifts, breast implants and breast reduction surgery, tummy and chin tuck, "Mommy Makeover" procedures, and liposuction. Less invasive services that can be performed in the office include BodyTite(R) and FaceTite(R) from InMode Aesthetic Solutions, liposuction, body contouring, and skin tightening. Dr. Bruggeman earned his medical degree from the University of Utah and completed his residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Albany Medical Center, New York. He has worked with burn victims at the Westchester Burn Center in Valhalla, New York, and volunteered his time in Santiago, Dominican Republic, repairing cleft lips and palates. The office welcomes new patients and encourages those interested in plastic surgery and aesthetic solutions to call (623) 230-2200 to schedule a free plastic surgery consultation and aesthetic skin analysis. Bruggeman Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics is located at 14155 N. 83rd Avenue, Suite 147, Peoria, Arizona. About Bruggeman Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics: Bruggeman Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics, located in Peoria, Arizona, offers plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as medical aesthetics for men and women. Innovative services include Crisalix(R) virtual reality 3D/4D software that enables patients to visualize before and after images, BodyTite(R) and FaceTite(R) from Inmode Aesthetic Solutions, and many more services. The relaxing, spa-like environment, medically trained aestheticians, and excellent care from Dr. Bruggeman and his staff provide patients with procedures that enhance their appearance and help them feel good about themselves. For more information, please visit https://bruggemanplasticsurgery.com/ Media Contact: Jill King, Front Office Manager 623-230-2200 Contact: Jill King info@bruggemanps.com 623-230-2200 SOURCE: Bruggeman Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545306/Bruggeman-Plastic-Surgery-Aesthetics-Opens-Office-in-Peoria-Arizona Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - MarijuanaStox announces publication of an article that discusses Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. (CSE: LDS) (OTC: LDSYF). The company produces cannabis-infused CannaStrips (similar to breath strips) that are not only a safer, healthier option to smoking, but also a new way to accurately meter the dosage and assure the purity of the product. The CBD Boom is Just Getting Started It's no secret the cannabis market is booming globally. And the industry shows no signs of slowing. For one, the Industry Could be Worth $77 Billion by 2022. The Marijuana Business Factbook estimates the industry could be worth $77 billion by 2022. By 2025, Cowen & Co. analysts believe CBD use will grow to 10% of Americans, which implies a potential $16 billion market opportunity. Along the way, retailers have been quick to wake up to that very opportunity. Two, nearly 7% of Americans currently use CBD, according to Cowen & Co. analysts. In fact, according to Cowen's January 2019 consumer survey of 2,500 adults, 6.9% of respondents are using CBD. "This initial response piqued our interest considerably, as it was much higher than we would have suspected," they said, as quoted by the Press Herald. Three, global spending on cannabis could reach $57 billion by 2027. That's according to Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics. In their report, "The Road Map to $57 Billion Worldwide Market," analysts note that the South American market for example could grow from $125 million in 2018 to $776 million by 2027. They also note that Germany could become the leader in the European cannabis market, with Italy expected to see $1.2 billion cannabis sales by 2027. Lifestyle Delivery Systems in Line to Benefit Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. just announced that subsidiary, Core Isogenics Inc.'s seedlings from its Adelanto Nursery will be delivered to the Sacramento Farm this week. The distribution and transportation of the seedlings will be handled by CSPA Group, Inc, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary. Core Isogenics will supply expertise, seedlings and nutrients to the farm. The farm has two years of successful contaminant-free growth and all the necessary infrastructure for the cultivation of multiple cannabis strains from Core Isogenics. "The commencement of cultivation operations in Sacramento with our isogenic cannabis strains is very encouraging to our long-term goals. The addition of over 100,000 square feet of cultivation will secure the necessary bio-mass requirements for optimum production runs of CannaStrips. This operation will also secure our pricing and protect our margins going forward," says CEO, Brad Eckenweiler. In addition, Lifestyle Delivery Systems just reported that the City of Adelanto reduced the tax on Transportation, Distribution, Manufacturing, and Cannabis Testing Lab Services from 5% down to 1% voted 4 to 1 in favor of the reduction. The City council voted 4 to1 to reduce the cultivation tax from $5 per month per square foot to $0.42 cents per month, per square foot. The dispensaries tax was likewise reduced from 5% down to 3%. This decision comes in line with California voting to reduce the cannabis cultivation tax statewide. The reduction in city taxes will be a positive incentive for cannabis businesses to operate in Adelanto. For more information, visit the company's website at https://www.lifestyledeliverysystems.com About MarijuanaStox MarijuanaStox.com is a leading web destination for all cannabis related companies. Investors can also find current marijuana-related quality financial, medical, legal and social news. MarijuanaStox.com is a media agency in North America dedicated to the cannabis industry, helping companies that operate in the space to attract quality investors, working capital and real publicity. Since 2005, we have had public companies in the US and Canada have rely on us to grow and succeed. Legal Disclaimer Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this article contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Winning Media which has a partnership with www.MarijuanaStox.com is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Winning Media, which has a partnership with www.MarijuanaStox.com, is only compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation. Pursuant to an agreement between Winning Media (partners of MarijuanaStox.com) and Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc., Winning Media has been paid four thousand dollars for advertising and marketing services for Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. We own ZERO shares of Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. Please click here for full disclaimer. Contact Information: 2818047972 ty@marijuanastox.com SOURCE: MarijuanaStox.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44778 Brussels, May 14, 2019, 16u00 --- Solvay today held its General Shareholders' Meeting at The Square - Brussels Meeting Center. Shareholders voted in favor of all the resolutions proposed. More specifically, they approved the payment of a gross dividend of 3.75 per share for the year 2018. After deduction of the interim dividend of 1.44 gross per share, paid in January 2019, the balance amounts to 2.31 gross per share, payable as of May 23, 2019. During the General Shareholders Meeting, shareholders also approved the re-election of Mrs. Marjan Oudeman as independent director and Mr. Charles Casimir-Lambert as director of the Board, both for a four-year term. The shareholders also confirmed the mandate of Mrs. Ilham Kadri as director. Mr. Yves-Thibault de Silguy has reached the statutory age limit and therefore did not seek re-appointment. The number of directors therefore falls from 16 to 15. The Board has unanimously decided to appoint Mrs. Amparo Moraleda to chair the Nominations Committee, succeeding to Mr. Yves-Thibault de Silguy. Details of the resolutions and voting results as well as a replay of the shareholder meeting are available on www.solvay.com, Investors section (https://www.solvay.com/en/investors/financial-calendar-events-presentations/shareholders-meetings). NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE OR AN OFFER OF THE BONDS (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR THE SHARES OF ORPEA (TOGETHER, THE "SECURITIES") IN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"). THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES UNLESS THEY ARE REGISTERED OR EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. ORPEA DOES NOT INTEND TO REGISTER ANY PORTION OF THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE BONDS HAVE BEEN OFFERED ONLY BY WAY OF A PRIVATE PLACEMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS COMPRISING, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PRESS RELEASE, THE PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS AND ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES (AS DEFINED HEREAFTER). THE BONDS MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD TO RETAIL INVESTORS (AS DEFINED HEREAFTER). NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT UNDER PRIIPS REGULATION HAS BEEN AND WILL BE PREPARED. Regulatory News: ORPEA (the "Company") (Paris:ORP) (Euronext Paris: FR0000184798), has successfully placed today bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares ("OCEANE") due May 17, 2027 (the "Bonds") for a total amount of approximately 500 million by way of a private placement to institutional investors only (the "Offering The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to address the Group's general financing needs, and will mainly be dedicated to its business development across all of its geographies, through both greenfield and targeted acquisitions projects. The issuance will enable the Group to pursue the diversification of its sources of funding, to extend the average maturity profile of its indebtedness and to optimize related costs. Yves Le Masne, CEO of ORPEA, comments: "This transaction attracted strong interest from investors allowing the Group to obtain the most favorable terms with a premium of 47.5% and a coupon of 0.375%, corresponding to the higher end of the range of conversion premium and to the lower end of the range of coupon respectively proposed at the launch of the transaction, for a long maturity of 8 years. The success of this issuance demonstrates investors' confidence in the geographical expansion strategy of ORPEA and in its value creation potential. Thanks to this new source of funding at a particularly low cost, ORPEA will be able to accelerate its business development while optimizing its financial structure". The nominal unit value of the Bonds has been set at 146.50, corresponding to a premium of 47.5% above ORPEA's reference share price1 on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris ("Euronext Paris The Bonds will be issued at par on May 17, 2019 (the "Issue Date"), being the expected settlement and delivery date of the Bonds, and will bear from the Issue Date a coupon of 0.375%, payable annually in arrears on May 17 of each year (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day), starting on May 17, 2020 (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day). Unless previously converted, exchanged, redeemed or purchased and cancelled, the Bonds will be redeemed at par on May 17, 2027 (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day). The Bonds may be redeemed prior to maturity at the discretion of the Company, under certain conditions. In particular, the Bonds may be fully redeemed earlier at par plus accrued interest, at the Company's option at any time from June 9, 2025 until the maturity date of the Bonds, subject to giving at least 30 (but not more than 60) calendar days' prior notice, if the arithmetic average, calculated over a period of 20 consecutive trading days chosen by the Company from among the 40consecutive trading days preceding the publication of the early redemption notice, of the products of the Company's volume weighted average price on Euronext Paris on each trading day within the relevant period and the applicable conversion/exchange ratio on each such trading day exceeds 130% of the nominal value of the Bonds. In the event of a Change of Control of the Company (as defined in the terms and conditions of the Bonds), any bondholder may, at its discretion, request the early redemption in cash of all, but not some only, of the Bonds it owns at par plus accrued interest. Existing shareholders of the Company shall have no preferential subscription rights (or priority subscription period) in connection with the issue of the Bonds or the underlying new shares of the Company issued upon conversion. Application will be made for the listing of the Bonds on Euronext AccessTM in Paris to occur within 30 days from the Issue Date. BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Natixis and Societe Generale acted as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners of the Offering (the "Joint Global Coordinators Conversion/Exchange Right Bondholders will be granted a conversion/exchange right of the Bonds into new and/or existing shares of the Company which they may exercise at any time from the Issue Date and until 5.00 p.m. (Paris time) on the 7th business day (inclusive) preceding the maturity date or the relevant early redemption date. The conversion/exchange ratio is set at one share per Bond subject to standard adjustments in certain cases. Upon exercise of their conversion/exchange right, bondholders will receive at the option of the Company new and/or existing Company's shares carrying in all cases all rights attached to existing shares as from the date of delivery. Lock-up In the context of the Offering, the Company agreed to a lock-up undertaking for a period starting from the announcement of the final terms of the Bonds and ending 90 days after the Issue Date, subject to certain customary exceptions or waiver from the Joint Global Coordinators. Dilution As a result of the Offering, the issue of the Bonds in an aggregate amount of approximately 500 million represented by 3412969 Bonds each with a nominal value of 14650, would lead to a dilution of approximately 5% of the outstanding share capital, should the Company decide to exclusively deliver new shares upon conversion. Legal framework of the Offering and placement The Offering has been conducted solely on a private placement basis. The Offering has been made in compliance with Article L.411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier), pursuant to the authorisation granted by the Company's extraordinary general meeting held on June 28, 2018 (18th resolution), by way of an accelerated bookbuilt private placement to institutional investors only, in France and outside of France (excluding in particular the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan). Available information The Offering is not subject to a prospectus approved by the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the AMF ). Detailed information on ORPEA, including its business, results, prospects and related risk factors are described in the Company's registration document (Document de Reference) filed with the AMF on May 10, 2019 under number D.19-0474 which is available, together with the press releases and other regulated information about the Company, on ORPEA's website (www.orpea-corp.com). About ORPEA (www.orpea-corp.com) Founded in 1989, ORPEA is one of the main world leader in long-term care, with its network of 950 facilities, with 96,577 beds (17,388 of them under construction) in 14 countries, including: 33,443 beds in France (2,587 beds under construction) at 354 facilities 63,134 beds outside France (Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland) at 596 facilities (14,801 beds under construction) ORPEA is listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN code: FR0000184798) and a constituent of the SBF 120, STOXX 600 Europe, MSCI Small Cap Europe and CAC Mid 60 indices. This press release does not constitute a solicitation to purchase or an offer of the Bonds or the shares of ORPEA (together, the "Securities") in the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the Securities Act. ORPEA does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the Bonds in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering of the Securities in the United States. The Bonds have been offered only by way of a private placement to institutional investors comprising, for the purposes of this press release, the professional clients and the eligible counterparties within the meaning of MiFID II (as defined hereafter). The Bonds may not be offered or sold to retail investors (as defined hereafter). No Key Information Document under PRIIPS Regulation has been and will be prepared Disclaimer Important information This press release may not be released, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Australia, Canada or Japan. The distribution of this press release may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes, should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No communication or information relating to the offering of the Bonds may be transmitted to the public in a country where there is a registration obligation or where an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country in which such registration or approval would be required. The issuance or the subscription of the Bonds may be subject to legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; none of ORPEA and the Joint Global Coordinators assumes any liability in connection with the breach by any person of such restrictions. This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of November 4, 2003 as amended (the "Prospectus Directive This press release is not an offer to the public, an offer to subscribe or designed to solicit interest for purposes of an offer to the public in any jurisdiction, including France. The Bonds have been offered only by way of a private placement in France and/or outside France (excluding the United States of America, Australia, Canada and Japan), solely to persons referred to in article L. 411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier). There will be no public offering in any country (including France) in connection with the Bonds. This press release does not constitute a recommendation concerning the issue of the Bonds. The value of the Bonds and the shares of ORPEA can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional adviser as to the suitability of the Bonds for the person concerned. Prohibition of sales to European Economic Area retail investors No action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make available any Bonds to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. For the purposes of this provision: (a) the expression "retail investor" means a person who is one (or more) of the following: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II"); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EU (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a "qualified investor" as defined in the Prospectus Directive; and (b) the expression "offer" includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Bonds to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Bonds. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPS Regulation. MIFID II product governance Retail investors, professional investors and ECPs only target market Solely for the purposes of each manufacturer's product approval process, the target market assessment in respect of the Bonds has led to the conclusion that: (i) the target market for the Bonds is retail investors, eligible counterparties and professional clients, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) all channels for distribution of the Bonds to retail investors, eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate. Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the Bonds (a "distributor") should take into consideration the manufacturers' target market assessment; however, a distributor subject to MiFID II is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Bonds (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers' target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels. For the avoidance of doubt, even if the target market includes retail investors, the manufacturers have decided that the Bonds will be offered, as part of the initial offering, only to eligible counterparties and professional clients. France The Bonds have not been and will not be offered or sold or cause to be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Any offer or sale of the Bonds and distribution of any offering material relating to the Bonds have been and will be made in France only to (a) persons providing investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers), and/or (b) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) acting for their own account, as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier United Kingdom This press release is addressed and directed only (i) to persons located outside the United Kingdom, (ii) to investment professionals as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), (iii) to people designated by Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order or (iv) to any other person to whom this press release may otherwise lawfully be communicated pursuant to applicable law (the persons mentioned in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) all deemed relevant persons (the "Relevant Persons The Bonds and, as the case may be, the shares of ORPEA to be delivered upon exercise of the conversion rights (the "Financial Instruments"), are intended only for Relevant Persons and any invitation, offer of contract related to the subscription, tender, or acquisition of the Financial Instruments may be addressed and/or concluded only with Relevant Persons. All persons other than Relevant Persons must abstain from using or relying on this document and all information contained therein. This press release is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. United States of America This press release may not be released, published or distributed in or into the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act). This press release does not constitute or form a part of an offer of securities for sale or an offer of securities for sale or of any offer or solicitation to purchase securities in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act or the law of any state of the United States. The Bonds are and will be offered or sold only in offshore transactions outside of the United States, in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act. ORPEA does not intend to register any portion of the proposed offering of the Bonds in the United States and no public offering will be made in the United States Australia, Canada and Japan The Bonds may not and will not be offered, sold or purchased in Australia, Canada or Japan. The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in Australia, Canada or Japan. The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law. 1 The reference share price is equal to the volume-weighted average price of ORPEA's shares recorded on Euronext Paris from the start of trading today until the determination of the final terms of the Bonds on the same day, i.e 99.3238. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005727/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations ORPEA Steve Grobet Finance Corporate Secretary s.grobet@orpea.net Helene de Watteville Investor Relations Officer h.dewatteville@orpea.net Investor Relations NewCap Dusan Oresansky Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 orpea@newcap.eu Media Relations Image 7 Priscille David Reneaume Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 70 74 61 preneaume@image7.fr 20th Anniversary Marketing Impact 2025: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange to detail new role of marketers SANTA CLARA, California, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jami Schwartz, Head of Marketing, Airbnb for Work, will give a keynote presentation on Seizing Your Future: You Too Can Be a Modern Marketer! at the 20th Anniversary Marketing Impact 2025: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange. The event will take place July 15-17, 2019, at the San Diego Marriott, La Jolla, Calif. To register and download the event agenda for the 20th Anniversary Marketing Impact 2025: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange, please visit: www.marketingmindxchange.com Schwartz will discuss why and how the role of the modern marketer is ever-changing. She will explain why, as technology constantly evolves and data is the new norm, modern marketers must master more channels and technologies than ever before. She will detail what it takes to keep up in this digitally enabled world. Participants will leave with insight on why marketing is no longer a single discipline but multifaceted, best practices for aligning with other divisions to enhance the customer journey, and an understanding of why modern marketers should embrace new tools and technologies, not run from them. Steve Riddell, Head of Customer Experience, Casper, will give a "Success Story" presentation, Customer Experience as the New Competitive Advantage. He will explain why even marketers tend to look at customer engagement through a "narrow lens," defining customers as either engaged or not. Riddell believes that this limited view hampers our ability to manage customer engagement in meaningful ways. His session will present a brief history of "customer experience" and then focus on what the enterprise can do to stay one step ahead of competitors and engage customers in a meaningful way. He will leverage his experiences at Blinds.com, Sprint, Casper and other leading companies to share best practices used to achieve 20% year-over-year growth while maintaining a high level of customer engagement and a positive customer experience. This highly interactive business-to-business event will offer marketing leaders and senior executives the opportunity to benefit from: New tools to leverage data and technology for maximum competitive advantage Dynamic collaboration zones designed to foster the transformational thinking needed to succeed in marketing today Networking opportunities with peers leading the way in marketing's revolution Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from today's marketing thought leaders. To register for the 20th Anniversary Marketing Impact 2025: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange, please visit www.marketingmindxchange.com. For more information, please email events.us@frost.com. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion Contact: Francesca Valente Corporate Communications - Americas P: +1 (210) 348 1012 E: francesca.valente@frost.com http://www.frost.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/886843/Frost_Sullivan_Digital_Marketing.jpg LONDON, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb has today announced two new Financial Lines leadership appointments for its Eurasia & Africa region. Dan Holloway is now Regional Head of Financial Lines for Eurasia & Africa, while Jared Concannon is the new Regional Head of Technology and Cyber. Both appointments are effective immediately. In his role, Dan will have responsibility for leading Chubb's Financial Lines team in Eurasia & Africa and will oversee strategic development, execution and financial performance. Dan, who joined Chubb in 2005, will also retain his previous responsibility for Chubb's Directors and Officers (D&O) product across the wider Chubb Overseas General (COG) network as well as providing leadership and underwriting oversight. He will remain based in London and will report jointly to Nikolay Dmitriev, Regional Director of Property and Casualty, Eurasia & Africa and Ben Ingram, Management Liability Products Manager, COG. As Regional Head of Technology and Cyber for Eurasia & Africa, Jared Concannon is responsible for the leadership and direction of Chubb's Cyber and Technology Underwriting team, in addition to managing product development and overall profit and losses. He will report to Kyle Bryant, Head of Financial Lines, Continental Europe. Jared will also retain his role as Global Accounts Segment Leader, Cyber, Europe and Eurasia & Africa. He joined the insurer's European Cyber Risk Practice in 2017 after four years working at its Cyber and Professional Indemnity Group in New York. Giles Ward, Regional President, Eurasia & Africa, Chubb said: "I am delighted that both Dan Holloway and Jared Concannon have been appointed to these important leadership positions for this region. Their specialist knowledge and insights will help us develop closer relationships with existing clients and distribution partners and allow us to expand into new markets. Financial Lines is an area of strength for Chubb in Eurasia & Africa and I know that these new appointments will help us develop further the range of products and services we are able to offer." About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 30,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: chubb.com/uk Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg I realize now that I had no right to push my beliefs on those people, Wiersma said. They have a right to believe what they want to believe. Its a free country. This has really opened my mind to everything. This isnt worth it to me. Sound printing activity Hard cyclical downturn in Hardware activity Significant points 2018-2019 Printing activity is up slightly for the period, notably benefitting from the integration of FPI (1.1 million total sales); Hardware activity is down following delayed deliveries and a pronounced wait-and-see policy among clients after a positive 2017-2018 period; Total sales for Anthem Displays in the United States stands at 5.4 million (5.0 million for LED billboards) confirming its strong potential for the coming years; The global drop in total sales gives an operating loss for the period. The Group has deployed a cost-saving plan of 1 million that will take effect as of 2019-2020; Annual consolidated sales figures (April 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019) April 1, 2018- March 31, 2019 Q4: 01/01/2019 - 31/03/2019 Non audited 12 Months 12 Months 3 Months 3 Months In million 2018-2019 2017-2018 Var. M Var. % Q4 18/19 Q4 17/18 Var. M Var. % Printing activity 31.04 30.88 +0.16 +0.5% 7.97 8.09 -0.11 -1.4% Hardware activity 17.68 23.95 -6.27 -26.2% 4.50 6.95 -2.46 -35.3% Total 12 months 48.72 54.83 -6.12 -11.2% 12.47 15.04 -2.57 -17.1% Total (constant currencies) 48.95 54.83 -5.88 -10.7% 12.43 15.04 -2.62 -17.4% Foreign currency impact for the period is mainly due to fluctuations in the South African Rand and USD and CAD. For the period, printing activity, strengthened by the integration of FPI (consolidated as of November 1, 2018) continues to resist with 0.5% growth for the period to stand at 31.0 million. On a constant currency and consolidation basis, the downturn is limited to -2,3%. This was primarily due to a downturn in Home Decor activity (-0.7 million to 5.0 million), despite the support of online e-commerce sales. Hardware activity for the period is down -6.3 million. The development of Anthem Displays' activity in America does not make up for the negative impact of the delayed deliveries to Germany amounting to several million Euros and the wait-and-see attitude of a number of clients, notably in Europe. For the other activities (street furniture, billboards ), activity is down, principally due to an unfavourable comparison basis following the delivery of large orders for scrolling signs and bus shelters the previous period. The overall downturn in total sales of around -11,2% and increased fixed costs, notably due to recent acquisitions, will have an adverse impact on the Group's operating profitability that will subsequently be negative. Outlook 2019-2020 On April 30, 2019, order backlog stood at 9.2 million. For the delayed deliveries of LED screens to Germany, an agreement was signed with the client presenting the new delivery schedule for fiscal year 2019-2020. Prismaflex International currently manage numerous projects in Europe and the United States and expect to return to profitable growth rapidly. The Group has deployed a 1 million cost-saving plan and is to internalise the mechanical activities for its US LED screens, currently outsourced. Next press release: 2018-2019 annual sales figures, 19 June, 2019 after closure. SFAF Meeting: at 10 am on June 20, 2019, 135 boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris PRISMAFLEX INTERNATIONAL OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS MANUFACTURER AND WIDE FORMAT DIGITAL PRINTING ISIN: FR0004044600-ALPRI - Reuters: ALPRI.PA - Bloomberg: ALPRI.FP EURONEXT GROWTHTM www.prismaflex.com Contacts : Luc Cormoreche - CFO - Phone: +33 (0)4 74 70 68 00 - finance@prismaflex.com Guillaume Le Floch - Analysts/investors/press contacts - +33 (0)1 53 67 36 70 - glefloch@actus.fr Marie-Claude Triquet - Press relations - Phone: +33 (0)4 72 18 04 93 - mctriquet@actus.fr ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Recevez gratuitement par email les prochains communiques de la societe en vous inscrivant sur www.actusnews.com Communique integral et original au format PDF:Telecharger le PDF IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / SL Account Management recognizes the need for post-secondary graduates to have help paying down their student loans. They are a private company who works solely on behalf of their clients, and they don't receive payment until the new loan forms have been processed and the payment schedule is under way. They are not affiliated with the Department of Education, any government agency, or loan servicer. SL Account Management provides their clients with the valuable services of financial analysis, document preparation and processing, and yearly recertification. Once you have an SL representative advocating on your behalf, you will be made aware of any and all government-assistance debt relief programs you may be eligible for, and their financial guidance can get you started on the right track towards financial freedom. Financial Analysis When you call SL Account Management, you will be assigned an experienced and knowledgeable agent who will conduct a comprehensive financial analysis. They will find out exactly what type of student loan you have, analyze your current repayment schedule, your financial situation and obligations, and discuss your financial goals with you. This one-on-one budgetary consultation is the best part of the SL Account Management service as every borrower's situation is different, and this customized approach is what helps people the most. Documents Preparation and Processing When to comes to financial paperwork, coordinating it all can be overwhelming and confusing. Applying for government assistance debt-relief programs can involve a number of lengthy applications and deadlines. Your SL agent will take over this stressful aspect of your finances so you can focus on obtaining a thorough understanding of your financial situation and making a plan to meet your financial goals. With the document processing and preparation taken over for you, the process is simplified and much of the stress is removed for you. Many borrowers are unaware of the government assistance debt relief programs available to them, and with the potential of loan forgiveness, SL Account Management make sure their clients are empowered with the knowledge of all the resources and programs available to them. Taking over the paperwork involved in these avenues makes the process simpler and more manageable for borrowers who are already overwhelmed by their student loan amounts and complicated repayment schedules. Yearly Recertification One of the great reports client of SL Account Management give is that their SL agent, from the first financial consultation, works with you right through to the end. Having one person advocating for you that has a comprehensive understanding of your finances and future goals is a great advantage and provides a high standard of service. The SL team remains working with you through the yearly recertification of your loan all the way until the end of your term. They ensure that your recertification is done on time and help keep you on the right path toward loan forgiveness. It is important that those who are struggling with student loans understand that they are not alone in the process. Companies like SL Account Management have made a business out of providing much-needed financial assistance to those who are trying to pay down their student debt and get control of their futures. With the recent downturn in the American economy, more people turned to getting an education as a means of securing a brighter future for themselves, but what many didn't anticipate was the heavy burden of student loans after graduation, coupled with the challenge of finding employment in their chosen industry. If you or someone you know is feeling frustrated with their student loan situation and is looking for some assistance, put a call into SL Account Management today. info@slaccountmanagement.co SOURCE: SL Account Management View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/544544/SL-Account-Management-Helps-Post-Secondary-Graduates INDIANAPOLIS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Noble Roman's, Inc. (OTCQB: NROM), the Indianapolis based franchisor and licensor of Noble Roman's Pizza, announced that it will release first quarter 2019 financial results on Wednesday, May 15th after markets close. Noble Roman's also announced that it will host a conference call on Thursday, May 16th from 4:00 to 4:45 P.M. EDT. Those interested in participating on the conference call should dial in at 317-300-7896 and use the participation code 499795 (no pin number required). The statements contained in this press release concerning the company's future revenues, profitability, financial resources, market demand and product development are forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating to the company that are based on the beliefs of the management of the company, as well as assumptions and estimates made by and information currently available to the company's management. The company's actual results in the future may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties that exist in the company's operations and business environment, including, but not limited to, competitive factors and pricing pressures, non-renewal of franchise agreements, shifts in market demand, the success of new franchise programs, including the new Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub format, the company's ability to successfully operate an increased number of company-owned restaurants, general economic conditions, changes in purchases of or demand for the company's products, licenses or franchises, the success or failure of individual franchisees and licensees, changes in prices or supplies of food ingredients and labor, and dependence on continued involvement of current management. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. The company undertakes no obligations to update the information in this press release for subsequent events. CONTACT: For Media Information: Scott Mobley, President& CEO 317/634-3377 For Investor Relations: Paul Mobley, Executive Chairman 317/634-3377 SOURCE: Noble Roman's, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545385/Noble-Romans-to-Release-1st-Quarter-2019-Results-Wednesday-after-Market-Close-to-Host-Conference-Call-Thursday-Morning SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / MiCamp Solutions, a recognized leader in payment processing solutions, announces its integration with Poynt, a connected commerce platform. The Poynt solution is comprised of a range of smart terminals featuring a beautiful and sleek design, powerful cloud-based tools and services, and support for a wide variety of 3rd-party applications, all enabling merchants to better manage and grow their businesses. All Poynt smart terminals are fully EMV and PCI certified to provide the most advanced security on the market. As the demand for innovative payment acceptance solutions continues to grow, MiCamp is proud to expand their services to include Poynt smart terminals. MiCamp's premier processing applications, MiPoint and WAVit, have been developed to integrate seamlessly with the Poynt platform. Together, MiCamp and Poynt empower merchants to accept secure payments anytime, anywhere while integrating powerful software tools into the point-of-sale process. "Merchants are challenged to keep up with the array of technology required to operate their business today, especially with the consumer payment experience," stated Vinny Breault, Poynt's General Manager, North America. "MiCamp's decision to partner with Poynt enables them to offer a solution to merchants that not only makes payment acceptance easy and creates a great customer experience, it provides merchants with new and powerful tools to manage their business." Micah Kinsler, President of MiCamp Solutions, added, "We're excited to offer merchants more options when it comes to their processing. With MiCamp and Poynt, merchants are able to offer their customers a superior payment experience and can accept all the ways their customers would like to pay." About MiCamp Solutions MiCamp Solutions is a trusted leader for payment processing solutions in the restaurant, hospitality, and retail industries. Supported by extensive expertise, strong partnerships, and proven technologies, MiCamp Solutions offers the latest advancements in payment processing to increase security while optimizing business operations. For more information, visit micamp.com. About Poynt Poynt is a connected commerce platform empowering merchants with the technology to transform their businesses. In 2013, the company recognized the lack of smart terminals in the market, and it reimagined the ubiquitous payment terminal into a connected, multi-purpose device that runs third-party apps. As smart terminals become mainstream, Poynt OS is an open operating system that can power any smart payment terminal worldwide, creating a new app economy for merchants and allowing developers to write once and distribute everywhere. Poynt is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., with international headquarters in Singapore, and is backed by Elavon, Google Ventures, Matrix Partners, National Australia Bank, NYCA Partners, Oak HC/FT Partners, Stanford-StartX Fund, and Webb Investment Network. Find out more at poynt.com. Media Contacts Marketing Department 4021 N. 75th Street, Suite 101 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 800.396.0246 marketing@micamp.com Poynt Brooke Maggiotto bmaggiotto@poynt.co SOURCE: MiCamp Solutions LLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545214/MiCamp-Solutions-Announces-Integration-with-Poynt-to-Deliver-Comprehensive-Payment-Solutions Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 14, 2019) - Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. (TSXV: PEMC) (OTCQB: PEMSF) ("Pacific Empire", "PEMC" or the "Company"), a hybrid prospect generator focused in British Columbia is pleased to announce it has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Topley Richfield Property located in the Babine Copper-Gold Porphyry district in central British Columbia. The Topley Richfield Property covers 2,270 hectares and is contiguous with PEMC's Bulkley Property located 45 km south of the past-producing Bell and Granisle copper-gold porphyry deposits. About the Topley Richfield Property Historical work conducted on the Topley Richfield Property includes over 10,000 metres of drilling, multiple ground based geophysical and geochemical surveys, and historical production from two underground levels, initiated in 1927. Historical production and exploration was focused on a polymetallic (Au-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn) vein system which remains open along strike to the south, and open down plunge. PEMC has identified peripheral copper gold porphyry targets to the east and west of the polymetallic vein system that remain underexplored to date. Details with respect to the consideration payable for the Topley Richfield Property acquisition are as follows: Table 1. Option agreement terms. Timing Cash Payments * Share issuances Upon signing $10,000 100,000 First anniversary of Effective Date $30,000 200,000 Second anniversary of Effective Date $50,000 200,000 Third anniversary of Effective Date $50,000 200,000 Fourth anniversary of Effective Date $50,000 300,000 TOTAL = $190,000 1,000,000 The vendors of the property will be granted a 3% net smelter royalty ("NSR"). The Company may purchase the NSR, in whole or in part at any time, with each 1.0% purchasable for $1,000,000. For clarity, the NSR Royalty may be purchased by the Optionee in full at any time for $3,000,000. * Dollar amounts expressed in Canadian dollars This property acquisition remains subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Any securities issued as consideration under this option agreement will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance. About the Babine Copper-Gold Porphyry District The most significant deposits and occurrences in the Babine Lake area are temporally and spatially related to Eocene (50 Ma) Babine intrusions. These host more than a dozen deposits and occurrences in addition to the past producing Bell and Granisle open-pit mines which processed 130 million tonnes with average recovered grades of 0.40% copper and 0.15 g/t gold between 1966 and 1992. Babine intrusions occur as small stocks, plugs and dike swarms emplaced along northwest-trending regional faults developed in arc-derived Mesozoic volcanic and sedimentary assemblages. The dominant host rock for copper-gold mineralization is a distinctive, fine- to medium-grained, crowded biotite feldspar porphyry (BFP) of granodiorite composition. Copper-gold mineralization occurs as chalcopyrite and bornite within narrow quartz-filled fractures and stockworks and as disseminations within and marginal to BFP intrusions. Although most of the known porphyry deposits and occurrences were found by basic prospecting and stream sediment geochemistry, subsequent exploration in the Babine area has been hampered by extensive glacial overburden cover. Qualified Person Rory Ritchie, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for the Company, serves as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this news release, approving the disclosure herein. About Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. PEMC is an exploration company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, that employs a "hybrid prospect generator" business model and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PEMC and on the OTCQB Markets under the symbol PEMSF. By integrating the project generator business model with low-cost reverse circulation drilling, the company intends to leverage its portfolio by identifying, and focusing on, the highest quality projects for partnerships and advancement. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, "Brad Peters" President and Chief Executive Officer Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. Tel: +1-604-356-6246 brad@pemcorp.ca www.pemcorp.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume and the additional risks identified the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44783 NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The theme of the upcoming XII Astana Economic Forum (AEF) to be held May 16-17 is "Inspiring growth: people, cities, economies." The world has entered a new era of the fourth industrial revolution: natural resources and geographic locations are no longer a priority. Instead, the 'technological efficiency' of the economy, the level of urban development and the quality of human capital now take precedence. The success of the state in the modern world is determined by the readiness of government institutions and citizens to meet this new reality. The Kazakhstan Economic Research Institute published an analytical review, "Kazakhstan and the Global World: Challenges and Opportunities." According to Yerlik Karazhan, the Chair of the Board of the Institute: "We want to demonstrate to the world the level of Kazakhstan's participation in solving key global problems, the country's focus on open development, and readiness to search for effective solutions in various sectors." In the world of global digitalisation of knowledge, human economy comes first. At the same time, cities are changing:humanity concentrates around big cities and agglomerations. According to Hans-Paul Burkner, Chairman of the Board of Directors, BCG, "By 2030 5.1 billion people or 60% of the global population will be living in cities. Environmental pressures are unprecedented, today only 10% of residents of cities have adequate conditions at par with recommendations of the World Health Organization." The global economy is also undergoing changes. "The current juncture is delicate for the global economy," says Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director, International Monetary Fund. "A year ago, activity was accelerating in almost all regions of the world. However, we have witnessed a slowdown since the second half of 2018, reflecting rising trade tensions and a tightening of financial conditions. We are expecting a rebound in late 2019, but it seems precarious and vulnerable to downside risks." All these issues are to be discussed at Astana Economic Forum - the main global discussion platform in Central Asia. Since the launch of the AEF eleven years ago, the event has become one of the most influential international platforms for discussing issues of the world economy and the financial system. Over 50,000 delegates have participated in the forum, from 150 countries, including more than 20 Nobel laureates and 30 high-level foreign political figures. http://astanaeconomicforum.org/en (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/887017/Astana_Economic_Forum_Logo.jpg) The Think Global Forum returns to Europe with numerous guests and Forum Executives from leading organizations joining the European Travel Forum taking place at the Conrad St James Hotel, in London. Aoife Murphy, Managing Director and Maria Jesus de Arriba Diaz, Development Director, Think Global Forum Europe will welcome attendees to the event and Thomas Murray, CEO, Vistatec, will deliver an opening address for what is expected to be an in-depth opportunity to share and discuss upcoming industry opportunities and challenges. This year's Think Global Forum Travel event includes industry speakers: Tom Raczka, Localization Manager, Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) Alberto Ferreira, UX Research Manager, dnata (Emirates Group) "It is good to be back in London for this European Think Global Forum. The forum promises to be a fantastic opportunity for industry guests and Forum Executives to exchange ideas and to network in the heart of London," said Simon Hodgkins, Founder, Think Global Forum. The European Travel Forum returns to the city of London after a successful Los Angeles forum event in April. The event will be held in the historical Conrad St James hotel, in Westminster, located across from Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. Many other forums will be taking place across Europe and the United States in the months ahead, including the Think Global Forum New York, on May 20, 2019. To learn more or to join the Think Global Forum, please visit https://www.thinkglobalforum.org About Think Global Forum The Think Global Forum is a body of industry professionals designed to provide insights and thought leadership in the context of the globalization of products and services around the world. With a strong interest in all things localization the forum is made up of industry thought leaders who can offer keen insights into the here and now and, most importantly, the future. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005931/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Priscillia Charles Communications Director, Think Global Forum priscillia@thinkglobalforum.org https://www.thinkglobalforum.org VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / EastWest Bioscience (the "Company" or "EastWest") (TSX-V: EAST) advises that on February 1, 2019 the Company contracted Mr. Nicholas Vincent, located in Penticton BC and operating as 1149677 B.C. Ltd. (the "Consultant") for the role of internal Investor Relations manager. Nicholas has been contracted to mange communications with investment dealers, advisers and shareholders - both current and prospective - to increase awareness of and interest in the Company. The term of the contract is set on a 3-month term renewable basis, compensated at $4000 per month. The Company and the Consultant have agreed that the Company will issue to the Consultant 50,000 common shares dated May 31st, 2019, to be placed into a six month escrow, and be released to the Consultant November 31, 2019. About EastWest Bioscience Group EastWest Bioscience is a vertically integrated wellness company with the infrastructure to become a global giant in the Hemp & CBD consumer health market. Since it was founded in 2016, EastWest continues to grow as a high-quality producer, manufacturer and distributor of multiple lines of premium hemp products. EastWest is strategically positioned in mainstream consumer markets with wholistic natural products and has developed distribution channels into mainstream stores and markets in Canada. The Company has a Health Canada licensed, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certified manufacturing facility and produces premium brands offering natural products for a preventive care lifestyle. EastWest consumer product lines are divided into four distinct brands: 1) Natural Advancement - natural biopharmaceutical health supplements; 2) Earth's Menu - all-natural hemp superfoods; 3) Natural Pet Science - pet food and pet supplements; and 4) ChanvreHemp - all-natural health and beauty products. The organization will continue to focus on ongoing development of innovative, hemp-based consumer products through advanced science with clean, natural ingredients to complement its current product offerings. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS EASTWEST BIOSCIENCE GROUP "Rodney Gelineau" Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director TSXV - Symbol: EAST Company Website: www.eastwestbioscience.com Contact: Nicholas Vincent - Investor Relations on 1-800-409-1930 or investors@eastwestscience.com. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the terms and conditions of the Acquisition. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE: EastWest Bioscience Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545389/EastWest-Bioscience-Contracts-Internal-Investor-Relations-Representative LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2019 / Gabriel Resources Ltd. ("Gabriel" or the "Company") announces the publication of its First Quarter Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis Report for the period ended March 31, 2019. Summary Gabriel remains focused on the progression of its arbitration case against Romania under the rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ("ICSID"), part of the World Bank ("ICSID Arbitration"). On February 28, 2019, Gabriel filed its comments with ICSID on the 'amicus curiae' submission made by certain non-governmental organizations who have opposed the Ro?ia Montana gold and silver project (the "Ro?ia Montana Project") for many years. Romania is to file its rejoinder with ICSID ("Rejoinder"), its final substantive submission, by May 24, 2019. The net loss for the first quarter of 2019 was $7.7 million (Q4 2018 $12.7 million). On January 15, 2019 the Company announced the receipt of US$4.8 million upon the final closing of a non-brokered private placement announced in December 2018 (the "December 2018 Private Placement"), raising gross proceeds of US$20 million (approximately $26.3 million). As at March 31, 2019, the Company held $16.7 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company believes that it has sufficient sources of funding to cover its planned activities through November 2019 and is currently planning to raise additional financing in 2019. On February 6, 2019, the Alba Iulia Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the annulment challenge by Gabriel's Romanian subsidiary, Ro?ia Montana Gold Corporation S.A. ("RMGC"), to the assessment of a liability for value added tax in the amount of RON 27m (the "VAT Assessment") made by the Romanian National Agency for Fiscal Administration ("ANAF"). ANAF has appealed this decision, however no hearing date has yet been set. RMGC will contest this appeal. With effect from June 1, 2019, the Board has appointed Mr. Richard Brown, who is currently Chief Commercial Officer and Corporate Secretary, as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"). Mr. Simon Lusty, who is currently the Group General Counsel, will replace Mr. Brown as Corporate Secretary with effect from May 16, 2019. Mr. Vaughan who had indicated his wish to resign from the Group prior to these changes, has agreed to continue to act as a consultant in connection with the ongoing ICSID Arbitration case. Dragos Tanase, Gabriel's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "Gabriel will continue to focus on the preparation for the ICSID Arbitration hearings, scheduled to be held in December 2019, and on reinforcing the compelling arguments supporting the $5.7 billion claim." Further information and commentary on the results in the first quarter of 2019 is given below. The Company has filed its Unaudited Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements for Q1 2019 and related Management's Discussion & Analysis on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and each is available for review on the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com. For information on this press release, please contact: Dragos Tanase President & CEO Phone: +4021 223 1351 dt@gabrielresources.com Max Vaughan Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +44 7823 885503 max.vaughan@gabrielresources.com Richard Brown Chief Commercial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Further Information Status of the ICSID Arbitration The ICSID Arbitration seeks compensation for all of the losses and damages suffered by the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Gabriel Resources (Jersey) Ltd. (together "Claimants"), resulting from the Romanian State's wrongful conduct and its breaches of the protections afforded by certain treaties for the promotion and protection of foreign investment to which Romania is a party against expropriation, unfair and inequitable treatment and discrimination in respect the Ro?ia Montana Project and the prospective gold, silver and porphyry copper deposits in the neighbouring Bucium concession area ("Projects") and related licenses. On May 25, 2018, Romania supplemented its counter-memorial ("Counter-Memorial") filed on February 22, 2018 by filing a further preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the Tribunal ("Jurisdictional Challenge") with ICSID. On November 2, 2018, Claimants filed its reply with ICSID ("Reply"), a comprehensive rebuttal of the legal and factual contentions raised in the Counter-Memorial, and its response to the Jurisdictional Challenge. On February 28, 2019, the Claimants and the Respondent filed their comments on an amicus curiae submission to the Tribunal by certain non-governmental organizations (or "non-disputing parties") who have opposed the Project for many years. The schedule established by procedural orders of the Tribunal prescribes the following future key dates for 2019: Romania to file its Rejoinder and its reply on the Jurisdictional Challenge by May 24, 2019. Gabriel to file its surrejoinder on the Jurisdictional Challenge by June 28, 2019. The Tribunal to hold a hearing on the merits of the claim in Washington D.C. from December 2 to 13, 2019. A redacted version of the Reply was published on the ICSID website on February 8, 2019 following completion of a process prescribed by the procedural orders of the Tribunal. VAT Assessment As previously reported, the VAT Assessment levied against RMGC (together with a further demand in respect of related interest and penalties) by ANAF relates to VAT refunds previously claimed and received by RMGC from the Romanian tax authorities in respect of RMGC's purchase of goods and services from July 2011 to January 2016. On April 5, 2018, RMGC initiated an action before the Alba Iulia Court of Appeal (Division for Administrative and Tax Claims) seeking the annulment of the VAT Assessment. On February 6, 2019, the Alba Court of Appeal ruled in favour of RMGC's annulment challenge of the VAT Assessment. On February 28, 2019, RMGC received a copy of the Alba Court of Appeal's written decision. ANAF subsequently filed an appeal against this decision with the High Court of Cassation and Justice, however no hearing date has yet been set. RMGC is contesting this appeal. RMGC also filed a request for a stay of enforcement of the VAT Assessment before the Alba Iulia Court of Appeal on August 10, 2017. On October 2, 2017, the Alba Iulia Court of Appeal admitted RMGC's request for a stay of enforcement of the VAT Assessment, pending the determination of RMGC's annulment challenge of the VAT Assessment. ANAF subsequently filed an appeal against this decision with the High Court of Cassation and Justice. On February 28, 2019, the High Court of Cassation and Justice dismissed ANAF's appeal and the stay of enforcement remains in effect. The Company intends to pursue all available legal avenues to challenge the VAT Assessment along with the interest and penalties and to fully protect its rights and assets. Extension of the License RMGC holds the License for the Project which is due to expire on June 21, 2019. RMGC, as the titleholder of the License, has the right to extend the term of the License for successive subsequent five-year periods. In March 2019, RMGC submitted an application to the Romanian National Agency for Mineral Resources ("NAMR") requesting the extension of the term of the License for a further period of five years. RMGC awaits the approval of the extension application by NAMR. Liquidity and Capital Resources On January 15, 2019, the Company completed closing of the non-brokered December 2018 Private Placement with certain existing securityholders for gross proceeds of US$20 million (approximately $26.3 million). Cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2019 were $16.7 million. The Company's average monthly cash usage during Q1 2019 was $2.6 million (Q4 2018: $4.8 million). The higher cash usage in Q4 2018 was due principally to the significant legal and other advisory services required by the Company for the preparation and submission of the Reply in November 2018. At the end of Q1 2019, accruals for costs in respect of the ICSID Arbitration amounted to $0.3 million (Q4 2018: $1.8 million). The reduction in accruals in Q1 2019 was due principally to the lack of Arbitration related activity in the period. The Company believes that it has sufficient sources of funding to cover its planned activities through November 2019. The Group will require additional funding to maintain its primary assets, including its License and associated rights and permits, and to fund the estimated costs associated with the Company advancing the ICSID Arbitration. Management is currently planning to raise additional financing in 2019 and continues to review the Company's activities in order to identify areas to rationalize expenditures. Financial Performance The net loss for the first quarter of 2019 was $7.7 million, an increase of $0.8m from a loss of $6.9 million in the corresponding period in 2018, primarily due to the significantly higher 2018 legal and other advisory activity levels following the filing by Romania of its Counter-Memorial being offset by higher share based compensation costs in the period following stock option awards to employees in the period relating to long term incentive compensation for performance in 2018. Management Changes The Company's current CFO Mr. Vaughan became part time in his role from October 2017 and recently confirmed his intention to resign from Gabriel's wholly owned subsidiary RM Gold (Services) Ltd. ("RMGS"). Mr. Brown, who is currently Chief Commercial Officer and Corporate Secretary, has agreed to undertake the duties and responsibilities of the CFO role and the Board has formally appointed him to that position effective from June 1, 2019. Allied to this change, Mr. Lusty, the Group General Counsel, will replace Mr. Brown as Corporate Secretary and has been appointed by the Board to that position, effective May 16, 2019. The Board wishes to put on record its thanks and appreciation for the contribution made to Gabriel by Mr. Vaughan since he joined the Group in 2011. Mr. Vaughan has agreed to continue to act as a consultant in connection with the ongoing ICSID Arbitration case. About Gabriel Gabriel is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's principal focus has been the exploration and development of the Ro?ia Montana gold and silver project in Romania ("Rosia Montana Project"). The Rosia Montana Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license ("License") for the Rosia Montana Project is held by Ro?ia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Ro?ia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Rosia Montana Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities. Upon obtaining the License in June 1999, the Group (as defined below) focused substantially all of their management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Rosia Montana Project. Despite the Company's fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Rosia Montana Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Rosia Montana Project without due process and without compensation. Accordingly, the Company's current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration. For more information please visit the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" (also referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company's actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Company's ability to fund its operations (including but not limited to the completion of further funding noted above) or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "is of the view", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential", "possible" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements. Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation: delay or extension to the duration of the ICSID Arbitration; required disclosure, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration against Romania; changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and the group of companies of which it is directly or indirectly parent ("Group"); access to funding to support the Group's continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future; equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of new or existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares; the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the TSX Venture Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities; the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: unforeseen historic acts of corruption, uncertain fiscal investigations; uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Group and political and social instability; regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes and interpretation of existing and future fiscal and other legislation; volatility of currency exchange rates, metal prices and metal production; the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Group of certain key employees and consultants; and risks normally incident to the exploration, development and operation of mining properties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Company's affairs since the date of this press release that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Company's website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Company's disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com. ENDS SOURCE: Gabriel Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/545436/2019-First-Quarter-Report SPINRAZA becomes the first therapy recommended in the United Kingdom for 5q spinal muscular atrophy to treat all age groups, including patients who are pre-symptomatic More than 7,500 individuals have been treated with SPINRAZA worldwide in over 40 countries across the Expanded Access Program, clinical trials and post-marketing setting* Therapy is supported by a comprehensive clinical data set including new data on the longer-term durability and safety profile presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual meeting CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 14, 2019Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) today announced that The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom has recommended funding for SPINRAZA (nusinersen) on the National Health Service (NHS). The positive recommendation is for the treatment of infants, children and adults with 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), including pre-symptomatic and symptomatic SMA Types 1, 2 and 3. SMA is a rare, debilitating and life-threatening disease that results in severe, progressive muscular atrophy and weakness. "We applaud the decision by NICE to recommend funding for SPINRAZA in the United Kingdom. This is a momentous occasion for patients and their families and the result of a strong collaboration between Biogen, NICE, NHS and the SMA community," said Chirfi Guindo, Executive Vice President, Global Product Strategy and Commercialization at Biogen. "We are committed to working with authorities to find solutions to fund innovation and provide broad patient access through value-based contracting programs and by enabling governments to leverage savings created by our biosimilars portfolio." Established in 1999, NICE provides advice and standards on value in healthcare to the NHS. The NICE recommendation was based on the comprehensive set of data for nusinersen highlighting its clinically meaningful benefits for individuals in all age groups with SMA. New data on the efficacy and safety of nusinersen was presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Philadelphia (May 4-10). SPINRAZA is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that targets the underlying cause of the disease in order to increase production of full-length survival motor neuron protein. The decision builds on Biogen's commitment to find solutions to provide broad access to innovative therapies by collaborating closely with governments and communities around the world on new business models. In Europe, a key component of that work is Biogen's portfolio of biosimilars - biologic medicines that are similar to currently available biologic therapies known as originators. Biosimilar products benefit patients and are strategically important as Biogen works with payers and health systems globally with the goal of creating room in healthcare budgets to provide access for patients to innovative therapies. In Europe, approximately 145,000 patients have been treated with a Biogen biosimilar and, based on internal estimates, Biogen expects the uptake to contribute an estimated healthcare savings of up to 1.8 billion euros in 2019. About SPINRAZA (nusinersen)1-4 SPINRAZA is the first approved medicine for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and is currently available in more than 40 countries. As of March 31, 2019, more than 7,500 individuals with SMA are being treated with SPINRAZA worldwide, based on patients across the post-marketing setting, Expanded Access Program (EAP) and clinical trial participants. SPINRAZA is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) developed using Ionis' proprietary antisense technology that is designed to treat the root cause of SMA. SPINRAZA alters the splicing of SMN2 pre-mRNA in order to increase production of full-length spinal motor neuron (SMN) protein. ASOs are short synthetic strings of nucleotides designed to selectively bind to target RNA and regulate gene expression. Through use of this technology, SPINRAZA has been shown to increase the amount of full-length SMN protein in individuals with SMA. SPINRAZA is administered via intrathecal injection, which delivers therapies directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the spinal cord, where motor neurons degenerate in individuals with SMA due to insufficient levels of SMN protein. In the clinical trial program, SPINRAZA demonstrated a favorable benefit-risk profile. The most common adverse reactions that occurred in the SPINRAZA group were respiratory infection and constipation. Serious adverse reactions of atelectasis were more frequent in SPINRAZA-treated patients. Coagulation abnormalities and thrombocytopenia, including acute severe thrombocytopenia, have been observed after administration of some ASOs. Individuals may be at increased risk of bleeding complications. Renal toxicity has been observed after administration of some ASOs. SPINRAZA is present in and excreted by the kidney. Biogen licensed the global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize SPINRAZA from Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS), a leader in antisense therapeutics. Biogen and Ionis conducted an innovative clinical development program, the largest of its kind in SMA, that moved SPINRAZA from its first dose in humans in 2011 to its first regulatory approval in five years. About SMA2,5 SMA is a rare, genetic, neuromuscular disease that is characterized by loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord and lower brain stem, resulting in severe and progressive muscle atrophy and weakness. About 1 in 10,000 live births have a diagnosis of SMA. Ultimately, individuals with SMA can lose the ability to walk and have difficulty performing the basic functions of life, such as breathing and swallowing, which results in significant healthcare intervention and caregiver assistance. Left untreated, the majority of infants with the most severe form of the disease (SMA Type 1) do not live beyond their second birthday without respiratory intervention. People with childhood or adult onset SMA (Type 2 or 3) produce greater amounts of SMN protein resulting in less severe, but still life-altering forms of the disease. Due to a deletion of, or mutation in, the SMN1 gene, people with SMA do not produce enough SMN protein, which is critical for the maintenance of motor neurons. The severity of SMA correlates with the amount of SMN protein an individual has. People with SMA Type 1, the form that requires the most intensive and supportive care, produce very little SMN protein and do not achieve the ability to sit without support or typically live beyond two years without respiratory support. People with SMA Type 2 and Type 3 produce greater amounts of SMN protein and have less severe, but still life-altering forms of SMA. About Biogen At Biogen, our mission is clear: we are pioneers in neuroscience. Biogen discovers, develops and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases as well as related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world's first global biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Kenneth Murray and Nobel Prize winners Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp, and today has the leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first and only approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy and is focused on advancing neuroscience research programs in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, movement disorders, neuromuscular disorders, acute neurology, neurocognitive disorders, pain and ophthalmology. Biogen also commercializes biosimilars of advanced biologics. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.biogen.com . To learn more, please visit www.biogen.com and follow us on social media - Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook , YouTube . Biogen Safe Harbor This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, about the potential benefits, safety and efficacy of SPINRAZA; the results of certain real-world data; the status of current regulatory filings; and the potential of our commercial business, including SPINRAZA and our biosimilars portfolio. These statements may be identified by words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "possible," "potential," "will," "would" and other words and terms of similar meaning. Drug development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development programs result in commercialization of a product. Results in early stage clinical trials may not be indicative of full results or results from later stage or larger scale clinical trials and do not ensure regulatory approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements or the scientific data presented. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including without limitation uncertainty of success in commercialization of SPINRAZA, which may be impacted by, among other things, the level of preparedness of healthcare providers to treat patients, difficulties in obtaining or changes in the availability of reimbursement for SPINRAZA, the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts, problems with the manufacturing process for SPINRAZA, the occurrence of adverse safety events and/or unexpected concerns that may arise from additional data or analysis; failure to obtain regulatory approvals in other jurisdictions; risks of unexpected costs or delays; failure to protect and enforce our data, intellectual property and other proprietary rights and uncertainties relating to intellectual property claims and challenges; risks related to our dependence on third parties for the development and commercialization of biosimilars; risks of legal actions, regulatory scrutiny or other challenges to biosimilars; product liability claims; and third party collaboration risks. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations in any forward-looking statement. Investors should consider this cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors identified in our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this news release. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Reference: * As of March 31, 2019, more than 7,500 individuals with SMA are being treated with SPINRAZA worldwide, based on patients across the post-marketing setting, Expanded Access Program (EAP) and clinical trial participants. 1. Hua Y, Sahashi K, Hung G, Rigo F, Passini MA, Bennett CF, Krainer AR. Antisense correction of SMN2 splicing in the CNS rescues necrosis in a type III SMA mouse model. Genes Dev. 2010 Aug 1; 24(15):16344-44. 2. Finkel R, Chiriboga C, Vajsar J, et al. Treatment of infantile-onset spinal muscular atrophy with nusinersen: a phase 2, open-label, dose-escalation study. Lancet. 2016;388(10063):3017-3026. 3. Evers MM, Toonen LJ, van Roon-Mom WM. Antisense oligonucleotides in therapy for neurodegenerative disorders. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2015;87:90-103. 4. Lunn MR, Wang CH. Spinal muscular atrophy. Lancet. 2008;371(9630):2120-2133. 5. Darras B, Markowitz J, Monani U, De Vivo D. Chapter 8 - Spinal Muscular Atrophies. In: Vivo BTD, ed. Neuromuscular Disorders of Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence (Second Edition). San Diego: Academic Press; 2015:117-145. Anton Carter at that time was a 23-year-old young man, somewhat homeless, kind of a braggart, Assistant Public Defender Ed Koziboski told jurors. (He) liked to present as kind of a tough guy, liked to present as an outlaw, someone who did bad things. And he saw this as an opportunity to mythologize himself, make himself look like more than he was. And he started telling stories. Most companies have already set an internal price on carbon, in order to make it an intrinsic consideration in all their decision making. Heres how key players are pledging to create a better tomorrow. There was a time when people the world over viewed environmental degradation as the price we paid for progress. We all knew that something needed to be done, something needed to change, but we also believed that it just wasnt possible to have the level of progress and growth we wanted, while also being responsible towards the planet. Clearly, we as a civilization have challenged and discarded that assumption; and we only have to look at the investments that are being made in sustainable energy, experimental transportation systems like the Hyperloop, and stringent emission norms being adopted unanimously by the auto industry to see that the worldview has changed for the better. Were demanding more from science and business, and they are responding to the new demand. The next argument we see a lot of, is that these investments, initiatives and norms are easier for developed nations, and not realistic for developing ones. The assumption here seems to be that unless a country has reached a certain level of development, its just too hard to adopt sustainable technology, processes and practices. Can we, as a developing nation with significant poverty, realistically cut emissions, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and adopt stringent standards while still putting our best foot forward on economic growth? If Indias commitments at the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change are anything to go by, it seems were ready to challenge that worldview too. Rarely is there is a consensus among nearly all nations on a single topic. But with the Paris accord, leaders from around the world collectively agreed that climate change is driven by human behaviour, that its a threat to the environment and all of humanity, and that global action is needed to stop it. It also created a clear framework for all countries to make emissions reduction commitments and strengthen those actions over time. Not only has India committed to reduce emission intensity of GDP by 35% (2005 levels) by 2030, were also committing to derive 40% of our power from non-fossil fuels in the same period. These targets are more ambitious than those adopted by the EU and the US. The matter of pride here is that independent bodies like the Climate Action Tracker have assessed that India is already on track with achieving these commitments ahead of the deadline, just on the basis of currently implemented policies. So what are these policies? Well, for starters, all our vehicles will need to be electric by 2030 (keep that in mind when you shop for your next car!), and India is making no new expansions into coal power after 2022. The only reason that the cutoff starts from 2022, is to allow time for projects that are already underway to come to fruition. Additionally, the govt is setting up rewards for industry: a Carbon Market mechanism for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) and a Perform Achieve and Trade policy for Enterprise level businesses. The net outcome of both these sets of policies is to not only encourage businesses to be environmentally sustainable but to reward them as well. It also allows for much-needed flexibility. For instance, if youve had a few good years, you can trade your carbon credits or bank them for future use. Similarly, start-up businesses dont have to take on everything at once: they can buy carbon credits for the time they need initially to find stability as a business, and once stable, can aggressively target sustainability measures and be rewarded for them! The response from industry has been better than expected. The Carbon Disclosure Project is a not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. In their annual report this year they state that 79% of companies perceive commercial risks arising from climate change, while 85% perceive commercial opportunities! 74% already have strategies in place to manage these opportunities and risks. Additionally, they found that businesses are increasingly focusing on setting emissions reduction and renewable energy targets. Energy efficiency continues to be a top choice for emissions reduction initiatives. Of course, the demand for renewable energy is high, and continues to climb. Most companies have already set an internal price on carbon, in order to make it an intrinsic consideration in all their decision making. Those that havent done so yet, plan to. The highest participation in this survey and report came from the BSEs Top 200 companies, and the A-listers who scored highest were nearly all IT and ITES companies. Of course, this comes as no surprise as service-based companies have a lower ecological footprint than manufacturing, and there exists a tried and tested formula for sustainability in the case of service-oriented businesses. When it comes to manufacturing though, each industry must chart its own path. While this means that there is a certain amount of trial and error involved, the payoff for companies that get it right first, is also huge. There is significant room for innovation here, and for the market advantages that it confers. Take for instance Tata Steel, a company that has integrated sustainability into the very fabric of its business. Be it supply chain, production processes or product design: each area is responsible for their own targets. Internal pricing for CO2 is in use, serving as a driver for responsible decision making. So far, Tata Steel Jamshedpur has managed to reduce its CO2 intensity by more than 25% over the last decade (while improving output!), whereas Tata Steel Kalinganagar boasts of a 14% reduction over 2017. These numbers are the outcome of innovation at every level. Coke rate in furnaces is being reduced by a number of improvements, reducing the carbon consumption overall, which is the largest factor in reducing emissions. New technology adoption in the form of Top Recovery Turbines and Waste Heat Recovery Systems make operations more efficient, and less wasteful. Using a Variable Frequency Drive allows them to cut back on overall power consumption while replacing coal-fired power plants with by-product gas firing ones brings tangible CO2 reduction. In the same vein, coal-fired boilers have been replaced with those that use by-product gas. They are monitoring all stacks in real time, which allows them to upgrade air pollution control systems as the need arises. While Tata Steel has been dedicatedly striving to lower its emissions for the last 25 years, a dedicated Centre of Excellence focused on sustainability has been set up in 2018 to take this even further. And of course, the Tata Steel R&D labs are hard at work to come up with more innovations that will help them further reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, Tata Steel is also working toward increasing its impact on the creation and maintenance of carbon sinks. i.e. forests. Reforestation efforts at Noamundi, Joda, Sukinda and Jharia mines are particularly noteworthy. Not only have these forests sprung back successfully, but have also been certified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for their ecological resilience through comprehensive biological assessments. Using the Miyawaki method, Tata Steel has managed to recreate these forests composed solely of indigenous plant, tree, and shrub species setting the stage for biodiversity in both flora and fauna. There are currently eight biodiversity management plans being implemented across mining locations. The company has also eliminated the use of timber supports in all mines - a move that saves over 2,00,000 trees every year. Thats 4700 tons of carbon sequestration potential. A strong start has been made here, in an industry where the gains from such initiatives are truly significant. While the steel manufacturing industry can adopt the Tata Steel model as is, other manufacturing industries need to build their own. The need of the hour is robust, all-inclusive models that bring about low carbon transformation along the entire value chain. With the right will, it can be done as Tata Steel has so ably demonstrated. Today, India is being viewed as the test case for the enablement of a low carbon, and sustainable future. Should we maintain our growth rates, and downshift our carbon footprint in manufacturing, we are poised to be the world leaders in sustainable growth. We dont have to repeat anyone elses mistakes; we dont need to follow paths other economies have trodden. Instead, this time, we get to blaze our own trail and create a roadmap for other developing economies to follow. This is a partnered post. For more stories of tomorrow, please visit www.wealsomaketomorrow.com The United States, a WTO member, has blocked the appointment of appellate body. New Delhi: Seventeen developing countries on Tuesday made a strong case for filling vacancies in WTO's appellate body, saying current impasse could "completely paralyse" the dispute settlement mechanism of the global trade body by December. At the end of the two-day ministerial meeting here, in which 22 WTO member nations participated, also stressed on working collectively to strengthen the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to promote development and inclusivity. The declaration, issued after the meeting, was signed by 17 countries, while the remaining five refrained from backing the 13-point document. The member nations who signed the document said the dispute settlement system of the WTO is a central element in providing security and predictability to the multilateral trading system and stressed that the ongoing impasse threatens to "completely paralyse it by December 2019". "We, therefore, urge all WTO members to engage constructively to address this challenge without any delay in filling the vacancies in the appellate body, while continuing discussions on other issues relating to the functioning of the dispute settlement mechanism," the declaration said. The United States, a WTO member, has blocked the appointment of appellate body. The minimum quorum (3) for functioning of this body will end on 10 December, after which it will become dysfunctional. India has flagged the issue on day one of the ministerial meeting. The declaration has also stressed that special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions are rights of developing members that must be preserved and strengthened in both current and future WTO agreements, with priority attention to outstanding Least Developed Countries (LDC) issues. The S&DT norms provide flexibility to developing member countries in the WTO. Under this, they enjoy benefits like higher domestic support for the agriculture sector and longer time periods for implementing agreements and binding commitments. The document further said the process of WTO reform must keep development at its core, promote inclusive growth, and fully take into account the interests and concerns of developing members, including the specific challenges of graduating LDCs. The way forward must be decided through a process that is open, transparent and inclusive. We agree to work collectively with the aim to develop proposals to ensure that our common interests are reflected in the WTO reform process, it added. With reference to the global agreement on agriculture, it said there was a need to provide adequate policy space to the developing countries to support their farmers through correcting the asymmetries and imbalances on priority. By Akanksha Rana and Arjun Panchadar (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Monday it was raising its minimum wage for all U.S. contract workers, reacting to rising costs of living as it faces intense scrutiny over the treatment of ordinary employees and their pay By Akanksha Rana and Arjun Panchadar (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Monday it was raising its minimum wage for all U.S. contract workers, reacting to rising costs of living as it faces intense scrutiny over the treatment of ordinary employees and their pay. The company raised its minimum wage to $20 per hour in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Washington D.C. and to $18 per hour in Seattle. It said it was clear that $15 an hour would not now meet the needs of the workers it employs through third-party contractors as cooks, cleaners, security guards or drivers. The world's largest social media company also said it will pay at least $22 per hour for content reviewers in the Bay Area, New York City and Washington, D.C., $20 per hour to those living in Seattle and $18 per hour in all other metro areas in the United States. "After reviewing a number of factors including third-party guidelines, we're committing to a higher standard that better reflects local costs of living," the social media giant said in a blog post. Facebook last raised minimum wages for contract workers in 2015 to $15 per hour in its bid to narrow the widening gap between the technology sector's elite and the lower-paid workers. It said it would be implementing the changes announced on Monday by the middle of next year and was working to develop similar standards for other countries. Last year, Amazon.com Inc raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour after facing criticism over poor pay and working conditions. The online retailer said at the time that it would lobby Washington for the federal minimum wage to be raised. Silicon Valley is under pressure to close the income gap given California's high cost of living. The Office of Labor Standards Enforcement said it raised the minimum wage in San Francisco to $15.59 per hour beginning July 1. U.S. corporations have also been finding it tougher to attract workers, with unemployment at its lowest level in nearly 50 years, while there has been growing political pressure on companies to pay workers a fair living wage. Walmart, the world's largest retailer and the largest U.S. private sector employer, pays workers $11 an hour at entry-level, while Target Corp said in April it would raise U.S. minimum wage to $13 an hour. "Facebook is competing with other Silicon Valley tech companies for talent and it is supply and demand that sets the price for labour as well as anything else," said Ivan Feinseth, an analyst with Tigress Financial Partners. "It is more about competing in a very tight labour market which is dictating the amount of money companies are willing to pay then the set state minimum wage." BETTER CARE Facebook already requires its contractors to provide comprehensive healthcare to all employees and it outlined further steps it was taking to safeguard the mental health of its legion of content reviewers globally. The company has conducted a huge expansion in content moderation and oversight since the Cambridge Analytica scandal last year focused attention on its approach to users' privacy and the use of it as a platform by political extremists. A number of media reports, however, have focused attention on the conditions under which reviewers, employed by third party contractors including Genpact and Wipro Ltd, work. Reuters reported in February that contract employees in India, part of a 1,600-member team at Genpact monitoring nudity and pornography on Facebook and Instagram, view 2,000 posts in an eight-hour shift, which amounts to almost four a minute. The company said it would now require contractors to provide on-site counselling during all hours of operation and not just certain hours of each shift. It would also survey all contract employees twice a year, it said, and react to the results. "We're kicking off a biannual audit and compliance program this year for content review teams," the company said. "This includes formal audits, unannounced onsite checks, and vendor partner self-reporting. We also have a whistleblower hotline where anyone who does contract work including content reviewers can raise concerns directly to Facebook." (Reporting by Akanksha Rana and Arjun Panchadar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Patrick Graham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The income-tax department on Monday said it will undertake expeditious disposal of appeal cases, and look into taxpayer concerns of adjustment of past tax demands with due refunds during the fortnight beginning 16 May New Delhi: The income-tax department on Monday said it will undertake expeditious disposal of appeal cases, and look into taxpayer concerns of adjustment of past tax demands with due refunds during the fortnight beginning 16 May. In a letter to field formations, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said that during 16-31 May, all assessing officers would accord top priority to appeal cases and passing of rectification orders and would earmark the first half of the day to meet applicants/counsels who seek to have a hearing to explain their case. With regard to rectification, the CBDT further said that special attention should be given to demands on account of TDS mismatch, and demands disputed by taxpayers in response to proceedings under section 245 "as these are creating widespread dissatisfaction among taxpayers". Under section 245 of the I-T Act, the tax authorities can adjust the refund payable to the taxpayer against the past demand due from them. "The Board has decided to dedicate the second fortnight of May, 2019, -- 16-31 May -- to expeditious disposal of appeal effect and rectification claims of the taxpayers," the CBDT said. Nangia Advisors (Andersen Global) Managing Partner Rakesh Nangia said the move by the CBDT is also expected to result in huge amounts of pending refunds to be issued within the next one month. "Aiming to redress taxpayer grievances, special attention has been accorded to the cases where the tax demand is on account of TDS mismatch and demands are in dispute under section 245. This shall go a long way in addressing the genuine concerns of taxpayers facing undue harassment on account of tax demand, without any fault on their part," Nangia said. Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP Partner Amit Maheshwari said this CBDT directive shows the resolve and the intent of the tax department to provide a non-adversarial tax regime to the tax payers. "Unnecessary delays in providing appeal effects and rectification lead to dissatisfaction amongst the tax payers and if the tax officers follow through with this directive, it is bound to give much-needed relief to the taxpayers," he said. Similar grievance redressal fortnight was organised by the CBDT in May last year as well. In July last year, in order to bring down litigation substantially, the government had hiked the threshold limit for tax departments, both the CBDT and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to file appeals in tribunals and courts. Accordingly, the threshold limit for the tax department to file appeals in ITAT/CESTAT was doubled to Rs 20 lakh or more, up from Rs 10 lakh. Also limit for filing appeals in the high courts was raised to where the tax amount involved in litigation is Rs 50 lakh, from Rs 20 lakh. For the Supreme Court, the threshold limit was hiked to Rs 1 crore, from Rs 25 lakh. The government had decided to increase the threshold monetary limits for filing departmental appeals at various levels in order to reduce the long pending grievances of taxpayers, minimise litigations pertaining to tax matters and to facilitate the ease of doing business. With the increase in threshold, 34 per cent of the total cases filed by the department in Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has been withdrawn. The same for the high courts is 48 per cent and in case of the Supreme Court, it is 54 percent Jet Airways Chief Executive Officer Vinay Dube has resigned with immediate effect, according to a filing in the exchanges. Along with him, Rahul Taneja, chief people officer has also put in his papers, said media reports. In a major blow to the ongoing efforts to revive cash-strapped Jet Airways, its Chief Executive Officer Vinay Dube resigned on Tuesday evening with immediate effect, according to a filing in the exchanges. This is the third top-level exit in the past 24 hours. Earlier on Tuesday, Amit Agarwal, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and deputy CEO and, Rahul Taneja, Chief People Officer (CPO) resigned from the beleaguered airline. "We wish to inform you that Vinay Dube, Chief Executive Officer of the company, vide his letter dated 14 May 2019, has resigned from the services of the company with immediate effect due to personal reasons," Jet Airways said in a regulatory filing. Shares of Jet Airways Tuesday plunged over 7 percent, its second day of decline, after Agarwal resigned on Tuesday morning. Dube joined Jet Airways as CEO of Jet Airways in August 2017. He joined Jet Airways in August 2017. He holds a Masters degree in Operations Research from the University of North Carolina. Dube is an aviation specialist with close to three decades of experience in aviation. Prior to Jet Airways, he was the senior vice president-Asia Pacific for Delta Airlines. He has worked in varied roles at Sabre Airline Solutions, and American Airlines in the USA, Europe, and Asia. Jet Airways shares tank The scrip tanked 7.42 percent to close at Rs 129.10 on the BSE on Tuesday. During the day, it plunged 12.44 percent to Rs 122.10. On the NSE, shares plummeted 7.33 percent to close at Rs 128.90. In terms of volume, 22.14 lakh shares were traded on the BSE during the day, while over one crore shares were traded on the NSE. Shares of Jet Airways had plummeted over 8 percent on Monday amid continued uncertainty about bidders. The airline ceased operations temporarily on 17 April due to an acute liquidity crisis. Once the biggest private carrier in the country, it owes vast sums to its lessors, pilots, fuel suppliers, and other parties. It stopped all flights from April 17 after its lenders refused to extend more funds to keep the carrier flying. Most of the airline's board members have also quit in last one month. The cash-strapped airline was founded by Naresh Goyal over 25 years ago. The airline ceased operations temporarily around mid-April due to acute liquidity crisis. Most of the airline's board members have also quit in the last month. Meanwhile, the embattled airline received two unsolicited bids raising hopes for the revival of the debt-laden carrier. Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways submitted a bid for a stake in Indias Jet Airways, the unit of State Bank of India (SBI) overseeing the sale of the stricken airline said on Friday. SBI had invited binding bids for a stake in the airline, which is saddled with roughly $1.2 billion in bank debt. Etihad, which already holds a minority stake in Jet Airways, is interested in re-investing in the airline, subject to certain conditions, a spokesman for the Middle Eastern carrier said earlier on Friday. However, he added that Etihad cannot be expected to be the sole investor and additional suitable investors would need to provide the majority of Jet Airways required recapitalisation. Etihad Airways gave no indication whether it was working with any other investors that might take a majority stake in Jet. With the top level management throwing in the towel today, is now clear that there is no future for Jet Airways. Is the resignation of three top executives at Jet Airways the last nail in the beleaguered airlines coffin? On Tuesday evening, Vinay Dube, CEO, Jet Airways, Amit Agarwal, deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer, and Rahul Taneja, Chief People Officer resigned from the company citing personal reasons. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways submitted its bid to acquire a minority stake in Jet Airways with a lot of riders that involved finding more investors, leaving little hope for the airline's survival. "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," Etihad Airways said in a statement on 10 May, which was the last date for submission of bids. This had to happen, analyst Ronil Dalal of Ambit Capital told Reuters. Considering the kind of bids that have come in and the monetary value of those bids, it seems like it is too little. It was long expected that Jet will eventually shut down and I think now thats coming to fruition, Dalal said. The cash-strapped airline had temporarily suspended its operations on 17 April, after teetering for weeks saddled with over Rs 8,500-crore debt. Its total liabilities reportedly amount to around Rs 15,000 crore. With the top level management throwing in the towel on Tuesday, it is now clear that there is no future for Jet Airways. Like rats quitting a sinking ship, the top management has left realising there is no future for the cash-strapped airline, said Kris Laxmikanth, chairman and managing director, The Head Hunters Indiaa CXO-level hiring firm. Some analysts believe that the reason for the top executives to hang around almost a month after the temporary grounding of operations of the airline was the hope that there would be a new owner and they could continue. There could be two reasons for the top level management to remain until Tuesday when almost all others left. Either they were asked to by the current management, or they had a game planboth of which did not work, and they decided to parachute away from the airline of which not much remains anyways, said the analyst. Jet Airways, which once upon a time had over 20 percent market share, is today in a shambles. At its peak, Jet Airways had over 120 planes and hundreds of daily flights, including international services. The picture is clear now. The sudden exit of Jet Airways' three top-level executives in a span of 24 hours leaves no hope for the airline's revival. It is a serious situation and signifies lack of any hope for the employees who look up to the management for guidance and support among other things. However, given that the company was not operational in the last month, the resignations on Tuesday should come as no surprise, said Amit K Nandkeolyar, Associate Professor at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He said the resignation of the top executives would lead to loss of confidence among the shareholders in the airline. A bankers' consortium led by State Bank of India (SBI) had invited bids for selling anywhere between 31 and 75 percent stake in the airline as part of the resolution plan for Jet Airways and received four initial bids from Etihad Airways, Indias first sovereign wealth fund National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), TPG Capital and Indigo Partners. TPG Capital and Indigo Partners are private equity firms. The hopes for revival of the temporarily grounded Jet Airways received a major blow after all the shortlisted bidders, including its former strategic partner Etihad Airways, started to reconsider their decision regarding buying stake in the cash-strapped airline. The bidders did not turn up for buying the cash-strapped airline. Why would anyone buy an airline and also its debt? If someone has the money to start an airline, why would the individual buy an existing company which is in the red, asked Ajay Awtaney, founder of the Indian frequent-traveler website Live From A Lounge. Essentially, Jet Airways has reached a point of no return. The captains of all its verticals have now moved out as they would have to face consequences of non-compliance with the company at a standstill, said Manoj Kumar, founder of Hammurabi & Solomon, and a visiting fellow with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), adding that the investors have taken the biggest hit. The resignation of the top brass at Jet Airways signals that it is time to move onfor everyone associated with the airline. The banks did not want to write-off the loans and did what they could, but was it the best? asked an analyst. But, most aviation experts agree that the death-knell of the airline was rung when low-cost carriers flooded the Indian aviation space leaving a full-service carrier like Jet Airways floundering. By the time Naresh Goyal, founder, Jet Airways, woke up to that reality, it was too late. India does not have an environment where the government understands the sector. Case in point: National carrier Air India which is in the red. The people who want to use planes for travel look for the cheapest available fares, and the airline or its brand value is not even factored in the chase for a cheap air ticket. The masses who want to use airlines are value-chasers, said Awtaney. What's next for Jet Airways? Awtaney believes that with a conditional bid from Etihad Airways and reports of banks engaging with unsolicited bidders, the revival of Jet Airways seems to be bleak now. Or if the banks decide to go in for another round of stake sale, as some media reports have suggested. Jet Airways, founded by Naresh Goyal, said the resignation is with effect from 14 May, 2019 Jet Airways CFO and deputy CEO Amit Agarwal has resigned from the company for personal reasons, the debt-ridden airline informed stock exchanges today. The cash-strapped airline founded by Naresh Goyal, said the resignation is with effect from yesterday. "We wish to inform you that Mr. Amit Agarwal, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company has resigned from the services of the Company due to personal reasons, with effect from 13 May 2019," Jet Airways said in a statement to the stock exchanges, a PTI report said. The airline seized operations temporarily around mid-April due to acute liquidity crisis. Most of the airline's board members have also quit in the last one month. Shares of Jet Airways (India) Limited plummeted over 8 percent on Monday amid continued uncertainty over bidders. The scrip tumbled 8.14 per cent to close at Rs 139.45 on the BSE. During the day, it plunged 11 percent to Rs 135.05. On the NSE, shares tanked 8.40 percent to close at Rs 139. Meanwhile, the embattled airline which received two unsolicited bids is now looking at it, raising hopes for the revival of the debt-laden carrier which was forced to ground its entire fleet last month. Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways submitted a bid for a stake in Indias Jet Airways, the unit of State Bank of India (SBI) overseeing the sale of the stricken airline said on Friday. SBI had invited binding bids for a stake in the airline, which is saddled with roughly $1.2 billion in bank debt. Binding offers were due by 1800 IST (1230 GMT) on Friday. Etihad, which already holds a minority stake in Jet, is interested in re-investing in the airline, subject to certain conditions, a spokesman for the Middle Eastern carrier said earlier on Friday. However, he added that Etihad cannot be expected to be the sole investor and additional suitable investors would need to provide the majority of Jet Airways required recapitalisation. Etihad gave no indication whether it was working with any other investors that might take a majority stake in Jet. The fund offer from Etihad Airways is not sufficient to overcome the liquidity crunch in Jet Airways as its total liabilities are reportedly about Rs 15,000 crore now. With the uncertainty persisting about the takeover of cash-strapped Jet Airways, lenders to the temporarily grounded airline are reportedly planning to approach unsolicited bidders as former strategic partner Etihad Airways has declined to hike its stake beyond 24 percent. Etihad Airways offered to infuse close to Rs 1,400 crore in Jet Airways and was keen to maintain its stake in the debt-laden airline at the current level of 24 percent, said a report in Mint quoting people aware of the development. Etihad Airways offers to invest to the extent of maintaining its stake at 24% & invest upto Rs 1,700 cr in @jetairways as fresh equity: Sources tell @_ritusingh pic.twitter.com/YOMM5PIkx6 CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 13, 2019 The fund offer from Etihad Airways is not sufficient to overcome the liquidity crunch in Jet Airways as its total liabilities are reportedly about Rs 15,000 crore now. This forced the State Bank of India-led (SBI) consortium of lenders to approach the bidders who showed interest in buying the stake in the embattled airline, the report said. Earlier, two unsolicited bidders of Jet Airways approached Etihad Airways apparently showing interest to partner with the UAE-based airline, according to media reports. Lakshay Uttam, which is part of the consortium that also includes British entrepreneur Jason Unsworth, and AdiGro Aviation, part of the AdiGroup, had approached Etihad Airways to join in the revival bid of Jet Airways, said a report in Moneycontrol. On Friday, the lenders' consortium to Jet Airways said it had received bids from Etihad Airways and 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 8 -12 April and had received four preliminary bids. The lenders are offering 31.2-75 percent stake in the company on a fully diluted basis. Friday (10 May, 2019) 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 17 April due to acute financial distress. SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar had said that two unsolicited bids had been received while one more bid was expected. The Gulf carrier, which acquired 24 percent stake in Jet Airways in 2013 also evinced its interest to "re-invest" in a minority stake in the carrier. Last month, Jet Airways employees' consortium proposed to take over the airline with at least Rs 3,000 crore expected from outside investors for the bid. This is the first time that employees came together with a proposal to run the more than 25-year-old Jet Airways. Two associations representing pilots and engineersSWIP and JAMEVAhave written to State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar proposing that they would take over the airline and can bring in up to Rs 7,000 crore. The Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots (SWIP) and the Jet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association (JAMEVA) have written a letter to the SBI chief asking the lead lender to consider "employee consortium" as an intending bidder for the carrier. While SWIP has around 800 members, there are about 500 employees with JAMEVA. With PTI inputs The collapse of Tata Steel's proposed joint venture with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is 'marginally credit negative' for the Indian steel major, a global rating agency has said Kolkata: The collapse of Tata Steel's proposed joint venture with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is "marginally credit negative" for the Indian steel major, a global rating agency has said. The steel major's Indian operation will largely be able to offset the impact of the collapse, it said. "Tata Steel Ltd and Thyssenkrupp AG's decision to cease efforts on their proposed Europe joint venture is marginally credit negative for Tata Steel," S&P Rating said in a bulletin in the wake of the development. This is likely to depress the ratio of funds from operations (FFO) to debt by about 100 basis points across our forecast horizon, it said. Tata Steel and the German conglomerate decided to call off their proposed steel joint venture (JV), expecting the deal to be rejected by the European Commission over "continuing concerns". "The cancellation of the joint venture will also leave Tata Steel exposed to the weaker and more volatile performance of the European operations until the company identifies an alternative strategy to deconsolidate the European operations," the global rating agency said. "However, sustained high steel prices and continued robust profitability of Tata Steel's India business remain the more important factors for our positive rating outlook on the company (BB-/positive)," it said. "We expect supportive steel prices and continued high utilisation in the India business to drive Tata Steel's FFO-to-debt sustainably above 15 per cent over the next six to 12 months. This is notwithstanding the drag from the retention of the Europe business and the lower-than-expected fourth-quarter profitability in 2019," S&P said. The breakup of the proposed JV may also restrict the steel major to go for further acquisition in India. "Any outsized spending by Tata Steel on new acquisitions would be a risk to our estimates, though we view this risk to be low-given that there are no large steel mills left to be auctioned in Indian bankruptcy courts," the bulletin said. 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 could have formed the continent's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal. On May 7, the Supreme Court had allowed Karti to travel to the United States, Spain and Germany this month and next month. The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to consider a petition of Karti Chidambaram, an accused in the INX Media money laundering case and Aircel-Maxis case, seeking to release Rs 10 crore that he had deposited with the registry as a condition to travel abroad earlier. The Supreme Court (SC) asked him to mention the matter before a Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, reported ANI. Supreme Court declines to consider a petition of Karti Chidambaram seeking to release Rs 10 Crore he had deposited with registry as a condition to travel abroad earlier. Supreme Court asks him to mention the matter before a Bench of Chief Justice India Ranjan Gogoi. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/SpiTiND0Zh ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 On 7 May, the Supreme Court had allowed Karti to travel to the United States, Spain and Germany this month and next month. A bench comprising Chief Justice Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said this nod to travel abroad was subject to compliance of conditions imposed earlier. The apex court had in January granted Karti, son of Congress leader P Chidambaram, permission to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore with the secretary general of the Supreme Court. The top court had also asked him to file an undertaking that he would return and cooperate with the investigation. Former Union Finance Minister Chidambaram is also an accused in the INX Media money laundering case. In the INX Media case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a first information report (FIR) in May 2017 against alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007. Chidambaram was the then Union finance minister under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Karti was arrested in February 2018 by the CBI for allegedly taking money to facilitate the FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2007. He was granted bail later. Both Karti and Chidambaram denied all allegations made by CBI as well as the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In October last year, the ED had attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti and a firm in the case. It also attached properties belonging to the Mukerjeas in connection with the same case. Chidambaram and Karti have come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal as well. In July last year, the father-son duo was named in a charge sheet by the CBI in the Aircel-Maxis deal case. With PTI inputs When the judge asked him how he wanted to proceed, Johnson replied softly, I want to plead guilty, your honor. According to his plea agreement, Johnson had a joint bank account with his mother in which she received monthly electronic deposits from Social Security. But Johnson failed to notify the government of his mothers death, instead continuing to collect the deposits and use them for his own benefit for more than 23 years, according to the agreement. The NBCC's revised bid to acquire Jaypee Infratech and complete the work of over 20,000 flats would be discussed on 14 May by CoC New Delhi: NBCC on Monday decided against diluting certain conditions, including exemption from tax liability, in its revised offer for debt-laden Jaypee Infratech even as lenders have flagged serious concerns about the state-owned firm's conditional bid, sources said. The NBCC's revised bid to acquire Jaypee Infratech and complete the work of over 20,000 flats would be discussed on 14 May by the Committee of Creditors (CoC), they added. On Friday, lenders wrote to the NBCC seeking clarifications on certain relief and concessions put forward by the public sector firm in its resolution plan. According to sources, NBCC has decided not to dilute the conditions of exemption from income tax liability as well as from taking consent of development authorities for transfer of businesses. It has also not agreed to change its proposal that lenders should take unsold flats in case state-owned firm fails to sell them in the market. To make changes in these clauses, sources said, NBCC needed approvals from its board as well as government departments. Without these changes, it remains to be seen whether the CoC decide to put NBCC's bid for voting by bankers and home buyers or reject it without voting. Homebuyers are likely to vote in favour of NBCC bid but many flat owners fear that lenders may reject it and opt for liquidation as they do no want a hair-cut of about 60 per cent against its claim of Rs 9,782 crore. Clarifications from the NBCC were 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 had written to the CoC that NBCC's revised bid was conditional as the state-owned firm has stated that the plan would not be binding on it unless key relief measures such as extinguishing of income tax liability and a dispensation from seeking consent of YEIDA (Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority) for any business transfer is granted, sources had said. The CoC is considering NBCC's offer after it rejected Mumbai-based Suraksha Realty's bid on 3 May through voting process under the insolvency law. Earlier, the creditors' panel did not allow vote on NBCC's bid citing lack of approvals from the government departments. NBCC has now got all the necessary approvals. In its revised offer, 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. The court-mandated deadline for completing the resolution plan for Japyee Infratech ended on 6 May and the CoC has sought an extension of the deadline. The Allahabad bench of NCLT has posted the matter for hearing on 21 May and maintained status quo till then. Apart from NBCC, Adani Group has also shown interest to bid for Jaypee Infratech but creditors have not sought resolution plan from Adani so far. Interestingly, Jaypee Group's promoters too have put in a bid, under Section 12A of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 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. In October 2018, the IRP started a fresh initiative to revive Jaypee Infratech on the NCLT direction. Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL), the promoter of Jaypee Infratech, had submitted Rs 750 crore in the registry of the Supreme Court for the refund to buyers and the amount is lying with NCLT. By Jeff Mason and Se Young Lee WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month as the trade war between the world's two largest economies intensified, sending shivers through global markets. China announced earlier it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S By Jeff Mason and Se Young Lee WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month as the trade war between the world's two largest economies intensified, sending shivers through global markets. China announced earlier it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, a move that followed Washington's decision last week to hike its own levies on $200 billion in Chinese imports. The U.S. Trade Representative's office said later it planned to hold a public hearing next month on the possibility of raising duties of up to 25% on a further $300 billion worth of imports from China. Cellphones and laptops would be included in that list but pharmaceuticals would be excluded, the office said. The prospect that the United States and China were spiralling into a no-holds-barred dispute that could derail the global economy has rattled investors and led to a sharp selloff on equities markets in the past week. A gauge of global stocks shed a further 1.9% on Monday, its biggest one-day drop in more than five months. China's yuan currency fell to its lowest level since December and oil futures slumped. Trump, who has embraced protectionism as part of an "America First" agenda, said he would talk to Xi at a G20 summit in late June. "Maybe something will happen," Trump said in remarks at the White House. "We're going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan and that'll be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting." The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councilor Wang Yi, said during a trip to Russia that China-U.S. talks were not a "one-way street" and needed to be conducted on the basis of equality, according to China's Foreign Ministry. "Both countries' negotiating teams have the ability and wisdom to resolve each other's reasonable demands, and in the end reach a mutually beneficial, win-win agreement," he said. The comment period on the planned new tranche of U.S. duties - which covers 3,805 product categories - is much shorter than in previous rounds and could potentially leave Trump in a position to trigger those tariffs by the time he meets Xi. U.S. farmers are among those most hurt by the trade war, with soybean sales to China plummeting and U.S. soybean futures hitting their lowest level in a decade. Trump said on Monday his administration was planning to provide about $15 billion to help farmers whose products might be targeted. Farmers, who are a core political constituency for Trump's Republicans heading into the 2020 presidential and congressional elections, are growing increasingly frustrated with the protracted trade talks and the failure to reach an agreement. "What that means for soybean growers is that we're losing," Davie Stephens, president of the American Soybean Association, said in a statement. STEADY DRUM BEAT China said on Monday it planned to set import tariffs ranging from 5% to 25% on 5,140 U.S. products on a $60 billion target list. It said the tariffs would take effect on June 1. "China's adjustment on additional tariffs is a response to U.S. unilateralism and protectionism," its finance ministry said. "China hopes the U.S. will get back to the right track of bilateral trade and economic consultations and meet with China halfway." In the middle of the negotiations last week, Trump hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. The move affected 5,700 categories of Chinese products, including internet modems and routers. Sources have said talks stalled after China tried to delete commitments from a draft agreement that its laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers. Beijing said on Monday it would never surrender to external pressure. Its state media kept up a steady drum beat of strongly worded commentary, reiterating that the door to talks was always open but vowing that China would defend its national interests and dignity. State television said in a commentary the effect of the U.S. tariffs on the Chinese economy was "totally controllable." Trump has said he is in no rush to finalise a deal with China. He again defended the move to hike U.S. tariffs and said there was no reason why American consumers would pay the costs. Economists and industry consultants, however, maintain that it is U.S. businesses that will pay the costs and likely pass them on to consumers. U.S. tariffs last year triggered retaliation by China, which imposed 25% levies on $50 billion worth of U.S. products including soybeans, beef and pork and lower tariffs on a list of $60 billion in goods. Goldman Sachs economists said in a research note new evidence showed the costs of Washington's tariffs on China last year had fallen entirely on U.S. businesses and households, with no clear reduction in prices charged by Chinese exporters. They said the effects of the tariffs had spilled over noticeably to the prices charged by U.S. producers competing with goods affected by the levies. (Reporting by Jeff Mason in WASHINGTON and Se Young Lee in BEIJING; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING, Makini Brice, Doina Chiacu, David Lawder, Jeff Mason and Humeyra Pamuk in WASHINGTON and Alden Bentley in NEW YORK; Writing by Paul Simao and Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Susan Thomas and Lisa Shumaker) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Josephine Mason and Ritvik Carvalho LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's listed companies are expected to generate 1.2 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) in revenue from the United States this year, highlighting what's at stake as global trade tensions grow and earnings and economic growth stall. Analysts and investors say that based on revenues, European companies are more vulnerable to a dispute than their competitors in the United States By Josephine Mason and Ritvik Carvalho LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's listed companies are expected to generate 1.2 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) in revenue from the United States this year, highlighting what's at stake as global trade tensions grow and earnings and economic growth stall. Analysts and investors say that based on revenues, European companies are more vulnerable to a dispute than their competitors in the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump is due to decide by Saturday whether to impose duties on car imports, potentially posing another significant threat to global growth and denting Europe's prized auto sector. Washington's renewed tensions with Beijing may distract Trump and delay a decision beyond the May 18 deadline, or he may crank up his protectionist push with a global trade war on two fronts. Last month, he also threatened to impose tariffs on hundreds of European goods, from cheese to ski suits, worth $11 billion. The impact on Europe's top firms could be profound -- with slowing economic growth and some countries like Italy struggling with bulging budget deficits, the region may not be as resilient to a prolonged dispute as China has so far proven. In the past six months, the Chinese government has launched stimulus measures from tax cuts to boosting lending to shore up the world's No. 2 economy as the trade spat rumbles on. "I'm much more concerned about trade for Europe than I am for China," said Christophe Donay, head of asset allocation at Pictet Wealth Management. According to Europe's top asset manager Amundi Asset Management, U.S sales average about 20% of MSCI Europe companies' aggregate turnover, while European sales average about 14% of turnover for companies in MSCI's U.S. share index, For an interactive version of the below graphic, click here https://tmsnrt.rs/2VGtZSu. For a graphic on European companies' exposure to the United States, click: https://tmsnrt.rs/2VFRIST AUTOS AND TECH Typically, Europe's carmakers are considered particularly vulnerable to Trump's protectionism. A 25% tariff could result in a 0.2-0.3 percentage point loss of export revenue and GDP for Germany, according to an analysis by Moody's. The United States accounts for 13% of Germany's car exports, the ratings agency has said. Measured by revenue, there's a lot at stake for companies like Fiat Chrysler with $45.3 billion in U.S. revenues. But many, like Fiat, have their own U.S. production plants, sheltering them slightly from any outright tariffs. For an interactive version of the below graphic, click here https://tmsnrt.rs/2LCr9KG. For a graphic on European autos and healthcare exposure to the United States, click: https://tmsnrt.rs/2LorXT4 Caroline Simmons, deputy head of the UK investment office of UBS Global Wealth Management, said she would expect the technology, energy and industrial sectors to be worst-hit by any further antagonism. Average European company exposure to the United States in those sectors ranges from 10 to 20% in terms of sales, compared with 33% for healthcare. UBS is underweight consumer discretionary in the euro zone, which includes autos, partly because of the trade tariffs. "The market is nervous about it and last year (the U.S.-China spat) escalated more than people expected and the effect on the market was bigger than people had anticipated," she said. HEALTHCARE EXPOSED Of pan-European STOXX 600 index companies, those in healthcare have the highest revenue exposure on average. An analysis by Refinitiv based on companies' estimates of 2019 revenue shows they draw some 133.3 billion euros in revenue from the world's No. 1 economy and top drug market. For an interactive version of the below chart, click here https://tmsnrt.rs/2WwCixg. For a graphic on Europe's revenue exposure to the United States, click: https://tmsnrt.rs/2WxmNoP While healthcare has not been implicated in the tit-for-tat between Washington and Brussels so far, some investors worry about the potential fall-out from souring relations between the two economic powerhouses. "As these sectors are in normal times regarded as defensive, they may doubly disappoint if the U.S. and Europe also engage in a tariff war," said Ibra Wane, equity strategist at Amundi, in a note this week. The European healthcare index has risen 8% since the late December low, underperforming most other industries and lagging behind an 11% rise in the benchmark STOXX 600. Pharma and medical equipment companies from BTG to BB Biotech and Fresenius Medical Care are among the most exposed individual companies, with 67-90% of total sales derived from the United States. Capital goods companies Ashtead and Ferguson are also high up on the list, with more than 80% of their sales made to the United States. (Reporting by Josephine Mason and Ritvik Carvalho; Graphics by Ritvik Carvalho; Editing by Catherine Evans) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The current drought situation in Maharashtra is grimmer than faced by the state in 1972, as farmers in various districts have reportedly lost all their crop and are facing water shortage. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar alleged that 95 percent of the farmers have not received the benefit of the central government's crop insurance scheme. Mumbai's former municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta on Monday took over as Maharashtra's new chief secretary succeeding UPS Madan. In his first assignment as chief secretary, Mehta attended meetings convened by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to review the drought situation in six districts of Maharashtra Pune, Sangli, Satara, Amravati, Nagpur and Chandrapur. And this is Mehta's biggest challenge now that his role has extended to the administration of the whole of Maharashtra a state reeling under severe drought and water crisis for past few years. This year, the state government has already declared 151 out of 355 talukas as drought-hit. Meanwhile, the Centre has allocated Rs 4,714 crore for drought-relief measures, according to ANI. Therefore, Mehta a 1984-batch IAS officer who did BTech from Banaras Hindu University and has previously served as the principal secretary of the environment department, has his task cut out for him. The current drought situation in Maharashtra is grimmer than faced by the state in 1972, as farmers in various districts have reportedly lost all their crop and are facing water shortage. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar alleged that 95 percent of the farmers have not received the benefit of the central government's crop insurance scheme. Fadnavis had directed district collectors to immediately start work under the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) in drought-affected areas and submit compliance reports of this work. Reports say that the measures aren't enough to control the situation the state hadn't been adequately prepared for. Fadnavis, while appealing to farmers to participate in water conservation, also directed the immediate approval of desilting of tanks and ponds under the 'Gaalmukta Dharan-Gaalyukta Shivar' (silt-free dams and silt-filled farms) scheme, PTI reported. However, it is not the Marathwada region which is solely affected by the crisis anymore, water-abundant western Maharashtra too is feeling the impact of drought. Rapid depletion of water stocks in the 22 reservoirs which are part of the Bhima River basin in western Maharashtra and cater to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad belt's water supply, is a dangerous signal of the looming crisis. At least five of these reservoirs including Dimbhe and Temghar have zero storage presently, while the total water stock in seven other reservoirs is less than 10 percent of their capacity, The Hindu reported. Pune, the report said, has barely 18 percent water stock available this year, compared to 38 percent during this season in 2018. And with water levels of the Pavana reservoir also reducing to 26 percent from 31 percent earlier, concerns have been raised on the sustainability of these resources. The State Water Resources Department data on 3 May showed that 3,267 major, medium and minor dams across the have just 18.51 percent live storage compared to 29.95 percent on the same date in 2018. Nearly 4,774 water tankers have been deployed across the state compared to 937 the previous year, The Hindu Business Line noted in its report. Even the groundwater table has plummeted sharply in several villages including those under the Beed district. According to Times Now, the situation has affected as many as 21,000 villages across the state where people are now being forced to depend on water tankers for everyday needs. Moreover, many districts in the state, including the entire Marathwada region, are also staring at a severe rainfall deficit. Private weather forecasters such as Skymet have predicted a below normal monsoon this year. The state government has announced a few relief measures in anticipation of the same, but farmers are worried for fodder to feed their cattle, for which the state government is yet to do anything substantial. A few farmers groups also worry that, in such a situation, the soyabean crop primarily cultivated in Maharashtra is poised for a total collapse. In fact, all major crops, including maize, cotton, citrus lemon, pulses and groundnuts will suffer due to poor rainfall and, an estimated 82 lakh farmers are set to be affected by the drought. Focusing on natural water resources would also not yield much for the parched state as the seven lakes from where the capital city of Mumbai receives water Bhatsa, Tulsi, Vihar, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar , Tansa and Upper Vairtarna currently hold 3.74 lakh million litres of water, a figure which was as high as 5.59 lakh million litres just last year (in 2018). According to The Times of India's report which quotes civic officials, the Bhatsa lake, which supplies maximum water to Mumbai, has only 26 percent of consumable water left. Mehta, meanwhile, in an interview with DNA, had recalled that during his tenure between 1992 and 1995 as the Ahmednagar district collector he had extensively carried out drought mitigation work. And even as Mehta is the third chief secretary the state has seen in 13 months, citizens of the state are eagerly looking to him to deliver on the administrative promises and bail the state out of the large-looming agricultural and water crisis. Aiyar had, in the piece published in The Print, reasserted his 'neech aadmi (lowly man)' jibe that had cost him the Congress membership for eight months. The Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell head Amit Malviya Tuesday hit out at reinstated Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for his "foot-in-mouth" comment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Responding to the name-calling in an opinion piece authored by Aiyar, Malviya tweeted that the Congress leader was perhaps upset at being left out from the race of making controversial remarks amid the rank and file of the Grand Old Party. Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitrodas foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his Neech comment for PM! pic.twitter.com/0oUcjegjp3 Chowkidar Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 14, 2019 Aiyar had, in the piece published in The Print, reasserted his 'neech aadmi (lowly man)' jibe that had cost him Congress membership for eight months. Aiyar said Modi will be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?," Aiyar wrote in the piece in which he called the prime minister a liar, foul-mouthed, and someone who lacked statesmanship and higher education. He did not specifically reiterate the controversial jibe but made his point clear by referring to the date the said remark was made on. Ye aadmi bahut neech kisam ka aadmi hai. Is mein koi sabhyata nahi hai aur aise mauke par is kisam ki gandi rajniti karne ki kya avashyakta hai (This man is a low-life person, he isn't cultured... at this moment why does he need to practice such dirty politics?), he had told news agency ANI on 7 December 2017, after Modi accused Congress of "systematically undermining Ambedkar's legacy." At the time, Aiyar had even apologised for the comment, which had whipped up a political storm, forcing Congress president Rahul Gandhi to publicly express his disapproval, and had sought to play it down by saying he did not understand the usage of the Hindi word very well and meant "neech" as "low-life", not "low-born." Modi and the BJP, in the run up to the Gujarat Assembly elections, strategically played up the slur which has casteist undertones. ""Congress leaders are speaking in a language that is not acceptable in a democracy. One Congress leader, who has studied in best institutions, served as a diplomat, was a Minister in Cabinet, says Modi is 'Neech.' This is insulting. This is nothing but a Mughal mindset," Modi had said at a rally in Surat. I have nothing to say on a wise Congress leader calling me Neech'. This is the Congress mindset. They have their language and we have our work. People will answer them through the ballot box. https://t.co/2McoZnaoar pic.twitter.com/icGqAphUzy Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2017 The Congress Party has challenged the weaker and backward sections of India by calling the Prime Minister as Neech . The strength of Indias Democracy will be displayed when a person of humble background politically defeats the dynasty and its representatives. Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) December 7, 2017 It was even argued in some editorials that the BJP playing up the casteist overtones in Aiyar's remark was some sort of political masterstroke. However, nine months after he was reinstated to the party, Aiyar, by needlessly reiterating the controversial remark which was condemned even within his own party, seems to have regained his appetite for controversy. This may especially spell trouble for Congress as another party leader Sam Pitroda was in BJP's line of fire for his "hua so hua" comment on the 1884 anti-Sikh riots. Malviya was already prompt to make that connection in his aforementioned tweet. The BJP has been craftily using the Opposition indiscretions to its advantage. The case in point could be the famous maut ka saudagar jibe, which was an epithet for Modi coined by Sonia Gandhi in the 2007 Gujarat elections. Modi had overturned it to make it appear that Congress was soft on terrorism and was against his action against terrorists. He had swept the Assembly election, while the maut ka saudagar comment stuck on and is still raked up occasionally. Besides, this was not the first time that Aiyar's controversial remarks provided election fodder to the BJP. He was also credited with insulting Modi's subaltern background by calling him a chaiwalla in the run-up to the 2014 election, an attack that the BJP masterfully used to highlight Modi's humble beginnings. Aiyar had said that Modi would never become prime minister but he was welcome to serve tea to Congressmen at AICC meetings. The BJP drew maximum political mileage out of the statement and went on to launch the 'Chai pe charcha' campaign which is arguably the most successful mass campaigns launched by the BJP, thus far. More recently, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also invited BJP's ire for making an extremely personal attack on the prime minister. Unleashing a flurry of personal attacks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mayawati on Monday alleged that he "abandoned his wife for political gains", drawing angry reaction from the BJP which said the former UP chief minister has no respect for women and is "unfit for public life". Mayawati also alleged that women in the BJP are scared of their husbands meeting the prime minister fearing they might "abandon their wives like him" and that Modi deserves the abusive language used against him by the Opposition. AP Board 10th results 2019 Declared: Other websites such as examresults.net and results.gov.in can also be accessed to check the results. AP Board 10th results 2019 Declared | The Board of Secondary Education, Andhra Pradesh (BSEAP) announced the Class 10 examination results. Students can check their scores in the official website bseap.org. However, if the official website is down or slow due to heavy traffic on result day, students can visit other websites like www.examresults.net.in and results.gov.in to check the result. Follow LIVE updates on AP board 10th results 2019 here Students can also check their AP board Class 10 results right here on Firstpost: Steps to check AP Board 10th results 2019: Step 1: Visit the official website of the Board bseap.gov.in Step 2: Click on the live link to go to the result page Step 3: Key in all relevant information like name, birth of date and roll number Step 4: Click on the submit button Step 5: Your AP Board 10th result 2019 will be displayed Step 6: Take a printout for future reference In 2018, more than 6 lakh students had appeared for the AP Board Class 10 results with a total pass percentage of 94.48 percent. The AP Board 10th results in 2018 were declared on 29 April. This year the BSEAP conducted the Class 10 examinations from 18 March to 2 April, 2019. The BSEAP is an independent agency working under the aegis of Ministry Of Secondary Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh. It is responsible for promotion, management, and development of secondary level school education in the state. The AP inter results 2019 were also declared recently. 12:32 (ist) Around 5.15% students get 10 CGPA Out of the 6 lakh candidates, who had appeared for the AP Class 10th board exam, 5.15 percent students received 10 CGPA. 5,464 or 46.47% schools in Andhra Pradesh registered a pass percentage of 100%. Last year, around 6,475 students from private schools in the state secured 10 CGPA The overall pass percentage for the Andhra Pradesh Class 10 exam this year is 94.88 percent. BSEAP declared the Andhra Pradesh board results today. AP Board 10th Results 2019 Declared | The Board of Secondary Education, Andhra Pradesh (BSEAP) announced the results of the Class 10 exams today (14 May). Students can check their scores on bseap.org. Students registerd an overall pass percentage of 94.88 percent, with girl outshining boys. While 95.09 percent of girls cleared the Andhra Pradesh Class 10 exams, 94.68 percent of boys passed. Follow LIVE updates on the AP board Class 10 results here Steps to check AP Board 10th results 2019: Step 1: Visit the official website of the Board bseap.gov.in Step 2: Click on the live link to go to the results page Step 3: Key in all relevant information like name, birth of date and roll number Step 4: Click on the submit button Step 5: Your AP Board 10th result 2019 will be displayed Step 6: Take a printout for future reference The first examination for AP Class 10 students was First Language Paper I (Group A)/ (Composite Course). The AP SSC examination ended with SSC Vocational Course Theory on 2 April, 2019. More than 6 lakh candidates have registered for the AP SSC exams. In 2018, the AP SSC results for class 10 board exam were released on 29 April, 2018. The overall pass percentage last year was 94.48 percent. The pass percentage for boys was 84.41 percent and for girls was 94.56 percent. The Board Of Secondary Education Andhra Pradesh is an independent department functioning under ministry of secondary education, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The department is responsible for conducting the SSC/OSSC public examinations and a number of minor examinations like D.El.Ed. Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE)'s office conducts SSC/OSSC examinations twice in a year. After the exemptions expired on 2 May, India said it will deal with the issue based on three factors the country's energy security, commercial consideration and economic interests New Delhi: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will arrive here on Tuesday to hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj primarily on impact of the US ending waivers on import of oil from Iran, and ways to deal with it, official sources said. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Zarif will arrive at 11.45 pm on Tuesday and depart at 2:30 pm on Wednesday. His visit comes, 12 days after six-month-long exemptions from US sanctions to India and seven other countries to buy oil from Iran ended. The issue is expected to figure prominently in the talks, the sources said. After the exemptions expired on 2 May, India said it will deal with the issue based on three factors the country's energy security, commercial consideration and economic interests. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India was prepared to deal with the impact of the US decision. In May last year, the US had brought back sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was struck in 2015. The US had told India and other countries to cut oil imports from the Gulf nation to "zero" by 4 November or face sanctions. However, Washington had granted a six-month waiver from sanctions to eight countries, including India. India, which is the second biggest purchaser of Iranian oil after China, had agreed to restrict its monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonne or 15 million tonne in a year (300,000 barrels per day), down from 22.6 million tonne (452,000 barrels per day) bought in the 2017-18 financial year. The world's third biggest oil consumer, India meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 percent of its total needs. Sources said the Chabahar port project is also likely to figure in the meeting between Zarif and Swaraj. Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing in the last few years. Prime Minister Modi visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand India's ties with West Asia. During the visit, India and Iran signed nearly a dozen pacts, centrepiece of which was an agreement on development of Chabahar port. Later, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral pact providing for transport of goods among the three countries through the port. I used that platform with respect, he said, addressing the Facebook ban. 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, no matter what your color is. As long as you dont attack us, we dont bother you. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Monday directed police to complete investigations in the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Bandipora district on a fast track basis Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Monday directed police to complete investigations in the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Bandipora district on a fast track basis. The state police has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the rape case and one person has been arrested. The governor has also directed the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police of Kashmir to personally monitor the investigation, an official spokesman said. Malik expressed deep shock and pain over incident and took a detailed report of the ongoing investigation in the case. The spokesman said a separate inquiry has also been ordered to check the veracity of the age of the accused and ascertain the authenticity of the age certificate. Preliminary medical examination of the youth accused of raping the girl has shown that he is not a juvenile, police said Monday. The governor has assured the people that the administration is taking all step for maintaining public order and anybody having any grievance or apprehension should contact the police control room or the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir's office, the spokesman said. The governor also appealed to the people not to pay heed to rumours and said rumour mongers will be dealt strictly as per the law, he said. "On learning about the unfortunate incident, the governor immediately spoke to SP Pani, IGP Kashmir, and took a detailed review of the ongoing investigations into the case," the spokesman said. Malik directed the IGP to work swiftly in the case and ensure that the culprit gets exemplary punishment. The governor has also spoken to religious leaders of different communities and asked them to deplore this gruesome incident, and appeal to the people to remain calm and not let anti-social elements disturb peace and harmony, the spokesman said. Earlier in the day, over 40 security personnel, including an officer, and seven civilians were injured as clashes broke out in Jammu and Kashmir during protest against the alleged rape of the girl. The Bombay High Court has sought to know from the Maharashtra government what measures it proposes to tackle serious issues like the drought in the state Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has sought to know from the Maharashtra government what measures it proposes to tackle "serious" issues like the drought in the state. A vacation bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and NJ Jamadar was hearing a petition filed by activist Sanjay Lakhe Patil, seeking setting up of independent disaster management committees in each district of the state. Patil sought for implementation of the 2016 disaster management guidelines which listed several measures to be undertaken by the state government to tackle natural calamities and disasters, including drought. When the petition was heard on Monday, Patil produced records before the court to show that water levels in dams and other resources had gone down in the state's Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. "The issue is serious. We want some lawyer from the state government to inform us what measures the government proposes to take (to tackle the issue)," the court said. Today's top stories: Ahead of BJP chief Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata, tension between the TMC and the saffron party are at an all time high; Prime Minister Narendra Modi will campaign in 3 states; the Supreme Court will hear a petition by BJP youth leader Priyanka Sharma who is in jail for sharing a morphed photo of Mamata; and more. TMC-BJP tension rises ahead of Amit Shah roadshow in Kolkata BJP president Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in rival Mamata Banerjee's own turf of Kolkata on Tuesday. The Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal had first denied permission to Shah to hold a rally at Jadavpur in the city and then withdrew permission for his chopper to land there as well. The BJP said on Monday that the Election Commission has become a "mute spectator" to Trinamool's alleged undemocratic means to target the saffron party. BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said his party will hold protests and also move the poll panel over this. The tension between the two parties is at an all-time high, with every one of the six phases of the polls witnessing violent clashes between workers of the two parties in Bengal. On Monday, TMC leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien called Shah a "low-life" who "insulted" the state with his "kangal Bangla" remark. Addressing an election rally in Canning, Shah had targeted Mamata and said, "We will restore the glory of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has turned 'shonar' (golden) Bangla into 'kangal' (pauper) Bangla. She is only interested in protecting infiltrators to secure her vote bank. But her vote bank won't be able to save her from imminent defeat." BJP's Amethi candidate Smriti Irani will also campaign in Kolkata on Tuesday. BJP has claimed that the party has been denied permission for the rallies of Yogi Adityanath and Irani that were scheduled on 15 May. Supreme Court to hear Priyanka Sharma's plea The Supreme Court will hear the plea of a BJP activist challenging her arrest by West Bengal Police for allegedly sharing a morphed photo of chief minister Mamata Banerjee on social media. A vacation bench, comprising justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna, on Monday took note of the plea of advocate NK Kaul, representing the activist, Priyanka Sharma, that the issue of her arrest be accorded urgent hearing. Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, allegedly shared on Facebook a photo in which Banerjee's face has been photoshopped on to actor Priyanka Chopra's picture from the MET Gala event in New York. Busy day of campaigns for Modi, Rahul, Priyanka Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold four public rallies in three states on Tuesday. He is first expected to speak at Baliya in Uttar Pradesh, then at Buxar and Sasaram in Bihar, and finally at Chandigarh. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will hold rallies at Neemuch, Ujjain and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, while his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will speak in public meetings at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, and Bathinda and Gurdaspur in Punjab. Nationwide curfew in Sri Lanka after clashes kill one One person was killed in Sri Lanka on Monday as police fired tear gas at mobs attacking mosques and Muslim-owned shops and imposed a curfew after the worst outbreak of sectarian violence since the Easter bombings by Islamist militants. The 21 April attacks, claimed by Islamic State, targeted churches and hotels, mostly in Colombo, killing more than 250 people and fuelling fears of a backlash against the island nations minority Muslims. Four policemen killed, 11 injured in a blast in Pakistan's Quetta A bomb blast tore through a market near a mosque in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Monday, killing four policemen and injuring 11 others, officials said. The explosion in the provincial capital Quetta's Satellite Town area occurred when people were assembling for prayers near the mosque. The bomb was apparently planted on a motorcycle, Deputy Inspector General Police Abdul Razzaq Cheema said. Two unsolicited bids submitted for Jet Airways; SBI hopes one more buyer enters fray The State Bank of India (SBI) has 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 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 12:30 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, a PTI report said. 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. Hoping to get U/A certificate for Kabir Singh: Shahid Kapoor Shahid Kapoor says he is hopeful that his forthcoming film Kabir Singh will get a U/A certificate from the Censor Board. Shahid, Kiara Advani and the makers of the film launched the trailer of Kabir Singh on 13 May. It is a remake of the 2017 Telugu film Arjun Reddy. The film is laced with foul language and shows alcohol and drug abuse. "It is important that today we are able to tell stories honestly without sugar coating. I think audiences are mature enough to understand that and censors should give into that. There is nothing in the film which is off-putting. It is an honest depiction and it should be allowed to showcase itself," said Shahid to a news agency. MP Board 12th Result 2019 Declared: The Madhya Pradesh board (MPBSE) announced the results of the Class 12 exams today (15 May) on mpbse.nic.in. MP Board 12th Result 2019 Declared | The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) announced the results of the Class 12 examinations today (Wednesday, 15 May). Candidates who have appeared for the HSSC (Class 12) MP Board exam 2019 can check their scores on the official websites of the MPBSE mpbse.nic.in and mpresults.nic.in. The MP High Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examination or the Class 12 board exams was conducted between 2 March and 2 April. As many as 7.5 lakh students appeared for the Class 12 HSSC exam. Steps to check the MP board's Class 12 HSSC Result 2019: Step 1: Visit the official sites of MPBSE mpbse.nic.in and mpresults.nic.in Step 2: Click on the link on the homepage which says 'HSSC Class 12 Examination 2019' Step 3: Enter your roll number and other details on your admit card to log in Step 4: Your score will be displayed on the screen Step 5: Save it in a PDF file and take a print of the same for further reference Students can also check their scores right here on Firstpost by entering their details below: Students will be able to collect their marksheets from their schools a few days after the results are announced online. About Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE): The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education was set up in 1965 and is headquartered in Bhopal. It is the apex body which conducts high school, intermediate and other examinations in the state. The issue has now gotten political with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot taking potshots at each other over it on public platforms. Alwar/Jaipur: The recent gang rape of a woman in Alwars Thanagazi has put the spotlight once again on unending crime against women in Rajasthan. According to data available with Rajasthan Police, there is a steep rise in rape cases in the last few years. In 2017, the state police registered 3,305 cases of rape and in just one year Rajasthan recorded an increase of 1,030 cases taking the total number of registered rape cases to 4,335 in 2018. If this was not enough, the first four months of this year have already taken this graph even further with the state recording 1,509 rape cases till April 2019. This shows an increase of 197 cases when compared to the number of rape cases registered in the first four months of 2018. In 2015, the number of rape cases registered in Rajasthan was 3,644 whereas the state police registered 3,656 rape cases in 2016. A detailed report on Rajasthan Polices 2016 crime data states that Alwar district recorded the highest number of rape cases in the state that year. The data, which comprises the latest figures released by the police, shows that 239 of the total 3,656 rape cases in 2016 were from Alwar, followed by Bharatpur with 186 cases. The district also topped in the number of molestation with 231 cases. Besides these, the area registered 633 cases of cruelty against women by their husbands and relatives. These worrying statistics came to light after the gang rape of a Dalit woman in Thanagazi went viral, bringing outrage from all corners. The incident happened on 26 April when the woman was riding pillion on a two-wheeler with her husband. The bike-borne accused waylaid them and took them to a field. They then allegedly beat up the husband and gang-raped the woman in front of him. One of the accused filmed the whole act on his mobile phone, later threatening the couple with the video when they went to the police. The accused allegedly demanded money from the two in exchange for not putting the clip on social media. The husband has alleged that though the police were informed about the crime on 30 April, they filed an FIR only on 7 May, dilly-dallying because of the ongoing election. Jaipur Inspector General of Police S Sengathir, who is handling the case, said interrogation of the six accused is being done on a priority basis. Poll play The issue has now gotten political with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot taking potshots at each other over it on public platforms. Modi, during a public address on Sunday, said BSP leader Mayawati should withdraw from the coalition with Congress as a Dalit woman was raped in Rajasthan. In response, on Monday, Gehlot said Modi was targeting only him and Rajasthan in all his speeches. He does not have any information regarding the Thanaghazi incident. He is blaming the state government to win the election, to particularly benefit in the end phase. His party member, [Hemsingh] Bhadana, tried to negotiate with the victim and her family, while the government took immediate action by suspending the SHO and removing the SP, Gehlot said. He added that several crimes against women took place during BJPs tenure in Rajasthan, and no action was taken in those cases. However, when asked about the attention being given to the other rape cases in Alwars recent past, he said some go viral, some dont. Investigation is underway in the other cases as well. Some incidents go viral and, therefore, get more attention, as compared to others. On 7 May, a woman was allegedly gang-raped in a government hospital in Alwars Kathumar area by the hospital compounder and ambulance driver. The compounder was arrested the same day the complaint was lodged. The driver was taken into custody today [May 13] and is being questioned, said Rajesh Kumar Verma, SHO, Kathumar police station. Unending protests The BJP, which is in the Opposition in the state, has been holding protests and dharnas, and sending memorandums to the government. Several senior BJP leaders, including state BJP president Madan Lal Saini, former health minister Kalicharan Saraf, BJP MLA Suman Sharma, and former mayor Ashok Lahoti, took to the streets in Jaipur on Sunday. They presented a memorandum to Governor Kalyan Singh, listing the many cases of molestation and rape of women belonging to the SC/ST community in Rajasthan. They also requested him to investigate the governments shortcomings towards ensuring the protection of women and submit the same to the President. Under the current government, law and administration in the state have gone for a toss. Criminals are roaming around without fear. The Congress government, in connivance with the administration, has made a vicious attempt to suppress the Thanagazi incident for the partys electoral gains, said Saini. On Sunday, even BJP MP Kirori Lal Meena protested in Alwar with a huge crowd on his side. He demanded the chief ministers resignation and said he will hold a dharna outside Gehlots residence on 14 May. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani visited the family on Sunday. Damage control In his defence, Gehlot said he plans to improve the relationship between the police and the public and is working on digitally empowering the former. It is alleged that due to police personnels inappropriate behaviour, people dont come forward to lodge their complaints. So we will ensure proper behaviour from the officers. Also, a meeting will be held every four months at the home ministerial level to review the activities of police personnel at various levels, he added. Public opinion Several women across Jaipur city have spoken out on the countless cases of rape and molestation across the state. Till we don't raise our voice and question the government, women will never be safe in this nation. Instead of this political bickering and slandering, leaders should have helped the victim and punished the culprit, said Winfred Crawford, a Jaipur-based trainer who works on empowering women. Many young women, on the other hand, believe that things in Rajasthan will not change, courtesy of its patriarchal society. Times have changed, but accepting women as equal partners will still need a lot of effort from men. Until that happens, Rajasthan will not be a safe state for any woman, said Neha Somani, a Jaipur resident. The author is a Jaipur-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.) In Mamata Banerjee's Bengal, courage and not merit seems to be making heroes out of anonymous people like Priyanka Sharma who resist her ways In the last one week, Priyanka Sharma has gone from being just another BJP youth volunteer to a national symbol of the oppression of the right to free speech. Earlier too, youngsters in other parts of the country have been booked for speaking up on social media. For instance, in 2017, 19-year-old S Thirumurugan was arrested from his house in Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu, and booked under Section 67 of the IT Act and Section 505 (public mischief) of the IPC for using abusive language on a Facebook chat. He was picked up based on a complaint from BJP district secretary K Marimuthu. In this case, the girl happens to be a political worker and she was just one of the thousands who shared a meme of Mamata Banerjees face morphed on Priyanka Chopras Mad-hatter Met Gala look. Case 1- BJYM's Priyanka Sharma puts up photoshop picture of Mamata Di & is now in jail. But Mamata is not fascist Case 2- Cong's @srivatsayb tweets photoshop picture of PM Modi. Modi rightly does not prosecute him. But Modi is fascist Will you condemn her arrest, @srivatsayb? pic.twitter.com/L07OEn7Jfd Chowkidar Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) May 10, 2019 There are plenty of people against Mamata Banerjees government but Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons are infamous for violence, and the fear of threats and attacks deters good people from joining the BJP in Bengal, said Suraj, who has known Priyanka Sharma for three years. He said that Priyanka was always available for rallies and booth level party work and was a known face locally. She was the Howrah district convener of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). In his opinion, the attack was geared more towards her presence at events on ground and the meme sparked the pent-up frustration of the local TMC leaders against Priyanka. He said she had adopted over a dozen stray dogs and participated keenly in party activities be it the Swachh Bharat Mission cleaning drives or the NaMo Again campaigns. Priyanka, he said, was also a key participant in the protest against Mamata Banerjees decision to bar Durga idol immersions on Muharram in 2017. However, when asked about which college Priyanka studied at or whether she has a job or an alternate career (volunteers are unpaid), Suraj said he had no clue. In a press conference, BJYM chief and BJP MP from Mumbai North Central Poonam Mahajan acknowledged that she has a battery of lawyers to help the BJP youth wing combat hatred towards it in Kerala and Bengal. She also said that instances where cases have been fabricated and slapped against volunteers are quite common and that party volunteers have lost their lives in these states. The threat to opposition forces within West Bengal keeps surfacing through attacks on BJP leaders. On 13 May, Union Minister Babul Supriyo alleged that TMC goons pelted stones at his security personnel's vehicles near West Bengal's Basirhat. In the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections, on May 19, West Bengals Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar are going to the polls. Given the constant exchange of remarks between the West Bengal chief minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bengal finds itself at the centre of the war between the BJP and anti-BJP parties. The rage and anarchy that earlier seemed sporadic now seem far more systemic in West Bengal, and Priyanka is a manifestation of that. A volunteer of the ruling party in a state governed by its fierce opponent, has emerged as a victim of freedom of speech. By trending on Twitter, she has earned the support of both the right and the left. "Every other BJP volunteer gets threats from TMC workers. Priyanka has been threatened verbally and in person and had witnessed street brawls where TMC workers along with certain police officials have attacked BJP workers, claims Rahul Upadhyay, a student of Swami Vivekanand Institute of Science and Technology and member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Buxar, West Bengal. He said that Priyanka's family was also aware of the threats she used to get for speaking up against Mamata government. "Our chief minister claims that the existence of BJP volunteers in Bengal cant even be brought to light if one is to take a lantern and roam the streets of Bengal. What Didi will never add in the sentence is what all she does to suppress voices that go against her," added Upadhyay. When asked about what Priyanka does for a living, he said shes unemployed and didnt know which university she had graduated from. Priyanka's Facebook profile is that of an ordinary booth level worker. There are selfies, pictures from BJP rallies and political camps where she seems to be distributing NaMo Again caps and T-shirts. Even the BJP promotional messages she has shared on Facebook are generic, with pictures of Modi and BJP president Amit Shah and local slogans in Bangla. While Priyanka has shown courage to take a stand against a chief ministers autocratic ways by constantly making her support for the saffron party public, she lacks her own brand of expression. In Mamata Banerjee's Bengal, courage and not merit seems to be making heroes out of anonymous people who resist her ways. Aside from the Lok Sabha elections reaching the last and most heated phase, the other situation that went into making Priyanka an instant hero was that lawyers in Kolkata are on strike. On 24 April, clashes broke out in Howrah between the police and lawyers, and ever since, the local lawyers have been on strike against the alleged brutality of the state police. Around 15,000 lawyers across 85 courts in West Bengal are on strike. The prison population shot over its capacity and stood at 25,934 on Monday (13 May). Even bail petitions arent being moved. All work has come to a standstill, which is why Sharmas matter wasnt heard by the Kolkata High Court and BJYM had to approach senior advocate Neeral Kaul of the Supreme Court to expedite her release. "The girl was in jail for simply sharing a meme. We had to ensure rapid release and ensure she gets justice," said Varun Jamwal, co-convener of the legal cell of BJYM, Delhi. Priyanka was unfairly subjected to imprisonment for doing what nearly everybody does at some point or the other: share a meme on social media. But the scale at which the incident has been discussed also presents itself as an opportunity for her to turn into a voice of resistance in Bengal politics. Else, this what has snowballed on social media during election frenzy will die on social media as nothing more than an opportunity for the ruling party to shame the TMCs supremo and her dictatorial ways. While the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government's decision to prepone the date for paddy sowing in Punjab to 13 June may ease the angry farmers ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, early sowing will put further pressure on the already depleted groundwater of the state Editor's Note: A network of 60 reporters set off across India to test the idea of development as it is experienced on the ground. Their brief: Use your mobile phone to record the impact of 120 key policy decisions on everyday life; what works, what doesn't and why; what can be done better and what should be done differently. Their findings straight and raw from the ground will be combined in this series, Elections on the Go, over a course of 100 days. Read more articles from the series here *** Sangrur: A poll gimmick that could cause an environmental crisis is how many experts describe Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singhs announcement at an election rally that farmers can sow paddy from 13 June, instead of from 20 June. While the announcement brought smiles to the faces of farmers like Krishan Singh, 58, of Sangrur, agronomists like Professor Gian Singh said this will put further pressure on the already depleted groundwater availability. "Paddy is not conducive to Punjabs environment," said Gian. Punjabs farmers shifted from their traditional sugarcane-wheat cropping pattern to wheat-rice cropping when the green revolution introduced hybrid seeds to increase productivity. Till 2007, farmers could plant paddy whenever they wanted. But in 2009, the state government introduced the 'Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act' which allowed farmers to sow paddy from nurseries into the fields only on dates announced by the government. Rice in Punjab is sown in May-June and harvested in October-November. The late sowing was to put less pressure on groundwater as farmers could use more surface water with the arrival of rains from 1 June. The policy seemed to work as a subsequent study conducted to assess the changes in the groundwater table after the implementation of the act found that the situation had improved. A specific date, 10 June, to sow paddy was fixed for the first time in 2008 and advanced to 15 June in 2014. The date was advanced to 20 June in 2018. But now it has been preponed to 13 June. With polling in Punjab due on 19 May, the Congress government obviously felt it had to do something to assuage farmers' anger over the successive state and central governments doing little to solve their problems. The early sowing and no doubt another round of increase in paddy MSP later, which in recent years has been going up every year, may please the farmers to some extent. While the MSP on the common variety of paddy was Rs 1,470, it was Rs 1,510 for Grade A quality of paddy in the year 2016-17. The MSP was increased to Rs 1,550 and Rs 1,590 for common and Grade A variety, respectively, in the year 2017-18. The MSP for paddy further escalated and in 2018, the government fixed it at Rs 1,750 and 1,770 for common and A grade variety, respectively. Regular increase in MSP is another reason why farmers are not willing to leave the crop for alternative options. But the consequences of this move on water availability, even in the short and medium term, is what worries experts, especially given that the area under paddy has been going up every year. As it is, Punjabs paddy crop guzzles far more water than in other states. According to the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices, "West Bengal, for example, consumes 2,605 litres of water to produce a kilogramme of rice compared to 5,337 litres by Punjab." The report added that water is increasingly becoming scarce in India with high opportunity costs and it is imperative to augment water productivity, ie, water intake per kilogramme of production". Over the years, the wheat-rice sowing pattern in Punjab, has put immense pressure on groundwater in the state resulting in some areas of the state going dry. As per a report by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab, the demand of water for agricultural purposes is 43.7 lakhs hectare metre of which 12.4 lacs hectare metre is met through over-exploitation of groundwater resources. Though not much change has been witnessed in the last few years in surface water resources, underground water resources have deteriorated to a large extent due to the paddy-wheat cycle followed during and after the green revolution. The area of Central Punjab where the water table has gone down below the critical depth of 10 metres was three percent in 1973, 25 percent in 1990 and 46 percent in 1994," the report said. Another study by the Punjab Agricultural University said that there is a decline of 41.6 centimetre in the state's groundwater depth every year. "This calls for urgent steps to conserve the available groundwater and increasing the recharge of groundwater resources," the study pointed out. Economist Sucha Singh added that the subsidy on electricity by the state government has resulted in indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater". According to Punjab State Farmers and Farm Workers Commission, 110 out of 148 blocks in the state have been over-exploited for groundwater. As per a study by Central Groundwater Board, in major parts of the state, groundwater levels are in the range of 10 to 20 metres. However, in big cities like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Sangrur, water levels are at 20 to 40 metres. The extent of groundwater depletion can be seen from the depth of a tubewell in Krishans field, which is more than 110 feet. Digging a borewell could cost anything between Rs 75,000 to Rs 1,50,000 depending on the depth of the water table and other circumstances. Krishan said his costs keep going up as he has to dig deeper every year for water. There are farmers who have to spend a lot to dig really deep to reach the groundwater when the water table further recedes, he said. Farmers in Punjab are already reeling under the burden of debt from banks, co-operative societies and money lenders. Small farmers, in particular, are infuriated over the Congress government for failing to end the vicious circle of debt despite its claims before the 2017 state Assembly polls. Although partial waiver was introduced by the state government, it did not help the large chunk of cultivators who are under debt, especially to money-lenders. To what extent their anger will be assuaged by the chief ministers decision to prepone the paddy sowing remains to be seen. What also remains to be seen is the action the chief minister may take if and when the warnings by experts of a potential water crisis comes true. The effects of the increased use of groundwater due to early sowing will need to be assessed. Gian adds that paddy not only consumed large amounts of groundwater, but is also a cause of pollution when farmers burn its straw after harvest. Late sowing and burning of stubble are an annual phenomenon as the sowing of paddy in June provides only a small window to the farmers between the harvesting of the crop and sowing of wheat. To remove the stubble quickly, farmers prefer to burn it rather than spending money to have it removed. Although the state government last year introduced a subsidy on the cost of machines to remove paddy stubble, most farmers still chose to burn the stubble. One solution, according to Gian is for the government to frame policies that will incentivise farmers to go in for new crops that are environment-friendly. "At present, there is income certainty for farmers from paddy. But paddy could be done away with from Punjab by just providing financial certainty to the farmers for growing other crops," he says. As Jagbinder Singh, 65, a farmer in Sangrur puts it, Small farmers (the total number of land holdings in Punjab is 10.93 lakh, of which 2.04 lakh or 18.7 percent are marginal farmers, 1.83 lakh or 16.7 percent small farmers and 7.06 lakh or 64.6 percent farmers who hold land more two hectare) will not move away from growing paddy unless the government provides minimum support price (MSP) like it does for paddy. The author is a Ludhiana-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters The Congress government in Rajasthan has decided to change the biography of freedom fighter Veer Sarvarkar in the history textbooks of the state curriculum. Jaipur: The Congress government in Rajasthan is keen on showing how different it is from the previous administration of the BJP. To that end, it recently formed a committee to make changes in the history textbooks that are part of the state curriculum. On Monday, State Education Minister Govind Dotasra announced that changes will be made to the biography of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar better known as Veer Savarkar to portray facts "in the right manner". He also criticised the BJP for glorifying Savarkar extensively on the basis on its ideology. Playing politics with education While the Congress believes it is merely rolling back the changes made by the previous government, the Opposition has accused the current administration of not wanting to promote India's history. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said: "Such revisions are made across the country as and when governments change. The Vasundhara Raje government had made changes according to the party's beliefs. Now, the Congress has set up a committee based on what it thinks is right. It will take steps according to the committee's recommendations." In response, Rajasthan BJP president Madanlal Saini said: "BJP bhaagva rang nahi karegi toh kya haraa rang karegi (If BJP won't promote saffron, will it promote green)?" "The Congress doesn't feel a sense of attachment towards this country and its culture. That's because the party was set up by a Britisher. It removed the nationalists from within after coming into full force. The changes being brought about in the curriculum shows the basic difference between their thought process and ours," Saini said. The BJP leader added: "The Congress blames us for bhaagwakaran (saffronisation). We tell them, 'Hum bhagwakaran karenge. Is desh mein hara rang lagwayenge kya?' (We will resort to saffronisation. Are we supposed to put up green in the country?) Should we let our country be an Islamic one? Saffron symbolises sacrifice and penance, the colour through which our freedom fighters got us Independence. The colour was also a symbol in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. These battles were fought to protect our culture. Now, if we do it, we are labelled communal, but when they do it, they are secular. That's not how it works. Decisions should be made based on an analysis." Academic circles abuzz Historians and academicians are not pleased with the decision to alter Savarkar's biography in Rajasthan's history textbooks. They believe such frequent changes can hamper the education system and cause confusion among students. "In higher education, we don't teach anything that is not substantive. When facts are being studied, they cannot and should not be changed as per the changing governments. There are certain things that are based on perspective, analysis, and understanding... When things are changed based on ideology, the attempt is to glorify one and put down another, which is not appreciated. Information that was missing because of a particular ideology should be introduced, but there should be no deletion or glorification of facts," said Rashmi Jain, associate professor with the Department of Sociology, University of Rajasthan. "The last government was hell-bent on glorifying Indian history, and it felt that much of what was written was not a correct representation. It also received directions from the Centre based on the party's ideology. The new government (in Rajasthan) is doing the same thing... It is not the duty of the government to sermonise. It is supposed to provide a platform for students to learn." Education experts also believe that such distortion of facts can affect the image students have of a certain leader or freedom fighter. Rohit Singh, a history student from Bharatpur, said: "Branding certain people as idols and others as terrorists or anti-nationals affects children and how they perceive these people. A state like Rajasthan faces more issues because the government changes every five years. I have seen the syllabi change multiple times." Worried parents, resigned students Parents and school teachers, too, believe that attempts to influence children from a very early age is an alarming trend. Smita Agarwal, a parent, said, "Is the government trying to influence my daughter from infancy? The curriculum should be updated by scholars and researchers, not netas (politicians)." Co-founder of Gyan Saarthi school in Jaipur, Rahil Sheikh, has a more balanced take on the matter. "History is written by the victors, even if it's the history of democratic elections," he said. "The concern that history books are being changed too frequently is overblown because by nature, history is subjective. At the same time, governments treating educational curriculum as a tool to indoctrinate children to hateful dogmas is worrisome and should not be allowed to continue." History students, on the other hand, have resigned themselves to changes based on ideologies of political parties. These changes, they say, are a regular affair. Giriraj Gurjar, a history graduate from Kotputli, said: "History is based on facts. The government tries to either glorify or hide some of these facts according to its convenience. The demerits of this are usually not disclosed to the public. Considering that history is studied to know a person or an event, it should be presented on facts, not ideologies." "Most schoolbooks are being used to propagate the ruling government's agenda. Sometimes, the thought processes of even historians get influenced by such ideology. This whole aspect of this is based on bias as certain facts are hidden while others are represented in a wrong manner," Singh added. The author is Jaipur-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters Delhi's St Stephen's College has announced that its interview panel for the undergraduate admissions this year will include a member of the college's Supreme Council, which is a panel of six members of the Church of North India (CNI). Delhi's St Stephen's College has announced that its interview panel for the undergraduate admissions this year will include a member of the college's Supreme Council, which is a panel of six members of the Church of North India (CNI). This is the first time that a non-academic person, who is not part of the faculty of the college, will be made a member of the admissions committee. The college's principal, John Varghese made the announcement that the interview panel for selection of students for admission to the college will include a member of the Supreme Council" at a staff council meeting of the college. The Supreme Council is a subset of the Governing Body, or managing committee of the college. All its members belong to CNI. Faculty members strongly objected to the move claiming a "conflict of interest." A statement was issued by members of the governing body Nandita Narain, NP Ashley, and Abhishek Singh. Demanding that the decision be "withdrawn", the statement condemned the illegal and unacademic decision and added that it would compromise the academic integrity of our admissions process. In response to the statement, however, the college administration issued a "warning" and called the objections "complete concoctions". The faculty also alleged that the move was against the constitution of the college. Clause four of the colleges constitution says: The Supreme Council of the College shall have the control of the religious and moral instruction of students of the College and of all matters affecting its religious character as a Christian College of the Church of North India; and, in addition, shall appoint, after proper advertisement, the Principal of the College who shall be a member of the Church of North India or of a Church that is in communion with the Church of North India. However, clause five stipulates that the Supreme Council of the College shall have no jurisdiction over the administration of the College." He (Varghese) has made this unilateral announcement in the Staff Council. Hence, he has acted in violation of the powers of both the governing body as well as the Staff Council, as laid down in Ordinance XVIII of Delhi University, added the statement by the faculty members. Bishop Warris K Masih, a member of the CNI and Governing Body was quoted as saying, "It doesnt matter if its never happened before. The college belongs to us. The teacher representatives have no right to object," by The Indian Express. Limited by high cost of labour and greener alternatives to get rid of stubble, farmers are forced to pick up a Re 1 matchbox to prepare their field for next crop With the Rabi crop ploughed and stored away, farmers in the north Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are busy preparing their fields for the next crop. However, with the transition period coinciding with elections, the old issue of rampant stubble burning has once again taken centre stage as authorities busy with poll preparations are unable to arrest the trend, which not only harms the soil fertility but also is one of the causes behind pollution in neighbouring Delhi. According to several media reports, the state of Punjab, which had achieved up to 50 percent reduction in the practice of stubble burning and was targeting a whopping 90 percent cut, has again registered a spike in such reports. Hindustan Times reported that during this week alone around 150 cases of stubble burning have been reported in the Malwa region of Punjab, as per figures given by the Punjab state remote-sensing department. According to The Indian Express, whether in Patiala, the home district of Punjab chief minister captain Amarinder Singh, Sangrur, the stronghold of AAP leader Bhagwant Mann, or Bathinda, the seat of Union Akali minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, large tracts of farmland are being set on fire. The situation is not very different in Haryana's Rohtak, Jhajjhar and Sonipat districts either. And despite the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on the practice and a Supreme Court order making compliance to the order binding on state governments, the authorities have not registered even a single case against the defaulters as the the state machinery is preoccupied with the Lok Sabha polls. It is a relief that wheat straw releases much less smoke in air than the winter crop of paddy, but the overall problem that leads to depleted soil fertility and considerable air pollution within Punjab's cities as well stands unaddressed. Politics behind paddy? While this appears to be the more plausible reason, political sensibilities cannot be entirely unlinked from the issue. Come October, as winter begins to envelop Delhi, the pattern of passing the buck continues. While the Delhi government blames the neighbouring state farmers for the menace of pollution, the respective state governments defend them citing the complexities the agrarians face, and thus the fire underneath the political potboiler is kept alive. Then no party, especially in Punjab where even leading national parties are known by the face of their regional leaders alone, will be willing to alienate voters by fining them just ahead of polling day (19 May). And a state officer confirms this to The Indian Express: "We are paying the price of democracy as no one wants to take action on farmers in the midst of the election season." Amarinder Singh's announcement at an election rally about preponing the date of sowing paddy from 20 June to 13 June was another populist measure just ahead of polls that might translate into an environmental disaster. A report from 2017, the year Delhi saw its worst air pollution levels in a decade and when the cry for banning stubble burning was at its loudest, no political party showed the will to follow through on the NGT's order and implement the ban on burning of crop residue. While Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to states of Punjab and Haryana to stop the practice, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, then an AAP leader, had himself burnt paddy straw in Ludhiana to support the farmers. Likewise, Amarinder had also paid mere lip service to a choking Delhi and expressed his inability to curb the practice. "Punjab is helpless in the matter as it cannot force or penalise beleaguered farmers, who were trying hard to cope with massive debt burdens and did not have the money to meet the cost of stubble management," he said. The reason for this doublespeak is simple: Farmers constitute an influential and volatile vote bank in both Punjab and Haryana, and no party wants to offend them. But beyond the politics of vote bank, there's very little that these parties have done to arrest the trend. Why do farmers burn stubble despite fines, government assistance? The problem is more pronounced in the Kharif season as it takes a period of 45 days for paddy straw to decompose completely and then be used as fertiliser, but farmers usually have just 25 days before they have to start sowing the next crop. If the agricultural scientists can succeed in reducing this period of 45 days to 25 days, the problems related to stubble burning can come down substantially, the The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) chairman told PTI. Till 2007, farmers could plant paddy whenever they wanted. But in 2009, the state government introduced the 'Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act' which allowed farmers to sow paddy from nurseries into the fields only on dates announced by the government. Rice in Punjab is sown in May-June and harvested in October-November, and the late sowing was to put less pressure on groundwater as farmers could use more surface water with the arrival of rains from 1 June. Then the crop which matures just around winters, leaves a very small window for farmers to prepare the field for the next season's crop. However, setting fields on fire in the April-May season is a relatively new phenomenon because most part of the wheat crop residue is useful fodder. There is no shortage of time because after harvesting wheat, farmers have a two-month gap before they cultivate the monsoon crops. But the farmers are still burning their fields. A Down To Earth report reveals this is owing to the rising cost of labour and the lack of it in villages. Ankit Choyal Jat, a farmer in Madhya Pradeshs Harda district, says, "If I can clear my farm using a one-rupee matchbox, why will I spend thousands? He reveals that as soon as the agricultural season ends the agricultural labours in the villages migrate to cities in search of work. The few people who are left behind are hired by big farmers because of which the cost of labour further rises for small farmers. The same report quotes another farmer who reveals that those farmers who could afford mechanisation have switched over to the combined harvester machines to tide over the labour scarcity. The machine finishes the task of reaping, threshing and winnowing in a few hours and is also economical. But it only reaps the grains, leaving stalks or stubble of around 40 centimetre behind. Those who want fodder have to get the stubble removed manually or use specialised machines to do the job. But that is costly and the cost of fodder is not even a fraction of the labour costs involved in obtaining it. So the value of fodder is discounted because it is more economic for the farmers to just burn and clear the fields. Last year, the Punjab government supported farmers to shift to greener methods to get rid of the crop residue than burning it. It promoted the use of farm machinery, offering financials assistance, yet, a significant chunk of farmers still showed reluctance to use the Happy Seeder fearing lower yields. And this fear, coupled with the high cost of the machines, seems to override the fear of penal action for burning stubble. The machine is expensive at Rs 150,000, despite the 50 percent subsidy which brings down the cost to over Rs 75,000. Farmers can hire the machine for Rs 1,500 per acre from Custom Hiring Centres (CHC) but find it hard to get them during wheat sowing period because there are not enough machines available. It is still easier for more affluent farmers who own large land holdings, but small and marginal farmers can neither afford to buy a Happy Seeder nor can they find one on rent. Mehtab Kadyan of Bhartiya Kisan Union told Firstpost, "Farmers believe a fine of Rs 2,500 on paddy burning is anyway lower than the cost of hiring machines so, why should they spend Rs 6,000 on the machines? Farmers dont always pay the fine also because at times when an official comes to collect it, they start protesting. The official is then forced to leave without collecting any fine," he said. Educating farmers only possible solution An agriculture researcher from Haryana told Tech2 that the farmers in the region believed that more tillage of land leads to more production so they burn stubble and use Rotavator, which chops the straw into small pieces using rotating blades and spreads it inside the soil. "The concept might have been true around 30 years ago. However, it is no more effective with the introduction of hybrid seed varieties. There is need to explain it to farmers with scientific demonstration," said the Karnal-based researcher, who did not wish to be named. Moreover, even the Supreme Court bench which made the NGT order binding on the state governments, noted that it was impossible to introduce greener habits by imposing bans and penalties when the farmers already suffered with low farm incomes. "We ourselves are saying that this (directions and advisory) is not going to work... The farmers do not have any cheaper method to deal with the issue of stubble. You consider granting some kind of subsidy to them so that crop burning can stop," a bench comprising Justices AK Sikri, SA Nazeer and MR Shahbench noted in February. The bench said the farmers will not do it on their own and they should be given some kind of incentive to ensure that stubble burning stops. It needs greater investment from the government, incentivising diversification of crops and introducing cheaper methods to turn around the stubble before a new crop can be sown. However, these changes also need a strong political will in a land where farmers are tightly bound in a vicious cycle between increasing yields and maximising profit with little market security. But for now, the agricultural fields of Punjab and Haryana are ash blackened due to rampant stubble burning. And the political parties are looking for a rich harvest on 23 May. Much like another high-profile trial the killing of an off-duty Chicago cop also underway at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, prosecutors appear to be relying to an extent on the testimony of jailhouse informants notoriously unreliable evidence in the eyes of some experts. Other inmates heard Harris confess to the slaying while he was in Winnebago County Jail on another charge, according to Assistant States Attorney Andreana Turano. The students wearing the robes were selling pakodas named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and their degrees Engineer, BA and LLB near the venue he was to address a rally in support of BJP candidate Kirron Kher. Chandigarh: Police on Tuesday detained around 12 college students for selling "Modi pakodas" wearing their graduation robes near the venue of the prime minister's rally in Chandigarh. "We took 10 to 12 students in preventive custody. However, they were released after the rally was over," Sector 34 Station House Officer Baldev Kumar said. The students wearing the robes were selling pakodas named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and their degrees Engineer, BA and LLB near the venue he was to address a rally in support of BJP candidate Kirron Kher. Kher is contesting against Congress nominee and former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal for Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, which will vote on 19 May. "We are here to welcome Modi ji for giving us new employment under pakoda yojana. We want to sell pakodas at Modi's rally, so that he knows how great it is to sell pakodas for the educated youth," a woman protester said. In January 2018, Modi had asserted in a television interview that people earning Rs 200 a day by selling pakodas cannot be considered unemployed. In an unrelated development in Punjab's Pathankot, 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims protested outside the Model Town Gurdwara against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's visit on Tuesday. They protested against the controversial statement of senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda's "hua to hua" remark, said Ranjit Singh, a protester. Uzma Aslam Khan's fifth novel The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali is a sensitively crafted alternate perspective of history. In this interview, Khan talks about her inspirations and shares an excerpt from the book. Sometimes, a young boy passed her cell. He was slender and brown and he hurt. He had enormous eyes that tapered at the ends, where the hurt was. He had a square jaw and his cheek was growing into a mans. Perhaps he did not know how to shave. Sometimes, he stood outside her cell till one of the warders started to approach and then he would dart away. Without a sound. He had the feet of a cat. She had seen him before, but could not recall when. Perhaps he would come today. She started to hear it, the sound she hated most. They were holding someone down. Soon would come the rush of liquid and the horse doctors voice. She covered her ears with her hands. She rocked herself back and forth. From the women warders in the factory she had learned what the hunger strikers wanted. Their demands were hers, too, if they only knew. Newspapers. Light in the cell. Better food. Proper medical aid. No more rationing of water. Warm baths. Bedsheets. No more rough handling. The warders laughed at this. That other sound. The sound of laughter. The strikers also asked for the freedom to answer the letters they were now allowed to receive. Why did no one write to her? One word. She rocked herself back and forth. The Bengalis had asked for fish. She did not like fish. She wanted the taste of her mothers love as she fed her cubes of mutton. How many daughters see their mothers for the last time in court? She pressed her hands to her ears more tightly, but the screaming did not stop. Excerpt from The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali by Uzma Aslam Khan, published by Context. *** How is history handed down to us? Who narrates it? And what role does perspective play in shaping facts? Uzma Aslam Khans latest novel, The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali, is a vibrant defiance of traditionally accepted histories. Through a rejection of historically privileged perspectives, well-rounded and responsible research, and a lyrical narrative that a reader can effortlessly float through, Khan gives a voice to the marginalised and oft forgotten. From children growing up on a prison island to the only female political prisoner in a jail, and from forced prostitution to mass starvation, Khan writes of the lives that history would rather ignore, creating a brilliant gash in the narrative structure historically manufactured. With sometimes soft and often courageous moments of humanity amidst gut-wrenching pain, she takes her readers through the many days that make a life, on prison islands where people understand what it means to be fearful of hope, and still have the will to carry on another day, another breath. In an interview with Firstpost, Khan talks about her novel and what inspired it, including structures of historical narratives, the personal ache and connection she felt, the resonance with current events, and the way she hopes readers will respond. Excerpts from the interview below: How do you define and understand the genre historical fiction? Alessandro Manzoni said historical novelists put "flesh back on the skeleton that is history." So thats one answer. But Manzoni was a white man, and historys skeleton and flesh have been constructed by privilege. My generation of women, the first to be born in Pakistan, has largely been severed from our history and geography, by the same forces that write the history and draw the maps. So I reject the notion that the history we are given is the only one there is. There are many histories, many ways to think about whose history we are meant to believe and meant to erase. For me, historical fiction is first and foremost deeply personal. It is a way to imagine the unimaginable. A way to embody stories not meant to exist. You have said that this book has been 26 years in the making. What was your process of writing it? Slow! It began in 1992, with pulling the wrong book off a library shelf. The book had a quote by a Home Secretary of India, describing the Andamans islands a prisoner paradise. Instead of finding the book I was looking for, I found the one I had to write. I spent the next twenty years looking for the true histories of those transported to the penal colony, but found hardly any. I learned that women were also banished to the islands, and my prisoner became the first character I wrote. Yet, unsurprisingly, both British and South Asian historians had omitted women from their accounts. As I collected material to construct the world into which she had been tossed, I went on to write four other novels. Between them, I kept coming back to the prisoner. I was obsessed with her. I carried her with me wherever I went, in some roundabout process that involved creating a liminal space, between dream time and deep research. In terms of research, you have mentioned that the history of the prison islands is almost completely lost. How did you go about finding the sources you mention? What was your process of taking factual research and incorporating it into fiction? All fiction writers, including historical fiction, take liberties with facts. Yet, when the fiction is set in a real place, during real events, questions of accuracy loom large. For instance, I wanted evidence, in official language, of the transportation and erasure of women terrorists. I wanted to dig deep into why, for Asians and Europeans, the fight for freedom and experience of exile are different for women than for men. I wasnt sure what proof I wanted I just knew I hadnt found it yet. Portions of the book were written in Honolulu, on a group of islands further from a land mass than any other place on earth. On the other side of the island lay Pearl Harbor. I had lived in every place that plays a role in the book Japan, England, even Hawaii except the one that my parents, both Partition refugees, were born in. I had characters from present-day Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. All together on one island, in pre-Partition British and Japanese India. How to tell that story from this moment, with so many national hurdles? When it sometimes feels that we are all adrift on an island without memory? I had to embrace the fact that I, as a Pakistani, having limited access to my pre-Partition history, is my history. All of this contributed to the texture of the fiction, making me more determined to write this book. I had to write it from a place of being silenced because of colonialism, war, Partition, and because, well, why should a woman write this history, anyway? The writing had to come from the ache of the underestimated and marginalised. The ache allowed me to inhabit the islands, but I still had to do my homework. I received a fellowship that allowed me to do research at the British Library, where I found the written evidence I had been looking for, all those years ago. Like all good stories, it happened on the last day of my search: telegrams sent by the Home Department of the Government of India to the Secretary of State in the 1930s, referencing the transportation of women political prisoners to the Andamans. The telegrams were in five parts, and I included a slightly amended version of the first part in my book. I also included other documents I found. Your writing makes nature feel almost like another character. Where does this connection stem from? Even as a child, I was supremely content to be by myself in the company of trees and birds. One of my favourite activities was documenting, in a secret journal, all the dogs I met my first encounter with recording history putting a star next to each one I could identify, and two stars next two each one I pet (slyly; Id let my hand glance the dogs back as it passed, without the owner knowing it). Im not sure where this love of nature came from perhaps the time I spent in my paternal grandmothers old crumbling house in Lahore, inhabited with bats and ghosts. Or maybe its older than that. My paternal great-grandfather was a well-known hakim in a village near Ferozepur. My father would help him collect herbs for his clinic, in the same way that my character Haider Ali helped his hakim father. It wasnt till late in life that my father shared this with me, but even before then, I carried an image of those herbs and flowers, their colours and scents, and felt I had already seen my father extracting, with pride, plant juices for his grandfather. An intimacy with the natural world is in my genes. Nature has always helped me to find a place. What, according to you, is it about war that makes people forget their own humanity? What do you think makes the view of an enemy as the other so strong that no empathy remains? I wish I could say. Ill try. After 9/11, the parallels between the Andamans and Guantanamo began to feel sickeningly urgent. I came to understand what my characters had already been showing me: the topic of a distant territory used by an imperial power to incarcerate and torture terrorists is eerily resonant. This is a story of our past, present, and, unless we change, our future. What do I mean by change? Change is an hourly, meditative practice. The empathy you speak of, it has to be cultivated, to become a habit, through what I can best describe as a process of radical inclusion: of those who are profiled and policed because of race, religion, class, caste, nationality, refugee status, immigrant status, sexuality, gender. Of course, this isnt radical inclusion; its just inclusion. In my book, one of my characters says the opposite of peace is not war. The opposite of peace is inertia. If we could normalise inclusion, so that it doesnt seem radical, if we could overcome the inertia that keeps us from normalising inclusion, then othering would not be so easy. What type of response to your work would make you happiest? Aisee kitab meine kabhi nahi pari! (Ive never read a book like this before!) Im also glad when readers are open to a range of emotions wonder, tenderness, anguish. When they dont expect the story to be simplified and explained, but are bewitched by it, on its own terms. One of the most important reason for imposing Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during elections is that the party in power cannot misuse the state machinery for its benefit, something the West Bengal govt has mocked many times in the recent past India for its vast cultural and geographical diversity has often been referred to as the "Republic of many small Republics". West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee seems to have taken this axiom quite literally by considering West Bengal to be an independent state above and beyond the Constitution of India and the rule of law that emanates from it the law that governs the entire country. This becomes even more evident from the fact that even in the time of general elections when the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) acts as a unifying 'law' for all Indian citizens, who are entrusted with the task of electing the new government, Mamata Banerjee has chosen to play by her own rules which are making a mockery of the Model Code of Conduct. The Model Code of Conduct as enunciated by the Election Commission of India is meant to be followed by the candidates and political parties during elections. One of them reads: political parties and candidates shall ensure that their supporters do not create obstructions in or break up meetings and processions organised by other parties. In case of guidelines to the ruling party it states: public places such as maidans etc, for holding election meetings, and use of helipads for air-flights in connection with elections shall not be monopolised by itself. Other parties and candidates shall be allowed the use of such places and facilities on the same terms and conditions on which they are used by the party in power. On Monday, the West Bengal government denied permission to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to organise a rally in Kolkatas Jadavpur constituency which was to be addressed by BJP president Amit Shah. An obvious question that was asked was whether or not this amounted to the violation of the Model Code of Conduct and complete disregard for the election rules by the Mamata Banerjee government. Also, the fact that election watchdog has also failed to take note of this raises serious questions. Hitting out at Mamata Banerjee, BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar during a press conference held on 13 May said, "West Bengal is being ruled under the dictatorship of Mamata Banerjee. Today, Amit Shah was to address a rally in Jadavpur. We had applied for permission 4-5 days ago. Initially, they said the permission will be granted. But today at 8.30 pm, they informed us that permission will not be granted." According to a Business Standard report, after permission was denied to Shah to hold the rally in Jadavpur, BJP representatives on Monday met the West Bengals Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) accusing Trinamool Congress "of using the state's police and administration to suppress the BJP". The report quoted BJP leader Sunil Deodhar who said, CM Mamata Banerjee is contesting elections using police and administration of the state because she has lost people support. That is why she is trying to suppress BJP using the government. They do not give permission for our leaders to hold rallies in the state." Deodhar also accused Ratnakar Rao, the District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas, of working as an agent of TMC and sought his removal. This is not the first time when permission has been denied for a rally that was to be addressed by the BJP president. Earlier in January, Shahs chopper was denied permission to land in Malda district and only after BJP registered its protest that permission was granted to hold a public meeting. In December 2018, Shah was denied permission to hold rath yatra from Coochbehar by the Calcutta High Court. The state government had argued in the court that permission was denied because it feared that the rath yatra might instigate "communal tension". Shah is not the lone BJP leader who has been denied permission by the West Bengal government to organise rallies and roadshows. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Aditynath was also denied permission in February. Adityanath was to address a rally in North Dinajpur but after being denied permission, he addressed a rally in Seemanchal region in Bihar that shares its border with West Bengal. Now, according to an India Today report, the BJP on Monday claimed that once again permission for Yogi Adityanath's Kolkata rally (to be held on 15 May) has been denied. The report states that permission for Union Minister Smriti Irani's rally has also been denied. An officer on a poll duty in Uttar Pradesh told Firstpost that granting permission for rallies is majorly the responsibility of the district administration and the returning officers (RO) who are usually district magistrates, and are under the state government. They sometimes work at the instruction of their political masters and here the role of Election Commission becomes important as it has to ensure that any misuse of state machinery is checked. One of the most important reason for imposing Model Code of Conduct during elections is that the party in power cannot misuse the state machinery for its benefit. The Election Commission is entrusted with this responsibility because of the high probability of misusing the state machinery by the ruling dispensation. While the Election Commission has been quick in censuring, reprimanding and even barring leaders from different political parties (for a stipulated period) from campaigning, when they were found guilty of violating the Model Code of Conduct, its silence on the blatant misuse of state machinery by the West Bengal government by stopping leaders of BJP from campaigning is raising serious questions on its working and intent. Only three days are left before the campaigning for the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections come to an end. In this context, it is even more important for the Election Commission to pull up its socks and ensure that arbitrary decision of the West Bengal government is strictly curtailed and all the parties get fair chance to seek votes as this is the basis of free and fair elections, safeguarding which is the main mandate of the Election Commission of India. Rajasthan education minister Govind Singh Dotasra pointed out that the curriculum review committee, constituted after the Congress government came to power last year, had written on the basis of strong facts and evidences that Savarkar had begged the British for mercy. Jaipur: Rajasthan education minister Govind Singh Dotasra on Monday accused the previous BJP government of glorifying Sangh ideologues Veer Savarkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya. Dotasra pointed out that the curriculum review committee, constituted after the Congress government came to power last year, had written on the basis of strong facts and evidences that Savarkar had begged the British for mercy. It has been added into the curriculum, the Congress leader said. "It might affect the BJP, but it doesn't affect us. We will teach whatever is in the history." Dotasra's comments came after former education minister Vasudev Devnani had alleged that the Congress government had "insulted" Savarkar. "After Maharana Pratap, the Congress government has insulted great patriot and freedom fighter Veer Savarkar by its anti-Hindutva mentality. The party idolising only one family has always shown such conduct about other great personalities," Devnani tweeted earlier in the day. Dotasra claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensation, led by then chief minister Vasundhara Raje, had made the school education department a laboratory for experiments, adding that it added chapters in the curriculum on the indications of the RSS. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel all had their role in the freedom movement, Dotasra said. He also acknowledged the role of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh's in the nation's development. "But, it is not right to glorify Veer Savarkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya and describe them great," he added. The minister said they might be having some contribution, but added that the way the previous BJP government had glorified them had been reviewed by the curriculum review committee. The conflict between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers escalated in West Bengal's Kolkata on Tuesday after posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah were reportedly taken down by the Kolkata Police ahead of Shah's rally in the city. Tensions between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers escalated in Kolkata on Tuesday after posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah were reportedly taken down by the Kolkata Police ahead of Shah's rally in the city. BJP workers alleged that the Mamata Banerjee-led party was trying to "sabotage" Shah's rally. Reportedly, the posters were taken down by the police because they had not granted the party permission to put them up. However, visuals of the agitated party supporters showed them trying to reinstall the posters on the important thoroughfare of the city. BJP vice-president for Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya and leader Rahul Sinha allegedly had a war of words with city police over this, CNN-News18 reported. The tense situation comes ahead of Shah's rally, which was already a bone of contention between the two parties after the state administration denied the BJP chief permission to land his helicopter for a rally in Jadavpur on Monday. BJP leader Smriti Irani was also scheduled to address a rally in the city on Tuesday, and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to hold a public meeting in the city on Wednesday. The saffron party accused the Election Commission of having become a "mute spectator" to the TMC's alleged undemocratic means to target the BJP. The tension between the two parties is at an all-time high, with every one of the six phases of the polls witnessing violent clashes between workers of the two parties in Bengal. On Monday, TMC leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien called Shah a "low-life" who "insulted" the state with his "kangal Bangla" remark. Addressing an election rally in Canning, Shah had targeted Mamata and said, "We will restore the glory of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has turned 'shonar' (golden) Bangla into 'kangal' (pauper) Bangla. She is only interested in protecting infiltrators to secure her vote bank. But her vote bank won't be able to save her from imminent defeat." Follow LIVE updates on Lok Sabha election here Bahujan Samaj Party had hoped to fashion a single, national leadership for Dalits across India. Win or lose in Uttar Pradesh, that dream is dead. Ultimately, Behenji has discovered cult followings can be fickle Editor's note: This article, originally published in Firstpost Print on 4 May, is being republished in view of Mayawati's recent personal attack against the prime minister Narendra Modi. It provides the context for understanding what this election means for Mayawati and why she is turning up the rhetoric in the last leg of a long election. *** It was late on a winter night in 2010, way too late for Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati to be up. But she was. She had roused her entire staff and was huddled in a corner of her bed, the very picture of fear and foreboding. The reason? A strange, feeble buzzing sound. A bomb? A fire, gnawing at a wall? A listening device gone rogue? Within minutes, all senior security officers had been summoned; an operation was launched to identify the source of the sound that had spooked the chief minister. The operation, as a senior police officer on duty at her residence, told me, was brief: The sound came from a short-circuit in the electrical wiring that was fixed in minutes. The fear, though, did not go away. The staff were now scared of telling Mayawati about the glitch as that would translate into a mass sacking at the states Public Works Department. Enter the bureaucracy, respected and reviled in equal measure for its devious ingenuity. A large cockroach was found and sacrificed as the perpetrator of Mayawatis troubles that cold night. For those who know Mayawati, the story is eminently believable. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader is, even by the bizarre standards of Indian politics, among the handful of leaders feared by officers of the state machinery whenever she presides over it. She is a strong leader, but one seized by perpetual paranoia. And its not without reason. Ever since her rise as the sole leader of the BSP, Mayawati has been the focus of more curiosity than any other leader in the state. A single woman, a Dalit at that, relatively young and yet wielding enough power to dream of the highest office in the land. For her supporters, Mayawati is the miracle they have waited for. With the Lok Sabha elections more than half done, Mayawati will soon face the unforgiving gaze of destiny. The Bahujan Samaj Party had hoped to fashion a single political leadership for Dalits across the country. Win or lose, that dream is well-nigh dead. Born and brought up in Delhi, Mayawati was well down a predictable path to entry into the middle-class, with a bachelors in education under her belt and preparations for the civil services examination underway. Then, BSP founder Kanshi Ram anointed her as an understudy in his pursuit of social and political justice for the Scheduled Castes. In those days of the heady eighties, the emergence of the Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS4) and Backward and Minority Community Employees Federation (BAMCEF) had injected an evolved strain of radical Dalit activism into the politics of the Hindi heartland. The young Mayawati took smoothly to the role of BSP rabble-rouser. This was the antagonistic phase of the BSP, suffused with anti-upper caste slogans like Tilak, Tarazu aur Talwar, Inko Maro Joote Chaar that rent the air. The BSP was still a marginal force in the electoral battlefield, but Kanshi Ram had established himself as the voice of Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati in tow. In 1989, she won a by-election to the Bijnor Lok Sabha seat. It was from the ruins of the Babri Masjid that Mayawatis political fortunes took wing. Finding himself completely sidelined in the 1991 Assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh strongman Mulayam Singh Yadav was fighting like a cornered cat. Former prime minister VP Singhs Janata Dal was still the strongest opposition while Yadav was totally marginalised in former prime minister Chandra Shekhars Janata Dal (Socialist). Things began to fall in place for Mayawati. Yadav seceded, founded his own Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) and joined hands with the BSP. The combination they added up to in terms of their social base was formidable. Additionally, Mulayam had emerged as champion of the Muslim cause on the back of his having protected the masjid in 1990. The 1993 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh surprised everyone, with the SP-BSP combination mopping up enough seats to stake claim with the help of the Janata Dal and Congress. Mulayam benefited from the Scheduled Caste vote that Kanshi Ram brought over; the politics of caste began mutating slowly into the arithmetic of elections and the BJPs isolation was complete. Bang in the middle of the Ram temple movement, the core mission of subsuming castes into the Hindutva fold had been rudely interrupted. This forced the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP, to hurriedly induct Dalit icon BR Ambedkar into this pantheon of leaders worthy of being remembered every morning (pratah pujyaneey). A bunch of sadhus from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) soon landed up for lunch with Dom Raja of Varanasi to underscore the Parivars Dalit credentials. But something more had changed, too. In this election, Mayawati, too, emerged as a leader in her own right. And she was behaving like one, holding meetings with legislators and ministers in the government, and issuing instructions to the BSP rank and file, albeit in the name of Manyawar (honourable leader) Kanshi Ram. Kanshi Ram, however, remained unconvinced by Mayawatis political acumen, and made no attempt to hide his disdain, even in public. For instance, he had once expressed his appreciation for top BJP ideologue KN Govindacharya for coining the term social engineering and wanted to meet him. When a journalist asked if he was interested in meeting Govindacharya personally or let his partys general secretary Mayawati meet the BJP ideologue on his behalf, Kanshi Ram quipped, She does not have the stature to meet Govindacharya. I want to meet him. Mayawati, sitting right next to Kanshi Ram, looked suitably embarrassed but took her mentors comments in her stride. It wasnt time. Yet. The turning point came on 2 June, 1995, when Mayawati was holding a meeting of BSP legislators at a state guesthouse on Meerabai Marg in Lucknow to communicate her decision to pull the rug from under Mulayams feet. As the meeting progressed, Samajwadi Party goons led by a group of legislators descended upon the guesthouse and attacked Mayawati with clear intent to cause bodily harm. Mayawati escaped the attack, but two things happened. One, It embedded a permanent paranoia in Mayawati (of the kind described at the beginning of this article) and, two, it catapulted her to instantaneous fame as the defender of the Dalits. The next day, Vora sacked the Mulayam government and later invited Mayawati to be sworn in as chief minister with the backing of the BJP which was eager to be seen a Dalit-friendly party. Mayawati had become the youngest chief minister of the nations most politically relevant state. For the legions of her Dalit followers, it was a dream come true. There was no holding back now. She inexorably eclipsed her mentor Kanshi Ram in popularity, even if her first two stints as chief minister lasted no more than a few months each. In 2001, Kanshi Ram did not surprise anybody when he named Mayawati as his successor and BSP president, a post she has held ever since. By 2007, Mayawati had recast the arithmetic of 1993, bringing the upper castes into her support block with the help of master tactician SC Mishra, the man who once defended OP Singh, the SSP of Lucknow at the time of the guesthouse attack (currently DGP of UP). This time the victory was sweeter than in 1993 because this came on the back of the support of Brahmins, the vote bank of the BJP. The Hindutva mission had now receded deep into the background. And because Kanshi Rams health did not permit him to be fully active, and the victory belonged to his heiress alone. Mayawati had broken free, not just of Kanshi Ram but of his Scheduled Caste support. A page had been turned in Indias electoral history. The BSP took a major turn, too, all for the emergent cult of the new great leader. Mayawati had expanded her exclusivist Dalit base and cultivated a strong constituency within the upper castes, particularly Brahmins, who make a significant part of the electorate. With new formula came new slogans Hathi Nahi Ganesh Hai, Brahma Vishnu Mahesh Hai (not just an elephant but Lord Ganesha incorporating the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh). Mayawati proved she was more than just an election-winning machine, turning out to be a better administrator than Mulayam. Her first full term, from 2007 to 2012, is remembered especially for two achievements: firm control on law and order, and the construction of parks, monuments and other public projects in the state capital and financial capital Noida. The public projects too were appreciated even if they attracted criticism, as they flaunted the party symbol, the elephant, as well as statues of Kanshi Ram and even Mayawati herself, with her trademark handbag hanging from a wrist. The Mayawati cult was set in stone now. But, as often happens, the cult soon began to overtake the cause. Mayawati was accused of institutionalising corruption and favouritism. Accepting cash donations on her birthday, January 15, became a big event, with supporters presenting her with garlands of high-value currency notes. Crore Competency, one news magazine headlined one such picture of the BSP supremo. Gone was the simplicity that Kanshi Ram made a virtue of; Mayawati flaunted her riches. Gone also was the commitment to the Dalit cause at all costs. Her immediate family members emerged as influential backstage leaders while her larger Dalit family continued to languish. All this was not going to impress voters. In the 2012 Assembly elections, a substantial section of upper castes, OBCs and non-Jatav Dalits deserted Mayawati, bringing back the SP. Mayawatis BSP still had enough inner strength to absorb this blow, but worse was to follow. The SP wave was only a precursor to the Modi triumph of 2014. As the BJP-led alliance won an unbelievable 73 of the states 80 seats, the BSP was reduced to zero. Suddenly, and out of nowhere, the Hindutva mission was front and centre of Uttar Pradeshs politics underscored by the installation of a incumbent priest-politician of the Gorakhnath Math following the saffron-wash of the 2017 Assembly election. The BSP managed to win only 19 out of the 403 seats, behind SP, as the BJP won 312the first clear mandate in the state in decades. Caste alliances could cut both ways. Her vote bank was no Kanshi Ram flock; it had proved migratory just as the upper castes had been in 2007. Cult followings can be fickle, Mayawati discovered. The dark clouds on Mayawatis horizon had no silver lining. It was thus that as she stared at a bleak 2019 she had no option but to fall back on mentor Kanshi Rams 1993 formula: a tie-up with sworn enemy, the Samajwadi Party, now led by Mulayams son Akhilesh. While both parties have tried to give their forced friendship the perception of strength (mahagatbandhan or grand alliance), the hard fact is this: both have reduced themselves to half the parties they once were. Irrespective of how many seats she wins in this election, her dream of becoming the national Dalit icon is an idea whose time has gone. For this she has herself and her I cult alone to blame. The case against Kamal Haasan was registered under Sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with 'outraging religious feelings' and 'promoting enmity between different groups', respectively, they said. Chennai/New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday filed an FIR against actor-politician Kamal Haasan for his controversial "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remarks referring to Nathuram Godse, as saffron organisations moved the courts in Delhi against the actor-politician. Makkal Needhi Maiyam and a Tamil Nadu minister who wanted the actor's tongue to be chopped off for his remarks entered into a war of words, even as the MNM chief found support from Asaduddin Owaisi, the firebrand AIMIM leader. "The one who killed Mahatma Gandhi, whom we regard as Father of the Nation, what do we call him? We call him Mahatma or 'rakshas' (demon)? Call him terrorist or assassin?" Owaisi told reporters at Hyderabad. "If not calling the person who killed Bapu as terrorist, what else will you call him?" Stoking a controversy, Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. "I am not saying this because this is Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi. BJP and AIADMK condemned him for his remarks, though Congress and rationalist outfit Dravidar Kazhagam backed him. Police in Aravakurichi in Karur district filed the FIR under sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with 'outraging religious feelings' and 'promoting enmity between different groups', respectively. A Karur police release also warned of stringent action against those inciting violence in the name of religion, caste, language and race. In Delhi, two separate cases were filed against Haasan. Moving a PIL before the bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice AJ Bhambhani of the Delhi High Court, BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay sought directions to the Election Commission to "restrict" misuse of religion for poll gains. Upadhyay, also a lawyer, alleged Haasan "deliberately" made the statement in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gains. The petition contended this was "clearly a corrupt practice under Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1951." "As per Model Code of Conduct, no party or candidate can indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic. Similarly, there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. "Haasan has violated the Model Code of Conduct in addition to Section 123(3) of the RPA 1951. Kamal Haasan is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and brotherhood,which is an offence under section 153A of IPC. It is a deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of millions of Hindus, which is an offence under section 295A IPC," it claimed. It also said that despite the alleged misuse of religion for electoral gain by Haasan, the EC has not done anything in this regard yet. The bench allowed the plea to be listed for hearing on Wednesday before an appropriate bench. A Hindu Sena activist also moved the court, seeking Haasan's prosecution for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by terming Godse as a "Hindu extremist." The matter is likely to be listed before a Metropolitan Magistrate on 16 May. Complainant Vishnu Gupta, who claimed to be the outfit's president, sought Haasan's prosecution for alleged offences punishable under IPC 153A and 295A. The offences are punishable with a three-year jail term or fine, or both. He alleged Haasan "deliberately and maliciously" made "absolutely derogatory comments to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by associating terrorism with the Hindu religion". "The comment was made with the sole intention "to promote enmity between Hindus and Muslims, and outrage religious feelings and religious beliefs of Hindus, along with that of the complainant", he claimed. Meanwhile, MNM demanded that Tamil Nadu milk and dairy development minister KT Rajendira Bhalaji be removed, following his outburst that its party chief's tongue should be chopped off for his controversial remarks. In a statement, MNM general-secretary A Arunachalam said that as an elected representative and a minister, Bhalaji had broken "the promise he made when he took oath as minister." "So he must be removed from his post immediately." However, Bhalaji hit out at the demand and sought to know what violation of oath he had committed and if he was "speaking ill of a particular faith or promoting another." Haasan was not the president, governor or chief minister to seek his removal as a minister, he added. On Monday, he had said Haasan's tongue should be cut off for saying independent India's "first extremist was a Hindu". "His tongue should be cut off...he has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian," he said. Bhalaji said Tuesday he did not intend to hurt anybody with his remarks, but that it was reflective of the public mood against the actor-politician. "If he (Haasan) issues a statement that he had made the remarks inadvertently and that Hindus need not feel hurt due to it, I will also immediately withdraw my statement," he told reporters at Tuticorin. TNCC president KS Alagiri slammed Bhalaji for saying Haasan's tongue should be cut off, saying it amounted to "violence". Congress leader KC Venugopal asserted that many BJP MLAs in Karnataka will join his party after 23 May, when results of the seven-phase general elections will be declared. Kalaburagi: Congress leader KC Venugopal asserted that many BJP MLAs in Karnataka will join his party after 23 May, when results of the seven-phase general elections will be declared. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Venugopal said Congress is not going to indulge in horse-trading, as legislatures would shift guard on their own. "We are not going to poach any MLAs from BJP but naturally they will come to Congress after 23 May. That is going to happen. In last one year, Karnataka has been witnessing horse-trading mentality of BJP, and on the other hand, Congress-JD(S) joined together," Venugopal said. "We formed the government; we are ruling the state from last one year. We will definitely continue," he added. Horse-trading allegations have surfaced time and again in Karnataka, ever since the Assembly elections took place in May 2018. In January, BJP had housed all its 104 MLAs in a hotel in Gurugram, fearing poaching by Congress. A month later, Congress alleged that BJP's BS Yeddyurappa had offered around Rs 200 crore to 18 of its MLAs in an attempt to destabilise the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka. Karnataka went to polls in two phases of the Lok Sabha elections on 18 and 23 April for the 28 Lok Sabha seats at stake. Results will be declared on 23 May. In the 224-member state Assembly, JD(S) has 37 MLAs and its coalition partner has 80. It has the support of some Independents in the House where the majority figure is 113. Prasad made the remark in an open letter to Kumar, his arch-rival ahead of the last phase of the ongoing general elections. He was responding to Kumar's oft-repeated remark at election rallies that the days of the lantern are over a metaphor for the improved power situation in Bihar as also the alleged decline in RJDs political fortunes in the state. Patna: RJD national president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) had the arrow as its poll symbol, which was an outdated symbol of violence. The lantern symbol of the RJD stood for the light of love and brotherhood and, hence, would burn brighter than ever, said the former chief minister who is serving sentences in fodder scam cases in Jharkhand. Lalu made the remark in an open letter to Kumar, his arch-rival ahead of the last phase of the ongoing general elections. He was responding to Kumar's oft-repeated remark at election rallies that the days of the lantern are over a metaphor for the improved power situation in Bihar as also the alleged decline in RJDs political fortunes in the state. Addressing Kumar, who heads the JD(U), as chhote bhai (little brother), Lalu said it appears you have developed a hatred for light these days. You spend your day speaking about Lalu and the lantern. Are you aware the lantern stands for light? It is a symbol of love and brotherhood. It is an instrument of removing darkness from the lives of the poor. In the light emitted by the lantern, we have dispelled the darkness of inequality, hatred, atrocities, and injustice. We will continue doing so. But your arrow symbolizes violence and bloodshed, Lalu said in the letter, which was shared by RJD on the social media. Remember, the public will always need the lantern. Of course, light is emitted by bulbs and diyas (earthen lamps) as well. But you cannot dispel the darkness cast by inequality and injustice with the light of the bulb. To do so you need to become 'diya aur baati' (the earthen lamp and its cotton wick), the RJD supremo, who failed to secure bail during elections, said. But you will hardly understand these matters of principle and ideology. It has been your old habit to seek shortcuts in the face of adversities and make compromises at the earliest opportunity, Lalu alleged indirectly referring to the JD(U) chiefs exit from the Grand Alliance comprising RJD and Congress and return to the BJP-led NDA two years ago. Referring to JD(U)'s poll symbol, Lalu said And a few words about your arrow, which has become outdated in this era of missiles. The arrow now deserves to be kept in museums. And it is up to you to decide whether you use the arrow to punch a hole into the lotus (BJPs symbol) or seek shelter therein. The lantern will burn bright, brighter than ever since you have used your arrow to backstab the 11 crore poor people (of Bihar), the RJD supremo signed off. Stung by the latest salvo by the opposition party, JD(U) spokesman Sanjay Singh said the letter by a person lodged in prison is a violation of the jail manual. The jail authorities in Ranchi should take cognizance and act accordingly. Prem Singh Dhumals loss sent out a strong warning signal to Anurag Thakur and the public here believe that it was only during the last two years that Anurag had begun devoting time to his constituency. Solan: Despite having only four Lok Sabha seats, the hill state of Himachal Pradesh is set to witness battles royal when it votes in the last phase of Lok Sabha Election on 19 May with many dynasts seeking to make a mark. Of course, who wins is another story set for 23 May. Former telecom minister 91-year-old Sukh Ram rejoined the Congress along with his grandson Aashray Sharma on 25 March 2019 who is fighting the Lok Sabha election from Mandi parliamentary seat. Aashray is the son of Anil Sharma, an MLA from the Mandi Sadar Assembly constituency, who till recently served as a cabinet minister in the Jai Ram Thakur government with the portfolios of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. Anil resigned as a minister on 12 April. Sukh Ram won the Mandi Lok Sabha and Assembly seat several times in the past and sees his grandson as being the 'rightful heir' to his legacy. The former telecom minister is determined to help Aashray wrest this seat from his BJP rival Ram Swaroop Sharma who is a close confidante of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. "The BJP has managed to establish a strong presence in lower Himachal but they have not been able to recruit too many young people in upper Himachal. Aashray has to win over the confidence of the younger generation," said a senior lawyer from Mandi while talking about Aashray's prospects. Sukh Ram is also seeking to bury the hatchet with former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh who has been rivals for a long time. Although Virbhadra is grooming his son Vikramaditya who won the Shimla Rural Assembly seat in 2017 to be the future chief minister, neither father nor son is contesting the Lok Sabha election making the atmosphere little easy for Sukh Ram. The nonagenarian ensures that in every rally he addresses, he makes it a point to publicly ask for forgiveness from Virbhadra for any past misdemeanours committed by him. Indications of this new found bonhomie were visible when both Virbhadra and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma were present when Aashray filed his nomination papers in Mandi on 25 April 2019. Another dynasty who is fighting for survival is former chief minister Prem Singh Dhumals son Anurag Thakur who is seeking re-election for the fourth time. Thakur is pitted against a lightweight Congress candidate Ram Lal Thakur, the MLA from Sri Naina Deviji Assembly seat, which also falls under the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency. A few Congress leaders felt that if the seat was given to the three-time BJP MP Suresh Chandel (who quit the party because the BJP refused to give him the Hamirpur ticket), he would have succeeded in putting up a good fight against Thakur. A disappointed Chandel who joined the Congress on 25 April put up a brave face and said, "I will campaign actively for the Congress in the state." However, he is hardly seen in the campaign trail. BJP president Amit Shah who recently visited Mandi bolstered the campaign of Thakur by heaping praises on him and stating that if people ensured he won at the hustings, he would make sure he would 'become a leader". But Thakur is taking this praise with a pinch of salt. Sources close to him believe his father, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal loss in 2017 from the 'safe Sujanpur seat was allegedly sabotaged by those in the rival Minister of Health Jagat Prakash Nadda's camp. This would also explain why the BJP performed poorly in three of the five constituencies that form the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency in 2017. His fathers loss sent out a strong warning signal to Anurag Thakur and the public here believe that it was only during the last two years that Anurag had begun devoting time to his constituency. Rakesh Singha, a CPM MLA from Theog which falls in the Shimla Lok Sabha constituency (and a relative of well known Congress leader Vidya Stokes), is critical about the way real issues of the public have been sidelined in the present election. "Issues of employment, agrarian distress, non-repayment of loans are not being discussed. Our state suffers from national calamities but no leader is highlighting these problems. We have seen very poor governance by the BJP MPs in the last five years but they are hoping that the Modi magic wand will help tide them over another five years," said Singha. The change would come in an amendment to the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act that sponsors hope to introduce in the next week or two. The timing is urgent, since lawmakers only have until May 31 to pass the bill in this legislative session. If approved, the measure would allow licensed dealers to sell cannabis beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Calling himself a 'Kashi vaasi' (resident of Varanasi), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking re-election from the Lok Sabha seat, issued a message for people of the constituency and sought their blessings for victory. New Delhi: Calling himself a 'Kashi vaasi' (resident of Varanasi), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking re-election from the Lok Sabha seat, issued a message for people of the constituency and sought their blessings for victory. Modi outlined his association with the city and its people in a video released by his website on Monday. "It is often said that whosoever come to Kashi even once, becomes part of the city. In the last five years, I have experienced this every passing moment. In molding me and giving a direction to my political and spiritual being, Kashi has a huge influence on me." Modi underlined that Kashi is not a mere word for him, but an inspiration, in terms of religion, spirituality, and culture. "I am fortunate that its people provided me with an opportunity to serve," he said. The prime minister further spoke about the presiding deity of the city- Lord Kashi Vishwanath and said it is a matter of satisfaction for him to be in service of the city. "The city which is favorite of Baba Vishwanath doesn't need anyone else. But that fact that my life could be of any use for Kashi is a matter of great satisfaction for me. My people of Kashi have blessed me by giving me an opportunity to serve them," Modi said in the message. Asserting that he is proud of people's participation in the development of Varanasi in the last five years, Modi added that it serves as an example for the whole country. He also outlined various developmental initiatives undertaken in the city during his tenure. "Be it houses or toilets, free LPG or electricity connection, Varanasi has presented an ideal example of development in all sectors. Artisans were able to get global exposure for their products through Deendayal Hastkala Sankul. Construction of two new cancer hospitals provided relief to not only people of Varanasi but also of nearby areas. Every attempt has been made for the welfare of farmers, traders, businessman, youth and 'mallahs' (boatmen) of Kashi," said Modi. He also spoke about road and highway construction and makeover of Maduadih railway station and multi-model terminal on river Ganga, and called them "major infrastructural changes". The city's parliamentarian termed the construction of the new Kashi Vishwanath corridor as a "makeover" while adding that it will be a subject of awe. Modi also stressed upon Kashi's significance and said a lot of work is still left to be do be done. "In last five years, we have done a lot of work for Kashi but a lot is still left. We have to do this together. It is our vow that we will not let the speed of this development stop," he remarked. In what sounded like a hint that he will not be campaigning in the constituency ahead of voting day, the Prime Minister said, "This time when I came for the roadshow, you assured me that you will handle everything. I have faith in every word. For me, those words are a promise. I know that every resident of Kashi is fighting elections for and as Narendra Modi." He urged people to go for early voting and avoid the scorching summer sun and asked them to celebrate the exercise as a festival. "Everyone must participate in the biggest celebration of democracy. You should also encourage your friends and relatives to vote. The whole country will be looking towards Kashi on that day. Go out in large numbers, wear your traditional clothes, and celebrate the day of voting with joy and fervor. Kashi has to make a new record now when the whole country is looking up to it. The record of the whole country should be broken by Kashi," said Modi. Referring to himself as a 'Kashi vaasi', Prime Minister concluded his address with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Har Har Gange'. Modi held a massive roadshow in Varanasi before filling his nomination on 26 April. In a show of strength, almost all prominent leaders of the BJP, as well as members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) accompanied him. He won the seat in 2014, defeating Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal by a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes. The highly-priced Lok Sabha constituency will vote on 19 May, the last phase of national polls with results scheduled for 23 May. In the process, the aim was to demolish Mayawatis claims that she is the sole champion of the Dalit cause. Although the state of Rajasthan completed voting for its 25 parliamentary seats on 6 May, the alleged gangrape of a Dalit woman in Alwar by influential persons in front of her husband has repeatedly figured in Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent rallies in Uttar Pradesh and also in an interview given to The Indian Express. By seeking justice for the woman Modi is training his guns on three targets first, Congress and its Ab Hoga Nyay 2019 poll catchphrase; second, the motley liberalist-secularist award wapsi gang of writers, filmmakers and artists, which is vociferously anti-Modi; third, BSP chief Mayawati who so far had not shown any vigor for justice to the victim in a state where her party extends outside support to the Congress government. The prime minister has brought up the issue at a time particularly to connect with the Dalit community in Uttar Pradesh where 14 seats went to polls on Sunday and another 13 seats will go will vote in the last and final phase of polling on 19 May. Speaking at a public rally in Kushinagar on Sunday, Modi hit out at Mayawati accusing her of shedding crocodile tears over the Alwar gangrape case. Please do not shed crocodile tears. If you are serious, why dont you withdraw support from the Congress government in Rajasthan? Modi asked Mayawati in an apparent jibe. The total strength of the Rajasthan Assembly is 200, the Congress had won 99 seats and formed the government with the support of six BSP and some other MLAs. Modi reminded Mayawati of the 1995 incident when Samajwadi Party goons had allegedly attacked her. "When the guest house incident happened, the entire country was pained. But why is she not feeling pained? If you (Mayawati) are honest about the dignity of daughters, then you should immediately write a letter to the Rajasthan governor withdrawing support from the (Ashok) Gehlot government," the prime minister said. Modis charge was that Gehlot government was trying to suppress the news till the elections were over lest it could adversely impact its poll prospects. Once the issue was picked up by Modi, Mayawati issued a statement saying she didnt expect justice to be done to the Alwar victim by the Congress government in Rajasthan and the Supreme Court should take a suo motu cognisance of the matter. The prime minister and his party have been consciously trying to woo the Dalit community since 2014 by seeking to take Bhim Rao Ambedkar's legacy forward. Among other significant steps taken by the BJP-led government to try to win the support of the Dalits are the celebrating of Constitution Day in Parliament, building various memorials in Ambedkar's name within and outside of country, beginning of the Swachh Bharat campaign from a Balmiki basti in Delhi and bringing of a legislation to surpass the Supreme Court ruling on SC/ST Act. Modi's act of washing the feet of sanitation workers at Kumbh in Prayagraj was also one such step of the Dalit outreach programme. In the process, the aim was to demolish Mayawatis claims that she is the sole champion of the Dalit cause. There are indications on the ground in Uttar Pradesh that a good number of non-Jatav Dalits have preferred BJP over BSP. Modi wants to consolidate the non-Jatav Dalits in BJPs favour and make a dent in the Jatav community for the remaining 13 seats which would go to the polls on next Sunday. The message is also intended for other states where polling seventh and final phase of polling is due eight in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 13 in Punjab, nine in West Bengal, one in Chandigarh and four in Himachal Pradesh. DMK president MK Stalin on Tuesday said he saw no chances for a non-BJP, non-Congress 'third front' post the Lok Sabha polls, but a decision could be taken only after 23 May, the counting day. Chennai: DMK president MK Stalin on Tuesday said he saw no chances for a non-BJP, non-Congress "third front" post the Lok Sabha polls, but a decision could be taken only after 23 May, the counting day. Stalin's remarks come a day after TRS supremo and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who has been pushing for a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties, called on the DMK chief. Stalin, also Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, said Rao had not visited the state for forging alliances. "He did not come to form alliances. He came to Tamil Nadu to offer prayers in various temples and on that basis, sought an appointment with me for a courtesy call. That is all," he told reporters here. Rao had earlier visited the Sri Ranganatha Temple at Srirangam before meeting Stalin. Asked about the possibility of a "third front" sans BJP and Congress, the DMK leader said, "It doesn't seem to me that there is a chance for that." "However, that will be decided only after counting on 23 May," he added. NCP Tuesday accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of neglecting drought in rural areas to trigger exodus of villagers elsewhere to ensure there was no voting against the ruling party in the Lok Sabha polls Mumbai: The NCP Tuesday accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of neglecting drought in rural areas to trigger exodus of villagers elsewhere to ensure there was no voting against the ruling party in the Lok Sabha polls. NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik targeted the BJP also for saying that the opposition party was raising the drought issue as part of its preparation for Assembly polls to be held later this year. Malik said his party was engaged in relief work for drought-affected people and asked the BJP if it was not "ashamed" to cast aspersion on it. He said that the BJP-led state government "woke up" to the issue only after NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other leaders started visiting parched regions of the state. "The government neglected the drought situation in the state so that people left villages, thereby, ensuring there was no voting against the ruling party," Malik alleged. Malik alleged the state government did not announce drought in the state although such a situation was anticipated eight months prior. "The drought was announced only after we protested," Malik claimed. He reiterated that the Devendra Fadnavis government wrote to the Election Commission seeking relaxation of model code of conduct for drought-relief work only after Pawar's visits to these regions. Accusing the government of not being serious on the issue, Malik said people in affected pockets are bereft of drinking water and fodder for cattle. Malik also picked holes in the government's Jalyukt Shivar Yojana, a water conservation programme, alleging it was meant to "nurture" BJP workers and that it did not help the state. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Sharma, had yesterday submitted that due to an ongoing strike by lawyers in West Bengal, there was no legal remedy available to her in the state and therefore he had to approach the apex court. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to West Bengal BJP functionary Priyanka Sharma, who was arrested on 10 May for allegedly posting a morphed picture of state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook, after waiving its earlier condition that she tenders a written apology. "Subject to Priyanka Sharma tendering an apology in writing for putting up an objectionable picture on Facebook account, she shall be immediately released. At the time of release, she shall tender an apology in writing," a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said in its previous order. The court, however, called back Sharma's lawyer Neeraj Kishan Kaul and informed him that it was waiving the condition of apology. Senior advocate Kaul, during the hearing, contended that asking for an apology will amount to infringement of the Right to Freedom of Speech. The court also issued a notice to West Bengal police over the way the 25-year-old was taken into custody. Sharma's plea was mentioned before the bench for an urgent hearing on Monday. However, the bench had agreed to hear it today. The BJP functionary's counsel had yesterday submitted that due to an ongoing strike by lawyers in West Bengal, there was no legal remedy available to her in the state and therefore he had to approach the apex court. Sharma, convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing in Howrah, had on 9 May posted a picture of actor Priyanka Chopra at the recent Metropolitan Museum Gala in New York with Banerjee's face allegedly superimposed on the actor's. Earlier, Sharma's family members had alleged that she was arrested at the ruling TMC's behest as she worked for BJP. Her mother told ANI on Sunday, "My daughter was arrested because she used to work for BJP. This is all part of a bigger plot. This is the first time she is far away from us. Had she been a TMC worker, nothing bad would have happened to her, This has been done at the behest of TMC. The fact that she is in jail has increased our worries." Sharma's arrest led to strong condemnation by BJP leaders, who alleged that TMC was indulging in politics of "hate and violence" and that an "Emergency-like situation' prevailed in the state. On Sunday, BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Sharma's family members and said that the current situation in the state is reminiscent of 'Emergency'. On Monday, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma denounced the West Bengal government for the arrest of the BJP activist and said that such politics is neither good for the country nor the state. "In West Bengal, such things have been going on for long. Even (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji is called 'chor,' liar, expired and all that, but we did not take any action against anyone. This is because we believe that in politics there must be open debate and discussion. The opposition has an important role. But in West Bengal, they (TMC) are threatening our workers and indulging in politics of hate and violence. This is neither good for the country, nor the state," he told ANI. Priyanka Sharma has been charged under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (defamation), sections 66A (offensive messages) and the non-bailable 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act. She was sent to 14 days judicial custody after being produced at a court in Howrah on 10 May. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never had to try hard to launch attacks on the Opposition, chiefly the Congress. The opportunities get served to him on a silver platter. All he has to do is lift the velvet cover, and launch a counter-attack that boomerangs on the Congress the barbs go back exactly where they had originated from. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never had to try hard to launch attacks on the Opposition, chiefly the Congress. The opportunities get served to him on a silver platter. All he has to do is lift the velvet cover, and launch a counter-attack that boomerangs on the Congress the barbs go back exactly where they had originated from, with the Congress having to either distance itself from the controversy or look for cover. Whether it was the neech comment by Gandhi family's close aide and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar in December 2017, or the chaiwala comment by him and another Congress leader with the gift of the gab, Shashi Tharoor, in November 2018, or the chowkidar chor hai by none other than the Congress president Rahul Gandhi himself, Modi has always deftly turned barbs by the Congress to his advantage. Yet, some Congress leaders have found it hard to learn lessons. After getting shamed over his neech comment on Modi in December 2017, Aiyar had beaten a hasty retreat blaming it on his poor Hindi, and Congress had distanced itself from him for a while, awarding him suspension from the party (only to be reinstated last year). But Modi used the insult effectively in his campaign in the Gujarat Assembly elections held the same month. It, indeed, worked in his favour. After hibernating for more than a year, Aiyar resurfaced in public justifying his neech comment and patting himself on the back in an article published in Rising Kashmir and reproduced by The Print on Tuesday, asking, Remember how I described him on 7 December, 2017? Was I not prophetic? Needless to add, Modi was quick to pick up this ammo handed to him by Aiyar quite opportunely in the run up to the last phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha election on 19 May. He made an emotional connect with the public on this point at a rally in Chandigarh on Tuesday. He highlighted the fact that Aiyars self-recall of his neech jibe was not being condemned by the Congress this time round, hinting at the partys tacit support to the insult. PM Modi at a rally in Chandigarh reacts on Congress' Mani Shankar Aiyar's statement that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against PM; says,"During Gujarat polls, he said Modi is 'neech'...He again reiterated his statement y'day & said there was nothing wrong with what he said" pic.twitter.com/g6xQrzLAAW ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 If Aiyars credentials as a Gandhi family sycophant were in any doubt, he would have risked being branded as enemys agent within the Congress. Thats because he didnt mince words to give the BJP all that it needs to corner the Congress in this game of low-brow politics. In the same article, he also referred to Modi as the most foul-mouthed prime minister the country has ever seen. Congress has since declared Aiyars tirade as his personal views. Yet, the point is not lost. Can Congress afford to attack the BJP by directly hitting the prime minister below the belt at this stage? Or, has Aiyar been let loose to unleash damage deliberately? A barb is a barb, after all, even if the prime minister succeeds in ducking it. Or, is the Congress reaching the end of its tether and getting loony? Sam Pitroda, another favourite of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and considered a mentor to Rahul Gandhi, recently made light of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, forcing the party to look for cover. Pitroda was even asked by the party president to apologise. Its not a secret that Modi wears his humble origins as a badge of honour and no amount of berating by the Congress on his non-elite background would ever pin him down. As he has proved, he is most likely to pick up the abuse sportingly and throw it back in the Congress court. And in a country where humility is a desirable virtue, these insults end up helping Modi and not Congress. The rest will become clear on 23 May. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi, calling his December 2017 remark about the prime minister 'prophetic. New Delhi: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi and termed his December 2017 remark about the prime minister as "prophetic". "I said what I wanted to say in that article. I stand by every word. I have no desire to engage in any argument," Aiyar said. The Congressman called the prime minister "foul-mouthed" and added that his ouster is certain on 23 May. Aiyar, in an article for an online publication, charged Modi of being "guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of martyrs". "Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December, 2017? Was I not prophetic?" the former diplomat wrote in ThePrint. In the run-up to 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, Aiyar had referred to Modi as a "neech aadmi", a remark that cost his party heavily in the state. "This person is a 'neech aadmi'. He is not civilised, and in a situation like this, there is no need to practise such dirty politics," the Congress leader had said. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had to ask Aiyar to tender an apology, given the political storm over his tasteless comment. "Modi needs to be warned that he is guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of our army and CRPF martyrs in a dirty election campaign; of defaming the Indian Air Force by portraying them as complaisant idiots in his scientific illiteracy; and the Indian Navy as being packed at its highest echelons with traitors who would acquiesce in unauthorised foreigners being allowed to board a top of the line defence vessel," Aiyar wrote in the article in an apparent reference to actor Akshay Kumar's visit to INS Sumitra. Kumar had recently gone on record to confirm that he holds a Canadian passport. The Congress leader's comments were met with sharp criticism by the BJP, with party men terming it an attention-seeking act. "Upset that Sam Pitroda was getting all the attention, the irrepressible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Pitroda's foot out of his mouth and puts it in his... Reiterates and justifies his 'neech' comment for PM!" BJP IT cell chief Amit Malaviya tweeted. Dubbing Aiyar a "jewel of Gandhi family", BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted, "So finally ...the "Jewel(mani)" of the Gandhi family too has contributed to the "Politics of Love" of Rahul Gandhi in the #LokSabhaEelctions2019 by defining his "neech comment" on Modi ji as prophetic." Aiyar is not new to making out-of-the-line remarks. His "chaiwala" remark ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls had stoked a controversy, as well. The Congress will welcome Modi to sell tea at party meetings, he had said. In a write-up on a website, Mani Shankar Aiyar not only predicted Narendra Modi's ouster on 23 May, the day of the counting of votes, but also advocated his arraignment on the charge of anti-national activities Politics has the uncanny ability of letting a lumpenised impulse dominate one's intellectual or political training. India's parliamentary history is replete with the instances of political parties propping up a strange variety of leaders solely for their robust lung power. For instance, the Congress suitably used the vocal chords of KK Tiwari from Buxar and Kalpanth Rai from Mau to intimidate their opponents in the 1980s and 1990s. In the years since, the BJP developed its own army of such leaders, although most of them are inclined to articulate issues pertaining to religious identity. Such practices are taken as an inalienable content of demagoguery an essential component of today's politics. But Mani Shankar Aiyar belongs to a rather new genre of leaders within the Congress. He is gifted with the ability to give more power to his party's opponents the moment he either opens his mouth or picks up his pen. In a write-up on a website, he not only predicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ouster on 23 May, the day of the counting of votes, but also advocated his arraignment on the charge of anti-national activities. At the end of his article, he justifies calling the prime minister a "neech aadmi" (lowly man) on 7 December, 2017 that led to his sacking from the party. It would be naive to blame Aiyar for becoming emboldened enough to launch such a rant against the prime minister. Perhaps no party except the Congress has promoted such an ecosystem in which rivals are derided in the most vituperative terms for not belonging to a class of political aristocracy. Right from Morarji Desai to HD Deve Gowda on the national scene and regional satraps at the state level, the Congress showed its deep-seated distaste for "upstarts" and ran them down. With the party's overweening dominance on social and intellectual discourse, it often succeeded in its designs to convey the message that governance is too complex a business to be left to the hoi polloi. Thus, the party justified the rise of political aristocracy till recently. Look at the manner in which Aiyar had launched his rant against Modi in the past. During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when Modi had spoken of his humble beginnings and endeared himself to voters as a 'chaiwala', or tea vendor, Aiyar asked him to come as a 'chaiwala' and sell tea at a Congress function. The party not only condoned him but also encouraged him to carry on with his vituperation. Of course, Aiyar had taken a cue from his party's general secretary BK Hariprasad's evocative description of Modi as a "gandi naali ka keeda" (a vermin from the sewer) before the Gujarat Assembly election of 2012. The party president back then, Sonia Gandhi, gave them the signal when she described Modi as a "maut ka saudagar" (the merchant of death) during electioneering in Gujarat. Its another matter that voters read the signal differently and the remark backfired on her party. Interestingly, the time-tested tactic of running down "upstarts" that succeeded in the past invariably boomeranged on the Congress when the subject was Modi. That is because the Grand Old Party of India has singularly failed to realise that Modi's ascension to power, whether in Gujarat or at the national level, is the result of a silent assertion of a numerically strong subaltern class that no longer beholds the "political aristocracy" as its patron. Modi speaks a language that resonates with this class, but remains alien to a well-entrenched political aristocracy. One may find fault with the coarseness of his dialogue, but its accessibility to the masses is indisputable. Of course, Aiyar and his patrons in the party have genuine reason to be frustrated when they find their barbs hurting themselves more than the opponents. In the process, those opposing Modi start speaking the language that gives leverage to the BJP propaganda machinery to amplify it further and create a sense of victimisation around Modi. Lieutenant-General HS Panag was seen to be endorsing a suggestion in a tweet for staging a coup against Modi should he win the election. His clarification came a tad too late to dismiss the insinuation that those against Modi are prepared to resort to violence or even a coup to depose an elected prime minister. As the situation stands today, Modi seems to be drawing enormous strength from the inability of his opponents to come to terms with the changing grammar of national politics. He has changed not only the vocabulary but also the syntax of the discourse and reduced the likes of Aiyar to being no more than sidekicks of a dying dynasty. In his own wisdom, Mani Shankar Aiyar must have been very pleased while writing his piece in The Print and the attention his contentious Narendra Modi 'neech aadmi' 2.0 remark received In his own wisdom, Mani Shankar Aiyar must have been very pleased while writing his piece in The Print and the attention his contentious Narendra Modi 'neech aadmi' 2.0 remark received. "Remember how I described him on 7 December, 2017? Was I not prophetic?," he wrote. While doing so, he essentially has tried to defend the Congress' first family where his personal loyalties lay, using venomous words for Modi while comparing and contrasting the prime minister's educational and other credentials with those of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and why Modi deserves to be berated and ousted from the office. He perhaps thinks that he has done a great service to the family with which his loyalties lie, as a close friend of the late Rajiv Gandhi. He, however, doesn't realise that he has yet again handed over the desired ammunition to his sworn adversary to target the persons (Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) and the party he wishes to defend. In the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Aiyar had asserted, "I can promise you that Modi will never, never, never become prime minister of the country in the 21st Century. But yes, if he wants to come here (the AICC convention) and distribute tea we can arrange some space for him." The result of that election is now history. In the run-up to 2017 Gujarat Assembly election, Aiyar called him "bahut neech kisam ka aadmi". Using Aiyar's disparaging remarks against him, Modi swung the electoral narrative, and portrayed Aiyar's jab as an insult to Gujarat and persons born into lower castes. The extent of damage was such that Rahul was ultimately forced to suspend Aiyar from the party, only to re-induct him at a later date. The result of the Gujarat election is known to everyone. Aiyar's neech aadmi 2.0 remark against Modi comes at a time when Sam Pitroda's "Jo hua so hua" remark regarding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots had already been turned into an electoral issue by Modi and Amit Shah for the last two phases of elections. The BJP also dug out Rajiv's statement at a public rally: "Jab bhi koi bada ped girta hai, dharti hilti hai (whenever a big tree fells, the earth shakes)". When it seemed that this issue could adversely impact Congress poll prospects, Rahul said at a public rally in Punjab that Pitroda should be ashamed of what he said, adding he had asked him to apologise. But the BJP leadership has been somewhat successful in conveying that the words "Jo hua so hua" summarise Congress culture. Both these persons are no ordinary leaders they are perceived to be Rahul's guides and very close to his late father Rajiv. Their words matter in shaping Rahul's views and consequently the Congress' outlook and policy. Aiyar almost calls Modi an orthodox obscurantist who was anti-science and believed in the pontification of superstition and mythological tales. He reasons, "I have discovered why Narendra Modi loathes Jawaharlal Nehru so much. Nehru had a degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. It made him realise that to pull India and Indians out of superstition, from what Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore called 'the dreary desert sands of dead habit'..." He then refers to some remarks purportedly made by Modi about Indian cultural and mythological folklore to call them "stunningly illiterate claims" from a prime minister whose acquaintance with higher education has gone no further than lying about degrees from Delhi and Gujarat universities that he never got and who can obviously not tell a scientific proposition from a dhokla. Aiyar then goes on to compare Modi's educational qualification with those of Indira and Rajiv. The Gandhis, according to him, displayed statesmanship and were "good, perhaps even great, prime ministers". The dhokla reference is obviously aimed at his Gujarati origins. It could be taken as an insult to the outlook of Gujaratis, but since polling in that state is over, the Congress need not sweat too much. The Congress leader also forgets that finding value in one's own cultural tradition and belief in technological advancement and modernity are not opposed to each other. Countries like Japan are a shining example of that mix. But for persons like Aiyar, modernity and inculcation of scientific temper is synonymous with westernisation. It's a fact that the sort of digitisation push that was given by Modi had not been seen before in India. Technological advancement is also evident in India's push in making its mark in the field of 'star wars'. Modi has been the biggest champion of social media, using it to the hilt for himself and the party, but also for the government outreach and in some cases problem solution. The list goes on. Modi, Shah or any of the other BJP leaders have not spoken of a Brahmastra in this election. Instead, it is the Congress that claims to have a Brahmastra and has even lately unleashed it in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country. The outcome of the Lok Sabha election and how people in the last phase of polling reacted to it will be known on 23 May. The elites are aghast at Narendra Modi's 'Khan Market gang' jibe, all the more because this paradigm is here to stay. If Modi returns to power on 23 May, Khan Market, too, may fall to the rabble waiting at the gates. With his "Khan Market gang" jibe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced a new lexicon in political discourse that appears to have rubbed his rivals and critics the wrong way. Not that Modi would mind. The apparently innocuous phrase elicited an acerbic and a vehement response from certain quarters, including politicians, journalists, activists, activist-journalists, etc. This needs a bit of explaining why did the reference to a shopping district in Delhi, where apparently they sell overpriced items, trigger such a response? One of Delhi's poshest locations for dining and shopping in the heart of the city, Khan Market has become a signifier of superciliousness and an idiom that may loosely be equated with the Beltway Washington Consensus a set of free-market policies American institutions propagated that eventually represented a sign of elitism. Among other things, US president Donald Trump's victory was a counter to this elitism that had long gripped and dominated American politics. Former columnist and now Press Secretary to the President of India Ashok Malik coined the term 'Khan Market consensus' in a column for the Hindustan Times, where he elaborated on the unanimity among "self-appointed intelligentsia" on a particular "idea of India" that, for a long time, was considered unassailable, relegating to the fringes all competing ideas that never found expression. These competing ideas about and of India belong to a sizeable section of people who had remained voiceless because of the centralisation of power by the 'Khan Market gang' a minority of powerful elites with colossal sway over the destiny of 1.3 billion people. They controlled all levers of power and avenues of discourse, forcing their own "idea of India" to be mainstreamed while excluding those of others. As Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Adviser to the Government of India, had written in Project Syndicate on these elites who belong to entrenched family dynasties of India: The country "has long been dominated by a tiny elite a couple of hundred extended families, totaling perhaps 4,000 to 5,000 people. Many countries have powerful elites with outsize influence, but in India, dynastic elites control the top echelons in every sphere of public life politics, business, the media, and even Bollywood." This top-down imported "idea of India", based on Nehruvian secularism and Fabian socialism as its economic principle, came to define the lens through Indians were forced to evaluate themselves and made to feel unfit in their own country for having a different set of notions about the nation and its culture, identity and religion. The vast majority, proud of its Hindu heritage, were made to feel (in Manu Joseph's words in Mint ) "like the freak fringe, like delinquents for having a set of reasonable thoughts". The flip side to this power-wielding by the deracinated elites is that they suffer from a sense of entitlement and become eventual victims of their own delusion. The 'Khan Market gang', as Modi referred to them in an interview with The Indian Express, had started believing that they can continue to hold sway over 1.3 billion people simply by nurturing an ecosystem that perpetuated their reign even if political power turned intermittent. What Modi's ascension to power did in 2014 was strike a fell blow to the foundation of this 'Khan Market consensus' and free voices on the other side, bringing to the fore contrasting notions of nationhood. In this, technological aides such as social media supported Modi, simultaneously empowering the voiceless and disempowering the elites. No longer were the elites able to control the avenues of political discourse. Modi's rise, in part, was a result of a Hindu awakening that was slowly coming to terms with new assertiveness in its voice. Due to the grounded nature of the "idea of India" as opposed to the peripatetic "idea of India" of the deracinated elites that made Modi's rise possible and empowered him, the prime minister grew more and more confident as Hindu nationalism took firmer shape. This was reflected in Modi's reference to the 'Khan Market gang' in his interview to The Indian Express, where he dismissed Congress president Rahul Gandhi's attempt to "dismantle his image". "Modi ki chhavi Delhi ke Khan Market ke gang ne nahin banayi hai, Lutyens Delhi ne nahin banayi hai. 45 saal ki Modi ki tapasya ne chhavi banayi hai. Achchi hai ya buri hai (Neither the 'Khan Market gang' nor Lutyens Delhi created Modi's image, but 45 years of his toil did good or bad), you cannot dismantle it." The pejorative reference to the 'Khan Market gang' stung Modi's critics as he reminded the elites that they are disenfranchised, disempowered and progressively irrelevant in the new scheme of things. The mocking that Modi received from some of his critics are an expression of their own frustration rather than a counter to his argument. The trouble for Congress, the Grand Old Party of old elites and entrenched dynasties, is that it has been unable to change itself even as India underwent rapid change since economic liberalisation. The rise of a new middle class has meant that old fault lines no longer work. The new voters are impatient, ambitious and scornful of those who suffer from a sense of entitlement. They are also proud of their civilizational heritage. And this isn't restricted to urban areas alone. As Tavleen Singh writes in The Indian Express: "While travelling during this election, I have, for the first time heard ordinary people in small villages speak of how wrong it is that the doors of politics are open only to those who come from privileged families One reason why Modi remains hugely popular in the vast hinterland of rural India is because he is seen as a man who is working for the country and not his family." The elites are aghast at the 'Khan Market gang' jibe, all the more because this paradigm is here to stay. If Modi returns to power on 23 May, Khan Market, too, may fall to the rabble waiting at the gates. He had been on probation in both Kane and DuPage counties after being found guilty in 2018 of driving with a revoked license, according to court records. He was to complete his yearlong probation from Kane County on May 30. Kane County court records show Quartuccio had a notice for violating his probation in February 2019 and was due in court again in June for a hearing. Priyanka during a roadshow at Indore shook hands with people along the route and took a potshot at Narendra Modi. She was accompanied by Kamal Nath and Bhupesh Bagel, chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Indore: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday lashed out at the BJP, stating that its leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi were caught up in the delusion of power and in their heightened arrogance had stopped caring for the welfare of the poor. Priyanka during a roadshow at Indore shook hands with people along the route and took a potshot at "defence expert" Modi. She was accompanied by Kamal Nath and Bhupesh Bagel, chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. "He is such a defence expert that he decided himself on who will manufacture planes, he decided those who have never made a plane in their lives will make it," she said in a reference to the Rafale deal. The Congress leader also hit out at the prime minister for his claim during a recent TV interview where he said clouds and rain can help the IAF fighter jets evade detection by the Pakistani radar during airstrike in Balakot. "He thought, weather is cloudy, it won't come on radar. But he has come on the radar. Whether it is raining or bright sunshine, everybody now knows the truth of his politics," Priyanka said. She also hit out at Modi and BJP leaders for their "arrogance". "Since my childhood, I have seen power from close quarters. I have been seen big prime ministers, including Indira Gandhi. Whenever a politician thinks that power belongs to him and forgets the people, that very day the future of that politician is sealed," Priyanka said. "During the last five years, the BJP government, its leaders and their prime minister have been caught in the delusion of power. They only see how to keep power with them. They have stopped meeting the people... Their arrogance has increased a lot," she added. Priyanka also wondered aloud why the Prime Minister did not get time to visit the house of poor people in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. "During the last five years, Prime Minister Modi got a chance to visit US, hugged Obama, beat drums in Japan, hugged the Chinese President, had biryani in Pakistan, but didn't visit the house of a poor person or a farmer in his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi. "Have you ever seen him hugging an Indian? A few days back, I saw a photograph of the Prime Minister with a child in the newspapers and felt happy. I thought at least he heard me and kissed somebody's child. But beneath the photograph it was written that it is Amit Shah's grandchild," she said. "Did you see any BJP leader standing in a queue outside banks during demonetisation? The only leader standing in queue was Rahul Gandhi. They don't understand what impact their policies have on the people. Today, the situation is such that both their intentions and policies are bad," the Congress general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh east said. She went on to add, "The situation is such that now when elections are taking place, so they have started taking about 40-60 years old things... Nehruji did this, Indira Gandhi did that and Rajiv Gandhi did this... Come to this decade. Bring your feet on the ground, people are asking what have you done for them." Priyanka lauded her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi for hugging the Prime Minister in the Parliament. "The political power of a politician does not come from big talks, false propaganda. It comes from listening to the voices of the people," she said. "Rahul Gandhi is one such politician, who has been criticised a lot, has been made fun of, in whose name fake campaigning has been done, but he still had that much inner strength to hug the Prime Minister, who abused him and said bad things about him," she added. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, on Monday, said that actor Ritesh Deshmukh had been allowed entry in the Taj Oberoi hotel only because he was the then chief minister's son and it became even worse because the actor had come with a film producer to the site due to which the late Vilasrao Deshmukh had to later resign from his post. Varanasi: Allegations and counter-allegations flew back and forth as Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh and Union Minister Piyush Goyal hit out at each other over the claim made by the central government leader that the actor's father, the former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was only concerned about getting his son a role during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, on Monday, said that actor Riteish Deshmukh had been allowed entry in the Taj Oberoi hotel only because he was the then chief minister's son and it became even worse because the actor had come with a film producer to the site due to which the late Vilasrao Deshmukh had to later resign from his post. "I saw Riteish Deshmukh's tweet, he said that he went to the place the next day when the incident. I agree with it, but it was horrible since he went with a film producer. Nobody was allowed to enter the high-security area, but he got permission because he was the chief minister's son. The intentions behind their visit became apparent when a movie came out in 2013. Because it was the CM's doing he had to resign, the people never forgave him for that," Goyal said talking to reporters. Earlier, Riteish had taken to Twitter to reply to the accusations levied by Goyal on him and his father, who passed away in 2012. "It is true that I had visited the Taj Oberoi Hotel but untrue that I was there while the 'Shooting and Bombing' was happening as you claimed. It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film. He never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast me in film and I take pride in that. You have every right to question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself. A bit late, 7 years ago - He would have replied to you," Riteish's tweet read. Goyal went on to say that the movie got made in 2013 but Riteish had probably not taken a role in the movie due to fear of backlash from the people. "In 2013, the film was made by the same producer, although probably out of public pressure Riteish did not feature in the movie. At a crime scene, only forensic team and security forces are allowed then why was he allowed to go there, vital clues related to the crime could have been lost," Goyal said. Firing yet another salvo at the Congress party, Goyal on Sunday referred to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and said that Deshmukh was only concerned about getting his child a film role even as the city was under attacks. "I am from Mumbai. You might remember the 26/11 terror attack. The then Congress government was weak and could not do anything. The then chief minister (Vilasrao Deshmukh) had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel while shooting and bombing was going on inside. CM was concerned about getting his child a film role," Goyal had said while addressing the business community in Ludhiana on Sunday. Expressing confidence that the BJP will win more seats that it did in 2014, senior party leader Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said a two-thirds majority for the NDA cannot be ruled out. New Delhi: Expressing confidence that the BJP will win more seats that it did in 2014, senior party leader Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said a two-thirds majority for the NDA cannot be ruled out. The Union home minister said the Opposition should reveal who is their prime ministerial candidate and also took on the Congress for its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar justifying his "neech aadmi" jibe against the prime minister. "I have reached a conclusion that BJP will win more seats in Lok Sabha polls than it did in 2014. Two-thirds majority for NDA also cannot be ruled out. The hope people had from the prime minister in the 2014 elections has turned into confidence this time," Singh said at a press conference in the BJP headquarters here. "Last time, it was Modiji versus Sonia Gandhi/Manmohan Singh. This time it is Modiji versus who? It is unknown. The opposition should not keep people in dark, should reveal its PM candidate," he said. He also asked the Congress to respond to Aiyar justifying his 2017 "neech aadmi" remark about the prime minister. "Congress should give its response to Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment that his claim about Modi was correct," he said. While Priyanka Sharma has been released and the Supreme Court waived the condition of apology, the fact that she was asked to apologise in the first place raises the question if Section 66A is still in existence On 17 November, 2012, two young women in a Facebook post criticised the complete shutdown that was observed in Mumbai following the death of Shiv Sena founder and chief Bal Thackeray. Shaheen Dhada wrote the original post and Renu Srinivasan commented on it criticising the shutdown. Dhada wrote, Every day thousands of people die. But still the world moves on... Just due to one politician dead. A natural death. Everyone goes crazy... Respect is earned not given out, definitely not forced. Today Mumbai shuts down due to fear not due to respect." Srinivasan commented, "Everyone knows its done because of fear!!! We agree that he has done a lot of good things also, we respect him; it doesnt make sense to shut down everything! Respect can be shown in many other ways!" These two viewpoints shared by two young women were enough for the police to invoke Section 66A of the IT Act that gave police the power to arrest anyone for communicating any message that is "grossly offensive or has menacing character" through any electronic communication channel. The arrest was vehemently criticised and around 10 petitions were filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of Section 66A of the IT Act. Among them, one was filed by Shreya Singhal, a young law student from Delhi. On 24 March, 2015, in a landmark judgment a bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar and Justice Rohinton F Nariman struck down Section 66A of IT Act. Differentiating between discussion, advocacy and incitement, the bench held that "mere discussion or even advocacy of a particular cause, howsoever unpopular, is at heart of Article (19) (1) (a) (all citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression)". It added, "Only when such discussion or advocacy reaches the level of incitement that Article 19 (2) (it allows the state to make laws imposing reasonable restriction of freedom of speech and expression) kicks in." In January 2019, four years after the 2015 SC judgment struck down Section 66A of IT Act, in a petition filed by People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the Supreme Court issued a notice to the central government to take measures to stop the continued use of Section 66A of the IT Act, 2000, as the provision was struck down in Shreya Singhal versus Union of India judgment. According to PUCL, 22 people were booked under Section 66A even after it was scrapped by the Supreme Court in 2015. As reported by The Hindu, "the bench led by Justice Nariman, who wrote the judgment in March 2015 upholding online free speech against Section 66A, said 'strict action' would follow if the claims in the petition filed by PUCL were found true". Now, in yet another case of blatant misuse of Section 66 A of the IT Act, West Bengal Police arrested an activist of BJPs youth wing on 10 May. Priyanka Sharma was arrested for sharing a morphed photo of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook and was sent to judicial custody. Sharma was booked under Section 66A apart from Section 500 of the IPC and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act. Here, the most important questions that arise are: in which manner does Sharma's post a morphed picture of a leader can amount to incitement and defamation, and for what reason was the Section 67A of IT Act invoked, which reads punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc, in electronic form"? Following her arrest, Sharma moved the Supreme Court seeking relief. On Tuesday, while hearing her plea seeking bail and challenging the arrest, the bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna ordered for Sharmas immediate release, however, they also held that while freedom of speech is "non-negotiable" it cannot be allowed to "violate". It also criticised the meme shared by Sharma, holding that it is wrong to superimpose somebody's face like the meme did. The bench while ordering Sharmas release asked her to apologise for the same and left the larger question regarding the free speech for later. Singhal, whose petition resulted in striking down of the Section 66A commenting upon the entire episode says, "I feel it is really horrendous and it is shocking that there can be a blatant misuse of the law. It is really shocking that the woman was arrested for something, which frankly does not require arrest." In this age of "social media" people are freely sharing their viewpoints that can be by all means offensive to someone or other. But can a punitive law like Section 66A have any positive role to play? Commenting on this Singhal, says, "Leave the social media age. This is the age of acceptance. As an Indian society, you are not expected to be so regressive that you cannot take a bad joke, that too when you are in politics. Also, the use of Section 66A also shows what kind of policing is being done. The police should know while booking someone whether the section is in existence or not. This is shocking considering that in January, the Supreme Court had clearly instructed that each and every police station in the country should be made aware of the judgment as it was still being misused." When asked how she reacts to the stern stand taken by the Supreme Court on Tuesday as the bench criticised the meme and asked Sharma to apologise for the same, Singhal says, I dont know what transpired in the Supreme Court but the fact is that the Supreme Court cannot sit like a parent instructing people to say sorry and all. The post by Sharma might be satirical or something else and am not prescribing to her view. But what I would say is that the arrest was completely uncalled for and it was complete misuse of the law." While Sharma has been released, and the Supreme Court later waived the condition of apology, the fact that she was asked to apologise in the first place for her 'indiscretion' of mocking Mamata Banerjee through a morphed photo, raises an important question. Does this mean that Section 66A is still in existence? Kamal Haasan's 'India's first Hindu terrorist' remark: Politicians have their sights set on ultimate political gains, and labeling an entire religion as one of terrorists for the acts of a few couldn't matter less to them. Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Monday triggered a controversy after making remarks on India's "first terrorist" at a rally. "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. The first terrorist of Independent India was a Hindu. His name was Nathuram Godse. It (terrorism) started there," the Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM) founder said at a campaign in Aravakurichi in Tamil Nadu. "Good Indians desire for equality and want the three colours in the tricolour to remain intact," Haasan added, referring to the saffron and green in India's National Flag, colours that have come to denote Hindutva and Islamic ideologies. "I am a good Indian and I will proudly proclaim that." What would have really made Haasan a "good Indian" was refraining from adding a religious link to terrorism. He would have done better to proclaim nothing, instead of stoking a sentiment with a statement that was undoubtedly bound to be perceived as communal. Invoking religion for political gains is dangerous and polarising in itself. Mixing it with terrorism is even more so. Linking terrorism with belief in a particular faith gives perpetrators a false sense of sacrifice, making them believe that their actions are for a cause and not what they really are plain and vile acts of violence. When put in words, it's a simple, straightforward thought that would appear easy to understand for those with no particularly strong opinion supporting either side of the argument. But for politicians, it appears hard to interpret. "This poisonous plant should be nipped in the bud" was BJP leader H Raja's reaction to Haasan's comments. He also claimed that the MNM chief was defaming Hindus to appeal to the Muslim population for votes. Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan pointed out that Haasan "talks of taking forward a new kind of politics", but was "indulging in the old, mischievous, poisonous and divisive vote-bank politics". Vote-bank politics or not, Haasan's comments do make one thing evident politicians are incapable of severing the terrorism-religion link in their rhetoric, however innocent their speech may seem. With an eye on their greater goal, they appear blind to the seemingly logical reasoning that the acts of a few should not be used to label a larger section of believers of a particular faith. In the recent past, the political discourse in India has been dotted with references to "Hindu terror", with even top leaders cashing in on the Hindu-Muslim divide and fuelling a divisive sentiment. One would expect better from a leader of the stature of the prime minister, but when it's the most powerful seat in Delhi at stake, it seems all bets are off. Politicians, people in a position to influence the public's thinking, must hold perpetrators responsible, not the religion. But rather than doing this, they prioritise their vested interests and give terrorism a religious colour to appeal to what they assume is the rival faith. Today, politicians propagate the notion that "radical" ideas come from Islamic or Hindu ideologies, that these are the root causes of turning a youth into a terrorist, or jihadist, or suicide bomber, or any of the myriad other terms used to describe them. It's not the Quran that calls for radicalisation or terrorist acts, or the Gita that calls for attacks on dissenters it's people themselves, how they perceive situations and react to them, that leads to terrorism. Like the easily-swayed mob in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, politicians are buoyed by reactions they get from the crowds they address, regardless of their understanding of the larger repercussions of incendiary statements. They have their sights set on ultimate political gains, and labeling an entire religion as one of terrorists for the acts of a few couldn't matter less to them. Or so we can assume. Sheldon Pinto While Google was more than happy to announce its affordable Pixel smartphones, the new devices were not exactly well received in India, given its premium segment pricing. Still, as I concluded in my review, the plastic-bodied Pixel 3a XL is still well worth its Rs 44,999 price tag given that users will get the latest software updates on time and the best camera in that price segment as well. My review of the Pixel 3a XL focused more on the smartphone as a whole, so its time we zoomed in and took a closer look at the details. For this comparison, I picked up smartphones that are priced similarly (no matter how old) so you get an idea about what manufacturers get you at this price tag. In the test I used a Pixel 3 with its faster processor, the OnePlus 6T (McLaren Edition) because it is the smartphone that it will be compared with, primarily because of its price, and the Apple iPhone 7 (starts from Rs 38,000) because it is the only iPhone available in the sub Rs 45,000 price range. If you were wondering how the premium Pixel 3 fits in? Well, its all because I wanted to know whats the difference between the two. This is more so after Google VP for Product Management, Sabrina Ellis confirmed that the 3as algorithms were developed and fine-tuned by a separate team. With the Pixel 3a series actually featuring the more fine-tuned algorithms to keep up with the mid-range hardware inside, (that helped bring down the smartphones price among other things) it will be interesting to see how similar they are and how big of role software plays in smartphones these days. So lets jump right in! Portrait shots: Google Pixel 3a XL The Pixel 3 delivered the most flawless portrait shots, with the Pixel 3a XL coming in second. Both photos showcased a similar level of detail, but I preferred the Pixel 3 here because the 3a from the same distance showed me a cropped view of the subject, meaning I had to step back quite a bit to get a frame similar to that of the Pixel 3. Surprisingly, the iPhone 7 got a better photo than the OnePlus 6T despite not having a portrait mode. The details were a lot clearer than the OnePlus and the image was a bit flat but still more detailed than the one I shot on the OnePlus. The output from the 6T looked a bit dreamy. Selfies: Google Pixel 3a XL Selfies similar to the Portrait mode come out quite detailed on the Pixel 3. The edge detection is the best that you can get but its not exactly consistent. Still, it is impressive how Googles imaging algorithms expose the subject and the background really well, save for the dynamic range, which still falls a wee bit short against the OnePlus 6T. The Pixel 3a XL and the 6T battle it out here, but the OnePlus has fewer errors with its blurry edge detection. The 3a, however, exposed the scene the way it appeared. If you look closely, the Pixel 3a XL has an issue with edge detection and shows a minor halo-like effect from my neck to my shoulders. I have noticed this across some selfies and is hopefully a software issue that Google is able to fix, because it does not show up in the Pixel 3. In low light, I tried a few selfies with the flash on, and saw similar results with the Pixel 3 on top, the 3a XL in second, OnePlus comes in third with a lot of noise and the iPhone 7 with the noisiest image in fourth. Landscape: OnePlus 6T Clicking photos of the sunset, the OnePlus 6T shot the most impressive and well-exposed photo. The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a XL again looked quite contrasted but also showcased more details in the shadows (like the rocks in the waves). The iPhone 7 was the most oversaturated shot and also the one with the least resolved details. I preferred the OnePlus 6Ts landscape photos for its more natural colour reproduction. Low light and Night Mode: Google Pixel 3a XL Low light is where the OnePlus suffered the most and an area where Apples iPhone 7 was pretty much unusable. The OnePlus showed up was just not able to pull off details in low light, and it also went crazy with saturation levels, giving the Gateway of India monument a completely different shade of red. Pixel peeping in these shots is pointless. The Google Pixel sibling did leagues better here. The Pixel 3a XL also showcased slightly saturated colours but featured a lot more resolved details that OnePlus simply could not capture. I got the best results from the Pixel 3 that showcased the most accurate colours. Switching to Night mode, the result from the OnePlus 6T looked like the monument was dusted with holi colour instead of being lit up in a shade of orange. The Pixel 3 and 3a XL came out on top and the colours too were closer to the actual orange which is pretty darn good for a scene with so many types of artificial light sources around the monument. In another street shooting scenario, under bright enough street lighting, the OnePlus did showcase better colours, but fell short on details. The Pixel 3 showcased a different colour tone, but was high on detail. Either way, the Night Mode on the OnePlus 6T never really comes close to the image quality the Pixel is capable of. Video: Google Pixel 3A XL While iPhones are usually at the top when it comes to the premium segment, the mid-premium segment is quite tricky. I went with a common 1080p @30 fps sample, since it works well with most lighting conditions. Moreover, the OnePlus is the only smartphone capable of 4K 60 fps, while the Pixel and the iPhone capped out at 30 fps. The Pixel 3a XL delivered the best video quality here with a smooth framerate with balanced exposure despite the changing shooting scene. The 3a XL strangely even managed to outdo the Pixel 3 thanks to the latter's slightly jittery focusing issues. The iPhone 7 showcased a steady framerate but was not able to deliver the details. The OnePlus 6T, despite its clarity, was a jittery mess. Moreover, the audio was thanks to the blowing wind and was not too great and sounded a bit too harsh compared to the Pixels and the iPhone. The details too were on the low side. Next, I tried selfie videos and with the wind blowing against me, it was easy to conclude that Pixels had the best stabilisation. The quality too was better on the Pixels, even though the OnePlus 6T delivered some sharp results. In low light shooting scenarios, the OnePlus 6T came out on top, followed by the Pixel 3 and then the 3a, which was barely usable with a lot more noise than the former. OnePlus 6T showcased less noise than the 3a but colours were oversaturated and the bitrate jittery. The Apple iPhones video sample was pretty much unusable. Conclusion: It becomes evident that the Pixel siblings with their advanced imaging algorithms are clearly superior when it comes to clicking brilliant photos with minimal hardware, whether its the number of cameras or the performance of the chipset. The OnePlus 6T with its brute performance, (we had a 12 GB RAM variant) and its dual rear camera setup in most instances, was just not up to the mark. My guess is that the camera software is the culprit. Google's optimisations are at another level altogether. With the launch of the OnePlus 7 drawing nearer, it will be interesting to see how the Pixels single camera compares to the expected triple rear camera on the upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro. But for now, the Pixel 3a XL is the one to go for in the mid-premium (sub Rs 45,000) smartphone segment, if it is purely the camera you are interested in. tech2 News Staff The day that hundreds of leaks and teasers were building up to is finally here! OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro are scheduled to launch in London, New York, and Bengaluru simultaneously today. Going by Indian Standard Time, the event will kick off at 8.30 pm. If you are in any other time zone, click here to know your local time for the event. (For minute by minute updates of the LIVE event as it happens, head here) OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro launch: How to watch it live As expected, OnePlus will be live streaming the event. You can watch it on the company's official YouTube channel or head over to OnePlus' UK website for the stream. Alternatively, you could simply bookmark this page to open it later today. On both YouTube and the OnePlus website, you have the option to set a reminder ahead of the launch, so you don't forget to stream in. We will also have a live blog which you can follow along with all the action as it's happening, as we will be attending the launch event in Bengaluru. OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro launch: All we know so far The OnePlus 7 is expected to come with a 4,150 mAh battery, with the OnePlus 7 Pro featuring a smaller 4,000 mAh one. Both the phones will apparently come with 30 W Warp charge technology which we saw in the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition last year. The OnePlus 7 will reportedly be available in a 6 GB and an 8 GB RAM variant, whereas the OnePlus 7 Pro's RAM could go up to 12 GB. Both the phones are believed to feature an optical in-display fingerprint sensor, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset under the hood. For photography, the OnePlus 7 Pro will sport a triple-camera setup (its highlight!) and will reportedly include an additional ultra-wide sensor, along with a primary 48 MP sensor and telephoto sensor on the rear. On the front, the smartphone could be sporting a pop-up camera, based on a leaked concept render. For more details on the expected specifications and features of the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, read here. tech2 News Staff Xiaomi, just yesterday, announced that the company's budget-oriented Redmi Note 7 series had already reached the 2 million sales milestone within a couple of months. But the Chinese brand is not known to dwell on its laurels for too long and has just begun teasing a new 48 MP camera phone. Xiaomi India initially refrained from revealing any more information about the phone after posting a teaser from its official Twitter handle. But this was soon followed by the official Redmi India Twitter account hinting that a new phone will debut under its brand. From what we know so far, the phone could sit alongside the Redmi Note 7 Pro that was launched in late February featuring a 48 MP primary camera. What's also interesting is that the teaser notably comes just days after Xiaomi teased the launch of a smartphone with a triple-lens setup in India. An all-new #Redmi with a new 48MP Super camera is coming. RT if you wanna know what the #48MPForEveryone is all about! pic.twitter.com/8MOfCVtaLs Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) May 14, 2019 The company is also planning to introduce a phone rocking a Snapdragon 730 or Snapdragon 730G chipset in the country, and all these pieces of a jigsaw do point towards a new mid-range phone from Redmi in the pipeline. The tweet teasing the 48 MP camera states that the Redmi Note 7 Pro will no longer to be the only phone with a 48 MP camera phone in the company's product lineup. RUNAWAY SUCCESS! Proud that we sold 2M+ #RedmiNote7 & Pro in 2 months! = 2.5 Lakh/week. Everyone loved the crazy #48MP @ #RedmiNote7Pro. The demand was probably >1M/week. To celebrate, we're bringing another #48MP phone! Any guesses? RT if excited. #48MPForEveryone pic.twitter.com/CzaMLmUCkh Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) May 13, 2019 Xiaomi's Global VP and Managing Director of its India operations, Manu Kumar Jain also teased the launch of a new smartphone with a 48 MP camera while announcing the success of the Redmi Note 7 series, but steered clear of revealing anything else. As of now, we're just as confused as you are, but it shouldn't be long before we have more news about the upcoming smartphone. Reuters One person was killed in Sri Lanka on Monday as police fired tear gas at mobs attacking mosques and Muslim-owned shops and imposed a curfew after the worst outbreak of sectarian violence since the Easter bombings by Islamist militants. The April 21 attacks, claimed by Islamic State, targeted churches and hotels, mostly in Colombo, killing more than 250 people and fuelling fears of a backlash against the island nation's minority Muslims. An officer at the Marawila hospital police said a 42-year old man admitted to the hospital with stab wounds had died. A Resident from the area who helped transport the victim to a hospital identified him as Mohamed Ameer Mohamed Sally. Residents in Muslim parts of North Western Province said mobs had attacked mosques and damaged shops and businesses owned by Muslims for a second day. "There are hundreds of rioters, police, and army are just watching. They have burnt our mosques and smashed many shops owned by Muslims," a resident of Kottampitiya area told Reuters by telephone, asking not to be identified for fear of reprisals. "When we try to come out of our house, police tell us to stay inside." Police imposed a nationwide curfew until from 9 p.m. (1530 GMT) to 4 a.m., spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a statement that acts of sabotage were hampering an investigation by security forces and warned that "if the racism rises up ... and peace is disturbed the country will be destabilised". "The intention of these groups who are causing violence is to cause disruption in public life, and destabilize the country," he said. Wickremesinghe said he had given powers to the security forces to take strong action against those disturbing the peace. Authorities also imposed a temporary ban on social media networks and messaging apps including WhatsApp after a clash in another part of the country was traced to a dispute on Facebook. A police source said police had fired tear gas to disperse mobs in some places in North Western Province. Muslims make up nearly 10 percent of Sri Lanka's 22 million people who are predominantly Sinhalese Buddhists. A Reuters reporter saw a mob of several dozen young Sinhalese men wielding sticks and rods in what appeared to be a standoff in the town of Madulla in North Western Province. Many anxious Muslims were hunkering down at home but young men, some of them carrying rods, were still zipping around on motorbikes, despite regional curfews from 2 p.m. before the nationwide curfew was imposed. Mosque ransacked Glass was strewn across the Abrar mosque in the town of Kiniyama that was attacked overnight. All the windows and doors of the soft-pink building were smashed and copies of the Koran were thrown onto the floor. A mosque official said the attacks were triggered when several people, including some Buddhist monks, demanded a search of the main building after soldiers had inspected a 105-acre (43-hectare) lake nearby. Authorities suspect lakes and wells are being used as hiding places to conceal weapons. A 34-year-old man who was at the mosque said about 150-200 came towards the mosque with rods and swords on Sunday but the Muslims who were in the mosque persuaded them to go away with the help of the police. But they came back and this time there were about 1,300 people. The Muslims, huddled in the mosque, asked the police to fire in the air to disperse the mob, but the police said the people wanted to inspect the mosque for weapons. Then the crowd surged into the mosque and ransacked it, the witness said. "They destroyed and burned Korans, broke every glass window and door and urinated on the water storage which Muslims used to take ablution," he said. Police spokesman Gunasekera did not respond to a request for comment on the incident. But in an emailed statement he said there had been some damage to property in Hettipola area of Kurunegala district but no injuries reported. The police source said police also fired in the air the Hettipola area. Several dozen people threw stones at mosques and Muslim-owned stores and a man was beaten in the Christian-majority town of Chilaw on the west coast on Sunday in the dispute that started on Facebook, police sources and residents told Reuters. Authorities said they arrested the author of a Facebook post, identified as 38-year-old Abdul Hameed Mohamed Hasmar, whose online comment "1 day u will cry" people said was interpreted as threatening violence. "Social media blocked again as a temporary measure to maintain peace in the country," Nalaka Kaluwewa, director general of the government information department, told Reuters on Monday. On Twitter, Sri Lanka's leading mobile phone operator, Dialog Axiata Plc, said it had also received instructions to block the apps Viber, IMO, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube until further notice. Uber's market capitalization has fallen to about $61 billion since its IPO on Thursday, still larger than Wall Street heavyweights including General Motors and FedEx Uber Technologies Inc's shares fell 12 percent on Monday, more than doubling their losses since the ride-hailing giant's poorly received market debut, and its chief executive officer said he expected the stock to remain under pressure in the coming months. The fall in shares comes against the backdrop of a global stock market selloff sparked by renewed trade tensions between the United States and China. The stock hit a low of $36.58, valuing the company at about $14 billion less than the IPO price of $45. Shares of smaller rival Lyft Inc, which went public at $72 a share on 29 March, were down 7.3 percent at $47.38. Uber's stock "did not trade as well as we had hoped post-IPO", Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi wrote in a memo to employees that was seen by Reuters. "Sentiment does not change overnight, and I expect some tough public market times over the coming months. But we have all the capital we need to demonstrate a path to improved margins and profits," Khosrowshahi added. Bloomberg first reported the news based on the memo. Uber lowered its valuation expectations twice in the past two months to address investor concerns over its mounting losses, and finally priced its IPO at the low end of the targeted range in a bid to avoid Lyft's stock market struggles. Uber's market capitalization has fallen to about $61 billion since its IPO on Thursday, still larger than Wall Street heavyweights including General Motors and FedEx. "In the last couple of weeks we have noticed investors questioning more about how good of a business model is ride sharing really," said Tom White analyst D A Davidson. While both Uber and Lyft are trying to find ways to lower driver costs to become profitable, drivers went on a protest in several US cities earlier this month demanding job security, livable incomes and a cap on the amount ride-hailing companies can collect from fares. Many investors are concerned about rising costs associated with booking fees shared with drivers, said Daniel Morgan, a senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust. Morgan said this expense will only rise as the company increases sales and demand for drivers grow. Investors have struggled to figure out how much Uber and Lyft are worth, given both companies have not estimated a timeline for turning a profit. Lyft posted a $1.1 billion quarterly loss last week and forecast losses would peak this year as it controlled expenses and got more revenue from each customer. Uber has warned in a regulatory filing that it may never be profitable. Investors are questioning whether achieving profitability will require these businesses to either raise prices for consumers or reduce service levels, White said. Wedbush analyst Ygal Arounian said investors need to be patient as Uber reaches full monetiz\sation potential with its ride-sharing platform and a broader growth engine with Uber Eats, Uber Freight and autonomous driving initiatives. "While it will take time for the stock to settle and Uber must execute flawlessly over the coming 12 to 18 months, we believe a $100 billion+ market cap is warranted," said Arounian, who has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Yellow police tape was strung along the opening of a black fence in front of an apartment on the corner of Homan Avenue and Douglas. Inside the building, red tape hung from the door to a first-floor unit. An officer stood behind the fence, guarding the scene as his colleagues walked up and down the stone porch. tech2 News Staff An underwater exploration team has dived to the deepest trench in the world, the Challenger Deep in Pacific Ocean Mariana Trench and found marine life a-plenty, but also... trash. Victor Vescovo, a pro diver and member of the Deep Five Explorations team, has become the first man to completed a version of the "Four Corners of the Earth": trek the Mt Everest, dive the Challenger Deep, and ski on both the geographic poles. In an unexpected title that even Vescovo wasn't expecting, he is now also the first man to discover a plastic bag and sweet wrappers at the bottom of the world's deepest trench, according to BBC. Congratulations to Victor Vescovo and the @FiveDeeps team on completing its mission to reach the deepest point on the planet: the #MarianaTrenchs #ChallengerDeep. The team set a new deep-diving record of 35,853 ft, 52 ft deeper than any previous manned dive. #DeepPlanet pic.twitter.com/AiNO0mDWlW Science Channel (@ScienceChannel) May 13, 2019 Vescovo said he wasn't surprised by the discovery, though, disappointed to see "human contamination" in the deep ocean. While he saw particles of an object, he can't be certain if it was made of plastic or metal. They did have sharp edges, he said in an interview with Discovery, and one of the particles has a letter printed on it, making the assumption that the object was man-made a fair one. The dive series has helped the Five Deeps research team identify three new species of marine animals, including a type of long-appendaged Amphipod. Vescovo told Discovery that finding new species with each dive isn't all that surprising either. The dives are intentionally planned in parts of the ocean that haven't been thoroughly explored. It's only fair to assume that undiscovered species and evolution taking its course will unearth new deep-sea life forms in dives like Five Deeps'. The expedition reached a maximum depth of 10,928 meters into the Trench. The only two other people to reach these depths was in 2012 by filmmaker James Cameron in his submersible, the Deepsea Challenger, and Lieutenant Don Walsh and Swiss scientist Jacques Piccard of the US Navy in the Trieste a deep submarine in 1960. The Deep Five exploratory dives to the five oceans of the world are being filmed by Atlantic Productions for a documentary series with Discovery Channel. tech2 News Staff Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the moon. It was in this spacecraft that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin journeyed to became the first humans to walk on our only natural satellite. 20 July 2019 will mark fifty years since the Apollo 11 landing and the first steps on the Moon by Armstrong. Marking this momentous occasion, NASA wants to do something special. 530 million people watched the landing on television, according to NASA. And while many of them may have passed away, there's still hope that a significant number of those people are still alive. NASA wants you spectators of that epic first for mankind to share your experience of watching the landing live. The inputs will go into an audio series by NASA titled, "NASA Explorers: Apollo." The series will be a compilation of audio recollections of anyone that remembers the event. While this event has been broadly covered, NASA wants a more personal connection to the event. People who were children then or who remember their parents reactions the sky really is the limit for what those clips could convey. A list of instructions and a few suggested await anyone interesting in sharing memories of the mission. For one, the clip needs to be two minutes long. However, longer stories will be featured on NASA's website and social media pages. While NASA wants their oral history project to be a recollection of the landing, they also want information on life as it was at that time to be chronicled. The Apollo 11 mission was once a dream, a national goal set by former President John F Kennedy. He wanted a crew landing on the moon and to return to earth. Neil Armstrongs iconic words, "One small step for man, one giant step for mankind" associated with the moon landing has gone down in the archives of history. If you'd like to add to those annals, NASA is welcoming audio entries to apollostories@mail.nasa.gov till their 31 December 2019 deadline. To have a better chance of being featured, send in your entries by 14 June 2019. These submissions are not restricted to just the United States. Reuters The Trump administration asked Congress on Monday to increase NASA spending next year by an extra $1.6 billion as a "down payment" to accommodate the accelerated goal of returning Americans to the surface of the moon by 2024. The increased funding request, announced by President Donald Trump on Twitter, comes nearly two months after Vice President Mike Pence declared the objective of shortening by four years NASAs previous timeline for putting astronauts back on the moon for the first time since 1972. The proposed increase would bring NASA's total spending level for the 2020 fiscal year to $22.6 billion. The bulk of the increase is earmarked for research and development for a human lunar landing system, according to a summary provided by NASA. "Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars," Trump tweeted on Monday. "I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!" Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars. I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019 NASA previously aimed to return crewed spacecraft to the lunar surface by the year 2028, after first putting a "Gateway" station into orbit around the moon by 2024. To The Moon ASAP The newly accelerated goal an endeavour likely to cost tens of billions of dollars comes as NASA has struggled with the help of private partners to resume human space missions from U.S. soil for the first time since the shuttle program ended in 2011. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine called the revised funding request a "down payment of confidence" from the White House. "Our goal here is to build a program that gets us to the moon as soon as possible," Bridenstine told reporters on a telephone conference call late on Monday. "In the coming years, we will need additional funds," he said. "But this is a good amount that gets us out of the gate in a very strong fashion." Phil Larson, a former space policy adviser under Trumps Democratic predecessor, President Barack Obama, questioned whether Congress had fully embraced Trumps ambition to speed up human lunar exploration. "Im worried that without proper congressional buy-in, this budget amendment is at best, a massive waste of time, and at worst, pushing risky political timelines that could set NASA back for years," Larson told Reuters. "The next leap in space will be fueled by commercial companies changing the way we do business in space while creating new technologies and innovations," he said. Space Launch System Bridenstine said $651 million of the extra funding would go toward NASA's Space Launch System the super-heavy rocket whose decade-long development led by Boeing Co has been hampered by delays and cost overruns as well as design and construction of the Orion crew capsule. The US Apollo program, NASAs forerunner to the effort at returning humans to Earths natural satellite, tallied six manned missions to the moon from 1969 to 1972. So far, only two other nations have conducted controlled "soft" landings on the moon the former Soviet Union and China. But those were with unmanned robot vehicles. Bridenstine said he was optimistic that Trumps request would draw bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. The amendment envisions a simplified blueprint for the Lunar Gateway, the planned space outpost in lunar orbit that will serve as a stepping stone for sending crewed spacecraft to the moons surface. NASA officials said they would turn to private companies such as Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing and Jeff Bezos Blue Origin for proposals on the design of Gateway and the human landing system. Bezos, the richest person in the world and founder of Amazon.com Inc, last Thursday unveiled his space companys mock-up of a lunar lander being built by Blue Origin, the latest company after Lockheed Martin and Boeing to do so. Senator Richard Burr outlined the events at a GOP caucus luncheon after weathering fierce criticism for the subpoena of Trump Jr Washington: The Senate intelligence committee subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr after he backed out of two scheduled interviews as part of the panel's Russia investigation, the chairman of the committee told his Republican colleagues last week as he tried to stem criticism from the move. Senator Richard Burr, Republican from North Carolina, outlined the events at a GOP caucus luncheon on Thursday after weathering fierce criticism for the subpoena of President Donald Trump's eldest son, according to three people familiar with the remarks. They requested anonymity to discuss the private senators' meeting. Burr told colleagues that Trump Jr had twice voluntarily agreed to interviews and later backed out. The committee had been in negotiations with Trump Jr. since December and had scheduled the interviews for March and April, according to one of the people familiar with his remarks. Senators on the committee want to go over answers Trump Jr gave the panel's staff in a 2017 interview and ask further questions. It's the first known subpoena of a member of the president's immediate family, and news of the move prompted strong words from Burr's Republican colleagues, including some who went as far as to say they thought Trump Jr shouldn't comply. Senator Thom Tillis, Republican from North Carolina, tweeted, "It's time to move on & start focusing on issues that matter to Americans." Sen John Cornyn of Texas, a GOP member of the panel, said he understood Trump Jr's frustration. Cornyn's Texas colleague, Republican Sen Ted Cruz, said there was "no need" for the subpoena. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, Republican South Carolina, said on "Fox News Sunday" that if he were Trump Jr's lawyer, "I would tell him, 'You don't need to go back into this environment anymore.'" That Trump Jr backed out of the interviews was first reported by CNN. The subpoena highlights a delicate bind facing Burr, a third-term senator who is not expected to run for re-election 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. Burr's committee had renewed interest in talking to Trump Jr after Trump's former lawyer, Michael 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 the president's first son about other topics, including a campaign meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday, describing him as "like me, a little controversial," and brushing off concerns about threats to democratic norms in Hungary during Orban's tenure. Welcoming the right-wing Hungarian leader for a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump lauded him for being tough on immigration, a policy area in which the two leaders have similar visions. "He's a respected man. And I know he's a tough man, but he's a respected man," Trump said, when asked whether he had concerns about a weakening of democracy in Hungary. "He's done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration. And you look at some of the problems that they have in Europe that are tremendous because they've done it a different way than the prime minister," said Trump, who is often accused by critics of being too close to authoritarian leaders. Orban, a nationalist, has often had conflicts 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 has also pushed what critics consider an anti-immigrant policy agenda, calling for a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico and banning travellers from several Muslim-majority countries at the beginning of his time in office. Orban noted that his government had been elected several times. "From the people, by the people, for the people. This is the basis for the Hungarian government," he said, adding, when pressed about the issue: "We have a new constitution accepted in 2011 and it's functioning well." He said Hungary was proud to stand with the United States on "fighting against illegal migration" and other issues. Senior Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress told Trump in a letter on Friday they were concerned about Hungary's "downward democratic trajectory" and its close relationship with Russia. Hungary is a NATO ally. Trump is often accused of cozying up to autocratic leaders. He has sought a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite Russian meddling in the 2016 election and has praised his own relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with whom he has held summits in Singapore and Vietnam. Trump projected an air of kinship with Orban. "Highly respected. Respected all over Europe," Trump said. "Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that's okay. That's okay. You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe." (Additional reporting by Timothy Ahmann and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. It makes sense for the United States to get along with Russia, US President Donald Trump said Monday on the eve of the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Washington: It makes sense for the United States to get along with Russia, US President Donald Trump said Monday on the eve of the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump, who recently had a lengthy conversation with Putin over the phone, is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart in Japan next month on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. The summit will be attended by leaders of the top 20 economies, including India. "I'll be meeting with President Putin also," Trump told reporters at his Oval Office of the White House. "I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia," he said. Responding to a question, Trump asserted that none of his predecessors had sanctioned Russia like he had. "Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it's very unfair having to do with the United States and NATO," he said. "There has been nobody that's ever done and if you really look at something big, our energy business we're now the biggest in the world. We're bigger than Russia. We're bigger than Saudi Arabia. We're bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I've become president because I've made it so that you can do that. And we're taking in a lot of money," he said. America, Trump said, was doing really well. "We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue. We have tremendous signs," he said. Pompeo is scheduled to meet Putin and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi on Tuesday. The State Department on Monday said Pompeo would not travel to Moscow and would fly directly to Sochi, where he would discuss a full range of global issues, including Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, Syria and North Korea, along with the challenges in the bilateral relationship. "President Trump has asked me to go to Russia to talk about a broad range of issues. We have lots of places where I hope we can find overlapping interests with Russia. It may be the case that we can't, and where we can't, we'll go our own ways. But it's important," Pompeo told CNBC in an interview. "I remember as CIA Director, I worked closely with the Russians on counter-terror. I am convinced that those efforts were important to them. They saved American lives and Russian lives," he said. The alleged Russian interference in US elections would also be a topic of discussion, Pompeo added. Ahead of the meeting, top Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who is a Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter, urged Pompeo to increase pressure on Moscow for its continued brazen aggression against the US and other democracies around the world. "For the sake of our national security, I implore the administration not to return to 'business as usual' with Russia in the wake of the Mueller Report," wrote Menendez. "This is not a time for reset with the Russian Federation. The US must be firm and abide by its national security commitments to the American people and our allies," he said. Menendez specifically called on Pompeo to use the meeting to announce the imposition of Magnistky and Chemical and Biological Weapons sanctions in response to last year's chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom, and to reinforce US security assistance for Ukrainian forces. He also urged Pompeo to warn Putin of the consequences of interfering in the upcoming European Parliamentary elections as well as the 2020 US presidential elections. "If Secretary Pompeo is going to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he cannot give him a pass. He must confront Russia's nefarious, systematic attack on the American election system. There should be no leniency on this issue not when the fundamental principle of American democracy is at stake," said Senator Martin Heinrich. Meanwhile, a US District Judge on Tuesday ruled that Florida-based company, RM Broadcasting LLC, was acting as an agent of a foreign principal and must register as such under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). In November 2017, RM Broadcasting and Rossiya Segodnya entered into a services agreement, pursuant to which RM Broadcasting would provide for the broadcast of Rossiya Segodnya's "Sputnik" radio programmes on AM radio channel 1390 WZHF in the Washington, DC region. Under this agreement, RM Broadcasting could not alter Rossiya Segodnya's radio programmes in any way. As the services agreement established Rossiya Segodnya's direction and control over RM Broadcasting, the FARA Unit of the National Security Division informed RM Broadcasting that it was acting as a publicity agent and an information-service employee of Rossiya Segodnya and was required to register as an agent of a foreign principal, the Department of Justice said. Sri Lanka has banned three Islamist extremist groups, including the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that carried out the country's worst terror attack on Easter Sunday in which over 250 people were killed Colombo: Sri Lankan government has banned three Islamist extremist groups, including the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) that carried out the country's worst terror attack on Easter Sunday in which over 250 people were killed. President Maithripala Sirisena issued an extraordinary gazette banning a number of extremist organisations on Monday. He also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. According to the Gazette, the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the Jamaathe Millaathe Ibrahim (JMI), and the Willayath As Seylani (WAS) organisations have been banned. On 21 April, nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels, killing 258 people, including 44 foreigners 10 of them Indians, and injuring over 500 others. The Islamic State terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ). Over 1,000 have been arrested since the attacks. Sri Lanka's police say they have either killed or arrested all those responsible for the bombings. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. On Monday, the Sri Lankan government enforced a countrywide curfew and blocked social media platforms to stop people inciting violence as communal violence spread to new areas in the island nation in the worst unrest since Easter Sunday bombings. Police also fired tear gas at mobs attacking mosques and shops owned by Muslims in various parts of the country. Meanwhile, Sirisena has also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. "The navigation of any unmanned aircraft or drone in or over the territory of Sri Lanka by any person other than a member of Triforces or police is prohibited until further notice," another Gazette notification said. Earlier, Sri Lankan Civil Aviation Authority banned the use of drone and unmanned aircraft following the devastating terror attack on Easter Sunday. Turning up the pressure on Tehran after the United States deployed B-52 bombers, President Donald Trump warned that Iran would 'suffer greatly' was it to 'do anything' to threaten US interests Fujairah: Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in mysterious "sabotage attacks" that have inflamed Gulf tensions amid a standoff between the United States and Iran. In the face of growing international concern, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow and headed to Brussels instead for talks Monday with European officials, as Britain warned of the danger of conflict erupting "by accident" in the Gulf. Turning up the pressure on Tehran after the United States deployed B-52 bombers and an assault ship to bolster an aircraft carrier in the region, President Donald Trump warned that Iran would "suffer greatly" was it to "do anything" to threaten US interests. "If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake," Trump warned at the White House. "If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan proposed a revamped military plan at a meeting with senior national security aides that would send up to 120,000 US troops to the Middle East if Iran was to attack American forces or speed up nuclear weapons development, The New York Times reported. Other options have been floated, and this one includes the highest number of troops. Tehran meanwhile called for an investigation into Sunday's "alarming" attacks off the Emirati coast and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. A UAE government official said the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad were attacked off the emirate of Fujairah along with the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory and an Emirati ship, the A Michel. Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic's regional arch-rival, condemned "acts of sabotage" and a "criminal act", a foreign ministry official said. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE gave details on the nature of the attacks or accused anyone of responsibility. No link has officially been drawn between the incidents and US accusations that Tehran was planning "imminent" attacks against US interests in the region. Asked whether the United States believed Iran played a role, Brian Hook, the US special envoy for Iran, declined to comment, saying only that US authorities would be assisting the investigation at the request of the UAE which has called the incidents "deliberate sabotage." Describing Pompeo's talks with his European counterparts, Hook said they had discussed "what seemed to be attacks on commercial vessels." Underscoring the international concern, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he used his one-on-one with Pompeo to stress that "we are concerned about the development and the tensions in the region, that we do not want there to be a military escalation". British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt called for "a period of calm". "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident with an escalation that is unintended on either side but ends with some kind of conflict," he said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. And in New York, the United Nations called on all sides to "exercise restraint for the sake of regional peace." Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom's two tankers suffered "significant damage" but there were no casualties or any oil spill. The Andrea Victory's managers, Thome Group, said the tanker had a hole in the hull area "after being struck by an unknown object on the waterline". The crew was unharmed and the ship was in no danger of sinking, it said. Fujairah port is the only Emirati terminal located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. "If, and it's an 'IF', there really has been a deliberate attempt to damage these oil tankers, then it's possibly a warning from Iran about the consequences of anybody taking military action against Iranian targets anywhere in the region," said Middle East analyst Neil Partrick. Oil prices rose on world markets on Monday but stocks fell. The spike in tensions came after Tehran said Wednesday it had stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal that has since been abandoned by Washington. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi called the incidents "alarming and regrettable". He "warned against plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security" and "called for the vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements", a statement said. Almost all the oil exports of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran itself, at least 15 million barrels per day, are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Karen Young, a resident scholar at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute think tank, said the incidents were "clearly... more than a one-off attack, but something more coordinated." "Tensions are high and have been escalated by the US as well. We have to be wary of tit for tat provocations, and those that may be misinterpreted or even false flag actions," she told AFP. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council - which includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE - condemned the incident while Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit denounced "criminal acts". Shiite-majority Iran rivals Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia for influence in the Middle East, with the two taking opposing sides in multiple regional conflicts including in Yemen. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would 'suffer greatly' if it targeted U.S. interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and more jet fighters at a time of rising tensions with Tehran WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would "suffer greatly" if it targeted U.S. interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and more jet fighters at a time of rising tensions with Tehran. "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake," Trump told reporters at the White House. "If they do anything they will suffer greatly." Trump's comments came after the United Arab Emirates reported four commercial vessels had been sabotaged on Sunday near Fujairah emirate just outside the Strait of Hormuz. Iran sought to distance itself from the incident. Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 pact between Iran and global powers aimed at reining in Tehran's nuclear plans. Since then, the United States has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran, saying it wanted to reduce its oil exports to zero. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancelled a trip to Moscow on Monday and instead stopped in Brussels to share information on "escalating" threats from Iran with European allies and NATO officials, the U.S. special representative for Iran said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by David Alexander; Editing by Richard Chang) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. A United Nations fact-finding mission urged that countries cut off all business with Myanmar's military as part of efforts to hold the army accountable for human rights' abuses Bangkok: A United Nations' fact-finding mission urged on Tuesday that countries cut off all business with Myanmar's military as part of efforts to hold the army accountable for human rights' abuses. The independent investigators, working under a mandate from the UN Human Rights Council, said in a statement that there has been no progress toward resolving the crisis over Myanmar's mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, more than 1 million of whom have fled military "clearance operations" in the northwest Rakhine region. "The situation is at a total standstill," said Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. Myanmar authorities have razed deserted Rohingya villages and members of the minority remaining in the country live in displacement camps and in fear of further military reprisals. "Due to the gravity of the past and continuing violations, attention must be given to the political, economic and financial ties of the Myanmar military to identify who and what should be targeted so we can cut off the money supply as a means of increasing the pressure and reducing the violence," Christopher Sidoti, a member of the mission, said in the statement. The mission found that the military has committed atrocities against many ethnic groups living within Myanmar. It also faulted armed ethnic groups for committing human rights abuses. Myanmar denies allegations of human rights violations in Rakhine, saying its security forces have not targeted civilians and have taken action only in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. UN officials and others have likened the actions to ethnic cleansing, or even genocide. The Fact-Finding Mission is to hand its findings to a new group of the Human Right Council, the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar, in September. That organisation was set up to handle criminal prosecution of violations of international law. The crisis in Rakhine has soured Myanmar's relations with the United States, which had rolled back economic sanctions over the past decade to support political change in the country as it transitioned toward democracy. The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Myanmar security forces and Washington has barred Myanmar military officials involved in the Rakhine operations from US assistance. Britain has also cut some support. The UN and independent rights advocates want governments to do more to hold the military accountable. No major Western powers make sales or provide aid directly to Myanmar's military. But the military has holding companies in several major civilian economic sectors, and in some cases, Western countries allow business to be done with companies in which the army holds a stake, contributing to its revenues. Any effort to stop the flow of money to the country's military is likely to fall short because of Myanmar's close relationship with China, which maintains no sanctions and as its top trade partner accounts for about one-third of all imports and exports, in addition to being a leading investor. China is also by far the top supplier of arms to Myanmar, according to statistics published by the Swedish International Peace Research Institute. Russia and Belarus, also without sanctions against Myanmar, were the second and third biggest suppliers of arms from 2014 to 2018, according to the institute. Bennett said the task force set up by police represents a good step. But he suggested there should also be a task force that includes community members to address the concerns of families over the decades that no one cared. He also wants other issues taken on, such as the backlog of evidence that awaits testing at the Illinois state crime laboratories. By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and source for online publisher WikiLeaks, could be jailed again if she refuses to comply with a new grand jury subpoena, said a U.S. law enforcement source, as well as Manning herself. By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and source for online publisher WikiLeaks, could be jailed again if she refuses to comply with a new grand jury subpoena, said a U.S. law enforcement source, as well as Manning herself. After 62 days in prison, Manning was released last Thursday. She had been locked up for refusing to comply with a grand jury subpoena for testimony in an investigation into WikiLeaks by U.S. prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia. Federal prosecutors are believed to be focused on WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange, who is serving 50 weeks in a London prison for jumping bail when he took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012. The first grand jury expired and Manning was immediately summoned to appear before a new grand jury on May 16. A law enforcement source said on Monday that if Manning refuses to testify, prosecutors will likely request that she be jailed again for contempt. On Friday, Manning appeared in a YouTube video declaring that she will continue to refuse to cooperate. "When I arrive at the court house this coming Thursday, what happened last time will occur again. I will not cooperate with this or any other grand jury," Manning said. A lawyer for Manning did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Manning was convicted by court martial in 2013 of espionage for furnishing more than 700,000 documents and other materials to WikiLeaks while she was an intelligence analyst in Iraq. Former President Barack Obama, in his final days in office, commuted the final 28 years of Mannings 35-year sentence. Assange, after nearly seven years taking refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy, on April 11 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. On Monday, the Assange case was complicated by Sweden reopening an investigation into a rape allegation against him and Sweden will seek to extradite him from Britain. 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 Mark Hosenball; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The judge agreed the teen should be held based on the filings as well as the safety of the community and minor, Simonton said. The teen, who is not being named because of his age, is expected to return to court later this month for a status hearing. Along with the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus also introduced the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G at its event, after the company showcased a 5G prototype smartphone at the MWC in February. As the company had already announced last year, it will be available exclusively with EE in the UK and Elisa in Finland. The company has not announced any other partnerships and did not reveal the price or the availability of the phone in these markets. It has similar specifications as the OnePlus 7, including the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform, but this also includes the Snapdragon X50 5G modem and Qualcomm RF Front-End solutions for the 5G experience. EE said that OnePlus 7 Pro 5G customers will be able to access EEs 5G network from launch in the UKs four capital cities London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast plus Birmingham and Manchester. EE will then be rolling it out through 2019 across the busiest parts of ten more UK cities: Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry and Bristol where it can make the biggest difference to people who live, work or travel through the busiest areas. As part of the exclusive EE and OnePlus partnership, 100 of the first EE OnePlus 6T customers will be upgraded to a new OnePlus 7 Pro 5G and 5G plan free of charge, before launch. The European Vegetarian Union (EVU) is calling on the European Commission to harmonize vegetarian and vegan food labeling rules. The renewed urgency comes as it has been... Read More BioTime (AMEX: BTX) Q1 2019 Earnings Call , 4:30 p.m. ET Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks: Operator Welcome to the BioTime, Inc. first-quarter 2019 earnings conference call. [Operator instructions] An audio webcast of this call is available on investor section of BioTime's website at www.biotimeinc.com. This call is subject to copyright property of BioTime, Inc. and recordings, reproduction or transmission of this call without the expressed written consent of BioTime is strictly prohibited. As a reminder, today's call is being recorded.I would now like to introduce your host for today , Ms. Ioana Hone, director of investor relations at BioTime. Ms. Hone, you may begin. Ioana Hone -- Director of Investor Relations Thank you, Nova. Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us. A press release reporting our first-quarter 2019 financial results was issued earlier today, May 9, 2019, and can be found on the investors section of our website. Please note that today's conference call and webcast will contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding our strategy, goals, product candidates and clinical trials, expected synergies and benefits of the Asterias acquisition and financing matters. Such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including those described in our press release issued on May 9, 2019 and our SEC filings on Form 8-K, Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Actual results or performance may differ materially from the expectations indicated by our forward-looking statements due to those risks and uncertainties. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any of the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today. Joining us today are our chief executive officer, Brian Culley; our chief financial officer, Brandi Roberts; our chief medical officer, Ed Wirth; and our senior vice president of clinical and medical affairs, Gary Hogge. The executives will provide prepared remarks, then take questions from analysts and institutional holders.With that, I'd like to turn the call over to Brian Culley, our CEO. Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Thank you, Ioana. Good afternoon, everyone and thank you for joining today's call. We have continued to pave the way toward our objective of becoming the leading cell therapy company. With the successful close of the Asterias acquisition, we now have three clinical stage cell therapy assets in our pipeline, which means 2019 will be an important year in terms of completing our open trials and planning for our next ones. I'll now highlight some recent developments with OpRegen, OPC1 and Renevia before asking Brandi to review our updated financials. Beginning with OpRegen, last week one of our study investigators presented updated results from our ongoing open label Phase I/IIa clinical study of OpRegen for the treatment of dry-AMD with geographic atrophy. This work was presented at the 2019 Association for research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting, also known as ARVO. And we're pleased to report that treatment with OpRegen continues to be well tolerated, and in some patients signs of structural improvement in the treated areas of the retina have been observed. Importantly, the initial data from the better vision Cohort 4 patients, those who have less advanced dry-AMD and smaller areas of GA, remain encouraging with indications of the continued presence of the transplanted OpRegen cells and some improvements in visual acuity. The updated and detailed data from this ongoing study is available at the events and presentation section of our website. There, you can see evidence of rapid healing of the injection site, details on the systemic and ocular safety of OpRegen and walk through a number of case studies, which collectively give us confidence that we're on the right track as we continue to enroll better vision patients for Cohort 4. Our next step with OpRegen is to deploy an improved delivery system in at least the next six patients. We believe more precise delivery of cells to the back of the eye will lead to a reproducible safer and ultimately, an overall superior procedure with an increased likelihood of positive clinical outcomes. And as you'll recall, in January, we entered into an exclusive agreement with Orbit Biomedical to use their sub-retinal delivery system for more precise administration of OpRegen cells to the eye. I'd like to highlight that Orbit is a specialty medical device company founded through the acquisition of the leading surgical platform for sub-retinal delivery and the transfer of key individuals from the Janssen Biotech unit of Johnson & Johnson to the Orbit team. The Orbit sub-retinal delivery system received FDA 5 10-K clearance in November of 2018, and we announced that we had entered into an agreement with them in January of 2019. Orbit's focus is to transform the accuracy, safety and consistency of delivering therapeutics to the sub-retinal space of patients suffering from sight threatening diseases, and we believe there is no comparable device available to deliver cells in the precise and careful way which Orbit provides. We have already submitted a protocol amendment to the FDA to add the Orbit device to our protocol. And pending the 30-day waiting period, we expect to begin dosing subjects with the Orbit device this quarter. We also plan to introduce our new thaw-and-inject formulation, which should be much easier to use and eliminate the need for extensive dose preparation. Consequently, we expect to be in a position to provide important updated data on the OpRegen Orbit treated patients and our new formulation no later than at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting in October. Moving to our second program, OPC1, which I'll just remind everyone, is the delivery of oligodendrocyte for progenitor cells to treat spinal cord injury. Just a few days ago, we announced the issuance of the patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a method of reducing spinal cord injury-induced parenchymal cavitation. Cavitation is a destructive process that occurs within the spinal cord following injuries and typically leads to permanent loss of motor and sensory function. A key finding from our Phase I/IIa study of OPC1 was that 95% of subjects showed evidence by MRI scans that OPC1 cells engrafted at the injury site and helped to prevent cavitation. We think preventing cavitation is one of the key mechanisms by which OPC1 can help improve outcomes in SCI patients. And notably, the recently issued patent would have a term that expires no earlier than 2036 and further solidifies our competitive advantage in this space. Also pertaining to our OPC1 program, last month our chief medical officer, Dr. Edward, presented additional findings from our SCI clinical trial at the 26th Annual Conference of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair. The primary goals of the study were met and they included: observing the safety of OPC1 in cervical SCI patients, metrics related to the optimal timing of the OPC1 injection, the tolerability of the immunosuppression regimen, the engraftment of OPC1 cells and rates of motor recovery among different study subpopulations. These data provide us with the information needed to design the next clinical study. For example, we observed that among the 25 subjects treated in the study, the two worst performing subjects both also had postoperative cord compression. We do not think that this is a coincidental finding and it highlights the kind of situation that we will seek to mitigate in the next trial through careful protocol design and patient selection criteria.If you like to review these encouraging results for yourself, we've provided some patient-level data on our website in the events and presentation section just as we did for the interim data from the OpRegen study. Although, we do still have a number of additional analysis to do on the OPC1 trial, and we must meet with the FDA to propose our next steps. We do expect our next study to be randomized and to be designed to provide evidence that our OPC1 cells provide a clinically meaningful benefit to SCI patients. Lastly, we appreciate the generous support of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine or CIRM, whose grant funding has helped not only to advance the clinical development of our OPC1 program but also to generate these encouraging clinical results, and from whom we intend to request additional support for the OPC1 program later this year. Turning next to Renevia, our medical aesthetics program for HIV lipoatrophy. We submitted our CE Mark application for Renevia last year and its review is still ongoing. We previously estimated that we would receive a response during the second half of this year. But based on recent information from our regulatory contacts in Europe, we believe we now are in the final stages of the review process, and we currently estimate that we will receive a response this quarter. Although, a successful CE Mark registration reflects well upon this organization's ability to obtain marketing authorizations, I've explained previously that Renevia itself does not fit strategically into our new focus on cell therapy treatments. So if and when our application is approved, we intend to seek an external partner for the commercialization of Renevia in Europe. So to sum up, we remain focused on setting up BioTime for long-term success. Key actions we've taken toward this goal includes spinning off our early stage assets into AgeX, gaining two new clinical programs via the Asterias acquisition and hiring a brand-new management team including a CEO, CFO and new general counsel, who starts later this month. Importantly, we are now solely focused on making clinical progress with our three cell therapy programs. We also intend to establish a new brand in corporate image, which will highlight our commitment to cell therapy, so you can expect to hear about those updates in the coming months. Overall, we're pleased to report on another successful quarter featuring clinical data updates, accelerated guidance and additional steps, which we believe will position the company for durable success. I now will hand things over to Brandi to review our financials and discuss some additional plans for this year. Brandi Roberts -- Chief Financial Officer Thank you, Brian. Let me start the financial discussion with some balance sheet highlights. At March 31, 2019, BioTime's cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $27.1 million. Our investment in OncoCyte was valued at $58 million as of March 31, 2019. Our investment in OncoCyte grew by more than $35 million in the first quarter due to significant stock appreciation based on positive data OncoCyte announced in January 2019. OncoCyte continues to do well and accordingly, our investment in OncoCyte was worth approximately $66 million as of yesterday. Our promissory note due to us from Juvenescence had an outstanding balance principle plus accrued interest of $22.5 million as of March 31, 2019. If Juvenescence completes an IPO with proceeds of at least $50 million prior to our note maturity, then the note will convert into Juvenescence stock. The conversion is subject to an upward adjustment if the 20 day VWAP of AgeX stock is above $3. Based on yesterday's closing price, the 20-day VWAP of AgeX is $4.57. If the conversion were to take place now, the number of shares to be issued would be adjusted upward by roughly 52% and the shares at the time of issuance would be worth more than $32 million based on yesterday's closing price. If the promissory note is converted, our Juvenescence stock will be a marketable security that we may use to supplement our liquidity needs. If the promissory note is not converted, it is payable in cash plus accrued interest at 7% per year, which will be about $24.6 million at maturity in August of 2020. We believe that Juvenescence is a creditworthy debtor, and we'll be able to service this payment. We also added new intangible assets to our balance sheet in the first quarter of 2019 due to the Asterias merger. The fair values of OPC1 and VAC2 were recorded as $31.7 million and $14.8 million respectively. As I get ready to highlight the statement of operations, I'd like to remind everyone that beginning on August 30, 2018, BioTime's ceased recognizing revenues and expenses related to AgeX and its subsidiaries due to the AgeX deconsolidation on that date. Total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019, were $900,000, an increase of $200,000 compared to $700,000 for the same period in 2018. The increase was primarily related to a $400,000 increase in grant revenues, offset by a $200,000 reduction in subscription and advertisement revenues attributable to the AgeX deconsolidation in 2018. Total operating expenses, which comprised of research and development expenses and G&A expenses for the three-month ended March 31, 2019, were $13.6 million as reported and $7.9 million as adjusted. In addition to stock-based compensation and depreciation in the amortization expense, there were also $3.5 million of Asterias merger transaction related costs that were excluded from total operating expenses as adjusted. The full reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP operating expenses by entity is provided in the financial tables included with our earnings release. Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019, were $5 million, a decrease of $900,000 compared to $5.9 million for the same period in 2018. The decrease was primarily related to a $1.6 million decrease from the AgeX deconsolidation and the absence of AgeX research and development expenses incurred after August 30, 2018, offset by a net increase of $600,000 in BioTime programs, primarily related to an increase of $800,000 in OpRegen related expenses, an increase of $600,000 in OPC1 and VAC2 expenses, and a reduction of $800,000 in Renevia and Hystem expenses. General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019, were $8.7 million, an increase of $2.7 million compared to $6 million for the same period in 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to increases of $3.5 million in severance, legal and related costs related to the Asterias merger and $500,000 in noncash stock-based compensation expense due to additional equity award grants. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $1.3 million from the AgeX deconsolidation and the absence of AgeX general and administrative expenses incurred after August 30, 2018. Other income were expense nets for the three months ended March 31, 2019, reflected other income net of $47.7 million compared to other expense net of $51.5 million for the same period in 2018. The increase was primarily related to changes in the value of equity investments in OncoCyte and Asterias for the applicable periods. The net income attributable to BioTime for the three months ended March 31, 2019, was $39.3 million or $0.30 per share, basic and diluted, compared to a net loss attributable to BioTime of $63.5 million or $0.50 per share, basic and diluted, for the same period in 2018. As we mentioned on our last earnings call in March, due to our extensive redundancy across our existing GMP facility in Jerusalem, and our recently acquired GMP facility in Fremont, we plan on realizing significant synergies from the Asterias merger. We are still in the process of transitioning manufacturing activities from Fremont to Jerusalem but the integration is going well and according to our timeline. By June 30, we expect to complete our transfer of activities and a reduction of force of more than 85% of the Asterias employees as their roles and tasks are transferred to others at BioTime in the U.S. and Israel. In terms of guidance, we anticipate that our cash burn for 2019 will be in the range of $32 million to $34 million. We believe that our 2019 net expense budget will be in the range of $36 million to $38 million, excluding noncash items. The difference of $4 million between our cash burn and the net expense budget is related to $2 million of net cash that was obtained from Asterias in the merger,as well as another $2 million collected from OncoCyte for prior-year shared services in February 2019. Our projected 2019 net expenses of $36 million to $38 million, despite absorbing one-time charges of more than $8 million related to the Asterias acquisition and the license of the Orbit device, are significantly less than the 2018 expenses of approximately $45 million for the combined companies. This extensive savings is attributable to the sale and distribution of our preclinical assets pertaining to AgeX, the consolidation of manufacturing efforts in Jerusalem and the new management team's commitment to substantial oversight of costs. In coordination with completing our integration of Asterias into BioTime, we are also evaluating the best course of action for bringing in additional capital to the company. We are committed to making BioTime a premier cell therapy company and to improving our chances of success by ensuring it is well-funded. We currently have multiple funding options available to us. We can seek to leverage our investments in OncoCyte or AgeX. We can seek to leverage the promissory note due to us from Juvenescence. As of March 31, 2019, the value of our cash, marketable securities, equity positions in our affiliate companies and the balance of the promissory note due to us in August of 2020 was worth more than $100 million. We understand that we need additional capital to progress our clinical stage programs, and we will seek to make the best move or combination of moves at the opportune time. With the changes made in the last eight months, we believe that we have stabilized the company's cost structure and are poised to capitalize on the three clinical stage assets that we are currently developing. We will also continue to evaluate funding and strategic alliance opportunities through our existing and future potential partners. With that, I will turn the call back over to Brian. Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer All right, thanks Brandi. As you've seen, we have been rapidly transforming BioTime into a leading cell therapy company through strategic transactions on the Corporate Development, clinical and operational fronts, and we have no plans to slow our pace of progress. We will remain focused on advancing our clinical stage programs in a thoughtful and cost effective manner throughout 2019, and we'll update our investors on our timelines, achievements and regulatory plans. Some milestones to look forward to this year include the initiation of dosing with the Orbit device and a new thaw and inject formulation in our ongoing clinical study of OpRegen, which is expected this quarter. A decision on BioTime's CE Mark application for Renevia, which is now expected also this quarter. Continuing the clinical advancement of the OPC1 program; including manufacturing improvements and our plans to meet with the FDA to discuss next steps in the clinical development of that program. Strengthening partnerships with CIRM and Cancer Research U.K. for the ongoing support of the OPC1 and VAC2 programs. Additional milestones include completion of patient enrollment in our Phase I/IIa clinical study of OpRegen, which is anticipated by the end of this year. Evaluating the development of OPC1 as a candidate for multiple sclerosis and ischemic stroke through some ongoing research collaborations we have with major universities. And lastly, an increased presence and engagement with the patient, physician and advocacy communities. So to conclude, we believe that BioTime is heading in an exciting new direction and our goal is to build awareness and support for a reinvigorated and repositioned company. This management team's priority and focus in 2019 will be to deliver on our stated milestones and continue to increase our visibility in the investment community through continuous communication and engagement. With that, operator, the team here is ready for questions. Questions & Answers: Operator [Operator instructions] Our first question comes from the line of Kevin DeGeeter from Oppenheimer. Kevin DeGeeter -- Oppenheimer and Company Inc. -- Analyst With regard to the gating factors to enroll the next six patients for OpRegen, I mean, appreciate the granularity of calling out the protocol amendment for the Orbit device and thaw and inject, which of those is, sort of, appears to be the gating timeline factor to initiate them? And against that backdrop, can you kind of also provide us an updated thinking in terms of your expectation of whether DSMB would maybe comfortable allowing you to roll patients concurrently? Or will continue to seek full safety follow-up on these patients before enrolling the next patient? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Yes. Kevin, I think it's a good question for Gary Hogge, who runs that program. So if Gary, please. Gary Hogge -- Senior Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs Thanks, Kevin for the question. So the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board has already given approval to proceed with the protocol as it was submitted to the agency. Basically, that would involve a gating on the first two subjects, provided that goes well the DSMB is going to reconsider simultaneous open enrollment at that point provided things go well. And the FDA, we're waiting for the period of comment, no comment to expire. Kevin DeGeeter -- Oppenheimer and Company Inc. -- Analyst Great. And with regard to the amendment pertaining to the device versus thaw and inject, which -- how should we think about the steps or sort of each one of those to permit you to reinitiate dosing? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer So the thaw and inject formulation has already been gone through the CMC amendment back in January timeframe to the FDA, and they had no objections to it at that time. So it's essentially, we've just added that to the Orbit device which again is 510 cleared already. So we don't anticipate, and again it's the same target population as was previously involved with the prior amendments and method of delivery. So it is our expectation that we shouldn't receive any objection. Kevin DeGeeter -- Oppenheimer and Company Inc. -- Analyst And one more question, if I may then I'll get back into queue and that pertains to OPC1. Appreciate the granularity in terms of how to think about a potential upcoming meeting with FDA. But I think you specifically called out endpoints in future studies that may confer or allow clear evaluation of clinical benefit in these patients. Can you expand on kind of your current thinking as to, which endpoint or what sort of general series of endpoints do you think ultimately are the most clinically actionable for these patients in quite limited current treatment options? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Yes. As you know there is no regulatory presence, there's no approved agent. So let that address the-Dr. Wirth, our CMO, will address the current state of affairs with respect to endpoints in spinal cord injury. Edward Wirth -- Chief Medical Officer Yes, thanks, Kevin, this is a great -- good question. So this is an area of very active research and development within the SCI community. Just within the past couple of years, there have been some important new outcome measures that we think will be potentially useful for demonstrating clinically meaningful function improvement with OPC1. So just to call it a couple, for example, one, is a new outcome measure that was published called the Capability of Upper Extremity Test, which allows functional assessment of the entire arm and hand, which would -- that would complement the motor recovery that we've been looking at previously. Another one is a patient reported outcome that's been validated and published called the Spinal Cord Injury functional index, and again as a patient reported outcome by definition, we believe that that's a clinically meaningful improvement, if you see improvement on that as well. So these are a couple of things that would be incorporated into the protocol and the design of the next randomized study. So we're feeling pretty good about where the field is moving in this regard, and we will look at how those relapses occur in next study. Operator Our next question comes from the line of Jason McCarthy from Maxim Group. Jason McCarthy -- Maxim Group -- Analyst I'm going to stick with OPC -- the OPC1 program. First question is, you had mentioned that the two, I guess, worst performing patients in the Phase I/IIa study had postoperative compression. Is that something that you would look to possibly screen out in the next study -- in the next randomized study? Or could these patients potentially benefit from a higher dose of cell? And my next question is related to the OPC1 manufacturing. Now that you've brought everything in-house from Asterias, do you expect it to be a pretty seamless transition to the site -- manufacturing site in Israel? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Ed, why don't you do Part A, I can do part B. Edward Wirth -- Chief Medical Officer OK, thanks Brian, sounds good. Yes, with regard to the cord compression, it's almost certainly due, and again based on the MRI scans, to fluid that's commonly is found outside the spinal cord but under the skin after surgical procedures. This is common in virtually every surgical procedure. And the surgeons tend to manage it very differently and in talking with all of our surgeons, it's -- they almost unanimously agree that something like this could be pretty easily preventable in future trials, simply by requiring that all the surgeons insert a drain tube overnight after surgery to pull off that fluid that tends to accumulate soon afterward. And in some cases that we've seen can potentially compress the spinal cord. So we think that that's a very straightforward and easily addressable issue in the future studies. Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer And then Jason, with respect to manufacturing, in fact, although, I would argue that tech transfer is never a simple process, the benefit, and one of the reasons that we did this acquisition, is that we have a highly skilled CM-cell therapy manufacturing team at our GMP facility in Israel. They have successfully demonstrated things such as moving from 2 dimensional growth on plates of plastic to growing cells reproducibly in multi-liter bioreactors. So those are the kinds of features and improvements and enhancements that we want to do with the OPC1 process as it stood when we got it from Asterias, and we want to get into the hands of our accomplished team, and introduce some of those, what I call pre-commercial attributes and then introduce that -- those improvements into an ongoing clinical trial. Jason McCarthy -- Maxim Group -- Analyst Last question. I know strategic focus is not Renevia, once you get the CE Mark, you mentioned that you would seek a partnership for commercialization in Europe, would you do that while retaining right to the U.S.? Or would U.S. rights go to a potential European partner as well? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer The correct answer is, it depends. If there is an entity, which is interested in global rights and there's a fair price for that, then we're delighted to do that. If there's an entity that is only interested in regional -- limited regional rights such as Europe and the price is right, and we're open to that. I think what we would intend to do is take a very broad approach, a broad business development campaign and figure out what's out there for us and then try and choose the best deal for the company. Operator Our next question comes from the line of Reni Benjamin with Raymond James. Reni Benjamin -- Raymond James -- Analyst Maybe just on the thaw and inject formulation, can you talk a little bit about what sort of comparability tests were done? And have they -- have the cells been modified in any way to kind of make sure that what the data that we've seen so far and what we're going to get with this new formulation are going to be global? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Reni, I'll get back to Dr. Wirth. Edward Wirth -- Chief Medical Officer Yes, Reni, so the OpRegen is OpRegen. Essentially, thaw and inject simply means that the media in which it is frozen in, and it's an FDA-approved product using other cell therapy procedures that we're on clinical trials to date and we did extensive compatibility testing to show that it performs, as well as the previous version of OpRegen, which again the cells are unchanged, simply the way they are frozen down. And we've also completed all those compatibility tests with the Orbit device. Previously we administered them through -- called the torque. So we're quite confident that the OpRegen is the same, it's simply the way it's frozen down and able to be delivered to the sites. Reni Benjamin -- Raymond James -- Analyst And just a follow-up regarding the Orbit device, is there any specific training or special training that needs to occur? Is that also a gating factor, not just to starting but then also to continue expand in those patients? Edward Wirth -- Chief Medical Officer Right. So the surgeons involved in the clinical study have all been trained, specifically by an Orbit training facility. So we're good to go from that perspective. We don't intend to involve additional sites at this time. We think that the sites that are involved will complete the study within the timelines outlined. So we're good to go from that perspective. But yes, additional training is required but it is simply a one-day training that is relatively routine and the surgeons come out very enthusiastic about the use in which the cells are delivered. Reni Benjamin -- Raymond James -- Analyst And just one final question for me regarding Renevia and seeking potential external partnerships, have there been any discussions to date? Have there been any interest? And I guess if you could kind of characterize a what's likely, I'm imagining, could be a distribution type deal, what does the ideal deal look like? Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer I would, of course, want to do some form of an auction situation so we want to bring multiple parties to the table. It doesn't lend itself to a simple answer because it's going to be heavily dependent on the label. If it is a device that's limited to HIV lipoatrophy, it's got to very different look and feel than if it's more of a broad label. And we'll be interested in knowing what sort of capabilities and commitments to further studies that a potential partner would bring to the table. So the process here, Ren, is to engage a European- based business development group or individual, have them do, I would call, a conventional process, bring opportunities to the table and let the organization negotiate those and try and find a deal that works well for them. Operator Thank you. And at this time this completes our Q&A session. And I would now like to turn the conference back over to Brian Colley, your CEO. Sir. Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Great. Thanks I appreciate everyone joining us this afternoon. I'm obviously excited about our plans hope we'll keep this positive momentum going for a long time. Thank you and have a great afternoon/evening. Operator [Operator signoff] Duration: 36 minutes Call participants: Ioana Hone -- Director of Investor Relations Brian Culley -- Chief Executive Officer Brandi Roberts -- Chief Financial Officer Kevin DeGeeter -- Oppenheimer and Company Inc. -- Analyst Gary Hogge -- Senior Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs Edward Wirth -- Chief Medical Officer Jason McCarthy -- Maxim Group -- Analyst Reni Benjamin -- Raymond James -- Analyst More BTX analysis All earnings call transcripts Republicans, of course, are too cowardly to challenge Trump on much of anything. But Democrats, particularly those angling for the presidency, should be shouting from the rooftops. They should be sharing soybean-farmer sob stories and damning stats with any voter still considering following Trump off the protectionist cliff. Especially given academic research finding that "Trump Country" has been hurt most by his trade conflicts. Kinderdance A Top Childrens Franchise Keeps Growing May 14, 2019 // Franchising.com // Roanoke, VA - Kinderdance International Inc, a top childrens franchise focusing on developmental dance, music, gymnastics, yoga and fitness programs for young children, continued its momentum in 2019 by increasing unit growth. Kinderdance increased its presence by expanding its footprint and opening units in both urban and suburban markets across the US and globally. New Franchise units are now in Oregon, Florida, Mississippi, Texas, China, Australia and New Zealand. Through a strong system of franchise owners and a continued increase in demand for high quality affordable dance and movement programs, Kinderdance franchise ownership has soared. Our franchise owners are passionate about the benefits of the Kinderdance programs and provide an unparalleled early learning dance and movement experience for children and their families, said Karen Maltese, Vice President of Franchise Development. Our continued success in 2019 reflects the strong leadership and commitment to excellence that embodies our family of franchisees. By recruiting entrepreneurs from many different backgrounds, each franchise is owned and operated by members of the community who have leadership and management expertise along with a passion to teach young children. About Kinderdance Kinderdance, established in 1979 is a worldwide recognized dance, gymnastics, yoga and fitness program for children ages two to twelve. Over 150 Franchisees currently teach to thousands children weekly at thousands of locations in the US and around the world. The Kinderdance programs are all original worldwide dance, motor development, gymnastics, and fitness programs that combine academic readiness skills that are specifically designed for children ages 15 months to 12 years old. What makes Kinderdance unique is that all of our programs incorporate educational concepts in a developmentally designed curriculum that teaches to the total child. We place special emphasis on building self-confidence and self- esteem in young children. The company offers their educational movement programs on site to child-care centers, recreational centers, churches, fitness centers, corporate child care, community centers, military bases, public and private schools and many other viable locations. Media Contact: Richard Maltese 1-800-554-2334 www.kinderdance.com SOURCE Kinderdance ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus MaidPro Ranks #2 on List of Top Multi-Unit Franchises to Own in 2019 MaidPro is thrilled to announce that it has ranked #2 on Franchise Business Reviews list of the Top Multi-Unit Franchises for 2019, and #1 in the Cleaning & Maintenance category. BOSTON (PRWEB) May 14, 2019 - MaidPro is thrilled to announce that it has ranked #2 on Franchise Business Reviews list of the Top Multi-Unit Franchises for 2019, and #1 in the Cleaning & Maintenance category. Only 50 franchises were named on this exclusive list, which included a wide variety of business types ranging from food and fitness to real estate and business services. There are many factors to consider when investing in any franchise: business model, profitability, growth opportunity, long-term industry trends, brand innovation, company culture, training and ongoing support, and more, says Eric Stites, CEO and Managing Director of Franchise Business Review (FBR). These factors are especially important if you are considering multi-unit franchise ownership. The award-winning companies identified on this years list of the Top Multi-Unit Franchises excel in these areas according to the people who know firsthand - their franchise owners, he said. MaidPro co-founder and CEO Mark Kushinsky, stated: Its fantastic to rank so highly on this list because we work really hard at MaidPro to ensure our franchise system is both flexible and highly efficient for our franchisees, whether they own one location or multiple. And we are very fortunate to have quite a few franchisees, who found success with their first unit, and then grew their businesses by purchasing additional MaidPro locations to achieve even bigger goals. FBR chose the best multi-use franchises based solely on franchisee satisfaction, after surveying more than 3,500 franchisees from 248 of todays leading franchise brands. Each participant was asked 33 benchmark questions about their franchisor that focused on areas such as leadership, training, and core values, as well as 16 more personal questions concerning their business lifestyle and overall enjoyment of running their franchise. About MaidPro MaidPro is a Boston-based franchisor of house cleaning services with over 275 locations in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1997, takes pride in its strong owner community, cutting-edge technology, and creative marketing. It has been honored with the Franchise Business Reviews Four-Star Rating and Franchise 50 awards every year from 2006 to 2019 for owner satisfaction. Forbes has named MaidPro a Top Franchise to Own in 2015, 2016, and 2018. MaidPro was named one of the Top 50 Franchises for Minorities by USA Todays Franchising Today. MaidPro is also a proud member of the International Franchise Association, Canadian Franchise Association, and the New England Franchise Association. Media Contact: Madeleine Park MaidPro Franchise 617-778-0374 SOURCE MaidPro ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Some of the pontificators in these instances were male, but far from all of them. These arent the infractions of individual men. This is centuries worth of an attitude that, though conception might be a biological miracle, its also a gross one, filled with pudge and sludge that la la la la la! decent people are allowed to run screaming from. Plenty of folks are willing to treat fetuses as precious citizens but seem to regard the bodies that nurture them as embarrassing slums. At a party, I once saw a new father proudly call his new kid a princess and his wife a champ but then showily cover his ears when the wife mentioned the word placenta. As if the placenta wasnt precisely what had allowed Princess to thrive. By STAFF REPORT Blue Ridge Bankshares Inc. of Luray announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement to buy Virginia Community Bank of Louisa for $42.5 million. The purchase gives Blue Ridge seven more branches in Central Virginia, including banks in Culpeper, Orange and Spotsylvania counties. According to a news release from both banks, it also adds approximately $252 million in assets, $168 million in loans and $223 million in deposits to Blue Ridge, giving it a total of $826 million in assets, $635 million in loans, and $664 million in deposits. Under the terms of the agreement, Virginia Community shareholders will receive either $58 in cash or 3.05 shares of Blue Ridge common stock for each share of Virginia Community common stock they hold. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both banks and final approval by regulators and shareholders is expected by the end of the year, the release said. By STAFF REPORT The three companies in Fredericksburgs Technology Zones have successfully met requirements in the first year of a five-year performance agreement with the city. QRC Technologies, IST Research and ILM Corp. are all expanding, and were granted a 100 percent waiver on their business license taxes for the first three years and a 50 percent waiver for the next two. Technology zones are designed to attract new business to the city and encourage the expansion of existing businesses that will make a substantial investment and create new technology-related jobs. The city requires that existing businesses that apply for a technology zone incentive expand to create a minimum of five new jobs or make a capital investment of at least $125,000. The requirements are double that for a new business locating in the city. Robert Teagle, education director and curator at the Foundation for Historic Christ Church and Museum in Weems, will bring to life Virginia in 1619. Class participants will examine the events that made 1619 a landmark year in Virginia, including the meeting of the first representatives of the assembly in the New World, arrival of the first Africans and recruitment of English women to the colony. Virginia in 1619Celebrating 400 Years will take place on May 29, June 5 and June 12 from 13 p.m. at Historic Christ Church and Museum in Weems. A woman who court records allege practiced as a psychologist in Stafford County without a license for at least three years has been indicted on 13 charges. Sharonda L. Avery, 42, is charged with seven counts of false pretenses, two counts of passing a forged document, perjury and three counts of practicing psychology without a license. The latter three charges are misdemeanors that cover the time period from Jan. 1, 2015, to the end of 2017. The false pretenses charges each carry the possibility of up to 20 years in prison. Avery, for whom court records list recent addresses in Woodbridge and Gasburg near the VirginiaNorth Carolina line, was indicted earlier this month by a Stafford grand jury. The indictments came three days after multiple theft-related charges were dropped in an unrelated case against Avery. According to authorities, Stafford Detective Ed McCulloughs investigation began after a psychologist working for the Spotsylvania County school system filed a complaint against Avery, claiming that children had been improperly diagnosed. Authorities said they later determined that Avery had never been licensed by the state. Most archaeologists can only dream of having a good laboratory in which to work. So, no wonder that Virginias Germanna Foundation celebrated last week as it opened one of the regions few such facilities, the Hitt Archaeology Center in eastern Orange County. More than 100 guests from across the area joined foundation officials to celebrate the moment and see the laboratory building beside the foundations Germanna Visitor Center on State Route 3. This building allows us to expand and tell a fuller story of the peoples who populated this land in the early part of the 18th century, the foundations executive director, Tim Sutphin, told the crowd. Not just the German-speaking peoples, but the British who built and oversaw Fort Germanna, the enslaved that provided the labor once the Germans had moved west and, of course, the native population that were already here on the Germanna peninsula. The foundations Locust Grove properties were home to two German colonies of 1714 and 1717 on what was then the mid-Atlantics western frontier, as well as the center of operations for Virginia colonial governor Alexander Spotswoods personal holdings of 80,000 acres. ON May 2, which is designated as Israels Holocaust Remembrance Day, a resolution condemning anti-Semitism was introduced by two senators who dont see eye-to-eye on much, but did come together to show bipartisan unity on this important issue. According to the FBI, 938 anti-Semitic incidents occurred nationwide in 2017, a significant 37 percent increase over the year before. Amid efforts across the country to bolster hate crime laws, Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, and Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, introduced the straightforwardly titled Resolution Condemning all forms of antisemitism in light of recent events, including the deadly shootings at U.S. synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway, Calif. The resolution points out that Jews are the targets of the majority of hate crimes committed in the United States against any religious group ... , and refers to the systematic discrimination and long perpetuated myths Jews have faced from the purveyors of anti-Semitism. In addition to Kaine and Cruz, 42 senators38 Republicans and four Democratshave so far signed on as co-sponsors of the resolution, though there is time for more senators to add their names. An important indicator, one we hope the Europeans noticed, emerged from Iran last weekend when President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the economic pain that American sanctions have inflicted. Rouhani likened it to the misery Iran felt during its war with Iraq in the 1980s. Good to know, President Rouhani. Thanks for sharing. We are in a difficult situation today, but at the same time, I am not disappointed, Rouhani said. I believe that we can overcome these conditions, provided we are together and join hands. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes When he assumed the papacy, Pope Francis seemed an antidote to the crustiness of the Catholic Church. But this expectation was shaken when he at first dismissed claims of sexual impropriety in Chile and Argentina. And the news that he has instructed new accusers to report such instances to the church, not to the police, raises serious questions: Wasn't it this same sort of in-house handling that brought condemnation all along? He claims this new church law is to protect whistleblowers, but it was at the level of the bishops years ago that cover-ups took place that cost the church millions in lawsuits brought by victims, and disaffection among the laity. Sexual depredation is a civil crime subject to temporal punishment, not just a sin in the moral realm. This new law could encourage new cover-ups. Has Pope Francis thus jeopardized or forfeited his standing for reasons unacceptable to the world at large? As the award winner of Users Choice Game of 2021 and Best Pick Up & Play of Google Play, Ensemble Stars!!Music launched the first English release, which takes this highly acclaimed game to the next level. CORVALLIS POLICE Suspicious activity 11 p.m. Sunday, 3900 block NW Witham Hill Drive. An officer was sent to an apartment complex to investigate reports that a man was crawling through the parking lot on his hands and knees. The man admitted to using methamphetamine, said he believed someone was chasing him and asked to be evaluated by medics. Before being transported to the hospital for evaluation, the man gave the officer personal items for safekeeping, including his car keys, two jackets and a pistol. Funny money 9:30 a.m. Monday, 1980 NW Ninth St. An officer was dispatched to Oregon State Credit Union to pick up counterfeit bills that had been turned in. An employee turned over two $100 bills and two $20 bills believed to be counterfeit. Burglary 10:30 a.m. Monday, 6200 block Southwest Grand Oaks Drive. A woman reported the theft of power tools and a camp stove from the garage of her apartment. Scam About 4 p.m. Monday a woman came to the Law Enforcement Center to report a scam. She said two men claiming to be with the Clackamas County Police called her saying she had missed federal grand jury duty and directed her to send them $5,000 worth of prepaid gift cards. She mailed the cards but then changed her mind and is working with the Postal Service to get them back. Road rage At 5:15 p.m. Monday a man came to the Law Enforcement Center to report a road rage incident that happened between 6 and 7 p.m. on Friday. The man said he was driving on Northwest Ninth Street and another vehicle was tailgating him. The man said both he and the other driver stopped and got out of their cars in the 2100 block of Ninth, exchanged words, and the other driver punched him in the face, causing an injury to his nose that required treatment at the hospital. There was insufficient information to identify a suspect. SWEET HOME POLICE Flare gun 8:10 a.m. Monday, 900 block Poplar Street. A caller reported finding a flare gun while cleaning up her house. The gun was placed in the Sweet Home Police Department property locker. Meth find At 9:11 a.m. Monday, a man found and turned in a capsule of methamphetamine, which was set for destruction. BENTON COUNTY SHERIFF Luring a minor 12:15 p.m. Sunday, 7600 block NW Hoodview Circle, Corvallis. A deputy took a report from a woman about a man sending sexually explicit pictures and messages to her daughters Instagram account. The woman was advised to make the account private and block the sender. DUII-reckless driving 1:18 a.m. Monday, Highway 99W near Northwest Elks Drive. Corvallis. A deputy pulled over a 2013 Subaru Outback that was clocked driving 86 mph. The driver, Aaron Tyler May, 34, of Monmouth, was cited on charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving. Mays blood alcohol content reportedly measured 0.15%. Fugitive arrest 10:53 p.m. Monday, 26600 Shady Oak Drive, Monroe. Three deputies were dispatched to a house, where a man with an outstanding arrest warrant was reportedly yelling at his father to shoot him. When deputies arrived the man locked himself in a cabin, but he came out when deputies told him they would force entry and that there were police dogs on the scene. Christopher Brian Reid, 36, was taken into custody on a felony warrant from the Oregon State Parole Board for probation violation on a burglary conviction. Domestic assault 12:15 a.m. Tuesday 28900 Grimsley Road, Corvallis. A deputy was dispatched to reports of a domestic dispute, where a 54-year-old woman allegedly struck her 72-year-old boyfriend. Julie Anne Holst was arrested on a charge of fourth-degree assault. LINN COUNTY SHERIFF Burglary 7:46 a.m. Monday, 25000 block Gap Road, near Brownsville. A reported theft of multiple chainsaws and tools. Missing gate parts 8:22 a.m. Monday, 32000 block Berlin Road, Lebanon. A caller reported the theft of equipment for an automatic gate opener. Cougar sighting 4:30 p.m. Monday, 34000 block Riverside Drive, Albany. A caller reported a cougar sighting via trail camera. The information was passed on to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Service. LINN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT New charges, plea/sentence hearing scheduled From Tuesday morning. Jordan Douglas Smotherman, 28, of Albany, was scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing on Thursday. A new charging instrument was filed with crimes of second-degree sex abuse and fourth-degree assault. The state has filed a notice of intent to seek an enhanced sentence in the case. Three counts of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sodomy were removed from the charging document. Burglary From Tuesday afternoon. Earl Kenneth Maughmer Jr., 56, of Albany, was charged with first-degree burglary, menacing, strangulation and fourth-degree assault. The crimes allegedly occurred on Saturday in the 27200 block of High Deck Road in Cascadia, and the Linn County Sheriffs Office investigated the case. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GAPA is like the Affordable Care Act. You take an existing bureaucracy thats failing to provide justice, you try to jerry-rig new regulations around it in hopes you can rein that in and get a more just outcome, Ramirez-Rosa said. CPAC is more like Medicare for All where you say the existing system is rotted, its not serving us, lets get rid of all existing bureaucracy and lets bring in community control. You can be forgiven if, in the crush of bad news, youve chosen to skip over the reporting on Venezuela. Or, if youve bothered to skim or to read the various pieces from most media, youve likely accepted the dominant narrative. That narrative, unlike the narrative for say, climate change, gender issues, or health care, is pretty consistent across the political spectrum, from The New York Times, MSNBC and CNN to Fox News. The narrative goes something like this: Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelas president, is a tyrant who has squandered Venezuela's resources and is starving his people; Maduro and his government are corrupt and are only able to persist because of the support of the military; Maduro is widely unpopular and should just step down and allow someone named Juan Guaido to assume the presidency. I could go on, but you get the idea. For those of us who have followed U.S. foreign policy for many years, the pattern of events and of reporting around Venezuela follows a pattern that is easily recognizable and consistent over many decades. In the broadest context, the United States has, since the 1950s, waged war, both covert and overt, upon numerous governments in the developing world that have had the tendency to drift toward policies that prioritize the well-being of their own people over the needs of capitalism, or U.S. interests. That was the case in Iran and in Guatemala in 1954, in Chile in 1973, and in Nicaragua and El Salvador in the 1980s. That is precisely what happened in Honduras in 2009 with a coup that was supported by the United States and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. And these various programs of destabilizing or overthrowing governments have been largely cheered on by a docile corporate media; think the domino theory in Vietnam, or weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The inconvenient facts concerning Venezuela include: Maduro won 67% of the vote in the May 2018 election with 46% of registered voters casting ballots. That election was deemed fair and transparent by 150-plus international observers. It is true that the country has faced dire economic circumstances, some self-inflicted, but much of the blame can be attributed to U.S. sanctions, initially invoked during the Obama administration, and now intensified under the likes of Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo, Elliott Abrams and John Bolton. In spite of sanctions, Venezuelas poorest have seen marked improvements in their well-being under first Hugo Chavez, and now under Maduro. The UNs Economic and Social Council in a 2018 report put Venezuela in the category of countries that have High Human Development. Venezuela, in the ranking of countries in this report, scored higher than the majority of countries in Latin America, who, at the behest of the United States, have supported the overthrow of the Maduro government. These countries include Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras, to name several. If you would like to consider more accurate assessments of conditions in Venezuela, I would suggest several; FAIR-Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting and the Independent (particularly a Jan. 26 piece by the UN rapporteur and former secretary of the UN Human Rights Council, Alfred de Zayas. In this article, he describes U.S. sanctions against Venezuela as illegal and argues they could amount to crimes against humanity. Other sources include "Democracy Now" and editorial pieces by the respected journalist Allan Nairn. Barry Reeves of Corvallis, a longtime activist and retired emergency doctor, wrote this on behalf of the Latin America Solidarity Committee. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Please contact our legislators in support of Oregon House Bill 2015. It would expand eligibility for a standard driver license to all state residents, regardless of citizenship status. Specifically, HB 2015 eliminates the requirement that a person provide proof of legal presence in order to be eligible for a noncommercial driver license, noncommercial driver permit or identification card. In order to receive a license, all applicants will have to pass the standard written test and driving test. That will make the roads safer for everyone. Applicants will also have to provide proof of identity and residency, which will not be shared with the federal government. Faith Reidenbach Philomath (May 3) Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 I oppose granting government documents, including drivers licenses and ID cards, to undocumented residents. Government documents given to illegal aliens tend to legitimize their presence. Yet they entered, and remain in, our country, in defiance of our laws. We absolutely should not encourage, yet alone allow, them to stay. This country belongs to its citizens only. No alien has the right to come here and take a share of our limited resources. In April 2013, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 833, which would have offered four-year driver cards to illegal aliens. Then-Gov. John Kitzhaber signed the bill. Oregonians opposed to its enactment collected enough signatures to refer the bill to the November 2014 ballot as Ballot Measure 88. On Election Day, Oregon voters rejected illegal-immigrant driver cards by a margin of 2-1. Now, House Bill 2015 has been introduced in defiance of the will of the voters. A new statewide poll of likely voters finds that Oregonians still overwhelmingly oppose granting drivers licenses to illegal aliens. The Legislature should represent and honor the will of the citizens of Oregon and defeat this measure. To defy the will of the people even more, an emergency clause has been attached to HB 2015, which would prevent opponents of the bill from blocking its implementation through another citizen's veto referendum. Oregon legislators and officials represent us. They certainly do not represent the citizens of foreign countries. Those who favor granting driver's licenses to illegal aliens should nevertheless respect the will of the majority. John Dearing Corvallis (May 4) Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 I am an Oregon State University student taking a family policy class that is discussing a policy recommendation on ensuring more paid time off for people to be with their families. Currently, there are no set policies in the United States that require employers to offer paid vacation benefits; compare that to European countries, which have mandated paid vacations and holidays. Having days off is vital to healthy work and life balance. According to the Pew Research Center in the United States, 94% of citizens reporting that families are essential to them. If the United States implemented a family policy that required paid time off for all employees, families would benefit from it. Family policies can help protect, promote and strengthen families. Paid time off and vacations will allow families to intensify the quality of their relationships without having to worry about financial strains. Individuals need economic, stability, emotional support from their families. Paid leave will safeguard time spent with family, and more time will intensify family connection. In class, we discussed how families are more useful when they are economically supporting their loved ones and when they work with private organizations like employers. Having established paid leave and vacations in the United States will increase the overall well-being of families. Katarina Yee Corvallis (May 1) Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The legislation comes after 16 state police squad cars have been struck and two troopers killed so far this year in crashes that involved alleged violations of Scotts Law, which requires drivers to slow down and, if safe to do so, change lanes when approaching a vehicle on the side of the road with emergency or hazard lights flashing. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. WhatsApp calling allowed hackers to load spyware on Android and iOS phones News oi-Vishal Kawadkar The issues will soon be fixed by the company. WhatsApp and Israeli software developer NSO group have confirmed that an exploit within the popular messaging app allowed hackers to load NSO's Pegasus spyware on to Android and iOS devices during voice calls using the app. The tool is capable of effecting the device even if the user didn't answer the call. Besides, the malicious calls would frequently disappear from the call logs. Pegasus can also access the camera and mic of the device and gather message and location information of the user. While the hackers haven't been identified, a Middle Eastern country is under suspicion. There was a failed attempt to hack a human rights lawyer's phone on May 12. The lawyer helped a Saudi dissident in Canada. "Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology," WhatsApp said. The company also rolled out a server-side fix on May 10 and released patches for its apps on May 13. Besides, WhatsApp is bringing new features for the users ensuring better privacy than ever before. It is testing new message forwarding features on the latest Android beta version. This feature allows users to decide if they want to receive frequently forwarded messages in a group chat. This is ideal for annoying messages for many members of the group. Another feature in the testing phase is a privacy-centric function. The company is said to be working on a feature that will stop users from capturing a screenshot within the app. Best Mobiles in India Huawei Nova 3 latest firmware update brings ViLTE support News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The latest firmware update for the device is being rolled out as an OTA. Huawei has started rolling out a new firmware update for the Nova 3 smartphone. The Chinese tech giant had introduced the premium smartphone last year with some high-end features such as an FHD+ display with a notch, dual camera setup, and others. The latest software update for the Nova 3 brings along an important feature which was missing from it all along. Huawei has now added support for ViLTE ( video over LTE) feature for the premim Nova 3 smartphone. Until now, the Nova 3 users had to download a third party app in order to make video calls. However, following the update, the smartphone will get the ability to make video calls directly from the dialer app instead of downloading any third party application.Currently, the ViLTE service in India is provided by Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea telecom companies. The latest firmware update for the device is being rolled out as an OTA and the update notification should be available soon on the Nova 3 units. In addition to the ViLTE support, the update also brings the April 2019 Android security patch. Huawei Nova 3 specifications and features: The flagship Huawei Nova 3 has an in-house Kirin 970 processor which is combined with 6GB RAM and Mali-G72 MP12 GPU to take care of multitasking and render high-resolution graphics smoothly. The smartphone was launched with Android Oreo with EMUI 8.2 skin on top. In the camera department, the smartphone comes with a dual-lens primary camera with a 16MP (f/1.8) sensor and a 24MP lens with f/1.8 aperture. Camera features include a video recording of 1080p@30 fps, Face Detection, HDR, and , etc. There is also a dual-camera setup at the front for selfies and video calling. The device packs a 24MP and a 2MP sensor at the front. The display up front measures 6.3-inches in size and is an IPS LCD panel. The FHD+ display panel features an iPhone like notch for the selfie camera and a bunch of sensors. The display has a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The Huawei Nova 3 comes with a 3750 Li-Po battery with quick charge support. via Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Oppo Reno Gundam Edition renders leaked online News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Oppo has a new smartphone in the offing. We've seen a lot of smartphone companies join forces with popular brands to produce a limited edition smartphone. Well, this time its Oppo who's collaborating with Gundam to introduce a special Reno Gundam Edition. Known tipster Ice Universe posted the render of the upcoming phone online, revealing the device in its full glory. The renders show that the device carries narrow bezels and will sport a dot-notch which is a cutout on the display in the top center area. The render also shows a unique panel design of the device. There's no word on the specifications of the devices as of now. But, we expect the device will soon hit the market in the coming days. Oppo recently unveiled its new Reno series of smartphones as a replacement to the decade-old Oppo R-series. The company announced three phones in the series namely Reno, Reno 10X Zoom Edition, Reno 5G. The device is also said to come to the Indian market on May 28. The company has already sent out media invites for the event. As for specifications, the device packs a 6.6-inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC powers the smartphone with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, and, the device also supports dual SIM card slots with support for 4G LTE and VoLTE on both the slots. It draws power from a 4065 mAh Li-ion battery with support for Super VOOC charging via a type-C port. Besides, it runs Android 9 Pie OS with custom ColorOS 6.0 skin on top. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Xiaomi has sold 2.5 lakh Redmi Note 7, Note 7 Pro smartphones every week in India News oi-Vivek Redmi Note 7 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC It looks like Xiaomi India has achieved another milestone in India by selling more than 2 million Redmi Note 7 and the Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphones in the span of 2 months or 60 days. If we look at the numbers, the company has sold almost 2.5 lakhs Redmi Note 7 and the Redmi Note 7 Pro combined. So, for every hour from the day of the first sale, the company has sold around 1488 Redmi Note 7 series of smartphones. A bit about the Redmi Note 7 The Redmi Note 7 is the most powerful Redmi smartphone from the company under Rs 10,000 price tag. For Rs 9,999, the Redmi Note 7 offers 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE SoC, the same chipset that powers the Nokia 7 Plus. The Redmi Note 7 has a premium all-glass design with dual camera setup and a modern 1080p IPS LCD screen with FHD+ resolution, offering a water-drop notch design. Redmi Note 7 Pro is one of the best phones under Rs 20,000 On the other hand, the Redmi Note 7 Pro is the best Redmi smartphone that Xiaomi India has ever launched. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC with at least 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for additional storage expansion. For just Rs 13,999, the device offers a flagship 48 MP sensor, that too, the Sony IMX 586 sensor, which is the same sensor found on the Honor View20, which costs almost four times as of the Redmi Note 7 Pro. Just like the Redmi Note 7, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has a big IPS LCD screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and the smartphone also comes with fast charging support via USB type C port (Qualcomm Quick Charge 4 certified). Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Ald.-elect Daniel La Spata, 1st, came out of the briefing and said he still had questions about which processes specifically Lightfoot wants to take out of aldermens hands. Thats the question that were still looking to answer, La Spata said. Honestly, we looked at a slideshow of all of four slides. And it did not really show a list of exactly what is going to be affected. So theres a lot that we are learning, and were going to learn on Monday along with the rest of the general public. Court Finds RM Broadcasting Must Register as a Foreign Agent FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, May 13, 2019 U.S. District Court Judge Robin L. Rosenberg has ruled that a Florida-based company, RM Broadcasting LLC (RM Broadcasting), was acting as an agent of a foreign principal and must register as such under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). The Department of Justice contended in a civil counterclaim that RM Broadcasting has been acting as an agent of the the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency (Rossiya Segodnya), a Russian state-owned media enterprise created by Vladimir Putin to advance Russian interests abroad. The litigation marked the first FARA civil enforcement action since 1991. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement. "The American people have a right to know if a foreign flag waves behind speech broadcast in the United States," said Assistant Attorney General Demers. "Our concern is not the content of the speech but providing transparency about the true identity of the speaker. This case shows that the Department can and will utilize all of its tools to bring transparency to efforts by foreign entities to influence the American public and our government, and demonstrates our renewed effort to enforce FARA rigorously." In November 2017, RM Broadcasting and Rossiya Segodnya entered into a services agreement pursuant to which RM Broadcasting would provide for the broadcast of Rossiya Segodnya's "Sputnik" radio programs on AM radio channel 1390 WZHF in the Washington, D.C. region. Under this agreement, RM Broadcasting could not alter Rossiya Segodnya's radio programs in any way. As the services agreement established Rossiya Segodnya's direction and control over RM Broadcasting, the FARA Unit of the National Security Division informed RM Broadcasting that it was acting as a publicity agent and an information-service employee of Rossiya Segodnya and was required to register as an agent of a foreign principal. RM Broadcasting initiated the proceeding in the Southern District of Florida seeking a declaratory judgment that it did not have to register as an agent of a foreign principal. The Department responded by filing a counterclaim seeking an injunction to require RM Broadcasting to register. Earlier this week, the court granted the Department's motion for judgment on the pleadings. A final judgment directing RM Broadcasting to register under FARA is expected. This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Feeley and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. About FARA The purpose of FARA is to protect the national defense, internal security, and foreign relations of the United States by requiring public disclosure by persons engaging in political activities and other activities for or on behalf of foreign governments, foreign political parties and other foreign principals so that the Government and the people of the United States may be informed of the identity of such persons and may apprise their statements and actions in the light of their associations and activities. Component(s): National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Florida, Southern Press Release Number: 19-519 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK's spy convicted to 10 years in prison ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 13 May 2019 / 15:14 Tehran (ISNA) A spy accused of cooperation with UK Secret Intelligence Service is convicted to 10 years in prison, the spokesman of Judicial system of Iran announced. On the sidelines of a meeting of senior judicial officials, the spokesman said, "An Iranian national in charge of Iran's table in British Council, who was cooperating with Secret Intelligence Service as the planner and manager of UK's cultural infiltration in Iran, was detected and arrested by information and security services. "During the investigation, the accused person made clear confessions about his/her recruitment and cooperation with the council, his/her trainings under Secret Intelligence Service and the missions given to him/her for cultural projects and ultimately, the court convicted him/her to serve 10 years in prison," he said. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tehran Sentences Iranian British Council Worker To 10 Years For 'Spying' May 13, 2019 Iran said on May 13 that it has sentenced an Iranian citizen who works for the British Council to 10 years in prison on charges of "spying." Gholamhossein Esmaili, a judiciary spokesman, did not name the person who was sentenced but said the person was in charge of the British Council's Iran desk. Esmaili said the suspect had made "clear confessions" about "cooperating with British intelligence agencies, and had been held by authorities in Iran for more than a year. In March 2018, a London-based British council employee named Aras Amiri was arrested in Iran while visiting her ailing grandmother in her home country. Relatives said Amiri initially was accused of colluding and acting against Iran's national security. That is a vague charge often used by Iran's intelligence services against activists, journalists, and other Iranians arrested for political reasons. Before her arrest, the 33-year-old Amiri had been living in London for 10 years -- and had worked on cultural exchanges between Britain and Iran that included cooperation with Iran's Ministry of Culture. Iran has a history of hostility towards the British Council -- which is Britain's cultural agency overseas. In 2009, Iran closed the British Council offices in Tehran in response to the launch in London of the BBC's Persian service. Authorities in Iran have previously arrested local staff working for the British Embassy in Iran. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, Fars, BBC, and The Guardian Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tehran-sentences -iranian-british-council-worker-to-10- years-for-spying-/29937408.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Britain to Decide on Extradition Fate of WikiLeaks' Assange By Henry Ridgwell May 13, 2019 Swedish prosecutors are reopening the rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange following a request from the lawyer of one of the alleged victims. Assange was arrested last month in Ecuador's embassy in London, after the country reversed its decision to give him asylum. The 47-year-old Australian national is also wanted in the United States on hacking charges and the British government will now have to decide which extradition request should take priority. In 2011, Assange was accused of rape by two women following a WikiLeaks conference in Stockholm. He sought asylum in London's Ecuadorean embassy, claiming the accusations were part of a plot to have him extradited to the United States over his whistleblowing activities. With apparently little hope of conviction, Swedish prosecutors dropped the investigation in 2017. In April, however, Ecuador reversed its decision to offer Assange asylum and allowed British authorities into the embassy to arrest him. One of the women who made the rape accusations requested the case be reopened. Sweden's deputy director of public prosecution, Eva-Maria Persson, announced the reopening of the case Monday. "After reviewing the preliminary investigation in its current state, my assessment is that there is still probable cause to suspect that Julian Assange committed rape," Persson said at a press conference in Stockholm. Assange denies the rape accusations. In a statement, WikiLeaks said reopening the case would allow him to clear his name. Sweden will seek a European arrest warrant and extradition after Assange has served a 50-week sentence in Britain for skipping bail. The United States has also issued an extradition request for Assange over computer hacking accusations, related to the release of thousands of classified military and diplomatic communications via WikiLeaks, mainly relating to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Britain's Home Secretary will have to decide which extradition request should take precedence, says London-based extradition lawyer Anthony Hanretty. "Whether it was hacking into computers or simply releasing information, against the allegations made in Sweden which are of the utmost severity. So it will come down politically to which one he thinks is more palatable for him to make." Hanretty notes that Assange has already indicated he would contest any extradition to the United States. "He no doubt will have fears that he will be held in solitary confinement in conditions which he will say will breach his human rights. There's also concern that if he is sent to the U.S., they will simply add further charges onto him once he is there. And it also depends on how the U.S. frames the charges against him. They will have to show that what he is accused of in the U.S. would amount to an offense in the U.K." Under Swedish law, the statute of limitations on the rape case expires in August of next year, so legal experts say there is pressure on Britain and Sweden to speed up the extradition process. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Department of Commerce Identifies Entities of National Security Concern FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, May 13, 2019 Office of Public Affairs (202) 482-4883 publicaffairs@doc.gov Diversions to China, Iran, and within Pakistan Land 12 Parties on the Bureau of Industry and Security's Entity List WASHINGTON -- Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it will add 12 foreign entities and individuals to the Bureau's Entity List. This list contains the names of foreign parties that are subject to specific license requirements for the export, reexport, and/or in-country transfer of controlled items, ensuring that sensitive technologies do not fall into the hands of those who would threaten U.S. national security or American citizens. Organizations or persons who violate these rules as defined under the Export Administration Regulations are subject to criminal penalties and administrative sanctions. In total, the additions include four entities with locations in both China and Hong Kong, and a further two Chinese, one Pakistani, and five Emirati persons. "The Trump Administration will vigorously defend against any action which could harm American citizens or our nation's security. We are putting individuals, businesses, and organizations across the world on notice that they will be held accountable for supporting Iran's WMD activities and other illicit schemes," said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. "Moreover, we cannot allow China's civil-military integration strategy to undermine U.S. national security through prohibited technology transfer plots orchestrated by state actors. This designation complements criminal actions BIS and the Department of Justice are taking to penalize the theft of controlled U.S. technology." The four new entities located in both China and Hong Kong attempted to procure U.S.-origin commodities that would have supported Iran's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and military programs, in violation of U.S. export controls. Separately, four Emirati persons are included for obtaining U.S.-origin items for an existing entity list member without a license and for a denied party, Mahan Air, which is currently subject to a temporary denial order. Two other Chinese entities participated in the prohibited export of controlled technology, which was then supplied to organizations affiliated with the People's Liberation Army. Additionally, one Pakistani company is included on the update for procuring controlled technology on behalf of that country's unsafeguarded nuclear activities. Another person in the UAE refused to support a BIS end-use check, which is cause for admission to the Entity List. The Bureau of Industry and Security's mission is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership. BIS is committed to preventing U.S.-origin items from supporting WMD projects or destabilizing military modernization programs. For more information, please visit www.bis.doc.gov NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spring Storm drill in Estonia enters second week NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 13 May. 2019 Forces from across NATO are currently taking part in exercise Spring Storm in Estonia. Taking place in the north-east of the country, the exercise brings together over 9,000 troops, among them thousands of Estonian conscripts, reservists, active servicemen and hundreds of vehicles from 15 NATO countries and partners. It is the largest annual exercise conducted by the Estonian armed forces. Part of Spring Storm involves exercising in urban areas and the countryside. Estonian Defence Forces have been coordinating air, land and naval forces, testing cooperation between various command levels and conducting readiness drills. "Spring Storm shows NATO is capable to defend against any adversary", said NATO deputy spokesman Piers Cazalet. "It tests how well our forces work together and it is a strong expression of Allied solidarity". The exercise will test the readiness of NATO forces in responding to a fictional crisis. Around 1,000 Allied troops assigned to NATO's multinational battlegroup stationed in Estonia are taking part in the training. They are supported by Typhoon fighter aircraft from the United Kingdom and Germany alongside Polish aircraft, and Wildcat, Apache and Pavehawk helicopters. Some 2,600 Estonian conscripts are also taking part in the exercise which will mark the completion of their training. Spring Strom is also the main training opportunity for the country's reservists with more than 2,300 taking part. Spring Storm started on 6 May and will carry on until 17 May 2019. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Exercise Northern Edge 2019 kicks off in Alaska Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190513-19 Release Date: 5/13/2019 2:43:00 PM By Master Sgt. Miguel Lara III, Pacific Air Forces , JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (NNS) -- Approximately 10,000 U.S. military personnel are participating in exercise Northern Edge 2019 (NE19), a joint training exercise hosted by U.S. Pacific Air Forces, on and above central Alaska ranges and the Gulf of Alaska, May 13-24. NE19 is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises in 2019 that prepares joint forces to respond to crises in the Indo-Pacific. The exercise is designed to sharpen participants' tactical combat skills, to improve command, control and communication relationships, and to develop interoperable plans and programs across the joint force. Personnel from U.S. military units stationed in the continental United States and from U.S. installations in the Indo-Pacific will participate with approximately 250 aircraft from all services, and five U.S. Navy ships. For the first time in 10 years, a Pacific Fleet aircraft carrier will be participating in the exercise. Participants will serve as part of a joint task force, which will help enhance multi-service integration and exercise a wide range of joint capabilities. Major participating units include: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Marine Corps Forces Pacific, Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and U.S. Naval Reserve. NE19 is the largest military training exercise scheduled in Alaska this year with virtual and live participants from all over the United States exercising alongside live players. Follow the Northern Edge Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) feature page for full coverage of the exercise. Note: U.S. Navy ships participating in Northern Edge include Carrier Strike Group 9, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW 11), USS Russell (DDG 59), USS Kidd (DDG 100), USS John Finn (DDG 113), and USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Climb and NUWC Division, Keyport into the Future Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190513-18 Release Date: 5/13/2019 2:02:00 PM By Nathanael Miller, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport Public Affairs KEYPORT, Washington (NNS) -- The sleek, powerful form of the attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) seemingly floated upon its concrete keel blocks in the vast dry dock, silent as if it were deep under the waves, while a crew of engineers underneath it prepared a tiny robot to perform a hull inspection Apr. 1. What once was the stuff of future-tech journals is fast becoming a reality as the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility and Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport partner to enable an innovative robot climber to perform U.S. Navy submarine hull inspections. While hull-crawling robots have been rolling along decks and hull-climbing robots have been scaling the vast steel walls of commercial ships' hulls in the civilian sector for several years now, it was the vision of Chris Stone, an engineering technician at PSNS & IMF, that realized the technology was potentially the right answer to a very difficult question: how to speed up hull inspections for U.S. submarines. It is a question and quest that would take him seven years to realize. Whether an active duty fast attack submarine is being dry-docked for maintenance and repairs, or a ballistic missile boat is being dry-docked to begin the mid-life refueling and overhaul process, an inspection of the hull is performed. The current method for the initial hull inspection when a boat enters dry dock is an expansive, time-consuming effort by shipyard workers using small, hand-held sensors. "I spent hours doing inspections on the side of a hull," Stone said, holding his arm up and mimicking the scanning motions he went through. By 2012, Stone was certain there had to be a more cost-effective way to conduct these hull inspections. Researching the problem, Stone came to believe a climbing robot would be the right solution. He learned PSNS & IMF's innovation lab had even obtained such a robot and was willing to let him use it for his early testing. "The innovation lab is built to do rapid innovation and prototypes," Stone said. The lab is a miniature development center, but can only carry an idea or experiment only so far. The testing in PSNS & IMF's innovation lab conducted very quickly determined the machine would need its own built-in vacuum motor in order to keep itself on the hull without a long hose connecting it to a vacuum motor. After six years of testing and ideas, Stone was finally able to have PSNS & IMF purchase a climbing robot from the manufacturer in 2018. The next step was overcoming the fall protection installation problems. Not fall protection for the operators; they would be safely on the dry dock floor. No, the fall protection was to protect the robot should its vacuum motor fail. The last thing Stone wanted was an expensive robot falling off a submarine and shattering on the dry dock floor. Fortunately, the manufacturer had developed an automated fall protection system for the larger climbers with a winch which Stone had bolted to a heavy steel plate attached to a pallet. "The pallet provides a location to store all equipment as well and can be moved around by a forklift" Stone said. A line runs through two anchor points on the submarine hull to the robot, and then down to the winch. The winch does not lift the robot; it only keeps a low level of on tension on the line to keep the robot from getting fouled by its own safety gear. Otherwise, it would be used to lower the robot safely to the dry dock floor should the vacuum motor fail. Six years and one robot later, Stone finally had a workable platform. Now he had to tackle the sensor problem. The sensors must be held level at a specific distance from the submarine's hull in order to be effective. The initial idea was to use a spring-mounted roller that touched the hull, but this immediately created several problems. The first was paint damage. In order to be effective, the roller could not be covered in soft, paint-protecting neoprene like the climber's treads. It was a steel roller that could mar and scratch paint. The other problem was the springs themselves. The springs had to be strong enough to maintain the correct sensor height when the climber was inverted underneath the hull. However, Stone said this inadvertently resulted in the springs lifting the climber off the hull. "We were trying to find out who could help us build the height-control system," Stone said. This resulted in him taking a little trip 10 miles up the road to NUWC Division, Keyport in the summer of 2018. Occupying a small peninsula in the picturesque town of Keyport, Wash., NUWC Division, Keyport's mission is to be an innovation and technology leader for all manner of undersea and naval technology. NUWC Division, Keyport possesses a great deal of flexibility because its tools and equipment are dedicated to design and rapid prototyping. Stone spent a week with Tyler Paine, the NUWC Division, Keyport engineer who would lead the effort designing an auto-height sensor system. "It was a great idea to try, but the issue was that the springs that push against the hull to maintain a constant offset also pushed the crawler off the hull," Paine said, echoing Stone in his assessment. This use of springs is called a "passive" system, and Paine recognized the need for an "active" system utilizing displacement sensors and electric motors to control the height of the device. Money and schedules are always a consideration in any project, but this is where NUWC Division, Keyport's status as an innovation center was an advantage. "We were funded to develop a second-generation prototype," Paine said. He and Stone worked in a flurry of activity over that week, an effort that resulted in some demonstration parts even being completed. More importantly, they had a plan. Paine and the NUWC Division, Keyport team then spent a few weeks building the new attachment and testing its components before delivering the unit to Stone at PSNS & IMF for integration to the robot's body. Stone began running tests on sections of hull plating set up at PSNS & IMF. Early tests in the lab were a resounding success. Meanwhile, back at NUWC Division, Keyport, Paine and his team were refining the auto-height attachment's design to increase reliability and efficiency. "This has definitely been a team effort," said Paine. PSNS & IMF took delivery of the newly revamped crawler with the auto-height attachment in February of 2019. However, it remained to be seen how the climber would perform on a real submarine. By April 1, the sleek, powerful form of the attack submarine USS Connecticut floated upon its concrete keel blocks in the vast dry dock at PSNS & IMF as the tiny robot was readied beneath it. The assembled climber looks like a miniature, neoprene-treaded tank. The device weighs less than 70 lbs. and can be lifted to the hull by two technicians. The device is steered with a remote control held by its operator, and its vacuum motor's loud whirring created the illusion the device was cleaning the dry dock floor. A breeze chilled by sea water rolled over the dry dock door as the team readied the robot for the critical test. "If we can get one section done, that'll be a success," Stone said from under his hard hat. Stone and Paine were slightly tense as they watched two technicians lift the robot to the underside of Connecticut's hull. Stone took a breath and switched on the vacuum motor. Seven years' worth of struggle successfully sucked itself to the side of the submarine, and began slowing and steadily sliding along on its singularly solitary sortie. There was no cheering or backslapping at the climber's success. Instead the robot was methodically run over the side of Connecticut's hull for more than two hours, doing a test inspection to prove the auto-height sensor system was as effective as the robot's vacuum motor. Smiling with the success of his creation, Stone said the next planned step is for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to begin supplying hull climbers to the shipyards in the near future. If this plan holds true, Stone said PSNS & IMF and NUWC Division, Keyport would continue their partnership and supply the sensor armature with Paine's auto-height mechanism to the shipyards. Stone and Paine, their creation smoothly moving upside down along Connecticut's hull, acknowledged the robot and sensor would still need improvement but were satisfied the test has proven them right. Stone said the challenges he faced over the past seven years have been worthwhile. "We had a lot of setbacks to get here today," Stone said. "But we pulled together as a team to get to this point." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address It hasnt been changed in a long time, Matichyn told Elite Street. Thats why it sold for the price it did. The sellers were really looking forward to finding the right buyer who will really bring the property back to life. Thats why (the sellers) were willing to take a little bit less money. We had offers for more for just the land, because that land is very valuable. USS Pioneer and USS Patriot arrive in Puerto Princesa Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190513-10 Release Date: 5/13/2019 11:08:00 AM From Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs PUERTO PRINCESA, Republic of the Philippines (NNS) -- Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships USS Pioneer (MCM 9) and USS Patriot (MCM 7) arrived in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, May 9, for a port visit for resupply and routine maintenance purposes. Pioneer and Patriot sailors will also have the opportunity to learn about the Filipino culture and engage with the Puerto Princesa community. For many Filipino-American sailors, visiting the Philippines is a chance to reconnect with their heritage. "This isn't just a chance for us to have fun and relax. We have sailors on board who have family in the Philippines and some were even born here," Lt. Cmdr. Robert Wayland, commanding officer of Pioneer, said. "So we are personally invested in this country, and it is more than just a pit stop. For some sailors, it's a visit home." Master Chief Petty Officer Andrew Tyler, command master chief of Pioneer and a Philippine native, said he was excited to be back in the Philippines again and get a chance to see the beautiful island Palawan. "It is always a great opportunity to be able to go back to the Philippines. There are many regions of the country that are absolutely stunning, and Palawan is one of them," Tyler said. Both Pioneer and Patriot are part of Commander, Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7 and are forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan. They are operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of regional peace and stability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFCENT confirms first B-52 bombers' mission in anti-Iran deployment Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 09:18PM The B-52H Stratofortress bombers, sent to the Middle East amid the United States' anti-Iran deployment, have carried out their first mission, says the US Air Forces Central Command. AFCENT said in a brief statement on Monday that the mission was launched from a US base in Qatar Sunday. "This was the first mission of the Bomber Task Force deployed to U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in order to defend American forces and interests in the region," read the statement, released along with purported images of the mission. The announcement came as US officials were stepping up rhetoric against Tehran in the wake of US unilateral pressure. Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) aerospace division General Amir Ali Hajizadeh asserted Sunday that the US forces stationed in the Persian Gulf "will be hit on the head" if they make a mistaken move. No 'happy people' in Iran, Trump threatens President Donald Trump has, for his part, claimed Iranians "will suffer greatly" if "they do anything" against the US. "We'll see what happens with Iran, if they do anything it will be a very bad mistake if they do anything. I'm hearing little stories about Iran if they do anything they will suffer greatly we'll see what happens with Iran," Trump said at a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the Oval Office of the White House. "We'll see what happens. It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens I can tell you that, they're not going to be happy, they are not going to be happy people. You can figure it out yourself. They know what I mean by it." An anonymous US official has also been quoted by Reuters throwing baseless accusations against Tehran in the wake of a "sabotage operations" against tankers near the United Arab Emirates. The official acknowledged that Washington has no conclusive proof showing that Tehran carried out attacks against the four tankers. "This is what Iran does ... The sort of thing you could see Iran doing ... It fits their M.O. (modus operandi)," the official reportedly said on condition of anonymity. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters Friday that the US was sending a Patriot missile battery and the USS Arlington amphibious transport dock to the region. "It's important that Iran understand that an attack on Americans or its interests will be met with an appropriate response," claimed the Pentagon chief.Tehran has also condemned the Trump administration's "psychological war" in the wake of his withdrawal from the internationally backed Iran nuclear deal. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Triple blasts hit eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, kill 3 Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 05:04PM Three bomb explosions have struck Afghanistan's eastern city of Jalalabad, killing at least three people and injuring 20 others, local officials say. Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar, said on Monday that the blasts were caused by explosives placed in the crowded market square in the capital city of the troubled province, which is on the border with Pakistan. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But the Taliban militant group has been active in the province. The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group is also present in the troubled region. "The nature of explosions is not clear, but it could be IEDs," Nangarhar provincial spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, was quoted by AFP as saying, using the acronym for improvised explosive devices. "So far we can confirm three people have been killed and 20 wounded," he added. In recent years, Daesh has established a foothold in eastern and northern Afghanistan. The terrorist group has mostly been populating Nangarhar, from where it has carried out high-profile brutal attacks at major population centers across the country. The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan and toppled a ruling Taliban regime some 17 years ago. That ongoing war has failed to bring stability to the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign forces. Daesh, too, has more recently gained a foothold in Afghanistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan police tear-gas anti-army protesters Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 04:40PM Sudanese police have used tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters in the capital Khartoum who had gathered to pile pressure on the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) to hand power to civilians. The police, backed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, moved against the angry demonstrators after dozens of protesters blocked Nile Street, a major avenue in the city, for the second consecutive day. Protesters also blocked a road leading to the capital's northern district of Bahari. The forces dispersed about 100 protesters, but there were no reports of casualties. A witness told Reuters forces dismantled barriers that were erected by protesters at the entrance to a key bridge, causing traffic jams. Traffic in the capital had come to a near standstill. The dispersal came as stalled talks between the opposition and the TMC resumed on Monday over handing power to a civilian administration after a deadlock in negotiations. The meeting was being held behind closed doors at a convention centre in central Khartoum. The much-awaited discussions came with crowds of protesters still camped round-the-clock outside the army headquarters in central Khartoum. Taha Osman, a spokesman for the protest movement said late on Monday that an agreement had been reached with the country's military rulers on the makeup of a new "sovereign council" to run the country. "At today's meeting we agreed on the structure of the sovereign council which will include military and civilian representatives." The Sudanese Professionals' Association, which spearheaded demonstrations, and some other factions have been locked in negotiations with the TMC over a proposed joint civilian-military body to oversee the country. The military generals and protesters are at loggerheads over who will sit on a new ruling body that would replace the existing military council. The generals have proposed that the new council be military led, while the protest leaders want a majority civilian body. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen's Houthis, ex-govt. hold fresh talks in Jordan Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 02:43PM Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and the Saudi-backed former government have commenced fresh talks in Jordan, two days after Houthi forces unilaterally began withdrawing from three key ports in the western province of Hudaydah in line with a UN-brokered agreement the warring sides reached last year. The UN-sponsored face-to-face talks were held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Monday, Reuters reported, adding that the two sides were mainly to discuss the mechanisms of sharing out the future ravenous earned from the three flash-point ports of Salif, Ras Isa and Hudaydah, which have been under a tight siege by forces of former government, led by ex-president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, since June last year. "The UN and its special envoy are sponsoring talks in Amman ... to discuss the issue of salaries and to make the economic situation neutral," said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, in a tweet on Monday. More than 70 percent of Yemen's imports used to pass through the docks of Hudaydah, a lifeline for the war-ravaged country's crippled economy. Salif was used for unloading all main types of grain and Ras Isa, a vital oil terminal, used for exporting Ma'rib light crude oil. The lengthy siege pushed tens of thousands of people in Yemen to the verge of starvation and crippled the country's economy. In an attempt to prevent the humanitarian situation from further deterioration and to avert a full-scale assault by the Saudi-led coalition on the ports, Houthis signed a UN-brokered agreement with the ex-government in Sweden last December. The warring sides agreed to pull out their forces from the ports in a two-stage process, the first phase of which from the Houthi side was unilaterally commenced on Saturday and is due to be completed on Tuesday. In the first stage, Houthis are to draw back five kilometers from the three ports until Tuesday, while forces of the former government, backed by troops of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), currently massed four kilometers from Hudaydah, are to withdraw one kilometer from two other flash-point ports. The latter side, however, has so far firmly refused to retreat and Houthis denounced it for its provocative refusal, prompting Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam on Saturday to strongly call on the UN and the UN Security Council to press Hadi and the Saudi-led coalition to move in line according to the Stockholm agreement. Back in September 2016, Hadi ordered a decree to unilaterally relocate the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) from Houthi-held capital Sana'a to Aden, a southern port that currently serves as the so-called temporary "capital" of Yemen and the base for Hadi's government. By relocating the central bank, all Yemen's ravenous were funneled into the so-called central bank in Aden, creating further deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Sana'a and other Houthi-run cities and towns. More than one million civil servants also lost their jobs as the result of the controversial move. Under the agreement, the revenues of the three key ports would be gathered in Hudaydah branch of the central bank to help pay public wages. However, the share of each side, the Houthis and Hadi's forces, must be discussed. According to the Stockholm agreement, the UN will help in the management of the three key ports, which will be operating under control of Yemen's Red Sea Port Corporation and local coast guards. The world body also will assist in inspection of ships. In the second phase of the redeployment, both sides would pull troops 18 kilometers outside Hudaydah and heavy weapons 30 kilometers away. Leading a coalition of its allies, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Hadi, who had resigned amid popular discontent and fled to Riyadh, and to crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has been significantly helping the Yemeni army against a Saudi-led military coalition for the past four years. The imposed war initially consisted of an aerial campaign, but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground mercenaries to Yemen. Furthermore, armed militia forces loyal to Hadi, in line with invaders, launch frequent attacks against Yemeni people in regions held by Houthis. The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead. The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years. A number of Western countries, the US, France, and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthis' withdrawal from key Yemeni ports prelude to final solution: Iran Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 02:04PM Iran has hailed the unilateral withdrawal of Houthi forces from key ports of Yemen's western province of Hudaydah, once again reaffirming the Islamic Republic's support for the Stockholm agreement. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Moussavi on Monday said the unilateral withdrawal of the military forces of the Ansarullah-led government, known as the National Salvation Government of the Republic of Yemen, from the ports of Hudaydah, Ras Isa and Salif was a constructive move. He added that the implementation of the Stockholm agreement would pave the way for achieving a political, inclusive and final solution to the Yemeni crisis. The United Nations said on Sunday that the withdrawal of Houthi forces from the three key ports in Yemen is proceeding "in accordance with established plans" for a second day, as the Saud-backed former government still refuses to pull out its besieging forces from Hudaydah in line with an accord the two sides reached in Sweden last year. Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement is in control of the ports, which have been under a tight siege by the country's former Saudi-backed government, led by ex-president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, since June last year. In December 2018, representatives from the Houthi Ansarullah movement and the Riyadh-sponsored government of Hadi reached the truce deal during UN-mediated peace talks in Sweden. Under the deal, they agreed on the withdrawal of their troops and the deployment of UN monitors to Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian spokesperson said, "The Sana'a government's move to save the Stockholm deal signifies the Yemeni National Salvation Government's determination and commitment to dialog and honoring its obligations on the one hand, and indicates the Saudi-backed coalition's obstructionism and lack of commitment to this agreement on the other hand." Moussavi pointed to many acts of obstructionism by forces backed by the Saudi-Emirati coalition and said, "The United Nations and influential countries must exert pressure on the coalition to live up to its obligations and stop its acts of obstructionism aimed at halting the implementation of the Stockholm agreement." Leading a coalition of its allies, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Hadi, who had resigned amid popular discontent and fled to Riyadh, and to crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has been significantly helping the Yemeni army against a Saudi-led military coalition for the past four years. The imposed war initially consisted of an aerial campaign, but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground mercenaries to Yemen. Furthermore, armed militia forces loyal to Hadi, in line with invaders, launch frequent attacks against Yemeni people in regions held by Houthis. The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead. Late in April, Iran dismissed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claims of Tehran's negative role in the implementation of a ceasefire deal between Yemen's warring sides in the port city of Hudaydah, saying Washington's "blame game" is meant to cover up the Saudi-Emirati crimes in the war-torn country. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the US secretary of state's accusations were aimed at covering the crimes being committed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the war on Yemen and the pair's attempts to hinder the Stockholm agreement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN probing Afghan civilian casualties from US strikes Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 02:03PM The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is investigating allegations of civilian casualties following US airstrikes in Farah and Nimroz provinces. In a statement released on Monday, the mission said the "aerial operations" were conducted "against reported drug manufacturing facilities" and that it was "actively looking into" those allegations. "The locations are not easily accessible and there are numerous operational challenges to the verification" of civilians being harmed, UNAMA said. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said "150 Taliban terrorists were killed, 40 wounded" in the Farah operations. However, the Taliban denied the facilities were used for drugs and claimed "up to 100" civilians had been killed. Last month, the mission published a report saying civilians are for the first time being killed in greater numbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and other militant groups. "There can be absolutely no justification for deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians," Tadamichi Yamamoto, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in the UNAMA statement. "It is particularly egregious that a premeditated act of extreme violence was conducted against a development agency where civilians were striving to improve the lives of all citizens." The United States has recently stepped up its air raids in an attempt to exert pressure on the Taliban to accept a negotiated end to its 18-year insurgency. The UN mission in Afghanistan recorded 649 civilian casualties as a result of aerial attacks in the first nine months of last year, the highest number in any year since systematic recording began in 2009. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Over one million Palestinians in Gaza not having enough food by June: UNRWA Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 01:26PM The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has warned that it will not be able to provide food to more than one million Palestinian refugees in the besieged Gaza Strip if it cannot raise at least an additional $60 million by next month. "At a time when Muslims around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, often characterized by the festive nature of its Iftars, in Gaza, more than half the population depends on food aid from the international community," UNRWA said in a statement released on Monday. The statement added, "Unless UNRWA secures at least an additional US$60 million by June, our ability to continue providing food to more than one million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, including some 620,000 abject poor -- those who cannot cover their basic food needs and who have to survive on US$1.6 per day -- and nearly 390,000 absolute poor -- those who survive on about US$3.5 per day will be severely challenged." Furthermore, Matthias Schmale, director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza, said, "This is a near ten-fold increase caused by the blockade that [led] to the closure of Gaza and its disastrous impact on the local economy, [and] the successive conflicts that razed entire neighborhoods and public infrastructure to the ground." 'Israel's siege behind deteriorating situation in Gaza' Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has blamed the continued Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip for the deterioration of the situation in the coastal enclave. "The world must not forget that the issue of the Palestinians is not only a humanitarian one, but also a political," Shtayyeh said in Jerusalem al-Quds on Sunday. The Gaza Strip, the senior Palestinian official noted, has been suffering from an Israeli siege for more than 12 years and this is aimed at serving a US plan to pass the so-called "deal of the century," end any chance of a "two-state solution" and turn the Palestinian issue into just a humanitarian one. The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli blockade since June 2007. The blockade has caused a decline in the standard of living as well as unprecedented levels of unemployment and unrelenting poverty. Palestinians have held weekly rallies along the Gaza border to protest the siege on the enclave and demand the right for refugees to return to their homes they fled during the 1948 creation of Israel. More than 270 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces ever since anti-occupation protest rallies began in the Gaza Strip on March 30, 2018. Over 16,000 Palestinians have also sustained injuries. The Gaza clashes reached their peak on May 14, 2018, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe), which coincided with a US decision to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds. On June 13, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, sponsored by Turkey and Algeria, which condemned Israel for Palestinian civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip. The resolution, which had been put forward on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries, garnered a strong majority of 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with 8 votes against and 45 abstentions. It called for "immediate steps towards ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza matches Hezbollah, can fire 1,000 missiles a day: Israel Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 10:10AM Israeli officials have concluded that resistance groups in the besieged Gaza Strip now match their Lebanese counterpart Hezbollah in terms of missile prowess. According to a new report by the Israeli new site Walla, Israeli military experts have confirmed after extensive research that Hamas and Islamic Jihad can launch a barrage of 1,000 missiles a day in case of future conflicts. That's significantly higher than the resistance groups' impressive tally of firing around 700 rockets and missiles at Israeli targets during a two-day standoff earlier this month. The sheer number of the rockets was enough to overwhelm Israeli missile systems and force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to yet another truce agreement to prevent a further escalation last week. But the threat is not limited to missiles and rockets. Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the head of the Israeli military's Southern Command, admitted that his forces were preparing to face a wide variety of weapons including Kornet-type anti-tank guided missiles, drones and balloon-borne bombs. Hamas carried out its first ever drone attack against Israel during the recent confrontation. Israeli media stated that a Hamas drone had fired a missile at an Israeli military convoy but the extent of damage and possible casualties were not clear. Israeli media had reported earlier that the regime was considering building a wall near the Gaza fence to prevent Kornet attacks like the one that destroyed an Israeli armed vehicle during the recent battles. The Gaza escalation erupted last Friday following the deaths of four Palestinians in an Israeli air raid on the coastal sliver of land and the regime's live fire targeting Gaza protesters. Israeli warplanes struck some 350 sites in Gaza, claiming the lives of 27 Palestinian people. In response, the Palestinians fired some 700 rockets at the occupied lands between Saturday morning and early Monday morning, killing four Israelis and injuring 200 others. 'Israel alarmed' Precision and high destructive power were two other factors that left Israeli officials and military experts aghast after the recent conflict. Yoni Ben-Menachem, a well-known Israeli journalist, wrote that Israel was amazed how accurate and powerful the latest Palestinian missiles had become. "What was surprising about the Palestinian missiles in the two-day war was their destructive power," he was quoted as saying by Palestinian media. The missiles fired by Hamas and Islamic Jihad hit their targets in Israel with high accuracy, Ben-Menachem added. During the recent flare-up, the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, unveiled its latest domestic missile by firing it at targets in the Israeli occupied territories. The resistance group released a video on Sunday which showcased the new missile, dubbed Badr 3, before cutting to footage of it being launched at positions in the city of Ashkelon, which is located 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Tel Aviv. The missile carried a 250-kilogram (551 lb) warhead, a major leap from its predecessor which had a much smaller 40-kilogram warhead. The al-Quds Brigades warned Israel that "what is coming next will be even greater." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Filipinos voting to elect new lawmakers, executives in mid-term elections Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 06:27AM People in the Philippines are heading to the polls to cast their ballots in mid-term elections, which are expected to promote the allies of President Rodrigo Duterte and pave the way for him to gather legislative support for his controversial plans to restore the death penalty and rewrite the constitution. Over 61 million Filipinos are registered to vote in the national elections on Monday, with police and military forces on high alert to safeguard the polling states. The voters will elect new lawmakers and local executives from among roughly 43,000 candidates, who are competing for some 18,000 government posts. The results for municipal and city mayors and councils are expected within hours of polls closing at 6:00 p.m. local time Monday, with winners of the Senate and congressional seats likely to be declared from Friday. The most crucial race is for 12 seats in the 24-member Senate the parliament's upper house that the president wants to fill with his own allies to push for his controversial legislative agenda. "Polling suggests Duterte's allies are likely to secure 10 or 11 of the 12 seats up for grabs, with the possibility of a clean sweep," said Peter Mumford, practice head for Southeast and South Asia at risk consultancy Eurasia Group. "This points to Duterte having the support of 18-20 of the 24 senators after May," he added. The Senate had in a number of occasions tempered Duterte's proposed bills and policies, such as his attempts at amending the constitution to change the form of government from unitary to federal as well as reinstating the death penalty. Manila outlawed capital punishment in 1987, reinstated it six years later and then abolished it again in 2006. The opposition has raised concerns about a Senate more aligned with the administration, saying a victory for the president's allies would reduce the chamber's independence and allow Duterte to seek re-election through lifting the presidential term limit. The 74-year-old president has repeatedly vowed to stand down at the end of his mandate, but his children look well-placed to continue its reign if the presidential term limit is not lifted. The president's daughter Sara is running to keep her post as mayor in its southern bailiwick of Davao city. Some see her as the president's potential successor in the 2022 election. Her younger brother Sebastian is also seeking the city's vice-mayoral seat, while Duterte's eldest son Paolo is standing for a seat in the lower House of Representatives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Incumbent PM concedes defeat in Lithuania presidential elections Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 02:19AM Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis has vowed to quit in July after being eliminated from a presidential runoff that will see an independent economist square off against a conservative on May 26. Lithuanians voted for a new president on Sunday with concerns over income inequality and poverty dominating round one of a tight race in the Baltic eurozone state. Voter turnout tallied at 56.45 percent at the close of voting on Sunday, according to the Central Elections Commission, which also said it expected to publish partial official results in the night or early on Monday. Nine candidates vied to succeed two-term independent incumbent Dalia Grybauskaite. The politician nicknamed the "Iron Lady" for her strong resolve has been tipped as a contender to be the next president of the European Council. Conservative ex-finance minister Ingrida Simonyte and independent economist Gitanas Nauseda have made it to an expected May 26 run-off that would coincide with European Parliament elections. Simonyte is popular with wealthy, educated urban voters while Nauseda, an economist, seeks to bridge the rich-poor divide in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million people, which joined the EU and NATO in 2004. The country is struggling with a sharp decline in population owing to mass emigration to Western Europe by people seeking a better life. A recent EU report noted that almost 30 percent of Lithuanians "are at risk of poverty or social exclusion" and that this risk is "nearly double" in rural areas. "Citizens are thirsty for social justice and seek a candidate who can bridge existing social polarization," Donatas Puslys from the Vilnius Policy Analysis Institute told AFP. Lithuanian presidents steer foreign policy, attending EU summits, but must consult with the government and the prime minister on appointing the most senior officials. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN's Afghan Mission Concerned About 'Increased Violence' During Ramadan By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan May 13, 2019 KABUL -- The United Nations' Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed "grave concern" about the impact on civilians from an "increase in violence around the country" during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In a statement on May 13, UNAMA condemned the Taliban for attacks which the mission said "deliberately targeted" civilians. UNAMA is looking into allegations of civilian casualties resulting from the NATO-led coalition's air strikes in Farah and Nimroz provinces against reported drug manufacturing facilities, the statement said. UNAMA also reiterated its call for all sides in the nearly 18-year Afghan conflict to halt fighting during Ramadan. UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto said there can be "absolutely no justification for deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians." The Taliban, which has been holding direct peace talks with U.S. officials, has rejected proposals for cease-fires, saying U.S. and NATO troops must first be withdrawn from Afghanistan. UNAMA's statement noted that a Taliban attack on the offices of an international aid group in Kabul on May 8 had killed six civilians and wounded 28. An attack by the militant group on a police headquarters in the northern city of Pul-e Khumri on May 5 "caused many civilian casualties, with women and children among the injured," it said. Thirteen police officers were killed in the assault and another 55 people, including 20 civilians, were wounded, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry. In an April report, UNAMA said civilian casualties from the war fell by almost 25 percent during the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period a year earlier -- with a total of 581 civilians killed and 1,192 wounded. "A shocking number of civilians continue to be killed and maimed each day," Yamamoto said at the time. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/un-s-afghan-mission- concerned-about-increased-violence during-ramadan/29937707.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Praises Hard-Line Hungarian PM In Closely Watched White House Meeting By Mike Eckel May 13, 2019 U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Hungary's hard-line prime minister for his immigration policies, as he hosted Viktor Orban in an Oval Office meeting that has worried some European allies and U.S. lawmakers who say Budapest is sliding into authoritarianism. Orban's May 13 meeting was his first with a U.S. president since returning to the post of prime minister in 2010. In comments to reporters before their meeting, Trump said it was a "great honor" to have him in the Oval Office. He made passing reference to Orban's hard-line position on immigration, in particular in 2015 when millions of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa flooded into Europe. "Highly respected, respected all over Europe," he told Orban. "Probably like me, a little bit controversial, but that's OK. You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe." Orban told reporters he was in Washington to "strengthen our strategic alliance." "I'm proud to stand with the U.S. on fighting illegal migration, on terrorism and to protect Christian communities around the world," he said. "You have been great with respect to Christian communities, and you have really put a block up and we appreciate that very much," Trump said. A senior U.S. administration official told reporters last week that Orban's visit was part of a Trump administration strategy of reengagement in Central and Eastern Europe. Still, the White House meeting has been viewed by many observers as a dangerous endorsement of Orban's hard-line approach, which has drawn reprimand from the European Parliament. Hungary is both a member of the European Union and, perhaps more importantly for the United States, of NATO. Aside from domestic politics, Orban has also shown affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government has deepened ties with China. Trump's meeting "lends legitimacy to [Orban's] illiberal agenda," Jonathan Katz, a senior researcher at the German Marshall Fund for the United States, said in an article published by Axios. "Trump's meeting with Orban is raising concerns in Washington and the capitals of U.S. allies across Europe." Human rights activists argued that by granting Orban the prestige of a White House meeting, Trump is effectively endorsing Orban's policies. "Orban shares Putin's affinity for repression and willingness to trample public freedoms for personal gain and has gambled that he can silence criticism without resorting to the kind of violence that draws greater international criticism," said Amnesty International researchers Daniel Balson and David Vig in an op-ed published ahead of the meeting. "The White House, so far, has committed to letting this gamble pay off." Since taking over the post of prime minister in 2010, Orban and his political party, Fidesz, have slowly squeezed Hungarian civil society and independent media outlets, and critics say, undermined the independence of the country's judiciary. Since the European immigration crisis peaked in 2015, Orban has toughened his policies on immigration and frequently employed near-xenophobic rhetoric against migrants. Orban has also found common cause with Trump in vilifying Hungarian-born billionaire philanthropist George Soros. Last year, Orban kicked out the Soros-founded Central European University from Budapest, and some of his attacks on Soros have had shades of anti-Semitism. All this despite Orban's studying at Oxford on a Soros-financed scholarship in 1989-1990. Soros was also a major financial backer of Fidesz, founded in 1988. Hungary's slip to the right has worried many other European Union members. Last year, the European Parliament voted to launch Article 7 proceedings against Hungary -- which would potentially strip Budapest of its voting rights in the EU's executive body, the European Commission. Article 7 is triggered when an EU members violates "human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities." Trump's affinity for Orban dropped into broader view after the current U.S. ambassador to Hungary -- a Trump appointee -- described the president's feelings in an interview published in the current issue of The Atlantic magazine. "I can tell you, knowing the president for a good 25 or 30 years, that he would love to have the situation that Viktor Orban has, but he doesn't," David Cornstein told the magazine. All this has drawn the ire of some members of Congress, Republican and Democrat alike. A group of Democratic senators led by Dianne Feinstein introduced a resolution in January condemning Orban's government and accusing it of undermining democracy in Hungary. And in a letter released on May 10, four members of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee -- Democrats Bob Menendez and Jeanne Shaheen, and Republicans Jim Risch and Marco Rubio -- called on Trump to emphasize "democratic values in our bilateral relationship with Budapest." The senators also cited Budapest's relationship Russia, saying Hungary hadn't diversified its energy resources away from Moscow. "We hope that Hungary will return to these democratic roots and inspiring history. We stand in solidarity with the Hungarian people and urge you to remain true to these democratic values that have undergirded our relations with Central and Eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War," the senators wrote. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-hungary -orban/29936876.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Warns Romania Of Legal Steps Over Moves To Weaken Rule Of Law By RFE/RL May 13, 2019 The European Commission has threatened it will take legal action against Romania unless it reverses moves to cripple the independence of its courts and hinder the fight against corruption. The commission, which is the European Union's executive body, has repeatedly warned that measures adopted by the ruling Social Democrats -- including moves to reduce statutes of limitation that would close some ongoing corruption trials -- are reversing years of anticorruption reforms and weakening the rule of law. Spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a news briefing in Brussels on May 13 that Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans had sent a warning letter to Romania's government on May 10. "The main concerns relate to developments interfering with judicial independence and the effective fight against corruption, including the protection of financial interests of the EU and particularly to the recently adopted amendments to the Criminal Code that create a de facto impunity for crimes," Schinas said. "Possible legislation to allow extraordinary appeals would further aggravate the rule-of-law situation," he added. The commission has already put Hungary and Poland under a special "rule of law" framework over steps to tighten state control over the courts, media, academic institutions, and advocacy groups. This could theoretically lead to the eventual activation of the EU's Article 7 -- the so-called "nuclear option" -- resulting in a suspension of their voting rights in the EU. Schinas said similar action would be taken against Romania unless it addressed the EU's concerns. Schinas also signaled that Romania's becoming a member of the EU's passport-free Schengen travel area -- for which Bucharest has been pushing for years -- might not happen if the government ignored the rule-of-law concerns. A senior EU diplomat, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said penalties could include loss of EU funds. "The Romanian coalition government is systematically undermining the rule of law for the sole purpose of saving corrupt political leaders from prison," the diplomat said. "If Bucharest continues on this dangerous path, taking part in the Schengen travel-free area will remain a pipe dream. "Infringement of the rule of law will endanger the distribution of more than 30 billion euros [$33.7 billion] in cohesion funds earmarked for Romania in the draft EU budget for the years following 2021," the diplomat told Reuters. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and RFE/RL's Romanian Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-warns-romania- of-legal-steps-over-moves-to-weaken- rule-of-law/29938077.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi Arabia Says Tankers Targeted By 'Sabotage Attack' May 13, 2019 Saudi Arabia says two of its oil tankers were targeted in what it described as a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on May 13 that one of the vessels was on its way to pick up Saudi oil to be delivered to customers in the United States. The attack on May 12 did not lead to any casualties or an oil spill but caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels, he added. Earlier, the U.A.E. Foreign Ministry said four commercial vessels had been targeted by "sabotage operations" near its territorial waters without causing casualties. It gave no details of the nature of the sabotage off the port city of Fujairah and didn't say who might stand behind it. Fujairah is located south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. The reported sabotage comes amid heightened regional tensions between the United States and Iran. Last week, Washington announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier battle group and a bomber task force to the Gulf to counter what U.S. officials called "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. interests or its allies in the region. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the alleged sabotage in the Gulf of Oman constitutes a "dangerous threat to the safety of navigation and affects negatively regional and international security." The Iranian Foreign Ministry described the incidents as "alarming and regrettable," called for further clarification about what exactly happened, and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security in the region. Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/saudi-arabia-oil- tankers-sabotage/29936955.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania Appears Headed For Presidential Runoff May 13, 2019 Voters in Lithuania will head to the polls again in two weeks after the first round of presidential elections failed to produce a clear winner. Preliminary official results from the May 12 election showed Ingrida Simonyte, a lawmaker and former finance minister, leading the nine-candidate field with 31.13 percent of the vote. Gitanas Nauseda, a banker-turned-politician, was in second place with 30.95 percent. Center-left Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis vowed to quit after failing to qualify for the second round. Voter turnout was nearly 57 percent. A candidate needed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a May 26 runoff. The winner will succeed Dali Grybauskaite, who has served the maximum two 5-year terms as Lithuania's head of state since 2009, a Baltic country bordering Russia that is a member of the European Union and NATO. Grybauskaite has been a strong critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and campaigned on stopping corruption and improving Lithuania's economy. The election campaign was dominated by voter anger over economic inequality and corruption. The Lithuanian president has limited powers, but is in charge of foreign policy and is the country's representative at EU summits. The president also appoints ministers, judges, the military chief, and central bank head, usually with the approval of parliament or the prime minister. Lithuania, a close U.S. ally, faces tense relations with neighboring Russia. It has arrested and charged several people in recent months accused of spying for Moscow. NATO increased its assets in Central and Eastern Europe, including in Lithuania, following Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lithuania- presidential-election-/29936847.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of Energy denounces the attack against the two Saudi tankers which threatens the freedom of maritime navigation and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world Saudi Press Agency Monday 1440/9/8 - 2019/05/13 Jeddah, May 13, 2019, SPA -- The Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, HE Khalid Al-Falih, confirmed that at six o'clock in the morning of Sunday, 7th of Ramadan 1440 Hijri; corresponding to 12th May 2019, two Saudi oil tankers were subjected to a sabotage attack in the exclusive economic zone of the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of the Emirate of Fujairah, while on their way to cross into the Arabian Gulf. One of the two vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to Saudi Aramco's customers in the United States. Fortunately, the attack didn't lead to any casualties or oil spill; however, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels. The Saudi minister of energy denounced this attack that aims to undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world. The Saudi minister also emphasized the joint responsibility of the international community to protect the safety of maritime navigation and the security of oil tankers, to mitigate against the adverse consequences of such incidents on energy markets, and the danger they pose to the global economy. --SPA 06:10 LOCAL TIME 03:10 GMT 0001 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Venezuela's Guaido Officially Requests US Military Support - Letter Sputnik News 16:15 13.05.2019(updated 16:53 13.05.2019) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has formally requested the support of US military forces in the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in the South American country, a letter published by his representative Carlos Vecchio said on Monday. "We welcome strategic and operational planning so that we may fulfill our constitutional obligation to the Venezuelan people in order to alleviate their suffering and restore our democracy", Vecchio said in the letter to the commander of United States Southern Command Admiral Craig Faller. In the letter, which is dated 11 May and was published by Vecchio on Twitter on Monday, he requested a meeting between SOUTHCOM and "the appropriate members" of Guaido's inner circle. "We are grateful to the United States for its friendship, resolve and readiness to support our continued efforts to place Venezuelan people first and look forward to fruitful planning and coordination", Vecchio said. The announcement comes hot on the heels after self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido said that he had asked Vecchio to meet with Department of Defence officials to "cooperate" on a solution to the Venezuelan political crisis. Last week, speaking to CBS, Guaido said that he was still considering a possible US intervention as an "option", claiming that he was trying to find the "best exit out of [the] conflict". Guaido's statement followed an interview by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with ABC, during which he said that US President Donald Trump had "his full range of Article 2 authorities" when it comes to possible military action in Venezuela. Venezuela has experienced a worsening political crisis since January, when Guaido proclaimed himself to be interim president. Guaido has also declared Vecchio to be his ambassador to the United States. The United States and 54 countries recognised Guaido, but Russia, China, Turkey and numerous other countries have said they recognise President Nicolas Maduro as the only legitimate head of state in Venezuela. Maduro has called Guaido a US puppet and accused the United States of orchestrating a coup in Venezuela to effect a forced change of government and claim the country's resources. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania PM to Resign After Presidential Election Defeat - Report Sputnik News 01:19 13.05.2019(updated 02:19 13.05.2019) Lithuania held its presidential election on Sunday, with nine candidates running for the country's highest office. With ballots from 1,586 of 1,972 polling places reportedly counted, Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis is third with 22.24 percent of the vote, behind economist Gitinas Nauseda leads with 31.52 percent and former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte with 26.76 percent. Skvernelis said on Monday, cited by Reuters, that he will step down on 12 July after the vote tallies reportedly showed his defeat in the country's presidential election. "The trend is evidence of our defeat. I accept this as an assessment of my work as a politician, as a prime minister, and resign," Skvernelis told his supporters on Sunday. His speech was broadcast on Lithuanian television Incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in office. A total of nine candidates were in the running for the country's highest office. Ingrida Simonyte, the country's former minister of finance, and economist Gitanas Nauseda were leading opinion polls ahead of the vote. The contenders have different views on the domestic policies of the country, but none of them is planning to change Vilnius' course toward Moscow. The second round of presidential elections will be held in the republic on 26 May. The President of Lithuania is elected for a term of five years. Lithuania also held Sunday two referendums on issues of dual citizenship and reducing the number of members of the country's parliament. Currently, dual citizenship in Lithuania which has been among the countries with the biggest depopulation amid the exodus triggered by the EU accession is prohibited. In October, the Lithuanian parliament suggested holding a referendum on whether to allow Lithuanians to have dual citizenship. Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevicius stated that Lithuanians might be allowed to have dual citizenship only with those countries that are close to the Baltic republic "in terms of values". Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza blockade causes 'near ten-fold increase' in food dependency, says UN agency 13 May 2019 - At a time when Muslims globally are observing the holy month of Ramadan, more than half the population in Gaza depends on the international community for food aid, the director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Monday, citing a "near ten-fold increase" in need. According to UNRWA, it must secure an additional $60 million by June to continue providing food to more than one million Palestine refugees in Gaza, including some 620,000 "abject poor" who cannot cover their basic food needs and are surviving on $1.6 per day. The funds are also needed to cover the severely challenged 390,000 "absolute poor", who survive on about $3.5 per day. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support, which has been outpaced by growing needs. From fewer than 80,000 Palestine refugees in Gaza receiving social assistance in 2000, today over one million people need urgent food aid to get through their day. "This is a near ten-fold increase caused by the blockade that led to the closure of Gaza and its disastrous impact on the local economy, the successive conflicts that razed entire neighborhoods and public infrastructure to the ground, and the ongoing internal Palestinian political crisis that started in 2007 with the arrival of Hamas to power in Gaza," said Matthias Schmale, Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza. UNRWA is also confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growing number of registered Palestine refugees. Moreover, the tragic death of 195 Palestinians including 14 UNRWA students and the long-lasting physical and psychological injuries of 29,000 people during year-long demonstrations, known as the 'Great March of Return' come after three devastating conflicts since 2009 that, combined, left at least 3,790 dead and more than 17,000 injured. A 2017 UN report predicted that by 2020, Gaza would be unlivable. Today, with over 53 per cent of Gazans unemployed and more than one million dependent upon quarterly UNRWA food handouts, UN agencies and remittances from abroad are all that stand between Gaza and total collapse. "For the first time in my year-and-a-half there," Mr. Schmale elaborated, "I had three people talking to me separately about noticeably increasing drug abuse, increasing suicide attempts and prostitution and they put this down to the place is collapsing socially, in socio-economic terms and one can see it and of course against a background like that escalation is possible at any time". By continuing to deliver upon its mandate, UNRWA remains a critical lifeline for most of Gaza's 1.9 million inhabitants, dispensing services in health and education and defending rights and dignity. Most urgent though, is the food assistance to more than one million Palestine refugees. Operating with large financial shortfalls, as one of the few stabilizing elements in a very complex environment UNRWA is encouraging all Member States to work collectively to fund its programme budget as well as its emergency programmes, which are financed through separate funding portals. UNRWA is tasked to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full human development potential. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Taliban Chief Negotiator: 'US on Verge of Defeat' By Ayaz Gul May 13, 2019 The Taliban's chief negotiator says in newly released remarks that the United States is on the verge of defeat and will quit Afghanistan soon "either of their own accord, or they will be forced out." Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai made the assertions in an April 28 speech to an "internal gathering" in Doha, Qatar, just two days before he led his team of insurgent negotiators into fresh talks with U.S. interlocutors. Pro-Taliban social media outlets Friday released video of Stanekzai's speech, one day after the U.S. special reconciliation envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, and his team wrapped up the week-long negotiations with Taliban representatives in the Qatari capital. In the speech, Stanekzai praised what he called the bravery of the Afghan nation for defeating past British and Soviet invasions of their country and resisting the current foreign military presence, referring to the U.S.-led coalition, which is training and advising pro-government forces in battles against the Taliban. "God has helped us defeat three super powers in the last century. The third super power that we are currently confronted with is also on the verge of defeat, inshallah (God willing). You will soon hear they also will withdraw (from Afghanistan) either of their own accord or they will be forced out," Stanekzai told the gathering. Former US defense chief warning On Saturday, former U.S. Defense Chief Robert Gates said there is a "real risk" that if American troops withdraw from Afghanistan before the Afghan government is stable, the Taliban might retake control of the country. Gates told CBS News that the Afghan insurgent group still wants to rule over the country. "The question is, can you negotiate an arrangement whereby the Taliban agrees to operate under the Afghan Constitution, becomes a part of the political process?" Gates, who served as the secretary of defense under President Barack Obama from 2006 to 2011, spoke after the U.S. announced it was transferring $1.5 billion designated for the war in Afghanistan to build a border wall. U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad last week tweeted that the sides are making "steady but slow progress on aspects of the framework for ending the Afghan war." He said, however, that the current pace of talks isn't sufficient "when so much conflict rages and innocent people die." "We need more and faster progress. Our proposal for all sides to reduce violence also remains on the table," he said. The Taliban's Stanekzai said, "We pray to God they (U.S.) withdraw in a manner that results in peace and stability in Afghanistan, and an Islamic system or Sharia is established in Afghanistan, and there is no further bloodshed among Afghans." Mocking Ghani Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told VOA the internal gathering was organized to commemorate the day in April 1992 when Afghan Mujahideen (holy warriors) overthrew the Communist regime in Kabul. Stanekzai criticized Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and compared him as well as other pro-government leaders with those who had supported Moscow during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. "The ill-fated Ghani did not participate in the jihad (holy resistance) against Russians but he still takes credit and says, 'I am an Afghan and we defeated Russians,'" Stanekzai said, taking note that Ghani lived outside Afghanistan throughout the Russian occupation of the country. Ghani returned to Kabul after the U.S.-led military coalition ousted the Taliban from power in 2001 for sheltering the al-Qaida network. "You will see that tomorrow when, God willing, Americans are defeated the same Ashraf Ghani and the same [former president Hamid] Karzai, who are their [US] stooges and were brought to power, they will again take pride in claiming we are Afghans and we defeated the Americans," said the Taliban chief negotiator. No mention of past CIA support Stanekzai did not mention Washington's support for the anti-Soviet Afghan resistance in his nearly hour-long speech. The Central Intelligence Agency funded training camps that were set up in neighboring Pakistan for Afghan Mujahideen who were waging resistance against Soviet forces. The CIA also supplied modern weapons, including heat-seeking U.S. stinger missiles, assistance that observers believe played a crucial role in forcing Moscow to withdraw from Afghanistan. The ongoing peace dialogue between Washington and the Taliban started nearly one year ago and both sides say they have prepared a preliminary draft agreement. The proposed document exclusively focuses on how and when U.S. troops will withdraw from Afghanistan in return for assurances the Taliban will not allow transnational terrorists to use Afghan soil for attacks against other countries. Ambassador Khalilzad, however, has linked a final agreement to a comprehensive cease-fire by the Taliban and the insurgent group's participation in an intra-Afghan dialogue to permanently end decades of hostilities. The Afghan government has been excluded from the talks, a move that has angered Ghani. The Taliban want Washington to agree to and announce a withdrawal plan. The insurgent group says it will reject cease-fire calls and formal intra-Afghan peace talks until all foreign troops leave the country. The insurgents have dismissed the Afghan government as a product of an "American occupation" and say that the administration has no decision-making authority. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Security Council to Discuss Cameroon's Escalating Crisis By Moki Edwin Kindzeka May 13, 2019 The United Nations Security Council this Monday is set to informally discuss the separatist crisis in Cameroon for the first time. The discussion comes at a time when the conflict is escalating with many internally displaced persons from the English speaking regions escaping to the French speaking zones where some live in desperate conditions. This is Cameroon's Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, visiting the English-speaking town of Bamenda on Saturday, begging people to ask their relatives who have joined separatist fighters to come back home. Dion Ngute says President Paul Biya has sent him to say he is ready for an all-inclusive dialogue but will not discuss separating Cameroon. As the prime minister went begging for peace, the military announced that the war against the separatists had intensified with many of their camps destroyed and at least two dozen fighters killed. The baby of 38-year-old Flora Yenos cries at the Obili Catholic church in the French speaking capital Yaounde. She says she escaped fighting last week from her village Bafanji in the English speaking North West region. She says lost her husband in a battle with the military. She says when she arrived in Yaounde, she and her four kids did not have anything to eat and drink and lacked a place to sleep. She says the Catholic church allowed her to lodge in a classroom and asked Christians to contribute for their upkeep after all of her relatives had told her they could not assist because they were already hosting many IDPs. She says her children are very sick and lack food. Cameroon's unrest began in 2016 when English-speaking teachers and lawyers demonstrated against the growing dominance of French in the officially bilingual country. The government responded with a crackdown and separatists launched an independence movement, saying they were defending their people. The United Nations says at least 500,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. Allegra Baiocchi, coordinator of the U.N. system in Cameroon, says their humanitarian needs are increasing by the day. "We are fully aware of how many people are suffering on so many different needs where there is health, education, protection, violence and I think the commitment is there to try and reach as many people as possible," she said. "We have often said the primary responsibility for the protection of the people is with the government so our action has to come in complementarity." Last week, Human Rights Watch said 1,800 people have been killed in the war and said it had documented cases of the government detaining and torturing alleged separatists and holding some incommunicado detention. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Hosts Hungary's Orban at White House By VOA News May 13, 2019 U.S. President Donald Trump met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday the first visit of the controversial leader to the White House since he returned to power in 2010. Orban, Hungary's prime minister from 1998-2002 and again since 2010, has been criticized by the European Union, of which it is a member, as well as international human rights groups for a perceived decline in human rights and democracy in his country. Speaking next to his Hungarian counterpart Monday in the White House, Trump applauded Orban's hardline immigration policies, which have been criticized by human rights groups around the world, saying Orban has "done the right thing" on immigration. "He's probably, like me, a little controversial but that's OK, that's OK," Trump said. Sitting to Trump's right, Orban told reporters Monday that Hungary is "proud to stand with the United States on fighting illegal migration." Following the talks, the White House said in a statement the two leaders "reaffirmed their commitment to the NATO Alliance and to their democratic systems of government." It also said the two discussed "how best to increase vigilance against unchecked global migration and to address China's unfair trade and investment practices." Ahead of the talks, a group of U.S. senators and members of the Foreign Relations Committee wrote a letter to President Trump Friday, urging him to discuss concern over Hungary's "downward democratic trajectory." "Hungary has experienced a steady corrosion of freedom, the rule of law and quality of governance according to virtually any indicator," the letter read. Among those indicators is the "partly free" designation given to Hungary by the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom the first country in the European Union to see such a decline. "The Hungarian government fails to respect the rule of law and human rights," Human Rights Watch writes in its current country profile of Hungary. "Government representatives are increasingly hostile to journalists and critics and engage in anti-migrant, anti-Muslim and xenophobic rhetoric including through publicly funded campaigns." The White House has not responded to the letter from members of the U.S. Congress expressing concerns about Orban. Last month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement on the sidelines of events marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ships 'Sabotaged' off UAE Coast By VOA News May 13, 2019 Saudi Arabia says two of its oil tankers suffered "significant damage" in a "sabotage attack" early Sunday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. No details, however, about the specifics of the damage were released. The kingdom's energy minister said one of the tankers had been on its way to the Saudi port of Ras Tanura to pick up oil to deliver to the United States. The United States issued a warning early Monday about alleged "acts of sabotage" aimed at ships off the United Arab Emirates coast and last week warned ships that "Iran or its proxies'' could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. The warnings come at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. defense officials told VOA that the U.S. military is assisting in the investigation of the sabotage at the request of the UAE government. Asked at the White House about the incident, President Donald Trump responded: "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake." Earlier, the UAE said four commercial ships were subjected to "sabotage operations" Sunday near its territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, but did not give any details on the sabotage or who owned the ships, other than saying they were of different nationalities. They say no one was hurt and no chemicals or fuel were spilled from the ships. Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al Falih said the attack was meant to undermine "the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world." The UAE said Iranian and Lebanese news reports of explosions at the port of Fujairah were not correct, and added "media outlets must be responsible and rely on official sources." The Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan all condemned the attack. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Monday in a statement that the attacks on the ships "are alarming and regrettable." He called for "further investigation," warning the incident may have been "part of a plot by parties trying to create havoc in the region." A U.S. official familiar with American intelligence told Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity that Iran is a leading candidate for having carried out attacks, but said the United States does not have conclusive proof Tehran was behind them. The U.S. Maritime Administration had warned last week of what it called the "increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against U.S. and partner interests ... by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers or U.S. military vessels." Carla Babb at the Pentagon and Edward Yeranian in Cairo contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Orban of Hungary Before Bilateral Meeting May 13, 2019 Oval Office 2:14 P.M. EDT PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It's a great honor to have with us the Prime Minister of Hungary. And Viktor Orban has done a tremendous job in so many different ways. Highly respected. Respected all over Europe. Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that's okay. That's okay. You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe. We'll be discussing NATO. As you know, Hungary is a proud member of NATO, and we are we've really gotten to know each other a little bit. We'll be discussing trade, very much so, and lots of other subjects. We'll be meeting with representatives of Hungary later on, and with the Prime Minister. And we'll spend some very good time together. So, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for being at the White House. Thank you very much. It's a great honor. Thanks. PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: May I have a word? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, please. PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: So, President, thank you very much for the invitation. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: May I just say here that we are proud that so many Hungarians contributed to the tremendous progress of United States. I'm very happy to be here again, and, may I say, to be young again. It was 20 years ago, first time here. I have some expectations for this meeting this afternoon. First of all, to strengthen our strategic alliance. Then, to discuss global political issues because so many changes are going on, and we have some similar approaches. And I would like to express that we are proud to stand together with the United States on fighting against illegal migration, on terrorism, and to protect and help the Christian communities all around the world. So, President, thank you very much for the invitation. PRESIDENT TRUMP: And you have been great with respect to Christian communities. You have really put a block up, and we appreciate that very much. So we're going to have some meetings now. A lot of subjects under discussion. And the relationship is very good with Hungary. Thank you all very much. Q Mr. President, what's your reaction to China's decision today to retaliate on tariffs, and the market reaction to that? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, the reaction is very simple. China has been taking advantage of the United States for many, many years. I'm not just talking about during the Obama administration. You can go back long before that. And it's been taking out four hundred, five hundred, six hundred billion dollars a year out of the United States. And we can't let that happen. We're in a very strong position. Our economy has been very powerful; theirs has not been. We've gone up a lot since our great election in 2016. And if you look at the numbers, they've gone down quite a bit. We're dealing with them. We have a very good relationship. Maybe something will happen. But we're going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan. And that will be, I think, probably, a very fruitful meeting. But we're taking in, right now, hundreds of billions of dollars. We're taking in billions of dollars of tariffs. And those tariffs are going to be tremendously if you look at what we've done thus far with China, we've never taken in 10 cents until I got elected. Now we're taking in billions and billions. Now, it went up, as of Friday, very substantially. It's 25 percent on $200 billion. So now the total is 25 percent on $250 billion. In addition to that, we have another $325 billion that we can do if we decide to do it. So we are taking in tens of billions of dollars. We've never done that before with with China. We've never done that before with anybody, frankly, because we've been taken advantage of on all of our trade deals, practically. This is a a very positive step. I love the position we're in. There can be some retaliation, but it can't be very, very substantial, by comparison. And out of the billions of dollars that we're taking in, a small portion of that will be going to our farmers because China will be retaliating, probably, to a certain extent, against our farmers. We're going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about $15 billion, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well. They'll be planting. They'll be able to sell for less, and they'll make the same kind of money until such time as it's all straightened out. So our farmers will be very happy. Our manufacturers will be very happy. And our government is very happy because we're taking in tens of billions of dollars. I think it's working out very well. Again, we do much less business with China than they do with us. If you take a look at $100 billion versus $600 billion and just so you understand, we don't have to pay any tariffs if you're a manufacturer in this country. You pay nothing. Open your division or open up your product. Have it made in this country as opposed to made in China. Or, if you don't want to do that and that would be the ideal; that's what it used to be a long time ago when we were smart, when we had an economy that was really something very special. Now we're having a period of tremendous growth and tremendous success like we haven't seen for a long time. But in the old days, we made our product and we took our product, and that's what it was. Now we go to China, and we buy it not anymore. And if they don't want to pay tariffs, make it here or buy it from another country that's a non-tariffed country. So whether you go to Vietnam or so many others, you can do that. So, the bottom line is we are taking in a tremendous amounts of money. It already started as of last Friday, but it really started seven months before that. It's in the form of tariffs or taxes, and it had a tremendous impact. If you looked at the first quarter which is always, historically, the worst quarter we were at 3.2 percent. People were very surprised. Well, a lot of that was the tariffs that we were taking in from China. So we're in a very good positon and I think it's only going to get better. Q Can you guarantee a trade deal with China by June 1st? PRESIDENT TRUMP: We're in a great positon right now, no matter what we do. Yeah, I think China wants to have it because companies are already announcing that they're leaving China because they can't do that. They can't compete if they're in China, with the tax. So what a lot of companies are going to be doing, quite naturally, is leaving China and going to other countries so they don't have to pay the tariff. That's something that's a problem for China. They don't want to have that. And we don't want to have that necessarily happen to China. But we had a deal with China; it was 95 percent there. And then, my representatives as you know, Secretary Mnuchin and Bob Lighthizer Ambassador Lighthizer they went to China and they were told the things that were fully agreed to we're not going to get anymore; they're going to un-agree to them. That's not acceptable. I said, "Good. That's fine. Put on the tariffs." And again, so we have tens of millions of dollars pouring into our coffers the coffers of the U.S. Treasury. Q Are you at war with Iran? Are you seeking regime change there? PRESIDENT TRUMP: We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. If they do anything. I'm hearing little stories about Iran. If they do anything, they will suffer greatly. We'll see what happens with Iran. Q Mr. President, will you meet with President Xi directly at G20? PRESIDENT TRUMP: I'll meet with him directly, yes. I'll be meeting with President Xi of China. Yes. Q What about President Putin? Will you also meet with him at G20? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, I'll be meeting with President Putin also. Q On Russia: Secretary Pompeo is there or is heading there. What message do you have for him to send to Putin? PRESIDENT TRUMP: I think the message is that there has never been anybody that's been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we're going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia. Nobody has sanctioned Russia like I have. Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it's very unfair having to do with the United States and NATO. There has been nobody that's ever done and if you really look at something big, our energy business we're now the biggest in the world. We're bigger than Russia. We're bigger than Saudi Arabia. We're bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I've become President because I've made it so that you can do that. And we're taking in a lot of money. Look, our country is doing really well. We've probably never done this well before, and it's going to continue. We have tremendous signs. As far as the deal with China is concerned, believe it or not, it's very important, but it's a very, very small part of the kind of numbers that we're doing right now, since my election. Q Will you pursue the $325 billion in tariffs? The additional tariffs are you going to pursue that? PRESIDENT TRUMP: I haven't made that decision yet. We have the right to do another $325 billion at 25 percent in additional tariffs. That is a tremendous amount of money that would come into our country. I have not made that decision yet. Q Should Don McGahn be held in contempt of Congress? PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don't know anything about what's going on. I can tell you that there has never been anybody so transparent as the Trump administration. And it was no collusion and no obstruction. And we're wasting a lot of time with that stuff. But the Mueller report came out; it was a very good report for us. Q Mr. President, are you concerned about democratic backsliding in Hungary under this Prime Minister? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, people have a lot of respect for this Prime Minister. He's a respected man. And I know he's a tough man, but he's a respected man. And he's done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration. And you look at some of the problems that they have in Europe that are tremendous because they've done it a different way than the Prime Minister. But I'll let him speak to that question. Mr. Prime Minister, please. PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: "From the people, by the people, for the people." This is the basis for the Hungarian government. So, it's a government which is elected by the Hungarian people several times, so we are happy to serve our nation. Q What about democratic reforms, sir? PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: We have a new constitution accepted in 2011, and it's functioning well. Q Mr. President, you talked about PRESIDENT TRUMP: Don't forget they're a member of NATO, and a very good member of NATO. And I don't think we can really go into too much of a discussion unless that's mentioned. Yeah. Q You talked about transparency, sir. If you're so transparent, why continue to block these House Democrats who are looking for information from Secretary Mnuchin and others? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Because they're asking for things that they're not entitled to. I could ask them. I assume, if they ask me, I could ask them for the same kind of thing. They wouldn't want to do it. All they're doing is trying to win an election in 2020. And I think we're in very good shape. We're have the strongest economy we've ever had. We have the single best employment numbers we've ever had and unemployment numbers. You know, it's very interesting, but, Mr. Prime Minister, as of today, we have the most number of people working in the United States than we have ever had at any time in the history of our country. Almost 160 million people PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: Congratulations. PRESIDENT TRUMP: are working. So, that's a big that's a big number. PRIME MINISTER ORBAN: Congratulations. PRESIDENT TRUMP: I just saw the final number. We're close to 160 million people. If you look at African American, Asian, Hispanic unemployment, it's the lowest number it's ever been. So we're doing really well. And all the Democrats want to do is find any way they can to stop it. They're putting their own personal goals ahead of the country, and you can't do that. You just can't do that. And we have a wonderful Attorney General. He's done a very, very good job. And I'm sure it'll all work out. Q On your campaign, sir: Will you commit to not using any information stolen from a foreign adversary? Will you make that commitment? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I never did use, as you probably know. That's what the Mueller report was all about. They said, "No collusion." And I would certainly agree to that; I don't need it. All I need is the opponents that I'm looking at. I'm liking what I see. Q Mr. President, are you concerned about the attacks on oil tankers in the Middle East? PRESIDENT TRUMP: We'll see what happens. It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that. They're not going to be happy. They are not going to be happy people. Okay? Q What do you mean by that? PRESIDENT TRUMP: You can figure it out yourself. They know what I mean by it. Okay, does anybody else have a question other than these two? Any questions for the Prime are there any questions for the Prime Minister, please? Q Mr. President, what can you tell us about this American citizen that was rescued by the French in Africa? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, the French did a great job. Q Who is she? Was it coordinated with your administration? PRESIDENT TRUMP: The French did a great job and we appreciate it very much. And I've already communicated that feeling. We worked with them on intelligence, and we were able to get that person back. And we thank the French very much. Great job. Q Who is she? Who is she? What work was she doing there? PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don't want to I don't want to tell you that now. I'll tell you at some later date, I'm sure. Okay? Q The farmer aid package, sir the $15 billion can you elaborate on what that looks like or where that's coming from? PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, it's being devised right now. It's something that has taken place over the years. And if you would like, speak to Sonny Perdue, Department of Agriculture. We love our farmers. We take care of our farmers. Our farmers have been incredible. No country can get in the way of our farmers. Our farmers are great patriots and they've done a fantastic job. So our farmers are going to be very well taken care of. Thank you all very much. Thank you. END 2:29 P.M. EDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 100 Indians Among 600 Terror Suspects Deported From Sri Lanka - Report Sputnik News 14:25 13.05.2019(updated 14:26 13.05.2019) The deportations come as part of the island nation's endeavour to restructure its security apparatus as promised by President Maithripala Sirisena following serial terror attacks that rocked Sri Lanka on 21 April, leaving 253 killed and over 500 injured. New Delhi (Sputnik): The Sri Lankan government has cracked down on terror suspects after the Easter Sunday serial terrorist blasts and deported some 600 foreigners from Colombo last week, including 100 Indians, the Indian daily The Pioneer reported. There were 200 Muslim religious preachers (Maulvis) among the ones deported, the media report said. The Sri Lankan government is screening 1,200 individuals suspected to have terror links. After confirmation, they would also be deported from the country. Clerics from Pakistan and the Maldives were also among those deported from the country. Apart from the 200 Muslim religious preachers, the island nation's authorities have earmarked 400 others who travelled to the nation on tourist visas and were engaging in radicalisation activities. According to the report, prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, the chief of National Thowheed Jamat, Zaharan Hashim, was in southern India for three months. He was there below the radar of India's Intelligence Bureau and hence remained undetected during his stay in India. The process of deportation commenced on Tuesday and by Thursday the country got rid of 600 radicals from its soil. Amid the deportation, the government informed foreign diplomatic missions about the ongoing process. Citing sources, the daily revealed that radical Muslim preachers were members of international networks of terror groups, like al-Qaeda* and Daesh*, that have the imposition of radical Islam in the countries of their domicile as their ultimate goal through the use of terrorism. *Terrorist organisations outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon to Redirect Money From Ballistic Missiles to Border Wall - Reports Sputnik News 10:04 13.05.2019(updated 10:24 13.05.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Defence Department's funding for the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico will partially come from programmes related to the modernisation of a ballistic missile and an airborne warning and control system, The Washington Post reported, citing a document prepared by the department. "The Department carefully selected sources for the reprogramming that are excess or early to need and will not adversely affect military preparedness", the document said, as quoted by the newspaper late on Sunday. According to the document, a part of the funding will be redirected from a programme aimed at modernising the ground infrastructure for the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. The Pentagon intends to divert money from a programme related to a system that is used by planes to detect and communicate the position of targets to attack because the programme has been "slightly delayed", the newspaper noted. The Defence Department will also reallocate money originally given to a "space test experiment" with the participation of the Defence Advanced Projects Research Agency, the newspaper added. On 10 April, the Pentagon signed almost $1 billion in contracts with two entities on the construction of the wall. On 10 May, the Defence Department announced that it was drawing $1.5 billion from various sources, including an Afghanistan-related programme, to help fund the project. The construction of the wall on the US-Mexican border to prevent the flow of undocumented migrants and drug trafficking to the United States was one of US President Donald Trump's main campaign pledges. The president, however, has been struggling to find financing for the wall as Congress has refused to allocate billions of dollars from the budget. In order to bypass Congress and secure the necessary funding, Trump declared a state of national emergency on the US southern border. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Not Interested in Joining Russia-US Strategic Arms Reduction Talks - FM Sputnik News 17:42 13.05.2019(updated 18:04 13.05.2019) SOCHI (Sputnik) - China has no need to join Russia-US bilateral talks on nuclear disarmament, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement. "China is really not interested and has no need to join the bilateral talks between Russia and the United States on nuclear disarmament", Wang said following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Wang stressed that China's nuclear arsenal is kept to a minimum in line with the country's defence policy. "We promise we will not use nuclear weapons", the minister said. The statement comes after the US State Department stated that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would discuss possible new agreements on arms control with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meetings in Sochi on 14 May. The US president told reporters last week that he would soon launch bilateral talks with Russia on a new nuclear arms control deal that could eventually be expanded to include China. Beijing, however, has said it has no intention to join any potential talks. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) went into force in 2011 and covers a 10-year period with the possibility of a five-year extension. The agreement limits the number of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, nuclear armed bombers and nuclear warheads. Trump in February announced that the United States would withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which was signed by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Following Trump's announcement, Russia suspended its obligations under the INF Treaty. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan Seeks Summit With N Korea Despite Missile Launches - Reports Sputnik News 15:33 13.05.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tokyo still seeks a summit with North Korea over the abduction of its citizens despite Pyongyang's missile firings, the Japanese NHK broadcaster reported on Monday citing Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. According to the broadcaster, Suga said it at a parliamentary meeting when asked whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should still meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un without preconditions even after Tokyo had lodged a protest against the ballistic missile firings in Pyongyang last Thursday. Throughout May, North Korea carried out a series of projectile launches which Japan later identified as ballistic missiles. On Thursday, missiles were fired eastward from the province of North Pyongan, as confirmed by the US and South Korea. They flew 420 and 270 kilometers (261 and 168 miles) respectively before hitting into the Sea of Japan, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported. The launches occurred following a deadlock in the denuclearization negotiations between Pyngyang and Washington in Vietnam in February. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French FM: Europe asks Iran to stay in JCPOA IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, May 13, IRNA -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday that Europe insists that the Islamic Republic of Iran stay in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Speaking to reporters before the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, he said following mounting tensions and toughening of the US economic sanctions against Iran, the European foreign ministers and the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini believe that the Islamic Republic of Iran should stay in the JCPOA. He also criticized Iran's 60-day ultimatum on the country's nuclear deal. The US withdrew from the internationally-recognized agreement with the Group 5+1 on the JCPOA in 2018 and turned all suspended economic sanctions already imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Other members of the G5+1 condemned the US move while remained committed to the JCPOA. 1430**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mogherini urges Iran, US to de-escalate tension IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, May 13, IRNA -- The European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Monday voiced the EU full support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), calling on Iran and the US to de-escalate tension. 'We will continue to support it as much as we can with all our instruments and all our political will,' Mogherini told reporters before a meeting with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, who are signatories to the deal. Reacting to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Brussels, she said that she was informed last night of Pompeo's arrival to Brussels where EU foreign ministers are slated to gather for a regular monthly meeting. 'We will be here all day with a busy agenda. So we will see during the day how and if will manage to arrange a meeting,' Mogherini said, adding, 'There are no precise plans at the moment.' According to informed sources, Pompeo is to visit Russian officials in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday. The Emirati National newspaper wrote that the foreign ministers of the EU are to meet in Brussels to discuss the latest declaration of Iran about the JCPOA giving 60-day deadline to the parties to JCPOA to remedy the breaches US made about its commitments to the JCPOA endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231. 9417**1416 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address JCPOA key pillar of security in our region: Mogherini ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 13 May 2019 / 13:37 Tehran (ISNA) EU foreign policy chief stressed that Europe will continue to support Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The European Union will continue supporting the full implementation of the Iran nuclear deal by all possible means, as it is necessary to maintain this dialogue in order to avoid tension in the region, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday. "We continue to fully support the nuclear deal with Iran and its full implementation. We will have also today at the margins of Foreign Affairs Council a meeting between myself and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom to discuss how to best support the full implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran that for us remains the key pillar of security in our region," she added. "We will continue to support it as much as we can with all our instruments and with all political will. And this is very well known both in Washington and in Iran," Mogherini told reporters. One year after US abrupt withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran said 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. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Military Presence in Persian Gulf Has 'Reached Its End' - Iranian Navy Sputnik News 03:29 13.05.2019(updated 03:40 13.05.2019) TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iranian Navy Commander Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi said on Sunday, commenting on Washington's decision to increase its military presence in the Middle East, that the United States must leave the region. "The presence of the Americans in the Persian Gulf region has reached its end and they must leave the region", Khanzadi said as quoted by the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). Washington is seeking to increase the likelihood of war by sending an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, he added. Earlier this week, Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved the deployment of the Patriot missile defence system and USS Arlington (LPD-24) to the Middle East. Earlier in the month, the United States said it would deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force near Iran to an area controlled by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to send "a clear and unmistakable message" to Tehran. Tensions have been running high between Iran and the United States since May 2018, when US President Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the historic Iran nuclear deal, pulled out of the agreement. In less than a year, Washington unveiled several rounds of sanctions against the Islamic republic, targeting the country's finance, transport, military and other spheres. Tehran has informed the ambassadors of China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom of its decision to suspend some of its obligations under the nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that he gave European countries 60 days to ensure that Iran's interests were protected under the agreement. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General calls for end to Libya fighting NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 13 May. 2019 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salame at NATO headquarters on Monday (13 May 2019) for talks on the security situation in Libya. The Secretary General expressed the Alliance's deep concern over the situation in Libya and stressed that he would continue to urge all parties to end the fighting and join again the political process, as called for by the United Nations. The Secretary General further emphasized that the current conflict is increasing the suffering of the Libyan people and putting civilian lives at risk. He made clear that there is no military solution to the situation in Libya. NATO fully supports the work of the United Nations in Libya and the Secretary General thanked the Special Representative for his work to broker a truce and to find a political solution to the crisis. NATO will continue to urge all parties in Libya, and all members of the international community, to support the UN-led process. The Secretary General stressed that NATO is prepared to help Libya build effective security institutions, including a modern Ministry of Defence and effective security services under the civilian control of the government. This would be done at the request of the Libyan government and only when the security conditions allow it. During his visit, Mr. Salame also briefed the North Atlantic Council. All Allies reiterated that there is no military solution to the current crisis in Libya. They also reiterated their full support to the UN continued efforts in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan's Parliament Passes Bill On More Representation For Former Tribal Regions By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal May 13, 2019 ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's lower chamber of parliament has approved a bill that would grant more representation in a provincial legislature to seven former tribal districts near the border with Afghanistan. The bill was unanimously approved by the 342-member legislative chamber on May 13. It will be moved to the upper chamber, the Senate, where it also must be approved before it can be signed into law by Pakistan's president. The seven former tribal agencies -- - Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North Waziristan, and South Waziristan -- were merged into the nearby Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in 2018. But there have been complaints that the 16 seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial assembly for lawmakers from the former tribal areas is not sufficient representation. The bill passed on May 13 calls for the number of seats to be increased to 24. With the addition of six reserved seats, the former tribal areas will have a total of 30 representatives in the provincial assembly. In the lower house of Pakistan's national parliament, the seven former tribal districts are now represented by 12 lawmakers. There are eight lawmakers representing the former tribal areas in Pakistan's Senate. With reporting by Dawn and The Tribune Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-s-parliament -passes-bill-on-more-representation-for-former- tribal-regions/29937892.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Blast Kills 4 Policemen in SW Pakistan By Ayaz Gul May 13, 2019 A bomb explosion in southwestern Pakistan has killed at least four policemen and injured around 10 other people, including civilians. A senior police officer said the deadly blast occurred late Monday in a marketplace in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, where China is investing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects. The police deputy inspector general, Abdul Razzaq Cheema, told reporters the bomb was planted in a motorbike and apparently a remote-controlled device was used to detonate it near a police van. A spokesman for the outlawed Pakistani Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for placing the bomb. The attack is the second in as many days in Baluchistan. On Saturday, heavily armed gunmen stormed a highly secured luxury hotel near China-run strategic port of Gwadar. The attack left five people dead, including four hotel employees and one Pakistani navy commando. In the ensuing gunfight, Pakistani security forces killed what officials said were three "terrorists" in security force uniforms to end the siege that lasted several hours. A separatist group, known as the Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), took responsibility for the attack on Gwadar's only five-star hotel, called Zaver Pearl Continental. The group also released pictures of four purported attackers. The deep-water Arabian Sea Gwadar port is considered the heart of the multibillion-dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) bilateral megaproject, an extension of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi Arabia Says Two Vessels Targeted in 'Sabotage Attack' Near UAE Sputnik News 06:15 13.05.2019(updated 08:35 13.05.2019) The Saudi energy minister has reportedly said that two country's vessels were targeted in a "sabotage attack" on Sunday morning near UAE, noting that no casualties or leaks occurred, according to Reuters citing Saudi state TV. Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid A. Al-Falih condemned the attack against the two Saudi vessels. One of the targeted vessels was en route to being loaded with Saudi crude from Ras Tanura port to be delivered to Aramco customers in the US before the attack, Reuters reported. The attack has reportedly caused significant damage to the structure of the two Saudi vessels. "Fortunately, the attack didn't lead to any casualties or oil spill; however, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels," said Falih as cited by Reuters. The energy minister emphasized that the international community had a joint responsibility to protect the safety of maritime navigation and the security of oil. On early Monday the US issued a new warning to sailors over alleged "acts of sabotage" targeting ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates amid heightened regional tensions between America and Iran, Reuters reported. Following the Sunday's incident with the four UAE's vessels, which the latter described as "acts of sabotage", the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) condemned the "sabotage operations" of commercial vessels near UAE territorial waters. "It is a dangerous development and escalation that reflects the evil intentions of those who planned and carried out these operations that endanger the safety of maritime navigation in the region and threaten the lives of the ships' civilian crews," the statement says. On Sunday the Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen broadcaster said, citing local media, that several large explosions had occurred in the port of Fujairah. The government of Fujairah denied on Sunday media reports of several large explosions taking place at the emirate's port, insisting that the port was functioning as usual. The foreign ministry of the United Arab Emirates, in its turn, said that four merchant vessels had been targeted in "acts of sabotage" in Gulf waters off its coast, refuting previous reports. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria calls on UNSC to stop US-backed SDF attacks Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 06:14PM Syria has called on the United Nations Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities and adopt immediate and effective measures to stop the attacks and treasonous actions of Kurdish-led militants from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) actively operating in the Arab country's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr. Over the past weeks, several rallies have been held in protest against SDF practices, calling for their expulsion from the region, with protesters chanting slogans against the SDF occupation, which has led to chaos, kidnapping, killing and monopoly of Syria's oil. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in letters addressed to the UN Secretary-General and the head of the Security Council on Monday that the SDF should be compelled to respect the world body's resolutions that assert Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, according to Syria's official news agency SANA. The ministry added that the SDF, by committing criminal acts, intends to subjugate Syrian citizens who are demanding their rights and calling for the Syrian government's resumption of carrying out its duties in the eastern province. "The actions of the SDF and their shameful alliance with Syria's enemies prove without a doubt their criminal and terrorism nature, and that they do not express the Syrian people," the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in the letters. It also stressed that the massacres committed by the SDF will only bring them disgrace and the contempt of the Syrian people. Back in late April, hundreds of people took to the streets in the northeastern Syrian towns of al-Busayrah, Masheikh, al-Tayyana as well as the villages of Tal al-Dhaman, al-Namliyah and Tayyeb Al Faall to protest the presence of SDF militants, rising cases of abduction and assassination in their areas and plunder of Syria's oil wealth by the US-sponsored forces. Local sources said the Kurdish-led militants fired indiscriminately at demonstrators in al-Tayyana to disperse the protest, with reports falling short of giving any details on the number of possible casualties. The SDF illegally transports Dayr al-Zawr's crude oil to neighboring Hasakeh province in Syria's northeast, a move that has angered the people. The US has long been providing the SDF, an alliance of Kurdish alliance, with arms and militants, calling them a key partner in the purported fight against the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group. Many observers, however, see the support in the context of Washington's plans to carve out a foothold in the Arab country. Such support has also angered Washington's NATO ally, Turkey, which views militants of the People's Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK has been waging a destructive war inside Turkey for decades. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Militants Shell 4 Settlements in Syria's Latakia in Past 24 Hours - Russian MoD Sputnik News 03:34 13.05.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Militants have attacked four settlements in the Syrian province of Latakia over the past 24 hours, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's Centre for Syrian Reconciliation, Maj. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin said on Sunday. "Over the past 24 hours, illegal armed groups have bombarded [four] settlements in Latakia province within the Idlib de-escaltion zone", Kupchishin said. Kupchishin added that a total of 57,925 Syrians who evaded military service had been granted amnesty by the Syrian authorities as of Saturday. Over the past two weeks, terrorists have reportedly increased the number of shelling attacks on the Syrian provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia. They have also been attempting to attack the positions of the Syrian army in the region. Government forces have responded by boosting their attacks on terrorists in Idlib. Syrian forces are targeting depots, artillery positions and observation posts of the Nusra Front terrorist group. Russia, Turkey and Iran are the guarantors of the ceasefire in the conflict-affected Syria. Russia carries out humanitarian operations across the country on a regular basis and helps Damascus in providing safe passage for the return of Syrian refugees. According to the UN Refugee Agency data, about 5.6 million Syrian refugees have fled to neighboring states and beyond since 2011, while millions more remain displaced inside Syria. *Nusra Front is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey detains 46 ex-policemen over affiliation to Gulen movement Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 03:43PM Turkish security forces have arrested dozens of former police officers on suspicion of affiliation to a movement led by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Ankara government accuses of having masterminded the July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Police sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 46 people were detained in operations across the country on Monday. The sources added that the arrests were made after prosecutors in the capital Ankara issued arrest warrants for 64 suspects. During the 2016 botched putsch, a faction of the Turkish military declared that it had seized control of the country and the government of Erdogan was no more in charge. The attempt was, however, suppressed a few hours later. Ankara has since accused Gulen of having orchestrated the coup. The opposition figure is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to topple the government via infiltrating the country's institutions, particularly the army, police and the judiciary. Gulen has denounced the "despicable putsch" and reiterated that he had no role in it. "Accusations against me related to the coup attempt are baseless and politically-motivated slanders," he said in a statement. The 78-year-old cleric has also called on Ankara to end its "witch hunt" of his followers, a move he says is aimed at "weeding out anyone it deems disloyal to President Erdogan and his regime." Turkish officials have frequently called on their US counterparts to extradite Gulen, but their demands have not been taken heed of. Turkey has been engaged in suppressing the media and opposition groups suspected to have played a role in the failed coup. Tens of thousands of people have been arrested in Turkey on suspicion of having links to Gulen and the failed coup. More than 110,000 others, including military staff, civil servants and journalists, have been sacked or suspended from work over the same accusations. The international community and rights groups have been highly critical of the Turkish president over the massive dismissals and the crackdown. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan Fights to Keep Control of Istanbul By Dorian Jones May 13, 2019 Ekrem Imamoglu caused a political earthquake in recent local elections in Turkey when he won the Istanbul mayorship, ending 25 years of domination by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, in a controversial move, Turkey's election board annulled the March vote and ordered a re-run. Now the ousted mayor is at the center of a political storm. Imamoglu, of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), claims his short tenure was enough to uncover gross overspending and waste by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), ammunition that he is set to use in the June 23 re-vote. During his 19 days in office, Imamoglu toured the city and held mass rallies, where he repeated his pledge to bridge Turkey's deep political divide and bring about good governance. The rallies were in many ways preparing for another election, with the widely held expectation Erdogan's ruling AKP would not accept the loss of Turkey's most important city, by a mere 13,000 votes. This month the High Electoral Board made up of mainly Erdogan appointees upheld the AKP's claims of fraud and irregularities. The move drew national and international condemnation. "This is a blow that will be written in history as a dark stain, this is very clear," said Imamoglu about the annulling of his victory. "That's why I am very sad," he added, "it is not a sadness directed towards myself; this is sadness for wider society. This is a sadness I feel for seeing such a blow to Turkey's democracy. However, correcting this wrong is down to us. And that's the fight we are now giving." Imamoglu says his determination to win Istanbul again is buoyed by what he discovered during his short tenure in office. "Waste!" he said, "the amount of waste that I saw at the Istanbul metropolitan municipality! There is a need for big savings in expenditure." Istanbul accounts for around a quarter of Turkey's population and a third of country's economy, making it Turkey's most important political prize. "Istanbul presents so many patronage opportunities," said international relations professor Soli Ozel of Istanbul's Kadir Has University. "It greases the wheels of politics of those who control it, and the AKP has truly mastered." Istanbul based pro-government media, most belonging to business conglomerates with close ties to Erdogan, were in the forefront of lobbying for the Istanbul vote to be overturned. Protests continue Analysts say the annulling of the vote will damage Erdogan's political legitimacy that is built on electoral success. Istanbul's streets continue to reverberate to the sound of nighttime protests over the annulling of the vote, as momentum builds for next month's re-vote, touted as one of the country's most important. "It is obvious that this vote is not only about Istanbul," said Imamoglu. "This is both a local election and a fight for democracy. That's why our campaign will grow much bigger, and hundred thousands of people will participate." Imamoglu claims tens of thousands of volunteers have already signed up for the election campaign. The CHP's Istanbul success, coupled with last year's unexpectedly competitive presidential challenge, is seen as re-energizing the opposition party. "Winning is an acquired habit the more you do it, the better you get at it, sort of muscle memory," said analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners. "If they win again (Istanbul re-vote), they will have the wind behind them." In Imamoglu, the CHP believes they have found a winner, who can finally challenge the AKP, after nearly two decades of defeat. "Coming out of a very small borough of Istanbul and mounting a very effective election campaign to the point of drawing pro-AKP voters to at least listen to him is impressive," said Yesilada. "And the fact he has retained rather effective [public relations] agencies also attests to his skills." Mayor of Istanbul's Beylikduzu district, a distant suburb, Imamoglu was largely a political unknown, before being the surprise choice as candidate for city mayor. But his background is seen to give him advantages. Imamoglu is from the Black Sea region, whose people make up the largest constituency of Istanbul. He also has conservative roots, that analysts say helps to allay concerns of religious AKP voters. In an image usually associated with Erdogan, Imamoglu routinely breaks fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan with Istanbul families. He appears to cross the divide between the secular and pious effortlessly. Until now Erdogan has successfully portrayed the pro-secular CHP, as "elitist and anti-religious." Rather than engaging in the politics of polarization, Imamoglu says he's seeking to offer a new kind of politics in the June vote. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK PM opposes Labour proposal for second Brexit referendum Iran Press TV Mon May 13, 2019 06:04PM Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected a proposal by the opposition Labour Party for accepting a second referendum on leaving the European Union as a prerequisite for reaching a deal that could guarantee a smooth withdrawal from the bloc. "She (May) has said on many occasions that she is focused on delivering the result of the first referendum," May's spokesman said on Monday while referring to the first referendum on Brexit in June 2016 in which Britons voted 52-48 to leave the EU. The statement came after two senior Labour figures said any deal on Brexit with the ruling Conservatives should have the second referendum option, otherwise it will be highly unlikely to pass as more than 150 lawmakers are ready to vote it down. May's government is to begin the seventh week of its talks with the Labour aimed at reaching a solution to the parliament standoff over Brexit. The talks began after may failed for a third time in early April to gain the approval of the parliament for a deal she had signed with the EU in November. Pro-Remain lawmakers in the Conservative Party have called on May, also a Remainer, to pull out of the talks and return to the House of Commons for a new series of indicative votes that could lead to the approval of her Berxit deal. Pro-Brexit lawmakers, however, have urged May to resign in the face of mounting opposition to her Brexit strategy, saying someone else should lead the negotiations with the EU so that the Conservatives could prevent further losses to their public support after they suffered a major defeat in the local elections earlier this month. May's failure in delivering on Brexit has caused many Conservatives to begin to support the newly-established Brexit Party, led by veteran politician Nigel Farage. A Monday poll carried out by the Times newspaper ahead of the May 23 European Parliament elections showed that Tories had fallen to the fifth place behind the Brexit Party, the Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens with only 10 percent of support among the voters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TOWSON, Md., May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PM Consulting Group LLC (PMCG) announced today it was awarded a new communications contract with the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Command Group at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). The three-year contract is worth more than $4 million if all contract years are exercised. PMCG will provide the Army with broad communications services, including event planning, protocol services, newspaper production and layout design, technical writing, graphics design and speech preparation. CECOM functions within the Army Materiel Command and serves as the Armys provider for command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities. CECOM plays a critical role within the Army ecosystem, and their long-term success depends on their ability to effectively communicate their mission and technology to other Army organizations as well as to public audiences, said Walter Barnes III, president of PM Consulting Group. PM Consulting Group and its partner, NextGen Federal Systems, LLC is proud to work with the Command to help elevate and highlight the important work CECOM performs on a daily basis. PMCG provides broad services to federal and state government clients, ranging from program and project management, to technology expertise and communications. The firms consultants have extensive experience supporting various federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Health & Human Services, the Veterans Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and many others. About PM Consulting Group PM Consulting Group (PMCG) is an SBA Certified 8(a), Hubzone, and MDOT Certified MBE firm that delivers professional and management consulting solutions to federal and state government clients. Established in 2008, PMCG specializes in program and project management support for various types of projects/acquisitions. Our focused approach to project management enables the flexibility required to successfully deliver projects on schedule and within budget. Visit us at www.pmconsultinggroupllc.com; 410-512-6557. PM Consulting Group is listed under the GSA Professional Services Schedule (PSS) under contract number GS-00F-166GA. Media Contact: Jim Lubinskas Spire Communications jlubinskas@spirecomm.com 703.907.9103 (ASKER, NORWAY 14 MAY 2019) TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA ("TGS" or the "Company") today announced that reflective of the Companys strong financial and liquidity position and improving market outlook, the Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program of up to USD 50 million. The share repurchase program will be in place until the Company's annual general meeting in May 2020, or such earlier time as the maximum number of shares has been acquired or the Board resolves to terminate the program. Any repurchased shares will be held in treasury and, subject to approval by a general meeting, thereafter be cancelled. Repurchased shares may also in part be used to satisfy obligations under incentive programs and/or otherwise disposed of (for cash or in kind consideration as part of transactions). It is expected that shares will primarily be repurchased in the open market on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The share repurchases will be conducted based on the authorization to acquire treasury shares granted at the annual general meeting of the Company on 8 May 2019. For additional information about this press release please contact: Sven Brre Larsen Chief Financial Officer Tel: +47 90 94 36 73 Email: investor@tgs.com . Company summary TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, and data integration solutions. For more information visit TGS online at www.tgs.com . Forward-looking statements and contact information All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principle customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data products at costs commensurate with profitability. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason. TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO:TGS). This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Highlights MHA Petroleum Consultants, independent qualified reserve and resource certifiers, have certified the following gas resources within Strata-Xs 100% owned Serowe CSG Project in Botswana. 6.08Tcf total Prospective Resources net to the Company, an increase of 83%. (1) 2.38Tcf Prospective Resource within the Companys interpreted high-grade area, an increase of 40%. (1) Maiden 23Bcf 2C Contingent Resource, net to the Company, around Strata-Xs recent 19B-1 well.(1) ASX disclosure note - 5.28.2 Prospective Resources - The estimated quantities of petroleum that may potentially be recovered by the application of a future development project(s) relate to undiscovered accumulations. These estimates have both an associated risk of discovery and a risk of development. Further exploration appraisal and evaluation is required to determine the existence of a significant quantity of potentially moveable hydrocarbons. DENVER, and BRISBANE, Australia and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The directors and management of Strata-X Energy Ltd. (Strata-X or the Company) (TSX-V:SXE) (ASX:SXA) are pleased to announce that, following the integration of regional data and data acquired in Strata-Xs latest 19B-1 well, MHA Petroleum Consultants have upgraded the gas resources within the Companys 100% owned Serowe CSG Project. Over the Serowe CSG project, the total Prospective Resource certified net to the Company is now 6.08Tcf, representing an increase of 83% or 2.78Tcf more than the previous resource certification. Included in this increase within the interpreted high-grade area, a Prospective Resource of 2.38Tcf was certified, an increase of 40% over the previous certification. An area immediately surrounding Strata-Xs recently drilled and logged 19B-1 well was certified to contain 2C Contingent Resources of 23Bcf of natural gas. The 19B-1 well intersected 18 metres of net coal with 12 metres of multi seam bright coals having up to 100% gas saturations. During drilling of the target coals, natural gas was breaking out and bubbling to the surface. The Companys focus on the high-grade area will be a major growth driver. A four-well appraisal drilling and production testing programme within the high-grade area that steps out from the 19B-1 well location is being planned and tendered. The proposed programme, utilizing best practices learned from the work to date, is designed to upgrade prospective resources to contingent resources with subsequent upgrades of contingent resources to reserves contingent on proving commercial gas flow rates. The four-well appraisal programme will include the production testing of wells to acquire fluid flow rate data as required to design a multi-well CSG production pilot programme to prove commercial gas flow rates. For the proposed CSG production pilot programme, the Company plans to apply proprietary completion and production methods designed to yield commercial gas flow rates. The Company has access to the resources of Wellpro Services, a private Queensland-based service company with expertise in CSG well completions and production methods. Wellpro has proprietary methods and equipment designed to minimize the time to commercial gas flow rates which the Company intends utilize in the pilot. Ron Prefontaine, Strata-Xs Chairman, issued the following statement: These resource upgrades confirm what we have long interpreted, that Strata-Xs high-grade area occupies a premier position within the Kalahari CSG fairway and we are on the verge of delineating a major CSG field. Our plan is to systematically upgrade the prospective resource in our high grade area to reserves thereby building substantial shareholder value. The Company holds 4,784 KM2 (1,129,000 acres) over the Serowe CSG Project with a certified Prospective Resource of 6.05 TCF.(1) (1) Prospective and Contingent Resources figures are from an audit report prepared by MHA Petroleum Consultants, a qualified reserves auditor, dated and effective 10 May 2019 following their audit in accordance with the COGE Handbook of the available technical data including the geological interpretation, information from relevant nearby wells, Company drilled wells, analogous reservoirs and the proposed program for the Project, prepared and presented to MHA by Strata-X. Prospective Resources are those quantities of petroleum estimated, as of a given date, to be potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations by application of future development project. Prospective Resources have both an associated chance of discovery and a chance of development. A high level of uncertainty exists with the Prospective resources given the lack of historical drilling, available data and other productivity factors that limit the economic viability of coal seam gas deposits. The Report Prospective Resources and Contingent Resources over Prospecting Licenses Strata-X holds for methane production the Republic of Botswana. Actual sales from the Prospecting License cannot begin until converted by Strata-X election and environmental filings to the Republic of Botswana. Stated Prospective Resource figures are Best Estimate undiscovered natural gas quantities and net of a royalty and are shown at a 100% working interest in the Project. Stated Contingent Resource figures are Best Estimate natural gas quantities and net of a royalty and are shown at a 100% working interest in the Project and are derived from data acquired in the Company 19B-1 well. Contingent Resources stated are estimated using low, best and high analytical inputs gained from offsetting core data and data from the 19B-1 well. Contingent Resources stated are prevented from being reserves until sufficient production tests are carried out The total costs associated with establishing the commerciality of this project are unknown at this time given the early stage of the Projects development. There is no certainty that any portion of the Prospective Resources will be discovered, if discovered, there is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources. About Strata-X Strata-X is a Denver, Colorado (USA) based company and is engaged in the business of oil and gas exploration and development with a variety of exploration opportunities in the States of California and Illinois in the United States of America and the Republic of Botswana. Strata-X has 89,538,318 common shares outstanding and trades under the symbol "SXE" on the TSX-V and "SXA" on the ASX. For further information please contact: Tim Hoops (USA) President +1 855-463-2400 info@strata-x.com English Norwegian Data Respons has signed a contract of NOK 37 million with a leading player in the automotive market in Germany. The contract is a 3-year agreement for delivery of specialised R&D IT services for process digitalisation and advanced system integration. - Germany is one of the worlds largest industry- and technology markets and a growing market for Data Respons. We have experienced great success in the German market over the last years and been awarded several long-term contracts with leading players in industries such as automotive, energy (Smart grid/Smart Home), bank and insurance, industry automation (industrial IoT). Our deliveries include highly specialised R&D services and high-tech solutions supporting business critical parts of the customers product development process. Data Respons has a solid platform in Germany and we expect continued growth going forwards, says Kenneth Ragnvaldsen, CEO of Data Respons ASA. For further information: Kenneth Ragnvaldsen, CEO, Data Respons ASA, tel. +47 913 90 918. Rune Wahl, CFO, Data Respons ASA, tel. + 47 950 36 046 About Data Respons Data Respons is a full-service, independent technology company and a leading player in the IoT, Industrial digitalisation and the embedded solutions market. We provide R&D services and smarter solutions to OEM companies, system integrators and vertical product suppliers in a range of market segments such as Transport & Automotive, Industrial Automation, Telecom & Media, Space, Defence & Security, Medtech, Energy & Maritime, and Finance & Public Sector. Data Respons ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (Ticker: DAT), and is part of the information technology index. The company has offices in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Taiwan. www.datarespons.com This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. MADISON HEIGHTS, Michigan, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American LLC: INFU) (InfuSystem or the Company), a leading national provider of infusion pumps and related services for the healthcare industry in the United States and Canada, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. First Quarter Highlights: Net revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 were $18.2 million, an increase of $1.7 million, or 10.4%, from the same prior year period. Cash flows provided by operating activities were $1.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, up $0.2 million, or 20.5%, from the same prior year period. Net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 was $1.0 million vs. net income of $0.2 million for the same prior year period. Adjusted earnings before income taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Adjusted EBITDA) for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 was $3.1 million, a decrease of 12.5% from the same prior year period and representing 17.1% and 21.6% of net revenues, respectively. Commenting on the first quarter, Richard DiIorio, chief executive officer of InfuSystem, said, I am pleased to announce that the growth opportunities we discussed in earlier calls have begun to present themselves in our topline revenue. In the first quarter, our core oncology business benefited from the market share gains from elastomeric pumps. Also benefiting the top line was growth in the Pain Management and product sales markets. Mr. DiIorio continued, We are still early in the process of winning significant market share in our oncology business. The second phase, triggered by our largest competitor changing its business model, is going according to plan, but we still do not expect to see a revenue impact from that change until the second half of 2019. The process likely will continue into 2020. I am excited about the potential growth in 2019 and into 2020 as we layer the expected market share gain, and associated revenue, to our first quarter revenue growth of 10.4% vs. the prior year. Mr. DiIorio concluded, The InfuSystem team has been positioning the Company to absorb the anticipated new business while continuing to deliver superior patient care and customer service. As we continue to scale to meet this growth opportunity, we will make operating investments, in addition to significant capital expenditures, that will negatively affect profitability in the short term. The benefits, on the other hand, are expected to contribute to long-term profitability and substantial value creation for our shareholders. Conference Call The Company will conduct a conference call for investors on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss first quarter 2019 results. The conference call may also include a discussion of Company developments, forward-looking statements and other material information about business and financial matters. To participate in this call, please dial in toll-free (833) 366-1127 or (412) 902-6773. Additionally, a Web replay will be available on the Companys website for 90 days or by calling (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088, confirmation code 10131508, through May 21, 2019. Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements Certain balances in the condensed consolidated financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 have been reclassified to be consistent with the quarter ended March 31, 2019 presentation in accordance with GAAP. Additionally, effective January 1, 2019, InfuSystem adopted, on a modified retrospective approach, Accounting Standards Update Topic 842: Leases (ASU 842). The adoption of ASU 842 impacts the condensed consolidated balance sheets by creating right-of-use assets and current and non-current liabilities for leases previously classified as operating leases. The Company evaluated the impact of adopting ASU 842 on operating lease expense and determined the impact to be consistent with previous expense recognition. ASU 842 also does not impact the Companys accounting for rental revenues. As a result, the adoption of ASU 842 resulted in the recognition and elimination of the following assets and liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019: The recognition of right-of-use assets of $2.7 million; The recognition of operating lease liabilities of $2.8 million with $1.3 million classified as current; and, The elimination of the previous liability for the timing of the recognition of operating lease expense of $0.1 million. Non-GAAP Measures This press release contains information prepared in conformity with GAAP as well as non-GAAP financial information. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release provide useful information to the Company's management, investors, and other interested parties about the Company's operating performance because they allow them to understand and compare the Company's operating results during the current periods to the prior year periods in a more consistent manner. This non-GAAP information should be considered by the reader in addition to, but not instead of, the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, and similarly titled non-GAAP measures may be calculated differently by other companies. The Company calculates those non-GAAP measures by adjusting for non-recurring items that are not part of the normal course of business and that the Companys management does not believe will have similar comparable year-over-year items or for non-operating items. A reconciliation of those measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is proved below. About InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. is a leading provider of infusion pumps and related services to hospitals, oncology practices and other alternate site healthcare providers. Headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan, the Company delivers local, field-based customer support and also operates Centers of Excellence in Michigan, Kansas, California, Massachusetts and Ontario, Canada. The Companys stock is traded on the NYSE American LLC under the symbol INFU. Forward-Looking Statements The financial results in this press release reflect preliminary results, which are not final until the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 is filed. In addition, certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, such as statements relating to future actions, business plans, objectives and prospects, future operating or financial performance. The words believe, may, will, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, should, plan, expect, strategy, future, likely, variations of such words, and other similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, our dependence on estimates of collectible revenue, potential litigation, changes in third-party reimbursement processes, changes in law and other risk factors disclosed in the Companys most recent annual report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, except as required by law. Additional information about InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. is available at www.infusystem.com . FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) As of March 31, December 31, (in thousands, except share data) 2019 2018 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,900 $ 4,318 Accounts receivable, net 10,475 9,593 Inventories 2,553 2,254 Other current assets 1,470 1,372 Total current assets 16,398 17,537 Medical equipment for sale or rental 1,810 1,601 Medical equipment in rental service, net of accumulated depreciation 26,109 23,488 Property & equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 1,368 1,445 Intangible assets, net 18,740 19,865 Operating lease right of use assets 2,671 - Other assets 149 137 Total assets $ 67,245 $ 64,073 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 9,672 $ 7,091 Capital lease liability, current - 33 Current portion of long-term debt 5,337 4,903 Other current liabilities 3,466 2,763 Total current liabilities 18,475 14,790 Long-term debt, net of current portion 27,519 28,842 Deferred income taxes 29 - Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 1,479 - Total liabilities 47,502 43,632 Stockholders equity: Preferred stock, $.0001 par value: authorized 1,000,000 shares; none issued - - Common stock, $.0001 par value: authorized 200,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 23,221,296 and 19,702,807, respectively, as of March 31, 2019 and 23,095,513 and 19,577,024, respectively, as of December 31, 2018 2 2 Additional paid-in capital 83,429 83,167 Retained deficit (63,688 ) (62,728 ) Total stockholders equity 19,743 20,441 Total liabilities and stockholders equity $ 67,245 $ 64,073 INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended (in thousands, except share and per share data) March 31 2019 2018 Net revenues $ 18,193 $ 16,483 Cost of revenues 7,852 6,246 Gross profit 10,341 10,237 Selling, general and administrative expenses: Amortization of intangibles 1,125 1,187 Selling and marketing 2,602 2,301 General and administrative 7,034 6,161 Total selling, general and administrative 10,761 9,649 Operating (loss) income (420 ) 588 Other expense: Interest expense (460 ) (315 ) Other expense (21 ) (11 ) (Loss) income before income taxes (901 ) 262 Provision for income taxes (59 ) (58 ) Net (loss) income $ (960 ) $ 204 Net (loss) income per share: Basic $ (0.05 ) $ 0.01 Diluted (0.05 ) 0.01 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 19,580,049 22,799,221 Diluted 19,580,049 22,857,121 INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended March 31 (in thousands) 2019 2018 NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES $ 1,269 $ 1,053 INVESTING ACTIVITIES Purchase of medical equipment and property (3,535 ) (1,120 ) Proceeds from sale of medical equipment and property 764 955 NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES (2,771 ) (165 ) FINANCING ACTIVITIES Principal payments on revolving credit facility, term loans and capital lease obligations (929 ) (2,790 ) Debt issuance costs (3 ) - Common stock repurchased to satisfy statutory withholding on employee stock based compensation plans (37 ) - Common stock repurchased as part of Repurchase Program - (83 ) Cash proceeds from stock plans 53 46 NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES (916 ) (2,827 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents (2,418 ) (1,939 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 4,318 3,469 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,900 $ 1,530 INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION (UNAUDITED) NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA: Three Months Ended March 31, (in thousands) 2019 2018 GAAP net (loss) income (960 ) 204 Adjustments: Interest expense 460 315 Provision for income taxes 59 58 Depreciation 1,780 1,628 Asset impairment - - Amortization 1,125 1,187 Non-GAAP EBITDA $ 2,464 $ 3,392 Stock compensation costs 246 126 Early termination fees for capital leases 190 - Exited facility costs 6 - Management reorganization/transition costs 45 47 Certain other non-recurring costs 168 - Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA $ 3,119 $ 3,565 GAAP Net Revenues $ 18,193 $ 16,483 Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA Margin 17.1 % 21.6 % Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA Margin is defined as Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Revenues. CONTACT: Joe Dorame, Joe Diaz & Robert Blum Lytham Partners, LLC 602-889-9700 Leiden, the Netherlands, May 14, 2019 Batavia Biosciences announced today that it will work together in a consortium including the European Vaccine Initiative and Stanford University, icddr,b, and headed by the University of Tokyo, to develop an epidemic preparedness vaccine against the Nipah virus. For this purpose, the University of Tokyo received a $31 million grant from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) which finances and coordinates the development of vaccines against infectious disease to use its measles vector technology to develop and stockpile a Nipah vaccine. There is currently no effective medical countermeasure against the Nipah virus and therefore it is listed as one of the main priorities of the WHO. The virus is prevalent in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent and causes illness ranging from fever and headache, to acute respiratory illness, and even fatal encephalitis. The Nipah virus is also known to cause severe disease in domestic pigs, resulting in significant regional economic loss. The need for effective medical intervention strategies against this virus is huge and therefore, we are very excited to be working with the consortium in developing a Nipah vaccine", says Dr. Menzo Havenga, President & CEO of Batavia Biosciences. As partner in the consortium, Batavia will receive $9.6 million to deliver a low-cost manufacturing process that can be easily applied for stockpiling of the Nipah vaccine. Dr. Christopher Yallop, Chief Operations and Scientific Officer at Batavia Biosciences elaborates: We will deploy our High Intensity Process technology in combination with the NevoLine production technology (Univercells; Belgium) to develop a manufacturing process, deliver GMP drug product for clinical trials, and transfer the process to a Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturer for stockpiling purposes. We are excited that after years of developing our highly intensified manufacturing platform, we are now taking the next step to strengthen global health initiatives. --- About Batavia Biosciences Batavia Biosciences significantly contributes to the easing of human suffering from infectious diseases by improving the success rate in the translation of candidate medicines from discovery to the clinic. We offer our novel technologies and in-depth know-how in order to help our partners to complete preclinical phases in biopharmaceutical product development at higher speed, reduced costs and increased success. The company focuses on the early stages of product development including cell line generation, upstream process development (mammalian & microbial), purification development, product characterization and clinical manufacturing. Headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands, with a subsidiary in Woburn, Massachusetts, and offices in Hong Kong, Batavia Biosciences is privileged to have strong strategic partners worldwide. www.bataviabiosciences.com About the Nipah virus Nipah virus belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family of viruses, genus Henipavirus, alongside Hendra virus. Nipah is a zoonotic disease, meaning it passes from animals to humans. The natural hosts of the virus are fruit bats of the genus Pteropus. Nipah virus can be spread through contact with infected persons or animals. Nipah virus infection can cause severe, rapidly progressive illness that affects the respiratory system and the central nervous system, including inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Symptoms begin between five and 14 days after infection, and include fever, altered mental state, cough and respiratory problems. People are advised to avoid contact with ill pigs and bats in countries where Nipah virus is known to occur. They are also advised to avoid drinking raw date palm sap, which can be infected with bodily fluids from bats. There are currently no vaccines or therapeutics against Nipah virus approved for use in humans. About the University of Tokyo The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 as the first national university in Japan. UTokyo is Japans leading university and one of the worlds top research universities. The vast research output of some 6,000 researchers is published in the worlds top journals across the arts and sciences. Our vibrant student body of around 15,000 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate students includes over 2,000 international students. Find out more at http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/ or follow us on Twitter at @UTokyo_News_en . Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brixton Metals Corporation (TSXV: BBB) (OTCQB: BBBXF) (the Company or Brixton) is pleased to announce its 2019 exploration plans at its wholly owned Thorn project, which will focus on two large scale copper porphyry targets on the property. Phase 1 Highlights Planned phase one drilling of a 1,000 metre hole at the Oban diatreme breccia, which is part of the Camp Creek copper corridor where hole 85 returned 30 metres of 1.18 percent copper and hole 119 ended in 0.53 percent copper at 383 metres depth, see Figure 1. True width of the above copper mineralization intervals is unknown at this time. The Camp Creek copper corridor trends northeast for 1.5 kilometres (Oban to Glenfiddich zones) and represents a high-level, high sulphidation mineralized system interpreted to be indicative of a blind porphyry. Surface rock chip and grab samples from the Camp Creek trend have returned copper grades up to 32.6 percent, see Figure 2. These are select samples and are not representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. Figure 1: Oban Porphyry Target Figure 2: Thorn Copper Geochemistry Chairman and CEO of Brixton Metals, Gary R. Thompson stated, We are excited to be drilling at Thorn this season and now with a copper porphyry focus we believe that we can start to unlock the potential of the district scale property. Phase one drilling is anticipated to begin early June and it should take about 2 weeks to complete the deep core hole. Upon completion of the deep hole at the Oban diatreme we plan to shift our focus to drilling at the Atlin Goldfields project while we await assay results from Thorn. Subject to additional funding, we plan to drill five to eight holes on the Chivas copper porphyry target at Thorn to depths of 300 to 500 metres. Phase 2 Highlights The proposed phase two drilling will focus on the Chivas copper porphyry target which has the following characteristics: a potential target for tier one metal endowment; a greater than 5 square kilometer Cu-Au-Mo-in-soil anomaly see Figures 4, 5 and 6; metal ratios of molybdenum to arsenic and silver to gold in soils and rocks that show patterns which are consistent with known porphyry systems; porphyry style veins and alteration which were intersected in 2017 drilling; increased chalcopyrite to pyrite ratio vectors to the Chivas porphyry. Figure 3: Chivas Cross-Section Figure 4: Chivas Surface Copper Geochemistry Figure 5: Chivas Surface Molybdenum Geochemistry In addition, during the 2018 field mapping and geochemical sampling program, three grab samples collected have returned gold values of 9.27 g/t Au, 12.55 g/t Au and 39.4 g/t Au. These are select samples and are not representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. See figure 6 below for the location of the samples Figure 6: Thorn Surface Gold Geochemistry Mr. Sorin Posescu, P.Geo, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 standards and has reviewed and approved this news release. About Brixton Metals Corporation Brixton is a Canadian exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its projects toward feasibility. Brixton wholly owns four exploration projects, the Thorn copper-gold-silver project and the Atlin Goldfields project located in NWBC, the Langis-Hudson Bay silver-cobalt project in Ontario and the Hog Heaven silver-gold-copper project in NW Montana, USA. The Company is actively seeking JV partners to advance one or more of its projects. For more information about Brixton please visit our website at www.brixtonmetals.com . On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. Gary R. Thompson, Chairman and CEO Tel: 604-630-9707 or email: info@brixtonmetals.com For Investor Relations please contact Mitchell Smith Tel: 604-630-9707 or email: mitchell.smith@brixtonmetals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, and intend, statements that an action or event may, might, could, should, or will be taken or occur, including statements that address potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size and expansion of a mineralized zone, proposed timing of exploration and development plans, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds, By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in the annual information form of the Company or other reports and filings with the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are made based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d20f1a5c-a5c3-48c4-b1e1-6e41b5bcc6e1 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/91c81eb0-3b3c-4185-84f8-e223e1087ade http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ad991c4-feef-4f2f-b523-7720666ca04f http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a2bb2b50-df1b-4e7f-a2ca-3c11c3cc22f9 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/58c6f92d-5103-4504-91cb-0cc2a1243e7c http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab572c57-528a-49d3-962b-147fd73c531c NEW ALBANY, Ohio, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) today announced changes as part of its ongoing transforming while growing phase, which include the decision to eliminate the role of chief operating officer. In the newly streamlined organization the companys chief financial officer, chief information officer, head of global supply chain, and head of the transformation management office will now report to the CEO. The changes are effective immediately, and the companys COO, Joanne C. Crevoiserat, will leave the company following a short transition period. Based on the progress of our company-wide transformation initiatives, and the continuing focus on driving additional agility and efficiency throughout the business, we have decided to eliminate the COO role. Joanne has been a key partner in our transformation journey over these past five years, helping stabilize the business and embed transformation across the organization. I am grateful for her many contributions across the company, which will have a lasting, positive impact, and we wish her every success in the next chapter of her career, said Fran Horowitz, Chief Executive Officer, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 A&F cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained herein or made by management or spokespeople of A&F involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which may be beyond the Companys control. Words such as estimate, project, plan, believe, expect, anticipate, intend, and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements. The factors disclosed in ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS of A&Fs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2019, in some cases have affected, and in the future could affect, the companys financial performance and could cause actual results for Fiscal 2019 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in this press release or otherwise made by management. About Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a leading, global specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for Men, Women and Kids through three renowned brands. For more than 125 years, the iconic Abercrombie & Fitch brand has outfitted innovators, explorers and entrepreneurs. Today, the brand reflects the updated attitude of modern consumer, while remaining true to its heritage of creating expertly crafted products with an effortless, American style. The Hollister brand epitomizes the liberating and carefree spirit of the endless California summer for the teen market. abercrombie kids creates smart, playful apparel for children ages 5-14, celebrating the wide-eyed wonder of childhood. The brands share a commitment to offering products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that allow consumers around the world to express their own individuality and style. The Company operates more than 850 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites www.abercrombie.com and www.hollisterco.com. MUNICH, Germany and SALT LAKE CITY, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnOcean, the world's leading developer of energy harvesting wireless technology, has been accepted into Forbes Technology Council, an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives. Andreas Schneider, CEO and Co-founder of EnOcean, was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. EnOcean products use the energy harvesting principle, in which energy is obtained from the surroundings (motion, light and temperature differences) to power wireless switches and sensors for maintenance-free applications in the Internet of Things (IoT) for digitized buildings, in smart homes and for intelligent LED lighting control. EnOcean is an experienced partner for hundreds of leading product manufacturers worldwide which rely on its established energy harvesting technology platform consisting of energy harvesters, ultra-low power electronics, energy management and ultra-low power radio. Depending on the application, the self-powered products use the international standards EnOcean (ISO/IEC 14543-3-1X), Zigbee or Bluetooth for wireless communication. Criteria for acceptance into the Forbes Technology Council include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. We are honored to welcome Andreas Schneider into the community, said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Technology Council. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world. As an accepted member of the Council, Andreas has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Andreas will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts. Finally, EnOcean will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership-branded marketing collateral, and the high-touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team. Im very excited about being accepted into the Forbes Technology Council of industry leading experts, said Andreas Schneider, CEO of EnOcean. This platform gives a great insight into the technology trends of today and tomorrow and is a barometer of our future life. Im delighted about my invitation to this community of innovative minds and looking forward to an inspiring exchange, contributing our more than 15 years of experience in energy harvesting wireless technology. About Forbes Councils Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive. For more information about Forbes Technology Council, visit forbestechcouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com. About EnOcean EnOcean GmbH is the developer of the patented energy harvesting wireless technology. Headquartered in Oberhaching, near Munich, the company produces and markets self-powered wireless sensor solutions for maintenance-free applications in the Internet of Things, which are used for building and industrial automation, smart homes, LED lighting control and outdoor environmental monitoring. The EnOcean products are based on miniaturized energy converters, energy-efficient electronics and reliable wireless technology for open wireless standards like EnOcean, Zigbee and Bluetooth. Over 350 leading product manufacturers worldwide have been relying on EnOcean wireless modules for their system solutions for more than 15 years and have installed the products in one million buildings around the world. For more information, please visit www.enocean.com . Press Contacts Angelika Dester EnOcean GmbH T +49.89.67 34 689-57 M +49.160.97 82 85 61 angelika.dester@enocean.com www.enocean.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea9e767f-0a63-4b98-88b9-66b465edf882 Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States. Chantrell Enters Into Definitive Arrangement Agreements With (i) Osisko Mining For Previously-Announced Spin-Out Transaction, And (ii) Alexandria Minerals For Business Combination With The Resulting Issuer "O3 Mining Inc.". "O3 Mining Inc." Will Be Well-Capitalized And, With The Support of Management of Osisko Mining, Its Mission Will Be To Acquire and Develop Mining Properties, With A Bias Towards Gold Properties Located In Ontario and Quebec. O3 Mining Inc. will: be well-capitalized with approximately C$28-30 million in cash and marketable securities; be supported by the proven board and management team of Osisko Mining; and have a mandate to acquire and develop prospective add gold properties and advanced staged gold assets in the sound jurisdictions of Ontario and Quebec. TORONTO, Ontario, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chantrell Ventures Corp. (NEX:CV.H) ("Chantrell") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement with Alexandria Minerals Corporation (TSX-V:AZX; OTCQB:ALXDF; Frankfurt:A9D) ("Alexandria") dated May 14, 2019 (the "Alexandria Arrangement Agreement"), pursuant to which, among other things, following the acquisition of certain non-core assets of Osisko Mining Inc. (OSK:TSX) ("Osisko Mining") by Chantrell, which will result in the reverse-take over (the "Reverse Take-Over") of Chantrell by Osisko Mining, the resulting issuer, which will be renamed "O3 Mining Inc." ("O3 Mining" or the "Resulting Issuer"), will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Alexandria pursuant to a statutory plan of arrangement under Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "Alexandria Arrangement"). Under the Alexandria Arrangement, shareholders of Alexandria ("Alexandria Shareholders") (other than Alexandria Shareholders validly exercising their dissent rights, if any) will be entitled to receive 0.010309 common shares of O3 Mining (on a post-Consolidation (as defined below) basis) in exchange for each Alexandria share held immediately prior to the effective time of the Alexandria Arrangement. The Alexandria Arrangement has been priced based on deemed value of CDN $3.88 per common share of O3 Mining (on a post-Consolidation (as defined below) basis), being the purchase price of subscription receipts issued under Chantrell's CDN $18.2 million financing, and values the common shares of Alexandria at CDN $0.04 per share. The deemed purchase price of CDN $0.04 per common share of Alexandria represents a premium of approximately 18% over the five-day volume weighted average price ("VWAP") and approximately 23% over the 20-day VWAP of common shares of Alexandria on the TSX Venture Exchange as of the close of trading on May 13, 2019. Walter Henry, the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Alexandria commented: "This transaction will fold Alexandria's key Val d'Or land package into O3 Mining's exploration properties at an early stage of O3 Mining's history. With its proven team of Quebec explorers, strong balance sheet and available sources of funding, we believe that the O3 team will be able to apply their technical expertise to properly explore the Alexandria properties and maximize their long-term potential for all of O3 Mining's stakeholders, including Alexandria's current shareholders." Chantrell is also pleased to announce, further to its announcements dated February 20, 2019 and March 27, 2019, that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement with Osisko Mining dated May 14, 2019 (the "Osisko Arrangement Agreement"), pursuant to which, among other things, certain non-core assets of Osisko Mining will be transferred to Chantrell, resulting in the Reverse Take-Over of Chantrell by Osisko Mining, by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under Section 182 of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). See press releases of Chantrell dated February 20, 2019 entitled "Osisko Mining Inc. Announces Transaction to Spinout Non-Core Assets to Chantrell Ventures Corp." and dated March 27, 2019 entitled "Osisko Mining Inc. Chantrell Ventures Corp. Transaction Update". Alexandria Acquisition On May 14, 2019, Chantrell and Alexandria entered into the Alexandria Arrangement Agreement pursuant to which, among other things, O3 Mining will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Alexandria pursuant to a statutory plan of arrangement under Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act. Under the Alexandria Arrangement, Alexandria Shareholders (other than Alexandria Shareholders validly exercising their dissent rights, if any) will be entitled to receive 0.010309 common shares of O3 Mining (on a post-Consolidation basis) in exchange for each Alexandria share held immediately prior to the effective time of the Alexandria Arrangement. Alexandria Approvals Completion of the Alexandria Arrangement is subject to, among other things, (i) the closing of the Reverse Take-Over, (ii) approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, (iii) approval of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), (iv) approval of the Alexandria Arrangement Resolution (as defined below), and (v) the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary conditions for a transaction of this nature. Alexandria Meeting Shareholders of Alexandria will be asked to approve a special resolution to authorize the Alexandria Arrangement (the "Alexandria Arrangement Resolution") at a special meeting of Alexandria Shareholders (the "Alexandria Meeting"). The requisite approval of the Alexandria Arrangement Resolution will be at least two-thirds (66 percent) of the votes cast on the Alexandria Arrangement Resolution by the Alexandria Shareholders, voting as a single class, present in person or by proxy at the Alexandria Meeting. The Alexandria Meeting is expected to be held in late June 2019 to consider the Alexandria Arrangement Resolution. A management information circular of Alexandria containing additional details about the Alexandria Arrangement will be mailed to Alexandria Shareholders in connection with the Alexandria Meeting. Other Terms The Alexandria Arrangement Agreement includes representations, warranties and covenants typical of a transaction of this nature, along with customary non-solicitation, right to match, and fiduciary provisions. In addition, Alexandria has agreed to pay a termination fee of CDN $875,000 to Chantrell if the Alexandria Arrangement Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances, including if Alexandria enters into an agreement with respect to a superior proposal or if the Board of Directors of Alexandria (the "Alexandria Board") withdraws its recommendation with respect to the Alexandria Arrangement. Completion of the Alexandria Arrangement is subject to a condition that Alexandria Shareholders holding no more than 10% of the outstanding common shares of Alexandria will have exercised dissent rights in respect of the Alexandria Arrangement. In connection with the Arrangement Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein, Chantrell and Alexandria have, among other things, agreed that: (i) Chantrell will cause Osisko to provide certain loan advances to Alexandria prior to the effective time of the Alexandria Arrangement; and (ii) the Alexandria Shareholders are expected to hold approximately 14.5% of the issued share capital of O3 Mining upon completion of both the Alexandria Arrangement and the Reverse Take-Over. Separately, Alexandria terminated the proposed royalty sale that was announced on April 1, 2019 after Alexandria and the applicable third party failed to agree on terms and conditions necessary for the sale. The Alexandria Board unanimously recommends that Alexandria Shareholders vote in favour of the resolution to approve the Alexandria Arrangement at the Alexandria Meeting. The recommendation of the Alexandria Board is supported by a fairness opinion by INFOR Financial Inc. to the effect that, as of the date of their opinion, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out in such opinion, the consideration to be received by Alexandria Shareholders pursuant to the Alexandria Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Alexandria Shareholders. Each director and officer of Alexandria has entered into a voting support agreement with Chantrell to, among other things, vote their common shares of Alexandria in favour of the Alexandria Arrangement and to otherwise support its completion of the Alexandria Arrangement, subject to the provisions of the voting support agreement. The Alexandria Arrangement is expected to close in July 2019. The Alexandria Arrangement Agreement, which describes the full particulars of the Alexandria Arrangement, will be made available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ) under Alexandria's issuer profile. Reverse Take-Over by Osisko Mining On May 14, 2019, Chantrell and Osisko Mining entered into the Osisko Arrangement Agreement pursuant to which, among other things, certain non-core assets of Osisko Mining will be transferred to Chantrell, resulting in the Reverse Take-Over of Chantrell by Osisko Mining, by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under Section 182 of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). See press releases of Chantrell dated February 20, 2019 entitled "Osisko Mining Inc. Announces Transaction to Spinout Non-Core Assets to Chantrell Ventures Corp." and dated March 27, 2019 entitled "Osisko Mining Inc. Chantrell Ventures Corp. Transaction Update". The assets of Osisko Mining to be transferred to Chantrell pursuant to the Reverse Take-Over include: (i) the Marban deposit (located in Quebec's Abitibi gold mining district between Val-d'Or and Malartic); (ii) the Garrison deposit (located in the Larder Lake Mining Division in north east Ontario); (iii) certain other exploration properties and earn-in rights; and (iv) a portfolio of selected marketable securities (collectively, the "Transferred Assets"). Pursuant to the Reverse Take-Over, Osisko Mining will transfer the Transferred Assets to Chantrell in exchange for an aggregate of 24,977,898 common shares of O3 Mining (after giving effect to the Consolidation). Each common share of Chantrell being issued in exchange for the Transferred Assets will have a deemed value of CDN $3.88 per share, as determined by the board of directors of Chantrell. In connection with the Reverse Take-Over, Chantrell will also, among other things: (i) change its name to "O3 Mining Inc." or such other name as may be acceptable to applicable regulatory authorities; (ii) replace all directors and officers of the Resulting Issuer; (iii) obtain conditional listing approval for the listing of the Resulting Issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange; (iv) consolidate the common shares of the Resulting Issuer on a 40:1 basis, subject to adjustment (the "Consolidation"); (v) continue from British Columbia to Ontario (the "Continuance"); and (vi) complete the conversion of the outstanding subscription receipts of Chantrell for the underlying securities. The Reverse Take-Over was negotiated at arm's length. Trading of Chantrell's common shares has been halted pending further filings with the TSX Venture Exchange. Chantrell may, from time to time, acquire further assets in exchange for common shares of Chantrell or cash prior to, or following the completion of, the Reverse Take-Over. Chantrell Approvals Completion of the Reverse Take-Over is subject to, among other things, (i) approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, (ii) approval of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), (iii) approval by the shareholders of Chantrell ("Chantrell Shareholders") of the RTO Resolution (as defined below) and certain other resolutions described below, and (iv) the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary conditions for a transaction of this nature. Chantrell Meeting Chantrell Shareholders will be asked to approve special resolutions to, among other things, authorize the Reverse Take-Over (the "RTO Resolution"), the Continuance (the "Continuance Resolution") and the Consolidation (the "Consolidation Resolution") at a special meeting of Chantrell Shareholders (the "Chantrell Meeting"). The requisite approvals of the RTO Resolution, the Continuance Resolution and the Consolidation Resolution will, in each case, be at least two-thirds (66 percent) of the votes cast on the RTO Resolution, the Continuance Resolution and the Consolidation Resolution, as the case may be, by the Chantrell Shareholders, voting as a single class, present in person or by proxy at the Chantrell Meeting. Chantrell Shareholders who own or control, directly or indirectly, approximately 63.7% of the outstanding common shares of Chantrell have entered into a voting support agreement with Osisko Mining to, among other things, vote their common shares of Chantrell in favour of the resolutions described above, subject to the provisions of the voting support agreement. The Chantrell Meeting is expected to be held in late June 2019 to, among other things, consider the RTO Resolution, the Continuance Resolution and the Consolidation Resolution. A management information circular of Chantrell containing additional details about the Reverse Take-Over, the Continuance, the Consolidation and the Alexandria Arrangement will be mailed to Chantrell Shareholders in connection with the Chantrell Meeting. Other Terms The Osisko Arrangement Agreement includes representations, warranties and covenants typical of a transaction of this nature, along with customary non-solicitation, right to match, and fiduciary provisions. In addition, Chantrell has agreed to pay a termination fee of CDN $3 million to Osisko Mining if the Osisko Arrangement Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances, including if Chantrell enters into an agreement with respect to a superior proposal or if the Board of Directors of Chantrell withdraws its recommendation with respect to the Reverse Take-Over. Osisko Mining has agreed to pay a termination fee of CDN $1 million to Chantrell if the Osisko Arrangement Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances. Completion of the Reverse Take-Over is subject to a condition that Chantrell Shareholders holding no more than 5% of outstanding common shares of Chantrell will have exercised dissent rights in respect of the Reverse Take-Over. The Osisko Arrangement Agreement, which describes the full particulars of the Reverse Take-Over, will be made available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ) under Chantrell's issuer profile. The Reverse Take-Over is expected to close in July 2019. The closing of the Reverse Take-Over is not conditional on the closing of the Alexandria Arrangement. Advisors Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is acting as Chantrell's legal advisor. Cormark Securities Inc. has provided a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of Chantrell that the Alexandria Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Chantrell Shareholders, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out in such fairness opinion. Sprott Capital Partners is acting as Alexandria's financial advisor and Aird & Berlis LLP is acting as Alexandria's legal advisor. As mentioned above, INFOR Financial Inc. was also engaged by the Alexandria Board as an independent financial advisor to provide an independent fairness opinion in respect of the Alexandria Arrangement. Bennett Jones LLP is acting as Osisko Mining's legal advisor. About Chantrell Ventures Corp. Chantrell's mission is to enhance shareholder value through the acquisition and development of mining properties, with a bias towards gold projects in Ontario and Quebec. About Osisko Mining Inc. Osisko is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal resource properties in Canada. Osisko holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Windfall Lake gold deposit located between Val-d'Or and Chibougamau in Quebec and holds a 100% undivided interest in a large area of claims in the surrounding the Urban Barry area and nearby Quevillon area (over 3,500 square kilometres). About Alexandria Minerals Corporation Alexandria Minerals Corporation is a Toronto-based junior gold exploration and development company with its strategic property located in the world-class mining district of Val d'Or, Quebec. Alexandria's focus is on its flagship property, the large Cadillac Break Property package in Val d'Or, which hosts important, near-surface, gold resources along the prolific, gold-producing Cadillac Break, all of which have significant growth potential. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about the completion of the spin-out transaction and business combination described herein, the timing of the various shareholder meetings, the expected timing and contents of the management information circulars, the expecting timing of the closing of the spin-out transaction and business combination, and other forward-looking information includes but is not limited to information concerning: the intentions, plans and future actions of the companies participating in the transactions described herein (collectively the "Participating Companies") and other information that is not historical facts. Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Participating Companies, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Participating Companies to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the completion of the transactions described herein; risks relating to property interests; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; ability of Chantrell to complete further acquisitions; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Participating Companies cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Participating Companies nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. The Participating Companies do not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. For further information on Chantrell Ventures Corp., please contact: Paul Parisotto President, CEO and Director (416) 874-1702 For further information on Osisko Mining Inc., please contact: John Burzynski President, CEO and Director (416) 363-8653 For further information on Alexandria Minerals Corporation, please contact: Walter Henry Acting President and CEO (416) 414-5825 info@azx.ca The distribution of the Chantrell Shares in connection with the transactions described herein will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "U.S. Securities Act") and the Chantrell Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Chantrell Shares, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the Chantrell Shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. 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 press release. LISLE, Ill., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 2,000 real estate professionals have already punched their tickets to MREDpalooza. Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), the Chicagoland-area multiple listing service (MLS), is thrilled to host its biennial trade show and education expo June 25, 2019, at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. The first day of open registration for the carnival-themed event co-hosted by Illinois REALTORS saw more than 1,200 individuals sign up. Many of these registrants secured their spots for numerous breakout sessions hosted by MRED vendors. These educational opportunities cover a variety of topics designed to help grow attendees businesses and will be hosted by Remine, Zillow, Cloud Agent Suite, ShowingTime, Realtor.com, Homesnap, and the Chicago Association of REALTORS. Illinois REALTORS will host an all-day Legal Hotline* and Education Specialists session, where members can ask license law and legal questions, as well as receive counseling about continuing education requirements and post-license education options. For the first time, MRED is also hosting breakout sessions taught by its own contract trainers at MREDpalooza. These training opportunities are part of the MRED Training Departments year-round initiative to provide helpful resources that enable optimum leveraging of the tools available through MRED. Were thrilled to be able to offer the incredible resource of MREDpalooza to our real estate professionals at no cost to them, said MRED President/CEO Rebecca Jensen. The strong response weve gotten so far is a great indicator of how beneficial this event will be, and theres still plenty of room for more attendees to sign up! MREDpalooza will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Those interested in attending the event may sign up at MREDpalooza.com. About MRED Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor providing the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS) to more than 45,000 brokers and appraisers and over 7,300 offices. MRED serves Chicago and the surrounding "collar" counties and provides property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and northwest Indiana. MRED delivers more than 20 products and services to its customers. MRED is the 2013 Inman News Most Innovative MLS/Real Estate Trade Association, and for 10 consecutive years the MRED Help Desk has been identified as one of the best small business centers in North America by BenchmarkPortal. For more information please visit MREDLLC.com. *Please note: The Legal Hotline gives general legal information and not specific legal advice. Attachment Chicago, Illinois, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) today announced that, following rigorous review, Professional Credit has once again achieved the Peer Reviewed by HFMA designation for its Healthcare Collections service. Professional Credit offers its healthcare provider clients full transparency and 24/7 access to collection activity through its secure online portal, Client Tools, as well as recordings of all patient calls. The company also provides its clients with the assurance that their patients are being treated with the utmost care and respect. Professional Credit operates under the premise that todays patients want to pay their bills, but need flexible options, appropriate guidance and convenient self-service tools to help them manage their financial challenges. Through its mobile app, patient portal and highly trained staff, Professional Credits New DealSM approach to financial engagement incorporates innovative technology, behavioral science and analytics to resolve financial obligations while improving the patient experience. Healthcare economics and technology are evolving rapidly, as is their impact on the patient financial experience. The successful strategy for engaging healthcare consumers in the future takes into account ever-changing communication preferences and styles, increasing regulatory pressures, and the challenges that all patients face in understanding and resolving their financial obligations, says Professional Credit President Scott Purcell. In order to ensure effective financial interactions with healthcare consumers moving forward, the right tools, techniques and technology have to be deployed and continually improved in order to adapt to this constantly changing environment. HFMA's Peer Review process provides healthcare financial managers with an objective, third-party evaluation of business solutions used in the healthcare workplace. The rigorous, 11-step process includes a Peer Review panel review by current customers, prospects who have not made a purchase, and industry experts. The Peer Review status of the healthcare business solution and its performance claims are based on effectiveness, quality and usability, price, value, and customer and technical support. Were pleased to have Professional Credit renew their HFMA Peer Reviewed designation, says HFMA President and CEO Joseph J. Fifer, FHFMA, CPA. The HFMA Peer Review process assures our members, through a rigorous evaluation, that the reviewed healthcare business solution meets an objective, third-party assessment of overall effectiveness, quality and value." About HFMA With 38,000 members, the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) is the nation's premier membership organization for healthcare finance leaders. HFMA builds and supports coalitions with other healthcare associations and industry groups to achieve consensus on solutions for the challenges the U.S. healthcare system faces today. Working with a broad cross-section of stakeholders, HFMA identifies gaps throughout the healthcare delivery system and bridges them through the establishment and sharing of knowledge and best practices. We help healthcare stakeholders achieve optimal results by creating and providing education, analysis and practical tools and solutions. Our mission is to lead the financial management of healthcare. About Professional CreditProfessional Credit makes the lives of providers and patients easier by incorporating innovative tools, behavioral science and analytics to improve financial engagement and resolve financial obligations. With more than 85 years of experience, Professional Credit is an industry leader in accounts receivable management, offering collection services that yield higher than expected results while treating patients with the utmost respect. As part of the Hawes Group of companies, and its affiliation with KG Hawes, a consumer engagement technology partner, Professional Credit is able to offer a wide range of patient financial services and technology. SMITHFIELD, Va., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. , announced today a $10,000 donation to the James River Association to support efforts to restore and protect the future of Virginias largest river. To kick-off the continuation of the partnership, Smithfield employees contributed their time with James River Association staff to clean trash from Tyler Beach in Rushmere, Virginia. An important part of the James River watershed, more than 340 pounds of trash were removed from the rivers shores. We are extremely grateful for Smithfields generous contribution to our environmental clean up efforts, said Bill Street, CEO of the James River Association. The James River is an important part of Virginias ecosystem, as more than one-third of all Virginians rely on the river and its tributaries for water, commerce, and recreation. Its encouraging to see such a large company focused on environmental stewardship. The James River Association engages community partners and members to protect Virginias founding river, and works to inspire individuals through environmental education and community conservation programs. Smithfields donation will make a significant contribution towards continued preservation of the James River shoreline that flows across the entire state and enable the organizations ongoing efforts to protect the river, improve water quality, and enhance community vibrancy and individual health. Environmental stewardship is a key focus area for Smithfield as we know our companys size enables us with opportunities to make positive environmental impacts, said Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods. We are so pleased to once again contribute to the James River Association to support clean up efforts right here at home and engage our employees to be part of that process to improve our community. For more information about Smithfields commitment to its local communities, please visit smithfieldfoods.com/helpingcommunities or read the companys 2017 Sustainability Report . About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathans Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cooks, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curlys, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus, and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com , and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , and Instagram . About the James River Association The James River Association is a member-supported nonprofit organization founded in 1976 to serve as a guardian and voice for the James River. Throughout the James Rivers 10,000-square mile watershed, the James River Association works toward its vision of a fully healthy James River supporting thriving communities. The James River Association believes that when you change the James, the James changes you". With offices in Lynchburg, Scottsville, Richmond, and Williamsburg, the James River Association is committed to protecting the James River and connecting people to it. For more information visit www.TheJamesRiver.org . Media Contacts: Dalton Agency for Smithfield Foods James River Association Lauren Homrich Christina Bonini lhomrich@daltonagency.com cbonini@thejamesriver.org (480) 268-3253 (804)788-8811 ext. 211 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0857ebdf-2412-4838-8354-c25ed37f86d6 Danish English COPENHAGEN, Denmark May 14, 2019 - Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA, OTC: BVNRY) will announce its 2019 first quarter results on Wednesday, May 22, 2019. The management of Bavarian Nordic will host a conference call at 2:00 pm CEST (8:00 am EDT) on the same day to present the interim results followed by a Q&A session. A live and replay version of the call and relevant slides will be available at http://bit.ly/2PNW058 . To join the Q&A session dial one of the following numbers and state the participant code 3096344: Denmark: +45 32 72 80 42, UK: +44 (0) 844 571 8892, USA: +1 631-510-7495. Contacts Europe: Rolf Sass Srensen, Vice President Investor Relations & Communications. Phone +45 61 77 47 43 U.S.: Graham Morrell, Paddock Circle Advisors (US), Tel: +1 781 686 9600 FALL RIVER, Mass., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlantis Charter School announced today that STEM Academy instructor Alekzandr Hirschmann was recently honored with an Lemelson-MIT Excite Award. The award is given annually to a select group of educators across the country who have applied to receive a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam grant for the following school year and have been selected as a finalist. Award recipients participate in invention education learning opportunities as part of an all-expenses paid trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the Lemelson-MIT Programs annual EurekaFest, a multi-day invention celebration in mid-June. Excite Award educators who attend EurekaFest leave the event prepared to ignite an interest among high school students in science, math, engineering and invention, said Leigh Estabrooks, invention education officer from the Lemelson-MIT Program. They gain new techniques to empower their students through problem solving and encourage a sustainable culture of invention in their school and community. Educators are selected for this award based on their capacity to lead a year-long, open-ended invention project with students at their school. At EurekaFest, Excite Award recipients meet and are inspired by current InvenTeams , teams of high school students, teachers and mentors that received grants of up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. Hirschmann will see the InvenTeam projects, learn more about the InvenTeam experience and attend hands-on workshops and discussions led by MIT professors about invention - unique technological solutions to real world problems. I am honored to have been selected for an Lemelson-MIT Excite Award, said Alekzandr Hirschmann. Our invention would relate to the ocean, and Atlantis students would play a large role in identifying the problem we would attempt to solve. Whether we study energy creation, ways to mitigate our populations impact on our environment, or ways to enhance the global food supply, Atlantis students would be in the unique position to solve a problem facing their community here on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts. Hirschmann, STEM instructor at Atlantis, initiated the InvenTeam application process in the spring of 2019 and will be invited to submit a final application for the InvenTeam grant after attending EurekaFest. Hirschmann will work with the students and mentors throughout the summer to finalize Atlantiss grant application, which is due in September. Hirschmann will also reach out to community members with relevant expertise who can provide insight and guidance on how their invention can best serve the community. A prestigious panel of judges composed of educators, researchers, staff and alumni from MIT, as well as former Lemelson-MIT award winners, will assemble in the fall and select the final InvenTeam grantees. More information on the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam initiative and Excite Awards can be found here . Media Contact: Lauren Bieke Sr. Account Manager eMedia Junction lauren@emediajunction.com 508-329-0440 (o) 617-512-0382 (c) ABOUT ATLANTIS CHARTER SCHOOL Atlantis Charter School , based in Fall River, Massachusetts, is a leading public charter school that serves nearly 1,400 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across the SouthCoast region. Its mission is to provide students with an education second to none, yielding life-long academic excellence and learning skills. Founded in 1995, Atlantis was one of the first charter schools in Massachusetts. It is now one of the largest, consistently ranking among the highest-performing public charter schools in the Commonwealth. The high school is frequently recognized for its ground-breaking career academies which were developed in partnership with industry and higher education to prepare an educated 21st century workforce and drive economic development. ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM Celebrating invention, inspiring youth The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding inventors and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention. Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. historys most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering at MIT, an institution with a strong ongoing commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for K-12 STEM education. For more information, visit Lemelson.MIT.edu. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bougainville Ventures Inc. (CSE:BOG) (Frankfurt:8BV) is pleased to announced it has signed a Sponsored Research Agreement to develop a one of a kind water soluble cannabis-based (CBD) supplement energy drink to improve workout performance. Pursuant to its agreement with an Israeli based research firm Bougainville agrees to fund certain CBD-based research projects like CBD-Oils, CBD-Creams, and CBD-Supplements. The first project will be to develop a formula, which will be a water soluble cannabis-based (CBD) supplement to boost energy and to improve workout performance. Terms of the Agreement Bougainville will pay a 5% Royalty from the sale, transfer or order disposition of the product, for a period of six (6) years from the completion of the product. Bougainville will have exclusive rights to commercialize the product in Canada and first right of refusal to commercialize the product in the US. Bougainville Shall pay the Israeli based research firm $25,000 USD upon the execution of the Definitive Agreement by non-refundable check dated July 1, 2019. And an additional $50,000 USD shall be paid by Bougainville in favor of the research firm based on milestones. Israel is at the Forefront of Medical Cannabis Research Israel is one of the most progressive nations for medical marijuana research comes courtesy of the government's involvement. Not only do they sponsor the majority of clinical trials, but the Israeli military has endorsed the cannabinoid THC as part of a treatment program for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In 2017 Israel saw more than 110 clinical trials take place. Their topic of study included cannabis as a treatment for Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis (MS), Crohns disease and several other forms of chronic pain. Israel dominates the medical marijuana research space and the Government has plans to build one of the world's most extensive medical cannabis research and development facilities in the world. Andy Jagpal, President, Comments: We are excited to strike a relationship to develop a CBD infused energy drink as Canadas edible marijuana market is around the corner from being fully legal within the year. We are also in contact with processors in Canada to manufacture the energy drink and with our Saskatchewan-based hemp farmers to source the CBD for our products. About Bougainville Ventures, Inc. Bougainville provides cannabis infrastructure and seed-to-sale services to I-502 tenant-growers leasing greenhouse facilities space and providing fully built-out, turnkey solutions and ancillary services including processing, cannabis expertise and marketing and sales resources. Greenhouse canopies provide a 50% saving in cultivation cost. For more information please visit: http://bougainvilleinc.com/ On behalf of the Board of Directors BOUGAINVILLE VENTURES INC. Andy Jagpal, CEO and Director Washington, D.C., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Consumer Choice Center commissioned the polling institute Kantar to conduct an international consumer poll in four countries. In March 2019, a total of 8,166 adults in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Germany were asked about their views on government policies and consumer rights. Commenting on the findings featured below, Yael Ossowski, Deputy Director at the Consumer Choice Center, said it was refreshing to see that American consumers are well aware of their freedom to choose, and of the benefits that follow from it. Key findings: 3 out of 4 millennials think the government should take a step back when it comes to regulating the sharing and digital economy 77 percent of Americans believe that governments should avoid intervening with these newer tech-enabled businesses (like Uber, Airbnb and Netflix) where possible to ensure consumers have the greatest possible choice of services. The 18-44 age group is more likely to agree Two-thirds of people agree that they should have the freedom of choice to buy e-cigarettes if they believe they are a lower health risk to them than tobacco 72 percent of Americans agree that in a democracy, the government should protect freedom of choice for consumers Younger age groups are more likely to agree that people should have the freedom of choice to buy e-cigarettes if they believe they are a lower health risk to them than tobacco "While the mantra on Capitol Hill is to further regulate and intervene in the tech sector, consumers are overwhelming in favor of innovation and don't want additional regulation," said Ossowski. "Indeed, they want to ensure they have their freedom to choose respected." "In regard to e-cigarettes, it is clear that American consumers rejoice in their freedom to use vaping products to help them stop smoking. However, theres still room for improvement. The FDA's reluctance to embrace vaping technologies as a way to reduce harm is leaving millions of consumers behind. US consumers favor harm reduction, and this freedom should be embraced. "We want to use the findings of this poll to prove that consumers are loud, proud, impactful, and should have their point of view heard. Consumers, contrary to voters, have to make choices every day, and those have an immediate tangible impact on each individuals life. Policymakers simply cant afford to be ignorant of consumer choice, concluded Ossowski. --- The Consumer Choice Center is the consumer advocacy group supporting lifestyle freedom, innovation, privacy, science, and consumer choice. The main policy areas we focus on are digital, mobility, lifestyle & consumer goods, and health & science. The CCC represents consumers in over 100 countries across the globe. We closely monitor regulatory trends in Ottawa, Washington, Brussels, Geneva and other hotspots of regulation and inform and activate consumers to fight for #ConsumerChoice. Learn more at consumerchoicecenter.org. Attachment RUSTON, La., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Century Next Financial Corporation (OTCQX:CTUY), the holding company of Century Next Bank with $475.6 million in assets, today announced financial results for the 1st quarter ended March 31, 2019. Financial Performance For the three months ended March 31, 2019, Century Next Financial Corporation (the Company) had net income after tax of $1.2 million compared to net income of $824,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, an increase of $375,000 or 45.5%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $0.74 per basic share and $0.73 per diluted share compared to $0.71 per basic share and $0.69 diluted share reported for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Balance Sheet Overall, total assets increased by $13.5 million or 2.9% to $475.6 million at March 31, 2019 compared to $462.1 million at December 31, 2018. The largest component of assets, loans, net of deferred fees and costs and the allowance for loan losses, increased $8.4 million or 2.24% for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to December 31, 2018. Total net loans at March 31, 2019 were $383.7 million compared to $375.3 million at December 31, 2018. Growth was achieved in commercial, non-real estate loans of $5.6 million, loans secured by real estate including 1-4 family residential of $3.3 million, commercial of $1.5 million, land of $1.2 million, and agricultural of $81,000. These increases were offset by decreases in consumer loans of $1.2 million, residential construction of $863,000, 1-4 family residential held-for-sale of $585,000, home equity lines of credit of $314,000, multi-family of $79,000, and agricultural, non-real estate loans of $4,000. Total deposits at March 31, 2019 increased $12.7 million or 3.3% to $396.0 million compared to $383.3 million at December 31, 2018. Growth occurred in money market deposits of $8.9 million, interest-bearing checking of $4.3 million, and noninterest-bearing checking of $1.4 million. The increases were offset by decreases in time deposits of $1.7 million, and savings deposits of $196,000. There were short-term borrowings, consisting of FHLB advances, of $22 million at both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018. Long-term borrowings, consisting of primarily of subordinated debt, increased by $73,000 to $8.61 million at March 31, 2019 compared to $8.54 million at December 31, 2018. Income Statement Net interest income was $4.74 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to $2.79 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This was an increase of $1.95 million, or 70.2%. The increase for the year-over-year comparative quarters was primarily from the increase in interest income on loans due to the business combination with Ashley Bancstock Company effective in November of 2018. The provision for loan losses amounted to $237,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $195,000 in provision for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in loan loss provision for the quarter, as compared to the prior year quarter, is not a result of increased loss activity but more appropriately a result of increased risk awareness and identification to strengthen the allowance for loan losses. Total non-interest income amounted to $834,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to $370,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, an increase of $464,000 or 125.4%. The increase for the year-over-year comparative quarters consisted of increases in service charges on deposits of $232,000, other income of $216,000, and income from mortgage loan activity of $16,000. The overall increases were primarily the result of an increased customer base of deposits and income from bank-owned life insurance policies acquired in the business combination completed in November 2018. Total non-interest expense increased by $1.92 million or 98.3% to $3.88 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 compared to $1.96 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The increase in overall expense was due primarily to increases in expenses of salaries and benefits of $879,000, data processing of $317,000, occupancy and equipment of $144,000, and other operating expenses combined of $585,000. These increases were primarily due to the additional normal operating and merger-related expenses from the business combination completed in November 2018. The Company efficiency ratio, a measure of expense as a percent of total income, was 69.1% for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 compared to 62.1% for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The increase in merger-related expenses contributed to the increase in operating expenses resulting in a higher efficiency ratio. Other Financial Information Nonperforming assets, including loans past due 90 days or more, nonaccrual loans, and other foreclosed assets, increased from $1.98 million at December 31, 2018 to $2.37 million at March 31, 2019. Total non-performing assets as a percentage of total assets were 0.50% at March 31, 2019 compared to 0.43% at December 31, 2018. Allowance for loan losses were $2.76 million or 0.71% of total loans at March 31, 2019 compared to $2.57 million or 0.68% of total loans at December 31, 2018. Net charge-offs for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $41,000 compared to no net charge-offs for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The ratios of net charge-offs to average loans outstanding were 0.01% at March 31, 2019 compared to 0.07% at December 31, 2018 and 0.00% at March 31, 2018. Dividend Declaration The Board of Directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.23 per share payable on June 12, 2019 to shareholders of record as of May 29, 2019. Additional Information Century Next Financial Corporation is the holding company for Century Next Bank (the Bank) which conducts business from its main office in Ruston, Louisiana and five full-service branch offices. The Company was formed in 2010 and is subject to the regulatory oversight of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary and is an insured federally-chartered stock savings association subject to the regulatory oversight of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Bank was established in 1905 and is headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana. The Bank is a full-service bank with three locations in Louisiana including two banking offices in Ruston and one banking office in Monroe, and four locations in Arkansas including two banking offices in Crossett, one banking office in Hamburg, and one drive-through location in Fountain Hill. The Bank emphasizes professional and personal banking service directed primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, and individuals. The Bank provides a full range of banking services including its primary business of real estate lending to residential and commercial customers. Statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words like believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, and intend or future or conditional verbs such as will, would, should, could, or may. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Century Next Financial Corporation and Subsidiary Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) (In thousands, except per share data) March 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 59,060 $ 54,454 Investment securities 2,945 2,958 Loans, net 383,740 375,342 Other assets 29,907 29,374 TOTAL ASSETS $ 475,652 $ 462,128 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Deposits $ 395,978 $ 383,320 Short-term borrowings 22,000 22,000 Long-term borrowings 8,615 8,542 Other liabilities 2,912 3,415 Total Liabilities 429,505 417,277 Stockholders' equity 46,147 44,851 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 475,652 $ 462,128 Book Value per share $ 27.79 $ 27.09 Century Next Financial Corporation and Subsidiary Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited) (In thousands, except per share data) 2019 2018 Interest Income $ 6,077 $ 3,383 Interest Expense 1,340 599 Net Interest Income 4,737 2,784 Provision for Loan Losses 237 195 Net interest income after provision for loan losses 4,500 2,589 Noninterest Income 834 370 Noninterest Expense 3,884 1,959 Income Before Taxes 1,450 1,000 Provision For Income Taxes 251 176 NET INCOME $ 1,199 $ 824 EARNINGS PER SHARE Basic $ 0.74 $ 0.71 Diluted $ 0.73 $ 0.69 Century Next Financial Corporation Contact Information: William D. Hogan, President & Chief Executive Officer or Mark A. Taylor, CPA CGMA, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer (318) 255-3733 NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors (the Board) of CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc. (the Company) announced that, effective May 13, 2019, Claire W. Tucker will step aside as President of the Company and as President and Chief Executive Officer of CapStar Bank (the Bank) and will be succeeded by Timothy K. Schools. Schools will be President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank and President of the Company, and Tucker will continue as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. On July 31, 2019, Schools will succeed Tucker as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Tucker will then serve as Founding President and Chief Executive Officer Emerita until May 31, 2021. Todays announcement provides for leadership continuity to deliver on CapStars future strategic plans, said Dennis Bottorff, Chairman of the Board. The Board actively engaged in a comprehensive succession plan that included a nationwide search, said Julie Frist, Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Nominating, Governance and Community Affairs Committee of the Board. Tim has demonstrated capabilities spanning 27 years of diverse leadership experience at several of the nations well-known banking institutions. Tims experience suited him to develop strategy and lead CapStar to generate top-tier financial performance and long-term shareholder returns while distinguishing itself as a great place to work and providing superior customer satisfaction. Claires tenure at CapStar has been tremendous, continued Bottorff. Under her leadership since its founding, the Bank has experienced phenomenal growth both through organic expansion and acquisitions, including mortgage, wealth management and the addition of two banks. Because of her vision, CapStar is well positioned for strong performance over the next decade and beyond. Schools has held positions of increasing responsibility with leading Southeastern banks, including National Commerce Financial Corporation in Memphis, Tennessee and SouthTrust Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama. Previously, he served as President of American Savings Bank, Hawaiis third largest financial institution, where he led it to become one of the nations highest performing and employee-engaged banks. Most recently, Schools was President and Chief Executive Officer of Highlands Bancshares, Inc. in Abingdon, Virginia. Schools is a graduate of James Madison University and holds an MBA from Emory University. I am grateful to have had the unique opportunity to start a bank and am grateful to the founders who provided financial support and encouragement along the way and especially to the associates who have shared the CapStar mission, focusing on our customers, shareholders and communities, Tucker said. I look forward to Tims leadership and will continue to support CapStars expansion through both judicious acquisitions and sound, profitable growth. I am excited to join such an outstanding organization, filled with talented people at every level, said Schools. Under Claires leadership, CapStar has built a unique business delivering a highly-personalized banking experience which has achieved strong profitability and significant organic growth. I look forward to working closely with Claire during the transition and with our team to execute on the Companys vision to expand our presence in Nashville as well as become a leading regional bank. We are well positioned to create long-term sustainable value for our employees, customers, and shareholders. CapStar Bank, with assets of $2.04 billion, provides custom financial solutions to businesses and consumers through 13 locations in seven Tennessee counties. The Bank has been recognized by Greenwich Associates, an international marketing firm, as a national CX Leader for small business banking. The Bank specializes in business lending for C&I, Commercial Real Estate, Healthcare and Small Business, as well as correspondent banking services and a robust treasury management platform. Personal banking specialties include tailored loan and deposit products, wealth management and mortgage products. For more information about CapStar, please visit www.CapStarBank.com . This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are subject to many risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks detailed from time to time in the Companys periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 under the headings Item 1A. Risk Factors and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements and in the Companys Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We caution you that the forward-looking statements included in this press release are not a guarantee of future events, and that actual events may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements presented herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise, except as required by law. MINNEAPOLIS, May 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: INSP) (Inspire), a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and minimally invasive solutions for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), announced today the publication of clinical results comparing the effects of Inspire therapy on Medicare-aged patients to younger patients. The study, led by physicians at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, followed 235 Medicare-aged patients and 365 younger-aged patients and collected information regarding sleep apnea severity, quality of life and any complications with the procedure. The results of the study demonstrated that while all patients positively responded to Inspire therapy, the Medicare-aged patients had both a slightly higher response, as well as a slightly higher adherence, to therapy. The publication, entitled Upper Airway Stimulation Response in Older Adults with Moderate to Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea, appears online in the Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (DOI: 10.1177/0194599819848709 http://otojournal.org ). This study corroborates the growing evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of Inspire therapy for the treatment of OSA in properly selected CPAP-intolerant cases, said Dr. Kirk Withrow, Associate Professor at the University of Alabama Birmingham and lead author of this publication. In addition, it specifically affirms the benefit of Inspire therapy for older patients, who have been previously shown to have experienced worse outcomes with other types of sleep surgery. The study noted that an age equal to or greater than 65 years is an independent factor for success with Inspire therapy as compared with younger cohorts. The paper concluded that Inspire therapy should be strongly considered in the treatment of older patients who are CPAP intolerant and eligible per the established inclusion criteria. We received feedback from several of the regional Medicare administrators indicating the need for published literature that specifically evaluated Medicare-aged patients receiving Inspire therapy, said Tim Herbert, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Medical Systems. We believe the results of this study, which compared the response to therapy, adherence and complications experienced by Medicare-aged and younger-aged populations provide important evidence that the administrators may use in their Medicare coverage development. About Inspire Medical Systems Inspire is a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and minimally invasive solutions for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Inspires proprietary Inspire therapy is the first and only FDA-approved neurostimulation technology that provides a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. For additional information about Inspire, please visit www.inspiresleep.com . Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding Medicare coverage development. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as may, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, could, future, outlook, intend, target, project, contemplate, believe, estimate, predict, potential, continue, or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, estimates regarding the annual total addressable market for our Inspire therapy in the U.S. and our market opportunity outside the U.S.; future results of operations, financial position, research and development costs, capital requirements and our needs for additional financing; commercial success and market acceptance of our Inspire therapy; our ability to achieve and maintain adequate levels of coverage or reimbursement for our Inspire system or any future products we may seek to commercialize; competitive companies and technologies in our industry; our ability to enhance our Inspire system, expand our indications and develop and commercialize additional products; our business model and strategic plans for our products, technologies and business, including our implementation thereof; our ability to accurately forecast customer demand for our Inspire system and manage our inventory; our dependence on third-party suppliers, contract manufacturers and shipping carriers; consolidation in the healthcare industry; our ability to expand, manage and maintain our direct sales and marketing organization, and to market and sell our Inspire system in markets outside of the U.S.; risks associated with international operations; our ability to manage our growth; our ability to increase the number of active medical centers implanting Inspire therapy; our ability to hire and retain our senior management and other highly qualified personnel; risk of product liability claims; risks related to information technology and cybersecurity; risk of damage to or interruptions at our facilities; our ability to commercialize or obtain regulatory approvals for our Inspire therapy and system, or the effect of delays in commercializing or obtaining regulatory approvals; FDA or other U.S. or foreign regulatory actions affecting us or the healthcare industry generally, including healthcare reform measures in the U.S. and international markets; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals; risks related to our debt and capital structure; our ability to establish and maintain intellectual property protection for our Inspire therapy and system or avoid claims of infringement; tax risks; risks that we may be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940; regulatory risks; the volatility of the trading price of our common stock; and our expectations about market trends. Other important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contemplated in this presentation can be found under the captions Risk Factors and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 26, 2019, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this presentation. Any such forward-looking statements represent managements estimates as of the date of this presentation. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, unless required by applicable law, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. Thus, one should not assume that our silence over time means that actual events are bearing out as expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Investor and Media Contact: Bob Yedid LifeSci Advisors inspire@lifesciadvisors.com 646-597-6989 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ITALY, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. Announcement NO. 28 14 May 2019 GN Store Nord A/S successfully places EUR 330 million zero-coupon convertible bond offering consisting of Bond with Warrant Units Zero coupon bonds with a five-year maturity Detachable warrants exercisable for existing ordinary shares of the Company Initial strike price premium of 45% above the Reference Share Price 97.8% of outstanding 2017 Bonds and 97.8% of outstanding 2017 Warrants to be repurchased and cancelled in the concurrent repurchase and the Company expects to exercise clean up calls Net proceeds to be used for concurrent repurchase and for general corporate purposes Overview GN Store Nord A/S (the Company) announces the successful placement of its EUR 330 million senior unsecured zero-coupon bonds due 2024 (the New Bonds) together with detachable warrants expiring 2024 (the New Warrants and together with the New Bonds, the New Units) (the Offering). The New Warrants will be exercisable into existing registered ordinary shares ("Shares") of the Company held in Treasury. The Company has also simultaneously completed a reverse bookbuilding process to repurchase any or all of the outstanding EUR 225 million Zero-Coupon Senior Unsecured Bonds due 2022 (the 2017 Bonds) and/or Unsecured Warrants expiring 2022 (the 2017 Warrants), whether held on a standalone basis or as part of bond with warrant units due 2022 (the 2017 Units and, together with the 2017 Bonds and the 2017 Warrants, the 2017 Securities), each issued by the Company on 31 May 2017 (the Concurrent Repurchase). In the Concurrent Repurchase, EUR 220 million in aggregate principal amount of 2017 Bonds and a total of 2,200 2017 Warrants, all of which are comprised in 2017 Units, have been accepted for purchase by the Company. This represents 97.8% in outstanding principal amount of the 2017 Bonds and 97.8% of the outstanding 2017 Warrants. The Concurrent Repurchase is expected to be settled on or around 21 May 2019 (the "Settlement Date"). As more than 85% of the principal amount of the 2017 Bonds and more than 85% of the outstanding 2017 Warrants are being repurchased pursuant to the Concurrent Repurchase, the Company expects to exercise its clean up call options under the terms and conditions of the 2017 Bonds and the 2017 Warrants promptly following settlement of the Concurrent Repurchase. The net proceeds of the issue of the New Bonds and the New Warrants will be used firstly to finance the Concurrent Repurchase in an amount of approximately EUR 287 million. The remaining proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including the refinancing of existing debt facilities and the repurchase of Shares. The Offering The initial number of Shares underlying the New Warrants will be known only after the Reference Share Price and the initial Strike Price have been set on 16 May 2019. Indicatively, if the Reference Share Price were to be DKK 306.9 (the closing price of the Shares on 13 May 2019), the initial number of Shares underlying the New Warrants would be up to 5.5 million. 3,300 aggregate number of New Units will be issued, comprising of EUR 330 million in aggregate principal amount of New Bonds and 3,300 in aggregate number of New Warrants. The New Units will have a maturity of five years and will be issued at 101.26% of the principal amount of the New Bonds, which have a denomination of EUR 100,000 per Bond (the Principal Amount). Settlement and delivery of the New Units are expected to take place on 21 May 2019. The New Bonds will not bear any interest and will be redeemed at par at maturity (unless redeemed or purchased and cancelled earlier under their terms). The New Warrants will be exercisable after 40 days following their issue and will entitle their holders to receive Shares against payment of an amount equal to DKK 746,840 (being the Principal Amount converted into DKK using the DKK/EUR spot rate of EUR 1.00:DKK 7.4684). The initial strike price per Share will be set in DKK at a premium of 45% above the Reference Share Price. The Reference Share Price will be the arithmetic average of the daily volume weighted average price (VWAP) of a Share on each dealing day from 15 May 2019 to 16 May 2019 (each inclusive). The Reference Share Price and the initial Strike Price are expected to be announced on 16 May 2019. Any New Unit holder may, upon exercise of a New Warrant, require the Company to redeem the corresponding New Bond at its Principal Amount. The Company intends to apply for the admission of the New Units to trading on an internationally recognised stock exchange or securities market. The New Bonds and the New Warrants are not expected to be separately listed. In the context of the Offering, the Company has agreed to a 90-day lock-up undertaking in respect of Shares and equity-linked securities, subject to certain customary exceptions. Credit Suisse is acting as Sole Global Coordinator, Sole Bookrunner and the Lead Manager (the Sole Global Coordinator or the Lead Manager) for the Offering. BNP Paribas and Nordea are acting as co-managers (the Co-Managers and together with the Lead Manager, the Managers). Concurrent Repurchase of the 2017 Securities Subject to satisfaction of the Settlement Condition (as described below), holders whose 2017 Units have been accepted for repurchase by the Company will be eligible to receive, per 2017 Unit so repurchased, a cash consideration equal to the sum of (i) the Bond Repurchase Price (in respect of the 2017 Bond comprised in such 2017 Unit) and (ii) the Final Warrant Repurchase Price (in respect of the 2017 Warrant comprised in such 2017 Unit). The "Bond Repurchase Price" means EUR 96,829.00 for each 2017 Bond comprised in a 2017 Unit. The Final Warrant Repurchase Price for each 2017 Warrant comprised in a 2017 Unit will be the sum of the Base Warrant Repurchase Price and the Additional Warrant Repurchase Price. The Base Warrant Repurchase Price will be EUR 30,796.00 per 2017 Warrant and the Additional Warrant Repurchase Price will be calculated on 16 May 2019 as follows: (Reference Share Price DKK 306.9) x Delta x 2017 Warrant Ratio / FX, where FX means the EUR:DKK exchange rate of EUR1.00:DKK 7.4684; Delta means 70% and 2017 Warrant Ratio means 2,762.5529 Shares per 2017 Warrant. The Final Warrant Repurchase Price is expected to be announced on 16 May 2019. The Companys obligation to purchase the 2017 Units and pay the corresponding repurchase price pursuant to the Concurrent Repurchase shall be conditional upon it having received the proceeds of issue of the New Units pursuant to the Offering (the Settlement Condition). If the Settlement Condition is not satisfied on or prior to the scheduled Settlement Date, the Company, in its sole discretion, shall be entitled to postpone settlement of the Concurrent Repurchase for no more than five days after the scheduled Settlement Date and/or cancel the Concurrent Repurchase. The Company reserves the right to repurchase further 2017 Securities until the Settlement Date at a price equal to the respective repurchase price, and/or after the Settlement Date at any price whether on or off the market. The 2017 Securities so repurchased (if any) will be cancelled. The Company expects that, following successful completion of the transactions referred to in this announcement, the total number of Shares underlying the New Warrants will be less than the 6.2 million Shares held in treasury and presently underlying the 2017 Warrants. The Company expects to propose that some or all of the excess Shares be cancelled at the Companys next annual general meeting in 2020. The offer period for the Offering and the Concurrent Repurchase has now expired. This announcement does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe the New Bonds or the New Warrants (including as component parts of New Units), or an invitation to participate in the Concurrent Repurchase, in any jurisdiction. Inside information notice This announcement relates to the disclosure of information that qualified, or may have qualified, as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014) (MAR). For the purposes of MAR and Article 2 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1055, the person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Peter Justesen, VP - Investor Relations and Treasury. For further information please contact: Investors and analysts Peter Justesen VP Investor Relations and Treasury GN Store Nord A/S Tel: +45 45 75 87 16 or Rune Sandager Senior Manager Investor Relations Tel: +45 45 75 92 57 Press and the media Lars Otto Andersen-Lange Head of Media Relations & Corporate Public Affairs Tel: +45 45 75 02 55 DISCLAIMER No action has been taken by the Company, the Managers (Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited, BNP Paribas and Nordea Bank AB (publ)) or any of their respective affiliates that would permit an offering of the New Bonds, the New Warrants, the New Units, the 2017 Securities or the Shares (together, the Securities), the Concurrent Repurchase or possession or distribution of this Company Announcement or any offering or publicity material relating to the Offering, the Concurrent Repurchase or any of the Securities (together, Offer Materials) in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this Company Announcement or any other Offer Materials comes are required by the Company and the Managers to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions. This Company Announcement and any other Offer Materials are not intended as investment advice and under no circumstances are they to be used or considered as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any Security or 2017 Security nor a recommendation to buy or sell any Security or 2017 Security or whether or not to participate in the Concurrent Repurchase. An investment in the Securities includes a significant degree of risk. Any decision to purchase any of the Securities and/or to participate in the Concurrent Repurchase should only be made on the basis of an independent review by a prospective investor of the Companys publicly available information, the terms of the Securities, the terms of the 2017 Securities and/or the terms of the Concurrent Repurchase, as applicable. Each person receiving this Company Announcement or any other Offer Materials should consult his/her professional advisers to ascertain the suitability of the Securities as an investment and/or the suitability of its participation or otherwise in the Concurrent Repurchase. Neither the Managers nor any of their respective affiliates accept any liability arising from the use of, or make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of, this Company Announcement or any other Offer Materials or the Companys publicly available information. The information contained in this Company Announcement or any other Offer Materials is subject to change in its entirety without notice up to the date of issue of the New Units. The Managers are acting on behalf of the Company and no one else in connection with the Securities and the Concurrent Repurchase and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of the Managers or for providing advice in relation to the Securities, the 2017 Securities or the Concurrent Repurchase. Potential investors who are in any doubt about the contents of this Company Announcement or any other Offer Materials should consult their stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other financial adviser. It should be remembered that the price of securities and the income from them can go down as well as up. THE SECURITIES MENTIONED IN THIS DOCUMENT HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE SECURITIES ACT), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES, ABSENT REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFER OF THE SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. THE SECURITIES ARE BEING OFFERED AND SOLD OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES IN RELIANCE ON REGULATION S. THIS COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE OFFERING WHEN MADE ARE ONLY ADDRESSED TO, AND DIRECTED IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE EEA) AT PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE (QUALIFIED INVESTORS). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE" MEANS DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC, AS AMENDED. PROHIBITION OF SALES TO EEA RETAIL INVESTORS - THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO AND SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY RETAIL INVESTOR IN THE EEA WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION (EU) NO 1286/2014 (AS AMENDED, THE PRIIPS REGULATION). CONSEQUENTLY NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT UNDER THE PRIIPS REGULATION HAS BEEN PREPARED AND THEREFORE OFFERING OR SELLING THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS OR THE NEW UNITS OR OTHERWISE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO ANY RETAIL INVESTOR IN THE EEA MAY BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE PRIIPS REGULATION. IN ADDITION, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THIS COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT IS BEING DISTRIBUTED ONLY TO, AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT, QUALIFIED INVESTORS (I) WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE ORDER) AND QUALIFIED INVESTORS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER, AND (II) TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS RELEVANT PERSONS). THIS COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON (I) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS, AND (II) IN ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT QUALIFIED INVESTORS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO (A) RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND (B) QUALIFIED INVESTORS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EEA (OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM). SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED WITHIN: (A) EU DIRECTIVE 2014/65/EU ON MARKETS IN FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, AS AMENDED (MIFID II); (B) ARTICLES 9 AND 10 OF COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) 2017/593 SUPPLEMENTING MIFID II; AND (C) LOCAL IMPLEMENTING MEASURES (TOGETHER, THE MIFID II PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS), AND DISCLAIMING ALL AND ANY LIABILITY, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, WHICH ANY MANUFACTURER (FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MIFID II PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS) MAY OTHERWISE HAVE WITH RESPECT THERETO, THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO A PRODUCT APPROVAL PROCESS, WHICH HAS DETERMINED THAT: (I) THE TARGET MARKET FOR THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS IS ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS ONLY, EACH AS DEFINED IN MIFID II; AND (II) ALL CHANNELS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS TO ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS ARE APPROPRIATE. ANY PERSON SUBSEQUENTLY OFFERING, SELLING OR RECOMMENDING THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS (A DISTRIBUTOR) SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MANUFACTURERS TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT; HOWEVER, A DISTRIBUTOR SUBJECT TO MIFID II IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNDERTAKING ITS OWN TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT IN RESPECT OF THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS (BY EITHER ADOPTING OR REFINING THE MANUFACTURERS TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT) AND DETERMINING APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS. THE TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY CONTRACTUAL OR LEGAL SELLING RESTRICTIONS IN RELATION TO ANY OFFERING OF THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, THE TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE: (A) AN ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY OR APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE PURPOSES OF MIFID II; OR (B) A RECOMMENDATION TO ANY INVESTOR OR GROUP OF INVESTORS TO INVEST IN, OR PURCHASE, OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE NEW BONDS, THE NEW WARRANTS AND THE NEW UNITS. THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE IS NOT BEING MADE AND WILL NOT BE MADE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO, OR BY USE OF THE MAIL OF, OR BY ANY MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION, TELEX, TELEPHONE, E-MAIL AND OTHER FORMS OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION) OF INTERSTATE OR FOREIGN COMMERCE OF, OR OF ANY FACILITIES OF A NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE OF, THE UNITED STATES, AND THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED BY ANY SUCH USE, MEANS, INSTRUMENTALITY OR FACILITY FROM OR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR BY PERSONS LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES OR BY PERSONS WHO ARE U.S. PERSONS, OR PERSONS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, AGENTS, FIDUCIARIES OR OTHER INTERMEDIARIES) ACTING FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF PERSONS LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES OR OF ANY U.S. PERSONS. DOCUMENTS OR MATERIALS RELATING TO THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE ARE NOT BEING, AND MUST NOT BE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY MAILED OR OTHERWISE TRANSMITTED, DISTRIBUTED OR FORWARDED (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, BY CUSTODIANS, NOMINEES OR TRUSTEES) IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. ANY PURPORTED ACCEPTANCE OF THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM OR IN VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE INVALID AND IF MADE BY A PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES OR WHO IS A U.S. PERSON OR ANY PERSON (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY AGENT, FIDUCIARY OR OTHER INTERMEDIARY) ACTING FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF PERSONS LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY U.S. PERSON, ON A NONDISCRETIONARY BASIS FOR A PRINCIPAL GIVING INSTRUCTIONS FROM WITHIN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE INVALID AND WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. FOR THESE PURPOSES, UNITED STATES MEANS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. NO ACTION HAS BEEN OR WILL BE TAKEN BY THE COMPANY, THE SOLE GLOBAL COORDINATOR OR ANY OF THE MANAGERS THAT WOULD, TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, PERMIT THE POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE IN ANY COUNTRY OR JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. THE SOLE GLOBAL COORDINATOR WILL ONLY DISTRIBUTE ANY MATERIALS RELATING TO THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE IN ANY COUNTRY OR JURISDICTION IN COMPLIANCE, TO THE BEST OF ITS KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN SUCH COUNTRY OR JURISDICTION. HOLDERS OF 2017 SECURITIES WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE AND/OR TO SUBMIT INDICATIONS OF INTEREST MUST ONLY DO SO IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND REGULATIONS. The Danville Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority unanimously voted Monday to buy 90 acres of land just east of the Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill. RIFA members decided by a 4-0 vote to buy the property at Buford Road in southwestern Pittsylvania County for $259,000. Money from the Virginia Tobacco Commission will cover the purchase, said Pittsylvania County Economic Development Director Matt Rowe. During an interview Monday afternoon after the meeting, Rowe would not say why RIFA wanted that particular piece of land. The layout meets our needs for economic development in the park, Rowe said via teleconference during the RIFA meeting at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. Rowe said the Buford Road property was originally offered for close to $500,000 and included a home, but the owner sold the portion of the land with the home. The terms of the purchase agreement include the $259,000 price; a minimum of 60 days for RIFA to conduct due diligence on the property to determine its feasibility for further development of the mega site; and a $3,000 deposit that is refundable in case RIFA finds that the property is not suitable for the authoritys purposes. The purchase price is still consistent with the tax-assessed value per acre, RIFA Attorney Michael Guanzon pointed out. The land purchase is another step toward getting the mega site ready for development, Rowe said. Appalachian Power is looking to construct a 138-kV line and a new substation at the site in collaboration with RIFA, dubbed the Berry Hill Energy Connection Project. Rowe said in March the new power line will be a step toward improving the infrastructure to suit companies that could support 1,800 to 1,900 employees over the course of a five-year period. He noted that it was the infrastructure issues that ruled out Mazda the car company opening a plant at the site years ago. Officials are also hoping for a new connector road to be built that would be a gateway to the mega site, connecting to an existing interchange at U.S. 58 and Oak Ridge Farms Road. In another matter, the RIFA board unanimously voted to approve a proposed site and floor plan for BGF Industries, Inc.s manufacturing facility that would contain about 25,600 square feet in the RIFA-owned Cyber Park. BGF Industries a subsidiary of the French company Porcher Industries plans to relocate its U.S. headquarters to the Dan River Region from Greensboro, North Carolina. The company is expected to bring 65 new jobs to the area, with the average pay for those positions to be $75,000 per year. The Jefferson Avenue neighborhood in Danville is a street filled with history: the Mount Sinai Glorious Church, the Green Hill and Danville National cemeteries, early turn-of-the-century homes of the citys working men and women, the Doyle Thomas Park. Its a street as emblematic of the citys history as Millionaires Row and the grand houses on North Main Street. Indeed, Jefferson Avenue is a lynchpin of the historic West End Neighborhood, which was the citys first federally recognized historic district. And in the middle of it at 205 Jefferson Ave. sits a cream-colored, stucco apartment building, built in 1930, thats been slowly but surely deteriorating for years to the point that city officials declared Jefferson Court Apartments unfit for human occupancy in 2014. Leaks, mold, roaches and rotting floors are just a few of the problems the almost 90-year-old, boarded-up building has. But now, thanks to the efforts of Preservation Virginia, the building may have a second chance at life and, with it, the neighborhoods revitalization efforts may get a needed jump start. Preservation Virginia, based in Richmond, is a nonprofit dedicated to saving the commonwealths most endangered historic resources. Privately funded, it often steps in as the buyer of last resort to save structures from all-but-certain destruction and then works with private and public entities, using federal and state historic tax credits, to breathe new life into the buildings and, often, the neighborhoods around them. The nonprofit bought the Jefferson Avenue building late last month for $45,000. It had been owned by a Texas business that had all but spurned the citys efforts to work with it on stabilizing the building. Preservation Virginias plan is to sell it, through a deferred loan, to the Danville Neighborhood Development Corp., which will then take it into the citys land bank program and begin the long restoration process. Last September, City Council approved a Virginia Housing Development Authority grant of $125,000 to help pay for rehabilitation; almost $20,000 has been spent on stabilizing the site. Skeptics, such as Councilman Gary Miller, who voted against the September grant, hold out little hope for the structure, saying its too far gone and simply should be razed. The building is near the vibrant River District, which could be key to its success, in the opinion of Mayor Alonzo Jones. Writing to the Register & Bee, Jones elaborated on his hopes for the old building: I do hope the new owners will consider creating a living space and area for teachers and interns and young professionals who are considering or may consider making Danville their home. And, in the process we would add, saving a part of the citys past to build its future on. Theres a lot of old housing stock in Danville that is close to falling into the same state of disrepair but still could be saved. All it takes is will power. It may be easy to tear down such structures, but left behind are literal and psychological holes in neighborhoods that are unhealthy. These buildings, these neighborhoods, help contribute to what is unique about the city, and every effort to save them should be made before bulldozers are called in. The village of Arlington Heights became one of the safest communities of our size in the country under Chief Mournings leadership, Village Manager Randy Recklaus said in the release. The crime rate has dropped to its lowest ever recorded and traffic crashes are also at a 15-year low. Those numbers speak for themselves. Christian faith destroyed slavery To the editor: On May 5, the Register & Bee republished an article from The Washington Post by reporter Julie Zauzmer about how The Bible was used to justify slavery. Then Africans made it their path to freedom. The article was not false, but it wasnt the whole story. Indeed, it wasnt even half the story. Skeptics of Christianity today often use that less-than-half story to mock Christianity as an enabler of one of the worst atrocities in history. Sure, some people used the Bible to support the peculiar institution. Its a big book and isolated verses can be taken out and twisted to support something the Bible in its entirety doesnt. The other half, or more, of the story is that Christians, motivated by the Bible, ended slavery. If you think thats just the self-serving boast of a pastor trying to reinterpret history, consider that the worlds greatest expert on slavery, the man who won a Nobel Prize for his research into slavery, a self-professed secular Jew who had no vested-interests to spin history to support Christianity, concluded that Christians ended slavery. Robert W. Fogel, Nobel laureate in economics and professor at the University of Chicago, concluded that, economically, slavery was on the ascendency prior to the Civil War but was ended because Christians concluded that it was evil. They read the Bible, saw that it taught that were to love our neighbor as ourselves, realized that enslaving some of our neighbors was a violation of that second greatest command (like the first) and so turned against slavery. In 1776, every colony in what was to become the United States of America was a slave colony. That changed because Christians turned the hearts and minds of Americans against slavery. I know this because I was Professor Fogels teaching assistant and was tasked by him to teach his findings about slavery to his students. During one after-class chat, Professor Fogel told me that he was astounded to discover that Christians ended slavery. He said something like, Here I was, a professor in some of Americas leading universities, and I had no idea that Christians had done that. Fogel concluded that it was not economic forces that brought about the end of slavery but a revolution in moral sentiment brought about by Christians. Sadly, few Christians know of him. In an age when Christianity is attacked for retarding progress, even for championing slavery, when Christians are routinely labeled bigots and oppressors, its tragic that we dont all know that the abolition of slavery was a triumph of biblical Christianity. Rev. JOHN B. CARPENTER Covenant Reformed Baptist Church Yanceyville, N.C. Danville could use a casino To the editor: We need a casino in Danville to help provide extra taxes to take the burden off of the homeowners now and, if its legal, use 2 percent of the taxes to build our schools. I would not allow any spending from casino taxes collected to raise any payroll. JEFF MATHIS Danville Eighteen percent of Americans who were eligible to vote in the November 2016 general election but did not cast ballots cited issues with registering to vote as their main impediment, according to the Census Bureau. At a time when citizens are coming to expect a more user-friendly, seamless experience in their interactions with government at all levels, there is an ideal pathway for knocking down a barrier that has kept so many voting-eligible citizens away from the polls: automatic voter registration.A mandate for states to implement automatic voter registration (AVR) is a marquee provision of H.R. 1 , congressional Democrats' sweeping package of political and campaign reforms. While the prospects for enactment of H.R. 1 are dim in the current divided Congress -- the legislation has passed the Democratic-controlled House but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that it will not get a vote in that Republican-controlled chamber -- there is nothing in federal law that prevents states from implementing AVR on their own.Indeed, 15 states and the District of Columbia have already put some form of AVR in place, turning registering to vote or updating an existing registration into an automatic process when a person interacts with a public agency, typically a motor-vehicle department, unless the person chooses affirmatively to opt out.AVR builds on the 1993 National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Known as the "motor voter" law, NVRA required most states to allow citizens to register to vote when applying for or renewing a driver's license. Making the process an automatic procedure, as AVR does, taps into the fact that many voters do not actively think about their voter registration and eligibility status and also often have misconceptions about how the system works."About one in three voters think that their voter registration just automatically magically updates when they move. It does not," David Becker, founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, noted in a 2013 presentation on the subject . "And then adding to the confusion, voters don't realize that they can update their information in a motor-vehicles agency when they're going to update their driver's license." AVR takes much of the burden of keeping voting information updated off of the shoulders of registrants. But this can only happen if the process is perfectly woven into existing licensing processes or other interactions with state offices.That may sound like a tall order, but that isn't necessarily the case. Oregon, for example, has demonstrated that significant gains can come at manageable costs. It AVR system, implemented in early 2016, cost just a little over $530,000, $200,000 of which was for a one-time IT upgrade. Eligible but unregistered voters are now identified through the state's Department of Motor Vehicles' databases. They are notified by mail that they will be added to the voter registry, but can opt out within 21 days by returning a postcard to the state's election authorities.The new system had a quick and significant impact on voting in Oregon. Not only did the state experience a 4.1 percent increase in overall voter turnout in the November 2016 general election compared to the non-AVR 2012 election, but the system demonstrated a capability for better keeping pace with the state's changing demographics. According to a 2017 Demos report , "Only 6 percent of the non-AVR voters were people of color, compared with 11 percent of first-time AVR voters."Dealing with the ever-changing demographics of the electorate is a challenge for every state, of course. Someday, should reforms like H.R. 1 move forward in Washington, automatic voter registration could become the law of the land, addressing at the national level registration and other voting issues so critical to the health of our democracy.Until then, the experiences of pioneers like Oregon can inform the process for other states that are looking for ways to catch up to and keep pace with the needs and expectations of the 21st-century voter. A federal judge has struck down a 2018 Kentucky law banning a type of abortion generally performed after the 14th week of pregnancy, a victory for abortion rights activists and a setback for the administration of Gov. Matt Bevin, which defended it.In a ruling Friday, U.S. District Judge Joseph McKinley ruled the law is unconstitutional because it restricts a woman's constitutional right to an abortion before the fetus is considered viable, at around 24 weeks.Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union, which had challenged the law, said they were pleased with the ruling.Todays ruling affirms that health, not politics, will guide important medical decisions about pregnancy," said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. "Laws like this are part of an orchestrated national strategy by anti-abortion politicians to push abortion out of reach entirely. Todays decision holds in no uncertain terms that Kentuckians and the care they need come first."Elizabeth Kuhn, Bevin's communications director, said in a statement Friday evening that the administration intends to appeal. "We profoundly disagree with the courts decision and will take this case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary, to protect unborn children from being dismembered limb by limb while still alive," she said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday pardoned seven former felons, including two Cambodian refugees the Trump administration wants to deport, in his first acts of clemency since the Democrat took office in January.Newsom adopted a policy of his predecessor, former Gov. Jerry Brown, to use his state constitutional authority to issue pardons to shield immigrants targeted by federal immigration officials.The pardons are an unmistakable rebuke to President Donald Trump, whose fiery anti-immigrant rhetoric and demands for giant wall along the U.S.-Mexico border have been central to the escalating political feud between Newsom and the White House.Newsom took another shot at Trump just hours before announcing the pardons while speaking to members of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization based in Sacramento. Newsom compared Trump to the anti-immigrant "demagogues" in San Francisco who championed the federal Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 -- the nation's first immigration ban on a specific group of people."I'm constantly trying to understand the moment we're living in, the xenophobia, the nativism that marks the populism of this moment," Newsom said. "Any of us who are students of history know that it's not without precedent. It's not novel. It's hardly new. It's very familiar."One of the Cambodian refugees pardoned by Newsom, Hay Hov of Oakland, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in March.Hov, a naturalized citizen who arrived in the United States in 1985 as a legal refugee when he was 6, was convicted of solicitation to commit murder and participation in a criminal street gang in 2001, when he was 21, according to the Newsom administration.The other refugee, Kang Hen of San Francisco, like Hov, fled to the San Francisco Bay Area with his family to escape the Cambodian genocide in the 1980s. Hen was convicted of grand theft in 1994 when he was 18. Kang, who has a 4-year-old son and partner with kidney and heart problems, was taken into custody by ICE in April.Both Hov and Kang are being processed for deportation to Cambodia. The pardons do not automatically end a deportation effort, but remove the underlying criminal offense that triggered the federal removal actions.The pardons come as the federal government continues a crackdown on the Cambodian community that began in 2017 when Trump forced Cambodia to agree to take back more deportees. Many of the Cambodians facing deportation were refugees from the brutal Khmer Rouge regime that killed thousands, and came to the United States legally as children. They have few memories or ties to the country. But because they committed crimes, even if convicted decades ago, they can be deported.In the 2016 fiscal year, ICE reported removing 74 Cambodians. In 2017, 29 Cambodians were removed. In 2018, that number has jumped to 110 thus far.ICE reported that, as of March 26, there were 1,784 non-detained Cambodians nationals in the United States with a final order of removal. Of those, 1,294 had criminal records.All seven of the people Newsom pardoned on Monday had completed their prison sentences."By granting these pardons to people who are transforming their lives, the Governor is seeking to remove barriers to employment and public service, restore civic rights and responsibilities and prevent unjust collateral consequences of conviction," the governor's office said in a statement released Monday afternoon.The other five people pardoned committed offenses that varied from selling or possessing drugs to forgery.Brown granted a historic 1,332 pardons and 283 commutations during his last two terms as governor. However, the California Supreme Court rejected 10 grants of clemency issued by Brown, the first time the high court has blocked a pardon or commutation in more than 50 years.The court did not issue an explanation for the action. Under the California Constitution, the governor cannot grant a pardon or commute a sentence of anyone convicted of two separate felonies without the approval of the state Supreme Court.None of the people whom Newsom pardoned on Monday had multiple felonies, according to a governor's office spokesperson. "He said that he was part of an investigation into a sting for solicitation of prostitution. I was taken aback. I have known the mayor for a long time. I grew up with his son. I have known him for 25 years or better," Surratt said. The Supreme Court on Monday ended a 28-year-old tax battle between California and a wealthy inventor who moved to Nevada by broadly shielding states from private lawsuits filed in other states.The 5-4 ruling is both a win for the California Franchise Tax Board and a victory for the conservative principle of state "sovereign immunity."The decision by Justice Clarence Thomas overturned a 40-year-old precedent to now "hold that states retain their sovereign immunity from private suits brought in the courts of other states."The case began in 1991 when Gilbert Hyatt, a California resident, began earning millions in royalties from a computer patent. He sold his house and rented an apartment in Nevada. And when he filed his tax returns in 1991 and 1992, he claimed his primary residence was Nevada, which had no tax state income tax.California tax authorities thought his move was a sham and launched an investigation, including in Nevada, to show he maintained his residence in California.Hyatt then sued the California tax authorities in the Nevada courts and won a series of large judgments.California's lawyers continued to fight the claims from the Nevada courts. And Monday, they finally prevailed in the case of Franchise Tax Board vs. Hyatt.Thomas said the framers of the Constitution had an "understanding that states retained immunity from private suits, both in their own courts and in other courts."In the 1990s, the high court's conservative majority handed down a series of decisions that shielded states from anti-discrimination claims filed by their residents.The four dissenting justices said lawsuits of this sort were extremely rare, and they faulted the majority for overruling a 1979 precedent that permitted such claims to go forward. (TNS) More high-speed Internet service is coming to much-needed areas of rural North Carolina because of two state grants totaling $415,000 to Eastern Carolina Broadband of Pink Hill.The company will contribute $221,000 to complete $636,000 in total project monies for Lenoir and Jones counties. ECB provides Internet services to rural and underserved areas of Lenoir, Jones and Duplin counties. The grants are through the North Carolina Department of Information Technology's Broadband Infrastructure Office.The grants will cover 65 percent of projects for Lenoir and Jones counties.A $135,201 grant will allow the company to deploy services to about 319 more households, businesses, agricultural operations and anchor institutions in Lenoir County. ECB's share is $72,000. A $279,901 grant will apply in the same way for about 569 Jones County customers, with ECB putting in $150,000.Susan Myers, co-founder and a managing partner of Eastern Carolina Broadband, said these grants greatly help her company continue its work on "last mile Internet" to areas that are without or have poor signal service."In a bi-partisan effort, the state legislature approved for the first time a grant program to help companies provide Internet to rural areas in Tier I counties," she said. "Eastern Carolina Broadband applied for and won grants for both Jones and Lenoir Counties. The state asked local governments to partner by providing affordable access to their vertical assets such as water towers and EMS towers."Myers said ECB uses fixed wireless technology to beam fiber off of water towers, grain elevators and utility poles to local homes and businesses."After working with the N.C. Broadband office and our local 'Think Tank,' we were shocked that so many rural school children, farmers and businesses did not have access to high-speed Internet," she said of the company's founding principles. "Our community will fall behind without access to high-speed Internet. Thus, several of us founded Eastern Carolina Broadband, LLC to provide affordable high-speed Internet to those rural households and businesses. For us, this is a social investment in our community."She praised the participating local governments.She said affordable leasing was arranged in Jones County on water towers, grain elevators and the EMS tower."We will utilize the grant to install equipment on these vertical assets," she said. "Deployment in Jones County will start in 60 days, but it may take the company up to 18 months to offer services to all 659 locations."She said there is more need in Lenoir County number-wise, but affordable leasing couldn't be arranged with several Lenoir towns and entities, limiting the numbers to 319."If we are able to rent the water towers in the future, then we may be able to apply for a grant next year for Lenoir County," she said.ECB is also in Duplin County and has leased space on all the county-owned water towers and many grain elevators. Because Duplin wasn't rated as a Tier 1 county in 2018, it was not eligible for the grant. Duplin has once again been rated a Tier I county in 2019 and will be eligible next year. ECB plans to apply.In the meantime, Meyers said ECB is launching Internet where it can in Duplin County."Much of the rural areas of Tier II counties, such as Craven, Onslow and Pamlico, do not have access to high speed Internet. We are hoping that the 2020 GREAT Grant program will allow us to apply for rural areas of Tier II counties," she added.More information on services, rates and other questions are on the ECB web site at ecbroadband.com or email info@ecbroadband.com Eastern Carolina Broadband is a locally-owned and operated company, incorporated in 2017 by four experienced business owners Myers, Al Rachide, Rodney Scott and Jennings Outlaw.One thing the company touts is that it charges no "hidden fees," since wireless transmissions are tax-free by law.Also according to the website, the typical subscriber antenna is the size of a dinner plate or smaller. For some homes that are at the outer range of service, a two-foot dish may be needed.This system is optimized to provide Internet service, not cell phone service.More information is online at mobileinfo.com/Broadband/wrls_bdbd_work.htm Conway Fire Department. Faulkner County OEM (Office of Emergency Management). Saline County OEM. Vilonia Fire Department. Conway County 911. Little Rock Fire Department. North Little Rock Fire Department. Russellville Fire Department. Dallas County Sheriff's Office. Hot Springs Fire Department. (TNS) Firefighters and other first responders from agencies across the state continued hazardous materials (HAZMAT) certification classes at the Conway Expo Center and Fairgrounds on Monday.The 80-hour certification, which the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) conducts three to four times a year, includes classroom time, labs and field experience culminating in a final exam Friday.The final exam will consist of 50 questions and trainees must score at least 80 percent to receive the certification.Some of the field exercises included donning HAZMAT suits while using tools to close valves, repair seals and more.Conway Fire Department Engineer Steven Craig who is also a CFD HAZMAT instructor and an ADEM adjunct instructor said Monday's exercise was mainly "to get them used to dexterity in the [HAZMAT] suits.""They're big and bulky," he said of the suits. "They are Level A suits that are totally encapsulated for chemical protection."Union Pacific provided a trailer equipped with the gauges and valves responders would encounter on a train emergency "so they can simulate what they would do a rail car," Craig said.The training began last week. On Friday, the state Fire Academy will administer the final exam and each student will be mailed their results.Throughout the training, students receive job performance reviews (JPRs) on the field exercises."Everybody has a job in the scenarios," Craig said.The group spent an entire day on lab exercises where they categorize unknown products using a flame test and water solubility test.Trainers for this class included Craig; Chris Foreman, ADEM training coordinator; and Toby Harrington, North Little Rock Fire Department engineer and ADEM adjunct instructor.Students attending this certification class were from:2019 Log Cabin Democrat, Conway, Ark.Visit Log Cabin Democrat, Conway, Ark. at www.thecabin.netDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) Frustrated Boston-area commuters driven crazy by gridlock say drastic steps need to be taken to free up traffic including widening roads, opening ride-hail lots just outside the city and awarding days off for not driving in.Boston is the seventh-most congested city in the nation and the Pioneer Institute wants to give $10,000 to whoever can solve the citys chronic congestion. The Pioneer Institutes 2019 Better Government Competition is centered on ideas to get commuters where they need to be quickly.Motorists like Meredith Durell of Medford are already on the fast track for workable ideas: Your health insurance could give you points back if you run or bike to get to work or more vacation days if you commute by anything but your personal vehicle.Amelia Eisenhauer, a Berklee College student, said the answer lies in construction schedules around the city.Something that could fix the traffic problem would be more planning as far as construction goes. The close-downs are not strategic, said Eisenhauer, who added that widening the roads and adding more lanes could also help drivers.Those who enter the Better Government Competition are encouraged to consider obstacles like finance and management, permitting, freight and planning. Technology could also come into play through autonomous vehicles, data solutions, scheduling and bus-route redesign. Proposals should not only address congestion but public safety and cost efficiency.Four runners-up with be awarded $1,000 each for their ideas.According to the competition description , State, local and federal governments invest hundreds of billions of dollars each year in transportation infrastructure, yet we continue to waste hours in traffic, arrive late for work and medical appointments, and miss out on family time.Entrants can submit a paper of five or fewer pages detailing the problem and addressing the solution with the intent to change the current policy landscape in the field of transportation and mobility.According to the INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, Boston-area commuters spent 164 hours driving in congestion last year, which costs each person $2,291.Katy OBrien of Somerville said ride-hail options could save drivers a lot of headaches: Park outside the city and ride-share in.Angela Szarck, who lives by Fenway, took a more drastic approach, suggesting, wider roads and no sidewalks. Cole Durvett of Mission Hill also took a big leap and said, Remap the entire city maybe improve the T and encourage people not to drive.Congestion in Boston has been chalked up to steady population growth, an abundance of ride-hailing services, public transit issues and densely packed cities and towns in Greater Boston.Eric Loring of Dorchester said, I would put more money into the T and improve the T I lived in Quincy for two years then moved to Dorchester. You get into your car and within five minutes youre upset.The deadline to enter the Better Government Competition is May 31.The contest hits as Boston enters the brutal summer road construction season, with work on the Tobin Bridge already causing epic traffic jams.That lost time, said the Pioneer Institutes Mary Z. Connaughton, is also hurting at home.Traffic congestion is not only stifling productivity, its eating into our very valuable family time, Connaughton told theon Saturday. Pioneer Institute believes good old-fashioned American ingenuity can solve this enormous said growing issue and seeks ideas from here and across the country.Joe Dwinell contributed to this report. Solar Deals Fiber Pros and Cons (TNS) Heritage Sustainable Energy has a power purchase offer for Traverse City, Mich., Light & Power to consider, one the board president is calling a no-brainer.Thats just one agenda item on a busy Tuesday meeting for the city-owned utility board. Fujitsu representatives also will present the findings from an 86-page cost-benefit analysis on building out what could be the first phase of a potential two-phase fiber network project.Heritage Sustainable Energy is back with another offer to sell power from a solar array the company has planned to expand since 2017.Utility Executive Director Tim Arends said the Traverse City-based company would sell the output from a two-megawatt expansion of the array at M-72 and Bugai Road, for what amounts to 5.7 cents per kilowatt-hour. That would rise to 7.141 cents in 2025, then increase by 1.5 percent each year after until 2041.Compare that to a past offer of 9.95 cents, fixed for 20 years, on which TCL&P board members passed in February. Its also less than what Traverse City is paying the company for the arrays first phase to meet a green energy goal, at 11.25 cents per kilowatt-hour.Marty Lagina, Heritage Sustainable Energy CEO, said the price on the latest deal includes capacity the measure of a utilitys ability to get power to its customers. Plus, the array already is tied directly to TCL&Ps grid, he said hes working on zoning approval from Elmwood Township for the expansion. Utility board Chairman John Taylor said the offer is one worth considering.Board member Amy Shamroe said she wants to learn more about the proposal. Both Traverse City and its utility aim to switch to 100 percent renewables the city by 2020 and the utility by 2040. She anticipates the board will talk about how that arrays power would be distributed, she said.Board members also will consider a deal with the Michigan Public Power Agency to buy 7.6 megawatts in solar power capacity from a large project in Shiawassee County, meeting documents show. Its an even lower price 3.695 cents per kilowatt-hour for 25 years, rising by 2 percent each year. The price includes power, capacity and renewable energy credits.Fujitsus presentation will include a most likely scenario that a TCL&P high-speed network could bring a roughly $487,000 cash flow by the fourth and fifth years, documents show. Thats assuming 50 percent of potential business and residential customers sign up for Internet, and 30 percent of the same sign up for voice-over-Internet-protocol telephone service, according to the plan.Taylor said hes waiting to learn more but understands the outlook is positive. Theres more to do before the utility could start construction if the board so chooses, including setting a public hearing, as required by law, for such projects.That likely means it would be a month at the soonest before board members could opt whether to OK construction of the first phase, Taylor said that part would connect buildings within the downtown to Eighth Street, its Central Neighborhood and the Woodmere Avenue corridor and cost roughly $4 million to build, as previously reported.Taylor said the fastest scenario is presuming the board is persuaded by the business plan.Theres absolutely a possibility thats not the case, he said.Critics of the utilitys three-year-long exploration of expanding on its existing fiber-optic system are surfacing.Utility customer Gerald DeGrazia said he has experience designing broadband networks and has worked for both the public and private sector. Fujitsus numbers seem much too optimistic to him, he said.That could put the utility in the position of using ratepayer money to build the network, the revenues from which could never repay such an internal loan, DeGrazia said he laid out several other concerns in emails to board members.I am very, very concerned that the board is rushing to move into a very risky venture, which in my opinion and based on my experience, doesnt have a lot of opportunity to succeed, he said.Arends said there is some risk should the utility move ahead. The board is weighing the ideas pros and cons, and how well the venture would work is an unknown.Taylor said theres no doubt that plenty in the city, including a few utility board members, are enthusiastic about the idea. But he doesnt believe the board will rubber-stamp the project, nor does he believe turning a network into a self-sustaining enterprise will be easy, he said.I think that the numbers we see on Tuesday will matter a lot, he said, adding he believes theres a high likelihood of success.Shamroe, who serves on an ad hoc committee for the project, said shes heard DeGrazias concerns as well. She believes most of the questions hes raised have been answered, and that most of the problems hes brought up dont seem to reflect Traverse Citys situation. (TNS) One Baltimore County councilman said a constituent cornered him in Costco over County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.s proposal to tax residents cellphones. Another calls the measure the most unpopular idea in the budget.Olszewskis first spending plan would tax county residents $3.50 per cellphone each month, a move he said would raise much needed revenue to pay for county priorities . But council members say the plan is unlikely to pass without amendments.This is one of those things that might seem like a good idea to a budget analyst, but among ordinary Baltimore Countians, its just an unfathomable, said Councilman David Marks, a Perry Hall Republican.The idea has drawn concern from Republicans and Democrats alike on the seven-member council.Its too much, said Councilwoman Cathy Bevins, a Middle River Democrat who called the tax very regressive and unfair.The issue, council members said, is that the charges will stack up in an era when families have multiple cell phones. Olszewski proposed taxing each cell phone line individually so a family with four cellphones would pay an additional $14 a month, or $168 a year.People are telling me how many phones and devices they have and how this will cause a hardship on them, said Councilman Julian Jones, a Woodstock Democrat. Some people, this is their main line of communication, and its also their only access to the Internet.Residents who support the idea say it could help pay for important government services, while critics say it will squeeze their household budgets. The Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce also opposes the bill, saying it would burden small businesses that have multiple phones.Olszewski spokesman T.J. Smith said the county executive has heard the concerns of constituents and is working with the council to come up with changes to the legislation. The council is set to vote on the bill as part of its budget vote on May 23.In delivering his budget message last month, Olszewski said the county has lost critical revenue as families move away from landlines. The county currently taxes landlines at 8% of the monthly bill but doesnt tax wireless services.Officials expect to raise about $8.1 million this year from that landline tax down from a peak of $13.2 million in 2007.Several council members said they are exploring amendments that would levy one tax per family plan, rather than one per line.Were looking at a number of options, said Councilman Izzy Patoka, a Pikesville Democrat. Id just like to soften the burden on a family.At a recent budget hearing, Jake Lestock, a representative of CTIA, a trade association for the wireless communications industry, said the proposed tax would be among the highest local wireless taxes in the country, behind only Baltimore and Chicago.Among Maryland jurisdictions, Baltimore City, Prince Georges and Montgomery counties tax for cellphone service, according to a survey by the Maryland Association of Counties. Baltimores is $4 per phone and Montgomery Countys is $3.50. Prince Georges County charges 8% of a customers service bill.As proposed, the Baltimore County tax is projected to bring in more than $29.5 million annually. Thats nearly as much as the income tax increase Olszewski wants, which is estimated to raise about $33 million.Pikesville resident Ivan Lutwin spoke out against the income and phone tax at a recent budget hearing, saying the new taxes combined would cost his family more than $700 a year. In an interview later, he said he understood the county has pressing needs, but called Olszewskis budget plan a tsunami of taxes.All the taxes together are too much, said Lutwin, 44, who works in technology sales.In addition to the income and cellphone tax plans, Olszewski wants to increase the hotel tax from 8% to 10% and impose new taxes known as impact fees on developers.Lori Harper of Parkville said a cellphone tax might push her to go choose a lower-cost carrier to lower her bill, but she doesnt oppose the idea. She said sees a need for the county to invest in public schools, roads and water infrastructure.I see the need to maintain [county services] at the very least, said Harper, 50, who works for a merchandising services company. $3.50 a month its not that bad. Were going to get taxed one way or another.Nottingham resident Ronnie Hopson, 38, said she could support the phone tax, but the allocation of the revenues is important to her. Hopson, a wellness educator, said she wants to see the money be used to improve schools, parks and roads.I do care where that money goes, said Hopson. Government TechnologyIn this months installment of the Innovation of the Month series, we explore how the Vanderbilt Initiative for Smart Cities Operation and Research has been working on emergency response with the Nashville Fire Department and the Information Technology Services Department for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.MetroLabs Ben Levine and Stefania Di Mauro-Nava spoke with Abhishek Dubey, senior research scientist at the Institute for Software Integrated Systems and an assistant professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department at Vanderbilt University; Geoffrey Pettet, graduate research assistant at Vanderbilt University; Colleen Herndon, project manager at the Metro Information Technology Services Department for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County; and Ayan Mukhopadhyay, graduate research assistant at Vanderbilt University to learn more.Could you please describe what the Integrated Safety Incident Forecasting and Analysis project is? Who is involved in this effort?The Integrated Safety Incident Forecasting and Analysis project is a collaborative project undertaken by the Vanderbilt Institute for Smart Cities Operation and Research (VISOR) team, the Nashville Fire Department (NFD), and the Metro Nashville and Davidson County Information Technology Services (ITS) Department as part of a National Science Foundation grant. The objective of this research is to understand and improve the resource coordination and dispatch mechanisms used by first responders in Nashville. The analysis and tools created in this project seek to improve NFDs ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies such as traffic collisions with injuries to humans, medical emergencies, and fire incidents that occur in the Nashville area.The primary idea behind this work is to move toward a, rather than aemergency response strategy. For this work, we have used historical data collected by NFD over the last three years and more, recording the location, time and type of various safety incidents that include motor vehicle incidents, fire incidents and health-emergency related incidents along with the response times for the dispatched emergency vehicles. Additional information in the data includes the severity of the incident, the location of the incident, and the response time for the incident. We integrated this data with other crucial parameters that affect incident occurrence, like pedestrian traffic, road characteristics, traffic congestion and weather, and developed models for different parts of the city. These models predict with high accuracy the likelihood of when and where incidents will happen in the future.Given the incident forecasting tool and information about the past response times, we can analyze the effect of creating new fire stations, relocating fire stations or adding new response vehicles to existing stations (as shown in figures 1 and 2). It also allows us to provide city planners with historical incident data occurring at different time periods for analysis (shown in figures 3 and 4).Additionally, we have developed a novel online framework to suggest optimal automatic dispatch decisions for emergency responders by integrating predictive models of incident prediction and the city environment, including events and changing traffic conditions. This framework includes an online survival model for incident prediction and a recurrent neural network model for learning environmental features affecting dispatch. These are used by a Monte Carlo-based dispatching algorithm that simulates different responses to the predicted incidents and chooses the best current dispatching action (figure 5). Further, the online framework provides the capability to pre-emptively optimize the placement of responders and perform forward-thinking dispatching decisions in real time.At Vanderbilt University, Abhishek, along with Gautam Biswas and Yevgeniy Vorobeychik (now at Washington University in St. Louis) led a team including Ayan Mukhopadhyay, Chinmaya Samal, and me. Colleen Herndon with Metro Information Technology Services coordinated the project from Metros side, with collaboration from Rusty Lacy and Jeanne Martin with the Nashville Fire Department.Can you describe what motivated the city and university to address this particular challenge?Responding to incidents quickly and effectively is a critical and costly operation, so NFD has spent considerable effort in analyzing their placement of responder stations and response patterns. They found that there are a few areas that could be improved. For example, they discovered an issue called the vortex problem: Many incidents occur in downtown Nashville, which is also where most of the hospitals in the area are located. Ambulances from outlying regions will take their patients to the hospitals, and on their way back will be dispatched to accidents in the downtown area.This causes ambulances to spend the majority of their time in the downtown core, reducing their time at the more outlying stations, and leading to an increased response time for incidents occurring in those areas. This is just an example of the type of problem that a principled, proactive dispatching approach can help address. NFD was motivated to pursue this project not only for the reasons mentioned, but also because the results of this analysis can provide additional justification for requests to increase and/or reallocate the departments fleet of first responding vehicles.What kind of data are you exploring and why? What have been some of your initial findings and is this changing how you view the issue?We are integrating data from different sources to explore this problem. The main source is the Fire Department database, which has detailed records of incidents that they have responded to. These include the incident type, where and when the incident occurred, which responder was dispatched to it, and how long it took for the responder to arrive on scene. After cleaning the data, this amounts to approximately 20,000 traffic incidents in the Nashville area over the course of two years. We combined this with historic weather data from Dark Sky and traffic congestion information from HERE to build an incident prediction model.One interesting finding is that weather and congestion have a lower impact than we originally thought. The primary feature affecting traffic incident occurrence is previous incidents in the area. In other words, incidents cascade along roadways, causing more incidents in the future. This implication not only affects how we construct our incident models, but also further justifies the problem we are tackling: responding to incidents quickly not only ensures increased chances of saving lives, but possibly reduces secondary factors like congestion. This analysis has value beyond the scope of this specific analysis. It also provides insights for Metro and state roadway planners and engineers who can similarly analyze our results and incorporate improvements in areas identified as problematic, as well as use the information for planning new routes.How are your findings being used and implemented at the Nashville Fire Department?The incident prediction models have been integrated into a dashboard that the Fire Department is currently testing. This dashboard is available on GitHub and YouTube.This tool will allow management to see what the likely incident distributions are over the county for different time periods, and plan accordingly. A feature that NFD management has expressed particular interest in is the ambulance station exploration tool. This lets users move, remove and add stations and vehicles around the county, and gives them detailed information on how those changes will affect incident response times. This insight can be applied when planning and justifying the need for new stations and new vehicles, taking what traditionally had been knowledge gained through many years of field experience to knowledge gained from the use of this tool.We are currently still in the experimentation and exploration phase of the dispatching tools, but once they are complete, management can see how the dispatching recommendations compare to their current strategies, and possibly integrate them to improve response times once they are proven.What was the most surprising thing you learned during this process?Metro has collaborated with Vanderbilt on multiple projects in recent years, including Connected Nashville: A Vision for a Smarter City. We feel that the partnership has been and will continue to be extremely successful. The one thing that stood out in this particular project is just how much pragmatic application this projects analysis could provide. This project has not only served as a proof of concept, but is now poised to give NFD a tool that can be incorporated into their planning processes and, over time, into their daily operations.Where will this project go from here?Vanderbilt will continue to work closely with NFD, to gather feedback and provide refinements within the tools to maximize the value for the department. We will also continue to incorporate real-time traffic congestion into the models. We are optimistic that the success of this project could lead to even deeper analytical projects with NFD. Our incident models can also be shared with other departments, such as Planning and Public Works, to help identify the root causes of the incidents and help prevent them in the first place. (TNS) Audio and video equipment used in criminal investigations at the Holland, Mich., Department of Public Safety Services is no longer fully functioning.The equipment is getting replaced for $26,935 by Indianapolis-based company iRecord, which provides digital video recording and management systems for law-enforcement interview rooms. The Holland City Council approved the bid as a consent agenda motion at its May 1 meeting. The funds will come from the fiscal year 2019 Municipal Capital Improvement Fund."These are critical, I can't emphasize that enough," said Assistant City Manager Matt VanDyken at the study session before council voted.The current system is a mix of parts that were installed when the building was constructed, and pieces that have been replaced over the years are becoming obsolete, VanDyken said. The audio and video clarity is critical for trial, he said."It's important that the video be high-quality, but also allows us to efficiently manage those interviews," explained Capt. Rick Walters, of the Holland Department of Public Safety.The equipment was ordered after council gave the go-ahead, Walters said, and should arrive in two or three months."The existing system is 15 years old, and has not really been upgraded since we moved into our facility in 2004," Walters said. "We've had some minor issues that I think we've been able to address, but we are using technology that is now out of date."The new system is supposed to be more efficient, easier to work with, and provide better recording quality, Walters said."It is technology that is used frequently and captures a critical part of an investigation," he said.The expense is not budgeted, but fits with what the municipal capital improvement plan should fund, said City Manager Keith Van Beek."Every once in a while something like this will come up that we weren't expecting," he said. Zandvoort's soon-to-be-announced 2020 Dutch GP does not mean Barcelona is out of the running to also be on the calendar next year. Vincenc Aguilera, the Circuit de Catalunya boss, says he is still in talks with Liberty Media about signing a new race deal for 2020. "We are not having any calendar discussions," he told El Mundo Deportivo newspaper. "It's not that it is a problem or not. We can be on it, Zandvoort can and others as well," he added. However, it is believed that Zandvoort will definitely take Barcelona's place as the first race of the European season. Asked if that is a tragedy, Aguilera answered: "What would be a tragedy is if we lose F1. "We will fight to keep the same date, but it would not be a drama either. I would prefer it to be 15 days sooner or later than to not have F1 at all." He says there is still time to turn around the negotiations with Liberty. "We have until summer, basically. It could be July, or the end of June, or the end of July if we complicate our lives a lot. But we have a reasonable amount of time to negotiate," said Aguilera. Under contract with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), the California-based benefit corporation Green Commuter has launched six all-electric vanpools under Metros subsidized vanpool program. Green Commuter is the first US-based company to offer electric vehicles for public transit vanpool programs. In August of 2018, the company was approved as a vendor under Metros Vanpool Supplier Bench program. The agencys vanpool program offers an economical and environmentally-friendly ridesharing option to approximately 10,000 commuters. For more than ten years Metro has operated one of the largest vanpool programs in the United States. Green Commuters zero-emission vehicles offered through Metros program serve six distinct groups commuting from Los Angeles County origin points including Redondo Beach, Palmdale, Rancho Cucamonga and Corona del Mar. Green Commuter is on track to deploy additional vanpools in the coming year for a total expanded fleet size of 82 units by the end of 2019. Metro has approximately 1,300 total vanpools; Metros Vanpool program was introduced in 2007. Wartsila will supply 40 generating sets for 12 new LNG-fueled platform supply vessels (PSV), the first such vessels to be built for a Chinese owner. The multiple benefits of the Wartsila 20DF dual-fuel engines were cited as the reason for the contract award over strong competitive bids. The ships are being built for China Oilfield Services Co Ltd (COSL) at the Wuchang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry yard and the Liaonan Shipyard in China. The order with Wartsila was signed in March 2019. Among the value-adding advantages cited in choosing the Wartsila 20DF engine were its high fuel efficiency, low operating costs and good environmental performance, as well as its low-load operating ability and proven reliability and durability. The 40 Wartsila engines are scheduled to be delivered to the shipyards at the end of 2019. Wartsila has a good relationship with the owners having supplied various engines and other propulsion equipment for their fleet. Clifford spent 12 months in Vietnam. He prosecuted and defended soldiers for everything from disrespecting an officer to first-degree murder. One JAG case he will never forget: A private slipped out of camp after curfew in search of sex and drugs with his loaded rifle in hand, he says. A confrontation with five Vietnamese National Guardsmen developed. The private ran. The Guardsmen fired and the private fired back. One Guardsman was killed, the private was arrested. Clifford was appointed to defend the private in his murder case. The prosecutor didnt have much evidence only a dead body, the privates confession to the shooting and four eye-witnesses, Clifford said. After two days of helicopter hitch-hiking to Quang Tri, I finally found the Army doctor who had pronounced dead the Vietnam Guardsman. He recalled a tiny entrance wound in the back and a large exit wound in the chest indicating the Guardsman had been unintentionally shot in the back by his own men. It was very gratifying that the Court Martial Board Jury found the private not guilty. Clifford knew then he had found his calling. Reform has restored public confidence. Think we could use more of that in Raleigh? Speaking to power Phillips, whos been at this for years, took his turn in the pulpit after the presentation. He worked with state Republicans, who prior to 2010 had been the minority party since 1870, when the GOP was howling for reform. Now hes working with Democrats who find themselves in the same position. Ive been at this a long time and you can see how successful Ive been, he said. Though self-deprecation is always a good hook in public speaking, Phillips and Common Cause have enjoyed some success challenging district maps in the court system. In 2017, a federal court found 27 North Carolina legislative districts to be illegal racial gerrymanders. Other federal courts ruled that our congressional district maps were illegal partisan gerrymanders. The U.S. Supreme Court heard in March oral arguments and is expected to rule next month. It could be a game changer, Phillips said. On their face, the numbers show how skewed the system has become. The new board voted to repeal an ordinance requiring valet operators to get a license from the town. The board had required all valet operators, for restaurants and for private functions, to obtain a village permit, but at the last meeting, facing public push back, most on the board appeared ready to do away with the requirement. Justin Hinds wasnt the sort of person youd expect would easily fall victim to the ocean. He was, after all, a Marine, stationed at Camp Lejeune. The lance corporal had deployed to Afghanistan and had received the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service medal. On Saturday (May 4) the 28-year-old died in the surf off Emerald Isle, likely the victim of the deadly rip currents that have plagued the North Carolina coast. Police said yellow flags had been displayed on the beach on that day, indicating a moderate risk of strong currents that can drag people out to sea. The young Marines tragedy is already one of a series this year. Hinds is the fourth person to die in the surf in this new beachgoing season. A Chapel Hill man was found dead in the Carolina Beach surf on April 25 and two Wake Forest High School students were caught in a rip current off Emerald Isle three days before that. Those currents are deadly, especially for inexperienced swimmers. Columbine again? Ho-hum. Really? And so what now? Prior to this repeat abomination, as I read this weeks Time magazine, I noticed that the UNC-Charlottes campus shooting garnered all of a half-inchs ink. Thats how inured and blase we Americans have become to these horrific shooting incidents. And so we do nothing to try and forestall further such thoughtless bloodshed. Other nations such as New Zealand and Australia respond post-haste. Yet we seem to be entangled in a combination of effective NRA political dollars and faux or misguided, right-wing Second Amendment constitutional authorities. Lets take a small step or two toward truly sensible gun control laws like the rest of the developed world. And enforce those laws we do have while confiscating guns from the criminal and mentally dysfunctional. There are a few common denominators among these murders: the mental angle, the criminal aspect and guns. Which of the three do you think might be the easiest to monitor, regulate and control? Im thinking its the weapons. Lets start with the guns in the wrong hands. Watts Carr Greensboro WASHINGTON The U.S. trade war with China has already taken a toll on Connecticut companies and threatens to take a bigger bite out of a wide swath of state businesses from dairy producers to manufacturers like Stanley Black and Decker. On Monday, China announced it will raise tariffs on $60 billion in U.S. goods in retaliation for the Trump administrations latest decision to increase duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese products. The U.S. stock indexes plunged as the trade war between the worlds two largest economies intensified. But President Donald Trump says a tough line is necessary because the Chinese government is ripping off American consumers and businesses by unfairly subsidizing Chinese companies, forcing technology transfers from U.S. firms and flooding global markets with cheap goods. Even before the latest escalation, the impact of the trade war had been felt in Connecticut. On Monday, state companies were trying to assess the impact of the latest trade battle. Its a fluid situation, said Joe Budd, spokesman for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. China is Connecticuts sixth largest export market, purchasing $943 million in commodities from state companies in 2018. France is the largest purchaser of goods made in Connecticut, followed by Germany and Canada. As of June 1, some of those goods made in Connecticut will become more expensive and less attractive to Chinese consumers as Beijing imposes new tariffs on them. The tariffs would range from 5 percent to 25 percent. Meanwhile, the imported steel and aluminum Connecticut manufacturers rely on has become more expensive as the U.S. imposed tariffs on those metals earlier in the trade war. New Britain-based Stanley Black and Decker told investors last month that tariffs had increased the headwinds that have buffeted the company. CEO James Loree said his company raised prices to help offset steeper input expenses. But even that did not make up for the higher cost of material, he said. If the tariffs go away, thats a pretty significant reduction in headwinds, Loree said. But now instead of relief, the company may feel stronger headwinds. Stanley Black & Decker plans to update investors on Thursday on the impact of the new volleys of tariffs between the United State and China. Another Connecticut company, Groton-based Garbo Lobster, lost a significant portion of its business since China doubled tariffs last year on live U.S. seafood in retaliation for U.S. levies on Chinese imports. Garbo Lobster was forced to close its facility in January. Meanwhile, Connecticuts dairy producers benefited as U.S. sales to China increased 17 percent in the first half of 2018, helping to raise the price of milk and cheese. But those sales dropped 33 percent in the second half of the year after the Chinese imposed retaliatory tariffs on American dairy products. China said on Monday it would target American agricultural products when it imposes its new levies on June 1, provoking concern in the nations dairy industry. You hate to see the uncertainty of trade conflicts cloud a brightening horizon, said Alan Bjerga of the National Milk Producers Federation. Connecticuts aerospace industry, which includes helicopter maker Sikorsky, jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, and dozens of smaller companies that make airplane components, is also anxiously awaiting Chinas next step. Global industry would be best served by a prompt, negotiated end to this dispute rather than a delay in reaching a resolution, which risks triggering ever-escalating retaliatory tariffs, said Dan Stohr, spokesman for the Aerospace Industries Association. We urge both sides to come together in good faith negotiations to reach an agreement that best serves the goal of free, fair and sustainable trade. Connecticut consumers will also feel the impact of the trade war, as hundreds of Chinese-made imports from dog collars to computers - become more expensive as the cost of the tariffs is passed along to consumers. The costs of U.S. tariffs have fallen entirely on U.S. businesses and households, with no clear reduction in the prices charged by Chinese exporters, Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a note to investors Monday. Trump on Monday tweeted that the United States is winning the trade war. The unexpectedly good first quarter 3.2 percent GDP was greatly helped by Tariffs from China. Some people just dont get it!, the president said. The president also warned China against imposing retaliatory tariffs as it will only get worse! The Trump administration may not be done trying to punish China. Trump has threatened to put 25 percent tariffs on $325 billion in Chinese goods that remain untaxed. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., predicted both parties will come to an agreement, although its not clear when that will be. My guess is that Trump and the Chinese will likely save face and get a deal, Murphy said. But it will be a small deal that Trump will falsely over-hype, and it wont offset the damage thats already been done to U.S. consumers. HARTFORD A bill that would create a Paid Family and Medical Leave program was approved Monday by the Appropriations Committee. The bill passed 26-17 after just eight minutes of debate. It now heads to the Senate. The bill, which according to legislative leaders is still being negotiated, wasnt changed from the version that passed the Labor and the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees. The program would use $20 million in bonding over the next two years to get off the ground, but the program would eventually pay for itself with contributions from employees. Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, said the program is designed to pay for itself and the money will be paid back in future years. The bill, which was one of three similar bills this year, calls for employees to contribute 0.5 percent of their paycheck to a state-run trust fund. In turn, the employees would be able to use up to 12 weeks of leave to care for a new baby or an ill family member. Opponents are necessarily opposed to the concept, but they dont want the state in charge. We all think Paid Family Leave in some shape or form is a good idea, Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said. But this is very expensive right now today at a time where we can hardly afford anything. House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said Tuesday that they are getting fairly close on the language of the bill and after that they have to shop it to the members to make sure the support is there. There were three different versions of the bill this year. The one that made it through committee Monday was the Senate version. The governors bill, SB 881, says an employee could earn 90% of their typical earnings up to $600 per week for anyone making around $15 an hour, and 67 percent up to $900 for workers earning more than that. The bill approved Monday would offer a wage replacement level of 100 percent, up to a maximum of $1,000, which is much higher than programs in other states. Its unclear where the legislation will land. GREENWICH Greenwichs newest candidate for public office is not only looking to take over a department she once worked in, shes looking to make some history as well. Heather Smeriglio is stepping forward as a Republican candidate for town tax collector. If elected, she would be the first female tax collector in the towns history. It is a department she knows well. After 33 years in the banking industry, she went to work for the town in 2013 and spent four years in the Tax Collectors Office. Im not a politician but I love this town, Smeriglio said Tuesday. I was born and raised here. I grew up in Byram and I have the desire to serve my town and serve the people in it. Smeriglio is a political newcomer; this will be the first race for any office for the mother of five. She will officially launch her campaign Thursday night at the St. Lawrence Club. She so far is the only Republican in the race. While the nominating meeting for the Greenwich Republican Town Committee is not until July, the RTCs candidate search committee is expected to finish its evaluations this week. If she is the Republican candidate, Smeriglio will face off against incumbent Democratic Tax Collector Howard Richman who is seeking his second two-year term in November. Smeriglio began her professional career as a teller at Greenwich Federal Savings and worked in several other town banks, eventually becoming a vice president and a branch manager. She was hired initially by the town to be an account clerk in the Tax Collectors Office, and while there became a certified municipal tax collector, a state certification earned by taking two years of courses and passing a final examination. I really wanted to learn more about taxes and what this position does, Smeriglio said. It fit perfectly into my banking background and I wanted to further investigate it. Her job was eliminated by the Board of Estimate and Taxation during two years of cuts to the department, which boiled into a dispute between the finance board and then Tax Collector Tod Laudonia. Smeriglio was reassigned to the town Parking Services Department, where she currently works as an account clerk. She did not offer specific changes or reforms to the way the office is run, but touted her experience in the department and state certification as qualifications for the position. An elected tax collector does not have to be certified to hold the position. Richman is not certified but is in the process of taking the necessary courses. He said he has taken three of the four courses needed and if reelected will complete them in a new term. I will be certified, Richman said. Smeriglio does not have management experience in town government, but does from her banking career. She said she also would lean on her experience working at the counter in the tax and parking departments, which she said has taught her the importance of good customer service. I have the knowledge and I have the compassion to want to serve, Smeriglio said. My door would always be open to anyone who wants to come and talk. I have a good personality for this. When I worked in banking I was known for customer service. I believe that is so important no matter where you go in life. When Laudonia was first elected he was not certified but took the courses through his first and second terms. Smeriglio called her former boss a mentor who encouraged her to run. On Tuesday, Laudonia said he didnt want to lose her as an employee when she was taken away by the BET. Heather is well qualified, Laudonia said. Shes a wonderful person and shes a people person. Heathers background and experience is perfect for the job. Richman was first elected in 2017, defeating incumbent Laudonia by a narrow vote of 6,746 to 6,574. But that was a major swing from the 2015 election when the two faced off for the first time. In that election Laudonia won with 5,984 votes to Richmans 3,329. Richman launched his reelection campaign in January, touting reforms during his first term including streamlining the deposit process for tax payments, redesigning tax bills to cut down on potential errors by taxpayers and enhancing the departments website to offer more information for taxpayers. Streamlining has earned the town interest, he said, and cut down on lines at Town Hall when taxes are due. Richman has gone after delinquent taxpayers, sending out overdue notices and threatening tax sales for those who still owe on their properties, an effort that has already brought in more than $1 million in back taxes. I hope people will look at my record and like my record, Richman said. I hope theyll see whats happening in this office. A lot of things have been done and a lot of things have worked. Im happy to run on my record. Democratic Town Committee Chair Tony Turner said Tuesday he is optimistic about Richmans reelection chances. Howard has done an excellent job, Turner said. He ... has a work schedule far beyond the call of duty. Hes exactly what the town has needed for a decade. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com HARTFORD The Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee filed a handful of bills this week, including one that would eliminate the estate tax and also borrow $200 million for STEM scholarships. The 88-page document would implement the recommendations of the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth and is similar to Gov. Ned Lamonts revenue package, which introduces sales taxes on goods and services that were previously exempt. At first glance, the bill seeks to reduce some of the sales tax increases pitched by Lamont, but theres no fiscal note yet so its difficult to tell. Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, who chairs the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, said the bill was requested by Rep. Chris Davis, R-East Windsor, the ranking Republican on the committee. My ranking member was putting it forward on behalf of the fiscal stability commission, Rojas said. Davis said out of respect for the privately funded work of the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth he put forward legislation calling for some of the recommendations they made in their report. I am not 100 percent supportive of their recommendations, Davis said. But their ideas should get a hearing. Davis said he could only put forward some of the commissions revenue and bonding recommendations and not their budget cuts or pension reforms because those issues fall under the cognizance of other committees. Republican Party Chairman JR Romano was quick to criticize the bill on Twitter when he thought it was a Democratic proposal. The majority of the taxes @CTDems & @GovNedLamont are proposing this session will hurt the working class the most. At the rate their money is being diverted out of their paychecks, they may never even encounter the estate tax because theyll be left with nothing, Romano tweeted. The biggest difference between the committee bill and Lamonts budget is the estate tax. Lamonts budget maintained the estate tax and delayed reporting to nine months after a death, rather than the current delay of six months. But Davis committee bill would phase out the tax entirely. The move will not be popular among members of the Progressive Caucus, who have already said they have no desire to eliminate the estate tax, especially if the state doesnt increase income taxes on Connecticuts wealthiest residents. Over the past two years, the estate tax has brought in about $218 million to $223 million per year. The tax only applies to estates larger than $3.6 million. If Connecticut gets rid of the estate tax, its going to be a huge transfer of wealth directly to the ultra-wealthy in our state, Rep. Joshua Elliott, D-Hamden, has said. He said its the millionaire with the suitcase myth, and Connecticut lawmakers should not listen to anecdotal evidence from wealthy people who leave Connecticut. Theres also another problem created by the elimination of the estate tax for anyone who died after Jan. 1, 2019 how to pay for the probate court system, which is entirely funded by the estate and gift taxes and fees. And since Lamont also proposed eliminating the gift tax, probate officials are raising the alarm. Probate Court Administrator Paul Knierim told the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee earlier this month that unless it finds other money in the operating budget, the changes that Lamont proposed will cause the Probate Court system to be insolvent and unable to pay its bills in FY20. While most Republicans support eliminating the estate tax, it will be difficult to win their support on any sort of budget package that raises taxes. Before the bipartisan budget compromise of 2017, the last time a Republican voted for a budget was 2007. The committee bill also includes other smaller changes. For example, the bill keeps the hotel tax at 15 percent, instead of increasing it to 17 percent. It also keeps the rate for bed and breakfasts at 11 percent, instead of the 13 percent proposed by Lamont. Both bills transfer 10 percent to the state Tourism Fund. The committee bill also adds a 6.35 percent sales tax to campground reservations just like Lamonts budget proposal, and restores the boat tax to 2.99 percent. Lamonts bill would raise it to 6.35 percent. Kathleen Burns, executive director of the Connecticut Marine Trades Association, told the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee last month that boat sales have increased since the tax was reduced. Burns said marinas have reported a 13-percent increase in slip rentals for the upcoming season. The number of boats registered in Connecticut has been dropping for more than a decade. They were down 15.7 percent from 2007 to 2017, according to state records. The Connecticut Marine Trades Association are hoping to keep taxes low to encourage registration. Neither the committee bill nor Lamonts proposal seeks to increase personal income taxes. The committee has until May 2 to forward bills to the House. Rojas said they are working to come up with a finance package that meets the spending plan put forward by the Appropriations Committee. STEM scholarship program According to the committee bill, the state would borrow $200 million to be used by the Office of Higher Education to develop a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Scholarship Program, provided no portion of such proceeds shall be used for administrative expenses. Starting July 1, 2020, the Office of Higher Education would award scholarships of up to $5,000 a year for up to 4,000 Connecticut residents in the first year and up to 4,000 additional state residents in each of the next three years, who are enrolled (1) as full-time or part-time undergraduate students at a public or an independent institution of higher education in the state and are seeking a degree in a field related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics or a health profession, or (2) in a teacher preparation program, as defined in section 10-10a of the general statutes, and whose subject area major is in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. From its humble origins in the Gutenberg Press to today's latest online iteration, mass information and by extension content, is now an intricate part of most peoples daily lives. According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, a record number of Americans carry smartphones in their pockets. And as for the content that streams to those devices: Well, just a few major players actually determine the bulk of what we see and when we see it. Related: 5 Strategies for Creating Epic Content Marketing on a Tight Budget Those players' names, of course, are familiar: Google, Facebook, Instagram (owned by Facebook), YouTube (owned by Google), Snapchat and several other social media platforms. And clearly these are companies not especially challenged by your (or anybody else's) small entrepreneurially spirited startup, regardless of how good your content is. But fortunately, the landscape is changing. For entrepreneurs, the evolving content landscape presents an unparalleled opportunity for success, one ripe for disruption as even small players seek to challenge the dominance of the world's largest tech giants. Here are three reasons why: 1. Niche video-streaming is on the rise. Shortly after they debuted, Netflix and YouTube redefined what "video content" encompassed by introducing direct streaming of quality television and movies as well as creative, short-form videos and, yes, funny clips of cats. Netflix also effectively bankrupted BlockBuster with its (Netflix's) model and now has around 148 million subscribers, according to the Netflix Q1 shareholder report. Similarly, YouTube became -- still is -- a kind of front-page video platform for the internet, attracting more than 1 billion users -- as the platform boasts on its press page -- and consistently churning out viral content featuring big-name celebrities. These platforms' success has reigned supreme for several years but is set to face some stiff competition. For example, Disney, as the New York Times reported, recently unveiled its streaming service, Disney Plus, to much fanfare. And this is hardly just a side project for the iconic company. We are all-in, said Disney CEO Bob Iger. In a letter attached to its Q1 report, Netflix remained unfazed by the Disney announcement, writing, We dont anticipate that these new entrants will materially affect our growth. Still, Netflix will have to contend with Disneys daunting lineup of Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic, Star Wars and other Disney content that the latter company is vigorously working to claw back the streaming rights to. Arriving on November 12 and costing $7 per month, Disney Plus is going to present some formidable competition. However, the larger narrative that emerging competition like Disney Plus reveals is that there is still plenty of room for innovation, competition and fragmentation in what was a market historically dominated by a few major service providers. Related: Download and Backup Any Online Content with This Cloud-Based Service Having more avenues for streaming content creates new opportunities for small players, like the entrepreneurs seeking to provide multi-channel video a service like Maker, which the Times reported was acquired by Disney for $500 million. Additionally, as the younger generations continue to cut their cords to what their parents watch, smaller streaming services in niche content areas, like Vice Video, may become more common. The services may not compete with the likes of Netflix or Disney, but they can tackle more narrow categories with the kind of refined twist that many users are looking for as opposed to mass-audiece content. This brings us back to YouTube, whose controversial position on pleasing advertisers has often led to friction within its community of content-creators. Considering the wide range of content offered on YouTube, it is unlikely that challengers will arise who seek to beat the giant at its own game. Rather, they will likely improve upon YouTubes shortcomings -- factors like revenue generation, payments and subscriptions (See No. 2). 2. Payment methods are evolving. YouTube notoriously takes a large cut of creator income. Investopedia reports that cut to be 45 percent of ad revenue -- meaning the creator gets a mere 55 percent. And that's a problem because creators need vast numbers of views or subscribers to earn sustainable revenue from advertisements. But advertisements may become an obsolete form of revenue generation with the materialization of micro-payments via cryptocurrencies. For example, LBRY is a marketplace for digital content run on a blockchain. As an open protocol, LBRY lets content creators post videos and earn subscribers just as they can dp on YouTube, but the revenue model isn't based on ads. Instead, content creators generate revenue on a pay-per-click or pay-per-view basis using the native LBC token. Content creators receive 100 percent of the revenue, with no middlemen taking a hefty cut. YouTube monetization, in contrast, is based mainly on user engagement with ads. And people like Jeremy Kauffman, founder and CEO of LBRY, oppose that model. As Kauffman explained to me by email, Platforms like YouTube pretend to be on your side, but in reality, they are a prison. On any of these platforms, as a creator, you dont have followers -- the platform has users who follow you. (italics added). Early iterations of web-based payments using Bitcoins Lightning Network are already gaining traction. For example, according to PR Newswire, one of YouTubes biggest stars, PewDiePie, recently signed on with a similar no middlemen streaming service: DLive -- based on the Lino blockchain -- to regularly live-stream content. These are intriguing developments but don't expect immediate big changes: A future of micro-payment-based internet paywalls may be a few years away; but the opportunity for entrepreneurs to innovate at the edge of crypto paywalls and new content platforms is clear. 3. Censorship and moderation are receiving massive criticism. Concerns over the long-term viability of information monopolies on the internet have been publicly debated for years. Major social media companies like Facebook and Twitter have also come under the microscope from both government and public observers for their censorship and distortion of specific information dispersion. Sample: In a speech about "fake news" in December 2016, Mark Thompson, the New York Times's CEO, cited Mark Zuckerbergs attempts to police news as profoundly dangerous. Building censorship-resistant content mediums -- and ones that are decentralized -- will become more and more a priority, as these resources are a potent defense against the negative outcomes of centralized information control. As initiatives like Googles censorship engine for the Chinese government -- as explained by Wired -- begin to cause more friction with mainstream observers, look for a broad scope of opportunities for entrepreneurs to create the next-generation of BitTorrents in content creation, distribution and streaming. Certainly, major tech companies present daunting competition, but their stumbles in the areas described here can be odiously misaligned with privacy and freedom of expression. That's why such scenarios are indicative of a glimpse into a new paradigm of content distribution for the future internet. Related: It's Hard to Compete With Tech Giants Like Google and Amazon -- But It Can Be Done Many people may consider building in the shadow of tech giants an insurmountable task, but when did "insurmountable" ever stop entrepreneurs from innovating? Related: 3 Reasons Tomorrow's Content Landscape Is Ripe (Ripe!) for Today's Entrepreneurs 3 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Build a Successful Personal Brand 3 Reasons -- and a Whole Lot of Data Points -- on Why You Should Create Even More Written Content for 2019 Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Loved by agents in the real estate industry, Gary Vaynerchuk has solved the code of developing a personal brand. By turning his father's liquor store into an ecommerce business, Vaynerchuk grew Wine Library's revenues from $3 million to $60 million annually. Now the owner of VaynerMedia and Gallery Media Group, Vaynerchuk produces content on every available platform -- bestselling books, podcasts, a YouTube channel and social media -- believing that a brand is built in the court of public opinion. That theory was tested earlier this year. Just a week after hosting real estate professionals at Agent2021 in Miami, Vaynerchuk created a firestorm when he seemingly criticized homeownership on the "Cannonball Mindset" podcast. He has since walked back his comments, but a controversial statement was enough to keep his name in the media. Self-promotion like Vaynerchuks can help entrepreneurs build a personal brand that positively impacts their businesses. This can make raising money easier, hiring employees more successful and recruiting customers start earlier. If a startup lacks credibility because its so new to the market, a well-known, credible founder can open doors and close deals. Related: 5 Tips for Practicing Self-Promotion Without Being Totally Annoying Building a personal brand through self-promotion is especially valuable in the early stages of company development. Business-to-business companies that are seeking niche customers can find a solid personal brand particularly helpful. It's a trap to believe that all content produced must be perfect and work toward creating a famous presence online. At Luxury Presence, all our consumers want to push different brands. Some want to highlight a luxury lifestyle and property; others focus on family and personal life; still others want to create a highly professional image. We have to be great at adapting the tone and visual identity for clients across website design, copywriting and ad creative. It's a fun challenge. A personal brand, according to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is what people say about you when youre not in the room. Controlling a personal brand is tricky. Telling stories and sharing the important moments of building a company are good ways to create content to build a relationship. While entrepreneurs or founders of startups cannot fully control their personal brands, there are ways to manage an online presence so a brand has a higher chance of success. Related: Discover What It Takes to Build a Personal Brand for Less Than $15 Here are three key elements of creating a successful personal brand online: 1. Get linked to LinkedIn. Over the years, LinkedIn has proved to be an underrated platform to generate high-quality leads for businesses. The organic reach offered by LinkedIn Content Marketing is impressive. Increase your brand awareness by regularly posting short articles or videos. Stories of failure turned to success, personal growth or problem-solving strategies perform especially well. Short 200-word articles with compelling headlines and attention-grabbing opening sentences will draw in readers; breaking an article into a few brief paragraphs will keep people reading. Manu Goswami, CEO and founder of Trufan (formerly SuperFan), suggests searching Medium or other popular blog spaces to see what topics are trending and then using those topics as a jumping-off point for a blog post or video. A personal perspective on a current topic will keep the poster relevant. Related: 4 Reasons LinkedIn Has Become Indispensable to Business Leaders 2. Create a win-win relationship. With the rise of collaboration between corporations and startups, leveraging the audience of other authorities in a particular field can be an excellent choice. According to a recent study done by Unilever Foundry, collaboration by corporations and startups is growing so quickly that they might be sharing physical space by 2025. One great strategy is to reach out to other authorities in the field to ask them for quotes -- with a promise to link back to their sites on your blog in return. A simple quote can lead to an invitation to do a podcast or co-teach a webinar, which will likely be shared with both audiences -- a win for everyone. 3. Get into a good habit. A habit of producing weekly content is vital for building a solid personal brand. The format of the content (video, blog, whitepaper, e-book, etc.) is not as important as just consistently having new content. If ideas are a struggle, consider sharing business challenges and solutions with the audience or focusing on questions that are often asked by clients. A combination of entertaining and educational content is key. Neil Patel, founder of analytics companies Kissmetrics and Crazy Egg, is an excellent example of the success of this approach. For years, Patel has published daily blog posts on topics related to his field of marketing, which he uses to build and solidify his image as an advertising guru. This image has allowed him to bring all of his business ventures directly back to himself and his agency, Neil Patel Digital. Related: Content Marketing Is Key to Growing Your Personal Brand Producing great content can feel challenging, especially when an entrepreneur is starting out. It can be helpful to remember that the work isnt about self-promotion as much as its about giving back -- sharing stories or content that benefits the target audience. Social media is a place where startup founders and entrepreneurs should be themselves and authentically share a personal journey, complete with the mistakes and imperfections that make an otherwise unapproachable businessperson tangible and within reach. This is the type of connection that makes a personal brand a success. Related: 3 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Build a Successful Personal Brand 4 Marketing Lessons From 'Mayor Pete' Buttigieg 5 Steps to Take Control of Your Personal Brand Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved On Monday, May 13, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) will vote on a budget for the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1 and runs through June 30, 2020. The budget being considered was approved by the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) on March 28 and represents months of work by the town, Greenwich Public Schools and numerous boards and commissions. The recommended General Fund (Operating) budget, including Fixed Charges, is $390,351,069, which is an increase of 4.1 percent over the current year. The budget also includes a tax levy for capital projects equal to $53,847,000. The capital projects included in the recommended budget total $51.7 million in expenditures. As presented, the budget anticipates a 2.98 percent increase in the real property mill rate. This marks the 18th consecutive year for which the rate of increase in the mill rate was 3.5 percent or less. Samsung Pay arrives in France, unofficially for now ST. MARTIN, Mississippi -- A 54-year-old McHenry man was struck and killed by a passing vehicle as he walked along Mississippi 609 in the St. Martin community Friday night. According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, troopers responded to a report of an accident on 609 just before 9 p.m. Friday. Troopers responding to the call arrived to find the pedestrian -- later identified as Timothy Joseph Moran of the McHenry community in Stone County -- dead at the scene. Initial investigation revealed a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado was traveling north on Highway 609 when it struck Moran, who was walking in the left lane of the roadway. The driver of the truck was wearing a seatbelt and not injured in the crash, according to the MHP. Haiti - FLASH : Resumption of the ratification session of PM Monday at the Conference of Presidents enlarged (in the presence of senators), after several hours of difficult negotiations, the group of senators of the radical minority opposition finally gave up to the majority group and obtained the presidency of the 3 commissions they demanded : Committee on Foreign Affairs: Senator Evaliere Beauplan (PONT); Committee on Social Affairs: Senator Antonio Cheramy (VERITE); Planning Commission: Senator Ricard Pierre (Piti Dessalin). Following this conference, President Jovenel Moise convened the Legislature in an Extraordinary National Assembly on Tuesday 14 May 2019 for the Ratification of the General Policy Statement of PM named Jean Michel Lapin. "The session of the presentation of the General Policy Statement of PM Jean Michel Lapin will take place this Tuesday morning, May 14, 2019 at 7:00 am in the Senate of the Republic. A letter will be sent to the PM appointed tonight (Monday evening)," said Senate Speaker Carl Murat Cantave. However, Senator Nenel Cassy (Famni Lavalas), one of the members of the minority opposition, after this first victory warned that the fight continues and promises during the ratification session on Tuesday that his group will put forward the question of Ministers' discharge and does not mean saving anyone or letting go... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27715-haiti-politic-the-opposition-minority-forces-the-senate-to-postpone-the-ratification-meeting-of-the-pm.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Declaration of Assets, a law violated and flouted for 10 years This Tuesday, May 14, the "Fondasyon Je Klere" (FJKL) will launch the first national campaign (May 14 to June 30) on the declaration of Assets in Haiti around the concept of citizen engagement... Since February 20, 2008, the date of the publication of the Law on the Declaration of Patrimony, many categories of politicians, civil servants and other public officials violated this Act with great pleasure and impunity, among them, 2 former presidents of the Republic and 3 former Prime Ministers... Ten years after the promulgation of the Law on the Declaration of Patrimony, the latter continues to be systematically violated by almost all personalities and public officials In addition, the FJKL unveiled the results of a vast survey carried out over the period 2008-2018 which shows how much the 2008 law is violated and flouted, of which we present to you some extracts in figures : Period from 2008 to 2018 Executive authority : 46% of the 232 persons in the executive branch subject to the declaration of assets declared it when they took office and only 10.77% when they left, of which : 116 former ministers out of 131, 86 former State secretaries out of 90, 3 former Prime Ministers on 7 and 2 former Presidents of the Republic out of 4. Legislative Branch : In 4 legislatures 313 deputies and 90 senators succeeded each other. 93% of the senators and 81% of the deputies did not make their declaration of Assets when taking office. And 97% of Senators and 93% of Deputies did not make their declaration of wealth upon leaving office Judicial Power : 100% of the judges of the court of cassation made their statement against only 89% of the judges of the courts of appeal, 37% of the judges of the courts of first instance, 44% of the judges of Peace, 33% of the commissioners of the government and their substitutes and 24% for members of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) Other political personality : 88% of the ambassadors, 89% of the consuls, 73% of the secretaries general and 93% of the delegates and vice-delegates did not make their declaration of assets, 99% of the inspectors of the General Direction of the Taxes (DGI), 80% of presidents and members of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Credit, 86% of the agents of the Central Financial Intelligence Unit, 60% of the members of the National Commission of Public Procurement, 67% of the members of the Board of Modernization of public companies and 50% of the Presidents and members of the Board of Directors of the Haitian People's Bank (BPH), 97% of the mayors, 99.75% of the CASECs did not declare their wealth. S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... The 2018-2019 budget would finally be ready ! After 2 rejections in Parliament, the last by the deputies 5 months ago, the 2018-2019 budget that should have been published on September 30, 2018 in the official journal Le Moniteur would finally be ready according to the Director General of the budget, Jean Michel Silin, who says he is waiting for the PM's ratification to be tabled in parliament. Note that Haiti is currently operating with a rectified budget developed under the Lafontant Government. Note that the tabling of the budget is in no way the assurance of its approval... Tense situation in PAP City Center Monday, several trestles were burned at the corner of the streets of Peuple and Bonne-Foi in downtown Port-au-Prince. Book sellers and other traders are at bay. At the same time, dozens of merchants from the Hyppolite market organized a demonstration on the same day, passing the Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office, and ending up with the Port-au-Prince Public Prosecutor's Office at the Bicentenary to demand justice for Lormil Lamartine, a Hyppolite market merchant, who was shot dead in downtown Port-au-Prince on May 9 by unidentified bandits Andre Michel applauds the disturbances in the Senate Me Andre Michel, spokesman of the radical opposition called "democratic and popular" applauded the behavior of the 4 senators of the opposition who disrupted the meeting and postponed the meeting of ratification of the declaration of the General Policy of the Prime Minister Minister Sunday, May 12 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27715-haiti-politic-the-opposition-minority-forces-the-senate-to-postpone-the-ratification-meeting-of-the-pm.html A woman killed and burned at home Monday on the impasse Bremont A (Commune of Petion-ville) the burned body of Monique Etienne Bernie aka "Madame Ablamy" was found at his home. According to the first unofficial information, Mrs. Ablamy was killed during an argument with one of her daughters, who then decided to burn her mother's body before fleeing... 10 million Euros for "Pro Resilience South" On Monday, the European Union, the Jeremie Town Hall, the Ministry of Agriculture and their partners launched the "Pro Resilience South" project, an initiative funded to the tune of 10 million euros, to promote a more resilient food security In the region. The Diaspora of Europe congratulates the U-17 qualification The Federation of the Haitian Diaspora of Europe (FEDHE) congratulates the Haitian National Football Selection U-17 for its qualification against Honduras https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27713-haiti-flash-haiti-qualified-for-the-fifa-u-17-world-cup-brazil-2019.html for the 2019 World Cup to be held in Brazil. Grenadiers at the assault, the Union is strength. HL/ HaitiLibre That effort, along with an impressive record at the school, led her alma mater to recognize Olson before graduation with the Elizabeth Hunter Service and Leadership Award. The award, which included $500 and a plaque, cited her charitable efforts and carrying a 4.0 grade point average throughout her time at the school. She also was president of the Student Advisory Council for Graham School of Management. More than 20 Dem candidates in presidential race Montana's Democratic governor this morning made a long-expected announcement that he is running for U.S. president. "I believe in an America where every child has a fair shot to do better than their parents. But we all know that kind of opportunity no longer exists for most people; for far too many, it never has," Gov. Steve Bullock said this morning in a release announcing his candidacy. "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." The Republican National Committee was quick to comment on his candidacy. "Another day, another delusional Democrat running for president with no shot at winning," RNC Communications Director Michael Ahrens said in an email sent to the Havre Daily News. "Voters just rejected a liberal candidate who destroyed thousands of their official government emails, and Steve Bullock's fate won't be any different." Many have speculated that the popular two-term governor would run. He has been making appearances at numerous political events in early primary states for the past year. He enters a tightly packed field of Democratic presidential hopefuls challenging President Donald Trump in his announced bid for re-election. The more-than 20 hopefuls in the Democratic primary include high-profile candidates like Vice President and Sen. Joe Biden, who also campaigned in Democratic primaries in for president in 1988 and 2008, Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.J, Kamala Harris, D-Calif, Amy Klobuachar, D-Minn., Cory Booker, D-N.K., Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, South Bend, Indiana, Democratic Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, former Democratic governor of Colorado John Hickenlooper, former mayor of San Antonio Julian Castro and several others. Bullock served two terms as Montana attorney general before running for governor in 2012. He defeated former Republican Rep. Rick Hill in that race. In his 2016 re-election, Bullock defeated Republican Greg Gianforte in the governor's race. Gianforte later won a special election then was re-elected to a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and has said he's considering running for Montana governor next year. Bullock succeeded popular but unpredictable Democratic Gov. Brian Schwietzer and has completed a 16-year reversal of 16 years of Republican governors before Schweitzer's two terms. Bullock remains popular with voters in the state. A poll by Montana State University and the Montana Television Network earlier this year found 60 percent of Montana voters polled saying they strongly approve or approve of the job he's doing, with 54 percent of the voters saying the state is heading in the right direction. Trump also remains popular in Montana, although his popularity has dropped. A Morning Consult survey from April shows his approval at 50 percent compared to 47 percent disapproval, up from February when it was tied 48-48. But his approval is down 21 percent since he took office and 22 points from his Montana high of 62 percent approval in April 2017. Real Clear Politics' poll average has Trump with a 44.9 percent approval and 51.8 percent disapproval nationwide. Bullock has listed the fact that he won the Montana gubernatorial race in 2016 with 50.25 percent of the vote to Gianforte's 46.36 percent and Libertarian Ted Dunlap's 3.4 percent in an election where Donald Trump won the presidential election by 20 points as making him a strong candidate. He also touts many of his high-priority items being passed this year in a Legislature where the Republicans control both the House and Senate. Bullock listed passing continued Medicaid expansion, investment in education, environmental protection and regulation of "dark money" in elections as some of his progressive victories this year. He also has cited the Legislature passing major infrastructure bills including a bonding bill for the first time in several sessions as one of his victories. He faces strong challengers in the Democratic primary. The latest poll on Real Clear Politics, conducted by Morning Consult, shows Biden with a 20-point lead at 39 percent, with Sanders at 19, Warren 8, Harris 8, Buttigieg 6, O'Rourke 5, Booker 3, and Klobuchar 2. A DAY centre for people with dementia from in and around Henley has officially re-opened. Outgoing Mayor Glen Lambert cut a ribbon during a ceremony at Bluebells at the Christ Church Centre in Reading Road on Thursday last week, having raised money to revive the service during his year in office. He was joined by trustees, staff, volunteers and nine guests who enjoyed tea, biscuits and a cake decorated with images of bluebells, which he cut and helped to serve. The elderly visitors sat in the charitys new leather armchairs, which are blue, violet and turquoise to remind them of bluebells, while chatting to their relatives, friends and carers. Bluebells currently meets once a week and organises activities such as board and card games, musical bingo, karaoke and games that stimulate memory. It hopes to add a second weekly session and might eventually go back up to four days, which was the number the service offered when it was run by Age UK Oxfordshire. Bluebells had been run by the charity for about 20 years but was among six out of eight clubs earmarked for closure in 2017 following budget cuts by Oxfordshire County Council and eventually closed in April last year. Councillor Lambert, whose late father Terry suffered from dementia before he died in March, aged 71, was determined to keep it going so raised funds through civic events. He also put together a new board of trustees, including himself, David Skinner, of Henley Lions Club, which made a 1,500 donation towards furniture, Rev Glyn Millington, minister of Christ Church, Rob Lazzaro, treasurer of the neighbouring Christ Church Centre, accountant Hannah Leamy and lawyer Kim Wedderburn. The service is managed by Suri Poulos, a care worker from Remenham Hill, with help from carers Julia Yeo and Julia Hayes, who used to work for the old Bluebells, and a small number of volunteers. Users who are more severely affected by dementia can be brought to the centre using the Henley HandyBus. The service can accommodate up to 12 people at a time. Beryl Flynn, from Henley, who has just started attending regularly, said: This room is lovely and its nice that we can all be together. I live near the centre of town and see a lot of people when Im out shopping but this is a chance to get to know them better. Sherry Habasinski, who took a relative, Beryl Brooks, 86, for the first time last month, said: She thoroughly enjoyed it as she loves meeting other people. It is really important for people with dementia to have that contact with the outside world. Cllr Lambert, who so far has secured donations, pledges and grants totalling about 40,000, said: Were fortunate that theres quite a lot of cash in the bank to have it running nice and stably for the next year or two. Some of that money is contingent on us adding another weekly session but judging by the demand weve seen so far we dont anticipate any problems expanding our provision. This single session is almost at capacity in its first month. Were very lucky to have some experienced staff. The two Julias couldnt wait to get it started and had a tremendous amount of knowledge about the practicalities of running it what activities to organise, what materials to buy and so on. We had to start from scratch as Age UK took everything when it left. The campaign went better than I could ever have hoped. It has been the biggest and most difficult project of my mayoral year so its fitting that this should be my final engagement. Im very proud to see it all up and running again. Mrs Poulous said: My real mission is to combat loneliness because that is the biggest killer for elderly people. If they feel isolated or cut off then they will just give up so this is absolutely where my heart is. You only have to look at the amount of support and goodwill weve received to see how important Bluebells is. So many people have come to us saying they would like our help or they know someone who could benefit. Mr Skinner said: Im absolutely delighted and think the clubs revival is a tribute to Glens vision and leadership as well as the wonderful support of the community. We had always supported the old Bluebells and were disappointed when it wasnt able to continue so when Glen mentioned it, the whole club was keen to get behind it. Ms Leamy, from Henley, said: I had an aunt with dementia who came here 10 or 15 years ago and it really adds something to peoples lives, which can otherwise become quite restricted as social opportunities decrease. Its a double-win for the guests because they get the personal interaction, which is vitally needed while their carers get a respite break. Youre helping two people or even a whole family because that person has something to talk about when they get home. Mrs Hayes, of Vicarage Road, Henley, who had worked for the old Bluebells for 14 years, said: Its absolutely brilliant that it has returned. Im so pleased because there are so many families that need us so they can have a break while their relative is in a safe and welcoming place. I just love the job because Im a real people person and it makes such a difference to know that people will come here to see some friendly faces and have a great day. This is the best thing I think to do with my mom instead of going to breakfast, said 11-year-old Mara Morhr of Wood Dale, who came on the tour with her mother, Holly Morhr. Its something most people dont do. The segment on the Late Late Show that has caused controversy and complaints RTE said it had received 31 formal complaints in the wake of the Late Late Show airing a controversial segment featuring a birthing simulator called Lucina. A spokeswoman confirmed that it had received dozens of complaints about the item, which was broadcast on Friday night. It also received lots of feedback on social media as the item met with a decidedly mixed reaction. The Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services Ireland (Aims) said it was disappointed and dismayed at the "poor judgment" expressed by the Late Late Show editorial team for the feature. Eyebrows were raised after a teaching robot - named Lucina - was brought into the studio to demonstrate to viewers how medical students learn about childbirth and labour as part of their training. Master of the Rotunda Hospital Professor Fergal Malone was joined by Dr Catherine Finnegan, tutor and specialist registrar at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) department of obstetrics and gynaecology, and medical student Ciara Malone, to simulate a delivery. Fake Host Ryan Tubridy interviewed Prof Malone for the item, as medical student Ciara demonstrated how the dummy "gave birth". However, Aims said it was disappointed at the feature. "As the representative body for maternity service users in Ireland, Aims calls on RTE to apologise and also looks to the Broadcasting Authority to comment on the piece," a spokeswoman said. She criticised the segment which showed the robot lying on a bed with her entire lower half exposed whilst she was told to "push into her bum" and "keep going" by a medical student in order to produce a fake baby out of her fake body. "There are so many things wrong here, it's hard to know where to begin," she said. The spokeswoman commended the empathy shown by Joe Duffy on Liveline, where the show held a series on the issue of maternity services in Ireland. However, Aims criticised RTE for airing the Late Late Show piece, saying it did not have any regard for how it would affect women. Neither the RCSI or the HSE would comment any further when contacted, given the reaction from Aims. The HSE said the subject was a matter for RTE. The senior officer in charge of the garda's massive clampdown on burglary gangs has revealed a number of raids will be carried out on markets across the country in the coming months. Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll, who is in charge of special crime operations, told the Herald gardai will "target the sale of goods stolen in burglaries" in a series of raids of markets over the summer. His comments came as the garda announced residential burglaries during the winter fell by more than half over the past four years after Operation Thor was put in place. "The winter phase of Operation Thor runs from the start of October until the end of March each year," a garda spokesman said. "The year-on-year reduction is almost 10pc from 6,613 residential burglaries during winter 2017-18 to 5,997 during winter 2018-19," the spokesman added. The use of 73,000 checkpoints across the country last winter also helped gardai in their fight against the gangs. Victims More than 12,000 homes were robbed during the winter months four years ago but by last winter this had dropped by more than half to under 6,000. Mr O'Driscoll welcomed these figures, stating: "The positive conclusion to the winter phase of Operation Thor is encouraging and we will refocus and build on that success in Operation Thor during the summer months. "We are particularly aware of the vulnerability of older victims and are determined to apprehend those who exploit their vulnerability." The senior officer also praised the work of the garda's anti-burglary unit, describing it as "particularly effective" in arresting members of burglary gangs who travel back to the capital at night by using the country's motorway network. Mr O'Driscoll said he was unable to give a number for how many burglary gangs there are because of the "fluid" nature of these crime groupings. "We often see that it can take sometimes as little as two people to go on a burglary spree and these people join up with different gangs depending on where they are going to target," he told the Herald. Sally Rooney has claimed top prize at the British Book Awards for her novel Normal People. The Irish author has been praised for her "profoundly moving" work - which follows the romance of Irish students - and it has been named Book of the Year. Normal People fended off competition from the likes of former US first lady Michelle Obama and Booker Prize-winner Anna Burns. Obama's book, Becoming, claimed honours for best memoir, non-fiction and audiobook. Ms Rooney has been hailed for her approachable style and delicate handling of romance in the modern world, also seen in her debut, Conversations With Friends. Judges have tipped her as destined for literary importance, and a "generational talent". Ms Rooney (28) said of her win: "It's an enormous privilege and an honour for me to receive the overall Book of the Year Award at the British Book Awards. Generosity "I want to say thank you, specifically, because I feel I had an extraordinarily lucky experience with this book. I've received such enormous support and generosity from my own publisher, Faber & Faber, and also from the book-selling community generally, from libraries and librarians, and the community of people who love books. "It has been a really privileged experience for me, and I do feel astonishingly lucky." Alice O'Keeffe, books editor of award organiser The Bookseller, said: "It really is an exceptional novel." Drivers at Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann claim they have been forced to urinate in bottles and beg to use the toilet in supermarkets because of a lack of facilities. One of the main transport unions has written to the semi-state companies complaining that it has been fielding questions from members on the issue for months. The National Bus and Railworkers Union claimed there are no facilities at termini on some routes. It said they include the 39 and 39a in Ongar in West Dublin, the 54a route in Kiltipper, the 31 at Howth Summit, number 16 Ballinteer route, 121 Ashtown route and 25 between Merrion Square and Lucan. The union said toilets are needed in Clane on the Bus Eireann route to Dublin, and at Dunshaughlin. In a letter to the chief executives of the CIE bus companies and National Transport Authority, general secretary of the NBRU, Dermot O'Leary, said health and safety regulations obliged the companies to provide adequate sanitary facilities for employees. He said disrupting transport services because of a basic human need is untenable and demanded a timeframe for building temporary toilets, which could be followed by permanent lavatory facilities on routes. "Despite numerous attempts by the National Bus and Railworkers Union to arrive at satisfactory arrangements through a host of industrial relations meetings (tinkering around the edges is not a solution), both bus companies have to date failed to put adequate arrangements or protocols in place that would protect our members and ensure compliance with the minimum legislative requirements," said the letter sent earlier this month. "This basic entitlement has been denied to bus drivers for far too long. It is of course a consequence of the questionable planning process/system in this country over decades, that has created a sprawling urban landscape that stretches out for miles, way beyond the reach of the depot/garages that previous generations of bus workers were able to both rely upon and access. "Our members are telling us loud and clear that the time for the delivery of these basic entitlements is nigh," he said. Leaflets "Prevarication, or kicking the can down the road is not an option here." The union is issuing thousands of leaflets across services explaining the plight of bus drivers this week. "We have explained to commuters how extreme measures sometimes have to be undertaken, how drivers have to improvise, begging at the local supermarket or petrol station to use a toilet or worse, peeing in a bottle, is not how wash and sanitary facilities should be provided in this day and age," Mr O'Leary said. He said the union is seeking a commitment from the operators and the National Transport Authority to provide the necessary resources. The union leader said mayor of London Sadiq Khan had spent 6m (6.9m) in wash and sanitary facilities for bus drivers last year. The leaflet distributed on buses says no driver should have to beg to be allowed to use a toilet or illegally park a vehicle to answer a call of nature. It says the union has been raising this issue for years with Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann. A spokesperson for Dublin Bus told the Herald that discussions on the issue are ongoing. Professor John Quigley Falsely Condemns Israel and U.S. Support in His Syndicated Column | Main | In Robert Bernstein Obit, AFP Inappropriately References His Judaism May 14, 2019 Rashida Tlaib Says Palestinians "Provided" Jewish Haven As is often the case in politics, much of the back and forth over Rashida Tlaib's latest inflammatory comments this time about the Palestinians and the Holocaust seemed to be about partisan point-scoring more than the basic accuracy of her claims. No, Tlaib didn't say that the Holocaust per se makes her feel good. And no, criticism of Tlaib's comments isn't driven by a smear campaign motivated by her religion, skin color, or party affiliation. In her appearance on the Skullduggery podcast, Tlaib promoted the argument that her Palestinian ancestors suffered "in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews" after the Holocaust. She also said she got a "calming feeling" when thinking about the Holocaust because, in her words, "I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that [safe haven] right? in many ways." But as many critics pointed out, Tlaib's revisionist account of history conceals and upends what actually happened. In the Atlantic, Benny Morris reminds readers that, far from "providing" shelter, the Palestinian leadership violently opposed a safe haven for Jews, and even collaborated with Hitler: The Palestinians indirectly, and in some ways directly, aided in the destruction of European Jewry. After Hitlers accession to power in Germany in 1933, German and then Eastern European Jews sought escape and safe havens. But all the Western countries, including the United States and Britain and its dominions, closed their doors to significant Jewish immigration. Palestine emerged as the only potential safe haven. In 1932, the British allowed 9,500 Jews to immigrate to Palestine. In 1933, the number shot up to 30,000, and in 1935, it peaked at 62,000. But from 1933 onward, Palestines Arabsled by the cleric Muhammad Haj Amin al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalemmounted a strident campaign to pressure the British, who governed Palestine, to bar all Jews from entering the country. To press home their demand, in 1936 they launched an anti-British and anti-Zionist rebellion that lasted three years. Apart from throwing out the British, the rebellions aim was to coerce London into halting all Jewish entry into Palestine. Moreover, the anti-Jewish violence, which claimed the lives of hundreds of Jews and wounded many more, itself served to deter would-be emigrants from seeking to move to Palestine. British entry certificates for Jews to Palestine declined to 30,000 in 1936, 10,000 in 1937, and 15,000 in 1938. Those who couldnt get in were left stranded in Germany, Poland, Hungary, and elsewhere. Almost all died in the Holocaust, which the Germans unleashed in 1941. But the Palestinians contribution to the Holocaust was also more direct. Husseini, having fled Palestine during the revolt, helped pro-Nazi generals launch an anti-British rebellion in Iraq in 1941 (which itself engendered a large-scale pogrom against Baghdads Jews, the Farhoud). When that rebellion failed, he fled to Berlin, where he was given a villa and a generous monthly salary, and lived in comfort until the end of the world war. During the war, he helped recruit Muslims from the Balkans for the German army and the SS, and in radio broadcasts exhorted Middle Eastern and North African Arabs to launch jihad against the British and kill the Jews. Posted by gi at May 14, 2019 03:50 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment During a school assembly Tuesday, seniors had their names called and the name of the college or university they will be attending announced, then affixed a sticker to a map to show where they will be going to school. Students stood in front of a banner, later hoisted up to the balcony in the school lobby, that included all of their photos and words The Class of 2019 is All In. You graduated with skills I dont have, Lt. Col. Michael Hough, Commander, 2nd Battalion, 129th Regiment (RTI) told the soldiers. You know how to run radios and computers and I will admit Im a little jealous. In the four weeks you have been here, you have accomplished important skills and no one can take that away from you. A Bristol, Tennessee, business owner said Monday that he had an unusual encounter earlier this month with the man who is now accused of killing one hiker and injuring another on the Appalachian Trail over the weekend. James L. Jordan, 30, of West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, was arrested after one male hiker was stabbed to death and a female hiker was seriously wounded near the Smyth and Wythe county line in Southwest Virginia. Jordan has been charged with one count of murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. On May 5, one week before Jordans arrest, the man apparently stopped at the University C Mart at the corner of King College Road and Cedar Street around 1 a.m. Mike Brown, the stores owner, said he stopped to fill up his gas tank. After turning off the pump, Brown said he suddenly heard the sound of a can being kicked. He turned around and saw a dog wearing a service vest. I then saw the man dressed in camouflage, said Brown, adding that the man, believed to be Jordan, was also carrying a military backpack, a fishing pole and a guitar. An Oklahoma man died in an attack over the weekend on the Appalachian Trail, according to a news release from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Ronald S. Sanchez Jr., 43, died of injuries sustained in the violent attack on May 11, the release states. "The FBI and the United States Attorneys Office ensured proper notification had been made to the victims family before releasing this information publicly," the release states. "This incident remains the subject of an ongoing investigation and additional information, including the identities and status of the surviving victim hikers, will not be released at this time." A woman, who has not been identified, was seriously injured in the attack. James Jordan, 30, of Massachusetts, has been charged with murder and assault in the case. A federal judge ordered him to undergo mental evaluations as the case moves forward in Abingdon. 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. HANSONVILLE, Va. Virginia State Police is seeking the public's help in gathering more information on a wrong-way driver that police say caused a crash and the deaths of two people in Russell County. VSP is looking for people who remember seeing a dark-colored 2003 Ford F-350 flatbed work truck with flashing amber lights on the cab traveling in the wrong direction along U.S. Highway 19 on May 3. Shortly before 11:45 p.m., the Russell County Sheriffs Office received a 911 call about a wrong-way driver. The Sheriffs Office immediately broadcast it to their deputies, the Washington County Sheriffs Office and Virginia State Police. Moments later, a 2003 Ford F350 flatbed pickup traveling south in the northbound lanes crested a hill and struck a 2016 Nissan Rogue head-on, according to Virginia State Police. Dense fog was reported at the time of the crash. Four people from Rural Hall, North Carolina, who were wearing seat belts, were traveling in the Nissan Rogue, the VSP said. The driver, Brian Barnes, 46, was treated and released for minor injuries. A 13-year-old female passenger was flown to a hospital in Wake Forest for treatment of life-threatening injuries. An Oklahoma man was arrested in Arizona after police discovered his dead wife in the passenger seat of his car during a traffic stop. A detective pulled over Rodney Lynn Puckett, 70, along Interstate 10 in Eloy, Arizona, on Monday and discovered a dead woman in the passenger seat, according to a news release posted to the Eloy Police Department's Facebook page. Puckett told police that his wife, Linda Puckett, 74, died at a hotel in Texas while they were on a trip and that he moved her into the car to continue the journey, the release states. Puckett was booked into a county jail on a complaint of abandonment or concealment of a body, and he could face more charges, according to the release. A Sliver Alert was issued for Puckett in Oklahoma on April 24 when he reportedly left home in Sand Springs without his medication for back pain and bipolar disorder. The Pinal County (Arizona) Medical Examiner's Office will determine her cause of death, and Eloy police are working with Texas authorities to determine whether Linda Puckett's death was a homicide, the release states. Towry was the top vote-getter among five teacher finalists in the EF Educational Tours contest; EF Tours helps coordinate educational and service trips for schools in multiple countries. EF Tours spokesperson Skye McIvor said they received about 2,000 teacher nominations from students. EF Tours ultimately narrowed the choices down to five finalists, she said. More than 250,000 votes were cast throughout the contest and Towry received the most among the five. Meritus enacts surge plan, pauses COVID antibody therapy Our projections now show that in the coming weeks, we could reach record levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Maryland," said Gov. Larry Hogan. Frustrated with Trump: I am frustrated about where this county is heading. Ive never seen my country in such turmoil in my 70 years of existence. We can do better. We have an administration here where everyone involved is nothing but plain flat-out liars, some are thieves and some are plain old crooks. The president plays this game of having temporary appointees rather than getting them confirmed because he wants people to do his dirty work. When hes done with them, he throws them under the bus if necessary. Gitles said the most important thing he plans to do is a lot of listening, learning and getting to know his colleagues. From his time on the school board he already knows there is a learning curve, he said, and Gitles wants to be a productive trustee as quickly as possible. Nepal has embraced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinas ambitious infrastructure and connectivity project, with great enthusiasm. Nepal was the only country in Indias neighbourhood, other than Pakistan, to send a high-level delegation to the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) organised in Beijing recently to promote the initiative. The burgeoning Sino-Nepal relationship has raised many eyebrows in India. Two recent events have added to Indias discomfort. First, Nepal signed a protocol arrangement for trade and transit treaty with China. The agreement would allow Nepal to use at least seven Chinese ports seaports in Shenzhen, Tianjin, Lianyungang and Zhanjiang and land ports in Shigatse, Lhasa, and Lanzhou for third country trade. Until now, Nepal could use only Indian ports. Second, BRI officially has a programme for Nepal now, similar to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC). The joint communique issued during the Forum includes the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, including Nepal-China cross-border railway as one of 35 new BRI-affiliated programmes. While it didnt specify the number or nature of projects, Nepal has proposed nine projects that it wants to develop under the BRI banner. One of them is a rail link connecting the countrys capital to the Chinese border. In the short run, these agreements with China have mere symbolic, rather than economic, value. Given the vast distance from Chinas coasts, inhospitable geographic terrain and high costs of rail-freight transportation, trading through Chinese ports is physically and economically not viable. Nepal only has a single all-weather road leading to the Chinese border, and that too remains defunct since the 2015 earthquake. A Chinese rail link is coming to Kathmandu but that is at least a decade away. Nevertheless, these recent developments are likely to have far-reaching implications for Nepals relationship with its northern neighbour. However, for India, the strategic benefit of focusing on its ties with Nepal outweighs the cost incurring from the latters relations with China. Hence, India is better off strengthening its own ties with Nepal. There are three things in particular that India should look at. First, India should demonstrate that it can deliver on its promises as well as China does, if not better. News of China-supported infrastructure projects completing ahead of schedule, one after another, might be a wake up call for India. The latters large projects in Nepal are often delayed, and some never take off. Nepal Police Academy, for instance, supposed to be built with Indian assistance 30 years ago, is still in limbo. This needs to change if India wants to makeover its image as a reliable development partner. Action, not words, is the key. Second, India should have its own version of the community of shared destiny a concept used by China in its external relations. Neighbouring countries like Nepal expect the economic rise of India to benefit them as well. This hasnt happened so far. Nepal faces a massive trade deficit with India, giving the country a hard time managing macroeconomic stability. Nepali agriculture exports often face non-tariff entry barriers. Linkages to Indian production value chain is non-existent. Border infrastructure direly needs an upgrade. For example, a truck carrying a load from Kolkata Port takes anywhere between two and seven days to cross the border, adding significant costs to the Nepali trader. Indias approach to dealing with Nepal is not helpful either. In 2015, India imposed a trade blockade on Nepal, choking the people reeling after the earthquake. Besides, India has not exchanged the Indian currency held by Nepali citizens following the demonetisation in 2016. India should give neighbouring countries reasons to celebrate its rise as an economic powerhouse. Third, India should amend its current approach of viewing a countrys leadership as pro-India or pro-China. Nepali people are in genuine quest for prosperity, and foreign investment is a path to get there. Welcoming investment under BRI is therefore not a zero-sum game pitting China against India. Moreover, Nepal is a flourishing democracy, and its leaders still hold the peoples mandate. That is why connectivity with China is an issue of bipartisan consensus in Nepal. Even if the opposition comes to power, it cannot entirely sway away from the current policy of pursuing better relations with China. A better option for India is to forgo either you are with us or not approach and work with the Nepal government to expedite its own connectivity projects. Given its geographic proximity, India can get more impact out of its investments at a fraction of the costs incurred by China. Bishal Chalise is senior programme officer at Niti Foundation, a public policy think-tank based in Kathmandu The views expressed are personal The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has always thought of itself as an organisation which touches all of society. This has not changed even after Independence. Hence in the constitution of the RSS, written soon after Independence, in 1949, it is clearly articulated that should a swayamsevak choose to enter politics, he is free to join any party. This constitution was written before the establishment of the Jan Sangh. Even after the Jan Sangh came into existence and despite the fact that many swayamsevaks and pracharaks were working for it, there has been no change in this provision. As we accepted democracy after Independence, there are bound to be several political parties in the country. Since the Sangh touches all of society, it is naturally expected that a swayamsevak, with his national perspective, would actively participate in every aspect of social life, including in the political arena. Hence, just because some swayamsevaks are active in politics, it is incorrect to say that the RSS is a political entity. A political party stands for a particular ideology to which there will be a counter-ideology. The Sangh makes no such differentiations. Conceptually, the RSS and Hindu society are coterminus and psychologically they are one. Then how can the whole be a party to a part? It is important to understand this distinction. In 1930, the Sanghs founder, KB Hedgewar, along with some swayamsevaks and others, participated in the satyagraha movement in response to the call for civil disobedience by Mahatma Gandhi. Prior to his departure, Hedgewar handed over the reins of the RSS to Paranjpe and made it clear that he and other swayamsevaks were doing this in their personal capacity. As a consequence, he was sentenced to a years rigorous imprisonment. Post-Independence, the then home minister, Sardar Vallabhhai Patel, suggested the merger of the RSS with the Congress Party. However Guruji respectfully turned down the invitation, stating that the Sangh wants to work as an organisation for all of society and not as a political party. A few years later, SP Mukerjee approached Guruji and suggested to him that in view of the need for a political party with a right national perspective, the Sangh should fulfil this void. Guruji asked him to take the lead in this direction and offered the Sanghs help. In 1977, during the Emergency, the Janata Party won the elections in which swayamsevaks wholeheartedly participated. Many erstwhile parties had merged to form the Janata Party. Balasaheb Deoras, who was the Sarsanghchalak at the time, declined the offer of a merger saying that in a special, critical situation in national life, the Sangh took part in the election. But now it would concentrate on its destined mission of organising society. In 2018, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) was held in Nagpur. On the invitation of the Sarkaryavah, veteran swayamsevak, MG Vaidya, attended it for a day. As he was 95 that day, he was felicitated by the Sarsanghchalak, Mohan Bhagwat. In response to this when he spoke, he said, To understand the Sangh is not an easy task and it is certainly not possible to do so through the western perspective that thinks in binaries. One can understand the Sangh only with the Bharatiya perspective that is integral (ekatma). The fifth mantra of the Ishavasya Upanishad, while describing the Atma Tatva, the spirit that pervades everything animate and inanimate, says: Tadejati tannaijati taddure tadvantike/ Tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyasya bahyatah (The Atma Tatva moves and it moves not. It is far and it is very near. It is inside everything and it also is outside everything.) Atomic scientists had once claimed that the atom is indivisible. Later, they stated that the atom is divisible and contains three particles: neutrons, protons and electrons. Further, they realised that it is not just three but that it contained multiple subatomic particles. Then they said that they are not just particles, they exhibit wave-like properties also. Then a theory came that it can neither be a particle nor a wave, it is both. It exhibits a dual character and was called duarticle. Eventually Heisenbergs uncertainty principle came along which said that the position and velocity of an object cannot be measured exactly at the same time, even in theory and it arises in quantum mechanics simply due to the matter wave nature of all quantum objects. The same thing is described in the Ishavasya Upanishad. If one understands this and the Bharatiya integral view (not the binary view) then only can one understand reality of Sangh, MG Vaidya said. Since we are now in the midst of the greatest festival of democracy, the general elections, the swayamsevaks will participate in public awareness campaigns to encourage people to exercise their franchise with an emphasis on issues of national significance. Manmohan Vaidya is sah sarkaryavah (joint general secretary), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The views expressed are personal Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to review the drinking water crisis in the state and drought conditions after the Election Commission gave him the clearance on Monday. This was the last cabinet meeting conducted by Naidu in his current tenure, as a new government will be formed after May 23 when the results of the state assembly elections will be declared. If the TDP comes back to power for a second term, Naidu will be able to conduct the cabinet meetings again. Otherwise, the Tuesdays meeting will be the last official meeting held by Naidu who also heads the Telegu Desam party (TDP). Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam, who had been avoiding meeting the chief minister ever since his appointment by the Election Commission on April 6, attended the cabinet meeting and exchanged pleasantries with Naidu. All the officials of the departments concerned and Naidus cabinet colleagues took part in the two-hour long meeting. Naidu had originally proposed to hold the cabinet meeting on May 10, but the Election Commission did not grant him permission. Later, he deferred it to Tuesday and sent another note to the EC along with the agenda points. Finally, on Monday evening, the EC gave its approval with a lot of conditions. It said the cabinet meeting should be confined only to the points mentioned in the agenda such as steps being taken for mitigation of drinking water crisis, drought conditions in the state, employment guarantee programme implementation and the damage done to north coastal Andhra due to cyclone Fani. It also made it clear that there would be no media briefing after the meeting. According to an official who preferred anonymity, the cabinet discussed the steps being taken to mitigate drinking water crisis in several parts of the state, particularly in Rayalaseema districts. Officials informed participants at the meeting of the contingency measures being taken in those areas such as supply of drinking water through tankers. Several horticultural crops have wilted due to lack of irrigation facility in several districts, the officials explained. The disaster management authorities told the chief minister that cyclone Fani caused crop and property loss worth 58 crore in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts. The actual loss is still being estimated, they told Naidu. The chief minister is learnt to have thanked all the officials for cooperating with the TDP government in the last five years and hoped that he would get the opportunity to work with them again. The TDP faces a tough challenge from the YSR Congress which maintains that it will come to power in Andhra Pradesh. The assembly elections in the state were held on April 11. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan says he did not want to accept the Padma Shri, saying there are more talented people in the industry. The actor spoke about the award on Arbaaz Khans chat show Pinch where celebs talk address the issues related to social media. Also read: Shibani Dandekar gets her beach vibe on in new photo, pic credit goes to boyfriend Farhan Akhtar Reading a mean tweet about himself, Saif said, This two bit thug who bought a Padma Shri named his son Taimur and beat up some people in a restaurant. How the hell did he get a role in Sacred Games? He can hardly act. While the actor agreed with the Padma Shri assertion, he had an issue about being addressed as a two bit thug. Two bit thug? I am not, everything else is true, he said, adding on a serious note, It is a bit....(Arbaaz chipped in to say expensive) for me to bribe the Indian government, you will have to ask more senior people. There are so many senior, talented people in the industry who do not have it that I did not feel like accepting it. Of course, there are some people who I feel deserve it less than me also. I wanted to give it back, I didnt want to accept it. My father told me I dont think you are in a position to refuse the Indian government. I hope, in time, because I am still enjoying acting and am not done yet, I hope when I look back and when people look back they say okay he deserves it (Padma Shri), Saif added. He also talked about his sons name. I think Taimur is a beautiful name... it means iron and it sounds beautiful. I am aware that it sounds like and people thought it is based on the Turkish-Mongul invader, called Timur. I am saying it is not the same name. If you are telling me one letter does not make a difference then luck and f**k are different words, arent they? He also spoke about his scuffle in a restaurant and said, This is very unfortunate incident and there is no excuse for this. Actors, stars have a responsibility to avoid such encounters. Beating up is a bit of exaggeration it was a scuffle. When Arbaaz pointed out that neither Saif nor Kareena are on social media, he said, She is not on social media? She is there all the time! When told she has a khufia account, Saif said, I dont know about this khufia account but she is aware. He also revealed that he has social media accounts as well and that one of those accounts is named after his character in his last film, Bazaar. When reminded of an incident where Saif had asked his driver to roll up the windows and take the car back, Warna padegi, Saif says, This is the politest thing I have said. In the given situation, if I would have been rude, I do not know how offended these people would be! Talking about the media circus around his son, he said, It would be so nice to live in a culture that allowed children to be children. Play in a park and do what he wants...without being a celebrity. Even he has started saying media. I say wheres the media and he points outside. All of our kids want to join films and I am a little concerned about that. I feel there should be other choices. Also read: Aditya Seal compares Student of the Year 2 to Avengers: People believe superheroes exist, but give us flak for it He went on to say that he has been taught you cant impress everyone, hence what people think should not really bother you. As long as your fundamentals are straight, your family, your friends believe in what you are doing. Some peoples opinions matter but people at large...I think it will be a waste of energy to try and make everyone happy. Saif also says people should not listen to actors about anything except acting. When told he is a fake nawab, Saif says, I am not interested in being a nawab, I am interested in being an actor. He further revealed that his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, officially changed his signature and name to Mansoor Ali Khan when the Indian government abolished all princely titles. His entire life, he was called Pataudi, his signature was Pataudi and the day the government announced, he changed his signature on everything, his cheques and all. Saif, who is shooting for his next film where he plays a Naga sadhu, will be seen next in the second season of Sacred Games. The teaser of the second season of Sacred Games was released recently and has been received well. Follow @htshowbiz for more Ajay Devgn, who plays a middle-aged man who is dating a girl half his age in the upcoming film De De Pyaar De, making his ex-wife jealous, has said that he has never had that kind of a relationship as shown in the film. Ajay did, however, confess to in.com that he must have felt attraction towards other women, but wife Kajol would pass it off with a comment. Its just normal to feel, he said. You cant turn around and say I never felt (that way). Upon getting caught staring at other women, Ajay said Kajol would pass a comment, which would be a joke. Asked if his wife has seen the trailer for the film, he said she has and she was okay (with it). She knows this is a movie and she is from the industry and is much aware of how it functions, he said. In the film, his ex-wife is played by his friend and actor Tabu, who insists that she is single because she hasnt found the right partner. Ajay reacted to this by saying, She wants a guy like me, which she wont get. Ajay and Kajol recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, and appeared as featured cover stars for Hindustan Times Brunch. He said in the interview, Ive reached a point when, without even looking at her, I can sense that shes feeling low. Similarly, she knows in a second if somethings wrong with me. Then we talk it out and comfort each other. Thats how much our relationship has evolved. Contrary to what you may believe about marriage, its not all rosy in the beginning, says Kajol.Initially youre trying to please each other, feeling your way around, so its difficult to take the relationship to the next level. Only when the storm has settled, and the routine has set in when youve seen the good, bad, indifferent sides of each other does your relationship evolve. We work at our marriage. We see it as a structure that we need to look after. Ajay and Kajol have two children, Nysa and Yug. De De Pyaar De is scheduled for release on Friday. Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Shahid Kapoor, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film, Kabir Singh, has said he is happy that his film is now getting a solo release, after Kangana Ranaut-Rajkummar Rao-starrer Mental Hai Kya shifted to July 26. The film was earlier clashing with Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Raos Mental Hai Kya on June 21, but later the latter films producer Ekta Kapoor shifted the date to July 26. As a result, Kabir Singh will have a solo release. Shahid has wished Kangana and Rajkummar good luck with their film. We announced the release date of the film a year back, and we are very clear that we are coming on this date. We are happy that we had a solo release. Now, of course, there was announcement that they (Ekta Kapoor) chose to shift the dates themselves. I wish them all the best. Rajkummar Rao and Kangana Ranaut are fantastic actors and were happy that we have a solo release right now. Also read: Student of the Year 2 box office day 3: Tiger Shroffs film earns Rs 38.83 cr, actor parties with Tara Sutaria, Ananya Panday Shahid, Kiara Advani and the makers of the film launched the trailer of Kabir Singh, a remake of the 2017 Telugu film Arjun Reddy. The film is laced with foul language and shows alcohol and drug abuse. The film is yet to be certified by the Central Board of Film Certification. Shahid said: We are hoping to get a U/A certificate. We dont know whether we will get it or not. There is only belief that there is no reason for us not to get the U/A certificate. It is important that today we are able to tell stories honestly without sugar coating. I think audiences are mature enough to understand that and censors should give into that. There is nothing in the film which is off-putting. It is an honest depiction and it should be allowed to showcase itself. He also said the use of alcohol and cigarettes is just to express the pain of the character, and that the audience should not get drawn into it. The film has received flak for the use of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and foul language. Talking about the film and the dark streak of the character he plays, Shahid said here on Monday: This is a very special film. It is straight from the heart, and I think best films are ones which come straight from the heart. Kabir Singh is an intense love and beautiful love story and please dont get drawn into the fact that there is alcohol, cigarettes and things like that are shown in the film. Sometimes to show the pain a man goes through, you need to use certain things to help the audience understand that and there is a lot of honesty in the film. Shahid said constant comparisons are being drawn to the edgy characters that he has played in Udta Punjab and Haider. However, he asserted that his Kabir Singh role is very different from the characters Ive played before. Also read: Shahid Kapoor talks about Kabir Singh, says he would return home to sleep but Misha would wake him up Everyone thinks it a very edgy role and people are drawing parallels to my role of Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab and some portions of Haider. But this is a love story and the insanity is there because of the fact that the man has a broken heart, and there is deep emotion at the heart of this film. Kabir Singh is written and directed by Sandeep Vanga and is jointly produced by Cine1 Studios and T-Series. The film will release on June 21. Follow @htshowbiz for more External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj informed her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on Tuesday that a decision on purchasing Iranian oil in the face of US sanctions will be made after the conclusion of Indias general election, people familiar with developments said. Iranian oil exports and Tehrans approach to recent developments in the region, including tensions between Iran and the US over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iranian nuclear deal, figured in the discussions between Zarif and Swaraj. Zarif arrived in New Delhi late on Monday for a previously unscheduled visit to lobby for Indias support against the backdrop of the Iran-US tensions. He last visited India in January, and the current trip was organised at short notice at Zarifs request, the people cited above said. When Zarif raised the purchase of oil from Iran, Swaraj reiterated Indias position that a decision will be made after the general elections while keeping in mind the countrys commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests, the people said. The US decision to end exemptions to sanctions on Iranian oil imports on May 2 has hit India. Tehran was among New Delhis top three energy suppliers, providing 23.6 million tonnes of oil last year, or about 10% of the countrys energy needs. The sanctions were imposed after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Zarif briefed the Indian side on Irans approach to developments in the region, including on JCPOA, and also reviewed bilateral cooperation. The outreach to India, he explained, was part of Irans consultations with key countries, including Russia, China, Turkmenistan and Iraq, over the past few days. The impact of the sanctions on Iranian oil exports, the countrys main revenue earner, prompted Tehran to threaten last week that it would roll back its compliance with the nuclear deal. Zarif referred to President Hassan Rouhanis announcement on May 8 about Iran keeping larger amounts of enriched uranium and heavy water, instead of exporting the excess as required under the JCPOA. He also mentioned the 60-day timeline given to the EU3 (France, Germany, the UK) and other parties to the JCPOA (China and Russia) for restoring oil exports and banking channels. The Indian side, the people said, reiterated its position that New Delhi would like all parties to the JCPOA to continue to fulfil their commitments and engage constructively and resolve issues peacefully through dialogue. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the operationalisation of an interim contract between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and Irans Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) for the development Chabahar port. They also discussed Afghanistan and agreed to maintain close coordination on the evolving situation, the people said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In naming Castro this years recipient, the foundation noted how she changes the way students learn by encouraging them to believe in their own potential while fostering an environment where everyone is on a level playing field. Editors Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt have described the process of cutting Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame as absolutely hellish. They had 900 hours of footage to go through, and had to work in real-time to deliver cuts. Its no wonder then that a lot of material that was shot (or planned) ended up on the cutting room floor. Ever since the self-imposed spoiler ban was lifted by directors Joe and Anthony Russo, new details have emerged about plot elements that were deleted in favour of what we saw in the final film. Here are the five biggest cuts that couldve altered the film. Tony Starks vision The Russos, in an appearance on the HappySadConfused podcast, said that a scene showed Tony interacting with a teenage Morgan (played by Katherine Langford) immediately after snapping his fingers, similar to how Thanos went into the metaphysical world after hed snapped his fingers. There was an idea that we had that Tony was going to go into the metaphysical way station that Thanos goes in when he snapped his fingers. And that there was going to be a future version of his daughter in that way station, Joe Russo said. The scene between Iron Man and his daughter was shot, but cut out after test audiences expressed confusion. Thor and Hawkeyes arcs In the film, Thor and Hawkeye have the most extreme reactions to Thanos snap. While Thor turns into a depressed alcoholic, Hawkeye goes full vigilante. But originally, their arcs were supposed to the opposite. Thor was supposed to become the murderous lunatic. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely told the New York Times, When we were spitballing for Endgame, we started with, Thors on a mission of vengeance. And then we were like, he was on a mission of vengeance in the last movie. This is all this guy ever does! And fails, all the time. Lets drive him into a wall and see what happens. Black Widows fate In one of the earlier drafts of the script, Black Widow was shown as being involved in an organisation in charge of all the children whod suddenly become orphans after Thanos snap. The idea proved to be too large for the Russos to wrangle. Anthony Russo said in an appearance on the Slash Film podcast, One thing that we talked about a lotand I thought was really profound, but it was almost too large of an idea for us to wrangle, but we did try for a whileis just the idea that one-quarter of all children have no parents. Assuming you started with two parents. So thats a lot of global orphans. Just the staggering number of that. I believe at one point really early in development, Black Widow was actually leading the organization in D.C. that was in charge of orphans, basically. That was what she was heading up five years later. But yes, its fascinating when you start running it down. Smart Hulk Originally, Professor Hulk was supposed to have been introduced in Infinity War, but it was decided that his arc would function better if it was spread across two movies. Co-writer Chrisopher Markus said, There was a time when Banner became Smart Hulk in the first movie. It was a lot of fun, but it came at the wrong moment. It was an up, right when everyone else was down. Even after switching the transformation to Endgame, the writers struggled with how to make the reveal. They considered inserting a scene in Bruce Banners lab, but instead chose the more comical reveal at the diner, with Ant-Man. Thor and Valkyries kiss Talking to SiriusXM, Anthony Russo said that the scene towards the end of the film, in which Thor hands over the keys to Asgard to Valkyrie, had a brief romantic moment when Thor misjudges signals and goes in for a kiss. He said, Theres a funny beat. If you remember at the end of the film where Thor is saying goodbye to Valkyrie, and hes basically turning Asgard over to her. In the endings we felt like we wanted to keep it a little tight, so we were looking for some stuff to squeeze there. He had this beat with Valkryie where after he sort of turns over the kingdom to her, she puts her arm on his shoulder and he sort of starts to lean in for a kiss. And she goes, What are you doing? And he goes, Oh I thought the touch.. Shes like, Yeah, its a goodbye touch. A tap Im giving you. It was a really funny beat but we cut it. Follow @htshowbiz for more Around 190 declared foreigners in detention camps in Assam could be set free, an official said on Monday, after the Supreme Courts order on the conditional release of those who have served three years or more in such centres. Even as the proposed move has come under criticism from local groups, including All Assam Students Union (AASU) which said it will encourage illegal immigration, the numbers in detention are swelling up after Assam police activated its task force in districts to nab the absconding declared foreigners. There are around 190 persons who have served three years or more in detention who are likely to be benefited, an Assam police official involved in the process said on condition of anonymity. Last Friday, the Supreme Court ordered the release of such people in detention if they are able to provide two sureties of Rs 1,00,000 each, verifiable address, and report to the nearest police station every week. The top court is hearing a petition on the abysmal condition of the six detention centres that run out of overcrowded jails in the state. There are some declared foreigners, including women, who have been in detention since 2011 according to records available with Hindustan Times. Commissioner and secretary of Assams home and political department Ashutosh Agnihotri said after the necessary modalities the state government will comply with the Supreme Courts order in spirit. The move to release the declared foreigners have not gone down well with local organisations, including AASU which led the six-year Assam agitation against foreigners. The agitation ended with the Assam Accord in 1985 which promised detection, deletion of names from voters list and deportation of foreigners. They should immediately take up the issue of deportation with the Bangladeshi authorities instead of releasing them, AASUs chief advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said. If they are released it will encourage more illegal immigrants to come to Assam, he said. Agnihotri said matter of repatriation has already been taken up with the Union ministry of external affairs. In a recent affidavit to the Supreme Court, the state government had said it was difficult to repatriate declared foreigners as they have refused to divulge their country of origin. Many of those who are marked suspect by Assam polices Border Organisation or the local Election Commission of India officials and subsequently declared foreigners in one of the 100 foreigners tribunals claim they are Indians. Out of the more than 1,00,000 persons who have been declared foreigners, only four have been repatriated to Bangladesh. Assam police have nabbed around 160 declared foreigners from among the more than 72,000 who have been absconding as it activated its task force in districts, according to one of its official. The proposals of reactivation of the task force to nab absconding foreigners and fast-tracking the process of repatriation came after the deliberations of a joint committee formed by the Union ministry of home affairs in March. The panel has officials from the state government and the ministry of external affairs was formed as the SC heard the petition on detention centres. Aman Wadud, a lawyer who has been dealing with cases of declared foreigners, welcomed the Supreme Courts order and rubbished the assertions that it will encourage illegal immigrants. Mostly, Indian citizens are being declared as foreigners, Wadud claimed. The order of the Supreme Court is welcome though even three years in detention is above the international norms, he said. The border is fenced and manned. It will not encourage illegal immigrants, he said. A 31-year-old Tibetan man, working as a receptionist at a guest house in north Delhis Majnu ka Tila, died of electrocution after he came in contact with the live wire of his rooms air cooler Saturday, the police said. The man, identified as Dolkar Kyi, had been working in the guest house for the past two years and lived in one of the rooms. A case of death by negligence was registered under Section 304A of the IPC at the Timarpur police station against the guest house management. Deputy commissioner of police (north) Nupur Prasad said the incident was brought to their notice around 2pm on Saturday, after someone from the guest house reported that he had found a staffers body there. A team reached the guest house and found the staffer unconscious on the floor and some live electric wires dangling out of an air cooler, she said. The man was rushed to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. We have registered a case and are investigating it. The CCTV camera footage from the guest house was also examined. The footage confirms that nobody went towards Kyis room after him. Its a case of electrocution and no foul play is suspected, Prasad added. The police said they questioned the guest house staff and learnt that Kyis duty was at the reception desk from 10pm on Friday till 7am on Saturday. Prima facie, it appears that Kyi was refilling water in his rooms air cooler when he came in contact with its live wires and got electrocuted. There is no eyewitness to the incident, a police officer associated with the case said. Five Rohingya Muslims including a woman who were recently granted bail after serving months in a jail in Manipur were detained again by Assam Police in Guwahati on Tuesday. Police said at least two of them were on their way to Delhi to register as refugees with the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. According to Himanta Das, Superintendent of Police, Government Railway Police, Assam, the group was apprehended by the Railway Protection Force on Tuesday morning from the Guwahati railway station. Das said the police found court orders with the group detailing how they have been granted bail recently. While two of them were granted bail on May 2, another two came out on bail on April 30, Das said citing the documents which showed they have been granted bail for the Manipur Police failed to file a charge sheet within the stipulated time. Zuber (21) said he came out on bail earlier in May after he was arrested by the Manipur police from Moreh near the Myanmar border in May 2018. A tout who helped us cross took us to Moreh saying there is work. The Police arrested us there and put us in jail. The Rohingya who were released earlier helped us get bail, he said. I was going to Delhi to collect UN card (UNHCR refugee cards), he said adding he fled Rakhine state due to violence and came to India since everyone was headed to either Jammu or Hyderabad or Delhi from our neighbourhood. Arofa (24) said she was travelling to see Delhi since everyone talks about it. She fled with her mother to Bangladesh after her father was killed in the violence in 2012. She later came to Manipur where she was arrested in 2018. The Assam police are in a quandary over whether they should arrest the group again under the Foreigners Act. As foreign nationals they should not have been granted bail in the first place. But we are examining the legality and will decide accordingly, said Das. The group of five is currently in the custody of the Government Railway Police. At least 150 Hindu prisoners are observing Roza (fasting) inside Tihar jail, a senior prison officer said. Jail officers said the number of Hindu prisoners who are fasting has increased this year. Last year, 59 Hindu prisoners kept the month-long fast. Of the 16,665 prisoners spread across different jails of Tihar, at least 2,658 prisoners that include both Hindus and Muslims are observing Roza. We have made special arrangements for them. This year, the number of Hindu inmates fasting has increased to thrice the number compared to last year, said a jail spokesperson. In the first week of May, most Hindu prisoners lodged in different jails met their respective jail superintendents and informed them that they, too, would fast during Ramzan. The jail superintendents were, at the time, taking a headcount of the prisoners observing Roza to make the arrangements. Jail officers said the Hindu prisoners gave different reasons why they were observing the fast. Most of them said they were doing it in solidarity for their Muslim friends. Maybe they did not want to admit that they are turning to religion after coming to prison. We have observed that 80%-90% of inmates become religious inside prison. Religion is a way of finding peace. A few said they believe they could be released early if they pray to God, a senior jail officer, who did not wish to be named, said. Another jail officer said every year they see a similar trend during Navratri the nine-day Hindu festival. During Navratri, a large number of Muslim prisoners fast with the Hindu inmates. This is common not only in Tihar but across other prisons as well, said the jail officer. For this years Ramzan, prison officials have made special arrangements such as allowing religious heads to come to the prison and pray with the inmates. The jail administration has also stocked dates and rooafza- commonly taken by those fasting in Ramzanwhich can be bought from the jail canteen. On May 24, the morning after the Lok Sabha election results are announced and the model code of conduct ceases to exist, the seven-member Sentence Review Board (SRB) of the Delhi government is likely to meet to decide on the release of over 200 prisoners, including Manu Sharma, convicted of the murder of Jessica Lal, and Santosh Singh, convicted in the Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case. A Delhi government home department official said that last week, the state home ministers officer informed the six other board members about the meeting on May 24. The code of conduct will end on the night of May 23. At around 11am on May 24, the seven members will meet and decide on the release of the prisoners. The meeting will be held at the Delhi secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister and his council of ministers, said the home department official who asked not to be named. A spokesperson at Tihar prisons, too, confirmed that they have received a communication from the Delhi home department about the May 24 meeting. The sentence review board comprises the state home minister as it chairman, the prisons director general, state home secretary, state law secretary, a district judge, the governments chief probationary officer and a joint commissioner-rank officer of the Delhi Police. The Delhi High Court, on January 21, asked the SRB to consider Manu Sharmas plea for early release on grounds of good conduct and having completed the mandatory 14-year jail term. Sharma had approached court after the board rejected his release last October. Sharma filed his plea a month after the Delhi high court ordered the release of former Delhi Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma, convicted for his wifes murder in the Tandoor murder case. Sushil, who had spent over 23 years in prison, had approached the high court when the SRB rejected his plea. A home department official, privy to the details of the previous board meetings said, Manu Sharmas case will be taken up after the high court order. Delhi Police have, in their report, mentioned Sharma is not a threat to the society if released. The jail has also mentioned his conduct as good. His NGOs works have made his case stronger. Siddharth Vashishta, 42, better known by his alias Manu Sharma, was transferred to the prisons open jail last year. Prisoners who have a clean record in jail and have completed over 14 years are eligible for transfer to open jail. Santosh Singh, convicted in the rape and murder of Delhi University student Priyadarshini Mattoo, has been in prison since 2006, after he was sentenced to death by the Delhi high court. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court in 2010. Delhi home minister Satyendar Jain was not available for any comment despite calls and text messages. No official from Manu Sharmas NGO, Siddhartha Vashishta Charitable Trust, was available for a response. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The CBI on Monday carried out searches at 22 locations in three states after registering a case in connection with alleged irregularities in the distribution of scholarships worth Rs 250 crore to disadvantaged students by the Himachal Pradesh government from 2013 to 2017, officials said. The move comes six days before all the four parliamentary constituencies in Himachal Pradesh go to the polls. The searches were conducted at 22 educational institutions in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, sources said. Teams of CBI officials raided the premises of institutions in Una, Karnal, Mohali, Nawanshahr, Ambala, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Bilaspur, Chamba, Gurdaspur, Kangra among others. But since some institutes outside the state were allegedly found to be involved in the scam, the state government had requested the Centre for CBI probe into the case. An official said the Himachal Pradesh government had forwarded the case to CBI as several discrepancies were found in the distribution of funds to students. These educational institutions allegedly received pre-matriculation and post- matriculation scholarship from the government but all the funds were not received by the beneficiaries belonging to scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, other backward classes (OBC) and minority communities, CBI has alleged. Nearly 2.38 lakh students from Himachal Pradesh register for scholarships every year and after cross-checking their record since 2013-14, the entire scam was established. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Delhi court has called Aam Aadmi Partys East Delhi candidate Atishi to record her statement on May 31. On April 26, Atishi had moved the Tis Hazari courts against BJPs East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir. She had claimed that Gambhir was registered as a voter in two constituencies Karol Bagh and Rajendra Nagar. In her complaint, Atishi had said that under the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950, no person could be enrolled as a voter in more than one constituency and doing so was a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment up to one year. Atishi had also accused Gambhir of violating Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act,1951 under which it is a criminal offence for a candidate to conceal information or provide false information in the nomination papers. Despite directives from the education department, teachers of Delhi government schools are yet to make optimum use of the tablets provided to them to record attendance of students, make lesson plans besides using them as teaching aids. According to a recent circular, of the 13,17,510 students enrolled in Delhi government schools, attendance record of 7,51,249 students, who form 57% of the total student population, were not even marked on May 6. Taking note of this anomaly, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has asked all district and zone deputy directors of education (DDEs) to download the app, DoE Delhi, on their mobile phones in an attempt to monitor its usage by teachers and schools under their jurisdiction. The move has been made as the DoE plans to phase out the system of recording attendance manually. While this initiative was announced in 2016, the process of procuring tablets only began last October. Though there is no data to pinpoint the exact number of tablets distributed, DoE officials said the tablets were provided to all teachers across 1,025 government schools in the city. Under the initiative, teachers get reimbursement of up to 15,000 for a tablet besides the monthly reimbursement of 200 for internet. In a circular issued in January, the directorate had asked schools to strictly ensure attendance of students is recorded through the attendance module available on DoE app from February 1. Last month, in a meeting of education department officials, it was noted that teachers were barely using the tablet to prepare lesson plans. The officials had also resolved to ask officers visiting schools to check the work teachers have done on the tablets. Some of the teachers arent very tech-savvy or well versed with tablets despite being trained by the Delhi government, Awadhesh Jha, principal of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Sector-8 Rohini, said. Sometimes there is a fear of change by teachers who cannot adapt quickly, he said, adding tablets to mark attendance and from July, they will start using them to make lesson plans. An economics teacher of a Shalimar Bagh school said duplication of work is a major deterrent for them. Teachers are asked to maintain manual registers besides recording attendance on the tablets. That is extra work. Moreover, servers and internet connections do not work all the time. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Responding to claims from members of the Muslim community that staff at BYL Nair Municipal Hospital, Mumbai Central, unnecessarily shaved off the beard of a patient, the hospital administration has directed doctors not to shave off beards without the patients permission. The alleged incident came to light after Ummat Foundation wrote to the hospital dean and municipal corporator Rais Shaikh that a 38-year-old man was told that his beard had to be shaved before he underwent lower limb surgery. This is the second such incident reported within a year, read the Ummat Foundation letter. Shaikh said he raised the issue with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMC) health department and mentioned the religious significance of the beard. Beards should not be shaved off ahead of surgeries because they are an important part of Islamic practice. They keep saying that there is a standard operating procedure that has to be followed, but it isnt followed. What is required is that more awareness should be created about such issues, Shaikh said. Dr Ramesh Bharmal, the dean of Nair Hospital, said that he has called for an inquiry into the matter and is yet to receive a report into the incident. It was also alleged that the doctors used untoward language while talking to the patient. An inquiry is been conducted in the matter, stated a circular issued by Bharmal. In Islam, shaving beard is forbidden because it is considered to be altering the creation of God. Operation procedures dictate that hair is removed from areas where incisions have to be made in order to reduce the chance of infections. One of the few places that has been getting some bird watching attention is no other than the highland village of Bakelalan in Sarawak, Borneo. This is my Bakelalan bird watching trip report for the serious bird watchers, done in November 2018. First of all, Bakelalan or Ba'Kelalan is a Lun Bawang tribe village located in the northeast highlands of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is also in the district of Lawas, which can be easily accessed from Kota Kinabalu in Sabah or Miri in Sarawak. Getting here is quite the challenge, but then again, not difficult. However, for bird watchers or photographers, you have the option of taking a flight or even drive overland, passing the famous Paya Maga Wetlands. Bird Watching Trip Report For Bakelalan Birding in Bakelalan is combined with some adventure and amazing outdoors. My bird watching expedition here was actually a cross border initiative involving the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Borneo Bird Club from Sandakan Sabah. My bird watching expedition here was actually a cross border initiative involving the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Borneo Bird Club from Sandakan Sabah. This was more of a bird-watching inspection trip to initiate cross border bird watching tourism between the two states of Malaysia Borneo. Our journey started from the town of Lawas, where the Borneo Bird Club flew in from Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu into Miri and then caught a MasWings flight into Lawas. Bukit Demaring view point, on the way to Bakelalan From Lawas, it takes around five to six hours overland through old logging roads, which is not that bad, considering we left as early as 7.00 AM and reached Bakelalan by 1.00 PM. I was the only one that flew in from Kuala Lumpur into Miri and then caught a similar flight into Lawas, where we all met up to continue our journey overland using a couple of 4x4 off-road vehicles.From Lawas, it takes around five to six hours overland through old logging roads, which is not that bad, considering we left as early as 7.00 AM and reached Bakelalan by 1.00 PM. Along the way, we made a couple of stops to admire the majestic view of the Maligan Highland Range, which is highly recommended for anyone using this route. One particular stop is called the Bukit Demaring viewpoint, where you can see the beautiful highland range stretch as far as your eyes can see. The signboard at the entrance of Paya Maga IBA in Lawas Paya Maga IBA in Sarawak One main stop was for lunch at a small licensed logging camp where a local cafe served coffee, tea, noodles, and even rice. Alone the way, we passed the much talked about bird watching spots called Paya Maga, an Important Bird Area or IBA. Paya Maga was designated as an IBA back in 2010, and it is here where you can spot the endemic Black Oriole, which many birders want to see or photograph. Me (the writer) attempting to make some natural salt at the Bakelalan Salt Factory Visiting the Bakelalan Salt Factory We did not do any bird watching in Paya Maga for this trip, as our mission was purely to explore Bakelalan and its surroundings. Hence, we stopped to take photos of the entrance area only. As we got closer to Bakelalan village, we made a stop at the Buduk Bui Salt Factory, which is recommended for anyone wanting to see how the local highland salt is processed. Bakelalan is home to several natural salt wells, and the natural saltwater is pumped into a processing hut, where it is boiled over a wood fire until the salt is formed. Again, the locals here are a farming and agriculture society; hence it is good to pay a visit to the The village of Buduk Nur seen from a nearby hill in Bakelalan Buduk Nur Village in Bakelalan This part of the trip was more of an understanding of what the Lun Bawang people do in the highlands.Again, the locals here are a farming and agriculture society; hence it is good to pay a visit to the Bakelalan salt factory when you are here. We arrived in Buduk Nur around 2.00 PM, the main village in Bakelalan where the small airport is located. We met our host and bird guide called Cikgu Sang, or Teacher Sang, who is actually a school teacher in Bakelalan. After meeting his acquaintance, we adjourned by foot to his beautiful home located smack in the middle of the village. His wife, Julia Sang, welcomed us at his home, and we were treated to some home-cooked food. Stories about bird watching filled the air while many questions were being thrown at Cikgu Sang, namely about one elusive bird called the Dulit Frogmouth (Batrachostomus harterti). This is the one endemic bird that can only be seen around Bakelalan, and many bird watchers and photographers from around the world come here to see this nocturnal bird. Birding from the local roads around Bakelalan, with Andrew Saini, Cede Prudente, CK Leong and David Tseu Day One - Birding in Bakelalan On our arrival day, we just hung out at Cikgu Sang's lovely home, settled into our simple and comfortable rooms, and just prepared for the following day of bird watching. When we started out early in the morning, we took two 4WD's towards a hillside road on a higher elevation, overlooking Bakelalan. This was a supposedly new road linking Bakelalan to Bario, the sister village. Reaching our stop, we gradually made our way down on foot and checked the birds in the canopy tops. Several spiderhunters, flowerpeckers and mid-sized birds were spotted. The walk was easy as it was downhill, and the cooling weather made it fun and enjoyable. This is one of the plus points of bird watching in the highlands. We just chilled out at the Cikgu Sang's beautiful homestay in the afternoons, exchanging birding information and casual talks among the group. A Black and Crimson Oriole perched behind some leaves. Come 4.00pm, we head out to one of the most common sites where the Dulit Frogmouth is usually spotted. This is about 10 minutes drive from the main village of Buduk Nur. After the sun sets, our callings start, and we wait with excitement. No response, and we call again. Still no response, and after about 30 minutes, we move to another spot to repeat the call. Well, Cikgu Sang mentioned that the Dulit Frogmouth may be nesting or with a baby, hence it may not show at all. Hence we decided to call it a night and head back. The trek up and down Pa' Sarui Hill in Bakelalan. Buduk Nur is in the distance Day Two - Birding in Bakelalan When we started out early in the morning, we took two 4WD's towards a hillside road on a higher elevation, overlooking Bakelalan. This was a supposedly new road linking Bakelalan to Bario, the sister village.Reaching our stop, we gradually made our way down on foot and checked the birds in the canopy tops. Several spiderhunters, flowerpeckers and mid-sized birds were spotted.The walk was easy as it was downhill, and the cooling weather made it fun and enjoyable. This is one of the plus points of bird watching in the highlands.We just chilled out at the Cikgu Sang's beautiful homestay in the afternoons, exchanging birding information and casual talks among the group.Come 4.00pm, we head out to one of the most common sites where the Dulit Frogmouth is usually spotted. This is about 10 minutes drive from the main village of Buduk Nur.After the sun sets, our callings start, and we wait with excitement. No response, and we call again. Still no response, and after about 30 minutes, we move to another spot to repeat the call.Well, Cikgu Sang mentioned that the Dulit Frogmouth may be nesting or with a baby, hence it may not show at all. Hence we decided to call it a night and head back. Same as day one, we started early with the trucks, and this time around, we went to Pa' Sarui Hill and its vicinity. This is also where the famous Bakelalan Owl House is located at. The journey here requires you to walk through paddy fields and then cross a small stream leading to the beautiful stand-alone wooden house. Once you reach the Owl House, a trail from the back leads you up to Pa' Sarui Hill, which also doubles as one of Bakelalan's best viewpoints. Owl House in Bakelalan Several birds were spotted along the trek up, while there were less birds at the peak. But as a bonus, the majestic view was breathtaking, especially in the late morning. The trail up is considered medium, but I would not recommend this trail if you have knee or walking issues. Please take note of this before going up to Pa' Sarui viewpoint. At the end of the day, the journey up the hill, spotting some birds and seeing the amazing scenery was good enough for our group. By lunch, we had gone back down and headed back to Cikgu Sang's home, and after that, we were invited over next door to see the last traditional Crossing streams to look for the Dulit Frogmouth in Bakelalan Day Three - Birding in Bakelalan Same as day one, we started early with the trucks, and this time around, we went to Pa' Sarui Hill and its vicinity. This is also where the famous Bakelalan Owl House is located at.The journey here requires you to walk through paddy fields and then cross a small stream leading to the beautiful stand-alone wooden house.Once you reach the Owl House, a trail from the back leads you up to Pa' Sarui Hill, which also doubles as one of Bakelalan's best viewpoints.Several birds were spotted along the trek up, while there were less birds at the peak. But as a bonus, the majestic view was breathtaking, especially in the late morning.The trail up is considered medium, but I would not recommend this trail if you have knee or walking issues. Please take note of this before going up to Pa' Sarui viewpoint.At the end of the day, the journey up the hill, spotting some birds and seeing the amazing scenery was good enough for our group.By lunch, we had gone back down and headed back to Cikgu Sang's home, and after that, we were invited over next door to see the last traditional Lun Bawang Longhouse , which was quite an experience. Our final day of birding saw us going back to our original spot from day one to see if we could spot one of the much sought after birds - Hose's Broadbill. With luck on our side, after some calls, a couple of them did show up, but they landed in the thick bush; hence we managed to spot them through our binoculars. As for bird photography, luck was not on our side due to the thick bushes. However, we were pleased to know that they are, in fact, there. Our night session was the final one where we went out to look for the Dulit Frogmouth. This time, Cikgu Sang took us deep into a secluded area, crossing three streams and quite a bit of trekking. The journey to seek the Dulit Frogmouth in Bakelalan Reaching the spot, we set up the gear and waited for dusk, and started calling. Within minutes, a response was heard in the distance. When it got pitch dark, the Frogmouth calls were closer but high up in the canopy. Luck was not on our side, as with multiple calls from the Frogmouth, we still could not spot it. But it was just there, about 10 meters up in the canopy. Well, I can say that the Dulit Frogmouth is found in Bakelalan, and it doesn't mean that you will be guaranteed to spot it. One theory was that it was the breeding season; hence they don't really show themselves. My next trip to Bakelalan will guarantee that I will be seeking this endemic bird of Borneo, which is apparently spotted in several places around Bakelalan. An Ashy Drongo spotted in Bakelalan List of Birds Spotted in Bakelalan Below is our checklist of birds that we spotted in Bakelalan over the three days of exploring these beautiful highlands of Sarawak. 1) Hose's Broadbill 2) Black and Crimson Oriole 3) Oriental Honey Buzzard 4) Bat Hawk vs Rhinoceros Hornbill 5) Bornean Bulbul 6) Bornean Leafbird 7) Cinereous Bulbul 8) Bornean Barbet 9) Black Thighed Falconet 10) Whitehead's Spiderhunter 11) Boobook 12) Whiskered Treeswift 13) Yellow Vented Bulbul 14) Blue Eared Kingfisher 15) Cattle Egrets 16) Barn Swallows 17) Eurasian Tree Sparrows 18) White-Breasted Woodswallow 19) Chestnut Hooded Laughing Thrush 20) Temminck's Sunbird 21) Red-Necked Phalarope 22) Little Cuckoo Dove 23) Verditer Flycatcher 24. Mountain Serpent Eagle 25. Mountain Barbet 26. Blue-eared Barbet 27. Little/Malaysian Bronze cuckoo 28. Dusky munia 29. Chestnut Munia 30. Spotted Dove 31. Grey-rumped treeswift A male Scarlet Minivet with an insect catch The female Scarlet Minivet with another insect photographed nearby As a bonus, during our birding, we actually did manage to spot some mammals, which are listed below; 1) Tufted Ground Squirrel 2) Whitehead's Pygmy Squirrel 3. Bornean black-banded squirrels The location of Bakelalan in Sarawak Where Is Bakelalan? Our final day of birding saw us going back to our original spot from day one to see if we could spot one of the much sought after birds - Hose's Broadbill.With luck on our side, after some calls, a couple of them did show up, but they landed in the thick bush; hence we managed to spot them through our binoculars.As for bird photography, luck was not on our side due to the thick bushes. However, we were pleased to know that they are, in fact, there.Our night session was the final one where we went out to look for the Dulit Frogmouth. This time, Cikgu Sang took us deep into a secluded area, crossing three streams and quite a bit of trekking.Reaching the spot, we set up the gear and waited for dusk, and started calling. Within minutes, a response was heard in the distance. When it got pitch dark, the Frogmouth calls were closer but high up in the canopy.Luck was not on our side, as with multiple calls from the Frogmouth, we still could not spot it. But it was just there, about 10 meters up in the canopy.Well, I can say that the Dulit Frogmouth is found in Bakelalan, and it doesn't mean that you will be guaranteed to spot it. One theory was that it was the breeding season; hence they don't really show themselves.My next trip to Bakelalan will guarantee that I will be seeking this endemic bird of Borneo, which is apparently spotted in several places around Bakelalan.Below is our checklist of birds that we spotted in Bakelalan over the three days of exploring these beautiful highlands of Sarawak.1) Hose's Broadbill2) Black and Crimson Oriole3) Oriental Honey Buzzard4) Bat Hawk vs Rhinoceros Hornbill5) Bornean Bulbul6) Bornean Leafbird7) Cinereous Bulbul8) Bornean Barbet9) Black Thighed Falconet10) Whitehead's Spiderhunter11) Boobook12) Whiskered Treeswift13) Yellow Vented Bulbul14) Blue Eared Kingfisher15) Cattle Egrets16) Barn Swallows17) Eurasian Tree Sparrows18) White-Breasted Woodswallow19) Chestnut Hooded Laughing Thrush20) Temminck's Sunbird21) Red-Necked Phalarope22) Little Cuckoo Dove23) Verditer Flycatcher24. Mountain Serpent Eagle25. Mountain Barbet26. Blue-eared Barbet27. Little/Malaysian Bronze cuckoo28. Dusky munia29. Chestnut Munia30. Spotted Dove31. Grey-rumped treeswiftAs a bonus, during our birding, we actually did manage to spot some mammals, which are listed below;1) Tufted Ground Squirrel2) Whitehead's Pygmy Squirrel3. Bornean black-banded squirrels For the locals, Bakelalan is located nearer to Miri, Lawas or even Brunei. From Kota Kinabalu, it will take you about 9 hours to drive there, while from Bandar Seri Begawan, it will take less than seven hours drive. Spotting birds in Bakelalan, Sarawak How Long To Spend In Bakelalan For Bird Watching? It is a common question that birders will be asking, and most think that they can just travel in and out for this part of Sarawak. In reality, the optimum time to spend in Bakelalan for bird watching would be four days and three nights. This will ensure that you get to spot the birds that you came for. While many birders will want to also spot the Black Oriole, the trip will be broken up into two sections, one at Paya Maga and the other at Bakelalan for the Dulit Frogmouth. Kevin from the Sarawak Tourism Board and Rona Sultan from Heart of Borneo Tours do weight checks at the Lawas Airport check-in counter. How To Get To Bakelalan? Bakelalan is a highland village located in the Maligan Range in the northeast of Sarawak, Borneo. The village is also the closest to the border of Kalimantan, Indonesia.For the locals, Bakelalan is located nearer to Miri, Lawas or even Brunei. From Kota Kinabalu, it will take you about 9 hours to drive there, while from Bandar Seri Begawan, it will take less than seven hours drive.It is a common question that birders will be asking, and most think that they can just travel in and out for this part of Sarawak.In reality, the optimum time to spend in Bakelalan for bird watching would be four days and three nights. This will ensure that you get to spot the birds that you came for.While many birders will want to also spot the Black Oriole, the trip will be broken up into two sections, one at Paya Maga and the other at Bakelalan for the Dulit Frogmouth. The best way to get to Please note that there are only two or three flights from Lawas to Bakelalan per week; hence you need to time your flights for the trip to Bakelalan. Flying From Kuala Lumpur: Fly into Miri (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia), connect to Lawas with MasWings, and from Lawas, connect to Bakelalan with MasWings. Flying From Kota Kinabalu, Sabah: Fly into Miri ((Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia), then connect to Lawas with MasWings, and from Lawas, connect to Bakelalan with MasWings. Driving back to Lawas from Bakelalan, a long journey but worthwhile in many ways Driving to Bakelalan This would be an easier option but time-consuming as you may end up spending around 10 hours from Miri, Brunei or Kota Kinabalu. However, driving gives you the flexibility to stop and enjoy the local lifestyle along the way and even do some ad-hoc bird watching. Some bird watchers may prefer to do it this way as you can also make a stopover at the famous Paya Maga IBA, spending the night at the Merarap Hot Spring Resort. Driving From Kota Kinabalu: From KK, you drive all the way south, pass Sipitang to the Sindumin Checkpoint. From there, drive to Lawas town, and is around four or five hours drive to Bakelalan using the old timber roads from Lawas. The total time without checkpoints and stops from Kota Kinabalu: 7 Hours, but we are looking at around nine hours drive with checkpoints and stops. Driving From Brunei: From Bandar Seri Begawan, you drive to the Tedungan Immigration Post, then head to Limbang town, and to Ujung Jalan, then to the Mengkalap ICQ, and then to Lawas. From Lawas, it's a 4 to 5-hour drive to Bakelalan. The total time without checkpoint and stops from Bandar: 6.5 hours, but with stops and so on, it will take you easily 8 to 9 hours drive. From Miri: Head to Sungai Tujuh Checkpoint, then to the Tedungan Immigration Post, then head to Limbang town, and to Ujung Jalan, then to the Mengkalap ICQ, and then to Lawas. From Lawas, it's a 4 to 5-hour drive to Bakelalan. The total time without checkpoint and stops from Miri: Eight hours drive, but realistically, it will take you a good 10 to 12 hours drive. Our cross border team with Cikgu Sang (4th from right) and Julia Sang (3rd from right) with Rona (Right) Conclusion The best way to get to Bakelalan in Sarawak is to fly into Lawas and then fly from Lawas to Bakelalan. This journey will require you to take two or three planes.Please note that there are only two or three flights from Lawas to Bakelalan per week; hence you need to time your flights for the trip to Bakelalan.Fly into Miri (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia), connect to Lawas with MasWings, and from Lawas, connect to Bakelalan with MasWings.Fly into Miri ((Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia), then connect to Lawas with MasWings, and from Lawas, connect to Bakelalan with MasWings.This would be an easier option but time-consuming as you may end up spending around 10 hours from Miri, Brunei or Kota Kinabalu.However, driving gives you the flexibility to stop and enjoy the local lifestyle along the way and even do some ad-hoc bird watching.Some bird watchers may prefer to do it this way as you can also make a stopover at the famous Paya Maga IBA, spending the night at the Merarap Hot Spring Resort.From KK, you drive all the way south, pass Sipitang to the Sindumin Checkpoint. From there, drive to Lawas town, and is around four or five hours drive to Bakelalan using the old timber roads from Lawas.The total time without checkpoints and stops from Kota Kinabalu: 7 Hours, but we are looking at around nine hours drive with checkpoints and stops.From Bandar Seri Begawan, you drive to the Tedungan Immigration Post, then head to Limbang town, and to Ujung Jalan, then to the Mengkalap ICQ, and then to Lawas. From Lawas, it's a 4 to 5-hour drive to Bakelalan.The total time without checkpoint and stops from Bandar: 6.5 hours, but with stops and so on, it will take you easily 8 to 9 hours drive.Head to Sungai Tujuh Checkpoint, then to the Tedungan Immigration Post, then head to Limbang town, and to Ujung Jalan, then to the Mengkalap ICQ, and then to Lawas. From Lawas, it's a 4 to 5-hour drive to Bakelalan.The total time without checkpoint and stops from Miri: Eight hours drive, but realistically, it will take you a good 10 to 12 hours drive. Susan Blumberg-Kason and her daughter had just gone out their front door with a relatives small dog when the neighbors three dogs ran out onto their property, attacking the dog, officials said. Blumberg-Kason held the dog over her head to keep it out of reach of the larger dogs, but the dogs jumped on her and bit her arm and thigh and scratched her foot, her husband, Tom Kason, said. Authorities in Assams Kaziranga National Park are busy with preparations, including building highlands, to avoid loss of animal lives with monsoon and the accompanying floods barely a few weeks away. Park authorities have created 33 highlands, artificially constructed elevated spots, where small and large animals are expected to take refuge when flood waters submerge most of the parks area. Floods inundated nearly 85% of the Kaziranga Park in 2017 and claimed the lives of nearly 400 animals, including 31 rhinos. The situation was much better last year due to less rainfall. On Sunday, Assams chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal inspected parts of the 860-sqkm park, famous for being the largest habitat of one-horned rhinos in the world, and took stock of the flood control measures. Highlands inside the park act as safe grounds for animals during floods. Inspected a highland and urged officials to ensure availability of food stock and vets there, Sonowal tweeted. Wild animals in the park usually move outside the park to the hills of neighbouring Karbi Anglong district during floods. But authorities hope they would use the highlands instead to escape poachers. Besides the highlands, authorities regulate the movement of vehicles on the national highway that runs along the parks boundary for a stretch to prevent the deaths of animals fleeing floods in accidents. Highlands are not new to Kaziranga. Over 100, with a height of 12 feet and the ability to provide shelter to nearly 50 large animals, were built during the 90s. The 33 new ones have an additional elevation of four feet. Besides the artificial highlands, there are several natural ones inside the park as well. They have helped in reducing the number of animal casualties during severe floods, NK Vasu, former principal chief conservator of forests, said. Not everyone agrees with the idea of constructing artificial highlands to protect animals from floods and also the idea of providing them food and medicines on those elevated spots. Theres enough vegetation in the highlands to provide for the animals. Providing additional food is not prescribed, said Vasu. Is giving food and medicine to the wild animals of the park possible? Or is the chief minister speaking without basic knowledge? environment activist Rohit Choudhury wrote on Facebook. Some are of the opinion the animals should be allowed to move to higher grounds in Karbi Anglong district with adequate monitoring done to ensure their safety. The 118-year-old park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to over 2,400 rhinos, 104 royal Bengal tigers and a host of other animals including elephants, wild buffaloes and several species of deer. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Tuesday issued a notification extending the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a militant outfit that fought for Tamil independence in Sri Lanka until its defeat in 2009 for five more years. It said LTTEs continued violent and disruptive activities are prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty of the nation. India had banned the LTTE after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The ban on the group was last extended for five years in 2014. The LTTE, a terror outfit based in Sri Lanka, came up in 1976 with a demand for a separate homeland [Tamil Eelam] for Tamilians. LTTE continues to adopt an anti-India posture which is posing a grave threat to the livelihood of Indian nationals. Therefore, it is essential to declare the LTTE as an unlawful association. LTTE supporters are spreading articles on internet saying that India is the reason for the defeat of LTTE in 2009. As the diaspora is speculating their articles against India amongst the Sri Lankan Tamils, is likely to impact Very Very Important Persons (VVIP) security adversely in India, a notification issued by the MHA stated. The ban has been extended under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the MHA said. Even after its military defeat in May, 2009 in Sri Lanka, LTTE has not abandoned the concept of Eelam and has been clandestinely working towards this cause by undertaking fund raising and propaganda activities, and the remnant LTTE leaders or cadres have also initiated efforts to regroup the scattered activists and resurrect the outfit locally and internationally, the home ministry claimed. Meanwhile, filmmaker Va Gowthaman, who runs Tamil Perarasu Katchi, a Tamil nationalist outfit has called the Centres ban an injustice. LTTE is not against India..., he said. The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday tightened security for Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Hassan at his residence which also functions as his office after his controversial comment that free Indias first terrorist was a Hindu, sparked outrage. The controversy has refused to fade away and minister Rajendra Balaji who had said that Haasans tongue should be cut off, called for an intelligence probe to find out if the actor-turned-politician was funded by the Islamic State. About 50 policemen have been deployed at his residence and Haasan cancelled his scheduled campaigns in Aravakkurichi and Ottapidaram for Monday and Tuesday. But MNM spokesperson Murali Abbas said Kamal will continue his campaign from Thirupparankundram from Wednesday evening onwards. Late Tuesday evening, Aravakkurichi police slapped two cases against Haasan over his Hindu terrorist speech. According to the Aravakkurichi police sources , the cases were registered on the basis of a complaint by one Ramachandran, District Secretary for Hindu Munnani which is associated with the RSS. We have filed cases againt Kamal under IPC sections 153 A for Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and 295 A for involving deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, said police sources. Tamil Nadu had gone to polls for 38 LS seats and 18 assembly by-polls on April 18. Election for the Velllore Lok Sabha set was cancelled after a huge cash seizure from associate of a DMK leader. Bypolls for four assembly seats will take place on May 19 which is the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Kamal Haasan made his controversial remark while campaigning for MNM party Aravakkurichi assembly candidate S Mohanraj on Sunday night when he said that independent Indias first terrorist was Hindu named Godse. The Tamil Nadu Muslim League (TNML) led by VMC Musthafa on Tuesday petitioned the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CE0) Satyabrata Sahoo to disqualify MNMs Aravakkurichi assembly candidate S Mohanraj for Haasans statement. TNML a regional Muslim outfit (not affiliated with Indian Union Muslim League) strongly condemned Kamals statement saying it would promote enmity between Hindus and Muslims in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is a state where communal harmony is high. However, Kamal who wants to get Muslims votes has miscalculated and said a Hindu was a first terrorist in Independent India. His speech is an attempt to create rift between Hindus and Muslims, said Musthafa. We have petitioned to the Election Commissions TN CEO to disqualify Kamals Aravakkurichi candidate. Legal action should also be taken against MNM and Kamal, Mustafa added. A criminal complaint has also been filed against Haasan in a Delhi court for outraging religious feelings of Hindus by associating Hindu Religion with terrorism. Vishnu Gupta, president of Hindu Sena moved court against Haasan, saying he had made objectionable statement to promote feelings of enmity/hatred between Hindus and Muslims. MNM general secretary A Arunachalam demanded the removal of Minister Rajendra Balaji who on Monday had called for Kamals tongue to be chopped off for making the Hindu terrorist remarks. As the elected representative of the people and the minister of Milk and Dairy Development in the state, Rajendra Balaji has broken the promise that he made on the constitution when he took oath as the minister. So, he must be removed from his post immediately, Arunachalam said in a statement. The minister reacted saying Kamal is neither the President of the nation or the Governor of the state to ask me to step down. It was not my intention to cut off Kamals tongue. I just said that in the heat of the moment to convey my emotions that Kamal was wrong, Balaji explained. He further said if Kamal withdraws his Hindu terrorist statement, he would take back his words. Since I am a minister, I have the responsibility to maintain peace and harmony in the state. But, Kamals statement is a tool to create unrest in TN. Therefore, I used harsh words against him, Balaji said. He also urged intelligence agencies to track Kamal Haasans background. The intelligence agencies should check whether Kamal Haasan is receiving money from the IS, Balaji said. Murali Abbas, MNM, spokesperson hit back saying, Rajendra Balaji has lost all his qualities to continue as a minister. CM Edappadi K Palaniswami should sack him immediately. India is keeping a close watch on counterterror guarantees the US is discussing with the Afghan militants because operatives from Pakistan-backed terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) continue to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan, people familiar with the developments have said. The US talks come at a time when key players such as China and Russia have stepped up consultations on the situation in Afghanistan with India, which has legitimate security interests in the war-torn country since instability could give a fillip to the activities of JeM and LeT, the people said. Even as India continued to engage a wide spectrum of stakeholders in Afghanistan including President Ashraf Ghanis government, regional and opposition leaders, and representatives of ethnic groups such as the Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras Chinas special envoy on Afghan affairs, Deng Xijun, made a quiet visit to New Delhi last week for discussions on the peace and reconciliation efforts. When there were ungoverned spaces during 1996-2001 when the Taliban were in power, groups such as LeT and JeM were able to set up camps and train in Afghanistan. During the assault on Ghazni city last August, there were reports of JeM and LeT elements fighting with the Taliban, said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity. India has legitimate security interests because the emergence of similar ungoverned spaces can boost the activities of such groups, the official added. LeT has been responsible for multiple strikes in India, including the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, and JeM, which has stepped up its activities in Kashmir in recent years, claimed responsibility for the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama. The Indian side has noted that talks between the Taliban and the US special representative on Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, have focused on counterterror guarantees that Afghan soil wont be used by al-Qaeda and its affiliates. The UNs 1267 Sanctions Committee has already listed JeM and LeT as al-Qaeda affiliates and any counterterrorism guarantees agreed on by the two sides will apply to these Pakistan-based groups, the people cited above said. Though there are no numbers for Pakistani terrorists currently active in Afghanistan, the people said it is believed that scores of them are fighting alongside the Taliban. When Afghan troops ended the siege of Ghazni last August, Afghan officials said some 70 Pakistani fighters were among the 400 terrorists killed. More recently, Afghan defence minister, Asadullah Khalid, said an assault on one of the countrys largest military bases in March, which killed 26 troops, was jointly carried out by Taliban and JeM. The growing engagement between India and regional players is also an outcome of Indias stake in the development of Afghanistan over the years, the people said. New Delhi has pledged $3 billion in aid and created infrastructure, transport links and power transmission lines that has earned it goodwill among the Afghan people. Indias position that any deal with the Taliban shouldnt undo the gains made by Afghanistan over the past 18 years including the democratic set-up and structures, and rights of women, minorities and ethnic groups is finding greater resonance with Russia, China, Iran, the US and the European Union, they said. The other countries are also veering around to Indias stance that the Ashraf Ghani government must be kept in the loop, the people added. The US statement after Khalilzads visit to New Delhi spoke about preserving and building on the gains of 18 years. This shows others agree with our position, an official said. Beijing, the people said, was even open to the idea of expanding the existing trilateral grouping of China-Russia-US to include India, and special envoy, Deng Xijun, had acknowledged Indias positive role in Afghanistan. At the same time, several countries are joining hands with India to implement projects in Afghanistan. After jointly training Afghan diplomats last year, China and India have decided to expand the programme to include police and civil servants this year. India and Japan are jointly implementing an agricultural development project while India and Australia are implementing a programme for the mining sector devised by the Central Institute of Mining in Dhanbad, the people said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON It appears to be an endless wait for the farmers of UPs Kushinagar who have been on a dharna for over 4,000 days. The farmers agitation, opposing the acquisition of their agriculture land for the Maitreya Buddha Project, completed 4,322 days on Saturday , being claimed as the longest farmers dharna by the organisers. These Lok Sabha elections came as a boon to farmers as the leaders of most of the parties not only visited them but have also assured them justice. Now, the hapless farmers are waiting for the elections to get over as the state government has assured them of a notification to scrap the government order issued for the acquisition of 600-acre land for the project. Its the longest wait for Buddha, said Ramkishun Prajapati, a farmer, adding that the state government had signed an MoU with Maitreya Project Trust in May 2003 for the installation of a 500-feet-high bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha in Kushinagar where Buddha attained mahaparinirvana (salvation). The state government had announced that the project would be completed within two years. Agitated over the delay, the farmers launched a movement against the acquisition of their agriculture land, Prajapati said. According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is Future Buddha who will appear on the earth in future, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha, Gautam Buddha. THE PROJECT A state government spokesperson said in 2002, the then Bharatiya Janata Party government, led by Rajnath Singh, had decided to install the tallest statue of Gautam Buddha in UP after two 6th-century monumental statues of Gautam Buddha in Bamyan valley of central Afghanistan were destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001. On May 9, 2003, the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government signed an MoU for the project with Maiterya Buddha Trust. Under the agreement, it was decided that state government would provide land while the Trust would bear the expenditure of the project. Along with the statue, an educational institute, hospital, meditation pavilion, park, pond, Buddha Vihar and guest house were also proposed as part of the project. The government announced the acquisition of 850 acre land for the project. Under successive governments, 250 acre land has been acquired in phases and the farmers have been given compensation. However, neither the project made much headway over the years nor the remaining land was acquired. On December 13, 2013, the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav laid the foundation of the project. Maitreya ProjectTrust has set up an office on the land acquired for the project in Kushinagar. (HT Photo ) A spokesperson of the Maitreya Project Trust, who did not wish to be named, said the spiritual head of the project Lama Zopa Rinpoche had been holding discussions with the district administration regarding the construction of the statue and other projects. The height of the statue has been cut down from 500 feet to 200 feet as an airport is coming up near the site, he said. He added that till date the Trust had been given possession of 180-acre land and remaining 70-acre would also be handed over to it soon. The district administration has assured us that work on the construction of the statue will start after the conclusion of the ongoing Lok Sabha election. Free education and medical service will be provided to local people by the Trust, he said. FARMERS AGITATION However, undue delay in the project has sparked agitation and the farmers are demanding that the remaining 600 acre land which the government proposed to acquire be handed over to the them. Leader of a farmers organisation Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti Govardhan Gaur said: The farmers agitation against the acquisition of their agriculture land completed 4,322 days on Saturday. Its the longest dharna organised by farmers in the country. Farmers of seven villages -- Sabya, Anrudhwa, Siswa, Belwa Palakdhari Singh, Kasya, Bishunpur Bindwalia and Dumri Tappa Mainpur -- who have received notice for the acquisition of their land have extended support to the agitation organised by Gaur and local farmers at Siswa Mahanth crossing on Kushinagar-Deoria highway. The state government has acquired 250 acre land for the project and the farmers have received compensation for it. The remaining 600 acre land should be returned to the farmers, Gaur said. Ramjeet, another farmer, said: We are not against the Buddha project. The multi-crore project will give a boost to tourism, increase employment and earning. The delay in construction of the statue has made farmers suspicious. In many cases, the state government has acquired fertile land but the project has not been launched, he said. Ramdarshan Kushwaha, a native of Kasya, said the farmers had decided to support the party which would ensure the construction of the statue and return of the remaining 600 acre land for which the state government had issued notification for acquisition. Politics is revolving around Buddhas statue and launch of development project. Once the election is over, farmers may get their land back, he said. Many leaders including chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav have extended support to the farmers movement. Congresss candidate from Kushinagar RPN Singh, BJPs Vijay Kumar Dubey and SPs Nathuni Prasad Kushwaha have also assured justice to farmers. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, BJP candidate Rajesh Pandey had defeated RPN Singh of the Congress. In the past, the BJP has won the seat in 1991, 1996, 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha election. In 2004, Baleshwar Yadav of the National Loktantrik Party surprised political observers by winning the seat. In 2009, RPN Singh of the Congress won the seat. District magistrate, Kushinagar, Anil Kumar Singh said the construction of Maitreya Buddha statue will start after the election. The process for the return of land to farmers will also start after the polls, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rajesh Kumar Singh Rajesh Kumar Singh is a special correspondent at HT Lucknow. He covers State Home Department, State Police, Central police agencies,BSP, Health Department, UP Chief Electoral Officer, Irrigation Department, Mining and, Lokayukta. ...view detail The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) told the Delhi high court that there was a lack of clarity on central government policies regarding issuing summons to persons residing in foreign countries, and that it led to severe delays in cases. Following the DCW statement, the court on Tuesday directed the MHA to file their response in the matter and fixed it for May 27. The court was hearing a plea it had initiated itself after Additional Sessions Judge Illa Rawat had written to the high court on the delay in serving the summons to such parties leading to delay in disposal of cases. On August 30, 2018, the ASJ criticised the Delhi Police for the delay and not co-ordinating with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) to produce such witnesses in court. She directed the police to form guidelines for the purpose. .the cases involving victim, who are foreign nationals, continue to remain pending in the court for long durations without any effective outcome. The police authorities have to come up with an effective procedure to deal with such cases and if necessary they should take assistance of Secretary, DSLSA, as well as DCW or other NGOs so that the trial of the case is not a mere formality for acquittal of the accused for want of production of material witnesses/victim/prosecutrix, who is a foreign national, the judge had written in the order. Pursuant to this, the DCW, in an affidavit filed by advocate Dolly Sharma, told the court that the women body had conducted meetings with the officials of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), MHA, DLSA (south), officials of the law department of the Delhi government. In a series of meetings, it was figured out that it was not the responsibility of the MEA to serve the summons, but the MHA is responsible for the same. The DCW, in its report, said that the lack of clarity had led to the delay in serving the summons. According to ministry of home affairs (MHA) guidelines, issued on February 11, 2009, a period of 12 weeks is required for servicing summons and notices to persons residing abroad. The DCW report added that the guidelines were discussed and recommended suitable amendment to decrease the average processing time.... Most of the 39 deaths that occurred in Puri district, which took the maximum hit when Cyclone Fani roared through Odisha on May 3, could have been because of lack of proper communication and negligence on the part of the victims, say experts and affected families. On May 1 morning when power supply was disconnected, we knew the landfall time to be around 5.30 pm. We thought that we have enough time to shift out, said Seshadeba Nayak, a resident of village Kuapada in Bramagiri block of Puri district. Nayaks 9-year-old daughter Payal, a speech and hearing impaired girl, succumbed to her head injuries she had suffered after a brick wall of their house collapsed on the family on May 3. When Cyclone Fani actually made landfall in the morning, neither the Nayaks nor any of the villagers of Kuapada knew that the storm was at their doorstep. None of us got any message on our mobile or heard any siren, said another villager. Other villagers said they possibly could not have gone to the multipurpose cyclone shelter at Dharanikuda village, that is 3 km away, as it can accommodate no more than 500 people. There are more than 4,000 people in our gram panchayat and had we all decided to go there, there would have been a stampede, said Mamata Nayak, Payals mother. Read: 6,498 schools damaged in cyclone Fani in Odisha Government officials, however, claimed they sent out cyclone alert through text messages besides sounding siren. We had sent over 2 crore messages to BSNL [state-run telecom company] mobile phone consumers in the coastal Odisha over a period of 5 days and sounded siren for over 50 hours in areas close to 3 km of the coast. This never happened before in any of the cyclones that hit the state earlier, said Odishas special relief commissioner Bishnupada Sethi. Meanwhile, the death toll has increased to 64 even as the state government has stepped up its relief and restoration efforts. Those who lost their family members would get 6 lakh ex-gratia on the basis of post-mortem report. In case of the Nayaks, there was no way the family could have been alerted about the exact time of the landfall. As the state government kept advancing the time of the cyclones landfall from 5.30 pm to 8 am, the Nayaks remained oblivious of it. Two days before the cyclone hit the state, power supply had been disconnected to the village of 700 people and mobile connectivity was almost absent. In Handiali village of the Brahmagiri, 83-year-old Hadubandhu Baral, who lived in a small asbestos-roofed two-room house, reportedly refused to go to his younger sons pucca house. Soon after the cyclone started pummelling the village, an acacia tree fell on Barals house. A brick wall collapsed on the elderly man, killing him instantly. We did not get any messages about the timing of the landfall, but we still knew that the cyclone would be catastrophic. I asked my father not to go to his house, but he did not listen, said his son Gopabandhu Baral, a farmer. Also read: In cyclone-hit Odisha, police and ordinary citizen become good samaritans Debabrata Patra of Action Aid India, a non-government organisation, said the pre-cyclone communication system and the evacuation system may have improved vastly from the days of 1999 supercyclone [that killed over 10,000 people], but there are still lots of flaws. Several people on the coast said they were not intimated about the exact time of landfall. The IMD [India Meteorological Department] also could not estimate correctly the exact place of landfall leading to confusion, said Patra. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Naveen Patnaik wrote, I would request you to kindly consider sanctioning five lakh PMAY special houses initially for the state of Odisha. Also read: In ravaged Odisha, age-old VHF helps police stay in touch With PTI inputs The ruling Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of distributing money in West Bengals Barasat, which goes to polls in the seventh and the last phase of the Lok Sabha election, as the opposition party denied the allegation. According to news agency ANI, TMC candidate from Barasat Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Monday informed the local police accusing the BJP of handing out money. Police raided the home of a Bharatiya Janata Party worker in Barasat after the TMC leaders complaint. They are distributing money. The BJP is doing this, Ghosh Dastidar, the sitting member of Parliament from Barasat, was quoted as saying by ANI. The BJP, on its part, charged the Trinamool of attacking the cars parked outside the venue of a meeting being held by its leader Arvind Menon in Barasat. The BJPs Arvind Menon was holding a meeting with a few leaders in Barasat. Few people led by Kakoli came there and attacked the cars parked outside. There is no democracy in this state, party leader Mukul Roy said according to ANI. The Trinamool and BJP are locked in a bitter fight in West Bengal this time, with the BJP setting a minimum target of 22-23 seats, and TMC chief and chief minister Mamata Banerjee vowing to win all 42 in the state. Sporadic violence has been reported since the beginning of this general election in West Bengal where the BJP and the TMC have accused each other of political murders and attacks. Eight constituencies in the western part of the state voted on Sunday in a phase where the BJP says it has the best chance to wrest seats from the ruling party, which holds all of them in area. Nine parliamentary constituencies Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Joynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar will vote on May 19. The votes will be counted on May 23. Shakur Basti, an assembly segment in the Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency, recorded the highest voter turnout at 68.7% among the 70 segments that make up the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi. The Capital went to polls on Sunday. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections too, the assembly segment was among the few which recorded a turnout of 70%-plus. Having a diverse demography, Shakur Basti has planned areas, regularised colonies, low-income settlements and slum clusters. The area also has a large population of traders in retail hubs such as Rani Bagh, Harsh Vihar, Lok Vihar and Jwala Heri. Vineet Goel, who has grown up in the area and runs a cloth store, said the enthusiasm to vote has always been high in the area. Revival of economy is a major issue in this election. My brothers shop was sealed even though he had paid conversion charges. My business like many other small businesses which have also suffered in the last two years because of GST, said Goel. Many others also listed sealing one the prominent issues in these elections. National security and local amenities such as better sewage network and uninterrupted water supply were also the issues that residents wanted to be addressed by the new government. I had to wait for around 1.5 hours to cast my vote. My priority is nation first and a government that could protect the country against terror threats, said Amrit Gandhi, 50, a businessman in Rani Bagh market. For slum-dwellers in the Railway Jhuggi Camp, open drains and mosquito breeding were major poll issues. We went door to door to ask people to come out and vote despite the problems we are faced with in the area. We also have our own community elections. The area had reported at least 40-50 cases of dengue and viral fever last year. We have voted for resolution of our grievances, said Pappu Valmiki, an auto rickshaw driver, who is also the camps pradhan. The assembly segment, which has had Congress and the BJP MLAs represent it for two terms each between 1993 and 2008, went to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the 2015 assembly elections. Delhi health minister Satyender Jain is the sitting MLA from this seat. Sitting MP Harsh Vardhan said it was a vote in the favour of BJP. I am not surprised by the high turnout, as I had expected it to be even higher. The voter enthusiasm in the area was high and people wanted to ensure BJPs victory. Also, the party workers were organised and went door to door. This is a vote in the partys favour, he said. Congress candidate JP Agarwal, who has represented the Chandni Chowk seat thrice, termed it a vote for change. The traders are unhappy with the Central governments policies. People were desirous of change. Former Congress MLA SC Vats had held the consecutively for two terms (1998-2003). People want the Congress back now, said Agarwal. AAP candidate Pankaj Gupta said it was a good sign that people voted in large numbers. The AAP is the only party that can deliver change on ground and I am hopeful that people have voted for the same, said Gupta The Bharatiya Janata Party came out in full strength against the violence at party boss Amit Shahs roadshow in Kolkata, blaming Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress for the attack in Bengal and demanding that the Election Commission bar the chief minister from campaigning for instigating her party workers. The Trinamool Congress has blamed the violence on BJP supporters. What does Amit Shah think of himself? Is he above everything? Is he God that no one can protest against him? Mamata Banerjee told reporters after visiting north Kolkatas Vidyasagar College. The citys education hub of College Street had turned into a battlefield when BJP supporters allegedly clashed with the police in front of Calcutta University and vandalised a bust of iconic social reformer Iswarchandra Vidyasagar in a college set up by him in 1872. The BJP alleges that stones were first thrown at them by Trinamool Congress supporters. Watch | Blame game between BJP, TMC after clashes at Amit Shahs Kolkata rally Amit Shah said Trinamool goons attacked the roadshow about 200 metres from where he was near a medical college. Inflammable material was thrown at the roadshow and there was an effort to trigger a stampede, he said. Shah asked people in Bengals nine Lok Sabha constituencies that are yet to vote to respond to the attack with their vote. Writing on the wall is clear and Mamata didi has read it well. Didi, your violence and hooliganism can no more stop the people of Bengal from reclaiming the true legacy of this great land, he tweeted. In Delhi where a BJP delegation rushed to the Election Commission to complain about the violence, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted his attack. Has Bengal acquired a Government of Gangsters? The attack on Amit Shahs peaceful rally by the TMC is deplorable. Is a free & fair Poll possible in Bengal? All eyes are now on the Election Commission, said Jaitley. Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states such as Maharashtras Devendra Fadnavis and Uttar Pradeshs Yogi Adityanath also punched the Trinamool Congress. This is murder of democracy The way Amit Shah roadshow was attacked and the police responded, I think Mamata Banerjee is so scared that she wants to murder democracy, Fadnavis told news agency ANI. Yogi Adityanath said the violence was a reflection of the lawlessness in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee. Tuesdays incident came in the backdrop of escalating political tension in and around Kolkata where nine seats will go for the polls of May 19, the last and the final phase of the 17th Lok Sabha elections. While Shah led the road show in Kolkata North, union minister Smriti Irani and senior BJP leader Sunil Deodhar addressed public meetings at Jadavpur and Kolkata South constituencies. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee addressed three rallies in Kolkata South Lok Sabha. Im extremely honored to be here tonight, Augustine said. Partly because of the opportunity to serve this amazing village, and partly because Im kicking it off in front of my mother, a former village trustee, and my father, a former member of the Police and Fire Commission. In an interim order, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has held Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)s Panipat refinery responsible for violating environmental norms and spreading pollution in nearby villages. The tribunal has also directed IOCL officials to deposit a sum of 17.31 crore within a month as interim compensation for restoration of environment, subject to further orders. The bench, headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, said the amount may be deposited to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). We are unable to accept the submission that no compensation may be required to be paid or further action be taken, even if pollution is contributed by others, the bench said in the order. Notably, residents of villages in the vicinity of the refinery, led by Singhpura Sithna village sarpanch Satpal Singh, had taken up the issue with the NGT last year, alleging that the refinery is polluting the air and water in the area. In November last year, the NGT had constituted a joint team comprising representatives of the CPCB, Haryana state pollution control board (HSPCB) and Panipat deputy commissioner for inspection. The team was later told to assess the damage to environment and human health being caused by the refinery. Hindustan Times was the first to report that the pollution by the IOCL refinery was affecting health of the people in nearby villages. When contacted, HSPCB member secretary S Narayanan said the orders were based on the findings of a committee set up to assess the damage to environment and public health by the air and water pollution caused by the Indian Oil Corporation Limiteds Panipat refinery. In its report, the committee has acknowledged the enormous pollution caused by the refinery and stated that the samples from the Effluent Treatment Plant were found to be non-compliant. Even, the ambient air quality was poor, resulting in irritation to eyes, the order stated When contacted JAN Corera, general manager, corporate communications, IOCL, said, We are going to hold a meeting on this issue soon and carry out a study on the matter. But the law of the land must be followed and being a public sector refinery, we would follow the directions. He added they were complying with the directions of the tribunal and several changes are being made. On the other hand, a senior scientist at the HSPCB told HT that on NGT orders, the HSPCB has also deputed a team of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, and Central Ground Water Board to assess the damage. It is expected that after the assessments, the NGT may also impose a more hefty penalty on the refinery. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Raids conducted late Monday night at a hotel in Hubballi city in Karnataka, where by-elections are set to be held to two assembly seats, created controversy as the Congress claimed that these were politically motivated. The immediate cause for the grievance was the fact that chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was staying at the hotel, when the searches were conducted, a senior party official confirmed. Kumaraswamy and senior leaders of the coalition were in Hubballi to campaign for the by-election to the Kundgol assembly seat. Bypolls are being held to the Kundgol and Chincholi assembly seats, which go to polls on May 19. Though it was initially reported that the raids had been conducted by the Income Tax Department, a senior official of the department clarified that they were in fact carried out by the flying squads of the Election Commission. Based on a tip-off, a flying squad carried out searches on the premises, a senior I-T official said on the condition of anonymity. The official added that there was a suspicion that money was being held in the hotel. Searches were conducted at the Denissons hotel, according to officials and party workers familiar with the developments. Siddaramaiah, former Karnataka CM and chief of the coordination committee of the coalition, said there were no objections to raids as such. Let them raid, but let them also raid rooms occupied by BJP leaders. This is not the right way, he said. Searches by the I-T and other departments have been a source of controversy, with the coalition leaders claiming that they were being targeted. Matters reached such a head that on March 28, Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, state Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao and water resources minister DK Shivakumar held a protest outside the I-T department office in Bengaluru. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rajasthans five-month old Congress government has embarked on a task thats almost become mandatory for any new government (irrespective of its leanings) in India: redoing school books. It has decided to rewrite a Class 10 history book to remove glowing references to Hindu Mahasabha founder VD Savakar and re-emphasise on the role of father of nation Mahatma Gandhi and Indias first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in India. Specifically, the books are being written to include Savarkars mercy petitions to the British from jail a move that has not gone down well with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was the states previous BJP government that introduced the section on Savarkar. The book currently in use mentions Savarkar as a great freedom fighter, nationalist and a great organisation man. It also says he tried to prevent the partition of India. The new book, which has not yet been released, adds to the existing introduction of Savarkar mentioning that he was tortured in jail and that troubled by the afflictions in jail, Savarkar sent mercy petitions to the British government, according to education minister Govind Dotasara. Dotasara said the previous government forced its ideology, neglected the contributions of other freedom fighters and glorified people such as Savarkar. We will remove the distortions and ensure that the contribution of all leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru is rightly reflected in the textbooks, he said. He also acknowledged the role of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh in the nations development. But, it is not right to glorify Veer Savarkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya and describe them as great, the minister said. Upadhyaya was a leader of the Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the BJP. Dotasara said the government set up a review committee in February this year which has suggested changes on the basis of facts. Former education minister Vasudev Devnani said that the Congress has always eulogised one family and ignored the history of other freedom fighters. It is a party that has been against Hindutva and has always ignored nationalists, he added. It is now trying to present distorted facts about a brave freedom fighter who has been associated with Hindutva, Devnani said. Savarkar was sentenced to life imprisonment twice and consistently fought against the British. Just because he was a supporter of Hindutva, distorted facts about him are being presented. The government should not do this as this will lead to anger among the people, he added. Rajiv Gupta, former head of department of sociology at the University of Rajasthan, said review of the content on Savarkar as taught in the books was important. He was a radical freedom fighter in the beginning and he was punished severely, that is a fact. But he later sought forgiveness from the British, that is also a fact. The previous BJP government was accused of saffronising schoolbooks by diminishing role of leaders associated with the Congress such as Nehru and Gandhi and eulogising leaders associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP. The books glorified Savarkars role, called the Congress a nurtured baby of the British and declared Maharana Pratap a victor in the Battle of Haldighati in 1576 against Mughal emperor Akbar. They also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modis foreign policy, hailed demonetisation as a drive to cleanse the country of black money, and backed a uniform civil code. The panel of historians set up by the Congress has submitted its report to the education department and sought several changes in the books for classes 8 to 12. The powerful Khasi Students Union (KSU) on Tuesday reiterated its demand for the immediate removal of the director of premier super-speciality North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Science (NEIGRIHMS) in Meghalayas Shillong. Activists of KSU had on Monday locked Dr DM Thappas office after the death of a patient on Saturday, saying that the institute is not a place for murderers. A district magistrate, accompanied by police, later broke open the lock to the directors office. The latest incident came amid a row between Dr Thappa and the head of the cardiology department Dr Animesh Mishra at the healthcare institution, which caters to the entire northeast region and even neighbouring countries. The union had said on Monday Dr Thappa should take full responsibility for the death of the 55-year-old woman, who died because of the non-availability of essential equipment to treat her. The loss of life at NEIGRIHMS reveals his barbaric character. We condemn this attitude and demand that the director leave the hospital immediately, KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said on Tuesday. The director should be held responsible for any loss of life in the hospital. Previously, many doctors have resigned due to the disorder in the hospital, he said. Patients have been suffering due to the standoff between the two top administrators at the hospital. On Monday, the Meghalaya High Court directed NEIGRIHMS cardiology department to file an affidavit on the reason that led to the womans death. It also directed the medical superintendent of the institute to ensure the supply of required items to the cardiology department without fail in view that 19 patients are waiting for surgery. The order was passed by the division bench comprising of the Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and justice HS Thangkhiew while hearing a PIL against the hospital. The head of the cardiology department shall file an affidavit wherein in a chronological manner it must be stated as to how the patient was taken care of from 05-05-2019 when she was admitted in the cardiology department right up to her death with supporting proof, it said. The bench also expressed that it is quite unfortunate that in the process of working out a lasting solution to the problem and to meet urgent surgeries, nothing positive has been done. Dr Mishra said in his affidavit before Meghalaya High Court on Monday that 19 patients were waiting for surgery and the requisite items are to be made available from Monday so that the surgeries can be performed. The high court decided to intervene in the matter last week and directed NEIGRIHMS to work out a formula and ensure surgeries in the cardiology department are resumed. It also directed the states chief secretary PS Thangkhiew to depute an additional chief secretary to head a meeting to come up with a long-term solution. The states health and family welfare minister AL Hek said that the internal problems of the institute must be sorted out and patients should no longer suffer. Since the new director was appointed we have received many complaints and if people are not happy, we can ask the ministry to replace him, Hek said. Recently, the NEIGRIHMS public relations officer accused the head of cardiology of conniving with a private vendor to sell stents at a high price, despite a cap imposed by the Union ministry of health and family welfare. Dr Mishra denied the allegations levelled against him and said his department is open to an inquiry by any agency to clear the matter. The death of the patient was condoled by the leader of the opposition Dr Mukul Sangma, who is also a physician. I am very disturbed and would like to condole the death of the lady who became a victim of this whole tamasha, Dr Sangma said. We are happy that we are privileged to have NEIGRIHMS but what is happening today is that the state government lacks seriousness to ensure that this situation is resolved, he added. Thousands of patients come to the hospital every day as it offers services of multiple departments among which cardiology is said to have a very high success rate with low cost. Two weeks after the police arrested three men for allegedly shooting at a 35-year-old former gangster near Manesars Rockland Hospital, the Sector 39 crime branch, on Thursday, arrested three more suspects from Khatola village. The police said they had received a tip-off that the suspects had come to the village to attend the birthday party of one of the suspects son. The three were identified as Kushalpal alias Raghav (39) from Khatola village, Rinku alias Bharamjeet (27) from Baskushla village and Veerindra alias Veeru (31) from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. According to the police, at least 18 cases, including murder, attempt to murder and robbery, were registered against Kushalpal, who operated a gang for more than two decades, but had kept a low profile over the last decade. Sector 39 crime branch in-charge Varun Dahiya said, When we were informed that they would come to the village, we laid a trap and nabbed them. They were arrested before they could attend the party. The police confiscated one Scorpio SUV, two countrymade pistols and three live rounds of ammunition from them. The men were produced in a district court on Friday and remanded to police custody for three days. On Monday, they were sent to judicial custody by the district court. On May 2, the police had arrested three other suspects in the case, identified as Deepak, 28, and Munender, 27, and Yogendra, 32. According to the police, the three suspects, during interrogation, had said that they had been planning to exact revenge on Ved Yadav since he got bail in 2016. Yadav had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011 for murdering Manoj, Yogendras older brother and Kushalpals cousin. One suspect was held in April in the case, taking the total number of arrests to seven. A woman was on Monday battling for her life with 70% burns at a Delhi hospital two days after she set herself on fire following Uttar Pradesh polices alleged refusal to lodge her gang rape complaint. The police allegedly turned her away as she repeatedly sought to file the complaint in Uttar Pradeshs Hapur that she was raped after her family sold her for Rs 10,000. The woman, who is in her 30s, set herself on fire at her house in Moradabad. In his statement to the police, the womans father has refuted allegations levelled against him by his daughter. HT could not contact the family of the woman. The womans family also resides in Hapur, circle officer Rajesh Kumar Singh said. Hapurs police superintendent, Yashveer Singh, said a rape and harassment case was lodged on Sunday against 16 residents of Hapurs Shyampur Jat village on the womans complaint. He said the woman alleged her father and aunt sold her to a Shyampur Jat resident in 2014 for Rs 10,000. The man, she alleged, would send her to different houses to work as a maid and her employers raped and harassed her. In a purported video of the woman, accessed by HT, which was widely shared on the social media, she is heard accusing the Hapur police of inaction and that it left her with no option but to immolate herself. Singh said the woman had eloped with a neighbour from Shyampur Jat about four years ago and had been staying in Moradabad since. She immolated herself in Moradabad on Saturday and was admitted to a Ghaziabad hospital from where she was shifted to Delhi. A report has been lodged at Babugarh police station on her complaint. Further investigation is on, Singh said. Singh said a police team was sent to the village to record the statement of villagers, who claimed the woman was trying to implicate them in the fake rape and harassment case. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Monday took cognisance of the case and wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath seeking justice for the woman. DCW is in receipt of a representation from a survivor of gang-rape belonging to Hapur. The survivor has suffered unimaginable harassment at the hands of the UP [Uttar Pradesh] police in Hapur who have refused to register an FIR [First Information Report] despite repeated complaints, Maliwal said in her letter to Adityanath. This insensitivity and shameful conduct of the UP police compelled the survivor to immolate herself, she said. Maliwal said the woman was forced to work in houses as domestic help without any remuneration after she was allegedly sold to a person who harassed her. Here, she was subjected to continuous harassment and gang-rape. Maliwal quoted the woman as saying she had approached Babugarh police station as well as Hapur police superintendent, but no case was registered. Taking cognizance of the case, the National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the UP chief secretary and the director general of police, seeking a detailed report of the treatment of the woman, ensuring protection to her life and steps to be taken for her rehabilitation. The DGP has been directed to inform the Commission about the progress of the investigation and arrests, if any. The Commission observed the contents of the news report, if true, amount to gross violation of human rights of the woman. A motorcycle was burnt, stones thrown and a bust of social reformer Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar vandalized during BJP chief Amit Shahs mega roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday evening. The BJP and Bengals ruling Trinamool Congress have accused each other for violence at two places. The violence triggered a sharp reaction from Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who appealed for calm but pinned the blame for the violence on BJP supporters. Watch | Blame game between BJP, TMC after clashes at Amit Shahs Kolkata rally We apologise for their acts... Why did the police allow them to hold the roadshow? Banerjee said at a public meeting in south Kolkatas Behala area minutes after the first reports of the violence came in. Banerjee also warned that if its leaders ended up hurting Bengals heritage, no one will be more dangerous than me. Amit Shah, on the other hand, told television channels after his roadshow that Trinamool Congress supporters with black flags had attacked his party workers at two places. I was scheduled to visit Swami Vivekanandas ancestral home after the roadshow but the police guided my car to a different road, Amit Shah said. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said he had no idea about the trouble. We had passed the spot much earlier, said BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. It is not clear how the violence started. According to news agency ANI, some miscreants first started throwing sticks near College Street in which the BJP president Amit Shah was travelling in. Angry BJP supporters responded by throwing stones and sticks at the university gates. As tension mounted, the police pushed the All India Trinamool Student Congress activists inside the university campus and closed the gates. Amit Shahs roadshow covered about 4 km from Esplanade at the centre of the city to Swami Vivekanandas residence in north Kolkata. College Street formed a stretch towards the end of the route. College Street is the education hub of Kolkata and is lined with institutions such as Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta University, Presidency College, Sanskrit Collge, Vidyasagar College and a famous book hub consisting of hundreds of book retailers and publishers. However, the ruling partys student union leaders kept shouting Chowkidar Chor Hai slogans from behind the gates. BJP supporters countered them by shouting Jai Shri Ram. The BJP supporters tried to smash through the barricade and enter the university campus, but were thwarted by cops who stopped short of baton charging. A section of the BJP supporters also threw stones and bottles at the TMCP supporters who were separated from them by the iron gates of the university campus and a wall of policemen trying to contain the crowd. The TMC supporters, too, retaliated from inside the campus. BJP boss Amit Shahs grand roadshow in Kolkata designed to message the partys expanding support base in Bengal got underway on Tuesday evening. Shah, whose party had made the roadshow a prestige battle with the state administration earlier, stood atop a decorated truck along with his partys two candidates as the roadshow marched through the heart of Kolkata amid dhols, dhakis and dancers. Watch | Amit Shah holds mega roadshow in Kolkata, BJP workers chant Jai Shri Ram The roadshow started at around 4.30 pm from Esplande area in central Kolkata to Swami Vivekanandas house in north Kolkata. Nine Lok Sabha seats in Bengal are to vote in the seventh and final round of polling on 19 May; the remaining 31 seats of Bengals 42 seats have already voted. Ahead of Shahs vehicle were scores of party workers, dancing and singing. There were also some tableaux highlighting the culture of various parts of the state. And then, one which featured people dressed as Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman. Party workers and supporters who accompanied Shah on the show of strength raised slogans hailing not just the party boss Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi but also chanted Jai Shri Ram, the slogan that the BJP has used to target Mamata Banerjee over the last few days. Also read: Im chanting Jai Shri Ram arrest me: Amit Shah dares Mamata Banerjee Just yesterday, Amit Shah had dared chief minister Mamata Banerjee to arrest him for chanting Jai Shri Ram and warned her that she could not really stop the BJPs victory march in the state. Mamata didi gets angry if someone chants Jai Shri Ram. I am chanting Jai Shri Ram here today, if you (Mamata) have the guts, arrest me. I will be in Kolkata tomorrow, he said on Monday. The row over chanting Jai Shri Ram owes its origin to a widely-circulated video on social media that shows Mamata Banerjee stopping her car at a place in West Midnapore district and chasing some persons who chanted Jai Shri Ram as her carcade was passing the area. In her explanation that came later, Mamata Banerjee contended that Jai Shri Ram had nothing to do with religion as the BJP was attempting to project but was a slogan of the BJP. When we do Durga Puja we say Jay Ma Durga, when we do Kali Puja we say Jay Ma Kali but we do not give any particular slogan always like the BJP, Banerjee said. The campaign of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win back Gorakhpur; a bastion it lost after three decades to the SP-BSP alliance in the March 2018 Lok Sabha by-poll, is as much about rallies and road shows by partys big leaders as about taking care of chhoti-chhoti baatein (small things). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had in February chosen Gorakhpur to launch Rs 75,000-crore PM-KISAN Scheme, held a rally in the vicinity on Sunday. The venue of the rally was chosen carefully so as to cover Maharajganj and Kushinagar Lok Sabha constituencies, along with Gorakhpur, which was barely 70 kilometres from the rally site. Modi targeted Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati who claims support of Dalits, which after Nishads, are second most influential voters in Gorakhpur. Yogi Adityanath, who represented Gorakhpur since 1998 until he quit the seat after taking over as UP chief minister in 2017, has already addressed over two dozen rallies. BJP president Amit Shah is set to lead a road show in Gorakhpur on Thursday to give a boost to the partys campaign in a region where the party has fielded a Brahmin Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan who, according to BJP leaders, enjoys the blessings of Adityanath, unlike Upendra Shukla, the partys by-poll candidate. UP minister Mahendra Singh has also been asked to camp in the region to fuel the partys campaign ahead of the May 19 polling. Also Read | Lok Sabha 2019 constituency: Battle for UPs Gorakhpur will be most watched While the focus is on big leaders campaigning in an area from where Adityanath got the title of Yogi and from where he is the head priest of the influential Gorakhnath Mutt, the BJP campaign managers are busy guarding against what an RSS leader described as vishwas ka atirek (overconfidence). We are guarding against complacency that led to the loss in by-elections. This time, you will see how despite the caste alliance, BJP reclaims Gorakhpur with a big margin, said party leader Satyendra Sinha. The focus this time is on ensuring a high voter turnout. In the 2018 by-polls, the urban assembly segment that houses Adityanaths Gorakhnath Mutt, barely 37.76 per cent voters had turned up to cast their vote; the lowest among all the five assembly segments that make up Gorakhpur. This time party is back to the old drill. Nearly all party campaigns, be it rallies or street corner meets, has one underlining theme -- urging the community to cast their vote. We are ensuring that voter slips reach people and that all go out and vote, Sinha said. Gorakhpur has an estimated 20 lakh voters, 3.5 lakh of whom belong to Nishad community followed by Dalits and upper castes and the party foot soldiers are busy reaching out to them. Last time even I didnt vote. It was a mistake which we wont make again, said Suresh Singh, a diehard BJP supporter. In the by-polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had fielded Pravin Nishad, a candidate of the Nishad community, on his party ticket. Backed by the BSP, Nishad stunned the BJP. This time too, the SP has fielded a Nishad candidate who is backed by the BSP. According to BJP leaders, there are about 3.5 lakh members of Nishad community in Gorakhpur. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2019 : SP tweaks bypoll formula on 3 seats it won in 2018 However, the BJP has also won over Nishads by fielding sitting Gorakhpur MP Pravin Nishad, son of Nishad party chief Sanjay Nishad, from Sant Kabir Nagar. Alliance candidate Ram Bhuwal Nishad, however, claims that the BJP would again be taken by surprise. They have an actor as their candidate. I have the support of the poor and marginalised, he said. The BJPs by-poll loss was also attributed to the party not fielding a candidate from the Mutt; something it had been doing for 29 years. This time too, the BJP candidate isnt from the Mutt. But the big difference between then and now is that while the by-poll candidate was literally thrust on Yogi by the party, this time the candidate enjoys Yogis blessings and partys consent, a BJP leader, not willing to be named, said. Ravi Kishans campaign is largely centred around appealing for votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath as well as various initiatives of the BJP government. He keeps an entire list of achievements and developments carried out in the region under the Modi government and since Yogi took over as UP CM. The pitch that he is an outsider has now been negated by our counter campaign that Gorakhpur would vote for Modi, a BJP leader said. In support of Ravi Kishan, the CM has been telling the people that if the actor wins, he would set up a Bhojpuri film studio and provide jobs to nearly a lakh youths. For complete coverage of Lok Sabha Elections 2019, click here SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comment that the Indian Air Force carried out the Balakot airstrikes despite cloudy weather because it would have helped the fighter jets evade Pakistan radars. Narendra Modi told officers that radar wont be able to track aircraft in bad weather. So Modiji must answer if aircraft disappear from radar when it rains in India, said Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Madhya Pradeshs Neemuch, over 400 km from state capital Bhopal. Rahul Gandhis sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had also targeted PM Modi over his comments. She accused him of indulging in rhetoric and said hes on the radar of the people. In an interview aired on Saturday, PM Modi had said, The weather was not good on the day of air strike. There was a thought that crept in the minds of the experts that the day of strike should be changed. However, I suggested that the clouds could actually help our planes escape the radars. Also read: PM Modis cloud benefit remark on Balakot strike sparks political row PM Modis comment triggered a series of reaction on social media from opposition parties. BJPs Twitter handle, which tweeted the PMs remark soon after the interview, deleted it later. On February 27, the Indian Air Force had carried out the airstrikes at the Jaish camp deep inside Pakistan. The government said the strikes were designed to destroy the training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed for the Pulwama suicide bombing 13 days earlier. Forty CRPF soldiers were killed in the February 14 bombing, the deadliest terror attack on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir in three decades. Also read: PM Narendra Modi says he used email, digital camera in 1988. Twitter fact-checks Ahead of the final phase of the 17th Lok Sabha elections, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday met Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader MK Stalin, as the former continued his efforts to play a key role in the formation of the next government and, in the process, create political space for himself in such a dispensation. It was supposed to be a bid to cobble up a non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), non-Congress alternative federal front, an articulated objective of Rao (or KCR as he is known) but senior leaders told Hindustan Times that it was also an attempt to send a message to the Congress party. As first reported by this paper, the lines of communication between the two have been open, and the leaders said the DMK has been a go-between. They added that KCR has conveyed to the Congress leadership, via the DMK, that his party is open to the idea of having a Congress prime minister, but that there are other parties who are considered close to the National Democratic Alliance who may join the coalition-in-the-making as long it doesnt have a Congress prime minister. For its part, the Congress is said to have conveyed that it is also open to having a regional leader as the prime ministerial candidate. Also read: In Federal Front push, KCR meets DMKs Stalin in Chennai Officially, the DMK was quick to take credit for its new role. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai tweeted: Our leader @mkstalin persuades Telangana CM KCR to support the Congress alliance in a crucial meeting today! #Elections2019 State leaders will be the heroes after #23May2019. While this tweet may be simplifying matters, two TRS leaders told HT about the partys deep unease at the growing influence of the BJP in the south. However, the TRS could still go with the BJP if the results on May 23 favour the latter. Indeed, about a fortnight ago, representatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to KCRs office. A BJP leader confirmed this. The Prime Minister is directly in touch with him, he said on condition of anonymity, referring to KCR. KCR is also believed to be negotiating on behalf of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Jaganmohan Reddy, in Andhra Pradesh. The two parties hope to have a bloc of around 35-40 seats, a considerable number. The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP attacked the DMK, accusing the Dravidian party of hiding from public the outcome of the meeting. Why didnt Stalin meet the media after the meeting with KCR? Why was he shying away? asked Tamilisai Soundarrajan, BJP state president. Also read: TRS, YSRC will come into our fold after May 23, says Congress leader With inputs from MC Rajan in Chennai The Left parties are willing to provide outside support to any alternative coalition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. But they are in a fix about the possibility of Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress becoming a part of such an arrangement, according to a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M)s politburo. We really do not know what to do if such a situation arises. Supporting Trinamool would be suicidal for us in Bengal. But keeping the BJP out of power is also important, said the member of the partys highest decision-making body. The TMC, which won 34 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 national polls, wrested power from the Left Front after 34 years in West Bengal. The Left had nine members in the last Lok Sabha. Its key poll slogan in West Bengal is: Defeat BJP, defeat Trinamool. Frustrated didi jailing those who chant Jai Sri Ram: PM Modi slams Mamata The Left supported the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government before it withdrew support to it over the 2008 India-United States of America nuclear deal. The Congress later formed an alliance with the TMC and Banerjee served as the railway minister in the UPA government. The Left wants to support an alternative government also because a section of its leaders considers withdrawal of support from the UPA government a blunder. CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said his party has always tried to provide outside support to secular governments at the Centre. Be it in 1996 when [H D] Deve Gowda became the Prime Minister or the 2004 post-poll formation. In 2004, we emerged as the largest political group after the Congress and BJP but we chose to remain outside the government, he said. Also read | BJP workers entering Bengal in central forces uniform: Mamata Banerjee Yechury insisted a party can play an effective role from outside. With 60 MPs [members of Parliament] we pressured the [Congress-led] UPA [United Progressive Alliance government] to roll out unprecedented pro-people reforms like the Right to Information Act the new land acquisition law and MGNREGA [Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act]. Yechury is known to enjoy an excellent equation with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who often address him as chief. Former parliamentary affairs secretary Afzal Amanullah said the Left can think about its strategy later. First, it needs to come out of its current status of irrelevance. If Mamata Banerjee gets over 30 seats and the Left remains in a single-digit tally, then she would be a preferred partner. Also read | PM-Kisan may go universal if NDA returns to power SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PM Modi says, Congress has insulted the middle class of the country. PM Modi in Chandigarh, says Congress believes that the middle class of this country is greedy. A two-wheeler was set on fire right at the gates of Vidyasagar College about a km from Calcutta University. No policemen were seen in front of Vidyasagar College when the motorbike was set ablaze. Later cops rushed to the scene to bring the situation under control. PM Modi attacks Mani Shankar Aiyar and Sam Pitroda PM tells the public in Chandigarh that ousting of Aiyar was farcical. Meanwhile, scuffle breaks out during BJP Chief Shahs rally in Kolkata Dozens of supporters who gathered to cheer for Shah, tried to move through the guardrails manned by cops in a bid to erect a shield between them and Trinamool Congress Chattra Parishad (TMCP) supporters, who stood on the other side of the road waving black flags and shouting Go back Amit Shah and Chowkidar Chor Hai slogans. Congress is annoyed that a chaiwala is bringing reforms: PM Modi in Chandigarh PM Modi says International Solar alliance, one mobility card are his tools to bring about transparency in governance. PM Modi lauds RuPay Card and BHIM App in Chandigarh PM says, India has become a destination for digital business. PM Modi coins the term JAM - Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhar Number, and Mobile Number, the three pillars of Indias growing digital story. PM Modi starts his public address in Chandigarh PM says it is an amalgamation of kisan and jawan at the gathering. People holding Jai Maa Kali, Jai Shree Ram placards line up along side the moving rally. Pictures of RSS Leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Swami Vivekananda can be seen on a few other trucks. Modi chants intensify as the roadshow marches ahead. BJP Chief Amit Shah being led by a sea of supporters clad in BJP colours Amit Shah pumps his fist, crowds chant PM kaisa ho, Modi jaisa ho in synchrony with Shahs fist bumps. Rahul to PM Modi, Im ready to come to your home to question you on Rafale. In Parliament, he couldnt look me in the eye when I had raised the issue. Rahul Gandhi says, that he is a soldier of Congress. He reiterates that he will reciprocate the PMs hatred with love. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi and CM Kamal Nath claim former CM Shivraj Singhs kin benefitted from farm loan waivers launched by MP Govt Rahul Gandhi said, that Congress Govt has paid of debts that farmers accumulated during Shivrajs tenure. He holds up a paper to the audience with names of the people who have benefitted from the farm loan waivers. People dressed as Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman at Amit Shahs rally Tableaux highlighting the culture of various parts of the state and country were seen moving ahead of the convoy. People dressed as Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman were also seen in the rally. Rally from Esplanade area to North Kolkata The rally started at around 4.30 p m from Esplande area in central Kolkata to Swami Vivekanandas house in north Kolkata. Shah stood atop a decorated truck along with BJPs Kolkata north and Kolkata south candidates Rahul Sinha and Chandra Kumar Bose respectively and was seen waving at the crowds. Hundreds gather for Amit Shahs roadshow in Kolkata Amit Shah begins his road show in Kolkata West Bengal: More #visuals from BJP President Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/wvD9TRGOUa ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019 Priyanka Gandhis Himachal rally cancelled due to bad weather Priyanka Gandhi Vadras public rally in Himachal Pradeshs Sundernagar has been cancelled as her chopper could not take off from Kangra airport as IMD had forecast bad weather between Kangra-Sundernagar, the pilot has also filed a report, said Congresss Anand Sharma. Congress, RJD want to keep the nation in dark: PM Modi Be it Congress or RJD, theres a problem with their thinking. They just want to keep the nation in the dark, said PM Modi in Bihar Mahamilawat wont win, only venting out anger by abusing: PM Modi The Mahamilawat wont win anyway, they are only trying to vent out their anger by abusing, said PM Narendra Modi while addressing a poll rally in Bihars Buxar. PM Modi addresses poll rally in Bihars Buxar Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently addressing a rally in Bihars Buxar . When it rains in India, do all aircraft disappear: Rahul Gandhi Narendra Modi says that he told officers and Air Chief of Air Force that Itll (Balakot strike despite cloud cover) be beneficial, as the radar wont be able to track aircraft in bad weather. Narendra Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all the aircraft disappear from the radar, said Congress chief Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradeshs Neemuch. Rahul Gandhi slams PM over his cloud benefit remark on IAF strike Congress national president Rahul Gandhi mocked PM Modi who had Saturday outlined in a television interview how the government had decided to go ahead with the strike at Jaish-e-Mohammeds biggest terror training camp despite a cloud cover. The weather suddenly turned bad. There was a doubt about whether we can strike in bad weather. During a review (of the Balakot plan), experts said what if we change the date. I had two issues in mind. One was secrecy... second, I said I have a raw vision, the clouds can benefit us too. We can escape the radar. Everyone was confused. Ultimately I said there are clouds... lets proceed, the Prime Minister had told News Nation on Saturday. Terrorists now hiding and praying to get Modi removed: PM The terrorists who would earlier proudly roam about displaying their weapons in Pakistan, they are now hiding and are praying to get Modi removed, said PM Modi while addressing a poll rally in UPs Ballia. Dont want children to inherit backwardness or poverty: PM Modi I dont want your children to inherit backwardness or poverty, said PM Narendra Modi in Ballia. I dont ask for any votes in the name of caste: PM Modi I dont ask for votes in the name of caste, said PM Narendra Modi while addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradeshs Ballia. Modi vs who in 2019 asks Rajnath Singh Unlike 2014, Modi vs who in 2019, asked Union home minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a press conference. Not a single person from BJP will join any other party: BS Yeddyurappa Not a single person from BJP will join any other party. After May 23, more than 20 Congress MLAs who are not happy with HD Kumaraswamy will not continue in the party, said BJPs BS Yeddyurappa on Congress leader KC Venugopals statement that many BJP MLAs in Karnataka would join Congress after May 23, reported news agency ANI. PM Modi to shortly address rally in UPs Ballia In last phase of campaigning for Lok Sabha polls 2019, PM Narendra Modi will shortly address a poll rally in Uttar Pradeshs Ballia. PMs boat is sinking: Mayawati Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, keeping up her attack on Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday said, Modi governments boat is sinking, as the Lok Sabha elections 2019 entered the last lap with phase 7 voting scheduled on May 19. PM Modi governments boat is sinking, it appears that even RSS has stopped supporting them. In view of unfulfilled election promises and the public agitation, their swayamsevaks are not being seen putting in the work, it has made Shri Modi nervous, the BSP chief tweeted. This comes a day after the two leaders sparred over alleged atrocities on Dalits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, accusing her of shedding crocodile tears over an alleged gang rape in Rajasthans Alwar and dared her party to withdraw support from the Congress government in that state. Nearly a fifth or 19% of the close to 8000 candidates contesting the 2019 general elections have declared pending criminal cases against them while 29% have assets worth Rs 1 crore or more, according to a report by election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released on Monday. The report is based on analysis of affidavits filed by the candidates with the Election Commission of India. These figures have increased for the second consecutive general election, which is to say that there has been an increase from 2009 to 2014, and subsequently, from 2014 to 2019. The share of candidates with criminal cases increased by four percentage points between 2009 and 2019 elections, from 15% to 19%, while the share of crorepati candidates increased by 13 percentage points, from 16% to 29%. Click here for Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 To be sure, not all candidates have criminal cases of serious nature against them. Out of 1500 candidates with declared criminal cases, 1070 (13% of all candidates) have criminal cases of serious nature against them. This includes cases related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, rape and other crimes against women. Among the candidates with criminal cases, the share of those with serious criminal cases has also increased over time. Among the candidates with criminal cases contesting this year, 55 have cases related to murder, 184 related to attempt to murder, 126 related to crimes against women (include nine cases of rape), 47 related to kidnapping while 95 are related to hate speech. The overall figure of 19% candidates having criminal cases against them hides the fact that big political parties in India have a larger share of such candidates. For instance, nearly four in ten candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have declared criminal cases against them. Among the seven national parties in India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has the highest share of such candidates, 58%, while the Bahujan Samaj Party has the lowest, 22%. The number of candidates with criminal cases fielded by the two biggest parties, the BJP and the Congress, has increased over time. In the 2009 general elections, 27% candidates of both these parties had criminal cases against them. This figure rose to nearly 30% in 2014 and further to 40% this year. Regional parties also have a high share of candidates with declared criminal cases. For instance, among important regional parties contesting at least 10 seats, Bihars Rashtriya Janata Dal has the highest share of candidates with criminal cases, 86%. Among these parties, Odishas Biju Janata Dal has the lowest share of such candidates, just 5%. Among all candidates contesting the election this year, the BJPs candidate from Keralas Pathanamthitta constituency, K Surendran, has the highest number of criminal cases pending against him, 240, of which 129 are of serious nature. The second highest number of criminal cases has been declared by the Congress partys candidate from Keralas Idukki constituency, Dean Kuriakose. He has 204 criminal cases pending against him, 37 of them of serious nature. The ADR report also gives statistics on wealth of the candidates contesting the elections. This, too, is based on the affidavits filed by the candidates at the time of nomination. The share of candidates with assets worth Rs 1 crore or more has also increased over time, from 16% in 2009, to 27% in 2014 and further to 29% this year. Again, the bigger parties have a higher share: 83% of the candidates of both the BJP and the Congress own at least Rs 1 crore worth of assets. But the Congress candidates are on average slightly wealthier than the BJP candidates. The median of the assets of BJP candidates is Rs 4 crore, compared to the Congress candidates Rs 4.9 crore. This year, both these parties have fielded more crorepati candidates than in the previous two general elections. The Congress fielded 63% crorepati candidates in 2009, which rose to 79% in 2014 and further to 83% in 2019. The BJP fielded 42% crorepati candidates in 2009, which rose to 72% in 2014 and further to 83% in 2019. The independent candidate from Bihars Pataliputra constituency, Ramesh Kumar Sharma, is the wealthiest candidate contesting this election with assets worth Rs 1108 crore. Two candidates of the Congress, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (contesting from Telanganas Chevella seat) and Nakul Nath (contesting from Madhya Pradeshs Chhindwara seat) are next in terms of wealth, Rs 895 crore and Rs 660 crore respectively. ADR has also analysed the wealth of 335 out of 338 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) who are rerunning this year. On average, their assets increased by nearly Rs 6.9 crore between 2014 and 2019. Average assets of Congress MPs rose from Rs 30 crore to Rs 61 crore while those of BJP MPs rose from Rs 13 crore to Rs 17 crore in this period. ADR has analysed affidavits of about 98.5% candidates contesting the 2019 elections. Affidavits of other candidates were not analysed due to unavailability of clear and complete affidavits. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON DMK President MK Stalin Tuesday said he saw no chances for a non-BJP, non-Congress third front post Lok Sabha polls, but a decision could be taken only after May 23, the counting day. Stalins remarks come a day after TRS supremo and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekara Rao, who has been pushing for a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties, called on the DMK chief here. Stalin, also Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, said Rao had not visited the state for forging alliances. He did not come to form alliances. He came to Tamil Nadu to offer prayers in various temples and on that basis, sought an appointment with me for a courtesy call. That is all, he told reporters here. Rao had earlier visited the Sri Ranganatha Temple at Srirangam before meeting Stalin. Asked about the possibility of a third front sans BJP and Congress, the DMK leader said, It doesnt seem to me that there is a chance for that. However, that will be decided only after counting on May 23, he added. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) lost power to the Congress in Punjab in 2017 when it could win just 15 seats in the 117-member state assembly. It finished third with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerging as the main opposition party with 20 seats. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, 57, who is contesting Lok Sabha elections along with his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, spoke to Hindustan Times about his partys prospects in the national polls. Edited excerpts: What are the SADs prospects following its worst performance in the 2017 assembly elections? At that time [in 2017], there was a peculiar situation in Punjab. [Chief Minister] Captain Amarinder Singh, as state Congress president, went beyond limits which nobody usually does. He publicly swore by the Gutka Sahib [a booklet containing hymns from Sikh scriptures] and Guru Gobind Singh while committing himself to tall promises such as farm debt waiver and vanquishing the drug menace in four weeks. A person goes to that limit only when he is 100% sure of something. Here he used the religious oath as a weapon. As per the typical Punjabi or Sikh nature, a person swearing in the name of gurus cannot go back on his promise. Nobody then knew that Amarinder was just playing a fraud on the people. That showed his character. Just to become chief minister, he took a false oath in the name of the guru. That impacted a lot of people. He promised to waive all sorts of loans from banks, cooperative societies That became a major factor. Then, the AAP was attacking only Akalis. We came under attack from two fronts. They blamed us for sacrilege. This election, things have changed. People have got to know the reality and realised that Amarinder is a liar who cheated them in the gurus name. There is resentment against him. The AAPs real face has been exposed. In two years, there is a non-existent chief minister in Punjab. It is like a car without a driver. Not a single new brick of development has been laid. All the facilities that we had given to the poor have been withdrawn. Are you counting more on the Congress governments non-performance or the Narendra Modi factor? At one level, there is a strong anti-Amarinder sentiment. Plus, we have a very good prime ministerial candidate in Modi. So it is a combination of both factors. BJPs national security narrative does not seem to have much resonance in Punjab. There is an undercurrent, particularly in the urban areas. People want a strong Prime Minister. Punjab is the shield of India. If we do not have a strong Prime Minister, the biggest sufferer will be Punjab. What is the national election outcome going to be? India has seen various governments in the past 70 years. We cannot keep on wasting five years after five years. The nation needs somebody, who can bring about change and is decisive. Nobody fills that space better than Modi. How do you react to the assessment that the BJP may not get a majority on its own? That nobody can predict. Only God knows that. But there is a very strong Modi wave. There is no Rahul Gandhi wave. See the crowds that Modi is drawing in Punjab and everywhere. It is huge. There is a sense in some quarters that the minorities, especially Muslims, are uncomfortable with Modis style of nationalism? Muslims have no reason to feel insecure when the Akali Dal is a dominant partner of the [BJP-led] NDA [National Democratic Alliance]. We represent a minority. The SAD-BJP alliance is a security for all minorities. How many seats will the SAD-BJP get in Punjab? We should get around 10 seats [out of 13]. I genuinely feel there is a strong undercurrent. Has the Sikh anger against you subsided? There is no anger. In the last assembly election, the Congress got 37% of the vote share, the Akalis 31% and AAP 21%. So our cadre withstood that onslaught. Let us not go by the number of seats. People still have faith in us. For the first time in SADs history its president, that is you, is contesting the Lok Sabha elections alongside his wife. What was the idea behind this? I am a fighter. I fight from the front and take my rivals head-on. Once Amarinder said he will win all 13 seats, I decided to take up the challenge. General Amarinder has put all his soldiers in the front, while he is sitting in an air-conditioned office and letting his army die. That is the difference between the two generals. Life is always a risk. When you are fighting a war, fight like a warrior. . Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, keeping up her attack on Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday said, Modi governments ship is sinking, as the Lok Sabha elections 2019 entered the last lap with phase 7 voting scheduled on May 19. Prime Minister Modi governments ship is sinking, even the RSS has stopped supporting them. In view of unfulfilled election promises and the public agitation, their swayamsevaks are not being seen putting in the work, it has made Shri Modi nervous, the BSP chief tweeted. This comes a day after the two leaders sparred over alleged atrocities on Dalits. Watch: Mayawati accuses PM Modi of doing dirty politics over Alwar rape case Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, accusing her of shedding crocodile tears over an alleged gang rape in Rajasthans Alwar and dared her party to withdraw support from the Congress government in that state. Also read: Mayawati unfit for public life: Jaitley after BSP chiefs attack on PM Modi Hours after his remark, Mayawati accused Modi of doing dirty politics, and demanded his resignation for incidents of Dalit atrocities in the past. The crime in Alwar led to protests across the state after the womans husband said she was raped on April 26 and the police were informed on April 30, but a first information report (FIR) was filed only on May 7. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the BSP chief also took a dig at the PM saying: To mislead people, many leaders have become servants, chief servants, chaiwala and chowkidar. Now we need a true PM people have had enough of these impersonators and will not be fooled now, she added. Mayawati also urged the Election Commission to put a stop on candidates temple trips during ban due to the violation of the model code of poll conduct. Mayawati was among a host of leader banned for provocative remarks during campaign speeches. The BSP also urged the EC to monitor the money candidates spent on roadshows and temple trips and include it in the poll expense. . Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Monday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his statement about IAF aircrafts evading Pakistan radars during the Balakot air strike due to the cloudy weather. At a roadshow in Indores Rajwada Chowk, the Congress leader, reading from a piece of paper, said: During his five-year tenure as the prime minister, Modi has only given jumlas (rhetoric) to the people. He believed that he wont come on peoples radar due to the cloudy weather, said the Congress general secretary in Hindi amid cheers from the crowd that had thronged the traffic junction. In an interview aired on Saturday, Modi had said, The weather was not good on the day of air strike. There was a thought that crept in the minds of the experts that the day of strike should be changed. However, I suggested that the clouds could actually help our planes escape the radars. The Congress leader further said that Modi promised a corruption-free government but went ahead and perpetrated a Rs 30,000 crore Rafale scam. He is such a big defence expert that he alone decided that the Rafale aircraft will be manufactured by a company that has never built one ever. It was given land as well. But be it rain or sunshine, people came to know what is the truth of this mans politics, she claimed. Also read: Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka calls PM anti-tribal Taking on Modi for berating the achievements of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, she said Modi was like the school student who knowing that he would lose the race, deliberately falls and starts blaming others for it. She further alleged that the prime minister had no time for the poor and the one time she saw a photograph of him holding a child in his arms, it turned out to be that of BJP chief Amit Shahs grandchild and not of some ordinary citizen. Modi is a cowardly politician as he does not have the courage to listen to the voice of the public, she claimed. Also read: Not even 50 hrs of tapasya: Priyanka Gandhi on PMs hate-filled comments (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.) With the elections entering the final leg, all attention is shifting to eastern Uttar Pradesh. This is where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the polls last time around. The impact of Narendra Modis candidature from Varanasi was felt far and wide across the region. The success was replicated in the 2017 assembly elections. This time, too, Modi remains highly popular, and the BJPs social coalition remains robust. But the party is confronting a major political-electoral challenge, which stems from both the coming together of the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party (SP-BSP) as well as cracks in its own campaign. HT travelled to three constituencies which voted on Sunday Bhadohi, Machlishahar, and Jaunpur and three constituencies which will vote on May 19 Robertsganj, Chandauli, and Varanasi. Here are four new challenges the BJP confronts in the region: THE YOGI LIABILITY UP is polarised, with a sharp division between those who want Modi as Prime Minister and those who will vote for the Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) of the SP-BSP. The surname of a voter is often a clear indicator of who will vote which way, with upper castes, non-Yadav OBCs (other backward classes) and smaller Dalit groups with the BJP and Yadavs, Muslims and Jatavs with the alliance. The division percolates from the bigger cities to the villages. Also read: Who will win the battle of margins in Uttar Pradesh? But in this starkly polarised landscape, there is one common refrain you increasingly hear from both sides of the political spectrum: Yogi Adityanath is not adding votes to the BJPs kitty because those who are attracted to his brand of politics would have anyway voted for BJP; and if at all he has an impact, it is negative because he is helping consolidate Opposition votes and turn away swing voters. Even a section of BJP supporters especially from the backward communities say that while they will vote for Modi this time around, in 2022, they wish to see a change at the state-level. The critique of Adityanath spans from his perceived casteism (he is accused of promoting only Thakurs); his policies born out of ideological rigidity (the emphasis on cow protection and the crackdown on slaughterhouses has led to a stray cattle menace destroying farms and keeping up farmers all night to protect their fields); his perceived inaccessibility; and his lack of attention to daily development and livelihood concerns. Yadavs and Jatavs the core groups behind the SP-BSP alliance also claim that but for Yogi governments exclusionary attitude towards them, their alliance would not have had the same kind of synergy on the ground. It is striking that the criticism of Adityanath is so deep in Purvanchal, the region that is his home ground. It could well be the case that the resentment against Adityanath does not get manifested this time around, and Modi is able to offset the local anti incumbency. But the fact that instead of helping, power at the state level is compounding Modis challenge, should give the party pause for thought about its CM, who is more a liability than an asset, and the challenge of 2022 when the state holds its next assembly elections. THE HAWA AND ITS HANDICAP A key element in Indian election campaigns is to project the inevitability of victory. The logic is that if a party is seen to be winning, it helps veer the swing voters towards the winning side for Indian voters do not want to waste their vote by backing a candidate who is more than likely to lose. Indeed, the BJP has been very successful in creating a hawa (the sense that it is winning) in past elections. This time around, too, the Modi juggernaut, the high visibility campaigns and media presence, and the slogan Aayega toh Modi hi (Its only Modi who will return) has all helped in constructing a perception that Modi will return as PM, come what may. Also read: How SP-BSP alliance math is playing out on the ground in Uttar Pradesh But for once, this sense of inevitability is also having negative consequences for the party. Across constituencies, we met voters including BJP supporters who said that Modis return to power is certain. But then they added a caveat: in their particular constituency, BJP is on a weak footing. Take Bhadohi. At the Dhanapur village, Shyam Gupta proudly told us he had voted for Modi. But sitting in a group playing cards, Gupta was quick to add, But in this seat, the BJP may have a problem. Yadavs, Muslims, Jatavs are together. And BSP has a Brahmin candidate, who could eat into BJP votes. Dilli main to Modi aayega par ho sakta hai yahan nahin (Modi will come in Delhi but maybe not here.) This is not an isolated voice. One hears the refrain Modi in Delhi but not in this seat because of its particular dynamics across constituencies. And if it all adds up, the BJP could well be looking at unanticipated losses. The hawa in a way has introduced a sense of complacency among its voters, who feel their seat is not as critical in the larger national picture since Modi is winning anyway. THE CANDIDATES In 2014, local candidates did not matter. The BJP was able to weave together the election under the common thread of electing Modi as PM. This time around, while the BJPs campaign pitch remains the same, one hears more of the candidate and his inadequacies from voters. Take Robertsganj, a reserved constituency, which the BJP has given the seat to its ally, Apna Dal. The Dal has put up Pakaudi Lal Kol as its candidate. Kol had lost the 2014 elections when he fought on an SP ticket winning around 15% of the votes, while the BJPs Chhotelal won with over 42% of the vote. Even as Modi was addressing a rally on Saturday, at the Sajour village crossing, BJP supporters expressed their scepticism about the candidates ability to win the seat. Who knows the cup-plate [Apna Dal symbol]? In the villages, people know kamal [lotus]. But when our voters do not see the symbol on the machine, they may well vote for someone else, said a BJP worker of the constituency who wanted to remain anonymous. In addition, Kol was perceived as locally unpopular. He has been with the Apna Dal, BSP, and was a one-term MP from SP before losing the 2014 polls and shifting to Apna Dal. Aise ke liye kaise vote maange [How should we ask for votes for such a candidate]? asked the same worker. THE DEMOGRAPHY AND ARITHMETIC The fundamental challenge to the BJP, of course, comes from the demography of the region and the arithmetic of the alliance. Unlike in western UP, where Yadavs are numerically in far fewer numbers, in Purvanchal, the Yadav population is substantial. This is the region which propelled the SP to power in 2012 elections when elections began from the east. Combined with the Jatav and Muslim vote, the opposition alliance begins with a distinct advantage. This is visible from the 2014 numbers. Take Chandauli, where the BJPs state president, Mahendra Nath Pandey, is seeking re-election. He faces local anti-incumbency, and, on top of that, adverse arithmetic. In 2014, Pandey got 42.2% of the vote and bagged over 414,000 votes; the BSP got 26.2% of the vote and over 257,000 votes and SP got 20.8% of the vote and over 204,000 votes. Add the last two, and Pandey even if he retains his existing vote share will be unable to make it. The BJP believes that such neat vote transfers between SP and BSP will not happen and its own vote share will increase. But unless that happens, they are in for a tough time in many seats in the belt. None of this means that Purvanchal will reject the BJP. It is important to reiterate that there is substantial goodwill for Modi, the faith in him and his perceived integrity and strong leadership is deep, and he is seen as a PM candidate worthy of being re-elected by a large segment of the electorate. But for Modi to repeat the 2014 magic in eastern UP, he will have to overcome the challenge posed by anti-incumbency against Adityanath; the complacency of the BJP voters; the unpopularity of local candidates; and the arithmetic advantage of the opposition alliance. If he is indeed able to do that, 2019 would well be truly Modis election yet again. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Central Kolkatas education hub of College Street resembled a battleground on Tuesday evening as clashes broke out between workers of the states ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a road show by saffron party chief Amit Shah. A section of the crowd broke through the gates of the 147-year-old Vidyasagar College and broke chairs and glass panes and set fire to bicycles and motorbikes. A bust of iconic 19th century reformer, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, was also vandalised. About 100 persons have been detained. Investigation is on to find out who are responsible. Those guilty would not be spared, said Kolkata police commissioner Rajesh Kumar, without specifying the number of those injured. BJP leader Locket Chatterjee alleged that TMC supporters broke the bust, while Shah, after finishing his four-km-long roadshow, attacked chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Didi, your violence and hooliganism can no more stop the people of Bengal from reclaiming the true legacy of this great land, he said. TMC supporters came out with black flags and mounted attacks on our workers at two places. I was scheduled to visit Swami Vivekanandas ancestral home after the road show but the police guided my car to a different road, he added. BJP workers claimed stones first came flying at them from inside the college, and a delegation of party leaders urged the EC to bar Banerjee from campaigning. Also read: Rajnath dares Oppn to name its PM candidate But TMC supporters alleged the attack on the college came from the participants in the road show. BJP supporters who came down from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Jharkhand stormed the campus of Vidyasagar College and vandalised a bust of Vidyasagar. None will be more dangerous than me if Bengals heritage comes under attack, thundered Banerjee at a rally. She, along with education minister Partha Chatterjee, rushed to the college late evening. What does Amit Shah think of himself? Is he above everything? Is he God that no one can protest against him? Banerjee told reporters at the college. The incident is expected to ratchet up tensions in the battleground state, where nine seats go to polls in the last phase of the general elections on Sunday. Bengal has been roiled by violence over the past six rounds of polling, with bombs, bullets and allegations of booth capturing flying thick and fast. What makes the eastern state important are the 42 seats on offer ( the third highest after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra) that the BJP is eyeing to offset possible losses in northern India, and which are crucial for Banerjees national political ambitions. Tensions began on Tuesday in front of Calcutta University with Trinamool Congress Chattra Parishad (TMCP) workers waving black flags and shouting go back Amit Shah slogans before his roadshow passed through. the TMCP workers gathered in front of Calcutta University, BJP supporters gathered on the other side of narrow street. Shah began his road show from Esplanade in the heart of the city and ended it n north Kolkata. Union minister Smriti Irani and senior BJP leader Sunil Deodhar addressed public meetings at Jadavpur and Kolkata South constituencies, respectively. Flower petals rained from the rooftops on both sides of the streets while thousands took part in the procession, chanting Jai Shri Ram and waving saffron flags. Also read: Aiyar attacks PM in article, Congress promises action Shah stood atop a truck, accompanied by Kolkata North candidate Rahul Sinha, state party president Dilip Ghosh, South Kolkata candidate Chandra Kumar Bose, Union Minister Babul Supriyo and Assam finance minister Himanta Viswa Sarma. Over 100 pickup trucks, decorated with green and saffron balloons, party banners and cutouts of Modi-Shah and carrying enthusiastic activists, followed the rally. BJP chief Amit Shah said Tuesday that a Bengali will become the chief minister of the state if the party comes to power. Dont try to scare us referring as bahari bahari (outsider). Neither I nor (party incharge of Bengal) Kailash Vijayvargiya is going to contest elections here. If BJP comes to power, a Bengali gentleman, or lady, is going to be the CM, Shah told a group of intellectuals here. Shah urged the audience not to get confused by chief minister Mamata Banerjees campaign and said, No one will come from outside. A Bengali will be the chief minister and all our MPs will be those carrying the fragrance of the soil of Bengal. His remarks were a response to the TMCs allegations that BJP was trying to import north-Indian culture into Bengal Its sometimes hard for people to imagine that hunger exists right in their community, said Kate Thomas, special events coordinator for the Northern Illinois Food Bank, which sponsors the event. But we have hungry neighbors in all 13 counties we serve, including Lake County. The Foodie 5K event is a fun way to do something about it, she said. After his father Mulayam Singh Yadav filed his nomination papers from the party stronghold of Mainpuri last month, an excited Akhilesh Yadav had exhorted party workers: Netaji should win with the highest victory margin in the country. The Samajwadi Party (SP) national president was beaming as Mulayam stood next to him, putting to rest all speculation on who he (Mulayam) would choose son (Akhilesh) or brother (Shivpal) if he had to side with one ( The two were locked in a bitter fight for control of the party in 2017 that eventually led to Shivpals exit). A senior SP leader had earlier said, He will remain with the Samajwadi Party that he had founded in 1992. An emotional Mulayam said, This is my last election. With no opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it is a cakewalk for him. But its the victory margin that is the key. Interestingly, 563 kilometres away in Varanasi, the campaign managers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have given a similar call, fixing 700,000 as his victory margin. BJP spokesperson, Navratan Rathi, said, We are striving hard to ensure PM wins by the highest margin in the country. Read: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav looks to continue legacy in Azamgarh After his show of strength before filing his nomination papers in Varanasi on April 26, Modi had given a subtle message to his party workers to ensure his victory at every booth. In all, there are 1,800 booths in the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. In 2014, General VK Singh had the highest victory margin in the state when he won from Ghaziabad by 567,000 votes, followed by Bhola Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bulandshahr, who managed a margin of 421,000 votes. Third on the list was Sanjiv Baliyan of the BJP, who won Muzaffarnagar by over 400,000 votes. Modis winning margin from Varanasi was around 371,000 (Aam Aadmi Party chief, Arvind Kejriwal, polled more than 200,000 votes, thereby reducing the margin). Mulayam won from Mainpuri by 364,000 votes. From his second seat of Azamgarh, Mulayams margin was much lower: 62,304. In Modis second seat, Vadodara in Gujarat, the margin of victory was 570,000. Going by the emotional connect of the voters with their candidates in both the constituencies, it is hard to guess who will win the battle of margins in 2019. While Varanasi takes pride in sending the countrys prime minister to the Centre, Mulayam too has a personal bond with this Yadav-Muslim dominated constituency of Mainpuri. Now, Azamgarh is also vying with neighbouring Varanasi in the battle of margins. The supporters of Akhilesh Yadav, who is fighting from the seat, are eyeing a huge victory margin in this Dalit-Muslim-Yadav dominated constituency. Also read: UP records lowest turnout in penultimate phase Their confidence stems from several reasons. For one, the local muscle power of Ramakant Yadav, who has won the seat on SP,BSP and BJP tickets in the past, has now moved to the neighbouring Bhadohi constituency on a Congress ticket. Also, the BJP fielded Bhojpuri actor, Dinesh Lal Yadav alias Nirahua, a political novice. Though Yadavs have voted for the BJP in the past, they are unlikely to ditch Akhilesh, son of the tallest Yadav leader in the state, now that Ramakant Yadav is not in the fray in Azamgarh. Moreover, Mayawati has urged Jatavs, a Dalit sub-caste, to support Akhilesh as they would have supported her. This appeal, the opposition alliance hopes, is going to consolidate the Yadav-Muslim-Jatav votes. Others tall leaders who are expected to retain their seats with large majorities are United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, in Rae Bareli and Union home minister, Rajnath Singh, in Lucknow. In 2009, the five biggest margins in the state were Sonia Gandhi of the Congress (Rae Bareli, 372,000), Rahul Gandhi of the Congress (Amethi, 370,000), Annu Tandon of the Congress (Unnao,302,000), Varun Gandhi of the BJP (Pilibhit, 281,000) and Yogi Adityanath of the BJP (Gorakhpur, 220,000). Also read: How SP-BSP alliance math is playing out on the ground in Uttar Pradesh Prof DK Dwivedi of Lucknow University said, Notwithstanding the claims and counterclaims of political parties, victory margins are most unpredictable. However, they are important too as they determine the popularity of the leader. On the claim by Modi and Mulayam camps, he said, Both are popular. Mainpuri is Mulayams traditional seat while Kashi (Varanasi) elects the prime minister. (Sunita Aron can be reached at saron@hindustantimes.com) Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that he would prefer to die but would never insult Prime Minister Narendra Modis parents. Rahul Gandhis comments came during his speech at Ujjain in the context of the Prime Minister attacking his father for corruption and calling him Bhrastachari no. 1. I dont hate anyone... But Narendra Modi ji insults my father. He speaks about my grandmother and grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about Modis family and parents. I will die, please listen, but I will not insult Narendra Modijis parents because I am not a RSS man. I am not a BJP man; I am a Congressman, said Rahul Gandhi. The Congress chief was here to address three election meetings in Ujjain, Neemuch and Khandwa districts, all in Malwa-Nimad region which goes to polls on May 19. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Madhya Pradesh to address an election meeting at Ratlam in the region. Rahul Gandhi said, Modi ji doesnt talk about farmers suicide, unemployment and corruption but in his interviews he tells how he eats mango, how he peels mango and how did he cut the sleeves of his kurta to save space in his bag. Ridiculing the Prime Ministers recent statement in an interview with a TV news channel that clouds helped Air Forces fighter planes avoid radars in Pakistan during Balakot air strike, the Congress president asked, When there is storm and rains in India do all the planes disappear from radar? Referring to the police firing on farmers in Mandsaur in 2017 which had left 5 farmers dead he said the Prime Minister didnt say anything when the police opened fire at farmers. Rahul Gandhi added, When farmers were killed and you (people in the region) called me I came here. I promised that the farmers loans would be waived offand we kept our promise but Modiji says the loan was not waived. Please see this paper. The loans of Niranjan Singh and Rohit Singh from (former chief minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhans family were waived. He said none of the farmers would go to jail for non-payment of their loans after the Congress was voted to power. There would be two budgets including one for farmers. Referring to the Congress promise on Nyay scheme to give 72,000 annually to 50 million poor families he reiterated his charges on the PM in regard with Rafale deal and said once Congress was voted to power money would be taken out from the pockets of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Anil Ambani and would be given to the poor. State BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat said, Rahul Gandhi has realised well that the Congress is not going to cross the tally of 2014 in Lok Sabha elections and there is no chance of Congress coming back to power in 2019 again. Thats why he is targeting the Prime Minister in his every speech to save his chair and position in Congress after Lok Sabha polls. BJP president Amit Shah said on Tuesday that only a Bengali will become the chief minister of West Bengal if the party comes to power in the state. Dont try to scare us referring as bahari bahari (outsider). Neither I nor Kailash Vijayvargiya is going to contest elections here. If BJP comes to power, a Bengali gentleman, or lady, is going to be the chief minister, said Shah while addressing a meet of intellectuals at a hotel at Rajarhat area in Kolkatas north eastern outskirts. Kailash Vijayvargiya, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, is BJPs national general secretary who is in charge of the party in Bengal. Whom are you trying to scare? Are the MPs who will get elected outsiders? Shah asked. Shah urged the audience not to get confused by Mamata Banerjees campaign and said, No one will come from outside. A Bengali will be the chief minister and all our MPs will be those carrying the fragrance of the soil of Bengal. Assembly elections in West Bengal arent due until 2020. Shahs remarks came following Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chiefs repeated allegations that BJP is trying to import north Indian culture and food habits into Bengal and that they are contesting Bengal elections on the strength of leaders and workers from other states. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) dismissed Shahs statement of coming to power in the state. Their dreams are only a few days away from turning into nightmare. Narendra Modi will lose this election and his party will vanish from this state, said Tapan Dasgupta, minister and TMC Hooghly district president. Barely a few hours earlier, Banerjee had alleged from a public rally in south Kolkata that BJP workers from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand had crowded Amit Shahs roadshow in north Kolkata. Earlier Tuesday, clashes marked Shahs road show in Kolkata with the BJP and the TMC accusing each other for violence at two places. On Monday night, a major controversy erupted after policemen from Barasat police station raided a hotel and asked BJP leaders and workers who had come from Gujarat and were lodging at the hotel to leave the area. The police retreated after the BJP leaders stood their ground and insisted that it was not illegal for them to stay there until 48 hours before polling. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON DMK president MK Stalin on Tuesday rubbished the claims of Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundarrajan who claimed that the Dravidian major was in talks with the saffron party and said he would quit politics if proved otherwise. If Tamilisai Soundarrajan or Narendra Modi, whom she wants to become Prime Minister again prove that I am talking to them for an alliance with the BJP, Im prepared to quit politics. If they fail to prove it, will they renounce politics? the DMK president challenged in a hard hitting statement to the media. It is unfortunate and painful that Tamilisai, hailing from a family with a political legacy, has denigrated herself to this level and allowed to be a scapegoat by the self seeking BJP leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others. This is part of the dirty tricks of the BJP, the statement read. I was the first to endorse Congress President Rahul Gandhi for Prime Ministership and rip apart Modi as a fascist, sadist and autocrat throughout the poll campaign to prevent by all means his return to power, Stalin said. He suspects this was a ploy by the BJP to prevent the votes of the minorities for the DMK in the crucial bypoll to the four assembly segments on May 19 and to blunt the DMKs campaign projecting Rahul for PM. For no reason, they are trying to drag the DMK, he said. Earlier in the day, Tamilisai Soundarrajan dropped a bombshell claiming that the DMK was in talks with the BJP. The hunger and thirst for office is driving Stalin to reach out to Modi. First, it was Rahul, then KCR and now it is Modi. Everyone knows the DMK changes colours. To each one, he is showing a different colour. They are speaking through someone and are establishing connection, she said and laughed heartily at the media interaction in Thoothukudi. It is true, she affirmed when asked whether the DMK was in touch with the BJP for a post-poll tie-up. However, she did not elaborate. Post-KCR meeting, why Stalin was not firm in endorsing Rahul Gandhi for Prime Ministership? Soundarrajan asked. Also read: Did Stalin snub KCRs Federal Front pitch? Just a courtesy call, says DMK She claimed that the BJP would retain power at the Centre on its own and that the saffron party is not worried over the Stalin-KCR meeting. Emergence of any number of fronts would only benefit the BJP, she asserted. Soundarrajan who is the BJP candidate from the southern coastal constituency of Thoothukudi is up against the DMKs Kanimozhi. The Congress has dismissed Soundarrajans claim as an unadulterated lie which is proof of the BJP being rattled at the electoral rout. There is not even an iota of truth in Tamilisais unfounded claim. The DMK is firmly with the Congress and we have no doubt about it. This betrays the saffron partys mortal fear of facing the prospect of a rout in the LS poll. Hence, it is attempting to sow the seeds of confusion in the opposition camp. Such dirty tricks would not succeed as Stalin is committed to secularism and pluralism, TNCC president KS Alagiri told the media. But the AIADMK latched on to Soundarrajans claim to target the DMK. It said there was nothing surprising in the DMK talking to KCR and the saffron party, even while remaining in the alliance with the Congress. AIADMK veteran and Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister Jayakumar led the charge against the DMK on Monday claiming that the Dravidian major was reaching out to the BJP with a bargain for five plum ministerial berths at the Centre. He reiterated it on Tuesday as well. Only Stalin is capable of sailing in three boats at the same time. While being in alliance with the Congress, he is hosting Chandrasekhar Rao and holding parleys with the BJP. It has become crystal clear to Stalin that the the election results will be in favour of the AIADMK in the state and the BJP at the Centre. Hence, he is in talks with the BJP to secure five ministerial berths at the Centre, Jayakumar told the media. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray who campaigned against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the Lok Sabha polls, is now gearing up for the forthcoming Assembly elections. In the Lok Sabha elections, the MNS did not contest, but Thackeray adopted a new style of making video presentations to criticise the Centre. His rallies created a flutter and his speeches went viral, with the ruling BJP criticising him. The informal arrangement between the MNS and the Opposition Congress-NCP was evident as Thackeray asked the MNS cadre to help the Congress-NCP win the elections. With the Lok Sabha elections over, Thackeray has now turned the attention to the upcoming Assembly elections. On Monday, he held a meeting of party workers, the first after the polls, in Thane. Irrespective of the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections, start preparing for the Assembly polls, Thackeray told party workers. He gave a pep talk to his workers asking them to reach out to the electorate. You need to shed your arrogance and win the hearts of people. Dont do anything which will sully the name of the party. For Thackeray, this is one of the major battles, as the MNS is at its lowest, since its formation in 2006. From 13 legislators in 2009, the party is down to just one legislator in 2014. Even the lone MLA, Sharad Sonawane, has left the party and joined the Shiv Sena. Thackeray, in his meeting, spoke about two issues drought in the state and Assembly poll preparation. He said he wont tour drought-affected areas. What will I do visiting them, when I am not in a position to offer them any relief? It is not a tourist spot, said Thackeray. Thackeray was also caustic in his criticism of both Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He, however, desisted from making any comment on whether the MNS will tie up with the Congress-NCP combine or fight the elections alone. In the meeting, Thackeray announced the reshuffle in the organisation and named new chiefs for his party cells. He warned workers that he would not allow indiscipline and rebels will face action. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The state government has put the admission process for postgraduate (PG) medical and dental admissions on hold till Sunday, as it looks at legal options by which reservation for Marathas under the socially and economically backward castes (SEBC) category may be retained despite the Bombay high court (HC) and Supreme Court (SC) saying the quota should not be applied to these courses this year. The government is also seeking to extend the deadline for PG medical and dental admissions from May 25 to June 15. Following a directive from the state government on Monday, the Common Entrance Test (CET) cell put a seven-day stay on the admission process on Tuesday, when the first list of college allotments without the 16% quota for Marathas was expected. Admissions of students admitted under the SEBC quota stands cancelled due to the HC verdict. However, the government is looking at legal options to reinstate the admissions of these students, said TP Lahane, state director, medical education and research. A revised admission schedule is expected soon. The government is also seeking to push the deadline for PG medical and dental admissions to June 15, by which time litigations related to the newly-introduced 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) should be resolved. Considering the decision to implement EWS quota in health science courses has also been challenged in court, the government has decided to request the SC to extend the admission period, read a letter from the government to the state CET cell. The Supreme Court on May 9 had rejected the Maharashtra governments plea and upheld the HC verdict that said reservation for Marathas wouldnt apply to PG medical and dental courses this year. The apex court set May 25 as the deadline for admissions. Following this, the state CET cell started a fresh round of admissions, cancelling the first two rounds. Around 200 Maratha students admitted to PG dental and medical courses, and activists have demanded the state issue an order to apply the SEBC quota in this academic year. The government has said it plans to issue an ordinance that will provide for the Maratha quota being applied to these courses in the academic year 2019-20, but is waiting for the elections to end when the model code of conduct will be lifted. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON What impact May 23 will have on Maharashtra politics? In case of Maharashtra, the election results that will be declared on May 23, will not be only about who wins the Lok Sabha. The outcome will also show which way the wind is blowing ahead of the state assembly elections that will be held in five months. The results on Maharashtras 48 Lok Sabha seats will show which side ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance or opposing Congress-NCP-led coalition is better placed to win power in the state. One can expect one of three probable scenarios when the votes are counted on May 23 and results are declared. Lets take a look at them: First is the possibility of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) repeating the performance of 2014 Lok Sabha elections. At the time the NDA had won 42 of 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra while the Congress-NCP alliance managed to win only six. If people respond to BJPs call for `Modi Sarkar Phir Ek Bar and the reuniting of saffron parties helps the NDA, they will hit a target of around 40 or above. This will be a desirable scenario for the BJP and Sena. It will come as a big boost for chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who is heading the NDA in Maharashtra and could also mean his government could be on its way to win a second tenure. On the other hand, this will turn out to be a nightmare for the Congress-NCP as both the parties in the alliance could be staring at losing more and more ground to the ruling combine. Several senior leaders from both the parties could end up making their way to greener pastures of the BJP or Sena. The second scenario could be the Congress-NCP-led coalition or United Progressive Alliance (UPA) winning more seats that the NDA something like 30 or above it. This can happen only if there is a strong undercurrent against the Modi government at the Centre. Theoretically speaking, such a result will mean a turning point for the Opposition parties. It will mean the Fadnavis government heading for ouster in the assembly elections. As of now, even the optimistic in the Opposition camp are hopeful of reaching 30. The third scenario is sort of a middle ground for both sides: The NDA winning anywhere between 25 to 30 seats while the UPA gets 20 to 25 seats. In this scenario, NDA may lose some ground to UPA. It will mean both the sides could be locked in a close fight for power in Maharashtra which could be a prelude to another fierce electoral fight in the state. The results will also show if two other players outside the two coalitions Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi convener Prakash Ambedkar can make any difference in the electoral battle. A new scion in the making? As NCP chief Sharad Pawar resumed his tour of drought-hit areas of Maharashtra on Monday after a short break, everybody noticed the presence of his grandnephew, Rohit Pawar, the grandson of Pawars brother Appasaheb. According to NCP insiders, Rohit is a favourite of Pawars and is learning the ropes from the veteran politician who has been a dominant factor in Maharashtra politics for over four decades. Pawar fondly talks about his grandnephew who has taken his first step in politics by winning the zilla parishad (district council) elections from Baramati. Party insiders also say Rohit may contest the coming assembly elections from a constituency in Ahmednagar district or the next Lok Sabha elections from Baramati constituency which is currently being represented by Supriya Sule. It seems a new scion is making his way to state politics. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Vishal, who is currently basking in the success of Ayogya, has already commenced work on his next project, tipped to be a sequel to his blockbuster film Irumbuthirai. The industry grapevine is that Shraddha Srinath has been roped in to play the leading lady. Last seen in Tamil thriller K 13 in which she played a writer, Shraddha pairs with Vishal for the first time in this action-thriller. Shraddha also has Nerkonda Paarvai, the Tamil remake of Pink starring Ajith, in her kitty. She reprises Taapsee Pannus role from the original in the remake. The film is slated for release on August 10. Vishal is producing the sequel which is expected to go on the floors later this year. The rest of the cast and crew are yet to be finalised. Irumbuthirai, which released last year, was a cyber thriller that featured Vishal and Arjun in the lead roles. Also read | Anushka Sharma: I have reached a position as an actor where I dont need to sign films to fill up time Vishal will also soon work on the sequel to Thupparivaalan with filmmaker Mysskin. Both of them met recently at Cappadocia in Turkey where Vishal was shooting for the Sundar C directorial. Apparently, discussions were held regarding Thupparivaalan 2, slated go on the floors later this year. Vishal had confirmed that he will produce the film which will roll from November after the completion of pending commitments. In Thupparivaalan, Vishal played a detective called Kaniyan Poogundran, modeled after Sherlock Holmes. Actor Prasanna played his sidekick, a character close to Sherlocks partner Dr Watson. Vishal confirmed he will be reuniting with Mysskin for the sequel even before the release of Thupparivaalan. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop A: Blue and the color blue are synonymous with law enforcement, whether its a blue line in a flag or blue ribbons when people are showing support of police or recognizing someones sacrifice. The president changes the lights to blue on National Peace Officers Memorial Day. This way, the community can show support for local law enforcement. Someone can change their exterior light for a week to show support for us. The nice thing about that is officers can see as they drive around the community, especially officers who work nights. They know someone has their backs. You dont have to bake us cookies or hold an event. Just have a light bulb on at night in a quiet non-public way. American actor-comedian Aziz Ansari is set to visit India with his international tour Road To Nowhere. The 36-year-old Master of None star, who is known for his funny take on everyday situations and commentary on the society, will be performing two comedy gigs in Mumbai (May 24 and 25) and one in Delhi (May 26). Also read: Amitabh Bachchan reveals how he threatened and negotiated with pain to return to work, shares new pic from Chehre Ansari is scheduled to perform at National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, while in Delhi his comedy show will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN). Audiences can book tickets on BookmyShow. Ansari stayed out of the public eye following the sexual misconduct allegations that were lobbied against him back in January last year. A 23-year-old Brooklyn-based photographer had claimed that during her date with Ansari she felt pressured by the comedian into sexual activity. However, he returned to stand up shows soon and by May 2018, he had already performed multiple times at Comedy Cellar in New York City. He talked about the allegations earlier this year at a show in New York. There were times I felt really upset and humiliated and embarrassed, and ultimately I just felt terrible this person felt this way. But you know, after a year, how I feel about it is, I hope it was a step forward. It made me think about a lot, and I hope Ive become a better person, a New York Times report quoted him as saying. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow @htshowbiz for more One of the Easter Sunday suicide bombers, who attempted to bomb the luxury Taj Samudra hotel here, was radicalised by British-Pakistani radical preacher Anjem Choudary while he was studying at a university in London, according to a media report. Abdul Latheef Mohamed Jameel, 37, who hailed from a wealthy family involved in the tea trade, reportedly met the radical preacher while studying at Kingston University, the BBC reported. Choudary, 52, is considered one of the UKs most influential and dangerous radical preachers. He was convicted and jailed in 2016 for inviting support for the Islamic State group but was released in 2018. Counter-extremism experts early this year had warned that Choudarys extremist group al-Muhajiroun network was regenerating itself. Jameel, a father of four children, was the link between local radicals and IS or other Islamist groups based abroad, Sri Lankan security officers told the BBC. Jameel was one of the nine bombers who carried out a series of blasts targeting three churches and three hotels in Colombo in which which nearly 360 people were killed. Jameels target on April 21 Easter bombings was the Taj Samudra hotel of Tata Groups hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL). But his bomb probably failed and he was seen leaving the premises. He later blew himself up at a motel in the suburb of Dehiwala, killing two guests. Jameel studied in the UK and Australia before he tried to go to Syria. Several years ago, his family became concerned about his hardline views and enlisted the help of a security official. A security official told the BBC: He (Jameel) was completely radicalised and supported the extremist ideology. I tried to reason with him. When I asked him how he got into this he said that he attended the sermons of the radical British preacher Anjem Choudary in London. He said he met him during the sermons. After advocating people to follow the spirit of 996 (9 am to 9 pm, six days a week at workplace), Alibaba founder Jack Ma now has given another advice for an improved life: Follow the spirit of 669 (sex for six days, six times, with duration being the key). According to a report in Daily Mail, Chinas richest man gave this advice to the employees during Alibaba staffs group wedding in the country. At work, we emphasize the spirit of 996. In life, we should follow 669, Ma said. The 54-year-old Ma was speaking at his companys mass wedding which takes place every year on Ali Day on May 10 at the companys headquarters in Hangzhou. The 996 work philosophy was criticised by the tech industry. The 669 philosophy has also created a social media storm, with many net users calling it lewd. Who on earth would have the energy to do 669 at home after 996 during work? quipped one user. The 669 quote was posted on Alibabas official page on Weibo with a winking emoji. Making a lewd joke in public and notoriously promoting it - are you being responsible to minors? Thumbs down this time, read another comment. (The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text, only the headline has been changed) Mobs slashed to death a Sri Lankan Muslim man despite a nationwide curfew imposed Monday night after anti-Muslim riots spread to three districts north of the capital in a violent backlash against Easter suicide bombings. The 45-year-old man died shortly after admission to a hospital in Puttalam district during the rioting which began Sunday in the area, a police official told AFP. Mobs had attacked him with sharp weapons at his carpentry workshop, the official said. This is the first death from the riots. Watch | Explained: Sri Lanka suicide bombings fallout Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the curfew was declared to prevent unidentified groups destabilising the country by orchestrating communal violence. At several places in the North-Western Province these groups created trouble, damaged property, Wickremesinghe said in a televised address to the nation. Police and security forces have contained the situation, but these (unidentified) groups are still trying to create trouble. Wickremesinghe said the unrest would hinder investigations into the April 21 attacks that targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and wounding nearly 500. In a separate TV address, Police Chief Chandana Wickramaratne warned police will take stern action against rioters, and constables have been issued orders to use maximum force. Residents in the North-Western Province were ordered to stay indoors after Christian-led mobs torched dozens of Muslim-owned shops, vehicles and mosques on Sunday and Monday. Also read | Sri Lanka imposes nationwide curfew as riots erupt weeks after Easter bombings The attacks came during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Later the curfew was extended to cover the entire country of 21 million people. Police said there were sporadic incidents of mobs throwing stones and torching shops, motorcycles and cars owned by Muslims. In the town of Hettipola, at least three shops were torched. In the town of Minuwangoda, just north of Colombo, a Muslim-owned hotel and a mosque were attacked by stone-hurling mobs armed with sticks. Several shops have been attacked, a senior police officer told AFP. When mobs tried to attack mosques, we fired in the air and used tear gas to disperse them. The officer added that there are people trying to make political capital out of this situation. PM warns against rumours Earlier Monday, authorities banned Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms. Platforms were similarly blocked after the Easter attacks. The prime minister urged the public not to believe rumours and warned that civil unrest will stretch the already thinly deployed security forces. I appeal to all citizens to remain calm and not be swayed by false information, Wickremesinghe said on Twitter, which was not targeted in the social media blockade. A state of emergency has been in place since the bombings -- which the Islamic State group claims to have helped -- and security forces have been given sweeping powers to detain suspects. The latest wave of unrest started when a mob targeted Muslim-owned shops in the town of Chilaw, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Colombo on Sunday in anger at a Facebook post by a shopkeeper. Dont laugh more, 1 day u will cry, he wrote, which local Christians took to be a warning of an impending attack. The group smashed the mans shop and vandalised a nearby mosque prompting security forces to fire in the air to disperse the crowd, but the violence spread. There had already been clashes last week between Christians and Muslims in Negombo, the town north of Colombo that was targeted by the suicide attackers. The main body of Islamic clerics, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), said there was increased suspicion of Muslims after the Easter Sunday killings. We call upon the members of the Muslim communities to be more patient and guard your actions and avoid unnecessary postings or hosting on social media, the ACJU said. Internet service providers said they have been instructed by the telecommunications regulator to block access to Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram. Schools reopen The latest unrest came as Catholic churches resumed public Sunday masses for the first time since the bombings. Dozens of people have been detained since the Easter attacks, and with security heightened students are only allowed into schools after checks for explosives. But attendance has been extremely low, according to education authorities. Muslims make up around 10 percent of Buddhist-majority Sri Lankas population and Christians about 7.6 percent. (The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text, only the headline has been changed) Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday there would no war with the US despite mounting tensions. In comments carried by state TV, Khamenei reiterated Iran wont negotiate with the US on a nuclear deal. There wont be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance. In Sochi, Russia, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the US doesnt want war but vowed to keep pressuring Tehran. We fundamentally do not see a war with Iran, he told a joint news conference with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. Irans President Hassan Rouhani told a meeting of clerics that his country is too great to be intimidated by anyone. God willing we will pass this difficult period with glory and our heads held high, and defeat the enemy, state media quoted him as saying on Monday. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his trade war with China as tensions escalated and markets extended their losses, promising a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon, even as fears escalated about a protracted battle. In series of early-morning tweets, Trump kept up his America First agenda in support of hefty tariffs and called on US companies to back him by shifting their businesses away from China. When the time is right we will make a deal with China, Trump said. It will all happen, and much faster than people think! World stocks hovered near two-month lows on Tuesday, although slightly more optimistic comments from US and Chinese officials on trade brought some comfort a day after equities suffered their worst sell-off so far this year. Trump said he could make a deal with Beijing now, but said he would not be burned again and criticized China for last-minute attempt to renegotiate. We are in a much better position now than any deal we could have made, he said. Trump also defended his administrations trade efforts with China as a model for US negotiations with other nations. Other countries are already negotiating with us because they dont want this to happen to them. They must be a part of USA action, he added. President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed as fake news a report that top US national security officials reviewed a plan to deploy 120,000 troops to West Asia if Iran attacked American forces, but vowed that if he was forced to make that choice, he would send a hell of a lot more troops. The plan, first reported by The New York Times, was to send nearly the same number of troops as the initial US invasion force in Iraq in 2003. In response to a question about it, Trump said: Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we dont have to plan for that. But, if we did that we will send a hell of a lot more troops than that, he added. Trump had earlier warned Iran that its going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that. Theyre not going to be happy. The news report said the plan was ordered by National Security Adviser John Bolton, a strident Iran hawk, and the meeting was attended by acting secretary of defence Patrick Shanahan, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Joseph Dunford, CIA director Gina Haspel and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats among others. The United States despatched an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to West Asia last week citing intelligence that Iran, by itself or through proxies, could launch an attack on American interests or allies. It has also deployed a Patriot anti-missile battery and an amphibious warship used for transporting troops. The NYT report said that some national security officials believe Iran has felt emboldened after Trumps announcement to withdraw troops from Syria and a thinning US naval presence int he region. Teheran, in their view reportedly, has concluded the Trump administration doesnt have the stomach for a conflict. British Prime Minister Theresa May was under pressure from her own party on Tuesday to abandon a bid to find a Brexit compromise with the opposition Labour Party. Nearly three years since the United Kingdom voted 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, there is still no agreement among British politicians about when, how or even if the divorce should take place. It was due to have left the European Union on March 29, though May has been unable to get her divorce deal approved by parliament so she has turned to the Labour Party, led by socialist Jeremy Corbyn, in a bid to court his support. Thirteen of Mays former cabinet colleagues as well as Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative lawmakers, wrote to May to ask her not to agree Labours demand for a post-Brexit customs union with the EU. You would have lost the loyal middle of the Conservative Party, split our party and with likely nothing to show for it, the letter said, according to The Times. No leader can bind his or her successor so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worst illusory, it said. Mays chief Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, is due in Brussels to discuss changes to the political declaration on the UKs future relationship with the EU. Robbins will explore how quickly changes could be made to the political declaration if the government and Labour can come to an agreement, the BBC said. The Theresa May government on Tuesday said it would take up with Indian authorities cases of alleged persecution of Christians in India, days after a review commissioned by the Foreign Office highlighted several such cases in India. The issue of alleged persecution was raised during Foreign Office questions in the House of Commons by David Linden (Scottish National Party), who claimed the cases against Christians were escalating in India. Foreign Office minister Mark Field responded: India of course has been one of many countries where there has been an increase, worsening of cases. We will obviously take up at the consular level all the cases that the member refers to. The exchange followed the submission of an interim report by the bishop of Truro on the Foreign Offices support to deal with persecution of Christians across the world to foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt. The report alleges that mob violence has become a regular occurrence in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Telangana. This, it further alleges, leads to beatings, forced conversion from Christianity to Hinduism, sexual violence against women and murder. Hunt said: I asked the Bishop of Truro to deliver an independent, honest, unflinching and hard-hitting report. What he has delivered...makes for a truly sobering read 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. At a launch event of campaign group Open Doors global watch-list of 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution, Hunt said London should draw attention to such cases in India. The group for the first time included India in the top ten countries where Christians face the most persecution. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The wife and children of former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, who vanished while visiting China in September last year, have been granted political asylum in France, the familys lawyer told AFP on Monday. Grace Meng, who was given police protection after she alleged an abduction attempt at the start of the year, was granted asylum on May 2 along with the couples two children, their lawyer Emmanuel Marsigny said. Meng Hongwei disappeared last September after leaving the French city of Lyon, where Interpol is based, for China. He later sent his wife a social media message telling her to wait for my call, and then a knife emoji signifying danger. A few weeks later Interpol was informed that Meng, the first Chinese president at the international police agency, had resigned, with China later saying he was being held on suspicion of taking bribes. He was officially charged this month with accepting bribes that allowed him to illegally obtain several properties while Marine Police chief and vice minister in China. But his wife said recently that Chinese officials had presented no proof whatsoever to back up their charges. In French media interviews she has said she fears for her life, and was afraid she and her seven-year-old twins would be the targets of kidnapping attempts. In January, when she lodged her asylum request, she told Liberation newspaper that two Chinese businessmen, one of whom she knew, visited her at home in October and invited her to travel with them by private jet to the Czech Republic. She also said that later that month, the Chinese consulate in Lyon said they had a letter for her from her husband, but insisted she show up in person to collect it. She also reported receiving strange phone calls and said she was once followed into a hotel by a Chinese couple who attempted to gather information about her. Meng Hongwei is among a growing group of Communist Party cadres caught in President Xi Jinpings anti-graft campaign, which critics say has served as a way to remove the leaders political enemies. He has since been replaced as president of Interpol by South Koreas Kim Jong-yang. The mayor is the chief executive officer with ultimate responsibility for enforcement of laws, he said. He does not vote except in limited cases such as a tie, but he has veto power. He also has the power to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Village Board, all officers of the village and all members of boards and commissions. For every Joshua Chamberlain there was a soldier, blue or gray, whose bravery was overlooked Popular lore and legend about the Battle of Gettysburg are peppered with heroic figures immortalized in countless books and articles, and, of course, movies. While the glory for those three days in July 1863 most often goes to well-known generals or civilian saviors who supported troops on both sides of the cause with muskets, meals, or medicine, there are any number of more obscure officers and common soldiers who performed gallant acts of lesser profile. Americas Civil War asked a select group of licensed battlefield guides at Gettysburg National Military Park to share the story of one of those men of their choosing. In alphabetical order, their selections follow. They include men who displayed not only courage, but also character, and include officers who rallied in the thick of the battle as well as officers whose valiant efforts in smaller skirmishes out of sight of the main event often get brushed aside. Whether singlehandedly capturing the enemys colors under fire, steadfastly refusing to retreat from untenable circumstances, or stoically leading weary troops across treacherous terrain and into murderous gunfire, all of these men acted to further the cause of their fighting army. They sacrificed their own interests, and in some cases, their own lives, for the greater purpose of the country they were fighting for, and they deserve a heros recognition. Brigadier General Henry Lewis Benning Bennings Brigade, Hoods Division, Longstreets Corps Brigadier General Henry L. Benning, namesake of todays well-known U.S. Army fort in Columbus, Ga., did not deliver a perfect performance at Gettysburg. During the July 2 fighting against the Union left, he essentially failed to follow the brigade he was supposed to trail during the assault by Maj. Gen. John Bell Hoods Division across the Emmitsburg Road and through the Peach Orchard, leaving part of his brigade dangling and in danger of being captured. Also, as is true for many other Confederates at Gettysburg, his performance did not produce a Southern victory. I firmly believe, however, that the deeds of Old Rock Benning and his four regiments of Georgians at Gettysburg are underappreciated. After all, Benning skillfully advanced his brigade over the most difficult terrain Gettysburg had to offer. He inspired his men during their deadly advance, kept his units together (even accepting some Texans into his ranks), and tipped the scales for the Confederates in capturing Devils Den for the second time. When his own men tried to claim capture of some cannons at Devils Den, Benning gave credit to the other units that deserved it. During a Union countercharge, Benning displayed his ferocity on combat: [H]old your fire until they come right up. Then pour a volley into them, and if they dont stop, run your bayonets into their bellies. Fighting savagely in areas of the battlefield now known as the Slaughter Pen, the Valley of Death, and Devils Den, it is not surprising that Bennings men suffered the highest percentage of loss among the brigades in Hoods Division. Benning lost two of his colonels, killed in the Slaughter Pen and in the Triangular Field. Also, on July 3, his brigade bore the greatest part of the Union advance after the conclusion of Picketts Charge. Ten weeks after fighting in the Civil Wars bloodiest engagement, Benning and his men fought in the wars second costliest battle at Chickamauga. In between these terrible battles, 600 miles apart, Benning managed to secure official reports from the commanders of all four of his Gettysburg regiments and submitted a detailed one of his own. That all-too-rarely accomplished feat allows us to better understand Americas greatest battle, which warms this historians heart and earns Benning a coveted spot among Gettysburgs unsung heroes. Garry Adelman Guide #110, licensed 1995 Color Sergeant Henry C. Brehm 149th Pennsylvania Infantry Colonel Roy Stones Bucktail Brigade, composed of the 143rd, 149th, and 150th Pennsylvania, spent the night of June 30, 1863, in camp near Marsh Creek, Pa., six miles south of Gettysburg. Attached to the 3rd Division in Maj. Gen. John Reynolds 1st Corps, the brigade quietly began moving toward Gettysburg the morning of July 1, with Color Sergeant Henry C. Brehm of the 149th Pennsylvania carrying the national flag. Upon reaching the Emmitsburg Road, on the outskirts of Gettysburg, the brigade heard sounds of battle. Pressing forward at the double-quick, the men reached the vicinity of the Lutheran Seminary at approximately 11 a.m., and then marched obliquely across the fields west of the seminary to the McPherson Farm. Major General Abner Doubleday, commanding the 1st Corps following Reynolds death earlier that morning, placed Stones Pennsylvanians between the 1st Division brigades of Brig. Gens. Solomon Meredith and Lysander Cutler. In the 149th, seven companies took a position facing west in a farm lane; three others faced north along the Chambersburg Pike. Confederate artillery from the north soon enfiladed the position. As companies shifted toward the Chambersburg Pike to avoid the barrage, Rebel cannons to the weston Herrs Ridgecontinued the onslaught of fire. Realizing his position was becoming untenable, Stone ordered the 149ths color guard into a field just north of the pike. The ruse worked! Hunkering down behind a pile of fence rails, with only their flags exposed, Brehms six-man guard attracted artillery fire and convinced enemy infantry that a regiment had occupied that position. After several charges and countercharges, the Bucktails were forced to retreat. Unfortunately, no one told the 149ths color guard, and Sergeant Brehm refused to leave without orders. Suddenly from the west, six Confederates rushed forward and grabbed for the flags. After a struggle, Brehm and his men ran toward their retreating regiment, only to find more men in gray. As Brehm raced through the line toward Seminary Ridge, he was hit in the back by a shell fragment and severely wounded. His flag was quickly seized by an enemy soldier. Brehm died on August 9. Yet by buying precious time for his embattled brigade with his courage and leadership, he earned a place as one of Gettysburgs unsung heroes. Therese Orr Guide #236, licensed in 2016 Brigadier General George P. Doles Doles Brigade, Rodes Division, Ewells Corps Although George Doles had just a common-school education and mere militia experience, he was highly regarded enough to be elected colonel of the 4th Georgia Infantry on May 9, 1861, not quite a month into the Civil War. Sixteen months later, on November 9, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general and assumed command of a brigadeeventually consisting of the 4th, 12th, 21st, and 44th Georgia Infantryin Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes Division in Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Stonewall Jacksons Second Corps. Doles performed admirably at the major Confederate victories at Fredericksburg in December 1862 and in May 1863 at Chancellorsville, where he lost 437 men. He was 33 years old, having served with distinction for two years in an army known for combat commanders. On July 1, 1863, the first day of fighting at Gettysburg, Doles had orders to protect the left flank of Rodes Division and during the afternoon clashed with Union Brig. Gen. Francis C. Barlows 1st Division, part of Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howards 11th Corps, on Blochers Knoll (known today as Barlows Knoll). Barlow got the upper hand but left his new position overextended. In response, Doles led an attack on the knoll from the northwest, joined by Brig. Gen. John B. Gordons newly arrived brigade. When Colonel Wladimir Krzyzanowskis 2nd Brigade, in Maj. Gen. Carl Schurzs 3rd Division, suddenly swarmed in from the right, Doles wheeled the 21st Georgia to meet the attack. The regiment, however, was soon driven back to Blochers Lane. Doles quickly shifted the 12th Georgia from the left to reinforce the hard-pressed 21st. Meanwhile, the rest of the brigade wheeled right and closed on the enemy, exchanging volleys at 75 yards. The Georgians marksmanship was devastating; within 15 minutes, Krzyzanowski lost more than 600 men. Belatedly, the 157th New York arrived to offer assistance, but in short order Doles had three regiments concentrated on the New Yorkers, who were soon repulsed with 75 percent losses. Doles Brigade suffered only 219 casualties16 percent of those engaged. On June 2, 1864, during the Battle of Cold Harbor, Doles was killed by a sharpshooter at Bethesda Church, Va. His remains were returned to Milledgeville, Ga., for burial. Regrettably, he is not counted among the famous figures of Gettysburg. Although his brigade performed well, recognition never camepartly because Doles fought detached from, and largely out of sight of, his division commander, Rodes. To make matters worse, fellow Georgian Gordon claimed a great deal of the glory for Doles success that July day when he wrote his romanticized 1904 memoir, Reminiscences of the Civil War. David L. Richards Guide #23, licensed in 1986 Colonel David Ireland 137th New York A native of Forfar, Scotland, born in 1832, David Ireland was with the 79th Cameron Highlanders at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, and that fall was captain in the 15th U.S. Regulars. In the summer of 1862, he was named colonel of the new 137th New York Infantry, which saw its first combat at Chancellorsville in May 1863. Two months later, on July 2, the 137thpart of Brig. Gen. George S. Greenes 3rd Brigade, 12th Corpsfound itself building entrenchments on Culps Hill on the Union right. As fighting raged on the left, it remained relatively quiet for Henry Slocums 12th Corps until about 6 p.m., when he was ordered to lend assistance to the threatened Union positions in the Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, and on Little Round Top. As the 12th Corps departed, Confederate Maj. Gen. Edward Johnsons Division in Lt. Gen. Richard Ewells Corps advanced on the vacated Union trenches. Only Greenes all-New York brigade had been allowed to remain1,424 men aligned from the summit of Culps Hill to Rock Creek. Johnson had 4,678 men, more than enough, and as the Rebels swarmed in, Greene attempted to occupy those trenches, too. To Greenes fortune, his largest regimentthe 423-man 137th New Yorkwas on his right. Irelands men managed to reach trenches previously occupied by Brig. Gen. Thomas Kanes 2nd Brigade just as the Confederates struck. Leading the attack on Greenes right was Brig. Gen. George H. Steuarts 2,100-man brigade. With three Virginia regiments, the 1st Maryland Battalion, and elements of the 1st North Carolina Infantry on hand, Steuart soon learned that Greenes right was unsupported. The 137th checked Steuarts advance for a time, but when a Union regiment coming to Irelands assistance was driven off the field, the 137th was on its own. At this time we were fired on heavily from three sides, Ireland recalled. Here we lost severely in killed and wounded. Though virtually surrounded, Ireland was able to fall back to a traverse line that had been constructed earlier in the day, but he and his men quickly faced a renewed assaultthe fighting at close quarters and desperate. Captain Joseph Gregg, Company I, was mortally wounded as his unit contested a threat with fixed bayonets. Again, the 137th somehow kept the Confederates at bay until help arrived. Its ability not to break against such unrelenting pressure, in fact, is one of Gettysburgs unsung stories. Had the Federals on Culps Hill succumbed, the loss of this critical sector undoubtedly would have altered the battles outcome. (The 137th New York ironically suffered 137 casualties. It is interesting to note that the more famous bookend regiment, the 20th Maine on Little Round Top, endured the same percentage of loss32.4 percent.) Ireland did not survive the war, dying of dysentery in recently captured Atlanta on September 10, 1864. In a letter to Irelands wife, the attending physician wrote, [H]is loss to the public service will with great difficulty, if at all, be supplied. Charles Fennell Guide #28, licensed in 1986 Captain Francis Irsch 45th New York Infantry The 11th Corps is probably best known for its role in the Army of the Potomacs famous defeat at Chancellorsville in May 1863, as well as for the derogatory Flying Dutchmen nickname it garnered, in reference to the large number of German immigrants in its ranks. Widespread prejudice in mid-19th century America held that Germans were poor material for soldiers, not to be counted on when the bullets began to fly. This, of course, was nonsense. More than 200,000 men of German origin served in the Union Army during the warthe most of any ethnic groupand many distinguished themselves fighting for their adopted land. Captain Francis Irschs service is of one of their stories. Commander of Company D, 45th New York Infantry, Irsch was among the weary members of the 11th Corps making the march to Gettysburg the morning of July 1. Just 22, he was already a veteran of two major battles and several smaller engagements. His regiment, the corps vanguard, reached Gettysburg about noon and advanced rapidly through the town before halting for a brief break near Pennsylvania College. Irsch, however, would get no rest; he was ordered to assume command of four companies and advance as skirmishers to support the embattled 1st Corps. Advancing under heavy fire, the New Yorkers played a critical role in helping to defeat an attack by Colonel Edward ONeals Alabama brigade, taking numerous prisoners. Later that afternoon, the Federal positions north of town collapsed under a renewed onslaught. The 45th retired in good order down Washington Street but found its route blocked by retreating 1st Corps troops, with Confederate infantry in pursuit. In an attempted detour down Chambersburg Street, the regiment encountered Rebel forces in the town square. The only way out was through alleys alongside Christ Lutheran Church, which led to a courtyard with one narrow exit. As the enemy closed in, Irsch ordered his companies, at the rear, to occupy nearby buildings and fight it out. He also rounded up Federal stragglers and soon had the services of a few hundred men. Under Irschs inspired leadership, resistance continued for much of the evening, with several Confederate surrender entreaties rejected. Finally, near dusk, he recognized the hopelessness of his situation and surrenderedafter ordering his men to destroy their weapons and ammunition. Three days later, as the defeated Army of Northern Virginia prepared to retreat from Gettysburg, paroles were offered to the prisoners from the 45th. Irsch refused, believing that his mens presence during the retreat would greatly hinder the Confederates. In February 1864, Irsch was among 109 captives to tunnel out of Richmonds infamous Libby Prison. Some reached safety, but Irsch was recaptured. He was finally exchanged in March 1865 and returned to duty with the 45th. Irsch received the Medal of Honor for his Gettysburg heroism in 1892. Unfortunately, his postwar years were plagued with ill health and failed business ventures. He died in poverty in Tampa, Fla., in 1906. Stuart R. Dempsey Guide #208, licensed in 2004 Lieutenant Colonel Freeman McGilvery 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Freeman McGilvery was a former sea captain from Maine turned Federal artillerist. By mid-1863, his star was rising as a tough but trusted officer. At about 3:30 p.m. on July 2, he was ordered to support Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles 3rd Corps near the Peach Orchard. He rushed forward with his two most trusted batteries and deployed them just east of the orchard amid enfilading Confederate artillery fire. A brigade of South Carolinians soon tested McGilverys artillerymen, with McGilvery claiming he was sure that several hundred were put hors de combat in a short space of time. This, however, was not just a boast. We were truly in a box, wrote Private John Coxe, liable to be captured or annihilated at any moment. Even as the Confederates overran the Peach Orchard, McGilvery organized a retreat by battery, knowing he undoubtedly would be trading his own mens lives for precious time. The reciprocal trust between McGilvery and his subordinates was evident in their sacrifice that evening. McGilvery formed a new patchwork line of 13 guns along Cemetery Ridge, which quickly wreaked point-blank havoc on the Rebels and helped repulse the attack. On July 3, McGilvery commanded 39 pieces of artillery along his line of the previous evening spanning Cemetery Ridge, and he was again instrumentalthis time in repulsing Picketts Charge. McGilverys fighting career did not begin or end with Gettysburg, but performances like his provided the Union Army with its first major victory against Robert E. Lee. Later in the war, as chief of artillery for the 10th Corps, McGilvery was slightly wounded in the finger. Since he was not healing properly, surgeons decided to amputate the finger and the 40-year old McGilvery died of a chloroform overdose during the procedure on September 2, 1864. Britt Isenberg Guide #20, licensed in 2014 Lieutenant Colonel Henry Czar Merwin 27th Connecticut Infantry Much of the traditional focus and interest surrounding Gettysburg is on the upper echelons of the armiesthe general officers. But lower-ranking officers in both armies also played critical roles in the three-day battle and should not be overlooked. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Czar Merwin is one of those unsung heroes. Merwin was a 23-year-old citizen officer who did not attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; instead, he represented a contingent of young men in volunteer regiments who rose in the ranks through merit and personal reputation. Gettysburg was unfortunately Merwins final battle. He was killed in action leading the 27th Connecticut Infantry, a hard-luck nine-month outfit, into the fierce Wheatfield fighting the afternoon of July 2. The 27th was part of Colonel John R. Brookes 4th Brigade, in the 1st Division of Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancocks 2nd Corps. Today, no grand statue marks where Merwin fell, only a tiny, rather beat-up marker along the Wheatfield Road, often obscured by tall grass. Merwin was never recognized with a Medal of Honor. His role in the battle probably had little direct effect on the outcomehis troops were driven back and the Wheatfield fighting produced a stalemate. There is a reason that Merwin and countless young officers like him deserve more attention for their efforts. He is an unsung hero not for changing the course of the Battle of Gettysburg, but because of his selfless service, the respect he earned from his men, and his exemplary conduct as a combat leader. David Weaver Guide #37, licensed in 1986 Captain Edwin William Miller Company H, 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry In the late afternoon of July 2, 1863, Captain Edwin William Miller and the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry clashed with Brig. Gen. James A. Walkers famed Stonewall Brigade on Brinkerhoffs Ridge, east of Gettysburg. The brisk skirmish had important repercussions on the battles outcome. For the beleaguered Union defenders on Culps Hill that day, the absence of Walkers 1,300 or so veterans during critical fighting helped keep the summit in Federal hands. Miller and his troopers would have another memorable engagement the following day. Part of the Union cavalry screen east of Gettysburg, Miller commanded a squadron of four companies concealed in a patch of woods along the Low Dutch Road. By early afternoon, Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart had arrayed four cavalry brigades to their north. In a series of chess-like moves, each sides horsemen sought an edge. Dismounted cavalry advanced, retreated, reinforced, and retired. Stuart then launched a mounted attack, only to be blunted by a Union counterattack. Sensing a stalemate, Stuart finally ordered a coup de maina mounted charge of his best brigades. The Federals launched another desperate counterattack. Southern troopers soon appeared before Millers position. Success or failure hung in the balance. The captain turned and asked his lieutenants, I have been ordered to hold this position, but if you will back me, in case I am court-martialed for disobedience, I will order a charge! All agreed. Millers men fired a volley, charged, and crashed into the Confederate columns rear flank. In the confusion, Confederates looked over their shoulders to see Union cavalry threatening their escape route to safety. The column disintegrated. The Army of the Potomacs flank and rear had been secured. In July 1897, Miller was presented the Medal of Honor. He is one of two Medal of Honor recipients buried alongside fellow unsung heroes in Gettysburgs National Military Cemetery. Douglas Douds Guide #46, licensed in 2014 Corporal Francis A. Wallar 6th Wisconsin Infantry Late in the morning of July 1, 1863, the 6th Wisconsin Infantryone of five regiments in Union Brig. Gen. Solomon Merediths 1st Brigade in the 1st Corps 1st Divisionwas ordered to charge a Confederate position north of the Chambersburg Pike, west of Gettysburg. Within the ranks of the regiments Company I was a 22-year-old corporal, Francis Asbury Wallar, who had been born in Ohio but moved with his family to Wisconsin in the early 1840s. Standing 5-foot-8-inches tall, Frank Wallar sported a light complexion, sandy hair, and blue eyes. After this day, he would become known as brave a soldier as ever fought in the ranks. During the charge, the 6th Wisconsin, commanded by Lt. Col. Rufus Dawes, came under severe musket fire on its front. Dawes men quickly scaled two fence lines straddling the pike and charged across an open field toward awaiting Confederates, who had taken position within an unfinished railroad cut. As the Wisconsin soldiers approached the cut, a Confederate color-bearer defiantly waved his flag in their direction, spurring the Badger State boys to make a mad dash for the flag. The color-bearer, Corporal W.B. Murphy of the 2nd Mississippi in Maj. Gen. Henry Heths Division of Lt. Gen. A.P. Hills Corps, later said that the Federals kept rushing for my flag and there were over a dozen shot down like sheep in the mad rush for the colors. Murphy admitted, however, that a large burly man made a mad rush for me and the flag. As I tore the flag from the staff he took hold of me and the colors. That soldier was Corporal Wallar. I did take the flag out of the color bearers hands, Wallar later revealed. I thought about moving to the rear, but then I thought I would stay, and I threw it down and loaded and fired twice on it. Wallar and the 6th had captured 230 Confederates, and Waller received the Medal of Honor in December 1864. Larry Korczyk Guide #254, licensed in 2012 Lieutenant Bayard Wilkeson Battery G, 4th U.S. Artillery War correspondent Samuel Wilkesons grief at the loss of his 19-year-old son Bayard pours out in the opening paragraph of his article in the July 6, 1863, edition of The New York Times: Who can write the history of a battle whose eyes are immovably fastened upon a central figure of transcendingly absorbing interestthe dead body of an oldest born, crushed by a shell in a position where a battery should never have been sent, and abandoned to death in a building where surgeons dared not to stay? Lieutenant Bayard Wilkeson commanded Battery G, 4th U.S. Artillery, which on the afternoon of July 1 was aligned alongside Lt. Col. Douglas Fowlers 17th Connecticut in an area now known as Barlows Knoll. Confederate shells soon rained down on their position. To steady his men, Fowler encouraged them to dodge the big ones, boys! Wilkeson, meanwhile, remained on his horse in full view as he gave his cannoneers orders. Before long, a shell fragment tore off most of Wilkesons leg and killed his horse. Using his sash as a tourniquet, Wilkeson remarkably began amputating his own leg with a pocket knife and, according to an eyewitness, continued to shout out orders until unable to continue. Four of Wilkesons men carried him to a local almshouse being used as a field hospital, but once there, the lieutenant ordered them back to the front. When Wilkeson was handed a canteen, a wounded soldier near him implored, For Gods sake, give me some. In true form, Wilkeson handed the man the vessel before even taking a sip. The next day, Samuel Wilkeson came to the almshouse to learn his son had died from his horrific wound. Through his grief, he was able to write his New York Times article, ending with: Oh, you dead, who at Gettysburgh [sic] have baptized with your blood the second birth of Freedom in America, how you are to be envied! Samuels words may well have inspired President Abraham Lincoln, who used this sentiment of a second birth of freedom in his famous Gettysburg Address in November 1863. Chris Army Guide #171, licensed in 2015 Colonel George l. Willard 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps Most students of Gettysburg are familiar with Confederate Brig. Gen. William Barksdales devastating Peach Orchard assault during the afternoon of July 2, when his Mississippi brigade smashed through the Union salient along the Emmitsburg Road and rolled toward Cemetery Ridge. Less heralded, however, is the story of the Northern commander who helped stop Barksdale. Colonel George L. Willard was a 35-year-old officer with considerable military experience. Although he did not attend West Point, he served with distinction in the Mexican War and held a commission in the U.S. Army when the Civil War broke out. In August 1862, Willard became colonel of the 125th New York. His regiment was attached to a brigade of other New York unitsthe 39th, 111th, and 126ththat only weeks later was captured humiliatingly at Harpers Ferry, Va. The regiments were soon paroled, some of the men earning the derisive nickname Harpers Ferry Cowards within the Army of the Potomac. At Gettysburg, Willard served in Brig. Gen. Alexander Hays 3rd Division in Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancocks 2nd Corps. Only days before the battle, Willard received command of the entire 3rd Brigade. During the fading twilight of July 2, Barksdales Mississippians charged toward a gap in the Army of the Potomacs Cemetery Ridge defenses. With the war cry of Remember Harpers Ferry! to motivate them, Willards men fixed bayonets and launched a counterattack Willards charge forced the Mississippians back, and Barksdale fell mortally wounded. Unfortunately, Willard had little time to savor his success. As he returned to Cemetery Ridge, he was struck in the head by an enemy shell and killed instantly. In 1888, a small memorial was erected to commemorate where he fell. It might be one of the least visited monuments on the battlefield. George Willards sacrifice that day is too often forgotten and overshadowed by the opponent he stopped from reaching Cemetery Ridge, but he is undeniably an unsung hero of the battle. James Hessler Guide #196, licensed in 2003 Lieutenant Colonel Elijah V. White 35th battalion, Virginia cavalry The Gettysburg heroes shrouded by historys shadows who we feature in this issue each had his moment of glory during the three-day battle itself. Confederate Lt. Col. Elijah V. White, on the other hand, pulled off his memorable feats over the entire Gettysburg Campaign, beginning with the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, and ending when the Army of Northern Virginia crossed the Potomac River back into Virginia on July 14. At Brandy Station, White and his commandthe 35th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, in Brig. Gen. William E. Grumble Jones Brigadehad a prominent role in preventing what at first promised to be a stunning Union victory but ended instead a blood-soaked draw. Caught by surprise, Jones troopers absorbed the initial Federal thrust that morning before recovering. A wild charge by Whites battalion cut short one Union onslaught and prevented a vulnerable unit of horse artillery from getting overrun. Later, the 35th temporarily captured a Union battery. Brandy Station laid the groundwork for Gettysburg. Had the Federals prevailed, a Confederate excursion into Pennsylvania may well have been postponed or canceled outright. The near-loss had greatly embarrassed Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. On June 25, he embarked on what most experts consider an ill-advised eight-day raid through Northern Virginia and Maryland, leaving Robert E. Lees army in the blind during its push across the Mason-Dixon Line. After Brandy Station, the 35th had been dispatched to Lt. Gen. Richard Ewells Second Corps and ended up as one of the few, if not only, of Lees cavalry units to sustain regular contact with the main army until Stuart reappeared on July 2. On June 17, at Point of Rocks, Md., the 35th overran Captain Samuel C. Means Loudoun Rangers and captured 18 rail cars and equipment. Then, on the 26th, Whites men pummeled a militia guard at Marsh Creek before pursuing the awed soldiers into Gettysburg yelling like demons and wildly firing their pistolsthe first Rebels to enter the town. Many of the militiamen simply dropped their weapons and asked for mercy. The next day, White led a raid to nearby Hanover Junction to destroy railroad bridges and cut telegraph lines. He also famously told the locals that, though his men wore suits of gray, as gentlemen fighting for a noble cause they would harm no one. On June 28, White led a push by John Gordons Brigade to destroy other railroad bridges as well as a covered span over the Susquehanna River at Wrightsville, Pa. By the time the 35th arrived, Union soldiers had already set fire to that bridge, so the regiment retired to York for a brief respite. During the battle, Whites men saw limited action, but on July 5 they were chosen to help protect the rear of Lees retreating army. They had been the first to reach Gettysburg 10 days earlier; now they were in the last group to leave. Chris Howland, Editor, Americas Civil War Howling Wolf memorialized his exploits in vivid and colorful drawingseven while he was imprisoned by the U.S. government. LEDGER DRAWINGSSO NAMED BECAUSE THEY WERE MADE ON PAGES OF OLD LEDGER or account booksflourished as an art form among the Plains Indians in the second half of the 19th century. The drawings, made with pencil, ink, and watercolor, were a way for warriors to memorialize their deeds. Howling Wolf, a Southern Cheyenne warrior, is considered to be one of the most important ledger-book artists of the era. Known in his tribe as Honannistto, Howling Wolf fought in its battles with the U.S. Army in the 1860s and early 1870s. He was one of 72 Cheyenne warriors who in 1875 were imprisoned at Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida. And he worked with other Cheyennes to maintain some semblance of traditional life after his release to the Cheyenne reservation in present-day Oklahoma in 1878. He is the only artist known to have made ledger drawings at every stage of this turbulent period in the Cheyenne nations history. The subjects of Howling Wolfs increasingly complex drawings illustrate the change in Cheyenne society from near-constant warfare to externally imposed peace. Ledger drawings combined the traditional pictographic conventions of Plains art with the new graphic possibilities offered by materials obtained through trading, raiding, or gift exchanges with non-Native settlers. Like the painted buffalo hides, robes, and tipi liners that Plains Indians had long produced, ledger art was rooted in the experience of war. The drawings were part of the war honors system of Plains life, serving as public testimony of personal prowess. Some warriors did their own drawings; others asked skilled artists to memorialize their exploits in battle, hunting, and horse theft. The aim was to create an accurate and clear account of events. Artists outlined figures in pen or pencil and then applied color, usually in flat tones. They left out backgrounds and other details irrelevant to the events being illustrated; the significance of the various narrative elements shaped proportion and perspective. Though seemingly simple, ledger drawings convey a great deal of information, placing a warriors exploit in the broader context of a raid, battle, or war. Characters are identified by personal glyphsunique pictographs or symbols to identify themthat float above their heads, typically linked by hairlines. Elements of clothing and adornment also help to identify individuals or the tribes to which they belonged; Pawnee and Osage warriors, for example, have shaved heads and moccasins with flared cuffs. Hooves, footprints, or guns placed at the side of a page indicate how many warriors took part in the event depicted. A series of lines spraying from a gun barrel places the scene in the heat of battle. Weapons floating above the head of an enemy signify that the warrior-hero of the painting disabled his opponent by striking him with his coupstickan act of supreme bravery among the Cheyenne. Born in 1849, Howling Wolf fought in the continuous skirmishes that defined Cheyenne life in the final decades of the Southern Plains Wars. He recorded his feats as a young warrior, and those of his fellow tribesmen, in a ledger. Most of the 57 drawings in the ledger illustrate battles and horse raids. He is an active participant in 18 of the battle scenes, all of which include his pictograph: a wolf with lines issuing from its mouth, indicating howls. The earliest armed encounter Howling Wolf depicts in the ledger is the Sand Creek Massacre. At dawn on November 29, 1864, 675 members of the Colorado volunteer militia attacked a Cheyenne village at Sand Creek, 170 miles southeast of Denver. Adult male warriors of the tribe, taken by surprise, attempted to defend the noncombatants, many of whom fled into the dry streambed of the South Platte River. The soldiers followed, shooting at the retreating Cheyennes. At a point several hundred yards above the village, the Cheyennes dug pits and trenches to protect themselves. The militiamen positioned howitzers on the opposite bank and bombarded the improvised defenses. Over eight hours, they killed roughly a third of the villages inhabitantsmost of them women, children, and men too old to fight. The next day the militiamen returned, set fire to the village, killed the wounded, and mutilated the bodies of their victims, carrying off body parts as ghoulish trophies. Howling Wolf, who was about 15 years old at the time, depicts the massacre from the perspective of a warrior who helped defend the village. In his ledger drawing he is one of four Cheyennes who gallop across the page from the right; he fires at the militiamen massed along the left border of the page. His companions turn back toward the right edge of the page and fire at unseen enemies behind them. None of the Cheyenne warriors is in full battle garb, reflecting the fact that they were taken by surprise. Hoofprints parallel the movement of the horses from right to left and volleys of arrows line the right edge of the ledger page, together indicating larger numbers of Cheyenne. Two other drawings from the ledger series illustrate identifiable events in Howling Wolfs career as a young warrior. The first depicts the action in which he counted coup for the first time: an attack on a wagon train 20 miles away from Fort Dodge, Kansas, in May 1867. Howling Wolf shows himself in the middle of the wagon train. Outnumbered and surrounded by armed gunmen, he unhorses his opponent, but instead of killing him, he strikes him with his coupstick. The second drawing illustrates an incident the next day. A 75-man war party led by Blackfeet chief Lame Bull attacked another wagon train as it returned to the Cimarron Crossing station on the Arkansas River after delivering government supplies to Fort Union in New Mexico. Howling Wolf was wounded in the thigh as he attempted to cut out the lead mare from the wagon trains herd. In his depiction of the days events, he shows himself fighting singlehandedly against a group of soldiers who emerge at left, guns blazing, as blood spurts dramatically from his wound. Even in this ledger, which contains his earliest known works, Howling Wolf displays many of the techniques and innovations that distinguished him as an artist. He captures the most intricate details of weapons and costumes with great precision. He explores the possibilities of pencil, colored pencil, crayon, ink, and watercolor to create more-varied color effects than the flat tones in most ledger drawings. He uses traditional pictographic conventions not only to provide information but as art. And he introduces features of landscape and environment not simply as backdrops but as critical elements of the action. In 1875, reeling from a dry summer, a severe winter, and the U.S. Armys relentless campaign against them, most of the southern Cheyenne surrendered. The U.S. Army took 72 tribal leaders and warriors as hostagesHowling Wolf among them, along with his father, Eagle Headand imprisoned them at Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida, so that they could not influence the remaining Cheyenne. Lieutenant Richard H. Pratt, who was in charge of the prisoners at Fort Marion, ordered their shackles removed and aimed to provide the men with vocational training. He also gave the men sketchbooks, pens, inks, colored pencils, and watercolors and encouraged them to draw. Before long the Florida Boys were something of a tourist attraction. Many wealthy northerners wintering in Saint Augustine bought various craftsbows and arrows, beadwork, and polished sea beansthe Cheyenne prisoners made. Ledger drawings were particularly prized as souvenirs. During his three years at Fort Marion, Howling Wolf created at least 74 ledger drawings. Only three of them were traditional battle scenes. Perhaps he avoided such scenes while at Fort Marion because his works were intended for tourists, who might have been uncomfortable with scenes of Cheyenne warriors attacking wagon trains and defeating white soldiers. Or perhaps it was because, as a prisoner, he had no new feats of personal prowess to record. Whatever the motivation, most of his drawings from this period depict nostalgic images of everyday life in the camps in the days before the Cheyenne were relegated to the reservation. While he was imprisoned at Fort Marion, Howling Wolfs eyesight began to rapidly deteriorate. In 1876 he was sent to Boston for treatment. While there, he learned to speak English and Spanish fluently and abandoned his traditional Cheyenne dress. Howling Wolf returned to Fort Marion the following year, and five months later he and his father were released and sent to the Cheyenne reservation in present-day Oklahoma. By then Howling Wolf was about 30the age at which, as the son of a tribal chief and an established warrior in his own right, he would have been recognized as a tribal leader in Plains society. But the traditional paths to power no longer existed. With the influx of white settlers, the near extinction of the buffalo (the primary food source for the Plains Indians), and the outlawing of raids, the Cheyenne struggled to survive. Howling Wolf followed his fathers lead in trying to convert the Cheyenne to the Western ways they had experienced in Florida. After returning to the reservation, he made at least 12 more ledger drawings. Most were camp scenes like those he produced at Fort Marion, but three were strikingly different. In those drawings, instead of recording contemporary events, Howling Wolf explores subjects from tribal history. In a sense they are also an act of public testimony, performed on behalf of the Cheyenne nation as a whole. After his fathers death in 1881, Howling Wolf gave up the old way of Cheyenne life and worked in various conventional jobs on the reservation. He also grew disillusioned over the federal governments treatment of the Cheyenne and other Native American peoples. You gave me the white mans road and it is very good, he wrote in a letter to Pratt. At the fort you gave us cloth[e]s but we have been here one year and they are about all gone.When I hunted the Bufalo I was not poor; when I was with you I did not want for eney thing but here I am poor. I would like to go out on the planes a gane where I could rome at will and not come back a gain. As far as is known, Howling Wolf also stopped drawing. And as drought and starvation ravaged the plains in the 1880s, he reverted to Cheyenne dress and customs and returned to the old ways of a warrior society, becoming a prominent leader of the Cheyenne and working to reclaim tribal land. Ultimately, though, there was no role for Howling Wolf as either warrior or artist in Cheyenne society on the reservation. In his final years he worked as an Indian dancer in a Wild West show in Houston. He died in a car accident on his way home from Houston on July 5, 1927. MHQ Pamela D. Toler, who writes about history and the arts, is the author of several books, including Women Warriors: An Unexpected History (Beacon Press, 2019). This article appears in the Summer 2019 issue (Vol. 31, No. 4) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: Artists | A Warriors Ledger Domain Want to have the lavishly illustrated, premium-quality print edition of MHQ delivered directly to you four times a year? Subscribe now at special savings! When the French Resistance needed help, a squadron of exsub hunters became the air arm of the OSS. In May 1944, not long after their arrival in England, B-24 Liberator pilot Captain George Johnson and crews of the 788th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) were told they could forget their training in high-altitude strategic bombing. Lieutenant Colonel Robert W. Fish briefed them: You are going to learn to fly your airplane 400 feet above the ground10 miles per hour above stalling. And in addition youre going to do this at night and youre going to do it as a single ship mission. Im going to give you five minutes to think about it. Now, if you dont want to be a part of this all you have to do is to get up and walk out. Youll go back to your group and nothing will be said and it wont reflect against your record. Low, slow and alone, over enemy territory, at night? I could sense that my crew wasnt too fond of the idea, remembered Johnson, and you could sense that the others felt pretty much the same way but I suppose this was one of those times when the word chicken comes into play. Nobody rose to leave, and Fish drew aside a curtain revealing a map of occupied Europe, marked with red circles. Miss Fitts, a Carpetbagger B-24D with an extended nose greenhouse for night observation, takes off from RAF Harrington. (National Archives) Miss Fitts, a Carpetbagger B-24D with an extended nose greenhouse for night observation, takes off from RAF Harrington. (National Archives) Now, these are the locations of the underground groups, the Maquis, the French Force of the Interior, the partisans, he told them. These are the people you are going to be working with. Youll be going in at nightby yourselfdelivering supplies to the underground and youll be dropping agents. Fish himself had little experience with daylight bombing. Up to a few months earlier hed hunted U-boats in the Bay of Biscay as part of the U.S. Army Air Forces 22nd Anti-Submarine Squadron. But with the U.S. Navy now flying its own Liberator subhunters, the 22nd needed a new line of work. In October 1943, at RAF Bovingdon west of London, Fish and his commanding officer Colonel Clifford Heflin had met with officers of the Royal Air Force, U.S. VIII Air Force Bomber Command and Office of Strategic Services (predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency). Under the codename Operation Carpetbagger, their B-24s would effectively become the air arm of the OSS. Heflin, appointed CO of the new 801st Bomb Group (Provisional), knew finding and hitting a point target on instruments alone called for special skills. This work is harder than bombingtrickier, he noted. Youre not following a formationyoure on your own. It takes a lot of training and flying ability to hit a drop zone right on the nose. The best pilots for the job are those who have been on anti-submarine patrol. Since February 1942 the British had been dropping supplies in 19 countries from the Arctic to Africa. They trained American aircrews and agents in low-altitude night navigation and parachute drops no higher than 600 feet. The 22nds Liberators were painted black and converted for clandestine work. Though they also flew Douglas C-47s and A-26 Invaders, Boeing B-17s and British de Havilland Mosquitos, their workhorse remained the Consolidated B-24D. Its efficient, high-aspect-ratio Davis wing gave the bomber long range, heavy payload and high speed, but also made it difficult to handle at low speed. Supply containers, with parachutes, were loaded and dropped just like bombs. Since they used British suspension lugs, the Liberators bomb shackles were replaced with British shackles. Cylindrical, one-piece C containers, 5 feet long and 1 feet in diameter, held about 220 pounds each of small arms, bazookas, mortar tubes, jerrycans of gasoline and even bicycles (with French trademarks). Similar-size H containers, divided into five cells more easily hidden in the field, carried ammunition, grenades and sabotage equipment. Panniers holding 100 pounds each of soft goodsboxes and baskets of clothing, food, medical supplies and field dressings, radio sets and eventually thousands of carrier pigeonswere loaded in the fuselage. An on-base sewing factory labored around the clock to turn out enough silk parachutes and harnesses for everything. In spring 1944, with the invasion of France on the horizon, Carpetbagger operations ramped up. Doubling their strength by absorbing the 788th and 850th bomb squadrons, they settled in at RAF Harrington, in Northamptonshirethe most westerly Eighth Air Force station and the highest above sea level. On average, 40 to 50 Liberators took off each night. An OSS agent stows a package of French currency prior to parachuting into enemy territory. (National Archives) An OSS agent stows a package of French currency prior to parachuting into enemy territory. (National Archives) Secrecy, as might be expected, went well beyond normal bomber-base standards. Base administration and ground crew personnel were told that the black-painted aircraft were for night pathfinding missions. The OSS dictated drop zones, agents and cargos. Packers had no idea where the load was to be dropped, loaders had no idea what had been packed and even the flight crews were left literally in the dark. The only ones that knew where we were going were the pilot and the navigator, remembered top-turret gunner Sergeant Bill Becker. When we got in the air, it was radio silence.We didnt know what the mission was.I never knew the agents that we might be dropping. They got on at the last minute. Known anonymously only as Joes (females as Janes or Josephines), agents arrived at the airfield a few hours prior to their drop. Security officers sanitized their disguises, removing any trace of England, from pocket change and shop receipts to American tobacco, and gave them forged identity papers. They boarded through the Joe hole, where the Liberators belly turret had been removed, and exited the same way. Three-man OSS Jedburgh teams (including Major William E. Colby, later the CIA director) trained and led Resistance groups against the Germans. We crossed the French coast at an altitude of 4,000 feet to get above the possible danger of machine gun fire from coastal defenses, remembered Fish. After crossing into France I immediately dropped down to between four and five hundred feet above the ground. This altitude was good for pilotage navigation by my bombardier. But more important it helped to keep a German night fighter from attacking us from below and from the rear.By our staying low we could force him to attack from above where we could bring the two top turret guns to bear on him as well as the tail turret guns. At first, drop zones were illuminated with secret flashlight signals. Later, ground forces used Eureka transmitters to signal the B-24s Rebecca (recognition of beacons) directional transponding radar. Leafletspropaganda notices and, later, free passes for surrendering Germanswere often taken along, but released well before or after the actual drop to disguise its location. Several Carpetbaggers took their support for the Resistance to the next level. On the night of April 27-28, B-24D serial no. 42-40997 Worry Bird (formerly Screamin Mimi of the 565th Bomb Squadron, 389th Bomb Group) clipped a hill at its drop zone near Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges, Loire, crashed and broke into four parts. Only radio operator Staff Sgt. James Heddleson and gunners Sergeants George Henderson and James C. Mooney survived. His back broken, Mooney was handed over to the Germans for care (and ultimately survived as a POW), but Heddleson and Henderson were taken in by the Maquis, lived with them for three months and even went along one night to help blow up a railway trestle. In early August an RAF Lockheed Hudson picked them up safely. (After the war the citizens of Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges not only erected a monument over the graves of Worry Birds crew, but made Heddleson an official member of the Resistance, an honorary French citizen and named the town square after him.) Another downed Carpetbagger, bombardier Lieutenant John Mead, actually joined the Resistance and fought on the ground through the D-Day campaign before meeting the advancing Allies, earning a promotion and a Silver Star. "Worry Bird" lies wrecked in a field west of Lyon, France, after striking a hill near the town of Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges during a night mission. Note the Joe hole through which agents exited during an airdrop. (HistoryNet Archives) "Worry Bird" lies wrecked in a field west of Lyon, France, after striking a hill near the town of Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges during a night mission. Note the Joe hole through which agents exited during an airdrop. (HistoryNet Archives) As cover, in August 1944 the Carpetbaggers assumed the designation of the disbanded 492nd Bombardment Group, a hard-luck outfit that had lost more than 50 aircraft in 89 days (and would be the only ETO group to be disbanded due to high casualties). The crews coordinated with British night bombing missions, flying ahead in high-altitude formations to divert German night fighters from the main RAF attack. In mid-September the priority became supplying Allied armies charging across France. Carpetbagger B-24s had their auxiliary wing tanks emptied of avgas and refilled with 80-octane. Two 400-gallon tanks were installed in the bomb bay, and nine 100-gallon P-51 belly tanks were carried as cargo. At 2,000 gallons per aircraft, in little more than a week the Carpetbaggers delivered in excess of 800,000 gallons to the front. With France largely liberated, Carpetbagger missions trailed off, but by the end of the war in Europe the 801st/492nd had dropped some 4,500 tons of supplies and hundreds of personnel over enemy territory. Twenty-five Liberators were shot down and eight more so badly damaged they were scrapped. The inscription on the monument to the lost crew of Worry Bird in Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges translates to: In memory of five American airmen found dead under the debris of their aircraft, shot down in flames at this place April 28, 1944, whose mission was the parachuting of arms to our secret army for the liberation of France and the restoration of our ideal. It speaks to the service and sacrifices of all the Carpetbaggers. Carpetbagger B-24 Modifications Early aircraft painted black all over; later, black underneath, with the upper surfaces left olive-drab. Standard black matte applied to upper surfaces of aircraft arriving unpainted Removal of waist and cheek guns Blacked-out glass in the waist windows, cheeks and under the nose Flash suppressors on the top- and tail-turret machine guns, flame dampers on engine exhausts American bomb shackles removed and replaced with British conversion shackles Removal of ball turret in belly to create Joe hole Two strongpoints for parachute static lines installed at Joe hole Extraneous radio gear, armor and high-altitude oxygen system removed Red interior lighting to preserve night vision Blister in pilots side window for improved downward visibility Nose antennae for Rebecca airborne transceiver Toned-down side insignia, although tail codes remained bright Sergeant William T. Alexander, flight engineer, stands with B-24D no. 42-63980, "Playmate," of the 858th Bomb Squadron, 801st/492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers" in 1944. (HistoryNet Archives) Sergeant William T. Alexander, flight engineer, stands with B-24D no. 42-63980, "Playmate," of the 858th Bomb Squadron, 801st/492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers" in 1944. (HistoryNet Archives) Consolidated B-24D serial no. 42-63980 Playmate, formerly Missouri Mauler, was one of the oldest Carpetbagger aircraft. In November 1944 Playmate flew from RAF Harrington to New Delhi, India, via Naples and Cairo, with 492nd Bomb Group and OSS personnel to investigate potential Carpetbagger operations in the China-Burma-India Theater. Though a Carpetbagger operation in the CBI was deemed necessary, it was decided to recruit units already in the East rather than bring an entire unit from the ETO. In January 1945 Playmate returned to England the way it came, a round trip of some 25,000 miles. In March 1945 two Carpetbagger Liberators and crews transferred to the Fourteenth Air Force at Kunming, China, to help establish Carpetbagger units. For more information, frequent contributor Don Hollway recommends Carpetbaggers, by Ben Parnell, and the website 801492.org. Additional info, images and video at donhollway.com/carpetbaggers. This feature originally appeared in the July 2019 issue of Aviation History. Subscribe here! They might be going in the community and working with local businesses, job shadowing or job training, she said. Or they may be working on life skills, for example, shopping, how to use a debit card, how to make a doctors appointment or how to advocate for themselves. At Caseys Foods, we have an unwavering commitment to our customers and our community, Dan Casey said. It was important that we find the right ownership to take Caseys into the future, and there is no one better than Kris to do it. Rebranding 14 May 2019 Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International's diverse and dynamic portfolio of more than 170 independent hotels around the world, has announced the addition of The Shelbourne, the enduringly iconic hotel that's been at the heart of Dublin society since 1824. Proudly overlooking Dublin's grandest square, St. Stephen's Green, The Shelbourne is just a stone's throw from some of the city's most celebrated landmarks: Trinity College, parliament building Dail Eireann, and the National Gallery. Recently renovated by Guy Oliver of design firm Oliver Laws, the timelessly elegant interiors honour the illustrious history of Dublin's Grand Dame. For the past two generations, royalty, statesmen, artists, writers and legends of stage and screen have made The Shelbourne their home away from home, from Princess Grace of Monaco, to John F. Kennedy, Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera, all of whom have suites with enviable views of the green named after them. JP Kavanagh, General Manager of The Shelbourne said: "The Shelbourne has played a pivotal role in Irish society for nearly two centuries. Autograph Collection Hotels' independent spirit is the perfect fit for the hotel's next chapter, honouring the unique personality of this timeless Dublin landmark and its countless iconic stories." The Shelbourne offers several distinctive food and beverage options to suit every occasion. The Horseshoe Barwhich has played host to notable meetings over the years from politicians and journalists to visiting dignitaries and local personalities. The Lord Mayor's Lounge, Ireland's most iconic drawing room, offering Afternoon Tea overlooking St. Stephen's Green. The Saddle Room Restaurant, a timeless dining room with a relaxed atmosphere, old-school Irish service and a menu full of classic favourites. 1824 Bar, The Shelbourne's newest addition - a snug, and sophisticated hide away with a hand-picked list of whiskey. The Shelbourne has ten historic meeting rooms spanning over 10,000 square feet, many of which have their own unique character, style and stories, hosting an array of events from intimate private dining to impressive business conferences. On joining Autograph Collection Hotels, The Shelbourne will introduce a signature offering called Independent Spirit that pays homage to Irish Whiskey. Celebrating the rebirth of Irish Whiskey in 1824 when The Shelbourne opened its doors, the spirit will be featured in crafted experiences including an after-dinner whiskey trolley in The Saddle Room Restaurant and 'Whiskey Sommeliers' in The Horseshoe Bar. Rebranding 14 May 2019 The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), South Asia's largest hospitality company is pleased to announce a Taj branded hotel in Agra. This hotel is owned by Sincere Developers Pvt Ltd. under a management contract by Taj. The hotel is strategically located within walking distance from the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the three UNESCO World Heritage sites in Agra. The hotel comprises 239 spacious rooms as well as an all-day diner, an Indian specialty restaurant and a rooftop lounge overlooking the Taj Mahal. The hotel also has the largest banqueting space in the city. In the picture from left - Mr. Paritosh Ladhani, Joint Managing Director, Sincere Developers Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Gulab Ladhani, Chairman & Managing Director, Sincere Developers Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, IHCL "It's very consistent with what we think needs to be here," Berlinghof said of proposed designs. "I think its vital to start the process of redevelopment up and down the street." Appointment 14 May 2019 Travel Appeal appoints Charles Freeman as UK Sales & Account Manager. Charles brings years of experience from his previous work at several, notable hotel chains across the globe. Today, Travel Appeal serves over 4 thousand customers throughout Europe, including hotels, restaurants, retail brands, destinations and musuems. Charles will be responsible for developing and serving customers across the UK. Appointment 14 May 2019 Hilton Short Hills, owned by Park Hotels & Resorts and managed by Hilton Management Services, today appointed Christopher Akoury as the hotel's new general manager. Most recently, Akoury served as general manager of Embassy Suites by Hilton Parsippany. In his new role, Akoury will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the newly redesigned property, including guest services, hotel administration and marketing efforts. Akoury began his career in food and beverage, working a variety of positions, such as director of food and beverage, banquet manager and fine dining restaurant manager at a number of hotels managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts. He then joined Hilton, working as director of food and beverage at several New Jersey hotels, managed by Hilton. He later served as director of operations and acting general manager at Embassy Suites by Hilton Parsippany before joining Embassy Suites by Hilton Piscataway-Somerset as general manager. He then joined The Friendwell Group as vice president of operations before returning to Embassy Suites by Hilton Parsippany as general manager. A certified Embassy Suites and Hilton general manager, Akoury has completed Rutgers University Leadership Academy. Press Release 14 May 2019 Swiss-Belhotel International has announced the launch of four new brands in the Middle East in 2019. Coming to the region for the first time are Grand Swiss-Belresort (Bahrain), Swiss-Belsuites (Bahrain), Swiss-Belboutique (Kuwait) and Swiss-Belinn (Oman and Qatar) with openings scheduled over the next few months. Advertisements Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, Swiss-Belhotel International, stated, "We are very excited to introduce this year four new brands in the Middle East region from our unique and diversified portfolio of 14 brands giving greater choice to our guests. This creates a tremendous opportunity for growth as we expand our brand portfolio in the market offering more options to both owners and travellers in more destinations. Our aim is to position Swiss-Belhotel International as the best alternative to blue chip companies in the market offering superior returns, unbeatable value and unforgettable experiences. Passion and Professionalism are the core of our brand culture." Emphasising on the brand concepts Laurent stated, the Grand Swiss-Belresort is a distinctive luxury brand offering premium amenities and service for discerning travellers. On the other hand, Swiss-Belboutique is a stylishly designed upscale urban, lifestyle brands in the 4-star category offering guests a personalised experience in contemporary and intimate settings right at the heart of all the action. Similarly, Swiss-Belsuites is primarily designed for long-stay guests and families who desire additional space. It offers stylishly furnished, thoughtful spaces for both working and living. Laurent added, "Swiss-Belinn is a brand positioned in 3-star category and has been created around the core concept of fewer frills in trendy surroundings with a focus on amenities and services that guests actually want at an affordable price. The hallmarks of this brand are accessibility and connectivity for smart and technology savvy travellers on the go." Elaborating on the changing profiles of travellers and how Swiss-Belhotel International is responding to the changes, Laurent stressed, "We are seeing a new generation of travellers who are in search of unexpected and authentic, locally inspired experiences. They are looking for accommodations that are trendy and well-designed and are equipped to cater to their lifestyles. At Swiss-Belhotel International we are well-placed to meet these emerging trends with a comprehensive choice of brands offering spectacular portfolio of hotels to serve the varied market segments." Swiss-Belhotel International has announced the opening of seven hotels this year in the MENA region that are already in pre-opening stages with Swiss-Belboutique Bneid Al Gar and Swiss-Belinn Doha opening in Q2 of 2019 followed by Swiss-Belsuites Admiral Juffair Bahrain and Swiss-Belinn Airport Muscat opening in Q3 of 2019. Three others namely Swiss-Belhotel Al Aziziyah Makkah, Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef, Bahrain and Swiss-Belresidences Al Sharq will be ready for opening in Q4 of 2019. Press Release 14 May 2019 On the heels of its reimagined global design strategy, Renaissance Hotels, part of Marriott International, today announced its continued brand evolution with a new "Discover This Way" marketing campaign that reinforces the brand's promise of delivering the unexpected. To celebrate, Renaissance Hotels will help guests uncover the soul of neighborhoods around the world with exclusive experiences and perks from the brand's This Way partners on the 8th annual Global Day of Discovery taking place Thursday, May 16. The brand will also begin to introduce a new visual identity for the first time in nearly eight years, which will reflect what Renaissance Hotels offers today: a sense of clever theatricality and an open invitation to experience something a little unexpected during guests' travels. Advertisements Marriott International This year's annual Global Day of Discovery celebration, which takes place at 160 hotels in more than 35 countries, will spotlight the Renaissance Hotel Navigator, who - counter to a typical concierge - knows how to show guests how to discover destinations like a local by handpicking discoveries that cannot be found in a guidebook. "We have been on a mission to continue to evolve what Renaissance Hotels offers today, and this year's Global Day of Discovery and new "Discover This Way" campaign officially marks a new era for the brand," said George Fleck, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing & Management, Renaissance Hotels. "Today's travelers want to feel like they've experienced the DNA of the neighborhood in the destination they are visiting and make the most of their trip. With help from our This Way neighborhood partners, we are committed to giving travelers something a little bit unexpected every step along their journey." From the Hallways of Renaissance Paris Vendome to the Streets of Bangkok, Renaissance Hotels Takes Cues from the Neighborhood for New Marketing Campaign Developed and produced by creative agency Venables Bell + Partners collaboratively with the Renaissance Hotels' marketing team and based on consumer insights, the brand's new "Discover This Way" campaign was inspired by the idea that every trip can be a tale. From the brand's surprising approach to design, to its original take on cocktails and its team of local Navigators, Renaissance Hotels will help its global travelers make the most of every stay. Directed by Jojo Zunke and tuned to Judith Hill's yet-to-be released single "Upside," which will premiere in this campaign, the :60 hero film centers on a hotel guest as he follows a bespoke path plotted by the Navigator using footprints, taking him on a spontaneous journey through Renaissance's neighborhoods around the world. The guest moves rhythmically as he follows the sequence of footsteps - inspired by guided steps in a local dance class - discovering the neighborhood through playful, unexpected twists and turns. Led by the hero film that will premiere during Global Day of Discovery, shorter executions that showcase each of the brand's pillars of evenings, theatrical design and neighborhood will roll out across a variety of platforms around the globe. Navigators Uncover Local Haunts for Guests on Global Day of Discovery, with Experiences That Go Beyond the Convention of Travel Beginning on Global Day of Discovery and continuing regularly thereafter, Renaissance Hotels across the globe will collaborate with a diverse group of local businesses and notable personalities who embody the soul of the neighborhood to serve as This Way partners. Each This Way partner will help give travelers a glimpse into Renaissance Hotels' storied neighborhoods, highlighting the style, eats and beats of the destinations. Upon check-in, guests will be given a Navigator map leading travelers to hidden gems, along with a token for travelers to present to these local establishments in order to access exclusive perks. To punctuate the new "Discover This Way" campaign and 8th annual Global Day of Discovery, Renaissance Hotels will shine a light on New York City, where the brand is set to expand its footprint with openings in Chelsea in Fall 2019, as well as Flushing and Harlem in 2020. Renaissance New York Chelsea South Hotel, a new build on the former Antiques Garage Flea Market site, will give a wink-and-nod to the neighboring floral district, while Renaissance Flushing LaGuardia Airport will be the brand's first hotel in Queens and will underscore the brand's commitment to re-imagining the staid airport hotel experience. Renaissance Harlem Hotel will restore and playfully reimagine the Loew's Victoria Theater, which was at the center of the vibrant "Harlem Renaissance" era in the 1920s and 1930s when art began to flourish in northern Manhattan. Some of Renaissance Hotels' most passionate future neighbors in Harlem will help give travelers a glimpse into this iconic neighborhood, highlighting its underground style, eats and beats. Additional global discoveries will include: Guests from all six Renaissance hotels in Paris will follow footsteps that lead to a secret room within a neighborhood cafe, revealing an interactive local art gallery where nothing is as it seems. Travelers will sip champagne punch as they are surprised with unexpected moments that ignite all the senses throughout the evening. will follow footsteps that lead to a secret room within a neighborhood cafe, revealing an interactive local art gallery where nothing is as it seems. Travelers will sip champagne punch as they are surprised with unexpected moments that ignite all the senses throughout the evening. One of Thailand's most notable archeologists will help guests of Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel to explore street art in Chalerm La Park, Lakshmi Shrine at Gaysorn Village, neon night markets and other local discoveries. Upon returning to the hotel, guests will be welcomed by a Thai Night Festival featuring the destination's arts and culture scene, complete with an exclusive performance by Thai celebrity actor, model and DJ Push Puttichai. to explore street art in Chalerm La Park, Lakshmi Shrine at Gaysorn Village, neon night markets and other local discoveries. Upon returning to the hotel, guests will be welcomed by a Thai Night Festival featuring the destination's arts and culture scene, complete with an exclusive performance by Thai celebrity actor, model and DJ Push Puttichai. Travelers visiting Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai will cross the canal to the city's budding arts district in the industrial area of Al Quoz. As guests arrive at Alserkal Avenue, they will follow footsteps imprinted on mounds of spices that lead to a variety of cultural experiences showcasing the district's distinct blend of global cultures. will cross the canal to the city's budding arts district in the industrial area of Al Quoz. As guests arrive at Alserkal Avenue, they will follow footsteps imprinted on mounds of spices that lead to a variety of cultural experiences showcasing the district's distinct blend of global cultures. Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel guests will venture out to uncover the colors, soul and intriguing stories of Conjunto Nacional, a symbolic building located on Paulista Avenue. Unexpected art, dance and musical experiences will pop up during stops at Livraria Cultura, a beautifully designed bookstore by architect Fernando Brandao in 1969, and CINEARTE, the locale's indie movie theatre that showcases hard-to-find Brazilian and Latin productions, to name a few. Global 'Renaissance' Continues with a New Visual Identity That Spotlights Moments of Discovery Around Every Neighborhood Street Corner On the heels of Renaissance Hotels' continued global design evolution, the brand is furthering its ongoing renaissance by introducing a fresh new visual identity for the first time in nearly eight years. Inspired by the new "Discover This Way" campaign and on-property experiences, the new visual identity - which will include a refreshed color palette, photography and font type - will begin to roll out in-room and through all of the brand's digital channels, starting in June. Renaissance Hotels' marketing and design teams developed the neighborhood-inspired color palette of muted and rich colors, from grayish pavement to deepest midnight to downtown cargo. The palette captures the brand's signature mix of high and low, raw and polished elements - all of which make up a modern neighborhood. To learn more about Renaissance Hotels please visit www.renhotels.com. For the full lineup of performances and events planned on Global Day of Discovery and throughout the year at Renaissance Hotels, please visit www.renhotels.com/events. Join the conversation at #RenHotels and #DiscoverThisWay. Press Release 14 May 2019 Today, hotel owner, operator and developer, Hotel Equities (HE), announced the recent opening of its Canadian office located in Edmonton, Alberta. The new location encompasses all disciplines to support their growth in country. Andre Giannandrea has been named as regional director of operations, Tapan Malik as regional director of sales, Bryce Herder as regional revenue manager and Oscar Rodriguez as regional director of accounting. Advertisements Twenty percent of the firm's portfolio of hotels is located in Canada. As a result, Bryan DeCort, EVP for HE, sees opening in Canada as a very natural step: "We are proud of our Canadian portfolio and associates. Putting down permanent roots in the country will help us better serve our stakeholders, and also help us drive further growth." Bryan continues, "Given our current footprint in Canada, Edmonton is the perfect initial base for our team to best provide their operational expertise." Earlier this month Hotel Equities added a six-pack portfolio of hotels, bringing their total to twenty-three hotels in Canada. "We have grown significantly since entering the Canadian market in early 2018," said Joe Reardon, chief development officer for Hotel Equities. "In addition to investing in a new office location, we made significant investments into scaling all departments, such as human resources and learning & development. With the infrastructure to support our continued growth, we are also interested in JV acquisition opportunities and investments in-country." "We intend to be long-term players in Canada," said Brad Rahinsky, president and CEO of HE. "Our brand partners pointed out a void of high caliber managerial expertise in Canada and inspired us to bring our services in-market. The opportunity for us to provide value to the hotel sector in Canada is enormous and I'm encouraged by the team of industry veterans leading our Edmonton office. With their expertise and the backing of our Canadian support team in Atlanta, they will make a profound and immediate impact for stakeholders." Opinion Article 14 May 2019 Millennials aren't only the first generation to come of age in the new millennium, they may be the most travel-crazy generation ever. "In addition to being hyper-connected and digitally driven, Millennials are focused on personal experiences. And for many, those experiences happen away from home," says a Nielsen report. "In fact, they travel more than any other generation, including Baby Boomers, and they'll likely travel more as their incomes and financial standings grow." As the summer travel season draws near, Millennials will be burning up the internet with their vacation planning. Millennials on average spent $6,800 on leisure travel in 2018, according to AARP's annual travel trends report. An Expedia study found that while 57 percent of Americans are currently saving money specifically for travel, the figure for Millennials is 65 percent. Millennials have different expectations of travel providers than previous generations. After all, they have grown up in a time when digital pioneers like Amazon, Airbnb, Netflix and Uber have reshaped their everyday lives with killer convenience and exceptional, personalized service. Millennials count on the same from airlines, hotels, rental car firms and online travel agencies, rather than allowing brands to drive their experiences. That's why it's essential for travel providers to heighten their focus on customers' experience when using their websites and apps. Tapping into these travelers' needs and desires, as a report by Expedia put it, "will give travel providers a head start in reaching younger generations set to become powerful consumers. Earning their attention early will pave the path to winning their loyalty." But the industry overall has a ways to go in meeting the challenge. As travelers of any age can attest, the experience of booking a flight, hotel or car online can be clunky, frustrating and time consuming. Time, money and peace of mind are the coinage we pump into the booking engines on our desktops and mobile devices. This is especially true of Millennials, who research has shown value travel over buying a home or paying off debt and want the same easy, seamless experience they've become accustomed to in their digital interactions with other brands. Here are four things every travel provider should be doing to infuse more customer empathy into their products and delight demanding Millennial customers. Get their mobile act together. Forty-six percent of Millennials book travel through a smartphone or tablet, according to Internet Marketing Inc. And 86 percent of them are disappointed if that mobile experience is poor. The obvious conclusion: A strong, appealing mobile presence is crucial. However, the booking functionality of a surprising number of providers - especially long-established airlines, hotels and rental car agencies - still seems rooted in the desktop environment, with mobile an inferior add-on. Today, it's important that the mobile platform be just as feature-rich and easy to use. Every provider should make this a top priority. Reduce cumbersome screens and processes. Booking travel simply shouldn't be as time consuming or complex as it often is. Searching for the right flight or hotel room can take too long. Choices aren't presented logically. Screens of irrelevant information appear seemingly out of nowhere. And if confusion causes you to make the wrong choice or forget to check some box, it can be hard to toggle back without losing the data you've already entered. This is a problem for people any age - an oft-quoted Microsoft study said humans now generally lose concentration after eight seconds, one second less than a goldfish - and Millennials seem especially selective about the content they consume. Thus, travel providers need to do better at seeing their sites and apps through their customers' eyes. Are information and choices easy to follow? What might be confusing or frustrating? What could cause a busy or impatient user to give up and go to another site? Stop the upsell madness. Airline sites in particular are guilty of bombarding travelers with screen after screen of upsell attempts - better seats, credit card offers, trip insurance, frequent flyer mileage boosters, etc. Airlines should question how much these tactics are annoying customers, who merely want to book the cheapest flight at the most convenient time, as easily and quickly as possible. Studies have shown that most Millennials aren't interested in these extras; the one they do find appealing, in-flight Wi-Fi, is rarely offered until the plane is in the air. Knowing what customers want, when they want it, is one of the biggest signs of customer empathy. Airlines could use more of it in the online booking process. Embrace technology that can help. Travel providers don't have to go it alone in sorting out these challenges. Technology exists to help companies test every aspect of a site or app and gain valuable insights into what users are experiencing. A recent New York Times story reported that Expedia is using facial recognition and eye-tracking technology in tests to gauge how subjects are interacting with the process of booking a flight or planning a vacation. Alex Hopwood, a director of product management at Expedia, told the paper, "We get so close to a feature that we start making assumptions and think we know what the customer wants." Seeing how a real traveler uses the site and reacts to it "is almost like a slap in the face in a good way." If they're going to win over Millennials, every travel company needs to embrace the same principle: Without fervent attention to customer experience, you won't get far. Triometric is an active member of HEDNA (Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association) and one of the co-chairs of the Hotel Analytics Working Group, alongside Excella and NTTData. The Working Group has been addressing the need for more awareness and use of business intelligence to make data-driven operational and distribution decisions. This work has culminated in the release a new white paper to help Hoteliers embrace and optimise the use of data analytics across their organisations. The Working Group exists bring together solutions and best practice to address specific distribution challenges. Triometric is an active member of HEDNA (Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association) and one of the co-chairs of the Hotel Analytics Working Group, alongside Excella and NTTData. The Working Group has been addressing the need for more awareness and use of business intelligence to make data-driven operational and distribution decisions. This work has culminated in the release a new white paper to help Hoteliers embrace and optimise the use of data analytics across their organisations. The Working Group exists bring together solutions and best practice to address specific distribution challenges. The group has brought together insights into a range of different areas that should be considered as part of adopting and developing analytic capabilities across the organization. From defining what analytics means, to considering how to achieve essential data integration and data quality, and discussing thoughts on the skills, processes and tools needed, this white paper offers some basic help and hands-on guidance for hotel companies both large and small. (Full version here). Investing in Analytics An introduction Distribution data is an invaluable resource for hoteliers, but many dont consider the challenges that are involved in implementing and analyzing it. The hotel industry has a lot of data to work with. Every customer leaves a data trail from the moment they begin their search, then complete a booking to the moment they check out. However, accessing and analyzing all this data flowing through the supply chain and turning it into actionable insights is challenging for hoteliers of all sizes. To become more data-driven, hoteliers must make targeted investments in traditional and emerging analytics tools, processes and skills. This requires an appreciation of the bigger data picture and the options and approaches available. HEDNAs Hotel Analytics Working Group has just released a white paper to address this need. Investing in Hotel Analytics outlines the key factors hoteliers should consider when making investment choices to improve their analytics capabilities. This is the backdrop to the collaboration taking place within the Hotel Analytics Working Group which was formed to identify opportunities for improvement potential in data usage and analytics and document industry best practices. The groups first paper from Phase 1, documents the findings of an extensive survey into the distribution landscape. It is the foundation for this phase 2 deliverable which details the considerations for Investing in Hotel Analytics. Phase 3 will address specific recommendations and best practices. With analytics, hotel companies can achieve new levels of precision in their distribution channel mix to optimize occupancy, rate and profits. While the value in analytics is recognized, many hoteliers are unsure how to make the most of their data. Investment in platforms, tools and skills is required that companies may not have experience in. Every hotel company is different, so there is no one size fits all, but this paper explains the key considerations for taking a data vision to reality, with some practical advice. After a general introduction to the various types of analytics, the paper details seven fundamental factors that underpin any adoption or strengthening of analytics across an organization: 1) Use Cases these are helpful examples in guiding not only the questions that analytics needs to answer, but also what data is required and from which source. (Section 5) 2) Data Integration outlining the five considerations when using and integrating data from multiple source systems, such as booking trend analysis and revenue reporting. (Section 6) 3) Data Quality getting correct and complete data to analyse is critical to getting the right answers. This section addresses a data quality framework. (Section 7) 4) Data Storage managing capacity and data volume for the entire information lifecycle. A data storage framework encompasses data security, data privacy, and data retention, all of which are critical to get right. (Section 8) 5) Data Access who has access to what data needs to be carefully monitored and controlled in the context of privacy, regulation and security. This is also about empowering the right users to query the data, while not burdening others with more than they need, and the framework for feeding other data systems for advanced analytics as needed. (Section 9) 6) Analytics Skillsets having the right people with the right skillsets to analyze and apply the data in the right way. This section addresses the merits of developing in-house skills as well as how to develop outsourced relationships with data specialists where resources are limited. (Section 10) 7) Analytics Tools -- getting the right tools that match business needs to facilitate the transition from reactive to more pro-active decision-making based on real data is the crux in making the right investment choices. This section covers a checklist of considerations for users and other stakeholders. (Section 11) This paper offers some basic help and hands-on guidance to help hoteliers make considered investments in the development of their analytic capabilities to meet the diverse and complex demands of todays competitive hospitality climate. The full 33 page report can be downloaded here from the HEDNA website. More about HEDNA Hotel Analytics Working Group The Working Group is co-chaired by travel experts from Triometric, Excella and NTTData while direct liaison with the HEDNA Board is provided by IDeaS. Hotel companies who are members include Accor, IHG, Wyndham, WorldHotels and Rosewood. About 50 HEDNA member companies, consultants and academics are active in the Groups discussions and work program. A number of them have contributed their industry expertise to the Survey Findings Report (published 2018) and this new paper Investing in Hotel Analytics. The next phase of the Working Group is to explore and document Best Practice recommendations. The next HEDNA Distribution Conference takes place in Madrid, 21 22 May and members of the Analytics Group will be available for discussion. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource The company announced the appointment of Bram Borrenbergs as Vice President, Human Resources, Asia Pacific; Greg Farrell as Vice President, Design and Technical Services, Asia Pacific; and Yeo Hui Leng as General Counsel, Asia Pacific. Radisson Hotel Group has made three key executive appointments in Asia Pacific, as it progresses 'Destination 2022', its five-year transformation strategy. The company announced the appointment of Bram Borrenbergs as Vice President, Human Resources, Asia Pacific; Greg Farrell as Vice President, Design and Technical Services, Asia Pacific; and Yeo Hui Leng as General Counsel, Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Bram, Greg and Hui Leng, will each sit on Radisson Hotel Group's Asia Pacific Executive Committee, reporting directly to Katerina Giannouka, the company's President, Asia Pacific. Bram Borrenbergs, a native of the Netherlands, holds a law degree and worked at the European Commission in Brussels, before spending 15 years with NH Hotel Group, progressing to Director of Human Resources. Most recently, he was Corporate Director of Human Resources for H Hospitality Collection, based in Abu Dhabi. Greg Farrell, a New Zealander with 28 years of experience in the design industry, has a strong reputation for his work in the hospitality sector. He joins Radisson Hotel Group from Hong Kong, where he was Executive Director of Aedas, a leading global architecture and design practice. Yeo Hui Leng, a Singaporean national, is a law graduate of the National University of Singapore and was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 1998. She has 20 years of legal experience and joins Radisson Hotel Group from Wah Hin & Co, a Singapore-based investment company, where she held the position of Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel. "Bram, Greg and Hui Leng, are all leading figures in their field and we are delighted to welcome them to Radisson Hotel Group's Asia Pacific team. As we continue to execute Destination 2022, our five-year transformation strategy, our new colleagues will play a vital role in our growth as we double our global portfolio," said Katerina Giannouka, President, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group. "As our regional HR leader, Bram will support Radisson Hotel Group to attract and nurture the best talent in Asia Pacific, enabling the transformation of our company from within. Greg will spearhead the creation of exciting hotel designs, new concepts and the roll out of our new brand standards across the region. Our growth strategy entails doubling the size of our portfolio and each new hotel project involves extensive legal work, from negotiating contracts to navigating labor laws, so Hui Leng's legal expertise will be vital. I look forward to continuing to work with our entire executive team as we bring our strategic vision to life," Katerina added. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Tthe 120-room independent hotel will be part of The Summit at Fritz Farm, a mixed-use development with restaurants, retail, office and residences. Origin Lexington will officially open this summer and is now accepting reservations for guest rooms as well as private events. As construction nears completion at Lexington's newest hotel, Origin Lexington, Pyramid Hotel Group will host a job fair on Wednesday. Upon completion, the 120-room independent hotel will be part of The Summit at Fritz Farm, a mixed-use development with restaurants, retail, office and residences. Origin Lexington will officially open this summer and is now accepting reservations for guest rooms as well as private events. The job fair will be held on The Green at The Summit at Fritz Farm in front of Shake Shack from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Origin Lexington plans to hire approximately 45 team members for positions ranging from full- and part-time hourly jobs, including guest ambassadors, bartenders and more, to management roles such as assistant general manager and catering sales manager. Job candidates are required to bring their current resume and must be prepared to fill out an application as well as speak with representatives from Origin Hotel. Interested candidates can also apply online if unable to attend the job fair. The Origin Hotel brand, founded upon the pillars of life, balance and community, was launched by Mississippi-based The Thrash Group in 2018 with the opening of Origin Red Rocks in Golden, Colorado. The Thrash Group plans to open a collection of Origin boutique hotels across the country, each focused on helping guests interact with the local communities. Hotel employees are called "locals" and they curate a list of local experiences for guests to discover. Origin also offers its employees travel incentives through the Origin Travel Program and opportunities to support local charities through the Origin Gives initiative. Origin Lexington will partner with Lexington businesses and artists to connect guests to the community, offering a true taste of the area. "We carefully select sites in communities that have energy and activity," said Walker Thrash, partner at The Thrash Group. "The Summit at Fritz Farm fits that perfectly. Our guests want to explore local favorites and enjoy the uniqueness of every place they visit." Bayer Properties developed The Summit at Fritz Farm, which boasts 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, including Kentucky's first food hall The Barn at Fritz Farm; more than 300 apartment units; 44,000 square feet of office; and green space where people gather for events and to spend time with friends and family. "Bayer has established a new energy in our pocket of Lexington, and we feel extremely confident working inside of Bayer's development footprint," said Thrash. "We look forward to welcoming our first guests to the walkable, vibrant environment this summer." Origin Lexington will be home to The Still, a chef-driven, southern-inspired eatery serving a seasonally crafted menu along with a thoughtfully curated list of local artisan bourbons and specialty cocktails. The Still includes a private dining room which can host up to 30 guests for intimate gatherings, from rehearsal dinners to birthday parties. The restaurant will be located in the lobby of the hotel and feature a separate street-level entrance. The hotel also will host meetings and events for up to 200 people in its customizable event space. Origin Lexington is in close proximity to the Blue Grass Airport, the University of Kentucky and Keeneland Racecourse. Origin Lexington will offer a variety of amenities to create an experience guests will want to repeat. Wellness features include free in-room yoga kits provided in partnership with lifestyle clothing brand prAna, and The Gym, a state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio equipment, TRX and more. To create a comfortable, home-away-from-home atmosphere, Origin will be dog-friendly, and the hotel will offer in-room teepees and sleeping bags for guests' children to enjoy. The team for the project includes The Thrash Group as the developer, contractor, architect and interior designer; and Pyramid Hotel Group as the hospitality group overseeing operations of the hotel. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Like many shiny new objects in advertising, the tech promises to change everything, but skepticism remains Excerpt from AdAge Like many shiny new objects in advertising, the tech promises to change everything, but skepticism remains Google showcased its visual search product during its IO event in San Francisco last week, and while marketers certainly see its potential, it's not without caution. Visual search can be both magical and frustrating, says Mark Himmelsbach, founding partner and chief strategy officer at agency Episode Four. It's magical when a visual search picks out the exact thing you'd like to know about and brings in multimedia results instantaneously. It's frustrating when you can't get the picture to match what you want to know and it seems like a colossal waste of time. At its event last week, Google highlighted Lens, an app that can recognize physical images, or translate words written in Chinese into English, for example. Now, Google is rolling out both computer vision and augmented reality directly into Google Search. In one instance, Google showed how someone searching for a pair of New Balance shoes could see what they look like from multiple angles. At the same time, that person could also see what those shoes would look like next to their outfit thanks to augmented reality. Other companies such as Pinterest and Microsoft are also working on or already have similar offerings, but Google is dominant when it comes to search, commanding more than 70 percent market share worldwide, according to eMarketer. Click here to read complete article at AdAge. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource LGBTQ students are bullied more at school when the society around them is immersed in heated political debate about the rights of marginalized groups, according to a new study. The report, published this week in the journal Pediatrics , focuses on the run-up to the November 2008 referendum on Californias Proposition 8, which enacted a ban on gay marriage. The study found that homophobic bullying rose in the period before the election and declined afterward. We think that young people dont hear what adults and lawmakers are talking about, but they do, Stephen Russell, the senior author of the paper and the chair of the Human Development and Family Sciences Department at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a statement . The data show quite distinctly that homophobic bullying peaked in California at the time of the Proposition 8 discussion. Researchers from Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, the University of Texas at Austin, and Texas State University used survey data from 5 million California middle and high school students to chart the pattern of identity-based bullying they reported between 2001 and 2015. In the 2001-02 school year, 7.6 percent of students reported that they experienced homophobic bullying, but by the 2008-09 school year, which included the Proposition 8 vote, that figure rose by nearly a third, to 10.8 percent, the study said. The increase occurred even as other types of bullyingbased on gender, religion, race or ethnicity, for instancedeclined, the researchers found. Bullying based on perceived sexual orientation decreased steadily every year after the Proposition 8 referendum, the research team found. The law was overturned in 2010 by a federal court, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage in 2015. One aspect of the study focused on whether bullying was less common at schools that had Gay Straight Alliances. The research team found that such clubs produced a protective effect in the heated 2008-09 election year: Campuses with GSAs had bullying rates under 10 percent, while those without them reported rates of nearly 13 percent. Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski, who had advocated for the city to raise the fine on tobacco use by minors and make underage vaping unlawful as well, said he did not have any recommendations for the City Council at this time in terms of changing citys ordinance on use and possession. He did say he is pleased with the tobacco diversion program that is offered to teens in lieu of the $1,000 fine and would like to see that remain. Just two weeks after Daniel Craig's final James Bond film has begun filming in Jamaica, the actor has unfortunately injured his ankle while acting out a stunt, leading the film to have to postpone its shooting, The Sun reports. The publication details how the injury happened while he was running in his trademark suit and slipped, causing his ankle to sustain a possible sprain. The actor was flown to a US hospital to get X-rays. A source explains how he was visibly frustrated moments after it happened. "Daniel was suited and booted for one of the last scenes in Jamaica. He was sprinting during filming when he slipped and fell quite awkwardly," the source details. "He was in quite a lot of pain and was complaining about his ankle. As youd expect he was also pretty angry that it had happened. He threw his suit jacket on the ground in sheer frustration. A shoot in London has been cancelled this week due to the injury with no word on when it will commence. Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Daniel is no rookie to on-set injuries. He's previously had his teeth knocked out, injured his rib and more. Ive had my right shoulder reconstructed, my right and left knees operated on and my thumb hurts! he previously stated. All in a days work. Leaving Neverland, Surviving R. Kelly, along with both the Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein trials demonstrate the significant move for a change in Hollywood. Precisely one which calls for predators to be held accountable at all cost, despite status or fame, and for their victims to acquire justice. Evidently status grants certain accessibility for the rich and famous to partake in illicit activities without ever being held accountable for their destructive actions. As such, the rise of the #MeToo movement and its agenda further encourages the hunt for sexual predators to remain. And now, Rock & Roll icon Elvis Presley has become the new addition to the list of perpetrators to be exposed. National Archive/Newsmakers/GettyImages According to the Daily Mail, a shocking book set to expose Elvis Presley's sexual deviance is in the works. The latter stems from the singer's provocative career wherein he allegedly kept "a group of three 14-year-old girls with him on tour" to partake in activities like pillow fights, kissing and cuddling based on Vice reports. His string of deviance with underaged women also includes his wife, Priscilla, whom he met during his time in the army when the young woman was only fourteen years old. Furthermore, other reports indicate Presley had a strange obsession with virginity and a budding sexual addiction. The tell-all book will reveal all on what really went down and certainly confirm Elvis Presley on the #MeToo's blacklist. [Via] In 2016, Jaquan Graves and Travis Ward lost their lives outside of Meek Mill concert in Connecticut during a shooting. The following year, Graves' family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Meek, the Oakdale Musical Theatre Company, and Live Nation citing that their negligence with providing adequate security was responsible for his death. However, as the investigation has carried on, more information has been made available, resulting in the rapper asking a judge to remove his name from the lawsuit. Court documents obtained by The Blast state that Meek denies any wrongdoing in the case, citing that evidence collected by investigating officers shows that Graves participated in the shooting. Graves' family has gone on record saying that he was unarmed and did not contribute to, incite or in any fashion participate in the melee. Yet, Meek alleges the police reports state Graves was either the instigator in the shooting or at the very least, a participant, as gunshot residue was reportedly found on him which indicate that he discharged a firearm during the melee. Mike Coppola/Getty Images Meek is requesting that his name is excluded from the court case as soon as possible. He also reportedly says that it isn't fair for him to be held responsible for the actions of third parties, including two men who cops apprehended. This lawsuit is just one of three Meek was included in following the fatal incident, including one that claims the rapper's lyrics incite violence. Graves' estate says that they will settle out of court for $3 million. Celebrities are attempting to use their notoriety to help those that they feel have been wronged by the criminal justice system. Snoop Dogg has added his name to that list as he's campaigning for the District Attorney of Delaware County, Pennsylvania to re-examine the evidence in a 39-year-old case. In 1980, Leroy Evans was 24-years-old when he was convicted of murdering neighborhood "Avon Lady" Emily Leo after 17-year-old Anthony Jones told police that Evans helped him in the crime. For decades Evans has denied his involvement in the murder and years ago Jones reortedly recanted his original story, admitting to authorities that Evans wasn't involved. There is a call for new DNA testing to be done in order to prove Evans' guilt or innocence, and Snoop recently made a video with words of encouragement for the longtime prisoner. Scott Gries/Getty Images Leroy Evans what up its your boy Snoop Dogg," the rapper says. "Keep your head up, that DNA evidence gonna come they for you loved one. Stay strong, I know you waited 39 years but its going to come through for you. There is a God, so says Snoop Dogg. Hey, I got love for you in a real way. Let's go." Ice-T has also petitioned on behalf of Evans by saying, "Come on DA, you know Im not a real cop and I just play one on TV, but I think this man, after 39 years in prison, whatever the crime may be, deserves at least to get that DNA test so he can clear himself," adding "Leroy, youre in there for 39, man, I cant even imagine it. Alright? Good luck with this fight man, thats all I can say." Police officer John Kaisner and husband to victim Emily Leo's niece Theresa believes that if Ice-T read the case files, he wouldn't be backing the convicted murderer. Hes not only misinformed, but I dont even know how he got involved, said Kaisner. For a guy that started out making the big living hes making now by rapping kill cops, I have no respect for him anyhow, but he has no basis in this case. Breezy Point is beautiful in the summertime, a quaint neighborhood sitting on a slim peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic just south of New York City. In a storm, though, that dreamy setting can become a nightmare. Breezy Point was devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Flooding, high winds and fires destroyed more than 300 homes, with many more left damaged and unlivable. Now, seven years later, architect Illya Azaroff has designed and built a home there he says can withstand a storm even more powerful than Sandy, "maintaining operation, even if all else fails. Welcome to the home of the future in a time of climate change. As weather gets wilder and less predictable, firms that design, construct or improve housing with storm safety and resiliency in mind are increasingly in demand, said Matt Belcher, a builder in tornado-prone St. Louis. Its a powerful marketing message that cuts across the political divide, he said. PRIME PROPERTY: Sign up to get Houston's real estate and development news delivered to you The frequency and severity of the storms are increasing," said Belcher, who builds houses designed to withstand 140 mile-an-hour winds. "Whether people credit it to climate change or think its cyclical, it doesnt matter if your house is destroyed. Either way, resiliency applies. In 2008, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, an industry research group, created a set of construction standards that generally exceed local building codes, certifying that a home is likely to survive hurricane-force winds and rain. The needle barely moved on the number of homes meeting the designation in a handful of hurricane-prone states from 1,122 in 2008 to 1,638 in 2014. By 2018, the number jumped ten-fold to 11,031 homes, and its moved to 12,530 in the first four months of 2019. The "fortified" designation is provided by trained evaluators primarily based in Texas, Florida, the Carolinas and Alabama, though the institute is now expanding the numbers of states they serve. In some areas, the designation can help homeowners with insurance and renovation costs. IN HOUSTON: Why new home starts are flattening "When the consumer has a different perception of the risk, it changes the demands they make on home builders," said Roy Wright, the groups leader and a former head of risk mitigation at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "The home building industry will respond to the market, they always do." The Breezy Point design by Brooklyn-based Azaroff, who also serves as the New York disaster coordinator for the American Institute of Architects, keeps Sandys devastation in mind, from the bottom up: The house is elevated more than 3-feet above average flood elevation, with open concrete posts sunk deep into the ground and vents that let flowing water easily escape underneath the house. The walls and floor are made with concrete-filled forms made from polystyrene and recycled plastic that can withstand driving rain and 300-mile per hour winds. It has fire-resistant fiber cement-board siding, and inflexible, interlocking polymer roof shingles locked in with screws. Safety glass in the windows can withstand a 9-pound piece of wood flying at 34 miles per hour. And the roof is held in place with ultra-strong connectors. Cost remains key for homeowners. The hurricane-strong house, as Azaroff has labeled it, is about 7% to 9% more expensive to build. But with energy and insurance savings, the upgrades should pay for themselves in 8-10 years, according to Azaroff. While the Breezy point house is built to withstand hurricanes, architects elsewhere face other issues. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska are the center of a region sometimes called Tornado Alley, and other times known as Hail Alley. Extreme weather there can can mean violently rotating winds that move in excess of 110 miles per hour. Q4 Architects Inc., a Canada-based group, has designed a home that will not only keep residents safe during a tornado, but allow them to live at home for months, even if basic services are cut off. At the houses center is a concrete and steel reinforced space that includes the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and an emergency supply closet. Theres a cistern that captures rainwater and filters it, solar panels for electricity, a sun tunnel that can be opened or closed for natural light and Murphy beds. A tornado can destroy a home in four seconds, said Jason Sampson, an architect at Canada-based Q4. The initial ideal was to ensure some sort of comfortable living situation while disaster relief was put into place, he said. This could take months, so lets make sure they have the right systems in place to live there." Rima Taher, a civil and structural engineer who teaches at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, has published the textbook Building Design for Wind Forces. The strategies behind recent improvements in housing resiliency can be attributed to improved building codes based on research in wind engineering that started back in the 1960s, she said. "We have more knowledge in this field now, and building codes and standards are stronger," Taher said by telephone. Taher frequently gets calls for advice, she said, noting that a couple of important things to focus on are roof design and strong connections between walls, between the walls and the roof, and between the structure and its foundation. Taher advises "hurricane ties," or straps, to join the roof tightly to walls, and says roofs should be designed with multiple slopes with overhangs limited to less than 20 inches. "The roof can be the first thing to go," she said. Architects and builders are searching out materials designed for every environment, said Wright, the insurance institute chief executive officer. The group tests home designs in a giant wind tunnel that can simulate hurricanes, rain, hail and flying fire embers, he said. Products made by some of the worlds largest businesses for years are increasingly coming into play, he said, as builders and architects move to meet consumer demands. A DowDupont Inc. roof membrane that keeps the indoors cooler is being tested in brutal heat in India. LafargeHolcim Ltd. makes a lightweight concrete cladding that was used on a shoreline museum in Miami to add strength to window casings and walls. While few of these materials are new, they are more frequently being experimented with in designs for new homes in storm-prone areas. But its not just new houses being worked on with extreme weather in mind. Older houses on the East Coast offer other opportunities for builders. In the Carolinas and on New Yorks Long Island, local contractors have raised hundreds of houses six-to-eight feet higher within the past few years, taking advantage of government programs that popped up after major hurricanes. Mike Roms company, Long Island House Lifting, now raises 45 to 50 homes a year at a cost of between $150,000 and $300,000 apiece. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, he said, every other house is up in some neighborhoods." But its not just the big storms that are a problem, according to to Rom. Shoreline areas that used to see street flooding at most two or three times a year now see it monthly, he said. Billy Ward, co-owner of AABC House Moving in Camden, South Carolina, used to raise only one or two homes a year. Thats changed in the wake of hurricanes Matthew, Irma and Florence in 2016, 2017 and 2018. We all talk about it," Ward said. How things have gotten a lot worse." New Kids on the Block know the rule. When you're in Texas, you pay tribute to Selena. The Mixtape Tour, featuring a bevy of '80s acts, brought the nostalgia Monday night to Corpus Christi. Amid the screams and "Hangin' Tough" singalongs, NKOTB squeezed in a dance break to "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom." Artists including the White Stripes, Black Keys and Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers have headlined at Rudyard's British Pub. Along with live music, the long-time staple, which debuted on Kipling in 1978 and moved to 2010 Waugh in the early 1980s, offers darts, more than 80 beers and a new menu of fare. In April, chef Anthony Calleo, formerly of Pi Pizza and Sandy Witch sandwich shop at Grand Prize bar, began putting his own stamp on the food program at Rudyard's. "I'm excited about at being at Rudyard's," Calleo told Chron.com. "It's an institution." ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: 17 Houston rooftop restaurants and bars with awe-inspiring scenery Calleo takes over the helm from Jordan Economy, named executive chef in April 2018, who departed Rudyard's in April 2019 to pursue other opportunities, according to a spokesperson for the venue. Taking the expected pub grub up a notch, Calleo's dishes feature locally-sourced ingredients. As well, most are made from-scratch. "I want to get people excited about the food here in a new way," Calleo said. ON HOUSTON CHRONICLE.COM: 14 Houston bars just right for sipping and mingling Calleo puts his spin on a traditional club sandwich. The stacked sando features house-made herb mayonnaise, turkey smoked in-house for six hours, Parisian-style ham and thick-cut bacon, all served on bread from Houston's The Bread Man Baking Company. The Taco Time Burger comes dressed with black beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, avocado puree, pickled jalapenos and lime crema. The flavorful ground beef patty is made with house-made taco seasoning. A menu item that hasn't changed is Rudyard's beloved tots, Caello said. They're still on the menu, with no change to the favorite snack. You can also count on a rotating list of monthly specials, including pasta dishes with scratch-made sauces, and a forthcoming beer dinner series. "The response to the new menu has been great," Calleo said. "I am humbled by it." See above for more on the menu at Rudyard's, plus where to go in Houston for standout bar/pub fare. Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message Houstonians are very particular when it comes to their Tex-Mex and Mexican foods. Certain restaurants are known for their queso, others for their fajitas; and everyone has a particular favorite for cheese enchiladas. The go-to restaurant depends on the mood. Thats why most Houston residents have a variety of Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants in their personal portfolio. Its a good thing that the city is well served with hundreds of restaurants that provide everything from menudo and migas to tamales and Tex-Mex combo plates. Here are some of our favorites: CUCHARA Whats not to love about this hip Montrose restaurant? Theres the kitchen that cooks with love and Mexican authenticity, the colorful murals that decorate the dining room and an adults-only vibe after dark. Everything is made in-house, including juices for its delicious cocktails. 214 Fairview, 713-942-0000; cuchararestaurant.com. SUPERICA New Heights Tex-Mex spot from Atlanta restaurateur Ford Fry (who grew up in Houston) specializes in authentic combo plates, fajitas al carbon, puffy taco dinner, carne guisada and nachos. Terrific frozen margs and red and green table salsa. 1801 N. Shepherd, 713-955-3215; superica.com/heights. LAST CONCERT CAFE The Warehouse District favorite, three decades under its current owner, has gotten a much-needed freshening-up thanks to new partners who were determined to keep the vibe and not change the menu where classic Tex-Mex enchiladas rule. New cocktail list. 1403 Nance, 713-226-8563; lastconcert.com. EL PATIO A classic that has served generations of Houstonians crave-worthy Tex-Mex and potent blue margaritas. Felixs famous chile con queso lives on. And the happy hour is a bargain that cant be beat. 6444 Westheimer, 713-780-0410; elpatio.com. EL REAL Housed in the restored Tower Theater, this temple of Tex-Mex serves vintage fare such as puffy tacos, cheese enchiladas topped with chili gravy, fajitas and combo plates. 1201 Westheimer, 713-524-1201; elrealtexmex.com. EL TIEMPO CANTINA The expensive chow at El Tiempo is outstanding deliciously charred fajitas, pillowy flour tacos, amazing salsa. The margaritas are strong and tasty, a rare combination. 5602 Washington, 713-681-3645; 322 Westheimer, 713-807-8101; 2814 Navigation, 713-222-6800; and six other Houston-area locations; eltiempocantina.com. GOODE CO. TAQUERIA Trendy restaurants come and go but this Houston icon is still the go-to cafe for comforting Tex-Mex and hefty, mesquite-grilled burgers. 4902 Kirby, 713-520-9153; goodecompany.com. Good Taquerias first expansion opened in 2018 in Finn Hall, the new food hall in downtown Houston at 712 Main. GOODE CO. KITCHEN & CANTINA Inspired by its own Mexican heritage, this new brand (owner Levi Goode calls it unapologetically Tex-Mex) revels in the joys of fajitas, carnitas, crispy beef tacos, cheese enchiladas, chicken flautas and tamale dinner. Campechana, Texas quail, Gulf red snapper and redfish on the half shell fill out the menu. 9005 Interstate 10 W., 713-766-3434 and 8865 Six Pines, The Woodlands, 281-826-5150; kitchenandcantina.com. IRMAS ORIGINAL Irma Galvans legendary downtown lunch spot is known for the namesake owners comforting Mexican sauces and stews, gracious hospitality and homemade lemonade. If youre on a budget, ask the price before you order menu-less Irmas serves high quality fare and the prices reflect that. 22 N. Chenevert, 713-222-0767; irmasoriginal.com. IRMAS SOUTHWEST The restaurant opened by Irma Galvans son, Louis Galvan, and his business partner Bruce Williams have moved into new digs across the street. Same Mexican dishes, grilled seafood and game favorites in plush new setting with a big, inviting cocktail bar. 1475 Texas, 713-247-9651; irmassouthwest.com. MOLINAS CANTINA In the vast salsa sea of Tex-Mex joints in Houston, Molinas gets bonus points for authenticity (dont miss the chili). Youll be presented with two red salsas, but insiders know to ask for the green. 7901 Westheimer, 713-782-0861; 3801 Bellaire, 713-432-1626; molinascantina.com. ORIGINAL NINFAS ON NAVIGATION As the name implies, this is where it all started. If you believe the legend, Mama Ninfa was (is) the patron saint of Tex-Mex. In her once tiny kitchen, she helped popularize fajitas. A new location in the Galleria neighborhood is coming. 2704 Navigation, 713-228-1175; ninfas.com. PAPPASITOS CANTINA The Pappas familys Tex-Mex standby still rules. Besides the best queso in town, try the high-quality fajitas or well-made fish tacos. More than a dozen Houston-area locations; pappasitos.com. PICOS Chef-owner Arnaldo Richards menu draws from the seven distinct regions of Mexican cuisine. Dont miss sauteed calamari, cochinita pibil, enchiladas moles and chiles nogada. The margaritas are renowned. 3601 Kirby, 832-831-9940; picos.net. SYLVIAS ENCHILADA KITCHEN Sylvia Casares refined plates feature fresh ingredients and surprisingly complex flavors. Among her dozen enchilada offerings: squash and corn, crab and grilled pork with a fiery red sauce. The Enchilada Queen also offers cooking classes for tamales and famous enchiladas. 6401 Woodway, 713-334-7295; 1140 Eldridge, 832-230-3842; sylviasenchiladas.com. (Writing) my book gave me an opportunity to look deeply into my early life and family dynamics in order to fully understand my position in that dynamic, the former school guidance counselor said. It was not only cathartic for me, but it will help future generations to know where they came from and build upon it. WASHINGTON At a meeting of President Donald Trumps top national security aides last Thursday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack U.S. forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, administration officials said. The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John R. Bolton, Trumps national security adviser. It does not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops, officials said. The development reflects the influence of Bolton, one of the administrations most virulent Iran hawks, whose push for confrontation with Tehran was ignored more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush. It is highly uncertain whether Trump, who has sought to disentangle the United States from Afghanistan and Syria, ultimately would send so many U.S. forces back to the Middle East. It is also unclear whether the president has been briefed on the number of troops or other details in the plans. On Monday, asked about if he was seeking regime change in Iran, Trump said: Well see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. There are sharp divisions in the administration over how to respond to Iran at a time when tensions are rising about Irans nuclear policy and its intentions in the Middle East. Some senior U.S. officials said the plans, even at a very preliminary stage, show how dangerous the threat from Iran has become. Others, who are urging a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions, said it amounts to a scare tactic to warn Iran against new aggressions. European allies who met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said that they worry that tensions between Washington and Tehran could boil over, possibly inadvertently. More than a half-dozen U.S. national security officials who have been briefed on details of the updated plans agreed to discuss them with The New York Times on the condition of anonymity. Spokesmen for Shanahan and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined to comment. The size of the force involved has shocked some who have been briefed on them. The 120,000 troops would approach the size of the U.S. force that invaded Iraq in 2003. Deploying such a robust air, land and naval force would give Tehran more targets to strike, and potentially more reason to do so, risking entangling the United States in a drawn out conflict. It also would reverse years of retrenching by the U.S. military in the Middle East that began with President Barack Obamas withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 2011. But two of the U.S. national security officials said Trumps announced drawdown in December of American forces in Syria, and the diminished naval presence in the region, appear to have emboldened some leaders in Tehran and convinced the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that the United States has no appetite for a fight with Iran. Several oil tankers were attacked or sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates over the weekend, raising fears that shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf could become flashpoints. Its going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, Trump said on Monday, asked about the episode. Emirati officials are investigating the apparent sabotage, and U.S. officials suspect that Iran was involved. Several officials cautioned, however, that there is not yet any definitive evidence linking Iran or its proxies to the attacks. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called it a regretful incident, according to a state news agency. In Brussels, Pompeo met with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, cosignatories of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, as well as with the European Unions foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini. He did not speak to the media, but the European officials said they had urged restraint upon Washington, fearing accidental escalation that could lead to conflict with Iran. We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side, said Jeremy Hunt, the British foreign secretary. The Iranian government has not threatened violence recently, but last week, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would walk away from parts of the 2015 nuclear deal it reached with world powers. Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement a year ago, but European nations have urged Iran to stick with the deal and ignore Trumps provocations. The high-level review of the Pentagons plans was presented during a meeting about broader Iran policy. It was held days after what the Trump administration described, without evidence, as new intelligence indicating that Iran was mobilizing proxy groups in Iraq and Syria to attack U.S. forces. As a precaution, the Pentagon has moved an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers, a Patriot missile interceptor battery and more naval firepower to the Gulf region. At last weeks meeting, Shanahan gave an overview of the Pentagons planning, then turned to Dunford to detail various force options, officials said. The uppermost option called for deploying 120,000 troops, which would take weeks or months to complete. Among those attending Thursdays meeting were Shanahan; Bolton; Dunford; Gina Haspel, the CIA director; and Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence. The president has been clear, the United States does not seek war with Iran, and he is open to talks with Iranian leadership, Garrett Marquis, a National Security Council spokesman, said Monday in an email. However, Irans default option for 40 years has been violence, and we are ready to defend U.S. personnel and interests in the region. The reduction of forces in the Middle East in recent years has been propelled by a new focus on China, Russia and a so-called Great Powers competition. The most recent National Defense Strategy released before Bolton joined the Trump administration concluded that while the Middle East remains important, and Iran is a threat to American allies, the United States must do more to ensure a rising China does not upend the world order. As recently as late April, a U.S. intelligence analysis indicated that Iran had no short-term desire to provoke a conflict. But new intelligence reports, including intercepts, imagery and other information, have since indicated that Iran was building up its proxy forces readiness to fight and was preparing them to attack U.S. forces in the region. The new intelligence reports surfaced on the afternoon of May 3, Shanahan told Congress last week. On May 5, Bolton announced the first of new deployments to the Persian Gulf, including bombers and an aircraft carrier. It is not clear to U.S. intelligence officials what changed Irans posture. But intelligence and Defense Department officials said American sanctions have been working better than originally expected, proving far more crippling to the Iranian economy especially after a clampdown on all oil exports that was announced last month. Also in April, the State Department designated the Revolutionary Guards a foreign terrorist organization over objections from Pentagon and intelligence officials who feared reprisals from the Iranian military. While much of the new intelligence appears to have focused on Iran readying its proxy forces, officials said they believed the most likely cause of a conflict will follow a provocative act, or outright attack, by the Revolutionary Guards navy. The Guards fleet of small boats has a history of approaching U.S. Navy ships at high speed. Revolutionary Guards commanders have precarious control over their ill-disciplined naval forces. Part of the updated planning appears to focus on what military action the United States might take if Iran resumes its nuclear fuel production, which has been frozen under the 2015 agreement. It would be difficult for the Trump administration to make a case that the United States was under imminent nuclear peril; Iran shipped 97% of its fuel out of the country in 2016, and currently does not have enough to make a bomb. That could change if Iran resumes enriching uranium. But it would take a year or more to build up a significant quantity of material, and longer to fashion it into a weapon. That would allow, at least in theory, plenty of time for the United States to develop a response like a further cutoff of oil revenues, covert action or military strikes. The previous version of the Pentagons war plan included a classified subset code-named Nitro Zeus, a cyberoperation that called for unplugging Irans major cities, its power grid and its military. The idea was to use cyberweapons to paralyze Iran in the opening hours of any conflict, in hopes that it would obviate the need to drop any bombs or conduct a traditional attack. That plan required extensive presence inside Irans networks called implants or beacons that would pave the way for injecting destabilizing malware into Iranian systems. Two officials said those plans have been constantly updated in recent years. But even a cyberattack, without dropping bombs, carries significant risk. Iran has built up a major corps of its own, one that successfully attacked financial markets in 2012, a casino in Las Vegas and a range of military targets. U.S. intelligence officials told Congress in January that Iranian hackers are now considered sophisticated operators who are increasingly capable of striking U.S. targets. Since Bolton became national security adviser in April 2018, he has intensified the Trump administrations policy of isolating and pressuring Iran. The animus against Irans leaders dates back at least to his days as an official in the George W. Bush administration. Later, as a private citizen, Bolton called for military strikes on Iran, as well as regime change. The newly updated plans were not the first time during the Trump administration that Bolton has sought military options to strike Iran. This year, Defense Department and senior U.S. officials said Bolton sought similar guidance from the Pentagon last year, after Iranian-backed militants fired three mortars or rockets into an empty lot on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in September. In response to Boltons request, which alarmed Jim Mattis, then the defense secretary, the Pentagon offered some general options, including a cross-border airstrike on an Iranian military facility that would have been mostly symbolic. But Mattis and other military leaders adamantly opposed retaliation for the Baghdad attack, successfully arguing that it was insignificant. This article originally appeared in The New York Times After the hearing, Cantrell said he did not think the defense wouldve won at trial. Prosecutors had a perfect fingerprint from his client and the victims blood on the murder weapon, he said. In plea negotiations, the state didnt budge on the sentence of 45 years because they thought they had an amazing case, according to Cantrell. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg's top lieutenant is out the door after the latest staffing shake-up at an office already plagued by high turnover and ongoing retention problems. Tom Berg, a former defense attorney who came on board at the start of Ogg's administration, confirmed his departure early Tuesday - and though initially he described it to the Chronicle as a firing, officials later said that he resigned when offered a different job title. "I realize that as the office has evolved its needs have necessarily changed," Berg wrote in a letter to Ogg dated Tuesday. "I could not anticipate or adjust to each aspect of the transformation and acknowledge your need to have a First Assistant who is philosophically more aligned with your course for the future." It's not clear if a specific incident prompted the move. Two other employees - Human Resources Director Dean Barshis and Community Outreach Coordinator Shekira Dennis - are shifting roles in similarly unclear circumstances. STAY INFORMED: Text HOUSTON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse READ MORE: High turnover continues at Harris County DAs office When Ogg took over the office in January 2017 after ousting Republican incumbent Devon Anderson, she made waves by letting go dozens of veteran prosecutors and replacing them with a number of seasoned defense attorney - including Berg. "Change is coming," Ogg said at the time. "Like any good team that has suffered some under-performing seasons, we're changing management. My administration is heading in a new direction." But even after Ogg took the helm, the changes continued. As of April, more than 140 prosecutors had left under her tenure, generating a sharp uptick in turnover. Ogg has attributed the turnover to fallout from Hurricane Harvey, which has left courtrooms scattered across a number of buildings and prosecutors working in makeshift offices. Some local attorneys chalked up the departures to leadership issues. "There's a lot of different things going around they're overworked because of the hurricane or they're not going to trial but really it's that there's no leadership," said Josh Phanco, a longtime felony prosecutor who left the office earlier this year. "There's no one you look at and say, 'Oh, I want to be that guy.' They all got fired." In the years before he joined the district attorney's office, Berg served in the military in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He is a Washington, D.C. native later raised in Mexico City. After graduating from Rice University and the University of Houston, he worked as a military lawyer challenging the government's alleged use of torture at Guantanamo Bay. "He put his own career in jeopardy because he believes in the higher principles of law," Ogg said in a 2017 news release announcing his hire. "Anybody with that kind of character, along with 40 years of experience, has the kind of qualifications we need in this office." He also spent more than a quarter century at the Federal Public Defender's Office in Houston, serving as the First Assistant there for 19 years. READ MORE: Shake-up at the courthouse: Incoming DA Ogg hands pink slips to 37 top prosecutors Berg's last day in the office is Wednesday. His sudden departure immediately sparked speculation and surprise in the legal community. "You have a lot of different people leaving," said Murray Newman, a defense attorney and former prosecutor. "If you look at Tom Berg as a good, ethical, stable force and he's at the top and he's leaving it doesn't give you a whole lot of hope for the people who are practicing below him." Officials have not yet said who's replacing him or what alternative position he was offered, and Berg did not offer additional comment. Meanwhile, Yvonne Taylor is stepping in as acting director of Human Resources. Officials would say only that Barshis is still on the payroll. Dennis will continue working for the district attorney's office but as a contractor, employed by her own public-engagement firm. keri.blakinger@chron.com, @keribla A Baytown police officer shot and killed a woman who authorities say struck him with his own Taser when he tried to arrest her on outstanding warrants. The woman was identified as 44-year-old Pamela Turner. The officer, who was not identified by name, is an 11-year veteran of the Baytown Police Department, department spokesman Lt. Steve Dorris said. The confrontation started around 10:30 p.m. Monday at The Brixton Apartments at 1601 Garth Road. The officer had been patrolling behind the complex when he spotted Turner, with whom he "had prior dealings," Dorris said. Turner was facing charges for allegedly assaulting the apartment manager after she had posted an eviction notice on Turner's door April 24, court records show. That same day, the manager tried to get her to leave the apartment when Turner allegedly grabbed the manager's face, scratching her nose and throwing her eyeglasses to the ground, court documents detail. Turner also allegedly slammed a log through the windshield of someone else's car days later, court records show. Now Playing: A Baytown police officer shot and killed a woman Monday night after she reportedly struck him with his own Taser, according to police. Video: Metro Video Turner was charged with two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief for allegedly breaking the manager's glasses and breaking the windshield, and one misdemeanor assault charge for allegedly scratching the manager, court records show. She was not immediately arrested and was wanted on those charges at the time of Monday night's shooting, court records show. The officer knew she had active warrants, Dorris said. The officer approached the woman and tried to arrest her when she started struggling with the officer, Dorris said. More Information INSTANT ANALYSIS: Text HOUSTON to 77453 to get premium breaking news alerts from HoustonChronicle.com by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse In video of the incident, Turner repeatedly yells at the officer claiming that she's pregnant, although Dorris said it was later determined that she was not pregnant. The officer deployed his Taser, but Turner was able to get the weapon away from him, Dorris said. She struck the officer with the Taser, at which point the officer pulled his firearm and fired five rounds, Dorris said. The woman was struck at least once and died at the scene. "It's a tragic event for everybody involved," Dorris said. "Of course, our hearts go out to the families of the deceased, as well as our officer." Dorris said the investigation was still in its early stages overnight. Investigators didn't know where the officer first approached the woman, he said. The officer did not have to be taken to a hospital, he said. By Tuesday morning, only orange paint on the grass, left by investigators to mark the scene, indicated what happened the night before. Neighbor Teryn Burns said she'd been talking with the woman close to an hour before the shooting. She'd found a pair of children's shoes and was hoping to return them to their rightful owner. "We talk to her every day," Burns said. "She's always out walking her dog. She brings little gifts here and there to the kiddos." Other residents in the complex said they were familiar with the woman, and that she frequently walked her dog and picked up trash in the area. "That could have been one of our grandmas," resident Johnathan Little said. "I feel like everything went wrong." Another neighbor, Peter Donaie, said he heard the five gunshots go off "like a firecracker." "This is just giving me more reason not to trust them (the police)," he said. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Just inside the front door, two teeth sit in a dried puddle of blood. Embedded in the walls and floor are bullets that were never removed. In the dining room, a shot-up mans shirt lies in a heap on the floor, the evidence tag still attached. Blood spatter speckles the walls, sofas and stray boxes. Nearly empty drug baggies clutter the floor. A four-day independent forensics review at 7815 Harding Street found a cache of evidence left behind by the citys crime scene teams after a botched drug raid at the home left dead a couple suspected of selling drugs. Hired by the relatives of Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle, the new forensics team found no signs the pair fired shots at police and plenty of signs that previous investigators overlooked dozens of pieces of potential evidence in what one expert called a sloppy investigation. It doesnt appear that they took the basic steps to confirm and collect the physical evidence to know whether police were telling the truth, said attorney Mike Doyle, who is representing the Nicholas family. Thats the whole point of forensic scene documentation. Thats the basic check on people just making stuff up. Inconsistencies According to the Houston Police Departments account, undercover narcotics officers burst in the front door of the Pecan Park home on Jan. 28 and opened fire as soon as a pit bull lunged at them. Hearing the gunshot, Tuttle came running out from the back of the house and started shooting at the officers with a .357 revolver, striking the case agent whod been the first man through the door. The wounded lawman fell on the couch near Nicholas, who allegedly made a move for his weapon. A back-up officer opened fire and killed the 58-year-old. But the shoot-out continued, and in the end, Tuttle and Nicholas were killed and five officers injured including four who were shot. Police maintain it was not friendly fire. Though the botched raid was intended to target heroin dealers, authorities said they only turned up 18 grams of marijuana and 1.5 grams of cocaine user-level amounts. And the first man through the door, case agent Gerald Goines, later retired under investigation amid accusations that hed lied on the search warrant used to justify the raid. Houston police, the FBI and the Harris County District Attorneys Office launched separate investigations into the matter, and prosecutors are exploring the possibility of criminal charges against one or more of the officers involved. But now, the four-day review by independent forensic expert Mike Maloney, a retired supervisory special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is raising additional new questions about the deadly bust. Though police said they started shooting when the dog lunged as they came through the door, Maloneys forensics team found that the dog was shot and killed at the edge of the dining room, 15 feet from the front door. Authorities never picked up the shotgun shell when they collected evidence. And police said that Tuttle started firing at them, but Maloneys team did not find clear evidence of that. The initial bullet trajectories appear to be somewhat contradictory, said Louisiana-based attorney Chuck Bourque, who is also representing the Nicholas family. We see no evidence that anybody inside the house was firing toward the door. Some of the bullet holes outside the house appeared at least a foot from the door, a fact that Doyle flagged as troubling. You cant see into the house from there, he said, youre firing into the house through a wall. The attorneys for the slain couples families invited the Texas Rangers and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences to attend the re-investigation, but both declined. Houston police spokesman Victor Senties declined to comment on the teams findings, citing the ongoing investigation. Chief Art Acevedo could not be reached Monday for comment. Uncollected evidence For three months after the raid, the home sat abandoned, windows boarded up and flowers in the front yard. When the Tuttle and Nicholas families finally went inside for the first time in mid-April, what they found was a mess. Bullet holes pierced a timer above the stove, and dog food bags, soda cans and clothes littered the house. But, it appears, it wasnt until Maloney and his team went in on Friday that anyone systematically went through everything. Maloneys investigators tested every dark stain and speckle for blood, both human and animal. They dug bullets out of the walls, and measured the holes left behind. They mapped out trajectories, and searched for shrapnel. Our goal is through the bloodstain and bullet trajectory testing to be able to tell where everyone was standing when the shots were fired, he said. Get alerted Text "Houston" to 77453 to receive HoustonChronicle.com alerts on your phone. See More Collapse They wont have their final determination on that until more testing comes back, but in the course of their weekend review, Maloneys team found a trove of uncollected evidence, an apparent oversight the Houston Forensic Science Center president Dr. Peter Stout chalked up to the mayhem of an active scene. Crime scenes are often chaotic, he said Monday, stressing that his teams took hundreds of photos and collected hours of video during multiple visits to the home. There is always the risk that some evidence will not be found or that items that seem unimportant today become significant tomorrow. Among that evidence was nearly a dozen .223- and .45-caliber bullets Maloney and Doyle believe came from police guns. Typically, Tuttle kept four of the guns he owned locked up in a bedroom safe as family heirlooms, Doyle said. He usually kept a loaded .357 Magnum by his bedside. That was the weapon police initially said he fired in the shoot-out, though its not clear what happened to the gun afterward. It was not cataloged in the only search warrant return that has been publicly released. Asking questions Maloneys team found no indication that any of the guns Tuttle owned were fired toward the front of the house at incoming police. The Houston Police Department has not released the results of any ballistics testing and has not specified which guns were fired in the exchange. In the puddle where Tuttle died after he was shot at least eight times, Maloney found what appear to be two human teeth. An autopsy report showed hed been shot in the jaw. Tossed aside in a pile of clothes in the dining room, Maloney and his team found a mans shirt with bullet holes and official evidence markers. It wasnt bloody, so theres no reason to believe Tuttle was wearing it at the time. But, for reasons that are unclear, authorities tagged it as evidence and left it behind at the scene. Also left at the scene were powder-coated straws and about a dozen tiny plastic baggies with white residue inside, underneath debris by the living room sofa. Most were of the size that could be used to hold a gram of cocaine, a user-level amount. Though the Houston Forensic Science Center the organization primarily responsible for processing scenes like the Harding Street home removed evidence and took dozens of photographs of the house, experts and the slain couples attorneys both were baffled by the amount of material left behind. I cant explain why all that was left that sounds like something only the Houston Police Department and investigators can answer, said former Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland. If that evidence is connected to that shooting scene, Id certainly be asking questions. Sam Walker, a criminal justice professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, called it sloppy and said the uncollected evidence raises other questions. How many people have been convicted over the years as a result of sloppy investigations which failed to collect evidence that was there that would have exonerated the suspect? he said. If they do it in this kind of a homicide case, what do they do in other kinds of investigations? keri.blakinger@chron.com st.john.smith@chron.com An Austin public-private endowment has awarded Houston-area organizations $11.5 million in grants to support mental health and well-being. The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health announced Monday it awarded $800,000 each to 10 local stakeholder groups and $3.5 million to a national partner that will coordinate the initiative, aimed at strengthening efforts at the community level. The focus will be children and families of color. Taken collectively, these grantees bring to the table a combination of know-how, ambition and commitment to community that is truly inspiring, Dr. Octavio N. Martinez Jr., executive director of the Hogg Foundation, said in a statement. It was a challenge to select only 10 organizations for this opportunity, but the end result was a lineup of amazing grantees who are well rooted in the places they hope to impact. The 10 grantees are AccessHealth, the Asian American Health Coalition of the Greater Houston Area, the Christus Foundation for HealthCare, the Family Service Center of Galveston County, First3Years, Houston Parks Board, the Light and Salt Association, Mental Health America of Greater Houston, My Connect Community, and Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corp. Prevention Institute, a national nonprofit with offices in Houston, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Oakland, is the coordinator. The Hogg Foundation, established in 1940 by the children of Texas Gov. James Hogg and affiliated with the University of Texas-Austin, historically focused primarily on individual mental illness but recently evolved to also tackle causes at the community and systems level. todd.ackerman@chron.com twitter.com/chronmed Houston Police Department Houston police identified the driver who was hospitalized after violently crashing during a high-speed pursuit as an Indiana man with an outstanding warrant from that state. Donald Robert Yates, 54, allegedly stole an early model Lexus SUV from the parking lot of a Home Depot on the Gulf Freeway in Gulfgate around 3 p.m., Houston Police Department spokesperson Kese Smith said. The car's owner, Amil Mikahiel, told Chron.com that he called 911 to report the theft and helped officers track the SUV through a GPS system he had installed. Elizabeth Burnham considered the two-story house on a quiet cul-de-sac in Bear Creek Village her forever home, a place where thanks to a loan from her mother the single mom could raise her two children, send them to the highly desirable Katy ISD schools and live out her days in a peaceful haven adorned with her own quirky art installations. Three years after she purchased the property, though, Burnham waded into her home after Hurricane Harvey, amid murky brown water to her chest, to survey all that shed lost an heirloom dresser submerged in a pile of sewage, her mothers childhood rolltop desk seemingly unsalvageable, mold growing on couches. The neighborhood changed, too, after everyone started piling their belongings on the curb, Burnham, who buys scrap metal for a living, told a federal judge in Houston Monday, wiping tears from her eyes. MORE: Hurricane Harvey victims slog through mud with out-of-town judge After Harvey it was like a zombie apocalypse. My house was broken into. I was so frustrated about everything that happened, and I could scream bloody murder in the streets and nobody would come because nobody was there, she testified. And the stench, it was just horrific. Burnham, who was recently married by Santa Claus on a flatbed during the Art Car Parade, is one of thousands of people whose homes and businesses flooded upstream of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs in the wake of the epic 2017 downpour. Many property owners upstream of the decades-old federal government dams in the areas west of Houston say they had no idea they lived inside a reservoir when they bought their properties. Burnham and thousands like her have signed onto federal lawsuits suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for taking possession of their land to store floodwater. U.S. Judge Charles F. Lettow of the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. is halfway through what is expected to be a two-week trial during which he alone will assess if the government is liable for damages. Justice Department lawyers have presented evidence that information about the homes being inside a designated flood pool was available to the public and fine print in plats in Harris and Fort Bend counties. The government also contends that Harvey was an unprecedented weather event that caused flooding all over the region. A spokesman for the Army Corps testified Monday that years before Harvey the government had alerted people they should get flood insurance and be prepared for possibility of upstream flooding in the event of a major rainstorm. He said the Corps made dozens of public presentations, sent postcards in multiple languages, published legal notices in newspapers and placed yard signs inviting people to public meetings. Last week, the judge toured several test properties and property owners began taking the stand to talk him through what happened. On Monday, several more testified. Burnham told the judge she ended up selling her house, which sits about a block from Addicks Reservoir, for $80,000, less than half of what she had paid. She wept as she explained that her daughter cannot graduate from high school with her friends because she is unable to afford to buy a home in the district thats not in the danger zone. What did the government take from her? attorney Armistead Easterby asked. My home, my sense of security, my ability to pay my mother back, Burnham said. It makes me sick. My mother has COPD, and by the time Im able to to pay her back, it wont matter. RELATED: Hurricane Harvey flooding victims get their day in federal court So far owners of 10 of the 13 test properties have taken the stand and shared photos and videos of waterlogged rooms and motorboats cruising through suburban streets, and an array of details about how the storm shattered their lives. On Monday, a group of flood victims in Justice for Canyon Gate T-shirts watched from the courtroom gallery in support of their fellow litigants. Juan Carlos Giron testified that he has been living in a FEMA trailer in his driveway, but now he can no longer afford the $1,000 monthly rent on it because hes still paying off the mortgage on his unliveable Cinco Ranch home thats stripped to the studs. He and his wife could have moved anywhere in the country for his job, but they chose to buy in Katy in 2005 because hed heard the schools were so good. They didnt buy flood insurance because the bank that gave him the mortgage didnt indicate he needed it. Get alerts Text "Houston" to 77453 to receive HoustonChronicle.com alerts on your phone. See More Collapse The sellers disclosure form showed boxes checked to indicate that the house was not in a 100-year floodplain and that no structures had previously flooded on the property, he told the judge. There were no signs that said you are now entering Barker Reservoir, he said. He didnt know the land was part of an embankment or part of spillway. The Girons had five inches of water inside their house and lost floors, major appliances, expensive clothing and irreplaceable keepsakes, but also many intangible things, he said. Were not the same. The house is gone, all the memories, uh Im sorry Im just getting emotional the house is gone our marriage is not what it needs to be. We separated because of all these things going on. My income dropped dramatically. Its not the same, he said. gabrielle.banks@chron.com President Trump continues to plunge the United States deeper into a trade war with China. Reports Tuesday said he's attempting to secure a $15 billion relief package that would seemingly protect American farmers from China's latest economic response. But most American consumers in need of basic goods will likely have to pay out of their own pockets higher prices for a significant number of household and everyday items. Above, you can click through to see which common, everyday items could see a noticeable price jump thanks to President Trump entering the United States into a trade war with China. Trump sent a second list of Chinese goods on Tuesday morning and ordered the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to compile another grouping for possible implementation of additional tariffs. TRUMP $200 BILLION TARIFF RAISE: Read about how China is responding on HoustonChronicle.com. "At the direction of the president, the United States increased the level of tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on approximately $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, " said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "The president also ordered us to begin the process of raising tariffs on essentially all remaining imports from China, which are valued at approximately $300 billion." The high tariffs are a strong arm tactic to get China to the table over trade disputes. But how will the trade war between the U.S. and China impact you, the consumer? To see the complete second list of Chinese goods that President Donald Trump ordered the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to put together for potential implementation of additional tariffs click here. Peter Dawson is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | Peter.Dawson@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. In a quiet public housing community south of downtown, all eyes are glued to a projector screen, lit up with a slideshow presentation on internet safety. Some tips to avoid malware: Dont click on click bait, a teacher at the front of the room tells a class of 10 people. (For example), if something pops up and it says, you just won a free iPad or a free iPhone. Shes teaching a diverse group from an elderly man using an electric scooter to a mother soothing a crying infant in her arms. Some of them may have never owned a computer, but over the course of the morning, they learn about spyware, webpage encryption, computer security software and wireless internet networks. OnExpressNews.com: HUD blocks city's plan to use $500,000 for air conditioning in public house The 16-hour course is part of an effort to bring high-speed internet, computers and digital skills training to San Antonians who might otherwise not be able to access or afford them. Roughly 1 in 4 households in San Antonio dont have an internet subscription the 14th worst rate in the nation for cities with 100,000 households or more, according to the Federal Reserve. In the digital era, that means they lack a basic amenity needed to apply for jobs, finish homework and access health care. Technology is creating more haves and have-nots, said Jordana Barton, who oversees community development at the San Antonio branch of the Federal Reserve. You see it in the digital divide: High-income people have access to everything fiber-optic infrastructure, the highest speeds, all the devices. Low-income people dont have access, and theyre told, dial-up is good for you. San Antonio officials are working to change that. In July 2015, former Mayor Julian Castro, then Housing and Urban Development secretary, launched ConnectHome, a partnership of the federal government, local housing authorities and the private sector to make sure families in public housing can access high-speed internet. San Antonio was chosen as one of 28 communities to be part of the program, described as Castros signature achievement during his time as HUD secretary. Almost four years later, ConnectHome has expanded to dozens of communities across the nation. It varies greatly from agency to agency, but experts say San Antonio has emerged as a model with one of the only housing authorities in the country with a full-time staffer dedicated solely to bridging the digital divide. OnExpressNews.com: 'It's been a blessing': SAHA begins installing AC in housing without it San Antonio is actually one of the leaders in the country because you have the housing authority working on this issue so intently, said Angela Siefer, who runs the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. Very few housing authorities have one person whose job is digital inclusion. That person is Munirih Jester. She joined the San Antonio Housing Authority as the first ConnectHome coordinator, tasked with developing digital training for residents and finding the money to pay for it. The program is expected to operate on roughly $300,000 this year, the majority of which comes from the private sector, such as by grants from Google and Wells Fargo. ConnectHome aims to fill a gap that no amount of cables, pipes or 5G infrastructure can a familys ability to pay for an internet connection and the devices needed to use it. According to SAHA, an estimated 1 in 6 San Antonio households dont have a computer, now critical to build resumes, apply for college and participate in the economy. Families who live in federally subsidized housing are some of the citys most physically and financially vulnerable typically earning $12,000 each year, in line with the federal poverty level and well below the citys median income of $49,700. Of the 59,000 people that rely on SAHAs programs, nearly half are children. As of this spring, roughly 2,000 residents at 30 SAHA apartment complexes had gone through the 16-hour basic training. Of those, more than 890 earned a free computer and almost 830 received free Wi-Fi through hot spots or SAHAs own network. They can access a slew of other educational resources across the city, including courses on online job searching, Adobe Creative Cloud, website coding and Google Docs. The field of digital inclusion is really social justice its equity, its empowerment, Jester said. The implications of people being disconnected are going to be really detrimental. But Jester and her staff have only so much control of San Antonios digital landscape. Depending on where families live, they may not be able to access the same internet speeds as their wealthier neighbors, even if ConnectHome provides them with a free hot spot. We notice when we get here, especially on the South Side, there is no connectivity, said Jester, sitting in the library of a public housing complex 5 miles south of downtown. OnExpressNews.com: 'I suffered the whole year': Thousands of San Antonio public housing units lack air conditioning Experts call that digital redlining, a term extended from discriminatory lending practices rampant in the 20th century when banks wouldnt do business with residents living in communities deemed hazardous, areas shaded in red on maps. Today, the map of internet speeds available in San Antonio is strikingly similar to a 1936 hand-colored map depicting neighborhoods where families were once denied financial services. Those communities were and still are largely made up of people of color on the South, West and East sides. That can be particularly detrimental at a time when an estimated 70 percent of teachers assign homework that needs access to the internet, according to national experts. Last year, one study found that almost 1 in 5 U.S. teens cant always finish their homework because of a lack of internet access at home, an academic burden that disproportionately hurts children of color and those whose parents have lower incomes. If our children do not have this, they will be behind the eight ball before they even start, said Marvin Lampkins, a longtime resident of Springview, a SAHA-managed community on the East Side. Lampkins moved into a SAHA apartment on the East Side with his wife 25 years ago after retiring from the Navy. He began taking consumer electronics classes, eventually earning a degree in computer networking. After that, SAHA hired him to help set up computer labs in a couple of public housing communities. In 2015, when SAHA began planning ConnectHome, it wasnt a surprise that officials asked for Lampkins help. Today, hes one of four digital ambassadors for the program SAHA residents who are paid part time to help run digital literacy trainings. Not only is he the go-to guy whenever neighbors run into computer problems, hes also become an advocate for digital literacy, pushing his family and other SAHA residents to take advantage of the program. One of his granddaughters went through the 16-hour training and received a laptop. The device has now become critical in her daily life, especially now that her 4-year-old daughter has started preschool. Her teacher uses email to communicate with parents and one day will assign homework that way, too, Lampkins said. Without a program like this, our poor kids are going to be left behind, Lampkins said. Marina Starleaf Riker is an investigative reporter for the San Antonio Express-News with extensive experience covering affordable housing, inequality and disaster recovery. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | marina.riker@express-news.net | Twitter: @MarinaStarleaf Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons office this week again denied a request for records by a U.S. House panel seeking to investigate the states botched voter purge program. The standoff over the records started April 1, when the Oversight and Reform Committee demanded them as part of an investigation into what House Democrats have called voter intimidation efforts in several states. The voter purge program, which the Texas secretary of states office launched in late January, relied on faulty data to allege that nearly 100,000 registered Texas voters may not be citizens. It was shut down by a federal judge in San Antonio the following month, after civil rights groups sued. While the Attorney Generals office has refused to release documents, Secretary of State David Whitleys office said Tuesday it has released more than 1,000 pages of documents in response to the request and plans to produce more by the end of the week now that the federal lawsuit has been settled. Whitleys office continues to withhold other documents it says are exempt from disclosure because of attorney-client privilege. For subscribers: Texas Attorney General denies U.S. House request for voter purge documents First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer in a letter Monday reiterated his claim that the House committee lacks the authority to force the secretary of state to produce documents. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, has rejected that claim but last month stopped short of threatening a subpoena if the Texas officials dont hand over the documents requested including emails with Gov. Greg Abbott and Trump administration officials about the attempted voter purge. In the letter Monday, Mateer said the ability of Congress to pass laws to protect voter rights does not override the inherent and reserved power of the state to maintain its own voter rolls. Granting Congress the power to exercise oversight over the constitutional officers of a state engaged in the lawful exercise of that states core authority would undermine the fabric of our system of dual sovereignty, Mateer wrote. In this case, that risk would be made particularly acute by the committees attempt to force the constitutionally-designated attorney for the State of Texas to divulge privileged and confidential communications with a client concerning the clients enforcement of Texas law. For subscribers: San Antonio judge approves settlement ending states voter purge attempt Mateer added that the committee lacked a valid legislative purpose for the investigation, which the committee has disputed. Raskin and Committee Chair Elijah Cummings in an April 29 letter to Paxton defended the committees right to investigate and argued that it was not subject to state public record laws, as the two Texas agencies have asserted. The right to vote is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, and Congress is charged with protecting and defending the Constitution, they wrote. The Committee has a bipartisan history of investigating issues affecting Americans right to vote, including the administration of elections by state governments. On Aug. 3, 2017, Beck, James Caffey and Tanisha Banks participated in an armed robbery at the Gary post office on 11th Avenue, according to the news release. They pointed guns at employees and forced them into a bathroom in order to steal $5,595 in cash, the release states. A proposed $1.6 billion budget boost for NASA meant to jump start the agency's plan to put humans on the moon by 2024 would be funded with what officials said were surplus monies from the federal Pell Grant program for low-income college students. The move proposed by President Donald Trump on Monday brought a sharp and swift response Tuesday -- even from supporters of the space program. "I'm all for space travel and returning to the moon but not at the expense of education," retired NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez posted on Twitter. "If the Pell Grant money is a surplus, how about increasing the size of grants so college grads don't graduate with so much debt?" The new NASA budget request for $22.6 billion was released Monday night, two months after the Trump administration directed the space agency to put humans on the moon four years earlier than planned, in 2024 instead of 2028. News of the proposed increase came as Congressional leaders were growing increasingly impatient that the agency could not provide a plan to meet the new moon objective especially because the Trump administration had previously suggested a half-billion-dollar cut starting Oct. 1. The proposed expansion for NASA and several other agencies would be funded by redistribution of $3.9 billion in Pell Grant money. Federal officials said Tuesday the money came from a budgetary surplus within the Pell Grant program and that no current recipients would be impacted. Pell Grant subsidies are awarded to students who show "exceptional financial need." The American Council on Education said the cuts "would hurt students and make college more expensive." "We strongly oppose this proposal and urge Congress to instead provide the necessary increase to Pell funding in the House appropriations bill," the council wrote. Laura Seward Forczyk, founder and executive director of George Space Alliance, was opposed the move. "Cutting education now cripples the space workforce later," she said on Twitter. "Is this the future we wish to create?" STRANGE SCIENCE: A self-cleaning space suit to protect from dust Nearly 415,000 students in Texas received Pell Grants in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Statewide, the University of Texas System had the largest number of students attending who had received Pell Grants nearly 70,000 students. Houston Community College had the largest among individual colleges and public universities, with 17,486. The University of Houston was second among individual four-year universities with 14,742, behind the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley with 15,306. "More than 40 percent of our students system-wide rely on Pell Grants to make college education more affordable and transform their lives," UH System officials said in a written statement. "As a longtime partner, we recognize the importance of NASA, but encourage Congress and the Administration to examine alternative funding sources for space exploration." In the current year ending June 30, students were eligible to receive up to $6,095. Unlike student loans, the grants do not have to be repaid but the maximum available can change from year to year. Students are eligible for up to six years, according to federal officials. SPACE JUNK: The universe is a pretty cool place. Sign up for the newsletter here. For NASA, the additional $1.6 billion would help the space agency develop a commercial lunar lander for humans three years earlier than planned, funnel more money into the Space Launch System rocket being built to take the Orion spacecraft to the moon, and enable more robotic exploration of the moon's polar regions before a human mission. The goal is to fly two SLS-Orion missions one without humans and another with crew aboard prior to 2024. The mini space station would also be launched during that period. Then in 2024, the third SLS-Orion mission would rocket to the Gateway, where astronauts would board a lunar lander waiting to take them to the moon's surface. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine acknowledged Tuesday morning at the Humans to Mars Summit in Washington, D.C. that the $1.6 billion increase was on the "low end" of what the agency would need to reach its goal. In a statement Tuesday, Republican U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma who is a member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, announced his support of the new NASA budget though he did not mention the money would be taken from the Pell Grant program. "America has long been the preeminent power in space but we're facing more and more competition as other nations propose bold exploration plans," he said. ""The President and Vice President's challenge to land on the Moon by 2024 reflects the urgent need for American leadership in space it's an ambitious challenge but one I fully support and urge the American people to get behind." Lucas called the new funding request "budget neutral and technically feasible." U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Democrat from Texas who is chair of the committee, declined to comment Tuesday, though she has spoken strongly in recent months about her disappointment that NASA did not have a solid plan to get to the moon and then Mars. All budgets must be approved by Congress. Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and science for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. President Donald Trump has asked Congress to give NASA an additional $1.6 billion in the coming year to jump start an effort to put humans on the moon by 2024 but experts say the space agency will need billions more. The additional money would help NASA develop a commercial lunar lander for humans three years earlier than planned, funnel more money into the Space Launch System rocket being built to take the Orion spacecraft to the moon and enable more robotic exploration of the moon's polar regions before a human mission. "This is a small down payment of what will be a rather large amount," said Keith Cowing, editor of NASA Watch, a website devoted to space news. "At the end of the day, show me the money." NASA has decided to name the latest moon effort "Artemis" the sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon. During a news conference Monday night, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the funding requests would only increase as the agency gets closer to the 2024 deadline, though he could not provide a number for how much the total project would cost. "I would love to tell you that, and we're working through that diligently," he said. "We expect in future years it will be more." 'Sets us up for success' Two months ago, the Trump administration directed NASA to put humans on the moon four years earlier than planned, in 2024 instead of 2028. But that directive did not come with a budget request to back it up. In the days and weeks since, congressional leaders have grown increasingly impatient that the agency could not provide a plan for reaching the objective, especially after a Trump administration request for a half-billion-dollar cut in the NASA budget beginning Oct. 1. With the new request, Trump is now asking for $22.6 billion for the agency. "This is a good amount that gets us out of the gate in a strong fashion and sets us up for success in the future," Bridenstine said. "This boost lets us move forward with design, development and exploration." The plan would use technology and hardware already under development, including a mini-space station orbiting the moon, called the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, and the Space Launch System rocket designed to launch the Orion spacecraft. The goal is to fly two SLS-Orion missions one without humans and another with crew aboard prior to 2024. The mini space station would also be launched during that period. Then in 2024, the third SLS-Orion mission would rocket to the Gateway, where astronauts would board a lunar lander waiting to take them to the moon's surface. But the plan is fraught with problems. The SLS, the largest rocket NASA has ever built, has suffered numerous setbacks since Boeing began building it in 2012. The rocket is the brainchild of President Barack Obama's administration and initially was scheduled to launch in 2017. That, of course, didn't happen. And earlier this year, Boeing informed NASA that the SLS would not make the most recent launch date of June 2020. They'll need until 2021 instead. Despite the problems, Bridenstine again stood behind the SLS rocket, which has cost NASA about $12 billion so far saying on Monday it was necessary for the plan. "The only way to get humans to the surface of the moon is on the SLS in the Orion crew capsule," he said. "It's an absolutely critical piece of the architecture." Additional resources The budget request from Trump would funnel another $651 million to SLS and Orion, as well as $1 billion so NASA can begin developing a commercial lunar lander for humans. Also included in the request is $132 million for technologies that will support the advancement of lunar exploration, such as solar-electric propulsion, and $90 million to pay for more robotic exploration of the moon's polar regions before 2024. Bridenstine did not know what federal programs might have been cut to allow for these increases, but no NASA programs were slashed to make this happen. "That's above my pay grade," Bridenstine said. "As far as other programs or where the money is coming from, we have not been briefed." Trump tweeted about the proposal increase Monday afternoon. "Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars," Trump tweeted. "I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!" Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. Trade is not a zero-sum game, yet Donald Trumps policies have reduced it to a high stakes poker match, with the president convinced he can double-down on tariffs and make his opponents blink. This is bad for all Americans, who are stuck covering his bets, but its even worse for the Lone Star state. Businesses here paid almost $2 billion in additional tariffs last year. In this perverse game of Texas holdem, the deck appears stacked. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn know this, and in a rare break from their support of President Trump, they have made clear they do not back his protectionist policies. But so far, its been mostly words, as they have joined the ranks of Republicans who oppose a trade war but seem to have given up any plans to stop it. The presidents reckless policies so far have produced little to brag about and have succeeded only in alienating our allies, hurting farmers, and roiling the markets. Congress should rein in the president and Texas should lead the way. The states losses are magnified because its an import-export powerhouse No. 1 in exports and No. 2 in imports. Texas has been taking advantage of a globalized economy, with almost three million jobs supported by international trade, and more than half a trillion dollars in total trade. But life under Trump has meant we are now being penalized for what used to be a good strategy. The pain is local as well. Houstons annual trade with China was $20.3 billion last year, making Beijing the citys second-largest trading partner after Mexico, according to the Greater Houston Partnership. Exports to China fell 57 percent in the first three months of 2019 compared with the same period last year. Fuel and refined product exports are down 50 percent. Those losses may only grow thanks to Trumps latest gambit, which increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, and provoked China to retaliate Monday with tariffs on about $60 billion of U.S. products. Beyond the trade war with China, Houston businesses have been steadily impacted by the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed a year ago on countries such as Canada and Mexico, under the risible rationale of national security. Tariffs have inflated the cost of building, including pipelines used to transport oil and natural gas. While area companies have filed for thousands of exemptions, and received thousands of tariff waivers, a $1.75 billion Kinder Morgan pipeline project in the Permian Basin could see its cost rise by about 5 percent after it was denied waivers by the Department of Commerce recently. Other areas of the petrochemical industry are also being affected. In this climate of protectionism, not even salsa is safe. Last week, the Commerce Department imposed a 17.56 percent tariff on Mexican tomatoes, a move expected to raise prices by about 40 percent. The skyrocketing costs are making border brokers nervous and threaten thousands of jobs that support the Texas produce business. Making China accountable for bad trade practices and theft of intellectual property is warranted, but the president cant be trusted to negotiate in good faith when he continues to make false comments about China paying for tariffs, which are really a tax on American consumers and industry, or claiming the U.S. trade deficit with China was money taken from the American people, instead of us buying more of their products than they did ours. During a recent meeting, Republican senators tried to persuade the president that tariffs are not the answer. Cornyn was in the room when the president not only refused to budge on lifting steel and aluminum tariffs, he also didnt rule out imposing tariffs on automakers, which would pummel yet another Texas industry. Cornyn and Cruz need to get off Trumps cheerleading squad and defend Texas economy. They clearly disagree with the president Cornyn has called tariffs an unguided missile, Cruz has labeled them a bad idea and Congress has the constitutional responsibility to regulate commerce and trade. Lawmakers must vote to rescind a 1962 law that turned over to the president the power to impose tariffs and reclaim their power. The New York Times recently reported that a decade of Trumps tax information shows losses of more than a billion dollars on poor investments for a man who has long touted his deal-making artistry. We can only hope he doesnt run the country like he ran his businesses into bankruptcy. Negotiating with sovereign countries requires a bit more sophistication than haggling with a Queens contractor. And American voters arent nearly as forgiving as The Donalds late father, who repeatedly bailed him out. Congress needs to step in and pull Trump back from a trade war that increasingly looks like another of his many bad bets. The Lake County Council memorialized Franklin Tuesday, presenting her family with a proclamation that recognized the councilwomans work for her city, her district and the county. Franklin was the first African-American woman to serve on the County Council, was the director of Garys General Services, led the Gary Precinct Organization and was vice chair of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. The absolute occupancy level was the highest for any April in STRs Abu Dhabi database. STR analysts note that performance levels were pushed by events such as Culture Summit Abu Dhabi (7-11 April) and the Retail Abu Dhabi Spring Sales (15 April through 1 May). STRs preliminary April 2019 data for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, indicates high demand and occupancy levels. Based on daily data from April, Abu Dhabi reported the following in year-over-year comparisons: Supply: +4.6% Demand: +5.3% Occupancy: +0.7% to 80.4% Average daily rate (ADR): +2.8% to AED440.01 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +3.4% to AED353.98 The absolute occupancy level was the highest for any April in STRs Abu Dhabi database. STR analysts note that performance levels were pushed by events such as Culture Summit Abu Dhabi (7-11 April) and the Retail Abu Dhabi Spring Sales (15 April through 1 May). STR will release full April results later this month. STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest all industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hospitality Trends Lugar was a reliable conservative vote in the Senate, but he worked closely with Democratic Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn in the early 1990s to launch the program under which the U.S. paid to dismantle and secure weapons in the former Soviet states. The Nunn-Lugar program led to about 7,600 Soviet nuclear warheads being deactivated and the destruction of more than 900 intercontinental ballistic missiles by the time Lugar left office in 2013, according to U.S. military figures. Clarksburg/Stamford Merger Study Presented on Wednesday CLARKSBURG, Mass. The consultants hired by Clarksburg and Stamford, Vt., will lay out a proposed roadmap for the merger of the towns' elementary schools into a single, interstate district. Public Consulting Group, hired earlier this year, will present the opportunities and challenges to such a merger on Wednesday, May 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Clarksburg School. The group was charged to look at three options for the towns: maintaining the status quo, merging but keeping the current grade configuration at each school, and merging and creating an early education school at Stamford and a Grade 3-8 school in Clarksburg. Northern Berkshire School Union Superintendent John Franzoni and members of the merger committee have considered Option 2 keeping the schools separate as not being beneficial to either town. A chart created by PCG looking at various aspects of the schools bears that out with Option 2 not addressing needs such as class sizes, space and preschool, or savings in programming or instruction. "PCG does not recommend this scenario as a viable option," the report states. "The complexity of merging central office functions does not realize enough benefits to make it an attractive approach." Option 3 would offer the potential for expanded educational benefits that are considered the primary goal of a merger, although officials also hope to see some cost savings by combining forces. "Cost savings are dependent on key policy decisions, namely choice students and class size," according to the report. "An updated class size policy, coupled with continued acceptance of choice students, will have the greatest overall impact on budget." Clarksburg by state law has the ability to accept school choice students children from outside the town who fill vacant seats to bring up class sizes. The revenue that flows to the school district through school choice can be used for programming, salaries and other needs. Stamford currently does not have that option. PCG assumes classes sizes of about 19 in the lower grades through combining the schools and school-choice students and about 22 for Grades 3-8. Those are closer to median class size for Massachusetts schools. No grades would be combined. Stamford would supply five classrooms for 95 students and one open for any prekindergarten overflow; Clarksburg would have nine classrooms for 220 students, leaving three open for overflow or additional programming. It would also allow for Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System testing, which begins in Grade 3, to be done in the Massachusetts school. In terms of educational recommendations, the merged school district should create a curriculum and professional development coordinator; align curriculum to Massachusetts standards; offer preschool and before and after school care; offer community and family events to create new traditions; and create a shared special education vision and mission. The consultants also advise selling Stamford School to the town of Stamford to eliminate oversight issues; the school building is a shared complex that holds the town offices and library and serves the senior community. The report also offers recommendations on creating long-term plans for education, facilities, policies, and budgeting, and addressing the impact on the Northern Berkshire School Union. One recommendation to hire a full-time business manager has already been fulfilled. Other issues that would have to be addressed are teacher and administration contracts, tax implications, and governance. The details of any merger would also need approval of the Massachusetts Department of Education and the Vermont Agency of Education and the states' respective Legislatures and the U.S. Congress. The study found there was a preference by some stakeholders in closing Clarksburg School if a merger was rejected. The consultants recommended an analysis be done on the costs related to closing the building, including continued maintenance on the empty structure or tearing it down and its effect on the library. "PCG believes these costs may be much more substantial than the town's preliminary analysis my suggest," the report states. Another possibility could be regionalization within the school union or with North Adams Public Schools, or more shared services such as food services, transportation or purchasing. Stamford would have to get greater clarification on its ability to remain an independent school district. The discussion on merging with Clarksburg was prompted by Vermont's Act 46 that seeks to streamline governance and services by merging school districts. Stamford would be linked with a school 25 miles away under Act 46, which led school officials to look south to Clarksburg School, four miles and 10 minutes away. Other recommendations for Stamford included recruiting local students who are now attending private school and creating more opportunities for middle school students to participate in activities with peer groups. The education group offered some "universal recommendations" for whichever option the towns considered. For Clarksburg, the recommendations are to increase class sizes to 19-22 students for a "notable cost savings" and to bring it closer to the median class size for Massachusetts schools. Establishing a prekindergarten, which has some 53 children in that age group whose parents mostly work outside the home. Developing an agreement that will give the school more access to the attached town library. And development of a long-term capital and funding plan to address infrastructure deficiencies and maintenance. Stamford is advised to also develop a long-term facilities and maintenance plan and also an agreement for better access for students to the attached town library. And create a plan to address the high turnover of teachers and administrator that can affect student outcomes and school culture. Ireland and Britain declare climate emergencies, but will it make a difference? by Rick Noack May 10,2019 | Source: Washington Post Ireland became the second country on Thursday to declare a climate emergency, following Britains lead earlier this month. The measures come amid global youth protests demanding more climate action and as researchers fear that 1 million species may be on the brink of extinction because of human activity. In a declaration passed unanimously Thursday without a vote by the Irish Parliament, lawmakers also stressed threats to biodiversity, which researchers say have ripple effects on humans who depend on the global food chain. Both the Irish and British declarations are largely symbolic and do not force governments to take specific actions to increase biodiversity or pursue more emissions cuts than previously planned. Opposition Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who supported the move, warned that declaring an emergency means absolutely nothing unless there is action to back it up. That means the Government having to do things they dont want to do. Earlier this month, British Labour Party opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn took a more positive stance and celebrated Britains declaration, saying: This can set off a wave of action from parliaments and governments around the globe. Corbyn also lashed out at President Trump, who has withdrawn the United States from the Paris climate agreement. We pledge to work as closely as possible with countries that are serious about ending the climate catastrophe and make clear to U.S. President Donald Trump that he cannot ignore international agreements and action on the climate crisis, Corbyn said. French President Emmanuel Macron said last year that he would not negotiate trade deals with countries that did not comply with the agreement, which would include the United States. But overall, the European Union has been split over whether to pursue tougher goals to limit the impact of climate change, with countries such as the Netherlands or Portugal arguing in favor. But other nations especially in Central or Eastern Europe where unemployment is higher and economic growth weaker have soured on the idea of further joint measures. The fault lines have not only run between countries but also within. In France, protesters forced Macron to reverse taxes designed to decrease carbon emissions in recent months. Meanwhile, Europes largest economy, Germany, has been preoccupied with shutting down its nuclear power plants since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, which has resulted in a revival of coal energy there. Researchers climate change models predict that the current speed of progress in Europe and elsewhere will not be sufficient to keep global warming below the 2 degree threshold. Keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) would avert some of the most serious repercussions. Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade, Others. Ending slavery at sea headlines key regional fisheries meeting in Micronesia May 13,2019 | Source: Marianas Variety The annual Forum Fisheries Committee officials meeting concluded with a headline decision to strengthen the regional harmonized minimum requirements for fishing licenses with the addition of crew employment conditions. The outcome has already been hailed as ground-breaking by the 17 members as well as by international NGOs present at the meeting. Speaking from the meeting the director-general of the Forum Fisheries Agency or FFA, Dr. Manu-Tupou-Roosen noted that the decision of members would now require embedding in national procedures. The fishing vessel operator will now become formally responsible for the health, welfare and safety of the crew while he or she is on board the vessel, and will be required to meet decent standards in respect of salary and conditions for all crew, observed Dr. Tupou-Roosen. This is a giant step forward in helping to ensure that the slavery at sea identified in other global fisheries does not blight the Pacific region. It will help ensure that basic human rights are protected for those working in our offshore tuna fishery. The chairman of the meeting, executive director of the Federated States of Micronesias National Oceanic Resource Management Authority or NORMA, Eugene Pangelinan, observed that while the regions regional offshore tuna fisheries are already the most sustainably managed in the world, we now expect all operators in the fishery to treat crew members in a way that reflects the values and expectations of our combined membership. Executive Director Pangelinan also noted that by setting these standards more Pacific Island nationals will be motivated to become crew on fishing vessels thus meeting an objective to enhance local employment in the Industry. This is a goal our leaders have set us and we are proud to be taking this work forward. Participants at the meeting have noted heightened concerns over conditions in high seas fisheries, especially on foreign longlining vessels which often require crew to stay at sea for up to a year with poor pay and conditions and harsh penalties for dissent. Meeting in Pohnpei, the 17 member countries of the FFA also agreed on the following: A final draft FFA Strategic Plan 2020-2025 for forwarding to ministers for their endorsement when they meet next month. Strengthened work on assessing the impacts of climate change on offshore fisheries; A new regional longline strategy to underpin stronger returns to island countries; Enhanced measures to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; and Priorities for FFA members to take forward in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. This week was also a time of reflection for NORMA and FFA which both celebrate 40 years of operation. I cannot stress enough that although much has been achieved in 40 years, there is still much to do particularly with emerging issues and challenges such as climate change. We work to ensure our people enjoy social and economic benefits from a sustainably managed offshore tuna resource and this wouldnt be possible without key partnerships, said Dr. Tupou-Roosen. I want to particularly thank NORMA for hosting us this year. But also I want to thank our members for their continued trust in us. Cooperation, is without a doubt what has brought us this far and it will be how we advance for the next 40 or more years. Coincidentally, the fisheries meeting concludes on the 40th anniversary of the FSM becoming a self-governing nation. 2013 Marianas Variety Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Malaysia detains 29 Vietnamese fishermen for intruding into its waters by Minh Minh May 14,2019 | Source: VNA Malaysian authorities have detained 29 Vietnamese fishermen and their two vessels for alleged encroachment and illegal fishing in their countrys waters. The men, aged between 20 and 50, were arrested some 80 nautical miles off the northern coastal city of Kuching in Sarawak State on Saturday, deputy director-general of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Commander Hamiludin Che Awang, was quoted as saying by the Straits Times. They were fishing illegally when a patrol ship found them, and they failed to produce a permit or valid personal documents, he said. All of them have been taken to the Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex in Kuching for further investigation, he added. The Vietnamese embassy in Malaysia has confirmed their detention, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. The MMEA also seized three tons of fish and fishing equipment worth RM2 million ($480,000) from the two vessels. The Fisheries Act levies a fine not exceeding RM1 million for the skipper and not exceeding RM100,000 for each crew member or a jail term not exceeding two years for harmful alteration of fish habitat. There is no official information about when the trial will be held. This is the fourth time a foreign vessel has been seized for illegal fishing in Malaysian waters this year and all have been Vietnamese. Vietnamese fishermen are often charged with violations in neighboring countries waters. In 2018 and until April this year there have been 101 cases of Vietnamese boats intruding into waters of other countries in the region. A total of 163 vessels and 1,258 fishermen were detained, Nguyen Quang Hung, deputy head of the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said last month. Despite its 3,260 km (2,025 miles) coastline, Vietnam is running out of near-shore seafood resources, and some fishermen who have sailed to other countries also said they face threats from Chinese vessels that are illegally anchored in Vietnamese waters for trawling and are chased away by them. 1997 VnExpress.net Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Williams, along with Mayor John Cannon and the Rev. Ben Ahlersmeyer, one of the departments several chaplains, extolled the work of the departments officers and all officers during the program, which also included several awards, as well as the promotions of sergeants to lieutenants and corporals to sergeants. In one of his messages to the Hammond clinic, Wiersma wrote that he aint afraid of the feds and will taunt them just to prove it, court records state. Days later, Wiersma did just that, prosecutors said. Wiersma submitted an online tip to the FBI, according to the government, that said, Luke Wiersma is a danger to society. He plans on committing crimes against abortion clinics. ... I think he is possibly planning a violent attack. He is somebody who should be looked into. Both mothers now belong to a somber sorority in our country. For the first time on record, the odds of dying from an accidental opioid overdose are greater than dying in a motor-vehicle crash, according to the National Safety Council. In fact, the lifetime odds for this cause of death are 1 in 96, just below the odds of suicide, 1 in 88. Mina Mangal, a former television presenter who is now working as parliamentary adviser, was shot in broad daylight Saturday, May 11, morning in Kabul. She reportedly has received threats and fear of her life. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) condemns the killing of Mina Mangal and calls the authorities to urgently investigate whether the incident is work related. Mangal was working as an adviser to the Cultural Commission of Wolesi Jirga. She had worked as a television presenter for over 10 years. According to reports, Mangal was shot dead on her way to work. Early reports suggest that she was shot by her ex-husband. According to the IFJ report, In the Shadow of violence: journalists and media killed in 2018 Afghanistan had recorded the most killings last year, recording 16 journalists and media workers killed AIJA said: AIJA condemns the assassination of Mina; her killing is a big damage to the media. The murder of Mina has been a major disaster for the family of the press, and we call on the Attorney General's Office to scrutinize the case thoroughly and make the perpetrators of the murder subject to law. The IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said: We condemn the killing of Mina Mangal and demand an immediate investigation to determine if her murder was work related. The threats and safety issues that women journalists face in Afghanistan making increasingly difficult for women to work in media. We urge the Afghan authorities to ensure the safety of the media. Imperial Valley News Center Threatening America: Did Iran Attack US-Bound Tankers? Washington, DC - Following US warnings of Iranian attacks, two Saudi tankers bringing oil to the US have been hit in sabotage attacks, leaving them seriously damaged. The attack, which seems to have Irans fingerprints all over it, follows the American deployment of an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Straits of Hormuz, a 21-mile wide waterway that separates Iran from other oil-rich Gulf countries. Are we on the brink of an all-out conflict with Iran? If so, how will it break out? Joining us in this discussion is David Rubin, former mayor of Shiloh in Israel and author of Trump and the Jews. Q&A: Mayor Rubin, why are you convinced that Iran is the attacker of the Saudi oil tankers? Answer: In recent days, American and Israeli intelligence have been warning of imminent Iranian attacks, and there have been direct verbal threats from the leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, making clear their intent to respond to the American deployment of the aircraft carrier and bombers in the Straits of Hormuz. Why would Iran risk making such high-profile threats and even direct or indirect attacks? Answer: In the Middle East, strength, or at least the appearance of strength, is highly sought. Its like the psychological edge sought by a bully in a schoolyard or a prison. Iran believes that by waging high-profile attacks against Saudi Arabia or Israel, allies of the United States, it will intimidate the United States, thus gaining the psychological edge. Why is the Straits of Hormuz a potential powder keg? Answer: The Straits of Hormuz is a 21-mile wide waterway that separates Iran from other oil-rich Gulf countries, and as we know, oil tankers are quite large. The potential for armed conflict there is enormous. While the U.S. is working on oil-independence, that day has not yet arrived, so if the Straits of Hormuz were to be shut down, even for a short amount of time, the economic fallout could be catastrophic. Why is the convergence of the American attack on the North Korean ship and the attack on the Saudi tankers significant? Answer: Iran and North Korea have been feverishly pursuing nuclear weapons capability and both are threatening the United States. The convergence of their recent dual threats cant be ignored since they are obviously testing this presidents resolve. Why does the recent stationing of the US carrier and bomber task force in the Straits of Hormuz bring us closer to armed conflict with Iran? The American attack on the Korean ship is a signal to Iran that the Trump administration is prepared to take aggressive action when needed. Iran sees the American presence in the Straits of Hormuz as a threat to Iranian attempts to dominate the region and threaten Americas Persian Gulf allies. Iran has been continuing its support for Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza. After 700 Hamas and Islamic Jihad rockets recently killed and wounded Israelis, why did Israel agree to a ceasefire? After his great election victory several weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is conducting very intense negotiations to form a governing coalition. It makes more sense for him to postpone the big conflict with the Iranian surrogates until he has a strong united coalition standing with him. Where can our viewers get a copy of your book, Trump and the Jews? At www.Amazon.com. Just type in Trump and the Jews. Bio: David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh Israel, is the author of the new book, Trump and the Jews. Rubin is founder and president of Shiloh Israel Childrens Fund, established after he and his then three-year-old son were wounded in a terror attack. He can be found at www.DavidRubinIsrael.com or at www.ShilohIsraelChildren.org Imperial Valley News Center Is Vertical Farming an option for feeding our cities? Davis, California - With the worlds population estimated to reach 9.8 billion people by 2050, is vertical farming a viable option for feeding our rapidly growing cities while keeping us from committing climate suicide? City life is in demand. According to the United Nations, 3 million people all over the world are moving to cities every week, and this number is expected to keep increasing. The UN predicts that, in 15 to 30 years, two-thirds of the world will be living in cities. The U.S. is no different we love our cities too. Today, 82% of Americans live in medium or large-sized cities, and this percentage is expected to spike in the future as well. Where we get our food to feed these growing cities will play a major role in whether we achieve our climate goals under the Paris Agreement or not. According to experts, up to 23% of our global greenhouse gases can be traced back to agriculture and land use. Thats almost a fourth of our total greenhouse gas emissions. But that only accounts for production: food then needs to be transported to the big cities, and in many cases, that means taking big diesel-emitting 18-wheelers across the country, or exporting food out of the country altogether. Californias agriculture industry is huge. We have 77,500 farms producing more than 400 different commodities, and we produce two-thirds of the nations fruits and nuts. We export one-fourth of our total food production to other countries. And all this comes at a carbon price we might not be able to afford as the food demand for our hungry cities increases. A simple solution to reduce our food mileage the distance food travels from production to consumption is to grow food near our cities. But an even better solution could be to grow food right inside our cities. Vertical farming is the act of growing food in vertically-stacked layers indoors year-round by controlling light, temperature and water, often without the use of soil. Two of vertical farmings biggest perks are its climate control mechanisms and potential to make production more efficient. As climate change gets worse, many places where weve been able to grow food for years will start experiencing unprecedented problems. Rain seasons, drought years, flash floods and irregular weather patterns can become less predictable. Habitable areas for insects will change as well, which could introduce pests and disease to new areas. The ability to grow food indoors, and without soil, gets rid of these future uncertainties. Growing food indoors without concerns about climate or soil means extreme-weather Chicago, congested New York and even dry Las Vegas can become independently sustainable food producers, grow food year-round and feed themselves locally. Soil-free agriculture will eliminate any use of pesticides and herbicides, which would make consuming food much healthier. It also alleviates the problem of dealing with the declining health of our soil. According to the UN, half of the soil usable for agriculture has been lost in the past 150 years, leaving us with only 60 more years of viable soil. Vertical farming also brings potential for solving our current and projected water issues in California. By using hydroponic system technology, water is constantly recycled and uses 98% less water per item than traditional farming. Adopting this technology would be greatly beneficial for our future, considering that Californias agricultural sector uses 40% of our water. Vertical farming also means potential economic profit for farmers. With 3.5 million workers maintaining the fields in the U.S., labor comes at a price. But vertical farming can automate most of its production, meaning that more businesses can afford to jump into the market and bring the cost of food down. Ecologically, vertical farming can help the land harmed by deforestation and desertification to regenerate and return to its natural state. This would allow many species to retake their natural habitats and help slow the alarming rates of extinction. While vertical farming has the potential to solve a lot of our current and future problems, its still very early in its development, and there are many questions we dont know the answers to. Will the food grown under LED lights be as nutritious as the food grown under the sun? Is the carbon footprint of substituting the suns energy with LED lights sustainable? Where will the energy to run these vertical farms come from? Vertical farming is not the answer to all of our problems and is not a technology meant to replace conventional farming altogether. But it can allow for our growing cities to take some load off farms and become more self-sufficient. Whats Quickly? Its where readers sound off on the issues of the day. Have a quote, question or quip? Call Quickly at 312-222-2426 or email quickly@post-trib.com. Make America Great Again, like a Trump business! More debt, more bankruptcies, more foreign loans, and more unpaid contractors! Trump is trying to start a war because he thinks thats the only way he can save his presidency. I have to agree with the commenter who doesn't think Stephen Colbert is funny. Colbert's not nearly as laughable as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. What a nice article by columnist Jerry Davich and tribute to Bishop Donald Hying about their friendship and the impression the bishop has made on everyone in Northwest Indiana. The bishop will truly be missed and not only by Catholics in the Diocese of Gary. Jerry, if you can arrange for kidnapping his bike and putting the brakes on him pedaling away for good, that would be awesome! After an FBI briefing, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says Russian hackers accessed voter databases in 2 Florida counties. What are you going to do about it? And how many other places have they infiltrated? In addition to Steven Colbert, somebody should also tell Jimmy Kimmel on his late night show that "he isn't even close to being funny" either! Donald Trump Jr. has created a battle between members of the Senate because he has repeatedly refused to sit for interviews, forcing a subpoena. Now some members of his fathers faction are urging him to refuse to honor that subpoena. What has become of these legislators? It is really disturbing when the State of Indiana takes voters rights away from them. Republicans decided to take away our right to vote for the Superintendent in Schools, and they will now appoint someone, who doesnt have to have a background in education. Educating our children is no longer the focus, control is the objective. Brian Kolfage, an Iraq war veteran started a GoFundMe campaign to privately fund a portion of the border wall in Mexico. His website Right Wing News supports far-right conspiracy theories. He raised $22 million and nothing went for that wall project, but he has bought himself a million dollar yacht and high-flying lifestyle. If the Trump Administration can ignore subpoenas, that means that every American in the country including all Democrats has the same right to do the same, and don't forget it. If you want more proof of Trumps idiocy, according to Bob Woodwards book, Trump told former White House national Economic Director Gary Cohn to Just run the presses print more money, when discussing the national debt. Delta Airlines is pushing an anti-union program for its employees. They keep telling them that union dues cost about $700 dollars a year, and that a new video game system with the latest hits, sounds like fun and a better way to spend your money than paying dues. Except that game system will be of no help when Delta cuts your hours or forces you to work overtime without extra pay. VP Mike Pence gave a talk to Liberty University graduates. He warned them that they need to be prepared that people might shun or ridicule them just for being Christians. Wrong, people ridicule them for using their religious beliefs to justify discrimination. Read more at www.post-trib.com/quickly. Imperial Valley News Center Breakthrough in Health Care for Veterans Washington, DC - Imagine if Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass reforms that improve the lives of millions of people. And imagine if those reforms put Americas veterans at the center of their health care decisions, leading to better customer service for our nations heroes. This isnt hypothetical. It happened last year when Congress passed the MISSION Act. The law gives the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the ability to provide veterans with the best health care possible, whether at VA health care facilities or with community providers. The legislation sailed through Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and the strong backing of veterans service organizations. President Donald J. Trumps signature put us on a path to implementing these reforms. On June 6, the MISSION Act will enable VA to consolidate the departments community care efforts into a single, simple-to-use program that will empower veterans with the ability to choose the health care providers they trust. So what can veterans expect on June 6? Less red tape, more satisfaction and predictability for patients, more efficiency for our clinicians, and better value for taxpayers. Read the full op-ed here. IWTC Monterey Celebrates Language, Culture During DLI's Language Day Monterey, California - Every year at the Presidio of Monterey, students and staff participate in Language Day, a public event dedicated to honoring and celebrating the diversity of culture at the Defense Language Institute (DLI). In celebration of the event, the Presidio of Monterey opened its gates to the public for the day, May 10. This year, students of each of the many languages taught at DLI, to Include those attached to Information Warfare Training Command Monterey, displayed the culture and traditions of those languages with dances, songs, and a variety of other cultural activities. Community members enjoyed cuisine from around the world with traditional dishes such as Filipino lumpias, Indian samosas, and fresh Mediterranean baklava as well as displays of artifacts and architecture from Russia and made-in-the-moment posters in Arabic script. The event kicked off with the posting of the colors by the Joint Service Color Guard, followed by the mainstage performances. Students from the Chinese course left the audience in awe as dragons danced about the stage to the heavy beating of drums. Those learning the Arabic language performed a spirited debka dance, while the up-and-coming Spanish linguists inspired the crowd to stand up and move to the rhythm of salsa. Language day is important, specifically for those who dont go to DLI, said Seaman Johnathan George, a student at DLI. For the residents of Monterey, to get to know what goes on here on base, especially for the people who have never traveled outside of the United States, it gives them an opportunity to be able to understand and be immersed in a new culture. The festivities were eye-opening, even for students of DLI. For those of us on base, every day we just go directly to our language-specific schoolhouse, and we dont see much of the other languages or cultures, said Seaman Kiersten Stone. Now we all get to come together to celebrate each others cultures and listen to the languages and enjoy the different customs. Language Day is a chance for the military students and their primarily civilian teachers to work together to put on cultural performances which are enjoyable for all. Along the way, they eliminate stereotypes associated with some countries and increase understanding of different custom. While military personnel do not take lightly to the fact that we learn languages in order to defend our national security, DLI is unprecedented in its ability to blend the warrior mindset with the deeper human connection of cultural fluency. Any linguist will tell you that language and culture are inextricably linked, said Cmdr.Michael Salehi, commanding officer of IWTC Monterey. Todays event was an opportunity for students to focus on the cultural aspect of their target language, while at the same time appreciate all the other cultures that the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center has to offer. It was especially impressive to see students fully immerse themselves by dressing up in traditional garb, dancing, and working with others to demonstrate what they have culturally acquired in such a short period of time. Throughout the day, the public is witness to the talent of our future military leaders. The peace of our nation has and will continue to rely on our relationships and ability to communicate with other countries. Language Day is a genuine display of these communication skills. While enjoying the festivities, Gulf War veteran Kevin Folcol stated, When I was in, you might say it was one-sided as far as what we knew about other cultures. But today has, without a doubt, changed my perspective. The Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coastguardsmen of DLI, alongside their instructors, have dedicated countless hours to preparing for this event. The public undoubtedly left thankful for all their contributions. Since the institutes beginning in the 1950s, it has been customary to set aside a day to celebrate the diversity that makes DLI, the military and the nation great. This tradition will go on for years to come, and it will evolve with the languages that become essential to the mission. Perhaps most importantly, Language Day will continue to inspire acceptance and accept inspiration with the same transparency that the students, the men, and women of todays military, will carry with them far beyond the gates of the Presidio of Monterey. IWTC Monterey, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, provides a continuum of foreign language training to Navy personnel, which prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations. With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT is recognized as Naval Education and Training Commands top learning center for the past three years. Training over 21,000 students every year, CIWT delivers trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community. Secretary of State Pompeo's Travel to Brussels, Belgium Washington, DC - Secretary Pompeo will add an additional stop in Brussels, Belgium, on his way to Sochi, Russia from May 13-14. He will no longer stop in Moscow. In Belgium, he will meet with European allies to discuss recent threatening actions and statements by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Secretary Pompeo will continue to coordinate closely with our allies and partners to ensure the security of our mutual interests in the Middle East and around the world. Peggy Shell, an Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) member in Colorado, is founder and CEO of Creative Alignments, a time-based recruiting agency providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional recruiting with a unique, client-centric approach. We asked Peggy how leaders can inspire employee engagement to improve retention. Here's what she shared. What comes to mind when you think of factors that drive success and profitability? Far from cut-throat ruthlessness, successful companies in highly competitive markets like technology and natural products are discovering a secret to profitability: Fostering kind and caring leadership that is highly engaged with employees. At a time when talented people are hard to find, quick to change jobs, and ever more focused on living their values, creating an authentically respectful and fulfilling place to work is an advantage that drives the bottom line. "Leading from a place of kindness and respect enables you to access the best in people," says Dan Hopkins, vice president of engineering at VictorOps, a DevOps system software company that was acquired by Splunk in 2018. "When people know they're valued, their work matters and their self-actualizing needs are met, they're less likely to take another job just because it has more interesting technical problems or pays a little more." Living core values is critical Creating jobs with depth and meaning starts at the highest levels. Leadership can list core values, but unless these values are lived in every facet of the organization, there's no substance to them. Employees see right through the smokescreen. "It's not just about throwing benefits and perks at employees, but about creating something authentic," says Analiese Brown, director of talent and culture at CampMinder, a company that develops technology for summer camps. "By creating a truly fulfilling work environment, we're positioned to best serve our clients, which creates a healthy business, allowing us to further invest in employees. This positive cycle begins with leadership." Each company must craft ways to do this that match their unique culture. For example, CampMinder uses a survey software called Officevibe to ping employees weekly with simple questions, providing feedback on what's working and what's not. This helps them see trends and address challenges proactively. The company also builds its people-related processes--hiring, reviews and promotions--around its core values. They measure success by how well employees embody their core values, such as "find a better way" or "own it." Building authentic value for employees Daniel Nicholson, president and CEO of NadaMoo, a dairy-free ice cream brand, believes that to create real and long-lasting value in a company, leaders need to ask themselves tough questions about their values and who they want to be as a leader. "I want to build a company that attracts people who believe in our mission, and that has to start with me," says Nicholson. "Bringing people into the growth process and making sure they're also growing within the organization creates the most impact. You get the best results from people when they know where you stand, and can see their own impact on the bigger picture. This is how you build real value versus short-term, top-line sales growth." Employees care about a lot of things besides work, including personal development, feeling that their work matters, and doing good in the world. The line between work and personal lives is fuzzier than in decades past, and people have less patience for a major disconnect between who they are at work and at home. "You can't achieve success without your team; if you're not paying close attention to what's going on in their lives, and how each person is evolving, you may not attain the results you want," says Nicholson. Fostering employee skill sets Employees have multiple skill sets that can be significant assets. By understanding what employees are looking for, and enabling them to see more of themselves in the work than just the work, leadership can engage them on a deeper level. They'll be likely to give more and stay longer, which means the organization creates greater consistency and quality for customers. Research shows that workers who feel compassion from employers are likely to work 30 percent longer on difficult tasks. Especially for startups, choosing and retaining the right employees is critical. "We prioritize people because we will only be as successful as our people," says Aarti Gopal, vice president of marketing at Chomps, a natural snack food company. "We invest the time to understand our people at their core: who they are and how they work. With transparency and honest conversation, we help people excel where they are strong and improve where they experience challenges. As we expand and consciously build our 'Chompians' culture, we want to foster our teams' growth and development--making everyone a part of our company DNA." Retaining good employees is key By investing in employees and creating an authentic, fulfilling culture, companies can avoid the high cost of turnover, including the financial costs of recruiting and loss of productivity, consistency, expertise and quality that impacts customer experience and damages team morale. These costs are especially damaging to lean startups. "Startups don't have a lot of employees or resources, so everyone is doing a million things at once," says Hopkins. "If one of a 10-person team quits, you lose accrued knowledge that the company was relying on to grow. In a hyper-competitive market like technology, it takes a big toll." Facebook once again got negative headlines last week. This time, it wasn't because of anything the company had actually done (at least lately) but because of co-founder Chris Hughes' very public call for the federal government to break up Facebook. This could be accomplished, Hughes wrote in a lengthy New York Times op-ed, by retroactively outlawing the company's purchases of WhatsApp and Instagram. I believe that Hughes is sincere and well-meaning and that he wrote his op-ed with the best intentions. But it was a silly suggestion. And chances are he'll only succeed in widening Facebook's power. Here's why: Hughes says Facebook could be broken up by enforcing existing antitrust laws intended to prevent large companies from buying up their competitors and thus becoming monopolies. He's certainly right that Facebook's purchases of WhatsApp and Instagram are helping the company do just that. And those acquisitions ensure Facebook's dominance of social media decades into the future. WhatsApp is the biggest social network outside the United States, where social media adoption is growing faster than it is domestically. And Instagram is the social network of choice for teenagers. But as Hughes himself notes, since the 1970s, economists and policymakers have been pushing the notion that free markets are more efficient than governments and should be left to their own devices. As a result, Hughes writes, "By the mid-1980s, they had largely managed to relegate energetic antitrust enforcement to the history books." The last big company to be broken up under antitrust law was AT&T in 1982. That breakup benefited consumers, Hughes argues, and he's probably right. But, whether they're good or bad, the era of federal antitrust lawsuits is over. It had its last gasp in 2001, when the Justice Department sued Microsoft for predatory practices, resulting in the unbundling of Internet Explorer that was previously automatically installed as part of Windows. The chances of the Donald Trump administration--which has been consistently anti-regulation--ramping up antitrust enforcement now are zero. A tough case to win. Even if the government brought an antitrust suit against Facebook and sought to undo its purchases of WhatsApp and Instagram, the chances of winning that suit are very small. As Bill Kovacic, a professor at George Washington Law School explains in a follow-up Times story, both the acquired social networks were much smaller when Facebook bought them than they are now. Facebook could thus argue that it built WhatsApp and Instagram into the serious players they are today. Hughes seems to be "dramatically underestimating" how hard it would be to win a case like that, he said. OK, so maybe the government won't break up Facebook. But given the company's disproportionately huge power, what's wrong with Hughes calling for it to be broken up? Or, for that matter, for Mark Zuckerberg to call for increased government regulation of all social media companies, as he has repeatedly done both before and after Hughes' op-ed appeared? Because it gives us users permission to stop worrying about Facebook's power over their lives and the news items they see, as well as the huge amount of personal data the company possesses because they may now think it's the government's job, not ours, to do something about it. Ethan Hirshberg is the first to admit that he comes from a place of privilege. "I grew up on Stonyfield Farm," he says. He means that literally. Hirshberg, 29, is the son of Gary Hirshberg, the chairman and former CEO of the Londonderry, New Hampshire, organic yogurt maker Stonyfield Farm. His mother, Meg, is a longtime farmer and current cancer advocate. His first cousin, Jon Cadoux, is the founder of Portland, Maine-based organic beer company Peak. So when the junior Hirshberg endeavored to launch Ethan's, a Boulder, Colorado-based maker of apple cider vinegar drinks in 2017, he had more than a few advantages. "I think it greased the wheels to get me into the business," he says. "It made me feel confident, like I had good resources and advisers right there with me." Despite these advantages, Hirshberg says, he has worked hard for his company's success, which includes landing a nationwide partnership with Whole Foods in 2017. The company, which also has a presence in select Kroger and Wegmans stores, expects to double its revenue in 2019 to $4 million. Hirshberg didn't set out to build a healthy beverage business. The itch came to him while working in the research and development division of the San Francisco-based coconut water company Harmless Harvest. Growing up, Hirshberg often attended organic food trade shows like Expo West with his dad. Reentering the industry as an adult allowed him to see the field with fresh eyes, and he didn't like everything he saw. Along with an overemphasis on marketing gimmicks, "there was a little bit of a disingenuous feel," says Hirshberg. "It was kind of starting to feel to me like many brands were preying on people's desire to be healthier." Meanwhile, a friend had gotten him hooked on apple cider vinegar as a means for easing digestion. In small, diluted doses, vinegar boasts moderate health benefits: Applications include fighting diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar levels and helping with weight loss by curbing cravings. The only problem was the taste, a hurdle that led Hirshberg to leverage his R&D background into experimenting with different mixers: "I was making these kind of large jars that I kept in my fridge at home. The first one I made tasted terrible; I think it was maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice," says Hirshberg. "It was a long road to refining those." Once he had a few tasty recipes, the young entrepreneur decided to test out his drinks at Expo East in 2016, expecting to blow the competition out of the coconut water. He quickly found that he was not the first beverage company on the apple cider vinegar wagon. BluePrint and Souza, along with a few other companies, were debuting their own versions. And while that was disappointing, it was also validating. More importantly, though, it was the push he needed to think bigger picture about how his company would stand out: "I think people don't necessarily want to drink 16 ounces of apple cider vinegar," says Hirshberg, who packages his cider shots in smaller, two-ounce glass containers. "The smaller, more portable, convenient size solves a problem for people in a real-world way," he says. "We're not just creating another beverage for consumers to buy." That message has been key for landing grocery store customers. "His keen attention to the industry has empowered him to cultivate an ingredient story and amplify it quickly in a way that resonates with Whole Foods Market shoppers," says Kate Brunson, the specialty supplements category merchant for Whole Foods Market. Ethan's nine-person team, which includes two part-time nutritionists, is hoping to attract similar interest in its new line of medium-chain triglyceride, or MCT, oil-based shots, a keto-approved metabolism booster. The fatty substance, often found in certain oils and dairy products, is one of the main components of bulletproof coffee. Also in the works: natural energy shots, a caffeine and organic supplement-filled alternative to 5-hour Energy packs. So what does his dad say about Ethan's success so far? A lot, apparently. Says Hirshberg, "Thanksgiving dinners have a way of turning into unofficial board meetings." EXPLORE MORE Rising Stars COMPANIES Landing on Planet Ukraine can be a tricky business. If youre going to avoid a hard and embarrassing thud, you need descent thrusters, several shock-absorber legs and probably a parachute on reserve. Rudy Giuliani probably understands that now. On Friday, it was reported that Donald Trumps lawyer had decided to travel to Kiev for an extraordinary scouting mission. His apparent aim was to put pressure on local authorities to investigate an alleged anti-Trump conspiracy involving Joe Biden a man who just happens to be Trump's most prominent rival in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Fans of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have taken to Twitter to empathise with the politician after she revealed she was asked if she needed her lip waxed during a visit to a nail bar. Over the weekend, the congresswoman took to Instagram Stories to open up about a recent trip to the beautician's during which she was asked whether she wanted her upper lip waxed. "I just went to the nail salon just so I can feel human, she told her 3.4m Instagram followers. Nothing special, just trying to get some paint, cut my cuticles, whatever... My nails are getting painted, and the woman's like, 'Your eyebrows are too big for your face,' and I'm sitting there, and she's like, 'Moustache?' And I'm like [gasps]," she added. The representative for New York's 14th congressional district, who is commonly referred to as AOC, added: "First of all, I thought I came here to feel good about myself. Second of all, what if I like my moustache? Ever think about that?" Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez participates in an event with Democratic members of Congress EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures The Democrat senator speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrat Rashida Tlaib AP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Senate chamber to watch two votes on January 24, 2019 Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrives with Chellie Pingree at a House Democratic Caucus meeting Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez during Donald Trump's State of the Union address Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures New York State Assembly member Catalina Cruz with Ocasio-Cortez AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Nydia Velazquez talks with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez casts her vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez poses with a campaign worker during a whistle stop in the Queens borough of New York Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez outside the US Capitol AFP/Getty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio-Cortez after casting her ballot in the 2018 midterm general election at a polling site in New York EPA Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in Manhattan Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - the Democratic congresswoman in pictures Ocasio Cortez looks on at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 16, 2019 AFP/Getty In response to the videos, several of Ocasio-Cortezs supporters have tweeted to note how relatable the politician's experience in the nail salon is. Honestly @AOC posting an Instagram story about how her nail lady said her eyebrows were too big and that she has a mustache is the most #relatablecontent Ive ever seen from an elected official, [sic] wrote one Twitter user. Another added: Indian aunties tell me that every time I get my eyebrows threaded so I guess @AOC and I have a lot in common. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Getty Images) Hearing @AOC talking on her Instagram stories about her insecurities is so meaningful to me, another tweeted. To have member of Congress telling a story about their manicurist criticizing her eyebrows, and then reminding me and all her followers that we all have flaws and are worthy anyway. [sic] This isnt the first time the politician has opened up about her beauty routine. In January, the congresswoman shared her make-up and skincare ritual with her Instagram followers, revealing her love of press-on nails, and describing her beauty routine as a blend between K-beauty and scientific consensus. Last month, the 29-year-old revealed she was cutting back on the use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, for the benefit of her health. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a rally calling on Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to reject Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court on 1 October 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts (Getty Images) Speaking about the potential for harm to peoples mental health by spending too long on social media, Ocasio-Cortez said she planned to cut down on the amount of time she spent on the platforms. I personally gave up Facebook, which was kind of a big deal because I started my campaign on Facebook. And Facebook was my primary digital organising tool for a very long time. I gave up on it, she told listeners, according to The New York Post. Social media poses a public health risk to everybody. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Speaking on the podcast Skullduggery, she added: There are amplified impacts for young people, particularly children under the age of three, with screen time. But I think it has a lot of effects on older people. I think it has effects on everybody. Increased isolation, depression, anxiety, addiction, escapism. Ive started to kind of impose little rules on myself. Prominent bitcoin advocate Tim Draper has renewed his claim that the cryptocurrency will continue to see huge gains following its recent price surge. The billionaire investor predicted bitcoin will reach $250,000 (193,000) by 2023 a figure he first forecast in November 2018 when the price of bitcoin was around $5,000. Bitcoin has since experienced a remarkable price recovery, rising from below $4,000 at the start of 2019 to today's price of $8,100. Speaking at the Salt Conference in Las Vegas, Mr Draper once again outlined his belief that bitcoin can keep growing in value and reach well beyond its $20,000 peak that it reached in December 2017. "It's going to keep going because I'm a believer that in four years, something like that, bitcoin will be about a 5 per cent market share of the Earth," Mr Draper told Fox Business. "It's a better currency, it's decentralised, open [and] it's transparent everybody knows what happens on the blockchain." Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images Mr Draper rose to prominence within the bitcoin community in 2014, when he won an auction of confiscated cryptocurrency held by the US Marshals Service. The lot of 30,000 bitcoins was worth around $632 per bitcoin at the time, meaning his investment is now worth more than 10-times as much. Beyond investing, Mr Draper believes bitcoin has the potential to replace mainstream forms of currency due to its technological and economical benefits compared to fiat. In an interview earlier this year, he called bitcoin "one of the greatest technological advances that humanity has ever seen", and predicted it would used as a routine form of payment within the next three years. "It can make a bigger change in society than any of us ever imagined," he told NBC Bay Area's 'Sand Hill Road' podcast. "I think when you go to Starbucks to buy a cup of coffee, and you try to pay with dollars, they will laugh at you because you are not using bitcoin or other cryptocurrency. It will be like the old lady paying out with pennies." The price of bitcoin has more than doubled since the start of 2019 (Getty Images) While these predictions may appear optimistic, there are signs that bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies are beginning to achieve a level of widespread appeal. Research published by YouGov in November 2018 around the same time Mr Draper made his first $250,000 price prediction revealed than nine out of 10 UK citizens have heard of bitcoin. One in five of those surveyed said they thought bitcoin would be "as common as cash or card" in the future as a payment method. However, a significant proportion doubted that bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency could significantly disrupt the traditional financial system. "Four in 10 Britons are ore sceptical [about bitcoin], saying they do not think cryptocurrencies will ever be as common as cash or card," the research stated. "A third don't know." Bitcoin has shot up by $1,000 in less than 24 hours in a price surge reminiscent of the huge gains it experienced in late 2017, when the cryptocurrency's value catapulted to nearly $20,000. The latest jump in price follows seven weeks of steady gains, which have seen bitcoin's price rise from below $4,000 to today's price of $8,100. Early speculation among bitcoin experts is that the latest price surge may have been triggered by the Consensus 2019 bitcoin conference kicking off in New York this week. Cryptocurrency market analysts have also pointed to a recent spate of good news for bitcoin, such as crypto-related announcements from large institutional investors like Fidelity Investments. Simon Peters, an analyst at the online trading platform eToro, suggests the combination of these factors could lead to even more gains in the next few days. "If we see institutions begin to pump serious money into the market, we could be at the start of a very long bull run for cryptoassets," he told The Independent. "As crypto's true believers gather in New York for Consensus this week, they are counting ever-more household-name companies among their number... This is good news at the start of a big week in crypto, we expect more price moves over the coming days." Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images British-based bitcoin exchange CoinCorner told The Independent that it has witnessed an increase in interest in bitcoin from traders and investors over the last few months. "Since the start of 2019 we've seen increases in our volumes and sign ups at CoinCorner, likely caused by the bitcoin price rising at a steadier pace," said CoinCorner CEO Danny Scott. "Compared to this time last year when the price was coming down from its near $20,000 highs, the industry has been making upward strides and we're watching it progress every day." Katherine Bassett and Rebecca Mieliwocki agreed to answer a few questions about their (with Joseph Fatheree) new book, Adventures In Teacher Leadership: Pathways, Strategies and Inspiration For Every Teacher . Katherine Bassett is the founder of Tall Poppy and a former CEO and executive director of NNSTOY. Joe Fatheree is a high school teacher in Illinois and the Illinois Teacher of the Year 2007 and the 2009 recipient of the National Education Associations National Award for Teaching Excellence. Rebecca Mieliwocki is a middle school language arts teacher in California and NNSTOY Teacher of the Year 2012. They are co-authors of Adventures in Teacher Leadership: Pathways, Strategies, and Inspiration for Every Teacher (ASCD and NNSTOY, 2019). LF: You describe your book as a guide to teacher leadership. How would you define a teacher leader? Katherine Bassett: There are multiple definitions out there, from Jennifer York-Barr and her colleagues work to NNSTOY. To me, teacher leadership is the teacher stepping (literally or figuratively) beyond the walls of his or her own classroom to take a leadership role that reaches beyond their own students. When you read the Teacher Leader Model Standards, every domain is couched in what the teacher leader does in working with other teachers to further their leadership. Being a leader is not about how many followers you have but how many leaders you grow. The standards reflect this philosophy. Teacher leadership is about having the courage to move outside of ones own comfort zone and embrace the uncomfortable for the good of children and the profession. Rebecca Mieliwocki: A teacher leader is motivated about the issues in education that matter the most and wants to harness those precious resources to make school better for everyone it servesand they want to do it from their classroom headquarters. They want to elevate or improve the profession by working with community members or policymakers to change the rules that govern our work. A teacher leader is someone who sees gaps or failings in the systems designed to grow us, and they want to do the work necessary to fix that. A teacher leader is any teacher who gets so fired up about teaching every day that they find themselves both exhausted and inspired and still asking, What else? They want to make sure their kids have the best units of instruction, the most innovative projects or real-world learning experiences. Its the teacher who knows his department can do a better job using the data from assessments to drive instruction. Its the teacher who starts an Activist Club for young people who want to change the world. Its the teacher who sees that their administration is so bogged down with duties that they want to help lighten the load in some way. Teacher leadership is this and a million more things, small and huge, that help us strengthen our favorite places and people: kids, their teachers, and our communities. LF: One of the tools you describe to help develop teacher leadership is professional development. Many educators immediately respond with an ugh or something less pleasant when describing professional-development activities. How can it instead be turned into a positive tool to help teachers become leaders? Katherine Bassett: First, I prefer to call it professional learning because this should be a process through which we learn new strategies, information about our own teaching, or new concepts in leadership to apply in our practice. I have found that the most impactful professional learning always includes these things: Strong grounding in applicable research; Interactivity throughout the learningparticipants are doing, not sitting; Opportunities to talk things through with colleagues during the learning; Tools that participants can take and immediately apply in their own practice; and Time for reflection. Professional learning should be targeted to a teachers own specific growth needs. Teachers should have input into the professional learning that they receive, and it should be designed by teachers and for teachers. I think that if we design professional learning with these components in mind, and, if the PL is designed by and for teachers, we will shift perceptions. Rebecca Mieliwocki: One word: personalization. The best PD any of us has participated in are activities that are tailored to our lived realities and what we need at any given moment to grow. Yes, new pedagogies, new curriculum, new tech, or ways of approaching equity issues are vital and valuable. However, for PD to strike at the heart of our practice and grow it, it needs to be focused on what and who I teach. This means presenters who have a combination of talents. They need to know the science behind adult learning. That means they need to honor the wisdom in the room and make space for it. This means new information and material will need to be held up to what we already know works to see how it can be incorporated. Teachers also need many examples of how something works, what it looks like, and how to use it successfully before theyll even give it a sniff. We have too many things added to our plates and never enough taken off. Before you expect me to adopt something you think is great, Im going to need to judge for myself if its worth the swap. Third, Im going to need more time to percolate on this new idea or material and Im going to want opportunities to practice with it. Then, I want to meet with my colleagues to hear how its working for them. This nice and slow approach might be frustrating to PD presenters who want one-and-done moments with teachers, but its the only way that works and secretly (or not so secretly) we all know that. LF: Harnessing data is another strategy you describe as a way to develop teacher leadership. How would you define data, and how can it be used in a data-informed way that recognizes that it is more than numbers instead of a data-driven way that can be damaging for everyone involved? Katherine Bassett: In Domain V of the Teacher Leader Model Standards, we focused on the role of the teacher leader in building data comfort zones and cultures in which it is acceptable and easy to share data. Data is much more than test results, although they are one piece of data. This was actually one of my favorite domains when I was leading the standards development and one of my favorite professional learning modules to develop when I was at NNSTOY. Teachers are often uncomfortable to share their student data with colleagues, and creating data communities requires a cultural shift in the way in which we think about data. Data is simply information; information guides decisionmaking and growth. If we can establish cultures in which teachers are comfortable sharing information, we move into the data-informed culture that you describe in your column. Rebecca Mieliwocki: Using data in teaching has gotten the worst possible rap, and so many times numbers are used to beat up teachers. Its no wonder we all have a negative knee-jerk reaction to the term. If not approached carefully and with some sensitivity, data conversations can so south fast. But heres the deal: Good teachers do realize the value of a clear picture to guide our lesson plans, to plan supports for students who struggle, and to devise systems to improve life for kids and teachers. Teacher leaders arent afraid to root around in the data to look for answers. For example, math teachers at a school in Burbank, Calif., needed a clearer picture around why so many kids were failing algebra. Using a systematic approach to uncover trends in missed problems on quizzes and test while simultaneously identifying which teachers had exceptional teaching strategies around these often-missed questions allowed the teachers to craft an intervention plan that would help to mitigate this problem. During a week of instruction, students were given a form showing them their areas of strength and weakness. Each day of the week, theyd check in with their home teacher and then venture out to any one of several teachers listed on their sheet that would help the work through the weak zones. Twice that week, they were asked to visit a teacher who specialized in their strong zone for reinforcement, acceleration, or enrichment. Without the initial data from both student performance and teacher skillsets, these teachers would have been left alone to struggle through a solution. Instead, they combined data, their talent, and creativity to work through it. LF: You also talk about advocacy as another way to develop teacher leadership and describe instances when it can result in conflict with administrators. What are your tips to teachers who want to move forward and work with administrators who might have different visions? Katherine Bassett: Find common ground. There is always common ground. Administrators have a tremendously difficult job; recognize that and present yourself as a problem-solver, someone who can help administrators do their work. When presenting a problem, always go in with at least onepreferably more than onepotential solution to that problem. And make it a solution in which the administrator does not have to do the heavy lifting. Domain VII of the standards, which addresses advocacy, was one of the most contentious to develop. While everyone agreed that teacher leaders should advocate for students, not everyone agreed, at first, that they should also be advocates for the profession. Some saw this as the role of the administrator. Through much rich conversation, we landed in a place that recognizes the role of the teacher leader as advocate for both students and the profession. Rebecca Mieliwocki: My suggestion for a situation where you and your administrative team may disagree is to first seek clarity around your principals vision and see if there is a nexus between your passions and this vision. Typically, in any school or education setting, both administration and teachers want to do great things for kids. Theres room for flexibility in the way we go about it, but its vital that all hands are on deck. If you present yourself to your administration as someone who 1) loves kids and their teachers, 2) loves the school or the organization, and 3) wants to do the work necessary to make it even better, higher-ups will hopefully see you as an ally and a partner. Do more listening than talking at first to find out what matters most to the bosses. Take what you hear and discover where plans or ideas you have sync up with theirs. Think about how you might craft your idea to dovetail with something he/she/they were hoping to move forward with. In my experience, joining your administration on a project that matters most to them positions you perfectly to have them on your side when its time for you to present your idea for change at your school. LF: Is there anything I havent asked you that youd like to share? Katherine Bassett: We intend for this book to provide actual exemplars of how to grow as teacher leaders through different and unique teacher-leader journeys. The teacher leaders profiled in the book each chose a different path, but all got there. We want people to understand that they need to find their own leadership passion, and as Rebecca says, starting small, grow that passion into leadership roles. Rebecca Mieliwocki: Adventures in Teacher Leadership is a book for teachers just like me and just like you. We are humble servants who work to make the world better one kid and one lesson at a time. Among the 3.2 million of us teachers, there is a cadre of special folks who want to do even more than teachingthey wish to lead in their profession. Now, more than ever, those teachers are needed to lead. This book has concrete examples, pathways, pitfalls to avoid, and inspirational tidbits that are designed to illuminate a new pathway for you or to give you resources and renewed inspiration for the adventure youre already on. If you are wanting to lead from your classroom, start now. Dont wait, because it doesnt matter what you do, or where, or with whom ... it only matters THAT you do. LF: Thanks, Katherine and Rebecca! Some of the world's biggest retailers have begun accepting cryptocurrency payments in the form of bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin cash and the Gemini dollar. US-based payments startup Flexa has enabled Amazon-owned Whole Foods, Nordstrom, Starbucks and dozens of other companies to take bitcoin payments. More than 10 years after bitcoin was founded, user adoption remains one of the biggest challenges still facing the world's largest cryptocurrency. To solve this, Flexa built an app called Spedn, which allows cryptocurrency holders to make instant payments to merchants that accepts Flexa as a payment provider. "The Flexa team has decades of payments experience, and at this point, we believe that the best way for global commerce to become more efficient and accessible is by bringing cryptocurrency to the masses," the company wrote in a blog post last year. "By making cryptocurrencies spendable in mainstream commerce, our sincere hope is that we can help bring the full promise of blockchain technologies to people all over the world." Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images Flexa claims that Spedn will not only benefit consumers who want to spend cryptocurrency, but also the merchants who accept it. "Accepting cryptocurrencies in their stores [will] reduce payment fraud and processing costs," the startup stated. No additional hardware or software is needed on the retailers' side in order to integrate the payments, they only need to allow Flexa to be a new payment provider on their existing systems. For customers, the process of paying is similar to existing digital payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Once the Spedn app is downloaded, payments can be made by scanning an automatically generated QR code to the payments terminal at the till. One of the other issues facing cryptocurrency in its quest to become a mainstream form of payment is price volatility. Recent positive news in the cryptocurrency space, for example, has seen the price of bitcoin shoot up by around $2,000 over the last two days - which Flexa's announcement may well have contributed to. To counter this, Flexa has partnered with New York-based cryptocurrency exchange Gemini so that payments can be made using a so-called stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. Flexa claims the Spedn app will help reduce processing fees and payment fraud (Flexa) Flexa has only announced a limited list of retailers, which include Whole Foods, Nordstrom and Lowes. However videos shared online also show Starbucks accepting cryptocurrency payments through the app. In total, around 100 merchants are expected to accept cryptocurrency payments through the Flexa app by the end of the year, totalling more than 30,000 stores. Eventually, Flexa wants to make it possible for any shop to accept any cryptocurrency. "As the Flexa network grows, we hope to show the world just how transformative cryptocurrencies can be for all kinds of payments, not just peer-to-peer transactions, but also retail paumnets, dining and beyond," Flexa's announcement stated. "The world of payments is evolving quickly now, and we believe that Flexa will be a massive part of the shift toward more efficient and more accessible commerce around the globe." WhatsApp users have been urged to update their app immediately, after it was hit by one of the worst security bugs ever seen. The flaw allows the app to be attacked through a missed call and until the update was released there was nothing an affected user could do. Once hit, the phone would be compromised without the user knowing. The technology to use the attack appears to have been created by an Israeli company that sells technology exploits to governments, allowing them to spy on citizens. It is not clear how prevalent the attack was but it appears to have already been used. An update is now available for all major platforms that fixes the bug, and security experts have urged users to ensure that their phones are up to date as soon as they can. The release notes for the new version of the app make no mention of the bug or the fix that will be installed. On iOS, they only mentioned stickers, but WhatsApps owner Facebook confirmed that the latest update fixes the bug. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Show all 12 1 /12 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Unsend messages You can unsend a message by tapping and holding it, hitting the Delete symbol and selecting Delete for Everyone. The feature works for all types of messages, but only if they were sent less than seven minutes ago. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Dodge the blue ticks WhatsApps blue ticks show when sent messages have been read, but you can disable them buy going to Settings > Account > Privacy > Read Receipts. However, bear in mind that, by doing so, youll lose the ability to see when your own sent messages have been read. Another, more fiddly way of reading your messages without triggering the blue ticks, is enabling Aeroplane Mode before opening your messages - just remember to close the app before switching Aeroplane Mode off again. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Hide your 'last seen' time Prevent your friends from finding out when you were last online by hiding your last seen time. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Last Seen. As is the case with disabling read receipts, hiding your last seen time will also stop you from seeing anybody elses. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Limit data usage You can control how much data you munch through on WhatsApp by limiting the types of media you automatically download on a mobile connection. Go to Settings > Data Usage and choose the best option for you. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Customise notifications If youre expecting an important WhatsApp message from someone, set a custom notification for them by opening the chat, tapping their name at the top and hitting Custom Notifications. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Format your messages To jazz up any of your messages, simply highlight it by tapping and holding it, hit the More Options key on the pop-up menu and tap the formatting option you want - bold, italic, strikethrough or monospace. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Type hands-free You can get Siri or Google Assistant to type your WhatsApp messages out for you by saying either Hey Siri or Okay Google, followed by the name of the person you want to message and the actual contents of the message. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Mark chats as unread When youve read a message but cant reply to it straight away, you can set a visual reminder by marking it as unread. On Android, long-press the conversation, and on iOS, swipe from left to right on a chat. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Email entire conversations You almost certainly wont do this on a regular basis, but its a handy option to have. You can export entire conversations - complete with emoji and media attachments - by hitting More inside a chat a selecting Email Chat. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Mass-message contacts You can send the same message to lots of your contacts without lumping them all into one group, much like the BCC option on email, by hitting the New Broadcast option on the apps main menu. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Pin conversations You pin up to three contacts and groups to the top of your WhatsApp conversation list by tapping and holding a chat, then hitting the pin icon. 12 useful WhatsApp features you didnt know existed Make things easier to find You can easily mark key messages with a star, allowing you to find them easily when you need to. Just tap and hold a message and hit the star icon to save it, and return to it later by selecting Starred Messages in WhatsApps main menu. As such, it is important to check that your phone has the right version, which will show alongside the update. On iOS, it should be version 2.19.51, and on Android it needs to be 2.19.134 or later. The spyware was created by an advanced cyber actor and has already been used on multiple phones, WhatsApp said. The Financial Times identified the actor as Israels NSO Group. A WhatsApp spokesperson later said: Were certainly not refuting any of the coverage youve seen. The NSO said in a statement that it provides spying technology to government agencies, and that it does not use it itself. Recommended Metro Bank hoax highlight danger of WhatsApp messages The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone via the apps voice calling function, a WhatsApp spokesperson said. An unknown number of people an amount at least in the dozens would not be inaccurate were infected with the malware, a spokesperson said. The company said it discovered the malware in early May. John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack a very scary vulnerability. He said: Theres nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app. The WhatsApp spokesperson said the attack had all the hallmarks of a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware that has the ability to take over mobile phone operating systems. The spokesperson said WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. He said WhatsApp also provided information to US law enforcement officials to assist in their investigation. He said the flaw was discovered while our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls. He added that engineers found that people targeted for infection might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them in the process of calling, this code gets shipped. We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities, WhatsApp said in a statement. An NSO spokesperson said: NSOs technology is licensed to authorised government agencies for the sole purpose of fighting crime and terror. The company does not operate the system, and after a rigorous licensing and vetting process, intelligence and law enforcement determine how to use the technology to support their public safety missions. We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system. The revelation adds to the questions over the reach of the Israeli companys powerful spyware, which can hijack smartphones, control their cameras and effectively turn them into pocket-sized surveillance devices. NSOs spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year and whose body has never been found. Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are currently suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking. On Monday, Amnesty International which said last year that one of its staffers was also targeted with the spyware announced it would join a legal bid to force Israels Ministry of Defence to suspend NSOs export licence. An Amnesty attorney said the discovery of the vulnerability was particularly disturbing because one of the targets was a UK-based human rights lawyer. The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons, said he received several suspicious missed calls over the past few months, the most recent one on Sunday, only hours before WhatsApp issued the update to users fixing the flaw. Additional reporting by agencies Its usually women who are burdened with the biological clock concept, but new research suggests men may also have a time limit on having children. According to a new study published in the journal Maturitas, men should consider banking their sperm before reaching advanced paternal age, which has been variably defined as above the age of 35 or 45 in medical fields. This is because men older than this may experience decreased fertility, the study states, and put their female partners at higher risk of a number of pregnancy and birthing complications, such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and preterm birth. Additionally, infants born to older fathers may also be at higher risk of a number of conditions, such as congenital heart disease, newborn seizures and low birth weight. The study also found that some of these children were more likely to develop certain cancers and cognitive disorders, such as autism. Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks Show all 11 1 /11 Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 14 January 2019 In an unusual style choice for the Duchess, who traditionally favours neutral hues, this ensemble offers a vibrant twist on the colour-blocking trend with a red Sentaler coat, matching heels and a bright purple Aritzia dress. It was a playful choice for the royal couple's visit to Birkenhead Town Hall. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 30 January 2019 The Duchess wore head-to-toe blush for her visit to the National Theatre, where she is now a patron. The ensemble is by US designer Brandon Maxwell but the suede shoes are Aquazurra. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 1 February 2019 Oscar de la Renta can do no wrong when it comes to flirty patterned dresses. This theatrical bird and rose-covered number was an apt choice for the Duchess; visit to Bristol Old Vic. AFP/Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 7 February 2019 This Givenchy skirt offers some pizzazz thanks to its knee-high slit and its flattering waistline. Markle paired the look Aquazzura mules and a white collared shirt. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 12 February 2019 Who said you couldn't wear all-white everything? Markle paired her turtleneck Calvin Klein dress with an Amanda Wakeley coat for a gala performance at the Natural History Museum. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 23 February 2019 The Duchess was a lady in red for her visit to Casablanca, Morocco in this bespoke Valentino midi-dress, which she paired with nude court heels and a matching clutch. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 24 February 2019 Markle arrived at a reception hosted by the British Ambassador to Morocco in this full-coverage caped gown by Dior, which came in an opulent shade of champagne. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 25 February 2019 This billowing Carolina Herrera dress was the perfect choice for the Duchess' outing to brace the balmy climes of Rabat, Morocco, where she'd been visiting King Mohammed VI of Morocco with Prince Harry. This hypnotic sea blue gown was a custom-made number, obviously. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 8 March 2019 Proving that maternity hemlines needn't be restricted to one's ankles, Markle stepped out in this 1960s-inspired shift dress by high street label, Reiss. Paired with a black blazer and a pair of matching Manolo Blahnik pumps, it was a classic but delightfully retro look. AFP/Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 11 March 2019 The Duchess has a penchant for rich emerald green hues, and this ensemble exemplifies just how suited the shade is to her complexion. The outfit was designed by Erdem, which was a symbolic choice given she wore the Canadian designer's pieces to a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House in London. Getty Images Meghan Markle's best pregnancy looks 11 March 2019 For the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, the Duchess wore a cream chain-print dress by Victoria Beckham, which made its runway debut just a few weeks ago at London Fashion Week. The look was topped off with a matching pillbox hat, emerald green stilettos and a satin clutch. Getty Images The study reviewed 40 years worth of research to reach its conclusions on the effects paternal age had on fertility, pregnancy and health of children. Lead author Gloria Bachmann, director of the Womens Health Institute at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, commented: While it is widely accepted that physiological changes that occur in women after 35 can affect conception, pregnancy and the health of the child, most men do not realize their advanced age can have a similar impact. In addition to advancing paternal age being associated with an increased risk of male infertility, there appears to be other adverse changes that may occur to the sperm with ageing. "For example, just as people lose muscle strength, flexibility and endurance with age, in men, sperm also tend to lose fitness over the life cycle. As for the reasons behind this, Bachmann suspects its down to the natural decline in testosterone levels man experience as they age, in addition to a reduction in semen quality. When men age they become more predisposed to sperm degradation, the study found, which, during conception, can lead to heredity mutations in the DNA cells of the offspring that prompt a number of disorders. Although it is well documented that children of older fathers are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia one in 141 infants with fathers under 25 versus one in 47 with fathers over 50 the reason is not well understood, adds Bachmann. Recommended Justin Bieber sparks backlash with fake pregnancy prank Also, some studies have shown that the risk of autism starts to increase when the father is 30, plateaus after 40 and then increases again at 50. Bachmann also pointed out that women tend to be more active with their reproductive health than men, who rarely consult a physician unless they have an obvious fertility issue. In light of the findings, Science Daily reports the obstetrics and gynaecology specialist recommends that men who plan on delaying fatherhood consider banking sperm before their 35th birthday to decrease the chances of health complications down the line. Bachmanns study follows a similar one published in November 2018 conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The research found that fathers older than 35 were at a higher risk for complications such as low birth weight and seizures. Jameela Jamil has described an abortion she had when she was younger as the best decision she ever made as she criticised Georgia's abortion ban. Last week, Georgia became the fourth US state this year to make abortion illegal as soon as a heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, the NHS states, before many women even know they are pregnant. The other states to have passed the law include Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio. On Monday, the Good Place actor shared a thread of posts on Twitter regarding the foetal heartbeat law, calling it inhumane and blatantly demonstrative of a hatred of women. This anti-abortion law in Georgia is so upsetting, inhumane, and blatantly demonstrative of a hatred of women, a disregard for our rights, bodies, mental health, and essentially a punishment for rape victims, forcing to carry the baby of their rapist, Jamil wrote. Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Show all 7 1 /7 Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney and Nicola Coughlan (right) join MPS and women impacted by Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Heidi Allen (second right) joins the protest PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster A luggage tag on a suitcase, symbolising the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for terminations PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster The campaigners march across Westminster Bridge PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Counter-protesters Rebecca Morgan (left) and her daughter Helen, one, demonstrate in favour of Northern Ireland's current laws Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Protesters supporting Northern Ireland's abortion laws at Parliament Square Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Demonstrators pull suitcases to symbolise the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for a termination AFP/Getty Images Jamil continued: I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didn't want, and wasn't ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially. The actor and body positivity advocate continued by addressing the large number of children that end up in foster homes before suggesting Georgias new law will mean the state could become inundated with children who are unwanted or unable to be cared for. It will be hard to find great fostering for them all, Jamil explained. The anti-abortion law is also especially targeted at those without the means/ability to move state. Women who are marginalised, poor or disabled will, as ever, be the ones to suffer the most. The wealthy will have so much more freedom. Jamil isnt the only celebrity to speak out against the ban. Last week, actor Alyssa Milano posted a message on Twitter calling for women to join her in a sex strike to protest against strict abortion laws in America. Our reproductive rights are being erased, she wrote. Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy. Join me by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back. I'm calling for a #SexStrike. Pass it on. Planned Parenthood released a statement moments after the bill was signed by the governor, and pledged to take Georgia to task over the abortion policy. Planned Parenthood will be suing the State of Georgia. We will fight this terrible bill because this is about our patients' lives, Dr Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said. Janet Street Porter has opened up about having a backstreet abortion when she was a teenager following the US state of Georgias abortion ban. On Tuesdays episode of Loose Women, the broadcaster joined panellists Kaye Adams, Denise Welch and Coleen Nolan in a discussion about the so-called Heartbeat Bill which has been passed in the US state of Georgia. Georgia recently became the fourth US state this year to make abortion illegal as soon as a heartbeat can be detected. The change in law has prompted a backlash online from several celebrities including actors Jameela Jamil and Alyssa Milano who have condemned it as "inhumane". According to the NHS, a heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, long before many women even know they are expecting. The other states to have passed the law include Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio. Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Show all 7 1 /7 Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney and Nicola Coughlan (right) join MPS and women impacted by Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Heidi Allen (second right) joins the protest PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster A luggage tag on a suitcase, symbolising the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for terminations PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster The campaigners march across Westminster Bridge PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Counter-protesters Rebecca Morgan (left) and her daughter Helen, one, demonstrate in favour of Northern Ireland's current laws Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Protesters supporting Northern Ireland's abortion laws at Parliament Square Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Demonstrators pull suitcases to symbolise the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for a termination AFP/Getty Images During the discussion, the Independent columnist said she found it very, very chilling that in the 21st century women are still not in charge of their own bodies. I mean, the person who has to decide whats right for a woman, is the woman, she said. After suggesting that young women are likely to be the most affected by Georgias new law, Street Porter reflected on her own experience with abortion as a teenager, revealing she was around 16 or 17-years-old when she found out she was pregnant. Declaring that she had no idea what to do, Street Porter recalled visiting the West End in London where she took a cocktail of dodgy drugs with the hope that she could end the pregnancy. After the method failed, Street Porter said that eventually someone told her about a "backstreet abortionist" in North London. Before the Abortion Act 1967 came into force, an estimated 100,000 women in the UK were forced to seek out an unsafe, illegal abortion from an underground network of so-called "backstreet abortionists" that ran quietly across the country. They wanted 25 in cash and I got the money out of my Post Office account and went up there, Street Porter recalled. I remember the walk from the station, I still dream about that walk. I walked along the road and went to the house, knocked on the door and went to a flat upstairs. I dont want to go into detail on daytime TV but it was obvious I wasnt very old. This woman told me to get on the kitchen table and then it happened. The 72-year-old said she spent the next 24 hours sitting on the toilet and believing she was to blame for falling pregnant. Afterwards I thought, How stupid was I? because you blame yourself, contraception wasnt easy to get then, she said. Ever since that day I have campaigned and thought women have to be in charge of their own bodies and they have to have access to terminations. After the conversation turned to abortion laws closer to home in Northern Ireland, Street Porter said she feels so sorry for women in Northern Ireland, where it is currently illegal to have an abortion under laws dating back to the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The maximum sentence is life. According to the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1945, abortion is only permitted when there is a risk to the life of the mother, or a serious risk to her physical or mental health. In such an instance, women can have the termination in an NHS or private clinic in Northern Ireland. I just find that in the 21st century, how can it be that in Northern Ireland the only way you can get an abortion is if theres a serious risk of loss of life, Street Porter said. Thats just not right. The Loose Women panellist isnt the only celebrity to have spoken out about the abortion law in Georgia. Earlier this week, actor Jameela Jamil shared a thread of posts on Twitter regarding the foetal heartbeat law, calling it inhumane and blatantly demonstrative of a hatred of women. She also described an abortion she had when she was younger as the best decision she ever made. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events This anti-abortion law in Georgia is so upsetting, inhumane, and blatantly demonstrative of a hatred of women, a disregard for our rights, bodies, mental health, and essentially a punishment for rape victims, forcing to carry the baby of their rapist, Jamil wrote. Jamil continued: I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didn't want, and wasn't ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially. Planned Parenthood released a statement moments after the bill was signed by the governor, and pledged to take Georgia to task over the abortion policy. Planned Parenthood will be suing the State of Georgia. We will fight this terrible bill because this is about our patients' lives, Dr Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said. Its not every day that you see an image of a semi-naked pregnant woman on an estate agents website. But that seems to be the tactic of one American agent, whose listing of a $2m (1.5m) home in Great Neck, New York includes an unsuspecting snap of what appears to be a pregnant woman reclining on an armchair and wearing a bikini. However, it turns out that the woman is in fact a very realistic work of art created by New York-based sculptor Carole A Feuerman, whose work sells for up to $498,000 (385,569). The sculpture, named Mona Lisa, has turned quite a few heads in real life too, says listing agent Sandy Rosen of Coldwell Banker, which is selling the four-bedroom property. Everybody was enamoured with it, Rosen tells Realtor.com of prospective buyers who she has already shown the property to. Remarkable pictures of New York and New England Show all 12 1 /12 Remarkable pictures of New York and New England Remarkable pictures of New York and New England Firefighters Nick Padellaro, left, and Kevin Lundy clear snow from in front of the firehouse after an overnight storm dropped nearly a foot of snow in North Andover, Massachusetts. AP Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A cyclist rides past snow covered cars after a snowstorm left 10 inches (25.4 cm) of snow in Boston. EPA Remarkable pictures of New York and New England Children and adults sled down a hill in the Boston Common, after a snowstorm left 10 inches (25.4 cm) of snow in Boston. EPA Remarkable pictures of New York and New England Cars are plowed in and covered with snow on Commonwealth Avenue, after a snowstorm left 10 inches (25.4 cm) of snow in Boston. EPA Remarkable pictures of New York and New England Pedestrians walk through the Boston Common following a winter snow storm in Boston. REUTERS Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A New York City plow clears a street during the morning commute following a winter snow storm in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. REUTERS Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A dog named Jamal plays in the snow following an overnight storm in Boston. REUTERS Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A woman walks in Riverside Park during a snow storm in upper Manhattan in New York City. REUTERS Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A worker cuts away a tree that fell across Riverside Drive during a snow storm in upper Manhattan in New York City. REUTERS Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A car sits beneath broken branches that fell on it during a snow storm in upper Manhattan in New York City. REUTERS Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A couple walks down a path at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park on March 4, 2019 after a late season snowstorm caused New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to announce Sunday afternoon, that New York City public schools would be closed. AFP/Getty Images Remarkable pictures of New York and New England A Mandarin duck floats in an ice covered pond in Central Park on March 4, 2019 after a late season snowstorm caused New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to announce Sunday afternoon, that New York City public schools would be closed. AFP/Getty Images Sometimes they jumped back. They thought it was a real person. The home also boasts five bathrooms and has been designed in a contemporary style, with wooden floors and cream furnishings. There are some other interior quirks in the property such as the triangular-shaped lounge tables and a large blue painting in the dining area but the Mona Lisa is by far the most unique selling point of the home. You can request a private viewing of the home online here. American actor Doris Day has died aged 97, it was confirmed today by the Doris Day Animal Foundation. The Hollywood star was best known for appearing in hit musicals and romantic comedies in the 1950s and 1960s, including Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk, and also had a successful singing career that spanned 29 albums. But aside from being a film star and a passionate animal activist, Day had quite a way with words, with several memorable soundbites standing the test of time. From pontificating on the meaning of joy to discussing her unconditional love of animals, click through our gallery below for our pick of the best quotes from one of Hollywoods greats. Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love Show all 10 1 /10 Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On joy I like joy; I want to be joyous; I want to have fun on the set; I want to wear beautiful clothes and look pretty. I want to smile and I want to make people laugh. And that's all I want. I like it. I like being happy. I want to make others happy. Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On ageing "Wrinkles are hereditary. Parents get them from their children." Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On animals I've never met an animal I didn't like, and I can't say the same thing about people. Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On glamour "Any girl can look glamorous... just stand there and look stupid." Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On the importance of being grateful "Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty." Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On ambition If I can do it, you can do it. Anybody can. AFP/Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On approaching middle age "The really frightening thing about middle age is the knowledge that you'll grow out of it." Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On socialising "I don't even like parties." Getty Images Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On the definition of vulgarity "Vulgarity begins when imagination succumbs to the explicit." Rex Features Doris Days most memorable quotes on happiness, aging and love On relationships "If it's true that men are such beasts, this must account for the fact that most women are animal lovers." Getty Images You can read more about Day's career here. The founder of hi-fi and TV retailer Richer Sounds is handing over control of his business to employees. More than 500 staff will also share a bonus of 3.5m as owner Julian Richer signs over 60 per cent of the company. The UKs largest specialist hi-fi retailer will be controlled by an employee-owned trust, drawing comparisons with the John Lewis partnership model. Mr Richer said the time was right to give his stake to staff as he stepped down from day-to-day running of the firm he started in 1978, aged 19. He said: I have always planned to leave my company in trust on my death for the benefit of the colleagues in the business. Having hit the ripe old age of 60 in March, I felt the time was right, rather than leaving it until I'm not around, to ensure that the transition goes smoothly and I can be part of it. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. The company's banks, suppliers and customers should feel that the move is (hopefully) seamless and Richer Sounds carries on as normal. Richer Sounds will pay its owner 9.2m for his stake but 3.5m will be given back to employees. Each of the companys 522 staff member wills receive 1,000 for every year they have been at the company. The average payout will be 8,000 and 39 employees who have clocked up more than two decades service are in line for large windfalls. Called the Richer Sounds Trust, the employee ownership plan will run according to a set of principles to make sure the firm continues to operate in a responsible manner, and is based on honesty, commitment, trust and respect, according to the group. Julian Richer has for many years gone against the grain of much of corporate Britain, gaining a reputation for his progressive principles and charitable activities. He is also a drummer in a folk band. Richer Sounds donates 15 per cent of its profits to charity and says it is founded on the ethical principles of being decent, honest and truthful and hopefully [this] runs through everything we do. Recommended How one cooperative is improving lives with food in Preston The company, which has 53 branches across the UK, has championed a model of hiring knowledgeable staff, giving them secure jobs and paying them well. Speaking to the Financial Times in 2013 of his plans to sign over much of his stake, Mr Richer said: It's important... My life's work is my legacy and I haven't got a spoilt child to run the business. He plans to stay involved in the business, but a management board will oversee day-to-day operations, along with a newly set up colleagues' advisory council and trustees. The colleagues' advisory council will be chaired by a trustee and will be made up of current staff and will represent their interests and concerns. David Robinson, chairman of Richer Sounds, said: It's incredibly exciting times and allows our colleagues to feel even more connected to the company. They have a real stake in the success of the business and can take pride in knowing that they are shareholders, building for the future. Mr Richer, who founded the business in 1978 at the age of 19, had long planned to hand control of the firm to staff and had already written the plan into his will, but wanted to ensure he could oversee the transition. Vulnerable patients have been wrongly fined millions of pounds by the NHS for prescription fraud, the National Audit Office has found. One in three fines handed to the elderly, disabled or people on benefits in the past five years has been overturned because recipients qualified for free treatment meaning more than 188m in incorrect penalties. Critics said the mistakes, affecting tens of thousands of patients, showed the governments austerity measures have led to a system built on the presumption of guilt. They say that since a crackdown starting in 2014, debt collectors have been sent to those caught out by needlessly complex eligibility rules surrounding prescriptions and dental charges. This report seems to show the NHS scrabbling ever more desperately for cash over the last few years, and inflicting needless distress on patients as it does so, said John Kell, head of policy at the Patients Association. Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Show all 6 1 /6 Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves The elderly We acknowledge that there are pressures on the health service, there are always extra pressures on the NHS in the winter, but we have the added pressures of the ageing population and the growing complex needs of the population, Theresa May has said. Waits of over 12 hours in A&E among elderly people have more than doubled in two years, according to figures from NHS Digital. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Patients going to A&E instead of seeing their GPs Jeremy Hunt has called for a honest discussion with the public about the purpose of A&E departments, saying that around a third of A&E patients were in hospital unnecessarily. Mr Hunt told Radio 4s Today programme the NHS now had more doctors, nurses and funding than ever, but explained what he called very serious problems at some hospitals by suggesting pressures were increasing in part because people are going to A&Es when they should not. He urged patients to visit their GP for non-emergency illnesses, outlined plans to release time for family doctors to support urgent care work, and said the NHS will soon be able to deliver seven-day access to a GP from 8am to 8pm. But doctors struggling amid a GP recruitment crisis said Mr Hunts plans were unrealistic and demanded the Government commit to investing in all areas of the overstretched health service. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Simon Stevens, head of NHS England Reports that key members of Ms Mays team used internal meetings to accuse Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, of being unenthusiastic and unresponsive have been rejected by Downing Street. Mr Stevens had allegedly rejected claims made by Ms May that the NHS had been given more funding than required. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Previous health policy, not funding In an interview with Sky Newss Sophy Ridge, Ms May acknowledged the NHS faced pressures but said it was a problem that had been ducked by government over the years. She refuted the claim that hospitals were tackling a humanitarian crisis and said health funding was at record levels. We asked the NHS a while back to set out what it needed over the next five years in terms of its plan for the future and the funding that it would need, said the Prime Minister. They did that, we gave them that funding, in fact we gave them more funding than they required Funding is now at record levels for the NHS, more money has been going in. But doctors accused Ms May of being in denial about how the lack of additional funding provided for health and social care were behind a spiralling crisis in NHS hospitals. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Target to treat all A&E patients within four hours Mr Hunt was accused of watering down the flagship target to treat all A&E patients within four hours. The Health Secretary told MPs the promise introduced by Tony Blairs government in 2000 should only be for those who actually need it. Amid jeers in the Commons, Mr Hunt said only four other countries pledged to treat all patients within a similar timeframe and all had less stringent rules. But Ms May has now said the Government will stand by the four-hour target for A&E, which says 95 per cent of patients must be dealt with within that time frame. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves No one Mr Hunt was accused of hiding from the public eye following news of the Red Crosss comments and didnt make an official statement for two days. He was also filmed refusing to answer questions from journalists who pursued him down the street yesterday to ask whether he planned to scrap the four-hour A&E waiting time target. Sky News reporter Beth Rigby pressed the Health Secretary on his position on the matter, saying the public will want to know, Mr Hunt. Sorry Beth, Ive answered questions about this already, replied Mr Hunt. But you didnt answer questions on this. You said it was over-interpreted in the House of Commons and you didnt want to water it down. Is that what youre saying? said Ms Rigby. Its very difficult, because how are we going to explain to the public what your intention is, when you change your position and then wont answer the question, Mr Hunt. But the Health Secretary maintained his silence until he reached his car and got in. Getty He called the system haphazard and unjust, with 31p of every pound recovered spent chasing offenders and fighting appeals. Receiving notice of a penalty of up to 100 could even worsen mental health among the vulnerable who may not have funds to pay or support to challenge it. Far too many members of the public are on the receiving end of distressing, threatening letters or fines which could impact their mental wellbeing, said Dr Richard Vautrey, chair of the British Medical Associations GP committee. Sir Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said it was reasonable for the health services to seek to reclaim funds and deter prescription fraud. He added: However, the NHS also needs to have due regard to people who simply fall foul of the confusing eligibility rules. It is not a good sign that so many penalty charge notices are successfully challenged. The NHS issues more than a billion prescription items each year and roughly nine out of 10 of these are given free because of exemptions. Among the groups who are exempt from charges are children, over-60s, those with long term medical conditions, people on low incomes and those on certain benefits. However, an estimated 212m was lost to the NHS last year from wrongly claimed exemptions, both fraudulent and accidental, the NAO report said. The NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) was commissioned to ramp up checks on exemption claims and issue penalty charges to those who are ineligible. Checks have risen from 750,000 in 2014-15 to 24 million last year. The value of penalties issued in the same period has risen from 12m to 126m a year for prescriptions, and from 38m to 72m for dental treatment. But only around one in five of these notices issued since 2014 has been paid, with 30 per cent withdrawn after the person proved their eligibility, and many where the offender was never traced. While the fraud bill has fallen by around 50m, medical leaders have warned the system could be doing much more damage to those who have made innocent mistakes, while missing the worst offenders. The British Dental Association has warned of two million fewer free treatments among eligible people, a drop of 23 per cent since 2014-15, while fines have risen 100-fold in the past four years. There can be no excusing the fact innocent people, fully entitled to claim free care, have been slapped with over 180m in fines, said Charlotte Waite of the British Dental Association. In contrast to other UK nations, Ms Waite added that England has a system built on a presumption of guilt, which offers few signposts, and has left vulnerable patients chased by debt collection agencies. Repeat offenders have now been passed to the police or debt collection agencies, but the NAO report says the BSA is well aware that genuine mistakes and confusion happen. Labour party NHS video blames austerity for 120,000 deaths The report says matters have been complicated by the introduction of Universal Credit, which has included an income threshold for some benefits entitlements. Also confusing is the fact that not all claimants are automatically eligible for free dentistry and prescriptions. Despite this, the NHS only began working to explain its fraud crackdown and develop eligibility checkers in 2017, the NAO report said. Brendan Brown, director of citizen services at BSA, said they welcomed the report. The rules around entitlement, which are set by the Department of Health, can be complicated to understand and we recognise that genuine mistakes and confusion happen. We strongly believe in educating patients and ultimately removing error, so we can efficiently tackle deliberate fraud. The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment. By all measurements, there was no doubt Jerrie Cobb had the right stuff, that luminous combination of talent, experience, bravery and composure that distinguishes an astronaut from an earthbound pilot. Undergoing the same battery of tests as Nasas original Mercury Seven astronauts, she sat in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, lab in early 1960 as cold water was shot into her ears to induce vertigo. Then she swallowed 3ft of rubber hose for a stomach exam and downed a pint of radioactive fluid so scientists could study her metabolism. Cobb spent a record-setting nine hours in an isolation chamber, a dark and silent tank of water heated to match her body temperature. And for 45 minutes she piloted a machine known as the gimbal rig, a gyroscopic, vomit-inducing spaceflight simulator that spun her on three axes at once. The tests were conducted privately and were not officially approved by Nasa. But when it was announced in August 1960 that she had passed all the tests used to qualify the Mercury Seven for space flight, she was widely considered the leading contender to become Americas first woman astronaut. Dubbed an astronautrix and astronette by publications such as Life magazine, which noted the size of her bust alongside the breadth of her aviation resume, she lobbied for Nasa to launch women into space, testifying at a 1962 congressional hearing and meeting with vice president Lyndon B Johnson. NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Show all 21 1 /21 NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Robert McCalls mid-1970s prediction of NASAs space shuttle building a modular space station is close to what finally happened, except that the real shuttles only flew one at a time. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Ed White photographed by Gemini 4 Commander Jim McDivitt. During the first of 66 orbits, they made an unsuccessful attempt to rendezvous with the spent upper stage of their Titan launch vehicle. On McDivitts advice, White waited one more orbit to recover from the effort of the failed rendezvous, and then exited the Gemini for his historic spacewalk on June 3, 1965. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Apollo 9 CM pilot Dave Scott emerges from the hatch, testing some of the spacesuit systems that will be used for lunar operations. The photo was taken from the hatch of the docked LM by Rusty Schweickart in March 1969. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Mothership Balls Three overflies an X-15 in 1961. Three operational X-15s were constructed and flown for 199 test flights between them, as they pushed at the envelopes of speed and altitude, and reached the very edges of space. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The Mercury Control Center (MCC) at Cape Canaveral supervised seven human spaceflights between May 1961 and March 1965, into the beginning of the Gemini era. Meanwhile the more advanced control complex in Houston was taking shape ahead of Apollo. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Technicians working at the base of Alan Shepards Mercury-Redstone 3 launch vehicle are swathed in vapour from vented excess oxidiser gas on May 5, 1961. Subsequent rockets could not be so closely approached when fueling. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The Rendezvous Docking Simulator at Langley prepared Gemini astronauts for the strange physics of orbital flight. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Ahead of Gemini 10, Commander John Young explains to the media how copilot Michael Collins will inspect the Agena Target Docking Vehicle during his spacewalk, 1966. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Navy divers prepare to retrieve the Gemini 6A crew on December 16, 1965. Green dye was released by spacecraft on splashdown, making it easier to spot from the air. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The U.S. geological Surveys map of the area around Tycho Crater, famous as the site of a mysterious alien monolith in the 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. In real life, this chaotic and rugged terrain would have been too difficult for an Apollo mission to access. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot Michael Collins inspects NASAs Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, where rock samples collected by Apollo were analysed. Nitrogen gas protected the rocks from accidental corrosion in Earths oxygen-rich atmosphere. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives NASA scientists are confident that Buzz Aldrins boot prints from Apollo 11 are still as sharp and distinct today as when they were first stamped down in 1969, because the Moon has no air or rain to erode them. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives NASAs Anechoic Chambers are among the quietest places anywhere on earth. Walls absorb almost all stray echoes, whether sound or radio. This 1972 model of a shuttle, being tested for radio characteristics, has thruster pods on the wingtips. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Lightning strikes the launchpad of Space Shuttle Challenger on August 30, 1983 prior to STS-8, the first pre-dawn launch of the space shuttle program. Launchpads are surrounded by tall lightning towers and other conductive systems.These create a giant Faraday Cage, diverting the electric charge of strike well away from the spacecraft. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000. Its habitable volume is equivalent to a Boeing 747s. An international crew of six people live and work while traveling at five miles (8 km) per second, orbiting Earth once every 90 minutes. This is the single most complex and ambitious engineering effort in history, even when compared to Apollo. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives The Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) is a hybrid of parachute and balloon technology. A new generation of flexible heat shield materials could enable a huge shield to be deployed from a small storage canister just before a spaceraft hits the atmosphere of its target planet. In July 2012 a HIAD survived a trip through Earths atmosphere at 7,600 mph. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives In April 2016, ocean scientists at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, analysing data from Landsat 8, found mysterious lines crisscrossing the vegetation in the shallow waters of the North Caspian Sea.The cause turned out to be ice gouging at the seafloor in winter, before melting in the spring, and leaving just these clues. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Curiosity made this self-portrait on August 5, 2015, by maneuvering the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on the end of a seven-foot-long robotic arm. Multiple overlapping frames were acquired, then digitally stitched together by image analysts at JPL. The arm moved into a new position for each frame but the camera always pointed toward a specific vanishing point to minimize parallax distortions. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Jupiter's moon Io is dwarfed by the planet it orbits, as seen by the Cassini spacecraft en route to Saturn. Cassinis 13-year tour of the ringed planet changed the course of planetary exploration. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives A technician prepares to unlatch a small door built into the guide vanes of the Transonic Wind Tunnel at Langley Research Center in 2010. The vanes prevent turbulent eddies from interfering with the tests. Courtesy of NASA NASA at 60: Amazing photos of space exploration released from archives Courtesy of NASA But Cobb, who was 88 when she died on 18 March in Florida, never got the chance to step inside a space capsule and hurtle into orbit. Her efforts, and those of a dozen other women who were later nicknamed the Mercury 13, were spurned by Nasa and dismissed by male peers including John Glenn. So Cobb, a trailblazing pilot who had spent much of her life battling those who said no woman was fit to fly, decamped to the Amazon where for more than five decades she would fly humanitarian missions to aid remote tribes. Delivering seeds, food, medicine and clothing, she was deep in the jungle on 20 July 1969 when she learned by radio that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had landed on the moon. Cobb celebrated by dancing in the moonlight on her grounded plane, prancing from one wing tip to the other. Yes, I wish I were on the moon with my fellow pilots, exploring another celestial body, she wrote in a 1997 autobiography, Jerrie Cobb, Solo Pilot. How I would love to see our beautiful blue planet Earth floating in the blackness of space. And see the stars and galaxies in their true brilliance, without the filter of our atmosphere. But Im happy flying here in Amazonas, serving my brethren. Contenta, Senor, contenta. [I am happy, Lord, happy]. Test of endurance: Cobb in a gimbal rig in 1960 (AP) The daughter of an army lieutenant colonel, Cobb started flying at the age of 12, sitting on a stack of pillows and using blocks to reach the rudder pedals of her fathers open-cockpit Waco biplane. She went on to dust crops, deliver surplus military planes around the world, and work at the Oklahoma-based Aero Design and Engineering Company in the 1950s as one of the few woman executives in aviation. She found a way to work as a pilot, as a woman, at a time when all those jobs would have been listed in the newspaper under the title, Jobs for Men, said Margaret Weitekamp, a curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the author of Right Stuff, Wrong Sex: Americas First Women in Space Programme. Cobb set world records for speed, distance and altitude, and she was the first woman to fly in the vaunted Paris Air Show. In 1959 the National Pilots Association designated her Pilot of the Year, and she drew the attention of William Randolph Lovelace, an aerospace medicine scientist who had helped select the Mercury Seven. Before any human being had gone into space, he was already thinking about huge orbiting space stations Disney television show-style things, with dozens of people aboard doing scientific research and reconnaissance, Weitekamp said. In Lovelaces view, women were to function as an essential part of such space stations, working as secretaries or nurses. To determine whether they would be able to survive in space, he invited Cobb, then 28, to perform the same tests he had used on the Mercury astronaut candidates. After Lovelace announced in a Stockholm news conference that Cobb had aced the testing programme, scoring in the top 2 per cent of pilots and bettering many of her male colleagues, public interest in a woman astronaut programme began to grow. Rocket Woman: with a display at a national conference where the leading space experts gathered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1961 (AP) Cobb helped Lovelace and his collaborator, air force brigadier general Don Flickinger, select additional pilots for their Women in Space Programme, pouring over flight records to identify promising aviators. With support and funding from Jacqueline Cochran, the first woman to break the sound barrier, 19 female pilots took the tests. Thirteen passed with no medical reservations, forming a cohort Cobb described as the first lady astronaut trainees, or Flats. But the programme was disbanded in late summer 1961 after a navy aviation school in Pensacola, Florida, barred Lovelace from using its spaceflight testing facilities without official permission from Nasa. Cobb became the countrys most prominent supporter of female astronauts, seeking to overturn a Nasa provision that required all astronaut candidates to have experience flying military jets an opportunity that was closed to women. Working with Jane Hart, a fellow Flat and the wife of Michigan Democratic senator Philip Hart, she attended a house subcommittee hearing, during which she testified that female pilots were not trying to join a battle of the sexes. We seek, only, a place in our nations space future without discrimination, she said, two years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed sex discrimination. Jetsetter: standing by a jet plane in 1961 (AP) Cobbs testimony was followed by that of astronauts such as Glenn, who had recently become the first American to orbit Earth. The men go off and fight the wars and design the aeroplanes and come back and help design and build and test them, he said. The fact that women are not in this field is a matter of our social order. It may be undesirable. By that time, Nasas focus had shifted entirely to putting a man on the moon, and agency officials said that redesigning flights suits for female astronauts would be costly and time-consuming in the midst of the space race. The milestone of sending the first woman to space was left to the Soviet Union, with Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. The first American woman in space, Sally Ride, followed suit in 1983. Cobb had by then established herself as a missionary and humanitarian force in South America, where she had once delivered military planes to Peru and spent days in an Ecuadoran prison, accused of being a spy for Peru. Flying solo with the aid of hand-drawn maps, she was honoured by the governments of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The only thing that would take her away from her work, she said, was another chance to go into space an opportunity that presented itself in 1998 when Glenn, then 77 and a US senator, became the oldest person to fly in space. A grassroots campaign to Send Jerrie Into Space was launched on behalf of Cobb, who was then 67 and received support from groups including the National Organisation for Women. Travelling to Washington, she met with Glenn and later with Nasa administrator Daniel Goldin, calling for more female astronauts regardless of whether she made it into space. The mission never came to pass. But Cobb was there at the launchpad in July 1999, watching alongside other surviving Flats, as Eileen Collins became Nasas first woman shuttle commander. Four years earlier, when Collins became the first female pilot of a shuttle, she launched into space carrying a token from Cobb: a golden pin in the shape of a Colombian bird, a symbol of the plane she flew in South America. Indigenous tribes, Cobb said, had always referred to it as the bird. Members of the first lady astronaut trainees, in Florida in 1995, from left: Gene Nora Jessen, Wally Funk, Jerrie Cobb, Jerri Truhill, Sarah Rutley, Myrtle Cagle and Bernice Steadman (Nasa/AP) Geraldyn Menor Cobb was born in Norman, Oklahoma, on 5 March 1931, and her family moved frequently among military bases, settling in Oklahoma City. Jerrie, as she was always known, was shy and mocked by teachers for her lisp. She found refuge first in the countryside, riding horses bareback across the fenceless prairie, and then in the air. The sky was the only place I felt really at home, she wrote in her autobiography. Cobb received her private pilots licence at 16, her commercial licence two years later, and by 19 was certified as a flight and ground instructor. She used money she earned playing professional softball to buy a Fairchild PT-23. Her aviation career took off in Miami, where she had sought to work as a DC-3 pilot but was told instead to apply as a stewardess. When she overheard Jack Ford, a government contractor, saying he needed help delivering training aircraft to Peru, she signed on and was soon hired on the basis of her log book, which showed more than 3,000 hours of flying time. Cobb worked for several years with Fords company, Fleetways, and according to news accounts they were engaged to marry when his plane caught fire and exploded in 1955. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Although Cobb was always highly regarded by her peers, her public renown has grown in recent years. She was the subject of an off-Broadway play, They Promised Her the Moon by Laurel Ollstein; she featured in a 2018 Netflix documentary, Mercury 13; and in 2012 was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Still, she often played down her accomplishments. I had no gift for greatness, the hall quoted her as saying. I was no pioneer. I was just a girl who never got enough of flying. Jerrie Cobb, pilot, born 5 March 1931, died 18 March 2019 The Washington Post "Is that spicy?""Can I taste the plain noodles before adding the sauce?" Chef learners from the School of Hospitality of Weltec, Wellington Institute of Technology, kept asking questions during a special cooking course by two Chinese chefs, Wang Chenghua and Liu Yu here on Monday. As one of the cultural exchange activities held during the 2019 China Tourism & Culture Week here, famous Chinese cooks from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality brought their unique cooking recipes of spicy hotpot and Chongqing small noodles to get local chef learners on fire. Decades ago, Wang, who is the fifth generation of the family's inherited skills, ever thought the small bowl of noodles would become Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage one day. The history of the homemade noodles could be traced back to several hundred years ago. He told the learners that one of the secrets of cooking the spicy noodles is to cool the boiled plain noodles down as soon as possible. In old days, Chinese cooks could only use fans to cool the noodles down. This tradition is now part of the intangible cultural heritage. Tasting one spoon of the soup from the hotpot, Ben Leishman's face turned red, and he rushed out to drink a big jar of cold water to cool down. "It is very, very hot," Leishman said. "I'd never tried any food so spicy before but I do love the taste of it. We learned a lot about curry cooking but the taste of spicy is different." Preparing the food materials and seasonings for the hotpot, Chef Liu taught the learners to understand the way of having hotpot by putting everything together on one spoon. Nemierose Cruz-Gonong said, "I am so happy to see the demonstration of the traditional Chinese food cooking and it is different from that I've ever tasted in local restaurants. I love the taste of Chinese food." Compared to the extremely spicy flavor of the hotpot, the noodles made by Wang are much easier to be accepted since the noodles combined the flavors of being sweet, sour and spicy. With his face bathed with sweat, Paolo Moredo could not stop finishing the noodles in his plate. He said the taste of Chinese Chongqing small noodles are close to the one he tried before called the Dandan noodles but the spicy feeling is not the same. "Definitely I will go to China one day, for food," Moredo said. Far-right agitator and Ukip European election candidate Carl Benjamin has had three milkshakes thrown at him in three days as he tours the south west of England. The latest incident saw Mr Benjamin doused in the sweet drink by protesters in the market town of Totnes in Devon. The soaked prospective MEP was led away from crowds cheering his misfortune, as police separated Mr Benjamins supporters from demonstrators. He had been due to make an address alongside far-right figure Milo Yiannopolous. Police said one person was arrested for throwing the milkshake. Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Show all 6 1 /6 Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Newcastle says "no thanks Farage" Brexit Party leader Nigel farage is led away by security after being hit with a milkshake at a campaign event in Newcastle Reuters Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Tommy Robinson covered in a milkshake... While out on the campaign trail for the European Elections in Warrington, a man threw a milkshake in Tommy Robinson's face. Frame 1: Man throws milkshake. Frame 2: Robinson and Co. beat man. Frame 3: Robinson covered in milkshake @AzTheBaz/Twitter Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right ...the day after being covered with a milkshake The day before in Bury, a suspected child threw a milkshake over Robinson before running away Paul Ryder/Youtube Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Gerrard Batten's image Amy Thompson from Plymouth greeted the Ukip tour bus by throwing a milkshake over the image of leader Gerrard Batten McCoys Media/SWNS Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Carl Benjamin milkshaked Ukip candidate Carl Benjamin aka Sargon of Akkad was met with a milkshake while campaigning in Totnes, Devon PA Milkshaking: New tactic emerges in fight against far-right Aftermath The remains of the milkshake that struck Carl Benjamin Cornwall Live/SWNS A video shows the immediate aftermath of the drink being upended over his head. On Friday, Mr Benjamins tour got off to an ignominious start when he first had kippers thrown at him, before a milkshake was hurled in his direction in Truro, Cornwall. On Saturday he arrived in Plymouth, where the Ukip bus was given a parking ticket and then hit with a milkshake. The bus features a large picture of party leader Gerard Batten, and reporters at Plymouth Live noted someone had apparently thrown milkshake over its side, with the liquid running like tears down Mr Batten's face. He reportedly told the Plymouth crowd that people should be able to make jokes about rape. Mr Benjamin is currently being investigated by police over repeated comments about whether he would rape the MP Jess Phillips, amid growing concern over threats to politicians. After his stop in Totnes on Sunday, Mr Benjamin was then delayed from his next appearance in Exeter on Monday after the van he was to travel in had its tyres slashed. During his appearance in Exeter, Mr Benjamin had to be separated from protesters by police after he reportedly tried to debate with them. Ahead of Mr Benjamins arrival in Totnes on Sunday, a spokesperson for Totnes Together Against Hate Group said: Using the pretext of the European elections, these attention-seekers and darlings of the alt-right have decided to have some fun according to the Ukip Totnes website at the expense of Totnes and its citizens. Local activists and community members will gather at an alternative venue in town to show solidarity with the victims of hate speech, including women parliamentarians Jo Cox and Jess Phillips. We deplore Benjamins use of rape threats, currently under investigation by the police, both mens regular use of racist tropes, their active wooing of white supremacists and conspiracy theorists, and their designation of feminism as a cancer. The group added: We note that Yiannopoulos was recently banned from Australia for blaming the Christchurch mosque massacre on the establishment pander[ing] to barbaric alien cultures. We affirm that Totnes is a place of peace, progress and tolerance, where these ideas have no place. Totnes Police said: The Totnes Neighbourhood Team were supported by the Specialist Force Support Group but as pockets of disorder broke out, extra officers from Ivybridge, Newton Abbot and Torquay were drafted in to remain on standby in anticipation of further disorder. Luckily that did not happen. One arrest was made for throwing a milkshake. Milkshakes have gained currency among those protesting far-right campaigns after EDL-founder and far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon was hit with milkshakes twice in two days while campaigning in Bury and Warrington earlier this month. He is standing as an independent in the forthcoming European elections. The UK has dropped another three places in a Europe-wide rank of the best countries for LGBT+ people, after being ranked first just five years ago. Rainbow Europe, an index put together by campaign group ILGA-Europe, ranked how each European countrys laws and policies impacted on the lives of LGBT+ people, with zero indicating gross human rights abuses and 100 per cent the greatest degree of equality. Between 2018 and 2019, the UK slid from fourth to seventh place. In 2018, the UK scored 73 per cent and was tied with Finland and France just below the top three countries. The 2019 ranking, announced in Oslo on Monday 13 May, saw the UK slide to 65 per cent, tied with Portugal. LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russias antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT propaganda allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this crime since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty Malta ranked first, followed by Belgium and Luxembourg. Norway, Denmark and Finland also ranked higher than the UK. Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia were the bottom three countries for LGBT+ people in 2019, with a score of 3 per cent, 5 per cent and 7 per cent respectively. Due to a shift in the number and weighing of categories included in the survey, several other countries that had formerly been seen as leaders of LGBT+ equality saw their overall percentages slip. Germany, France and Norway also saw their percentages fall over the past 12 months. Sadly, this year, we see concrete evidence of roll-back at political and legislative levels in a growing number of countries, said ILGA-Europes Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis. There is no more time to waste. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A spokeswoman for Britains Government Equalities Office said in an email: The UK has a proud record of promoting equality for LGBT people and we continue to be recognised as one of the leading progressive countries in Europe for LGBT rights. Additional reporting by agencies Theresa May has vowed to bring forward key Brexit legislation for a Commons vote in the first week of June in what could be her last move as prime minister. After a late-night meeting with Jeremy Corbyn, the prime minister said the cross-party talks with Labour to find a solution to the deadlock at Westminster will continue despite both sides being downbeat about any resolution being found. The government made clear a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) will be brought forward regardless of the outcome of the discussions, however, in the week beginning 3 June the same week the US president Donald Trump is to visit the UK on an official state visit. The announcement came as Ms Mays cabinet set a summer deadline for the UK to finally leave the European Union, after an extended meeting on Tuesday lasting over two hours at Downing Street. Ministers agreed it was imperative to pass legislation ratifying Brexit before parliament rises for the summer break in July, and decided not to terminate the talks with Labour, which are now in their seventh week. Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Nigel Farage speaks at the launch of his new Brexit Party's campaign for the European elections Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Brexit Party candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, speaks at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A supporter waits for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters wait for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage's socks Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage and prospective candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg wait at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters listen as Farage speaks AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Free T-shirts for all attendees AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Posters on the seats for supporters of the Brexit Party AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A safety sign is pictured AFP/Getty Following discussions with the Labour leader, a Downing Street spokesman said Ms May told Mr Corbyn the governments determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result. We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the 3rd June, they added. The spokesman also described the ongoing talks now in their seventh week as useful and constructive, adding further discussions will take place on Wednesday as we seek the stable majority in parliament that will ensure the safe passage of the withdrawal agreement bill and the UKs swift exit from the EU. But Labour sources told The Independent that Mr Corbyn dismissed any suggestion that Labour would support the prime minister in June without an agreement in the talks in place. A Labour spokesperson added: Jeremy Corbyn made clear the need for further movement from the government, including on entrenchment of any commitments. In particular he raised doubts about the credibility of government commitments, following statements by Conservative MPs and cabinet ministers seeking to replace the prime minister. The WAB is not a fourth attempt by Ms May to pass a meaningful vote or MV4 on her EU Withdrawal Agreement after the three crushing defeats it has already suffered in the House of Commons. But Brexit legislation demands that MPs approve both the Agreement and the political declaration on future relations agreed with Brussels in November. These could possibly be included as a clause in the bill, rather than a standalone meaningful vote. The vote on WAB will come during a crucial week in Westminster, with Mr Trump set to spend three days in the UK to coincide with 75th anniversary of D-Day making a potential defeat for the prime minister even more humiliating. Voters in Peterborough will also head to the polls in a by-election, after the disowned Labour politician Fiona Onasanya became the first MP to be removed by her constituents last month. Arch-Eurosceptic Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the Tory backbench European Research Group, gave the WAB little chance of passing. If the Brexit Party were demanding we pass this Withdrawal Agreement, it might make sense, he told The Independent. But they arent. Quite the reverse. And driving it through over the heads of the DUP appears to eradicate the governments majority. What are they thinking? The remarks from the two leaders came after foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt used a speech shortly after the cabinet meeting to warn that both the Conservative and Labour Party would be crucified by voters if they failed to respect the 2016 referendum result. Referring to the cross-party talks, he told the Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference in London: There is potential because when you look at the fundamentals it is actually in both parties interests to resolve Brexit. Recommended May faces pressure to pull plug on Brexit talks amid lack of progress Because both of us will be crucified by our base if we went into a general election having promised that we would respect the referendum result, not having respected it. And I think the lesson at the local elections is that the downside for Labour is as big as the downside for us. I dont think its impossible that there could be a deal there. Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman, told The Independent: "There's not a snowball's chance in hell that the WAB will go through. "Parliament will look very unkindly on an attempt to bring forward a bill to implement a deal that has not been approved by parliament. "In the absence of a People's Vote or a confirmatory vote, there are no circumstances in which this could command a majority. It is the last roll of the dice for a government which is seeking to give the impression of action on Brexit a few days before it suffers an embarrassing disaster in the European elections." But there was little enthusiasm in Brussels regarding any developments in Westminster, as a spokesperson for the EU commission said leaders of the 27 member states are on a Brexit break. They said the EU would only turn its attention to Brexit again if there is something happening in London, as the UKs chief negotiator in the civil service, Olly Robbins, was expected to travel to the Belgian capital on Wednesday to discuss the future UK-EU relationship, post-Brexit. Close Countdown to Brexit: How many days left until Britain leaves the EU? Theresa May's cabinet has set a summer deadline for the UK finally to leave the EU, prompting speculation the prime minister could be ready to name her departure date. The decision suggests Ms May is ready to confirm she will quit within two months when she meets Tory backbench leaders on Thursday, after she promised to quit when the first phase of Brexit is complete. She will bring forward her withdrawal agreement bill in early June to ensure Brexit happens this summer, Downing Street said. It came after the EU told Britain that it was on a "Brexit break" but officials will meet Olly Robbins, Ms May's top Brexit negotiator tomorrow. Elsewhere, a group of senior Tories urged Ms May to to stand firm against Labour's demands for a customs union in the cross-party talks or risk losing the support of her party's "loyal middle". But the warning drew fury from shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who voiced fears that any agreement with Ms May would be "overturned within weeks". Late on Tuesday Ms May met Jeremy Corbyn and both agreed that cross-party talks should continue. However, making clear their precarious nature, the Labour leader told the prime minister he had "doubts over the credibility of government commitments, following statements by Conservative MPs and cabinet ministers seeking to replace the prime minister". See how we covered the day's events live, below The newly formed Brexit Party enjoys more support than Westminsters major political parties for the European elections only among those over the age of 55, new polling shows. In a fresh survey for The Independent, BMG pollsters also found the party spearheaded by Nigel Farage will emerge ahead of the established parties on 23 May despite being formed just weeks ago. It comes amid growing frustration among Conservative MPs both with Theresa Mays leadership of the party and the continued Brexit deadlock and the inability of both Labour and Tories to find a resolution in the cross-party negotiations. Many fear they are heading for a mauling at the hands of Mr Farages Brexit Party in the European elections having already suffered the heaviest losses in a generation at the local council elections earlier in the month. The survey shows that among the 55-64 age range, the party boasts 30 per cent support significantly above the Conservatives on 8 per cent and Labour on 15 per cent. Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Nigel Farage speaks at the launch of his new Brexit Party's campaign for the European elections Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Brexit Party candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, speaks at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A supporter waits for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters wait for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage's socks Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage and prospective candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg wait at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters listen as Farage speaks AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Free T-shirts for all attendees AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Posters on the seats for supporters of the Brexit Party AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A safety sign is pictured AFP/Getty In the over-65 category, Mr Farages party has 42 per cent while the Tories are on 17 per cent and Labour are on 11 per cent. But in the 18-24 age range, the party has just 6 per cent support while Labour enjoys 38 per cent backing. This increases slightly to 17 per cent among the 35- to 44-year-olds who said they would definitely vote in the European elections. According to the research including only those who said they will definitely vote the Brexit Party enjoys 26 per cent support while Labour is in second place with 22 per cent. Ms Mays Conservative Party are in fourth place with 12 per cent after being leapfrogged by the Liberal Democrats who are on 19 per cent. The Green Party also hold 10 per cent support. Commenting on the results, Robert Struthers, the research manager at BMG, said: The fact that the Brexit Party are out in front on 26 per cent is quite a feat given the new outfit only formed a matter of weeks ago. As it stands, Nigel Farages party appears to have largely mopped up the pro-Brexit vote, with our poll showing Ukip attracting just 3 per cent support. Recommended May faces pressure to pull plug on Brexit talks amid lack of progress What is also clear is that the Brexit Partys support is coming largely at the expense of the Conservatives. Indeed, as many of those that reported voting Conservative at the 2017 general election say they intend to vote for the Brexit Party next week as do say they will continue to back Theresa Mays Conservatives. While those on the Remain side seem to be more divided, our polling does suggest the Liberal Democrats to be in the strongest position of those parties that unequivocally support another referendum. Following their strong showing at the local elections, the Lib Dems are now polling twice the vote share of that of the Greens, and more than four times that of Change UK. Source note: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,541 GB adults online between 7 and 10 May. Data are weighted. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules A former minister has quit Labour with a furious attack on Jeremy Corbyn, warning the party has been destroyed under his leadership. Bridget Prentice accused Mr Corbyn of failing to stand up to antisemitic bigots and bullies and of complete ignorance about the damage to come from Brexit. In all the major issues of the day, you have called it wrong, the former justice minister wrote, in her resignation letter to Labours general secretary. The walkout follows a similar protest and resignation by Tony Robinson, the actor, and the defections of eight Labour MPs to the new Independent Group, now known as Change UK. In her letter, Ms Prentice said Labour no longer had the values, aspiration or vision that led me to join it, 45 years ago. Recommended Watson makes fresh bid to convince Corbyn to back second referendum She wrote: I have watched in horror as Jewish members have begged for support against the growth of antisemitism both within and out the party. Mealy-mouth words have replaced what should have been strong and determined condemnation of the bigots and bullies. Protests against Labour antisemitism Show all 14 1 /14 Protests against Labour antisemitism Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters clashed during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of the Jewish community hold a protest against Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and antisemitism in the Labour Party AFP/Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters hold placards and flags during a demonstration, organised by the British Board of Jewish Deputies for those who oppose antisemitism, in Parliament Square Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP Luciana Berger speaks during the protest PA Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester blows through a shofar during the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of London's Jewish community protest in support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside parliament EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP John Mann speaks during a protest against antisemitism PA Protests against Labour antisemitism People protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party as Jewish community leaders have launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming he has sided with antisemites again and again PA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour politicians Stella Creasy and Chuka Umunna leave after attending the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A pro-Jeremy Corbyn protester holds a placard during a counter-protest Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A support of the Labour Party hold up a placard during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Jeremy Corbyn supporters during the demo Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester holds up a sign reading For the many, not the Jew AFP Even when complaints were upheld, the punishment was often no more than a slap on the wrist. For a pregnant woman MP [Luciana Berger] to be bullied out of the party is shameful and embarrassing. On Brexit, Ms Prentice said of Mr Corbyn that in his limited thinking, Europe is a bad thing, apparently completely ignorant of the benefits it has brought to working people. To use European workers as a cause of lower wages is as disgraceful as it is pandering to the baser views of racists. Mr Corbyns claim that the local election results showed the public telling the major parties to deliver Brexit would be laughable were it not so palpably wrong and pathetic. The damage to this country and most importantly to the poorest, the most vulnerable, the dispossessed, the underclass all those that the Labour Party was born to protect will be devastating, Ms Prentice added. The MP for Lewisham East from 1992 to 2010 also tore into the Corbyn cult, saying: Anyone questioning the leaderships position is vilified, complaints sent in to the disciplinary panel like something out of a North Korean rule book. A Labour spokesman said: It is disappointing that Bridget Prentice has left the party but many claims in her letter are plainly untrue. Labours bold and popular policies under Jeremy Corbyns leadership have changed the political conversation in this country and exposed the devastation caused by the Tories austerity agenda. The Labour Party is absolutely committed to challenging and campaigning against antisemitism in all its forms and wherever it occurs. Party sources suggested Ms Prentice was aggrieved that she was not re-nominated to serve as Labours representative to the Electoral Commission. Jeremy Hunt appeared to struggle to explain why people should vote Conservative while speaking at an event in London. The foreign secretary said voters should opt for his party because you believe in Conservative policies". When pressed again at an event on Tuesday, he tried to give a fuller answer. Okay, let me give you another reason, he said, according to The Guardian. Let me have another stab at it. Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Because we are not going to solve this problem by retreating to populist extremes. Mr Hunts comments come ahead of the 23 May European elections, with a new poll predicting that the Conservative Party could come fifth, as Nigel Farages Brexit Party surges. The Tories also lost more than 1,300 council seats in this months local elections. On Tuesday the Cabinet minister said both the Conservatives and Labour would be crucified by voters if they failed to solve the current Brexit stalemate. Both of us will be crucified by our base if we went into a general election having promised that we would respect the referendum result, not having respected it, he said. And I think the lesson of the local elections is that the downside for Labour is as big as the downside for us. I dont think its impossible that there could be a deal there. Cross-party talks between Labour and the Conservatives are continuing but both sides have expressed frustration at a lack of progress. I think its actually impressive that its lasted as long at it has, he said. But, I dont think anyone can be confident of an outcome one way or the other. Despite the ongoing deadlock the 52-year-old insisted that there was no need for a second referendum or a general election. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events I think you can never discount any of these potential outcomes, he said. But I think a general election and a second referendum are my least likely outcomes because Brexit divides all the parties. It is difficult to see how a general election, particularly, changes the situation, and I also think it is very, very unpopular for MPs, for understandable reasons. Asked if the next Tory leader would embrace the option of a no-deal, the foreign secretary said: I think it is very difficult... to get a successful outcome to a negotiation if the other side thinks you will never walk away. And I think in a way, that has been part of the reason why we have come to the impasse in the current negotiations, because the other side, Europeans, have sensed that the UK isnt prepared to walk away, and that has meant that they have not been prepared to be as flexible as they might otherwise have been. No-deal remains the default legal position and we continue to make preparations for a no-deal scenario, Theresa Mays spokesperson said in response to Mr Hunts comments. Parliament has, however, clearly expressed the view that it wants the UK to leave with a deal and that is what the PM is working to deliver. Additional reporting by agencies Theresa May's Cabinet has set a summer deadline for the UK finally to leave the European Union. After an extended meeting lasting over two hours, ministers agreed it was "imperative" to pass the legislation ratifying Brexit before Parliament rises for its summer break. The decision suggests Ms May is ready to confirm her departure within two months when she meets Tory grandees on the executive of the 1922 Committee on Thursday, in line with her earlier promise to quit when the first phase of Brexit is complete. Ministers did not pull the plug on negotiations with Labour, which have dragged into their seventh week with little sign of a compromise deal being reached. It also emerged the prime minister will meet with Jeremy Corbyn on Wednesday evening to discuss the cross-party talks - their first face-to-face meeting since last month. The move indicates that Ms May has given up her hope of completing Brexit in time to prevent MEPs elected on May 23 from taking up their seats in the European Parliament in July. Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell warned that it would be a "cataclysmic act of bad faith" if Labour agreed a deal for it to then be overturned within weeks by a new Tory leader. Parliament's summer recess usually begins in late July, but no date has yet been fixed. Ms May's official spokesman could not confirm whether it might be delayed to later in the summer if needed to get Brexit done. Ministers were briefed on the compromises which the Government is prepared to consider in cross-party talks in order to get its Withdrawal Agreement Bill through, said the spokesman. He said: "Cabinet agreed to continue discussions with Labour to see what was possible. "However, it was agreed that it was imperative to bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in time for it to receive Royal Assent by the summer parliamentary recess." Asked if getting the deal through would also make that Mrs May's exit date, the spokesman said: "What she wants to do is get a deal through by the summer recess. "She has at the same time said she would step aside once she has completed phase one. But the conversation at Cabinet wasn't about that." The state of talks was also discussed by Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet. Following the meeting, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said that Labour had not seen "the significant shift yet that we require to be able to support a deal". Ms May's spokesman said the talks had been "difficult". Mr McDonnell said that "deep in my heart I'm still a Remainer" and said he believed Mr Corbyn was too. "We don't think there is a deal there yet," he told a conference in London. "Deep in my heart I'm still a Remainer," said John McDonnell (PA) "Our big problem now is, if we are going to march our troops in Parliament to the top of the hill to vote for a deal and then that's overturned within weeks, I think that would be a cataclysmic act of bad faith." Mr McDonnell said Labour had told the Government into talks that "to get something through Parliament you may well have to concede that there is a public vote of some sort". The EU has told Britain that it is on a "Brexit break" and will only listen to Theresa May's top Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins when he visits Brussels on Wednesday. A spokesperson said the bloc would only turn its attention to Brexit again "if there is something happening in London". Downing Street characterised the visit as "part of the regular engagement" with the European institutions. It comes as Ms May was urged by a group of Conservative former ministers to pull the plug on talks with Labour or risk losing the support of her party's "loyal middle". A lion reportedly tore off a four-year-old girls scalp after it attacked her and her father through a fence. Dina-Marie de Beer was left in a critical condition after the attack at Weltevrede Lion Farm in South Africa on Sunday. Her father Pieter was left with minor injuries when the lioness grabbed him as he was holding his daughter, Netwerk24 reported. The family had stopped at the lion park so Dina-Marie could pet one of the cubs when a juvenile lioness grabbed the pair through a fence. Dina-Maries scalp was ripped off and one of the lions claws penetrated her skull, the broadcaster said. Where not to visit if you love animals Show all 9 1 /9 Where not to visit if you love animals Where not to visit if you love animals Monkey shows Chimpanzees are forced to perform demeaning tricks on leashes and are often subject to cruel training techniques. Animals who are confined to small, barren enclosures and forced to perform unsurprisingly show symptoms of stress and depression. Chimpanzees have been documented rocking back and forth, sucking their lips, salivating and swaying against enclosure perimeters in distress. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Marine parks Some parks confine orcas to concrete tanks and force them to perform meaningless tricks for food - many die in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent and social mammals who may suffer immensely, both physically and mentally, when they're held in captivity. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Tiger shows Tigers are forced to live in an unnatural and barren environment and have to endure interactions with a constant stream of tourists. Since tigers never lose their wild instincts, across the world they are reportedly drugged, mutilated and restrained in order to make them safe for the public. However, every year, incidents of tiger maulings are reported at this type of tourist attraction. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Donkey rides Sunning on the beach is great for humans we can take a quick dip or catch a bite to eat when we get too hot or hungry. But it's pure hell for donkeys who are confined to the beach and forced to cart children around on the hot sand. Some donkey-ride operators at beach resorts in the UK even keep the animals chained together at all times. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Swimming with dolphins Some marine parks use bottlenose dolphins in performances and offer visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that these animals are captured in the wild and torn from their families or traded between different parks around the world. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Canned hunting Lions are confined to fenced areas so that they can easily be cornered, with no chance of escape. Most of them will have been bred in captivity and then taken from their mothers to be hand-reared by the cub-petting industry. When they get too big, they may be drugged before they are released into a "hunting" enclosure. Because these animals are usually kept in fenced enclosures (ranging in size from just a few square yards to thousands of acres), they never stand a chance of surviving. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Running of the Bulls Every year, tourists travel to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. The bulls who are forced to slip and slide down the town's narrow cobblestone streets are chased straight into the bullring. They are then taunted, stabbed repeatedly and finally killed by the matador in front of a jeering crowd. The majority of Spaniards reject bullfighting, but tourists are keeping the cruel industry on its last legs. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Horse-drawn carriages City streets are no place for horses. The animals toil in all weather extremes, suffering from respiratory distress from breathing in exhaust fumes as well as numerous hoof, leg and back problems from walking on pavement all day long. As easily spooked prey animals, horses subjected to the loud noises and unexpected sounds of city streets are likely to be involved in accidents, even deadly ones. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Zoos The zoo community regards the animals it keeps as commodities, and animals are regularly bought, sold, borrowed and traded without any regard for established relationships. Zoos breed animals because the presence of babies draws visitors and boosts revenue, yet often, there's nowhere to put the offspring as they grow, and they are killed, as we saw with Marius the giraffe in Denmark. Some zoos have introduced evening events with loud music and alcohol which disrupt the incarcerated animals even further. EPA A tour guide at the farm confirmed the attack and told The Independent the father and daughter got a bit too close, the lion grabbed him through the fence. He said he hoped the child would have a quick recovery. The owners of the farm did not return a request for comment. Dina-Marie reportedly had part of her skull removed on Monday to relieve pressure on her brain. Her father said it would likely be a long road to recovery. Another man was injured after being attakced through a fence at the same farm last week, Netwerk24 reported. In 2010 two sisters were attacked by lionesses at the Weltevreden Lion Farm, both suffering bite wounds. The farms owner, Nico Roets said the lions are dangerous and wild animals, adding: Sometimes they play a little rough. Suspected poacher killed by elephant then eaten by lions Campaigners have previously criticised lion farms for being nothing more than a front for trophy-hunters or for Asias trade in bones, which are ground down for use in fake medicines. Tourists often take selfies or bottle-feed and pet the big cats at the farms, and Humane Society International has warned the caged animals are often deprived of sufficient food, hygiene and the ability to behave as they would in the wild. Earlier this month, an investigation found cubs at one breeding centre were too ill to walk and many lions had been so badly neglected they had gone bald from mange. The big cats are then used for canned hunts in which they are shot by trophy-hunters in fenced areas. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events There are up to 8,000 wild lions in captivity in 260 breeding farms in South Africa, compared to fewer than 3,000 in the wild. Audrey Delsink, a spokeswoman for Humane Society International, told The Independent: This horrible incident underscores the need for the government of South Africa to shut down the lion breeding industry in the country, in order to protect both people from these snuggle scam businesses in which they expose themselves to potential danger, and spare the suffering of thousands of lions languishing in appalling inadequate captive conditions where they are used as props for the tourist trade. She added: Across South Africa there have been 28 injuries and 12 deaths from captive big cats. With mounting global condemnation of the captive lion industry, and alarm bells increasingly raised about such attacks, the South African government can no longer support this appalling industry and turn a blind eye to the cost to both people and animals. A complete shut-down of this cruel and exploitative industry is long overdue. A mosque was set on fire in Connecticut in what police are investigating as an act of arson. The fire broke out around 4pm, at the Diyanet Mosque in New Haven, where it was first noticed by a visiting Imam who was reading inside the sanctuary. He immediately called Haydar Elevli, president of the Connecticut chapter of the Diyanet Centre of America. I dropped everything and ran there, Mr Elevli said in an interview with the New York Times. It was the eighth day of Ramadan, the holy month which Muslims mark with increased prayer and fasting. Only a few hours later Muslim families would have gathered together at the mosque to break their daily dawn to dusk fasts for a community meal known as an iftar. Though the motive is still unclear and no arrests have yet been made, police are investigating the incident and believe the act to have been intentional. Elevli called the damage "not too bad." Though the fire has rendered the structure uninhabitable, repairs are possible. An online fundraiser for the community had raised more than $60,000 by Tuesday afternoon. Elevli told the Times that he has been inundated with calls of support from other religious leaders. A seminar with the topic of strengthening higher education cooperation between China and Israel was held on Monday in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. An exhibition on Chinese higher education was held after the seminar in the university, and both events were co-organized by China Education Association for International Exchange and the Council for Higher Education of Israel. These events demonstrate the close ties between the Chinese and Israeli academia and the high level of interest in further strengthening those ties, said Yaffa Zilbershats, chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC) of the Council for Higher Education of Israel. It is the first time for China to hold the Chinese higher education exhibition in Israel, an important event for both sides to enhance cooperation in the sector, said Dai Yuming, Minister-Counselor with the Chinese Embassy in Israel. Another exhibition of such kind will be held on Tuesday in the University of Haifa in northern Israel. Recent years have witnessed flourishing cooperation in the higher education between China and Israel, including joint research, student and faculty exchanges, and cooperative initiatives, according to Zilbershats. Representatives from 27 Chinese universities participated in the seminar and held the higher education exhibition focusing on study in China. They discussed the efforts to further promote student mobility and collaboration on scientific research with peers from seven Israeli universities. Zilbershats expressed expect for a growing number of Chinese students to study in Israel and encouraged more Israeli students to study in China, adding the PBC is seeking partnerships with relevant bodies in China to provide more scholarships for these students. At the end of May, the PBC will sign an agreement with China's southwestern province of Sichuan which will provide scholarships for Israeli students to study in summer programs in the Chinese province, according to Zilbershats. In 2012, the PBC initiated a comprehensive program to strengthen academic ties with China. The program provides over 20 new research grants a year for joint research via the Israel Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences Foundation of China. More than 1,000 scholarships to date have been provided for students and post-doctoral researchers from China. Encouraging more student exchange and mobility is the key to deepening people-to-people exchange and inter-cultural understanding, Zilbershats said. Educational exchange between China and Israel are flourishing and educational cooperation ranges from cultural studies to scientific and technological collaboration, said Dai. According to Dai, the Chinese and Israeli universities have strengthened cooperation in higher education, including forming think tanks, holding international forums, organizing innovation entrepreneurship competition and student-exchange programs. In 2018, more than 1,000 Chinese students were enrolled in at least 10 universities and colleges in Israel and about 500 Israeli students studied in China, which has increased the vitality of the relations between China and Israel, Dai noted. A scrap business owner opened a freezer that had come into her shop and found a woman's body folded over inside. It thought it was a witch, or a mannequin," said Lilian Argueta, from Margate, Florida. "I thought, It cant be a person," she told the South Florida Sun Sentinel, but the odour was unmistakable. It turned out the body belonged to Heather Anne Lacey, a woman who had disappeared nearly six years ago. Police say that the body would likely never have been discovered had it not been for another death months earlier. In February, the decomposing body of Jonathan Escarzaga, a 36-year-old aeroplane mechanic, was discovered in Hollywood, Florida after neighbours tipped off the police after noticing a foul odour. Escarzaga's landlord ultimately hired Argueta and her husband Pedro Rodriguez's company to clean out the apartment and dispose of the appliances, including a freezer. Another month passed before Argueta finally got around to opening the freezer and revealing it's contents. Lacey was identified by her fingerprints. She was 30 years old and a mother of two when she disappeared after a long battle with addiction that began after a complicated pregnancy. She was a very smart girl and had a lot going for her and unfortunately, her downfall was getting into drugs, doing drugs and being addicted, Patti Palumbo, Laceys mother, told the Sun Sentinel. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Lacey was arrested several times for drug possession and prostitution. She ultimately served a year in state prison for identity theft, before Her family's last contact with her in November 2013, just before thanksgiving. Coroners were unable to discover the cause of Escarzaga's death, nor how long Lacey had been dead. The nature of their relationship was also unclear as Lacey's family said they did not know of Escarzaga. A US man has been arrested after allegedly driving into five pedestrians and ramming 17 cars in a road rage incident in Mexico. The driver is said to have begun ramming into people as they waited to cross into the US from the San Ysidro Port of Entry in Tijuana on Monday. The citys secretary of public security said in a Facebook post that the man allegedly threatened a Mexican citizen with a knife prior to the incident. When police arrived at the scene, the suspect sped off in a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck towards the border crossing, he added. As he fled, he is said to have hit five pedestrians, 17 vehicles and 14 food vendors, leaving three people injured. Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Show all 20 1 /20 Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The prototypes for President Trumps border wall are being demolished. AP Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The US Customs and Border protection had built the eight 30-foot tall steel and concrete models near San Diego on the US-Mexico border. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office found that the construction challenges presented by the four concrete models would be extensive and those presented by two of the other models would be substantial. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California It was intended that Mr Trump would choose his favourite of the designs after testing had been completed. AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The President is yet to comment. AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Each prototype cost $300,000 to $500,000 to build and they are being knocked down in order to make way for the San Diego Secondary Wall project which will see up to 14 miles of barrier being built to support the existing steel border fence. AP Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The new barrier will not employ the design of any of the prototypes, instead being built of the favoured steel bollards which make up the current section of the wall at San Diego. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The new secondary barrier being built near San Diego. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The rubble of one of the demolished prototypes. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A steel wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A wall prototype made from a mix of steel and concrete AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A wall prototype made from a mix of steel and concrete AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A steel wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A digger approaches the prototype wall AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Aerial view of the wall prototypes at the US-Mexico border after they were torn down AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California An aerial view showing Tijuana, Mexico on the left and the demolished wall prototypes on the right AFP/Getty The driver was arrested by police and handed over to the Public Ministry Agent. A US commercial pilot was arrested for an alleged triple murder while passengers waited to board the flight. In an astonishing development in a 2015 cold case, Christian R Martin, a 51-year-old pilot for the American Airlines subsidiary PSA Airlines and former army helicopter pilot, was arrested on Saturday over the murders of three of his neighbours as the plane prepared for take-off in Louisville, Kentucky. It was like something you would totally see in a movie, said Ashley Martin, who was waiting to board the fight according to Fox News affiliate WDRB. It was very tense, Ashley Martins mother Frances Wise told WDRB. I think it was very tense. You could tell the employees knew something was going on. A jail booking photo of Martin shows him still wearing his pilots uniform. World's safest airlines 2019 Show all 19 1 /19 World's safest airlines 2019 World's safest airlines 2019 Eva Air Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Austrian Airlines Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 KLM Getty World's safest airlines 2019 Qatar Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Lufthansa Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Hawaiian Airlines Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Alaska Airlines Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 SAS Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Finnair Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Emirates Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Cathay Pacific Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 British Airways Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Singapore Airlines Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 All Nippon Airways Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Air New Zealand Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Swiss Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 American Airlines Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 United Getty Images World's safest airlines 2019 Virgin Atlantic and Australia Getty Images A Missouri grand jury indicted Martin on three counts of murder, one count of arson, one count of attempted arson, burglary in the first degree and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. He broke into his neighbours home in November 2015 and shot one of them, the indictment claims. He allegedly shot and killed the other two neighbours later that day. The latter two bodies were found in a charred car in a cornfield a few miles away, burned beyond recognition. Shortly after the murders happened, Martin moved to North Carolina. The suspect and his family deny any wrongdoing. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events My dad is an American hero. Hes served his whole life and before this had a spotless record, Martins daughter said in her statement. We believe that he is innocent of these charges and hope that the truth will come out. The case continues. A couple who say the weedkiller Roundup Ready caused their cancer are to be awarded 1.5bn. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, both in their 70s, won their case against agricultural chemical manufacturer Monsanto in the third and largest courtroom loss for the firm since August. A jury in California on Monday found Monsanto was liable for the couple contracting non-Hodgkins lymphoma a cancer that affects the immune system. The jury also found its product Roundup had been defectively designed, that the company failed to warn of the glyphosate-based herbicides cancer risk, and that the company acted negligently. German chemicals giant Bayer AG, which owns Monsanto, denies the allegations and insists the weedkiller is safe. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. The Pilliods were awarded $2bn (1.5bn) in punitive damages and $55m (42m) in compensatory damages. However, it is likely the damages award will be reduced because of US Supreme Court rulings that limit the ratio of punitive to compensatory damages to 9:1. The couple allege the regular use of Roundup on their property between 1975 and 2011 caused them to develop cancers of the lymph system. They filed their lawsuit in 2017 after Mr Pilliod was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, and Ms Pilliod in 2015. Bayer now faces more than 13,400 US lawsuits over the alleged cancer risk of the common weedkiller (AFP/Getty) Both of them are in remission but their trial was expedited because of the risk of a relapse and potentially shortened life expectancy. Ms Pilliod called on Bayer to add a warning label to Roundup, saying she and her husband would not have used the product had it alerted them to a cancer risk. Weve been fighting cancer for more than nine years now and we cant do any of the things we wanted to do, she said. We really resent Monsanto for that. Bayer now faces more than 13,400 US lawsuits over Roundups alleged cancer risk. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Last August, former California school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson was awarded $289m (223m) after a jury also found Roundup caused his terminal cancer. In March, another California man was awarded $80m (61.8m) after a jury in San Francisco found the weedkiller caused his cancer. The company said it would appeal both decisions. Bayer said in a statement on Monday that it was disappointed with the verdict and would appeal. The company said decades of studies by itself and independent scientists have shown glyphosate and Roundup are safe for human use. Bayer also pointed to several regulators around the world that found glyphosate was not carcinogenic to humans. A spokesperson called the jurys decision excessive and unjustifiable. Associated Press contributed to this report Two planes have crashed in mid-air over southern Alaska, killing at least four, injuring 10 and leaving two missing. The sightseeing planes, one carrying 11 passengers and crew, the other five, went down over water about 25-30 miles northeast of Ketchikan, coast guard officer Jon-Paul Rios said. The crash site was in the vicinity of a popular tourist lodge that runs excursions to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument. The passengers were from the cruise ship Royal Princess and were on sightseeing flights, one of which was operated by Taquan Air. Local emergency responders worked with state and federal agencies and private vessels to help rescue and recover victims. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Donegal airport in Ireland grabbed the top spot for the second year running in PrivateFly's 2019 poll of the most scenic landings in the world. Owen Clarke The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 The Outer Hebrides' Barra airport in Scotland claimed second place. Ewen Weatherspoon The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Nice, France, took third place. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Orlando Melbourne in the US came fourth. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 St Maarten in the Caribbean ranked fifth thanks to a dramatic approach. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Saba in the Caribbean swings into sixth position. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Queenstown, New Zealand, is seventh most scenic. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Canada's Toronto Billy Bishop was voted eighth most beautiful. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 The UK gets a second spot in the top 10 with London City airport, which claims ninth place. The 10 most beautiful airport landings in the world for 2019 Aosta in Italy bags 10th place with its mountain views. Ten people were taken to hospital and were said to be in fair to good condition, according to Marty West, a spokesperson for PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center. Its been a long day and the crews have been working really hard to rescue people and recover the deceased, Deanna Thomas, a spokesperson for the Ketchikan local government, said on Monday evening. Neither of the single-engine planes was under air traffic control when they collided, and the circumstances of the crash were not immediately known, Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Allen Kenitzer said. Taquan Air said the company suspended operations while the crash is investigated. We are devastated by todays incident and our hearts go out to our passengers and their families, Taquan said in a statement. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Royal Princess cruise ship left Vancouver, British Columbia, on 11 May and was scheduled to arrive in Anchorage on Saturday. All of us at Princess Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragic news and we are extending our full support to the investigating authorities as well as the travelling companions of the guests involved, the cruise ship company said in a statement. Cindy Cicchetti, a passenger on the Royal Princess cruise ship told the Associated Press the ships captain announced the two planes were in an accident. She said the ship was not leaving as scheduled and no details were given as to how the accident would affect the rest of the trip. Additional reporting by agencies Senior black Democrats are pushing for a dream ticket combination of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to take on and defeat Donald Trump. As the former vice president has soared to the head of polls of 2020 contenders, those in the party are considering how best to balance his candidacy were he to secure the nomination. Earlier this year, it was reported that Mr Biden, 76, could seek to declare his candidacy, with Stacey Abrams who narrowly failed to win the governorship of Georgia in 2018 as his assigned running mate. Those plans fell through. But reports say senior American African members of the party are pitching a proposal that would instead team the elderly white former vice president, with a different, middle-aged woman of colour senator Kamala Harris. That would be a dream ticket for me, a dream ticket, Democratic congressman Lacy Clay, a member of the congressional black caucus, told Politico. If she is not the nominee, that would be a dream ticket for this country. The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty Another member of the caucus, Anthony Brown, a Democratic congressman from Maryland, said: Either combination there, Id love. I think hes going to look to balance his ticket so that the ticket itself is more appealing. I think it would make sense and it wouldnt surprise me if he picked a woman of colour. The comments of the congress members do not mean they are necessarily supporters of Mr Biden, who is making his third bid to become president. Many would prefer to see America elect both its first woman president and first black female president in the form of Ms Harris, 54, a former prosecutor from California. Joe Biden supporter shouts 'You can hug and kiss me anytime' Rather, it is a response to the way Mr Bidens polling has jumped since he formally entered the race. A Morning Consult poll published on 5 May put Mr Biden on 40 points, ahead of Bernie Sanders on 9, Elizabeth Warren on eight and Ms Harris on seven. A CNN poll published two days earlier suggested Mr Biden would beat Mr Trump 51-45 in a presidential showdown. Meanwhile, a Rasmussen report published last Friday suggested Mr Trump would beat Ms Harris 47-42. At this stage in the cycle, more than eight months before the Iowa caucuses, polls may not be that insightful. Support for candidates tends to increase with greater awareness, and many of the more than 20 Democratic contenders will be trying to close the gap with Mr Biden in the series of televised priory debates, which start next month. At the same time, Mr Biden knows he needs to balance his ticket carefully. While he is respected by large number of African Americans because of the way he served as Barack Obamas deputy, he still faces questions about his support for a 1994 crime bill that discriminated against communities of colour, and his handling of the 1991 questioning of Anita Hill, an African American woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Mr Biden also faces questions about his age. Not only would be be the nations oldest president were he elected, but he would be in his mid-80s by the time he served two terms. Those with doubts about him, may be persuaded if they saw Ms Harris by his side. Donald Trump Jr has agreed to testify once again before the Senate intelligence committee as part of a last-minute deal, according to reports. The presidents eldest son had previously skipped out on multiple requests by the Republican-led committee to voluntarily testify, after alleged discrepancies in his past testimonies were revealed. Senate intelligence committee chairman Richard Burr then issued a subpoena for the first son to return to Capitol Hill, sparking an intra-party dispute and misleading claims from top Republicans that special counsel Robert Muellers report had fully cleared the president and his inner circle of any wrongdoing. The report instead outlined numerous examples of possible obstruction of justice on the part of the president, while high-profile testimonies about Russian impact on the last presidential election appeared to contradict claims Mr Trump Jr made about only being peripherally aware of a Trump Tower project in Moscow in 2016. While Mr Trump Jr suggested he did not have much information about the Moscow project throughout the election, the presidents longtime former lawyer, Michael Cohen, said he had actually been briefed at least 10 times. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS Mr Muellers report also said Mr Trump himself remained interested in the highly lucrative project throughout his election. As part of the agreement to meet with lawmakers once more, the upcoming testimony will mark the last time Mr Trump Jr must speak to the Senate intelligence committee about their ongoing investigation, The Hill reported on Tuesday. Recommended Senate decision to subpoena Trump Jr sparks internal GOP conflict The testimony will reportedly be limited to just five or six topics and will last between two to four hours in mid-June. As one of his fathers closest and most outspoken supporters, Mr Trump Jr has decried subpoenas launched against him and the president as lawmakers seek to understand Mr Trumps past financial dealings and history with Russia. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Earlier this week, he retweeted a video clip of Republican Lindsey Graham saying on Fox News, If I were Donald Trump Jrs lawyer, I would tell him, You dont need to go back into this environment anymore. Youve been there for hours and hours and nothing being alleged here changes the outcome of the Mueller investigation. I would call it a day. Elizabeth Warren has refused Fox News invitation to hold a televised town hall, the Democratic 2020 primary challenger has announced. In a statement, Ms Warren said she refused the Fox town hall because Fox News is a hate-for-profit racket that gives a megaphone to racists and conspiracists, and that she wouldnt ask Democratic primary voters to tune into the network and provide cover for the network to tell advertisers that its a reputable news outlet. Hate-for-profit works only if theres profit, so Fox News balances a mix of bigotry, racism, and outright lies with enough legit journalism to make the claim to advertisers that its a reputable news outlet, Ms Warren said in the statement. Its all about dragging in ad money big ad money. In declining the invitation, Ms Warren has broken from some other prominent Democrats in the 2020 field who have seen the platform as a good way to reach out to Trump voters, and have seen considerable ratings during their events. So far, candidates Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar have already held their town halls, while Pete Buttigieg and Kirsten Gillibrand are both scheduled for the events. In a Twitter thread, Ms Warren said that she has held town halls across 17 states since January, and has had 57 "media availabilities", and conducted 131 interviews. All told, she has held some 70 town halls during that time, according to her campaign. The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty A Fox News town hall adds money to the hate-for-profit machine. To which I say: hard pass, she wrote in the Twitter thread. Fox News is welcome to come to my events just like any other outlet. Ms Warren likely isn't risking alienating any Democratic voters by declining the invitation to appear on Fox News, which has long been despised in the party and denounced as a partisan outlet. The animosity has only grown more intense since Donald Trump became president, as the president has regularly promoted the network and indicated frequently that he watches its morning programming religiously. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Trump's administration has also hired from the network, and seen members of its top staff leave the White House to join the Fox News ranks. Ms Warren has participated in two CNN town halls, earlier this year. Trump administration staff who are protecting the president by refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas could abandon him under threat of huge fines, senior Democrats have suggested. Adam Schiff, Democratic chair of the House intelligence committee, has proposed holding those who do not comply with Congress with inherent contempt, a rarely used procedure which can result in fines up to $25,000 (19,330) daily or even imprisonment. The proposal comes amid an unprecedented effort by the White House to resist efforts by House Democrats to get access to Donald Trumps tax returns, the unredacted Mueller report, and documents from former White House lawyer Don McGahn. "I don't know how many are going to want to take that risk for Donald Trump. But we're going to have to use that device if necessary," Mr Schiff told ABC News. "Were going to have to use the power of the purse if necessary. We're going to have to enforce our ability to do oversight. Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, asked about Mr Schiffs comments, told NBC News on Monday that he believed fines would be appropriate. Noting the threat of contempt ultimately pressured the Nixon administration into complying with Congress during the Watergate scandal, Mr Khanna said: I do think it could be a game changer. Not everyone is going to want to incur a fine to protect this president, not everyone is going to want to be held in contempt of congress to protect this president. Mr Khanna, who is co-chair of Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, added he hoped the issue could be resolved in the courts, amid what he described as a constitutional stalemate". Steven Groves, White House deputy press secretary, said: There are rules and norms governing congressional oversight of the Executive Branch, and the Democrats simply refuse to abide by them. Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Show all 7 1 /7 Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Doctors and mothers killing babies At a rally in Wisconsin in April 2019, Mr Trump made this extraordinary claim. The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, Mr Trump said. They wrap the baby beautifully and then the doctor and the mother decide whether they will execute the baby Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "China rapes our country" At a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2016, Mr Trump said this in reference to the US trade deficit with China: "we cant continue to allow China to rape our country and thats what theyre doing. Its the greatest theft in the history of the world" Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "EU formed to take advantage of US" At a rally for the midterm elections in October 2018, Mr Trump called the EU a "brutal" alliance that "formed to take advantage of us" AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I will build a wall and Mexico will pay for it" Mr Trump first made this claim at the launch of his presidential campaign back in 2015: "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words" AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" Mr Trump said this in reference to his popularity during a rally in Iowa in 2016 AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I wish I could punch him" Mr Trump said this in reference to a protester who was escorted out of his rally in Las Vegas on 22 February, 2016. There was often violence between protesters and supporters at Trump's campaign rallies AFP/Getty "Democrats are demanding documents they know they have no legal right to see - including confidential communications between the President and foreign leaders and grand jury information that cannot be disclosed under the law. "This White House will not and cannot comply with unlawful demands made by increasingly unhinged and politically-motivated Democrats." House Democrats last week escalated their feud with the White House by moving towards holding attorney general William Barr in contempt over his refusal to give up the unredacted Mueller report, which details Russia's attempts to help Mr Trump win the 2020 election, as well as the president's attempts to impede the subsequent investigation. Finding Mr Barr in contempt would make him only the second sitting attorney general to be hit with the charge. The White House has been contacted for comment. The Trump administration is reportedly considering a plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks US forces or accelerates its work on nuclear weapons. Citing unnamed administration officials, The New York Times reported that acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan presented the plan at a meeting last week of Donald Trump's top security aides. The request for military options from the Pentagon was ordered by White House hardliners led by the president's national security adviser John Bolton, the newspaper claimed. The plan does not call for a military invasion of the Islamic Republic, a move which would need far more troops, officials reportedly said. The White House has been contacted for comment. Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Show all 7 1 /7 Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Doctors and mothers killing babies At a rally in Wisconsin in April 2019, Mr Trump made this extraordinary claim. The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, Mr Trump said. They wrap the baby beautifully and then the doctor and the mother decide whether they will execute the baby Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "China rapes our country" At a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2016, Mr Trump said this in reference to the US trade deficit with China: "we cant continue to allow China to rape our country and thats what theyre doing. Its the greatest theft in the history of the world" Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "EU formed to take advantage of US" At a rally for the midterm elections in October 2018, Mr Trump called the EU a "brutal" alliance that "formed to take advantage of us" AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I will build a wall and Mexico will pay for it" Mr Trump first made this claim at the launch of his presidential campaign back in 2015: "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words" AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" Mr Trump said this in reference to his popularity during a rally in Iowa in 2016 AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I wish I could punch him" Mr Trump said this in reference to a protester who was escorted out of his rally in Las Vegas on 22 February, 2016. There was often violence between protesters and supporters at Trump's campaign rallies AFP/Getty Tensions between Iran and the US have intensified since Mr Trump imposed increasingly strict sanctions on Tehran after pulling out of a landmark 2015 deal designed to curb Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. Mr Trump wants to force Tehran to agree to a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what US officials have said are threats to American troops in the region. Iran has accused the US of engaging in "psychological warfare" and called America's military presence "a target" rather than a threat. It has also said it will not allow its oil exports to be halted. Among those who reportedly attended the meeting last week were CIA director Gina Haspel, director of national intelligence Dan Coats and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Joseph Dunford. Several plans were detailed, The New York Times said, and "the uppermost option called for deploying 120,000 troops, which would take weeks or months to complete". Additional reporting by Reuters Utah is leading other American states in carrying out the English and Chinese dual language immersion program, and hopes to share its experience with other states to benefit more who are interested in Chinese language. Howard Stephenson, former member of the Utah State Senate, told reporters on the sidelines of a series of events celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, to which thousands of Chinese railroad workers made great contribution. "We could not complete the transcontinental railroad without the accomplishment of the Chinese workers. Similarly, Utah could not be No. 1 American state in teaching Chinese without many qualified Chinese language teachers through the Chinese-government sponsored Confucius Institute program," Stephenson said. According to an online website introduction, dual language immersion programs have been conducted in Utah's elementary school education. Instruction is divided between two high quality and creative classrooms: one English and one Chinese. Students enjoy the advantage of two caring and qualified teachers, with one using half of the instruction day to teach the state-required core curriculum in English while the other teaching other portions of the curriculum in Chinese. "You'll be delighted how quickly your child becomes a comfortable and competent Chinese speaker," Stephenson said. Out of the 50 American states, Utah has one percent of the nation's population, but has 25 percent of Chinese dual language immersion students across the country, according to Stephenson. Utah hopes to introduce its experience to other states, he said, adding the state of Rhode Island and the state of Delaware have adopted the Utah model in teaching Chinese. In the United States, people have been paying attention to teaching foreign languages like German, French, Spanish and Italian. "As the Chinese economy is growing very fast, we believe that we should have a strong focus on Mandarin," he said. Stephenson said Utah has five amazing national parks, but have not accommodated those Chinese visitors in their language. "I have been working with the superintendents of the five national parks, so our dual language immersion students can guide in the visitor centers and on the buses in Mandarin during summer time," he said. On the other hand, the process will enable U.S. students to expand their vocabulary and improve their language skills, he added. Homeland Security officials reportedly planned to arrest thousands of migrant families who had final deportation orders and remove them from the US in a show of force. The arrests would have targeted parents and children in 10 cities with large populations of immigrants living in the US illegally, specifically New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. However the plans were put on hold by then-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) head Ron Vitiello and then-secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, according to interviews with officials conducted by the Washington Post and the Associated Press. The proposal was intended to send a message and possibly deter others from crossing the border, the officials said, and was supported by Donald Trumps senior adviser Stephen Miller and ICEs deputy director Matthew Albence. But Mr Vitiello and Ms Nielsen reportedly put the proposal aside over concerns about diverting resources from the border, a lack of detention spaces and the possibility of renewed public outrage over the treatment of migrant families. Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Show all 23 1 /23 Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Mexico police emerge from a cloud of tear gas Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Mexico police work to keep migrants from getting over the border with the US AP Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border US border patrol agents stand guard as migrant seek to cross the border at Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Adults help a child over the US border fence AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants near the US border in Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants clash with riot police as they near the US border in Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A migrant is detained by US border patrol officers after illegally crossing the border Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Tear gas is deployed at the border Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants make their way to the US border fence Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A migrant man wears a homemade gas mask Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants stand on the banks of the Tijuana river opposite the US border fence Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A group of migrants cross the Tijuana river Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants gather at the border crossing in Tijuana AP Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Tear gas is fired by border police to deter migrants EPA Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border A migrant covers his face as tear gas surrounds him Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrant families seek to cross the US border at Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Mexico police try to stop migrants from crossing Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Migrants force their way through the border fence at Tijuana Reuters Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Reuters The plan, which remains under consideration, included fast-tracking immigration cases to allow judges to order deportations for those who did not show up for hearings. Officials told the Washington Post 90 per cent of those targeted were found deportable in their absence. It also prioritised the newest cases in order to deport people faster. Mr Vitiello didnt think it was a good idea, one Homeland Security official told the newspaper. Both he and Nielsen instinctively thought it was bad policy and that the proposal was less than half-baked. Mr Vitiellos nomination to lead ICE was quashed by the White House last month and Ms Nielsen resigned a few days later. Donald Trump laughs at Florida rally as supporter suggests shooting immigrants Last summer the Trump administration sparked mass outrage when it separated children from parents at southern border of the US. The US president promised he would clamp down on immigration during his campaign run, but has so far been unable to stem the flow of migrants. The number of border crossings has risen dramatically in the past few months to more than 100,000 per month. The White House recently asked Congress for $4.5bn in supplemental funding, mostly for humanitarian aid and shelter space for migrant children. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Additional reporting by agencies Close Trump says Orban doing 'tremendous job' during White House visit A federal judge has cast doubt that US courts would intervene to limit Congress's ability to investigate Donald Trump saying that it would be highly unusual for such an intervention, as the first case over House Democrats' subpoenas for evidence was heard on Tuesday. Judge Amit Mehta with the US District Court for the District of Columbia was in charge of that Tuesday hearing, which concerned whether House Democrats can obtain financial records held by an accounting firm representing the president. In their arguments, the case quickly centred around the American government's separation of powers. Am I right there isn't a single Supreme Court case or appellate case since 1880 that has found a congressional subpoena overstepped its bounds? Mr Mehta, who will not issue a ruling until next week, asked Mr Trump's lawyer during questioning. I agree there are outer limits, but it's not clear to me what they are. The court battle over those financial documents came as other controversies in Washington continued to smoulder. Before those arguments were heard, it was reported the Trump administration planned to have Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents round up and arrest thousands of Central American migrant families in cities across the US last month, as a brutal show of force before it was blocked by ex-Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and former ICE director Ron Vitiello. Mr Trump also oversaw an escalating trade war with China on Tuesday, after the president imposed further tariffs on billions of dollars in Chinese imports. The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty On the 2020 campaign trail, a new poll has meanwhile put both of the leading Democratic presidential challengers, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, ahead of Trump in hypothetical 2020 matchups, with either man projected to beat him by an eight percent margin at the ballot box. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load Attorney general William Barr has appointed a US attorney to investigate how the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election began, and whether laws were broken during while intelligence was being collected on the Trump campaign. The assignment was first reported on Monday night, and comes after the attorney general told senators last month that spying did occur on the Trump campaign in 2016 even though he said at the time that he was not sure that anything illegal had occurred. The appointment addresses a recurring theme for Donald Trumps supporters, who have claimed that the Obama Justice Department and FBI had unlawfully spied on the presidents campaign. Democrats meanwhile have claimed that the accusations from Republicans are meant as a diversion from special counsel Robert Muellers report, which found that Russia did attempt to help Mr Trumps 2016 campaign. Mr Mueller, in his report, also said that there was no criminal conspiracy between Mr Trumps campaign and the Kremlin, but said that the president could not be exonerated in questions about Mr Trumps potential obstruction over the Russia probe. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS Mr Trump, on Tuesday, said that he did not ask Mr Barr to start the probe, but that he thinks its a great thing that he did it. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events I saw it last night. And, they want to look at how that whole hoax got started. It was a hoax, Mr Trump told reporters outside the White House. And even Mueller not a friend of mine even Bob Mueller came out: No collusion. An Indian filmmaker has joined calls for the creation of a #MenToo movement for mens rights, saying it should be as important as #MeToo, the global uprising of women against sexual harassment. Deepika Bhardwaj, the director of Martyrs of Marriage, a documentary on the abuse of anti-dowry laws that is currently streaming on Netflix, wrote in an op-ed for the Times of India that men were being treated as disposable or collateral damage sacrificed at the altar of the idea of protecting women. Since an international outcry at the 2012 gang rape of a woman on a bus in Delhi, India has greatly tightened its laws protecting women from offences including rape and sexual harassment. There has, however, been a corresponding flourishing of mens rights activism led by conservative activists. As many as 45 individual mens rights NGOs now operate in India under an umbrella organisation called Save Indian Family. Bhardwajs claim that men are being lynched socially over rape and abuse reports regardless of whether theres an iota of truth in the allegations follows a backlash from fans and friends of the actor Karan Oberoi, who has been remanded in judicial custody over rape allegations made against him. According to the Times of India, which promoted Bhardwajs op-ed on the front page of many of its city editions across the country on Monday, mens rights activism in India can trace its routes to the anti-dowry laws that were strengthened in 2005. The dowry a payment from a womans family to her husband upon marriage has been outlawed in India since 1961. But it remains commonplace, as does the practice of dowry harassment where a new or prospective wife is subjected to abuse by her husband until her family agrees to pay up. Bhardwajs Netflix film includes as case studies men who have committed suicide after they were accused and charged with dowry harassment, allegations their families denied. Though the case against Oberoi is ongoing, Bhardwaj uses it as an example of where the word of a woman is treated as gospel truth by society. No one bats an eyelid when a man is called a rapist, sexual predator, molester and much worse without anything proven against him, just because a woman accused him. Oberoi is the latest high-profile figure accused as the #MeToo movement has had a major impact across industries in India, from Bollywood to the media and government ministers. #MeToo movement In pictures Show all 24 1 /24 #MeToo movement In pictures #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 A picture shows the messages "#Me too" and #Balancetonporc ("expose your pig") on the hand of a protester during a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence called by the Effronte-e-s Collective, on the Place de la Republique square in Paris AFP #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Italian actress Asia Argento (C) and US singer and actress Rose McGowan, who both accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, take part in a march organised by 'Non Una Di Meno' (Me too) movement as part of the International Women's Day in Rome AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood, California AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 South Korean women staging a monthly protest against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul. Since May 2018, the monthly demonstrations against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul has shattered records to become the biggest-ever women's protest in South Korea where the global #MeToo movement has unleashed an unprecedented wave of female-led activism AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 Swedish MEP Linnea Engstrom sits behind a placard placed on her desk that reads "Me too" during a debate about combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU at the European Parliament in Strasbourg AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Activists participate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in a demonstration for women's rights in Berlin Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 A McDonald's employee holds a sign during a protest against sexual harassment in the workplace in Chicago AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 An activist participates in the 2018 #MeToo March in Hollywood Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Women protest in New York Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Women hold a banner reading "still feminist" with the Eiffel tower in background AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 French activist Jean-Baptiste Redde, aka Voltuan, holds a placard as protesters take part in a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence in Paris AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse, including Democratic candidate for Illinois governor at the time JB Prtizker (left), gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Chicago, Illinois after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted out Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and agreed to an additional week of investigation into accusations of sexual assault against him before the full Senate votes on his confirmation. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both teens Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 A group describing themselves as #MeToo/#YoTambien survivors, hold a candlelight vigil outside the Mexico Consulate to support the women taking part in the human caravan heading through Mexico to the US border AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park for international Women's Day in New York Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel in New York Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day AFP/Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's office on the afternoon that Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified against Kavanaugh in New York Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza in Chicago Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2017 People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel Getty #MeToo movement In pictures 2018 Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Getty Former junior foreign minister Mobashar Jawed Akbar, the most high-profile figure to quit their job over the claims last October, has denied sexual misconduct allegations from more than 10 women. But in a country that remains highly socially conservative, #MeToo accusers have themselves been subject to a backlash of intimidation, threats and lawsuits. One of Mr Akbars most prominent accusers, journalist Priya Ramani, is currently on trial for a charge of criminal defamation. Rituparna Chatterjee, an activist who is writing a book on #MeToo in India, told the Guardian: [After last October] all the men were on the back foot and squirming and really uneasy. And then they laid low. And now theyre coming back, and hitting really hard. Thousands of people descended on the streets of Indian-controlled Kashmir to protest over the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl by a neighbour who lured her to a school bathroom. The protests, which come amid mounting fury over sexual violence in the turbulent Himalayan region, culminated in ferocious clashes between protesters and government forces. Protesters, who took to the streets on Monday, called for the death penalty for the man who allegedly raped the young girl. An injured demonstrator is said to be critically wounded. Police said the child was enticed into an empty school by a neighbour and raped last Wednesday. Her mother followed her screams to find her bleeding inside a bathroom. Police said the girl was hospitalised in a critical condition but her condition has stabilised. Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Students throw pieces of stones and bricks towards Indian police during a protest sparked by the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 14 May Reuters Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures An Indian policeman fires tear gas at students during a protest sparked by the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 14 May AP Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures A Kashmiri woman chants during a protest over the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 14 May EPA Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Kashmiri students clash with government forces during a protest in Srinagar on 14 May AFP/Getty Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures A protester holds a stone in her hand during protests in Srinagar on 12 May EPA Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Kashmiri Muslims protest over the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 12 May EPA Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Kashmiri Muslims protest over the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 12 May EPA Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Students throw pieces of stones and bricks towards Indian police during a protest sparked by the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 14 May AP Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Kashmiri students hold placards and chant slogans during a protest in Srinagar on 14 May EPA Thousands in Kashmir protest over rape of young girl: In pictures Kashmiri women protest over the alleged rape of a three-year-old girl in Srinagar on 13 May EPA Top local administrator Baseer Khan said police arrested the suspect in a village in Sumbal town and an enquiry is underway. Protests broke out on Sunday and spread to new areas on Monday after the suspect's family produced a school-issued birth certificate giving his age as 13. Demonstrators claimed it was a fake birth certificate produced by the family to show him as a juvenile and prevent him receiving a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Schools, shops, and businesses were also shut across the Muslim-majority region in response to a strike called by separatist cleric Moulana Masoor Abbas to protest the rape. We called for a strike today to make people aware about growing incidents of rapes in the valley. We want justice for the victim, Mr Abbas told reporters. The child's rape comes weeks after the suicide of a girl who police say was repeatedly raped by her own father. A police statement said that protests had spread to northern Baramulla district where 47 security personnel and seven protesters were injured in the clashes. Officials said that across the Kashmir Valley, thousands of security forces wearing riot gear were deployed to control the swelling demonstrations. Some protesters said they no longer had trust in authorities to ensure women and girls were kept safe as authorities issued appeals for calm after the demonstrations. Muslim clerics in the region pledged to dedicate their Ramadan sermons to women's rights. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema, a council of Muslim religious leaders and scholars, said they wanted to tackle what they said was an increase in sexual violence in the region. Government figures show crimes against women jumped 8 per cent to 3,168 cases in 2017 from 2,915 the previous year. In January 2018, an 8-year-old girl was abducted, starved for a week and murdered after she was raped by several people in the southern Kathua area. The saga sparked widespread protests in Kashmir and many Indian cities and triggered the federal government to introduce the death penalty for rapists of girls under the age of 12. The outrage drew parallels with huge protests that came after the fatal gang rape of a female student on a bus in New Delhi in 2012. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes in India with some estimates indicating 90 to 95 per cent of rape cases remain unreported. According to government data, the number of crimes against women reported to police in India rose by 83 per cent from 2007 to 2016. Four rape complaints were reported every hour in 2016, the data showed. The conviction rate for crimes against women in India is very low only 18.9 per cent and the lowest in a decade according to the latest official crime statistics from 2016. The average conviction rate for all crimes is 47 per cent. The Philippines controversial president Rodrigo Duterte appears to have secured a resounding victory in mid-term elections that were billed as a referendum on his hardline, authoritarian rule. Preliminary results suggest candidates endorsed by Mr Duterte have taken nine of the 12 crucial Senate seats up for grabs in Mondays vote. The 24-member Senate has been the most important check on Mr Dutertes power during his three years in office so far. If the unofficial results are confirmed, it would give the president an effective majority in the upper house and allow him to pursue unencumbered an agenda that includes massive infrastructure spending, the return of the death penalty and even re-drafting the constitution. With his sexist jokes, foul-mouthed public statements and allegations against him of massive human rights violations, Mr Duterte has been seen as a divisive figure. But analysts said it was difficult to argue with his personal appeal to voters in the Philippines based on these election results. This president's popularity and transferability of his popularity [to other candidates] is unprecedented to say the least, despite all the controversies, said Manila political scientist Edmund Tayao. The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, dont go into that, even if youre a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, Kill me AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life I was separated from my wife. Im not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA The opposition had suffered a wipe-out in the election, Mr Tayao said, which also included votes for hundreds of mayors, governors and congressmen across the country. It failed to take any of the 12 up-for-grabs Senate seats, the other three appearing to go to independent candidates. One of the four remaining incumbent opposition senators, Leila de Lima, is also the biggest public critic of Mr Duterte's anti-drugs crackdown that has seen thousands of suspects killed by police. She has been detained since 2017 on narcotics charges. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Senate's independence would not be in question, but the vote showed the public overwhelmingly backed Mr Duterte and his vision. Undoubtedly, the Duterte magic spelled the difference, he said. People yearn for stability and continuity of the genuine reforms that this administration started. They yearn for a constructive and not obstructionist Senate. The profiles of the successful candidates backed by Mr Duterte are a clear indicator of just how fed up the Philippine public is with previous ineffective progressive leaders. They include Imee Marcos, the daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, as well as former national police chief Ronald dela Rosa, who enforced the president's crackdown on illegal drugs. With the Senate on his side, Mr Duterte could yet enact his most controversial policy yet. He has spoken previously of rewriting the country's 1987 constitution to allow a shift to a federal form of government. It is a proposal that some critics fear may be a cover to remove term limits. As things stand, Mr Duterte must step aside in 2022 after serving a single, six-year term. Strict protections against a return to dictatorial rule were written into the constitution after Marcos was thrown out in a popular revolution. Nonetheless, given his already firm grip on the lower house, Mr Duterte could pass a redrafting of the constitution if he can secure the backing of 18 of 24 senators. The opposition, which has at times successfully fought Mr Dutertes attempts to roll back civil liberties and accuses him of risking the Philippines claims in the South China Sea by pandering to China, said on Tuesday it will not give up. Official results from the Commission on Election will not be released for around another week. Our fight for justice, for sovereignty and a more progressive future for our people continues, said incumbent opposition senator Francis Pangilinan. Additional reporting by agencies Cats could be banned from going outdoors during certain hours under laws to tackle the number of strays in Western Australia. Government officials in Perth are reviewing cat and dog legislation after a rise in complaints about stray animals. Proposed changes to the Cat Act 2011 could see felines forced to stay indoors permanently or given curfews that limit them from going outdoors between sunrise and sunset. Roz Robinson, who runs Cat Haven, said the welfare organisation supports keeping pet cats indoors or in purpose-built outdoor enclosures. She also called for the mandatory neutering age to be reduced from six to three months. Wildlife photographer of the year Show all 26 1 /26 Wildlife photographer of the year Wildlife photographer of the year A polar bear's struggle - Highly Commended Justins whole body pained as he watched this starving polar bear at an abandoned hunter's camp, in the Canadian Arctic, slowly heave itself up to standing. With little, and thinning, ice to move around on, the bear is unable to search for food. Justin Hofman / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Curious Encounter - Shortlisted Cristobal Serrano, Spain. Any close encounter with an animal in the vast wilderness of Antarctica happens by chance, so Cristobal was thrilled by this spontaneous meeting with a crabeater seal off of Cuverville Island, Antarctic Peninsula. These curious creatures are protected and, with few predators, thrive. Cristobal Serrano / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Bond of brothers - Winner David Lloyd, New Zealand / UK. These two adult males, probably brothers, greeted and rubbed faces for 30 seconds before settling down. Most people never have the opportunity to witness such animal sentience, and David was honoured to have experienced and captured such a moment.The picture was taken in Ndutu, Serengeti, Tanzania. David Lloyd / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Fox meets fox - Highly Commended Matthew Maran, UK. Matthew has been photographing foxes close to his home in north London for over a year and ever since spotting this street art had dreamt of capturing this image. After countless hours and many failed attempts his persistence paid off. Matthew Maran / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Three Kings - Highly Commended Wim Van Den Heever, South Africa. Wim came across these king penguins on a beach in the Falkland Islands just as the sun was rising. They were caught up in a fascinating mating behaviour the two males were constantly moving around the female using their flippers to fend the other off. Wim Van Den Heever / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year One toy, three dogs - Highly Commended Bence Mate, Hungary. While adult African wild dogs are merciless killers, their pups are extremely cute and play all day long. Bence photographed these brothers in Mkuze, South Africa they all wanted to play with the leg of an impala and were trying to drag it in three different directions! Bence Mate / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Clam Close-up - Shortlisted David Barrio, Spain. This macro-shot of an iridescent clam was taken in the Southern Red Sea, Marsa Alam, Egypt. These clams spend their lives embedded amongst stony corals, where they nest and grow. It took David some time to approach the clam, fearing it would sense his movements and snap shut! David Barrio / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year The Orphaned Beaver - Shortlisted Suzi Eszterhas, United States. A one-month-old orphaned North American beaver kit is held by a caretaker at the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington, Washington. Luckily it was paired with a female beaver who took on the role of mother and they were later released into the wild. Suzi Eszterhas / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Ice and Water - Shortlisted Audun Lie Dahl, Norway. The Brasvellbreen glacier moves southwards from one of the ice caps covering the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway. Where it meets the sea, the glacier wall is so high that only the waterfalls are visible, so Audun used a drone to capture this unique perspective Audun Lie Dahl / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Teenager - Shortlisted Franco Banfi, Switzerland. Franco was free diving off Dominica in the Caribbean Sea when he witnessed this young male sperm whale trying to copulate with a female. Unfortunately for him her calf was always in the way and the frisky male had to continually chase off the troublesome calf. Franco Banfi / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Resting Mountain Gorilla - Shortlisted David Lloyd. The baby gorilla clung to its mother whilst keeping a curious eye on David. He had been trekking in South Bwindi, Uganda, whenhe came across the whole family. Following them, they then stopped in a small clearing to relax and groom each other. David Lloyd / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Painted Waterfall - Shorltisted Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal, Spain. When the sun beams through a hole in the rock at the foot of the La Foradada waterfall, Catalonia, Spain, it creates a beautiful pool of light. The rays appear to paint the spray of the waterfall and create a truly magical picture. Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year The Extraction - Shortlisted Konstantin Shatenev, Russia. Every winter, hundreds of Steller's sea eagles migrate from Russia, to the relatively ice-free northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan. They hunt for fish among the ices floes and also scavenge, following the fishing boats to feed on any discards. Konstantin took his image from a boat as the eagles retrieved a dead fish thrown onto the ice. Konstantin Shatenev / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Shy - Shortlisted Pedro Carrillo, Spain. The mesmerizing pattern of a beaded sand anemone beautifully frames a juvenile Clarkii clownfish in Lembehstrait, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Known as a 'nursery' anemone, it is often a temporary home for young clownfish until they find a more suitable host anemone for adulthood. Pedro Carrillo / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Red, Silver and Black - Shortlisted TinMan Lee, USA. Tin was fortunate enough to be told about a fox den in Washington State, North America, which was home to a family of red, black and silver foxes. After days of waiting for good weather he was finally rewarded with this touching moment. Tin Man Lee / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Isolated - Shortlisted Anna Henly, UK. Snapped from a helicopter, this isolated tree stands in a cultivated field on the edge of a tropical forest on Kauai, Hawaii. The manmade straight lines of the ploughed furrows are interrupted beautifully by natures more unruly wild pattern of tree branches. Anna Henly / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Sound Asleep - Shortlisted Tony Wu, USA. This adult humpback whale balanced in mid-water, headon and sound asleep was photographed in Vavau, Kingdom of Tonga. The faint stream of bubbles, visible at the top, is coming from the whales two blowholes and was, in this instance, indicative of an extremely relaxed state. Tony Wu / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year All That Remains - Shortlisted Phil Jones, UK. A male orca had beached itself about a week before Phils visit to Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands. Despite its huge size the shifting sands had almost covered the whole carcass and scavengers, such as this striated caracara, had started to move in. Phil Jones / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Ambush - Shortlisted Federico Veronesi, Kenya. On a hot morning at the Chitake Springs, in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, Federico watched as an old lioness descended from the top of the riverbank. Shed been lying in wait to ambush any passing animals visiting a nearby waterhole further along the riverbed. Federico Veronesi / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Gliding - Shortlisted Christian Vizl, Mexico. With conditions of perfect visibility and beautiful sunlight, Christian took this portrait of a nurse shark gliding through the ocean off the coast of Bimini in the Bahamas. Typically these sharks are found near sandy bottoms where they rest, so its rare to see them swimming. Christian Vizl / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Otherworldly - Shortlisted A school of Munk's devil ray were feeding on plankton at night off the coast of Isla Espiritu Santo in Baja California, Mexico. Franco used the underwater lights from his boat and a long exposure to create this otherworldly image. Franco Banfi / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year The Bats Wake - Shortlisted Antonio Leiva Sanchez, Spain. After several months of field research into a little colony of greater mouse-eared bats in Sucs, Lleida, Spain, Antonio managed to capture this bat mid-flight. He used a technique of high speed photography with flashes combined with continuous light to create the wake. Antonio Leiva Sanchez / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Under the Snow - Shortlisted Audren Morel, France. Unafraid of the snowy blizzard, this squirrel came to visit Audren as he was taking photographs of birds in the small Jura village of Les Fourgs, France. Impressed by the squirrels endurance, he made it the subject of the shoot. Audren Morel / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Unique Bill - Shortlisted Rob Blanken, The Netherlands. The pied avocet has a unique and delicate bill, which it sweeps like a scythe, as it sifts for food in shallow brackish water. This stunning portrait was taken from a hide in the northern province of Friesland in The Netherlands. Rob Blanken / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year Family Portrait - Shortlisted Connor Stefanison, Canada. A great grey owl and her chicks sit in their nest in the broken top of a Douglas fir tree in Kamloops, Canada. They looked towards Connor only twice as he watched them during the nesting season from a tree hide 50 feet (15 metres) up. Connor Stefanison / Natural History Museum Wildlife photographer of the year A dog jumps to catch a disc during a dog frisbee competition in Poznan via REUTERS The law review could also see harsher penalties handed out for owners of noisy or dangerous dogs. According to PerthNow newspaper, hospitals in Perth treat about 25 people a week on average for dog bites. Since 2013, punishment for dog owners whose pets attack people or other animals was increased to a maximum A$10,000 (5,400) fine or 12 months in jail. A consultation paper released alongside the public review says the penalties may not be high enough to make some people comply with their responsibilities of owning a dog. The West Australian Rangers Association (WARA) supports greater dog attack fines and wants noisy dogs to be silenced. It has also called for greater clarity over restricted breeds such as pit bull crosses. WARA president Dene Lawrence said: Greater enforcement powers to authorised officers and further amendments to dog barking offences are also required. Local government minister David Templeman added: The state government is committed to ensuring this important legislation is up to date and fit for purpose in the control and management of cats and dogs in Western Australia. From encouraging responsible pet ownership, keeping the community and other animals safe, reuniting lost pets with their owners to reducing the number of animals that are admitted to shelters and euthanised, the legislation impacts the whole community. We are now seeking community feedback to ensure that the operation and effectiveness of these laws meet community expectations. Local governments do a terrific job in administering the laws in their local communities and their feedback is also encouraged. In April, The Independent reported how the Australian government was allegedly airdropping poisonous sausages in a bid to kill millions of feral cats. Australia plans to kill millions of feral cats by airdropping sausages laced with poison The cats are said to die within 15 minutes of eating the sausages made with kangaroo meat, chicken fat, herbs, spices and the poison, 1080, according to The New York Times. According to reports, it is just one of the tactics used by the government as part of its plan cull 2 million feral cats by 2020 to protect native species. It is estimated that cats kill 377 million birds and 649 million reptiles every year in Australia, according to a 2017 study published in the journal Biological Conservation. Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini has proposed a bill to fine those who rescue refugees at sea up to 5,500 (4,800) for every saved person. The bill, which was announced by Mr Salvini on Friday, would present vessels with fines between 3,500 and 5,500 for each foreigner they deposit on Italian ground. In the most serious cases, Italian vessels caught transporting rescued refugees would see their licences revoked or suspended. Third-sector organisations blasted the bill as Italys umpteenth attack on human life, bullying and bending of international law. Its like fining ambulances for bringing patients to hospital, said Claudia Lodesani, president of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Italy, in a statement. Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations Show all 10 1 /10 Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-5.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-9.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-3.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-2.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-4.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-7.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-6.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-8.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-10.jpg Paddy Dowling Breaking down cultural barriers between refugees and host nations refugees-education-paddy-dowling-1.jpg Paddy Dowling The new decree from the Italian government is threatening legal principles and the duty of saving lives at sea. But others doubted that part of the bill would become law precisely because it contradicts international maritime conventions. We dont expect it to become any kind of piece of enforceable legislation, says Frederic Penard, director of operations at SOS Mediterranee, which used to run the Aquarius boat together with MSF. Captains doing rescue at sea do not have a choice it is an obligation, he said, citing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. Riccardo Gatti, head of mission at Open Arms, told The Independent he was neither alarmed nor worried about the bill. Rescue ship Aquarius waits for port of safety for 141 migrants saved in the Mediterranean It would be a defeat of search and rescue missions and EU values, he said. But we have learned that Salvinis objective is often to make some noise with some huge declarations that turn out to be false after some time. Consequences would be severe but we wouldnt stop SAR operations because of this. Were acting in accordance with the law, said Ruben Neugebauer of Sea-Watch, the aid group in charge of one of the only remaining rescue boats in the Central Mediterranean, between Italy and Libya. The bill would need to be approved by the Italian cabinet before being turned into a decree. The decree would then be voted in the Italian parliament before it becomes law. Mr Salvinis party, the far-right League, forms a government coalition with the Five Star Movement, and the bill includes provisions to give Mr Salvini some powers currently held by a Five Star minister, which could hurt its chances of becoming law. The bill also includes other measures to give more powers to the police and to introduce harsher penalties for resisting or offending officers. Last year, Italy and Malta stepped up efforts to prevent third-sector rescue vessels from operating in the Mediterranean Sea. As a result, many aid groups have had to terminate search and rescue operations. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), some 17,000 refugees have reached Europe via the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of 2019, compared with some 32,000 during the same period last year. But the death rate has risen dramatically, especially in the Central Mediterranean. Some 307 people have gone missing or lost their lives trying to reach Italy and Malta this year, or one every eight who attempted the crossing. The same figure was one every 50 last year. It is clear that crossing the Mediterranean is now more dangerous than ever, IOM spokesperson Flavio Di Giacomo wrote on Twitter. And saving lives at sea (and bringing migrants to a safe port, not Libya) should be the number one priority. They struck at dawn and left a trail of blood and body parts. There were six, maybe seven perpetrators. One had calmly passed Annett Hertwecks car as she was speeding down the forest path to the scene of the massacre near the eastern village of Forstgen, Germany. Only then did she see the bodies. Dozens of them. It was horrific, she says. The culprits were wolves, descended from Polish forebears. The victims were German sheep, 55 of them. Extinct for the best part of a century, Germanys most notorious fairytale baddie is back. Wolves have been slipping across the Polish border for years, gradually settling into rural Germany. There are only a few hundred of them. But to hear some politicians tell it, the country is facing an invasion. And the way they talk about wolves is strikingly similar to how they talk about immigrants, turning the animal into an object of terror and the discussion into an allegory for the nations simmering culture wars. Between urban elites and rural left-behinds. Between west and east. And also between those who welcome wolves and immigrants and those who fear them. There are a lot of parallels between the settlement of wolves in Germany and the refugee crisis Karsten Hilse The wolf polarises, it touches something deep inside of us, says Hertweck, who runs a biosphere reserve with 500 sheep and describes herself as pro-wolf. The wolf is the perfect scapegoat for our times, she adds, cast as a type of criminal foreigner with teeth instead of knives that is protected by the elites. In the home of the Brothers Grimm, where the big bad wolf has been the stuff of childrens nightmares for generations, it is now also the stuff of populist election manifestoes. Refugees settle in Germany Show all 12 1 /12 Refugees settle in Germany Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, plays with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, in the one room they and Mohamed's wife Laloosh call home at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany A refugee child Amnat Musayeva points to a star with her photo and name that decorates the door to her classroom as teacher Martina Fischer looks on at the local kindergarten Amnat and her siblings attend on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The children live with their family at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian asylum-applicant Mohamed Ali Hussein (R), 19, and fellow applicant Autur, from Latvia, load benches onto a truckbed while performing community service, for which they receive a small allowance, in Wilhelmsaue village on October 9, 2015 near Letschin, Germany. Mohamed and Autur live at an asylum-applicants' shelter in nearby Vossberg village. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Ali Hussein ((L), 19, and his cousin Sinjar Hussein, 34, sweep leaves at a cemetery in Gieshof village, for which they receive a small allowance, near Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, looks among donated clothing in the basement of the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to Mohamed, his wife Laloosh and their daughter Ranim as residents' laundry dries behind in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asya Sugaipova (L), Mohza Mukayeva and Khadra Zhukova prepare food in the communal kitchen at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Efrah Abdullahi Ahmed looks down from the communal kitchen window at her daughter Sumaya, 10, who had just returned from school, at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asylum-applicants, including Syrians Mohamed Ali Hussein (C-R, in black jacket) and Fadi Almasalmeh (C), return from grocery shopping with other refugees to the asylum-applicants' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat (2nd from L), a refugee from Syria, smokes a cigarette after shopping for groceries with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, and fellow-Syrian refugees Mohamed Ali Hussein (C) and Fadi Almasalmeh (L) at a local supermarket on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. All of them live at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian refugees Leila, 9, carries her sister Avin, 1, in the backyard at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to them and their family in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Somali refugees and husband and wife Said Ahmed Gure (R) and Ayaan Gure pose with their infant son Muzammili, who was born in Germany, in the room they share at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity, and are waiting for authorities to process their application for asylum 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel pauses for a selfie with a refugee after she visited the AWO Refugium Askanierring shelter for refugees in Berlin Getty Images When Karsten Hilse, an eastern lawmaker for the anti-immigrant, anti-wolf Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, talks about wolves, it sounds a lot as if he is talking about immigrants. And sometimes he is. There are a lot of parallels between the settlement of wolves in Germany and the refugee crisis, Hilse said in a parliamentary debate last year. The arrival of 1.2 million migrants since 2015 had led to rapes, murders, attacks on police officers, he said, and added that most migrants live on German welfare. The same goes for wolves, he said, presumably referring to public subsidies for wolf protection measures and compensation for killed farm animals. Wolves and what to do with them has become a central campaign issue in three hard-fought regional elections in the former communist east this year, where the number of wolves is highest and the far right is strong. Some want to shoot the wolf, seeing a dangerous predator that is a threat not just to lambs but to children and a familiar way of life. Others see the animal as an endangered species that needs protection. The woman in charge of the wolf issue at the local chapter of the AfD in eastern Saxony is called Silke Grimm, no relation to the Grimm brothers. Silke Grimm has been campaigning in favour of hunting wolves since 2014. At the time the others laughed at us, she says. Now they are copying us. In her small office near the Polish and Czech borders, Grimm hands out two pamphlets. One is about Islam and why it is incompatible with German culture. The other is about wolves and why the current number of them is incompatible with Saxonys cultural landscape. Like the ceiling the AfD has demanded for the number of asylum seekers Germany can tolerate, the leaflet demands a ceiling for wolves. The party also advises children not to be in the forest by themselves. On the cover a wolf is seen trotting through a residential area with its teeth bared, an abandoned teddy bear in the foreground. Wolves are dangerous and they breed explosively, Grimm says. The official line is its all under control. We know that line from the refugee crisis. No one believes a word of it. Far-right AfD politician Karsten Hilse has been stirring up anti-immigrant sentiment in Saxony (Bundestag TV) Over the past century, there have been no reported cases of a wolf killing a human in Germany, says Vanessa Ludwig, a biologist at the wolf information office for the regional government. The last known death in western Europe was in Spain in the 1960s. German authorities have counted 73 packs of wolves, 31 wolf couples and three lone wolves across the country perhaps 700 animals in total. There is no wolf crisis, says Ludwig, who remembers exactly when wolves became political. It was in 2015, during the refugee crisis, she says. Since then, it has been one big emotional storm. And as with migrants, when it comes to the wolf, emotions seems to matter more than facts. Everyone in Saxony knows Grimms fairytales. And everyone knows the story of Lolek and Bolek: two goats who were kept in the backyard of the nursery in the village of Uhsmannsdorf. One night, a wolf came. First Lolek was gone. Two weeks later, Bolek was gone too. Now the children are no longer taken into the nearby forest. The local mayor, Heike Bohm, walks in the forest every day. The story of Lolek and Bolek has reinforced fears that the place is overrun with wolves, Bohm says. I have never seen one. When chancellor Angela Merkel met with fellow conservatives in the region last year, Lolek and Bolek came up. Merkel said that where necessary the wolf should be hunted. Her environment minister is now mulling a law that would make it easier to shoot problem wolves. It isnt safe in the woods... Brothers Grimm fairytales have fed into current hostility against immigrants (Jessie Willcox Smith) Some arent waiting for the law. The body of a wolf was found floating in a lake. The animal had been shot in the head, then sunk in the water with a block of cement tied around its body to weigh it down. Executed, mafia style. In the early 19th century, when the Grimm brothers collected their fairytales, wolves presented an existential threat to small farmers in an agrarian society. The wolf was portrayed as the ultimate villain, a scheming predator that goes after women, children and livelihood. In The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats, he gobbles up six of seven baby goats. In Little Red Riding Hood, he swallows first granny, then the little girl. You can explain that fairytales are only fairytales but that alone wont do, says Ludwig. The psychology is complex because of the long history of the wolf in German folklore. Little Red Riding Hood syndrome. Some arent waiting for hunting laws to change. The body of a wolf was found floating in a lake; it had been shot in the head, then sunk in the water with a block of cement tied around its body to weigh it down. Executed, mafia style As in fairytales, so in politics, the wolf represents more than one thing. Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, wolves have come to embody the resentment some easterners feel about what they experienced as a western takeover. Under communism, wolves that came across the border were shot. After reunification, wolves became a highly protected species under European Union rules. The wolf was seen as a winner of reunification, while some farmers here feel like losers without much money, lacking status they once had and losing their children to the west. And now the wolf comes and eats their sheep, says Hertweck, the witness to the sheep massacre. I can understand their anger. A short drive away, Stephan Kaasche, a nature guide, is running a workshop with 10-year-olds. He pulls out a wolf skull, opens its jaw wide and holds it above one girls head. See? he says. The wolf cannot swallow you whole. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events For Kaasche, the current hysteria about wolves says nothing about wolves and a lot about human nature. Peoples grievances are real but they have nothing to do with the wolf, he says. Politicians who pretend otherwise are like a wolf in sheeps clothing. New York Times Israel went on a spending binge in its West Bank settlements following Donald Trumps election in the US, according to newly obtained official data. Investment on roads, schools and public buildings in the territory increased 39 per cent in 2017, prompting suggestions Mr Trumps presidency had emboldened Israels pro-settler government. Both supporters and opponents of the settler movement have previously referred to a "Trump effect with claims the president's friendlier approach to settlements is paving the way for additional West Bank construction. The new figures obtained by the Associated Press in a freedom of information request appear to provide evidence of this impact, although they do not prove a direct connection. Hagit Ofran, a researcher with the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now, said Israels government was not shy anymore with what they are doing. They feel more free to do whatever they want, she added. Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, offered even sharper criticism. "This proves that the current US administration encouraged settlement activities," he said. Since capturing the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has settled some 700,000 of its citizens in the two areas, which are considered occupied territory by most of the world. The international community has protested that Israel moving people into settlements in those territories is both illegal and a deliberate obstacle to any future Palestinian state. The Palestinians, who claim both the West Bank and east Jerusalem as parts of their future state, consider the settlements illegal land grabs. Scores of fast-growing settlements control strategic hilltops and swaths of the West Bank, making it increasingly difficult to partition the territory. For decades, the US had joined much of the international community in expressing concern over the settlements while doing little to halt their construction. But since taking office, Mr Trump, whose inner circle of Middle East advisers have longstanding ties to the settler movement, has taken a different approach. The White House has urged restraint but refrained from the blanket condemnations of its Republican and Democratic predecessors. "The Trump administration is undoubtedly the most friendly American administration of all time," said Oded Revivi, the chief foreign envoy of the Yesha settlers' council. "In contrast, the Obama years were extremely hard for Israel. Now we are making up for lost ground." The government statistics, released by Israel's Finance Ministry, showed Israeli spending in the West Bank in 2017, Trump's first year in office, rose to 1.65 billion shekels, or $459.8m (355m), from 1.19 billion shekels in 2016. The 2017 figures were the highest in the 15 years of data provided by the Finance Ministry, though spending also climbed the previous year. In 2016, Barack Obama, a vocal critic of the settlements, was the final year of his presidency and relations with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu were cool. In contrast, the lowest year of Israeli spending was 760.7 million shekels in 2009, when both Mr Netanyahu and Mr Obama took office. The ministry released the data after two years of requests from the Associated Press, which received backing early this year from the Movement for Freedom of Information, a legal advocacy group that assists journalists. The figures include only government spending, so construction and purchases of private homes are not included. Israel also does not include items like police, education, health and military spending, saying such services are provided to all Israelis regardless of where they live. In addition, spending in east Jerusalem is excluded. Israel considers the area part of its capital, although the vast majority of the world does not recognise its annexation. Even with these caveats, the data provide a valuable snapshot of Israel's priorities. The figures include spending on public construction projects, such as roads, schools, social centres, synagogues, shopping malls and industrial parks. They also include special development grants for local governments and mortgage subsidies. Israel approves spending millions in West Bank settlement security The areas with the strongest growth in 2017 were in school construction, which jumped 68 per cent, and road construction, which rose 54 per cent. Mr Revivi, who is also mayor of the Efrat settlement near Jerusalem, said the spending was badly needed. He said school spending was legally required because of the fast-growing population. He also said that roads in the West Bank have been in "dire condition" for years, and there was a drastic need for improvements. But road construction also has deeper implications, according to Peace Now. New roads bring easier commutes and a better quality of life for settlers, drawing more people, said Ms Ofran. "We see it very immediately, after the opening of a road, a big boom in construction along the road," she added. "I think the investments we have these years in the roads are dramatic and will allow the expansion of settlements dramatically. That is very much worrying." Israel's education minister Naftali Bennett declined to comment, while transportation minister Israel Katz did not respond to a query. Both are strong supporters of the settlements. Mr Netanyahu's office also did not answer a request for comment. After winning re-election last month, the prime minister is in the process of forming a new coalition that is expected to have close ties with the settlers. In recent months, both Peace Now and settler advocates have released reports claiming that Mr Trump's policies had laid the groundwork for a settlement boom in the near future. In a statement, the US Embassy in Jerusalem repeated the White House policy. "While the existence of settlements is not in itself an impediment to peace, further unrestrained settlement activity doesn't help peace," it said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The new data is likely to compound Palestinian distrust of the US, boding poorly for a new peace plan the Trump administration says it is preparing. The Palestinian Authority cut off ties with the White House after Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and subsequently moved the American embassy to the contested city. US cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for the Palestinians have further poisoned relations. The Palestinians already have said they will reject any US peace plan, claiming the Trump administration was unfairly biased. Abu Rdeneh, the Palestinian spokesman, said the new figures were "another reason why we think that the US plan is unfair". The Finance Ministry data is collected each year and shared with the US, which under a policy going back to George HW Bush deducts the sum from loan guarantees for Israel. Additional reporting by Associated Press The 29th China National Book Expo will be held in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, from July 27 to 30, according to a press conference held in Xi'an Tuesday. Nearly 1,000 publishers from the Chinese mainland as well as Hong Kong and Macao will attend the book fair. Organizers will also invite publishers from a number of countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative for attendance. The book fair, jointly hosted by the National Press and Publication Administration and the local governments of Shaanxi and Xi'an, is expected to attract nearly 30,000 visitors and exhibitors. The four-day expo will take place in five pavilions at an exhibition center that covers around 50,000 square meters, with parallel sessions held in the cities of Yan'an and Tongchuan in Shaanxi. A series of activities, including forums on digital publishing and cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, will be held at the fair. America is getting dragged into a dangerous military confrontation with Iran by an alliance of malign states in the Middle East and hawks in the Trump administration, one of Tehrans most senior diplomats has charged as tensions continue to rise in the region. The leaders of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US Presidents National Security Advisor were singled by the Iranian ambassador to Britain as those supposedly attempting to orchestrate a conflict. The accusation came in the wake of the deployment of an US aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf and Mr Trumps acting Defence Secretary, Patrick Shanahan, reportedly presenting a military contingency plan for an Iran conflict at a meeting of senior national security officials. The plan, was drawn up on the orders of Mr Bolton, according to the New York Times, involved sending more than 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Tehran carries out attacks on US forces or speeds up its development of nuclear weapons. Mr Trump, however, claimed The New York Times report was " fake news". He said: "We'd send hell of a lot more troops than that" if a plan was to be drawn up for a war with Iran. Revolution in Iran: In pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Revolution in Iran: In pictures Revolution in Iran: In pictures A demonstration against the Shah in 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Armed women on guard in one of the main squares in Tehran at the beginning of the Iranian Revolution Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators hold a poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in January 1979, in Tehran, during a demonstration against the Shah AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Iranian rebels pose with a U.S. flag they bayonetted upside down on trees at Sultanabad Garrison northeast of Tehran on February 12 2019 AP Revolution in Iran: In pictures A gun battle in Khorramshahr during the revolution, 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah among tear gas. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Women wearing the traditional Chador demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah on September 7 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Demonstrators in Tehran calling for the replacement of the Shah of Iran during the Iranian Revolution, 1979. They carry placards depicting Ayatollah Mahmoud Talaghani, one of the leading revolutionaries Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters demonstrate in the streets of Tehran against the Shah. The "black friday" caused the death of 200 people according to the Iranian government, 2000 according to the opposition, September 8 1978 AFP/Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures Thousands of the Ayatollah Khomeini's supporters on the streets of Tehran calling for the religious leader's return in January 1979 Getty Revolution in Iran: In pictures The Iranian Islamic Republic Army demonstrates in solidarity with people in the street during the Iranian revolution. They are carrying posters of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian religious and political leader Getty Meanwhile there were reports in Washington that American investigators believe that Iran or its armed proxy group attacked four oil tankers in the area, using explosives to cause severe damage to the vessels. Iran has strongly disclaimed any involvement. Irans Supreme Leader stressed in Tehran that his country did not seek a military conflict and neither, he believed, did the US. "There won't be any war. We don't seek a war, and they don't either. They know its not in their interest to do so, said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hamid Baedinejad, the Iranian ambassador said: Unfortunately there are people in the region advising Donald Trump, those our ministers call the B team, who have adopted a policy of confrontation and initiatives to drag the US into a confrontation with Iran in collaboration with John Bolton. The question is whether there are people in Washington who would be able to avoid falling into this trap. These people trying for confrontation have been very active in this area. We believe this is a total mistake and a total miscalculation. We hope they understand that they are playing a very dangerous game and it may have consequences for them. We hope that this stops and people start behaving in a responsible way. No evidence has been produced so far to show Iranian involvement, but the attacks have escalated tension with an expanding military presence in and around the Strait of Hormuz which provides passage for tankers carrying a fifth of the oil consumed globally each year. Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates have stopped short of directly blaming Iran for the attacks, which Tehran has condemned as dreadful with a parliamentary spokesman holding that Israel was a prime suspect for carrying them out. Unfortunately there are people in the region advising Donald Trump, those our ministers call the B team, who have adopted a policy of confrontation Hamid Baedinejad Last week the US administration maintained that it has specific and credible intelligence indicating that Iran or its allies were preparing assaults against American targets in the area. Mr Trump threatened that theres going to a bad problem for Iran if something happens. The intelligence warning, according to security and diplomatic officials, came from Israel. Mr Baedinejad insisted that Iran was fully aware of the build up of American forces and had been extremely careful to avoid any possibility of clashes. The military presence of the US is very high in the region, we know that, and we know that any miscalculation would be very damaging, he said. But let me tell you frankly that after this military preparation by the US we were actually expecting there would be some incidents, because there are people in Washington and elsewhere trying to drag the US into a military confrontation, trying to find some pretext to do so, maybe shape public opinion for some action. The ambassador denied any Iranian involvement in the tanker attacks. We dont know who did this, we need to find evidence. But we are very suspicious of what happened. Hours after media reports on this, the UAE declined to comment, they rejected this has happened at all. But then suddenly there was a concerted effort to channelize the news that Iran and proxies were likely to be engaged in this. We dont know who is coordinating it, but we find it all very suspicious he said. The theme of agent provocateurs attempting to ferment a conflict was echoed by other senior Iranian officials. Heshmatollah Falahat Pisheh, the head of the countrys National Security Foreign Policy Committee stated: Iran and the United States can manage the crisis by themselves. But there are third parties who might make the atmosphere of the region more sensitive in terms of security by making deviant moves. There are different groups whose goal is to make the region unsafe. Therefore, there must be red lines between Iran and the United States in the management of the events which prevents third parties from making crises." Irans Foreign Minister claimed extremist individuals in the US of pursuing dangerous policies. Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, Mohammad Javad Zarif said he had discussed the issue in a meeting with Indian officials. In this meeting there was also discussion of the worries about the actions and suspicious sabotage in the region. And we announced that we had predicted these kinds of actions for provoking tension in the region before....We discussed regional issues and the dangers of the policies, extremist individuals in the American government and the region are trying to impose on the region. Despite growing worldwide concerns about the environmental impact of aviation, Britains second-busiest airport is on course for a record-breaking year and to add half as many passengers again without building a new runway. The plan was confirmed by the new owner of the Sussex hub, Vinci Airports. The French firm has taken a 50.01 per cent stake in Gatwick, with the remainder continuing to be managed by Global Infrastructure Partners. The Vinci group already owns nearly 50 airports including Belfast International, Lisbon and Kansai in Japan, but Gatwick is by far the biggest. Annual passenger numbers at the Sussex airport have grown by 50 per cent in a decade to 46 million. Heathrow remains way ahead as the UKs leading hub, with 80 million passengers in 2018. The world's healthiest and happiest airports Show all 8 1 /8 The world's healthiest and happiest airports The world's healthiest and happiest airports Therapy dogs at Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport employs therapy dogs to assist with anxious and stressed passengers Vancouver International Airport The world's healthiest and happiest airports The rooftop swimming pool at Changi Airport, Singapore This airport also includes its own cinema Changi Airport, Singapore The world's healthiest and happiest airports Green space at Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport scored top marks for outdoor and green space Vancouver International Airport The world's healthiest and happiest airports The outdoor terrace at San Francisco International Airport San Francisco International Airport is the seventh busiest airport in the US San Francisco International Airport The world's healthiest and happiest airports Fancy a dip? A pool at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest airport and number three in the ranking Dubai International Airport The world's healthiest and happiest airports Frankfurt Airport With an open-air roof terrace, dedicated silent chairs, a quiet room and peaceful leisure facilities, Frankfurt International Airport came top in the ranking Frankfurt Airport The world's healthiest and happiest airports Work out The transit lounge gym facilities at Changi Airport's Terminal 2 Changi Airport, Singapore The world's healthiest and happiest airports The spa at Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport came seventh in the ranking Vancouver International Airport The government has pledged a third runway at Heathrow, to increase passenger numbers to 130 million. But Gatwick expects to increase to 48 million this year, and plans an increase by almost half to 70 million annually by bringing its standby runway into use as well as the main runway. Nicolas Notebaert, president of Vinci Airports, said: Combining our expertise will further improve our operational excellence and sustain our shared vision of putting passengers satisfaction at the heart of everything we do. The new owners plan to spend 1.1bn on a range of passenger improvements by 2023. Plans to introduce robot car parking at Gatwick, outlined earlier this year, will be informed by the experience at Vincis leading French airport, Lyon where the first live tests of the innovative technology are under way. Gatwicks senior management will remain in place, including the chief executive, Stewart Wingate. He told The Independent: As we grow the airport, well certainly be planning to deliver record levels of service. A local anti-expansion group, Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions (Cagne), said: It is extremely disappointing that Gatwicks release mentions nothing of reducing noise for the communities of Sussex, Surrey and Kent. The standby runway is a second runway by stealth. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The news comes as Airports Council International (ACI) said passenger numbers at European airports increased by an average of 4.4 per cent in the first three months of 2019. The fastest growth was at Berlin Tegel (up 32 per cent) and Vienna (24 per cent). Among British airports, Edinburgh added 12 per cent. ACI Europe said: Sweden was the only country reporting passenger traffic declining (-4.1 per cent) mainly as a result of the countrys aviation tax and fast increasing environmental pressures limiting demand. American visitors to Dubai and other parts of the UAE have been warned of heightened tensions in the region and told to take extra care. The US Embassy and Consulate General in the Gulf state tweeted: US citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness. The warning comes in response to attacks by armed drones on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia. The Houthis in Yemen claimed the attack. The Department of State is telling Americans in the region: Both historical and current information suggest that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan attacks against Western targets. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, including suicide operations, assassination, kidnapping, hijacking, and bombing. National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries Show all 10 1 /10 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-9.jpg Kelvin Yuen National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-4.jpg Chen Kyo National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-3.jpg Nara Leite National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-10.jpg Penny Hegyi National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-8.jpg Tong Son National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-2.jpg Agathe Bernard National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-5.jpg Raghav Sethi National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-6.jpg Toby Harriman National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-7.jpg Jason Jiang National Geographic Travel Photo Contest: Week six entries nat-geo-travel-6-1.jpg MD Tanveer Rohan Rebel groups operating in Yemen have stated an intent to attack neighbouring countries, including the UAE, using missiles and unmanned aerial systems (drones). The current UK Foreign Office travel advice for the UAE echoes the concern, saying: Claims have been made in public media suggesting that there may also be attempts to target missiles and unmanned aerial systems (drones) at the UAE. In the event of any incidents, you should monitor local media reports and follow the advice of the local authorities. The FCO adds: Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in the UAE. Neither the UK nor the US advises against travel to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or other parts of the country. Q I am visiting Kyiv next weekend, but noticed I cant exchange currency before I go. Would you recommend taking sterling and exchanging when I get there, or just withdrawing from a cash machine whilst there? I get free overseas withdrawals. Name withheld A An excellent choice to be in the fascinating Ukrainian capital in May, when the city will be looking at its freshest and loveliest. Kyiv (or Kiev as some still spell it) is a much-overlooked city that, thankfully, is much cheaper and easier to reach now that Ryanair flies from Manchester and Stansted, in competition with Wizz Air from Luton (not to mention British Airways from Heathrow and Ukraine International from Gatwick). All other things being equal, which they almost never are, I prefer Wizz Air because it serves the close-in Zhulyany airport rather than the more distant Borispol. Its hard to get away from talk of the 2020 election and aside from Trump, former vice president Joe Biden seems to be getting the most airtime. As Biden continues to climb in the polls, rumors abound that so-called middle class Joe (hes not middle class) could form a dream team with former California Attorney General and now Senator Kamala Harris. But if this is the ticket the Democratic establishment ends up pushing, then they are reading Americans wrong. The third time isnt always a charm. When I first read that the Congressional Black Caucus, among other Democrats, were suggesting that a Biden-Harris ticket was being thrown around as a winning combination to beat Trump, I wasnt surprised. In an effort to make his ticket more diverse, McCain was the first to try out this strategy in 2008, when he made the terrible decision to nominate Sarah Palin as his VP. Not that Palin and Senator Harris are comparable, because they have almost nothing in common as people. But the way in which a woman, and in this case a black woman, has been thrown into the conversation to balance out an otherwise typical campaign (think wealthy white guy running for president) is familiar. If Biden became the Democratic nominee and actually managed to beat Trump in the 2020 elections, which I seriously doubt he could, even then Harris as VP would have little effect on American policymaking purely based on the job description. Lets not fool ourselves: the vice presidents position is mostly ceremonial. They make trips the president cant make, speak at events the president cannot attend and, yes, they advise the White House but they are not the main decision maker nor are they the face of this country. And if Bidens handling of the Anita Hill hearings in 1991 on the panel that he chaired, or his recent lacklustre efforts to make amends, are any indicator of how he intends to proceed, then we cant expect racially progressive miracles any time soon. Even still presuming Biden were able to beat Trump in 2020, in the same way that Pence cannot temper Trump's complete lack of decorum, intellect or ambitions to do business with Russia, Harris cannot balance out Bidens white male privilege, his inappropriateness, or his blase middle-of-the road old white guy establishment politics on issues like climate change, healthcare, the criminal justice system, racial inequality, school violence, and sexual harassment in the workplace. American citizens didnt elect freshman congresswomen and senators like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Krysten Sinema, Sharice Davids, or Deb Haaland because they wanted another uninspiring white guy to run America after Trump they elected them because they wanted change. Big change, real change. I will concede that almost anything would be better than another Trump presidency, but I dont think Democrats should be so conservative in their pick for the nomination, because I dont think it will work. The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty In the MeToo era, the era of I cant breathe police brutality, the era of an opioid crisis the likes of which weve never seen before, the era of a planet on the verge of an irretractable global warming crisis, the need for a major shift in US domestic and international policy has never been more urgent. And the voices of Americans havent been this loud since the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Biden represents the past and Democrats need to look to the future. If they dont it, very well may be another four years of Trump and not even God can save America if that happens. Donald Trump might make the rise of populism impossible to ignore, but as Europeans we must not pretend that this is a problem over there as far-right sentiment continues to creep across our continent. From Germanys AfD, Hungarys Fidesz, Italys Lega Nord and Frances National Rally (the rebranded Front National) to Ukip and the Brexit Party, ultra-nationalists are determined to wind back the clock on social progress, international cooperation, cultural tolerance, migrant rights and womens rights. In fact, this tide of far-right populism threatens the very foundations of life on Earth. At a critical time for taking action to combat climate change, Nigel Farage and his climate-change-denying cronies across Europe are poised to gain influence in Brussels. According to a study by the think tank Adelphi, the far right could make up a quarter of MEPs after elections this month. They are already in government in seven EU member states. Nigel Farage, whose Brexit Party is currently leading the polls for the European elections, is not a friend of the environment. As well as opposing the Climate Change Act during the 2015 general election, Farage has consistently cast doubt on the link between climate change and carbon dioxide emissions. In 2013 he told the European parliament: We may have made one of the biggest and most stupid collective mistakes in history by getting so worried about global warming a statement he was keen to downplay on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show at the weekend. In the UK, a victory for the Brexit Party would also be a victory for environmental vandals in the fossil-fuel industry and those trying to frustrate international efforts to reduce carbon emissions through the Paris climate agreement. Climate change is a global issue: it does not respect borders and therefore it needs an international response. European nations have a moral obligation as well as a very real self-preservation imperative to act. We have both worked on European environment policy, including on trade and sustainable development in the European Commission and in the European parliament. We know the EU is far from perfect but it has shown leadership on tackling climate change. Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures In the protest that started a movement, Greta skips school to sit outside of the Swedish parliament in Stockholm in order to raise awareness of climate change on 28 August 2018 Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 25 January AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta stages a protest at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 25 January Reuters Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta speaks at the House of Commons in London on 23 April PA Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta addresses to the occupation at Marble Arch in London on 21 April AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta meets the pope on a visit to Rome Reuters Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta speaks at the senate in Rome on 18 April Reuters Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta addresses a debate of the EU Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 16 April AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta receives the Special Climate Protection Award at the German Film and Television awards in Berlin on 30 March AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta attends a children's climate protest in Berlin on 29 March AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta addresses a children's climate protest on 1 March in Hamburg Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta attends a meeting for the Civil Society For rEUnaissance at the EU Charlemagne Building in Brussels on 21 February AFP/Getty The amount of renewable energy produced in the EU grew by two-thirds between 2007 and 2017 as a result of EU legislation agreed by all member states (including the UK) as part of its obligations to the Kyoto protocols. The Paris accords have led to the European Commission prioritising climate change with the development of policies, frameworks and strategies for 2020, 2030 and 2050. The Party of European Socialists for which we are both standing as Labour candidates in the forthcoming European elections is one of only two parties that can realistically win the commission presidency which sets the EUs agenda. Our manifesto sets out a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change, including European-wide taxes on carbon emissions, a 2050 target for a carbon neutral Europe, a plan for affordable housing and clean public transport, and a transition fund to make sure we meet our UN commitments. Labour MEPs will get behind this agenda. We know we must combine action on climate change with an agenda of social justice to offer a European-wide Green New Deal which will have a ripple effect across the world. It is the worlds poorest people whose lives are most affected by the depletion of natural resources while sea levels and temperatures rise. We must not just build prosperity through green growth in Europe, but shift the narrative on migration to welcome those made refugees as a result of climate change. Creating an international movement of hope and renewal is the antithesis of the project of fearmongering and border-building of Farage and the climate-change fantasists. Labour is the first party in the world to call a national climate emergency through parliament. At a time when school strikers, Greta Thunberg, the Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion are bringing new life and energy back into the climate justice movement across the world, we cannot allow this to be diluted by he likes of Marine Le Pen, Victor Orban and Nigel Farage. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events When you vote on 23 May, there is only one group in the European parliament with the political vision and strength of numbers to defeat the Brexit Party and their allies. Those who want to stop the far right and ensure Europe steps up on climate change must vote for the Labour Party and the Party of European Socialists. Eloise Todd is a Labour MEP candidate for Yorkshire and the Humber. She formerly worked for the Socialist and Democrats Group in the European parliament. Laura Parker is a Labour MEP candidate for London. She previously worked on EU environment policy for the European Commission and the UK government Its never the crime, its always the cover up, so goes an old saying that goes back to the Watergate hotel. But never before has the cover up involved seeking to partially obliterate the crime with a four-year old Victoria Sponge. And never before has the crime been that of having more significantly more ovens than the court of public opinion will allow. We turn, in these rarefied hours in the life of the nation, to the open plan kitchen of Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire, and the four ovens hiding in plain sight therein. And we turn, more specifically, to Mr Brokenshires decision to have himself, his wife and his ovens photographed for the weekends newspapers. Quite possibly, Mr Brokenshire is maneouvring for a Tory leadership bid. No one can know for sure, because not even those curious Chinese teenagers who can recite pi to 60,000 decimal places can be expected to recall the name of every Tory MP who is currently maneouvring for a leadership bid. It may simply be that Mr Brokenshire does not even know why he invited the media in to take pictures of his kitchen and its four ovens, beyond the fact that everybody else he knows is doing it so he thought he probably should. Is it a crime to have four ovens? That is a question on which the different schools of political thought teach different lessons. The legal answer, is no. But when the nanoscopically thin slice of the nation that spends its life on Twitter talking about things like James Brokenshires kitchen took a different view, Mr Brokenshire evidently thought he had a case to answer. And so, we would come to learn, that James Brokenshire does not, actually, have four ovens, but two double ovens. Not since a man called Paul who works in PR for Scottish Rail, and who said last week that Scottish Rail does not charge more for peak travel, but does offer a discount for non peak travel has such a wondrous piece of spin been attempted. And moments later, it would lead us to the high point in the arc of the four ovens narrative, when Mr Brokenshire, an actual elected politician, would post a picture of himself, standing in front of four ovens, and type out the words two ovens, to describe the four ovens directly behind him. Would it be disservice to the memory of George Orwell, to recall how the party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. He, after all, wrote of the struggle for survival under murderous totalitarian control. This, meanwhile, is a minor British cabinet minister, standing in front of his four ovens, and quite literally talking them down from four to two. Further sleuthing would come to reveal that the Victoria sponge pic in question is in fact four years old, intimating that another scandal had occurred. That scandal being that James Brokenshire had not, in fact, sprinted home from the House of Commons to bake an emergency sponge cake in desperate attempt to put out the four ovens fire. It would surely be more of a scandal had he done so. Events, traditionally do not end well for a politician who invites the press into their kitchen. Dominic Raab did so just last week, only for his bizarre framed word cloud featuring Parliament, Blackberry and Google, BBQ and Marketing to become public knowledge, and Mr Raab become simultaneously blander yet weirder than he was already. Ed Miliband was so upset by the reaction to his drab, austere, lifeless kitchen as featured in pre-2015 election interview that he rushed out a clarification that it wasnt, actually, even his main kitchen, that was downstairs. This was just the upstairs kitchen. Mr Miliband, it turned out, literally didnt know where his next meal was coming from. Reader, he did not win that election. And then there was David Cameron, who was so very relaxed in his kitchen with the BBCs James Landale at about the same time that he accidentally said he would stand down before the 2020 election, and so started the firing gun on the race to replace him, and so set in motion the events that would burn down his career, his party, and in time, his country. Where exactly is Brokenshires place in kitchen cock up Valhalla? It is too early to say. On the plus side, he may reflect, had it not been for the four ovens, everyone would be talking about the two dishwashers instead. With UK politics so intensely focused on Brexit, it might be easy to forget that, as Britains international reputation continues to suffer, there are important domestic issues requiring the governments attention. Yet if youre someone who depends on government legislation to allow you to lead a healthy or safe life, it might be harder to forget. This week, LGBT+ organisation ILGA-Europe has announced its 10th Rainbow Europe Map and Index. The annual list is designed to rank 49 European countries on LGBT+ rights and equality. Troublingly, it has revealed that some countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary and Turkey are regressing as existing laws and pro-LGBT+ policies are disappearing. But there are also reasons for LGBT+ Brits like me to be concerned: this year, the list reveals that the UK is no longer progressing as quickly as many of our European neighbours in terms of rights and protections for gay, bi and trans people. Britain topped ILGAs Rainbow Index in 2014, before slipping down to third in 2016 and 2018. Last year, there were warnings of rising transphobia in pockets of the media. In 2019 we see the UK drifting to eighth place, behind countries such as Portugal and Belgium. So why is the UK suddenly lagging behind? Its hard to separate Britains domestic issues from the problem of Brexit, which is not only distracting the government from pressing issues such as equality, but has contributed to a national discourse that is increasingly oppositional and intolerant. It is no coincidence that homophobic and transphobic abuse, alongside other forms of hate crime, have steadily risen since the 2016 EU referendum campaign. Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade Show all 8 1 /8 Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AFP/Getty Images Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AFP/Getty Images Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP ILGAs list only measures laws, rather than other cultural or environmental factors, but the latter influences the former. For example, one of the areas where the UK fell below ILGAs expectations was our gender recognition laws, which can be linked to social transphobia. After a public consultation into reforming the Gender Recognition Act, which caused a spike in transphobic abuse and calls to mental health hotlines, the government has been slow to implement the consultations findings. Self-determination and non-binary recognition, free from requirements such as spousal vetos have yet to be implemented, yet other countries have taken this step without fuss or fanfare. The same can be said for intersex issues, where ILGA recommends that the UK prohibits medical intervention on intersex children. Then there is the glaring injustice that in Northern Ireland same-sex marriage is still prohibited. Here we can see Brexits influence again, with Theresa May choosing not to impose same-sex marriage on the nation because of her dependence on the DUP. LGBT+ experiences also vary greatly within the UK. While Northern Ireland drags the UK down, Scotland would fare better if it was counted on its own. According to Scott Cuthbertson, development manager of Equality Network, Scotland would score significantly better on the map and index if its laws and guidelines were assessed in isolation. Why is this? Scottish respondents showed broad support for introducing legal identification for non-binary people during the country's own public consultation. Intersex people are counted in Scotlands anti-LGBT+ hate crime statistics, unlike England and Wales. By itself, Scotland would be positioned in third in the index, tied with Belgium. The toxic political environment ushered in by Brexit can be partly blamed for the UK government being slow to act, or deliberately sidelining legislation, because of its dependencies within the House of Commons or fear of more fractures within its ranks. Other political factors also impact LGBT+ people, such as a rise in anti-immigrant policies since the Conservatives entered government. This contributes towards Britains appalling LGBT+ asylum performance another area singled out by ILGA compared to Sweden and Germany Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events As we prepare to leave the EU, ILGAs rainbow list also shows that countries within the EU including Sweden, Finland and Luxembourg are thriving, while those outside the EU, such as Turkey, are going backwards. Philippa Drew, a trustee of Kaleidoscope Trust, tells me that the EU is a vitally important institution for advancing equality. Not being part of the EU is really, really bad news for LGBT+ equality, she says. When EU countries gather to decide common EU policies, LGBT+ rights is one of them. When the EU speaks to people, they listen. We will be excluded from those meetings. Legal statistics are often a reflection of lived experiences. As the UK stalls compared to its neighbours, the feeling that we are no longer the leaders of tolerance is difficult to shake for anyone who has held the hand of their same-sex partner in public. While smaller nations such Malta flourish, setting an example for other small EU members, the UKs advancement in LGBT+ equality continues to slow down. On the brink of the biggest political change our country has seen for a generation, Brexits influence is hard to separate from our disappointing lack of progress. LGBT+ people like me only hope that our slow drift from the top isnt a sign of things to come. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed details of the private companys investment in the National Broadband Plan in the Dail on Tuesday (Michelle Devane/PA Wire) The preferred bidder for the National Broadband Plan will invest 220 million euro in initial funding to the rollout of the multimillion-euro project, the Taoiseach has confirmed. But Leo Varadkar said Granahan McCourt, the private consortium behind the bid, would be responsible for investing 2.4 billion euro over the next 25 years. The total cost of the project will be about 5 billion euro. The Government had been under increasing pressure from opposition parties to divulge the financial details of the plan since it gave the project the green light last week. Every home, farm, school & business in Ireland will have access to high speed broadband under the National Broadband Plan approved by Govt today. It will ensure that those in rural areas have the same digital opportunities as those in urban areas. #NBP #broadband pic.twitter.com/UFgK2VwccE Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 7, 2019 Ministers approved Granahan McCourt, the last remaining bidder in the tendering process, as the preferred bidder for the rollout of high-speed broadband to more than 540,000 homes and businesses across the country, despite warnings from senior civil servants that the plan posed unprecedented risks to the taxpayer. Mr Varadkar told the Dail on Tuesday that it was the consortium, and not the state, that was taking all the risk. If this project is successful, yes this company will get its equity back and return on that, he said. But if rollout is delayed, as some people predict it will, if take-up isnt as fast, then the company will have to put in more equity. Thats the crux of this. The private company, National Broadband Ireland (Granahan McCourt), is taking the risk here. Their risk is not capped. The risk to the state is. Amid sustained criticism of the plan from Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, Sinn Fein head Mary Lou McDonald and Labour leader Brendan Howlin during Leaders Questions, the Taoiseach appealed to the opposition not to rule out supporting the plan. Expand Close Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) There isnt a better option, he said. Any alternative option will involve delays, it will be slower, will cost as much, if not more, and may not even meet that objective of connecting all homes, farms and businesses. Spend some time to hear the arguments, spend some time to consider it, because if we do not sign this contract in a few months time it is back to square one, and the rural divide between urban and rural Ireland will remain and will deepen. Asked by Mr Martin whether he agreed with civil servants at the Department of Public Expenditure on the level of risk to the taxpayer, Mr Varadkar replied: No I dont agree that this is an unprecedented investment, nor do I think it is an unprecedented risk. In response to Ms McDonald, Mr Varadkar told the Dail he was confident in the companys capacity to deliver the project. You are here: Business China's yuan funds outstanding for foreign exchange dropped for an ninth straight month in April, central bank data showed Tuesday. The funds stood at 21.25 trillion yuan (about 3.17 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of last month, falling 861 million yuan from March, according to the People's Bank of China, the central bank. As the Chinese yuan is not freely convertible under the capital account, the central bank has to purchase foreign currency generated by trade surplus and foreign investment in the country, adding funds to the money market. Such funds are an important indicator of cross-border foreign capital flows and domestic yuan liquidity. A similar measure of capital flow, the country's foreign exchange reserves fell to 3.094 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of April, compared with 3.098 trillion dollars at the end of March, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The European Union exported 3bn more electric and hybrid electric cars last year than it bought. Elon Musk's US-based Tesla has captured the headlines and public imagination when it comes to electric vehicles, but Europe's traditional car makers are holding their ground. In 2018 the EU exported 4.7bn worth of electric and hybrid cars (cars that can be driven in combination with a petrol or diesel engine). Imports to the EU were worth 1.6bn. The main destinations for EU exports of electric and hybrid cars last year were Norway, followed by the US and China. Imports came primarily from South Korea, Japan, and the US. Germany was the largest EU exporter, accounting for almost two-thirds of the value of exports. Sweden and the UK completed the top three. These three countries were also among the top four member states importing electric and hybrid cars from outside of the EU. Europe's trade in electric and hybrid cars was dominated by hybrid petrol- engined vehicles - they made up 67pc of the imports and 60pc of exports. True electric cars accounted for just under one-in-three imports and 39pc of exports. The use of electric cars is becoming increasingly popular as consumers respond to climate change concerns and as more governments roll out subsidies. Earlier this month, France and Germany agreed to jointly invest in the European production of electric vehicle batteries, taking on the US and China. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the goal was to establish two production plants over the next four years, one in France and one in Germany; each would employ around 1,500 people. Initially the plants would produce enhanced liquid batteries before moving to solid-state technology by 2025-26. Meanwhile, the city of Amsterdam said it would ban petrol- and diesel-fuelled cars and motorcycles by 2030, in an effort to clean up the city's air. The city said it will use subsidies and parking permits to stimulate people to switch to cleaner cars. In Ireland less than 0.5pc of cars in 2017 were electric or hybrid and uptake is slow, even with Government support for consumers and businesses. However, almost one in 10 motorists say they plan on ditching petrol or diesel in favour of electric model when they next change car, according to AA Ireland. Dubliners - who have less concerns about batteries running flat due to shorter travel times - are most likely to consider going electric. The ESB has almost 1,100 charge points for electric cars across the island of Ireland. (Additional reporting Reuters) Spending on Dundrum in Dublin and Dundrum in Co Tipperary must be provided on an equal basis if projects like rural broadband are to work, ICMSA president Pat McCormack has said in reaction to criticism of the spend on the National Broadband Plan. Mr McCormack made the analogy between the Dublin suburb and Tipperary village in response to controversy that taxpayers will have to fit a bill of 3bn to fund rural broadband. He stated that if Ireland is a republic it should endeavour to provide the same level of infrastructure and services to all areas of the state, whether urban or rural. If the most crude cost/benefit analysis is going to be applied to every cent of State spending on a simple Dundrum, Dublin versus Dundrum, Co Tipp basis then nothing will ever get spent outside the M50 again. If population density is going to be the only consideration or the decisive consideration than rural Ireland will always lose out, and the flight into the urban centres with the accommodation crisis that were seeing right now - will actually accelerate and worsen, said the ICMSA chief. Mr McCormack pointed out that criticism of the spend has been given the organisation a very revealing glimpse of how rural Ireland is viewed by some very well placed commentators and where its concerns are on the national priorities list. Rural Ireland is not some add-on concept or recurring cost item in the national accounts. We are citizens too and we will insist that our communities and infrastructure are factored-in and included as Ireland looks to the next decades. The idea that rural Ireland isnt worth investing in is unfair and self-fulfilling because if we dont get the investment then we definitely will fall further behind and be unable to play the role we certainly can and want to. Intervention is needed if Irish beef is to be prevented from turning into a by-product of the dairy industry, Mark Goodman, managing director of ABP International, has warned. Speaking exclusively to the Farming Independent, he described the increase in dairy-bred cattle as a concern and said intervention from the industry is needed to ensure the beef produced in Ireland is not just a by-product of the dairy industry. Goodman said there needs to be an intervention by Government and the Department of Agriculture, Meat Industry Ireland and the farming organisations to work with the dairy farmer to increase or improve the quality of the beef animal that is being bred off the dairy herd. He also said that while China presents great potential for the Irish beef sector, it won't resolve our reliance on the UK for beef exports. It comes as hundreds of beef farmers protested last week over what they say is "corporate greed and factories hanging them out to dry". IFA has calculated that since last autumn beef farmers have incurred losses of 101m on Brexit-related beef price cuts. 'It's not fair to compare Irish and UK beef prices' Despite this, Goodman says Irish beef exports are at a disadvantage when it comes to price globally and the Irish cattle price has to reflect Ireland's position as a world beef exporter. Price, he said, is determined by supply and demand. "The Irish cattle price was 105pc of the EU average for the full year 2018. The British cattle price is historically higher because British consumers will buy British first. Irish beef has to earn its place in that market. It's that or be taken out by imports from other nations. "It's also important to note the practical issue of carcass balance, on average, Ireland exports around 50pc of its beef to the UK market. The balance of Ireland's beef must be exported to other EU and international markets where cattle prices are more competitive and imports from Third Countries more common. "There's no point saying the English price is 4.20/kg so that's what we should be getting in Ireland. That's not a balanced argument for an export nation." While beef exports to China may rise to 25,000t per annum, he warned that China, or any Asian country, won't take away Ireland's reliance on the UK. "We must as a country, the Government, the industry and farmers, we must find a way to continue to supply the UK. "In a hard Brexit, it's not a good story and it will need Government intervention." He said in the case of full or partial WTO tariffs being applied to Irish beef going to the UK, the Government should provide a Tariff Support Mechanism, whereby a pool of money should be put in place to protect the industry and farmers from what would be an existential crisis. Ireland, though, he warned is running the risk of seeing its beef become a by-product of the dairy industry. "A dairy farmer with 100 cows, needs 30-40 replacements. The rest of the calves can be left on a Friesian bull. This is not good. We've been trying to get Angus or Hereford bulls into the dairy gene pool, and with the right genetics." Following that up the chain, he says, "we don't want P or even O-grade dairy bred Angus or Hereford beef, that's no help to anyone. We need to drive the quality graph of dairy bred Angus and Hereford beef to an average of an R or an R+ grade. If we achieve this, we will have a sustainable system for all stakeholders" He also said he would like to see farmers supported with on-farm efficiencies and initiatives to improve genetics to bring cattle to slaughter younger, faster and more efficiently, putting more meat on the bone every day, using less inputs. Convicted murderer Pat Quirke confirms our worst suspicions that Ireland's most ambitious dairy farmers are greedy so-and-sos that will stop at nothing in their thirst for more. The fact that such a sweeping statement is ridiculous hyperbole won't stop this thought from seeding itself in the minds of many throughout the farming community as they digest the reports following the longest murder trial in the history of the State. If you were to fictionalise such a villain from the dairy sector, you could have been accused of over-egging the character. The Tipperary dairy farmer was part of a very select elite in the dairy sector that were put up in lights to showcase the potential for the black and white cow to generate wealth far beyond the confines of a humble 67-acre farm. Only a handful of farmers are selected every year for Nuffield scholarships that offer grants of over 10,000 for the brightest and best in the agriculture sector to broaden their perspectives by travelling the world, networking with other like-minded individuals, and coming home brimming with innovative ideas and research. Despite securing one of the three scholarships awarded in 2001, neither Pat Quirke's subsequent study or photo are posted on the Nuffield website. During this period he was also chairman of the IFA's dairy committee in his home county. In 2005 he took the podium at the Positive Farmers Conference, advising the hundreds of dairy farmers that attend this annual event on how to leverage their farms for off-farm investments. This was during the boom years when every farmer worth their salt was supposedly investing in property syndicates and the stock market. So it was no surprise to learn that Quirke had over 500,000 tied up in various syndicates in Poland and Lithuania. Reports of a 840,000 punt on a contracts for difference gamble show the extent of the high-wire investments that the Tipperary farmer was prepared to make. Losses from a combination of these off-farm and off-shore investments cost Quirke close to 300,000 - an amount that would sink most farmers that started out from a 67ac block. This background gives Quirke's relationship with Mary Lowry a whole new importance. The lease he had on her farm effectively doubled the size of his original farm, and he was getting it for a song. On top of the Single Farm Payment, Pat Quirke was only paying Ms Lowry an additional 25/acre for her 63ac holding. He also tried to invoice Ms Lowry 20,000 for losses he incurred when there was a disease outbreak in his herd. No wonder she was keen to get another tenant. The only wonder is how Quirke managed to hang in there as long as he did. In the interim, and despite all his investment losses, Quirke still managed to squirrel away 150,000 in the bank, according to the latest accounts for his farm company, Breasha Farms. I'm sure the cows kept the cashflow going - remember Quirke was at the top of his game with his herd ranked in the top 50 EBI herds in the country in recent years, and his Breanshmore herd producing the top ranked bull in the 2019 Eurogene catalogue. It's worth stating a second time - other ambitious farmers shouldn't be suddenly ostracised just because it has turned out that one of Ireland's most capable dairy men has turned out to be a scheming, manipulating, cold-blooded killer who would let nothing or no one get in his way. But it should give everyone pause for thought about priorities, perspective and what legacy they really want to leave behind. Ambition and hard work are to be admired and encouraged, but the skills to allow people to maintain balance in their lives must be championed too. President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about $15 billion in aid to help U.S. farmers whose products may be targeted with tariffs by China in a deepening trade war. "We're going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about $15 billion, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well," Trump told reporters at the White House. He did not provide more details on what kind of an aid package it would be. American farmers, a key constituency of Trump, have been among the hardest hit in the trade war. Soybeans are the most valuable U.S. farm export, and shipments to China dropped to a 16-year low in 2018. Sales of U.S. soybeans elsewhere failed to make up for the loss. U.S. soybean futures fell to their lowest in a decade on Monday. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday that Trump had asked him to create a plan to help American farmers cope with the heavy impact of the U.S.-China trade war on agriculture. A new aid program would be the second round of assistance for farmers, after the Department of Agriculture's $12 billion plan last year to compensate for lower prices for farm goods and lost sales stemming from trade disputes with China and other nations. "Out of the billions of dollars that we're taking (in on tariffs on Chinese imports), a small portion of that will be going to our farmers, because China will be retaliating, probably to a certain extent, against our farmers," Trump said. The tariffs are not paid by the Chinese government or by firms located in China. They are paid by importers of Chinese goods, usually American companies or the U.S.-registered units of foreign companies. On Monday, China said it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, striking back in its trade war with Washington after Trump warned it not to. Last year, Beijing imposed tariffs on imports of U.S. agricultural goods, including soybeans, grain sorghum and pork as retribution for U.S. levies. While farmers have largely remained supportive of Trump, many have called for an imminent end to the trade dispute, which propelled farm debt to the highest levels in decades and worsened credit conditions for the rural economy. Trump's pledge on Friday to buy American farm products that China normally imports and distribute them to poor countries drew criticism from Canada. "Dumping products in developing countries is not the way we do things," Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told reporters on a conference call from the G20 meeting in Japan, adding such efforts required multilateral coordination. "It seems easy, but it is complicated to do it the right way," Bibeau said. "Obviously, it may create some distortion in the market and this is what we want to avoid." Tillage farmers have defended controversial weed killer glyphosate which they say is wrongly being portrayed as a monster and poison by people who dont understand agriculture and food production. On Monday a Californian jury awarded more than 2bn to a couple who claimed Bayer AGs glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused their cancer. This was the third and largest US verdict to date against the company, despite a recent statement from the US Environmental Protection Agency that said that glyphosate is not a carcinogen. France has also signalled that it will phase out the herbicide by the end of 2020. However, Irish tillage farmers have hit out at claims that the weedkiller should be banned and at mistruths about the rate and amount of the product they use. Clive Carter who is a farmer from Ratheniska, Co Laois told the Farming Independent that US court case verdicts are often based on emotion rather than science and stated that as long as the EU says glyphosate is safe to use he will continue to use it at pre sowing stage. Farmers are professional users and have all been trained. Farmers are an easy target in this debate but its proven by the EU that theres no carcinogenic link. Smoking is linked to cancer but it is still legal. Its being portrayed as a monster by people who dont understand farming, said Mr Carter. Fellow Ratheniska farmer Colm Fingleton added that only a small amount of glyphosate is used by Irish farmers at pre-sowing stage and said that it would be very damaging to the sector if usage of the weedkiller was prohibited in the future. Theres an impression out there that were using it on everything. This is misleading. There are higher rates in most gardens. It would be very damaging to the sector if it was curtailed. The word chemical shouldnt be seen as bad, were not trying to poison people, he said. Kildare tillage farmer Helen Harris explained that theres an onus on the EU to defend glyphosate and farmers against flavour of the month social media claims against the weedkiller. The EU need to give strong guidelines on the safe usage of glyphosate and defend farmers. It would be a huge step backwards if this was banned. I dont think people realise that if glyphosate was banned it would mean we would have to use another spray that would be less cost effective and less friendly to the environment, she said. Irish Grain Growers Group chair Bobby Miller pointed out that his biggest concern was that two-thirds of grain is imported as animal feed where unregulated amounts of glyphosate could be used and that this is something that needs to be examined first. Head of Crop Sciences at Bayer AG Liam Condon told the Farming Independent in January that he had "no doubts" around the safety of Roundup. "There's no doubts around the safety of the product if every regulatory agency says this is safe. We are completely behind the product, and farmers around the world tell us they absolutely need this and we have to make sure it stays available to farmers." The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) basically put glyphosate in to the same category as hot drinks, red meat, aloe vera so a lot of stuff that you would say is consumed or used on a daily basis by an average person without anybody screaming for the products to be banned," he said. With America and China going toe-to-toe in a trade war, there should be opportunities for Irish businesses in both markets, at least in the short-term. But as the disputes spread and deepen, the effects will soon turn negative. In addition to the dispute between the US and China there is a real risk that trade relations between Washington and Brussels could plunge into conflict and, as we have seen with China, a broader range of tariffs will, in the end hit Ireland. The Irish Whiskey Association has already warned of the potential for damage to the industry here from tariff escalations. Ireland is a key part of the global supply chains that now criss-cross the world, with manufacturers here shipping goods globally, such as semiconductors or pharmaceuticals. We have benefited more than most countries from globalisation and a study published last year by the German Bertelsmann Stiftung foundation showed that between 1990-2016, GDP per head here had risen by 1,261 a year thanks to globalisation. We are at risk of a Celtic variation of the 'Dutch Disease', not only do 28pc of the 140bn of goods exported each year go the US, but medical and pharmaceuticals, whose output is dominated by US companies, accounted for a third. As well as accounting for a huge chunk of exports, multinational firms accounted for 77pc of the 10.4bn in company taxes paid last year, putting Ireland in double jeopardy. THE European Commission has opened a formal competition probe into Insurance Ireland. It is investigating whether restricted access to its Insurance Link database system may restrict competition, in breach of EU rules. It follows dawn raids on Insurance Ireland and a number of brokers here in July 2017. Insurance Link provides the claims history of individuals who are seeking to take out a new policy with a new insurer. The database is run by Insurance Ireland, the representative body for the industry here. The member companies contribute insurance claims data to the database on an ongoing basis. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: Insurance is essential for all car drivers in Europe. We are investigating whether companies wishing to offer their services on the Irish motor insurance market may have been unfairly prevented from accessing a data pool managed by Insurance Ireland for its member companies. This could potentially reduce Irish drivers' choice of motor insurance policies at competitive prices. The EU Commission said the purpose of the Insurance Link system is to facilitate the detection of potentially fraudulent behaviour by insurance claimants, and to ensure the accuracy of information provided by potential customers to insurance companies and/or their agents. The Commission does not question that data pooling arrangements can contribute to effective competition. The participation in and access to a data pool by insurance service providers may directly benefit consumers in terms of ensuring more suitable products and competitive prices. In the case of Insurance Ireland, the Commission's investigation will assess, in particular, whether the conditions imposed on companies wishing to participate in and access the Insurance Link database may have had the effect of placing these companies at a competitive disadvantage on the Irish motor insurance market in comparison to companies already having access to the database. If proven, the practices under investigation may breach EU competition rules, which prohibit agreements between companies that prevent, restrict or distort competition within the EUs Single Market. Insurance Ireland said it is cooperating fully with the European Commission in its enquiries and is confident its practices are fully compliant with competition law. Fianna Fail's finance spokesperson Michael McGrath said it is important the probe uncovers if any alleged uncompetitive practices had an impact on insurance premiums. It comes after the European Commission confirmed it is investigating whether access to Insurance Irelands Insurance Link database system may restrict competition and breach of EU rules. The database is run by the representative body for the industry. It provides the claims history of individuals who are seeking to take out a new policy with a new insurer. I think this is evidence of dysfunction within the Irish insurance market, which I think extends far beyond the motor insurance area, said Mr McGrath. He added: I think people who have been paying skyrocketing motor insurance premiums over the last number of years will want to know whether or not there are barriers to entry for other insurance companies coming in to the Irish market. It is essential that we have an open market where new entrants can come in and can compete on a level playing field. We have been between this issue for a number of years and have been seeking regular updates from both the European Commission and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as well, especially since the raids that took place in the summer of 2017. I think the fact the European Commission has now elevated this probe to the status of a formal investigation means they believe there is a case to answer. This will mean fewer properties for first-time buyers to purchase. Stock: PA State policies are feathering the nests of cuckoo funds, meaning developers are set to favour build-to-rent projects for years to come. The scale of benefits for build-to-rent developers is such that they will inevitably choose this path, architect and UCD lecturer Orla Hegarty warned. This will mean fewer properties for first-time buyers to purchase. Ms Hegarty says build-to-rent projects have lower planning standards than ordinary apartment blocks, they are more profitable and will draw the majority of investment. This is bad news for first-time buyers as fewer homes will be built that get put on the market, she says. It is reported that the yield, or investment return, on rentals here is already the highest in the European Union, while tenant protections are lower than in other countries. Expand Close Orla Hegarty: Smaller units to be the focus of development / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Orla Hegarty: Smaller units to be the focus of development Ms Hegarty said there was no requirement for a mix of different unit sizes when it came to a build-to-rent block, which meant developers can put in a lot of smaller units. One-beds and studio apartments do not count for calculating requirements for a creche, under changes made by the Department of Housing last year to encourage the building of more rental units. Build-to-rent also has lower standards for amenity space, storage, lifts, stairs and parking, making the buildings cheaper to construct. "The consequence of this is that a lot of money can be made by building smaller units than bigger ones. Per square metre, there is a lot higher return to be made on smaller units," the assistant professor in UCD's school of architecture said. This means the emphasis will be on build-to-rent developments in urban areas rather than build-to-sell. And investors and funders such as banks were looking more favourably on build-to-rent proposals. "Build-to-sell is bottom of the pile for investors. Student housing, co-living blocks and build-to-rent have all been favoured in policy, and give substantially higher profits. We will see a lot more build-to-rent than build-to-sell." But the attempts by the State to concentrate new developments in urban areas will have the "wrong consequences", she added. Her comments come after it emerged that plans were lodged for more than 6,000 residential properties in the space of five days - many of which will never go on sale to families. Build-to-rent apartment blocks have a restriction so that the homes cannot be sold individually for at least 15 years. Some 2,814 (47pc) of the total are for build-to-rent apartment developments for the capital. The figures from An Bord Pleanala show that the stampede by developers to obtain planning permission for large-scale housing and apartment developments continues under the Government's fast-track planning rules. Ms Hegarty said developers would still build traditional lower-density houses for sale in commuter areas, meaning more car commuting. The yield, or return, on a one-bedroom apartment in parts of Dublin is as high as 12.8pc, according to Daft.ie. Yields are about half that for a three-bed house in the same areas. The Department of Housing said it is important to recognise the positive effects that institutional investment can have on the supply of housing, "particularly apartment developments in the main urban centres". You are here: China Beijing Municipality launched a one-month campaign Monday for regulating shared bikes in the city, according to the official micro-blog of Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport. The city has registered nine bike sharing companies and more than 1.9 million shared bikes as of the end of April. However, active bikes only account for less than 50 percent, according to April statistics. The campaign is directed towards areas with a large number of bikes and electric bikes, such as major avenues, subway stations, scenic spots and business districts. Bike sharing companies are required to recycle broken bikes and clear bikes that are parked against regulations. In September 2018, Beijing authorities set a limit on the number of shared bikes in the capital as the industry continued to grow. China's bike-sharing market has grown rapidly over the past few years as part of a booming digital economy. THE consortium responsible for rolling out broadband to more than 500,000 homes and businesses in rural Ireland is investing just 220m up front. Communications Minister Richard Bruton revealed the figure this afternoon amid much criticism from Opposition parties who claim the State is carrying too high a burden for the project. Taxpayers are on the line for up to 3bn and will not own the infrastructure at the end of the 25 year contract. But Mr Bruton said this is a really important investment for rural Ireland. He said the Government has evaluated all of the options available and cannot identify a cheaper way of bringing high-speed broadband to every home in the country. The minister told RTEs News At One that officials examined the idea of owning the fibre lines at the end of the contract with Granahan McCourt but decided the least risky option was to leave it in the hands of the company. Read More He insisted that by allowing the company retain ownership they would incentivised to future proof the network. Mr Bruton said the company will ultimately be spending 2.4bn, although much of this will be offset by income from users. NBI shareholders, as part of its initial funding of the project will invest 220m in equity and working capital, said a National Broadband Ireland spokeswoman. This investment is the initial capital required to commence design and build activities of the NBP network and is invested ahead of the Government subsidies, thereby placing this investment at risk first. NBI will use these funds to get the project up and running, and this a first, minimum spend. The company declined to reveal any other figures around its costs and expected contract details in rolling out the 5bn network. The state has already revealed that its subsidy may rise to 2.6bn. NBI is finalising negotiations on contracts with over 40 specialist subcontractors to assist in delivery of this major project and it is not appropriate that commercially sensitive information be disclosed which could prejudice these negotiations, said the spokeswoman. Such negotiating parameters are normal for large infrastructure projects and it is for this reason that, prior to contract signing, commercial investments are not disclosed. The project has come in for criticism over the lack of information around the balance between what the state and National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the preferred bidder controlled by businessman David McCourts Granahan McCourt entity. Critics that include the Department Of Public Expenditures senior civil servant, Robert Watt, have asked whether the state is paying too much for the rural broadband rollout, questioning whether NBI is taking enough risk under the terms of the project deal. However, the company says that its long term financial obligations under the contract are sizeable. National Broadband Ireland, as preferred bidder for the National Broadband Plan, will be required to meet financial obligations of 2.4 billion in the delivery of the project over 25 years, said the spokeswoman. The contractual and financial obligation on National Broadband Ireland includes shareholder equity, working capital, performance bonds, operating and revenue risks. These are not capped, unlike the States subsidy, and NBI also assume both construction and commercial revenue risk. A return will only be generated if the project is delivered on time, and within budget, with any overrun costs borne by NBI. In addition, NBI's return will always be capped at the level of our initial contribution and is not related to the level of State subsidy. Any over-performance will be subject to rigorous clawback mechanisms, meaning the overall State subsidy would be reduced. In addition, NBI shareholders will provide significant performance bonds relating to contract deliverables during the construction phase of the NBP. In the event that commercial take-up is lower than expected at any time throughout the 25 years, NBI shareholders will be on risk to provide additional capital - with no return to shareholders on this. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has appealed to opposition parties not to rule out supporting the National Broadband Plan despite their serious reservations over the costs. Mr Varadkar has clashed with Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein in the Dail over the plan, telling them: There isnt a better option. He said the roll-out of broadband would good for the economy, environment, education and health. The Taoiseach described it as the biggest investment in rural Ireland ever. Asked by Micheal Martin whether he agrees with the Department of Public Expenditure that the project carries unprecedented risk, Mr Varadkar said he did not. He said the Government had found 8bn for motorways to connect the countrys cities. Mr Varadkar said scrapping the plan at this stage would only result in a delay. Well be saying to rural Ireland youve wait too long and were going to make you wait longer, he said. Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald told the Dail the bidder doesnt have adequate skin in the game. Ms McDonald claimed the NBP represents a massive state subsidy to a private firm for infrastructure the State wont own. She said she finds this unbeleiveable. Mr McDonald asked Mr Varadkar if he has absolute and total confidence in the deal and if he will guarantee delivery of rural broadband. Mr Varadkar said hes confident National Broadband Ireland has the capacity to deliver and if it does not there are protections in the contract. If the company doesnt deliver, if it seeks an increased subsidy or fails to meet certain milestones the State can terminate the contract, Mr Varadkar added. Mr Varadkar said Ms McDonald is zeroing in on the initial 220m investment that the company is making. He said the 220m being put forward by the Granahan McCourt group was only the initial upfront investment. He said the company has to come up with 2.4bn overall. If the company doesnt deliver they will have to put in more equity, if they deliver then of course they will get their investment back and a return The risk to state is capped, the risk to company is not and I think its important to understand that. He said there were other bidders and said Eir put in an initial bid for a similar amount of money. Earlier Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin accused the Government of entering a sweetheart deal. He said the fact Granhan McCourt will spent a total of 2.4bn was spin because much of that money will be set against guaranteed income. Mr Howlin said during his time as Public Expenditure Minister he never received any advice as damning as that which Paschal Donohoe received from his officials in relation to broadband. He predicted there would be a tribunal in a decades time about the rollout of broadband. Mr Howlin compared the NBP to the National Childrens Hospital. He said it would be unthinkable for the State to spend 1.7bn on the hospital and not own it at the end. He asked why its any less unthinkable to give away the broadband network. Mr Varadkar said the NBP is a project Labour should be proud of given their former ministers involvement when the plan was first announced by the last government. He said that in terms of ownership the infrastructure consists of poles and ducts. He said they belong to Eircom after the company was sold off 20 years ago. He said if the network was to be replicated by a State company the cost would be phenomenal. He said any attempt to renationalise Eircom could be met with legal battles and ultimately the cost of rolling out broadband could cost between 8bn to 9bn if that avenue was tried. Communications Minister Richard Bruton is due to appear before an Oireachtas joint committee today to discuss detail about the National Broadband Plan. Virgin Media Ireland is to introduce a new, higher-specification television box for its 269,000 Irish TV customers later this year. It has also launched a new smart wifi system and says it will add at least 20,000 homes to its 930,000-premise Irish network reach this year. We know we havent quite kept pace with some other television boxes, said Paul Farrell, the companys vice president of commercial operations. This will be a wireless multi-room box with 4K and all the bells and whistles. It will do everything that the UK box currently does although it will be a different model. Were expecting to make an announcement about this this Autumn. Were very excited about it. The company has seen a substantial fall in TV customers in recent years, although the latest figures from Comregs quarterly statistics show a marginal increase over the last three months. Mr Farrell also said that one in five of the companys new broadband customers have opted for its higher 500Mbs broadband service. The faster product, which costs 69 per month after a promotional period, is being targeted at busy households with gamers and other high bandwidth users. He said that the company has no imminent plans to offer a 1,000Mbs product, citing lack of current demand. Our network is absolutely capable of that, he told Independent.ie. Weve taken Comreg and others through the figures to show that we have a future proof network. When there is demand for that speed, we will absolutely offer it. Mr Farrell said that Virgin does not plan to open its network up as a wholesale option to other operators, despite being the only high speed network in Dublin at present. No is the short answer, he said. We have a philosophy with our network and we have no plans to do that. Mr Farrell made the remarks against the backdrop of Eir announcing that it will upgrade most of its urban networks from copper to fibre-to-the-home, which it will also offer to other operators. Mr Farrell said that Virgins broadband network currently reaches 930,000 premises around the country. He said that the company would build out between 20,000 and 30,000 premises to the networks reach area this year. He also said that it expects to add a similar amount in coming years, but that it would largely follow new-build housing plans in urban or semi-urban areas. Meanwhile, Virgin Media Ireland has launched a series of new smart wifi updates that aim to supply customers with more consistent broadband speeds in more areas of their home. The company says that the number of in-home connected devices is expected to grow from ten devices at present to an average of 50 devices by 2020. The smart wifi updates include channel optimisation and airtime fairness. With channel optimisation, the households wifi hub regularly checks to see if the homes wifi is congested and switches your devices to the quietest channel for optimised speeds. With airtime fairness, the wifi hub shares wifi fairly between devices, so data-hungry devices like smart TVs and games consoles dont take control of all the bandwidth. Were not just delivering the fastest speeds but were also working to make our wifi as reliable as possible, said Mr Farrell. With these innovative new smart wifi features our Virgin Media wifi hubs users can be sure theyre getting the best possible wifi connection and speeds to all of their devices. "Were continuing to invest substantially in our network through expansion and upgrades to provide the fastest broadband speeds and to deliver even faster speeds in the future. Virgin Media Ireland has 378,100 broadband subscribers in Ireland. After US President Donald Trump re-ignited his trade war with China by stepping up tariffs, Beijing hit back with $60bn (53.4bn) of its own measures on Monday - wiping billions off stock markets. Trump may not stop with China, although that announcement alone was enough to shock world financial markets and drive US stock markets to their biggest weekly loss since December. The US President could decide at the weekend to impose 25pc tariffs on car imports, a move that would invite retaliation from the European Union and a spread of duties. Having once declared that he would not stop with tariffs until "no Mercedes models rolled on Fifth Avenue in New York", it would be unwise to bet against car tariffs, although the President does have the discretion to defer a decision for six months. Mr Trump's action would come under a 'Section 232' trade investigation report as to whether imports of cars and parts posed a risk to the national security of the US. Of course, cars are not a big deal for Ireland - direct exposure to US demand for EU cars here is the lowest, apart from Latvia, Cyprus and Greece. More surprisingly perhaps, cars are not a massive deal for Germany where the industry accounts for just 4pc of output and only an eighth of cars and parts are exported to the US. Investment bank ING calculates that the direct effect of car tariffs would be to lop 0.2pc points off growth in the EU. The problem is that it doesn't stop there. The EU has indicated that if there are car tariffs, it will hit back with 20bn of its own duties on US goods, while Washington wants the EU to open agriculture markets. "This is perhaps a bigger risk if the EU continues to reject the US's desire to include agricultural goods in any potential trade deal," said Jack Allen, senior European economist at Capital Economics. "If that were to happen, Ireland would be the hardest-hit eurozone economy, with manufacturing exports to the US equivalent to almost 10pc of its gross value added." A battle over steel and aluminium tariffs has already seen the EU counter with increased duties on motorbikes, whisky and other imports from the United States. A fight between Washington and Brussels has seen America threaten to hit imports from Europe that range from aircraft to olive oil and wine. That is where the risk for Ireland comes in. At some stage, goods produced here will end up on a tariff list. If Mr Trump needed new ammunition for his trade wars, a study published yesterday by the US National Bureau for Economic Research said that 41pc of the losses in US aggregate manufacturing jobs between 1993-2011 had come from multinationals, the very companies that have powered Ireland's economic renaissance. Saudi Arabia has said two of its oil tankers were attacked while sailing toward the Persian Gulf, adding to regional tensions as the US increases pressure on Iran. Crude rose as much as 2pc. The tankers were damaged in "a sabotage attack" off the United Arab Emirates coast on Sunday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. The vessels were approaching the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important chokepoint for oil shipments. The UAE foreign ministry reported an attack on four commercial ships, two registered in Saudi Arabia, one in the UAE and the other in Norway. No one has claimed responsibility. The US deployed an aircraft carrier, bombers and defence missiles to the region last week amid worsening friction with Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival. UAE stock markets posted their steepest decline in over three years. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said the incident aims "to undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies". He urged the international community to ensure the security of oil tankers. Oil prices rose more than $1 a barrel on the news, but slipped later on wider trade woes. Antagonism between the US and Iran intensified after US President Donald Trump ended exceptions to US sanctions on Iranian oil sales. Iran has threatened to block oil shipments through the strait if the US halts Iranian energy exports. Bloomberg Sally Rooney has claimed top prize at the British Book Awards for her novel Normal People. The Irish author has been praised for her "profoundly moving" work, which has been named Book Of The Year. Normal People follows the youthful romance of Irish students, and has fended off fierce competition from the likes of former first lady Michelle Obama, and Booker Prize-winner Anna Burns. Obama's book Becoming instead claimed honours for best memoir, non-fiction and audiobook. Expand Close Sally Rooney has been praised for her talents (Jonny Davies) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sally Rooney has been praised for her talents (Jonny Davies) Rooney, 28, has thanked the literary community for her win, from librarians to readers. She has been hailed for her approachable style and delicate handling of romance in the modern world, which was also displayed in her debut work Conversations With Friends. Judges have proclaimed her to be destined to literary importance, and a "generational talent". Rooney said of her win: "It's an enormous privilege and an honour for me to receive the overall Book of the Year Award at the British Book Awards. Expand Close Normal People has been named Book Of The Year. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Normal People has been named Book Of The Year. "I want to say thank you, specifically, because I feel I had an extraordinary lucky experience with this book. "I've received such enormous support and generosity from my own publisher, Faber & Faber, of course, and also from the bookselling community generally, from libraries and librarians, and the community of people who love books. Video of the Day "It has been a really privileged experience for me, and I do feel astonishingly lucky." Alice O'Keeffe, books editor of award organiser The Bookseller, said: "Beautifully observed and profoundly moving, Sally Rooney's Normal People was unanimously praised by our Book of the Year judges. "It really is an exceptional novel from one of the most exciting young writers we have." Editor of the Times Literary Supplement Stig Abell added further praise, saying: "Sally Rooney may well be on her way to becoming the major literary figure of our time, a generational talent." Rooney has been proclaimed "the voice of a generation" by judges, with a book that is "fantastically important". Obama won best memoir, non-fiction and audiobook for her reflections in Becoming, losing out on Book Of The Year to the young Irish author. Britain's Got Talent judge David Walliams won in the children's fiction category for his work The Ice Monster. Matthew Syed won in the children's illustrated and non-fiction category for You Are Awesome. Prix Goncourt-winning Franco-Moroccan writer Leila Slimani's Lullaby was named best debut fiction book of the year, which "captures the zeitgeist", according to prize judges. Louise Candlish claimed the crime fiction honour for Our House, besting veterans Ian Rankin and Jo Nesbo. Vegan cookbook Bosh!, by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, was named the best non-fiction lifestyle book. Crime writer Lee Child was crowned Author of the Year at the Awards Ceremony. The beloved British writer and illustrator Judith Kerr was named Illustrator of the Year. Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller, said: "We are delighted with all of the winners in the book and author categories this year, which show off the breadth and dynamism of UK publishing." CHELSEA Manning, the former US Army intelligence analyst jailed for leaking government documents, has a book deal. Farrar, Straus and Giroux announced this week that Manning's memoir, currently untitled, will come out next winter. According to the publisher, Manning, 31, will write about her childhood and military service, about why she decided to send hundreds of thousands of classified materials to WikiLeaks, and about her life as a trans woman. She told the New York Times it will be coming-of-age story. She explained: This is less a book about the case and more a book about trials, tribunals, struggles, difficulties, and overcoming them and surviving. If people are expecting to learn a lot more about the court martial and a lot more about the case, then they probably shouldnt be interested in this book. But if they want to know more about what its like to be me and survive, then there are reams of information in here. Its much more autobiographical than it is a narrative thriller or crime story or anything like that. Manning was sentenced to 35 years, but was released in May 2017 after President Barack Obama commuted her time in prison. Recently, she was jailed for two months for refusing to answer a grand jury's questions about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Conan Osiris of Portugal performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Nevena Bozovic of Serbia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Hatari of Iceland perform during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Kate Miller-Heidke of Australia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Eliot of Belgium performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Singer songwriter Angele performs during the opening ceremony at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP) Nevena Bozovic of Serbia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Tulia of Poland performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Nevena Bozovic of Serbia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Tulia of Poland performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Zena of Belarus performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Joci Papai of Hungary performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Zena of Belarus performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Zala Kralj and GaSper Santl of Slovenia perform during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Lake Malawi of Czech Republic performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) D mol of Montenegro performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Performers from countries that qualified to the final of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest gather on stage at the end of the first semi final session in Tel Aviv, Israel May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun Victor Crone of Estonia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) In Pictures: Eurovision Song Contest, the first semi-final Close Iceland's Hatari and Australia's Kate Miller-Heidke have qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest's grand final following a high-energy semi-final in Tel Aviv. Greece, Belarus, Serbia, Cyprus, Estonia, the Czech Republic, San Marino and Slovenia will also compete in the 26-strong event on Saturday. A total of 17 international acts took to the stage on Tuesday night but only 10 moved on to the grand final following a 50-50 vote split between the public and an international jury. Techno-punk group Hatari attracted much attention in the lead-up to this year's contest with their darkly energetic track Hatrid Mun Sigra (Hatred Will Prevail). Expand Close Tulia of Poland performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tulia of Poland performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) They converted that into votes, although the number was not made public and the night's 10 winners were announced in a random order. Iceland has participated in Eurovision 31 times since its debut in 1986, missing two years and finishing twice second but never earning the top spot. Expand Close Tulia of Poland performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tulia of Poland performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Australia's Kate Miller-Heidke, another favourite to win, also capitalised on a week of hype. The vocalist's operatic rendition of Zero Gravity, a song about her experience of postnatal depression, saw her flying through the air atop a pole, flanked by two backing vocalists. Australia joined the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 and has scored consistently well each year but never won. San Marino's Serhat defied expectations to become only the second act from his nation to qualify for the final. Expand Close Nevena Bozovic of Serbia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nevena Bozovic of Serbia performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Video of the Day His song Say Na Na Na's earworm chorus had been a fan favourite in the days leading up to the first semi-final. Finland, however, was snubbed after Darude and Sebastian Rejman's dance pop track Look Away failed to connect with an international audience. Expand Close Zena of Belarus performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Zena of Belarus performs during the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Earlier, Netta Barzilai - last year's winner - started the event in her home nation with a rousing rendition of Toy, her Me Too anthem featuring bizarre chicken noises. The UK, as one of the "big five" countries along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, are already assured of a place in the grand final. Last year's winners Israel also do not have to qualify via the semi-finals. UK residents could not vote in this round but will be able to during the 18-act second semi-final on Thursday and the grand final on Saturday. RTE said it had received 31 formal complaints in the wake of the 'Late Late Show' airing a controversial segment featuring a birthing simulator called Lucina. A spokeswoman confirmed the broadcaster received dozens of complaints about the item, which was broadcast on Friday night. It also received lots of feedback on social media as the segment met a mixed reaction. The Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services Ireland (Aims) said it was dismayed at the "poor judgment" expressed by the 'Late Late Show' editorial team for the feature. Eyebrows were raised after a teaching robot - named Lucina - was brought into the studio to demonstrate to viewers how medical students learn about childbirth and labour as part of their training. Master of the Rotunda Hospital Professor Fergal Malone was joined by Dr Catherine Finnegan, tutor and specialist registrar at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) department of obstetrics and gynaecology, and medical student Ciara Malone, to simulate a delivery. Host Ryan Tubridy interviewed Prof Malone for the item, as medical student Ciara demonstrated how the dummy "gave birth". However, Aims said it was disappointed at the feature. "As the representative body for maternity service users in Ireland, Aims calls on RTE to apologise and also looks to the Broadcasting Authority to comment on the piece," a spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman commended the empathy shown by Joe Duffy on Liveline, where the show held a series on the issue of maternity services in Ireland. Neither the RCSI or the HSE would comment any further when contacted, given the reaction from Aims. The HSE said the subject was a matter for RTE. Time once was that female comedy was strictly seen as being 'for women'. Its writers may have been covering the nuts and bolts of the entire human condition, from parenthood and relationships to existential crises, but much of it was signed off as 'niche', or 'frivolous' or 'about sex and shopping'. A few years ago, Caitlin Moran - she of the hugely successful newspaper column and bestselling book, How To Be A Woman - brought her self-penned sitcom Raised By Wolves to a particular production company. The commissioner in question couldn't touch it, she said, because 'we've already got a female comedy'. Similarly, it wasn't too long ago that women showed up on the red carpet at awards ceremonies only to be asked about the dress and jewels they were wearing. Whatever their myriad accomplishments, it was a question that effectively made the female attendees plug the talents and efforts of a (usually male) designer. And the less said about the red carpet 'mani cam', where actresses paraded their manicures for a close-up camera, the better. Last year, battle lines were drawn over red carpet sexism, prompted largely by actresses taking a stand against reporters asking little more than 'who are you wearing?' #AskherMore has certainly meant that the enquiry's been shunted down in the shuffle, now more of a postscript than anything. And Sunday's BAFTA award ceremony put paid to all of it; the red carpet sexism, the industry inequality, the idea that female writers, directors and performers are meant to be on the fringes. Women writers, directors and performers - among them Killing Eve's Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fiona Shaw and Jodie Comer - were among the big winners from the TV award ceremony. Other winners included Sally4Ever (written by Julia Davis), actress Jessica Hynes (for There She Goes) and factual series Suffragettes With Lucy Worsley. In fact, the only online chatter drowning out Killing Eve's impressive board sweep was outrage over the fact that Lisa McGee's critically lauded Derry Girls went home empty-handed. Both Derry Girls and Killing Eve turned the archaic tradition of 'comedy by women, for women' on its head. Both men and women eagerly lapped up both female-led projects and lauded the acute writing, slick production and, in the case of the former, its feelgood vibes. Channel 4 has revealed that Derry Girls has been its most successful comedy production in well over a decade. And Waller-Bridge can do little wrong at the moment: such is the esteem that the movie industry is holding her in that she's recently been tasked with sharpening the forthcoming James Bond script. One online gossip titbit recently noted how Waller-Bridge was on a flight with her boyfriend, the writer-director Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri). Fellow passengers allegedly inundated her with requests for selfies and autographs, while McDonagh enjoyed his flight largely unbothered and unrecognised. Closer to home, Irish comedy has seen a heartening influx of potent female voices of late. Video of the Day Sharon Horgan has hit critical pay-dirt with Catastrophe and Women On The Verge, while RTE enjoyed success with Amy Huberman's Finding Joy, Stefanie Preissner's Can't Cope, Won't Cope, and Alison Spittle's Nowhere Fast. It's a notable success for one big reason: comedy has long been seen as a rather blokey domain. And if you asked the wrong person, girls simply weren't funny. Back in 2007, Christopher Hitchens wrote an incendiary article in Vanity Fair entitled 'Why Women Aren't Funny'. Hitchens attempted to address the question via the appliance of science: "Why are men, taken on average and as a whole, funnier than women? Well, for one thing, they had damn well better be. "The chief task in life that a man has to perform is that of impressing the opposite sex, and Mother Nature (as we laughingly call her) is not so kind to men. "In fact, she equips many fellows with very little armament for the struggle. An average man has just one, outside chance: he had better be able to make the lady laugh." Some years ago, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt was slated for saying of his co-star Emily Blunt: "She's funny and let's face it, most pretty girls aren't funny." (To be fair to him, he apologised profusely later on). Days later, Irish actor Chris O'Dowd waded into the fray: "I think there's something in the fact that it's hard to be good looking and funny. You have to have an oddball quality; people have to empathise with you to find you funny." (Hmmm yes, try saying that about the classically stunning Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Yet with women taking centre stage in film and TV, it's a retrograde mindset that's finally ebbing away. It's not just in comedy, either, that women are finally taking a more significant seat at the table. The production of Virgin Media One's drama-thriller Blood, starring Adrian Dunbar and Carolina Main, was notable for its largely female production crew. In what was seen as a departure from the norm, many of the heads of department on Blood were female. Among them were writer Sophie Pezal, producer Ingrid Goodwin, directors Lisa Mulcahy and Hannah Quinn, editor Isobel Stephenson and director of photography Kate McCullough. The post-#MeToo climate, says Goodwin, has affected opportunities for women in the film and TV industry for the better. "It's certainly become very popular to hire women, in a 'let's get a female director, because of the moment'," she is quoted as saying. "I've heard some people say, 'A few people I know have hired me because I'm a girl'." Certainly, other elements are afoot that have encouraged women to move closer to centre stage. Waking The Feminists may have highlighted gender disparities within Irish theatre, but it's thought that many other sectors have been beneficiaries of the dialogue. Additionally, Screen Ireland have announced a number of new funding initiatives for female writers and directors; one of which, Blood's two directors Lisa Mulcahy and Hannah Quinn have benefited from. It's a measure specifically targeted at incentivising female writers, directors and producers, in order to directly increase female representation in the Irish film, television and animation industry. But even those who are the leading lights of this new wave concede that female writers and performers still have a ways to go yet: "TV hasn't quite caught up just yet - I think there needs to be a lot more content and choice," Derry Girls' creator McGee is quoted as saying. "We've picked out some examples but, if we were to talk about male-led shows, we could be here all day. That's the point that we need to get to, where there's lots of examples." She adds: "Everyone's now saying that it's a problem that there are no female writers, there's not enough female leads, and there's not enough female comedy. Eventually, people are going to have to put their money where their mouth is to challenge this." Drivers at Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus claim they have been forced to urinate in bottles and beg to use the toilet in supermarkets because of a lack of facilities. One of the main transport unions has written to the semi-State companies complaining that it has been fielding questions from members on the issue for months. The National Bus and Railworkers Union (NBRU) claimed there are no facilities at terminals on some routes. It said they include the 39 and 39a in Ongar in west Dublin, the 54a route in Kiltipper, the 31 at Howth Summit, number 16 Ballinteer route, 121 Ashtown route and 25 between Merrion Square and Lucan. The union said toilets were needed in Clane on the Bus Eireann route to Dublin, and at Dunshaughlin. In a letter to the chief executives of the CIE bus companies and National Transport Authority, general secretary of the NBRU Dermot O'Leary said health and safety regulations obliged the companies to provide adequate facilities for employees. He said disrupting transport services because of a basic human need was untenable and demanded a timeframe for building temporary toilets, which could be followed by permanent lavatory facilities. "Despite numerous attempts by the National Bus and Railworkers Union to arrive at satisfactory arrangements through a host of industrial relations meetings (tinkering around the edges is not a solution), both bus companies have to date failed to put adequate arrangements or protocols in place that would protect our members and ensure compliance with the minimum legislative requirements," said the letter sent this month. "This basic entitlement has been denied to bus drivers for far too long. It is of course a consequence of the questionable planning process/system in this country over decades." The union is issuing thousands of leaflets across Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann services explaining the plight of bus drivers this week. "We have explained to commuters how extreme measures sometimes have to be undertaken, how drivers have to improvise, begging at the local supermarket or petrol station to use a toilet or worse, peeing in a bottle, is not how wash and sanitary facilities should be provided in this day and age," said Mr O'Leary. A spokesperson for Dublin Bus said discussions about toilet facilities were ongoing. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged more efforts to enhance employment services and boost entrepreneurship to add more jobs. Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a written instruction to a video and telephone conference on national employment and entrepreneurship work on Monday. Supporting employment and entrepreneurship, especially for college graduates, is an important guarantee for achieving sustainable and healthy development of the economy, improvement in people's livelihood, as well as social stability, Li said. Noting that the country faces employment pressure this year as the number of college graduates is set to hit a new high, Li said the country will implement the "employment first" policy, put stable employment in a more prominent position, and ensure that the employment target for the year is met. The country should enhance employment services and take targeted measures to assist college graduates, veterans, and migrant rural workers in finding jobs, Li said. China will also push entrepreneurship to develop new industries in a bid to create more jobs, Li stressed. Sun Chunlan and Hu Chunhua, both vice premiers and members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the conference and made remarks. Murdered: Niall, Ryan, Liam and Clodagh Hawe on holiday together. Ms Hawe and her children were killed by husband and father Alan Hawe in August 2016 A major overhaul of how the State deals with cases of familicide is to begin as a result of the outcry over the murder of Clodagh Hawe and her children, the Irish Independent can reveal. Ministers will today agree to appoint a legal expert to review how families affected by a murder involving a close relative are handled. The move is an acknowledgement that State agencies have failed families in the past, and will be a first step on the way to providing a lasting legacy for Ms Hawe. The Cavan woman suffered a horrific death alongside her children - Liam (14), Niall (11), and six-year-old Ryan - at the hands of her husband, Alan Hawe, in August 2016. It is understood Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan will bring a memo to Cabinet seeking approval to commission an independent specialist to carry out research in the area. It will focus on two areas: The provision of supports to families who are victims of familicide; And the application of domestic homicide reviews to Ireland. The study will involve consultation with a range of stakeholders including State agencies, family members of victims and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The development comes after Ms Hawe's mother, Mary Coll, and sister, Jacqueline Connolly, publicly appealed for changes. The author of the new study will be expected to assess the adequacy and suitability of current policies, protocols, procedures and practices of State services in supporting close family members of those who die in familicides. They will then make a series of recommendations. They will also look at international best practice in respect of domestic homicide reviews in order to establish how they could work in this country. It is expected that the in-depth analysis will take 12 months to complete. The development comes after Ms Hawe's mother, Mary Coll, and sister, Jacqueline Connolly, publicly appealed for changes. During a private meeting earlier this year, they told Mr Flanagan: "We were the ones made to feel like criminals; the investigation officers said we were reading too much about the case in the papers and constantly asking questions." In order to force change, Ms Connolly previously spoke candidly about the trauma on RTE's 'Claire Byrne Live' programme and wrote an extensive article in the 'Sunday Independent'. "There was no initial support," Ms Connolly recalled of the horrific incident. "I remember the Monday myself and mam trying to contact people and there was nobody there. There was no initial person with us on the day to say, you know, this has happened and take time or anything like that," she said. A Government source told the Irish Independent that the Justice Minister "is very aware of the devastating effects" a case like this can have on those left behind and the wider community. "He is understood to want to ensure that clear protocols and guidelines are in place so that the State can provide all supports possible - and do so in a co-ordinated and timely manner," the source said. Media The review to be set up by Mr Flanagan is also likely to examine the role of the media in reporting on familicide cases, as well as considering how social media deals with such events. Ms Hawe's family said that, ultimately, they had learned much of the gruesome detail about the murders through the media. Ms Connolly has told how "online keyboard warriors" attacked the family after they initially allowed Alan Hawe to be buried beside his victims. "In the stupor of our grieving, literally within hours of trying to come to terms with our loss, without thinking, we agreed to all the family being buried together. "It was only on our first visit to the graves, the day after the interment, that we became aware of how wrong it was that the murderer was buried with his victims. "We felt we couldn't 'talk' to Clodagh because 'he' was there," Ms Connolly wrote. The analysis being commissioned by the Government is also expected to result in domestic homicide reviews becoming common practice in Ireland. The National Women's Council of Ireland and Women's Aid first called for a review of domestic homicides in 2016. Such reviews have taken place on a statutory basis in England and Wales since 2011. They involve a multi-agency assessment of the circumstances which led to the murder of a person by a close relative. A source said Mr Flanagan had already engaged with NGOs on how to implement a regime of reviews, but has concluded that the UK model cannot be directly transposed to Ireland. "It would need to be tailored for this jurisdiction," said one source familiar with the matter. "The study he is commissioning therefore is expected to define international best practice and how these reviews might apply in Ireland," the source said. Depending on the circumstances, a multi-agency approach would involve the HSE, Tusla and local authorities, as opposed to just the Garda team involved. SCHOOLGIRL Ana Kriegel was struck several times with a weapon as she lay on the floor in the room where her body was found, a blood spatter expert has told a trial. The blood spatter patterns near the doorway in the room also indicated her head was in contact with the wall when she was struck, John Hoade, an expert in blood pattern analysis with Forensic Science Ireland, said in his evidence. He also said blood spatter patterns indicated that Ana was assaulted when she was upright at the back of the room. Mr Hoade told the Central Criminal Court trial of two 14-year-old boys accused of murdering Ana that he visited Glenwood House in Lucan on May 18 and May 20, 2018. The two youths, aged 13 at the time, have pleaded not guilty before the Central Criminal Court to murdering Ana Kriegel (14) at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road in Lucan on May 14 last year. One of the accused, Boy A, has also denied a charge of aggravated sexual assault. It is the prosecution's case that Boy B "lured" Ana to the derelict farmhouse and then watched as the other boy sexually assaulted and murdered her. Mr Hoade said he was aware that Ana's body had been found on May 17. He had been told she had been assaulted and there was a laceration to her head that had bled. The jury heard that Ana "bled from her injuries" and Mr Hoade agreed with prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that there was "quite an amount of blood". Mr Hoade said swabs were taken from the blood samples on the wall and floor and the DNA profile of the blood matched the DNA profile taken from Ana during the post-mortem. Mr Hoade said that when he attended the scene on May 18, he noted a number of types of blood staining, including saturation blood staining, impact pattern staining, cast-off pattern staining and swipe staining. He pointed out seven areas of blood staining in the room on a 3D reconstruction of the crime scene to the jury. Mr Hoade said that impact spatter on the wall and saturation staining on the carpet would indicate that Ana was "struck several times with a weapon" in this location. This staining was in the corner on the left side when you entered the room, Mr Hoade told Mr Grehan. Saturation blood staining on the carpet would also indicate that Ana lay in that position for some time after she was assaulted, though Mr Hoade said he could not say how long she had lain in that area. Mr Hoade said that Ana's body had subsequently moved or been moved to the back of the room, where her body was found. He added that the carpet in this area near the door had been "saturated with blood". Blood spatter patterns on the wall just above the skirting board also indicated that Ana's head was "in contact with the wall when she was struck", Mr Hoade said. He also said there were patterns showing blood staining resulting from an object striking liquid blood as well as cast-off patterns showing blood, which was flung from a weapon. Mr Hoade said that blood patterns on the wall at the back of the room were higher than the skirting board. These indicated Ana had been assaulted when she was upright at the back of the room. A "swipe pattern" on the skirting board indicated that Ana had contact with this area while bleeding or an item wet with her blood had been in contact with it, he said. Mr Hoade said that he examined a white stick and a concrete block found in the corner of the room. These items were in situ when he examined the scene, which was a visual examination. Earlier, Detective Garda Gabriel Newton gave evidence of collecting the clothing which Boy A and Boy B were wearing on the day Ana went missing. Det Gda Newton, who was investigating an alleged assault on Boy A at the time, called to his home at 7pm on May 16, 2018. She said she told Boy A's parents that any evidence on the boy's clothes could be helpful if the culprits were found. The jury was shown the items given to Det Gda Newton by Boy A and his parents, namely a black hoodie top, white t-shirt, black boots and grey/black bottoms as well as a mobile phone. Det Gda Newton said Boy A's mother told her she had washed the clothes twice. The jury was told that Det Gda Newton called to Boy B's home on May 17, 2018. Boy B was in the kitchen when his mother handed over his clothes, the court heard. These clothes, consisting of a pair of blue runners, a grey hoodie, black bottoms and a white polo t-shirt with a navy collar, were also shown to the jury. Det Gda Newton said she then handed the two boys clothes to the exhibits officer in the case. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. A former property investor who stole deposits from would-be tenants, including one woman who found herself and her daughter (8) homeless as a result of his fraud, has dropped an appeal against the severity of his sentence at the last minute. Jonathan Chubb (38) of Keeper Road, Drimnagh, in Dublin pleaded guilty to 34 counts of theft and one count of money laundering between March 2013 and July 2015. He also pleaded guilty to providing a false reference, deception and possession of a forged driving licence. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Chubb - brother of Kinahan cartel enforcer Gareth Chubb - stole deposits from 11 people who believed he was the landlord of an apartment for rent at Oblate View, Tyrconnell Road, in Dublin. Garda Nathan McKenna told prosecuting lawyers that people had arrived at the address expecting to move into the property but found maybe fifteen people who had turned up to do the same thing. Gda McKenna said one woman, with no family or support in Dublin, found herself and her eight-year-old daughter homeless as a result of Chubb's fraud. He netted almost 50,000 from the series of thefts and fraudulent schemes and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Karen OConnor on June 1, 2018. Judge O'Connor said Chubb's offending was extremely premeditated in nature, involving multiple victims over a long period of time. She said it was particularly disturbing that he was aware that one woman he took a rental deposit from was living in a woman's refuge, yet he stole her money anyway, after having spoken to her social worker. Chubb was due to appeal the severity of his sentence today. However, before the case came on for hearing, President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham told Chubbs lawyers that their client should be made aware of the courts full range of powers, namely, the power to increase sentences as well as reduce them. Mr Justice Birmingham said the case appeared to be singular because of the very vulnerable nature of the victims in a housing emergency. After a few moments, Chubbs barrister, James Dwyer SC, said his client wished to withdraw the appeal. Dressed in a navy tracksuit, Chubb himself confirmed to the court yeah, thats right. Read More Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, said Chubb had been very well advised. He has 27 previous convictions including 12 for theft and fraud offences and 16 for road traffic offences. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that one of Chubbs victims suspected something was wrong after handing over a 900 deposit to Chubb, so she phoned him and asked for her money back. After he reassured her, she apologised for doubting him, gave him another 2000 and a box of chocolates by way of apology, the court heard. Another of Chubb's victims told gardai the defendant had handed him a key to the apartment and told him the property needed a few repairs and said he could move in the following week. This man took a photo of Chubb, who was using the alias Darren Hartigan, and later gave it to gardai. Jonathan Chubb's younger brother, Gareth Chubb (32), is a well-known Dublin criminal who as strong ties to the Kinahan cartel. Although Jonathan is not involved in organised crime, his sibling has been a long-term target for gardai investigating the international crime gangs activities in the inner-city. In 2017, Gareth Chubb was cleared by a Dutch court of the attempted manslaughter of a drug dealer who tried to sell him baking soda instead of cocaine. However, he was jailed for six months for possession of a loaded gun he pulled out at an Amsterdam cafe during the terrifying incident. Gareth Chubb, a convicted drug dealer, has been targeted by a number of local and national garda units including the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). Aidan Deering said 'Conor McGregor got one with his face on it and he loved it' Conor McGregor is off the hook for allegedly smashing a fan's phone outside a hotel in Florida, after the complainant stopped co-operating with prosecutors. The MMA fighter was arrested on March 11 and charged with two felonies after allegedly "stomping" on the mobile phone outside the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. Mr McGregor last month pleaded not guilty to charges of "robbery by sudden snatching" and criminal mischief. But prosecutors in the Florida city have dropped charges against the fighter - because the state believed it could no longer prove them. Court documents say the prosecutor made several attempts to contact British complainant Ahmed Abdirzak "without much luck". It is understood that Mr Abdirzak has returned to England and "will no longer be participating in the prosecution of Mr McGregor". The 'Miami Herald' reported Mr Abdirzak also dropped his civil lawsuit against Mr McGregor after reaching a settlement. According to court documents, Mr Abdirzak's attorney told the prosecutor that his client "has been made whole" by Mr McGregor. The memorandum continues: "Mr Abdirzak has had some time to reflect on his encounter with Mr McGregor ... he no longer believes Mr McGregor sought to injure or damage him or his property or permanently or temporarily deprive him of his property". According to the lawsuit, Mr Abdirzak and other fans were videoing Mr McGregor when the fighter allegedly slapped the phone out of Mr Abdirzak's hand, repeatedly stamped on it and walked off with it. The charges were formally dropped at a hearing in Miami yesterday. Prosecutor Khalil Madani said: "The victim of the crime does not wish to return to the United States and prosecute this case." Mr McGregor did not appear in court for the hearing. The court documents further outline that "even if the state were able to produce Mr Abdirzak at trial, he has credibility issues as he's changed his previously sworn testimony". Two candidates in this month's European Parliament elections are seeking High Court orders allowing them to participate in an RTE television live debate. The actions have been brought by two independent candidates Ben Gilroy and Eamonn Murphy, who are running in the Dublin Constituency. Both say they will not be included on a live debate due to be broadcast by RTE on May 20, four days before the ballot. Both seek various orders and declarations form the court that would allow them to participate in the live debate. Mr Gilroy initiated his action late last week, whereas Mr Murphy came to court on Tuesday and informed Mr Justice Leonie Reynolds that he wished to make a similar application to Mr Gilroy's. At the High Court this morning Niamh Hyland SC for RTE, which opposes the two actions, said it is her client's case that Mr Gilroy's case was not properly constituted. Counsel said RTE only became aware of the action brought by Mr Murphy on Tuesday morning. Counsel said that Mr Murphy's case it differed from Mr Gilroy's as Mr Murphy was also contesting its decision not to show a one minute video that he furnished to RTE concerning his campaign. Videos of a similar length from all the other candidates seeking election to the European Parliament are being shown by RTE. However, Mr Murphy's video was deemed to be in breach of the Broadcasting Act and the BAI's code of conduct by RTE, which informed him of its decision. Mr Murphy told the court that he intends to challenge that decision by RTE. Ms Justice Reynolds, who noted that an issue in the cases could be that the actions should be brought by way of judicial review, adjourned Mr Gilroy's case to 2pm on Tuesday when it will be heard by Mr Justice Senan Allen. As separate issues seemed to be raised in Mr Murphy's intended action the judge said it should be adjourned until Wednesday morning. Medical scientists working in labs performing cervical screening for CervicalCheck said they were concerned about aspects of the High Court judgment in the Ruth Morrissey case. Following on from similar statements from other groups, they said they were worried about the standard of "absolute confidence" outlined in the ruling of Judge Kevin Cross. The ISO 15189 standard, to which the Irish laboratories are accredited, accepts the concept of uncertainty of measurement. This does not dictate a standard of "absolute confidence" in reporting, they said. Ms Morrissey (37), who has terminal cervical cancer after getting an 'incorrectly reported smear test', was awarded 2.1m in damages. The medical scientists' professional body, the Academy of Clinical Science and Laboratory Medicine, said cervical screening and indeed other screening programmes are bringing significant healthcare benefits to the Irish population and their continuance must be supported. "Medical scientists providing this service use their considerable professional skill and judgment in examining the slides presented," it said. "The quality assurance standards in Ireland include the review of each slide by more than one reviewer. "The ISO 15189 standard, to which the Irish laboratories are accredited, accepts the concept of uncertainty of measurement. This does not dictate a standard of 'absolute confidence' in reporting. "The recent High Court judgment requires clarification and consideration of its impact on this screening programme and all the clinical diagnostic services we provide." Judge Cross said lab staff should apply "absolute confidence" before passing a woman's slide as normal. He said if there is any doubt they should recommend the woman for more investigation. Doctors claim this will lead to more women undergoing unnecessary tests and treatments. Quest, one of the laboratories sued by Ms Morrissey, has lodged an appeal against the judgment. The other lab which was sued, Medlab, may also appeal. The HSE also wants the State to lodge an appeal. Health Minister Simon Harris said he will await the decision of the attorney general, who is examining the judgment. Judge Cross has described some of the public commentary on his judgment as "hysterical". Meanwhile, the ex-gratia scheme to compensate women and bereaved families for non-disclosure of audits of tests is to get under way, but it could be up to six months before some payouts are made. Letters of invitation have been issued. Each person will get the same payout. In the case of Ms Morrissey, the High Court awarded 10,000 for this breach. The temporary modular mortuary providing extra refrigerated space for the deceased who need to be accommodated at University Hospital Waterford is now operational. It will mean the number of refrigerated spaces available to pathologists has risen from six to 13. The temporary solution follows the concerns of four pathologists who revealed that conditions in the hospital mortuary were so bad that bodies had to be placed on trolleys in the corridor, leaving some to leak and forcing a closed coffin funeral. Families were distressed and three have come forward with complaints since the disclosures. A spokeswoman for the hospital said the modular building has been on site since Friday, but she declined to say how much it costs. Capital approval has also been received to proceed to tender with the replacement of the mortuary and post-mortem facilities. "As stated in previous communications, it is expected that this development will be completed within approximately two years," she added. The approved total project capital budget is 5.67m. This includes estimated costs for design, construction, equipping, and VAT. Health Minister Simon Harris has said there will be a review of the issues of concern around the mortuary and terms of reference will be drawn up. Meanwhile, Portlaoise Hospital has been awarded an Irish Hospice Foundation and HSE Design and Dignity grant to further develop end-of-life and bereavement care. The HSE said that hospitals can be "very unhospitable places for newly bereaved people and families. Hospital teams have so far created relaxing, spacious family rooms within busy acute wards, upgraded mortuaries into welcoming, respectful environments and redesigned viewing rooms." Lonely elderly people are ordering from catalogues just so they can have a conversation with the postman. But one school is tackling community isolation in an innovative new programme that brings together pupils and older people. Eureka Secondary School in Kells, Co Meath, is calling on the Department of Education to roll out its social inclusion 'Never Home Alone' programme to all schools nationwide. "Loneliness is one of the most unrecognised health crises of modern times," said student project manager Nora Barry. "We have more opportunities to connect to one another through technology than ever before. However, in this - the most interconnected period in history - people are lonelier than ever. "All medical and scientific research shows that loneliness is as fatal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, making it more dangerous than obesity. "One woman told us the heartbreaking story of how she sits by her window hoping someone will come knocking on the door for a chat and she looks through catalogues to order stuff so she could talk to the postman. It's terrible to think that this is happening in 2019 in Ireland." Over eight weeks in Kells, transition year students concentrated on various activities which helped connect the generations and address the issue of loneliness and associated mental health problems. Students and older people engaged in a mix of activities such as dancing, bowls, arts and crafts, music bingo, cooking and even karaoke. "For me, it's the best part of my life," said 80-year-old wheelchair-bound Michael O'Connell. "I worked hard all my life and I lost my wife nearly 20 years ago. I'm meeting all these young people now and I don't feel anything during the day, but young. "I know other elderly people and I know it can be hard. When you get stuck in that mindset, it's hard to get out of it again and this programme allows you to feel appreciated, feel a sense of belonging and to feel alive again." Teacher Stephen McKee is urging the Government to push the project nationwide in a bid to curb social exclusion and encourage friendship between the generations. "All too often, you hear the elderly giving out about the youth or the youth disrespecting the elderly," he said. "Both generations have so much to offer each other and it's so important skills are shared and a joint appreciation built. "We all have a responsibility to help the vulnerable." Gardai are investigating a serious assault which left a man hospitalised with stab wounds to his face. The victim, aged in his 40s, was attacked by a number of people on the Main Street, Leixlip, Co Kildare shortly after midnight last night. He was stabbed in the face and was rushed to a Dublin hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The serious assault is being investigated by gardai at Leixlip and no arrests have yet been made. A spokesman said: "Gardai are investigating a serious assault that occurred on Main St, Leixlip Co Kildare on the 14th May 2019 shortly after midnight. "A man in his 40s was allegedly assaulted by a number of other persons. The injured party received apparent stab wounds to his face and was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital. "No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing." The number of people covered by work-related injury insurance reached 239 million in China by the end of last year, including more than 80 million migrant rural workers, a senior official announced Monday. The insurance has ensured the work-related injury treatment of more than 400,000 workers with occupational diseases from 2014 to 2018, said Zheng Xuanbo, director of the work-related injury insurance bureau under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, at a press briefing. All their related medical expenses were fully reimbursed, which has effectively reduced their financial burden, according to Zheng. Communications Minister Richard Bruton has denied the 5bn roll-out of rural broadband is "a leap of faith" and insisted that the company in line to get the contract will be "on the hook" for injecting extra cash if it's needed. Mr Bruton today faces a grilling by TDs and senators about the National Broadband Plan (NBP), which has been beset by delays and difficulties. The Government has been under-fire after it emerged that the preferred bidder, Granahan McCourt, is putting only around 200m up-front towards the cost of the project. That compares to a maximum of 2.97bn to be invested by the State over 25 years, including 545m for contingency funding if issues arise. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has continued to apply pressure to Fianna Fail to back a Dail motion to appoint the ESB to carry out the broadband project. Mr Bruton responded to criticism of how the NBP has been handled, insisting "this isn't a leap of faith", and adding that broadband would be "crucial to participation in Irish society in the years ahead". He said he was happy to come before the Oireachtas Communications Committee today and go through all of the alternative options that the Government considered for the broadband roll-out. He argued that the model chosen was the "most cost-effective" and would deliver broadband as quickly as possible. Mr Bruton refused to comment on reports that the preferred bidder company, Granahan McCourt's National Broadband Ireland, would contribute just 200m up-front. He said the bidder would have responsibility for 2.4bn of the total cost of the project. Mr Bruton also said part of the State's cost was the 545m contingency which would not be called on "unless absolutely necessary". He said the private company had a responsibility under the contract to provide initial equity and working capital. He added: "Should there be any risks encountered if they find that the projections aren't fulfilled, they're entirely on the hook for injecting new equity or new cash into the business to sustain it." Mr Bruton said that the State's exposure was "absolutely capped" and the company was carrying the risk "if, as some people are predicting, it will be very difficult to persuade people to take this service up". He said it was "not a risk-free project" and the Government wanted "a system that will stand on its own two feet at the end". Both Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have argued that the ESB should have been used for the roll-out of high-speed internet to rural areas. However, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the other Opposition party of "aiding and abetting" the Government in what she claimed was the NBP "shambles". She called on Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin to support her party's motion on bringing in the ESB to carry out the project. She said her challenge to him was "put up or shut up" on the issue if he was "serious about protecting rural Ireland". Mr Bruton said the Government did consider the ESB option and pointed out it had been part of the original tender competition before dropping out. He said bringing in the ESB would mean a new procurement process that could take two or three years and could end up being as costly if not more expensive than the current proposal. He maintained the Government's plan was the best option. Fine Gael has risked re-igniting a turf war in its Euro MEP campaign by taking two counties from top vote-getter, Mairead McGuinness, and giving sole campaign rights in them to challenger, Maria Walsh. The pair have already clashed over campaign tactics with Ms Walsh, who won the 2014 Rose of Tralee, pointing out that she is also a crack shot in the Reserve Defence Forces and will not be pushed over in any canvass turf battle. Mairead McGuinness is widely tipped to top the poll in four-seat Midlands-North-West. Newcomer Maria Walsh is also polling well and may be in the hunt for the fourth and final seat but party strategists believe everything depends on vote management. Mairead McGuinness, arguably Irelands best known MEP locally, nationally and internationally, has not responded to the news given her by email from Fine Gael HQ, that she is to cede two counties east of the River Shannon - Longford and Westmeath - to her rival. Both counties have a share of Dublin commuters who are believed to be more liable to back Ms Walsh. Under a diktat issued by Fine Gael headquarters, at the start of the canvass five weeks ago, Ms McGuinness and her team were to canvass in the seven counties east of the Shannon in the sprawling 13-seat constituency. Ms McGuinness was to campaign in Louth, Meath, Kildare, Longford, Westmeath, Cavan and Monaghan. Ms Walsh was to focus on Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal. But a fortnight ago, Ms Walsh complained that Mairead McGuinness was active on her side of the constituency even before the campaign formally kicked off. The former Rose of Tralee, who was the first openly gay woman to win the title, said this was intolerable. At the launch of the Fine Gael nationwide Euro campaign 10 days ago both candidates made light of the spat dubbed by some in the media as guns and roses and said their effort was to win two seats for the party. An Ipsos-MRBI poll for the Irish Times last week put Mairead McGuinness on 26pc with Ms Walsh placed fourth with 11pc. But she was closely followed by Fianna Fails Brendan Smith and Independent Peter Casey and all three could be in a battle royal for the final place. Transition year students from Monaghan are calling on the Government to reunite a fellow student with her family that are trapped in Syria. A petition, started by the Clones teenagers, has been signed by more than 1,700 people. The students were touched by the story of fellow pupil Lilav Mohamed whose 19-year old sister Jihan, brother-in-law and their infant children remain in Syria living in constant fear of their lives. The class had started a general initiative to raise awareness for the situation and struggles of refugees that included a self-developed app, a book launch, several board games and a 5k obstacle walk, before they heard of Lilav's story. They then intensified their efforts in order to help their friend, whose family is still living just outside of Aleppo. The woman, her husband and their children of 18 and 5 months are living in fear of war and violence. "Syria is not a safe place for my two beautiful nieces to grow up. My sister and her young family do not deserve to suffer like this. Jihan and her family would like to leave Syria and move to Ireland to be close to us," said Lilav. Her fellow students were touched by her story and the situation in Syria. Fellow student Caitlin Connolly said that learning about Lilavs situation lead to a new understanding and that it became much more relatable than just hearing about it on the news or reading about it on the internet. Another classmate, Grainne McFadden, said; "It was very upsetting to hear her story but it also gave us more motivation to reunite her with her family and to raise awareness for the situation of refugees around the world." "Refugees dont have a choice in this situation. But we have the choice to do something and help," classmate Ruth Madden added. The students were joined in their efforts by Senator Colette Kelleher who recently proposed the International Protection (Family Reunification) Bill that would make it easier to reunite refugee families. The Bill, that the senator calls "a small bill with a potentially huge positive impact", was passed by the Seanad but has yet to pass the Dail. "This bill is supposed to give extended families, like the one of Lilav, a chance to apply in a reasonable time frame for the right to come to Ireland. Its tragic that families are getting separated like this and we hope that this initiative will put pressure on the Government," Senator Kelleher said. A sister of a man who died while climbing Carrauntoohil in Co Kerry last weekend has paid tribute to the "hero" father of three. Miriam Duffy said her family were trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of her brother Ger Duffy (59) last Saturday. Mr Duffy, a native of St Joseph Street, Limerick city, and who was living in Clonlara, Co Clare, died after falling on the mountain. An experienced mountain climber, Mr Duffy had been accompanied by a male friend at the time, explained his sister. "We believe he was making his way up the mountain, and as he gripped something it crumbled in his hand and he fell," Ms Duffy added. Mr Duffy's body was later taken to his home in Clonlara where he will be waked today. "He was such a kind guy and he would have helped anybody that ever needed it," said Ms Duffy. "He was only in Cambodia a few weeks ago, on a motorbike tour, and he was up a mountain in Wales a few weeks before that. He loved the outdoors life, he was very fit, and he lived his life to the fullest. "He was the best brother you could ever wish for. His wife Carmel and his children - Siobhan (24), Aisling (22), and Gavin (18), who were his pride and joy - idolised him." Mr Duffy "delivered" his daughter Aisling as he and his wife were making their way to Limerick's maternity hospital. "As they were crossing Thomond Bridge there was a shout from Carmel to 'stop the car'. Ger delivered Aisling himself there on the bridge. He certainly was a hero, in every sense of the word," she added. Premium Ian O'Doherty Opinion I was never a fan of the traditional office party but now I find myself mourning its demise Whats your idea of the perfect job? Well, lets be honest, for most of us the answer is simple one that pays the most money for the least amount of effort. But thats a rather short answer which would have made the latest research paper on workers attitudes a very brief one indeed. Detailing the Midlands North West constituency: This is a monster constituency going from Athy in south Co Kildare to Malin Head in Co Donegal, and from Clifden in Co Galway to the Cooley Mountains in Co Louth. It covers half the nation's territory, spanning the five Connacht counties, the three Ulster counties in the Republic, and the mid and north Leinster counties of Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Longford and Louth. BIG NAMES: In such a diverse constituency, name recognition is vital. The harsh reality is that many of the 17 contenders are unknown, and will remain so after the count on May 25. Last time in 2014, Independent Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, also a former TD, topped the poll with 124,000 votes. He has a huge social media presence and is the best-known candidate. Critics say contact with his base has weakened but he still should win. Flanagan supporters will not be pleased by the candidature of Donegal-based Independent Peter Casey. The idiosyncratic businessman won almost one in four votes in the October 2018 presidential election and is a consummate self-publicist. Rivals say he got "a protest vote" last time and did not have to reckon with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail candidates in the field. But Casey is one to watch. All contestants will benefit from the retirement of Independent Marian Harkin of Sligo, who served with distinction for 15 years. The key Independent contenders will be especially pleased by her withdrawal. FINE GAEL: Similarly, Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness has huge recognition in the constituency, nationally and internationally, having been a very effective advocate for Ireland on Brexit. Opinion polls predict she will head the vote and win for a fourth time. Her party running-mate is 2014 Rose of Tralee and Army reserve crackshot Maria Walsh, who is showing well in polls. The pair had a celebrated public spat over canvassing territory and it is likely McGuinnness's huge personal vote will not transfer enough for Walsh to win a second seat for the party. SINN FEIN: Outgoing MEP Matt Carthy, based in Monaghan, has impressed and worked hard on farm, Border and Brexit issues. But rivals say he is more interested in succeeding Caoimhghin O Caolain as Cavan-Monaghan TD. He has already been nominated by the party for that position when the next general election comes around. But he should hang in for this one. FIANNA FAIL: Last time out, a poor strategic divide meant Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher lost here. But the party is again running two candidates, Cavan-based former agriculture minister Brendan Smith, and Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte. A recent opinion poll put Smith ahead of Rabbitte and again there are tensions about canvass divides. There is a fear that once again the two candidates could end up dragging each other down. But there is a strong conviction that there is a Fianna Fail seat, most probably for Brendan Smith. Constituency profile - Midlands North West: The candidates Cyril Brennan (People Before Profit); Matt Carthy (Sinn Fein); Peter Casey (Independent); Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (Independent); Patrick Greene (Direct Democracy Ireland); Dominic Hannigan (Labour); Fidelma Healy Eames (Independent); Dilip Malahatra (Independent); Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael); Saoirse McHugh (Green Party); James Miller (Independent); Diarmaid Mulcahy (Independent); Olive O'Connor (Independent); Michael O'Dowd (Renua Ireland); Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail); Brendan Smith (Fianna Fail); Maria Walsh (Fine Gael). PREDICTION: Mairead McGuinness of Fine Gael will head the poll. Matt Carthy (Sinn Fein) and Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (Independent) look set fair. The fourth seat will be a big battle between Fianna Fail, most likely Brendan Smith, and Independent Peter Casey. There has been a surge in complaints about election posters in recent weeks. Tidy Town committees have sought to ban them while several councils have debated motions intended to limit their use or prohibit them outright. These proposals might seem fairly benign and irrelevant but actually they are intolerant and show disregard for the value of Ireland's old and vibrant democracy. They also reflect an ill-informed and misguided view that voters have many sources of political information and posters can be easily replaced. This is just not true. There is a legitimate discussion to be had about the environmental costs of posters. They are single-use plastics and although many are recycled by candidates for financial reasons, as much as for environmental concerns, there are alternative materials that could be used and the Green Party has come forward with proposals on European-style election hoardings where all candidates could display their posters on large platforms provided by the election authority. But the Green Party is largely alone in its constructive contributions. For many more, it is a chorus of anti-politics sentiment. Canvassing teams from all parties will be able to attest to notices on front doors that request election literature not be put through the letterbox. And, there are even a few signs which go further and explicitly threaten that if canvassers disturb the household by knocking on their door, they will certainly not vote for the party which causes the disruption. These citizens are free loaders. They absorb the benefits of living in one of the world's oldest and most peaceful states, they enjoy the political freedom which entitles them to put up these petulant notices, but they do not seem inclined to share any of the obligations which come with democratic citizenship. We do not obligate citizens to vote at elections in Ireland as they do in other countries because we value individual freedoms and think it important that citizens make their own political decisions. But we must provide more voter education which outlines the value of democracy. Freedom House is a global organisation which measures the level of democracy in the world. Earlier this year, it produced its annual report which showed that 2018 was the 13th consecutive year in which global freedom had declined. Democracy is a precious commodity. It is not free or inevitable. Posters and election literature play an important role at elections. For new candidates or parties, they are one of the few ways they have of alerting voters that they are contesting the election. New candidates will often have limited resources and cannot afford ads in newspapers. Advertising on radio and television is prohibited even if the candidates had the funds. Posters also provide information on which election is taking place, and when, and sometimes posters can give policy information. Policy positions are often clearly communicated at referendums where some of the main messages of the Yes and No sides get displayed. It is true that much of this information is available in other places, but posters are displayed in public and that is their great strength. The content and style of posters are seen by everyone. Any information on them can be contested by other candidates or parties. This is not true of material that appears on social media which is often suggested as an alternative. Social media ads can be tailored to the people who receive them and these ads are consumed in private spaces, on mobile phones or tablets. The other electoral contenders may not see the content and can find it difficult to rebuff it. This is how false information can spread online. Governments across Europe are developing plans to regulate and possibly even prohibit this type of advertising. A further complication of substituting online sources for posters is that improvements in data protection and regulation mean that it is more difficult to 'push' material at users if they have not signed up for it. Voters who are not that interested in politics might not be signed up for any political notifications. Posters might not be the most visually appealing sight but they are particularly important for informing voters who may not be very interested in politics but who value their vote, that an election is taking place. More than 10pc of respondents to the RTE exit poll at the abortion referendum reported that they found posters useful. We also have research which shows that at referendums which have had few posters and low levels of canvassing, voters can be confused about the issues and indeed, even surprised when they go into the polling station and receive a referendum ballot. Refusing to take election literature is rude. Banning posters is short-sighted, we could make them environmentally friendly and create designated spaces where they are displayed. These are useful suggestions. But just prohibiting them is reactionary and buying into a simplistic and ill-informed anti-politics sentiment. Dr Theresa Reidy is a political scientist at University College Cork Sean O'Donnell (Letters, Irish Independent, May 13) thinks it's too early to discuss a united Ireland, because of the Brexit mayhem. The people of Wales and Scotland dont think it is too early for them to discuss independence, because of the mayhem. They see clearly that Brexit is about the greater London area, and egoistic Tory Party members in that region. It is long past time for a proper discussion on exactly what a united Ireland could and would be. Since 1921, it has been nothing other than wistful thinking by a section of the population of the island. Many, sadly, of whose hatred for anything English has blinded them to reality. In 1972, then UK prime minister Edward Heath allowed minister Willie Whitelaw to hold unofficial talks with Sinn Fein, with its one-line request: We want you to pull out of Northern Ireland, and hand it back to the Republic, within three years. Not an iota of consideration outside its own narrow view. Mr ODonnell mentions the Tricolour and the national anthem of the Republic being a difficulty for Northern unionists. There are many minor and major difficulties to creating a united Ireland: all the more reason then why the debate should be ongoing across the land. As there is no Berlin Wall or Iron Curtain to suddenly fall, then ongoing discussion is the only solution. Two strands that could be explored, in my opinion, are a meeting of minds, of industry and trade, via the chambers of commerce, North and south; and the universities of the land should lead public debates on the many issues that need to be resolved. This would bring out much of the fears, and hopes, as well as helping to heal the scars of the past. If we dont know how the other person feels, and vice versa, then we will never come to a proper conclusion. Declan Foley Berwick, Australia Leaving Cert is one step of the journey it doesnt need hype THE Leaving Certificate exams will start in a months time and there will be a lot of media coverage surrounding these exams. I actually think that most of this coverage is hype, and very unhelpful hype at that. While the Leaving Cert is a big event, ultimately its just another step along the journey of life. I am now 53 and have completed three Leaving Certs in my time. I did the first when I was 17 and to be honest, it didnt mean very much to me at the time. I completed the other two as a mature student, because I decided to go to college. I might never have succeeded in my return to education, had it not been for the experience of completing that first Leaving Cert, when I was 17. Like I said, it was just one step on the way to my eventual success, when I graduated from university at the age of 28. I later completed two post-graduate diplomas, including a teaching qualification, and have been teaching for the past 18 years, as well as doing an interesting variety of other skilled work. What all this has taught me is that education is (or should be) all about creating options, and that life is a series of choices and challenges. Life also involves a lot of trial and error, and there is nothing wrong with that. Every experience in life has the potential to educate us (including the exams process, in its current form) and you can never have too much education, whatever its source. Everybody who is doing the Leaving Cert should be allowed to get on with it, without all the annual fuss in the media. My experience has also taught me that stress (eg exam stress) is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, ie the more we talk about stress, the more we are likely to experience it. Students and their parents should be encouraged to take a balanced and proportionate approach to the Leaving Certificate and to other exams. So please, let the students get on with these exams, without all that annual media cackle. Tim Buckley Cork City, Co Cork We have no right to criticise politicians if we dont vote FURTHER to Gerry Kellys letter (Irish Independent, May 11) saying no one deserves my vote, if he cannot find someone who he can vote for then let him go into his polling station and put a big X in one of the boxes. Whilst I am not in favour of spoiling my vote, at least he will be registering a protest vote which, from his perspective, is valid. I would encourage him to spend a day from Monday to Sunday with any politician and see what their job entails, and then decide if they dont deserve a vote. We constantly give out about politicians, but very few of us know 10pc of what their day involves. Gerry, if you dont vote on the 24th then promise me publicly that you will not give out about the politicians who have been elected. In my opinion, you have lost that right. Donough O Reilly Kilmacud, Co Dublin Elizabeth Olsen attends the Los Angeles Global Premiere for Marvel Studios Avengers: Infinity War on April 23, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) US actress Elizabeth Olsen arrives for the World premiere of Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 22, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) Andi Potamkin attends the 2017 Museum of Arts & Design MAD Ball at Cipriani 42nd Street on November 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/Getty Images) They had me at sham wedding. William Jordan Blackmore, a celebrity hairdresser, has found himself in headlines around the world not for his illustrious clientele like Selena Gomez and Marc Jacobs, but for his marriage; alleging that his wife Andi Potamkin convinced him their wedding was real, when it fact it was never legal. He says it was to protect her family fortune. Potamkin is a wealthy heiress to the Potamkin Auto Group fortune, a company valued at $1bn and one which was founded by her father Alan. A new lawsuit lodged in a Brooklyn, New York, courthouse by Blackmore claims that their marriage was an elaborate scheme to maximise publicity and dupe him into believing their three-year union was legal. In 2015, the couple, who had been dating for 13 years, wed in a lavish ceremony in the 600-acre Amangari resort in Utah where guests were flown in via private jet and extensive coverage of the ceremony was secured in myriad magazines and websites. Amangari is among the most exclusive spots in the US, Avengers star Elizabeth Olsen was on the guestlist and guests were treated to a no expense spared celebration over the course of four days, which included yoga classes, guided walks, karaoke, BBQs and complimentary accommodation at the venues suites. In the court papers, Blackmore accuses his wife of trying to avoid the legal complications of a prenuptial agreement and hatched up what he considered to be a duplicitous scheme with her father to protect their extensive family fortune. Their marriage ended in December 2018 after which time Blackmore discovered they werent legally married, claiming that he left the legal details of the wedding to his wife. At the time, they asked a friend Dana Rizer, a yoga instructor, to officiate the wedding and then said she didnt need to be ordained as they would be receiving their marriage license in New York. Expand Close Andi Potamkin attends the 2017 Museum of Arts & Design MAD Ball at Cipriani 42nd Street on November 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Andi Potamkin attends the 2017 Museum of Arts & Design MAD Ball at Cipriani 42nd Street on November 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/Getty Images) Andi reportedly informed the officiant she did not need to be, and should not be, legally authorized to marry the couple. Andi and Alan hid from [him in order to] deceive him into believing that the ceremony would result in an official and lawful marriage. Andis lawyer says that Blackmore knew he would be required to register the marriage at a courthouse to legalise it. Video of the Day It was in December when they were settling on a division of assets - which would see Blackmore given a $1m cash payment and transfer of land in upstate New York - that the language of the settlement that tipped him off their marriage wasnt legal, he says in the suit. The papers referenced their wedding as a symbolic ceremony that did not constitute a legally binding marriage. The truth was that Andi never wanted to marry Jordan; she just wanted a lavish wedding experience, a public-relations stunt and the attention that came with it, the lawsuit claims. Alan also did not want his daughter to be legally married to Jordan because he was afraid that Jordan would not sign a prenuptial agreement before the wedding. So Alan and Andi fraudulently induced Jordan unwittingly to participate in a wedding that was a sham. A spokesperson for Potamkin, who works for her fathers $1bn-valued company, told the New York Post that the lawsuit includes tons of untrue and irrelevant information about my family, included for no purpose other than to attempt to publicly embarrass us. They are currently embroiled in a prenuptial agreement battle and intend on legally marrying so that they can divorce and enforce the financial arrangement. He is seeking $2m in damages. An international group led by Chinese scientists identified the first known amber encasing an ancient sea animal called ammonite about 100 million years ago. The study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences described the 6.08 gram amber, which is 33 mm long, 9.5 mm wide and 29 mm high. The discovery provided a clue to ancient coastal forest ecology. While many terrestrial plants and animals are preserved by amber inclusions, it is rare to find sea life trapped in amber, according to the study. The researchers from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) used X-ray to obtain high-resolution three-dimensional images of the ammonite including its convoluted sutures, key features for identifying the ammonite. They found that the ammonite is a juvenile one, belonging to a group of ammonite living about 105 million to 93 million years ago. It is a rare example of dating of sea animal using amber inclusions. The shells are all empty with no soft-tissue, revealing that the organisms were long dead and removed away by the time they were engulfed by resin. Wang Bo, a researcher from NIGPAS and the paper's corresponding author, told Xinhua that the ancient coastal forest in Myanmar produced resin and encased the dead ammonite in the beach before becoming the amber. The authors also included researchers from National Museum of Scotland, Oxford University and Indiana University. Sea snails and sea slaters are included by the amber. The amber also engulfed some terrestrial animals including spiders, cockroaches, beetles and wasps, most of which would have lived on the forest floor, according to the study. The most likely explanation for the appearance of both marine and terrestrial organisms within the amber is that a sandy beach covered with shells was located close to resin-producing trees, according to the researchers. James Middleton, Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews during ladies day of the 2018 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Spencer Matthews and Vogue Williams have chosen James Middleton to be one of the godparents to their son. Model, DJ and influencer Vogue and the former 'Made In Chelsea' star have asked James - the brother of Duchess Catherine, the wife of future British monarch Prince William - to be godfather to their eight-month-old son Theodore, and the entrepreneur has accepted. Speaking in the Sebastian Shakespeare column in The Daily Mail newspaper, James said: "Very kindly they asked me. I'm delighted to be a godfather." James' other sister Pippa Middleton married Spencer's brother James Matthews in May 2017. Expand Close Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews with their son Theodore in St Barth's. Picture: Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews with their son Theodore in St Barth's. Picture: Instagram Spencer - who tied the knot with Vogue in June 2018 - has revealed that Theodore has a total of five godparents. Speaking to VIP magazine, Spencer said: "Vogue went down the family route, her sister Amber is his godmother, my sister Nina is also godmother and then a few of my pals, Max Keble White, my cousin Rob Parker and James Middleton will be his godfathers, not a bad crowd. "It's more a nod to our close friends and a nod to their reliability and responsibility. A little gold star on a very good friend." Spencer and Vogue want to have their son christened in June to coincide with their first wedding anniversary. He said: "We're going to christen Theodore at a very similar time to our anniversary, at the same place we got married." The couple tied the knot at his family's 10,000 acre Glen Affric Estate near Inverness, Scotland. Firefighters helped a cat escape from a tree in an unusually dramatic take on the old cliche. Crowds gathered to watch as firefighters in Porterville, California, worked to save the mog. The cat eventually jumped down and landed on a sheet they were holding, before quickly running off. In a Facebook post, Porterville Fire Department wrote: Contrary to popular belief, rescuing cats from trees is not a common occurrence for firefighters, since most will eventually come down on their own. But occasionally we must intervene, as is the case with this little guy. A student from Texas ended her education on a hilarious note, as she made a pun out of her own name for her high school yearbook quote. Madison Guess, 17, from Brownsville, shared a photo of her high school yearbook on Twitter, where she had quoted a creative spin on her unusual surname. The yearbook quote reads: Now you can call me Madison Hypothesis, because Im an educated Guess. Madison told Press Association that the quote had come from her love of science and research projects. She said: The day the senior quotes were due, I thought to myself, you should do a pun with your last name in it! Thus, Madison Hypothesis was born. Growing up, when I would tell someone my last name, they would always say hmmm; I dont know as a joke. The quote reached over 9,000 likes on Twitter, leading to one user naming Madison an honorary dad for her incredible dad-joke skill. You are very young and not male but I am declaring you an honorary Dad for this incredible joke Jason Quist (@jasonmquist) May 12, 2019 The wife of one of Madisons teachers also commented, commending her on her pun skills. Gloria Schlatter said: I dont know what your AP Psychology teacher (my husband) will tell you when he returns to work; but I have to say that this was clever! I dont know what your AP Psychology teacher (my husband) will tell you when he returns to work; but I have to say that this was clever! Additionally, cutest thing ever!!!! Gloria Schlatter (@gloriously33) May 13, 2019 Once Madison finishes high school, she will be going onto college to study biomedical sciences with a track in pre-medicine. Madison said: My teachers, especially my AP Chemistry teacher, loved it! My friends enjoyed it as well! I truly am pleased with the positive reactions people have had on not only Twitter, but on Instagram as well! People have been direct messaging me saying that my quote made their day, and that really puts a huge smile on my face. Sweden reopened an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange yesterday and will seek his extradition from Britain. The move could delay efforts by the United States to bring him to its courts to face trial over a huge release of secret documents. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson told a news conference that she would continue a preliminary investigation that was dropped in 2017 without charges being brought because Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange was arrested in Britain last month after spending seven years hiding inside the embassy. The United States is also seeking his extradition on conspiracy charges relating to the public release by WikiLeaks of a cache of secret documents, including assessments of foreign leaders, wars and security matters. The Swedish prosecutor said it would request Assange be detained in his absence on probable cause for an allegation of rape and that it would issue a European arrest warrant - the process under which his extradition would be sought. The 47-year-old Australian - who denies the allegations - is currently in a London prison serving 50 weeks behind bars for jumping bail when he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012. The decision to reopen the investigation poses the question of whether Assange will be moved to Sweden or to the United States. "I am well aware of the fact that an extradition process is ongoing in the UK and that he could be extradited to the US," Ms Persson said. A British judge has given the US government a deadline of June 12 to outline its case against Assange. The statute of limitation for rape in Sweden is 10 years - a deadline which would be reached in mid-August next year for the alleged incident involving Assange, leaving prosecutors pressed for time should they decide to file any formal charge. "Everything depends on how this will be handled by the British authorities and courts," said Mark Klamberg, a professor of international law at Stockholm University. "There is a possibility, or risk depending on how you see it, that this is going to take a long time," he said, adding that a US extradition of Assange would likely rule out him being tried in Sweden due to the statute of limitation. Assange's supporters cast him as a dissident facing the wrath of a superpower over one of the largest compromises of classified information in US history. Responding to the reopening of the Swedish investigation, WikiLeaks said it would give Assange a chance to clear his name. "Since Julian Assange was arrested on April 11, 2019, there has been considerable political pressure on Sweden to reopen their investigation, but there has always been political pressure surrounding this case," Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks' editor-in-chief, said in a statement. "Its reopening will give Julian a chance to clear his name." If convicted in Sweden, Assange could face a prison sentence of up to four years. Per Samuelson, a Swedish lawyer for Assange, said the decision to reopen the case was "embarrassing for Sweden". "His attitude is that he is happy to co-operate with Sweden and that he wants to be interviewed and that he wants to clear his name," Mr Samuelson said. "How that will happen now, I don't know. He has his hands full with, for him, much more important issues, namely avoiding being extradited to the US." The British courts will have to rule on any extradition request and Home Secretary Sajid Javid would decide which one takes precedence once Swedish prosecutors file theirs. Nick Vamos, lawyer at London-based firm Peters & Peters and the former head of extradition at Britain's Crown Prosecution Service, told Reuters before yesterday's decision that he expected that a Swedish request would take supremacy. "In the event of a conflict between a European arrest warrant and a request for extradition from the US, UK authorities will decide on the order of priority," a statement from the Swedish prosecutor said. Tommy Robinson speaks to supporters and media outside the Old Bailey Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Supporters of Tommy Robinson gather outside the Old Bailey in London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Supporters of Tommy Robinson gather outside the Old Bailey in London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Tommy Robinson speaks to supporters and media outside the Old Bailey in the City of London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire At least 200 supporters have begun gathering outside the Old Bailey in London ahead of the latest stage of a case against Tommy Robinson over an allegation he committed contempt of court. The former English Defence League (EDL) leader, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is expected to arrive at the Old Bailey at around 1pm. A counter demonstration of around one hundred people, organised by the Stand Up To Racism group, has gathered a short distance away from Robinson's supporters. The group of Tommy Robinson supporters outside court has grown to around 400, with the crowd occasionally breaking into chants of "Tommy Robinson is going to be our MEP" and "Oh Tommy Tommy, Tommy Tommy Tommy Tommy Robinson". Expand Close Tommy Robinson speaks to supporters and media outside the Old Bailey Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tommy Robinson speaks to supporters and media outside the Old Bailey Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire The pro- and anti-Robinson groups have begun trading chants, with shouts of "Say it loud, say it clear - refugees are welcome here", being drowned out by those singing Tommy Robinson's name. Tommy Robinson has arrived at the Old Bailey ahead of his latest contempt hearing. He made a brief speech to several hundred supporters outside the court, saying the case against him was "politically motivated". Speaking outside the Old Bailey, leading criminal defence barrister Rajiv Menon QC called City of London Police's decision to allow a demonstration outside the building "astonishing". Expand Close Supporters of Tommy Robinson gather outside the Old Bailey in London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Supporters of Tommy Robinson gather outside the Old Bailey in London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Mr Menon - who was at the Central Criminal Court on a separate case - told the Press Association: "I'm just shocked that they are allowed to be here. I'm not aware of any other political group that have been allowed to block the road and have a protest in front of the Old Bailey like this." He said: "They are allowed to protest - this is not about the right to protest - but to give them this sort of platform - nobody else gets that platform." Mr Menon added: "It's just outrageous - what are City of London Police doing?" Robinson, seen earlier entering the Old Bailey wearing a white "Vote Tommy" t-shirt, has now entered courtroom two wearing a blue shirt with a light grey jacket. Richard Furlong QC, representing Robinson, is asking the court for permission to submit fresh evidence in the case. He says the evidence was not admitted within the court's time limit as Robinson had a "number of other commitments, principally in the Czech Republic," at the time of the deadline. Expand Close Supporters of Tommy Robinson gather outside the Old Bailey in London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Supporters of Tommy Robinson gather outside the Old Bailey in London Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Andrew Caldecott QC, for the Attorney General, says there are "no cogent reasons" for the delay. Lady Justice Sharp, sitting with Mr Justice Warby, has granted the application by Robinson's lawyers for permission to submit fresh evidence, including medical evidence, out of time. Mr Caldecott will tell the court that the Attorney General has considered representations made on behalf of Robinson but "remains of the view that it is strongly in the public interest" that the application against him should proceed. Mr Caldecott has begun outlining the law relating to the bringing of contempt of court proceedings. Mr Caldecott said the court should give "due weight" to the Attorney General's assessment that fresh proceedings are in the public interest, but that it is "not conclusive". The case against Robinson is being pursued on the basis he allegedly committed contempt by breaching a reporting restriction, breaching the rules covering court reporting and common law contempt. Mr Caldecott told the court it has to be satisfied that there is a "reasonably arguable" case on each of the grounds. He said the court may decide to refuse permission for fresh proceedings to go ahead if it is satisfied there was "serious unfairness" to Robinson. In written submissions to the court, Mr Caldecott says that in correspondence Robinson's solicitors "have advanced various reasons why contempt proceedings should not be pursued". These include the "exceptionally arduous" conditions of imprisonment he has already endured, a "medical matter", "delay", and "cost to the public purse". Several hundred Tommy Robinson supporters waited outside the Old Bailey as the hearing progressed inside, periodically chanting "we want Tommy out". Mr Caldecott explained that the application arose from Robinson's "live streaming" of a video from outside Leeds Crown Court as some of the defendants in a trial entered the court building, "and his conduct towards some of those defendants". The Attorney General contended that Robinson "published the video knowing that there was some sort of reporting restriction in place and recklessly, recognising that the terms of the order might well prohibit the reporting he was engaged in, but unreasonably taking that risk". The QC said in his written argument that it was understood Robinson will contend that he "could not obtain any specific details of the reporting restriction order". In the "absence of such details, he held a genuine belief, based on guidance published on the Judiciary website, which he claims to have consulted that very morning, and professional training he had received, that no order could restrict him from reporting the material that he included in the video". Mr Caldecott said the Attorney General "does not accept this version of events". The Attorney General's case was that publication of the video "gave rise to a substantial risk that the course of justice would be seriously impeded". Mr Caldecott said the Attorney General considers Robinson's conduct during the Leeds Crown Court trial is of "great concern". He told the court that in one part of the broadcast, Robinson said of a defendant: "Harass him, find him, go knock on his door, follow him, see where he works, see what he's doing." In another passage, Mr Caldecott said Robinson discussed how his video would be shared and "hopefully millions" of people would see it. The barrister said: "The Attorney General is extremely concerned that conduct of the kind, particularly in those two passages seen in the context of the wider video, should in any way be considered as acceptable." Mr Caldecott said that, in a witness statement, Robinson was "plainly contending that his behaviour towards the defendants was lawful". He told the court Robinson also said he searched online for guidelines on reporting restrictions before his broadcast and had undergone media training after an earlier contempt finding was made against him at Canterbury Crown Court. The barrister said it was "unfortunate" that the history of the case was "prolonged" and accepted it had caused increased stress for Robinson. However, he said the matters complained of involved important issues and there were also "policy reasons" for the case to go ahead. Lady Justice Sharp said permission would be given for fresh proceedings to go ahead on all grounds. She said reasons for the decision would be given at a later date. After the court's decision was announced, the crowd outside the Old Bailey booed and chanted "shame on you". The full hearing will be on July 4 and 5 at the Old Bailey. Jacob Rees-Mogg has urged British Prime Minister Theresa May to quit to end the "complete vacuum of leadership" as he claimed the majority of Tory members he meets say they would vote for the Brexit Party. The staunch Brexiteer MP said he did not "see how a leader can go on" with so little support from party faithful, saying Mrs May had lost the backing of Conservative associations across the country. As a remarkable new poll put the Conservatives in fifth place in the upcoming European elections, Mr Rees-Mogg said the activists he was meeting were saying they would vote for Nigel Farage's insurgent outfit. The YouGov survey ahead of next week's contest placed the Tories on just 10pc, some 24 points behind the Brexit Party, and trailing Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. Mr Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of backbench Brexiteers, told LBC: "I've never known the Tory Party in this position. "Normally when you go and speak to Conservative Associations and you're not fully supportive of the leader of the party, whoever that leader happens to be, you're not the most popular person in the room. At the moment, nobody is saying anything supportive of the leader or of the leader's policy. "The majority of the people at associations I'm addressing - and these are members of the party - tell me they're voting for the Brexit Party. I don't see how a leader can go on so removed from the support base of the party membership." Mr Rees-Mogg admitted the upcoming polls would be "difficult" for the party and appealed to voters to keep the faith. In a message to Tories, he said: "I would appeal to their loyalty, to their tradition, and to say that the Conservative Party will get a new leader at some point." He added: "We want that new leader to have a base on which he or she can build and if we find that we are getting under 15pc of the vote, if we are coming fifth behind the Greens, then it will be harder for that figure to rebuild." His comments came as fellow Conservative Huw Merriman warned his party was in for "an absolute mauling" in the elections after the deadline for Britain's exit from the EU was delayed to October. Mr Merriman, a parliamentary aide to Chancellor Philip Hammond, told BBC Radio 4's 'Westminister Hour': "The public will blame the Conservative government because we were the party that brought forward the referendum. "So for those that didn't want it and wanted to remain, they will blame us for having tried to take us out and those who voted to leave, they will blame us for having not got the country out of the EU. "So we are at the perfect storm. Yes, I think we will get an absolute mauling." Mrs May is due to meet Tory backbench leaders on Thursday, when she is expected to set out the roadmap for her departure from Downing Street. Mrs May promised her angry party in March that she would resign once the first phase of Brexit was delivered, a pledge her advisers say she is committed to honouring. But cross-party talks with Labour have entered their seventh week without progress amid calls from both sides on their leaders to walk away from the negotiations. The Conservative Home website, an influential voice within the party, said the powerful 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers should be prepared to signal the end of Mrs May's leadership by changing the party's rules to allow a fresh challenge to her position. The website's editor Paul Goodman, a former Tory MP, said they must act. ( Independent News Service) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to push through a new law that would allow parliament to protect his immunity from prosecution, as he faces possible indictment in three corruption cases, according to leaks in the Israeli media. The new far-reaching bill would allow the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and government ministers to essentially ignore any High Court of Justice ruling, 'Haaretz' revealed, including the potential revocation of Mr Netanyahu's immunity. According to the left-leaning daily, the move is written into a "legal appendix" of the coalition agreement and government guidelines Mr Netanyahu is currently drawing up as he builds a new coalition government after winning the April general elections. If passed, the clause would give additional protection to the powerful right-wing leader, who secured a record fifth term in office and whose avid supporters dominate the legislative body. Mr Netanyahu has already tried to restore the 2005 wording of an Immunity Law where the Knesset House Committee could reject the attorney-general's request to rescind immunity of a particular parliamentarian. But the law on its own would not safeguard the prime minister as the High Court of Justice is ultimately given the final word. According to 'Haaretz', the new proposed "override clause" would mean this is no longer the case, as the Knesset would be permitted to reject even the High Court's administrative decisions, effectively turning all their rulings into legal suggestions which can be ignored. Mr Netanyahu's Likud party rejected the media leaks calling them "sensational" and "misleading" in a statement on Twitter, but failed to give any further details. Anshel Pfeffer, an Israeli journalist, author and expert on Mr Netanyahu, sounded the alarm. "The implication of this law, if it passes, will be that the High Court will lose its powers of judicial review over government actions, in any field, the military occupation, state and religion, etc. All this to save Netanyahu from being put on trial," he wrote on Twitter. "In 13 years in power, Netanyahu has never tried something like this. He never truly challenged the Supreme Court. "But now it's his neck on the line, he's just won a fifth election and he just might have a majority in the new Knesset to pass such a law, upending 70 years' precedent." Israel's attorney-general is expected to indict Mr Netanyahu in three corruption cases dubbed cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, after he faces a pre-trial hearing in the next few months. In case 4000, police have alleged that Mr Netanyahu granted regulatory favours to Israel's leading telecommunications company, Bezeq, in return for more positive coverage on Walla, a news website belonging to the firm's owner. Case 2000 focuses on suspicions Mr Netanyahu negotiated a deal with the 'Yedioth Ahronoth' newspaper for better coverage in return for promises to limit the circulation of a rival. In the third investigation, case 1000, police argue that he received expensive gifts from wealthy friends. Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. There have been several leaked reports at his alleged attempts to shield himself from standing trial. ( Independent News Service) Wang Yang (R), a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with a delegation of personages from various circles in Taiwan led by Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] Top political advisor Wang Yang met with a delegation of personages from various circles in Taiwan led by Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, in Beijing on Monday. Wang is a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Wang said he appreciates Hung's long-term adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence" as well as her contributions to the development of relations across the Taiwan Strait. "National rejuvenation and the reunification of the motherland have a bearing on the future of Taiwan and the Chinese nation," he said. Wang said people across the Strait should take safeguarding the interests and well-being of the whole nation as the goal of developing cross-Strait relations, take upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence" as the banner to unite people on both sides, and regard jointly exploring a new road of integrated development as an important way to jointly seek national rejuvenation. "On the common political basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing 'Taiwan independence,' we are willing to conduct dialogues and consultations with various political parties, organizations, and personages in Taiwan in various forms and on wide-ranging topics to build consensus and iron out differences," Wang noted. Hung said people on both sides of the Strait should uphold the 1992 Consensus and oppose "Taiwan independence," promote exchanges, enhance mutual trust, and contribute to the integrated cross-Strait development and the realization of peaceful reunification. Union members backed a motion calling on the Government to oppose US President Donald Trump visiting the country. Delegates at a Unite conference demanded that he should not be welcomed here. The motion was passed as Mr Trump is set to make a state visit to the UK early next month but there is no sign of a stopover in Ireland yet. Proposing the motion, Memet Uludag said he is convenor of a coalition of 50 organisations opposing a Trump visit since a previous stay was proposed, although later cancelled. "I like to define Trump - and it's not my definition, I suppose - as an equal opportunity oppressor," he said. "You are not welcome to this country. Not in our name, not for us. We should tell our political rulers that he is not welcome to come to this country." Francis Loughlin seconded the motion. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP) Russia and the United States have voiced hope that strained relations could begin to improve. With tensions running high over Iran, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed vindication from the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 US presidential election and said he thought it was time to move on. Meanwhile, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo conveyed President Donald Trumps interest in restoring better ties. Expand Close Vladimir Putin said he hoped Russias relationship with the US would improve (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vladimir Putin said he hoped Russias relationship with the US would improve (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) In the highest-level face-to-face contact between the two countries since special counsel Robert Muellers report was released last month, Mr Putin told Mr Pompeo he hoped relations with the US would now improve. Still, his claim of vindication covered only allegations that Russia and the Trump campaign colluded to hurt Hillary Clintons candidacy. Mr Putin did not address Mr Muellers conclusion that Russia actively interfered in the election. However exotic the work of special counsel Mueller was, I have to say that on the whole he has had a very objective investigation and he confirmed that there were no traces whatsoever of collusion between Russia and the incumbent administration, which we said was absolutely fake, Mr Putin said as he opened the meeting with Mr Pompeo in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. As we said before there was no collusion from our government officials and it could not be there. Still, that was one of the reasons for the certain break in our inter-state ties, he said. Im hoping today that the situation is changing. Mr Pompeo did not specifically mention election meddling in his brief reply to Mr Putin, although he did say the Trump administration would protect our nations interest. Earlier, though, Mr Pompeo made clear that any repeat of the 2016 meddling would not be tolerated. Interference in American elections is unacceptable, Mr Pompeo told reporters at a news conference with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. If Russia were to engage in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it is. We have encouraged them not to. We wouldnt tolerate that. Our elections are important and sacred and they must be free and fair. After meeting with Mr Putin, Mr Pompeo told reporters: So its not about moving on. Its about trying to find solutions, compromises, places where there are overlapping interests you can make progress unlocking some of the most difficult problems that are facing us. Mr Putin told Mr Pompeo his recent telephone conversation with Mr Trump raised hopes for an improvement in relations. As you know, not long ago, a few days ago, I had the pleasure of talking with the president of the United States by telephone, he said. For me, it created the impression that the president intends to restore Russian-American connections and contacts to resolve joint issues that present mutual interests. Mr Pompeo spoke of truly overlapping interests that the two countries can build on, and most importantly, President Trump very much wants to do that. He cited co-operation in Afghanistan and counter-terrorism more broadly, but also a shared goal of getting North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons. But he also told Mr Putin that just as you will, well protect our nations interest. SALISBURY To say that Lisa Rose and her daughter, Ayanna Leach, have a strong work ethic could very well be the understatement of the year. When theyre not attending classes as full-time students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, the two are holding down jobs, completing clinical requirements, doing homework and caring for their families. Both women would love to fit in a little more sleep, but say their dream jobs will be worth the sacrifice. Rose is heading toward the finish line as a member of the new Occupational Therapy Assistant programs first class and will graduate Friday, May 17 with her Associate in Applied Science degree. Leach is in her first year and will graduate in May of 2020. Someone recently asked me how I was going to celebrate graduation, and I said I was going to sleep for about 10 hours straight, said Rose, who sets her alarm for around 2:30 a.m. and reports to work at Agility Fuel Solutions at 4. She works, then attends daytime classes and goes back to work before settling in for housework, homework and other responsibilities in the evening. My day ends whenever it ends, but it always starts again at 2:30, she said. The St. Croix Chippewa Indians are facing $5.5 million in fines for numerous violations of federal and tribal gaming law. notice of proposed civil fine assessment said tribal officials "diverted at least $1.5 million" from their gaming operation in Wisconsin. They committed a whopping 527 violations of federal and tribal laws and regulations in doing so, according to Jonodev Chaudhuri, the outgoing chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission "I see no serious efforts to deal with the root problem that caused these violations," Chaudhuri said in the May 8 notice. "Without a significant deterrent, losses will continue to mount, the economic benefit to individuals will grow, and others may be inspired to commit similar malfeasance." The proposed fine comes a month after the NIGC issued a notice of violation (NOV) issued to the tribe that outlined the 527 infractions. According to the agency, payments have been made to the "same small group of people" -- including the chairman, tribal leaders and others connected to them -- without adequate documentation. Lawrence Larsen has been among the beneficiaries, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. He is a consultant to the tribe on hemp issues and spent a decade in prison on drug charges, the paper said. Larsen received $378,000, according to the NIGC. The agency says the tribe should be fined $1.5 million for the violation, The Journal Sentinel reported. The paper also detailed the proposed fines for the other violations. The tribe can opt to appeal the notice of proposed civil fine assessment to the full NIGC. In that instance, the appeal will proceed without the involvement of Chaudhuri, who is stepping down on May 15 to head up the Indian law and policy group at Quarles & Brady LLP, a national firm. The NIGC can still rule on an appeal with only two members of the commission. The remaining members are Vice Chair Kathryn Isom-Clause, who will take over day-to-day operations of the agency on May 16, and Commissioner E. Sequoyah Simermeyer. Read More on the Story National Indian Gaming Commission Documents Join the Conversation Related Stories Three people have died over the last two weeks in detention facilities in Alaska Native communities. Robert Nick, 54, died in a jail in Akiachak on Friday, May 10, The Anchorage Daily News reported. The incident is under investigation by the Alaska State Troopers. "On 5/10/19 at about 2053 hours, Alaska State Troopers in Bethel received a call from Tribal Police in the village of Akiachak reporting a death at the village jail. Earlier in the evening Robert Nick (54 yoa of Akiachak) had been placed into protective custody by tribal police officers due to his level of intoxication. Robert was found unresponsive in the jail cell by tribal jail guards," the dispatch report AK19030381 states. "Life saving measures were attempted, but unsuccessful. Troopers responded by boat to Akiachak and conducted an investigation. The remains have been sent to the State Medical Examiners Office in Anchorage. Next of kin has been notified. This incident remains under investigation. Alcohol appears to be a contributing factor." Becca White, 24, and Isaiah Parka, 22, died in a jail in Napakiak on Sunday, April 28, The Daily News reported. Both had been locked in their cells when a fire broke out in the facility. What Im wondering is why they couldnt open the jail cells right away, Miranda White, who is Becca's sister, told the paper. If they had the keys, why didnt they just open it? In an updated dispatch AK19027173 , the Alaska State Troopers said: "The deceased have been tentatively identified as Becca White, age 24, and Isaiah Parka, age 22, both of Napakiak. Their next of kin have been notified. Positive identification still needs to be confirmed by the State Medical Examiners Office. The two jail guards were both transported out of the community for treatment. It was determined that one of the jail guards did not need further treatment. The other jail guard was medivaced out of state and is reportedly in serious but stable condition. The General Investigation Unit out of the Mat-Su is taking case responsibility and working in conjunction with the State Fire Marshals Office." Akiachak and Napakiak are both located along the Kuskokwim River in the YukonKuskokwim Delta. Read More on the Story Join the Conversation LINCOLN, Nebraska -- On a hot, dusty day in July 1999, Frank LaMere walked across the Nebraska-South Dakota border and was arrested. Along with six fellow activists and tribal leaders, including the late Russell Means , LaMere was handcuffed by state police and taken to jail. The seven men had been protesting the sale of alcohol by four beer stores in Whiteclay to residents of the nearby dry Pine Ridge Reservation. Nearly 20 years later, LaMere took a much different walk. On Saturday, the 69-year-old Winnebago man stepped across a stage to receive an honorary degree for his efforts to shut down the beer stores in Whiteclay. Jennifer LaMere adjusts her father Frank LaMere's robe just before commencement services at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln on May 11, 2019, when LaMere received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Photo by Kevin Abourezk Nebraska Wesleyan University President Fred Ohles bestowed the honorary Doctor of Laws degree upon LaMere. A few minutes later, Bishop Brian Maas of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America delivered the universitys commencement address. Maas urged the more than 500 graduates to ask difficult and important questions of the world and to seek to improve the lives of those less fortunate. Consider Frank LaMere and so many others who watched for years the tragedy that was Whiteclay, Nebraska, lives ruined by easy access to alcohol, who were told, Theres nothing you can do. Its perfectly legal, yet who were bold to ask persistently, But is it right? Maas told the students. The challenges surrounding Whiteclay have only begun to be transformed, but transformation has begun because people have dared to ask questions. The world waits for more such question-askers. Be those people. Fred Ohles, president of Nebraska Wesleyan University, looks on as Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska) shakes hands with Frank LaMere following the conclusion of commencement services in Lincoln on May 11, 2019. Photo by Kevin Abourezk A congratulatory note to Frank LaMere from Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska). Photo by Kevin Abourezk Reflecting on the event later Saturday, LaMere noted the irony of being labeled a criminal by Nebraska authorities 20 years ago and later being honored by Nebraska educators all for the same work. He said being granted an honorary degree for fighting to stop the flow of beer to the Pine Ridge Reservation demonstrated a paradigm shift in the way people have long thought about the effort to shut down Whiteclays beer stores. Ive said many times that the Whiteclay effort, our win there, was a human rights and civil rights victory, he said. We just have not had time to look at it and celebrate it, but thats what it is. At a reception prior to Saturdays commencement at Wesleyan, members of the universitys Board of Governors congratulated LaMere and thank him for a lifetime spent seeking justice for Native people. Besides his efforts in Whiteclay, LaMere has served as an advocate for Native people who have lost loved ones to violence by police and to Native parents whose children have been taken from them by state child welfare officials. He has long fought for reforms in the child welfare system, which he has argued is often too quick to remove Native children from their homes. Thank you for everything youve done for this world, one woman told him at Saturdays reception. Wesleyan President Fred Ohles said the university had considered bestowing an honorary degree upon LaMere for several years even naming him as the most deserving person for such a degree. With his July retirement as Wesleyans president looming, Ohles decided it was time to do it. I said we have to honor Frank and we did it, Ohles said. Two feathers can be seen in Frank LaMere's mortar board after commencement at Nebraska Wesleyan University, where LaMere received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Saturday, May 11, 2019. Photo by Kevin Abourezk Yet, Saturday was bittersweet for LaMere, whose close friend Alan Jacobsen a longtime ally in his fight to close the Whiteclay beer stores was being laid to rest in a cemetery only a few miles from Nebraska Wesleyan. LaMere said hes hopeful that history, like leaders at Nebraska Wesleyan, will take a favorable view of those who dared to question the morality of alcohol sales in Whiteclay. It was a good day at Nebraska Wesleyan University, he said. I will remember this the rest of my life. It was a very meaningful day, a very powerful day. Join the Conversation Related Stories Parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have been experiencing dust storms for the past couple of days. With more dust storms predicted for the coming days, the NCR which is home to some of the most polluted cities in the world is bracing for more pollution. The dust has pushed the PM 2.5 levels in the air to winter levels. Read more Here's more top news if the day: 1) Army Struggles With Faulty Ammunition At Border, While Politicians Do Chest Thumping In Studios BCCL/Representational Image The Army has sounded the alarm over the unacceptably high number of accidents taking place in the field due to the poor and defective quality of ammunition being supplied for tanks, artillery, air defence and other guns by the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). Read more 2) Plastic Has Reached The Deepest Point Of The Ocean And It Is A Worrying Sign Reuters Retired naval officer, Victor Vescovo, said he made the disconcerting discovery as he descended nearly 6.8 miles (35,853 feet/10,928 meters) to a point in the Pacific Oceans Mariana Trench that is the deepest place on Earth. Read more 3) By 2040, More Than 1.5 Crore People Worldwide Will Need Chemotherapy Each Year Cancer is slowly becoming a global threat and if a new study is to be believed, more than 1.5 crore people will need chemotherapy globally each year by 2040. Around one lakh cancer physicians will be required to treat the growing number of cancer patients mostly in low and middle-income countries. Read more 4) Protests Erupt In Kashmir As People Demand Justice For A 3-YO Rape Survivor AP The violent protests, which began on Monday in Kashmir demanding justice for a 3-year-old rape survivor, have spilled across the valley, with people calling for strict punishment. Protests have been reported from parts of Srinagar, Budgam and Bandipur forcing authorities to close all educational institutions including schools and colleges. Read more 5) Drought-Like Situation Is Forcing People To Steal Water From Storage Tanks In Nashik BCCL/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE They say that the next world war will be fought over water. While it might sound exaggerated, there is no denial in the reality of an acute water shortage around the world and the ends to which people will go to get water. Read more The violent protests, which began on Monday in Kashmir demanding justice for a 3-year-old rape survivor, have spilled across the valley, with people calling for strict punishment. Protests have been reported from parts of Srinagar, Budgam and Bandipur forcing authorities to close all educational institutions including schools and colleges. There have also been reports of local youths clashing with police. AP According to reports, the incident happened in Sumbal area of Bandipora district on Thursday. The accused, a local youth, allegedly lured the three-year-old offering her candy and took her to an isolated place where he sexually abused her. The incident came to light after the girl narrated it to her parents. Based on the victim's father's complaint, police have arrested the accused who claims to be a juvenile. He has reportedly produced a school certificate to show that he is minor. The cops while confirming the rape and arrest, however said the age of the accused will be determined through scientific examination. BCCL The heinous act has been condemned by political and religious leaders from the state who called for the strictest punishment. J&K Raj Bhavan: Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed deep shock&pain over the extremely heinous incident of rape of 3-year old girl from Bandipora dist. Governor has directed IGP Kashmir to work swiftly & ensure that the culprit gets exemplary punishment for this shameful act. ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2019 The rape of a child in Tirgaam is a travesty. @JmuKmrPolice must ensure a speedy investigation with only one consideration and that is to identify the guilty, prepare a watertight case & ensure exemplary punishment to those responsible. Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 12, 2019 Mortified to hear about the rape of a 3 yr old girl in Sumbal. What kind of a sick pervert would do this?Society often blames women for inviting unwanted attention but what was this childs fault?Times like these, Shariah law seems apt so that such paedophiles are stoned to death Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 11, 2019 A number of civil society groups have also taken to the street, condemning the incident and calling for the strictest punishment for the culprit. BCCL Last year, following the gang rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir had become the first Indian state to enact the death penalty for sexual assault on minors. Subsequently, the Union Government had in December cleared a proposal to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 to provide for the death penalty for aggravated penetrative sexual assault on children. Apart from providing for the death penalty in aggravated offenses, the amendments also provide for stringent punishment for the offense of administering hormones for making children "artificially major". A father in Beijing who sent a helicopter to his daughter's school for a science assignment has triggered heated discussions online. A netizen posted photos on Friday showing students playing near a helicopter parked on a primary school playground. According to the netizen, the helicopter was sent to Fengdan Experimental Primary School in Beijing's Haidian district by the girl's father as part of the school's science festival, for which she was assigned to learn about the working principles of helicopters, Beijing Youth Daily reported on Saturday. The netizen said the child won a prize for the assignment. The father, surnamed Chen, who owns a helicopter tour company, said two of his employees flew the helicopter to the school at the school's invitation. Photos and videos spread on the internet. Some netizens disliked the father's action, believing he was flaunting his wealth, while some praised the father, saying that it provided other students with an opportunity to see a real helicopter up close. "Most parents do not have the ability to give children such a lesson about helicopters as that father did. Why should we criticize someone who has the ability and would like to share with other children?" a netizen identified as CHcathrine said on social media. "It's like students need to have a lesson about films and a parent works at the cinema and has the ability to offer free films to the students," the netizen added. "Other parents should be grateful to the parent and such deeds should be encouraged." Some netizens expressed doubt that the father had obtained a permit for the flight, as public security authorities in the capital issued a notice on Friday afternoon saying that private "low, slow, small" aircraft are forbidden from flying from May 11 to May 16 to ensure safety during the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, which is scheduled to kick off on May 15. "Low, slow, small" aircraft are those that fly at an altitude below 1,000 meters, have a speed of no more than 200 kilometers per hour and a radar cross-section of no more than 2 square meters. The father told Beijing Youth Daily on Sunday that he had obtained a permit before the flight, and the helicopter arrived at the school and left on May 10, before the deadline set by public security authorities. He added that he accepted the school's invitation because he thought it would help children master knowledge of aircraft. Happy birthday to Mark Zuckerberg! Today, on May 14, the Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg turns 35. Though still relatively young, he heads the world's largest social network with over 2.3 billion users around the world. He's a titan of the tech industry, and has become the poster boy for everything wrong with the Internet in second decade of the 21st century. But it didn't start out that way. Reuters Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984. He was like any other kid, born to doctor parents. But even at the tender age of 12, he developed an interest in programming. He built a basic messenger ZuckNet, connecting the computers in their home with his father's dental clinic next door. And that passion carried on through high school and into college. His first official program in college was during his second year at Stanford in 2002. CourseMatch helped students choose their subjects on the basis of lists of courses from other users. That eventually led to FaceMash in 2003, a joke program that randomly selected the Stanford profile pictures of two female students and asked people to rate which was hotter. Pictures he obtained by hacking Stanford's servers by the way. And that was the beginning of a theme Zuckerberg continue to play out for the rest of his career: risky decisions that hurt many but gained him notoriety. It was at Stanford that another student, Divya Narendra, and his partners, twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, approached Zuckerberg about a social network they were building. Harvard Connection was the jump point for Zuckerberg's own idea for a social network, and so Facebook was born. Though the platform had exploded since its launch in 2004, it was the eventual movie 'The Social Network' in 2015 that really put Zuckerberg in the spotlight. It was also the first time the general public were made aware of the controversies surrounding the site's founding, including the CEO being sued by the Winklevoss twins as well as his former partner Eduardo Saverin. But that was just the first glimpse of just how far Zuckerberg would go for success. And then all hell broke loose. In 2018, reports emerged about how Cambridge Analytica had been siphoning user data from quizzes on Facebook. People also found out how they were using them to tailor-make ads for users, and help manipulate public perception in the run up to the US elections. This was the beginning of the end. A few months later, Facebook suffered the biggest hack of its lifetime. At least 30 million users found their data stolen by unknown attackers. And it turned out that may not have been the work of a hacker collective, but rather spammers whose activity went unchecked. It was another black mark against a company in whom we'd lost faith. This was soon followed up by the private messages of about 81,000 Facebook accounts being illegally obtained by hackers, and then being sold on the Dark Web. Wikimedia Commons And yet, as the negative press kept piling on, it seemed like Facebook could do no right. In October last year, human rights activists discovered a girl in South Sudan being sold as a wife to an older man, and the transaction was happening on Facebook. Not only was it several days after it was informed of the fact before Facebook actually took stock of the situation, but because they delayed so much they weren't able to stop the sale. Then came the horrible mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. Here too Facebook failed to act in time. When the shooter livestreamed his vile act, Facebook was unaware of the situation. It was only 17 minutes after the stream began, that they even knew what was going on. By then, 4,000 people had already watched it. Here was Facebook once again being a participant in people getting hurt, and all because they couldn't run a tight enough ship. And through this all, Mark Zuckerberg has remained an emotionless robot. Whenever faced with hard questions, his response was always, "we're trying to do better". At no point did we see any actual proof of that though. In fact, in a New Year's post in January, he even had the gall to say Facebook was turning over a new leaf to focus on user privacy. He went on to talk about how their platform needs ads to provide free services, but that the data for those ads was not sold to anyone. It's been all talk from Zuckerberg, with very little substance to demonstrate to the world and put people's fears at bay. Reuters Through it all, under Zuckerberg's direction, Facebook has tried to cover-up its faults, twist the narrative, and flat out lie about its shortcomings. At one point, in order to generate favour, the company even circulated its own pro-Facebook blog posts. These were designed to be almost indistinguishable from authentic posts. You know, exactly like the fake news it had supposedly pledged to remove from its platform. Eventually, even Facebook's own board demanded Zuckerberg step down as CEO. Unfortunately for them, he owns 60 percent of the voting shares, which means he simply said no. The damage has been done however. Facebook has been stagnating, its users dropping like flies, and there's regulatory pressure in EU and US on reining in its extraordinary online power. As the captain of Facebook's online ship, Mark Zuckerberg's alien visage has become the worldwide symbol of greed, crisis of confidence and negligence in the tech industry. Happy birthday man. After the Christchurch mass shooting back in March, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was livid. She blasted social media companies for not doing enough to both block the hate speech that fueled the attack or the livestream of the deadly shooting. Ardern is preparing for a global offensive against social media websites, one that would bring the fight directly to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. Images courtesy: Reuters 'Christchurch Call' is Ardern's global movement to compel large Internet platforms to take preemptive action against extremist content. She's reportedly meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron this week to discuss an agreement for the campaign. Internal sources told the New York Times that the new regulations will ask "social media giants to examine the software that directs people to violent content, and to share more data with government authorities and each other to help eradicate toxic online material." The agreement will supposedly be up for signing during the Group of 7 nations meeting of digital ministers this week, also to be held in Paris. According to the report, a number of nations have agreed to sign the draft, including, Australia Britain, Canada, Jordan, Senegal, Indonesia, Norway and Ireland. Tech companies are also being invited to sign the pledge, with Facebook and Microsoft expected to. Other major companies have remained silent on their support or lack of it. The US meanwhile, which has recently been hesitant to police hate speech online, citing freedom of speech, will not sign on. To clarify, this isn't a binding agreement, there's no way to police this sort of thing across international borders. It is however a way for nations and tech companies to show that they're taking the problem seriously. And though Ardern can't necessarily use non-compliance with this to dole out fines and the like in New Zealand, it will probably play a huge part in things like regulations, subsidies, and local operations in the wake of the mass shooting. It's the fault of tech companies a pledge like this is needed in the first place. They have consistently failed to police their own platforms. Facebook violations of hate speech and the like usually go unseen, despite user reports. Twitter meanwhile actively encourages it by defending the freedom of speech of demagogues, trolls, and abusers. Yet it's unclear just how much will change when they sign a piece of paper with the regulatory power of a wet napkin. At the very least governments signing the pledge have a call to action to pass stronger laws against violent extremist content online. New Zealand has already done this in the wake of the shooting, for instance by making the possession or sharing of the gunman's video a crime.. "Engagement within such a short time frame is a big ask," Ardern told the Herald. "We're really pleased with the turnout... We will continue to seek support from others. This is a start. We will then continue engagement and seek additional signatories to the call." A major percentage of Indians use WhatsApp as their primary texting app, and they spend a lot of time on it. So its worrisome to hear that a vulnerability has been uncovered that uses WhatsApp to spy on someone' s phone. And its pretty easy to infect with too. According to The Financial Times, there's currently a spyware program doing the rounds across the world. Developed by Israel's secretive NSO group, it's used largely to spy on activists, journalists, and detractors of the government. The worst part though is how the spyware can be installed. The perpetrators don't need physical access to your phone, for you to connect to a compromised public Wi-Fi, or even for you to click a link. All it takes is a simple WhatsApp call to the target. Even if you don't answer the call, it doesn't matter, as the spyware can still infect your smartphone. WhatsApp hack and spyware install Once installed, the spyware can turn on the phone's camera and mic at will, scan the emails and messages, and even siphon location data. Basically everything you'd need to keep tabs on a person. As such, WhatsApp has rushed out a fix for the app, and is urging all of its 1.5 billion users worldwide to update to the latest version. "WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," WhatsApp said in a statement. The vulnerability was actually discovered earlier this month, but the spyware has been active until as recently as this week. On Sunday, it was used to target a UK-based human rights lawyer according to researchers at Citizens Lab. WhatsApp did manage to block that attack, and are currently investigating the situation further. However, they have no estimate of how many phones may have been affected by this exploit. "This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company known to work with governments to deliver spyware that reportedly takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems," WhatsApp told The Financial Times. "We have briefed a number of human rights organizations to share the information we can, and to work with them to notify civil society." Pegasus, as the spyware in question is called is sold by NSO to governments and law enforcement agencies around the world. Supposedly, it's meant to help fight terrorism and crime. In reality though, it's incredibly easy to abuse and spy on innocent civilians. Researchers estimate the spyware has been used by as many as 45 countries to surveil dissidents, journalists, and others. In a world filled with despair and turmoil, sometimes we need a reminder that people can do wonderful things. And this time that dose of goodness has come in the form of this CRPF soldier who survived the Pulwama terror strike. Iqbal Singh was one of the soldiers who was driving a vehicle in a convoy of the CRPF on February 14 in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. The video of this cop's act of kindness was posted on social media with the caption, 'an act that emanates only love.' One Facebook commenter wrote, 'The jawan making child to [sic] eat food out of his own lunch box is a land mark step toward Community policing .The organisation need to take a lead from this gesture.' 'There is a need to have a paradigm shift in policing and this is a step in that direction,' the user wrote. According to ANI, Singh was on duty at Nawakadal, Downtown, Srinagar, and was was having his lunch, thats when saw a kid who was hungry. He gave his food to the kid only to realise later that the kid seemed to have paralysis and was unable to eat by himself. So Singh fed the kid with his hands. Singh was given a commendation certificate for the "humane and selfless act", the CRPF said. In India especially, the police has to fight the image created: cops accepting bribes and being irresponsible. But that's not always the truth. Cops, too, can be good Samaritans, and the heroes the world needs. In the past too, there have been multiple instances where police officers have gone that extra mile to help people in need. Twitter B Gopal, a Police Home Guard in Hyderabad, bought food for an 80-year-old homeless woman and fed her himself. In ywt another incident, a policeman in Madhya Pradesh, on duty for the Simhastha Kumbh Mahaparv, lifted an old woman up the railway station stairs. Salute this Young MP Police Man on duty during #SimhasthaKumbh Plz RT and Spread this pic.twitter.com/wgZmlo8kwN Captain Cool (@iamanuj7) 20 May 2016 Needless to say, faith in humanity has been duly restored, all thanks people like these. A 40-year-old farm labourer, Nanjesha HN, from Amruthur in Tumkur district of Karnataka survived a gory road accident in which a tree branch impaled his neck. The 60-cm long and 3-cm thick tree branch was left protruding from his neck. Nanjesha miraculously survived for more than 10 hours with the branch in his neck and head. A team of doctors from Sparsh Hospital, Yeshwantpur operated on Nanjesha and removed the branch. According to Times Of India, the operation lasted for nearly two hours. This is a rare case. He was lucky to have survived and got the right treatment at a hospital before coming here at 10.30pm. We conducted an emergency surgery. As his food pipe was damaged, breathing was difficult, his speech was hampered and he couldnt close his mouth. Some of the nerves were also damaged, Dr Gururaj H, plastic surgeon, Sparsh Hospital told the Times Of India. Times Of India The accident took place when Nanjesha HN was riding his two-wheeler from his home to attend the funeral of his relative. During the journey, his bike was hit by a stone while avoiding a truck coming from the opposite side of the road. As he lost his balance and fell on a tree branch. The branch pierced his neck, resulting in heavy bleeding. He was taken to a nearby government hospital in Kunigal town of Tumkur district. "I was not even brought down from the ambulance and it took a turn and was headed to another hospital," he told the Times Of India. Soon after that he was taken to a private medical college in Yeshwantpur in Bangalore where he was examined by a team of doctors. Ajay Devgn in a still from his upcoming film De De Pyaar De. The actor told India-West that he just wants to work, and the older one gets, it is better to be busier, or one will go mad. (photo provided) Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis (far left), U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (second from left), Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj (second right) and Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (far right) pose for photos following a meeting in New Delhi on Sept. 6, 2018. (Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images) The phenomenon that the salary of overseas returnees may not cover their study expenditures has stirred up debate on whether it's worth it to study overseas. Now, a white paper on the topic has provided more nuance. Nearly 70 percent of those with overseas learning experience said the value of overseas study should not be evaluated only by earnings, as the enrichment it brings to their lives is even more important. This comes per the 2019 White Paper on Overseas Study published by New Oriental Education and Technology Group, the largest provider of private educational services in China. Data from the Ministry of Education shows 662,100 people went overseas for study in 2018, up 8.83 percent year-on-year. As the number of students applying for overseas study grows, this group has been getting more and more attention. New Oriental has published white papers on overseas study since 2015, trying to depict the overseas students group and the market. "The perception on the value of learning overseas by students has changed as we compared the data year after year," said Li Jun, a person on the New Oriental overseas study team. More and more people consider overseas study a way to self-actualize, Li said. Wan Yu, a sophomore at China Agricultural University, is working on getting admitted to an exchange program in the US. "I'd like to experience the teaching style and academic atmosphere there, and more importantly broaden my vision," Wan said. According to the white paper, the percentage of people valuing self-improvement has grown in the last three years. More than half of students want to broaden their vision, enrich their life experience and acquire cutting-edge knowledge by going overseas. The percentage of students who say obtaining a degree is their top priority is falling. At the same time, the possibility of immigrating to other countries after studying there weakens as domestic economy grows. More students consider overseas study an educational experience. The white paper shows the percentage of students who come back to China as soon as they graduate has increased over the past five years. "One reason is the job market in foreign countries is nearly full, another is that the purpose of some students study abroad is to increase their competitiveness at home," Li said. Overseas returnees increased by 38,500 or 8 percent in 2018 year-on-year, according to data from the Ministry of Education. The white paper also shows 89 percent of employers acknowledge the value of overseas study. Professional skills and creativity are two things employers value most in overseas returnees. Sixty is the new 45, 80 is the new 60, and 100 is well, really dang old. But even centenarians know that once you stop learning, you star... Police spokesperson, Frank Mba says that Nigerians can politely request that a police officer who wants to search them, should first surrender himself for search in certain situations. This as made known by Frank Mba, police PRO in a statement on Monday. This according to Mba, a person about to be searched can politely request to search an officer before police officer searches them. Joshua Bamiloye, son of veteran filmmaker, Mike Bamiloye hit quite some nerves after he spoke against American movie series Lucifer in a few tweets. According to him, the devil is using the movie to win souls for himself, making people fall in love with the character, Lucifer He tweeted; Theres a show Called LUCIFER Azin(as in) the devil o lol. And you, Knowing how captivating foreign series can be, You still watch. Now you LOVE the character; Lucifer, Like Jack Bauer. And somehow you think, the devil isnt winning your soul over Lucifer is an American urban fantasy police procedural comedy-drama television series by Tom Kapinos that premiered on Fox on January 25, 2016. It revolves around Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), the Devil, who abandons Hell for Los Angeles where he runs his own nightclub and becomes a consultant to the LAPD. See some people reacted to Joshua Bamiloyes tweets. @TheFavouredWoman wrote: Your dads poorly researched, badly scripted and low budget attempt at movies didnt do Christianity any favours either. Yall basically scarred people for life. @khamsObaje: Abegi! Its not that deep. I guess you havent seen a single episode of the show. Depending on what content you desire on TV, I find it entertaining. Anyone whos gonna admire and idolize the devil will do it unaided, not from watching LUCIFER abeg. @SeunnlaAdelusi: Lucifer means Bearer of Light We mustnt attach too much to simple series @NeneEugene: Its not that deep. If you cant separate TV characters from real life you have a problem. Just because I like and support vampires on screen doesnt mean I will also like people that drink blood in real life and claim they are vampires. @UkwuChisom wrote: Lmao. Okay. I hope Netflix gives us a season 5. That one is your problem @MysteryEcra wrote: Have u seen a single episode of that series? Abeg the devil isnt winning anyones soul @AimLEGEND: Lol. Lucifer is far a better show than Ayamamtanga would ever be. In fact, they shouldnt be mentioned in the same sentence. And for the records I f#%cking love it. I call him Luce by the way. Oshi. Rada rada. @Yxclusive wrote: Ayamantaga like all other mount Zion movies scarred me for a very long time. My grandma loved watching them. Fam. My future children will never be exposed to any type of horror movie till theyre of age to me & I will tell them its just a funny unreal movie. The EFCC as arrested a certain Adeusi Demola Olatunji, A Nigerian criminologist on charges of internet fraud. Olatunji who is a graduate of Criminology and Security Services has now been sentenced to four months in prison by Justice P.I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan. Olatunji who is also known as Piero Luchas, was first arraigned on a six-count charge, which he pled not guilty to. He was however convicted on a one-count charge which came after a plea-bargain agreement he had with the commission. The convict was nabbed on February 8, 2019 at Elebu Oja, Ibadan, Oyo State. The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board CDFIPB on Tuesday announced the approval of the abolition of the dichotomy between holders of Bachelors Degree and Higher National Diploma in the Services under the Ministry of Interior. This information was revealed contained in a statement signed by the Secretary of the board Mallam AI-Sassan S. Yakmut in Abuja. The Board chaired by the Honourable Minister of Interior retired Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau gave the approval at the Boards meeting held between 9th and 10th May 2019 in Abuja. Consequently, a Technical Committee was immediately set up to work out modalities for the Implementation including the harmonization of ranks in accordance with the abolition, the statement said. General Dambazau wishes the candidates a successful career in the services and pledges commitment of the Board to ensuring adequate pre-deployment training. The owner of Kokun Foundation, Kokun has reached out to the man who went viral on social media a few days ago telling Nigerians he desired to eat with E-money and Dangote. Seeing the ambitions of the young man, Kokun took Dangote to the man for him to eat with the billionaire, only that this time it was not the man himself but his products; a Dangote pasta, Dangote sugar, Dangote seasoning and 20,000 naira. Also Read: Marry two wives or face jail term King of Swaziland A few days ago, news broke on the internet showing a man wearing Tortoise mask that covered his head and face, with a blue bag in Lagos asking to dine with Emoney and Dangote with his phone number included. Kokun Foundation wrote: Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has said that doesnt know if Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress(APC) is the political godfather And that he owes no one an apology over his statement about ending godfatherism in Lagos state. Last week during a programme in Lagos, the Kaduna governor said he would teach Lagosians how to retire the godfathers of Lagos politics Just like what he said he did in his state when he retired the four political godfathers. In an interview with reporters on Monday, the Kaduna state governor said he doesnt regret saying what he said. But speaking with reporters on the issue, the governor said he did not regret making the comment. On whether he wanted to retire Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from Lagos politics el-Rufai said he has no idea that Tinubu is the godfather of Lagos politics. Popular Nigerian crossdresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky has confirmed what a lot of Nigerians have been suspecting all along. A lot of Nigerians have accused the male barbie of being gay or just pretending to be gay in order to sleep with women. However, wanting to settle the ongoing debate, Bobrisky took to his Instagram page to reveal that he has cut his manhood. See his post below: President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the elites and himself might be failing Nigerians in terms of Education. He made this remark yesterday, 14th May, when visited by vice president Yemi Osinbajo, ministers, service chiefs, heads of security agencies and chief executives of federal government agencies. Nigerians while reacting to this comment have lampooned him. Reactions: It is becoming clear that the person in Aso Rock is not Buhari. Chimezie Obianuka (@CObianuka) May 14, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Finally presidency admits that poverty is in the land. @BashirAhmaad and @cbngov_akin1 that accused @Realomosexy should now accuse Buhari or apologize to Omotola. Voice Crying Out (@ogechime1) May 14, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Just when I thought some of your appointees are presenting poverty as a virtue Temitayo Ajibade (@IamBishopTee) May 14, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Next level of poverty is coming cos no plan to lift Nigeria out of poverty only say with mouth there it ends. Mr.Uche (@Ayankoko) May 14, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js The upcoming Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), personally initiated by President Xi Jinping, aims to build a platform for Asian countries to communicate, exchange ideas and showcase their cultures, a senior Chinese official said Tuesday. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with L. Enkh-Amgalan, deputy chairman of the State Great Hural, Mongolia's parliament. The conference will certainly become a grand event in the history of exchanges among Asian and world civilizations, said Huang, also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Huang said he hopes China and Mongolia can actively develop people-to-people and cultural exchanges to consolidate public support for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Enkh-Amgalan, who is here to attend the conference, said the Mongolian side is ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation in fields including jointly building the Belt and Road, economy, culture, and legislation. Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe has threatened to sue a Nigerian blogger for calling her a liar over her mothers day post. Recall Mercy had posted that for 18 years she single-handedly raised her daughter Michelle with no help from anyone. Well, the blogger countered this saying Michelle has been receiving stipends from her dad. This, of course, got many angry which has now made her promise to sue the blogger for spreading such lie.\ Read her post below; This is our top headlines from Nigerian Newspapers for Today, Tuesday 14th May, 2019: Vanguard Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has lambasted the United States for the delay in designating Boko Haram a terror group, paying glowing tributes to Leah Sharibu in an ode to Leah and Chibok girls. Thisday Countries in Africa that have adopted Information Technology (IT) in their electoral processes now have to deal with a new challenge, systems hacking, which now threatens the practice of democracy in the continent, a former President of Ghana, Mr John Mahama, has said. The Sun Alhaji Abdulraman Olalekan Amosan, Secretary, Roads Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Lagos State Chapter, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to do more in the socio-economic and infrastructure development of the nation, as well as in the implementation of policies and projects in order to reciprocate the huge votes given to him by the citizens, which led to his victory at the just concluded presidential election. Guardian Forces against the reappointment of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele have stepped up pressure on the Senate to reject his confirmation. Leadership Kano State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Haruna Abdullahi, has said that the Command has succeeded in arresting a 20-year-old man, one Bashir Yahaya, of Kabuga quarters for allegedly killing a 20-year-old Nurse, Aisha Kabir for resisting being raped by the culprit. Tribune The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has commended the House of Representatives for passage of the Draft National Tobacco Control Regulations and wants the Senate to do the same as a legacy achievement of the current National Assembly. Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi had announced plans to build an airport in the state. However, criticisms have trailed this decision by Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress(APC), who took over from former governor, Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), last year. According to a lot of critics, an airport is hr last thing, the state needs And a waste of already scares resources. Take a look at some Kayode @CACCOT1 I just saw a trend now that our Ekiti state wants to build an airport. O ma se o! I thought @kfayemi Is highly educated. Common sense should simply tell him to partner with FG to build a railway from Akure to Ado&be using Akure airport. Who we offend for Ekiti sef? Kayode William (@kayfem10) May 13, 2019 Ekiti Airport? Needless. Even Akure Airport needs to be shut down, a lot of airports across Nigeria are vanity projects. We either close Ibadan and leave Akure or close Akure and leave Ibadan. Not sustainable. Focus on South West road networks to link Oodua States. https://t.co/AAeV7gl4mV Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) May 13, 2019 Ekiti doesnt need to build any Airport, What the use of Airport that doesnt contribute to the Economy of the state, Akure has Airport which is like 1hr to Ekiti state. I think @kfayemi better look into a better investment, create Economic clusters, improve the Tourist centers Nigeria SoroSoke, What do you want? (@Ol_Timi) May 14, 2019 "Ekiti needs an airport so investors can come for meetings".. So if you were an investor, you would overlook lack of excellent road and rail network that would actually help make your investment PROFITABLE and invest because you were able to take a direct flight to Ekiti? Gene Grey (@EuginhoCortez) May 14, 2019 I lived a full long year in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state. Any attempt at building an airport is a lame idea, waste of extremely scarce resources. Honestly you don't need to be Harvard certificated to know that this takes the cake when it comes to lame elitist ideas. adeyeye adebola (@missdeyeye) May 14, 2019 GovernorAkeredolu, who is currently in Thailand with the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah on a visit for a Program on Medicinal Cannabis Extract Development, disclosed that the legal Marijuana Market will generate billions of dollars and also provide thousands of jobs for the teeming youths. Also Read: Ayamatanga was worse!!! Nigerians come for Mike Bamiloyes son for speaking against a trending movie Lucifer Read his tweets: We all know that Ondo State is the hot bed of cannabis cultivation in Nigeria. We know how to grow it and it thrives well in the Sunshine State. With an estimated value of $145 Billion in 2025, we would be shortchanging ourselves if we failed to tap into the Legal Marijuana Market. Our focus now is Medical Marijuana cultivation in controlled plantations under the full supervision of the @ndlea_nigeria. I strongly implore the FG to take this seriously as it is a thriving industry that will create 1000s of Jobs for our youth & spur Economic Diversification Kwaku Bonsam, a popular Ghanaian herbalist has made news after he reportedly stormed a church to collect his charm from a pastor. In a video that has ince surfaced online, the herbalist and his crew entered the church and disrupted the activities that were going on while asking for his Juju from the pastor. In the video, Kwaku Bonsam was heard saying I told you to be patient but there was no proof to state that he was talking directly with the pastor. Kwaku Bonsam made news in 2014 when he dragged Nigeria and Africas most popular seer, Prophet T.B Joshua, saying he would expose the cleric and chase him out of Ghana. In a recent interview, he revealed that he has pastor-clients across the African continent who come to him for different charms. Ghanaian actor, Chris Attohs late wife, Bettie Jenifer who was shot dead just as she closed from work was married to a drug lord. Bettie who was fatally shot by handgun as she left work on Friday was reportedly married to two men One of them, the Ghanaian actor, Chris Attoh and the other a convicted drug lord. Jenifer(44) had married second husband actor Chris Attoh in October 2018 in Accra, Ghana But failed to file for divorce from first husband Kendrick Jenifer until April 9 of this year, NBC News reported. The convicted drug lord, Jenifer has been serving a 20-year sentence for leading a drug trafficking ring since pleading guilty in 2015. However, police said they are investigating all angles, including a tweet from Attoh four hours before Jenifers murder. When it comes to relationships, remaining faithful is never an option but a priority, he tweeted. Loyalty is ever After his wifes death, Attohs management said he had no comment. Were casting a wide net, looking at any and all information that could possibly help us apprehend who did this, Greenbelt Police Department spokesman George Mathews told Fox 5 DC. Greenbelt is a Baltimore suburb, Police said. Our investigators do not believe this was random. It was very brazen it happened in broad daylight in front of multiple witnesses, Greenbelt Police Department spokesperson George Mathews told Fox 5. And thats very concerning, but we do not believe this was a random act. Taking to his IG page, Ruggedman addressed rumours that he may have had a hand in the arrest of Naira Marley. In his words; I do not know Naira Marley personally, the same way I do not know the over 300 Nigerians I have gotten justice for against police brutality. I do it because it is who I am. Read the full post below; My fellow Nigerians and the Distinguished members of the Press, I have read and heard all sorts of comments pertaining to the Naira Marley case and seen the misinformation making the rounds which is quite unfortunate to say the least. I do not know Naira Marley personally, the same way I do not know the over 300 Nigerians I have gotten justice for against police brutality. I do it because it is who I am. All I did was caution a young artist, who has influence, against making utterances about an issue that by global standard is considered a crime. I believe correcting this was the way to go as an elder, but got insulted for this even by those being misled. I never responded to Naira Marleys invectives nor those of his fans, same way I have not responded to any of the negative comments from social media. I note that saying I was happy in a way about his arrest has evidently frayed some nerves and for that I apologise. It was in hope that it would serve as deterrent for persons who might consider the said ills or need to make a u-turn. It by no means was intended to wish for his downfall. It perhaps was not a good choice of word in hindsight. I do not look forward to anyones downfall but rather hope we all learn from the situation. I hereby state categorically that I had nothing to do with his arrest. We all must recall that he glorified fraud on a public platform where security agencies like the Police, NDLEA and EFCC are also on. I am sure they saw his posts and captions the same way we all did. I, however, was the one that cautioned him. I guess this was what led all the darts and arrows my way as a literal mortal retribution to my person. Despite the disrespect to my person, I got nothing against him and only longed for him to be discerning and utilise his position of influence appropriately. May God bless you all and yes that includes those wishing me evil and threatening me. Nothing will change who I am and I will keep you all in my prayers. Following the order by King Mswati III, the King of Swaziland that from June 2019, men must marry at least two or more wives or they will be locked up, Nigerians have reacted hilariously. The move according to the king would ensure that all ladies in the country get a husband as there are more ladies than men in the kingdom according to the king. His words: Heres the deal, marry at least five wives and youre assured that the government will pay for the marriage ceremonies and buy houses for them a palace source reveals Nigerians while reacting to this have expressed joy and said they are looking to migrate to the country to enjoy the benefit. Reactions: https://twitter.com/subz13_/status/1128308506409480192 Only 4 hours is standimg in my way of happiness #swaziland pic.twitter.com/C8iql1obpQ Katlego (@katlicarbonate) May 14, 2019 https://twitter.com/smith_tshepi/status/1128286748969246721 https://twitter.com/Bokenza1/status/1128293590831120384 Kayode Fayemi has come under much fire for proposing to build an airport in Ekiti state. Fayemi became the governor of state in 2018, after winning the governorship election and beating the choice candidate of the then governor, Ayo Fayode of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). Many have urged that the state is in site need of infrastructural revamp and building an airport is a case of misplaced priorities. See some arguments bashing the Governor @Lawhboy: Ive never been to Ekiti state before but I heard Fayemi wanna build an airport in that state. LOOOOOOOOOL. Who will now use the airport in Akure, Ibadan, and Ikeja? Misplaced priority @SamuelAjao: I am trying to figure which project is more needless between Fayoses Bridge and Fayemis (Proposed) Airport. For a state that is amongst the poorest in the country. These guys are clowns!!! @KennethOnyeka18: What will make people fly to Ekiti State? No tourist attraction, no business hub. Meanwhile, what is the population of Ekiti State? The governor just wants to loot @CACCOT1: What is the essence or financial advantage of constructing the airport in Ekiti State? Tourism is zero, no developed historical sites, no modern development worthy of flying to see, no business except ministries, nothing to fly for and Fayemi want to construct one! SMH. @Oluafolabi: I really hope that Fayemi discards this idea of an airport for Ekiti. I understand that Fayoses rationale for proposing it was embezzlement, what is Fayemis rationale? Those who didnt bash the governors plan @Sarnchos wrote: Nigerians are a funny bunch I dont recall as much opposition to the photo ops of Fayose on tractors, amala joints, kpomo sellers etc during his tenure. But Fayemi planning for a future airport has suddenly raised the hackles of our twitter intellectuals. What do we want to see? @giwa_abdulazeez: It seems we must all av opinions abt all issues. We dont av 2. Has Fayemi given reasons why he intends 2 build an airport in d state? If he hasnt, I dont understand all these hullabaloos of Ekiti state doesnt need an airport. Until he does dat, all dese ar nonsense talk Nigerias Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the federal government has the power to seize assets from a citizen s who cannot explain the source of their wealth. The VP said this while declaring open the anti-corruption conference organised by the office of the vice president and the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) in Abuja on Tuesday. The Supreme Court in a lead judgment of Akaahs JSC, recently held that forfeiture under Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act is a civil process which neither requires the criminal conviction of the property owner nor his innocence, he said. This opens the door for forfeiture of assets that the purported owner cannot explain, whether or not an allegation of corruption is made. He stressed that because of corruption the countrys debt and poverty figures have doubles regardless of the highest oil revenues in Nigerias history. He added also that the fight against corruption is far from over and that the present government is still trying to tackle grand corruption first. By that, we mean the stealing of huge public resources directly from the treasury; usually at the highest levels of executive authority; and the stealing of budgeted funds through various schemes. We are now poised to deal with the wider problem of systemic corruption; especially where the average person interacts with government. Corruption in the issuance of contracts, licenses and other government approvals; there is no reason why any Nigerian should have to give bribe to law enforcement agents for obtaining drivers licenses or passports or to clear goods at our ports. All the relevant government agencies have shown a serious commitment to eradicating these forms of corruption; our next level is to create the environment for collaboration between our agencies, civil society and other stakeholders. A number of advanced Chinese radar systems have been set up at Beijing Daxing International Airport, offering faster and more accurate weather forecasts. One is a millimeter-wave cloud radar, developed by a research institute affiliated with the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. According to the institute, it is capable of monitoring clouds, fog, snow and drizzle within 60 km of the airport and obtaining weather data. Working together with other radar systems, the new radar will improve airport weather forecasts with higher accuracy and provide better real-time monitoring and early warning of low-visibility conditions. The installation of two other boundary wind profiler radar systems and a low-tropospheric wind profiler radar system developed by the institute will be completed soon. In addition, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation developed a new weather radar for the new airport with the latest radar technology. It has a faster scanning speed, better reliability and stronger detection ability than ordinary radar systems. The radar only takes one minute to complete a scan while previous radars took around six. The new system can function for 3,000 hours, five times that of ordinary radar systems. According to its developers, the radar can detect dangerous weather, such as thunderstorms and heavy wind faster and more accurately. Located 46 km south of downtown Beijing, the new airport will be put into operation in September and take pressure off the overcrowded Beijing Capital International Airport in the northeastern suburbs. It completed its first test flight of passenger planes Monday, showing that the new airport has turned its focus from infrastructure construction to operation preparations. The airport is expected to handle 45 million passengers annually by 2021 and 72 million by 2025. Hong Kong is caught in the middle between the two giant economies spat. Beijing has vowed to implement necessary countermeasures, after Washington imposed tariffs of between 10% and 25% on US$200 billion in Chinese goods. In order to assist local businesses, Yau said that the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation will keep its supporting measures which were slated to end in June 2019 until June 2020. These include a 30% discount on export insurance premiums for small businesses, which was raised from 20% previously when the measures came into effect in September 2018. Read more: Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corp launches online platform Small businesses also received a 20% higher credit limit of HK$5 million (US$641,000) when doing business with US importers, as part of the measures. Despite Hong Kongs separate economic arrangement under the US-Hong Kong Policy Act, which was implemented when the UK handed over the city to China in 1997, local traders are still affected by the economic disputes due to the intertwined economies of Hong Kong and the mainland. According to an expert, the new tariffs effect on the Hong Kong economy will be manageable, with second-quarter GDP growth forecasted at 0.8% to 1%. I guess the public is not very frightened, Andy Kwan Cheuk-chiu, director of the ACE Centre for Business and Economic Research, was quoted as saying by SCMP. If they were, the stock market would have stumbled a lot. But after the confirmation of a tariff hike came, the stock market rose again. The objective of the design and distribution obligations is to assist consumers to obtain appropriate financial products by requiring issuers and distributors to have a customer-centric approach, explains Andrea Beatty, a partner with Piper Alderman. In practice, offerors will need to identify their target retail clients at the outset and then design the financial product to be appropriate to those clients. As a result, brokers will likely be prevented from distributing products to markets outside the target demographic however, questions have been asked about how these obligations will work in practice. NIBA CEO Dallas Booth is among those questioning the legislation and, speaking to Insurance Business, Booth admitted he had some concerns around what the obligations will mean for brokers. One thing that worries me enormously, and is still not clear, is the design distribution package, said Booth. It will certainly have an impact on insurance brokers but, at the moment, its still not clear what that impact will be. Booth says little information has been provided to confirm what the process for determining a target market will look like, or how that will impact the wider insurance industry. Were not clear on what the insurers will actually be doing for a target market process for the products and, secondly, how that will impact brokers and what they can do, said Booth. Booth also said the legislation could put brokers in difficult situations, where theyre forced between a rock and a hard place, despite having the best of intentions. One thing weve been asking all along is; what happens when a particular insurance policy is ideal for a client, but the client is not in the insurers target market? says Booth. What does the broker do in that circumstance? Does the broker breach their duty to act in the best interests of the client or do they breach their duty to not sell products outside the target market? I still dont know the answer to that. With the legislation due to come into force in 2021, Booth says its an area that NIBA will be focussing on in the coming months. Its a difficult one and it can really come down to a very fine level of detail as to the words involved so, from a NIBA perspective, this is what well be doing for the next 12 months, he said. We want to make sure brokers have the capacity to find the best solutions for their clients and we want to make sure they have the capacity to innovate. 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 drivers 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 Carmans mothers three sisters, said his aunts dont want him to get his mothers share of the inheritance. After the judges 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. Carmans family believes he was also responsible for her death. Carman has denied any role in his grandfathers 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. 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. Related: Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Legislation Connecticut Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais joined more than 40 of his colleagues from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) last week to highlight important issues for members of U.S. Congress. Some of the topics raised were federal reforms to help stabilize health insurance markets, long-term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and proposals to promote compatibility, accountability and insurance regulator inclusion in international insurance discussions. Working with our federal counterparts is important in protecting consumers in Connecticut, said Commissioner Mais in a press release issued by the Connecticut Insurance Department. Because insurance touches all residents of Connecticut, it is critical that states and the federal government coordinate on insurance issues to best serve our great state. Chief state insurance regulators and senior staff from across the country gathered in Washington this week for the 2019 All-Commissioner DC Fly-In. NAIC members spent two days meeting with their congressional representatives and discussing the impact of federal policies in the states and briefing lawmakers on regulatory developments in insurance. Before meeting their congressional delegations, the regulators met Daniel Kaniewski, acting deputy administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Brian Blase, special assistant to the President for Healthcare Policy and James Parker, senior advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Azar. Source: Connecticut Insurance Department Topics Connecticut Politics German insurer Allianz SE on Tuesday posted a small rise in net profit in the first quarter from a year earlier, marginally ahead of expectations, and confirmed its targets for 2019. Results were helped by lower claims from natural catastrophes, though the groups asset management division which includes PIMCO faced the drag of high expenses due to investments, the company said in a statement. Net profit attributable to shareholders rose to 1.969 billion euros ($2.21 billion) from 1.939 billion euros a year ago. A Reuters poll of analysts had forecast 1.908 billion euro profit. Revenue rose 9.1% to 40.3 billion euros from a year earlier, the Munich-based insurer said. The results put Allianz on track to meet its targets for the full year, Chief Executive Oliver Baete said. For 2019, Allianz confirmed it was aiming for operating profit of 11.5 billion euros, plus or minus 500 million euros. In 2019, Allianz earned 11.5 billion euros. Allianzs combined ratio in its property and casualty division, a key measure of profitability, was 93.7% in the first quarter, an improvement of 1.1 percentage points from a year earlier. Readings below 100 indicate profitability. ($1 = 0.8898 euros) (Reporting by Tom Sims; editing by Thomas Seythal and Rashmi Aich) Topics Trends Profit Loss Allianz Federal safety officials have proposed nearly $185,000 in penalties against the U.S. Postal Service, alleging exits were blocked at the Ankeny, Iowa, post office. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the office was inspected after the National Association of Letter Carriers union complained. OSHA cited the Postal Service because exit routes had been blocked by hampers, tubs and packages. The service also was cited for failing to train employees for emergencies. Postal Service spokesman David Rupert said he couldnt immediately comment Monday. The service can either comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Iowa 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. Topics Aviation Aerospace Louisianas lawmakers are on a labeling binge this year, pushing ahead with food classification restrictions on milk, rice, meat, sugar, shrimp and crawfish as they try to assist the states agricultural industries. The protectionist measures are provoking ridicule on social media, threats of litigation and objections from people who say they dont need the state telling them that almond milk isnt real milk. But legislators say theyre trying to make sure consumers know what theyre buying, eating, and drinking, and they say theyre trying to help bolster farmers and fishermen who are struggling. Two of the so-called truth in labeling proposals overwhelmingly backed by the Senate and awaiting debate in the House come from Senate Agriculture Chairman Francis Thompson, a Democrat from rural Richland Parish. One of the measures adds protections for meat, seafood, rice and sugar producers, making it unlawful for food manufacturers to market products such as cauliflower rice if theres no rice in it or veggie meat patties if they dont contain meat. Thompsons proposal is similar to legislation signed in Arkansas. His second bill seeks to prohibit a beverage from being labeled as milk unless the product comes from a cow, goat or other hooved mammals. In other words, the legislation targets soy milk, almond milk and other synthetic milk alternatives. Theres absolutely no issue with the quality of any of these other products, Thompson said during Senate debate of the milk labeling proposal. I believe theyre healthy beverages and critical to many consumers with allergies or food intolerance. But are they milk? No, they are not milk. Sen. Dan Claitor, a Baton Rouge Republican, was one of two senators to oppose the milk labeling measure. One of my friends asked me about this bill and said, What more nanny state stuff are you guys going to do as far as regulating what we can and cant have? Claitor said. The Plant Based Foods Association calls the restrictions unnecessary, saying products already are clearly labeled. The California-based organization objects to both of Thompsons bills, but isnt actively fighting the milk labeling measure, saying it has no practical impact. The milk bill only allows enforcement of labeling standards if the U.S. Food and Drug and Administration uses such standards nationally, as dairy farmers are requesting. But Thompsons other proposal gives Louisianas agriculture commissioner enforcement authority when the law takes effect and calls for civil penalties up to $500 per violation, with each day a violation is identified as a separate offense. The Plant Based Foods Association called the meat and rice labeling measure an attack on free speech rights, saying legal analysts dont believe such a law could survive a court challenge. The makers of plant-based meat alternatives already follow current regulations and clearly identify their products by using qualifiers such as `meatless or `plant-based or vegetarian, the organization said in a statement. Consumers are not confused, they know exactly what they are buying and are choosing plant-based alternatives for a variety of reasons: health, environmental concerns, ethical reasons and taste. Still, Thompson is moving ahead with both bills, backed by Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain and farmers. While those two labeling restriction measures won Senate support, the House unanimously supported a separate proposal by Rep. Jerry Truck Gisclair, a Democrat from Lafourche Parish, that would require restaurants to notify customers if they serve imported crawfish or shrimp. Gisclair called it a health issue, saying too little testing is done on shrimp or crawfish entering the United States from countries like China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Clearly, the legislation also is a protectionist measure for Louisianas seafood industry, which has long railed against foreign imports. Were allowing them to come in and destroy our industry and make us sick on top of it, said Rep. Kenny Cox, a Natchitoches Democrat. I just think thats a travesty. Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris, the House Republicans leader, argued the proposal could be burdensome to food retailers and suggested Gisclair didnt provide proof of any health threat. But as he realized the legislation was easily moving to the Senate for consideration, Harris voted in support with his colleagues. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Louisiana Agribusiness After eight years as the head of the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI), Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak is leaving Tennessee state government in order to pursue career opportunities in the private sector, according to a statement from TDCI. TDCI announced McPeaks resignation May 13, saying her last day as commissioner will be June 14, 2019. TDCI said Governor Bill Lee has named Deputy Commissioner Carter Lawrence to serve as Interim Commissioner until a permanent commissioner is selected. We thank Julie Mix McPeak for her over eight years of service and her tireless commitment to her Department and to Tennessee. We wish her the best in her future endeavors, said Lee. Carter Lawrence has ably served as Deputy Commissioner at the Department of Commerce and Insurance, and I look forward to serving alongside him as he steps into the role of Interim Commissioner. McPeak was first appointed commissioner by Governor Bill Haslam in 2011 and was reappointed by Lee after he was elected governor in November. Shortly after, she spoke with Insurance Journal about her priorities for TDCI under the new administration and her takeaways from her tenure as president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), which she completed in December. NAIC is the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization created and governed by the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. My main take away is that the state-based system of insurance regulation is solid, works very well in the United States market, and that we still are the world leader in terms of financial oversight, consumer protection, and competitive market, McPeak said at the time. The former executive director of the Kentucky Office of Insurance, McPeak is the first woman to serve as chief insurance regulator in more than one state. Tennessee is a special place, and it has been a distinct privilege and honor to have served the Volunteer State, McPeak said. Its been an amazing journey. At the end of the day, Im enormously proud of our accomplishments on behalf of Tennesseans. I believe the Department has helped play a role in transforming Tennessee into a national and international destination for families and businesses. I am excited about the next chapter of my life and my career in Nashville and Im equally excited about whats in store for Tennessee. TDCI said under McPeaks leadership, its multiple divisions undertook numerous initiatives and programs that have improved Tennessee, including: Accreditation of TDCI by the NAIC. As part of the NAICs accreditation program, state insurance departments must undergo comprehensive, independent review every five years to ensure they meet financial solvency oversight standards. States that maintain their accredited status demonstrate that the current means of regulatory monitoring is intact and continues to work effectively. Creating and implementing the Get Alarmed, Tennessee! free smoke alarm program. Since its inception in 2012, the Tennessee State Fire Marshals Office and its Tennessee fire service partners have distributed over 198,000 smoke alarms statewide. Smoke alarms installed through the program are credited with saving 265 Tennesseans from fire danger, so far. Modernizing Tennessees captive insurance laws, resulting in Tennessee domestic captive insurance companies exceeding $1 billion in written premiums in 2017 for the first time. Its efforts resulted in Tennessee being named Domicile of The Year (Less Than 200 Captives) at the 2018 U.S. Captive Review Awards for its achievements. Streamlining the process of issuing professional licenses, enabling Tennessee professionals to obtain their license in a more timely and efficient manner. Lawrence previously served as TDCIs Deputy Commissioner overseeing the departments administration as well as the Division of Regulatory Boards. While managing the Division of Regulatory Boards, he oversaw nearly 40 fee reductions across the divisions 27 program areas, TDCI said, benefitting many of the more than 250,000 licensees across the Volunteer State. A native of Williamson County, Lawrence is an attorney and studied law at the University of Tennessee, where he also obtained a Master of Business Administration. For undergraduate studies, Carter obtained a Bachelor of Arts at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. Commissioner McPeak leaves a legacy of sound management practices and continually challenging the Departments executive staff and our team members to strive for their best as they serve the public. Following her example, I will champion Governor Lees vision for Tennessee during my service as Interim Commissioner. I thank Governor Lee for the opportunity to serve Tennessee in this role, Lawrence said. Source: Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Related: Topics Legislation USA Tennessee The eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi has taken a rare stance against smartphones and tablet computers by banning their use in university classes unless for academic purposes. College students are not allowed to bring smart mobile devices into classrooms unless required by the class, said the latest notice issued by the province's department of education. The new policy feeds into the debate about whether smartphones should be barred from classroom to reduce their negative effects on students. Previously, most official injunctions targeted primary and middle schools in China, though some universities have spontaneously issued such bans. The notice also demands universities and colleges tighten school disciplines, raise course difficulty and improve the quality of teaching. Hurricane Michael killed seven people and caused more than $6 billion in damage in Florida in October, a toll compounded by warmer, higher seas and wetter air, the signs of climate change scientists have long warned about. But investors have yet to pay any kind of meaningful attention, buying up long-dated debt and financing real estate decades into the future. That kind of market neglect means the Florida economy can be expected to go to hell, warned Spencer Glendon, a senior fellow at the Woods Hole Research Center and a former partner and director of investment research at Wellington Management. No one should be lending for 30 years in most of Florida, he said at an investment conference in New York last week. During that time frame, insurance will disappear and terminal values future resale income will shrink. I tell my parents that its fine to rent in Florida, but its insane to own or to lend. Floridas economic crash could begin with banks or home-buyers worrying that annual insurance policies in some places will become prohibitively expensive, or disappear completely, Glendon said. That would shake the housing market and hurt property tax revenue, leaving Florida without an obvious way to pay for infrastructure to replace whats literally or figuratively under water. Inability to replenish infrastructure in a slow-growth economy evokes community decay and economic decline reminiscent of Detroit or Puerto Rico, Glendon said. I hope this is clear, he said in New York. Civilization is built on climate stability. We are now accelerating into instability. Do your models reflect that? Trends in local municipal-bond and mortgage markets suggest they may not. The risks of climate change have begun to pop up in prospectuses and credit-analysis, to little effect. Ahead of a new debt offering last month, Miami Beach told potential investors that officials are keenly aware of the risk from hurricanes and sea-level rise. Miami Beach successfully raised its $162 million, with a 20-year maturity pricing at the same yield as a similar April offering by Charlotte, North Carolina, an inland city with much less climate risk. Both issues had the same call provisions, coupons and ratings from Moodys and S&P. Comparisons are difficult, but if markets were acknowledging the scale of Florida-specific climate risk, Floridas bonds should sell at a discount, relative to similarly structured bonds sold elsewhere. I dont know whether the right price is half-price or 60% or 20%, but if its at 100%, I know its the wrong price, Glendon said in an interview. At the same time, climate risk may be subsumed by other incentives. People who buy property in Florida may value the tax-free income more than they worry about climate risk. When it comes to mortgages, the ultimate buyers of securitized loans are far removed from local officials and residents who know whats happening on the ground. Similar warnings are starting to reverberate among other financial institutions. BlackRock Inc. last month published a 20-page explanation of how climate-risk has become a necessary assessment in understanding shifting levels of risk and value. The report concludes that 58% of U.S. metropolitan areas will face climate-related damages amounting to 1% or more of GDP by 2060-2080, and that a rising share of muni bond issuance over time will likely come from regions facing economic losses from rising average temperatures and related events. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Florida Climate Change Atlanta, GA, May 14, 2019 Jared Mathis, executive vice president and head of the Blue River Underwriters specialty property program group will be presenting an informational webinar on vacant property insurance this week. The webinar titled Lost Your Tenant will be held on Wednesday, May 15 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Central Time and attendees need to register in advance here. Zurich North America, which underwrites the Blue River program, will facilitate the webinar through its ZProgramsMatch service*. ZProgramsMatch is a Zurich North America online tool offering agents the opportunity to access Zurich through its Programs Business unit. As part of the ZProgramsMatch Knowledge Hub, webinars are conducted to provide agents and brokers with insights around specific programs. The Blue River Underwriters vacant property program is ideal for retail, office, medical, warehouse and other types of commercial property where tenants intermittently change, and the building may be empty in part or total at times. The webinar will cover the nuances of this type of coverage to assist agents and brokers in facilitating and simplifying insurance for their property landlord or management company clients. These considerations include proper protection based on location, space classification and utilization, finishes, weather exposures, on-site fire and theft prevention measures and more. Diverse examples of vacant property coverage will be shared, and audience questions will be answered. For immediate inquiries, please contact Jared Mathis at jmathis@blueriveruw.com. BLUE RIVER UNDERWRITERS is a national program administrator with managing general underwriting and managing general agent authority for several programs with top-rated international carriers. The team partners with select retail and wholesale insurance agents to deliver industry and risk insights and solutions for diverse insureds from Auto Dealers to Contractors to Outdoors entities. Blue River Underwriters continues to build its reputation for quality coverage, competitive rates, and unparalleled service with ten offices nationwide and is a part of the Breckenridge Insurance Group. BRECKENRIDGE INSURANCE GROUP, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is an international specialty wholesale insurance broker, program manager, managing general agent (MGA) and insurance services provider. The company offers access to diverse range of commercial insurance and financial services products to businesses and professional services firms in a variety of industries. The company serves independent insurance agents, brokers, and financial institutions nationally by way of Blue River Underwriters, OSC, Breckenridge Insurance Services, Breckenridge Elevation Authorities contract binding group and Southeastern Underwriters, Inc. For more information, please visit WWW.BRECKGRP.COM or call 855.728.8822. CA Insurance License #0G13592 *Zurich does not guarantee any particular outcome nor guarantee that each and every such risk will be placed or accepted by the participating program administrator. Coverages may not be available in all states. Media Contact Caren Henry chenry@breckgrp.com 567.961.8252 Topics Agencies Underwriting Property Insurance Wholesale Training Development European and US shares clawed back some of the sharp losses from earlier in the week as President Donald Trump stepped down the rhetoric of the US trade clash with China. European stock markets, including the Ftse-100 in London, responded by advancing by over 1%. "With the Dow having lost over 600 points in response to Chinese trade reprisals, there is clearly a substantial degree of anxiety inherent within markets over the possibility that US-China trade talks return to square one," said Josh Mahony at online broker IG. "Todays gains are as much a reflection of the fact while both sides appear to be moving further apart, Trumps apparent willingness to resume talks highlights that there is a chance that talks could suddenly get back on track," he said. The US S&P 500 benchmark was still down more than 4% since the president escalated the trade war in early May. Battered technology shares led gains as Apple and Nvidia bounced back from their biggest one-day declines since January. Heavyweight US exporters Caterpillar and Boeing reversed around half of this week's losses. Investors are looking for opportunities to get into this market, and so far in 2019 there really havent been any 'buy the dip opportunities other than last week, Ryan Nauman, market strategist at Informa Financial Intelligence, said. And youre also seeing President Trump confirmed a meeting with President Xi during next months G-20 summit, which provides some optimism that despite the increase in tariffs, negotiations are still ongoing, said Mr Nauman. Signs emerged that President Trump had pressed the traded battle far enough. The president sprinkled his criticisms of China over the last 48 hours with enough signals that negotiations havent completely broken down that traders rushed back into the beaten down market to find bargains. But the rally remains tenuous as the White House also announced it was prepping tariffs on the remaining $300bn (267bn) of Chinese imports, and economists warned the new penalties will eventually weigh heavily on the American economy. Elsewhere, oil advanced as Saudi Arabia reported drone attacks on pumping stations, throwing the supply outlook into doubt. Bitcoin strengthened past $8,000, extending its longest winning streak since 2013. Irish Examiner and Reuters staff The president of the High Court has approved a payment of more than 8.3m out of the States Insurance Compensation Fund arising from the liquidation of Maltese-registered insurer Setanta. The payment is to meet the cost of awards or settlements relating to 263 claims made against various Setanta policies and is the fifth such payment out of the fund since Setanta went into liquidation in 2014. Mr Justice Peter Kelly also this week approved a payment of 3.4m out of the ICF arising from the liquidation in October 2016 of another insurer, Enterprise Insurance plc, registered in Gibraltar. When it went into liquidation, Enterprise had 760,000 policy holders, most in the UK but including 49,925 policies issued in Ireland. This week's payment out of the ICF is the first concerning Enterprise and relates to 196 claims. Both applications for approval were made by Andrew Walker BL, for the State Claims Agency (SCA). Mr Justice Kelly said he wanted to compliment the comprehensive nature of the paperwork provided by the SCA and by the liquidators of both insurers in seeking the approval. The paperwork clearly set out the basis for the payments due and how those are calculated, he told Mr Walker. The judge also granted counsels application to approve some 36,591 legal costs and expenses incurred in bringing various applications under the Insurance Acts arising from the Setanta liquidation. That sum is included in the 8.3m total to be paid from the ICF. Those costs appeared perfectly reasonable in the context of the work involved and he was fortified in that view by the opinion of a legal costs accountant, the judge said. In an affidavit supporting the SCA application concerning Setanta, that firm's liquidator, Paul Mercicea, noted the Irish courts have held the Setanta claims are to be dealt with by way of access to the ICF. He was advised the equivalent compensation fund in Malta is not available to address the claims against Setanta policies, Mr Mercicea said. Based on the information currently available to him, he expected to be able to meet less than 22 per cent of the 263 claims subject of the SCA application out of the assets of the liquidation and he was thus supporting the SCA application. It is intended to bring a series of similar applications until all live claims which qualify for access to the fund have been addressed, he added. Ireland will be the worst hit economy in the eurozone if the US-China trade spat broadens to envelop Europe, according to a leading economics group. The assessment by Capital Economics in London finds that Ireland will be in the front line should the flare-up in the US-China tit-for-tat tariff strife encourage President Donald Trump to use the same tactics later this month in a simmering dispute with the EU. Any such escalation would hit the Irish economy even harder than Germanys, according to the research. It comes as China ignored a warning by tweet from Mr Trump and said it will impose tit-for-tat higher tariffs from June on 2,493 goods it imports from the US. The US last week imposed higher tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods it imports from China. Jack Allen, senior Europe economist at Capital Economics, said the latest tariffs imposed last week by the White House are part of the pressure the US is bringing on China to strike a new trade deal between the two countries. If the US raised tariffs more widely, the German and Irish economies could be hit quite hard, wrote Mr Allen in the research note that assesses the threat of any US tariffs to the EU. He told the Irish Examiner that Ireland is in the frontline of any US-EU trade war because the Republic exports huge amounts of pharmaceuticals and chemicals to the US. Mr Trump may also be mulling whether the threat of tariffs on pharmaceuticals made in the EU would encourage a large number of drugs plants based in Ireland, which are predominantly American-owned, to relocate manufacturing jobs back to the US, he said. Pharmaceuticals has so far mostly escaped inclusion on the tariff war list between the US and China. The latest flare-up between the two countries sent European and US shares reeling. In Ireland, the shares of packaging firm Smurfit Kappa and building products giant CRH the two Irish multinationals who could be closest to the trade war fallout fell by 3% and 1.6%. An intensification of trade wars is not likely to be good for Wall Street, or for equity markets generally, said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at broker IG. Mr Allen noted that US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said last week that Mr Trump would likely decide by May 18 whether to impose tariffs on EU vehicle imports. Even if that deadline is pushed back, with President Trump taking a harder line on China, there is a risk that he eventually does the same with the EU, he said. The EU and US appear to have made little progress after they decided last year to work together towards striking a new trade deal on non-car industrial products. Whats more, the US could extend tariffs beyond vehicles. This is perhaps a bigger risk if the EU continues to reject the USs desire to include agricultural goods in any potential trade deal. "If that were to happen, Ireland would be the hardest hit eurozone economy, with manufacturing exports to the US equivalent to almost 10% of its gross value added, said Mr Allen. The upshot is that on their own, vehicle tariffs would have a small impact on the euro-zone as a whole. "But their effect on confidence would be hard to quantify. And further protectionist measures could follow. The industry group for offshore drilling firms is warning against moves to ban oil and gas exploration, as an exploratory drilling rig prepares to move into position in the Porcupine Basin off Kerry within days. Finding oil off Kerry would bring direct benefits to the Kerry region, a briefing was told. In what is seen as a boost for Kerry Airport, Babcock, the leading off shore helicopter carrier headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland has set up a base at the airport in Farranfore to ferry personnel and rigging staff to and from the rig 230 kms off the Kerry coast over the next five months. CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited (formerly known as Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited) will be the first of a number of major oil and gas exploration companies to move into porcupine bank area within days, a briefing in Farranfore was told. Three flights a week by the huge G-Vint 19-seater helicopters familiar in the oil and gas industry on North sea platforms are scheduled. The machines will fly as high as possible to minimise the noise over the Kingdom, Babcock representatives said. Airplane flights from Dundee, three per week have also begun arriving in Kerry. If oil or gas is found, the Killarney/Tralee hub looks set to be the base for hundreds of people directly employed on the rigs, the briefing for public representatives, chambers of commerce and press in Kerry heard. The crews of the Babcock pilots and engineers are already based in Killarney, and the seaport end of the operation will be based at Foynes, Co. Limerick 600 people will work off shore and hundreds more jobs will be created in support in Kerry, including by Babcock, if oil is found. The exploration phase will be up to three years. Advances in recent years drilling in sea depths of 2,000 metres as well as seismic data gathering are translating now into huge interest in the porcupine basin off Kerry, said Rory Dunphy Environmental Committee Chair with the Irish Offshore Operators Association ( IOOA) the representative body for companies already licensed by the Government to explore and produce oil and gas in Irish waters. The area is under-explored, said Mr Dunphy who has returned for 15 years in the oil industry in western Canada. While the focus to move to a low carbon economy is right, Ireland still needs its own oil and gas to replace imports, he said. The oil industry tends to be in the regions and is of most benefit to the regions, he added. However he warned about calls under climate emergency measures to ban all gas and oil exploration. It is causing uncertainty for the industry, Mr Dunphy said. A rigorous application and two year design work had gone into the operation so far. Some 100 million dollars is spent exploratory and drilling operation wells and there needs to be certainty about the lease, he added. Airport management indicated more staff are likely to be taken on at the airport to cater to the off shore exploration industry, particularly if oil or gas materialise. On Monday, Minister for Climate Action Richard Bruton resisted calls to stop all gas and oil exploration off Irish coasts because even by 2030 some 30 per cent of the countrys electricity supply would still be sourced from fossil fuels. It is better to have a domestic source than seeking to rely on other sources, be it Russian oligarchs or Arabic sheikhs, the minister told British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly at the Druids Glen resort in Co Wicklow. Nissan is opposing renewed efforts by alliance partner Renault to merge under a holding company because such a structure wont help turn the Japanese carmaker around, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. Talks have been ongoing since Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard first made an informal proposal to Nissan chief executive Hiroto Saikawa in April. Nissan rebuffed the idea then and has continued to oppose it, the source said. News of the talks comes as Nissan is set to report today its lowest annual operating profit in a decade, hurt by slumping US sales, ageing models, and a product cycle thats out of sync. The merger proposal came after the most tumultuous few months in the companies two-decade partnership, which was shaken by the shock arrest of the alliances chief architect and former chairman, Carlos Ghosn. The French and Japanese manufacturers, along with third partner Mitsubishi Motors, make 10.8m cars each year nearly double Ford Motors global deliveries. The alliance currently held together by a series of cross-shareholdings would be second only to Germanys Volkswagen, with Toyota a close third. The combination would give Renault and Nissan heft as the industry is going through a radical shift toward electric and self-driving vehicles. But a merger under a holding company wont help solve Nissans current operational issues, such as high fixed-costs, unprofitable models and flawed Datsun and Infiniti brand strategies, the source said, adding that a new structure will cause delays in addressing these issues because of logistical and regulatory hurdles. Combining the companies under a single entity wont add benefits of scale because they already share purchasing and development costs. Japanese broadcaster TBS reported Renault had made a formal offer to merge with Nissan under a holding company structure. The Japanese government has also spurned efforts by Renault to engage in merger talks, according to the Financial Times. No formal proposal has been made to Nissan, according to a source. The Japanese carmaker hasnt received a formal merger proposal from Renault, said Nissan executive Hitoshi Kawaguchi. Although the French carmaker agreed in 2015 not to interfere in the Nissan boards decision-making, the Japanese companys financial weakness could give Renault an opening to push harder for a merger. Bloomberg The shares of Metro Bank, one of the so-called challenger lenders in the UK, have touched another record low despite its assurances that its 350m (400m) shares sale to repair its finances was well advanced. Metro has started final discussions with existing shareholders and new investors, and the feedback continues to be positive, said the firm. The bank said the sale will be completed by the end of the second quarter, sticking to a schedule announced in February. Shares in the bank have lost three-quarters of their value since regulators found that some of Metros mortgages were given the wrong risk weighting. Metro Bank branches are open seven days a week. Over the weekend, its Twitter account fielded multiple questions from people who said they were customers. Some said that there was a queue in their local branch. The bank said that there were increased queries about access to safe deposit boxes. The decline deepened this month, when the firm said some business customers had pulled their deposits in the first quarter. Over the weekend, Metro moved to reassure customers after a photo of queues at a branch in Harrow, London, was posted on social media. There is significant urgency for Metro to get the share sale done, wrote Robert Sage, an analyst at Macquarie Capital. Capital is, in our view, at minimum levels, he said. Our view of the stickiness of the deposit franchise, and by implication the loyalty of the customer base, is less good than we had previously thought, he said. Metro shares fell 8%. The companys bonds also fell. Weve seen reports of some false rumours about Metro Bank on social media and messaging apps, said Anthony Silverman, a spokesman for the firm. There is no truth to these rumours and we want to reassure our customers that there is no reason to be concerned. Metro was among the challenger banks that appeared in the UK after the financial crisis, taking on the UKs four big established lenders. Led by US entrepreneur Vernon Hill, the bank has been dotting south-east England with branches while the legacy lenders close them, aiming to attract retail customers and their deposits with better service and longer hours. UK customer deposits are guaranteed up to 85,000 if a bank gets into financial difficulties, while post-crisis rules mean lenders are now structured to ensure deposits can be moved to another bank more easily to ensure continuity of service. Bank of England declined to comment. Bloomberg and Reuters An Australian tourist who slipped and rolled down a marble stairs at the National Museum of Ireland injuring his leg has sued in the High Court. Warren Baldwin was in Dublin on the trip of a lifetime to Europe with his wife Tanya when the accident happened, tearing a tendon on his right leg. His counsel Aidan Walsh SC instructed by Liam Moloney solicitor told the court it was their case the polished marble steps of the staircase dating back to 1890 were quite slippery. Mr Baldwin was moving from the main balcony area down the marble steps in the Kildare Street, Dublin museum when his leg slipped on the second or third last step and he fell on to his side and rolled down the rests of the stairs to the floor. He was transferred to hospital where he spent overnight on a trolley before being examined. It was found Mr Baldwin had partially torn a tendon which runs from the knee to the hips, and was given a brace and crutches to help him when he flew back to Australia a few days later. Warren Baldwin (70) who lives in Revesby, just outside Sydney, New South Wales has sued the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin as a result of the fall on June 5,2016. He claimed there was an alleged failure to provide adequate lighting, signage and an alleged failure to provide adequate supervision of the main balcony stairway. He had further claimed there was an alleged failure to provide adequate hand railing and that the steps had been allegedly permitted to become unsafe and were polished smooth from wear and allegedly did not have adequate anti-slip nosing. The claims are denied and the Museum contends the stairs are free from defect and there was one handrail. It also contends there was contributory negligence on the part of Mr Baldwin, who it was claimed was rushing to descend and was not paying attention. The Museum also says more than 470,000 people visited the National Museum in 2016, the year of the accident and Mr Baldwin was the only person who fell on the marble stairs. In evidence Mr Baldwin told the court he and his wife had spent one and a half hours walking around the museum and were leaving when the accident happened. "I put my foot on the edge of the stairs. My foot slipped, I went to my side , I hit the step and I rolled down. I heard a loud crack; I thought I had broken a bone," he said. When he got back to Australia, he said he had to have a surgical procedure carried out on his leg and also had to have 10 weeks of physiotherapy. The case before Ms Justice Bronagh OHanlon continues tomorrow. Banned American pastor Steven Anderson has described the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan as a wicked and evil person. The controversial preacher who has previously expressed extreme anti-gay and anti-Semitic views has become the first person ever banned from Ireland by exclusion powers dating from 1999. Anderson told the Niall Boylan show on Classic Hits FM that he would not be appealing the ban. I would not humble myself to that wicked and evil person. Hes anti the true word of God. He said that he has not heard directly from the Irish government: I just heard it through the grapevine. He wasnt surprised at the ban as he is already banned from 31 countries. It didnt really shock me that Ireland is number 32. Anderson denied that he had praised the gunman in the Orlando nightclub shooting in which 49 people were killed in the attack on a gay nightclub. That simply isnt true. Thats a bald-faced lie. I never did that. Theres a difference between praising the shooter and not feeling sorry for the people who deserved to die. He said he was coming to Ireland to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. My visit had absolutely nothing to do with homosexuality or abortion. Its only the media that fixates on these issues. There are all kinds of other issues that I care about and those things make up less than 5% of my preaching. He says the event in Ireland is still going ahead with a different preacher scheduled. I was going for the people there. I have a ton of listeners who were begging me to come. I wasnt invited by any of the watered down, liberal, lame churches in Ireland. It was one of my many listeners in Ireland who had invited him. I dont think there is a Baptist preacher in Ireland brave enough to preach the bible. Theyve all gotten watered down. He thanked Ireland for banning him. The internet is way bigger than me I am getting lots of extra listeners because the media put me on the front page. So unless they ban the internet in Ireland Im not really banned in Ireland. It was an honour to be banned. Im proud of being banned in all these countries. Im collecting them like beanie babies. Ireland is going to be punished for the ban and will feel the judgement and wrath of God Ireland hates the preaching of Gods word, they hate the truth and so Ireland is going to be punished and destroyed by God. Computers will not be correcting Leaving or Junior Cert papers, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) has confirmed. Media reports on Tuesday morning claimed that six subjects would be assessed by machines instead of examiners. However, a spokesperson for the SEC has confirmed that while online marking will be used, this involves marking exam scripts on a computer, not by a computer. "The computer is not marking any work," Eela Carr, SEC press officer, said. "All candidate work is seen and marked by an examiner, as has always been the case." Online marking will be used in the correction of six Leaving Cert subjects and four Junior Cert subjects. The SEC piloted online marking for the Higher Level Junior Cert French paper in 2016 and 2017, as well as Junior Cert English in 2017. "The feedback from the examiners involved in the pilots was extremely positive. They found the system easy to use and were very happy at how it eliminated so much of the administrative work involved in paper-based marking. "Overall, examiners expressed a strong preference for online over paper-based marking," Ms Carr said. The system will involve no changes for students sitting exams. When scripts are returned to the SEC, they will be scanned to be marked by examiners using software designed for this purpose. Paper scripts will also be retained. SEC started recruiting examiners for the 2019 examinations last December. It said candidates were told that subjects would be marked online as a condition of offers of appointment. Meanwhile, Jigsaw, the national centre for youth mental health, has said it sees a 35% increase in the number of young people engaging with its services in the run-up to the summer exam period. The latest figures were announced as the charity launches a new mental health website, www.jigsawonline.ie, dedicated to providing free information on all aspects of youth mental health. The website is aimed at parents, young people, and teachers and will offer resources and advice on a range of issues affecting young peoples mental health. The head of a new familicide review group has said it is "crucial" that families come forward to tell their stories. Norah Gibbons, who will lead an independent study on domestic homicide, said bereaved relatives will be listened to and their contributions will form part of her recommendations. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan announced the establishment of the new specialist review group after Cabinet today. The move comes after Mr Flanagan met the family of Clodagh Hawe earlier this year to discuss her murder. Ms Hawe, 39, was killed along with her three young sons by her husband, the childrens father, Alan Hawe in the family home in Cavan in August 2016. The study, which will take 12 months and will cost at least 200,000, will look at the supports that are available to families who are victims of familicide. It will also examine international best practice around domestic homicide reviews. Fianna Fail tabled a Bill in March which would allow the Minister for Justice to order a review whenever a domestic homicide occurs. While domestic homicide reviews already take place in England and Wales, Mr Flanagan said the same model cannot be used here and would need to be tailored for this jurisdiction. The review group will examine this and make recommendations. Ms Gibbons said the contributions of families will be "crucial" adding that without these personal accounts her work would be pointless. "What I want people to feel is that they can come and talk to me or one of my team, but mostly I think to myself. They will get an empathetic hearing. They will not be promised the sun the moon and the stars, but will be promised - and I think will be delivered - a solution that suits Ireland and that can happen quickly. I don't think it's something that can be delayed. Social worker Ms Gibbons will be joined by a small team of experts who will carry out the work. Ms Gibbons was previously a member of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, chaired the Roscommon Child Abuse Inquiry and co-chaired the Independent Review Group on Child Deaths. She was also the first chairperson of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. "It was an honour to be asked. It is also dealing with an area of work - children and families - that has always been my bread and butter and that I always wanted to deal with,"she said. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald called for the study to progress "as a matter of urgency" and to focus on delivering an independent multi-agency system of review in Ireland. "Families of domestic homicide victims want the issue of additional funding supports be placed front and centre. Such funding streams must be multi-annual to provide for adequate resourcing of front line support organisations and enable them to develop services appropriately," she said. Sinn Fein has already published a policy paper committing to the introduction of independent statutory multi-agency domestic homicide reviews similar to those already in place in England and Wales. Ms McDonald said: Unlike the current Garda-led system of review, the process in Britain is independent, with reviews automatically established on a regional basis following a murder in the home. Their reviews include all relevant state agencies, for example social and health services, domestic violence service providers, families of the victims and their friends and work colleagues. Currently, the Gardai and state agencies like Tusla do not have an information sharing system in place." She said this review system would not replace criminal investigations or inquests but instead would provide invaluable data on the circumstances leading up to the crime and how agencies can improve. Gardai have seized drugs worth 292,000 following the search of a house in Dublin last night. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau carried out a search of a residence in the Ballyfermot area as part of an operation targeting organised criminality. A lecture theatre at Dublin City University is being named after journalist Veronica Guerin. It is part of the university's Women in Leadership initiative, which plans to name half of its major buildings after inspiring females. The Veronica Guerin Lecture Theatre is being unveiled at a special ceremony at the Glasnevin campus. Her brother Jimmy says the initiative reflects the type of person that Veronica was - talented, ambitious, hard-working and brave. The European Commission is formally investigating whether Insurance Ireland is reducing drivers choice of insurance policies by preventing companies from being included in a pool of firms offering cover. The commission has opened a formal anti-trust investigation into Insurance Ireland which administers and makes available the Insurance Link database to its member companies. The member companies then contribute insurance claims to the database on an ongoing basis. The commission said the purpose of the system is to facilitate the detection of potentially fraudulent behaviour by insurance claimants and to ensure the accuracy of information provided by potential customers to insurance companies and/or their agents. The Commission does not question that data pooling arrangements can contribute to effective competition, it said. The participation in and access to a data pool by insurance service providers may directly benefit consumers in terms of ensuring more suitable products and competitive prices. #EUAntitrust We've opened a formal investigation into Insurance Ireland. We'll assess whether the conditions imposed on companies wishing to access its Insurance Link data pooling system may restrict competition. Learn more: https://t.co/efUGlCYTq3 pic.twitter.com/0OWZRkZTcW EU Competition (@EU_Competition) May 14, 2019 However, it said in the case of Insurance Ireland, it is investigating whether the conditions imposed on companies wishing to participate in and access the Insurance Link database may have had the effect of placing these companies at a competitive disadvantage on the Irish motor insurance market in comparison to companies already having access to the database. Data pooling arrangements are often pro-competitive, it said. Participation in and access to a data pool by service providers may directly benefit consumers by enabling effective competition on the market. By accessing and participating in a data pool, service providers may be able to offer better prices and services to consumers. Access to data within a data pool may also enable effective market entry and thus may result in improved choice of services and suppliers to the benefit of consumers. However, in some situations, data pooling arrangements may lead to restrictions of competition. This may be the case, for example, where the conditions of access to and participation in a data pool result in placing certain market operators at a competitive disadvantage or where the data pooling system enables market operators to become aware of the market strategies of their competitors. It said the opening of this formal investigation follows inspections carried out in the insurance market here in July 2017. After those inspections at the premises of companies active in motor insurance, the commission said it had concerns that the companies involved may have engaged in anti-competitive practices in breach of EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices and/or abuse of a dominant market position. Announcing this latest investigation, Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Insurance is essential for all car drivers in Europe. We are investigating whether companies wishing to offer their services on the Irish motor insurance market may have been unfairly prevented from accessing a data pool managed by Insurance Ireland for its member companies. This could potentially reduce Irish drivers' choice of motor insurance policies at competitive prices. In a statement, Insurance Ireland said: Insurance Ireland notes that the European Commission has decided to open proceedings in its ongoing investigation. It is important to note that the European Commission has not reached any conclusions or made any findings in respect of Insurance Ireland. "Insurance Ireland understands that the investigation is focused on the InsuranceLink database, which is a secure database that holds claims information as a tool to assist in fraud detection. InsuranceLink is accessed by Insurance Ireland members and non-members and has been in operation since 1988. "Insurance Ireland is cooperating fully with the European Commission in its enquiries and is confident its practices are fully compliant with competition law." Fine Gael has banned a second party candidate from taking part in the Irish Examiner European election debate in Cork amid fears that their involvement could damage sitting MEP Deirdre Clunes re-election chances. Kerry-based MEP Sean Kelly confirmed that he has been told not to attend the public meeting. Last weekend, Andrew Doyle said he had been barred from taking part in the event. Under Fine Gael election plans designed to carve out at least two seats in Ireland South, Mr Kelly has been asked to focus his campaign in Kerry, Limerick and Clare; Mr Doyle in south Leinster; and Ms Clune in Cork. In addition, Mr Kelly and Ms Clune have been asked to share campaigning in Waterford and south Tipperary. It was widely expected the breakdown would be lifted to allow all three candidates to participate in Thursdays national debate in Cork. However, speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Kelly confirmed he has also been ordered not to attend. He said: Because of the [constituency] divide, Im not allowed to do any public events in Cork unless theyre cleared [by Fine Gael headquarters] in advance, which they havent been. Sean Kelly and Deirdre Clune at the election count in 2014. I understand most public events will not be held in my area because Im in Kerry and they will be held somewhere central, and that means Im excluded from most of them, unfortunately. Asked specifically about the hustings debate on Thursday, he added: Well, none of them have been cleared, and unless theyre cleared I cant do them. Fine Gaels Ireland South director of elections, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, confirmed last night: Cork has been allocated to Cork woman Deirdre Clune. "Its her local area and Fine Gael is working a regional divide to intensify the canvass and maximise the vote. A senior Fine Gael source also confirmed the reasoning, saying that national director of elections and Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty wrote to all candidates on Saturday re-emphasising the strict vote divide borders. However, one MEP candidate claimed the only reason for the non-Cork ban is because of fears over Ms Clunes seat, saying it wouldnt be happening if it was Clare FM or the Irish Times asking. A spokesperson for Ms Clune last night said: This is a decision for the director of elections. I was allocated Cork, South Tipperary and Waterford for canvassing. I am precluded from canvassing in nine of the 12 counties. Ms Clune rejected RTEs The Week In Politics claims that Mr Doyles Cork debate ban is to protect existing MEPs, saying: Its the director of elections who decides if people go or not. The latest Irish Times/Ipsos Ireland South opinion poll placed Mr Kelly on 18%, Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada on 14%, Fianna Fails Billy Kelleher on 13%, Ms Clune on 10%, Fianna Fails Malcolm Byrne on 10%, Mr Doyle on 9%, and Independent TD Mick Wallace on 8%. By Digital Desk staff & Vivienne Clarke The Department of Agriculture has issued a warning about the risk of forest fires this week. The Status Orange warning, which came into effect at 12pm yesterday, will be in place until 12pm on Friday. The Department says that the forecasted warm weather, along with high pressure and low humidity levels, means that many areas remain at a high risk of fire. It warns that areas where "hazardous fuels" such as gorse, heather, dried grasses and other dead vegetation exist are vulnerable. Western areas are most susceptible to risk, given that temperatures are set to be highest there this week, in addition to low humidity. Forest owners are warned to prepare for "likely outbreaks of fire" and to have contingency plans in place. They are advised to be " particularly vigilant" during the high-risk period. "Fire patrols may be warranted in known fire hotspots," it said. Coilltes communications manager Pat Neville has warned the public to forget the barbeque and the campfire during the current Orange status warning. It is up to all of us to protect forests. They are an important resource and part of our rural and national economy. To see that investment go up in smoke, literally, is heartbreaking, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland. Most fires dont start naturally, he said. Unfortunately, they are due to careless, reckless or malicious behaviour. Lighting a campfire or dropping a lit cigarette can have catastrophic effects, he warned. The current Orange status means there is a very high risk because of flammable vegetation. This is as a result of a number of factors including the lack of rain, higher temperatures and high winds. We are asking the public to be very vigilant. Mr Neville pointed out that last year Coillte dealt with 150 forest fires with over 600 hectares damaged. A garda was left with several injuries after being dragged by a jeep driven by a suspected drink driver in Co Tipperary. Gardai had been responding to reports of a motorist possibly under the influence in the Birdhill area on Saturday night at around 5.50pm. The Government is to sign off on an independent specialist research study on familicide today. Charlie Flanagan, the justice minister, is to seek Cabinet approval to set up the in-depth study on the supports available to families who are victims of familicide. The study will also look into rolling out domestic homicide reviews in Ireland. The move comes after Mr Flanagan met the family of Clodagh Hawe earlier this year to discuss her murder. Ms Hawe, 39, was killed along with her three young sons by her husband, the childrens father, Alan Hawe in the family home in Cavan in August 2016. The study, which is expected to take a year to complete, will involve State agencies, family members of victims, and non-governmental organisations. Mr Flanagan said he is very aware of the devastating effects familicide can have on those left behind, in the family, and the wider community. It is understood Mr Flanagan wants to ensure that clear protocols and guidelines are in place so that the State can provide all supports possible. Domestic homicide reviews have taken place for a number of years in England and Wales but the Department of Justice has consulted with NGOs and believes that model cannot be used here and would need to be tailored for this jurisdiction. The review will look at international best practice when it comes to domestic homicide reviews and recommendations will be made on how to apply them here. The study will also examine the adequacy and suitability of current policies and practices of state services in supporting close family members of those who die in familicides. European Ombudsman Emily OReilly has initiated an investigation into the lack of transparency around EU ministerial decisions on annual fish quotas. The famous all-night meetings of ministers in Brussels are completely behind closed doors, and yet make important decisions for the sustainability of fishing stocks and of jobs in fishing communities around Europe, Ms OReilly said. The investigation, which focuses on the negotiations confirmed by EU ministers each December on sharing out stocks in EU waters, has been welcomed by the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. The European Ombudsman office inquiry is one of three separate investigations into lack of transparency on decision-making of national governments at EU level which Ms OReilly announced today. The other two inquiries focus on how the EU handles Eurogroup documents and makes them public or not, and on public access to the positions taken by national authorities on the risk of pesticides to bees. The investigation into lack of transparency around setting total allowable catches and quotas of fish by ministers follows a complaint by non-profit environmental law organisation ClientEarth, which has offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, Berlin and Beijing. In a letter to Jeppe TranholmMikkelsen, Secretary-General of the Council of the EU, dated May 10, Ms OReilly explains that the complaint concerns how the EU council adopts the annual regulations setting the total allowable catches of fish stocks in the north-east Atlantic for 2017, 2018 and 2019. She says the complaint concerns the EU councils failure to record the positions of member states expressed in working groups, at Committee of Permanent representatives of governments of member states (Coreper) meetings, and at ministerial meetings of the council. Unless documents are made available in a timely way, interested third parties with relevant expertise cannot provide critical input that can be taken on board by decision-makers, she says. "Given the public interest in sustainable fishing and sustainable fishing communities, from environmental, social and economic perspectives, I have decided to open an inquiry into this complaint, she says. Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation chief executive Patrick Murphy said that any such inquiry was timely. Mr Murphy said that the Irish industry was briefed by the Irish fisheries minister and officials both before and after EU fish councils in December, and such consultation was very welcome. However, who wouldnt welcome an investigation into the transparency of EU ministerial decisions, he said. The late Killybegs Fishermens Organisation chief executive Joey Murrin had been a scathing critic of how EU ministers conducted their business in relation to quota setting, and coined the phrase paper fish for fish allocated from stocks which may or not be able to sustain such catches. Ms OReillys separate inquiry into how the EU handles Eurogroup documents relates to three technical committees of national civil servants who prepare Eurogroup ministerial meetings - the. Economic and Financial Committee, Eurogroup Working Group, and Economic Policy Committee. In a separate ongoing Commission inquiry, Ms OReilly issued a finding of maladministration for the refusal to provide public access to documents on the positions taken by national authorities on the risk of pesticides to bees. She noted that the European Food Safety Authority produces guidelines in 2013 on the impact of pesticides on bees, but some national authorities were blocking their implementation by the European Commission, she said. This is entirely their decision, but when they make it, European citizens have a right to know the position their own government took, just as they should at member state level, Ms OReilly said. Biodiversity is a particularly important issue, she added. A leading member of a gang on the north side of Cork city who call themselves Farranree Joyriders was jailed for 12 months today. Nicholas Crowley pleaded guilty to multiple counts of stealing cars and motorbikes at Cork District Court today. Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said the young man had difficulties in his past and also had addiction problems. However, the solicitor said the young man was doing well recently in prison following a remand in custody. The historic reorganisation of local government in Cork has impacted on most of Cork County Councils municipal districts (MD) but none more so than this one. Redrawn, reduced and redefined, the former 10-seater Ballincollig-Carrigaline MD has become the six-seater Carrigaline MD, resulting in the unification of one of the countys largest towns under one MD and the delivery of an improved representational ratio. The scale of changes makes it difficult to call the result in an area where four sitting councillors are among those running for six seats. The boundary changes have caused some confusion amongst voters in the interface areas. Some councillors have lost vast swathes of their electoral base. Sitting councillor John Collins has decided not to run for election again while another sitting councillor from an adjoining MD will contest this election in the new area. And you can throw into the mix two teenage first-time candidates one of whom is juggling their campaign with studying for her Leaving Cert. The sprawling former 10-seater Ballincollig-Carrigaline MD, flanked at either side by two of the countys most populated commuter towns, Ballincollig at the western end and Carrigaline to the east, had a population of almost 72,000, giving a representational ratio of 7,195:1 one county councillor for roughly every 7,200 voters. There was also the curious anomaly in that the town of Carrigaline itself was split between two MDs the northern half in the Ballincollig-Carrigaline area and the southern side in Bandon-Kinsale. The city boundary extension, which takes legal effect on May 31 and the review by the boundary committee, has created the smaller but more unified six-seater Carrigaline MD focused on and centered around the town of Carrigaline which now accounts for just over 40% of the electorate. The town of Ballincollig and areas around Douglas and Rochestown and their population of around 52,414 citizens are transferring into the extended city council area. Several electoral districts which were in the former Bandon-Kinsale MD, despite always being more naturally geographically linked to Carrigaline, are sensibly being transferred to the new Carrigaline area including 183 voters from Carrigaline and townlands Liscleary, Kilpatrick, Dunderrow, Ballygarvan, Ballyfoyle and Farranbrien. The new MD also contains the former town council area of Passage West and the Monkstown Urban and Templebreedy electoral districts, as well, of course, as the portions of Ballygarvan, Douglas, Inishkenny, and Monkstown Rural electoral divisions that will remain within the Cork county boundary. It is hoped that combined, the substantial changes will have the effect of creating a redefined Carrigaline MD with a core population of around 35,141 which, with six elected members, will produce an improved representational ratio of 5,857:1. Eleven candidates have declared three Fine Gael, three Fianna Fail, one Sinn Fein, one Green Party, two independents and one Aontu candidate. Four are sitting councillors and it would be fair to assume they will all hold their seats. The money will be on Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to pick up the remaining two seats with Tanaiste Simon Coveneys political machine and the McGrath dynastys machine rowing in behind their respective candidates. Seamus McGrath Fianna Fail Cllr Seamus McGrath, who was co-opted onto the council in 2007 to replace his brother, Michael, the partys finance spokesperson, and who is now fighting his third local authority election, has seen a large tranche of his electoral base transfer to the city. But given his 12 years of experience on the county council, his high-profile year as mayor of the county in 2016, his Passage West roots and his familys political pedigree, the leader of the councils Fianna Fail grouping should retain his seat with his surplus set to benefit his running mates. He is joined on the ticket by Michael Corcoran from Passage West, a recently retired garda and former central executive member of the Garda Representative Association, who spent almost 40 years in the force, and by Crosshaven resident Audrey Buckley, who is well-known locally as an active community volunteer, particularly on environmental and marine issues. The money here would be on Corcoran to take a second seat. Fine Gael Cllr Aidan Lombard, from Minane Bridge, who was co-opted as a member of Cork County Council in the former Bandon-Kinsale MD in June 2016 to replace his brother Tim, following his selection to the Seanad, has been a solid pair of hands but has been affected by the boundary changes. He is joined on the ticket by Liam OConnor, a scientist in analytical development at Johnson & Johnson who is originally from Kerry but who is living in Carrigaline town, and a late addition to the ticket, Cork City firefighter Michael Paul Murtagh who lives in Crosshaven, and who is involved with Crosshaven Scout and Crosshaven Community Association. The other incumbents include Sinn Fein Cllr Michael Frick Murphy, a former member of Passage West Town Council who has been outspoken on several local issues including the closure threat over the Passage West health centre, and independent Cllr Marcia DAlton, an environmental engineer who spent 10 years on the Passage West Town Council before being elected to Cork County Council in 2014. She was part of the committee which organised the first Cork Harbour Open Day a decade ago, and she has played a key role in the local campaign against the development of an incinerator in Ringaskiddy. Independent candidate Cllr Marcia DAlton, canvassing in Passage West. Completing the field are 18-year-old Catriona Reid of the Green Party from Carrigaline, who is studying for her Leaving Cert her father, Gordon, is running in the neighbouring MD; 19-year-old independent Ben Dalton OSullivan, a UCC politics student and community volunteer from Ballygarvan, and John Weldon, of Aontu, who is from Ballinhassig. Mr Weldon, who polled 692 votes when he stood as an independent pro-life, pro-business and pro-farming candidate in the 1992 general election says his political blood can be traced back to his great grandfather, Michael Francis Murphy, who was a rural district councillor for the area in the first decade of the 20th century. Given the Carrigaline MDs blend of large urban town with fast-growing urban estates, sweeping rural farming land, coastal and harbour communities and industrial, research and educational hubs, the mix of issues on the doorsteps is wide and varied. Local election reliables like footpaths, potholes and street lighting are common across the MD with housing-related issues such as access to social housing, rent rates, housing density and pattern of development, are high on the agenda for voters in and around Carrigaline town centre. Associated issues such as traffic congestion and the need for public transport improvements follow on. While Carrigaline has seen improvements in its bus service since the introduction of a 24-hour service on the 220 route, there have been calls for improvements on the 223 service to Ringaskiddy, the beating heart of Irelands pharmaceutical sector and home to the National Maritime College and various third-level research institutes. Better bus links to Passage West and Monkstown have been mentioned and there have been calls for a park and ride in the town. On the back of genuine concern in the town last year following a spate of business closures, leaving several units on the main street vacant, there is a broad welcome to the news that work on the towns long-awaited western relief road will start later this year. Green Partys Catriona Reid This, it is hoped, will help ease congestion in the town centre, and when combined with a new drive by local businesses to lobby and speak out on behalf of the town, will make the area more attractive for retailers and investment. But there have also been calls for a longer-term strategic transport study for the town with voters accepting that the M28 motorway, which is facing a legal challenge, is more a national rather than a local issue. There is a similar view on the proposed Ringaskiddy incinerator. Voters have also raised the need for increased garda resources in the town following a series of incidents linked to gangs of youths gathering in the town centre. In Passage West, the future of the Doyle dockyard site is a key concern. The site was placed on the market last year and the county council secured 1m in urban regeneration funding fuelling hopes that it could use it to develop a masterplan for the site, opening the town up to its waterfront and regenerating the area. But the Doyle Shipping Group-owned site was withdrawn from the market. Sitting councillors say they hope to ring-fence that funding to ensure its still available if the site sale situation changes over the coming months. Fine Gael candidate in Bandon-Kinsale Marie OSullivan is the daughter of late TD Denis (Denny Owen) OSullivan and former Bandon town councillor Kathleen Hawkes (not Kathleen Wolfe) as stated in yesterdays local election report on the Bandon-Kinsale municipal district. Candidates The city boundary extension will remove nearly all of Glanmire from the former Glanmire-Cobh municipal district. All of Glanmire, west of the M8 Cork-Dublin motorway, has been removed from the municipal district and voters there will now elect candidates to represent them in the city council. The municipal district will also transfer Whites Cross, Kilcully, Kileens and Kerry Pike to control of the City Council. While some people could argue that Glanmire wasnt really city-orientated, the same could not be said of those areas which would have far more in common with the city than the county. Up until now, the municipal district also had control of the Glenville area. However, Glenville will, from the forthcoming election, be subsumed into the Charleville-Fermoy municipal district council. And in a reverse move, Watergrasshill area will relocate into the Cobh district. The boundary changes will also reduce the municipal district from a seven-seater to six-seater and the majority of those seats are likely to be won by Cobh candidates. During the last local elections, the people of Cobh voted across the board to elect local candidates. Only a handful of votes transferred to candidates north of Belvelly Bridge known as the gateway to Cobh and Great Island. Transfers could be seen from all candidates in the Great Island area to each other. That resulted in four being elected from that area. They were Kieran McCarthy (SF), Claire Cullinane (Ind) who has since passed away, Cathal Rasmussen (Lab) and Sinead Sheppard (FG). Kieran McCarthy subsequently left Sinn Fein and became an Independent. After many years as a local politician, he has decided he will not seek re-election and is expected to concentrate more on his Cork Rebel Tours operation in Cobh which focusses on the towns War of Independence era. When Claire Cullinane died unexpectedly, Diarmaid OCadhla was co-opted onto the council as her replacement. He has now decided to run in a different electoral area. Therefore, the logic is that this time out new candidates from the Cobh/Great Island area are likely to take those vacant seats. Cllr Anthony Barry (FG) seems to have Carrigtwohill to himself and should be elected quite comfortably. In the 2014 election, he got 1,583 votes and was elected on the eighth count. Padraig OSullivan, a secondary school teacher who lives in Little Island, also should have that area sown up. In 2014, he was elected on the first count with 2,628 votes. However, he has lost the Glanmire area. FF has chosen Mr OSullivan to run in the next general election in the Cork East constituency, which includes the Cobh area, and he has been canvassing heavily in the last few months in a bid for a Dail seat. Its expected to pay him handsome dividends for the upcoming Local Election. Kieran McCarthy was also elected on the first count in 2014, getting 2,471 votes and topping the poll. He was elected as a SF representative but later left the party. McCarthy is popular in Cobh so not all of his votes came from SF supporters. The question is how many were loyal party votes. The likelihood is that SF, however, will fancy its chances of retaining a seat with Louise Murphy, who is based in Cobh. The 33-year-old, who works in student accommodation in the city, said she was banking on Cobh transfers circulating in the town. I hope Cobh sticks with its own. I hope that plays to my advantage, she said. Cllr Cathal Rasmussen will be hoping that he can hold onto his seat for the sake of the Labour Party. Cllr Cathal Rasmussen of the Labour Party and Philip Leahy, canvassing in Cobh, Co Cork. Picture: David Keane Labour was decimated during the last general and local elections. He is now the only sitting Labour councillor in either the city or the county. Another Cobh-based candidate also hopes the fortress mentality will pay off for him. Ken Curtin, who works as a public affairs consultant, is standing for the Social Democrats. He contested the last general election in the Cork East constituency getting 1,386 votes 2.62% of the total number cast. I think theres a good chance Cobh candidates will get three, if not four, of the seats, he said. Sean OConnor a former county councillor and retired bank employee from Cobh has also decided to run as an Independent. Another runner, also from the town and an Independent is fishmonger Peter Kidney. Candidates The mother of two boys murdered by their father says she wants convicted killers to wait longer for parole. Kathleen Chada is calling for the implementation of the Parole Bill which would change the length of time at which someone serving a life sentence can appeal for parole from seven years to 12 years. Her husband Sanjeev Chada, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 after driving his sons, Eoghan (10) and Ruairi (five), to County Mayo, where he strangled them in late July 2013. If that is implemented in the next 12 to 14 months then he cant apply for parole until he has served 12 years. Thats one piece of legislation I want to see implemented as soon as possible, she told RTE radios Today with Sean ORourke show. Ms Chada said that she would be fearful for her life when he is released from prison: My greatest nightmare is bumping into him over the grave. He threatened me. He planned to take my life along with the boys. She welcomed plans for an independent study of domestic homicides in Ireland, such as the murder of the Hawe family, which Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan brought to a meeting of the Cabinet yesterday. The proposed study is expected to pave the way for the introduction of statutory Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) next year, similar to those operating in Britain. Clodagh Hawe and her three sons were murdered by her husband Alan in their Cavan home in 2016. An internal Garda review of the deaths is ongoing. Ms Chada said the review will provide answers for families and will look at the incident through the lens of the victim. However, she warned that a review could take a year and that, in the meantime, more people will be killed. It could take a year for the review to be completed. Historically, we know that in a year women and children will be killed while the study is going on. Something has to be done immediately. My fear is dragging this out. Looking at the history and background will give answers and prevent other homicides, she said. It will not give answers in her case because her husband made a guilty plea. Ms Chada pointed out the imbalance in the funds invested in services: Counselling and support services for families received funding of 28,000 last year while there was 50million spent on legal aid. Thats simply not fair. After the deaths of her sons, she had to cancel the childrens allowance, and change the electricity bill and Sky subscription from her husbands name. There is a need for support for the day to day things that have to be changed, she said. Your entire world is just taken from you. You have moments to make decisions. She is hoping for cross-party support for a bill being put forward by Fianna Fails justice spokesman, Jim OCallaghan, which goes a little bit further". There are so many loopholes in the legislation at the moment". Safe Ireland welcomed the news that plans for an independent research study on supports to people whose relatives have been killed by a family member, describing the move as an acknowledgement that State agencies have, to date, failed families living with the trauma of family murder. However, it emphasised that it is important that the review addresses the immediate needs of families who have already been affected. We have to get this right for the many families that have been left hanging without adequate supports, advice and counselling," said Caitriona Gleeson, programme and communications manager with SI. Kathleen Chada, the mother of two boys killed by their father, is calling for the implementation of the Parole Bill which would change the length of time at which a prisoner serving a life sentence can appeal for parole from seven years to 12 years. Her husband Sanjeev Chada was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 after driving his sons, Eoghan, 10, and Ruairi, 5, to Co Mayo, where he strangled them in late July 2013. If that is implemented in the next 12 to 14 months then he cant apply for parole until he has served 12 years. Thats one piece of legislation I want to see implemented as soon as possible, she told RTE radios Today with Sean ORourke show. Ms Chada said that she would be fearful for her life when he is released from prison. My greatest nightmare is bumping into him over the grave. He threatened me. He planned to take my life along with the boys. She welcomed plans for an independent study of domestic homicides in Ireland, such as the murder of the Hawe family, which Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan will bring to Cabinet on Tuesday. It is envisaged the proposed study will pave the way for the introduction of statutory Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) next year, similar to those operating in the UK. Clodagh Hawe and her three sons were murdered by her husband Alan in their Cavan home in 2016. An internal garda review of the deaths is ongoing. Ms Chada said that the review will provide answers for families and will look at the incident through the lens of the victim. However, she warned that a review could take a year and in the meantime, more people will be killed. It could take a year for the review to be completed. Historically we know that in a year women and children will be killed while the study is going on. Something has to be done immediately. My fear is dragging this out. Looking at the history and background will give answers and prevent other homicides, she said. It will not give answers in her case because her husband made a guilty plea. Ms Chada pointed out the "imbalance" in the funds invested in services. Counselling and support services for families received funding of 28,000 last year while there was 50m spent on legal aid. Thats simply not fair. After the deaths of her sons she had to cancel the childrens allowance, change the electricity bill and Sky subscription from her husbands name. There is a need for support for the day to day things that have to be changed, she said. Your entire world is just taken from you. You have moments to make decisions. She is hoping for cross-party support for a Bill being put forward by Fianna Fails justice spokesperson Jim OCallaghan which goes a little bit further. There are so many loopholes in the legislation at the moment. Jim OCallaghan is going back to the drawing board. A new government department should be created in Northern Ireland to specifically deal with tackling sectarianism, an academic report has urged. Ending the scourge of religious bigotry should top any future executive's priority list and must be given the same political focus as other key policy areas, such as economic development, the Ulster University study recommended. Progress can be better monitored if an accountable department takes ownership of the issue, the report said. As well as the executive department, the academic review also proposes establishing a new civic body to help shape community efforts toward reconciliation. The report also recommends setting up a fund to enable businesses to sponsor cross-community projects. The study, which was commissioned by the George Quigley Fund, also proposes the creation of a Youth Assembly to give young people a voice and says consideration should be given to lowering the voting age to 16. Penned by UU professor Duncan Morrow, the report does not suggest how the new executive department would be structured and whether the ministry would be allocated under the conventional d'hondt process or, like the Stormont justice department, be filled by a politician that does not belong to either of the two main parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein. The proposals will be considered at a special conference in Belfast on Tuesday which will be addressed by a range of high-profile guests, including the US diplomat that brokered the Good Friday Agreement, Senator George Mitchell. Comedian Patrick Kielty, whose father was murdered during the Troubles, will also speak at the event. Politicians have been invited to attend, as have church, business and community leaders. Young people from across Northern Ireland will also join the audience at the UU's Belfast campus. The report launch comes amid renewed efforts at Stormont to restore the powersharing institutions after more than two years without a functioning government. Professor Morrow said the recent murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry should focus minds on the need to act. "The deeply tragic events of recent weeks sharpen the focus on just how dangerously close we remain to this residual threat," he said. The young people taking part reflect the hope and optimism that we all hold for Northern Ireland, but we have a duty of care and leadership to ensure that the expectation, aspiration and potential of the next and future generations is met and not stifled by sectarian polarisation. We hope that the review's recommendations will make possible the step change needed. The George Quigley Fund was set up by the Ulster Bank in honour of its former chairman. The leading civil servant and businessman was a strong advocate of initiatives to tackle sectarianism. Ronnie Kells, chair of the Quigley Fund committee, said: "We acknowledge the extremely positive contribution made over the years by many individuals and organisations to address sectarianism, often working silently and unrecognised. "Regrettably, sectarianism still lingers at the heart of our society and acts as a barrier to prosperity and as an insult to a civilised community. This scourge of several generations will persist unless resolute and sustained action is taken to address it. Everyone has a role to play in addressing this problem - it is not the sole responsibility of government or the political parties in Northern Ireland. "Civic society needs to work with them to ensure it is placed at the top of the public agenda alongside the economy as a key priority. We trust that our conference will help to establish the foundations for a credible solution driven by collegiate and concerted civic leadership and action." PA A nun who only speaks for an hour a day due to a vow of silence has until December to find a new home after being brought to court by Cork County Council over an alleged breach of planning laws. The local authority claimed that Sr Irene Gibson had constructed a two-storey cladded building near Leap in West Cork, incorporating a wooden chapel, as well as a wooden shed and timber fence and unauthorised access to the road. Sr Irene has been a Carmelite Nun of the Holy Face of Jesus for 30 years, and was joined just this week in her hermetical way of life by Sr Anne Marie from New Zealand. Those in the order take vows of obedience and poverty and the court heard that due to the vow of silence, they speak for just one hour a day. Cork County Council had brought proceedings before Skibbereen District Court, alleging a breach of Section 154 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Solicitor for the local authority, Patricia Murphy, told Judge James McNulty that there had been a failure to comply with an enforcement notice, and that the entire settlement at Corran South near Leap was entirely unauthorised. Photographs of the buildings taken in June 2018 were shown to the court and Ms Murphy said the local authority had received complaints from members of the public in the vicinity in relation to the settlement, which led to the initiation of proceedings in 2016. Sr Irenes solicitor, Letty Baker, said: All the buildings are for religious purposes, for prayer and contemplation. Where they are living is very basic. They are selling the property and they are hoping that will remedy everything. Ms Baker told the court that some elements of the construction had already been removed since last year and the rest was for sale. The court heard YouTube videos showed construction of the buildings and that a site inspection carried out Monday this week showed that it was still a substantial construction. Local authority executive planner Philip OSullivan said of his Monday visit: To say that that entrance is dangerous is an understatement. It was explained that Monday was the day Sr Anne Marie entered the order, doubling the community to two, that the entrance was normally closed to traffic, and that 25 people had been present for what Ms Baker said was a joyous day. However, Mr OSullivan said a large crane had been at the site as recently as April, reducing the building to one storey, adding: This has gone on a very long time. I feel very sorry for the residents. Ms Murphy said she liked to think the county council had done all they could to avoid bringing the matter to court and that the sale of the property would not rectify the situation regarding planning permission. It would be dreadful if there was a criminal prosecution against this lady. They have nowhere else to go, Ms Baker said, adding that it had been hoped that others would join the order in Leap. It hasnt worked out and they are moving on. Judge McNulty granted an adjournment until December 10, saying: We are subject to the law. The judge also wondered if one of the many orders in West Cork or the Diocesan authorities could offer the nuns a new home, and might also consider offering a location for the West Cork Women Against Domestic Violence project, which is seeking a site for a refuge. Maybe they could do some great good by providing a place for a refuge and a little place for the defendants, he said. The second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation successfully concluded a few weeks ago in Beijing. Foreign participants left the Chinese capital satisfied with Beijing's hospitality and optimistic about future opportunities that will complement the BRI's achievements thus far. On the whole, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been the only efficient interconnectivity model in the past few years, positively impacting all continents. The interest of numerous countries and individuals in joining the BRI is in itself telling of its success. A natural reaction to the success of a project is heated debate and criticism, especially among skeptics of China's peaceful rise. Several Western policy-makers and scholars still tend to analyze developments from a Cold War perspective. Several of them even drew parallels between the BRI and the Marshall Plan, when the former was first proposed in 2013. Let's not forget that the Marshall Plan was a U.S. strategic decision after the end of WWII aiming at containing the Soviet Union. China has no intention to restrain other nations and powers. Furthermore, this comparison is groundless because geopolitical conditions are completely different now and the world structure is no longer bipolar. Related to this, another frame of reference dominating the Western agenda is that of an alleged malicious relationship between China and countries where the BRI is passing through. Critics have invented the term "debt trap" to refer to Beijing's hypothetical motivations to economically dominate its partners and push for political favors. Western universities and research centers associate BRI with the "debt trap" argument and some politicians in the U.S. and Europe have even embraced it in their public discourse. In the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation President Xi Jinping devoted some time to addressing this issue in his speech. He said China relies on debt sustainability studies to guarantee the viability of its investments. It is not in the interest of the Chinese government to invest in debt-ridden countries as economic uncertainty could jeopardize ongoing projects. In 2015, for instance, China was highly concerned about the possibility of a Grexit and actively supported having Greece stay within the Eurozone. This challenges the "debt trap" theory. Beijing refrained then from responding to Athens' requests about a potential bilateral financial assistance plan and wanted COSCO's investment in the Piraeus Port to develop in a stable economic environment. In addition, the "debt trap" theory is not being practically tested by its proponents. Agreements reached between the Chinese government or Chinese state-owned enterprises and recipient countries differ according to their nature, type, as well as local conditions. In some cases loans are granted whereas in others privatization takes place. The terms of loans vary while the percentage of shares in the acquisition of foreign firms by Chinese companies is not always over 50%. More importantly, it is impossible to draw conclusions about possible economic dependency, if the exposure of one national economy to Chinese debt is not compared to that of other countries. Such a comparison requires time-consuming research which sometimes goes beyond the interest of those disseminating rumors about a "debt trap" or does not support their cause. Last November, for instance, this author attended a BRI conference in Colombo, and discovered that Sri Lanka's liabilities from international sovereign bonds increased faster than its debt to China. This contradicts mainstream Western media reports about China's "dangerous" economic presence in Sri Lanka. More importantly, China does not force other countries to participate in the BRI. Instead, respective national governments make that decision based on their own calibrated cost-benefit analysis. The choices they make in reality reflect their determination to strengthen their national economy and create better conditions for their citizens. Africa is at the epicenter of Western criticism for economically relying on China and becoming a victim of the "debt trap." But in reality, African leaders chart their own course and make their own decisions. The September 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation demonstrates that many presidents and prime ministers of African countries do not share the West's concerns. Each countries' own interpretation of the BRI matters more than external observers or critics. In implementing the BRI, China is employing a constructive approach in world economic affairs. Instead of simply endorsing rivalry, exclusion and clash of interests, China envisages a shared future for humanity. Western criticism will continue and could perhaps intensify but practical win-win results will function as the true litmus test. George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Five young pupils in Colaiste Mhuire in Buttevant have scooped the first Rotary Young Citizen Peacemaker Award for their work tackling difficulties affecting fellow students. The students David Higgins, Paul O Keeffe, Eoin O Brien, Zoe Crowley, and Aoibhe Jones who are peace advocates with the Cork Education and Training Board, surveyed all pupils in their school to find out what concerned them and discovered students needed support in areas such as online safety, phone and gaming overuse leading to sleep deprivation, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. They raised the surveys results with school principal Donal OSullivan, who organised workshops with a forensic psychologist, carrying out sessions with students and parents. The group is now in the process of training all second-year students and their teachers with the aim to have all students in the school trained to be fully qualified peace advocates by 2020. They are also organising a Pride Day at the school where pupils can celebrate their diversity, taking pride in their uniqueness, diverse cultures and sporting communities. Mallow Rotary Club was so impressed with the work of the Peace Advocacy Group that it put them forward for the Rotary Young Citizen Peacemaker Award. The new Award reflects Rotarys area of focus on peace and conflict prevention and resolution. This year there is a brand new award, the #RotaryYoungCitizen Peacemaker Award. Winners from Colaiste Mhuire Buttevant have been supporting fellow pupils with some challenging issues. pic.twitter.com/5kY5nRhG8Q Rotary GB & Ireland (@RotaryGBI) May 12, 2019 Aoibhe said the win was an honour for all 157 peace advocates in the school. Our peace programme, founded by Jean Best, focuses on ones quality of life, in our communities, our homes, our schools and in ourselves, said Aoibhe. We use the skills of purposeful listening and collaborative conversation to recognise, enable and empower our fellow students and ourselves to believe in the expertise of the young to help each other and resolve conflict. We want to sincerely thank Mallow Rotary Club for introducing the Peace Programme to Ireland. "We also want to thank Gail Gyves, our co-ordinating teacher, who has worked with us on the project, and our principal, Donal O Sullivan, and our deputy principal, Carol O Mahony, who have supported and encouraged our peace advocacy endeavours. Their support enables us to embed a culture of student voice and student empowerment in our school and this has ensured the Peace Programme has started to flourish. The president of Rotary in Britain and Ireland, Debbie Hodge, described the peace advocates as a real inspiration to us all with the important work they are carrying out. The writer Lauren St John best known for her childrens novels, The White Giraffe series has always been obsessed with the natural world. Shes been saving animals since she was a kid. She had a pet giraffe, Jenny, when she was growing up on a farm and game reserve in Zimbabwe. Now shes started a campaign with fellow writers to stop the destruction of our oceans by people littering plastic. The idea came to her out of the blue. Not long after BBCs Blue Planet II, I was in a bookshop and I ordered a lemonade and it came with a plastic straw in it, she says. I just sat there thinking a percentage of bookshops every single day would be dishing out straws or plastic bags. "On my own there wasnt a lot I could do about it, but I thought if some of my childrens book author friends all of us are passionate about the environment and animals got together wed have a little voice. St John has marshalled 60 of them including Chris Riddell and Roald Dahls illustrator Quentin Blake to raise awareness through the organisation Authors4Oceans, which will host an event on Sunday at the International Literature Festival Dublin. They know that children are their most powerful weapon. What was very interesting to me from the start is how incredibly shocked children were by this issue, says St John. I can address an assembly of 300 kids and when I ask Did anybody watch Blue Planet II? almost every hand would go up. "Before I say a word kids would be falling over themselves to tell me, I went into a cafe at the weekend and they tried to give me a milkshake with a straw. I cried and begged them not to. Kids are really, really upset. They realise what kind of earth were handing to them. "It seems nobody had an idea about the scale of it until David Attenborough addressed it in Blue Planet II. Its been a revelation how engaged children are. St John urges people to make small adjustments in their behaviour. She gives an example of the danger of ring-pulls on cartons of milk, orange juice or cans of Coke. Baby fish or birds growing up birds will often add them when theyre building nests have been choking on them. All you have to do when you take that ring pull off is to take one second and cut it with a pair of scissors, says St John. Its hard to imagine when youre standing in your kitchen that your plastic bag or your ring pull is going to end up in the ocean but the facts are that it does. "And if it does wouldnt you like to know that because you took a second to cut it, it wont end up choking a fish or a bird? Not Preachy The American-born Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series, is also a member of the Authors4Oceans campaign. She will join St John at the Irish event. Shes conscious about the importance of squaring the need to raise awareness without sounding too preachy. I tell kids that pester power is really important, says Stevens. Bothering your parents and the adults around can sometimes be a useful thing but also you can be too focused on the ideals rather than the lived experiences and what happens day to day. Of course some people have disabilities where they need plastic drinking straws to be able to drink. A lot of medical devices are wrapped in single-use plastic to keep them sterile. "Its something you have to be aware of. Its a more complicated story than just saying, We must get rid of everything plastic. We have to keep in mind the complexity of everyday life and balancing it with speaking out and trying to make change. But plastic is a campaign that everyone can get involved in. Everyday people use so much of it. It surrounds us. We can make tiny choices that means were surrounded by less of it. Plastic doesnt biodegrade. It sticks around forever. Stevens says she was shocked recently to realise that every single toothbrush shes had since she had my first teeth as a baby are still around in landfills, and often seeping into the oceans. We eat fish and crustaceans so its going back into us. Thats true for every single person. "You start thinking about all the toothbrushes youve used in your life. "We think we throw away plastic and its gone but its not gone its just somewhere else. What a World! Authors 4 Oceans: Robin Stevens and Lauren St John with Flossie Donnelly (see right) as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin, 12pm, Sunday, 19 May, Smock Alley Theatre, Lower, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. See: ilfdublin.com Flossie and the beach cleaners Flossie Donnelly My name is Flossie Donnelly. I am 12 years old. I started collecting rubbish on the beach when I decided the problem was really bad after a holiday in Thailand two years ago. When I got back and saw all the rubbish on the beach in Sandycove, Dublin I decided Id start a beach-cleaning group. Things just took off from there. We do it once a month during the winter. During the summer we do a beach clean every Friday. Different people come to help me every beach clean. Sometimes when people see us beach-cleaning they walk away and look disgusted. Weve had people come up and hand us the rubbish theyve had from just eating. Sometimes they walk up to you and say: Youre doing a very good job, and then walk off! You just feel like saying, Oh, thanks. Would you like to help? Some of my friends like to come on beach cleans with me but Im trying to keep it a bit private from most of my friends. I like having two different lives I have my activist, beach-cleaning life and I also have my childhood life. The best things about our campaign is that were getting the word out there and its hilarious the things weve found on beach cleans mens pants, shopping trolleys, a bike, credit cards, a drivers licence, plastic bottles, cans, Christmas hats, Christmas lights, fishing lines, ropes, broken lobster pots, millions of cat-food packets, a bit of a scooter, a TV, a childs car seat. The bad things about the campaign are when people think youre crazy or its just my mum and dad who are behind it and Im just like a photo person and when you see that the rubbish is just continuing to build up, but I like focusing on the positives. Like Donald Trump, Richard Nixon tried to stonewall congressional investigations into crimes allegedly committed in the White House. Why, well just let it go to the (Supreme) Court. Fight it like hell, Nixon said. But the stone wall crumbled under pressure from the public, Congress and the courts, and its rubble formed the foundation for an article of impeachment. As the Senate Watergate investigation began in 1973, Nixon took a position like Trump did on May 2, when he barred former White House counsel Don McGahn from testifying before Congress about potential obstruction of justice by the president. To block current and former White House aides from testifying before Congress, Nixon claimed that executive privilege shielded presidential conversations from congressional oversight. And just as Trump claimed on Wednesday that executive privilege allows him to withhold the complete, unredacted Mueller report from Congress, Nixon claimed it allowed him to withhold executive branch documents. President Donald Trump asserted executive privilege to keep information about the Mueller report from Congress. AP/Alex Brandon Why Nixon resisted Nixons claims of executive privilege were a matter of political survival. One of the crimes for which Congress was investigating Nixon was -obstruction of justice, and he was guilty. There is no credible evidence that Nixon knew about the underlying crime, the Watergate break-in, until after the burglars got caught. But Nixon did know that some of those involved in the break-in were linked to other crimes he personally initiated, such as the illegal leaking of information obtained from grand juries to discredit his political enemies. The president had obstructed the FBI investigation of Watergate to conceal his own crimes. On June 23, 1972, for example, in a conversation captured on his own secret White House taping system, Nixon approved a plan to use the CIA to obstruct the FBI investigation. This tape ultimately became known as the smoking gun, since it proved that Nixon was guilty of obstruction. Nixon was using executive privilege to conceal his obstruction from Congress and the Watergate special prosecutor. Political survival Nixon could not hold the hard line for long. It made him look guilty, even to supporters, who started asking why he didnt just let his aides testify if he was innocent. And when former aides decided to testify against him, as former White House counsel John W. Dean III did on national television, it was obvious Nixon had no power to stop them. New York Times, May 23, 1973. Screenshot, NY Times archive If Nixon wanted any current or former White House aides to testify in his favor there were many who were willing to, from H.R. Haldeman to Patrick Buchanan and offset the bad publicity he was getting from the hearings, he had to reverse himself. In May 1973, Nixon announced that executive privilege will not be invoked as to any testimony concerning possible criminal conduct. But he still withheld White House documents. Again, it was a matter of political survival. He could plausibly deny testimony against him, but it was impossible to deny his own voice on tape. Struggle over privilege Once the existence of his secret tapes was revealed to Congress in July 1973, they became the center of the struggle over executive privilege. Congress and the special prosecutor wanted the tapes, because they could prove once and for all who was telling the truth. Nixon withheld them for that same reason. The issue came to a head once the House Judiciary Committee began an impeachment inquiry. The committees ranking Republican, Rep. Edward Hutchinson of Michigan, said at the inquirys outset that he would tell (the White House) that executive privilege in the face of an impeachment inquiry must fall. The notion that the president enjoys the privilege of withholding information from Congress is based in the constitutional separation of powers, but impeachment is an exception to that separation. Impeachment is a legislative check on executive power, just as the veto, for example, is an executive check on legislative power. Nixons own Justice Department could not find a single example in history of anyone ever invoking executive privilege in an impeachment inquiry not even Andrew Johnson, the only president to have been impeached by that point. (Congress can impeach any civil officer of the U.S. government.) When the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Nixons tapes, Nixon refused to turn them over, saying he had already provided Congress with the full story of Watergate. The original Nixon White House tape recorder. National Archives via the AP The court acts, the president resigns But Nixon was forced to give his tapes to the special prosecutor when the Supreme Court decided 8-0 on July 24, 1974, that executive privilege did not give a president the right to refuse to hand over evidence in a criminal trial. Within a week, the Judiciary Committee voted 21-7 to impeach Nixon for defying congressional subpoenas. If we do not pass this article today, the whole impeachment power becomes meaningless, said Rep. Lawrence J. Hogan, a Republican of Maryland, father of the current Maryland governor, Larry Hogan. In August, publication of a transcript of the the smoking gun tape confirmed that the president was guilty of obstruction of justice. Nixon resigned rather than give Congress the chance to remove him. His claims of executive privilege had helped him hold onto power an extra year. Invoking executive privilege was not a winning play but it was the last one available to a guilty president. This article was written by Ken Hughes of the University of Virginia and was originally published on The Conversation. This article is republished from theconversation.com under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. These are busy times for those planning to vote on May 24. Leaflets are slipping through the letterbox and the doorbell is ringing with canvassers for the local and European elections and the referendum on the regulation of divorce. The people of Cork City, Limerick and Waterford will also be entitled to vote on the Governments proposals for a directly elected mayor (Lord Mayor in Cork City) with executive functions for their area. On April 2, the Government published its detailed policy proposals for directly elected mayors with executive functions. On May 24, the people in the extended administrative area of Cork City, as well as the administrative areas of Limerick City and County Council, and Waterford City and County Council, will have a chance to vote on these proposals in a plebiscite. Firstly, its important to understand how councils currently work. The council has an elected council of councillors, one of whom is annually elected as mayor and a chief executive. The councillors oversee the councils strategy and operations and adopt policies, as well as performing reserved functions, including: Adopting the councils annual budget (by way of vote) and policies; Altering the local property tax rate; Making a city or city and county development plan. The mayor/lord mayor chairs the councils meetings and represents the council locally, nationally and internationally. The chief executive, who is recruited by open competition through the Public Appointments Service, leads and manages the councils staff and administrative structures, and runs the council on a day-to-basis. The chief executive performs executive functions, which are any functions not explicitly reserved for the elected council, including: Preparing policy documents for consideration by the elected council; Managing staff and delivery of services; Managing and accounting for the councils finances; Delivering a statutory monthly report to the full elected council (council meetings are held in public and in the presence of the media); Administering housing schemes and allocating social housing; Managing infrastructure projects. Under the Governments proposals, a directly elected mayor/lord mayor with executive functions would be elected by a councils electorate for a five-year term and would: Be responsible for a significant amount of the executive functions currently the responsibility of the chief executive; Prepare and oversee delivery of a programme of office (a five-year policy programme), corporate plan and annual service delivery plan; Be responsible for ensuring that the chief executive implements the councils plans effectively; Lead the council and represent the council locally, nationally and internationally. The chief executive would manage the councils resources to implement the programme of office effectively. He or she would also be responsible for practical delivery of the councils policy plans, as well as managing its staff and other resources on a day-to-day basis. The chief executive would continue to have certain executive functions, including processing individual cases or applications and certain planning functions. The elected council would continue to perform its reserved functions and oversee the mayors and chief executives performances. The Government has proposed a salary of 130,000 for a directly elected mayor, that of a junior minister. The committee responsible for providing a public information campaign for the plebiscite estimates that the additional annual costs of an office of a directly elected mayor with executive functions could range from around 313,000 to around 450,000 (including a mayors salary, but not including possible pension-related costs). Its important to state that, on May 24, the electorates of Cork City, Limerick and Waterford will not be electing a mayor but voting on a proposal to be able to directly elect one in the future. If the proposal is accepted by a majority of voters in any of those administrative areas, the minister for housing, planning and local government is required to bring legislative proposals to the Oireachtas within two years for a directly elected mayor with executive functions for that area. The result of the plebiscite in one administrative area will have no consequence on the other administrative areas in question. If the proposal is not accepted, the current structures in that council would remain the same. The Government has indicated that if legislation for a directly elected mayor was enacted, the first election could take place in 2022. This would be for an initial two-year mayoral term. The first election for a five-year mayoral term could happen in 2024 at the same time as the local elections and be for a full five-year term. As a report and legislative proposals would be required, the full details and consequences of introducing a directly elected mayor are not completely clear. However, the possible advantages include: The mayor would be directly and democratically accountable to the people of the council; A mayoral election campaign could raise awareness of and increase public debate on local government policy options in advance of decisions being made; Increased visibility of local government and the role of mayor in the administrative area; A directly elected mayor could advocate for increased functions for that council; The possible disadvantages include: Increased power in a single elected individual and their office; Negative impact on the powers and standing of existing elected members; Increased costs for the council; A more complicated process for the council to make policies and decisions. There may be other possible advantages and disadvantages. I encourage everyone eligible to vote in the plebiscites to get informed. Each household in Cork City, Limerick and Waterford will receive a guide to the plebiscite. I will chair public meetings in Cork City, Waterford and Limerick on May 14, 15 and 16 respectively. All are welcome. Details are available at www.mayors.gov.ie. If youre registered to vote in local elections in one of those administrative areas, you can vote in its plebiscite. You can have your say on 24 May. Henry Abbott is a retired judge of the High Court and chairperson of the Committee to Oversee the Plebiscite Public Information Campaign. For more information visit mayors.gov.ie In his famous essay "The Clash of Civilizations?" published in 1993, American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington wrote that the fundamental source of conflict in the post-Cold War world will be cultural: "The principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future." Almost three decades after the essay's publication, the world has indeed seen clashes, conflicts, and wars fought between different nation states, ethnic and religious groups. But the nature of this antagonism is subject to debate. Is it triggered by differences in civilization, as Huntington predicted, or motivated by geopolitical or economic gains? Huntington's thesis may be controversial, but the reality of such conflicts do point to the necessity of dialogue, negotiation and compromise. This forms the backdrop to China's inaugural Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, which will be held later this week. State leaders, officials of international organizations and representatives from cultural fields will gather in Beijing to discuss issues like governance, cultural diversity, people-to-people exchange and others. At the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, held in Shanghai in 2014 and the 2015 Boao Forum (BFA) for Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping twice advocated for the convening of the CDAC, and received positive responses from the participating countries. In his BFA keynote speech, Xi invoked ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius's adage that "Things are born to be different." Therefore, he argued, "inclusiveness and mutual learning among civilizations" are needed to build a community with a shared future for humanity. Indeed, apart from sharing universal pursuits of peace, prosperity and love, the world is composed of different countries and groups of various sizes, economic scales, political systems and cultural makeup. We recognize and celebrate these differences because these make the world what it is now and make us who we are today. But differences do not have to mean antagonism, nor do we need to build a modern Tower of Babel. Rather, we need, as Xi said in his speech, to embrace inclusiveness and learn from each other. Chinese people take pride in the country's centuries-old civilization, but the Chinese civilization did not grow entirely on its own. Rather, it has learned from civilizations and cultures from other parts of the world. For example, Buddhism, which is practiced by millions of people in China, originated in India and later developed Chinese branches. In recent decades, especially after China began opening up to the world, the cultural interaction between China and other countries has become more frequent than ever. The most noticeable area is arguably in popular culture. One South Korean TV drama centering on family and friendship that aired four years ago gained great popularity and moved many people in China, myself included. The opening scene of the first episode depicts a group of South Korean teenagers in the late 1980s, who are eagerly watching a Hong Kong movie. Interestingly, nowadays it is the reverse: young people in China are crazy about South Korean culture. And this is just one example of cultural exchange. Each country has its own distinct culture and civilization, but there are so many commonalities shared among them so that civilization transcends borders and binds people together. Today, Asia is home to about 60 percent of the world's population and more than one-third of the global economy. The giant continent is prospering to where some have come to call this the "Asian Century." Despite that, Asia also faces many problems that need to be worked out, and the best way forward is to use solutions from every country within it and many others outside it. Dialogue in itself is not the end -- let's hope it becomes the means to bring about wisdom to cope with the problems we are facing in Asia and the world at large. Asia Four Arrested in Malaysia Suspected of Plotting Ramadan Attacks Malaysian police hold items seized during the arrests of the four suspects at a news conference on May 13, 2019. / Bernama KUALA LUMPURMalaysian police have detained four men suspected of plotting a wave of killings and attacks in and around the capital during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, police said on Monday. The Southeast Asian nation has been on high alert since gunmen allied with Islamic State carried out a series of attacks in Jakarta, the capital of neighboring Indonesia, in January 2016. The four suspects are two Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, an Indonesian and a Malaysian, Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters. Dubbed the wolf pack cell, he said its members had planned to launch large-scale attacks during the first week of Ramadan to avenge a Muslim fireman who was allegedly beaten to death during a racially charged riot at a Hindu temple in November. The firemans death angered majority Malay Muslims, some of whom had accused Hindu leaders of inciting the riot through racial remarks. This cell had also planned an operation to assassinate high-profile personalities accused of insulting and failing to uphold Islam, Abdul Hamid said in a video recording of a press conference seen by Reuters. He declined to identify the targets of the planned killings. Muslims all over the world fast during daylight hours during Ramadan. One of the Rohingya suspects, a 20-year-old waiter, told police he was a supporter of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group said to be behind a number of killings and attacks in Myanmars Rakhine state, Abdul Hamid said. The man possessed a UNHCR identification card issued by the U.N. refugee agency, he said. Police also seized a gun and six homemade explosives during the arrests. The Rohingya have for years fled persecution in Myanmar, which denies them citizenship as they are seen as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. They often arrive on Southeast Asian shores in rickety boats seeking asylum. More than 90,000 Rohingya are registered with the United Nations in Malaysia but non-profit groups estimate as many as 200,000 Rohingya are living in the country. Burma Arakanese in U.S. Protest Myanmar Army Killings of Civilians in Rakhine Arakanese residents of the U.S. stage a protest against the Myanmar military outside the Myanmar Embassy in Washington on Monday. / AAC YANGONNearly 100 Arakanese living in the U.S. demonstrated outside the Myanmar Embassy in Washington on Monday to protest against alleged extrajudicial killings of Arakanese civilians by the countrys military during its ongoing conflict with the Arakan Army (AA) in northern Rakhine State. The rally was organized by the Arakan American Community (AAC) and was joined by Kachin and Shan protesters. A Buddhist monk performed a funeral service for nine local residents recently killed while being detained by Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) troops in Mrauk-U and in Rathedaung Township. The participants held banners with English-language slogans including Stop killing civilians, Stop selling weapons to Burma and Justice for Arakan. One of the events organizers, AAC vice chair Ko Thein Tun Zan, told The Irrawaddy via social media that civilians were constantly targeted in Rakhine, adding that the Army consistently broadcast fabricated information to the public and the international community. The AAC released a statement making the following five demands: an immediate halt to the targeting of civilians; the release of all detainees; the establishment of an independent inquiry excluding military generals; accountability for those who have committed war crimes and rights abuses; and access to humanitarian organizations in northern Rakhine. With regard to the blocking of aid shipments to northern Rakhine, Myanmar Ambassador to the U.S. U Aung Lin was quoted by Voice of America as saying that although he had little information about Rakhine, he believed his government had a better understanding of the reality on the ground than others. Thus, any blocking of aid would be based on the safety situation facing civil society groups, he said. The AAC urged the government to establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the deaths of three detainees among 27 from Mrauk-U Townships Let Kar village as well as the killing of six villagers among 275 detainees from Ratheadung Townships Kyauk Tan during interrogation. The Army freed all remaining villagers from the latter group on Tuesday, according to Tatmadaw spokesman Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun. The AAC said the indiscriminate killing of civilians in Rakhine amounted to war crimes. The military recently formed a commission comprising generals to investigate the shootings in Kyauk Tan village, which killed at least six and injured a dozen villagers in early May 2019. However, the AACs Ko Thein Tun Zan said he believed the panel would merely whitewash the events in order to protect military personnel, rather than deliver justice for the Arakanese public. Ko Thein Tun Zan said, We would like to urge the UN to keep monitoring the atrocities committed by Burmese army troops in northern Rakhine and take action on them as soon as possible, before the Myanmar Army can conduct a heinous scorched-earth campaign against the Arakanese community, as it has committed against other minorities in the past. Brig-Gen. Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy that because some of the fighting had occurred near villages, there were some civilian deaths, though it was difficult to say who caused them. What we can say is that we have followed the rules of engagement and never targeted civilians, he said. On the commission investigating the events at Kyauk Tan village, the brigadier general said the release of the remaining villagers was made possible by the commissions investigation. It was formed not to make a whitewash but to learn the truth and whether our troops followed all the procedures they had to follow, he added. Amid intensifying armed clashes between the Myanmar Army and AA rebels in northern Rakhine, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Muller has been in Myanmar since last Thursday. She traveled to Kachin and Shan states as well as Rakhine over the weekend. Although she requested permission from local authorities to make a trip to a camp for newly displaced Arakanese in northern Rakhine, for safety reasons she was only allowed to visit Rohingya camps on the outskirts of the state capital, Sittwe. The Rohingya in these camps were driven from their homes by sectarian violence in 2012. Since the violence, Sittwe has become a city divided, with its Buddhist Arakanese and Rohingya Muslim communities increasingly segregated. Muller wrote on her Twitter account: I am deeply concerned about the new fighting in Rakhine and Chin State that has displaced over 30,000 people in the past 6 months. Civilians desperately need protection and assistance. On Tuesday afternoon, fighting erupted in several rural locations near popular tourist destinations in the ancient city of Mrauk-U. You may also like these stories: With Camps Slated for Closure, IDPs Fear for Safety in Home Villages AA Warns Private Bus Companies Not to Transport Govt Troops Protected by China, Wa Is Now a de Facto Independent State Court Hears from Kachin Protesters Accused of Defaming Military Burma China-Backed Muse-Mandalay Railway to Cost $9 Billion A stretch of road linking Mandalay and Muse in Shan State. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy YANGONAn ambitious China-backed railway project connecting two economic centers in Myanmar with Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in southwestern China, will cost almost US$9 billion and final decisions on the specific details of the construction are expected to be made by the end of this year. As a part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), which is itself part of Beijings grand infrastructure plan, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a feasibility study for the Muse-Mandalay standard-gauge railway has been carried out. Last October, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by two state-owned companies, the China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group (CREEG) (formerly the China Railway Group Ltd.) and Myanmar Railways. During the second Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing in late April, China handed over a feasibility report on the Muse-Mandalay Railway project to Myanmars Minister for Transport and Communications U Thant Sin Maung. Myanmar Railways experts are currently scrutinizing the Muse-Mandalay feasibility report and making serious decisions regarding routes, bridges, tunnels and the exact locations of stations. The managing director of Myanmar Railways U Ba Myint said in a press conference in Naypyitaw on Monday that the construction of the railway will cost $8.9 billion according to the study. The new railway line aims to cut the travel time between Mandalay and Muse to just three hours. Currently, Mandalay is connected to Muse via Lashio by the national highway. The drive normally takes more than eight hours. Although there is an existing railway line from Mandalay to Lashio, U Ba Myint said, the entire Muse-Mandalay railway will be constructed on new tracks. Currently, the experts have chosen to implement a design speed of 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph) which is among Chinas three proposed options of 120, 160 and 200 kilometers per hour. A main new station is expected to be constructed in Peleik Township approximately 30 minutes from Mandalay. The Mandalay-Muse railway project will be 431 kilometers (268 miles) long and will connect with the Chinese rail network at the border town of Ruili in Yunnan province. It is expected to be a key part of the economic corridor. Muse, on the Myanmar side of border with Yunnan province, is the largest trade portal between the two nations. Mandalay is central Myanmars commercial center and the countrys second largest city. The railway is expected to become a lifeline for China-Myanmar trade. The Muse-Mandalay railway is also the initial stage in a strategic railway link that Beijing plans to build, with a parallel expressway, from Ruili to Kyaukphyu in Rakhine State, along with a separate road running through northern Myanmar, Indias northeastern states and Bangladesh. In 2011, Beijing and Naypyitaw signed an MOU agreeing to build a railway from Ruili to Kyaukphyu via Muse. The entire rail line was to run 810 kilometers. However, the government of then-president U Thein Sein suspended the project following strong local objection. The agreement expired in 2014. Minister of Transport and Communications U Thant Sin Maung said the railway is a priority project and part of Myanmars national transport master plan. Currently, China is implementing five priority transportation corridors in Myanmar. The Muse-Mandalay railway would be part of the South Transportation Corridor section of the Trans Asian Railway Network (TAR), a project implemented by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The [feasibility] study provided many options. We are still negotiating every particular detail to make sure the routes do not harm the environment and that it is useful for the public in Myanmar, U Ba Myint said. Critics have raised concerns that the project could burden Myanmar with unsustainable debts and provoke more armed conflict in the project areas as the railway will pass through armed conflict areas in Shan State. We have held public hearings to spread awareness that the project is needed for the benefit of this country. We already received a green light from Shan State that they are willing to contribute to the development of their state, said U Win Khant, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. CREEG have covered the full cost of the study, including the assessment of environmental and social impacts of the proposed railway line. We will try make the final result for the construction by the end of this year, said U Win Khant. The Chinese company only worked on the feasibility study. We will invite international tenders for the project, he said. Burma Govt to Buy Electricity from China to Cover Shortfall Power transmission lines strung across Yangons Hlaing River / The Irrawaddy YANGONThe Myanmar government plans to buy 1,000 MW of electricity from a Chinese state-owned enterprise to meet an expected electricity shortage over the next two years. Myanmar, which already has Southeast Asias lowest rate of access to electricity, has recently been plagued by regular power blackouts due to water shortages at hydropower plants following severe heat across the country. Hydropower remains Myanmars main source of electricity, followed by natural gas and coal. According to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE), the country faced a 400 MW power shortage as of April. This is expected to rise to 1,588 MW by 2020. We have already estimated the potential electricity shortage by 2021. Thats why we are planning to buy electricity from China, U Tin Maung Oo, MOEE permanent secretary, said at a press conference on Thursday. The ministry will buy the electricity from Guangzhou-based state-owned enterprise China Southern Power Grid. One of the biggest electricity operators, it currently provides 890.2 TWh of electricity to Vietnam, Laos, Hong Kong, Macau and a number of provinces in China. [The planned purchase] is related to the BRI. China Southern Power Grid has already done some joint studies with [MOEE], U Tin Maung Oo said. The BRI, or Belt and Road Initiative, is Chinas ambitious international infrastructure development strategy. According to MOEE, the electricity is expected to be transmitted from Dhong Dai in Yunnan, China to Muse, Mineye and Hopong in northern Shan State, Loikaw in Kayah State and Phayakyi in Bago Region. However, MOEE did not provide details on the estimated cost of the project. U Tin Maung Oo said the plan also calls for the two sides to trade power. If we need power, we will buy [from China]. If we manage to build more hydropower plants in the future, we will have excess electricity. Then, we will sell it back. At last weeks meeting of the Lower House (or Pyithu Hluttaw), Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy U Htun Naing said that only 44 percent of the countrys population is linked to the national power grid. Union Minister for Electricity and Energy U Win Khaing said the ministry has set periodic electricity access targets through 2030. It aims for 55 percent of the population to have access to power by 2020-2021, 75 percent by 2025-2026 and 100 percent by 2030-2031. As part of the National Electrification Plan, on April 30 the Electricity Supply Enterprise under MOEE and six companies signed contracts to install transmission lines and transformers in 590 villages in the following regions and states: Yangon, Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, Rakhine, northern Shan, Kayin and Mon. The project will be funded with a World Bank loan. Since 2017, three Chinese state-owned companies; China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co. Ltd, China Southern Power Grid Co. Ltd and a subsidiary of the latter, Yunnan International Co. Ltd, proposed separate plans to connect Myanmars national grid with the electricity network in Chinas Yunnan Province. The proposals include building a high-voltage transmission line linking the border town of Muse with Meiktila in Mandalay Region, supplying power from Yunnan via high-voltage cables, and the use of an existing cable to link Meiktila with Yunnan via Muse. You may also like these stories: Soldiers Kill 7 Villagers, Including 3 Children, over Motorbike in Karen State GAD Chief Appointed Deputy Union Govt Office Minister Energy Ministry Negotiates to Lower Fuel Oil Prices USDP Lawmaker Questions Transparency of Private Power Deals Burma Karenni Activists Walk Out of Govt Meeting The meeting between the Kayah state government and Karenni right activists held in Loikaw on May 14, 2019. / Progressive Karenni Peoples Force The latest round of talks between the Kayah state government and local rights activists collapsed after just 20 minutes on Tuesday. The rights group walked out of the meeting in Loikaw, the state capital, after Kayah State Chief Minister L Phaung Sho said his government would stand firm on not allowing the removal of the disputed statue of General Aung San. We tried to negotiate, but the condition is that we still cannot find a solution. Therefore, regarding the statue of Gen. Aung San, the Kayah state government want to propose that we will not allow it to be removed, the chief minister said in his speech at the opening of the meeting. The intention of the meeting was to discuss the details of the removal of the statue, however he instead insisted that his government will protect the statue and carry out maintenance works on the public park where it is located. He said that his government would not change its stance on the statue case. His speech showed that he does not wish to have further negotiations. Therefore, we left the meeting, said Khun Thomas, spokesperson for Karenni right activists. For us, we know that even if we have a meeting, we cannot get any results, he said. Members of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) did not participate in Tuesdays meeting, according to the rights group. Some local lawmakers and observers were in attendance, they added. In a statement the activist group issued on Tuesday, the group said they will no longer continue their efforts. There are plans to form new group under different leadership which will continue to work towards the removal of the statue, but the original group of activists said they will not be responsible for the new groups actions. We will let our people decide what to do about the statue. Our committee will not decide what to do this time. Our [original] committee is dissolved as of today, said Khun Thomas. When asked how the activists intend to remove the statue, Khun Thomas said it depends on the future leaders of their group. However, he did insist that violence would not be used in the cause. The chief ministers actions were not only representative of the state governments opinion on the statue, they were that of the Union governments too, according to Khun Thomas. It is very sad to see that [the Union government] ignores our minoritys rights, he said. In their most recent meeting held on May 7, the rights group and the government representatives agreed to form an eight-member committee to continue negotiations and work towards the removal of the statue. The statue was erected by the government in February amid much protest from Karenni locals. The local authorities went on to use the police force to crack down on the protesters who were gathered at the park where the statue is located and later outside the local NLD headquarters. The state government began meeting the rights group with a view to finding a solution to the dispute in February. Over two meetings, no agreement could be reached, leading the NRPC to get involved in March. Even with their involvement, no further constructive results came out of another three meetings. The Karenni complain that they have their own history involving their own ethnic leaders, and that the statue of Gen. Aung San is a symbol of the dominant role, the interests and the identity of the Burmese majority plays in the country, to the disadvantage of ethnic minorities. To them, its also a symbol of what they see as the yet-unfulfilled promises made by the assassinated general and the Panglong Agreement of 1947. Burma Police Arrest 188 Illegal Chinese with Weapons, Drugs in Tachileik Some of the 188 Chinese nationals arrested in Tachileik, Shan State on weapons and drugs charges on Monday / Golden Triangle News YANGONA total of 188 Chinese citizens living in Myanmar illegally were arrested in possession of weapons and illegal narcotics in three raids in Tachileik, Shan State on Monday. According to police, a joint team arrested 75 men and four women, all Chinese citizens, at the Lucky Motel in the Wein Kyauk quarter of Tachileik Township and seized 164 mobile phones, five walkie-talkies, five laptops and a vehicle. In a separate raid at a home in the same neighborhood, 70 Chinese people (65 men and five women) were arrested with three M22 guns, 11 magazines, over 300 bullets, three bullet-proof vests, two cars, four motorcycles, 200 mobile phones and 25 WY methamphetamine tablets. Another 38 Chinese citizens and 10 Myanmar nationals were arrested in the Yan Aung Myay neighborhood with 184 mobile phones, 11 laptops and three cars. There was evidence of gambling at the locations where they were arrested. Gambling and drugs can have a bad impact on youth and the town, said a Tachileik elder who witnessed the arrests. According to the police source, the detainees are under investigation by Tachileik police, who are planning to charge them with immigration, drugs and firearms offenses. Tachileik, which is located across the border from Thailand, has high levels of crime including gambling, drugs and shootings. On Monday afternoon, two motorcycle drivers were shot and injured by unknown gunmen. Burma Three Inmates Who Live-Streamed Shwebo Prison Riot Punished Riot police are deployed at Shwebo Prison in Sagaing Division on Thursday. / Voice of Myanmar / Facebook YANGONThree inmates who live-streamed a riot in Shwebo Prison on Facebook last week had their sentences extended by six months under the Prison Act and face new charges under the Electronics Act. A spokesperson for the Prisons Department told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the three inmates from Shwebo Prison were sentenced to an additional six months on Monday for violating Section 42 of the Prison Act by breaking the rules and regulations of the prison. The Prisons Department is also preparing to sue the trio under the Electronics Act, U Min Tun Soe said. Apart from the Prisons Act, we are going to sue the three inmates who live-streamed video of the prison riot on a social network under Section 33(a) of the Electronics Act, the spokesperson said. Under Section 33(a), actions that could harm national security, rule of law, regional peace and stability, unity, national economy and culture, and sending and circulating news that affects national secrets shall be punished by up to seven years in prison. The spokesperson also stated that a prison employee who provided the mobile phone to the inmates was also punished, but did not provide details of the punishment. A team from Naypyitaw is investigating the riot. The team has questioned the prison superintendent, all prison staff and the inmates. In the coming week, we will be able to announce whether the prison authorities will face punishment, the spokesperson said. After more than 6,000 inmates were released from prisons across the country under presidential pardons on May 7, riots broke out at seven prisons, including Shwebo Prison in Sagaing Division. During the riot in Shwebo Prison on the afternoon of May 8, an inmate live-streamed video of the disturbance on Facebook as soon as it erupted. In that live video, the inmate who shot the video said the riot in the prison had begun and the inmates were shouting out slogans urging the government to give an amnesty to all inmates. The inmate also live-streamed a confrontation with prison authorities, shootings by the prison guards, and footage of the inmates who were injured and later died. On May 9, another inmate live-streamed police and prison authorities firing tear gas grenades to disperse the rioters. During the riot at Shwebo Prison, four inmates were shot dead and two were injured. Presidential pardons were announced on April 17 (Myanmar New Years Day), April 26 and May 7. More than 23,000 inmates were released from prisons across the country. According to the Prisons Department, 75 percent of those released were drug offenders. Burma USDP-Proposed Charter Amendment to be Examined by Panel, Not Parliament A military representative holds a copy of the Constitution as he speaks to fellow MPs during a Parliament meeting in Naypyitaw in 2012. / Reuters YANGON Myanmars Union Parliament on Tuesday voted for the Union Solidarity and Development Partys (USDPs) proposed draft bill amending Article 261 to be examined as part of a broader review being carried out by the Charter-Amendment Panel tasked with evaluating the entire 2008 Constitution for amendments. Over 63 percent of Union Parliament lawmakers voted in favor of the action, while 198 (33 percent) opposed it and six abstained from the vote. The draft bill, which proposes amending only a single article in the Constitution, was submitted by the military-backed USDP lawmakers and military representatives in February in an attempt to counter the ruling National League for Democracys (NLDs) efforts in amending the Constitution. The joint bill committeeformed to scrutinize the draft bill recommended on March 5 for the proposed changes to Article 261 to be discussed by the Charter-Amendment Panel rather than in Parliament. During the March 5 Parliament session, NLD lawmaker U Myat Nyana Soe, who is secretary of the joint bill committee, announced his committees suggestion in Parliament. He said his committee believes that if Article 261 is amended, other related articles right across the Constitution will also need to be reviewed for changes and if they are not, there will be numerous contradictions. A bill amending each article would then need to be submitted to Parliament several times in order to avoid contradictions with the amendments to Article 261, he added. A total of 63 lawmakers debated the joint bill committees suggestion, with military and USDP lawmakers raising strong objections to it and instead calling for it to be discussed separately. Brig-Gen Maung Maung, who leads the militarys 25-percent bloc in Parliament, stood up and shouted in protest to the speakers decision to call a vote on whether to continue the draft bill amending Article 261 as per the bills committee suggestion or by the full Parliament. The speaker warned him, saying that It is my authority to decide to call for a secret ballot. I wont allow you to discuss this. If you disagree [with the joint bill committees suggestion], you can object through your ballot. Constitutional reform is vital to our country. Only if lawmakers sincerely work togetherto bring about amendments for the countrys ethnic unity, national reconciliation and peace and developmentwill it benefit all citizens, he told the lawmakers. Brig-Gen Maung Maung remained standing in protest until the ballot result was announced. I would say it is democracy-bullying, he told reporters after the parliamentary session in Naypyitaw, referring to the fact that the legislature is dominated by the NLD. He said the decision for the Charter-Amendment Panel to examine the draft bill is using the Parliaments laws and by-laws at someones will and that this could weaken the rule of law. It could also lead distrust between each other, resulting delays and difficulties in the countrys democratic transition, the general said. The military and USDP lawmakers seek to have regional chief ministers elected by local legislatures rather than appointed by the president in their proposed draft bill. It has raised concerns among many ethnic politicians who fear it could give even more power to the military, which is already guaranteed one quarter of seats in the Union and regional legislatures. If chief ministers are to be elected by the respective parliaments, 25 percent of military-appointed lawmakers who [currently do not] have any say in appointing chief ministers will have that right, as they will be involved in electing chief ministers, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) general secretary Sai Nyunt Lwin told The Irrawaddy in March. Meanwhile, the Charter-Amendment Panelformed on the NLDs proposal to work on amending the military-drafted Constitutionhas been reviewing the charter chapter-by-chapter, starting with the 48 Basic Principles of the Union in Chapter 1. The panel will report their findings to Parliament by July 17. It is also tasked with drafting an amendment bill based on the lawmakers discussions on its findings. Additional reporting in this piece is by The Irrawaddys Naypyitaw correspondent Htet Naing Zaw. Colonial policies can result in economic growth A new study in the Review of Economic Studies suggests that areas where Dutch colonizers built sugar factories in the 19th century are more developed today. Colonial powers have typically organized economic activity in the colonies to maximize their economic returns. Previous literature has emphasized the long-run negative economic impacts of colonization. This research examined economic development in the context of the Dutch cultivation system, the integrated industrial and agricultural system for producing sugar that formed the core of the Dutch colonial enterprise in 19th century Java, an island in today's Indonesia that is home to almost 57% of the country's population. Java was the main population center of the vast Dutch colonial empire in the East Indies. From the early 1830s through the 1870s, the Dutch forced peasants in Java to cultivate sugar, which was processed in local Dutch-owned factories for export to Europe. The revenues extracted from this system (mostly sugar) made Java among the world's most lucrative colonies. With a population of over 160 million people and 10,000 villages, Java was instrumental in sugar processing and transport- via both forced and free labor. The Dutch made two main changes to the economy due to colonization: they repurposed land and reorganized surrounding villages to supply labor. Researchers matched historical records from the Dutch archives to modern locations in current data to trace out the long-run impacts of these institutions. The researchers here showed that people today living withing a few kilometers of historical sugar factories are more likely to be employed in manufacturing or retail than people who live farther away, who are more likely to work in agriculture. This study indicated that people also appear to be better off economically in places where colonial extraction was more intense. Households living within a few kilometers of a historical factory location have per-capita consumption about 10 percent higher than those living more than 10 kilometers away. "Colonial powers typically organized the colonial economy to maximize their own returns," said the paper's lead author, Melissa Dell. "While the previous literature has mostly emphasized potential negative consequences, this study shows that the creation of a colonial manufacturing industry in rural Java by the Dutch in the 19th century led to a more modern economy. Today, places near historical Dutch sugar factories are more industrialized, have more public infrastructure, and the population living nearby has higher levels of schooling and is richer than people living near plausible counterfactual sites for the Dutch factories." ### The paper, "The Development Effects of the Extractive Colonial Economy: The Dutch Cultivation System in Java" is available (at midnight EST on May 14) at: https:/ / academic. oup. com/ restud/ article-lookup/ doi/ 10. 1093/ restud/ rdz017 Direct correspondence to: Melissa Dell Department of Economics Littauer Center M-24 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 02138 melis-sadell@fas.harvard.edu To request a copy of the study, please contact: Daniel Luzer daniel.luzer@oup.com Sharing on social media? Find Oxford Journals online at @OxfordJournals This story has been published on: 2019-05-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. You are here: Travel Flash 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 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. World China, US Have 'Wisdom' to Resolve Trade Dispute, Says Beijing's Top Diplomat Chinese Vice Premier Liu He shakes hands with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer outside the office of the U.S. Trade Representative as he arrives to continue trade talks in Washington, U.S., on May 10, 2019. / REUTERS BEIJING/WASHINGTONChina and the United States both have the ability and wisdom to reach a trade deal that is good for both, the Chinese governments top diplomat said, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he thought recent talks in Beijing would be successful. The slightly more optimistic comments came after both sides ramped up their trade war, with China announcing details of new tariffs against U.S. imports on Monday, following the United States move last week to target Chinese imports. The U.S. Trade Representatives office said it planned to hold a public hearing next month on the possibility of imposing duties of up to 25% on a further $300 billion worth of imports from China. Cellphones and laptops would be included in that list but pharmaceuticals would be excluded, the office said. The prospect that the United States and China were spiraling into a fiercer, more protracted dispute that could derail the global economy has rattled investors and led to a sharp selloff on equities markets in the past week. But speaking in Russia on Monday, in comments relayed by Chinas Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the Chinese governments top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, struck a more upbeat tone, noting the talks had made important and substantive progress, as well as facing problems. While noting that buckpassing and pressure were counterproductive and would only invite retaliation, Wang added that there was still hope to resolve the issue in a friendly way. We believe that as long as these negotiations are in line with Chinas general direction of reform and opening up, in line with Chinas fundamental need for high-quality development, and in line with the common and long-term interests of the Chinese and American peoples, both countries negotiating teams have the ability and wisdom to resolve each others reasonable demands, and in the end reach a mutually beneficial, win-win agreement. Talks are not a one-way street and should be based on equality, he said. When negotiating with any country, China must uphold the sovereignty of the country, safeguard the interests of the people, and safeguard the dignity of the people. These principles and bottom lines we have stuck to in the past, and we still have to today. Trump, who has embraced protectionism as part of an America First agenda, said he would talk to Xi at a G20 summit in late June. Maybe something will happen, Trump said in remarks at the White House on Monday. Were going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan and thatll be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting. Speaking several hours later at a dinner gathering at the White House, Trump said it should be clear in three or four weeks if a U.S. trade delegations trip to Beijing two weeks ago was successful. I have a feeling its going to be very successful, Trump said. You may also like these stories: Trump Says Tariffs on Chinese Goods May Stay for Substantial Period Malaysias Mahathir Seeks Chinas Understanding on Scrapped $20B Rail Deal Thailand Says Making Progress with High-Speed Thai-Chinese Railway Solution to the Myitsone Deadlock: A Referendum? Commentary Myanmar Can No Longer Afford to Ignore the Threat of Nationalism Nationalists stage a march during a campaign in Mandalay in 2015. / The Irrawaddy The relative freedom with which Myanmars Buddhist nationalists have been allowed to operate reflects poorly on the concerned authorities. Thats not to say that the NLD government has totally turned a blind eye to the far right groups, as the previous U Thein Sein government did. When it came to power in 2016, the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led government outlawed Ma Ba Tha and banned ultra-nationalist monk U Wirathu from preaching sermons for one year due to his use of fiery anti-Muslim rhetoric on stage. But we have seen little impact from this so far. Despite the ban, nationalists across the country have remained active under new names, such as Nationalist Forces. With the sanction long behind him, the monk is on the move again. But this time, rather than spouting anti-Muslim rhetoric (though he still does that occasionally), the monk and other nationalists are staging pro-military campaigns across the country. They oppose major constitutional amendments proposed by the ruling National League for Democracy and supported by the majority of the countrys population, who believe the current military-drafted charter is unfit for the democratic federal union the country is transitioning to. The nationalists have asserted that the military-appointed representatives in Parliament should be worshipped. They accuse the current government of prioritizing human rights over the countrys majority religion, Buddhism. They ridicule the countrys leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with personal and obscene comments. In other words, their movement now looks increasingly political and less like the self-proclaimed mission to protect Buddhism it was previously cast as. They used to claim the foundations of Myanmars majority religion were under assault and that Buddhists must be vigilant against the influence of other, fundamentalist religions. But now they are taking a different tack. Looking at the bigger picture, the nationalists could pose a threat at next years general election. Based on their activities dating back to 2012, whichdespite their denialsreportedly included instigating communal unrest in the country, it can be seen that fomenting hatred within Myanmars diverse religious communities (particularly between Buddhists and Muslims, in their case) is their timeworn tacticand it can still work for them. Furthermore, with the election looming, and with easy access to smartphones and social media, they could spread fake news about communal tensions. We saw what happened in the countryside during the 2015 election campaign, when nationalist monks openly backed political parties that favor nationalism by dictating to villagers whom they should and should not vote for. At the same time they can act as hate-mongers. With their nationwide subchapters, they are in a position to launch a campaign of misinformation across the country prior to the election with a simple purpose: to destabilize the country. The reasons for such a mission would be simply to discredit the government as best as they can in order to give a boost to those they support. They want to frame the government as incapable of doing its job; of failing to protect peoples lives and welfare. They want to show how incompetent it is at handling domestic affairs, especially when it comes to the rule of law. In a nutshell, through its provocations, it wants to create the impression that the government doesnt deserve to govern, and so had better leave. Luckily, so far, the majority of Myanmar people have not been so naive as to fall for the nationalists hidden agenda. But this is no cause for complacency. Make no mistake: the nationalists are cunning and the threat should be taken seriously. We cannot show any tolerance toward them. History shows that the country pays a serious price for instability. So, there should be no more room given to destructive nationalists. At the same time, any interference in a free and fair election is the last thing we want, because only polls can guarantee the survival of the democratic transformation in a fledgling democracy like Myanmar. So, for the sake the countrys development, and social and political stability, the NLD government should not hesitate to take more serious action against the nationalists. Over the years, Myanmar citizens have grown tired of hate-mongering. Through their sermons and actions, sadly, the image of the compassionate Buddhism practiced by the majority of Myanmars people has been globally shattered. A recent remark made by the countrys religious affairs minister about plans to prosecute the firebrand U Wirathu for his obscene comments against national leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is to be welcomed. The whole country is watching with interest to see how the case unfolds. The previous ban against him proved ineffective. So a harsher and lengthier penalty is advisable for the good of the country and Buddhism. As the monk is the face of Myanmars Buddhist nationalism, any serious punishment against him would set a serious example for his followers, and would come as a big blow to other nationalists. No one will regret their demise. You may also like these stories: Arakanese in U.S. Protest Myanmar Army Killings of Civilians in Rakhine Govt to Buy Electricity from China to Cover Shortfall Police Arrest 188 Illegal Chinese with Weapons, Drugs in Tachileik Thailand Ramps Up Fight Against Forced Labor With Stricter Law Guest Column Prison Riot Investigation Must Address Inhumane Conditions Pathein Prison, one of the six prisons that experienced a riot last week. / Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy After the presidential pardons were announced on May 7, prison riots broke out in Shwebo, Kalay, Myitkyina, Tharawaddy, Pathein and Hpa An prisons. Inmates at Kalay Prison demanded both an equal opportunity to receive a presidential pardon and the opportunity to hold meetings with both the media and the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission. At Shwe Bo Prison, authorities cracked down heavily. Four prisoners died and two were injured. Such riots are uncommon in Myanmars prisons. The government issued a statement saying it believed someone or some group was behind the prison riots and that the government would investigate. There are many reasons for prison riots. The first thing we need to know is that the Prisons Department is under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Under the 2008 Constitution, the minister is appointed by the commander-in-chief. Generally, the ministry has responsibility for prison management. One factor in these riots is that prisoners used mobile phones, which had been smuggled into the prison, to live-stream the disturbances on social media. All of the rioters had very similar demands. They wanted to be included in the presidential pardon. Inmates are not allowed to use mobile phones in prison. Phones are a restricted item. It is common knowledge that mobile phones have long been smuggled in to prisoners with the help of prison staff. Nowadays, not only mobile phones but also drugs can get into prisons. Prison authorities cannot prevent staff or inmates from smuggling restricted items into prisons. The other thing is that there are many orders and regulations in place to prevent prison riots. However, prison authorities failed to follow the orders and implement regulations. The riots also raise questions over prison management. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs policy, all prisoners are equal. Under that concept, prisoners are placed in the same category. Actually, there should be different categories based on the crimes they committed. In addition, the prisons are understaffed, so prison authorities are forced to rely on the inmates themselves to help maintain order. Prisoners are incarcerated in overcrowded cells with poor food and inhumane conditions. They all want an early release. It is understandable that they are angry at not being released along with those who are pardoned. Presidential pardons are issued by the president. The system of pardoning needs to be properly explained so we can see who was released and why. Here a unilateral decision taken without any accountability or transparency causes extreme confusion and creates conditions ripe for the spreading of rumors and misinformation. Had the criteria for selection for release been communicated to prisoners, they would understand why some were selected and others not. However, as it stands they dont know why some were chosen and other missed out. Now, a number of actions need to occur. Firstly, there should be an independent investigation undertaken immediately into the causes of the riots and the deaths of the four prisoners at Shwebo Prison. The government should set up a prisoner-scrutiny board that includes government representatives, Ministry of Home Affairs officials, Parliament members, the director general of the Prisons Department, the Attorney General, ex-prison officers, ex -judges, law experts and civil society and party leaders and so on. The board should review all prisoners cases. Thirdly, prison conditions in Myanmar remain overcrowded and inhumane. Prisoners human rights are violated on a daily basis. These conditions need to be improved immediately. For a long time, Myanmars Prisons Department was under the Ministry of Justice, and this should be the case again. Finally, these riots happened because the existing complaints mechanism for prisoners is so weak. There is a dire need to create an adequate complaints mechanism for prisoners. This would not only allow the Prisons Department to improve prisons in line with prisoners needs, but also let prisoners feel that they have a voice. If they do not have a voice, their frustration turns to exasperation, which turns into riots. Bo Kyi is a former political prisoner and currently works as joint secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. You May Also Like These Stories: Prison Riots Were Coordinated, Presidents Office Says Deadly Shwebo Prison Riot Brought Under Control after 20 Hours 6 Prisons Hit by Riots over Unfair Pardons; Inmates Reported Killed Kachin Activist Vows to Keep Up Work Upon Release From Prison Three areas of tech which the Labor Party plans to go hard on if it is elected on 18 May are the workforce, the certification of providers to government, and getting big technology firms to pay their fair share of tax. Labor's Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy Ed Husic told iTWire that working out how to deal with big tech would be "the hottest game in town" within government. "I think a lot of big tech have brought it on themselves and I'm genuinely worried that they are tarring the name of tech and Australian firms are getting caught up in that when they don't indulge in the same practices," he said during an interview in Melbourne on Monday. "They're not doing the same thing in terms of taxation. They want to provide good jobs for Australians. They want to be a source of export income for the country, but they're all being lumped in with some of the big players that aren't playing ball properly or fairly. So that needs to be tackled." He agreed that despite a lot of talk about stopping tax avoidance, companies like Google and Facebook were continuing to thumb their nose at government. Recent figures published by The Australian show that Facebook paid less than $12 million in Australian tax in 2018 despite earning nearly $600 million in ad sales. Google posted revenue in excess of $1 billion but paid $49 million in tax. Said Husic: "We're not prepared to accept on face value some of the licensing arrangements that are being used between the internal arms of some of the global tech players and we have announced that we would look to basically make sure we're getting our fair share by examining some of these mechanisms further. "I think big tech is, as I have said elsewhere, facing a day of reckoning. They've gotten too big, they've gotten too dismissive of community concerns and governments are awake now that they need to be able to reform either competition frameworks or taxation arrangements to ensure that the people are paying their fair way, that big tech is paying its way. I think the year of light regulation like taxation for tech, that's gone." Asked about visa issues in the tech industry, after the government cancelled the 457 visa and replaced it with another category, Husic said: "Digital skills shortages have been persistent for years. I have been raising this issue for as long as I've been an MP since 2010 and it's been an issue before that as well. "When we were in government last, I was working to try and get movement on it. We did the ICT Workforce study back in 2013 that examined what needed to be done. We had dedicated bodies to try and drive skills development to meet the needs of businesses that can't find digitally enabled staff. "One of the first initiatives of the the incoming Coalition was to tear up those [initiatives] or basically kill off those bodies that were working on that and therefore there was no one to implement some of the thinking around dealing with skill shortages. You've seen an under-investment in skills and training by the Coalition. "I know some people think that's partisan, but that's reality and they haven't done anything seriously about dealing with skill shortages or there's no sense of urgency about getting people on a different skills pathway to lift their skills, knowing what impact technology will have in the workplace. "And so what a business has been forced to rely upon, they've had to try and bring people in from overseas, a completely rational decision on their part. And then, all of a sudden, the government in April 2017 decides that they're going to reform the whole 457 visa system without consulting one of the biggest users - tech. "So they haven't invested in local skill development. They then shut off access to overseas talent. And what's the local sector supposed to do - just wither and die? So what we did is we said we would put in a specific visa which we called the SMART visa - for science, medical, academic research and technology." Husic pointed out that he had raised the issue of Microsoft being given preferential treatment when it came to being certified for Protected cloud status which enables a company to bid for hosting top-secret Australian Government data. "Much as I have great relationships with Microsoft and AWS and Google, my view is that if you're going to change the way in which the certification is done, it should be transparent and available to a wider group of people who are able to capably meet your expectations," he said. Local companies should be able to get certified for government contracts if they met the specifications laid out, Husic emphasised, adding, "I cannot abide a situation where local firms have the door shut on them and they are trampled over in the rush to embrace an overseas option when we've got very capable terrific local providers." He was also asked about the Digital Transformation Agency, its frequent changes in leadership and whether it was achieving what it was meant to. "I've been very concerned about that having watched DTA for a number of years," Husic responded. "Well, we have been very supportive and believe that digital transformation will be important, increasingly more so in the years ahead because departments will need to get their head around the application of technology to deliver services more effectively to the public, but also more efficiently for the taxpayer. "The problem has been, I think, a lack of acceptance of accountability across the board, a tendency to just have DTA be created. I do wonder sometimes if it's an edifice only, a facade only, and there's not much substance to it, if the minute there are problems, you can't again find who's accountable and what were they actually doing to deal with some of the derailments we've experienced over a dozen different major projects that have gone off-track, digital projects under this government." Husic said more shared accountability was needed across government to ensure digital transformation. "Building a digital literacy across senior levels of government and its ministers and the leaders of other public sector, building public sector skills capabilities is going to be really important for the government. It's part of the reason why I ruffled a few feathers earlier in the year when I said we should clamp down on digital poaching which was my way of referencing when IT vendors to government basically lure public servants with strong ICT capabilities to go and work for them, and then charge them back to us at sometimes triple the right. "I'm happy for us to fight for improvement. You're tackling skill shortages confronting industry, but the way to solve it is not by poaching public servants. So you'll see through the course of the election, we've announced a series of measures designed to start building capability. I don't, by any stretch of the imagination, put my hands behind my head and lean back and think 'job done'. This is a big task to address the skill shortages we have, but we need to do it equally within the private and the public sectors and if we've got stronger capability in the public sector, I think we'll be able to drive digital transformation a lot more effectively as well. So I think there's a number of key objectives we need to sort out." Ran Nahmias: "In the cloud, a database admin can spin up a database, put whatever sensitive data you want to on it and if the admin inadvertently unchecks two boxes, that database is exposed to the whole world." The transition to the cloud may result in increased security threats due to lack of expertise among administrators and possible misconfigurations, a cloud security professional says. Ran Nahmias, the head of Cloud Security at Israeli firm Check Point, told iTWire during an interview that the chances of misconfiguration of a cloud environment were much greater that in a traditional computing environment as the staff managing the cloud were, in many case, lacking in cloud specific competencies and knowledge. It was also often the case that there were insufficient expert staff to attend to security. He said a lot of unintentional risks would come from migration to hybrid cloud environments without the customer fully understanding the scale and scope of the migration and not adequately planning the migration. In the past it was clear what your hardware was, what was running on it and who was responsible to maintain a server, what patch levels and what vulnerabilities existed. While the cloud providers offered security for their environment, when someone ran an application on it, the customer was responsible for configuring that application to be secure. "Traditionally, database experts do not need to understand the privileges and access levels of the database in most cases," Nahmias said. "In the cloud, a database admin can spin up a database, put whatever sensitive data you want to on it and if the admin inadvertently unchecks two boxes, that database is exposed to the whole world. So the potential vulnerabilities are not new, but the responsibility of the people managing different compute workloads in the cloud is." Nahmias has been with Check Point for many years and leads the company's business unit which has a mix of engineers, architects and other cloud security specialists. The unit has about 150 staff in all and brings in about US$100 million in annual revenue. He was in Australia to speak at a conference organised by the company. Asked about the potential impacts of a cloud breach, Nahmias pointed to last year's malicious cryptomining attack on a Tesla cloud environment, where attackers had gained access to sensitive company data and computing power that they used to mine cryptocurrency. Ran Nahmias says the intensity of attacks has increased because of two motivating factors: money and zealotry. Photo: Sam Varghese As a Tesla user himself, he said he was relieved that the attackers had used their access only for mining cryptocurrency, when it was also possible that they could have gained access to data that would have allowed them to tamper with the company's electric vehicles while they were being driven by customers. He pointed out that there were infrastructure facilities that reported their status via the public Internet and if attackers gained access to such facilities, they could turn off the cooling resulting in a major disaster. Such facilities employ strict and stringent security practices, but, theoretically, could pose a risk. Nahmias said the intensity of attacks had increased because of two motivating factors: money and zealotry. Some attackers would access a site through a backdoor and hold a company to ransom using ransomware; in these cases, there were two schools of thought, one that held that paying up was better as the company would stand a good chance of getting the data back. Also, these attackers needed to maintain their reputation in order that their threats would work with other companies. If word got out that they were not delivering on their promise to restore data after payment, then their business model would not work. The second school of thought was that one should never negotiate with cyber terrorists. Nahmias said he had no view on which approach was better. But, he said, in the case of individuals who were subject to ransomware, historically there was less chance of attackers honouring their word to decrypt files after payment was made. Another reason Nahmias advanced to explain the increasing complexity of attacks was that hackers were often creating attack tools on the systems that they had penetrated, using a single line of code to effect the initial entry. Then that code drew on the host system and created the attack tools. Further, these tools were timed to go off, maybe on the second or third boot. This was a tactical step because a system was at its most vulnerable while booting up as its own defences were yet to all be in place. Asked about the biggest security issues in 2019 and what companies could do to better prepare and protect themselves and their assets, Nahmias replied: "Looking forward, we see a potential rise in threats resulting from multi-environments companies are running their compute and resources on. The spread to clouds (private, public, hybrid and multi) is a common practice and in many cases those environments are managed 'individually' and not holistically. "Lack of unified, tight, governed security posture is high risk and may create undesirable security risks. The speed at which companies rush to the cloud, the drivers of the transition and the time it takes to wrap adequate security practices and defences around cloud environments, may pose potential increased risks. Targeted, sophisticated attacks are also a growing cyber-crime methodology that is exploiting weak links in the security posture: mobile devices, roaming laptops, BYOD are all potential weaker links. User behaviour is also somewhat of a risk." Digital transformation tops the business agenda globally, with chief executives of organisations revealing that attracting and retaining top talent is the key to transformation, according to a newly released global study. The new study Executive Talent 2025 by the global Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants, found that organisations were increasingly realising that digital transformation is largely a talent issue. The study revealed that: Global CEOs ranked "actualising digital transformation" as their number one business issue for 2019. The same business leaders ranked developing next generation leaders and creating/maintaining a culture of innovation as their top expected business issues in five years. AESC said actualising digital transformation across an enterprise required the right culture to foster the transformation. As a result, organisations seek diverse leadership at Board and C-Suite level who can encourage organisational agility and foster a culture of innovation. Companies are increasingly looking to the next generation of talent for the leadership they need to flourish in an Industry 4.0 business environment. The study also found that: Business leaders ranked having a strong enough "employee value proposition" as the greatest challenge to attracting top talent, and The same leaders ranked being able to provide enough growth and development as the greatest challenge to retaining top talent. According to AESCA, actualising digital transformation across an enterprise requires the right culture to foster the transformation, and as a result, organisations seek diverse leadership at board and C-Suite level who can encourage organisational agility and foster a culture of innovation. And, AESCA says companies are increasingly looking to the next generation of talent for the leadership they need to flourish in an Industry 4.0 business environment. Flash U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) in June. "I will be meeting with President Putin," Trump told reporters at the White House during his meeting with visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The announcement of their meeting at the G20 summit, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, at the end of June, came as the two countries are still at odds over issues including arms control, Venezuela, Ukraine and Iran. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to meet with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday, after skipping a stopover in Moscow for meetings with European and NATO officials in Brussels over Iran. Pompeo will discuss "the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges" with Putin and Lavrov, said the U.S. State Department last week. In early May, Trump spoke over phone with Putin for more than an hour, a conversation which Trump touted later in a tweet as "very productive." Trump canceled a formal meeting with Putin in Buenos Aires in December last year, citing mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register Flash The Europeans Union (EU) and member states' foreign ministers told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any escalation on the military side with Iran, the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini said. "Mike Pompeo heard that very clearly from us, not only from myself, but also from the other ministers of EU member states, that we are living in crucial, delicate moments, where the most responsible attitude to take is -- and we believe should be -- maximum restraint, and avoiding any escalation on the military side," she told an evening press briefing. During a meeting between France, Germany and the United Kingdom, "we discussed the ways in which we can further advance on for instance the operationalisation of INSTEX to have first transactions in the hopefully next few weeks," Mogherini added. INSTEX, short for the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges, is established by three shareholders -- France, Germany and the United Kingdom -- and backed by the EU to overcome U.S. sanctions and conduct trade with Iran. "There is full determination on the EU side, and also all the member states expressed that today very clearly, on continuing to implement in full the nuclear deal with Iran," she said. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said in the White House that "What they (Iran) should be doing is calling me up, sitting down; we can make a deal, a fair deal." Pomepo didn't request the Europeans to tell Iran to make phone calls to the U.S., Mogherini said at the press briefing when asked by a reporter. Earlier on Monday morning, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned in Brussels that the standoff between Iran and the United States could trigger an unintended conflict. "We are very worried about a conflict, about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended on either side," Hunt told reporters, adding "I think there is a real concern that escalation is unintended could end up with a much more serious situation." Tensions have been rising lately in the Gulf, with the U.S. sending an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region. The U.S., under President Trump, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. The deal, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, was reached in 2015 between Iran, China, France, Russia, Britain, United States, and Germany. The European signatories still support the deal and have vowed to sidestep U.S. sanctions re-imposed after its withdrawal. Flash Sweden will request to extradite Julian Assange from the UK, a Swedish chief prosecutor said on Monday. Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson issued a press release on Monday stating that she has decided to reopen a previously discontinued investigation into the alleged rape of a woman in 2010. "On account of Julian Assange leaving the Ecuadorian embassy, the circumstances in this case have changed. I take the view that there exists the possibility to take the case forward," Persson said. Once found guilty, Assange could be sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison for the crime. "In my opinion a new interview with the suspect is required. It may be necessary, with the support of a European Investigation Order, to request an interview with (Julian Assange) be held in the UK. Such an interview, however, requires (Assange's) consent," Persson said. "I will then proceed to issue a European arrest warrant, which means that he will be extradited to Sweden after he has served his current punishment, for a total of 50 weeks, in the UK." Assange is currently held in Belmarsh high security jail in the UK, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for breaching bail. Assange's Swedish lawyer was surprised by the decision to reopen the case. "I was very surprised. I think Sweden is disgracing itself by resuming the investigation in this flippant way," Assange's Swedish lawyer, Per E Samuelson, told Swedish Television (SVT). "We are talking about events that happened 10 years ago." The investigation dates back in 2010, when Assange was accused of sexual molestation, coercion and rape. At the time, Assange denied the accusations but refused to be questioned in Sweden, fearing that Sweden would then extradite him to the U.S. to face conspiracy charges. Assange fled to Britain soon after and was granted political asylum by the Embassy of Ecuador, where he had lived until April 2019. The misconduct and coercion cases were dropped in 2015 when the statute of limitations expired. The investigation into the alleged rape does not expire until August 2020, but was closed in 2017 after an assessment that Assange could not be extradited to Sweden for the foreseeable future. In April 2019, Assange lost diplomatic immunity and was arrested by UK authorities, making it possible for Sweden to resume the investigation. The UK is also currently pursuing an extradition request made by the U.S., in relation to Wikileak's release of a number of military and diplomatic documents. "I am well aware of the fact that an extradition process is ongoing in the UK and that he could be extradited to the U.S.," Persson said. "In the event of a conflict between a European Arrest Warrant and a request for extradition from the U.S., UK authorities will decide on the order of priority." If the resolution is approved, the sale is expected to be completed within 60 days. The bonds would be sold by BB&T Capital Markets to institutional investors who have portfolios of similar securities. Montage officials could not be reached for comment on why it is pursuing the bond offering in Wisconsin and its interest in acquiring Bermuda Village. Rollins said the town would lose about $22,000 in annual property taxes from Bermuda Village having a nonprofit owner. That represents about 2.6% of the $830,000 ad valorem taxes the town projects collecting in fiscal 2019-20. Rollins said he told the council that the property-tax loss will be offset mainly by property taxes gained from the completion of a 224-unit apartment complex that is being built behind Meg Brown Home Furnishings off U.S. 158. Rollins said he and the council have heard from residents concerned about the loss in property taxes and potential new ownership. Bermuda Village is located within the gated community of Bermuda Run Country Club. It offers independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. A teacher at Paisley Magnet School in Winston-Salem was arrested Monday for allegedly storing a gun in her classroom last month after a student brought it to her, authorities said. Sarah Melissa Wilson, a language-arts teacher, was charged with aid to a minor to possess a firearm on educational property, Winston-Salem police said. Investigators consulted with District Attorney Jim ONeill before obtaining an arrest warrant against Wilson, police said. Investigators determined that the gun was at Paisley Magnet School during the week of April 22, police said. A juvenile student told Wilson about the gun and gave it to her. Wilson then allowed the firearm to be stored in the classroom, and the juvenile student to retrieve the handgun near the conclusion of the school day, police said. Wilson, 25, of Lexington surrendered to Winston-Salem Police and was released from custody on her written promise to appear in court on May 30, police said. Wilsons arrest came in the course of a police investigation of a firearm on the Paisley campus last week. The same weapon was involved in both the incident last week and the April case, police said in a news release Monday evening. Affinity said it and CVS pharmacists plan to educate staff and the communities it serves on the importance of receiving the flu vaccine, debunking myths surrounding the perceived dangers of the vaccine, along with how the flu clinic program works. The 2018-19 flu season in North Carolina officially ran from Oct. 1 through March 31, although state health officials plan to issue their final flu-season report on May 23. North Carolina has had at least 201 flu-related deaths in the 2018-2019 flu season. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has cautioned that this does not represent all flu-associated deaths in the state, since many flu cases go undiagnosed or unreported. As of May 4, 129 of the victims were ages 65 or older; 49 were in the 50-to-64 age group; 18 were in the 25-to-49 age group; two each were in the birth-to-4 age group and the 5-to-17 age group; and one was in the 18-to-24 age group. More than 30,000 people a year die from influenza, and its more significant in the older age group, said Kevin ONeil, Affinitys chief medical officer. Its important for us as people who work in this field to understand the moral responsibility that we have to be vaccinated. Flash Iran may quit the nuclear deal it clinched with major world powers in 2015, an Iranian official said Monday. Iran has a host of different measures to take, including withdrawal from the nuclear accord, if its nuclear case is sent back to the UN Security Council, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told Press TV. "If Iran's case is sent to the UN Security Council, the deal will be ruined ... and will not be alive anymore," he explained. Last week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced his country's withdrawal from complying with the restrictions set by the nuke accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on Iran'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. The Iranian president threatened to increase the level of uranium enrichment and start modernizing the heavy water reactor if the deadline was not met. Tehran's decision to suspend some of its nuclear deal commitments was meant to allow Europeans more time to comply with their obligations and to bring the international agreement back on its right track, Kamalvandi noted. The main objective of the JCPOA was the removal of sanctions against Iran in a bid to help the country avail itself of the benefits of the deal, he said. However, the restrictive measures are still in place despite Tehran's full compliance, the Iranian spokesman added. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Sunny. Near record high temperatures. High 78F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-Charleston, speaks with Summerville residents on Saturday, May 11 at Coastal Coffee Roasters. TORONTO, May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM) (DPM or the Company) announced changes to the executive team at its Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on Friday, May 10, 2019 that will support the implementation of the Companys strategy. The central feature of this change is the creation of a core executive team composed of the President and Chief Executive Officer, Rick Howes; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Hume Kyle; Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, David Rae; Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Michael Dorfman; and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and General Counsel, Kelly Stark-Anderson. The new structure also provides for the upcoming retirements of Senior Vice President, Projects, John Lindsay and Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, Paul Proulx. In recent years our senior team was structured to support the diverse and complex needs of our business, which in many respects are more typical of a larger organization. We would like to thank John and Paul for their many contributions to the Companys success stated Rick Howes, President and CEO. As a result of the progress we have made, we now see an opportunity to streamline our senior team to support enhanced decision making and greater alignment of functions. With our Krumovgrad ramp-up on track for commercial production in the second quarter, and a strong management team in place to further execute the Companys strategy, we are well positioned to further drive growth and shareholder value. DPM will continue to leverage its operating expertise in the mining sector to further optimize its existing assets, drive innovation, and support growth. The allocation of capital will be based on a disciplined framework that balances the reinvestment of capital with building financial strength, and returning capital to shareholders. Other strategic areas including exploration and sustainability will continue to play a central role within the Company and will be better aligned within the new organizational structure. About Dundee Precious Metals Dundee Precious Metals Inc. is a Canadian based, international gold mining company engaged in the acquisition of mineral properties, exploration, development, mining and processing of precious metals. The Company's operating assets include the Chelopech operation, which produces a gold-copper concentrate containing gold, copper and silver and a pyrite concentrate containing gold, located east of Sofia, Bulgaria; the Krumovgrad project, which produces a gold concentrate containing gold and silver, located in southern Bulgaria; and the Tsumeb smelter, a complex copper concentrate processing facility located in Namibia. DPM also holds interests in a number of developing gold and exploration properties located in Canada and Serbia, and its 10.3% interest in Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. For further information, please contact: DUNDEE PRECIOUS METALS INC. Saudi Arabia, whose oil installations have been targeted by drone attacks, launched military operations in Yemen in 2015, to help the government there push back against Huthi rebels. On Tuesday the worlds biggest oil exporter halted pumping at a major pipeline, following drone attacks west of Riyadh, hours after the rebels said they had targeted vital Saudi installations. Here is a timeline of the more than four-year Yemen war: Saudi air strikes In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launches air strikes on the Shiite rebels, who had taken the capital Sanaa six months earlier and now controlled large swathes of Yemen. The coalition of some 10 countries aims to restore to power the internationally recognised government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and to halt the rebels advance on the south of the country. The United States says it will provide logistical support and intelligence to the coalition. On the same day, Hadi flees the southern city of Aden, where he had taken refuge, and goes to Saudi Arabia. Loyalist successes In late March, the coalition says it has knocked out the Iran-aligned rebels air capabilities and that Yemens airspace is totally under its control. In July, Hadis administration announces its forces have retaken the southern province of Aden in their first success since the coalition stepped in. Aden becomes Yemens provisional capital. By mid-August, loyalist forces have retaken five southern provinces. In October, government forces reclaim control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the worlds busiest and most strategically sensitive shipping routes. Splits emerge in the rebel camp in 2017, resulting in the assassination of Hadis predecessor and former Huthi ally, Ali Abdullah Saleh, by Huthi fighters in December. Rebel missiles and drones The rebels carry out several missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, as well as sending drones. The coalition carries out air strikes aimed at neutralising the drones. In early November 2017 Saudi Arabia intercepts and destroys a ballistic missile from Yemen close to Riyadhs international airport. The coalition accuses Iran of what could amount to an act of war. Tehran rejects the charges, in its turn accusing Riyadh of war crimes in Yemen. In April 2019 rebel leader Abdelmalek al-Huthi says they have the capability to reach major and strategic targets in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Key aid port: offensive and truce In June 2018, government fighters, backed by Saudi and Emirati forces, launch an offensive on Hodeida, a vital entry point for the bulk of the countrys food and aid. The port city has been in rebel hands since October 2014, taken without opposition from government forces soon after rebels captured Sanaa. In November, commanders from pro-government forces say they have received orders to halt operations against the rebels. In December, UN chief Antonio Guterres announces a series of breakthroughs in Yemen peace talks held in Sweden, including a ceasefire for Hodeida. On the 18th, residents report the fighting has halted there. On May 11, 2019 Yemeni rebels say they are set to begin a unilateral withdrawal from the ports of Hodeida, Salif and Ras Issa. On the 14th, the UN says rebels have handed the security of the three ports to the coastguard. Worst humanitarian crisis The Yemen conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, the vast majority of them civilians, relief agencies say. The fighting has triggered what the UN describes as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with 3.3 million people still displaced from their homes and 24.1 million more than two-thirds of the population in need of aid in the Arabian peninsulas poorest country. The war has led to increased pressure on European capitals, where non-governmental organisations and parliamentarians are calling for tighter controls on arms sales. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have recently announced $200 million (178 million euros) in aid to Yemen. Veterinary student receives Simmons business aptitude scholarship Tuesday, May 14, 2019 Following the White Coat Ceremony, conducted by the Veterinary Health Center at Kansas State University, fourth-year veterinary student Katelyn Guill-Sanchez celebrates being chosen for the Simmons Educational Fund Business Aptitude Award. | Download this photo. MANHATTAN Katelyn Guill-Sanchez, Hudson, New Hampshire, who just started her fourth year at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, was recently selected as the university's recipient of a $3,000 national scholarship sponsored by the Simmons Educational Fund and its Business Aptitude Award Program. Every year, the Simmons Educational Fund awards $3,000 to one veterinary student from each participating school in North America through its Business Aptitude Award Program, which provides $100,000 annually in student awards. "I applied for the SEF Business Aptitude Award because I have developed a passion for business which has blossomed throughout vet school and my participation in the Veterinary Business Management Association," Guill-Sanchez said. "I dream of owning a mobile small animal/exotic companion animal practice and this award is a huge step toward achieving my goal." The award is offered to third-year veterinary students at each veterinary school in the U.S. and Canada, where the awards are presented during the school's spring awards ceremonies. Recipients are chosen either by a school committee or by a Simmons regional leader. All $3,000 winners are eligible to compete for the $15,000 grand award. All regional winners submit to the Simmons Education Fund board a resume and a short essay. The Simmons Educational Fund is a nonprofit corporation founded in 2002 by Simmons & Associates. It was created to educate practitioners and students about the business of veterinary medicine. Since its founding in 2002, the fund has reached thousands of veterinarians through its newsletters and sponsorship of speaking engagements, continuing education meetings and veterinary organizations with similar goals. Flash Still remember the protagonist, Po, from the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise? This character stole many young hearts with his inspiring journey. Po started off as an apprentice noodle maker at his dad's shop and later became the legendary "Dragon Warrior." However, the DreamWorks animation series alone cannot fully substantiate the popularity of pandas in real life, at least no more than overseas zoos can. More than a month ago, the Copenhagen Zoo in the capital of Denmark welcomed the arrival of two pandas six-year-old Xing'er (male) and five-year-old Mao Sun (female)from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the capital of China's Sichuan province. Since the arrival of the two pandas, there has been a surge in the number of zoo visitors. According to Bengt Holst, scientific director of the Copenhagen Zoo, the number of visitors has risen from 120,000 in April last year to over 200,000 during the same period this year. "The pandas are well-received, and the Danish people will be excited for many years from now," said Holst on "Panda Day." The Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing hosted this half-day event on May 10, 2019, to celebrate the safe arrival of the two giant pandas in Copenhagen, Denmark. "The pandas are doing pretty well. It's as if they have been there for serval years already," said Holst. According to him, they were expecting the pandas to sit in their cribs after their long journey. However, as soon as they opened the slides, Xing'er, the male panda, walked out immediately and started eating the bamboo. The two pandas reside in an exquisitely designed enclosure shaped like a Chinese Taichi symbol, representing the male and female principles. In addition to the two separate rooms for Xing'er and Mao Sun, a neutral room has also been built for procreation when they reach maturity in a couple of years. Inside the enclosure, there is a glass wall dividing the catering room from the pandas' abode. "The good thing is that they don't look as if they notice the visitors. Actually, they don't care about the number of visitors whether there are only five or 50. It doesn't bother them, which is really good," Holst said. The pandas' seemingly smooth transition to a new environment is the result of a 10-year partnership between Chengdu and Copenhagen. "Our cooperation on the research and protection of giant pandas started 10 years ago," said Zhang Zhihe, director of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. "One of the examples at the time was the Copenhagen Zoo's donation to the Chengdu Field Research Center for Giant Pandas." However, according to Zhang, the cooperation between the two organizations goes far beyond financial support. Over the past 10 years, they have been searching for solutions to release giant pandas into the wild gradually. The remarkable achievements will be announced later this year or next year, Zhang disclosed. From the 1930s to the 1980s, pandas were on the brink of extinction. Some starved as there was a lack of edible bamboo, while others were slaughtered by hunters in their most populated habitat in Sichuan province. As a result, no more than 100 pandas had survived until the establishment of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in 1987. In a bid to establish a self-sustaining captive population and develop reproduction activities to rebuild or reinforce the wild panda population, the base has surmounted the challenges of pandas' low fertilities, malnutrition syndromes, and viral infections to ensure the population of the cubs rise to 195 in 2018. Moreover, these furry animals are now becoming friendship ambassadors. During their stay in their overseas homes, including Japan, the United States and Spain, these pandas have given birth to 30 cubs. "Pandas are cute, but they are not only there to entertain us. They are a prominent symbol and example of the work of safeguarding wild animals from the brink of extinction," said Andres Carsten Damsgaard, Ambassador of Denmark to China. "So giant pandas are also important in raising the awareness of wildlife conservation. This is why the arrival of the pandas in Denmark also marks the beginning of the Sino-Danish giant pandas' joint research operation program," he said while praising Holst and Zhang's decade-long cooperation. You are here: World Flash At the invitation of Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao will visit China from May 19 to 24, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. Wang and Mourao will also jointly hold the fifth meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee, spokesperson Geng Shuang said. Flash The chief Brexit negotiator for British Prime Minister Theresa May is traveling to Brussels on Tuesday to discuss changes to the political declaration on Britain's future relationship with the European Union (EU). The latest travel by Olly Robbins comes amid the ongoing cross-party talks between the British ruling and opposition parties to break a current impasse. The declaration, published with the British government's withdrawal agreement that has been vetoed by the parliament three times, sets out the parameters for the future relationship between Britain and the EU. It is not legally binding. Media reports said Robbins will explore how quickly changes could be made to the political declaration, if the government and Labour can reach an agreement. As Conservative-Labour talks are expected to continue on Tuesday to find a formula to end Britain's Brexit deadlock, officials have revealed a record for the British Parliament. The current session of parliament is the longest since the English Civil War in the 1600s. The continuing impasse over Britain's departure from the EU means that till Friday, the House of Commons had sat for 298 days, researchers at Parliament's library said. Flash Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved the 250 members of the upper chamber in a Royal Gazette statement Tuesday, saying the parliament is due to meet on May 22. The statement said that under the constitution, the first parliamentary session must be held 15 days after the government unveiled the election results of members of the lower house in the general election. Thus, the parliament meeting will be held on May 22. Thailand on Tuesday unveiled 250 appointed senators that will play a key role in selecting the next prime minister. The Election Commission on May 7 endorsed 349 successful constituency candidates to sit in the lower house of parliament, just one short of the 350 seats contested. Thailand held a general election on March 24. In the election, the 350 elected and 150 party-list members of the lower house of parliament, as well as 250 senators selected by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order led by incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, will jointly select the next prime minister. You are here: World Flash A total of 413 Chinese peacekeepers Tuesday departed Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, for the western African nation of Mali for a one-year United Nations peacekeeping mission. The peacekeepers, consisting of a guard unit of 210 personnel, a sapper unit of 140 and a medical unit of 63, are the seventh group to be sent to the country. They will take on a number of tasks, including providing security and medical services, as well as road and airport construction. The peacekeepers have undergone special training to be better prepared for anti-terrorism and anti-riot operations, as well as the high temperatures in the region. They have also studied UN peacekeeping regulations, diplomatic protocol and local customs. You are here: World Flash The city of Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong Province knotted friendship city ties with Edinburgh Tuesday. The mayors of the two cities signed the agreement in Shenzhen at the 2019 Shenzhen Smart City Forum with International Friendship Cities, planning to cooperate on smart city building. Shenzhen will hold discussions with its friendship cities to take advantage of the breakthroughs in science and technology and industry reform and find a way for cities' future development, said Wang Weizhong, the city's Party secretary. Shenzhen has so far knotted friendship city ties with 87 provinces, districts and cities in 56 countries since it first started to knot friendship city ties in 1986. ASHLAND, Ore.-- The nation is beginning a week of mourning police officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. This year, a southern Oregon officer is among them. Thousands are in Washington, DC in honor of National Police Week. The Ashland Police Department (APD) is also there honoring fallen Officer Malcus Williams. He died while responding to a call in March 2018. He was added to the Oregon Fallen Officer Memorial on May 7th. Monday evening, he was one of the many fallen officers honored at the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil. Nearly 22,000 names are on the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial. This year, more than 370 are now added including Ashland Police Officer Malcus Williams. "He was universally respected, said Ashland Police Chief Tighe OMeara. He had a way of dealing with people that brought out the best in each person." Thousands gathered to celebrate and honor those officers who died in the line of duty in 2018 with a candlelit vigil. His name was read aloud with the other officers who died last year. Chief OMeara said there were a lot of tears and a lot of emotion but a lot of love and support to Officer Williams' family and the department on an international scale. "There's something really powerful in that consolidation of people, that group of people coming together to show support for everyone who has fallen and everyone who continues to serve as a law enforcement officer," Chief OMeara added. It's been more than a year since Officer Williams died and there's not a day that goes by where he is not missed. The Ashland Police Department will stay in Washington, DC this week to continue to honor Officer Williams. They will go to the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on Wednesday, May 15th. MEDFORD, Ore--- Ceremonies will be held in Jackson and Josephine County on Tuesday, to honor the sacrifices made by current and fallen police officers. The 2019 Jackson County Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony will be on Tuesday, at 10 a.m. It will happen at the August D. Singler Plaza, which is between the jail and the circuit court buildings. Josephine County will also have a ceremony on Tuesday. It will also be at 10 a.m. That one will be on the steps of the Josephine County Courthouse. Oregon Governor Kate Brown has also ordered all flags at public institutions of Oregon to be flown at half staff on Wednesday, May 15. All of this is part of National Police Week. NewsWatch12 This Morning will bring you more updates throughout the morning. KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- A $149,751 grant was given to Klamath Falls from Oregon Main Street Revitalization. Officials are using the grant to build four new apartments in the Lamb-Swansen building in downtown. This project in particular started about 6 months ago, but officials didn't receive the grant until May 2. This grant is one out of 30 awarded throughout Oregon. In total over 5 million dollars in grants were given out this year. Klamath Falls is using their grant to fund demolition, electrical elements and construction costs of the apartments in the heart of downtown. Darin Rutledge, the Klamath Falls Executive Director, said, "They're going to demolish the space and prepare it again to rebuild into new residential space. It''ll be reformatted from before a little to make the units nicer and more of the work force class or market rate housing." Rutledge told NewsWatch12 Klamath Falls officials have long felt the need for more residential space because housing is not only a state wide problem, but a national problem as well. This is one of the many projects the city started in hopes of attracting people who want to work and live in Klamath Falls. There are numerous projects planned and a majority of them will begin soon and some are even close to being done already. Scott Souders, the Klamath Falls City Engineer, and Rutledge have both lived in Klamath Falls for more than thirty years. Souder said, "Every year I've been here we've had significant additions to our community and it's exciting." Souder started as the city engineer about three years ago. He said he loves working having the chance to directly work on all the new change throughout Klamath Falls. Rutledge feels the same way and even told NewsWatch12 he's upset that Klamath Falls has such a negative stigma. His goal is to show everyone how great the city really is. "Especially in the last five years, but even in the last two years particularly in the downtown area it's changed so much," Rutledge said. Right now, several projects are kicking off. Construction is set to begin any day now on a 90-plus room hotel. Other projects that will begin soon include new restaurants, a bank and government offices. A new waterfront geothermal trail is nearly complete and a park in downtown is on track to be completed in July. Souder said, "We are one of very few if any communities that have an undeveloped lake front like we do here in Timbermill Shores and so its exciting to see these opportunities come along." Statement from the Oregon Education Association (OEA) on the bill's passing: Less than a week ago, tens of thousands of educators, students, parents, and supporters gathered in one voice in nearly 100 communities across the state to call on lawmakers to do prioritize Oregon students, says John Larson, high school English teacher and president of the Oregon Education Association. Together, we are making history. Educators and public school families can start to breathe a sigh of relief tonight, knowing that instead of worrying about budget cuts, we can instead focus on the educational needs of our students and our future. This $2 billion increase to the education budget means our schools will be able to afford to invest in students for the first time in decades, says Larson. Because of these dedicated funds, well be able to give students more individual attention and smaller class sizes, well restore programs like art, music, and PE, and well be able to provide the mental and behavioral health supports our students so desperately need. In an earlier statement, Larson also said the following: I am extremely disappointed to see that gun safety has taken a back seat in the Oregon Legislature today. There have been eight school shootings already this year in our country. CNN has reported that the United States has 57 times as many school shootings as the other major industrialized nations combined. Our children, even kindergarteners, are forced to undergo active shooter drills at school -- not just fire and earthquake drills. Gun safety is a national crisis and its unnerving and unconscionable to delay this legislation. "The Oregon Education Association will continue to fight for the safety of our students and educators. School should be a safe place to learn and grow. Without passing laws to increase gun safety here in Oregon, that sanctuary will continue to be under threat. The idea for an electric scooter came to Kong on a plane when he was flipping through travel magazines and saw an electric scooter. At the time, Kong lived in San Francisco and had about a mile walk to the Bay Area Rapid Transit. The scooter was his idea for last-mile public transportation. He is just like, You know what we need is something that is portable that I can zip to the train station. And it made perfect sense because it was leveraging the energy density of the lithium ion battery and was a niche, McCormick said. McCormick, Kong and their partner, Wei Chang, started a Kickstarter campaign in 2014 for their lithium-ion electric scooter. The campaign raised over $100,000 for the first model of the scooter, and it piqued the interest of Kearney entrepreneur Ken Anderson. Anderson liked the idea of the public transportation device, but he wanted something that didnt require as much balance. Anderson bought the two-wheel scooter and modified it by adding training wheels and a seat. He sent a picture of what he did to the scooter to the group, and they met with Anderson shortly after. LINCOLN The governor needed a bigger room Monday to honor all of this years Nebraska high school graduates with perfect ACT scores. Gov. Pete Ricketts moved his annual ceremony to the Warner Legislative Chamber of the Nebraska State Capitol to accommodate a record 44 graduating seniors and their parents. This years total is double the number of perfect scores last year. It reflects a rise in high scores that Nebraska has been experiencing for several years. Josh Gromowsky, a senior at Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha, achieved perfect scores on both the ACT and SAT college entrance exams. Gromowsky said the surge in high scores is really good for the state, its really exciting. He said that Skutt offers test prep through a John Baylor program and that students are taking the test more seriously. I think it used to be you took it once and called it good, he said. Whereas people now are striving for better scores to help their college preparation and help them get into a better college. The robot's senses aren't as sharp as a human officer's, Brewer admits, but he believes the technology can get "pretty close" to approximating a person. Though the robot may reduce the tension that can spiral out of control during a traffic stop, Brewer pointed out his technology cannot remove human bias from interactions between police officers and motorists. "Whatever inequalities there currently are with police cars pulling over minorities more often will still be there once there's a robot on their car," he wrote. " he difference is that those interactions (however unequal they may be) shouldn't result in anyone getting hurt or killed." Brewer said the robot has been shown to four police departments and received mixed reactions. Though some officers embraced the idea, others worried the waterproof robot would be easily broken or give drivers the chance to speed off as the machine is being deployed. Veteran Nollywood actress, Stella Damasus has gone all romantic to celebrate her filmmaker husband, Daniel Ademinokan, who is the ex-husband of another actress, Doris Simeon. The actress cum producer based in USA with her new found love whos also her third husband, gushed about her feelings towards him via her social media. I dont have to wait for your birthday or our anniversary to celebrate you boo @dabishop007 you deserve to be celebrated daily. Thank you, thank you and thank you for being you. I appreciate your love, kindness, support, partnership and friendship. You are everything any girl could ever ask for and more. People dont know that half the things I say that make me sound intelligent actually comes from my conversations with you. My muse, my teacher, prayer partner, fixer, my coolant, my moral compass, my pastor, my lover, trainer, my husband, my best friend. I look at you everyday and I am reminded of Gods love for me. He gave me YOU. I will always be grateful for that. You have a beautiful heart, so pure and honest. You are always willing to lift others up. Never threatened or jealous. Never holding any grudge. Yes you have your own flaws (major ) just like I do, but I love the way you own them like A Real Man should. God bless you boo. Love you . Photography by my daughter @izzybelleimages by the way have you read my husbands full interview in @modemenmag ? Hmmmm some juicy details in there, she wrote. Stella Damascus is a proud mother of two lovely girls, while Daniel has a son from his previous marriage to Doris Simeon. Being alert and sensitive to ones surroundings is usually good thing. But for some, it can be a detriment. For soldiers in combat situations, it can save lives. During rush hour in Chicago traffic, not so much. This is just one of the things that Daniel Miller, Carthage College professor of neuroscience, has learned in the past three decades. Miller will be presenting these findings and more at the 26th International Stress and Behavior Neuroscience and Biopsychiatry Conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, this week. Miller began his study of stress responses while working on learning-related research many years ago. A colleague working as a scientist at the VA suggested that learning could be a problem, Miller said. Using the example of combat soldiers in Afghanistan, Miller explained that in that environment, soldiers who are hyper-alert to danger are an asset to themselves and their comrades. However, that same response heart racing and panic becomes dysfunctional if it happens every time youre in rush-hour traffic. Miller and his academic collaborators discovered that the tendency toward being hyper-vigilant occurs in people who are more inhibited and introverted and more susceptible to stress in general. These people tend to avoid novel (stress inducing) situations and when in those situations exhibit stress, he said. Returning to civilian life, these tendencies can translate into post-traumatic stress disorder. In other words, a response that is resilient in one environment becomes pathological in others, Miller said. Its when we cant shake those responses. What they discovered is that certain individuals who have that response learn faster in the context of conditioning. However, strong learning is double-edged sword, Miller said. Ironically, it is this ability to be alert that makes the best soldiers, says Miller. It shows that the best soldiers are also the most fragile. The frustrating thing about it is that we dont want to stop the strength (of being alert), but want to stop the vulnerability, he said. While there isnt a fix for those who are susceptible to PTSD, understanding who might be vulnerable to it could be useful, Miller said. The hope is to be able to use this knowledge to identify those who might be at risk and have an action plan in place following their exposure to combat trauma and stress, Miller said. Miller is also hoping that he and his co-researchers can extend this understanding to others who may be predisposed to PSTD due to vulnerabilities, such as those with traumatic brain disorder. What we have published is a review article on 20 years worth of research going back 30 years with collaborators, Miller said. This article allowed us to put the entire story in place. Presenting his findings to the 50-some scientists from around the world who will be attending the conference is an exciting prospect, Miller says. Its an awesome thing for me because Ive been doing Pavlovian research since 1989, and the place of the conference is where (Ivan Pavlov) did his research, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 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. PLEASANT PRAIRIE The Plan Commission approved the first phase of construction for a German candy makers first Wisconsin manufacturing facility with a corporate campus in the Prairie Highlands Corporate Park. Following a public hearing on Monday, the commission voted unanimously favoring approval of a zoning text amendment, along with preliminary site and operation plans for Haribo of America Manufacturing. The candy maker expects to begin the initial phase of construction this fall, as part of a four-phase development, on the 137-acre property at 12488 Goldbear Dr. in the corporate park. The initial phase includes construction of: a three-story manufacturing facility, with a four-story administrative support building and office spaces; a fire pump utility building; a central wastewater pretreatment building; a gatehouse for a buffer warehouse; and a buffer warehouse for incoming raw materials and finished goods. The largest of the buildings in the first phase are the 602,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and the 162,500-square-foot warehouse. The building site is on about 6 million square feet, according to the companys plans submitted to the village. Haribo officials have said the new facility expects to employ 450 employees and will produce and store about 66,000 tons of gummi candies each year. According to Jean Werbie-Harris, the villages community development director, future phases are expected to include a distribution center, multistory parking, a retail store, a helicopter pad, a museum, a fitness center and a day care facility. Haribo officials have said the fitness center and day care would be for company employees to start, with possible consideration for public use in the future. According to the plans, construction would begin this fall or by spring of next year. Much of the warehouse construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2020, with the manufacturing facility anticipated to be finished the following year in the fall of 2021. During the public hearing, Patrick and Jayne Perlman Bristol residents who live near the site wondered about the change in parapet screening for mechanical equipment that would be on the rooftop of a packaging area of the Haribo development. According to Werbie-Harris, while the village zoning ordinance calls for it, the need for additional screening would not be necessary as developers plan to move the equipment several hundred feet away from the wall at the roofs edge. Project manager and senior engineer Brian Dunn, of Mead & Hunt, which represents the Haribo development, said large building elements on the west side of the building would screen almost all the mechanical equipment. You will be able to see some mechanical equipment on the roof from that corner (at 120th Avenue), but not a lot of it, he said. Currently, the village work crews are constructing stormwater facilities and other public improvements at the site, Werbie-Harris said. The improvements are expected to be completed by October. In approving the plans, Mike Pollocoff, a Village Board member on the Plan Commission, said they represent an excellent development in the village. The plans will advance to the Village Board later this month. Were looking forward to the next phase of this construction, and Pleasant Prairies very pleased you chose us here, said Mike Serpe, Plan Commission chairman and Village Board member. I guarantee you wont regret that decision. Love 9 Funny 0 Wow 1 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. EUGENE, Ore. -- The Eugene City Council didn't take any action on limiting the distribution of single-use plastics after their public hearing on Monday evening. That public hearing was a result of multiple council meetings where councilors discussed the impacts that single-use plastics such as straws, stirrers, utensils and condiment packaging have on the local environment and landscape. RELATED: EUGENE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERING SINGLE-USE PLASTICS ORDINANCE This proposed ordinance would limit businesses to only give out single-use serviceware if they are requested by a customer in the hopes that it would limit the amount of litter in the city. Eugene resident Brennen Matherly started Strawless Oregon, which is his effort to limit the use of plastic straws. "Thankfully, there are so many different ways to suck less. There's reusables such as metal, glass, silicone straws and even ones made of hay." If Senate Bill 90, which would regulate the usage of plastic straws state-wide, is passed before the city ordinance, the ordinance would be nullified. Councilor Mike Clark spoke out against voting on the ordinance on Monday evening. Councilors have directed city staff to include a vote on this ordinance during their next meeting on Wednesday, May 15. EUGENE, Ore. A former Lane Community College board member was sentenced Tuesday after being convicted of third-degree sexual abuse. RELATED: Man guilty of sex crime running for LCC board Philip Carrasco will serve three years of supervised probation and must register as a sex offender. He was also sentenced to 20 days in jail with credit for time served. He is eligible for alternative programs like community service. His attorney said they will file an appeal. "I was pleased to see that he got supervised probation," Lane County prosecutor Elle McCall said. "As I articulated in court, it's important that these people get monitored in our community, so I was happy to see that happen. We got almost everything we asked for, just 10 days less jail time, so I was pleased with the outcome." Court documents show Carrasco was arrested last year after he was accused of inappropriately touching a girl under the age of 18 who was working as his children's babysitter. MORE: LCC board member accused of sex abuse He was found guilty of the misdemeanor crime in April. A jury found him not guilty on a second charge of third-degree sexual abuse. Carrasco's name is on the ballot for the May election for the LCC board of directors zone five position. He is running unopposed. COOS BAY, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently denied a water quality certification for the Jordan Cove Project, but the company behind the project still has time to appeal. Pembina hopes to build a 229-mile long natural gas pipeline and export terminal in Oregon, but state officials cited environmental concerns in their decision. SPECIAL REPORT: Jordan Cove Project, Part One Officials with the DEQ said they denied the certification because they dont have enough information that shows if the project would comply with water quality standards. Additionally, they said the information they do have shows some standards are more likely than not to be violated. Spokesperson Katherine Benenati said if construction were to begin, they would expect water temperatures in some areas to increase due to the removal of vegetation. She said they expected those increases to be more than what's allowed. Benenati also said with the construction, they expect a lot of sediment, which could be harmful to fish. Lastly, Benenati said there were concerns the project could impact public drinking water. Jordan Cove LNG has told KEZI 9 News that if the project was approved, they would do what was necessary to mitigate environmental concerns. The company has also said sources of public drinking water would not be impacted. SPECIAL REPORT: Jordan Cove Project, Part Two Officials with the DEQ also said Pembina could reapply for the certification. "If they don't get a water quality certification, then they would not be able to get their permits from the (Army Corps of Engineers), Benenati said. Officials from Jordan Cove LNG said they are still reviewing the decision. SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Senate has approved a multibillion dollar education tax designed to boost student performance and decrease class sizes. The chamber passed House Bill 3427 18 to 11 Monday afternoon after minority Republicans ended a nearly week-long walkout to protest the levy. The measure previously passed the House and now heads to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature. RELATED: Dems offer concession on vaccines to end Republican walkout It would raise $1 billion per year through a half a percent tax on Oregon's wealthiest businesses. "This starts to reverse decades of cheating our children of the education they deserve," Rep. Marty Wilde said in a statement. The package calls for a .057 percent tax on gross receipts for businesses with $1 million or more in sales, which make up less than 10 percent of all businesses in the state. A state lawmaker said Senate Democrats dropped the controversial vaccine proposal to coax Republicans back to the Oregon capitol and vote on the bill. MORE: Teachers march on Oregon Capitol for education funding The funding bill passed less than a week after thousands of teachers across Oregon walked out on the Day of Action, demanding fully-funded schools. DAY OF ACTION: Teachers rallying for education funding "Together we are making history," said John Larson, a high school English teacher and president of the Oregon Education Association. "Educators and public school families can start to breathe a sigh of relief tonight knowing that instead of worrying about budget cuts, we can instead focus on the educational needs of our students and our future." EUGENE, Ore. -- A social media post has University of Oregon students worried about the possibility of a school shooting, but police say there was never a threat and the family of the person who caused the concern say it was a result of a mental health crisis. The University of Oregon Police Department said over the weekend students made them aware of a social media post from a community member at the university. They said the original post didn't threaten the campus or threaten a shooting and information shared by others on social media, including plans for a school shooting, was not accurate. Police contacted the individual and said the person is voluntarily cooperating with police. The Delta Zeta sorority was one of the groups on campus that canceled an event due to the rumors. They had planned to hold a cancer research fundraiser at the Erb Memorial Building on Sunday. Senior Sam Michaan said those students did the right thing canceling their events. "Obviously, social media enables the spread of misinformation but you know, I think that in this situation it was better to be safe than sorry," Michaan said. Police are reminding all members of the community to immediately and directly share information or concerns with law enforcement and not simply share on social media and to not share unfounded information. The family of the person whose social media post caused concern put out a statement through the university. Below is the full statement: We are the family members of the person who, during a mental health crisis, made posts on a Facebook page that some people found worrying or threatening. These posts never threatened violence to the UO or any person, but showed the strained state our family member was in. Other people somehow pulled from this that our family member was threatening violence to the campus and then shared that with each other on social media, and that went viral. We want the community to know that our family member is not a threat, and is in the hospital under secure care this week and our family member will leave the state and come home with us after leaving the hospital. Our family member has no guns, no history of violence. Our family member is a person having a mental health crisis and receiving needed care. Our family member only has wanted to do good in the world, but in this state, the words used on Facebook to express fragmented thoughts were unusual. We are sorry that this has resulted in worry or fear for people at the school our family member loves. We hope that you will understand that our family member is not a threat and to please respect our familys need to take care of one another at this time. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here! Financial markets have been buffeted by expectations of an imminent settlement in the U.S. China trade wars, in ways that may not reflect the realities of the situation. These trade wars, the rhetoric, could last for a long time. They could disappear next week, too. Which way it goes has little to do with resolving long-standing issues related to bilateral U.S. Chinese trade. At the risk of sounding jaded, the current trade dispute between the United States and China may have little to do with trade imbalances between the two countries and almost everything to do with U.S. domestic politics. As a result of this, the trade negotiations with China are unlikely to find a quick resolution. Trump has domestic political reasons to create furor and focus on external adversaries, as a Trump official called China last week. He will play this out as long as it works for him and his base of domestic political supporters, and as long as the trade wars have minimal negative impact on the real U.S. economy. Given that many of the tariffs appear to be being waived on individual imports by U.S. manufacturers and retailers, the actual imposition of tariffs has not had a negative impact on the costs of goods in the United States or U.S. manufacturers ability to source Chinese materials cheaply. Trade complaints will disappear when a) it stops being an effective distraction to domestic political issues and/or b) it starts to hurt the health of the U.S. economy. Trump would not want to walk into an election year with a major economic drag, but he will if it helps him rally a group of supporters. There are potentially two ways forward. First, and most likely, is that Trump continues to put barriers up to U.S. and China trade. The second way is that he could drop it and hope it goes away. Remember how he focused the political worlds attention on North Korea, threatening nuclear war, and then suddenly reversed his way and went all nice and cuddly toward Kim Jun Un. He did that when he realized that North Korea was backing off for a time on its testing due to (a) something having gone terribly wrong with its underground warhead tests and (b) the Chinese government invited Kim to Beijing on short notice due to that explosion. Remember how we had a crisis on the Mexican border, which he has barely mentioned for a month or so once the polls showed most people did not actually see these folk as a threat to their jobs, liberty, and pursuit of happiness as they did economic recession risks. So, too: If Trump feels the China trade war is not working for him, he could drop it and resolve it in a week. Right now, he has pulled out all the stops on foreign threats: from phony credible threats about Iran, to renewed saber rattling against North Korea, to renewed nastiness toward China. All three of these Trump-made crises in the past week likely had one reason: Distract the country from the gathering legal and political storms related to his failed attempts at collusion and obstruction. Markets react when Trump says something even if they only half believe it or understand the true intentions behind certain comments. Stocks and bonds, so called risk assets, meanwhile should be expected to become more volatile in the near future. This could benefit diversification or safe haven assets like gold. As mentioned above, the trade conflict can be resolved once it stops being an effective political distraction or begins to have negative ramifications for the United States economic health. Aside from the current trade dispute between the United States and China, frictions between the two countries will continue into the long-term. It is a long term risk that fits in with other longer term risks such as burgeoning debt or the socio-economic problems that are building up around the world. None of this is to suggest there are not real trade issues between the two countries. There are, but they have existed for decades without major complaints and threats by the U.S. government, and do not warrant the sort of belligerence being exhibited by the U.S. government. To paraphrase Shakespeare, methinks the President doth protest too much. If you have trouble veiwing this email, you can download it here. CPM Groups Precious Metals Advisory is produced monthly and distributed by e-mail. Annual subscriptions are $3,800. Single issues are available for $450. Send requests to info@cpmgroup.com. CPM Groups 2018 Silver Yearbook and Gold Yearbook, containing accurate and unbiased data on these metals markets with historical data as well as current statistics, are available for $160 each. Contact CPM at info@cpmgroup.com or order the reports at our website, www.cpmgroup.com/store. Todays incumbents in the mining supplier space may go the way of Nokia and Motorola if they dont adopt open systems, says Eric Winsborrow, executive vice president of corporate strategy at Wenco International Mining Systems. Winsborrow spoke to Kitco News on Friday. Wenco is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Machinery, a major mining supplier. Winsborrow sees parallels to how the mining autonomy industry is playing out and past developments in mobile phone space. Companies with closed systems may suffer consequences. Closed was good in the past and so OEMs stick to what they know. The problem is the world's changing very quickly, and just like the mobile device industry in the past, you're going to see changes in the mining industry, said Winsborrow. Hitachi introduced its open standard system at the CIM conference last month in Montreal. Winsborrow sees opportunity. I really think we're at the beginning of the beginning even though autonomy has been talked about and experimented with, let's say two decades. I only know of about a dozen mine sites in the world that are using autonomy and autonomous knowledge to any great extent. But I think that window is opening rapidly, and I think a lot of the industry was waiting and watching, and now there are plans for dozens and dozens more. So you're about to see that upwards tick and applying it not just in haulage of course but right across the value chain, and the decisions made over the next five years will determine the winners over the next 20 years. Interview edited for clarity. Kitco: What is the state of autonomous mining? Can you tell us about Wencos autonomous systems announced at CIM? Winsborrow: There is loads to talk about. What this announcement about isn't just about their autonomous vehicles which they now have in production in Australia. This is more about the platform that they're calling Solution Linkage, which actually is about enabling and championing other vendors to join. It's an open platform. It will be cloud-based. The purpose is to enable customers to adopt whatever autonomous technology they want and have that integrate into their existing infrastructure. The problem customers are facing is closed systems. We completely understand why companies would do that, but it's not necessarily in the best interests of the customer: they end up having to re-learn new systems. They have to give up old systems and relearn new ones. It's actually very costly and time-consuming for the customer. We're going to support open standards. Were also going to have an open and interoperable platform that can plug in other autonomous systems and into the customer's infrastructure. Kitco: Why do OEMs prefer closed standards? Winsborrow: I've seen this across a lot of industries. A lot of times it's just the convenience and expediency of developing new technology. If you can control it and you close it, it's easier for the vendor. So I think that's reason number one reason. Reason number two might be strategic: they're trying to protect their market share. I mean they believe they have advanced technology and the last thing they want is to let someone else in. So they sort of close up shop and just keep it to themselves. But as you see in every industry, that's not a good strategy long-term. Let the customer integrate and have a choice. The whole point of autonomy is to save money. Kitco: Do we have an example of how this has played out in other industries like aerospace or oil and gas? Winsborrow: Look at an example of something that everyone touches: the smartphone industry. Lets look back 13 years earlier or so, and you had Nokia and you had Motorola. You don't see them much anymore. The two companies had the front seat. And now you have Apple and Android. So that's the trend. You have incumbents who are winning. They want to protect their lead. They're motivated to do so. Closed was good in the past and so they stick to what they know. The problem is the world's changing very quickly, and just like the mobile device you're going to see changes in the mining industry. The folks with closed systems who may have a lead today may not have that lead tomorrow. Kitco: What is the state of the industry? Winsborrow: I really think we're at the beginning of the beginning even though autonomy has been talked about and experimented with, let's say two decades. I only know of about a dozen mine sites in the world that are using autonomy and autonomous knowledge to any great extent. But I think that window is opening rapidly, and I think a lot of the industry was waiting and watching, and now there are plans for dozens and dozens more. So you're about to see that upward tick and applying it not just in haulage of course but right across the value chain, and the decisions made over the next five years will determine the winners over the next 20 years. Kitco: Is there anything that particularly excites you looking at the industry right now? Winsborrow: I would say if there were two tectonic shifts in the mining industry would be around data and around autonomous systems. In fact they're not unrelated. They probably co-exist because it's data-based decisions. So I think those two things will drive a great deal of change over the next decade, and there's been a lot of research where executives at mining companies across the world say that's the biggest change that will happen is technology. When you have human operators, you have to train them and there's a wide variance in how they perform. The best drivers or operators are harder and harder to come by. I think data and autonomy are going to really change the way business is done from a sort of a "ore push" to a "demand-pull." May 14 (Reuters) - Gold steadied on Tuesday, having recouped the key $1,300-level in the previous session, after Beijings announcement of a retaliatory tariff-hike to counter Washington rocked risk sentiment, embellishing appetite for safe-haven assets. FUNDAMENTALS * Spot gold edged 0.1% higher to $1,301.40 per ounce at 0113 GMT, having touched $1,303.26, its highest in over a month, earlier in the session. * In the previous session, the metal had risen by about 1.2% to peak at $1,301.10 an ounce. * U.S. gold futures also inched 0.1% higher to $1,302.40 an ounce. * China said on Monday it would impose higher tariffs on most U.S. imports on a revised $60 billion target list, hitting back at a tariff hike by Washington on $200 billion of Chinese goods. * U.S. President Donald Trump said he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month as the trade war between the worlds two largest economies intensified, sending shivers through global markets. * Shares in Asia extended losses on Tuesday following sharp falls on Wall Street overnight, the yen strengthened and U.S. Treasury yields ticked lower as the trade war between China and the United States escalated. * U.S. Treasury yields fell to six-week lows on Monday as investors piled into low-risk assets like gold, following Chinas plan on retaliatory tariffs. * SPDR Gold Trust, the worlds largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings rose 0.44% to 736.46 tonnes on Monday from 733.23 tonnes on Friday. * China raised gold holdings by 11.20 tonnes to 1,885.54 tonnes in March, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Monday. * Soaring investment demand will create platinum shortages in 2019, while the palladium market will see a deficit for the eighth consecutive year due to robust demand from the auto sector, specialist materials firm Johnson Matthey said. * Investors have poured cash into bets that platinum prices will revive after a decade of declines, but excess supply is likely to keep a lid on gains. DATA AHEAD (GMT) * 0830 UK ILO Unemployment Rate March * 0830 UK Claimant Count Unem Chng April * 1230 U.S. Import, Export prices April (Reporting by Arijit Bose in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V) Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here! Equinox Gold Corp. (TSXV: EQX) reports the first gold pour at its Aurizona mine in Brazil and also received a license to operate, which was the final operating permit for the mine, from the Maranhao State Environmental Agency. The first gold pour was a significant milestone for the company, says Christian Milau, chief executive officer. That we accomplished this milestone with no lost-time injuries is another important achievement for the Aurizona team. Equinox is producing gold from the Mesquite mine in California and should nearly double production this year when Aurizona begins operations, the company says on its website. Another significant increase is expected over the next few years with mine development at the Castle Mountain project in California. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com McEwen Mining Reports Fatal Accident At Gold Bar Mine McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE, TSX: MUX) reports that a contractor's employee died Monday in an accident at the Gold Bar Mine in Nevada. The company says it initiated an investigation into the accident, which involved a haul truck that overturned, killing the driver. There were no other injuries. We are all deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life on our mine site, says Rob McEwen, chairman and chief owner. Our immediate focus is to support his family, friends and colleagues at this most difficult time. Safety for everyone on our mine sites is our highest priority, [and] an investigation is under way to determine how this happened. SOCHI/MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Russia on Tuesday that Washington would brook no interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and wanted Moscow to take unspecified action to show there would be no repeat of its alleged 2016 meddling. President Vladimir Putin, who met Pompeo in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, pushed back, telling him that Russia had never interfered in U.S. elections and that a report by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, which he praised as being objective overall, had found no evidence of collusion. Now that the Mueller report was out of the way, something which had long cast a pall over U.S.-Russia relations, Putin said he hoped ties would start improving. Ive formed the impression that your president wants to repair Russia-U.S. ties and contacts and wants to solve issues which are of common interest for us, Putin told Pompeo. Weve said many times that we also want to fully restore our relations. I hope that the necessary conditions for that to happen will now be created. Visiting Russia for the first time as secretary of state, Pompeo had earlier clashed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on issues from Ukraine to Venezuela. After their meeting, both men said they had been far apart on many issues. I made clear to Foreign Minister Lavrov... that interference in American elections is unacceptable. If the Russians were engaged in that in 2020 it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been, said Pompeo. Id encourage them not to do that. We would not tolerate that. However, both Lavrov and Pompeo said they shared a desire to improve battered ties despite not being able to confirm a suggestion by President Donald Trump that he would meet Putin on the sidelines of a meeting of the G20 in Japan next month. The United States stands ready to find common ground with Russia as long as the two of us can engage seriously, Pompeo said. President Trump has made clear that his expectation is that we will have an improved relationship between our two countries. This will benefit each of our peoples. And I think that our talks here today were a good step in that direction. INTERFERENCE Relations have long been strained by allegations - denied by Moscow - that Russia tried to influence the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Pompeos visit followed the publication of the long-awaited report by Mueller into the nature of Russias role in that election, which U.S. intelligence agencies say they are sure Moscow tried to interfere in. Although Pompeo and Lavrov made some positive remarks about the potential for cooperation on nuclear arms control, Pompeo listed a large number of U.S. complaints about Russia. As well as the issue of interference in U.S. elections, the two men also clashed over Venezuela, with Lavrov sharply criticizing Washington for trying to undermine President Nicolas Maduro, who Pompeo said must now step down in the face of economic crisis and large-scale protests against his rule. On Ukraine, Pompeo told Lavrov the United States would not recognize Moscows 2014 annexation of Crimea and would keep in place economic sanctions imposed on Russia over that move. Russia should now work with Ukraines new president-elect to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, said Pompeo, adding that he wanted Moscow to free a group of captured Ukrainian sailors. Pompeo said he had also complained to Lavrov about U.S. citizens being detained in Russia, a reference to the case of Paul Whelan, a former marine accused of espionage, and Michael Calvey, an investor accused of fraud. Both men deny wrongdoing. Lavrov told reporters the two countries continued to disagree about Irans nuclear program and the international communitys approach to Tehran, while Pompeo said he had raised U.S. concerns about escalating fighting in Syrias Idlib. * SPDR Gold holdings sees best one-day gain in nearly 2 months * Investors also eye U.S.-Iran developments- analyst (Updates prices) By Brijesh Patel May 14 (Reuters) - Gold retreated slightly from a one-month high on Tuesday as equity markets enjoyed some respite after the United States and China adopted a more optimistic tone on their trade dispute. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $1,298.31 per ounce as of 1153 GMT, after hitting $1,303.26 in the session, its highest since April 11. U.S. gold futures were down 0.2% at $1,299.30 an ounce. "The most recent noise around the trade tensions has been settling a little bit," said Julius Baer analyst Carsten Menke. "We're hearing voices out of the U.S. that the talks are going to continue and (also) see a little bit of recovery in equities. So it's not all as negative as it had been in the past few days and that's the reason gold is consolidating." On Monday, the metal rose 1.1% to mark its biggest one-day percentage rise since Feb. 19 after China announced it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, which followed Washington's decision last week to hike its own levies on $200 billion in Chinese imports. However, both nations have since put on a slightly more optimistic stance, agreeing to keep negotiations going to end the prolonged trade war that has rattled financial markets. U.S. President Donald Trump said he thought recent discussions in Beijing would be successful and that he was optimistic about resolving the trade spat. The optimistic comments brought some comfort to the equity markets, a day after their worst selloff this year. Besides trade worries, gold investors were also keeping tabs on escalating tensions between the United States and Iran after Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. "The Middle East escalation news brings us a step closer to a significant U.S. military reprisal. Fears that China will weaponise U.S. Treasuries in trade war retaliation is scaring the daylights out of markets even if it is unlikely," said Stephen Innes, head of trading and market strategy at SPI Asset Management. Rise in investor interest in bullion was also evident after holdings of SPDR Gold Trust , the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.44% on Monday, its biggest one-day rise in nearly two months. On the technical front, spot gold may test a resistance at $1,307 per ounce, a break above which could lead to a gain to $1,322, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.2% at $14.79 per ounce. Platinum rose 1% to $861.70 an ounce, while palladium climbed 0.9% to $1,333.35. (Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru, editing by Louise Heavens) By Luoyan Liu HONG KONG/SHANGHAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Chinese stocks skidded further on Tuesday and the onshore yuan fell to its weakest level of the year as the Sino-U.S. trade war intensified. Markets managed to claw up from early lows, however, with shares buoyed by suspected state-backed buying and comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that raised hopes the two sides would eventually reach a trade deal. The Shanghai Composite ended 0.7% lower at 2,883.61 points, while the blue-chip CSI300 eased 0.6 %, paring some of their initial losses. Both indexes swung in and out of positive territory during the session. The recovery was aided by "national team" purchases, according to some analysts, referring to state-backed institutions. Zhang Qi, analyst at Haitong Securities in Shanghai, said there was "buying of key stocks" by state-backed players, noting relatively high volume in the morning. About 20.8 billion shares changed hands in Shanghai on Tuesday, not far off the 21.2 billion during Monday's sell-off. "There could have been state buying in early morning trade when there panic selling was evident," said a second Shanghai-based analyst, who did not want to be identified. Earlier, Trump said he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in late June, reigniting hopes for an agreement. Trump also said on Monday that he has not made a decision to go ahead with threatened tariffs on another $325 billion in goods from China. His comments came after China announced on Monday higher tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods, effective June 1, in retaliation for Washington's decision last week to hike levies on $200 billion in Chinese imports. "The talks have not collapsed," Steven Leung, sales director at UOB Kay Hian in Hong Kong, said of the recovery in A-shares. "People are also speculating on whether China will roll out more policy support measures." CSI300's sub-index for the financial sector fell 0.6% and consumer staples dropped 0.8%. Healthcare shares slid almost 1% and real estate stocks lost 0.8%. The smaller Shenzhen market lost 0.6%, while the start-up ChiNext board fell close to 0.6% despite MSCI confirming it would include part of the board in its benchmark emerging market index. The Hong Kong stock market , returning from a holiday, ended down 1.5% in its first reaction to the tariff retaliation, as the market was closed on Monday for a holiday. Foreign investors sold a net 10.6 billion yuan ($1.54 billion) worth of A-shares. WEAKEST LEVEL OF THE YEAR In the currency market, the onshore yuan weakened 0.1% to its lowest level since Dec. 27, 2018 in late afternoon trade, and stood at 6.8854 per dollar at the 4.30 pm close, after the Chinese foreign ministry said it hopes the United States does not underestimate its determination to protect its interests. The offshore yuan climbed off a four-month low following Trump's remarks on prospects for a trade deal, but later erased most of its intraday gains as the onshore market faltered. "The market desperately wants to believe in a deal and takes any headline to ignite renewed optimism," said a Hong Kong-based FX sales banker at an international lender. Prior to the onshore market open, the People's Bank of China set its midpoint at its weakest in four months, but traders said it was still higher than the market had expected after the currency lost all of its year-to-date gains on Monday. The flare-up in trade tensions has renewed global financial market concerns over how much China will allow the yuan to weaken to offset heavier pressure on its exporters. But analysts believe authorities will keep depreciation in check due to concerns about potential capital outflows. ($1 = 6.8731 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Simon Cameron-Moore & Kim Coghill) May 14 (Reuters) - The United States faces stiff challenges as it moves to create its own electric vehicle supply chain, industry analysts say, with the extent of the country's metal reserves largely unknown and only a few facilities to process minerals and produce batteries. Legislation making its way through the U.S. Congress aims to help offset those gaps, but China remains the global EV sector leader, a dominance seen by some as difficult to supplant. "China has a huge head start," said Gavin Montgomery, a battery and mining analyst at the Wood Mackenzie consultancy. "They've just been at this a lot longer than the rest of the world." U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, earlier this month introduced the American Mineral Security Act to help streamline regulation and permitting requirements for the development of mines for lithium, graphite and other EV minerals. The bipartisan legislation, which seeks in part to codify a late 2017 executive order on U.S. mineral development by President Donald Trump, gets its first hearing before Murkowski's committee on Tuesday. "We have an opportunity here to move ourselves from this position of vulnerability in terms of reliance on others for our minerals, our EV supply chain," said Murkowski, an Alaska Republican. But just how much cobalt and other minerals used to make EVs are actually in the United States is anyone's guess, as the nation has conducted little by way of a national survey. Current estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey rely on corporate annual reports, historical data from the U.S. Bureau of Mines and other sources, according to USGS spokesman Alex Demas. Finding out the mineral composition of a particular region requires sending staff into the field to take rock samples, a timely and expensive endeavor. Murkowski's legislation would require a nationwide reserve analysis for all minerals used to make EVs. USGS data show, for example, that the United States has 35,000 tonnes of lithium in reserve, a figure that the agency and industry executives see as conservative. Albemarle Corp operates the only U.S. lithium mine, a facility with the capacity to produce about 6,000 tonnes annually. According to current USGS data, that means that one mine could deplete U.S. reserves within six years. Several lithium projects are under development across the nation, including those from ioneer Ltd, Lithium Americas Corp and Piedmont Lithium Ltd. Each aims to produce at least 20,000 tonnes of lithium per year, according to corporate presentations. Beyond physical reserves, concerns about the lack of U.S. processing facilities are also cause for worry. China controls about 85 percent of the globe's cobalt sulfate processing, according to WoodMac data. Cobalt sulfate is the version of the metal used in lithium ion batteries. eCobalt Solutions Inc aims to produce 1,500 tonnes per year of cobalt once its Idaho project opens, though that is only enough of the metal to make about 300,000 EVs. The United States does have some processing capability. Albemarle and rival Livent Corp process some lithium domestically. Syrah Resources Ltd mines graphite in Mozambique and ships it to Louisiana for processing for use in making battery parts. But those facilities tend to be the exception and investors so far have been wary of funding new U.S. projects in part due to China's dominance, with concerns that any investment would be difficult to recoup. "Ultimately, these projects have to stack up economically, even if U.S. politicians make it easier to get permitting," said WoodMac's Montgomery.< (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; 00Editing by Dan Grebler) By Sujata Rao May 14 (Reuters) - Global investors' equity allocations fell 6 percentage points in May and over a third of fund managers have taken out protection against sharp stock market falls in coming months, Bank of America Merrill Lynch's latest monthly survey found on Tuesday. The proportion of investors preparing for equity falls is the highest in the survey's history, BAML said, noting that trade war was seen as the main risk by 37% of participants, followed by a Chinese slowdown which was picked by 16%. The survey of funds managing close to $687 billion was conducted May 3-9 just as Sino-U.S. trade talks turned acrimonious. The proportion of funds naming trade war as the biggest risk rose by 17 percentage points over last month, and latest developments appear to have vindicated their fears. President Donald Trump on Friday carried out his threat to hike tariffs on an additional $250 billion of Chinese goods. China's decision on Monday to slap on tit-for-tat tariffs sent global equities into their worst one-day fall this year. A record 34% of investors had bought portfolio hedges, BAML said, adding that allocation to safe-haven cash had risen seven percentage points to a net 33% overweight. "(Investors) are well-hedged but not positioned for a breakdown in trade talks," Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist told clients. "Investors see little reason to 'buy in May' unless the 3Cs credit, the consumer, and China quickly surprise to the upside." The survey found the overall net equity overweight had dropped to just 11%, while a net 34% were underweight on bonds, the highest in seven years. Emerging markets were the most preferred equity class with a net 34% overweight, while the least favoured was the UK with a net 28% underweight. U.S. tech stocks were named the most crowded trade, displacing short European shares for the first time since November 2018. The change came as eurozone equity allocations jumped nine percentage points to a 9% overweight - well off seven-year lows hit in January. BAML said the "intention to own" European stocks had risen to the highest level since last May "amid greater economic confidence, despite heightened trade war risk." Long U.S. dollar and long emerging markets were the third and fourth most crowded trades respectively. In keeping with the worries over global economic growth, allocation to commodities slumped 11 percentage points to a net 8% underweight, BAML said. (Reporting by Sujata Rao; Editing by Karin Strohecker and Andrew Cawthorne) (Updates with details from Rio, Glencore) LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Global miner BHP will hold on to the Australian nickel operations it previously put up for sale, while Rio Tinto is working on copper and lithium projects as the mining industry bets on demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The biggest mining companies say they are well positioned to provide the metals needed for the shift to EV technology, although they acknowledge the political risks and environmental issues in some of the countries where the best supplies are found. Nickel is in demand to allow cars to travel further on a single charge. Using more nickel also cuts costs by reducing the use of expensive cobalt, a mainstay of current EV batteries. Western Australia is rich in nickel sulphides which can be chemically processed into sulphate, prompting BHP to retain its Nickel West operations after several attempts to sell the business. "Developments such as climate change and dramatic shifts in technology present both challenges and opportunities," CEO Andrew Mackenzie told the BAML mining conference in Barcelona, that was broadcast over the Internet. He said Nickel West offered the potential for high returns because of the expected growth in battery markets and the relative scarcity of quality nickel sulphide supply. Other minerals needed in a more electrified, lower-carbon economy include copper and lithium. Rio Tinto has a major copper expansion project in Mongolia and has discovered deposits in Australia, where it said initial results were promising. It also has a giant deposit of jadarite, a lithium-containing mineral unique to Serbia. On Tuesday, CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques told the Barcelona conference a study on the Serbian deposits should be completed in around 18 months, after which the company would update the market. "There are 26 steps to be able to extract the lithium," he said, adding pricing was an issue, but Rio was becoming more comfortable with the market. Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg said that significant new sources of battery minerals would be needed, combined with "thrifting," an industry term for battery makers' efforts to limit the use of expensive minerals, such as cobalt. Glencore has always said it is in pole position for a battery revolution as it commands a major chunk of the world's cobalt supply through its operations in Democratic Republic of Congo. But Glasenberg also flagged a number of obstacles, including higher risks, high capital costs and a lack of new, accessible supplies. Moody's on Monday upgraded Glencore, citing its sustained financial performance, but said its rating had been depressed by exposure to environmental risks and volatile countries, chiefly Congo. (Reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne, Muvija M in Bengaluru and Barbara Lewis in London; Editing by Joseph Radford and Kirsten Donovan) The Public Prosecution in Sudan on Monday pressed charges against former President Omar al-Bashir and others for incitement and involvement in killing protesters. Sudan's former President Omar al-Bashir [File photo: AFP/Ashraf Shazly] The charges were related to "the killing of Babikir who was martyred at Buri area," said a prosecution statement. The prosecution also called for accelerating the investigations of all murder law suits related to the recent protests. Earlier, Sudan's acting Attorney General Al-Waleed Sid-Ahmed Mahmoud ordered the judiciary to question al-Bashir over the charges of money laundering and financing terrorism. Sudan's Transitional Military Council, chaired by Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, is tasked with running the country's affairs following the downfall of al-Bashir's regime. Plugging a loophole Updated: 2019-05-13 06:48 By Shadow Li in Hong Kong(HK Edition) Hong Kong's Legislative Council erupted into chaos on Saturday after opposition lawmakers hijacked a bills committee meeting vetting the government's proposed amendments to the special administrative region's extradition laws. Lawmaker Abraham Shek Lai-him, 73, was besieged by opposition legislators and physically barred from presiding over a meeting to select a committee chairman amid chaotic scenes in which several legislators were reportedly injured. Opposition lawmakers had spent the previous night in the council's conference room as part of their filibustering tactics to derail the planned amendments that have been backed by more than 220,000 people so far in a city-wide online and street signature campaign. Dozens of residents rallied outside the LegCo on Saturday in support of the extradition law changes. But, the chaos again forced the bills committee to adjourn to another meeting slated to be held tomorrow morning (Tuesday). The proposed law overhaul is aimed at plugging a legal loophole following a murder case in Taiwan involving a Hong Kong man who fled the island and returned to Hong Kong after allegedly killing his girlfriend. The amended bill, when passed, will allow the SAR to surrender criminal suspects on a case-by-case basis to other jurisdictions, including Taiwan, Macao and the Chinese mainland, which do not have extradition arrangements with Hong Kong. stushadow@chinadailyhk.com The Legislative Council descended into chaos on Saturday after opposition lawmakers derailed a scheduled bills committee meeting scrutinizing proposed changes to the citys extraditon laws. photos by Roy Liu / China Daily Hong Kong residents rally outside the LegCo on Saturday in support of proposed amendments to the citys extradition laws, demanding that the SAR must not be turned into a fugitive criminals paradise. (HK Edition 05/13/2019 page4) DARIEN Two people found dead in what police believe was a murder-suicide have been identified as a former boyfriend and girlfriend. Police today said ex-boyfriend Casey J. DePriest, 29, killed Jenna M. Brovold, 29, and then took his own life. Police said both victims suffered gunshot wounds and were found dead May 13 inside a home at 452 Buckingham Court in Darien. The Delavan Police Department, which serves Darien, said DePriest and Brovold had lived together at the home prior to their relationship recently ending. The Walworth County Medical Examiners office performed autopsies on both victims. Gina Carver, investigator for the medical examiners officer, declined to comment on the autopsy findings. Also injured in the incident was Brovolds brother, Evan A. Brovold, 26, of Delavan. Police said Evan Brovold is recovering from what earlier had been described as a gunshot wound to the shoulder. A statement from the police department presents no possible motive for the murder-suicide. We have determined what has occurred, the statement said. What will take time is why it took place. Police were called to the home just after 6 p.m. May 13 by a 9-1-1 caller who reported a possible shooting. After finding a wounded man and transporting him to a hospital, police called for help from the FBI and several area police and SWAT teams from as far away as Milwaukee. An earlier statement from Delavan police said several hours of attempted negotiations and investigative leads followed, although details were not disclosed about the negotiations. When officers went inside the home, they found the two people dead inside. Officers were on the scene until about 4 a.m. May 14. Other police agencies on the scene included Lake Geneva police, Rock County sheriff, Kenosha County SWAT and the Wisconsin Department of Justice. 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. Even as Alzheimers eclipsed the bright spectrum of Myrtles mind, the insidious invader did nothing to dim her outlook on Life. After her legendary powers of speech had betrayed her, it did not quiet Myrtles impulse to reach out and touch the world around her. Some say the disease strips away the social cosmetics that mask our true natures; but in Myrtles case it revealed the same woman underneath a benevolent heart amid an eternal flow of smiles and kisses. To some, her speech seemed to disintegrate into gibberish, but to the Lord and to those who loved Myrtle, it was a sacred dialect to be heeded and respected. If one hung in there, as her nephew, Glenn, was wont to do, one might be rewarded with an occasional impish grin and her lifelong greeting to him: Hi, Cutie! To those who skim over our loved ones eccentric utterances in their final flickering years, Myrtle reminds us to simply listen with our hearts. If we had deciphered the code, surely we would have heard Myrtle place a bet last Sunday on the Kentucky Derby. If her sister, Julie, were alive, she would remind us their Daddy, Louis had died at the Arlington Racetrack with a winning ticket in his hand. Myrtle and Julie (Moo and Ju were the childhood nicknames that died with them) were dealt good cards and bad in life as around the card tables at the fire station in Pell Lake on Thursdays, Como on Fridays, and at Town Hall on Wednesdays. But the Reppert sisters played to improve their odds, exercising grace under adversity, and making the best of every hand they were dealt. As Julies eyes failed her, Myrtle, the real card shark in the family, would fold her own superior hand and help make sense of Julies less promising assets. In the countless family penny ante games played on rickety folding tables, with Myrtles steadfast friend, Elaine, at her side, there was a great deal of spirited disagreement, but nobody ever left a nickel richer or poorer. Because those Depression girls, Moo and Ju, knew that regardless of the stakes, we are all in this together, and the point of winning a jackpot, after you fight like heck to get it, is to split it all around. Who was the sidekick in this lifelong duo, Myrtle or Julie? Hard to say now that they have both kicked the bucket. But until the end, the nurses at Lakeland where Myrtle received loving care, reported Myrtle crying out in the night: Julie! Juuuuuu! Myrtle fondly remembered her walks along Lake Michigan with a hiking club whose only requirement was that one bring a can of something. Over an open flame on the shore, every imaginable vegetable, and potted meat cascaded into the massive camp pot. And as her spoiled nephew recoiled in horror at the unappealing recipe, she replied: You just dont know what you missed! Myrtle loved and delighted in the company of her niece and namesake, Carol Myrtle Young who showed up every Saturday morning at her aunts door for a day of mastering puzzles and outfoxing crosswords, with a break for breakfast at Debbies Family Restaurant in Delavan. Myrtles childhood Chicago home was on Drake where her Polish mother, Agnes, presided with European precision. It was a short walk to Waller High where nobodys job prospects were particularly auspicious in the class of 1936. But Myrtle made the most of a chance interview over 200 girls in line at Illinois Bell. The standard route for a young woman was definitely not to skirt marriage and children. But Myrtle took a call out of the blue towards a different kind of destiny. At the switchboard she plugged into a life independent of mens expectations (although she lived with her beloved Daddy near Logan Square). The Clear as a Bell enunciation was part of her trademark decades later. But Bell executives discovered that Myrtle spoke with more than a clear voice. She spoke with intelligence, insight and with a talent for analysis and management. And as unlikely as it was in that intensely male world, Myrtle rose up the ladder until her early retirement at 55 when she held the highest post of any woman in that still powerful Chicago company. There were some regrets along the way (you cant live to nearly a hundred without some wild cards in the deck) but among them was definitely not early retirement to her beloved Lake Geneva. Myrtle could not catch a ball, swing a bat, a racket, or swim a lap. But if the Olympics gave out medals for being a great sport, Myrtle would have brought home the Gold. Her empathic nature was never more on display than when the chips were down and a friend, especially an underdog, needed a lift. She was a champ in the friendship competition. Some advised her against being overly sympathetic, but her reply lives on: Id rather be gullible than close-fisted. Among other omissions on her resume for early 20th Century young ladies, Myrtle never learned to cook. Betty Crocker would have been aghast, but not Oscar Mayer. Cold cuts were Myrtles specialty, springing for two types of potato salad (German and American) on an indoor picnic spread. When the subject of her cooking prowess arose, she would point out, But I know how to order! And the echo of Myrtles voice still rings out after a thousand family gatherings: Leave the dishes for me! If it had not been for an excruciating fall in her final days, leading to her demise on May 4, she would have greeted her hundredth birthday on August 20th reaching with both hands for the buttercream bouquet atop her cake. Myrtle Reppert never lost her appetite for Life. In addition to her nephew, Myrtle leaves many close friends including her neighbor, Donald DeBaere. Visitation will be held at the Steinke-Lazarczyk Family Funeral Home (515 Center Street, Lake Geneva) on Tuesday May 14 from 12-1PM with funeral service at 1pm. Interment will be held at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. Steinke-Lazarczyk Family Funeral Home is proudly serving the Reppert Family. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) Some TV and movie personalities are among winners in the May 13 elections. READ: Celebrities running in the May 13 elections Two former action stars lead celebrities who won in the recently-concluded midterm polls, both poised for a Senate cpomeback. Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla are among the 12 apparent winners in the senatorial race, based on the partial and unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections. Lapid ranks seventh with 16,455,739 votes, while Revilla, who was aquitted of plunder in connection with the pork barrel scam but ordered to return 240 million, is at tenth with 14,151,053 votes. Vilma Santos is ahead in the race for the congressional seat of the sixth district of Batangas. With 92 percent of the votes tallied, Santos leads with 87,932 votes ahead of her rival who only got 55,646 votes. Actors Alfred Vargas and Yul Servo also succeeded to extend their terms as representatives of Quezon City's 5th District and Manila's 3rd District, respectively. Former actress and TV host Lucy Torres-Gomez was reelected as representative of Ormoc City, Leyte. Camille Villar, former TV host and daughter of reelectionist Senator Cynthia Villa, who herself is about to have a second term, has been proclaimed representative of the lone congressional district of Las Pinas. In the provincial level, Jolo Revilla, Bong's son, won another term as vice governor of Cavite. Celebrities are also set to lead some of the country's popular municipalities and cities, including veteran actor Richard Gomez who was reelected as Ormoc City mayor, Isko Moreno who unseated former President Joseph Estrada as Manila's mayor, Lani Mercado--wife of Bong and mother of Jolo--who won fresh term as mayor of Bacoor City, and former "beauty queen" Ina Alegre Cruz who won as mayor of Pola, Oriental Mindoro. Meanwhile, some will serve in the local level as councilors such as Jhong Hilario in Makati City's first district, Jaycee Parker-Aguas in Angeles City, Pampanga, as well as Vandolph Quizon in Paranaque's first district. For updates on the results of the 2019 midterm elections visit www.cnnphilippines.com/thefilipinovotes/2019electionresults/ Legislators: Amendments will protect human rights Updated: 2019-05-14 07:14 By He Shusi in Hong Kong(HK Edition) The government's proposed amendments to the extradition law will provide sufficient protection to the human rights of fugitive offenders, legislators stressed on Monday. The amendments clearly stipulate that surrendering requests will not be approved if they relate to political issues, race, religion, freedom of the press, speech or artistic expression. Ma Fung-kwok, legislator from the sports, performing arts, culture and publication sector, said the proposed amendments to the city's Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, only cover 37 extraditable crimes. All of them are serious criminal offenses, including murder, rape and kidnapping. Activities relating to freedom of speech, press, academic, publication or artistic creation are not among these 37 crimes, Ma noted. They don't even constitute crimes in Hong Kong, so neither the government nor courts in the special administrative region will approve such extradition requests from other jurisdictions, he stressed. According to the proposed amendments to the extradition arrangements, extraditable crimes will have to constitute an offense in both jurisdictions. The Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, also urged the government to increase efforts to clarify the proposed amendments. This is to allow the public have a better comprehension of the revision. Currently, Hong Kong signed agreements on reciprocal transfers of fugitives with 20 other jurisdictions , which do not include Taiwan, the Macao SAR and the Chinese mainland. The amendments to the law will allow Hong Kong to surrender fugitives on a one-off, case-by-case basis to jurisdictions that it doesn't have extradition agreements with. Barrister and lawmaker Martin Liao Cheung-kong said the revision conforms with United Nations' standards; moreover, courts in Hong Kong will act as a gatekeeper of such extraditions, he explained. Those being extradited can seek a judicial review all the way to the Court of Final Appeal, Liao added. No one is going to waste time or resources on a case if it is not considered important, he noted. Some have expressed concerns that people could face charges "disguised" as extraditable offenses. But the lawyer rejected these concerns, saying the proposed amendments have eliminated the possibility of this ever happening. The revision to the law is aimed at plugging a legal loophole that came to light following a murder case in Taiwan involving a Hong Kong suspect. The man returned to the city to evade legal action after allegedly killing his pregnant girlfriend on the island. This murder case led to a city-wide support for an overhaul of the law to bring justice to the victim's family. The opposition lawmakers, however, set out to derail any changes to the law being made in the Legislative Council. A bills committee of the LegCo, formed to scrutinize the amendments in April, failed to begin its work despite having held several meetings due to constant filibustering by opposition lawmakers. The meeting on Saturday ended in chaos and violent clashes. It is expected to select a chairperson today (Tuesday) so thorough deliberations on the amendments can proceed. Solicitor and lawmaker Holden Chow Ho-ding strongly condemned opposition lawmakers' violent behavior in hindering the work of the bills committee. He urged them to stop political fear-mongering and express their opinions in a rational way. heshusi@chinadailyhk.com (HK Edition 05/14/2019 page4) Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa breathe his last 26 years ago on May 15, 1993. He was the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian Army. Cariappa took command of the Army from its British Commander in Chief, General Sir Roy Bucher. He was also nicknamed "Kipper". Cariappa was born on January 28, 1899, in Madikeri, Kodagu which is today part of Karnataka. Field Marshal Criappa had his formal education in Madikeri and pursued his college education from the prestigious Presidency College in Chennai. Cariappa joined the British Indian Army in 1919 and was commissioned in the 88th Carnatic Infantry at Bombay (now Mumbai) as Temporary Second Lieutenant. He was granted permanent commission on September 9, 1922. In 1927, he was promoted to the rank of Captain. Sam Manekshaw 105th Birth Anniversary: Remembering Indian Army's 1st Field Marshal With His Memorable Quotes! During the World WarII, Field Marshal Criappa actively served in Iraq, Iran and Syria in 19411942 and then in Burma in 19431944. Back in India in March 1942, he was posted as second-in-command of the newly raised 7th Rajput Machine Gun Battalion at Fatehgarh. Cariappa was posted as AQMG of the 26th Indian Division stationed at Buthidaung in Burma. The division played an important role in pushing the Japanese back from Arakan. For his services in the operation, Cariappa was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in June 1945. In the same year, Cariappa was made the commander of the Bannu Frontier Brigade in Waziristan. During this period, Colonel Ayub Khan later Field Marshal and President of Pakistan from 19621969 served under him. In 1947, Cariappa was the first of two Indians selected to undergo training at the Imperial Defence College, at Camberly, in the UK, to attend the higher command courses. Army Day 2019: Influential Quotes to Share & Honour the National Heroes on January 15. After Independence, He was promoted to the rank of Major General and was appointed as deputy chief of the general staff. In November 1947, Cariappa was appointed as the Eastern Army commander after being promoted to a rank of Lieutenant General. As the situation worsened in Kashmir in 1947, Cariappa was moved as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command. He directed operations for the recapture of territories seized by Afghan tribals backed by the Pakistani Army. On January 15, 1949, Cariappa, took over the reins of the Indian Army. The day is now celebrated in India as the Army Day. He served in the Indian Army for over 30 years. After his retirement in 1953, he served as the Indian high commissioner to Australia and New Zealand until 1956. On April 28, 1986, the Government of India conferred the rank of field marshal on Cariappa. He was the second Field Marshal of the Indian Army after Sam Manekshaw. Cariappa's health began to deteriorate in 1991. He suffered from arthritis and heart problems. He died in his sleep on May 15, 1993, at the Bangalore Command Hospital. Cariappa was married in March 1937, in Secunderabad, to Muthu Machia. The couple had a son and a daughter. Their son, K.C. Cariappa also known as "Nanda", joined the Indian Air Force and rose to the rank of air marshal. During the 1965 war, Nanda was shot down over Pakistan. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war (POW). After realising the identity of the captured IAF officer, General Ayub Khan, the then president of Pakistan himself contacted Cariappa to inform about his son. When Ayyub offered to release Nanda, Carriapa asked him to give his son no better treatment than any other POW. Field Marshal Carriappa was a recipient of Indian Independence medal, Burma Star and General Service Medal. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 15, 2019 01:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Activist and former soldier Chelsea Manning will tell her life story in a memoir set for release next year. Manning, who spent seven years in prison for leaking thousands of documents related to the Iraq war to the website WikiLeaks, is writing the book for publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux, the publisher told the New York Times. Manning told the Times that the memoir is essentially a coming-of-age story. Its basically my life story up until I got the commutation, from my birth to my time in school and going to the Army and going to prison and the court-martial process, she said. Its a personal narrative of what was going on in my life surrounding that time and what led to the leaks, what led to prison, and how this whole ordeal has really shaped me and changed me. Advertisement Manning, then an Army intelligence analyst stationed in Iraq, was arrested in 2010 after sending more than 700,000 classified or sensitive documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to WikiLeaks. She was court-martialed and, in 2013, was convicted of 17 charges including espionage. A judge sentenced her to 35 years in prison, and she was dishonorably discharged from the Army. In 2017, President Obama commuted her sentence, and she left prison after serving seven years. She returned to jail this year after being held in contempt for refusing to testify to a grand jury. She was released this month after the expiration of the grand jurys term but could return if she refuses to testify to the new grand jury. Manning told the New York Times that there are some aspects of the trial that she wont be able to discuss in the book. Im still under obligation under the court rules and the Classified Information Procedures Act of 1980 to not disclose closed court-martial testimony or verify evidence that was put in the record. Things like that, she said. So I cant talk about that stuff and Im not going to, and so Im trying to keep this and maintain this as more of a personal story. Manning indicated that the book would touch on her gender. In 2013, she came out as a transgender woman. Im really opening myself up to some really intimate things in this book, some really very personal moments and much more intimate points of my life that Ive never disclosed before, she said. Youre probably going to learn more about my love life than about the disclosures. Mannings memoir, as yet untitled, is set for release in the winter of 2020. The Polestar 2, the first electric car to go straight up against Teslas Model 3, is due to go on the market in the U.S. by summer 2020. But will it? If the trade war between China and the U.S. gets much worse, the car, made at a factory in Luqiao, China, would rise in price, depress demand, and cause Polestar to send fewer cars to the U.S. market, said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestars chief executive. If tariffs rose high enough, the car might not be sold in the U.S. at all although Polestar is sticking with plans to start selling the Polestar 2 here by next summer. Polestar is a new electric car brand from Volvo, which is owned by Chinese automotive giant Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, known as Geely for short. Advertisement The Polestar 2 is a sporty electric sedan with 275 miles of range, priced between $45,000 and $65,000 before federal and state incentives, which can reduce that by as much as $10,000 for many California buyers. The company plans to build roughly 50,000 of the cars in its first year of production. Up to about 40% will be sold in China, Ingenlath said. Norway, which offers heavy incentives for electric cars, will be its No. 2 market. Right now Polestar plans to sell about 30% or so of the first years run in the U.S. and Canada. We would embrace free trade as in the interests of the consumer, Ingenlath said. While all international companies must operate in a world where trade barriers are common, and Volvos U.S. plans have been made with existing tariffs factored in, Polestar wont export cars to countries where rising tariffs make a products price ridiculous, he said, but will scale up or scale down U.S. plans depending on tariff levels. Tariffs on China-made cars sent to the U.S. are currently set at 25% by the Trump administration. Ingenlath was in the Bay Area last week for the big Google I/O developers conference. Polestar (and Volvo) plan to use the Android Automotive operating system as the base for their infotainment systems. Relaxing with a cappuccino at Four Barrel Coffee in San Franciscos hip Mission District, the former Volvo head designer said that Androids open development platform, where third-party software writers that meet Polestars requirement can add applications, is one way to differentiate the Polestar 2 from the Tesla Model 3. Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath with a Polestar 2 electric sedan. (Polestar) There are other big differences, he said. One is the design, which he insists pushes the borders more than the Model 3. Customer opinions on car design are mostly subjective, and Ingenlath damned the Model 3s looks with faint praise: The Model 3 feels very fresh. It has a prototype quality to it, its very primitive in some form. Quality will set the Polestar apart from the Tesla, he said. Well aware that the Model 3 currently faces serious issues with misaligned body panels, infotainment screens that go black, and batteries that dont work, Ingenlath said, Well be much more professional in doing a complete product. More professional knowledge about processes, materials, long-term quality. Tesla declined to comment. And he insists the Polestar 2 will handle better. It wont reach the breakneck 3.2-second zero-to-60 time of a performance-version Model 3 Polestar will come in under 5 seconds, he said, but added: Tesla is so focused on acceleration. Performance [for most consumers] is not about the race track. The big question is, when you approach the next corner, how will you go around it? Whether any of this matters, at least in the U.S., remains to be seen. Its unclear whether most Tesla buyers are fans of electric cars, or just fans of Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk. The Model 3 is outselling all other electric cars by a wide margin. But sales of all Tesla models fell 40% in the first three months of this year. If momentum fades, it could be bad news not just for Tesla but for electric cars in general, which in 2018 still represented just 2% of the U.S. auto market, though 7.8% of new cars sold in California. Tesla and Polestar will face an onslaught of competition over the next few years. In the luxury and near-luxury segments, Jaguar and Audi already have electric cars available. Porsche will follow later this year with its first all-electric, the Taycan. Mercedes-Benz will follow. BMW has plans to add bigger models to the subcompact i3 all-electric it has been selling for years. Volkswagen, in the wake of its diesel cheating scandal, is going all out on EVs. Ingenlath is confident that EV sales growth is set to take off around the world, especially in places such as China and Norway, with laws and financial incentives juicing customer interest. The company will soon begin selling its Polestar 1, a limited edition and expensive ($155,000) plug-in hybrid, and plans to follow the Polestar 2 with an SUV and other vehicles at more earthbound prices. He credits Musk with jump-starting the electric-car phenomenon. People five years ago were dismissive of a car that made no sound, Ingenlath said. Thats one of the biggest contributions Tesla made to the car industry, to tear down these kind of borders. Polestar wont be following Teslas push for full self-driving cars and robo-taxis, however. Musk recently said Teslas will be ready by the end of the year to drive themselves and announced plans to start a robo-taxi driverless ride-hailing service in 2020. Safety experts and some players in the driverless car industry said that timeline is too aggressive. I dont see that in the near future, Ingenlath said of fully driverless cars. You might technically be able to do it. But to integrate it with everyday traffic in a safe way? Thats a big obstacle. Polestar cars will be equipped with the latest in driver-assistance technologies, he said. The robo-taxi service Musk promised is part of Teslas story, Ingenlath said. Musk can say something like that and get away with it. I couldnt get away with claims about these kind of things. russ.mitchell@latimes.com Twitter: @russ1mitchell The U.S. government is withdrawing a proposal to require all passenger vehicles to have safety systems to prevent unintended acceleration. The government said Monday the rule isnt needed because the auto industry has installed systems voluntarily. The industry opposed the rule, which was proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2012 after a series of unintended acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles. *** The agency said all 2018 passenger vehicles have systems that override the throttle if a driver presses the gas and brakes at the same time, and it doesnt expect any automakers to remove the brake-throttle override system in the future. Advertisement But Jason Levine, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said it will take years to find out whether automakers installed the systems due to the threat of a regulation or could remove them without the regulation pending. What we know today is that with no requirement, there is no performance standard for the throttle control system and nothing preventing it from being sold as a luxury feature, he said. We can only hope a few years from now we wont see reports of crashes that could have been prevented by a required system that met minimum safety standards. The move comes as the Trump administration pushes to reduce or eliminate regulations, which President Trump considers an unnecessary burden on industry. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does not find that there is presently a safety need for a BTO [brake-throttle override] requirement, the agency said in the withdrawal notice, which was posted Monday on a government website. The rule also would have required vehicles to return to idle if a driver stops pressing the gas pedal. But the agency wrote that to make a decision on that issue, it needs a broader understanding of safe design of vehicle electronic control systems. Override systems would have been required in passenger cars, trucks and buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds. Most large trucks and buses weigh more than that. The proposed rule was an outgrowth of investigations in 2010 into claims that electronic defects were causing unintended acceleration in some Toyota models. An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a separate study by NASA*** ruled out electronic defects in high-speed crashes and determined that in some cases, drivers had inadvertently pressed the brake and gas pedals at the same time or that gas pedals had become trapped by floor mats. One accident that gained attention was the August 2009 high-speed crash of a Lexus near San Diego that resulted in the deaths of four people.*** Investigators determined that the driver, a veteran California highway patrolman, had applied the brake of the loaned car but was unable to override the accelerator, which was trapped by a floor mat. *** In February 2011, Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 2.17 million vehicles*** in the United States to address accelerator pedals that could become entrapped in floor mats or jammed in drivers-side carpeting, prompting NHTSA to close its investigation. The agency also fined Toyota $50 million for not recalling millions of vehicles in a timely fashion. The rule was aimed at minimizing the risk that drivers would lose control of their vehicles as a result of accelerator-control system disconnections, accelerator-pedal sticking or floor-mat entrapment, the safety administration said at the time. Nike Inc.s new shoe-sizing technology doesnt worry the company thats been measuring feet for 92 years. Brannock Device Co. manufactures the ubiquitous shoe-store contraption that youve almost certainly used but probably cant name. Its called the Brannock Device, and the people whove been selling it for almost a century say theyre more concerned with the demise of brick-and-mortar stores than a smartphone app that measures feet. Thats a bigger direct threat, said Tim Follett, vice president of the Liverpool, N.Y.-based company and a 25-year employee. Our devices are used by a sales associate in a store, so if retail fades away, thats much more troublesome. Last week, Nike unveiled computer-vision technology that lets customers measure their feet at home which should reduce costly mail-order returns. It involves a smartphone app that scans users feet and delivers a size estimate. Advertisement In a presentation, a Nike executive called the Brannock Device archaic. Industrywide, the company said, 60% of people are wearing the wrong size, and 27% of all shoes bought online are returned for bad fit. But according to Follett, measurement is only a small part of that problem. The bigger issue is inconsistencies in manufacturing meaning two size 12s of the exact same model shoe might vary a bit in their actual measurements. We can measure accurately, but no matter what the accuracy of the actual measurement is, the weak link was the actual manufacturing, he said. We talk to a lot of manufacturers who are frustrated by that. Shoes today are sold as they have been for eons, based on length and width. This is something Nike is also thinking about. Michael Martin, the companys global head of digital products, said a long-term goal is to get rid of sizes, and have shoes shaped to peoples feet. Follett agrees. It doesnt do you a whole lot of good if you have 13 different measurements of your foot if you go to the store and the store says, Well, we have a size 12 medium and a size 12 wide. Brannocks core product hasnt changed much since it was first sold in 1927, 37 years before Nike was founded. A few years ago, Brannock experimented with a digital version not virtual like Nikes but a computerized version of their in-store device but abandoned the endeavor after feedback from customers. The company has diversified its business a bit. About 50% of its sales are custom devices, which measure for a specific company or a specific type of shoe, such as ice skates, diabetic footwear or ski boots. About 40% of its sales are international, a share thats been growing, Follett said. He declined to provide specifics. Every Brannock device is manufactured at the companys factory outside Syracuse. The standard device sells for $72.50. Concerned that some new surveillance technologies may be too intrusive, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition tools by its police and other municipal departments. The Board of Supervisors approved the Stop Secret Surveillance ordinance Tuesday, culminating a reexamination of city policy that began with the false arrest of Denise Green in 2014. Greens Lexus was misidentified as a stolen vehicle by an automated license-plate reader. She was pulled over by police, forced out of the car and onto her knees at gunpoint by six officers. The city spent $500,000 to settle lawsuits linked to her detention. Since then, San Francisco officials determined flaws in the license-plate reader were just part of a wider potential for abuse with Big Brother-style surveillance capabilities. With new technologies increasingly making it possible to identify people, places and objects, the city decided to impose a higher bar for snooping tools. The central motivator here is public safety, while making sure police can do their jobs, said Matt Cagle, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union who helped draft the law. Weve learned a lot about facial recognition and seen how its been used in places like China to track and control populations. The public increasingly understands the threat this technology can pose and that isnt what they want. Advertisement Although San Francisco and nearby Silicon Valley are hubs of American technology and innovation, local opposition to the ordinance was minimal. Six other Northern California municipalities have recently adopted stricter regulations on the use of surveillance technology. But San Francisco was the first to ban facial recognition outright by city departments, a law that will go into effect 180 days after a second reading of the measure next week. The new law will also require police to confirm the results of their license-plate reader with the California Department of Justice before detaining individuals. Also, any city departments seeking to acquire surveillance technology must receive formal approval. It calls for departments currently in possession of surveillance equipment to propose regulations for use, along with an annual audit of all surveillance tools. The law does not prohibit companies or individuals from using facial recognition cameras or other surveillance tools, or from sharing their contents with law enforcement during an investigation. Last month, a New York student sued Apple Inc., claiming the companys facial-recognition software falsely linked him to a series of thefts at Apple stores. Facial-recognition poses a threat to people of color and would supercharge biased government surveillance of our communities, a coalition of 25 privacy, civil rights and justice groups wrote in an April letter to city officials supporting the measure. The U.S. Department of Justice said the technology is not always accurate and that implementation poses significant challenges to civil rights. The potential for misuse of face recognition information may expose agencies participating in such systems to civil liability and negative public perceptions, according to a December 2017 report on facial recognition by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The lack of rules and protocols also raises concerns that law enforcement agencies will use face recognition systems to systematically, and without human intervention, identify members of the public and monitor individuals actions and movements. Not everyone was a fan of the law. There are plenty of legitimate concerns about government surveillance, but the right approach is to implement safeguards on the use of technology rather than prohibitions, Daniel Castro, a vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a nonprofit think tank, said in a statement. Good oversight and proper guidance can ensure that police and other government agencies use facial recognition appropriately. One of every two Americans already is captured in a face-recognition database accessible to law enforcement, according to a 2016 study at Georgetown Law. Its mostly stored in the Federal Bureau of Investigations Next Generation Identification Interstate System, which has about 411 million individual photos. In a May 2016 report, the U.S. Government Accountability Office admonished the FBI for failing to disclose the extent to which it uses the technology, and to ensure privacy and accuracy. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, under the Trump administration, has been a consumer watchdog in name only. So its news that the bureau is once again doing its job. The CFPB filed a lawsuit the other day against a pair of so-called credit-repair firms, alleging they used deceptive tactics to get consumers to sign up for their services. The companies also charged illegal fees, the suit says. There are a few different things going on here that are interesting. Advertisement First, theres the regulatory crackdown on an industry that preys on people in financial distress with claims that bad credit scores can be repaired with a little professional help. This is something consumers need to be very careful about. Yes, inaccurate credit reports can be cleaned up. But, no, its not like anyone can wave a magic wand and make a legitimately bad credit score suddenly sparkle. A lot of these companies imply they can do more than they can, said Linda Sherry, a spokeswoman for the advocacy group Consumer Action. In most cases, that is absolutely impossible. Moreover, you dont need to pay anyone to address credit-report errors. Thats something you can do yourself, for free. More on that below. Any time authorities lower the boom on credit-repair firms that allegedly cross the line into predatory practices, thats a good thing. Yet that raises the question: Why is the CFPB stepping up? Rather, why is this CFPB stepping up? Its a question that shouldnt have to be asked, but the bureaus recent history makes it relevant. Under President Trumps appointees to run the watchdog agency first Mick Mulvaney and now Kathy Kraninger the CFPB has been decidedly lax in serving as consumers Avengers. Kraninger recently said she would roll back Obama-era rules for payday lenders. She also said shes considering cutting off public access to the bureaus searchable complaint database. The U.S. PIRG Education Fund said in a report last week that a record 257,000 complaints were posted in 2018. Also last week, the CFPB unveiled a proposed rule change that would allow debt collectors to text and email people. A recent study by the Consumer Federation of America found that the bureaus enforcement activity has plunged by 80% from 2015, when the CFPB was at the height of its powers. Average compensation to consumers is down by 96% per case. So what should we make of the bureaus lawsuit against Salt Lake City-based Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com? The companies, their owners and various affiliates are accused of tricking people into signing up for their services and violating telemarketing laws by collecting fees from clients before producing results. The suit says the companies charged clients up to $14.99 up front to begin the credit repair process, followed by monthly fees of as much as $129.95. The companies continue to charge monthly fees until consumers affirmatively cancel their Lexington Law or CreditRepair.com contracts, the suit says. It seeks compensation for people who did business with the firms, plus unspecified damages. It often takes years to investigate and bring a case such as this, so its likely the probe of Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com began before Trump took office. Nevertheless, its Trumps CFPB filing the lawsuit, so props for that. I asked the bureau about the timing of the lawsuit, and what message is being sent to the credit repair industry and consumers. A spokeswoman declined to respond. Eric Kamerath, a Salt Like City lawyer acting as spokesman for Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com, told me the companies are a bit perplexed by the CFPBs action. In a system that already is weighted heavily against the consumer in favor of opportunistic debt collectors and opaque processes, why would the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau choose to prevent consumers from getting professional help? he asked. Kamerath said the firms deny using deceptive practices and have been cooperating with the bureau for more than four years. Why the CFPB is now going to court, he said, is a mystery to us. Consumer advocates were equally baffled not by the idea of the bureau enforcing the law but by a resurgent interest in consumer protection under current leadership. Thats a fair question, said Andrew Pizor, a staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. He speculated that the CFPB may be targeting credit repair firms because theres less industry pressure for the bureau to back off from companies that are scammier. Pizor also noted that there are still people at the CFPB who have been there for a while and who still care about the mission. Sherry at Consumer Action speculated that the agencys top brass felt some sort of gesture was necessary to counter months of bad press about how industry-friendly the CFPB has become. My guess is they want to show theyre doing something for consumers, she said. But rather than go after some powerful company like Wells Fargo, theyre only going after bottom feeders. Whatever the reason, most credit repair firms could stand more scrutiny. Their pitch typically is to suggest or outright claim that someone with a low credit score can bring in hired guns to clean things up and improve their financial standing. As I noted earlier, there are indeed ways to remove inaccurate or erroneous information from credit files, but nobody can erase the negative effects of unpaid bills, big debts or a bankruptcy. Improving a low credit score requires time and effort. It means demonstrating for potential creditors that youre a safe bet. One way to do that is to apply for a new credit card and pay all your bills on time. You also can do for free what the credit-repair firms do to deal with any mistakes in your file. First, go to AnnualCreditReport.com to order a free copy of your file from each of the major credit bureaus Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. If you see anything amiss debts that arent yours, for example contact the credit bureau in writing and request a correction. The Federal Trade Commission provides a sample letter on its website to get you started. By law, the credit bureaus must investigate any disputed info. If they cant remedy the matter themselves, they will contact the creditor to confirm the obligation. The credit bureau must inform you in writing about the results of its investigation and send you another free copy of your file showing that any mistakes have been addressed. Even if the matter remains unresolved, you can request the fact that you disputed the obligation to be included in your file for other creditors to see. The whole credit-repair industry is a waste of money, said Pizor at the National Consumer Law Center. Youre paying for something you can do yourself. The CFPB is on the right track holding such companies accountable. But nailing a couple of accused bottom feeders doesnt clean the pond. David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com. Expert: Fugitive law amendments needed to plug loophole Updated: 2019-05-14 07:14 By Joseph Li in Hong Kong(HK Edition) Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, says the government should persist with the fugitive law amendments bill and not withdraw it at such a crucial stage. The bill is concerned with more than just dealing with the case of a Hong Kong citizen, who allegedly killed his girlfriend in Taiwan last year. If the government withdraws it, governance in the city will be undermined, he told China Daily. Lau said that since the bill targets people who have committed serious offenses and fled from jurisdictions where they committed the crimes, there is no reason ordinary citizens should be worried. He also said the loophole exists because there is no agreement to surrender fugitives between Hong Kong and many jurisdictions including Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. In fact, no such agreement existed before 1997. "The fact that there was no such agreement in the past does not mean we should not have such an agreement as it is now more than 20 years after Hong Kong's return to the country," he stressed. "The movement against the amendment bill on fugitive offenders is part of the larger dispute between China and the United States, complicated by the involvement of external forces from Western countries," he explained. "Taiwan is also involved because the Taiwan authorities want to provoke the Chinese mainland and denigrate the 'one country, two systems' principle." At first, the opposition camp was not the major instigator against the amendment bill as it was initiated by foreign business chambers and foreign governments, Lau observed. But the opposition camp seized this opportunity to play up fears and attack the SAR government. Lau further criticized former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang for recently going to the US. Chan is currently on a trip to Germany while another group headed by former Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming is visiting the US to smear amendments to the fugitive law. Lau said their trips would not lead to any positive benefits. Indeed, they might increase the doubts some have already over their motives and concerns that they are colluding with external forces. joseph@chinadailyhk.com (HK Edition 05/14/2019 page4) Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in Facebook Inc.s popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of targeted phones without any user interaction. The Financial Times identified the hacking group as NSO Group, an Israeli company that has been widely condemned for selling surveillance tools to repressive governments. WhatsApp all but confirmed the identification, describing the hackers as a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware. A WhatsApp spokesman later said: Were certainly not refuting any of the coverage youve seen. WhatsApp has released a new version of the app containing a fix. Advertisement The spyware did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption that makes WhatsApp chats and calls private. It merely used a bug in the WhatsApp software as an infection vehicle. The malware enables spies to, in effect, take control of a phone remotely and surreptitiously controlling its cameras and microphones and vacuuming up personal and geolocation data. Encryption is worthless once a phones operating system has been violated. Hackers are always looking for flaws in apps and operating systems that they can exploit to deliver spyware. State-run intelligence agencies including the U.S. National Security Agency invest tens of millions of dollars in it. Googles ProjectZero bug-hunting team scoured WhatsApp last year looking for vulnerabilities but did not find any. It was WhatsApps security team that found the flaw. The development comes as Facebook looks to triple down on its messaging services by merging WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct and bringing WhatsApp-level encryption to the others. The attack would not affect Facebooks ability to do that. The malware was able to penetrate phones just through missed calls, using the apps voice calling function, said the WhatsApp spokesman, who was not authorized to be quoted by name. He said an unknown number of people an amount in the dozens at least would not be inaccurate had phones that were infected with the malware, which the company discovered in early May, the spokesman said. John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack a very scary vulnerability. Theres nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app, he said. The vast majority of hacks involve some sort of user interaction, such as clicking an infected link. The WhatsApp spokesman said the flaw was discovered while our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls. He said engineers found that people targeted for infection might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them. In the process of calling, this code gets shipped. WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. The spokesman said WhatsApp also provided information to U.S. law enforcement officials to assist in their investigations. We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities, WhatsApp said in a statement. Although WhatsApp urged all users to update the program on their phones, only a minuscule percentage run the risk of being targeted by such malware. NSO said in a statement that its technology is used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to fight crime and terror. We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system, the statement said. A spokesman for Stephen Peel, whose private equity firm Novalpina recently announced the purchase of part of NSO, did not return an email seeking comment. The revelation adds to the questions over the reach of NSOs powerful spyware. Before the latest WhatsApp revelation, NSOs spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, last year and whose body has never been found. Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking. On Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles arts organization Film Independent announced that Jacqueline Lyanga will be the groups new artistic director. Film Independent is best known as the organization that puts on the Spirit Awards, the looser awards show that traditionally happens the day before the Oscars. Film Independent also put on the L.A. Film Festival for 18 years, before announcing the event would be discontinued shortly after the conclusion of the 2018 edition last fall. Film Independent is a vital organization that serves Los Angeles and a global community of filmmakers, Lyanga said in a statement. I am elated at this opportunity to build out an innovative year-round programming strategy for Film Independent that will champion filmmakers and artists and provide a new platform for cultural experiences. Lyanga was director of L.A.s AFI Fest for eight years, leaving the organization in 2018. She was guest director for virtual reality and immersive storytelling at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Festival. She was recently recognized as a chevalier dans lordre des arts et des lettres by the French government for her contributions to the art of cinema. Advertisement In her new position, Lyanga will lead year-round programming for the Film Independent Presents series, curate the Portal, a showcase for virtual reality and immersive storytelling, and build out additional programming throughout the year. Jacqueline joins Film Independent at a moment of tremendous growth in our organization, said Mary Sweeney, chair of the Film Independent board of directors, in a statement. With her knowledge, vision and international experience, were confident that she will create a new model of year-round celebration and support of the film community in Los Angeles. SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter Mark.Olsen@latimes.com Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus Doris Day, who died Monday at age 97, appeared on screen as a wide range of characters in an even wider range of costumes from buckskin and bandanas (in 1953s Calamity Jane) to a thigh-grazing, heart-festooned pair of short pajamas (in 1957s The Pajama Game), with a costume warehouse full of clothes including (but far from limited to) elegant, white one-shouldered gowns, exploded houndstooth check jackets and flouncy peignoirs in between. But Days lasting fashion influence beyond the screen was cemented with a troika of movies that cast her as a powerful woman in the workplace in the late 1950s and early 60s. In Teachers Pet (1958) she played a journalism teacher dressed by eight-time Oscar winner Edith Head; in Pillow Talk the following year she was an interior designer clad in costumes by Bill Thomas with gowns by Jean Louis. And in 1961 she portrayed an ad executive dressed by the mononymous Irene in Lover Come Back. In each, a flurry of spectacular costumes seemed to empower Days characters, who glided elegantly through every workplace scenario, accessorized with her sunny disposition and can-do attitude. Whether it was in a white column gown accessorized with a white fur shrug and white opera-length gloves, a navy blue, notch-lapel suit dress or a voluminous butter-yellow dressing gown, she was the working girl before Working Girl and a Mary Tyler Moore-level striver long before Mary Tyler Moore. It was a legacy that ended up following Day from the big screen to the small one too. From 1968 to 1973, Day starred in the CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show, which followed her trials and tribulations as a ladder-climber at Todays World magazine. According to The Times archives, Day was presented the American Working Girl Award (by Fashion Wagon, a division of the Minnesota Woolen Co.) on the set of the series in 1972. The groups then-president, Richard Polinsky, noted the honor was because through her portrayal of a magazine associate editor of The Doris Day Show she symbolizes the modern woman in the world of business. Advertisement From left, John Raitt and Doris Day in a publicity still for The Pajama Game (1957). Day with Rock Hudson in a scene from Lover Come Back (1961). (UCLA Film & Television Archive) Her on-screen personality her posture, her makeup, her costumes was the whole package, and what American women of the late 1950s and early 1960s were trying to emulate, said Christina Johnson, the associate curator for the FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising museum. In Pillow Talk she wore a number of trim suits, with perfect accessories so I can see professional women would want to emulate her and she also represented the traditional girl next door. Johnson says it was this latter persona that made her look popular particularly among other women at the time. Today we have so many different versions of femininity to draw on, she said, But at that time there was really only one or two that was an option for a woman no matter her background. One was [the one Day represented] and the other was Marilyn Monroe as her on-screen antithesis. Those were your only two options at least thats what the filmmakers and the publicity machine would have you believe. Victoria Brynner, a Beverly Hills-based consultant whose Stardust Brands connects fashion and luxury brands with creative talent, was one of the many who noted the actress death on Instagram, and she singled out that aspect of Days on-screen style as well. What was amazing about her, I think, was that she had the singing ability and the comedic capabilities but didnt show cleavage, Brynner said. She was incredibly stylish, she looked fabulous but she wasnt a sexpot. She knew how to do the body line the cigarette pants, the skirts. She always had a very nice sort of ankle and leg, but theres not a single picture of her with cleavage. And men loved her and women wanted to be her. adam.tschorn@latimes.com For more musings on all things fashion and style, follow me at @ARTschorn Shuffle the pages of Najmieh Batmanglijs massive cookbook Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes and Kitchen Secrets a 700-plus-page compendium of the cuisine of Iran that she has mastered over the last three decades and youll find certain ingredients dropped like trail markers. Her spice route is scattered with rose petals and cardamom pods, barberries like handfuls of garnets and obsidian-black nigella seeds. But one ingredient infiltrates the pages and perfumes many of the dishes: the dried limes, whether whole or powdered, that have long been a staple of Persian cooking, yet remain mysteriously unappreciated to a broader range of cooks. Pass them on the shelf of a Middle Eastern market and they look like a forgetful grocers mistake large nut-brown pebbles, dusty and desiccated, shrunken citrus skulls. But whack them with a hammer, and youll find a glossy interior the color of mahogany, and a sudden, magnificent fragrance thats both bright and funky, the acidic twang of limes distilled to their essence. Dried lime has a tangy, earthy taste that gives a special, very distinctive flavor to the dish that fresh lime juice doesnt, said Batmanglij recently when I called her at her home in Georgetown, where shes lived for a quarter of a century, since fleeing revolutionary Iran, first for France in 1979, and then to the U.S. Advertisement This is a very ancient method. In Iraq they use it; in Middle Eastern cultures. In Iran they call it limu Omani, she says, from that country on the other side of the Persian Gulf from Iran, where many dried limes are produced. Loomi in Iraq and Oman. Ive seen white dried limes in China. There was a lot of interaction because of the Silk Road: They transferred not only literature and art, but also ingredients. (Batmanglijs latest book reads like a Lonely Planet guide written by Herodotus but, for those inclined to go even deeper on the subject of Iranian cooking, her recently republished 1986 masterwork Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern and Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies is a must.) Batmanglij dusts recipe after recipe with powdered dried lime, zapping a three-day marinade for chicken kebabs with a huge dose of the stuff, then sifting it over the finished dish like a potent benediction. Fish kebabs are also spiked with the powder, and a dish of spiced rice with pan-seared fish is cooked with a broth steeped with dried limes. They dose poached lobster and permeate a street food snack of sauced potatoes on flatbread. Whole limes jack the flavor of a braise of lamb, beans and herbs, and are made into a tea by simmering them with rock candy. Dried lime tea, you make it and combine it with valerian; its a fantastic nightcap, said Batmanglij, who has an apothecarys worth of jars filled with the limes in her kitchen. You can make shrub with dried limes. Chicken soup. Like the squeeze of fresh lemon that many cooks use to brighten dishes, a whole dried lime or dash of the pulverized stuff elevates the flavor of soups and stews, braises or, really, almost anything. At Sqirl, Jessica Koslows progressive toast restaurant in East Hollywood, she adds dried limes to her addictive chicken porridge. We use almost a cup of dried lime powder in every batch we make, says Koslow. Its a play on the Omani dish madrouba, which is typically quite dense; somehow it works. Hugh Acheson came to Sqirl, and the first time he had it, he was shocked: Jessica, do you know youre feeding chicken and rice soup to people for breakfast? Yes, yes I do. And at Adana in Glendale, a restaurant that combines the cooking of Armenia, Iran, Turkey and Georgia, whole dried limes are dropped into both of chef-owner Edward Khechemyans stews, khoresh ghormeh sabzi and khoresh bademjan. (Both restaurants are on The Times 101 Restaurants We Love list.) Anissa Helou, whose Feast: Food of the Islamic World also the product of years of research came out last year as well, emailed with a few more suggestions for what to do with dried limes. They are used whole in dishes such as marguga (what I like to call Arabian pasta with meat and vegetables), and the pulp is used in dishes such as mashkhul, a beautiful saffron rice dish layered with chicken and vegetables and garnished with toasted almonds and caramelized onions. In Saudi Arabia, dried limes are ground and used in mashbuss rubyan, a kind of shrimp risotto. Feasting and fasting: The meaning of the rituals of Ramadan Unsurprisingly, Batmanglij suggests you grind your own limes, as the flavor of the powdered stuff you can find in markets deteriorates over time, and often the commercial product is ground with the seeds, which makes it a little bitter. (Some people like that bitterness, she notes.) Break up the whole limes, pry out the seeds you can also remove the peel and use only the hearts of the fruit and grind the shards in a spice grinder. You can make it grainy or you can make it powder; I have both. Equally unsurprising, she also suggests making your own dried limes. Its quite easy. You macerate them first with salt, then the next day you parboil them and drain them twice, with water and vinegar. Then you allow them to sun-dry; you can even dry them in the oven or dehydrate them. It takes 13 or 14 days. Given their versatility, range and ability to add nuance to a vast catalog of dishes, dried limes are worth the effort, if not to make yourself, then to source. The Los Angeles-based company Sadaf carries them (its where Koslow gets hers, wholesale), both whole and powdered, as well as black dried limes. In Iran when I interview people, they say the black one is aged more, says Batmanglij. Other people say theyre a different kind of lime. As for which to use, her guideline is to use the black dried limes for dishes utilizing green herbs, the brown version for tomato-based dishes. Another tip? Pierce the whole limes first, if youre tossing them intact into a dish or pot. Dried limes may look like something out of an Old World alchemists shop, if not a botanists dust bin, but they have a transformative property that fits the reference. At once floral and astringent, musky and sour, think of the stuff as pantry shelf pixie dust. Chicken kebab with dried lime and mint from Najmieh Batmanglijs Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes & Kitchen Secrets. (Mage Publishers) Chicken Kebab With Dried Lime and Mint 1 hour, 10 minutes plus overnight marinating. Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients cup olive oil cup fresh lime juice, plus the juice of 1 lime cup apple cider vinegar cup ground hearts of dried Persian limes 2 tablespoons dried mint 1 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes 4 teaspoons fine sea salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons ground green cardamom 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely sliced 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces, or 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3-by-2-inch pieces 2 cups chopped fresh mint (or cup dried mint) cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter or vegetable oil 1 package (12 ounces) lavash bread 3 bunches fresh basil leaves Instructions In a large storage container or gallon-size ziptop plastic bag, combine the olive oil, half-cup lime juice, the cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons ground dried lime, the dried mint, chile flakes, salt, pepper, cardamon, turmeric, onion and garlic. Add the chicken and toss well to coat it in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight and up to 3 days, turning the chicken twice while it marinates. Prepare a charcoal grill for direct grilling, heat a gas grill to high or heat your broiler to high. (The success of a good kebab depends on a very hot grill.) Using 12 flat, half-inch-wide sword-like metal skewers or 10 to 15 wooden skewers (soak wooden skewers in water for 5 to 10 minutes before skewering to prevent burning), skewer the wings, breasts and legs onto different skewers (they will require different cooking times). Place the skewers on a baking sheet or platter. Prepare the baste: In a small saucepan, heat the remaining juice of 1 lime, the fresh (or quarter-cup dried) mint and butter over low heat to marry the flavors. Remove from heat and hold in a warm place. Grill the chicken pieces, turning frequently and basting often with the mint butter, until done, 8 to 15 minutes depending on size. The chicken is done when the juice that runs out is yellow rather than pink. Arrange the lavash evenly on a flat serving platter. Remove the chicken from the grill and place on the bread. Keep the chicken on the skewers until just before serving to help keep it warm. To remove the chicken from the skewers, steady them on the platter with a piece of bread and pull out the skewers. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon ground dried lime over the chicken and garnish with the basil. Note: Adapted from a recipe in Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes and Kitchen Secrets by Najmieh Batmanglij. Lets do brunch Chef Sang Yoon is offering a preview of his project at Helms Bakery through a new Sunday brunch at the Culver City branch of Fathers Office. The menu features masa bagels with mezcal-cured salmon, Japanese oatmeal with mushroom dashi and cold brew negronis. 3229 Helms Ave., Culver City, (310) 736-2224, fathersoffice.com/location/culver-city Advertisement Flour power The Burrito Exchange is open in Pico Rivera with its own drive-through. Burritos and breakfast burritos come on housemade flour tortillas with fillings such as nopales and egg, bacon and potatoes, and chile verde. 8500 Rosemead Blvd., Pico Rivera, (562) 746-0215, instagram.com/theburritoexchange Pizza for vegan Venetians Chef Matthew Kenney recently opened Double Zero, a vegan pizzeria, in Venice. Squash blossom and truffles cover pies, and theres a riff on cacio e pepe made with cashew cream. 1700 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, (424) 280-4672, matthewkenneycuisine.com/double-zero Hunger, games Barcade just opened its first L.A. location in Highland Park at the former address of El Arco Iris. The Brooklyn import combines more than 70 arcade games and pinball machines with drinks, as well as a menu with short rib poutine, burgers dipped in gravy, pizza bagels, beer and wine. 5684 York Blvd., Highland Park, (323) 274-4798, barcadelosangeles.com Lomo Saltado Tacos, making moves Pablitos Tacos opened a third location last week. Now you can get its Peruvian-influenced tacos, quesadillas and burritos from 6 p.m. to midnight in front of Vivians Millennium Cafe in Studio City, Wednesday through Sunday. 10968 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 966-8535, pablitostacos.com Hemp hummus In an O.C. greenhouse Cultivated Kitchen opened last month inside a greenhouse at Farmers Park in the Downtown Anaheim Packing District. The menu includes sunflower hemp hummus, a prosciutto sandwich, salads, grain bowls and smoothies. 350 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, (714) 603-7076, cultivationkitchen.com A goat fiends dream in Corona Birrieria el Chivito is open in Corona in Riverside County. The spot sells goat birria and machito in the Zacatecan style, available in stew, tacos and quesadillas, and also to purchase by the pound. 1530 W. 6th St., Corona, (951) 531-8100, instagram.com/birrieriaelchivito Egg Tuck everlasting Egg Tuck recently opened a location on Sunset Boulevard. The restaurant serves compact egg sandwiches on house-baked brioche, with ingredients such as a gochujang-glazed kalbi patty and ham and cheddar. 7131 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 380-5762, eggtuck.com CLOSINGS Mr. Holmes In Larchmont Mr. Holmes Bakehouse has closed its Larchmont location. A note posted by the owners says they decided to take an offer on the space, also telling the neighborhood, Game of Thrones may have let us down this season, but you never did. Ocean Star Monterey Park dim sum stalwart Ocean Star Restaurant closed at the end of April. EXTRAS Enrique Olvera, Daniela Soto-Innes and Santiago Perez of Pujol in Mexico City and Cosme and Alta in New York City plan to open a Mexican restaurant at Wynn Los Vegas in 2020. The restaurant will be in the space currently occupied by Andreas. 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, (702) 770-7000, www.wynnlasvegas.com. An American man was arrested after running over several people with a truck in a chaotic chase to the San Ysidro border crossing, police in Tijuana said. A statement Monday night said that the man threatened a person with a knife on a Tijuana boulevard about a mile from the U.S.-Mexico crossing and then fled in a pickup truck when officers intervened. During the chase, the man struck five people, 14 vendor stalls and 17 vehicles, authorities said. The truck stopped a short distance from the U.S. border, where bystanders set upon the driver and a female passenger. They were dragged from the vehicle and beaten while others pounded on the truck with rods and rocks, according to police reports. Officers stopped the beating, but video from the melee showed both people from the truck bloodied and dazed. It was not clear whether the woman was also arrested. Police did not identify either of them. Advertisement El Imparcial newspaper reported that the man was held by vendors, and police said he was taken into custody. A police photo showed the black truck with its front end and right side bashed in and its wheels damaged. It had Utah license plates. Los Angeles County taxpayers will pay $3.75 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a Sheriffs Department deputy in February 2018, county leaders decided Tuesday. The killing of Anthony Weber sparked weeks of protests in South Los Angeles, fueled in part by frustration over deputies claims that the boy was carrying a gun. Family members also said the department failed to communicate with them about details of the shooting. No firearm was found, the Sheriffs Department said, reasoning that it could have gone missing in the crowd that formed after the shooting. Anthonys family and community members said the boy was unarmed. Two deputies responded to a report of a young man who pointed a gun at a motorist in the 1200 block of 107th Street just before 7:40 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2018. Thirty-four minutes later, deputies arrived and walked down a driveway at an apartment complex where they spotted Anthony, who was wearing clothing that was similar to the description given by the caller, according to a county corrective action plan. Advertisement Both deputies said they saw a handgun tucked into Webers waistband, with one officer describing the firearm as a Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol with black Talon grips and a red dot sight, according to the county document. When the deputies drew their weapons and ordered Anthony to show his hands, the boy ran away before turning toward one of the officers and reaching toward his waistband, according to the county report. One deputy fired at the boy 13 times, striking him several times. The other deputy did not discharge his weapon. Attorneys for Anthonys parents and daughter said some of the shots hit the 16-year-old in his back. After the shooting, several people came out of their apartments and shouted at the deputies, who were unable to secure the scene for about 30 minutes, the county document says. Deputies said they believed someone in the crowd stole the firearm. A Smith & Wesson pistol similar to the one described by one of the deputies was later recovered in a search warrant on a residence near the shooting, according to the county corrective action plan. The caller who made the initial 911 call was interviewed and identified Anthony as the person who pointed a gun at him, the county document says. Anthony was described by family members as a loving person who displayed maturity in his devotion to his daughter, Violet. Anthonys father has said he wants all the money from the legal settlement to be set aside for the girl, who is still a toddler. The incident was not captured on a body-worn camera, as the Sheriffs Department does not outfit its patrol deputies with the devices. Dale Galipo, one of the attorneys for the Weber family, called the settlement substantial. I think a settlement like this is an implicit acknowledgment that this was a bad shooting, he said. Shootings by deputies in which a person was hit were up in the first three months of 2019, with four incidents, compared with the same period last year, when there were two, including the shooting of Anthony. Those figures are included in a recent report by the L.A. County Office of Inspector General. But the data also show that shootings by deputies have decreased over the last five years. In 2013, there were 44 shootings by deputies; last year, there were 22. Also Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors approved a $337,500 settlement in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union alleging the Sheriffs Department improperly withheld data from automated license plate readers pursuant to a California Public Records Act request. An additional $700,000 settlement was approved in the case of Osvaldo Ureta, who was shot while trying to flee from sheriffs deputies in 2011. He survived. The shooting gained attention as one of seven shootings by one deputy, Anthony Forlano. maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau Debra Stone awoke one Saturday last year and headed to the kitchen to fix herself a latte when she discovered dirty water dripping from the ceiling. That flooded kitchen marked the beginning of a legal and bureaucratic odyssey for Stone, who has been displaced from her Beverly Grove apartment for more than a year. Under a tenant habitability plan that the owner of her building submitted to the city, fixing the apartment was estimated to take a few months and be done by October. Instead, the process has dragged into this year, as Stone has couch-surfed and battled in court with her landlord, who has sought to evict her from the apartment where she has lived for more than two decades. I just want to go home, she said. Advertisement Tenants advocates say Stones story represents a worrisome scenario for L.A. tenants, as the states housing crisis has sent prices skyward and tempted landlords to pressure longtime residents to move out so they can hike the rent. The potential for such abuse has long been a concern under the Ellis Act, a state law that allows tenants to be booted from rent-stabilized apartments if the owner is tearing down the building or getting out of the rental business. But advocates say that building owners also are exploiting other methods to eject renters, including L.A.s Tenant Habitability Program. Under the rules of that program, landlords who are doing major renovations must turn in a tenant habitability plan, explaining how they will protect tenants, either while they remain in their apartment, stay at a hotel or temporarily relocate to a comparable unit in the same building or another building. Nearly 700 such plans have been accepted by the city in the last five years. One of Californias last black enclaves threatened by Inglewoods stadium deal But tenants advocates say the plans, which were intended to protect people from the hazards of construction, also can be used as a tool to prod residents into abandoning their rent-stabilized units. They just take their time in some cases, said Claudia Medina, a tenants rights attorney. Its hard to determine whether the landlord is in good faith asking for an extension to make more repairs, or if the landlord sees that as a way to wait the tenant out. Landlords and their advocates counter that, often, they cannot control construction delays. Nothing is hard and fast when you start doing upgrades and construction, said Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles. If a landlord has to wait on city inspections or permits, how are they supposed to force that issue? When L.A.s Tenant Habitability Program was established 14 years ago through a city ordinance, it was envisioned as a way to protect tenants from constructive eviction housing conditions so miserable that residents feel pressure to leave. It allowed tenants to lodge appeals over tenant habitability plans and permitted landlords to recoup costs for renovations by hiking rents more than would ordinarily be allowed under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Several years ago, tenants advocates started to complain about problems with the program. In one case, an elderly tenant in Westlake was given an address where she was supposed to relocate temporarily, but realized it was not an apartment at all. The address was for Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery. In the aftermath of that and other troubling cases, housing officials say they have taken steps to prevent the Tenant Habitability Program from being misused. City staffers say they now visit the addresses where landlords plan to temporarily relocate tenants to make sure the units are truly comparable. They also review proposed evictions of rent stabilized tenants for alleged violations of the tenant habitability plans. Such evictions have become extremely rare in recent years, according to the L.A. Housing and Community Investment Department. And in the last two years, most of the tenant habitability plans accepted by the city did not require tenants to leave their units. We tied up a lot of the loopholes, said Tai Glenn, chief counsel for Inner City Law Center, which represents tenants and brought concerns about the process to the housing department. But this issue of dragging it out forever still exists. California could bring radical change to single-family-home neighborhoods If a landlord does not promptly finish the planned construction or upgrades, a tenant has a simple remedy: He or she can take a mandated payout of up to roughly $20,000 and leave permanently. That is little comfort to Stone, who says that is exactly what her landlord wanted her to do. Twenty thousand dollars would not get me the difference in rent for long, Stone said, pointing out that rents have soared in Beverly Grove in recent years. She has been paying less than $2,400 a month for her two-bedroom apartment. Similar units in Beverly Grove can now fetch $3,500 or more, according to Zillow. Stone has been locked in a legal battle with both 8317 Blackburn LLC, the company that owns her apartment building, and Bernard Hoffman, identified in court papers as the property manager and in state business filings as the manager of the company. When Hoffman first filed the tenant habitability plan with the city, Stone lodged an appeal, raising concerns about the Koreatown apartment where he proposed to move her temporarily. She ended up being sent to another apartment owned by a company linked to Hoffman, but said she felt unsafe after discovering that the locks didnt work. Instead of living there, Stone says she has been couch surfing with friends as she sues Hoffman over alleged harassment and retaliation, accusing him of pressuring her to move and purposely evading her rent payments so he could try to evict her. Hoffman, in turn, has filed a counter suit, saying that she violated the tenant habitability plan by entering her apartment without notice and improperly installing cameras to record him without his consent. (Stone later agreed to destroy any such recordings.) Hoffman and his attorney did not respond to messages seeking comment. Yukelson said that, in general, delaying the repair process doesnt make financial sense for landlords. If a longtime tenant has to be relocated to a comparable unit, the temporary home may be costlier because rental prices have gone up and the landlord, by law, must pay the difference. Whod want to sign up for that while theyre shelling out all this capital to improve their property? Yukelson asked. Californias housing shortage has companies carving up apartments to lower the rent Landlords who violate tenant habitability plans can be turned down for city-approved rent adjustments on rent stabilized apartments hikes meant to help cover renovation costs. Tenants also can sue their landlords for violating the relocation rules. And if landlords knowingly make false statements on a plan, they can be found guilty of a misdemeanor. But housing officials say proving that a landlord willfully lied is challenging. No such cases have been referred to city attorneys in recent years, according to the housing department. Councilman Paul Koretz, who represents Beverly Grove, said Stones situation highlights a weakness in the Tenant Habitability Program that Id like to try to fix. He said housing inspectors need more tools to force landlords to follow the provisions of the plans. Violations may not happen often but, as this situation proves, it can be messy when they do, Koretz said in a statement. Stone recognizes that she has advantages many other tenants dont: She has a flexible work schedule as a brand development manager. She has enough money to retain an attorney. When she reached out to a reporter at the Los Angeles Times, Stone said her goal was to close what she sees as a loophole for other tenants. I want to make sure this doesnt happen to anyone else, she said. emily.alpert@latimes.com Twitter: @AlpertReyes Superior Court judges handed down welcome rulings last week in favor of two worthy but embattled housing projects for homeless people in Los Angeles. We hope the rulings send this message: Stop using the California Environmental Quality Act to thwart homeless housing projects simply because you dont want homeless people housed in your neighborhood. CEQA is a landmark state law requiring developers to identify and mitigate the potential environmental impact of their projects. But it has also been misused to advance less noble purposes for example, to stall competition or keep affordable housing out of a community. The two cases at issue last week were examples of that sort of CEQA abuse. The first pits the owners of the venerable El Mercado shopping and restaurant complex against developers of the proposed Lorena Plaza homeless housing development on the empty property next door. The owners want to require the developers to do a time-consuming full environmental impact study of the hazards of an abandoned oil well underneath the property. But on May 7, Judge Richard L. Fruin tentatively ruled that the developer had sufficiently studied the oil well and proposed a mitigation plan for it and the city had properly signed off on the developers analysis. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement In the second case, the unabashedly NIMBY Venice Stakeholders Assn. is trying to force the city of Los Angeles to reverse its decision and do a full environmental impact review of a 154-bed bridge shelter for homeless people the city wants to build on a bus yard in Venice. Judge Mitchell Beckloff did not decide the case it goes to trial in October but he denied the association the injunction it sought, allowing construction to move forward while the case continues. Beckloff rightly determined that the city would suffer more harm if work on the project were halted than the Venice group would suffer if the project moved forward. Wrote the judge: The city has clearly demonstrated the emergency nature of the project to its citizens. Amen to that. Its become an extraordinarily arduous process to get housing projects for homeless people completed just look at the time invested in both of these projects. And its troubling that even as some of these projects come on line, homelessness does not seem to abate. But theres no question that a substantial portion of the solution to homelessness lies in housing people. And heres another thing thats obvious: Going into court on flimsy pretexts to stop housing from being built only stops the nagging problem of homelessness from being solved. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook It isnt just journalists who should be outraged over what happened to freelance videographer Bryan Carmody in San Francisco last Friday: Police handcuffed him while they searched his home in an apparent bid to identify a confidential source. The officers seized telephones, computers, tablets and notebooks after using a sledgehammer to try to break through Carmodys front gate. In a separate search of the office of his news service, police found at least one of the things they had been looking for: a police report about the death in February of the citys public defender, Jeff Adachi. The searches of Carmodys house and office were authorized by warrants obtained from judges as part of a criminal investigation into the leaking of the report, which contained details about Adachis death. The medical examiner found in March that Adachi died as the result of an accidental overdose of cocaine and alcohol. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement But the fact that police obtained warrants doesnt means the searches were legal. As David Snyder, a lawyer and executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, pointed out, California expressly prohibits police from seizing material covered by Californias shield law. The shield law, part of the state Constitution, says that journalists cant be punished in court for refusing to identify their sources or turn over confidential information related to newsgathering. California and the dozens of other states that have shield laws recognize that sometimes its necessary for journalists to protect the identities of their sources in order to report about corruption or government misconduct. There is no federal shield law, but these searches also seem to violate a federal statute known as the Privacy Protection Act of 1980. That law requires law enforcement officers, including state and local police, to seek work product materials from a journalist through a subpoena rather than by executing a search warrant. That way a journalist can challenge the subpoena. (There is an exception for cases in which a journalist is reasonably suspected of committing a crime. But Carmodys lawyer said police havent told him or his client that Carmody is suspected of a crime.) The Freedom of Information Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists of Northern California warned that San Franciscos wrongful actions against Carmody threaten fundamental journalistic freedoms which are vital to a functioning democracy. That statement places laws such as the shield law and the Privacy Protection Act in proper perspective: They are intended not to confer special privileges on one profession but to serve the public interest. The public as well as the press should be shocked by what happened to Bryan Carmody. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook One sad thing is almost certain about Tuesdays school board election: Voter turnout will be low. Its an off month in an off year, and just one seat on the Los Angeles Unified School District board is being decided. Attention has been focused more on the parcel tax vote set for June than on this race to fill the seat of disgraced former board member Ref Rodriguez. We hope voters prove us wrong and show up in large numbers to fill the seat for District 5, which covers a swath from Los Feliz and Silver Lake in the north to small cities such as Cudahy and Huntington Park to the south. And if and when they do, we hope they will vote for Heather Repenning. Her opponent, Jackie Goldberg, is a strong candidate with tremendous political and educational knowledge. Goldberg is ferociously smart, likable and articulate, and a natural leader. By contrast, Repenning, a longtime aide to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, has little direct experience with education, other than having a child who attends a district school. But Repenning is the better candidate for what the district needs now. Plenty of board members are steeped in relevant experience, having worked years in education. What the board lacks is enough independent-thinking members who are neither on the pro-charter reform side nor on the side that aligns with United Teachers Los Angeles. There are too many reflexive votes and not enough thoughtful consideration of each issue on its individual merits. Advertisement Repenning not only takes a nuanced and more neutral approach to district issues, but she also has a record of bridging divides in her work up to now. She also would be the only board member with a child currently attending district schools, which gives her a strong sense of how policies made on high affect education on the ground. Goldberg is far more ideological in her approach, and a strong ally of the teachers union. That said, Goldberg nearly took the seat in the primary, even among a crowded field of candidates. She is far more likely to win the seat Tuesday. But whether she or Repenning prevails, we hope it is the result of robust numbers of voters showing up to support their candidate. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Ever since Donald Trump came down that Trump Tower escalator to announce his candidacy for president weve heard a great deal about the abuse of norms constitutional norms, democratic norms, norms of decency all kinds of norms. For Trump supporters, the presidents frequent violation of norms, while occasionally regrettable, were for the most part welcome because they proved he was willing to fight to win. This was necessary, the theory went, because the left didnt care about norms anymore, they only cared about winning. But this view that the other side plays dirty so we must too is hardly new to American politics. The sentiment is practically baked into politics. But the degree and intensity of the baking has increased, and has come to define, whichever side has been out of power over the last few decades. President Clintons impeachment on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice came after years of frustration with what was perceived as Slick Willies flouting of political norms. The 2000 presidential election vote recount in Florida and the Supreme Court settling the Bush vs. Gore recount dispute was all the evidence online progressive activists (called the netroots in pre-Twitter nomenclature) needed to argue that Democrats needed fighting Dems to play as dirty as they imagined Karl Rove, Bushs supposed Rasputin, was playing. Partisans invariably think the other side is cheating perhaps just a little bit more than they really are, so when they decide to fight fire with fire, they emulate the worst-imagined tactics of the enemy creating a race-to-the-bottom dynamic. If you read the report a bestseller on Amazon its clear there was no coverup. Advertisement And that brings us to the Democrats rush to create a constitutional crisis where there isnt one. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Atty. Gen. William Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over a fully unredacted version of the Mueller report in compliance with a subpoena. Its a wild overreaction given that Barrs decision to release the Mueller report almost in its entirety was entirely discretionary. By law, and by custom, he was under no obligation to release anything since the norm is for the Department of Justice to stay silent if it fails to find prosecutable crimes. His only objectional transgression against traditional norms was offering a Trump-friendly memo accurately, if tendentiously, summarizing its conclusions. And that was enough for Democrats to lock in to a coverup narrative. Never mind that Barr soon waived all executive privilege claims and released the whole report, redacting only a sliver of material that relied on confidential grand jury testimony and a few sentences that might reveal sources and methods of intelligence gathering. The latter is stuff the Russians would presumably love to see, the former is stuff Barr is barred by law from releasing. If you read the report a bestseller on Amazon its clear there was no coverup. As a compromise, Barr invited congressional leaders to look at an even more unredacted version. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refused to even look at the report, saying a 99.9% redaction-free report wasnt good enough. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Instead of praising Barr for releasing to the public what amounts to an off-the-shelf roadmap for impeachment, Barr is not only being charged with contempt, but Democrats are cavalierly talking about throwing Barr in jail. The Democrats are on much better legal footing in their pursuit of the presidents tax returns, but even here the effort amounts to responding to one violation of norms with another. Trump should have abided by custom and released his returns, as past presidents have done and as he said he would. But the law says Congress can demand to see them. The law is a bad one prone to abuse, but the Trump administration will still have to comply. But in listening to Democrats explain why they want the returns, you can see how corrupting the desire to get Trump has become. On MSNBCs Morning Joe, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) offered his reason for wanting the tax returns: To rub the truth in the faces of the people who follow Mr. Trump, his base. He wants them to say, Weve been had. I cant wait for that to happen, he added. Pascrell will likely be sorely disappointed by the capacity of Trumps base to absorb negative revelations about the president. But thats beside the point. The White House is wrong when it claims Congress must have a legislative purpose to see the returns. But democratic norms suggest that Congress shouldnt require confidential tax returns to be spilled out just for the purpose of saying nyah, nyah to voters or to prove that Democrats are just as willing to fight dirty too. The Czech author Milan Kundera began his 1979 novel, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, by describing two photographs. In the first, two men are standing side by side, a Czech nationalist later executed for his views and the countrys Communist ruler. In the second, the dissenter is gone, airbrushed out. Today, if Kundera hadnt written that opening to his book, only someone with a long memory or a penchant for research would know that the two men had ever shared a podium. In the world of Donald Trump and Robert S. Mueller III, we might say that the dissident was redacted from the photo. In the 448 pages of the Mueller report, there are nearly 1,000 redactions, some adding up to only a few words (or possibly names), others blacking out whole pages. The House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) insists weve entered a constitutional crisis largely because Atty. Gen. William Barr wont let Congress see the entire report. Yet on the whole, criticism of the incomplete nature of the report has proved less than might have been anticipated, perhaps because Americans have grown used to living in an age of redactions. Such complacency should be cause for concern. For while some redaction is undoubtedly necessary in modern government, the secrecy that accompanies it inevitably redacts democracy as well. Like its sibling deletion, redaction is anything but unprecedented when it comes to making U.S. government documents public. My generation, after all, received the Warren Commission Report on the assassination of President Kennedy with significant cuts made in the very records on which it was based. And who could forget the infamous 18-and-a-half-minute gap in President Nixons tapes? Later testimony revealed that it had undoubtedly been done to hide evidence connecting the White House to the Watergate burglars. Advertisement In the end, obscuring the grimmest aspects of our own recent history will leave American citizens unable to understand the country in which they live. Still, even among such examples, the post-9/11 period stands out. Consider the 28 pages about Saudi Arabia that were blacked out of the 9/11 Commission Report on the World Trade Center attacks. The 2005 Robb-Silberman Report on Weapons of Mass Destruction, classified and therefore redacted entire chapters; six of its 74 recommendations were completely excised. Military reports on the well-photographed abuses that Americans committed at Abu Ghraib, the Iraqi prison, came out with similarly substantial redactions. So, too, have the reports and books on the CIAs use of torture at black sites. In FBI agent Ali Soufans book, The Black Banners, an entire chapter on Abu Zubaydah, an Al Qaeda figure who was waterboarded 83 times, was redacted by the CIA. It mattered not at all that Soufan had already testified about his efforts to stop the use of such techniques in a public hearing before Congress. These examples reflect the unprecedented rate at which information has been removed from the public in the last 19 years. Between 2001 and 2005, for instance, the number of classified government documents doubled. Youd just be amazed at the kind of information thats classified everyday information, things we all know from the newspaper, said former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean, chairman of the 9/11 Commission. The courts agree. Judge T.S. Ellis III, who has overseen many high-profile national security cases, admitted to a firm suspicion that the executive branch over-classifies, and Judge Leonie Brinkema expressed her frustration at the shroud of secrecy that hampered the prosecution of convicted terrorism defendant Zacarias Moussaoui. In the first days of his presidency, Barack Obama declared his intention to reverse the trend toward over-classification. He released the 2002-05 memos written to justify enhanced interrogation techniques put in place in George W. Bushs administration. For a time, the rate of classification of new documents did indeed drop. Despite that, it proved impossible to stanch, no less reverse the urge to redact. As Obama explained, In a dangerous world, the United States must protect information that is classified for purposes of national security. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Now the Trump administration and the national security state are trying to prevent the actual reporting of information. In March, the president issued an executive order ending the Pentagons public accounting of drone strikes and the civilian casualties they cause. In Afghanistan, the American military will no longer report on the amount of territory under Taliban control, a metric that the previous U.S. commander there had called the most telling in a counterinsurgency. Trump has even displayed his aversion to basic note taking or record-keeping during White House meetings, as the Mueller report pointed out. If blacking out information becomes an ever more accepted Washington paradigm, it will threaten the very idea of an informed citizenry, which lies at the heart of the democratic way of life. In Nadlers jousting with Barr, he acknowledged the danger posed by a lack of transparency and accountability in government. I am certain, he said, there is no way forward for this country that does not include a reckoning of this clear and present danger to our constitutional order. In the end, obscuring the grimmest aspects of our own recent history will leave American citizens unable to understand the country in which they live. As with that photograph in the Kundera novel, our children may in the future see the consequences of past acts without truly recognizing them, just as many Czechs who saw that photo Kundera described undoubtedly thought it represented reality. The record of how democracy is being disappeared sentence by sentence, passage by passage, fact by fact, event by event surely rings a bell with Kundera. He summed up his own times version of the process this way: The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting. Today, Americans are forgetting. Karen J. Greenberg is the director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law and the author of, among other books, The Least Worst Place: Guantanamos First 100 Days Julia Tedesco helped with research for this article, a longer version of which is posted at TomDispatch.com. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook John Bolton, President Trumps national security advisor, is leading the United States in a dangerous direction. In February, it was Bolton who reportedly pressed Trump to take an uncompromising line on denuclearization with North Koreas Kim Jung Un, leading to a fruitless summit and an escalation of tensions. More recently, Bolton has taunted the Iranian regime, including issuing a dire warning last week of impending U.S. military action. And, closer to home, he has become the point person for the administrations efforts to oust Nicolas Maduros government in Venezuela. While these may seem like disconnected responses to pressing global events, they are not. Rather, they reflect Boltons longstanding grudges against North Korea, Iran and Cuba (Maduros patron), and his deeply held beliefs regarding the futility of diplomacy, the benefits of regime change, and the wisdom of military action. Bolton an unrepentant champion of the disastrous Iraq war has never met a rogue state he didnt want to isolate, topple and attack and North Korea has long been at the top of his hit list. Advertisement In the 1990s, Bolton argued strongly against negotiations to head off North Koreas fledgling nuclear weapons program. As undersecretary of State for arms control and international security in the George W. Bush administration, Bolton worked to ensure that the 1994 Agreed Framework that froze North Koreas nuclear efforts was killed at the first opportunity, opening the way for steady advancement of the countrys nuclear program. On North Korea, Iran and Venezuela, it appears Boltons preferences, not Trumps, are winning out. Since then, Bolton has regularly opined about the futility of negotiations with Pyongyang and advocated military action and regime change. Indeed, Boltons last major op-ed before entering the Trump administration last year made the case for a preventive war against North Korea. Now, advising a president who desperately wants to cut a deal with Kim Jung Un, Bolton has done everything he can to make that deal harder to achieve. Boltons hard line toward Pyongyang is perhaps only surpassed by his fixation on Iran. During a trip to Israel a month before the 2003 Iraq invasion, Bolton told Israeli officials that once Saddam Hussein was dealt with, the United States should turn its sights to Iran. And over the past decade, countless Bolton op-eds, Fox News appearances, and speeches have called for attacking Iran and supporting regime change there. In January 2018, even as international inspectors repeatedly confirmed that Iran was complying with its nuclear obligations, Bolton dismissed the value of the nuclear deal and argued that Americas policy should instead be to end the regime before its 40th anniversary in 2019. During Trumps first year in office, national security advisor H.R. McMaster and then-Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis urged the president to remain within the nuclear deal. But once Bolton took up residence in the White House in April 2018, he egged on Trump to jettison the agreement and re-impose crippling sanctions. A month later, Trump obliged. This February, apparently disappointed that the Iranian regime had made it to its 40th birthday, Bolton posted an ominous video in which he warned Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: I dont think youll have many more anniversaries to enjoy. And last week, in response to alleged intelligence suggesting Iranian proxies might be preparing attacks on U.S. troops, Bolton issued a statement declaring a surge of American military assets to the Middle East and threatening Iran with unrelenting force. In our own hemisphere, Bolton has also championed the Trump administrations efforts to unseat the Maduro regime in Venezuela. Two weeks ago, as opposition leader Juan Guaido made a bold bid to rally the Venezuelan military to remove Maduro, Bolton took to Twitter, warning senior Venezuelan officials that Your time is up. This is your last chance. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute In this instance, Boltons bellicosity is mostly a proxy for his longstanding animus toward Cuba. (As far back as 2002, Bolton manipulated intelligence to accuse Cuba of developing biological weapons, while also claiming it was in league with Iran and Libya to threaten U.S. interests.) Today, Bolton sees the Maduro government as Cubas cats-paw and a conduit for Havanas influence in Latin America. Maduros demise is therefore viewed as a useful means of weakening another nemesis. During a speech in Miami in November, Bolton declared that the Trump administrations ultimate goal was to confront the troika of tyranny in the hemisphere, which includes Cuba alongside Venezuela and Nicaragua. Given Trumps stated desire for deal-making and his campaign promises to eschew regime change and new foreign wars, Boltons agenda would seem to be very much at odds with that of his boss. Asked about the divide during an impromptu press briefing Thursday, Trump said Bolton has strong views on things, but thats OK. I actually temper John, which is pretty amazing, isnt it? Yet, on North Korea, Iran and Venezuela, it appears Boltons preferences, not Trumps, are winning out. In March 2018, when Trump decided to hire Bolton, he reportedly joked with McMaster that Bolton was going to get us into a war. In recent days, he has repeated that warning. But Trump is wrong. If Bolton achieves his longstanding ambitions, he wont get us into a war it will be wars, plural. Colin H. Kahl co-directs the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. Jon B. Wolfsthal is a senior advisor to Global Zero. They both held national security positions in the Obama administration. To the editor: SB 50, a bill in California to allow for higher-density housing, is more peril than promise. It will not solve our housing shortage. It will override decades of community involvement, upzone hundreds of thousands of properties in Los Angeles alone, and create windfall profits for some landowners while eliminating most single-family neighborhoods. It does not assure construction of affordable housing and will result in immense unstudied environmental impacts leading to lengthy litigation. Most importantly, it will destroy the time-honored principles of local land-use decisions. As a principal planner for the city of Los Angeles, I attended hundreds of community meetings, met thousands of voters and know that most Angelenos would not benefit from this legislation. They want to work out the housing issues as appropriate for each neighborhood. Advertisement You cant fix a complex issue with a one-size edict from Sacramento. Elizabeth Weisman, Los Angeles .. To the editor: You propose that SB 50 gives cities two years to meet their housing targets before taking effect. It is not unreasonable for the state to require cities to find room for more and denser housing in appropriate locations near jobs. But having a law that would in two years authorize developers to build low- to mid-rise housing complexes almost anywhere they like invites them to wait. California has lots of space for housing; the question is where it should go. I suggest new job centers should be accompanied by plenty of adjacent or nearby new housing. In any event, the proper answer from communities to SB 50 can be summarized in two words taken from the state Constitution: referendum and initiative. Gary Wesley, Mountain View, Calif. .. To the editor: You ask, Who gets to decide whats historic? Residents, historians and preservation specialists namely, the Office of Historic Resources in L.A.s Department of City Planning have determined that more than 30 areas are culturally and architecturally significant in telling the story of community development and life in early 20th century Los Angeles. Some of our historic preservation overlay zones (HPOZs) are only a few blocks, and most cannot be described as ritzy or elite. HPOZs contain plenty of multi-tenant structures and renters who value the preservation of our citys heritage for future generations. Most contain environmentally critical mature trees. HPOZs are not closed communities; office workers from the towers on Wilshire Boulevard can often be seen in my neighborhood walking during their lunch hour for the sake of their physical and mental well-being. Meanwhile, plenty of space exists for high-rise housing along our main transit corridors. Los Angeles leaders talk about being a world-class city. What world-class city tears down its history again and again? Ann Rubin, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Wary of the political risks and practical difficulties of Medicare-for-all proposals that would move every American into a government health plan, Democrats increasingly are embracing more modest plans to use Medicare to expand insurance coverage. This strategy backed by former Vice President Joe Biden as well as other Democratic presidential hopefuls and leading members of Congress would give Americans the option to sign up for Medicare, the half-century-old government plan currently reserved for the elderly and disabled. But it would not mandate government coverage, effectively allowing Americans to retain their current commercial health plans. Even this more incremental approach marks a significant leftward shift by Democrats: A decade ago, during the Obama administration, party lawmakers eschewed such an expansion when they passed the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare. Advertisement It stops well short, however, of the more expansive Medicare-for-all plan that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has made a central plank of his 2020 presidential campaign. The debate over how to expand health coverage has highlighted the most significant policy difference so far among the many people seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. Although its too soon to know how the issue will be resolved, expanding Medicare choice seems to be emerging as the preferred strategy supplanting Medicare for all, which just months ago looked to be a litmus test for Democratic candidates. Sanders remains committed to Medicare for all, and he and his allies on the left wing of the Democratic Party dismiss more limited proposals as inadequate to address the healthcare affordability crisis faced by tens of millions of Americans. We need a president who will not back down until every American is guaranteed healthcare as a human right, period, said Josh Orton, a senior advisor on the Sanders campaign. Many on the left warn that compromising on Medicare for all would repeat what they see as the mistake Democrats made in 2010, when they settled on a centrist solution for expanding coverage in hopes of winning support from Republicans and centrist Democrats. The GOP instead spent the last decade trying to overturn Obamacare. Four of the Democratic senators seeking the presidential nomination have endorsed Sanders bill proposing Medicare for all: Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Booker and Harris, however, appear to have backed away from the plan in recent months, saying that although they support Medicare for all, they do not want to eliminate private insurance. And Warren, despite her embrace of many liberal positions, has assiduously avoided being tied too closely to Medicare for all, saying at a CNN town hall in March that shes open to different pathways to achieve universal coverage. When he kicked off his campaign two weeks ago, Biden told a crowd in Pittsburgh, Pa., that he believed Medicare should be a choice for people unhappy with their current coverage. That approach reflects the political and logistical challenges of moving to a so-called single-payer system. Medicare for all sounds like something that would be very popular, said former California Rep. Henry Waxman, a liberal Democrat who over four decades in Congress championed multiple expansions in coverage, including the 2010 healthcare law. The problem is that many dont realize the flaws of making Medicare the only choice. The latest from Washington The growing recognition of the difficulties has been underscored by polls showing that, although Medicare for all remains popular in the abstract, many Americans are leery of the potential trade-offs. A survey earlier this year by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation, for example, found that support for a single government plan fell from 56% to 37% when respondents were told that such a plan might involve eliminating private insurance companies or requiring more taxes. The foundation has no affiliation with the Kaiser Permanente health plan. Making Medicare an option out-polled Medicare for all 74% to 56% in the Kaiser poll. Another national poll, by Morning Consult, found supporters of Medicare for all were as likely to put a top priority on having Congress create an optional government plan for Americans as they were to say Medicare for all should be the top priority. These results are not surprising, said Celinda Lake, a longtime Democratic pollster. Medicare for all has transitioned from a goal to an actual policy, she said. The conversation has become more real. In addition to worrying voters who have employer-based coverage, the push for Medicare for all has also concerned elderly Americans, many of whom see it as potentially threatening to their own Medicare coverage. The Trump administration and its congressional allies have tried to capitalize on those fears in recent months, working to undercut the political advantage that Democrats have enjoyed on healthcare since Republicans undertook their unpopular effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky routinely refers to Sanders plan as Medicare for none, and President Trump has made repeated efforts to use the Medicare-for-all initiative and other Democratic policy ideas to tag the party as socialists. Although Biden, the early front-runner, and other Democratic presidential contenders have yet to detail their preferred alternatives to Sanders Medicare-for-all bill, one possible blueprint is contained in legislation sponsored by two liberal House Democrats that would expand Medicare eligibility while preserving the current system of job-based coverage that most working Americans rely on. The Medicare for America bill co-authored by Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), in concert with the Center for American Progress contains ambitious provisions to fold Medicaid and other government programs into Medicare. It has 16 co-sponsors, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), a top advisor to the Sanders campaign. Khanna signed onto the bill last week. Former Rep. Beto ORourke also backs their proposal. Schakowsky, who also backs Medicare for all as a goal, stressed that the two approaches were not incompatible. Medicare for America is still a bold plan. It just may not be as threatening, she said. And we would get to test out a lot of things that could be applicable if we go to Medicare for all. More immediately, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) is urging Democrats to focus on strengthening the current healthcare law, a move that is broadly popular and has spurred Republicans to remain on the defense politically. House Democrats this week plan to advance a series of bills to reverse the Trump administrations efforts to undermine the 2010 law. More stories from Noam N. Levey Montana Gov. Steve Bullock elbowed his way Tuesday into the crowded Democratic field for president, presenting himself as a political reformer whos achieved results in his Republican-leaning state by showing a rare capacity to work across partisan lines. I dont have the luxury of just talking to people who agree with me, Bullock said in a video announcing his candidacy. I go all across our states 147,000 square miles and look for common ground to get things done. With Bullocks entry, the Democratic field grew to nearly two dozen contestants, the largest in modern history. Finishing his second and final term, Bullock, 53, hopes to distinguish himself with his Western pedigree he grew up in Helena and, as a newsboy, delivered papers to the governors mansion and his accomplishments in a state President Trump carried by more than 20 percentage points. Advertisement Bullock won reelection on that same November ballot and has since worked with a Republican-run Legislature to pass a six-year expansion of the federal Medicaid program, continuing one of the major achievements of his first term. The program, expanding care to nearly 100,000 Montana residents, was made possible by the Affordable Care Act, which many Republicans fiercely oppose. Bullock also worked with GOP lawmakers to enact legislation limiting the influence of anonymous donors and making Montanas elections more transparent. He suggests the state is a model of how government can, and should, work. We see each other as neighbors first, Bullock said in his January State of the State address. When making political decisions, we still share a common set of facts. By and large, we treat one another with respect, even when we disagree. Our politics are more than a sport, or a zero-sum game. Whos running for president and whos not As Democrats debate how best to reclaim the White House spurring turnout in blue states or building on the party base by winning over independents and persuadable Republicans Bullock suggests they can do both. Democrats dont always show up in places where it might be a harder sell, he said in a fall 2017 interview as he eyed a presidential bid. I think were getting to the point where at times its data and analytics that say, You grab this group, this group, this group, this region, this region, this region, you got an electoral win. If all youre doing is flying over states like Montana not just Montana most of middle America, going to raise money as opposed to actually stopping in, thats not showing up. Bullock has been weighing a White House bid for some time, paying half a dozen visits to Iowa, which casts the first presidential ballots next February, and making the rounds of political chat shows and talk festivals. He has already made one notable policy shift, on gun control, to align himself with prevailing sentiment within the national Democratic Party; Bullock now supports both a ban on semiautomatic weapons as well as universal backgrounds checks for gun purchasers. His delayed entry Bullock insisted on waiting until the Legislature finished its every-other-year session could make it difficult to qualify for the first round of presidential debates, scheduled for the end of June. He planned to follow Tuesdays announcement with a trip later this week to Iowa. Democrats face internal rift as progressives condemn a policy to protect incumbents Democrats in Washington tried hard to dissuade Bullock from seeking the White House, urging him instead to challenge Montanas freshman Republican senator, Steve Daines, who is up for reelection in 2020. The failure to convince Bullock is one of a number of recruiting disappointments for Democrats, who had also hoped to persuade Beto ORourke, John Hickenlooper and Stacey Abrams to take on Republican Senate incumbents in Texas, Colorado and Georgia, respectively. ORourke and Hickenlooper are both pursuing White House bids and Abrams has said she is considering a presidential run. Ive expressed all along I just dont have an interest in running for U.S. Senate, Bullock said in a March interview for the Montana Lowdown podcast. I think that my skill set and what Ive done, I just wouldnt enjoy it, so Id ruled it out. mark.barabak@latimes.com @markzbarabak President Trump is dismissing a report that the U.S. is planning for a military conflict with Iran. Trump was responding to Tuesdays report in the New York Times that the White House is reviewing military plans against Iran that could result in sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons. Trump says its fake news. He says he would absolutely be willing to send troops, but that he has not planned for that and hopefully wont have to plan for that. He says if the U.S. were going to get into a military conflict with Iran, wed send a hell of a lot more troops. Advertisement Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday at the White House before traveling to Louisiana. For people who geek out over Superman or Star Wars, there are many conventions and opportunities to express, exhibit and indulge their fandom perhaps the best known being the annual Comic-Con in San Diego. Well, Nancy and Todd Tei, Burbank residents and fans of food-competition shows, wanted something like that for foodies, whose Kryptonite is a sweet tooth or who try to balance the dark and light sides while eating a black-and-white cookie. Its a following thats almost the same type of thing, Todd Tei said. Thats what led them to launch the LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show, set to return to the area for its second year the weekend of Feb. 6 and 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Quenelle, a dessert shop in Burbank, will have treats like these cookies at LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) This years event is blurring the lines between Cookie Con and Comic-Con this year, Nancy Tei said, with an anticipated appearance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played the title character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in addition to headliners Ron Ben-Israel of Food Networks Sweet Genius and Rosanna Pansino of the YouTube cooking show Nerdy Nummies. Last years event, featuring celebrity guests, food samples, demonstrations, classes and food competitions, sold out the Pasadena Convention Center for its one-day debut last January. It was so popular, in fact, that it caught the organizers by surprise and overwhelmed the mostly volunteer staff. Several foodies were fed up with the long lines and overwhelming crowds and took to social media and review sites to complain. Last year was definitely tough, Nancy Tei said. Some attendees who paid for access to a VIP area complained that non-VIP guests were allowed into the area when staff abandoned their posts to help out in other areas, while others said they stood in line for hours but were ultimately turned away. However, several reviewers tempered their negative comments by noting it was the first year for the event and saying they were willing to accept some growing pains. Nancy Tei, a local native with a background in marketing, said thats exactly what it was more growth than they could handle with first-year resources. Were a small business at heart, she said, adding that most first-year shows are quiet. Quenelle, a dessert shop in Burbank, will have treats like this strawberry shortcake ice cream at LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) That wasnt true for the inaugural cookie event, though, where not only was turnout greater than expected, but people seemed to all arrive all at once instead of spread throughout the day. Nancy Tei said the shows marketing sought to build big excitement and told people to come early. People listened, she said. With the show set to return in two weeks, the Teis said theyve made improvements to avoid those problems while making the show bigger and better by moving to a venue three times larger, adding an extra day to the schedule, expanding the programming and hiring experienced professional staff. Were just able, because of the success of last year, to do better, Nancy Tei said. Glendale resident John Park, who owns and operates Quenelle ice cream shops in Burbank and San Marino, signed on this week as an exhibitor for the show. He said he sees it as a way to introduce new customers to his shops specialties, such as blueberry-pie ice cream with pie crust and filling made from scratch, while developing connections in the sweets segment of L.A. It just seems like a really great show, Park said. It brings the food community together ... People who love sweets just come together. -- Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com Twitter: @chadgarland A Huntington Beach woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of running a statewide fraudulent foreclosure scam, authorities said. Brandy Taylor, 55, was taken into custody Nov. 9 on suspicion of fraud and is being held on $1.36 million bail, police said. Authorities from Santa Barbara and Alameda counties contacted the Orange County district attorneys office after a months-long investigation into a so-called foreclosure rescue scam, in which a Huntington Beach-based company called Carrington Investments/The Wellington Group is suspected of defrauding victims throughout California, police said. Police said the company would offer to halt the foreclosure of peoples homes with fraudulent deeds of trust. The company also charged a monthly fee. The company had clients sign documents that were sent to banks to stop foreclosures, but the banks ultimately recognized the documents were falsified, said police spokeswoman Jennifer Marlatt. Marlatt said Taylor ran the business. Huntington Beach police detectives, along with district attorneys offices from Orange, Alameda and Santa Barbara counties, served several search warrants in Huntington Beach. Alameda and Santa Barbara counties issued two arrest warrants for Taylor in early November and she was taken into custody by Huntington Beach police, police said. Marlatt said Taylor has been the only person arrested in this case. benjamin.brazil@latimes.com Twitter: @benbrazilpilot At Gov. Gavin Newsoms request, California filed a lawsuit Friday against the city of Huntington Beach over what state officials describe as the citys failure to allow enough homebuilding to accommodate a growing population. Newsom said the suit is needed to address rising housing costs that threaten economic growth and deepen inequality. The lawsuit accuses Huntington Beach of defying a state law that requires cities and counties to set aside sufficient land for housing development. The California Department of Housing and Community Development issued letters to the city in 2015 and 2018 requesting that it comply. Many cities are taking herculean efforts to meet this crisis head on, Newsom said in a statement. But some cities are refusing to do their part to address this crisis and willfully stand in violation of California law. Those cities will be held to account. The state is asking that an Orange County Superior Court judge order Huntington to comply with the law. It also seeks attorney fees and other costs. But Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates contended the city has been, in fact, complying with all applicable state housing and zoning laws. Huntington has been and will continue to work with the California Department of Housing and Community Development regarding meeting the citys Regional Housing Needs Assessment, Gates said in a statement Friday. Any delay experienced by the city in its ability to amend its zoning and/or make additional progress has been caused by the city fighting lawsuits and court appeals filed by plaintiffs such as the Kennedy Commission. He pointed to recent court victories in an ongoing lawsuit in which the Kennedy Commission, an affordable-housing advocacy group, alleged that an amendment to the citys development plan for the Beach Boulevard-Edinger Avenue corridor violated state housing law. Gates called the states lawsuit timed poorly because it interrupts months of discussions between the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Kennedy Commission toward reaching a resolution of outstanding disputes. He said it also raises questions about the states motive, as 50 other cities in California have not yet met their RHNA targets. Gates said the city is reviewing its options on how to respond to the lawsuit. The case against Huntington Beach is a rare legal action by the state against a local government over housing laws. In 2009, when former Gov. Jerry Brown was attorney general, the state intervened in a lawsuit against the Bay Area city of Pleasanton, where voters capped the amount of housing allowed. The case ended with Pleasanton getting rid of its cap, zoning for more homes and owing about $4 million in attorney fees. Though cities and counties do not build homes, local restrictions on development, such as high fees or a lack of land zoned for residential use, can prevent construction that might otherwise occur. Higher-income coastal communities, including Huntington Beach, often maintain some of the tightest development rules in the state, even as housing costs have soared in the past decade. The median home value in the beach city of 200,000 people tops $834,000, according to real estate website Zillow. More than half of Huntington Beachs tenants are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing, according to U.S. Census data. Huntington Beach put itself in a shortfall toward its state-mandated target for low-income housing units when the council in 2015 amended the Beach and Edinger Corridors Specific Plan, which was adopted in 2010 to help revitalize Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue by streamlining the building approval process. The amendments reduced the cap on new residential development from 4,500 units to 2,100 and imposed stricter height and setback requirements after many residents complained about the high rate at which high-density residential projects were popping up. The original Beach and Edinger plan is tied to Huntington Beachs housing element, a guideline in the city general plan that it uses to identify ways the city can address housing needs for all economic segments as the community grows. The amendments meant the city no longer had enough land zoned to accommodate low-income residents under state requirements, prompting a lawsuit two months later from the Kennedy Commission. According to the states lawsuit, the Department of Housing and Community Development began working with the city to prepare an amended and legally compliant housing element shortly after it issued its first letter in 2015. But the Kennedy Commission sued Huntington in the midst of the state and city partnership. Were concerned about the opportunities for affordable housing, being that Orange County is among the least affordable counties in the nation and in California, Cesar Covarrubias, the nonprofits executive director, said in 2015. We believe that every city should have appropriate sites to create opportunities for housing all its residents, especially low-income residents. The city argued in court that it was working to amend its housing element and that the Kennedy Commissions lawsuit was unnecessary and would soon be moot. But a proposed plan was unanimously rejected by the City Council in 2016. Councilman Erik Peterson said at the time that the city should prepare to fight the state regarding the mandated amount of low-income housing in the city. The legal battle with the Kennedy Commission is continuing, though a state appeals court ruled in favor of the city in 2017 because Huntington is a charter city, exempting it from some state zoning laws. After Housing and Community Development issued a second notice of noncompliance in 2018, the city said it would create a new housing plan after it resolved its dispute with the Kennedy Commission. The time for empty promises has come to an end, the states lawsuit says. The city should not be allowed to avoid its statutory obligations any longer. Huntington Beach has issued permits and filed inspections for more than 2,500 new housing units, including about 100 very-low-income and low-income deed-restricted units, since 2014, according to Gates. The city also established a Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program designed for extremely low-income and homeless people, he said. State Assemblyman Tyler Diep (R-Westminster) expressed support for Huntington Beach, part of the area he represents, and said litigation isnt the solution to the housing shortage. There are reports on cities in California stating they will not meet their 2040 housing goals until the year 2295 or after, Diep said in a statement Friday. Huntington Beach has had a 4% population increase since 2004; meanwhile, some of the fastest-growing cities in California are required to build less housing than this city. State Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) said in a statement that he was befuddled that Newsom a former mayor of San Francisco, a city with high housing costs singled out Huntington Beach with litigation instead of engaging in goodwill gestures to help cities reach their housing goals. Once this approach is started, then it must be applied to all other cities not in compliance, Moorlach said. He should have a policy of no better, no worse. Otherwise, these are strong-arm tactics. Priscella Vega is a Daily Pilot staff writer. Liam Dillon writes for the Los Angeles Times. UPDATES: This article was originally published at 9:10 a.m. and has been updated throughout. Former Newport Beach City Councilman Scott Peotter has endorsed Orange County prosecutor Kelly Ernby in her run for the states 74th Assembly District seat in 2020 over his one-time council colleague Diane Dixon. Ernby, a Huntington Beach Republican and political newcomer, is facing off against fellow Republican Dixon, the current mayor of Newport Beach, and freshman Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach) for the seat representing portions of coastal and southern Orange County. Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon announces Assembly bid against Petrie-Norris As a former Newport Beach city councilman, Ive had a chance to listen to constituents who have expressed whats important to them, Peotter said in a statement last week. Our community wants their private property rights protected, the freedom to take their dogs to the beach and a friendly environment for local businesses. I endorse Deputy District Attorney Kelly Ernby to stand up for whats important to the people of Newport Beach and the 74th Assembly District. Dixon, who started her second turn as mayor in December, was first elected to the Newport council alongside Peotter in 2014 as part of the Team Newport slate. All four members of Team Newport Dixon, Peotter, Marshall Duffy Duffield and Kevin Muldoon ran for reelection in 2018, but not as a slate. All retained their seats except Peotter, who lost to Joy Brenner. Dixon withdrew her endorsement for Peotters reelection last fall after his previously undisclosed business relationship with Duffield came to light, saying Peotter should have recused himself from votes that could affect Duffields business holdings at Newport Harbor. Duffield regularly recuses himself from harbor-related votes. On Tuesday, Peotter clarified his endorsement of Ernby, expressing approval for Dixons local work but adding that Ernby could take the Republican fight to the state Capitol. Diane does a good job for Newport Beach, but we need a fighter who will stand up and be the loyal opposition in Sacramento, Peotter said in an email. Kelly Ernby is a deputy district attorney and has taken tough, complicated cases to trial and is not afraid of the fight you need to take on Sacramento. I served with Diane for four years and I dont believe that Diane has what it takes to do this job in a very partisan and caustic atmosphere. You need to have very strong convictions, and I believe that Kelly has the skills necessary to represent us. Dixon did not have an immediate comment Tuesday. Ernby describes herself as a pro-business, pro-taxpayer political outsider. I am honored by this early outpouring of support for our campaign, she said in a statement. Im excited to continue sharing my vision for the future of Orange County with our community. The 74th District deserves a genuine leader who will work to reduce barriers to business and enhance the quality of life of all Californians. The 74th Assembly District includes Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, southern Huntington Beach and most of Irvine. Demonstration against oil drilling set for Saturday in H.B. Environmentalists will join hands on the sand in Huntington Beach on Saturday in opposition to offshore oil and gas drilling. Participants in the demonstration, part of a global movement called Hands Across the Sand, will congregate at 11 a.m. at the parking lot entrance at Pacific Coast Highway and Newland Avenue before joining hands at noon. Environmentalists say Saturdays event is meant to protest a draft program released by President Trump in 2018 that proposed opening federal waters to oil and gas drilling. The plan has since been delayed. The demonstration will be held nearly four years to the day after a Santa Barbara County spill in which 140,000 gallons of crude oil blackened popular beaches for miles, killed wildlife and harmed tourism and fishing. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. The month-long trial in a sober-living home operators lawsuit against the city of Costa Mesa was sent to the jury after closing arguments wrapped up Thursday. The case could have far-reaching effects on the citys jurisdiction over group homes within its boundaries. Yellowstone Recovery, which has had a presence in Costa Mesa dating to 1988, sued the city in November 2014 over an ordinance that regulates group homes. Yellowstone, which was joined in the suit by two other operators, Sober Living Network and Lynn House, alleged the law unfairly discriminates against people recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, whom the operators serve through residential group facilities. Ordinance No. 14-13, adopted in October 2014, regulates group homes in the citys single-family residential zones and requires sober-living homes to apply for permits to operate in those neighborhoods. It caps the number of residents in a group home at six and prohibits sober-living homes from being within 650 feet of one another. The ordinance also regulates sober-living staff, or house managers, saying they cannot have records of violent felonies or drug, arson or sexual offenses in the past seven to 10 years. In December 2014, the city Planning Commission unanimously denied Yellowstones request for an exemption to house 15 people in a recovery home on Boston Way. The company holds a state license permitting up to 15 beds in a single facility, and it had two other sober-living homes in town that were in compliance with the rules. In their closing argument Thursday in a Santa Ana federal courtroom before U.S. District Judge James Selna, lawyers for the plaintiffs painted their clients as well-meaning organizations blocked from providing adequate housing for recovering addicts, who are considered disabled and protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and federal fair-housing laws. Just let us keep doing what weve been doing for 25 years, attorney Isaac Zfaty said. The citys lawyers portrayed Costa Mesa as accommodating and working in the best interest of group homes residents as well as the wider community. The plaintiffs argued that the ordinance unfairly targets sober-living homes when they shouldnt be classified any differently than other residential households. They called attempts to cap bed numbers, monitor parolees and determine who can work as house managers as excessive oversight. We are not a hospital, we are not treatment, we are just housing where disabled people live, said attorney Christopher Brancart. The city targeted sober-living homes by conducting parole raids, according to Zfaty, who added that one city employee scouted and documented sober-living housing. Brancart said code enforcement personnel accompanied police on calls to sober-living properties another example of what he called targeted oversight. Jennifer Keller, a lawyer the city contracted in March to defend Costa Mesa against lawsuits from sober-living operators, said the city had formerly lovely, tranquil neighborhoods and they were suddenly under siege by hoards of people moving into group homes. Keller described sober-living homes as places with bunk beds in every room where residents are packed in like sardines. She said such homes triggered neighbors complaints about noise and needles and that some nearby residents had been motivated to leave the area. She said the city decided not to grant Yellowstones request for 15 people after hearing from neighbors. The ordinance, she said, was a thoughtfully considered and carefully implemented law. The distance requirement aims to maintain the character of neighborhoods amid dramatic changes in housing, namely growth in group homes and rising housing costs, Keller said. She noted that the rule was refashioned to allow four times the density of group homes than originally proposed. But Yellowstone counsel Steven Polin argued that the city cant use land to tell addicts and alcoholics that they cant live in your city. Kellers closing showed that the city worked to create a thorough regulatory scheme that would protect disabled residents plus preserve the quality of the neighborhood, Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley said. She said the plaintiffs position is essentially that the city cannot regulate in any way sober-living homes, which she called untenable. Attorneys for the sober-living home operators said their clients including Yellowstone Chief Executive Anna Dr. Honey Thames, who was in the audience Thursday morning would not comment about the trial. julia.sclafani@latimes.com Anaheims signature transportation hub the $185 million, glittering glass dome known as ARTIC will for the first time since its opening in 2014 have its entire operating deficit paid out of the citys general fund. When the city cut the ribbon for the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center in December 2014, officials predicted the station would attract 3,000 riders daily and pay for its own operating costs. The city initially planned to cover some costs with a naming rights deal, but that hasnt materialized, and for the past three fiscal years the station has operated in the red, with a $2.5 million deficit for 2016-17. The total cost to taxpayers this fiscal year, including debt service, operating expenses and personnel, is $6.9 million. The past two fiscal years, the Anaheim Tourism Improvement District (ATID), a self-assessed public taxing district financed by businesses for improvements within the Anaheim Resort district, has subsidized property and operating expenses of nearly $2 million annually for ARTIC. The Anaheim Resort area includes Disneyland, the Anaheim Convention Center, hotels and other businesses. In late March, two members of the districts three-person board Fred Brown, director of operations for the Desert Palms Hotel & Suites, and Kris Theiler, vice president of the Disneyland Park raised questions about whether funding ARTIC was an appropriate use of the money and said they would not vote to pay for it again, according to city spokesman Mike Lyster. At the March 28 meeting, the third board member, Assistant City Manager Kristine Ridge, moved to have ATID pay ARTICs shortfall. The motion died when neither Brown nor Theiler supported it. Now that deficit will be paid for entirely by the general fund. The city never has depended on the Tourism Improvement District funding to subsidize the station as staff has always budgeted for the full cost of ARTIC each year, said Lyster, and they then try to find other sources of funding such as the money from ATID. He said the cost of running ARTIC doesnt compete with other services and is only a fraction of the citys total budget. $2.5 [million] out of $300 million is less than 1% of the general fund, Lyster said. This fiscal year ARTIC is projected to generate $1.4 million in revenue, in part from television shows and commercials filmed there, to offset its $3.87 million total operating budget. Another $3 million in annual debt payments is paid for by taxpayers countywide through a half-cent sales tax for transportation projects called Measure M2. Recently, officials also approved an advertising deal with the Honda Center that would guarantee another $80,000 in annual revenue for ARTIC. But Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait, who has viewed ARTIC and the state high speed rail project it was built for as a waste of taxpayer funds, says the money spent on ARTICs operations and for debt service is money that could be spent on other city services. Tait said he was surprised the Anaheim Resort district would not pay for ARTIC. It was built to benefit the resort district, thats obvious, and the benefit will mostly go toward the resort, Tait said. They advocated strongly for the building of it. A quarter of the ATID funds are required to go toward transportation projects. In the past those funds have been used to pay for the environmental review process for the Anaheim streetcar project, after the Orange County Transportation Authority voted to stop any work on the project. At the end of this fiscal year, the ATID transportation fund will have about $9 million, and is expecting an additional $4.4 million in revenue. They estimate another $4.9 million in 2017-2018. Now with the streetcar going away I dont know what the money would go toward, Tait said. Tait has also argued, just three years after the stations opening, another use should be found for ARTIC, pointing to the San Francisco Ferry Building, a former ferry station built in the late 1890s that has been turned into an indoor marketplace and food hall. It needs to be repurposed because its obviously not working, Tait argued. It was designed for high-speed rail, and thats not going to be happening any time soon. A 2015 survey of total ridership at ARTIC estimated 2,406 people on weekdays and 3,878 people on days where there are special events in the area. The national standard for counting ridership, however, counts a single passenger more than once based on their mode of travel. So if a passenger rides a taxi to ARTIC and gets on the train, they would be counted twice. When you break down the numbers, the number of riders leaving ARTIC by train is 880 daily, with 702 people arriving by train, according to the 2015 study. Since that study, ARTIC has garnered another 400 daily riders through a bus service to Mexico called Tres Estrellas del Oro. The service, which is geared toward immigrant families and includes on-board amenities like Spanish-language television, takes passengers from Anaheim to Tijuana and Guadalajara. This story was reported by Voice of OC, a nonprofit investigative newsroom, as part of a publishing agreement with TimesOC. Students in comic Richy Leis second stand-up comedy class in Glendale graduated on April 27 at the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena. While many other graduates in caps and gowns make the slow march to the tune of Pomp and Circumstance, all that the graduating comedy students needed was a stage, hot microphone and audience. Leis Comedy Cure matches comedians with more than 250 nonprofit organizations to help spread around the wealth. A portion of the proceeds from his Class Clowns Ice House shows goes to Glendale Arts, which manages the Alex Theatre. Elissa Glickman, the nonprofits chief executive, applauded the loudest for each budding comedian some slick, some novice. But all of them were willing to bare their all for laughs. The class comics who performed were Robert Redfeather, Susan Jekarl (her second time as a Class Clown), Frankie Norstad, Javon Stamps, Jermaine Javon and Berenice Diaz. Redfeather was a show standout. A retired bounty hunter, he is a Mescalero Apache from New Mexico. As part of his act, he described getting shot on the job. He caught the comedy bug while watching his friend Jekarl perform at the Ice House as one of Leis Class Clowns this past February. Also on the bill were professional comedians Kiran Deol and Ryan Stout. At the end of their sets, all the comedians posed in their bright, red clown noses in front of the club. It was a fun night, and Glendale Arts is proud to be part of the ride, Glickman said. The La Canada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild recently held a fundraiser at New Moon restaurant in Montrose. On May 7, about a dozen Glendale and La Crescenta residents showed up for an early lunch so that they could beat the dinner crowd. Glendale residents, from left, Karen Judson and Marie Baker enjoyed Chloe Shrimp at New Moon Restaurant for the La Canada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild. (Ruth Sowby Rands / Glendale News-Press) New Moons owner, Colin Tom, donated 15% of all guild purchases for lunch and dinner even takeout orders. Incidentally, Tom named one of his most popular dishes, Chloe shrimp, after his daughter. After the shrimp dish, another popular menu item for the afternoon was Kung Pao sole. It was to die for. Some even ordered an extra helping for takeout. Glendale residents enjoying lunch were Marie Baker and Karen Judson. Among La Crescenta residents who showed up hungry were Joan and Curtis Cleven, and Patti Rademacher. Proceeds will help orthopaedically challenged children. Ruth Sowby Rands may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. The Autry Museum has just added another facet to its mission of penetrating exhibitions that challenge shibboleths about the American West. The museum has been a consistent showplace for work that both confirms and expands upon the many concepts of Western art. The estate of artist Henry Fonseca has given a huge portion of the artists work to the Autry. At more than 900 pieces (including 500 original pieces, 19 large-format murals, 69 sketchbooks, and a number of posters, prints, collages and multiples), the Autry is now the largest repository of Fonsecas work. From the late 1960s to the 80s, artists and intellectuals examined ideas around national identity. A few Native American artists grappled with modernism and traditions: Luiseno painter Fritz Scholder (1937-2005), Winu/Nomtipom painter Frank La Pena (born 1937), Apache sculptor and painter Allan Houser (1914-1994), and Sacramento-born Henry Fonseca (1946-2006). Fonseca had a complex ethnic identity: descended from the Nisenen Maidu tribe, he also claimed Hawaiian and Portuguese ancestry. Though he studied with La Pena, renowned teacher and Native American art scholar, at U.C. Sacramento, Fonseca dropped out and went his own way. Harry Fonseca, In the Silence of Dusk They Began to Shed Their Skin, 1995, mixed media on paper. (Courtesy of the Autry Museum) Fonseca often worked in mixed media painting, collage and print. One of his strongest motifs was the recurring depiction of the coyote in many different guises. Among the postures that Fonseca gave his coyotes were as Uncle Sam on a vaudeville stage, a juvenile delinquent, a powwow dancer, a Wild West Show performer, a floozy, the principals in Verdis Carmen, a street pimp, a ballet dancer and a cigar store Indian chief. It was a perfect metaphorical image for Fonseca, claims Autry Chief Curator Amy Scott. I think he used Coyote to explore his own identity. Coyote slides from one identity to the next, from one setting to another. Hes a trickster, a transformer and a shape-shifter effortlessly crossing cultural lines. Hes a performer and Fonseca loved performance. He loved opera and ballet and one of the Coyotes stands in front of a brick wall. Well, thats in the San Francisco Mission District, where Fonseca lived in the 70s. That area was important to him as he came to terms with being a gay man. Fonsecas Stone Poems use prehistoric petroglyph imagery and basket design motifs combined with modernist fillips to explore Maidu creation myths handed down from his uncle. I think the Stone Poems are both some of the most ancient and at the same time some of the most contemporary aspects of Fonseca work, Scott says. Theyre somewhat ambiguous, as the petroglyphs are; not even the Native Americans understand everything about them. And while mystery is an element in Fonseca, Im cautious about using that word because so often its been used to brand something as primitive. And although he may use traditional elements, Fonsecas work is incredibly sophisticated. How does Scott see Fonseca in the art constellation? His work straddles the universal and the personal, she states. He combines elements that are quite internal to Native Americans but he combines them with global visual languages and abstractions, like Pollock drips. Fonseca delights in ambiguity. Fonseca draws on so many Native American traditions, Scott points out. There is a tremendous potential for exhibition subjects: the California missions, the Gold Rush, the mystical coyote, pop culture, the transformative effect of Catholicism on Native Americans, and modernism. For now, plans are underway for a small showing in one of the Autry galleries in October. Scott also sees a Fonseca show that she describes as major sometime in the future, but she cant say how it will play out at the moment. Beyond the curatorial potential, Scott sees an expanded possibility for the Autry with the acquisition. I hope this makes us a more visible repository for Native American art, she says. Fonsecas regard for tradition relates directly to much of the Native American art that we have in the Autry Collection. I think it can be a wonderful conduit for other items. -- KIRK SILSBEE writes about jazz and culture for Marquee. When Glendale Unified established its first dual-language immersion program in 2003, the school district became a trailblazer for offering students a Spanish class where they would spend at least 50% of the day speaking and learning in Spanish. Now, students can enroll in Spanish, German, Italian, French, Armenian, Korean and Japanese dual-language programs and spend anywhere from 50% to 90% of the day speaking and learning in their chosen language. NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in and around your neighborhood >> This year, 477 students, or 25% of all of Glendales current kindergartners, are enrolled in a dual-language program. Across the 30 schools in the district, 2,889 students, or 11% of the districts entire population, participate in a program. With many immersion students currently in elementary schools, officials are beginning to address offering dual-language programs at the middle-school level. In some cases, school officials are providing class offerings in middle-school programs based largely on parents requests. Last year, when Glendale school officials surveyed parents with children in the Armenian dual-language program at R.D. White Elementary, about 87% of parents wanted their child to take Armenian as a foreign-language class at Wilson Middle School. Glendale school officials considered offering a science or social studies class taught in Armenian, but with the majority of parents demanding just one class in Armenian, Glendale Unified stuck with their preference. In the coming years, when students in the newer language programs begin to approach middle school, school officials will survey their parents as well, said Kelly King, assistant superintendent for Glendale Unified. Join the conversation on Facebook >> We will be looking at the future cohorts regarding their interest because our intent was to provide that second course for the students, she said. School board member Nayiri Nahabedian said she wasnt entirely surprised that parents elected for one class instead of two, saying some parents want their child invested in learning English. However teachers who have met with those parents assure them that the students will be fine, she added. Test scores, so far, show that students who are in a foreign-language program are highly proficient in English. According to a district report, students who were enrolled in a dual-language immersion program demonstrated higher levels of proficiency in English last year than their counterparts who attended the same school, but were not in a program. For example, roughly 55% of fourth-grade students enrolled in an Armenian immersion program met or exceeded the English standard, while 35% of the students who were not speaking or learning in Armenian achieved that same goal. On another campus, 73% of students learning Japanese also met or exceeded the English standard, compared to 53% of students who were not part of that language program. The ability to offer two courses in middle schools can also depend on whether Glendale Unified can find appropriate staff. Finding instructors to teach dual-language immersion classes is not unlike finding a unicorn, King said. They must be an educator who has a California teaching credential, have studied the language and have the ability to teach academic content using that language. Our biggest challenge and our biggest reward is when we find that teacher, she said, adding that the school district is currently recruiting to fill nine dual-language teaching slots. So far, the districts plan is for French, German and Italian students to enroll in one language course at middle-school or high-school level, King said, but added that the district is flexible. If we happen to find a teacher who has those dual credentials, that they can teach both the foreign language class and one of the content-area classes, at that time, we really would entertain the thought of opening up a second [class]. What appears to be far easier for the district is attracting students to the programs, which are extremely popular. Some parents relocate to Glendale, even from outside the country, so their children can enroll in them, King said. As of Feb. 25, 530 applications were on the districts waiting list for a spot in a kindergarten dual-language class next school year. -- Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com Twitter: @kellymcorrigan -- ALSO: Gunshots heard in Glendale neighborhood but police find no shooter or victim Man leads Glendale police on short vehicle pursuit that ends in car crash, rollover Chase nabs 1 Glendale burglary suspect as 3 flee; case may be linked to other break-ins, police say A small team of programmers, doctors and marketers based in Glendale are hoping to transform the way public medical information is indexed, presenting masses of data into a straightforward report, independent of the industrys influence. The data platform is called MedFax and at the helm is founder and chief executive Gemma Cunningham, who is a medical marketing professional by trade. She was, for a while, the go-to expert connecting media to the healthcare industry when, for example, the public wanted to learn more about a celebrity overdose. However, she became frustrated with how the medical industry was being evaluated by the public. She would even field endless calls from family members and friends hoping to find the right doctor. So she helped build MedFax to answer a nagging question: Why isnt there something where, at the touch of a button, I can get unbiased information on a physician? Join the conversation on Facebook >> MedFaxs operation is deceptively simple. Provide a system without the influence of the people it accounts for using only publicly available data aggregated from trusted sources to help insurers and someday soon consumers find the best doctor. When you have a bunch of facts, you just have facts. When you aggregate the facts, you start to create the ability to have intelligence, Cunningham said. Together, the facts tell us a story. The system monitors sources with more than 10 years worth of data on every physician in the United States including demographics and licensing as well as disciplinary and legal records. The primary medical data sources often dont communicate well, Cunningham said, and MedFax can help catch conflicting data from places such as medical boards, the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration. I knew this in doing medical [public relations] that all 75 state medical boards speak a different computer language, so nobody talks to each other, Cunningham said. So when a doctor gets in trouble, all he or she does is jump over to the next state and start another license or alternate licenses and no one ever knows. For example, state medical boards only record complaints or cases that have been finalized, but MedFax can access all 3,200 county courts in the United States and, in that way, inform insurers of pending cases, filling a data gap that might not be captured elsewhere. Now in its fourth year, the notion of medical transparency in MedFax is rooted in Cunninghams previous work founding the Assn. for Medical Ethics 12 years ago, which advocates that medical-device and pharmaceutical companies should report who they pay and how much. Currently, MedFaxs core business is in aiding medical malpractice insurers. When a doctor searches for insurance, carriers use MedFax to whittle down key target metrics on physicians (such as the total number of lawsuits) and build a risk assessment. Matt Bartilson, the companys chief creative officer, met Cunningham while doing medical public relations himself and became interested in her vision. Bartilson said helping insurers by its very nature pushes healthcare in the right direction. The vast majority of doctors are providing really excellent care and, unfortunately, you can have a group of 20 doctors and one that is a higher risk, Bartilson said. "[MedFax] helps identify that very quickly so that people can make decisions. And its really all about speeding up that decision-making process. For now, Cunningham is holding off on releasing a version of MedFax to the public until at least late next year. Because MedFax is the brainchild of those with years of experience in the medical industry, Cunningham said she is aware the data could be overwhelming. It has to be responsible and it has to be able to explain to the average person what the indexed data means. You cant just dump on them 10 years of history, Cunningham said. I also dont think its fair to rate a doctor. You cant evaluate your doctor the way you do a sandwich shop, she added. -- Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com Twitter: @JeffLanda Lapland has the northern lights. Yosemite has a moonbow that forms over its waterfalls. Now the Colorado River near Hoover Dam claims that waters inside a small cave turn a brilliant emerald green at certain times of the day. Vegas Glass Kayaks, 35 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, offers river tours that introduce guests to the geological features and wildlife of the region just south of Hoover Dam. The highlight is a trip to Emerald Cave, which is accessible only by boat. The Colorado Rivers water glows green around a guest seated in a clear kayak inside Emerald Cave. (Danny Latham) [The sunlight] reflects off the river bottom and lights up a normally dark cave in this brilliant emerald green color, said company founder Danny Latham. It makes everything glow this emerald color: the water, the walls, everybody in it. Advertisement The water glows during a couple hours each day between April and October when the suns rays shoot down through the 700-foot canyon walls. The paddle to Emerald Cave leaves from Willow Beach on the Arizona side of the river. Departures are timed to reach the cave while the water shines bright green. Between six and eight kayaks at a time can float inside the small cave. The four-mile round-trip tour is offered year-round, and lunch is included. Vegas Glass Kayaks (VGK) offers several tours that introduce guests to both the geological features and the wildlife of the region just south of Hoover Dam. While other tour operators ply the same water, what makes Vegas Glass Kayaks different is its see-through kayaks. Theyre made of polycarbonate, not glass (despite the name), and they travel along stretches of the Black Canyon Water Trail, a 30-mile portion of the Colorado River managed by the National Park Service. We really try to eliminate the feeling that youre in a boat. Because our boats are clear, it gives you much more of a sense of oneness with the water, Latham said. Youre sitting in the water, but youre not wet. Bighorn sheep can often be spotted as they head down the rock faces to sip the edges of the Colorado River. (Danny Latham) While other tour operators ply the same water, what makes Vegas Glass Kayaks different is its see-through kayaks. Theyre made of polycarbonate, not glass (despite the name) and they travel along stretches of the Black Canyon Water Trail, a 30-mile portion of the Colorado River managed by the National Park Service. The longest and most-challenging trip, the Black Tour, takes people on a 12-mile paddle that begins within sight of the massive dam. The 10-hour trip covers roughly 12 miles and includes stops for short hikes on canyon trails and a refreshing plunge into a natural hot spring. Bighorn sheep are commonly seen and a lucky few may even spot bald eagles. A custom lunch is also included (participants order what they want in advance). LED lights that wrap around the rim of the kayaks provide the only source of light, beside the moon, during Vegas Glass Kayaks seasonal Neon Tour on the Colorado River. (Danny Latham) The Black Tour costs $295 per person, plus $52 for permit and escort fees. The journey ends at Willow Beach Harbor, on the Arizona side of the river. By far the most popular tour, the Emerald Tour, takes six hours and costs $195. During the warmer months and by pre-arrangement of the date, to coincide with the stages of the moon Latham also gives visitors an opportunity to paddle on the Colorado River in darkness, the only illumination provided by moonlight and colored LED lights installed in the kayaks. I retrofitted all the boats with a waterproof, LED lighting system that goes around the entire rim of the boat, he said. The boats themselves end up lighting all the water around you and it also lights up all the canyon walls. The Neon Tour departs roughly half an hour before sunset from April to October. The price, $195, includes a campfire with smores on Willow Beach following the journey. Transportation from and to Strip hotels is included with all tours. Info: Vegas Glass Kayaks, (877) 907-1715 travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Russian President Vladimir Putin told the United States top diplomat Tuesday that he was eager to repair relations between their two countries despite sharp differences over the escalating crisis in Iran. Putin spoke alongside Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo in the Russian resort city of Sochi before the two headed in to closed-door meetings. Putin said he was reassured in a telephone call with President Trump that they can rebuild ties now that the special counsel probe into Russian election meddling had concluded. Weve said many times that we also want to fully restore our relations, Putin said, echoing Trump in calling ample evidence of Russian interference in 2016 fake. I hope that the necessary conditions for that to happen will now be created, Putin said. Advertisement He seemed to ignore Pompeos earlier admonition that tampering was unacceptable and if repeated in 2020, U.S.-Russian relations would deteriorate to an even worse place. Putin said that Trump, in the May 3 call, told him that the investigation by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III had cleared him. (In fact, Mueller reached no conclusion on obstruction of justice charges.) Trump has acknowledged that in the call, which lasted half an hour, he failed to mention the 2016 interference and did not warn Putin against repeating it. Pompeo was making his first visit to Russia since becoming secretary of State. It is also the first time a senior U.S. official has been to Russia since the Mueller report detailed extensive meddling by Russia in the 2016 presidential election aimed at benefiting Trump. Pompeos mission also came as U.S. tensions with Iran a close ally of Russias intensified. We are looking for Iran to behave like a normal country, Pompeo said in a joint news conference earlier Tuesday with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. While we fundamentally do not seek war with Iran, Pompeo said, the United States also stands ready to respond in an appropriate fashion if U.S. interests are attacked. His statements followed several attacks in recent days on Saudi oil tankers and a pipeline, some of which the Saudis are blaming on Iranian proxies, and as the United States moves an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers into the region. In Washington, Trump denied a news report that he had ordered plans to deploy 120,000 troops to the Persian Gulf but said hed be willing to make that or an even larger deployment if necessary. He did not elaborate. The U.S. and Russia diverge dramatically on numerous issues, including Irans nuclear aspirations and the U.S. attempt to overthrow Venezuelas leftist government led by Nicolas Maduro. Those differences were on display at the news conference. In their comments to the media, Pompeo repeatedly noted the two sides had disagreements, while Lavrov called their talks frank and meaningful. On Venezuela, Pompeo said he urged Russia to stand alongside Washington in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido. Lavrov responded tersely: You can not establish a democracy by force. We have lots of places where I hope we can find overlapping interests with Russia, Pompeo said before arriving, including, he noted, resolving the conflict in Afghanistan, where both nations have been dragged into costly wars. It may be the case that we cant; and where we cant, well go our own ways. Sitting across from the secretary of State at a long, formal table ahead of the meeting in Sochi, Lavrov said that the fact that this was the second time the two had come together in as many weeks with Pompeo showed a good-faith effort on both sides to improve the relationship between Washington and Moscow. Considering that we have met twice over the last two weeks is a reason for optimism, he said. The earlier session was during a conference of the Arctic Council in Finland. Still, the U.S. and Russia must rebuild trust before realizing any hope of moving forward, Lavrov said. We see that there are certain suspicions or prejudices on both sides, but this is not a way to have a win-win situation, he said. The mistrust that we have hinders both your security and our security and causes concerns around the globe. President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to improve the U.S. relationship with Russia and has been obsequious toward Putin, even in the face of evidence that the Russian government is attempting to undermine Western democracies. Trumps administration, by contrast, has put tough sanctions on Russia for dealings with North Korea and Iran that appear to violate U.S. and international sanctions. Moscow has also been sanctioned by Western countries for its 2014 annexation of Crimea. On Monday, Pompeo detoured from a scheduled direct flight to Russia and stopped in Brussels, where European foreign ministers were meeting. He hoped to persuade them to join the U.S. in isolating Iran and cutting off all oil sales and other trade with the Islamic Republic. But he got a frosty reception from Europeans who believe the Trump administration is inflaming tensions with Tehran unnecessarily. We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side but ends with some kind of conflict, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said. The U.S., alone, pulled out of a landmark 2015 international agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear-production capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief, saying the deal did not go far enough in stopping Tehrans other malign behavior, including support for militant groups throughout the Middle East. Europeans who were also party to the deal said it was working and should be perfected instead of jettisoned. Special correspondent Ayres reported from Moscow and staff writer Wilkinson from Washington. sabra.ayres@latimes.com Twitter: @sabraayres Ayres is a special correspondent. The bodies of two women were found in Germany at the apartment of one of three people who died at a hotel several hundred miles away in a mysterious case involving crossbows, police said Monday. Police said they didnt immediately have details about the identity of the women found in a search of the apartment in Wittingen, northern Germany, and what happened to them. They said in a statement that they are investigating possible links to the three people found dead in Passau, near the Austrian border, on Saturday. The discovery added a new level of mystery to that case. Investigators were still trying Monday to determine the relationship between the three people whose bodies were found shot with crossbow bolts. Bavarian police spokesman Stefan Gaisbauer said earlier Monday that there were no indications that anyone other than the dead victims were involved, but that it is not yet clear what happened. Advertisement We assume that no other people were involved in the deaths of the three, he said, adding that autopsy results were expected Tuesday. The dead, a 53-year-old man and two women ages 33 and 30, were all German citizens. The man and the older woman were from the village of Berod in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in southwestern Germany, while the younger woman was last registered as living in Wittingen. Police didnt release further details on the identities of the three. The bodies were found at the hotel in Passau on Saturday morning by an employee who opened the door to their three-bed room when they didnt respond to repeated knocking. The man and the older woman were lying together in bed, while the younger woman was lying on the floor. Passau prosecutor Walter Feiler told the German news agency DPA later Monday that the couple on the bed had several bolts in them and were holding hands. The woman on the floor had one bolt in her body. Two crossbows were found Saturday. Police said Monday they had found a third, unused crossbow in a bag. Crossbows can be purchased legally in Germany by adults. Earlier on, Legit.ng reported the news of how veteran Nollywood film maker, Eddie Ugbomah died on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the hospital where he was scheduled to undergo a surgery on Monday, May 13. It was gathered that the hospital responsible for his care abandoned him prior to his death because of his inability to pay his bills. As many Nigerians across the country mourn his death which many have described as a great loss to the Nollywood industry, Legit.ng has compiled a few facts about the legendary film maker. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) 5 facts to know about late Eddie Ugbomahs contribution to Nollywood Source: UGC 1. Eddie Ugbomah was a native of Ashaka Aboh in East Ndokwa, Delta state. He attended St Matthias, Lafiaji, Lagos and City College. He then traveled to London for his college education and attended various colleges studying journalism, drama and later film. 2. While he was in the UK, he worked with the BBC and also went on to play minor roles in British movie productions such as Dr.No, Guns at Batasi and Sharpeville Massacre. READ ALSO: Post and delete: Olakunle Churchill shades Tonto Dikeh in Mother's Day message 3. He returned to Nigeria in 1975 and was involved in concert promotion before starting Edifosa, a film production company. 4. Ugbomah's films stood out because they usually tackled contemporary social and political issues. In 1979, he released Dr Oyenusi based on the notorious armed robber that terrorized Lagos state and The Mask which was based on looting of Africa's artefacts by colonizers and the quest to return those artifacts back home. In the early 1980s, he produced such films as Oil Doom, Bolus '80 and The Boy is Good. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App 5. Due to his tremendous works in the industry, he was appointed chairman of the Nigerian Film Corporation in 1988. Eddie Ugbomah has directed and produced films such as the Rise and Fall of Oyenusi in 1979, The Boy is Good and Apalara, a film about the life and murder of Alfa Apalara in Oko Awo, Lagos. He was also responsible for making 13 celluloid films including the renowned Death of A Black President, The Rise and Fall of Oyenusi, to mention a few. HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Top 3 Nollywood Stars: Who Earns More Than Others? | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Police officers in Qatar have decided to take the act of giving during Ramadan to another level. They are doing this by giving their road users refreshments to break their fast. These police officers in Qatar stand by the roadside to share refreshments to Muslim road users who are stuck in traffic. This is done so that they can break their fast as at when due. Photos of these police officers performing this kind act was shared recently on Twitter. These pictures were posted in a tweet by a Twitter user identified as @RadicalYouthMan. Grateful for the service offered by the officers, the tweep could not help but add a caption to the post shared. READ ALSO: Qatar finally unveils stadium that looks like shape of female private part See the post below: "These are Qatar police officers sharing refreshments to road users stuck in traffic, so they can break their fast. These are human beings like Nigerians. They have red blood running in the veins. See, we are the architects of our own problems. Good morning." READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Indeed, Ramadan is a period that should be observed with sanctity amongst Muslims. However, there are some myths that should be avoided during this time. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that President Buhari held a crucial meeting with the Emir of Qatar in Abuja. The duo deliberated on market conditions and how they affect the price of crude oil. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Whats the best punishment for erring SARS officers? | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Some aggrieved staff and officials of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are protesting against alleged poor conditions of service - The protesters want the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the ICPC to probe the management of SON - The spokesperson of the organisation claims that the concerns raised by the protesters are being addressed Some staff and officials of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Tuesday, May 14, shut down the headquarters of the organisation Federal Capital Territory, Abuja over alleged poor conditions of service. Armed with placards carrying various inscriptions, the aggrieved workers gathered at the entrance of the SON headquarters chanting anti-establishment songs. The workers claimed they were not happy over issues including alleged cases of corruption, poor staff welfare, and non-payment of entitlements. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Channels Television reports that the workers under the umbrella body of the amalgamated union of public corporations, civil service technical and recreational services employees demanded the immediate approval and implementation of better conditions of service at the agency. According to the report, the protesters made allegations of illegal promotion of some directors. They, therefore, called for the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes (ICPC) into the operations of the organisation. They accused the director-general of the organisation, Osita Aboloma, of refusing to obey the directive of the federal ministry of labor and employment on voluntarism. Reacting to the allegations, the head of public relations at SON, Dipo Fashina, said the issues raised by the workers were being addressed. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app He explained that the budgetary allocation had been provided for in the 2019 appropriation to settle all outstanding allowances. Legit.ng earlier reported how the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) recently commenced a nationwide protest over the leadership tussle at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) board. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Nigerian women protest against harassment of ladies in Abuja | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - The Defence Headquarters has accused Nigerian Continuity and Progress of planning to overthrow President Buhari - According to DHQ, the plan was to set up an interim government in place of the elected government - The Armed Forces of Nigeria disassociated itself from the plan, saying it remains unflinchingly loyal to the Constitution, as well as President Buhari The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday, May 14, dissociated the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) from a document calling for the overthrow of the Muhammadu Buhari's democratically-elected administration. Navy Capt. Muhammed Wabi, deputy director of Defence Information accused a group, Nigerian Continuity and Progress (NCP) as being behind the document, News Agency of Nigeria reports. Wabi alleged that the document called for the setting up of an interim government in place of the elected government. READ ALSO: Buhari must not be sworn-in on May 29 - Opposition party tells tribunal The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) wishes to dissociate itself from the rascality and intentions as espoused in a document being circulated by a faceless group named Nigerian Continuity and Progress (NCP) calling for support of a revolution to oust the current democratically elected government and in its place establish an illegitimate interim government. The AFN outrightly condemns the undemocratic and demonic actions of the author of the document. Accordingly, members of the public are enjoined to discountenance the content of the documents being circulated by NCP and equally condemned in totality, the call to derail our hard earned democracy, the statement said. Wabi said that the AFN was very mindful of its constitutional responsibilities and would not be misled into any act that would undermine democracy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended. The AFN remains unflinchingly loyal to the Constitution, as well as President Muhammadu Buhari and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update The statement said all relevant law enforcement agencies had been advised to unravel those behind the seditious document for appropriate actions. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that one of the parties that contested Saturday, February 23 presidential election, Hope Democratic Party (HDP), has filed a motion seeking an order for the election tribunal to restrain President Buhari from presenting himself to be sworn-in on May 29. The party is also seeking an order restraining the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) from swearing-in, administering the oath of office and oath of allegiance to the president on May 29. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Is Nigeria truly the 6th most miserable country in the world? | Legit TV. Source: Legit.ng Musikfest has renamed one of its platzes and its a tongue twister with a nod to Bethlehems Moravian roots. After almost 500 names were submitted in the platz naming contest - no word on if Platzy McPlatzface was in contention -- the venue formerly known as Experienceplatz at Main and Lehigh streets has a new name: Zinzenplatz. Zinzenplatz is being renamed in honor of a leader in the early Moravian community -- Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, daughter of city founder Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf. But Benigna wasnt just a countess. Moravian College traces its roots back to the girls school she founded in Bethlehem when she was only 16. Over the first two weekends of August, Zinzenplatz will feature live music, food, the Prismatica art installation and more, during Americas largest free music festival. When Musikfest was founded in Bethlehems historic district in 1984, the early festival placed a strong emphasis on the citys rich Germanic history, including its love for music. "We had so many intriguing suggestions submitted by the public, but this one was suggested a few times and really resonated with our staff, says ArtsQuest President & CEO Kassie Hilgert. More than 35 percent of our performers this year have at least one female member, including Zinzenplatz, where women are in 12 of the 35 groups that will take the stage. In recent years, weve seen an increase in the number of women artists and performers at Musikfest, so its fitting that we name this venue in honor of our citys rich history, specifically one of its early leaders. Women leaders were rare in the 18th century, but in the Moravian community women held many leadership positions on councils, as spiritual leaders and a few became ordained deaconesses. Benigna came to America in 1741 as part of an 18-month visit with her father. She founded Moravian Seminary for Young Ladies, the first girls school in the American colonies, where the girls had virtually the same curriculum as the boys. The seminary was the forerunner to Moravian Academy and the college. Fittingly, Benigna had a love for music, taking part in the childrens choir and then appointed eldress of the older girls choir. Music was an important part of Moravian life in Bethlehem, with community members composing music, crafting instruments and singing hymns. Today, Musikfest remembers the city and Moravians rich history with a celebration of music from around the globe every August, according to a news release. Included as part of this is an annual performance by the Moravian Trombone Choir on the first Saturday of the festival. Benigna married Johannes von Watteville in 1746. Two years later, she visited Bethlehem with her husband from their home in Germany and again in 1785. She died in 1789. Countess Benigna was a fascinating person and for centuries, her descendants have maintained ties with this community, Charlene Donchez Mowers, president of Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites, said. Bethlehems Moravian community was established along the banks of the Monocacy Creek near the Lehigh River, an area that is now the heart of the 10-day festival. The community -- named Bethlehem on Christmas Eve 1741 -- is under consideration to become a World Heritage Site. Designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2012, the Moravian settlement was a community of firsts, including the oldest musical group in America, Moravian Trombone Choir, as well as being home to the first pump-driven North American municipal water system. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. When he became Bethlehem Area School District superintendent, Joseph Roy turned his eye to reviving the districts defunct educational foundation. He saw it as an untapped resource at a competitive time in public education; a way to bring students new educational experiences without having to ask district taxpayers to open their wallets. In 2014, the nonprofit foundation awarded $24,000 to district programs. Four years later, it allocated $166,000 -- including $74,000 of donor-restricted money for Marvine Elementary School from Wells Fargo -- and holds an annual dinner attended by hundreds of people. Weve had tremendous success with our foundation over the last several years, Roy said Monday night during a school board human resources committee. Roy wants to see it go to the next level of fundraising, so he is asking the school board to back a proposal to take the foundations part-time executive director Julie Bailey full time and split the costs between the district and nonprofit. The foundation wants to jump into the world of development -- a key funding mechanism in higher ed -- seeking donations from alumni, parents and community members looking to give to the public schools. I think it is really fertile grounds for us, Roy said. The job would pay $67,000, but when the cost of benefits and pension are accounted for the job costs $100,000. Under the three-year agreement, the district would pay $50,000 and the foundation would chip in $50,000. The executive director would be a district employee, who jointly reports to Roy and the foundation board. I think our return on investment would far exceed the $50,000 we would put into this, Roy said. School board members who weighed in on the proposal at the committee meeting seemed split on the idea. The board is set to vote on the proposal Monday at its regular board meeting. School Director Tom Tomasik questioned why the district should absorb the cost. Hes not opposed to paying Bailey more but he doesnt think the district should be taking on the legacy costs of a new employee. Health insurance costs will only rise, he noted. It seems unusual to take someone that is not an educator and put it on our rolls, Tomasik said. Roy noted that by making it a three-year contract the district can reevaluate the arrangement and see if it is working without being locked in. Board Vice President Shannon Patrick said she feels like the district has already benefited from Baileys work marketing the district and building community relationships. She questioned if the executive director would take over marketing. Roy indicated he plans to keep the districts marketing separate from its development arm, much like a college would. School Director Dean Donaher said hes fine with making the job full time, but he is concerned by the idea of the foundations head reporting to the superintendent of the district, when the executive directors first responsibility should be its board. He doesnt think it is best practice for a 501C3. It could be legal but it may not be best practice (for a 501c3), Donaher said. Roy noted that the foundations board voted in support of this plan. Currently, the foundations funding supports the farm to school program at Broughal, forging history curriculum field trips, Leader in Me, Our Leaders of Tomorrow projects, Project Lead the Way, service learning grants and teacher innovation grants. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Whether Party City locations across the Lehigh Valley will be part of 45 national stores slated to close sometime this year remains up in the air. But a chain spokeswoman said the closures, announced on May 9, have nothing to do with a global helium shortage, contrary to various published media reports. Only 14 liquid helium plants reportedly operate worldwide with seven located in the United States, accounting for nearly 55 percent of worldwide production of the gas. Demand for the gas has been high, with domestic reserves being depleted. There are reportedly just these three sources for the gas: Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, ExxonMobil in Wyoming, and the National Helium Reserve in Texas. Its important to note that Party Citys decision to close an increased number of stores in 2019 is completely unrelated to the global helium issue," said Jim Harrison, the chains chief executive officer, in a statement. These are two separate topics, the latter of which weve made significant in-roads in addressing. Harrison said the decision to close 45 stores is part of a network optimization process focusing on maximizing store performance on a market basis. He added: "We believe that the opportunity to recapture much of the business conducted in the closed stores in other Party City locations within the market, will provide for overall improved profitability for our company. It is also important to note that most of the stores being closed were themselves profitable on a stand-alone basis. Party City is yet to release the list of 45 stores to be shuttered, but NBC News is reporting closures have prematurely been announced in Connecticut, Illinois, California and Washington. Regional locations include Bethlehem, Whitehall Township and Hackettstown. Party City had been closing 10 to 15 stores annually, on average, in recent years as part of its network optimization process in response to ongoing consumer, market and economic changes, the spokeswoman said. After careful consideration and evaluation of the chains fleet, the company this year made the decision to close more stores than usual in order to help optimize its market level performance, focus on the most profitable locations and improve the overall health of its store portfolio, Harrison said. The chains first quarter fiscal report, ending March 31, showed total revenues increasing by 1 percent on a reported basis and 2 percent on a constant currency basis. Retail sales increased 4 percent on a reported basis. Brand comparable sales, however, decreased 1.4 percent during the first quarter due to approximately 200 basis points of headwinds (referring to external difficulties a business faces) from the helium shortage, according to the report. Party City has indicated its working to identify new sources of helium with Harrison saying the chain recently signed a letter of agreement for a new source of helium, in which subject to final execution of a definitive contract, would provide for additional quantities of helium beginning this summer and continuing for the next two and a half years. We believe this new source should substantially eliminate the shortfall we are experiencing at current allocation rates and improve our ability to return to a normal level of latex and metallic balloon sales, he stated. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A person is in intensive care after being struck by an SUV Monday night in Macungie. Police were called at 8:10 p.m. for the collision near the intersection of Route 100/West Main Street and Race Street in the borough, said Sgt. Travis Kocher. The pedestrian, whom police are not identifying yet, suffered substantial injuries and was taken to the intensive care unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Kocher did not have an update on the persons condition Tuesday morning. The driver stopped and was cooperating fully with police. A Macungie officer stopped at a stop sign near the crash scene witnessed the collision, Kocher said. Police do not have dashboard cameras, but do have body cameras, he said. The crash is still under investigation, and Macungie police are being assisted by the Lehigh County District Attorneys office. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. If Easton police Detective Jamie Luise is doing his job well, you have no idea hes doing it. In the Vice Unit for the past two years and in his 10th year with the department, Luise will be honored on Wednesday as the Easton Kiwanis Club city police officer of the year during an invite-only ceremony at noon at the Pomfret Club in the citys Downtown. The event follows the department honoring fallen officers during an event at 11 a.m. at the memorial in Centre Square as part of National Police Week. The award winner is nominated by their supervisor and is selected in a vote of all the departments other supervisors, Chief Carl Scalzo explained Tuesday. But Luise, a Queens, New York, transplant who as spent much of his life in the area, wants to make one thing crystal clear. It really is a team effort, the 34-year-old said. Without my unit and the other detectives I work with, my success wouldnt be possible. While its hard to quantify the achievements of a vice detective because so much of what they do is, in Luises words, proactive in a world where I think we do a really good job of being unseen, there are some numbers to consider. Luise in the past year led the department with 64 criminal arrests and 20 search warrants, according to department statistics. His work led to the seizure of 11 illegal firearms -- including sawed-off shotguns, stolen handguns and rifles -- a large amount of illegal narcotics and currency. He has in his career received a letter of commendation, 10 unit citations, two commendations of merit and one commendation for heroism. The heroism honor he shared with several other officers in 2011 when they entered a smoke-filled home on Spruce Street, awakened the residents and got them out safely. Luise began his career as a corrections officer at Northampton County Prison and three years later joined the Easton department as a patrolman. The prison was a great stepping stone for me, he said. He got his feet wet in law enforcement, the inside of it. He learned how things worked once someone was arrested. But his goal was to get out on the streets like his cousin on the New York Police Department and work with people in the community. He wanted to be visible, he said. And he wanted to build a career. He had been a defensive tactics instructor at the prison and had been sent to classes to improve his knowledge, he said. He would eventually take on a similar role in Easton, he said. One of his main goals was to become a SWAT operator, which required testing and plenty of study -- in weapons systems, tactics, entry and how to move through a building, he said. In his fifth year with the department, he made it into the Special Response Unit. The learning along so many lines translated to so many avenues of law enforcement, he said. He remained a patrol officer and thrived on the everyday unknown as he would to learn to adapt to so many different situations that youre put into as a cop on the night shift. During his years on the night patrol, he made friendships with the guys that he knows will last a lifetime. His early days with the department were in a far more violent city than the one he serves in 2019. He testified in five homicide cases and was often the first or second officer on the scene of a killing. Its just that aspect of responding to a homicide as a patrolman, he said. He performed CPR, preserved evidence, kept witnesses on the scene and comforted friends or family of the deceased, he said. You hear those tones, he said of the start to the police radio calls. Shots fired. Man down. Your heart starts racing as you imagine all the possibilities. Eastons Criminal Investigation Unit is divided into crime and vice detectives, with an inspector overseeing each and Lt. Matthew Gerould directing the unit. It was another goal of Luise to become a detective and that happened in May 2017. While he totally respects all the crime guys, life in vice is a little bit different, he said. Like a patrolman, Luise spends much of his time on the streets, just in a different capacity, he said. The unit is working to prevent crime but most times invisibly. On patrol you want to be seen and be that crime preventer, Luise said. In vice, its always a challenge wondering if they saw you. Detectives can run several investigations at once and theres a constant flow of information, he said. The constant digging. Its tough. Youre conducting controlled purchases (of illegal narcotics), targeting people denigrating communities who make it difficult for people leading law-abiding lives." Residents dont need the stress of having someone selling drugs in their neighborhood, Luise said. Theres no better feeling than receiving a city complaint about possible drug activity and ... following through with that and ultimately getting rid of multiple drug dealers in a house or on a block," he said. That really means a lot in our community and out on the street. Luises next goal is to someday supervise the drug unit, he said. That will require a promotion to inspector. My dad taught me if you work hard enough you can reach your goal, he said. If you work hard there will be an opportunity for you to succeed here. In the meantime he wants to continue to learn from his supervisor Anthony Arredondo as the unit helps make Easton a great place to live, work and play. He knows the city hasnt always been on its current upswing, as crime has dramatically fallen in recent years. Its day and night, he said of the rebound. Ive talked to a lot of people who say I love to come to Downtown Easton. People coming down here have to feel safe. Were not going to prevent every crime, but we can stop a lot of it. ... Its something were proud of." Scalzo said Luise brings high energy and passion to the job. As chief of police thats what you want in an officer. Hes one of those guys who fills a room. He brings laughter and ease to a room. He does a really good job for us." The chief said it can be a challenge to go from patrol into vice. The guys who take that job do it for the reason to turn the city in a positive direction, Scalzo said. Residents may not see all the work that goes into a major drug raid, but its not about the credit, its about the results, Scalzo said. We cant thank them enough (within the department) for all the right reasons. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A man charged in a deadly three-way shooting at an Allentown gas station that started as a road-rage incident has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Kareem Sanders will serve 10 to 20 years in a state prison as part of a plea bargain with Lehigh County prosecutors. He entered his plea Monday. The February 2018 shooting at the 1227 Airport Road gas station left two men dead. Authorities say the gun battle started after a fender-bender in which one car fled the scene. The gunfire ensued during a confrontation later at the gas station. Authorities say 36-year-old Danny Cancel and Sanders' 28-year-old friend, Cassieam Hicks, were killed in the shootings. Sanders was wounded and was arrested after he went to a hospital for treatment. Sanders initially said the shooting was in self-defense. A Northampton County jury could not reach a unanimous verdict Tuesday on whether to sentence Dekota Baptiste to death. That means the 26-year-old Easton murderer will receive an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. All 12 jurors must agree in order to impose a death sentence. The jury foreman said the vote was 7-5. He didnt say how many were in favor of death. More time wouldnt do anything for this. All of us are basically stuck in our own beliefs, the foreman told Northampton County Judge Samuel Murray after four hours of deliberations. Murray will sentence Baptiste at 1 p.m. Friday, May 17. Baptiste was convicted Friday, May 10, of the murder of 36-year-old Terrance Lex Ferguson. He killed Ferguson on Feb. 23, 2017, in the parking lot of the AutoZone store in Palmer Township. Baptiste fired multiple rounds into the car Ferguson drove to the store. Defense attorney Brian Monahan said Baptistes poverty, his background, his age and learning disabilities all mitigated the need for the death penalty. Monahan was grateful but subdued after the death penalty phase of the trial concluded. There are no winners here. One man is dead. And the other will serve his life in prison. Two families are shattered, Monahan said. Monahan said the community should be thankful for Judge Murray and his consummate professionalism. He acknowledged the jurors had an extremely difficult task. This is a solemn task that you swore an oath to consider, whether someone will live or die. Its not a reality show, Monahan told the jury Tuesday in his closing argument. Assistant District Attorney Abraham Kassis said the jurors deserve considerable credit for their handling of the case. I have a great deal of respect for the attention and the effort they put into it, he said. He wasnt disappointed with the sentencing decision. At the end of the day justice was served," Kassis said, adding Thats our system. Thats the way its made to work. Kassis said Baptiste killed Ferguson due to a dispute over Thressa Duarte. Duarte was in the front passenger seat of the car in which Ferguson was killed. Baptiste deserved the death penalty, according to Kassis, because he committed the murder simultaneously as he committed felonies -- attempted homicide and aggravated assault against Duarte. He also put others at grave risk of danger, including Duarte and any passersby at the store, the heavily-traveled nearby roads and the strip mall across the street. Kassis said the crime was premeditated and cold-blooded. He lived by the motto of kill or be killed, Kassis told the jury. Baptiste said he wasnt jealous because Duarte wasnt his girlfriend. He said he went to the AutoZone to patch up a dispute with Ferguson. He claimed Ferguson tried to run him over and he shot him in self-defense. The jurors said they were deadlocked at 7-5 after two and a half hours of deliberations and Murray sent them back to keep working. The 7-5 tally never changed even after four hours, the foreman said. Jury selection in Baptistes trial took a week, followed by a week of testimony during the guilt phase. The death penalty phase took two days. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A memorandum to Plainfield Townships Planning Commission detailed 10 pages of defects found in the plan submission for a proposed sewage sludge treatment plant. Township Manager Tom Petrucci wrote the memo in advance of a potential vote by the commission Monday regarding the proposed Slate Belt Heat Recovery Center. The memo also lists 80 recommended conditions the planning commission should consider imposing on any land development approval. Synagro Technologies Inc. is seeking preliminary land development and subdivision approval for the proposed facility at the Grand Central Sanitary Landfill. Class A biosolids -- the final product from the plant -- could be used as fertilizer or fuel. It is proposed beside the Green Knight Energy Center at the landfill. The plant's sludge-drying ovens would harness excess heat created by Green Knight facility by burning landfill gas, which is primarily methane. Petrucci worked in coordination with township solicitor David Backenstoe and John Embick, a special environmental solicitor the township hired to review the plan. The memo was written to provide guidance to the commission if it were to vote Monday. However, the applicant granted the township an extension until June 30 to decide on the preliminary land development plan. The commission did not vote Monday and a special Board of Supervisors meeting scheduled for May 22 will likely be canceled. The special meeting was scheduled in anticipation the planning commission would have voted whether to recommend or deny the plan. Regardless of the commissions decision, supervisors eventually will have to decide whether to approve the plan, which may happen next month. Monday, Synagro representatives provided the commission with a several-inch-thick packet of information. Synagro lawyer Elizabeth Witmer said she expects many of the outstanding deficiencies should be answered by information in the packet. In his memo, Petrucci cited deficiencies outlined in letters from township-hired experts from Hanover Engineering, BCM Engineers, Benchmark Civil Engineering and Material Matters, a consulting firm that deals with biosolids issues. Many of the deficiencies are administrative issues that can easily be resolved or can be resolved based on Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permits. Several issues remain points of debate between the township and Synagro. The facility proposed is permitted by right according to the townships zoning ordinance, however, the plan must comply with other zoning and land development ordinances plus all state and federal regulations. The township has repeatedly argued that the path to the proposed facility is a driveway through the existing landfill property. Township zoning laws require the facility to be fronted on an arterial or collector road. Witmer said she will provide the township with a legal argument as to why Synagro considers this to be a misinterpretation of the zoning law. Another sticking point between the parties is the designation of a former quarry. The quarry has been permitted by the DEP to be used as a sedimentation basin but township officials say it is also a pond and a water of the Commonwealth of the United States, which grants it special protections and requires further environmental and hydrogeologic studies. Several weeks ago, DEP issued a technical deficiency letter to Synagro regarding a permit application regarding modification to the basin. Synagro representatives said they plan to meet with DEP officials on May 23 at the former quarry to try to resolve concerns. Township officials have been invited to attend the onsite meeting. The commission and supervisors will be required to vote on the preliminary plan in June unless another time extension is granted. If supervisors approve the plan with or without conditions, final development planning can begin. If denied, Synagro may file an appeal with the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Montoursville, Lycoming County, on Monday a day before a special election will be held to fill the 12th Congressional District seat. Trumps campaign said hell be there to show support for GOP candidate Fred Keller, who is running against Democrat Marc Friedenberg in the heavily Republican district, according to The Morning Call. The appearance also comes two days after an appearance a presidential rival, Joe Biden, will hold a rally in Philadelphia. Trump is scheduled to appear at 7 p.m. Monday at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville on May 20. Doors open for the event at 4 p.m. Tickets to attend the event can be obtained here; they will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 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. Address Cappakeel Emo Portlaoise Laois Occupation Full Time Public Rep Party Fine Gael Why have you decided to run in this election? I have been a councillor for the past ten years and i enjoy very much doing what I have to do as a public representative. Why should people vote for you? I have been a full time public representative for Graiguecullen /Portarlington District and I have time to represent my constituents What do you think is lacking in your area? Stradbally is very much in need of a community center and I am working with the Stradbally Community Development Association to secure a site for this badly needed facility. There is also an issue in Stradbally with speeding through the town particularly coming from the Carlow direction. In Portarlington there is more employment needed for the town. Huge numbers commute every day from the town to work in other areas, mostly to Dublin. What portarlington needs is a major employer in industry or manufacturing and Laois County Council and public representatives need to encourage such development. In Ballybrittas sewerage issues need to be progressed in the village. In Portarlington, Stradbally, Ballybrittas, Graiguecullen and Killenard housing estates in these towns and villages need to be completed and taken in charge by Laois County Council Address Killeshin, Co Laois Occupation Social Worker in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Party Labour Party Why have you decided to run in the local elections? Through my work in mental health I see the struggles and difficulties that families are dealing with on a daily basis. In recent years many people have returned to work, but far too many have to commute and too many people are on low pay or in precarious employment. I believe that by working at a local government level I can advocate for improved housing and public amenities for people living in the county. I will push for inward investment and create an environment that encourages the growth of local businesses and the development of high-quality jobs. Why should people vote for you? In this campaign, I decided to adopt a poster free campaign. I took this stance as I believe we all need to change our attitude to plastic waste and we need to take immediate steps to protect our environment. I believe this showed voters that I would listen to their concerns and that I would stand up for what I believe in. I believe my work experience and training have given me a strong foundation to be an effective Councillor for County Laois. I have an in-depth understanding of community development through my experience as a youth worker in Graiguecullen and my training in Social Work. I worked as a project worker with the housing charity Focus Ireland and this has helped my to understand the housing crisis. As a social worker I am used to dealing with peoples problems and if I am elected I will be approachable and follow up with issues in confidential and effective manner. What do you think is lacking in your area and what will you be campaigning for? With no sitting councillor or TD in Killeshin or Graiguecullen, this side of the county has lack representation. This also true of other areas, in Killenard I met with residents who have been living under a boil water notice for four years. As the sole Labour candidate in the area, I seek to represent everyone and will work with people from all over the county. I have campaigned for an end to illegal dumping, for Laois to become a pollinator county and for our biodiversity to be protected. I will work to promote Laois as a tourism destination and will advocate for community development and the development of public and sporting amenities throughout the county. Laois councillors are urging the owner of emergency accommodation for asylum seekers in a small Laois town to consult with local people. A guesthouse in Rathdowney is understood to have recently begun operating as emergency accommodation for asylum seekers waiting to get into an Irish Direct Provision centre. Cllr Brendan Phelan says there is not enough facilities in the town. Theres nothing in Rathdowney for them. There will be young fellas walking up and down the street, wondering where have they been landed, he said. People must be helped but you must consult with locals. They dont want people pushed in. Its all speculation about how many people will end up in that small premises, he said at the April meeting of Laois County Council. In Abbeyleix local people were consulted and they went out of their way to make them welcome. We are just looking for information. The Department of Justice provided none, he said he had no function, Cllr Phelan said. The Cathaoirleach Cllr John King said that local schools have enquired about possible new pupils but were told there would be none. He said the centre in Rathdowney was an overflow for Abbeyleix, the owner owns the Abbeyleix centre. The council announced at the meeting that the Cluid housing agency has agreed to be strategic partners with Laois County Council to provide housing for Syrian refugees arriving to Laois in the autumn. Laois is allocated 110 Syrian war refugees by the Department of Justice. Read more on that story here. Cllr Phelan asked the council for clarification on the asylum seekers coming to Rathdowney. He was told that was separate to the Syrian resettlement programme, which is part of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme. Cllr Tom Mulhall who lives close to the Direct Provision Centre in the former Montague Hotel, said they dont interfere with neighbours. They came to the Montague in 2007, there was no consultation with locals, only afterwards. I will say the people in the Montague, stay in the Montague. They are not infringing on the community, he said. Cllr Pauline Madigan said she was appalled at his words. Youre making it sound like theyre doing ok. The mental health of most of those people is disgraceful. I know one woman, a qualified doctor, now she sits there like she is in a mental institution. They should be part of the community, they have come from wartorn places, she said. And that is a place that is supposed to have supports, added Cllr Phelan. Kind, caring, amazing, these are the words that children of a Laois primary school used to describe what a nurse means to them. Children in Cullohill National School were asked what a nurse means to them ahead of International Nurses Day 2019 and they produced colourful artwork with words including amazing, helpful, caring, kind, hard-working and loving. Nurses and Health Care Assistants in the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise celebrated the day with an art display of the work of the Children of Cullohill School. In addition, local parish priest Fr Paddy Byrne hosted a blessings of the hands for all staff. Director of Nursing Sandra McCarthy provided all the nurses on duty with a celebratory gift bag filled with symbolic gifts. A pen showed that communication is essential. A bobble to help them 'keep it together', a Kit Kat because taking a break is important, a pack of tissues because some days are hard and lastly a pack of love hearts to give them courage. Sandra McCarthy is Director of Nursing at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. We very much appreciate and value our nurses and HCAs in Portlaoise Hospital. Today is about celebrating our profession, the long history of nursing and acknowledging the courage, strength, kindness and high levels of care our nurses and HCAs provide to our patients every day. I am so happy to share this day and our profession with the children of Cullohill National School. The lovely art and messaging demonstrate the many important values that we as a caring profession regard as the fundamentals for nursing. Ellie Laverty 3rd class Cullohill NS presents flowers to Sandra McCarty, Director of Nursing Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Siobhan Conroy Staff Nurse Surgical and Catherine Healy Staff Nurse Medical. International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. A young Laois man who uses RehabCare services in Portlaoise has written a letter to the HSE pleading for its services to stay open as it is threatened by a lack of funding. Edward Coughlan from Ballyfin has special needs and he has asked the HSE Please dont close the RehabCare centre in Portlaoise. He uses the service four days a week. Almost 60 people with various physical and intellectual disabilities are supported by the day service in Portlaoise. In a letter, he has written: I go to the RehabCare Centre, Portlaoise Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I really like going into the RehabCare Centre Portlaoise, they are really nice and kind to all of us the service users. I dont know what I will do if I will not be able to go into the RehabCare Centre, Portlaoise, he wrote. Edwards mother Helen Coughlan said the service is a life-saver and said the welfare and self-worth of the special needs community need to be a number one priority. It has been a life saver for him, providing him with a structure for his life that most of us get from employment and that without RehabCare would not be there for him. He is very worried about the news that it may shut down due to lack of funding as it is a really important part of his life. The staff are phenomenal and he has developed in so many ways due to their input. The kindness and care he gets there cannot be measured in financial terms and Ireland as a nation must look at ourselves if we do not see the welfare and self-worth of our special needs community as a number one priority. I cannot describe the worry and heartache this is causing us. It is challenging enough caring for a special needs person without having to constantly fight for every concession. We look to the politicians and the HSE to ensure this fantastic facility is properly funded to let them continue their great work, giving special needs people the quality of life they deserve, she said. The Rehab Group over the Portlaoise centre is in crunch talks with the HSE over terminating its services for over 3,000 people in Ireland. Talks are due to end on Wednesday. RehabGroup announced its intention to give 12 months notice that it was to terminate its 147 RehabCare services at 117 locations across the country unless it received an injection of 2 million urgent funding. This action follows more than two years of negotiation between the Group and the HSE. Almost 60 people with various physical and intellectual disabilities use the service in Portlaoise. Deirdre Bailey is the manager of RehabCare Resource Centre, Portlaoise. For a number of years now, the money RehabCare has received from the HSE hasnt been enough to fully cover the services that we provide. Rehab Group has been making up for this lack of funding from its own reserves which are now nearly fully depleted, she said. A day of action will be held at the Portlaoise centre on Main Street this Friday, May 17 11:00 am to 1:00 pm to find out more about RehabCare and to support the Save RehabCares Services campaign. Rehab Group has asked the people of Laois to get behind its campaign to save vital disability services it provides to adults and children in the county. Supporters in Laois are being urged to contact their TDs and senators to express how much the services mean to them. There is an email campaign on rehab.ie where people are encouraged to speak up for the services. MORE: Mountmellick residents gather to halt Post Office move The wrap session of the Schools and Business Partnership Programme which was run in association with Kildare Village was held in Kildare Town Community School (KTCS) on Monday, May 13 from 12-1pm. Students put on a fantastic display of song, music, art and presentations to show their appreciation to the directors of Kildare Village for the programme. Over five sessions, the students benefited from hospitality skills, CV preparation and customer service workshops, mock interviews and presentations from career professional in areas as diverse as IT, Hospitality, Retail management, brand management, visual merchandising, law, accountancy, store management and tourism. "Students also availed of work experience over the Easter holidays. MC for the event was Tom Mason who introduced each speaker and thanked the company on behalf of the school," said a school spokesperson. "Student Raygina Thompson spoke about how the programme had contributed to her self confidence and given her the ability to make the power point presentation in front of her peers and other adults. Orla O Dwyer from Business in the Community said that the programme with Kildare Village is one of the most successful of all the programmes that she coordinates. "Director Maureen Bergin spoke on behalf of the company and said what a pleasure it is to work with the school and how her colleagues enjoy the project and benefit from it themselves. School Principal John Hayes thanked the company and said that the school is hugely appreciative for the wonderful learning opportunities that the students received. The celebration finished with tea and cakes and wonderful piano playing by James Ryan, 5th year." Blood patterns in the room where 14-year-old Anastasia Kriegel's body was found indicate she was struck several times with a weapon while she lay on the floor, a blood spatter analyst has told the trial of the two boys accused of her murder. Other blood stains indicated she was assaulted while upright and an area of blood staining on the carpet further suggests she lay bleeding on the ground for some time before being moved to the part of the room where she was found by gardai three days after she was reported missing. The accused, who are both 14, cannot be named because they are minors. They have each pleaded not guilty to murdering the Kildare schoolgirl at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on May 14 last year and are on trial at the Central Criminal Court. Boy A is further charged with the 14-year-olds aggravated sexual assault in a manner that involved serious violence to her. He has pleaded not guilty to that count also. Mr John Hoade of Forensic Science Ireland today, Tuesday May 14 told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC that he visited Glenwood House with members of the Garda Technical Bureau on May 18, 2018 and went to "Room 1" where Ana's body had been found the previous day. Inside he identified seven areas of blood staining which included impact and cast-off staining on the walls and saturation blood staining on the carpet. He explained that impact staining occurs when an object strikes a source of liquid blood. Cast-off patterns occur when blood drops are released from an object such as when a weapon is swung through the air. Saturation staining, he said, is an accumulation of liquid blood and this could be seen on the carpet near the door as one entered the room. Impact and cast-off staining near the skirting board indicated, the witness said, that Ana was struck several times on the head while on the floor. He noted a "large red area on the wall above the skirting board" and told Mr Grehan: "Ana's head was in contact with that area when she was struck with a weapon." The heavy staining to the carpet close to the skirting board, Mr Hoade said, indicated she bled from the head in that area for some time but her body was not found in that location, suggesting she was moved. He could not say how long she lay before being moved. Clothing was strewn about the room and the trial has previously heard that Ana was naked but for a pair of socks when found. There were further areas of staining closer to the level of the windows which, Mr Hoade said, "indicate she was assaulted while she was upright at the back of the room because they are higher than the ones at the skirting board." A swipe pattern close to the skirting board suggested Ana touched this area while bleeding or an item wet with her blood was in contact with the area. DNA analysis showed that the blood on all but one of the areas identified belonged to Ana. A swab taken on one of the areas did not yield blood for analysis. Mr Hoade said he also took items from the scene to the forensic laboratories for further examination including a white stick and a concrete block. Earlier the trial head from Detective Garda Gabriel Newton who told Mr Grehan she took clothing that Boy A was wearing on the day Ana went missing. Boy A told gardai he was assaulted on that day in a park by two men and had suffered injuries. His mother told Det Gda Newton that she washed his top twice because there was blood staining in the collar area. Det Gda Newton said she could make out a dark area on the white top which Boy A's mother indicated was blood staining. There was also blood staining on the bottoms. The clothing, including a pair of boots and a black hoodie were shown to the jury as was an i-Phone belonging to Boy A. Det Gda Newton further identified clothing taken from Boy B which included Nike runners, a grey hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms. Under cross-examination the witness told Patrick Gageby SC for Boy A that the parents of Boy A were "absolutely" cooperative. The trial continues in front of Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. A Maynooth man who was involved in an assault on a garda, who lost the top of three fingernails, has appealed his jail sentence. Dylan Ivie, 23, with an address listed as 3 The Walk, Moyglare Hall, Maynooth, appeared before Naas District Court on Thursday, May 9 last. Sgt Brian Jacob gave evidence to the court that on January 14, 2018, at Mayfield Monasterevin, Garda Olivia E Fenlon was on lone patrol at 12.30pm. Sgt Jacob said she attempted to intercept a vehicle which failed to stop. A chase pursued, and the car crashed a short distance away. The court heard Mr Ivie was the driver. Sgt Jacob said there were four occupants in the car. Two made an escape, and the other two, which included Mr Ivie, assaulted Garda Fenlon. The court heard Mr Ivie grabbed the victim by her jacket and aggressively shoved her backwards. Sgt Jacob said Garda Fenlon tried to pull away, and lost the top of three of her fingernails while holding her balance. That is serious harm, said Judge Desmond Zaidan. Sgt Jacob said the co-accused was the main aggressor, but that Mr Ivie had joined in. Mr Ivie is charged with dangerous driving, drink driving, and assault. He gave an alcohol reading of 96 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine. The court heard Mr Ivie has two previous convictions. Aisling Murphy, BL, acting for the defendant, said the co-accused is the more serious person involved in this. She said that, in the victim impact statement, Garda Fenlon said Mr Ivie was originally co-operative with her. Ms Murphy said her client left school after third year, and was in State care from the age of 13 through to 18. She said he was thrown out at the age of 18, and began dabbling in drugs. Ms Murphy said he began smoking cannabis at the age of 13. She said he has come a complete 360 with his life now, has completed a drug treatment programme in Switzerland, is a qualified personal trainer working full-time and has a seven-month-old child. She said her client is clean from drugs, and has done some voluntary work with homeless charities. He has come full circle from the person he was at the time of this offence, said Ms Murphy. She said her client is apologetic to the guard. Mr Ivies grandmother gave evidence in court saying her grandson has completely changed, and is a good person. Ms Murphy asked Judge Zaidan to give her client a chance, as he has a lot to lose if a custodial sentence is handed down. Judge Zaidan said he spent a lot of time hearing about the defendant, but nothing about the victim, who was assaulted carrying out her duty as a garda. Judge Zaidan said the victim suffered bruising to both arms and a cut to her right ear as a result of the struggle from Mr Ivie. Judge Zaidan handed down a one year custodial sentence, six months for assault, three months for dangerous driving and three months for drink driving, with all sentences to run consecutively. Judge Zaidan also gave the defendant two four-year driving bans, to run concurrently, and backdated them to February 14 last. Mr Ivie lodged his own bond of 750 cash, and is currently on bail pending an appeal being heard in the case. We're sorry that the ministry you were looking for is no longer available on LightSource.com. However, below are some great ministries that offer related content. Enjoy the inspiration, encouragement, and Biblical challenge from these LightSource.com ministry partners! A WASTE management company has avoided a criminal conviction despite breaching the terms of its EPA licence. Starrus Eco Holdings Limited, which trades as Greenstar, was prosecuted over an offence which was detected at a facility it operates in Limerick. Limerick District Court was told the company processes and bales waste at the Dock Road facility before exporting it for incineration. Solicitor Jason Teahan, representing the EPA, said the prosecution was initiated following a site inspection on June 25, 2018. An EPA inspector said around 3,000 bales of waste, each weighing around one tonne, were being stored in a yard and that more than 100 were badly damaged. He said he observed leakage of unprocessed waste from some of the bales and that others were particularly odorous. The inspector added there was evidence of some sort of scavenging and that rodents and birds had been picking at the bales. He said a specific condition of the companys licence is that all waste is fully enclosed and that there are no leaks or smells emanating from the bales which are being stored. Damien Keaney BL said the defendant company, which employs more than 2,000 people across the country, takes its obligations very seriously and has hired a number of additional personnel since - including a health and safety officer. He said the concerns were addressed quickly and that his client had paid the costs of the EPA, which totalled 14,440 and that there have been no further incidents since. There are now daily inspections of the bales and procedures are in place to repair or reprocess damaged bales as soon as they are identified. Urging the court not to record a criminal conviction, Mr Keaney said any conviction would have a significant impact on its ability to tender for contracts in both the public and private sector. Judge Marie Keane noted the facility at the centre of the prosecution is close to a number of housing estates and is adjacent to the river Shannon. She said the company proves a very valuable service and has significant obligations to its customers and employees. The judge noted the inspection which led to the prosecution took place on one of the hottest days of last summer and she said it is essential the company is aware of the prevailing weather conditions. She applied the Probation Act after being informed 1,000 had been donated by the company to Catherine McCauley School and 500 to Barnados. Advertising Sales Executives Multi-Media Attractive salary package Limerick Starting a career in multi-media Advertising Sales could prove to be your launch pad into a long-term, successful future in the media sector. And if you have the communication skills to present well and persuade customers of the immense value of advertising, it could be both highly lucrative and personally rewarding. About us Iconic is Irelands largest independently owned newspaper group, with an unrivalled audience in print, online and mobile. Having launched The Leader, a major new weekly newspaper that reflects the positivity, energy and self confidence of the new Limerick, we are now seeking Sales Executives to join the Advertising Sales Team here in Limerick. About the role As a Sales Executive you will be responsible for a portfolio of existing customers and for developing new relationships with potential advertisers. Youll be part of an experienced and dedicated team and will be fully supported in understanding the role and how to achieve targets. About you Previous customer facing or telesales experience (retail or call-centre) would be desirable but is not essential for this role. Above all else we are seeking ambitious people with strong communication skills who can build relationships with existing and potential customers. To be a success youll need to be energetic, self-motivated and able to think on your feet. Professional, personable and able to inspire others, youll also need to demonstrate the confidence to hit the ground running. Our growing portfolio includes many iconic, market-leading newspaper titles and websites. If you have the drive, determination and initiative to succeed in a developing multi-media organisation, then we would like to hear from you. To apply, please email your CV to ckelly@iconicnewspapers.ie A DISTRESSED businesswoman has thanked the public for their support after her beauty salon was burgled and ransacked in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Gardai at Roxboro Road have launched an investigation into the burglary at Plush Beauty salon on Fr Russell Road, which occurred at around 4am on Tuesday. Ciara Flanagan, owner of the well-known salon, said that she estimates she is at a loss of around 1,000 after the culprits smashed two windows and ran away with a till with cash. Ms Flanagan received a call from a local resident, who she said witnessed a white car quickly leaving the scene, at around 4.30am. The businesswoman immediately rushed to the salon and started a clean-up. If only for them [the resident], there would have been an awful lot worse done. They said they heard a bang, she told the Limerick Leader. I have two kids, so I had to go in there, not knowing what I was facing. And I was on my own at 4.30am cleaning up that mess. Its only now that I feel a danger of what if they come back? But despite the distress of the situation, Ciara was back in business as usual at 9am. In a Facebook post, Ciara said: We are still open guys they won't knock us that easily. I havent slept but I really dont know how I am going to sleep tonight. What am I supposed to do, sleep there? They dont care if theres cameras. Ms Flanagan said she has suffered a financial loss in recent months with no-shows at the salon. Only just taking to Facebook a number of days ago, she revealed that 87 no-shows have cost her business 1,674. Then a couple of days later, my two windows get smashed in and my till is robbed. And its probably going to cost me another 1,000. Thats nearly 3,000 in revenue in four a bit months. She there have been suggestions from the public to install shutters at her store. I dont have the money for shutters. I have to pay for new windows and a new till and the money that was in the tills. Shutters dont come for free and neither do windows. Speaking about the damage, she said: They trampled [the glass] into the floor. All the floor is scraped, and it was all in behind the desk. The till was attached to a booking system, so they ripped the wires out. In an emotional video post on Facebook, Ciara thanked the public for their support this Tuesday evening. President Buhari has expressed sadness at the level of poverty in Nigeria. Speaking when he hosted Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Ministers, Service Chiefs, Heads of Security Agencies and Chief Executives of Federal Government Agencies and Institutions to a breaking of fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja last night, President Buhari said what upsets him when he drives around the country is the level of poverty he sees. When I drive around the country what upset me very much is the status of our poor people in this country. You see young people, the so-called Almajiris with tore dresses, with plastic bowl. They are looking basically for what to eat. The question of education (to them) is a luxury. I think Nigerian elite we are all failing because I think we should have a programme that will at least guarantee some basic education for our people no matter how poor they are. So, I welcome the Vice-President for initiating the School feeding programme. If you check in your localities the enrolment into schools improved because a lot of children can get at least one good meal a day. This is the position of this country. But, culturally some of us are quiet merciless, we dont care about what happen to others we just keep on moving forward. This `market money I warned the Vice-President I dont like him to be mobbed, especially the way I see hefty women coming and confronting him, he should be very careful. These are very good initiatives. Initially, I was quite reluctant but I must admit that they are very good programmes and they endear this government to a lot of poor people because of these N5,000 or N10,000 being given to them as loans. They are fantastic programmes and I have to admit quite honestly that the Vice-President was ahead of me by insisting on them. But he knows me if he insists I will say `okay go and do what you like. He did it and Im very pleased as he is being very successful, he said. King Mswati III of Swaziland has declared in Mbabane Swaziland that men will from June 2019 be required to marry at least two or more wives or be jailed if they fail to do so. The king, who has 15 wives and 25 children, while his father and predecessor has more than 70 wives and 150+ children, noted that there are more women than men in Swaziland which he says is a very serious problem for a country, which is known to be full of virgins. According to IHarare, men from Swaziland are therefore required and expected to take more wives so that every woman gets a husband. In a statement, king Mswati called for all men in the country to marry at least five wives and the government assured the men that it would pay for the marriage ceremonies and buy houses for them. King Mswati warned that any man or woman who opposes the decision will face a life sentence. A graduate of Criminology and Security Services, Adeusi Demola Olatunji, has been sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty of internet-related offence filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Ibadan zonal office. Justice P.I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, pronounced him guilty of a one-count amended charge of criminal impersonation. Adeusi, otherwise known as Piero Luchas, was originally arraigned on a six-count charge to which he pleaded not guilty. The one-count charge he was convicted of was consequent upon a plea-bargain agreement he later had with the commission. He pleaded guilty to the amended charge when read to him. The convict was arrested on February 8, 2019 at Elebu Oja, Ibadan, Oyo State. His modus operandi, according to EFCC investigations, was to present himself as Piero Luchas, a white man with email address [email protected],to dupe his victims. The offence is contrary to Section 22(3) (b) and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act 2015. After pleading guilty to the amended charge, the EFCC counsel, Mabas Mabur, urged the court to accept the plea bargain agreement and convict him accordingly. The court granted the prayer. Besides the four months jail term, Adeusi was also ordered to refund the sum of$1,800 as restitution to one of his victims. He will also forfeit his Infinix phone, iPhone 6 and a Toshiba Laptop to the Federal Government of Nigeria, being part of the benefit he derived from his fraudulent act. The conviction takes effect from the day of his arrest. At low-tide, a rock inscribed with a 230-year-old code emerges on a beach in France. The town where it's located is now offering a bounty to anyone who can decipher the writing inscribed there. Do you fancy yourself a puzzler? A code breaker? A cunning linguist? Your services may be required in France. A village in northwest France has offered a reward of 2,000 euros ($2,240) for anyone who can decrypt the series of letters and symbols chiseled into a boulder near town. Located on a beach near the village of Plougastel-Daoulas, Brittany, and only visible at low tide, the stone was rediscovered three or four years ago but is believed to have been inscribed more than 200 years before. According to the French news site AFP.com, one side of the rock is completely adorned in jumbled capital letters; symbols including a picture of a sailboat and a heart; and the dates 1786 and 1787. [Are There Secret Codes in the Mona Lisa?] Veronique Martin, a town official, told AFP that those dates correspond to the construction of several artillery batteries built to protect a nearby fort. Whether this information has anything to do with the mysterious inscription has baffled visiting academics and amateur code breakers for years. Now, the town has opened the puzzle to the public, giving folks until Nov. 30 to submit their guesses. A jury will decide which interpretation is most likely and award the 2,000 euro prize after that, AFP reported. According to AFP, the legible parts of the inscription read: "ROC AR B ... DRE AR GRIO SE EVELOH AR VIRIONES BAOAVEL ... R I OBBIIE: BRISBVILAR ... FROIK AL." Town officials told AFP that the contest rules and submission information are available at Plougastel-Daoulas' town hall.They have not said whether international puzzlers will be able to submit their answers online. Originally published on Live Science. To light their way, these late Stone Age people likely burned bundles of pine (Pinus) sticks, which archaeologists also found in the cave, known as Grotta della Basura, in northern Italy. The cave's ceiling was so low, that at one part, the ancient explorers were forced to crawl, leaving behind "the first evidence ever of human footprints left during crawling locomotion," that is, in a "crouching walk" position, said study first author Marco Romano, a postdoctoral researcher at the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. [In Photos: Stone Age Human Footprints Discovered] Researchers have known about the ancient human presence in Grotta della Basura since the 1950s. But the new analysis is the first high-tech look at these particular trackways, in which the researchers used laser scans, sediment analysis, geochemistry, archaeobotany and 3D modeling to study the prints. There were so many prints 180 in all that the researchers were able to piece together what happened that day during the upper Paleolithic (also known as the late Stone Age). According to the different sizes of footprints, it appears there were five people: a 3-year-old, 6-year-old, a pre-adolescent (8- to 11-year-old) and two adults, the researchers found. Researchers found a total of 180 human footprints and traces that were made about 14,000 years ago in a cave in northern Italy. Here are three of the footprints, made on different surfaces within the cave. (Image credit: Marco Avanzini) This group was barefoot and didn't appear to be wearing any clothes (at least not that left any imprints in the cave). After walking nearly 500 feet (150 meters) into the cave, the party arrived at the "Corridoio delle Impronte" (footprint corridor), and then fell into single file, with the 3-year-old in the rear. "[They] walked very close to the side wall of the cave, a safer approach also used by other animals (e.g., dogs and bears) when moving in a poorly lit and unknown environment," Romano told Live Science in an email. Shortly thereafter, the cave roof dropped to below 31 inches (80 centimeters), forcing the adventurers to crawl, "placing their hands and knees on the clay substrate," Romano said. The corridor known as Corridoio delle Impronte within the cave where the researchers analyzed some of the ancient prints. (Image credit: Isabella Salvador) The explorers then passed a bottleneck of stalagmites; traversed a small pond, leaving deep tracks on the waterlogged ground; climbed a small slope beyond the "Cimitero degli Orsi" (cemetery of the bears); and finally arrived at the terminal room "Sala dei Misteri" (room of mysteries), where they stopped. Once in that room, "the adolescent and children started collecting clay from the floor and smeared it on a stalagmite at different levels according to height," Romano said. The group's torches left several charcoal traces on the walls. Then they left the cave. The motley crew shows that "very young children were active members of the upper Palaeolithic populations, even in apparently dangerous and social activities," Romano said. The new study is "a beautifully presented piece of work," said Matthew Bennett, a professor of environmental and geographical sciences at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom, who was not involved in the research. "It's an example of the sophistication with which we can now record prints, whether they be humans or animals." [Photos: Dinosaur Tracks Reveal Australia's 'Jurassic Park'] However, given that researchers already knew that ancient humans lived in the area and used the cave, the finding doesn't add much to the scientific understanding of late Stone Age people, Bennett said. "It's a group of individuals exploring a cave, which is cool, but we knew that anyway," he told Live Science. In this image, researchers used shiny sheets to help highlight the ancient human prints on the cave floor. (Image credit: Isabella Salvador) Bennett added that it's not uncommon to find the footprints of children intermingled with those of adults from this time. In part, that's because children likely outnumbered adults during the upper Paleolithic and because children take more steps than adults, as their legs are shorter. Moreover, "[children] do silly things they dance around, they run around, they don't walk economically in one direction," Bennett said. "It makes statistical sense that we should be finding lots of children's footprints." The study was published online today (May 14) in the journal eLife. Originally published on Live Science. Erick Vazquez Cano, 21, a senior Chemistry major at Texas A&M International University, weighed options carefully between attending a college in Mexico or TAMIU when applying for a university as a high school graduate from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico's Colegio Royal. READ MORE: Plans unveiled for Laredo ISD administration building He said he chose TAMIU, partly due to its proximity to his parents' home in Nuevo Laredo, but also because initially, as he shyly admits, he had planned to take his fundamental classes at the University and transfer to a university outside Laredo. Now, four years later, Vazquez Cano is graduating from TAMIU with a bachelor's degree in Chemistry, and he said he is glad he never transferred to another university. Thanks to his dedication and scientific research at TAMIU, he was one of 20 students nationwide accepted to Harvard University to pursue doctoral studies in Chemical Biology starting this Fall. "I'm very excited, and of course, very grateful to everyone including TAMIU, my parents, my family and friends, my professors, and to all my teachers since kindergarten," Vazquez Cano said, "A lot of people play a role in your decisions." Soon after enrolling at TAMIU, Vazquez Cano said he realized that TAMIU offered students more opportunities than he had first imagined. At the encouragement of a faculty member, he signed up for a lab during the summer of his freshman year led by Dr. Ruby Ynalvez, associate professor of Biology. He began as her research assistant, studying regional plants and testing them for antibacterial properties. For the next three years, Vazquez Cano continued under Dr. Ynalvez's mentorship, researching and working on the characterization of Cia 7 gene, part of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii algae. "We don't know the function of that gene and are doing experiments in an effort to characterize it and determine if the presence of that gene gives the algae an ability to cope with heavy metal toxicity," he said, referring to the Cia 7 gene. While at TAMIU, Vazquez Cano also presented at various national science conferences and even traveled to India through the University's Reading the Globe Program. He credits Dr. Ynalvez and Dr. Alfred Addo-Mensah, associate professor of Chemistry, for helping him narrow his research focus, while also encouraging him to present at conferences and to apply to Harvard. "Last August, Dr. Addo-Mensah, three other students and I went to Boston to present a research poster at the American Chemical Society Conference," Vazquez Cano said, "That's when he asked me, 'Where do you want to go to grad school?' I answered that I wanted to go to The University of Texas at Austin. He then asked me, 'Where do you really want to go?' So, I said if I possibly could go to Harvard, that would be nice. He told me to then apply, because I had nothing to lose." Vazquez Cano applied, was invited to interview at Harvard and accepted to their doctoral program. He said he is grateful to both Drs. Ynalvez and Addo-Mensah for encouraging his development as a future scholar. "If I'm going to grad school in the first place, it's because of Dr. Ynalvez," he said, "She was the one who helped me consolidate my passion by helping me attend national conferences since my second year in college," Vazquez Cano said. He continued, "I know that if there's one thing I'd like to contribute is to motivate students to always pursue and aim for the best. That's what I got from Dr. Addo-Mensah. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have sent my application to Harvard." Vazquez Cano said that TAMIU's campus size, resources and opportunities helped ensure his academic success. "I think TAMIU is a very nice place to conduct research since not many of us join a lab," he said, "We have many instruments and machines, and compared to other universities, you don't have to wait in line to use them in the lab." He encouraged other students to learn more about TAMIU's resources. "TAMIU is a great university," he said "The resources and opportunities are there. The ACT on Ideas Department, the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), all of them are there to help students," he said, "There are many positions and undergraduate assistantships, scholarships. As an international student, I'm not eligible for many of them but those students who are eligible, they should go for them. If you are passionate enough, if you are driven, then TAMIU is going to make it possible for you." Vazquez Cano said that he has not yet decided about his future career path. "Once I complete my doctoral studies, I'm open to everything," he said, "With a Ph.D., you can become a professor, do industrial research or become a consultant to a lawmaker. You get to dream whatever you want to do. Before, I couldn't dream of working for the World Health Organization, but after Harvard, I'm sure the doors will be open for anything." READ MORE: Laredo high school ranked in Top 10 best throughout Texas Finally, Vazquez Cano said he is proud to represent TAMIU at Harvard. "Just the fact that I have a diploma from TAMIU, for Harvard to know that they have good people coming out of this University, might change the way they look at us or the way they perceive regional universities," he said, "At the end, it doesn't matter where you are from. Your school is just a place for you to do the most of what you can." A man has been arrested for sexually abusing a teenager since she was approximately 12 years old, according to an arrest affidavit. On May 8, Michael Flores, 37, was served with arrest warrants that charged him with continuous sexual abuse of a child and indecency with a child by exposure. READ MORE: San Antonio pastor among 30 arrested, indicted on child sex crimes in April Webb County Jail records show Flores is out on bond. Laredo police responded to a continuous sexual abuse of a child report on March 6, in the 3900 block of Barcelona Avenue. A woman stated she found her 16-year-old daughter with her shorts and underwear down in bed with a man identified as Flores, according to police. Flores allegedly pretended to be asleep. The woman grabbed her daughter and confronted Flores. He stated he was asleep and had no idea what the teen was doing naked, according to court documents. The mother stated that her daughter had made allegations against Flores, regarding him touching her in a sexual manner. But the mother ignored her daughter, states the affidavit. She stated her daughter told her Flores had been abusing her since she was about 12 years old. Authorities took the child to the Children's Advocacy Center for a forensic interview. She recanted that the abuse started when she was 12 years old. Flores would allegedly touch her under the clothing in her breasts, buttocks and vaginal area. The child added this would happen "very often," states the affidavit. READ MORE: Woman allegedly assaults female in 'lover's quarrel' Flores would cover her mouth during the abuse, police said. Flores also told her that he did not want her to get pregnant, "but later they could have kids," states the affidavit. During the forensic interview, the child talked about sexual acts Flores allegedly performed on her, according to court documents. There was a somber feeling at the Humble Civic Center on Monday with dozens of peace officers and community members remembering the ones who lost their lives in the line of duty. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle and former U.S. Congressman Ted Poe hosted the 5th annual Police Memorial Ceremony where peace officers from various departments in Harris County remember and honor the officers in Texas who died while serving in the community. Peace officers from the Humble Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, Humble ISD Police Department, Houston Police Department-Kingwood Division, the Department of Public Safety, Precinct 4 Constable Deputies and Texas Rangers gathered at the civic center to catch up with old friends and remember the brothers and sisters in blue who gave their lives to protect the community. According to the Texas Peace Officers Memorial website, 16 peace officers and K-9 officers died in 2018. Several political and law enforcement leaders spoke at the memorial about the importance of honoring the people who decide to dedicate their lives to protect the public and sometimes give up their lives doing so. Humble ISD Police Chief Solomon Cook was one the speakers at the ceremony. He said the month of May has always been a special month for him because he started his law enforcement career in May 1976. "I've observed great changes in law enforcement that have benefited our community. Sadly, I have seen many of our brothers and sisters who have lost their lives during the performance of their duties. They made the ultimate sacrifice for their community, family and country," Cook said. "In these times we know we must be prepared for the next incident. An incident can occur at anytime where an officer will have to step in the gap to protect someone." Cook said these incidents can occur anywhere at anytime. One example he gave was the school shooting in Santa Fe High School in May 2018 where two campus police officers engaged at an active shooter. 2018 Texas Fallen Peace and K-9 Officers: Officer Charles Sherrard, Richardson PD , February 7 K-9 Rony, Houston PD, February 21 Officer Rogelio Santander, Dallas PD, April 25 Officer Charles Whites, Round Rock PD, April 27 Deputy Inspector General Richard W. Hale, Texas Juvenile Department- Office of Inspector General, May 9 Senior Special Agent Paul Scott Ragsdale, U.S. Department of Justice-Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, May 24 Chief Lonnie Verdell Burton, Wayland Baptist University PD, June 25 Officer Jarrod Kyle Friddle, Cumby PD, July 9 Senior Corporal Earl James "Jamie" Givens III, Dallas PD, July 21 K-9 Grunt, Refugio County Sheriff's Office, September 1 K-9 Nell, Refugio County Sheriff's Office, September 1 Corporal Garrett Willis Hull, Fort Worth PD, September 14 Deputy Sheriff Mark A. Cox, Real County Sheriff's Office, September 25 Deputy Sheriff Raymond Bradley Jimmerson, Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Office, October 5 K-9 Castor, Waco PD, October 5 Deputy Sheriff Loren Y. Vasquez, Waller County Sheriff's Office, October 31 See More Collapse The district chief took the time to thank the officers who committed themselves to this profession and to their families. Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman was another speaker at the memorial service. Herman talked about the dedication and commitment it takes to be a peace officer. He also talked about the day one of his constable deputies died while in the line of duty. "Every year I have mixed feelings about this event. My emotions range from being honored to sad," Herman said. After thanking the parents and the families of the officers who have died in the line of duty, Herman then talked about how Constable Deputy Scott Claborn was killed by a drunk driver while out on patrol on Feb. 19, 2004. His name is etched into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. "Between our equipment, our training and God's good grace no one else's name from my agency will be added to that memorial," Herman said. Jason Taylor, Region 2 director of the Texas Department of Public safety, said in the course of 14 years TxDPS has lost 14 state troopers across the state. "This police memorial service is more than just remembrance for the fallen, it's an opportunity to reflect on what our law enforcement professionals risk every day," Taylor said. Taylor shared the pain of losing a fellow trooper and trooper academy classmate Trooper Kurt David Knapp who died in an automobile crash in May 2004. Taylor said Knapp's daughter, who was a toddler at the time of his death, will graduate from high school. Taylor and many other law enforcement officers plan to go to her graduation. "Just like they have been there, we have been there for the past 15 years while he's been absent," Taylor said. "We will be there on that day." kaila.contreras@chron.com In 1998, U.S. attorney for Massachusetts Donald Stern needed someone to look into allegations that the FBI had been protecting mob leaders in Boston. One of them was Irish mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger. This was a big case, involving potential misdeeds by high-ranking federal law enforcement agents. And Stern knew whom he wanted. "We didn't go to Washington with a list," Stern later told The Associated Press. "We went to Washington and said, 'We want John Durham to do it.' " John Durham did it. The new special prosecutor's work would in 2000 lead to the overturning of four 1968 murder convictions, after he unearthed secret documents revealing an FBI informant had framed the men. By 2002, he secured the conviction of a retired FBI agent, John Connolly, who had protected Bulger and top associate Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi. (Connolly tipped off Bulger ahead of his 1995 indictment, allowing him to flee. He would evade arrest until 2011.) The investigation also led to another indictment of a retired FBI agent, but the agent died before trial. Two decades later, Durham is again being called upon to investigate allegations of FBI wrongdoing, this time when it comes to surveillance of members of the 2016 Trump campaign. Republicans have alleged such a conspiracy for the past two years, and they've finally found a receptive attorney general, William Barr. We learned Monday that Barr had chosen Durham to look into the matter. Durham comes to the job with what is by almost all accounts a sterling decadeslong career as a prosecutor. Though he was nominated to his current post as the U.S. attorney for Connecticut by President Donald Trump, he has been selected by Republican and Democratic administrations to conduct high-profile investigations involving alleged wrongdoing by the federal government. After President Bill Clinton's attorney general, Janet Reno, selected him for the Boston mob case, President George W. Bush's attorney general Michael Mukasey picked him in 2008 to look into the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. The next year, President Barack Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, expanded Durham's probe to look into potential criminal charges against CIA officials who employed "enhanced interrogation techniques." Unlike in Boston, neither case led to criminal charges. In the latter investigation, Durham recommended closing all but two cases without filing charges, leaving some critics of the Bush administration's interrogation practices disappointed. Through it all, Durham has maintained a remarkably low profile, seldom speaking publicly outside a courtroom. The New Republic in 2011 named him one of "Washington's Most Powerful, Least Famous People." His public corruption pedigree includes a case that landed a former governor of Connecticut, John Rowland, in jail. Rowland, like Durham, is a Republican. The high point in his career, though - and the one most applicable to today - was the Boston mob case. "I think that he proved that he wasn't there simply to whitewash the FBI misconduct," Boston criminal defense lawyer Anthony Cardinale told The Boston Globe in 2008. "If it's the right call, he's going to make it no matter who it hurts or helps." In 2001, then-FBI Director Louis Freeh called the scandal "a very sad chapter in the history of this agency." A congressional committee in 2003 issued a scathing report labeling it "one of the greatest failures in the history of federal law enforcement." The matter tangentially involved Robert Mueller. He was an assistant United States attorney in Boston in the 1980s, even serving as acting U.S. attorney when Bulger was informing. Mueller succeeded Freeh as FBI director in 2001 when the scandal was still coming to light. While reforms were instituted governing the use of informants, Mueller emphasized, "I think the public should recognize that what happened, happened years ago." Durham will now be probing the beginnings of an investigation that was eventually handed over to Mueller, who was appointed as a special counsel. Barr has drawn criticism for using Trump's talking point that the FBI was "spying" on the Trump campaign - a characterization FBI Director Christopher Wray recently took issue with. The Mueller report states that the Russia investigation was initially launched based upon Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos telling a foreign official that Russia had dirt on Trump's 2016 general-election opponent, Hillary Clinton. Republicans have also cried foul that the "Steele dossier" - a document full of unverified claims that was funded in part by Clinton and the Democratic National Committee - was used to get a warrant to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page in late 2016, after he had left the campaign. The FBI also used an informant to contact Trump campaign aides, including Papadopoulos. Because of his limited public comments, it's difficult to ascertain much about Durham's prosecutorial philosophy when it comes to public corruption. In 2001, he urged reporters to talk to other people involved in the Boston mob case, not him. In 2002, he issued a brief statement after Connolly's conviction, saying, "Nobody in this country is above the law, an FBI agent or otherwise, and ultimately the ends do not justify the means." But in 2018, he gave a rare speech at St. Joseph's University. In the process of recounting the Boston mob case, he spoke to the pitfalls and the "two-edged sword" of informants. "The damage that can be done when law enforcement or prosecutors misuse these tools is difficult to overstate," he said. "And we unfortunately have seen it in some recent instances." Now Durham is charged with figuring out whether that applies here. Family and friends of Col. Alfred Asch stood proud Monday as the Beaverton Post Office, 362 N. Ross St., was renamed the Colonel Alfred Asch Post Office Building. "His legacy will live on at the post office," said Rep. John Moolenaar, who talked about what an amazing man Asch was. "He never waivered and he dedicated his life to making the world a better place." The event was held at the Beaverton Activity Center to accommodate the large group. The building once served as a high school, where Asch graduated in 1938. In addition, proceeds from Asch's memoir, "The Whole Nine Yards," was donated to the BAC. Asch's family said the colonel, who died in in 2013 -- the same year his book was published -- was focused on flying. Asch left his beloved city to join the Army Air Corps in 1941 and was trained as a bomber pilot on the then new B-24 heavy bomber. Asch, a co-pilot in a mission over Lille, France, is noted for taking over for a passed-out pilot and returning the plane and crew back safely to England. His accomplishments included flying more than 70 missions, heading up the computer division of the National Library of Medicine, and working for 16 years helping develop the automation of the air traffic control system for the Federal Aviation Administration. Spokeswoman Sabrina Todd of the U.S. Postal Service Greater Michigan District deemed Asch an "American hero." Todd, who sang a jaw-dropping National Anthem at the event, said she enjoyed working with the family and learning about the presentation. Moolenaar, who proposed the renaming and followed the act through legislation, spoke highly of Asch and his sons, Peter and David. Asch's brother, Dan, also spoke. Moolenaar talked about Asch's prolific letters to his girlfriend, Naomi, who later became his wife of 66 years. Brave and heroic were words reiterated when speaking of Asch. Peter said it was a "fantastic" event and he felt so honored for his father. Dave said their father would have been impressed to have such an honor bestowed after his passing. Terry Brokoff didn't personally know Asch but read his book and described it as "awesome" attended the event. "He had an awesome life and contributed a lot to the world," said Brokoff of Asch. David worked with his father in writing the book. He was reading it to him the day his father died. David said they just started "The Wild Blue Yonder" chapter. He said as he was reading the book to him, his dad would stop him and say, "Damn that's good." Later, he would stop him again after reading a sentence or paragraph and repeat the acknowledgement. David said the same acknowledgement could be said for Monday's event. Jake Daniels JASPER Rescue teams on Tuesday recovered the body of a boater who had been missing in Lake Sam Rayburn for three days. James Pate was located at about 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, Game Warden James Barge said. He had been reported missing about 6 p.m. Sunday. Volunteers joined members of the Angelina County Sheriff's Department, Jasper County Sheriff's Department and the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife to search the waters surrounding the Black Forest area. WASHINGTON - Joe Biden has spent the past two days attempting to push back against liberal criticism over his stance on climate change, pointing to decades-long environmental work in an effort to blunt the first major ideological skirmish of his presidential campaign. On its face, the debate centers on his climate change agenda, one that activists are preemptively criticizing before Biden formally releases his plan this month. But on a deeper level, the criticism drives at Biden's political philosophy to seek the types of consensus-building compromises that many in the Democratic base say they are in no mood to make. Biden's approach represents a fundamental test of whether the Democratic Party has shifted out of his grasp in recent years - to one that punches back hard against the Trump-controlled Republican Party with a sharply liberal agenda - or whether it is one that wants a return to bipartisan bonhomie. Biden often preaches the merits of working with Republicans - calling them good and decent at their core - and calls President Donald Trump an aberration. "The thing that will fundamentally change with Donald Trump out of the White House, not a joke," he said on Tuesday in New Hampshire, "is you will see an epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends." "If we can't change it, we're in trouble," he added. "This nation cannot function without generating consensus. It can't do it." He told a story about learning to respect Republicans he served with during his 36 years in the Senate. And he launched into extended remarks lamenting the time he discovered that a private dining room for senators had been converted into a room with just lounge chairs. "Folks, you gotta get to know the other team," he said. "Get to know them personally." Biden has yet to announce many policies - repeatedly telling crowds that he would get into more detail except he doesn't want to force them to stand for too long. But in some areas he seems prepared to move to the left of the Obama administration, if keeping to the right of some of his primary rivals. On health care, for example, he has been open to a public option that would give Americans a choice to buy into a Medicare-like health insurance plan. That option goes beyond the Affordable Care Act but falls short of the Medicare-for-all plan pushed by others. But climate change has emerged as one of his key early tests. The tension was on display Monday night as a large crowd of liberal activists repeatedly booed references to a Reuters report that the former vice president would seek a "middle ground" on what they consider a defining issue among the crowded Democratic field. At a rally for the Green New Deal attended by about 1,500 activists at Howard University, speaker after speaker criticized Biden's reported position, which Reuters attributed to a campaign adviser. "What we learned from the Obama administration is unless we find middle ground on these issues, we risk not having any policies," Heather Zichal, one of Biden's advisers on climate change, told Reuters. Zichal did not respond to several requests for comment from The Washington Post. Biden has since pushed back against the report, and has promised a major speech later this month outlining his environmental priorities. But that did little to quell concerns among those who attended the event organized by the left-wing Sunrise Movement, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is also seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. "Who here liked it when Joe Biden said he was middle of the road on climate policy?" asked Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, a left-wing campaign group that is attacking Biden on social media. Ocasio-Cortez, who is neutral in the presidential race but has repeatedly teamed up with Sanders, also went after Biden without using his name. After she criticized "conservatives in both parties" who did not have a comprehensive plan to transition from fossil fuels, an audience member shouted, "No middle ground!" "No middle ground is right!" Ocasio-Cortez said. "I will be damned if the same politicians who refused to act [earlier] come back today and say we need a middle-of-the-road approach to save our lives." Biden, who offered an initial defense Monday evening before Ocasio-Cortez spoke, responded more fully on Tuesday morning. "Look at my record. She'll find that nobody has been more consistent about taking on the environment and a green revolution than I have," he said. "And so, look, anyways - I don't think she was talking about me." Biden has often pointed to remarks he gave in 1987, a time when climate change was not on the national radar and before Ocasio-Cortez was born. "Global warming, should it occur in accord with the direst predictions, would be a catastrophe of biblical proportions for the entire world," he said in a Senate floor speech. "The human activities that could bring it about - the inefficient burning of fossil fuels . . . the destruction of tropical forests - are occurring right now. And unless these activities are changed in the next few years . . . a disastrous and irreversible warming could become inevitable." He pushed legislation that would form a task force that would be mandated to study global warming and come up with recommendations for further action. "It's a long campaign. And everybody should just calm - they should just calm down a little bit," Biden said Tuesday as he munched on a muffin in Concord, New Hampshire "Take a look at my record from before. There's been nothing middle of the road about my record dealing with the environment. Nothing." In a statement to The Post, former secretary of state John Kerry, the U.S. negotiator for the Paris climate accords - the multinational agreement to limit greenhouse emissions - praised Biden. "Joe is ambitious on climate and energy," Kerry said. "The 'middle' they're talking about is building a new climate coalition that unites true believers with blue collar workers who will build the energy of tomorrow." "Joe has been a leader on climate change since the first climate bill in 1987," he added. "Everyone should wait to see his plan. His record has earned him that much and more." It's unclear how close Biden's new plan will come to the goals embodied in the Green New Deal, a plan introduced by Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., that envisions the United States achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within a decade while also guaranteeing Americans high-paying jobs and high-quality health care. The plan has won broad support among Democratic activists - while earning less support among Democrats overall - and has been endorsed by several of the party's presidential hopefuls. But it has been heavily criticized by Republicans, who argue that it is unrealistic and part of a lurch toward socialism by Democrats. In New Hampshire, Biden, as he has on several issues during his first few weeks as a candidate, pointed to the accomplishments during the Obama administration in which he served. He cited investments made in clean energy as part of economic stimulus legislation, as well as an increase in the fuel efficiency standards for passenger vehicles. "Why in God's name did this president freeze that?" Biden said, referring to Trump. "Even the automobile companies were for it. Because they know they can't compete in the world without having more energy efficient cars and electric vehicles." Sanders, who like Ocasio-Cortez spoke at Monday night's rally in Washington, did not criticize Biden by name. But he criticized candidates who he said had only a tepid commitment to fighting climate change. "We have an overall economy that is rigged and a political system that is corrupt," he said. "A lot of people, say, 'Well, I want to combat climate change, but, you know, I don't want to take on the fossil fuel industry.' That is not the way it happens." Sanders took more direct aim at Biden last week after the Reuters report was published. "There is no 'middle ground' when it comes to climate policy," he said in a tweet. "If we don't commit to fully transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels, we will doom future generations." Other 2020 hopefuls also referred to the report as they sought to distinguish themselves from Biden. " 'Middle-ground' approaches and half measures won't cut it," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, D, who has put climate change at the center of his presidential bid, said in a tweet. "We need a large-scale national mobilization to defeat climate change and grow millions of jobs in a clean energy economy." Some in the crowd Monday night suggested a plan from Biden that falls short of the Green New Deal would be disappointing, but not necessarily a dealbreaker. "If Biden is the nominee and he never supported or never signed a pledge to support the Green New Deal, it would it be tough to vote for him, but I'd do it," said Elly Ren, 18, a student at Johns Hopkins, as she cut out images of Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez for a poster. "I guess we'd just have to put pressure on him in the White House." It's a natural default assumption that when big-ticket events occur over the course of a presidential election, they are necessarily important. Everyone gets together for a debate that's watched by millions of people; how could that not shape the outcome of the race? But a funny thing happened in 2016. From the date of the first sanctioned debate by either party until both nominees clinched the necessary delegates, there was a period of only three days in which Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton didn't lead in the polls. Trump and Clinton both faced threats at various times, but both essentially went wire to wire through the entire campaign. As debate season looms in the 2020 contest, it's worth considering how those encounters changed the field in 2016, particularly since the dynamics are similar. Then, as now, one party had a crowded field with a diverse array of candidates, one of whom had a decent-sized lead. Then, as now, the other party had a prohibitive front-runner. Here's what happened when they started to debate. To accommodate the crowded Republican field in 2016, the party created a two-tiered debate structure. The 10 candidates faring best in polls would participate in the main debate. Other candidates who'd met a minimum polling standard participated in a secondary debate that aired before the main event. As Aug. 5 approached, the jockeying was mostly to see which candidates would make the main stage and which would be forced to sit at the kid's table. This involved a lot of strategy: Then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich entered the race late, got a nice bump from his announcement and slid into the debate. But it was one of the candidates from the lower-tier debate that saw the most movement afterward. Looking at the RealClearPolitics poll average by day, we see that the two candidates who gained the most in the polls in the weeks after the debate was held were Ben Carson and business executive Carly Fiorina. Carson gained more than 4 points in the three weeks after the debate, moving from fifth place into second. Fiorina was a standout in the junior debate, gaining slightly more than Carson and passing several of the candidates who'd participated in the main event. The next debate came a little over a month later. This time, there was a lot more movement in the weeks after the debate. It takes a bit for changes to register in the polls, given that polling isn't instantaneous, but you can see the shifts on the graph below within the first 10 days or so. Fiorina, now in the main debate, gained more than 8 points during that period. Carson slipped a bit, but not as much as Trump, who lost more than 6 points. It was obvious during the event that Fiorina outplayed Trump, a result reflected in the polling. Perhaps the most interesting thing to occur in the wake of the debate, though, was the withdrawal of then-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Walker had at one point led the field. But without making headway in the debate and with a campaign that had quickly hit rocky financial waters, he called it quits. A month and a half later, the third debate. Again, Trump came out slightly lower than he'd gone in and, again, Carson gained. You can see on the graph below the result: For a few days in early November, Carson took the lead in national Republican primary polling. Notice, too, that Fiorina's success didn't last. She never even reached half of Trump's support in the wake of the debates and, by January, she'd been dropped back down to the secondary debate. (Those aren't shown above because no one ever replicated her success from that first event.) The lead by Carson wouldn't last. Not because of a debate though. It was because of France. Specifically, the terrorist attacks that occurred in Paris in mid-November. Trump and Carson saw their poll numbers diverge after the fourth debate, but more so after terrorists killed more than 130 people in the French capital. Carson's strength wasn't foreign policy and Trump seized on the attacks as reinforcement of his key political messaging on the purported threats of terrorism and migration. That, as it turns out, was about the end of that. A debate in mid-December doesn't seem to have changed the momentum of the race much at all, with Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas, picking up support that Carson was shedding. A debate a month later, a few weeks before the caucuses began in Iowa, had almost no effect on the field. By late January, Trump's irritation with the debates was beginning to show. When Fox News was slated to host a debate in late January - the network's first since the opening debate in which Trump was a target of direct questioning - Trump decided to boycott. Instead, he hosted a fundraising/campaign event focused on the military in Des Moines, Iowa. (That event helped doom the Trump Foundation.) It's hard to tell how much the pared-down debate shifted the flow of the campaign because Iowa began voting days later. It was those results that probably had the most significant effect on the field, with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., surging after his surprisingly strong finish in the caucuses. The next debate had one of the most memorable moments of the cycle. Rubio, hoping to capitalize on the attention he gained after Iowa, went after Barack Obama. "Let's dispel once and for all with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing," Rubio said. "He knows exactly what he's doing." Then he said it again. And again - even after then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called him out for sounding robotic. The debate doesn't seem to have changed much. Rubio fared poorly in the New Hampshire primary, but his campaign also wasn't doing much there. Christie dropped out shortly after. Rubio faded, though he'd later briefly surge again. Kasich did fairly well in New Hampshire and gained in the polls. By this point, though, it was the voting that was clearly winnowing the field. By mid-March, leading in votes and delegates, Trump essentially refused to participate in any more debates. He went on to win the nomination. - - - On the Democratic side, the pattern was even less interesting. During the candidates' first sanctioned debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., offered the most memorable line of the Democratic contest - a line that helped his opponent. "I think the secretary of state is right," Sanders said, referring to Clinton. "The American people are sick and tired about hearing about your damn emails." The American people would soon hear much, much more about Clinton's private email server, and details of the FBI's investigation into the server probably helped Trump win the 2016 general election. But after Sanders offered that line, it was Clinton who gained in the polls, picking up eight points in the three weeks after the debate, while Sanders remained fairly flat. Remember, though, that Sanders had already gained a lot of ground against Clinton. In spring 2015, her lead topped 50 points. By October, it had narrowed to less than 20. A second debate in November didn't change things much. Nor did the third. By mid-January 2016, Sanders had pulled close to Clinton in national polling. The debate Jan. 17 didn't change that much. As with the Republican field, Sanders came closest to surpassing Clinton once voting began. Sanders saw sporadic surges in support over the course of the primary election cycle, but they don't seem to have been connected to the debates. In short order, there were so many debates and candidate forums, overlaid with state contests, that identifying cause and effect becomes tricky. Sanders' spikes often preceded these events. By the ninth debate in mid-April, Sanders had essentially tied Clinton in the national polling. Again, polling after that event doesn't seem to suggest much movement. But by then, the issue was largely moot. By mid-March, Hillary Clinton had built a large enough delegate lead that, given the distribution of delegates in the Democratic process, Sanders essentially couldn't catch her. Hillary led the entire time. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) Much has been said of the Filipino love song how it is yours and it is everyones. Every great love songs legacy is built on collective memory, on pining and devotion, on kilig and kasawian. As it is everyones, a Filipino love song must become everything: the song you hear in your head the moment the rush of infatuation hits, the soundbed beneath key moments in your love story, the karaoke number you cry along to with friends in the aftermath. The songs become different things at different times, projective tests you take over and over with varying results. I have a theory that you can score every phase of a love story with a different Ben&Ben song. There is the cautious pining of Kathang Isip, the tender devotion of Maybe The Night, the aching apology of Leaves. In the bands rich discography of love songs, youll find no lack of tracks to match a certain romantic feeling. The story of Ben&Ben begins with a duo called The Benjamins. The twins Paolo Benjamin Guico and Miguel Benjamin Guico needed session musicians to record their debut EP with in 2016. The brothers called on a handful of instrumentalists theyd worked with over the years. Poch Barretto was brought in to play electric guitar, Agnes Reoma to play bass, Keifer Cabugao to play violin, and Patricia Lasaten to play keyboards. Jam Villanueva came on board for drums and Andrew De Pano and Toni Munoz filled out the percussion section. The recording went so well that they wanted to bring the full band arrangements to a live show. The live show went well enough to lead to another and another until they made the nine-piece band official. Ben&Ben's Paolo and Miguel Guico. Photo by JL JAVIER Miguel says, Kasi ang sign namin is: If were willing to perform at a gig na were paid almost nothing or pag masaya na kami sa 1,000 tapos hati-hati kaming nine doon 500 nga e, the bassist Agnes interjects. Miguel corrects himself. 500 pala, sorry I guess that says something about yung willingness namin to do it saka yung nag-e-enjoy lang talaga kami in each others company. So yeah, a few months later and, well, a lot of shows later, we decided to make it official. May 10 of 2017. Heaven knows its hard enough to keep a four-piece band together in this industry. What more a band of nine? The strength of the bands bonds is as much a product of their shared love of music as it is of their keen awareness of group dynamics. Theres been a constant, consistent effort from the bands inception to work as a team. During our earlier days kasi, the twins mom, Tita Val [Guico], she kind of does team building and a lot of corporate workshops with teams to know how to work with each other. She helped us define our personality types, explains percussionist Andrew. When we were able to figure out how each person was individually in terms of their working style, it became a lot easier to delegate certain tasks or to know who to not give work to when you want it done. Nung una, siyempre, anxious kami like, How will this work? Were a lot of heads. If even a few heads bumped with each other, it will eventually turn to a chaos, adds Miguel. Amazingly, maybe because of that mental preparation as well, once we were in the studio, it was really a free-flowing kind of thing. What we found out and thats also what I love about everyone in this room is no one really is out to serve oneself but rather everyone is there to serve the song. The band released a steady stream of singles from then on but the work that catapulted them to success was Kathang Isip. The ode to an imagined romance became the most streamed Filipino song of 2018 on Spotify with over 75 million streams. I guess thats probably the most revealing song that we wrote, Paolo admits. Its my story, basically. Its not a nice story but a lot of people relate to it. It was very, very personal. From left: Toni Munoz (percussions), Keifer Cabugao (violins), Andrew de Pano (percussions). Photos by JL JAVIER From left: Patricia Lasaten (keyboards), Jam Villanueva (drums), Agnes Reoma (bass). Photos by JL JAVIER From left: Paolo Guico (acoustic guitars and vocals), Miguel Guico (acoustic guitars and vocals), Poch Baretto (electric guitars). Photos by JL JAVIER Part of Ben&Bens success is that you can theoretically play their music anywhere. Gentle folk pop goes over well with pretty much any crowd. Im reminded of Norah Jones 2002 debut, when her music was characterized as inescapable. You couldnt walk into a coffee shop without hearing Dont Know Why. There are listeners who will chalk that ubiquity up to blandness but theres a calculus to it. Inasmuch as Kathang Isip is reliably radio-friendly, its also a painful, relatable story set to an unforgettable vocal hook and lush sonic landscape. In short: It is one thing to be playable anywhere but another to be good enough to be played everywhere. Its not until you really listen to the songs that you realize just how essential each member is. Each instrument gets its moment in a rich, inventive arrangement that builds up to a wall of sound where you actually hear all the instruments. It sounds magnificent on a record but the feeling is immense in a live show. With that is the energy they give one another that just spills out into the crowd. Ben&Bens journey has led them to this moment: the release of their debut album Limasawa Street on May 10, their second anniversary. As with any other band or artist, releasing an album has always been a dream of ours, guitarist Poch says. Around the first week of January this year, Paolo was like, I have some songs, maybe we can go on a retreat so we can re-evaluate our relationship and our goals as a band, and to work on these songs and arrange them together. "I guess we find solace in the fact that the more its personal, the more its universal. It becomes a mirror for everyone and it becomes something that people hold on to whatever theyre going through at the moment." Paolo Guico The retreat fit right into the bands awareness of their need to regroup as a team and it was as necessary to their artistic and spiritual growth as it was to the bands survival. It really came from acknowledging na music is something thats very introspective. And in order to create something as one, all of us really have to be on the same page on a spiritual level, says Paolo. I think acknowledging that and respecting that was the reason why we started this whole process with a retreat. 2018 was really a tough year for us in terms of what we had to accomplish and the retreat was some sort of a reset for all of us to face this new chapter as a band together. We worked on the songs and kind of finished almost all of the songs in that week. It was really a magical and blissful moment for all of us. Each song just kind of came to life, Poch says. Limasawa Street is named after the street where Paolos girlfriend lives, the birthplace of many of the songs. Limasawa comes from the word masawa, the Butuanon word for light. This light manifests in the music on the sprawling 13-track album but also in the limited edition album packaging, a white box that can be used as a lamp. We want to be one of those beacons of hope through music especially in these times, Paolo says. Normally you would think its a cliche thing to stand for but not in these times, its very much needed. The record feels like a victory lap. None of their earlier singles such as Maybe the Night or Leaves are featured on the album a brave but freeing move that makes Limasawa Street a unique document of the band in 2019. The title track begins the record grand and uptempo and the rest of the album takes us through the bands wheelhouse of emotions, but this time with more confident performances and tighter arrangements. Fall takes you through the long questioning of first love. Mitsa (Salamat) is an earnest thank-you note after a breakup. Baka Sakali pleads for a second chance at love (with fantastic guest vocals from Ebe Dancel). The record closes with Araw-Araw, a prayer that a love will last every day into forever. Its the album's most triumphant moment, poised to become a modern classic among Filipino love songs. People will be crying to Araw-Araw at weddings for years to come. The strength of the bands bonds is as much a product of their shared love of music as it is of their keen awareness of group dynamics. Theres been a constant, consistent effort from the bands inception to work as a team. Photo by JL JAVIER Theres a vulnerability Ben&Ben tap into and its that courage to be unguarded that makes their songs so potent. Asked for the secret to a great love song, keyboardist Pat says, Honesty. Love is honest and we are drawn to things and people who are honest. Miguel adds that a song need not come from a 100 percent perfect conduct kind of love. He says, Whats important is the emotion captured is very transparent of what youre actually feeling. Paolo is well aware of the responsibility that comes with writing love songs. A songwriter holds their emotions and those of their listeners so closely. Its always scary as a writer but I guess we find solace in the fact that the more its personal, the more its universal. It becomes a mirror for everyone and it becomes something that people hold on to whatever theyre going through at the moment, he says. And thats always been what we wanted as a band: To bring people to better places. Ben&Ben have succeeded as much, winning over an immense fanbase and creating a lasting body of work that soundtracks love stories onscreen and offscreen. Whether youre playing one of their love songs on earphones, blasting it in your car or singing along to it amidst the crowds at their live shows, it can carry you to a brighter, more hopeful place. You hear each instrument, then you hear all of them. Its a song that belongs to nine people, that belongs to us all. *** Shot on location at FORT SANTIAGO, INTRAMUROS Produced by REYMART CERIN & DON JAUCIAN Video by SAMANTHA LEE Cover design by THE PUBLIC SCHOOL MANILA Special thanks to SHEENA ANJELI BOTIWEY/INTRAMUROS ADMINISTRATION BRUSSELS - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo crashed a meeting of European foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday to push for a united transatlantic front against Tehran and its nuclear program. But he failed to bend attitudes among leaders who fear the United States and Iran are inching toward war. Pompeo's last-minute decision to visit the European Union capital, announced as he boarded a plane from the United States, set up a confrontation between the top U.S. diplomat and his European counterparts, who have been scrambling to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal last year. At least one, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, said he feared that unintentional escalation from the United States and Iran could spark a conflict - an unusually bold statement that appeared to assign equal culpability to Washington and Tehran. The visit came on a day that the Saudi Foreign Ministry said two of its oil tankers and a Norwegian ship were damaged over the weekend near the Persian Gulf, in what it claimed was an "act of sabotage." A statement from Thome Ship Management, the owners of the Norwegian-flagged vessel, said an "unknown object" had created a hole in the hull of one of its ships, the MT Andrea Victory. Photographs of the ship show a hole just above the waterline. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the United Arab Emirates produced photographs to support claims that Saudi tankers had incurred "significant damage." The incidents did not cause casualties or oil spills, according to a statement by Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih. The countries stopped short of assigning blame, but the incidents occurred at the same time and in the same place off the coast of the UAE only days after the United States dispatched warships and bombers to the area to deter alleged threats from Iran. Navy Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said Monday that the Defense Department is providing assistance with the investigation, but she said she had "nothing additional to provide at this time." Scott Truver, a Washington-based naval analyst, said his best assessment is that the ship was struck with some sort of a floating mine that explodes upon contact. They are typically about 100 pounds each and can be emplaced by rolling them off the side of a small-surface vessel or power boat. "It can be done so surreptitiously," said Truver, who has studied mines for decades. "They're very insidious. Once they're put in the water, they're very hard to detect and hard to defeat." Asked on Monday about the damage to the ships, President Donald Trump seemed to implicate Iran. "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that," he said. "They're not going to be happy. They are not going to be happy people, OK?" Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the shipping incidents as "alarming and regrettable" and said they would have a "negative effect" on shipping safety and maritime security, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. The Trump administration has called for "maximum pressure" on Iran. The EU's chief diplomat, Federica Mogherini, reached for a different extreme after meeting with Pompeo on Monday. "The most responsible attitude to take," she said, "should be that of maximum restraint and avoiding any escalation on the military side." Pompeo was rebuffed on even some basic requests in Brussels. While his plane crossed the Atlantic, European diplomats haggled over how much to accommodate him while his plane sped across the Atlantic. Although Mogherini managed to find time, initially she said she had a busy day and that the pair would talk "if we manage to arrange a meeting." The top diplomats of Britain, France and Germany agreed to meet one on one with Pompeo but would not allow the Americans the symbolic victory of a group meeting. (The Europeans publicly blamed scheduling difficulties.) U.S. diplomats downplayed talk of a split. "No, no, this was great," Pompeo told Mogherini after she appeared to apologize for not meeting collectively while they posed for pictures together. "You had a busy day," he said. "We agree on much more than we disagree. That continues to be the case," said Pompeo's top Iran adviser, Brian Hook. "We share the same threat assessment. We are very concerned about Iran's - a lot of the multiple threat streams that have been reported over the last three or four days." But the Europeans said they are fearful about the behavior of both Iran and the Trump administration. "We are very worried about the risk of a conflict happening by accident, with an escalation that is unintended really on either side," said Hunt, the British foreign secretary. "What we need is a period of calm to make sure that everyone understands what the other side is thinking. Most of all, we need to make sure we don't end up putting Iran back on the path to renuclearization." The incidents in the Persian Gulf follow a surge in U.S.-Iranian tensions in recent weeks. First, the Trump administration lifted sanctions waivers given to eight countries that import Iranian oil, in a bid to bring Iran's exports down to "zero," according to U.S. officials. Iranian imports had already plunged after the Trump administration pulled out of the Iran nuclear accord and reimposed sanctions in November. The expiration of the waivers is expected to inflict further pain on Iran's reeling economy. Then, the United States said it had received intelligence that Iran was planning some kind of attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East. The Pentagon dispatched reinforcements to the Persian Gulf, including an aircraft carrier, a Patriot missile battery and a squadron of B-52 bombers. The moves prompted Iran to warn that it is prepared to retaliate if attacked. Tehran also announced last week that it would scale back its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with major world powers and step up uranium enrichment, raising concern among the accord's remaining signatories that it will soon collapse altogether. Europe still considers the deal key to preventing a nuclear-armed Iran. The Trump administration responded to the move by slapping new sanctions on metals exports. Pompeo scrapped a day of mostly ceremonial events in Moscow on Monday in favor of the Brussels stopover. He plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday. Diplomats familiar with Pompeo's conversations in Brussels said little new ground was covered, with each side repeating talking points about whether the nuclear deal is worth preserving "I once again made it clear that we are concerned about developments and tensions in the region," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said after meeting with Pompeo. European leaders agree with the United States that Iran's developing ballistic missile program and its belligerent behavior are problematic. But they differ about whether that means the nuclear deal - a key part of President Barack Obama's foreign policy legacy - should be scrapped. Abbas Mousavi, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, suggested that the apparent sabotage might have been carried out as part of a conspiracy to ignite conflict in the region. He cautioned against "plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security" and called for an inquiry. - - - Sly reported from Beirut. The Washington Post's Quentin Aries in Brussels and Anton Troianovski in Sochi, Russia, contributed to this report. Washington Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was "lawful and appropriate," a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday. Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry, the person said. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Durham's appointment comes about a month after Barr told members of Congress he believed "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign in 2016. He later said he didn't mean anything pejorative and was gathering a team to look into the origins of the special counsel's investigation. Barr provided no details about what "spying" may have taken place but appeared to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a former Trump associate, Carter Page, and the FBI's use of an informant while the bureau was investigating former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos. Trump and his supporters have seized on both to accuse the Justice Department and the FBI of unlawfully spying on his campaign. The inquiry, which will focus on whether the government's methods to collect intelligence relating to the Trump campaign were lawful and appropriate, is separate from an investigation of the Russia probe's origins by the Justice Department's inspector general. Barr has said he expects at report to be done in May or June. Congressional Republicans have said they will examine how the investigation that shadowed Trump's presidency for nearly two years began and whether there are any legal concerns. WASHINGTON - Josh Hawley, the youngest member of the Senate, was born on Dec. 31, 1979 - the final day of a sclerotic decade. The freshman Republican from Missouri argues that the GOP must now move away from the shibboleths of his childhood to become the party that stands in unflinching opposition to elites. "It's not 1980 anymore. We've got to wake up to the problems of today," Hawley said in an interview. "For my own party, there is a tendency to want to live in the past and to live in a time when Republican orthodoxy was fixed by the 1980 Reagan campaign. Listen, the Reagan presidency was extraordinarily successful and extraordinarily significant historically. But that's a long time ago now. And I think that it is past time for Republicans to stop living in the 1980s and start living in 2019 and facing the problems of this day." Ronald Reagan famously declared during his first inaugural address that "government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem." "Government has a role to play," Hawley explained. "We need a shift in policy. This is why I say it is time to move beyond the old and tired policy debates of the last 30 and 40 years, which we just rehash and rehearse over and over again. . . . In a weird way, our politics has kind of been captured by nostalgia in the last 10 or 15 years. As the glaring problems of the great middle of our society have become worse, in some ways politics has become more and more blinkered. It's just more trapped in the past. There's this aversion to facing things as they are. If anything, our politics has become more nostalgic and more backward-looking. We need to stop that." For Hawley, stopping that means challenging the power of big technology companies and the pharmaceutical industry. "Prescription drug prices have got to get lower," he said. "We need prescription drugs that actually are affordable. We need a prescription drug system that actually is portable." Hawley is trying to forge a future for Trumpism that is bigger than President Donald Trump, who won by breaking with GOP orthodoxy on a host of issues like trade and decrying what he railed against as a system rigged by elites. Much of the party, including Hawley, has moved with Trump. But it remains to be seen what the post-Trump GOP looks like. Four months after his swearing-in, Hawley plans to address some of these questions on Wednesday with his maiden speech on the Senate floor. He shared a copy of the latest draft of his speech, which he's still tinkering with, and we discussed it last night. He sees a political realignment underway, accelerated by Trump, and he's trying to sketch out a populist vision that he believes matches the moment. The conservative mood has changed, and the appetite for using government to achieve desired ends has grown. So has the hostility toward big business. "Most people don't want to live a life centered around high-priced wine and cheese and theater tickets and so on. They don't want to start a tech company. They don't want to be a tech billionaire . . . and there's nothing wrong with that," Hawley said. "They want to have a life centered around their school and their church, and we need a politics that recognizes that, respects that and makes that way of life possible. And my biggest concern is that that way of life is withering away and, as it withers away, our democracy is in danger because it is that way of life and the great American middle, the middle of our society, that has defined our common citizenship." For Hawley, "the great middle" is more than geography. It's a state of mind. The 39-year-old, who defeated incumbent Claire McCaskill in November, said his interactions with people on the campaign trail impressed upon him the depth of anger and the need to do things differently. "They are angry at Big Tech. They are angry at Big Pharma. They are angry at being ignored by Washington and by the elites. This is why President Trump won the state of Missouri by 20 points," Hawley said. "It's because they are angry and they don't feel that they have a voice in our politics, in our government or in our society anymore. That is a major, major problem for us as a democracy. . . . We've got to get a politics that honors that and is focused towards rebuilding and renewing those folks and their way of life. If we do not, then I think we'll probably look back on the rancor and the division of these years and say, 'That was pleasant,' in comparison to what might come." Hawley believes politics is downstream of culture, and that the culture has become corrupted. "We must put aside the tired orthodoxies of years past and forge instead a new politics of national renewal," he plans to say, according to his prepared remarks. "We must begin by acknowledging that GDP growth alone cannot be the measure of this nation's greatness, and so it cannot be the only aim of this nation's policy. Because our purpose is not to make a few people wealthy, but to sustain a great democracy, and so we need not just a bigger economy, but a better society." "We must repair the torn fabric of our common life," he will add. "We need a politics that prioritizes strong marriages and encourages strong families, where children can know their parents. . . . We need strong schools and churches and co-ops because these are the things that make liberty possible, for liberty is more than selling or buying or the right to be left alone." Hawley grew up in western Missouri town of Lexington, population 4,500, studied American history at Stanford University, attended Yale Law School and clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. That's how he met his wife, a fellow clerk named Erin Morrow. After three years of practicing law in the District of Columbia they moved to Missouri. He taught constitutional law at the University of Missouri-Columbia, got elected Missouri's attorney general in 2016 and jumped into the Senate race months later. In November, he denied McCaskill a third term. Hawley has made waves since arriving on Capitol Hill in January. The latest fight he picked is against Candy Crush. Yes, the children's game. He introduced a bill last week to prohibit video games popular among kids from offering "loot boxes," or randomized assortments of digital weapons, clothing and other items that can be purchased for a fee. These video games also would be banned from offering "pay to win" schemes, where players must spend money to access additional content or gain digital advantages over rival players. Hawley said such games exploit children, and that government should step in to stop them. The conservative senator is open to breaking up Facebook. "All options should be on the table," he said. "We may need to break them up. That might be the right move from an antitrust perspective and from a policy perspective. I'm not sure about that. What I do know is that the Facebook business model of extracting information from consumers without telling them, monetizing it without their permission and then getting them addicted to your products so that you can make billions of dollars is not something that we should have going forward. We need to have a conversation as a society about whether this is really the best that we can do. . . . Silicon Valley needs to do better, and this had better not be the future of the American economy. Because, if it is, we're going to be in big trouble." He wants to change the debate about the role of technology in society. "My great worry is that Silicon Valley might truly come to define our future economy, which is an economy that works for a small group of people who are billionaires and then everybody else gets their information taken from them and monetized," he said. "Are these social media platforms and the business model that animates them really good for our economy and our society? We need to ask those questions. We shouldn't just say, 'Oh, well they exist. So therefore they must be fine.' They're not fine! Their social effects are deleterious. Their economic effects are highly questionable. We need to have that conversation." Hawley also argues that society's drift toward "the Uber economy" is a nightmare for the people he represents in the "Show Me" state. "Uber is paying its drivers 60 cents a mile ... but the cost of wear and tear on the vehicle is 58 cents a mile. That means that the Uber economy is an economy where the driver makes two cents a mile," he said. "Really? This is the future? We've got to get technology and innovation that actually produce something of value to our economy and our society and doesn't drain away value from the great middle of our society." -- Sometimes his diagnosis of the problem - of regular people being left behind by powerful interests - sounds like something you might hear from Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. They too criticize Facebook, Uber and billionaires. But Hawley has a different prescription, and he keeps coming back to culture - not big money - as the root of America's systemic problems. Hawley said that "big banks, big tech, big multinational corporations - along with their allies in the academy and media - are the aristocrats of our age": "The new aristocrats seek to remake society in their own image: to engineer an economy that works for the elite and few else, to fashion a culture dominated by their own preferences. These modern aristocrats often claim to be a meritocracy. Many of them truly believe they are. What they don't see, or won't acknowledge, is that the society they have built works primarily for themselves. They've effectively run this country for decades, and their legacy is national division and national decline. They live in the United States, but they consider themselves citizens of the world. They operate businesses or run universities here, but their primary loyalty is elsewhere, to their own agenda for a more unified, progressive and profitable global order." In his view,Republicans have focused too much on promoting the selfish ideal of rugged individualism at the expense of the selfless virtue of communitarianism. "Individuals find control over their own lives and opportunities for their own lives in healthy communities," the senator said. "I don't see the two as being an opposition. In fact, I think it's one of the great mistakes of the last 30 to 40 years to preach a politics of unfettered individualism, that individuals can create and re-create themselves and should be able to choose their own destinies without family or tradition or community impinging in any way. This leads to the breakdown of community, the breakdown of the family and the breakdown of the neighborhood. And those are the very institutions that actually give individuals control over their lives and give them a sense of agency and empowerment to change their world." Hawley said many problems come down to a question of who respects who. "The crisis reaches well beyond economics," he said. "Being a free person, being an American, isn't just about what you can buy. It's about the pride that comes in supporting a family. It's about contributing something of worth to your community. It's about being able to look a neighbor in the eye and know you're his equal. It's about respect, and too many Americans aren't getting it anymore. They're certainly not getting it from our elite-driven culture: The media, Hollywood and academia relentlessly press their values and priorities on the rest of us. . . . They idealize fame and preach self-realization through consuming more stuff. . . . That has produced, predictably, a good deal of dislocation and alienation and rightly so. People feel that they are not respected, that they are not heard, and it's produced what I do believe is the great crisis of our time." Hawley is especially focused on the problems afflicting rural America, where life expectancy is declining, especially for women without high school degrees. Missouri contains several of the poorest counties in America, in rural areas that once boasted thriving small towns. He ran up the score in places like the Bootheel on his path to victory last fall. The senator has been thinking about these themes for a long time, but he started putting pen to paper over the Easter holiday. His wife's mother unexpectedly passed away on her ranch in New Mexico, so Josh and Erin Hawley drove across the country with their two sons: Elijah, 6, and Blaise, 4. "I've gone through many different drafts trying to get it to the place where I feel like I'm saying what it is I want to say," he said. "I'm trying to speak to the needs of our time but also the hopes of our time. . . . I hope it's kind of a call to arms, because the future is here." WASHINGTON - Rick Gates, the former top deputy to onetime Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, continues to cooperate with the government in the pending prosecutions of Trump confidant Roger Stone and of former Obama White House counsel Gregory Craig, who worked with Manafort on Ukraine matters, according to a court filing. The disclosure came in a joint filing Monday to delay Gates' sentencing made by the office of U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu of the District and by Gates' attorney, Thomas Green. The filing departed from several similar joint requests since November by confirming two cases in which Gates' cooperation had been expected. Previously, both sides referred only to his cooperation in "several ongoing investigations" without specification. Since the last update on the Gates case, filed to court March 15, special counsel Robert Mueller has completed his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election - in which Gates and Manafort were indicted - and issued a final report that was made public in redacted form. As Trump's deputy campaign chairman and a top inauguration official, Gates had firsthand insight into several of the president's senior aides and activities, including Stone. Before joining the campaign, Gates had worked for a decade under Manafort on undisclosed lobbying for a Russian-aligned politician in Ukraine. Stone, 66, has pleaded not guilty and is set to face trial beginning Nov. 5 on charges of lying to Congress and witness tampering connected to his alleged efforts to gather information about Democratic Party emails hacked by Russian operatives during the 2016 presidential campaign and released through the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks and others. Craig, 74, has pleaded not guilty and faces trial Aug. 12 on charges that he made false statements to Justice Department officials examining whether he needed to register as a foreign lobbyist for work he and his law firm did on behalf of the Ukrainian government at the request of Manafort. In Monday's filing, Liu and Green wrote, "To date . . . defendant Gates continues to cooperate with the government as required by his Plea Agreement." They identified Craig's and Stone's pending trial dates, adding, "as a result the parties do not believe that a sentencing date should be set at this time" for Gates. Both sides proposed giving the court a new update on Aug. 30. Gates pleaded guilty in February 2018 to conspiracy and lying to the FBI, becoming one of the first targets to cooperate in Mueller's investigation. His name appears more than 100 times in Mueller's 448-page report, released last month, with his statements to investigators often cited in footnotes. He testified for the government against his former boss at Manafort's August fraud trial in Virginia, which preceded Manafort's guilty plea in another federal case in Washington. Manafort last month began serving a 7 1/2-year sentence that capped the two federal cases against him with overall convictions on conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing millions of dollars he earned while working for a Russia-backed political party in Ukraine; conspiring to tamper with witnesses; and bank and tax fraud. WhatsApp is urging its 1.5 billion users to update their app after the company detected sophisticated hacking attempts that might have targeted human rights activists. The Facebook subsidiary said "an advanced cyber actor" exploited a security flaw and installed the malware by targeting users' mobile phones through WhatsApp's call function, potentially allowing hackers to access private messages, location data and other information. The company said it detected the pattern of abnormal phone calls this month and updated its servers Friday. It issued new versions of its iPhone and Android apps Monday. "We believe a select number of users were targeted through this vulnerability by an advanced cyber actor. The attack has all the hallmarks of a private company that reportedly works with governments to deliver spyware that takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems." WhatsApp did not identify the company. But the Financial Times, which first reported the vulnerability, said the spyware was developed by Israel's NSO Group, whose software is known to have been used against human rights activists. NSO has denied any involvement. "Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "NSO would not or could not use its technology in its own right to target any person or organization, including this individual." More for you WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption is a gimmick With terrorists and criminals increasingly reliant on secure communications technology to evade government surveillance, NSO has cast its offerings as powerful tools to support the national security aims of its government-customers and help law enforcement work around the "going dark" problem. But human rights groups and independent researchers say NSO's Pegasus software has been detected in dozens of countries, sometimes in places where state agencies have a history of deploying spyware against political dissidents and activists. NSO said its technology is licensed only to authorized government agencies for specific security threats or investigations. The company said its clients undergo a "rigorous licensing and vetting process." Founded in 2014, NSO said it generated $250 million in revenue last year, with dozens of licensed customers. WhatsApp said it has briefed several human rights groups to share information about the attack and help them alert activists who may have been targeted. WhatsApp also has notified the Justice Department. A London-based lawyer, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation, said he'd received several suspicious video WhatsApp calls beginning in March that would ring for a few seconds before cutting out. He said he reported the suspicious content to Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, which worked with WhatsApp to determine the source of the activity. He was informed the attack was a new way of delivering the Pegasus spyware with "zero click." He said the calls were from +46 and +35 dialing codes, adding that the last attempt was two days ago. "It's possible in general to use the Pegasus spyware responsibility, but all the cases we have found are pretty shockingly abusive," said Bill Marczak, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab. "It's really a Wild West out there. At the end of the day it's civil society that is getting hurt by this. We need real regulation" for the commercial sale of global surveillance tools, he said. As news of the platform hack began to spread worldwide, WhatsApp encouraged its users to update to the latest version of the app to protect their privacy. The latest version is thought to better protect users against hacking. But not all users were familiar with how to update the app, leading to a spike in people frantically googling: "How to update WhatsApp?" Around the world, people also searched for more information about the breach, although it is not yet known how many people were targeted by the hackers. The formation of a Violent Crimes Task Force has helped reduce crime throughout Bexar County and, specifically, in county regions within the Metrocom. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar on Saturday spoke to a packed house at Whataburger on FM 78 at Walzem Road as part of the Sheriffs Coffee Break series being held around the county. The third stop in the Coffee Break series brought the sheriff and several other Bexar County Sheriffs Office employees to the Whataburger that was the scene of a fatal shooting 18 months earlier. Salazar walked the crowd for about 10 minutes before speaking to the standing-room-only audience. He then fielded questions and continued his meet-and-greet afterward. One of the main concerns around this area is crime, Salazar said, and he recounted a recent shooting that occurred nearby. It was a frightening case for all involved, certainly for the poor lady whose door caught one of those random bullets, Salazar said. Shes just minding her own business inside her home and yet, here we are and crime is finding its way, literally, right to her front door. He said the county has been able to intervene with the formation of the Violent Crimes Task Force. Weve made some strides. Were not quite where we want to be just yet, but weve made some strides, Salazar said. The crime rate is down 9.58 percent in this area compared to last year. Ventura, the area Im talking about (with the random shooting), is actually down 35.4 percent from last year. Were definitely making strides where we need to be making them. Salazar said the task force was launched shortly after he took office with just Bexar County Sheriffs deputies and San Antonio Police Department officers. We took SAPDs street crimes people and combined them with the BCSOs street gang-type folks and and sent them in to where the hotspots are, Salazar said. DPS heard about it and they said, We want to play, too, so they sent a bunch of troopers. It started picking up some synergy, the way things like this do when they realize some success. As a result, total property crime for the entire county is down 11 percent, while violent crime is down 22 percent. Again, Salazar said, thats due in part to the work this Violent Crimes Task Force is doing. Were not looking for Class C misdemeanors, were not looking for homeless folks, were looking for violent criminals, he added. The presence of the Bexar County Sheriffs Office East substation on Loop 1604 at Rocket Lane, which opened in November, and a second station on the West Side has helped the sheriffs office cut down crime, especially when responding to calls. Because of those substations, because were more evenly dispersing our manpower, the troops are closer to the 9-1-1 calls, he said. Overall, our response to 9-1-1 calls is 18 percent faster than it was last year. Salazar addressed several questions that came up while he was talking with Whataburger patrons. I appreciate you all coming out, not only to hear what we have to say but giving us an opportunity to hear what you have to say, he said. Weve already talked to someone about a traffic issue at one of the schools that well be mentioning to Chief (Teresa) Ramon over at Judson ISD. We talked about one of the local hotel/motels that might need some special attention from us, and were certainly willing to do that, he said, adding, We hear the genuine concerns here. Its a good neighborhood overall, but stuff is creeping up and we want to get it in check. Johnny Garcia, Bexar County Sheriffs Office public information officer, said the Sheriffs Coffee Break series, held in conjunction with Whataburger locations throughout the county, is designed to inform community members of some of the resources and good things weve got going on at the sheriffs office. When the East substation first opened, its reach was limited to patrol. Initially, it was just our patrolmen, Garcia said. Now, weve reallocated resources to both the new east and west substations, including our investigators, and some of our SCORE units are now operating out of these substations. Its helped out by reducing response times into calls coming out of these locations. Garcia spoke of the shooting that occurred at the FM 78 Whataburger in November 2017. That incident happened late in the evening, and we responded within minutes, he said. Unfortunately someones life was lost. But yes, it does serve as a grim reminder that violence is always happening, so we have to remain vigilant in reducing crime as much as possible. jflinn@express-news.net Mr. Jesus Sebastian Leija, 85, entered into eternal rest on Friday, May 10, 2019. Mr. Leija was a native of Laredo who attended Martin High School before joining the United States Army during the Korean War. He was amongst the first Special Forces teams in 1952 and trained and served as the units Medic. His service in the Special Forces included airborne operations, counter-insurgency, foreign internal defense, intelligence operations, mobility operations and unconventional warfare. His missions included Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. After his military service, Mr. Leija worked for the Postal Service for 25 years and retired as an administrator. In his retired years Mr. Leija and his wife Isaura travelled extensively and occupied their time in investments and real estate. He loved to read and particularly enjoyed American authors such as Hemmingway and Steinbeck, but was also well versed in Shakespeare, World History and politics. Jesus Leija was preceded in death by his parents, Abram and Maria Leija, his sister Lucila Garza, his wife Isaura Leija, and his son Jesus Alberto Leija. He is survived by his daughter Rebecca Leija-Hughes, and his grandchildren Nora and Carlos Hughes, and Nathan and Abram Leija. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, which he loved dearly. Throughout his life, he was a leader, a Christian and an inspiration to many. He was a soldier to the very end and was surrounded by family and love at his passing. He will be deeply missed by his family. May he rest in peace. The family will be receiving condolences on Wednesday, evening, May 15, 2019 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Joe Jackson Heights Funeral Chapels & Cremation Services, 719 Loring at Cortez; where a Vigil for the Deceased and Rosary will commence at 7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday morning, May 16, 2019, departing at 8:40 a.m. from Joe Jackson Heights Funeral Chapels to St. Joseph Catholic Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00 a.m. Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. You may express your condolences, share your favorite memories, and sign the guestbook online at: www.joejacksonfuneralchapels.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care and direction of the funeral service professionals at Joe Jackson Heights Funeral Chapels & Cremation Services, 719 Loring at Cortez, Laredo, Texas 78040; (956)722-0001. Founder Institute, based in Palo Alto, Calif., is opening a chapter in Houston, bringing its business accelerator program for entrepreneurs and startups that have not yet received financing. Founder Institute started in May 2009 in a small classroom at Stanford University. It has since expanded to more than 180 cities, helping 3,724 companies that have raised more than $850 million. Its opened in Austin several years ago, and in 2010 briefly tried a live online program in Houston in which entrepreneurs met in a room and used video chat technology to remotely participate in Silicon Valley programming. But this didn't work well, and the organization has since focused on in-person programs. The organization has conducted social science testing since 2009 across more than 180 cities and 50,000 entrepreneurs. The research found Texas entrepreneurs rank highest for emotional stability. They remain balanced and stable in times of stress. "Not surprisingly we look for this trait in our admissions process," Founder Institute co-founder Jonathan Greechan said in an email, "and have found it to correlate very strongly with entrepreneurial success." Other accelerator news: Microsoft, Intel to create smart cities accelerator program in Houston Founder Institute is accepting applications for the reborn Houston program through Sunday. The 14-week program begins May 28. Entrepreneurs will attend weekly sessions to receive training and feedback. There will also be business-building assignments, office hours and group meetings. Since it accepts early-stage applicants, Founder Institute uses an admissions process that prioritizes people over ideas. Its social science testing identifies high-potential founders through a collection of aptitude and personality tests. Local leadership: MassChallenge names managing director for new Houston location When it comes to emotional stability, Texans ranked 12 percent higher than the North American average and 16 percent higher than entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Those accepted into Houston's program will contribute 4 percent in warrants to what Founder Institute calls an equity collective. This is managed for 15 years and shared equally across each cohort: 1 percent goes to the alumni, 1 percent to the mentors, 1 percent to the local leaders and 1 percent to the Founder Institute headquarters. "The idea here is to incentivize everyone to work together," Greechan said, "and create a strong support network for the founders." The more than 20-year-old controversy over the installation of high-voltage power transmission lines in the region of Mansouriyeh-Ain Najm, in the Metn district to the south-east of Beirut, is back in the spotlight as the Ministry of Energy is determined to continue the process of improving the countrys power grid despite the opposition of local residents who are worried about the effects the lines might have on their health. Objective: Completing the power grid Since 1998, successive governments have worked on the construction of a national grid of high-voltage lines mounted on giant pylons across Lebanon, from north to south, covering more than 1,200 kilometers. These lines are intended to transport and distribute an electric current of 220 volts throughout the country and link Lebanons electrical grid to those of its neighbors. The nationwide network is almost complete, except for a stretch of just over a kilometer, in the Mansouriyeh-Ain Najm area. The commissioning of this section, which would link the Bsalim power plant in Metn to Aramoun in the Aley district, via the Mkalles station, would essentially complete the power grid and allow it to be brought fully on line. But residents of Mansouriyeh, Ailout, Daychouniye, Ain Najm, Ain Saade and Beit Mery have been blocking construction work since 1996, when the plan devised by the Ministry of Energy was first leaked, claiming that the overhead power lines carry health risks. The area The area in question covers a few square kilometers and includes several apartment buildings, about fifty private plots, as well as schools and churches. Local estimates put the number of residents at several thousand. Health risks: the heart of the problem Local residents are concerned about the effects of continuous exposure to strong electromagnetic fields, as well as the dangers of contact with the electricity lines, if the high voltage lines are installed. According to the residents, the trajectory planned by the authorities does not adhere to international standards concerning the recommended distance from residential areas, standards which were created to minimize any exposure to harm. The Governments position: assurances but few details On Friday, May 10, the Lebanese Minister of Energy, Nada Boustani, reiterated that the installation of high voltage lines did not represent a health risk to residents. "International studies have shown that the installation of high-voltage lines has no impact on the health of residents," Boustani said in a press conference held with the Director General of Electricite Du Lebanon (EDL), Kamal Hayek at the Ministrys headquarter. "The public must understand that we have carried out all studies to reassure the inhabitants of the Mansouriyeh region," Hayek added, noting that since 1998, when the construction of the national 220-volt transmission network began, residents of 11 localities expressed reservations about the project, and five studies have been conducted in the last 15 years. "After these 11 complaints, we asked Electricite de France (EDF) to conduct a study on the subject in 2004. According to EDF's conclusions, the exposure tests gave results that were well below the limits set by the European Union, estimating them to be up to four times lower than these limits, said the Director of EDL. "The Mission Laique Francaise in Tripoli asked to conduct its own study and commissioned the company SOCOTEC in 2005 which concluded that there were no health risks. Others went to court and filed a complaint with the Council of State, which concluded that European standards had been respected," said Hayek "This leaves Mansouriyeh. In 2005, the government reached an agreement with the local residents. The pylons were built, but the cables were not installed, pending the conclusions of an EU study. This study concluded that the installation of high-voltage lines posed no risk, but the residents were still not convinced. In 2010, the Ministry of Health conducted its own study, which reached the same conclusions," said Hayek. Commenting on the issue of the electromagnetic field, Hayek said, "everything depends on the intensity of the current, not the distance from the high voltage lines". (Read, in Le Commerce du Levant : Electricity: The government has a free hand) What are the "European standards"? The following is an excerpt from a document published in 2013 by the French Ministry of the Ecological and Solidarity Transition: With regard to magnetic fields, "EU Recommendation 1999/519 / EC of 12 July 1999 adopts 100 microteslas (T) as the exposure limit for the public, stating that it is an instantaneous limit value aimed at preventing acute effects, in the absence of any proof that associates long-term exposure to electromagnetic fields with pathologies (such as cancer). It does not set a mean value of exposure. This recommendation was incorporated into French law by virtue of the Decree of 17 May 2001 (...) which stipulates in Article 12 that for alternating current (AC) electric networks, the location of works in relation to places accessible to third parties must be such that (...) the associated magnetic field does not exceed 100 T under steady-state operating conditions. According to a WHO study published in 2007, a line transmitting 230 kV of current, emits, directly under the infrastructure, a magnetic field of up to 11.8 T during consumption peaks, which may be halved during the average use of the current. The further from the lines, the lower these numbers are. At a distance of 15 meters, there will be a magnetic field of 2 T on average, and double that level in high consumption periods. At a distance of 91 m, a field amounting to 0.08 T is generated in an average period of power consumption. Precaution principle Although the limit value of 100 T is therefore well in excess of the exposure experienced even directly under the high-voltage lines, the fact remains that in an opinion on the health effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields, issued on April 8 In 2010, the AFSSET (French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, which has since become ANSES, the Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety) recommended, as a precaution, to no longer build or develop buildings of a sensitive nature (hospitals, maternity wards, childcare facilities, etc.) within 100 meters of very high voltage transmission lines. Other organizations recommend instead to establish a distance of one meter per 1kV (1000 volts), so, in the case of a 220 kV project, a distance of 220 meters from the lines. European legislation is, however, more detailed regarding the protection of citizens and surrounding infrastructure against the risk of electrocution, including calculation regarding the minimum cable height. For example, French law, in a Decree dated April 2, 1991 which sets the technical conditions to be met for the distribution of electrical energy, calculates this height according to the land use, the nature of the facilities it contains, the probable proximity of the installation and the risks of the cables moving in the event of bad weather. While Lebanese officials assure the public that they are complying with European standards, they fall short on communicating the technical elements, and are content to refer to the reports and studies published on the website of the Ministry of Energy. The purchase of the land by the state? At a press conference on May 10, Mrs. Boustani recalled that the State has offered to buy the apartments of any local residents wishing to leave. "The decision is yours," she added to the disaffected residents. On May 8, the Minister of Information, Jamal Jarrah, had already noted at the end of a meeting of the Council of Ministers, that the State had proposed to buy the homes of those who believe that the lines are a health concern. In order to complete the construction of the lines in question, the State purchased areas of land in 1998. In 2012, the government decided to evaluate the price of the apartments in the region in order to buy them, expropriate the residents and install the overhead high-voltage lines. What about installing the cables underground? On several occasions, residents have proposed installing the power lines underground. However, the authorities have stated that this option is more expensive than the one currently adopted. At the press conference on May 10, the Director of EDL said that the underground option "would have required the use of 300 plots, closer to homes." He further explained that such an option "does not eliminate the electromagnetic field" and "poses problems concerning the protection and the stability of the network". "No country in the world has installed all [its] high-voltage lines underground," he said, adding that doing that around Mansouriyeh would cost $ 21 million." Who supports the residents? On Wednesday, Kataeb chief and Metn MP Samy Gemayel said that he was standing by the angry residents. His colleague Elias Hankache has participated in the sit-ins held by the locals. Like the Kataeb, the Progressive Socialist Party of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has expressed its dismay at the excessive use of force by the ISF at the work site. For his part, the Maronite patriarch, Mgr Bechara Rai had at one time endorsed the solution proposed by the Minister of Energy for the State to buy the homes of those who wanted to move. However, when the conflict took on a confessional aspect, Mgr Rai appealed for calm and condemned the clashes between the residents and the police. (This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 11th of May) Last month, when the conventional wisdom was that the Trump administration was close to completing trade negotiations with China, I gently suggested that unless Donald Trump decides to slap more tariffs on China . . . none of it will mean a thing. Unfortunately, it turned out I was correct, and hey, guess what, Trump slapped more tariffs on China! So what does it mean? It means that, yet again, the United States will be enduring a natural experiment to see what happens when the president opts for a suboptimal strategy. I will leave the economic implications to others; rather, I am more interested in the political economy of these negotiations. And there are three large questions that will need some answering by, oh, say, the fall of 2020: 1. What is Donald Trumps theory of victory? On Sunday, Trump tried to do his best impression of someone who is sure of their savvy negotiating strategy, tweeting: We are right where we want to be with China. Remember, they broke the deal with us & tried to renegotiate. We will be taking in Tens of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs from China. Buyers of product can make it themselves in the USA (ideal), or buy it from non-Tariffed countries .We will then spend (match or better) the money that China may no longer be spending with our Great Patriot Farmers (Agriculture), which is a small percentage of total Tariffs received, and distribute the food to starving people in nations around the world! GREAT! I have gotten pretty good at deciphering the meaning behind Trumps gibberish, but this is too much gobbledygook even for me. More importantly, Trumps claim that China is paying for the tariffs has been refuted by every respectable economist and even a few disreputable ones, such as Trump adviser Larry Kudlow. Even Kudlow admits that this latest move is a lose-lose gambit. Obviously, the hope is that economic pain now will pressure China into greater concessions in the future. Here is what I want to know: what does victory in the trade wars look like to the Trump administration? It is clear that the Trump administration desires a complete rethink of Chinas role in the global economy. The problem is that it is not at all clear if the administration possesses the negotiating savvy and resources to execute this kind of move. As the New York Timess Keith Bradsher and Ana Swanson reported over the weekend, the administration has struggled to address the immensity of the problems in the text of a trade deal. People close to the talks say that the negotiators appear powerless to force any changes that arent in Chinas interest. This is of a piece with the larger problem with Trumps negotiating style. This administration is very fond of maximum pressure campaigns, but has largely failed to coerce much weaker states into compliance. Indeed, the very fact that China has not acquiesced to date suggests that Trumps threats have either been not credible or not potent. Trump has made the economic pressure more potent now, but it is far from clear that China will buckle. Trump seems to think that even if the trade wars get worse, the United States will be just fine. At some point, however, it might dawn on this administration that other countries are continuing to sign trade deals with each other and getting along just fine, disadvantaging U.S. consumers and producers. Which leads me to the next question . . . 2. Will Trumps agricultural base hold firm? Trump won in 2016 in no small part because farmers liked him. Even during the midterms last fall, there were press reports about how they were willing to stick by the president. As the costs of the trade wars mount, however, farmers are starting to feel squeezed. The New York Timess Mitch Smith reports that their patience is starting to wear thin: Though Mr. Trump pledged Friday to help farmers part of the coalition that put him in office there were signs of frustration. They raised questions about his negotiating tactics. They said they were worried about what would come next given an already-struggling agricultural economy. Many people are just torn because people want to support the president of the United States, said Nancy Johnson, the executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association. But its very stressful to be in the middle of these very challenging negotiations. Because youre the person who cant take hope to the banker to get his loans for operating. . . . Lance Atwater, 29, who farms corn and soybeans near Ayr, Neb., escaped the worst of the flooding but said that he has seen prices for some of his crops plunge. Mr. Atwater, a Republican who voted for Mr. Trump, said he was eager for a trade deal but taking a wait-and-see approach on the presidents policies. Hes claimed that hell get these trade deals worked out and that it will be a better deal, Mr. Atwater said on Friday as he hauled grain. Thats what were wanting to see see those results. It would seem that Trump needs to cut a deal at some point in the next 18 months. The question is the extent to which China believes it can exploit that need. Press reports suggest that Chinas trade negotiating position hardened when it saw Trump browbeating the Fed. President Xi Jinping might be willing to bide his time. Which leads to the last question . . . 3. How long-lasting are the effects? Analysts like Paul Krugman believe that while the trade wars are not good policy, the short-run costs of trade war tend to be overstated. Krugman knows more about trade than I do, but I wonder if he is underestimating the effects of continued uncertainty on both short-term and long-term investment decisions. Much like economic sanctions more generally, trade sanctions are likely to kill investment, which in turn slows the economy down and affects long-term economic trajectories. The Wall Street Journals long story on how the trade talks went south is worth reading in its entirety, but this part stood out: At stake are the rules for global trade in a world order upended by Chinas rapid rise, and both sides are keen to project an image of strength. The longer the dispute lingers, though, the greater the risk of economic fallout for both countries, along with prolonged uncertainty for global stock markets, which have whipsawed as expectations for a deal ebb and flow. Chinas hand is stronger than Trump seems to realize. The Posts David J. Lynch notes that according to recent IMF data, China accounted for more than one-third of global economic growth roughly equal to the combined contributions of the United States, Europe and Japan. If Trump wants the rest of the world to make a binary choice between the United States and China, he is about to be sorely disappointed in the outcome. Krugmans long-term concern is that the trade wars are tearing down whats left of the Pax Americana by eviscerating the global trading system. That is a concern that I most definitely share. But it is the part of this natural experiment that I hope proves me wrong. _ _ _ Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University Thanks to a server-side update, iOS users in a number of countries can now use Apple Pay to pay for digital purchases from Apple, including iTunes, the App Store, iCloud storage, or an Apple Music subscription. According to Apples support page for Apple ID payments, the change is live in the United States, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and United Arab Emirates. If you open your Settings app, tap on your Apple ID at the very top, then tap Payment & Shipping, youll see a list of possible payment methods. Here in the United States, that has always included most major credit cards, PayPal, or a balance added to your Apple ID through gift cards and the like. Tap Add Payment Method to add a new one: youll see a Found in Wallet section showing cards you can add, including Apple Pay Cash here in the U.S. Since this was a server-side update, its unclear exactly when it rolled out in each region, and no iOS update should be necessary. It also may take a little while to show up for some users. Some of our Macworld staff have noticed that Apple Pay was used already for recent purchases, without our intervention, perhaps because our default card used for Apple ID purchases was the same as our default Apple Pay card in the Wallet. Even if youre using the same card as before, billing the transaction through Apple Pay has some benefits. Its more secure, and allows you to use the Wallet app to more easily track transactions. After Donald Trump came into office, Washingtons position on the Cuban Revolution has become ever-more belligerent, in a radical change of policy from that followed by President Obama. Although the ultimate objective of both administrations was the same the destruction of the Cuban Revolution Obama recognised that the politics of direct aggression had failed, and so pursued the same goal in the economic sphere instead. The objective was to restore capitalism through the penetration of the market into the Cuban economy. Trump, it seems, has decided to return to the policy of open aggression and has taken a series of concrete measures reflecting this. Leer en espanol | On 17 April, coinciding with the anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion, US National Security Advisor, John Bolton, announced the decision to limit remittances to Cuba to $1,000 per person once every three months, as opposed to the previous situation where there were no limits. Bolton also announced a limitation on travelling to Cuba. These measures have the potential to severely impact the fragile Cuban economy. On the one hand, remittances represent an important and growing part of the Cuban economy. On the other, hundreds of thousands of Americans have travelled to Cuba in the last few years, especially on cruises as a result of the relaxation of visas, bringing much-needed hard currency. Finally, perhaps the most impactful measure was the lifting of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, which would have come into force on 2 May. Remember that the Helms-Burton Act, initiated by Republican representatives who gave it its name, was signed into Law by Bill Clinton in 1996 and is a key element in the politics of the US embargo and blockade against the Cuban Revolution. The law includes the possibility of companies from third-party countries that operate in Cuba with either goods or property confiscated by the revolution to be denounced in US tribunals. However, complaints and protests by European countries and Canada, who would be most affected by this, led the US to suspend the application of that particular clause of Title III of the law, a suspension that has been renewed regularly for more than 20 years. Imperialist aggression Not only article III, but the Helms-Burton Act as a whole, is a scandalous display of imperialist aggression that also violates the same international legal system that the US cynically claims to respect, by including the principle of extraterritoriality. That means the possibility of litigation in one country (USA) against companies based in a second country for activities carried out in a third (Cuba). Although the EU, Canada and other countries that will be affected by this measure have already energetically protested and threatened to carry out reprisals, it is clear that the decision to bring Title III into effect will greatly impact not only the investment decisions of companies that are currently operating in Cuba, but the future investment decisions of new companies as well. The policy of threats, concrete measures, and the reversal of measures taken by the Obama administration, are also part of Trumps offensive against the Maduro government and the Bolivarian Revolution. Washingtons policy appears to be firmly led by a coalition of officials linked to the counter-revolutionary Cuban exiles in Miami and their political operators, mostly in the Republican party; and Cold War veterans, many of whom were implicated in Reagans Dirty War in Central America in the 1980s. Amongst them you can find characters such as Elliott Abrams, John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Marco Rubio. Trump needs the support of this important section of Republicans in the run up to the 2020 elections. After Donald Trump came into office, Washingtons position on the Cuban Revolution has become ever-more belligerent, steered by hawkish figures like Pompeo, Bolton and Rubio / Image: U.S. Department of State In addition to these measures, on 30 April, in the midst of another coup attempt by Guaido in Venezuela, President Trump threatened that a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba. These threats are not in vain, they must be taken very seriously. Since the collapse of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, the Cuban economy has been at the complete mercy of the world market, into which it has been inserted in an extremely unequal and unfavourable way. The period after the fall of the USSR was a gruelling trial for the Cuban Revolution. Their resistance was a sign that, despite everything, the revolution was still alive and maintained deep roots of popular support. This was based on the conquests of the revolution, including universal healthcare and education, stemming from the nationalised ownership of the means of production. The extreme situation of economic collapse in that period was finally overcome through a series of measures to open the economy up to the market and attract foreign investments, in particular, the tourism industry. Cuba needs to obtain foreign currency from the world market, which it earns from remittances, the export of nickel and medical services, and tourism, to be able to import commodities it is not able to produce on the island itself. Obviously, the US blockade makes this all the more costly and burdensome. For a period of time, the development of the Bolivarian Revolution was a lifeline for the Cuban Revolution from a political and economic point of view. Trade with Venezuela was very favourable to Cuba, which acquired oil at subsidised prices and sold medical services in exchange. The thaw of relations with the US, following the agreements with Obama at the end of 2014, allowed Cuba to contemplate greater foreign investment and even an end to the imperialist blockade. In that context, the pressure to broaden the role of the market in the economy increased. During that period, the idea of a Chinese Way (or a Vietnamese Way, which in practice is the same) gained followers at all levels of the state and the party. However, concessions to the market generate their own dynamics, which are dangerous and carry with them the accumulation of private capital and subsequently the political expression of those sectors that have accumulated said capital. In China and Vietnam, the process led bureaucratic regimes based on state ownership of the means of production and the planned economy towards the restoration of capitalism. Although it is true that these countries have had strong economic growth, this is based on super-exploitation of the working class, which has no trade union nor political rights. Furthermore, it comes with an unprecedented polarisation of wealth. Today, the Chinese economy has begun to reach its limits of capitalist development, which will inevitably provoke an explosion of working-class struggle. The panorama now facing the Cuban Revolution, however, is very different from that of five years ago. The economic crisis in Venezuela has provoked a sharp decline in favourable trade relations with Cuba. The forced withdrawal of Cuban doctors in Brazil due to the victory of the reactionary demagogue Bolsonaro has also aggravated the situation. The new offensive by President Trump is added to all these factors. Constitution and concessions to the market We must take this context into consideration when analysing the discussion of the new Cuban Constitution, which was approved with more than six million votes on 24 February, after a process of discussion involving millions of people. First of all, it should be noted, that though the discussion process was broad, in reality the proposal was elaborated by a tiny committee of senior state officials behind closed doors as Ariel Dacal explained in Where do the words that were left out go? On the one hand, there was a debate on same-sex marriage. The original text of the 2002 Constitution described marriage as the voluntary union between a man and a woman. The initial proposal issued in July 2018 under debate changed the wording to two people. This was one of the most controversial points. All the forces of reaction, coordinated through several churches, launched an attack on this issue to mobilise opposition in order to vote against the new Constitution. It was like a dress rehearsal of the formation of a bourgeois opposition on the island. Faced with this attack, the Assembly of Popular Power in December decided on a formal retreat, changing the proposed phrasing to the more ambiguous: Marriage is a social and juridical institution, leaving the question of who exactly constitutes it for a future law. In reality, the fundamental objective was achieved: eliminate the restrictive description of the 2002 Constitution regarding marriage. But part of the debate was postponed as a concession to the forces of reaction, who were against same-sex marriage being explicitly established in the Constitution. The initial draft of the new Constitution lessened its socialist and communist content and gave recognition to private property and the market, reflecting concessions that have already been made / Image: lezumbalaberenjena The initial proposal of the Constitution also contained a series of changes that, although apparently minor or simply details, when taken as a whole represented a series of concessions that distanced it from a clear communist or socialist conception. To mention a few: the preamble no longer spoke of the subject of the revolution (We, Cuban citizens) being inspired by those who promoted, integrated and developed the first workers and peasants organisations, disseminated socialist ideas and founded the first Marxist and Marxist-Leninist movements. In the same preamble, the statement: "we" are "determined... with the Communist Party at the head... with the ultimate goal of building Communist society; was deleted. The following statement was also removed: "[...] that the regimes sustained in the exploitation of man by man determine the humiliation of the exploited and the degradation of the human condition of the exploiters; that it is only in socialism and in communism, when man has been liberated from all forms of exploitation: of enslavement, of servitude, and of capitalism, that the entirety of humanity shall achieve dignity. Although the statement Socialism and the social, political revolutionary system established by this Constitution, are irrevocable was maintained, the phrase that followed and Cuba will never return to capitalism was deleted! In article 5, on the Communist Party, the advance towards a Communist society was erased from the partys objectives. The economic base of the Republic was defined by the 2002 Constitution thusly: In the Republic of Cuba the economic system is based on the socialist property of all the people over the fundamental means of production and in the suppression of the exploitation of man by man. The proposal was to modify it to: In the Republic of Cuba, the economic system is based on the socialist property of all the people over the the fundamental means of production, as a main form of property, and the direction of the planned economy, which considers and regulates the market, to function in the interests of society (my emphasis.) As well as the additions about the market, the statement relating to the suppression of the exploitation of man by man was withdrawn. Moreover, for the first time, private property was recognised over certain means of production." As Ariel Dacal excellently explains in his aforementioned article, the question is not about whether one formulation is better or worse than another, but rather the reason for eliminating a series of very bold statements that were in the Constitutions of 1976, 1992 and 2002. Including, for example, the affirmation that Cuba "will never return to capitalism", introduced in the constitutional reform of 2002 and approved by referendum in response to Bush's provocations at the time. Nor is it a question of whether these statements in the Constitution corresponded to the real practice of the state. The fundamental question concerns the general meaning behind these changes. Clearly, it is to lessen the socialist and communist content of the Constitution and to give recognition to private property and the market. That is to say, these were a set of modifications that tried to adapt the constitutional legal norm to the reality of the concessions to the market that have already been made. Surely, among the supporters of the "Chinese (or Vietnamese) Way, the modifications were also an attempt to give greater legal security to the private sector and to potential foreign investors. The masses stand up for the revolution However, the most interesting thing was that, during the discussion period, there was strong criticism of many of these proposals and strong resistance from those communist activists and workers in general who considered, correctly, that these modifications represented a setback and a threat to the Cuban Revolution. It was that resistance that finally led the Commission, in December, to reverse many of these changes in the final text that was put to the vote. For instance: "Those who promoted, integrated and developed the first organisations of workers, peasants and students; disseminated socialist ideas and founded the first revolutionary, Marxist and Leninist, movements", reappears in the preamble. The passage: that Cuba shall never return to capitalism as a regime based on the exploitation of man by man, and that only in socialism and in communism shall human beings achieve their dignity, also reappeared in the final version. Among the objectives of the Communist Party, the advance to a communist society is reintroduced. Other important aspects, concerning private property and the role of the market in the economy, were maintained as per the initial proposal. However, the modifications that were made to the initial draft are significant and reflect the opposition caused by concessions to the market and attempts to diminish the communist character of the text. Finally, of course, a constitutional text is actually of limited importance. Many constitutions the world over are full of good intentions and grandiose declarations that in reality have never been carried out. What is significant and to be noted here is the content of the debate, which was between those who wished to accelerate the march towards a more prominent role of the market (and ultimately, the restoration of capitalism) and those who oppose it. There was strong resistance from communists and workers in general, who considered the proposed modifications to be a threat to the Cuban Revolution. As a result, some of the original wording was restored / Image: public domain This is a vital debate for the future of the Cuban Revolution. The entire experience since 1956-62 demonstrates that it is not possible to build socialism in one country (and that was also the experience of the Soviet Union). Faced the growing threat of US imperialism, the Cuban Revolution must be strengthened through a thorough debate about what socialism means and how to build it. The planned economy cannot function without the oxygen of the active and democratic participation of the working class, and it is also not viable without the support of international revolution. We must return to the teachings of Lenin and Trotsky. A workers state, as Lenin described in his classical text, The State and Revolution, is but a quasi-state that immediately begins to dissolve, as it represents the dictatorship of the majority over the minority. Thus, Lenin proposed a series of basic rules inspired by the lessons of the Paris Commune: the election and recall of all public officials, that no public office has a higher wage than that of a skilled worker, the people in arms instead of a standing army etc. The necessary complement was a conscious policy of the need for the extension of the socialist revolution, particularly to the more advanced capitalist countries, as the only guarantee to avoid the bureaucratisation of the revolution, which is the inevitable result of the scarcity of resources. The process of concessions to the market has already led to a growing social inequality in Cuba: the beginning of the polarisation of wealth. This will sooner or later have a political expression. Indeed, it is already being expressed as we have seen in the debate surrounding the Constitution. The gains of the revolution, which are what give it its strength and capacity for resistance, are based on the state ownership of the means of production - the abolition of capitalism - and they would be impossible to maintain under a regime of private property. The only way to effectively continue the struggle to defend the gains of the revolution is through workers control, the fight against bureaucracy and a perspective of international socialism. Despite a great many difficulties, an international seminar on Leon Trotsky was held in Cuba on 6-8 May. The event was convened by the Institute of Philosophy and with the participation of the Leon Trotsky House Museum in Mexico. The International Marxist Tendencys presence was felt through the Carlos Marx Socialist Studies Centre and a message from Alan Woods. Leer en espanol | Leon Trotsky is a key figure of Marxism. Julio Antonio Mella, a major figure in Cuban communism, is well known for his admiration of Trotsky, calling him "the dynamo of the revolution." Che Guevara, who died in Bolivia, carried in his suitcase books by the architect of the Red Army. Trotskys ideas have enormous relevance in Cuba, the Americas and the whole world. The eternal relevance of Leon Trotsky There is a growing interest in the Ideas and life of Leon Trotsky in Cuba. A book by the Cuban writer Leonardo Padura, The Man Who Loved Dogs, is a very faithful representation of the revolutionary Bolshevik and his murder. Despite all of this, there have been few spaces in Cuba for a discussion of his ideas. It is therefore of great importance that, despite all the difficulties, between 6-8 May, the Leon Trotsky International Academic Event took place under the auspices of the Institute of Philosophy and thanks to the generous efforts of Frank Garcia Hernandez. The seminar was held at Casa Mexico Benito Juarez, located in Old Havana, which provided all the facilities, primarily at the initiative of director Miguel Hernandez, who was instrumental in the realisation of this event. In the room where sessions were held, there was an exhibition of photographs of the Russian Revolutionary set up by the Leon Trotsky House Museum of Mexico City. This exhibition can be visited until 12 June in the house located at Obrapia 116, on the corner of Havana street. The most Cubans in attendance came from Havana (including an abundance of students, professors and researchers) but also present were comrades from two other provinces (Matanzas and Villa Clara), and comrades from around 15 different countries. It is a pity that, given the great efforts exerted to carry out the event, many interested people did not find out about it, and the participation of the local public could have been much broader. Surely the turnout was not for lack of interest, since the presentation of The Revolution Betrayed at the Havana Book Fair in 2008 was held in an overflowing room, with more than 100 attendees. Among those attending the seminar was Leon Ferrera, the historical Cuban Trotskyist activist, who worked with Che after the triumph of the revolution. There was an exhibition of photographs of the Russian Revolutionary set up by the Leon Trotsky House Museum of Mexico City / Image: Centro de Estudios Socialistas Carlos Marx There was a very tight schedule with seven separate panel debates, all related to Trotsky and the following subtopics: The revolution against the bureaucracy. History and historiography. The revolution expands Theoretical impact His impact on universal culture Imperialism and the Americas Cuba: the anti-imperialist revolution In addition, a preview of the documentary, The Most Dangerous Man in the World, by director Lindy Laubman was screened, with a lot of unpublished film material. The material shown was interesting, although we still havent seen the final work as a whole. Three books were presented during the conference: Trotsky in the Mirror of History, introduced by its author Gabriel Garcia Higueras; the Latin American Writings and The Revolution Betrayed, by Leon Trotsky. This last iconic and seminal book was edited and published to coincide with this event by the Museo Casa Leon Trotsky and the Carlos Marx Socialist Studies Centre (the Spanish-language publishing house of the International Marxist Tendency). The edition has some introductory words by Trotsky's grandson Esteban Volkov and a foreword by Alan Woods. The book was presented by Mexican Trotskyist Ubaldo Oropeza, editor of La Izquierda Socialista, who briefly described the fundamental causes of the degeneration in the Soviet Union, explained by Trotsky in this book. He recounted how the isolation of the revolution at an international level, the ebb tide among the masses marked by years of world war, civil war, famine, etc. and the cultural backwardness of the country, were the basis of bureaucratic degeneration. Once in power, the bureaucracy had to find a "new" theory to sustain itself and it was found in the so-called "socialism in one country". When the bureaucracy felt secure, in the early 1930s, a "preventative unilateral civil war" began against everything that represented October: history was grossly distorted and the party purged. Intrigue, physical attacks, delation and espionage were common methods in this form of "politics". And to finish the job, the whole Bolshevik old guard was assassinated. A river of blood separates Stalinism from Bolshevism. Revolution and internationalism In one of the chairs, Comrade Wilder Perez, from the Institute of Philosophy, stressed the importance of having this seminar in Cuba itself and of the presence of comrades from abroad. Trotsky is not an unknown character in the layers of the intelligentsia that defends the Cuban Revolution from a critical point of view. A teacher made a very well-structured and knowledgeable contribution about the theory of permanent revolution, explaining that, in the socialist states, these ideas are not discussed and should be disseminated more. For his part, the young Cuban student Yunier Mena made a presentation on art and literature, explaining the ideas of Trotsky and the contradictions faced by artists with the rise of the Stalinist bureaucracy. Gabriela Perez, the director of the Leon Trotsky Museum, where the exiled revolutionary was killed, also spoke at the sessions, talking about the function of the museum. In the middle of her contribution, a video made for this seminar was shown, where Esteban Volkov, grandson of Leon Trotsky and survivor of the first attack in the house of Coyoacan, was interviewed by Alan Woods, leader of the International Marxist Tendency. She also read a greeting that Esteban Volkov sent for the seminar in Cuba. A video made for the seminar was shown, where Esteban Volkov, grandson of Leon Trotsky was interviewed by Alan Woods, leader of the IMT / Image: Centro de Estudios Socialistas Carlos Marx The last panel was moderated by Yohanka Leon del Rio and it was about Cuba. The Cuban researcher, Caridad Masson, from the Juan Marinello institute, gave a controversial exposition about the trial of Sandalio Junco, considered one of the first Cuban Trotskyists. Carlos Ricardo Marquez, from the Carlos Marx Socialist Studies Centre, explained that Julio Antonio Mella, since the moment he took the side of Marxism, showed his admiration for Leon Trotsky, something that would remain until the end of his life. This young Cuban revolutionary would come into contact with the Left Opposition and bring these ideas to Mexico and Cuba. In texts such as "Where does ARPA go?" one can notice the influence of the ideas of Leon Trotsky. In his speech, Carlos Marquez, also a contributor to the magazine America Socialista, ended by saying that, since the origins of Cuban communism, the presence of the ideas of Leon Trotsky have been felt, that these are not alien to the revolutionary tradition of this country and we must claim them. This seminar was not held by chance, it was carried out by the insistence and persistence of the young Cuban intellectual Frank Garcia Hernandez, who works at the Juan Marinello Institute. He has studied the thought of Trotsky and the history of Trotskyism in Cuba. For this event to take place, he had to deal with a thousand bureaucratic obstacles and pressures at the highest level. Trotsky is not a forbidden character in Cuba, but study of his work and life is certainly not encouraged. There is a lot of interest in his ideas at all levels but it is also clear that there are people who do not want him to be known in depth and even try to block the study of his ideas. All these complications resulted in changing the date of the seminar. The very material limitations in the Cuban revolutionary archipelago, beset by the blockade, were a huge difficulty. Much of the planning of the event was lost a few days after its completion inside a laptop that broke. It was a titanic job to coordinate accommodation for so many foreign guests, as well as meals, transfer of materials for the seminar (some of which were left in customs), get the meeting rooms and the screenings and the closing session. A key comrade in the organisational effort was the young Cuban journalist, Lisbeth Moya. The ideas of Leon Trotsky shine with their own light, but we can not say the same of many who declare themselves Trotskyists, who are really groups with a narrow and sectarian mentality. Another difficulty for the organisers was dealing with a whole series of these strange groups, some of them with positions openly opposed to the Cuban and Venezuelan revolutions, that wanted to impose an ultimatum on those who had invited them. There was a serious danger that the seminar would get out of control, but fortunately the organisers dealt with these hurdles correctly. At the end, a message from Alan Woods, leader of the IMT, was screened at the event: Long live Trotsky! Long live the Cuban Revolution! The closing words of Frank Garcia were very emotional. He began by thanking the people who helped hold the seminar, and offered special thanks to Ricardo Marquez and the Carlos Marx Socialist Studies Centre, for the support given to make this seminar possible. He added that the bureaucracy had put a thousand obstacles in our way, and thanked the Institute of Philosophy for their invaluable support in organising the event. His final words left no doubt about his position in defense of the revolution: "Neither kings, nor bureaucrats, nor bosses towards communism!" With this revolutionary and internationalist spirit, this historic seminar ended. The Cuban blog La Tizza reported that moment in the following way: "At around 7:00 pm on May 8, with closed left fists, The Internationale was heard in several languages, sung by the participants. The event dedicated to Lev D. Trotsky ended and the universalisation of Marxism opened a new chapter, this time from Havana." The seminar ended on a revolutionary and optimistic note. "Neither kings, nor bureaucrats, nor bosses towards communism!" / Image: Centro de Estudios Socialistas Carlos Marx In the evening, the Interactive Ensemble of Havana, a group of Cuban and Latin American musicians, gave a concert for those attending the seminar at La Bombilla Verde, where they presented a work composed expressly for the seminar, dedicated to Leon Trotsky. The Cuban Revolution continues to have important reserves and strengths today, is in a process of profound transformations that are bringing new dangers from within. The need to establish workers' democracy, where workers have control of the state and the economy, becomes a vital necessity for the future of the revolution. The world we live in is characterised by enormous instability, where the great masses have exhausted their patience and the capitalist system can not solve their needs, thus opening the way to an intense class struggle that reaches the level of conflict between revolution and the counterrevolution. Capitalism is submerged in an organic crisis, if Cuba returned to this system it would mean a historical regression: an economic and cultural debacle from which only a small minority would benefit. The way out is to extend the revolution, with an openly internationalist policy, as stated in "The theory of permanent revolution". That is why it is not only good to know the ideas of Leon Trotsky for their own sake: they are fundamental for the defense of the Cuban Revolution, and we hope that this seminar will inspire those who attended and encourage those who did not to learn, deepen and defend the ideas of the dynamo of the Russian Revolution. The 64-year-old Roxbury man who allegedly struck three pedestrians in Boston while driving drunk Friday night has been identified as a surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. Michael Watkins was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court Tuesday and released on $1,500 cash bail, WBZ reported. He was arrested after authorities said he hit three pedestrians in a crosswalk in the South End before fleeing the scene late Friday night. Watkins is a vascular surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and attended Harvard Medical School, according to his biography. Officers were called to the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Clarendon Street just before midnight on Friday where two women and a man were hit by a car. Witnesses told police the driver beeped at them before accelerating and running down the victims. Officers spotted Watkins car a few blocks down on Tremont Street and pulled him over, police said. Officers said they smelled alcohol from Watkins breath. He is charged with three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene after causing personal injury, as well as operating under the influence of alcohol, police said. Massachusetts General Hospital released a statement saying it is following the matter closely and will determine what action to take once more information becomes available. The thoughts of the MGH community are with all those who have been affected by this very difficult and unfortunate incident. We wish the pedestrians involved a full and speedy recovery, the statement read. Dr. Michael Watkins is a highly regarded senior vascular surgeon who has long been a leader on the MGH medical staff as well as in the community. Watkins is due back in court July 30. A jury found Mathew Borges guilty Tuesday of beheading his Lawrence High School classmate Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino, ending the 10 day murder trial in Salem Superior Court. Borges, 18, was found guilty of first-degree murder with premeditation and extreme cruelty and atrocity. He faces 25 to 30 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years, according to the Essex County District Attorneys office. Viloria-Paulino was 16 when Borges killed him and left his decapitated body by the Merrimack River. Prosecutors relied heavily on social media and text conversation as they presented their case against Borges. The defense did not call any witnesses and Borges did not testify on his own behalf. Here are five things you should know about the trial: Mathew Borges, 15, attends his arraignment in Lawrence District Court in Lawrence, Mass, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Borges was held without bail after pleading not guilty at the brief arraignment Monday on a first-degree murder charge. (Paul Bilodeau/The Eagle-Tribune via AP, Pool) 1. Borges told his then-girlfriend he will have dead eyes soon. The message was days before he killed Viloria-Paulino. On the first day of trial Stephanie Soriano, 18, read text messages she said Borges sent her in the fall of 2016. Soriano and Borges spoke almost daily from September 2016 until Borges arrest in December 2016, she said. He often spoke of his demons and once sent her a message that read: I think of killing someone and I smirk. Its all I think about every day but I control myself. I see people I dont like [and] that comes to mind. Im going insane. On Nov. 17 2016, a day before prosecutors say Borges killed Viloria-Paulino, he asked Soriano if his eyes looked dead. He then sent her a 48-second voice memo, which was played in court. Eyes that are dead are scary...makes you think about what that person has done. What theyve been through. What theyve seen. Eyes that dont shine, that are full of darkness, Borges said in the recording. Its just sad. Its like these people are different. Theyve done things that make them lose their humanity. Like they have no soul they just have big black pupils. He told Soriano to look carefully at his eyes the next time she saw him. He would have dead eyes soon too, Borges told Soriano. That may as well be the last time you see them like that again, he told her. AMANDA SABGA/Staff photo Mathew Borges looks over as the jury receives evidence during hi first-degree murder trail at Salem Superior court. Borges is accused of beheading Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino in 2016. 4/30/19Amanda Sabga/North of Boston Media Group 2. I killed him, hes dead; Borges calls friends following robbery Four young men testified that in a private Facebook group, they, along with Borges, plotted to rob Viloria-Paulino of clothes, belts and his PlayStation on Nov. 18, 2016. The group, called the Game Winners picked Borges to lure Viloria-Paulino to the Merrimack River to smoke weed while the others broke into his home. While the two boys were at the river, prosecutors say Borges stabbed 16-year-old Viloria-Paulino 76 times, decapitated him and cut off his hands. Viloria-Paulinos body was found on the riverbank on Dec. 1, 2016. A Massachusetts State Police Trooper found the 16-year-old boys head wrapped in Market Basket bag bobbing in the water nearby. His hands have never been found. After killing his classmate, Borges called his friends and told them his hands were covered in blood, according to the Eagle Tribune. "I heard him say, 'He's dead.' After that everything blanked out," a teenager, who the media was asked not to identify because he is underage, testified in court. Another witness, the newspaper reports, said Borges admitted that he killed Lee and cut off his head. Borges told his friends he beheaded Viloria-Paulino so he wouldnt be caught. Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino. 3. Prosecutors say Borges was jealous of Viloria-Paulino Though all of the teenagers called to testify during the trial said Borges and Viloria-Paulino were friendly, two of Borges ex-girlfriends spoke about his jealous streak. Leilany DeJesus, who dated Borges during their freshman year of high school, spoke about an altercation between Borges and Viloria-Paulino at lunch. Soriano also remembered the argument in the lunchroom, though neither she nor DeJesus could specifically remember the cause. DeJesus testified that when she and Borges broke up he asked her if she was sleeping with other boys at their school. He mentioned Viloria-Paulino by name, she said. In text messages submitted as evidence by the prosecution, Borges got angry with Soriano for saying hello to Viloria-Paulino at school and not him. You went and said Hi to Lee but not me, Borges wrote in the text message. He later sent Soriano a message she was his and he would kill anyone "who get in way of me getting what I want. Ed Hayden, an attorney for Borges, argued that his client was flirting and trying to show off. Under cross examination, he asked Soriano if Borges ever ordered her not to speak to Viloria-Paulino. She said no. Prosecutor Jay Gubitose holds up a copy of Mathew Borges' journal as he delivers his closing arguments to the jury in Salem Superior Court on Monday in the murder trial of Lawrence teen Mathew Borges, who is accused of killing fellow student Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino in 2016. 4. Borges wrote about killing someone in his notebook During trial, prosecutors read from a white notebook with clocks on its cover. This was Borges journal during his first years of high school, according to prosecutors. On Nov. 16, 2016 - two days before Viloria-Paulino went missing- Borges wrote a message. Go chill with him at his crib alone. Drink smoke and play it off. Kill him call JM and Scooby tell them pull up then take everything, Borges wrote in the notebook. Bring duffle bags. Wear gloves clean up mess. Wear bags on shoes. Wear clothes you dont care about. During his closing argument Essex Assistant District Attorney Jay Gubitose pointed to this section of the journal and told the jury: thats a confession. JM and Scooby reference Jonathan Miranda and Angel Betancourt, who both testified for the prosecution. Hayden argued that the four young men, including Miranda and Bentancourt, were lying to jurors - as they did to police and a grand jury initially - to avoid charges. They are using Borges as a get out of jail free card," Hayden said in his closing argument. Defense attorney Edward Hayden delivers his closing arguments to the jury In Salem Superior Court on Monday in the murder trial of Lawrence teen Mathew Borges, who is accused of killing fellow student Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino in 2016. 5. Police never found a murder weapon or DNA evidence The prosecution presented volumes of text and Facebook messages as evidence in the trial. In the messages, Borges talks about wanting to kill someone on Halloween, among other things. However, police never found a murder weapon, DNA evidence, blood evidence, a murder scene or fingerprints, Hayden said. Hayden also argued there was no motive. Prosecutors said Borges likely used a pocket knife with dragons on it that he often bragged about to his friends and girls. Thatll do the job, Gubitose said in closing arguments Monday. He said Borges had the motive and means to kill Viloria-Paulino. He made a plan, Gubitose said. He gave himself the opportunity. WEST SPRINGFIELD Peer through a dinner-plate-sized magnifier made by O.C. White Co. and a tiny electronic part goes from the size of your thumb to the size of your whole hand. Big and bright just like the future of manufacturing seen by most of the folks at Eastec, the mammoth manufacturing trade show at the Big E this week. The economy is doing well, whether someone wants to admit it or not, said Andrew May, VP of sales and operations for O.C. White, founded in 1883 and based in the of Thorndike section of Palmer. The company sells magnifiers used by parts inspectors in the precision manufacturing, defense contracting and other industries, where parts must meet exacting standards and be inspected repeatedly. Ours are the best, May said, repeating the same sales pitch hell use thousands of times as buyers filter from booth to booth at Eastec. If you want quality, youre coming to us. SME, an organization that used to be called the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, hosts Eastec at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield every other year. This years event, which runs through Thursday, is bigger than the one in 2017, with 556 exhibit spaces rented to 736 companies and about 3,000 more square feet of exhibit space spoken for. About 13,000 attendees are registered. Machinery and technology is on display in the Mallary Complex, where livestock is exhibited during the Big E, in the Better Living Center and in the Young Building. Tuesday included a ribbon cutting featuring state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow and state Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy, D-Milford, of the legislatures Manufacturing Caucus, and West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt. We are coming off our best year ever, said Jim Cepican of Marubeni Citizen-Cincom in Agawam. His company, like many at Eastec, is a distributor and installer of computer-controlled manufacturing equipment machines costing a half-million dollars or more that are used to make everything from parts for aircraft to parts for people. On Tuesday sales staffers demonstrated a machine that uses lasers to cut small notches in a medical screw so it can bed and follow the irregular holes, because holes drilled into bone marrow never stay straight. Cepican credited recent changes in federal tax law with making manufacturers more willing to buy equipment. We explain it to people as another tax, Cairns said saying so far hes seeing 4 to 5% price hikes attributed to tariffs. Our customers get it. They arent happy about it, but they get it. Thats because the business for aircraft and precision parts in Western Massachusetts is strong. And stalwarts like Smith & Wesson in Springfield and Savage Arms in Westfield are steady, he said. On Thursday, high school students from around New England and upstate New York will tour the show and build and fly drones. Roy sad he and Lesser are working to get more high school students interested in manufacturing. He has a proposal pending on Beacon Hill that would give high schools any school, not just a vocational school a financial incentive for graduating students with certificates in career fields needed by local employers. The technical schools are already doing it, said Roy, chairman of the House higher education committee. We need to get all the schools involved. BERNARDSTON Police are seeking a 49-year-old man, wanted on felony charges, who allegedly removed an electronic monitoring device from his ankle. Police Chief James Palmeri told WWLP that 49-year-old Antonio Candello is known to have connections in Vermont and New Hampshire. He is described as being 5 feet 10 inches tall with blue eyes and light brown hair. He was last known to be wearing a green shirt and blue jeans. Additional information was not immediately available. Those with information are asked to call Bernardston police, at 413-648-9208, or the Shelburne Control Dispatch Center, 413-625-8200. An ongoing study of Massachusetts black bears, which are slowly expanding their territories eastward, has shown they can travel substantial distances in search of food, especially in the fall as they seek to pack on the calories for winter hibernation. Their entire lifestyle, everything about them, is adapted to gaining all the calories they need and all the weight they need to survive that period without food, said David Wattles, black bear and furbearer biologist for the state Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Wattles said female bears, equipped with GPS collars and accompanied by their cubs, were tracked in the fall of 2017 traveling from central Massachusetts to southern Vermont and New Hampshire for stays of a month or so before returning to their home territories to den for the winter. Wattles and his colleagues believe the bears went north in response to gypsy moth infestations which decimated oak trees and therefore a favorite food, acorns. Beechnuts, another bear staple, were bountiful that year north of the Massachusetts line. How did the hungry bears know the beechnuts were there? Wattles is not entirely sure. The bears may have been drawn by their incredibly acute sense of smell. Or maybe they just kept moving until they found a reliable source of food to bulk up for the winter. Some of the bears made the loop twice that fall, said Wattles. They went up, returned, went back up and came back, he said. Last fall, a female and her three cubs left their home territory in the southeast area of the Quabbin Reservoir and headed south, where they raided residential bird feeders in the suburbs of Hartford for a short time. Then they headed back home to their winter den. That remarkable journey 45 miles each way as the crow flies, but far longer for earthbound bears included crossings of both the Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 84. Living and Working with Bears: Part 1 "My desire to see bears in the woods and take photographs of them isn't mutually exclusive from someone going out and hunting bears as well. We're going to make sure that there are enough bears on the landscape for everyone to participate." Posted by Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife on Monday, April 29, 2019 Wattles discusses some of these findings, along with the work that he and his colleagues have been doing, in a recently released video put out by MassWildlife called Living and Working with Bears. The approximately seven-minute video, which MassWildlife aired on its Facebook page last week, will eventually be followed by additional pieces on living with bears and the work of other MassWildlife biologists and the animals they are studying, Wattles said. MassWildlife is tracking 38 bears from the New York State line to Worcester County, home to the Quabbin Reservoir, which offers some of the most pristine wilderness in the state. Some of the more advanced GPS collars used by the researchers are capable of taking a bears location every 45 minutes. As of this spring, all of the collared bears are female, in part because the decades-long bear study is working toward a better understanding of breeding patterns and population densities. Females, known as sows, provide the most information toward that end. Males, or boars, are notoriously difficult to collar because, unlike the females, their necks tend to be thicker than their heads, Wattles said. The wide-ranging boars, once collared, tend to shed them pretty fast. MassWildlifes most recent bear count, conducted in 2011, indicated there were approximately 4,500 bears statewide. Today, if anticipated growth rates have held true, that number likely stands around 5,500, Wattles said. This year, Wattles and his colleagues plan to utilize a snare designed to harmlessly capture hair samples from bears. DNA gleaned from those hairs will help them better estimate the bear population statewide and understand how their DNA flows across the landscape. As well as what natural or man-made barriers impede that flow. Although most Massachusetts bears, descendants of a residual population that radiated from the northern Berkshires, live west of the Connecticut River, Wattles said bear populations are steadily increasing to the east of it. At some point, he said, the number of eastern bears will surpass their western cousins. One young male quite famously made it all the way to Cape Cod in 2012. That wayward bear was captured and relocated to central Massachusetts. Two-thirds of Massachusetts, and growing, is now bear country, Wattles said. We need the public to acknowledge that fact. The Connecticut River, and even wider bodies of water, present no impediment to bears on the move. Some of the Worcester County bears, instead of heading north prior to hibernation, have instead gone west, crossing the river for short stays in Western Massachusetts, Wattles said. Food of course, isnt the only things that drives bears to move. In the spring of 2017, as mating season got underway, a collared male, presumably seeking females, was tracked swimming south from the tip of the Quabbin Reservoirs Prescott Peninsula in New Salem to the forested shoreline in Ware, and vice-versa, seven times. Thats about a half-mile of open water. The study, which began in 1980 with conventional radio collars, has also shown that bears have adapted to living near dense population centers by making use of small patches of habitat woodland and wetland areas as they move. Wattles said bears can learn the traffic patterns of major roadways and even highways to better get around their territories sometimes using culverts to cross under the traffic. They are highly adapted to living amongst us and they are very smart, Wattles said. Smart as they are, however, bear-vehicle collisions are not unusual. Because the study has been going on for so long, nearly 40 years, Wattles and his colleagues have been able to monitor generations of bears in some areas. Wattles touches on the value of that generational data in the video: We have long lineages of bears in some of these areas that weve captured, sows and then, you know, their great-great-great-great granddaughters, that we have folded into the collaring studies, he said. Wattles stressed his key message when discussing how people can safely co-exist with bears is to eliminate their food sources, especially bird feeders. In reality, bird feeders are the main cause of human-wildlife conflict, Wattles said. It trains animals to spend time in the neighborhoods. Other wild animals, including coyotes, are drawn to bird feeders as well. While coyotes are known to eat birdseed, they are probably even more attracted to the small rodents known to frequent feeders. The prevalence of winter-time bird feeders encourages some Western Massachusetts bears to skip hibernation altogether. Two years ago, two yearling cubs were fatally shot in Belchertown after they, along with their mother, grew dependent on feeders and remained active all winter long, Wattles said. A number of bears in the Northampton area are also active all winter due to bird feeders. Bears are also prone to raiding backyard chicken coops and beehives. MassWildlife recommends the use of electric fencing to discourage bears from doing so. The agency offers this online advice for those who keep bees or chickens: Teach bears about electric fences by placing bacon strips or foil strips with peanut butter or honey on the hot wires of the fence. This delivers a shock to the most sensitive part of a bear, its nose. Wattles discusses bear hunting near the close of the video and describes it as an essential tool for wildlife managers to manage the bear population. Wattles said he does not personally hunt bears. Instead he prefers to photograph them. He stresses, however, that the two activities are not mutually exclusive and that MassWildlife is dedicated to ensuring that there are plenty of bears on the landscape for both. Our agency strives to ensure that these species will be around in perpetuity, Wattles said. Its very important to us to ensure that that happens so that we dont have to have that conversation with our grandchildren that I used to do work on bears but theyre not here anymore, Wattles said. Living and Working with Bears was produced by Jesse St. Andre, a hunter education specialist for MassWildlife who shot most of the video as well. It also includes video taken by the late Bill Byrne, a longtime photographer and videographer for MassWildlife who passed away unexpectedly last May. Residential Mortgage Services, a housing lender in Southern New England, has 534 applicants who were approved for loans but cant find a house, said vice president of underwriting Terri Sicilia. We have many loan officers who are working with several applicants, pre-approving them then theyre outbidding one another, Sicilia said. Only 30 percent of applicants the company approves for loans ever buy a house. The lack of available housing in the state is a problem that Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday called a crisis. Baker testified before the Legislatures Housing Committee, alongside Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Michael Kennealy, at a hearing on a Baker-sponsored bill, H.3507. The bill would make it easier for municipalities to pass zoning changes that encourage more housing. Baker said median home values in Massachusetts are the third highest in the country, after California and Hawaii. Median rents are the highest in the country, at $2,500 for a two-bedroom rental. Over the last 30 years, Massachusetts has halved its housing production, compared to the prior three decades. "In order to maintain and grow the Massachusetts economy, we believe being able to live and work in the community you call home must remain within reach, Baker said. If we fail to create more affordable options, our workforce and businesses will eventually be forced to relocate. Currently, a municipal zoning board needs a two-thirds vote to approve a zoning amendment or special permit. Massachusetts is one of only 10 states and the only one in New England that require a supermajority vote to change zoning rules. Bakers bill would change that, to require only a majority vote to adopt certain zoning bylaws that encourage more housing. For example, if a zoning board wants to allow homeowners to build an in-law apartment without a special permit, the board could adopt that bylaw with a majority vote. It would be easier for towns to adopt measures to reduce lot sizes or parking requirements. The bill would let towns designate specific districts such as downtown or near public transportation where it would be easier to get permission to build multi-family housing or mixed-use developments. The bill would also allow a simple majority vote to approve permits for multi-family or mixed-use projects with 10% affordable units, built in commercial centers or near transit. Baker, in his testimony, cited multiple recent projects that were voted down due to the supermajority requirement. In Lenox, for example, 54% of residents at town meeting voted for a mixed-income rental housing project, which would have had 41 affordable units and 15 acres of open space. These are the apartments for the recent WPI graduate that the local manufacturer needs to fill her open job posting," Baker said. "These are the condos that grandparents need to downsize to so that they can stay near their grandchildren in the Berkshires. The proposal is getting support from municipal, real estate and business groups. But some advocates for poor people say it does not do enough to create affordable housing. Elena Letona, director of Neighbor to Neighbor, a community organizing group in Gateway Cities, said the bill does not recognize the scope of the states housing crisis. It assumes that just producing more housing will fix the problem, but its not recognizing or its ignoring the fact that there are a lot of people in the state that wont ever be able to pay market prices, said Letona. Letona said people with minimum wage jobs, seniors on fixed incomes, or young people saddled with student debt still will not be able to afford homes. She wants a conversation about affordability, how to raise revenue for affordable housing and how to help tenants. Baker first introduced his bill last session, but it did not pass. Housing Committee Chairman Rep. Kevin Honan, D-Boston, noted, Zoning reform died 12 to 14 years in a row because some people think it goes too far and other people think it doesnt go far enough. This year, a large coalition of outside groups are pushing lawmakers to adopt the policy. Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said the city recently saw 3,400 families apply for 35 units of affordable housing. In Salem, Mayor Kim Driscoll regularly hears from seniors waiting 18 months for subsidized housing. Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said housing is increasingly becoming unaffordable but there are few large parcels to develop, and she struggles to attract developers. Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, called Bakers bill the most significant zoning reform measure in five decades. Passing this bill now would kick-start a wave of community-based proposals to increase housing production, Beckwith said. Several Realtors groups support the bill. Tamara Small, CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts, a commercial real estate development association, said Massachusetts has one of the lowest rates of housing production in the country. The number of communities with median home prices above $1 million has doubled in the past decade. Business leaders frequently struggle to attract the best talent when competing with other states that provide more affordable housing opportunities, Small said. According to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, the median price of homes currently listed in Boston is $625,000. Our children are living with parents because there are not enough homes on the market; our neighbors are moving away because they cant afford the home prices because of the high demand and bidding wars and our travel commutes are getting longer because there arent enough homes near where we work, said Deborah Sousa, executive director of the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association. The progressive Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance, an organization that promotes zoning reform, supports Bakers bill. Andre Leroux, executive director of the alliance, said the bill will help ensure that new housing is no longer so concentrated in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville. Advocates for low-income individuals attend a Housing Committee hearing on May 14, 2019. (Shira Schoenberg / The Republican) Most criticism of the bill came from those who believe it focuses too much on market rate housing rather than affordable housing. Advocates for low-income individuals wore stickers reading luxury housing wont help us and stood in protest as Baker, Polito and Kennealy testified. Darnell Johnson, regional coordinator for Right to the City Boston, an advocacy group that works to stop the displacement of low-income residents, said there are more pressing issues for lawmakers to deal with, relating to protections for tenants and homeowners going through foreclosure, and new revenue that can be tapped to build more affordable housing. We do need more housing, but we need more housing that is affordable, Johnson said. To allow for luxury development to come into the state in which luxury pricing is not what the residents that live here need or can afford, we think thats wrong. Baker acknowledged that more needs to be done to increase affordable housing. But he said part of the reason so much luxury housing is being built is because the zoning rule creates an uncertain process. If you have to spend five years and $5 million getting something through the local planning and zoning process, you want to make sure whatever you build ... youre going to get your money back, Baker said. Baker added, If you dont produce any housing, you cant produce any affordable housing. Amid ongoing problems with the states foster care system, the Department of Children and Families on Tuesday announced an agreement with the union representing the agencys workers to review staffing and provide more resources to foster parents and social workers. Gov. Charlie Baker said he believes the reforms will result in a big improvement in the way the department works and the way it serves kids and families. Baker said now that an agreement has been reached with the union, Were going to move forward with it aggressively. Adriana Zwick, DCF chapter president of SEIU 509, called the plan definitely a step in the right direction. All my members and I have cared about this whole time is just making sure that vulnerable kids and families are safe and their well-being is being is addressed, Zwick said. A series of recent news stories in the The Republican / MassLive and the Boston Globe have detailed failings in the state foster care system. Family resource workers, the liaisons between the department and foster families, say they are overworked due to a lack of staffing. That results in foster families not getting the support they need. Many foster parents say they feel disrespected and overlooked by DCF. Social workers are struggling to find enough homes for children, and children are aging out of the system without a permanent home. As The Republican previously reported, the state is in the process of revising its foster care policy, which was last updated in 2008. That will include a look at staffing. Beginning this July, DCF will begin adding new social workers who work directly with foster families to offices that are currently understaffed. DCF will also work to recruit new foster homes. The agency already hired 18 foster care recruiters. It plans to add 11 more, so there is one for each area office. DCF has been running a pilot program in five offices in which a dedicated social worker begins searching for a kinship home, which is a home with relatives, as soon as a child is removed from their parents. The program has increased kinship placements by 56 percent. Next month, the state plans to expand the program to 10 offices. Baker would not say whether more money will be needed to add staff. But he noted that the state has added $150 million to the DCF budget over the past four years. Its a place where we continue to make investments, and if it turns out that we need to make additional ones, we will, Baker said. In response to concerns about a lack of information provided to foster parents, DCF is launching a new intranet portal, where foster parents can message each other online, message DCF workers and access resources. Baker said the need to address confidentiality issues surrounding children served by DCF were part of the reason it took time to develop the portal. DCF is also working with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to develop trauma-informed training for foster parents and to increase parents access to respite care. The state also plans to reach out to foster parents to find out what additional support they need. DCF officials said the state is willing to work with lawmakers to develop a foster parent bill of rights. Several lawmakers have been advocating for a simple document clearly outlining the rights foster parents have regarding accurate medical information, notice of court dates, access to respite care and advance notification when a child is removed from a home, among other issues. The department is also trying to better deal with emergency placement situations by developing an after-hours hotline where social workers can call to find emergency homes through a centralized database. DCF hopes to have that up and running by the fall. The states Education Department has agreed to provide immediate access to child care for children in emergency placements in 10 DCF offices, with the goal of expanding that statewide next year. Zwick said DCF appears to be finally addressing the issues that weve been seeing for some time now, including children who lack stability or spend time sitting in DCF offices waiting for a placement. Zwick said members are saddened and frustrated as theyre watching the impact that has on children. They have kids in their care and see what its doing to them not having enough resources to provide them with the stability they need, she said. Peter MacKinnon, president of SEIU 509, said in a statement that the work of DCF is ever-evolving, and these reforms tackle a growing need for the social workers and foster parents operating in an overburdened foster care system. At any given time, DCF oversees around 9,000 children in foster homes. SPRINGFIELD - Acting Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood announced Tuesday that she has fired Daniel Cintron, a 3-year officer who is awaiting trial for separate allegations of child rape and robbery. The announcement was made by her office in a brief statement Tuesday afternoon. Clapprood who was away in Boston attending to business before the Legislature was not available for comment. Cintron has been on leave since December 2017, when he was indicted for his part in the mugging of a teenager at the Eastfield Mall four months earlier. He was indicted again in July of last year as part of an unrelated investigation that led to 31 criminal counts including multiple counts of child rape. He is awaiting trial on each set of charges. The move is not a surprise, as Clapprood publicly stated her intention to terminate Cintron in March. I will not continue to carry an officer with such serious charges on my roster. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty, but these charges are so egregious that I dont believe he could ever serve the public in the capacity of a police officer," she said at that time. Clapprood, named acting commissioner following the abrupt retirement of then-Commissioner John Barbieri, has been given a directive by Mayor Domenic Sarno to restore the public trust by imposing swift discipline against officers who get into trouble. In addition to Cintron, the department over the last few years has had repeated instances of officers arrested or investigated for criminal behavior. Several officers are suspended as they away trial in superior or federal court. Clapprood spokesman Ryan Walsh said the action against Cintron comes one week following a Civilian Police Review Board hearing on his case. The hearing needed to happen before she could act, he said. She started the paperwork on Monday, and Cintron was served his termination notice on Tuesday, he said. Cintron of Monson, a 3-year veteran, first attracted attention with his arrest in 2017 in connection with the assault and robbery of a teen outside the Eastfield Mall. He and another man are accused of threatening the teen in a dispute involving the teen sending a text to the mans sister. Cintron is accused of being armed, dressed in combat fatigues, and having black tape over his Springfield police badge number. While he was on paid suspension in that case, he was indicted on 31 separate counts related to the rape of three children, two of whom were under age 10, between 2015 and 2018. In connection with one child, Cintron faces four counts of forcible rape of a child, four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and four counts of intimidation of a witness. In connection with a second child, Cintron was charged with four counts of forcible rape of a child, six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and four counts of intimidation of a witness. And in connection with the third child, Cintron faces one count of forcible rape of a child under 16 and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14. He is being held without the right to bail before trial. Authorities have identified the man stabbed to death over the weekend on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia as 43-year-old Ronald S. Sanchez Jr. of Oklahoma. The FBIs Richmond Division and the Office of United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen said in a joint statement that Sanchez died Saturday of injuries sustained in the attack, multiple media outlets have reported. A 30-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged in connection with the alleged murder. James L. Jordan of West Yarmouth is accused of fatally stabbing Sanchez and attacking a woman on the trail over the weekend. The woman is still recovering in the hospital. Jordan was brought to a Virginia federal court on Monday on charges of murder and assault with intent to commit murder. Federal records show he was held for a psychological or psychiatric examination. A federal affidavit filed in the case against Jordan said he threatened a group of hikers before the attack. FBI Agent Micah Childers wrote that Jordan approached four hikers on the trail Friday in Smyth County, Virginia. Jordan was already known as someone who threatened people on the trail, said the FBI agent, noting an incident in Tennessee a month earlier. Jordan was disturbed and unstable and was playing his guitar and singing when he approached the four hikers, authorities said. The hikers then set up camp in the Wythe County, Virginia, section of the trail. Jordan began randomly approaching the hikers tents, making noises and threatening the hikers, Childers said. Jordan spoke to the hikers through their tents and threatened to pour gasoline on their tents and burn them to death. When the four hikers decided to leave, Jordan allegedly ran after two of them with a knife. Authorities said he returned to the campsite and began stabbing a man. A woman, who watched as the attack unfolded, ran away. Childers said Jordan chased down the woman and stabbed her several times. The woman played dead. Jordan went back to find his dog. The woman then found help from two hikers. They hiked another six miles and called 911. The woman was taken to the hospital. On Saturday, a Wythe County Sheriffs Office tactical team converged on the campsite where the attack took place and arrested Jordan. A town hall special featuring Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren will not be broadcast on Fox News anytime soon. The Massachusetts senator announced Tuesday that she declined the stations offer to appear in a Fox News town hall. I love town halls. Ive done more than 70 since January, and Im glad to have a television audience be a part of them. Fox News has invited me to do a town hall, but Im turning them downheres why... she said in a series of tweets Tuesday. Warren called Fox News a hate-for-profit racket that gives a megaphone to racists and conspiracistsits designed to turn us against each other, risking life and death consequences, to provide cover for the corruption thats rotting our government and hollowing out our middle class. She called her decision one to fight back against the network: I wont ask millions of Democratic primary voters to tune into an outlet that profits from racism and hate in order to see our candidatesespecially when Fox will make even more money adding our valuable audience to their ratings numbers. The Democrat ended by inviting the network to send reporters to her events just like any other outlet. Since announcing her candidacy at an event in Lawrence five months ago, Warren has participated in town hall events in 17 states and Puerto Rico. She hinted at her presidential campaign during town hall event in Western Massachusetts in September, telling a packed crowd in Holyoke she would take a hard look at running. Warren is not the only Democrat invited to appear in a Fox town hall. The cable network already held events with Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders, with Pete Buttigieg and Kirsten Gillibrand scheduled to appear. The cable network has been a favorite of President Trumps during his first two years in office. He has appeared numerous times on network shows, including weekday morning show Fox & Friends, which he has highlighted several times on Twitter. Thank you to @foxandfriends for exposing the truth. Perhaps thats why your ratings are soooo much better than your untruthful competition! Trump wrote on Twitter in 2018. Was @foxandfriends just named the most influential show in news, he said in late 2017. You deserve it - three great people! The many Fake News Hate Shows should study your formula for success! The president was critical of the networks decision to host Democratic presidential candidates, tweeting of Sanders town hall. So weird to watch Crazy Bernie on @FoxNews, Trump tweeted of the town hall. Not surprisingly, @BretBaier and the audience was so smiley and nice. Very strange, and now we have @donnabrazile? BOSTON Dustin Pedroia underwent tests Monday after he was scratched from his rehab game with Double-A Portland on Saturday because of knee soreness. Nothing major with the knee," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday at Fenway Park. 'He actually had some tests yesterday. And everybody feels comfortable; well, better than Sunday. Boston returned him from his rehab assignment without activating him Monday. His next rehab assignment cant start for at least another four days. Pedroia will work out with the team at Fenway the next few days. And see how he reacts to it, Cora said. "And hopefully we can go back and send him to a rehab assignment whenever we can. Talking to him, hes in good spirits. Hes comfortable with what they saw yesterday. And everything they did. Thats always good. I think honestly hes a lot smarter than in the past. Whenever he doesnt feel right, hell communicate it. I bet back in the day, a few years ago, hed be like, Forget about it. Im going to push through this. So he was smart about it. The Red Sox say his soreness isnt major but it is significant Pedroia was unable to play for a third time in four days Saturday without feeling soreness. Thats why he came here, Cora said. But after all the tests, everything, its nothing like last year when it happened in Houston. You ask him and hes like, I dont feel that way. I just wanted to make sure. Boston placed Pedroia on the injured list April 18 because of left knee inflammation. He has appeared in just nine games for the Red Sox since the start of the 2018 season after undergoing a left knee cartilage restoration procedure Oct. 25, 2017. He also had scar tissue removed during an arthroscopic surgery in late July 2018. Meaghan Burns, a 23-year-old South Deerfield resident and Navy sailor who was shot to death in Virginia, will be welcomed home in a police escort Tuesday night. We hope to line the streets to welcome Meaghan and her family back to her hometown. Please come out to show your love and support for her family, the Deerfield Police Department announced in an online post. The escort by Deerfield police and Greenfield police is scheduled to take place around 8 p.m., after a flight carrying Burns is expected to land at Bradley International Airport at 6:45 p.m. Flight delays are possible due to inclement weather, and the public should check updates on the Deerfield police Facebook page. The police escort will begin at the Village of South Deerfield on South Main Street before proceeding to the Town Common, and ending at the Wrisley Funeral Home on Sugarloaf Street, police said. Burns, who was born in Springfield and moved to Deerfield in 2004, served an active member of the U.S. Navy since 2015. She was one of two women fatally shot by a man in Portsmouth, Virginia on May 4, before the shooter turned the gun on himself. Meaghan was the innocent victim of senseless gun violence while trying to help a friend," her obituary read. Meggy was a free spirit, a fierce and loyal friend and loving daughter and sister. She will be missed by many and loved forever. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) The heat index in Aparri, Cagayan reached extremely dangerous levels Tuesday as it posts the highest perceived temperature so far this year, according to the countrys weather bureau. Aparris heat index hit 57.6 degrees Celsius at 2 p.m., data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. This falls under the extreme danger category, where temperatures above 54 degrees Celsius may cause higher incidences of heat stroke. Relative humidity is at 95 percent in the area, which contributed to the increase from the dry-bulb temperature of 33.2 degrees Celsius. The heat index measures the actual temperature felt by people by factoring in the humidity levels in the area. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) Local stocks bled on Tuesday, with the outcome of the midterm polls failing to lift sentiment as markets reeled from fresh tariffs imposed by China on U.S. goods. The outcome of the May 13 midterm polls failed to lift local shares, with the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipping to 7,589.92 as of midday recess. Stocks were down 1.97 percent on Tuesday as the market resumed trading after the May 13 holiday in observance of election day. Traders attributed the bearish sentiment to a global rout due to revived hefty tariffs between the United States and China. "The election result should have been positive for the markets, as the vote of confidence gives the president more room to speed up reforms. But the trade war is casting a shadow of worry," said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist of BDO Unibank. Ravelas said the sell-off has affected other markets as a "typical knee-jerk action" to fresh trade tensions offshore. China retaliated by raising tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods by June 1, in response to the U.S. raising duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese exports on Friday. READ: China strikes back at United States with higher tariffs on American goods The Dow on Monday fell by more than 500 points on fresh news that the trade war is escalating further. "The breakdown of the index below the month-long support of 7,714.00 can be attributed to the negative spillover from Wall St.'s steep nosedive yesterday, after China retaliated on tariffs," said Rens Cruz of Regina Capital. He added that the Philippines also posted a decline in the MSCI emerging markets index. Meanwhile, Cruz said the Philippine elections were not a "major catalyst" to the bearish performance of local shares. The PSEi closed at 7,646.66 on Tuesday, down by 1.23 percent. The Global Autoinjectors Market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 25.2% over the forecast period from 2018 to 2023, according to a new report from Market Research Future (MRFR). Global Autoinjectors Research Report: By Type (Disposable Autoinjectors, Reusable Autoinjectors), by Therapy (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, Others), by Distribution Channel (Retail Pharmacies, Hospital Pharmacies, Others), End-User Forecast Till 2023 The Global Autoinjectors Market is studied in detail in the report, including the key drivers and restraints affecting the markets growth, the leading players operating in the global autoinjectors market, and the leading segments likely to dominate the global autoinjectors market over the forecast period. Get Free Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6311 Autoinjectors are spring-loaded syringes designed for easy administration upon oneself or by an untrained person on the patient. The key intention behind the manufacturing of autoinjectors is to make the process of injecting the respective drug safer and easier to perform, so that untrained personnel can also do it in case of emergencies. The growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and the growing preference among patients for home care solutions for the same is likely to be a major driver for the global autoinjectors market over the forecast period. Insulin injections for diabetes management have to be administered regularly, which may lead to the patient having to come into the hospital every time s/he needs an injection, which can be taxing for people living far away. Growing demand for home-based care and management when dealing with long-term diseases such as diabetes is likely to propel the global autoinjectors market over the forecast period. The growing prevalence of allergies and subsequent cases of anaphylaxis is also likely to be a major driver for the global autoinjectors market, as autoinjectors are majorly used for injecting epinephrine in case of anaphylaxis. Key Players: Some of the key players in the global autoinjector market are AbbVie, Inc., Eli Lily and Company, Ypsomed, Amgen, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Owen Mumford, Consort Medical, Unilife Corporation, SHL Group (Scandinavian Health Limited), Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Antares Pharma, Novartis International AG, and Bayer AG. Latest Industry News: The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has recently given approval for the first generic version of the EpiPen auto-injector. AstraZeneca has received approval for its new autoinjector pen from the European Commission. Aug 2018- The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first of its kind generic version of two epinephrine auto-injectors, EpiPen Jr and EpiPen. This will offer access to effective, safe and lower cost generic alternatives. Segments: The global autoinjectors market has been segmented based on therapy, type, distribution channel, and region. by type, the market is divided between reusable autoinjectors and disposable autoinjectors. By therapy, the autoinjector market is segmented into diabetes, anaphylaxis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and others. By distribution channel, the market includes hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, and others. The regional segmentation of the global autoinjectors market divides it into Europe, the Americas, the Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. Regional Analysis: The Americas make up the most significant share of the global market and is followed closely by Europe which accounts for the second most significant region. A high prevalence of auto-immune conditions such as widespread allergies in these regions, combined with the availability of high-quality health care, a high number of leading market players and availability of research budgets act as crucial factors driving the growth of the autoinjectors market. Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to the presence of a massive patient population and consistently growing economy. Emerging economies such as India are undergoing a transformation in healthcare with increasing investments being made in advancing the level of care offered in the region. A high diabetic population also spurs the demand for autoinjectors in the region. Browse Complete Report visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/autoinjectors-market-6311 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Contraceptive Drugs Market: Analysis The global contraceptive drugs market is expected to touch new high of around USD 22.15 billion at a splendid 6.5% CAGR during the forecast period (2018-2023). Simply put, contraceptive drugs or pills are medicines that help in preventing unwanted pregnancy. It will block the usual ovulation process or alter the process that supports the eggs fertilization. Patches, combined oral contraceptives, implants, injectables, vaginal rings and intra-uterine devices (IUDs) are the most recent contraceptive methods that is accessible in the market. Request Free Sample Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1276 There are numerous factors that is driving the contraceptive drugs market. Some of the market factors and trends in this market as per a study conducted by Market Research Future (MRFR) include increase in the existence of sexually transmitted diseases, increasing focus on the advancements in technology, rise in the initiatives taken by governments and NGOs for promoting the use of contraceptive drugs, increasing innovations and research activities in this field, rising use of contraception drugs in young women, increase in higher education attainment, increase in the intake of oral pills and awareness about modern contraception. On the contrary, factors such as strict governmental rules in most of the countries, side effects associated with contraceptive drugs, religious and cultural opposition of such drugs in developing countries and also the rising prevalence of infertility is projected to restrict the growth of the contraceptive drugs market in the coming years. Worldwide Key Players: Leading players profiled in the contraceptive drugs market include Cooper Surgical (US) Mayer Laboratories (US) The Female Health Company (US) Church & Dwight (US) Reckitt Benckiser Plc (UK) Piramal Enterprises Ltd (India) Mankind Pharma Ltd. (India) Janssen Global Services llc. (US) Allergan plc. (Ireland) Bayer AG (Germany) Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel) Pfizer Inc (US) Merck & Co.Inc (US) Market Segmentation Market Research Future report offers an all-inclusive segmental analysis of the contraceptive drugs market on the basis of type and end-user. Based on type, it is segmented into injectable, oral contraceptive and others. The oral contraceptive segment is further segmented into progestogen-only pills and oral contraceptive pills. Of these, the oral contraceptives segment is expected to have the maximum share in the contraceptive drugs market during the forecast period due to widespread utilization of oral pills by women. Based on end user, the contraceptive drugs market is segmented into hospitals, clinics and others. Industry News: Jan 2019- A research conducted by a postdoctoral researcher, Wei Li at Atlantas Georgia Institute has introduced an innovative technology which will offer the contraceptive levonorgestrel with the help of a microneedle skin patch. This patch will come with drug-containing needles which will break off post application of the patch for a couple of seconds. This tiny needle will remain under the skin and release Browse Complete 80 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/contraceptive-drugs-market-1276 Regional Analysis: Based on region, the contraceptive drugs market covers growth opportunities and latest trends across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. Of these, North America will command the market due to rising awareness amid people coupled with increase in the rates of abortion. As per the 2015 report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 229,715 babies had been born from females aged 15-19 years. Europe also has a favourable share in the contraceptive drugs market due to increasing awareness regarding healthcare industries, well-developed technology and increasing government support. Besides, companies here are mostly into export that will boost up the share of the market across the globe. The APAC and the Middle East and Africa are also likely to have a favorable share. Countries such as China and India will experience the fastest growth in the contraceptive drugs market owing to increasing incidence of pregnancy amid teenagers. As per WHO, the birth rates in adolescents is 45 births/1000 females in South-Eastern Asia while 7 births/1000 females in Eastern Asia. They are open for adopting new treatment choices from developed countries. It is this gap amid the developed countries and the developing countries that will offer growth opportunities for the market players in the near future. About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Market Research Future (MRFR) in its recently published study report asserts that the global dental 3D printing market will register over 24.5 % CAGR during the review period (2018 2023), reaching exponential heights by 2023. Market Research Future (MRFR) reveals in its detailed, in-depth report concerning the dental 3D printing market that numerous factors are expected to contribute to the growing demand for the technology. This includes the expanding geriatric population, surging demand for cosmetic dentistry, increasing adoption of dental 3D printers across dental clinics and hospitals, and high prevalence of dental-related diseases. Dental 3D printing is a huge evolution that ever occurred in the dental world. It can perform faster, is cost-competitive, and can offer unique products and services, providing an excellent return on investment. Considered as the form of modern dentistry, dental 3D printing creates three dimensional solid dental models for surgical guides, dentures, dental implants, crown, and bridges. To Get Free Sample Copy of Report visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6260 Dental 3D printing is a medical technology used by orthodontists for dental restoration. It enables dentists to produce custom-made designs for different product categories. The efficiency of the digital design from the designing phase to the production stage makes it a highly popular choice. It is a recent development in the medical devices sector, and the popularity of the same has increased over the last few years, thereby creating a favorable situation for the market. Dental 3D printing involves the amalgamation of CAD/CAM, 3D printing, designing, and oral scanning. This modern form of dentistry helps create a solid 3D dental models like dental implants, dentures, crown, surgical guides, and bridges. Leading Players: The global dental 3D printing market includes prominent players like EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems, Prodways group, EnvisionTEC, Inc., Renishaw Plc., SLM Solutions Group, Carbon, Inc., Rapid Shape GmbH, 3D Systems, Inc., Stratasys Ltd., Concept Laser GmbH, Asiga, DWS Systems, Formlabs, and Roland DG. Key Updates March 13, 2019 Mogassam Co. LLC (Egypt), a leading manufacturer of 3D printers for dental applications introduced its new 3D printer DentCase, specifically designed for dental applications. The new 3D printer was showcased at IDS 2019 held in Germany. 22nd February 2019, following the success of MoonRay S printer, the 3D manufacturers from California, SprintRay, unveiled its new machine that is specifically designed for the dental industry. It promises to reduce cure times and enhance the level of efficiency and accuracy. 25th January 2019, Lithoz, the Austrian ceramic 3D printing manufacturing company will be unveiling the new CeraFab 7500 Dental system this March at the IDS. It is slated to be highly suitable for manufacturing quality parts and accuracy purposes. The new DentCase system comprises an all-in-one automated setup that integrates DLP 3D printing hardware, DentPrint software, smart washing, and advanced post-curing equipment. This 3D printer is all set to revolutionize the dental industrys digital workflow by streamlining the 3D printing process. Segments: The global dental 3D printing market segmentation is divided into technology, product and service, end-user, and application. By technology, the market divides into fused deposition modeling, vat Photopolymerization, selective laser sintering, polyjet technology, and other technologies. The vat Photopolymerization segment is divided into digital light processing and stereolithography. By product and service, the market segments into materials, services, and equipment. The equipment segment further divides into dental 3D printers and dental 3D scanners. Materials are sub-segmented into metal, plastic, and other relevant materials. By end-user, the market includes dental hospitals, research institutes, dental laboratories, dental academic and research institutes. By application, the market involves orthodontics, prosthodontics, and implantology. Regional Analysis: The North American region accounts for the leading market for dental 3D printing followed by the European and Asia Pacific region, respectively. Factors substantiating the market growth include high per capita oral care expenditure, the rising popularity of digital dentistry, and the increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of dental decay and tooth loss in the aging population is estimated to fuel the growth of the regional market. The European region holds the second-largest position in the global dental 3D printing market. The market is driven by the high oral care expenditures and well-established healthcare sector in the region. Additional factors such as the increasing number of dental problems and increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry drive the growth of the regional market. To Browse Complete Report visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/dental-3d-printing-market-6260 Countries such as Germany, the UK, and France backed by the huge investments foster the regional market. With the increasing number of patients suffering from dental diseases, the European market is projected to register a phenomenal CAGR during the assessment period. The Asia Pacific dental 3D printing market is expected to perceive exponential accruals, emerging as a promising space. APAC countries such as India & China backed by the huge patient population, and advanced medical treatment processes majorly contribute to the market growth in the region. Furthermore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam among other South-East Asian countries significantly contribute to the market growth in the region, offering high growth opportunities. About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Market Scenario Market Research Future (MRFR) postulates that the global influenza vaccination market is predicted to demonstrate 8.2% CAGR throughout the forecast period (2017-2023). The rising incidences of influenza across the globe is favoring the market growth to a large extent. Influenza is referred to as a contagious respiratory disease which generally affects the human respiratory tract. Symptoms include headache, fever, malaise, cough, body aches, sore throat, and nasal congestion. The most effective way to prevent influenza is a vaccination against it. Also termed as a flu shot, influenza vaccination is used to protect against the influenza virus. The market has witnessed a healthy growth in the recent past owing to the fear of an impending pandemic. Get Free Sample PDF @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1621 Market Potential and Pitfalls With the rising incidences of influenza across the globe, the global influenza market is predicted to propel. Factors such as rising per capita healthcare expenditure and growing immune-compromised geriatric population are highly favoring the market growth. The accelerating awareness associated with the pandemic influenza viruses coupled with the increasing initiatives by the government for vaccination against influenza is contributing to the market growth. A huge amount of unexplored influenza vaccine market in the emerging nations is creating ample opportunities for the market to expand at a rapid pace. One of the key trends influencing the influenza vaccine market is the development of a strong pipeline. Moreover, the number of clinical trials for developing a vaccine in order to treat influenza is increasing at a steady pace, thereby triggering the demand for influenza vaccination market across the globe. Also, the rising product approval for influenza vaccine is driving the market growth throughout the appraisal period. For instance, Seqirus Vaccine Limited has recently received the FDA approval Afluria Quadrivalent. On the contrary, strict regulatory framework coupled with the low accessibility of the product especially in the developing economies are some of the major concerns anticipated to limit the market growth during the appraisal period. Moreover, limited production capacity, variable demand, strict mandates which act as a barrier to the new entrants, and a high level of required investment are disrupting the market to a large extent. Global Influenza Vaccination Market: Segmental Analysis The global influenza vaccination market has been segmented on the basis of manufacturing technology, type of influenza, vaccines, and others. By mode of type of influenza, the global influenza vaccination market has been segmented into pandemic, seasonal, zoonotic, and others. By mode of manufacturing technology, the global influenza vaccination market has been segmented into cell culture based, egg-based, recombination-based technology, and others. By mode of vaccines, the global influenza vaccination market has been segmented into FluMist, Fluzone, fluvirin, fluvax, and others. By mode of end-users, the global influenza vaccination market has been segmented into research organization, hospital & clinics, academic institutes, and others. Get Exclusive Discount On this reprot @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1621 Regional Insights Geographically, the influenza vaccination market span across regions namely, Europe, America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Among all the regions, the American region is predicted to dominate the global influenza vaccination market due to the growing prevalence of influenza coupled with the high per capita healthcare expenditure. Additionally, with the presence of developed economies like Canada and the U.S., the market in this region is predicted to expand in the coming years. Moreover, the rising geriatric population is likely to fuel the market growth. The European region is considered to occupy the second largest market share and is likely to retain its dominance. The growth is credited to the high availability of funds for research, a huge patient population, and well-developed healthcare infrastructure. With the presence of market players such as Novartis AG and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, the market is estimated to propel. On the other hand, the Asia Pacific region is presumed to experience the fastest growth rate owing to the presence of developing nations such as China and India. Additionally, with the rising geriatric population coupled with the favorable government policies, the market in this region is estimated to flourish. Industry Updates February 12, 2019: M2SR, an intranasal vaccine candidate has shown for the first time, protection against an extremely mismatched influenza virus. FluGen Inc. announced that despite the mismatch, more than 50 percent of the participants who received M2SR had shown a serum antibody response to the vaccine. Competitive Dashboard The global influenza vaccine market is highly consolidated with major players dominating the market share. The entry is fairly restricted in the market due to the strict regulatory compliance requirement. The competitive landscape details strategies, products, and investments being done by key players in different technologies and companies to boost their market presence. Read More @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/influenza-vaccination-market-1621 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, May 13, 2019 In my digital life, Im exposed to text, images and video all day. From early morning until late night, the firehose of digital data comes at me. I bet that sounds a lot like your days, too. So, in a world of relentless digital streams, analog, real-world events are what's grown more important in my life: places where I can be, for a time, fully immersed in a singular experience. From being in the fabulous hole-in-the-wall Showmans Jazz Club in Harlem, to being in the audience at TED in Vancouver, being able to engage fully is what makes the memories that have impact. Which is why learning about the challenges of Maker Faire hit me hard. For readers whove never experienced a Maker Faire, Ill say that for years my younger son and I traveled to the New York Hall of Science in Flushing, Queens each fall to explore the massive fairgrounds. Billed as the East Coasts biggest celebration of invention and creativity, it's where more than 800 makers and exhibitors from around the globe show off their creations. Its a cornucopia of robots, 3d printing, DIY makers, and big geeky showpieces like the 69 fire-breathing dragon built out of an old car and recycled metals that my son and I gawked at back in 2011. Maker Faire is a celebration of everything geek. It was a great way to expose my sons fertile imagination to the joy of using your hands -- and, often, a soldering iron -- to turn ideas into objects. So, what has punched Maker Faire in the economic gut, at a time when exposing kids to STEM education seems so clearly core to future generations? Dale Dougherty, the founder and publisher of Make magazine, told the San Fransisco Chronicle: Im not sure what the future holds for Maker Faire. I think its needed more than ever, and its valuable more than ever. But ... weve had to reconsider what we do and reconsider the things that we provide. We are struggling a bit to keep it all going, Dougherty said. On one hand, [the events] impacts on education are really clear and theyre still going. ... But ... its harder to do this media and events business than it has been, and Im just trying to figure my way through it. This isnt a little thing. Teaching children that technology isnt something magical to be purchased, but rather something tangible that can be built, modified, and changed, is part of what makes Maker Faire such an important experience. So what happened? Events are expensive. It takes people and money. The Chronicle reports that sponsors have fallen off, with previous sponsors including Autodesk, Intel and Microsoft no longer on board. Dougherty says the company has cut staff, including web staff. That caught my eye because its part of a larger issue of a handful of companies taking resources away from smaller but important partners. The maker movement needs physical spaces and places to thrive. I think back to the days I spent with my son at Maker Faire. We talked about 3D printing -- he wanted to "print" buildings back then. We looked at discs floating on dry ice -- physics I didnt understand. We talked to robots, and we learned to pick locks. Turns out lock-picking is a hobby -- really. Maker Faire makes a difference in the minds of young scientists, and its not going to be replaced by VR or YouTube videos. We need to find new economic models to support live events. Tickets. Donations. Sponsorships. Media properties. The old rules arent enough to provide sustainable economic support. Lets hack this! by Sara Guaglione , May 14, 2019 Quartz has built a metered paywall, limiting readers' access to a few articles before they are asked to pay $100 a year (or $15 a month) for unlimited access to its content. The number of free Quartz articles a user can read depends on an algorithm that calculates the likelihood of subscriber conversion. The Wall Street Journal and New York Media have similar paywall strategies. Quartz has built a metered paywall, limiting readers' access to a few articles before they are asked to pay $100 a year (or $15 a month) for unlimited access to its content. The number of free Quartz articles a user can read depends on an algorithm that calculates the likelihood of subscriber conversion. The Wall Street Journal and New York Media have similar paywall strategies. advertisement advertisement Quartz, the business site founded by Atlantic Media in 2012, was sold to Japanese business media company Uzabase last July for $86 million. Revenue dipped from $30 million in 2016 to $27.6 million in 2017, according to Nieman Lab, which first reported the news of the paywall. Revenue for 2018 rose to $34.8 million, according to Quartz. Quartz has a newsroom of over 100, with a web audience of about 7.3 million, a 35% decrease year-over-year. Writes Quartz publisher and CEO, Jay Lauf, in a note to readers: Today, we are asking those who value this mission to help us continue to invest in what youve come to love about Quartz." A membership program and redesigned app were first announced last November. It was marketed as a offering to give paying users access to more premium content, guides, weekly conference calls with reporters and invitations to live events. Quartz email newsletters and apps remain free. Kerel Cooper, senior vice president of marketing at digital marketing company LiveIntent, told Publishers Daily that Quartzs email newsletters will be its superpower as it pursues this subscription model. Using the insights that a robust email system provides, Quartz will be able to determine the propensity of each potential subscriber to purchase a subscription (who opens, who reads on other devices, etc.)," Cooper noted. "Driving subscriptions through dynamic paywalls are a priority for nearly all the publications we talk to," he added. "The email address significance for publishers isnt just a way of sending email: Its the key to marketing and identity in this mobile world." Quartz has two daily email newsletters: Quartz Daily Brief and Quartz Obsession. It does not publicly disclose subscribers numbers. Email newsletters are an important tool to driving subscriptions campaigns. by Melynda Fuller , May 14, 2019 After 41 years in publishing, with 21 spent in executive roles, Hearsts president of marketing Michael Clinton is set to retire July 1. Following his departure, Clinton will stay on as a senior media adviser to Hearst CEO Steve Swartz. He is also reported to be finishing his 10th book and studying nonprofit philanthropy at Columbia University Graduate School. Clinton began his career as a reporter in 1978 at Fairchild, but switched to the business side after moving to Conde Nast. Prior to his executive roles, Clinton was the publisher of GQ for a decade. Swartz and magazines president Troy Young issued a joint memo to staff this morning, applauding Clintons role in launching titles that include O the Oprah Magazine, Food Network Magazine, HGTV Magazine and The Pioneer Woman Magazine, noting his tireless efforts. advertisement advertisement Hearst is currently looking for a replacement for Clinton. The company has seen many shifts since Young joined the company in July 2018 and introduced his ambitious digital-centric plan for Hearst in October of that year. That plan resulted in many shifts among editors at its print magazines and the shuttering of Redbook. Young wrote in a memo at the time: Our teams are embracing cross-platform brand alignment, which will foster even greater idea sharing, more ambitious content creation and the development of strategic business initiatives. All benefit our audience, both consumer and commercial." Hearst Magazines hired its first Chief Data Officer Mike Smith earlier this year. Smith now oversees the strategy and ongoing development of digital advertising operations, data capabilities and ad product offerings at the company. As WWD notes, Clinton is just the latest in a line of high-profile leadership to leave the company. Magazine president David Carey left just before Youngs appointment last June and Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles left soon after in August. She was replaced by Kate Lewis two days later. In this article, learn about the causes of severe stomach pain, including which ones require prompt medical treatment. Stomach pain is the most common reason for emergency room visits. When a person is unsure about what to do, it may be best to call a doctor or nurse helpline to decide the best course of action. When severe stomach pain occurs, it can be difficult to decide whether to see a doctor, go to the emergency room, or wait. If the pain is severe or debilitating, a person may need to seek medical help immediately. Some types of stomach pain are a medical emergency. Many types at least require a doctors treatment. People should see a doctor or call an advice line if they experience the following: Liver, gallbladder, or pancreas issues Share on Pinterest A person may have severe stomach pain due to gallstones. When a person experiences pain in the upper right abdomen, just under the ribs, it could signal a problem with the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas. Gallstones are one of the most common culprits. Without treatment, gallstones can block the bile duct and cause liver function problems or an infection in the pancreas called pancreatitis. The gallbladder may even rupture. Typically, gallstones cause intense pain in the upper right abdomen that lasts for 46 hours. Some people may also vomit. Gallstones are not usually a medical emergency, but they do warrant a visit to the doctor. This is because the complications of gallstones, such as pancreatitis, can be life-threatening. Other conditions, such as porcelain gallbladder, can also cause pain in the upper right abdomen. Porcelain gallbladder occurs when calcium deposits build up in the gallbladder. If the pain comes with a fever, vomiting, yellow eyes or skin, white or pale stools, or feelings of intense illness, a person should go to the emergency room. Diverticular disease Diverticular disease develops when small pouches form in the colon. Sometimes, these pouches may become inflamed or infected, causing a painful condition called diverticulitis. Diverticular disease is not a medical emergency but does require a visit to the doctor. Symptoms include: sudden, intense abdominal pain constipation diarrhea cramping bloating Kidney stones Kidney stones are very painful, but they are not typically dangerous. A person may have a kidney stone if they develop intense pain in the lower abdomen that radiates to the mid-back. Other symptoms of a kidney stone include: dizziness lightheadedness pain that radiates to the groin If the pain is intense, a person can go to the hospital for immediate pain relief. If the pain is manageable, it may be best to call a doctor. The doctor can diagnose the kidney stone and assess whether an underlying medical condition caused it to develop. Dehydration Stomach conditions that cause vomiting or diarrhea can lead to dehydration, especially in children and older adults. If a person cannot keep down fluids, they may need intravenous fluids from a doctor or at the hospital. Immediately call a doctor or go to the hospital for symptoms of dehydration such as very dry skin, dry mouth, not urinating, chapped lips, or a rapid heart rate. Appendicitis Appendicitis is an infection of the appendix. Without treatment, the appendix can rupture. Sudden intense pain that begins in the middle of the stomach and slowly moves to the right side of the abdomen may be a sign of appendicitis. However, the pain can vary, sometimes starting as a dull ache around the umbilical area and intensifying as it moves to the right side of the abdomen. People should seek emergency medical treatment for symptoms of appendicitis. Typically, a doctor will advise the removal of the appendix and prescribe antibiotics. Bleeding and ruptured blood vessels The stomach is full of blood vessels, including the aorta, which is the bodys largest blood vessel. A ruptured aortic aneurysm occurs when a bulge in the aorta breaks. An aortic dissection happens when something cuts or punctures the aorta. Sustaining any tear or rupture in the stomachs blood vessels is a life-threatening emergency. The main symptom of a ruptured blood vessel in the stomach is sudden, unexplained, extreme pain. Some people also experience shortness of breath, a racing heart, and dizziness. People who know they have an abdominal aneurysm should treat any stomach pain as an emergency. On arrival at the emergency room, they must tell the physician about the aneurysm. Blocked intestines A blockage in the intestines can make it difficult or impossible for the body to expel waste. Although some blockages may only partially block the intestines, others block them completely. A complete blockage can become life-threatening. Several conditions, including tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, and hernias, can block the intestines. One of the most dangerous causes of a blocked intestine is a volvulus. A volvulus develops when the colon twists around itself. Without treatment, the volvulus can tear the intestine or cause tissue death. Symptoms of a blocked intestine include: abdominal pain cramping a swollen stomach a fever a rapid heartbeat bloody diarrhea Some people develop a life-threatening infection called sepsis. Sepsis typically causes additional symptoms, such as: a high fever weakness fatigue vomiting other symptoms of severe illness A blocked intestine is usually a medical emergency, but it is hard to distinguish it from other conditions based on the symptoms alone. People who think they have an intestinal blockage, especially those with risk factors for one, such as tumors or hernias, should go to the emergency room. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) Several news outlets closely monitoring the midterm election results noticed a sudden drop in the transmitted results from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) server on Tuesday. CNN Philippines, Rappler, and GMA News all connected to the COMELEC media server reported the 5:20 am results from the vote counting. In its 5:50 am data, the number of votes noticeably dropped. In the partial and unofficial tally at 5:20 am, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said 93 percent of the total votes have been received. In the data sent out by COMELEC 30 minutes later, it dropped to 49 percent. The Commission on Elections explained the glitch. "Nagkaroon ng java error kaya bumalik sa 40 percent. It was corrected just by restarting (the File Transfer Protocol app). Wala na tayong problema with that. It won't affect the result of transparency server," Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said. Commissioner Rowena Guanzon explained it in simpler terms, "It's like your cellphone. If it's overloaded, it's going to hang. All you have to do is restart." This comes after the seven-hour delay in the vote count due to data extraction issues. Ever wondered why people are particularly in awe of characters like Sherlock Holmes or let's say, Littlefinger from 'Game of Thrones'? It's that clever brain of theirs which manages to set them apart from the rest of the crowd. Interestingly, such characters not only belong in the world of fiction, as sometimes, we manage to find them in the real world as well. via GIPHY A 27-year-old student has gone viral on the internet for an extremely bizarre yet ingenious reason. The student, who hails from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, was arrested after he tricked the employees of KFC into giving him free meals for a year. How in the name of Colonel Sanders did he pull this off? Well, our brilliant man here convinced the employees that he was sent from the KFC headquarters for quality check of the food being served in the restaurant. He would confidently walk into the store, and tell the same story at different KFC outlets and would end up getting a free meal. Getty Images Look, I know what he did was wrong and everything, but you've got to admit it was bloody brilliant. I mean, clearly, he knows some kind of Jedi mind trick given how he pulled this off at every. single. KFC. outlet that he went to for a whole year! Who does that? Mere mortals like me can't even dream of walking into a shop and saying such things while making eye contact with the employees. Clearly, I am not the only one impressed with this student, as Twitter is losing its shit over the man and his antics and are hailing him as their new hero and have branded him a legend. First Mandela and now this poor man. WTF South Africa? A man needs his KFC. Bree's Grampy (@vinnyc3) May 13, 2019 They say travelling broadens our horizons, and exploration is the most honest teacher in town. We wouldn't question that simply because we have personally witnessed, on multiple occasions, how exposure to new landscapes and cultures can transform people for good. We end up admiring the person they become, and whether we admit it or not, we wish to become like them in a lot of ways. Why? Because that kind of goodness never goes out of fashion, and here's proof. It had been just another family vacation for 19-year-old Malhar Kalambe, who was visiting Bali during the summer of 2017. The pristine beaches and clear water surrounding the Indonesian island left Malhar mesmerised until the bigger realities back home in Mumbai shattered Malhar's bubble. Malhar Kalambe The beaches in Mumbai lay in a wretched state, and the disillusionment from this bigger ground reality hit him hard. He almost blamed the government and municipality, like most of us, and gave up on the situation. However, the damage had already been done, and Malhar simply couldn't move on from what he had witnessed. The Epiphany Malhar Kalambe It was one such day, when he was sitting with his mother and discussing the sad state of Indian beaches, and wondering why it is so. I was discussing the state of affairs with my mother and believed that perhaps it's because of the BMC and the government were not doing their job. That's when my mother suggested that if you feel so strongly about this, instead of complaining about it, do something about it. Clean the beach, Malhar told MensXP. Malhar took up his mother's advice and decided to do something that would make a difference. That's how the Dadar beach clean-up came into existence. Malhar reached out to some of his school friends and together, they set to work. The Start Of A Bigger Movement - 'Beach Please' Malhar Kalambe Malhar recalls the first time he headed to the beach for a clean-up, The first time we went to the Dadar beach, we didn't even know that clean-ups should be taken up on the days of low tide. We got together one Sunday and headed to the beach. But due to the high tide, we couldn't do much. So we came back the following weekend and loved the results. That's when we decided to do this for the long haul. Over the next few it became a continuous process and soon turned into a movement. That's how 'Beach Please' came into existence. The Journey Hasn't Been Easy Malhar Kalambe Malhar admits that it's been a roller coaster journey. It wasn't easy for the then 19-year-old to convince the people or the BMC officials about the cleanup drive. It took him months to convince them and to be taken seriously by them. The next challenge was to manage the finances required to take the initiative forward. Since Malhar and most of his volunteers are students, and with no funds to back this initiative, all of them pool in their pocket money and arrange all the required props for the clean-up. Malhar Kalambe Some days, they have over a thousand volunteers, while on other days it's not even a handful. Yet, regardless of the number of volunteers, their personal and academic commitments, Malhar and his friends made the decision to show up for the cleanup every weekend. No excuses. It's been 88 weeks since we started, and we have never skipped a single weekend, a proud Malhar shares. Up Next Malhar Kalambe The Dadar clean-up turned out to be a huge success and caught the attention of lots of people. Over the last 88 weeks, 20000 odd people have been associated with the cause and 'Beach Please' has removed over 1000 tons of waste so far. But Malhar didn't just stop there. He decided to move to the very source where all this waste is collected. Mithi River in Mumbai, one of India's most polluted rivers, was next on his to-do list. Malhar Kalambe However, it wasn't easy convincing his team to clean up the river, It took me 3-4 months to convince the team. The reason being, 70% of the river bank is covered with small scale industries which directly dump their waste into the river. So here it wasn't just about plastic waste but included medical waste and chemical waste too. Open defecation in the area also posed as a major problem. But eventually, we took it up and started the Mithi river clean-up in November last year. The Big Moment For Malhar & 'Beach Please' Malhar Kalambe 'Beach Please' became Malhar's passion, as his love for the environment found a physical manifestation with it. A B.Com graduate and CA aspirant, Malhar's efforts earned one of the biggest recognitions in the country through UN India's V Award for change makers. It was the first ever award I have won, and it was huge. You can only imagine how great that felt. Malhar's parting words are most insightful. He says, Awareness and lack of civic sense is our biggest flaw as a society. We keep blaming others/government. Whereas we also have to perform their own civic duties and pressurise the authorities to take ownership. Public participation is key, paying taxes is not enough, people have to step out and get their hands dirty if they wish to see a significant change. Malhar Kalambe As for that one thing that each one of us can do to make our environment cleaner and better, he says, Segregation waste at the source will solve 50-60% of the problem. Segregating the waste at home is the basic thing each one of us can take up at a personal level. 21-year-old Malhar has come a long way and made tonnes of difference to the world. More power to you Malhar. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) Vico Sotto, a fairly newcomer to the political scene, has been proclaimed mayor of Pasig City, ending the 27-year reign of the Eusebio clan. Sotto, a councilor who has only served for one term, has an 87,000-vote lead against his lone opponent, incumbent Mayor Bobby Eusebio. He received 208, 548 votes, while Eusebio received 121,032, according to the Commission on Elections' partial and unofficial tally as of Tuesday afternoon. He had enjoyed a wide lead since that morning and questioned the delay in his proclamation. He asked why the Pasig City Board of Canvassers won't approve their petition to lower the threshold for proclamation to 96 percent. He noted the over 80,000 difference in their votes. "It is mathematically impossible for our opponents to win," he said. On the campaign trail, Vico propped himself up as an alternative to the ruling Eusebios, promising to deliver healthcare for all residents of the city, make access to government information easier, fight corruption, and end favoritism and fear. The 29-year-old politician is the son of actors Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes. G. KATROUGALOS: The Council dealt with a wide range of topics, from Ukraine and Libya up to Venezuela. We voiced Greeces firm stance on all these topics. With regard to Venezuela, we followed the European stance, as always, meaning that a political solution can be found through presidential elections, in a very traumatised society. Solutions suggesting external or military intervention are definitely not European. However, in terms of national interests, the most crucial point of discussion was the one concerning the recent illegal actions by Turkey in the Cypriot EEZ. The Cypriot Republic gave their opinion in detail. We and the others, like the French, supported this intervention. Expressing my opinion, I said that a legal issue arises at the same time, which had already been broached with the European Councils decision in March 2018, very clearly asking Turkey not to proceed with any illegal actions and with its own interpretations regarding the law of the sea, which no one else follows. Apart from the legal issue, theres also the issue of credibility. What happens once this violation has been established? How will the European Union respond? And theres also an evident issue of solidarity. I stated the obvious, that the Hellenic Republic is standing by the Cypriot Republic with all means available, and the European Union should also act accordingly. I believe this message was accepted by all, unanimously, without any difference of opinions, precisely because it reflects previous decisions by European bodies. We are remain in contact with the Cypriot Republic to best coordinate our actions. JOURNALIST: Minister, were there any reactions to your intervention on the issue of Turkeys provocativeness? Any statements from the partners? G. KATROUGALOS: As Ive stated, this was discussed during the "a.o.b." segment, so the discussion was not in-depth. But, those who expressed opinions expressed them positively. The High Representative herself reiterated her well-known positive statement in the spirit of March 2018 and noted that, at the moment, what Europe does not need is yet another new source of crisis. JOURNALIST: Was there any mention of the issue with the Western Balkans after the Tirana Conference? G. KATROUGALOS: This was discussed, but under a different light. I do not want to mix those two issues because, as Ive already stated, the range of todays discussion was very wide. We wanted to focus on what we considered to be crucial nationally at this juncture. Thank you very much. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) Cebu North District Representative bet Richard Yap conceded the race on Tuesday hours after the partial count of votes was released. Yap, who sought to stray away from his celebrity reputation, trails far behind Raul Del Mar who leads the pack with 134,816 votes. Yap received only 81,167 votes from the partial, official tally as of 7 am. The former actor and entrepreneur expressed his disappointment over the results. I am just sad that I was not given the chance to make my plans and dreams for Cebu a reality, he said in a Facebook post. My hope is that you have at least known me even for a short period of time that I have made my life public because of my wish to serve the Cebuanos. Yap ran under the administration party Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan. He was well-known for his roles on hit television shows and movies with the title role Sir Chief. UPPER THUMB -- The first Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel (MARSP) meeting for 2019 will be at 11 a.m. May 22 beginning with an early bird drawing. The meeting will be at the Bad Axe First Presbyterian Church, 112 East Woodworth St. in Bad Axe. The agenda will include updates regarding the state Legislature and current issues related to school personnel. BRIDGEPORT More than 14,000 people have signed a petition online for Dr. Amr Wasfi to have his veterinarian license revoked after he was charged by Bridgeport police following an investigation into claims of an animal cruelty. Wasfi, 74, of Derby, was charged with animal cruelty and third-degree larceny by Bridgeport police on May 1. The petition, which has collected 14,390 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon, has set a goal to obtain 16,000 signatures. The creator of the petition said it will be sent to the Connecticut Board of Veterinary Medicine. Years ago, Wasfi, who is listed as the sole vet at Black Rock Animal Hospital had his license revoked temporarily for unskillfulness toward an animal, according to court documents released in 2000. He was arraigned last week on the recent charges after many complaints to police about Wasfi. Wasfi was out on bail as of last week and had returned to work at Black Rock Animal Hospital, according to News 12 Connecticut. Capt. Brian Fitzgerald told News 12 he wanted to public to be aware of the criminal charges against Wasfi if they are considering bringing their animal to his hospital for treatment. The police departments animal control unit used to have a good relationship with Wasfi and sent animals to him for treatment. But that relationship soured a few years ago and the animal control unit no longer worked with the facility. Now, the creator of the petition wrote in the description that she hopes Wasfi will lose his license. It's up to the Connecticut Board of Veterinary Medicine to revoke Wasfi's license - permanently, this time, the petition said. Please sign and share this petition urging them to do so to prevent more animals from being harmed, not helped. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) The Commission on Elections is pinning the blame for malfunctioning vote counting machines (VCM) to cheap and low-quality SD (secure digital) or memory cards that led to voting and transmission delays. COMELEC Chairman Sheriff Abas said that 1,665 SD cards tripped out on voting day, representing 1.9 percent of the total which had to be reconfigured before they can be used. He said this affected multiple voters assigned to each VCM. The poll body said the error message for corrupted or unsynchronized cards was the most common issue for VCMs. "We suspect it's the low quality of the SD cards," Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said in a media briefing on Tuesday, noting that the winning supplier only asked for 29 million despite the COMELEC's projected expense of 80 million. "What do we expect for 29 million SD cards?" While COMELEC said it was prepared to repair or replace SD cards equivalent to six percent of the total deployed, Abas said these still caused delays in the process. Apart from this, Casquejo said SD cards may have been affected as VCMs were transported to polling centers, while upgrades to the machines as well as storage defects may have also contributed to the hitches. READ: Defective vote-counting machines mar midterm polls Abas added that the big difference in this year's polls is that the machines, marking pens, paper, and SD cards used were sourced from multiple providers, as opposed to a bundled or one-supplier procurement in 2016, because of legal requirements. The COMELEC chose to buy the VCMs for the 2019 polls, which left them with the option to buy the other materials from different suppliers. "Doon 'yung nakita naming problema, hindi masyadong nagma-match... Pero wala kaming magawa because that is part of the procurement law," Abas said. [Translation: That's where the problem is: the materials didn't match... But we can't do anything because that is part of the procurement law.] Under the law, which requires government agencies to accept the lowest bid for a product or service that they need to purchase as long as the supplier meets the requirements. The poll chief said that machine provider Smartmatic took part in the bidding for SD cards, but lost because of a higher contract price. The COMELEC said the procured items passed quality control tests ahead of the elections, but cited that those were done in a "controlled environment." "Those are suspected problems or issues that we are going to investigate. We are going to investigate after this elections kung ano ba talaga 'yung naging cause ng pagiging defective ng SD cards. We will try to look into that," Casquejo said. "If it's the low-quality SD cards talaga, then we will not pay the provider." So far, Casquejo said they still need to reconfigure about 300 SD cards. "Hopefully in the future, it will be our decision point most likely in 2022 because mas malaking preparation 'yun. Pag-aaralan namin kung una, gagamitin pa sa pangatlong beses 'yung VCM or magli-lease ng bago, or magba-bundled (procurement) kami this time [We will see if we will use the VCM for a third time, or we will lease new ones, or we will do bundled procurement]," Abas said. Casquejo, an IT expert, said that he personally would not recommend using these VCMs for the presidential polls, saying that these are old. However, this decision will depend on the COMELEC en banc. Casquejo added that he has already asked their legal team to review their contracts with these suppliers to see if they can be penalized for these problems. Casquejo went on to explain the seven-hour delay in transmitting voting data to the COMELEC transparency and media servers, saying that the automated FTP application froze after precincts simutaneously transmitted results shortly after polls closed at 6 p.m. On Tuesday morning, votes on the transparency server appeared to have slipped, which the Comelec attributed to a Java error which required a restart of the FTP application to reflect the latest numbers. READ: Explanation on COMELEC-provided election results 'glitch' sought Casquejo said he will be proposing to the en banc to make public the audit and system logs of the servers to show that the votes are intact. Canvassing is set to start Tuesday afternoon led by members of the COMELEC en banc. The official vote tally will be based on election results sent by municipalities, cities and provinces. "Nagka-aberya sa transparency server so bantayan niyo na lang itong official [There's been problems with the transparency server so just monitor the official count.]. We assure you of the integrity of the count," said COMELEC Commissioner Luie Tito Guia. Despite these glitches and some reports of violence, Abas said that there is no failure of elections for the midterm polls. MIDDLETOWN - A Camp Street man was held on $50,000 bond Friday following is arrest on charges he sold crack cocaine with his 15-year-old son in the car, reports said. Darryl Drake, 53, was under surveillance by narcotics detectives who had staked out the area of Durant Terrace looking for illegal drug activity after neighborhood complaints, police said. A man on a bicycle who appeared to be waiting for someone immediately rode up to Drake's Mitsubishi Outlander when he pulled into the driveway of 6 Durant Terrace, police said. The man on the bike met with Drake for a few minutes and then rode away, police said. Another man who was parked nearby got out of his own vehicle and got into the backseat of Drake's car, detectives said. He remained in the car for about a minute before leaving for his own vehicle, reports said. Narcotics detectives followed Drake's car as he left the area. When he was pulled over near the intersection of South Main Street and Warwick Street he began yelling at officers and then told his 15-year-old son who was in the passenger seat to call his mother, police said. Drake at first told police that he had just picked up his son and hadn't met with anyone. When officers explained they witnessed the meetings, he said he didn't know why people were coming up to his car and "just getting in." He later admitted that he had crack cocaine in his glove compartment for personal use, but he had no equipment to use the drug in his car. The crack cocaine, worth about $250, was located in the unlocked glove compartment in front of where the 15-year-old was seated, police said. Drake was charged with sale of a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of narcotics and risk of injury to a child. He was held on $50,000 bond until his arraignment in Middletown Superior Court Monday. MIDDLETOWN - Firefighters are on the scene of a two-alarm fire on West Street Tuesday morning. The fire was reported shortly after 6 a.m. The call for the second alarm came at 6:22 a.m. First reports say the fire started in the basement and burned out a stairway leading to the first floor. NBC Connecticut reports that no one was injured in the blaze. Middlefield, Portland and Durham fire departments are providing coverage while Middletown firefighters fight the blaze. According to Middletown property records, the house at 76 West St. was built in 1923. The one-story house with 1,140-square feet of living space, is appraised at $134,550. MIDDLETOWN A massive chorus of devotees of all ages will take to the streets Sunday, clad in white garb, bright red sashes and carrying bouquets of flowers, barefoot or in socks, shouting Primo Deo San Sebastiano! as they run into their church, then parade around the block hoisting a heavy likeness of their patron saint. First God and then St. Sebastian! is the well-known cry during the culmination of 98th annual St. Sebastian feast, the final element of the three-day festival of Catholic faith at St. Sebastian Church, 155 Washington St./Route 66, which follows the 11 a.m. Mass. Its easily the spectacle of the year in Middletown. The event, which features a carnival, live music, food vendors, auction, contests and other revelry, is modeled after the observance in Middletowns sister city, Melilli, Sicily, which dates back to 1414. The Italian seven-day celebration ran this year from May 4 to 12. When Italian immigrants came to Middletown from Melilli around the turn of the last century, they built St. Sebastian Church, modeled after the one from their homeland, and adopted the traditions of the feast, and later, the I Nuri (runners). This year, Common Councilman Philip Pessina traveled to Melilli to celebrate the grand pageantry at the mother church. According to tradition, St. Sebastian lived in the third century, and was a highly ranked Roman soldier who hid his Christian devotion. The emperor Diocletian discovered his faith and ordered him killed. Surviving the first attempt on his life, Sebastian confronted Diocletian, who had Sebastian beaten to death. The heart of the celebration takes place Sunday, when the saints statue is carried in a procession and I Nuri runners of all ages and generations run 3.3 miles from St. Sebastian Cemetery in Middlefield or four-tenths of a mile from the Italian Society on Court Street. Theres is nothing comparable to the event in New England, agreed Middletown Common Councilman Eugene Nocera and the Rev. James Thaikoottathil, who also leads St. John Church in the North End at 19 St. Johns Square. Noceras father Eddie, who died in 1998, was event chairman for 18 years. When I watch it, I cant help but to think of my dad and his devotion, and the family, and all the hard work... its very emotional, said Nocera, who shares the general chairman post with Frank Marchese and former city sanitarian Salvatore Nesci. This years 176-page feast booklet is full of photographs from past festivals and dozens of memorial pages dedicated to loved ones. Despite some of the older generations passing on, and church membership nationwide on the decline, devotion to the saint and robust participation in Sundays Mass and pageant as well as weekend-long events has hardly waned, Nocera said. If you measure the volume of the I Nuri over the years, you could not say it has diminished. The devotion is still there. The chanting and celebration is louder than ever. Perhaps there are less people at church, but for the St. Sebastian festival, the attendance on all three days [comprises] a tremendous amount of young people. There is still that commitment to the church and that connection. Its still very strong, Nocera said. Thaikoottathil has been at St. Sebastian for 12 years. Some travel great distances to attend the festival, including those who have gotten married at the church and moved elsewhere. There are also two buses of pilgrims who attend religious festivals throughout the United States expected from Boston and Pennsylvania, he said. Thaikoottathil is especially delighted when he sees the little ones jumping around wide-eyed, watching the proceedings. The young peoples children they all want to run with the I Nuri. They have a lot of excitement to be I Nuri. Every year, they look forward to that for the saint, he said. Many people have a special intention for this running, especially looking to the saint for a remedy to sickness. Nocera acknowledged the feast is a tremendous amount of work for Thaikoottathil, as well as all those involved. He is our shepherd that understands this is an important cultural event for the community. It has been for so long and continues to grow in size and support. When people think of Middletown, this is one of the things that comes to mind, he said. The I Nuri, who run shoeless several miles down Route 66, may have sore feet from their journey, but its a sacrifice they make, never complaining of the difficulty. Theres no thought about that. This is what I do and this is how we do it in our family, Nocera said. Vendors include Melilli Cafe, Patty Cake, Vecchittos Italian Ice, two church booths selling treats such as sausage or steak and pepper grinders, fried dough, and more. Raffle tickets for cash prizes, including a chance to win $2,000, are $10 each. New this year is a touch-a-truck feature with police, fire and public works vehicles for the children near the carnival. Feast hours are Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The carnival runs each day, and opens Sunday following the I Nuri run at about 12:15 p.m. There will be an auction Sunday at 2 p.m. and St. Teresa Guild craft fair Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. in the church hall (enter on Broad Street). Music includes DJ Nick Fazzino Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., Sound Alternative from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, The Sam Vinci Band Sunday during the procession, and Prelude Sunday from 6 to 10 p.m. The 11 a.m. Solemn Pontifical Mass will be led by Norwich Diocese Bishop Michael R. Cote. For information, visit St. Sebastian Church on Facebook. Editors note: There will be no 8 a.m. Mass this year, only the 11 a.m. service. "Black Hawk Down," which tells the story of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, has become one of the most beloved war movies. We spoke with both Eric Bana, the actor who plays Hoot, and Mark Bowden, the journalist who wrote the original book, and learned a few things about the movie and the real-life events that inspired it. 1. America didn't see it coming. "Black Hawk Down" (Sony) In 1993, the Soviet Union had collapsed, and the United States won the first Gulf War in a cakewalk. The country (rightfully) saw itself as the world's last great military power, and there was a sense of invulnerability that was shattered by the events in Mogadishu. 2. Mohamed Farrah Aidid wasn't on our radar. Mohamed Farah Aidid (YouTube) Aidid was strictly a local warlord, a guy with zero international ambitions. He was wreaking chaos in Somalia, and removing him was supposed to be a simple operation. Imagine this: What if American troops were sent into Los Angeles at the height of the crack epidemic to remove Freeway Rick Ross and were pinned down in the crossfire of a Bloods vs. Crips gang war? Aidid was just a local thug who managed to find the vulnerability in the vaunted Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. 3. "Black Hawk Down" was the first war movie released after 9/11. "Black Hawk Down" (Sony) It was also the last war movie made before the start of the War on Terror. As Eric Bana pointed out in our interview, the military gave the filmmakers access to gear in a way that would have been impossible just a few months later. As Americans were processing the fallout of an attack on American soil, "Black Hawk Down" showed U.S. troops regrouping and showing strength and heroism after another surprise attack. 4. Eric Bana helped write Hoot's climactic speech. Eric Bana stars as "Hoot" in "Black Hawk Down." (Sony) As Hoot prepares to head back into battle near the end of the movie, he tells Eversmann (played by Josh Hartnett) just why he chose to serve. Bana told us that the script originally had him say that he did it because of "duty, honor, and love of country" but, after weeks of filming, that line no longer felt right to him. With encouragement from director Ridley Scott and screenwriter Ken Nolan, Bana tried out the version of the speech that we've all come to love, the one that made this movie a classic. 5. Mark Bowden almost didn't get to tell the story of "Black Hawk Down." Bowden was a reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer when he started researching the story on his own dime. He only got to devote the time to finish it because The New York Times made him a job offer, and Bowden negotiated the freedom to do the story as a condition of staying with the Inquirer. Even then, almost every publisher in New York turned him down, and he got only a small advance when Grove/Atlantic decided to take a chance on the book. Once the newspaper started running his articles, readers were electrified, movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer bought the film rights, and the book became a huge best-seller. Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Sign up for a free Military.com membership to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox Army soldiers have more babies in their first two years of enlistment and miss more work as a result than do women in the other military branches, a finding researchers say is linked to different service policies on birth control education and access at basic training. Between 2013 and 2016, the birth rate among soldiers in the first two years of military service ranged between 10.1% and 11.4%, while the combined rate for women in the other branches hovered at around 6.4%. The higher rate among soldiers resulted in an additional .04 deliveries, 3.7 more days of postpartum leave and 28.2 more pregnancy-related non-deployable days per service woman trained than for sailors, airmen and Marines, said Dr. Tim Roberts, a retired Navy commander who now works at Children's Mercy Kansas City. Babies themselves may be a joy, but when they arent planned, they can upend a service members life and affect readiness, Roberts said. Citing studies of service members who left deployments early in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm due to unintended pregnancies, Roberts called it a problem that has a definite impact on the combat readiness of the troops. At Army boot camp, female recruits receive education on all types of birth control and have access to contraception at sick call. They also can receive the most effective types of birth control, known as long-acting reversible contraception such as intrauterine devices or implants, on referral. In contrast, the Navy aggressively promotes long-acting reversible contraception, or LARC, and other effective forms of birth control at basic training. It requires recruits to meet individually with medical providers and provides access to contraception at sick call or in walk-in contraception-only clinics that provide same-day access to LARC. According to Roberts, the Navy's approach, known as "LARC Forward" and implemented in 2015, has reduced the service's childbirth rates and related missed days by .012 deliveries, .9 days of postpartum leave and nearly 8 days of childbirth-related non-deployable days per service woman trained. "The Navy has had some good leadership within the medical corps, and they really leaned forward into the problem of addressing women's health," Roberts said. "If someone in the military wants to get pregnant, by all means, have a kid. But if you don't want one, [Navy leadership said], 'Let us help you.' They became very proactive." Roberts and several civilian and military colleagues, including Dr. William Adelman at Children's Mercy, Air Force adolescent medicine specialist Dr. Joshua Smalley and Air Force Maj. Larissa Weir, conducted the study to determine how different policies affected pregnancy, childbirth and work attendance, all of which affect military readiness. They culled military insurance records to identify all female active-duty recruits between October 2013 and October 2017 and determine whether those recruits used birth control at six months of service and if they entered the hospital to have a baby within their first two years. The data showed that in 2017, at six months, the Navy had the highest proportion of members who used highly effective methods of birth control, at 40%. The Air Force and Marines were at 26% and 23%, respectively, and the Army, 17%. The percent of junior enlisted women who had a baby in 2017 was 5.1% for the Air Force, 6.1% in the Navy, 9.7% in the Marine Corps and 10.1% in the Army. Notably, the childbirth rate for the Marine Corps was at 8% in 2015. It rose after the service decreased classroom time for non-military lessons in 2016. Instead of mandatory education on contraception at boot camp, female Marine recruits now have access to optional contraception education once a week, outside of working hours. They can get contraception at sick call and have access to LARC in the last two weeks of basic training. Roberts said the Marine Corps is a prime example of why education on contraception should be conducted at boot camp. "They're saving time in basic training, but they are losing the time when they are non-deployable or on postpartum leave," he said. According to the research, the Air Force stands out as having the lowest childbirth rates, even though the Navy has the highest use of contraception. At Air Force basic training, recruits receive group education at a clinic that emphasizes the most effective methods of birth control. They can receive contraception at sick call and one morning during the week at a specialty clinic. Since 2017, they also have had access to LARC in the last five weeks of basic training. "The women in the Air Force have the lowest delivery rates than the women in the other services, and I'm not sure why," Roberts said. "There may be something different the Air Force is doing about contraceptive use when they get out of basic training. There may be something different about the women who join the Air Force versus the Army, Navy, Marines. If there's something they are doing, we would like to know." Roberts described unintended pregnancies in the military as a "common problem." With the Defense Department providing no-cost contraception and reproductive health care services to all its members, he added, women should be able to have children only when they want them. "Its surprising to me that we have such wide variability in policies. We all have the same goal -- creating service members. But there's a variability as to what they allow people to do at basic training," Roberts said. While he is not sure implementing the Navy's LARC Forward program at all basic training centers would result in similar outcomes, he believes it would help. He'd like to see LARC Forward implemented at one of the Armys three basic training facilities to see what effect, if any, it has on outcomes. He has began speaking with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command about conducting research into the issue, which would be funded by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. "If you make it easy for recruits to start contraception and communicate with them to use the most effective methods, they don't get pregnant," Roberts said. "You can't just throw this to the next duty station, say Start this later, because they don't." -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime. U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and Syria face no increased threat of attack from Iran or its proxies in Iraq and Syria despite White House warnings, a top coalition commander said Tuesday. "No, there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," British Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, deputy commander for stability for Operation Inherent Resolve's Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command, said in a video briefing to the Pentagon. In response to repeated questions, Ghika stressed that he is not at odds with Trump administration and Pentagon officials, who have warned since May 3 of the threat posed by Iran and its militia proxies to the U.S. and its allies. Those warnings prompted a military buildup in the region, including the arrival of the aircraft carrier Lincoln ahead of schedule and deployment of B-52 Stratofortress bombers. "I don't think there's a difference here at all," Ghika said. He noted the heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington marked by charges from National Security Adviser John Bolton of U.S. intelligence indicating that Iran is preparing attacks, but said again, "I don't think we're out of step with the White House at all." Related content: However, Ghika referred specifically to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, an umbrella group that includes militias backed by Iran. The coalition has seen "no change in their posture since the recent exchange between the United States and Iran, and we hope and expect that that will continue," he said. "We're aware of their presence, clearly," Ghika said of the Iranian-backed militias within the PMF. "We monitor them with a whole range of others. If the threat level seems to go up, then we'll raise our force protection measures accordingly." At the White House on Tuesday, President Donald Trump dismissed a report in The New York Times that he is considering sending 120,000 troops to the region to defend against Iran, in addition to the carrier, more air assets, an amphibious warship and Patriot air defense batteries. "I think it's fake news, OK?" he told reporters as he left the White House for Louisiana to promote energy independence. "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," Trump said. "Hopefully, we're not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we would send a hell of a lot more troops than that." Trumps remarks were carried by C-Span. In the Russian city of Sochi, where he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an open session, "We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran." But, he added, "we have also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will certainly respond in an appropriate fashion." Through their official news outlets, Iranian officials have rejected U.S. charges that attacks are being planned while boasting of their military's ability to defend the nation to the point that they now consider a U.S. aircraft carrier more of a target than a threat. "An aircraft carrier that has at least 40 to 50 planes on it and 6,000 forces gathered within it was a serious threat for us in the past. But now, it is a target and the threats have switched to opportunities," said Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's air force, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). Currently, there are an estimated 5,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and another 2,000 in Syria, although Trump announced in December his intention to withdraw the forces in Syria. He has since amended that decision, and the plan now is to keep at least 200 troops in northeastern Syria and another 200 near the border with Jordan, according to Pentagon officials. There have been no announcements as yet of any drawdown of the U.S. presence in Syria. In the Pentagon briefing, Ghika said that Iran and its proxies are not part of the continuing mission of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve against the remnants of the Islamic State since the fall in March of the eastern Syrian town of Baghouz, the last piece of territory controlled by ISIS. He said that ISIS' "aspirations for a global caliphate have been destroyed," but that's "not the end of operations." ISIS is regrouping into an underground network of cells in Iraq and Syria that are still ambushing security patrols and spreading terrorism, Ghika said. "Iran is not a part of our mission," he said. "We are here to defeat ISIS." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. An F-35B Joint Strike Fighter pilot aborted a takeoff last week after it struck a bird on a Japan runway, leading to at least $2 million in damages. The aircraft, assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, struck the bird on May 7, according to data from the Naval Safety Center. The pilot safely taxied off the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Maj. Eric Flanagan, a spokesman for 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, said. The aircraft never went airborne, he added. There were no injuries caused by the incident, which was first reported by Marine Corps Times. A safety investigation and damage assessment are ongoing, Flanagan said. An initial assessment estimated the damage to the aircraft as exceeding the $2 million threshold, classifying it as a Class A mishap, he said. Bird strikes are not uncommon for military and civilian pilots. An Air Force pilot landed an F-35A safely after striking a bird. Last month, another Air Force jet, an F-16 Fighting Falcon, struck a bird when landing at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The incident was reported by Task and Purpose after a photo showing the aftermath of the strike emerged on a popular Air Force social media account. An Air Force spokeswoman told the outlet the bird involved in that strike was a Swainsons Hawk, which can grow to about 2 feet long. "When a bird strike occurs, the remains are sent to the Smithsonian where they classify the bird and determine how it was struck," 2nd Lt. Jasmine Manning told Task and Purpose. This is at least the third mishap for a Marine Corps F-35. In September, a Marine F-35B crashed in South Carolina. The pilot was able to eject and was treated at a local medical facility. And in 2016, another F-35B caught fire midflight due to a flawed bracket. That pilot landed the aircraft safely. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. NORWAY -- The government of Norway has no immediate plans to call for more U.S. Marines to train alongside its troops in the high north after asking for an increase last year, according to officials in the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The goal is for the Marines to become proficient in cold-weather skills necessary to survive harsh climates, a mission pivot after years of desert operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The system now works," said an MoD official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "There are no plans to ask for an increase at this time, but perhaps there [will be] more [Marines] when rotational exercises occur." Military.com spoke with officials here as part of a fact-finding trip organized by the Atlantic Council, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, through a partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense. The group traveled to Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger to speak with organizations and government operations officials May 6-10. Related content: Norway is weighing options for creating more prepositioning sites to store arms, weapons and gear in climate-controlled caves. "We haven't invested in survivability. Our readiness has dwindled. Our highest priority is repletion," the MoD official said last week, referring to storing the food, water and gear citizens would need to survive an attack. After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, an action Norway denounced, Norwegian officials sought stronger ties with the U.S. About 300 U.S. Marines have been rotating through Norway every six months since January 2017. The rotations marked the first time foreign troops had been based in the country since World War II, according to Reuters. Last year, Norway called for increasing the rotation to 700 Marines for the next five years. The contingent has deployed to Vaernes in central Norway and further north at Setermoen, roughly 300 miles from Russia's border. The Russian embassy criticized the plan to double the size of the rotation, warning it could lead to "rising tensions and trigger an arms race, destabilizing the situation in northern Europe." Officials at Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the force being rotational is key to keeping relations on an even keel between the NATO member and neighboring Russia. "We're not in violation [of any treaty because] there's no physical base there. There's not a McDonald's; there's no permanent [livelihood]," an MFA official said. Last October, Marines joined with 50,000 U.S. and NATO forces in the north for the largest iteration of Exercise Trident Juncture since 1991. During the trip last week, senior officers with the Royal Norwegian Navy said members of the Marines' 1st and 2nd Reconnaissance Battalions have begun training with the country's coastal rangers to familiarize themselves with seaside terrain, and to be the "eyes and ears for friendly maritime forces." The consensus here is that U.S. troops still have quite a bit to learn from Norwegians -- not the other way around. That is also true, officials said, for other partner nations not accustomed to Arctic warfare. "We have a small, but proficient armed forces," said an MoD official, who was also previously a member of the naval special warfare unit of the Norwegian Special Operations Command. "The nature [in Norway] makes you more exposed to being wet and miserable all the time," the ex-special operator said. "So we have the climate, the terrain, and it's something new to them. It's about new techniques and procedures all the time. "If you fail here, you die," he said. Related Video: U.S. Marines conduct ice-breaking drills in Setermoen, Norway, May 4, 2019. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Isaak Olson was two months from graduating in 2014 when he disclosed that his fiancee had given birth several months earlier... Model Town Case: Court proceedings on private complaint get underway Complainant Jawad Hamid starts recording his statement the third time Since the decision on the future of the JIT formed for a fair and impartial investigation into the Model Town tragedy has not been made, Judge Iqbal Chadhar of the anti-terrorism court has ordered the complainant Jawad Hamid to record his statement. In compliance with the court order, Jawad Hamid has started recording his statement the third time in the anti-terrorism court. Model Town case continues to stand where it started five years ago. In his initial statement before the court, Jawad Hamid said that the barriers for removal of which the police came to Model Town during the intervening night of the 16th and 17th of June, 2014 were placed by the Model Town police itself on the orders of the Lahore High Court. He said that the Model Town police officials were guarding the barriers for which the operation was carried out and as soon as the operation got underway, they fled the scene. Jawad Hamid further stated that the Sharif brothers considered Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri a political threat. They neither wanted him to come to Pakistan nor launch any movement against their government. He said that it was with an aim to stop him from coming to the country that the blood of the innocent people was shed. He said that soon after Dr Qadris announcement of returning to the country, the serious threats of teaching him a lesson hurled by the ministers including Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Saad Rafique prove that the Model Town tragedy was the result of careful planning at the highest level. Jawad Hamid will record his further statement on the 17th of May. Meanwhile PAT legal team including Anwar Akhtar Advocate, Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry Advocate, Sardar Ghazanfar Hussain Advocate, Shakeel Mumka Advocate and complainant Jawad Hamid said while talking to media outside the court that the Model Town case continues to stand where it was five years ago. They said that the Punjab government formed a new JIT on the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan for a fair investigation into the Model Town tragedy and the JIT had finished 90% of its work. However, as it was finalizing its report, the Division Bench of the Lahore High Court suspended the notification of its formation and the new probe continues to face delays as of today and until the further orders. The legal team further said that on the one hand, the work of the new JIT has been suspended, on the other the PAT workers who protested against the massacre were booked under FIR No. 510 and have been appearing before the courts. They have so far appeared for 340 times. Neither has justice been provided nor have the workers been rid of the appearances. Jawad Hamid said that justice is still elusive as the families of the martyrs continue to wait endlessly but 107 of the PAT workers have been sentenced to jail terms by holding responsible for the tragedy. They are serving their terms in different jails but those who planned and executed the tragedy remain at large. The Phillies announced today that righty Edubray Ramos is heading to the 10-day injured list with biceps tendinitis. Lefty Austin Davis will take his roster spot. In other news involving the Philadelphia relief corps, righty David Robertson has been advised not to throw for at least three more weeks, as Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer was among those to cover on Twitter. The hope is that rest will cure Robertsons flexor strain, though it remains to be seen how hell respond when the time comes. Once he resumes throwing, the veteran will need to ramp up before hes ready to pitch again in the majors. Ramos, 26, had a fine showing last year for the Phis. He has not been quite as good out of the gates in 2019, however, having allowed five earned runs on a dozen hits while compiling a 7:4 K/BB ratio over 9 2/3 innings. Theres some obvious cause for concern in Ramoss radar-gun readings. He has dropped a full 2 mph on his average four-seamer and even more on his heavily-used slider. Unsurprisingly, his swinging-strike rate has suffered, though Ramos is still drawing loads of soft contact (32.3%). In the aggregate, theres quite a lot of uncertainty for a pair of hurlers who were expected to occupy significant roles in 2019. Bullpen issues havent kept the club from a strong overall start, and theres still time for internal solutions to emerge, but the Phillies currently project as a clear buyer of relief pitching at this seasons trade deadline. Federal attention to PFAS will get a boost on Wednesday when a subcommittee in the House of Representatives convenes a hearing on 13 pending bills from legislators around the U.S. The hearing is entitled, Protecting Americans at Risk of PFAS Contamination & Exposure. It was called by Chairman Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and it goes before the subcommittee on Environment & Climate Change. Michigans role in the hearing will come in part by two of the witnesses: Brian Steglitz, who runs the Ann Arbor water treatment system, and Dr. Jamie DeWitt, an associate professor and toxicologist who is serving on the states new Science Advisory Workgroup that is exploring health-based drinking water standards. "This weeks hearing will be an important step by Congress to respond to the dangers and help begin the cleaning up process at contaminated sites,said U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Dearborn. The meeting begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Rayburn Office Building in Washington, D.C. Live video will be available. The per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS are tied to adverse health effects, including cancer, developmental delays and endocrine issues. Theyve been used in consumer products and industrial applications, and now can be found in the drinking water for millions of Americans - many of who are drinking levels that exceed unenforceable federal guidelines set in 2016. Recent data from Environmental Working Group shows that PFAS has been found in 43 states. That includes about 200 contamination sites in Michigan, which launched statewide testing for the compounds in 2018 as concerns about the chemicals mounted. PFAS, said Dingell, are a growing nationwide threat. However, the hearing notice says that multiple federal steps that would increase scrutiny on the compounds - and better protect Americans - have not been taken. Among them are responses by the Environmental Protection Agency, which did not provide requested documents to the committee in 2018 and which continues to research drinking water standards and PFAS disposal measures. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense continues to receive criticism from communities that host closed or active military installations where PFAS has contaminated drinking water and the environment. They include Oscoda and Grayling in Michigan. The EPA and the federal government has not done their part to keep our communities safe the time is now for Congress to act, Dingell said. Witnesses in addition to Steglitz and DeWitt who will be appearing before the panel include: Erik D. Olson, Health Program Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council Emily Marpe , Community Member of Petersburgh, New York Tracy Mehan, Executive Director, Government Affairs American Water Works Association Jane C. Luxton, Partner, Co-Chair of the Environmental and Administrative Law Practice, Lewis Brisbois Here is a list of the pending PFAS-related legislation in the House: H.R. 535, the "PFAS Action Act of 2019," Reps. Dingell (D-MI) and Upton (R-MI) introduced H.R. 535, the PFAS Action Act of 2019. The bill requires the EPA Administrator to designate, within one year, all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as hazardous substances under Superfund (CERCLA). This designation would ensure that PFAS contamination is cleaned up under Superfund authorities. H.R. 2377, the "Protect Drinking Water from PFAS Act of 2019," Reps. Boyle (D-PA) and Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced H.R. 2377, the Protect Drinking Water from PFAS Act of 2019. The bill requires EPA to set a drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to protect public health. H.R. 2533, the "Providing Financial Assistance for Safe Drinking Water Act," Chairman Pallone (D-NJ) introduced H.R. 2533, the Providing Financial Assistance for Safe (PFAS) Drinking Water Act. The bill requires the EPA Administrator to establish, within 180 days of enactment, a program to award grants to PFAS-affected water systems to pay the capital costs associated with installing treatment technologies that can remove all detectable amounts of PFAS from drinking water. H.R. 2566, Rep. Soto (D-FL) introduced H.R. 2566. The bill requires EPA to establish a label under the Safer Choice program for cookware that is PFAS-free. The label would be available to cookware manufacturers on a voluntary basis to inform consumer choice. H.R. 2570, the "PFAS User Fee Act of 2019," Rep. Rouda (D-FL) introduced H.R. 2570, the PFAS User Fee Act of 2019. The bill establishes a trust fund, financed through user fees from PFAS manufacturers, to pay the ongoing operations and maintenance costs of water treatment works and drinking water treatment plants that remove contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. H.R. 2577, Rep. Delgado (D-NY) introduced H.R. 2577. The bill amends the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 to require reporting on releases of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances through the Toxics Release Inventory. H.R. 2591, the "PFAS Waste Incineration Ban Act of 2019," Rep. Khanna (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2591, the PFAS Waste Incineration Ban Act of 2019. The bill amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit the incineration disposal of fire-fighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The bill also requires the EPA Administrator to, within 12 months, identify additional wastes containing PFAS for which a prohibition on incineration may be necessary to protect human health. H.R. 2596, Rep. Kuster (D-NH) introduced H.R. 2596. The bill amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prevent the introduction of any new PFAS into commerce. H.R. 2600, the "Toxic PFAS Control Act," Rep. Dean (D-PA) introduced H.R. 2600, the Toxic PFAS Control Act. The bill amends Section 6 of TSCA to comprehensively regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The bill would prohibit the manufacture of any new PFAS chemical substance within one year and existing PFAS within two years. It would also prohibit the processing of existing PFAS within three years; establish standards for the safe disposal of PFAS; require labeling of all articles containing PFAS; and limit exemptions available for PFAS. H.R. 2605, Rep. Stevens (D-MI) introduced H.R. 2605. The bill requires the EPA Administrator to issue a final rule within 180 days listing PFAS as a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act and requires the Administrator to identify source categories for PFAS within one year. H.R. 2608, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) introduced H.R. 2608. The bill requires comprehensive health testing of all PFAS under the Toxic Substances Control Act and reporting from all manufacturers and processors of PFAS on health, safety, and environmental impacts. H.R. 2626, Rep. Upton (R-MI) introduced H.R. 2626. The bill amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 to require cleanups at federal facilities to meet state limits for PFAS. H.R. 2638, Rep. Fletcher (D-TX) introduced H.R. 2638. The bill requires to issue guidance for firefighters and other first responders to minimize the use of foam and other firefighting materials containing PFAS and to minimize their health risk from PFAS exposure. Four years after a couple said Detroit police entered their home like a dog death squad, the city has agreed to pay $60,000 to settle a lawsuit with the owners. The Associated Press reports the deal was disclosed in federal court last week but still awaits approval from Detroit City Council. In its ruling, the court said that officers just cant kill every unlicensed dog on the spot." Related: Detroit police acted like dog death squad, lawsuit says Police originally raided the home of Nikita Smith and Kevin Thomas in Detroit while executing a narcotics warrant and ended up killing their dogs, Debo, Mama and Smoke. Smith was arrested with 25.8 grams of marijuana, but the charges were dismissed when police failed to appear for a court hearing. The lawsuit and photos released from inside of the home detail a grisly scene that ended with officers carrying the carcasses of three dogs out in plastic bags. When officers knocked, Smith claims to have indicated that she was the only person home at the time and that she would answer after putting her dogs in the basement. Police alleged that there was no response, and that once they entered, Debo got through the obstruction keeping the dogs in the basement. Officers shot the dog several times as its owner reached down, and then stormed into the basement where they shot the then-pregnant Mama who was not barking or attacking and died in a pool of blood in the corner. After this, another officer was alleged to have asked of a dog locked inside the bathroom if they should shoot that one, too. The officers, identified as John Gaines and John Paul in the lawsuit, then allegedly opened fire through the closed bathroom door. Officer Gaines laughed and said ... Did you see that? I got that one good, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court. A police officer next said to (Smith), I should have killed you, too. Related: Police shooting of dog named Babycakes leads to $100,000 settlement See below for a look at the lawsuit as filed in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan: ROCKFORD, MI The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Wolverine World Wide to dig contaminated sediment from the Rogue River and excavate soils along the White Pine Trail in Rockford, where the shoemaker formerly operated a century-old leather tannery. The EPA listed the actions among several public health-driven cleanup steps federal regulators want Wolverine to take this summer in a letter on April 29. The order follows test results that show high levels of pollutants like chromium, mercury, and PFAS befoul the site. There may be exposure risks that cant necessarily wait for an overall plan to address the entire site, said Jeff Kimble, a Region 5 EPA on-scene coordinator who is supervising Wolverines former tannery and dump site investigations in Kent County. By the end of May, the EPA says Wolverine must begin placing signs and kiosks near river access points which note potential hazards nearby and the proper hygiene for dealing with them. The EPA wants the site work to happen this summer. Wolverine said it is reviewing the letter and looks forward to continuing its work with the agency to develop next steps." The EPA began supervising an investigation into contamination at the tannery and Wolverines House Street sludge dump in Belmont last year. The tannery, which was razed in 2009, drew federal scrutiny after the discovery of per-fluorinated compounds called PFAS at the former factory grounds and Wolverines nearby waste dumps. In Belmont, the EPA wants interior fencing around the entire contaminated portion of the House Street dump and further testing of wetlands to the west. The 76-acre site where Wolverine dumped 3M Scotchgard waste in the 1960s has spawned a PFAS plume moving southeast through an area where thousands of people rely on groundwater for drinking. An investigation report for House Street similar to that which sparked cleanup work in Rockford is pending final EPA final approval, Kimble said. In Rockford, toxic substances like mercury, chromium and lead are confirmed at high levels in the groundwater and in sediment near spots where people regularly launch canoes and kayaks alongside a heavily-used White Pine Trail stretch. Kimble ordered Wolverine to either dredge or de-water and excavate those areas. He said the company proposed placing gravel and matting over contamination, but based on the data we have, I think its more prudent to remove some of those sediments and then place that mat-and-gravel material. Kimble said cleanup work may close parts of the trail this summer. Users will also find more information about potential health risks at canoe launches and river access points. Existing handwashing stations and signs placed last year are inadequate, Kimble said. The signs face away from the trail and tell people to wash hands when exiting the river with no explanation. A sign tells people to "wash hands" upon exiting the river at the White Pine Trail in Rockford on May 6, 2019 near the former Wolverine World Wide tannery site. It should be more than just wash your hands,'" Kimble said. Kindergarteners are told to wash their hands. They probably need to know why. The signs need to be informative and cautionary, but also not unduly alarm people." Thad Beard, Rockford city manager, said that, while enhanced signage isnt necessarily a great image for the city, its an important part of public communication. The reality is that were dealing with an environmental cleanup here and its important that is known to the public, Beard said. As in years past, Beard said the city will use part of the tannery site for its Start of Summer festival, June 13-16. Beard said Rockford checked with EPA to ensure the site of a city parking lot under construction on the propertys south end wasnt an area of high concentration of anything. The EPA-ordered work is happening parallel to Wolverines plan to stem the flow of groundwater contaminated with PFAS into the river, where the so-called forever chemicals are causing surface water foam to gather at the Rockford dam. Beard said concern about the river foam has spiked recently following the state health department warning to avoid touching it. Wolverine installed pump-and-treat wells at the site this winter as part of a plan to filter groundwater through a granular activated carbon (GAC) system to remove PFAS before sending treated effluent to the North Kent Sewer Authority wastewater plant. The sewer board should decide whether it will accept Wolverines cleanup water this summer. Michigans state lawmakers are joining a national effort to change federal laws regarding marijuana banking. Tuesday state Reps. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, and Jim Lilly, R-Park Township, as well as state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., D-East Lansing, said they planned to introduce concurrent resolutions urging Congress to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. Banking money is a giant barrier to progress in the marijuana industry, as most banks -- especially those that operate nationwide -- wont accept marijuana money. Thats because marijuana is still considered illegal at the federal level. That means many marijuana businesses have to use cash. It doesnt make sense to treat legal, regulated businesses like illicit drug dealers, Hertel said in a statement. By forcing business owners to carry around duffel bags full of cash or purchase old banks so they are able to utilize the buildings existing vaults, we are openly inviting criminals, thieves, and thugs to engage in money laundering, robbery and extortion. Its time we put an end to this, and Congress has the power to act to protect our communities and our families." The proposed law, H.R. 1595, would prevent federal officials from penalizing banks and financial institutions that accept money from marijuana businesses. It is currently before a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. It was introduced by U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colorado, and has bipartisan support in the House. Among the supporters are Michigan Democrats Andy Levin, Dan Kildee, Haley Stevens, Brenda Lawrence, Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib, as well as Michigan Republican Fred Upton. It is possible now for banks to accept money from marijuana-related businesses in states that have legalized weed, as long as they follow the requirements set out by the U.S. Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. That means all transactions are reported to the government, and the financial institution is in good standing with the Federal Reserve Bank. There are about 486 banking institutions across the country doing business with marijuana-related companies, according to a September 2018 report from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Most are smaller, local banks or credit unions with more control over their operations. The Michigan Cannabis Industry Association is supportive of the passage of the federal law, as is Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Last week Nessel joined a coalition of attorneys general from 38 other states calling on Congress to pass the SAFE Banking Act. Michigan cannabis businesses operate in a legal, highly regulated industry. They deserve to have accesses to the same banking opportunities as any other business in this state, said Michigan Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director Robin Schneider in a statement. We have more than 30 states with medical marijuana and 10 states that allow full adult-use legalization. Its time for Congress to pass the SAFE Banking Act. -- Amy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at abiolch1@mlive.com. Read more from MLive about medical and recreational marijuana. LANSING, MI Michigan Sen. Adam Hollier has no issue sharing relevant financial information with constituents who ask. The Detroit Democrat was the first state officeholder to fill out MLive Media Groups voluntary financial disclosure form. Hollier disclosed his past employment at the Michigan Fitness Foundation, the U.S. Army, Hantz Woodlands and others; as well as his volunteer work at Vanguard Community Development Corporation and New Center Community Mental Health Services. He chose not to disclose his spouses financial information. Im comfortable with sharing where I make money, how I made it, in relation to you being able to see if theres a potential conflict, Hollier said, adding he would consider legislation on the topic, but would have to see the fine print. "Something is appropriate, he said. The question is what the line is, what people demand and expect. In other states, its standard practice to collect employment history, potential conflicts and other financial information from elected officials. Michigan and Idaho are currently the only states in the country that dont require their state-level officeholders to submit some form of financial disclosure. Hollier said hes open to discussion on striking a balance between what the public has a right to know to determine conflicts for themselves, and what information should stay private. The practice is already required of members of corporate boards, military officials seeking security clearance and officeholders throughout the country, Hollier said: These are not new things. Although Michigan law and state House and Senate rules technically ban lawmakers from influencing issues where they could stand to benefit, the onus is on elected officials to determine conflicts and recuse themselves from votes, meaning its essentially an honor system. Michigan ranked last in the Center for Public Integritys 2015 State Integrity Investigation that rated each states transparency laws. Potential conflicts of interest or corruption in the state remain buried in an honor system with no honor, the report concluded. MLive modeled its voluntary financial disclosure forms after various government disclosure forms like the one required of U.S. Congress and sent them to the governor, attorney general, secretary of state and each member of the state House of Representatives and state Senate. As of Tuesday, May 14, Hollier is the only statewide elected official to have voluntarily disclosed his finances using MLives form. None of the four legislative leaders House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, House Democratic Leader Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake and Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint have filled out the form. The governor, attorney general and secretary state, each of whom have called for better transparency laws in Michigan, also have not yet returned the MLive financial disclosure form. On her website, Whitmer has voluntarily listed her financial disclosures, tax returns and public calendar, noting in a statement she is doing so in the hope that we can start earning back peoples trust in state government. Benson has also voluntarily disclosed her financial disclosures. In the past, Ananich has co-sponsored financial disclosure legislation, and told MLive last month the public would have more trust in government if more information was available. "If the public had the transparency to know what those conflicts were, they'd probably have more confidence that we're voting on things that aren't inappropriate, Ananich said at the time. A spokesperson for Ananich said the senator was still considering MLives request and referred to his previous comments. Shirkey has said he would absolutely not support legislation requiring financial disclosure. He noted it could deter new candidates from running for office, especially when considering Michigans strict term limits. When asked about the issue of financial disclosure last month, Chatfield said hes open to having conversations about anything that brings more accountability and transparency to the state of Michigan and done so in a responsible way that protects the privacy of our constituents. Greig has not yet responded to a request for comment from MLive about her position on financial disclosure for state officeholders. Forms were emailed and hand delivered to recipients Monday, May 6, and MLive has requested a response by Monday, May 20. President Donald Trump has proposed an update to his 2020 budget that would see $1.6 billion in Pell Grant funds be shifted to NASA to accelerate the return of astronauts to our moons surface. These plans fall hand-in-hand with Trumps words and Vice President Mike Pences calls to return Americans to the moon, and from there onto Mars. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that the Moon 2024 mission would officially be named Artemis, and that he was excited to land the first woman and next man on the lunar surface. In addition, the president changed his tune on protecting the Great Lakes by saying he would fight for $300 million in his updated budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This comes after Trumps initial budget called for a cut of 90 percent to the cleanup program. Trump announced all of his intentions in a series of tweets, which was later confirmed Monday evening, May 13 by the U.S. space agency and Office of Management and Budget. The budget office claims that a decline in enrollment over the course of the past decade has led to a surplus totaling nearly $9 billion in Pell Grant funds. Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars. I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2019 This does not cut any spending for Pell Grant programs as the budget continues to ensure all students will get their full Pell Grant and keeps the program on sound fiscal footing, Wesley Denton, a spokesperson with the Office of Management and Budget, said in a statement. The Associated Press reports that the Trump Administration originally planned to use the surplus on other items. Related: Pence says US aims to put American crew on lunar orbiting platform by 2024 As for the grand plan from NASA, the space agency aims to conduct an unmanned Space Launch System/Orion flight in 2020, with the goal to launch humans to the moon in 2023. The goal of the White House Space Policy Directive 1 is to make America a leader in space exploration again and to send NASA astronauts back to the Moon, and then eventually onto Mars and the broader solar system. Related: Pence calls for more NASA-commercial partnerships, less red tape from US President Donald Trump has asked NASA to accelerate our plans to return to the Moon and to land humans on the surface again by 2024, Bridenstine said in a statement. We will go with innovative new technologies and systems to explore more locations across the surface than was ever thought possible. This time, when we go to the Moon, we will stay. And then we will use what we learn on the Moon to take the next giant leap -- sending astronauts to Mars. Exploration Mission-1 is the first in a broad series of exploration missions aimed at taking humans deeper into space, and eventually to Mars. The mission aims to fly thousands of miles beyond the moon in a three-week journey remains in place. Exploration Mission-2 will aim to send astronauts beyond the moon. The second mission, with astronauts aboard, is now scheduled for 2023 as it remains to be seen if the possible delays will cause any launch date changes. See below for a rundown of NASAs self-reported, updated timeline: Mission announced in 2017 Commercial moon deliveries completed in 2019 Exploration Mission-1 in 2020 Exploration Mission-2 in 2022 First use of Gateway Element in 2022 (Related: Canada joins NASAs mission to moon, commits $2B over 24 years to own space agency) Science and Exploration Rover lands on moon in 2023 American astronauts land on the moon in 2024 Lunar surface missions in 2028 Astronauts on Mars aimed for the 2030s Related: NASA officials believe it will land 1st human on Mars during next 25 years We will once again astonish the world as we boldly go to meet our future in the skies and in the stars, Pence said during a speech to the National Space Council in October 2017. "Now we find ourselves in the position where the United States has not sent an American astronaut beyond low-Earth orbit in 45 years. We will return American astronauts to the Moon. Not only to leave behind footprints and flags, but to build the foundation we need to send Americans to Mars and beyond. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she will veto legislation backed by Michigan Republicans to ban dilation and evacuation, or D&E, abortions, but supporters of the bills are readying a petition drive if she does so. Speaking at an event in Lansing, Whitmer said she would not support House and Senate legislation that would define the procedure as dismemberment abortion in law and ban it, making it a two-year felony for a physician to perform one unless it was to save the life of the mother. I think that these are decisions that should be made between a woman and her doctor, Whitmer said. Ive always supported a womans autonomy and freedom to make her own choices, and that should be no surprise to anyone in this town. Whitmers comments came after the Senate voted 22-16 along partisan lines on Senate Bills 229 and 230, sponsored by Sens. Tom Barrett, R-Potterville, and Kimberly LaSata, R-Bainbridge Twp., and shortly before the House was set to take up similar legislation, House Bills 4320 and 4321. Right to Life of Michigan spokesperson Chris Gast said the organization hopes Whitmer reconsiders, but noted the group would launch a ballot initiative on the issue if she ultimately vetoes the legislation. We applaud our prolife leaders in the Legislature for passing these bills to end dismemberment, he said in an email. If Governor Whitmer follows through on her threat, we plan on collecting 400,000 signatures to bypass her and end late-term dismemberment abortions in Michigan. If Right to Life met the required signature threshold under the legislative initiative process, Whitmer would not have to sign the measure. Instead, the measure would become law immediately if approved by both chambers of the legislature. The procedure in question is often performed in the second trimester of a pregnancy. The issue played out along partisan lines in the Legislature, with Republican backers characterizing the legislation as reasonable restrictions to abortion while Democrats said the bills would remove one of the safest options available for terminating a pregnancy at that stage. At the committee level, the House bills were supported by Right to Life of Michigan and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. They are opposed by Planned Parenthood of Michigan, the American Civil Liberty Union and the Michigan section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Lori Carpentier, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, said in a statement state lawmakers shouldnt be criminalizing doctors for doing their jobs. These are complex, complicated decisions and should be made by the people with the best information and most expertise - the women themselves in consultation with their physicians," she said. "Politicians are not doctors. AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP, MI - Lincoln Consolidated Schools will seek proposals from private companies to provide its busing in hopes of improving service and addressing a driver shortage. Lincoln's school board approved issuing a request for proposals from companies interested in a three-year contract to provide transportation to the district. The decision was passed by a 5-1 vote Monday, May 13, following first reading approval on April 22. The district has issued a May 30 deadline for companies to submit RFPs. At that point, the district will determine whether the proposals meet its needs before voting on whether it will privatize for the 2019-20 school year during its June 10 meeting. While some parents and community members objected Monday, Superintendent Sean McNatt said the district is looking into privatization to improve quality and stabilize staffing. Lincoln needs 35 drivers to cover its routes and currently has 33 drivers on staff, McNatt said. Due to the driver shortage, bus routes are combined or drivers have to complete two routes in one day, which means students are late arriving at school or delayed in leaving school at the end of the day. McNatt said having consistent leadership in place to manage and hire new drivers would alleviate some of the districts ongoing issues. Weve had some issues with sustaining leadership, McNatt said. "In my time of three-and-a-half years, weve had five different directors of transportation or interims. We have (bus driver) shortage problems throughout Southeast Michigan, he added. Were hoping these folks would be able to train them and bring them on quicker. Weve also had some problems with kids just being driven by and left. Ive seen videos where kids werent picked up. Board Vice President Jennifer Czachorski stressed that sending out RFPs doesnt set anything in stone, but it does acknowledge the problems the district has had with transportation. Lincoln bus driver Jason Jarvis said both parents and drivers are concerned about privatization. He used an analogy, likening the school system to a bodys circulatory system, with students being the blood of the school district and the bus drivers being the veins and arteries transporting them back and forth. Jarvis said there are issues with how transportation is managed, but doesnt believe a total overhaul is warranted. "When you have a slowdown in the blood flow, you don't change the arteries and the veins," Jarvis said. "You find the clot that's slowing it down. I feel that if the clot - and I'm not going to be specific as to what that is - is removed, then the student will flow back and forth as they should." Others warned of potential pitfalls of privatization, using examples of how they believed it has impacted Lincolns food and custodial services. Mark Gaffney, who represents the bus drivers from Teamsters Local Union No. 214, said the drivers he represents are loyal and proud of their years of service. "(Privatization) is, in almost every single case, irreversible. This decision you're going to make, you will not be able to go back on," Gaffney said. "You will find that the privatized company will make you a financing deal to help replace buses in the future and you'll find yourself in a couple of years with no buses of your own and those rented drivers and rented buses." McNatt previously noted the district would still own its buses and employ its own maintenance staff. Ultimately, the board's decision will come down to doing what is best for students, board member Jennifer LaBombarbe said. Getting them to school safely and on time is critical, she said, noting her own children no longer ride the bus because they have not been picked up on several occasions. Weve been here many times. Ive been on the other (side of the) aisle, fighting for transportation, but I think at this time, we need to look at all options, she said. We have no idea what the RFPs will bring, but if we dont do our due diligence, looking at all options, then we are failing our students. ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan is proposing a new home for its College of Pharmacy that would more than double the square footage of its current home. UMs Board of Regents will vote on the proposed $121-million, 130,000-square-foot facility planned for the corner of Glen Avenue and East Huron Street during its Board of Regents meeting on Thursday, May 16 on the UM-Dearborn campus. The proposed building would replace three small buildings currently owned by the university on the spot. UM Spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen said its not yet known where occupants of those existing buildings would be relocated. If approved, Broekhuizen said UM would take additional time after the design of the project to determine the future use of its current College of Pharmacy building. We are considering units and programs that would benefit most from the geographic location, she said. "This includes interdisciplinary needs, critical student support and administrative functions, and activities that are currently in off-campus leased space. The current College of Pharmacy at 428 Church St. has 56,000 square feet of space. It was constructed in 1960 with a major addition built in 1992. While the building is in good condition, according to a UM Regents action request, it has narrow structural bays and shallow building floor-to-floor heights that dont allow for re-configuring spaces into modern classrooms and laboratories. There also are space constraints that require the colleges teaching, research and office spaces to be housed across seven different campus locations. The college has seen its enrollment increase steadily from 398 students in 2009 to 487 students this past fall. UMs five-year master plan, submitted in 2017, noted it had become more difficult for the college to deliver high-quality education in its current facilities, despite a modest building renovation in 2013. For a small college like pharmacy, being physically distributed across this many locations significantly challenges its ability to meet its core academic, research, and clinical mission, to building a sense of community within the college, and to operate efficiently, the master plan stated. The master plan also noted having the colleges research labs located across multiple buildings with outdated infrastructure also limited the colleges ability to conduct cutting-edge research. Funding for the project would be provided from Office of the Provost resources, investment proceeds and College of Pharmacy resources and gifts, according to the Regents action request. RDG Planning and Design would design the project, if approved, and would provide an average of 87 on-site construction jobs. GRAND RAPIDS, MI As the Heritage Hill Association celebrates the 50th anniversary of its annual home tour this weekend, organizers are bringing back a Georgian mansion that was a star attraction on the first Heritage Hill tour in May 1969. The Duffy House, built in 1908, features 10 bedrooms, mahogany staircases, three sun porches and a working elevator not to mention an original Aeolian pipe organ. Rick Santamaria, an interior designer who has been working with new owners Ronald and Barbara Schultz since they purchased the house last fall, said theres a reason everyones putting this one front and center as they talk about this years tour. I think in all the years Ive gone on the tour, this is probably the most beautiful I have seen, Santamaria said. The taste level of the owners and the grandeur of the architecture just make it a special home. The original owner of the house at 20 Gay SE was John Duffy, a music lover and member of the Schubert Male Chorus of Grand Rapids. Duffy installed a full, 300-pipe organ in the house in 1912, with chambers built beneath the floors of the grand entrance hall, Santamaria said. An echo chamber was added in 1913 beneath a library at the back of the house so those in the library could listen to music privately. On the home tour we will have organists here, so those of you who visit the home will have live music. Its quite inspirational, Ronald Schultz said. The owners art collection, made up of everything from abstract and contemporary art to Impressionism and old masters, is one of the most extensive Santamaria has seen as a designer, he said. The furnishings chosen by the new owners include Grand Rapids makers such as Kindel, Baker and John Widdicomb to go with the lumber baron era of the home. When the Schultzes moved in, they replaced an existing dining room light fixture with a crystal Schonbek chandelier that was more reflective of the era in which the house was built, Santamaria said. Outside the main house, there is an in-ground swimming pool and carriage house with a four-stall garage and a one-bedroom apartment above it. The grounds are like an oasis in the middle of the city, Santamaria said. It feels like youre in a park when youre in the back yard, but youre literally downtown, he said. Counting the apartment above the carriage house, the home has close to 10,000 square feet of space. Its one of the largest homes in Heritage Hill, according to Jan Earl, executive director of the Heritage Hill Association. Its just an amazing home because of its size, Earl said. The house at 20 Gay SE is not the only one from the 1969 tour making a return engagement this year. The Herald-Lear house at 455 College SE is another. The Shingle-style home features a solarium, indoor fountain and a basket-weave parquet floor in the entry hall. This years tour includes seven private homes. The other five are: 545 Fountain St. NE 231 Paris Ave. SE 440 College Ave. SE 501 Morris Ave. SE 332 College Ave. SE Also on the tour are five public buildings, including the Grand Rapids Museum High School, the Meyer May House, the Sweet House, Fountain Street Church and a new apartment building at 50 College SE. The 50th annual Heritage Hill Tour will be held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 19. Advance tickets are $18 and are available on the Heritage Hill Association website, as well as the Heritage Hill association office at 126 College SE, Family Fare and D&W stores, Lake Michigan Credit Union branches, Marthas Vineyard and Art of the Table. Day of tour tickets are $25 and are available at the ticket booth at the GRCC DeVos Campus, 435 East Fulton St. Children under 12 are admitted free. PETOSKEY, MI -- A Florida man accused of sexually assaulting a woman while employed at Boyne Highlands Resort last winter has pleaded no contest to some of the charges against him. Caesar Joel Bond-Carrera, 24, of Orlando, pleaded no contest to single counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault by strangulation and third-degree criminal sexual conduct, the Emmet County Prosecutors Office announced Tuesday, May 14. Both criminal sexual conduct charges are punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The strangulation charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt. Five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a potential life offense, against Bond-Carrera were dropped. Investigators received a complaint about the assault around 12:30 a.m. Dec. 11 from Boyne Highlands Resort security staff, according to Emmet County Sheriff Pete Wallin. The assault allegedly took place at the Bartley House on the Boyne Highlands Resort. Bond-Carrera was employed at the resort for about a month before the incident and had no other complaints against him, according to the Petoskey News-Review. He was fired after the complaint. A probable cause affidavit alleges Bond-Carrera pinned down, choked and then sexually assaulted an acquaintance after she refused his advances, the Petoskey News-Review reported. Bond-Carrera is scheduled for sentencing on June 18. KENTWOOD, MI When Koree Woodward walked into the gymnasium of Grand River Preparatory High School on Monday morning, she thought she was just heading to a meeting with other administrators. Instead, the Grand River principal was met with thunderous applause and cheers from students and staff as they surprised her with the Michigan Association of Public School Academies Charter School Administrator of the Year award. MAPSA coordinated with Grand River to plan a surprise ceremony for Woodward, gathering the schools 600 students on May 13 to officially name and congratulate her as winner of the award. She stood in awe at the doorway of the gym as students and staff rose to their feet to cheer on the beloved principal. I dont think Ive shaken that badly in a long time, Woodward said. I was just shocked. It was unbelievable. This is the second year the award has gone to a Grand Rapids principal. Last years winner was Pat Cwayna from West Michigan Aviation Academy. Woodward was competing for the award with around 1,500 administrators from almost 300 charter schools around the state. What made the Grand River principal stand out from the rest was her perseverance, innovation and commitment to student success, said Buddy Moorehouse, MAPSA vice president of public relations and media. By every metric, she was an outstanding candidate for the award, he said. Since Koree has been at Grand River, their achievements and accolades have been off the charts. She took over a school that was good, but it wasnt anywhere near what it could be, and she has brought it to incredible heights. Grand River was ranked as the 13th best high school in Michigan in the 2019 U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools listing. Seventy-two percent of enrolled students are minorities, and half of the student body is economically disadvantaged, according to the report. This is Woodwards 10th year at Grand River, and her fourth year as principal. Before coming to Grand River, she worked as a middle school science teacher at Black River Public School in Holland. Koree Woodward, principal of Grand River Preparatory High School, is the 2019 Michigan Charter School Administrator of the Year. For Woodward, her job as principal comes down to providing students with the support they need to reach their full potential. Her passion for teaching comes from her positive experiences with education as a child. She said she was always supported and uplifted by her own teachers, which is something she brings back to her role as an educator. I just want to give my students what I had as a student, she said. There were people who cared about me, people who told me about all the different things I could do with my life and really believed in me. During his speech congratulating Woodward, MAPSA President Dan Quisenberry cited her application essay for the award. She wrote, To say we prepare all students for college success is easy, he said. "'Whats hard is to commit to that every day. It takes courage, intentionality, creativity and the desire to challenge the status quo.' And thats exactly what Koree does every day," he said. While the road to being an administrator has come with struggles, Woodward said she didnt let adversity deter her from pursuing her passion. Being a school leader is hard, she said. When we were a new school, we were trying to establish who we were and that was an uphill charge. But I just couldnt not do it. In the end, I persevered." Ultimately, she said she knew education was where she wanted to be. And her hard work paid off, leaving her with the accolade of the top charter school administrator in the state. When I think back to what I thought Id be able to accomplish when I left high school and college, never in a million years did I think I would be able to be a part of something so amazing and so special. GRAND RAPIDS, MI The Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education voted 8 to 1 to appoint Ron Gorman, Ph.D., assistant superintendent of Pre-K-12 Institutional Support, as interim superintendent at a special work session Monday, May 13. The appointment will go into effect July 1, when Teresa Weatherall Neal steps down as superintendent after seven years. Gorman has worked in the GRPS system for almost two decades. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Aquinas College, a master of educational leadership degree from Michigan State University and a doctor of philosophy degree in educational leadership from Western Michigan University. Gorman lives in Grand Rapids with his wife, Melissa, who is also a GRPS educator, and their two children. School board member Dr. Jose Flores was the only one who voted against the appointment. He said his vote was an act of protest against board members who, he felt, solicited Gormans candidacy and offered him the position prior to the review of highly qualified candidates in the previous search. Last week, the board voted to open the interim application process to eligible district employees, allowing them to submit applications up until Monday at noon. Two employees submitted applications during that time, from which Gorman was selected. The board determined that Gorman will receive a salary of up to $195,000. School board member Kimberly Williams asked what the process will be for transitioning Gorman from his current position to the interim superintendent position, and whether his Pre-K-12 position will be filled during that time. Sharon Pitts, assistant superintendent of human resources, clarified that he has a contract with his current position, which will end in June 2020, so that position will not be filled while he acts as interim superintendent. Gorman will keep the same benefits he currently has, Pitts said. The only things that will change are his salary and his duties. The next order of business is appointing a search firm to find the next superintendent. The board finalized the request for proposals that will go out to national firms, making several language changes to be more specific about the boards requests for the search firm. Several changes addressed issues that board members had with the previous superintendent search, which the board voted to restart on April 13 after passing on two finalists. While the request for proposals originally stated that the search firm will provide preliminary reference checks of candidates, school board member Williams requested that the board specify what kind of vetting its looking for from the firm. In our last process, quite a few of us had a problem with the vetting that was done, which wasnt to the standard that we anticipated, she said. I dont want what we got last time. The last search was conducted using the Michigan Association of School Boards. School board president Kristian Grant said the previous search cost $9,000 total, but a portion of that is going to be refunded. The board also added that the firm must give examples of how it will vet candidates during the search process, and will utilize summaries from previous GRPS community input sessions. At the next meeting, the board will vote on the language of the request for proposals to solicit a search firm. The next school board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on June 3. While the timeline will be selected in part by the search firm, the board aims to have the search process be between six and 12 months long, said John Helmholdt, GRPS executive director of communications and external affairs. GRANDVILLE, MI The Grandville City Council on Monday approved a symbolic resolution opposing an effort to dredge a portion of the Grand River between Grand Rapids and Ottawa County, joining a growing number of communities sounding alarm about the project. The measure passed in a 4-2 vote, with council members expressing concern that the project, which aims to open the river for larger powerboats to travel between Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan, would damage the rivers ecosystem. They also worry that it would shoulder taxpayers with significant maintenance and public safety costs and disrupt recreational activities such as fishing and kayaking. No one is clamoring for this, said council member Paul Troost, who voted in favor of the resolution. I have been to a number of public hearings on this. I have yet to hear a single boat owner come to the microphone and say, I really want to take my big powerboat and take a three- or four-hour drive from Grandville all the way to Lake Michigan. The proposed dredging project is being led by Dan Hibma, a West Michigan developer and husband of former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. His group, Grand River Waterway, has secured $3.45 million in state funding for the project, some of which has already been spent on economic impact and feasibility studies. Hibma addressed the council prior to the vote. He said the Grand River is an underutilized asset, and dredging it would provide an economic boost by bringing more boaters to the region. He also stressed that more studies gauging the projects impact will be completed before a formal application to dredge the river is submitted to the state. I would like to know more about the river than less about the river, he said. So we would like to let the process continue. Grandville joins several municipalities in Ottawa County that have come out against the project. The latest is Spring Lake Township and Grand Haven Township, both of which also issued resolutions of opposition Monday night. The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners approved a similar resolution last month. There are so many up front, ongoing and unknown costs associated with this project, and its the taxpayers that get the short end of the stick, said Jane Newton, 31, of Grandville, who was among 10 people who spoke out against the project Monday night. The project would dredge part of a 23-mile stretch of the Grand River between Grand Rapids and Eastmanville in Ottawa County. Grandville Mayor Steve Maas and council member Randal Gelderloos were not in favor of issuing the resolution opposing the project. Gelderloos said he voted against the resolution because he wants soil samples collected that will examine whether hazardous pollutants are present beneath the river. The state budget approved last year included $150,000 for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to hire a contractor to conduct the sediment sampling. The DNR has hired a firm to do the testing but its not clear when it will occur. Im very interested in having the soil sampling done, because to me, the information is everything, Gelderloos said. I want to know what were dealing with. Maas, who is a volunteer adviser for Hibmas project, echoed that point. I think the best decisions are made with the most information, and I would hate to cut off funding for getting more helpful information, he said. After the meeting, he added that he would like to see an additional engineering study completed to gauge how the dredging would impact the physical makeup of the river. Council member Justin Noordhoek, who drafted the resolution opposing the project, said he does not believe its premature to oppose the project prior to the completion of further environmental testing. What I view is premature is the decision by the state to approve this initial funding with so many unanswered questions, he said. Particularly the cost of maintenance, which will likely fall on you and on me and on municipalities, which are already facing insufficient revenue sharing from the state. GRAND RAPIDS, MI East Kentwood students joined the dark side on Saturday after Star Wars characters ended up crashing their high school prom. Darth Vader and more than 400 East Kentwood High School students attended the prom, which was held on Saturday, May 11, at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. Although the proms original theme was Summer Nights, the evening went in a different direction when Vader, storm troopers and other famed characters showed up at the DeVos Place ballroom looking for another event. It was totally unplanned, they just happened to come across us, said Justin Michalowski, East Kentwood High School teacher and the prom coordinator. The characters were in DeVos Hall for a planned event with the Grand Rapids Symphony, which was featuring an evening of famous musical soundtracks from blockbuster movies like Star Wars, Star Trek and Lord of the Rings. While the Star Wars characters were searching for the location of their event, they came across East Kentwoods prom, and students called them in to join in on the fun. The kids were really excited, Michalowski said. They loved it, even though (the characters) were only there for five or ten minutes. This wasnt the first time the Star Wars characters crashed the prom. The two events happened to coincide on the same weekend last year as well, allowing Michalowski and a few administrators to geek out and take a few photos. This year, however, more students joined in, taking advantage of the opportunity to snap some selfies and dance the night away with Vader and his troopers. The principal told us it was different to see a Storm Trooper dancing when they walked by instead of regular dancing, Michalowski said. The event was such a success that the high schools prom coordinators joked about making the next prom Star Wars themed. Afterwards, the other prom coordinator told me we should make next years prom Outta This World," Michalowski said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The parking crunch in downtown Grand Rapids could begin to loosen up a bit this fall and into next year as one new parking facility gets set to open and two more inch closer to becoming a reality. In addition to 300 leased monthly spaces coming online this fall at the Studio Park movie complex on Ionia Avenue, the city will consider an expansion to the Ottawa-Fulton parking ramp and the construction of a Grand Rapids Public Library parking ramp. Between the Studio Park development and two projects being considered in fiscal year 2020, downtown Grand Rapids could get 500-800 new spots come in the next year or two. Josh Naramore, director of Mobile GR, said the city is at about 95 percent capacity of monthly spots spoken for. He expects the opening of 300 spots this fall to be a big deal. That will alleviate a huge lions share of the wait list demand, Naramore said. A lot of folks have waited a long time and the closing of the Area 4 and 5 lots (in April 2018) got us into the big parking crunch in the first place. Opening it up should open our options to better address parking needs in the future. Area lots 4 and 5, which offered a combined 580 spots, were closed last spring for the construction of the Studio Park development. The lots were bought for $6.9 million in 2018. Last week, Naramore and Deputy City Manager Eric DeLong presented on the future outlook of downtown parking during the city commission meeting dedicated to the city managers FY2020 budget proposal. Well be investing $1 million in capital investment in capital parking projects that could produce, with bonding, up to 500 new spaces within the city, depending on if we can move those projects forward," DeLong said. Naramore referenced two projects that if approved could further expand the citys downtown parking allotment. The first was the expansion of the Ottawa-Fulton ramp to an adjacent surface lot, which currently has 18 metered spots. Its expansion is proposed to add five levels and 165 spaces. The parking director said the project has a design plan, which features flat floors to allow for adaptive reuse in the future. It could also allow for ground-floor office or retail space, as well as private development on top, which is an avenue the city is exploring before setting a time frame for the project. Estimated cost for the ramp expansion is about $12 million. A second project, still in the early planning stage, is the addition of a parking structure where the public librarys surface lot is at 111 Library St. NE. Naramore said the lot has about 100 spaces. Four proposals for the location have been created, each proposing seven parking levels and between 258 and 364 spaces. The proposals also include a variety of combinations of residential, retail and office space, and either a farmers market space, an amphitheater or connected park space. Naramore said the concept is in the way early stages of the planning process. The parking component would cost the city an estimated $12 million to $15 million. This one is the least furthest along and would still have to go through community engagement, Naramore said. Talks about this staled out a couple years ago because of other projects. ... We were just saying its potentially on the list for the next fiscal year. Between funding, community engagement and finding a development partner, Naramore said it would likely be at least 12-18 months before one of the proposals became a reality. Other proposals in the FY2020 budget related to transportation include replacing two Downtown Area Shuttles, adding 50 bus shelters and completing 61 Vital Streets projects that cover about 31 miles of roadway. The full budget proposal is available on the citys website. Update: All lanes of I-94 at Sargent Road have reopened, as of 3:34 p.m., according to MDOT. LEONI TWP., MI Westbound I-94 in Jackson County is closed until 3 p.m. at Sargent Road due to an earlier crash, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. An early-morning crash on Tuesday, May 14, originally just blocked the right lane, according to MDOT. But now the whole expressway is closed for vehicle removal and guardrail repair, per MDOT. A semitrailer hit the inside guardrail and needs to be towed off the roadway, MDOT spokesman Aaron Jenkins said. The expressway will reopen once the damage is repaired and vehicle is moved, he said, which could be earlier than 3 p.m. Westbound traffic is being detoured to Ann Arbor Road/I-94 business loop, to U.S. 127 back to I-94. KALAMAZOO, MI Two-term Kalamazoo County Commissioner Tracy Hall has announced she is launching a campaign to represent Kalamazoo in the Michigan House of Representatives, according to a statement. If elected, Hall, a Democrat, would be the first openly gay woman ever to serve in the Michigan legislature, according to the statement. I first ran for office to make Kalamazoo a better place to live, work, and go to school, Hall said in a prepared statement. For Kalamazoo to reach its true potential, we need an advocate in Lansing who listens, works hard, builds relationships and fights, when necessary. Im proud of my record on the county commission, and I am ready to push a real progressive agenda in Lansing, built on equity, education and the needs of working families. Hall, 47, teaches political science and sociology at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Western Michigan University. She was first elected in 2016 to represent the Oakwood, Winchell and WMU neighborhoods on the County Board of Commissioners, and she currently serves as a board trustee for OutFront Kalamazoo, CARES and the 60th District Service Office. Her announcement was made in a news release sent by former Kalamazoo County Commissioner Kevin Wordelman. Hall said Wordelman is a friend of hers. Hall said in the statement that her record of service, deep community roots and her connection to working families make her the ideal candidate. The way I build relationships is important to have in any elected office, Hall said. This particular seat is important, she said, and it needs a fighter who can build relationships. Mary Brown has always been a role model for me because she embodies the ethic of servant leadership Hall said of the former legislator who was term-limited in 1994," Hall said. As a county commissioner, Hall chaired the county ID task force, making it possible for Kalamazoo County to issue more than 1,700 photo ID cards to people who may not possess sufficient documentation for a state ID card. Hall said she is proud of her vote to establish a new indigent defense program to better protect low-income individuals in criminal cases. If elected to the state legislature, Hall said she plans to focus on eliminating chronic homelessness through housing first policies, rebuilding Michigans middle class through education, collective bargaining, green jobs and infrastructure, and promoting real trauma-informed solutions to break the cycles of violence that persist in Michigan homes and neighborhoods. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work," she said in a statement. Hall plans to make her announcement public at a rally in Kalamazoos Bronson Park at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, Hall said. The election will take place in November 2020. The 60th District, currently represented by Democrat Jon Hoadley who is term-limited in 2020, includes the city of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Township. KALAMAZOO, MI -- As it prepares for a new budget year, Kalamazoo Valley Community College officials expect a decrease in tuition revenue, despite higher cost for students, because of a drop in college enrollment. The colleges Board of Trustees approved the 2019-2020 budget Tuesday, May 14, after a presentation on the upcoming years financial figures. According to the budget, revenues from property tax and state aid have increased, but the amount coming from tuition and fees has decreased. Vice President of Business and Finance Brian Lueth said an expected decrease in KVCCs enrollment accounted for that change. The college estimates about a 3% drop in the number of credit hours taken between the current year and the 2019-2020 school year. The budget reflects about $900,000 less revenue from tuition and fee payments. Tuition revenue is calculated as part of the budget process based on the expected number of credit hours to be delivered by the college, said Mike Collins, vice president for college and student relations. The credit hour decreases factored into the new budget does reflect a decrease in the total number of students enrolled at the college, Collins said. We are hopeful our enrollment will increase, Collins said. But, for budgeting purposes, we are taking a conservative approach. About 9,000 students were enrolled in the college in fall 2018 semester, according to the colleges website. In 2010, the schools enrollment was about 11,200, according to Kalamazoo Gazette files. Total enrollment in the 2014 winter semester was reported as 9,887, a 13% decrease from the previous year. Overall enrollment at KVCC has followed a downward trajectory since the 2012-13 school year, according to Michigan School Data. The college delivered about 150,000 credit hours this year, Collins said. Administrators expect about 145,000 credit hours for 2019-2020, he said. The board voted to increase the cost of tuition by 2.8% during a board meeting Tuesday, April 9. Tuition costs for in-district students increased to $110 per contact hour, versus the 2018-2019 costs which set tuition at $107 per contact hour. The expected revenue from tuition and fees in 2019-2020 $24.5 million factors in both the increased cost per contact hour and a slight expected decrease in enrollment, Lueth said. The schools 2018-19 budget predicted $25.3 million in revenue from tuition and fees. Administrators and trustees must demonstrate good stewardship over the colleges resources, President Marshall Washington said in an interview with MLive after the meeting. We want to continue to be a place where students can come, Washington said. We want to be affordable, accessible. In a 6-0 vote, the board voted Tuesday to approve both the budget and a millage rate for the upcoming budget year. Trustee Julia Buck was absent from Tuesdays meeting. The millage rate stayed consistent from last year for a total of 2.8 mills for the general fund and museum, according to the budget. The colleges general fund budget is pretty consistent with last years, Lueth said. The general fund budget lays out plans to spend $63.7 million in the upcoming school year, an increase from last years general fund budget of $62.6 million. Apart from tuition, the colleges other top revenue sources include state aid and property tax receipts. Both increased from last years budget. The college expects $21.3 million from property taxes and $13.2 million of state aid. Leuth said he set the projected revenue from state aid at a level between what is laid out in Gov. Gretchen Whitmers state budget proposal and the numbers put forward by the Michigan Senate. Gov. Whitmer proposed a $60.2 billion budget that would increase funding to K-12 education, take less money from the School Aid Fund for higher education and implement a tax on gasoline to fund infrastructure improvements across the state. The largest category of general fund expenditures for KVCC is salaries and benefits, totaling $44.6 million. That value reflects salary increases for both professors and staff, Lueth said. A year-long negotiation process between the college and part-time professors ended in April with a three-year contract and salary increases. BAY CITY, MI - The city of Bay City has a new electric director to lead the department. Hes coming all the way from Nebraska. Jay Anderson is the new electric director for Bay City after having worked in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1989 for the Omaha Public Power District. He replaces former Bay City Director Mark Kaplenski, who retired in April. "Mr. Anderson (Jay) rounds out the management team and provides a full complement of staff since the retirement of Mark Kaplenski this past April, stated City Manager Muscott in a news release. She added that Anderson brings vast knowledge and experience with over 30 years of working in his role and is looking forward to working with him. Muscott said Kaplenski, who has over 20 years with the city, even took place in the interviewing process and was able to pick his successor. Anderson also commented on his new job. I was looking for opportunities to work in municipal departments. Ive worked in public power all my life, Anderson said, adding that he applied for the position in January or February. Im looking forward to it, its a very well-run department. The Bay City Electric Light and Power has served the Bay City area for over 150 years back then it was known as the Bay City Gas Light Co. The department serves over 21,000 customers in Bay County, including Bay City and parts of Bangor, Frankenlust, Hampton, Monitor, and Portsmouth townships, according to the citys website. The department is owned by Bay City. BAY CITY, MI After being shot during a scuffle, a Bay City man told authorities he wrestled the pistol away from his assailant and ran to a nearby police station for help. Today, a second man is facing felony charges in connection with the incident. About 3:40 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, police responded to calls of shots fired the 1100 block of North Jackson Street within Baytown Family Neighborhood. Moments later, dispatchers advised police a man covered in blood was outside the Bay County Law Enforcement Center, a few blocks away at 503 Third St. The bleeding man, 32-year-old Hamilton A. Nash, had a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun on him when he arrived at the police headquarters, but quickly dropped it on encountering police, authorities said. As Nash was taken by ambulance to Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, police arrested Dion J. Johnson Jr., whom theyd spotted walking up and down the sidewalk by Baytown. On being his Miranda rights, the 27-year-old Johnson agreed to speak with police at the department. He said he had come from Canton to visit his girlfriend, who lives in Baytown. The couple, along with Nash and Nashs girlfriend, went to a Saginaw bowling alley on Friday night, then returned to the apartment complex for a few drinks, Johnson told police. Nash grew upset over Johnson talking to Nashs girlfriend, Johnson told police, according to reports in court records. According to police reports, Johnson told investigators he is licensed to carry a concealed pistol and has a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber registered in his name. He said he retrieved the weapon from his vehicles glove box, put a magazine in it, and racked it, the police report states. Thats when he got into a scuffle with Nash. If anything happened, it went off by accident, Johnson told investigators, according to the police report. If I would have meant to shoot him, I would have shot him in the head. Anything I did was based on me feeling threatened. Police obtained a search warrant for the apartment where the shooting occurred. Inside, they found blood on the carpet and walls. They recovered a bullet casing on some stairs and a fired bullet in the ceiling, as well as a .40-caliber magazine under a pillow in the bedroom, court records show. They found a bullet on the nearby lawn. Nashs girlfriend told police the two men had started pushing each other after Johnson had touched her. She said he had then walked outside and returned shortly thereafter. She was upstairs when she heard a gunshot, then looked over the railing to see Nash, Johnson, and Johnsons girlfriend fighting over a gun, she told police. She said she heard Nash say, Its all over now, then the three of them went outside. She told police she found the guns magazine on her steps and put it under her pillow. During his ambulance ride, Nash told police that after the couples returned to the apartment, he had cussed out Johnson for having put his arm around his girlfriend. He got in Johnsons face and shoved his shoulder, only for Johnson to step outside, Nash told police. Johnson returned shortly thereafter as Nash stood atop the stairs, he said. Johnson had a pistol in his right hand and began walking up the staircase, Nash told police. Nash told police Johnson put the gun between Nashs eyes, but Nash pushed it away as the gun fired. The two then grappled down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, Nash had the gun and ran outside, he told police. I fought for my life, Nash told police. I thought I was going to die. Doctors told police the bullet had fractured Nashs right thumb and given a superficial wound to his left pectoral. He also had injuries to his shoulder and eyebrow, court records show. Bay County Chief District Judge Dawn A. Klida on Monday arraigned Johnson on single counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, plus two counts of felony firearm. Klida set Johnsons bond $75,000 cash-surety, which he posted Tuesday afternoon. Johnson is to appear for a preliminary examination May 29. MIDLAND, MI A 14-year-old Midland County girl who went missing for hours on Monday was found safe in the late evening hours by Michigan State Police troopers, less than two miles from her home. Deputies with the Midland County Sheriffs Office were dispatched shortly before 8 p.m. Monday to the 6700 block of North Ehlers Road near East Levely Road for a report of a missing teenage girl with special needs. Police discovered Denay Ocea Eddy had walked away from her residence in the area at 1 p.m. Monday afternoon and had not returned hours later. A search began by several law enforcement agencies and first responders for Denay, who police said has been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Denay was found at approximately 11:35 p.m. in a hunting cabin at the dead end of Shearer Road, by two Michigan State Police troopers providing assistance in a search for the girl. The cabin she was found in is located roughly one-and-one half miles from her residence, according to a Tuesday, May 14 statement issued by Midland County Sheriff Scott Stephenson. Several law enforcement agencies and entities issued statements on social media Monday night during their search, including the Midland Police Department and Midland County 911 with information about Denays disappearance. The Midland County Sheriffs Office thanked Mills Township Fire and Rescue, Midland County Search and Rescue, troopers with the Michigan State Police Tri-City Post, and the Michigan State Police Aviation Division for their aerial assistance in the search effort for Denay. ARBELA TWP, MI The suspect in a recent hit-and-run crash that left a woman seriously injured has been found dead of apparent self-inflicted wounds, police said. The crash occurred about 6:42 p.m. on May 5 at the intersection of Bray and Barnes roads in Tuscola Countys Arbela Township in Michigans Thumb region. A 60-year-old woman had been driving a Ford Ranger truck south on Bray Road when she was stuck by a westbound Chevrolet Silverado that had failed to yield for a stop sign on Barnes Road. Both vehicles overturned. Witnesses told responding sheriffs deputies the Silverados driver, believed to be a Birch Run man, helped the injured woman from her vehicle then fled on foot after retrieving a cooler from his truck. Police said they recovered the mans cellphone at the scene. The Tuscola County Sheriffs K-9 Unit responded and tracked a man believed to have been the suspect from the crash scene for more than a mile, finding drops of blood along the way, police said. The dog lost the track in some water, however. Other attempts to locate the man also failed. A LifeNet helicopter was used to transport the injured Mount Morris woman from the scene and to a hospital. On Saturday, May 11, deputies and Michigan State Police troopers went to the suspects residence on in Birch Run. There, they found him dead behind the residence, apparently by self-inflicted wounds, deputies said. Deputies could not disclose the estimated day or time of the mans death. One sunspot had three bursts of energy shoot out and straight toward Earth. These three bursts of energy may all arrive at Earths atmosphere around the same time. NASA says the recent energy shots from the sun, called Coronal Mass Ejections or CMEs, were weak CMEs. NASA says, however, that the combined strength of the three CMEs should disturb Earths magnetosphere enough to produce northern lights over the next few days. NASA says the CMEs occurred around May 12. The animation above shows the sunspot pointed at Earth while energy was being shot out of the sunspot. Currently NASA predicts the brunt of the energy to arrive at Earths magnetosphere on May 15 and May 16. The diagram below shows where NASA currently forecasts the southern extent of the northern lights. Green line shows southern extent of northern lights In Michigan, the green line shows the U.P. and the Mackinac region could see the northern lights. We have a weak rain system moving through Michigan Wednesday into Thursday. I wouldnt get too down that skies will be entirely cloudy. Clouds will likely be patchy. Heres the total cloud forecast for Wednesday evening. Total cloud forecast for 8 p.m. Wednesday With the disorganized storm system, skies can clear at times at night. As I wrote earlier this year, northern lights forecasting has few data points and chances for forecast updates. Lets just keep this in the back of our minds for a possible northern lights viewing Wednesday night or Thursday night. It may seem funny coming from me, a meteorologist, to question a forecast. Ive seen the more likely northern lights forecasts not show northern lights. Ive also seen low chance forecasts end up with vibrant northern lights. This is one reason northern lights remain so elusive to see, and exciting to hunt. A group of aid agencies in Libya called on Tuesday for a UN resolution to support people caught in fighting around Tripoli. The United Nations says 66,000 people have been forced there out of their homes and at least 454 killed since April 5. Forces loyal to Libyas government are defending Tripoli against an offensive by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Khalifa Haftar, who accuses the administration of being controlled by terrorists, a charge it denies. In the past week, 65 migrants have drowned and since the Tripoli clashes began, 871 migrants have been picked up and returned to detention in often unacceptable conditions, Reuters said. A report by the Protection Sector group of aid agencies, which is coordinated by UNHCR, said 3,000 migrants remained trapped in detention centers close to areas of fighting. Aid agencies in Libya seek UN resolution to protect people caught up in fighting Aid agencies in Libya seek UN resolution to protect people caught up in fighting Source : RT - Daily news While the plane of the Iranian Foreign Minister was landing at the New Delhi airport for unexpected talks with his Indian counterpart, Indians have been wondering about the timing and purpose of this last-moment scheduled meeting. Javad Zarif has come at a peculiar time, in the middle of Indias general elections. If he was to wait two more weeks, he could arrange talks with a new government, but the urgency of the meeting speaks volumes. But as Washington puts pressure on Iranian oil importers, some Indians agree that some issues cannot wait. India was once Iran's top oil client after China. Then the US and sanctions stepped in. Last year India, along with seven other nations, received a waiver from Washington which allowed them to import some oil. But earlier this month, the US renewed sanctions and New Delhi had to stop any purchases of Iranian crude. But while big politics are being decided in high places, Indians themselves seem positive about Iran, with many saying India should stick to its vows to Iran. Also on rt.com FM Zarif arrives in India as US-Iran tensions flare up in Gulf Obviously cheaper prices on Iranian oil, free shipping and 60 days of credit for Indian oil importers dont harm these Iran-sympathising moods. There are alternatives to Iranian oil: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Mexico, and the US, but their crude is more expensive and geographically makes less sense than Iran. India and Iran also have joint projects like the Chabahar Port, which should promote Indias influence in the region. And cutting ties with Tehran could harm this ambition. These ties are apparently close enough for Tehran to try to blackmail or bribe India into cooperation. Also on rt.com India not rushing to buy extra Saudi oil to offset lost Iranian supply Indian media report that Sharif could offer New Delhi a lure in a form of easier access to the Farzad-B gas bloc, whose gas reserve is estimated at 21.6 trillion cubic ft. Whatever Zarif has proposed to India today, one thing is clear for most Indians online: India is going to find itself between a rock and a hard place. The solution they propose? Put Indian interests first. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. Saudi Arabia said explosive-laden drones had struck oil pumping stations in the Riyadh region on Tuesday in an act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The attack on two oil pumping stations has not disrupted oil production or the export of crude and petroleum products, according to the energy minister of the worlds largest oil exporter. Houthi-run Masirah TV earlier on Tuesday cited a military official saying the Houthis had launched drone attacks on vital Saudi installations. A Saudi-led military coalition has been fighting the Houthis in Yemen for four years. Tuesdays attack and the operation against commercial vessels off the coast of the UAE on Sunday took place as the US and Iran exchanged angry words over sanctions and the US military presence in the region, Reuters said. Drones strike Saudi oil pumping stations near Riyadh as Houthis claim attack Drones strike Saudi oil pumping stations near Riyadh as Houthis claim attack Source : RT - Daily news Overflowing rivers in Bosnia and Croatia have flooded dozens of homes and roads, putting the Balkans on high alert. Several local communities in northern and central Bosnia introduced emergency measures on Tuesday, urging residents living close to rivers to evacuate their homes, Reuters said. Some schools have canceled classes, while electricity and water supplies have been disrupted. The rainfall has also caused landslides, closing down local roads. The Vrbanja river has destroyed a temporary pedestrian bridge near the town of Banja Luka. Residents fear the repeat of May 2014 floods that devastated the region. Floods hit Bosnia, Croatia, residents urged to evacuate homes Floods hit Bosnia, Croatia, residents urged to evacuate homes Source : RT - Daily news Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has visited India as both powers seek to cope with the impact of sweeping US sanctions aimed at cutting Iranian oil exports to zero. Zarif arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday to meet with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. India is one of our most important partners, economic, political and regional, the Iranian foreign minister said ahead of the talks. The visit comes weeks after the US suspended temporary six-month waivers that had allowed several countries, including India, to continue buying Iranian oil without facing Americas penalties. Unsurprisingly, the issue of sanctions is expected to be top of the meetings agenda. Also on rt.com US plans to deploy 120,000 troops in Middle East to counter Iran report India was Irans second most important customer after China, but it put a halt to imports after the waivers expired in early May. DETAILS TO FOLLOW Just one Indian refiner has agreed to buy additional crude oil supply from Saudi Arabia to compensate for the loss of Iranian barrels, as Indias firms have been looking for months to diversify their crude sources. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) is the only Indian refiner out of four state-held companies that had bought Iranian oil under the sanction waivers to have taken up the Saudi offer for additional crude supplies, and will lift around two million barrels in June on top of its normal purchase of 2.5 million barrels, industry sources told Reuters on Monday. Under its exemption from the US sanctions on Iran that ended at the beginning of May, India was allowed to buy some 300,000 bpd of Iranian oil. Also on rt.com US sanctions could force Pakistan to ditch Peace pipeline project with Iran Now that the waivers are over, just one of the four Indian refiners has requested more Saudi oil for June, according to Reuters sources. There are two key reasons for the lukewarm reception of the extra Saudi supplyhigh Saudi official selling prices (OSPs) for its Asian customers for June, and the greater diversification of the Indian refiners who are looking to other suppliers from the Middle East and to other countries, including Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. Read more: Oil opens higher after Saudi Arabia reports attacks on oil tankers Indias four state-held oil refiners who were Iranian customers until last month have been diversifying suppliers to offset possible tighter U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil, and all four were certain that they wont have trouble replacing any loss of Irans oil with more supplies from the Arab Gulf OPEC members, from Mexico, and the US, company officials told Reuters before the US announced the end of all sanction waivers for Iranian customers. Also on rt.com China ramps up crude oil imports despite Washingtons clampdown on Iran In our system, UAE and Iraq oil turned out to be better than Saudi oil, a source at an Indian refinery told Reuters. Earlier this month, American officials said that the United States was working with oil producers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE to ensure India has enough crude supply after the end of the sanction waivers, but the US cant ensure its own oil will be sold to India at preferential prices. This article was originally published on Oilprice.com Indian Intelligence reportedly monitored a software engineer linked to the devastating Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka as far back as 2016, according to a new report. Sri Lankan software engineer Aadhil Ameez, a 24-year-old, has been tied to both the National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ) and the Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI) who perpetrated the attacks which killed over 250 people and injured hundreds more. Also on rt.com Sri Lanka police says all suspected Easter attack plotters arrested or dead Ameez has been in custody since April 25 and authorities believe he was the link between the two groups that carried out the attacks, providing technical and logistical support to the suicide bombers. Indias National Investigation Agency (NIA) is providing assistance to Sri Lankan authorities in their investigation, having monitored the young man since 2016 for possible links to the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), Reuters reports. Under Sri Lanka's newly imposed emergency laws, Ameez, who holds a masters degree in computer science and a bachelors in political science from UK universities, can be held indefinitely. His father, M. Ameez said the allegations are lies. However, police have obtained Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram chats with two of the suspects arrested in connection with a plot to attack a synagogue in Ahmedabad, Ubed Ahmad Mirza, a lawyer, and Stimberwala Mohamed Kasim, a hospital technician. Ameez has also been linked with three Indian men who are currently on trial for promoting IS ideology in addition to recruiting and fundraising activities. Also on rt.com Bombs found near mosque in Sri Lanka amid fear of new attacks after Easter massacre report Investigators have yet to determine whether Ameez was a facilitator or whether he planned the attacks. He was the main technology person for them, said one of the Sri Lankan police Criminal Investigation Department sources involved in the investigation. A military source said that Ammez seems to have played an important role in setting up communications for the attackers, which helped them to coordinate their efforts to deadly effect. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Israel has begun building nearly 20,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank during the past decade of Benjamin Netanyahus premiership, according to settlement watchdog Peace Now. The groups annual settlement report published on Tuesday highlighted how the issue complicates the chances of resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Construction of 19,346 settler homes had started between 2009 the year that Netanyahu became prime minister for a second time and the end of 2018. Even if the government does not believe that peace can be achieved in the near future, there is no logic to expanding the settlements and making the solution impossible, Peace Now said. About 630,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in tense proximity to three million Palestinians, AFP said. Israel began building 20,000 settler homes in decade of Netanyahu rule NGO Israel began building 20,000 settler homes in decade of Netanyahu rule NGO Source : RT - Daily news A Maltese court on Tuesday fined the captain of a German humanitarian ship that rescued more than 200 migrants. The vessel, which entered the Mediterranean island nations waters last year, was not properly registered, according to the court. It opted against jailing the captain, Claus-Peter Reisch, and imposed a fine of 10,000 ($11,300), AP reported. Reisch has eight days to decide whether to appeal the fine. The court also denied a prosecution motion to confiscate the vessel. The Lifeline has been in a Maltese port since last June, and will be free to leave once any appeal is settled. Malta agreed to give it safe harbor following a six-day standoff, but only after Italy and other EU nations agreed to take in the migrants. Maltese court fines captain of German Lifeline ship that rescued over 200 migrants Maltese court fines captain of German Lifeline ship that rescued over 200 migrants Source : RT - Daily news Spain has withdrawn a frigate which was part of a US combat group traveling to the Persian Gulf to send a message to Iran. Madrid has signaled that the operation falls outside of its military commitments as a NATO member. Acting Defense Minister Margarita Robles ordered the Spanish warship Mendez Nunez to break off from the armada, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, El Pais reported Tuesday. According to the Spanish newspaper, the decision was made in order to avoid being involuntarily dragged into any kind of conflict with Iran. With 215 sailors on board, the Nunez is the only non-US ship present in the strike group currently on its way to the Persian Gulf. The Spanish frigate was enlisted to tag along with the US warships more than a year ago, in hopes of improving training and logistics with Madrids trans-Atlantic ally. The operation was originally slated to last six months, from the end of April to October 31, when the Nunez was due to set anchor in San Diego, California. Also on rt.com Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Tonkin? Trump warns Iran it will 'suffer greatly' if it does 'anything' The decision to withdraw from the strike group means that the Nunez will continue to operate in the region, but without entering the Persian Gulf. The Spanish frigate plans to rejoin the US fleet when (or if) it leaves the Gulf and continues on its planned route. The strike group entered the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Yemen, on Tuesday. Last week, Robles stated that in relation to tensions between the US and Iran, Spains commitment is to the European Union and international organizations, and from there we will always adopt our common positions. She also stressed that Spain is a serious and trustworthy partner but that its military is only bound to agreements made with the EU and NATO. Also on rt.com US plans to deploy 120,000 troops in Middle East to counter Iran report Tehran announced in May that it would bypass US sanctions by selling its oil on the grey market. Immediately after, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said that the aim of the Lincoln-led flotilla was to send a clear and unmistakable message to Iran that any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force. Tehran has denounced the move as part of a psychological war and has warned that Washington will be held responsible for any violence that may erupt as a result of its aggressive posturing. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that it is their collective duty to find ways for further development. During my meetings in Russia, a number of important topics will be discussed. For some of them we can agree, for others we can disagree, but when it comes to national interests, our duty is to find ways for further development, Pompeo wrote on Twitter. He is due to meet with the Russian leaders in Sochi on Tuesday to discuss a wide range of issues. The US secretary of state canceled a planned meeting in Moscow to discuss escalating tensions between the US and Iran with European leaders in Brussels. Also on rt.com Washington ascribes its own plans for Venezuela to Moscow Russia comments on US threats The situation in Venezuela is likely to be on the agenda after Washington, seemingly lacking self-awareness, repeatedly accused Russia of aggressive and destabilizing actions while meddling in international affairs. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Moscow is ready for further steps to ease visa requirements for Japanese visitors, speaker of the Russian Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, Valentina Matviyenko said on Tuesday. She urged the heads of Russias regions and Japans prefectures to prompt their countries executive authorities to take coordinated practical steps, TASS reported. We have traveled part of that path, easing mutual visa restrictions substantially. However, this is a two-way street, Matviyenko said at a meeting with the participants in the Russian-Japanese Council of governors on Tuesday. Russia is ready for further steps, for e-visas and other forms of easing visa requirements, according to the speaker. Russia ready to further ease visa rules for Japan upper house speaker Russia ready to further ease visa rules for Japan upper house speaker Source : RT - Daily news Liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from Russia increased to 11.7 billion cubic meters in the first three months of this year a 19.7 percent growth compared to the same period of 2018. The surge in the countrys LNG exports ensured a year-on-year growth in revenue for Russian firms in the sector. Sakhalin Energy and Yamal LNG revenues spiked by 49.8 percent, reaching $1.95 billion, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) said on Monday. Also on rt.com Russian shipments of LNG to Europe & Asia leave United States well behind In March alone the shipments amounted to 2.6 billion cubic meters and generated $510 million. Meanwhile, Russian exports of natural gas decreased by 0.4 percent over the indicated period to 61.5 billion cubic meters, the FCS added. However, the profits from those exports still rose to $14 billion, posting a 10.7 percent increase compared to January-March 2018. Also on rt.com Russian LNG will be cheaper for Europe than US alternative Novatek Despite cheaper Russian gas supplies, Europe may end up buying more LNG from the US. Washington has recently boasted of nearly tripling US LNG exports to the continent, having recorded the highest volume ever in March. The US has been pushing its own LNG sales to its allies while criticizing Russian energy exports, but Russia managed to sell more LNG to European and Asian markets last year than the United States. In April, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak vowed to expand national LNG output more than tenfold to 140 million tons per year by 2035 in order to fulfill growing global demand. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Neither the United States nor Iran want war, Iraqs state news agency INA reported Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi as saying on Tuesday. Baghdad is in contact with both states, the PM noted. Abdul Mahdi said he was getting indications from talks with Washington and Tehran that things will end well despite the current ramping up of rhetoric from both sides, Reuters reports. Speaking at a news conference, Abdul Mahdi added that Baghdad was trying to reduce tensions between the US and Tehran, its two main allies who are themselves enemies. The US-Iran conflict is a complex file that Iraq is working hard to find solutions for, according to Abdul Mahdi. Things will end well: US, Iran do not want war, Iraqi PM Abdul Mahdi says Things will end well: US, Iran do not want war, Iraqi PM Abdul Mahdi says Source : RT - Daily news The US risks setting the stage for war if peace activists are evicted from the Venezuelan embassy in Washington and representatives of US-backed Juan Guaido move in, investigative journalist Max Blumenthal told RT. It could be considered an act of war for them [US authorities] to allow the parallel government, which is unrecognized, which controls no institutions of government and is essentially a fake government to take over the diplomatic premises, Blumenthal told RT after US authorities tried to raid and evict the so-called Embassy Civilian Protection Collective on Monday, before allowing activists to stay. If the US tracks on this embassy, which is sovereign Venezuelan territory under international law, it is an act of war that could potentially be reciprocated against. Allowing a Guaido-appointed playtime ambassador to enter the building could be detrimental to any prospect of a peaceful resolution, Blumenthal believes. He says Carlos Vecchio has the intention of turning the building into a lobbying shop for war after recently asking the United States Southern Command (Southcom) to provide military assistance to the self-proclaimed Venezuelan interim president, who despite full US backing has so far failed to oust Maduro from power. US authorities seemed hesitant to further escalate the conflict at the embassy, which has been occupied by peace activists on behalf of the government in Caracas for over a month. Blumenthal suggested US authorities could potentially let a third country take over the premises without surrendering the building to Guaidos representatives noting however that such a move would be a major setback for the pro-coup forces. Also on rt.com US police raid Venezuelan embassy to evict pro-Maduro activists defending it from illegal seizure There could be an embassy protection agreement between Venezuelas government and a friendly country which would allow that country to move in as a custodian for the embassy and allow Switzerland to take over the US embassy in Caracas, Blumenthal said. This would mean the de-escalation of the conflict and a possible nail to the coffin for Guaido. This would be a massive defeat for Guaido and a victory for activists, American activists whove taken their own initiative to defend international law. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Donald Trump has reportedly been presented with a plan to send as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East to counter the so-called Iranian threat, the New York Times reported. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan disclosed the updated military plan at a meeting of Trump's top security aides on Thursday, the publication said, quoting anonymous sources inside the administration. Several options to tackle Tehran in the region were outlined to the president during the briefing, while "the uppermost option called for deploying 120,000 troops, which would take weeks or months to complete," the Times said. Also on rt.com American B-52s fly first mission over Persian Gulf to send message to Iran (PHOTO, VIDEO) While the revisions "ordered" by "hard-liners" do not promulgate a land invasion of Iran, "the development reflects the influence of Mr. Bolton, one of the administrations most virulent Iran hawks, The Times reported. Bolton has been a long-time advocate of using military force against Tehran, even penning an op-ed in 2015 titled Top Stop Irans Bomb, Bomb Iran. The proposal to send additional reinforcements comes amid accusations from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Tehran has been engaging in an escalating series of threatening actions and statements in recent weeks. To counter the unspecified threat, the Pentagon has already deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and bomber task force, including B-52s, to the region. Also on rt.com Our aim is not war, Pompeo insists as US warships & bombers gather off coast of Iran The deployment came exactly a year after Washington unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), and renewed sanctions against the Islamic Republics financial, oil and banking sectors. The US has also labeled Irans elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a terrorist organization, triggering a tit-for-tat response from Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran said it will cancel part of its obligations under the nuclear agreement, and urged the European signatories to tackle Washington's pressure. The US sabre rattling is "attempting to magnify the shadow of war," Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi explained on Sunday night, noting that American military buildup in the region is "theatrical and useless." Like this story? Share it with a friend! The US has long vowed sanctions if India buys the S-400 from Russia, but now it is offering its THAAD and Patriot missiles as an alternative. But the sticks-and-carrots game wont help the US get its way, an analyst told RT. Washington has pitched Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile defense systems to India last month. Other details of the generous offer are shrouded in mystery, but it obviously comes to outweigh the $5 billion deal India has signed with Russia to acquire the S-400 air defense systems. Simultaneously, the US seemed to have reeled back its threat of sanctions, choosing to go soft with India this time. This tactic looks particularly interesting when compared to the enormous pressure Washington is piling on Turkey, another future operator of the cutting-edge S-400. Now, the American bait looks good at a glance but will India want to bite it? I dont think its going to work, Sreeram Chaulia, professor at Indias Jindal School of International Affairs, told RT. India has decided long ago that the S-400, a successor to the time-proven S-300 family, is the best available option for the emerging power. He believed that the THAAD and Patriots have been offered to India in the past dont meet the full spectrum of the defense needs that we have. US companies may offer any weapons systems to customers all around the world, but they are wary of doing technology transfer, Chaulia explained. They dont allow the buyers to acquire knowledge and know-how about how the systems are made. They dont really empower their defense partners because they want to keep them dependent in the long run. This doesnt look particularly attractive for New Delhi which is encouraging foreign vendors to produce their armaments on Indian soil as part of the Make in India effort. Russia, for its part, has already localized production of critical weapons systems, be it the T-90 main battle tank or the newer-generation AK-203 assault rifle. Unlike Turkey, which is a NATO member state, India doesnt even need to consider the option of buying both S-400 and THAAD to complement each other and keep Washington happy, the analyst offered. Also on rt.com Done deal: Erdogan aide debunks claim that Turkey is set to drop S-400 over US sanctions However, it doesnt mean that Delhi wont be making defense purchases from the US in other fields in the future. The Indian military already has American attack helicopters, howitzers, firearms and other equipment in service. And if someone would say that by signing those deals India is returning the favor to the US for greenlighting its S-400 contract with Russia, that may not be a bad way out of this, Chaulia pointed out. In all, the US knows they cant go too far without putting at risk the tricky relations between Washington and New Delhi. Washington has given up on pressuring India out of the S-400 deal with Russia, the analyst stressed. Even though they keep making noise, they know that India is a sovereign country that makes its own independent choices. Donald Trump, a very commercially minded president, is not going to cut strategic partnership with India if he sees other ways for America to profit from cooperating with India, he concluded. For [Indian PM Narendra] Modi its easier to manage somebody like Trump due to his focus on money. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. North Korea on Tuesday hit out at the US seizure of one of its cargo vessels, accusing Washington of defying the underlying spirit of their new diplomatic relationship and trying to bring Pyongyang to its knees. In a statement, released via the Norths official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused Washington of committing an unlawful and outrageous act for taking possession of its second-largest bulk freighter. The vessel was originally seized in Indonesia last year for allegedly circumventing UN-imposed sanctions on shipping coal. Its handover to the US was announced last week. Also on rt.com Very standard stuff: Trump says he is not concerned about N. Korean short-range missile tests The statement said the US had used UN Security Council sanctions resolutions as a reason to rob our trade vessel and equated it to a violent infringement of the sovereignty of our country. The statement accused Washington of attempting to use maximum pressure on North Korea in a bid to bring the the country to its knees. It added that the seizure was a denial of the underlying spirit of last Junes DPRK-US Joint Statement on renewed bilateral relations made by US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Singapore. The US should ponder over the consequences of its heinous act, the official said. The 17,000-ton Wise Honest cargo ship was detained by Indonesian authorities and handed over to the US Department of Justice last July. However, it was only last Thursday that the vessel began its journey to American Samoa. US officials believe the vessel was also being used to import heavy machinery to the North, allowing it to circumvent sanctions and improve its capabilities. Tensions between the US and North Korea have been rising in recent months, after Februarys second round of denuclearization talks in Vietnam between Trump and Kim failed to make any headway. Pyongyang has since restarted its program of testing rockets and short-range missiles which South Korean President Moon Jae-in said represented Pyongyangs frustration because it could not reach a deal in Hanoi. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Sanctioning European investors that have already provided most of the agreed funds aimed at building the Russian-led gas pipeline to Europe is totally useless, according to the operator of the Nord Stream 2 project. The comment comes amid the latest attempt by US senators Ted Cruz and Jeanne Shaheen to slap companies involved in the pipeline project with a series of penalties. The draft bill, a copy of which was obtained by Foreign Policy magazine, is aimed at blocking transactions in US-based property, along with interests belonging to the firms. The measure would also penalize entities providing any assistance to the project. Also on rt.com Ukraine sues Gazprom over anticompetitive practices to retain earnings from transit of Russian gas The Gazprom-owned Nord Stream 2 AG said that each of its European partners, including German energy corporations Wintershall and Uniper, French multinational Engie, British-Dutch oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell, and Austrian energy firm OMV, has so far invested around a billion euros into the joint project that is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. Thats reportedly the lion share of the enterprises approved budget of 8 billion (US$8.9bn). Gazprom and five European investors, along with the contractors fully support the project, the operator said, stressing that the cooperation allowed to create thousands of jobs and an impetus for European economic growth. Also on rt.com Berlins ambassador in Washington attempts to defend Russian energy majors from US sanctions The Nord Stream 2 pipeline project has attracted more than 670 firms from 25 countries, according to the company that once again highlighted that the enterprise shouldnt be involved in politicized disputes. Implementation of the project is fully based on the legal framework and approval documents that rely on the European Union legislation and legal conventions, the spokesperson said. Also on rt.com Full stream ahead: RT takes a peek at progress on construction of Russias Nord Stream 2 pipeline The project, aimed at doubling the existing pipelines capacity of 55 billion cubic meters annually, has divided the 28-state bloc with some Eastern European nations along with the Baltic states strongly supporting the US position against Nord Stream 2. The US lawmakers latest move aligns with the common rhetoric adopted by Washington over the Russian energy project. The White House has repeatedly rebuked the EU, and Germany in particular, for an alleged dependency on Russian gas supplies, while trying to sell US liquified natural gas (LNG) on European consumers at significantly higher prices. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Facebook-owned WhatsApp messenger has been weaponized to bug the phones of human rights campaigners, lawyers, and other dissidents with an Israeli spyware, sparking a backlash against the programs manufacturer. NSO Group sells its products to governments who are known for outrageous human rights abuses, giving them the tools to track activists and critics. The attack on Amnesty International was the final straw, Danna Ingelton, deputy director of Amnesty Tech, said in a statement on Monday. Its time to stop the use of NSO Groups tools to infiltrate, intimidate and silence civil society. Also on rt.com Pentagon says 120 civilians killed worldwide by US forces in 2018 human rights orgs beg to differ Amnesty, which was targeted along with several human rights lawyers by the WhatsApp exploit, is working with a group of Israeli citizens and a civil rights group on a legal action to force the Israeli Ministry of Defense to revoke NSO Groups export license, claiming the companys flagship product, called Pegasus, is dangerous and prone to abuse and that NSO deliberately sells it to repressive governments. After discovering the vulnerability last week, WhatsApp claims it worked around the clock to develop a patch to protect users from the exploit, finally releasing the fix on Monday. WhatsApp has also reported the issue to the US Department of Justice, which declined to comment to the Financial Times. The company is not yet aware of how many of its 1.5 billion users were affected by the exploit. Attackers installed Pegasus on target users phones through WhatsApps call function, according to the company; users did not even have to answer the call to become infected. Pegasus can turn on a targets microphone and camera at will, peruse emails and texts, and track location all without the targets knowledge. While NSO claims Pegasus is intended for government usage its website insists its mission is developing technology to prevent and investigate terror and crime, and the company claims it carefully vets customers a number of activists and human rights campaigners in the Middle East have found themselves on the wrong end of Pegasus attacks. Amnesty International claims at least 24 human rights defenders, journalists and parliamentarians in Mexico, an employee, several Saudi activists, an Emirati human rights campaigner, and even (allegedly) Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, whose killers reportedly used the software to track him, have been targeted using Pegasus. Also on rt.com Beautiful Diverse Sensational: Israel sets up fake Eurovision boycott page to counter BDS campaign Under no circumstances would NSO be involved in the operating or identifying of targets of its technology, which is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, NSO said, adding that it would not have the ability to target an individual or organization. Amnesty International is not the only organization pursuing legal action against NSO. Alaa Mahajne, a lawyer based in Jerusalem, is suing on behalf of Mexican and Saudi citizens targeted with the software. Its upsetting but not surprising that my team has been targeted with the very technology that we are raising concerns about in our lawsuits, she said. If you like this story, share it with a friend! Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) Opposition senatorial candidate Chel Diokno did not make it to the 'Magic 12'. As of 5:53 p.m., the founding dean of the De La Salle University College of Law ranked 21st in the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) media server's partial, unofficial tally, with 6.17 million votes. In a meeting Tuesday evening, Diokno consoled his supporters, and told them not to apologize for losing the elections. "Wag kayong mag-sorry. (Don't apologize) There is no need to be sorry for anything. We did our best and we did well," Diokno said. He thanked his 6 million voters and said that this is not the end for them. The son of former Senator Jose Diokno, who was the founding chair of the Commission on Human Rights, is a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug campaign. "Noong nagsimula itong kampanya, dalawa lang ang pinag-pasyahan ko sa sarili ko. Unang-una lagi akong mag-sasalita sa kung ano man ang katotohanan, kung tungkol man sa death penalty at sa panghihimasok ng China. At pangalawa ay ako ay magpapakatotoo. Dahil ang gusto kong makita ng taong bayan ay kung sino talaga ako," Diokno said. [Translation: I had decided on two things when the campaign started. First I will always tell the truth, whether it's about death penalty or China's encroachment. Second, I will be true to myself, because I want the people to see who I really am.] He said that he is not sad about the election results, and that the fight is still not over. "Wala nang iyak-iyakan. Dahil bukas na bukas mag sisimula tayo ulit. Bukas dapat may iba tayong ma-woke," he added, refering to how his social media followers had pegged him as a 'woke' lolo (grandfather). [Translation: So don't cry. Tomorrow we'll start again. Tomorrow we will help other people become 'woke'.] While he did not say if he would run for office again, the human rights lawyer said that he will continue to fight for the oppressed. "Kung merong oppressed, merong nang-o-oppress. Kung tayo ay magising, magpapamulat, magiging woke, magpapa-oppress pa po ba tayo?" [Translation: If there are oppressed, then there must be people who oppress them. If we wake up, open our eyes and become 'woke', will we still let ourselves be oppressed?] As of 5:53 p.m., the 12 candidates leading the unofficial, partial tally are Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Bong Go, Pia Cayetano, Bato Dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, Lito Lapid, Imee Marcos, Francis Tolentino, Bong Revilla, Koko Pimentel and Nancy Binay. Adani Group on Tuesday said it has received approvals to develop a new container terminal in Myanmar as the diversified conglomerate spreads its port operations beyond Indian shores. This will be Adani's second international port after Australia. It said the investment does not breach Australian, US, UN or other international sanctions against Myanmar. "Adani rejects insinuations that this investment is unethical or will compromise human rights," the group said in a statement. "As with all its international investments, the Adani Group has been guided by the Securities and Exchange Board of India and other key international guidelines and will inform the concerned authorities when we firm up the agreements." The land where the port is proposed to be built has been leased from the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC). "An Adani Group company, the Adani Yangon International Terminal Co Ltd, has received approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission for an investment in a new container port in the Yangon Region," the company said in a statement without giving investment it is going to make in developing the terminal to receive containers sailing on ships. Local reports put the investment committed by Adani at USD 290 million. Adani operates five ports in India including Mundra and Hazira in Gujarat and has three terminals at ports in Murmugao, Vishakhapatnam and Tuna-Tekra. It is building a container terminal at Ennore in Tamil Nadu and Vizinjham port in Kerala. It also has a port in Australia. Adani Yangon International Terminal, a company incorporated in Singapore, received approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission on April 26 to develop, operate and maintain the Ahlone International Port Terminal-2 (AIPT-2) under a 50-year Build, Operate and Transfer agreement with the government, according to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). AIPT-2 in Ahlone township by the Yangon river will be developed across 50 acres of land owned by Myanmar Economic Corporation, which is currently operating AIPT-1, according to DICA. The company will enjoy income tax incentives for the first three years of operations. Construction of the port, which will be built from scratch, is expected to begin in September. Phase 1 of development will involve enough capacity to handle between 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), or twenty-foot containers, when it is completed within the targeted 12 months. Phase 2, which will take an additional six months to construct, is expected to take the port's total capacity to a maximum of 8 lakh TEUs. Adani statement said the Myanmar Investment Commission is an entity of the Myanmar government that is governed by senior ministers and public servants including representatives of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Planning and Finance, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. The port terminal will be built under the auspices of the Myanmar Port Authority, the Myanmar Ministry of Transport and Communication, it said. "The new container port will enable Myanmar to bring further efficiencies to the nation's international trade by enabling cost-effective, high-volume imports and exports," it said. "This will benefit Myanmar's civil society by contributing to the nation's economic development and create more than 1,100 local jobs." Adani said its investment does not breach any international sanctions against Myanmar. "It is important to note that many economic sanctions against Myanmar were lifted in recent years (including by the USA and Australia) following political reforms within the country and the election of a civilian government," it said. The company added that while some nations, including Australia, have arms embargos and travel restrictions on key members of the military in place, this does not preclude investment in the nation or business dealings with corporations such as MEC. The Group's vision, it said, is to help build critical infrastructure for nations across key markets and help in propelling economic development and social impacts. AIPT-2 will be part of Yangon Port cluster on Strand Road in downtown Yangon, which includes Asia World Port Terminal and Myanmar Industrial Port. Container traffic in Myanmar is projected to grow to 20 lakh TEUs from current 12 lakh TEUs in the next few years and the new port will handle part of the traffic. Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer, reported on May 14 a bigger fall in quarterly profit than analysts had expected, amid waning demand for electronics from its key customers, including Apple Inc. Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, reported net profit of T$19.82 billion ($637.26 million) for the first three months of 2019, down 17.7% from the same period a year earlier, the company said in a statement. The result lagged the T$24.84 billion average of eight analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv. The company did not explain what led to the worse-than-expected profit. Arthur Liao, an analyst at Fubon Research in Taipei, said ahead of the results that despite slowing Apple iPhone sales, Foxconn is set to benefit from the launch of new iPhone models, expected later this year. The prolonged downturn in global tech demand has hit profits for Taiwan's many technology manufacturers this year. TSMC, the world's biggest contract chipmaker, posted a 32 percent drop in March quarter net profit from a year earlier, citing slowing mobile sales. Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, who said last month he would run for president of Taiwan in 2020, met US President Donald Trump earlier this month to discuss the status of the Taiwan company's planned investment in Wisconsin. Last month, he told Reuters he planned to step down from the world's largest contract manufacturer to make way for younger talent to move up its ranks. Gou, who retained a seat in the company's proposed new board, said last week he would resign as the chairman to demonstrate his determination to run in Taiwan's presidential election. The board proposal is subject to approval at an annual shareholder meeting in June before a chairman can be elected. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on May 14 said it has received final approval from the US health regulator for generic version of AstraZeneca's Nexium, used to treat acid reflux. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc, USA has been granted final approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) for Esomeprazole Magnesium delayed-release capsules USP in the strengths of 20 mg and 40 mg, the company said in a BSE filing. The approved products is a generic version of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals' Nexium delayed-release capsules. Citing IQVIA sales data, Glenmark said, Nexium delayed-release capsules, 20 mg and 40 mg achieved annual sales of around $395.1 million in the 12-month period ended March 2019. The company said its current portfolio consists of 153 products authorised for distribution in the US and 58 ANDA's pending approval with the USFDA. Shares of Glenmark Pharma were trading 0.46 percent higher at Rs 594.35 apiece on BSE. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Reiterating that it alone can't bring in all the capital needed to revive Jet Airways, Etihad Airways said it has offered to acquire a minority stake in the troubled cash-strapped Indian airline. Responding to queries from Moneycontrol, the Abu Dhabi-based airline said, "Etihad has confirmed its interest to re-invest in a minority stake in Jet Airways, subject to conditions." The airline at present holds 24 percent stake in the Indian airline. Etihad Airways is the only shortlisted bidder to have submitted its bid, the deadline for which expired on May 10. Other shortlisted bidders included TPG Capital, Indigo Partners and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). Sources said the airline has offered to invest Rs 1,700 crore. That won't be enough to meet Jet Airways' repayments, which owes banks Rs 8,000 crore, and thousands of crores in pending payments to lessors, vendors and employees. But Etihad said it alone can't be expected to meet the obligations. "Etihad re-emphasises that it cannot be expected to be the sole investor and that additional suitable investors would need to provide majority of Jet Airways' required recapitalisation," the airline said. Etihad reiterated that it remains focused on the Indian market. "India is one of the fastest-growing air transport markets in the world, and a significant economic partner of 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 Airways' return as a viable and competitive Indian airline, and continues to do so," it added. Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube has resigned with immediate effect, just hours after the distressed airline's deputy CEO and CFO Amit Agarwal had put in his papers. Dube, who had joined the airline in August 2017, "has resigned from the services of the company with immediate effect due to personal reasons," Jet Airways said in a statement. Sources added the airline's Chief People Office Rahul Taneja has also resigned. Kuldeep Sharma, Company Secretary and Compliance Officer, has also resigned from the services of the Company with immediate effect. The top-level exits come even as lenders are working with Etihad Airways, which was the only shortlisted bidder to put in a bid. The airline seized operations temporarily around mid-April due to an acute liquidity crisis. Most of the airline's board members have also quit in the last month. The resignations have given rise to wide speculation. Senior executives from the industry said the management may have taken the decision after it was revealed that Etihad has offered to take just a minority share in Jet Airways. Etihad Airways offer includes equity infusion of Rs 1,700 crore. That may not be enough to service Jets debt of over Rs 8,000 crore and settle arrears of vendors, lessors and employees. "It's unfortunate that the those at the helm of Jet Airways have sensed no future with the airline and have chosen to abandon the airline. Thus, this development comes as devastating news for employees and those who wait in hope for the airline's return, said Mark Martin, Founder and CEO of Martin Consulting LLC, an aviation advisory and consulting firm. Etihad's cruel joke of submitting an envelope with no bid and a list of terms of conditions sends out a clear message and that time's up for Jet Airways and its best that we move on, he added. Etihad Airways declined to comment on the development. Vinay Dube had joined Jet Airways in August 2017 before which he was Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific for Delta Air Lines. A 30-year industry veteran, the Indian American had turned around Deltas operations in Asia. Under him, the airlines Asia Pacific business had expanded over 60 percent by entering new markets and stitching up alliances. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More There is unease at the UK units of Tata Steel with unions demanding assurance that the operations will not be split and sold off after the proposed joint venture with thyssenkrupp collapsed last week. The unions had been unhappy about the remedies proposed by Tata Steel to get a nod from the European Commission for the JV. But the Commission, which was probing if the JV would hurt competition, blocked the deal. "The Tatas offered three units totaling nearly a million tons of annual capacity. And thyssenkrupp offered only one small unit. Tata's European unions felt it was no longer a JV, but a takeover," a senior London-based official told Moneycontrol. "If Thyssenkrupp had put forward a remedy then the JV would have been accepted by the Commission... Its disappointing and frustrating from Unions view, but we did not agree with the remedies they put forward," the official added. Though the joint venture is no longer on the horizon, the workers now fear Tata Steel will look for options to sell the units and that will lead to job losses. "They want assurances that the European operations are not broken up and units are not sold off individually," said another executive. "The Tatas now have to commit to the investment programme for Europe and with the right leadership the European businesses will be successful," said the first official quoted above. Tata Steel's European operations include units in the UK and Netherlands, and employ about 20,000 people. The Netherlands-based unit are said to among the most profitable ones in Europe. But the UK operations have been constrained under high energy costs in the country, and legacy issues. Tata Steel didn't respond to queries from Moneycontrol. Looking at options Addressing the media on a conference call on May 10, after the JV was called off, Tata Steel CEO & MD TV Narendran reiterated that the company has a few options, and is exploring them. He also added that the UK operations should improve upon their performance this year, after a blast furnace shutdown dented numbers in 2018. At the same time, he underlined that the units in Europe need to be cash positive. While Executive Director & CFO Koushik Chatterjee said that the volumes in Europe should increase by 5 percent this year, the demand outlook in the continent is dim. The management was hoping to bring some stability to the units under the JV, which would have also taken over about 15 percent of Tata Steel debt of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore. But the circumstances have now turned. The union leaders may again seek an appointment with Tata Steel Chairman N Chandrasekaran, whom they had met in April. Chandrasekaran had mandated the Tata Steel leadership to get a solution for the European units. But with the JV now a failure, the management has to come up with viable options. Representative image India is expected to again extend the deadline by a month to impose retaliatory import duties on 29 US products, including almond, walnut and pulses, an official said. The previous extension will end on May 16. The commerce ministry has asked its finance counterpart to issue a notification with regard to further extension of the deadline, the official added. These deadlines were extended several times since June 2018, when India decided to impose these duties in retaliation to a move by the US to impose high customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. This extension comes in the backdrop of the US decision to withdraw export incentives being provided to Indian exporters under Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme, which is expected to impact India's exports to the US worth $5.6 billion under this scheme. America had given 60 days notice, which ended on May 2 but has yet to withdraw those benefits. Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu held bilateral meetings on May 6 here to discuss trade-related issues. Further extension of GSP benefits was part of a trade package being negotiated between the two countries. However, those negotiations hit a roadblock after the US announced its decision to roll back GSP benefits from Indian exporters. The US administration has alleged that India in imposing high import duties on products such as paper and Harley Davidson motorcycles from America. India wants US to exempt them from the high duty imposed on certain steel and aluminium products, provide greater market access for agriculture, automobile, automobile components and engineering sector products. On the other hand, the US is demanding greater market access through a cut in import duties for its agriculture goods, dairy products, medical devices, IT and communication items. As part of the imposition of higher import duties, India has notified higher tariffs on several products. While import duty on walnut has been hiked to 120 per cent from 30 per cent, duty on chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and masur dal will be raised to 70 per cent, from 30 per cent currently. Levy on lentils will be increased to 40 per cent. India's exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at $47.9 billion, while imports were at $26.7 billion. The trade balance is in favour of India. The two-day World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting of developing countries concluded in New Delhi on May 14 with the 22 participating countries reaching a common ground on immediately resolving the dispute settlement crisis. Roberto Azevedo, Director General, WTO, said that the dispute settlement issue is a deep crisis and all countries have to look for a resolution. "Business as usual approach is not an option anymore and all members should work for a solution," he said. The WTO's dispute settlement system is facing a crisis as the US has blocked the appointment of appeals judges since last year, which has now resulted in the shrinking of the numbers from seven to three. Two of the three judges are scheduled to retire on December 10, following which appeals made by WTO members on panel reports cant be entertained. "On most subjects common ground was reached. The non-appointment of members to the Appellate Body was discussed. It has been agreed that this is the most important and critical issue that needs to be resolved and it was unanimously agreed that the continued functioning of the Appellate Body should be restored," Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan said at a press conference. India also made its stance clear on special and differential treatment. "Special and differential treatment are not only an unconditional right but also a principal and modality to help developing countries. Developing countries will continue to use this tool in future," JS Deepak, India's ambassador to WTO, said at the briefing. Among the 24 invited countries, 22 participated and 17 countries signed a joint declaration issued after the meet. "Kazakhstan, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil and Guatemala could not sign due to technical issues," Wadhawan said. On discussions on e-commerce and the rules to govern the sector, it was agreed that all proposed reforms need to be inclusive in nature and centre around the development of countries. All countries agreed that e-commerce boundaries were ambiguous. E-commerce, or online trade in goods and services, has become a huge component of the global economy. A WTO report put the total value of e-commerce in 2016 at $27.7 trillion, of which nearly $24 trillion was business-to-business transactions. "The New Delhi ministerial meeting is an initiative by India to facilitate a free and frank exchange of views on all issues of common interest, particularly of the Developing Countries and will explore how to collectively address the challenges emerging from suggestions on WTO reform," Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said. The next round of discussions are expected to take place in Paris on the sidelines of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development meetings. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The collapse of Tata Steel's proposed joint venture with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is "marginally credit negative" for the Indian steel major, a global rating agency has said. The steel major's Indian operation will largely be able to offset the impact of the collapse, it said. "Tata Steel Ltd and Thyssenkrupp AG's decision to cease efforts on their proposed Europe joint venture is marginally credit negative for Tata Steel," S&P Rating said in a bulletin in the wake of the development. This is likely to depress the ratio of funds from operations (FFO) to debt by about 100 basis points across our forecast horizon, it said. Tata Steel and the German conglomerate decided to call off their proposed steel joint venture (JV), expecting the deal to be rejected by the European Commission over "continuing concerns". "The cancellation of the joint venture will also leave Tata Steel exposed to the weaker and more volatile performance of the European operations until the company identifies an alternative strategy to deconsolidate the European operations," the global rating agency said. "However, sustained high steel prices and continued robust profitability of Tata Steel's India business remain the more important factors for our positive rating outlook on the company (BB-/positive)," it said. "We expect supportive steel prices and continued high utilisation in the India business to drive Tata Steel's FFO-to-debt sustainably above 15 per cent over the next six to 12 months. This is notwithstanding the drag from the retention of the Europe business and the lower-than-expected fourth- quarter profitability in 2019," S&P said. The breakup of the proposed JV may also restrict the steel major to go for further acquisition in India. "Any outsized spending by Tata Steel on new acquisitions would be a risk to our estimates, though we view this risk to be low-given that there are no large steel mills left to be auctioned in Indian bankruptcy courts," the bulletin said. 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 could have formed the continent's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal. The deadline for Jet Airways corporate insolvency resolution process is October 21 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways submitted its sealed bid to acquire a minority stake in Jet Airways with a lot of conditions that involved finding more investors. Lenders to beleaguered Jet Airways are reportedly disappointed by the Gulf carrier's bid and do not have a lot of hope for Jet's revival. The airline temporarily shut its operations on April 17. Sources told The Times of India that lenders were unhappy with the bid that Etihad had submitted on May 10. "It is basically not a bid, it is essentially an expression of interest. Etihad wants lenders to find a majority partner to restructure Jet with it and it wants lenders to take a substantial haircut on their exposure of about Rs 9,000 crore to the grounded airline. And Etihad also wants an exemption from the open offer," sources said. Etihad Airways said earlier that it could not put in more than Rs 1,700 crore in Jet. However, the magnitude of Jet's problems is so huge that it can only resume operations with an infusion of about Rs 15,000 crore. A joint venture Indian airline cannot have a foreign partner with more than 49 percent stake, as per the substantial ownership effective control (SOEC). It also dictates that effective control of the airline must lie with the Indian majority partner. An alternative Apart from Etihad Airways, unsolicited bidders also submitted their offers to the lenders. They might now be considered as Etihad's bid was not appealing to the lenders. Sources told Mint that banks might now approach the entities who expressed interest in getting a stake in the cash-strapped airline after the formal process had closed. Some of these bidders have also approached Etihad looking for a partnership with the airline. State Bank of India reportedly received two unsolicited bids for the carrier. Etihad, TPG Capital, Indigo Partners and India's National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) submitted expressions of Interest in April for a stake in Jet Airways. "NIIF is evaluating the resolution process and may invest at a later date depending upon whether lenders are able to find enough investors," one source told the paper. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Nifty snapped 9-day losing streak on May 14 and reclaimed 11,200. However, for bulls to regain control, the index has to close above 11,250-11,300 convincingly else selling pressure could continue. The final tally the S&P BSE Sensex rose 227 points to 37,318 while the Nifty closed 73 points higher at 11,222. On the higher side, 11,280-11,300 indeed proved to be a key resistance zone for the day. If the bulls manage to take out that hurdle then 11,370-11,400 shall act as a subsequent barrier, Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, Senior Technical Analyst, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas told Moneycontrol. Nevertheless, the overall trend for the index continues to be down. Once the bounce is over, the Nifty can head lower towards the medium term rising trendline drawn from the October low, which is near 11,000, he said. We have collated technical outlook on five stocks which saw wild swings in intraday day trade: Analyst: Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research. Vodafone Idea: Stock fell post Q4 results| Use pullback to exit The stock is in a bearish trend for over three years now making lower tops and lower bottoms. There has been some sideways movement, but the overall momentum has been in the favour of the bears. Failure to take out previous swing highs, lower tops and lower bottoms, minor pullbacks are some indication that bears are aggressively riding it. Technically, there may be some pullbacks but those eventually end up trapping biases of investors. We believe this stock may remain in a negative trend and any pullback is an opportunity to exit. Also, this sector has been underperforming since the last few quarters as the weakness continue to haunt telecom as space. This is an avoid/sell the stock. HDFC: Buy on dips post Q4 for your long-term portfolio This is one of the stocks that is a must in any investor or traders long-term portfolio. It has been in its secular uptrend since 2009, post the fall of 2008. Though in last few quarters we are seeing sideways consolidation in stock as it is oscillating in the range and capped at Rs 2,100. Trend indicators are also pointing towards sideways trading. The stock should be accumulated on any dips and correction towards Rs 1,800 as there is an uptrend channel formation. The stock could retest higher targets of Rs 2,200. Hence once should continue to hold or buy on dips. Tech Mahindra: IT stocks remained under pressure| Down over 3 percent Tech Mahindra is in an overall uptrend and may continue to remain strong. The stock has recently breached its previous all-time high placed at Rs 748 to mark a new all-time high. Since prices are in the unchartered territory, we believe the trend may remain in place with Rs 748 being the point of inflection. There is also a positive (golden) cross on a higher timeframe which will now attract smart money on any dips. Hence, any correction from Rs 750 is an opportunity to enter into the bullish trend for a target of Rs 900. It is a hold/ buy on dips stock. Bajaj Auto Ltd: Sell on rallies as long as it trades below Rs 3,150 The stock has broken out from a long term upward channel that prices were trending since 2009. The overall pattern of stock now looks weaker since the stock is seeing a change of character. We believe it may face stiff resistance around Rs 3,110-3,150. Further, a break below Rs 2,800 would confirm its correction and the stock may slip to Rs 2,450. We believe as far as stock is below Rs 3,150, it is a sell on advances. Bajaj Finance Ltd: Use dips to buy this blue chip stock It was one of the outperformers that clearly witnessed smart money flowing in on dips in the last 3-4 years of its bullish run. Though, in this stock, one should be looking for dips rather than buying at random points. It has recovered from the last three major corrections. The stock is well supported by long-term support line that now comes at Rs 2,5502,600. Hence, any correction in stock towards these levels should be utilized to buy. At present we believe the stock is expensive. The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More MSCI Inc., a leading provider of research-based indices and analytics, announced the Semi-Annual Index Review for the MSCI Equity Indices, including the MSCI India index and MSCI India Domestic Small Cap index. The research firm included ICICI Lombard General Insurance in the MSCI India Domestic Index while deleted Cadila Healthcare from it, according to changes announced on May 13. The MSCI quarterly index review changes will be effective May 29, 2019, said the MSCI release. The MSCI India index is designed to measure the performance of the largecap and midcap segments of the Indian market. The index is reviewed quarterlyin February, May, August, and Novemberwith the objective of reflecting a change in the underlying equity markets in a timely manner, while limiting undue index turnover Currently, with 80 constituents, the index covers ~85 percent of the Indian equity universe. Sectorally, financial services have the highest weight in the index followed by technology. Top 10 holding of MSCI index includes Reliance Industries, HDFC, Infosys, TCS, Axis Bank, HUL, ITC, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki and L&T. The research firm added 14 stocks in the MSCI India Domestic Small-cap index. They are: Aavas Financiers, Abbott India, Adani Gas, AstraZeneca Pharma, Balrampur Chini, Chalet Hotels, Credit Acess Grameen, Indostar Capital Finance, L&T Technology Services, Maharashtra Scooters, Oil India, Orient Electric, Sanofi India and TCNS Clothing. It deleted 10 stocks from the MSCI India Domestic Small-cap index. They include CESC Ventures, DCM Shriram, Gujarat Mineral, Reliance Communication, Reliance Power, S H Kelkar, Shankara Building, Spencer Retail, Supreme Petro and Triveni Turbine. The above report is for information only and not buy or sell ideas. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Oil prices inched higher on Tuesday, though gains were checked amid an escalation in the trade war between the United States and China. Brent crude futures were at $70.27 a barrel at 0104 GMT, up 6 cents, or 0.1%, from their last close. Brent ended the previous session little changed. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.17 per barrel, up 12 cents, or 0.2%, from their previous settlement. WTI closed the last session steady on the day. Analysts said the U.S.-China trade war was overshadowing the market, though market fundamentals provided some support. "A full-blown trade war would have lasting consequences on global growth, seriously limiting the upside for energy demand. Disruptions have balanced the market, but lower demand and rising U.S. production could make for a quick reversal," said Alfonso Esparza, senior market analyst, OANDA. China defied a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump and moved to impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas. Focus was also on the Middle East after Saudi Arabia on Monday said that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and described it as an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid tensions between the United States and Iran. The U.S. Energy Department said on Monday that it was confident global oil markets are well supplied. Nestle products (Image: Reuters) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More FMCG major Nestle India May 14 reported a 9.25 per cent rise in profit to Rs 463.28 crore for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. The company, which follows January-December financial year, had posted a profit of Rs 424.03 crore in the same period a year ago. Nestle also announced plans to launch organic food products in the category 'milk products and nutrition' in the coming months. Total income in the quarter stood at Rs 3,076.14 crore. It was Rs 2,813.6 crore in the corresponding period last year, Nestle India said in a BSE filing. Nestle said total sales increased by 9 per cent during the quarter under review. Domestic sales increased by 10.2 per cent supported by higher volumes. Export sales during the quarter dropped by 8.9 per cent due to lower coffee exports to Turkey, it added. "We have continued on the track of volume led growth with our iconic brands like Maggi, Kitkat and Nestle Munch delivering strong performances. "The market momentum remained strong, while the input costs have witnessed hardening...In line with our vision to provide exciting options rooted in nutrition, health and wellness, we will be launching organic food products in the category 'milk products and nutrition' in the coming months," Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan said. Shares of Nestle settled 0.99 lower at Rs 10,214.70 apiece on the BSE. Bowing to pressure from homebuyers, lenders of embattled firm Jaypee Infratech finally decided to put to vote the revised resolution plan submitted by the governments construction arm NBCC from May 16 to May 19, sources said. This was decided at the Committee of Creditors meeting held in the Capital on May 14. The voting process would start on Thursday at 9 am and end on Sunday at 5 pm, sources said, adding the results will be declared on May 20. Kuldeep Verma, the homebuyers representative in the CoC, firmly insisted that the NBCC plan was viable and should be put to vote without further delay while lenders were of the view that it was not feasible. He also informed the committee that thousands of home buyers were in favour of voting on NBCCs revised bid, sources said. Homebuyers welcomed the decision. After years of suffering at the hands of Jaypee and courts, the most important milestone has arrived CoC has agreed to put NBCC resolution plan to vote, they said. Bankers who participated in the CoC on Tuesday were opposed to putting the NBCC's bid to vote and were in favour of further negotiations. They even made a plea before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal for a stay on the voting process but the NCLAT refused to stay voting by the creditors. Sources said bankers had even proposed taking control of Jaypee Infratech and roping in NBCC as Project Management Consultant (PMC) to complete over 20,000 delayed flats. But they apparently did not have approval from their board for the plan, sources said. Lenders have been opposed to the NBCCs bid as it had ruled out any changes to certain clauses that include exemption from tax liability in its revised offer. Jaypee Infratech's Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) Anuj Jain too favoured that the voting process for NBCCs revised offer should go on. Home buyers have nearly 60 percent voting rights in the CoC but bankers expressed their dissent. A minimum 66 percent vote of financial creditors (bankers and homebuyers) is required for the approval of any resolution plan. Majority of home buyers are likely to vote in favour of NBCC bid but many also fear that lenders may reject it, abstain from it or perhaps opt for liquidation as they do not want to take up to 60 percent hair-cut against their claim of Rs 9,782 crore, sources said. On May 13, a day before the Committee of Creditors (CoC) meeting, the governments construction arm NBCC decided against withdrawing certain clauses such as the exemption from tax liability, sources said. At the last meeting, lenders had flagged serious concerns about the state-owned firm's conditional bid to take over embattled Jaypee Infratech and sought NBCC's reply by May 13. In its revised offer, NBCC had 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. But it had 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. On last Friday, lenders had written to the governments construction arm seeking clarifications on certain relief and concessions put forward by it in its resolution plan. "NBCC has decided not to dilute the clauses on an exemption from income tax liability as well as taking consent of development authorities for the transfer of businesses. It has also not agreed to change its proposal that lenders should be given unsold flats in NBCC fails to sell them in the market due to prevailing real estate market conditions," sources had told Moneycontrol on Monday. Sources said NBCC will not withdraw the conditions mentioned in its bid as asked by the lenders since the company would need to get its board's approval, which will, however, not meet by May 13. Lenders had sought clarifications from the NBCC after Jaypee Infratech's Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) Anuj Jain had written to the CoC that NBCC's revised bid was conditional as the state-owned firm has stated that the plan would not be binding on it unless key relief measures such as extinguishing of income tax liability and a dispensation from seeking consent of YEIDA (Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority) for any business transfer is granted, sources had said. The CoC is considering NBCC's offer after it rejected Mumbai-based Suraksha Realty's bid on May 3 through an e-voting process under the insolvency law. Earlier, the lenders had not allowed a vote on the NBCC bid citing lack of approvals from the government departments. NBCC later received all mandatory approvals. The court-mandated deadline for completing the resolution plan for Jaypee 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 and maintained status quo till then. Besides NBCC, Adani Group has also shown interest to bid for Jaypee Infratech but creditors have not sought resolution plan from Adani so far. Jaypee Group's promoters also have put in a bid, under Section 12A of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, to retain control of the company. In 2017, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted the application by an IDBI Bank-led consortium seeking resolution of Jaypee Infratech. In 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. In October 2018, the IRP started a fresh initiative to revive Jaypee Infratech on NCLT's direction. Jaypee Infratech is developing about 32,000 flats, of which it has delivered 9,500 units. May 14, 2019 / 08:19 AM IST live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Here are the stocks that are in news today: Results Today: Siemens, Nestle India, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India, Welspun Corp, Zee Media Corporation Edelweiss Financial Services, Endurance Technologies, Fiem Industries, HOEC, IIFL Holdings, Lumax Industries, Pidilite Industries, Polycab India, PTC India, Sequent Scientific, Speciality Restaurants, Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri, Westlife Development CARE reaffirmed credit rating on the bank facilities of PNC Infratech subsidiary PNC Khajuraho Highways as CARE A Godrej Industries Q4: Consolidated net profit at Rs 424 crore versus Rs 178.3 crore, revenue up 48.3 percent at Rs 2,917 crore versus Rs 2,004 crore, YoY. Indian Acrylics Q4: Net profit up 81.8% at Rs 5 crore against Rs 2.6 crore, revenue up 47.5% at Rs 174.2 crore versus Rs 118.1 crore, YoY Avadh Sugar recommended the issue of bonus shares in the ratio of 1:1 Shreyans Industries recommended final dividend of Rs 5 per equity share CRISIL downgraded DHFLs commercial paper rating to A4+ from A3+ due to more than expected reduction in companys liquidity Aarti Industries board may consider issue of bonus shares on May 21 United Bank of India board approved raising of Rs 1,500 crore via equity Engineers India signed a contract with Mangol Refinery from providing its PMC Services for construction of Crude Oil Refinery plant in Mongolia Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings BEML board meeting on May 25 to consider and approve the financial results for the period ended March 31, 2019 and dividend Lakshmi Vilas Bank board meeting on May 28 to consider and approve the financial results for the period ended March 31, 2019 Divis Lab board meeting on May 25 to consider and approve the financial results for the period ended March 31, 2019 and dividend JSPL board meeting on May 21 to consider and approve the financial results for the period ended March 31, 2019 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Misinformed reports about Infosys Foundations registration being cancelled by the Home Ministry due to violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) norms have hurt us, said Chairperson Sudha Murty. Murty, who advanced her return to India from London by a couple of days on account of these issues, told Moneycontrol, ''It is really disappointing the way things panned out when there was no violation.'' ''I wish people would read, ask us questions and then hang us. But people dont read,'' said a frustrated Murty. What happened? Several media reports on May 13, quoting the Home Ministry stated that the Bengaluru-based foundations registration had been cancelled for violation of FCRA. Murty refuted this saying that it was the Foundation which had requested for de-registration and the process was finalised in January 2019. Infosys Foundation, which was founded in 1996, was registered under FCRA in January 2016 as over 50 percent of Infosys shareholders, which funds the charitable foundation, were foreign sources. However, the amendment to the Act in May 2016 capped the funding to be in line with FDI for that sector and Infosys Foundation no longer came under the purview of FCRA. The company requested for de-registration of the foundation under FCRA in June 2016 and was accepted a month later. Murty explained, ''It takes long to register, longer to de-register. In January 2019, we sat with home ministry officials and made it official. The same is reflected in the FCRA site that we were de-registered 'on request'.'' In addition, Murty clarified that there was no show cause notice sent to the foundation as mentioned in the reports. There was no show cause notice. The ministry had requested bank statements and we furnished them, she added. The company had submitted the financial reports for FY16, FY17 and FY18. According to Murty, the foundation had submitted the documents even when there were no transactions for the said period as the foundation was not under the purview of FCRA. Murty said, ''The reports stating that the foundation violated norms have affected us. We are Infosys charitable arm and we get a funding of Rs 400 crore every year. We dont need any other funding.'' Apart from these misinformed reports, it is work as usual for the foundation, which is working on Puri, Odisha cyclone relief efforts in the areas of electricity, water and setting up kitchens to distribute free food. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Share price of telecom major Vodafone Idea fell over 4 percent intraday after global research firm CLSA initiated a Sell Rating on the stock and cut target to Rs 12.50 from Rs 27 per share. It is of the view that operating metrics looks weak with slower-than-expected data adoption. The firm has raised FY20 EBITDA estimates by 9 percent while FY21 gearing will be uncomfortable at 6.3x EBITDA. However, Deutsche Bank has a Buy rating on Vodafone Idea with a target at Rs 70 per share. EBITDA is ahead of estimates but revenue growth is soft, it said. The firm is of the view that results should allay some investor concerns. Operating expenses declined sequentially on realisation of merger synergies while its operating metrics compare favorably to its peers. At 10:26 hrs Vodafone Idea Limited was quoting at Rs 13.85, down Rs 0.60, or 4.15 percent. It has touched a 52-week low of Rs 13.60. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Highlights - Margins in the electro-mechanical segment have been improving- Weakness is likely to persist in unitary cooling products - The stock can be bought on correction -------------------------------------------------- Voltas saw a disappointing Q4, weighed down by a sharp weakness in the unitary cooling products (UCP) segment. While profitable contracts in the electromechanical project space (EMPS) will be prioritised, revival of AC demand and achieving benefits of scale in 'Voltas Beko', its recently-launched home appliances unit, will be crucial for the stock's re-rating. Q4 FY19 performance Positives - Voltas' market share in the AC space increased to 23.9 percent in FY19, from 22.1 percent in FY18 - Uptick in order execution and revenue recognition in connection with projects nearing completion drove turnover in the EMPS segment - Margins in the EP&S (Engineering products and services) segment improved because of a good product mix Negatives - Consolidated margins contracted sharply because of significant weakness in the UCP segment. This, in turn, was attributable to high costs on raw materials and employees, weak demand scenario for ACs and air coolers, one-time costs and muted performance in commercial refrigeration - In the EMPS segment, profitability declined since most of the orders were low-margin in nature - Losses from subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures rose substantially year-on-year - Revenue in the EP&S segment declined year-on-year because of sluggish demand for textile machinery Observations EMPS segment Voltas' carry forward order book stood at Rs 4,976 crore at the end of FY19, as against Rs 5,062 crore as on March 31, 2018. This is estimated to grow on the back of increased emphasis on government-funded urban infrastructure projects pertaining to electrification, roads, metros, airports, water treatment, healthcare and education. In the Middle East, concerns relating to Qatar-based operations are being resolved and opportunities are being explored in Bahrain. An uptick in oil prices should augur well for economic growth in these countries, which could help Voltas bag more orders. However, there are still some delays in receiving collections from an Oman-based joint venture entity. In Q1 FY20, the company bagged orders worth Rs 392 crore and Rs 626 crore for domestic and international verticals, respectively. Notwithstanding quarterly volatility, the aim is to keep margins in the range of 7-7.5 percent in the long run. In a bid to boost profitability, the management will bid for assignments which are commercially viable, cost-efficient and those where risks associated with completion-related delays are minimal. UCP segment Liquidation of AC inventory stuck across trade channels (due to extended winters in Q4 FY19) will be prioritised to reduce working capital strain. In Q1 FY20, summer conditions are expected to remain stable, which should facilitate demand revival. The management guided for margins of 11 percent on a sustainable basis for the upcoming fiscals. Introduction of inverter ACs -- comprising 40 percent of split AC sales in FY19 -- and market share gains (which hint at volume growth) would be the key drivers in this regard. A new AC manufacturing factory will be set up in Tirupati. The move should help Voltas target the southern and western India markets better, save logistical costs and reduce dependence on imports. Under the 'Voltas Beko' brand, the company has launched 31/5/12 new SKUs (stock keeping units) in refrigerators/washing machines/microwaves, respectively, so far. In due course, these products would be made available across India in a phased manner. Moreover, domestic manufacturing of such appliances at Sanand in Gujarat is slated to commence in Q3 FY20. This would save costs substantially from FY21 onwards (currently, all 'Voltas Beko' products are entirely imported). A total of 39 SKUs of air coolers have been introduced in the market to capitalise on the industry shift from unorganised to organised players. In commercial refrigeration, new models have been launched in areas such as convertible freezer, freezer on wheels, curved glass freezer, water dispensers and coolers. This domain has been gaining strong traction lately. EP&S segment To reduce exposure to capital-intensive textile machinery sales, the management is shifting its attention to maintenance services instead. In contrast, Voltas' Mozambique-based mining operations have been going on fairly profitably. Outlook While we remain optimistic about Voltas' improving trajectory in the EMPS segment, the UCP segment may face some margin pressure in the near term because of weak air cooler sales and investments in brand building for Voltas Beko (by way of high dealer margins and spends on advertisements). Nevertheless, if AC sales pick up pace and contribute to operating leverage, to some extent, the negative impact can be taken care of. In our view, the stock may continue going through a rough patch in the next few quarters. Prospects of a re-rating anytime soon seem pretty bleak. We advise investors to buy on corrections. Follow @krishnakarwa152 For more research articles, visit our Moneycontrol Research page Moneycontrol Research analysts do not hold positions in the companies discussed here With voting in over 480 Lok Sabha constituencies having concluded, focus has shifted to the seats heading for polling in the final phase of the Lok Sabha election, on May 19. In this phase, voting will happen in 59 constituencies across seven states and one Union Territory. While polling will continue in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh will vote entirely in this phase. The Election Commission has ordered re-polling at a polling station in Haryanas Faridabad parliamentary seat on May 19 after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) polling agent was arrested for allegedly trying to influence voters at a booth. A video of the purported act had gone viral, prompting the poll panel to order repoll. Here are some of the interesting Lok Sabha constituencies to watch out for: Chandigarh This Union Territory is a bellwether seat. In 2014, BJPs Kirron Kher defeated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Gul Panag and Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal. Bansal, a former Union minister, had represented this constituency from 1999 to 2014. Now, Bansal is taking on Kher again while AAP has fielded Harmohan Dhawan. Also read: A look at Indias bellwether seats whoever wins these, wins the election Gurdaspur, Punjab Veteran actor Vinod Khanna had won this seat for the BJP in 2014. However, it was clinched by Congress Sunil Jakhar in the by-election triggered by Khannas demise in 2017. Now, the BJP has fielded actor Sunny Deol to take on Jakhar and wrest this constituency. Also read: Opinion | Congress has to thank the opposition for its Punjab fortunes Hamirpur BJPs Anurag Thakur has held this seat since the 2008 by-election there. The constituency was represented by his father and former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal multiple times. The constituency in the hill state has been held by the BJP since 1989, except for a brief period in 1998-99, when Congress bagged it. The saffron party has fielded Anurag Thakur for this seat again. He is being challenged by Congress Ram Lal Thakur. Jadavpur, West Bengal This prestigious seat was once held by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The constituency has been held by Trinamool Congress since 2009. Now, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded actress-turned-politician Mimi Chakraborty to take on former Kolkata Mayor and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. Also read: Opinion | Why are left supporters in West Bengal looking at BJP? Patna Sahib, Bihar Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha had won this seat for the BJP in both 2009 and 2014. Sinha stormed out of the BJP after years of uneasy relationship with the party high command. He is now contesting on a Congress ticket. The BJP has fielded Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad against Sinha. In 2014, Sinha had won with a margin of over 2.6 lakh votes. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh All eyes will be on this constituency where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting from. He is being challenged by Congress Ajay Rai and Mahagathbandhans Shalini Yadav. Yadav is contesting on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket and has the backing of alliance members Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Last time, Modi had secured over 5.8 lakh votes here. Rai had finished third with 75,614 votes. SP and BSP, who had fought separately, had fielded Kailash Chaurasiya and Vijay Prakash Jaisawal, respectively. They had bagged 45,291 and 60,579, respectively. AAPs Arvind Kejriwal had secured over two lakh votes. However, now that he is not contesting there, those votes seem to be up for grabs. Also read | PM Modi in Varanasi: A look at 5 years of BJP government and the holy city Exit polls will be released shortly after this phase concludes. File image Sumanth Raman As Elections 2019 moves towards its final stage the focus on the Election Commission of India (ECI) has been far more than the Institution would have ever wished for. From the first phase until the sixth, not a single stage has been without a slew of complaints about the functioning of the ECI. If in the early phases, the problems related largely to voters finding their names missing from the list and malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs), as the polls continued, the ECI's handling of the alleged model code of conduct (MCC) violations came under scrutiny especially those levelled against the Prime Minister. In some states there were allegations of bogus voting that the ECI took weeks to address and in one state there was the mysterious movement of 50 EVM's to a centre where polling had long concluded, ostensibly on account of a re-poll that was yet to be ordered at the time the EVM's were moved. The conduct of such a mammoth exercise as Indias general elections will no doubt see a few glitches simply because of the sheer scale and complexity of its conduct, but this time the ECI came under criticism right from the day they announced the schedule of the elections. The fact that some states that had always had single- or two-phase polls were now voting in three or more phases and the refusal to count more VVPAT's claiming time delay in the counting process attracted comments not just from political parties but also from citizens. The shambolic press conference where the poll dates were announced by the CEC hardly inspired confidence. What possibly cost the ECI most in terms of credibility was the unending series of clean chits that it kept giving to the PM for alleged model code violations. That one of the election commissioners dissented on several of those clean chit decisions was never made public by the ECI until the media broke the story. The alleged deletion of almost 45000 voters, mostly fishermen, in the Kanyakumari constituency of Tamil Nadu has led to a PIL being filed. Namo TV being allowed to function with its broadcasts on DTH platforms without any license was another issue that Opposition parties raised. Yet another controversy was the ECI suspending Mohammed Mohsin, an IAS Officer of the Karnataka cadre, who while on poll duty in Odisha, ordered a search of the Prime Ministers helicopter. This order of the ECI was later stayed by the CAT but it called into question the wisdom of the ECIs decision. The never-ending story of EVM malfunctions have necessitated re-poll in some places and counting of only VVPATs in others. While the oft quoted allegation of the Opposition that whichever button was pressed the votes went to the Lotus was never proven anywhere, it is a fact that EVM malfunctions led to significant disruptions to the polling process across states. Perhaps the most blatant violations were those of the March 19 ECI advisory that said that political parties should not use the name of the defense forces in their campaigns. BJP leaders, from the Prime Minister downwards, repeatedly invoked the sacrifice of the armed forces in their campaign speeches going as far as asking people to vote in the name of the martyrs. Yet the ECI did very little to bring them to book and gave them clean chits. There was of course, the proverbial equivalent of a rap on the knuckles with two or three day ban on campaigning for a few leaders such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Thakur that the ECI did order, but that had more to do with their use (or misuse) of religion in their speeches to seek votes. Even this action came only after the Supreme Court reprimanded the ECI for acting powerless and toothless against hate speeches. In the middle of the campaign came the story of the 20 lakh missing EVMs. Apparently there is a gross mismatch between the number of EVMs that the Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) and the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) have said they have supplied to the ECI over the last two decades and the numbers that the ECI has acknowledged receiving. This was brought out through an RTI and while there may still be a satisfactory explanation to account for the discrepancy in the numbers, the ECI is yet to put out the reason. In almost every election in the recent past there have been complaints and question marks on the impartiality of the ECI. If these were murmurs earlier, during this election the voices are reaching a crescendo not just because of the ECIs conduct over the last few weeks but also due to its decisions in the last couple of years such as in the AAP MLAs case, the AIADMK faction dispute, etc. The fact that there is dissension over some of the decisions within the ECI gives hope that someday in the future we may know why it took the decisions it did and how the ECI conducted itself during these elections. From the glory days of TN Seshan and JM Lyngdoh when the ECI struck fear in the hearts of politicians, to the present day crisis of credibility that it faces, the fall has been steep. One more venerable institution in India appears to be in need of resuscitation. Sumanth Raman is a Chennai-based television anchor and political analyst. Views are personal. For more Opinion pieces, click here BJP and TMC supporters May 14 fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive roadshow by Amit Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by police. Parts of the city plunged into a welter of violence as his convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties, officials said. Furious BJP supporters retaliated and were seen exchanging blows with their TMC rivals outside the college entrance. Several motorcycles parked outside were vandalised and set ablaze. Shards of broken glass littered the lobby of the college where a bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a noted philosopher and a key figure of Bengal Renaissance, was smashed to smithreens. Police personnel were seen trying to douse the fire with buckets filled with water. Contingents of Kolkata Police deployed for the roadshow swung into action and were seen chasing away the warring groups. "There was an attempt by TMC hooligans to attack me. Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal chief minister) tried to provoke violence. But I am safe," Shah told a Hindi TV news channel. Shah said while clashes erupted police remained a mute spectator. He said he was told by police that the permission for the roadshow ended near the college and that he will be taken to the ancestral home of Swami Vivekananda on Bidhan Sarani. "They (police) deviated from the planned route and took a way where there were traffic jams. I was not allowed to reach Swami Vivekananda's house to pay tributes and I am saddened by it," Shah claimed. Banerjee hit right back, calling Shah a "goonda". "If you lay your hands on Vidyasagar, what will I call you other than a goonda," he told a rally in Behala in the city. "I hate your ideology, I hate your ways," she said, and announced a protest rally on Thursday against the vandalisation of the bust of Vidyasagar. Earlier, there was a scuffle when a group shouted slogans against Shah outside the Calcutta University campus and showed him black flags. Police, however, swiftly brought the situation under control. Before the clashing mobs took over the streets of central Kolkata, Shah led a saffron surge in parts of the city as chants of 'Jai Shri Ram, Jai Jai Shri Ram' alternated with frenzied chorus of 'Modi! Modi!'. Clad in a kurta-pyjama ensemble and a pink Modi jacket to boot, Shah smiled broadly from atop an open roof vehicle, waving at people and thrusting a clenched fist into air while a massive crowd followed him in the BJP's show of strength five days before the final phase of general election. A virtual carnival unfolded during his nearly 4-km roadshow from Esplanade to the ancestral home of Swami Vivekananda, a journey he could not complete. Women in traditional Bengali white sarees with red borders, tribals donning the BJP's trademark saffron turbans and carrying bows and arrows danced as the caravan inched through the cramped streets of West Bengal's capital city. With the state polarised along communal lines like never before during an election, the parade had men dressed like Ram, Hanuman and the 'Vanar Sena', the army of apes that helped the Lord defeat demon king Ravan, according to epic Ramayana. BJP workers and supporters lined the streets, as did curious onlookers. The party's Kolkata north and Kolkata south candidates Rahul Sinha and Chandra Kumar Bose were on the vehicle with Shah, who had to often wipe his face with a towel in the oppressive heat and humidity the city is known for during summer. Along the way, Shah and his entourage were showered with flower petals by women from terraces and rooftops. Shah also sprinkled the crowd with flower petals. Apparently satisfied with the impressive turnout of BJP supporters on Kolkata streets, a rare sight since the defeat and virtual eclipse of the Left Front whose rallies were stuff of legend because of sheer size, Shah declared the BJP will win more than 282 seats in the election, the number of constituencies it had clinched in 2014. "They (the TMC) killed several of our workers. Nothing can make a party president sadder. Didi (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) should know the more violence her party perpetrates the more the lotus (BJP's election symbol) will bloom," he told a national TV channel. Shah claimed the people of West Bengal have made up their mind to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defeat the Trinamool Congress. Responding to Banerjee's allegation that the BJP had brought people from other states to rig the elections in West Bengal and that saffron party workers in CRPF uniforms were vitiating the poll process, Shah said his party was ruling 16 states and nowhere it adopted such vile tactics. "I want to assure Didi as much...we will never do anything like that," he said. Tension was palpable since noon, hours before Shah's roadshow began, after posters with images of Modi and him were dismantled by the police, provoking several senior leaders to stage a flash sit-in. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the party's pointsman for the northeast, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan remonstrated. Vijayvargiya was seen involved in a heated argument with a police officer. "No democracy exists in Bengal," Pradhan said, adding the people of the state were with Narendra Modi. "You (the TMC and Mamata Banerjee) are scared of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. But why should you be afraid of their posters?" Sarma said. Rima M | Rakesh Sharma As we hurtle towards the last phase of the general elections, we have seen an ugly contest unfold the heat is notched up, and the dust kicked up is a veritable storm. A lot of the conversations at least in some circles have veered towards Indias foreign policy evolution in these Modi Years. On this edition of Digging Deeper, we try to decode how India represented itself in the last five years on the international stage. But on this first episode, we will address the evolution of Indias foreign policy. How we are, and what we have become since independence. When we return for the next part, we will examine the Modi Years. This is part one of our two part series: India and the World. From protest to consolidation? On March 26, 2019, Uzair Younus, director at Albright Stonebridge Group, wrote in The Diplomat about India's evolution from what was earlier a protest voice on the world stage. The article calls the recent India-Pakistan crisis as a testimony to the fact that big guns like France, Germany, Australia, and the United States are willing to stand behind India in the international arena. The fact though is that in the context of Pakistan, India has always wielded more power and enjoyed more credibility in the international arena while Pakistan despite being a strategic ally of China and the US for geographical and tactical reasons has always been known as a bit of a loose cannon internationally because of its inner instability, its soft stance on terrorism, and poor democratic credentials all the things that India's sturdy democratic values have not been associated with. It is important to understand that a country's international credibility has a lot to do not just with how it deals with allies and adversaries but its own internal matters. US President Donald Trump, for instance, does not enjoy the respect internationally despite his repeated claims of We are respected again in the world that President Obama was accorded because of his inability to understand not just the fundamentals of foreign policy and international relations but also the tenets of a functioning democracy in a country that was once known as the leader of the free world, a shining house upon a hill, as Reagan would have it. The Diplomat also delineates India's strategic outlook in the early decades post-independence as a foreign policy that was built on three key pillars: "nonalignment in the international arena; preservation of autonomy in domestic affairs; and solidarity among developing nations, particularly those that had recently gained independence from colonial powers. This policy continued throughout the Cold War, when India leaned toward the Soviet Union while deftly maintaining strategic autonomy and charting its own course in a bipolar international order. This began to change a little after the collapse of the Soviet Union. There was an economic crisis looming large at home. Younus continues, India slowly opened its economy through careful economic liberalization that signaled the end of the License Raj, and at the same time began to engage with the rest of a world on a different set of norms. The high rates of economic growth ushered through domestic reforms attracted international investors and Indias strategic thinkers quickly captured this opportunity. "Economic attractiveness gave the country space to engage the rest of the world on its own terms. This meant that India would not give in easily on strategic issues, but it would at the same time be flexible and engage with the rest of a world to achieve win-win outcomes. Now, says the writer, India seeks to position itself among the great powers by showcasing a willingness to take on more international responsibilities to achieve the holy grail in the international order: a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, something only five countries enjoy: US, UK, Russia, China, and France. (Not Germany, surprisingly enough.) We ask though, just how much is the hyperbole connected with PM Modi's legacy as "global leader" to do with projection rather than facts. Is it just uncomfortable hugs and undiplomatic first name-calling, or is there something in the way he has changed Indias standing in the world after all? We try and unearth the answers today. The Diplomat talks about three emerging shifts in the international order in recent times: Terrorism, climate change, and the rise of China. But lets take a look inward for a second: if we look at recent events, the Indian leadership's repeated failure to stem domestic terrorism and caste- and religion-based violence, the electoral strategy of using the bogeyman of the National Citizenship Register, giving an election ticket to a terror accused in Bhopal etc, belies its commitment to deal with terror impartially on the world stage especially when in recent times, it has shown no qualms about extending a warm welcome to the likes of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman whose record of human rights violations on domestic soil and role in terror funding has been critiqued internationally. This is not just in relation to the Jamal Khashoggi case, where it has been alleged that the Washington Post journalist was murdered on the behest of MBS. While the current dispensation may condemn terrorism on foreign soils on occasion (New Zealand, US), its record on internal terrorism is at best inconsistent and at worst unacceptable. Next: climate change. Indias commitment to reducing emissions from oil-based engines has but remained a pipedream. Though not strictly related to climate change, lets take the issue of air pollution. 14 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. That is not a statistic you see peddled on the WhatsApp forwards from your relatives. Diplomats on placement here in India get something called a hazard pay, that is extra money for agreeing to work in a region that is hazardous something you would expect in a war-torn country. Even a cursory Google search will tell us that air pollution alone ranks higher than smoking, high blood pressure, child and maternal malnutrition on the list of public health issues. India is the third largest, after China and the United States, in the generation of greenhouse emissions. The Paris Agreement is not a national achievement. Merely setting a goal of installing clean energy capacity that would equal 40 percent of the countrys total energy capacity by 2030 does not take away from our inability to protect ecologically sensitive zones or silence the alarm bells frequently rung by the likes of environment NGO Greenpeace which recently stated that Delhi topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The US-based Health Effects Institute report also revealed that around 1.2 million people were killed in India in 2017 due to air pollution. Not to forget the PM's own befuddling statement that it is not climate that is changing but our ability to endure it! Very much like the pronouncements of one Mr Trump. Now for the third point. How has India benefitted from China being viewed as a strategic competitor by the United States and its allies? We will try and explore that question detail in the part two of the special, considering China's repeated provocations regarding Arunachal Pradesh and other issues are at stake here. An overview Let us go back a bit in time to see the distance we have travelled or not in the international context. An article was presented at the India Forum, organized by the Fundacion Marcelino Botin in Madrid in November 2007. Written by Xenia Dormandy, the piece explored India's role as an emerging global political force. The story begins with a quote from the then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had said in March 2005, and we quote, "international institutions are going to have to start to accommodate India in some way. As the article puts it, from an Indian perspective she was years late. But it is an objective that the developed world is only now beginning to affirm, and towards which it is still only taking hesitant steps. And as the writer put it, "In recent years, Indias military, diplomatic and economic energies have expanded far beyond Nehrus Non-Aligned position. But what does that mean for India, its region, and to the United States?" If we really had secured a firm footing in global eyes as a power to reckon with, why then do we still have encounter so much uncertainty when it comes to American visas for Indian skilled workers, why then is the list of countries that allow Indians without a visa for travel not expanding? So what has driven Indias Foreign Policy in the recent decades? The article states that Indias foreign policy is driven by five principal considerations, in which are woven its relationships with the United States and China. And as we said before, how we deal with the world is inextricably linked with how we deal with out own internal security and economy and other issues. As the writer says, "As is necessary for any nation, Indias principal priority is ensuring conventional security for its country and its people. In recent years, India has built up a strong and capable Army, Navy and Air Force: the third, forth and seventh largest in the world respectively [at the time of writing in 2007; these forces have grown larger since]. Indias military is not only large, but effective, well trained and increasingly well equipped; their Air Force has been known to best that of the United States in combat air exercises." And there is the question of Pakistan. We quote the writer again, "Indias main conventional threat is perceived to be Pakistan. These two nations had a military standoff in late 2001 and early 2002 following an attack on the Indian Parliament. While Indias military is vastly larger than Pakistans, this numerical supremacy is somewhat mitigated by the topographic limitations of their western border which restricts the number of troops that India could deploy against Pakistan at any one time." And as always there has been the looming shadow of China since the 1962 war. How did India deal with that challenge? The writer says, "While India has committed to expanding and modernizing its Air Force, and maintaining the stature and strength of its Army, three principal reasons have motivated their desire to expand their blue water navy and build a submarine force. First, to counter Chinas expansion into the region. Second, to ensure the continued safe flow of goods and natural resources through the Bay of Bengal and beyond, particularly the area around the Malacca Straits which is still very susceptible to piracy and through which approximately one half of the worlds oil flows. Finally is Indias desire for a nuclear triad, the missing leg of which today is a submarine force. While not trying to create an offensive capability, in the words of Admiral Sureesh Mehta, the Chief of Indian Naval Staff, India is looking for, mutual respectful partnerships that ensure the stability of the Indian Ocean. Since then, we have actually gone ahead on the nuclear submarine front. On November 4, 2018, Modi announced that the Arihant, the Indian Navys first domestically-built nuclear-powered submarine, completed her first deterrence patrol. As National Interest reported, The Arihant, which means Slayer of Enemies in Sanskrit, uses a uranium-fueled pressurized light-water reactor to generate 83-megawatts of electricity, allowing the submarine to swim underwater for months at a time at speeds as high as twenty-four knots. Of course, there was the bizarre episode in 2016 when a hatch left open in port caused the 6,500-ton submarine to flood with corrosive saltwater. The submarine was deployed on account of this, but it appears now Arihant is in business. So, as is clear, India or its leadership or its thinktank never sought to politicise short-term gains but to build diplomatic conduits as well as internal capabilities to strengthen the nation state from within. And how has its record been while dealing with terror? Considering this piece was written in 2007, it is still easy to see the truth in many of the statements as when the writer says, "While Indias military is designed to protect its borders from outside influence or powers, it should be noted that they also have a strong domestic role in fighting internal militancy, particularly in its northeast region, in Jammu and Kashmir, and against the Naxalite groups in the east. Notwithstanding these three sets of players, what is perhaps most surprising is that despite having the third largest Muslim population in the world (after Indonesia and Pakistan), excepting the attempted suicide attacks in England over the past summer, there are no known Indian al Qaida or Taliban members. This fact could suggest that India might have something to teach concerning anti-terrorist activities." [A, this as written in the pre-ISIS days, and recent reports suggest that IS is actively trying to recruit members in India. B, since 2007, India is home to the second highest population of Muslims after Indonesia. According to Pew Research, by 2060, India will be home to 11.1% of the worlds Muslim population, the highest anywhere. The percentage of Muslims is expected to 19.4% of the total Indian population.] The piece also acknowledges that South Asia is an insecure region, and India is surrounded on all sides, as the writer says, by unstable democracies, conflict-ridden countries, militant activity, authoritarian leaders or weak governments, and countries with which India has historically acrimonious relations. We quote further, "In order to ensure that such negative influences do not seep into India, despite the inherent cacophony described by its diverse ethnic and religious population and inequality, India has developed a strong democracy. This has enabled all parts of Indias society (to very differing degrees) to engage in the political process, a fact that helps maintain domestic stability. It is greatly in Indias interest to encourage others in the region to follow its example and in so doing improve the prospects of strong and continuous growth." Exactly our point that without internal stability and strengthening of democratic norms, we cannot hope to command credibility internationally. The hits and the misses The piece also points out policy mistakes like the disastrous expedition to Sri Lanka in the late 1980s in which India became dragged into the internal conflict, and which eventually led to the assassination in 1991 of Indias former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. But as the piece says, India has conventionally used its diplomatic and economic leverage and soft power to help mitigate the conflicts of its neighbors, particularly Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. We quote, "India, the United States and the United Kingdom together played a powerful role in persuading Nepals King Gyanendra to stand down in February 2005. India continues to have influence in Sri Lanka and in Bangladesh and provide a demonstration effect for democracy to these countries." In Afghanistan, recalls the piece, India had built on its long-standing relationship with the Northern Alliance and Prime Minister Hamid Karzai to support stability, including providing over $750 million in assistance and infrastructure support. We quote, "It should be noted that Indias interest in Afghanistan is not just historical: lying as it does on Pakistans western border, close relations with Afghanistan (as with Iran) constitutes a significant strategic asset to India." It is of course another matter that Indias rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan have been mocked by Trump, a man who knows his nowhere except at the very heart of narcissistic darkness. Indias military has had a strong peace-building role, said the article and as of March 2007, India was the 3rd largest provider of peacekeeping forces to the United Nations (UN). It also commanded much global admiration as one of the founding four nations of the Asian Tsunami Core Group and alone provided more aid and assistance than any country except the United States. The economic factors And it is a given that any country that has a firm grip on its economy commands more attention internationally. And in this area, the writer traces India's journey from a GDP growth of approximately 3.5% per year till the 1980s to the times following the 1991 economic reforms led by the then-Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, when growth tripled, reaching 8% in 2004. But the writer also said that historically, Indias growth has been internally driven and it must draw on this international engagement further if it is going to continue to lift up the 60% of its population in the rural sector and develop a modern infrastructure. The writer also said that the U.S.-India relationship has been focused on building economic engagement and investment between the two nations despite sensitive aspects like the outsourcing question. The early 1990s The writer informs how the Indian Government launched a Look East policy intended to promote engagement between India and its South East Asian neighbors in the early nineties. We quote, "The raison detre of this policy was economic. This policy never truly realized the hoped for benefits, in large part due to the 1997 financial crisis that interrupted economic development in the region. Nevertheless, today India is increasingly engaging with the Association for South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) including working on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and continues to engage bilaterally with the members and others with trade agreements completed or in process with countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Korea, Singapore and Japan." Even then, Indias increasing engagement with China was stemming from the latters exceptional economic growth of over 10% since 2000. And both India and China then saw their concurrent economic expansion as mutually beneficial. The future however was less clear though, said the writer as India was increasingly focusing on the manufacturing sector, traditionally Chinas area of expertise. The questions about energy and environment The piece said that in order to sustain economic growth at around 10%, India must ensure energy security, as its third major area of focus. By 2025, said the writer, it was projected that India will import 80% of its energy needs complicated by the fact that it has dirty coal and its use will have severe environmental implications. But even then, India was beginning to pay more attention to environmental concerns, joining the Asian Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate and recently creating a Council on Climate Change. This issue even then was increasingly becoming a political one and the writer mentioned a poll conducted in 2006 where 51% of Indians considered global warming a critical threat. In July 2005, a civilian nuclear agreement was inked between India and the United States to designate a good supply of fissile material to India to power its civilian reactors. The questions about nuclear capability There are two nuclear weapons powers on India's borders China and Pakistan and given its history with both, the writer mentions how sensitive the country is to intimation of control by any other power though it had till then steadfastly maintained a no first use policy and subsequently, a Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan not only lowered the tensions but also resulted in significant agreements that went in some way to mitigating the chance of a mistaken nuclear attack. A global power? As the 2007 piece said, "The final priority of New Delhis government is for India to take its rightful place on the global stage. In so doing they recognize the importance of building their strategic stature and leadership. With 1.1 billion people, India has the second largest population in the world, and one of the youngest with over 50% under the age of 25. Their economy, by purchasing power parity, is 4th in the world after the U.S., China and Japan. Unlike Americas, Indias soft power has remained strong, and their military, economic and diplomatic reach is increasingly significant. India is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy accommodating a Hindu majority with, as stated earlier, the third largest Muslim population in the world. They are very eager to take up the role on the global stage that these characteristics support. While already a leader of the developing world, India wants its status recognized in the developed world." Historically, India's ambition to play a bigger international role was based on internal strengths provided by its strong commitment to democracy, peace initiatives, policy of open dialogue and economic development, principles it inherited from a Nehruvian worldview. India is working not just in the bilateral sphere, but as we saw economically, it hedges its bets by engaging in regional and, as appropriate, ad hoc groups such as the December 2004 Asian Tsunami Core Response Group and more recently the quadrilateral (Japan, the U.S., Australia and India). India has an impressive array of memberships of regional organizations and continues to drive for more including a formal association with the Associated of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and joining the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group. While thus far the goal of a permanent seat at the UN has been unsuccessful, it has resulted in a number of indirect benefits both in terms of building a much closer bilateral relationship with Japan, and in raising its profile as a serious contender following UN reform. Meanwhile, India continues to lead the G77 and the Non-Aligned Movement and in this capacity negotiates on behalf of the developing nations in the UN General Assembly. Finally, the complex equation with China and the US As the piece informed, since the 1962 war, both nations have worked hard to ensure that their border conflicts do not spill over into their broader relationship, and that other bilateral interests are not held hostage to these disagreements. We quote, "Like the United States, China has worked hard in recent years to improve its relationship with India while continuing to sustain its long-term relationship with Pakistan. Despite these efforts, however, the inherent relationship between China and India is one of tension, whether in the economic, energy, nuclear, strategic or security realm. Without the continued careful attention by both parties to mitigate them, these pressures are likely to increase as both India and China take leadership roles in Asia. Pressure is also likely to rise as both nations expand economically, increasingly competing for foreign investment, and supremacy in the services and manufacturing industries. Given these inherent pressures and yet the importance to both countries of a stable and secure environment in which to grow, the two nations will continue to maintain a dual policy of hedging and engaging one another (similar to that of the U.S. with China) in order to walk the narrow path between remaining friendly but protecting against the eventuality that the other does not." So not much has changed in this respect, as is obvious by now. With the US also, India has had a complicated relationship. We quote, " Notwithstanding its non-aligned status, from its independence until the end of the Cold War, India tilted towards the Soviet Union when the United States engaged more actively with Pakistan. But in the early 1990s such divisions began to fade and Indias foreign policy became more self-determining. In 2000, then-President Bill Clinton led a five-day path-breaking visit to India that transformed Indian views of the U.S. and launched our new relationship. Former U.S. Ambassador Robert Blackwill picked up the baton when he headed out to Delhi to be Ambassador to India for the Bush Administration in 2001. What these moves illuminated were the possibilities between the two countries. As became apparent during Ambassador Blackwills tenure, there were huge opportunities that could be realized by a closer bilateral relationship although much work would be needed to make this possible. Both India and US have faced similar challenges like terrorism, extremism, proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), economic growth, energy, environment, narcotics, Afghanistan, and potentially China. As the piece states, "In many cases, these are issues that cannot be resolved unilaterally but that are going to require long-term engagement and cooperation not just by the U.S. and India but many of our other allies. We will need to work together to address these mutual challenges. In countering terrorism, India has for far longer than America been subjected to a terrorist threat against its nation and, as stated earlier, has engaged its Muslim population in a manner that has not resulted in extremism or militancy despite the potential provocation on its borders. In the area of WMD and proliferation, given Indias location it is arguably much more susceptible to these threats than is the United States, whether from Pakistan, China, Iran or even North Korea. Similarly, India and the United States are necessary partners in dealing with the dual challenges of energy security and environmental degradation. As Indias energy consumption increases, the two countries will need to work closely to ensure that environmental costs dont similarly grow and that investment is made on the most advanced equipment. As the article acknowledged then, as great democracies, India and the United States have had similar world visions and interests in promoting this form of government, albeit through the auspices of the UN. India provides a very effective demonstration effect for other nations in the region and beyond without many of the sensitivities that the United States brings to the table. But given Indias five principal strategic interests, the piece concluded that India could become a powerful force for transformation in times of peace and in strife by not just following examples but setting them. Those, in a nutshell to those of us unaccustomed to the intricacies of international relations, were the highlights of independent Indias foreign policy evolution. How have things changed in the Modi Years? That question answered in the second part of India and the World. Terming it a "political conspiracy", sacked Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav has blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for rejection of his nomination. Yadav, son of a farmer, had filed his nomination to contest from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. He had claimed that he would have defeated PM Modi if his nomination had not been rejected. He has now decided to campaign against PM Modi in Varanasi. He spoke to Moneycontrol about why he decided to contest from Varanasi, his future course of action and what he feels about PM Modi. The Modi government has completely failed to deliver on its promises, from the welfare of Army personnel to farmers in India. He played politics in the name of the Army and came to power in 2014. Being an Army man, when I raised my voice against the poor quality of food being served to the troops, he let me get dismissed from my post. In five years, he has not taken any significant step in favour of the Army or farmers, Yadav said. Yadav also said the prime minister was talking about Balakot airstrikes but not about the attacks on jawans. Why is Prime Minister Modi not ordering a probe into the Pulwama attack? I wanted to stand against him and ask him: if he really cares about the Army, he should answer my questions, Yadav said. Yadav had first filed his nomination as an Independent on April 24 and subsequently filed his nomination on April 29 to contest on Samajwadi Party (SP)s symbol. SP had fielded Yadav as the Mahagathbandhans joint candidate. SP is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election in an alliance with Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). His nomination was rejected on May 1 over "discrepancies" in the two sets of papers submitted by him. Blaming PM Modi and the BJP, Yadav said he was "targeted" as he represented the aspirations and angst of farmers and jawans. He also claimed that the prime minister was "afraid" of him as he was receiving peoples support. If I was contesting from Varanasi, I would have surely defeated Modi. I was getting support from everywhere. People of Varanasi are supporting me. While SP nominated me as its candidate, the Aam Aadmi Party was also extending its support to me. It was under a political conspiracy of PM Modi and the BJP, that my nomination was rejected, Yadav claimed. Referring to Yadavs contest against the prime minister in Varanasi, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal had said in a tweet that there was "something in the soil of Haryana" as people from the state "like to challenge" Modi. Kejriwal had himself contested against PM Modi in the 2014 general election. Also read | Modi got ex-BSF jawan's nomination 'cancelled': Arvind Kejriwal Yadav said he had come to Haryana to cast his vote in the sixth phase and would return to Varanasi to campaign for SPs candidate Shalini Yadav. I will also go to other Lok Sabha seats undergoing polling in the seventh phase, he added. Asked about the Supreme Court quashing his plea challenging the Election Commission's decision to reject his nomination, Yadav said he will move the Allahabad High Court after elections conclude. Yadav had moved the top court challenging the decision of the Returning Officer (RO) to reject his nomination papers from Varanasi, saying it was intended to "give a walkover" to PM Modi. His plea was rejected by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. File image Expressing confidence that the BJP will win more seats that it did in 2014, senior party leader Rajnath Singh on May 14 said a two-thirds majority for the NDA cannot be ruled out. The Union Home minister said the opposition should reveal who is their prime ministerial candidate and also took on the Congress for its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar justifying his "neech aadmi" jibe against the prime minister. "I have reached a conclusion that BJP will win more seats in Lok Sabha polls than it did in 2014. Two-thirds majority for NDA also cannot be ruled out. The hope people had from the prime minister in the 2014 elections has turned into confidence this time," Singh said at a press conference in the BJP headquarters here. "Last time, it was Modiji versus Sonia Gandhi/Manmohan Singh. This time it is Modiji versus who? It is unknown. The opposition should not keep people in dark, should reveal its PM candidate," he said. He also asked the Congress to respond to Aiyar justifying his 2017 "neech aadmi" remark about the prime minister. "Congress should give its response to Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment that his claim about Modi was correct," he said. Lashing out at the opposition parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday the Congress and the RJD will push 21st century India into darkness, if voted to power. Addressing a rally here, Modi also claimed that it was just the "BJP-led NDA dispensation that could lead the nation towards light". "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Development for all) is our mantra and we strive to ensure security and respect for all. The Mahamilawatis (opposition), on the other hand, think some castes are beholden to them," he said. Iterating that it was his government that took on the terrorists and the trouble-mongers on both sides of the India-Pakistan border, Modi said, "The mahamilawatis, if elected to power, will give free licenses to stone-pelters, naxals and tukde-tukde gang." The opposition leaders will get a befitting reply from people after May 23, when the general election results are declared, he stated. "Going by the response of people in the six phases of elections, it is clear that the opposition parties will face a humiliating defeat. Their anger has touched the seventh heaven now. They are trying to draw satisfaction from hurling abuses," he asserted. The PM also insisted that he has always lived and worked for the country, without taking any break. "Not for once have I lived for myself or my relatives during my tenure as the Gujarat chief minister or the prime minister. People of this country are my family," he added. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took a dim view of Pakistan Premier Imran Khan's remark that a win for Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections will revive hopes for Indo-Pak peace, saying he should instead ensure that terrorism is wiped out completely from his country. Singh also said that India would extend all help to Pakistan in fighting terrorism if it shows sincerity in eradicating the menace emanating from its soil. Asked during an interview to PTI on Sunday whether the recent statement by Khan that it would be good for peace between India and Pakistan if BJP and Modi returned to power showed he was a fan of the Indian premier, Singh said, "Only he (Khan) can reply to that". After a brief pause, Singh smilingly said if Khan was so serious of wanting Modi to return to power and normalize relations with India then he should first announce that terrorism would neither be nurtured nor allowed to thrive in Pakistan and take effective steps to stamp put terrorism. "Pakistan should announce that terrorism will be wiped out completely from their country and if need be help of India can be taken. If such a statement comes from Pakistan, we will believe that Imran Khan is really a Modi fan and wishes to normalise relations with India," he said. To a question whether India would be willing to help Pakistan, Singh said, "India will wholeheartedly support such a step". A day before the first phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on April 10, Khan met with a group of foreign journalists for an interaction in Islamabad during which he expressed the hope that India-Pakistan peace had a better chance under Mr. Modi The BJP veteran also accused Congress of diluting India's stand on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. "In 2004, (Gen Pervez) Musharraf had agreed for a statement that Pakistan's soil will not be used for terrorism. A year later, during Congress rule a statement was made by New Delhi that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism as India...this was a blunder." He also defended Modi's decision to invite the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014 and also for making an unscheduled visit to his home in Lahore Pakistan. "We wanted to experiment but things did not work the way we wanted." Asked whether an invitation will again be extended to the Pakistani premier if the NDA retains power, Singh said, "It's too early to say who will be called and who will be kept away." On Balakot air strike in February this year, Singh said the Congress should have refrained from repeatedly questioning the government about the number of terrorists killed in the attack. However, Singh side-stepped a reply to a pointed question that the figure of 300 terrorists being killed was first stated by BJP chief Amit Shah. But he hastened to add, "Now see even a foreign journalist has said that nearly 170 were killed." Singh was apparently referring to a claim by an Italian journalist earlier this month that the Balakot air strike killed 130-170 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. Asked for clarity on the number of deaths since several weeks have now passed after the air strike, he said, "I will only say that it was an intelligence-based successful anti-terror operation which has been unheard of in the history of the nation." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has pledged the Islamic republic is "too great to be intimidated by anyone" in a late night meeting with clerics. "God willing we will pass this difficult period with glory and our heads held high, and defeat the enemy," Rouhani said late on May 13 as he met Sunni clerics to mark the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, the official government website dolat.ir said. He was speaking after four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were reportedly attacked off the UAE coast on Sunday, in a sign of mounting regional tensions. Iran has called for an investigation into what it called an "alarming" incident. Iran and the United States have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks since Tehran began to roll back commitments set out in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal last year and has unilaterally reimposed stringent sanctions on Iran. Last month, Washington designated Iran's revolutionary guards as a "foreign terrorist organisation", the first time that part of a foreign government has been branded as such. The dispatch of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group plus an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and B-52 bombers by the US to the region has triggered fears of possible military clashes. The BJP on May 14 attacked the West Bengal government over incidents of political violence in the state, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh holding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "responsible" and alleging that anarchy existed there. The party also targeted Banerjee over the arrest of its youth activist Priyanka Sharma for sharing a meme of the chief minister, and Union minister Arun Jaitley likened her to a dictator who does not like people laughing at her. "Humour, wit, sarcasm survive in a free society. They have no place in autocracies. Dictators laugh at people. They don't like people laughing at them. Bengal, today is a case in point," Jaitley said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed immediate release of Sharma on bail and asked her to tender a "written apology" at the time of her release from jail for sharing the meme. At a press conference, Singh in reply to a question, said freedom of speech does not mean "abusing" somebody, but added to another question that all sorts of pictures depicting leaders, including him, are put out routinely. On another query about the court asking her to apologise, he said it can be challenged. Singh also slammed the state government for incidents of political violence during elections and asked Banerjee to "own up" responsibility for them. "Law and order is a primary responsibility of a chief minister. She is unable to stop it... There is anarchy. I hold the state government responsible," he told reporters. He, however, added that the Centre can do little in the matter and it was for the Election Commission to take cognisance. Singh also lashed out at Banerjee for not answering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to her when Cyclone Fani hit the region, saying this might have been the first time when a chief minister did not respond to a PM's call. "If a chief minister behaves like this, then what will happen to India's federal structure, its constitution," he asked. The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to a BJP activist arrested for allegedly posting a morphed image of Mamata Banerjee on social media and asked her to apologise, while observing that freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights. A vacation bench comprising justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said Priyanka Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, will apologise in writing upon her release from jail for allegedly posting the morphed picture of the West Bengal chief minister. During the hearing, the bench observed that though freedom of speech is non-negotiable but "your freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others' rights". The bench observed that since Sharma is a member of a political party, the insinuation of posting such a picture will be different from those shared by common people. Sharma was arrested on May 10 by the West Bengal Police under section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and under other provisions of the Information Technology Act on the complaint of a local Trinamool Congress leader Vibhas Hazra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 14 launched a scathing attack on opposition parties and threw them an "open challenge" to prove if he had amassed any asset or kept money in any foreign bank. He was addressing an election meeting here in eastern Uttar Pradesh, days before campaigning ends for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. "I am throwing an open challenge to the 'mahamilawati' people that if they have guts then, instead of hurling abuses at me, they should accept my challenge. "My open challenge to the 'mahamilawati' people is that they should prove if I have acquired any benami property, built any farmhouse, bungalow or shopping complex, or deposited money in any foreign bank, purchased property abroad or bought vehicles worth lakhs and crores," Modi said. The prime minister said neither had he ever dreamt of being rich, nor had he committed the sin of looting money of the poor. "We accord top priority to the welfare of the poor, the honour and security of the motherland," he said. "This is the reason that 'hekdi' (arrogance) of Pakistan and its terrorists has vanished in air. The terrorists who used to openly brandish firearms in Pakistan, are today hiding below the ground and praying for Modi's removal. Sometimes they look at the jungle, sometimes the sky, sometimes the sea. "They remain restless and have lost their sleep...I have given a freehand to the bravehearts of the country. Hence, first the surgical strikes took place and then it was the air strikes. Today we have taken the war against terrorism across the border," he asserted. Modi then attacked the SP-BSP, describing them as 'mahamilavati', and also slammed the Congress for questioning the courage of the bravehearts. "Those who could not even rein in local goons, how will they be able to rein in terrorism. The entire world is affected by terrorism and to combat it, there is a need to have a government in Delhi which is strong, does not believe in appeasement and votebank politics and takes decisions with courage." The prime minister was seeking support for BJP and NDA ally candidates in eastern Uttar Pradesh that go to polls in the seventh and last phase on Sunday. Citing a recent clash between SP and BSP workers in Ghazipur, Modi said, "The workers of SP and BSP were hitting each others, hurling abuses, tearing each others clothes, and the entire country witnessed this. The elections are yet to be over, and they have started settling scores." "The people will give a befitting reply through votes to the abuses hurled at me by these 'mahamilavati' parties," Modi said. He alleged that the opposition leaders dabbled in caste politics and replenished their coffers, built bungalows and palaces. On the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the prime minister claimed that the parties, which used to abuse each other, would again be at each other's throats the moment results were out. "How these mahamilavati people have duped you and looted you, you know it very well. They, in the name of caste politics, have built bungalows for their relatives, palaces, acquired benami property... This is the reason that parties which once used to abuse each other, are now compelled to forge a 'mahamilawat'," the prime minister said. Hitting out at detractors who question his caste, he said, "I am standing for the honour of mothers, sisters and daughters. I am standing to increase the confidence of the poor. I am working to strengthen the last man of the society. And in despair, the 'mahamilawati' people are asking about Modi's caste...I have been the chief minister of Gujarat for more than the combined tenure of bua-babua." BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav are referred to as 'bua' and 'babua' respectively. "I have contested a number of elections and also made others contest, but never banked on my caste. I may have been born in a extremely backward caste family, but my aim is to make India a front runner in the world," he said. "I have experienced poverty and backwardness. The pain which you are feeling now, I have myself felt it. My backwardness and I are not for alleviating my poverty, but I live for you. I toil for you, so I am confident that we will be successful in transforming this situation," Modi said. The way in which Ballia had revolted against foreign rule, Modi has also revolted against poverty, he said. File image Biswajit Dhar Economic relations between the two largest democracies have never been without its difficult moments but in the past few years, contentious issues between the two countries have dominated the bilateral space more often. If the pronouncements of the US Administration in recent months, and those of Commerce Secretary, Wilber Ross, are any indication, even the most optimistic commentators would find it difficult to argue that these differences can be resolved post haste. In fact, President Donald Trumps present mood does not instil any confidence that the already existing list of contentious issues will not become even longer. The India-US differences in economic relations hinge on two issues, namely, the trade surplus that India enjoys vis-a-vis its second largest trade partner, and the standards of protection and enforcement of intellectual property laws in India. In other words, the US conflicts with India is strangely similar to those it is embroiled with China. It is not difficult to understand the concerns of the US as it tries to build trade relations with India. The US is the only major economic partner with which India has maintained surplus on the merchandise trade account consistently over a long time. Since the beginning of the millennium, the US has also been a major market for Indias information technology and enabled-services, which have contributed to moving the bilateral trade balance even more in Indias favour. Further, India has been importing relatively less from the US in recent years. Immediately before the economic downturn in the previous decade, the US share in Indias total imports was 8.5 percent, but a decade later in 2017-18, this share was down to 5.7 percent. During the same period, China increased its share in Indias imports from less than 11 percent to well over 16 percent. These numbers are symptomatic of the decisive shift in the direction of Indias imports since the turn of the millennium from Western countries towards Asia. The main reason for these trends is falling price competitiveness of the US exports of manufacturing goods, vis-a-vis Asia. Since 2008-09, successive US administrations have been focusing on reversing this trend through a series of measures to revive the countrys manufacturing sector, but these measures have not yet borne fruit. The Trump administration has embarked on a radically different pathway to achieve the same goal. The administration has decided to prevent China from expanding its footprint in global markets, often at the expense of the US. It is also well aware that stopping China and reviving American manufacturing can both be realised only over the next several years, if at all. Therefore, its immediate goals are to target major markets, including India, that have high tariffs on a number of products of its interest, such as Harley Davidson, and, perhaps more importantly, on agricultural products, and to force these economies to yield to American pressure. Over the past decade, the US has been able to persuade India to open its markets for apples and almonds, both of which have a fair presence in Indian markets now. But, if the US were to push India further on agriculture, the likely products could be major cereals, where India has considerable sensitivities for a number of reasons. Until now, the US has been putting indirect pressure on India in these areas by raising the issue of subsidies granted by India in the WTO. The US arguments are that Indias subsidies on wheat and rice are well above the limits permitted by the WTOs Agreement on Agriculture. An exercise undertaken by this author shows that the US challenges on Indias wheat/rice subsidies are ill-founded. In fact, the US appears to have challenged India to deflect criticism on its own farm subsidies programme, which has escalated total subsidies from about $61 billion in 1995 (when the WTO was formed) to over $135 billion in 2016. It is also important to point out that while the US provides farm subsidies to capture global markets, Indias subsidies are targeted at small and marginal farmers, keeping in view the imperatives of food security and livelihoods. These are vital considerations for rule-making under the WTO. Indias generic pharmaceutical industry has also been under the US administrations scrutiny for more than three decades. The enactment of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the strengthening of patent law was a major setback for the producers of generic medicines, but the Government of India was able to develop a TRIPS-consistent patent law that provided opportunities to these firms to expand their operations. Despite the fact that Indias patent law meets the standards set by the TRIPS Agreement, the US has been imposing bilateral pressures to discourage generic firms. Providing a predictable set of rules for businesses to engage in cross-border trade was one of the major objectives of the multilateral trading system. An equally important objective was to protect countries having smaller economic clout against unilateral actions by the economically powerful countries. Trade relations between India and the US have increasingly become a case study of how the US has consistently used unilateral actions to force changes in Indias framework of policies and laws. India has resisted the unilateral pressures thus far, how well it can sustain them in the months ahead will be of considerable interest. Picture for representation Within hours of Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah holding a rally in West Bengal's Barasat district, high drama ensued in the constituency on Monday night. Reportedly, many BJP workers who had come down from Gujarat and put up at a local hotel were evicted from the premises last evening by the cops. They were told to leave the hotel after a routine pre-poll check was conducted at the hotels. However, that is not the sole reason why the checks were conducted. Trinamool candidate Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar informed the police that the BJP workers might be in possession of money and arms to be used in the seventh and final phase of the national elections. After being evicted, the workers headed to the home of local BJP worker Tuhin Mondal. In the meantime, Dastidar held a sit-in protest outside the police station seeking punitive action against the saffron cadres. What followed next was commotion outside Mondals home as locals were startled by the sudden inflow of the BJPs vehicles, reported NDTV. Several vehicles were reportedly vandalised in the aftermath, so the police had to intervene and pay Mondal a visit to probe the matter. However, when they reached there, the entire house wore a deserted look, and no one answered repeated calls from the cops to open the door. Eventually, the police had to break in and turn on the lights. Upon entering, they saw a few men seated along with local BJP leader Pradeep Banerjee. When questioned, they said they were about to start a party meeting and confirmed the presence of an RSS leader and Arvind Menon, BJP's co-in-charge of Bengal, there. Since many local supporters of the Trinamool party gathered outside Mondals house to protest, the cops had to escort them safely to the police station. .@WBPolice officers have informed that no Gujaratis can stay in the district of Barasat & they have to leave immediately even though next phase of polls is 6 days away Their message is rather clear NO GUJARATIS @swapan55 @BJP4Bengal @BJP4India chowkidar shishir bajoria (@shishirkb) May 13, 2019 Shishir Bajoria, a BJP office-bearer, tweeted: WB Police officers have informed that no Gujaratis can stay in the district of Barasat and they have to leave immediately, even though the next phase of polls is 6 days away. Their message is rather clear. NO Gujaratis. Later that evening, the BJP informed the media via WhatsApp that Menon's vehicle had been vandalised near Barasat. Notably, nine constituencies in West Bengal, including Barasat, will vote in the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 19. Kentucky Fried Chicken (Image: KFC.com) Jagyaseni Biswas A 27-year-old man was recently arrested in South Africa for eating at various Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets for free for a year. He managed to pull this off not by stealing but by conning the staff at the food chain. He would tell the employees that he was sent by the headquarters to conduct a quality check. The youth, whose name and identity have not been disclosed, was a student of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He would barge into KFC outlets and claim that he represented the companys headquarters to ensure quality standards were being met. He used the same narrative everywhere and got away with free KFC. South African man arrested for eating at KFC free for a year by saying head office sent him to taste if they are up to standard. pic.twitter.com/1V4eD7IR2i The African Voice (@teddyeugene) May 12, 2019 The news of his con went viral after Kenyan journalist Teddy Eugene shared it on his official Twitter handle. He captioned the tweet: South African man arrested for eating at KFC free for a year by saying head office sent him to taste if they are up to standard. The thread became viral in no time. It has been retweeted 17,439 times and had over 39,000 likes at the time of filing. Not all heroes wear capes.. pic.twitter.com/tdDjRKKAQJ The Elleventeenth member of Wu-tang (@morrmak) May 12, 2019 When they welcome him in jail pic.twitter.com/QLYQfqt939 siphokazi (@KaziiMtshali_) May 13, 2019 Hero! Give this man The Iron Throne. pic.twitter.com/uP75HvuBhy www.paushinski.co.ke (@paushinski) May 13, 2019 The Twitter users are far from criticising him. They cannot get over the fact that it was so easy to fool the KFC staff and that the man could pull off the act for a whole year before he was caught. In fact, some have even dubbed him a legend.